WEBVTT 00:00:01.270 --> 00:00:03.950 Welcome to Healing Scars with Pastor Burton, 00:00:04.129 --> 00:00:07.269 the official podcast of Cross -Christian Fellowship, 00:00:07.290 --> 00:00:10.769 Route 66, in the heart of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 00:00:10.990 --> 00:00:14.150 where Burton is the lead pastor. We're glad you're 00:00:14.150 --> 00:00:19.510 here. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for this 00:00:19.510 --> 00:00:21.390 day. We thank you for this time of praise and 00:00:21.390 --> 00:00:24.690 worship of you. We thank you for this time in 00:00:24.690 --> 00:00:30.250 fellowship. and is definitely going to come after 00:00:30.250 --> 00:00:33.649 as we enjoy this delicious food that's been prepared 00:00:33.649 --> 00:00:36.990 for us. We ask in the meantime, though, that 00:00:36.990 --> 00:00:40.270 you open the eyes of our hearts, open the ears 00:00:40.270 --> 00:00:43.090 of our minds to let us see and hear the word 00:00:43.090 --> 00:00:45.409 that you have prepared for us and how to apply 00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:47.929 it to our lives as we leave here today. In Jesus' 00:00:48.030 --> 00:00:51.909 name, amen. Again, everybody, welcome. It's great 00:00:51.909 --> 00:00:54.070 to have you all here, and I hope you brought 00:00:54.070 --> 00:00:58.299 your appetite. I know I did. You know, the last 00:00:58.299 --> 00:01:01.780 few weeks we've been talking about why we need 00:01:01.780 --> 00:01:03.899 to be grateful for the thorns that are in our 00:01:03.899 --> 00:01:08.060 side, right? Today, it's not part of that series, 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:11.359 but it's still going to kind of emphasize a bit, 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.319 you know, the fact that we need to be thankful 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:16.379 for the bad in our lives just as much as we are 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:22.340 the good. All right. And to start off, I'm going 00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:24.939 to share a little story here. There were two 00:01:24.939 --> 00:01:28.109 men. that were walking through a field one day. 00:01:28.170 --> 00:01:30.150 And there was a bull. The bull got a little agitated 00:01:30.150 --> 00:01:33.909 seeing him. It started to charge him. The cowboy 00:01:33.909 --> 00:01:37.390 started running, running for the fence. This 00:01:37.390 --> 00:01:39.909 bull's hot, though. It's in hot pursuit. It's 00:01:39.909 --> 00:01:41.849 tearing down the field. It's catching up to him 00:01:41.849 --> 00:01:47.670 in record time. And one of the guys, in fear, 00:01:47.790 --> 00:01:51.310 yells to his buddy, hey, say a prayer. Your dad's 00:01:51.310 --> 00:01:55.200 a preacher. You know how to do this. Guy says, 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.780 I've never made a public prayer in my life, but 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:00.500 I'll say the one that my dad says all the time 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:03.379 at mealtime. Oh, Lord, for what we're about to 00:02:03.379 --> 00:02:10.259 receive, make us truly faithful. Today's world, 00:02:10.379 --> 00:02:13.580 we're very much like the cowboys running from 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:20.900 the bulls, aren't we? We truly are. It doesn't 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:22.939 matter how plugged into the Lord we think we 00:02:22.939 --> 00:02:26.280 are. When things get going and things start moving, 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:31.539 we tend to forget. Instead of going to the source 00:02:31.539 --> 00:02:34.939 that we should be first, we're just caught up 00:02:34.939 --> 00:02:37.400 in what's going on around us, caught up in what 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:44.280 we're doing. And it's real easy when things are 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:48.580 good. When things are good, we just keep on trucking, 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:52.520 right? That we might remember to give thanks. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:55.259 Oh, thank God. Yeah, things are good. And other 00:02:55.259 --> 00:02:58.479 times, it's just good. So we're just going to 00:02:58.479 --> 00:02:59.960 get wrapped up in it and just keep on going. 00:03:03.259 --> 00:03:05.360 Usually, you know, usually when it does hit, 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:06.780 it's usually like a quick hit and run though. 00:03:07.819 --> 00:03:09.340 Kind of like this bull if it hit the cowboy. 