1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:01,039 Marshall Meade: Thank you guys. 2 00:00:01,039 --> 00:00:03,380 Thank you, Greg, for that introduction. 3 00:00:03,830 --> 00:00:06,530 Um, it is great to be here with you guys. 4 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:09,800 Uh, as Greg said, we moved here in 2004. 5 00:00:10,130 --> 00:00:15,020 Uh, I worked 10 years in structural engineering here, and uh, and then we 6 00:00:15,020 --> 00:00:19,009 got into the ministry and helped with our singles ministry for about five 7 00:00:19,009 --> 00:00:22,070 years, uh, before moving to Orlando. 8 00:00:22,279 --> 00:00:25,430 So, uh, greetings from Orlando, Florida. 9 00:00:25,474 --> 00:00:25,624 Alright, 10 00:00:28,415 --> 00:00:33,845 home of Universal Studios and Disneyland and Legoland and, you know, 11 00:00:34,775 --> 00:00:38,345 um, yeah, places I still never go. 12 00:00:38,795 --> 00:00:39,394 Um, 13 00:00:41,705 --> 00:00:45,679 uh, the lesson title actually is from a Disney song. 14 00:00:45,845 --> 00:00:47,679 You can put the first slide there, but. 15 00:00:48,379 --> 00:00:52,400 In my defense, I didn't know it was from Frozen two 'cause 16 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:53,900 it's a movie I've never seen. 17 00:00:53,900 --> 00:00:54,769 Of course. 18 00:00:54,830 --> 00:01:02,660 Um, but uh, yeah, so we want to talk today about just what God does when he takes 19 00:01:02,660 --> 00:01:09,800 us into seasons of our life, uh, that are unknown and, uh, and how to navigate that. 20 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:11,870 Um, so just a quick update on us. 21 00:01:12,215 --> 00:01:17,945 Uh, my oldest daughter, Katie, uh, is married, uh, to, uh, a great 22 00:01:17,945 --> 00:01:22,385 guy, uh, Tyler's son and, uh, SUN. 23 00:01:22,385 --> 00:01:26,735 So, you know, growing up in Orange County, uh, all our best friends and all 24 00:01:26,735 --> 00:01:30,905 of Katie's best friends were Asians, so we, she married someone half Taiwanese 25 00:01:31,175 --> 00:01:35,795 and uh, and that's like the only one in Florida though, you know, so. 26 00:01:36,110 --> 00:01:41,180 They just didn't make it all the, there's a few, but, um, we miss all 27 00:01:41,180 --> 00:01:47,810 our best friends and, um, so they are in Broward Church, uh, which 28 00:01:47,810 --> 00:01:49,850 is a great church down in Miami. 29 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:51,470 And, uh, they are in the ministry. 30 00:01:51,470 --> 00:01:55,729 They lead the campus ministry there and Katie continues to do music and 31 00:01:55,729 --> 00:01:57,590 all of her creative, uh, things. 32 00:01:57,590 --> 00:02:02,000 She's our music director for our teen camp each year, and so she's 33 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:03,350 able to use her gifts there. 34 00:02:03,350 --> 00:02:04,430 Our son, Kyle. 35 00:02:04,744 --> 00:02:10,264 Is a junior as, uh, in University of Florida as an aerospace engineering major. 36 00:02:10,264 --> 00:02:12,905 And so he's got one more year left there. 37 00:02:12,905 --> 00:02:15,965 And then our son Justin, is about to graduate from high 38 00:02:15,965 --> 00:02:18,215 school, uh, in one month. 39 00:02:18,275 --> 00:02:21,035 And then, uh, we will be empty nesters. 40 00:02:21,275 --> 00:02:25,145 And so Sean and I need to get reacquainted and, uh, start going on 41 00:02:25,145 --> 00:02:27,095 dates again and get to know each other. 42 00:02:27,155 --> 00:02:30,815 And we're looking forward to that season of our life. 43 00:02:30,815 --> 00:02:33,335 And, uh, he's also going to University of Florida. 44 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:39,020 And I won't tell you that all of them, uh, qualified for free college in state 45 00:02:39,020 --> 00:02:41,450 of Florida and that we don't pay taxes. 46 00:02:41,450 --> 00:02:47,240 I'm not gonna say any of those things 'cause it will only, uh, further 47 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,690 anger some of you that are already triggered by things like that. 48 00:02:50,750 --> 00:02:54,650 So anyway, into the unknown. 49 00:02:55,460 --> 00:03:00,049 Um, you know, our father in the faith, uh, Abraham, and, and when 50 00:03:00,049 --> 00:03:04,940 you read the Bible, Genesis one through 11 is just an introduction. 51 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,769 And man, don't we wish there were more, we wanna know more about 52 00:03:09,829 --> 00:03:14,030 what happened from, you know, the beginning of time to Abraham. 53 00:03:14,030 --> 00:03:17,480 But God is really just doing an introduction there and the 54 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,370 scriptures are really pointing us. 55 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:25,790 To our first example of a a, you know, someone who followed God 56 00:03:25,790 --> 00:03:28,310 in, in covenant relationship. 57 00:03:28,430 --> 00:03:32,990 Uh, and that covenant would be temporarily fulfilled with the law of Moses, 58 00:03:32,990 --> 00:03:35,990 but permanently fulfilled in Christ. 59 00:03:36,079 --> 00:03:41,060 And so our, our forefather, our ancestor, uh, our father in the faith, 60 00:03:41,060 --> 00:03:45,320 Abraham, this is when God comes to him and, and calls him initially 61 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,030 and it says, the Lord said tobra. 62 00:03:47,315 --> 00:03:51,035 Uh, go from your country, from your people, your father's 63 00:03:51,035 --> 00:03:52,505 household to the land. 64 00:03:52,505 --> 00:03:58,445 I will show you, I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. 65 00:03:58,715 --> 00:04:04,595 And, uh, you know, back then, uh, leaving your family was, was very, very dangerous. 66 00:04:04,595 --> 00:04:06,364 Now we can't wait, right? 67 00:04:06,424 --> 00:04:11,105 Uh, but back then it was very dangerous because families grew 68 00:04:11,105 --> 00:04:14,314 and there was strength in numbers and you had to defend yourself. 69 00:04:14,314 --> 00:04:16,084 And it was a tribal society. 70 00:04:16,084 --> 00:04:16,274 And so. 71 00:04:16,850 --> 00:04:21,140 Uh, for he and his family just to travel and, and to not 72 00:04:21,140 --> 00:04:22,910 know where they were going. 