May 20, 2026 • 56 mins
A quiet kind of courage shows up in the middle of laundry piles, late-night schedules, and the moments where you wonder if any of it is making a difference. Pastor Ryan sits down with a special guest, his wife Joy, to talk candidly about motherhood, the speed of parenting seasons, and the pressure to look like you have it all together. We share what we hope our kids remember someday, why grace matters more than perfection, and simple rhythms that help a family stay connected when life gets loud.
From our Mother’s Day message, we revisit Ruth and Naomi and the theme “the courage to stay.” Ruth’s decision to remain doesn’t feel heroic in the moment, but it becomes a picture of covenant love and everyday faithfulness. We talk about protecting your time, being present, and doing the next right thing even when you can’t see the big picture yet, trusting that God is still working in the ordinary.
Then we kick off our summer sermon series through the Gospel of John and the reason John writes: so you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing have life in His name. In an age of AI, misinformation, and low trust, we dig into why the Gospel of John is credible, including eyewitness testimony, specific names, “embarrassing” details, and archaeological confirmations. Most importantly, we challenge ourselves with the real question: does our life produce signs that we actually believe?
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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):
Well, hey, welcome back to the Midweek Podcast.
Pastor Ryan joined not todaywith Pastor Tim, but by a very
special guest, my beautiful wifeJoy.
Joy, thanks for being on thepodcast.
SPEAKER_04 (00:38):
Yeah, hi, thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (00:40):
Yeah, so uh two weeks ago was Mother's Day, and
we had a great Mother's Daycelebration at the church.
Um just got to to celebrate allthe moms, all the things that uh
not not even just moms, but allthe things women's uh mentors
and grandmas you know do in thelife of our church and for the
(01:01):
people in our church.
Um and I think uh I think momsfelt pretty special that day.
SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
I do, I agree.
It was a good Sunday.
SPEAKER_00 (01:09):
Um so Joy and I got to do something kind of unique.
Um, and I think I was telling acouple people afterwards, I was
like, I think that's the firsttime in 17 years we've kind of
tag team preached like that.
It is.
Um, so that was kind of a funexperience.
And then even this past Sunday,as a lady was walking out of the
church, she came up to me andjust said, Man, last week was
(01:30):
awesome.
She's like, I loved you enjoybeing up there.
So that was kind of the thecommon uh theme that I was
hearing for people as theyreally kind of enjoyed that tag
team thing.
So that was fun.
We'll have to do that again.
SPEAKER_04 (01:40):
It was fun.
I liked that.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Well, um, as we jump into the Mother's Day sermon, so
we're got a little bit of adouble header for you uh this
week, and uh just in a moment oftransparency, we uh we did
everything we could to get thisMother's Day podcast out to you
last week.
But um We tried.
Yeah, parenting is hectic.
Um so between life group andwork schedules, and we had our
(02:04):
kids' spring concerts and thenum sports, all this different
stuff going on.
Uh, I think one time we satdown, we're like, this is the
only time we got is like 10,10:30 at night.
Like, let's get it in.
And then it was like, no.
Um, so you're getting adoubleheader uh this week.
You're getting uh a little bitof a recap of the Mother's Day
(02:27):
sermon, and then also uh we'regonna jump jump in and talk
about our brand new series onthe Gospel of John that we
started on on this past Sunday.
But Joy, I thought um, sinceyou're not on the Midweek
podcast a whole lot, it'd be funto kind of give people a little
bit of behind the scenes uhabout you.
And so I I got some questions,and I'm gonna ask them.
(02:49):
You ready?
SPEAKER_03 (02:50):
All right.
SPEAKER_00 (02:51):
She's looking a little nervous.
First, uh, this this should behopefully pretty easy.
What is your favorite thingabout being a mom?
SPEAKER_04 (02:59):
Oh man.
Obviously, the four people thatcall me mom.
SPEAKER_00 (03:05):
See, and I thought you were gonna say being married
to your kid's dad.
SPEAKER_04 (03:08):
No, well, watching you become a dad and grow as a
father and watching you love ourkids is very high up there.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
All right.
Well, that's without them verysweet for me.
But what do you love about beinga mom?
SPEAKER_04 (03:22):
Without them, I wouldn't see you do that.
So, um, you know, I I love, Iknow this is very generic, but I
love everything about being amom.
Um obviously there's a lot ofgood and there's a lot of bad
all thrown in there together,but at the end of the day, I'm
just grateful to have a smallpart of raising them and
(03:44):
watching them grow.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
It's going quick, I'll tell you that.
Um Montina came up to me onSunday, and I think Gavin walked
by.
She goes, That's your boy.
I said, Yes.
She goes, My goodness, he gotbig.
Um, I said, I know Montina, andyou should see Ty.
He's taller than me now.
Right, yeah, and so yeah, uhTy's 16, Gavin's 14, Ellie's 10,
(04:08):
Reese's eight, and it is yeah,going fast.
I was actually uh joking withour our son Ty today.
Um, he brought a whole load oflaundry downstairs, goes, guys,
here's all my laundry I need itwashed for tomorrow.
And I was like, you're 16, doyour own laundry.
Um, so yeah, they're uh they'regetting big.
(04:28):
We're trying to help them getready to to launch here.
But um, speaking of kind of thespeed with which it's all gone,
is there a season of parentingthat maybe you could go back to
if you could?
And and if so, what made thatseason so special?
SPEAKER_04 (04:42):
You know, I mean there's seasons that seemed a
little more calm, and so I lovedwhen they were all I I love
having all four of our kids, soit would definitely be a season
of life where Reese was alreadyhere.
Um and I wouldn't want to goback, but you know, I I maybe
like a couple hours or a day,the day our kids were born, or
when we were all home and didn'thave sports and work and
(05:06):
craziness, like I would mayberelive a day in one of those
seasons, maybe.
But you know, I I had someonesay to always make the cur the
present season the best, and Ireally try to live by that
because if not, it's easy tojust become discouraged as you
you know it's good, it's fun towatch them grow and learn and
(05:27):
turn into who God's calling themto be.
Like that's amazing, but it canalso be a little bit bittersweet
and sad seeing them grow up sofast, like you said, and um lots
of changes that come veryquickly with parenting, and so
maybe just a season where it wasa little more calm for like
maybe a day.
But truly, I really love ourcurrent season.
I do, I love everything aboutit.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
It's uh it's it's definitely fun.
It's never dull.
Uh they keep us busy.
Um, you know, some of the reels,whatever you would call that,
not memes, I think the reelsyou've sent me.
Some of them are pretty sad andemotional.
I think one of them was um aboutyou know these people and
they're old and their kids aregone, and I'm like, why do you
even send me this stuff?
SPEAKER_04 (06:11):
And even in those moments, make those the best
moments.
SPEAKER_00 (06:14):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (06:15):
You know, and that's one day we're gonna be there,
and there's people that arethere now, and you know, I I
think we just gotta look forwardand and in the in the present
and not dwell on what was.
SPEAKER_00 (06:27):
Yeah, for sure.
Each season has uh has been itsown thing.
Um, but it is fun, especially asthey get older, you know, kind
of building relationships withthem in a different way.
I mean they the conversationsget deeper.
Um, certainly some of theproblems get more challenging,
um, but you get a chance to kindof talk through those and work
through those.
(06:47):
And um, so I think just as muchas uh they're growing as kids, I
think you know, you and I weregrowing as as parents too.
Right.
Um I joke with people all thetime, I'm not ready to write a
parenting book or anything.
Like, let me let all my kids getout of the house, get a job, and
like then okay.
Well I don't know if we did allright.
SPEAKER_04 (07:06):
Um, I tell Ty and Gavin all the time, especially
Gav will be like, You're nicerto Ellie and Reese.
I'm like, it's not that I'mnicer or that I like them more,
but we we grow as parents too,you know.
Yeah, we're definitely, I hopewe're a better mom and dad today
than we were yesterday.
SPEAKER_00 (07:21):
You certainly should be.
Yeah, I don't know about me.
I think you're doing good.
Um, I just look at them and say,uh, I like the other one more
than you.
Um I don't know if that'sworking or not.
SPEAKER_02 (07:31):
Um work on you.
SPEAKER_00 (07:34):
Here's uh something a little bit more reflective for
you.
Uh, what do you hope your kidssay about you someday?
Not not just what you did forthem, but who you were to them.
SPEAKER_04 (07:45):
I hope they would would say that I loved them
well.
More than anything, I want themto grow up and know the Lord and
know that Jesus loves them andwho they are in him.
So I I really hope that theysay, Mom pointed me towards
Jesus.
Um obviously, you know, we'vealready talked about how we're
not pros and that you know Ihope that they look back and saw
(08:08):
that we tried and then when whenwe failed, we asked for
forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00 (08:11):
Yeah.
That's uh that's a hard thing todo to look at your kids and be
like, hey, I messed up.
SPEAKER_01 (08:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (08:20):
Um but definitely something that I feel like we've
tried to do, and I think youmodel you model really well.
Um if you could go back and tellyourself one thing before
becoming a mom.
So no kids yet.
Ty, Gavin, Ellie Reese, they'renot here.
But if you could go back to toJoy before kids and tell her one
(08:40):
thing before becoming a mom,what would it be?
SPEAKER_04 (08:44):
You know, probably not to stress the small things,
you know.
Some things can roll off and youdon't have to make a big deal
about it.
Um, but also just have grace onyourself.
Everything doesn't have to beperfect.
You know, I think we live in aworld where you see everyone's
highlights and their goodmoments, um, and just realizing
not to compare yourself to otherpeople.
SPEAKER_02 (09:06):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (09:07):
You know.
SPEAKER_00 (09:08):
Social media has definitely made that more and
more challenging, you know.
Um people love to post, like yousaid, the highlights, their
vacation, their you know, Easterkids' photos, and you know, all
this stuff, and it looksperfect.
And that reminder, the well,those are curated events, you
know?
That's not a normal Tuesday orThursday in someone's week.
(09:29):
Um, and so yeah, that's uh thatwould be, I think, good advice
for for anyone who's gettingready to be a mom for the first
time, or even for someone who'syou know, uh already got has
some kids at home, just thatreminder of give yourself some
grace.
Uh, I think that's that's goodstuff.
Um well on the the sermon thatyou and I got to kind of tag
(09:51):
team on Mother's Day, we weretalking about the story of both
kind of Naomi and Ruth.
And the way that we we kind ofapproached that sermon is I
spent most of the sermon kind oftalking about Naomi and her life
and her story.
You kind of stepped in with Ruthand her life and her side of the
story.
Um, and so we we kind of eachtook one of them and and then
(10:14):
went after their story.
Um but the theme for the messagewas the courage to stay.
And I wonder what does stayinglook like for you on an ordinary
Tuesday when nothing feels, youknow, meaningful or heroic?
Because and that's one of thethings we talked about in the
sermon is staying doesn't feellike some big heroic event,
(10:36):
right?
Like in the moment, it's justoften feels like the next thing.
So, what does that look like foryou?
SPEAKER_04 (10:42):
Yeah, I think it's just being present to where I
feel I should be present.
I think every day is a littlebit different, and essentially
just saying yes to the thingsthat I should be saying yes to
and knowing when to say no andprotect my time because there's
things that I need to be givingit to and things that I don't
need to be giving it to.
(11:03):
Um, and in this current seasonis just like you we already
talked about, very busy withfour kids and sports and school
and work and church and all thethings.
Um that's like just reallyprotecting my time and where I
spend it.
Because you know, our kids areonly little for so long, and I
want to make sure that theyremember us being here and being
(11:25):
present with them.
No matter where that is, whetherthat's at their school or home
or in ministry, I want them tofeel like they were with us and
seen and heard.
And so for me, just I'd say thisseason is saying yes where I
need to say yes and no where Ineed to say no.
SPEAKER_00 (11:43):
That's definitely something I feel like you and I
have tried, you know, especiallyin you know the past probably
four or five years to get betterat.
SPEAKER_02 (11:52):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (11:53):
Um and especially when you're in ministry, it's
you you want to be aroundpeople, you want to be there for
people, help people.
Um, and it's easy to say yes toa lot of those things, kind of
to the detriment of your ownfamily sometimes, and trying to
find that balance.
Um, obviously we still have acall to be there for people, to
(12:15):
show up for people, um, but thento well, you know, we gotta we
got our own family, we got ourown kids to take care of, our
own schedules to worry about,our own house to to worry about.
Um, and so that we need some ofthat time, and and I think we've
gotten uh hopefully better atthat.
And I know that you try toprioritize, you know, that time
that we have with the kids of ofmaking that meaningful for them.