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:17.199 Just keep on going, right? When we do get that 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.159 thing, so like I said, as quick as it is, we're 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:21.599 off and running even faster. We're so caught 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.479 up. We don't take time to stop and actually enjoy 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:29.580 that good time, that blessing that's in front 00:03:29.580 --> 00:03:34.960 of us. Take eating, for example. I love to eat. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.539 I really do. It's one of my favorite times of 00:03:38.539 --> 00:03:40.219 the year because there's food. There's a lot 00:03:40.219 --> 00:03:46.370 of it. Well. Food is also some of my downfall. 00:03:48.509 --> 00:03:50.449 For those of you who don't know, I went to a 00:03:50.449 --> 00:03:52.990 military school. Military school, everything 00:03:52.990 --> 00:03:55.629 is regimented. The way you sit, the way your 00:03:55.629 --> 00:03:57.770 dishes are laid out, you ask permission the whole 00:03:57.770 --> 00:04:00.030 bit, and you have a set time once you get permission 00:04:00.030 --> 00:04:04.250 to eat, and you're scarfing. Yeah, you get to 00:04:04.250 --> 00:04:06.689 taste it, sure. You don't get to enjoy it the 00:04:06.689 --> 00:04:08.370 same way, and after a while, this becomes second 00:04:08.370 --> 00:04:10.509 nature. And then, of course, after that, I went 00:04:10.509 --> 00:04:14.719 into the Marine Corps. I'm in boot camp. You 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:17.540 got all of 15 minutes from the time you hit that 00:04:17.540 --> 00:04:20.300 door to get your food, get seated, eat your food 00:04:20.300 --> 00:04:22.279 and get back out. So you're eating in record 00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:28.740 time again. And you get used to it. So it's second 00:04:28.740 --> 00:04:31.480 nature. I can't tell you how many times we sit 00:04:31.480 --> 00:04:34.420 down and I think I'm slowing myself down. And 00:04:34.420 --> 00:04:36.519 my wife looks over and says, are you enjoying 00:04:36.519 --> 00:04:40.579 your food? Are you even chewing it? Right? My 00:04:40.579 --> 00:04:42.480 mom, I don't know how many times she's done the 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:48.079 same thing. It's hard for me. I have to try to 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:52.500 force myself. There are a few exceptions in between 00:04:52.500 --> 00:04:56.819 where I'm able to really slow down and enjoy 00:04:56.819 --> 00:04:59.339 it. I'll be honest, usually that's when I'm bumping 00:04:59.339 --> 00:05:05.540 my gums. After all these years, it's still there. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:13.319 That's some nice thunder. Amen. You know, with 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:16.139 this said, though, it brings up the old idiom. 00:05:16.259 --> 00:05:20.740 We all need to stop and take time to smell the 00:05:20.740 --> 00:05:24.980 roses. We have so much good going on in our lives 00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:29.180 that regardless of our circumstances, we need 00:05:29.180 --> 00:05:35.500 to slow down and take it in and enjoy it. Sometimes 00:05:35.500 --> 00:05:39.240 it's easier said than done. When things are really 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:42.810 bad, we need to recognize that there's still 00:05:42.810 --> 00:05:45.250 something to be thankful for. And again, we need 00:05:45.250 --> 00:05:48.389 to slow down and be appreciative for it. We need 00:05:48.389 --> 00:05:52.110 to be grateful. And I can assure you, no matter 00:05:52.110 --> 00:05:56.870 how bad things are, you can still find something 00:05:56.870 --> 00:06:03.689 good. Let's open our Bibles to 2 Corinthians 00:06:03.689 --> 00:06:11.060 11. We're going to go to verses 23 through 28. 