WEBVTT 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:11.099 Hey guys, this is Tracy. If at any time you'd 00:00:11.099 --> 00:00:15.039 like to connect with HCV, go to hcv .church forward 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:18.100 slash connect. If you feel called to give, go 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:22.000 to hcv .church forward slash give. And if at 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:23.920 any time you feel called to make a change in 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:29.399 your life, text change me to 970 -00. Enjoy the 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:31.960 message. Welcome to HTV. It's your first time 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:34.219 here. Thanks for joining us and checking us out. 00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:36.140 If you're joining us from home, thank you for 00:00:36.140 --> 00:00:40.159 welcoming us into your space. So a few years 00:00:40.159 --> 00:00:43.859 ago, psychologists started using a phrase that 00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:48.659 perfectly describes our current culture. Decision 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:55.219 paralysis. Decision paralysis. Today, we live 00:00:55.219 --> 00:00:59.200 in the age of unlimited options. You open a streaming 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:02.979 app to watch something, 20 minutes later, you're 00:01:02.979 --> 00:01:06.099 still watching the previews, have watched nothing. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:09.579 Because there's hundreds of shows, thousands 00:01:09.579 --> 00:01:13.280 of movies, endless options. You go to the store 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:15.939 to simply buy toothpaste, and suddenly you're 00:01:15.939 --> 00:01:19.480 bombarded with 37 different kinds. Whitening, 00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:22.599 extra whitening, charcoal, sensitive, enamel, 00:01:22.739 --> 00:01:26.939 organic, not organic. You name it, they have 00:01:26.939 --> 00:01:30.980 it. You can't even go order a cup of coffee without 00:01:30.980 --> 00:01:35.120 feeling like it's a test. Short, tall, grande, 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:37.879 vente, iced, hot, oat milk, almond milk, half 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:41.180 sweet, double shot. And the list goes on and 00:01:41.180 --> 00:01:46.659 on. And we smile and we laugh about it. But unfortunately, 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:48.939 there's something deeper happening in our culture. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:53.180 See, the more choices we have, the harder it 00:01:53.180 --> 00:01:56.829 becomes to make a decision. Studies have shown 00:01:56.829 --> 00:01:59.069 that younger generations, especially millennials 00:01:59.069 --> 00:02:03.049 and Gen Zers, are experiencing high levels of 00:02:03.049 --> 00:02:06.890 decision fatigue and anxiety than any generation 00:02:06.890 --> 00:02:11.990 before them. Why? Because the pressure today 00:02:11.990 --> 00:02:15.650 isn't just to make a decision. It's to make the 00:02:15.650 --> 00:02:19.349 perfect decision. People are now searching for 00:02:19.349 --> 00:02:21.909 the perfect career, the perfect spouse, the perfect 00:02:21.909 --> 00:02:26.560 path, the perfect life. And with endless options, 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:30.039 people live with the constant question, well, 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:34.780 Chris, what if I choose wrong? So instead of 00:02:34.780 --> 00:02:38.639 moving forward, so many people feel stuck. Not 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:41.560 moving forward, not going anywhere, just simply 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:46.099 floating through life. For those of you who may 00:02:46.099 --> 00:02:52.120 not know this, 2026 is HCV's 20 -year anniversary. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:01.219 20 years is sort of a milestone, if you will. 00:03:02.219 --> 00:03:04.680 And of course, with any anniversary celebration, 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:08.919 memories always flood into your mind. Just this 00:03:08.919 --> 00:03:10.979 week, I was reflecting on the day Jess and I 00:03:10.979 --> 00:03:14.419 got engaged. We were both attending Shepherd 00:03:14.419 --> 00:03:16.659 University. It was right around this time of 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:19.800 the year. I had freshly made the last payment 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:22.500 in cash on an engagement ring that was designed 00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:26.439 and made just for her. which allowed me to make 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:29.120 a plan on where and when the question would happen. 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:32.180 It was a beautiful spring day, just like the 00:03:32.180 --> 00:03:35.539 one we had this past Monday. Spring fever was 00:03:35.539 --> 00:03:38.460 in the air. We finished our morning classes, 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:40.479 packed a lunch, and headed for the mountains 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:45.479 for a hike. My plan was to return to a beautiful 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:48.479 rock overlook that I had hiked to the previous 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:51.250 fall at Cunningham Falls. You know that spot 00:03:51.250 --> 00:03:54.289 where you're standing on a rock, it's a valley, 00:03:54.389 --> 00:03:57.069 there's no one else around. It was the perfect 00:03:57.069 --> 00:04:00.729 spot for the perfect question that would mark 00:04:00.729 --> 00:04:05.569 the memory of a lifetime. Unfortunately. Everyone 00:04:05.569 --> 00:04:10.210 say unfortunately. Thank you. Once our hike began, 00:04:10.490 --> 00:04:13.550 at some point on the journey I missed a turn. 00:04:15.330 --> 00:04:18.709 And suddenly I found myself going in circles 00:04:18.709 --> 00:04:22.600 on the same trail. Of course, with circles comes 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:27.420 questions. Where are we going? When are we going 00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:31.540 to eat? I am hungry. Isn't this a good enough 00:04:31.540 --> 00:04:38.779 spot? Why do we keep on walking? Eventually, 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:41.439 I realized I wasn't going to find the perfect 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:45.879 spot, so I found the next best choice and overlooked. 00:04:45.899 --> 00:04:48.720 It looked over Frederick County, and we stopped 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.850 and had lunch. After lunch, I got down on one 00:04:51.850 --> 00:04:54.209 knee, shared my heart, asked the question, will 00:04:54.209 --> 00:04:57.410 you marry me? When showing her the ring, her 00:04:57.410 --> 00:05:02.610 response was a gasp and an oh my. To which I 00:05:02.610 --> 00:05:08.509 thought to myself, what does that mean? So I 00:05:08.509 --> 00:05:13.110 got down on one knee again and asked her the 00:05:13.110 --> 00:05:16.769 same question. Because I did not hear a yes, 00:05:16.930 --> 00:05:18.930 and if you're asking a question of this magnitude, 00:05:19.250 --> 00:05:25.449 church, we want to hear a yes. Thank you. So 00:05:25.449 --> 00:05:27.170 you might have guessed it, she said yes to me 00:05:27.170 --> 00:05:29.129 in the dress, meaning we have been married for 00:05:29.129 --> 00:05:37.189 28 years. Now that day, that day was full of 00:05:37.189 --> 00:05:40.050 plans that were already made. Full of decisions 00:05:40.050 --> 00:05:42.730 that were already made. And here's where I'm 00:05:42.730 --> 00:05:44.730 going with this. Because you might know this 00:05:44.730 --> 00:05:49.149 verse in the book of Jeremiah. In fact, you might 00:05:49.149 --> 00:05:51.250 have a t -shirt with these words written on it. 00:05:51.269 --> 00:05:54.329 Or a coffee mug that you sip every single morning. 