(12:39):
Um and you know, those constantreminders like, hey, we need to
put our phones away.
Um, you know, no phones at thedinner table, I think is
something you've been big about.
Um, you know, we we have all thekids, no matter if they're done
eating or not, you know, youwant them here at the dinner
table with us.
Those things that I think createthose those moments where we're
(12:59):
all together.
Um and then I think it'ssomething that Pastor Jared
actually started uh with ourolder two, Ty and Gavin, the
good, bad, and godly thing.
Um, but then I think you likedit.
So every night, just aboutthat's one of the things that we
do with our kids is good, bad,and godly.
SPEAKER_04 (13:17):
Um I think we um actually adopted that from some
of our friends.
Oh, some of our friends, okay.
I think it was the Hicksons,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (13:24):
All right, well, thank you to the Hicksons then.
Um so it's something that theydid that we've now picked up,
and and our kids love it.
Um, and so we get a chance totalk about those things um with
our kids.
We kind of go around and and itagain, just an opportunity for
them to feel seen and heard, andthey get a chance to talk about
(13:44):
their day more than just how'syour day?
Good.
Uh no, no, no, that's not gonnawork.
You know, what was good aboutyour day?
What what was not great?
Um, and so I think that's beenuh an impactful thing for us
every every night, just about.
We get to hear from our kids inthat way.
Um, and I hopefully that makesthem makes a difference for them
and makes them feel like youknow, mom and dad do actually
(14:05):
care about what's going on, youknow.
SPEAKER_04 (14:07):
Yeah, that's something I would recommend
anyone with children.
You know, it's a great way tocommunicate with your kids and
hear about their day.
And I yeah, like you said, it welearn a lot about our kids' day
that I feel like you otherwisewould not hear right.
Yeah, I think that's been great.
SPEAKER_00 (14:23):
Okay, well, let's dive into uh the sermon a little
bit.
Would love to know, um, youknow, as you were kind of
studying, prepping for for theMother's Day sermon, um what
what stuck out to you maybewhile you were studying?
SPEAKER_04 (14:38):
You know, I I love just all of the things that go
into Ruth.
Like if you read it from startto finish and really study it,
you know, it's it opens up withthis horrible tragedy of her
husband and brother-in-law andfather-in-law passing away, and
then her, you know, hermother-in-law trying to send her
off, and she chooses to to staywith her, and just that leading
(15:01):
down into the lineage of Jesus,and like that is just
mind-blowing when it seems likeeverything is falling apart, and
then really it's like the lowestof lows.
Like, God still had a plan.
Um, and I love Ruth because itkind of like encourages me that
no matter what is going on, likewe can't see the end, but God
knows what's going on and He'sin control, and we don't have to
(15:24):
worry about it.
SPEAKER_00 (15:25):
Yeah.
And that's again another one ofthose moments that doesn't feel
heroic.
SPEAKER_04 (15:30):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (15:31):
You know, she's just in the middle of this moment
looking at her mother-in-law,who, you know, one of the things
I think I brought up in thesermon was Naomi's being honest
here, she has nothing left tooffer.
She doesn't have any more kidsfor Ruth to marry.
She doesn't have any money, anyinheritance.
Um, all of that died when herhusband and sons died.
(15:51):
So she's a woman with nothingleft.
And and so what she's doing toRuth is actually, I mean, it's
more than benevolent, like it'slove.
Like she's releasing her.
Go back home to your people,find somebody else that you can
fall in love with and start afamily with.
And and so what Ruth does inthat moment doesn't feel like
(16:13):
some heroic thing, it's gotta belike, what am I doing here?
Um, but for whatever reason, sheshe chooses to stay.
Um, and I mean that statementthat she makes, I think you
called it covenant love.
Like this is covenant, yeah.
This is more than just, yeah,I'll see how this goes.
(16:34):
She's like, no, no, no.
I I'm staying, and your peopleare gonna be my people.
Your God is gonna be my God.
Where you go, I go.
Where you die, that's where I'mgonna die.
Um, I mean, that's that'spowerful language.
Um and I thought, man, as you asyou look at that, it just speaks
(16:54):
to that every day showing up andkind of taking the next step,
doing the the next right thing.
You know, that's something thatI've preached on a couple times
over the years.
Just do the next right thing.
And and you don't always havethe big picture like you're
talking about.
You don't always see how God'sgonna work all this thing out,
um, all these things out.
But you just keep showing up,you keep being faithful, you
(17:15):
keep doing the next right thing.
And God took this horrificsituation and through Naomi and
Ruth's faithfulness to keepshowing up, keep saying yes,
doing the next right thing, weget King David and eventually
all the way down to Jesus.
How amazing is that.
SPEAKER_04 (17:34):
Yeah.
And I think that's what a lot ofstaying the course and you know,
following Christ is is justdoing the next right thing.
Like a lot of times we don'tknow what that is in the moment.
Um but you know, your favoriteverse, whether you turn to the
right or the left, you'll hear avoice behind you saying this is
a way, walk in it.
I think it you know, sometimeswe don't know, should we go
right or left?
(17:54):
What are you is it you know, ifyou look at scripture, you spend
time in prayer, you're seekingGod, if both of them line up
with his word, then it doesn'tmatter sometimes, but just
choosing to go in the directionthat you feel called.
And I think, you know, this is agreat the story is a great
example of that.
SPEAKER_00 (18:13):
You know, one of the things um that got brought up in
our life group that we had, umwe're studying this new book
kind of on some of the basicjust core doctrines of the
Christian faith.
Um, and and I'm I'm loving it,honestly, probably because I'm
just a Bible nerd and I get it.
The rest of the group might notlove it.
SPEAKER_04 (18:31):
No, I think I think they're liking it.
SPEAKER_00 (18:33):
But uh one of the the people in our life group
brought up that, you know, oneof their kids had come up and
they had asked them thisquestion about something.
I can't remember what thequestion was.
Um and they're like, I didn't,you know, I don't know, I don't
know the answer to that.
And one of the things Iencourage, not just them, but
like our entire life group, isit's okay that you don't know.
(18:54):
It's okay that you admit thatyou don't know, but the one
thing you need to do is let yourkids see you open up God's word
to find the answer, right?
And so now you're not justgiving them mom's opinion or
dad's opinion on something,you're going to God's word and
you're showing them what doesGod's word have to say about
(19:15):
this thing.
Because there's going to bethose situations in life where
we don't know what to do.
What's the right next step?
I don't know.
Um what do we need to do?
You need to go to God's word andfind that out.
And same thing with your kids.
Teach them to go to God's wordin those moments.
What does God's word have to sayabout this thing?
(19:36):
You know, you've had a reallytough situation with that kid at
school, he's been, you know,picking on you or whatever the
situation is.
Um what what should you do inthat moment?
Well, let's let's open up God'sword and and see what he has to
say about how how we're supposedto treat those people who who
might not be the greatest to us,you know.
Um, and so I think uh that'sthat's important advice for
(19:59):
sure.
SPEAKER_04 (20:00):
Um it's so good.
SPEAKER_00 (20:02):
What what do you hope maybe that the women who
were were listening there uh tothe sermon uh on Mother's Day or
possibly you know tune into thelive stream or have watched it
on demand since then, uh, whatdo you hope women take take away
from that sermon, walk away withor apply?
SPEAKER_04 (20:24):
I you know, my I pray that they would feel
encouraged.
You know, that even if it you'rein a hard moment or a season
where it's tough and um you youknow maybe don't feel like
anything good is coming yourway, just to trust the Lord.
He has a plan, he knows the end,he's got you.
Um and I would just encouragethem to to keep their eyes on
(20:48):
him and stay grounded andsteadfast and who he is.
Um, you know, and I would alsoencourage you to to to be in the
word, like you said, to knowknow what God says, open
scripture with your children andwith your family, um, and to
spend time praying with yourchildren and with your spouse.
Because we definitely need that.
(21:11):
That's how we grow and we learn,and I think that's important.
I just hope that they would feelencouraged wherever they are in
their journey.
SPEAKER_00 (21:20):
That's good.
And uh something that I think uhall moms, really just all
parents, we need that level ofencouragement, um, and just that
reminder.
Keep showing up, keep beingfaithful, um, keep doing those
things, even when they feelmundane or you know, like
they're not moving you forward.
(21:41):
Right.
Um we don't we don't know howGod's gonna use those things.
And so um I thought I thoughtthat was a great message.
I thought it was timely for ourchurch.
Um and just uh I I I think itwas a great encouragement to all
the moms, moms that were thereon mothers.
SPEAKER_04 (22:00):
And I think it's important to realize that our
children belong to the Lord.
Like when we are worrying aboutthem and we're going through
something with them, like Godcares even more than we do, and
sometimes we forget that.
You know, I my friend just losther sister.
Um and another one of ourfriends was we're talking to her
(22:22):
father about it, and and youknow what he said was just so
profound, like we think that ourkids are ours, but we forget
that they belong to the Lord.
Um and so just He cares aboutthem even more than we do, and
there is nothing that we cannotbring to Him, you know, on their
behalf in prayer and just askingHim to help us as we parent,
(22:43):
whether they're dots and lostand wondering or they're newborn
and we're worried about thefuture or anywhere in between,
they belong to Him first andforemost, and we we just get the
you know privilege of havingthem as a gift to kind of invest
to for a little bit.
Um but just don't forget thatthey are His.
SPEAKER_00 (23:03):
Yeah.
I love that and you know we wetalk when we talk about money we
use the word stewardship, right?
Yeah and the idea is all of thisreally belongs to God and I'm
just supposed to be a faithfulsteward of it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:19):
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (23:19):
Well, I think when it comes to our kids, it's a lot
the same way.
You know, that's the imagery weneed to have is man, these are
God's kids, and I need tosteward the opportunity He's
given me to raise them here, toteach them, to disciple them, to
grow them, to nurture them, toprotect them.
All that is stewardship.
At the end of the day, theybelong to God.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
They do.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
And and as much as I care about them, as much as we
love them, um, as much as wewant to provide for them and
give them good things, how muchmore does God want to do those
things, you know?
Um, if we have, if we trulybelieve that, I think it would
take some of the pressure thatwe feel as parents sometimes off
to just know, man, God's gotthem.
(24:06):
And and he's gonna take thoseimperfect moments when we don't
get it all right and and we saythe wrong thing, or you know, we
we explode in anger when we youknow should have kept our cool,
whatever.
God's when we keep just showingup, we keep being faithful, we
keep turning them over to theLord.
Um God's got them.
(24:27):
Yeah, you know, exactly.
SPEAKER_04 (24:28):
Just have to trust trust that God is in control.
SPEAKER_00 (24:31):
Yeah, I love it.
Well, moms, happy Mother's Day.
I know this podcast came out aweek late for that.
Right, yes.
Um but uh man, Joy and I, we hada lot of fun uh getting up there
and getting to share thatmessage, and uh, we do.
We hope that was anencouragement to you.
This Sunday, we launched a brandnew series, it's our summer
(24:52):
sermon series, and every summerwe go uh through a book of the
Bible, verse by verse, chapterby chapter.
Um, I think we took two or threeyears to get through Genesis.
We took, I think, two years toget through Exodus.
Um, so I told Tim, I was like,listen, we need to get through
John in one year.
And he goes, Man, we're coveringa lot of ground every week.
(25:14):
Um, and even I was talking toDave uh at church on Sunday in
between services, and Dave'slike, Man, I don't know how
you're gonna do it.
And he's like, John 1-1, in thebeginning was the word you could
so much, that could be a wholesermon series just there.
That's one verse.
Um, and I was like, I know.
Tim said the same thing, so Idon't know that Tim's real happy
(25:36):
with me.
Um, but I'm gonna try to get usthrough this all in all in one
summer.
We'll see how it goes.
If the Lord takes over and hesays, No, we're gonna be here a
while, we'll camp out there aslong as long as he wants.
Um, but we started a brand newseries on on the Gospel of John.
And really, this past Sunday wasthe setup for the series and
(25:56):
talked about the purpose of whyJohn wrote this gospel.
Why did he take the time to towrite all this stuff down?
And his purpose was clear.
Uh he said, I I have writtenthis all these things down so
that you may believe that Jesusis the Messiah, the Son of God,
(26:16):
and that by believing you mayhave life in his name.
And so that's that's the pointof the whole book.
All 21 chapters.
That you would believe, and thatby believing you'd find life.
That's what John wants.
And and man, I can't think of aa better message for our church,
um, really for our world rightnow, um, is here's the key.
(26:40):
Believe and find life.
So many people are searching forso many things uh in in life
through their jobs, throughpossessions, through
relationships, whatever it is.
