1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,030 Matt Edmundson: Hello and welcome to Crowd Church coming to you live 2 00:00:03,030 --> 00:00:05,610 from Liverpool this Sunday night. 3 00:00:05,909 --> 00:00:10,469 My name is Matt Edmundson, and whether this is your first time or whether 4 00:00:10,469 --> 00:00:15,450 you've been part of our journey since the beginning, it's brilliant to be with you. 5 00:00:15,900 --> 00:00:20,760 We are a community of people figuring out what it means to follow Jesus. 6 00:00:20,805 --> 00:00:25,544 In real life, not the polished, perfect version, but you know, the 7 00:00:25,544 --> 00:00:31,514 messy, genuine, brilliant reality of this whole thing called Christianity. 8 00:00:32,323 --> 00:00:35,415 So let me give you a little roadmap of what's gonna be 9 00:00:35,415 --> 00:00:37,605 happening over the next hour. 10 00:00:37,980 --> 00:00:42,360 We'll have a talk, lasts about 20 minutes looking at the topic of 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:48,960 relationships, which is the section of our series becoming whole, that we are 12 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:54,960 looking at exploring how Christ makes us whole across every domain of life. 13 00:00:55,844 --> 00:00:58,484 After the talk, we've got conversation streets. 14 00:00:58,514 --> 00:00:58,934 Oh yes. 15 00:00:58,934 --> 00:01:03,464 This is where we dig into what you've just heard, and you get 16 00:01:03,464 --> 00:01:05,114 to be part of that discussion. 17 00:01:05,444 --> 00:01:09,345 So if you're with us live, jump into the comments, share your questions, 18 00:01:09,345 --> 00:01:11,025 your thoughts, and your stories. 19 00:01:11,325 --> 00:01:16,005 And of course, if you are watching on Catchup or listening to the podcast, then 20 00:01:16,005 --> 00:01:19,335 thanks for being part of the Crowd too. 21 00:01:19,995 --> 00:01:20,595 Right? 22 00:01:21,345 --> 00:01:23,865 Let's meet your hosts and let's get started. 23 00:01:25,725 --> 00:01:27,945 Dan Orange: Hello and welcome to Crowd Church. 24 00:01:28,335 --> 00:01:30,945 Well, it's been, this is my first time back after this summer. 25 00:01:30,945 --> 00:01:31,125 Yeah, 26 00:01:31,125 --> 00:01:31,515 Jan Burch: me too. 27 00:01:31,875 --> 00:01:33,555 Dan Orange: And I'm joined today by Jan. 28 00:01:33,645 --> 00:01:33,854 Jan Burch: Yeah. 29 00:01:33,854 --> 00:01:34,935 Hello everyone. 30 00:01:35,595 --> 00:01:36,134 Dan Orange: How are you, Jan? 31 00:01:36,465 --> 00:01:37,515 Jan Burch: I'm very well, thank you. 32 00:01:37,515 --> 00:01:37,575 Yeah. 33 00:01:38,354 --> 00:01:40,604 Dan Orange: Um, have you had a, had a good summer? 34 00:01:40,935 --> 00:01:42,495 Jan Burch: Uh, yeah, had a lovely summer. 35 00:01:42,615 --> 00:01:47,055 Um, me and my family went to Spain for, um, 10 days. 36 00:01:47,354 --> 00:01:47,775 Dan Orange: Very nice. 37 00:01:48,525 --> 00:01:51,585 Jan Burch: And, um, had, yeah, had a great time. 38 00:01:51,585 --> 00:01:51,595 Yeah. 39 00:01:52,125 --> 00:01:54,315 Yeah, I really enjoyed the the time. 40 00:01:54,375 --> 00:01:54,525 Dan Orange: Yeah. 41 00:01:54,615 --> 00:01:55,245 Oh, brilliant. 42 00:01:55,395 --> 00:01:57,945 We went to Spade for a lot less days. 43 00:01:57,975 --> 00:01:58,634 We planned, I know. 44 00:01:58,634 --> 00:01:59,985 We had a very eventful summer. 45 00:02:00,075 --> 00:02:00,375 Yes. 46 00:02:00,375 --> 00:02:01,575 That's a another story. 47 00:02:01,665 --> 00:02:01,875 Yeah. 48 00:02:02,055 --> 00:02:03,345 Um, yeah. 49 00:02:03,345 --> 00:02:05,715 Sometimes, sometimes plans change. 50 00:02:05,805 --> 00:02:06,060 Jan Burch: They do. 51 00:02:06,410 --> 00:02:06,820 They do. 52 00:02:07,815 --> 00:02:08,775 We least expect. 53 00:02:10,829 --> 00:02:11,280 Dan Orange: Oh yeah. 54 00:02:11,549 --> 00:02:12,480 Someone did talk to that. 55 00:02:13,260 --> 00:02:15,900 Matt did a great talk about it, which we listened to as a family. 56 00:02:15,900 --> 00:02:16,049 My wife. 57 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:17,400 Absolutely. 58 00:02:17,490 --> 00:02:17,850 He did. 59 00:02:17,850 --> 00:02:17,859 Yeah. 60 00:02:17,859 --> 00:02:20,025 When we came back, no, I enjoyed them to help 61 00:02:20,025 --> 00:02:20,065 Jan Burch: us. 62 00:02:20,065 --> 00:02:20,424 Mm-hmm. 63 00:02:20,615 --> 00:02:20,905 Yeah. 64 00:02:20,905 --> 00:02:21,105 Yeah. 65 00:02:21,329 --> 00:02:22,079 Dan Orange: It was good talk. 66 00:02:22,170 --> 00:02:22,410 Jan Burch: Yeah. 67 00:02:22,980 --> 00:02:27,180 Dan Orange: Um, today we're continuing, uh, the, the whole, 68 00:02:27,540 --> 00:02:30,060 um, body series like, um, being. 69 00:02:31,500 --> 00:02:33,450 And we're onto relationships. 70 00:02:33,454 --> 00:02:33,525 Yeah. 71 00:02:33,690 --> 00:02:36,120 So Matt did a great talk last week about adoption. 72 00:02:36,150 --> 00:02:37,049 Oh, absolutely Loved it. 73 00:02:37,590 --> 00:02:38,670 Jan Burch: I learned, I learned such a lot. 74 00:02:38,730 --> 00:02:39,959 Dan Orange: Yeah, I, I did. 75 00:02:39,959 --> 00:02:40,290 Yeah. 76 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:41,250 Yeah, it was great. 77 00:02:41,579 --> 00:02:44,609 Um, and today we got the amazing day, Conley. 78 00:02:44,609 --> 00:02:44,670 Woo, 79 00:02:44,864 --> 00:02:45,325 Jan Burch: woo woo. 80 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:46,200 Dan Orange: Hello. 81 00:02:47,430 --> 00:02:49,260 And he's gonna talk about friendship. 82 00:02:49,950 --> 00:02:52,320 So looking forward to this talk. 83 00:02:52,410 --> 00:02:52,620 Yeah. 84 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,769 Um, and next week we'll continue on with relationships. 85 00:02:55,799 --> 00:02:56,970 So we're looking at marriage. 86 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:58,860 A three parts series. 87 00:02:58,895 --> 00:02:59,185 Okay. 88 00:02:59,185 --> 00:03:00,510 That should be interesting as well. 89 00:03:00,510 --> 00:03:00,570 Yeah. 90 00:03:00,630 --> 00:03:02,160 'cause the Bible's got a lot to say. 91 00:03:02,460 --> 00:03:02,760 Jan Burch: Yeah. 92 00:03:02,790 --> 00:03:03,600 Dan Orange: About these things. 93 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:03,660 Yeah. 94 00:03:04,260 --> 00:03:06,300 Um, great. 95 00:03:06,780 --> 00:03:07,320 I think, 96 00:03:07,410 --> 00:03:07,590 Jan Burch: yeah. 97 00:03:07,590 --> 00:03:08,940 Without further ado, yes. 98 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:09,060 We 99 00:03:10,110 --> 00:03:10,470 Dan Orange: go Mr. 100 00:03:10,470 --> 00:03:11,850 Con State after to you, Dave. 101 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:12,840 Dave Connolly: Thank you. 102 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:17,640 Good to be, um, with you and, um, hello folks at home. 103 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:19,950 Um, trust you are having a good Sunday. 104 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:26,100 Um, we're gonna continue, um, this evening by looking up friendship as, um, Dan said, 105 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:29,340 well, it's friendship with God and um. 106 00:03:29,485 --> 00:03:32,815 I wanna give you an assignment at the very beginning 'cause I'm not gonna 107 00:03:32,815 --> 00:03:39,115 cover during this talk just for time's sake in the Gospel of John chapter 15. 108 00:03:39,745 --> 00:03:43,405 Yes, it faces one to 15 really worth you. 109 00:03:43,735 --> 00:03:49,255 Um, just taking a moment and reading it for yourself to see 110 00:03:49,255 --> 00:03:50,995 what God has to say about this. 111 00:03:51,295 --> 00:03:56,935 There's so much really useful material information in that portion of scripture. 112 00:03:58,335 --> 00:04:04,095 I wanna start off by saying this evening that, you know, God created each of us. 113 00:04:04,860 --> 00:04:06,750 For relationship with him. 114 00:04:07,410 --> 00:04:11,520 And we could say that God created us for relationship, for fellowship, 115 00:04:11,730 --> 00:04:14,640 for communion, and for friendship. 116 00:04:15,270 --> 00:04:21,120 And um, I want to look at the word, um, friendship, um, what it looks like today. 117 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,620 But it is really important that when we talk about friendship 118 00:04:25,620 --> 00:04:29,820 with God, we are talking about friendship with God Almighty. 119 00:04:31,050 --> 00:04:33,180 You know, and if we really wanna. 120 00:04:33,825 --> 00:04:37,305 Grab a hold of how amazing that is. 121 00:04:37,695 --> 00:04:38,955 Just think for a moment. 122 00:04:39,675 --> 00:04:44,475 The God who created the universe, Hey, how big is that Jan? 123 00:04:44,595 --> 00:04:45,975 How huge is that thought? 124 00:04:46,185 --> 00:04:54,465 The God who created the universe wants to be friends with little old you 125 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:58,185 and me, which just like a spec when we think about, you know, things in 126 00:04:58,185 --> 00:05:00,435 the universe, but you are created. 127 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,660 To have relationship with God. 128 00:05:06,540 --> 00:05:09,090 So it's important, you know, and we were just saying before, before we 129 00:05:09,090 --> 00:05:15,000 started that, you know, friendship, um, we, it, it's a strange word, you know? 130 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:18,090 Um, you, I'm in a conversation with somebody and they're saying, oh, 131 00:05:18,090 --> 00:05:19,740 I know them, they're my friends. 132 00:05:20,130 --> 00:05:26,220 And as you start to talk, you realize that it's nothing more than an acquaintance. 133 00:05:26,550 --> 00:05:29,610 You know, a friend is somebody that you invest time into. 134 00:05:30,390 --> 00:05:34,470 You know, it's a, somebody you spend time with today. 135 00:05:34,470 --> 00:05:37,470 Many of us, um, when we're talking about friendship, we 136 00:05:37,470 --> 00:05:40,350 think of the program friends. 137 00:05:40,350 --> 00:05:45,330 If you, you know, if you're of that era or we think about friends on Facebook 138 00:05:45,330 --> 00:05:50,640 here, people say, yes, I've got x number of thousands of friends on Facebook. 139 00:05:51,030 --> 00:05:51,750 Mean I don't. 140 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:59,370 Um, but, but you know, that means that the word friend has been reshaped, redefined. 141 00:06:00,165 --> 00:06:04,995 Friends or people that you've took time to get to know where each 142 00:06:05,355 --> 00:06:07,905 party has took time to invest. 143 00:06:08,325 --> 00:06:09,315 Into each other. 144 00:06:09,615 --> 00:06:12,045 There's no, there's no short way in doing that. 145 00:06:12,285 --> 00:06:16,425 Friends or people that you have, you're walking through life with. 146 00:06:16,965 --> 00:06:21,075 You know what, I've got one really good friend and um, I met him the 147 00:06:21,075 --> 00:06:22,605 day after I became a Christian. 148 00:06:23,145 --> 00:06:28,095 So you're sort of like back when I was 19 and I was 67 now and then, oh, oh, 149 00:06:28,185 --> 00:06:32,025 maybe two decades ago he moved to Exeter. 150 00:06:32,085 --> 00:06:35,715 Well, he moved different places, but he's in Exeter now and um, I probably 151 00:06:35,715 --> 00:06:37,159 see him three or four times a year. 152 00:06:38,385 --> 00:06:43,455 And because we have invested in our relationship, when we see each other, 153 00:06:43,455 --> 00:06:49,755 it's just like we pick it up from where we left off and, and we deliberately 154 00:06:49,815 --> 00:06:53,745 make sure we keep in contact with each other in all the different ways, 155 00:06:53,745 --> 00:06:56,115 through media, et cetera, et cetera. 