Better Together

Is Following God Dangerous? - Episode 1133

January 7, 2026 | S8 E1133 | 52:34

Following God isn't always "safe." But taking the risk and saying “YES” to Him will open doors that you never imagined. There is nothing to fear. Our God turns every circumstance for our good and His glory! | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000

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Better Together | Is Following God Dangerous? - Episode 1133 | January 7, 2026

Following god is not always comfortable, but it is
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Always worth the risk.
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He invites us to leave our comfort zones and experience
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His power and provision in brand new ways.
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Come on, join us.
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♪♪
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So part of my story is i became a widow when i was 25 years
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Old, and i had three precious boys under the age of three,
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And it was very shocking and very sudden.
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And so i remember that night, which just is just so crazy.
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It felt so surreal, like you're in a bad dream, that there's no
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Way that this is your life.
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And i remember that night i was rocking my baby, just shocked
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About the life that i was in, and i was rocking him.
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And i kept saying, god, this is too painful to be wasted.
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Please don't.
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Whatever you do, do not waste this story.
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Just thinking like, man, it's one thing to call me to pain.
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It's another thing to call my boys.
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But god, if you're calling all of us to this, like, use it for
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Your glory somehow. and not understanding, how could god
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Ever use pain for his glory?
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But somehow, god, you could do it.
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So after walking through, you know, all of that about a
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Year later, a precious acquaintance called me on the
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Phone and i'm there,
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I'm like, changing a diaper in the middle of my living room,
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Hair on top of my head, just in the middle of my
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Crazy season of life.
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And the acquaintance on the other line was like, hey,
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Brittany. um, i am the women's director of this church, and i
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Was calling to see if you would speak at our
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Women's conference coming up.
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I said, oh, i don't speak, but thank you for calling,
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I appreciate it.
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And she said, no, but everyone on our team prayed separately,
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And all of them got your name.
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And so i just, we're not going to take no from you.
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So she said, she literally said we're not taking no.
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We're just going to-- i just really feel like you should
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Pray about this.
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And if you really trust god with your life, then maybe you
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Should pray about this.
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And i was like, oh, okay.
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So again, here, i'm like holding it up with my little
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One, like, you know, this on the phone.
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And i said, okay, i'll pray about it for a week, but i'm
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Not a speaker, i don't speak.
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Um, and she said, okay, i'll talk to you later.
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We're praying for you.
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So i get off the phone and of course every excuse
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Is coming to mind. like, really?
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I am the weakest of the weak.
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I am a single widowed mama of three precious toddlers barely
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Able to get through my day.
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I am not a speaker.
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I have not been trained.
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I don't know what i would do.
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God, i am not doing this.
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This is not-- this is not from the lord.
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And so i began to pray about it.
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But i promised her i would pray about it.
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So a couple days into praying about it, i was sitting there
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One day and all i could hear
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Was, open your mouth of my faithfulness.
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You see, the entire year of walking through and feeling
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Like i was the weakest, most
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Weary i've ever been in my life,
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There were times where i wanted to take off my shoes because it
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Felt like i was walking on holy ground.
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God had been so miraculous, so near.
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He had done so many unbelievable things in our life
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That i felt like i had a front row seat to god's faithfulness.
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And so i just kept hearing,
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Open your mouth to my faithfulness.
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I'm like, okay, lord.
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So i called the lady back on the phone
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And i said, hi. it's brittany.
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Um, i'm not a speaker, but i feel like the lord is telling
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Me i'm supposed to open my mouth to his faithfulness.
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So i'll just come share about god's faithfulness.
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And she said, perfect.
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That sounds great.
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So several weeks later, i get in front of a thousand new
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Friends and i open up the bible and somehow, shakingly,
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Imperfectly talk about that
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If god has been faithful to me the last year of walking
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Through the valley of the shadow of death,
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Then that same good god will be faithful to you.
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And i spoke from a place of not arriving and not moving in
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Victory, but in a place where i was still in the thick of it,
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Clinging to jesus.
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I remember saying yes to god,
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And it wasn't that i felt qualified.
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I actually felt like the most was unqualified in the world.
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And that was ten years ago.
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It was ten years ago--
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And look at you now. look at that.
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Of jesus being so faithful.
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And so i look back at my life, and i just think there's been
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So much that i have done imperfectly.
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There's been so many times that i have not been faithful, but
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God has been faithful.
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And i think all the things that i would have missed out if i
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Had ran from the calling that god had me, which i tried to
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Run from the calling.
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And god pursued me.
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And he, you know, he always knows where to find us
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Even if i was changing a diaper right there.
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And when i was cooking in the kitchen and he kept saying,
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Speak of my faithfulness, speak of my faithfulness.
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I think we can give god our yes.
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Just looking back at his history.
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He had what?
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Daniel in the lion's den.
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That's pretty scary.
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He had shadrach, meshach, and abednego in the fiery furnace.
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He had david before goliath.
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He had so many of his people were walked into dangerous
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Things and saved by god.
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And i believe that we can say our yes to whatever comes
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And god is there with us.
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God is there for us.
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If he's for us, who can be against us?
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And he is so good.
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And i look over the lives of where we are now.
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And, you know, i remarried
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Later to a widower who had children.
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We had, um, a baby, a little redemption baby together.
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And now we lead the only national widower's ministry
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In the country.
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And so you see how god is faithful even when we are not.
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And even when the assignment feels hard and it feels
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Dangerous and honestly feels impossible,
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There's so many days still that you think, lord, but you,
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And him alone.
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And so i would love to hear from you today of just what it
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Looks like to surrender your life to god's call,
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Even when it's hard.
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Oh yes, it was totally hard for me.
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You say you didn't run. i ran. yeah, i ran. i'm like,
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Let me go hide somewhere.
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Like somebody trying to play a joke on me or a trick.
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This is not god talking to me.
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You're talking about imperfections,
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It's like that's all i looked at in myself
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Is just the imperfections.
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Like, you can't possibly be asking me to stand up
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In front of people.
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I remember being 16 and was totally humiliated by
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Forgetting a speech that i was
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Supposed to be given at a pageant.
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I'm like, surely you're not calling me because i vowed that
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Day that i would never speak in front of anyone.
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And now laurie has me speaking to the world.
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Yeah. you're welcome.
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Yeah. thank you.
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Look at what god does.
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So i ran for years, but i realized that god is not
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Looking for perfection.
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He's looking for participation. yes.
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You don't have to be perfect in this.
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Yeah, like where you're weak, he's strong.
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Just looking for your yes.
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Just looking for our yes.
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When i first started to speak,
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When i tell you my confidence was shot.
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Like every time i would get on a stage, i would say something
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And i would come back and i would beat myself up thinking,
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Why did i say that?
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Did i should have said this or, you know, questioning
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Everything about me.
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But i realized that all i was trying to do was to perform.
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I wanted to perform.
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I wanted to present my best when god was saying, that's not
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What you're up here to do.
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You're here to present me, not to present you.
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So when i started to realize that it wasn't about my
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Perfection but it was about my participation in the whole
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Process, i started to gain the confidence in who sent me
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And not me being sent.
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I was not a speaker.
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My background was television in the bbc in england and music.
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I was a singer, and my best friend called me and asked if i
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Would fill in for a speaker that had fallen out of, you
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Know, sick and couldn't do an engagement.
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And i'm like, marlene, you know
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Me, i'm not a speaker, i don't speak.
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I mean, the thought of speaking to women, which broke me out in
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Hives, and i said, listen, you know, all the other women who
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Have that ministry. ask one of them.
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And this is literally what she
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Said to me, and this is my best friend.
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She said, i've asked them all,
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You are the bottom of the barrel.
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Oh, no.
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And because she was my friend, i just for some bizarre reason,
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I said, okay.
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I said, but try and tell them that this was all you could
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Get, like you tried and this was it.
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And i remember showing up and it was palm springs in a
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Country club, like a thousand women in there driving up in
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Their chauffeur-driven limousines and little chanel
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Suits and perfect makeup.
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And they sat me at the head table beside the most
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Stunningly beautiful woman i've ever seen in my life.
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She was size a half maybe, and
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Long blond hair and just perfect.
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And i remember getting up to speak and thinking,
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I mean, honestly, i think i prayed that god would return
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Before, that christ would return and i wouldn't have to do it.
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But i found myself saying, lord-- because i hadn't prepared
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Anything. i just-- i hadn't.
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I thought, because i'm not a speaker.
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And i was like, lord, what do i do?
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And i felt the holy spirit say, just tell the truth.
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I'm like, wow, that's not a great idea, but okay.
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And so i just shared with him my journey through clinical
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Depression and psychiatric hospital, and i couldn't even
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Look at any of their faces because i knew they were
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Thinking, where did they dig her up?
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But at the end, once i'd finished, halfway through i
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Started to make eye contact and i saw tears pouring through
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Perfect makeup.
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And at the end i said, i'm not in a hurry to leave.
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If anybody wants to talk, i'll be here.
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The first one to come up to me was the beautiful blond who
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Took off her two gold, diamond encrusted bracelets and showed
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Me where she'd slit her wrists. oh my goodness.
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And i thought some of our masks are just more expensive, but
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They're serving the same purpose.
00:10:14.626 --> 00:10:15.927
And i thought, it's in our very weakness that god shows strong.
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I found my brokenness is a far greater bridge to other people
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Than pretend wholeness ever is. oh yes.
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I love that, pretend wholeness.
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Wow. it's good
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If you read the bible,
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It was interesting because last night my husband and i were
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Having this conversation.
00:10:33.578 --> 00:10:35.046
There's some things god asks you to step in and do things
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You think there is no way i could do that.
00:10:37.282 --> 00:10:40.218
And i think that's the whole point.
00:10:40.218 --> 00:10:42.120
I think if you read so many of the stories of some of the
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Great heroes of the faith, nobody felt they were ready.
00:10:44.756 --> 00:10:48.026
Nobody felt they had the right thing to do.
00:10:48.026 --> 00:10:50.128
They were reliant on god for everything.
00:10:50.128 --> 00:10:52.797
I've been in ministry for many, many years now, but
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Still, every single day
00:10:56.601 --> 00:10:58.236
I'm so aware of the fact i can't do any of this
00:10:58.236 --> 00:11:01.473
Without the lord.
