So, John's gonna help kick it off this morning with me. You know, we asked for you all to pray for us well, as we went and met with Michelle Nielsen last week, and we met with the principal, the assistant principal, which is the Berry, who actually missed the bear who sent us all the prayer requests that we've been praying for, and the social worker there. And I'll tell you something, when we left the building, John said, wow. And I was like, I've never seen him more excited than this moment. So we wanted to share. You didn't know I came up here to crack jokes on John, dang it. He's like, I'm never going
there again. Oh, no. Yeah.
So we're going to just share a few of the things, we have almost a laundry list of opportunities so that we can all as a congregation be praying about what things kind of are highlighted. So
a group of us prayed here wins tonight regarding several of these and one person shared, this is almost overwhelming. There's so many things, it'll be easy for us to look at ourselves and feel inadequate. This isn't a list of things that we can necessarily anticipate we'll be able to do all of them. Because we won't. What we're especially asking for is your prayers for wisdom, of what are the things we start with, where are the places that we can have an impact, especially with the administrative folks. The principal, her name is Victoria shields. And also we have the name of the social worker who was their Latoya beard. And I would ask that you be in prayer for them and missed the berry. Three key leaders of the school, they shared out off of multiple lists of possible ways we could get involved. And that's why it may feel overwhelming, but we don't want we don't want that result to come out of it. We don't want to come away feeling like grasshoppers in their sight. That's things that surprised me is how open they were to spiritual impact. It was obvious those three ladies have strong faith. They don't want to take advantage of students or parents. But they know that when when spiritual matters are attended to life is is much better. Mitchell Nelson is one of the oldest schools in the city that's currently operating. And they have the highest number of homeless children who are enrolled there, they estimate it's above 70. Students who live in some of the motels and daily, you know, just just making it week by week, day by day, to have a place and and likely they anticipate some of them or are in cars. And in all honesty, the principles very open to connecting families to the church directly, not just having to go through them. We could do things like prayer, walking the halls. With some planning ahead. We won't be in people's face, we won't be objectionable in the way we would do that. They would especially love if there's some folks here who have the availability and and the willingness to come right before opening or right before closing and in the afternoon. 838 35 is their admission they come in time and or they get started. And then 320-823-3053 35 is when they're dismissal. And those would be times if you're going to be doing those types of things regularly. They do have a volunteer intake process that they would want anyone who's going to be there regularly to go through you would have to do that fairly simple. Background Check the kinds of things you would want the school where your children or grandchildren are attending to do with volunteers. So very reasonable. Why don't you share some of the things that are on the list?
Yeah, I was. It's just amazing to think about even that prayer thing that John was just talking about that the principal of a school and assistant principal would say, yeah. During the day, you can have people as long as you're not praying out loud, and being disruptive or whatever, you come to the hallways, oh, she also mentioned that, you know, we've been doing some prayer walking stuff, we could just we can go into the school, and their show, invite the teachers like, so we can have a prayer meeting, we're seeing advice to teachers, and the administration could come to that. There's certain things they can't come to and all that, but they actually have a weekly ongoing prayer meeting among the teachers that they couldn't attend, because their administration, but anyway, so that was another really, really big piece. She said, there was a couple things, one of the things that I talked to her about was that we have teachers here. And oftentimes, we want to bless the students 100%. But sometimes the teachers, oftentimes the teachers are not forgotten, you know, churches, go to them and say, Hey, we want to help you. And they're always thinking about backpacks and different things. Here's what's fantastic. But we talked to them about teachers, they've had a lot of of course, as you all know discouragement because of COVID, and different things like that. So we made a suggestion of like doing maybe like a coffee bar and doughnuts or something that's just like a simple, very easy way to introduce ourselves to them. You know, we talked about having prayer with them, and all this, they don't know who we are yet. But like as a hey, I mean, someone wants to bring me doughnuts and coffee, I got probably going to be fairly warm to them off the bat. So that was a that was one of the simple things. And other quick, simple thing that could help the teachers and the school was they have, you know, whatever store bucks or something, you know, you do a good job, you get $1 from this or whatever, you get points, you know, whatever. But the little trinkets and stuff like that, that they have in their store that students can go by, they are like that would be super helpful, because they're always struggling to get those. So that's another like a small, she actually said those are, the two Asterix things that she would say would be simple things to start off with, that would be a huge help to their school.
