August 2, 2025 • 59 mins
What happens when prayer becomes more than reciting words—when it transforms into a revolutionary conversation that changes how you think? In this soul-stirring exploration of Luke 11, the pastors of First Love Church challenge us to reconsider everything we thought we knew about connecting with God.
The core revelation unfolds around a startling truth: repentance isn't about feeling sorry for sins but about fundamentally changing our thought patterns. As we surrender our limited perspectives to embrace God's thoughts of love, we discover what it truly means to live in the Spirit. This isn't about following religious formulas but experiencing genuine transformation from the inside out.
One of the most profound insights emerges through a deceptively simple story—a pastor spots a suffering, starving dog and prays for God's mercy, only to hear the challenging response: "You are the mercy." This powerful moment confronts us with the reality that our prayers aren't just words sent heavenward but invitations for us to become the very answer the world needs. What if the situations we pray about are actually divine appointments calling us to embody Christ's love in tangible ways?
The teaching daringly confronts cultural misconceptions about God's character, especially addressing how these distortions impact our approach to parenting and relationships. If God is love—patient, kind, gentle, and never cruel—how might this reshape how we interact with our children, spouses, and everyone we encounter? The pastors vulnerably share their own struggles to parent with God's heart rather than default to generational patterns or cultural expectations.
Ready to experience profound change? This isn't just about adding spiritual practices to your routine—it's about allowing the Holy Spirit to renew your mind completely. Listen now and discover what happens when you sincerely pray, "Holy Spirit, I am willing to have you change my mind about this."
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving
In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the First Love Church podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala Florida
.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, I just think we ought to give a special thanks
to Thomas, who works so hardevery week.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
We appreciate that we appreciate that so much.
We appreciate the Christ thatyou brought with you this
morning, the love that isalready in your heart and we
receive it with so much.
We appreciate the Christ thatyou brought with you this
morning, the love that isalready in your heart, and we
receive it with so much joy.
Jesus in us, magnified.
This is the whole way and thetruth that Jesus is Together.
We can do something that wecannot do apart, and so, by your
(00:39):
gathering this morning, Iremind you that the Spirit is
already here.
The Scripture tells us thiswhere two or three are gathered
together, there is God in themidst of them.
We're gathered in the name ofChrist, in the way of Jesus, and
so I remind you that the Spiritis present with us today.
Whatever you have need of it ishere, because Christ is here.
(01:00):
God is with us.
This is the practice ofEmmanuel, and it's our joy to be
with you during the season ofPentecost, in the season where
we focus and practice living inthe Spirit.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
You know, you might have in your life heard a sermon
that was uninspired, but Ipromise you that will not be
today.
I promise you.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
You are going to be glad that you showed up, even if
I was dead right now.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
There is so much life in her.
I couldn't stop breathing.
All week long she's been going.
I can't wait to preach this,and I'm like, and I'm going to
say this, and I'm thinking tomyself, if I can get, wait to
preach this.
And I'm like, and I'm going tosay this, and I'm thinking to
myself, if I can get a word inedgewise, I'm going to say this.
So I want to tell you something.
Your pastors are very excited tobe here today, and it's not
(01:55):
like just looking for a chanceto talk in front of people.
It's really a chance to say someof these things that are
setting us free daily, and wejust want to share them with you
, because I know it's good forlife and transformation, for
healing and for understanding ofdoctrine, and what an exciting
day.
So, father, we just thank you,heather and I.
(02:16):
We thank you for speakingthrough us your words, not our
own.
We thank you for the revelationthat you stir within us, and I
pray that the ears would beopened by the Holy Spirit to
hear what it is that you want tosay to us.
And I do trust that the wordsthat you've given us are life
and for each one of us, theywould be something that we could
(02:39):
get a hold of, that wouldaffect us and heal us, and
transform us and sure ourfooting as we walk through this
life together.
And I thank you for all ofthese things, you, first and
foremost, and in advance, forwhat you're going to do.
We give you all the glory,honor and praise in jesus name.
Everybody said amen amen.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
We honor the spirit among us today and I have been
terribly excited to share thisparticular portion of the
scripture with you.
And as we witness Jesustogether, I want to remind you
of something that we readtogether God is love.
Anyone who lives in love livesin God.
God is love and God has givenGod's own spirit to us to
(03:26):
testify to us, to remind us thatthere is an empowerment to
expand, to change, to transform.
In fact, jesus's invitation toall of us was to repent, and
that doesn't mean to say I'msorry for sins I've done.
Repentance means to change theway that you think.
This is the power of Christ.
(03:48):
In fact, we're even invited bythe scriptures that said this
let this mind be in you.
That was in Christ Jesus.
You have a choice beloved howyou think and how you see the
word.
And this is the power of theHoly Spirit that the Spirit
would allow us to change the waythat we think, to change our
(04:09):
thoughts so that we would giveour egoic, limited thoughts up
and that we would choose thethoughts of God, that we would
choose the thoughts of love thatbring us into unity.
And it is with a lot of passionthat I remind you Not that
we're just going to preach andthat you're going to sit there,
but that when we speak thismorning, when we witness
together what the scripturestell us, that it will in fact
(04:33):
inspire, ignite and re-enchantour world to be able to say this
is what it looks like to livelife in the Spirit.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
You know, we want to talk about the Holy Spirit, and
the holy spirit is, is somethingthat, that that even the early
church fathers have struggledwith the definition and the
understanding of.
And you know, some people wouldsay that the um, the holy spirit
, is given, uh, through thegifts, and others would say it's
(05:03):
the holy spirit that's givenand manifest the gifts, and
there is that's not a splittingof hairs, it is different, and
saint augustine kind of wentwith the, the, the idea that
it's the holy spirit given, andI I tend to agree with this as
well that it's the holy spiritgiven and then the gifts kind of
manifest as they will, whichkind of explains a little bit
sometimes how, you know, you,you prayed for someone to be
(05:26):
healed, but maybe didn't workout exactly the way that you
thought.
See, when, when, when the holyspirit's given, then the outcome
is also entrusted into god.
But if the gifts are given,then you have to kind of make
these things happen and I just Ijust think that that really,
when we talk about the spirittoday, there's a power that
maybe you might be missing, thatwe can have access to in our
(05:48):
lives, but then there's also aplace of now stepping back and
trusting that outcome is, youknow, heather, and I've been
just really kind of recognizingthat maybe in past our
immaturity had been everythingthat our spirituality was about
was based on outcome.
And as we've really looked atthis and go if I can not, how do
(06:11):
you word it?
Uh, uh, if I can, uh, not, um,based on the outcome.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You know I want I want to help, but I I'm not.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I don't remember maybe you'll get it on the way.
Okay, we'll call every person.
That's exactly.
You'll get it on the way home.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Okay, maybe I'll.
We'll call every person.
That's exactly.
You'll get a text.
This is what.
And now, to both of our grace,we talk about this kind of stuff
a lot.
This becomes something that wetalk about early in the morning.
Sometimes I'll be up and I'llbe very excited and I'll mention
something to Dennis and he goesI'm going back to bed.
I was only up to take care ofsomething, but I'm going back to
bed.
(06:44):
I'm not ready to have atheological discussion at 3.22
in the morning, but I'm excitedabout things that I remember and
that I've heard or that I'mlearning.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Attached outcome.
Come on, you know what I'mtalking about.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Okay, thank you for that, because I have said that
and continue.
This is our job in our maturingis releasing the outcome, that
we as a people cannot beattached to the outcome.
I will do this and then theywill do that.
That is not the work of spirit.
I will do this because thespirit of God in me, it tells me
(07:16):
that this is who I want to be,not because they are going to do
anything back for me, butbecause life is in me.
I forgive the world and youforgive the world, because Jesus
forgave us and said this iswhat I want you to do Be people
who practice forgiveness, notbecause people will accept it
and then they'll be transformed,and that may happen Prayerfully
(07:36):
, it will.
But that is the job of thespirit.
My job is to live in love, tolive in light.
Jesus said this if you willallow my words to abide in you,
abiding someplace is verydifferent than just stopping by.
I am a visitor at a Starbucks,but I abide in my home.
Sometimes, every once in awhile, I'll go in place.
(07:58):
That's different.
And what does it mean to havethe word of Christ abide in you,
to live in it?
Jesus said if you let my wordslive in you.
My father and I will come toyou and we will live in you.
Beloved, there is nothingbetter.
There is nothing better.
This is the prize, this is thetreasure.
God.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Love is the whole thing, and this is an invitation
in us to choose this way.
Now, in First Love Church, wefollow something called the
liturgical calendar.
It is not our, we didn't comeup with this.
In fact, the church and thetradition has gifted it with us,
and we follow a particularpattern of learning the story of
Jesus, learning the story ofourselves and learning the story
(08:39):
of the Spirit, so that we cangrow like seasonally.
I mean people.
Before there were papercalendars or iPhones.
You would look and you'd say,oh, the trees, the color of the
trees is different.
That means winter's coming.
There's some things I need todo.
We would look at seasons, wewould look at the earth in the
changing and we would makepreparation.
And the same is true with theliturgical calendar for us.
(09:01):
It reminds us there are seasonsof renewal, there are seasons
where we practice death, wherewe practice giving up of self,
and then there are seasons wherewe allow ourselves to be taught
.
And this particular season, theseason of Pentecost, is the
season where we practice livingin the Spirit.
What does it look like for meto stay in contact, to stay
plugged into the Holy Spirit,and how do I live accordingly?
(09:25):
So, in this particular portionof scripture today, as we're
reading it, I remind you that anenormous part of the world, if
they are part of a church, arereading this exact same
scripture.
Why this is helpful?
First of all, it reminds uswe're not the only place.
We are part of a body of Christthat is all over this world.
And, secondly, it reminds us,with great hope, that,
(09:48):
collectively, one of the thingsI love about singing the hymns
together is I like to hear yourvoice, too, reminding me holy,
holy, holy, lord, god Almighty.
Or when we sing together, greatis thy faithfulness.
And you hear someone elsereminding you oh yes, faithful,
(10:08):
he's faithful.
There's something that stirs inour soul, and so this morning,
I invite you to open your soul,to see with the eye of your
heart and to allow the spirit tochange the way that you think.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I just want to interject real quickly.
Yeah, no, that's fine thatsomebody might listen to what we
just said and say you'recontradicting yourself.
You're saying that you want tolive this life of the Spirit and
yet you're following a churchcalendar.
How much more non-Spirit couldthat be?
And I have a pastor friend whobelieves that way, so he won't
(10:46):
follow the church calendar.
He just says I'm going tofollow the Holy Spirit and I
called him yesterday and I justwas sharing some of the things
we were studying and he goes Godshowed me that that's what I'm
preaching this Sunday and it'swhat we're preaching because
we're following the calendar.
So I want you to know thatgod's going to get it to us.
(11:09):
Yes, you don't have to followwhether you think you've got to
follow a calendar to do it oryou can't follow a calendar to
do it.
God's going to get what godwants, you know.
And so there's a grace again,there's a, there's a peace in
knowing that the spirit isleading us.
Who are convinced we'refollowing the Spirit, or those
who don't believe that it existsGod is leading, but wouldn't it
(11:29):
make more sense if we could intune ourselves and learn and be
able to be adept?
We would be more likely to seethe road signs and sense and
feel what God is showing us.
And so that's what we hope thatyou would open up your heart
and realize God's moving allaround us.
How can I discern this in agreater way?
And so that's what we hope thatyou would open up your heart
and realize God's moving allaround us.
How can I discern this in agreater way?
(11:49):
How can I allow it to transformme and help me and help my
family and help the people thatI love?
Because that's what God hasleft us with the Holy Spirit,
for.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I'm so excited to talk about this day.
We're in Luke, chapter 11.
No-transcript.
Now, jesus is our only hope inlife and in death.
This is our confidence, jesus,and the way of Jesus and the way
that Jesus returned us all backto our Father.
So, living in the way of Jesus,living in the frequency that
(12:17):
Jesus lived in, living in thepatterns that Jesus lived in.