156 00:06:56,354 --> 00:07:00,705 We pray for each other, we think about each other, so we are able to 157 00:07:00,705 --> 00:07:05,985 pick up our relationships, and that means that's a value relationship. 158 00:07:06,750 --> 00:07:11,880 So his son suddenly dropped dead a couple of years ago at the age of 40. 159 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,900 And if I hadn't have maintained that relationship with him, it would've 160 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:20,640 been very difficult to support him. 161 00:07:21,330 --> 00:07:24,510 I could say all the right things like, I'm here for you, thinking 162 00:07:24,510 --> 00:07:25,620 of you, I'm praying for you. 163 00:07:25,950 --> 00:07:31,560 Relationships have to be, uh, sustained by investment. 164 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,110 Other words, spend time with each other. 165 00:07:35,970 --> 00:07:39,690 Okay, let's, let's just, um, draw some things outta the Bible. 166 00:07:39,870 --> 00:07:42,870 'cause the bible has a lot to say about friendship. 167 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,550 It models it for us. 168 00:07:44,790 --> 00:07:47,190 And I'll just give you three examples straight away. 169 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:51,810 And, um, like, the first one many people will know is David and Jonathan. 170 00:07:52,020 --> 00:07:52,320 Dan. 171 00:07:52,409 --> 00:07:57,240 That's a, that's a great for guys, David and Jonathan to, you know. 172 00:07:59,550 --> 00:08:03,450 One's a prince, future king, and the other one isn't. 173 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,930 Well, he is in God's eyes, but you know, not that time whether he is 174 00:08:06,930 --> 00:08:12,480 two men who find partnership, they find something that connects them 175 00:08:12,810 --> 00:08:14,730 and they are really connected. 176 00:08:14,730 --> 00:08:17,880 I think they model a great sense of friendship there. 177 00:08:18,425 --> 00:08:22,745 And then ladies, there's um, you, you read in Ruth chapter one, verse 178 00:08:22,745 --> 00:08:25,655 16 and 18 about Ruth and Naomi. 179 00:08:26,015 --> 00:08:26,555 Oh, wow. 180 00:08:26,555 --> 00:08:29,915 What, what a lovely relationship they have. 181 00:08:30,815 --> 00:08:34,565 And then if you zoom into the New Testament, you got Paul and Timothy. 182 00:08:34,924 --> 00:08:37,054 Now, here's a friendship in a different way. 183 00:08:37,385 --> 00:08:43,775 This is like father and son, but you know, Paul doesn't stop being a father. 184 00:08:44,610 --> 00:08:46,680 To Timothy to be his friend. 185 00:08:47,070 --> 00:08:51,270 And, um, you know, I think as an older man now, you know, I 186 00:08:51,270 --> 00:08:55,050 sometimes think I hear, um, parents say, I want to be their friend. 187 00:08:55,380 --> 00:08:56,940 You're missing out if you do. 188 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,450 First of all, you need to be the parent you call to be. 189 00:09:00,810 --> 00:09:03,150 And friendship will naturally flow outta that. 190 00:09:03,870 --> 00:09:05,190 It's true, honestly. 191 00:09:05,460 --> 00:09:08,940 Um, you, you want to, you want to be friendly. 192 00:09:09,150 --> 00:09:10,260 You want to be a friend. 193 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:15,420 To your children, but don't give up that wonderful privilege of being a parent. 194 00:09:15,810 --> 00:09:20,375 So these three very simple ones from, um, from scripture, but what, what 195 00:09:20,380 --> 00:09:24,930 about individuals and God, because, you know, um, that's what I, I just wanna 196 00:09:24,930 --> 00:09:29,910 mention too here, um, God and Moses, for instance, those of you, I'm sure most 197 00:09:29,910 --> 00:09:32,040 of you will know something about Moses. 198 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,270 And, um, you can read the Moses story in Exodus and, um. 199 00:09:37,580 --> 00:09:41,385 And let me just say what it says in Exodus 33, verse 11. 200 00:09:42,225 --> 00:09:48,765 Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face. 201 00:09:49,125 --> 00:09:50,805 Isn't that, that's awesome. 202 00:09:50,925 --> 00:09:51,945 That's awesome, isn't it? 203 00:09:52,935 --> 00:09:55,155 You know this big guy, he speaks to Moses. 204 00:09:55,455 --> 00:09:56,080 Face to face. 205 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:56,120 Face-to-face. 206 00:09:56,295 --> 00:09:58,245 Moses was no, no one special. 207 00:09:58,860 --> 00:10:01,319 Moses knew what it was to mess things up. 208 00:10:01,890 --> 00:10:06,000 Moses had his great limitations just like us, but God chose 209 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:07,589 to speak to him face to face. 210 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,339 And I wanna tie this in that God, um, Moses knew. 211 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:13,079 The presence of God. 212 00:10:13,260 --> 00:10:15,600 He knew the holiness of God. 213 00:10:15,959 --> 00:10:18,660 That's why he could be called a friend of God. 214 00:10:18,990 --> 00:10:23,010 And it goes on to say, as a man speaks, sorry, let say from the beginning. 215 00:10:23,459 --> 00:10:29,280 Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friends. 216 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:34,110 When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua, 217 00:10:34,350 --> 00:10:36,510 the son of none, a young man. 218 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,800 Would not depart from his tent because you know, there's something guys, when 219 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,690 you know, when you, when you meet people who regularly are in the presence of 220 00:10:45,690 --> 00:10:50,220 God and have some, they carry something of God, there's just something, whether 221 00:10:50,220 --> 00:10:53,730 you wanna call it attractive about them, there's just something you just think, 222 00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:55,500 I want to hear what they have to say. 223 00:10:56,850 --> 00:11:02,670 I wanna be around them because it there something deep within each of us. 224 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:05,580 And, and there's lots we could say about Moses. 225 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:11,880 And then we could look at Abraham and I'd encourage you, um, to 226 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:16,680 check out scripture, check out the Bible, check out these stories. 227 00:11:17,250 --> 00:11:21,030 Because the, I wanna clearly say, when we say stories, we're 228 00:11:21,030 --> 00:11:22,620 not talking about fiction here. 229 00:11:22,845 --> 00:11:30,225 Yeah, these are accounts of, um, God interacting with men and women throughout 230 00:11:30,225 --> 00:11:33,675 the ages, so, you know, God and Abraham. 231 00:11:34,005 --> 00:11:38,055 Um, we can read a great thing about Abraham in James chapter two, verse 232 00:11:38,055 --> 00:11:42,765 23, and it says, of Abraham, and the scripture was fulfilled, which 233 00:11:42,765 --> 00:11:49,965 says, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 234 00:11:50,895 --> 00:11:52,245 And listen to this. 235 00:11:52,485 --> 00:11:58,185 And he was called a friend of God would, I'd love to be known as a friend of God. 236 00:11:58,395 --> 00:11:59,865 Dan Orange: Yes, exactly. 237 00:11:59,865 --> 00:12:01,485 Isn't that just beautiful? 238 00:12:01,485 --> 00:12:03,885 Dave Connolly: You know, Danny, friend of God, you know, you're like, wow. 239 00:12:04,214 --> 00:12:07,305 You know, and that might mean anything to you, but, but I just 240 00:12:07,305 --> 00:12:08,985 think that's an amazing statement. 241 00:12:09,285 --> 00:12:11,115 He didn't say about himself. 242 00:12:11,295 --> 00:12:16,605 It was written of him and, um, you know, only Abraham and Moses. 243 00:12:17,355 --> 00:12:20,415 We are previously called God's Friend in scripture. 244 00:12:23,324 --> 00:12:24,765 Let's talk about Jesus. 245 00:12:25,064 --> 00:12:26,505 Jesus himself. 246 00:12:27,435 --> 00:12:29,025 Jesus the son of God. 247 00:12:29,385 --> 00:12:34,905 Distinguished between servants who follow commands without 248 00:12:34,905 --> 00:12:37,305 understanding the purpose behind them. 249 00:12:37,305 --> 00:12:44,235 A servant does what he's told or what is requested of them by their master. 250 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:49,740 And Jesus distinguishes the difference between servant and friend. 251 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,640 A friend is invited. 252 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:54,780 This is this. 253 00:12:54,780 --> 00:12:57,330 I was really blessed with this, um, statement. 254 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:04,020 A friend is invited into the intimate knowledge and understanding of the 255 00:13:04,020 --> 00:13:10,020 relationship and the intentions of his master, so he moves them. 256 00:13:10,845 --> 00:13:14,175 Jesus moves them from being servants to being a friend. 257 00:13:14,535 --> 00:13:17,564 If you think of the disciples, Jesus walked with them. 258 00:13:17,805 --> 00:13:19,455 He shared his life with them. 259 00:13:19,455 --> 00:13:20,415 He shared his day. 260 00:13:20,805 --> 00:13:23,115 He shared all that he was doing with them. 261 00:13:23,385 --> 00:13:24,645 He answered the questions. 262 00:13:24,645 --> 00:13:32,715 He tolerated the frailties, but he shared all that he had with them and then 263 00:13:32,715 --> 00:13:34,545 commissioned them to go and do the same. 264 00:13:35,850 --> 00:13:39,300 For the brief time that we have, I wanna focus our thoughts briefly on this. 265 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,560 And it's about a personal relationship and friendship. 266 00:13:43,830 --> 00:13:46,230 See, friendship is relationship. 267 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:47,520 Okay. 268 00:13:47,550 --> 00:13:50,670 It's not, um, can I be, you know, can I click on and be your friend? 269 00:13:51,030 --> 00:13:53,790 You can't have friendship without relationship. 270 00:13:54,870 --> 00:13:58,890 And where we do try to have those things, we find that they're just 271 00:13:58,890 --> 00:14:02,970 fickle, they're frail, you know, there's no substance to them. 272 00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:04,170 Um. 273 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,490 So without relationship, we can never have friendship. 274 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:16,500 And God wants relationship with you and I, he wants that closeness that friends have. 275 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:21,330 You know, I, I'm so blessed that, you know, o over the years I've had 276 00:14:21,330 --> 00:14:23,820 people come into my life and, um. 277 00:14:25,470 --> 00:14:28,140 I, I don't know how, how good a friend they would say of me, 278 00:14:28,140 --> 00:14:30,030 but they, they have been great. 279 00:14:30,030 --> 00:14:33,360 They have been faithful, they have been encouraging. 280 00:14:33,660 --> 00:14:38,220 They will, a friend will tell you, your frailties, your friend 281 00:14:38,250 --> 00:14:39,690 should really challenge you. 282 00:14:40,050 --> 00:14:43,380 And I'd say, you know, if you don't have people in your life, if you know the 283 00:14:43,410 --> 00:14:47,130 Lord Jesus, and it may be true if you don't, but I'm not talking about that. 284 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:52,535 If you know, we need to have people in our lives who will tell us where we are. 285 00:14:53,219 --> 00:14:55,829 Because they want the best for us, you know? 286 00:14:55,890 --> 00:15:03,540 And, um, I wanna encourage you to seek out friends who will walk with you. 287 00:15:04,140 --> 00:15:06,000 They'll stand with you in the hard times. 