1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 and we'll be right back. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,000 Don't get down 3 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,000 when you're seeing the worst 4 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,000 cause the last will be the first 5 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:11,000 What a day I'm telling you 6 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,000 all things will be new 7 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,000 living up in a down world 8 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Yeah we're living, yeah we're living 9 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,000 living up in a down world 10 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,000 Oh 11 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:26,000 This is Jimmy Nenette 12 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,000 and we are coming to you 13 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,000 from the BCS 14 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,000 living up in a down world studios 15 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,000 in the heart of the Texas Hill country 16 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,000 Bridge Church, Fredericksburg 17 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,000 My name is Jimmy and 18 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:39,000 This is Annette 19 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:40,000 and you are stunning 20 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:41,000 No, I'm not, this is Annette 21 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,000 I am Annette 22 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,000 I know 23 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,000 You're stunning in that hot pink sweater 24 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,000 Well it's cold today 25 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:48,000 It's a sweater day, what happened? 26 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,000 We're gonna have, we've had 90 degree weather 27 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,000 Yeah it was 90 yesterday 28 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,000 and so today it's 50 29 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,000 and I'm like, okay 30 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:56,000 It's Texas for you 31 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,000 Well tomorrow I think is supposed to be in the 50s 32 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,000 so I get two sweater days 33 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,000 and then I'm back to wearing shorts and tank tops 34 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:04,000 in February 35 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:05,000 Flip flops, I know, crazy 36 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,000 Very odd, very odd 37 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:07,000 It's just all over the map 38 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,000 It is 39 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:09,000 But you know, I learned this 40 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,000 when we lived in Tennessee 41 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,000 people in Tennessee say the same thing 42 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,000 well it's Tennessee weather for you 43 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Everybody does it 44 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,000 But they really do have four seasons 45 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,000 They do 46 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:19,000 unlike Texas 47 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,000 They do, but anywhere it can be different 48 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,000 But our four seasons are in one day 49 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:23,000 Yeah, true 50 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,000 Hey, welcome to living up in a down world 51 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,000 This is episode number 55 52 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,000 and we are so glad you joined us today 53 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,000 We're gonna kind of jump right in 54 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,000 I mean we've had some great things happen 55 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,000 I may or may not share that 56 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,000 We're also on a little bit of a timetable here 57 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,000 We have a staff meeting this morning 58 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:41,000 It's 8.44 a.m. and we have a staff meeting at 9.30 59 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,000 It's kind of 9.15-ish 60 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,000 It's gonna be a long day 61 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,000 Yes 62 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000 So anyway, we hit the ground running this morning 63 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,000 so we have morning voices 64 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,000 and we both have coffee 65 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,000 Oh my gosh, Black Rifle coffee 66 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,000 I'm happy 67 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:53,000 Mine's leaded, yours is unleaded though 68 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,000 I love Black Rifle 69 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,000 Now you brought up Black Rifle coffee 70 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 to our church Sunday 71 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,000 I did 72 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,000 But Rick Green of the Patriot Academy was there 73 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:03,000 and he's developed his own coffee 74 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,000 and he has not given me any yet 75 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:06,000 I'm ready for him 76 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:07,000 He says it's better 77 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:08,000 When he gives us some 78 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,000 So when he gives us some 79 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,000 I think I'm gonna have to bring it back up to him 80 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,000 because you're gonna keep talking about Black Rifle coffee 81 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,000 Hey Rick, if you hear this bro 82 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,000 we need, show us the money 83 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,000 