Better Together

The Gift of God's Wisdom - Episode 1127

December 23, 2025 | S7 E1127 | 52:34

Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor! In Him, we receive supernatural wisdom and insight. He empowers us to walk through life's trials with hope and freedom. This Christmas, we pause to thank God for His constant guidance and faithfulness. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000

#Christmas #Help #Freedom #Peace #Wisdom #Prayer #Compassion #Diligence #SeekGod #Counsel #Justice #Vengeance #WordofGod #VoiceofGod #Discipline #WaitingonGod #PresenceofGod #Emmanuel #Distractions #Community #Testimony #Relationships #LaurieCrouch #StephanieIkeOkafor #DeeDeeFreeman #RobynWilkerson #JeannieMunsey #KalleyHeiligenthal #SheilaWalsh

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Better Together | The Gift of God's Wisdom - Episode 1127 | December 23, 2025

Today we're celebrating our wonderful counselor.
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Jesus is the way,
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He's the truth, and he's the life.
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Let's talk about how to follow his lead.
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Come on, join us.
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♪♪
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I think for me, one of the--
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I think it's really maybe the most pivotal moment in my life
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Was, um, as a kid
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And i've come to this place of having this encounter with god.
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Encountered god at nine,
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I'm growing in this love relationship.
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And, you know, laurie, you were saying something right
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Before we were rolling.
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And i love that you talked about how, you know, we grow in
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This love relationship with
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God, how that goes deeper and deeper.
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And for me, you know, first encountering god, you know, as
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A kid and i'm like, oh, that's my daddy.
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But one of the most pivotal times was when i received a
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Counsel that literally changed the trajectory of my life.
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And that was when i found out
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That my uncle had murdered my father.
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And this was an uncle i knew and loved
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And we found out he was the one
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Behind the, you know, assassination.
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And i was looking for anger. you know, i was looking. i was
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Like, okay, what do you do in these types of moments?
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So i'm looking for something because a news like that can
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Literally take you on a path that is dark, that is evil,
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That is, you know, where you live a life of being
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A perpetual victim.
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And in that moment, i can never forget the counsel of the lord.
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And he said, it was not your uncle that did this.
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It was his bitterness.
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It was his envy.
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And he said, your uncle is also a victim of his own pain.
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I remember the lord telling me no one would ever hurt you from
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A place of love or wisdom, that any time you experience pain,
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It is a reflection of their brokenness.
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This is not my image and instead of it creating anger
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And hatred in my heart,
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It revealed compassion.
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And that is the counsel of god.
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The counsel of god can literally shift you from a path
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That you have a right to be on.
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I had a right to be angry.
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I had a right to seek vengeance.
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I had a right to all the things that came to my mind because i
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Was-- my head was everywhere.
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But the counsel of god shifted that to compassion, and i
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Started to feel for my uncle.
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And i'm like, you are--
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You are very broken.
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And what you've done, you have
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To live with that all your life.
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You have to carry that.
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And if you have not encountered jesus, i don't know how you're
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Going to handle that.
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And so what i love about jesus is in relationship with him,
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He really brings us to reflect his image.
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And when you think about his image and, you know, just the
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Other day we were talking about like, god with us, but who is
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The god who is with us?
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This is a god of love, a god of compassion, a god who would die
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On the cross for the people that put him there.
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Come on.
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And so what does it look like to reflect his image?
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And that is what we get in relationship with him.
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His counsel would always point it back to, you know, there's
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That popular saying, what would jesus do?
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And that's what the counsel of god does.
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It brings this natural understanding in our hearts to
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Move like jesus would move.
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And so for me, anytime that i found myself in a situation
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That would bring out, you know, a rightful anger or, you know,
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We call it holy anger, but sometimes it's not holy.
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There's nothing about it that's holy.
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This is helly.
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You know, it's a salacious.
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I'm a create a word right now.
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But the beauty is that when we seek the counsel of god, when
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We can lay down our pride, you know, lay--
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Because again, when i think of the things that keep us in
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Anger, it reflects the nature of the enemy, not christ.
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It reflects what was found in satan.
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It says that pride was found in him.
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And so when we stay in anger, i'm partnering with the enemy
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Because i'm partnering with pride and partnering with, you
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Know, my ego and all these things.
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But when i say, you know what,
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God, let me lay all of this aside.
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Unforgiveness. unforgiveness, all of that.
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That's the, that's the way, that's the path of satan.
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So i don't want to partner with that.
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And it's not something that is going to be automatic, right,
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Because even when people say love is a commandment.
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God says do this,
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But everything that the lord
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Says, he empowers you to walk in.
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Absolutely. and so, lord, give me counsel.
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I'm about to start my day.
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I'm about to go on this meeting,
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Whatever it looks like,
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Give me counsel from the big things to waking up when the
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Bible says, give us this day our daily bread.
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That is really give us this day our daily counsel.
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You know, the beauty--
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There's a scripture that actually says that if you seek
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The lord diligently with all your heart, you will find him.
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This is god's promise.
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And what i love about that word diligently is that when you're
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After something with diligence, it begins to purify your--
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The intent of what you're searching for.
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Um, if i just woke up today and i'm like, god, i want
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Understanding about this, and i don't ask him again tomorrow or
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I don't look, you know, read the scriptures.
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I'm not i'm not searching in him for this answer,
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Then it could be that i was just asking from a place of
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Anger, like, you need to tell me why this happened and blah,
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Blah, blah, blah, blah, but in diligence, in diligence, all of
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A sudden i'm getting to the heart of what it is i'm
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Asking the lord for.
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And from that place,
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He says you will find me,
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Because god will never waste words.
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So when god wants to speak to
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You, he is planting a seed in you.
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And so many times it's really about us being fertile, our
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Hearts being fertile ground.
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And so what i will say is, first of all, to come as
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A blank canvas.
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Don't bring all your bias and assumptions and all that stuff
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When you're seeking god for counsel.
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You know, just be, just be like, open to receive and be diligent
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In what you're seeking.
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You know, studying the scriptures even for, like in a,
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In a situation like this, what is the character of god towards
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This? being in prayer about it, journaling and just and really
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Pouring out your heart to god.
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And i guarantee you, it is not my promise,
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It is god's word, and it doesn't fail. when you seek the lord
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For counsel with diligence,
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First of all, it purifies the intention behind what
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You're asking for.
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But then the lord will meet you.
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And when he gives you a word, he knows that that word is
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Going to have, um, you know, just a lot of fruit
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In your life, right?
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That you will follow that word because you are
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Ready to receive it.
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You know, and that's what we have.
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Yeah. so when we receive jesus, we receive that immanuel, god
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With us, that wonderful, that counselor, that mighty god that
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Prince of peace, all that stuff and all that is, is that you
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Can tell god anything.
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You can cry out to him with any question or pain, and he can
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Show us how to go.
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He tells us and leads us and guides us in that wise counsel
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To be able to be free.
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Yeah, to be free.
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It just delivers us.
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It frees us on the inside and makes us do right.
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And i love that.
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Yes, that's big girl stuff right there.
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I just need y'all to know this is big girl stuff.
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Really, because so many people feel like i have a right to be
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Angry, and they do have a right, and they do, right?
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I have-- but i have a right to vent.
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I have a right to attack.
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You know, they hold on to these natural rights,
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Right, but being a believer, a christian, do we really?
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I agree.
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You know, because-- you're right, doctor.
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If we look at it through the eyes of god, we'll look at it
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Through a different lens, and
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He'll give us a different perspective.
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And so we see things differently.
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And when we see things
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Differently, we handle things differently.
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But if i look at it through the eyes of pain and hurt and you
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Took away my dad, then i'm going to respond differently.
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And the thing is that in god,
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Compassion and justice can exist together.
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Yes. because you even see that in the nature of god, every
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Time god executes judgment, that judgment comes from a
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Place of love, not evil. always.
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And so i think what happens in culture is that we look at me
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Seeking justice has to be coupled with anger.
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Mhm. and it doesn't.
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I could seek justice.
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I could know that you are wrong and seek justice for
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Whatever it is.
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But it doesn't have to keep me bound.
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I can seek justice from a place of freedom.
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Right. i'm not--
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I'm-- you don't rule over me.
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Christ rules over me.
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But i can still seek justice.
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And i think that's where that disconnect is
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Because we think that, you know, if someone wronged me or
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Someone did something to me, i have to punish you.
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And that is filled with hatred.
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But i remember there was a, there was a court case.
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I just can't remember the court case, but there was a mother.
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And they're in court for this man who killed her son.
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And she's in court.
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She wants to see him go to jail,
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But while she's in court, she says, i want to pray for you.
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Oh, yeah.
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And she prayed that god would be with him and that god
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Will open his eyes.
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And it seems like,
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How? like how does that work?
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But that means that she's free. yes.
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She is not bound to this place of of anger and depression.
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She is free in herself.