Yeah. And I would like to add to that, when we prayed Megan shared that last year at their school, there was a day when parents had given like $5 gift cards to Starbucks or other places that are sort of their favorite hangout type spots. And there were a number of those donated. And then they drew names out of the out of a hat of teachers, and they got the gift card. That's the kind of thing if you've got a special place that you just really enjoyed going to maybe it's I can't think of the name of the place where they do the ice cream on the big frozen deal and marble slab, the crazy kinds of neat places that, you know, maybe a $5 gift card won't be enough to just get you started there. I don't know I've not been to marble slab. But those kinds of things that are small statements of there are people in this community who really care about you, and what you're trying to do for our community's well being. Yes.
I want to speak from experience, and I'm probably Lauren could too. We have the village church on nolensville road that has basically adopted my school. And we have a lot of variety in terms of students, we have students that come from $500,000 homes. And we have a lot of refugees that are in Section Eight housing. And occasionally, we were surprised with an announcement teachers during your break come down there's coffee and doughnuts in the lounge that would stretch at supplied this, you wouldn't believe how much of an impact this makes. Also, if you know a company that would then tag along, if you work for someone that would tag along and be a sponsors, that is a way we can In addition, bless the educators with these things. But I do want you to know if it's a Tuesday or Wednesday and you're like, oh, man, three more days and Johnny's acting out again. And I got a parent that's hounding me for no apparent reason. You don't understand the blessing of someone saying I care. Thank you. And they do it. Not every week. But enough that says, Thank you so much.
Anything else on your list? Are you ready?
There were I mean, this, this was this may be too it's probably too soon. But maybe just to think about in the future. Like Thanksgiving food and stuff. Like one of the things that she mentioned, which I thought was really good was instead of us just donating turkeys and different things. What you said about the spiritual thing was awesome. She said we could put you on a list where the parents and families like call us and then they could come here and then We can get to know them a little bit better and stuff. And so we also don't buy 20 turkeys and only 10 families need them. I thought that was cool. But she also said, which I thought was really interesting that if we, you know, do something here for the community, they will send it out to all the parents. So I mean, just thought, since we have people living in this community, it's not all about coming and seeing us, but like, we had like a Christmas movie night, and we invited parents and we made cookies and popcorn and all that stuff, and watched elf or something like that, she'll send that out to all the parents and say, Hey, stones, rivers, doing a movie night or whatever. And I thought that was pretty incredible, that they would say that they would send these things out to these folks. So
one last thing on my list, they said, We're always looking for pure models for adults. Stories of overcoming. If you grew up in a very difficult situation, and God used a teacher to powerfully impact your life, or a way that you could communicate well, or you know, somebody else who has that type of story. They, they're, they're willing to work with getting word out and using. They have their, their their values, that they're reinforcing that they're encouraging, that they're trying to help the kids to remember and learn and practice. And they're looking for people with personal life stories, to share to help reinforce those. So be prayerful about that. Be aware, you may not feel like you've got a story but you hear a story. You read a story, you come across someone at work, who who comes in and does something like that. Who are those people? One of the things we can be for them is a resource, a connector. Last week, when we talked about Jesus and his disciples, Andrew, you know, Peters, the one of the 12, that sort of takes front and center, but it's Andrew, who connects Jesus and Peter. There's a incredible role in being an Andrew connector resource. And so we have many more years, we have many places and situations we interact with. What are some recommendations that we might pass on and be a blessing to them?
Yeah. It's good. It's good in that awesome. Pretty I am. I'm cool. I'm fired up. Let's go. Yes. Yeah, I've got it written down. Yeah. Above 40. Well, that was teachers. Yeah. I can't think they weren't sure how many with faculty and all their staff. I think maybe they were thinking 60 or 70, or something like that. But 40 Something teachers? Yeah. So it's just really, really exciting. Like what's so excited? Yes. I'm sorry. There's another question. They didn't. That was one regret that we had. But we have, we can, like that's the cool thing. They were. She messaged me afterwards and just thanked me so much, again, for us taking the time to care about their school and to, she said, even just having the meeting shows me that you care. And it means a lot to us. So I was really excited about that. It just I think John mentioned this after we're done. Just we talked about prayer and fasting and what we've been doing this whole, like last couple months, and to see a wide open door for opportunity. Like I watch, like, I think we've been you know, we were not perfect, but I think we've been fairly faithful with what God's given us. God gave us pair walking and kind of directed our heart. We started praying for the school, God made a great connection to Lauren, who was obedient and went and found was Miss de Berry's husband is that right? That had been a speaker at your school. And she made the connection that went out and did the connection. So this was like puzzle pieces all together, who then was open, who then when they heard that we've been praying for them, we're very open to that. And through that process of prayer and fasting, the now it was, it was amazing. I mean, it was just amazing to sit back and think, I mean, to see what God's doing. And so the question