Latest / The Higher Pursuit Podcast / Have you lost your spiritual Edge

Transcript

Have you lost your spiritual Edge · The Higher Pursuit Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had like poison ivy?
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: And your mother takes you to the beach and said, you know, when you were a little kid, go play in the waves.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: You won't have the itchy poison ivy when you're all done with your day at the beach.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: So salt can be associated with healing.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: But here's something interesting about salt adding flavor, which I loved how Linda put that in the notes.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Salt enhances something without becoming the main thing.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody says, would you like some popcorn with your salt?
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: They always ask, Do you want salt on your popcorn?
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's something that's added to increase flavor, but it's never the main thing.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Salt isn't supposed to be the center of attention.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: It adds, it augments.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you might think I'm nuts, but I put a pinch of salt in my hot chocolate.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_00: And I put salt in my chocolate sauce or my caramel sauce.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Why do we do that?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because the salt augments the flavor of the sweet chocolate or sweet caramel.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there's something really beautiful for us believers that we can learn from that.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: And that is friends.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Cecily LaChapelle, and this is the Higher Pursuit Podcast.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so glad that you're tuned into this podcast where we talk specifically about things that will encourage you and strengthen you in your pursuit of the Lord.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: For more content, check out our ministry website at HigherPursuit Ministries.com.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: You can also find me on YouTube at Cecily LaChapelle with Higher Pursuit Ministries.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, now let's dive into the podcast.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: I am so glad you're here.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: If you're new here, this is a place where we're pursuing more of the Lord together.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Cecily La Chapelle.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: And right now, we're in a series that I'm calling Word Alive, How to Study Your Bible.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: And we're using the Gospel of Matthew as our text.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in this episode, we're continuing our journey through the Sermon on the Mount because we are in Matthew chapter five.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: And we're looking tonight at two statements from Jesus that I think are probably really familiar to a lot of you.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: First of all, the you are statements.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: You are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: So these you are statements are referred to as the similitudes.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: But I want us to slow down and look beneath that, the familiarity of those words, because I think there is so much more here than we sometimes realize.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: And first, let me welcome anybody that's in the house.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: So, hey, Linda, good to see you.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: So glad you're here.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you're here, just give me a shout out and just let me know that you're here.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: I know some of you want to kind of like sit in the background, maybe not be on the chat.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's fine, but I would just love to know that you're in the room and who's here with me.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, what we need to think about when we look at the similitudes, these you are statements of Jesus.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: We need to think about what would people sitting on the hillside have heard when Jesus used the words salt and light?
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: So Whitney's in the house, Pat is in the house.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Good to see you guys.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Well, so we think we have to think about what people on the hillside would have thought when Jesus said salt and light.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: And what does that reveal to us about who we are supposed to be in the world today?
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: Because let me tell you this.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus wasn't simply giving his disciples a list of behaviors, he was giving them an identity.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: So let me um let me see.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: I need to add this to the stage.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: There we go.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's the way I want that to look, I think.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, yes, is that the way I wanted it to look?
• 4:19
  SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh no, I didn't do it right.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Hold on.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: We need to get back to our.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, there we go.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Huh, there we are.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: I finally got it to there's what I wanted.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so we need to go to this slide.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Here we go.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: In the similitudes, Jesus wasn't just giving us work to do, he's giving us identity.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: Let me say that again so that you remember that focus point because I messed around with my PowerPoint too much.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus isn't giving us work to do, he's giving us identity.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: So before I teach you anything that I studied this week, I want you to participate.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I want you to tell me in the chat, when you hear the word salt, what comes to mind?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not talking anything deep and theological.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you're watching live, just put your answers in the chat.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: If you're listening later, you can just pause for a moment and think about it.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: What I'm asking is like, what does salt do?
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: What are its characteristics?
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, right while you're writing those things in the chat, I want to show you a Bible study method that you can use anytime you're studying a passage like this.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_00: And it's six simple Bible study questions that you can ask yourself.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: Step one, what do I already know about this image, word, or concept?
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so Pat says soul preserves.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: Step two, based on scripture itself, what do I think Jesus is saying?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Step three, what do my study notes or Bible tell me?
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: Step four, what additional insights can I gain from from like trusted commentaries or historical context?
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Step five, what does this passage reveal about God?
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: And step six, what does this passage reveal about me and how I should live?