00:05:54.829 --> 00:05:57.209 For I know the plans I have for you, says the 00:05:57.209 --> 00:05:59.949 Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster 00:05:59.949 --> 00:06:03.350 to give you a future and a hope. It's a beautiful 00:06:03.350 --> 00:06:06.029 promise God gave to the Israelites in a time 00:06:06.029 --> 00:06:08.509 when they really needed encouragement. They needed 00:06:08.509 --> 00:06:11.329 a reminder that he is a good God with good plans. 00:06:12.850 --> 00:06:16.129 And so much about that verse is true for you 00:06:16.129 --> 00:06:19.689 and me. See, today we have a good God with good 00:06:19.689 --> 00:06:23.810 plans that he's already marked out, laid out 00:06:23.810 --> 00:06:27.170 for us to walk in. However, too many voices can 00:06:27.170 --> 00:06:31.220 create confusion for us. Our modern culture is 00:06:31.220 --> 00:06:34.120 louder than ever. Social media, podcasts, influencers, 00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:37.199 experts, family, friends, everyone has an opinion 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:40.779 about how we should live our lives. Platforms 00:06:40.779 --> 00:06:43.300 like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube constantly 00:06:43.300 --> 00:06:46.019 present lifestyles, opinions, and paths that 00:06:46.019 --> 00:06:49.639 we can follow. The result? People are overwhelmed 00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:54.019 by voices. When every voice claims to have the 00:06:54.019 --> 00:06:57.019 answer, it becomes very difficult to know which 00:06:57.019 --> 00:07:02.850 voice to trust. So this morning, our March series, 00:07:03.029 --> 00:07:06.569 Mind Field, continues with an encouraging talk 00:07:06.569 --> 00:07:11.189 on church. Let's make some more decisions, which 00:07:11.189 --> 00:07:14.310 leads us to our first thought. See, daily decisions 00:07:14.310 --> 00:07:17.689 determine direction. Daily decisions determine 00:07:17.689 --> 00:07:22.329 direction. Proverbs 4, verse 26 says, Give careful 00:07:22.329 --> 00:07:25.470 thought to the past for your feet, and be steadfast 00:07:25.470 --> 00:07:29.509 in all your ways. Give careful thought to the 00:07:29.509 --> 00:07:32.170 paths for your feet. See, direction requires 00:07:32.170 --> 00:07:35.629 intentional decisions. And one of the biggest 00:07:35.629 --> 00:07:39.430 problems in modern culture is that people, especially 00:07:39.430 --> 00:07:43.290 young people, are drifting instead of directing 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:46.990 their lives. Our culture says, go with the flow. 00:07:47.370 --> 00:07:50.709 Follow your feelings. Do whatever makes you happy. 00:07:50.790 --> 00:07:54.449 Do what feels best. But the Bible, the Bible 00:07:54.449 --> 00:07:57.339 says something very different. The Bible says 00:07:57.339 --> 00:08:00.759 give careful thought to the path of your feet. 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:03.839 What does that phrase mean? It means to examine, 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:06.000 weigh, and consider the direction of your life. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:09.439 In other words, God is saying your life doesn't 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:13.800 drift towards purpose. It moves towards purpose 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:18.180 through intentional choices that we daily have 00:08:18.180 --> 00:08:22.860 to make. Decisions that are presented to us, 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:26.100 I believe, by God. that we need to respond to. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.279 Indecision leads to drifting through life. Remember, 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:32.740 Jeremiah 29, 11, you know I mentioned a little 00:08:32.740 --> 00:08:35.679 earlier. For I know the plans I have for you, 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:38.039 says the Lord. They are plans for good, not for 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:40.879 disaster, to give you a future and a hope. And 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.659 see, so many people in the church, they want 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:48.279 God to have the perfect plan laid out for them 00:08:48.279 --> 00:08:50.639 to simply follow. They just want to follow the 00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:54.139 plan. Almost like they would receive direct message, 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:58.080 a DM from God with every plan that he had laid 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:02.259 out for them in the future. For example, in 2026 00:09:02.259 --> 00:09:04.460 you will graduate high school and you're going 00:09:04.460 --> 00:09:06.919 to go to this specific college. I highly recommend 00:09:06.919 --> 00:09:10.179 you do this major so it actually lines up with 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:13.259 your career that you're going to do, which is, 00:09:13.299 --> 00:09:16.559 by the way, for you so you experience fulfillment. 00:09:17.500 --> 00:09:20.929 Here is the person you're going to marry. All 00:09:20.929 --> 00:09:23.289 you have to do is exactly five weeks from this 00:09:23.289 --> 00:09:27.470 date on the weekend service at the 1145 gathering 00:09:27.470 --> 00:09:31.009 at HCV, you are going to be worshiping in the 00:09:31.009 --> 00:09:34.669 middle section. When a quiet time slows down, 00:09:34.789 --> 00:09:37.690 you open your eyes and make eye contact with 00:09:37.690 --> 00:09:40.789 a young gentleman just for a moment, but it sows 00:09:40.789 --> 00:09:43.370 a seed. Because 25 minutes later, you're going 00:09:43.370 --> 00:09:45.789 to be in the cafe, and just some wisdom for the 00:09:45.789 --> 00:09:48.549 future, you don't stand in a circle with five 00:09:48.549 --> 00:09:50.669 other girlfriends, or else you're going to intimidate 00:09:50.669 --> 00:09:55.159 the young man. Simply get in line for coffee 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:57.039 because he's going to get in line for coffee 00:09:57.039 --> 00:09:59.799 too. And when you go to reach for that lid, he's 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:01.779 going to reach for the same lid and accidentally 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:05.100 graze your hand. You'll make eye contact and 00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:08.419 suddenly you realize, oh my gosh, he's the one 00:10:08.419 --> 00:10:11.139 that I made eye contact with. We are worshiping 00:10:11.139 --> 00:10:16.820 and the rest is history. How amazing would it 00:10:16.820 --> 00:10:19.960 be if that would actually happen? And it would 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:23.830 go even further. Here's the job you're going 00:10:23.830 --> 00:10:25.169 to take. Here's the house you're going to buy. 00:10:25.230 --> 00:10:26.690 Here's the school district you're going to live 00:10:26.690 --> 00:10:29.029 in. Here's the one year that you need to homeschool 00:10:29.029 --> 00:10:31.610 your kids. Here's the sports they need to play. 00:10:32.330 --> 00:10:34.990 Here's the stocks you need to buy and sell. And 00:10:34.990 --> 00:10:36.769 then when you retire, here's the person who will 00:10:36.769 --> 00:10:39.409 take over your company. Oh, by the way, you know 00:10:39.409 --> 00:10:41.049 all those weddings you're invited to? Here's 00:10:41.049 --> 00:10:43.090 the ones you should attend and not attend. And 00:10:43.090 --> 00:10:46.870 just blame not attending on me. See, God has 00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:50.389 plans for us. And it would be so helpful sometimes. 