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But you can still seek justice for the wrongs.
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Absolutely.
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And then we have to have a revelation that when we are
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Free and we want to seek justice, we still have to give
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Life to somebody else.
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Compassion. from compassion.
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It's like, this is still a soul.
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Yeah.
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And so, god, when we hear the scriptures, vengeance is mine,
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I shall repay.
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But how does he repay?
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That's-- and that's why he says it's mine.
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It's his. thank god it's his.
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If it's yours-- we'd be dead.
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So we all have to go crazy on some people, right?
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But i mean, our concept of justice and vengeance is
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So warped as believers.
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And if we can really see and filter everything through a
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Lens of love, man, we will really be the representation
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Of who christ really is.
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That was a big girl story.
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I just want you to know. like,
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That was that was huge.
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And what's so exciting is that because he's alive, being at
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The right hand of the father, because he's living, eternal,
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That same counsel,
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You know, one of the verses here that i was pondering is
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Isaiah 11...
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And hear what a testimony and--
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--all that stuff.
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I mean-- take them all.
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All of that was in that expression of jesus revealing
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The counsel of how this little girl and her siblings and her
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Mom could respond, how complex this is, a family hurting
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Another family member.
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And as you're talking about it, i'm thinking to myself, that's
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Exactly who jesus is, that he would come with this big idea
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Where everyone, even the perpetrator,
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Is worthy of forgiveness.
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You know, for me, experiencing god's counsel comes in many
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Different voices.
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My main voice is the word of god.
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And i'll go to the word first.
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I get counsel from and wisdom from different people and
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Different things, but i never let it take the place of
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God's word in my life
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Because when i get into his word and i read his word, and
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It's not always about i need to get into the word, so i get a
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Word from it.
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No, it's reading the word so i know him.
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I know how he thinks about me, i know how he thinks.
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And, uh, he loves creation and
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He loves everything that he created.
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So when i get into his word, i get a sense of who he is.
00:13:36.205 --> 00:13:40.309
I take on that relationship with him, and then, um, god
00:13:40.309 --> 00:13:44.947
Will send different people into my life that will provide
00:13:44.947 --> 00:13:47.917
Counsel, counsel in various different ways and forms.
00:13:47.917 --> 00:13:51.921
And so you put it all together and you hear the voice of god
00:13:51.921 --> 00:13:56.125
Through a variety of ways, and that can lead and guide you.
00:13:56.125 --> 00:14:01.263
God being who he is, a loving father, right,
00:14:01.263 --> 00:14:04.166
He still won't make us.
00:14:04.166 --> 00:14:06.101
That's why i like how he's a mighty counselor.
00:14:06.101 --> 00:14:09.038
Yeah, you know, he advises, he instructs,
00:14:09.038 --> 00:14:11.640
But you're the one who's going
00:14:11.640 --> 00:14:13.342
To have to submit to those instructions.
00:14:13.342 --> 00:14:16.612
And for you to submit to those instructions is really what
00:14:16.612 --> 00:14:21.350
Makes it work for us, right?
00:14:21.350 --> 00:14:23.552
When we can really have that peace
00:14:23.552 --> 00:14:25.487
Because when we make decisions, the bible talks about how there
00:14:25.487 --> 00:14:28.991
Is a way that seems right,
00:14:28.991 --> 00:14:31.193
But the end of that way, what?
00:14:31.193 --> 00:14:33.128
It seems right. is destruction.
00:14:33.128 --> 00:14:35.297
And so we can do things on our
00:14:35.297 --> 00:14:37.833
Own, but we won't have his results.
00:14:37.833 --> 00:14:40.402
And it's like, i want god results.
00:14:40.402 --> 00:14:46.275
I think when we live in light of eternity, the salvation that
00:14:49.912 --> 00:14:53.315
Jesus was born, lived, and died
00:14:53.315 --> 00:14:55.784
For, it begins to change everything.
00:14:55.784 --> 00:14:58.153
We lift our eyes from the immediacy of the moment that
00:14:58.153 --> 00:15:01.256
We're in, and we begin to look at the grand scope of the story
00:15:01.256 --> 00:15:06.261
That jesus has set
00:15:06.261 --> 00:15:07.997
Before us, and we know the ending to it.
00:15:07.997 --> 00:15:10.332
So if i know where i'm going, if i know what he has
00:15:10.332 --> 00:15:13.068
Accomplished for me, i can face today with great courage, with
00:15:13.068 --> 00:15:17.506
Great trust, knowing he's got it all settled for me.
00:15:17.506 --> 00:15:21.744
That's not up to me.
00:15:21.744 --> 00:15:23.112
This isn't on my back.
00:15:23.112 --> 00:15:24.713
I just get to follow, listen, and obey in great thanksgiving.
00:15:24.713 --> 00:15:30.986
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00:15:30.986 --> 00:15:32.921
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One of the greatest titles, the greatest names that jesus has
00:15:54.676 --> 00:15:57.780
Given, is found in the book of isaiah.
00:15:57.780 --> 00:15:59.715
And it's immanuel, which means god with us.
00:15:59.715 --> 00:16:04.887
I pray that this christmas season you'll have some moments
00:16:04.887 --> 00:16:07.623
Where, away from all the noise and the hubbub that you would
00:16:07.623 --> 00:16:10.793
Remember that that is what christmas is all about.
00:16:10.793 --> 00:16:13.862
It's fun to get together with family sometimes. it's lovely to
00:16:13.862 --> 00:16:17.800
Get all sorts of presents.
00:16:17.800 --> 00:16:18.767
Although how many jumpers can you wear?
00:16:18.767 --> 00:16:20.903
But there's something about realizing now.
00:16:20.903 --> 00:16:23.272
The whole point is, jesus endured incredible aloneness on
00:16:23.272 --> 00:16:28.110
The cross so that you and i are never, ever alone again.
00:16:28.110 --> 00:16:33.115
God is with us.
00:16:33.115 --> 00:16:39.054
One of my best friends,
00:16:42.024 --> 00:16:43.725
Um, she wanted to get a bigger house, right?
00:16:43.725 --> 00:16:45.928
And she wanted that because
00:16:45.928 --> 00:16:47.563
She's someone who loves to host people.
00:16:47.563 --> 00:16:49.531
Like, that's like, her gift is
00:16:49.531 --> 00:16:51.266
Really just bringing people together,
00:16:51.266 --> 00:16:52.534
Bringing family together.
00:16:52.534 --> 00:16:54.103
And so she finds this house.
00:16:54.103 --> 00:16:56.038
It's gorgeous
00:16:56.038 --> 00:16:57.272
Because her main thing was she wanted this huge backyard.
00:16:57.272 --> 00:17:00.209
So she finds the house and it's a beautiful house.
00:17:00.209 --> 00:17:02.845
And then they do the inspection and they're like, it's a lemon.
00:17:02.845 --> 00:17:05.781
The way it was built
00:17:05.781 --> 00:17:07.616
There were a lot of issues that they found and she's like, ah,
00:17:07.616 --> 00:17:10.786
I really want this.
00:17:10.786 --> 00:17:11.620
How should i get the house?
00:17:11.620 --> 00:17:12.988
And i'm like, no, it's a lemon. yeah.
00:17:12.988 --> 00:17:16.725
You don't want that.
00:17:16.725 --> 00:17:18.994
And i'm like, i think that this guy's trying to tell you that.
00:17:18.994 --> 00:17:21.797
This one, she's like, you know, it's god telling me to--
00:17:21.797 --> 00:17:23.999
God doesn't want me to get a bigger house?
00:17:23.999 --> 00:17:26.034
And i'm like, i think, you know, there are some things
00:17:26.034 --> 00:17:28.437
That are just, you know, like negotiables with god.
00:17:28.437 --> 00:17:31.807
Like, i don't think he's bothered if you get another
00:17:31.807 --> 00:17:33.976
House, but maybe this is not the house he wants for you.
00:17:33.976 --> 00:17:37.379
And she prayed about it and she
00:17:37.379 --> 00:17:39.081
Didn't have peace on that house.
00:17:39.081 --> 00:17:40.883
And i'm like, just wait.
00:17:40.883 --> 00:17:42.017
God will show you what the right house would be.
00:17:42.017 --> 00:17:44.653
So later on, um, the realtor found this other property and
00:17:44.653 --> 00:17:49.625
She fell in love with the property.
00:17:49.625 --> 00:17:51.994
So the day that, you know, they're doing, like, the
00:17:51.994 --> 00:17:54.463
Welcome and all the things that the realtors like to do.
00:17:54.463 --> 00:17:57.566
And she goes to the property and she's randomly just going
00:17:57.566 --> 00:18:01.203
Through her phone and finds a photo.
00:18:01.203 --> 00:18:04.206
So you know how, like your phone will remind you about
00:18:04.206 --> 00:18:07.309
You did this months, years ago.