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: So this is important because Bible study shouldn't stop with what does this verse mean?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Eventually, it needs to prompt the question in us, Lord, what does this reveal about you and what should change in me because of who you are?
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have your Bibles open to Matthew chapter five, join me as we read Matthew 5:13.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: It says, if you are the s, you are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's no longer good for anything except to be thrown into the fire.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start with step one.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: What do I already know about this image, word, or concept?
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: So now I'm going to read your answer.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So we see that salt preserves and it flavors.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, it adds flavor.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you guys already know this too.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: Salt can be associated with healing.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever had like poison ivy and your mother takes you to the beach and said, you know, when you were a little kid, go play in the waves.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: You won't have be itchy poison ivy when you're all done with your day at the beach.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So salt can be associated with healing.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: But here's something interesting about salt adding flavor, which I loved how Linda put that in the notes.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Salt enhances something without becoming the main thing.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, nobody says, Would you like some popcorn with your salt?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: No, they always ask, Do you want salt on your popcorn?
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because it's something that's added to increase flavor, but it's never the main thing.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Salt isn't supposed to be the center of attention.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: It adds, it augments.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you might think I'm nuts, but I put a pinch of salt in my hot chocolate and I put salt in my chocolate sauce or my caramel sauce.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: Why do we do that?
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Because the salt augments the flavor of the sweet chocolate or sweet caramel.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there's something really beautiful for us believers that we can learn from that.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: And that is we aren't the main thing.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus is.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, everybody.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: While I hate to interrupt a good discussion, I do want to tell you about my book, Repurpose Your Pain: Moving from Pain to Purpose and from Instability to Firm Faith.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: In the book, I share 10 pain points that are common to most people.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I share my personal stories, my experiences with those pain points, and how I repurposed that pain.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Then we dive into what the Word of God has to say about how we repurpose that pain.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: You need to know that this book is really two books in one because it includes workbook activations to help you apply the truth that you've learned to your life.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: So grab your copy today on Amazon, Christian Book Distributors, or any place books are sold.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: So our lives should do what salt does.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: It should enhance, it should reveal, it should point people toward the main thing.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: We should augment and complement the sweetness of Jesus Christ.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: We should add flavor to the gospel in and in what Jesus has done for the world.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: But this is what's really cool.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: There's another meaning of salt that Jewish listeners would have understood.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, without the appropriate qualities of salt.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Come on.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: I can't survive without salt.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: I put salt on everything, like everything.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: You should see my spice cabinet.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think I have probably about seven or eight different flavors of salt.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: That's how much I love it.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I certainly can't survive without it.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: But it really does.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: It preserves us and it heals us.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: But so here's the other part, the aspect of salt that I think is so cool.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Salt was connected to covenant.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: So let me bring my slides back up here.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And there we have scriptures from Leviticus 2.13.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: It says, You shall season all your grain offerings with salt.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then Numbers 18.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Numbers 18, 19 says, a covenant of salt forever before the Lord.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Guys, salt accompanied every single offering at the temple.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Every single one.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Even the poorest of people could bring salt as an offering.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: It became a visible reminder of something invisible, a permanent covenant relationship.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's crazy.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: People could, there was actually an ancient Arab tradition where they would put salt on a sword, and instead of cutting themselves to draw blood for the covenant, they would eat salt off one another's sword.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: And the salt was in place of the blood at the covenant.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's how much salt was related to covenant.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: So when Jesus looks at his disciples and says, You are the salt of the earth, let this sink in.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: There's a depth here that we have to stop and think about.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: We are people whose lives should visibly testify to the covenant faithfulness of God because we personally and understand it and rejoice in it ourselves.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Additionally, think about it.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: If you are the salt of the covenant, that means as you walk around your home, your place of work, your family, your neighborhood, you are bringing your covenant partner, the covenant that you stand in, into every situation.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: When a covenant was cut, the two covenant partners understood that God Almighty was the third member of that covenant.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: He was the invisible but ever-present maintainer of their covenant.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's the same with us.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: We have a covenant with Almighty God.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: And when we walk around as the salt of the earth, we are bringing the power, the authority, the breakthrough, the deliverance of the covenant with us everywhere we go when we do it on purpose.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I don't have time to teach a whole lot more on covenant in this episode.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: I would love to, as you can probably tell, because like the found um covenant is the foundation of your faith.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I will put a couple links to books that I highly recommend on the topic of covenant that will really help you understand what covenant is and the covenant that you now enjoy through Jesus Christ, how that gives you total confidence before the Lord forever.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: And those links are at the bottom of your handout.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: Two amazing books that I highly recommend.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: One of them, The Blood Covenant by Malcolm Smith.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: I have read it um probably three times.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm on my third reading right now.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: Linda made a really great point.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's so good.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: Salt makes you thirsty.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Come on, that'll preach.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's so good.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Salt makes you thirsty.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, it does.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: And Jesus said that he is living water.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: So we should make people thirsty for the living water of Jesus Christ.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: That's good, Linda.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't have that in my notes.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: That was thanks for adding that.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: So salt becomes what?
