Better Together

How to Avoid Distractions - Episode 1132

January 6, 2026 | S8 E1132 | 52:34

What is distracting you? We live in a noisy world that competes for attention. But we must refocus our eyes on Jesus, the only One who can fill every void. | TBN Prayer Line: 714-731-1000

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Better Together | How to Avoid Distractions - Episode 1132 | January 6, 2026

- when god calls us to do something, distractions are
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Quick to arise and doubt floods our minds, but we have
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Direct access to peace.
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Jesus quiets all the chaos so come on let's talk about it.
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♪ (music playing) ♪
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- so recently, i found myself in an intense
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Spiritual battle.
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And i think there's just times when it's like, okay, it's me
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Under attack, but this was one of my kids was under
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Heavy attack.
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And, i mean, as a mom, that's just like, i mean.
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- don't mess with a baby.
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- yeah, don't mess with my baby.
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And to be honest, i had been in a battle myself for several
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Years, and i was tired, and i was wrestling and struggling.
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And so in between the times of doing laundry and taking care
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Of my kids and homeschooling and cooking and all of the
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Craziness of my life, i found myself picking up
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My phone more.
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And it would be five minutes here, five minutes there, and
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Just, i found myself drawn to my phone.
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It was kind of like my real life was so heavy that i
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Wanted to have a distraction from it.
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And escape from it.
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And one morning i was sitting before the lord and i was
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Reading my bible and i could hear my phone going off in the
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Other room.
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So here i am reading the word and i was so distracted
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Because i kept hearing my phone go off and the lord
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Said, this is how you're living your life
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Right now. - wow.
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- you are in this battle and wanting victory, but you're
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Distracted by your phone.
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You're distracted by all of these things that you can't
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Even hear for me to get encouragement and the courage
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To face this battle.
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And so in that moment, god just convicted me and just how
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Kindness of the lord.
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I mean, he's so kind to bring us back.
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And so he just showed me, i had been living my life
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So distracted.
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So i was sitting there, and i just confessed that
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Before the lord.
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And i was like, lord, help me to immerse myself in you
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Because i am wrestling and i am so tired.
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God, do you see how tired i am in this battle?
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And i felt like the lord gave me the idea to read my bible
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In 90 days.
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- and the whole bible?
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- the whole bible in 90 days.
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And, you know, normally there's like the one year, you
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Know, bible plan.
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And i just felt like the lord said, read my word, run after
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My word.
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Don't run after distractions when you're in the battle.
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And if you think about a soldier that's literally in
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The battlefield, the enemy, and there's literally, you
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Know, weapons, everything's coming after them.
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And can you imagine a soldier, oh, hold on, let me just check
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My phone for a second.
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Let me see what everyone else is doing in their vacation
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Right now as i'm in this battle.
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- wow. - such a good point.
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And yet the lord was telling me, what you need right now is
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The reminder of who is in the battle with you, that the hope
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That you are going to make it through.
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So i began the journey of reading my bible in 90 days.
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And i have six kids.
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And so what it looked like was me going to the pool and
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Reading my bible by the pool.
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And i remember one time i was there getting my hair done
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With my bible, just reading my bible.
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And i read it as if it was a novel, like a book that you
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Couldn't put down.
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And i had never read it that fast before.
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And so what started to happen was my heart and my mind began
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To change.
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The distractions started to quiet.
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I uninvited them into my life.
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Like, phone, you are not invited anymore into my mind
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And heart because i can't handle it right now.
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Right now, i need hope right now.
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And what was amazing is that god's word never returns void
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Ever in all of our lives.
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And so over those 90 days, i read as a story, not a study
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Tool, not to do this to check off, but literally like daily
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Bread.
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Like god, what happened today that i need to be reminded
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That you've got us?
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And so story after story was these broken people, these
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Weary soldiers that god came in, did the miraculous and
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Made a way for them.
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And so over and over again, the lord reminded me, if i did
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It for them, i can do it for you.
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If i did it back then, i can do it again.
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Look at my faithfulness.
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They have never been without me.
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And then a most amazing moment happened was i got
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To the very end.
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It's the end of the 90 days.
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And i'm outside and sitting in our driveway with my little
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Girl in my garden right there.
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And i just remember the sun was coming in, it was just
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Like a beautiful day.
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And she has this long, blonde hair that was just flowing in
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The wind.
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And i got to the part in revelation at the very end.
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And he said, behold, i will make all things new.
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There will be no more tears.
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There will be no more death.
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There will be no more sorrow.
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And i got to the end of the story.
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And i thought, we have a god that literally won
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This battle.
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- yes.
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- not only has he been in this battle with me, this whole
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Time, but god was like, i already won this battle
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Brittany, i'm not going to just see you through this
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Battle, but i have defeated it.
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And it will not defeat you.
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And it was one of those moments where i just got
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Overwhelmed with the presence of god, his kindness, his
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Goodness and his faithfulness.
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And that i almost missed this entire journey because i was
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So distracted.
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And you know what?
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Social media and phone, they can be good things and they
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Are tools that god gives us to further the gospel.
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But what happens is when those tools become treasures and
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They take the place of the best in our lives because
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There are good things, but jesus is the best thing.
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And so i just think as we go into this new year that we
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Desire to hear from god, we desire to walk in him, that we
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Have to be so careful to not get distracted from the
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Calling by going into lesser things.
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- i think one of the great diseases of our time is
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Distraction.
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You know, it's very easy to, even perhaps you're praying,
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And then you find your mind wandering, thinking, did i
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Defrost the chicken, or you're reading the word of
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God, and then you suddenly think of something else you
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Have to do.
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I've had to choose, and this year i'm doing it with much
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More intentionality to put my phone down and to find some
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Space and time to really listen to the lord, to read
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His word, to be in his presence.
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God loves to talk to us, but sometimes we let the noise
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That's going on around us be louder than the voice of god.
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- so good.
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- i feel so convicted by that, brittany, honestly.
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I have a deadline on a book i'm writing, and the other day
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I was sitting at my desk and barry had been at the studio
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And he came back and he said how did you do on your book,
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And i realized i had been sitting for an hour scrolling
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Through things and i was like i can tell you what the
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Temperature is in croatia if you're interested, and i
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Thought i cannot believe that i've become so numbed because
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I think there's something about social media
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That numbs you.
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- 100%.
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- and i want to thank you that's a word for me, i will
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Be paying way more attention to the word of god
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Than to my phone.
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Because it's not just a distraction.
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Often, it's something that brings you down as well.
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You know, when you just hear all the terrible things that
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Are happening in the world.
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- but that's the distraction.
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- yeah, that is the distraction.
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- yeah, it derails.
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It gets you off course, makes you lose your focus
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And all of that.
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One of the things that god gave me in 2014 was about
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Focusing on the promise and not the process, right?
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All of us are going to go through processes, right?
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But during the process is when we can get distracted because
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That's where the noise is the loudest, right?
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I remember when my husband was in the hospital and everything
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Was just going bad, he was in an induced coma, his numbers
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Were dropping, his liver, his heart, everything was failing.
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And i was standing there watching him and god was
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Telling me, don't look at all of that.
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What did i promise you?
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- wow. - right?
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So it's like keeping your eyes focused on this word opposed
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To everything that's external, you know, to the word, because
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That's where we fail at.
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You know, we get off course.
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It's like, god, i'm gonna trust you.
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Like, that's this whole new year.
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It's like we set all these goals are, oh, yes, i'm going
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To accomplish this.
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I'm going to do that.
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And then you realize you got to get up every morning to go
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To the gym.
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Oh, yeah, at least you got to get up some days during the
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Week to go to the gym.
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You can't just sign up for it and think you're going to
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Accomplish your goal.
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You have to participate during this process, but you got to
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Keep your attention off of the pain of it, the real diligence
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That you got to put in, all of the work that's involved, all
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Of the stuff that you may have to, you know, ignore whatever
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In order to accomplish your goal.
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And it's not always bad stuff.
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It could be great stuff.
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I mean, i'm sure we all see some wonderful things on
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Social media that we can use.
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But is it a god thing for us at that particular time?
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What is it taking our attention, from
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Completing a book.
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- good distractions can also cause us to
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Walk in disobedience.
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And it's important for us to use discernment whenever we
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Decide to take on something new.
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Is this good or is it god?
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And i think the difference between that is,
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Is it expansive?
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Does it include other people?
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And is it godly?
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Does it line up with his word?
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Because even good can be the enemy of best.
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So it's important for us as we load our plate on for this new
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Year to check everything by that barometer and say, okay,
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Is this god's perfect will for my life?
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Does it line up with his word?
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And does it bring life to my family, to my friends?
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And if it passes those tests, then it's probably a
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God thing.
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- my word this year is steward.
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I really feel that so strongly.
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- i'm going to take that word.
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- steward everything like steward our suffering
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Whatever, it is.
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Steward our time, steward our suffering.
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Steward our friendships.
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For some reason that's huge for me this year.
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Every day i pray i mean i pray for my husband and my son
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And myself for wisdom and understanding.
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That god will give us wisdom and understanding in
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Situations to know what to do and understanding of what's
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Going on and seeing his hand but yeah, steward is my word
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This year.
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- that's good.
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- yeah, you know, i heard the other day that we are the only
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Generation that will die with more memories of other people
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Than our own lives.
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Because we have consumed so many memories of all these
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Other people online than the memories of our own lives.
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- that's sad.
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- and when i heard that, and there really is an epidemic
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Going on with that, i mean, of young moms that never look
00:10:55.845 --> 00:10:58.881
Into their kids' eyes and never play with them or push
00:10:58.881 --> 00:11:01.350
Them on the swing and all this stuff.
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And we really are living the most distracted generation
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That's ever been there because we have phones.
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And so, and again, praise the lord for the tool that god has
00:11:08.491 --> 00:11:12.728
Given us, that we can reach the gospel.
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Like tbn reaches the gospel all these people who have
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Never heard because of that.
00:11:17.800 --> 00:11:19.735
So we're so grateful, but it goes back to that same
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Word of stewarding.
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You know, how do we steward our time and our emotions and
00:11:23.739 --> 00:11:25.875
Our thoughts, because, like, you were saying, like, they
00:11:25.875 --> 00:11:27.943
Can all be good things, but all of a sudden, my mind has
00:11:27.943 --> 00:11:31.046
All of that playing in it, even though we think,
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Oh, i'm strong.