00:18:07.309 --> 00:18:09.845
So years ago, there was a picture of a house that she
00:18:09.845 --> 00:18:14.082
Took a screenshot of and she prayed about that.
00:18:14.082 --> 00:18:17.953
Like, this is the kind of house i would like.
00:18:17.953 --> 00:18:20.222
It was the exact house that she bought.
00:18:20.222 --> 00:18:23.525
She did not even know that.
00:18:23.525 --> 00:18:25.093
So she's in the house like standing there.
00:18:25.093 --> 00:18:27.996
The way that the where the television goes, they have
00:18:27.996 --> 00:18:31.099
This beautiful, like wood wall and she finds the photo and
00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:35.470
She's looking at it.
00:18:35.470 --> 00:18:37.339
It was the exact same house.
00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:39.641
And that touched my core, because it shows you that the
00:18:39.641 --> 00:18:44.813
Counsel of god is even in the things you desire.
00:18:44.813 --> 00:18:48.650
Yes. that he's, don't do this.
00:18:48.650 --> 00:18:50.752
There's something i want to give you, and i'm waiting for
00:18:50.752 --> 00:18:53.555
Them to leave that house so you could occupy your dream house.
00:18:53.555 --> 00:18:57.759
And it's so, it's so mind blowing that god gives us
00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:01.296
Counsel for spiritual matters, for natural matters, for
00:19:01.296 --> 00:19:05.334
Practical things, for fun thingsm like for everything that
00:19:05.334 --> 00:19:09.705
His counsel is made available for us to be our best.
00:19:09.705 --> 00:19:13.642
You know, i think, i think so many people, though, have this
00:19:13.642 --> 00:19:16.144
Idea that that god just hangs us out there to dry, just to--
00:19:16.144 --> 00:19:20.515
Just to see if you're faithful,
00:19:20.515 --> 00:19:22.050
Just to see--
00:19:22.050 --> 00:19:23.318
You know, we've got this god that just like the big eyeball
00:19:23.318 --> 00:19:25.988
In the sky watching every move.
00:19:25.988 --> 00:19:28.056
Right. he doesn't really love us,
00:19:28.056 --> 00:19:29.958
He wants us to do things for his love.
00:19:29.958 --> 00:19:32.527
And that is so opposite of god.
00:19:32.527 --> 00:19:34.730
God is so for us.
00:19:34.730 --> 00:19:36.465
God so loves us.
00:19:36.465 --> 00:19:38.800
God wants the best for us.
00:19:38.800 --> 00:19:41.036
Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice.
00:19:41.036 --> 00:19:44.172
Mhm. mhm.
00:19:44.172 --> 00:19:45.107
It's just plain and simple.
00:19:45.107 --> 00:19:46.541
You can hear the voice of god.
00:19:46.541 --> 00:19:48.543
You can hear the voice of god for yourself on your own.
00:19:48.543 --> 00:19:51.980
And he wants you to hear his voice.
00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:54.750
And i think he's always speaking to us.
00:19:54.750 --> 00:19:57.019
I love how paul says, don't worry about anything
00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:59.021
But pray about everything. yes.
00:19:59.021 --> 00:20:01.056
Right? and i think when we pray in that wonderful counsel
00:20:01.056 --> 00:20:05.394
Of god, that in my desperate need, i can go to god.
00:20:05.394 --> 00:20:12.301
And he has the counsel for me. that's right.
00:20:12.301 --> 00:20:14.736
He is the healer of the broken heart anyway,
00:20:14.736 --> 00:20:17.272
Right? yes.
00:20:17.272 --> 00:20:18.373
And he's got everything to meet every need of mine.
00:20:18.373 --> 00:20:22.477
So all we really need is him
00:20:22.477 --> 00:20:24.846
Because he's got the counsel.
00:20:24.846 --> 00:20:26.848
He's got the power.
00:20:26.848 --> 00:20:28.417
He's got the love.
00:20:28.417 --> 00:20:29.851
He's got the resources.
00:20:29.851 --> 00:20:31.420
He's got everything that we need.
00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:34.489
And if we just consider how much he loves us, consider that
00:20:34.489 --> 00:20:40.062
He wants to be our counsel.
00:20:40.062 --> 00:20:41.963
He told us,
00:20:41.963 --> 00:20:43.332
I'm wonderful, i am counselor.
00:20:43.332 --> 00:20:45.600
I am wonderful counselor.
00:20:45.600 --> 00:20:47.069
I'll take whatever--
00:20:47.069 --> 00:20:47.969
I'll take whatever that comment is.
00:20:47.969 --> 00:20:49.971
Right. i don't know if he's
00:20:49.971 --> 00:20:51.340
Wonderful and then he's counselor.
00:20:51.340 --> 00:20:52.841
I just know he's everything.
00:20:52.841 --> 00:20:53.809
He's all that. he's wonderful counselor.
00:20:53.809 --> 00:20:55.610
I think we learned to to hear the voice of the
00:20:55.610 --> 00:20:59.081
Lord by spending time with him.
00:20:59.081 --> 00:21:01.116
I also think that we hear the voice of the lord when our
00:21:01.116 --> 00:21:04.386
Hearing becomes intentional to what he has to say.
00:21:04.386 --> 00:21:08.023
I happen to be deaf in my left ear, completely deaf, and i
00:21:08.023 --> 00:21:12.561
Have to be intentional about
00:21:12.561 --> 00:21:15.263
Who i listen to and what i hear
00:21:15.263 --> 00:21:18.133
Because i can't listen to you
00:21:18.133 --> 00:21:19.568
Talk and her talk at the same time.
00:21:19.568 --> 00:21:22.170
I have to be-- and i have to pick who i'm going to listen to.
00:21:22.170 --> 00:21:26.775
And i think that's what we need to do.
00:21:26.775 --> 00:21:28.944
Pick. choose you this day,
00:21:28.944 --> 00:21:31.146
Who are you going to listen to?
00:21:31.146 --> 00:21:32.914
Are you going to listen to fear and doubt, or are you going to
00:21:32.914 --> 00:21:34.950
Listen to the word of god that says you can do all things
00:21:34.950 --> 00:21:37.519
Through christ that strengthens you?
00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.688
You pick who you listen to.
00:21:39.688 --> 00:21:41.790
And i think we'll start hearing the voice of the lord.
00:21:41.790 --> 00:21:45.427
Uh, a lot more in our lives.
00:21:45.427 --> 00:21:48.163
It's beautiful.
00:21:48.163 --> 00:21:49.064
I mean, especially around this time,
00:21:49.064 --> 00:21:50.932
Christmas time, right? yeah.
00:21:50.932 --> 00:21:52.401
It's like if we would just seek him as mighty
00:21:52.401 --> 00:21:55.170
Counselor even now, like, god, what should i be doing?
00:21:55.170 --> 00:21:58.807
Should i be even purchasing all of these toys and gifts and
00:21:58.807 --> 00:22:04.112
Doing all of this stuff to make somebody else's day or to make
00:22:04.112 --> 00:22:07.883
Somebody else happy?
00:22:07.883 --> 00:22:09.284
Like, is it really worth it?
00:22:09.284 --> 00:22:11.553
I think that's where the stress
00:22:11.553 --> 00:22:14.022
Comes in when we don't make him counselor.
00:22:14.022 --> 00:22:17.192
Right? when we don't really just turn it all over to him.
00:22:17.192 --> 00:22:21.163
Waste a lot of energy and time.
00:22:21.163 --> 00:22:23.031
And a lot of money.
00:22:23.031 --> 00:22:23.999
Yeah, and money.
00:22:23.999 --> 00:22:24.800
And a lot of money.
00:22:24.800 --> 00:22:25.700
I think that's why we have
00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:27.769
Wonderful counselor.
00:22:27.769 --> 00:22:29.938
Wonderful is attached on the
00:22:29.938 --> 00:22:31.907
Front side to counselor because--
00:22:31.907 --> 00:22:34.209
And we have to be careful not to lose the wonder of god
00:22:34.209 --> 00:22:37.512
In all of it.
00:22:37.512 --> 00:22:38.380
We get focused on different things.
00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:40.515
And i think one thing that i pray in the season of my life,
00:22:40.515 --> 00:22:45.420
I pray it more and more is i say, god, what is my assignment
00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:48.857
For this the season or what is my assignment for today?
00:22:48.857 --> 00:22:51.760
Or what is my assignment for the week?
00:22:51.760 --> 00:22:54.062
And the counsel of god gives you the wisdom.
00:22:54.062 --> 00:22:57.532
Maybe you want to do something, but the council of god gives
00:22:57.532 --> 00:23:00.268
You a little nudge.
00:23:00.268 --> 00:23:01.903
And he's all about wonderful things, and he's all about
00:23:01.903 --> 00:23:05.073
Goodness in your life.
00:23:05.073 --> 00:23:06.541
But he knows when the extremities are there that will
00:23:06.541 --> 00:23:10.545
Just get us in trouble.