00:10:51.470 --> 00:10:54.230 If God worked that way, but actually, truth is, 00:10:54.429 --> 00:10:59.169 he doesn't. We're trying to follow a God we can't 00:10:59.169 --> 00:11:01.649 see with a voice we sometimes can't hear into 00:11:01.649 --> 00:11:05.070 a future that we simply don't know. He will guide 00:11:05.070 --> 00:11:10.090 us, but he will not decide for us. He gives us 00:11:10.090 --> 00:11:13.129 the freedom to choose. Craig Groeschel says it 00:11:13.129 --> 00:11:15.909 this way, we want God to show us what to do, 00:11:16.090 --> 00:11:20.250 but God gives us the wisdom to decide. James 00:11:20.250 --> 00:11:24.389 1 .5. If you need wisdom, church, ask your generous 00:11:24.389 --> 00:11:26.649 God that he will give it to you. And notice what 00:11:26.649 --> 00:11:31.629 that says. He will give it to you. He will not 00:11:31.629 --> 00:11:33.529 rebuke you for asking, but when you ask him, 00:11:33.549 --> 00:11:36.049 be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not 00:11:36.049 --> 00:11:38.870 waver for a person with divided loyalty is as 00:11:38.870 --> 00:11:41.289 unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown 00:11:41.289 --> 00:11:44.210 and tossed by the wind. See, we read that verse 00:11:44.210 --> 00:11:46.690 thinking it's a great verse, but deep within 00:11:46.690 --> 00:11:50.019 our subconscious, We are thinking, God, just 00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:52.580 show me what to do. It would be so much easier. 00:11:54.139 --> 00:11:58.460 Don't just give me the choice to decide. This 00:11:58.460 --> 00:12:01.279 is true because recent studies indicate that 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:03.139 we are getting worse and worse at making decisions. 00:12:04.379 --> 00:12:07.019 Indecision, in fact, is now considered an epidemic 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:10.100 for a few different reasons, of course. The first, 00:12:10.100 --> 00:12:13.600 experts are calling the paradox of choice. Just 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:16.139 like I opened, there are now more options than 00:12:16.139 --> 00:12:23.059 ever before. Options go up. Decisions go. Here 00:12:23.059 --> 00:12:26.740 is the definition for option. Opportunities for 00:12:26.740 --> 00:12:30.519 more stress, more fear, more doubt, more frustration. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:36.080 Studies have now shown that kids that have more 00:12:36.080 --> 00:12:41.659 toys play less with them overall. The more options 00:12:41.659 --> 00:12:44.279 present, the more sense of feeling overwhelmed. 00:12:44.620 --> 00:12:49.210 And let's not forget. The new dating scene, which 00:12:49.210 --> 00:12:54.970 is dating apps. In one dating app alone called 00:12:54.970 --> 00:13:00.090 Hinge, there are 23 million options. That's one 00:13:00.090 --> 00:13:03.129 dating app. And it's not just the paradox of 00:13:03.129 --> 00:13:05.850 choice, it's the illusion of perfection. Straight 00:13:05.850 --> 00:13:10.370 from the CEO of Hinge, Justin McLeod was quoted 00:13:10.370 --> 00:13:12.840 as saying. It's almost as if we have created 00:13:12.840 --> 00:13:15.139 this never -ending search for the perfect unicorn 00:13:15.139 --> 00:13:18.820 soulmate that nobody can actually find because 00:13:18.820 --> 00:13:23.820 it doesn't actually exist. But yet, he is making 00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:34.340 billions of dollars off of our indecision. The 00:13:34.340 --> 00:13:38.080 fear of not picking the perfect leads to indecision. 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:42.289 And indecision, if we're honest, might be quietly 00:13:42.289 --> 00:13:45.610 destroying us from the inside out. Why? Because 00:13:45.610 --> 00:13:48.909 indecision causes exhaustion during the day and 00:13:48.909 --> 00:13:51.389 restlessness at night. Maybe that's why you're 00:13:51.389 --> 00:13:55.490 not sleeping so well. Commitment has become lost 00:13:55.490 --> 00:13:58.409 in the pressure to make perfect decisions, which 00:13:58.409 --> 00:14:01.250 ironically, what's it lead to? Delayed decisions. 00:14:01.610 --> 00:14:06.149 And here's the reality. More info often produces 00:14:06.149 --> 00:14:09.149 less confidence. And with less confidence comes 00:14:09.149 --> 00:14:14.690 questions. I often hear it as pastor. God, what 00:14:14.690 --> 00:14:17.830 does God want me to do, Chris? Here's your answer. 00:14:18.269 --> 00:14:24.250 You ready? He wants you to decide. There's no 00:14:24.250 --> 00:14:27.950 perfect plan coming. God's not going to send 00:14:27.950 --> 00:14:31.710 you a message into your DM. He's sovereign. You 00:14:31.710 --> 00:14:34.919 have free will. And that's a paradox because 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:38.100 they're both true at the same time. He holds 00:14:38.100 --> 00:14:41.980 all things together in his sovereignty. And in 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:44.860 his good plans, all of our decisions are held 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:48.539 together to produce abundant life. Tim Keller 00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:51.820 says it this way. God's plan works through our 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:55.639 choices, not around or in spite of them. It's 00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:58.320 time to make more decisions. And if you're trying 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:00.639 to make the right decisions with God, that sets 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.539 you apart from statistics and culture alone. 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:07.580 Remember, God loves it when we confidently walk 00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:10.559 through life seeking wisdom from him and making 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:14.120 decisions with him. So for the rest of our time 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.139 here this morning, I want to discuss some simple 00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:19.200 tools, some steps, if you will, that will help 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.799 us make healthy decisions in the first season. 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:26.669 We need to walk with the wise. We need to walk 00:15:26.669 --> 00:15:29.169 with the wise. And that sounds beautiful and 00:15:29.169 --> 00:15:31.450 it's beautiful and sounds good because it comes 00:15:31.450 --> 00:15:34.950 from the Bible. Proverbs 13, 20. Walk with the 00:15:34.950 --> 00:15:39.750 wise and become wise. Associate with fools and 00:15:39.750 --> 00:15:43.990 get in trouble. Truth. The company you keep will 00:15:43.990 --> 00:15:46.769 determine the decisions you make. Did everyone 00:15:46.769 --> 00:15:50.129 hear that? The company you keep will determine 00:15:50.129 --> 00:15:53.450 the decisions you make. And people often allow 00:15:53.450 --> 00:15:57.090 big decisions to be made with the input from 00:15:57.090 --> 00:15:59.769 their friends. Therefore, if you want to make 00:15:59.769 --> 00:16:02.529 better decisions, it's time to start hanging 00:16:02.529 --> 00:16:05.950 out with wiser people. You need to get involved. 00:16:06.190 --> 00:16:08.230 You need to plug in. You need to surround yourself 00:16:08.230 --> 00:16:11.909 with people that think like -minded and are pursuing 00:16:11.909 --> 00:16:15.690 Jesus, not walking away from him. Even on the 00:16:15.690 --> 00:16:18.580 softball field. We have softball teams here at 00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:21.940 HTV. We are actually adding a fourth softball 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:25.059 team this year to the Tavern League. So Lance 00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:27.480 wants you to know that he needs a few more players. 