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Like, it's not going to affect me.
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I'm not comparing myself to anybody online.
00:11:36.051 --> 00:11:38.821
And then all of a sudden, i mean, you take five minutes on
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Social media, and you're like, they're telling me what to
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Look like.
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They're telling me eat more protein.
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Oh, don't eat more protein.
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Don't wear this.
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Vegetables are good.
00:11:48.130 --> 00:11:50.499
It's like, what is it?
00:11:50.499 --> 00:11:52.134
All of that, but it does affect us because i am human.
00:11:52.134 --> 00:11:55.771
I'm not supernatural.
00:11:55.771 --> 00:11:57.273
And so i am human and it does affect me.
00:11:57.273 --> 00:11:59.341
And i think even just knowing that about ourselves and
00:11:59.341 --> 00:12:01.977
Saying that reality of, man, it is affecting me.
00:12:01.977 --> 00:12:04.346
And bringing in other people if you need help to say, you
00:12:04.346 --> 00:12:08.517
Know what, i'm struggling in my mind.
00:12:08.517 --> 00:12:10.085
And i know you don't see it on the outside, but in my mind, i
00:12:10.085 --> 00:12:12.354
Want victory in this because i'm struggling with
00:12:12.354 --> 00:12:15.357
Comparison, and i want to run the race that god has put
00:12:15.357 --> 00:12:18.894
Before me, not someone else's race, but the one that god has
00:12:18.894 --> 00:12:21.897
Given me, and i want to do it well, and i can't do that by
00:12:21.897 --> 00:12:24.633
Fixing my eyes on other people.
00:12:24.633 --> 00:12:26.101
I have to fix my eyes on jesus.
00:12:26.101 --> 00:12:27.670
- listen, i just had this experience.
00:12:27.670 --> 00:12:30.072
Last year, i planned a women's conference, and i haven't had
00:12:30.072 --> 00:12:34.910
One since, like, 2018 or something.
00:12:34.910 --> 00:12:37.780
I mean, i had very large attendance
00:12:37.780 --> 00:12:41.951
In those conferences.
00:12:41.951 --> 00:12:43.185
And so last year i decided, okay, i'm gonna do another
00:12:43.185 --> 00:12:46.555
Conference that's gonna be in person.
00:12:46.555 --> 00:12:48.224
The registration was horrible starting out.
00:12:48.224 --> 00:12:51.660
Everything was just going so slow.
00:12:51.660 --> 00:12:53.362
People aren't coming back in the buildings,
00:12:53.362 --> 00:12:55.664
What is happening.
00:12:55.664 --> 00:12:56.832
And i'm on social media, and i'm looking at everybody
00:12:56.832 --> 00:12:59.301
Else's attendance in their conferences.
00:12:59.301 --> 00:13:01.403
And i was so distracted.
00:13:01.403 --> 00:13:04.406
I mean, it threw me way off because here i am, i've never
00:13:04.406 --> 00:13:07.643
Been, well, i can't say never, like years ago probably have
00:13:07.643 --> 00:13:10.813
Compared myself, but not my assignment, you know, to other
00:13:10.813 --> 00:13:14.950
People's things.
00:13:14.950 --> 00:13:16.252
This time, it was like i saw myself comparing myself to so
00:13:16.252 --> 00:13:20.723
Many other things that were going on.
00:13:20.723 --> 00:13:23.626
I'm like, what's wrong with me?
00:13:23.626 --> 00:13:26.095
What am i doing wrong?
00:13:26.095 --> 00:13:28.163
God said, get off of there.
00:13:28.163 --> 00:13:30.833
That's not what i called you to do.
00:13:30.833 --> 00:13:32.668
He said, you just focus over here.
00:13:32.668 --> 00:13:34.270
Build here.
00:13:34.270 --> 00:13:35.404
You can't build here and be focused over there.
00:13:35.404 --> 00:13:38.040
Just build this.
00:13:38.040 --> 00:13:39.375
And i promise you, when i shut all of the noise down, that's
00:13:39.375 --> 00:13:42.845
When i've built what god has given me to do in that season.
00:13:42.845 --> 00:13:46.782
And it turned out phenomenal.
00:13:46.782 --> 00:13:48.217
So i see anything can be a distraction.
00:13:48.217 --> 00:13:51.520
Distractions come to distract you.
00:13:51.520 --> 00:13:56.091
And the minute you realize that you are being distracted,
00:13:56.091 --> 00:14:00.396
All you have to do is repent.
00:14:00.396 --> 00:14:02.464
Turn away from the things that have, like, captured your
00:14:02.464 --> 00:14:06.735
Attention and focus back on the things of god.
00:14:06.735 --> 00:14:09.605
God's promises are yes and amen, not the process,
00:14:09.605 --> 00:14:15.010
Not the distractions.
00:14:15.010 --> 00:14:16.211
So you've got to gather yourself, get yourself away
00:14:16.211 --> 00:14:19.114
From all of the noise, separate yourself from all of
00:14:19.114 --> 00:14:22.584
The distractions, and refocus on the things that god has
00:14:22.584 --> 00:14:26.522
Promised you.
00:14:26.522 --> 00:14:28.524
♪ (music playing) ♪
00:14:28.524 --> 00:14:33.862
- so many rhythms that we can implement in our life in the
00:14:33.862 --> 00:14:36.765
New year to help us to just fix our eyes on jesus and put
00:14:36.765 --> 00:14:40.736
Away all the distractions.
00:14:40.736 --> 00:14:42.237
And i would just encourage you to sit before the lord and
00:14:42.237 --> 00:14:44.406
Ask, lord, what are some healthy rhythms that i can put
00:14:44.406 --> 00:14:47.843
In my life to seek you first in your kingdom
00:14:47.843 --> 00:14:50.612
And righteousness?
00:14:50.612 --> 00:14:52.982
- if making new friends is one of your new year resolutions,
00:14:52.982 --> 00:14:55.751
Check out the better together community.
00:14:55.751 --> 00:14:57.820
- follow us on social media and let us know where you're
00:14:57.820 --> 00:15:00.255
Watching from.
00:15:00.255 --> 00:15:02.458
- let's keep the conversation going.
00:15:02.458 --> 00:15:04.226
You can find the better together podcast on your
00:15:04.226 --> 00:15:06.962
Favorite listening platform.
00:15:06.962 --> 00:15:08.731
Subscribe today.
00:15:08.731 --> 00:15:09.631
♪ (music playing) ♪
00:15:09.631 --> 00:15:13.006
♪ (music playing) ♪
00:15:13.006 --> 00:15:15.271
- the lord's blessed me throughout the years to give
00:15:15.271 --> 00:15:18.074
Me side businesses.
00:15:18.074 --> 00:15:20.010
And really, i knew that they were gifts from him because
00:15:20.010 --> 00:15:23.580
They would grow exponentially.
00:15:23.580 --> 00:15:24.914
And i knew that the reason he was blessing me in those is so
00:15:24.914 --> 00:15:30.754
That i could focus wholeheartedly on ministry.
00:15:30.754 --> 00:15:35.425
And i would have this and it would benefit.
00:15:35.425 --> 00:15:37.660
It would dove tail really well with what i was doing.
00:15:37.660 --> 00:15:41.431
But at one point, i remember making the decision to go,
00:15:41.431 --> 00:15:43.800
Wow, this has really grown and it's really financially making
00:15:43.800 --> 00:15:47.504
A difference in my life.
00:15:47.504 --> 00:15:48.938
What if i put the ministry stuff to the side for a while
00:15:48.938 --> 00:15:52.208
And just focus on this side hustle, make it my
00:15:52.208 --> 00:15:55.712
Main hustle?
00:15:55.712 --> 00:15:57.147
Almost instantaneously when i did that, that business
00:15:57.147 --> 00:16:00.617
Started to shrivel up.
00:16:00.617 --> 00:16:02.052
And i went, wait, wait, wait, wait, i got to keep the main
00:16:02.052 --> 00:16:05.255
Thing, the main thing.
00:16:05.255 --> 00:16:06.623
And when i focused back on what god had called me to do,
00:16:06.623 --> 00:16:10.693
Those things started to flourish again.
00:16:10.693 --> 00:16:12.829
And what it taught me was, this is good, but it's not the
00:16:12.829 --> 00:16:17.734
Greatest thing.
00:16:17.734 --> 00:16:18.668
Other people could do this for you.
00:16:18.668 --> 00:16:21.271
You got to do what only you are called to do and to be
00:16:21.271 --> 00:16:24.841
More discerning about that.
00:16:24.841 --> 00:16:26.176
And i think with distraction, as we think of it as somebody
00:16:26.176 --> 00:16:29.045
Waving their hands, you know, when we're in a race to get
00:16:29.045 --> 00:16:31.548
Our attention, our phones are not just distracting, because
00:16:31.548 --> 00:16:35.251
We take it with us, but it is literal interference.
00:16:35.251 --> 00:16:38.288
And i think we need to remember that.
00:16:38.288 --> 00:16:40.323
Everything we get is being curated by people, behind the
00:16:40.323 --> 00:16:44.761
Scenes, by algorithms, and everything to go, what bait
00:16:44.761 --> 00:16:48.031
Can i put out there to get her to start scrolling more?
00:16:48.031 --> 00:16:51.434
And we have to remember that, is that when we choose
00:16:51.434 --> 00:16:55.438
Something, it isn't, we're not choosing evil, we're choosing
00:16:55.438 --> 00:16:58.675
Almost god's will.
00:16:58.675 --> 00:17:02.645
- almost.
00:17:02.645 --> 00:17:04.114
- instead of his will, almost.
00:17:04.114 --> 00:17:05.315
It's close, but it's not exactly, it's not the perfect
00:17:05.315 --> 00:17:08.685
Will of god.
00:17:08.685 --> 00:17:10.220
And we can look at it like, yeah, we can spread the gospel
00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:13.223
On our phone, but are we?
00:17:13.223 --> 00:17:15.992
Is that really what we're spending, you know, six hours
00:17:15.992 --> 00:17:19.295
A day doing?
00:17:19.295 --> 00:17:20.463
- and your phones don't lie.
00:17:20.463 --> 00:17:21.798
You can look at it and it says, you've been on here four
00:17:21.798 --> 00:17:24.501
Hours today.
