April 29, 2026 • 51 mins
Fear doesn’t usually show up announcing itself. It sneaks in through comparison, through scrolling, through keeping up, through that quiet thought that says, “God might not come through for me.” That’s why we go after a surprising pair in this conversation: envy and fear. They look unrelated, but they often share the same root accusation against God. When we believe that lie, our emotions stop serving us and start bossing us around.
We unpack a practical way to fight back: building “walls” and “hallways” for your emotions using Scripture, prayer, worship, and community. Instead of trying to become less emotional, we learn how to be fully human without letting anger, anxiety, or envy become destructive. We talk about why emotions run in packs, how envy turns into fear of missing out, and why chasing more money, more stuff, or someone else’s lane is always chasing the wind.
Pastor Ryan and Pastor Tim also lay out three key “walls” to put up in daily life: identity (knowing whose you are and what race you’re running), contentment (learning satisfaction with God’s provision), and trust (letting God prove Himself faithful through obedience). We also challenge the church to recover what actually moves things: faithful prayer that no one applauds but heaven responds to.
If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s stuck in comparison, and leave a review so more people can find the Midweek Podcast. What’s one emotion you’re ready to stop letting run your life?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:08):
Welcome and thanks for joining us on this episode
of the Midweek Podcast, broughtto you by a Fresh Wind Church.
Each week, our team brings younew content to help you take
steps towards Jesus and discovermore in Christ.
Today's episode is hosted byPastor Ryan.
SPEAKER_00 (00:27):
Hey, welcome back to the Midweek Podcast.
Pastor Ryan joined as alwayswith Pastor Tim, and we are in
week three of our series You'reNot the Boss of Me.
And uh I still love that sermontitle.
I had a little little fun withthat uh on on Sunday.
Um feels good to say, doesn'tit?
SPEAKER_01 (00:46):
Yeah, it does.
Uh in this situation, it's very,very important that we learn to
say that instead of uh givingup.
It's easy to give up on this,it's easy to get a little
nihilistic and say, you knowwhat, I just I just no can't.
(01:07):
Uh that's just another thing.
And now, you know, you want meto read the Bible, you want me
to do a devotion, and now youwant me to write my own sermon
against my uh out of controlanger or lust and um to to build
these walls.
I just I don't I don't want todo it.
(01:29):
I just don't want to.
It's too much.
Uh in there feel that.
Yeah.
And this is this is importantbecause uh a lot of times we
enjoy that emotion, even if it'sdestructive.
Teresa was uh talking to meabout our uh old man, and uh
(01:49):
Paul calls our uh Sin Sin Natureuh the old man, and that he
likes resurrection too.
And uh he wants to beresurrected, he wants to be the
boss, and that's when he gets incontrol is when your emotions
take you out of control, hesteps in.
And uh so uh we have to keep himdead, and uh building these
(02:15):
walls around our emotions isvery important to keep him where
he belongs in the ground.
SPEAKER_00 (02:20):
That's right.
I think uh another side to thisis man, we've a lot of us we've
dealt with these emotions for solong, it's just kind of become
ingrained, you know, it's justwho I am.
Um I'm an angry person.
That's right.
Um, I'm a vengeful person.
Um, and so we we we don't evenreally try to combat it anymore.
(02:41):
It's just that's me.
That's my natural state.
And sometimes we even take pridein that.
Yeah, yeah.
Uh that's just the way I am.
I just tell it like it is,right?
Okay, well, you're a jerk, youknow.
That the truth is you're a jerk.
Um a jerk who's supposed to bebecoming more like Jesus every
day.
Right.
(03:02):
And these are these are thingswe gotta we gotta build these
walls around.
Um, and so uh I I told you guyson the podcast last week, we're
trying to build these walls, youknow, during during the sermons,
uh, kind of keep these emotionsuh where they belong.
And they gotta run up against.
I didn't feel like I did a greatjob uh doing that.
(03:22):
So we spent almost the wholepodcast last week talking about
building walls, how to buildwalls, um digging in that Lego
box, pulling some things out.
This past Sunday, I tried to bemuch more intentional about
constructing walls, and so uh,you know, did some very specific
wall building on Sunday.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Well, I'll tell you this when uh the first podcast
uh when we talked about this umwas that last week?
Yep.
Um I was trying to tell you thatevery time you open the word of
God, you're throwing Lego blocksin the box.
Every time you uh go to smallgroup, you're throwing some more
(04:02):
Lego blocks in the box.
So it's it's not like you umjust your standard Christian
life listening to a sermon, uh,listen into uh good biblical uh
worship songs.
Help you put uh spiritual truthin the box.
(04:23):
And uh so it's all gettingthere, and the Holy Spirit is
gonna make sure that everythingthat's in the box comes to you
when you need it.
So when you sit down and yousay, okay, I've got this anger
problem, anger's have been ournumber one example here, um, and
we didn't teach on it, which waskind of weird, but um every time
(04:46):
I I have this anger, thisuncontrollable rage or uh anger
towards my kids when I'm mad atmy boss, see, that's what
emotions can do, is it just getsout.
And uh, if you're mad at yourboss, if your boss did something
wrong or he offended you orwhatever, then you deserve to be
(05:07):
angry at him.
But the scripture says, beangry, but do not sin.
And a lot of times we take thatanger home and say, uh, oh,
there's my lovely wife.
Let's just blow it all over her.
And that's just a terrible wayto live your life.
And um not so much because ofyou, because you think, okay, I
(05:29):
feel better.
What happens is is your wifegets detached and says, I when
he's mad, he he lets me have itand it's not my fault.
And and pretty soon she's eithergonna say, I'm done with you
doing this, or she says, I'mdone with you completely.
(05:52):
I don't need to be afraid of youall every time someone cuts you
off in traffic.
It's not my fault.
And so you want to live yourlife free, you want to be free.
And uh, but the problem is thatwe are God has come along, and
when he saved you and sanctifiedyou, justified you, I mean, all
(06:14):
those words are great, it'sexciting, but he has unlocked
your prison and swung up swungopen the door.
And a lot of us don't walk out,we just stay there.
And what we're trying to teachin this um you're not the boss
of me is to teach you that youcan walk out.
(06:37):
You gotta leave that stuffbehind, and you can you can live
a free life.
And the way you do that is youuse truth to shape you.
Be not conformed to the image ofthis world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
And we do that with truth, withscripture.
So when you take that extra timeto uh bring up uh scripture
(07:03):
about anger, and put 'em on yourmirror where you shave every
morning, and uh or put them onyour car dash or on the door on
the way out uh of your house andtry to memorize some and build
you a little sermon about howGod feels about anger and what
he expects of you.
(07:24):
And then when you're making thatdecision, uh you'll you'll
you'll run up against thattruth.
And sometimes truth will win,sometimes it won't.
But you'll always know alwaysknow it's there.
And uh pretty soon it it it'llmanhandle your anger and you'll
(07:46):
you'll be free because of that.
And so I love the way you putthis together that you took um
last week was fear and envy.
And uh because it's somethingthat don't go together, but they
do go together.
You know?
Um and the week before that wasum anxiety and guilt.
(08:11):
Guilt.
And now in our minds and our umpseudosciences, we we see, well,
I can see how guilt can causeanxiety.
Um I don't understand how envycan cause fear.
But we've got something we puton the uh uh internet all the
time where we're texting, right?
(08:32):
Fear of missing out.
A FOMO.
We're always worried, I'm gonnamiss out.
Everybody else is gonna getthat, and not me.
And that kind of fear uh teachesyou to be afraid.
And if you're taught to beafraid, then other fears uh come
(08:52):
into your life, and you you youdon't have anything uh to push
back against that either, uh,because fear begets fear.
It doesn't matter uh what it'sit's just like anxiety.
You know, I'm anxious, I'manxious about my job, uh, I'm
anxious about the neighbor hekeeps cutting on my side of the
lawn.
I'm anxious about um the uhmailman because he keeps
(09:18):
dropping my mail.
Uh and you know that anxietybuilds, and anxiety is a good
one because you know, when yougo to a therapist, they're like,
okay, we got this big bucket ofanxiety.
What can we get out of thisbucket that um will release some
(09:38):
of your anxiety?
And so they look at for thingsin your past like bitterness and
unforgiveness and and stuff thatcauses anxiety.
And when you get rid of that,then your neighbor mowing on
your um your side of the fenceor your uh mailman not putting
his getting the letters in yourbox or whatever becomes part of
(10:01):
your normal everyday life.
But when you let that anxietybuilds up, it starts splashing
over the top of the bucket, andthen you got some issues.
So a therapist will go in, tryto knock a hole in the bottom of
your bucket and get some thingsthat you need to deal with dealt
with, so you have a normalamount of anxiety.
You can't live without anxiety,or you just will never get up.
(10:23):
So you gotta have some.
Um, but when when we talk aboutfear and envy, it's a whole
different ball game.
It's hard to connect them, andthat's that's the problem um
with all these emotions is theydon't they run in packs.
And uh there it's not alwaysjust one.
(10:44):
There's um there's anger, butwhy are you angering?
You know, and that's that's uhand that's another emotion in
there.
And they gang up and they runlike a pack of wolves.
And so you gotta be able to sortthem out.
And the last two weeks, uh, wespent some time sorting them
out, and it's it's been good, Ithink, for people to understand
(11:05):
that our are more complicatedpeople.
unknown (11:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:09):
It's it is funny on a a series on emotions to not
talk about anger, you know,because that's as we all deal
with that, right?
Um and could we have sure.
But I think we we were prettyintentional about going after
some of these that um aretricky, yeah, and and then to to
(11:29):
find those connections to helppeople realize, yeah, we're
we're complicated.
This it's not always what yousee on the surface, and so um,
yeah, you're anxious, but man,do you see that it's guilt
that's fueling that anxiety?
Um, or man, you're you're soyou're so afraid, but you don't
realize it's it's envy burningin there, right?
(11:52):
Um, and so it's finding thoseconnections just to help you
say, man, we we understandthere's all kinds of other
emotions we didn't get to talkabout in the series.
Right.