is now we'll be faithful with what God's given us, right? Yeah, I guess it's exciting. It's so cool. It's amazing because like, look, we've done a few things where like, we'll put blow ups in the yard or whatever. And we have to go knock on all these people's doors and it's cold and no one knows who we are. We have a community connection now. That's amazing. You know, yay, praise God. We're not these weirdos that are knocking that people don't know who we are. Yeah, we are. Yes. We're still weirdos, Matt said. We're not Yeah, that's right. We're not having to Hello. I mean, I remember specifically people looking through their blinds, and then just not answering the door even though I see you there. It helps to have a child. We found that out, didn't we, Matt? Have a kid with you? Yeah, they're a whole lot more warm. And they're a whole lot more open to you. So continue to pray for that y'all seriously. And then let me Johnny, the shepherds, whatever, let let us know. If anything's come into your heart, like you're like, Man, I just really feel like I want to do that. Oh, I forget failed to mention that after. In the morning after greeting, they're looking for people to read stories to kids. So like, if you've got 20 minutes to come in, you don't have to do it all the time. You could like if you want to be a regular volunteer, you could. Or you could just say, You know what I love to come read, read a story. They're always looking for parents and adults to read stories to the children. So that that would be really cool as well. All right, who put up my first slide? Mr. Kyle, I want to continue a little bit. And the Lord's doing this already this morning through what David said and what John mentioned. Continue a little bit about what we talked about last week, when it comes to prayer in that relationship with God. This has been so heavy on my heart the last several weeks, in a good way. It's been really transformative for me, and it's things that I've heard, and I've lived some of my life. And then I you ever do that, and then you just slip back and you're like, Why did I? What what happened there? You know. But the whole idea of when Andrew as John was mentioning before and another disciple, say, Jesus, where are we? Where are you staying? And his response? Wasn't he didn't give them the answer. He didn't say, Well, I'm going to so and so motel or so and so in or whatever it was, he just invited them to into a relational thing like God. So God is He said, clemency, that was his response, Come and see. And that really got me because that made me think about our relationship with God. And how God has this, come and see mentality with us. Like, he always does things in relationship with us. He has a mission. He has a plan. He's doing incredible things all over our world and our city, but it's not. It's always through relationship, even when he came put on flesh and dwelt among us. He didn't do it by himself. He did it in relationship, right. So if you go to my next slide,
look how much that dude sweating. Why do you have a picture of a sweaty guy? Because sometimes I think when we approach approach prayer, this is what we envision. Maybe it's just me, right? Like, we talked about the last several months about spending time in prayer, communion with God. And oftentimes, in my mind, I'll go to this place of man, I better be in my prayer room praying for like two hours, and it better be intense. And I better be like, Oh, God, you're right. And then like, sometimes we power through like a, like a session or two of that. We get out maybe we're feeling pretty good. But you know, we quickly fade away, you know, from that. Now, there are times when there will be prayers that are intense. Jesus had a very intense prayer and get so many, right there's, there's times whenever something serious is going on, or there's some serious spiritual warfare, and it's you just go wow, this is intense. But I thought about it. Like, if it's like a marriage, could you imagine if that was your relationship with your spouse, where you felt like every moment had to be this intense or very intimate, create, you know, moment, if y'all know what I'm saying? Like, there are moments for that. But I'm not sure our relationship would be super healthy, if that's all we ever did. Like, it's actually good to sit down and drink a cup of coffee with your wife or husband and just chat, you know what I mean? Or go on a walk with him or watch a movie and go on a date, eat. And that's one of my favorite things to do. But sometimes we get this picture and and I think that this actually hurts us when it comes to prayer. Because we get again, we feel like, I've got to do this, I've got to block off this time. I've got to do that. And it's not really sustainable nor I don't know if that's exactly I don't think that's all that God wants. I don't I don't think that's it. If you go to the next slide. Oftentimes, too, we have this idea of it's like it's a checklist, you know, we've I know we've said this, but I'm just gonna reiterate some of this. Sometimes it's simply a checklist of this is what a good Christian does. Come on. Good Christians read the Bible. Good Christians pray, good Christians help people out here in there. And so we feel this obligation to like, ya know, John has been preaching about it. And, you know, Megan shared this real encouraging word, and it was encouraging. So I need to pray, I guess, you know, and it's like this thing that we that we do in May oftentimes when that happens, maybe we block off some time and we're in we head in the right direction, and then we look back six months later go Well, that didn't go very long or very far. Or we approach God with a checklist of things now I have lists and things to remind myself of things to pray and to talk to God about, I think they can be really helpful. But if my entire relationship with someone was going up to calling John and going, Hey, John, I'm going to call you once a day, and I'm going to share about 10 things with you. Hey, John, would you do this? Did you mind doing this? Would you mind doing that? What I look forward to talking to John? Probably not, even if John could help me with some of this stuff, like, I'm probably get tired of just calling him all the time. And nothing more in our relationship was was just a phone call and a checklist or a list of things to talk to God