00:11:01.473 --> 00:11:02.674
We get to lean on him and his strength is made perfect
00:11:02.674 --> 00:11:06.277
When we feel very weak.
00:11:06.277 --> 00:11:08.113
And we're living in a time now,
00:11:08.747 --> 00:11:10.381
People are not looking for the facade.
00:11:10.381 --> 00:11:13.351
They're not looking for the fake.
00:11:13.351 --> 00:11:14.719
They want the real.
00:11:14.719 --> 00:11:16.020
And your son's generation-- oh, yeah.
00:11:16.020 --> 00:11:18.356
Oh, they can read right through it.
00:11:18.356 --> 00:11:19.824
That's why i love these conversations,
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Because it gives authenticity.
00:11:21.493 --> 00:11:23.928
You know, everybody's just so open and so vulnerable.
00:11:23.928 --> 00:11:27.265
You know, in these moments.
00:11:27.265 --> 00:11:28.933
Mhm. because sometimes you do say yes to god and sometimes
00:11:28.933 --> 00:11:31.402
We run from it.
00:11:31.402 --> 00:11:32.670
You know, and i think i love what you say about, you know,
00:11:32.670 --> 00:11:35.406
It's better to be honest and broken and let god show up in a
00:11:35.406 --> 00:11:39.377
Powerful way than pretend that we're something that we're not
00:11:39.377 --> 00:11:42.413
And that we have the power.
00:11:42.413 --> 00:11:43.648
Because the reality is, my words have no power, but god's
00:11:43.648 --> 00:11:47.152
Words have all the power.
00:11:47.152 --> 00:11:48.386
And so there are times when it's like, okay, lord,
00:11:48.386 --> 00:11:50.688
What do you have for us?
00:11:50.688 --> 00:11:51.956
And it's like, no, who do we have actually is the question.
00:11:51.956 --> 00:11:54.659
We have jesus and jesus is
00:11:54.659 --> 00:11:56.494
Everything that we need in our lives.
00:11:56.494 --> 00:11:58.696
And the way he redeems our stories,
00:11:58.696 --> 00:12:00.665
I mean, we don't go through something for nothing.
00:12:00.665 --> 00:12:02.734
That's why i love that nothing is wasted with god. right.
00:12:02.734 --> 00:12:06.070
When i think of what you've walked through, amie, and what
00:12:06.070 --> 00:12:07.739
You've walked through and what you've walked through and
00:12:07.739 --> 00:12:09.874
You've walked through,
00:12:09.874 --> 00:12:10.975
None of that's wasted.
00:12:10.975 --> 00:12:12.377
And often it's the key that god will use to unlock
00:12:12.377 --> 00:12:14.479
Somebody else's life.
00:12:14.479 --> 00:12:15.947
You know, because i stood there probably for two hours that day
00:12:15.947 --> 00:12:19.450
Talking to women.
00:12:19.450 --> 00:12:20.952
Oh, it was unbelievable.
00:12:21.452 --> 00:12:23.454
People saying, i've never heard anybody tell my story out loud
00:12:23.454 --> 00:12:25.723
And not self-combust.
00:12:25.723 --> 00:12:27.025
I mean-- wow.
00:12:27.025 --> 00:12:28.026
Just thinking that we all looked perfect,
00:12:28.026 --> 00:12:31.296
But underneath it all,
00:12:31.296 --> 00:12:32.197
Everybody was struggling with something.
00:12:32.197 --> 00:12:34.265
Oh, yeah.
00:12:34.265 --> 00:12:34.933
I love the word testimony
00:12:34.933 --> 00:12:37.302
Because it has precedent on evidence.
00:12:37.302 --> 00:12:41.940
And the word really means that god wants to do it again.
00:12:41.940 --> 00:12:45.944
Yeah, i love that.
00:12:45.944 --> 00:12:47.245
So when we tell our testimony to tell you that god wants to
00:12:47.245 --> 00:12:51.149
Do that again. people that are walking through the valley of
00:12:51.149 --> 00:12:55.053
The shadow of death, people that are walking through what
00:12:55.053 --> 00:12:57.956
You've walked through, which all all of us have our
00:12:57.956 --> 00:13:00.792
Testimonies of dire need. yep.
00:13:00.792 --> 00:13:03.661
I mean, you are in dire need, right,
00:13:03.661 --> 00:13:06.097
When jesus met you on the floor. yes.
00:13:06.097 --> 00:13:08.700
You are in dire need when you're holding that baby
00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:11.169
And your husband's gone.
00:13:11.169 --> 00:13:13.004
You know, those moments of absolute despair that we would
00:13:13.004 --> 00:13:16.274
Have ended at all, probably, had we not had god.
00:13:16.274 --> 00:13:20.011
You know, we had a savior, and god wants to do that again.
00:13:20.011 --> 00:13:23.648
And he uses our testimonies.
00:13:23.648 --> 00:13:25.717
That's why i love this program so much, because we've all had
00:13:25.717 --> 00:13:29.487
Those moments in our life.
00:13:29.487 --> 00:13:30.889
And so when we tell that we overcome by the blood and the
00:13:30.889 --> 00:13:34.292
Word of our testimonies saying, god wants to do it again
00:13:34.292 --> 00:13:37.662
For somebody else.
00:13:37.662 --> 00:13:39.030
It's so good. yeah.
00:13:39.030 --> 00:13:41.566
The start of a new year brings new hope and renewed dreams.
00:13:41.566 --> 00:13:45.203
Here at better together,
00:13:45.203 --> 00:13:46.304
We're expecting big things for the coming year.
00:13:46.304 --> 00:13:48.840
More friends and more great conversations.
00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:51.376
Stay connected with us on social media and tell us what
00:13:51.376 --> 00:13:54.312
Dream god has placed in your heart for the new year.
00:13:54.312 --> 00:13:57.649
Let's keep the conversation going.
00:13:58.416 --> 00:14:00.652
You can find the better together podcast
00:14:00.652 --> 00:14:02.620
On your favorite listening platform.
00:14:02.620 --> 00:14:04.989
Subscribe today.
00:14:04.989 --> 00:14:08.996
Subscribe today.
00:14:08.996 --> 00:14:13.799
Saying yes to god is huge.
00:14:14.366 --> 00:14:17.770
But sometimes we think, well, that's for like life decisions,
00:14:17.770 --> 00:14:20.639
You know, should i marry this person?
00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:22.608
Should i go to this college?
00:14:22.608 --> 00:14:23.742
Should i take this job?
00:14:23.742 --> 00:14:25.177
But to me, it's not.
00:14:25.177 --> 00:14:26.111
It's every single day.
00:14:26.111 --> 00:14:27.613
It's every little decision.
00:14:27.613 --> 00:14:29.181
I've discovered that jesus wants to be the best friend
00:14:29.181 --> 00:14:31.550
We have ever had,
00:14:31.550 --> 00:14:32.651
Walk side by side with us.
00:14:32.651 --> 00:14:34.286
So every decision i make, i ask the lord, what do you think,
00:14:34.286 --> 00:14:37.489
Lord? give me guidance, give me your direction.
00:14:37.489 --> 00:14:39.825
And we're told in the book of isaiah, if you take the wrong
00:14:39.825 --> 00:14:42.461
Road, you'll hear a voice behind you say, no.
00:14:42.461 --> 00:14:45.130
Walk this way.
00:14:45.497 --> 00:14:49.535
In that verse you have the blood of the lamb, and you may
00:14:50.669 --> 00:14:55.040
Have a testimony, but when you don't share it, you don't
00:14:55.040 --> 00:14:58.410
Overcome the next one. right.
00:14:58.410 --> 00:15:00.346
So making a list of god, you've brought me through this,
00:15:00.346 --> 00:15:03.082
You brought me through that,
00:15:03.082 --> 00:15:04.717
If you're asking me to do this, i know you're going to provide.
00:15:04.717 --> 00:15:08.253
But it's hard to heed a word sometimes.
00:15:08.253 --> 00:15:10.356
And that's what i think we always think of with jonah is
00:15:10.356 --> 00:15:13.258
When you don't heed the word, you get the whale.
00:15:13.258 --> 00:15:16.462
Right.
00:15:16.462 --> 00:15:17.629
And the whale is the all consuming circumstance that you
00:15:17.629 --> 00:15:21.066
Can't get away from until you do.
00:15:21.066 --> 00:15:23.869
And i think what i struggled with the most is when i felt
00:15:23.869 --> 00:15:26.338
Like i was swallowed by a whale, a situation that was
00:15:26.338 --> 00:15:29.975
Bigger than me.
00:15:29.975 --> 00:15:31.010
What was god trying to get me back on track?
00:15:31.010 --> 00:15:34.279
And where had i run from it?
00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.348
And how had i run from it?
00:15:36.348 --> 00:15:37.516
Because i think we all can do that.
00:15:37.516 --> 00:15:39.618
We can--
00:15:39.618 --> 00:15:40.552
We demote ourselves.
00:15:40.552 --> 00:15:42.621
So falling to the bottom rung
00:15:42.621 --> 00:15:44.757
On the on the ladder is what's comfortable.
00:15:44.757 --> 00:15:48.093
You know, what is controllable.
00:15:48.093 --> 00:15:50.396
And when god calls me out of those things and into something
00:15:50.396 --> 00:15:54.566
That i don't know how to make it happen on my own, um, that
00:15:54.566 --> 00:15:58.637
Can really create a sense for us of failure.
00:15:58.637 --> 00:16:02.508
And we begin to wear that and run from whatever he
00:16:02.508 --> 00:16:05.677
Calls us to next.
00:16:05.677 --> 00:16:07.212
That's a big thing.
00:16:07.212 --> 00:16:08.480
And i think i've had to go back over and over and say, okay,
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.683
God, i know you're asking me to do this. now,
00:16:11.683 --> 00:16:15.421
Why do i have this reluctance?
00:16:15.421 --> 00:16:17.456
And i recognize that putting my own opinion of myself above
00:16:17.456 --> 00:16:22.361
The opinion that god has of me
00:16:22.361 --> 00:16:24.797
Is it's disobedience and it's sin
00:16:24.797 --> 00:16:28.067
Because a lot of times we want to demote ourselves.