Jesus was a man of prayer andthe invitation for us is also to
be people of prayer, that wewould stay connected through the
Holy Spirit, to our source,that we would not have to feel
like we are alone, that they'reevery.
The weight of the world is onus, but we would remember,
through prayer we maintain aconnection, we maintain a
(12:40):
conversation with the HolySpirit, and Jesus prayed, and
the people that were here weresurrounding him.
His disciples and the people inthat culture also prayed.
But Jesus prayed a certain wayand as he finished, one of the
disciples came to him and saidLord, teach us to pray Now.
I want to tell you, these peoplealready knew how to pray.
They had been in theirparticular culture as Jewish
(13:01):
people.
Prayer was a part of what theydid since they were tiny, and so
their families did it.
The culture did it.
People in the street were doingit.
They knew what prayer was.
It wasn't that they had no idea, but what they were saying was
teach us what you know aboutprayer.
Teach us how you stay connectedto the Father.
You teach us the way to pray.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
You know, I want us to think about this too, because
you might say, say this is toofundamental.
I already know how to pray, Ihave a prayer life and and I
would just ask for you toconsider that maybe the prayer
life that you have and andthough it's, um, maybe
consistent, maybe inconsistent,or maybe you have a formula or a
(13:43):
model or a way that you do thatmaybe you could be open up to
the idea that maybe there's somethings that you could learn
about prayer, or maybe even yourapproach might be could be just
180 degrees from the approachthat that maybe it's outlined in
scriptures and maybe we'remissing it, you know.
So let let, as we discuss this,let yourself consider being
(14:05):
open to the idea.
Someone said something to merecently and it's really been on
my heart and profound to me,and it's the idea that prayer
should be a secondary responseto God.
And I'm going to explain thatjust real quickly, because
typically, I think that I wastrained that prayer was this
first response that I have togod.
(14:28):
So I go to god and I tell godwhat he needs to do in my
situation.
I give him my laundry list, Itype in the, the numbers, even
l7 because I want the snickers.
You know I push the.
You know again what it says injohn 360, you know.
So I go, I do my numbers andI'm waiting for my stuff, you
(14:50):
know, and, um, uh, and, and whenI, when I really looked at that
first response and me going andme talking and talking, then uh
, it, uh, it really.
It really was a eye-opening forme to to think well, a second
response well, you know, and thefirst response is is God
responding to me?
(15:11):
And how do I even do that?
Well, I do that through, youknow, being quiet and listening.
I do it through, you know,reading scriptures and then, as
that begins, or you know what,what to me is the greatest
practice is as soon as somebodycuts you off, as soon as
somebody says a word to you.
If we would literally stop, youknow, before I say my next
(15:35):
words, do I honestly believeJesus would say what I'm getting
ready to say?
For me it's going to be a bigvet.
No, most of the time.
And then when, when I can takethat now, that first response is
him to me.
(15:55):
So my prayer, instead of god,would you fix this jerk and keep
saying this stuff?
My second response is god,would you fix this jerk that
keeps saying this stuff?
Do you see what I mean?
And so I take the time insteadof telling God what he needs to
do.
You need to get all thesepeople out of my way when I'm
driving to work.
(16:16):
Or, god, would you get this outof me, this rush that can't wait
behind a car.
I'm in a three-lane road.
I am like one of them is thelottery, and I've got to get in
the right one, because the one'sgoing to certainly back up and
everybody's going to turn right,you know.
So I got to get.
But even the middle one,sometimes that's slow because
(16:37):
everyone switched from that lane.
So I got to decide.
And if I've picked the wrong onebecause that hurry and that you
know, now I'm God, why didn'tthe Spirit of God lead me in the
right lane today?
How about Spirit of God?
No matter what lane I'm in,allow me to be kind, allow me to
(16:58):
be grace-filled.
See the secondary response inthat prayer is not what I'm
going to rush to, but God, whatare you, maybe even?
And then my prayer is reallydifferent, because now I'm just
praying for strength.
Help me actually digest that.
Help me not reject that ideaimmediately.
Help me really.
(17:18):
Let that wash over me and bringtransformation.
Now I know this is just for me.
The rest of you got all thisfigured out, so stretch your
hands out towards the pastorpoor guy, or maybe could some of
us really allow this new way oflooking at prayer today.
Isn't that beautiful?
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his
disciples.
And Jesus said this is how youshould pray, father, may your
name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come soon.
The first thing that he doeshere, and we won't take this
line by line, but I want toremind you that he calls father,
our father in particular.
Our Jesus is reminding us thatwe are all one.
(18:02):
We are all beloved children,every one of us special and none
of us special at the same time.
All of God's children.
And he reminds us if you'regoing to prayer, go to prayer
for everyone.
The prayer is not that youpersonally would be better off,
but that together, that thewhole world would thrive.
(18:24):
This invitation into oneness,the invitation into unity, the
invitation into love.
Love does not exclude anyone.
Love is for everyone, becauseGod is love.
Father, may your name be keptholy.
May your kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food thatwe need and forgive us our sins,
(18:49):
as we forgive those who sinagainst us, and don't let us
yield to temptation.
And then teaching them moreabout prayer.
So he gives them like a littletemplate here.
This is how remember theposition that you're coming to.
You're coming to a lovingfather.
But you're coming not just foryour needs, for the world's
(19:12):
needs, for your neighbor's needs, for your enemy's needs.
You are coming on behalf ofeveryone.
You are connecting with God'sown spirit for the flourishing
of the world and teaching themmore about prayer.
He used this story.
Suppose you went to a friend'shouse at midnight wanting to
borrow three loaves of bread.
Find that interesting.
(19:34):
Well, three is a good one too,but we're borrowing the bread.
Typically, when I'm eating thebread it's going to be gone.
There's no borrowing.
I guess maybe you're going tobring some bread back to him in
a couple of days.
I'm not sure.
It's.
Just, the story is complicatedand that's what Jesus wanted.
It's not easy, like there'salways a question, and that's
okay.
If you have questions, if youhave questions wanting to borrow
(19:56):
three loaves of bread, and yousay to him this is also what we
do in our prayers.
We make big stories and I justwant to invite you to allow the
Holy Spirit to change the storythat's going on in your head the
story about someone else or thestory about yourself.
A friend of mine has justarrived for a visit and I have
nothing for him to eat.
Also, look here, he's already.
(20:18):
Only he's already asking God,give us this day the bread that
we need for us.
But now he's got to go back andhe's got to ask my friend has
need of bread.
I don't have any to give.
I would give but I don't haveit.
So I'm asking you for aresource so I can give it to
someone else.
And suppose he calls out fromhis bedroom don't bother me, the
(20:38):
door is locked for the nightand my family and I are all in
bed.
I can't help you.
But I tell you this, though hewon't do it for friendship's
sake if you keep knocking longenough, he will get up.
That's a lot of beautifulinvitation into tenacity, into
saying, but it's not only for me, it's for my friend.
(20:59):
He has traveled a greatdistance or he is hungry for
days.
This has a lot to do with ourhuman nature.
It has a lot to do with whatwe're gifted by Jesus to say Now
, it's not begging and God isnot a person that he wouldn't
get up.
Love is this omnipresent, thisbeautiful in everything.
He will get up and give youwhatever you need because of
(21:21):
your shameless persistence.
He didn't call it shamefulpersistence, shameless.
There's no shame in asking.
There is no shame inpetitioning heaven for these
things.
And so I tell you, keep onasking.
If anyone tells you not to askquestions about your faith or
(21:41):
about God, this is absolutelyopposing the teaching of Jesus.
Keep asking.
Sometimes the answer is in theasking.
Keep asking and you willreceive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking and you willfind.
Keep on knocking and the doorwill be opened for you.
This is essential for us inunderstanding our maturity and
our faith that, as it progresses, that we should be hearing
(22:05):
things, we should continue.
You're not.
I am a person of faith and thisis all the faith I need,
beloved, no, the invitation is apath.
Jesus is a way.
The invitation is to more love,a bigger table, more expansion.
This is the hope of Christ inus.
Keep knocking, the door will beopen to us.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
You know, heather and I have come to a crossroads a
while back and we decided to goone path.
And I believe that Christianitywas taught to me, or the way I
understood it, that Jesus justrescued all of us from sin
because he's God, and now you'rejust a forgiven bunch of slugs
who are going to go around doinga bunch of terrible stuff until
(22:46):
one day you die and, becausehe's so good, he's going to
bring you to heaven.
I mean, isn't that kind of whatwe were taught all of us at
some level?
Isn't that kind of what we weretaught All of us At some level?
And then there's this idea thatGod is asking us to live like
Christ in the world.
Well, I can't do that.
He's God, I'm not.
(23:06):
I'm the one who's going tocontinue to sin, and that's why
I need forgiveness.
And the crossroads is to areyou going to decide?
I'm going to do it, I'm goingto try to live like Christ in
this world.
And here's the thing about it Ikeep falling short all the time
(23:29):
.
And with that comes the ideawell, I told you so.
Or shame, can't believe yousaid that, can't believe you did
that.
And there has to be a placewhere you recognize he's
forgiven us so that we can moveforward on the path, not
forgiveness because you justcan't do it.
See the difference.
And so that brings me toeveryday life.
(23:51):
Heather and I look at each other.
Let's live love today.
And then I get a quiz when Iget home from work.
Heather does it to me or I'lldo it to her how was your day?
Did you live like Christ?
And that's a cringy questionsometimes and I'd say and I had
(24:13):
a job Friday and Saturday,outside, on the two days of the
year where they give a outdoorwarning not to be outside.
So I got home Friday andHeather said how did you do?
And I said you know it was hot,right, let me start off by
saying it was hot and I gotaggravated and I was working
(24:33):
with somebody that was reallyaggravated.
And I was working with somebodythat was really aggravated, but
I said, you know, it wasinteresting that I was able to
have grace for that person,because I thought, oh, that's me
.
Unity, oneness helps me seethat and the fact that the very
behavior, stuff that I know I'vedone to my family, my workers,
(24:54):
my friends, you know, and I justbegan to see, oh, this is
someone who's nervous, scared,worried, and so now they're just
lashing.
And so I was able to have agrace, you know.
And then Heather said how didyou change the situation?
And I said well, I just stayedout of the way and I was
challenged by our conversation.
You know, it wasn't.
(25:15):
You know, is it a victory justto not join in?
Sure, but is that it?
It is a victory to just havecompassion, to see that you used
to act like that too.
And so now I'm going to havegrace for people that are acting
like that?
Sure, but is that it?
Or is there a possibility?
Because I go back on Saturdayand I'm telling you what I
(25:39):
thought to myself.
God, with your grace and yourpower, I bet you that I could be
a thermostat and not athermometer.
I bet you I could influence theentire job site today.
And it was even hotter onSaturday.
(26:00):
The heat index thing, thewarning came out in the morning.
It didn't come out until theafternoon on the first day.
They told the night before onthis one.
But even with that, I'm tellingyou what I had so much joy when
I worked and it was just such adifferent thing.
Now I share that.
Not to pat myself on the back,but just to remind you that
(26:21):
we're not sitting here in thepulpit saying Church, go out and
try to live this stuff.
We have no idea how you'regoing to do it, but the Bible
says something about this, so gotry it.
And then there's a disconnectbecause you see, well, that guy
doesn't know what it's like tobe under pressure at work.
He doesn't know what it's liketo be under pressure at work.
He doesn't know what it's liketo deal with an irritating.
(26:42):
Well, maybe this guy does, andmaybe this guy has always
stopped where you're stopping.
I'm just so ashamed at how Iacted so I can't get past myself
Because I have said and donesome dumb stuff.
We don't have time in thisservice to go through it, and so
(27:03):
I'm so grateful that it'sforgiven.
But even though it's forgiven,oh, is it hard to get over it.
It's hard to get on top of it,it's hard to get past it.
Anyone else know what I'mtalking about?
Because it just stays there inmy memory and it.