about. But yet, you know, I've done that many times in my life. It's not all bad, right? The intense prayers, not all bad. There's times for some of that stuff. But I think because of things like this, and, and beyond, I'm not just going to keep going on. Most people. And I know I've shared this before, but most believers I know, would honestly say my prayer life isn't great. And I would like it to be better. Right? I've shared that. It's just a reality. I could go around if we were honest. I mean, I want it, I would say that for myself, I want my prayer life to be better, you know what I mean? Like, and then I think back to go the next slide. Actually, I'll talk about Brother Lawrence here in a little bit, they go back to the next, the practice of the presence of God, good stuff, then I go back, I'm sorry, go forward to ignore three forward, go to forward one back, and then three more forward, and then we might land in the right slide. Thank you, Kyle. Dang it, he was gonna attempt it. But in the midst of the checklist, and the intensity and all this stuff, I just think, you know, back to the garden, and I know sometimes I get tired of people going back to the garden to hear about it all the time. But look, when I go back to the garden, I see a a relationship with God, where if you want to turn, I'll look, I'm gonna read Genesis three, eight really quick. And this is something that people have pointed out for tons of times, but I'm going to point it out again, maybe you haven't heard it.
But Genesis three, eight says, this is after they they sinned. They rebelled against God, it says they heard and they as Adam and Eve, they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze. And the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the garden. But the Lord called to the man and said, where are you? He said, I heard the sound of you in the garden. And I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. He said, Who told you that you were naked? I'm sure there are all kinds of sounds that went on in the garden, right? There's animals, there's breezes, the evening razors, all this stuff. It always intrigued me that Adam and Eve again, many of us have heard this, but they knew the sound of God. What does that mean? Does that mean that God and them hung out? Just occasionally, once in a while? No, it means that they, they if you hear the sound, you know it like this was this had to have been a regular occurrence. Sometimes I wish that in Genesis, we get more about that relational aspect of it and like the way God interacted, but I guess that's we'll have time to talk about that later on. With the Lord. And with people like Adam and Eve, that's crazy in it to think about that. They can go talk to Adam and be like, Hey, man, what was it like that's, that seems insane in a good way, like really, really awesome. But they heard his voice. They talked to him, they understood what it was because even when he spoke, they were afraid. But they were afraid because they were naked. It wasn't like, you know, how many times we see in Scripture when an angel shows up, and then people are freaking out. I think, you know, many of us probably went to if I saw an angel, like right in front of me, I'd be like, Whoa, I'm pretty sure. But they didn't seem to be afraid of that. They were afraid that they were naked. So they communed with God. And I think back to like, how natural that was, that was built to be natural. Like God built us. And one of the things he built us for was was communion with Him, to be fruitful to multiply all these different things. But a big part of that was was to be with him to be with him in relational. And I wonder why it seems so hard to do that sometimes. If you want to go to the next slide, I've titled this, this. Go on. Yes, capacity. Thank you. I've titled this message walking with God. Because I think that there's something beautiful and something natural that God wants to restore. And he's doing it in my life into some of our lives. about prayer book, leaving this checklist or intense thing or whatever it may be it becoming just the natural, who we are over the course of our days and lifes and the interactions that we have with everyone. I showed a picture of Brother Lawrence, I'll talk about him at the end. I guess I think I'm going to do that. But there's a book that he wrote that's been really impactful in my life, about practicing the presence of God of being who we are rather than a 15 minute thing, because we've we've learned in our culture too. compartmentalize everything to divide every sale sacred and secular, right? Like, this is my prayer time. This is my job. This is my this, this is my that and we're so divided up. I don't think that God desires that I think God desires that we walk with Him. And it just is a natural flow. So after the fall, we see what happens. This rebellion just affects mankind to the point where in Genesis six, this i This actually hurts my heart. I think God said he was sorry that he made us. Like, I don't know why it is it really hit me this week. Like I've read it 1000 times, but like, I just wait, God, why? Wow. And I know that I've added to that, like, I mean, like, you know, like my lifestyle. Like, he literally was he saw everything was good. And he was happy. They were in relationship and, and Adam was naming animals and participating in what God was creating, and doing and all this cool stuff. And then not even that long down the line. He's like, I'm actually sorry, that even made you in kind, which also shows me, which helps in prayer that God has personality. He is not a robot. No matter how much what our theology might teach us, there's God has personality. But as we read Genesis three and then go down to Genesis six, there's this kind of steady decline. There are some bright notes and there's this one passage that has intrigued me for such a long time. And I wish I had knew all the answers to this. But it's Genesis 521. It's when he's going through genealogy our favorite thing to read right? What are y'all are y'all this get passed? It's or you the I'm gonna truck through it? Because I'm a Christian man, and I'm supposed to read it all. Yeah, I can see there's who's the skimmers? Let me just give me see if there's something different at some point, then I'll then I might read that part. Here's a different part. All right. If you're a skimmer.