00:16:28.067 --> 00:16:30.702
God says, i'm calling you to this.
00:16:30.702 --> 00:16:32.538
And we're like, no, i'm not worthy.
00:16:32.538 --> 00:16:33.739
I'm not worthy.
00:16:33.739 --> 00:16:34.940
And say, wait a minute, i'm going to go for whatever--
00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:37.409
Whoever tells me the tale that agrees with my unworthiness,
00:16:37.409 --> 00:16:42.014
Then that's what i come in
00:16:42.014 --> 00:16:43.015
Agreement with, not what god says.
00:16:43.015 --> 00:16:44.883
And we call it humility.
00:16:44.883 --> 00:16:46.552
A lot of times we're christians and we're followers of christ,
00:16:46.552 --> 00:16:49.121
And we think devoting ourselves is humility.
00:16:49.121 --> 00:16:52.758
And that's not what humility is.
00:16:52.758 --> 00:16:54.393
Humility is agreeing with god about who he says you are.
00:16:54.393 --> 00:16:58.464
That's so good.
00:16:58.464 --> 00:16:59.665
So it's whatever god says,
00:16:59.665 --> 00:17:01.400
Then i say, okay, yes to that, even if it means it's going to
00:17:01.400 --> 00:17:05.337
Be dangerous for my flesh.
00:17:05.337 --> 00:17:06.772
It's going to cost me something.
00:17:06.772 --> 00:17:08.373
Like a divine assignment from god.
00:17:08.373 --> 00:17:10.509
Yes.
00:17:10.509 --> 00:17:11.977
It's important to submit to god's direction, but also to
00:17:11.977 --> 00:17:15.848
Submit to his heart.
00:17:15.848 --> 00:17:17.149
And i think the way that we can do that is to go to god's word,
00:17:17.149 --> 00:17:20.419
To see what is the heart of god? what is his character?
00:17:20.419 --> 00:17:23.155
Where is he leading?
00:17:23.155 --> 00:17:24.456
How does where god is calling me align with the word of god
00:17:24.456 --> 00:17:27.593
And empower me to walk in that obedience?
00:17:27.593 --> 00:17:31.430
So jonah had a divine assignment to go to nineveh.
00:17:31.430 --> 00:17:34.800
Yes. he didn't want to go.
00:17:34.800 --> 00:17:36.802
So you can either-- he was going to nineveh.
00:17:36.802 --> 00:17:39.338
Let's all just say that jonah was going.
00:17:39.338 --> 00:17:41.473
Was going one way or another.
00:17:41.473 --> 00:17:43.809
Well, he had a good reason for for not wanting to go, because
00:17:43.809 --> 00:17:46.912
The prophecy that had been given against israel is that
00:17:46.912 --> 00:17:50.282
God would use nineveh to bring judgment to israel, and so he
00:17:50.282 --> 00:17:54.386
Didn't want them to be saved
00:17:54.386 --> 00:17:56.655
Because he didn't want that time clock--
00:17:56.655 --> 00:17:59.191
Yeah. you know, to to go into action.
00:17:59.191 --> 00:18:01.693
I think if you're a speaker, like for me being a pastor and
00:18:01.693 --> 00:18:05.130
A leader in church, it's difficult sometimes to bring
00:18:05.130 --> 00:18:07.766
Words that, you know, are god's challenge for his people.
00:18:07.766 --> 00:18:11.703
Yeah.
00:18:11.703 --> 00:18:12.971
And you're like, no, no, no, i want to say things that make
00:18:12.971 --> 00:18:14.506
People like me, you know, and make people happy.
00:18:14.506 --> 00:18:18.944
And let's talk about prosperity and abundance.
00:18:18.944 --> 00:18:21.613
And but god gives you a word and sends you and says, no,
00:18:21.613 --> 00:18:24.416
This is actual a word of judgment
00:18:24.416 --> 00:18:26.618
And i need you to bring this, that i'm reluctant to do that
00:18:26.618 --> 00:18:29.621
It's difficult.
00:18:29.621 --> 00:18:30.956
And sometimes god has to bring
00:18:30.956 --> 00:18:32.624
It to full fruition in me first. yeah.
00:18:32.624 --> 00:18:36.161
And i see the oh, the pruning in my life has borne
00:18:36.161 --> 00:18:40.465
So much fruit,
00:18:40.465 --> 00:18:42.100
How could i then rob the people
00:18:42.100 --> 00:18:44.536
God's called me to lead by not bringing them a word that cuts?
00:18:44.536 --> 00:18:48.807
Yeah. so that's obedience.
00:18:48.807 --> 00:18:50.275
It is. that's obedience.
00:18:50.275 --> 00:18:51.910
I love the story where they throw the adulteress in front
00:18:51.910 --> 00:18:56.915
Of jesus, you know, and he says, pick up the first stone
00:18:56.915 --> 00:18:59.885
If you haven't. go ahead and throw it.
00:18:59.885 --> 00:19:01.620
They all walk away.
00:19:01.620 --> 00:19:02.788
And then he says to the woman, where are your accusers?
00:19:02.788 --> 00:19:05.324
And she says, they're nowhere.
00:19:05.958 --> 00:19:08.193
And he says, go and sin no more.
00:19:08.193 --> 00:19:11.863
I don't accuse you. now go.
00:19:11.863 --> 00:19:13.398
And that was a direct, go,
00:19:13.398 --> 00:19:15.767
Be in obedience to what i'm calling you.
00:19:15.767 --> 00:19:18.604
Yeah. go and sin no more.
00:19:18.604 --> 00:19:20.305
And so that was an assignment for her to go live her life
00:19:20.305 --> 00:19:23.976
And don't sin anymore.
00:19:23.976 --> 00:19:25.477
It was going to cost her, though.
00:19:25.477 --> 00:19:26.745
It's going to cost you. yeah.
00:19:26.745 --> 00:19:28.680
Submitting to god has the potential to create
00:19:29.615 --> 00:19:33.352
Supernatural breakthrough in our lives.
00:19:33.352 --> 00:19:35.153
And the way that that happens is even the word submission
00:19:35.153 --> 00:19:38.323
Holds the secret.
00:19:38.323 --> 00:19:39.858
Submission means a mission under a mission.
00:19:39.858 --> 00:19:43.862
And so, because we are called and commissioned by god-- the
00:19:43.862 --> 00:19:47.532
Great commission is go into all the world and make disciples
00:19:47.532 --> 00:19:50.602
Of all men, right? all nations.
00:19:50.602 --> 00:19:52.871
And so, because we are called to do that, then every other
00:19:52.871 --> 00:19:56.541
Thing god will ask us to do is simply a submission to
00:19:56.541 --> 00:20:00.812
That greater commission.
00:20:00.812 --> 00:20:03.282
So when god is calling you to submit to something, maybe the
00:20:03.282 --> 00:20:06.885
Situation is uncomfortable.
00:20:06.885 --> 00:20:08.353
Maybe it costs you your flesh and your preferences, your
00:20:08.353 --> 00:20:11.890
Comfort and your desires.
00:20:11.890 --> 00:20:13.925
The more something has cost me in the natural, the more
00:20:13.925 --> 00:20:18.196
Supernatural implication and breakthrough that i've had in
00:20:18.196 --> 00:20:22.267
My life, because it's got to have room.
00:20:22.267 --> 00:20:25.070
So if we give up part of our flesh, part of our agenda, then
00:20:25.070 --> 00:20:28.840
We really know we're giving that up and giving it over to
00:20:28.840 --> 00:20:32.044
The will of god.
00:20:32.044 --> 00:20:33.945
I like how you were just talking about how god reveals
00:20:33.945 --> 00:20:37.516
Something to you.
00:20:37.516 --> 00:20:38.784
It made me think about even hosea and gomer.
00:20:38.784 --> 00:20:41.920
Yeah, you know, hosea representing the church if you
00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:45.791
Will, and how gomer, his wife, would just go back out.
00:20:45.791 --> 00:20:50.762
He bought her back. yes.
00:20:50.762 --> 00:20:52.230
I mean and he put her right in the same position.
00:20:52.230 --> 00:20:55.834
Yes. because it's not even about what she has done, her
00:20:55.834 --> 00:20:59.104
Talents, her ability.
00:20:59.104 --> 00:21:00.539
But it was about what he saw in her.
00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:02.908
So if we can see it as what god
00:21:02.908 --> 00:21:05.610
Sees in us, he sees himself in us.
00:21:05.610 --> 00:21:09.114
Right? yeah.
00:21:09.114 --> 00:21:10.015
So it's not about our talents.
00:21:10.015 --> 00:21:11.917
It's not about our abilities.
00:21:11.917 --> 00:21:13.652
It's about him giving us the ability and the power to handle
00:21:13.652 --> 00:21:18.824
And do whatever he's called us to do.
00:21:18.824 --> 00:21:21.126
Yeah.
00:21:21.126 --> 00:21:21.993
In obedience doesn't just affect us.
00:21:21.993 --> 00:21:23.662
Now, i love what you said about.
00:21:23.662 --> 00:21:24.963
You're like, god has called me to say some hard things and to
00:21:24.963 --> 00:21:28.400
Walk in that obedience.
00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:29.768
But you obeying god and opening your mouth to say that affects
00:21:29.768 --> 00:21:33.572
All of these people.
00:21:33.572 --> 00:21:35.040
And so i sometimes i just wonder if we realize how much
00:21:35.040 --> 00:21:38.377
That one step of faith, that one, yes, god, i will obey even
00:21:38.377 --> 00:21:42.414
If it is hard,
00:21:42.414 --> 00:21:43.815
How many generations are affected by obedience?
00:21:43.815 --> 00:21:47.419
You know, i think about even, you know, one of the things
00:21:47.419 --> 00:21:49.654
That laurie always talks about is there's nothing to fear.
00:21:49.654 --> 00:21:52.657
She's walked so long with the lord that she's like, there's
00:21:52.657 --> 00:21:55.327
Nothing to fear. god's got us.
00:21:55.327 --> 00:21:56.862
Well, you know my generation,
00:21:56.862 --> 00:21:58.130
We need to hear that from other
00:21:58.130 --> 00:21:59.398
People that have gone ahead of us.