Bring some coffee 84 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:20,000 Because you will be talking about it every week 85 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:21,000 Absolutely 86 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,000 I think we should start 87 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,000 Well, I don't want to start having Black Rifle coffee 88 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,000 at the church on a Sunday morning 89 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,000 because we do give out coffee without trying his 90 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,000 to see if we might want to use his coffee 91 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,000 We'll see, we'll see 92 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:35,000 We'll give it a shot 93 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,000 I'm open 94 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,000 We just got a donation 95 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:38,000 From, for what? 96 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,000 For our Living Up and a Down Road 97 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Just came on my phone 98 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Oh wow, wow, very cool 99 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,000 Yes 100 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:44,000 Well thank you for whoever did that 101 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,000 I'll see if I can find it 102 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,000 Julie Herbert just now 103 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Oh, Julie's so awesome 104 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Just now, so sweet 105 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,000 We do have some people to thank 106 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,000 We'll do that later 107 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,000 But as we get started, you and I were having a conversation yesterday 108 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Well, actually it was 109 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:56,000 Was it Monday? 110 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:57,000 It was a few days ago 111 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:58,000 What is today? 112 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,000 This is Wednesday 113 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,000 We were talking about how 114 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Yeah 115 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,000 We, God really doesn't need us 116 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,000 because he can kind of do whatever he wants 117 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:09,000 And here's why I said that 118 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,000 Yes 119 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,000 So we were on a Zoom call with the Bishop 120 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,000 a couple weeks ago, week and a half 121 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000 And he just made a comment about how in Muslim nations right now 122 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,000 that the Holy Spirit, an image of Jesus 123 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 is showing up in people's rooms 124 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:25,000 I think I shared this last week 125 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:29,000 Is it like a dream or is it like they see this apparition? 126 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,000 No, they actually, an apparition you mean? 127 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,000 Apparition, sorry 128 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,000 Apparition, that's okay 129 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,000 I just took out my aligner so my mouth is funky 130 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,000 So they actually see an image of a man dressed in white 131 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,000 like a robe, a white 132 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:44,000 He's standing 133 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,000 So it's not a vision or a dream 134 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:46,000 This is seeing 135 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,000 They really see 136 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:48,000 They're seeing 137 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,000 Yeah, but anyway 138 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,000 They can't tangibly touch 139 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:52,000 I know, I'm not in those bedrooms 140 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,000 So I just know that it's a miraculous appearance of some kind 141 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,000 It's happening all over the world right now 142 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,000 not just by the thousands but by the millions 143 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,000 Which is crazy 144 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,000 This is one of the international bishops of the 145 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Anglican Church 146 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,000 Anglican Church who shared this with us 147 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Yes 148 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,000 He served in Muslim countries his whole life 149 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,000 He's 74 years old and he's still doing great work right now 150 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 He's not retiring, he's refiring 151 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,000 I mean he's still going 152 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:25,000 And he was telling you and I that it's exciting because Jesus is literally showing up 153 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:33,000 And what happens is these people who don't have any reference point for Christ are finding other people 154 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:41,000 And they're led to Christians and saying who is this man in white who came to me and said come follow me 155 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Even quoting 156 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,000 It blows my mind 157 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:50,000 Those words which are it's a rabbinic saying the rabbis would pick their disciples and say come follow me the chosen 158 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,000 Which poses the question 159 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:58,000 You know we say we have to go which we do we need to go to every nation and preach Jesus 