WEBVTT 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.300 Thank you for listening to this message from 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:18.620 Lifehouse Church. Good morning, good morning. 00:00:18.640 --> 00:00:20.219 Listen, turn to somebody, give them a high five. 00:00:20.460 --> 00:00:22.239 Tell them good to see you at Lifehouse. High 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:25.339 fives all around the house. Amen. It's good to 00:00:25.339 --> 00:00:28.379 have you. Hey, you sang great this morning. I 00:00:28.379 --> 00:00:31.140 could hear your voices coming and coming forth 00:00:31.140 --> 00:00:34.000 from the back. And I love that. Love hearing 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.259 the praise and the worship going up to the Lord. 00:00:36.340 --> 00:00:38.359 And I got to tell you, we got to celebrate just 00:00:38.359 --> 00:00:40.439 for a second. I don't know if you noticed over 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:42.700 here. That's a very exciting tank over there. 00:00:42.759 --> 00:00:45.399 Those green balls represent invitations of people 00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:47.920 coming to church. But this one's even more exciting 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:50.899 because this is souls that got saved this week. 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:53.299 Amen. Two in a tank. Come on, give them glory. 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:56.259 Heaven celebrate. We should celebrate with them. 00:00:56.259 --> 00:01:00.259 Amen. We were rejoicing before. We're going to 00:01:00.259 --> 00:01:03.200 rejoice during and after. That's really what 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:05.000 this is all about. It's about reaching people 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:09.700 for Jesus and people rising up in Christ as believers 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:12.459 and followers of Christ. But I want to continue 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:15.500 on with this message series called Salty. Say 00:01:15.500 --> 00:01:18.359 salty. Salty. You want to have it in your spirit. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:21.780 Stephen Covey said this. He's the author of Seven 00:01:21.780 --> 00:01:35.540 Habits. Let me say that again. Most people don't 00:01:35.540 --> 00:01:38.439 listen with the intent to understand. Most people 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:42.599 listen with the intent to reply. We will not 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:46.819 effectively lead those who are far from God to 00:01:46.819 --> 00:01:51.019 Christ unless we are listening. to understand 00:01:51.019 --> 00:01:55.900 and not just simply reply to them, right? If 00:01:55.900 --> 00:01:59.159 we're not listening to understand who they are 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:02.000 and what they're about, and we're just there 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.680 to get ready for the next reply that we have. 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:08.939 Proverbs 2 .2 says this, making your ear attentive 00:02:08.939 --> 00:02:12.719 to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding, 00:02:12.819 --> 00:02:16.580 right? Yes, if you call out for the insight and 00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:21.009 raise your voice for understanding. In conversation, 00:02:21.289 --> 00:02:23.729 when you're talking with someone, it's about 00:02:23.729 --> 00:02:26.569 hearing and understanding. It's about listening 00:02:26.569 --> 00:02:30.590 with the primary intent of understanding what 00:02:30.590 --> 00:02:32.870 the other person is saying. I need to understand 00:02:32.870 --> 00:02:35.430 what you're saying, right? And you need to understand 00:02:35.430 --> 00:02:37.930 what I'm saying. I need to know where you're 00:02:37.930 --> 00:02:41.110 coming from, even if we don't agree. We need 00:02:41.110 --> 00:02:43.370 to know where we're coming from. We need to discern 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:46.449 the motive, right? And the thoughts and what 00:02:46.449 --> 00:02:49.250 you're really trying to convey. And once I understand 00:02:49.250 --> 00:02:53.030 what you're saying, then it's a good time to 00:02:53.030 --> 00:02:56.169 reply. It really is. Turn to the person sitting 00:02:56.169 --> 00:02:58.409 beside you. Tell them, I'm trying to understand 00:02:58.409 --> 00:03:00.229 you. I'm trying to understand you. Just tell 00:03:00.229 --> 00:03:03.389 them, I'm trying to, right? My heart is. I'm 00:03:03.389 --> 00:03:10.849 trying to understand you. I have to learn to 00:03:10.849 --> 00:03:13.650 listen to understand the person that's sitting 00:03:13.650 --> 00:03:15.870 beside me, the person that I'm talking to, the 00:03:15.870 --> 00:03:19.270 person that I'm walking with and in a conversation 00:03:19.270 --> 00:03:22.750 with. And if I don't listen with that intent 00:03:22.750 --> 00:03:26.590 of trying to understand, it's going to hinder 00:03:26.590 --> 00:03:29.550 the effectiveness of sharing the... gospel with 00:03:29.550 --> 00:03:32.590 someone. I'm not going to get a great invite 00:03:32.590 --> 00:03:34.930 with somebody if I'm not listening to somebody 00:03:34.930 --> 00:03:37.949 enough to understand him. It'll hinder my effectiveness 00:03:37.949 --> 00:03:41.310 when I speak with somebody one -on -one, face 00:03:41.310 --> 00:03:43.389 -to -face. It'll cause me just to shoot from 00:03:43.389 --> 00:03:45.780 the hip with an answer. Amen? How many of you 00:03:45.780 --> 00:03:47.139 ever just shoot from the hip with an answer? 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:48.960 You're just ready, right? You're just ready to 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:50.919 go when somebody says something, right? I'll 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:53.460 just fire something back just to make sure I 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:55.780 stay in the conversation. And it's not until 00:03:55.780 --> 00:03:58.280 I listen with the intent of understanding that 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:00.180 I really start to understand what it is to be 00:04:00.180 --> 00:04:03.020 salt and light for Jesus. What it is to really 00:04:03.020 --> 00:04:06.620 come forward and give that other person something 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:09.439 to hear, something worth listening to, and honestly 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:11.659 to understand where they're coming from. And 00:04:11.659 --> 00:04:13.479 I'm going to be honest with you, this message 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:16.540 is both convincing, and convicting for me personally, 00:04:16.699 --> 00:04:18.939 because I'm a person who can shoot back pretty 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:21.579 quick. I can get in a conversation with somebody, 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:24.439 and I can fire back in a heartbeat. How many 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:26.160 are with me out there? How many are like, you 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.339 got no problem in a conversation? All right, 00:04:28.360 --> 00:04:30.600 about eight of you. Are the rest, come on, how 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:33.139 many? It's true, right? There we go. That's what 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:35.339 I thought. Thank you for being honest, finally. 