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.340 So if you're interested in letting your light 00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:35.080 shine for all to see, see Lance directly after 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:37.340 this. He'll be wearing a bright yellow parking 00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:42.159 vest, and you can't miss him. We can't walk in 00:16:42.159 --> 00:16:46.429 God's good plans with bad friends. We can't live 00:16:46.429 --> 00:16:49.649 an abundant life with the wrong people. Here's 00:16:49.649 --> 00:16:52.269 the reality. It's basically impossible to find 00:16:52.269 --> 00:16:54.669 freedom from addiction if you're surrounded by 00:16:54.669 --> 00:16:57.269 people who are active in addiction and don't 00:16:57.269 --> 00:17:00.210 desire to be free. Who are you surrounding yourself 00:17:00.210 --> 00:17:02.809 with? Who are your friends? Who are you keeping 00:17:02.809 --> 00:17:05.670 company with? It's basically impossible in high 00:17:05.670 --> 00:17:08.730 school or college to stay pure and fight for 00:17:08.730 --> 00:17:12.049 that truth if you're not doing life with at least 00:17:12.049 --> 00:17:14.589 a few people who are fighting for that same principle. 00:17:15.789 --> 00:17:18.109 You're going to be tempted. You're going to be 00:17:18.109 --> 00:17:22.509 lured away from the light. And if you say, well, 00:17:22.529 --> 00:17:24.569 I don't have any friends that love Jesus, lead 00:17:24.569 --> 00:17:28.269 them to Jesus and get them plugged in. Be the 00:17:28.269 --> 00:17:33.549 light. And for those of you that are struggling 00:17:33.549 --> 00:17:36.369 with an addiction, specifically a porn addiction, 00:17:36.589 --> 00:17:41.210 which is rampant within our culture, we are launching 00:17:41.210 --> 00:17:45.990 two recovery groups this spring. Not going to 00:17:45.990 --> 00:17:48.210 ask you to raise your hand. Not going to ask 00:17:48.210 --> 00:17:50.329 you to stop by the welcome hub because you won't. 00:17:52.269 --> 00:17:54.950 But at your convenience, you can simply scan 00:17:54.950 --> 00:17:58.869 the bus on the back of the chair and look for 00:17:58.869 --> 00:18:03.029 groups and support groups specifically is where 00:18:03.029 --> 00:18:07.609 you will find help. How do we walk with the wise? 00:18:08.390 --> 00:18:11.430 Find a mentor. Surround yourself with people 00:18:11.430 --> 00:18:14.220 who are where you want to be. And listen, don't 00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:16.039 look at their dreams and say you want to achieve 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:17.940 those. Look at their decisions and how they got 00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:21.279 there. Because their decisions are part of their 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:24.619 journey, and their journey is what leads us to 00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:27.259 follow them. Think about the journey into the 00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:30.680 woods for my engagement. There were several paths 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:35.180 to choose. I chose wrong. If you walk with someone 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:37.809 who knows the trail, you'll likely reach the 00:18:37.809 --> 00:18:40.269 right designation, which I didn't. But if you 00:18:40.269 --> 00:18:43.150 follow someone who is lost, like Jess was, eventually 00:18:43.150 --> 00:18:48.349 you both end up off course. Now hear me out. 00:18:48.430 --> 00:18:52.349 It worked out for Jess and I, but it doesn't 00:18:52.349 --> 00:18:56.490 always work out in life. If you want your life 00:18:56.490 --> 00:18:58.809 to move towards God's plans, walk with people 00:18:58.809 --> 00:19:02.200 who love God. Have conversations and listen to 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:04.920 people who pursue wisdom and surround yourself 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:09.180 with voices that lead you closer to Jesus. Show 00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:11.839 me your friends and I'll show you the direction 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:18.480 of your life. Direction, not intention. Let me 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:21.519 say that again. Direction, not intention, determines 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:26.240 your destination. Our decisions will make us 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:28.180 or break us, determining where we will end up. 00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:31.009 And listen. From the smallest to the biggest, 00:19:31.130 --> 00:19:33.789 and we make many small ones every single day, 00:19:34.009 --> 00:19:36.769 it determines where we end up in life. From choosing 00:19:36.769 --> 00:19:39.250 to go to bed early instead of staying up late 00:19:39.250 --> 00:19:41.990 and binge watching more episodes of fill in the 00:19:41.990 --> 00:19:44.990 blank. Choosing to wake up early and start your 00:19:44.990 --> 00:19:47.589 day with God instead of news, work, or sports. 00:19:48.869 --> 00:19:52.210 Life is made up of seemingly insignificant yet 00:19:52.210 --> 00:19:57.880 infinitely important decisions. We will not rise 00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:59.819 to our dreams. We will fall to our decisions. 00:20:01.960 --> 00:20:07.000 Ask God for more wisdom. The prime example for 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:09.579 us to follow in the Bible is Solomon. He was 00:20:09.579 --> 00:20:11.759 the wisest man to ever walk the earth other than 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:15.220 Jesus. We learn and God told Solomon to ask him 00:20:15.220 --> 00:20:17.579 for anything. He would give it to him. In fact, 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:19.539 he said Solomon as the king at that time said, 00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:22.299 I want more wisdom to make better decisions. 00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:25.500 Listen to God's response in 1 Kings 3. The Lord 00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:28.259 was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom, 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:30.940 so God replied, Because you have asked for wisdom 00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:33.579 in governing my people with justice and have 00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:36.779 not asked for a long life or wealth or the death 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:38.980 of your enemies, I will give you what you ask 00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:41.799 for. I will give you a wise and understanding 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:45.440 heart such as no one else has ever had or ever 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:49.599 will. Learn from Solomon. Listen to James. If 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:54.039 you need wisdom, ask. our generous God, and he 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:57.779 will give it to you. See, this is a prayer request 00:20:57.779 --> 00:21:01.000 God wants to answer. Isn't that crazy? We want 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.980 God to answer every prayer request with a yes, 00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:05.140 but in this prayer request, he says, yes, I'll 00:21:05.140 --> 00:21:07.980 give it. But how often do we actually ask for 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:10.819 wisdom? So first, we walk with the wise, which 00:21:10.819 --> 00:21:13.720 leads us to our second step. We scout the decision. 