288 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,089 They'll rejoice with you in the great times. 289 00:15:12,479 --> 00:15:15,930 We are moved from being servants to be in friends. 290 00:15:18,090 --> 00:15:22,440 And let me read, um, just two verses from, um, that portion of scripture 291 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:27,210 that I meant mentioned to you before in John 15, verse 13 to 15. 292 00:15:27,210 --> 00:15:33,810 It says this greater love as no man than this to lay down 293 00:15:33,810 --> 00:15:36,030 one's life for one's friends. 294 00:15:36,420 --> 00:15:38,190 You are my friends. 295 00:15:38,850 --> 00:15:39,330 Wow. 296 00:15:39,990 --> 00:15:41,130 You are my friends. 297 00:15:41,655 --> 00:15:47,985 If you do what I command, I no longer call you servant because a servant 298 00:15:47,985 --> 00:15:50,325 does not know his master's business. 299 00:15:50,655 --> 00:15:54,975 Instead, I have called you my friend for everything that I have learned 300 00:15:54,975 --> 00:15:57,585 from the father I have made known to. 301 00:15:57,585 --> 00:16:01,485 You see, friends share, friend share intimacy. 302 00:16:03,015 --> 00:16:05,020 They share the value things of life. 303 00:16:08,985 --> 00:16:12,135 That, you know, a master does not confide in his slaves. 304 00:16:12,915 --> 00:16:17,115 Understand that we are moved from being servants to being friends. 305 00:16:17,954 --> 00:16:20,175 This echoes how God shares. 306 00:16:20,474 --> 00:16:25,905 Um, he, he, he just shares his plans with Abraham and with Moses. 307 00:16:26,010 --> 00:16:29,415 I, I, I just found that would be, I dunno, I would respond, you know, 308 00:16:29,655 --> 00:16:33,675 if I saw God face to face, but you know, God will speak to you. 309 00:16:34,815 --> 00:16:38,955 In ways that you understand, it may be through how you think it may be. 310 00:16:39,165 --> 00:16:42,135 You know, in the stillness, it may be through creation. 311 00:16:42,345 --> 00:16:43,665 He may give you a picture. 312 00:16:43,965 --> 00:16:47,805 You know, he will, you know, he will speak to you very, very, 313 00:16:47,805 --> 00:16:50,115 very clearly, if you will listen. 314 00:16:52,935 --> 00:16:57,675 There's no greater example of true friendship than 315 00:16:57,675 --> 00:16:59,565 that, what we see in Jesus. 316 00:17:00,465 --> 00:17:02,475 And if any of you have ever watched, um. 317 00:17:03,465 --> 00:17:04,723 Oh, it just dropped outta my head. 318 00:17:04,784 --> 00:17:05,263 What's it called? 319 00:17:05,263 --> 00:17:06,704 The tv um, program. 320 00:17:07,003 --> 00:17:07,665 Um, 321 00:17:09,704 --> 00:17:10,335 it's gone now. 322 00:17:10,425 --> 00:17:11,773 It's all about Jesus, sorry. 323 00:17:12,135 --> 00:17:15,044 Um, and it, it just shows Jesus's life. 324 00:17:15,284 --> 00:17:16,064 Do you know which program? 325 00:17:16,069 --> 00:17:16,250 I mean. 326 00:17:16,574 --> 00:17:17,714 The chosen. 327 00:17:17,804 --> 00:17:18,584 The chosen. 328 00:17:18,584 --> 00:17:19,243 Thank you, Jan. 329 00:17:19,544 --> 00:17:21,013 I'm having a senior moment then. 330 00:17:21,253 --> 00:17:22,184 Thank you for the prompt. 331 00:17:22,483 --> 00:17:26,054 Um, if any of you have ever seen the Chosen, you know, it's, 332 00:17:26,054 --> 00:17:29,264 it's a dramatization, but you know what I love most about it? 333 00:17:29,444 --> 00:17:34,844 That it does capture the story, but you see the interaction between Jesus 334 00:17:34,934 --> 00:17:38,804 and those disciples, the ones who knew him and the ones who he didn't. 335 00:17:38,985 --> 00:17:40,754 I just love it. 336 00:17:41,350 --> 00:17:44,050 Because it shows the humanity of Jesus. 337 00:17:44,229 --> 00:17:46,330 And it is a drama dramatization. 338 00:17:46,330 --> 00:17:47,110 I understand that. 339 00:17:48,729 --> 00:17:51,009 But you see the investment 340 00:17:53,259 --> 00:17:54,249 in those verses there. 341 00:17:54,249 --> 00:17:58,090 Talk about, you know, laying down your life for a friend. 342 00:17:58,959 --> 00:18:00,310 Say again, friend. 343 00:18:04,149 --> 00:18:06,669 Which is exactly what God has done for us. 344 00:18:07,514 --> 00:18:14,114 Jesus who elevates his disciples from being his servants to being his friends. 345 00:18:14,894 --> 00:18:22,754 It's an indication of close relationship, shared relationship, shared experiences. 346 00:18:23,534 --> 00:18:28,665 It's not about knowing about Jesus, it's about sharing. 347 00:18:28,665 --> 00:18:29,715 Jesus. 348 00:18:29,804 --> 00:18:31,634 It's about being in. 349 00:18:31,695 --> 00:18:34,814 He wants to invest in you, and you have to invest. 350 00:18:35,699 --> 00:18:36,659 In him, as it were. 351 00:18:36,870 --> 00:18:38,699 'cause if the relationship is too white, 352 00:18:41,310 --> 00:18:48,389 I'm not talking this evening about some, um, fluffy type of relationship. 353 00:18:48,449 --> 00:18:50,219 Relationships are hard work. 354 00:18:50,820 --> 00:18:53,280 The moment you stop investing, you start losing. 355 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:56,879 And many of us have been here by relationships. 356 00:18:56,969 --> 00:18:57,870 So we don't bother. 357 00:18:58,110 --> 00:19:00,509 Especially, it's a, that might just be a guy thing. 358 00:19:00,780 --> 00:19:02,159 You'll be able to tell us about that John. 359 00:19:02,399 --> 00:19:03,989 Um, you know what it's like for a woman? 360 00:19:05,550 --> 00:19:12,450 Almighty God has demonstrated it through the life of Jesus about drawing close, 361 00:19:15,419 --> 00:19:20,250 drawing close to each other, investing in relationship, and we 362 00:19:20,250 --> 00:19:25,679 can add that personal relationship, that personal, um, relationship and 363 00:19:25,685 --> 00:19:28,050 friendship with Jesus the moment. 364 00:19:28,769 --> 00:19:31,289 We surrender our lives to him. 365 00:19:31,350 --> 00:19:37,799 And if you are a Christian, I wanna say to you, don't miss out on having a friendship 366 00:19:37,889 --> 00:19:41,969 relationship with your Lord and Savior. 367 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:46,169 It's a real important part of being a Christian, having that 368 00:19:46,169 --> 00:19:48,269 depth of relationship with him. 369 00:19:48,330 --> 00:19:49,289 Don't miss out on it. 370 00:19:49,409 --> 00:19:50,729 There's real intimacy. 371 00:19:53,009 --> 00:19:55,169 I want to hear what my friends have to say. 372 00:19:55,679 --> 00:19:56,879 I might always like her. 373 00:19:57,884 --> 00:20:02,654 I can trust them and I'll listen and eventually it'll sink in. 374 00:20:03,104 --> 00:20:08,384 'cause I trust them because they've been with me through the wonderful experiences 375 00:20:08,414 --> 00:20:10,424 and they're not so wonderful experiences. 376 00:20:11,804 --> 00:20:16,304 I believe friendship with Jesus can be characterized by the following. 377 00:20:17,899 --> 00:20:22,485 I, I, I like to look for evidence in things like, um, you know, if somebody 378 00:20:22,485 --> 00:20:26,024 says to me they're a Christian and they're being a Christian for X period 379 00:20:26,024 --> 00:20:30,555 of time, I expect to see certain things in their lives transform from what they 380 00:20:30,555 --> 00:20:35,355 were before to what they should be, and they should be what Jesus modeled. 381 00:20:35,774 --> 00:20:37,575 So I'm always, I look for evidence. 382 00:20:37,754 --> 00:20:39,045 I'm not judging, I'm looking. 383 00:20:40,004 --> 00:20:44,864 And if I was judging, scripture says it's okay to judge certain things, and what I'm 384 00:20:44,864 --> 00:20:48,914 saying simply there is that we're looking for something called fruits of repentance. 385 00:20:49,154 --> 00:20:52,695 You can't hang out with Jesus without being convicted of your sin. 386 00:20:53,205 --> 00:20:54,164 You can't hang out. 387 00:20:54,164 --> 00:20:57,164 You can't give your life to Jesus and not change. 388 00:20:57,614 --> 00:20:59,294 If you surrender your life to him. 389 00:20:59,745 --> 00:21:04,004 You can't continue to live in bondage and walk with Jesus the 390 00:21:04,004 --> 00:21:05,564 Lord of liberty and freedom. 391 00:21:06,510 --> 00:21:07,679 So what am I looking for? 392 00:21:07,679 --> 00:21:12,240 The characteristics of being in friendship and relationship with Jesus. 393 00:21:12,570 --> 00:21:21,689 The simply, these love, trust, forgiveness, honesty, and loyalty. 394 00:21:22,199 --> 00:21:23,040 And you know what? 395 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:29,820 We might like to hear this, but, but he has an expectation of me to be like that 396 00:21:29,969 --> 00:21:31,709 with the people he's put in my life. 397 00:21:32,850 --> 00:21:34,050 They should be received. 398 00:21:34,050 --> 00:21:38,190 What I receive from him, I should be freely giving that to them. 399 00:21:38,190 --> 00:21:39,930 I'm gonna say it again, love. 400 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:42,900 He loves me unconditionally. 401 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:49,710 He gives me trust, forgiveness, honesty, loyalty. 402 00:21:50,790 --> 00:21:53,700 It's a relationship built on trust 403 00:21:56,045 --> 00:21:56,265 and. 404 00:21:57,689 --> 00:22:02,340 Amongst all this, there has to be a desire and a willingness 405 00:22:02,759 --> 00:22:04,590 to draw closer, you know? 406 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:08,610 Um, as, as I've said many times, you know, I became a Christian when I was 19 and 407 00:22:08,610 --> 00:22:11,069 my walk was really like a rollercoaster. 408 00:22:11,699 --> 00:22:16,379 And I have to say, I suppose I was unfaithful at times. 409 00:22:16,739 --> 00:22:19,679 I didn't really go with it. 410 00:22:21,090 --> 00:22:24,030 But my own faithfulness was not his unfaithfulness. 411 00:22:24,389 --> 00:22:28,470 He was faithful to me in my own faithfulness. 412 00:22:29,730 --> 00:22:34,500 When I was walking afar from him, he was still walking close to me. 413 00:22:34,710 --> 00:22:36,780 When I drifted, he drew near. 414 00:22:37,889 --> 00:22:38,790 You can trust him. 415 00:22:40,655 --> 00:22:45,120 The other things are that I believe that we, we see as we have real 416 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:47,400 relationship with Jesus is simply this. 417 00:22:48,885 --> 00:22:56,475 His support, the knowledge that he will never leave you nor or abandon you by by. 418 00:22:56,475 --> 00:22:57,855 We use the word forsake. 419 00:22:58,545 --> 00:22:59,055 You know what? 420 00:22:59,955 --> 00:23:04,274 That touches my heart so much that I know his support is there, 421 00:23:06,524 --> 00:23:07,754 that he speaks. 422 00:23:07,754 --> 00:23:12,825 Words of guidance is ever present. 423 00:23:14,085 --> 00:23:19,215 Sometimes people say, you know, I, I don't feel like God is with me. 424 00:23:21,315 --> 00:23:23,235 Well, there, there's lots of times there's, there's times. 425 00:23:23,235 --> 00:23:24,795 I don't feel my wife loves me. 426 00:23:25,545 --> 00:23:29,565 Thankfully, I know that she does because she doesn't leave me. 427 00:23:30,585 --> 00:23:32,535 And her actions demonstrate a lot. 428 00:23:33,645 --> 00:23:35,774 Our feelings can lie to us. 429 00:23:35,985 --> 00:23:39,764 So know that the support of God is the, the, you know, his guide 430 00:23:39,764 --> 00:23:44,294 and speaking the way and shown us the way his presence is assured. 