Um, you know, we'd probably needa full year 52-week calendar to
to really hammer it home.
Um, but hopefully you'restarting to see, man, there's
some things here, and yeah,they're complicated.
(12:14):
And these things run together.
And man, I thought it was this,but if I'm honest, there's
something deeper going on here.
Right.
Um and you know, fear and envy,but one of the things I said in
the sermon is they both start tomake the same accusation against
God.
Um I can't trust them.
Right.
What he did for them, man,they're I just I'm I'm envious
(12:38):
of it.
Like, should have been me.
It does that mean I'm not gonnaget what was due to me.
Um, and what it comes down, Idon't I I can't trust God.
I can't trust him with what Iwhat I can't see.
What you know, is he gonna comethrough?
Is he gonna provide for me likehe provided for them?
And it's really, man, do I trustthe goodness and the
(12:59):
faithfulness, the provision ofGod?
Guilt or fear and envy are bothreally asking the same question.
Um, and so yeah, superintentional to to pick some of
these little bit more obscureones and then try to find the
connection between them.
Does that mean there's always aconnection?
Not necessarily.
Sometimes you're just an angryperson, right?
SPEAKER_01 (13:20):
Sometimes you you you know, you've been you've
been hurt and you reacted tothat in anger, and it's become
an emotional habit.
SPEAKER_00 (13:28):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (13:29):
And so you just automatically go there, and when
you think it through, you'llsay, you know what, I'm not
really angry.
I don't I don't know what'sgoing on with me, you know, and
then you're like, okay, nowthings are getting weird.
Why am I doing this?
And and so uh we need to attackthese things, think about them,
(13:50):
and then uh slap it around withthe Bible, use the the sword of
the spirit, the word of God, andget these things wrangled down
uh to where they go down thehallways uh that they can go
down and we can experience lifeto the fullest.
And that's that's what we wantthe most.
(14:11):
Um fear and envy is interestingbecause you know the root of sin
to a Protestant is pride, right?
The first sin was pride, Satanuh was filled with pride, so he
wanted to take God's place.
But if you'll talk to an umancient Jewish rabbi, he would
(14:32):
say it's covetousness, envy.
He envied God's position, andthat's what caused him to go in
the direction that he did.
And uh so we got in the TenCommandments, uh thou shalt not
covet.
And I mean it's flat out.
And then when it comes to fear,we've got fear the Lord.
(14:56):
Be strong and courageous.
You don't have to fear.
Remember who I am.
You need to fear me.
Because that's the fear that'llbring wisdom into your life.
And uh, so it's you know, theseare these are two really big
emotions uh that we need to getright.
(15:17):
Uh it it it'll affect allcorners of our life.
Just think about um envy and howit's connected to to anger, how
it's connected to anxiety, howenvy's connected to um your uh
bad self-image, and how I meanit just that covetousness just
(15:38):
reaches out and sticks itsfingers in everything.
And uh so we need to attack thatstraight up.
I don't want to be that kind ofguy.
Uh when someone wins the lotto,I want to be grateful for them.
When someone gets a promotion, Iwant to be grateful for them.
And uh, if they get mypromotion, I want to be able to
(16:01):
say, God, I give you thanks, butI'm really ticked.
But that's okay, because I canbe angry and not sin because
I've built a hallway for that.
unknown (16:13):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (16:13):
And that's that's how we want to live.
Okay, here's a situation whereyou should be freaking out.
Well, I am freaking out, butI've built truth around that.
So it doesn't control me, Icontrol it.
And that's what this is allabout.
You're not gonna walk out ofthis and say, okay, now I'm just
a kind of a moderate, easygoingguy.
(16:35):
That's not what we're doinghere, okay?
You're gonna you're gonna beemotional and they're gonna be
strong, but that's that's fineif you surround them in God's
truth.
SPEAKER_00 (16:46):
We were created to be emotional, man.
We talked about that on thepodcast last week.
It is, it's about making surethey're not the boss of you.
They make great servants,terrible bosses.
We say it over and over and overagain in this series.
Um, you know, you brought upcovetousness, and um, you know,
one of the commands, thou shaltnot covet.
Um, I I read a Jewish rabbi onetime said that the tenth command
(17:10):
isn't a command as much as it isa promise.
Um, that if you'll do the firstnine, you won't want anyone
else's life.
Um I thought, man, that's prettyinteresting.
Yeah, that is interesting.
Um but it's uh Solomon 3,000years ago looks out over
humanity, and scripture says hewas he was the wisest person to
(17:33):
ever live.
So we're talking about a guywith just incredible amount of
wisdom looks out over humanityand says, Man, you know what
I've determined?
That uh most people, like justabout all of them, are motivated
to success because they envytheir neighbor.
(17:54):
And it's like, man, that thatsounds like the guy you work
with.
That that sounds like you know,your brother or brother-in-law.
That that sounds like this was3,000 years ago before LinkedIn
and social media, you know, theythey weren't getting on Facebook
and Instagram and looking ateverybody's highlight reel.
And yet, even there, he said,the reason most of us do the
(18:20):
things that we do is because weenvy our neighbor.
That's right.
We this whole keeping up withthe Joneses thing has been going
on for 3,000.
I was trying to think of a youknow Jewish last name, um,
instead of Joneses.
It's been going on a long time.
Of Nazareth, keeping up with theof Nazareth's.
(18:42):
Yes.
Um they they've been humanityforever has been looking out
saying, godly, look, myneighbor's out there on his new
lawnmower.
Oh, look at the stripes he'sputting in his lawn.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna have to goget a new mower, honey.
I we can't put up with this.
Um, we've been looking outsaying, I I I gotta do better, I
(19:02):
gotta do more.
And it's because I'm my eyes arefocused on the other people
around me, and I'm constantlytrying to measure myself up to
them to see, man, am I doingokay?
And that leads us right intofear because now all of a sudden
we're man, I'm falling behind.
I'm in my 30s, I'm in myforties, I'm in my 50s, I'm not
(19:25):
ready for retirement.
Oh my gosh, everybody elsearound me has got this much
money saved up.
I I I'm not ready.
And now we're afraid.
And it started with envy.
We looked around and said, Man,I don't have what they have.
What they have should be what Ihave.
I should have thoseopportunities, I should have
that.
And now what's going on with me?
(19:45):
How come how am I ever gonnacatch up?
SPEAKER_01 (19:47):
And around and around and around we go.
Fear, anxiety, it just like Isaid, it's got its fingers in
everything.
And uh squashing that is isgonna be a a lifelong uh battle,
and and you need to engage init.
You just can't let it sit thereand and run you around.
(20:09):
You need to engage in that uh inthat battle.
That's that's what we're tryingto teach.
You can you can fight all thesethings uh with the word of God.
It's important that you use theword of God to conform yourself
to the image of the sun.
And that's that's what we'retrying to do here.
Um I think uh Solomon said it'schasing the wind.
(20:37):
And because we're gonna chasethat envy and chase it and chase
it, and when we die, we die withnothing.
And we we've gotta start being alittle bit more heavenly minded
than we are.
Now, I don't expect you to um uhsee Iran meet with Russia and
(20:58):
then crawl up on your roofbecause you think the rapture is
coming and quit your job and allthat kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (21:05):
Remember your money out of the stock market.
SPEAKER_01 (21:08):
It's over.
Remember uh uh what Paul said tothe Thessalonians to the guys
that were doing that.
He said, uh, if they don't work,they don't eat.
So uh I don't want you I don'twant to see you do that, but you
need to be heavenly minded.
None of this stuff is gonna meananything to you.
SPEAKER_02 (21:25):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (21:26):
In just a few years, less than a hundred years, none
of this stuff will meananything.
SPEAKER_00 (21:31):
That's what Jesus said, right?
Store up treasures in heavenwhere moth and rust can't
destroy.
And we're so busy down hereconsuming um that I mean more
than more than we'd care toadmit, I'll say.
I don't want to put a number onit.
Uh we we haven't just filled upour house in our basement, in
(21:54):
our garage, in our shed.
We got storage units.
Right.
We're paying monthly.
For just to store stuff.
And Jesus, like, what are yougonna do with all that?
You know, you're saying ifyou're lucky, a hundred years, I
think the average lifespan's inthe 70s right now.
Right.
So what do you what are we doingall this for?
(22:17):
He says, Man, we need to storeup treasures in heaven.
This is what you're talkingabout.
We need to be kingdom heavenlyminded and focus on things
above.
Man, Lord, how do I build uptreasure there?
Um and we are, man, just onemore thing.
If I can get just that one morething, then I'm finally gonna be
happy, then I'll finally becontent, then I'll finally be
(22:39):
secure.
SPEAKER_01 (22:40):
And uh we take that one step further.
And it's like, well, are yougiving money to your kids now?
No, they couldn't handle it if Igave them the kids right now.
It's like, uh uh, okay, this isnot computing.
If you want to make money foryour kids, make it now.
(23:02):
Just give it to them now.
I think you can give$19,000 awaybefore you hit the gift tax for
each person.
So you can give about 40 grand ayear to your to your kids while
they're working.
And uh if if you want to dothat, start now.
Could wait, well, when I die, Iwant to drop a big bomb on them
and give them all this money.
(23:23):
That's probably the worst thingyou can do to a good,
hardworking family is give thema bunch of money.
Um, because most of them can'thandle it.
So give it to them now.
Little chunks.
And then when you die, you canwrite in your will and you have
to read it to everybody.
I gave it all to you.
You you've got it all.
(23:43):
Yeah, so quit crying.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Probably should make a note here.
We are not financial advisors,please.
Yes, C S C P A.
SPEAKER_01 (23:52):
That's the truth.
So I I just want everybody toknow that this you are chasing
the wind.
This stuff, stuff, your tripsdon't matter.
I mean, after about a thousandyears of on my face praising
Jesus when I'm in heaven, um,then I'll say, all right, I want
(24:14):
to canoe the Amazon.
And, you know, I'll get to dowhatever I want to do.
I'll be able to uh watch historylike a movie, which I probably
won't.
It's like, oh my gosh, it wasworse than I thought.