00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:17.220 Let's say you have a big decision to make about 00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:19.079 the next chapter of your life, and the first 00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:21.480 thing you need to do, I believe, is gather all 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:24.819 the info or scout the decision. See, many people 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:27.539 today are afraid to move forward because they're 00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:29.880 afraid of choosing wrong. Whether it be their 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:33.359 career, relationships, calling, major life decisions, 00:21:33.579 --> 00:21:37.039 the fear of making the wrong choice often leads 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.599 them to nothing at all. They just drift through 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:43.690 life. And throughout the Bible, time and time 00:21:43.690 --> 00:21:47.150 again, God rarely gives people the entire roadmap. 00:21:47.769 --> 00:21:51.069 I mean, think about Abraham. He says, go to that 00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:57.430 land. Okay? Moses, pick 12 spies to scout the 00:21:57.430 --> 00:22:00.529 promised land and gather all the necessary info 00:22:00.529 --> 00:22:03.349 in order to move forward with the best plan possible. 00:22:03.730 --> 00:22:07.289 We read in Numbers 13, the Lord now said to Moses, 00:22:07.430 --> 00:22:09.849 send out 12 men to explore the land of Canaan. 00:22:10.329 --> 00:22:13.849 The land I am giving to the Israelites. Notice, 00:22:13.970 --> 00:22:16.930 giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from 00:22:16.930 --> 00:22:19.789 each of the 12 tribes. So Moses did as the Lord 00:22:19.789 --> 00:22:23.730 commanded. Remember what God told him. Take the 00:22:23.730 --> 00:22:28.609 land. It's yours. Ten spies said, oh, we can't. 00:22:29.009 --> 00:22:32.789 It's too difficult. Two spies said, let's go. 00:22:33.829 --> 00:22:35.990 We know what eventually happened. What eventually 00:22:35.990 --> 00:22:42.420 happened? Drifting. Wandering. Lost. Right? In 00:22:42.420 --> 00:22:46.660 the desert. In the wilderness. Let's say, for 00:22:46.660 --> 00:22:48.440 example, you're contemplating a career change. 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:50.380 Or maybe you're considering moving to a new city. 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:53.099 Maybe you're considering getting engaged or married. 00:22:53.180 --> 00:22:54.839 Or maybe you're simply trying to figure out what 00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:58.339 God is calling you to do. Investigate it. Scout 00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:00.519 the decision. You're making a career change? 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:03.759 Talk to someone that's doing that career. Take 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:06.119 them out to lunch. Pick their brain. See if it 00:23:06.119 --> 00:23:11.009 fits your desires. Moving to a new city? relocating 00:23:11.009 --> 00:23:15.809 to another town, first ask yourself, why? Are 00:23:15.809 --> 00:23:18.910 you running from something? Chances are you shouldn't 00:23:18.910 --> 00:23:20.809 do it because it's going to follow you wherever 00:23:20.809 --> 00:23:24.890 you go. And if it's not that, have you ever visited 00:23:24.890 --> 00:23:26.710 or talked with the people that actually live 00:23:26.710 --> 00:23:31.130 there? Do they enjoy it? Yeah, a beach town sounds 00:23:31.130 --> 00:23:33.630 great until you realize the cost is too much 00:23:33.630 --> 00:23:38.210 and the people are snobs. Is it time to get married? 00:23:38.890 --> 00:23:41.430 Well, what do other people say about the person 00:23:41.430 --> 00:23:43.650 you're about to marry? Have you looked at your 00:23:43.650 --> 00:23:45.890 own life to determine if you're even marriage 00:23:45.890 --> 00:23:49.089 material? Like sometimes we're afraid to look 00:23:49.089 --> 00:23:51.910 in the mirror. And young people, by the way, 00:23:52.029 --> 00:23:54.890 you have to talk to someone and put yourself 00:23:54.890 --> 00:24:00.569 out there to get a date. Just saying. Searching 00:24:00.569 --> 00:24:05.500 for God -given purpose? Get involved. You're 00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:07.960 never going to discover your purpose simply walking 00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:10.539 in these doors, sitting down, and walking out. 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.920 You've got to get involved. You've got to serve. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:16.900 You've got to volunteer. Give flowers away. Teach 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:19.559 kids. Teach youth. Serve on the worship team. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:22.579 Whatever it is. And hear me out. I want to remind 00:24:22.579 --> 00:24:26.480 you. Your job is not necessarily your calling. 00:24:27.180 --> 00:24:30.740 Your job is your mission field. Yes, that you're 00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:33.200 called to be the light to the world. But it's 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:37.250 not necessarily. your calling. So how do we involve 00:24:37.250 --> 00:24:41.789 God in these decisions? Philippians 4. Don't 00:24:41.789 --> 00:24:44.430 worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. 00:24:44.829 --> 00:24:46.849 Tell God what you need. Thank him for what he's 00:24:46.849 --> 00:24:49.329 done, and you will experience God's peace, which 00:24:49.329 --> 00:24:54.529 exceeds anything we can understand. See, after 00:24:54.529 --> 00:24:57.309 you pray and you listen and you have that peace, 00:24:57.750 --> 00:25:01.460 right, then you just take a step of faith. Apply 00:25:01.460 --> 00:25:04.000 for the internship. Apply for the job. Ask the 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:07.099 question, right? God speaks to us through open 00:25:07.099 --> 00:25:10.680 and closed doors. Create motion in your life. 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:14.940 Keep moving towards God, right? As you move towards 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:20.380 God, then he can steer your car, right? God can't 00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:23.759 steer a parked car. You've got to be moving towards 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:26.299 him. Well, Chris, how do I know if I'm moving 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:29.599 towards him? John 10, 27, my sheep, listen to 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:33.759 my voice. I know them, and they follow me. See, 00:25:33.819 --> 00:25:37.119 as our relationship with Jesus grows, his plans 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:40.720 become more clear to us. Ask yourself this morning, 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:44.759 are you currently stuck in your life because 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:47.839 your passion for Jesus has been waning and decisions 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.920 have become more difficult? If that is so, pursue 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.339 Jesus, which leads us to our next step, and it's 00:25:55.339 --> 00:26:00.150 really simple, halt. If you're hungry, If you're 00:26:00.150 --> 00:26:03.210 angry, if you're lonely, if you're tired, halt 00:26:03.210 --> 00:26:07.289 before you make any decisions. Do not make permanent 00:26:07.289 --> 00:26:11.529 decisions based on temporary emotions. Esau traded 00:26:11.529 --> 00:26:14.450 away his birthright and his whole future because 00:26:14.450 --> 00:26:20.470 he was hungry. Genesis 25. One day when Jacob 00:26:20.470 --> 00:26:22.670 was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from 00:26:22.670 --> 00:26:24.470 the wilderness exhausted and hungry. There it 00:26:24.470 --> 00:26:29.349 is. Esau said to Jacob, I'm starved. Give me 00:26:29.349 --> 00:26:32.210 some of that red stew. All right, Jacob replied, 00:26:32.390 --> 00:26:35.410 and you can see his brain turning. Betray me 00:26:35.410 --> 00:26:39.250 your rights as a firstborn son. Look, I'm dying 00:26:39.250 --> 00:26:42.849 of starvation, said Esau. What good is my birthright 00:26:42.849 --> 00:26:46.509 to me now? But Jacob said, first you must swear 00:26:46.509 --> 00:26:49.509 that your birthright is mine. So Esau swore an 00:26:49.509 --> 00:26:51.609 oath, thereby selling his rights as his firstborn 00:26:51.609 --> 00:26:55.569 to his brother Jacob. Think about it. Esau was 00:26:55.569 --> 00:26:59.329 hungry, tired, lonely, frustrated. And it led 00:26:59.329 --> 00:27:02.089 to one of the worst decisions ever recorded in 00:27:02.089 --> 00:27:07.250 the entire Bible. Friends, halt if you're frustrated. 