00:23:10.545 --> 00:23:11.847
You know, it's like you alluded to this just a little bit ago,
00:23:11.847 --> 00:23:15.884
That, you know, if you make something happen, then you have
00:23:15.884 --> 00:23:19.488
To keep it going, and you don't have enough inside of you
00:23:19.488 --> 00:23:22.557
To keep it going.
00:23:22.557 --> 00:23:23.758
But when you are walking in the will of god and you're
00:23:23.758 --> 00:23:28.096
You have sought his counsel and he brings something best, he
00:23:28.096 --> 00:23:31.933
Keeps it going and it's so much more enjoyable.
00:23:31.933 --> 00:23:35.103
So even in the christmas season, we do, we feel like we
00:23:35.103 --> 00:23:39.374
Need to do all of these different things.
00:23:39.374 --> 00:23:41.510
And i think we say, okay, god, is that really what i'm
00:23:41.510 --> 00:23:44.579
Supposed to be doing?
00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:45.547
I think god is challenging us. so many--
00:23:45.547 --> 00:23:48.083
We've looked at the way we've done life and we say how much,
00:23:48.083 --> 00:23:52.287
How much really did that benefit me versus
00:23:52.287 --> 00:23:55.323
Just wearing me out?
00:23:55.323 --> 00:23:57.092
Or did i, did i do all these things and i didn't have the
00:23:57.092 --> 00:24:00.662
Wonder and the joy of christmas, because god wants us
00:24:00.662 --> 00:24:04.900
To have the wonder of what he's all about.
00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:08.169
Listen, i have a room in my basement, like a storage room.
00:24:08.169 --> 00:24:13.909
I have so many toys and gifts and games that my grandbabies
00:24:13.909 --> 00:24:21.016
Opened up on the day of christmas and left at my house
00:24:21.016 --> 00:24:25.921
Because they're not interested in it.
00:24:25.921 --> 00:24:28.123
All they wanted to do was just open it.
00:24:28.123 --> 00:24:30.725
It was fun. it's like, hey!
00:24:30.725 --> 00:24:32.394
And they have walked away with 1 or 2 things, and all i was
00:24:32.394 --> 00:24:37.265
Interested in is what i wanted to present to them
00:24:37.265 --> 00:24:40.902
At that particular time.
00:24:40.902 --> 00:24:42.737
And when we started seeking the counsel of god and the wisdom
00:24:42.737 --> 00:24:46.207
Of god on knowing how to really minister to others,
00:24:46.207 --> 00:24:50.579
Then we would eliminate the waste.
00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:53.915
And i mean, whether that's money, time or whatever it is
00:24:53.915 --> 00:24:57.218
That we're offering at that time.
00:24:57.218 --> 00:24:59.054
I mean, it's crazy. i don't even have to go
00:24:59.054 --> 00:25:02.791
Christmas shopping this year, probably. regift all that.
00:25:02.791 --> 00:25:06.027
I can regift it.
00:25:06.027 --> 00:25:07.128
I can wrap it up.
00:25:07.128 --> 00:25:08.263
They probably don't even remember, you know, i mean,
00:25:08.263 --> 00:25:11.166
Like my oldest girl--
00:25:11.166 --> 00:25:12.901
Christmas is done for you, babe.
00:25:12.901 --> 00:25:14.002
They left the boxes.
00:25:14.002 --> 00:25:15.103
I'm saying, man, they didn't like it.
00:25:15.103 --> 00:25:17.973
That was fun.
00:25:17.973 --> 00:25:19.174
Yeah, that was exciting.
00:25:19.174 --> 00:25:21.176
Don't care nothing about it.
00:25:21.176 --> 00:25:22.611
Some of the babies rather
00:25:22.611 --> 00:25:24.279
Play with the box than the gift. yeah.
00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:27.015
But we magnify so much of the wrong things.
00:25:27.015 --> 00:25:31.386
I think if you just go to jesus because he's the author of our
00:25:31.386 --> 00:25:35.190
Life anyway, he knows the beginning from the end.
00:25:35.190 --> 00:25:38.093
Who better to guide us? yes.
00:25:38.093 --> 00:25:40.061
Okay, lord, where did i go at this point,
00:25:40.061 --> 00:25:42.797
You know?
00:25:42.797 --> 00:25:44.099
And i think that as we live in a life of desiring god's will,
00:25:44.099 --> 00:25:50.839
I think it really helps us.
00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:53.208
Uh, this conversation is encouraging me because do i
00:25:53.208 --> 00:25:58.680
Stop and ask?
00:25:58.680 --> 00:26:01.449
Maybe, like jeannie said, you know, we are in a time of new
00:26:01.449 --> 00:26:06.688
In the whole world, the globe.
00:26:06.688 --> 00:26:09.357
And instead of trying to hang on to yesterday's ideas, how
00:26:09.357 --> 00:26:15.630
Can we more mature moms and grandmoms and even young women?
00:26:15.630 --> 00:26:19.901
How can we stop and hear and know that god is a god of
00:26:19.901 --> 00:26:27.275
Change and it's up to us to hear and grow?
00:26:27.275 --> 00:26:33.114
And as doctor freeman is talking, i'm thinking, do i try
00:26:33.114 --> 00:26:39.287
To hang on to these old pictures that are in my head
00:26:39.287 --> 00:26:45.560
When if i could listen and i'd
00:26:45.560 --> 00:26:48.563
Love to talk a little more about.
00:26:48.563 --> 00:26:50.832
For me personally, my testimony is that over the years i've
00:26:50.832 --> 00:26:55.303
Learned that if i hear something in my head, so to
00:26:55.303 --> 00:26:59.974
Speak, that doesn't necessarily mean it was me. that's god
00:26:59.974 --> 00:27:05.313
Often in my head, and sometimes i've even had an idea, like
00:27:05.313 --> 00:27:09.517
You've said, like a desire,
00:27:09.517 --> 00:27:12.153
And i've thought, oh, i shouldn't get that.
00:27:12.153 --> 00:27:14.456
And i think to myself, wait a minute, robyn, any desires that
00:27:14.456 --> 00:27:18.460
Are within me, they they've come from god,
00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:20.862
If they're if they're in alignment with scripture.
00:27:20.862 --> 00:27:24.365
And i'm-- he gives me the desire.
00:27:24.365 --> 00:27:26.901
And yet here often i can find myself saying, oh no, that you
00:27:26.901 --> 00:27:31.339
Know, church lady talk now. you know, oh no, oh no.
00:27:31.339 --> 00:27:34.109
What would people think?
00:27:34.109 --> 00:27:35.810
Or i shouldn't want that or etc., etc.
00:27:35.810 --> 00:27:40.648
And i'm thinking as we're talking, how much more is
00:27:40.648 --> 00:27:45.820
Available to me and how much more god wants to do.
00:27:45.820 --> 00:27:50.792
He loves us so much.
00:27:50.792 --> 00:27:52.393
And yet by my
00:27:52.393 --> 00:27:55.029
Stubbornness or insecurity
00:27:55.029 --> 00:27:58.833
Or competitive spirit, i hang on to the old image.
00:27:58.833 --> 00:28:06.241
When christmas can be reinvented, so to speak, in my
00:28:06.241 --> 00:28:10.945
Heart as he reveals himself to me.
00:28:10.945 --> 00:28:14.783
When a person says that they've never heard god's voice,
00:28:14.783 --> 00:28:19.154
I would encourage them the way i would one of my sons,
00:28:19.154 --> 00:28:23.458
My children.
00:28:23.458 --> 00:28:24.459
I would say to them, you've heard his voice.
00:28:24.459 --> 00:28:28.997
You just weren't listening.
00:28:28.997 --> 00:28:30.732
Now you may be saying, oh, brother robyn, that's not
00:28:30.732 --> 00:28:34.369
The answer i want.
00:28:34.369 --> 00:28:35.637
What i mean by that is that god is speaking all the time
00:28:35.637 --> 00:28:40.809
In many, many ways.
00:28:40.809 --> 00:28:43.011
People. incidences.
00:28:43.011 --> 00:28:45.914
Circumstances. something comes in the mail.
00:28:45.914 --> 00:28:49.184
The phone rings.
00:28:49.184 --> 00:28:50.652
And as you put your antenna up, as you start today and say,
00:28:50.652 --> 00:28:55.757
Now, god,
00:28:55.757 --> 00:28:57.025
Other people say they hear your voice,
00:28:57.025 --> 00:28:58.927
So i want to do that.
00:28:58.927 --> 00:29:00.929
That's where it begins.
00:29:00.929 --> 00:29:02.497
Start now.
00:29:02.497 --> 00:29:03.865
Pray. say, lord, i want to hear your voice.
00:29:03.865 --> 00:29:07.969
And as you say that, and as you let your awareness increase and
00:29:07.969 --> 00:29:13.708
It will, you're going to find these moments, these
00:29:13.708 --> 00:29:18.146
Impossibilities, these
00:29:18.146 --> 00:29:20.348
Circumstances that come together.