But I think uh I think it'simportant that us, you know,
(24:36):
Paul tells us, and I'm gonnapreach about it on Sunday, you
know, you need to think onthings that are above, yeah.
Things that are lovely, thingsthat are pure, and not think
about, oh my gosh, look whatthey got.
I mean, the Cavs are uh playingtheir first of their playoffs.
(25:00):
Playoff playoff series, whateverit is.
But all I can think about isTaco Bell and Hardee's and
because it's just everycommercial, it's just like food,
food, food.
And I know if I won't eat afterten o'clock or after um seven
o'clock at night, I said teno'clock because that's usually
(25:22):
when I eat.
When I wrap up.
Right.
And uh I know I can I can losesome weight if I'll do that.
But every time I watch thefinals, it's just one food
commercial after the other.
And uh Teresa will be looking upthere.
Boy, that looks good.
Shut up, Teresa.
Oh, that looks good.
I bet they're open.
(25:43):
Teresa, I'm gonna.
It's tough.
We are consumers um to the tenthdegree.
We just can't be satisfied withwhat we got.
And it's uh that envy, uh,whether you know it or not, is
(26:03):
controlling you, and it's gottastop.
unknown (26:06):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (26:07):
It's gotta stop.
SPEAKER_00 (26:08):
Some of the walls that uh I think I I laid out
three walls in the sermon onSunday.
Uh, first is the wall ofidentity, and I said, we need to
know who whose we are and whatrace we're running.
Um man, God has called you torun a specific race, and author
Hebrews said, run, lay asideevery hindrance and the sin that
(26:31):
so easily uh ensnares orentangles you and run with
endurance the race that liesbefore you.
Um, we have got to get our eyesoff of other people's lanes,
man.
And it's especially, you know, Idon't know about especially, but
it happens all the time in thechurch.
You know, you come here, we'retrying to serve God.
Uh, you know, God, what do youwhat'd you make me for?
(26:52):
What's my calling?
If you've listened to Pastor Timand I, we've told you God's
given you a gift, you'resupposed to use it to serve the
church.
Um, and and then we look aroundand we see, oh man, look what
they're doing.
Oh, they get to be out in front.
Oh, they get to do this.
And and it's easy to get oureyes on other people's lanes.
Um uh Joy and I we went out todinner with Kylie and Ethan, and
(27:16):
Ethan shared this at Life Grouplast night, so he has shared it
publicly.
I'm gonna share his story.
What now?
SPEAKER_01 (27:24):
Life Group is supposed to be nobody tells any
secrets.
Are you sure you want to gohere, Pastor?
SPEAKER_00 (27:30):
Yeah, I'll text him and let him know what's coming.
He said that uh in his home, hehe's like, Man, I I just love to
worship.
Um, they've been watching uh oh,what's that series, King David
or something?
He's like, Man, when David uhyou know starts to sing, he gets
out the harp and he sings.
He's like, dude, I'll I juststart weeping like I love it.
And he goes, So I'll I'll getafter it pretty good in the
(27:53):
house.
I'll be singing away.
And Kylie comes up and tellshim, Man, man, you sound pretty
good and all this stuff.
And um, he starts thinking,like, man, you know, I like to
sing.
Um, I I enjoy worshiping.
Maybe maybe I should get on thethe worship team tryout for
that.
And I guess he shares that withKylie.
Kylie goes, I mean, I I don'tknow about you've been gassing
(28:18):
me up here for the newlywedanswer.
SPEAKER_01 (28:22):
Oh no, honey, you sound fantastic.
Yeah, unfortunately, we've seenall that happen on American
Idol, right?
You know, their whole familysaid, No, you're great.
SPEAKER_00 (28:31):
You're great.
And then they, yeah, no, yousomeone should have loved you
enough to say, just sit down.
Okay.
That's that's what we do.
We look at other people's lanesand we're like, man, I want to
do what they want to.
And I don't think that's whatEthan was doing.
Just a funny story.
Um, but we we look at all theseother people and go, man, I wish
I could do what they did.
I wish that I had theopportunities they had.
(28:52):
Um, and what we need to realizeis, man, you have a race that
God has put before you, and Godis not holding you accountable
to someone else's race.
SPEAKER_01 (29:02):
Well, let's run through a couple of positions
and uh I'll show you how muchthey mean.
Pastor of church gets to teachthe truth, uh, helps people
build walls and hallways fortheir emotions.
That's what we're doing.
Uh, things that can reallytransform a life if you'll put
the hard work in, you know, someof the things that we are saying
(29:25):
can really train uh transformyour life.
And and we get to do that.
That's great.
We get to preach on Easter andand ask people to to uh come and
step into faith.
And we get to do that everyweek.
Um and what a great assignment.
(29:46):
We love it.
I'm I'm the teacher here, and Ilove to teach, to get into the
word of God and teach thingsthat have been taught for the
last 2,000 years that you needto know.
And these are things that aredeep and and uh they're God's
not just God's promises, butthey reveal who He is.
(30:07):
So I love that, and that is justa great job to have.
And uh, and then Teresa leadingthe worship, leading people to
worship God and and just youknow uh give it all up for him.
Hopefully they all are.
Um and um you see you see thosepositions, those ones that are
(30:31):
up on stage, and you think, man,those things would be really
great, you know.
But we were talking before westarted this podcast that about
a third of the church, maybewill be fired up about this
series of sermons to say, I'mgonna do this.
(30:55):
I'm gonna add this to my life,and I'm not I'm not gonna be
bossed around anymore.
But just a third.
We preached to people on Easter,we had six hundred here on
Easter, and we had eighteen cometo the Lord, but that's not all
the lost people that were here.
That's not all of them.
(31:16):
Teresa, look around you whenwe're worshiping, you know, and
uh Ryan's trying to take off,and I'm doing my uh I'm trying
not to be self-conscious aboutthat every Sunday.
And I'm I'm doing my thing, andand there's about six, eight
(31:38):
other people that are disdemonstratus demonst I can't say
that word today.
Demonstrative.
Are demonstrative in theirworship.
Uh some got their head down andthey're then and they're
reverent.
Maybe a third.
And the rest are just likereading the words.
(32:01):
So those three positions thatlook like they're something
don't amount to much.
But you know what does?
Those five people who show upevery Sunday, get in the office
up here, and pray.
(32:23):
Prayer always changes things.
Your prayer engages God, and youcan do more in prayer than all
three of us put together, andpeople still won't pray.
I just I want to be that guy.
Do you want to be effective?
(32:44):
Pray.
Well, that's not my spiritualgift.
Do you want to be effective?
Pray.
And I think we we lose sight ofthe important things.
If this church would pray, allthese problems that we have with
helping the kids, uh our budget,all those things, they wouldn't
(33:05):
be a problem.
So when we look at envious, youknow, I I want to be, I want
this or I want that in myChristian life.
Man, there's one thing that youcan do every day that changes
the entire world.
And I know you don't believe itbecause that's why you don't do
(33:27):
it.
But if you would pray, itwouldn't just change our
community here at A Fresh Wind,it can change the world.
And um so some guy's playingfootball one night, I think he
was on the was it the Bengals.
(33:47):
He got speared in the chest witha helmet.
And he died on the field rightin front of all of us.
But the people of God prayed,and he's alive playing football
today.
Now, you might say, well, that'sjust uh no.
(34:11):
If people didn't pray, histeammates, the other team
prayed, they canceled thatfootball team.
They didn't cancel that footballteam because cancel that
football game because he gothurt, they canceled it because
he died.
But people prayed, and he'salive today.
Man, you you don't have to beenvious of some great preacher
(34:37):
out there or some great singerout there who seems like they're
they're bringing people to theLord.
You want to be better than them?
Pray.
SPEAKER_00 (34:48):
I mean, you look at was it Charles Spurgeon and all
those stuff he done?
Was it him that had the prayerthe power room?
That's what it he's like, youthink it's what I do up here?
He goes, There's people down in,I think it was the boiler room
is where they met.
And he's like, that's all thisis because of that.
And man, we got a it's a smallgroup, but they show up
(35:11):
faithfully every Sunday.
Most of you probably don't evenknow their names of who shows up
to do it.
Um, they show up to pray everyweek.
Um, the reset team that comes inin between service, they're not
just straightening chairs andstuffing envelopes in the back
of seats.
They pray over every chair asthey straighten it.
Um, that's happening every week.
(35:32):
And you know, we can look at thepeople on stage and say, Man, I
wish I had that.
Those people don't show up, andwe'll we'll close the doors.
Like, we're not gonna do itwithout them.
Um they're the movers and theshakers.
Not the best speaker we canhave.
And you don't even know theirnames.
You don't even know their names.
Um, so get your eyes off someoneelse's lane and say, God, what
(35:56):
do you what do you have for me?
Run that race faithfully.
And then when you stand beforeyour God, he's gonna say, Well
done, good and faithful servant.
What a shame it would be tostand before God and him look at
you and go, Man, I have so muchfor you.
But you were looking at someoneelse's lane and you missed it.
SPEAKER_01 (36:15):
Yeah.
You want we want to be likeMoses, who looked at his lane
and said, I'm not qualified.
You know, and we always worryabout our qualifications.
And and God, He doesn't careabout your qualifications, He
cares about your availability.
That's right.
He said, I'm gonna use you to dothis thing.
(36:39):
And uh it's like picking up abaseball bat.
I'm gonna hit a home run.
I'm gonna use you, this baseballbat, to do it.
Well, I don't know.
You know, I'm kind of skinny.
Those other baseball bats arefat at the end.
If you don't want me to use you,I'll put you down and pick up
another baseball bat.
(36:59):
Your choice.
What do you want to do?
Now, he didn't let Moses dothat.
So I wouldn't, I wouldn't get inan argument with him about it
because he told Moses, no,you're going.
He's like, Well, I got tostutter and I don't speak.
Well, I'll find someone to speakfor you.
I'll let your brother do it.
How would that feel?
I know you and your brothers.
(37:20):
If if you said, I don't know,Lord, if I want to be this guy
that you called me to be, I'lllet your brother do it.
No, no, no, no, no.