00:21:59.398 --> 00:22:00.999
We need to hear because they open their mouth in obedience,
00:22:00.999 --> 00:22:03.702
You know what?
00:22:03.702 --> 00:22:04.569
I don't need to fear this going on.
00:22:04.569 --> 00:22:06.338
I need to just like, if god was faithful to them,
00:22:06.338 --> 00:22:08.540
God's going to be faithful to us, too.
00:22:08.540 --> 00:22:10.542
But i wonder how many times we get in our own heads and we
00:22:10.542 --> 00:22:13.612
Just we lose sight that really our life is for the
00:22:13.612 --> 00:22:17.649
Glory of god and the father of the kingdom of god.
00:22:17.649 --> 00:22:20.285
Yeah. and so your obedience to host a women's conference and
00:22:20.285 --> 00:22:23.622
Obey god and and declare his
00:22:23.622 --> 00:22:25.557
Goodness affects so many other people.
00:22:25.557 --> 00:22:27.726
But you could have easily said, god, i don't want to do this.
00:22:27.726 --> 00:22:30.295
This is a lot of work. this is hard.
00:22:30.295 --> 00:22:33.131
And you know what?
00:22:33.131 --> 00:22:34.666
Nobody would ever know that you said no.
00:22:34.666 --> 00:22:37.102
But everybody knows when you said yes.
00:22:37.102 --> 00:22:39.137
Yeah. and they're affected by that.
00:22:39.137 --> 00:22:40.906
And so i think our obedience
00:22:40.906 --> 00:22:42.641
Is, is a seed sown for eternity.
00:22:42.641 --> 00:22:45.110
And we will never know, like there will be generations,
00:22:45.110 --> 00:22:47.312
Sheila, that you'll never meet that were affected by your
00:22:47.312 --> 00:22:49.748
Ministry because you said yes to god, and you are sowing
00:22:49.748 --> 00:22:53.385
Those seeds that are of jesus because god has no timetable.
00:22:53.385 --> 00:22:57.122
And i love that about seed sown for eternity,
00:22:57.122 --> 00:22:59.691
There is no timetable, and it does not stop with the grave.
00:22:59.691 --> 00:23:03.228
It continues because that is who god is, and that's what the
00:23:03.228 --> 00:23:06.164
Word of god does.
00:23:06.164 --> 00:23:07.466
And so i just think it should encourage us to know that god,
00:23:07.466 --> 00:23:10.902
This is so much bigger than us, so much bigger.
00:23:10.902 --> 00:23:14.272
Yeah.
00:23:14.272 --> 00:23:15.740
There are so many blessings of obedience and surrender, and
00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:18.877
Sometimes we won't even live to see the blessing of surrender
00:23:18.877 --> 00:23:22.881
And obedience.
00:23:22.881 --> 00:23:24.115
Sometimes what we do will impact generations that we will
00:23:24.115 --> 00:23:26.651
Never meet, and sometimes we
00:23:26.651 --> 00:23:28.520
Get to see the fruit of it today.
00:23:28.520 --> 00:23:30.288
But what we do and how we obey god doesn't just affect our
00:23:30.288 --> 00:23:33.925
Story, but it affects other people's stories.
00:23:33.925 --> 00:23:36.261
It can encourage other people
00:23:36.261 --> 00:23:37.562
To walk out in faith and obey god.
00:23:37.562 --> 00:23:39.898
It can encourage other people to surrender their lives, to
00:23:39.898 --> 00:23:42.567
Know that god has a special plan
00:23:42.567 --> 00:23:44.369
And trusting god, even when it's hard, is worth it.
00:23:44.369 --> 00:23:47.372
So i just want to encourage you today to walk in obedience, to
00:23:47.372 --> 00:23:50.809
Surrender your life to him and see what god can do.
00:23:50.809 --> 00:23:54.513
Well, the bible says, when you
00:23:55.146 --> 00:23:56.648
Sow to the flesh, you reap the flesh.
00:23:56.648 --> 00:23:58.550
When you sow to the spirit, you reap the spirit.
00:23:58.550 --> 00:24:01.219
So it's either we're either sowing temporary things that
00:24:01.219 --> 00:24:04.256
Please our flesh, or we're sowing spiritual things that
00:24:04.256 --> 00:24:08.460
Sometimes we never get the full measure of.
00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:10.896
And it may be generations.
00:24:10.896 --> 00:24:12.597
You know, i love the scripture where samuel, he was speaking
00:24:12.597 --> 00:24:16.468
To king saul, and he said,
00:24:16.468 --> 00:24:18.003
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
00:24:18.003 --> 00:24:20.805
And the lord helped me understand that one time,
00:24:20.805 --> 00:24:23.375
Because i would work my fingers to the bone and sacrifice for
00:24:23.375 --> 00:24:28.446
Something i wanted.
00:24:28.446 --> 00:24:30.549
But when god would ask me to do something, i had a lot of
00:24:30.549 --> 00:24:33.652
Excuses, right?
00:24:33.652 --> 00:24:35.487
Well, no, that's, you know, my kids need to be in bed by
00:24:35.487 --> 00:24:38.456
This time and you know, all these things.
00:24:38.456 --> 00:24:40.759
And the lord said, you know, amie, why obedience is better
00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:43.295
Than sacrifice.
00:24:43.295 --> 00:24:44.596
I felt his spirit just tutor me in this was because even people
00:24:44.596 --> 00:24:49.034
In the world understand sacrifice.
00:24:49.034 --> 00:24:52.003
They climb ladders.
00:24:52.003 --> 00:24:53.505
They climb mountains.
00:24:54.005 --> 00:24:55.540
They give up their family for career choices.
00:24:55.540 --> 00:24:58.310
They understand sacrifice for something they want.
00:24:58.310 --> 00:25:01.346
But when god asks you for obedience, it costs you your
00:25:01.346 --> 00:25:05.951
Own agenda, your own ambition.
00:25:05.951 --> 00:25:08.620
That's why it's better than sacrifice.
00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:11.056
Because it doesn't mean it isn't a sacrifice.
00:25:11.056 --> 00:25:13.625
Obedience is the bigger
00:25:13.625 --> 00:25:15.160
Sacrifice because it costs you yourself.
00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:18.763
God values our obedience far more than perfection.
00:25:19.798 --> 00:25:24.636
He knows we can't be perfect.
00:25:24.636 --> 00:25:26.371
It's impossible without his blood for us to even approach
00:25:26.371 --> 00:25:31.009
The throne of god.
00:25:31.009 --> 00:25:32.277
So because of that, he is the perfection
00:25:32.277 --> 00:25:34.913
To be worshiped, to be adored,
00:25:34.913 --> 00:25:37.115
We need to make more room for
00:25:37.115 --> 00:25:38.617
Him through our process of obedience.
00:25:38.617 --> 00:25:41.753
And obedience means yielding ourselves. obedience, the bible
00:25:41.753 --> 00:25:46.291
Says, is better than sacrifice.
00:25:46.291 --> 00:25:48.560
It doesn't mean obedience isn't a sacrifice.
00:25:48.560 --> 00:25:51.630
Obedience is a sacrifice, but it is a greater sacrifice than
00:25:51.630 --> 00:25:55.567
Just sacrifice alone because it costs us, perhaps, what matters
00:25:55.567 --> 00:26:00.038
To us most, and that is our own self perfection.
00:26:00.038 --> 00:26:05.343
Last week i had an encounter and i didn't even think of this
00:26:05.343 --> 00:26:08.980
When we were consulting about, you know, this conversation
00:26:08.980 --> 00:26:12.517
Until just now.
00:26:12.517 --> 00:26:13.785
I feel the holy spirit brought it to me to share with you.
00:26:13.785 --> 00:26:16.321
But we were having revival service and i am the fourth
00:26:16.321 --> 00:26:20.892
Lead pastor, my husband and i, of covenant church.
00:26:20.892 --> 00:26:23.795
My parents started the church when i was two years old.
00:26:23.795 --> 00:26:27.098
And, um, we, we had several other pastors, um, and,
00:26:27.098 --> 00:26:31.536
And some trauma.
00:26:31.536 --> 00:26:33.638
You know, one of our pastors died, and one of our pastors
00:26:33.638 --> 00:26:36.875
Just really hit a wall and burned out.
00:26:36.875 --> 00:26:39.110
And my parents had turned it over.
00:26:39.110 --> 00:26:40.912
And so i've stepped into the role, needing to really right
00:26:40.912 --> 00:26:46.084
The ship, knowing that our staff was traumatized and we'd
00:26:46.084 --> 00:26:50.121
Been through covid, which was a huge ordeal and lost our our
00:26:50.121 --> 00:26:54.392
Last lead pastor to covid.
00:26:54.392 --> 00:26:57.195
And so when i stepped up on the stage in the revival service,
00:26:57.195 --> 00:27:01.466
The lord had spoken to me during worship and said-- we had
00:27:01.466 --> 00:27:04.436
Some visiting ministers,
00:27:04.436 --> 00:27:05.737
And one of the ministers in the audience was a young man who'd
00:27:05.737 --> 00:27:09.474
Been one of our campus pastors
00:27:09.474 --> 00:27:11.242
And wanted to go out on his own.
00:27:11.242 --> 00:27:13.611
And the way that that all
00:27:13.611 --> 00:27:15.714
Unfolded wasn't really the best.
00:27:15.714 --> 00:27:20.618
And, you know, a lot of times when things happen like that,
00:27:20.618 --> 00:27:23.722
You know, it gets-- the fine print gets messy.
00:27:23.722 --> 00:27:26.991
And so when i was worshiping during the revival service, the
00:27:26.991 --> 00:27:31.629
Lord spoke to me and said, i
00:27:31.629 --> 00:27:32.997
Want you to get up and to ask forgiveness--
00:27:32.997 --> 00:27:35.700
Wow. that's-- wow.
00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:37.235
On behalf of the church leadership and this church.
00:27:37.235 --> 00:27:40.805
And i want you to bless him and i want you to plant a
00:27:40.805 --> 00:27:43.641
Significant seed in his church.
00:27:43.641 --> 00:27:46.377
And so my dad was sitting next to me and i said, okay, um, i
00:27:46.377 --> 00:27:50.281
Don't want to embarrass anybody.