00:04:35.660 --> 00:04:39.019 Okay, you're quick to give an answer. You're 00:04:39.019 --> 00:04:43.439 ready with a reply, right? You can just fire 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.399 right off. And that's not everybody, but some 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:52.259 of us just engage in a quick heartbeat. And before 00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:56.120 we understand, before we fully listen, before 00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:59.139 we get what's taking place, right, we're just 00:04:59.139 --> 00:05:02.199 firing back. And if I'm gonna be salty for Jesus, 00:05:02.339 --> 00:05:05.860 if I'm really gonna shine bright, right, taste 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:10.110 flavorful for him, I got to understand the person 00:05:10.110 --> 00:05:13.569 I'm listening to. I got to understand where they're 00:05:13.569 --> 00:05:16.750 coming from. I need to be salty. Now, listen, 00:05:16.790 --> 00:05:18.430 I want to throw this acrostic up there. That's 00:05:18.430 --> 00:05:21.050 what this message series is based on. If you 00:05:21.050 --> 00:05:22.689 guys would put that up on the screen, salty, 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:26.050 right? First week we preached and talked and 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:28.730 walked through it together. It was start a conversation. 00:05:28.990 --> 00:05:32.569 Say start a conversation. Right. Second week 00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:37.350 was ask a question. Ask a question. Say it. Ask 00:05:37.350 --> 00:05:41.189 a question. Now it's listen. And not just listen, 00:05:41.310 --> 00:05:46.189 but listen to understand and not to simply reply. 00:05:46.910 --> 00:05:51.410 It's about understanding you so I can be genuine 00:05:51.410 --> 00:05:55.629 salt in your life. Our theme scripture has been 00:05:55.629 --> 00:05:58.509 Matthew 5 .13. You are the salt of the earth. 00:05:58.970 --> 00:06:01.209 But if the salt has lost its taste, how shall 00:06:01.209 --> 00:06:03.209 its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good 00:06:03.209 --> 00:06:05.709 for anything except to be thrown out and trampled 00:06:05.709 --> 00:06:07.709 under people's feet. You are the light of the 00:06:07.709 --> 00:06:09.790 world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, 00:06:09.889 --> 00:06:12.009 nor do people light a lamp and put it under a 00:06:12.009 --> 00:06:14.449 basket but on a lampstand. And it gives light 00:06:14.449 --> 00:06:16.930 to who are in a house. In the same way, let your 00:06:16.930 --> 00:06:19.129 light shine before others that they might see 00:06:19.129 --> 00:06:22.170 your good deeds, right, and give glory to your 00:06:22.170 --> 00:06:25.379 Father who is in heaven. We listen to understand 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.800 so we can reply well and so people can look past 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:33.160 us and see him. Listen to understand and not 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:37.660 just reply. Proverbs 10, 18, 15 says, an intelligent 00:06:37.660 --> 00:06:40.079 heart. Now I know I'm looking out amongst you, 00:06:40.139 --> 00:06:42.060 you look like an intelligent bunch, all right? 00:06:42.300 --> 00:06:46.319 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge. And 00:06:46.319 --> 00:06:49.779 the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. James 1 00:06:49.779 --> 00:06:52.060 .19 says this. Know this, my beloved brothers. 00:06:52.220 --> 00:06:55.879 Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, 00:06:56.040 --> 00:07:01.660 and slow to anger. James 1 .19 confirms something 00:07:01.660 --> 00:07:03.879 that I've heard since I was growing up as a kid. 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:07.120 I've heard it as an adult, right? And I don't 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:08.720 know if you've heard this phrase before or not, 00:07:08.779 --> 00:07:10.220 but probably you have somewhere along the way. 00:07:10.300 --> 00:07:12.939 The good Lord gave you two ears and one mouth 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:16.759 for a reason. Amen? How many of you ever heard 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:19.860 that before? The rest of you write it down, okay? 00:07:21.019 --> 00:07:24.720 The Lord gave you two ears and one mouth for 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.139 a reason. Check it out with the person next to 00:07:27.139 --> 00:07:28.540 you. Check it out, go ahead right now. They got 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:30.420 two ears and one mouth, I'm pretty sure, all 00:07:30.420 --> 00:07:32.600 right? If not, don't say anything, right? If 00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:35.319 they only got one ear, whatever. But two ears, 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:37.920 one mouth. You gotta do the math when you're 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:39.620 thinking about listening to somebody else, all 00:07:39.620 --> 00:07:41.639 right? You gotta do the math. Maybe we should 00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:44.480 be listening twice as much, right, as we're speaking. 00:07:44.990 --> 00:07:47.769 Maybe we should take twice as long in the listening 00:07:47.769 --> 00:07:50.689 process as we are in the speaking process. Maybe 00:07:50.689 --> 00:07:53.430 I need to use both sides of my head, my left 00:07:53.430 --> 00:07:56.370 brain and my right brain, to engage when I'm 00:07:56.370 --> 00:07:58.769 in the listening process with somebody else. 00:07:58.930 --> 00:08:01.990 Before something spills out of my mouth, before 00:08:01.990 --> 00:08:05.370 I just engage and regurgitate whatever idea or 00:08:05.370 --> 00:08:08.649 thought pops into my head, I need to listen so 00:08:08.649 --> 00:08:12.470 closely to you that I can actually hear your 00:08:12.470 --> 00:08:14.949 heartbeat. How many of us are listening pretty 00:08:14.949 --> 00:08:17.949 close, right? I need to listen so close to you 00:08:17.949 --> 00:08:22.029 that I can hear your heartbeat. I can hear what 00:08:22.029 --> 00:08:26.069 you're saying. Almost a spiritual stethoscope 00:08:26.069 --> 00:08:30.389 of sorts. What if I was listening so close that 00:08:30.389 --> 00:08:32.950 I could hear what's really pumping through your 00:08:32.950 --> 00:08:36.049 veins? What's really pumping and coursing through 00:08:36.049 --> 00:08:38.950 your life? What if I listened like that? What 00:08:38.950 --> 00:08:42.509 if I listened so much that it was similar going 00:08:42.509 --> 00:08:44.029 to the doctors? How many of you have been to 00:08:44.029 --> 00:08:46.110 the doctor in the last week or two? Raise your 00:08:46.110 --> 00:08:47.669 hand if you have. All right, don't be ashamed. 