Anyone else know what I'mtalking about?
Because it just stays there inmy memory and it just and I know
better and I and I and I feellike maybe I got you and I were
(27:24):
talking about this, like we, weas people, don't we feel like we
got to pay some penance for it.
But how much is you know?
And it's, and so we're justlike you know, and I and I and I
got to tell you.
I believe that that's what theSpirit's given to us for, to
empower us for the daily bread,the thing that we need, and the
strength to move on.
And so that's my prayer, not,oh God, will you forgive me, I
(27:48):
did it again, but give me thestrength so I can move past this
now, because it keeps replayingin my mind.
I should have said this.
I should have said that howabout just being able to go the
past?
Amen, yeah, but what about thefuture?
Well, I don't know about thefuture Because I'm not there yet
(28:09):
.
But you know where I am Rightnow, on the job site, and this
is the only time I can reallyjust love and be kind and not
say the word and recognize.
Oh, even in this heat,everybody else is stressed too,
so maybe that's why they got alittle short with me.
A couple times I got short bywords because I only had so many
(28:33):
words I could spit out or I'dpass out.
I only have so much oxygen,this chubby guy going up and
down a ladder.
So maybe we misunderstandwhat's going on and take it all
personal.
Holy Spirit, help me not to dothat.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Jesus is asking us to allow these words to challenge
the way that you have beentaught about prayer or the way
that you've always prayed.
And there's an invitation,particularly during Pentecost.
I would like you to trypractice this.
It's an invitation only, noobligation, but when you need
guidance or when you're awarethat you should respond to
(29:08):
something about God, this is thevery and it's a very short
prayer.
I do love a long prayer, butthis is a very short one
especially when you're feelingstressed.
You need a short one.
Holy Spirit, I am willing tohave you change my mind about
this.
That's the whole prayer,Because you know we've already
made up our mind about a lot ofthings.
We already have judgmentstacked to the ceiling about how
(29:28):
things should go, how theyshouldn't go, who needs to do
what.
We already have that.
So the invitation is HolySpirit, I am willing for you to
change my mind about this, andit's a risky prayer, beloved.
You could end up consideringcompletely different things than
you had before, and isn't thatthe truth?
Isn't that where the answer is?
Because, with the same thoughtsyou are in the situation, you
(29:51):
can't come up with an answer.
You need a higher thought, weneed the mind of Christ and we
need to be able to see thisinvitation into oneness, into
holiness.
I love prayer.
I have prayed my whole life.
My grandmother was a woman ofprayer and in fact, I remember
more of her prayers than I do ofany of our other conversations
that we had.
I could pray for you verbatimsome of the prayers that she
(30:12):
would pray over us, and it is away that my grandmother stays
near to me.
She died when I was 10 years oldand I remember her coming home
from work.
She would take off her nursinghat and she would take off her
white stockings and she wouldsit in a chair and she would
begin to pray for myself, mybrother and her grandchildren.
And she would pray this way Inyour good kingdom, let my
(30:36):
grandchildren grow up in thenurture and the admonition of
the Lord.
May they be taught of Jesus,who is the way.
Now I don't remember word forword any other conversations she
had, but I can tell you prayersthat she put out and prayed for
us.
May Jesus be everything thatthey know.
What a beautiful thing, what alegacy.
I hope that people remember youfor the prayers that you prayed
(30:57):
.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with a friend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
(31:20):
firstlovechurchorg, remindingyou to like, follow and
subscribe.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
I have been a person influenced by prayer, but I will
tell you one of the experiencesthat I've had in prayer and I
would love to be able to talk toyou about contemplation and
prayers, and Dennis is going todo an invitation on meditation.
So prayer is something that I'mexcited about.
One of the things I collect isbooks of prayers.
Do you have a prayer?
Have you written a prayer, john?
I'd like to pray that prayer.
I love prayer, but one of thegreatest teachers of prayer to
(31:45):
me was a dog, and if you'veheard this story before, I ask
you to consider that among usare the animals that are
prophets.
I was driving down the road homeand animals that are prophets.
I was driving down the roadhome and I was going to do
something.
This wasn't a leisurely Sundaydrive.
I was going to get somethingand it was important, and I saw
a dog on the side of the roadthat was in such horrible
(32:08):
condition, being starved.
Bones showing through Everypiece of fur was just it was.
You could see the mange.
It was a horror, and when Ilooked at that, I didn't say
that they came about fifth, butthe first thing I did not say
was who is responsible for this.
What kind of person would let adog suffer, which again, again,
(32:33):
came later.
So you can forgive me for that.
But the first thing that cameout of my heart when I saw that
dog was oh Lord, jesus Christ,have mercy on that animal.
Did you know what I heard?
You are the mercy.
And I was like, oh no, no, no,send someone, because you and I,
(32:57):
god, we're on the same page.
This is wrong.
This is not acceptable.
Beloved, we know what right isand we know what wrong is.
It's in our heart, all of us.
It's built in there because ofthe Holy Spirit.
But I asked God for mercy andGod said I was the mercy.
Well, I'm not necessarilyinterested in that kind of mercy
because that's going to cost melike a long time.
(33:20):
That means that I'm going tohave to take that sick dog into
my house.
That means I'm going to have tocare for that dog.
I will be the one who providesfood for that dog.
I will take that dog and makesure it has flea medicine.
And I went through the list ofall the, all the effort that
this mercy would cost and Istill said I think you should
say to someone else I don't haveany animals.
(33:40):
I have small children.
I think I'm busy.
And then I looked at thesuffering and I remembered all
of us are.
We are the mercy of Christ tothis world.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Oh, yes, we are, that's it.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
We cannot pray and ask God for someone else to do
it.
Beloved, it will cost you.
It will absolutely cost you.
It will cost you your greed.
It will cost you your own plans.
It will cost you your own story.
This is what it will cost you.
So then I threw a fleece out toGod.
I was like, okay, if I'm goingto be the mercy, then I'm not
getting out of the car to getthis dog, Because I don't know
(34:17):
the condition of what this dogcould do.
This dog is hungry and horribleand I'm astounded by it, but
what if it attacks me Again?
Beloved, we say this not onlyof animals, but of people.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
All right.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
I know that they're hurting, but I don't know how,
if I could be hurt as well.
So this is what I said to GodIf I open the van door and the
dog gets in, then I'll know thisis to be the mercy.
So I pushed a button.
This is the kind of privilegein life I live.
I pushed a button in the vanand the door slid open and that
dog took one leap and livedright into the car and sat down
like it was his van.
(34:57):
Here's the mercy and I'mbegrudging.
Here is a sad, sad dog, and I'mthinking to myself now I have a
sad dog.
You know the story.
Max was an incredible blessing.
Our family was better offbecause of the love of this dog,
and it was was nothing.
Now I counted nothing.
But in that moment, when Ilooked at something and said I
(35:20):
need you, god, to do somethingthat doesn't cost me.
I need you to fix something,but I don't want to pay the
price Beloved, that's when theHoly Spirit comes in and changes
our mind.
We are to do the acts of mercythat Jesus did.
Jesus is the one we'refollowing, and when Jesus saw
someone hungry, jesus fed them.
And when Jesus saw someone sick, he healed them.
(35:41):
And when Jesus saw familiestorn apart, he did miraculous
things and brought dead peopleback to life so they could be
with their families.
And the way of Jesus has alwaysbeen the way of compassion.
And then he said to us you'regoing to do greater works than I
do, and we want fame for this,and you know what that means.
There's going to be more workthat you have to do because we
(36:01):
are his hands and feet.
We are the mercy of Christpersonified, and if we want
change in the world, then we'regoing to have to change the way
that we think and it will costus, but this is the pearl of
great price.
This is the story of sayingthere's a man who found a pearl
that was so incredible that hewent home and sold everything
(36:22):
and his neighbors were likethat's kind of crazy, but they
did not know the value of thepearl that was hidden.
Beloved people are of greatvalue.
The world is of great value.
God is of great value.
Love is the way, for everyonewho asks receives, Everyone who
seeks finds.
And to everyone who knocks, thedoor will be opened.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
You know, I want to backtrack a little bit on what
Heather said, because she sharedthat story of her grandmother
praying for her and we allbenefit because she prayed for
Heather.
I'm benefiting right now as sheministers to us and I have, for
(37:05):
my entire marriage and lifetimebenefited.
And so you see that impact,don't you, of somebody's prayer.
And then I want you to thinkthat I don't want you to think
that that, uh, her grandmother'sprayers missed on the other
ones because aaron took a detour, didn't go straight into the
(37:26):
church.
He went to some other chemicalsand things and did stuff.
And sometimes you look at him,he's a little rough out at his
job, selling shingles or doingwhatever he's doing these days.
And just the other day hecalled and said I heard somebody
talking and they wanted to getbaptized.
So I just took him over to thepool and baptized him.
(37:48):
Isn't it powerful that you knowandather and I were talking
about that this this week, thatyou know we're uh, all of us are
pastors yes, yes, every one ofus you know, uh, and again, all
(38:09):
of us are christ.
For somebody, yes, he lives onthe inside of you.
And again we go, oh, that's forsomebody else, or or well,
that's for heather.
When you know, because shelives, there's a you know
because that one prayed for, butaaron is, is out doing that.
But when there's a need forbaptizing, he went into the body
of water, waist deep and heplunges this person down and
they were baptized.
You know, it's like you, you,uh, you're.
(38:31):
Each one can be used by god toto.
You don't have to have abuilding, uh, you just have to
be willing.
You know, I think so many timesyou're, you're a half pastor,
half evangelist there at thathaircutting place, cause I've
been there.
Yeah, you know you're not a shyperson, uh, but I mean, he
stands in front of those guysand when they talk something you
(38:53):
know, against God or religionor something, he'll just stand
right up there.
Well, I don't believe that, andjust but, and you're not mean,
you're not picking a fight withanybody.
It's the sweetest way that I'veever heard somebody oppose
somebody on the things thatyou're not supposed to talk
about religion and politics andand he's there, right in the
middle of his workplace, yourentire, uh income based on this
(39:17):
and just going.
You know what I'm going to letgod speak through me and and I
think that we miss, uh, maybe,some of these beautiful
opportunities that each one ofus have to just be effective and
to be that witness and to toreally speak into somebody's.
Yeah, but I don't know theBible as well as other people do
(39:40):
.
I guarantee you know it betterthan somebody that ain't heard
it before.
And it's great to preach tothose people, because they're
not going to correct you.
Well, actually that was in Luke, not Mark.
They don't know, so they'rejust taking the word and it's
bringing life and light to them.
Amen.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
That's a beautiful, hopeful thought that all of us
are the hands and feet All of usare to use and make acts of
mercy.
In this particular portion ofScripture.
I'm going to ask the HolySpirit right now to open the
eyes of your understanding,because maybe you've heard this
a million times, because you'veheard this part read, but I am
asking you to allow the HolySpirit to expand your thoughts
(40:21):
about God here.
This is exactly what Jesus isdoing.
Jesus many times said to peopleyou have heard it said and you
know the next part is.
But I say unto you you haveheard it said this, but now
here's a higher thought.
In fact, jesus said you haveheard it said that a man should
not commit adultery, but I sayto you that a man should not,
even in his brain, objectify awoman.
(40:42):
No hierarchy, jesus said you'veheard it said.
I say now Jesus is talkingspecifically about the character
of God that he is in communionwith.
And Jesus said this you fathers, there's only a few things that
(41:02):
earthly fathers are told not todo.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Come on.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Because they're all encompassing.
Okay, he's talking aboutcruelty here, and I want to tell
you something that Jesus isconfronting a thought, and the
pervasive thought is that God iscruel.
And this is Jesus confrontingthat thought and saying God is
(41:28):
not cruel.
If you have received crueltyfrom someone, it is not because
God told them to do it.
Cruelty is no part in love.
Love and cruelty do not haveany of the same characteristics.
Love is patient, love is kind,love is faithful, love is full
(41:50):
of goodness, love is gentle.