And and John boils it all downto this believe that Jesus is
the Messiah and you can findlife.
And and not just the life thatyou know the culture talks
(27:03):
about, but true life.
Jesus said, I came that youwould have a rich, satisfying,
abundant life.
And so um it's good.
SPEAKER_04 (27:11):
It makes me think of the book that we're studying in
life group.
What is that called?
SPEAKER_00 (27:15):
Some that's doctrines?
Actually, I think it's called DoYou Believe?
Do you believe?
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (27:20):
Um by Paul David Tripp.
And there's what, twelvedoctrines that they go over, and
so far we've only covered likeGod and I think did we do the
Bible?
The Bible and God.
SPEAKER_00 (27:30):
Yep.
SPEAKER_04 (27:30):
And at first I was like, this is so simple.
And we have really everyone inour life group knows the Lord
and has been following him for alittle bit, and so I was worried
it would be just very like notthings that they already are
aware of, and a lot of it we areaware of it.
Um but I think the same thingwith with John, if we would
(27:51):
actually grasp who Jesus is,like it changes the way that you
live.
Um, and so when we're learningabout in this book, when you're
learning about things like Godor the Bible, it also then has a
whole chapter dedicated justlike this is how you apply this.
SPEAKER_02 (28:06):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (28:06):
And just I think some of the meat of our
conversation in life group hasbeen wow, this is eye-opening
when you dive into more thanjust reading it, and when you
try to, how do I apply this tomy daily life?
SPEAKER_02 (28:17):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (28:18):
Because if you believe that Jesus is who John
is saying Jesus is, then itchanges how you the way that you
think about him and the way thatyou live your life, and so it's
just a lot of us know more orhave heard more scripture, more
about God than we actuallyreally apply to our life.
SPEAKER_00 (28:38):
I don't remember who said this quote, even though I
quote it a lot, so I should lookit up.
SPEAKER_04 (28:43):
I know what you're gonna say.
SPEAKER_00 (28:45):
The quote goes something along the lines of
most Christians are already farmore educated than their level
of obedience.
And I think that was kind of alot of the heart behind while
why Paul David Tripp wrote thatbook, is he said, I I can I've
talked to some people.
I mean, he's been a pastor along time, he's a very
well-known author.
Um, he's like, and I've talkedto some people and they can
(29:07):
quote scripture front to back.
They can talk to you about allthese different doctrines and
explain them to you, and yet Idon't see their life lining up
with what they're telling methat they believe.
If we truly believed it, likeyou said, it it would change.
And so that's why one of thereasons I was drawn to that book
is one, I think it's importantfor all of us to have a good
(29:29):
grasp of the foundation of ourfaith and why, as Christians, we
believe certain things.
Why does that matter?
Is there only one God?
Yeah, why does that matter?
Who is Jesus and what has hedone?
That's important to know.
He's not just one of many, he'sthe way, the truth, and the
life.
We're gonna talk about that inthis John series.
And then to say, okay, I I I canknow all of that, and I can it
(29:56):
can be head knowledge, but if itis not moving down into my heart
and then affecting the way thatI live, the way that I parent,
the way that I that I work, thenthen there's a there's a
disconnect here.
And how do I get the theknowledge of it to then match up
with my actions?
(30:17):
John, I think one of the thingsI love about this book is is
he's gonna try to do that forus.
And so he's he is over and overagain.
On Sunday, we talked aboutlaying out witness after
witness.
He's gonna give us sevendifferent signs that Jesus
performs.
He's gonna give us seven I amstatements that Jesus says, you
know, I am the way, um, thetruth and the life, I am the
(30:40):
resurrection and the life, I amthe gate.
He's gonna give us seven ofthose statements.
And the whole time he's drivingat this one thing, will you
believe?
Will you believe?
I'm showing you all of this.
Will you believe?
And and that's that's thequestion that that we need to
wrestle with.
And I said on Sunday, beliefjust belief isn't enough.
(31:04):
And what I mean by that is themental assent to say I know this
information.
It's we can say I believe inGod, that there's a God out
there, and give some mentalassent to it.
But is if I truly believe that,then it should affect and show
up in my life.
SPEAKER_01 (31:24):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (31:25):
Um every part of my life.
The words I use, how I, youknow, handle my money, um how
how I plan out my calendar, myschedule.
It should show up in all thosedifferent areas.
And I think for for too manyChristians, our our relationship
with Jesus just kind of becomesthis surface-level thing where I
(31:48):
I believe in Jesus and I show upat church, and I'm not saying
you're not saved.
If you confess with your mouth,Jesus the Lord, believe in your
heart, God raised from the dead,you will be saved.
That's what scripture says.
But also, faith without works isdead.
Live a life worthy of thegospel.
These are things that we'vetalked about in the Marvel
series, we talked about it in uhthe Grow series.
(32:09):
I mean, these are things that wekeep bringing up over and over
and over again.
SPEAKER_04 (32:11):
We talked about it last week, even studying Ruth,
you know, how if if what wemean, we kind of define what we
meant by staying.
And so if you weren't there, goback and listen to it.
Um, because we're not sayingthat staying or it means to just
take whatever's thrown at youand get bubble.
Exactly.
Like that's not what we'rereferring to.
(32:34):
But if you're saying what wemean is being faithful to God
and the calling in your life,and if you're doing that and
you're being faithful to yourGod, then that will determine
the way that you father, or theway that you're uh husband, or
the way that you work and theemployer that you are, um, or
the employee that you are, andso all that, everything in your
(32:55):
life will be determined by youknow whatever it is that you put
the focus on.
And so um what we are sayingright now is if you believe in
Christ and you believe in whathis word says, then that'll roll
out into your entire life.
SPEAKER_02 (33:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (33:12):
And that doesn't mean that you're gonna do
everything right, like we arehuman, but we should be
following Christ and we shouldbe trying to do what he's
calling us to do and and beingfaithful to him and just doing
the next right thing, like wealready talked about.
SPEAKER_00 (33:28):
Even well, you pointed this out earlier, we're
only two doctrines into thetwelve.
But I think trying to remember,was it the doctrine of the Bible
or the doctrine of God?
One of those, he talked aboutthis same, again, the same sort
of idea that if we believed itwas true, then we would live
(33:49):
like it's true.
And how we truly live revealswhat we trust.
And so if I trust that God isgood, then my life will line up
with that.
If I say that God is good, but Itrust that money's gonna make me
happy, then I'm gonna go pursuemoney.
God, I I know that you're gonnatake care of me, but I'm gonna
(34:09):
go do this thing over here.
And now, does God expect you towork?
Yes.
And so we're not saying you justget to not go to work and God
provides.
Uh, you have a responsibility tobe the person God's called you
to be.
But where is your trust in?
What are you truly trusting in?
And John is he over and overagain in this book is saying,
(34:31):
you need to believe.
You need to put your trust, yourfaith in Christ.
He is the Messiah.
He came not to condemn theworld, but to save the world.
That if that if you wouldbelieve, if you would call on
him, you would not perish, buthave everlasting life.
These are the themes John'sgoing to keep bringing up over
(34:52):
and over and over again.
And I think it's so importantfor this to move beyond just the
head knowledge because a lot ofus, you know, we get a lot of
people in our church who are whoare new Christians.
We got a lot of people who arekind of seeking, or, you know,
maybe they've been aroundchurch, but I'm so encouraged
because a lot of theconversations I'm having, people
are really like, they want to godeep, they want to take that
(35:14):
next step, they want to discovermore in Christ.
But then there's also a goodportion of our church that's
gone to church for a long time,whether with us, you know, we've
had some people been with us, Ithink all 17 years.
Um, but then there's people who,you know, even if you weren't in
our church, you grew up in adifferent church or whatever the
case may be.
And so you've heard thesesermons on John, you've read the
(35:34):
gospel of John.
And and what I challenge peopleon the message on Sunday is
don't turn this off.
You know, don't don't just, youknow, show up and put me on mute
and start thinking about allyour week and all the things you
got to do, or put Tim on mute,what who's ever's preaching.
We're gonna cover this and takea fresh look, take another
(35:57):
opportunity to allow God toteach you these truths because I
believe there is more in Christ.
That's the whole purpose of ourchurch to discover more in
Christ.
God wants to show you more, andI think John's gonna lay it out,
and he's gonna he's gonna proveover and over and over again
Jesus is who he said he is.
SPEAKER_04 (36:14):
So good.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (36:16):
One of the things that I've been telling people
anytime I try to, you know,reference or quote an article or
something I've read online, is Ipreface it with, I saw this on
the internet, I don't know ifit's true.
Because I don't trust anything Iread on the internet anytime.
SPEAKER_04 (36:34):
I mean, I don't know what I trust other than the word
of God.
Period, in general.
SPEAKER_00 (36:40):
So well, honestly, you're not alone.
Um 2024 Gallup poll showed thatAmericans' trust in mass media
is at an all-time low.
Uh only 31% they have a greatdeal or fair amount of trust in
things like newspaper, TV,radio, whatever, to report fully
and accurately.
(37:01):
Only 31% say if I hear somethingon the news, I think they're
telling me the truth.
So the overwhelming majority ofthe population is like,
someone's lying.
Yeah, someone's someone'sselling me something.
Um in Edelman, Trust Barometerfor 2025, found that 63% of
business or people believe thatbusinesses and government uh
(37:22):
leaders deliberately misleadthem.
Honestly, I'm shocked thatthat's not higher.
Buddy of mine says, How do youknow a politician's lying?
His mouth is moving, right?
Someone's constantly lying tous.
Um, and so there's we're allkind of here, and especially I
think in this age of AI, it'sgetting even harder because
(37:43):
people can just go on and makeall kinds of content, but beyond
that, like the images that canbe made, the uh videos that
could be made.
I I I read this story andcompletely shocked me.
But there was a a guy, this Ithink it was back in 2024, that
these scammers in Hong Kongtricked a finance worker, um, he
(38:09):
worked for some finance firm,tricked him into wiring 24 or 25
million dollars to a fraudulentaccount, and they didn't do it
just through, you know, somePrince email from Saudi Arabia.
This was a Zoom call.
The guy got on a Zoom call withwhat looked like the CFO of his
(38:32):
company, and other people inthis company that he actually
knew were on the Zoom call, andthey looked like them, they
talked like them, so theysounded, they had done voice
match, uh, and so he had anentire Zoom call with AI bots
that told him, wire$25 millionto this account, and he did it,
(38:56):
and it was all just hackers inHong Kong.
SPEAKER_04 (38:58):
Yeah, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_00 (39:00):
If that's going on, it's hard to know what to
believe anymore.
So, how do we know then thatJohn is telling us the truth?
You know how can we trustscripture in general?
And I think John multiple timeshe he gives us these these
(39:23):
statements that that say, I'mthere, I was there, I saw it.
In John chapter 1, verse 14, hesays, We observed his glory.
That little phrase we observedin the Greek, it's etiasumita,
which means we took it in withour own eyes.
It's a it's a literal sensoryverb.
(39:44):
I was there, I saw it.
In John 19, uh 35, he's he'sstanding at the foot of the
cross and he says, The one whosaw this has testified of this
so that you may believe.
So over and over again throughhis book, John's saying, I was
there.
I saw, like I didn't hear thisfrom somebody, someone didn't
come and tell me about thisevent.
(40:04):
I was there and I saw it.
But then the question becomeswell, so what?
You could say that you sawanything.
You know, how do I know thatthat's true?
Um, well, this guy wrote a bookback in 2006, I believe, Richard
Bachman, I think is his name.
It's called Jesus and theEyewitnesses.
(40:25):
And he lists of like how do weknow that the scripture is true?
Well, when it comes specificallyto the book of John, there's
this eyewitness testimony that'sanchored to specific, named,
traceable eyewitnesses and ofevents.
That if you were just makingthis up or just trying to tell a
(40:46):
story, getting all of thesethings right and accurate would
be very, very difficult.
Nearly impossible, probablyimpossible.
And so one of the things thatJohn does is he names people
that the other gospels keepanonymous.
So the disciple who cut off thehigh priest's ear is unnamed in
the other gospels.
John says, it was Peter.
(41:06):
I love that he just throws Peterunder the bus.
There must have been a littlebit of rivalry maybe going on
between John and Peter becausehe's like, You want to know who
cut his ear off?
Peter.
You want to know who beat Peterto the tomb?
Me.
This full Jesus left.
Uh he tells us that the womanwho anoints Jesus is Mary, the
sister of Lazarus.
Um over again, he's namingspecific people.
SPEAKER_04 (41:29):
He's giving details that other people didn't.
SPEAKER_00 (41:31):
And how would you know?