73 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,100 Uh, this is what I love about God. 74 00:04:25,490 --> 00:04:29,510 Uh, I'm not telling you where, I'm not telling you the route, the distance, the 75 00:04:29,510 --> 00:04:33,320 people, the language, what you're gonna do for food and water, how long you're gonna 76 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,080 be there, if or when you'll ever return. 77 00:04:36,350 --> 00:04:37,550 You don't know. 78 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:43,550 Uh, and that is really, uh, God's call sometimes for each and every one of us. 79 00:04:43,970 --> 00:04:48,800 God doesn't, uh, map out the route and answer all of our questions. 80 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:54,560 And so I think a lot of times in transition, uh, we get a little nervous, 81 00:04:54,680 --> 00:05:00,170 uh, because we don't know, uh, what's coming and, and what the future will hold. 82 00:05:00,170 --> 00:05:04,580 You know, for some of you who are teens, uh, getting out of the house, going to 83 00:05:04,580 --> 00:05:07,790 college is gonna be your first transition. 84 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:10,730 Uh, major transition perhaps. 85 00:05:10,970 --> 00:05:12,920 What was known to Abraham. 86 00:05:13,505 --> 00:05:14,195 God. 87 00:05:15,215 --> 00:05:19,325 Now I put a question mark there because sometimes we just take for granted. 88 00:05:19,355 --> 00:05:21,965 Oh yeah, Abraham and God were tight. 89 00:05:22,055 --> 00:05:22,715 Were they? 90 00:05:23,195 --> 00:05:25,595 This was God's introduction to Abraham. 91 00:05:25,865 --> 00:05:33,065 Go and I will show you and I will make you into a great nation. 92 00:05:33,784 --> 00:05:35,795 Did he know God at that time? 93 00:05:35,795 --> 00:05:38,284 Did he really understand who God was? 94 00:05:38,435 --> 00:05:39,995 Was there any precedent? 95 00:05:39,995 --> 00:05:41,375 Was there any scripture? 96 00:05:41,375 --> 00:05:45,185 Was there anything written down at that time for him to know and 97 00:05:45,185 --> 00:05:50,255 understand who God was and God's faithfulness in that calling? 98 00:05:50,765 --> 00:05:54,575 Uh, well, I think that's what happens during transitions, especially for teens. 99 00:05:54,575 --> 00:05:57,875 When you go off to college, you're gonna have to figure out as the 100 00:05:57,875 --> 00:06:00,455 God of your parents, your God. 101 00:06:02,315 --> 00:06:07,355 College students, when you go and you get your career, or maybe you are hired or 102 00:06:07,355 --> 00:06:13,385 maybe you move or whatever, is, is the god of the campus ministry that exciting 103 00:06:13,385 --> 00:06:18,575 God, the same God that's going to be there when you are there in the morning 104 00:06:18,575 --> 00:06:24,185 at seven 30, uh, you know, drinking Folgers at a construction office and, 105 00:06:24,605 --> 00:06:26,555 and your boss is like, where are you? 106 00:06:26,615 --> 00:06:28,475 I'm like, I'm right around the corner, you know? 107 00:06:28,475 --> 00:06:28,775 And that was. 108 00:06:28,865 --> 00:06:33,095 Seven o'clock for me for 10 years, you know, it's like, relax. 109 00:06:36,755 --> 00:06:41,525 Is God going to be your God during those transition times, 110 00:06:43,835 --> 00:06:48,725 you know, uh, the next time, you know, God fulfilled his promise to 111 00:06:48,725 --> 00:06:54,245 Abraham, and, and every time Abraham got a sort of a new directive from 112 00:06:54,245 --> 00:06:56,345 God, it was still very unknown. 113 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:58,190 That's the thing about God. 114 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:03,200 Abraham, through these seasons of unknown, God just kept pulling the 115 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:08,060 curtain back little by little to describe himself more to Abraham. 116 00:07:08,060 --> 00:07:10,700 As Abraham followed and he didn't do everything right, there's 117 00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:12,110 times when he didn't trust. 118 00:07:12,230 --> 00:07:16,580 There's times when he lied and connived and didn't believe in God, and as soon as 119 00:07:16,580 --> 00:07:21,020 they got to the promised land, he actually went to Egypt because he didn't feel 120 00:07:21,020 --> 00:07:24,920 like there was a, there was a drought, so there were times of uncertainty. 121 00:07:25,460 --> 00:07:27,440 But God kept revealing his nature. 122 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:32,300 So God fulfilled his promise and, and made the Israelites into a great nation. 123 00:07:32,300 --> 00:07:37,070 And they, they settled in, uh, Egypt under good terms, right? 124 00:07:37,070 --> 00:07:39,440 They all went in a season of unknown. 125 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:44,690 In a season of drought, they followed, uh, Joseph into Egypt where they were 126 00:07:44,690 --> 00:07:47,000 going to be herdsmen for the Egyptians. 127 00:07:47,210 --> 00:07:49,880 Yet, over time, they became enslaved. 128 00:07:50,375 --> 00:07:52,415 In that time, they became a great nation. 129 00:07:52,415 --> 00:07:55,085 And then of course God called them out of Egypt. 130 00:07:55,505 --> 00:08:00,575 And when he called them out of Egypt, it says at the Lord's command, the Israelites 131 00:08:00,575 --> 00:08:03,245 set out at his command, they encamped. 132 00:08:03,275 --> 00:08:07,895 As long as the clouds stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in the camp. 133 00:08:08,225 --> 00:08:13,085 Now, how do you think this was like this as well is another great season 134 00:08:13,265 --> 00:08:15,125 of unknown for the Israelites. 135 00:08:15,155 --> 00:08:16,780 God called them out and he's like, all right. 136 00:08:17,405 --> 00:08:19,505 Pillar of fire, pillar of cloud. 137 00:08:19,685 --> 00:08:21,215 When I'm here, you're here. 138 00:08:21,215 --> 00:08:22,535 When I move, we move. 139 00:08:22,535 --> 00:08:26,735 And it says sometimes if you read that passage in numbers, sometimes it would 140 00:08:26,735 --> 00:08:32,495 be a day, sometimes two days, a week, two weeks, two months, two years, et cetera. 