00:27:50.281 --> 00:27:51.716
So i ran it past my dad.
00:27:51.716 --> 00:27:53.284
Should i do this in the green room?
00:27:53.284 --> 00:27:54.552
Should i do it privately?
00:27:54.552 --> 00:27:56.020
My dad said, i want you to feel that out by the spirit.
00:27:56.020 --> 00:27:58.890
So by the end of the service, the lord had said to me,
00:27:58.890 --> 00:28:01.760
Listen, this happened publicly.
00:28:01.760 --> 00:28:03.928
So there needs to be a public repentance.
00:28:03.928 --> 00:28:06.331
Wow. so i got up on stage shaking,
00:28:06.331 --> 00:28:10.769
Wanting every word to be ordered because i didn't want
00:28:10.769 --> 00:28:13.204
To throw anybody under the bus.
00:28:13.204 --> 00:28:14.472
This wasn't about making anything worse, but it was
00:28:14.472 --> 00:28:16.975
About the kingdom.
00:28:16.975 --> 00:28:18.309
Things needed to be righted in the spirit realm.
00:28:18.309 --> 00:28:21.846
Things that were had created division in the spirit
00:28:21.846 --> 00:28:24.983
Needed to be fixed.
00:28:24.983 --> 00:28:26.417
And the lord really showed me this young pastor in chains
00:28:26.417 --> 00:28:30.989
Because of the blessing he didn't get, you know, the
00:28:30.989 --> 00:28:33.992
Permission he didn't get.
00:28:33.992 --> 00:28:36.060
And so i got up and i did what the holy spirit asked me to do.
00:28:36.060 --> 00:28:40.431
And within 24 hours, so many testimonies began pouring in
00:28:40.431 --> 00:28:46.171
Of people saying,
00:28:46.171 --> 00:28:47.972
That demonstration by the spirit released me to do, to
00:28:47.972 --> 00:28:52.510
Ask forgiveness, to do some things.
00:28:52.510 --> 00:28:54.112
And this young pastor told my dad the other day, he said, a
00:28:54.112 --> 00:28:57.649
Week later, i shared everything with my own earthly father of
00:28:57.649 --> 00:29:01.486
What happened, and we rejoiced together that there had been
00:29:01.486 --> 00:29:05.056
Redemption between covenant and
00:29:05.056 --> 00:29:07.325
Between now, my young baby church.
00:29:07.325 --> 00:29:10.495
And he said, i shared that with
00:29:10.495 --> 00:29:11.830
My father, who was my spiritual father.
00:29:11.830 --> 00:29:14.199
And we cried and wept together.
00:29:14.199 --> 00:29:15.767
And my dad went to be with jesus the next day.
00:29:15.767 --> 00:29:18.703
Wow.
00:29:18.703 --> 00:29:19.737
And he said, this all happened by the spirit
00:29:19.737 --> 00:29:23.441
So that my dad, who so interceded and prayed for
00:29:23.441 --> 00:29:26.978
Redemption and restoration and take place,
00:29:26.978 --> 00:29:29.414
It happened.
00:29:29.414 --> 00:29:30.381
And i was able to share that with my dad.
00:29:30.381 --> 00:29:31.883
You know, that was a big ask for the holy spirit because i
00:29:31.883 --> 00:29:35.854
Was apologizing for things i didn't do.
00:29:35.854 --> 00:29:38.990
Yeah, but the lord asked me to take the burden.
00:29:38.990 --> 00:29:42.360
And it reminded me when my dad first came to carrollton and he
00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:46.097
Went to the bank to get a loan for our brand new baby church,
00:29:46.097 --> 00:29:49.734
And the banker walked out and he said, i don't want to give
00:29:49.734 --> 00:29:52.437
You a loan because the last
00:29:52.437 --> 00:29:53.638
Pastor that came to town came in.
00:29:53.638 --> 00:29:55.540
We gave him a loan, and he skipped town with the money.
00:29:55.540 --> 00:29:58.509
And my dad sat down with that banker and he said,
00:29:58.509 --> 00:30:01.179
How much did he owe you?
00:30:01.179 --> 00:30:03.114
And the guy told him how much he owed him.
00:30:03.114 --> 00:30:05.016
And he said, put that on my tab.
00:30:05.016 --> 00:30:07.652
I'm going to pay
00:30:07.652 --> 00:30:08.753
What they owe you, because that's not what god's
00:30:08.753 --> 00:30:11.022
Called me-- i'm a-- i'm a stayer.
00:30:11.022 --> 00:30:12.924
I'm a sticker. i'm going to be here.
00:30:12.924 --> 00:30:15.260
And now, almost 50 years later, 2026, we celebrate 50 years of
00:30:15.260 --> 00:30:20.899
God's faithfulness with covenant church.
00:30:20.899 --> 00:30:22.934
And it's like god has--
00:30:22.934 --> 00:30:24.202
He's calling us to pay some debts in the spirit,
00:30:24.202 --> 00:30:26.671
To make some things right.
00:30:26.671 --> 00:30:28.273
That you didn't create.
00:30:28.773 --> 00:30:30.108
That we didn't create.
00:30:30.108 --> 00:30:31.542
But he's the, he's a debtor to no man.
00:30:31.542 --> 00:30:34.145
And i think when we sign on to go, god use me,
00:30:34.145 --> 00:30:37.815
It isn't just about my
00:30:37.815 --> 00:30:38.950
Reputation, about building my kingdom.
00:30:38.950 --> 00:30:41.519
I'm here to build his kingdom.
00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:43.554
And he wants to bring unity
00:30:43.554 --> 00:30:45.290
Where there was division. he wants to bring restoration
00:30:45.290 --> 00:30:47.859
Where there was brokenness.
00:30:47.859 --> 00:30:49.427
And i think if we can step into that and say this-- he
00:30:49.427 --> 00:30:52.430
Didn't give me this platform for me to toot my own horn.
00:30:52.430 --> 00:30:55.333
Right. he gave it to me so that i could make way the way of the
00:30:55.333 --> 00:30:59.337
King, the king's highway to
00:30:59.337 --> 00:31:01.406
Say, okay, the king of kings is returning.
00:31:01.406 --> 00:31:03.908
How can i make straight the way of the lord?
00:31:03.908 --> 00:31:06.644
Prepare the way of the lord.
00:31:06.644 --> 00:31:08.513
And that is a big ask.
00:31:08.513 --> 00:31:09.647
And it is dangerous because it
00:31:09.647 --> 00:31:11.683
Costs us our flesh and our preferences.
00:31:11.683 --> 00:31:14.652
But it is so rewarding.
00:31:14.652 --> 00:31:17.388
Jesus said in one of his
00:31:17.889 --> 00:31:19.390
Conversations with a crowd on a hillside,
00:31:19.390 --> 00:31:21.826
He said, blessed are the peacemakers.
00:31:21.826 --> 00:31:24.295
And what does that mean to be a peacemaker?
00:31:24.295 --> 00:31:26.998
Can you be a peacemaker in your own home, in your own family,
00:31:26.998 --> 00:31:30.001
In your marriage, with your children?
00:31:30.001 --> 00:31:32.203
There's something about deciding to choose the best
00:31:32.203 --> 00:31:36.541
And working toward reconciliation.
00:31:36.541 --> 00:31:39.043
That's what god did through christ.
00:31:39.043 --> 00:31:40.845
The whole reason jesus came was to repair the bond so that we
00:31:40.845 --> 00:31:45.416
Could be eternally with our father in heaven forever.
00:31:45.416 --> 00:31:48.953
And you and i have that same mission.
00:31:48.953 --> 00:31:51.422
We get to be those who speak
00:31:51.422 --> 00:31:52.857
Words of truth and words of life.
00:31:52.857 --> 00:31:54.592
It's easy to go with what culture's saying, but it's
00:31:54.592 --> 00:31:58.229
A better way to to go with the way of the lord and to
00:31:58.229 --> 00:32:01.632
Choose to speak words of life
00:32:01.632 --> 00:32:03.267
And words of peace and to listen.
00:32:03.267 --> 00:32:05.603
It's interesting we have one mouth and two ears.
00:32:05.603 --> 00:32:07.905
I think we need to listen twice as much as we speak.
00:32:07.905 --> 00:32:10.675
But let me ask you, amie, that
00:32:11.376 --> 00:32:12.910
Night after that, how did you feel?
00:32:12.910 --> 00:32:16.014
This is going to make me cry.
00:32:16.014 --> 00:32:17.749
I felt the overshadowing of the holy spirit, the pleasure of
00:32:17.749 --> 00:32:22.653
God over my life.
00:32:22.653 --> 00:32:25.023
I felt that he was saying that aroma is pleasing to me, and
00:32:25.023 --> 00:32:29.560
There's really nothing else i want.
00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:31.829
Yeah.
00:32:31.829 --> 00:32:33.264
I don't want people to leave and say, wow, she's awesome or
00:32:33.264 --> 00:32:36.934
She had a great message.
00:32:36.934 --> 00:32:38.736
I don't even want them to think of me.
00:32:38.736 --> 00:32:40.571
I want them to recognize that the king is in the room, and
00:32:40.571 --> 00:32:46.744
That he is for us, and for the big c, the big church.
00:32:46.744 --> 00:32:51.382
Thank you.
00:32:51.382 --> 00:32:52.216
Yeah.
00:32:52.216 --> 00:32:53.284
He is building the big c church. amen.
00:32:53.284 --> 00:32:56.187
Right. and i'm not i'm not called--
00:32:56.187 --> 00:32:58.956
I definitely didn't want to embarrass anyone.
00:32:58.956 --> 00:33:01.893
And he helped me not do that,
00:33:01.893 --> 00:33:04.462
Uh, because the blame was really the enemy.
00:33:04.462 --> 00:33:08.132
Yeah. yeah.
00:33:08.132 --> 00:33:09.100
That gets in. when things get in the weeds,
00:33:09.100 --> 00:33:11.536
He wants to create confusion and lack of communication and
00:33:11.536 --> 00:33:16.707
Egos get involved. yeah.