How would you know if youweren't there, you didn't have
these conversations, you didn'tsee that event take place, how
could you say that?
And then John's writing, sowe're reading this 2,000 years
later, right?
We don't know those people.
How do we know he wasn't makingit up?
But John was writing to peoplewho would have known those
(41:52):
people.
John didn't necessarily have theguy 2,000 years later, the girl
2,000 years later, who's gonnapick up a copy of his book in
mind when he sat down to write.
Now maybe the Holy Spirit said,hey, this book's gonna be around
for the next 2,000 years.
Make sure you get it all right.
But really, John was he waswriting to people that were his
contemporaries, people that helived with and knew.
(42:13):
And they could have been like,well, let me go ask Mary about
that, see if she actually didit.
And so they could have gone inand asked those people.
The other thing that John does,that if you're trying to create
a story to prove that Jesus isthe Messiah, you would probably
leave out some of the moreembarrassing things or things
(42:33):
that set Jesus up or thedisciples up and make them look
bad.
You're like, we shouldn't talkabout that because it would
affect people who read thestory, their credibility of it,
right?
They're gonna think, well, whyon earth would that happen?
Um But John he tells us allthose things.
He tells us that the disciplesdon't understand what Jesus says
multiple times.
Jesus would talk, and they'relike, we don't know what he was
(42:56):
talking about.
Uh what did he mean when he saidthat?
And he just goes ahead and tellsus that that happened.
Um Peter, when when he deniesJesus three times, John writes
that down for us, records thatevent when when those two
disciples run from Jesus and gooff, and you know, after the
he's arrested, they take offhe's talking about it.
(43:19):
And then he even makes thatpoint to point out you know, two
disciples ran to the empty tomband the one Jesus loved outran
Peter, which I love.
SPEAKER_04 (43:29):
It's hilarious.
SPEAKER_00 (43:32):
So again, these kind of more embarrassing events that
if you're trying to prove thatJesus is the Messiah, you
wouldn't tell everyone thedisciples didn't know what he
was talking about.
If you're trying to say thisguy's God, well then when he
talks, everybody should know.
And John's like, we didn't know,we didn't get it.
(43:52):
We weren't sure at the moment.
Looking back after theresurrection, he's like, now we
understand all this stuff.
unknown (43:59):
But he
SPEAKER_00 (44:00):
He goes ahead and puts that in there.
The third thing he does is herecords these geographical and
archaeological details that onlysomeone who is there would know.
Pool of Bethesda with its fivecolonnades, for example.
For centuries, people said thatwas a fictional invention that
he just made up.
(44:21):
Until 1888, when archaeologistsuncovered a pool in Jerusalem
with five colonnades, just asJohn said.
Proved it.
The pool of Salom, another poolthat was verified by
archaeologists in 2004.
John points to these veryspecific things that it would be
(44:42):
easy to go and point to thatthing and be like, oh, that's
not what John said, so he'slying.
And yet, archaeologists for thepast 2,000 years have been doing
nothing but proving John to betrue and accurate on every one
of those things.
SPEAKER_04 (44:57):
Over and over.
SPEAKER_00 (44:58):
And one of the things that really I think show
us that John was there, that heknew, is he knows the inner
emotional life of Jesus.
And he'll tell us things like,Jesus was troubled.
How would you know that unlessyou spent time with him?
That you were havingconversations with him.
You know, you and I, we can giveeach other a look and we know
(45:23):
something's wrong, right?
You don't we don't even gottacommunicate on it, just that
look.
But that's because we've spentthe past, I think it's gonna be
18 years.
Is it 18 years in August?
SPEAKER_04 (45:35):
Yeah, we'll be married for 18 years, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (45:37):
Look at that.
Our our marriage is is turningin an adult.
It's finally time to grow up.
Gotta start paying the bills.
SPEAKER_04 (45:44):
Um, yeah, I think I mean when you walk with someone
and you start to learn theircharacteristics, and when
they're upset or if somethingthey're happy, they're sad, like
you learn that.
SPEAKER_00 (45:54):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (45:54):
Like you said, it shows that he knew who Christ
was.
SPEAKER_00 (45:58):
Yeah.
To say Jesus was troubled orJesus loved, like Jesus loved
Lazarus and and Mary and Martha.
He loved them.
When when he shows up to raiseLazarus from the dead, and John
says, He wept.
Shortest verse in the entireBible, but John was there.
And why did he say Jesus wept?
(46:19):
Because that's what he saw Jesusdo.
Jesus shows up to the tomb ofhis buddy and literally breaks
down weeping.
And John was like, I was thereand I saw it.
When Jesus encountered this, hewept.
And so John wrote it down forus.
Only someone who was there wouldknow that.
And again, probably, you know,at least in our, you know,
(46:42):
American masculinity mindset,you would not put down that the
savior of the world was crying.
No, no, he's got to be strongand tough.
And Macho and John's like,actually, I saw him cry.
So, men, you're allowed to cry.
Um, Pastor Tim specifically, cryaway.
unknown (46:57):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (46:59):
Um he even would include like these long prayers
that Jesus has, and he justrecords the entire prayer,
writes it down.
All these things are just overand over and over again proving
that John was there.
He saw what he saw.
So when he writes these thingsdown, when he says, I testify to
this thing, that I was there andobserved this thing, you can
(47:22):
trust it.
And then to know, for the past2,000 years, Bible scholars,
theologians, archaeologists,historians have done nothing
except proven that John wasright in what he wrote, that his
descriptions, the places hetalks about, the buildings or
the events, the people that hereferences, these were real
(47:44):
people, real places, realevents.
And history's proving it overand over again.
So in a world where we don'tknow what to trust anymore, and
everything should be looked atwith suspicion.
You know, trust but verifyeverything.
Everything.
Even from reputable newssources, I'm like, I'm gonna go
(48:05):
do my own research.
Right.
John is a book, you know, I andI said on Sunday, he's gonna lay
out this, it's like a courtroom,and he's gonna make his case and
then ask you if you believe.
Well, the a case is only as goodas the evidence being brought,
right?
Can you trust the evidence?
And John's saying, I was there,I saw it.
SPEAKER_01 (48:26):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (48:27):
History proves what he said was really there, it
really happened.
And so you can have faith, youcan have confidence that what
John writes is true.
SPEAKER_02 (48:38):
You can.
SPEAKER_00 (48:38):
And that by believing, you can have life in
his name.
I'm gonna wrap it up.
I've done a lot of talking,building this whole
evidence-based thing out forJohn.
What stuck out to you from thesermon?
SPEAKER_04 (48:50):
I love how you broke it down into the what didn't you
didn't call it miracles, didyou?
You called it Signs.
Signs believe in life.
SPEAKER_00 (49:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (49:00):
And just how we can trust in the Lord as our Savior,
and then we can you know believethat He is who He says he is,
and He is who even if you justlook at the book of John, which
all of Scripture is alive andactive, and then it just is so
good and we can draw so muchfrom it, but you can believe in
it, and then it offers you thislife.
(49:22):
And I think you talked about itSunday, um, just how so many of
us, even if we're saved and webelieve in Christ, don't live
out the life that He has for us.
I mean, I just feel like that isprobably the main thing that
stuck out to me.
Just we have this life.
We should be people who arefilled with joy, people who are
going around living a life ofpeace and chaos.
(49:45):
Like this world is so chaotic.
Um, and just when people look atus, they should see Christ in
us.
SPEAKER_02 (49:52):
And I love that.
SPEAKER_04 (49:54):
I I know that sometimes I know that I don't
feel like that's what I'mputting my my hope in.
Even though I'm putting my hopein Christ, I believe in him and
I love him.
But sometimes this world just ifwe're honest, our eyes are not
focused on him.
Um and I love Proverbs 3 trustin the Lord with all of your
heart and lean not on your ownunderstanding, and all your ways
(50:16):
submit to him, and he will makeyour path straight.
You know, if we trust in him,our then we we would truly live
a life of joy.
That's right.
Um and I, you know, even in lifegroup and studying God and and
scripture and now studying John,um I would just encourage you to
evaluate does your life producesigns that you believe in him?
(50:41):
You know, or am I a controllingmom who panics anytime anything
goes wrong?
Is my anxiety out of control?
Is my worry I do I not know whatI can believe even though I'm
told that I can believe inChrist?
Am I actively believing in himin every area of my life?
So I just I think that's whatstuck out to me.
(51:02):
I love it.
Is my life, even though Ibelieve in him, producing what
he wants it to produce.
SPEAKER_00 (51:08):
It's weird asking your wife what what was your
favorite part of my sermon?
SPEAKER_04 (51:11):
It's not me, it's about Christ in me.
Right.
And so that's what I meanessentially.
SPEAKER_00 (51:15):
Yeah.
Well, that's I think you're spoton.
And I think it was Pastor Timthat I first heard uh use the
phrase, all of us die, but fewpeople truly live.
And I think he was preaching afuneral, and so I was
referencing you know, kind of aspastors, that's one of the
greatest griefs that we have isstanding next to a casket where
(51:38):
we know this person, you know,they were alive for 70, 80, 90
years, whatever, but never trulylived.
And I was like, church, I don'twant that for you.
I want you to truly live.
Jesus said that he came.
The his purpose in coming wasthat you would have life and
have it to the full.
(51:59):
And that's what we want for you.
How does that happen?
By discovering more in Christ,by doing exactly what you're
talking about, turning to himover and over and over again.
Lean not on your ownunderstanding in all your ways,
trust, acknowledge him, andhe'll make your path straight.
You want peace, trust andacknowledge him.
The reason so many of our pastslook like a zigzag line, um, or
(52:22):
you know, when your kid justdraws circles on a piece of
paper, is because we're tryingto do this all on our own.
And he's saying, I'm here,trust, acknowledge me in all of
your ways.
SPEAKER_04 (52:32):
And a lot of times we wouldn't we don't even
realize that we're trying to doit on our own or that what we're
struggling with is a result of alack of trust in God, that we
believe that he is who he sayshe is, and that he can do what
he says he he can do.
SPEAKER_02 (52:44):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (52:46):
But there's power in trusting in him, truly trusting
in him.
SPEAKER_00 (52:52):
Power, power, wonder working power.
Going back to my childhoodthere.
I think that song might evenpredate me.
Um there is, there's trulythere's there's power in his
name, and it's it's available toall who believe.
And so we're gonna lay it beforeyou every Sunday.
(53:13):
Ask the same question John did.
Will you believe?
And if if you'll take thatfaith, without faith, it's
impossible to please God.
You take the faith that youhave, and sometimes it feels as
small as a mustard seed.
But Jesus said you can move amountain with that kind of
faith.
And and you just say, God, I'mgonna trust you.
I'm gonna believe.
And you take that next step, youdo the next right thing.
(53:34):
In all of your ways, acknowledgehim, submit to him.
And I believe this summer you'lldiscover more in Christ than
ever before.
I believe you'll find more peacethan you've ever felt, uh, more
satisfaction, more joy thanyou've ever experienced.
And it's all gonna come throughus getting, walking through this
book and getting to know Jesusmore and more uh each and every
(53:57):
week.
So anything else uh you gottasay to wrap up?
SPEAKER_04 (54:00):
No, I'm excited.
Week one of John.
I love the book of John.
So much awesome stuff packedinto it, and you know, just
encourage us to not feel like,oh, I've already read this book
so many times or I alreadybelieve in God.
But like just pray.
God, what do you have for us?
SPEAKER_02 (54:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (54:17):
And just trust that He's gonna reveal Himself to us
more.
So I'm just I'm excited aboutit.
SPEAKER_00 (54:23):
I agree.
I am I'm pumped.
I think this is gonna be uh thisis gonna be a great study.
SPEAKER_04 (54:28):
And we'll see how long it takes for you guys to
get through it.
SPEAKER_00 (54:31):
17 weeks, Tim Holt.
That's all we have.
17 weeks.
Um, no, I'm this this is, Ibelieve, truly gonna be a great
study, and I and I'm lookingforward to it.
But um, Joy, will you uh willyou pray to close us out here?
SPEAKER_04 (54:45):
Yeah.
Well Lord, I thank you for whoyou are.
I thank you for giving your sonfor us, that he died on the
cross for us.
Um, I thank you, Father, thatyou are so good.
Um, even when we don't, well, wedon't deserve you, but even in
those moments where we don'tknow what we believe or what we
(55:07):
can lean on, Lord, I thank youthat we know that we can believe
in you and lean on you and trustthat you are who you say you
are.
And so, Lord, I just pray,Father, through the book of
John, that you would speak toyour people at Freshwind this
summer, that you would makeyourself so very known.