00:29:20.348 --> 00:29:22.584
And you're going to say, was that the lord?
00:29:22.584 --> 00:29:24.986
And you're already going to know the answer.
00:29:24.986 --> 00:29:27.622
God loves you.
00:29:27.622 --> 00:29:29.624
He adores you, and he's speaking.
00:29:29.624 --> 00:29:32.360
It's time to listen.
00:29:32.360 --> 00:29:34.729
Again, i've had to grow in prayer.
00:29:34.729 --> 00:29:38.166
And when these thoughts come, stephanie, i'm thinking about
00:29:38.166 --> 00:29:41.002
Your friend being led,
00:29:41.002 --> 00:29:42.303
How can we be more right on, so to speak, more accurate in our
00:29:42.303 --> 00:29:48.509
Discerning of the lord's leading in our life?
00:29:48.509 --> 00:29:52.547
And what do you do to cultivate that kind of discipline?
00:29:52.547 --> 00:29:57.552
We talk about spiritual disciplines.
00:29:57.552 --> 00:29:59.821
What do you do to hear god clearly?
00:29:59.821 --> 00:30:03.758
What do you do, stephanie?
00:30:03.758 --> 00:30:05.260
I think one, it's the recognition of his voice, you
00:30:05.260 --> 00:30:08.263
Know, and that comes in many ways, whether you are spending
00:30:08.263 --> 00:30:13.201
Time in the word to even know his character first, to know
00:30:13.201 --> 00:30:16.137
What would the lord say and what wouldn't he say?
00:30:16.137 --> 00:30:19.774
You know, the lord would not tell someone, like, jump in
00:30:19.774 --> 00:30:21.943
Front of a bus and let me show you that i will save you.
00:30:21.943 --> 00:30:24.679
Right? yeah.
00:30:24.679 --> 00:30:25.947
It just doesn't sound like you.
00:30:25.947 --> 00:30:27.148
It does not sound like him.
00:30:27.148 --> 00:30:28.416
Right? so one is, you know, understanding his character,
00:30:28.416 --> 00:30:32.053
But also cultivating an environment, a time where you
00:30:32.053 --> 00:30:36.691
Just spent time with the lord.
00:30:36.691 --> 00:30:39.594
You know, when they talk about those who wait on the lord,
00:30:39.594 --> 00:30:42.497
That he will renew their strength, but there is a
00:30:42.497 --> 00:30:45.500
Literal waiting on god.
00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:47.302
Like when you're spending time in his presence and you're just
00:30:47.302 --> 00:30:50.038
Like god, speak to me about my day.
00:30:50.038 --> 00:30:52.073
And that's why even in worship, they have soaking music where
00:30:52.073 --> 00:30:55.243
You just listen and you just sit and you just wait.
00:30:55.243 --> 00:30:59.213
And i think many times, the art of waiting, we have made it to
00:30:59.213 --> 00:31:03.284
Seem like seasons, like i'm just waiting for this season of
00:31:03.284 --> 00:31:06.654
My life where god blesses me with a gift.
00:31:06.654 --> 00:31:09.190
But there is waiting that looks
00:31:09.190 --> 00:31:10.992
Like literal stillness in his presence.
00:31:10.992 --> 00:31:14.495
When you think about moses, when the lord wanted to speak
00:31:14.495 --> 00:31:17.832
To moses and give him the ten commandments on tablets, he
00:31:17.832 --> 00:31:21.903
Tells him to come up.
00:31:21.903 --> 00:31:23.571
There was a moment where he left.
00:31:23.571 --> 00:31:24.839
He was not even there.
00:31:24.839 --> 00:31:26.207
Moses was up on the mountain, and then after some time,
00:31:26.207 --> 00:31:29.110
The cloud comes over. right.
00:31:29.110 --> 00:31:31.713
And we're like, okay, moses is on the mountain for 40 days
00:31:31.713 --> 00:31:36.684
And 40 nights.
00:31:36.684 --> 00:31:38.786
But what happened was in a few minutes, because he already
00:31:38.786 --> 00:31:43.858
Wrote the commandments. it was not when he told moses, now
00:31:43.858 --> 00:31:46.861
You're going to write them.
00:31:46.861 --> 00:31:48.162
So they were already ready.
00:31:48.162 --> 00:31:49.797
But so there is a literal waiting in his presence that's
00:31:49.797 --> 00:31:53.968
Right for him to now show up.
00:31:53.968 --> 00:31:55.937
And you can speak, and he and he will speak,
00:31:55.937 --> 00:31:57.605
And you would hear him.
00:31:57.605 --> 00:31:58.906
So i think that we even getting back to that art of like, god,
00:31:58.906 --> 00:32:02.343
I want to hear from you.
00:32:02.343 --> 00:32:03.911
I want to, i want to read your word not just as something to
00:32:03.911 --> 00:32:06.981
Check off, you know, but i want to read your word and ask the
00:32:06.981 --> 00:32:09.617
Holy spirit, like, illuminate this to me.
00:32:09.617 --> 00:32:12.186
Reveal to me, what are you saying?
00:32:12.186 --> 00:32:14.188
You start to hear the voice of god.
00:32:14.188 --> 00:32:15.823
And what that does is you talked about practicing the
00:32:15.823 --> 00:32:18.259
Presence the day before.
00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.827
You're practicing the presence of god.
00:32:19.827 --> 00:32:22.830
God. you're everywhere.
00:32:22.830 --> 00:32:23.831
You're with me right now.
00:32:23.831 --> 00:32:25.133
But do i sense you?
00:32:25.133 --> 00:32:26.567
And i want to sense the lord.
00:32:26.567 --> 00:32:27.935
I want to hear his voice.
00:32:27.935 --> 00:32:29.404
And i think the other thing is growing in our relationship
00:32:29.404 --> 00:32:32.673
With him in the aspect of inviting him in every area,
00:32:32.673 --> 00:32:37.378
Because the holy spirit is really i mean, we talk about
00:32:37.378 --> 00:32:40.114
Modern day gentleman, but the
00:32:40.114 --> 00:32:41.549
Holy spirit is the first gentleman.
00:32:41.549 --> 00:32:43.284
He will not force himself on anybody.
00:32:43.284 --> 00:32:45.486
Right? and so just like when we talk about even relationships,
00:32:45.486 --> 00:32:48.823
Like i just got married and i text my husband about
00:32:48.823 --> 00:32:51.592
Everything, i'm getting my nails done.
00:32:51.592 --> 00:32:53.761
I'm like, hey, babe, what do you think about these colors?
00:32:53.761 --> 00:32:55.763
You know, is it too dark or too--
00:32:55.763 --> 00:32:57.598
And it's the most random things.
00:32:57.598 --> 00:32:59.333
And he just knows, like when i get a call from you, it could
00:32:59.333 --> 00:33:02.370
Be about a bird just flew up, and you need
00:33:02.370 --> 00:33:05.106
To see this bird, you know?
00:33:05.106 --> 00:33:07.275
So we talk about everything and cultivating that because what
00:33:07.275 --> 00:33:12.180
Does that need that the person i am one with?
00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:14.749
And i think that's even the best way, whether it's someone
00:33:14.749 --> 00:33:17.118
Who's in a relationship or you have seen, you know, whether
00:33:17.118 --> 00:33:20.188
It's your parents or an aunt and you see this marriage, what
00:33:20.188 --> 00:33:23.391
Is that need for people to overcommunicate always talk to
00:33:23.391 --> 00:33:26.394
Each other about, what are you doing?
00:33:26.394 --> 00:33:27.762
Where are you at all these things?
00:33:27.762 --> 00:33:29.530
Because it really comes from what our relationship with god
00:33:29.530 --> 00:33:33.668
Is supposed to look like.
00:33:33.668 --> 00:33:35.303
That lord, i'm inviting you into every area of my life.
00:33:35.303 --> 00:33:37.839
Not in a weird, creepy way, but in a beautiful way.
00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:42.143
Listening for the voice of god and receiving his counsel comes
00:33:42.143 --> 00:33:47.148
In waiting on him.
00:33:47.148 --> 00:33:50.118
Sometimes we'll find the voice of god in circumstances that
00:33:50.118 --> 00:33:54.288
Force us to wait, or tragedies maybe that we don't understand,
00:33:54.288 --> 00:33:58.693
Or relationships that go sour.
00:33:58.693 --> 00:34:00.895
There's always something to be learned in that process,
00:34:00.895 --> 00:34:04.065
But the bible says that all things work together for the
00:34:04.065 --> 00:34:08.102
Good of those that love the lord.
00:34:08.102 --> 00:34:11.005
So as i wait on the lord, i try to listen for his voice.
00:34:11.005 --> 00:34:16.010
I try to be sensitive to the environment, to the people
00:34:16.010 --> 00:34:19.247
Around me because that's what jesus would do.