00:17:24.501 --> 00:17:25.401
- i know.
00:17:25.401 --> 00:17:26.503
Oh, i've been on the bible app for four hours?
00:17:26.503 --> 00:17:28.771
- well, and time goes so fast.
00:17:28.771 --> 00:17:32.175
It does.
00:17:32.175 --> 00:17:33.343
Time goes so fast when you're on your phone.
00:17:33.343 --> 00:17:35.411
You don't even realize it.
00:17:35.411 --> 00:17:37.847
- our culture is very noisy.
00:17:37.847 --> 00:17:39.716
I mean, when i think back to when i was growing up in
00:17:39.716 --> 00:17:42.352
Scotland, we had i think 3 channels on the television, we
00:17:42.352 --> 00:17:47.290
Didn't watch much television.
00:17:47.290 --> 00:17:48.791
I certainly didn't have an iphone or any other kind of
00:17:48.791 --> 00:17:51.427
Thing like that.
00:17:51.427 --> 00:17:52.729
And life seemed more peaceful and more settled, today life
00:17:52.729 --> 00:17:56.833
Is very noisy.
00:17:56.833 --> 00:17:58.101
Even if you walk through the mall there is music blaring,
00:17:58.101 --> 00:18:00.036
And there's all sorts of things going on.
00:18:00.036 --> 00:18:02.472
So that's why we have to decide to be intentional about
00:18:02.472 --> 00:18:05.608
Finding quiet places and quiet spaces with the lord.
00:18:05.608 --> 00:18:09.445
And just, there's something about, you know, psalm 46,
00:18:09.445 --> 00:18:13.449
Verse 10 is be still and know that i am god.
00:18:13.449 --> 00:18:17.687
But when i studied that, i discovered the hebrew root of
00:18:17.687 --> 00:18:20.190
Be still.
00:18:20.190 --> 00:18:20.857
Do you know what it is?
00:18:20.857 --> 00:18:21.691
It means let go.
00:18:21.691 --> 00:18:23.326
Let go of all the noise and all the other distractions and
00:18:23.326 --> 00:18:26.396
Know that he is god.
00:18:26.396 --> 00:18:29.165
- my family, they laugh at me all the time because they'll
00:18:29.165 --> 00:18:31.434
Call me, call me, call me, and i don't answer the phone.
00:18:31.434 --> 00:18:33.836
And they're like, you have a phone.
00:18:33.836 --> 00:18:35.738
I'm like, my phone is not for you.
00:18:35.738 --> 00:18:38.474
My phone is for me.
00:18:38.474 --> 00:18:39.676
If i need it, it's not a leash.
00:18:39.676 --> 00:18:43.680
You know, and i'll go all day and not remember where i put
00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:47.050
My phone.
00:18:47.050 --> 00:18:48.084
And they'll laugh at me and get mad at me.
00:18:48.084 --> 00:18:49.385
Sometimes going, we can't get you on the phone.
00:18:49.385 --> 00:18:52.655
My mom's the same.
00:18:52.655 --> 00:18:53.990
But i'm going, i remember the days when i could disappear at
00:18:53.990 --> 00:18:55.959
Walmart for two hours, and no one would know where i was.
00:18:55.959 --> 00:18:59.729
And we're living in days now where it's like you're
00:18:59.729 --> 00:19:02.365
Instantly expected to respond, to have a comment, to have an
00:19:02.365 --> 00:19:06.402
Opinion, without first checking in with, wait a
00:19:06.402 --> 00:19:09.706
Minute, i need to pray about this.
00:19:09.706 --> 00:19:11.541
I need to see what the holy spirit says to me
00:19:11.541 --> 00:19:15.245
About this first.
00:19:15.245 --> 00:19:16.579
I think this demand for us now is like, it's a full-time job.
00:19:16.579 --> 00:19:20.483
That distraction is no longer the side thing.
00:19:20.483 --> 00:19:23.987
It's now the main thing.
00:19:23.987 --> 00:19:25.121
- how do we handle that then, amie?
00:19:25.121 --> 00:19:26.322
How do we change that?
00:19:26.322 --> 00:19:27.090
Because this feels huge to me.
00:19:27.090 --> 00:19:27.957
It is huge.
00:19:27.957 --> 00:19:29.192
It feels like it's really something that could shift our
00:19:29.192 --> 00:19:30.693
Lives and shift the body of christ and shift the church
00:19:30.693 --> 00:19:33.329
And the nation if we could hear from god on this.
00:19:33.329 --> 00:19:36.432
How do we do that?
00:19:36.432 --> 00:19:38.434
Do we just give ourselves a certain amount of time?
00:19:38.434 --> 00:19:40.603
That, you know, you can check something?
00:19:40.603 --> 00:19:42.138
- well, and your kids, you know, how many times have you
00:19:42.138 --> 00:19:44.307
Gone to a restaurant, and the little 11-year-old has sat
00:19:44.307 --> 00:19:47.043
Through the whole time doing this on their phone?
00:19:47.043 --> 00:19:50.113
Their family's talking, and that kid's just, and it's just
00:19:50.113 --> 00:19:53.316
Heartbreaking to me.
00:19:53.316 --> 00:19:54.350
- i have collected phones at the dinner table.
00:19:54.350 --> 00:19:58.054
Like, okay, give me, and this is the hardest thing.
00:19:58.054 --> 00:20:00.423
- and if anybody touches it, they get to pay the bill.
00:20:00.423 --> 00:20:01.157
- that's good.
00:20:01.157 --> 00:20:03.493
I would do that.
00:20:03.493 --> 00:20:05.161
- it has been the hardest thing for some people to give
00:20:05.161 --> 00:20:07.697
Up that phone.
00:20:07.697 --> 00:20:10.733
But that's me.
00:20:10.733 --> 00:20:11.768
I will disappear from a phone in a minute.
00:20:11.768 --> 00:20:13.870
And my husband cannot stand it.
00:20:13.870 --> 00:20:16.172
I've been calling you.
00:20:16.172 --> 00:20:17.473
Yeah, my phone is on silence.
00:20:17.473 --> 00:20:19.442
And i don't wear it.
00:20:19.442 --> 00:20:21.044
And now i just bought this long little leash.
00:20:21.044 --> 00:20:23.980
Now that they're selling to connect to your phone and have
00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:27.550
It right here.
00:20:27.550 --> 00:20:28.518
I think i might take that leash off.
00:20:28.518 --> 00:20:31.120
Because people are going to expect me to have it around my
00:20:31.120 --> 00:20:35.024
Neck and i don't always do that because i don't want to
00:20:35.024 --> 00:20:38.895
Be pressured to respond or to live on somebody
00:20:38.895 --> 00:20:43.900
Else's demand.
00:20:43.900 --> 00:20:45.168
I don't, i don't want to be that busy.
00:20:45.168 --> 00:20:47.203
I don't want to be that occupied and i think you have
00:20:47.203 --> 00:20:50.273
To set time and be intentional about it.
00:20:50.273 --> 00:20:52.875
Like you were saying, so how do you do that?
00:20:52.875 --> 00:20:56.245
You got to be intentional to say, no, i am not going to
00:20:56.245 --> 00:21:00.583
Pick up this phone.
00:21:00.583 --> 00:21:01.918
But we're living in that type of society now.
00:21:01.918 --> 00:21:04.921
It's microwave, everything.
00:21:04.921 --> 00:21:06.422
- yeah.
00:21:06.422 --> 00:21:07.724
- my husband, i have to tell them, i'm saying, okay, i know
00:21:07.724 --> 00:21:09.125
You emailed your employees two seconds ago.
00:21:09.125 --> 00:21:12.795
They may not look at it until later.
00:21:12.795 --> 00:21:15.598
They have other assignments to fulfill.
00:21:15.598 --> 00:21:17.934
They're not just sitting in the computer waiting for you
00:21:17.934 --> 00:21:20.503
To send an email, you know?
00:21:20.503 --> 00:21:21.871
And so everything is not going to be that quick and that fast
00:21:21.871 --> 00:21:28.044
Of a turnaround.
00:21:28.044 --> 00:21:29.345
The dangerous part in all of this is that we expect god to
00:21:29.345 --> 00:21:34.150
Manifest everything that we're believing him for
00:21:34.150 --> 00:21:39.155
Just like that.
00:21:39.155 --> 00:21:40.056
- and we won't put down the phone.
00:21:40.056 --> 00:21:41.424
- we won't put down the phone.
00:21:41.424 --> 00:21:42.725
But because society is so quick, you know, your
00:21:42.725 --> 00:21:46.262
Algorithms are picking up your thoughts seem like just that
00:21:46.262 --> 00:21:49.766
Quick, we think, oh, now over here in the supernatural,
00:21:49.766 --> 00:21:53.369
We're supposed to see things turn around that fast, and
00:21:53.369 --> 00:21:55.872
It's not always that fast.
00:21:55.872 --> 00:21:57.173
It's like, okay, god, i prayed two seconds ago for healing.
00:21:57.173 --> 00:22:01.077
Why hasn't it manifested?
00:22:01.077 --> 00:22:03.279
Well, you're in a warfare.
00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:04.947
You're in a fight, and you're going to have to stand and
00:22:04.947 --> 00:22:07.183
Fight the good fight of faith to see it manifest.
00:22:07.183 --> 00:22:10.319
This isn't your phone.
00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:11.988
It isn't social media where you can just, or ai, where you
00:22:11.988 --> 00:22:14.924
Could just put it in and expect to get information just
00:22:14.924 --> 00:22:18.494
That quick, so.
00:22:18.494 --> 00:22:19.929
- if there's anything that i have learned, i have learned
00:22:19.929 --> 00:22:24.467
That this is a fixed fight, that there is nothing that i
00:22:24.467 --> 00:22:27.804
Have to fight, because god already took care of it
00:22:27.804 --> 00:22:32.975
At the cross.
00:22:32.975 --> 00:22:34.243
I believe that jesus has all power, he has all authority,
00:22:34.243 --> 00:22:39.081
That no weapon formed against me is going to prosper, that
00:22:39.081 --> 00:22:42.418
The wicked one touches me not.
00:22:42.418 --> 00:22:44.720
And i have faith in that.
00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:46.422
I have faith that jesus has already sealed the deal.
00:22:46.422 --> 00:22:50.493
It's already done.