00:08:47.769 --> 00:08:51.350 It's okay, we all go. All right, when you go 00:08:51.350 --> 00:08:54.149 to the doctors, right, there's a listening process 00:08:54.149 --> 00:08:56.129 that takes place. And anytime I've gone to the 00:08:56.129 --> 00:08:59.360 doctors for an exam, It's kind of the same, right? 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:02.620 I'll go in, I check in. I always go to the registration. 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:05.100 Now I'm saying, I'm Mr. Penrod. I'm here for 00:09:05.100 --> 00:09:07.340 an appointment, right? You're here 250. They're 00:09:07.340 --> 00:09:09.840 like, okay, great. Have a seat. And then always, 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:12.299 almost typically always, there's a nice nurse, 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:15.759 right? Almost a nice looking nurse there for 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.740 a second. That was weird, honey. That was a joke. 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:23.320 I don't even know what that was. A nice nurse 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:26.440 comes out, right? Takes you back to a room. And 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:28.519 they do the same things, right? They slide the 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:30.919 cuff on you. They're checking your blood pressure, 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.080 right? They take it. They stick a thermometer 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:35.000 in your mouth, tell you to stick it under your 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:37.320 tongue. They take all your vitals. They ask you 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.860 a couple questions. And then they take you into 00:09:39.860 --> 00:09:41.399 the room where the doctor's going to examine 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:43.759 you. They set you up on that rectangle table 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.080 that always has the crunchy paper. I don't know 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:48.059 why it's crunchy, right? It's always crunchy. 00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:49.860 You set you up on that rectangle table. And they 00:09:49.860 --> 00:09:51.860 say, the doctor's going to be right with you 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:55.159 in a few minutes. They close the door. 30 to 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:58.519 45 minutes later, when they should be checking 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:02.500 your blood pressure, the doctor comes in. 30, 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:04.620 40 minutes later, after you played with all the 00:10:04.620 --> 00:10:06.580 gadgets that are in that room, how many of you 00:10:06.580 --> 00:10:08.299 have taken the colon or the heart apart, right? 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:10.919 The plastic one that's laying on the countertop. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:13.320 See what it is. Nobody else. I do that. All right. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:15.220 You know, you get up and read every poster that's 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:18.220 there. You're there, right? And finally, the 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:20.440 doctor will do a little knock on the door. The 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:23.659 doctor walks in, and they say, well, hi, I'm 00:10:23.659 --> 00:10:26.620 Dr. So -and -so, right? It's kind of the routine 00:10:26.620 --> 00:10:30.399 they do. And they begin, you know, hi, Mr. Penrod, 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:32.860 I'm Dr. So -and -so. and so, and they begin to 00:10:32.860 --> 00:10:36.360 ask questions. They begin to say, you know, why 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:38.879 are you here today, Mr. Penrod? And you start 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:42.000 to unfold, right? What's bothering you today? 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:45.360 What seems to be the issue? And the doctor asks 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:47.299 a few questions and they're standing there usually 00:10:47.299 --> 00:10:50.059 with a pad, an iPad or a marker or something, 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:52.840 right? Pen and paper. And they start writing 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:55.100 things out. They stop and they begin to listen. 00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.159 They ask the question, they begin to listen, 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:02.200 and as you begin to unfold, what's going on in 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:05.139 your life? What's the difficulty, right? What's 00:11:05.139 --> 00:11:08.100 the frustration? What's the problem that you 00:11:08.100 --> 00:11:10.899 currently have at the moment, right? They want 00:11:10.899 --> 00:11:14.159 to understand your symptoms. They want to understand 00:11:14.159 --> 00:11:17.220 your pain. They want to understand what the struggle 00:11:17.220 --> 00:11:21.779 is in your life, and they listen. They listen 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:25.019 intently. What if your next meeting with someone, 00:11:25.389 --> 00:11:29.070 look something like that. And they even go a 00:11:29.070 --> 00:11:31.889 step further than that. Usually at the end of 00:11:31.889 --> 00:11:33.590 the question, they say, you know what, we need 00:11:33.590 --> 00:11:35.789 to check your lungs and we need to check your 00:11:35.789 --> 00:11:37.990 heart. And they come up close and they put in 00:11:37.990 --> 00:11:40.490 a stethoscope and they tell you to breathe in 00:11:40.490 --> 00:11:45.009 and they listen. And you breathe out. And they 00:11:45.009 --> 00:11:49.230 listen for your heartbeat. Before I try to fix 00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:52.529 somebody's issues, before I start spewing something 00:11:52.529 --> 00:11:55.080 out of my mouth that might be preconceived or 00:11:55.080 --> 00:11:58.360 an idea or something I heard in a reach somebody 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:01.039 for Jesus seminar somewhere, right? I need to 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:03.629 hear what's going on. I need to hear what their 00:12:03.629 --> 00:12:06.409 heartbeat is. What if I listened to the point 00:12:06.409 --> 00:12:09.429 where I could hear their heartbeat? What if I 00:12:09.429 --> 00:12:12.769 knew what they loved and what they hated? What 00:12:12.769 --> 00:12:15.730 if I understood the pain that they've been walking 00:12:15.730 --> 00:12:19.149 through, the struggle that they're in? What if 00:12:19.149 --> 00:12:21.370 I knew what they believed and what they didn't 00:12:21.370 --> 00:12:24.029 believe before I even started into a conversation 00:12:24.029 --> 00:12:28.509 with them? My knowledge needs to increase in 00:12:28.509 --> 00:12:32.509 the listening. It really does. Proverbs 18, 15 00:12:32.509 --> 00:12:36.309 said it, an intelligent heart acquires knowledge. 