00:06:11.339 --> 00:06:27.839 So 2 Corinthians 11, 23 through 28. All right, 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:31.279 2 Corinthians 11, 23 through 28. Paul writes, 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:38.019 are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:41.720 I am more in labors, more abundant in stripes 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:45.339 above measure in prisons, more frequently in 00:06:45.339 --> 00:06:49.860 deaths. Often from the Jews, five times, I received 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:54.319 40 stripes minus one, three times. I was beaten 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:57.439 with rods. Once I was stoned three times. I was 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:01.860 shipwrecked a night and a day. I have been in 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:06.560 the deep and journeys often in perils. of water, 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:10.699 in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:15.620 in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:18.899 in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the 00:07:18.899 --> 00:07:23.839 sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:28.639 and toil, in sleepiness often, in hunger and 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:33.680 thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 00:07:34.830 --> 00:07:38.430 Besides the other things, what comes upon me 00:07:38.430 --> 00:07:43.490 daily? My deep concern for all the churches. 00:07:44.990 --> 00:07:47.189 And here's the thing, Paul, he's talking about 00:07:47.189 --> 00:07:52.230 being grateful. He's talking about being thankful 00:07:52.230 --> 00:07:56.769 in all circumstances. You see, when he wrote 00:07:56.769 --> 00:07:58.389 this, he was really upset because there were 00:07:58.389 --> 00:08:01.730 a lot of false teachers that were leading people 00:08:01.730 --> 00:08:05.509 astray. They were deceiving the Corinthians. 00:08:12.930 --> 00:08:15.389 So when he was writing this, he's reminding them 00:08:15.389 --> 00:08:18.269 of who he was, where his authority came from, 00:08:18.329 --> 00:08:21.029 the trials and tribulations that he had to go 00:08:21.029 --> 00:08:24.569 through as a follower, as a disciple of Christ, 00:08:24.689 --> 00:08:29.089 right? One of the apostles. And he had to endure 00:08:29.089 --> 00:08:34.629 a lot. Beatings, imprisonment. humiliation, various 00:08:34.629 --> 00:08:39.190 dangers along the way, sacrifices galore. He's 00:08:39.190 --> 00:08:41.590 still having to endure them. He has more on the 00:08:41.590 --> 00:08:48.009 way. And you just look at this piece of scripture 00:08:48.009 --> 00:08:51.470 right here. He's running from his own people, 00:08:51.610 --> 00:08:55.409 right? At times. Other times, he's dealing with 00:08:55.409 --> 00:08:59.039 the Gentiles who hate him. You know, 40 lashes 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:03.639 minus one, because 40 lashes was a death penalty. 00:09:04.299 --> 00:09:07.519 Minus one to make sure that he still lived. Right? 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:14.000 Beaten. Unmercifully. He had more going on for 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:16.580 him than most people. And as followers of Christ, 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:18.960 we're all going to have trials and tribulations. 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:22.100 Hard times await just as much as the good times. 00:09:22.740 --> 00:09:25.620 And those trials and tribulations are there for 00:09:25.620 --> 00:09:29.889 good measure, though. They shape us. They build 00:09:29.889 --> 00:09:33.110 our character. They help us to find how much 00:09:33.110 --> 00:09:35.710 more we need Jesus in our lives and to lean into 00:09:35.710 --> 00:09:42.129 him. They prepare us for further service into 00:09:42.129 --> 00:09:48.230 the kingdom. They give us everything that we 00:09:48.230 --> 00:09:52.690 need so that we talk to others. We're able to 00:09:52.690 --> 00:09:54.250 actually talk to them. We're able to empathize 00:09:54.250 --> 00:09:55.809 with them. I know a lot of people like, ooh, 00:09:55.870 --> 00:09:59.720 empathy. No, it's important because you need 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:02.799 to be able to get to people on their level. If 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.039 you don't have these experiences, how can you 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:07.519 do it? How can you appreciate the good, let alone 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:13.500 the bad? So it's a reminder. We don't just go 00:10:13.500 --> 00:10:15.639 to Jesus when things are hard. We go to him when 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:20.200 things are good. We pray and we give thanks. 