I think I've been all three. I've been all three. I've done all three. He's going through this genealogy, which also reveals how important that is to God and was to these people, that they they have a remembrance of the fathers and their grandfathers and all this stuff like that. But in just about 21, it says When Enoch was 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah, who's 65 years old and wants to be a newly father. Anybody in here? No. Not even one. Okay, yeah, I'm 37. I don't want to become a newly father either. Is that a bad thing? If we If that happened, I'd be happy baby. But I'm not looking for it. Okay, almost got in trouble, maybe for a second there. Verse 22, says, This phrase that's repeated twice in the small section, Enoch walked with God, after the birth of Methuselah 300 years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Enoch were 365 years, Enoch walked with God, then He was no more because God took him. I really wish I had so much more insight into what does it mean, in what would it look like for Enoch to walk with God? I think we'll get more insight as that phrase is used multiple times, throughout Scripture. Hebrews gives us a little bit more information. You know, Enoch was one of the two people recorded that didn't die. You may say, Well, God took him. The Hebrew writer took that as he didn't die. Alright, so that's, that's kind of interesting to me. Hmm. I love how there's an interesting this concept of him walking with God. And then him not dying. Like there's something special about Enoch in his life. There's something that God Why did God take him? Was it because it was such an evil generation? Did God just love spending time with him was like, Come be with me. I don't know. I can ponder and make ideas. But there was something about him, that God said, I'm just gonna take him. And Hebrews 11, you can turn there if you want. This is the great faith chapter, right? Talking about all these giants of the faith in encouraging us to have faith in God. He brings up Enoch. There's not much about Enoch in the scriptures. But he brings up this Enoch, it says, By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death. So again, the Hebrew writer, so meaning, when it says he had been taken, that means that he didn't die. And he was not found because God had taken him. For it was a tested before he was taken that he had pleased God. So a little bit more insight that the Hebrew writer had into this. So this idea of walking with God seems very relational to me. And it will become more relational as we look at some other passages. And it seems so simple, though. I know it's hard When God calls us to walk with Him, it doesn't mean like, everything's fantastic. Sometimes our life gets even harder because of his call to walk with Him. But it seems so natural. Why? Why don't we like I just ask myself, why am I not just walking, just walking with God, in communion with Him at all times as I'm doing things. But what I think is interesting is Hebrews 11. Verse Six is something we read all the time, and we read it isolated. But it's actually directly tied to Enoch. Because it says, How many of us have heard and without faith is impossible to please God. That line is directly tied to he had pleased God, like Enoch had please God, and without faith, it is impossible to please God. So there's this idea. For whoever would approach it must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who seek them. There's this idea of hat that Enoch had this faith in that he walked with God, and that is tied with what it means to to have faith and that pleases God. Right? God desires that relationship with us. When we have that intimacy with God, it produces faith in us, and that pleases God. The more we're with God, the more we believe, what we trust, the more we recognize. His creation is incredible. And we recognize what he's doing in our lives and the lives of others. But a big part of that is walking with him. Day in, day out. Simple relationship. Simple. Let's not overcomplicate it. If you go back to Genesis in chapter six, and go the next slide. I can go over several more, but I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna hit this right here. This is Noah. Right? I knew my son would look up as soon as I said that, I was just watching him. His name is Noah. For those who don't know. For those who don't know, that's what it's saying is don't flood me with your sarcasm or anything like that. Okay. No,
here's, I just do it so much. I've probably said it before. So if you're around me enough, then you're like, yeah, you've already used that one like seven times today, like dang it. Just a six five says, The Lord saw this is that, that pastors that really hurt my heart, the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. In the Lord was sorry, that he had made met humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. That's really deep to think about, that there was such evil inclination that God was grieved. He was sorry. It even says in verse seven, case, even so the Lord says, I will block out from the earth, the human beings, I created people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air for I'm sorry, it repeats it. I'm sorry, that I made them. Thank God for the but in verse eight here, right? But no have found favor in the sight of the Lord. So we can find favor in God's sight. have preached on that, I guess. We'll just stay there. You should you should do a study that about finding favor in favor in the Bible. These are the descendants of Noah, Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Was it say, Noah walked with God just like Enoch. Just the last chapter. We see no, a God was gonna wipe us out. But there was a man who walked with him. That God, he found favor and part of that walking with God had to be obeying him like, right, like he was, what does it say? He was righteous. He did what God wanted him to do. He lived a lifestyle, like God wanted him to live. And