I got it.
I got it.
So I think it's funny that uh weget so wrapped up in this when
the Lord is uh has lived thelife before us to teach us to
(37:45):
pray, to teach us to do what Godhas called us to do.
Uh I remember when Peter, hetold Peter, he said, Look, uh
one day you're gonna get ledaway, um, and you'll have to go
to a place that you don't wantto go, and you're gonna give
your life for me.
And the first thing Peter saidwas, Well, what about John?
(38:11):
That's just that's just that oldnature, guys.
And uh we gotta we gotta wegotta build walls around it
around him.
He can't let we can't let himrun rampid.
And uh Jesus answered and said,What if I let him live um and
never die?
Or something like that.
And uh and Peter was like, thatis not the answer I was looking
(38:34):
for.
You know, we have a race to run,and when you're in it, it's
gonna be tough, but it's gonnabe filled with joy.
That's right.
And I think uh when we talkabout these tough things, we
always get this oh, I gottacarry my cross.
I gotta, you know, I gotta Igotta No, Jesus said, Look, I'll
(38:56):
carry it for you.
You know, come to me.
If you feel weak, heavy laden,I'll give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, because Icarry all the weight.
Let's go.
And we need to jump into that.
He's not telling us, okay,you're gonna be ground up into
(39:18):
pieces, but that's all thetestimonies we hear, you know.
It's oh, this was really rough.
No, he's like, No, you need totransform.
And I'm gonna show you how to doit.
I'm gonna carry all the weight,and you think about all the
promises that I've given you.
Think about um what's waitingfor you in heaven.
(39:40):
One thing I'm gonna say, if youlisten to this, it doesn't mean
you can't show up on you don'thave to show up on Sunday.
Um this you can't be a betterChristian than you are right
now.
You can't.
And you're and I know you'rethinking, I don't know, Timmy,
(40:02):
you don't really know me.
I'm not the greatest Christianat all.
But I want to tell yousomething.
You have been, if you'veaccepted Jesus and confessed him
as your Lord and Savior, and youbelieve in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you'vebeen justified.
You've been sanctified.
(40:25):
You uh Jesus was your atonementfor your sin.
He paid the price for you.
There's nothing else to pay.
You can't be more or a betterChristian than you are right
now.
You're perfect in God's sightbecause you have Jesus'
(40:49):
righteousness.
God can't love you any more thanhe loves you right now.
Be free.
That's what Paul was trying totell us when he said, I have set
you free for freedom's sake.
I I want you to live free.
And the things we got waitingfor us, uh on the way here, I
(41:12):
was thinking about um all thesethings that are happening in
space right now.
I'm like, Lord, I don't want togive that up in heaven.
I don't I don't want to give itup.
I want to know.
I heard one of the astronautstalking about how it's just
(41:33):
black out there.
There's nothing out there, nomatter how close or how far.
It's just the it's just empty.
All of space is just completelyempty, except for these little
points of light.
And uh I want to go see them.
(41:53):
And I believe I will.
One day I will.
And I'm I'm excited about that.
And I I know I'm a sciencefiction nerd and all that kind
of stuff, but I don't think theLord created the entire uh
universe for us to sit here onour little dot.
I think I think we're gonnaexpand.
(42:15):
And I I I think heaven's gonnabe so much more than anything
that we can ever understand.
And uh so when you're down deepin that envy and you feel like
you're missing out, you're notmissing out.
SPEAKER_00 (42:30):
No, who's you are, man.
Um your God's the king, he's thecreator.
Um and man, to to think aboutall the things, you know, um
that we'll get to see andexperience in heaven.
And you were talking earlierabout, you know, after a
thousand years of just being onmy face, then I can get up maybe
and go do some of this stuff.
(42:52):
And and I think we're gonna havesome stuff to do when we get to
heaven.
Uh if you think it's justsitting up on a cloud, wearing a
diaper, playing a harp, I thinkyou got a misconstrued uh vision
of what heaven's gonna be about.
But here's the truth of it.
We can go and explore theAmazon, we can climb the highest
mountain, we can go to thefurthest point of the galaxy,
(43:15):
and then we're gonna come backand fall on our face in front of
Jesus and say, Man, you're stillbetter in all of it.
Absolutely.
Um that's that's your God.
And so remember who you are.
Um We don't got time to jump toodeep into these next two walls,
but uh just want to hammer thesehome for you.
The the second wall that's gonnaum come up against envy and fear
(43:36):
in your life is the wall ofcontentment.
Uh, you need to learn to besatisfied with what God's
provided.
Um, and when you remember whoseyou are, then you you begin to
trust his provision.
Uh Paul says, I learned how tobe content, and and you can
learn that too.
It's not uh not a charactertrait, it's not something you're
born with.
Um contentments, you know, whenit comes against envy, it says
(43:58):
what God's given me is exactlywhat I.
Need to live the life to run therace that he set before me.
Um, and against fear, it sayswhat I have right now is enough
because the God who provided itis gonna continue to provide all
that I need.
Um, and so we need to learn tobe content, and and that'll keep
fear and envy from from bossingus around.
SPEAKER_01 (44:19):
Yeah, I think that trust, uh, that wall of trust
that you were talking aboutbuilding, I think that was the
third one.
And you you were you weretalking about that is so
important.
And this is this this isactually how you build trust in
God.
You do the things that we'retrying to teach you to hear,
teach you here, and thensuddenly your emotions are not
(44:41):
the boss of you anymore, andyou're like, well, that worked.
If I can trust God, I can trusthis word to handle my emotions,
then what can't I trust his wordfor?
You know?
Let him prove himself faithfuland true.
Absolutely.
I love that.
(45:01):
I love that idea.
You win, Christian.
So I was at we were at some kindof dinner with uh Pastor uh Mike
Payne over in Northridgeville,he's my brother-in-law, and uh
he sat in the right chair and hewon a door prize because he was
(45:21):
sitting in that chair.
And he got up and and took itand took the microphone.
He says, I'm the winner.
And ever since then, he alwayshe always when he sees me and uh
we're introducing people to topeople around us, he'll say, I'm
Mike, I'm the winner.
(45:43):
I win.
They're like, What are youtalking about?
It doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter.
I win.
That's you, Christian.
Yeah, you're the winner.
You've won.
He is he loves you so much.
Um he did he did it all for you.
And one day you're gonna fallinto find out what that love is
(46:04):
all about, and it's gonna beawesome.
You win.
Stop worrying about where youare in this life and what um
echelon you're on.
Um you want to be big in heaven,then drop on your knees and
pray.
Pray for this church, pray forour country, it needs it.
Pray for wisdom.
(46:25):
Um, pray for our Congress toactually work instead of hurting
us all the time.
Um we we need this country needsprayer more than it needs
anything else.
We don't need another betterpreacher, we don't need another
better music director or even akids teacher, excuse me, or
(46:48):
youth person, or that's not whatwe need.
We need people to pray.
Be faithful in prayer.
And it'll give all those otherpeople, pastors and teachers and
worshipers, something to do.
Because if you're not praying,God's not moving.
And if he's not moving, we'reout of work.
unknown (47:09):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (47:09):
So pray.
Pray and trust them.
Um, I wrapped up the sermon withthis.
I'll wrap up this podcast withit as well.
Paul said this to the Romans,since he did not spare even his
own son, but gave him up for usall, won't he also give us
everything else?
Man, envy and fear especially,but I think so much of the
(47:30):
emotions that we wrestledthrough is man, this idea that
the God isn't gonna comethrough, um, that God's up in
heaven holding back on us.
Um, and he already gave you hisbest.
Yeah.
He gave you Jesus.
Um, and so if he'll give youthat, what would he keep from
(47:51):
you?
Right.
He's gonna give you everythingyou need to live the life that
he's called you to live.
You don't need to be afraid.
No, you don't need to look atanybody else's life and be
envious.
Um steward the things that he'sgiven you well, run the race
he's laid before you, and oneday you'll stand before him, and
he'll say, Well done, good andfaithful servant.
Uh, you ran your race.
(48:12):
And now here's the price.
Here's everything I've preparedfor you.
SPEAKER_01 (48:17):
Here's where people fall.
Some say, I ruined my wholelife.
If that's true, I've beenuseless the whole time.
And uh I'll never be what Icould have been.
Guess what?
Jesus said before you were evencreated, before the creation of
(48:38):
the world, he looked at yourentire life and said, I'm gonna
save you anyways.
And it's it's it's not I gottaearn my good and faithful
servant.
When you said, Jesus, I give youmy life, you won that title.
We gotta get over this thinkingabout performance when it comes
(49:01):
to Christianity.
He wants you to be free forfreedom's sake.
Not free so you can sin, butfree for freedom's sake, so you
can have a life that'sabundantly free and full of joy.
Those Christians who died in theColosseum were full of joy.
(49:22):
They sang praises to the king.
And uh I was watching a video ofum I'm trying to remember the
song they were singing.
But all these NigerianChristians were getting killed
all through Easter and and allthese people and and threats
have been laid on them, and uhthis whole church went to the
(49:44):
mall and started singingpraises.
And all the people in the mallthat were Christians stopped and
stood with them and sang thisworship song with them.
And uh it broke my heart.
And they're just they're lookingat all those Muslims around them
and said, Bring that you can'thurt me.
(50:09):
I'm gonna live forever.
Let's pray.
SPEAKER_00 (50:14):
Father, we thank you.
Um that you are faithful, thatyou are good, that your
provision is enough.
And uh, Father, I pray that youwould help us trust you more.
Um, Lord, I know a lot of uswere saying I do believe, but
would help my unbelief.
And uh, Father, I pray that youdo it for each of us.
Um, Father, for for too long,these we've allowed these
(50:35):
emotions to boss us around andget the best of us.
And Lord, just run rampant anddestructive in our life.
Um, but Father, we're uh we'reputting our foot down.
We're saying you're not the bossof me.
Uh, I know who is, and he isgood.
He is faithful, he is more thanenough.
And so, Father, help us to trustyou in all these things.
In Jesus' name.
(50:56):
Amen.