141 00:08:32,495 --> 00:08:37,054 So, you know, I don't know about you like the, the older I get, the less 142 00:08:37,054 --> 00:08:43,155 I like travel, the less I like the suitcases and the airports and the. 143 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:46,220 You know, there was a time when that was really exciting. 144 00:08:46,220 --> 00:08:49,160 You're looking out the window, is that our plane now? 145 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:53,000 It's just like, it's just, it's awful. 146 00:08:54,350 --> 00:09:00,110 I have to drive up to LAX today, you know, um, to return the rental car, take the 147 00:09:00,110 --> 00:09:02,510 shuttle, go through, et cetera, et cetera. 148 00:09:02,510 --> 00:09:06,860 So, uh, but this was their travel and did they know God? 149 00:09:07,100 --> 00:09:09,225 Did they understand who God was? 150 00:09:09,575 --> 00:09:15,275 You know what's interesting is, you know, they saw these great miracles happen. 151 00:09:15,425 --> 00:09:18,815 You know, they saw all the plagues, they passed through the Red Sea, 152 00:09:18,845 --> 00:09:24,605 they get out into the desert, and within a month what did they do? 153 00:09:26,105 --> 00:09:32,285 They returned back to their known God, the God of the Egyptians. 154 00:09:32,945 --> 00:09:34,475 Uh, and they. 155 00:09:35,150 --> 00:09:36,860 Said, you know, we don't know Moses. 156 00:09:36,860 --> 00:09:39,920 We really don't know Moses, and we don't know where we're going. 157 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:44,900 And now it's been almost a month in this season of transition. 158 00:09:45,170 --> 00:09:51,050 And they went back to the known God that they knew in Egypt. 159 00:09:51,620 --> 00:09:54,890 And sometimes you look at the Israelites and go, how could 160 00:09:54,890 --> 00:09:56,930 they, how could they do that? 161 00:09:56,930 --> 00:10:01,699 When they saw all that God did, when they saw the miracles of God, how could 162 00:10:01,699 --> 00:10:03,920 they revert back to their known God? 163 00:10:04,205 --> 00:10:10,175 And I think to myself, don't we do the same thing during seasons of unknown, 164 00:10:10,355 --> 00:10:14,345 we revert right back to our known gods. 165 00:10:14,615 --> 00:10:18,305 What do you think some of our gods are that we rely on 166 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:20,465 during times of transition? 167 00:10:22,055 --> 00:10:27,185 Money, our career relationships? 168 00:10:27,185 --> 00:10:32,045 Maybe it's, maybe it's control, right? 169 00:10:32,195 --> 00:10:32,975 Our routine. 170 00:10:33,980 --> 00:10:36,800 Uh, I don't know if you guys remember COVID. 171 00:10:39,305 --> 00:10:39,795 Vaguely. 172 00:10:45,740 --> 00:10:48,680 If you think about what happened in our world 173 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:54,170 from a 10,000 foot Artemis two perspective, 174 00:10:57,065 --> 00:11:01,640 God took the whole world at the same time into a season of unknown. 175 00:11:04,475 --> 00:11:06,275 We didn't have control. 176 00:11:07,505 --> 00:11:09,155 We didn't have our routine. 177 00:11:10,175 --> 00:11:12,605 We didn't have sports. 178 00:11:14,255 --> 00:11:15,095 It was bad. 179 00:11:17,705 --> 00:11:19,925 Some of us didn't have our careers. 180 00:11:20,495 --> 00:11:23,675 Some of us were removed from our relationships. 181 00:11:23,675 --> 00:11:28,685 Some of us didn't have the freedom from our kids for eight hours a day. 182 00:11:30,290 --> 00:11:34,610 My, I don't think my kids wore pants for like three months. 183 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,070 It's like, aren't you at school? 184 00:11:37,070 --> 00:11:38,450 You're in your boxers. 185 00:11:38,450 --> 00:11:41,510 And it's like, that's probably too much information. 186 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:47,360 It was only two months. 187 00:11:48,410 --> 00:11:50,990 Florida COVID was different than California COVID. 188 00:11:50,990 --> 00:11:53,240 But again, I don't wanna trigger some of you. 189 00:11:57,995 --> 00:12:01,475 How did we all act during that time? 190 00:12:03,065 --> 00:12:04,265 Did we trust God? 191 00:12:06,005 --> 00:12:07,685 Did we surrender? 192 00:12:08,315 --> 00:12:11,675 Did we say, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen, but God will work it out. 193 00:12:12,365 --> 00:12:15,845 No, we all became jerks. 194 00:12:17,195 --> 00:12:20,195 We were really ugly to one another. 195 00:12:21,095 --> 00:12:24,455 We were, we hated every second of it. 196 00:12:25,445 --> 00:12:28,865 We don't like seasons of unknown. 197 00:12:30,485 --> 00:12:33,695 And I think, you know, if you look at Adam and Eve, their 198 00:12:33,695 --> 00:12:36,605 original sin was, we wanna know. 199 00:12:37,865 --> 00:12:39,275 We wanna know. 200 00:12:39,875 --> 00:12:45,155 And Satan was like, God said, there are things that you should not know. 201 00:12:45,185 --> 00:12:48,935 Your life will be worse if you know this. 202 00:12:50,045 --> 00:12:52,055 And they had to know. 203 00:12:53,150 --> 00:12:55,040 We have to know, don't we? 204 00:12:56,060 --> 00:12:59,750 Even in COVID, I'm gonna look this up on my phone. 205 00:13:00,260 --> 00:13:03,500 And if all the world leaders would've consulted me, we could have 206 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:06,050 flattened the curve in two weeks. 207 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,600 We were awful to each other as a world. 208 00:13:12,535 --> 00:13:16,400 There was a time that God could have revealed himself and been 209 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,740 our God, but we didn't want that. 210 00:13:19,265 --> 00:13:23,405 We're not interested in his solutions or knowing what he might be doing 211 00:13:23,645 --> 00:13:26,405 because we desire knowledge. 212 00:13:26,885 --> 00:13:27,995 Don't you remember that? 213 00:13:28,745 --> 00:13:28,925 Oh yeah. 214 00:13:28,925 --> 00:13:29,795 That was not fun. 215 00:13:31,175 --> 00:13:33,964 Um, but see, that is the point. 