00:22:50.493 --> 00:22:51.727
And so anytime i encounter circumstances or things that
00:22:51.727 --> 00:22:56.032
Seem like they're going against everything that i
00:22:56.032 --> 00:22:58.201
Believe or everything that i want or everything that i
00:22:58.201 --> 00:23:00.570
Feel, it's my opportunity to stand, to put on the full
00:23:00.570 --> 00:23:06.175
Armor of god, the helmet of salvation, the shield of
00:23:06.175 --> 00:23:09.579
Faith, my breastplate of righteousness, truth across my
00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:13.850
Waist, feet shod with preparation of peace and my
00:23:13.850 --> 00:23:17.220
Sword of the spirit, to stand and to believe well and to
00:23:17.220 --> 00:23:20.490
Fight the good fight of my faith.
00:23:20.490 --> 00:23:24.594
- i'm a big believer in paper, onion-skin, and bibles. - yes.
00:23:24.594 --> 00:23:29.832
- the reason why i'm saying that instead of a phone is i think
00:23:29.832 --> 00:23:32.034
A lot of people, they just go to an app and they read verses
00:23:32.034 --> 00:23:36.272
For the day instead of the full context.
00:23:36.272 --> 00:23:39.108
Like, i grew up, you know, with sword drills.
00:23:39.108 --> 00:23:42.411
- me too. - yeah.
00:23:42.411 --> 00:23:43.846
So i know where all the books the bible are.
00:23:43.846 --> 00:23:46.282
And i wanted my children and my grandchildren to know that.
00:23:46.282 --> 00:23:49.285
So we always got them fun bibles that they could have.
00:23:49.285 --> 00:23:51.754
They would always take to church and they'd get credit.
00:23:51.754 --> 00:23:53.923
But what i still tell to our church to this day is i want
00:23:53.923 --> 00:23:57.293
To see a bible when you come to church.
00:23:57.293 --> 00:23:58.928
But the reason i say that, you can't go from, you know,
00:23:58.928 --> 00:24:02.298
Reading a scripture to bidding on a t-shirt on ebay.
00:24:02.298 --> 00:24:05.034
It's pure in that.
00:24:05.034 --> 00:24:06.669
I don't do anything else with this except have a moment.
00:24:06.669 --> 00:24:10.606
And i study with my laptop and my ipad.
00:24:10.606 --> 00:24:14.343
I use all that to create messages.
00:24:14.343 --> 00:24:17.313
But the real moments, the encounters with god happen
00:24:17.313 --> 00:24:22.585
Like this when i have the bible open.
00:24:22.585 --> 00:24:25.254
And it's so important, i think you ask the question, how do
00:24:25.254 --> 00:24:29.559
We really set boundaries with a phone?
00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:31.761
And i think we start with going, okay,
00:24:31.761 --> 00:24:34.564
What is the boundary?
00:24:34.564 --> 00:24:35.231
Do i have a boundary?
00:24:35.231 --> 00:24:36.332
You know, does it go everywhere with me all the
00:24:36.332 --> 00:24:38.634
Time, even sleep with it at night?
00:24:38.634 --> 00:24:41.170
Can i put it away in the living room?
00:24:41.170 --> 00:24:42.939
We plug ours in in the other room at night so that we
00:24:42.939 --> 00:24:46.075
Aren't distracted.
00:24:46.075 --> 00:24:47.476
And i think having some kind of boundaries, when we're on
00:24:47.476 --> 00:24:50.980
The fast, the first of the year, we always go on a fast
00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:53.649
As a church, and phone usage is a big thing that i fast.
00:24:53.649 --> 00:24:59.221
And so i'll say, okay, i have 10 and 2 o'clock that i check
00:24:59.221 --> 00:25:02.625
In with my admins, and then at night, i'll check in with my
00:25:02.625 --> 00:25:06.228
Kids, make sure they're okay.
00:25:06.228 --> 00:25:07.797
And also always have a sabbath one day a week where you put
00:25:07.797 --> 00:25:11.834
Your phone away or like the dinner table, no phone zone.
00:25:11.834 --> 00:25:16.572
Let's interact with one another.
00:25:16.572 --> 00:25:18.140
Let's make eye contact because real intimacy can't happen
00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:22.111
Like that.
00:25:22.111 --> 00:25:22.778
We're being cut off.
00:25:22.778 --> 00:25:24.013
- that's why so many people are so lonely at the moment.
00:25:24.013 --> 00:25:26.649
- so lonely.
00:25:26.649 --> 00:25:27.383
And an epidemic of anxiety.
00:25:27.383 --> 00:25:29.251
Because if that's your daily diet, if that's what you're
00:25:29.251 --> 00:25:31.387
Taking in, you know, i think of so many kids at college and
00:25:31.387 --> 00:25:34.323
And that's become their whole world.
00:25:34.323 --> 00:25:36.025
And then when 2020 hit, i remember christian had to do
00:25:36.025 --> 00:25:38.628
His first year of grad school on zoom conference, and it was
00:25:38.628 --> 00:25:41.831
Just like, it shifted everything.
00:25:41.831 --> 00:25:43.733
- yes, yes, yes.
00:25:43.733 --> 00:25:44.667
- but i'm so grateful.
00:25:44.667 --> 00:25:46.002
There's something about gen z that's just amazing to me that
00:25:46.002 --> 00:25:49.505
They're rejecting, i mean, i'm learning from my son now.
00:25:49.505 --> 00:25:52.341
They're rejecting a lot of the things that i just kind of
00:25:52.341 --> 00:25:55.044
Thought, well, this is what we do.
00:25:55.044 --> 00:25:57.046
But he drives barry bonkers, because he'll text christian,
00:25:57.046 --> 00:26:01.150
And he'll say to me, i texted him like an hour ago.
00:26:01.150 --> 00:26:03.686
And i'm like, barry, he's a clinical psychologist.
00:26:03.686 --> 00:26:06.656
He has patients.
00:26:06.656 --> 00:26:07.690
Or he just, he expects, you know, we'll hear.
00:26:07.690 --> 00:26:11.394
Now, christian doesn't do that.
00:26:11.394 --> 00:26:13.095
You know, he will check his phone in the morning.
00:26:13.095 --> 00:26:14.864
And then he'll go off and he'll touch base with us at
00:26:14.864 --> 00:26:17.099
Night before he goes to sleep.
00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:18.467
And i think, yeah, there's something there
00:26:18.467 --> 00:26:21.604
That's really important.
00:26:21.604 --> 00:26:23.572
- it is hard in the world that we live in to fix our
00:26:23.572 --> 00:26:26.442
Eyes on jesus.
00:26:26.442 --> 00:26:27.677
But one of the things that we can do for our kids is to
00:26:27.677 --> 00:26:29.945
Teach them how to listen to god's voice i think with that
00:26:29.945 --> 00:26:33.783
Is teaching them how to study the word, how to hear what god
00:26:33.783 --> 00:26:36.552
Is speaking in their lives and how to quiet out the world
00:26:36.552 --> 00:26:39.188
Noise, so that they can focus on the word.
00:26:39.188 --> 00:26:42.391
But you know you crave what you consume.
00:26:42.391 --> 00:26:45.027
So i think that with everything, whatever we
00:26:45.027 --> 00:26:47.229
Consume, with our eyes, with our ears, with our hearts, is
00:26:47.229 --> 00:26:50.599
What we crave.
00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.767
And so, you know, the more, like, we juice a lot.
00:26:51.767 --> 00:26:54.737
And so the more i juice, the more i start craving it.
00:26:54.737 --> 00:26:57.273
And that first cup, you're like, whoa, when you first
00:26:57.273 --> 00:26:59.542
Start, that is intense.
00:26:59.542 --> 00:27:00.876
But by the time, you do it for a couple weeks, you're like, i
00:27:00.876 --> 00:27:03.379
Start craving that healthy thing because i love the way
00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:05.448
It makes me feel.
00:27:05.448 --> 00:27:06.749
So with good things, we can crave and consume good things,
00:27:06.749 --> 00:27:09.452
But also in bad things.
00:27:09.452 --> 00:27:10.820
We can crave it.
00:27:10.820 --> 00:27:12.121
And the more that we consume it, the more that we want it.
00:27:12.121 --> 00:27:14.857
And so i think, you know, answering your questions of
00:27:14.857 --> 00:27:17.493
What does this look like as a follower of jesus to pursue
00:27:17.493 --> 00:27:20.596
And fix our eyes on jesus, the author and the perfector of
00:27:20.596 --> 00:27:23.365
Our faith?
00:27:23.365 --> 00:27:24.967
What does it look like in our lives?
00:27:24.967 --> 00:27:27.136
And i think that if you struggle with this, i think
00:27:27.136 --> 00:27:29.271
Meeting with somebody that you trust and you love and coming
00:27:29.271 --> 00:27:31.741
Up with a plan, saying, hey, i'm struggling with this, i
00:27:31.741 --> 00:27:34.877
Need accountability and this is what it looks like.
00:27:34.877 --> 00:27:37.413
And maybe it looks like you take, like you're saying a
00:27:37.413 --> 00:27:39.415
Fast from it and say, i'm struggling so much that i need
00:27:39.415 --> 00:27:42.551
To go cold turkey for 30 days and i need to rewire my heart
00:27:42.551 --> 00:27:46.355
And mind what i'm picking up, and maybe that's it or maybe
00:27:46.355 --> 00:27:49.458
Like you said maybe a time limit where putting your phone
00:27:49.458 --> 00:27:52.394
Away or whatever it looks like i mean for all of us it's
00:27:52.394 --> 00:27:54.930
Going to look different, but just ask the lord, god what
00:27:54.930 --> 00:27:58.167
Does this look like to literally go after the
00:27:58.167 --> 00:28:01.570
Assignment that god has given me, the calling god has given
00:28:01.570 --> 00:28:04.306
Me without being distracted.
00:28:04.306 --> 00:28:06.342
And it does, it looks different in all of our lives.
00:28:06.342 --> 00:28:09.078
And to be okay when people look at you and think, why are
00:28:09.078 --> 00:28:12.381
You doing that?
00:28:12.381 --> 00:28:13.349
Because really, that's what we navigate.
00:28:13.349 --> 00:28:15.384
I mean, our kids don't have phones and i have teenagers.
00:28:15.384 --> 00:28:17.753
We have a home phone.