00:10:21.379 --> 00:10:26.200 Turn into 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. verses 16 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:35.480 through 18. So 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:42.639 18. Now 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18, the 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:45.700 word says, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, 00:10:45.740 --> 00:10:48.519 and everything give thanks, for this is the will 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:54.080 of God and Christ Jesus for you. And it says 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:57.740 right here, Give thanks in everything. Everything. 00:10:58.299 --> 00:11:03.639 The good, the bad. All of it. Why? Because if 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:08.399 you don't, you start to become ungrateful. You 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.940 become grim, sad, depressed. Oh, woe is me, right? 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:16.340 You start to see yourself as a victim in the 00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:21.759 world. Everything is somebody else's fault. Nothing 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.870 is your fault. The world is out. To get you. 00:11:26.629 --> 00:11:28.909 But let me tell you something. As a believer 00:11:28.909 --> 00:11:33.649 in Jesus. As a follower of Christ. You're no 00:11:33.649 --> 00:11:38.289 longer a victim. You are an overcomer. You are 00:11:38.289 --> 00:11:46.269 an overcomer. Plain and simple. And it's no longer 00:11:46.269 --> 00:11:49.509 about you. But the Holy Spirit who's in you. 00:11:50.769 --> 00:11:54.960 And that's why you're able to overcome. You adapt, 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:59.360 you change. And Paul knew all too well the good 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:05.120 times and the bad. And he chose to overcome the 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:09.200 stinking thinking. That mindset that a lot of 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.820 us get caught up in way too often, especially 00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:16.179 in those hard times. Instead, he kept the mindset 00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:20.600 of Psalm 18, verse 24. I'm going to go through 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:23.799 this one quick. So Psalm 118 verse 24, this is 00:12:23.799 --> 00:12:26.559 the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:29.899 be glad in it. There's a song out there that 00:12:29.899 --> 00:12:32.639 uses that. I love that. That's a good reminder 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:35.919 when you listen to the radio, right? Brian's 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.399 up here already singing it. But it's a good one. 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:42.139 It's the same mindset that we should all learn 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:45.659 to have regardless of our circumstances. Sure, 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:47.899 sometimes it's easier than others because there 00:12:47.899 --> 00:12:51.000 are some things that weigh on us. Heavily, right? 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:56.220 Heavily. But we have to be diligent and we have 00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:59.259 to put forth our best foot. We have to make that 00:12:59.259 --> 00:13:02.019 effort. You know, it's one of those things that 00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:03.720 we like to refer to as find the silver lining, 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:13.820 right? And I'll tell you what, finding that light 00:13:13.820 --> 00:13:16.159 in the darkness can be hard, but it can be done. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.279 Sometimes you just have to turn around or look 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:22.330 up. And Paul and Silas can do this after being 00:13:22.330 --> 00:13:25.490 beaten and imprisoned. Remember, we talked about 00:13:25.490 --> 00:13:27.230 this a couple weeks ago. What did they do? They 00:13:27.230 --> 00:13:32.169 sang hymns of joy. They sang to the Lord. And 00:13:32.169 --> 00:13:34.529 if they can do that in one of the worst circumstances 00:13:34.529 --> 00:13:37.029 anybody can find themselves in, I'll tell you 00:13:37.029 --> 00:13:39.149 what, you can do it regardless of the circumstance 00:13:39.149 --> 00:13:44.769 that you find yourself in today. There is something 00:13:44.769 --> 00:13:47.269 great there looking you in the eye. You just 00:13:47.269 --> 00:13:49.919 have to open your eyes and see it. Ukrainian 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:54.320 evangelist David Karcha is quoted saying, in 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:58.179 a time of peace, the gospel is powerful. But 00:13:58.179 --> 00:14:04.059 in a time of war, it is unstoppable. Ukraine, 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:09.320 an area that's been at war for years now. The 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:13.759 church is still going strong. People are still 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:15.399 coming to it. They're still coming to Christ. 