216 00:13:34,444 --> 00:13:38,464 The point is when things are unknown, you have an opportunity 217 00:13:38,464 --> 00:13:40,805 for God to reveal himself to you. 218 00:13:41,370 --> 00:13:43,505 That's when you get to know God. 219 00:13:43,775 --> 00:13:47,225 When I can't control the outcome, when I can't, you know. 220 00:13:48,860 --> 00:13:54,590 Manipulate things when, when the finances, when, when there's instability, when 221 00:13:54,590 --> 00:14:04,340 there, that is when we rely, feel that God is gotta be God for us in that moment. 222 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:09,050 And I don't know what seasons you're going through, uh, unknown seasons. 223 00:14:09,530 --> 00:14:10,730 I would just say that. 224 00:14:11,405 --> 00:14:16,115 Open yourself to this idea that God may be choosing this season 225 00:14:16,115 --> 00:14:18,815 in your life to reveal himself. 226 00:14:19,085 --> 00:14:21,245 You know, Moses didn't know God. 227 00:14:21,695 --> 00:14:26,255 Moses was 80 years old when God called him, and this is during the 228 00:14:26,255 --> 00:14:30,725 two chapter argument that Moses is having with God about not wanting to 229 00:14:30,725 --> 00:14:33,755 do what God was wanting him to do. 230 00:14:33,755 --> 00:14:37,835 And Moses trying to talk God finally into just choosing someone else. 231 00:14:38,705 --> 00:14:40,685 Here's one of Moses's questions. 232 00:14:40,955 --> 00:14:45,095 Moses said to God, suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, the 233 00:14:45,095 --> 00:14:47,435 God of your fathers sent me to you? 234 00:14:47,675 --> 00:14:49,895 And they asked me and they asked, what if? 235 00:14:49,895 --> 00:14:51,455 They asked me, what is his name? 236 00:14:51,455 --> 00:14:52,685 What should I tell them? 237 00:14:54,335 --> 00:14:57,275 Do you know what Moses is actually saying here? 238 00:14:59,465 --> 00:15:01,985 I don't even know your name. 239 00:15:03,365 --> 00:15:06,095 Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and you're just like, 240 00:15:07,475 --> 00:15:09,605 it is so good to see you, you know? 241 00:15:10,025 --> 00:15:10,535 Yeah. 242 00:15:10,535 --> 00:15:16,265 So what's go, you know, and you're like, I just, what is, what is, and 243 00:15:16,265 --> 00:15:19,955 then you're hoping someone else will come, you know, rescue you and you're 244 00:15:19,955 --> 00:15:21,215 like, Hey, do you know this guy? 245 00:15:21,305 --> 00:15:21,665 You know? 246 00:15:23,225 --> 00:15:23,555 Yeah. 247 00:15:23,555 --> 00:15:24,005 Brian. 248 00:15:24,005 --> 00:15:24,275 Yeah. 249 00:15:24,275 --> 00:15:25,025 This is Brian. 250 00:15:25,205 --> 00:15:26,855 Um, I was at a. 251 00:15:27,695 --> 00:15:30,785 A retirement party for, um, Ron Conkling. 252 00:15:30,785 --> 00:15:35,645 He was the, uh, our regional family chair, uh, in Florida, uh, for our 253 00:15:35,645 --> 00:15:39,275 family of churches there, which Sean and I are doing that now. 254 00:15:39,515 --> 00:15:45,005 Um, and I sat down at a table and it was in Tampa, so it wasn't in Orlando, 255 00:15:45,365 --> 00:15:47,045 and it was like, Hey, Marshall. 256 00:15:47,045 --> 00:15:48,965 And I was like, Hey, good to see you, you know? 257 00:15:49,670 --> 00:15:52,970 Man, me and this guy just had all this long conversation. 258 00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:57,140 It was about fishing and, you know, Montana and fly and what, what are we 259 00:15:57,140 --> 00:15:59,750 doing here in Florida and what lures? 260 00:15:59,750 --> 00:16:05,150 And, and it was just like, like I felt like he really knew me, 261 00:16:06,410 --> 00:16:10,910 and I promise I have never seen him before in my entire life. 262 00:16:11,390 --> 00:16:14,240 But at our table was one of our elders as well. 263 00:16:14,330 --> 00:16:17,660 And I mean, I swore he knew Mike as well. 264 00:16:17,660 --> 00:16:22,280 So I get in the food line with Mike and I'm like, who is that? 265 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,830 And Mike's like, I have no idea. 266 00:16:29,030 --> 00:16:30,650 Doesn't really pertain to the sermon. 267 00:16:30,650 --> 00:16:36,770 But the idea here is that I think Moses was afraid to just say, 268 00:16:36,770 --> 00:16:38,705 God, I don't know who you are. 269 00:16:41,090 --> 00:16:43,100 I don't even know your name. 270 00:16:43,370 --> 00:16:47,600 If I am representing you, I don't even know you. 271 00:16:47,930 --> 00:16:49,610 I don't know what to call you. 272 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,380 I have no history with you. 273 00:16:51,380 --> 00:16:55,550 I had 40 years of history with the Egyptian gods, and then I 274 00:16:55,550 --> 00:17:00,290 have 40 years of history with my father-in-law's Gods who was a priest 275 00:17:00,290 --> 00:17:04,760 of Midian, who is not a priest or a minister of Jehovah, the true God. 276 00:17:04,849 --> 00:17:08,720 And so 80 years of his life, he doesn't know the name of God. 277 00:17:09,273 --> 00:17:10,473 Here's what's amazing. 278 00:17:10,473 --> 00:17:15,003 Less than one year later, after Moses goes and takes the Israelites 279 00:17:15,214 --> 00:17:20,915 out into the desert, it says, the Lord would speak to Moses face to 280 00:17:20,915 --> 00:17:23,045 face as one speaks with a friend. 281 00:17:24,305 --> 00:17:28,085 When you go through a season of unknown, you have to get close to God. 282 00:17:28,295 --> 00:17:30,274 You have no other option. 283 00:17:31,159 --> 00:17:34,939 You can harden your heart or you can just say, I need to rely on God. 284 00:17:34,939 --> 00:17:36,740 I need to go deeper in my prayer life. 285 00:17:36,740 --> 00:17:38,659 I need to go deeper in the scriptures. 286 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:43,520 I need to figure out who this God is. 287 00:17:43,550 --> 00:17:44,149 Amen. 288 00:17:45,050 --> 00:17:51,320 It's amazing how close you can get to God when you decide to and when you decide 289 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,689 to rely on him during those seasons. 290 00:17:53,810 --> 00:17:58,610 A w tos, your great quote is, every man is as close to God as he wants to be. 291 00:17:59,855 --> 00:18:06,695 I think during these seasons of unknown is, is when I feel the most drawn to God. 292 00:18:07,415 --> 00:18:13,085 Uh, and the journey is also where God is gonna reveal you to you as well. 293 00:18:13,445 --> 00:18:16,715 You know, sometimes we think God is testing us, so God can 294 00:18:16,715 --> 00:18:18,065 figure out what's in there. 