00:28:17.753 --> 00:28:19.321
And so that has been a journey because we're just
00:28:19.321 --> 00:28:23.726
Doing it differently.
00:28:23.726 --> 00:28:24.960
And there will be a time that we have to walk down that
00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:26.929
Phone road or whatever, but we feel like, man, we're in the
00:28:26.929 --> 00:28:29.265
Season where god is surrounding us with a good
00:28:29.265 --> 00:28:31.433
Community and we want them to learn how to build friendships
00:28:31.433 --> 00:28:34.670
And have relationships and mentors and all that.
00:28:34.670 --> 00:28:37.606
And so our family is going to do it different than other
00:28:37.606 --> 00:28:39.441
People and that's okay.
00:28:39.441 --> 00:28:40.743
But doing what god has called you to do and doing it with
00:28:40.743 --> 00:28:43.279
Boldness and knowing, okay, god, you are going to make a
00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:46.315
Way with all this.
00:28:46.315 --> 00:28:46.949
- you're a great mom.
00:28:46.949 --> 00:28:47.650
- yes, you are.
00:28:47.650 --> 00:28:48.584
- thanks for encouraging.
00:28:48.584 --> 00:28:49.652
- well, and that is really, it's not weird.
00:28:49.652 --> 00:28:51.520
It should not be weird.
00:28:51.520 --> 00:28:52.888
I know.
00:28:52.888 --> 00:28:54.023
- right, it should be the norm.
00:28:54.023 --> 00:28:55.558
- it should, because what i recognized with my kids, they
00:28:55.558 --> 00:28:59.695
Shared a phone, all four of them, which was an experiment
00:28:59.695 --> 00:29:04.133
When they were preteens.
00:29:04.133 --> 00:29:05.534
- so you don't recommend this, or do you do?
00:29:05.534 --> 00:29:08.404
- yeah, well, we just wanted to make sure that, you know,
00:29:08.404 --> 00:29:11.640
They would tell on each other if there was anything, you
00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:14.076
Know, going on, and nobody got very much of it.
00:29:14.076 --> 00:29:16.178
But their friends could contact them or text them, and
00:29:16.178 --> 00:29:20.216
It was a flip phone.
00:29:20.216 --> 00:29:21.617
So that was way before, you know.
00:29:21.617 --> 00:29:23.085
- oh, yeah.- but what i recognize, you better look at
00:29:23.085 --> 00:29:26.689
Devices, whether it's television or apps on a phone,
00:29:26.689 --> 00:29:30.793
Whatever that is, as a lion, it better have a leash, you
00:29:30.793 --> 00:29:35.731
Know, because you're letting it loose to devour your
00:29:35.731 --> 00:29:39.802
Children's time.
00:29:39.802 --> 00:29:41.036
I remember when our boys, when they were teenagers, they
00:29:41.036 --> 00:29:43.138
Would spend every waking hour playing games when
00:29:43.138 --> 00:29:45.875
They got home.
00:29:45.875 --> 00:29:47.176
That was how they connected with their friends that lived
00:29:47.176 --> 00:29:48.410
In other states and everything.
00:29:48.410 --> 00:29:49.979
And i remember saying to them in college, i said, this isn't
00:29:49.979 --> 00:29:53.616
Just like a fun little hobby.
00:29:53.616 --> 00:29:55.050
You could have another degree for the amount of time that
00:29:55.050 --> 00:29:58.988
You have spent playing games.
00:29:58.988 --> 00:30:00.890
And we were real critical about what kind of games.
00:30:00.890 --> 00:30:04.426
We don't want you killing people and whatever, but it
00:30:04.426 --> 00:30:06.829
Was still a waste of time.
00:30:06.829 --> 00:30:09.198
Time is an investment and like my dad says you know when you
00:30:09.198 --> 00:30:13.636
When you're broke you can't afford a personal chef you
00:30:13.636 --> 00:30:16.238
Shouldn't be going to eat fast food every meal, you should be
00:30:16.238 --> 00:30:19.008
Cooking at home.
00:30:19.008 --> 00:30:20.175
It's the same with young people it's like that's junk
00:30:20.175 --> 00:30:23.846
Food you know and if you want to really crave healthy stuff
00:30:23.846 --> 00:30:27.650
We've got to make it available. - yeah.
00:30:27.650 --> 00:30:29.718
- and lead the way how can we say that about our kids if we
00:30:29.718 --> 00:30:32.421
Are you know fixing our eyes on all that too.
00:30:32.421 --> 00:30:34.723
But i think about in matthew where it talks about peter and
00:30:34.723 --> 00:30:37.526
How he went out to jesus and lord, if it's you, command me
00:30:37.526 --> 00:30:41.497
To come to you on water.
00:30:41.497 --> 00:30:42.364
And he said, come.
00:30:42.364 --> 00:30:43.632
So peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and
00:30:43.632 --> 00:30:45.401
Came to jesus.
00:30:45.401 --> 00:30:46.835
But when he saw the wind, so when he took his eyes off of
00:30:46.835 --> 00:30:50.072
Jesus.
00:30:50.072 --> 00:30:50.739
Yes.
00:30:50.739 --> 00:30:52.041
When he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink,
00:30:52.041 --> 00:30:54.543
He cried out, lord, save me.
00:30:54.543 --> 00:30:56.545
And then this is one of my favorite parts.
00:30:56.545 --> 00:30:58.948
It says jesus immediately.
00:30:58.948 --> 00:31:01.116
He did not wait.
00:31:01.116 --> 00:31:02.418
Immediately he reached out his hand, he took a hold of him,
00:31:02.418 --> 00:31:05.220
And brought him out so i just think of that like we are
00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:08.824
Going to have those times, we're going to have those
00:31:08.824 --> 00:31:10.859
Times where god calls us to do something and we get
00:31:10.859 --> 00:31:14.263
Distracted and we fall and we all of a sudden get afraid.
00:31:14.263 --> 00:31:18.901
And we look to everything other than jesus, but when
00:31:18.901 --> 00:31:21.971
That happens in all of our lives, because it's
00:31:21.971 --> 00:31:24.106
Going to happen.
00:31:24.106 --> 00:31:25.040
It's happened so many times in my life.
00:31:25.040 --> 00:31:26.108
But what he said was jesus.
00:31:26.108 --> 00:31:28.077
So when we fall and when we are filled with fear and
00:31:28.077 --> 00:31:31.981
Distraction, literally just say the name of jesus.
00:31:31.981 --> 00:31:35.484
And it said, and jesus immediately picked him up out
00:31:35.484 --> 00:31:38.954
Of the water.
00:31:38.954 --> 00:31:39.888
And so i just, i'm encouraged by that.
00:31:39.888 --> 00:31:42.024
I'm encouraged by god's grace.
00:31:42.024 --> 00:31:43.359
I'm encouraged by the reminder that often if our eyes are
00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:47.129
Filled with fear, then we lose sight of jesus, literally
00:31:47.129 --> 00:31:51.066
Walking on water.
00:31:51.066 --> 00:31:52.434
I'm just so thankful that we don't have to do it perfect
00:31:52.434 --> 00:31:54.903
All the time.
00:31:54.903 --> 00:31:56.038
There is grace and kindness for all of us in it.
00:31:56.038 --> 00:31:59.208
- sometimes we can be distracted by the fear of
00:31:59.208 --> 00:32:02.044
Failure, and the fear of failure is an illusion.
00:32:02.044 --> 00:32:05.647
Failure is going to happen.
00:32:05.647 --> 00:32:07.082
If you try anything more than once, you're going to fail,
00:32:07.082 --> 00:32:10.552
But that's how you learn.
00:32:10.552 --> 00:32:12.154
Failure is not fatal and it's not final.
00:32:12.154 --> 00:32:15.324
I encourage you to not look at it that way.
00:32:15.324 --> 00:32:17.426
It's never the end unless you stay down.
00:32:17.426 --> 00:32:20.029
Get back up, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and tell
00:32:20.029 --> 00:32:23.799
Yourself, encourage yourself in the lord.
00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:26.068
I can do this.
00:32:26.068 --> 00:32:27.036
That's what david did in scripture.
00:32:27.036 --> 00:32:29.271
He learned how to speak life to himself and to overcome
00:32:29.271 --> 00:32:33.609
That fear of failure, because failure does not have to have
00:32:33.609 --> 00:32:37.312
The final say.
00:32:37.312 --> 00:32:38.747
- i think people, i do this, listening in these
00:32:38.747 --> 00:32:42.051
Conversations, say, okay, from now on, i'm going to do this
00:32:42.051 --> 00:32:44.319
And i'm not going to do that.
00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.621
And then a couple days down the road, you find yourself in
00:32:45.621 --> 00:32:48.157
That pattern.
00:32:48.157 --> 00:32:49.458
But it takes time to retrain, you know, and to be patient
00:32:49.458 --> 00:32:52.394
With yourself and to say, okay, lord, one of my favorite
00:32:52.394 --> 00:32:55.697
Words in the world, and it's such an old-fashioned word,
00:32:55.697 --> 00:32:58.267
Is repent.
00:32:58.267 --> 00:32:59.535
I love the word repent because it's got such open, to me,
00:32:59.535 --> 00:33:03.072
It's a thrown open door of you get to stop doing something
00:33:03.072 --> 00:33:06.708
And turn around and go in a whole new direction.
00:33:06.708 --> 00:33:09.912
And i just think that's the mercy of god.
00:33:09.912 --> 00:33:11.613
The temptation is just think, oh, i'm never going to change.
00:33:11.613 --> 00:33:14.316
No, that's not true.
00:33:14.316 --> 00:33:15.250
That's absolutely not true.
00:33:15.250 --> 00:33:16.452
- well, and repent isn't just a different direction.
00:33:16.452 --> 00:33:18.921
The direction's up because the word repent comes from the
00:33:18.921 --> 00:33:22.391
Same root word, we get penthouse.
00:33:22.391 --> 00:33:24.626
So it means return to the top.
00:33:24.626 --> 00:33:27.596
- oh, i love that.
00:33:27.596 --> 00:33:28.931
- so a lot of sometimes people think repentance is groveling
00:33:28.931 --> 00:33:31.567
And crawling and shame, and it's the opposite of that.
00:33:31.567 --> 00:33:35.604
It's returning to god's highest call for your life.
00:33:35.604 --> 00:33:39.074
I love that.