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: Physical, visible reminder of covenant.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_00: And our lives should become visible evidence that God has made a covenant of peace with mankind through Jesus Christ.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: So good.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: So good.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: So our identity begins with what God has done.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have to beg God to somehow make us valuable enough to matter in his kingdom.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: He's already done it.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: And because of Jesus, we now carry the evidence of his faithfulness into the world.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: So what I love is that Jesus didn't say, hey guys, try to be salt or try to be light.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: He said, You are the salt of the earth.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: You are the light of the world.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: So the question is not whether we've been called to be salt and light or whether we can somehow muster up the ability to do that.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: The question is whether we are living like what he already says we are.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: Think about it.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_00: If salt can function as a physical, visible reminder of an invisible covenant, then what does it mean when Jesus looks at his disciples and says, You are the salt of the earth?
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Our lives should become that visible evidence of the faithfulness of God.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have to convince God to make us valuable.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: So let me ask you this where does our saltiness come from?
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: This is critical.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: I know in today's day and age, people are like, oh man, he was just so salty.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: And that meant like he was so snappy or he was kind of in a grouchy mood, snarky, I guess, would be another way to say it.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: But that's not the kind of salty we're supposed to be.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: And where does our saltiness come from?
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: We can't produce kingdom saltiness out of our own personalities.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: So where does this come from?
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: It comes from God.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: God is the source.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: So what are we learning about the Lord when He says you're the salt of the earth, but we know the saltiness doesn't come from us, God is the source.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: So then who is Jesus?
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: He is the one who preserves, he ultimately is the one who heals.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: He ultimately is the sweetness and savor of life.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: He ultimately is the one through the Holy Spirit who makes us thirsty for his presence.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: He's the one who gives life its true flavor.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: He is the main thing.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: He is the rock of salt, the rock salt.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: So if our lives are going to carry his preserving influence into the world, we have to remain close to the one who is the source of it.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_00: Which brings us to Jesus' warning.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: What did he say?
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: But if the salt has lost its taste, my ESV says taste, but some translations say savor.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: It goes on to say, if it's lost its savor, it's no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underneath people's feet.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: So what does lose its savor mean?
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: Here's where studying the original language can really open up a passage.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: The Greek word translated around the idea of losing savor or becoming tasteless.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_00: Let me put this up on the slide for us.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: Is this word, moraino?
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it means becoming tasteless, becoming dull.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, come on now.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: Becoming foolish or losing your edge.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Oh wow, that's incredible.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: Losing your edge.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: Think about that.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus isn't simply talking about bland Christianity.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: There's a connection here between losing our saltiness and becoming spiritually dull or foolish.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: So we need to take this down a rabbit trail.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: What is the opposite of foolishness?
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: If we don't want to become spiritually dull or foolish, what's the opposite of that?
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: Wise.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: Wisdom.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_00: And where does scripture tell us wisdom begins?
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: Put it in the chat if you know where wisdom begins.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna take a sip of my water while you type.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: That gives us a powerful connection.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then losing the fear of the Lord will lead us toward foolishness and toward that spiritual dullness, and guess what?
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: Toward losing our spiritual edge.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: So let's press pause for a minute.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_00: Let's ask ourselves Have I become spiritually dull somewhere?
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: Have I lost my edge?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: What about my obedience?
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: My tenderness toward God?
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: Have circumstances dampened my passion for his presence?
