1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,880 Listening for God is our last in this series of listening for God. 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,480 It's been helpful to me, I hope it's been helpful to you, to 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,560 study these scriptures and to understand how we hear from God and 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,480 the various challenges and complexities of life. 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,920 And today talking about confusion. 6 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:21,440 So, you know, listening for God is not a one and done thing. 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,840 It's a lifelong process and there will be times you'll need to 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,450 listen for God when you face some of these challenges and, and 9 00:00:29,450 --> 00:00:31,890 you know, obviously you won't be able to say, well, I remember, 10 00:00:31,890 --> 00:00:32,610 yeah, I would do this. 11 00:00:32,610 --> 00:00:33,970 This, you won't. 12 00:00:34,210 --> 00:00:38,850 So go back to some of these messages in the years ahead. 13 00:00:39,010 --> 00:00:41,290 They're on Spotify, they're on Amazon. 14 00:00:41,290 --> 00:00:42,690 I assume they'll be there forever. 15 00:00:43,010 --> 00:00:48,250 And as God opens opportunities and needs for you, those resources 16 00:00:48,250 --> 00:00:48,770 are available. 17 00:00:48,850 --> 00:00:51,090 So I encourage you to take advantage of them. 18 00:00:51,170 --> 00:00:54,410 But today we want to talk about listening for God in confusion 19 00:00:54,410 --> 00:00:55,490 when we're confused. 20 00:00:56,780 --> 00:01:02,180 How do we know what to do when we say, God, I got this choice and 21 00:01:02,180 --> 00:01:03,180 I don't know what to do. 22 00:01:03,180 --> 00:01:08,500 God, I got this decision about a job and I'm going to graduate in 23 00:01:08,500 --> 00:01:10,140 a few weeks and I don't even know what I'm doing. 24 00:01:10,140 --> 00:01:13,380 God, I've got this relationship and is this the one? 25 00:01:13,380 --> 00:01:14,460 Is this not the one? 26 00:01:15,740 --> 00:01:19,780 Whatever the deal is, Lord, if you just write it in the sky, I will 27 00:01:19,780 --> 00:01:20,900 do whatever you say. 28 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:21,340 I promise. 29 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:23,480 And that's what we think. 30 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:25,880 God's not going to write it in the sky. 31 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:27,240 That's not how he works. 32 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:28,480 He's not going to tell you. 33 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,040 Open your Bible and do this and point to a verse and that's going 34 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:32,760 to be your answer. 35 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:33,960 It doesn't work that way. 36 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,960 How do we listen for God in confusion? 37 00:01:36,960 --> 00:01:38,280 Well, the good news is this. 38 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,040 This is one of the easiest questions we've asked this semester. 39 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,120 The answer is really simple and I'm going to give you a really 40 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,760 simple outline to understand how we listen for God and in confusion. 41 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:51,520 Here's the thing. 42 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:57,800 When we are confused, God has the answer, but we too often are 43 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:58,640 ignoring it. 44 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,920 So how do we hear his answer during times of confusion? 45 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,040 I want to give you three signposts that will point you in 46 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,640 the right direction to hear God during confusion. 47 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:14,440 And it all comes out of this scripture that really outlines for 48 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:15,200 us in Matthew. 49 00:02:16,490 --> 00:02:21,210 But the first signpost is the invitation to trust God that He wants 50 00:02:21,210 --> 00:02:22,170 the best for our lives. 51 00:02:22,730 --> 00:02:24,810 Trust that God wants the best for our lives. 52 00:02:24,970 --> 00:02:26,330 God created you. 53 00:02:26,810 --> 00:02:28,250 You're not here on accident. 54 00:02:28,730 --> 00:02:31,930 God created you on purpose in His Image. 55 00:02:32,570 --> 00:02:37,850 God sent his son to die for you on a cross, to be a sacrifice 56 00:02:38,170 --> 00:02:42,290 for your sins and mine, and to raise from the dead and to conquer 57 00:02:42,290 --> 00:02:42,570 death. 58 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:44,200 God did that for us. 59 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,040 God loves you so much. 60 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:48,200 You're His. 61 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,360 He invites you into the family. 62 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,320 If he loves you that much, why in the world would God ever want 63 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:57,480 less than the best for you? 64 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,680 God always wants the best for you, just like any parent wants the 65 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,320 very best for their kids. 66 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,080 And we are part of God's family and God's children. 67 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:08,840 But here's the problem. 68 00:03:09,580 --> 00:03:14,660 We settle for less than what God wants because we're going after 69 00:03:14,660 --> 00:03:16,060 what we want instead. 