160 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:02,000 But those nations that don't have anybody 161 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:10,000 They don't we don't have to I mean it's not like God can't do the same thing in those nations that they've never 162 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,000 Where they've never even heard of God 163 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,000 I mean he can do whatever he wants 164 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,000 The passage you're referring to is the great commission where Jesus said 165 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:23,000 And Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth 166 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:27,000 Verse 19 go therefore and make disciples of all the nations 167 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:32,000 Baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things 168 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:37,000 That I have commanded you and though I'm with you always even to the end of the age amen 169 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:42,000 So that's the show up but we need to go disciple them think about that 170 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:47,000 So here's the thing the question is does God need us or does God desire us 171 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Yeah, okay, so about that word happened was you and I were talking about 172 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,000 God really doesn't need us but then I 173 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,000 As we go to the gym on Monday 174 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Pull up a recent message from Robert Morris and it's titled God needs us and I'm like, okay 175 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:11,000 That's interesting. This was he preached this two weeks ago in Houston at his Gateway Church in Houston 176 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:17,000 And so I'm listening to it and he he 177 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:23,000 Talks about how God really does need how he had a conversation with God and said you really don't need us 178 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:27,000 You look at what you've created and God says no 179 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:34,000 I really do need you but I'm I switch to that word because I like the word desire 180 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:40,000 Yeah, God desires us. So I think it's when he was saying I really do need you 181 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:45,000 It's not that I need you to get the work done. It's I need you as I created you because I need you I want you 182 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:54,000 And I want you to partner with me because everything about our Christian walk has to do with partnering with Christ 183 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:59,000 That's right. That's why he created man to partner with us biblical word is co-labor 184 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:05,000 Yes, the scripture says that we are co-labors in Christ and the word co-labor means to co-labor 185 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:11,000 To labor together or cooperate like elaborate. Yeah, collaborate means co-labor 186 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:19,000 So we co-labor with him we cooperate with him and it's a privilege in the fact that he wants us 187 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:27,000 Yes to join him in the work. He wants us he wants to share it because it is a privilege when we get to 188 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:34,000 Share our faith with others not in a like throw it in your face call you out 189 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:39,000 But literally the joy of sharing something is so changed my life 190 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:46,000 I remember when Adam Curry was on Joe Rogan last year and he just said hey, let me tell you something 191 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,000 He wanted to share something with Joe and he said hey, I want to share something with you 192 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,000 It's absolutely changed my life. This has changed my life 193 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:59,000 Why we should be saying this to everyone? Well, I love it because Adam without any prompting or 194 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:06,000 Taking an evangelism course or study just he's like I have good news and because I have good news 195 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,000 And this has changed my life. I have to share it. I gave my life to Jesus Christ 196 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Let me share it to about a million people or so. Yes on online because that thing went viral 197 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:24,000 It was crazy. It was insane. It went viral and to even more than that and he got to share his faith with 198 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:31,000 Millions of people but he did it so purely and it wasn't like throwing a Bible in your face or judging you 199 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:38,000 It was just let me tell you what has changed my life. In fact, it's not a what it's a who and that's that's what 200 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,000 God wants us to share in the joy of that and I love it to help somebody 201 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:49,000 Joe Rogan was like well expound on that. Tell me what happened. Very cool about it. And to me that 202 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:57,000 We need to have that boldness. Here he is a brand new Christian learning about Christ 203 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:03,000 Learning about what what it means to follow him and he couldn't wait to get on his show 204 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:11,000 He knew he was gonna do it. Tina was terrified because he knew he told her on his way there 205 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:18,000 I'm going to share what I know of the gospel what happened to me and she's scared to death because she's afraid of all the backlash 206 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:26,000 Right and and doesn't know really how Joe Rogan is gonna take it but he has the courage and yet we as Christians who are 207 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:35,000 living trusting in Christ are so afraid to speak up about what has changed in our life because it's a hope we have 208 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:43,000 So what does that say about people who have been Christians so long that their Christianity has become boring to them or it's become familiar to them 209 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:51,000 To the point