00:33:16.707 --> 00:33:18.543
And i'm like the guy in that movie where they say, you
00:33:18.543 --> 00:33:21.913
Know, the one thing you've got going for you is that you don't
00:33:21.913 --> 00:33:24.282
Mind making a fool of yourself.
00:33:24.282 --> 00:33:26.217
And that sort of probably my only talent is--
00:33:27.185 --> 00:33:32.056
It's like, god, if you need somebody to--
00:33:32.924 --> 00:33:35.193
Imagine what that does--
00:33:35.193 --> 00:33:36.427
I'll do it.
00:33:36.427 --> 00:33:37.128
In the heavenlies. yeah.
00:33:37.128 --> 00:33:38.296
I mean, to the father's heart,
00:33:38.296 --> 00:33:40.264
To the angels who watch in and work,
00:33:40.264 --> 00:33:43.201
Watch god work in all of this out.
00:33:43.201 --> 00:33:45.770
I mean, i just think, yeah, what a victory that was
00:33:45.770 --> 00:33:49.040
In heaven. i know it cost you.
00:33:49.040 --> 00:33:51.676
What a victory of god's mercy.
00:33:51.676 --> 00:33:53.744
That's my daughter. yeah.
00:33:53.744 --> 00:33:55.279
I have a list of people, you know, ordinary,
00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:59.050
Flawed, messed up, scared and insecure people in the bible
00:33:59.050 --> 00:34:01.986
That said yes.
00:34:01.986 --> 00:34:03.287
Noah said yes when god asked him to build the ark.
00:34:03.287 --> 00:34:06.624
Abraham said yes
00:34:06.624 --> 00:34:07.925
When god asked him to sacrifice his only son. joseph said yes
00:34:07.925 --> 00:34:12.730
When god asked him to forgive his brothers who beat and sold
00:34:12.730 --> 00:34:16.234
Him into slavery.
00:34:16.234 --> 00:34:17.702
Moses said yes
00:34:17.702 --> 00:34:18.936
When god told him to go to pharaoh and ask him to let the
00:34:18.936 --> 00:34:21.806
Israelites go. rahab said yes when asked to hide the
00:34:21.806 --> 00:34:25.476
Israelite spies and risk her own life and the lives of her
00:34:25.476 --> 00:34:28.513
Family. david said yes when god asked him to fight the giant
00:34:28.513 --> 00:34:32.650
Goliath with only a slingshot and a few stones.
00:34:32.650 --> 00:34:35.920
Esther said yes
00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:37.188
When mordecai told her to go to the king to save her people.
00:34:37.188 --> 00:34:40.391
Daniel said yes when god told him not to bow down
00:34:40.391 --> 00:34:43.127
And worship other idols.
00:34:43.127 --> 00:34:44.996
Mary said yes when the angel told her she would carry
00:34:44.996 --> 00:34:48.099
God's only son, jesus.
00:34:48.099 --> 00:34:50.401
The disciples said yes
00:34:50.401 --> 00:34:51.669
When jesus asked them to leave
00:34:51.669 --> 00:34:53.137
Everything behind and follow him.
00:34:53.137 --> 00:34:55.573
Paul said yes when god asked him to deliver the good news of
00:34:55.573 --> 00:34:59.310
Jesus to the gentiles.
00:34:59.310 --> 00:35:01.345
Those were dangerous yeses.
00:35:01.345 --> 00:35:03.314
Yes.
00:35:03.314 --> 00:35:04.348
And those people weren't perfect.
00:35:04.348 --> 00:35:06.717
Those people had failed.
00:35:06.717 --> 00:35:08.786
Those people had--
00:35:08.786 --> 00:35:09.987
They were flawed.
00:35:09.987 --> 00:35:10.888
They were insecure.
00:35:10.888 --> 00:35:12.623
Think of all the insecurity.
00:35:12.623 --> 00:35:14.058
Think of gideon. oh, yeah.
00:35:14.058 --> 00:35:16.627
Being so insecure.
00:35:16.627 --> 00:35:18.229
God almost feeds that in a way, by taking his army
00:35:18.229 --> 00:35:22.233
Down to 300. smaller and smaller.
00:35:22.233 --> 00:35:24.268
When you think you feel insecure now?
00:35:24.268 --> 00:35:26.037
Let me just show you something.
00:35:26.037 --> 00:35:27.338
Show you who's the boss.
00:35:27.338 --> 00:35:28.773
Yes, yes.
00:35:28.773 --> 00:35:29.974
I'm going to make you do something that you
00:35:29.974 --> 00:35:31.542
Can't do without me. right.
00:35:31.542 --> 00:35:33.144
And that's what he wants to do with us.
00:35:33.144 --> 00:35:35.012
He wants us to say yes to something that we
00:35:35.012 --> 00:35:37.648
Cannot do without god. amen.
00:35:37.648 --> 00:35:40.251
Hebrews 11:8 says this...
00:35:40.818 --> 00:35:52.597
This verse teaches us so much about following god into the
00:35:53.764 --> 00:35:56.834
Unknown, because so much can be read between the lines.
00:35:56.834 --> 00:36:00.071
He left his family, he left the familiar, and he sought to
00:36:00.071 --> 00:36:03.774
Follow god into what was unknown to him.
00:36:03.774 --> 00:36:07.144
That's the same walk that you and i have today.
00:36:07.144 --> 00:36:09.513
We have to leave familiar things behind in order to
00:36:09.513 --> 00:36:12.617
Follow him into what he's prepared for us.
00:36:12.617 --> 00:36:18.856
It's hard to obey god when we don't understand his plan.
00:36:19.991 --> 00:36:22.526
Sometimes you look at your life and think, this cannot be good,
00:36:22.526 --> 00:36:25.763
But god, i trust that you are good.
00:36:25.763 --> 00:36:27.531
And i think even in those moments when we don't
00:36:27.531 --> 00:36:29.634
Understand, when we can't see what's ahead of us, it is so
00:36:29.634 --> 00:36:32.370
Important to obey because god's got it, and we can trust his
00:36:32.370 --> 00:36:35.906
Heart for us and know that he
00:36:35.906 --> 00:36:37.808
Is good and he is worthy to follow.
00:36:37.808 --> 00:36:40.378
Be the first to know all the latest better together updates.
00:36:41.545 --> 00:36:45.383
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And never miss the latest news!
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Some indicators that you might be relying on your own strength
00:36:57.195 --> 00:37:00.065
Instead of god looks like burnout,
00:37:00.065 --> 00:37:02.834
Exhaustion, weariness, anxiety
00:37:02.834 --> 00:37:06.038
After you do things. like, did i do good?
00:37:06.038 --> 00:37:07.873
Did i not do good?
00:37:07.873 --> 00:37:09.241
When you walk in the power of the holy spirit, obeying and
00:37:09.241 --> 00:37:12.577
Leaving it all up to god, it takes the pressure off of
00:37:12.577 --> 00:37:15.247
Ourselves and our power and it puts it on the lord.
00:37:15.247 --> 00:37:18.517
God, you have to show up.
00:37:18.517 --> 00:37:19.985
God, it's you and you alone.
00:37:19.985 --> 00:37:21.720
And even when we're weak, you are strong.
00:37:21.720 --> 00:37:24.323
And even when it's hard, we can obey
00:37:24.323 --> 00:37:26.491
Knowing that you have it all.
00:37:26.491 --> 00:37:31.263
And i love what you said of that.
00:37:31.997 --> 00:37:33.598
How you heard from the lord and you still got up shaking,
00:37:33.598 --> 00:37:38.036
Trusting god as you obeyed god.
00:37:38.036 --> 00:37:40.539
Because i think what all of us can know is that obeying god
00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:44.376
Doesn't mean it's going to be easy.
00:37:44.376 --> 00:37:46.011
It doesn't mean it's going to be comfortable.
00:37:46.011 --> 00:37:48.280
It doesn't mean that you're like, oh, i heard from god.
00:37:48.280 --> 00:37:50.649
Now i know exactly what i'm going to say and get up there.
00:37:50.649 --> 00:37:53.085
No, it puts you in a place of such dependency that you
00:37:53.085 --> 00:37:57.522
Say, god, if you don't show up, i have nothing, but god,
00:37:57.522 --> 00:38:00.025
If you show up, that is everything that we need.
00:38:00.025 --> 00:38:02.694
And what it does is it produces where the holy spirit
00:38:02.694 --> 00:38:05.397
Showed up in your life.
00:38:05.397 --> 00:38:06.665
And he did all of this work because you obeyed that voice.
00:38:06.665 --> 00:38:10.702
And i think how many times in our lives when god is telling
00:38:10.702 --> 00:38:14.139
Us to do something and prompting us, do we think, oh,
00:38:14.139 --> 00:38:18.076
That's so uncomfortable?
00:38:18.076 --> 00:38:19.611
Is it-- is it really the lord?
00:38:19.611 --> 00:38:20.979
Can i do this?
00:38:20.979 --> 00:38:22.147
And knowing that obeying the lord--
00:38:22.147 --> 00:38:24.883
I love what doctor charles stanley says.
00:38:24.883 --> 00:38:26.518
He says, obey god and leave all the consequences to him.
00:38:26.518 --> 00:38:30.155
And i think of that often.
00:38:30.155 --> 00:38:31.423
Sometimes i literally say it out loud to my kids
00:38:31.423 --> 00:38:33.859
When we are trusting god with these big ministry things of
00:38:33.859 --> 00:38:36.895
I'm going to obey god and i'm going to leave all the
00:38:36.895 --> 00:38:38.797
Consequences to him because he's got it.
00:38:38.797 --> 00:38:40.766
Yes.
00:38:40.766 --> 00:38:42.234
One of the things in my life that's very important, i have a
00:38:42.234 --> 00:38:45.237
A tattoo that just says, yes, lord, and that is
00:38:45.237 --> 00:38:49.641
Hugely important to me.
00:38:49.641 --> 00:38:50.942
But let me tell you, saying yes to the lord does not mean that
00:38:50.942 --> 00:38:54.746
You have an easy life.
00:38:54.746 --> 00:38:56.248
The reason i love it, it's-- that was a little picture that
00:38:56.248 --> 00:38:58.650
My mother had hanging above her bed all my life.
00:38:58.650 --> 00:39:01.686
And when i was a teenager, i used to tease her and say, mom,
00:39:01.686 --> 00:39:04.589
You don't know what you're saying yes to.