These are not my words, theseare the words of the apostle
that tell us this is what loveis.
And so there is no cruelty inlove, beloved, and there is no
cruelty in God.
And Jesus is confronting a waythat we think and a way that we
approach God.
There's another verse in thescriptures that also tells
(42:13):
fathers not to provoke theirchildren.
Now, just let that one marinatefor a while.
Don't do anything that wouldprovoke.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Come on, that's what it says.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Again, you get upset with somebody else, not me.
That is what the scripturetells us.
Don't be a part of provokingsomeone.
Let's talk about that just fora hot second.
To provoke someone is to takethem out of a place of peace.
They are existing as they areand then you're going to go
provoke them.
Now, okay, I hear what you'resaying.
There is another scripture thatalso says and we could do this
(42:47):
all day but only provoke eachother to love and good works.
If what you're saying is notgoing to be loving and not going
to cause them to have goodworks, then just leave that
alone.
Beloved you fathers, if yourchildren ask for fish, do you
give them a snake instead?
The answer would be no, and ifit isn't, it should be.
(43:07):
Let's just be clear about that.
If you're, if you are beingasked for something like food,
you should give it to yourchildren.
Give them food.
It is cruel to withhold foodfrom children.
Thank you, ms Carol.
And may all of us be astonishedand horrified when we withhold
(43:31):
food from children.
It is wrong, it is cruel, it isnot like God and we should have
nothing to do with it.
In fact, we see Jesus.
Every time people were hungry.
He fed them, because that'swhat a good parent does.
Our eternal parent, god, ourFather, offers to us an
invitation to be like God andsays if your child hungers, feed
(43:56):
them.
Or if they ask for an egg, doyou give them a scorpion?
Of course not.
But here Jesus is confrontingthe fact that we have ideas
about God because someone toldus about something or someone
explained this terror thathappened in your life is because
God wanted it this way?
(44:17):
Absolutely not, absolutely not.
The trauma that you experienceis because some person hurt you,
some terrible story in theirego told them that this was okay
.
But this is not love and thisis not God.
And so Jesus is confrontingcruelty and saying it cannot be
a part of us.
(44:37):
We cannot be a part of doingcruel things, we cannot be a
part of making war.
In fact, we are to be people ofpeace, and Jesus said this in
the Beatitudes in this virtuouspath, blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will becalled the children of God.
God does not make war.
That is people.
(44:58):
This is again.
You read the beginning accountsof people, and in Genesis we
got the first family and the onebrother goes to war against the
other brother.
That's a really difficult oneto blame anything on what they
heard that from the neighbors.
You know like he watched toomuch television, he was inspired
by video games or something, sohe's violent.
This is the first two kids andthey're killing each other.
(45:19):
So I just want to tell you thatthere is for us no blame for
anything.
But god is telling us thisthrough jesus god is not cruel.
If someone told you before thatgod was cruel, that was not the
jesus who came to show us howGod is.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Now this is, if you'll allow it you know this is
a template or this is, like youknow, a new, fresh idea If we
really did say that prayer, god,show me a different way of
seeing things, because parenting, by and large, is for better or
worse.
You know, my parents did it andI turned out fine.
(45:58):
We say, while we limp aroundwith the wounds that we carry,
I'm fine, I'm fine Seriously.
And then, furthermore, us asmen, we will take only so much
advice, for we say I appreciateyour advice, but this is what
I'm going to do.
And in our stubbornness, or inour strength, because we're
(46:23):
larger physically, we push anagenda that was pushed on us.
Frankly, shut up, boy, don'tcry.
This is what a man does.
And so we pass that on fromgeneration to generation.
And Jesus is saying I'm showingyou this new way, this way of
vulnerability, this way oftrusting in me.
(46:43):
But we've kick and scream.
Why?
Because culture shows us thisway.
Our parents that we admire, menthat we admire, did that.
But just because we admire themdoesn't mean the things that
they did were okay, or yeah,they got us here, but God wants
to take us out of here to thisplace of ascension.
(47:06):
But it's only going to happenif we will allow ourselves to
have a new way of looking atthis, A new way of responding.
In the past 48 hours, I havetalked to four fathers and every
one of them said the exact samething those devices.
They're constantly with theirhead in the devices from the
(47:29):
time they wake up to the timethey go to sleep.
And you know, just the otherday I watched Heather make this
big meal and call everybody downand half of the guys can't come
down because they don't put apause on games anymore.
That's specifically to tick meoff.
I don't know who else it wouldbe for and if they quit early
(47:52):
they get punished by the game.
These people are setting up toruin family dinner and the kids.
You know and I think to myself,you know this new problem of
devices.
Well, I seem to recall myparents saying the exact same
(48:15):
thing about this 57-year-old guywhen he was a kid.
He's not paying attention, he'sdistracted by all that.
You know.
All he does is flip throughbaseball cards.
Baseball cards were the demonicinfluence that was going to
ruin kids, because all they dois memorize stats instead of
(48:37):
memorizing scriptures.
You know there's always goingto be some again and you trace
that back.
Look at the two first dudes.
That's what that story's tryingto tell you.
That it's not about.
You know it's within us that weneed to bring that change, and
that change is only going tocome by the power of the Holy
(48:58):
Spirit.
Amen.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Oh, amen.
Speaker 2 (49:01):
And we can preach on this.
But I will tell you this thatif you can hang your hat on
something here and as youngpeople, if and when you have
children, we can follow exactlythe way our family did it, for
better or worse, and hope thatsomehow something's going to
turn out better than what's beenhappening for generation for
generation.
Or we can say God is showing usa way to parent and to the
(49:24):
extent that Heather and I havesurrendered our parenting to the
way God would, parent has been,if you could see any success in
our home at all, it would bebecause of that very decision
and that awareness.
Help us see things differently.
Well, you know, my parents didthis and I noticed with God that
(49:45):
it's never punitive.
You know, it's never just topunish me, it's for me to learn
anything that has to come inLike, you know, sometimes my
crowd's so mad at you know thatI want to get a little pound of
flesh from, from what they didto me or what they did with the
fence, I think they did to mywife, you know, and it's like
(50:07):
but god, oh, I'm so grateful goddoesn't parent that way, you
know, and I and I know in myhome.
I had so many rules.
And then I looked at god andgod said you know, wasn't that
what the jewish people did?
Hundreds and hundreds of rules.
And jesus said I'll give youtwo, really one.
(50:28):
Love god, love your neighbors,yourself.
So I look at that go all thesimpler we can make this as we
parent, the better off they'regoing to be and we're going to
be, amen and that but.
But I just want us to focus onthat thing that heather said
about you know, is god cruel?
(50:49):
Does he parent you with cruelty?
and I think people have made acruel God in their mind to
justify themselves, and you havemade a God in your own image
and it is comforting for youBecause God lashes out,
sometimes opens up the earth anddestroys everyone.
(51:10):
So some days I have a bad day.
I can only take so much fromthat woman.
God knows, I try See.
Once we create that image, thenwe can go ahead and live that
way.
Or we can realize God is loveand love does not behave that
way, and instead of me wallowingin the fact that, listen, I
(51:33):
have a lifetime of shame that Icould set in because I have not
lived what I'm preaching rightnow.
Or I can say from this momenton, I can spring back from that
into this new life If I finallylearn, instead of spending my
time justifying it, packing itaway, pretending like it didn't
happen.
Or we can go.
(51:57):
God, empower me today to be adifferent man, to be a man that
is loving, that is not cruel,because I have been cruel to my
children and I would venture tosay that there's not a man in
here that hasn't been cruel.
We've been taught that's what aboy does he takes a magnifying
(52:18):
glass and burns a bug once in awhile.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
No, it's what we do, no or do we excuse ourselves?
Speaker 3 (52:28):
love is not cruel, love is not harsh, love is
tender, is gentle.
That is who God is and that iswho we are called to be.
I love this part of the verse.
This is why this is preachedduring the time of Pentecost.
So if you sinful people, if youpeople who believe that you are
separate and have this otherthing in fact you were talking
(52:49):
about Cain and Abel.
I was talking about Cain andAbel, and here's the thing from
God that God says to Cain.
It's a beautiful story.
You should go back and read it.
The idea of separation iscrouching at your door.
You must master it.
That's what he said.
God, in a conversation withCain, who had just killed his
(53:13):
brother, said this idea thatyou're separate from your
brother, this has been crouchingat your door since the very
beginning.
You master that thought.
You are one with someone.
You are one with, not justsomeone with everyone.
So if you, sinful people, knowhow to give good gifts to your
children, how much more willyour heavenly father give the
(53:36):
Holy Spirit to those who ask theHoly Spirit?
The thoughts of God are givento you.
If you will ask the Holy SpiritNow, I want to tell you that.
If you wanted to know what waspowerful.
It's going to be the HolySpirit, the same spirit that
raised Jesus from the dead.
The Holy Spirit raised Jesusfrom the dead.
(53:56):
That Spirit lives in you.
That Spirit is what we meet atthe communion table Together,
when we read the communioninvitation together, when we say
this is what it looks like toreceive something and then give
this away.
God is not cruel.
Beloved, god is love.
(54:17):
God is love, not love, and Godis love.
And if it is not loving, it isnot of God.
And we cannot let our culturetell us that God is cruel, that
we are to be people who expandthe table, who say we are
children of God.
There can be no who say we arechildren of God.
There can be no bigotry.
(54:37):
We are children of God.
We can abide no hatred.
We are children of God.
We are to love the same waythat Jesus told us to love.
Speaker 2 (54:46):
I'm not even kidding.
In the past 48 hours, four menand I talked about this
frustration that we have withour children and I see that
scripture and it says the HolySpirit is given to us.
And because I can't stand upand tell you, here's how you
(55:07):
handle that whole device thing,I'm trying to figure it out
myself.
I have a 12 year old son.
I'm getting ready to hit it bigtime for the fifth time.
Those teenage years, you knowwhat I mean.
I can't give you.
I can tell you a bunch of stuffnot to do.
In fact I can write you a bookon that.
I got it covered.
(55:29):
But in all seriousness, I amconvinced that if I can take
some of those patterns like themore rules and more things I
heap on there, the harder thisis going to be for them and me.
That I'm not going to do thispunitively, I'm not going to do
it out of anger, I refuse to becruel.
And then I just am open HolySpirit to, because I think it's
(55:54):
so amazing, like with mychildren I think you know they
were homeschooled what wouldhave happened to some of them?
One of them would have probablyran the school.
One of them would have beendestroyed, their spirit
destroyed by the school, one ofthem.
Would you know the othercouples?
(56:14):
One of them would have beenfine.
Their spirit destroyed by theschool, one of them, would you
know the other couples wouldhave been fine either way, you
know, but it's like each one areso different that there's no.
This is how you, parent, justdo this thing.
So wouldn't I need the timelessone?
Wouldn't I need, wouldn'tHeather and I need, another
(56:38):
voice, a teacher, wisdom, toshow us how, at this moment, to
handle this particular persongoing through this particular
struggle, because I can tell you, when they're acting up, it's
because something's wrong.
Every time my kids get sick andthrow up, it's not just they
didn't have anything to do.
They ate something, somethingwas in there, had to come out
(57:02):
right, and so we need to treat.
And I have seen this parentingtechnique and it's taught by
many and I've watched some of myfriends do it.
If they're going to act likethat, they're getting out.
Friends do it.
If they're going to act likethat, they're getting out, get
out.
So what you're going to do whensomebody's having the worst
(57:24):
time of their life, at the mostvulnerable age of their life,
and you can tell they're sickbecause they're throwing up all
over you.
Is anyone tracking with me?
I mean it's all over yet.
Is anyone tracking with me?
I mean it's all over me and Ijust want to get rid of it.
What does God do at that moment?
(57:50):
Come here, come closer.
You just need more time withyour father.
Oh, but I just want to wringsome necks.
God's not cruel, god's loving.
I got this.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
And I want to remind all of us that this is not just
about parenting the children inyour home.