where they're not excited about telling other people about it anymore. Whoa, that's scary. Do you think 210 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:59,000 Okay, so we fast forwarded to his the end of Robert's message as we were driving here. That's why we're hot off the press 211 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Just listening and he talked about that story that happened. I want you to share that story 212 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,000 Yeah, well because he talked about trusting versus believing. Yeah, and I'm gonna go into deep in the weeds 213 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:19,000 So I'll give you the short version of it is there was a man who was going to do a high wire act across a large 214 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:26,000 Was it a river? Niagara Falls or something some crazy like that. Yes, and he was he was a professional and he said 215 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:31,000 And he talked to the crowd and he said do you believe I can do this and they were like, yeah 216 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:37,000 We believe because he'd done these amazing feats before and he says do you trust me that I can do this 217 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:43,000 We would trust you can do that and he says so who will go with me if you trust me carry 218 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:50,000 Who will let me carry you across and everybody the whole crowd went silent except for one man 219 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:57,000 He was a British man and he said I trust you and I believe and he literally carried that man across 220 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:02,000 That's that large expanse on a wire at the peril of their lives 221 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:09,000 But that man trusted him and he trusted him because he'd seen him do if we knew he could do it 222 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:14,000 But he was the only one everyone else believed but only one trusted so that 223 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:22,000 Question because the Bible says the demons believe yeah in book of James. Yes 224 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:29,000 But do we so they believe in Trimble, but they don't trust so to be a Christian is not 225 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:36,000 We take that word belief like well, I believe that watermelon is gonna be good. I believe you know this movie 226 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,000 I'm gonna watch is good. I believe 227 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:46,000 I believe you know that I'm gonna have a good day whatever right there's a big difference massive believing and trusting 228 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:52,000 There's an eternal difference between believing and trusting because it does it says the demons believe in Trimble 229 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:58,000 But they don't know the truth that sets them free just because you believe doesn't mean you know so how many people 230 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:06,000 Believe they're Christians, but they don't really trust so do they really believe that's it 231 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,000 That's it. It really comes back to me hard. It comes back to trust what I love what pastor Robert did 232 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:16,000 He's preaching to a group of people probably about down down in Katy, Texas 233 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:23,000 Yeah, and he asked the question and he has everybody, you know bow their heads and close your eyes 234 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:29,000 Do you really trust how many of you have believed at one time? 235 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,000 You may be even have gotten sprinkled or baptized or whatever 236 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:44,000 But you really don't know now after listening to this message after listening to it fully what it means 237 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:52,000 Can honestly say I don't know if I'm saved and he said hands went up everywhere 238 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:59,000 That's what scares me not for me because I know I believe I trust I adhere trust means to adhere to 239 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Here if you think about adhering me think I love how you always use tape or you use duct tape and how you can't pull it apart 240 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:17,000 If you stick two pieces of duct tape together you will shred them you'll destroy them before you pull them apart because they literally meld 241 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:23,000 Weld together. Yes, and they become one chemically. That's just the way that adhesive is designed 242 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:29,000 That's how it is with us and Jesus. We can't how many of us have that kind of trust? 243 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:37,000 It's called oneness with Christ. We are one with him and literally become melded to him and cannot be pulled apart 244 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:43,000 And so those of you that are listening, this is a strong word, but it's so important and it could literally be 245 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:52,000 People's eternity their their destiny is hanging in the balance because a lot of people believe Jesus in a casual way 246 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:59,000 Like oh, yeah, I believe he's who he said he was not. Oh, yeah. Yeah, he's a good guy. He's a good great 247 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Great rabbi, but here's the deal. Do you trust him with your very life? 248 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:12,000 Do you trust him enough to get on his back and let him walk you across the highway? 249 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:16,000 Do you trust him enough to tell other people about him? 250 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:23,000 And if you do trust someone to that level you'll want to tell other people that's the that's the way I sort of you know 251 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:30,000 It's we don't judge people but we do look at people's fruit the fruit of their lives and people who are 252 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:36,000 Incapable of sharing their faith. I just have to ask an honest question. Are they truly believers? 