00:34:19.247 --> 00:34:21.682
He was sensitive to those that are round about him.
00:34:21.682 --> 00:34:25.453
He was sensitive to the needs.
00:34:25.453 --> 00:34:27.121
And i don't try not to get ahead of myself, but live
00:34:27.121 --> 00:34:30.558
In the moment,
00:34:30.558 --> 00:34:31.859
Live where i know god is at and he is definitely in the moment.
00:34:31.859 --> 00:34:36.297
We say all of these things like god will never leave me
00:34:36.297 --> 00:34:39.033
Nor forsake me. you know?
00:34:39.033 --> 00:34:40.568
And so just even adding to that, having an understanding
00:34:40.568 --> 00:34:44.372
That god is present, god is always here and that we can
00:34:44.372 --> 00:34:49.310
Always communicate with him.
00:34:49.310 --> 00:34:51.212
We can always, you know, talk to him.
00:34:51.212 --> 00:34:53.848
We don't have to wait for him to come. you know, thank god
00:34:53.848 --> 00:34:56.317
For technology.
00:34:56.317 --> 00:34:57.418
And we can text and call our husbands and send
00:34:57.418 --> 00:35:00.354
Some pictures and all.
00:35:00.354 --> 00:35:01.789
But man, just to know that god is omnipresent.
00:35:01.789 --> 00:35:05.359
Yes. that he is here with us and he's always, he's always
00:35:05.359 --> 00:35:09.463
Talking to us, too.
00:35:09.463 --> 00:35:11.132
But sometimes we're just so busy.
00:35:11.132 --> 00:35:13.701
And so that's why we need to-- moments in our life
00:35:13.701 --> 00:35:15.636
Where we can pause and be still because we're--
00:35:15.636 --> 00:35:20.374
So it's just like the scripture that says his thoughts
00:35:20.374 --> 00:35:22.543
About us are endless.
00:35:22.543 --> 00:35:24.245
And that's anytime i pray for
00:35:24.245 --> 00:35:26.013
Someone, i go to that scripture.
00:35:26.013 --> 00:35:27.748
I'm like, god, share with me your thoughts about your
00:35:27.748 --> 00:35:30.618
Daughter, about your son, because your thoughts
00:35:30.618 --> 00:35:32.920
About them are endless.
00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:35.056
So you you're always, you're always mindful.
00:35:35.056 --> 00:35:38.392
You're always thinking about them.
00:35:38.392 --> 00:35:39.760
You're always speaking to them.
00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:45.866
One of the promises that i have held on to for years, it's one
00:35:49.503 --> 00:35:54.275
Of my favorite texts in scripture, in proverbs chapter
00:35:54.275 --> 00:35:56.777
Three, verses five and six, and it says this, trust in the lord
00:35:56.777 --> 00:36:00.615
With all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.
00:36:00.615 --> 00:36:04.719
In all your ways acknowledge
00:36:04.719 --> 00:36:06.587
Him, and he will make your path straight.
00:36:06.587 --> 00:36:10.358
And i have taken that literally since i was a young girl,
00:36:10.358 --> 00:36:13.694
Believing that if i try and acknowledge god in everything
00:36:13.694 --> 00:36:17.064
That he will--
00:36:17.064 --> 00:36:18.165
And honestly, i've never applied to a book company.
00:36:18.165 --> 00:36:20.001
I've never applied to a record company.
00:36:20.001 --> 00:36:21.535
I've actually never applied for a job.
00:36:21.535 --> 00:36:23.804
My heart has been, lord, open the door and i will
00:36:23.804 --> 00:36:26.741
Walk through it.
00:36:26.741 --> 00:36:27.742
And when you trust god, he is faithful.
00:36:27.742 --> 00:36:31.912
Be the first to know all the latest better together updates.
00:36:31.912 --> 00:36:35.716
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00:36:35.716 --> 00:36:39.387
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00:36:39.387 --> 00:36:43.004
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00:36:43.004 --> 00:36:46.662
My prayer for you this christmas is that you would
00:36:50.132 --> 00:36:52.768
Find some moments to just slow down.
00:36:52.768 --> 00:36:56.371
You know what i mean?
00:36:56.371 --> 00:36:57.039
Christmas can be so crazy.
00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.607
We're just running around trying to get everything done.
00:36:58.607 --> 00:37:01.143
I pray that you will have some moments to slow down and really
00:37:01.143 --> 00:37:04.579
Receive the gift of christmas.
00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:06.848
That you would know that emmanuel, god is with us.
00:37:06.848 --> 00:37:10.619
In the midst of the crazy, find some peace.
00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:16.925
I'm reminded of a story of a girl that i knew that came from
00:37:20.529 --> 00:37:24.800
South africa, and she was here in america for several months,
00:37:24.800 --> 00:37:30.539
Maybe even a year, a couple years.
00:37:30.539 --> 00:37:32.541
And i remember having a conversation with her and she
00:37:32.541 --> 00:37:34.876
Said, since i have come to america, she said, my life has
00:37:34.876 --> 00:37:39.915
Become so busy i cannot hear god anymore.
00:37:39.915 --> 00:37:43.452
Wow.
00:37:43.452 --> 00:37:44.686
And i think we have to get comfortable and become at ease
00:37:44.686 --> 00:37:48.924
With not being busy all of the time, because we equate
00:37:48.924 --> 00:37:53.028
Busyness with significance. or success. and importance and all
00:37:53.028 --> 00:37:58.300
The things, and we're not comfortable just waiting.
00:37:58.300 --> 00:38:01.636
Even sometimes when we sit down to read the bible,
00:38:01.636 --> 00:38:05.207
Oh, god, i need a word from you.
00:38:05.207 --> 00:38:06.975
Sometimes we just we need to get to the place where we
00:38:06.975 --> 00:38:10.045
Just read the word.
00:38:10.045 --> 00:38:11.513
And god says he longs to reveal himself through the word,
00:38:11.513 --> 00:38:15.884
But it doesn't happen--
00:38:15.884 --> 00:38:17.886
Uh, intimacy with the lord doesn't happen when you just
00:38:17.886 --> 00:38:20.622
Say, okay, god, i need a word.
00:38:20.622 --> 00:38:22.624
No, it's it's something that you move into.
00:38:22.624 --> 00:38:25.260
It's a place of ease and rest,
00:38:25.260 --> 00:38:27.362
And then it just begins to come naturally.
00:38:27.362 --> 00:38:29.698
Sometimes when i'm reading the word, i'll be--
00:38:29.698 --> 00:38:32.367
You know, the old testament has a lot of slayings and killings,
00:38:32.367 --> 00:38:36.171
And, uh, but i see a constant through there.
00:38:36.171 --> 00:38:39.174
I see how much god loved his people and how much he wanted
00:38:39.174 --> 00:38:43.378
To get their attention.
00:38:43.378 --> 00:38:44.379
But i'll be reading along in some of that,
00:38:44.379 --> 00:38:46.381
And then all of a sudden, the lord will just
00:38:46.381 --> 00:38:48.817
Highlight something to me.
00:38:48.817 --> 00:38:50.185
But it's not because i've tried to like, okay, god,
00:38:50.185 --> 00:38:52.754
I just need a word.
00:38:52.754 --> 00:38:53.989
I need a word from you.
00:38:53.989 --> 00:38:55.390
And that's then the lord just begins to reveal himself,
00:38:55.390 --> 00:38:58.693
Or so i think coming to a place of ease so that
00:38:58.693 --> 00:39:02.030
We can hear clearly.
00:39:02.030 --> 00:39:03.965
And that's probably the hardest thing for us.
00:39:03.965 --> 00:39:06.701
And we feel uncomfortable not doing something all the time.
00:39:06.701 --> 00:39:11.606
You know, life offers us so many opportunities to be busy,
00:39:11.606 --> 00:39:16.778
To just be into so many different things,
00:39:16.778 --> 00:39:20.582
And i'm okay with that.
00:39:20.582 --> 00:39:23.151
But i'm not okay if it interferes with you spending
00:39:23.151 --> 00:39:26.955
Quality time with the father.
00:39:26.955 --> 00:39:29.424
The only way you will ever know his voice, the only way that
00:39:29.424 --> 00:39:33.528
You will ever know that he's present with you is to spend
00:39:33.528 --> 00:39:37.466
Time with him.
00:39:37.466 --> 00:39:39.267
It's just like any other relationship.
00:39:39.267 --> 00:39:41.603
I'm sure some of you have been in, or most of you have been in
00:39:41.603 --> 00:39:44.806
Relationships with someone and you have spent quality time
00:39:44.806 --> 00:39:48.810
With them, and you cannot deny the fact that you would know
00:39:48.810 --> 00:39:54.182
Their voice if they were to call you on the phone today.
00:39:54.182 --> 00:39:57.786
Why? because you have spent time with them.