This is how we behave in theworld.
Oh, come on, we cannot bepeople of cruelty.
Jesus said this you are thelight of the world.
Beloved, beloved.
Our good father has given usthe Holy Spirit so we can think
(58:27):
different thoughts, so we canhave a better story, so we can
make what's beautiful, the story.
Feed the hungry, bring peace tothose at war, liberate the
captives.
Love always liberates us, lovenever binds us, and so when we
(58:49):
see the invitation of Jesus, itis an invitation to co-create.
The kingdom is among you.
That's what Jesus said.
It's so close.
We are to be the people whohave acts of mercy as part of
who we are.
Speaker 1 (59:01):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurchorg.
Welcome to the First Love Church podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala Florida
.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Well, I just think we ought to give a special thanks
to Thomas, who works so hardevery week.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
We appreciate that we appreciate that so much.
We appreciate the Christ thatyou brought with you this
morning, the love that isalready in your heart and we
receive it with so much.
We appreciate the Christ thatyou brought with you this
morning, the love that isalready in your heart, and we
receive it with so much joy.
Jesus in us, magnified.
This is the whole way and thetruth that Jesus is Together.
We can do something that wecannot do apart, and so, by your
(00:39):
gathering this morning, Iremind you that the Spirit is
already here.
The Scripture tells us thiswhere two or three are gathered
together, there is God in themidst of them.
We're gathered in the name ofChrist, in the way of Jesus, and
so I remind you that the Spiritis present with us today.
Whatever you have need of it ishere, because Christ is here.
(01:00):
God is with us.
This is the practice ofEmmanuel, and it's our joy to be
with you during the season ofPentecost, in the season where
we focus and practice living inthe Spirit.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
You know, you might have in your life heard a sermon
that was uninspired, but Ipromise you that will not be
today.
I promise you.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
You are going to be glad that you showed up, even if
I was dead right now.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
There is so much life in her.
I couldn't stop breathing.
All week long she's been going.
I can't wait to preach this,and I'm like, and I'm going to
say this, and I'm thinking tomyself, if I can get, wait to
preach this.
And I'm like, and I'm going tosay this, and I'm thinking to
myself, if I can get a word inedgewise, I'm going to say this.
So I want to tell you something.
Your pastors are very excited tobe here today, and it's not
(01:55):
like just looking for a chanceto talk in front of people.
It's really a chance to say someof these things that are
setting us free daily, and wejust want to share them with you
, because I know it's good forlife and transformation, for
healing and for understanding ofdoctrine, and what an exciting
day.
So, father, we just thank you,heather and I.
(02:16):
We thank you for speakingthrough us your words, not our
own.
We thank you for the revelationthat you stir within us, and I
pray that the ears would beopened by the Holy Spirit to
hear what it is that you want tosay to us.
And I do trust that the wordsthat you've given us are life
and for each one of us, theywould be something that we could
(02:39):
get a hold of, that wouldaffect us and heal us, and
transform us and sure ourfooting as we walk through this
life together.
And I thank you for all ofthese things, you, first and
foremost, and in advance, forwhat you're going to do.
We give you all the glory,honor and praise in jesus name.
Everybody said amen amen.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
We honor the spirit among us today and I have been
terribly excited to share thisparticular portion of the
scripture with you.
And as we witness Jesustogether, I want to remind you
of something that we readtogether God is love.
Anyone who lives in love livesin God.
God is love and God has givenGod's own spirit to us to
(03:26):
testify to us, to remind us thatthere is an empowerment to
expand, to change, to transform.
In fact, jesus's invitation toall of us was to repent, and
that doesn't mean to say I'msorry for sins I've done.
Repentance means to change theway that you think.
This is the power of Christ.
(03:48):
In fact, we're even invited bythe scriptures that said this
let this mind be in you.
That was in Christ Jesus.
You have a choice beloved howyou think and how you see the
word.
And this is the power of theHoly Spirit that the Spirit
would allow us to change the waythat we think, to change our
(04:09):
thoughts so that we would giveour egoic, limited thoughts up
and that we would choose thethoughts of God, that we would
choose the thoughts of love thatbring us into unity.
And it is with a lot of passionthat I remind you Not that
we're just going to preach andthat you're going to sit there,
but that when we speak thismorning, when we witness
together what the scripturestell us, that it will in fact
(04:33):
inspire, ignite and re-enchantour world to be able to say this
is what it looks like to livelife in the Spirit.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
You know, we want to talk about the Holy Spirit, and
the holy spirit is, is somethingthat, that that even the early
church fathers have struggledwith the definition and the
understanding of.
And you know, some people wouldsay that the um, the holy spirit
, is given, uh, through thegifts, and others would say it's
(05:03):
the holy spirit that's givenand manifest the gifts, and
there is that's not a splittingof hairs, it is different, and
saint augustine kind of wentwith the, the, the idea that
it's the holy spirit given, andI I tend to agree with this as
well that it's the holy spiritgiven and then the gifts kind of
manifest as they will, whichkind of explains a little bit
sometimes how, you know, you,you prayed for someone to be
(05:26):
healed, but maybe didn't workout exactly the way that you
thought.
See, when, when, when the holyspirit's given, then the outcome
is also entrusted into god.
But if the gifts are given,then you have to kind of make
these things happen and I just Ijust think that that really,
when we talk about the spirittoday, there's a power that
maybe you might be missing, thatwe can have access to in our
(05:48):
lives, but then there's also aplace of now stepping back and
trusting that outcome is, youknow, heather, and I've been
just really kind of recognizingthat maybe in past our
immaturity had been everythingthat our spirituality was about
was based on outcome.
And as we've really looked atthis and go if I can not, how do
(06:11):
you word it?
Uh, uh, if I can, uh, not, um,based on the outcome.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
You know I want I want to help, but I I'm not.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
I don't remember maybe you'll get it on the way.
Okay, we'll call every person.
That's exactly.
You'll get it on the way home.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Okay, maybe I'll.
We'll call every person.
That's exactly.
You'll get a text.
This is what.
And now, to both of our grace,we talk about this kind of stuff
a lot.
This becomes something that wetalk about early in the morning.
Sometimes I'll be up and I'llbe very excited and I'll mention
something to Dennis and he goesI'm going back to bed.
I was only up to take care ofsomething, but I'm going back to
bed.
(06:44):
I'm not ready to have atheological discussion at 3.22
in the morning, but I'm excitedabout things that I remember and
that I've heard or that I'mlearning.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Attached outcome.
Come on, you know what I'mtalking about.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Okay, thank you for that, because I have said that
and continue.
This is our job in our maturingis releasing the outcome, that
we as a people cannot beattached to the outcome.
I will do this and then theywill do that.
That is not the work of spirit.
I will do this because thespirit of God in me, it tells me
(07:16):
that this is who I want to be,not because they are going to do
anything back for me, butbecause life is in me.
I forgive the world and youforgive the world, because Jesus
forgave us and said this iswhat I want you to do Be people
who practice forgiveness, notbecause people will accept it
and then they'll be transformed,and that may happen Prayerfully
(07:36):
, it will.
But that is the job of thespirit.
My job is to live in love, tolive in light.
Jesus said this if you willallow my words to abide in you,
abiding someplace is verydifferent than just stopping by.
I am a visitor at a Starbucks,but I abide in my home.
Sometimes, every once in awhile, I'll go in place.
(07:58):
That's different.
And what does it mean to havethe word of Christ abide in you,
to live in it?
Jesus said if you let my wordslive in you.
My father and I will come toyou and we will live in you.
Beloved, there is nothingbetter.
There is nothing better.
This is the prize, this is thetreasure.
God.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Love is the whole thing, and this is an invitation
in us to choose this way.
Now, in First Love Church, wefollow something called the
liturgical calendar.
It is not our, we didn't comeup with this.
In fact, the church and thetradition has gifted it with us,
and we follow a particularpattern of learning the story of
Jesus, learning the story ofourselves and learning the story
(08:39):
of the Spirit, so that we cangrow like seasonally.
I mean people.
Before there were papercalendars or iPhones.
You would look and you'd say,oh, the trees, the color of the
trees is different.
That means winter's coming.
There's some things I need todo.
We would look at seasons, wewould look at the earth in the
changing and we would makepreparation.
And the same is true with theliturgical calendar for us.
(09:01):
It reminds us there are seasonsof renewal, there are seasons
where we practice death, wherewe practice giving up of self,
and then there are seasons wherewe allow ourselves to be taught
.
And this particular season, theseason of Pentecost, is the
season where we practice livingin the Spirit.
What does it look like for meto stay in contact, to stay
plugged into the Holy Spirit,and how do I live accordingly?
(09:25):
So, in this particular portionof scripture today, as we're
reading it, I remind you that anenormous part of the world, if
they are part of a church, arereading this exact same
scripture.
Why this is helpful?
First of all, it reminds uswe're not the only place.
We are part of a body of Christthat is all over this world.
And, secondly, it reminds us,with great hope, that,
(09:48):
collectively, one of the thingsI love about singing the hymns
together is I like to hear yourvoice, too, reminding me holy,
holy, holy, lord, god Almighty.
Or when we sing together, greatis thy faithfulness.
And you hear someone elsereminding you oh yes, faithful,
(10:08):
he's faithful.
There's something that stirs inour soul, and so this morning,
I invite you to open your soul,to see with the eye of your
heart and to allow the spirit tochange the way that you think.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
I just want to interject real quickly.
Yeah, no, that's fine thatsomebody might listen to what we
just said and say you'recontradicting yourself.
You're saying that you want tolive this life of the Spirit and
yet you're following a churchcalendar.
How much more non-Spirit couldthat be?
And I have a pastor friend whobelieves that way, so he won't
(10:46):
follow the church calendar.
He just says I'm going tofollow the Holy Spirit and I
called him yesterday and I justwas sharing some of the things
we were studying and he goes Godshowed me that that's what I'm
preaching this Sunday and it'swhat we're preaching because
we're following the calendar.
So I want you to know thatgod's going to get it to us.
(11:09):
Yes, you don't have to followwhether you think you've got to
follow a calendar to do it oryou can't follow a calendar to
do it.
God's going to get what godwants, you know.
And so there's a grace again,there's a, there's a peace in
knowing that the spirit isleading us.
Who are convinced we'refollowing the Spirit, or those
who don't believe that it existsGod is leading, but wouldn't it
(11:29):
make more sense if we could intune ourselves and learn and be
able to be adept?
We would be more likely to seethe road signs and sense and
feel what God is showing us.
And so that's what we hope thatyou would open up your heart
and realize God's moving allaround us.
How can I discern this in agreater way?
And so that's what we hope thatyou would open up your heart
and realize God's moving allaround us.
How can I discern this in agreater way?
(11:49):
How can I allow it to transformme and help me and help my
family and help the people thatI love?
Because that's what God hasleft us with the Holy Spirit,
for.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I'm so excited to talk about this day.
We're in Luke, chapter 11.
No-transcript.
Now, jesus is our only hope inlife and in death.
This is our confidence, jesus,and the way of Jesus and the way
that Jesus returned us all backto our Father.
So, living in the way of Jesus,living in the frequency that
(12:17):
Jesus lived in, living in thepatterns that Jesus lived in.
Jesus was a man of prayer andthe invitation for us is also to
be people of prayer, that wewould stay connected through the
Holy Spirit, to our source,that we would not have to feel
like we are alone, that they'reevery.
The weight of the world is onus, but we would remember,
through prayer we maintain aconnection, we maintain a
(12:40):
conversation with the HolySpirit, and Jesus prayed, and
the people that were here weresurrounding him.
His disciples and the people inthat culture also prayed.
But Jesus prayed a certain wayand as he finished, one of the
disciples came to him and saidLord, teach us to pray Now.
I want to tell you, these peoplealready knew how to pray.
They had been in theirparticular culture as Jewish
(13:01):
people.
Prayer was a part of what theydid since they were tiny, and so
their families did it.
The culture did it.
People in the street were doingit.
