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Still Waiting? Count the Stars! - Beers With Jesus · Todd's World

• Todd: You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: He is finally saying it. Because this isn't the first time that God has hinted Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: this, you know, this future for him. Now, here it's definitely stated more plainly because Abram Abram finally challenges it. But yeah, I'm glad he finally says something like because you know, don't you feel like that sometimes? Things are going along and you're like just trying to be just trying to be obedient, try to trust, and every now and then don't you just turn to God and be like, God, like what the Like what are you what's happening here? This doesn't seem Todd: Frequently. Yo, it's Carrie: yeah. This doesn't seem in line with what I thought was gonna happen. Yes. Todd: Entirely too frequently. I think I think Abraham did too. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: But but see, I don't think God what do I mean by this? God's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: always with us, he's always present. I don't think he always shows up in like in like the ways that are almost like an epiphany kind of thing. You know, like now with Abraham Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Right. Todd: he's showing up and he's talking to him, but there's times in our life where he'll show up in big ways. You know Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: what I mean? And we don't get tons of those. But it's nice. when we do, because I think God encourages us with those. So my guess is that this has been s doubts that Abraham has been struggling with. Like, I know God told me this and he believes God and he's following God. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Welcome everyone to Beers with Jesus. Yo, it's Carrie: Chess hands. Todd: Todd's World. I'm Todd. Carrie is with me. Thank you for joining us today. This is our flagship Yo, it's Carrie: Good morning. Todd: show we do every week. And then we also have a show that we do that we drop on Tuesdays, which is the Wildly Opinionated News Hour. We do that every other week. So we do that bi-weekly. And we dropped one this week. And it was fabulous. Talking about we just kind of go through the news of the day. So check out Wildly Opinionated News Hour if you haven't. And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: we also try to look at the narrative, apply a little bit of the biblical Christian narrative. And we do it in a lot lighter sense on Wildly Opinionated News Hour. That's kind of fun. And then here we just get into the Bible, go through the stories. We've been since we've started Beers with Jesus, we went through Mark, the Gospel of Mark. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Todd: And then we went through Acts, the book of the Acts of the Apostles. And then now we're in Genesis, and we're about we're into Genesis 15. And of course, front end of Genesis is is all creation and fall and and all kinds of stuff. So now we're into the Abraham kind of part, the patriarch. Carrie gets her bacon Yo, it's Carrie: Yep. Todd: every morning delivered. What a life. You Yo, it's Carrie: My I have the best I have the best sons on earth. Todd: know what I've been getting into because we've got No, you carry in Florida, I'm up in Michigan. So we've got sweet corn and tomato season, which is like my favorite s season of the year. And I Yo, it's Carrie: sweet corn. Yeah. Todd: do BLTs like so often because I I have this one Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: guy that grows tomatoes that I get tomatoes from because I'm kind of a tomato snob, you know. And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: he does such a good job. Just it's not like they're super expensive. It's just like he's an older guy, Dutch guy, him Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: and his wife, and they have these this big like, you know, garden, huge garden of tomatoes they grow. And they're so good. I don't know what he's got a couple different varieties he grows, but I do BLTs all the time. Bacon, lettuce, and tomato Yo, it's Carrie: Mm, that's awesome. Todd: sandwiches constantly. I love them. Yo, it's Carrie: That's so good. They're I was gonna say the tomatoes that we get here are meh. They're not great. They're not like the tomatoes up there. And the corn Todd: Yeah. Well that's ours the rest of the year. We only get about a month. Yo, it's Carrie: we try every every summer when we go we try. We hope that we might get on the front end of the good corn. But we come a little too early for it. Todd: You're usually here around the fourth of July, right? Which is a little early. Yeah. You get into the last Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Like sometime in July. It's just not quite I think it's Todd: half of July, you get some sweet corn season, maybe. So anyway, Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Well Todd: aren't you guys glad you came for beers with Jesus today? Hahaha Yo, it's Carrie: That's our produce talk. I wanna I did want to tell you you were talking about what we've done on Beers with Jesus so far. So Todd: Yes. Yo, it's Carrie: yesterday I was talking with with one of my sons and we were talking about the personalities of the apostles. Todd: okay. Yo, it's Carrie: And I said and we were talking about how the chosen, the show, really Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: gave us a sense of their personalities. And he said, Well, I don't know I don't know how much of that is. Well, right. Todd: At least the showrunners idea of their personalities. Right, yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: But I told him, I said, No, I said, you know what? I think that they have s I think that they have stuck very closely with what's available to them because when Todd and I started Beers with Jesus, we went through the Gospel of Mark, which is the shortest gospel, but then we did the Acts of the Apostles and I said, And you really like breaking it down the way we did, taking our time and talking about it, you really did get a sense of some of their personality traits Todd: Yeah, that's true. Yo, it's Carrie: as people. And I was we were both We were both saying that when we were growing up learning about the apostles, they were just this collective group following Jesus. They weren't these Well, right Todd: They're just lawn statues. They're kinda like flannel graphs they'd put up in Sunday school. Yo, it's Carrie: But exactly, but you didn't think of them as relatable in any way. Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: They're so relatable, they're so clueless, Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: they are they're doing their best, they fail all the time, they ask they ask questions, they're they don't have it all figured out. And I I think I said I guess growing up, just on some level, I thought, well, they're they're above. They're bet they're better than. They're they're you know. Todd: Surely surely they have it all figured out. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. And then when we studied them, I was like, they don't get it at all. They were confused all the time. And they were so unbelievably hum it's Todd: And did he find that that's encouraging though, don't you think? Yo, it's Carrie: so encouraging. I'm like, they are so relatable as followers. They're these they are new followers when we get to know Todd: Mm-hmm. Yo, it's Carrie: them. And you really get to see them go through those growing pains and all that. So we were just talking about how relatable they actually are as people, if you pay attention to what they're like. Yes. Mm-hmm. Todd: Yeah, to go from Peter wa as we saw in Mark to become the Peter of Acts, the Peter that is kind of leading the church, you know, and and Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: and and all that. It's a pretty impressive arc 'cause you know you see his you see him Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: betraying Christ and you see this absolute the the the lowest point and then you see Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Christ resurrection and he brings him back and it in it, yeah. Great story. You should listen to Yo, it's Carrie: I it's Todd: every Beers with Jesus. Go back, just start at the beginning, listen to every one. Yo, it's Carrie: Go back. Todd: I don't know how long it'll take. Yo, it's Carrie: And listen, Todd and I've been learning all this, you know, the technical difficulties and whatever. You can just go through the whole experience with us. Our our arc is fun too. Todd: Yeah. We're better now. We've c we've even even now we're constantly we corrected some audio things this week. I hope. That's the goal. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. We hope. Todd: We've got video now. We've got I think a great presentation. We started out audio only and moved Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: into video. Carrie looks fabulous on video. I always hear about how beautiful Carrie is. How they blow Yo, it's Carrie: my gosh. Todd: up Carrie's screen and not mine. Yo, it's Carrie: Doubtful. Although today I Todd: Ha ha. Yo, it's Carrie: came str we rushed, I came straight from church, so I am a little Todd: Yes. Yo, it's Carrie: more dressed up than usual. Instead of my beers with Jesus t shirt. Todd: No doubt. I've got my Sasquatch t shirt. The one in where he's in the canoe. Yo, it's Carrie: nice, let me see. I love that. Todd: I did not just come from church. I'm in church. Yo, it's Carrie: I love it. This is church today. Todd: All right, we are in Genesis fifteen. We've been going through Abraham, who is kind of the first of the patriarchs in the Bible that that that God calls. And we just Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: read through the story. So Carrie's gonna read chapter fifteen and then we're gonna talk about it for a little while. And then we're gonna sign off. Yo, it's Carrie: Okay, cool. And we are. And Todd's gonna go rest and and g Todd: That's how the show goes. Yo, it's Carrie: get well. Also, A Abraham is still Abram right now, so Todd: Abram, sorry, Yo, it's Carrie: No, that's okay. Just letting people know. Todd: Yeah, 'cause it is a little confusing. Because he spends Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: half the story as just Abram. And then God changes Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: his name to the father of many nations, Abraham. And then Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: for the entire rest of the Bible, of course, he's referenced as Abraham. So Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Same guy. Todd: but yeah, but but it it's it's it's it's emblematic maybe Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: that God changes all our names. In some way. There there's a passage and I I didn't f I didn't Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: I didn't think about it till now, so I didn't look it up that talks about how God gives us all a unique name, a name that only we know and God knows. It's like our secret between us. Yo, it's Carrie: Between us. Todd: And it and it's it's I think it's like I don't know if it's in Revelation where it's carved on a rock or carved on his palms. I don't remember what it is, but but but all of us Yo, it's Carrie: that's cool. You can find it before he chang before the the chapter where he changes his name, you can find it. 'Cause I would love to talk Todd: Yes, I will. We'll get into that. Yo, it's Carrie: about that. 'Cause he I know of a couple of instances where he does it and I was curious why that is. But Cool. I like that. Todd: Yeah, we'll get into that. You're right though. We should wait till it actually happens. We follow the story. There you go. I'm ready. Let's go, Carrie. Yo, it's Carrie: It's our it's our teaser. It's our teaser for the future. All right. Are you ready? I'm ready. All right, chapter fifteen. After all these things this word of God came to Abram in a vision. Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your reward will be grand. Abram said, God, master, what use are your gifts as long as I'm childless and Eliza of Damascus is going to inherit everything? Abram continued, See, you've given me no children, and now a mere house servant is going to get it all. Then God's message came. Don't worry, He won't be left your heir, a son from your body will be your heir. Then he took him outside and said, Look at the sky, count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants. You're going to have a big family, Abram. And he believed, believed God. God declared him set right with God. God continued, I'm the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own. Abram said, Master God, how am I to know this that it will all be mine? God said, Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon. He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn't split the birds. Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. As the sun went down, a deep sleep overcame Abram, and And then a sense of dread, dark and heavy. God said to Abram, Know this your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not theirs. They'll be enslaved and beaten down for four hundred years. Then I'll punish their slave masters, your offspring will march out of there loaded with plunder, but not you. You'll have a long and full life, and die a good and peaceful death. Not until the fourth generation will your descendants return here. Sin is still a thriving business among the Amorites. When the sun was down and it was a dark I'm sorry, when the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That's when God made a covenant with Abram. I'm giving you this land, I'm giving this land to your children from the Nile River in Egypt to the to the river Euphrates in Assyria, the country of the Kenites, Kenesites, and Cadmanites, Hittites, Perizites, Raph Raphim, Amorites, Canaanites, Gergeshites and Jebusites. Todd: You did beautiful on those names at the end. Yo, it's Carrie: Yikes. Yikes. Okay, thanks. Todd: Good job, Carrie. I this so this chapter's a little shorter, and Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: and what's a little different about this chapter is that it's it's all just basically a dialogue with God. So this is this is another time where God meets with Abraham. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: I had gone through and and kind of looked at this. Is one of the things that I'll use AI for. So I asked Grok Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Like what were the years, how many appearances of how many times did God appear to Abraham and how many years was there between those appearances that are recorded in the Bible? You know? Yo, it's Carrie: okay. Okay, sure. Todd: These are the kinds of things I like AI for because you know they could take a lot of research at AI. That's the kind of thing they do real fast and it's just like a factual thing, you know. Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. And you can for people who are anti AI, you can then below the answer go and see like where they resourced those answers. Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: So Todd: And it's not always 100%. I I noticed in this one that Grok mentioned something about in Genesis fifteen, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: mixing it up a little bit with Well no, I guess I said Genesis 17. So that from from here on out, we're about to see the the fulfillment of this prophecy in Abraham's life. But Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: what's interesting is so God originally calls Abram and This is around or before age 75, and he calls Abraham to go. And then Abraham takes off and he brings his whole family with him. Remembering they get all the way to Haran and then settle down for a while. Abraham's father Tara dies. Abraham takes Lot and Sarah. God renews his call on Abraham's life, calls him to Canaan, to the promised land, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: says, I've got something bigger. You got to leave where you're at and go to a land that I'm going to show you because I'm going to make a great nation out of you. And Abraham. He he obeys and he takes off. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And then we've seen what's happened in in the intervening chapters. It's been at this rate. How old is Abram? Abram is probably they're saying ninety-nine. Is Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Todd: that is that true? See, I don't know if that's quite true. Roughly 13 years. See, I think at 99, Ishmael's 13. We haven't had the Ishmael thing yet, so I don't think it's quite that. I think it's more in like the 80. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: early 80s. So point is he's old. Abraham's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: old. He's had these this these call this call in his life. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: And we always think, of course, that we're used up and washed out if we haven't accomplished anything by like 29. That's kind of how our culture is. You know what I mean? Like our Yo, it's Carrie: Dang, twenty-nine? Todd: our culture's just like so oriented toward toward the young. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Todd: not completely, but there but there is I think we're more that way than than maybe some other cultures. I don't know if it's because of Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: social media, if it's because we're so screen oriented. You Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: know what I mean? Obviously people look better on screen if they're younger generally. You know what I mean? Like that's just Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: you the problem with youth is it's wasted on the young. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Yes. Isn't that true? Todd: But I think Abraham Yo, it's Carrie: what we would do with youth today. Todd: But I think Abraham's a good the first time God shows up, so we talked about how we had creation, we had the fallen, we had these kind of archetypical foundational stories. Some Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: people don't believe they're historical, I think they're historical, but you know, you could go either way on that. But once people get to Abraham, for the most part, we think that it's historical. And so the Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: first time that God comes Back down and is like, I'm gonna I'm gonna start again. I'm gonna start this redemptive work with a man, with a family. I'm gonna make a nation out of him. And it's this old man who doesn't Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: have any kids. And he God Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: calls him. He's like 80 years old and he keeps wandering around and God keeps saying, You're gonna have a big family, Abram. And Abram's like, you know what's funny about that? I don't have any family. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: He is finally saying it. Because this isn't the first time that God has hinted Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: this, you know, this future for him. Now, here it's definitely stated more plainly because Abram Abram finally challenges it. But yeah, I'm glad he finally says something like because you know, don't you feel like that sometimes? Things are going along and you're like just trying to be just trying to be obedient, try to trust, and every now and then don't you just turn to God and be like, God, like what the Like what are you what's happening here? This doesn't seem Todd: Frequently. Yo, it's Carrie: yeah. This doesn't seem in line with what I thought was gonna happen. Yes. Todd: Entirely too frequently. I think I think Abraham did too. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: But but see, I don't think God what do I mean by this? God's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: always with us, he's always present. I don't think he always shows up in like in like the ways that are almost like an epiphany kind of thing. You know, like now with Abraham Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Right. Todd: he's showing up and he's talking to him, but there's times in our life where he'll show up in big ways. You know Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: what I mean? And we don't get tons of those. But it's nice. when we do, because I think God encourages us with those. So my guess is that this has been s doubts that Abraham has been struggling with. Like, I know God told me this and he believes God and he's following God. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And yet God comes to him again to kind of reinforce this whole thing. You know what he's like after all these things, he has this big victory over all these kings and he meets Melchizedek, probably probably a a preincarnate appearance of Christ. And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. that's right. Todd: And then God shows up to him again. And God says, Don't be afraid, Abram. Now, by God saying that, well, God always says that when he shows up to people, because we tend to get a little bit afraid. We want God to show up. We pray for God. We plead for him to show up. But then when he does, it's always a little frightening because he never does it like we want. He's not like he's not comfortably in a a God that we can control. You know what I mean? So Yo, it's Carrie: Well it's over it's overwhelming. Like completely overwhelming. Todd: If he would just show up in the boxes and in the ways that we have all set up and predefined, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: then it wouldn't be so bothersome. It wouldn't be so disturbing. But then Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: we have all these things set up, all these boxes and all these doctrines and all these traditions, and then God comes in and just Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: flattens the entire house of cards. And we're just like, whoa, this was not how this was supposed to go. I think don't you think it's kinda like that? Like when God really shows up Yo, it's Carrie: It is. It's like this this does I I don't remember this. Looks like I don't remember this in my workbook. Todd: Which which chapter was that? I thought every ch I thought every workbook was ten minutes. What's going on, God? You didn't show up in ten minutes. But Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Yeah. You know, god gets it gets it though. It it's just how we are. It's how it's how we it's how we sort things, categorize things to understand them and I think God gets it. Todd: But he shows up and he's instantly encouraging. You know what I mean? He's instantly Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Right. Mm-hmm. Todd: reinforcing of everything that he's already told him. Jesus was kind of like this. You know, you talked about the personalities of the apostles and the disciples and things. And you saw this with Jesus where he was constantly reinforcing. Like he might get frustrated for a second, but then he'd Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: be right back at encouraging them and and kind of coming back around and starting at the beginning again for him. You know, because they didn't get it the first time. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Like, okay, you didn't get this, I'll tell you another parable. Todd: It's his patience and his grace and his mercy, and Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: it's just on display all over the place. And so here he is with Abraham. Abraham's been, you know, he's been in the promised land now, what, pushing pushin', let's say, fifteen years. Yo, it's Carrie: okay. Todd: Let's say it's between ten and fifteen somewhere. Since Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: he since God renewed his call and he left Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Aaron, and and then he's he's had his travels and and his adventures and and whatever split up from Lot and all the things. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And and remember that when God started out with Abraham, he told him, I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous. You'll be a blessing. I'll bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you. But I'll make you a great nation. And Abraham doesn't have any kids. You don't have a nation without people. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Yep. Todd: And Abraham's well aware. Like this is I think that we carry things with us. that we believe God but man waiting for God Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: like in the waiting we can get like we we we can get a little lost sometimes or we can get a little fixated on the waiting or fixated on what we don't have. You Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: You know what I I'm glad you went there because something that I I like about this exchange is that Abram doesn't just say this isn't this isn't making sense, but he gets really specific about the fear. And the fear is that I just lost his name. Elizar. Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: He gets really specific because he sees he's looking at reality in front of him and saying, Elizabeth's gonna get all of this. Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: And so I just like that he was completely like completely honest about what what concrete fear he had and he and he gave it to God. Like this is like he's gonna get everything. What you know, Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: what what's gonna happen? And I think that that's I I think it just it shows his his trust in him. You know, you have to trust someone to be able to to share the fear. Todd: Yeah, I think that's true. I think that that people I think what you just said, people really Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: struggle, I think, sometimes with opening up to God. So so the idea is, I mean, it's it's a weird thing because of course God's a spirit, God made us, he's a creator. Of course, he knows everything about us. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: But we don't we don't operate that way a lot of the time. Like we aren't gonna go to prayer and bring up the darkest things about us to God or our deepest doubts because we think I don't want to say that to God. But yeah, God, you know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. I know. Right. Todd: And He's the one person or the one that we should be saying it to. He's the one. Jesus Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: said, cast your cares, all your anxieties, all your worries on me. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: In order to do that, we have to give it to him. And I think Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: to offer that up, we have to speak it. You know what Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: I mean? I think there's something to saying Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: it out loud, even. I might even say I don't know that I'm ready to defend that right this second, but I Yo, it's Carrie: Hm well I think it okay, you're right. But I think that demonstr it demonstrates I am I'm willing to put this into words to admit. It's kind of like admitting I am afraid of this, I'm sharing it with you. I think that's what the out loud part does in this situation. And Todd: Yeah, I think it's more for us than God. Yo, it's Carrie: right. Todd: But it's a it's our acknowledgement to God. And if we don't do it, we're holding something back. And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: once we let that go, once we say, Okay, God, here's here's what I'm worried about. And and that's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: what Abraham does right away. What I love is Abraham says, God says, Don't be afraid, Abraham. I'm your shield, your reward will be grand. Abraham isn't doubting any of God's gifts because he's seen it. The evidence is all Yo, it's Carrie: Uh-huh. Todd: around him. He's been blessed by God. God has protected him. He's been victorious in these battles, all these things. And yet Abraham says, I think the same thing that we all think and maybe say to God at certain times, which is, I know all these gifts are great, but what use are all these gifts without this one thing that I thought you had told me we were going to do? You know? And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And I love that Abraham confronts God with it. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Because God doesn't shy away from the confrontation. Yo, it's Carrie: No, and it's not like he was disrespectful, he just was super honest. I feel like this is just a very honest moment with Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: him. Mm-hmm. Todd: It's so hard. It's so hard. I I'll say this. I'm gonna take it to like writing books. It Toddsworld.net is where you can find all the books, the merch, things like that, everything associated with the show, Todd's World dot net. I've got my memoir on there, Leaves It Blue Way, Witness Yo, it's Carrie: my gosh, go read the memoir. Todd: series, Insurrection, Nine Mile Points out there, another novel that I wrote. And working on another book. But but the point is that it it was probably twenty twenty. I don't know. that I had I had this kind of well, if you read the memoir, that's the authoritative part, not what I say. But but around there, I had this vision of that God wanted me to do a podcast and write and do these things. And I thought, okay. You know, you you think in your mind you're gonna give it a certain amount of time and then it it'll s you you expect it to succeed by some standards at a certain point. And get Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Of course. Todd: bigger than what in What I think is true is that everything God promises us always seems like it takes longer than we think it will. Do you think that's fair? Yo, it's Carrie: I think that's very fair. Yep. Todd: I mean if not always, I know always and nevers are always, but it feels like always. If it's not always. Yo, it's Carrie: Yes, it absolutely does. Todd: I mean you get a few of the miraculous kind of things. Like last Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: night we were sitting at my daughter Lauren Allen, who's a singer songwriter. She's great. She Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: follow her on Instagram. Check out her new song. She's got an album coming out. L A U R Y N Allen. Great. But anyway, she has a a gig in town here at Trailpoint. We were sitting there with Pastor Darryl and Brandon. My brother in law was sitting there and we were talking Yo, it's Carrie: Nice. Todd: about one of Daryl's friends was there, a guy named Vince and he had lost his wife, I don't know, eleven years ago maybe. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: So she was fifty eight, I think was the story. I hadn't heard Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: the story before, I didn't know Vince that well. And she had had mammograms, all this stuff, and had this kind of breast cancer. He had a name for it, but I don't remember what it was, but it didn't it doesn't show up in like lumps. It just Yo, it's Carrie: shoot. Okay. Todd: by the time they find it it's everywhere. And that's what happened. Like they did I don't know Yo, it's Carrie: dang. Todd: what they do that shows the cancer like glowing and like her whole body's glowing. Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah, like a C C T scan. Todd: on this screen and she was how always healthier than you know and he expected she's gonna outlive me by Yo, it's Carrie: Or yeah. Todd: 20 years next thing you know 58 years old and she's gone Yo, it's Carrie: Wow. Todd: and and it and he talked about it it was like five years you know had a hard time coming out of the house it was it was a really a struggle for a Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: while and then I was telling him something about my mom and dad and and the losses but then Brandon and and Daryl were talking about my sister had had her experience where she she died essentially was was gone for Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: like 18 minutes and Brandon did CPR for like 18 minutes and and she ended up God brought her back. That's the kind of thing I think where once in a while God Yo, it's Carrie: Uh-huh. Todd: shows up fast hard and right at the beginning. You know what I mean? Those are almost those miraculous kind of things. But Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Right. Yeah, her story is miraculous. Todd: but then you get into these these other things so God'll show up in that kind of a way and it'll be like miraculous and then we'll think okay this is how All God's promises are going to show up in my life. And it just is never that way. Like Yo, it's Carrie: No. Todd: it goes like those are the exceptions because most of the time it's seeds. Most of the time it's growth. That's why the Psalms say that those who Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. Because we all have to wait upon the Lord. You know what I mean? And it's in that, I think, that He's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Todd: that he's growing Abraham into. The kind of man he is wants he needs Abraham to be for everything that he has Abraham called to be. Does that make sense? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yeah. It's har I mean bottom line is it's hard in the w in the waiting period. Todd: Yeah. There's blessings in the waiting period, like even for Abram right now. Like God's got these gifts and He's blessing them and he's like, but but Yo, it's Carrie: Uh-huh. Right. Right. Todd: there's this one thing that God promised us and that that kind of becomes the the overarching thing of that we look at. It's the thing we don't have. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Right. And it doesn't seem like Abram has like completely lost his faith because of this. Todd: No. Yo, it's Carrie: He's just confused that the picture isn't isn't complete. Todd: I don't know if anybody knows, but when you start with a promise at 75 and then now you're pushing 90, it's not looking more likely that you're gonna have kids. Like that's not generally how it goes. So with every Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: passing birthday, Abraham's kinda like, dude, I don't know how this is supposed to work. Now we're gonna see in the next chapter that w where that kind of goes. But Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: but what I think is so great about this is that God comes to Abraham. And then that that was what I thought is how many of us had could take that same line if God Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: came to us and we could say, God see, yeah, but I I'm this and I'm that and you say, Yeah, but what are the use? What what what's the use of your gifts if and then we can all put in our own thing, because we all have our own thing that we're waiting on. What's the use of these Yo, it's Carrie: the use of Todd: gifts, God, if you haven't done this yet? And the encouraging part I Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: think that God comes in is I'm not done That's all this Yo, it's Carrie: Tod, not only that, not only is that true, but what is the use? The uses, as we've discussed, you know, throughout our our lives, is we are often learning things through the through that process. Todd: So much more than we even realize. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. I mean, would it be wonderful if we prayed for something? God snapped his fingers and we had it, sure, but how much would we have grown or changed or deepened like you said, deepened our strength or increased our strength or deepened our faith? None of those things happen if it's granted immediately. Todd: Well, I think what what God's doing to Abraham is he's God says I'm gonna make you into a great nation. Abraham doesn't realize that there's more to that than just the kid that's gonna carry on the line. I'm Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: gonna make you, and that's what he's doing to all of us. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: He's gonna he's gonna make us all perfect. That's what he's doing eventually. That that's where we're headed. The Yo, it's Carrie: That that's where we're heading. Mm-hmm. Todd: only person that can prevent God from making us purpose perfect is us. And we do it Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: a lot. The idea is maybe some people can do it kind of Yo, it's Carrie: We work it hard. Todd: a as a finality. I don't know. But that's the goal. And Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: God's infinitely patient as he takes us along the way. But he's less inclined he he doesn't care as much about what we're worried about as much as he's looking at who we are. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And he and he's orchestrating all the events, all the people, everything about our life to to make us into what he designed us to be. And that's what he's doing with Abram. And he's encouraging Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: him. Hey, I got this. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: I do think that part of his encouragement, and then Abraham believes him. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: It says, you know, Abraham's struggling with doubt, but what we always see with Abram is that he he'll default, God'll he he he he'll struggle, but then he believes God. His baseline is okay, I'm gonna believe you. I think that's what that's that faith that Paul talks about that it in the New Testament when he was referencing Abram or Abraham Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: and he says It was by faith that he was justified. It wasn't it wasn't Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-mm. Todd: by his works. Yo, it's Carrie: I think that people outside this conversation could easily say, well, that's because that's because he's speaking directly with God. I mean, how who's who's gonna be having an actual conversation with God and not believe him and not trust the plan? So how do we today You know, when I mean there are times where I feel there are times when I feel like I get a message that is from God, but it's not like I hear his voice every day keeping me on track. So what do you think so? Hm? Not audibly. No, no, not Todd: Right. You don't think so? Not audibly. Is that what you're talking about? Yo, it's Carrie: audibly. That's what I'm saying. Like Todd: You're talking mostly about an audible type. Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. I'm I'm like I think people could say, well of course Abram's gonna like have complete faith in this plan and trust God because he's literally speaking with actually was this in a this is an a vision. Still still like they've Todd: It is an a vision. but Yo, it's Carrie: talked. They're like they're like friends. So so I'm just gonna be more than what we give. Yes. So I just wonder if we can w can we talk can we talk about that? Todd: It might seem to be more than what we get on a regular basis, at least to people. And yet I wonder if those people who would say that Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: what do you think about this, Gary? Because I know I know you. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And I know that you you not only heard from God, I know that you hear from God. I think on a pretty regular basis. Like the Holy Spirit's like working, right? Like you listen. That's I think half of it. Half of it is that I don't think people know how to listen. Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. I think ha yeah, I think half of it. I mean, yeah, there have been times I know that I haven't listened, but there are times where it it's just it hits me over the side of the head. So it's kind of like you can't ignore it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Todd: think about your mom, my Aunt Nancy, always praying, always in contact with God. Would she say she hasn't heard from no, I think she would think that she hears from God a lot, frequently, maybe all the time. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Todd: So what I think is maybe that a lot of the people who say that don't know what they're listening for, or because we do have the Holy Spirit Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Todd: today, which is a little different what they was going on in the old testament. And so he's always at work, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. True. Todd: always in and there is a sense I feel like I can hear from God at almost any time and then I'm talking to him and that his presence is now listen, there's times that are different. We're in here later it talks about and you even see in this that that God's the way God's talking to Abraham, the conversation moves. And it moves into the kind of this this dread almost that comes upon Abraham. And I think that's just That's God kinda getting bigger into the conversation. Like 'cause we can only take so much of Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: this kind of this this the the the what would you call it? C. S. Lewis has a word he uses, but it's an older word. It's like that that aura of of God. It's 'cause God's a spirit, right? And so Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Todd: just that that that that that overwhelming feeling of this what does he call it? I don't know. I'm not gonna come up with it. Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Okay. Todd: But I do think that we hear from God and I think that God also the other thing is going on in here that I wonder about. Now this is gonna this is gonna stray a little. Carrie's a Catholic I don't know what I am. I'm just the I'm just the the model Christian. But I'm just kidding. Yo, it's Carrie: Wait is that a term that has a different meaning than I Todd: But anyway, I was thinking the Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: reason I was thinking about the Catholic thing is because when you get down into the later part of this passage, God Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: says, Okay, he says, he Abraham believes God. Then God continues, I'm the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave this land to you. So he he's just reminding him, remember what I've already done. I'm the same God. I haven't failed Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: you yet. You can count on me. But then Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: he goes into some physical ritual. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. the s the sacrifice? Okay. Todd: And and this is why I'm talking about the Catholic thing. And you c it wouldn't just be Catholic. I mean there are other churches. But what Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Todd: I'm talking about is that there's there's maybe physical covenantal kind of practices in Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: which God shows up that we can we can rely on. The Catholics would say the Eucharist. When the when the Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: priest is up there turning bread into Jesus, that's a time that you can rely on that God's coming and He's gonna meet with you, right? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And and I think this is kind of the same thing. Maybe in Protestants it it it it shows itself a little differently. Whatever it is, there's certain Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: lit liturgies, maybe this is where it comes from. There's certain traditions, even within our own life, even if you widen it out beyond actual official church stuff, there's certain patterns that we've found that we can find God in. Do you know what I mean? There maybe there's certain times of prayer or certain Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: songs or books that have touched us or certain passages Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: in the Bible we can go back to and we can say this'll encourage us. But I think that's part of what this is. So I think when you when you have people sometimes walk into a Catholic church and go and they've got a lot of all these liturgical things. And they sit and they stand and they kneel and there's all these things going on. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: But behind all of those were experiences with God, real experiences that then They said we found God here and this is this this we found to be a reliable path to get in touch with the spiritual. Does that make sense? Yo, it's Carrie: That's such a cool way to describe that, Todd. I w I wasn't sure how you were bringing that together, but that's a really interesting way of looking at it. That yeah, that some of the that rituals rituals they could rely on them to for for God to be present in them. I mean this something taking over just the just the I'm in prayer and I seem and it is a Todd: Well it was something tangible beyond just the just the I'm in prayer and I feel God or I see him in a vision. You know, this dread comes on Abraham and then he splits these these carcasses and this is Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: kind of that sacrificial thing. In fact, I'm gonna read Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Todd: that you know, I've got this Eugene Peterson, we re we read the message. He was Yo, it's Carrie: yeah. Todd: a he was a translator of the message and he and I have one of the message Bibles I have is the devotional one and he has some Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: where he he He writes some devotionals that go along. And this is one there's one for this that I think is good. For this that that latter part of this passage. That helps us a little maybe, yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: cool. would for the the animal part of this test. The animal sacrifice part? Okay, good. I think this is really important later. So I'm glad that we're gonna talk about this 'cause obviously Todd: I do too. And it was an ancient tradition and and there was this idea that you split these animals in two and I'm making a contract or a covenant with you, and if I don't Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: fulfill my end, let this happen to me, what's happened to these animals was kind of in the old i Yo, it's Carrie: okay. Todd: in this in this sense that was kind of what what God's conveying is that I'm not even Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Todd: God if I'm not gonna accomplish what I promise you. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Mm-hmm. Todd: The fact that he is God, the fact that he's one hundred percent faithful, that's all he couldn't be God any other way. You know what mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: So this is what this is the devotional part that Eugene Peterson wrote. God's covenant is a guarantee. No human being, it seems, can live by pure faith. Even Abram, who would become the father of all who believed the promises of God, pleaded for some help. God descended to Abram's need and instituted the first of the many means of grace or helps to belief that have continued in the church's life. He made a covenant with Abram. He instructed Abram to bring a heifer, a goat, a ram, and two birds. Abram split the heifer, goat, and ram, and laid the parts against each other. So the two halves are kind of facing each other where they're cut, and they kind of leave this path. Between them as the blood of the halved animals, the evidence of life, poured into the pathway, the signs of God's presence moved between the pieces. That's that fire pot and the smoking fire pot and things as Abraham's sleeping. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: God was mingling his life with the life of his creation. By participating in this ritual, he was making himself signatory to an agreement. God's covenant is an is a guarantee that God is working for us and in us to fulfill his promises, and more often than not in spite of us. I thought that was pretty good. Yo, it's Carrie: Thanks, Eugene. That's funny. Wow. Todd: And I think that that's what happens. So why do you go to church? Why do we go to church? Why do we do these kinds of things? Why do you take communion? You know, take the Eucharist, whatever. You're Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Todd: doing these things as a constant reminder or a or a constant means of grace that's bolstering your faith. Does that make sense? I think I think that's why they're doing it, isn't it? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. that make sense? Mm-hmm. Yeah. I think so. Right. I think so. Yes, it's a it's a demonstration. It's a it's a practice. It's also a practice of of honor well, of honoring the covenant. today Todd: Right. It's a physical representation of the covenant. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Today the whole message church was so good today. It was all about forgiveness and God's mercy for us and how we also are called to extend that mercy to others. Todd: Yeah. Yo, it's Carrie: And and so that is sort of like Todd: Which is right in the Lord's Prayer. Keep me forgiven and forgiving. Right? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Mhm. But that covenant that we have, there there are there are two s there are two sides to it. And Todd: Mm-hmm. Yo, it's Carrie: but going there going there every week, is honoring God and I think doing our part. It's I mean it's it's only one thing, but it's doing our part to to honor and Todd: I think our part though, what do you think our I think our part is to believe? Yo, it's Carrie: Yes. Todd: So in other words, all these things that these these these traditions and these things that we take part in, there are are Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: I don't know okay, whether or not the Eucharist does turn into the body or doesn't, that's a big Catholic Protestant split. Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Todd: I'm not sure that that matters either way if if you don't believe. that it does. Do you know what I Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: mean? In other words, for a Catholic it it you have to believe it, right? Yo, it's Carrie: It's important too. Sure. Todd: I mean you got i the the this miracle supposedly is happening Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: up here at the altar, but your part in that is to we take part in belief, right? And and Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: it just like Abraham did here, it's really not any different. Abraham believes God, and then God Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: looks at our belief and he counts it as righteousness. He says you we're set right with God. We're set Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Okay. Todd: right with God because of what he's done, because Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: of his sacrifice. Not because of ours, but our part is I believe it and I'm gonna take part. You think? Yo, it's Carrie: think so. So belief Todd: And that's what he's calling Abram to. Yo, it's Carrie: right. I was gonna say I think there are other things, but that's that's one of them. Yes, we're called to believe, we're called to trust, to share. Todd: Mm-hmm. Yo, it's Carrie: but but yeah so right. Todd: Right, we're doing other things. I just think without the belief, that's the foundational part. So in other words, you can add on trust, you can add on service, you can add on Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: different things, all of which are are good and are part of the Christian life. But if you don't come Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: in and start with belief, if you don't if you don't believe that God what what does it say? It in in Yo, it's Carrie: Is who he says he is. Todd: yeah, it's in Hebrews where where it says that that those who come to God must believe both that He exists and And that he cares enough to respond to those who come to him. It's it's those Yo, it's Carrie: Mm. Nice. Todd: it's those two things. So we're not only believing that God is who he said he is, but we're believing that God is gonna respond to us. So in other words, you Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: you enter in through some of these physical type things, traditions, whatever they are, but Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: you're entering into with the belief that God's gonna God's gonna meet me here. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Right. Yeah. Interesting. It is. Todd: Ha ha ha. Yo, it's Carrie: No, I mean this is I'm I'm glad you talked about that. About the about the sacrifice in the vision. So so this is the first one? Is that what we're saying? They Todd: First what? Yo, it's Carrie: the first Todd: Well it's the first physical sign they I I don't I'm I'm I'm not even using the right word, but it's where he's the where they're acting something out of of Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Okay. Todd: the covenant. God's promised this to Abraham before. Abraham's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: believed God and he's been waiting on God, but there hasn't been now we're gonna see the next one is circumcision. And he's gonna he's gonna Once you have Isaac and all that God's circumcision is going to be the next kind of covenant. It's cut into our skin is the idea. God Yo, it's Carrie: Hmm. Interesting. Todd: we're within our bodies our bodies are owned by God is the idea of of of circumcision. So Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Todd: that's later on. But that's another I I still think that's just a another step from this. You know what I mean? And and maybe you could say that in the church today some of those Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. And and maybe you could say that in the church. Todd: things are Communion, you God let's do in remembrance of me, right? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: take the cup, take the bread. Foot washing was one of those things, although we don't do it as much in in most church. But Jesus did tell us to and maybe he's just telling us to serve each other. I don't know. Maybe it's not like Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Just during the columnist. Right. And that w that's specifically s like celebrated and demonstrated before Easter because he because before his passion he w he washed the feet of the apostles. Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: Hm. Okay. Todd: So the other thing that's cool about this is that God gives Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Abraham a look ahead Yo, it's Carrie: Okay. Todd: to what's gonna happen. And what he's referencing is Moses in the Exodus. That's that's what he's referencing Yo, it's Carrie: Yes. Todd: right here. God says to Abraham, Know this, your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not their own. They'll be enslaved and beaten down for four hundred years. I'd like to say four hundred years is a long time. We've been a nation for what, two fifty? Is that what we just celebrated? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: And we talk about like the last fifty, sixty years like it's forever. And this is four hundred years that Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: that God's gonna be working on on this nation that He's gonna make out of Abram. And it's like, man, if you're if you're the and we I don't know, I'd love to get to Exodus and maybe we will, but imagine wait in four hundred imagine Yo, it's Carrie: Was Todd: what the Hebrews felt as slaves, you know? Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. I was gonna say and here in this conversation we're like complaining about, you know, five, ten year goals and things like that taking Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: like so yeah. Generations. Generations. Mm-hmm. Right. Todd: And God's taken four hundred years in slavery to make this Abraham or this nation out of Abraham that that that he's gonna do. And and so I I really think but yet he's gonna do it. So the encouragement is if you're three hundred and sixty five years in, you can still believe God's gonna you know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: And for those four hundred years, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: as far as we know, God never showed back up for a while to the Hebrews. At least Yo, it's Carrie: Really? Todd: not in the way that that he he didn't answer their prayer. He Yo, it's Carrie: That we've seen so far. Okay. Todd: didn't answer their prayer for f to to To free them from their enslavement. He did eventually, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: he did through Moses, and he had it all planned out exactly when. You can go all the way back to Abraham and say God knew what was gonna take place long before, like these is just the beginning of the prophecies. We get the same thing, you'll start to see prophecies of the Messiah, which is gonna be Jesus. And God's Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: working this whole story, he's starting to get this whole story into motion of the redemption of his creation. All of the first part of Genesis was all about the fall of creation and all the things that happened and all the repercussions that went downstream Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: of that. And with Abraham, and from here on out, he's picking up and he's going to redeem his creation. But he's going to do it in a way that we would have never expected. He's going to enter it. Here he enters Abraham's story. He's going to enter the story physically. He's going to put on skin as Jesus. And Most of the religious leaders of the day aren't even gonna recognize him. Isn't that wild? Yo, it's Carrie: It is wild. Mm. Todd: It makes you wonder, would we recognize God if he shows up? Abraham did. Yo, it's Carrie: I don't know. Todd: But I wonder sometimes if we could miss him. You know? If he's I don't know, maybe that has to do with obedience. You know what I mean? Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: Maybe that that that belief and faith shows itself in obedience. It's one thing to say Abraham believed God. Well, how do you know that? Well, you just look at his life. Because he followed God. That's Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: how you know he believed him. He obeyed him and he followed Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: him. So. That's where the that's where James says, you show me your you show me your faith without works, I'll show you my faith with works. Let's see how it works. You know. They work together. There is something to that. That's why you can Yo, it's Carrie: Definitely. Todd: have a a Protestant evangelical and a Catholic on the same podcast, part of the same family, and still searching Yo, it's Carrie: That's how you Todd: God together and still finding it together. You know what I mean? So I think it's fun. Yo, it's Carrie: That's right. I love that. I think about that a lot. It's it's fun. It's fun doing this with you. Mm hmm. I enjoyed it. Me too. I don't think so. Did get it? I think we did. Todd: I enjoy it. What do you think, Carrie? Did I miss anything? Did we get it? Supposed to be a little shorter this week, we're still at fifty minutes, but what do you do? We did what we could. Yo, it's Carrie: Alright, that's all right. No, I I like I like no, I like the stuff that we we explored in this because it's not always it's not always just the words on the page here. It's you know, what how can we relate to them, so Todd: And if you find yourself in a time right now of waiting Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: on God, and most people will in some area or another find themselves waiting on God right now. Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Todd: It could be waiting for physical healing. It could be waiting for some kids or one of your kids physically. And it could be that they're they've wandered Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: from the Lord and you're praying for them to come back. All kinds of different things that we run into in life, Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: maybe a job, maybe whatever it is, and Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: you're in this period of waiting and Maybe the place to go is to the the places that you've found him before. You know what I mean? The the physical acts of worship and obedience where they're not necessarily throwed in emotional on the front end. And maybe you won't feel them the first five or ten times. But at some Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: point, we it's not just us. It's over two thousand years of the of the history of the church. We know that God has met people in these things. That God has met us here. Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: And you can seek for him, and we know for sure that if you seek God, you'll find him. And if you if you ask, he's gonna answer, and if you knock, he's gonna open the door. And I think how do we seek, how do we ask, how do we knock through a lot of those traditions, I think maybe. Does that make sense? Is there something in that? Yo, it's Carrie: Sure. Yeah. It's completely, but it's just funny because yeah, one of my sons and I just had this conversation this morning. Cause there's just a lot of a lot of dots are being connected here in my both my sons like spiritual seeking right now. Todd: That's cool. Yo, it's Carrie: Yes, it's very cool. And some of it's scary and overwhelming, but Todd: Mm-hmm. Yo, it's Carrie: but I said it it's exciting to see this happening because when you Like they've been they were raised in this. They were raised with it. But they were young and it didn't make it didn't mean anything to them. It the Todd: Yeah, now they're making it their own. Yo, it's Carrie: Yes, and they've sought it now, and this one I was talking to specifically, I said, You started seeking this. I said, You didn't even really know what you were seeking necessarily. Just some understanding, but Todd: Right. Yo, it's Carrie: and he's like Well, he's like, I'm finding it. It's like you really do. It's very cool. Yeah. You have to Todd: It's like you shall you'll know the truth, Yo, it's Carrie: You have to do your part. Todd: and then the truth will set you free. But it's a process. It's a process, even to get Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah, it's good. It is. Todd: to know the truth. It's a process to get to know God. Because that's eternal life is to know God. Like, like Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: one of my one of my prayers every day, because part of the Lord's Prayer, this is in the message. So I'm going to read it. Because people, you know, the message is what it is. Some people will call it a great commentary. I happen to love it. Yo, it's Carrie: Ha ha ha. Todd: But it but where let me find the the Lord's Prayer in here. here it is. Our Yo, it's Carrie: okay. Todd: Father in heaven, reveal who you are. So that's a little different. So what I tend to do is I'll pray like the Lord's Prayer a little traditionally and then I'll I'll kind of mix in the message, but it's that reveal who you are. So one of my Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: daily prayers is that God will show me just a a reflection, a refraction, a little part of of him that I haven't seen before, so I can Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: get to know him just a little bit better that day. Yo, it's Carrie: that's cool. Todd: I don't know if that's whatever, that's what I've that's one of the things I've come into, you know what mean? Yo, it's Carrie: I like that. No, I think that I think that's good. And I was gonna say anyone listening who who doesn't do this regularly, I think it it can sound like yeah, I don't know, it can sound like a big step, but it can it can be small, it can just be being open. And being open to for him to reveal. Mm-hmm. Todd: Yeah. Most of the time I don't have any idea what that I expect that God's answering it, but I don't have any idea how. You couldn't ask me at Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: the end of the day, most days. Now occasionally there's days where I I do, but most days I wouldn't be like, yeah, I got to know this part of God a better. But Yo, it's Carrie: Right. Todd: as you start to look back, it starts it's like a seed and it grows. And so it's just it's just God planting another seed and another seed and Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: another seed and another seed. And you don't know what it'll grow into, but Yo, it's Carrie: Mm-hmm. Todd: you can trust the gardener, I think. Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. True. Well said. Todd: So, all right, guys, thanks for joining us. Check out Toddsworld.net, all the books. Buy a book, check it out. I think you'll enjoy it and love it. Send us comments. We'd love to hear your comments, what you thought of the show, what you Yo, it's Carrie: Yes, please. Todd: think of anything that we had to say. check out Wildly Opinion A News Hour. Very different shows. I think they all fit in Todd's World really well. And Gary's Yo, it's Carrie: We are well rounded. Todd: a fabulous partner for all of it. Thank you, Gary. So Yo, it's Carrie: Thank you so much. You're a great host. All right. Todd: Alright, we're out of here, guys. Next week we are on to Genesis sixteen Yo, it's Carrie: All right. Todd: and we will catch you next Wednesday. Check out Wildly Pinion Aid News Hour from yesterday, and then in two weeks we'll have another one. Sound good? All right. Yo, it's Carrie: Sounds great. We'll see you then. Todd: Thanks, Gary. Thanks, guys, for Yo, it's Carrie: Thank you. Todd: joining us. We'll see you next time. share clips with your friends and stuff if you haven't. The only way we're gonna grow is if you guys enjoy it, you share it with friends and family and say, listen, I think this is worth listening to. It may not be your typical mega church pastor sermon. It's a little different, but we do our best. And I think I I hope that it's Yo, it's Carrie: That's what's nice about it. Todd: we hope it's peak authenticity. That's what we go for. No. Yo, it's Carrie: Right. We're we're not trying to preach. We're not trying to preach, so that's good. Todd: We're trying to find God together, and hopefully you guys can too. So. Yo, it's Carrie: Yeah. Todd: A little reflection Yo, it's Carrie: Thank you. Todd: for that Beers with Jesus episode. That's what we're after. Yo, it's Carrie: Like that. Thanks, Todd. Todd: Alright, Gary, we'll see next time. Yo, it's Carrie: Bye.