because of that, we're not all dead right now. Like, you know what I mean? Like we exist, because there was because God had His grace and His mercy, and found favor with with someone who walked with God. And if you think like about looking at Noah's life, as you can see that he had interaction with God, right, like God spoke to him, he heard he obeyed, he listened. Whenever we let me go to one more place, then we'll look at Jesus and we'll be done here. Not too long. I want to go one more place in the Old Testament, because I want us to look at how I believe wholeheartedly, that this idea of walking with God and with again, we'll hit more on that here in a second is not only something that we should desire, naturally, but that God deeply desires out for us. In Leviticus chapter six, verse 26, I mean, verse nine, you can go the next slide if you want to make sure I'm on the right slides. This is Israel talk. God talking to Israel about the blessings for obedience. You know, if you do these things, you're gonna be blessed all this kind of stuff. And in the midst of it, he says, I will look with favor upon you. I will Mote the fruit I'm sorry, I will make you Fruitful and Multiply Are you and I will make my covenant with you, you shall eat old grain long stored, you shall have to steer out, excuse me clear out the old way to make way for the new, I will This is so exciting I will place my dwelling in your midst, I shall not apply for you. And I will walk among you. And I will and will be your God and you shall be my people, God's desire with the people of Israel to have a people that he says he uses the phrase that he walks among them. He's looking for a people that, what does it say that he can that he can, he can be with it, my dwelling place will be in your midst. Like God, no matter how much we hear this, sometimes we don't live it. He is not so far away. Right? He is. He's not he desires he has desired since the beginning to be with us. relationally to dwell with us. He wants us to talk to him. He wants us to commune with Him. He wants us to listen to him. He wants us to participate in his mission and his plan. And the things that he wants for our kids and in for our workplaces. And for our city like this is God's desire for us to do it. He wanted to walk among the people of Israel obey me so that I can walk among you. I just think it's it's so incredible, man. It's It's just incredible. This is the kind of God that we have. This is the true God. He loves us. He wants to walk with us.
I want to look at Jesus just a little bit more, go to the next slide real quick. Because a couple things here, Jesus was the exact imprint of God's nature, right? He, we look at Jesus, we see who God is. And we can see very clearly the nature, the characteristics of God, and I just I just love that about him. And I was reminded, he tells Andrew last week we talked about that, you know, come and see. And at one point, he shows Peter and Andrew and he says, again, he says follow me. God is inviting us into a journey of a lifestyle with him. This gets me excited about prayer. I don't know if it does for you. But it gets me excited about communing with God. Instead of like, oh, you know, Jesus didn't invite him to like, he didn't say, hey, I need to go go over there and pray for an hour. But Jesus said, Come be with me. Like, that meant like, every aspect, they ate together, they walk together, they cried together, they laughed together. They did the work they the father had for them to do together. Jesus empowered them and sent them out like they they did that in the power of the Spirit. Like I mean, like through God's power. Like follow me, come Come be with me. Also really maturity. If you go to the next slide that in, in Luke 24, after his resurrection, I love the story of the guys on the road to Emmaus. Like he's resurrected. What does Jesus do when he's resurrected? He says, Hey, Peter, come have breakfast with me. Like that, it's I think sometimes we we miss the simple, beautiful simplicity of just being with God and his desire to just be with us. Right? In Luke 24, it says, On the same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened while they were talking and discussing. Jesus came near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing them. Like they're having these conversations. And Jesus just wanted to go on a walk with him. Like, I think we would be like, Man, you really want to make an impact for this world King Jesus. And he's like, Let me have some breakfast. Let me go on some walks. Like, he knows that that's that his mission cannot be accomplished without that type of relationship with people or he doesn't want it to be. Or he so chooses, where in the Bible. I mean, like he's constantly, as I said, calling us to be called Noah to be part of his mission. Right? He calls David to do the same thing. It's it's Deborah, this me just amazing to think of these people in that our God is that kind of a God. And so I just want to kind of in here with just sharing a little bit. Have y'all read the practice of the presence of God? I know several of you have. Yeah, that's a great book. Um, maybe I don't agree with everything in it. I don't know. I always have to say that caveat. Because someone's like, well, preacher, John, there's just one line that says this. So he's a heretic. We need to get him out of there. Y'all don't do that. But it could happen. Okay. So that's well, I don't know why I feel like I have to say that. But it's, it's a really good book. And the reason I bring it up because Brother Lawrence has had some of these same issues. In the book, he shares that he had these methods of prayer that he would try anyone done that, like, try this style of prayer, that style of prayer, you read a book on prayer, and you're like, oh, yeah, I need to do it like this. And then oftentimes, like it can, those can be super helpful. But oftentimes, to me, it's been helpful for a short time, but it hasn't lasted for a long