70 00:03:16,860 --> 00:03:22,660 If we can get what we want out of the way, we will always find God's 71 00:03:22,660 --> 00:03:26,140 very best for us, which is the best path for our life. 72 00:03:26,460 --> 00:03:30,140 Look at the invitation he makes to us during times of confusion. 73 00:03:30,140 --> 00:03:31,580 Let me give you a couple of scriptures. 74 00:03:31,900 --> 00:03:34,140 First one is this from James, chapter one. 75 00:03:34,790 --> 00:03:37,190 If you do not have wisdom, ask God for it. 76 00:03:37,990 --> 00:03:42,630 He's always ready to give it to you and will never say you are 77 00:03:42,630 --> 00:03:44,230 wrong for asking. 78 00:03:44,630 --> 00:03:46,550 I love especially that last part of it. 79 00:03:46,550 --> 00:03:48,870 You know, people say, well, I want to ask a question, but it's 80 00:03:48,870 --> 00:03:51,030 a dumb question, I shouldn't ask, or I don't want to. 81 00:03:51,030 --> 00:03:51,990 Take your time with this question. 82 00:03:51,990 --> 00:03:55,910 No, God says, ask me if you need wisdom. 83 00:03:55,910 --> 00:03:58,150 If you're not sure, ask me. 84 00:03:59,350 --> 00:04:00,150 Ask me. 85 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,800 You'll never say you're wrong for asking, however many times it 86 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:05,240 takes. 87 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,360 So we start with this invitation because God wants the 88 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:10,120 very best for us. 89 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,480 And then look at this scripture, which is really important 90 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,760 from 1 Corinthians, for God is not the author of confusion, but 91 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,200 of peace. 92 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:24,280 God brings clarity in confusion. 93 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,160 Now, this is an interesting scripture from first Corinthians, 94 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,000 because if you put it in context of ancient times, people 95 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:33,600 believed in many gods. 96 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:40,960 Before Jesus came, they believed in many gods, and so those 97 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,200 gods would often create confusion. 98 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,000 If you've studied Greek literature, in the Iliad and the 99 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,840 Odyssey, you know the battles of the gods to create the confusion, 100 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,000 to battle with each other, to battle with people, to keep people 101 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:56,560 afraid. 102 00:04:56,980 --> 00:04:59,780 They want the confusion because then they become the center 103 00:04:59,780 --> 00:05:04,820 of the tension in the lore of the gods of ancient times, where 104 00:05:06,180 --> 00:05:10,580 the scripture says God is not a God of confusion, totally different. 105 00:05:11,140 --> 00:05:14,420 He is a God of clarity and he will bring peace. 106 00:05:14,660 --> 00:05:19,380 Trust that God wants the best for you even when you're confused. 107 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:23,100 And when are you confused, it's easy to think, God's forgotten 108 00:05:23,100 --> 00:05:23,260 me. 109 00:05:23,260 --> 00:05:23,860 No, he hasn't. 110 00:05:24,460 --> 00:05:25,740 He hadn't forgotten you at all. 111 00:05:26,220 --> 00:05:29,740 Even in those times, know that God wants the best for you. 112 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:32,540 Couple more scriptures that I think are helpful From Proverbs, 113 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:33,260 chapter 3. 114 00:05:33,580 --> 00:05:35,300 Trust in the Lord with all your heart. 115 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:37,500 Do not depend on your own understanding. 116 00:05:38,140 --> 00:05:43,220 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to 117 00:05:43,220 --> 00:05:43,580 take. 118 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:50,180 We have to know to trust in God even when we don't feel like 119 00:05:50,180 --> 00:05:50,460 it. 120 00:05:51,830 --> 00:05:54,950 And often in confusion, we don't feel like it because there's 121 00:05:54,950 --> 00:05:56,870 a lot of anxiety about confusion. 122 00:05:56,870 --> 00:05:59,030 There's a lot of emotion and confusion. 123 00:05:59,670 --> 00:06:03,270 And in those times that emotion can dominate us so much. 124 00:06:03,270 --> 00:06:05,590 We've got to get back to that understanding. 125 00:06:05,670 --> 00:06:10,230 Even though I don't feel like I can trust God, I know I can trust 126 00:06:10,230 --> 00:06:10,630 God. 127 00:06:10,950 --> 00:06:13,390 That's a fact, and I can count on it. 128 00:06:13,390 --> 00:06:14,390 It's a bedrock. 129 00:06:15,190 --> 00:06:17,670 And here's something I'll suggest to you. 130 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,480 When you're making big decisions and there's a lot of emotion 131 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,680 around it, get the emotion out before you make your choices. 132 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:31,520 It's amazing how much better the decisions will always be when 133 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:32,920 you get the emotion out. 134 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:39,120 I got a letter about six, seven weeks ago from somebody, pretty 135 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:40,040 critical letter. 136 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:43,160 And they were upset about this or that. 137 00:06:44,530 --> 00:06:45,650 And I didn't answer it. 138 00:06:46,450 --> 00:06:47,410 I let it sit. 139 00:06:48,530 --> 00:06:52,010 And a couple weeks ago, my wife said, did you answer that letter 140 00:06:52,010 --> 00:06:52,210 yet? 141 00:06:52,210 --> 00:06:54,690 I said, no, I can't get the emotion out yet. 142 00:06:55,650 --> 00:07:00,130 And that's my benchmark that I use on big decisions. 