431 00:23:44,564 --> 00:23:45,855 He accepts you. 432 00:23:46,695 --> 00:23:49,125 I was speaking to somebody today and he said, Dave, I'm not good enough. 433 00:23:49,125 --> 00:23:50,385 I'm like, absolutely you're not. 434 00:23:50,865 --> 00:23:52,365 I think they were a bit shocked when I said that. 435 00:23:52,754 --> 00:23:57,345 That was my pa pastor's Cushing out, because that's the reality, you know? 436 00:23:57,554 --> 00:23:59,804 Uh, we're not good, you know, but he is. 437 00:24:00,435 --> 00:24:01,395 He is good. 438 00:24:01,604 --> 00:24:01,664 Mm. 439 00:24:03,254 --> 00:24:08,054 And he receives, you know, at Easter time, we have this picture of Jesus 440 00:24:08,054 --> 00:24:09,944 on a cross with his arms wide open. 441 00:24:10,574 --> 00:24:13,574 Those, even though he's not on the cross now, those arms are 442 00:24:13,574 --> 00:24:15,344 still outstretched to you and me. 443 00:24:17,024 --> 00:24:23,684 He's ready to receive you exactly as you are, exactly where you are exactly 444 00:24:23,864 --> 00:24:25,694 going through what you are going through. 445 00:24:26,414 --> 00:24:27,344 He says, I'm here. 446 00:24:29,085 --> 00:24:35,535 Jesus asked over as obedience, you know, because he is obedient to his word. 447 00:24:35,774 --> 00:24:38,475 My friends, you can count on the word of God. 448 00:24:38,655 --> 00:24:41,685 You can put your trust in the word of God. 449 00:24:43,845 --> 00:24:48,795 When people let me down, when situations let me down, the thing I am assured 450 00:24:48,825 --> 00:24:51,014 of is that the word of God is true. 451 00:24:54,404 --> 00:24:56,414 The other thing that I see in this is Prayer. 452 00:24:56,684 --> 00:25:01,814 If you've got a friend and you never take time to communicate with him, you won't 453 00:25:01,814 --> 00:25:03,944 have a, a, a friendship of any depth. 454 00:25:04,485 --> 00:25:06,764 And we are called to be people who pray. 455 00:25:08,474 --> 00:25:10,574 And you might think, oh, well, you know what? 456 00:25:10,729 --> 00:25:11,259 It's not. 457 00:25:11,259 --> 00:25:13,724 It's, it's, it's not a chore to speak to a friend. 458 00:25:15,135 --> 00:25:19,304 There are people we meet in life and you just love being with them, you know? 459 00:25:19,455 --> 00:25:23,235 And I've got a friend and when we meet, we both, I'm a chatter box, but 460 00:25:23,235 --> 00:25:25,004 we both just talk at the same time. 461 00:25:25,304 --> 00:25:27,584 It's just exciting being with them. 462 00:25:27,915 --> 00:25:31,004 And I can't multitask, but we're multitasking in that moment 463 00:25:31,215 --> 00:25:32,774 as we're talking about Jesus. 464 00:25:33,074 --> 00:25:37,485 'cause we're excited about him and it works for us. 465 00:25:37,814 --> 00:25:41,324 And the other thing is that, you know, Jesus has modeled to a saving hood. 466 00:25:42,075 --> 00:25:45,675 And he expects us to muddle up to those around us. 467 00:25:47,145 --> 00:25:48,855 And then the sacrifice, 468 00:25:51,675 --> 00:25:55,245 he sat, God sacrificed his son Jesus freely, gave 469 00:25:55,245 --> 00:25:56,775 himself as a living sacrifice. 470 00:25:57,675 --> 00:26:01,875 And we are called to sacrifice in a whole host of ways, and that's doing 471 00:26:01,875 --> 00:26:03,585 it God's way rather than our way. 472 00:26:04,605 --> 00:26:08,265 It's about reaching out to people who sometimes we don't think deserve it. 473 00:26:09,615 --> 00:26:09,975 Wow. 474 00:26:11,415 --> 00:26:16,514 God says, love your neighbor as yourself about being patience. 475 00:26:17,864 --> 00:26:22,725 That's a challenge for some of us, but you know, God can help 476 00:26:22,725 --> 00:26:24,824 us with that because he says, 477 00:26:27,104 --> 00:26:27,915 look at me and you. 478 00:26:29,024 --> 00:26:34,455 When you don't feel patient, when you are feeling frustrated, just press the 479 00:26:34,455 --> 00:26:36,540 Rewind button and say, God, show me. 480 00:26:37,350 --> 00:26:40,980 Show me those times when you being patient and kind and tolerant of me 481 00:26:41,399 --> 00:26:42,810 when I've really not deserved it. 482 00:26:43,740 --> 00:26:47,909 And that should strengthen us and encourage us to reach out to others. 483 00:26:49,679 --> 00:26:50,939 I am a friend of God. 484 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:52,560 Um, wow. 485 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,209 That's, that's a, that's a big thing. 486 00:26:54,659 --> 00:26:59,159 And um, you know what I've said, whatever God is doing towards 487 00:26:59,159 --> 00:27:02,040 us is goodness and kindness. 488 00:27:02,550 --> 00:27:03,720 We need to look and see. 489 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,040 Are we mirroring that too? 490 00:27:05,834 --> 00:27:07,424 Other people around us. 491 00:27:08,864 --> 00:27:10,334 Let me conclude with this. 492 00:27:10,544 --> 00:27:16,154 What does the Bible say about the friend of God's statements, the Bible phrase, 493 00:27:16,154 --> 00:27:18,854 friend of God, it's found in James 2 23. 494 00:27:18,854 --> 00:27:24,164 Already before, but in closing, let me say this, and the scripture was 495 00:27:24,434 --> 00:27:27,614 fulfilled, that says of Abraham. 496 00:27:29,504 --> 00:27:31,274 Abraham believed God. 497 00:27:34,065 --> 00:27:41,774 It was counter to him, righteousness, believed God, putting your trust in 498 00:27:41,835 --> 00:27:47,655 God, and he was called a friend of God. 499 00:27:48,975 --> 00:27:54,254 Our father, God longs to call you friend. 500 00:27:58,395 --> 00:27:58,785 Dan Orange: Wow. 501 00:27:59,895 --> 00:28:00,360 Thanks Dave. 502 00:28:01,694 --> 00:28:02,174 I love that. 503 00:28:02,174 --> 00:28:02,804 I love, yeah. 504 00:28:03,975 --> 00:28:07,394 Well, let's, let's get into it, but I just wanna start right, right at the beginning. 505 00:28:07,394 --> 00:28:12,074 I love that, that we are created to have a relationship. 506 00:28:12,134 --> 00:28:12,824 It talks, isn't it? 507 00:28:13,094 --> 00:28:18,104 Like before sin came into the world, God came down and, and, and they talked. 508 00:28:18,104 --> 00:28:18,524 I love that. 509 00:28:18,524 --> 00:28:19,269 That loved it. 510 00:28:19,514 --> 00:28:19,995 Yeah. 511 00:28:20,144 --> 00:28:21,614 That was our, that's our design. 512 00:28:21,614 --> 00:28:23,804 That's, that's part of who we are to be. 513 00:28:24,104 --> 00:28:24,554 Absolutely. 514 00:28:24,554 --> 00:28:24,944 Yeah. 515 00:28:25,094 --> 00:28:26,964 Relationship with each other and relationship with. 516 00:28:27,524 --> 00:28:28,544 With God friend. 517 00:28:28,544 --> 00:28:28,695 Can you 518 00:28:28,695 --> 00:28:31,064 Dave Connolly: imagine then just walking through the garden, can you 519 00:28:31,064 --> 00:28:36,435 just, even if you're just looking in and God is chattering away. 520 00:28:36,524 --> 00:28:36,824 Yeah, 521 00:28:38,925 --> 00:28:39,435 Jan Burch: I love that. 522 00:28:39,554 --> 00:28:39,705 Yeah. 523 00:28:39,764 --> 00:28:40,334 Dave Connolly: No effort. 524 00:28:40,665 --> 00:28:40,965 Jan Burch: Yeah. 525 00:28:41,114 --> 00:28:45,104 Dave Connolly: Adam's able to talk, but the he knows he got a creation. 526 00:28:45,225 --> 00:28:45,284 Yeah. 527 00:28:45,284 --> 00:28:46,154 He's talking to him. 528 00:28:46,334 --> 00:28:46,604 Wow. 529 00:28:47,504 --> 00:28:47,774 Lovely. 530 00:28:48,374 --> 00:28:51,195 Dan Orange: There's so many questions, isn't there that you'd, that you'd have, 531 00:28:53,354 --> 00:28:53,804 um, 532 00:28:56,084 --> 00:28:56,534 the. 533 00:28:57,375 --> 00:28:57,824 Oh, sorry. 534 00:28:57,824 --> 00:28:59,294 Someone, someone's calling me. 535 00:29:00,615 --> 00:29:01,725 Um, it's God. 536 00:29:04,334 --> 00:29:04,574 Yeah. 537 00:29:04,574 --> 00:29:07,514 What, what, what jumped, jumped out at you, Jan? 538 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:08,270 Jan Burch: I meant all of it. 539 00:29:09,490 --> 00:29:18,975 Um, I think it's a bit like, um, when we talk about father having God as our 540 00:29:18,975 --> 00:29:26,175 father and we think about earthly fathers, sometimes I, I sometimes think, um. 541 00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:29,189 Friendship with God. 542 00:29:29,729 --> 00:29:32,969 Um, I can relate, I can think back to. 543 00:29:33,540 --> 00:29:37,980 Friendships I've had in the past that there's still, you know, 544 00:29:38,370 --> 00:29:39,360 from when I was little Yeah. 545 00:29:40,050 --> 00:29:44,940 In school, that were, um, you know, weren't very loving. 546 00:29:46,139 --> 00:29:51,149 Um, and sometimes I think I've, you know, we can carry those things through our 547 00:29:51,149 --> 00:29:57,570 life as into adulthood, but it's, it's what Sharon talked about a few weeks ago. 548 00:29:57,575 --> 00:30:00,000 It's about renewing our mind and trust. 549 00:30:01,634 --> 00:30:08,534 Um, that whole thing, trusting that God especially will not hurt us or 550 00:30:09,044 --> 00:30:14,384 embarrass us or, you know, ridicule us in any way, whereas a friend 551 00:30:14,384 --> 00:30:16,394 in the past will or has, yeah. 552 00:30:16,604 --> 00:30:20,414 Not saying it's happened a lot, but, you know, we remember those 553 00:30:20,414 --> 00:30:26,985 things, but I just love the fact that it, we can't comprehend it. 554 00:30:27,674 --> 00:30:30,975 That the God who put the stars in the sky and called them each 555 00:30:30,975 --> 00:30:34,215 by name wants to be my friend. 556 00:30:34,215 --> 00:30:34,274 Yeah. 557 00:30:34,754 --> 00:30:37,274 It's like, how can you even see me? 558 00:30:37,604 --> 00:30:43,094 It's like, you know, um, I just think it's, it's beautiful. 559 00:30:43,100 --> 00:30:43,239 Yeah. 560 00:30:44,205 --> 00:30:44,985 It's beautiful. 561 00:30:45,100 --> 00:30:46,854 Dan Orange: It, it, it takes that. 562 00:30:48,435 --> 00:30:51,615 I think this is where there's lots of, there's lots of things 563 00:30:51,615 --> 00:30:55,965 where Christianity differs from other religions and thinkings. 564 00:30:55,995 --> 00:30:56,054 Yeah. 565 00:30:56,415 --> 00:31:00,524 But it's that there's no dictatorship, is that you can't, you're not a friend 566 00:31:00,524 --> 00:31:04,395 with a dictator, you're not friend with just someone that just gives 567 00:31:04,395 --> 00:31:06,885 out laws and has these commandments. 568 00:31:07,635 --> 00:31:10,665 They're just, there we're, we are friends with God. 569 00:31:10,665 --> 00:31:13,935 We can, we can ask him things, we can struggle. 570 00:31:13,980 --> 00:31:14,399 Mm-hmm. 571 00:31:14,655 --> 00:31:14,865 Yeah. 572 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:18,315 I, I, I like that with, I like the Psalms because David has that 573 00:31:18,345 --> 00:31:21,560 struggle and you can't do that if, if it's not a friendship, can you? 574 00:31:21,790 --> 00:31:22,080 Yeah. 575 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:22,240 Jan Burch: Yeah. 576 00:31:22,575 --> 00:31:26,925 Dan Orange: You got to have that ability to be able to, to, yeah. 577 00:31:27,100 --> 00:31:28,065 To struggle and question. 578 00:31:28,065 --> 00:31:28,215 And the 579 00:31:28,215 --> 00:31:31,125 Dave Connolly: dictator doesn't want you to be his friend. 580 00:31:31,575 --> 00:31:34,004 He's just really wants you to. 581 00:31:34,350 --> 00:31:37,710 Support, whatever Izzy's doing, you are an asset. 