00:33:39.074 --> 00:33:41.076
♪ (music playing) ♪
00:33:41.076 --> 00:33:46.415
- we also have another question, a viewer left us,
00:33:46.415 --> 00:33:48.684
This question on facebook.
00:33:48.684 --> 00:33:49.885
It says, can detours, distractions, and wrong turns
00:33:49.885 --> 00:33:53.322
Stop god's purpose for my life.
00:33:53.322 --> 00:33:56.158
- that is a great question.
00:33:56.158 --> 00:33:57.292
And honestly, no, i don't think it can.
00:33:57.292 --> 00:33:59.094
I think there's times in life where you know god has called
00:33:59.094 --> 00:34:02.331
You to something, and then something happens, and you get
00:34:02.331 --> 00:34:04.366
Slightly off track.
00:34:04.366 --> 00:34:05.767
But god is not sitting up there in the sky waiting for
00:34:05.767 --> 00:34:08.804
You to get it wrong.
00:34:08.804 --> 00:34:09.638
God doesn't want that.
00:34:09.638 --> 00:34:10.339
He wants his best for you.
00:34:10.339 --> 00:34:11.473
And sometimes we do get distracted and we do
00:34:11.473 --> 00:34:13.809
Get sidelined.
00:34:13.809 --> 00:34:14.576
We even fall down.
00:34:14.576 --> 00:34:15.811
But the mercy of god, it's your kindness that leads to
00:34:15.811 --> 00:34:19.214
Repent, it says in scripture, that if you feel like you've
00:34:19.214 --> 00:34:22.017
Got a little detoured or gone off the wrong way, you always
00:34:22.017 --> 00:34:25.521
Get to come right back.
00:34:25.521 --> 00:34:26.788
He is always here.
00:34:26.788 --> 00:34:28.123
You can say, lord, get me back on the right path.
00:34:28.123 --> 00:34:31.160
I want to do your will.
00:34:31.160 --> 00:34:32.427
He wants to show it to you even more than you want to do
00:34:32.427 --> 00:34:34.897
It.
00:34:34.897 --> 00:34:35.564
- yes, so good.
00:34:35.564 --> 00:34:37.466
- join the conversation on our better together
00:34:37.466 --> 00:34:40.169
Youtube channel.
00:34:40.169 --> 00:34:41.236
Subscribe today and never miss a new upload.
00:34:41.236 --> 00:34:45.007
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00:34:45.007 --> 00:34:45.842
- talking about stuff like this, and you talk about peter
00:34:45.842 --> 00:34:50.413
Stepping out in faith.
00:34:50.413 --> 00:34:54.250
And i think with the new year, we all have,
00:34:54.250 --> 00:35:00.757
Everybody has dreams.
00:35:00.757 --> 00:35:01.824
Everybody wants to do something great for god.
00:35:01.824 --> 00:35:04.661
Peter got out of the boat, right?
00:35:04.661 --> 00:35:06.696
That was his step of faith.
00:35:06.696 --> 00:35:09.132
And it was still storming outside.
00:35:09.132 --> 00:35:11.234
And i love that he steps out.
00:35:11.234 --> 00:35:15.138
And when he says jesus, jesus is the rescuer.
00:35:15.138 --> 00:35:19.676
He is the one who instantly has you.
00:35:19.676 --> 00:35:22.812
Instantly, he's the savior.
00:35:22.812 --> 00:35:24.881
He is the rescuer, you know.
00:35:24.881 --> 00:35:27.383
And so no matter what we do in our lives, peter at least took
00:35:27.383 --> 00:35:32.956
His step, right?
00:35:32.956 --> 00:35:34.457
And jesus was there.
00:35:34.457 --> 00:35:35.758
It's like, okay, how do i, how do i bring this back?
00:35:35.758 --> 00:35:39.028
How do i get the phones from my kids?
00:35:39.028 --> 00:35:40.997
How do i, you know, all the things of, oh, geez, how am i
00:35:40.997 --> 00:35:44.267
Going to restart this thing?
00:35:44.267 --> 00:35:45.902
And i think just praying.
00:35:45.902 --> 00:35:48.271
Amen.
00:35:48.271 --> 00:35:49.706
Praying to jesus for our kids.
00:35:49.706 --> 00:35:52.108
Pray, pray.
00:35:52.108 --> 00:35:53.443
Pray for your kids.
00:35:53.443 --> 00:35:56.980
Pray that god does something on the inside.
00:35:56.980 --> 00:36:01.351
We're not left alone to fix it ourselves.
00:36:01.351 --> 00:36:03.853
God can help us with that.
00:36:03.853 --> 00:36:07.624
God can move our children in ways that we never dreamed and
00:36:07.624 --> 00:36:10.860
Never have the ability to do as parents.
00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:14.831
God can do that.
00:36:14.831 --> 00:36:16.032
Jesus can do that.
00:36:16.032 --> 00:36:18.268
And he's going to help us.
00:36:18.268 --> 00:36:21.704
He's going to rescue our kids.
00:36:21.704 --> 00:36:24.240
He's going to rescue what we can't do.
00:36:24.240 --> 00:36:25.408
He's going to save what we can't save for ourselves.
00:36:25.408 --> 00:36:28.711
That's what jesus does.
00:36:28.711 --> 00:36:30.513
That's what he's so good at.
00:36:30.513 --> 00:36:31.714
And so i just encourage everyone that when you have
00:36:31.714 --> 00:36:35.785
Problems, instead of sitting there thinking, how do
00:36:35.785 --> 00:36:39.789
I fix this?
00:36:39.789 --> 00:36:40.823
- that's good, lord.
00:36:40.823 --> 00:36:41.324
- that's so good.
00:36:41.324 --> 00:36:42.358
We can pray about it, and god can fix it.
00:36:42.358 --> 00:36:44.093
That's what he does, and he does it so well.
00:36:44.093 --> 00:36:46.663
He's the god of the 10th, 100,000th chance, you know,
00:36:46.663 --> 00:36:50.967
And he's always there to help and to rescue.
00:36:50.967 --> 00:36:54.237
And so take the burden off.
00:36:54.237 --> 00:36:57.707
So give the kids to the lord.
00:36:57.707 --> 00:37:00.076
Give your children to god.
00:37:00.076 --> 00:37:02.111
- so it's not too late.
00:37:02.111 --> 00:37:04.347
- it's never too late.
00:37:04.347 --> 00:37:06.382
It's never too late.
00:37:06.382 --> 00:37:07.684
And god loves our kids more than we do.
00:37:07.684 --> 00:37:10.420
Can you imagine that?
00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:12.388
- god is our refuge and strength a very present help
00:37:12.388 --> 00:37:14.624
In times of trouble.
00:37:14.624 --> 00:37:16.326
Present help.
00:37:16.326 --> 00:37:17.226
I love that.
00:37:17.226 --> 00:37:18.428
- i think about talking about the phones and all the
00:37:18.428 --> 00:37:21.331
Consuming that our kids do nowadays.
00:37:21.331 --> 00:37:25.702
I just know that god knew that our children were going to be
00:37:25.702 --> 00:37:31.040
Born in this day and age.
00:37:31.040 --> 00:37:32.342
I know he had esther planted where she was going to do her
00:37:32.342 --> 00:37:37.347
Thing, daniel to face the lion's den, david and his
00:37:37.347 --> 00:37:41.517
Goliath, jonah and his well, moses and his burning bush,
00:37:41.517 --> 00:37:45.955
All these beautiful stories.
00:37:45.955 --> 00:37:47.857
God knew your children were going to be in this time for
00:37:47.857 --> 00:37:51.160
Such a time as this.
00:37:51.160 --> 00:37:52.462
And so they are well-equipped, and it is our job to remind
00:37:52.462 --> 00:37:56.399
Our kids how well-equipped that they are.
00:37:56.399 --> 00:37:59.402
And i think that when we do, they become strong in their
00:37:59.402 --> 00:38:02.305
Faith, their values, their morality, their choices, and
00:38:02.305 --> 00:38:08.344
Just pray, pray for god to help you, pray for god to help
00:38:08.344 --> 00:38:13.750
You lead your children in the way that they should go.
00:38:13.750 --> 00:38:17.053
And you know what, i think everything's gonna be okay
00:38:17.053 --> 00:38:19.322
Because your children are in the hand of god.
00:38:19.322 --> 00:38:22.759
- i love the fact that you read about peter.
00:38:22.759 --> 00:38:25.228
And i just think, i wonder what it was like that night
00:38:25.228 --> 00:38:28.431
For peter when they all get, when they're all back and
00:38:28.431 --> 00:38:30.867
Wherever and they're all sleeping.
00:38:30.867 --> 00:38:32.535
And the others are like i can't believe you did that!
00:38:32.535 --> 00:38:34.904
But he- he probably didn't go to sleep.
00:38:34.904 --> 00:38:38.241
- he was probably up all night long.
00:38:38.241 --> 00:38:40.543
- but if he had the experience, there's something
00:38:40.543 --> 00:38:43.146
About taking that one step of faith.
00:38:43.146 --> 00:38:44.947
He had the experience when you're sinking jesus
00:38:44.947 --> 00:38:48.184
Grabs hold.
00:38:48.184 --> 00:38:49.519
- what i love about that story too is that it says when jesus
00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:53.589
And peter got back in the storm, that's when
00:38:53.589 --> 00:38:57.527
The storm calmed.
00:38:57.527 --> 00:38:58.461
Jesus didn't calm the storm out there.
00:38:58.461 --> 00:39:00.463
He walked with him through it.
00:39:00.463 --> 00:39:02.198
God wants us to rule over our storms.
00:39:02.198 --> 00:39:04.033
Sometimes he calms the sea.
00:39:04.033 --> 00:39:04.801
Sometimes he calms the sailor.
00:39:04.801 --> 00:39:05.968
You know, and so we need to rule over our storms.
00:39:05.968 --> 00:39:14.777
And i think that your wording of what got you into reading
00:39:14.777 --> 00:39:20.116
The bible in 90 days was the great opportunity.
00:39:20.116 --> 00:39:25.421
Something drove you.
00:39:25.421 --> 00:39:26.622
Let what you feel as an attack or whatever you want
00:39:26.622 --> 00:39:32.462
To call it.
00:39:32.462 --> 00:39:33.963
Let that forge you into what god is saying at those moments
00:39:33.963 --> 00:39:38.634
And let it be an opportunity to change our minds, to look
00:39:38.634 --> 00:39:41.737
Away at what's feeling like it's attacking us.