143 00:07:00,210 --> 00:07:04,090 If I can't get the emotion out, I'm not going forward until 144 00:07:04,090 --> 00:07:05,690 I can get the emotion out. 145 00:07:05,690 --> 00:07:07,170 I can't make a good decision. 146 00:07:07,650 --> 00:07:09,550 And so often in confusion, the. 147 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:14,020 The emotion dictates our decision and it's usually a bad choice. 148 00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:18,980 So get the emotion out of it and instead just trust in the Lord. 149 00:07:19,300 --> 00:07:20,180 That's a fact. 150 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:21,780 That's an absolute. 151 00:07:21,780 --> 00:07:25,939 You can count on it even when you don't feel like it. 152 00:07:26,100 --> 00:07:29,860 Our confusion doesn't mean he doesn't know the best path. 153 00:07:29,860 --> 00:07:31,620 No, God knows the best path. 154 00:07:31,620 --> 00:07:32,580 Look at this scripture. 155 00:07:32,660 --> 00:07:35,860 I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. 156 00:07:36,350 --> 00:07:37,150 It's a promise. 157 00:07:37,870 --> 00:07:39,710 God can see the path ahead. 158 00:07:40,430 --> 00:07:42,510 You know, we can't always see the path ahead. 159 00:07:43,230 --> 00:07:46,310 The path ahead for us is twists and turns and it's ups and 160 00:07:46,310 --> 00:07:50,230 downs and it's around lots of things that we don't know what's 161 00:07:50,230 --> 00:07:52,670 coming and we can't see that. 162 00:07:53,790 --> 00:07:58,110 God's got a bird's eye view and he can see the whole path, the 163 00:07:58,110 --> 00:07:59,390 parts we can't see. 164 00:08:00,030 --> 00:08:04,870 He can see the whole path and knows which path is best for us. 165 00:08:05,110 --> 00:08:10,710 We have to have start with this trust that God wants the best 166 00:08:10,790 --> 00:08:12,070 for our lives. 167 00:08:12,710 --> 00:08:13,830 He really does. 168 00:08:14,390 --> 00:08:17,190 And in confusion, it can feel exhausting. 169 00:08:17,430 --> 00:08:21,670 And you may not feel like God wants that, but you've got to build 170 00:08:21,750 --> 00:08:26,870 on this foundation absolute that God wants that take the anxiety 171 00:08:27,030 --> 00:08:30,470 out of the equation by trusting God. 172 00:08:31,110 --> 00:08:32,790 So that's the first benchmark. 173 00:08:32,790 --> 00:08:33,990 Second benchmark is this. 174 00:08:35,270 --> 00:08:38,790 Find your direction based on what you know for sure. 175 00:08:40,630 --> 00:08:41,990 What you know for sure. 176 00:08:44,870 --> 00:08:46,830 God's not going to write the answer in the sky. 177 00:08:46,830 --> 00:08:49,630 He's not going to point you to one verse that all of a sudden everything's 178 00:08:49,630 --> 00:08:50,190 going to get clear. 179 00:08:50,190 --> 00:08:51,190 And that's the answer. 180 00:08:51,830 --> 00:08:56,670 He says, study my scripture, study my word, study my teachings. 181 00:08:56,750 --> 00:09:00,950 And if you study the things you know for sure, it's amazing how 182 00:09:00,950 --> 00:09:02,910 much the rest of it becomes clear. 183 00:09:02,910 --> 00:09:05,150 And that's what Matthew 6 is about. 184 00:09:05,390 --> 00:09:09,750 It's about showing us the priorities for our life so that the 185 00:09:09,750 --> 00:09:14,750 rest of it will become clear when we do the basic things first. 186 00:09:15,070 --> 00:09:20,750 And so Jesus asked us really two questions here in Matthew, chapter 187 00:09:20,750 --> 00:09:23,270 6, 18 verses. 188 00:09:23,270 --> 00:09:27,230 He said, essentially, are you seeking to honor God rather than 189 00:09:27,230 --> 00:09:28,150 attract attention? 190 00:09:28,950 --> 00:09:30,230 So that's the first question. 191 00:09:31,190 --> 00:09:34,150 Are we seeking to honor God rather than attract attention? 192 00:09:34,310 --> 00:09:36,310 Now, this is kind of a decision tree. 193 00:09:36,390 --> 00:09:39,270 If you say, I'm seeking to honor God, great, you can go on to 194 00:09:39,270 --> 00:09:39,910 the next question. 195 00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:42,790 If not, you got to do some correction there till you get things 196 00:09:42,790 --> 00:09:46,150 on track, because you're not going to get to the right solution. 197 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,960 If first of all, you're seeking attention rather than honoring 198 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:51,360 God. 199 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,480 And you may say, well, I'm honoring God. 200 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,920 Yeah, I really honor God, and that's what I really want to do. 201 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:56,640 Well, God give. 202 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,560 I mean, Jesus gives us some pretty clear benchmarks for that. 203 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:04,760 He doesn't just say, let's not talk about it in theory, folks. 204 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,160 Let's talk about it in real time. 205 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:13,010 Let's talk about giving, let's talk about prayer, and let's talk 206 00:10:13,010 --> 00:10:14,170 about fasting. 207 00:10:14,250 --> 00:10:17,130 Those are the three benchmarks he gives. 208 00:10:17,210 --> 00:10:20,330 In other words, helping others, the people he loves. 209 00:10:20,890 --> 00:10:23,610 Secondly, developing our relationship with God. 210 00:10:23,770 --> 00:10:28,649 And thirdly, growing in our understanding and our depth of relationship 211 00:10:28,649 --> 00:10:29,370 with God. 212 00:10:29,770 --> 00:10:32,090 Giving prayer and fasting. 213 00:10:32,410 --> 00:10:36,650 And Jesus starts this part of the Sermon on the Mount with some 214 00:10:36,650 --> 00:10:39,450 very, I think, pretty aggressive words. 215 00:10:40,260 --> 00:10:44,260 He starts by saying this, watch out, watch out. 216 00:10:44,820 --> 00:10:48,340 Don't do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, 217 00:10:48,820 --> 00:10:53,140 for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. 