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Have the pressures and distractions of life moved God from his rightful place in my heart?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Because maintaining our saltiness means maintaining our reverence for and our closeness to Jesus.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: So tell me how do you think we maintain our saltiness?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me in the chat how you would do it.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna tell you some of the ways that I need to do it.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: This is what works for me.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: To stay connected, to keep my edge, to maintain my fear of the Lord.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: The first one is to keep obeying what I know.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: There are specific things that God has spoken to me that are part of my walk with Him.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I would never make a doctrine of it.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: I would never say, oh, well, everybody should do this the way I do it, because there isn't scripture and verse for it.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: But I have notes in my My journal where I've had conversations with God, and He has said, This is how you are to act.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: This is how you are to respond.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: This is how I want you to live.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_00: And it's part of, it's part of my purpose, it's part of my nature.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's because God knows how I tick.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_00: And He's trying to keep me safe.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: He's trying to keep me connected to Him.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: And when I slip, when I start letting those things go, and they're generally godly habits.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: When I start letting those things go, I start to lose my edge.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_00: I start to grow cold in my heart.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_00: It happens so fast.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so the Lord will remind me, you're letting that thing go.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: You didn't think it was important.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: You didn't fear me enough to protect that word.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: When you let it go, you lost your edge.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_00: Now, praise God, there's always repentance, and getting back on track is as quick as turning my heart back toward the Lord.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: So that's one of the things I have to do.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_00: Linda said, spending time in the word.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: Spending time in the word restores that fear of the Lord, that reverence for him, that understanding that he is God.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: He's created all things.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: We are not God.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: And we need God.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_00: We need him to be God.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: We need to exalt him in our hearts and minds.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: And being in the word is one major way to do that.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: Praise and worship, worshiping the Lord, creating your own little praise party or worship party.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: Just exalting him, keeping him exalted in your heart.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's another way to stay salty.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: And then staying humble before the Lord, confessing our sin quickly, approaching him in humility, in thankfulness and gratitude.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's another thing that is very important to me.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: Thankfulness and gratitude honestly keep me connected, keep me, keep my edge sharp almost more than anything else.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: I might be the square peg in the round hole, but I have a tendency to feel entitled to things.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: If somebody else has a blessing, why don't I have it?
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: If somebody else got recognized or something, why, why haven't I?
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: If uh somebody else has this comfortable thing or whatever, why don't I?
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so I can look at the glass half empty really easily.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: And so when I fight that with thankfulness and gratitude, it keeps me in my rightful position, not God, and puts God back in his rightful position.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I did a little research this week because I feel like all the really successful people in the world have good habits.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: And so I wanted to see like successful men in the faith, men and women in the faith, did they have good habits?
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: And sure enough, Billy Graham consistently emphasized daily prayer, daily scripture, daily surrender, and daily devotion.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: He wrote, this is a quote from him nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: And he specifically named quiet time, prayer, and time in the word as essential.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: Wisdom decides beforehand what conviction will require later.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's a quote from him.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_00: Isn't that great?
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'll read that again.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: Wisdom decides beforehand what conviction will require later.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: Jonathan Edwards, if you know he's one of the um the great awakening fathers of our faith, he wrote 70 resolutions when he was a 20-year-old minister, and then he read them every single week for his entire life.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: For example, resolution 28 committed him to studying scripture steadily and frequently enough that he could actually perceive himself growing in his knowledge of it.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: So he he would test himself.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: He would read the Bible for a week and then he would look back on that week and say, Did I did I get anything out of this?
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: Or did I just read it just to read it?
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_00: Did I actually learn something?
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: Did I actually grow?
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_00: Is there anything noticeable in my life?
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, how great is it to do a mid-course correction every week rather than out letting a month or six months or a year go by.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then you realize I haven't grown at all spiritually.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: I've been doing some little devotions here and there.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: I've been sort of like cherry-picking scripture, but I haven't really gotten anything out of it.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I love that.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_00: I love that he did that.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: Resolution 30 committed him to pursuing greater spiritual maturity from one week to the next.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_00: And resolution 31 governed how he spoke about other people.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_00: He knew that he couldn't keep these resolutions without the Holy Spirit giving him the grace.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: So he asked for it every day.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: So good.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: Lastly, we maintain our saltiness by refusing to let life's distractions and pressures steal his exalted place in our life.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: So before we move on in our discussion, talking about salt, and then we're gonna next talk about light.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: Can I ask you to do something?
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: If the Higher Pursuit podcast is helping you to go deeper in the Word and pursue God more intentionally, could you subscribe to the podcast or the channel, the YouTube channel right now?