582 00:31:38,070 --> 00:31:38,550 We are here. 583 00:31:38,580 --> 00:31:38,790 Mm-hmm. 584 00:31:38,850 --> 00:31:40,320 God has created us. 585 00:31:40,679 --> 00:31:46,139 And, um, I think Jan, you know about, I'm sure we've all had experiences, um, 586 00:31:46,199 --> 00:31:51,149 you know, with people around us and, and, and maybe we feel they've let us down or 587 00:31:51,149 --> 00:31:53,310 they've failed us or, or whatever it is. 588 00:31:53,310 --> 00:31:54,810 Or maybe we've failed them. 589 00:31:54,870 --> 00:31:55,050 Yeah. 590 00:31:55,054 --> 00:31:55,205 Yeah. 591 00:31:57,015 --> 00:32:02,055 I think what helps me when I start to rationalize is they're not God. 592 00:32:02,535 --> 00:32:04,935 They're just a frail human being. 593 00:32:04,940 --> 00:32:05,080 Yeah. 594 00:32:05,085 --> 00:32:05,355 Yeah. 595 00:32:05,385 --> 00:32:09,855 They may be redeemed and loved by God, but God isn't them. 596 00:32:09,975 --> 00:32:10,245 Jan Burch: Yeah. 597 00:32:10,245 --> 00:32:10,395 And 598 00:32:10,395 --> 00:32:11,415 Dave Connolly: God is perfect. 599 00:32:11,415 --> 00:32:12,165 He's all knowing. 600 00:32:12,165 --> 00:32:13,004 He is all loving. 601 00:32:13,335 --> 00:32:17,745 And that's why there, there is a difference and that, and you know how 602 00:32:17,925 --> 00:32:20,055 we see in Jesus with the disciples. 603 00:32:20,115 --> 00:32:20,205 Mm-hmm. 604 00:32:20,445 --> 00:32:24,465 That's the model that we ought to pursue and I'm sure we, we mess it up many times. 605 00:32:25,335 --> 00:32:28,395 But you know, being a friend of God, he's the payback one. 606 00:32:29,085 --> 00:32:29,175 Yeah. 607 00:32:29,415 --> 00:32:30,705 You know, and he's called us. 608 00:32:31,035 --> 00:32:31,305 Yeah. 609 00:32:31,365 --> 00:32:33,045 You know, to be your friend. 610 00:32:33,045 --> 00:32:33,165 I know. 611 00:32:33,170 --> 00:32:33,690 It's incredible. 612 00:32:33,855 --> 00:32:34,395 It's amazing. 613 00:32:34,875 --> 00:32:35,175 Yeah. 614 00:32:35,235 --> 00:32:35,595 It is. 615 00:32:35,595 --> 00:32:39,375 Dan Orange: That relationship, I just want to go back to that, you know, DIC 616 00:32:39,675 --> 00:32:44,445 talking about dictatorship, it's something we might not experience, but, but I 617 00:32:44,445 --> 00:32:47,985 think sometimes we do with social media. 618 00:32:48,075 --> 00:32:48,165 Mm-hmm. 619 00:32:48,405 --> 00:32:51,315 We look at people and they are dictators. 620 00:32:51,315 --> 00:32:52,335 They don't wanna be our friends. 621 00:32:52,335 --> 00:32:53,985 They just want to put their. 622 00:32:54,374 --> 00:32:54,975 Opinion. 623 00:32:54,975 --> 00:32:55,094 Yeah. 624 00:32:55,574 --> 00:32:57,434 And we might think, oh, I like them. 625 00:32:57,434 --> 00:32:57,444 Influencers. 626 00:32:57,469 --> 00:32:57,759 Yeah. 627 00:32:58,064 --> 00:32:58,995 Influencers. 628 00:32:58,995 --> 00:32:59,745 Exactly. 629 00:33:00,014 --> 00:33:00,344 Yeah. 630 00:33:00,404 --> 00:33:04,394 And how different to have a good friend, not an influencer. 631 00:33:04,725 --> 00:33:09,344 Um, we, this morning we went for breakfast with Matt and Sharon, my, me and my wife. 632 00:33:09,705 --> 00:33:11,444 And, and it was just a friendship. 633 00:33:11,444 --> 00:33:15,465 We, we went and we talked and we can challenge each other. 634 00:33:15,465 --> 00:33:17,054 Can learn more about each other. 635 00:33:17,054 --> 00:33:17,174 Yeah. 636 00:33:17,444 --> 00:33:17,719 And that. 637 00:33:19,844 --> 00:33:23,264 That, that example, that that's what we can do. 638 00:33:23,384 --> 00:33:26,715 You know, with God, we learn more, more about him and we 639 00:33:26,715 --> 00:33:29,024 can be challenged as well. 640 00:33:29,024 --> 00:33:29,475 And you don't have 641 00:33:29,475 --> 00:33:35,715 Jan Burch: to be on your best behavior or you know, he sees it's the good, the bad, 642 00:33:35,715 --> 00:33:37,664 you know, he sees the ugly side of us. 643 00:33:37,669 --> 00:33:39,314 He's, you know, crying. 644 00:33:39,584 --> 00:33:43,034 He's seeing you when you're being at your nastiest and you 645 00:33:43,034 --> 00:33:45,614 know, he see, he sees it all and. 646 00:33:46,229 --> 00:33:47,610 Still wants to be your friend. 647 00:33:47,729 --> 00:33:48,715 Yeah, yeah. 648 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:53,790 Which is just, just ama, he's not a fair weathered friend ever, ever. 649 00:33:53,794 --> 00:33:54,780 I, I think he see 650 00:33:54,780 --> 00:33:58,169 Dave Connolly: it, Jan, I think, you know, with father got, he see us at our worst. 651 00:33:58,649 --> 00:33:58,860 Yeah. 652 00:33:58,860 --> 00:34:01,889 And I think as, as he sees us at our worst. 653 00:34:03,495 --> 00:34:05,145 We, we become aware of that and mm-hmm. 654 00:34:05,205 --> 00:34:07,484 And there's almost like, there's a challenge, oh, how 655 00:34:07,484 --> 00:34:08,654 can you love me like this? 656 00:34:08,835 --> 00:34:09,824 This is, well, I love you. 657 00:34:10,125 --> 00:34:12,795 And that's not giving us permission to carry on No. 658 00:34:13,034 --> 00:34:15,254 With, you know, poor behavioral, bad decision. 659 00:34:15,495 --> 00:34:15,554 No. 660 00:34:15,614 --> 00:34:16,274 There's a challenge. 661 00:34:16,335 --> 00:34:18,194 And he loves me in spite of that. 662 00:34:18,254 --> 00:34:18,464 Yeah. 663 00:34:18,469 --> 00:34:18,500 Yeah. 664 00:34:18,645 --> 00:34:19,455 I'm gonna fix that. 665 00:34:19,574 --> 00:34:19,904 Yeah. 666 00:34:20,234 --> 00:34:21,495 I'm gonna surrender it to him. 667 00:34:21,674 --> 00:34:21,944 Mm-hmm. 668 00:34:22,889 --> 00:34:23,179 Dan Orange: Yeah. 669 00:34:23,179 --> 00:34:23,469 Yeah, yeah. 670 00:34:23,469 --> 00:34:23,714 Jan Burch: Yeah. 671 00:34:24,105 --> 00:34:26,264 I, I think what you said about um. 672 00:34:26,699 --> 00:34:32,429 Having a fear of God, that whole, um, reverence and um, mm-hmm. 673 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:35,940 You know, the fear of God brings us closer. 674 00:34:35,940 --> 00:34:41,940 And I say that we're not on our best behavior, but we, he calls 675 00:34:41,940 --> 00:34:45,780 us to be the best version of us. 676 00:34:45,784 --> 00:34:45,815 Yeah. 677 00:34:45,815 --> 00:34:46,255 Doesn't it? 678 00:34:46,255 --> 00:34:46,295 Yeah. 679 00:34:46,770 --> 00:34:46,889 Yeah. 680 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:52,710 It's a, I dunno if it was yourself or Nick Harding, one of the pastors in the past. 681 00:34:53,130 --> 00:34:58,020 From here years ago, um, used to say we've become like those we spend time with. 682 00:34:58,740 --> 00:34:59,640 And that's true. 683 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:00,450 Is so true. 684 00:35:00,450 --> 00:35:06,630 And I loved what you said about people that we know who spend 685 00:35:06,630 --> 00:35:08,220 time in the presence of God. 686 00:35:08,610 --> 00:35:10,650 You can absolutely feel it. 687 00:35:10,650 --> 00:35:10,860 Absolute. 688 00:35:10,860 --> 00:35:11,130 Yeah. 689 00:35:11,430 --> 00:35:14,670 You, I'm very aware of that. 690 00:35:15,690 --> 00:35:16,860 Um, you know. 691 00:35:17,774 --> 00:35:21,374 Very recently, I, every time I went to someone's house, I just started 692 00:35:21,374 --> 00:35:27,374 crying and I wasn't sad, you know, but there was just a presence of God there. 693 00:35:27,374 --> 00:35:27,794 Absolutely. 694 00:35:28,604 --> 00:35:28,754 Yeah. 695 00:35:28,754 --> 00:35:33,044 And, um, that, that was, I really loved what you said about that. 696 00:35:33,044 --> 00:35:34,454 I'm gonna think about that moment. 697 00:35:35,684 --> 00:35:36,120 Yeah. 698 00:35:36,289 --> 00:35:38,984 Dan Orange: We've got, um, we've got loads to talk about. 699 00:35:38,984 --> 00:35:41,115 We've got lots of of questions and comments. 700 00:35:41,115 --> 00:35:45,555 And I just wanted started with, um, uh, a lady called Heather. 701 00:35:46,425 --> 00:35:48,015 Has put in the comments, Noah. 702 00:35:48,375 --> 00:35:52,185 Um, and she's put, this seems quite strange to talk about friendship 703 00:35:52,185 --> 00:35:56,655 because I think the reason I found myself here is through the loss of 704 00:35:56,655 --> 00:35:59,145 my best friend who died last year. 705 00:35:59,445 --> 00:36:04,665 This is my first visit to Crowd and it's through her that I'm here and 706 00:36:04,665 --> 00:36:06,345 this, I feel is a move of healing. 707 00:36:06,945 --> 00:36:07,785 Isn't that amazing? 708 00:36:07,785 --> 00:36:09,105 To come, come today. 709 00:36:09,105 --> 00:36:10,425 So welcome, Heather. 710 00:36:10,425 --> 00:36:10,725 Yeah. 711 00:36:10,730 --> 00:36:10,770 Yeah. 712 00:36:10,775 --> 00:36:11,930 Thanks so much for Welcome. 713 00:36:12,134 --> 00:36:13,095 For coming along. 714 00:36:13,425 --> 00:36:14,535 Um, oh. 715 00:36:14,924 --> 00:36:16,874 And yeah. 716 00:36:16,874 --> 00:36:20,624 That, that friendship doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't die, doesn't 717 00:36:20,624 --> 00:36:21,975 it like a earthly friendship. 718 00:36:21,975 --> 00:36:26,475 It, we've, we've learned from it and we, it's still part of who we are. 719 00:36:26,564 --> 00:36:26,774 Dave Connolly: Yeah. 720 00:36:27,374 --> 00:36:29,024 Heather, thanks for joining us. 721 00:36:29,024 --> 00:36:29,115 Mm-hmm. 722 00:36:29,444 --> 00:36:36,914 Um, you know, part of the loss that you're feeling is because you valued your 723 00:36:36,914 --> 00:36:41,624 friend so much and, and it, and it, it's. 724 00:36:42,015 --> 00:36:47,595 Sounds strange to say, but it's right for us to feel that depth of, of loss because 725 00:36:47,894 --> 00:36:51,225 you had a bond, you had a friendship. 726 00:36:51,225 --> 00:36:54,194 You will have had different experiences in that. 727 00:36:54,584 --> 00:37:02,684 And, um, you know, I, I would just pray, you know, how did that in this season that 728 00:37:02,684 --> 00:37:06,884 you would know God drawing closer to you? 729 00:37:06,884 --> 00:37:07,124 Yeah. 730 00:37:07,484 --> 00:37:09,524 And that he would walk through this sea. 731 00:37:09,704 --> 00:37:10,919 It's not, it's not. 732 00:37:12,055 --> 00:37:12,714 Get over that. 733 00:37:12,714 --> 00:37:13,075 Mm-hmm. 734 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:17,310 Is as you walk through that season, you know, um, SCRI, as I mentioned 735 00:37:17,310 --> 00:37:21,210 before, he says, I'll never leave you or abandon you, and he just wants 736 00:37:21,210 --> 00:37:27,060 to walk through this season, be and recognize how you valued your friend. 737 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:29,040 He says, I value you. 738 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:29,850 Mm-hmm. 739 00:37:29,910 --> 00:37:34,919 And just let him draw close to you and he's ready to draw. 740 00:37:34,919 --> 00:37:36,000 Close as you are ready. 741 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:37,200 So God bless you, Heather. 742 00:37:37,205 --> 00:37:37,435 Yeah. 743 00:37:37,770 --> 00:37:38,040 Yeah. 744 00:37:39,750 --> 00:37:43,860 Dan Orange: Um, someone also, which we, we sort of answered this, this, um, question, 745 00:37:43,860 --> 00:37:48,630 but they said, how is being God's friend different from just being his follower? 746 00:37:50,459 --> 00:37:52,859 I think we sort of answered it really, haven't we? 747 00:37:52,859 --> 00:37:53,310 That 748 00:37:54,029 --> 00:37:54,120 Jan Burch: mm-hmm. 749 00:37:54,689 --> 00:37:55,439 It's quite different. 750 00:37:55,439 --> 00:37:55,859 Isn't Yeah. 751 00:37:56,129 --> 00:37:58,020 Dan Orange: There is c is relationship. 752 00:37:58,020 --> 00:37:58,259 Yeah. 753 00:37:58,259 --> 00:38:00,089 It's a two way, yeah. 754 00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:00,720 Yeah. 755 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:03,029 The, the two way part of something. 756 00:38:03,060 --> 00:38:04,654 Dave Connolly: It's a little bit like, you know, um. 757 00:38:05,470 --> 00:38:11,350 Looking, looking in, you know, um, and then actually engaging. 