00:39:41.737 --> 00:39:46.175
Focus our eyes on jesus and saying, what are you saying
00:39:46.175 --> 00:39:49.679
Right now?
00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:50.546
What do you have from me right now?
00:39:50.546 --> 00:39:52.281
And let it drive you towards the cross.
00:39:52.281 --> 00:39:55.351
Let it drive you towards rescue and your savior.
00:39:55.351 --> 00:39:58.921
- i love that.
00:39:58.921 --> 00:40:00.156
I love that that's such a prime, like, picture of jesus,
00:40:00.156 --> 00:40:03.826
His role in our lives.
00:40:03.826 --> 00:40:05.027
Because if i were peter, in my focus, as more of a glass
00:40:05.027 --> 00:40:10.500
Half-empty type person is he sunk.
00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:13.903
If i were peter, i'd be like, but i sank, you know, and
00:40:13.903 --> 00:40:17.673
Really, he stepped out.
00:40:17.673 --> 00:40:18.808
Absolutely, he stepped out.
00:40:18.808 --> 00:40:20.243
And i think what a great example at the beginning of
00:40:20.243 --> 00:40:23.045
The year for people to go, step out of the boat.
00:40:23.045 --> 00:40:25.915
Get out of the boat of what was last year.
00:40:25.915 --> 00:40:28.618
You may not be able to step out of the storm, but you can
00:40:28.618 --> 00:40:31.654
Step out of the boat.
00:40:31.654 --> 00:40:32.989
Step out of the boat, and then if you sink, if you fail, ask
00:40:32.989 --> 00:40:37.426
Call out to the lord, because the story isn't really
00:40:37.426 --> 00:40:39.996
About peter.
00:40:39.996 --> 00:40:40.663
It's about jesus.
00:40:40.663 --> 00:40:41.797
But he still won, you know, because he did walk
00:40:41.797 --> 00:40:46.536
On the water.
00:40:46.536 --> 00:40:47.203
I mean, he stepped out.
00:40:47.203 --> 00:40:48.137
The only one we know that didn't do.
00:40:48.137 --> 00:40:49.906
So he really didn't even sink all the way.
00:40:49.906 --> 00:40:52.141
The bible talks about how he began to sink, and jesus was
00:40:52.141 --> 00:40:55.411
Right there.
00:40:55.411 --> 00:40:56.712
I love how you just said that about the storm didn't stop
00:40:56.712 --> 00:41:00.917
Until they got back on and so you could have victory
00:41:00.917 --> 00:41:04.420
In the storm.
00:41:04.420 --> 00:41:05.621
Listen, the same wind that blew the seas apart is the
00:41:05.621 --> 00:41:09.358
Same wind that consumed the enemies.
00:41:09.358 --> 00:41:12.595
There is nothing to fear when the wind blows or when the
00:41:12.595 --> 00:41:16.899
Storm arrives because jesus is there.
00:41:16.899 --> 00:41:19.335
- he's for us.
00:41:19.335 --> 00:41:20.836
- so let the wind blow.
00:41:20.836 --> 00:41:23.339
- let the wind blow, laurie.
00:41:23.339 --> 00:41:25.841
- because the wind is your friend.
00:41:25.841 --> 00:41:28.344
The wind that god clears the path for me is the same wind
00:41:28.344 --> 00:41:33.783
That'll take down what's behind.
00:41:33.783 --> 00:41:36.285
- that's a good word right there.
00:41:36.285 --> 00:41:39.188
- 365 times it says, do not fear.
00:41:39.188 --> 00:41:42.325
The fire is your friend.
00:41:42.325 --> 00:41:44.193
The harder it looks, the easier it gets.
00:41:44.193 --> 00:41:47.029
It's a new year.
00:41:47.029 --> 00:41:48.030
Let's take it on.
00:41:48.030 --> 00:41:49.298
Let's take it on with victory because there's nothing to
00:41:49.298 --> 00:41:52.368
Fear because god is with us.
00:41:52.368 --> 00:41:54.637
And even when we step out in faith, like peter did, he
00:41:54.637 --> 00:41:59.475
Stepped out in faith.
00:41:59.475 --> 00:42:02.311
And he sunk, but all he knew to do is cry out, jesus, and
00:42:02.311 --> 00:42:07.516
He learned to do that.
00:42:07.516 --> 00:42:08.851
And that becomes easier than the next time.
00:42:08.851 --> 00:42:11.721
The trust in god.
00:42:11.721 --> 00:42:13.589
Let him do it.
00:42:13.589 --> 00:42:14.256
He had a faith episode.
00:42:14.256 --> 00:42:16.025
- he had a faith episode of victory.
00:42:16.025 --> 00:42:18.527
- that's right.
00:42:18.527 --> 00:42:19.996
- isn't it a beautiful thing that when jesus went to the
00:42:19.996 --> 00:42:23.032
Cross, he said, it is finished?
00:42:23.032 --> 00:42:25.568
When he said it was finished, that simply means that
00:42:25.568 --> 00:42:29.639
Whatever he died for, we were delivered from.
00:42:29.639 --> 00:42:33.876
We don't have to take on what he took.
00:42:33.876 --> 00:42:36.078
So you got to know that you're walking in a place of victory.
00:42:36.078 --> 00:42:41.150
You don't have to walk for victory, but you're walking
00:42:41.150 --> 00:42:44.353
From victory.
00:42:44.353 --> 00:42:45.755
And when you can have revelation of that, you can
00:42:45.755 --> 00:42:48.791
Get through any tough season in your life.
00:42:48.791 --> 00:42:51.794
So just know, you already have the victory.
00:42:51.794 --> 00:42:54.764
You're not waiting on victory.
00:42:54.764 --> 00:42:58.100
- so i did an illustration when i spoke last week at an
00:42:58.100 --> 00:43:02.204
Event, and i felt like the lord just gave me this
00:43:02.204 --> 00:43:05.675
Illustration, but it was really about distraction and
00:43:05.675 --> 00:43:08.444
How shame can be such a distraction.
00:43:08.444 --> 00:43:11.213
I walked out on stage, and i was wondering how long i could
00:43:11.213 --> 00:43:15.584
Walk out on stage without being tackled by my team
00:43:15.584 --> 00:43:18.821
Because i walked out having taped toilet paper to my shoe.
00:43:18.821 --> 00:43:24.126
- so you did this on purpose.
00:43:24.126 --> 00:43:25.494
- i did it on purpose, yes, because i wanted, looking
00:43:25.494 --> 00:43:30.066
Great, you know, top to bottom.
00:43:30.066 --> 00:43:32.034
I wanted it to just blow the whole deal because that's what
00:43:32.034 --> 00:43:35.271
Shame does.
00:43:35.271 --> 00:43:36.605
You can have everything in the package done, but when you're
00:43:36.605 --> 00:43:39.975
Carrying shame, that's all people hear.
00:43:39.975 --> 00:43:41.944
That's all people see.
00:43:41.944 --> 00:43:43.079
It was at a particular communicator's conference.
00:43:43.079 --> 00:43:46.615
And i got tackled by two or three people on stage, men
00:43:46.615 --> 00:43:50.853
Trying to get step on it to get it away from me.
00:43:50.853 --> 00:43:53.789
It was really quite funny.
00:43:53.789 --> 00:43:55.057
But the idea is shame is all you see.
00:43:55.057 --> 00:44:00.096
It is a distraction.
00:44:00.096 --> 00:44:01.430
When you're carrying that through your life, you can't
00:44:01.430 --> 00:44:04.467
Accomplish what god has called you to accomplish when you're
00:44:04.467 --> 00:44:07.970
Dragging the weight of old things with you.
00:44:07.970 --> 00:44:11.240
And i think a lot of the emotional burdens we carry
00:44:11.240 --> 00:44:14.877
Become such a distraction, not just for us in our lives, but
00:44:14.877 --> 00:44:18.547
For others that were called to influence and to lead,
00:44:18.547 --> 00:44:22.418
Unhealed things, speak louder.
00:44:22.418 --> 00:44:25.521
I know christine caine loves to say, i love this, how you
00:44:25.521 --> 00:44:29.125
Can end up ministering from your wound instead of from
00:44:29.125 --> 00:44:33.195
Your womb.
00:44:33.195 --> 00:44:34.430
And i think dealing with those things is a part of the
00:44:34.430 --> 00:44:36.999
Process that god leads us in so that we don't become a
00:44:36.999 --> 00:44:40.770
Distraction to others in the meantime, right?
00:44:40.770 --> 00:44:44.473
- that's good.
00:44:44.473 --> 00:44:45.708
I was going to say, because how i felt about myself, i
00:44:45.708 --> 00:44:47.743
Used to feel like so inferior, so inadequate.
00:44:47.743 --> 00:44:51.714
My self-esteem, everything was just low, and it would not
00:44:51.714 --> 00:44:56.418
Allow me to do what god had called me to do.
00:44:56.418 --> 00:45:00.222
And so i realized that that was a distraction, you know,
00:45:00.222 --> 00:45:03.592
In my life to be able to be a blessing to somebody else
00:45:03.592 --> 00:45:06.529
Because the only thing i could focus on on
00:45:06.529 --> 00:45:10.065
Was my distraction.
00:45:10.065 --> 00:45:11.033
It wasn't even focusing on assignment.
00:45:11.033 --> 00:45:14.303
So that was, that's very good.
00:45:14.303 --> 00:45:16.205
- i was speaking to a group of women not so long ago, and i
00:45:16.205 --> 00:45:18.908
Asked them, what would it look like if the minute you walk
00:45:18.908 --> 00:45:21.143
Through the church doors, suddenly all your baggage
00:45:21.143 --> 00:45:24.046
Became visible.
00:45:24.046 --> 00:45:25.714
You know, not your pillow and your snacks, your baggage, the
00:45:25.714 --> 00:45:28.818
Stuff that you've pushed down into the cellar of your souls.
00:45:28.818 --> 00:45:31.187
- what a great question.
00:45:31.187 --> 00:45:32.188
- and you have to drag that to your seat.
00:45:32.188 --> 00:45:34.056
Some would be surprised by how much baggage they're carrying
00:45:34.056 --> 00:45:37.126
Or how long they've been carrying it.