00:39:04.589 --> 00:39:06.558
And she would say, no, but i know who i'm saying yes to.
00:39:06.558 --> 00:39:09.294
And i think that is the thing.
00:39:09.294 --> 00:39:10.695
When you understand, you're saying yes to the god of the
00:39:10.695 --> 00:39:13.432
Universe who loves you, who cares for you, to jesus who
00:39:13.432 --> 00:39:17.602
Died for you, the holy spirit, who's there to comfort you.
00:39:17.602 --> 00:39:20.338
It doesn't mean it will be an easy life, but it does mean you
00:39:20.338 --> 00:39:22.874
Will never, never be alone.
00:39:22.874 --> 00:39:25.143
When i realized that jesus didn't come to make a
00:39:26.144 --> 00:39:29.481
Reputation of his own, right.
00:39:29.481 --> 00:39:31.483
If i am in a performance mode to like perfect and show me,
00:39:31.483 --> 00:39:38.723
Then i am going to feel bad when it doesn't work.
00:39:38.723 --> 00:39:41.159
But to take the weight and the responsibility off of me and to
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Put it on the father,
00:39:46.731 --> 00:39:48.233
I'm like, okay, if i go out here and don't have anything to
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Say, it's not my fault. you got--
00:39:51.269 --> 00:39:54.773
It's your idea, you know.
00:39:54.773 --> 00:39:56.708
It takes-- it relieves me. yeah.
00:39:56.708 --> 00:39:59.511
It's like, no. okay.
00:39:59.511 --> 00:40:00.912
It's your show. so good.
00:40:00.912 --> 00:40:02.681
It takes the weight off.
00:40:02.681 --> 00:40:03.748
It does take the
00:40:03.748 --> 00:40:04.683
Weight because it all belongs to him.
00:40:04.683 --> 00:40:06.518
Belongs to him.
00:40:06.518 --> 00:40:08.119
But the stewardship is still important.
00:40:08.119 --> 00:40:10.889
It's like the study.
00:40:10.889 --> 00:40:11.923
We show ourselves approved unto to god.
00:40:11.923 --> 00:40:14.292
And then we give it to him and say,
00:40:14.292 --> 00:40:15.827
If you want me to tear up the notes, i'll tear up the notes,
00:40:15.827 --> 00:40:18.563
Whatever you ask me to do.
00:40:18.563 --> 00:40:20.365
But i have done my part.
00:40:20.365 --> 00:40:22.133
What i know to do is surrender what i've done.
00:40:22.133 --> 00:40:25.036
And so it doesn't mean we just get up and wing it every time.
00:40:25.036 --> 00:40:28.773
I agree with that.
00:40:28.773 --> 00:40:29.941
Yeah, but the obedience is--
00:40:29.941 --> 00:40:32.210
The obedience part of it.
00:40:32.210 --> 00:40:34.579
I love doing ministry because i don't have to do it alone.
00:40:34.579 --> 00:40:37.949
God is our partner.
00:40:37.949 --> 00:40:39.384
There's a collaboration between me and holy spirit.
00:40:39.384 --> 00:40:43.321
God wants to do this with us.
00:40:43.321 --> 00:40:45.790
He's not asking you to go alone.
00:40:45.790 --> 00:40:48.560
He's not asking you to do anything alone.
00:40:48.560 --> 00:40:51.563
He's just asking you to come alongside of him and
00:40:51.563 --> 00:40:54.699
Get the job done.
00:40:54.699 --> 00:40:56.368
So, uh, you know, i told you it's been ten years since
00:40:57.435 --> 00:40:59.538
Everything happened. so my three year old is now 13, and
00:40:59.538 --> 00:41:02.641
He came home the other day and he said, oh, i just want to let
00:41:02.641 --> 00:41:04.743
You know, i signed up to give my testimony at church.
00:41:04.743 --> 00:41:07.279
And i was like, oh, really?
00:41:07.279 --> 00:41:09.180
And, you know, whatever.
00:41:09.180 --> 00:41:10.649
He signed up and he said, i want to pick the date, which is
00:41:10.649 --> 00:41:13.518
Right around the anniversary of daddy going to heaven.
00:41:13.518 --> 00:41:16.454
I said, oh, okay, buddy.
00:41:16.454 --> 00:41:18.557
And he said, i really feel like i'm supposed to talk about how
00:41:18.557 --> 00:41:20.892
God has been good to us this whole time.
00:41:20.892 --> 00:41:22.827
Wow.
00:41:23.028 --> 00:41:24.296
And so he goes, and he works on his what he's going to say.
00:41:24.296 --> 00:41:27.566
He's got three minutes, you
00:41:27.566 --> 00:41:28.833
Know, in front of hundreds of students.
00:41:28.833 --> 00:41:31.202
And he gets up there and, you know, i don't know what is
00:41:31.202 --> 00:41:34.673
Going to come out of a 13-year-old boy's mouth.
00:41:34.673 --> 00:41:36.908
I mean, you never know.
00:41:36.908 --> 00:41:38.176
And so i'm standing there and he gets up and he says, you
00:41:38.176 --> 00:41:42.280
Know, my i remember the day that my dad passed away and my
00:41:42.280 --> 00:41:46.318
Mom telling me that god was
00:41:46.318 --> 00:41:48.019
Going to be a father to the fatherless.
00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:49.521
And he said, you know, i was only a toddler, but i just
00:41:49.521 --> 00:41:51.756
Remember worship music always playing in my house.
00:41:51.756 --> 00:41:54.693
And he said, and i remember god's people showing up all the
00:41:54.693 --> 00:41:57.429
Time, bringing us meals and
00:41:57.429 --> 00:41:59.164
Playing with us and being with us.
00:41:59.164 --> 00:42:01.066
And and then he shared a couple things.
00:42:01.066 --> 00:42:03.168
And, and of course, i'm just there like, oh lord.
00:42:03.168 --> 00:42:06.538
You probably were crying the whole time.
00:42:06.538 --> 00:42:08.139
I know the faithfulness of god.
00:42:08.139 --> 00:42:09.908
I mean, just the baby that i worried about the most was up
00:42:09.908 --> 00:42:12.877
There testifying that he'd encountered god on his own.
00:42:12.877 --> 00:42:16.648
You know, not because i told him, so
00:42:16.648 --> 00:42:18.750
He gets off the stage and he comes around and i just give
00:42:18.750 --> 00:42:22.487
Him a big hug and he goes, well, i didn't say a lot of
00:42:22.487 --> 00:42:25.824
The things i had prepared.
00:42:25.824 --> 00:42:28.460
And he said, i prepared a lot, and i didn't say a lot.
00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:30.929
And i said, well, um, did you do what you felt like
00:42:30.929 --> 00:42:33.298
God told you to do? yes.
00:42:33.298 --> 00:42:34.399
And i said, well, then you
00:42:34.399 --> 00:42:35.467
Obeyed, and that's all that matters.
00:42:35.467 --> 00:42:37.836
And so it is with all of our lives of of just obedience.
00:42:37.836 --> 00:42:41.573
And it may look different.
00:42:41.573 --> 00:42:42.807
You know, he had prepared things and he got on stage and
00:42:42.807 --> 00:42:45.276
Another thing came out.
00:42:45.276 --> 00:42:46.645
And that's the same thing. i love what you're saying of
00:42:46.645 --> 00:42:48.380
Like, approve--
00:42:48.380 --> 00:42:49.681
You know, you study, you seek the lord, and then you give it
00:42:49.681 --> 00:42:52.050
To him and say, god, this is your show.
00:42:52.050 --> 00:42:54.219
Yeah, yeah.
00:42:54.219 --> 00:42:54.819
God's been so faithful.
00:42:54.819 --> 00:42:56.087
And i'm grateful for, like you said, gideon story where he,
00:42:56.087 --> 00:42:59.524
He said, i'm the least of these.
00:42:59.524 --> 00:43:01.092
You picked this clan? i can't do this.
00:43:01.092 --> 00:43:03.261
And then god's like, oh, let me, let me take any of your
00:43:03.261 --> 00:43:06.698
Confidence away with your army and let me show up.
00:43:06.698 --> 00:43:10.235
Let me display my glory.
00:43:10.235 --> 00:43:12.170
Um. and that's his yes, i read his yes.
00:43:12.170 --> 00:43:14.873
Do you think about these people in the bible that
00:43:14.873 --> 00:43:17.175
At the time they were going through it, they didn't know
00:43:17.175 --> 00:43:19.711
For generations upon generations we would be
00:43:19.711 --> 00:43:22.614
Reading and getting borrowed courage.
00:43:22.614 --> 00:43:24.883
Yeah. i think of that often about borrowed courage,
00:43:24.883 --> 00:43:27.719
About when people walk through and when you stand up and when
00:43:27.719 --> 00:43:30.388
You stand up and you all talk about what god has done, it
00:43:30.388 --> 00:43:34.392
Gives the people that are struggling the ability to say,
00:43:34.392 --> 00:43:37.195
You know what?
00:43:37.195 --> 00:43:38.063
I'm going to borrow their courage
00:43:38.063 --> 00:43:39.364
Because if they had courage to obey god and walk in him, then
00:43:39.364 --> 00:43:42.300
I can do the same thing in my life.
00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:44.135
I think that's why hebrews 11
00:43:44.135 --> 00:43:45.570
Is that great cloud of witnesses.
00:43:45.570 --> 00:43:47.539
All those people, like when abraham said his yes,
00:43:47.539 --> 00:43:49.908
He didn't have the old testament.
00:43:49.908 --> 00:43:52.010
He didn't have the bible, he didn't have anything.
00:43:52.010 --> 00:43:54.145
You know, he just said yes.
00:43:54.145 --> 00:43:56.147
And they all said yes without ever seeing the promise.
00:43:56.147 --> 00:44:00.785
And so i think our faults and our flaws and our not being
00:44:00.785 --> 00:44:03.521
Able to do it is irrelevant, because i think it's all
00:44:03.521 --> 00:44:05.724
About jesus anyway.