758 00:38:11,710 --> 00:38:15,580 Um, you'd have to define what you mean by follower, you know, for me 759 00:38:15,580 --> 00:38:17,380 to be able to answer that properly. 760 00:38:17,650 --> 00:38:20,080 Um, 'cause some people believe in God. 761 00:38:20,170 --> 00:38:20,350 Yeah. 762 00:38:20,380 --> 00:38:23,590 But they have no capacity or desire to live for him. 763 00:38:23,830 --> 00:38:28,480 And being a follower of Jesus is about somebody who was surrendering 764 00:38:28,750 --> 00:38:33,640 their own plans, their own ways, et cetera, to follow him wholeheartedly. 765 00:38:33,975 --> 00:38:38,325 And we'd have to define what we mean by wholeheartedly, but don't look, 766 00:38:38,444 --> 00:38:42,585 don't look on and think, oh, that, that sounds great, blah, blah, blah. 767 00:38:43,125 --> 00:38:46,485 You know, God wants you to, he wants to walk with you, 768 00:38:46,485 --> 00:38:47,895 just like with the disciples. 769 00:38:48,075 --> 00:38:50,715 He had a different relationship with each of those disciples. 770 00:38:50,715 --> 00:38:50,775 Yeah. 771 00:38:51,165 --> 00:38:54,285 But they all walked with him and engage with each of them. 772 00:38:54,525 --> 00:38:54,855 Mm-hmm. 773 00:38:55,154 --> 00:38:55,485 Yeah. 774 00:38:56,775 --> 00:38:58,545 Dan Orange: Here's, here's another question as well. 775 00:38:58,904 --> 00:39:03,585 Um, if God already know, God already knows everything about us. 776 00:39:04,020 --> 00:39:06,420 Why does he want friendship? 777 00:39:06,420 --> 00:39:08,970 Why not just just worship? 778 00:39:11,670 --> 00:39:14,250 Jan Burch: Because he, he just enjoys spending time with us. 779 00:39:14,250 --> 00:39:22,319 I think, um, you know, I, I know, you know, I, I know my children really well. 780 00:39:22,710 --> 00:39:30,390 Um, but I actually, part of that is, is is enjoying who they are and being with them. 781 00:39:30,390 --> 00:39:30,839 Yeah. 782 00:39:30,845 --> 00:39:31,225 That's good. 783 00:39:31,285 --> 00:39:31,504 Um. 784 00:39:32,340 --> 00:39:34,020 And I think it's the same for God. 785 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:39,030 I think, you know, God, I mean, it is mind blowing, but God 786 00:39:39,030 --> 00:39:41,550 actually enjoys being with us. 787 00:39:41,640 --> 00:39:41,700 Yeah. 788 00:39:41,730 --> 00:39:45,930 And obviously it's not a, you know, physically in the same room 789 00:39:46,500 --> 00:39:50,100 at the moment, in, you know, in eternity it will be different. 790 00:39:50,550 --> 00:39:54,360 But at the moment we can, we can feel the presence of God. 791 00:39:55,020 --> 00:40:01,260 And we know that we can make him happy and we can, um, you know, God 792 00:40:01,260 --> 00:40:07,560 laughs um, he laughs at my jokes in particular, and I know that for sure. 793 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:08,025 I think he does. 794 00:40:09,125 --> 00:40:09,465 He does. 795 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:10,830 He told me. 796 00:40:11,070 --> 00:40:12,300 He told me he didn't understand them. 797 00:40:14,460 --> 00:40:17,105 Um, so I, I think it's a, you know. 798 00:40:17,794 --> 00:40:20,705 Yes, he en enjoys our worship. 799 00:40:21,095 --> 00:40:24,455 He, but he actually just really likes hanging out with us. 800 00:40:24,484 --> 00:40:24,979 Dave Connolly: Yeah, yeah. 801 00:40:25,535 --> 00:40:26,734 Like we know each other. 802 00:40:27,185 --> 00:40:27,455 Yeah. 803 00:40:27,484 --> 00:40:27,875 Don't we? 804 00:40:27,875 --> 00:40:30,694 You know, and I don't see you guys as, as much now. 805 00:40:31,115 --> 00:40:34,444 Um, but we have a, we have a history together. 806 00:40:34,504 --> 00:40:38,464 And, um, so I know somebody said, oh, you know, Jano, you know, do you know Dan? 807 00:40:38,464 --> 00:40:39,805 I'm like, yeah, of course. 808 00:40:39,805 --> 00:40:39,815 Do. 809 00:40:39,855 --> 00:40:42,285 I knew them really well in, in that season. 810 00:40:42,290 --> 00:40:42,645 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 811 00:40:42,675 --> 00:40:44,055 But I still know you. 812 00:40:44,130 --> 00:40:44,565 Yeah, yeah. 813 00:40:44,595 --> 00:40:50,025 You know, so God is worthy of our worship 'cause of who he is and 814 00:40:50,025 --> 00:40:51,525 for what he's doing in our lives. 815 00:40:51,615 --> 00:40:51,885 Yeah. 816 00:40:52,005 --> 00:40:55,425 That's completely different than I have a personal relationship. 817 00:40:55,515 --> 00:40:55,695 Yeah. 818 00:40:55,695 --> 00:40:56,865 That's why I worship him. 819 00:40:57,075 --> 00:41:00,525 I can, you know, there's loads of illustrations that we can give. 820 00:41:00,555 --> 00:41:00,645 Mm-hmm. 821 00:41:00,885 --> 00:41:03,255 Um, but it's not about knowing about him. 822 00:41:03,255 --> 00:41:04,515 It's that personal thing. 823 00:41:04,665 --> 00:41:04,935 Dan Orange: Yeah. 824 00:41:04,935 --> 00:41:04,995 Yeah. 825 00:41:05,535 --> 00:41:05,835 And. 826 00:41:06,615 --> 00:41:07,095 Do. 827 00:41:07,515 --> 00:41:12,315 This is perhaps, um, something for, for people that they've been to church, but 828 00:41:12,315 --> 00:41:20,385 that the church they've been to is perhaps quite, quite a high church or quite, um, a 829 00:41:20,385 --> 00:41:22,725 lot of, of, a lot of procedure and words. 830 00:41:23,205 --> 00:41:28,245 Do you think that calling God your friend is a bit too, um, 831 00:41:28,845 --> 00:41:31,185 sort of casual or irreverent? 832 00:41:31,965 --> 00:41:32,175 Dave Connolly: Yeah. 833 00:41:32,175 --> 00:41:36,615 I think in because what type of church you go to, I think it's about your heart. 834 00:41:36,735 --> 00:41:36,975 Dan Orange: Yeah. 835 00:41:37,065 --> 00:41:41,115 Dave Connolly: Some people, you know, bang on about, um, a friend of God and they 836 00:41:41,115 --> 00:41:44,055 have no understanding of the aura of God. 837 00:41:44,625 --> 00:41:44,715 Yeah. 838 00:41:44,715 --> 00:41:44,725 Yes. 839 00:41:44,725 --> 00:41:47,295 You know, and it's a bit like you need to reverence him. 840 00:41:47,505 --> 00:41:47,775 Yeah. 841 00:41:48,165 --> 00:41:51,435 You know, this has got almighty, you need to reverence him. 842 00:41:52,455 --> 00:41:54,915 And that aid us in having a friendship. 843 00:41:55,215 --> 00:41:58,185 We may have like if, if, if the Prime Minister. 844 00:41:58,365 --> 00:42:03,225 It was, um, was he's the Prime Minister and if he was my friend 845 00:42:04,035 --> 00:42:08,774 and, um, you know, he would still be the Prime Minister and I would want 846 00:42:08,834 --> 00:42:10,334 yeah, to call him Prime Minister. 847 00:42:10,455 --> 00:42:12,649 We had Cheryl Blair, um, Sherry Blair come here. 848 00:42:13,485 --> 00:42:17,385 And, um, she kept talking about this guy called Tony and she 849 00:42:17,385 --> 00:42:18,435 said, oh, give him a ring, Dave. 850 00:42:18,435 --> 00:42:19,335 You know, I'm sure he can help you. 851 00:42:19,335 --> 00:42:23,145 And he kept talking about Tony and, and I'm like, what's his surname? 852 00:42:24,230 --> 00:42:27,435 And, and she was lovely, you know, and I'm like, Tony, who? 853 00:42:27,645 --> 00:42:28,545 And she goes, Blaine. 854 00:42:28,545 --> 00:42:30,975 I'm like, you should have said the prime minister. 855 00:42:31,785 --> 00:42:33,225 You know, because there's that, that. 856 00:42:34,620 --> 00:42:36,509 There has to be that reverence. 857 00:42:36,509 --> 00:42:36,865 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 858 00:42:36,870 --> 00:42:38,339 Of, of the position. 859 00:42:38,345 --> 00:42:38,624 Mm-hmm. 860 00:42:38,725 --> 00:42:43,560 You know, and, um, I didn't call him by the way, um, but it, it 861 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:46,200 is understanding who God is Yeah. 862 00:42:46,830 --> 00:42:47,789 To connect with him. 863 00:42:47,794 --> 00:42:47,904 Yeah. 864 00:42:48,089 --> 00:42:48,269 Dan Orange: Yeah. 865 00:42:48,269 --> 00:42:53,009 And we were talking just before we, we, we did talk about a friendship. 866 00:42:53,039 --> 00:42:59,310 If it, if it doesn't have that reverence and it doesn't have that honesty. 867 00:42:59,700 --> 00:43:01,230 It loses its power, doesn't it? 868 00:43:01,234 --> 00:43:01,415 Yeah. 869 00:43:01,560 --> 00:43:01,859 Jan Burch: Yeah. 870 00:43:01,950 --> 00:43:04,920 Dan Orange: You can, you can break a friendship if you are not honest. 871 00:43:05,009 --> 00:43:05,279 Jan Burch: Yeah. 872 00:43:05,370 --> 00:43:05,850 Dan Orange: With someone. 873 00:43:05,850 --> 00:43:08,790 If you are not open, if you are, you lose that closeness. 874 00:43:09,210 --> 00:43:09,600 Yeah. 875 00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:09,610 Yeah. 876 00:43:09,935 --> 00:43:10,095 Absolutely. 877 00:43:10,095 --> 00:43:13,529 And that flippancy can, can, can destroy that. 878 00:43:13,589 --> 00:43:15,359 The strength of a, a friendship. 879 00:43:15,450 --> 00:43:15,720 Yeah. 880 00:43:15,720 --> 00:43:18,540 Jan Burch: Even a, an earthly, you know, human friendship. 881 00:43:18,540 --> 00:43:19,890 There has to be respect. 882 00:43:19,980 --> 00:43:20,040 Yeah. 883 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:20,220 Yes. 884 00:43:20,580 --> 00:43:22,920 There has to be, there have to be boundaries there. 885 00:43:23,130 --> 00:43:23,160 Mm. 886 00:43:23,279 --> 00:43:27,660 You know, we, you can't just say anything you want That's right to anyone. 887 00:43:28,200 --> 00:43:34,290 And expect, you know, them to, you know, dismiss it or walk away or whatever. 888 00:43:35,070 --> 00:43:39,870 We have to show our friends should be someone that we honor, that 889 00:43:39,870 --> 00:43:46,740 we, you know, really respect and want to, uh, speak kindly of. 890 00:43:46,740 --> 00:43:51,510 And too, and obviously our relationship with God is, is based 891 00:43:51,510 --> 00:43:56,040 on firstly, you know, absolute. 892 00:43:56,910 --> 00:44:01,290 On your knees amazement that he's interested in you. 893 00:44:01,350 --> 00:44:01,590 Yeah. 894 00:44:01,860 --> 00:44:03,690 But there has to be respect there. 895 00:44:03,690 --> 00:44:04,380 Definitely. 896 00:44:04,470 --> 00:44:04,530 Yeah. 897 00:44:04,530 --> 00:44:05,040 Dan Orange: Yeah. 898 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:05,670 Yeah. 899 00:44:05,745 --> 00:44:06,645 That's good. 900 00:44:07,125 --> 00:44:11,565 Um, Heather's just replied back saying, um, she's really grateful Dave for, for 901 00:44:11,565 --> 00:44:14,115 that, for understanding where she's Yeah. 902 00:44:14,174 --> 00:44:15,105 Where she's coming from. 903 00:44:15,165 --> 00:44:15,464 Dave Connolly: Yeah. 904 00:44:15,705 --> 00:44:15,915 Mm. 905 00:44:16,005 --> 00:44:17,625 And don't rush it, Heather. 906 00:44:17,625 --> 00:44:20,595 Honestly, you know, God just wants to walk. 907 00:44:20,835 --> 00:44:24,555 Today, we live in 90, everything's 99 miles an hour. 908 00:44:24,555 --> 00:44:26,174 It's almost get over thing. 909 00:44:26,370 --> 00:44:28,785 And, and Jesus, that's not how Jesus works. 910 00:44:28,785 --> 00:44:33,765 He's like, I'll walk with you Sometimes you'll know my closeness sometimes. 911 00:44:34,424 --> 00:44:38,685 You won't feel me there at all, but you need to be assured I'm there. 912 00:44:39,194 --> 00:44:39,285 I know. 913 00:44:39,285 --> 00:44:43,995 And he, you know, scripture talks about, um, the God of all comfort. 914 00:44:43,995 --> 00:44:44,685 Jan Burch: Mm-hmm. 915 00:44:44,955 --> 00:44:47,415 Dave Connolly: And, and it's really interesting that, uh, um, 916 00:44:48,044 --> 00:44:52,335 you know, God wants to comfort you if you find that scripture. 917 00:44:52,665 --> 00:44:57,615 Um, it, it talks about that God wants to comfort you in order that he will bring 918 00:44:57,615 --> 00:45:03,015 people across your path and you'll be able to comfort them, not from a theory. 