00:12:36.830 --> 00:12:40.230 And that happens in the listen. Listen to understand, 00:12:40.570 --> 00:12:44.029 not just reply, right? Listen for what's beating 00:12:44.029 --> 00:12:47.169 underneath the surface. I mean, the first couple 00:12:47.169 --> 00:12:49.389 of minutes in a conversation is rarely what's 00:12:49.389 --> 00:12:51.830 happening under the surface, right? We all got 00:12:51.830 --> 00:12:54.509 it down. Hey, how you doing? Good. What's going 00:12:54.509 --> 00:12:58.389 on today? I'm awesome. You know, how about the 00:12:58.389 --> 00:13:01.059 weather? right? Or whatever's latest in sports, 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:03.879 whatever's happening in the news. But he got 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:08.120 to get beyond that. What's the heartbeat? What's 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:09.759 the heartbeat of the person sitting beside you 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:12.460 right now? If you had time to listen to what 00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:15.620 they have, right? I remember years ago, I was 00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:18.080 a youth pastor. This was many years ago when 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:20.320 I was youth pastoring. And it was one of the 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.159 first time full -time positions I got. It was 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:24.440 actually the first full -time position I had 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:25.919 as a youth pastor. I had been a part -time many, 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:28.220 many years and got this opportunity to be a full 00:13:28.220 --> 00:13:30.320 -time youth pastor. And I remember going to this 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.399 church and it was a different culture than where 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.659 I came from. And I remember doing things just 00:13:34.659 --> 00:13:36.580 like I always did where I came from. And I would 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:38.039 preach and I would teach. And I remember doing 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:40.200 this for months. And these young people, it was 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.850 kind of like. Nothing, right? I'd be preaching, 00:13:42.909 --> 00:13:44.730 teaching my heart out. All those kinds of things 00:13:44.730 --> 00:13:46.629 are like just nothing. Seemed like nothing was 00:13:46.629 --> 00:13:48.289 changing with these kids. Nothing was happening. 00:13:48.470 --> 00:13:51.269 And I remember getting so frustrated that one 00:13:51.269 --> 00:13:53.830 day I decided, you know what? I'm coming into 00:13:53.830 --> 00:13:56.049 youth group. I'm not preaching. I'm not teaching. 00:13:56.230 --> 00:13:58.309 We're just gonna sit down. I got a bunch of beanbags 00:13:58.309 --> 00:14:00.789 out. We sat down and I just started asking questions. 00:14:01.330 --> 00:14:04.690 For a couple of weeks, I asked questions. I just 00:14:04.690 --> 00:14:06.909 left them talk. I wanted to hear where they were. 00:14:06.970 --> 00:14:11.269 And I was shocked. These were church kids. I 00:14:11.269 --> 00:14:13.490 was shocked what they believed. I was shocked 00:14:13.490 --> 00:14:16.070 how they thought about things. I was shocked. 00:14:16.450 --> 00:14:19.009 But you know what happened? I find out where 00:14:19.009 --> 00:14:21.970 they were. I find out who they were, what their 00:14:21.970 --> 00:14:24.070 heartbeat was, what they believed and didn't 00:14:24.070 --> 00:14:27.529 believe. You got to stop it. Good listening means 00:14:27.529 --> 00:14:32.529 you stop and you hear their heartbeat. It's true. 00:14:33.269 --> 00:14:37.409 If you look up, listen. If you look that word 00:14:37.409 --> 00:14:39.429 up, it actually comes from two Anglo -Saxon words. 00:14:39.570 --> 00:14:41.769 One means hearing, right? Which is kind of a 00:14:41.769 --> 00:14:45.450 synonym. And the other means to wait in suspense. 00:14:46.049 --> 00:14:49.009 That's what it means. Good listening means that 00:14:49.009 --> 00:14:52.509 I wait in suspense as I listen to you, right? 00:14:52.629 --> 00:14:55.730 It's a posture thing. When I'm coming to get 00:14:55.730 --> 00:14:58.169 into a conversation with you, I listen with great 00:14:58.169 --> 00:15:01.190 suspense. Good listening means I wait. I can't 00:15:01.190 --> 00:15:03.769 hardly wait to hear what you have to say. I'm 00:15:03.769 --> 00:15:05.669 suspenseful about what's going to come out of 00:15:05.669 --> 00:15:08.309 your mouth next, right? There's an air of excitement 00:15:08.309 --> 00:15:10.490 in the conversation. Like, what are you going 00:15:10.490 --> 00:15:11.990 to bring me? What are you going to throw at me? 00:15:12.409 --> 00:15:14.990 There's an anticipation that takes place that 00:15:14.990 --> 00:15:16.769 you're going to about to say something and it's 00:15:16.769 --> 00:15:18.769 important. And I want to hear what you have to 00:15:18.769 --> 00:15:21.289 say. It's fully engaged. It's fully attentive. 00:15:21.929 --> 00:15:25.799 It's zeroed in on. you and what you're saying. 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:29.440 And so much so that they should actually notice 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.139 that. Amen? It's true. They should notice it. 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:35.240 You know, it's eye -to -eye engaged conversation. 00:15:35.940 --> 00:15:38.899 It's not somebody on their phone. Did you ever 00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:40.039 talk to somebody and they're on their phone? 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:47.279 Uh -huh. Uh -huh. That happen this morning to 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:51.240 anybody? Right? It's half -heartedly nodding 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:53.740 at somebody, and that's not engaged. That's not 00:15:53.740 --> 00:15:55.779 listening to somebody with anticipation. Or they're 00:15:55.779 --> 00:15:57.639 looking at the sky, or they're looking down at 00:15:57.639 --> 00:15:59.759 the ground while they're talking with you, right? 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:01.659 Arms crossed. They're talking to somebody with 00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:03.320 their arms crossed, and you're in conversation 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:04.740 with them, and you're like, it's kind of like 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:06.559 back off, just go away, right? Can you hurry 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.879 up and get it done? Right? Not that kind of conversation. 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:14.419 It's suspense. You know, when I thought about 00:16:14.419 --> 00:16:15.860 this, I thought about talking to a teenager. 