SPEAKER_03 (50:58):
Thanks again for joining us for this episode of
the Midweek Podcast.
We'd love to hear from you.
Let us know how God is usingthis resource in your life or
send any podcast questions ortopic ideas to podcast at a
freshwind.org.
If you would like to supportthis ministry financially and
help us continue offering youresources that equip you to
discover more in Christ, simplytext any amount to the number
(51:21):
84321.
We're so grateful for yoursupport.
Make sure to tune in next weekfor a brand new episode of the
Midweek Podcast.
Be blessed and have a greatweek.
Welcome and thanks for joining us on this episode
of the Midweek Podcast, broughtto you by a Fresh Wind Church.
Each week, our team brings younew content to help you take
steps towards Jesus and discovermore in Christ.
Today's episode is hosted byPastor Ryan.
SPEAKER_00 (00:27):
Hey, welcome back to the Midweek Podcast.
Pastor Ryan joined as alwayswith Pastor Tim, and we are in
week three of our series You'reNot the Boss of Me.
And uh I still love that sermontitle.
I had a little little fun withthat uh on on Sunday.
Um feels good to say, doesn'tit?
SPEAKER_01 (00:46):
Yeah, it does.
Uh in this situation, it's very,very important that we learn to
say that instead of uh givingup.
It's easy to give up on this,it's easy to get a little
nihilistic and say, you knowwhat, I just I just no can't.
(01:07):
Uh that's just another thing.
And now, you know, you want meto read the Bible, you want me
to do a devotion, and now youwant me to write my own sermon
against my uh out of controlanger or lust and um to to build
these walls.
I just I don't I don't want todo it.
(01:29):
I just don't want to.
It's too much.
Uh in there feel that.
Yeah.
And this is this is importantbecause uh a lot of times we
enjoy that emotion, even if it'sdestructive.
Teresa was uh talking to meabout our uh old man, and uh
(01:49):
Paul calls our uh Sin Sin Natureuh the old man, and that he
likes resurrection too.
And uh he wants to beresurrected, he wants to be the
boss, and that's when he gets incontrol is when your emotions
take you out of control, hesteps in.
And uh so uh we have to keep himdead, and uh building these
(02:15):
walls around our emotions isvery important to keep him where
he belongs in the ground.
SPEAKER_00 (02:20):
That's right.
I think uh another side to thisis man, we've a lot of us we've
dealt with these emotions for solong, it's just kind of become
ingrained, you know, it's justwho I am.
Um I'm an angry person.
That's right.
Um, I'm a vengeful person.
Um, and so we we we don't evenreally try to combat it anymore.
(02:41):
It's just that's me.
That's my natural state.
And sometimes we even take pridein that.
Yeah, yeah.
Uh that's just the way I am.
I just tell it like it is,right?
Okay, well, you're a jerk, youknow.
That the truth is you're a jerk.
Um a jerk who's supposed to bebecoming more like Jesus every
day.
Right.
(03:02):
And these are these are thingswe gotta we gotta build these
walls around.
Um, and so uh I I told you guyson the podcast last week, we're
trying to build these walls, youknow, during during the sermons,
uh, kind of keep these emotionsuh where they belong.
And they gotta run up against.
I didn't feel like I did a greatjob uh doing that.
(03:22):
So we spent almost the wholepodcast last week talking about
building walls, how to buildwalls, um digging in that Lego
box, pulling some things out.
This past Sunday, I tried to bemuch more intentional about
constructing walls, and so uh,you know, did some very specific
wall building on Sunday.
SPEAKER_01 (03:42):
Well, I'll tell you this when uh the first podcast
uh when we talked about this umwas that last week?
Yep.
Um I was trying to tell you thatevery time you open the word of
God, you're throwing Lego blocksin the box.
Every time you uh go to smallgroup, you're throwing some more
(04:02):
Lego blocks in the box.
So it's it's not like you umjust your standard Christian
life listening to a sermon, uh,listen into uh good biblical uh
worship songs.
Help you put uh spiritual truthin the box.
(04:23):
And uh so it's all gettingthere, and the Holy Spirit is
gonna make sure that everythingthat's in the box comes to you
when you need it.
So when you sit down and yousay, okay, I've got this anger
problem, anger's have been ournumber one example here, um, and
we didn't teach on it, which waskind of weird, but um every time
(04:46):
I I have this anger, thisuncontrollable rage or uh anger
towards my kids when I'm mad atmy boss, see, that's what
emotions can do, is it just getsout.
And uh, if you're mad at yourboss, if your boss did something
wrong or he offended you orwhatever, then you deserve to be
(05:07):
angry at him.
But the scripture says, beangry, but do not sin.
And a lot of times we take thatanger home and say, uh, oh,
there's my lovely wife.
Let's just blow it all over her.
And that's just a terrible wayto live your life.
And um not so much because ofyou, because you think, okay, I
(05:29):
feel better.
What happens is is your wifegets detached and says, I when
he's mad, he he lets me have itand it's not my fault.
And and pretty soon she's eithergonna say, I'm done with you
doing this, or she says, I'mdone with you completely.
(05:52):
I don't need to be afraid of youall every time someone cuts you
off in traffic.
It's not my fault.
And so you want to live yourlife free, you want to be free.
And uh, but the problem is thatwe are God has come along, and
when he saved you and sanctifiedyou, justified you, I mean, all
(06:14):
those words are great, it'sexciting, but he has unlocked
your prison and swung up swungopen the door.
And a lot of us don't walk out,we just stay there.
And what we're trying to teachin this um you're not the boss
of me is to teach you that youcan walk out.
(06:37):
You gotta leave that stuffbehind, and you can you can live
a free life.
And the way you do that is youuse truth to shape you.
Be not conformed to the image ofthis world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
And we do that with truth, withscripture.
So when you take that extra timeto uh bring up uh scripture
(07:03):
about anger, and put 'em on yourmirror where you shave every
morning, and uh or put them onyour car dash or on the door on
the way out uh of your house andtry to memorize some and build
you a little sermon about howGod feels about anger and what
he expects of you.
(07:24):
And then when you're making thatdecision, uh you'll you'll
you'll run up against thattruth.
And sometimes truth will win,sometimes it won't.
But you'll always know alwaysknow it's there.
And uh pretty soon it it it'llmanhandle your anger and you'll
(07:46):
you'll be free because of that.
And so I love the way you putthis together that you took um
last week was fear and envy.
And uh because it's somethingthat don't go together, but they
do go together.
You know?
Um and the week before that wasum anxiety and guilt.
(08:11):
Guilt.
And now in our minds and our umpseudosciences, we we see, well,
I can see how guilt can causeanxiety.
Um I don't understand how envycan cause fear.
But we've got something we puton the uh uh internet all the
time where we're texting, right?
(08:32):
Fear of missing out.
A FOMO.
We're always worried, I'm gonnamiss out.
Everybody else is gonna getthat, and not me.
And that kind of fear uh teachesyou to be afraid.
And if you're taught to beafraid, then other fears uh come
(08:52):
into your life, and you you youdon't have anything uh to push
back against that either, uh,because fear begets fear.
It doesn't matter uh what it'sit's just like anxiety.
You know, I'm anxious, I'manxious about my job, uh, I'm
anxious about the neighbor hekeeps cutting on my side of the
lawn.
I'm anxious about um the uhmailman because he keeps
(09:18):
dropping my mail.
Uh and you know that anxietybuilds, and anxiety is a good
one because you know, when yougo to a therapist, they're like,
okay, we got this big bucket ofanxiety.
What can we get out of thisbucket that um will release some
(09:38):
of your anxiety?
And so they look at for thingsin your past like bitterness and
unforgiveness and and stuff thatcauses anxiety.
And when you get rid of that,then your neighbor mowing on
your um your side of the fenceor your uh mailman not putting
his getting the letters in yourbox or whatever becomes part of
(10:01):
your normal everyday life.
But when you let that anxietybuilds up, it starts splashing
over the top of the bucket, andthen you got some issues.
So a therapist will go in, tryto knock a hole in the bottom of
your bucket and get some thingsthat you need to deal with dealt
with, so you have a normalamount of anxiety.
You can't live without anxiety,or you just will never get up.
(10:23):
So you gotta have some.
Um, but when when we talk aboutfear and envy, it's a whole
different ball game.
It's hard to connect them, andthat's that's the problem um
with all these emotions is theydon't they run in packs.
And uh there it's not alwaysjust one.
(10:44):
There's um there's anger, butwhy are you angering?
You know, and that's that's uhand that's another emotion in
there.
And they gang up and they runlike a pack of wolves.
And so you gotta be able to sortthem out.
And the last two weeks, uh, wespent some time sorting them
out, and it's it's been good, Ithink, for people to understand
(11:05):
that our are more complicatedpeople.
unknown (11:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (11:09):
It's it is funny on a a series on emotions to not
talk about anger, you know,because that's as we all deal
with that, right?
Um and could we have sure.
But I think we we were prettyintentional about going after
some of these that um aretricky, yeah, and and then to to
(11:29):
find those connections to helppeople realize, yeah, we're
we're complicated.
This it's not always what yousee on the surface, and so um,
yeah, you're anxious, but man,do you see that it's guilt
that's fueling that anxiety?
Um, or man, you're you're soyou're so afraid, but you don't
realize it's it's envy burningin there, right?
(11:52):
Um, and so it's finding thoseconnections just to help you
say, man, we we understandthere's all kinds of other
emotions we didn't get to talkabout in the series.
Right.
Um, you know, we'd probably needa full year 52-week calendar to
to really hammer it home.
Um, but hopefully you'restarting to see, man, there's
some things here, and yeah,they're complicated.
(12:14):
And these things run together.
And man, I thought it was this,but if I'm honest, there's
something deeper going on here.
Right.
Um and you know, fear and envy,but one of the things I said in
the sermon is they both start tomake the same accusation against
God.
Um I can't trust them.
Right.
What he did for them, man,they're I just I'm I'm envious
(12:38):
of it.
Like, should have been me.
It does that mean I'm not gonnaget what was due to me.
Um, and what it comes down, Idon't I I can't trust God.