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:20.460 Amen. And they're going out and they're ministering 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:24.679 in hospitals and orphanages and families that 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:32.399 have been torn apart. Not only that, but it's 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:35.860 on their home turf, right? Their home soil. So 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:38.740 they get to do something that very few churches, 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:41.379 especially coming from the West here, get to 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:45.340 do. They get to minister to their soldiers in 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:49.649 the field. Here you have a believer that's able 00:14:49.649 --> 00:14:52.289 to meet a warrior out in the field in the trenches 00:14:52.289 --> 00:14:55.149 and pray with them and speak to them and minister 00:14:55.149 --> 00:14:59.830 to them. And remind them of the hope that's there 00:14:59.830 --> 00:15:06.990 for them. They're out there finding good in a 00:15:06.990 --> 00:15:12.090 country that's been torn apart by war. Their 00:15:12.090 --> 00:15:15.549 world is literally blowing up around them. And 00:15:15.549 --> 00:15:17.570 they still find the light that is Jesus Christ. 00:15:19.950 --> 00:15:22.210 Much like with the story we opened with today, 00:15:22.870 --> 00:15:25.490 they're giving thanks while being chased by that 00:15:25.490 --> 00:15:30.570 bull. In his book, How to Be Decadent, George 00:15:30.570 --> 00:15:34.990 Mike wrote, In Budapest, a man goes to a rabbi 00:15:34.990 --> 00:15:38.289 and complains, Life is unbearable. There are 00:15:38.289 --> 00:15:41.389 nine of us living in one room. What can I do? 00:15:42.649 --> 00:15:46.159 The rabbi answers, Take your goat into the room 00:15:46.159 --> 00:16:01.899 with you. Incredulous. Excuse me. The man is 00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:05.580 incredulous, but the rabbi insists, do as I say 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:08.340 and come back in a week. A week later, the man 00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:10.600 comes back looking more distraught than before. 00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:16.759 And he says, We cannot stand it. The goat is 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:22.299 filthy. The rabbi then tells him, go home and 00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:30.120 let the goat out. Come back in a week. A week 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:32.960 goes by. The man comes back and he's radiant. 00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:36.500 He's smiling and he's happy. And he tells the 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:39.860 pastor, life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute 00:16:39.860 --> 00:16:43.409 of it now that there's no goat. In the room. 00:16:44.049 --> 00:16:51.169 There's only nine of us. Hmm. Mindset. That's 00:16:51.169 --> 00:16:55.230 the stinking thinking, right? You see, sometimes 00:16:55.230 --> 00:16:57.730 being thankful is not always about looking for 00:16:57.730 --> 00:17:02.549 a silver lining. Sometimes it's adjusting your 00:17:02.549 --> 00:17:08.309 mindset. Being thankful to God isn't about where 00:17:08.309 --> 00:17:13.619 we are. It's not about what we have. It's the 00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:16.960 simple fact that he is in our lives. He is a 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:21.140 part of our lives. He wants to be a part of our 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:24.119 lives. He wants a relationship. He has broken 00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:27.420 the chains of sin and freed us from them and 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:30.299 has very little in return. That's what we have 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:33.299 to be thankful for. That is our gratitude above 00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:39.700 all things. And it's one of those things