253 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:43,000 Believing believers or do they just believe from a distance or don't trust are they are they thinking? Well, you're a pastor 254 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:50,000 Of course, you're gonna do this but there's there's really no difference between you as a pastor and none whatsoever 255 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:58,000 You know that just got saved none whatsoever. We have the same calling. Yeah, we're supposed to do the same things and 256 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:05,000 We don't get saved and then like you say swing in a hammock on a beautiful sunny day 257 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:14,000 There's nothing left for us to do. Alright, we got saved. There is work to do. So in a real I preached a message a number of years ago 258 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:21,000 Over at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio Max Lucado's church and I titled it putting the go in the gospel. Yes 259 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:28,000 I'll never forget that message. Putting the go in the gospel and it's and it was along the same line that 260 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:36,000 That Jesus says go there for he doesn't say wait wait and see if it's my will for you to do something 261 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:41,000 No, he already tells us what I need to ask God if this is really what is what is God's will for my life? 262 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:47,000 That's a huge question. Probably one of the most asked questions either out loud or just thought in 263 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:52,000 In most believers mine wrong question. What is the wrong question? What do you do when you ask the wrong question? 264 00:15:52,000 --> 00:16:00,000 You're gonna get the wrong answer. There it is. Go there for and make disciples of all the nations interesting. It doesn't say make converts 265 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:05,000 Right. It says make disciples. You can actually do that as we know. My goodness. As we found out from 266 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:13,000 Bishop Bill and now there's a responsibility for someone who has had an encounter with Jesus whether it's that supernatural like that 267 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:20,000 In another country or whether it's just in a conversation at Starbucks or wherever you're talking to somebody across the table and you 268 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:26,000 Say hey, do you want to be a follower of Jesus? Yeah, I think I want to do that either way. However, that happens 269 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:32,000 The the result is now the responsibility for us is to go but the go in the gospel 270 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,000 Get up off our blessed assurance 271 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:44,000 Get up off our blessed assurance and go and to make disciples. That means we have a responsibility to help people become apprentices 272 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,000 Disciples of Jesus 273 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:52,000 That's something we're working on real hard here at the bridge. So for those of you if you're new to the podcast and our lead 274 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:58,000 Passers at Bridge Church in Fredericksburg, Texas, we're developing a robust comprehensive 275 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:05,000 Discipleship track called walking with God on the journey of discipleship and on discipleship journey 276 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:10,000 I don't know. Discipleship journey. Yeah. Walking with God on the discipleship journey 277 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:19,000 So anyway, we are developing this robust 17 week two semester class. I'm excited because I'm gonna actually get to teach 278 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:25,000 Yeah, you're gonna teach I'm gonna teach other some of our other pastors teach on a Wednesday night on a Wednesday night 279 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:32,000 And it's going to when I say robust and comprehensive what I mean is gonna cover the whole gamut 280 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:38,000 It's gonna cover. What is the church? Who is the Holy Spirit? What does it mean to be a disciple? 281 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,000 What does it mean to be a witness? What does it mean to? 282 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:50,000 What what is the what does it mean to walk in faith? Yeah. Oh love that and what's the juxtaposition between government and and faith? 283 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:58,000 Yes, what about the intersection of what does it mean to walk in spiritual gifts to to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? 284 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:04,000 It's gonna be comprehensive. I'm I'm more stoked about this than I am Sunday mornings and I love your Sunday mornings 285 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:11,000 Thank you, sweetie. I can't get enough. I mean I listen to all three messages. I mean all three. You get to activate your teaching gift 286 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:17,000 I'm really excited because this is basic foundation. Yes, that's gonna help people 287 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:25,000 Yes, really hone in on their the salvation that we have been given as a gift and what we can do 288 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:30,000 To present it to others. So back to our original statement. Does God need us? 289 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:38,000 He needs us. He loves us and he desires us. He wants us to co-labor with him. Yes. Yes. To put the goal in the gospel 290 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:47,000 I love the word desire. Love the word desire. It's what I have for you. Oh and me for you. I really mean that. I desire you 291 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:53,000 That's why we love working together for 31 years of wow. I mean we we love doing what we do 292 00:18:53,000 --> 00:19:00,000 But we love doing it together and that's how God feels about it. Think about it. If this is how we feel and we work together 293 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:08,000 Every single day every day all day long can't even imagine how much more he feels for us 294 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:16,000 Because he created us in his image. Remarkable really. I love this is another thing that was powerful to me 295 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:25,000 Is when Pastor Roberts said when God created Adam he created a genius. I never thought about that 296 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:34,000 He didn't create someone that he said okay Adam look at what I've created. Look at the expansion of the sky 297 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:42,000 The stars the mountains in him go yeah. No he created a genius. He's going to create someone in his own image 298 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:51,000 