Um, Lord, I just pray, Father,that people who are far from you
that don't know if they canbelieve in you yet, that they
(55:28):
would come to know you, come toknow that you are um good and
that they can trust in you.
And God, I just thank you forwho you are.
And I just pray, Father, thatyou would just go before your
people of Freshwind, bless themthis week.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
SPEAKER_02 (55:45):
Amen.
SPEAKER_03 (55:46):
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 newresources that equip you to
discover more in Christ, simplytext any amount to the number
(56:09):
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):
Well, hey, welcome back to the Midweek Podcast.
Pastor Ryan joined not todaywith Pastor Tim, but by a very
special guest, my beautiful wifeJoy.
Joy, thanks for being on thepodcast.
SPEAKER_04 (00:38):
Yeah, hi, thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_00 (00:40):
Yeah, so uh two weeks ago was Mother's Day, and
we had a great Mother's Daycelebration at the church.
Um just got to to celebrate allthe moms, all the things that uh
not not even just moms, but allthe things women's uh mentors
and grandmas you know do in thelife of our church and for the
(01:01):
people in our church.
Um and I think uh I think momsfelt pretty special that day.
SPEAKER_04 (01:07):
I do, I agree.
It was a good Sunday.
SPEAKER_00 (01:09):
Um so Joy and I got to do something kind of unique.
Um, and I think I was telling acouple people afterwards, I was
like, I think that's the firsttime in 17 years we've kind of
tag team preached like that.
It is.
Um, so that was kind of a funexperience.
And then even this past Sunday,as a lady was walking out of the
church, she came up to me andjust said, Man, last week was
(01:30):
awesome.
She's like, I loved you enjoybeing up there.
So that was kind of the thecommon uh theme that I was
hearing for people as theyreally kind of enjoyed that tag
team thing.
So that was fun.
We'll have to do that again.
SPEAKER_04 (01:40):
It was fun.
I liked that.
SPEAKER_00 (01:42):
Well, um, as we jump into the Mother's Day sermon, so
we're got a little bit of adouble header for you uh this
week, and uh just in a moment oftransparency, we uh we did
everything we could to get thisMother's Day podcast out to you
last week.
But um We tried.
Yeah, parenting is hectic.
Um so between life group andwork schedules, and we had our
(02:04):
kids' spring concerts and thenum sports, all this different
stuff going on.
Uh, I think one time we satdown, we're like, this is the
only time we got is like 10,10:30 at night.
Like, let's get it in.
And then it was like, no.
Um, so you're getting adoubleheader uh this week.
You're getting uh a little bitof a recap of the Mother's Day
(02:27):
sermon, and then also uh we'regonna jump jump in and talk
about our brand new series onthe Gospel of John that we
started on on this past Sunday.
But Joy, I thought um, sinceyou're not on the Midweek
podcast a whole lot, it'd be funto kind of give people a little
bit of behind the scenes uhabout you.
And so I I got some questions,and I'm gonna ask them.
(02:49):
You ready?
SPEAKER_03 (02:50):
All right.
SPEAKER_00 (02:51):
She's looking a little nervous.
First, uh, this this should behopefully pretty easy.
What is your favorite thingabout being a mom?
SPEAKER_04 (02:59):
Oh man.
Obviously, the four people thatcall me mom.
SPEAKER_00 (03:05):
See, and I thought you were gonna say being married
to your kid's dad.
SPEAKER_04 (03:08):
No, well, watching you become a dad and grow as a
father and watching you love ourkids is very high up there.
SPEAKER_00 (03:18):
All right.
Well, that's without them verysweet for me.
But what do you love about beinga mom?
SPEAKER_04 (03:22):
Without them, I wouldn't see you do that.
So, um, you know, I I love, Iknow this is very generic, but I
love everything about being amom.
Um obviously there's a lot ofgood and there's a lot of bad
all thrown in there together,but at the end of the day, I'm
just grateful to have a smallpart of raising them and
(03:44):
watching them grow.
SPEAKER_00 (03:46):
It's going quick, I'll tell you that.
Um Montina came up to me onSunday, and I think Gavin walked
by.
She goes, That's your boy.
I said, Yes.
She goes, My goodness, he gotbig.
Um, I said, I know Montina, andyou should see Ty.
He's taller than me now.
Right, yeah, and so yeah, uhTy's 16, Gavin's 14, Ellie's 10,
(04:08):
Reese's eight, and it is yeah,going fast.
I was actually uh joking withour our son Ty today.
Um, he brought a whole load oflaundry downstairs, goes, guys,
here's all my laundry I need itwashed for tomorrow.
And I was like, you're 16, doyour own laundry.
Um, so yeah, they're uh they'regetting big.
(04:28):
We're trying to help them getready to to launch here.
But um, speaking of kind of thespeed with which it's all gone,
is there a season of parentingthat maybe you could go back to
if you could?
And and if so, what made thatseason so special?
SPEAKER_04 (04:42):
You know, I mean there's seasons that seemed a
little more calm, and so I lovedwhen they were all I I love
having all four of our kids, soit would definitely be a season
of life where Reese was alreadyhere.
Um and I wouldn't want to goback, but you know, I I maybe
like a couple hours or a day,the day our kids were born, or
when we were all home and didn'thave sports and work and
(05:06):
craziness, like I would mayberelive a day in one of those
seasons, maybe.
But you know, I I had someonesay to always make the cur the
present season the best, and Ireally try to live by that
because if not, it's easy tojust become discouraged as you
you know it's good, it's fun towatch them grow and learn and
(05:27):
turn into who God's calling themto be.
Like that's amazing, but it canalso be a little bit bittersweet
and sad seeing them grow up sofast, like you said, and um lots
of changes that come veryquickly with parenting, and so
maybe just a season where it wasa little more calm for like
maybe a day.
But truly, I really love ourcurrent season.
I do, I love everything aboutit.
SPEAKER_00 (05:49):
It's uh it's it's definitely fun.
It's never dull.
Uh they keep us busy.
Um, you know, some of the reels,whatever you would call that,
not memes, I think the reelsyou've sent me.
Some of them are pretty sad andemotional.
I think one of them was um aboutyou know these people and
they're old and their kids aregone, and I'm like, why do you
even send me this stuff?
SPEAKER_04 (06:11):
And even in those moments, make those the best
moments.
SPEAKER_00 (06:14):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (06:15):
You know, and that's one day we're gonna be there,
and there's people that arethere now, and you know, I I
think we just gotta look forwardand and in the in the present
and not dwell on what was.
SPEAKER_00 (06:27):
Yeah, for sure.
Each season has uh has been itsown thing.
Um, but it is fun, especially asthey get older, you know, kind
of building relationships withthem in a different way.
I mean they the conversationsget deeper.
Um, certainly some of theproblems get more challenging,
um, but you get a chance to kindof talk through those and work
through those.
(06:47):
And um, so I think just as muchas uh they're growing as kids, I
think you know, you and I weregrowing as as parents too.
Right.
Um I joke with people all thetime, I'm not ready to write a
parenting book or anything.
Like, let me let all my kids getout of the house, get a job, and
like then okay.
Well I don't know if we did allright.
SPEAKER_04 (07:06):
Um, I tell Ty and Gavin all the time, especially
Gav will be like, You're nicerto Ellie and Reese.
I'm like, it's not that I'mnicer or that I like them more,
but we we grow as parents too,you know.
Yeah, we're definitely, I hopewe're a better mom and dad today
than we were yesterday.
SPEAKER_00 (07:21):
You certainly should be.
Yeah, I don't know about me.
I think you're doing good.
Um, I just look at them and say,uh, I like the other one more
than you.
Um I don't know if that'sworking or not.
SPEAKER_02 (07:31):
Um work on you.
SPEAKER_00 (07:34):
Here's uh something a little bit more reflective for
you.
Uh, what do you hope your kidssay about you someday?
Not not just what you did forthem, but who you were to them.
SPEAKER_04 (07:45):
I hope they would would say that I loved them
well.
More than anything, I want themto grow up and know the Lord and
know that Jesus loves them andwho they are in him.
So I I really hope that theysay, Mom pointed me towards
Jesus.
Um obviously, you know, we'vealready talked about how we're
not pros and that you know Ihope that they look back and saw
(08:08):
that we tried and then when whenwe failed, we asked for
forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00 (08:11):
Yeah.
That's uh that's a hard thing todo to look at your kids and be
like, hey, I messed up.
SPEAKER_01 (08:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (08:20):
Um but definitely something that I feel like we've
tried to do, and I think youmodel you model really well.
Um if you could go back and tellyourself one thing before
becoming a mom.
So no kids yet.
Ty, Gavin, Ellie Reese, they'renot here.
But if you could go back to toJoy before kids and tell her one
(08:40):
thing before becoming a mom,what would it be?
SPEAKER_04 (08:44):
You know, probably not to stress the small things,
you know.
Some things can roll off and youdon't have to make a big deal
about it.
Um, but also just have grace onyourself.
Everything doesn't have to beperfect.
You know, I think we live in aworld where you see everyone's
highlights and their goodmoments, um, and just realizing
not to compare yourself to otherpeople.
SPEAKER_02 (09:06):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (09:07):
You know.
SPEAKER_00 (09:08):
Social media has definitely made that more and
more challenging, you know.
Um people love to post, like yousaid, the highlights, their
vacation, their you know, Easterkids' photos, and you know, all
this stuff, and it looksperfect.
And that reminder, the well,those are curated events, you
know?
That's not a normal Tuesday orThursday in someone's week.
(09:29):
Um, and so yeah, that's uh thatwould be, I think, good advice
for for anyone who's gettingready to be a mom for the first
time, or even for someone who'syou know, uh already got has
some kids at home, just thatreminder of give yourself some
grace.
Uh, I think that's that's goodstuff.
Um well on the the sermon thatyou and I got to kind of tag
(09:51):
team on Mother's Day, we weretalking about the story of both
kind of Naomi and Ruth.
And the way that we we kind ofapproached that sermon is I
spent most of the sermon kind oftalking about Naomi and her life
and her story.
You kind of stepped in with Ruthand her life and her side of the
story.
Um, and so we we kind of eachtook one of them and and then
(10:14):
went after their story.
Um but the theme for the messagewas the courage to stay.
And I wonder what does stayinglook like for you on an ordinary
Tuesday when nothing feels, youknow, meaningful or heroic?
Because and that's one of thethings we talked about in the
sermon is staying doesn't feellike some big heroic event,
(10:36):
right?
Like in the moment, it's justoften feels like the next thing.
So, what does that look like foryou?
SPEAKER_04 (10:42):
Yeah, I think it's just being present to where I
feel I should be present.
I think every day is a littlebit different, and essentially
just saying yes to the thingsthat I should be saying yes to
and knowing when to say no andprotect my time because there's
things that I need to be givingit to and things that I don't
need to be giving it to.
(11:03):
Um, and in this current seasonis just like you we already
talked about, very busy withfour kids and sports and school
and work and church and all thethings.
Um that's like just reallyprotecting my time and where I
spend it.
Because you know, our kids areonly little for so long, and I
want to make sure that theyremember us being here and being
(11:25):
present with them.
No matter where that is, whetherthat's at their school or home
or in ministry, I want them tofeel like they were with us and
seen and heard.
And so for me, just I'd say thisseason is saying yes where I
need to say yes and no where Ineed to say no.
SPEAKER_00 (11:43):
That's definitely something I feel like you and I
have tried, you know, especiallyin you know the past probably
four or five years to get betterat.
SPEAKER_02 (11:52):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (11:53):
Um and especially when you're in ministry, it's
you you want to be aroundpeople, you want to be there for
people, help people.
Um, and it's easy to say yes toa lot of those things, kind of
to the detriment of your ownfamily sometimes, and trying to
find that balance.
Um, obviously we still have acall to be there for people, to
(12:15):
show up for people, um, but thento well, you know, we gotta we
got our own family, we got ourown kids to take care of, our
own schedules to worry about,our own house to to worry about.
Um, and so that we need some ofthat time, and and I think we've
gotten uh hopefully better atthat.
And I know that you try toprioritize, you know, that time
that we have with the kids of ofmaking that meaningful for them.
(12:39):
Um and you know, those constantreminders like, hey, we need to
put our phones away.
Um, you know, no phones at thedinner table, I think is
something you've been big about.
Um, you know, we we have all thekids, no matter if they're done
eating or not, you know, youwant them here at the dinner
table with us.
Those things that I think createthose those moments where we're
(12:59):
all together.
Um and then I think it'ssomething that Pastor Jared
actually started uh with ourolder two, Ty and Gavin, the
good, bad, and godly thing.
Um, but then I think you likedit.
So every night, just aboutthat's one of the things that we
do with our kids is good, bad,and godly.