295 00:18:18,455 --> 00:18:20,615 Guess what He already knows. 296 00:18:20,705 --> 00:18:21,695 You don't know. 297 00:18:21,875 --> 00:18:23,254 So you have blind spots. 298 00:18:23,254 --> 00:18:27,030 So God is actually saying, you know, I led you through the wilderness. 299 00:18:27,350 --> 00:18:31,250 For these 40 years to humble you and test you and know what was in your heart, 300 00:18:31,250 --> 00:18:33,830 whether or not you would keep my commands. 301 00:18:34,070 --> 00:18:41,300 So that was just a great test to teach them about God, but also so 302 00:18:41,300 --> 00:18:44,180 they could learn about themselves. 303 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:44,750 Amen. 304 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,390 In what ways right now, are you dependent on God? 305 00:18:51,140 --> 00:18:56,535 Uh, does this shed light on how close or distant you feel to God? 306 00:18:58,400 --> 00:18:59,900 What about following Jesus? 307 00:18:59,900 --> 00:19:02,510 You would think that would be easier, right? 308 00:19:02,510 --> 00:19:03,740 It's not just a voice. 309 00:19:03,740 --> 00:19:09,350 It's not just this ominous call to go out into the wilderness by yourself. 310 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,350 Uh, I don't know if it was easier or not. 311 00:19:13,010 --> 00:19:16,880 The minute they started a great ministry up in Galilee and Capernaum, 312 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:20,990 uh, Jesus went out and just spent time with God and prayed, and, 313 00:19:21,140 --> 00:19:24,770 and Simon, and, and the companions saw him and they looked for him. 314 00:19:24,770 --> 00:19:27,560 And when they found him, they said, Hey, everyone's looking for you. 315 00:19:27,830 --> 00:19:34,340 And Jesus said, well, then let's go somewhere else so I can preach there also. 316 00:19:34,460 --> 00:19:39,230 That is why I have come, you know, the seasons of following Jesus. 317 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,740 We're much the same as Abraham or the Israelites. 318 00:19:42,740 --> 00:19:44,060 It's like, where are we gonna go? 319 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:44,300 Who? 320 00:19:44,330 --> 00:19:46,220 How are we gonna food? 321 00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:48,410 How are we gonna pay our taxes? 322 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:48,770 Right? 323 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,180 We go to the fish and get out. 324 00:19:50,180 --> 00:19:53,240 I get it out of its mouth and pay the temple tax. 325 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,910 I mean there every day with Jesus. 326 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,410 What is he gonna say next? 327 00:19:57,410 --> 00:19:59,300 Who's gonna gonna make mad next? 328 00:19:59,300 --> 00:19:59,870 Right? 329 00:20:00,050 --> 00:20:01,250 What's the next miracle? 330 00:20:01,250 --> 00:20:02,240 The next conversion? 331 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:03,770 But that was sort of the allure. 332 00:20:03,770 --> 00:20:08,360 Also, I think in some ways that is the allure of following God. 333 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:13,760 Is behi, he is unknown, and he is a mystery, and that when he reveals 334 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:20,540 himself to you, that is the exciting part about our Christianity is going 335 00:20:20,540 --> 00:20:25,070 on these journeys, knowing I get to learn more and more about God. 336 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:29,810 So I think learning about Jesus in real time was very exciting 337 00:20:29,810 --> 00:20:33,320 for them, but I don't think they ever fully knew who he was. 338 00:20:34,774 --> 00:20:38,554 At the last supper, they're like, if you just showed us the father, 339 00:20:38,615 --> 00:20:40,294 that'll be, that's enough for us. 340 00:20:40,294 --> 00:20:45,365 Just, you know, needless to say, the Bible says no one has 341 00:20:45,365 --> 00:20:47,405 seen God and remained alive. 342 00:20:47,405 --> 00:20:47,945 You know what I mean? 343 00:20:47,945 --> 00:20:49,415 Like, you'll die instantly. 344 00:20:49,415 --> 00:20:52,024 So they didn't know what they were asking, but at the same 345 00:20:52,024 --> 00:20:54,095 time, what was Jesus' response? 346 00:20:54,365 --> 00:20:55,260 Don't you know me? 347 00:20:57,620 --> 00:21:02,300 So, you know, at the end of Jesus' ministry in Luke 24, he actually 348 00:21:02,300 --> 00:21:06,500 just says he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. 349 00:21:06,740 --> 00:21:09,290 I think that was just a time crunch, honestly. 350 00:21:09,290 --> 00:21:13,909 It's like, I've been here for three years and I am like leaving to like later 351 00:21:13,909 --> 00:21:19,490 today, and so I'm going to miraculously open your brains because you still 352 00:21:19,490 --> 00:21:24,500 don't get it, and I'm giving you the miraculous gifts of knowledge of me. 353 00:21:25,145 --> 00:21:26,585 Like right now. 354 00:21:26,945 --> 00:21:28,625 And I, I wonder what that was like. 355 00:21:29,045 --> 00:21:32,855 Like they all sort of looked around at each other and they're like, oh, wow. 356 00:21:32,855 --> 00:21:36,575 We we're like all simultaneously getting it, you know, it 357 00:21:36,575 --> 00:21:38,255 was like a matrix download. 358 00:21:38,705 --> 00:21:39,305 All right. 359 00:21:39,995 --> 00:21:47,015 Uh, if that weren't hard enough, how about the church age following the Holy Spirit? 360 00:21:47,375 --> 00:21:49,055 Well, that's clear, right? 361 00:21:49,505 --> 00:21:53,615 We know exactly what God's doing in the church age. 362 00:21:54,905 --> 00:22:00,425 Um, one of my favorite passages of scripture is when they get, when they 363 00:22:00,425 --> 00:22:02,465 have to tackle the issue of circumcision. 364 00:22:02,465 --> 00:22:07,205 And, and, and, but more than that, the, the covenant of Moses and, and how they 365 00:22:07,205 --> 00:22:11,585 were gonna deal with the Jews and the Gentiles and some of the regulations of 366 00:22:11,585 --> 00:22:16,024 the law and some of the traditions of the Jews, and, and, and just what that was. 367 00:22:16,370 --> 00:22:18,290 It was like COVID all over again. 