218 00:10:54,580 --> 00:10:55,780 He starts right there. 219 00:10:56,980 --> 00:11:01,580 See, the Sermon on the Mount is not just, you know, Jesus got 220 00:11:01,580 --> 00:11:05,540 up on the Mountain one day and said all this stuff, and the disciples 221 00:11:05,540 --> 00:11:07,220 were there and they were writing it down as fast as they could 222 00:11:07,220 --> 00:11:07,330 go. 223 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,840 Now, he told these things over and over and over and over again. 224 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,360 And that's why the disciples could recount these stories, because 225 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,640 they'd heard it so many times, they knew them, they probably almost 226 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:18,800 get up and say it for them. 227 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,560 Except on the Sermon on the Mount, we have it all together in 228 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:22,200 one place. 229 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:26,280 And so he starts with this warning to watch out. 230 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,520 Are you doing it to honor God? 231 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,200 Are you doing what you do to get attention? 232 00:11:33,330 --> 00:11:35,650 Because it's going to be one or the other. 233 00:11:36,450 --> 00:11:38,170 And so he gives these benchmarks. 234 00:11:38,170 --> 00:11:43,970 First of all, when you give to someone in need, don't do as a hypocrites, 235 00:11:43,970 --> 00:11:47,010 blowing the trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention 236 00:11:47,010 --> 00:11:48,290 to their acts of charity. 237 00:11:48,929 --> 00:11:52,930 Now, if you put yourself back in ancient times, can you just imagine 238 00:11:53,490 --> 00:12:00,010 some wealthy person that's got all kinds of attendance and entourage 239 00:12:00,010 --> 00:12:02,690 with them is going to go to the synagogue and they're going to 240 00:12:02,690 --> 00:12:03,250 make a gift. 241 00:12:03,250 --> 00:12:06,110 And so they bring everybody with, and they bring the trumpets 242 00:12:06,110 --> 00:12:09,070 and they blow the trumpets, and everybody says, ooh and ah. 243 00:12:09,230 --> 00:12:10,430 Aren't they a great person? 244 00:12:11,070 --> 00:12:13,990 And Jesus says, well, that's all the reward you're getting right 245 00:12:13,990 --> 00:12:14,270 there. 246 00:12:14,830 --> 00:12:16,910 Because you're not doing that to honor God. 247 00:12:17,150 --> 00:12:19,310 You're doing that for your attention. 248 00:12:20,030 --> 00:12:24,230 And when we give, whether that be money or whether it be time or 249 00:12:24,230 --> 00:12:27,510 whether that be our emotional energy, whatever we give to those 250 00:12:27,510 --> 00:12:32,140 around us, we do that to honor God, not just to get their attention. 251 00:12:32,780 --> 00:12:34,780 And sometimes it takes some work to do that. 252 00:12:35,980 --> 00:12:38,220 A lot of you live in the University Village. 253 00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:42,860 University Village is named after Dudley and Robbie Hughes. 254 00:12:43,580 --> 00:12:49,740 But that name didn't come easy because Robbie gave that gift, gave 255 00:12:49,740 --> 00:12:51,180 us $4 million to build that building. 256 00:12:51,180 --> 00:12:54,700 We borrowed about six in order to build this $10 million building. 257 00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:56,940 And she gave that gift. 258 00:12:56,940 --> 00:13:00,980 And when she gave that gift to me, she said, I don't want anybody 259 00:13:00,980 --> 00:13:01,940 to know about this. 260 00:13:02,580 --> 00:13:03,220 Nobody. 261 00:13:04,100 --> 00:13:05,780 You're the only one who's going to know. 262 00:13:07,060 --> 00:13:08,420 I want it totally secret. 263 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:09,620 I said, robby, why? 264 00:13:09,940 --> 00:13:12,140 She said, because this is to honor God. 265 00:13:12,140 --> 00:13:14,660 This is not about me. 266 00:13:17,220 --> 00:13:18,180 That's pretty strong. 267 00:13:19,060 --> 00:13:19,860 I said, really? 268 00:13:19,860 --> 00:13:20,580 She said, yeah. 269 00:13:20,580 --> 00:13:22,740 I listened to who God says to give to. 270 00:13:23,220 --> 00:13:24,820 She said, God's given me some money. 271 00:13:24,820 --> 00:13:27,820 And so I listen and I pray for who I should give to. 272 00:13:27,820 --> 00:13:30,590 And God tells me who to give to me, and that's who I give. 273 00:13:30,590 --> 00:13:32,710 But I don't want the honor at all. 274 00:13:32,710 --> 00:13:35,470 I want all the Glory to go to him. 275 00:13:36,910 --> 00:13:40,110 And so after a lot of discussions, after many, many weeks, 276 00:13:40,110 --> 00:13:43,790 I said, you know, Robby, if we could put your name on the building, 277 00:13:44,350 --> 00:13:47,950 it would encourage others to give, which it has since then. 278 00:13:48,270 --> 00:13:51,470 And that's a positive thing because that would honor God because 279 00:13:51,470 --> 00:13:52,590 they see your spirit. 280 00:13:52,590 --> 00:13:56,890 She said, I'll let you put my name on the building only if you 281 00:13:56,890 --> 00:14:00,290 promise every time you talk about it to say, I only gave it to 282 00:14:00,290 --> 00:14:00,890 honor God. 283 00:14:00,890 --> 00:14:02,250 I don't want any of the attention. 284 00:14:03,290 --> 00:14:06,090 And she's given us a lot of money since then. 285 00:14:06,890 --> 00:14:09,770 That was a small gift compared to what she's given since then. 286 00:14:09,930 --> 00:14:13,090 And her name's not on anything else on this campus because she doesn't 287 00:14:13,090 --> 00:14:15,530 want that as a one time thing. 288 00:14:16,170 --> 00:14:18,250 And it's also because of her husband who had died. 289 00:14:18,250 --> 00:14:20,090 She wanted to honor him, which was nice. 290 00:14:20,730 --> 00:14:22,930 Giving should be to honor God. 291 00:14:22,930 --> 00:14:24,330 So that's the first benchmark. 