00:39:57.786 --> 00:40:01.189
The only way that you are going to know the father's voice, if
00:40:01.189 --> 00:40:05.093
You spend time with him and get an understanding of his word,
00:40:05.093 --> 00:40:08.563
Knowing what he will and what he won't say.
00:40:08.563 --> 00:40:12.767
It's just so busy.
00:40:12.767 --> 00:40:14.369
We live in this microwave
00:40:14.369 --> 00:40:17.572
Society where we want everything right now,
00:40:17.572 --> 00:40:20.141
When we want it.
00:40:20.141 --> 00:40:21.576
You know, right away, if we don't have time to just pull
00:40:21.576 --> 00:40:25.914
Aside and just say, let me, you know, value this moment that
00:40:25.914 --> 00:40:31.686
I'm in, it's like it has to be
00:40:31.686 --> 00:40:34.422
Something else better than this moment.
00:40:34.422 --> 00:40:36.691
And i was thinking about you, steph, when you were talking
00:40:36.691 --> 00:40:39.327
About those things that you experienced when you were
00:40:39.327 --> 00:40:41.796
Growing up, you probably have more time to value more than
00:40:41.796 --> 00:40:46.935
What we you know, we did because it wasn't as much.
00:40:46.935 --> 00:40:51.239
Yeah. you know, you come here,
00:40:51.239 --> 00:40:52.607
It's like we just-- and come here
00:40:52.607 --> 00:40:55.877
I'm saying because you say you were raised in nigeria and, you
00:40:55.877 --> 00:40:59.814
Know, we come here,
00:40:59.814 --> 00:41:00.916
It's like we all we got to have so much.
00:41:00.916 --> 00:41:03.652
We got to put all the frills.
00:41:03.652 --> 00:41:05.020
And she said they just had fireworks and what.
00:41:05.020 --> 00:41:08.256
Yeah. because christmas is so, it's really a huge cultural
00:41:08.256 --> 00:41:12.127
Difference because christmas is really the most stripped down
00:41:12.127 --> 00:41:15.196
Season in nigeria.
00:41:15.196 --> 00:41:17.499
And here is the most glamorous season, because in nigeria,
00:41:17.499 --> 00:41:21.036
It's a time where family comes together.
00:41:21.036 --> 00:41:23.572
Um, you know, it's really more on
00:41:23.572 --> 00:41:25.674
We go to church a lot and there's fireworks, but it's
00:41:25.674 --> 00:41:28.843
Also a time where we go to our home villages.
00:41:28.843 --> 00:41:32.414
So like most people live in the city, but then there is always
00:41:32.414 --> 00:41:36.451
Like everyone has, like where the hometown is, like there's a
00:41:36.451 --> 00:41:39.421
Village that you're from and it's like, it doesn't matter
00:41:39.421 --> 00:41:44.225
How glamorous your life is in the city, how beautiful your
00:41:44.225 --> 00:41:47.696
Life is in the city, everyone goes back to the village.
00:41:47.696 --> 00:41:51.433
And so you go from running water and light and you're
00:41:51.433 --> 00:41:55.971
Going to fetching water.
00:41:55.971 --> 00:41:58.239
But it's fun.
00:41:58.239 --> 00:41:59.474
It's like the simplicity
00:41:59.474 --> 00:42:01.810
Because it's about family gathering.
00:42:01.810 --> 00:42:03.912
So you're with your grandma, you're with your uncles, and
00:42:03.912 --> 00:42:06.781
You're sitting outside and people are just laughing and
00:42:06.781 --> 00:42:09.918
Things are happening.
00:42:09.918 --> 00:42:11.186
And that goes back to even what you were talking about, how
00:42:11.186 --> 00:42:14.990
Mary and elizabeth, you know,
00:42:14.990 --> 00:42:17.425
During that time, relationship, community.
00:42:17.425 --> 00:42:20.395
Right. we're not even, we're so individualized here that we're
00:42:20.395 --> 00:42:24.899
Always thinking about me, myself and i, you know, or what
00:42:24.899 --> 00:42:28.770
Can we do for my four and no more, you know, but you guys,
00:42:28.770 --> 00:42:33.074
It's like you have community.
00:42:33.074 --> 00:42:34.409
You stop, you paused and you appreciate it.
00:42:34.409 --> 00:42:37.779
And you value the things that christ values because we are--
00:42:37.779 --> 00:42:42.150
People are god's greatest commodity.
00:42:42.150 --> 00:42:44.953
He's only interested in people.
00:42:44.953 --> 00:42:46.655
He could care less about your
00:42:46.655 --> 00:42:48.189
Gifts, your your cars, your houses.
00:42:48.189 --> 00:42:51.793
What did you do for my people, you know?
00:42:51.793 --> 00:42:55.196
And so for you all to come together and to value those
00:42:55.196 --> 00:42:58.066
Moments is priceless
00:42:58.066 --> 00:43:00.101
Because you paused.
00:43:00.101 --> 00:43:01.636
Here we're thinking about what can we do to make the
00:43:01.636 --> 00:43:05.006
Next thing happen.
00:43:05.006 --> 00:43:06.241
Well, and i think when god created us, he created us for
00:43:06.241 --> 00:43:10.345
Relationship with him.
00:43:10.345 --> 00:43:12.480
That was why we were created.
00:43:12.480 --> 00:43:14.516
It wasn't about to just-- i mean, he tells us to go out and
00:43:14.516 --> 00:43:18.486
Dominate and and procreate and all those different things.
00:43:18.486 --> 00:43:21.923
But he created us for relationship.
00:43:21.923 --> 00:43:25.760
And when it comes back down to it, if you think about your
00:43:25.760 --> 00:43:29.130
Best christmases or the things that you remember most, it's
00:43:29.130 --> 00:43:33.134
About, i mean, you can have difficult challenges where the
00:43:33.134 --> 00:43:37.205
Relationships aren't good.
00:43:37.205 --> 00:43:38.006
But when the best one.
00:43:38.006 --> 00:43:39.474
The best one,
00:43:39.474 --> 00:43:40.709
The best things that happen in our life really come as a
00:43:40.709 --> 00:43:43.311
Result of maybe being in relationship with somebody
00:43:43.311 --> 00:43:46.848
Because you, there's just something valuable.
00:43:46.848 --> 00:43:49.317
And i think it's deep on the inside of us to want
00:43:49.317 --> 00:43:51.753
Relationship, but we're distracted.
00:43:51.753 --> 00:43:54.289
And i think that the enemy can use that against us.
00:43:54.289 --> 00:43:57.125
He distracts us with so much stuff, and then he divides us
00:43:57.125 --> 00:44:00.862
From the relationships that
00:44:00.862 --> 00:44:02.263
Will really make us feel complete.
00:44:02.263 --> 00:44:05.800
I think in community you have,
00:44:05.800 --> 00:44:08.670
You can weight an opinion in a balance.
00:44:08.670 --> 00:44:12.507
You can weigh a matter in a balance to say, hey, this is
00:44:12.507 --> 00:44:16.010
What i'm going through.
00:44:16.010 --> 00:44:17.378
And when you begin to hear people's experiences and
00:44:17.378 --> 00:44:20.548
Testimonies, you can weigh it out like, okay,
00:44:20.548 --> 00:44:23.518
This is making sense.
00:44:23.518 --> 00:44:25.019
Okay? i can see what's happening here.
00:44:25.019 --> 00:44:27.021
And here's the beauty, right?
00:44:27.021 --> 00:44:29.124
The lord actually gives us this revelation when it says we
00:44:29.124 --> 00:44:32.560
Overcome by the blood of the
00:44:32.560 --> 00:44:34.095
Lamb and by the word of our testimony.
00:44:34.095 --> 00:44:37.766
The one thing that he almost puts in comparison to the blood
00:44:37.766 --> 00:44:44.739
Of jesus when it comes to overcoming is testimony.
00:44:44.739 --> 00:44:49.477
It's hearing from other people that in my-- that for me is
00:44:49.477 --> 00:44:53.515
So powerful, right?
00:44:53.515 --> 00:44:55.083
But that happens in community, because sometimes you might
00:44:55.083 --> 00:44:58.052
Think that what you're going through is unique to you, and
00:44:58.052 --> 00:45:01.256
No one else has ever experienced it.
00:45:01.256 --> 00:45:03.525
But when you are vulnerable to open up, all of a sudden you're
00:45:03.525 --> 00:45:07.796
Hearing from people and you're like, wait, this is not--
00:45:07.796 --> 00:45:11.099
I'm not alone in this.
00:45:11.099 --> 00:45:13.368
I don't feel isolated in this.
00:45:13.368 --> 00:45:15.069
And all of a sudden you begin to get vision and faith and
00:45:15.069 --> 00:45:18.006
Clarity for how you should move forward.
00:45:18.006 --> 00:45:20.275
So god designed us for relationships, for relationship
00:45:20.275 --> 00:45:23.611
With one another.