368 00:22:18,290 --> 00:22:18,770 You know what I mean? 369 00:22:18,770 --> 00:22:24,710 Like how these sort of dicey cultural issues that seep into the church and it 370 00:22:24,710 --> 00:22:30,230 just feels like, wait, we should just be out helping people become Christians. 371 00:22:30,409 --> 00:22:34,820 But there are times to time out and to figure out some of those issues. 372 00:22:35,555 --> 00:22:39,965 So they got all the most spiritual people on the planet. 373 00:22:39,965 --> 00:22:44,645 People who had seen Jesus, Paul on the road to Damascus, people who had 374 00:22:44,795 --> 00:22:46,955 had tongues of fire rest on them. 375 00:22:46,955 --> 00:22:52,025 In Acts chapter two, Jesus, his physical brother, uh, James. 376 00:22:52,025 --> 00:22:58,655 So they get all the most spiritual people on Earth in one room to talk it out. 377 00:22:58,745 --> 00:23:02,375 And the best they could come up with is this is what seems 378 00:23:02,375 --> 00:23:04,715 good to the Holy Spirit and us. 379 00:23:06,860 --> 00:23:12,650 Isn't that frustrating about the church age is, I feel like 380 00:23:12,650 --> 00:23:14,990 it should be easier than this. 381 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,500 Like I feel like if we get spiritual people talking, we 382 00:23:18,500 --> 00:23:22,880 should be able to come up with a good plan on how to move forward. 383 00:23:23,750 --> 00:23:26,300 But the plan is, the best plan is like. 384 00:23:28,250 --> 00:23:29,720 Uh, it seems good. 385 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:35,090 Like this is what we think, this is what we suppose we should do. 386 00:23:35,900 --> 00:23:36,470 Right. 387 00:23:36,860 --> 00:23:41,360 Uh, we bought a building about two years ago, uh, closed escrow. 388 00:23:41,660 --> 00:23:45,380 Uh, and it was, you know, there's some people for it, some people against it. 389 00:23:45,650 --> 00:23:50,690 Uh, and you know, it's like we got the board, we got the elders, 390 00:23:50,690 --> 00:23:52,220 we got everybody together. 391 00:23:52,220 --> 00:23:54,260 We did a tour of the facility and. 392 00:23:54,995 --> 00:23:58,475 It seemed good to me and the Holy Spirit that we should 393 00:23:58,475 --> 00:23:59,975 move forward with it, you know? 394 00:24:00,755 --> 00:24:04,475 Um, but it, it, God has done great things with it. 395 00:24:04,475 --> 00:24:08,855 It has been such a game changer for our youth ministry, our campus ministry. 396 00:24:08,855 --> 00:24:12,965 Uh, the, the coolest thing that I, that it has, that this building doesn't have, 397 00:24:12,965 --> 00:24:17,105 although this is a lot cooler than our building, but when that screen goes up. 398 00:24:17,750 --> 00:24:19,700 There's a baptistry right there. 399 00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:23,930 And at the end of almost every service lately, we've seen 400 00:24:23,990 --> 00:24:25,640 people get baptized Today. 401 00:24:25,820 --> 00:24:27,920 A guy Jeff Spence got baptized. 402 00:24:28,250 --> 00:24:30,860 Uh, his son is in the campus ministry. 403 00:24:31,070 --> 00:24:34,610 Uh, after two years his mom got baptized, and then today 404 00:24:34,670 --> 00:24:37,370 Jeff, uh, declared Jesus' Lord. 405 00:24:37,370 --> 00:24:40,160 And then we had a, uh, baptism in our Spanish ministry. 406 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,910 And that to have them on stage and declare Jesus's Lord and for people 407 00:24:43,910 --> 00:24:46,250 to see that is, is pretty cool. 408 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,070 If there's, I don't know if there's room, but you can work on that. 409 00:24:52,130 --> 00:24:52,610 Amen. 410 00:24:54,140 --> 00:25:00,350 I know there's one way over there, but, um, and then Paul and his companions 411 00:25:00,350 --> 00:25:04,340 to go deliver the news, they try to get into several places, but the Holy 412 00:25:04,340 --> 00:25:07,700 Spirit keeps 'em from preaching the word there, and then they try to get to bi 413 00:25:07,910 --> 00:25:10,070 and the spirit of Jesus doesn't let them. 414 00:25:10,190 --> 00:25:13,790 And then Paul has a dream that they should go to Macedonia, and so they 415 00:25:13,790 --> 00:25:15,590 conclude, let's go to Macedonia. 416 00:25:17,675 --> 00:25:19,295 That's the church age. 417 00:25:19,745 --> 00:25:25,715 It's, it's so, it's it's work to bring all of our thoughts together and to try 418 00:25:25,715 --> 00:25:31,745 to yield that to the Holy Spirit, to have elders, board members, deacons, 419 00:25:31,745 --> 00:25:37,445 evangelists, and all of us kind of come up with a plan, ask for God's blessing 420 00:25:37,445 --> 00:25:42,245 and pray and just trust that this is where the holy and there's a lot of retroactive. 421 00:25:42,635 --> 00:25:45,725 You know, the Book of Acts wasn't written like today. 422 00:25:46,625 --> 00:25:47,855 We did this. 423 00:25:47,915 --> 00:25:49,385 No, it was years later. 424 00:25:49,415 --> 00:25:53,015 And so I think Luke, as he's writing acts, is like, you know what? 425 00:25:53,075 --> 00:25:56,675 This was the Holy Spirit, but I wish the Holy Spirit would 426 00:25:56,675 --> 00:25:58,985 let us know more in real time. 427 00:26:00,245 --> 00:26:03,785 And I, some of some people are way too confident in what? 428 00:26:03,785 --> 00:26:08,645 Well, the Spirit and the Spirit and the Holy Spirit tell really the Holy Spirit. 429 00:26:09,245 --> 00:26:13,085 Telling you to divide the church and run off over here and take a house, church. 430 00:26:13,085 --> 00:26:16,325 And really, that's, that's the Holy Spirit is telling you that. 431 00:26:16,355 --> 00:26:17,554 Oh, got it. 432 00:26:17,615 --> 00:26:21,215 You know, uh, I don't know. 433 00:26:21,215 --> 00:26:27,754 I think we should be a lot more patient and collaborative with 434 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:31,145 what the Holy Spirit is leading us. 435 00:26:31,235 --> 00:26:36,274 Um, and be willing to pivot when we see the spirit blocking us at times. 436 00:26:36,274 --> 00:26:36,695 Amen. 437 00:26:37,190 --> 00:26:38,180 It's a challenge. 