00:44:05.724 --> 00:44:06.958
So we just-- i
00:44:06.958 --> 00:44:08.159
Remember asking chuck swindoll once, um, for the key to
00:44:08.159 --> 00:44:11.529
Ministry because he was such a great expository bible teacher
00:44:11.529 --> 00:44:14.733
And asked him and he said two words. show up. do your work, do
00:44:14.733 --> 00:44:19.671
Your preparation, but then show up.
00:44:19.671 --> 00:44:22.907
I love that. every single time before i do anything, i have
00:44:22.907 --> 00:44:26.111
This little moment with the lord, whether i have to find a
00:44:26.111 --> 00:44:28.279
Restroom or whatever, where i think of that little boy with
00:44:28.279 --> 00:44:31.116
His lunch in the hill.
00:44:31.116 --> 00:44:32.717
And every single time i'll go
00:44:32.717 --> 00:44:34.919
Lord under catered one more time.
00:44:34.919 --> 00:44:37.288
Ooh.
00:44:37.489 --> 00:44:38.690
Under catered one more time. i don't have what i need.
00:44:38.690 --> 00:44:42.026
But thank you that i don't have to. thank you
00:44:42.026 --> 00:44:44.362
That you will do what only you can do.
00:44:44.362 --> 00:44:46.931
And it's clear to everybody, you know.
00:44:46.931 --> 00:44:49.934
I know what it feels like to say yes to god, thinking it's
00:44:49.934 --> 00:44:55.140
Going to turn out a certain way.
00:44:55.140 --> 00:44:57.275
But i also have faith in god that he's in control, and that
00:44:57.275 --> 00:45:01.880
My yes is all that i needed to give for god to do what he
00:45:01.880 --> 00:45:06.251
Wants to do.
00:45:06.251 --> 00:45:07.485
And so i want you to rest in that.
00:45:07.485 --> 00:45:09.721
Maybe your yes took a turn
00:45:09.721 --> 00:45:12.857
That you never dreamed possible. i feel you.
00:45:12.857 --> 00:45:15.894
I know what that feels like.
00:45:15.894 --> 00:45:17.629
But you know what?
00:45:17.629 --> 00:45:18.596
My faith has been tested.
00:45:18.596 --> 00:45:22.267
I feel stronger and i know that god has a plan.
00:45:22.267 --> 00:45:26.971
God has a plan for you, and he is with you.
00:45:26.971 --> 00:45:30.875
He's not going to let you fail.
00:45:30.875 --> 00:45:32.744
He knows your heart.
00:45:32.744 --> 00:45:34.245
He knows your desires, and god will see you through.
00:45:34.245 --> 00:45:37.515
God has you.
00:45:37.515 --> 00:45:38.783
You are covered.
00:45:38.783 --> 00:45:40.885
Well, that dependance just leaves more room for god.
00:45:40.885 --> 00:45:43.688
Yeah, and i think that's why the accolades, you know,
00:45:43.688 --> 00:45:46.825
Anything that could get in the way, the talent we think we
00:45:46.825 --> 00:45:50.128
Have, whatever, that's harder for god to work with.
00:45:50.128 --> 00:45:52.931
He actually loves emptiness.
00:45:52.931 --> 00:45:54.899
That's where his pleasure is, is like, okay, i can
00:45:54.899 --> 00:45:58.369
Multiply myself here.
00:45:58.369 --> 00:45:59.637
And so what we have to really fight is shame
00:45:59.637 --> 00:46:03.875
Taking up the space, when there's inferiority, you know,
00:46:03.875 --> 00:46:08.313
Making sure that we don't have
00:46:08.313 --> 00:46:09.681
That voice that says no, step back.
00:46:09.681 --> 00:46:13.451
And i love the verse,
00:46:13.451 --> 00:46:14.686
One of my favorites is god is not pleased with those who
00:46:14.686 --> 00:46:16.788
Shrink back, because it's always my tendency to go
00:46:16.788 --> 00:46:20.158
Back in the shadows.
00:46:20.158 --> 00:46:21.359
I don't like to be out front.
00:46:21.359 --> 00:46:22.894
I'm an introvert, and so it's hard for me to say yes when i
00:46:22.894 --> 00:46:27.265
Know people are going to be looking at me.
00:46:27.265 --> 00:46:29.267
I know. that's difficult.
00:46:29.267 --> 00:46:30.969
And i think, um, for all of us, it's something like that.
00:46:30.969 --> 00:46:34.372
We have our own,
00:46:34.372 --> 00:46:35.740
That's my poison.
00:46:35.740 --> 00:46:36.741
That's my hard thing.
00:46:36.741 --> 00:46:38.443
And we have to have relationships that hold us
00:46:38.443 --> 00:46:40.545
Accountable to our best yes,
00:46:40.545 --> 00:46:42.647
To what god has called us to, um, because that's what my
00:46:42.647 --> 00:46:46.184
Relationships keep me on track, reminding me of god's best
00:46:46.184 --> 00:46:50.021
For my life.
00:46:50.021 --> 00:46:51.289
Yeah, um, a lot of people can do lots of things.
00:46:51.289 --> 00:46:53.992
Yeah, there's only a couple things that i can do that i'm
00:46:53.992 --> 00:46:56.928
Supposed to say yes to. yeah.
00:46:56.928 --> 00:46:58.897
And i think that helps us choose in the new year--
00:46:58.897 --> 00:47:01.666
Yeah. what we keep.
00:47:01.666 --> 00:47:03.234
You know, what we allow god to multiply.
00:47:03.234 --> 00:47:05.236
What we surrender.
00:47:05.236 --> 00:47:06.504
Yes. that's so good.
00:47:06.504 --> 00:47:08.239
Let's pray for everybody that is wrestling with that
00:47:08.239 --> 00:47:10.975
Dangerous yes. right now.
00:47:10.975 --> 00:47:12.377
Yes.
00:47:12.377 --> 00:47:13.077
And feeling that, that tense
00:47:13.077 --> 00:47:14.879
That i always call it that wrestling.
00:47:14.879 --> 00:47:16.247
It's like that wrestling in my heart of
00:47:16.247 --> 00:47:17.615
Lord, you're calling me.
00:47:17.615 --> 00:47:18.516
You're stirring me to something more.
00:47:18.516 --> 00:47:20.251
And that god would give us clarity and just the
00:47:20.251 --> 00:47:22.420
Courage to do it. beautiful.
00:47:22.420 --> 00:47:23.888
Lord jesus, thank you, god.
00:47:23.888 --> 00:47:25.790
Thank you that you call the unqualified.
00:47:25.790 --> 00:47:28.426
But you, you, you give us everything that we need and
00:47:28.426 --> 00:47:31.796
Everything that we need is in you,
00:47:31.796 --> 00:47:33.064
Jesus. so, god, i pray for all of us, for anyone listening,
00:47:33.064 --> 00:47:36.267
Lord, that you would give the courage to obey, the courage to
00:47:36.267 --> 00:47:39.504
Say, jesus, we surrender everything to you, god.
00:47:39.504 --> 00:47:42.006
We surrender everything in our life.
00:47:42.006 --> 00:47:43.708
Lord, we surrender the storms.
00:47:43.708 --> 00:47:46.244
We surrender the sufferings.
00:47:46.244 --> 00:47:47.512
We surrender the blessings.
00:47:47.512 --> 00:47:49.180
God, we surrender everything to you.
00:47:49.180 --> 00:47:50.715
And we ask that you would be glorified, that you would use
00:47:50.715 --> 00:47:53.384
It for your glory and for the extension of your kingdom,
00:47:53.384 --> 00:47:56.487
God. god, we praise you and we lift your name on high.
00:47:56.487 --> 00:47:59.057
In jesus' name i pray,
00:47:59.057 --> 00:48:00.358
Amen. amen. amen.
00:48:00.358 --> 00:48:02.760
Connect with us on social media and let us know how
00:48:03.828 --> 00:48:06.130
Our team can pray for you.
00:48:06.130 --> 00:48:16.007
Hi everyone.
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I'm sheila here with brittany and we're answering some of
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Your questions behind the scenes on better together.
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So here's this first one.
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Um, this is audrey, and she
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Left us this question on youtube.
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How can i overcome
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Self-sabotage and false humility?
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I feel like i'm just trying to cover up my fear of following
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God's calling.
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Interesting.
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That is a great question, audrey.
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And i would say the first thing i always tell everyone is take
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It before the lord.
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Ask god to show you the root of why you are responding that way
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And what is behind it.
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And then i would encourage you to meet with a godly older
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Woman in your life who you can meet with and seek wisdom and
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Counsel on how to work that out and get to the bottom of it and
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Honestly get victory and walk in god's calling with freedom.
00:48:58.016 --> 00:49:05.390
As we look forward to the new year,
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My prayer for you is that you will understand that you are
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Loved because when you really get a revelation of how much,
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How much god loves you, then you live from a place of love.
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You live like you're loved.
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And i know that when we all begin to walk in this love,
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Then we're able to change the world
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Because god is love.
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And the bible tells us that they will know us by our love.
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As we look forward to the new year, my prayer for you is that
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You would really embody what j.i. packer,
00:49:37.255 --> 00:49:41.392
He's one of my favorite, uh, recently passed
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Away theologians.
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He said this about the incarnation.
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It's about jesus becoming like us to save us.
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He said, nothing in fiction is
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So fantastic as the incarnation.
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I want to embody that.
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I want the enthusiasm, honest enthusiasm that i had when i
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Was in youth camp in my 20s, when i still had tight skin and
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High metabolism.
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I think if those of us who love jesus would actually live in
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Light of the grace he has lavished upon us, and we would
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Begin to love well, the world around us, i think we could
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Actually impact culture.
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As we look forward to the new year,
00:50:17.662 --> 00:50:19.564
This is my prayer for you.
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I pray that in a way you've never known in your life that
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You would have an absolute understanding of how much
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You're loved by god, of how much mercy there is for you, of
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How much god wants to show you how to take the next step
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And where to go.
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But more than all of that, that you would know that you are
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Precious to him, that you are a daughter of the king of kings.
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Stream full episodes of better together on demand.
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Go to bettertogether.tv
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To stream all of our latest conversations.
00:50:51.028 --> 00:50:51.028

Is Following God Dangerous? - Episode 1133

January 7, 2026 | S8 E1133 | 52:34

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