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:18.159 If you've ever had teenagers in your house and 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:20.419 you have a conversation with them, yeah, somebody's 00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.679 raising their hands already back. They're like, 00:16:21.700 --> 00:16:27.179 amen, right? You ever see a teenager do that? 00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:29.399 They're rolling their eyes while you're talking 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.080 to them. They grab their arm. How many of you 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:32.919 know as a parent, the spirit of slap comes on 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:34.860 you right about that moment? You don't really 00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:37.879 do it. You wonder what it would feel like if 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:40.159 you would, right? You don't really do it, but 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.700 the spirit of slap comes all over you. All right, 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:47.259 come on. It's true. We should come into conversations, 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.799 though, with suspense. We should come in wanting 00:16:49.799 --> 00:16:52.700 to know what they're thinking and what their 00:16:52.700 --> 00:16:55.419 heart is. Now, I need to clarify something here. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.240 Just because you're listening to somebody with 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.100 great suspense and you're looking them eye to 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:05.220 eye does not mean that you agree with them. All 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:08.809 right? I need to clarify that. I can be fully 00:17:08.809 --> 00:17:12.269 engaged in a conversation. I can be locked on 00:17:12.269 --> 00:17:16.049 listening to the other person intently, but that 00:17:16.049 --> 00:17:18.430 does not mean that I agree with what they're 00:17:18.430 --> 00:17:22.809 saying. Sooner or later in a conversation, I'm 00:17:22.809 --> 00:17:25.970 gonna respond. Sooner or later, I'm gonna get 00:17:25.970 --> 00:17:28.829 the opportunity to move them to Jesus, to move 00:17:28.829 --> 00:17:31.589 them to the truth, to move them to what God's 00:17:31.589 --> 00:17:34.829 word says. And there's a chance I may disagree 00:17:34.829 --> 00:17:38.039 with them. Right? I can listen suspensibly. And 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:40.680 listen, you never, ever compromise the word of 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:43.400 God. You never, ever compromise the truth when 00:17:43.400 --> 00:17:45.619 you're in a conversation. You can listen. You 00:17:45.619 --> 00:17:48.660 can be engaged. But when it's your turn to speak, 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:51.980 you start moving them towards Christ. You start 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:54.960 moving them towards the truth. You've got to 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.740 do that in a conversation. How many of you think 00:17:56.740 --> 00:18:00.279 silence can be interpreted as acceptance? Yeah, 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:02.380 you get in a conversation. Matter of fact, you 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:05.359 listen intently, you listen suspensively, but 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:08.420 if you listen and you don't say anything that's 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:11.160 contrary to something that you know is a lie, 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:13.940 you know something that's not the truth, sometimes 00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:16.839 silence, and most of the time, silence can be 00:18:16.839 --> 00:18:21.339 interpreted as acceptance, agreement even, right? 00:18:21.819 --> 00:18:24.319 When we come into the conversation, we dive in. 00:18:24.400 --> 00:18:26.779 We listen to what they're saying. We're looking 00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:28.700 for their heartbeat. We want to hear where they 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:30.640 are, but that doesn't mean we don't respond. 00:18:30.900 --> 00:18:34.019 We do it respectfully, but we do it boldly, right? 00:18:34.119 --> 00:18:37.880 We come with the truth. And I'm here to tell 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:41.369 you, when we come. Come with a heart. Think along 00:18:41.369 --> 00:18:43.609 those lines. When I come into the next conversation, 00:18:43.869 --> 00:18:46.289 I want to hear their heartbeat. If you've got 00:18:46.289 --> 00:18:48.549 to, think about a spiritual stethoscope hanging 00:18:48.549 --> 00:18:50.430 on you. I want to hear what they've got to say. 00:18:50.549 --> 00:18:53.430 I'm going to engage. I'm going to walk on. And 00:18:53.430 --> 00:18:55.130 you might say, well, why is this so important? 00:18:55.990 --> 00:18:58.329 Especially if you're talking to somebody that 00:18:58.329 --> 00:19:00.769 you know isn't speaking truth. Especially if 00:19:00.769 --> 00:19:02.069 you're talking to somebody that you know you're 00:19:02.069 --> 00:19:03.809 not going to agree with. Why in the world is 00:19:03.809 --> 00:19:06.230 this so important to engage this way? Why is 00:19:06.230 --> 00:19:09.339 this so important to being salty, right? And 00:19:09.339 --> 00:19:11.539 here's the answer to that. Because if I don't 00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:14.380 know what street they are on, how am I ever going 00:19:14.380 --> 00:19:17.319 to get them to the right street? If I don't know 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:19.279 what street they are on, how am I ever going 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:22.859 to get them to Jesus Street, right? I have to 00:19:22.859 --> 00:19:25.539 know where they're at before I can ever give 00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:27.839 them direction to get where they need to go. 00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:30.160 I don't know if you've ever had somebody call 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.160 you and ask for directions to your house, right? 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:35.279 You ever tell somebody to come over to your house 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:37.319 and they get lost getting there? You know, they're 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.700 on the way over. They get lost. They're 20 minutes 00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:41.779 late. The phone rings, and you're like, hello? 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:43.380 And they're like, well, I'm trying to get to 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:45.960 your house, but I'm lost. What's the first thing 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:50.039 you say to them? Thank you. Where are you, right? 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:53.299 Where are you? And they're like, I don't know. 00:19:55.799 --> 00:20:00.099 That's why I'm lost. What street sign do you 00:20:00.099 --> 00:20:04.819 see? I'm on A Street. I'm on C, right? Or I don't 00:20:04.819 --> 00:20:07.130 see a street. Well, what landmark do you see? 00:20:07.369 --> 00:20:10.190 Do you see a tall building or are you in a grassy 00:20:10.190 --> 00:20:13.029 field? What do you see around you, right? What's 00:20:13.029 --> 00:20:15.410 there? And you're like, whoa, it's just grassy. 