292 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:25,840 Do you give of yourself? 293 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:27,320 Do you give of your energy? 294 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,000 Do you give of your time to honor God? 295 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:32,920 Second benchmark, he says, when you pray, don't be like the 296 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,960 hypocrites who love to pray publicly in the street corners and 297 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,000 in the synagogues where everyone will see them. 298 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:42,080 I tell you the truth, that's all the reward they will ever get. 299 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:42,520 Well again. 300 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:47,840 Imagine ancient times, a busy street and busy market and people, 301 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,240 you know, trying to make life work. 302 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,040 And there are people standing on the corners and they're praying. 303 00:14:54,330 --> 00:14:58,170 And in the Jewish tradition, they would do this kind of rocking 304 00:14:58,170 --> 00:15:01,250 motion back and forth, and they would do that in order to get 305 00:15:01,250 --> 00:15:05,010 attention, that they are more somehow spiritual than everybody 306 00:15:05,010 --> 00:15:05,330 else. 307 00:15:05,330 --> 00:15:07,210 He said, that's all the reward you're going to get. 308 00:15:08,010 --> 00:15:09,370 He said, don't pray like that. 309 00:15:09,930 --> 00:15:13,850 Pray is about worship and pray is about listening to God. 310 00:15:14,090 --> 00:15:16,650 And it's not simply bringing a list of stuff you want. 311 00:15:17,610 --> 00:15:20,330 So he gives us a model, he gives us the Lord's Prayer. 312 00:15:20,330 --> 00:15:22,580 And he goes through that, you know, our Father in heaven, we. 313 00:15:22,730 --> 00:15:25,050 Which is about worship and reverence, isn't it? 314 00:15:25,050 --> 00:15:28,050 Our Father in heaven, we understand the relationship with 315 00:15:28,050 --> 00:15:28,410 God. 316 00:15:28,570 --> 00:15:32,170 And then it says, thy will be done, which is about surrender. 317 00:15:32,250 --> 00:15:33,370 I want your will. 318 00:15:33,370 --> 00:15:34,490 I don't want my will done. 319 00:15:34,490 --> 00:15:35,610 It's about surrender. 320 00:15:36,010 --> 00:15:38,650 And then he says, give us this day our daily bread. 321 00:15:38,650 --> 00:15:41,490 That's the next portion, which is dependence on God. 322 00:15:41,490 --> 00:15:42,570 Our daily bread. 323 00:15:42,650 --> 00:15:43,970 Don't give me everything I want. 324 00:15:43,970 --> 00:15:45,530 Dear Lord, please give me that. 325 00:15:45,690 --> 00:15:48,010 No, he says, our daily bread, that's all you're going to get. 326 00:15:48,370 --> 00:15:50,290 You got to trust God all the time. 327 00:15:50,370 --> 00:15:53,890 And the prayer goes on, forgive us as we forgive others. 328 00:15:54,610 --> 00:15:57,570 In other words, if you don't forgive, you're a sinful person, 329 00:15:57,570 --> 00:16:01,050 you haven't given up your sinful nature, and you've got to 330 00:16:01,050 --> 00:16:05,530 forgive others or you won't be forgiven because the sinful nature 331 00:16:05,530 --> 00:16:06,010 is in you. 332 00:16:06,010 --> 00:16:06,930 I can't forgive you. 333 00:16:07,170 --> 00:16:08,130 So forgiveness. 334 00:16:08,210 --> 00:16:11,490 And then the last part of the prayer is, deliver us from evil, 335 00:16:12,450 --> 00:16:13,250 the protection. 336 00:16:13,570 --> 00:16:15,440 Asking God to protect us from. 337 00:16:15,590 --> 00:16:19,710 From the evil one, not protect us from the circumstances we don't 338 00:16:19,710 --> 00:16:19,990 like. 339 00:16:20,070 --> 00:16:21,270 Not protect us from. 340 00:16:21,670 --> 00:16:23,350 I wish I had a whole lot more money. 341 00:16:23,350 --> 00:16:24,150 Not this and that. 342 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:25,670 No, protect us from the evil one. 343 00:16:26,470 --> 00:16:28,470 The eternal values that matter. 344 00:16:29,430 --> 00:16:32,470 Do your prayer life reflect that? 345 00:16:32,470 --> 00:16:35,790 Or does your prayer life reflect just kind of a list of stuff 346 00:16:35,790 --> 00:16:36,230 you need? 347 00:16:37,270 --> 00:16:39,910 And that's okay, you can have the list of stuff you need. 348 00:16:40,150 --> 00:16:42,150 God says, tell me what you need, that's fine. 349 00:16:42,870 --> 00:16:44,630 But prayer needs to be so much more. 350 00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:48,150 In other words, he's saying, are you seeking to honor God by really 351 00:16:48,150 --> 00:16:53,710 developing your prayer life in worship to him, or is it really just 352 00:16:53,710 --> 00:16:56,550 about getting what you need and attracting attention? 353 00:16:56,630 --> 00:16:58,110 And then he gives a third benchmark. 354 00:16:58,110 --> 00:16:59,910 The third benchmark is when you fast. 355 00:17:00,630 --> 00:17:03,870 Don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do, for they try to look 356 00:17:03,870 --> 00:17:05,310 miserable and disheveled. 357 00:17:05,310 --> 00:17:07,270 So people admire them for their fasting. 358 00:17:07,270 --> 00:17:11,350 I tell you the truth, this is the only reward they will ever get. 359 00:17:11,750 --> 00:17:15,830 Well, fasting is to give up your meals in order to honor, to 360 00:17:16,150 --> 00:17:18,310 draw into a deeper relationship with God. 361 00:17:18,710 --> 00:17:22,870 If you don't eat something you need all the time and you feel hungry, 362 00:17:23,110 --> 00:17:26,470 when you feel hungry and you're fasting, that pushes you to 363 00:17:26,470 --> 00:17:30,870 say, I need to take that time and focus on God and focus on that 364 00:17:30,870 --> 00:17:31,430 relationship. 365 00:17:31,430 --> 00:17:34,370 And that's why people fast when they're making it decision. 