00:27:07.529 --> 00:27:11.930 Halt if you're angry. Proverbs 14, 29. Whoever 00:27:11.930 --> 00:27:16.609 is patient has great understanding, but one who 00:27:16.609 --> 00:27:20.450 is quick -tempered displays folly. Let's not 00:27:20.450 --> 00:27:24.750 live lives of folly and doubt. Let's walk in 00:27:24.750 --> 00:27:28.109 abundance, making confident, God -influenced, 00:27:28.490 --> 00:27:31.289 Decisions, which is our fourth step. Make the 00:27:31.289 --> 00:27:36.289 decision. At some point, you have to. The scouting 00:27:36.289 --> 00:27:41.450 process is important, but it can easily be extended 00:27:41.450 --> 00:27:44.589 through indecision and fear. If you need wisdom, 00:27:44.849 --> 00:27:47.089 ask our generous God. He will give it to you. 00:27:47.829 --> 00:27:52.349 Ask God. The Bible tells us there is wisdom in 00:27:52.349 --> 00:27:55.690 a multitude of counselors. However, let me say 00:27:55.690 --> 00:27:59.529 however, too many. Can be overwhelming and confusing. 00:28:01.329 --> 00:28:05.309 Sometimes another book. Creates confusion. Another 00:28:05.309 --> 00:28:09.809 sermon. Can create doubt. Another podcast. And 00:28:09.809 --> 00:28:13.009 you're overwhelmed. It just delays the decision. 00:28:13.509 --> 00:28:16.589 Often times you don't need more. It's kind of 00:28:16.589 --> 00:28:18.450 like the eternal college student. Who is now 00:28:18.450 --> 00:28:23.190 32. Seeking another degree. Waiting. Wondering. 00:28:23.210 --> 00:28:25.589 When will they get a real job. They won't. Because 00:28:25.589 --> 00:28:28.130 they're afraid of the real world. They're terrified 00:28:28.130 --> 00:28:30.930 to make a decision. And if you're in a relationship 00:28:30.930 --> 00:28:35.089 with Jesus, listen, please don't over -spiritualize 00:28:35.089 --> 00:28:39.890 decision -making. There's fear that you're going 00:28:39.890 --> 00:28:42.609 to mess things up because, well, what if I decide 00:28:42.609 --> 00:28:45.289 wrong, Chris? Listen, God is not like Hansel 00:28:45.289 --> 00:28:47.970 and Gretel, right? He's not leaving breadcrumbs 00:28:47.970 --> 00:28:49.630 for us to follow through the forest. It doesn't 00:28:49.630 --> 00:28:54.769 work that way. He guides our steps. We choose 00:28:54.769 --> 00:28:58.410 the path. And listen, if you choose wrong, God 00:28:58.410 --> 00:29:01.210 can still use us and our life for his kingdom. 00:29:01.289 --> 00:29:04.150 In fact, sometimes choosing wrong leads us to 00:29:04.150 --> 00:29:07.630 making the right decision. You can't allow fear 00:29:07.630 --> 00:29:10.990 to dictate decisions we make. How do I know that? 00:29:11.049 --> 00:29:15.769 Fear is not from God. Fear is from the enemy. 00:29:16.210 --> 00:29:20.670 And remember from last week, it's okay to not 00:29:20.670 --> 00:29:25.859 be okay. So make a confident decision, Deuteronomy 00:29:25.859 --> 00:29:29.660 31. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid 00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:31.319 or discouraged, for the Lord will personally 00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:33.920 go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:37.619 neither fail you nor abandon you. He's going 00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:40.940 to go with you. God is not a God of confusion. 00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:44.859 We have to trust him in the process. Again, with 00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:47.799 this being our 20 -year anniversary, many of 00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:49.640 you new to our community of faith may have not 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:52.549 ever heard this. and I wanted to share it with 00:29:52.549 --> 00:29:56.990 you. 22 years ago when Jess and I began the church 00:29:56.990 --> 00:29:59.769 planting process, I wasn't going to plant in 00:29:59.769 --> 00:30:02.289 my hometown. Why would I want to come back to 00:30:02.289 --> 00:30:05.670 Hagerstown? I was planting in Charleston, South 00:30:05.670 --> 00:30:08.970 Carolina. I wanted the beach. I wanted to live 00:30:08.970 --> 00:30:11.490 at the beach. And I had a large team of young 00:30:11.490 --> 00:30:13.650 people and families who were about to plant with 00:30:13.650 --> 00:30:16.990 me. We're talking 40 or 50 people. And you're 00:30:16.990 --> 00:30:19.490 like, Chris, how many? I mean, why so many people? 00:30:20.109 --> 00:30:26.829 I was in Syracuse, New York. Snow, beach. It's 00:30:26.829 --> 00:30:31.470 not that hard of a decision. So Jess and I, one 00:30:31.470 --> 00:30:33.930 summer before going on vacation, dropped the 00:30:33.930 --> 00:30:37.630 kids off here with the grandparents. And her 00:30:37.630 --> 00:30:40.039 and I went and visited Charleston. I was excited 00:30:40.039 --> 00:30:42.240 to get there and meet the people that wanted 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:44.680 us to come and launch this church. We had a big 00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:46.799 team going with us. The church was going to explode. 00:30:47.059 --> 00:30:49.279 I knew that's where we were supposed to be, however, 00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:52.799 day one. As we're driving into Charleston, a 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:56.680 hurricane came off the coast. I could barely 00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:59.000 drive through the wind and the rain. No big deal. 00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:01.500 I looked at Jess. It's just a part of living 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:05.859 in the South. Day three, hurricane moved north, 00:31:05.960 --> 00:31:08.000 beautiful, sunny, warm, met a bunch of people, 00:31:08.099 --> 00:31:11.220 visited Folly Beach, knew that's the place I 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:13.980 was supposed to be. Day four, packed the car 00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:16.359 up, headed to Myrtle Beach, driving north along 00:31:16.359 --> 00:31:21.299 the shore. I didn't make it very far because 00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:24.960 another hurricane blew in. What are the chances? 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:28.980 Two hurricanes in a week. We had to drive inland 00:31:28.980 --> 00:31:31.160 in the middle of the night. We had to evacuate 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:33.980 the coast. And as I was driving inland, I was 00:31:33.980 --> 00:31:37.759 like, Jess, what is happening? Now, let it be 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:40.160 known, I was arguing that that was simply God's 00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:43.539 Spirit stirring the winds of change in Charleston. 