They knew what prayer was.
It wasn't that they had no idea, but what they were saying was
teach us what you know aboutprayer.
Teach us how you stay connectedto the Father.
You teach us the way to pray.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
You know, I want us to think about this too, because
you might say, say this is toofundamental.
I already know how to pray, Ihave a prayer life and and I
would just ask for you toconsider that maybe the prayer
life that you have and andthough it's, um, maybe
consistent, maybe inconsistent,or maybe you have a formula or a
(13:43):
model or a way that you do thatmaybe you could be open up to
the idea that maybe there's somethings that you could learn
about prayer, or maybe even yourapproach might be could be just
180 degrees from the approachthat that maybe it's outlined in
scriptures and maybe we'remissing it, you know.
So let let, as we discuss this,let yourself consider being
(14:05):
open to the idea.
Someone said something to merecently and it's really been on
my heart and profound to me,and it's the idea that prayer
should be a secondary responseto God.
And I'm going to explain thatjust real quickly, because
typically, I think that I wastrained that prayer was this
first response that I have togod.
(14:28):
So I go to god and I tell godwhat he needs to do in my
situation.
I give him my laundry list, Itype in the, the numbers, even
l7 because I want the snickers.
You know I push the.
You know again what it says injohn 360, you know.
So I go, I do my numbers andI'm waiting for my stuff, you
(14:50):
know, and, um, uh, and, and whenI, when I really looked at that
first response and me going andme talking and talking, then uh
, it, uh, it really.
It really was a eye-opening forme to to think well, a second
response well, you know, and thefirst response is is God
responding to me?
(15:11):
And how do I even do that?
Well, I do that through, youknow, being quiet and listening.
I do it through, you know,reading scriptures and then, as
that begins, or you know what,what to me is the greatest
practice is as soon as somebodycuts you off, as soon as
somebody says a word to you.
If we would literally stop, youknow, before I say my next
(15:35):
words, do I honestly believeJesus would say what I'm getting
ready to say?
For me it's going to be a bigvet.
No, most of the time.
And then when, when I can takethat now, that first response is
him to me.
(15:55):
So my prayer, instead of god,would you fix this jerk and keep
saying this stuff?
My second response is god,would you fix this jerk that
keeps saying this stuff?
Do you see what I mean?
And so I take the time insteadof telling God what he needs to
do.
You need to get all thesepeople out of my way when I'm
driving to work.
(16:16):
Or, god, would you get this outof me, this rush that can't wait
behind a car.
I'm in a three-lane road.
I am like one of them is thelottery, and I've got to get in
the right one, because the one'sgoing to certainly back up and
everybody's going to turn right,you know.
So I got to get.
But even the middle one,sometimes that's slow because
(16:37):
everyone switched from that lane.
So I got to decide.
And if I've picked the wrong onebecause that hurry and that you
know, now I'm God, why didn'tthe Spirit of God lead me in the
right lane today?
How about Spirit of God?
No matter what lane I'm in,allow me to be kind, allow me to
(16:58):
be grace-filled.
See the secondary response inthat prayer is not what I'm
going to rush to, but God, whatare you, maybe even?
And then my prayer is reallydifferent, because now I'm just
praying for strength.
Help me actually digest that.
Help me not reject that ideaimmediately.
Help me really.
(17:18):
Let that wash over me and bringtransformation.
Now I know this is just for me.
The rest of you got all thisfigured out, so stretch your
hands out towards the pastorpoor guy, or maybe could some of
us really allow this new way oflooking at prayer today.
Isn't that beautiful?
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his
disciples.
And Jesus said this is how youshould pray, father, may your
name be kept holy.
May your kingdom come soon.
The first thing that he doeshere, and we won't take this
line by line, but I want toremind you that he calls father,
our father in particular.
Our Jesus is reminding us thatwe are all one.
(18:02):
We are all beloved children,every one of us special and none
of us special at the same time.
All of God's children.
And he reminds us if you'regoing to prayer, go to prayer
for everyone.
The prayer is not that youpersonally would be better off,
but that together, that thewhole world would thrive.
(18:24):
This invitation into oneness,the invitation into unity, the
invitation into love.
Love does not exclude anyone.
Love is for everyone, becauseGod is love.
Father, may your name be keptholy.
May your kingdom come soon.
Give us each day the food thatwe need and forgive us our sins,
(18:49):
as we forgive those who sinagainst us, and don't let us
yield to temptation.
And then teaching them moreabout prayer.
So he gives them like a littletemplate here.
This is how remember theposition that you're coming to.
You're coming to a lovingfather.
But you're coming not just foryour needs, for the world's
(19:12):
needs, for your neighbor's needs, for your enemy's needs.
You are coming on behalf ofeveryone.
You are connecting with God'sown spirit for the flourishing
of the world and teaching themmore about prayer.
He used this story.
Suppose you went to a friend'shouse at midnight wanting to
borrow three loaves of bread.
Find that interesting.
(19:34):
Well, three is a good one too,but we're borrowing the bread.
Typically, when I'm eating thebread it's going to be gone.
There's no borrowing.
I guess maybe you're going tobring some bread back to him in
a couple of days.
I'm not sure.
It's.
Just, the story is complicatedand that's what Jesus wanted.
It's not easy, like there'salways a question, and that's
okay.
If you have questions, if youhave questions wanting to borrow
(19:56):
three loaves of bread, and yousay to him this is also what we
do in our prayers.
We make big stories and I justwant to invite you to allow the
Holy Spirit to change the storythat's going on in your head the
story about someone else or thestory about yourself.
A friend of mine has justarrived for a visit and I have
nothing for him to eat.
Also, look here, he's already.
(20:18):
Only he's already asking God,give us this day the bread that
we need for us.
But now he's got to go back andhe's got to ask my friend has
need of bread.
I don't have any to give.
I would give but I don't haveit.
So I'm asking you for aresource so I can give it to
someone else.
And suppose he calls out fromhis bedroom don't bother me, the
(20:38):
door is locked for the nightand my family and I are all in
bed.
I can't help you.
But I tell you this, though hewon't do it for friendship's
sake if you keep knocking longenough, he will get up.
That's a lot of beautifulinvitation into tenacity, into
saying, but it's not only for me, it's for my friend.
(20:59):
He has traveled a greatdistance or he is hungry for
days.
This has a lot to do with ourhuman nature.
It has a lot to do with whatwe're gifted by Jesus to say Now
, it's not begging and God isnot a person that he wouldn't
get up.
Love is this omnipresent, thisbeautiful in everything.
He will get up and give youwhatever you need because of
(21:21):
your shameless persistence.
He didn't call it shamefulpersistence, shameless.
There's no shame in asking.
There is no shame inpetitioning heaven for these
things.
And so I tell you, keep onasking.
If anyone tells you not to askquestions about your faith or
(21:41):
about God, this is absolutelyopposing the teaching of Jesus.
Keep asking.
Sometimes the answer is in theasking.
Keep asking and you willreceive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking and you willfind.
Keep on knocking and the doorwill be opened for you.
This is essential for us inunderstanding our maturity and
our faith that, as it progresses, that we should be hearing
(22:05):
things, we should continue.
You're not.
I am a person of faith and thisis all the faith I need,
beloved, no, the invitation is apath.
Jesus is a way.
The invitation is to more love,a bigger table, more expansion.
This is the hope of Christ inus.
Keep knocking, the door will beopen to us.
Speaker 2 (22:24):
You know, heather and I have come to a crossroads a
while back and we decided to goone path.
And I believe that Christianitywas taught to me, or the way I
understood it, that Jesus justrescued all of us from sin
because he's God, and now you'rejust a forgiven bunch of slugs
who are going to go around doinga bunch of terrible stuff until
(22:46):
one day you die and, becausehe's so good, he's going to
bring you to heaven.
I mean, isn't that kind of whatwe were taught all of us at
some level?
Isn't that kind of what we weretaught All of us At some level?
And then there's this idea thatGod is asking us to live like
Christ in the world.
Well, I can't do that.
He's God, I'm not.
(23:06):
I'm the one who's going tocontinue to sin, and that's why
I need forgiveness.
And the crossroads is to areyou going to decide?
I'm going to do it, I'm goingto try to live like Christ in
this world.
And here's the thing about it Ikeep falling short all the time
(23:29):
.
And with that comes the ideawell, I told you so.
Or shame, can't believe yousaid that, can't believe you did
that.
And there has to be a placewhere you recognize he's
forgiven us so that we can moveforward on the path, not
forgiveness because you justcan't do it.
See the difference.
And so that brings me toeveryday life.
(23:51):
Heather and I look at each other.
Let's live love today.
And then I get a quiz when Iget home from work.
Heather does it to me or I'lldo it to her how was your day?
Did you live like Christ?
And that's a cringy questionsometimes and I'd say and I had
(24:13):
a job Friday and Saturday,outside, on the two days of the
year where they give a outdoorwarning not to be outside.
So I got home Friday andHeather said how did you do?
And I said you know it was hot,right, let me start off by
saying it was hot and I gotaggravated and I was working
(24:33):
with somebody that was reallyaggravated.
And I was working with somebodythat was really aggravated, but
I said, you know, it wasinteresting that I was able to
have grace for that person,because I thought, oh, that's me
.
Unity, oneness helps me seethat and the fact that the very
behavior, stuff that I know I'vedone to my family, my workers,
(24:54):
my friends, you know, and I justbegan to see, oh, this is
someone who's nervous, scared,worried, and so now they're just
lashing.
And so I was able to have agrace, you know.
And then Heather said how didyou change the situation?
And I said well, I just stayedout of the way and I was
challenged by our conversation.
You know, it wasn't.
(25:15):
You know, is it a victory justto not join in?
Sure, but is that it?
It is a victory to just havecompassion, to see that you used
to act like that too.
And so now I'm going to havegrace for people that are acting
like that?
Sure, but is that it?
Or is there a possibility?
Because I go back on Saturdayand I'm telling you what I
(25:39):
thought to myself.
God, with your grace and yourpower, I bet you that I could be
a thermostat and not athermometer.
I bet you I could influence theentire job site today.
And it was even hotter onSaturday.
(26:00):
The heat index thing, thewarning came out in the morning.
It didn't come out until theafternoon on the first day.
They told the night before onthis one.
But even with that, I'm tellingyou what I had so much joy when
I worked and it was just such adifferent thing.
Now I share that.
Not to pat myself on the back,but just to remind you that
(26:21):
we're not sitting here in thepulpit saying Church, go out and
try to live this stuff.
We have no idea how you'regoing to do it, but the Bible
says something about this, so gotry it.
And then there's a disconnectbecause you see, well, that guy
doesn't know what it's like tobe under pressure at work.
He doesn't know what it's liketo be under pressure at work.
He doesn't know what it's liketo deal with an irritating.
(26:42):
Well, maybe this guy does, andmaybe this guy has always
stopped where you're stopping.
I'm just so ashamed at how Iacted so I can't get past myself
Because I have said and donesome dumb stuff.
We don't have time in thisservice to go through it, and so
(27:03):
I'm so grateful that it'sforgiven.
But even though it's forgiven,oh, is it hard to get over it.
It's hard to get on top of it,it's hard to get past it.
Anyone else know what I'mtalking about?
Because it just stays there inmy memory and it.
Anyone else know what I'mtalking about?
Because it just stays there inmy memory and it just and I know
better and I and I and I feellike maybe I got you and I were
(27:24):
talking about this, like we, weas people, don't we feel like we
got to pay some penance for it.
But how much is you know?
And it's, and so we're justlike you know, and I and I and I
got to tell you.
I believe that that's what theSpirit's given to us for, to
empower us for the daily bread,the thing that we need, and the
strength to move on.
And so that's my prayer, not,oh God, will you forgive me, I
(27:48):
did it again, but give me thestrength so I can move past this
now, because it keeps replayingin my mind.
I should have said this.
I should have said that howabout just being able to go the
past?
Amen, yeah, but what about thefuture?
Well, I don't know about thefuture Because I'm not there yet
(28:09):
.