00:45:37.126 --> 00:45:38.961
But my question to them was, if you saw it, would you want
00:45:38.961 --> 00:45:42.398
To take it home?
00:45:42.398 --> 00:45:43.566
Or would you want to take christ up on that offer of
00:45:43.566 --> 00:45:46.001
Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and i will
00:45:46.001 --> 00:45:49.004
Give you rest?
00:45:49.004 --> 00:45:50.239
So i think it's not just physical things.
00:45:50.239 --> 00:45:52.575
It can be a distraction.
00:45:52.575 --> 00:45:53.742
It can be all the stuff that we just don't know how
00:45:53.742 --> 00:45:56.312
To deal with.
00:45:56.312 --> 00:45:57.646
But when you bury things, you bury them alive unless they're
00:45:57.646 --> 00:45:58.914
Brought into the lord's presence.
00:45:58.914 --> 00:46:00.382
- oh, that's so good.
00:46:00.382 --> 00:46:01.584
- but when you bring your stuff, your baggage into the
00:46:01.584 --> 00:46:03.853
Lord's presence, it changes everything.
00:46:03.853 --> 00:46:08.390
- god replaces shame with his truth.
00:46:08.390 --> 00:46:10.793
The reality is that you are not too far gone.
00:46:10.793 --> 00:46:13.629
Shame does not tell the end of the story.
00:46:13.629 --> 00:46:15.965
Jesus does.
00:46:15.965 --> 00:46:16.765
You are never too far gone.
00:46:16.765 --> 00:46:18.334
There's nothing too bad that you could ever do that god
00:46:18.334 --> 00:46:21.570
Cannot redeem.
00:46:21.570 --> 00:46:22.805
So i just want to encourage you today, if you struggle
00:46:22.805 --> 00:46:25.207
With shame to literally fill your mind with the truth of
00:46:25.207 --> 00:46:28.110
God, that you are chosen, that god has a special plan for
00:46:28.110 --> 00:46:31.146
Your life, and he will not waste the pain and the
00:46:31.146 --> 00:46:34.450
Struggle that you walked through, but he will use you
00:46:34.450 --> 00:46:36.685
For his kingdom and for his glory.
00:46:36.685 --> 00:46:39.121
- so did we think peter's baggage kind of got to him in
00:46:39.121 --> 00:46:42.825
That moment when he stepped out of the boat?
00:46:42.825 --> 00:46:45.327
The doubt crept in, maybe because he was a fisherman and
00:46:45.327 --> 00:46:49.031
He knew the power of the wind.
00:46:49.031 --> 00:46:51.667
So when you see it again going, okay, last time that
00:46:51.667 --> 00:46:55.237
Wind almost toppled my boat over, what's it going to
00:46:55.237 --> 00:46:59.608
Do to me?
00:46:59.608 --> 00:47:00.910
We a lot of times have that echo of memory and fear raises
00:47:00.910 --> 00:47:04.513
Its ugly head.
00:47:04.513 --> 00:47:05.681
And that can be such a distraction, just like with
00:47:05.681 --> 00:47:08.651
Peter, where we began doubting, is god capable of
00:47:08.651 --> 00:47:12.154
Raising me up in this situation or sustaining?
00:47:12.154 --> 00:47:15.057
- i wonder if peter thought, the minute i put my feet on
00:47:15.057 --> 00:47:17.192
The water, the storm was still.
00:47:17.192 --> 00:47:18.727
And it didn't.
00:47:18.727 --> 00:47:20.896
That his faith would change the circumstance, yeah.
00:47:20.896 --> 00:47:24.633
But it didn't, but what happened was he discovered
00:47:24.633 --> 00:47:28.337
That christ was in it.
00:47:28.337 --> 00:47:30.105
- that's amazing.
00:47:30.105 --> 00:47:31.373
- but what he was going to, as well, he could be thinking
00:47:31.373 --> 00:47:34.843
Okay jesus is right here, so i know everything is alright,
00:47:34.843 --> 00:47:37.947
It's going to be calm.
00:47:37.947 --> 00:47:39.214
And then when you step out there and this wind picks up,
00:47:39.214 --> 00:47:43.218
You're like, wait.
00:47:43.218 --> 00:47:44.386
Because in our mind, we have it already planned out.
00:47:44.386 --> 00:47:47.723
And no doubt everyone who has set goals out to accomplish
00:47:47.723 --> 00:47:53.095
Them by the end of the year have it already planned out in
00:47:53.095 --> 00:47:56.365
Their mind.
00:47:56.365 --> 00:47:57.299
This is going to happen this way.
00:47:57.299 --> 00:47:58.701
It's going to look like this. - right.
00:47:58.701 --> 00:48:00.636
- and then when it doesn't... - right.
00:48:00.636 --> 00:48:02.771
- it's like, oh, wait, and now you begin to sink, what are
00:48:02.771 --> 00:48:05.808
You going to do?
00:48:05.808 --> 00:48:07.109
You're going to go back and rework it, or you're going to
00:48:07.109 --> 00:48:10.079
Call on the name of jesus and allow him to walk you through
00:48:10.079 --> 00:48:13.115
This plan?
00:48:13.115 --> 00:48:14.416
Because the bible talks about how we devise a plan, but he
00:48:14.416 --> 00:48:18.220
Orders our steps.
00:48:18.220 --> 00:48:19.321
- yes, yes.
00:48:19.321 --> 00:48:20.356
I love that.
00:48:20.356 --> 00:48:21.657
And that story really started with peter saying, bid me to
00:48:21.657 --> 00:48:25.527
Come to you.
00:48:25.527 --> 00:48:26.762
So i think even knowing i can't do this without you, but
00:48:26.762 --> 00:48:30.833
Then in that shaky moment, going back to this is my legs
00:48:30.833 --> 00:48:35.671
Walking on this water right now and taking his focus and
00:48:35.671 --> 00:48:40.242
His eyes off.
00:48:40.242 --> 00:48:41.477
- maybe looking at himself that i have to do this now.
00:48:41.477 --> 00:48:43.579
Since i stepped up now i have to and he didn't because jesus
00:48:43.579 --> 00:48:48.484
Was there.
00:48:48.484 --> 00:48:49.785
- but even if jesus gives us a plan why do we think we have
00:48:49.785 --> 00:48:54.356
To put all the pieces in place? - right.
00:48:54.356 --> 00:48:57.026
It's like, okay, he said, bid me to come, and jesus tells
00:48:57.026 --> 00:49:00.562
Him to come.
00:49:00.562 --> 00:49:01.663
Now we think we got to calm the storm. - yeah.
00:49:01.663 --> 00:49:05.701
- it's like, just do what you ask for.
00:49:05.701 --> 00:49:07.403
Or you assume, i love what y'all said about.
00:49:07.403 --> 00:49:10.339
You assume that when you go in the storm, like, with jesus,
00:49:10.339 --> 00:49:13.742
It's gonna stop instead of, actually, god is gonna see us
00:49:13.742 --> 00:49:16.845
Through the storm of all of our lives, and it does look
00:49:16.845 --> 00:49:20.015
More messy, but he's faithful with all of it.
00:49:20.015 --> 00:49:22.217
- yes, he is.
00:49:22.217 --> 00:49:23.552
- no matter where we are today, it is not the end of
00:49:23.552 --> 00:49:26.789
Any of our stories.
00:49:26.789 --> 00:49:28.123
It doesn't matter where we are at the beginning of the year,
00:49:28.123 --> 00:49:30.459
Where we were a week ago at the last bit of last year, is
00:49:30.459 --> 00:49:34.563
That we have the god of second chances.
00:49:34.563 --> 00:49:36.365
We have the god that does exceedingly and abundantly
00:49:36.365 --> 00:49:39.401
More than we could ever ask for or imagine.
00:49:39.401 --> 00:49:41.637
Y'all pray with me.
00:49:41.637 --> 00:49:42.938
Lord jesus, thank you for this new year.
00:49:42.938 --> 00:49:45.874
God, we thank you for a fresh start.
00:49:45.874 --> 00:49:47.843
We thank you that your mercies are new.
00:49:47.843 --> 00:49:49.378
God, we thank you for stories in the bible like peter.
00:49:49.378 --> 00:49:52.247
God, that you were in a storm with him and that
00:49:52.247 --> 00:49:55.484
You never failed.
00:49:55.484 --> 00:49:56.618
God, we thank you that you have never failed us.
00:49:56.618 --> 00:49:57.953
God, i just pray for everyone that is listening today, lord,
00:49:57.953 --> 00:50:01.123
That you would just do a mighty miracle in their lives.
00:50:01.123 --> 00:50:03.826
They would know that the nearness of god is their good,
00:50:03.826 --> 00:50:06.795
That you are with them in the storm, that you will
00:50:06.795 --> 00:50:10.399
Make a way.
00:50:10.399 --> 00:50:11.600
God, i pray for all of us that we could fix our eyes
00:50:11.600 --> 00:50:13.302
On jesus.
00:50:13.302 --> 00:50:14.503
God, i pray that you would quiet the distractions and
00:50:14.503 --> 00:50:16.605
That we would just hear your voice, god.
00:50:16.605 --> 00:50:19.408
The voice of god, your presence changes our
00:50:19.408 --> 00:50:22.544
Entire lives.
00:50:22.544 --> 00:50:23.846
You can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime.
00:50:23.846 --> 00:50:25.314
So jesus, we ask that you would do it, and that you
00:50:25.314 --> 00:50:28.016
Would move in a powerful way.
00:50:28.016 --> 00:50:29.318
We give you all the glory and the praise.
00:50:29.318 --> 00:50:30.986
In jesus, amen.
00:50:30.986 --> 00:50:32.287
Amen, jesus.
00:50:32.287 --> 00:50:34.256
Amen.
00:50:34.256 --> 00:50:35.557
- connect with us on social media and let us know how our
00:50:35.557 --> 00:50:37.826
Team can pray for you.
00:50:37.826 --> 00:50:41.630
Watch better together on the go.
00:50:41.630 --> 00:50:43.265
Download the free tbn plus app to stream all of your
00:50:43.265 --> 00:50:47.202
Favorite conversations.
00:50:47.202 --> 00:50:48.003
♪ (music playing) ♪
00:50:48.003 --> 00:50:48.003

How to Avoid Distractions - Episode 1132

January 6, 2026 | S8 E1132 | 52:34

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