438 00:26:38,420 --> 00:26:41,900 The church age, I think is one of the most challenging ages, but 439 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:46,040 it's the same as probably Abraham The Israelites is, is there's this 440 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,200 sense of where is God leading us? 441 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,400 What is the next church? 442 00:26:49,550 --> 00:26:54,260 Appreciate remembering all of the churches as, as Steve read that list. 443 00:26:55,550 --> 00:26:58,790 That's okay that it took a minute to hear all about what 444 00:26:58,790 --> 00:27:01,820 God did with all of our mission. 445 00:27:02,195 --> 00:27:06,305 Offerings through the years and to know that now there's churches 446 00:27:06,305 --> 00:27:07,685 that still need strengthening. 447 00:27:08,014 --> 00:27:09,485 Uh, that's exciting. 448 00:27:09,695 --> 00:27:12,275 That was the work of the Holy Spirit. 449 00:27:12,605 --> 00:27:18,754 Um, but yeah, the, in the early church, it, it was, uh, it was a challenge 450 00:27:18,754 --> 00:27:20,915 to know where God was taking us. 451 00:27:20,975 --> 00:27:26,840 And here's the thing, it's not bad to, uh, to make some of these things known. 452 00:27:27,605 --> 00:27:28,235 You know what I mean? 453 00:27:28,235 --> 00:27:33,245 Like your career, your finances, to do retirement planning, to get long-term 454 00:27:33,245 --> 00:27:38,735 help, uh, insurance to, to, to buy insurance, to buy car insurance. 455 00:27:38,915 --> 00:27:42,095 I love, I, I don't know if you ever watch Fridays with Frank. 456 00:27:42,095 --> 00:27:44,105 He's an officer in Pinal County. 457 00:27:44,315 --> 00:27:44,705 Anybody? 458 00:27:45,425 --> 00:27:45,905 Yes. 459 00:27:45,905 --> 00:27:49,985 I love watching him pull people over and do traffic stops and there's these 460 00:27:49,985 --> 00:27:52,505 sovereign citizens that he pulls over. 461 00:27:52,505 --> 00:27:55,505 You know, I'm a sovereign citizen and I'm traveling. 462 00:27:55,820 --> 00:27:59,149 It's like, no, you're in Pinal County and you're driving a car without a 463 00:27:59,149 --> 00:28:02,690 license insurance and, and you're about to get arrested in 20 minutes. 464 00:28:02,690 --> 00:28:02,990 You know? 465 00:28:02,990 --> 00:28:03,649 So anyway. 466 00:28:04,010 --> 00:28:04,850 Um, 467 00:28:06,980 --> 00:28:08,870 what did that have to do with the last Oh, okay. 468 00:28:08,870 --> 00:28:09,335 So known. 469 00:28:11,330 --> 00:28:16,129 It's actually, you don't have to just live as a sovereign citizen of the earth. 470 00:28:16,129 --> 00:28:21,679 You can actually have a plan and actually put away in, in retirement 471 00:28:21,679 --> 00:28:23,480 and finance and, and budget. 472 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,419 And you guys know when we were here, Sean and I were very much 473 00:28:26,419 --> 00:28:30,649 fans of, of, of a Financial Peace University and Dave Ramsey. 474 00:28:30,649 --> 00:28:31,879 And, and it's because. 475 00:28:32,390 --> 00:28:33,230 Without a plan. 476 00:28:33,230 --> 00:28:37,220 We bought, built a second story on our house and, and then in the unknown 477 00:28:37,220 --> 00:28:43,340 season of 2007, the housing market plummeted and we only had $163,000 478 00:28:43,550 --> 00:28:45,470 in credit card debt at that time. 479 00:28:45,830 --> 00:28:51,590 That was really a fun unknown season that we traveled through and it was scary. 480 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,140 Uh, and it took years. 481 00:28:54,140 --> 00:28:55,130 It took eight years. 482 00:28:55,745 --> 00:28:58,415 Because a lot of people were just sort of piecing out on all 483 00:28:58,415 --> 00:29:02,075 that debt and we're like, no, the wicked borrow and do not repay. 484 00:29:02,345 --> 00:29:05,495 So I'm, I'm stupid, but I don't wanna be wicked. 485 00:29:06,875 --> 00:29:12,695 So we paid it all back in eight years and, uh, so I'm a fan of known. 486 00:29:12,695 --> 00:29:16,925 You could even just say that is great stewardship to have 487 00:29:16,955 --> 00:29:18,995 some of these things known. 488 00:29:19,264 --> 00:29:23,555 Um, however, God is still going to. 489 00:29:24,335 --> 00:29:26,345 Want to reveal himself to you. 490 00:29:26,495 --> 00:29:32,555 And so there might be unknown seasons that still crop up in your life, even if you're 491 00:29:32,555 --> 00:29:34,475 doing a better job in your stewardship. 492 00:29:34,475 --> 00:29:37,595 And I'm not gonna read this passage, but you can write it down. 493 00:29:37,805 --> 00:29:44,195 It's the church and layout see it, and it really is a comparison of out 494 00:29:44,195 --> 00:29:49,265 of the seven churches, that's the one I would want to be a member of. 495 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,679 Because the other six, it's like, well, Satan has his throne there and 496 00:29:54,679 --> 00:29:58,129 these people are being killed and these people are being persecuted and 497 00:29:58,129 --> 00:30:00,080 these people are, you know what I mean? 498 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,870 Like there's, there is so much going on. 499 00:30:02,870 --> 00:30:07,730 These people are dealing with progressivism and gnosticism and all 500 00:30:07,730 --> 00:30:10,370 these crazy theologies and battling it. 501 00:30:10,370 --> 00:30:14,540 And, and God is, Christ is encouraging all six of those congregations 502 00:30:14,540 --> 00:30:16,699 to, to man just stay firm. 503 00:30:16,699 --> 00:30:19,010 I know this is a difficult season. 504 00:30:19,355 --> 00:30:23,465 Then he gets to lay sea and it's like, we're doing pretty good here. 505 00:30:24,815 --> 00:30:29,195 Most of the things that, uh, those other people are facing, we kind of 506 00:30:29,195 --> 00:30:33,245 have a, our schedule, our routine, our finances, our food and lodging, 507 00:30:33,245 --> 00:30:37,865 our health, our wellness, our friends really like, it's actually going okay 508 00:30:37,865 --> 00:30:41,435 here, but what did Jesus say to them? 509 00:30:42,215 --> 00:30:47,645 It's, it's our relationship that now is, is missing because yes. 510 00:30:48,050 --> 00:30:51,620 It's going okay, but I'm not communing with you. 511 00:30:51,620 --> 00:30:53,120 Like, you don't need me. 512 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:54,770 You're not relying on me. 513 00:30:54,980 --> 00:30:56,330 I'm on the outside. 