time. Now, some things are great. And they do. But for me, it hasn't happened. He was he struggled with that. He struggled with even, like, the appointed times of prayer, you know, he was a monk. And so we had appointed times to go be solitary and to be with God. And like, it's just interesting to look at this. The book is like an interview and just some letters that he wrote it. Some of them he wasn't, that wasn't supposed to be shared, but we all get to see them because someone published them, even though he said not to. That's what we do. But I'm just gonna read a few of the quotes from this book, what he what he, what he learned, that has been so helpful for me is, instead of you in prayer is this compartmentalized thing that we do? That he learned to turn his eyes to God and everything that he did? Everything? He said, I took a practice. Like he would say, whenever I'm, you know, washing dishes or whatever, he would turn his eyes to God. Like, I just gives me this idea of what does it look like to walk with God in every step of everything that we do? And in the simplicity in the net, the natural reality, if that's the right way to say it, of what that looks like? Like, doesn't that sound exciting? Doesn't that sound like something that wow, okay.
Let me see which ones. Okay, just a few quotes, that was helpful for me, maybe it'll be helpful for you. He says, the time of business does not differ with me from the time of prayer, the noise, he was a cook, the noise and the clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in his great twin tranquility, as if I were on my knees. Because what he learned to do is he learned to say, I'm cooking for the glory of God. Right, I'm wiping my child's rear, I'm just being real, like, because I love my kid. And God gave me this child. And God, I'm going to do this unto you. Right? When I do my work, when I'm at my job place, I'm not going to look at as well, this is my secular thing. And then maybe I'll go have my time of prayer, it was God, I'm going to do excel at this, because I want to give you the glory in this in while I'm at work, I'll talk to you and I'll set my mind on you. And I'll think about you God, I just, I think that that's just amazing. He even said, it is enough for me to pick up straw from the ground for the love of God, like as menial of a task of go pick up some straw. He's like, You know what, that's one of his most famous quotes is I'll go and I'll, I'll pick that up. And I'll do it for the glory of God. And the last thing I'll share that he said, the most excellent method he had found of going to God this is about him, was to do it in our normal activities without any view of pleasing men. And as far as we are able, purely for the love of God said it was a great delusion, to think that times a prayer ought to be different from other times, just as it is important to adhere to God by action, in the time of action, as by prayer in the time of prayer, but the point of being, that living a lifestyle, in the presence in that communion, so that's what we have now. We have God access to God as community, as temple 24/7. And they said in everything that we do, everything that we ever everything that we do, for the glory of God in communion with God. So I can be doing whatever it may be, I could be mowing my grass, talking to the Lord. Taking care of the like that's where my mind would go is like God thank you for this earth is incredible. You told us to take care of it. We I want to I want to, it's amazing that you've done this and like out mowing and just enjoying nature is the same beauty as being in my prayer closet and praying and spending time with God in my prayer closet. It all is all beautiful. And so that's my current that's that's my encouragement this weekend, as we, you know, have been talking about prayer is to just simply be natural with God, to to wake up in the morning and as you waken up, just set your mind on Him. You don't have to say anything. Maybe Listen, maybe you just think about him, man. You are incredible. How did you do? Like, listen to what he might tell you to do. Like I've noticed as I've done this, I interact with people different. Like I think of them more than I think of me. You know what I mean? Like it's just like, wow, Jared is awesome. Like, what a great friend he is, you know, or whatever it may be. Is there a word of caution? Is there something that I can share? You know, whatever, maybe something comes from my heart. Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's just to sit back and be thankful. Wow. Thank you for friends. God, thank you. I thank you for community. Thank you for what we have here, you know, stones river. So that's my encouragement. Am I and I think I honestly think like, it's really life changing if we picked it like, it's so simple, but I think it absolutely transforms our life. If we pick up the simplicity, a great man of God was asked, how many how much time do you spend in prayer? And, you know, they're thinking he's gonna say, for three or four hours, he saw a lot of miracles and things to places as never pray more than 20 minutes, and never go more than 20 minutes without praying. Basically, I try to stay in constant communion with God. I don't have to go in and let you carry Hey, how about this carry? They're clapping for you, because they're excited that you're here, Carrie. Yeah, we are very glad to have you. If anyone didn't get it. As Carrie was saying, let me know. I'll have it up here. Looks like we're looking pretty good. Man. That's the thing I can be thankful for and commune with the Lord while we eat some buttermilk pie is not on here yet or not. Okay, just want to make sure I'm very picky with my desserts. Because I don't want to gain a bunch of weight. So but when I hit a good one, I'm down with it. So that's it. That's simple. Let's, let's take a few minutes like we've been doing. And I just encourage you just to, to listen to God to think about God to think about how amazing he is.