00:45:23.611 --> 00:45:24.612
And in relationship we also experience him.
00:45:24.612 --> 00:45:28.516
I think that might be some of
00:45:28.516 --> 00:45:30.018
The best gifts we can give each other.
00:45:30.018 --> 00:45:31.820
This year is the gift of our presence.
00:45:31.820 --> 00:45:34.889
Yes, just being in the room, you know, our presence
00:45:34.889 --> 00:45:40.295
With his presence, bringing his presence with our presence, you
00:45:40.295 --> 00:45:44.032
Know, and just getting together whether there's gifts and all
00:45:44.032 --> 00:45:47.936
The trimmings. you know, just the value of time together,
00:45:47.936 --> 00:45:52.674
Sharing the purpose of christmas.
00:45:52.674 --> 00:45:55.210
Yeah, absolutely.
00:45:55.210 --> 00:45:56.477
What was the purpose of christmas?
00:45:56.477 --> 00:45:58.246
It was salvation.
00:45:58.246 --> 00:45:59.614
Celebration. right?
00:45:59.614 --> 00:46:01.950
Celebration. the angels sing.
00:46:01.950 --> 00:46:03.618
I mean, that was the first--
00:46:03.618 --> 00:46:05.420
That was the first worship service was the angels in the
00:46:05.420 --> 00:46:09.357
Sky, you know, saying, glory to god in the highest.
00:46:09.357 --> 00:46:13.127
Get back to to those simple things.
00:46:13.127 --> 00:46:15.797
Go back to the village.
00:46:15.797 --> 00:46:17.131
Go back to your first love.
00:46:17.131 --> 00:46:18.366
Go back to to when things were simpler and focus on why
00:46:18.366 --> 00:46:23.705
We celebrate, that we
00:46:23.705 --> 00:46:25.440
Celebrate salvation and reconciliation to a god who
00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:30.111
Loves us through jesus that died for us, you know?
00:46:30.111 --> 00:46:34.449
And and maybe we don't do all the foo-foo this year.
00:46:34.449 --> 00:46:37.919
Yeah. right?
00:46:37.919 --> 00:46:39.387
And all the stuff that, that, that if, you know, it's going
00:46:39.387 --> 00:46:42.824
To stress you out, do yourself a favor and just simplify it.
00:46:42.824 --> 00:46:48.563
Simplify it.
00:46:48.563 --> 00:46:49.898
Sit down with your grandbabies, tell them about jesus,
00:46:49.898 --> 00:46:52.467
Read them the story.
00:46:52.467 --> 00:46:53.668
Read them books of christ.
00:46:53.668 --> 00:46:56.137
Make a cake.
00:46:56.137 --> 00:46:58.006
Have a birthday party for jesus.
00:46:58.006 --> 00:47:00.775
Make it different
00:47:00.775 --> 00:47:02.010
This year, if christmas just completely stresses you out.
00:47:02.010 --> 00:47:05.346
Get out those old toys.
00:47:05.346 --> 00:47:07.782
Remind those kids of all that fun stuff in that closet.
00:47:07.782 --> 00:47:10.585
You all go down to the basement and have a party.
00:47:10.585 --> 00:47:13.054
Right.
00:47:13.054 --> 00:47:14.355
And i think this, too, and this made me think of this laurie, is
00:47:14.355 --> 00:47:17.859
That if we want to have influence in people's lives,
00:47:17.859 --> 00:47:20.895
We have to have relationship with them.
00:47:20.895 --> 00:47:23.231
There is no influence long term unless there's relationships.
00:47:23.231 --> 00:47:27.502
And so if we focused on the relationship we have with other
00:47:27.502 --> 00:47:30.738
Unwrapping the gift that's in each one of us, how much more
00:47:30.738 --> 00:47:34.909
Blessed and how much more
00:47:34.909 --> 00:47:37.011
Deeply satisfying would that be?
00:47:37.011 --> 00:47:39.447
Besides the turkey that we've had our arms in up to here and
00:47:39.447 --> 00:47:43.818
Then, now you got to clean up the carcass and all of
00:47:43.818 --> 00:47:46.387
That kind of stuff when you're done.
00:47:46.387 --> 00:47:48.122
You know, you invest in the relationships,
00:47:48.122 --> 00:47:50.291
Eat out of paper plates if you must, but enjoy.
00:47:50.291 --> 00:47:53.628
I love that, and i want to pray into that, because even when i
00:47:53.628 --> 00:47:55.930
Think about the greatest gift jesus could even give us was
00:47:55.930 --> 00:47:59.968
His presence, the presence of the holy spirit in us.
00:47:59.968 --> 00:48:03.438
And so every time god gave a
00:48:03.438 --> 00:48:05.306
Gift, the gift spoke to his presence.
00:48:05.306 --> 00:48:08.343
And i think that even this season that, you know, if we
00:48:08.343 --> 00:48:11.612
Must give gifts to be mindful that it should connect to your
00:48:11.612 --> 00:48:15.717
Presence, not just giving a gift and walking away and being
00:48:15.717 --> 00:48:18.786
On the phone, not just giving a gift and doing something else.
00:48:18.786 --> 00:48:21.489
Because, hey, i've done my christmas duty,
00:48:21.489 --> 00:48:23.624
But recognizing your presence is the greatest gift, and
00:48:23.624 --> 00:48:27.362
Anything outside of that should just be an expression of you
00:48:27.362 --> 00:48:31.099
Being there, talking to your family, talking to your loved
00:48:31.099 --> 00:48:34.602
Ones, getting to know each other.
00:48:34.602 --> 00:48:36.237
Because even as we talked about god's counsel, we hear his
00:48:36.237 --> 00:48:39.173
Counsel also in community.
00:48:39.173 --> 00:48:41.175
And so i just want to pray into that. heavenly father,
00:48:41.175 --> 00:48:44.278
We are just so grateful for this conversation, lord god.
00:48:44.278 --> 00:48:48.016
And i'm just praying over our lives and everyone listening
00:48:48.016 --> 00:48:51.285
That, lord god, you would bring us back to the heart of the
00:48:51.285 --> 00:48:55.723
Matter, that heavenly father, even in this season, that we
00:48:55.723 --> 00:48:59.827
Would be reminded about the value of presence.
00:48:59.827 --> 00:49:04.198
And so, lord god, we thank you for your grace, that in this
00:49:04.198 --> 00:49:07.201
Season we will not be overwhelmed by all the things
00:49:07.201 --> 00:49:09.971
That are fleeting, but that we will come back to that place of
00:49:09.971 --> 00:49:13.741
Presence, knowing that you are with us and recognizing the
00:49:13.741 --> 00:49:19.480
Gifts that you have given us in people, that we would show up
00:49:19.480 --> 00:49:23.351
And we just thank you for the blessing of that.
00:49:23.351 --> 00:49:25.853
So have your way in and through
00:49:25.853 --> 00:49:27.522
Our lives in and through this season,
00:49:27.522 --> 00:49:29.624
May you be magnified. in jesus' name, amen.
00:49:29.624 --> 00:49:35.329
Connect with us on social media and let us know how
00:49:35.329 --> 00:49:37.632
Our team can pray for you.
00:49:37.632 --> 00:49:40.101
If you're finding yourself like, overwhelmed and it feels
00:49:40.101 --> 00:49:43.905
Like chaos, i just encourage you to remember what the real
00:49:43.905 --> 00:49:49.444
Meaning of christmas is and take a breath.
00:49:49.444 --> 00:49:53.347
Exhale. you deserve it because this is the moment i even
00:49:53.347 --> 00:49:58.252
Believe in world history where a new way to celebrate is going
00:49:58.252 --> 00:50:04.892
To emerge, and that can start with you.
00:50:04.892 --> 00:50:07.361
It can start in your family, your home, your church, your
00:50:07.361 --> 00:50:11.132
Neighborhood, that you can express generosity and you can
00:50:11.132 --> 00:50:17.305
Demonstrate, just like god did to us when he gave us the
00:50:17.305 --> 00:50:21.209
Greatest gift, baby jesus in the manger,
00:50:21.209 --> 00:50:24.212
You can demonstrate to others what love is and that is
00:50:24.212 --> 00:50:29.851
Caring for others where they need to be cared for.
00:50:29.851 --> 00:50:33.387
You know what? god's going to help you.
00:50:33.387 --> 00:50:36.157
And like i said, take a breath.
00:50:36.157 --> 00:50:38.126
You don't have to do it all today.
00:50:38.126 --> 00:50:41.129
Watch better together on the go.
00:50:41.129 --> 00:50:43.030
Download the free tbn+ app
00:50:43.030 --> 00:50:45.333
To stream all of your favorite conversations.
00:50:45.333 --> 00:50:47.802
♪♪
00:50:47.802 --> 00:50:47.802

The Gift of God's Wisdom - Episode 1127

December 23, 2025 | S7 E1127 | 52:34

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