366 00:17:35,010 --> 00:17:38,370 In the Bible, we see that often we're fasting to make a decision 367 00:17:38,770 --> 00:17:41,810 because it brings us into a deeper relationship with God. 368 00:17:42,770 --> 00:17:45,810 Well, you know, I got an interesting little theory that fasting 369 00:17:45,810 --> 00:17:48,330 doesn't work very well in American culture, and people don't 370 00:17:48,330 --> 00:17:49,410 do it much anymore. 371 00:17:49,570 --> 00:17:53,370 And part of it is our American diet has gotten us so addicted to 372 00:17:53,370 --> 00:17:54,850 carbohydrates and sugars. 373 00:17:54,930 --> 00:17:58,010 Fasting doesn't feel the same as it would have for the ancient 374 00:17:58,010 --> 00:17:58,370 people. 375 00:17:58,690 --> 00:18:01,010 And that was the only thing they could give up. 376 00:18:01,010 --> 00:18:04,610 They didn't have a lot of the luxuries we have and stuff we have, 377 00:18:04,770 --> 00:18:07,370 but that was the thing they thought about all the time. 378 00:18:07,370 --> 00:18:09,170 Where's my next meal coming from? 379 00:18:09,330 --> 00:18:12,170 Well, if I give up My next meal, I'm going to focus on God, 380 00:18:12,170 --> 00:18:14,130 I'm going to draw closer to Him. 381 00:18:14,130 --> 00:18:16,290 And that's why fasting was encouraged. 382 00:18:16,770 --> 00:18:18,449 So what's the modern day equivalent? 383 00:18:18,770 --> 00:18:20,290 I suggest to you this. 384 00:18:20,930 --> 00:18:28,160 Give up social media for an hour, for a day, for a week, when 385 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:29,240 you're trying to make a decision. 386 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:33,160 And every time you start to reach to that phone, instead talk 387 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:33,800 to the Lord. 388 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:38,840 Every time you start to reach for it, to flip something, instead 389 00:18:39,080 --> 00:18:43,800 talk to the Lord, if you will, fast in that kind of way, or you 390 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:48,240 can do food, whatever you want to give up, it drills us into a deeper 391 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:49,160 relationship with God. 392 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,160 So that's the third benchmark he gives. 393 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:57,360 Do it for sin, not self promotion, but do it in order to 394 00:18:57,360 --> 00:18:58,560 honor God. 395 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:00,120 So that's the first question. 396 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:02,320 Are you seeking to honor God rather than get attention? 397 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:04,560 Matthew chapter six takes us through. 398 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,920 Then the second part of the chapter takes us through this second 399 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:08,320 question. 400 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,160 Are your priorities immediate or eternal? 401 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,360 And that starts in verse 19 and goes down through verse 24. 402 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,960 So are your priorities what you're trying to get right now? 403 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,840 I got to take care of this and this circumstance and this challenge 404 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:23,270 and this and this. 405 00:19:23,980 --> 00:19:25,580 And that stuff does consume our life. 406 00:19:25,580 --> 00:19:27,660 But is that what we're really driven for? 407 00:19:27,740 --> 00:19:31,900 Are we driven for things that are eternal and things that last? 408 00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:37,500 And again here, Jesus is very, very direct in his wording. 409 00:19:37,580 --> 00:19:40,420 If you put this in ancient language, it's probably even more 410 00:19:40,420 --> 00:19:41,460 direct than it comes across. 411 00:19:41,460 --> 00:19:42,460 In the translation. 412 00:19:42,620 --> 00:19:45,260 He says, don't store up your treasures on earth. 413 00:19:45,260 --> 00:19:46,860 Store up your treasures in heaven. 414 00:19:47,180 --> 00:19:51,510 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 415 00:19:53,350 --> 00:19:55,190 Are we just after stuff? 416 00:19:56,150 --> 00:20:00,390 If we're just after stuff in life, this is a fool's errand. 417 00:20:01,270 --> 00:20:03,590 Because I'll tell you right now, there's never enough stuff. 418 00:20:03,590 --> 00:20:06,870 I don't care how much stuff you get, it's never enough stuff. 419 00:20:07,830 --> 00:20:09,190 It's a fool's errand. 420 00:20:09,830 --> 00:20:14,870 So he says, where desires of your heart will be also. 421 00:20:14,870 --> 00:20:15,870 He talk about the heart. 422 00:20:15,870 --> 00:20:16,630 What's the heart? 423 00:20:16,630 --> 00:20:17,830 That's motivation. 424 00:20:18,150 --> 00:20:20,470 The desires, what are the things that motivate you? 425 00:20:20,710 --> 00:20:21,910 What pushes you? 426 00:20:22,070 --> 00:20:23,830 What do you desire more than anything? 427 00:20:23,830 --> 00:20:29,030 Is it eternal values or is it immediate stuff? 428 00:20:29,830 --> 00:20:32,230 He says, make that distinction. 429 00:20:32,630 --> 00:20:33,670 Figure that out. 430 00:20:34,470 --> 00:20:39,950 Because if it'll be eternal, then clarity comes even more in this 431 00:20:39,950 --> 00:20:41,070 time of confusion. 432 00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:42,070 So that's the first one. 433 00:20:42,150 --> 00:20:44,550 And then he uses another example about the I. 434 00:20:45,130 --> 00:20:48,370 And he says, your eye is like the lamp that provides light to the 435 00:20:48,370 --> 00:20:48,650 body. 436 00:20:48,970 --> 00:20:52,010 When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 437 00:20:52,250 --> 00:20:54,330 But when your Eye is unhealthy. 438 00:20:54,650 --> 00:20:57,450 Your whole body is filled with darkness. 439 00:20:57,690 --> 00:20:59,810 Well, the heart's motivation, desires. 440 00:20:59,810 --> 00:21:02,330 The eye is your focus, your priorities. 