And he's a genius. So in hearing that I just thought wow look how dumbed down we've become. No kidding 299 00:19:51,000 --> 00:20:04,000 Look how dumb down we've become. I love it. He created a genius. A genius in Adam. Because he wouldn't create less than that 300 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:11,000 To fellowship and connect with him. And sometimes we see ourselves as these terrible people. We're weak we're no good 301 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:19,000 He sees us as amazing because he created us. And we have that capacity because we've been given what the Bible says 302 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:27,000 The mind of Christ. We just have to tap into it and appropriate it don't we? That word appropriates huge in the Christian faith 303 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:35,000 It literally means you actually receive a gift but you actually activate and use the gift. Listen we've got people to thank 304 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:42,000 This is a killer conversation. This is amazing because it's so important. Even talking about it with you just now 305 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:51,000 Here on the podcast. My faith is built up. I'm encouraged I'm built up and I just feel stronger for even having the conversation 306 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:59,000 For those listeners that are listening right now. God loves you. He desires you. He can do things on his own because he's God 307 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:06,000 But he wants to partner with you. Partner with you in the gospel to get this gospel out. But not just to get it out 308 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:14,000 But to live it out. So I have something to ask of our listeners. If you have a question about faith and a question about a faith journey 309 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:21,000 And how do I get on the faith journey? Right in. Go to our website livingupinadoworld.com. Right there on the front page 310 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:28,000 I think it's on every page. There's a box there where you can write us. And so right in if you have faith questions 311 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:34,000 We want to give you the answers and if we don't know them we'll find them. I mean we're here to help you 312 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:41,000 And all you do livingupinadoworld.com go there and subscribe to our newsletter that gives you a bump 313 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:48,000 So that you know every week that a podcast is coming. And so we just invite you to go ahead and jump on the train with us 314 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:54,000 Because we want to teach you and help you live up in a down world even as we're learning and growing in it as well 315 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:01,000 And so a couple things. First of all, I want to give some thanks. Got to give a thanks for Brandy. 316 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:09,000 Brandy gave us a generous donation. Brandy Horne, she's amazing. New believer in our church. Just got baptized not too long ago 317 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:18,000 And she is on fire for God. I love it. Love it. She and Tina are like, well Tina actually encouraged her to come to church 318 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:26,000 And their trajectory is unbelievable. It's so parallel. Her and Chris are amazing people. We love them. 319 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:34,000 Got to hang out with them last week and that was amazing. Also with Trey Blocker and the Currys. Man we just had such a great 320 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:40,000 Rick Green and Kara. Rick and Kara Green. I mean God is doing amazing things around here. So this is a note that 321 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:47,000 Brandy wrote. She says, I love listening to the two of you share your love of the Lord and each other. I enjoy hearing what you each have to say 322 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:56,000 It's like a second sermon midweek with a bonus with our First Lady Annette. Thank you all for doing what you do for the people in the community 323 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:02,000 Brandy Horne. Brandy we love you and we are excited to watch your journey of faith. And we get to be a part of it. 324 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:10,000 Yeah we got a 50 yard line seat. I mean we're right there. And then also Adam Curry. Man I want to say big thanks for Adam Curry 325 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:20,000 As he gave a Straper Boost. $77.77. I'm trying to go too fast. He wrote this. Mullets are cool. God bless you both and all the living up. 326 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:28,000 No they're not. You keep saying I have one. Mine's a modified version. Well you're getting your haircut tomorrow. I am. I absolutely am. 327 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:38,000 Also a couple of things. We did a bro and sis date this last week. I just want to land on a couple of things. It was so funny first of all. 328 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:47,000 So every time we go out together it's me and Adam talking 7,000 miles an hour about God the World and other things at one end of the table. 329 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:56,000 And then you and Tina are talking 7,000 miles an hour on God the World and other things. So we do these bro dates and then y'all were like 330 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:05,000 So me and Adam are like man we've been meeting with a lot of people. Like we've been going out with Chris and Brandy and Trey and then we went out with Peggy and Tim 331 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:12,000 So we would keep going out with all these groups. And the Mandales. You hung out with them. Came back from Nashville. 332 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:19,000 So we're like we need to just go hang out together alone. Like a bro date and then you were like well we want a sis date. 333 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:26,000 So here's what we did. It was crazy. So we got together. We did it on what Tuesday night I think it was. 334 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:34,000 But we were going to drive over to Bernie which is like 30 minutes. 25-30 minutes from our house. So they came out to our house together. 335 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:40,000 We got in separate cars. And went to two separate restaurants. So me and Adam got in a car. You and Tina got in one of the cars. 336 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:47,000 Drove to Bernie together and then we split off because y'all went to one restaurant. We went to another and then we met back at the house later. 