919 00:45:04,215 --> 00:45:07,065 From, from a personal experience? 920 00:45:07,095 --> 00:45:07,155 Yeah. 921 00:45:07,215 --> 00:45:11,235 That you yourself have known the comfort of God with you 922 00:45:11,565 --> 00:45:13,035 through this horrendous time. 923 00:45:13,125 --> 00:45:14,355 There are no words to say. 924 00:45:14,625 --> 00:45:18,525 There are no words, you know, besides, you can trust him. 925 00:45:19,425 --> 00:45:19,545 Jan Burch: Mm-hmm. 926 00:45:19,545 --> 00:45:19,785 Amen. 927 00:45:19,935 --> 00:45:20,325 Yeah. 928 00:45:22,155 --> 00:45:24,195 Dan Orange: Um, sorry. 929 00:45:25,919 --> 00:45:29,970 There's this question sort of how we develop our friendship with God and, and 930 00:45:29,970 --> 00:45:36,749 Psalm 20, um, five 14 says, the friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him. 931 00:45:36,839 --> 00:45:37,109 Yes. 932 00:45:37,169 --> 00:45:39,270 And he makes known to them his covenant. 933 00:45:39,810 --> 00:45:43,049 So he reveals himself through that friendship. 934 00:45:43,049 --> 00:45:43,060 Yeah. 935 00:45:43,229 --> 00:45:43,529 Yeah. 936 00:45:44,385 --> 00:45:45,645 Dave Connolly: So it's where we started. 937 00:45:45,885 --> 00:45:46,035 Yeah. 938 00:45:46,605 --> 00:45:47,175 Awe of God. 939 00:45:47,180 --> 00:45:47,450 Yeah. 940 00:45:47,775 --> 00:45:50,175 You know, and God isn't asking for permission. 941 00:45:50,475 --> 00:45:54,105 I think we need, you know, this, why we need to know the awe of God. 942 00:45:54,225 --> 00:45:58,515 You know, that He, he, he's not gonna adapt his word in and around our life. 943 00:45:58,515 --> 00:45:59,565 His word does His Word. 944 00:45:59,595 --> 00:45:59,865 Dan Orange: Yeah. 945 00:45:59,870 --> 00:46:02,025 Dave Connolly: And, you know, that can be life to us. 946 00:46:02,055 --> 00:46:02,235 Yeah. 947 00:46:02,325 --> 00:46:03,465 You know, he can bring us peace. 948 00:46:03,465 --> 00:46:07,970 It can, it can guide us through the most darkest times and, um, through the, 949 00:46:08,055 --> 00:46:11,775 you know, serious difficulties and, um. 950 00:46:12,300 --> 00:46:14,310 Yeah, that's a, that's a great verse. 951 00:46:14,730 --> 00:46:15,630 Can you read it again then? 952 00:46:15,690 --> 00:46:16,200 Dan Orange: Yeah. 953 00:46:16,290 --> 00:46:20,550 Um, the friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him. 954 00:46:20,640 --> 00:46:20,820 Wow. 955 00:46:20,850 --> 00:46:23,220 And he makes known to them his covenant. 956 00:46:23,370 --> 00:46:23,610 Matt Edmundson: Yeah. 957 00:46:24,300 --> 00:46:24,510 Yeah. 958 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:29,280 Dan Orange: Um, Ellis said, he said he likes this idea of respect. 959 00:46:29,310 --> 00:46:31,890 You, you can love your parents and get along with them, but 960 00:46:31,890 --> 00:46:33,180 they're still your parents. 961 00:46:33,660 --> 00:46:37,290 Um, and there's a way to be around them and a respect they have for them. 962 00:46:37,290 --> 00:46:39,030 And I think that's that's true. 963 00:46:39,030 --> 00:46:41,305 And that's something, something that. 964 00:46:42,060 --> 00:46:46,529 That we need to, to have that respect for God and, and me as a parent, 965 00:46:46,529 --> 00:46:49,470 I need to know that, like you, you said, we want to be friends with 966 00:46:49,470 --> 00:46:52,350 our kids, but we are their parents. 967 00:46:52,379 --> 00:46:57,960 We have a, we have a responsibility, we have a, that relationship is, 968 00:46:58,589 --> 00:46:58,790 Jan Burch: it's a boundary there. 969 00:46:59,024 --> 00:46:59,460 Dan Orange: A boundary. 970 00:46:59,460 --> 00:46:59,819 Yeah. 971 00:46:59,970 --> 00:47:01,259 And that, that, that. 972 00:47:02,820 --> 00:47:05,700 That disappears sometimes in this, this day and age, doesn't it? 973 00:47:05,905 --> 00:47:06,450 Dave Connolly: It does. 974 00:47:06,465 --> 00:47:08,610 And, and we become over familiar. 975 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:09,030 Dan Orange: Yeah. 976 00:47:09,090 --> 00:47:10,560 Dave Connolly: And that's why, you know, John said this 977 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:12,030 several times about boundaries. 978 00:47:12,150 --> 00:47:12,270 Mm-hmm. 979 00:47:12,510 --> 00:47:14,730 You know, sometimes you, people think you don't. 980 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:16,800 We we're friends, you know, I can say anything. 981 00:47:17,310 --> 00:47:19,620 Where I don't think we can say anything. 982 00:47:19,620 --> 00:47:21,060 I think we need to have a respect. 983 00:47:21,180 --> 00:47:21,545 Yeah, no, absolutely. 984 00:47:21,550 --> 00:47:24,900 Where we're aware of people's, but say, you know, would it be okay then, you 985 00:47:24,900 --> 00:47:26,820 know, would it be okay to share this Yeah. 986 00:47:26,940 --> 00:47:28,425 With you, you know, and weigh it. 987 00:47:28,545 --> 00:47:31,440 I love to add that, you know, just weigh what I'm saying here. 988 00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:31,530 Yeah. 989 00:47:32,010 --> 00:47:35,310 And um, you know, I believe it's true, otherwise I wouldn't be saying it. 990 00:47:35,700 --> 00:47:38,310 But you need to take responsibility for that. 991 00:47:38,310 --> 00:47:38,370 Yeah. 992 00:47:38,610 --> 00:47:42,630 And I'm saying it because I have a conviction about it, and, and I love you. 993 00:47:43,214 --> 00:47:47,205 But you need to weigh that before you do anything with us. 994 00:47:47,205 --> 00:47:47,565 Yes. 995 00:47:47,595 --> 00:47:47,835 Dan Orange: Yeah. 996 00:47:49,335 --> 00:47:53,504 And, and a friendship sort of grows if it sees. 997 00:47:54,615 --> 00:47:55,455 The same. 998 00:47:56,805 --> 00:48:01,095 Um, it, see, it sees you doing the same thing that you would to, to someone else. 999 00:48:01,095 --> 00:48:04,215 Like you said, love yourself as, um, as you love others. 1000 00:48:04,545 --> 00:48:09,315 We seeing God, what he, he's modeled, he's modeled what a friend 1001 00:48:09,345 --> 00:48:11,145 should be, what a sacrifice is. 1002 00:48:11,475 --> 00:48:16,515 And as we are friends to others, if, if we model that, that'll be stronger. 1003 00:48:16,605 --> 00:48:16,815 Yeah. 1004 00:48:17,265 --> 00:48:20,355 When they, when they see it in us, you know, they, they'll take it on more. 1005 00:48:20,445 --> 00:48:20,775 Dave Connolly: Yeah. 1006 00:48:20,835 --> 00:48:21,015 Yeah. 1007 00:48:21,015 --> 00:48:21,360 And I, I think. 1008 00:48:22,380 --> 00:48:23,850 For me, it's really important. 1009 00:48:23,850 --> 00:48:27,060 If you wanna see how you're doing with your relationship with God, 1010 00:48:27,480 --> 00:48:30,900 I'll look how you are and how you respond with the people around you. 1011 00:48:31,290 --> 00:48:39,210 But you know, if you don't love you, if you don't value yourself and if 1012 00:48:39,210 --> 00:48:42,930 you don't care for yourself, how what you do unto others won't be good. 1013 00:48:42,990 --> 00:48:43,200 Dan Orange: Yeah, 1014 00:48:43,290 --> 00:48:45,690 Dave Connolly: it's 'cause it's a bit like, um, I dunno best to 1015 00:48:45,690 --> 00:48:49,800 describe it, but some of us, we spiritually and emotionally, self harm. 1016 00:48:52,079 --> 00:48:54,029 I know that sound, but we do. 1017 00:48:54,299 --> 00:48:54,419 Yeah. 1018 00:48:54,419 --> 00:48:57,180 And we damage ourselves and we injure ourselves. 1019 00:48:57,390 --> 00:49:02,549 So when we see those things in other people, we're harsh. 1020 00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:02,910 Dan Orange: Yeah. 1021 00:49:02,914 --> 00:49:03,265 Mm-hmm. 1022 00:49:03,349 --> 00:49:04,859 Dave Connolly: And that's because that's just a glimpse 1023 00:49:04,859 --> 00:49:06,390 of how we are with ourselves. 1024 00:49:06,390 --> 00:49:06,400 Yeah. 1025 00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:08,184 Yeah, yeah. 1026 00:49:09,809 --> 00:49:10,049 Jan Burch: Yeah. 1027 00:49:10,259 --> 00:49:10,890 I think that's true. 1028 00:49:10,890 --> 00:49:15,689 I've heard, um, many people say, um, you should speak to 1029 00:49:15,689 --> 00:49:17,879 yourself like you would a friend. 1030 00:49:18,254 --> 00:49:21,974 You know, we can say, I'm stupid, I'm ridiculous. 1031 00:49:21,974 --> 00:49:23,624 I'll never do this properly. 1032 00:49:24,044 --> 00:49:28,724 But if it was a friend that had come to you saying those things, you'd be like, 1033 00:49:28,724 --> 00:49:30,704 don't you dare say that about yourself. 1034 00:49:30,704 --> 00:49:31,035 Yeah, absolutely. 1035 00:49:31,334 --> 00:49:36,044 And I think we, we have to learn that and, and practice that. 1036 00:49:36,044 --> 00:49:36,104 Yeah. 1037 00:49:36,285 --> 00:49:36,644 Yeah. 1038 00:49:37,245 --> 00:49:37,664 Dan Orange: That's good. 1039 00:49:37,664 --> 00:49:39,704 I don't, yeah, that's very good. 1040 00:49:39,709 --> 00:49:39,950 Yeah. 1041 00:49:39,950 --> 00:49:40,149 Yeah. 1042 00:49:40,274 --> 00:49:40,634 Yeah. 1043 00:49:40,634 --> 00:49:42,584 That's a very good point that, yeah. 1044 00:49:43,964 --> 00:49:44,504 Um. 1045 00:49:45,584 --> 00:49:49,785 I, I wrote down through the talk this, that should, 1046 00:49:52,095 --> 00:49:58,515 does God expect this love and, and loyalty from us? 1047 00:49:58,605 --> 00:50:03,375 Uh, um, and should we, I don't really know what, what I'm 1048 00:50:03,375 --> 00:50:05,924 saying, just that, that, um, 1049 00:50:10,125 --> 00:50:11,595 a relationship to grow. 1050 00:50:11,970 --> 00:50:13,410 Needs loyalty, doesn't it? 1051 00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:15,630 It needs consistency. 1052 00:50:15,660 --> 00:50:15,840 Yeah. 1053 00:50:16,050 --> 00:50:18,570 Um, but it also feeds off as well. 1054 00:50:18,570 --> 00:50:23,400 The more time you spend with someone, the gra greater you get to know them. 1055 00:50:23,550 --> 00:50:26,400 The more you want to know them, the more you you learn. 1056 00:50:26,880 --> 00:50:27,120 Dave Connolly: Yeah. 1057 00:50:27,555 --> 00:50:32,430 I, I used to have a friend up, Mike, sorry, you still a friend in, in America. 1058 00:50:32,760 --> 00:50:36,180 And um, and, and he used to say to me frequently, he used say, Dave. 1059 00:50:37,755 --> 00:50:41,295 And it usually was after we'd been in a really good meeting, you know, and God 1060 00:50:41,295 --> 00:50:44,355 had done amazing things and, you know, we'd be going home, we'd be having a, 1061 00:50:44,355 --> 00:50:48,375 something to eat and drink and, and he, he and He'd plums, and I'm talking 1062 00:50:48,375 --> 00:50:53,085 about, he would frequently say to me, Dave, why do you want to be my friend? 1063 00:50:54,435 --> 00:50:59,895 And I'm like, my best answer at this moment, I'm not sure, but before you 1064 00:50:59,895 --> 00:51:01,755 started this little thing, it was because. 1065 00:51:02,175 --> 00:51:04,965 I just like being with you. 1066 00:51:05,295 --> 00:51:05,505 Yeah. 1067 00:51:05,565 --> 00:51:10,335 I, I don't want anything of you, you know, I just like being with you. 1068 00:51:10,335 --> 00:51:11,535 I enjoy being with you. 1069 00:51:11,535 --> 00:51:11,595 Yeah. 1070 00:51:11,835 --> 00:51:16,455 And that relationship's been 25 years, but I can think of three occasions it nearly 1071 00:51:16,455 --> 00:51:22,365 finished because he, he just, if this thing, why do you want to be my friend? 1072 00:51:22,395 --> 00:51:24,615 Uh, and and that says more about him. 1073 00:51:24,620 --> 00:51:24,860 Jan Burch: Yeah. 1074 00:51:24,860 --> 00:51:25,060 Yeah. 1075 00:51:25,320 --> 00:51:26,300 Dave Connolly: But it does put security. 1076 00:51:26,970 --> 00:51:28,020 A pressure Yes. 1077 00:51:28,020 --> 00:51:29,100 On me, if that makes sense. 