I can't trust him with what Iwhat I can't see.
What you know, is he gonna comethrough?
Is he gonna provide for me likehe provided for them?
And it's really, man, do I trustthe goodness and the
(12:59):
faithfulness, the provision ofGod?
Guilt or fear and envy are bothreally asking the same question.
Um, and so yeah, superintentional to to pick some of
these little bit more obscureones and then try to find the
connection between them.
Does that mean there's always aconnection?
Not necessarily.
Sometimes you're just an angryperson, right?
SPEAKER_01 (13:20):
Sometimes you you you know, you've been you've
been hurt and you reacted tothat in anger, and it's become
an emotional habit.
SPEAKER_00 (13:28):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (13:29):
And so you just automatically go there, and when
you think it through, you'llsay, you know what, I'm not
really angry.
I don't I don't know what'sgoing on with me, you know, and
then you're like, okay, nowthings are getting weird.
Why am I doing this?
And and so uh we need to attackthese things, think about them,
(13:50):
and then uh slap it around withthe Bible, use the the sword of
the spirit, the word of God, andget these things wrangled down
uh to where they go down thehallways uh that they can go
down and we can experience lifeto the fullest.
And that's that's what we wantthe most.
(14:11):
Um fear and envy is interestingbecause you know the root of sin
to a Protestant is pride, right?
The first sin was pride, Satanuh was filled with pride, so he
wanted to take God's place.
But if you'll talk to an umancient Jewish rabbi, he would
(14:32):
say it's covetousness, envy.
He envied God's position, andthat's what caused him to go in
the direction that he did.
And uh so we got in the TenCommandments, uh thou shalt not
covet.
And I mean it's flat out.
And then when it comes to fear,we've got fear the Lord.
(14:56):
Be strong and courageous.
You don't have to fear.
Remember who I am.
You need to fear me.
Because that's the fear that'llbring wisdom into your life.
And uh, so it's you know, theseare these are two really big
emotions uh that we need to getright.
(15:17):
Uh it it it'll affect allcorners of our life.
Just think about um envy and howit's connected to to anger, how
it's connected to anxiety, howenvy's connected to um your uh
bad self-image, and how I meanit just that covetousness just
(15:38):
reaches out and sticks itsfingers in everything.
And uh so we need to attack thatstraight up.
I don't want to be that kind ofguy.
Uh when someone wins the lotto,I want to be grateful for them.
When someone gets a promotion, Iwant to be grateful for them.
And uh, if they get mypromotion, I want to be able to
(16:01):
say, God, I give you thanks, butI'm really ticked.
But that's okay, because I canbe angry and not sin because
I've built a hallway for that.
unknown (16:13):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (16:13):
And that's that's how we want to live.
Okay, here's a situation whereyou should be freaking out.
Well, I am freaking out, butI've built truth around that.
So it doesn't control me, Icontrol it.
And that's what this is allabout.
You're not gonna walk out ofthis and say, okay, now I'm just
a kind of a moderate, easygoingguy.
(16:35):
That's not what we're doinghere, okay?
You're gonna you're gonna beemotional and they're gonna be
strong, but that's that's fineif you surround them in God's
truth.
SPEAKER_00 (16:46):
We were created to be emotional, man.
We talked about that on thepodcast last week.
It is, it's about making surethey're not the boss of you.
They make great servants,terrible bosses.
We say it over and over and overagain in this series.
Um, you know, you brought upcovetousness, and um, you know,
one of the commands, thou shaltnot covet.
Um, I I read a Jewish rabbi onetime said that the tenth command
(17:10):
isn't a command as much as it isa promise.
Um, that if you'll do the firstnine, you won't want anyone
else's life.
Um I thought, man, that's prettyinteresting.
Yeah, that is interesting.
Um but it's uh Solomon 3,000years ago looks out over
humanity, and scripture says hewas he was the wisest person to
(17:33):
ever live.
So we're talking about a guywith just incredible amount of
wisdom looks out over humanityand says, Man, you know what
I've determined?
That uh most people, like justabout all of them, are motivated
to success because they envytheir neighbor.
(17:54):
And it's like, man, that thatsounds like the guy you work
with.
That that sounds like you know,your brother or brother-in-law.
That that sounds like this was3,000 years ago before LinkedIn
and social media, you know, theythey weren't getting on Facebook
and Instagram and looking ateverybody's highlight reel.
And yet, even there, he said,the reason most of us do the
(18:20):
things that we do is because weenvy our neighbor.
That's right.
We this whole keeping up withthe Joneses thing has been going
on for 3,000.
I was trying to think of a youknow Jewish last name, um,
instead of Joneses.
It's been going on a long time.
Of Nazareth, keeping up with theof Nazareth's.
(18:42):
Yes.
Um they they've been humanityforever has been looking out
saying, godly, look, myneighbor's out there on his new
lawnmower.
Oh, look at the stripes he'sputting in his lawn.
I'm gonna, I'm gonna have to goget a new mower, honey.
I we can't put up with this.
Um, we've been looking outsaying, I I I gotta do better, I
(19:02):
gotta do more.
And it's because I'm my eyes arefocused on the other people
around me, and I'm constantlytrying to measure myself up to
them to see, man, am I doingokay?
And that leads us right intofear because now all of a sudden
we're man, I'm falling behind.
I'm in my 30s, I'm in myforties, I'm in my 50s, I'm not
(19:25):
ready for retirement.
Oh my gosh, everybody elsearound me has got this much
money saved up.
I I I'm not ready.
And now we're afraid.
And it started with envy.
We looked around and said, Man,I don't have what they have.
What they have should be what Ihave.
I should have thoseopportunities, I should have
that.
And now what's going on with me?
(19:45):
How come how am I ever gonnacatch up?
SPEAKER_01 (19:47):
And around and around and around we go.
Fear, anxiety, it just like Isaid, it's got its fingers in
everything.
And uh squashing that is isgonna be a a lifelong uh battle,
and and you need to engage init.
You just can't let it sit thereand and run you around.
(20:09):
You need to engage in that uh inthat battle.
That's that's what we're tryingto teach.
You can you can fight all thesethings uh with the word of God.
It's important that you use theword of God to conform yourself
to the image of the sun.
And that's that's what we'retrying to do here.
Um I think uh Solomon said it'schasing the wind.
(20:37):
And because we're gonna chasethat envy and chase it and chase
it, and when we die, we die withnothing.
And we we've gotta start being alittle bit more heavenly minded
than we are.
Now, I don't expect you to um uhsee Iran meet with Russia and
(20:58):
then crawl up on your roofbecause you think the rapture is
coming and quit your job and allthat kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (21:05):
Remember your money out of the stock market.
SPEAKER_01 (21:08):
It's over.
Remember uh uh what Paul said tothe Thessalonians to the guys
that were doing that.
He said, uh, if they don't work,they don't eat.
So uh I don't want you I don'twant to see you do that, but you
need to be heavenly minded.
None of this stuff is gonna meananything to you.
SPEAKER_02 (21:25):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (21:26):
In just a few years, less than a hundred years, none
of this stuff will meananything.
SPEAKER_00 (21:31):
That's what Jesus said, right?
Store up treasures in heavenwhere moth and rust can't
destroy.
And we're so busy down hereconsuming um that I mean more
than more than we'd care toadmit, I'll say.
I don't want to put a number onit.
Uh we we haven't just filled upour house in our basement, in
(21:54):
our garage, in our shed.
We got storage units.
Right.
We're paying monthly.
For just to store stuff.
And Jesus, like, what are yougonna do with all that?
You know, you're saying ifyou're lucky, a hundred years, I
think the average lifespan's inthe 70s right now.
Right.
So what do you what are we doingall this for?
(22:17):
He says, Man, we need to storeup treasures in heaven.
This is what you're talkingabout.
We need to be kingdom heavenlyminded and focus on things
above.
Man, Lord, how do I build uptreasure there?
Um and we are, man, just onemore thing.
If I can get just that one morething, then I'm finally gonna be
happy, then I'll finally becontent, then I'll finally be
(22:39):
secure.
SPEAKER_01 (22:40):
And uh we take that one step further.
And it's like, well, are yougiving money to your kids now?
No, they couldn't handle it if Igave them the kids right now.
It's like, uh uh, okay, this isnot computing.
If you want to make money foryour kids, make it now.
(23:02):
Just give it to them now.
I think you can give$19,000 awaybefore you hit the gift tax for
each person.
So you can give about 40 grand ayear to your to your kids while
they're working.
And uh if if you want to dothat, start now.
Could wait, well, when I die, Iwant to drop a big bomb on them
and give them all this money.
(23:23):
That's probably the worst thingyou can do to a good,
hardworking family is give thema bunch of money.
Um, because most of them can'thandle it.
So give it to them now.
Little chunks.
And then when you die, you canwrite in your will and you have
to read it to everybody.
I gave it all to you.
You you've got it all.
(23:43):
Yeah, so quit crying.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Probably should make a note here.
We are not financial advisors,please.
Yes, C S C P A.
SPEAKER_01 (23:52):
That's the truth.
So I I just want everybody toknow that this you are chasing
the wind.
This stuff, stuff, your tripsdon't matter.
I mean, after about a thousandyears of on my face praising
Jesus when I'm in heaven, um,then I'll say, all right, I want
(24:14):
to canoe the Amazon.
And, you know, I'll get to dowhatever I want to do.
I'll be able to uh watch historylike a movie, which I probably
won't.
It's like, oh my gosh, it wasworse than I thought.
But I think uh I think it'simportant that us, you know,
(24:36):
Paul tells us, and I'm gonnapreach about it on Sunday, you
know, you need to think onthings that are above, yeah.
Things that are lovely, thingsthat are pure, and not think
about, oh my gosh, look whatthey got.
I mean, the Cavs are uh playingtheir first of their playoffs.
(25:00):
Playoff playoff series, whateverit is.
But all I can think about isTaco Bell and Hardee's and
because it's just everycommercial, it's just like food,
food, food.
And I know if I won't eat afterten o'clock or after um seven
o'clock at night, I said teno'clock because that's usually
(25:22):
when I eat.