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_00: And if this episode is speaking to you, hit the like button and share it with someone.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, maybe there's someone in your life who has been feeling spiritually spiritually dull.
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they're feeling like they lost their edge and they're wondering whether their life really matters in the kingdom.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_00: Send this episode to them.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: Sharing these teachings, these podcasts, and live streams helps us get the word into the hands of people who are hungry for truth, just like you.
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_00: And if you or your women's ministry director or your pastor are looking for a speaker who will leave a lasting and deep deposit in your people, I would love to raise my hand for that.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: Reach out to me on my website and let's get something booked.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: Let's look at now, let's look at the second thing that Jesus says we are.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: Matthew 5.14.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: So here's what I love about this.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_00: In John 8.12, Jesus calls himself.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let me see, get this up like this.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus calls himself the light of the world.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_00: But then in Matthew 5.14, we read, he says, You are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: How can both be true?
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: How can he be the light of the world and we're the light of the world?
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's because our light comes from his light.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_00: Think about the rays of the sun.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: They have no light in themselves, but they emanate from the source of that light, the sun.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: And in the same way, we shine with the light that comes from the S-O-N.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_00: So before we go any further, tell me, we're going to step number one.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: What do you know about light?
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_00: Put it in the comments or in the chat.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_00: And tell me also what might Jesus be telling us about ourselves when he calls us light.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: So in the chat, you're telling me what you know about light and how that might pertain to us.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_00: What is Jesus saying?
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: And in the meantime, while you're typing, I'm going to say this we are called to illuminate darkness with truth, love, and God's presence.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_00: We help people see.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: We bring warmth and life because the life of God is flowing through us.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes someone's light can travel even farther than their physical life ever could.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: Think about people whose influence has reached nations and generations that they never personally visited.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: Their light traveled farther than they did.
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: And today, in today's day and age, with the technology that we have, that possibility is even greater.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: But it doesn't have to be.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to be something on a platform.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: It can be a conversation.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: It could be a book, a post, a prayer, a testimony.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: And it could be a podcast.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_00: It could be a video.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: It just needs to be something that God puts in us that will illuminate the path for someone that we may never even meet.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: Linda said it needs power to shine and light our paths.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_00: That's good.
• 31:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's very good.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_00: Light needs power behind it.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: For instance, the rays of the sun need the fireball of the actual sun to be able to emanate.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: And the greater the power of the sun, the farther those rays can illuminate and can emanate and not just bring light, but bring life and bring warmth.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_00: These are some of the aspects of light.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: It creates energy.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: And those are all things that we are called to do.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_00: And what else did Jesus say?
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_00: Linda said, there is no darkness, darkness in the absence of light.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: So true.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, you know, you just reminded me, Linda.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, there is um a picture, and I wish that I had saved this image.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: I saw it on Substack.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_00: A homeschool mom was teaching her children that there's no shadow in darkness.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so she held up a match and she shined a flashlight on the match.
• 32:53
  SPEAKER_00: And on the wall, you can see the shadow of the match stick, but there's no shadow from the flame because there's no shadow in light.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: It was the coolest thing I ever saw.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_00: I just said, wow, that that'll preach right there.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_00: It was so incredible.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: So when Jesus says that we are light, he says that we are a city on a hill that can't be hidden.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: So many ancient towns were built on hillsides for protection because from that elevated position, people could see danger approaching.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_00: And it was the coolest thing when John and I went to Provence last year, we loved seeing these ancient towns built into the sides of mountains.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_00: And we stayed in one of them called Moustier Saint-Lauri.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it was hysterical.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_00: I wish that someone had filmed us lugging our heavy suitcases up this cobblestone mountainside of the because you can't drive cars in this village.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_00: There is electricity, but there are no cars allowed.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, people have to carry out their trash because there's no trash service.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_00: So they have to carry it out.
• 34:15
  SPEAKER_00: So we knew when we rented this Airbnb that um we were going to have to park at the bottom of the hill.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_00: I say that loosely.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_00: We do not have hills like that here in New England, where I'm from.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, at the bottom of the hill at that parking lot.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_00: And now I had been packing for two weeks in France.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I was not traveling lightly, y'all.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_00: I had outfits and I had shoes and I had a hairdryer and all the things.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_00: So we had luggage, and we are dragging this luggage up and up and up.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: And our Airbnb had not given us a street address.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_00: She gave us GPS coordinates.