SPEAKER_04 (13:17):
Um I think we um actually adopted that from some
of our friends.
Oh, some of our friends, okay.
I think it was the Hicksons,yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (13:24):
All right, well, thank you to the Hicksons then.
Um so it's something that theydid that we've now picked up,
and and our kids love it.
Um, and so we get a chance totalk about those things um with
our kids.
We kind of go around and and itagain, just an opportunity for
them to feel seen and heard, andthey get a chance to talk about
(13:44):
their day more than just how'syour day?
Good.
Uh no, no, no, that's not gonnawork.
You know, what was good aboutyour day?
What what was not great?
Um, and so I think that's beenuh an impactful thing for us
every every night, just about.
We get to hear from our kids inthat way.
Um, and I hopefully that makesthem makes a difference for them
and makes them feel like youknow, mom and dad do actually
(14:05):
care about what's going on, youknow.
SPEAKER_04 (14:07):
Yeah, that's something I would recommend
anyone with children.
You know, it's a great way tocommunicate with your kids and
hear about their day.
And I yeah, like you said, it welearn a lot about our kids' day
that I feel like you otherwisewould not hear right.
Yeah, I think that's been great.
SPEAKER_00 (14:23):
Okay, well, let's dive into uh the sermon a little
bit.
Would love to know, um, youknow, as you were kind of
studying, prepping for for theMother's Day sermon, um what
what stuck out to you maybewhile you were studying?
SPEAKER_04 (14:38):
You know, I I love just all of the things that go
into Ruth.
Like if you read it from startto finish and really study it,
you know, it's it opens up withthis horrible tragedy of her
husband and brother-in-law andfather-in-law passing away, and
then her, you know, hermother-in-law trying to send her
off, and she chooses to to staywith her, and just that leading
(15:01):
down into the lineage of Jesus,and like that is just
mind-blowing when it seems likeeverything is falling apart, and
then really it's like the lowestof lows.
Like, God still had a plan.
Um, and I love Ruth because itkind of like encourages me that
no matter what is going on, likewe can't see the end, but God
knows what's going on and He'sin control, and we don't have to
(15:24):
worry about it.
SPEAKER_00 (15:25):
Yeah.
And that's again another one ofthose moments that doesn't feel
heroic.
SPEAKER_04 (15:30):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (15:31):
You know, she's just in the middle of this moment
looking at her mother-in-law,who, you know, one of the things
I think I brought up in thesermon was Naomi's being honest
here, she has nothing left tooffer.
She doesn't have any more kidsfor Ruth to marry.
She doesn't have any money, anyinheritance.
Um, all of that died when herhusband and sons died.
(15:51):
So she's a woman with nothingleft.
And and so what she's doing toRuth is actually, I mean, it's
more than benevolent, like it'slove.
Like she's releasing her.
Go back home to your people,find somebody else that you can
fall in love with and start afamily with.
And and so what Ruth does inthat moment doesn't feel like
(16:13):
some heroic thing, it's gotta belike, what am I doing here?
Um, but for whatever reason, sheshe chooses to stay.
Um, and I mean that statementthat she makes, I think you
called it covenant love.
Like this is covenant, yeah.
This is more than just, yeah,I'll see how this goes.
(16:34):
She's like, no, no, no.
I I'm staying, and your peopleare gonna be my people.
Your God is gonna be my God.
Where you go, I go.
Where you die, that's where I'mgonna die.
Um, I mean, that's that'spowerful language.
Um and I thought, man, as you asyou look at that, it just speaks
(16:54):
to that every day showing up andkind of taking the next step,
doing the the next right thing.
You know, that's something thatI've preached on a couple times
over the years.
Just do the next right thing.
And and you don't always havethe big picture like you're
talking about.
You don't always see how God'sgonna work all this thing out,
um, all these things out.
But you just keep showing up,you keep being faithful, you
(17:15):
keep doing the next right thing.
And God took this horrificsituation and through Naomi and
Ruth's faithfulness to keepshowing up, keep saying yes,
doing the next right thing, weget King David and eventually
all the way down to Jesus.
How amazing is that.
SPEAKER_04 (17:34):
Yeah.
And I think that's what a lot ofstaying the course and you know,
following Christ is is justdoing the next right thing.
Like a lot of times we don'tknow what that is in the moment.
Um but you know, your favoriteverse, whether you turn to the
right or the left, you'll hear avoice behind you saying this is
a way, walk in it.
I think it you know, sometimeswe don't know, should we go
right or left?
(17:54):
What are you is it you know, ifyou look at scripture, you spend
time in prayer, you're seekingGod, if both of them line up
with his word, then it doesn'tmatter sometimes, but just
choosing to go in the directionthat you feel called.
And I think, you know, this is agreat the story is a great
example of that.
SPEAKER_00 (18:13):
You know, one of the things um that got brought up in
our life group that we had, umwe're studying this new book
kind of on some of the basicjust core doctrines of the
Christian faith.
Um, and and I'm I'm loving it,honestly, probably because I'm
just a Bible nerd and I get it.
The rest of the group might notlove it.
SPEAKER_04 (18:31):
No, I think I think they're liking it.
SPEAKER_00 (18:33):
But uh one of the the people in our life group
brought up that, you know, oneof their kids had come up and
they had asked them thisquestion about something.
I can't remember what thequestion was.
Um and they're like, I didn't,you know, I don't know, I don't
know the answer to that.
And one of the things Iencourage, not just them, but
like our entire life group, isit's okay that you don't know.
(18:54):
It's okay that you admit thatyou don't know, but the one
thing you need to do is let yourkids see you open up God's word
to find the answer, right?
And so now you're not justgiving them mom's opinion or
dad's opinion on something,you're going to God's word and
you're showing them what doesGod's word have to say about
(19:15):
this thing.
Because there's going to bethose situations in life where
we don't know what to do.
What's the right next step?
I don't know.
Um what do we need to do?
You need to go to God's word andfind that out.
And same thing with your kids.
Teach them to go to God's wordin those moments.
What does God's word have to sayabout this thing?
(19:36):
You know, you've had a reallytough situation with that kid at
school, he's been, you know,picking on you or whatever the
situation is.
Um what what should you do inthat moment?
Well, let's let's open up God'sword and and see what he has to
say about how how we're supposedto treat those people who who
might not be the greatest to us,you know.
Um, and so I think uh that'sthat's important advice for
(19:59):
sure.
SPEAKER_04 (20:00):
Um it's so good.
SPEAKER_00 (20:02):
What what do you hope maybe that the women who
were were listening there uh tothe sermon uh on Mother's Day or
possibly you know tune into thelive stream or have watched it
on demand since then, uh, whatdo you hope women take take away
from that sermon, walk away withor apply?
SPEAKER_04 (20:24):
I you know, my I pray that they would feel
encouraged.
You know, that even if it you'rein a hard moment or a season
where it's tough and um you youknow maybe don't feel like
anything good is coming yourway, just to trust the Lord.
He has a plan, he knows the end,he's got you.
Um and I would just encouragethem to to keep their eyes on
(20:48):
him and stay grounded andsteadfast and who he is.
Um, you know, and I would alsoencourage you to to to be in the
word, like you said, to knowknow what God says, open
scripture with your children andwith your family, um, and to
spend time praying with yourchildren and with your spouse.
Because we definitely need that.
(21:11):
That's how we grow and we learn,and I think that's important.
I just hope that they would feelencouraged wherever they are in
their journey.
SPEAKER_00 (21:20):
That's good.
And uh something that I think uhall moms, really just all
parents, we need that level ofencouragement, um, and just that
reminder.
Keep showing up, keep beingfaithful, um, keep doing those
things, even when they feelmundane or you know, like
they're not moving you forward.
(21:41):
Right.
Um we don't we don't know howGod's gonna use those things.
And so um I thought I thoughtthat was a great message.
I thought it was timely for ourchurch.
Um and just uh I I I think itwas a great encouragement to all
the moms, moms that were thereon mothers.
SPEAKER_04 (22:00):
And I think it's important to realize that our
children belong to the Lord.
Like when we are worrying aboutthem and we're going through
something with them, like Godcares even more than we do, and
sometimes we forget that.
You know, I my friend just losther sister.
Um and another one of ourfriends was we're talking to her
(22:22):
father about it, and and youknow what he said was just so
profound, like we think that ourkids are ours, but we forget
that they belong to the Lord.
Um and so just He cares aboutthem even more than we do, and
there is nothing that we cannotbring to Him, you know, on their
behalf in prayer and just askingHim to help us as we parent,
(22:43):
whether they're dots and lostand wondering or they're newborn
and we're worried about thefuture or anywhere in between,
they belong to Him first andforemost, and we we just get the
you know privilege of havingthem as a gift to kind of invest
to for a little bit.
Um but just don't forget thatthey are His.
SPEAKER_00 (23:03):
Yeah.
I love that and you know we wetalk when we talk about money we
use the word stewardship, right?
Yeah and the idea is all of thisreally belongs to God and I'm
just supposed to be a faithfulsteward of it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:19):
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (23:19):
Well, I think when it comes to our kids, it's a lot
the same way.
You know, that's the imagery weneed to have is man, these are
God's kids, and I need tosteward the opportunity He's
given me to raise them here, toteach them, to disciple them, to
grow them, to nurture them, toprotect them.
All that is stewardship.
At the end of the day, theybelong to God.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
They do.
SPEAKER_00 (23:44):
And and as much as I care about them, as much as we
love them, um, as much as wewant to provide for them and
give them good things, how muchmore does God want to do those
things, you know?
Um, if we have, if we trulybelieve that, I think it would
take some of the pressure thatwe feel as parents sometimes off
to just know, man, God's gotthem.
(24:06):
And and he's gonna take thoseimperfect moments when we don't
get it all right and and we saythe wrong thing, or you know, we
we explode in anger when we youknow should have kept our cool,
whatever.
God's when we keep just showingup, we keep being faithful, we
keep turning them over to theLord.
Um God's got them.
(24:27):
Yeah, you know, exactly.
SPEAKER_04 (24:28):
Just have to trust trust that God is in control.
SPEAKER_00 (24:31):
Yeah, I love it.
Well, moms, happy Mother's Day.
I know this podcast came out aweek late for that.
Right, yes.
Um but uh man, Joy and I, we hada lot of fun uh getting up there
and getting to share thatmessage, and uh, we do.
We hope that was anencouragement to you.
This Sunday, we launched a brandnew series, it's our summer
(24:52):
sermon series, and every summerwe go uh through a book of the
Bible, verse by verse, chapterby chapter.
Um, I think we took two or threeyears to get through Genesis.
We took, I think, two years toget through Exodus.
Um, so I told Tim, I was like,listen, we need to get through
John in one year.
And he goes, Man, we're coveringa lot of ground every week.
(25:14):
Um, and even I was talking toDave uh at church on Sunday in
between services, and Dave'slike, Man, I don't know how
you're gonna do it.
And he's like, John 1-1, in thebeginning was the word you could
so much, that could be a wholesermon series just there.
That's one verse.
Um, and I was like, I know.
Tim said the same thing, so Idon't know that Tim's real happy
(25:36):
with me.
Um, but I'm gonna try to get usthrough this all in all in one
summer.
We'll see how it goes.
If the Lord takes over and hesays, No, we're gonna be here a
while, we'll camp out there aslong as long as he wants.
Um, but we started a brand newseries on on the Gospel of John.
And really, this past Sunday wasthe setup for the series and
(25:56):
talked about the purpose of whyJohn wrote this gospel.
Why did he take the time to towrite all this stuff down?
And his purpose was clear.
Uh he said, I I have writtenthis all these things down so
that you may believe that Jesusis the Messiah, the Son of God,
(26:16):
and that by believing you mayhave life in his name.
And so that's that's the pointof the whole book.
All 21 chapters.
That you would believe, and thatby believing you'd find life.
That's what John wants.
And and man, I can't think of aa better message for our church,
um, really for our world rightnow, um, is here's the key.
(26:40):
Believe and find life.
So many people are searching forso many things uh in in life
through their jobs, throughpossessions, through
relationships, whatever it is.
And and John boils it all downto this believe that Jesus is
the Messiah and you can findlife.
And and not just the life thatyou know the culture talks
(27:03):
about, but true life.
Jesus said, I came that youwould have a rich, satisfying,
abundant life.
And so um it's good.
SPEAKER_04 (27:11):
It makes me think of the book that we're studying in
life group.
What is that called?
SPEAKER_00 (27:15):
Some that's doctrines?
Actually, I think it's called DoYou Believe?
Do you believe?
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (27:20):
Um by Paul David Tripp.
