Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:00]:
Glad that you guys are here. How many of you guys, that I just wanna ask this. It's like even though it's the winner, I know it's the winner and we have AC on here, but how many of you guys, like, really appreciate AC? Good AC. Right? Yeah. You cannot live out on the West Side without appreciating good AC, you know. And, I just had my house serviced, for the AC units, and one of those things that, the reason why I did, you know, we were kinda walking through Home Depot and they had this little offer with a, like a deal to get your, AC serviced. And I had noticed already that, you know, my AC had been working. It it was working, but just was working, it wasn't working as good as it used to.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:00:40]:
You guys know what I mean? It's like all of a sudden to get to the same temperature, I had to lower the the the the temperature on the settings. Right? And it's like it was working, but it was working harder. And I had cleaned the screens, but it still, you know, know, it wasn't wasn't changing and things. And so, when the guy came over, he asked me, the technician came over, he asked me, so when was the last time you had your AC serviced? And I was like, I was hoping he wasn't gonna ask me that because I cannot remember, you know, like maybe seven or eight years, and I just was thinking to myself like, you know, I'm so good with my cars or whatever, it's like get them every three to four months, whatever, get oil changed, all that stuff, but I literally couldn't remember, what it was when it was that I had actually had it serviced. And somehow, you know, when you don't service it, actually, it takes its toll on the AC, and and I don't know if you've ever been like this in life where there's things that you just kinda take for granted and, you know, you just it's not that you you don't value it, but you can't take it for granted. And so it's kinda on a on a, automatic, you just think like it's it just work. It'll just be there, and somehow you just sense the strength of it getting a little weaker, a little weaker. Maybe it takes more and more energy, to attend to it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:01:57]:
And you know, in many ways, I think relationships can be that way. And you know, we were we've been in this series called relationship essentials even if. Right? Even if. And you know, I think about it like this week with the the AC is because when I, the the technician came in, he he said, you know, as he took it all apart, he took some pictures, and he said, oh, mister Yamaguchi, this is can I show you what it looks like? And then it was like disgusting. You know, it's the kind of like you just go like, was I supposed to call hazmat for my house? You know, it's so black, and you know, there's stuff growing, and he's like, yeah, I get some unhealthy stuff going on that AC and all of that, and and you know, I just had been thinking, you know, like, my son had been having some respiratory issues. I felt started to feel guilty, like I just was scolding him. Take your medicine. I said, you know, but maybe it's sad.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:02:51]:
We'll see, you know, the whole thing. But, I think in some ways though that, you know, at times when it when we've left things to their own devices, and it's been a long time, that there's some essentials that we need to, you know, that we need to attend to. I want to talk about that this morning because sometimes we're we're waiting, a long time just because we just think things will be fine for a long time. And sometimes, we already see that things aren't, you know, how they're supposed to be, things aren't where they should be or how they could be, but it's been a long time. Right? And sometimes we're waiting for God to do something, and sometimes we've just been together a long time. Right? And when that happens, there's some essential things that we we need to do, and I'm going to kind of hop in and out of Psalm 13. I'm going to begin, and we're going to end with it, but but I I think that it it says something that King David, I like the way he says it in Psalm 13, and he says it like this in verses one and two, and would you be kind enough to stand with me in reverence for God, reverence for His word. And when it comes to our relationships, when it comes sometimes when you're waiting for people to change, you're waiting for things things to change, and there's things to attend to, but you just never get around to it, and it's been a long time.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:04:10]:
Sometimes we feel like David feels, I think. This is what he says. Let's read together. Ready? Begin. How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts day after day and have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? When we're in that situation, and and maybe we're waiting and it's like it communicates a spirit of weariness. It communicates a a spirit of frustration. It communicates that lord, I'm trusting you but Right? Not and it feels like, but it feels but but I'm tired and I'm weary. And when we're in that kind of a place, when we're in that kind of a place that I I believe God has if you can relate to that, whether it's in a relational setting or some things that you're trusting God for.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:06]:
That there's some things I think that can be very helpful for us. So, before you're seated, do me a favor. Just turn to your neighbor. It says, if you feel like that, you're not alone. Then you can have a seat. Alright. Right. And you know one of the things I noticed about David is he feels frustrated, and he feels forgotten, and he's suffering, and there's opposition, and he's filled with sorrow.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:05:30]:
But you know what else he's doing? He's still talking to God. You ever notice that? Like, and what do we do when we're in the midst that you're waiting, and it's been a long time, and you're trusting God, and it's been maybe years that, you know, you're waiting on different things, but keep engaged. You know, I what I love is that David doesn't just say, I'm sucking it up for God. Right? I'm just sucking it up for God. He trusts God and is believing God, but he keeps pouring out his heart as well. He keeps talking to God. And the two are not in opposition to say that I trust God, and that it's hard. Right? It's not like, you know, it's like I trust God, and so everything should be easy, or you know, because there's opposition, then I I I don't have to trust.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:17]:
I'm gonna just do it all myself. Those two don't have to be in opposition, but they can so easily work together. And David keeps communication, honest communication with God. Right? He's not just pretending like everything is all good. How are you doing? Like, you know, you see somebody sometimes on the on the weekend, and say, hey, how are you doing? And what do we say? Good. Right? And and are you always good when you say you're good? No. Sometimes it's just a, you know, it's just a thing to say, right? It's just a, we don't know like if it's going to be that kind of a conversation. So we, no, it's good.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:06:52]:
You don't have to put on the it's good face for God. That he says like, be honest with me. And I think what I love about this is because sometimes before things get better, it's a while. Right? Sometimes, it's a while. Sometimes, it's longer than we thought, and it's often longer than we want. And so, but what I like about David is he doesn't shut down. He keeps staying engaged with God. And if you're in a relationship that's like that, and you're in a relationship that all of a sudden just takes more energy and it's just strained, and there's different things, and sometimes it's easy to shut down.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:07:34]:
But stay engaged. Keep talking. Keep moving in that. Right? Don't you know, the devil wants to do, he wants us to give up. Right? You know, if David gave up, there would be no Psalm 13. Right? If David gave up, it's like, hey, God, I tried it your way, but you never do them, so forget it. And and so, I'm glad it doesn't say in your bible when you look at Psalm 13. David said forget it.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:08:05]:
And and so he stayed engaged. And because he stayed engaged, when you don't quit, when you don't break down, it's at that point that breakthrough becomes possible. Right? But the moment that you quit, the moment that you walk away, that even if God was going to do something, all of a sudden you won't see it, right? You can't experience it. And so what is it for David? Sometimes I think he just keeps daring to hope. He keeps daring to care. Right? And and sometimes it's just that we just got to keep doing what God has called us to do. Right? Because how many of you have ever wanted somebody in your life to change? Raise your hand. Okay.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:08:46]:
And the rest of us are liars. Right? Because we all have wanted somebody to change. You wanted somebody to work to change. You wanted your kids, and then, you know, there's a, and this is showing my age, there's an old Billy Joel song, don't go what? Change and to try to please me, but to be honest, we want people to change to please us. Right? We we like it that way, but if you've ever been in that place, right, sometimes we want them to change their point of view. Sometimes we want them to change their attitude. Sometimes we we want to change a habit, and that you've been wanting these things for for a while. You've been maybe you've talked about them, and then you got so tired that you don't want to even talk about it anymore.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:09:26]:
And so, sometimes for things to get better or become more civil, sometimes you just gotta keep pressing forward. And if you're like most of us that you probably have a strategy when things don't go well and you want people to change, you probably have a strategy that you employ. Now, if you're like most people, the first thing you do is you try to make your point. You guys ever know what I mean? Like, you make a case, all of a sudden you sell the you're selling a product all of a sudden, or you're a lawyer, you're arguing trying to convince them, like, this is the way, this is the right thing, right? And if they don't respond right away, what do we do? Then we start making them feel guilty. You know how long I've been waiting on this thing? And right now we we start doing those things. And then you try that if they if they don't respond to the the the perfect logic of your argument, and they don't respond to the subtle and sometimes not so subtle guilt that we trip that we try to put on them, then we try to just kind of push our way. Right? Maybe we we get a little impatient, you know, and then if and if not, then you just say, well, I just gotta take control. Right? Now, you guys ever try that? Does that sound familiar? Right? Now, and you know what the great thing is? It works perfectly, doesn't it? No.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:10:39]:
It doesn't. Right? Now, why doesn't it work? Because why Of course, it doesn't work. Why? Because do you like somebody arguing you into their point? Right? Do you like somebody kind of guilty tripping you into doing something? Do you like somebody trying to force you and coerce you to do what you don't wanna do, or try to control you? Right? Nobody likes that. Right? So we all know that we don't like it, but why do we do it? Why do we do it? It? Because somehow in our mind, we think if they only saw what I see, then they do it. Right? If they only knew what I knew, or if they only saw it that way, and we are it's it is. And and so there are some things I think that that it's a default for us, but we have to instead of that, I think that we'll see some things that clearly from the scripture, but also clearly at times counterintuitive. It's not the first thing that you do, and sometimes the the the solution isn't what you think the natural solution is. Now, at the same time, because we're Christians here, right, we're believers here that we pray.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:11:50]:
Right? You've prayed for change. You've prayed for your spouse. You've prayed for your family member. You've prayed for your friends. You've prayed for the situation. And if you've prayed about those things that right now it's been a long time, I commend you, right. I commend you. So just do me a favor.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:07]:
Turn to your neighbor and say, I'm so glad you prayed. Right? You ought to pray. Right? Philippians tells us, right, that we ought to keep doing those things. Don't worry about everything. And he says, instead, pray about everything. Right? And tell God what you need and thank him for what he's done. But I also love what R. A.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:24]:
Torrey said. He's a preacher, pastor, bible scholar. He was actually the president of the original bible, college and the seminary that I went to, and he said this. He says, Until you pray, there is nothing more important to do than pray. But after praying, there is so much more to do. Right? So if you've prayed, it's not bad. It's good and necessary. It's just not sufficient sometimes.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:12:55]:
When it comes to essentials in relationships, when it's been a long time. Sometimes it takes a little more than prayer. In fact, Jesus said it like this. He says, so in in in Matthew five, he says, so if you're presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember, let's say the word remember. Right? You ever forget stuff? Right? You ever forget that sometimes you made a mistake? You ever forget that sometimes somebody got mad at something and you said, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Take care of it. And then you forget to take care of it, right? So, he's saying all of a sudden, you remember. You remember something and that someone has something against you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:41]:
And then he says two things. He says, let's read what it says. Leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go. So let's say leave. Go. Right. And so, and what? Be reconciled to that person.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:13:57]:
Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. And you know, if you're this situation, he's saying, do you want to to worship? And and, you know, that all of a sudden in the worship, and you're singing, and you're praising God, and we're singing, Lord, all of you is more than enough for all of me. And then you realize, Oh shoot. I think I hurt this person and I never dealt with it. I never apologized. I never asked for forgiveness. I never, you know, he's saying, you know, like, and we're gonna take the offering. You know what it says? First aid, leave the offering and then you go.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:31]:
No, but, it does say that. But like, it is saying this what, that there's a priority to not ignore the thing that you remember. Right? Don't ignore the thing that you remember. Don't ignore the thing that God prompts you. Don't ignore the the whispers of the spirit. Don't ignore them. Instead, what do we need to do? We need to move toward them, right. It says, leave and go.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:14:58]:
And so for many of us, it's challenging. It's challenging to try to sometimes reconcile something. It's challenging to to face a situation when you know somebody's upset at you, right? How many of us love to face somebody that's upset at us? Right? Nobody, right? Like, that's not natural to to love that. We we might love the person, but you don't love the situation. Right? That we many of us, we we shy away from it. If you shy away from it, you're just normal, I think. Right? If it's not your first, like, inclination, it's like, oh, man, I gotta, you know, I gotta face that. If you that's not you, that's that's pretty normal, I think.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:15:37]:
And, because no one, you know, that's a thousand and we all want to at times we you like people who what? Like you. Right? When people are mad at you, sometimes we we can tend to shy away. I understand. You might want to tend to avoid them. Right? How many times have you I've seen people where, you know, there's a little bit of tension, and I'm walking someplace, and I see them, and I know they see me, and I see them, and I want to say hi, and then they do this. Right? Because it's now at some point, I understand that that it's it's natural for for them not to kind of in that social setting, they're feeling a little uncomfortable, but but God's command to us, God's instruction to us is don't ignore it. Be responsive. And so here's the thing what he's saying, move toward the person.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:27]:
Move toward that person. If that person is at home, move toward that person. If that person's at work, move toward that person. Right? If that person is your neighbor, right, move toward that person. Is that your natural response? Probably not. Probably not. Sometimes what's natural is wrong. Right? And so let them know the relationship matters to you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:16:57]:
Let them know that if there's an issue to address that you address the issue. Right? And and this one clearly says that if you did something, right, that then it's your fault, then of course, you ought to be the person who goes and apologizes and makes right. But what if it's not your fault? Right? Like, okay, if it's your fault, okay, I understand it's on me. I gotta go. But what if it's clearly the other person's fault? Now, for most of us, all the problems in your life, all the problems in relationships, I know the real reason is it's not your fault. It's the other guy's fault. I understand, right? How many of you guys know what I'm talking about? That feels like that at first, right? And so, am I not then am I not then okay that I don't have to move toward them? They're supposed to move towards me. That would be logical.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:17:48]:
Right? That would be logical, but that's not what Jesus said. And so, what does Jesus say? It's in Matthew eighteen fifteen. Can we read this together? He says it like this, If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won the person back. Now this isn't really that when you if you keep reading this passage, it goes on and it it talks about if they what happens if they don't respond when you go ahead. Now this is not something that's written explicitly about marriage, and I have seen some people say, I want to follow the Bible says this. It's like, I go and take some I I go talk to them privately, and they never listen, so then I bring somebody else, then I tell the church and they said, pastor, my husband is this, and it's like, and it says like, Put them out of the church if they don't do, like, this is not related to marriage to follow to the letter. This is written to relationships in community like at church, right? So, and what's the difference? It's because you don't tell your spouse because they didn't listen to you that, Okay.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:05]:
Get out. That's not what it's saying. But this is what the principle is. The principle applies. Let's say the principle applies. Right. Not all the details apply. The principle applies.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:16]:
What is the principle? You still got to move toward that. Right. Isn't that what it's saying? That you go because you recognize. Why is it that you go? Because you see it. And sometimes people don't see it. Sometimes people don't realize it. God puts the person who sees it to be responsible. Sometimes I hurt somebody and I see it, I'm responsible.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:19:44]:
Right? Sometimes they hurt me and I see it, I'm responsible. If I didn't see it, you cannot respond to anything that you don't know. Right? So he's just saying this, that when you know, respond. Now, sometimes in marriage, in family, the hard part is hurts happen repeatedly, right? It's not just one time, right? Like, it's not just, you know, one time you didn't pick up your socks, right? It's not just one time you were late. It's not just one time you lost your temper, right? Sometimes the fact that why it's hard is it's more than once. It's kind of a thing that happens. And you know, I understand that sometimes it's the repeated disappointment. It's the repeated hurt.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:20:34]:
It's the repeated failed expectation that that happens. I understand kind of things happening like that. And growing up, you know, I had a, you know, some expectations and some hopes that how things would be with me and my dad. And but when I was young especially, my dad had a pretty challenging drinking problem. And there were missed nights when he wouldn't come home, and there were times we missed the Christmas dinner and all of these things. And I I don't say this to hang my dad out under the bus because he he really experienced the greatest change in his life and came to Christ. And many of you guys know, knew my dad before he passed away. And and so, you know, I'm so proud of my dad.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:21:24]:
But to be honest, growing up, there were things that were difficult. And after I became a believer, to be honest, before I was, we were talking about it in our small group on Thursday about different things, and I was saying, you know, when I was a young kid, a teenager, I never thought that I wanted my dad's approval. It was only like when I got into my twenties. This is later, and I was like a doubt, like getting close to 30 or whatever. It's like, wow, I guess I really wanted my dad's approval in a lot of areas, and I didn't get it, you know, largely, largely. And so it's in that moment that when I became a believer actually and I started serving the Lord that all these feelings and actually memories that I totally forgot about like sitting and waiting for him to come home so we can go for Christmas dinner just came back to me and it felt like it was like yesterday. And it was weird and I thought, what is this? The devil or all of this? And to be honest, I think, to be honest, you know, sometimes people say, you're repressing, you're repressing things because you don't pretend like you know, like, I think, to be honest, I think that's God's handiwork. Because if at that point, if I didn't forget about it, I couldn't have handled it probably as a kid.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:22:48]:
You know when it was a sign that when all that stuff came back to me, it was a sign that I was in a place where I was being loved by God, and I was secure, and I had a strength that I didn't have before I was a believer. So I could face this and it wouldn't make me so bitter, Although I had to work through some anger and I had to kind of deal through some of those things. And you know, the reality is I wanted to have a better relationship with my dad. Right? But how many of you realize that that your dad, like my dad is a middle aged Japanese guy. He wasn't very verbal, right? Wasn't very emotional, wasn't very communicative, right? In general, right? Like, kind of like one, two words answers. How many of you guys, you're not even Japanese, but your dad is Japanese when you hear this kind of, right? It's like, so you had to, right? So, we we have this kind of a thing, but I wanted to be closer to my dad. And the thing is that I thought, like, you know, he should have done this, and he should have done that, and he should have. He should have.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:23:54]:
But you know what I thought to myself is if I wait for him to to come and say, Glenn, I'm so sorry I missed out on so much of your growing up. And I'm sorry. If I waited for that, I knew that I could wait my whole life, right? And I could just forward the tape, to be honest. I was just forwarding the tape, and I just thought, If I just wait, one day I am going to be standing at the grave and looking at my dad's marker and looking at this thing and thinking, like, I hope you knew I loved you. I hope you knew that I wanted to be closer. But you know what I mean? It's like I knew that would happen if I wait. And so you know what I said? I knew. My dad might not have known.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:24:53]:
But I knew. So I moved towards him. And I said, I'm not going to wait for my dad to come. I'm just going to tell him I love him. Now, like, we didn't grow up in a house where we told you, I think I was a little kid, right, when my dad told me he loved me. You know, when you're a little boy, you're a toddler, your dad can kind of hold you up and say, oh, I love you, and all that, but there's something when you're, you know, your voice is changing, your dad don't tell you that, right? Like, when you're growing up, after a certain point, I don't know what your point was for many of us, you didn't get that. Right? And and we're not emotional. We don't say that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:25:35]:
We don't hug and all this. So I just decided though, I'm gonna start hugging my dad and I'm gonna start telling him I love you. And, and I didn't even like to be hugged myself in the beginning. Right? You know when I started to like to be hugged? It's when I became a believer, When I went to church and people hugged me and they greeted me and I felt the love of God. You guys ever felt that like from some of our greeters that somebody greeted you meet somebody, it's like it was amazing that something changed in me. And I remember the first time I told my dad that I loved him and I gave him a hug, it was like all of a sudden, his spine became a four by four. And he went like this. And he didn't say anything.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:26:24]:
He go, oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then and that was it, right? And it wasn't the response I had hoped for, But you know what? And it was it uncomfortable? Yes, it was uncomfortable. But I said it doesn't matter if it's uncomfortable. I want to do this till my dad knows that I love him, right. So I just I just kept doing it. And then, you know, after a while, my dad started figuring out that, hey, this kid, he's going to hug me and tell me he loves me, like, every chance he gets, because I see him all the time, right, because I'm living on my own, doing all my own thing, but every once in a while I have to take him to the airport, and so my dad, when I would drop him off at the airport in front other people, I would hug my dad, I would get out, hug my dad because he would go to Big Island to go to work, at our my uncle's place in Kalapana, before the volcano, took everything. And I would hug him and tell him I love him. So my dad, in front of other people, he would be embarrassed.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:27:32]:
So he started to kind of try to ambush me or kind of deflect me by sticking out the hand, you know, at the car, right? And then all of a sudden, I came like the guy, ah, I pushed the hand away, just hug him in front of everybody, and I tell him I love him. And you know, like, he never changed right away, but after a while, I could feel him softening up. After a while, I felt him. And then when I moved to the Mainland, it's, after doing this for like about eight years, I When I moved to the Mainland, I called my dad once, and my dad said, Well, Glenn, I miss you. And I was thinking, Oh, yeah, dad. I miss you too. I look at that. First time in my life, my dad said.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:28:21]:
And the next time I called, I said, hey, dad. He goes, before we hung up, he was like, Glenn, I love you. And I turned to my friend and I said, what number I'm gonna call? Who's this on the other line? I don't know. I never heard this before. Right? And here's the thing. For some of you that you know what? There's things in people in your life that you want to be closer. You want to be have a better relationship, you you want to, to be more civil, you want it to be, you know, like to be on each other's team and not be in opposition. But can I say this that do what you know is right, don't do what is comfortable? And in fact, it is.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:11]:
You just got to be willing for it to be weird. You know what I said that when I hug my dad, it's going to be weird, but I'd rather it be weird than not do it at all. And then make it okay for it to be weird till it stops. Right? And so, you know, this is what I think is that sometimes you got to be willing to do what's uncomfortable till it's comfortable. Because, you know, if you want something to change, what does it say that if you keep doing the same thing only expecting a different result? He said, that's the definition of insanity, right? So you gotta be willing to do something different. And it's it's okay if it's uncomfortable. Uncomfortable doesn't mean wrong. Right? Uncomfortable just means I never mastered this.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:29:59]:
Uncomfortable just means it's ground that we haven't covered before. And you know the thing is that part of this, that even if you've had a strain that's even bigger, that you know, like we talked before. We just weren't close with my dad. But some of us, we've been in situations where, to be honest, you the strain is really it's a real thing. And you know, it's like maybe some of us you haven't talked for a while. Some of us you haven't connected in in years maybe. And and if that's the case, you know, some of the things that God's calling us to do, it's been a little while. Right? It's been a while.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:30:39]:
It's been a long time. Yeah. I'm guessing that for a reason why you're not doing this because to be honest, we're waiting for that person who wronged us to come and apologize. Right? And you might have even forgiven them. Yeah? You know what I mean? That that Jesus told us to forgive. How many times? Not five times, not 10 times, not seven times, but seven times seven. Right? Like, it's not exactly 490. It's it's just saying we ought to be keep on forgiving.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:09]:
But can we just say this? Sometimes the issue is not forgiveness. Forgiveness is an important part. Just like prayer is an important part. But the reality is you got to move toward them, we said. And you got to do it in a way that you're gonna have no regrets. I wanted, when I reached out to my dad, I wanted it to be in a way that he'll never gonna, he's never gonna mistake this. And then because I never want it to be like, when it was too late to have the regret. Because I didn't wanna have the I would've or I should've or I could've.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:31:49]:
And all of a sudden, I can't anymore. Do what you can, it says. Now, where does it say this? It says it like this in Romans chapter 12 verses 17 to 18. And he's talking about these things that sometimes, you know, some things go wrong. Sometimes things happen in relationships. Sometimes things happen in our lives. And he says, so don't repay anyone evil for evil. Let's say that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:14]:
Let's read that together. Ready? Do not repay anyone evil for evil. In other words, don't do to them what they did to you. Right? Don't just say, hey, don't just go tit for tat. Right? Don't just say, hey, you you talk stink about me, I'm talking stink about you. Right? You ignored me, I'm gonna ignore you. Don't do that. He's saying, instead, don't do evil, instead do what is right.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:32:38]:
He says. He says, Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of anyone. And then it says this in verse 18. Can we read this together? Ready? Let's read. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. And what is that saying? It says, don't make them pay. Don't return evil. Don't get into a spitting match.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:06]:
Right? How many of you guys watched that news conference yesterday, with the president and the president of Ukraine? Anybody watch that yesterday? Right? And like when I watched that yesterday, I just was like, oh my gosh. This is such a horrible, horrible thing. Right? Part of it is the worst thing is because it was on TV in front of everybody. Right? It wasn't it wasn't a private thing. Probably translators would have helped to, like, a little bit of this communication. It was it was crazy. I just looked at that, but what happened is one guy got offended, then he offended the other guy. The other guy, and it's just, like, it was predictable.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:33:50]:
Right? After a few seconds, it's predictable what's going to happen. And the call that that Jesus has to us is don't just say because somebody else said. Right. And he's saying that we ought to we ought to do everything as possible as far as it depends on me that to try to be at peace, to try to resolve things, to try to let them know, right, that you know, that I'm for you. I I want this to be better. But it doesn't say until you have reconciliation. Because why? Because the reason is because it's not like a broken AC. If I had a broken AC, you know what? All they gotta do is order the part, change the part, and we're good to go.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:34:44]:
Right? People are not the same. You don't have control over what someone will choose, over what someone will say, over what their attitude will be. Right? You know, their response in general, we have no control. But what do we have control over? To do everything that I can do. Right? Have no regrets. Right? God doesn't want you to have regrets. He doesn't want you to have regrets standing at the gravesite. He doesn't want you to have regrets that oh, jeez.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:35:16]:
I should have said before something horrible happened. Right? And so, I had some really close friends and, like we were really close. We might we were often in their house, like after service, we would be at their house on Saturday night. That was a it was a hangout place. My kids would hang out with them. My my we would take care of their kids and, you know, we just were really close. And then something happened where we just kind of went through a rough patch in in the relationship and they started taking care of this person, what I had seen, that had that person had got hurt at church. And, so I thought it was good, because they know me, right? And so they'll it's not that she got hurt from me per se, but but was at church, and so I knew that if something needed to be corrected, they could do that.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:36:12]:
And so I didn't think about it. Then later on, I started noticing the attitude change. You guys notice that sometimes the attitude changes a little bit. You go like, is that just me or you know, then you just and the next thing I know, it's just it's just weird. It just got weird. And I didn't know what the situation was. And I realized later that, to be honest, I think this person who had been hurt was just saying all kinds of stuff and saying, you know, the church did this and the pastor did this and all of those things. And rather than I just thought because we've known each other so well, they just set it straight.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:37:01]:
And so after a while, I tried to get together and talk about it. And, and you know what? They didn't want to talk about it. And I was so upset at that point, right? Why was I upset? Because I was like, like, if you cannot even talk about it then, and let's resolve it, I guess I don't want to be friends with somebody like that. You ever been in that kind of a place? Right? And I'm sharing this story because I, in some sense, I want to say because I want to dispel a myth I believe the enemy uses to keep people apart and to derail relationships. And this is what he tries to do. He tries to get us to say, and unless that person can see what I saw and agree that what we agreed, that this is what happened, then no sense, nothing I can do because we're not dealing with the truth. You guys know what I'm talking about? So if we're not dealing with the truth, what kind of relationship will you have? But how many of us has learned that there's always three stories, right, in this situation. That what you see, what they see, and then what actually happens.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:38:27]:
Right? And so, you know, I went for a couple years where we just weren't close. We didn't talk or call or whatever and it was weird. And then you know what I there's a part of me was that, to be honest in the beginning, I think I was kind of trying to probably punish them in some ways because I was mad. Right? And then this is what it came to. It's like I understood that kind of like what happened, probably. And they didn't want to talk about it. But you know what? They're good people. They're great friends.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:12]:
And it would be such a shame that over that, over that little thing, that we would lose out on friendship. Right? We still love each other. We still care, but we we're not close. And so this is what I did. I just called him. Said, hey, can I drop by? And to be honest, we didn't talk about that thing. We just caught up. And I did what I did with my dad, and I hugged him, and I told him I loved him.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:39:50]:
And you know what happened after a while? And they've since moved. They have gone to the Mainland and they have been But whenever I am around, whenever I am in town, whenever I am close, we will call and we will get together. And you know, sometimes we talk on the phone sometimes for hours. Why? Because as long as much as it depends on me, and I saw it, so I needed to move forward. I am so glad I did. And they've told me that, you know what? Thank you so much that that whenever you you make a point that you make a point. And so this is what I I want you to just kind of walk away. Is there if there's a hurt somewhere, there's a relationship that's sour and you've forgiven them, but you just haven't moved toward them, Sometimes I think that's the next step.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:40:59]:
And the goal isn't reconciliation. That's nice if it happens, but you cannot control that. The goal is so that you can walk away saying, I did everything that was in my power to make it right. And hopefully they do. But even if not, that you can entrust it to God. And so I love what David says at the end in Psalm 13. It is a pretty short Psalm, but he says this, But I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me, and I will sing because the Lord is good to me.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:41:44]:
So what do we do when it's been a long time? Keep trusting. Keep worshiping. Keep moving toward them. Sometimes God does amazing things. That make sense? Let's bow our heads. We'll close in a word of prayer. And for some of us, I think that just as I've been sharing this message, there's a face, there's a name that I mean, it's clearly God getting your attention. And if you're here this morning, or this evening, and you recognize it's more than what the message that I shared is God, really, trying to say to you.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:42:41]:
I don't know what He's saying to you. Maybe some of us said, You need to forgive. Maybe for some of us, stay engaged. Maybe for some of us, move toward them. Maybe some of us act in such a way that even though it's uncomfortable, keep doing it till it's comfortable. Maybe for some of us, keep moving toward them so that you have no regrets. And let amazing things happen. But if that's You this evening and You're just saying, God, I sense that that's You.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:22]:
And if You're getting my attention, like don't ignore it. Don't ignore it. Respond to that. If that is you this evening, would you just say, God would you raise your hand and say, God, I get that You are putting this on me today. You are getting my attention. Father, I am thankful. Relationships matter. Our relationship with You matters.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:43:52]:
Lord, that some of us, we all get disappointed. We all get hurt. And Lord, we've all hurt other people, and we've all disappointed other people. The reality is that none of us have batted a thousand. And so father that thank you that you came to reconcile people who are broken and sinners, Lord, like us to be right with you. But, Lord, the second thing you said was that we ought to be willing to do that with those who have heard us, and maybe some of those people that we have heard. So, Father, we just get we just acknowledge. We get the message.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:44:33]:
Would You help us to take a practical step tomorrow? Would You help us to take a practical step in in this season, Lord God. And Father, we are just praying that would the devil have no foothold in creating a division and robbing and stealing and killing relationships that you meant to be life giving in our lives. And, father, sometimes we don't we might not always agree about even exactly what happened, but, Lord, we can agree that Lord, this relationship is worthwhile. And we can agree that Lord, You called me to love them. And Lord, that You called me to be blessing to them. So we just say, Lord, would You empower us to do that today? Would you cover your friend your family Lord? You cover your sons, cover your daughters, Lord, cover their households today. Father, we just make no space for the enemy because we are saying God, we are listening to you, and we are following you today. In Jesus name, God's people say, Amen.

Pastor Glenn Yamaguchi [00:45:41]:
Amen. Hey, God bless you guys.