• 34:59
  SPEAKER_00: And when we are trying to ask people where we're going, they don't speak English.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: And my French was not that good.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't able to ask the questions I needed to ask.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_00: And finally, one poor woman whose husband owned the little ice cream or the little gelato place took pity on me.
• 35:20
  SPEAKER_00: She told her husband, like basically in French, walk them there.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so with sweat dripping down our backs, down our faces, we finally made it to the Airbnb.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: But let me tell you, the view was worth the effort.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_00: And we know I told my husband, I'm like, well, the good news is when we leave, it's all downhill.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_00: So there's that.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, so funny.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: But I say all that to say the when you're in this little village and every little light is lit.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like John and I would go out for dinner, and then we would drive back to the parking lot and then walk up the hill.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: But when you are, you see Moussier Saint-Mauri or Roussillon or any of these other um medieval villages that are built into the sides of these mountains, it's incredible because you just see these little golden lights.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: You can see the village for miles and miles and miles away.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: So I say all that to say that's what we are called to be.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_00: We are called to, first of all, have the protection of God's view being up high and to shine our light so the people can see us from such a from a distance away.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_00: So they're drawn to the light of Jesus in us.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_00: You know, for people in the first millennium, having that view was the key to protecting themselves from attack as well.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_00: And here's another consequence of being up high.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_00: At night, when the lights of the town were all illuminated, everybody else could see them.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_00: So when Jesus talks about a lamp, ancient household lamps could easily be covered with a bowl.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus is essentially saying, you know, would you light something and then cover it?
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_00: So think of Aladdin's lamp.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's what their little household lamps were like.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_00: And invisible light is useless.
• 37:27
  SPEAKER_00: And hidden Christianity can't accomplish what visible Christianity was designed to accomplish.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus didn't put his light in us merely so we could enjoy it in private.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_00: We are supposed to shine like that city on a hill.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: He intends for the world to see it.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: The other thing that I love, let me put this back here.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_00: There is a Latin expression that says Neil Sole et sale utilis, which means nothing is more useful than the sun and salt.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_00: Think about those two pictures.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_00: Salt and light are preservation and illumination.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus chooses two images associated with things human beings desperately need to be preserved and to be illuminated.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_00: And he says, This is what my people are supposed to be in the world.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_00: We preserve, we illuminate, we carry his life into places where death seems to be winning.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_00: We carry his truth into places where darkness has made it difficult for people to see.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to challenge us here because I think sometimes we have reduced salt and light to I don't swear at work.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_00: I try to be honest.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_00: I'll pray with somebody if they ask me to.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, those things matter, but look at the life that Jesus lived.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus lived his faith out in the open.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_00: He openly told people the truth.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: He openly showed people the way to eternal life.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_00: And I have to put myself in this category.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_00: There have been times when I have been far too concerned about offending people or bruising someone's sensibilities.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_00: There have been times that I haven't openly let my light shine, that I have covered my little Aladdin's lamp.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_00: There have been times that I have not allowed myself to be salty from G with Jesus' saltiness in the open.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I regret those times.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: But if salt preserves, then I have to ask myself, what am I helping to preserve?
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: And if light illuminates, then I have to say, Am I actually helping people see the way that leads to life?
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_00: Am I helping people see Jesus?
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_00: They should be seeing Jesus in me, but are they seeing Jesus for them?
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: Pat said, uh it can be, oh, that light can be magnified and multifaceted.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_00: It can bring healing.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, absolutely.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about salt and light in our world.
• 40:48
  SPEAKER_00: What does being salt and light look like in your family, in your workplace, in your community?
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_00: What about our nation?
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_00: So one important answer to that is we pray.
• 41:06
  SPEAKER_00: We intercede.
• 41:08
  SPEAKER_00: We stop allowing our entire prayer lives to revolve around us for and no more.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_00: Our own comfort, our own problems, our own needs and circumstances.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_00: We stand before God on behalf of others.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_00: We pray for our families, we pray for our communities, we pray for our leaders, we pray for our nation, we pray for God, for his mercy to prevail.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_00: We ask him to intervene.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_00: Darkness does not mean that the situation is hopeless.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_00: Darkness means that light is needed.
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_00: And Jesus said, You are the light of the world.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do we plan to show up?