And there's what, twelvedoctrines that they go over, and
so far we've only covered likeGod and I think did we do the
Bible?
The Bible and God.
SPEAKER_00 (27:30):
Yep.
SPEAKER_04 (27:30):
And at first I was like, this is so simple.
And we have really everyone inour life group knows the Lord
and has been following him for alittle bit, and so I was worried
it would be just very like notthings that they already are
aware of, and a lot of it we areaware of it.
Um but I think the same thingwith with John, if we would
(27:51):
actually grasp who Jesus is,like it changes the way that you
live.
Um, and so when we're learningabout in this book, when you're
learning about things like Godor the Bible, it also then has a
whole chapter dedicated justlike this is how you apply this.
SPEAKER_02 (28:06):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (28:06):
And just I think some of the meat of our
conversation in life group hasbeen wow, this is eye-opening
when you dive into more thanjust reading it, and when you
try to, how do I apply this tomy daily life?
SPEAKER_02 (28:17):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (28:18):
Because if you believe that Jesus is who John
is saying Jesus is, then itchanges how you the way that you
think about him and the way thatyou live your life, and so it's
just a lot of us know more orhave heard more scripture, more
about God than we actuallyreally apply to our life.
SPEAKER_00 (28:38):
I don't remember who said this quote, even though I
quote it a lot, so I should lookit up.
SPEAKER_04 (28:43):
I know what you're gonna say.
SPEAKER_00 (28:45):
The quote goes something along the lines of
most Christians are already farmore educated than their level
of obedience.
And I think that was kind of alot of the heart behind while
why Paul David Tripp wrote thatbook, is he said, I I can I've
talked to some people.
I mean, he's been a pastor along time, he's a very
well-known author.
Um, he's like, and I've talkedto some people and they can
(29:07):
quote scripture front to back.
They can talk to you about allthese different doctrines and
explain them to you, and yet Idon't see their life lining up
with what they're telling methat they believe.
If we truly believed it, likeyou said, it it would change.
And so that's why one of thereasons I was drawn to that book
is one, I think it's importantfor all of us to have a good
(29:29):
grasp of the foundation of ourfaith and why, as Christians, we
believe certain things.
Why does that matter?
Is there only one God?
Yeah, why does that matter?
Who is Jesus and what has hedone?
That's important to know.
He's not just one of many, he'sthe way, the truth, and the
life.
We're gonna talk about that inthis John series.
And then to say, okay, I I I canknow all of that, and I can it
(29:56):
can be head knowledge, but if itis not moving down into my heart
and then affecting the way thatI live, the way that I parent,
the way that I that I work, thenthen there's a there's a
disconnect here.
And how do I get the theknowledge of it to then match up
with my actions?
(30:17):
John, I think one of the thingsI love about this book is is
he's gonna try to do that forus.
And so he's he is over and overagain.
On Sunday, we talked aboutlaying out witness after
witness.
He's gonna give us sevendifferent signs that Jesus
performs.
He's gonna give us seven I amstatements that Jesus says, you
know, I am the way, um, thetruth and the life, I am the
(30:40):
resurrection and the life, I amthe gate.
He's gonna give us seven ofthose statements.
And the whole time he's drivingat this one thing, will you
believe?
Will you believe?
I'm showing you all of this.
Will you believe?
And and that's that's thequestion that that we need to
wrestle with.
And I said on Sunday, beliefjust belief isn't enough.
(31:04):
And what I mean by that is themental assent to say I know this
information.
It's we can say I believe inGod, that there's a God out
there, and give some mentalassent to it.
But is if I truly believe that,then it should affect and show
up in my life.
SPEAKER_01 (31:24):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (31:25):
Um every part of my life.
The words I use, how I, youknow, handle my money, um how
how I plan out my calendar, myschedule.
It should show up in all thosedifferent areas.
And I think for for too manyChristians, our our relationship
with Jesus just kind of becomesthis surface-level thing where I
(31:48):
I believe in Jesus and I show upat church, and I'm not saying
you're not saved.
If you confess with your mouth,Jesus the Lord, believe in your
heart, God raised from the dead,you will be saved.
That's what scripture says.
But also, faith without works isdead.
Live a life worthy of thegospel.
These are things that we'vetalked about in the Marvel
series, we talked about it in uhthe Grow series.
(32:09):
I mean, these are things that wekeep bringing up over and over
and over again.
SPEAKER_04 (32:11):
We talked about it last week, even studying Ruth,
you know, how if if what wemean, we kind of define what we
meant by staying.
And so if you weren't there, goback and listen to it.
Um, because we're not sayingthat staying or it means to just
take whatever's thrown at youand get bubble.
Exactly.
Like that's not what we'rereferring to.
(32:34):
But if you're saying what wemean is being faithful to God
and the calling in your life,and if you're doing that and
you're being faithful to yourGod, then that will determine
the way that you father, or theway that you're uh husband, or
the way that you work and theemployer that you are, um, or
the employee that you are, andso all that, everything in your
(32:55):
life will be determined by youknow whatever it is that you put
the focus on.
And so um what we are sayingright now is if you believe in
Christ and you believe in whathis word says, then that'll roll
out into your entire life.
SPEAKER_02 (33:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (33:12):
And that doesn't mean that you're gonna do
everything right, like we arehuman, but we should be
following Christ and we shouldbe trying to do what he's
calling us to do and and beingfaithful to him and just doing
the next right thing, like wealready talked about.
SPEAKER_00 (33:28):
Even well, you pointed this out earlier, we're
only two doctrines into thetwelve.
But I think trying to remember,was it the doctrine of the Bible
or the doctrine of God?
One of those, he talked aboutthis same, again, the same sort
of idea that if we believed itwas true, then we would live
(33:49):
like it's true.
And how we truly live revealswhat we trust.
And so if I trust that God isgood, then my life will line up
with that.
If I say that God is good, but Itrust that money's gonna make me
happy, then I'm gonna go pursuemoney.
God, I I know that you're gonnatake care of me, but I'm gonna
(34:09):
go do this thing over here.
And now, does God expect you towork?
Yes.
And so we're not saying you justget to not go to work and God
provides.
Uh, you have a responsibility tobe the person God's called you
to be.
But where is your trust in?
What are you truly trusting in?
And John is he over and overagain in this book is saying,
(34:31):
you need to believe.
You need to put your trust, yourfaith in Christ.
He is the Messiah.
He came not to condemn theworld, but to save the world.
That if that if you wouldbelieve, if you would call on
him, you would not perish, buthave everlasting life.
These are the themes John'sgoing to keep bringing up over
(34:52):
and over and over again.
And I think it's so importantfor this to move beyond just the
head knowledge because a lot ofus, you know, we get a lot of
people in our church who are whoare new Christians.
We got a lot of people who arekind of seeking, or, you know,
maybe they've been aroundchurch, but I'm so encouraged
because a lot of theconversations I'm having, people
are really like, they want to godeep, they want to take that
(35:14):
next step, they want to discovermore in Christ.
But then there's also a goodportion of our church that's
gone to church for a long time,whether with us, you know, we've
had some people been with us, Ithink all 17 years.
Um, but then there's people who,you know, even if you weren't in
our church, you grew up in adifferent church or whatever the
case may be.
And so you've heard thesesermons on John, you've read the
(35:34):
gospel of John.
And and what I challenge peopleon the message on Sunday is
don't turn this off.
You know, don't don't just, youknow, show up and put me on mute
and start thinking about allyour week and all the things you
got to do, or put Tim on mute,what who's ever's preaching.
We're gonna cover this and takea fresh look, take another
(35:57):
opportunity to allow God toteach you these truths because I
believe there is more in Christ.
That's the whole purpose of ourchurch to discover more in
Christ.
God wants to show you more, andI think John's gonna lay it out,
and he's gonna he's gonna proveover and over and over again
Jesus is who he said he is.
SPEAKER_04 (36:14):
So good.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (36:16):
One of the things that I've been telling people
anytime I try to, you know,reference or quote an article or
something I've read online, is Ipreface it with, I saw this on
the internet, I don't know ifit's true.
Because I don't trust anything Iread on the internet anytime.
SPEAKER_04 (36:34):
I mean, I don't know what I trust other than the word
of God.
Period, in general.
SPEAKER_00 (36:40):
So well, honestly, you're not alone.
Um 2024 Gallup poll showed thatAmericans' trust in mass media
is at an all-time low.
Uh only 31% they have a greatdeal or fair amount of trust in
things like newspaper, TV,radio, whatever, to report fully
and accurately.
(37:01):
Only 31% say if I hear somethingon the news, I think they're
telling me the truth.
So the overwhelming majority ofthe population is like,
someone's lying.
Yeah, someone's someone'sselling me something.
Um in Edelman, Trust Barometerfor 2025, found that 63% of
business or people believe thatbusinesses and government uh
(37:22):
leaders deliberately misleadthem.
Honestly, I'm shocked thatthat's not higher.
Buddy of mine says, How do youknow a politician's lying?
His mouth is moving, right?
Someone's constantly lying tous.
Um, and so there's we're allkind of here, and especially I
think in this age of AI, it'sgetting even harder because
(37:43):
people can just go on and makeall kinds of content, but beyond
that, like the images that canbe made, the uh videos that
could be made.
I I I read this story andcompletely shocked me.
But there was a a guy, this Ithink it was back in 2024, that
these scammers in Hong Kongtricked a finance worker, um, he
(38:09):
worked for some finance firm,tricked him into wiring 24 or 25
million dollars to a fraudulentaccount, and they didn't do it
just through, you know, somePrince email from Saudi Arabia.
This was a Zoom call.
The guy got on a Zoom call withwhat looked like the CFO of his
(38:32):
company, and other people inthis company that he actually
knew were on the Zoom call, andthey looked like them, they
talked like them, so theysounded, they had done voice
match, uh, and so he had anentire Zoom call with AI bots
that told him, wire$25 millionto this account, and he did it,
(38:56):
and it was all just hackers inHong Kong.
SPEAKER_04 (38:58):
Yeah, that's crazy.
SPEAKER_00 (39:00):
If that's going on, it's hard to know what to
believe anymore.
So, how do we know then thatJohn is telling us the truth?
You know how can we trustscripture in general?
And I think John multiple timeshe he gives us these these
(39:23):
statements that that say, I'mthere, I was there, I saw it.
In John chapter 1, verse 14, hesays, We observed his glory.
That little phrase we observedin the Greek, it's etiasumita,
which means we took it in withour own eyes.
It's a it's a literal sensoryverb.
(39:44):
I was there, I saw it.
In John 19, uh 35, he's he'sstanding at the foot of the
cross and he says, The one whosaw this has testified of this
so that you may believe.
So over and over again throughhis book, John's saying, I was
there.
I saw, like I didn't hear thisfrom somebody, someone didn't
come and tell me about thisevent.
(40:04):
I was there and I saw it.
But then the question becomeswell, so what?
You could say that you sawanything.
You know, how do I know thatthat's true?
Um, well, this guy wrote a bookback in 2006, I believe, Richard
Bachman, I think is his name.
It's called Jesus and theEyewitnesses.
(40:25):
And he lists of like how do weknow that the scripture is true?
Well, when it comes specificallyto the book of John, there's
this eyewitness testimony that'sanchored to specific, named,
traceable eyewitnesses and ofevents.
That if you were just makingthis up or just trying to tell a
(40:46):
story, getting all of thesethings right and accurate would
be very, very difficult.
Nearly impossible, probablyimpossible.
And so one of the things thatJohn does is he names people
that the other gospels keepanonymous.
So the disciple who cut off thehigh priest's ear is unnamed in
the other gospels.
John says, it was Peter.
(41:06):
I love that he just throws Peterunder the bus.
There must have been a littlebit of rivalry maybe going on
between John and Peter becausehe's like, You want to know who
cut his ear off?
Peter.
You want to know who beat Peterto the tomb?
Me.
This full Jesus left.
Uh he tells us that the womanwho anoints Jesus is Mary, the
sister of Lazarus.
Um over again, he's namingspecific people.
SPEAKER_04 (41:29):
He's giving details that other people didn't.
SPEAKER_00 (41:31):
And how would you know?
How would you know if youweren't there, you didn't have
these conversations, you didn'tsee that event take place, how
could you say that?
And then John's writing, sowe're reading this 2,000 years
later, right?
We don't know those people.
How do we know he wasn't makingit up?
But John was writing to peoplewho would have known those
(41:52):
people.
John didn't necessarily have theguy 2,000 years later, the girl
2,000 years later, who's gonnapick up a copy of his book in
mind when he sat down to write.
Now maybe the Holy Spirit said,hey, this book's gonna be around
for the next 2,000 years.