1078 00:51:29,100 --> 00:51:32,880 You know, so we need to be, you know, we need to love ourselves rightly. 1079 00:51:32,970 --> 00:51:33,270 Dan Orange: Yeah. 1080 00:51:33,455 --> 00:51:37,200 Dave Connolly: You know, and, you know, I wanna give people my best. 1081 00:51:37,230 --> 00:51:37,470 Dan Orange: Yeah. 1082 00:51:38,190 --> 00:51:40,350 Dave Connolly: Um, and I wanna be genuine. 1083 00:51:40,350 --> 00:51:41,400 I want, I want to be real. 1084 00:51:41,730 --> 00:51:44,250 And, um, and I know we're all wired differently. 1085 00:51:44,250 --> 00:51:44,670 Okay. 1086 00:51:45,060 --> 00:51:51,330 Um, but for me, it's important that we are authentic and that we are real, but 1087 00:51:51,330 --> 00:51:53,235 we take responsibility for what we say. 1088 00:51:54,615 --> 00:51:55,095 Do. 1089 00:51:55,095 --> 00:51:55,544 Of course. 1090 00:51:55,544 --> 00:51:55,845 I think, yes. 1091 00:51:55,995 --> 00:51:56,265 Yeah. 1092 00:51:56,504 --> 00:51:58,305 Jan Burch: It's a mature maturity, isn't it? 1093 00:51:58,365 --> 00:51:59,325 Yeah, that's, yeah. 1094 00:51:59,330 --> 00:52:03,884 The the other thing I was thinking before was, um, you know, even though Jesus 1095 00:52:03,884 --> 00:52:09,524 was, as Dave said, he had a different relationship with each of the disciples, 1096 00:52:09,765 --> 00:52:14,714 and we know he had a special friendship with Lazarus and Mary and Martha. 1097 00:52:14,720 --> 00:52:15,044 Yeah, yeah. 1098 00:52:15,194 --> 00:52:15,939 Um, you know, he. 1099 00:52:17,340 --> 00:52:22,050 We know that they were his friends before, um, the disciples came along. 1100 00:52:22,530 --> 00:52:28,200 Um, but the, the point I'm gonna make, uh, is that Jesus didn't spend 1101 00:52:28,290 --> 00:52:31,290 every second of every day with them. 1102 00:52:31,350 --> 00:52:36,570 Yes, he, he did go to be on his own to speak with his father. 1103 00:52:36,930 --> 00:52:42,720 So what I mean is you can still be a really good friend, but not 1104 00:52:42,810 --> 00:52:44,040 live in each other's pockets. 1105 00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:44,700 Yeah. 1106 00:52:45,180 --> 00:52:50,009 Um, and that, you know, that's good news for me because, um, 1107 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:55,290 I'm busy and I, I can't, I'm just not that I need my own space. 1108 00:52:55,410 --> 00:52:55,924 Yeah, yeah. 1109 00:52:56,009 --> 00:53:00,330 Um, so that's not a, um, condemnation for people. 1110 00:53:00,330 --> 00:53:04,109 I'm not a good friend because I don't call up someone every day, 1111 00:53:04,109 --> 00:53:06,000 or I don't go around every day. 1112 00:53:06,709 --> 00:53:07,600 That That's okay. 1113 00:53:08,325 --> 00:53:09,674 Most of us probably don't. 1114 00:53:09,749 --> 00:53:12,495 Dave Connolly: There's a, there's a great illustration just in that Jan, 1115 00:53:12,825 --> 00:53:19,245 um, if, if you look at Jesus's story are key times, like where he's about 1116 00:53:19,245 --> 00:53:20,325 to do something really important. 1117 00:53:20,504 --> 00:53:22,184 He needed a safe place. 1118 00:53:22,214 --> 00:53:22,455 Yeah. 1119 00:53:22,515 --> 00:53:26,399 And it was always with Lazarus and the ladies, eh, Miriam, Martha, you 1120 00:53:26,399 --> 00:53:29,265 know, um, it was really important that that was his safe place. 1121 00:53:29,269 --> 00:53:29,439 Yeah. 1122 00:53:29,720 --> 00:53:30,999 'cause they knew him so well. 1123 00:53:30,999 --> 00:53:32,875 He was just, it was just different, you know, it was his. 1124 00:53:34,095 --> 00:53:35,984 It was just a, a safe place for him to go. 1125 00:53:35,990 --> 00:53:36,000 Yeah. 1126 00:53:36,345 --> 00:53:36,464 Yeah. 1127 00:53:36,464 --> 00:53:39,104 And he's moving from being, can you imagine with pizza, 1128 00:53:39,134 --> 00:53:40,394 how, where, when, what, why? 1129 00:53:42,069 --> 00:53:42,359 Yeah. 1130 00:53:42,365 --> 00:53:44,504 And how, where, what? 1131 00:53:44,504 --> 00:53:46,394 Well, I've just answered you, you weren't listening, you know? 1132 00:53:46,634 --> 00:53:46,694 Yeah. 1133 00:53:46,694 --> 00:53:46,814 And. 1134 00:53:47,729 --> 00:53:50,039 And that's what the relationships are different. 1135 00:53:50,069 --> 00:53:50,580 Absolutely. 1136 00:53:50,580 --> 00:53:55,439 You know, um, and it, there's a, there's a book called, um, 12 Ordinary 1137 00:53:55,439 --> 00:53:57,689 Men by a guy called John MacArthur. 1138 00:53:57,689 --> 00:54:00,330 And it tells you, um, about the disciples. 1139 00:54:00,359 --> 00:54:03,660 You know, it talks about them as individuals. 1140 00:54:03,720 --> 00:54:04,799 It's, it's, it's, oh, I love that. 1141 00:54:04,799 --> 00:54:05,759 About two decades old. 1142 00:54:05,759 --> 00:54:06,390 It's great. 1143 00:54:06,390 --> 00:54:06,600 I love that. 1144 00:54:06,749 --> 00:54:08,674 And, um, and it fills in some of the gaps. 1145 00:54:09,675 --> 00:54:13,425 You know, but what it highlights a little bit like the chosen, if I'm honest. 1146 00:54:13,430 --> 00:54:13,815 Yeah, yeah. 1147 00:54:13,815 --> 00:54:17,655 Um, you can, and it, again, it is a dramatization, okay? 1148 00:54:18,135 --> 00:54:18,225 Mm-hmm. 1149 00:54:18,225 --> 00:54:21,075 But there's just showing you the interaction. 1150 00:54:21,080 --> 00:54:21,250 Yeah. 1151 00:54:21,310 --> 00:54:23,130 The human of each of God. 1152 00:54:23,655 --> 00:54:26,145 You know, little James, I love her. 1153 00:54:26,145 --> 00:54:27,555 Oh yeah. 1154 00:54:28,485 --> 00:54:29,210 I'm just love him. 1155 00:54:29,310 --> 00:54:29,530 Mm. 1156 00:54:29,865 --> 00:54:32,625 You know, am minor a character in some ways, but his 1157 00:54:32,625 --> 00:54:34,545 interaction with Jesus is soap. 1158 00:54:35,609 --> 00:54:36,120 Personal. 1159 00:54:36,240 --> 00:54:36,480 Yeah. 1160 00:54:36,480 --> 00:54:37,500 And specific. 1161 00:54:37,890 --> 00:54:40,259 And then you've got Peter here and Matthew. 1162 00:54:40,379 --> 00:54:40,770 Oh yeah. 1163 00:54:40,770 --> 00:54:42,779 It it's just so wonderful. 1164 00:54:42,779 --> 00:54:42,839 Yeah. 1165 00:54:42,990 --> 00:54:46,685 And even though it is a dramatization, I'd encourage you, you, you, you 1166 00:54:46,690 --> 00:54:49,230 can learn something of the Hall of God through that program. 1167 00:54:49,710 --> 00:54:50,009 Yeah. 1168 00:54:50,009 --> 00:54:50,250 I love, I love that. 1169 00:54:50,669 --> 00:54:50,730 Dan Orange: Yeah. 1170 00:54:50,790 --> 00:54:55,529 Um, Heather mentioned that she'd in the past had like a, an arms 1171 00:54:55,529 --> 00:54:57,060 length relationship with God. 1172 00:54:57,540 --> 00:55:01,770 Um, so I was just thinking, Dave, how, how can you have a closer. 1173 00:55:02,670 --> 00:55:05,310 Dave Connolly: Yeah, we, we all have a history, you know, Heather 1174 00:55:05,370 --> 00:55:09,900 and um, and, and, and we all have like social unique personalities. 1175 00:55:10,290 --> 00:55:18,630 But, um, for me, my background is I was a mess. 1176 00:55:18,870 --> 00:55:18,960 Mm-hmm. 1177 00:55:19,380 --> 00:55:23,460 And I was very is I did, I grew up in a family where that I didn't 1178 00:55:23,460 --> 00:55:24,930 live with, didn't really know. 1179 00:55:25,140 --> 00:55:25,860 So, um. 1180 00:55:26,775 --> 00:55:28,245 I was just a mess. 1181 00:55:28,365 --> 00:55:30,825 I didn't have, I didn't really understand what love was. 1182 00:55:31,125 --> 00:55:35,325 I didn't understand people being nice to me, so I would hold 1183 00:55:35,325 --> 00:55:39,465 myself away from everybody before they had chance to reject me. 1184 00:55:39,944 --> 00:55:45,944 And, um, so I thought, um, when I become a Christian, um, I was very fortunate 1185 00:55:46,515 --> 00:55:53,444 to be taught that God loves me and that he didn't wanna love me from afar. 1186 00:55:54,029 --> 00:56:01,620 And that the relationship that he wanted with, with me was personal and 1187 00:56:01,620 --> 00:56:03,390 he wanted me to draw close to him. 1188 00:56:03,779 --> 00:56:08,009 And, um, you know, I love scripture says, you know, he, he, scripture says, draw 1189 00:56:08,009 --> 00:56:10,680 close to God, and he'll draw close to you. 1190 00:56:11,009 --> 00:56:15,870 If we live our lives from a distance, we have a distance relationship. 1191 00:56:16,140 --> 00:56:19,680 And I would encourage you as you open up, as you walk through this 1192 00:56:19,709 --> 00:56:22,020 really difficult season of your life. 1193 00:56:22,904 --> 00:56:24,075 Invite God into it. 1194 00:56:24,435 --> 00:56:27,374 You know, one of my prayers and when I first became a Christian, and I still 1195 00:56:27,374 --> 00:56:31,365 use it quite a lot, and that is, God, you know how I'm feeling and if you're 1196 00:56:31,365 --> 00:56:37,664 there, I need you draw close to me and God will speak to you however you 1197 00:56:37,664 --> 00:56:41,084 are wide, whether it's through your thinking or you know, people say, you 1198 00:56:41,084 --> 00:56:43,935 know, I've got this impression or I felt in my heart or in my mind, and 1199 00:56:43,935 --> 00:56:45,524 God will speak to you through that. 1200 00:56:46,095 --> 00:56:48,615 But listen, if you ask, listen. 1201 00:56:49,755 --> 00:56:53,625 And honestly I believe that you'll be, uh, messaging in 1202 00:56:53,805 --> 00:56:56,235 saying he's drawn close to me. 1203 00:56:56,535 --> 00:56:57,944 'cause he always honors his word. 1204 00:56:57,944 --> 00:56:58,390 That, that yeah. 1205 00:56:59,295 --> 00:57:03,645 I can guarantee he always, always, always honors his word. 1206 00:57:03,674 --> 00:57:03,795 Mm-hmm. 1207 00:57:04,125 --> 00:57:05,355 And he will draw close to you. 1208 00:57:08,025 --> 00:57:08,174 Dan Orange: Wow. 1209 00:57:08,174 --> 00:57:08,835 Thanks. 1210 00:57:09,134 --> 00:57:09,825 Thanks very much. 1211 00:57:09,825 --> 00:57:10,665 Thanks Dave. 1212 00:57:10,725 --> 00:57:11,355 Thanks Jan. 1213 00:57:11,444 --> 00:57:11,714 Thank you Dave. 1214 00:57:11,955 --> 00:57:12,525 Um. 1215 00:57:12,960 --> 00:57:16,140 We are gonna finish tonight's, um, live stream. 1216 00:57:16,140 --> 00:57:20,610 But before, before we do just wanna say that if you want to talk 1217 00:57:20,640 --> 00:57:24,540 afterwards, um, the link is on the comments for the Google meet. 1218 00:57:24,690 --> 00:57:28,450 Um, and we just have a, a few minutes join us afterwards that we can, you know. 1219 00:57:28,874 --> 00:57:30,615 Just chat face, face to face. 1220 00:57:30,645 --> 00:57:30,765 Mm-hmm. 1221 00:57:31,004 --> 00:57:33,435 Visual, you know, virtually face to face. 1222 00:57:33,435 --> 00:57:33,445 Yeah. 1223 00:57:33,674 --> 00:57:33,734 Yeah. 1224 00:57:33,825 --> 00:57:39,615 Um, so yeah, thanks very much and I'm already looking forward to next week. 1225 00:57:40,814 --> 00:57:40,904 Yeah. 1226 00:57:41,174 --> 00:57:43,185 Relationships, what we're designed for. 1227 00:57:43,274 --> 00:57:43,665 Yeah. 1228 00:57:44,714 --> 00:57:46,640 So anything you want to say before we No, 1229 00:57:46,785 --> 00:57:51,314 Jan Burch: just, um, hope everyone has a great week and, um, invest in your 1230 00:57:51,314 --> 00:57:53,774 relationship, your friendship with God. 1231 00:57:53,834 --> 00:57:54,134 Dave Connolly: Mm-hmm. 1232 00:57:55,725 --> 00:57:56,714 Yeah, I would just say. 1233 00:57:57,899 --> 00:57:59,490 God is good. 1234 00:57:59,790 --> 00:57:59,939 Yeah. 1235 00:58:00,209 --> 00:58:00,359 Amen. 1236 00:58:00,359 --> 00:58:01,319 And he wants to be good to you. 1237 00:58:01,319 --> 00:58:01,470 Amen. 1238 00:58:03,525 --> 00:58:03,795 Brilliant. 1239 00:58:03,945 --> 00:58:04,005 Bye. 1240 00:58:04,515 --> 00:58:04,810 Thank you. 1241 00:58:05,390 --> 00:58:05,610 Bye 1242 00:58:05,910 --> 00:58:06,130 bye. 1243 00:58:06,130 --> 00:58:06,330 Bye.