When I wrap up.
Right.
And uh I know I can I can losesome weight if I'll do that.
But every time I watch thefinals, it's just one food
commercial after the other.
And uh Teresa will be looking upthere.
Boy, that looks good.
Shut up, Teresa.
Oh, that looks good.
I bet they're open.
(25:43):
Teresa, I'm gonna.
It's tough.
We are consumers um to the tenthdegree.
We just can't be satisfied withwhat we got.
And it's uh that envy, uh,whether you know it or not, is
(26:03):
controlling you, and it's gottastop.
unknown (26:06):
Yep.
SPEAKER_01 (26:07):
It's gotta stop.
SPEAKER_00 (26:08):
Some of the walls that uh I think I I laid out
three walls in the sermon onSunday.
Uh, first is the wall ofidentity, and I said, we need to
know who whose we are and whatrace we're running.
Um man, God has called you torun a specific race, and author
Hebrews said, run, lay asideevery hindrance and the sin that
(26:31):
so easily uh ensnares orentangles you and run with
endurance the race that liesbefore you.
Um, we have got to get our eyesoff of other people's lanes,
man.
And it's especially, you know, Idon't know about especially, but
it happens all the time in thechurch.
You know, you come here, we'retrying to serve God.
Uh, you know, God, what do youwhat'd you make me for?
(26:52):
What's my calling?
If you've listened to Pastor Timand I, we've told you God's
given you a gift, you'resupposed to use it to serve the
church.
Um, and and then we look aroundand we see, oh man, look what
they're doing.
Oh, they get to be out in front.
Oh, they get to do this.
And and it's easy to get oureyes on other people's lanes.
Um uh Joy and I we went out todinner with Kylie and Ethan, and
(27:16):
Ethan shared this at Life Grouplast night, so he has shared it
publicly.
I'm gonna share his story.
What now?
SPEAKER_01 (27:24):
Life Group is supposed to be nobody tells any
secrets.
Are you sure you want to gohere, Pastor?
SPEAKER_00 (27:30):
Yeah, I'll text him and let him know what's coming.
He said that uh in his home, hehe's like, Man, I I just love to
worship.
Um, they've been watching uh oh,what's that series, King David
or something?
He's like, Man, when David uhyou know starts to sing, he gets
out the harp and he sings.
He's like, dude, I'll I juststart weeping like I love it.
And he goes, So I'll I'll getafter it pretty good in the
(27:53):
house.
I'll be singing away.
And Kylie comes up and tellshim, Man, man, you sound pretty
good and all this stuff.
And um, he starts thinking,like, man, you know, I like to
sing.
Um, I I enjoy worshiping.
Maybe maybe I should get on thethe worship team tryout for
that.
And I guess he shares that withKylie.
Kylie goes, I mean, I I don'tknow about you've been gassing
(28:18):
me up here for the newlywedanswer.
SPEAKER_01 (28:22):
Oh no, honey, you sound fantastic.
Yeah, unfortunately, we've seenall that happen on American
Idol, right?
You know, their whole familysaid, No, you're great.
SPEAKER_00 (28:31):
You're great.
And then they, yeah, no, yousomeone should have loved you
enough to say, just sit down.
Okay.
That's that's what we do.
We look at other people's lanesand we're like, man, I want to
do what they want to.
And I don't think that's whatEthan was doing.
Just a funny story.
Um, but we we look at all theseother people and go, man, I wish
I could do what they did.
I wish that I had theopportunities they had.
(28:52):
Um, and what we need to realizeis, man, you have a race that
God has put before you, and Godis not holding you accountable
to someone else's race.
SPEAKER_01 (29:02):
Well, let's run through a couple of positions
and uh I'll show you how muchthey mean.
Pastor of church gets to teachthe truth, uh, helps people
build walls and hallways fortheir emotions.
That's what we're doing.
Uh, things that can reallytransform a life if you'll put
the hard work in, you know, someof the things that we are saying
(29:25):
can really train uh transformyour life.
And and we get to do that.
That's great.
We get to preach on Easter andand ask people to to uh come and
step into faith.
And we get to do that everyweek.
Um and what a great assignment.
(29:46):
We love it.
I'm I'm the teacher here, and Ilove to teach, to get into the
word of God and teach thingsthat have been taught for the
last 2,000 years that you needto know.
And these are things that aredeep and and uh they're God's
not just God's promises, butthey reveal who He is.
(30:07):
So I love that, and that is justa great job to have.
And uh, and then Teresa leadingthe worship, leading people to
worship God and and just youknow uh give it all up for him.
Hopefully they all are.
Um and um you see you see thosepositions, those ones that are
(30:31):
up on stage, and you think, man,those things would be really
great, you know.
But we were talking before westarted this podcast that about
a third of the church, maybewill be fired up about this
series of sermons to say, I'mgonna do this.
(30:55):
I'm gonna add this to my life,and I'm not I'm not gonna be
bossed around anymore.
But just a third.
We preached to people on Easter,we had six hundred here on
Easter, and we had eighteen cometo the Lord, but that's not all
the lost people that were here.
That's not all of them.
(31:16):
Teresa, look around you whenwe're worshiping, you know, and
uh Ryan's trying to take off,and I'm doing my uh I'm trying
not to be self-conscious aboutthat every Sunday.
And I'm I'm doing my thing, andand there's about six, eight
(31:38):
other people that are disdemonstratus demonst I can't say
that word today.
Demonstrative.
Are demonstrative in theirworship.
Uh some got their head down andthey're then and they're
reverent.
Maybe a third.
And the rest are just likereading the words.
(32:01):
So those three positions thatlook like they're something
don't amount to much.
But you know what does?
Those five people who show upevery Sunday, get in the office
up here, and pray.
(32:23):
Prayer always changes things.
Your prayer engages God, and youcan do more in prayer than all
three of us put together, andpeople still won't pray.
I just I want to be that guy.
Do you want to be effective?
(32:44):
Pray.
Well, that's not my spiritualgift.
Do you want to be effective?
Pray.
And I think we we lose sight ofthe important things.
If this church would pray, allthese problems that we have with
helping the kids, uh our budget,all those things, they wouldn't
(33:05):
be a problem.
So when we look at envious, youknow, I I want to be, I want
this or I want that in myChristian life.
Man, there's one thing that youcan do every day that changes
the entire world.
And I know you don't believe itbecause that's why you don't do
(33:27):
it.
But if you would pray, itwouldn't just change our
community here at A Fresh Wind,it can change the world.
And um so some guy's playingfootball one night, I think he
was on the was it the Bengals.
(33:47):
He got speared in the chest witha helmet.
And he died on the field rightin front of all of us.
But the people of God prayed,and he's alive playing football
today.
Now, you might say, well, that'sjust uh no.
(34:11):
If people didn't pray, histeammates, the other team
prayed, they canceled thatfootball team.
They didn't cancel that footballteam because cancel that
football game because he gothurt, they canceled it because
he died.
But people prayed, and he'salive today.
Man, you you don't have to beenvious of some great preacher
(34:37):
out there or some great singerout there who seems like they're
they're bringing people to theLord.
You want to be better than them?
Pray.
SPEAKER_00 (34:48):
I mean, you look at was it Charles Spurgeon and all
those stuff he done?
Was it him that had the prayerthe power room?
That's what it he's like, youthink it's what I do up here?
He goes, There's people down in,I think it was the boiler room
is where they met.
And he's like, that's all thisis because of that.
And man, we got a it's a smallgroup, but they show up
(35:11):
faithfully every Sunday.
Most of you probably don't evenknow their names of who shows up
to do it.
Um, they show up to pray everyweek.
Um, the reset team that comes inin between service, they're not
just straightening chairs andstuffing envelopes in the back
of seats.
They pray over every chair asthey straighten it.
Um, that's happening every week.
(35:32):
And you know, we can look at thepeople on stage and say, Man, I
wish I had that.
Those people don't show up, andwe'll we'll close the doors.
Like, we're not gonna do itwithout them.
Um they're the movers and theshakers.
Not the best speaker we canhave.
And you don't even know theirnames.
You don't even know their names.
Um, so get your eyes off someoneelse's lane and say, God, what
(35:56):
do you what do you have for me?
Run that race faithfully.
And then when you stand beforeyour God, he's gonna say, Well
done, good and faithful servant.
What a shame it would be tostand before God and him look at
you and go, Man, I have so muchfor you.
But you were looking at someoneelse's lane and you missed it.
SPEAKER_01 (36:15):
Yeah.
You want we want to be likeMoses, who looked at his lane
and said, I'm not qualified.
You know, and we always worryabout our qualifications.
And and God, He doesn't careabout your qualifications, He
cares about your availability.
That's right.
He said, I'm gonna use you to dothis thing.
(36:39):
And uh it's like picking up abaseball bat.
I'm gonna hit a home run.
I'm gonna use you, this baseballbat, to do it.
Well, I don't know.
You know, I'm kind of skinny.
Those other baseball bats arefat at the end.
If you don't want me to use you,I'll put you down and pick up
another baseball bat.
(36:59):
Your choice.
What do you want to do?
Now, he didn't let Moses dothat.
So I wouldn't, I wouldn't get inan argument with him about it
because he told Moses, no,you're going.
He's like, Well, I got tostutter and I don't speak.
Well, I'll find someone to speakfor you.
I'll let your brother do it.
How would that feel?
I know you and your brothers.
(37:20):
If if you said, I don't know,Lord, if I want to be this guy
that you called me to be, I'lllet your brother do it.
No, no, no, no, no.
I got it.
I got it.
So I think it's funny that uh weget so wrapped up in this when
the Lord is uh has lived thelife before us to teach us to
(37:45):
pray, to teach us to do what Godhas called us to do.
Uh I remember when Peter, hetold Peter, he said, Look, uh
one day you're gonna get ledaway, um, and you'll have to go
to a place that you don't wantto go, and you're gonna give
your life for me.
And the first thing Peter saidwas, Well, what about John?
(38:11):
That's just that's just that oldnature, guys.
And uh we gotta we gotta wegotta build walls around it
around him.