00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:52.980 Everyone just nod. Yeah, I can see that. Jess 00:31:52.980 --> 00:31:57.240 looked back at me and said, you're nuts. We're 00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:59.890 not supposed to move to Charleston. And please 00:31:59.890 --> 00:32:01.609 understand, it took me the rest of the vacation 00:32:01.609 --> 00:32:04.309 and three days while we were walking on the canal 00:32:04.309 --> 00:32:06.430 here at home to realize that God was in fact 00:32:06.430 --> 00:32:10.450 calling us home. But the point is, oftentimes 00:32:10.450 --> 00:32:12.970 we want things that simply aren't God's best. 00:32:13.769 --> 00:32:16.569 And we have to make decisions and walk through 00:32:16.569 --> 00:32:21.170 storms so that he ultimately leads us along the 00:32:21.170 --> 00:32:23.970 right path, Proverbs 3. Trust in the Lord with 00:32:23.970 --> 00:32:25.869 all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. 00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:28.480 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:31.460 you which path to take. Here is the reality. 00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:36.359 Our minds become a minefield of indecision, doubt, 00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:39.480 fear, and anxiety when unmade decisions pile 00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:42.279 up in our brains. Maybe for some of you this 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:44.700 week, I'm giving you the freedom to do it. Take 00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:48.200 a day off, not for a mental health day, but for 00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:51.819 a decision -making day. Make some decisions, 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:55.539 right? You need to go to the doctor. Pick one 00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:58.400 and go. You need to get your teeth cleaned. Find 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:00.799 a dentist and go. You need your eyes checked. 00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:04.079 Make a decision. Right? We put things off. We 00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:06.460 put things off. And it's simply not God's best. 00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:10.519 Trusting God is like walking across a frozen 00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:13.440 lake. The first step, you're on your tiptoes. 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:15.559 You're gently going out, unsure if the ice will 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:18.599 hold. But as you take a few more and wander deeper 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:21.880 and deeper, you realize it's solid. And then 00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:24.319 you start walking with confidence. That's how 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:27.740 faith works. When you trust God's character, 00:33:27.859 --> 00:33:30.539 you can move forward even when you don't fully 00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:34.960 understand the path. You don't fully understand 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:38.759 the path. Don't be careless in big decisions. 00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:41.839 But don't be too careful either. Because it can 00:33:41.839 --> 00:33:45.259 lock you down. You can't be afraid to choose. 00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:48.359 So we have walk with the wise. Scout the decision. 00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:50.819 Halt when angry, lonely, hungry, or frustrated. 00:33:51.400 --> 00:33:54.789 Make a decision. Buy the ring, take the job, 00:33:54.869 --> 00:33:57.869 sell the house, make the move. Fifth step, own 00:33:57.869 --> 00:34:02.589 the decision. Own it. Contrary to what our culture 00:34:02.589 --> 00:34:06.809 believes, there is freedom in committing. So 00:34:06.809 --> 00:34:09.530 many people believe either they are free or they 00:34:09.530 --> 00:34:12.389 are committed. But truth is, in a relationship 00:34:12.389 --> 00:34:16.590 with God, freedom comes with commitment. Commitment 00:34:16.590 --> 00:34:20.030 breaks the ugly cycle of the paradox of choice. 00:34:20.760 --> 00:34:23.079 And what does the paradox of choice do? It wastes 00:34:23.079 --> 00:34:26.380 our energy trying to choose. There is freedom 00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:29.940 found when we go all in for our jobs. Go all 00:34:29.940 --> 00:34:34.179 in. Work your hardest. Right? Be a missionary. 00:34:34.699 --> 00:34:39.500 Go all in with that person. Hey guys, you don't 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:42.639 have to date someone for six years. Put a ring 00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:45.980 on it. Either you know or you don't. Seriously, 00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:54.480 it's not that hard. Go all in for this church. 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:59.940 Go all in for our city. Right? Let's build something 00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:04.079 worth having. Make the decision. Own the decision. 00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:07.019 James 1. But when you ask him, be sure that your 00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:10.079 faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:12.860 with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave 00:35:12.860 --> 00:35:15.079 of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 00:35:15.880 --> 00:35:18.800 Such people should not expect to receive anything 00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:22.469 from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided. between 00:35:22.469 --> 00:35:26.909 God and the world. And they are unstable. I believe 00:35:26.909 --> 00:35:30.250 drifting in everything they do. What is divided 00:35:30.250 --> 00:35:34.150 loyalty? It's second guessing decision. And what's 00:35:34.150 --> 00:35:35.750 it do? It leaves you just drifting through life, 00:35:35.889 --> 00:35:39.289 full of indecision and doubt. Galatians 6, don't 00:35:39.289 --> 00:35:41.769 be misled. You cannot mock the justice of God. 00:35:41.989 --> 00:35:45.210 You always harvest what you plant. Let me read 00:35:45.210 --> 00:35:48.409 that again. You always harvest what you plant. 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:50.980 And those who live only to satisfy their own 00:35:50.980 --> 00:35:53.940 sinful nature will harvest decay and death from 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:56.659 that sinful nature. But those who live to please 00:35:56.659 --> 00:35:58.940 the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from 00:35:58.940 --> 00:36:03.559 the Spirit. The harvest, right, always reflects 00:36:03.559 --> 00:36:08.239 the seed. It never changes. You plant an apple 00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:11.179 seed, you're getting apples. The same is true 00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:15.440 in life. You sow kindness, you reap strong relationships. 00:36:16.329 --> 00:36:19.190 You sow discipline, you reap growth and maturity. 00:36:19.730 --> 00:36:24.570 You sow selfishness, you reap brokenness. You 00:36:24.570 --> 00:36:29.949 sow sin, it comes with consequences. Every decision 00:36:29.949 --> 00:36:33.630 is a seed. Every habit is a seed. Every word 00:36:33.630 --> 00:36:36.590 spoken is a seed. Every action made is a seed. 00:36:37.010 --> 00:36:41.409 Over time, what happens? It grows into a harvest. 00:36:42.769 --> 00:36:44.789 How do I know that? Well, think all the way back 00:36:44.789 --> 00:36:46.949 to the Garden of Eden. All the way back to the 00:36:46.949 --> 00:36:51.230 book of Genesis. The power of sin was not in 00:36:51.230 --> 00:36:56.889 the apple. The power of sin was in the decision 00:36:56.889 --> 00:37:02.210 to choose our way over God's way. And many people, 00:37:02.369 --> 00:37:04.829 right, they struggle and are struggling. They 00:37:04.829 --> 00:37:07.550 want this different harvest, but you keep planting 00:37:07.550 --> 00:37:11.579 the same seeds. You can't sow anger and expect 00:37:11.579 --> 00:37:15.039 peace. You can't sow laziness and expect success. 