that 00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:42.099 we need to remember. Especially those times when 00:17:42.099 --> 00:17:43.940 we're feeling lonely. And this is one of those 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:45.799 times of the year that a lot of us feel lonely, 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:49.460 right? It really is. The next couple months, 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:54.859 I tell you what, ERs get packed. Packed. You 00:17:54.859 --> 00:17:58.539 know, the discussion about suicide this time 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:01.599 of the year, it is statistically backed up, which 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.460 is unfortunate because people feel disconnected 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:10.690 and alone. As believers, though, We don't have 00:18:10.690 --> 00:18:13.329 to feel that way because God is there. Jesus 00:18:13.329 --> 00:18:16.609 is walking with us and he's cheering us on every 00:18:16.609 --> 00:18:19.809 step of the way. Yeah, things are hard. He's 00:18:19.809 --> 00:18:21.950 like, you know what? It's okay. You got this. 00:18:22.069 --> 00:18:25.430 You got this. You got this. You can do it. The 00:18:25.430 --> 00:18:29.089 finish line's ahead. Just keep going. Keep running 00:18:29.089 --> 00:18:31.329 the race. If you have to slow down, slow down. 00:18:31.430 --> 00:18:33.049 If you have to walk, walk. If you have to crawl, 00:18:33.190 --> 00:18:35.769 crawl. But you've got this. You're going to get 00:18:35.769 --> 00:18:37.609 through. I'm not going to leave you. I'm right 00:18:37.609 --> 00:18:42.250 here. Just keep. Chugging along. And it goes 00:18:42.250 --> 00:18:45.490 all the way back to 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 00:18:45.490 --> 00:18:48.269 18. We just read that, right? It's the mindset. 00:18:48.650 --> 00:18:51.589 Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing in everything. 00:18:51.769 --> 00:18:55.529 Give thanks. This is the will of God and Christ 00:18:55.529 --> 00:19:01.849 Jesus for you. Trust him. And you'll find the 00:19:01.849 --> 00:19:06.109 good in all situations. Pray constantly. Constantly 00:19:06.109 --> 00:19:11.329 be praying in everything. It doesn't matter how 00:19:11.329 --> 00:19:16.890 silly it is, how worthless it may feel. Pray 00:19:16.890 --> 00:19:22.430 for everything. That's relationship. That's what 00:19:22.430 --> 00:19:24.329 relationship is supposed to be. That's what the 00:19:24.329 --> 00:19:26.410 Father wants. He wants us to come to Him with 00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:30.650 our needs. Sometimes I chuckle and I have to 00:19:30.650 --> 00:19:32.369 remind myself, nope, you pray for everything. 00:19:32.490 --> 00:19:34.549 Because we'll be pulling into a parking lot somewhere, 00:19:34.750 --> 00:19:37.170 my wife's driving, or even when she's not, even 00:19:37.170 --> 00:19:38.930 when she's riding. What's the first thing that 00:19:38.930 --> 00:19:45.529 comes out of her mouth? That's it. Thank you 00:19:45.529 --> 00:19:47.569 for the parking we are about to receive. We are 00:19:47.569 --> 00:19:53.849 truly grateful. Amen. It sounds silly. Sometimes 00:19:53.849 --> 00:19:56.609 when you're sitting there, it can sound silly. 00:19:57.190 --> 00:20:01.369 But it's not. It's okay. It's good. It's actually 00:20:01.369 --> 00:20:03.849 great. Why? Because that is her relationship 00:20:03.849 --> 00:20:05.710 with the Lord. And that's what we should all 00:20:05.710 --> 00:20:07.630 have. It is a great example, which is why I call 00:20:07.630 --> 00:20:12.789 her out. We forget about those little things. 00:20:13.970 --> 00:20:16.609 It doesn't matter how big or how small it is. 00:20:16.730 --> 00:20:20.769 We still need to be praying. And that prayer, 00:20:20.990 --> 00:20:25.369 that relationship that builds up, that's love. 00:20:25.950 --> 00:20:29.150 It's an attitude of gratefulness that we should 00:20:29.150 --> 00:20:33.170 all carry. It's gratitude. Gratitude itself is 00:20:33.170 --> 00:20:36.670 love. And I'll remind you, love is not just empty, 00:20:36.710 --> 00:20:40.210 hollow words. It's not just a little card. on 00:20:40.210 --> 00:20:42.069 Valentine's Day or something like that, right? 