He can't let we can't let himrun rampid.
And uh Jesus answered and said,What if I let him live um and
never die?
Or something like that.
And uh and Peter was like, thatis not the answer I was looking
(38:34):
for.
You know, we have a race to run,and when you're in it, it's
gonna be tough, but it's gonnabe filled with joy.
That's right.
And I think uh when we talkabout these tough things, we
always get this oh, I gottacarry my cross.
I gotta, you know, I gotta Igotta No, Jesus said, Look, I'll
(38:56):
carry it for you.
You know, come to me.
If you feel weak, heavy laden,I'll give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, because Icarry all the weight.
Let's go.
And we need to jump into that.
He's not telling us, okay,you're gonna be ground up into
(39:18):
pieces, but that's all thetestimonies we hear, you know.
It's oh, this was really rough.
No, he's like, No, you need totransform.
And I'm gonna show you how to doit.
I'm gonna carry all the weight,and you think about all the
promises that I've given you.
Think about um what's waitingfor you in heaven.
(39:40):
One thing I'm gonna say, if youlisten to this, it doesn't mean
you can't show up on you don'thave to show up on Sunday.
Um this you can't be a betterChristian than you are right
now.
You can't.
And you're and I know you'rethinking, I don't know, Timmy,
(40:02):
you don't really know me.
I'm not the greatest Christianat all.
But I want to tell yousomething.
You have been, if you'veaccepted Jesus and confessed him
as your Lord and Savior, and youbelieve in your heart that God
raised him from the dead, you'vebeen justified.
You've been sanctified.
(40:25):
You uh Jesus was your atonementfor your sin.
He paid the price for you.
There's nothing else to pay.
You can't be more or a betterChristian than you are right
now.
You're perfect in God's sightbecause you have Jesus'
(40:49):
righteousness.
God can't love you any more thanhe loves you right now.
Be free.
That's what Paul was trying totell us when he said, I have set
you free for freedom's sake.
I I want you to live free.
And the things we got waitingfor us, uh on the way here, I
(41:12):
was thinking about um all thesethings that are happening in
space right now.
I'm like, Lord, I don't want togive that up in heaven.
I don't I don't want to give itup.
I want to know.
I heard one of the astronautstalking about how it's just
(41:33):
black out there.
There's nothing out there, nomatter how close or how far.
It's just the it's just empty.
All of space is just completelyempty, except for these little
points of light.
And uh I want to go see them.
(41:53):
And I believe I will.
One day I will.
And I'm I'm excited about that.
And I I know I'm a sciencefiction nerd and all that kind
of stuff, but I don't think theLord created the entire uh
universe for us to sit here onour little dot.
I think I think we're gonnaexpand.
(42:15):
And I I I think heaven's gonnabe so much more than anything
that we can ever understand.
And uh so when you're down deepin that envy and you feel like
you're missing out, you're notmissing out.
SPEAKER_00 (42:30):
No, who's you are, man.
Um your God's the king, he's thecreator.
Um and man, to to think aboutall the things, you know, um
that we'll get to see andexperience in heaven.
And you were talking earlierabout, you know, after a
thousand years of just being onmy face, then I can get up maybe
and go do some of this stuff.
(42:52):
And and I think we're gonna havesome stuff to do when we get to
heaven.
Uh if you think it's justsitting up on a cloud, wearing a
diaper, playing a harp, I thinkyou got a misconstrued uh vision
of what heaven's gonna be about.
But here's the truth of it.
We can go and explore theAmazon, we can climb the highest
mountain, we can go to thefurthest point of the galaxy,
(43:15):
and then we're gonna come backand fall on our face in front of
Jesus and say, Man, you're stillbetter in all of it.
Absolutely.
Um that's that's your God.
And so remember who you are.
Um We don't got time to jump toodeep into these next two walls,
but uh just want to hammer thesehome for you.
The the second wall that's gonnaum come up against envy and fear
(43:36):
in your life is the wall ofcontentment.
Uh, you need to learn to besatisfied with what God's
provided.
Um, and when you remember whoseyou are, then you you begin to
trust his provision.
Uh Paul says, I learned how tobe content, and and you can
learn that too.
It's not uh not a charactertrait, it's not something you're
born with.
Um contentments, you know, whenit comes against envy, it says
(43:58):
what God's given me is exactlywhat I.
Need to live the life to run therace that he set before me.
Um, and against fear, it sayswhat I have right now is enough
because the God who provided itis gonna continue to provide all
that I need.
Um, and so we need to learn tobe content, and and that'll keep
fear and envy from from bossingus around.
SPEAKER_01 (44:19):
Yeah, I think that trust, uh, that wall of trust
that you were talking aboutbuilding, I think that was the
third one.
And you you were you weretalking about that is so
important.
And this is this this isactually how you build trust in
God.
You do the things that we'retrying to teach you to hear,
teach you here, and thensuddenly your emotions are not
(44:41):
the boss of you anymore, andyou're like, well, that worked.
If I can trust God, I can trusthis word to handle my emotions,
then what can't I trust his wordfor?
You know?
Let him prove himself faithfuland true.
Absolutely.
I love that.
(45:01):
I love that idea.
You win, Christian.
So I was at we were at some kindof dinner with uh Pastor uh Mike
Payne over in Northridgeville,he's my brother-in-law, and uh
he sat in the right chair and hewon a door prize because he was
(45:21):
sitting in that chair.
And he got up and and took itand took the microphone.
He says, I'm the winner.
And ever since then, he alwayshe always when he sees me and uh
we're introducing people to topeople around us, he'll say, I'm
Mike, I'm the winner.
(45:43):
I win.
They're like, What are youtalking about?
It doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter.
I win.
That's you, Christian.
Yeah, you're the winner.
You've won.
He is he loves you so much.
Um he did he did it all for you.
And one day you're gonna fallinto find out what that love is
(46:04):
all about, and it's gonna beawesome.
You win.
Stop worrying about where youare in this life and what um
echelon you're on.
Um you want to be big in heaven,then drop on your knees and
pray.
Pray for this church, pray forour country, it needs it.
Pray for wisdom.
(46:25):
Um, pray for our Congress toactually work instead of hurting
us all the time.
Um we we need this country needsprayer more than it needs
anything else.
We don't need another betterpreacher, we don't need another
better music director or even akids teacher, excuse me, or
(46:48):
youth person, or that's not whatwe need.
We need people to pray.
Be faithful in prayer.
And it'll give all those otherpeople, pastors and teachers and
worshipers, something to do.
Because if you're not praying,God's not moving.
And if he's not moving, we'reout of work.
unknown (47:09):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (47:09):
So pray.
Pray and trust them.
Um, I wrapped up the sermon withthis.
I'll wrap up this podcast withit as well.
Paul said this to the Romans,since he did not spare even his
own son, but gave him up for usall, won't he also give us
everything else?
Man, envy and fear especially,but I think so much of the
(47:30):
emotions that we wrestledthrough is man, this idea that
the God isn't gonna comethrough, um, that God's up in
heaven holding back on us.
Um, and he already gave you hisbest.
Yeah.
He gave you Jesus.
Um, and so if he'll give youthat, what would he keep from
(47:51):
you?
Right.
He's gonna give you everythingyou need to live the life that
he's called you to live.
You don't need to be afraid.
No, you don't need to look atanybody else's life and be
envious.
Um steward the things that he'sgiven you well, run the race
he's laid before you, and oneday you'll stand before him, and
he'll say, Well done, good andfaithful servant.
Uh, you ran your race.
(48:12):
And now here's the price.
Here's everything I've preparedfor you.
SPEAKER_01 (48:17):
Here's where people fall.
Some say, I ruined my wholelife.
If that's true, I've beenuseless the whole time.
And uh I'll never be what Icould have been.
Guess what?
Jesus said before you were evencreated, before the creation of
(48:38):
the world, he looked at yourentire life and said, I'm gonna
save you anyways.
And it's it's it's not I gottaearn my good and faithful
servant.
When you said, Jesus, I give youmy life, you won that title.
We gotta get over this thinkingabout performance when it comes
(49:01):
to Christianity.
He wants you to be free forfreedom's sake.
Not free so you can sin, butfree for freedom's sake, so you
can have a life that'sabundantly free and full of joy.
Those Christians who died in theColosseum were full of joy.
(49:22):
They sang praises to the king.
And uh I was watching a video ofum I'm trying to remember the
song they were singing.
But all these NigerianChristians were getting killed
all through Easter and and allthese people and and threats
have been laid on them, and uhthis whole church went to the
(49:44):
mall and started singingpraises.
And all the people in the mallthat were Christians stopped and
stood with them and sang thisworship song with them.
And uh it broke my heart.
And they're just they're lookingat all those Muslims around them
and said, Bring that you can'thurt me.
(50:09):
I'm gonna live forever.
Let's pray.
SPEAKER_00 (50:14):
Father, we thank you.
Um that you are faithful, thatyou are good, that your
provision is enough.
And uh, Father, I pray that youwould help us trust you more.
Um, Lord, I know a lot of uswere saying I do believe, but
would help my unbelief.
And uh, Father, I pray that youdo it for each of us.
Um, Father, for for too long,these we've allowed these
(50:35):
emotions to boss us around andget the best of us.
And Lord, just run rampant anddestructive in our life.
Um, but Father, we're uh we'reputting our foot down.
We're saying you're not the bossof me.
Uh, I know who is, and he isgood.
He is faithful, he is more thanenough.
And so, Father, help us to trustyou in all these things.
In Jesus' name.
(50:56):
Amen.
SPEAKER_03 (50:58):
Thanks again for joining us for this episode of
the Midweek Podcast.
We'd love to hear from you.
Let us know how God is usingthis resource in your life or
send any podcast questions ortopic ideas to podcast at a
freshwind.org.
If you would like to supportthis ministry financially and
help us continue offering youresources that equip you to
discover more in Christ, simplytext any amount to the number
(51:21):
84321.
We're so grateful for yoursupport.
Make sure to tune in next weekfor a brand new episode of the
Midweek Podcast.
Be blessed and have a greatweek.
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