00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:18.760 You cannot sow distance from God, drifting from 00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:22.639 God, and expect spiritual maturity. If you want 00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:24.639 to be different and you want a different future, 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:29.619 plant different seeds. Which leads us to our 00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:35.340 final step, ironically enough. You grow your 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:39.030 relationship with Jesus. See, I already mentioned 00:37:39.030 --> 00:37:42.769 Jeremiah 29, 11 earlier. And so many people, 00:37:42.829 --> 00:37:44.630 they read that verse and they want these plans 00:37:44.630 --> 00:37:48.070 and they're good plans and then they stop. But 00:37:48.070 --> 00:37:49.809 if you talk about verse 11, you also have to 00:37:49.809 --> 00:37:52.809 talk about 12 and 13. And listen to Jeremiah 00:37:52.809 --> 00:37:56.789 29, 12 and 13. In those days, when you pray, 00:37:57.030 --> 00:38:01.769 I will listen. Man, what a promise. In those 00:38:01.769 --> 00:38:05.289 days, when you pray, I will listen. And if you 00:38:05.289 --> 00:38:07.789 look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 00:38:08.190 --> 00:38:12.849 See, verse 11 is about God's plans for us. Verses 00:38:12.849 --> 00:38:16.170 12 and 13 are about our relationship with him. 00:38:17.190 --> 00:38:22.210 Right? What did God say? Seek me, not the plans, 00:38:22.329 --> 00:38:26.449 then you will walk in the plans. See, the world 00:38:26.449 --> 00:38:28.909 is offering us a lot right now. When you think 00:38:28.909 --> 00:38:31.650 about plans, they have plans and purposes for 00:38:31.650 --> 00:38:34.019 everything we do. This is how you're successful. 00:38:34.260 --> 00:38:37.019 This is great sex. This is how your marriage 00:38:37.019 --> 00:38:40.780 is excellent. Or this is how you walk in purpose. 00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:43.239 But let me just be honest with you. What the 00:38:43.239 --> 00:38:46.360 world is offering is under -delivering. So many 00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:49.480 people are seeking freedom and purpose. It all 00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:52.840 comes from God. But as a church, as the church, 00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:57.880 we need to commit to making a decision. Stop 00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:01.280 putting it off. Stop drifting through life. And 00:39:01.280 --> 00:39:05.159 allow God to use you to change the lives of others. 00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:17.440 Will you stand with me? You know, I've got to 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:20.559 be honest with you as I close before we pray. 00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:28.179 I had this outline done two weeks ago. Felt like 00:39:28.179 --> 00:39:31.230 it was right. I was excited about it. Oh, yes, 00:39:31.329 --> 00:39:34.730 God, this is perfect for this series. And as 00:39:34.730 --> 00:39:36.869 the week went on this week, I began second -guessing 00:39:36.869 --> 00:39:41.269 myself. What's this have to do with mental health? 00:39:41.349 --> 00:39:47.489 What's this have to do with minefields? And as 00:39:47.489 --> 00:39:50.409 I second -guessed myself and questioned whether 00:39:50.409 --> 00:39:53.349 I was supposed to speak it or not, as I spoke 00:39:53.349 --> 00:39:55.630 it during the first gathering, it was so evident 00:39:55.630 --> 00:39:59.329 so many people needed to hear it. We are constantly 00:39:59.329 --> 00:40:07.750 bombarded, bombarded with choice. Silence the 00:40:07.750 --> 00:40:12.909 voices. Make some healthy decisions to pursue 00:40:12.909 --> 00:40:16.829 Jesus and change the tri -state area. Get out 00:40:16.829 --> 00:40:20.889 of the chairs. I was about to say pews, but get 00:40:20.889 --> 00:40:28.329 out of the chairs. And get out into the world 00:40:28.329 --> 00:40:31.409 and desire to make a difference. And again, it 00:40:31.409 --> 00:40:35.190 comes down to a choice. Will you make that choice? 00:40:36.070 --> 00:40:38.050 So you know week after week we're going to pray 00:40:38.050 --> 00:40:40.610 a simple prayer here. Because just being honest 00:40:40.610 --> 00:40:43.110 with you, this is the greatest choice any one 00:40:43.110 --> 00:40:46.369 person can make. Because it's the choice of experiencing 00:40:46.369 --> 00:40:49.730 freedom and eternal life. So we're going to pray 00:40:49.730 --> 00:40:51.329 a simple prayer now. We're going to invite everybody 00:40:51.329 --> 00:40:53.809 to pray it. And if you're distant, far from God, 00:40:53.909 --> 00:40:55.690 walked away from him, don't even know who he 00:40:55.690 --> 00:40:59.269 is. I believe he wants to introduce himself to 00:40:59.269 --> 00:41:02.210 you personally right now. Let's pray. Jesus, 00:41:02.230 --> 00:41:08.769 I'm broken. I'm full of doubt, fear, shame, regret, 00:41:09.130 --> 00:41:15.130 sin. Change me. Forgive me. I believe you're 00:41:15.130 --> 00:41:20.110 God's son. I believe you died for me. I believe 00:41:20.110 --> 00:41:24.869 you're alive today. Make me new. Set me free. 00:41:25.500 --> 00:41:29.300 Fill me with your spirit, God. Help me to serve 00:41:29.300 --> 00:41:33.920 others. In Jesus' name, amen. So listen, if you 00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:35.679 prayed that prayer for the first time, see me, 00:41:35.739 --> 00:41:37.980 hug me, see Rudy, go to the welcome up. Tell 00:41:37.980 --> 00:41:42.760 somebody, because we have this baptism, Good 00:41:42.760 --> 00:41:45.760 Friday worship night coming up soon, and we want 00:41:45.760 --> 00:41:47.179 to get you baptized. There were several words 00:41:47.179 --> 00:41:49.000 of knowledge. Don't run out of here. You know 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:56.800 we're not done. And I'll call you out. Pain starting 00:41:56.800 --> 00:42:00.380 in the heel and extending into the calf. You 00:42:00.380 --> 00:42:02.800 have a tendon on the outer side of your right 00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:06.480 knee causing pain. You have pain in the outer 00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:08.659 part of your left foot. It stretches from your 00:42:08.659 --> 00:42:11.960 heel all the way to your toes. And listen, if 00:42:11.960 --> 00:42:15.559 you're here today and you're stuck or gripped 00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:18.360 with fear over a decision that needs to be made, 00:42:18.460 --> 00:42:21.099 I want to challenge you. Get out of your seat. 00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:23.920 Take a step of faith. Get up here on my left 00:42:23.920 --> 00:42:26.619 or my right and get some prayer. Our prayer team 00:42:26.619 --> 00:42:29.500 will pray with you and believe that God's going 00:42:29.500 --> 00:42:32.920 to speak directly to your heart. Okay? Don't 00:42:32.920 --> 00:42:36.199 miss the opportunity. Our mental health series, 00:42:36.260 --> 00:42:38.420 Mind Filters, continues next week. And we have 00:42:38.420 --> 00:42:40.340 two more weeks of it before we celebrate Easter. 00:42:40.500 --> 00:42:42.760 God bless you guys. Can't wait to connect with 00:42:42.760 --> 00:42:51.199 you next week. Cut off my lifetime. I was stuck 00:42:51.199 --> 00:42:53.500 up in that grind. Not knowing you gave your life 00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:55.800 for mine. You're the one turn water into wine. 00:42:55.900 --> 00:42:57.639 Please fix my heart and things inside.