00:20:15.410 --> 00:20:17.930 Do you see a brown house or a white house? Do 00:20:17.930 --> 00:20:20.269 you see a green house or a red house? You start 00:20:20.269 --> 00:20:23.289 asking questions. You start trying. You start 00:20:23.289 --> 00:20:24.890 the conversation. You start asking questions. 00:20:25.130 --> 00:20:28.589 Where are you? Because I can't get you to my 00:20:28.589 --> 00:20:30.849 street if I don't know what street you're on, 00:20:30.990 --> 00:20:34.559 right? Can't do it. It's hard to get someone 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:36.859 to Jesus Street if you don't even know what street 00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:38.859 they're parked on, if you don't even know where 00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:41.759 they are, right? You got to listen to understand. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:45.099 We got to, if I'm going to understand where you 00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:47.599 are and I want to help you get somewhere different, 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:50.700 I got to know where you're at. It's beneficial 00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:53.420 to understand where they are. It's beneficial 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:56.359 to know what landmarks they've seen in their 00:20:56.359 --> 00:21:00.779 life. It's beneficial to know, right, the history 00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:04.019 with the person. It's beneficial. We need a starting 00:21:04.019 --> 00:21:06.099 point. We need to know where they at. If you're 00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:08.559 going to be GPS for Jesus, I'm going to get a 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.539 t -shirt made like that, right? If you're going 00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:13.279 to be GPS for Jesus, you've got to know what 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.880 street they're on. Because they could be on any 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:19.700 number of streets. They really could. As a matter 00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:22.579 of fact, they currently, it could be that right 00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:25.819 now they're driving up Confusion Street and they 00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:28.160 don't really know what they believe. They don't 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:30.619 really understand. They've not really thought 00:21:30.619 --> 00:21:33.740 about spiritual things. Or it could be that they 00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:35.960 put it in reverse and they backed into an alley 00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:38.779 called Bitterness, which is a very different 00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:41.559 direction to get somebody out, right? They could 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:43.640 have backed into Bitterness. They could be cruising 00:21:43.640 --> 00:21:46.900 down a street called Indifference. They could 00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:49.880 be flying up a road of seeking of some kind. 00:21:50.140 --> 00:21:53.099 They could be stuck in traffic on a street called 00:21:53.099 --> 00:21:55.380 Angry. How many know that happens when you're 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:58.099 stuck in traffic, right? They could be stuck 00:21:58.099 --> 00:22:00.819 in anger. They might be broke down alongside 00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:05.960 of the road. Broken. Broken. They could be creeping 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:09.720 along with good intentions. They could be swerving 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:12.460 all over the place, right, with evil intent in 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:15.200 their heart. You've got to find out where they 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.859 are. You gotta understand who you're talking 00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:21.720 to. You're never gonna get them to Jesus Street 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:26.319 if you don't even know where they're at. Amen? 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:31.420 I need to suspensively listen. I need to know 00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:35.099 where they are. I remember a conversation I got 00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:38.220 into with a young man and... Him and I, I knew 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:39.920 right off the bat, as soon as we started the 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:41.839 conversation, that him and I were in two different 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:44.059 camps, right? I knew he wasn't in the same place. 00:22:44.059 --> 00:22:46.220 He wasn't gonna say the same things. I was thinking 00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:49.200 and vice versa. But I remember having this conversation 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:53.400 with this young man and I came into the conversation 00:22:53.400 --> 00:22:55.240 knowing that we were gonna be in different places. 00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:57.480 I knew that just going into the conversation. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:01.140 So we did the pleasantries and hey, how you doing? 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:03.180 And then I remember asking him a question, something 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:04.819 along the lines of, what do you believe about 00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:07.410 God? You know, what do you believe about God? 00:23:07.569 --> 00:23:11.630 Who do you believe God is? And I asked one or 00:23:11.630 --> 00:23:13.650 two probing questions like that, and then I just 00:23:13.650 --> 00:23:17.269 got quiet. And I listened for 45 minutes as this 00:23:17.269 --> 00:23:20.650 young man began to unload what he believed about 00:23:20.650 --> 00:23:23.750 God. And I can tell you, I learned a whole bunch 00:23:23.750 --> 00:23:26.690 of things about that young man as he unfolded 00:23:26.690 --> 00:23:30.450 what he believed, why he believed. I remember 00:23:30.450 --> 00:23:33.089 hearing the pain in his voice from his past. 00:23:33.630 --> 00:23:35.829 in his history, in his young life. I remember 00:23:35.829 --> 00:23:38.809 hearing that pain. I remember how he began to 00:23:38.809 --> 00:23:40.750 talk about how he had pulled all these ideas 00:23:40.750 --> 00:23:44.849 from different places and spaces of life to culminate 00:23:44.849 --> 00:23:47.990 together to build his own belief system of some 00:23:47.990 --> 00:23:50.910 kind. I remember hearing where he's at and how 00:23:50.910 --> 00:23:53.549 he felt passionately about certain things, right? 