But you know where I am Rightnow, on the job site, and this
is the only time I can reallyjust love and be kind and not
say the word and recognize.
Oh, even in this heat,everybody else is stressed too,
so maybe that's why they got alittle short with me.
A couple times I got short bywords because I only had so many
(28:33):
words I could spit out or I'dpass out.
I only have so much oxygen,this chubby guy going up and
down a ladder.
So maybe we misunderstandwhat's going on and take it all
personal.
Holy Spirit, help me not to dothat.
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Jesus is asking us to allow these words to challenge
the way that you have beentaught about prayer or the way
that you've always prayed.
And there's an invitation,particularly during Pentecost.
I would like you to trypractice this.
It's an invitation only, noobligation, but when you need
guidance or when you're awarethat you should respond to
(29:08):
something about God, this is thevery and it's a very short
prayer.
I do love a long prayer, butthis is a very short one
especially when you're feelingstressed.
You need a short one.
Holy Spirit, I am willing tohave you change my mind about
this.
That's the whole prayer,Because you know we've already
made up our mind about a lot ofthings.
We already have judgmentstacked to the ceiling about how
(29:28):
things should go, how theyshouldn't go, who needs to do
what.
We already have that.
So the invitation is HolySpirit, I am willing for you to
change my mind about this, andit's a risky prayer, beloved.
You could end up consideringcompletely different things than
you had before, and isn't thatthe truth?
Isn't that where the answer is?
Because, with the same thoughtsyou are in the situation, you
(29:51):
can't come up with an answer.
You need a higher thought, weneed the mind of Christ and we
need to be able to see thisinvitation into oneness, into
holiness.
I love prayer.
I have prayed my whole life.
My grandmother was a woman ofprayer and in fact, I remember
more of her prayers than I do ofany of our other conversations
that we had.
I could pray for you verbatimsome of the prayers that she
(30:12):
would pray over us, and it is away that my grandmother stays
near to me.
She died when I was 10 years oldand I remember her coming home
from work.
She would take off her nursinghat and she would take off her
white stockings and she wouldsit in a chair and she would
begin to pray for myself, mybrother and her grandchildren.
And she would pray this way Inyour good kingdom, let my
(30:36):
grandchildren grow up in thenurture and the admonition of
the Lord.
May they be taught of Jesus,who is the way.
Now I don't remember word forword any other conversations she
had, but I can tell you prayersthat she put out and prayed for
us.
May Jesus be everything thatthey know.
What a beautiful thing, what alegacy.
I hope that people remember youfor the prayers that you prayed
(30:57):
.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with a friend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
(31:20):
firstlovechurchorg, remindingyou to like, follow and
subscribe.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
I have been a person influenced by prayer, but I will
tell you one of the experiencesthat I've had in prayer and I
would love to be able to talk toyou about contemplation and
prayers, and Dennis is going todo an invitation on meditation.
So prayer is something that I'mexcited about.
One of the things I collect isbooks of prayers.
Do you have a prayer?
Have you written a prayer, john?
I'd like to pray that prayer.
I love prayer, but one of thegreatest teachers of prayer to
(31:45):
me was a dog, and if you'veheard this story before, I ask
you to consider that among usare the animals that are
prophets.
I was driving down the road homeand animals that are prophets.
I was driving down the roadhome and I was going to do
something.
This wasn't a leisurely Sundaydrive.
I was going to get somethingand it was important, and I saw
a dog on the side of the roadthat was in such horrible
(32:08):
condition, being starved.
Bones showing through Everypiece of fur was just it was.
You could see the mange.
It was a horror, and when Ilooked at that, I didn't say
that they came about fifth, butthe first thing I did not say
was who is responsible for this.
What kind of person would let adog suffer, which again, again,
(32:33):
came later.
So you can forgive me for that.
But the first thing that cameout of my heart when I saw that
dog was oh Lord, jesus Christ,have mercy on that animal.
Did you know what I heard?
You are the mercy.
And I was like, oh no, no, no,send someone, because you and I,
(32:57):
god, we're on the same page.
This is wrong.
This is not acceptable.
Beloved, we know what right isand we know what wrong is.
It's in our heart, all of us.
It's built in there because ofthe Holy Spirit.
But I asked God for mercy andGod said I was the mercy.
Well, I'm not necessarilyinterested in that kind of mercy
because that's going to cost melike a long time.
(33:20):
That means that I'm going tohave to take that sick dog into
my house.
That means I'm going to have tocare for that dog.
I will be the one who providesfood for that dog.
I will take that dog and makesure it has flea medicine.
And I went through the list ofall the, all the effort that
this mercy would cost and Istill said I think you should
say to someone else I don't haveany animals.
(33:40):
I have small children.
I think I'm busy.
And then I looked at thesuffering and I remembered all
of us are.
We are the mercy of Christ tothis world.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Oh, yes, we are, that's it.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
We cannot pray and ask God for someone else to do
it.
Beloved, it will cost you.
It will absolutely cost you.
It will cost you your greed.
It will cost you your own plans.
It will cost you your own story.
This is what it will cost you.
So then I threw a fleece out toGod.
I was like, okay, if I'm goingto be the mercy, then I'm not
getting out of the car to getthis dog, Because I don't know
(34:17):
the condition of what this dogcould do.
This dog is hungry and horribleand I'm astounded by it, but
what if it attacks me Again?
Beloved, we say this not onlyof animals, but of people.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
All right.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
I know that they're hurting, but I don't know how,
if I could be hurt as well.
So this is what I said to GodIf I open the van door and the
dog gets in, then I'll know thisis to be the mercy.
So I pushed a button.
This is the kind of privilegein life I live.
I pushed a button in the vanand the door slid open and that
dog took one leap and livedright into the car and sat down
like it was his van.
(34:57):
Here's the mercy and I'mbegrudging.
Here is a sad, sad dog, and I'mthinking to myself now I have a
sad dog.
You know the story.
Max was an incredible blessing.
Our family was better offbecause of the love of this dog,
and it was was nothing.
Now I counted nothing.
But in that moment, when Ilooked at something and said I
(35:20):
need you, god, to do somethingthat doesn't cost me.
I need you to fix something,but I don't want to pay the
price Beloved, that's when theHoly Spirit comes in and changes
our mind.
We are to do the acts of mercythat Jesus did.
Jesus is the one we'refollowing, and when Jesus saw
someone hungry, jesus fed them.
And when Jesus saw someone sick, he healed them.
(35:41):
And when Jesus saw familiestorn apart, he did miraculous
things and brought dead peopleback to life so they could be
with their families.
And the way of Jesus has alwaysbeen the way of compassion.
And then he said to us you'regoing to do greater works than I
do, and we want fame for this,and you know what that means.
There's going to be more workthat you have to do because we
(36:01):
are his hands and feet.
We are the mercy of Christpersonified, and if we want
change in the world, then we'regoing to have to change the way
that we think and it will costus, but this is the pearl of
great price.
This is the story of sayingthere's a man who found a pearl
that was so incredible that hewent home and sold everything
(36:22):
and his neighbors were likethat's kind of crazy, but they
did not know the value of thepearl that was hidden.
Beloved people are of greatvalue.
The world is of great value.
God is of great value.
Love is the way, for everyonewho asks receives, Everyone who
seeks finds.
And to everyone who knocks, thedoor will be opened.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
You know, I want to backtrack a little bit on what
Heather said, because she sharedthat story of her grandmother
praying for her and we allbenefit because she prayed for
Heather.
I'm benefiting right now as sheministers to us and I have, for
(37:05):
my entire marriage and lifetimebenefited.
And so you see that impact,don't you, of somebody's prayer.
And then I want you to thinkthat I don't want you to think
that that, uh, her grandmother'sprayers missed on the other
ones because aaron took a detour, didn't go straight into the
(37:26):
church.
He went to some other chemicalsand things and did stuff.
And sometimes you look at him,he's a little rough out at his
job, selling shingles or doingwhatever he's doing these days.
And just the other day hecalled and said I heard somebody
talking and they wanted to getbaptized.
So I just took him over to thepool and baptized him.
(37:48):
Isn't it powerful that you knowandather and I were talking
about that this this week, thatyou know we're uh, all of us are
pastors yes, yes, every one ofus you know, uh, and again, all
(38:09):
of us are christ.
For somebody, yes, he lives onthe inside of you.
And again we go, oh, that's forsomebody else, or or well,
that's for heather.
When you know, because shelives, there's a you know
because that one prayed for, butaaron is, is out doing that.
But when there's a need forbaptizing, he went into the body
of water, waist deep and heplunges this person down and
they were baptized.
You know, it's like you, you,uh, you're.
(38:31):
Each one can be used by god toto.
You don't have to have abuilding, uh, you just have to
be willing.
You know, I think so many timesyou're, you're a half pastor,
half evangelist there at thathaircutting place, cause I've
been there.
Yeah, you know you're not a shyperson, uh, but I mean, he
stands in front of those guysand when they talk something you
(38:53):
know, against God or religionor something, he'll just stand
right up there.
Well, I don't believe that, andjust but, and you're not mean,
you're not picking a fight withanybody.
It's the sweetest way that I'veever heard somebody oppose
somebody on the things thatyou're not supposed to talk
about religion and politics andand he's there, right in the
middle of his workplace, yourentire, uh income based on this
(39:17):
and just going.
You know what I'm going to letgod speak through me and and I
think that we miss, uh, maybe,some of these beautiful
opportunities that each one ofus have to just be effective and
to be that witness and to toreally speak into somebody's.
Yeah, but I don't know theBible as well as other people do
(39:40):
.
I guarantee you know it betterthan somebody that ain't heard
it before.
And it's great to preach tothose people, because they're
not going to correct you.
Well, actually that was in Luke, not Mark.
They don't know, so they'rejust taking the word and it's
bringing life and light to them.
Amen.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
That's a beautiful, hopeful thought that all of us
are the hands and feet All of usare to use and make acts of
mercy.
In this particular portion ofScripture.
I'm going to ask the HolySpirit right now to open the
eyes of your understanding,because maybe you've heard this
a million times, because you'veheard this part read, but I am
asking you to allow the HolySpirit to expand your thoughts
(40:21):
about God here.
This is exactly what Jesus isdoing.
Jesus many times said to peopleyou have heard it said and you
know the next part is.
But I say unto you you haveheard it said this, but now
here's a higher thought.
In fact, jesus said you haveheard it said that a man should
not commit adultery, but I sayto you that a man should not,
even in his brain, objectify awoman.
(40:42):
No hierarchy, jesus said you'veheard it said.
I say now Jesus is talkingspecifically about the character
of God that he is in communionwith.
And Jesus said this you fathers, there's only a few things that
(41:02):
earthly fathers are told not todo.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Come on.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Because they're all encompassing.
Okay, he's talking aboutcruelty here, and I want to tell
you something that Jesus isconfronting a thought, and the
pervasive thought is that God iscruel.
And this is Jesus confrontingthat thought and saying God is
(41:28):
not cruel.
If you have received crueltyfrom someone, it is not because
God told them to do it.
Cruelty is no part in love.
Love and cruelty do not haveany of the same characteristics.
Love is patient, love is kind,love is faithful, love is full
(41:50):
of goodness, love is gentle.
These are not my words, theseare the words of the apostle
that tell us this is what loveis.
And so there is no cruelty inlove, beloved, and there is no
cruelty in God.
And Jesus is confronting a waythat we think and a way that we
approach God.
There's another verse in thescriptures that also tells
(42:13):
fathers not to provoke theirchildren.
Now, just let that one marinatefor a while.
Don't do anything that wouldprovoke.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Come on, that's what it says.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Again, you get upset with somebody else, not me.
That is what the scripturetells us.
Don't be a part of provokingsomeone.
Let's talk about that just fora hot second.
To provoke someone is to takethem out of a place of peace.
They are existing as they areand then you're going to go
provoke them.
Now, okay, I hear what you'resaying.