514 00:30:56,330 --> 00:30:57,080 I'm knocking. 515 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:02,510 I want, I want in, I want to be your God, and I wanna reveal 516 00:31:02,510 --> 00:31:05,240 myself to you in, in new ways. 517 00:31:05,510 --> 00:31:11,630 Um, you know, the, uh, Katie for Easter in their service, 518 00:31:11,930 --> 00:31:14,640 um, they were doing sort of a. 519 00:31:15,395 --> 00:31:18,665 Collage of, of some of their baptism videos. 520 00:31:19,115 --> 00:31:24,215 And uh, she's like, do you have the video of my baptism? 521 00:31:24,335 --> 00:31:27,305 And of course it was right there and we were sitting right there 522 00:31:27,695 --> 00:31:32,524 and, you know, so I was excited to give that to her and find it. 523 00:31:33,004 --> 00:31:39,215 But, but, uh, you know, I took a video and, and the first video 524 00:31:39,215 --> 00:31:41,885 that I brought up, we did some of different people sharing. 525 00:31:42,545 --> 00:31:50,525 As it panned across the, the, the crowd there was Maro Nano and Jeff Sunderland 526 00:31:50,675 --> 00:31:56,225 and Kevin Mains, and Brittany Fujiyama and Brian Craig all sitting right here. 527 00:31:58,055 --> 00:32:06,065 And I just think those families were about to travel on a totally unknown journey. 528 00:32:06,725 --> 00:32:08,675 Totally unknown to them. 529 00:32:09,155 --> 00:32:13,295 To their extended relatives, to their spouse, to their kids. 530 00:32:13,655 --> 00:32:21,125 Uh, and yet it's like God knew and it, it really did cause me to think, you 531 00:32:21,125 --> 00:32:24,275 know, God is, he has to be our God. 532 00:32:24,695 --> 00:32:26,615 We have to have communion with him. 533 00:32:26,615 --> 00:32:33,005 We have to have Jesus not on the outside trying to get in, but we're busy and we're 534 00:32:33,005 --> 00:32:36,425 in control and we're serving lesser Gods. 535 00:32:36,665 --> 00:32:37,085 Really. 536 00:32:37,085 --> 00:32:38,405 He has to be our God. 537 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:47,960 That is the only thing that matters, uh, in the end is God being our God. 538 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:50,990 So where is God leading you today? 539 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,240 Maybe as a church, as a congregation? 540 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,530 What are the unknown journeys that this congregation has passed through 541 00:32:57,980 --> 00:33:01,100 recent years, but God is leading you? 542 00:33:01,580 --> 00:33:05,090 What is God trying to reveal to you along the way? 543 00:33:05,990 --> 00:33:09,920 Like sometimes I think I just wanna know the lesson so that the 544 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,350 season can fast forward itself. 545 00:33:14,030 --> 00:33:20,000 Um, because God loves you and, and will lead you in these seasons. 546 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:21,500 It's not a lack of love. 547 00:33:21,590 --> 00:33:25,190 Even as, uh, Eric talked about those silent Saturdays. 548 00:33:25,460 --> 00:33:27,230 You know, those are the digging ears. 549 00:33:27,230 --> 00:33:32,480 Those are when God is speaking to you, even though it may feel like silence. 550 00:33:32,630 --> 00:33:34,880 No, God is pulling the curtain back. 551 00:33:35,300 --> 00:33:37,760 All the time during those seasons. 552 00:33:38,300 --> 00:33:44,120 Um, and also during those seasons, let's repent and, and get rid of, you 553 00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:48,230 know, the gods of our households, the lesser gods that we serve, that that 554 00:33:48,230 --> 00:33:53,510 lengthen those seasons, the control that we regain because God wants to 555 00:33:53,510 --> 00:33:55,460 be in that center position of life. 556 00:33:55,460 --> 00:33:59,150 But it's funny, during unknown seasons, we can go one of two ways. 557 00:33:59,150 --> 00:34:00,650 Either we can just totally. 558 00:34:00,905 --> 00:34:05,195 Surrender and say, God, I really need you during this time, or 559 00:34:05,225 --> 00:34:07,055 for me, I tend to double down. 560 00:34:07,084 --> 00:34:13,414 Let me fix this and then get back to God during, you know, happier seasons 561 00:34:13,893 --> 00:34:20,583 so I can really have my golden calf moments and serve my lesser gods when 562 00:34:20,583 --> 00:34:25,804 there is chaos and unknown times in my life and I really have to repent 563 00:34:26,043 --> 00:34:28,353 and tr trust in God at those times. 564 00:34:28,985 --> 00:34:30,395 God will work it out. 565 00:34:30,635 --> 00:34:37,264 Uh, God is leading you and God will provide, uh, more knowledge about himself. 566 00:34:37,625 --> 00:34:39,965 Uh, so don't be in a hurry to gain knowledge. 567 00:34:39,965 --> 00:34:42,185 Don't, you don't have to look everything up on your phone. 568 00:34:42,395 --> 00:34:45,395 You can actually pray and you can read your Bible. 569 00:34:45,395 --> 00:34:46,775 Like those are two options. 570 00:34:48,230 --> 00:34:52,520 That should supersede Google during difficult times in your life. 571 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:53,000 Amen. 572 00:34:53,449 --> 00:34:56,960 Uh, let's close in a prayer and then, uh, we will continue. 573 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,759 Father, uh, we do, uh, we hate to say thank you, but God thank you 574 00:35:01,759 --> 00:35:05,420 for the unknown seasons of our life, uh, God, because they are the 575 00:35:05,420 --> 00:35:07,609 times when you reveal yourself to. 576 00:35:08,299 --> 00:35:08,809 God. 577 00:35:08,839 --> 00:35:13,580 Uh, we thank you so much for just what you're doing, uh, in this church. 578 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:18,049 Uh, father, we, we thank you so much for, uh, your heart, uh, for people. 579 00:35:18,109 --> 00:35:22,789 God give us, uh, that communion that we desperately need with Christ. 580 00:35:22,850 --> 00:35:26,059 Uh, please help us to repent of our lesser gods. 581 00:35:26,180 --> 00:35:27,019 Uh, we love you. 582 00:35:27,019 --> 00:35:28,309 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 583 00:35:28,609 --> 00:35:29,180 Amen. 584 00:35:29,180 --> 00:35:29,419 Amen.