00:23:53.690 --> 00:23:56.769 And I began to understand the street that he 00:23:56.769 --> 00:23:59.710 was parked on because I took enough time just 00:23:59.710 --> 00:24:03.900 to listen, to hear his heart. And I'd love to 00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:06.920 tell you, you know, after he got done talking 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:09.819 and I began to explain to him that I didn't believe 00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:11.940 what he believed in and I didn't agree with what 00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:14.980 he believed was truth. And we had this respectful 00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:17.119 conversation. I'd love to tell you, I got him 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:21.000 on Jesus street that day. I didn't. He declined 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:23.579 what I brought to him. He's like, I don't believe 00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:25.299 what you believe. And I said, I understand that. 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:28.259 And we talked and we challenged one another. 00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:30.859 And we had that discussion. Did I get him to 00:24:30.859 --> 00:24:33.380 Jesus Street that day? No, I did not. But I think 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:36.279 he's one step closer to Jesus Street. At least 00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:38.920 challenged his ideas. At least got to a place 00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:41.059 where I understood where he was coming from, 00:24:41.180 --> 00:24:43.450 right? I would have loved to say I got there. 00:24:43.509 --> 00:24:45.869 And I've seen him multiple times since then. 00:24:45.990 --> 00:24:47.849 And he'll always run up to me out in public. 00:24:47.950 --> 00:24:51.009 We had this great conversation. I remember we 00:24:51.009 --> 00:24:53.230 parted ways, friends and buddies, right? And 00:24:53.230 --> 00:24:55.369 anytime he sees me out in public, he runs up 00:24:55.369 --> 00:24:58.349 and greets me. And we talk together. And I pray 00:24:58.349 --> 00:25:00.430 that somebody speaks into his life. I pray that 00:25:00.430 --> 00:25:02.210 somebody gets him over to Jesus Street at some 00:25:02.210 --> 00:25:04.349 point. Maybe I'll get an opportunity again. I 00:25:04.349 --> 00:25:07.680 don't know. He's not here in this place, but 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:09.940 I hope I get the opportunity. Our job is not 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:13.079 to come preaching and hammering people. Our job, 00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:15.259 right, is to start a conversation. You need to 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:17.900 start asking questions and then you need to listen. 00:25:18.619 --> 00:25:22.559 We need to listen so we can be salt and light. 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:27.259 As the worship team comes, Proverbs 18, 13 says 00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:30.079 this, he who answers a matter before he hears 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:34.279 it, it is folly and shame to him. You gotta listen. 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:37.640 You gotta listen. Don't answer till you hear 00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:41.039 some heart. Don't answer till you get some answers, 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:43.619 right? I'm gonna give you one last thing as the 00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:45.640 worship team comes. I'm gonna give you one last 00:25:45.640 --> 00:25:48.920 thing in this listening process. I want you to 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:52.119 listen while you listen, all right? I know it 00:25:52.119 --> 00:25:54.700 sounds intense, right? Listen while you listen. 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:57.400 How many of you have ever listened to something 00:25:57.400 --> 00:25:59.640 while you were listening to something else? Raise 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:02.319 your hand if that's you. How many of you hate 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:04.720 to listen to something? Two things at the same 00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:07.119 time, okay? Some of you are like, it's awful, 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:09.059 right? Some of you that have kids and children 00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:11.519 in here, right? You have multiple children. You're 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:13.339 like, you don't understand. That's my way of 00:26:13.339 --> 00:26:16.599 life, all right? I listen while I listen, while 00:26:16.599 --> 00:26:18.880 I listen, while I listen all the time, all right? 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.640 And some of you are like, I hate listening to 00:26:20.640 --> 00:26:22.380 two things. I don't like the TV and the radio 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:24.500 on at the same time. Drives me completely crazy, 00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:26.880 right? I go buggy out of my mind. I gotta go 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:29.339 shut one of those things off just so one thing's 00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:32.359 playing, right? I got five grandchildren. You 00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:35.309 get five grandchildren, in one car, five iPads 00:26:35.309 --> 00:26:37.690 going at the same time, right? Jesus prays and 00:26:37.690 --> 00:26:40.289 worship music on the radio, and they're all talking 00:26:40.289 --> 00:26:43.450 at the same time. My brain goes blanko, brother, 00:26:43.609 --> 00:26:46.529 just white, just white noise. I don't even know 00:26:46.529 --> 00:26:47.589 what's going on. I don't even know what state 00:26:47.589 --> 00:26:50.109 I'm in, you know, when I'm driving. It's true. 00:26:50.829 --> 00:26:53.509 Right? And it's really not that kind of listening 00:26:53.509 --> 00:26:55.569 I'm talking about. But the reality is we all 00:26:55.569 --> 00:26:58.170 listen while we listen. God has given us, each 00:26:58.170 --> 00:26:59.950 one of us, the ability to listen while we listen. 00:27:00.210 --> 00:27:03.170 Every person, when you get into a conversation, 00:27:03.490 --> 00:27:05.910 and I know all of you have done this, how many 00:27:05.910 --> 00:27:07.869 sometimes you listen into yourself while you're 00:27:07.869 --> 00:27:09.549 in a conversation listening to somebody else, 00:27:09.650 --> 00:27:12.140 right? Somebody is on the other side talking 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:15.559 to you and they're like, you know, man, they're 00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:17.160 pouring their heart out about something that's 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:19.220 been really difficult in their life. And my mom 00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:23.460 rejected me. And, you know, and I just don't 00:27:23.460 --> 00:27:25.039 know what to do with all this. And you're nodding 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:27.359 and you're thinking, you know, I really don't 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:29.140 like this vanilla creamer that's in my coffee. 