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_00: Do we show up to just have enough light for ourselves, but not enough for other people?
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do we plan to be just salty enough for ourselves, but not enough that we add flavor anywhere else?
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_00: So before you finish this episode and go on with your day or your evening, I want you to actually do something with what we've studied.
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_00: Get your journal and answer these questions.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_00: I will put them up for you to see.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_00: My saltiness.
• 42:32
  SPEAKER_00: Where have I become spiritually dull?
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_00: My light.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_00: Where have I been hiding my light because I'm afraid of what people will think?
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_00: My field of influence.
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_00: What would being salt and light look like here?
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, those are the questions we need to ask ourselves this week.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_00: Is there an area where you've lost your edge, your passion, your obedience, reverence or sensitivity toward God?
• 43:06
  SPEAKER_00: What would returning Jesus to first place look like in that area?
• 43:11
  SPEAKER_00: Is there a conversation you need to have, a truth you need to speak, a testimony you need to share, or something that God asked you to do that you've kept hidden?
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_00: And then write down those four areas: family, workplace, community, and nation.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_00: And beside each one, answer this.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_00: What would being salt and light look like here?
• 43:37
  SPEAKER_00: And then choose one specific action you're gonna take this week.
• 43:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you're comfortable sharing it as I close up this podcast, put this in the comment.
• 43:48
  SPEAKER_00: This week, I'm going to be salt and light by fill in the blank.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_00: So this week, I'm gonna be salt and light by talking to my neighbor.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: Or praying for my coworker, or forgiving someone and showing affection and kindness to them.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_00: This week I'm going to be salt and light by, and then let's fill the comments with practical examples of what it looks like for the people of God to live this out.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: And here's my final takeaway.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_00: I want to leave you with this.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus didn't say, someday, if you become spiritual enough, you might be able to be salt and light.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_00: He said, You are the salt of the earth.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: You are the light of the world.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_00: So don't spend your life asking God to make you something He's already made you, something He's already declared you to be.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_00: Just stay close to Jesus, maintain the fear of the Lord, keep your saltiness, stop hiding your light.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_00: And then go into your family, your workplace, your community, and your place, praying for your nation and live like what Jesus says you are.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_00: All right, guys.
• 45:11
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna close in prayer.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_00: Father, I thank you for calling us to be salt and light in this world.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_00: I just ask that this week you would show us exactly what that means for us.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_00: It's a great concept, and we can understand it at a very high level.
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_00: But Lord, you have some practical, tactical, strategic ways that you want us to be salt and light in our world.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: There's probably some repentance that needs to happen on our part, for walking away from words that you have spoken, for closing your our ears to your voice, closing our eyes to your truth, because we just didn't want to take the risk of being salt and light.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_00: So we ask you, Lord, to forgive us for not loving you more than we loved our own comfort.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_00: And an identity that we're building in our own self.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_00: And I thank you, God, that our identity doesn't begin with what we can accomplish for you, but our identity begins with what you've already accomplished for us through Jesus.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: Lord, forgive us for the places where we have become dull.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_00: Forgive us where we have lost our zeal, where distraction has taken your place, where fear of people has silenced us, and where we have hidden your light, hidden the light you put inside us.
• 46:43
  SPEAKER_00: Lord, we ask that you would restore the fear of the Lord in our hearts.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_00: Make us tender toward your voice this week and help us to be quick to obey you.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_00: Teach us to remain close to Jesus so that what flows from our lives is not something manufactured by us, but the very life and nature of Jesus Christ.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_00: And wherever darkness seems overwhelming, remind us that darkness has never been stronger than your light.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_00: Give us courage to live our faith out in the open, and may our lives become visible evidence of your faithfulness, your goodness, and your covenant love.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_00: We exalt you, Jesus.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_00: Keep us salty, keep our lamps burning, keep our hearts pointed toward you.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_00: In Jesus' name.
• 47:38
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 47:39
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 47:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, thank you for joining me today on the Higher Pursuit podcast and live stream.
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, you don't have to manufacture the light.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_00: Stay close to the light and then go shine.
• 47:51
  SPEAKER_00: I will see you next time.
• 47:54
  SPEAKER_00: God bless you all.
• 47:57
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, family, I pray that you were blessed and encouraged by that episode and that you took away something you can use in your walk with the Lord starting today.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I thank you for making me a part of your pursuit.
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, abide in Him.