Yeah, just just in simplicity. Let's just take a couple minutes here and just meditate on the Lord and yeah
no pressure. That's the cool thing about this. We don't have to feel that there's something on the heart awesome. If there's not then God may have just been talking to us individually or have something for your spouse or your kids or whatever. going once going twice. Alright, Gary.
It's great to be back. This may not be something you might think appropriate. But if anybody's looking for a good buy on hold turkeys for Thanksgiving, all these has butter balls for 87 pound. That's true. The same Turkey is $1.99 a pound at Kroger.
Hey, I'm gonna tell you something. Carrie. My mom called me this week and told me that exact same news. Oh, I love it. Yeah, I love it.
Saving money is always a good message. I'ma hold down. Money. Curious. Great to have you back. Yancey is back with us. Welcome back sister, Jerry and Beverly back with us after being out for a few weeks with some sickness. Bowel is online this morning. She's had a bout with pneumonia this week, so we want to pray for her full recovery not COVID. Linda Palmer is in the hospital. My initial diagnosis was a UTI. She has improved a little bit, but there are additional symptoms. And they're doing some tests for possible tick borne diseases or other infectious diseases. And I texted Holly this morning to see if I could get an update and she said quick update on mom. Basically, we still don't know anything definitive. The infectious disease doctor came in for a consult yesterday was going to do some research. They may do a lumbar puncture, either today, Sunday or tomorrow to check for meningitis. I think she's starting to feel a little better, but is very weak. We'll probably have to go to rehab for a few days to gain some strength. When she finally gets discharged. Thank you for all the prayers and text I share them with her when she's awake, which is a little more often. I'm headed there shortly hoping the doctor will come in with some kind of news today. Diane texted Linda tech, Laura, Laura, and they they the early indications This is not cancer related. And we just wanted to give that since that's one of those things that sometimes our minds go to. So I just want to pray for This Father, we praise You for folks who are better, who are stronger, who are healthier. Lord, we praise You for Your goodness in our lives the ways you speak with us. Your desire for an ongoing relationship that we would walk with you. Father, we lift Val up and pray that she will recover quickly and fully regain her strength. We pray for Linda. Lord, we ask that you will heal her body. Whatever is causing these symptoms, we pray that you will take it away, you will renew her strength and her stamina. And Father, we will be careful to give you the praise and the glory in Jesus name. Amen. One practical suggestion that I want to give you on that idea of walking with God, when you're going somewhere, just to run an errand or whatever, if you can't take somebody with you. A lot of our best disciple making conversations happen on the way somewhere there's an African proverb that says if you want to go far, go alone. I mean, if you want to go fast, go alone if you want to go fast. So the reason we don't take somebody a lot of times is we have to coordinate our schedule with their schedule if you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far though, take somebody with you. There's a real strength in being together. And that's when we can disciple one another we can encourage one another we can call each other to walking faithfully with God Good.
I'm glad you shared that John because that was something that I forgot to mention. So the Lord helped you help anyways that was reading this Jewish rabbi just talk about how the concept of communion with God as being a solely a solo thing is almost foreign to to Jewish people because it's always based in community he's like it's always this idea of communion with God now that he did say yes there are moments of being with the Lord by yourself of course there are and stuff but the entire the concept of it reminded me of a two weeks ago or something, there's something with the with the bread stuff that was really heavy on my heart, and I shared it with Seth and he and I are in here we're praying about it and just spending time with God and it was really on our hearts. And then we walk over to the office events like Hey, guys, I have something to bring up to you. Like literally the same thing. And like that moment of confirmation of we are hearing God together. And God does speak to us as community was huge. The last thing I want to share it as I close my eyes, like the Lord just reminded me, I just want to restore the joy of being with me. Like the joy like there's there's times wherever it gets intense and it is hard like is is but there's a joy, a piece that I feel like the Lord was wants to restore. Maybe that's just in my life. But I want to say that maybe it's for y'all as well. Go ahead. You want a microphone? I know you don't.