Make sure you get it all right.
But really, John was he waswriting to people that were his
contemporaries, people that helived with and knew.
(42:13):
And they could have been like,well, let me go ask Mary about
that, see if she actually didit.
And so they could have gone inand asked those people.
The other thing that John does,that if you're trying to create
a story to prove that Jesus isthe Messiah, you would probably
leave out some of the moreembarrassing things or things
(42:33):
that set Jesus up or thedisciples up and make them look
bad.
You're like, we shouldn't talkabout that because it would
affect people who read thestory, their credibility of it,
right?
They're gonna think, well, whyon earth would that happen?
Um But John he tells us allthose things.
He tells us that the disciplesdon't understand what Jesus says
multiple times.
Jesus would talk, and they'relike, we don't know what he was
(42:56):
talking about.
Uh what did he mean when he saidthat?
And he just goes ahead and tellsus that that happened.
Um Peter, when when he deniesJesus three times, John writes
that down for us, records thatevent when when those two
disciples run from Jesus and gooff, and you know, after the
he's arrested, they take offhe's talking about it.
(43:19):
And then he even makes thatpoint to point out you know, two
disciples ran to the empty tomband the one Jesus loved outran
Peter, which I love.
SPEAKER_04 (43:29):
It's hilarious.
SPEAKER_00 (43:32):
So again, these kind of more embarrassing events that
if you're trying to prove thatJesus is the Messiah, you
wouldn't tell everyone thedisciples didn't know what he
was talking about.
If you're trying to say thisguy's God, well then when he
talks, everybody should know.
And John's like, we didn't know,we didn't get it.
(43:52):
We weren't sure at the moment.
Looking back after theresurrection, he's like, now we
understand all this stuff.
unknown (43:59):
But he
SPEAKER_00 (44:00):
He goes ahead and puts that in there.
The third thing he does is herecords these geographical and
archaeological details that onlysomeone who is there would know.
Pool of Bethesda with its fivecolonnades, for example.
For centuries, people said thatwas a fictional invention that
he just made up.
(44:21):
Until 1888, when archaeologistsuncovered a pool in Jerusalem
with five colonnades, just asJohn said.
Proved it.
The pool of Salom, another poolthat was verified by
archaeologists in 2004.
John points to these veryspecific things that it would be
(44:42):
easy to go and point to thatthing and be like, oh, that's
not what John said, so he'slying.
And yet, archaeologists for thepast 2,000 years have been doing
nothing but proving John to betrue and accurate on every one
of those things.
SPEAKER_04 (44:57):
Over and over.
SPEAKER_00 (44:58):
And one of the things that really I think show
us that John was there, that heknew, is he knows the inner
emotional life of Jesus.
And he'll tell us things like,Jesus was troubled.
How would you know that unlessyou spent time with him?
That you were havingconversations with him.
You know, you and I, we can giveeach other a look and we know
(45:23):
something's wrong, right?
You don't we don't even gottacommunicate on it, just that
look.
But that's because we've spentthe past, I think it's gonna be
18 years.
Is it 18 years in August?
SPEAKER_04 (45:35):
Yeah, we'll be married for 18 years, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (45:37):
Look at that.
Our our marriage is is turningin an adult.
It's finally time to grow up.
Gotta start paying the bills.
SPEAKER_04 (45:44):
Um, yeah, I think I mean when you walk with someone
and you start to learn theircharacteristics, and when
they're upset or if somethingthey're happy, they're sad, like
you learn that.
SPEAKER_00 (45:54):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (45:54):
Like you said, it shows that he knew who Christ
was.
SPEAKER_00 (45:58):
Yeah.
To say Jesus was troubled orJesus loved, like Jesus loved
Lazarus and and Mary and Martha.
He loved them.
When when he shows up to raiseLazarus from the dead, and John
says, He wept.
Shortest verse in the entireBible, but John was there.
And why did he say Jesus wept?
(46:19):
Because that's what he saw Jesusdo.
Jesus shows up to the tomb ofhis buddy and literally breaks
down weeping.
And John was like, I was thereand I saw it.
When Jesus encountered this, hewept.
And so John wrote it down forus.
Only someone who was there wouldknow that.
And again, probably, you know,at least in our, you know,
(46:42):
American masculinity mindset,you would not put down that the
savior of the world was crying.
No, no, he's got to be strongand tough.
And Macho and John's like,actually, I saw him cry.
So, men, you're allowed to cry.
Um, Pastor Tim specifically, cryaway.
unknown (46:57):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (46:59):
Um he even would include like these long prayers
that Jesus has, and he justrecords the entire prayer,
writes it down.
All these things are just overand over and over again proving
that John was there.
He saw what he saw.
So when he writes these thingsdown, when he says, I testify to
this thing, that I was there andobserved this thing, you can
(47:22):
trust it.
And then to know, for the past2,000 years, Bible scholars,
theologians, archaeologists,historians have done nothing
except proven that John wasright in what he wrote, that his
descriptions, the places hetalks about, the buildings or
the events, the people that hereferences, these were real
(47:44):
people, real places, realevents.
And history's proving it overand over again.
So in a world where we don'tknow what to trust anymore, and
everything should be looked atwith suspicion.
You know, trust but verifyeverything.
Everything.
Even from reputable newssources, I'm like, I'm gonna go
(48:05):
do my own research.
Right.
John is a book, you know, I andI said on Sunday, he's gonna lay
out this, it's like a courtroom,and he's gonna make his case and
then ask you if you believe.
Well, the a case is only as goodas the evidence being brought,
right?
Can you trust the evidence?
And John's saying, I was there,I saw it.
SPEAKER_01 (48:26):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (48:27):
History proves what he said was really there, it
really happened.
And so you can have faith, youcan have confidence that what
John writes is true.
SPEAKER_02 (48:38):
You can.
SPEAKER_00 (48:38):
And that by believing, you can have life in
his name.
I'm gonna wrap it up.
I've done a lot of talking,building this whole
evidence-based thing out forJohn.
What stuck out to you from thesermon?
SPEAKER_04 (48:50):
I love how you broke it down into the what didn't you
didn't call it miracles, didyou?
You called it Signs.
Signs believe in life.
SPEAKER_00 (49:00):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (49:00):
And just how we can trust in the Lord as our Savior,
and then we can you know believethat He is who He says he is,
and He is who even if you justlook at the book of John, which
all of Scripture is alive andactive, and then it just is so
good and we can draw so muchfrom it, but you can believe in
it, and then it offers you thislife.
(49:22):
And I think you talked about itSunday, um, just how so many of
us, even if we're saved and webelieve in Christ, don't live
out the life that He has for us.
I mean, I just feel like that isprobably the main thing that
stuck out to me.
Just we have this life.
We should be people who arefilled with joy, people who are
going around living a life ofpeace and chaos.
(49:45):
Like this world is so chaotic.
Um, and just when people look atus, they should see Christ in
us.
SPEAKER_02 (49:52):
And I love that.
SPEAKER_04 (49:54):
I I know that sometimes I know that I don't
feel like that's what I'mputting my my hope in.
Even though I'm putting my hopein Christ, I believe in him and
I love him.
But sometimes this world just ifwe're honest, our eyes are not
focused on him.
Um and I love Proverbs 3 trustin the Lord with all of your
heart and lean not on your ownunderstanding, and all your ways
(50:16):
submit to him, and he will makeyour path straight.
You know, if we trust in him,our then we we would truly live
a life of joy.
That's right.
Um and I, you know, even in lifegroup and studying God and and
scripture and now studying John,um I would just encourage you to
evaluate does your life producesigns that you believe in him?
(50:41):
You know, or am I a controllingmom who panics anytime anything
goes wrong?
Is my anxiety out of control?
Is my worry I do I not know whatI can believe even though I'm
told that I can believe inChrist?
Am I actively believing in himin every area of my life?
So I just I think that's whatstuck out to me.
(51:02):
I love it.
Is my life, even though Ibelieve in him, producing what
he wants it to produce.
SPEAKER_00 (51:08):
It's weird asking your wife what what was your
favorite part of my sermon?
SPEAKER_04 (51:11):
It's not me, it's about Christ in me.
Right.
And so that's what I meanessentially.
SPEAKER_00 (51:15):
Yeah.
Well, that's I think you're spoton.
And I think it was Pastor Timthat I first heard uh use the
phrase, all of us die, but fewpeople truly live.
And I think he was preaching afuneral, and so I was
referencing you know, kind of aspastors, that's one of the
greatest griefs that we have isstanding next to a casket where
(51:38):
we know this person, you know,they were alive for 70, 80, 90
years, whatever, but never trulylived.
And I was like, church, I don'twant that for you.
I want you to truly live.
Jesus said that he came.
The his purpose in coming wasthat you would have life and
have it to the full.
(51:59):
And that's what we want for you.
How does that happen?
By discovering more in Christ,by doing exactly what you're
talking about, turning to himover and over and over again.
Lean not on your ownunderstanding in all your ways,
trust, acknowledge him, andhe'll make your path straight.
You want peace, trust andacknowledge him.
The reason so many of our pastslook like a zigzag line, um, or
(52:22):
you know, when your kid justdraws circles on a piece of
paper, is because we're tryingto do this all on our own.
And he's saying, I'm here,trust, acknowledge me in all of
your ways.
SPEAKER_04 (52:32):
And a lot of times we wouldn't we don't even
realize that we're trying to doit on our own or that what we're
struggling with is a result of alack of trust in God, that we
believe that he is who he sayshe is, and that he can do what
he says he he can do.
SPEAKER_02 (52:44):
Right.
SPEAKER_04 (52:46):
But there's power in trusting in him, truly trusting
in him.
SPEAKER_00 (52:52):
Power, power, wonder working power.
Going back to my childhoodthere.
I think that song might evenpredate me.
Um there is, there's trulythere's there's power in his
name, and it's it's available toall who believe.
And so we're gonna lay it beforeyou every Sunday.
(53:13):
Ask the same question John did.
Will you believe?
And if if you'll take thatfaith, without faith, it's
impossible to please God.
You take the faith that youhave, and sometimes it feels as
small as a mustard seed.
But Jesus said you can move amountain with that kind of
faith.
And and you just say, God, I'mgonna trust you.
I'm gonna believe.
And you take that next step, youdo the next right thing.
(53:34):
In all of your ways, acknowledgehim, submit to him.
And I believe this summer you'lldiscover more in Christ than
ever before.
I believe you'll find more peacethan you've ever felt, uh, more
satisfaction, more joy thanyou've ever experienced.
And it's all gonna come throughus getting, walking through this
book and getting to know Jesusmore and more uh each and every
(53:57):
week.
So anything else uh you gottasay to wrap up?
SPEAKER_04 (54:00):
No, I'm excited.
Week one of John.
I love the book of John.
So much awesome stuff packedinto it, and you know, just
encourage us to not feel like,oh, I've already read this book
so many times or I alreadybelieve in God.
But like just pray.
God, what do you have for us?
SPEAKER_02 (54:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (54:17):
And just trust that He's gonna reveal Himself to us
more.
So I'm just I'm excited aboutit.
SPEAKER_00 (54:23):
I agree.
I am I'm pumped.
I think this is gonna be uh thisis gonna be a great study.
SPEAKER_04 (54:28):
And we'll see how long it takes for you guys to
get through it.
SPEAKER_00 (54:31):
17 weeks, Tim Holt.
That's all we have.
17 weeks.
Um, no, I'm this this is, Ibelieve, truly gonna be a great
study, and I and I'm lookingforward to it.
But um, Joy, will you uh willyou pray to close us out here?
SPEAKER_04 (54:45):
Yeah.
Well Lord, I thank you for whoyou are.
I thank you for giving your sonfor us, that he died on the
cross for us.
Um, I thank you, Father, thatyou are so good.
Um, even when we don't, well, wedon't deserve you, but even in
those moments where we don'tknow what we believe or what we
(55:07):
can lean on, Lord, I thank youthat we know that we can believe
in you and lean on you and trustthat you are who you say you
are.
And so, Lord, I just pray,Father, through the book of
John, that you would speak toyour people at Freshwind this
summer, that you would makeyourself so very known.
Um, Lord, I just pray, Father,that people who are far from you
that don't know if they canbelieve in you yet, that they
(55:28):
would come to know you, come toknow that you are um good and
that they can trust in you.
And God, I just thank you forwho you are.
And I just pray, Father, thatyou would just go before your
people of Freshwind, bless themthis week.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
SPEAKER_02 (55:45):
Amen.
SPEAKER_03 (55:46):
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 newresources that equip you to
discover more in Christ, simplytext any amount to the number
(56:09):
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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