441 00:21:02,810 --> 00:21:04,170 What do you spend your time on? 442 00:21:04,170 --> 00:21:05,130 What do you spend your energy? 443 00:21:05,130 --> 00:21:08,290 What are you willing to give up something for in order to get 444 00:21:08,290 --> 00:21:08,570 it? 445 00:21:08,730 --> 00:21:09,850 Where are those priorities? 446 00:21:10,090 --> 00:21:11,360 That's what your eye is. 447 00:21:11,670 --> 00:21:15,830 And he says, if your focus and your priorities are not on eternal 448 00:21:15,830 --> 00:21:18,710 things, then there's darkness in your life. 449 00:21:19,910 --> 00:21:24,750 And then he sums it up with this next phrase, says either you 450 00:21:24,750 --> 00:21:25,390 can't have both. 451 00:21:25,390 --> 00:21:26,710 You got to pick one or the other. 452 00:21:27,269 --> 00:21:31,030 No one can serve two masters, for you hate one and love the other, 453 00:21:31,030 --> 00:21:33,510 or you be devoted to one and despise the other. 454 00:21:33,750 --> 00:21:38,150 You cannot serve God and be enslaved, slave to money. 455 00:21:39,030 --> 00:21:40,150 You can't have both. 456 00:21:41,110 --> 00:21:41,630 Pick it. 457 00:21:41,630 --> 00:21:45,190 It doesn't mean God's going to make you, put you in poverty necessarily, 458 00:21:46,950 --> 00:21:48,310 but you can't have both. 459 00:21:48,470 --> 00:21:49,750 What are your motivations? 460 00:21:50,070 --> 00:21:51,270 What are your priorities? 461 00:21:51,510 --> 00:21:52,750 What are your desires? 462 00:21:52,750 --> 00:21:53,590 What's your focus? 463 00:21:53,590 --> 00:21:55,030 That's what he's talking about here. 464 00:21:55,030 --> 00:21:58,630 Are they things that are immediate or things that are eternal? 465 00:21:58,630 --> 00:22:02,950 And when we're in confusion, if we honor God, first question, 466 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,920 instead of getting the accolades of others, and second question, 467 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:12,160 our priorities are eternal, not immediate, then we start to get 468 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,440 clarity about what the choices are. 469 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:19,399 Because a whole lot of options just went off the table when it's 470 00:22:19,399 --> 00:22:21,640 not about your attention getting attention. 471 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,760 And when it's not about the immediate, a lot of options just 472 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,760 went off the table and clarity starts to come. 473 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:35,240 And so find that direction based on what you know for sure. 474 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,520 These things we know for sure in confusion, these things don't 475 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:39,800 change. 476 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:42,120 They're the same, so we know those. 477 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,680 Instead of seeking God's answer out there, focus on what you 478 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:47,560 know for sure. 479 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:53,040 And most of the time, the answer starts to become clear at 480 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:53,560 that point. 481 00:22:54,450 --> 00:22:57,050 But then Jesus goes on to give us a little bit more instruction, 482 00:22:57,050 --> 00:22:58,930 even if it's not clear at that point. 483 00:22:59,170 --> 00:23:00,570 And that's the third benchmark. 484 00:23:00,570 --> 00:23:04,370 He says, don't be anxious while waiting for God's timing. 485 00:23:04,370 --> 00:23:05,090 Essentially. 486 00:23:05,410 --> 00:23:07,170 In other words, stage three is this. 487 00:23:08,290 --> 00:23:10,450 Jesus says, God's got this. 488 00:23:11,010 --> 00:23:12,450 You don't have to worry about it. 489 00:23:12,610 --> 00:23:13,970 You don't have to sweat it. 490 00:23:14,370 --> 00:23:15,650 God's got this. 491 00:23:16,050 --> 00:23:19,090 Don't worry, he says, about what we'll eat or drink or wear. 492 00:23:19,250 --> 00:23:20,450 God knows your needs. 493 00:23:21,220 --> 00:23:25,060 He says, look at the birds, look at the lilies of the field. 494 00:23:25,940 --> 00:23:29,700 How much more does God care for you than he cares for them? 495 00:23:31,060 --> 00:23:33,700 You see the bottom line of all this? 496 00:23:33,700 --> 00:23:38,500 He sums up when he says this, your heavenly Father already knows 497 00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:39,300 all your needs. 498 00:23:39,620 --> 00:23:44,740 Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and 499 00:23:44,740 --> 00:23:48,620 he will give you everything you need. 500 00:23:50,220 --> 00:23:54,060 When we get to that point, when we get to that understanding, 501 00:23:55,100 --> 00:24:00,540 then we start to get clarity on those things where we are confused. 502 00:24:01,020 --> 00:24:03,260 Because now we've got our priorities straight. 503 00:24:03,420 --> 00:24:05,420 Now we've got our objectives straight. 504 00:24:05,420 --> 00:24:08,220 Now we've got our goals for life straight. 505 00:24:08,220 --> 00:24:11,740 When those are straight, then the other things start to become 506 00:24:12,470 --> 00:24:13,030 very clear. 507 00:24:13,670 --> 00:24:15,350 But there still may be some waiting. 508 00:24:15,670 --> 00:24:18,550 And he talks more about that in the last of the chapter, and you 509 00:24:18,550 --> 00:24:19,590 can go read it sometime. 510 00:24:19,670 --> 00:24:22,030 But he says, essentially, learn to wait. 511 00:24:22,030 --> 00:24:22,430 Don't. 512 00:24:22,430 --> 00:24:23,590 Don't be overwhelmed. 513 00:24:23,590 --> 00:24:25,430 Don't be anxious about tomorrow. 514 00:24:25,510 --> 00:24:27,590 Tomorrow's going to have another set of problems. 515 00:24:27,670 --> 00:24:29,670 Just let God take care of these things. 516 00:24:30,070 --> 00:24:31,150 Learn to wait. 517 00:24:31,150 --> 00:24:32,070 When confused. 518 00:24:32,230 --> 00:24:33,630 Here's the bottom line. 519 00:24:33,630 --> 00:24:34,150 Truth. 