There is another scripture thatalso says and we could do this
(42:47):
all day but only provoke eachother to love and good works.
If what you're saying is notgoing to be loving and not going
to cause them to have goodworks, then just leave that
alone.
Beloved you fathers, if yourchildren ask for fish, do you
give them a snake instead?
The answer would be no, and ifit isn't, it should be.
(43:07):
Let's just be clear about that.
If you're, if you are beingasked for something like food,
you should give it to yourchildren.
Give them food.
It is cruel to withhold foodfrom children.
Thank you, ms Carol.
And may all of us be astonishedand horrified when we withhold
(43:31):
food from children.
It is wrong, it is cruel, it isnot like God and we should have
nothing to do with it.
In fact, we see Jesus.
Every time people were hungry.
He fed them, because that'swhat a good parent does.
Our eternal parent, god, ourFather, offers to us an
invitation to be like God andsays if your child hungers, feed
(43:56):
them.
Or if they ask for an egg, doyou give them a scorpion?
Of course not.
But here Jesus is confrontingthe fact that we have ideas
about God because someone toldus about something or someone
explained this terror thathappened in your life is because
God wanted it this way?
(44:17):
Absolutely not, absolutely not.
The trauma that you experienceis because some person hurt you,
some terrible story in theirego told them that this was okay
.
But this is not love and thisis not God.
And so Jesus is confrontingcruelty and saying it cannot be
a part of us.
(44:37):
We cannot be a part of doingcruel things, we cannot be a
part of making war.
In fact, we are to be people ofpeace, and Jesus said this in
the Beatitudes in this virtuouspath, blessed are the
peacemakers, for they will becalled the children of God.
God does not make war.
That is people.
(44:58):
This is again.
You read the beginning accountsof people, and in Genesis we
got the first family and the onebrother goes to war against the
other brother.
That's a really difficult oneto blame anything on what they
heard that from the neighbors.
You know like he watched toomuch television, he was inspired
by video games or something, sohe's violent.
This is the first two kids andthey're killing each other.
(45:19):
So I just want to tell you thatthere is for us no blame for
anything.
But god is telling us thisthrough jesus god is not cruel.
If someone told you before thatgod was cruel, that was not the
jesus who came to show us howGod is.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Now this is, if you'll allow it you know this is
a template or this is, like youknow, a new, fresh idea If we
really did say that prayer, god,show me a different way of
seeing things, because parenting, by and large, is for better or
worse.
You know, my parents did it andI turned out fine.
(45:58):
We say, while we limp aroundwith the wounds that we carry,
I'm fine, I'm fine Seriously.
And then, furthermore, us asmen, we will take only so much
advice, for we say I appreciateyour advice, but this is what
I'm going to do.
And in our stubbornness, or inour strength, because we're
(46:23):
larger physically, we push anagenda that was pushed on us.
Frankly, shut up, boy, don'tcry.
This is what a man does.
And so we pass that on fromgeneration to generation.
And Jesus is saying I'm showingyou this new way, this way of
vulnerability, this way oftrusting in me.
(46:43):
But we've kick and scream.
Why?
Because culture shows us thisway.
Our parents that we admire, menthat we admire, did that.
But just because we admire themdoesn't mean the things that
they did were okay, or yeah,they got us here, but God wants
to take us out of here to thisplace of ascension.
(47:06):
But it's only going to happenif we will allow ourselves to
have a new way of looking atthis, A new way of responding.
In the past 48 hours, I havetalked to four fathers and every
one of them said the exact samething those devices.
They're constantly with theirhead in the devices from the
(47:29):
time they wake up to the timethey go to sleep.
And you know, just the otherday I watched Heather make this
big meal and call everybody downand half of the guys can't come
down because they don't put apause on games anymore.
That's specifically to tick meoff.
I don't know who else it wouldbe for and if they quit early
(47:52):
they get punished by the game.
These people are setting up toruin family dinner and the kids.
You know and I think to myself,you know this new problem of
devices.
Well, I seem to recall myparents saying the exact same
(48:15):
thing about this 57-year-old guywhen he was a kid.
He's not paying attention, he'sdistracted by all that.
You know.
All he does is flip throughbaseball cards.
Baseball cards were the demonicinfluence that was going to
ruin kids, because all they dois memorize stats instead of
(48:37):
memorizing scriptures.
You know there's always goingto be some again and you trace
that back.
Look at the two first dudes.
That's what that story's tryingto tell you.
That it's not about.
You know it's within us that weneed to bring that change, and
that change is only going tocome by the power of the Holy
(48:58):
Spirit.
Amen.
Speaker 3 (48:59):
Oh, amen.
Speaker 2 (49:01):
And we can preach on this.
But I will tell you this thatif you can hang your hat on
something here and as youngpeople, if and when you have
children, we can follow exactlythe way our family did it, for
better or worse, and hope thatsomehow something's going to
turn out better than what's beenhappening for generation for
generation.
Or we can say God is showing usa way to parent and to the
(49:24):
extent that Heather and I havesurrendered our parenting to the
way God would, parent has been,if you could see any success in
our home at all, it would bebecause of that very decision
and that awareness.
Help us see things differently.
Well, you know, my parents didthis and I noticed with God that
(49:45):
it's never punitive.
You know, it's never just topunish me, it's for me to learn
anything that has to come inLike, you know, sometimes my
crowd's so mad at you know thatI want to get a little pound of
flesh from, from what they didto me or what they did with the
fence, I think they did to mywife, you know, and it's like
(50:07):
but god, oh, I'm so grateful goddoesn't parent that way, you
know, and I and I know in myhome.
I had so many rules.
And then I looked at god andgod said you know, wasn't that
what the jewish people did?
Hundreds and hundreds of rules.
And jesus said I'll give youtwo, really one.
(50:28):
Love god, love your neighbors,yourself.
So I look at that go all thesimpler we can make this as we
parent, the better off they'regoing to be and we're going to
be, amen and that but.
But I just want us to focus onthat thing that heather said
about you know, is god cruel?
(50:49):
Does he parent you with cruelty?
and I think people have made acruel God in their mind to
justify themselves, and you havemade a God in your own image
and it is comforting for youBecause God lashes out,
sometimes opens up the earth anddestroys everyone.
(51:10):
So some days I have a bad day.
I can only take so much fromthat woman.
God knows, I try See.
Once we create that image, thenwe can go ahead and live that
way.
Or we can realize God is loveand love does not behave that
way, and instead of me wallowingin the fact that, listen, I
(51:33):
have a lifetime of shame that Icould set in because I have not
lived what I'm preaching rightnow.
Or I can say from this momenton, I can spring back from that
into this new life If I finallylearn, instead of spending my
time justifying it, packing itaway, pretending like it didn't
happen.
Or we can go.
(51:57):
God, empower me today to be adifferent man, to be a man that
is loving, that is not cruel,because I have been cruel to my
children and I would venture tosay that there's not a man in
here that hasn't been cruel.
We've been taught that's what aboy does he takes a magnifying
(52:18):
glass and burns a bug once in awhile.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
No, it's what we do, no or do we excuse ourselves?
Speaker 3 (52:28):
love is not cruel, love is not harsh, love is
tender, is gentle.
That is who God is and that iswho we are called to be.
I love this part of the verse.
This is why this is preachedduring the time of Pentecost.
So if you sinful people, if youpeople who believe that you are
separate and have this otherthing in fact you were talking
(52:49):
about Cain and Abel.
I was talking about Cain andAbel, and here's the thing from
God that God says to Cain.
It's a beautiful story.
You should go back and read it.
The idea of separation iscrouching at your door.
You must master it.
That's what he said.
God, in a conversation withCain, who had just killed his
(53:13):
brother, said this idea thatyou're separate from your
brother, this has been crouchingat your door since the very
beginning.
You master that thought.
You are one with someone.
You are one with, not justsomeone with everyone.
So if you, sinful people, knowhow to give good gifts to your
children, how much more willyour heavenly father give the
(53:36):
Holy Spirit to those who ask theHoly Spirit?
The thoughts of God are givento you.
If you will ask the Holy SpiritNow, I want to tell you that.
If you wanted to know what waspowerful.
It's going to be the HolySpirit, the same spirit that
raised Jesus from the dead.
The Holy Spirit raised Jesusfrom the dead.
(53:56):
That Spirit lives in you.
That Spirit is what we meet atthe communion table Together,
when we read the communioninvitation together, when we say
this is what it looks like toreceive something and then give
this away.
God is not cruel.
Beloved, god is love.
(54:17):
God is love, not love, and Godis love.
And if it is not loving, it isnot of God.
And we cannot let our culturetell us that God is cruel, that
we are to be people who expandthe table, who say we are
children of God.
There can be no who say we arechildren of God.
There can be no bigotry.
(54:37):
We are children of God.
We can abide no hatred.
We are children of God.
We are to love the same waythat Jesus told us to love.
Speaker 2 (54:46):
I'm not even kidding.
In the past 48 hours, four menand I talked about this
frustration that we have withour children and I see that
scripture and it says the HolySpirit is given to us.
And because I can't stand upand tell you, here's how you
(55:07):
handle that whole device thing,I'm trying to figure it out
myself.
I have a 12 year old son.
I'm getting ready to hit it bigtime for the fifth time.
Those teenage years, you knowwhat I mean.
I can't give you.
I can tell you a bunch of stuffnot to do.
In fact I can write you a bookon that.
I got it covered.
(55:29):
But in all seriousness, I amconvinced that if I can take
some of those patterns like themore rules and more things I
heap on there, the harder thisis going to be for them and me.
That I'm not going to do thispunitively, I'm not going to do
it out of anger, I refuse to becruel.
And then I just am open HolySpirit to, because I think it's
(55:54):
so amazing, like with mychildren I think you know they
were homeschooled what wouldhave happened to some of them?
One of them would have probablyran the school.
One of them would have beendestroyed, their spirit
destroyed by the school, one ofthem.
Would you know the othercouples?
(56:14):
One of them would have beenfine.
Their spirit destroyed by theschool, one of them, would you
know the other couples wouldhave been fine either way, you
know, but it's like each one areso different that there's no.
This is how you, parent, justdo this thing.
So wouldn't I need the timelessone?
Wouldn't I need, wouldn'tHeather and I need, another
(56:38):
voice, a teacher, wisdom, toshow us how, at this moment, to
handle this particular persongoing through this particular
struggle, because I can tell you, when they're acting up, it's
because something's wrong.
Every time my kids get sick andthrow up, it's not just they
didn't have anything to do.
They ate something, somethingwas in there, had to come out
(57:02):
right, and so we need to treat.
And I have seen this parentingtechnique and it's taught by
many and I've watched some of myfriends do it.
If they're going to act likethat, they're getting out.
Friends do it.
If they're going to act likethat, they're getting out, get
out.
So what you're going to do whensomebody's having the worst
(57:24):
time of their life, at the mostvulnerable age of their life,
and you can tell they're sickbecause they're throwing up all
over you.
Is anyone tracking with me?
I mean it's all over yet.
Is anyone tracking with me?
I mean it's all over me and Ijust want to get rid of it.
What does God do at that moment?
(57:50):
Come here, come closer.
You just need more time withyour father.
Oh, but I just want to wringsome necks.
God's not cruel, god's loving.
I got this.
Speaker 3 (58:07):
And I want to remind all of us that this is not just
about parenting the children inyour home.
This is how we behave in theworld.
Oh, come on, we cannot bepeople of cruelty.
Jesus said this you are thelight of the world.
Beloved, beloved.
Our good father has given usthe Holy Spirit so we can think
(58:27):
different thoughts, so we canhave a better story, so we can
make what's beautiful, the story.
Feed the hungry, bring peace tothose at war, liberate the
captives.
Love always liberates us, lovenever binds us, and so when we
(58:49):
see the invitation of Jesus, itis an invitation to co-create.
The kingdom is among you.
That's what Jesus said.
It's so close.
We are to be the people whohave acts of mercy as part of
who we are.
Speaker 1 (59:01):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurchorg.
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