337 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,000 Ours was better. It probably was. Ours steak was over the top. 338 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:54,000 Mine was good but I think you probably yeah. I think y'all hit a home run. 339 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,000 It's my favorite place. Beef steak in Bernie is phenomenal. Ours was a base hit but not a home run. 340 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,000 I'm going to plug beef steak in Bernie. It's my new favorite restaurant in Bernie. 341 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,000 It's really great. If you're a meat eater, oh my gosh. It's meat heaven. 342 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:13,000 So anyway we had a great time. Of course both of us. We got back. We're all buzzing because we've been talking for hours nonstop. 343 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,000 But that's just such a cool time. We value those things. 344 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:22,000 And then the last thing I want to share is I'm reading a book that has been very has really impacted me. 345 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,000 It's a book by Eric. I don't have to read it because you just share it with me. 346 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:41,000 Oh totally. I'm sharing it with the church too. Eric Metaxas wrote a book called Letter to the American Church. And if you are a pastor or a leader or spiritual leader or just you're a follower of Jesus and you want to have your eyes open to what's going on in our world right now in government and politics. 347 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:55,000 It's not like a heavy political book. It's just talking about how the culture got to a point in the 1930s in Germany that looks very similar to our culture right now. 348 00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:01,000 And he's shooting a...it's taking a shot over the bow to say we better wake up because things are not good right now. 349 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:10,000 Which means we as believers and followers of Jesus, apprentices of Christ, this is our time to step up, open our mouths and speak up. 350 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:20,000 So stand up, speak up and speak out. So you're reading the book but then we found out there is a documentary. Yes and we watched that. It's kind of like the cliff notes of the book. 351 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:31,000 Which meant I didn't have to read it. I could watch the documentary. We watched it twice. I'll watch it again. And you have to get it on epochtimes.com. 352 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:46,000 We downloaded it. It was $9.99. It's worth every penny. We've watched it multiple times. I want to watch it again. So either get the book, The Taxes, Letter to the American Church or go and watch the documentary on epochtimes. 353 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:53,000 It's easy. It's just a broad browser. I mean you just pull it up. So those are massively impacting me. And then Dr. Rick Scarborough's book you're reading. 354 00:26:53,000 --> 00:27:08,000 Oh, I'm reading another book by Rick Scarborough. I have the title because it's not sitting in front of me. I met with Dr. Rick Scarborough who is a huge voice from the Christian standpoint of saying we've got to bring our nation back to biblical, conservative values. 355 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:18,000 Our founding fathers. We're pastors. Hello. Most of the signers or over half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were pastors. 356 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:25,000 Our government right now wants to do away with all Christianity. Anything that has to do with the nuclear family. 357 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:32,000 Well, and they do it based on the separation of church and state, which was set up by the founding fathers who were pastors. 358 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:41,000 It was set up so that to protect the churches and Christianity from tyranny. It was to protect them from government. 359 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:49,000 But now the government has flipped it and now they're trying to protect themselves from us. Yes. And that's wrong. It's not how it was meant to be. 360 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:55,000 So we're returning things to their values. I'm preaching that every Sunday from the pulpit. Boy, are you calling things out. 361 00:27:55,000 --> 00:28:07,000 Yeah, I think I love that someone came to one of our pastors and said, y'all need to pray over Jimmy and Pastor Jimmy and that because they need protection because of what he's preaching in the pulpit. 362 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:14,000 And that right there just gave it. I felt protected knowing that she brought that up. 363 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:21,000 So we're speaking out. We're standing up and we're speaking up. And because we have to. We don't have a choice. We don't have a choice. 364 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:29,000 As followers of Christ, we have an obligation. Yeah, we have an obligation to speak truth into the culture. We speak it with love, but we speak it firmly. 365 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:38,000 We say what needs to be said. Absolutely. I did a sermon last week and basically the gist of it was we need to call sin, sin. We need to call spade a spade. 366 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:46,000 And so check out that sermon. If you in others, it's called Mind Wars is the series because that's what the enemy is after the real estate. 367 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:57,000 So excited you're doing this. So it's called Mind Wars and you go to a bridge FBG.com bridge FBG.com and you can find that you scroll down on the front page there and you can listen. 368 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:07,000 So, wow, we blew through this podcast. Yes, we're on speed speed dial right now. So anything going out that you want to share with our friends? 369 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:14,000 No, I think that's good. I think we've got to get to a staff meeting now. Hey, we love you guys. We love you so much. 370 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:24,000 You go to living up in a down world bridge FBG.com and sign up because we want to stay in touch and do send us any questions about your faith journey. 371 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:33,000 We want to help you in your walk with God. Well, that does it for today. We got a full day ahead of us. It's only nine twelve a.m. 372 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:41,000 We've got a full day of meetings and you know what? We get to do this because we're living up in a down world. Love you, baby. Gorgeous. 373 00:29:41,000 --> 00:30:05,000 Hey, you guys have an amazing week on purpose. We are out of here.