520 00:24:34,150 --> 00:24:37,670 God's timing is never, ever wrong. 521 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:40,400 It's always on time. 522 00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,880 A lot of times I wish it was sooner, I really do. 523 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:46,880 But it's never wrong. 524 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:49,120 It's always on time. 525 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:53,400 And when we're waiting and we don't have that clarity and we don't 526 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,120 have that decision and we're still up in the air, God is either 527 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:01,680 protecting or he's preparing, one of the two. 528 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,240 He's either protecting you for something. 529 00:25:05,010 --> 00:25:07,810 Maybe you've got a job you really want and they're not answering. 530 00:25:07,810 --> 00:25:10,130 You can't figure out why because you're perfect for it. 531 00:25:10,130 --> 00:25:15,170 Well, he may be protecting you from a mess down the road, or God's 532 00:25:15,170 --> 00:25:18,410 preparing you for something else, one of the two. 533 00:25:18,410 --> 00:25:22,450 And when we are waiting and we are anxious, he said, don't worry, 534 00:25:22,690 --> 00:25:27,210 I've got you and you don't have to worry, because he does know 535 00:25:27,210 --> 00:25:27,810 the path. 536 00:25:28,290 --> 00:25:29,410 Now, one last thing. 537 00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:32,540 Sometimes you get through all this. 538 00:25:32,540 --> 00:25:33,980 You got God's priorities. 539 00:25:34,140 --> 00:25:36,780 You got eternal values that are driving you. 540 00:25:36,940 --> 00:25:40,860 You get to the point and you still get to confusion because you 541 00:25:40,860 --> 00:25:41,500 got some. 542 00:25:42,220 --> 00:25:44,540 You don't have clarity on that final decision. 543 00:25:44,620 --> 00:25:46,300 Maybe you got two really good options. 544 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:50,100 Last week I interviewed a faculty member, potential faculty 545 00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:51,500 member we'd really like to hire. 546 00:25:52,380 --> 00:25:54,020 And he's got two good options. 547 00:25:54,020 --> 00:25:54,700 A really good guy. 548 00:25:54,700 --> 00:25:55,500 I hope we get him. 549 00:25:57,590 --> 00:25:59,590 But he's kind of young. 550 00:26:00,070 --> 00:26:02,230 He got another offer from a Christian college. 551 00:26:02,230 --> 00:26:03,110 We gave him an offer. 552 00:26:03,190 --> 00:26:04,950 He said, how do I know which one? 553 00:26:07,270 --> 00:26:08,390 I said, oh, you'll know. 554 00:26:09,910 --> 00:26:12,710 I said, picture yourself in each setting. 555 00:26:12,950 --> 00:26:18,390 What would that be like in that location with your family living 556 00:26:18,390 --> 00:26:22,670 that out, serving in their core values and who they are and 557 00:26:22,670 --> 00:26:23,960 the Kind of people you're with, serving. 558 00:26:24,190 --> 00:26:26,750 Think through all that and then take Belhaven. 559 00:26:26,750 --> 00:26:27,950 Do the exact same thing. 560 00:26:28,190 --> 00:26:31,110 Picture yourself in this situation, what it's like and the 561 00:26:31,110 --> 00:26:31,510 whole thing. 562 00:26:31,510 --> 00:26:34,310 And as you do, God will make it very clear. 563 00:26:34,310 --> 00:26:38,750 And you will get what I call a deep, settled peace in your soul. 564 00:26:39,390 --> 00:26:40,990 And you will know it's right. 565 00:26:42,030 --> 00:26:46,750 And if you wait, that clarity will always come. 566 00:26:47,870 --> 00:26:50,550 So when you get to that point where you've gone through the rest 567 00:26:50,550 --> 00:26:53,430 of the signposts and you're still unsure because you got two 568 00:26:53,430 --> 00:26:58,050 good choices or three, wait for that deep, settled peace in your 569 00:26:58,050 --> 00:26:58,490 soul. 570 00:26:59,290 --> 00:27:01,490 And God will give you clarity in that. 571 00:27:01,490 --> 00:27:02,890 And you know it's right. 572 00:27:04,170 --> 00:27:06,010 You know that's God's choice. 573 00:27:06,090 --> 00:27:08,250 Because I told this guy, I said, you're not going to make a 574 00:27:08,250 --> 00:27:08,810 bad choice. 575 00:27:09,130 --> 00:27:10,610 Both these schools are good schools. 576 00:27:10,610 --> 00:27:11,810 You're going to be fine either way. 577 00:27:11,810 --> 00:27:13,530 It's not like one's bad, one's good. 578 00:27:13,690 --> 00:27:15,450 If that was that would be an easy decision. 579 00:27:15,770 --> 00:27:16,570 They're both good. 580 00:27:17,130 --> 00:27:18,090 But that's okay. 581 00:27:18,330 --> 00:27:19,730 God's got the right place for you. 582 00:27:19,730 --> 00:27:20,890 You can't be in two places. 583 00:27:21,190 --> 00:27:22,710 Wait for the deep, settled peace. 584 00:27:22,710 --> 00:27:26,150 And when that comes, you'll have the assurance this is right, 585 00:27:26,390 --> 00:27:27,670 this is where I need to be. 586 00:27:28,070 --> 00:27:30,790 And I'm in the center of what's best for me. 587 00:27:30,950 --> 00:27:34,350 Either one could be in God's will, but this is what's best for 588 00:27:34,350 --> 00:27:36,070 me in my place of service. 589 00:27:36,550 --> 00:27:38,310 And that's what our benediction promises. 590 00:27:38,310 --> 00:27:39,990 It promised it all semester. 591 00:27:40,070 --> 00:27:43,710 And I hope you say it with me one last time as we finish the semester. 592 00:27:43,710 --> 00:27:46,390 No eye is seen, no ear is heard. 593 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:51,040 No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. 594 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:52,880 Thanks for listening this semester. 595 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:56,120 I hope the end of the semester goes well, and I'll see some of you 596 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:56,720 at graduation. 597 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:58,240 Rest of you, I'll see you next fall.