00:20:42.230 --> 00:20:47.269 It's action. It's the stuff that we do. What 00:20:47.269 --> 00:20:50.269 can we do for the Lord? What can we give the 00:20:50.269 --> 00:20:55.970 Lord? Ourselves, our time, our words, our thoughts, 00:20:56.170 --> 00:21:00.109 our worries. Share our triumphs with him and 00:21:00.109 --> 00:21:04.210 thank him for them. The whole bit. You think 00:21:04.210 --> 00:21:08.819 of... Speak of Jesus when he was asked, what 00:21:08.819 --> 00:21:11.019 are the greatest two commandments? What's the 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:14.299 first one he led off with? Love the Lord with 00:21:14.299 --> 00:21:18.700 all your heart, your mind, your soul. And the 00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:21.859 second one is like it. Love your neighbor as 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:26.299 yourself, right? Well, it's real easy to remember, 00:21:26.420 --> 00:21:29.599 love your neighbor as yourself. And we're talking 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.779 about the foundation of the golden rule, right? 00:21:31.940 --> 00:21:33.660 Do unto others as you have done unto yourself. 00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:39.019 It's biblical. But all too often, we forget about 00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:43.359 that first part. Love God with all your heart, 00:21:43.460 --> 00:21:46.960 all your mind, and all your soul. How do we do 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:52.640 it? We pray. We go to him in prayer. We do the 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.759 things he asks of us, even if we don't agree 00:21:55.759 --> 00:22:01.259 with them. That's conviction right there. Because 00:22:01.259 --> 00:22:03.920 he does know what's good. He knows what's right. 00:22:03.980 --> 00:22:08.019 He knows what's wrong better than anybody. But 00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:13.119 that's how we have true gratitude. As we celebrate 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:20.200 the good and we go to him with the bad. And this 00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.839 is how all of us should be showing gratitude 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:24.859 as we celebrate Thanksgiving this week and we 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:27.559 go into the Christmas season for the rest of 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:32.500 the year and well beyond. 365 days a year or 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.440 however much time we have on this planet, right? 00:22:36.419 --> 00:22:40.160 With that said, let us pray. Lord, we thank you 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:42.740 for being a part of our lives. We thank you for 00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:45.940 your love, your mercy, your grace. We ask that 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:49.400 you keep reminding us what gratitude should look 00:22:49.400 --> 00:22:51.259 like in our lives, what love should be in our 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:55.200 lives, that we're able to find ourselves thankful 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:58.279 regardless of what's happening in our lives, 00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:01.839 where we are, what's happening around us or to 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:06.839 us. that we find that thankfulness simply because 00:23:06.839 --> 00:23:10.819 we have you. Guide us in sharing these things 00:23:10.819 --> 00:23:14.819 and guide us in sharing our blessings with the 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:20.039 world as we leave here today. And while we're 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:22.880 at it, I just want to go ahead and we want to 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:25.059 thank you for this food that we're about to share, 00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:27.160 this fellowship that we're about to have, and 00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:32.339 the blessings that you've provided us with. We 00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:35.099 are truly grateful, and we ask that you use all 00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:39.180 this to nurture not only our bodies, but our 00:23:39.180 --> 00:23:42.220 souls and our minds. And all these people said, 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:45.319 amen and amen. Remember, as you do leave here 00:23:45.319 --> 00:23:47.920 today, you are loved and you are blessed. So 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:58.099 go and be the church. Amen. Yes. Thank you for 00:23:58.099 --> 00:24:00.859 joining us at Healing Scars with Pastor Burton. 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:21.720 Until next time, take care and God bless.