00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:32.119 You know, they're pouring out their childhood 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:33.839 and the things that they went through. And you're 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:35.380 like, you know, I think I'm going to try caramel. 00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:38.119 The next time in my coffee. And I think I saw 00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:40.940 that on sale at Giant, right? You know, I heard 00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:42.640 about a new stuff. This stuff, this vanilla stuff 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:44.480 is kind of leaving an aftertaste. And they're 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:46.019 pouring their heart out. They're like, you don't 00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:48.900 understand what I've been through. You know, 00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:50.500 you're having this conversation in your head, 00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:52.339 you know, do I have a coupon? I think I have 00:27:52.339 --> 00:27:54.359 a coupon. I'm going to stop at Giant on the way 00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:57.940 home after this conversation. We have conversations 00:27:57.940 --> 00:28:01.460 with ourselves during that. But if you get in 00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:03.460 a conversation where you're trying to get somebody 00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:07.240 to Jesus Street, If you're going to have a conversation 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:11.039 inside of your head, turn yourself off and turn 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:15.720 the Holy Spirit on. Amen? You can do it. God's 00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:18.680 given you the ability. But when you're in a conversation 00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:21.039 with someone else, don't be thinking about coffee 00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:23.829 creamer and don't even listen to yourself. You 00:28:23.829 --> 00:28:25.910 need to invite Holy Spirit into the conversation 00:28:25.910 --> 00:28:28.589 and say, Holy Spirit, I need you speaking in 00:28:28.589 --> 00:28:31.250 my mind right now as I'm talking with someone 00:28:31.250 --> 00:28:34.150 else. I need you guiding the conversation while 00:28:34.150 --> 00:28:36.329 I'm chatting it up with someone else. I need 00:28:36.329 --> 00:28:38.730 you in this conversation. I need you to speak 00:28:38.730 --> 00:28:41.589 to me while I'm listening. I need to listen while 00:28:41.589 --> 00:28:43.630 I'm listening so I know what to say when it does 00:28:43.630 --> 00:28:46.690 finally come time to speak, right? I need you 00:28:46.690 --> 00:28:49.920 to counsel me and give me wisdom. Can't tell 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:51.740 you how many times I've been on the way to the 00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:53.980 hospital to meet somebody, and I'm praying the 00:28:53.980 --> 00:28:55.759 whole way there. I don't know why, you know, 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:57.359 when we get in an intense situation like that 00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:59.400 where there's an emergency, we do that, right? 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:01.720 But if it's everyday life, we're like, eh, I'm 00:29:01.720 --> 00:29:02.819 going to think about coffee creamer instead. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:06.480 But you get in that conversation that might be 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:10.900 a Jesus conversation, start praying. Under your 00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:13.140 breath, right? Now, don't do it right in front 00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:14.059 of them because they're not going to know what's 00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:15.980 going on. I'm talking in your head, in your mind, 00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:18.960 right? Just Holy Spirit, I need you to help me 00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:21.700 right now. I need you to speak to me. I'm gonna 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:25.359 ask you to stand this morning. Here's what I 00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:28.160 know about the Holy Spirit that is such a big 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:30.400 help when you get in that conversation and you're 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.119 listening while you're listening. The Holy Spirit 00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:35.859 knows a person's history. He knows their hurts. 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:38.799 He knows their bias. He knows their fears. He 00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.400 knows their background. He knows their philosophy. 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:43.019 He knows whether they have an evil heart or a 00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:46.000 good heart. He knows what that person needs to 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:47.920 go from this street to the next that's one street 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:50.660 closer to Jesus. He knows the right words that 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:52.640 you need to speak that might open their heart 00:29:52.640 --> 00:29:54.700 up for the gospel, right? He might know what's 00:29:54.700 --> 00:29:57.440 blocking them from hearing the gospel. He might 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:01.160 explain to you and help you walk them down a 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:03.220 street where they feel God's conviction in their 00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:06.099 life for the first time. He knows all of that. 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:08.539 All you know is what you've gleaned from the 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:11.349 couple questions you asked. You've got to partner 00:30:11.349 --> 00:30:14.910 up. Right? You've got to partner up with the 00:30:14.910 --> 00:30:17.609 Holy Spirit. Let Him speak to you in the conversation. 00:30:17.990 --> 00:30:20.670 Start the conversation. Ask a question. Listen. 00:30:22.269 --> 00:30:25.670 Be there with great suspense. Gain knowledge 00:30:25.670 --> 00:30:28.410 in the conversation. Figure out what street they're 00:30:28.410 --> 00:30:34.410 on. Then get Holy Spirit with you. He is the 00:30:34.410 --> 00:30:48.470 Jesus GPS. He is, right? to this message from 00:30:48.470 --> 00:30:51.670 Lifehouse Church. We pray that you were impacted 00:30:51.670 --> 00:30:54.750 powerfully by this message. If you have been 00:30:54.750 --> 00:30:57.430 personally affected by our ministry and you would 00:30:57.430 --> 00:31:00.130 like to partner with us as we love God, love 00:31:00.130 --> 00:31:02.990 people every day, visit our website at