Latest / Fostering Faith / How to be the LIGHT

Transcript

How to be the LIGHT · Fostering Faith

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  Welcome back family. I am Tracie and we are going
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  to be discussing a topic. After we had a break
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  last week, we were able to just slide away for
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  a few days and go on spring break. And we had
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  such a great time on the beach, on the sand,
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  and enjoying each other's company. And so every
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  year we are just in a season of just wanting
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  to get away, but not knowing if we can get away.
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  And so I always start praying for vacations in
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  January to just to make sure that he's okay with
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  me going and where he wants us to go. If he wants
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  us to stay home, we stay home. If he allows us
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  to go, we go. And so I want to talk about a topic
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  that I seen on a billboard actually coming home
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  from the airport. And it said, love God, repent.
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  And I was like, how is that? gonna bring anybody
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  to Jesus like what does that have to do with
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  like like that is not going to make someone be
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  like oh my gosh like I should repent like that
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  doesn't make no sense and so I'm going to title
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  this episode as how to be the light without being
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  annoying and so in this week we're going to be
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  talking about how to be the light for Jesus without
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  being pushy preachy or just plain awkward It's
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  time to let your faith shine in everyday life,
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  whether it's school, gym, or the work, target
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  runs, you name it. You don't need a Bible megaphone,
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  just a willing heart and a little boldness. And
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  so, hey friends, welcome back to Fostering Faith.
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  I'm so glad that you tuned in this week as we
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  took last week off. My name is Tracy. In today's
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  episode, we're going to be talking about scripture.
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  soul searching and straight up laughter because
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  talking about something that can make us all
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  feel a little weird. And so how to be the light
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  for Jesus without being annoying. You said it.
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  I said it. You know exactly what I'm talking
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  about. The moment when someone starts talking
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  about Jesus, but you're doing it in a way that
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  makes everyone want to hide behind the produce
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  section at Kroger. Now, Let's not get me wrong.
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  We are called to share the gospel. Jesus said,
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  Matthew 5, 14 says, be the light of the world,
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  a town built on a hill that cannot be hidden.
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  But here's the thing. The light doesn't mean
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  blinding people with high beams, okay? So let's
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  get real. Have you ever been on the receiving
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  end of, hey, do you know Jesus as your Lord and
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  Savior? while you're trying to grab some almond
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  milk, it's uncomfortable. And sometimes it feels
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  very pushy and performative. And that's not what
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  Jesus modeled. He met people where they were.
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  He asked questions. He listened. He ate with
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  people. He saw them. And that is where we need
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  to begin. We need to build a relationship with
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  people. We need to meet them where they're at,
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  their well, their boat, wherever they're at.
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  We don't need to shove Jesus down anyone's throat.
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  It's not going to do anything. And so by just
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  being who God has created you to be, and he will
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  allow situations to happen for you to give people
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  the good news. And so here's a permission slip
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  to be normal, spiritually filled, and yet relatable.
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  Being the light doesn't mean carrying a megaphone.
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  It means living in the way that makes people
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  say, hey, there's something about her. There's
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  something about him that's just different. And
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  a lot of times I get told that I don't have what
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  is inside of you. I don't have that. It's because
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  I don't know Christ. They don't know the calm.
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  They don't know the peace. They don't know the
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  guy that I get to lay my worries down. And they
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  don't know the guy that fights my battles for
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  me. They don't know the guy that saved me from
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  all of my stupid mistakes. He doesn't, they don't
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  know the people. They don't know Jesus the way
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  that I do. But they can see that I am set apart.
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  They can see that I have calm. They can see that
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  I have, like, how are you so calm during the
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  storm? Like, how are you so, like, why are you?
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  It's because I have Jesus. It's when the coworker
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  is stressed out and you say, hey, can I pray
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  for you? It's when the friend is overwhelmed
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  and you say, you don't have to carry that alone.
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  It's being kind when no one else is. It's not,
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  It's tipping well. It's not cutting people off
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  in traffic with a bumper sticker saying, Jesus
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  loves you. It's not about that. It's about living
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  your life like he did and meeting people like
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  he did and remembering the kindness and the goodness
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  that he has done for you that we get to do it
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  to other people because we have this almighty
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  God And he allows us to live another day after
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  we screwed up. And so we get to extend that grace
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  and mercy to other people. And we have 1 Peter
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  3 .15, which says, always be prepared to give
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  an answer to anyone who asks you to give the
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  reason for the hope that you have. But do this
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  with gentleness and respect. Gentleness and respect.
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  Not guilt trips and not judgment. I am not here
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  to judge no one. And I think that is a favorite
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  pastime is that sinners like to judge other sinners.
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  And what you've done, what I've done, what Joe
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  did, what Beth did, whatever your name is, you're
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  no different than me. you're no better than me
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  you're no worse than me and worse i know is not
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  a word but it's fine and the the judge will come
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  in front of all of us and every knee will bow
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  every ear will hear and he's the one that's going
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  to judge that's not my job that's above my pay
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  grade i'm here to love you and walk with you
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  through this and know that I am imperfect and
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  I'm not trying to be perfect and we can do this
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  life together. We can live boldly and lovingly.
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  Jesus never sacrificed truth, but he never bulldozed
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  hearts either. And so have you ever seen or witnessed
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  to somebody and you're like, hey, you look tired
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  like spiritually tired and they looked at you
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  like you had spinach in your teeth and just walked
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  away and you're like okay okay lesson learned
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  let the holy spirit lead you in conversation
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  and not a caffeine crash and so allowing the
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  holy spirit to let you know when to approach
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  somebody Allow him to open the door to have their
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  heart ready to receive the word of God. And it's
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  about allowing people to get to know you first.
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  So you have street credit. And so what are some
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  ways that practically can fit in anyone's life?
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  Okay, one, live it first. People listen more
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  to what you do than what you say. And so I call
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  it street credit. And so whenever you live out
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  something first and then approach somebody, they'll
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  listen to you more because you know what you're
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  talking about. Because you were in that storm
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  and God walked you through it. And so don't preach
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  to somebody if you don't know what you're talking
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  about. If you've not walked through it, they
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  can hear you, but they're not going to listen
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  because you don't know what it's like. And build
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  a relationship. Most people need connection before
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  they'll open up in conversation. And so it's
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  just so many times in clinic, we are allowed
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  the opportunity to be in front of an atheist,
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  to be in front of a Wiccan, to be in front of...
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  all sorts of different beliefs and we are kind.
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  We are patient and we treat them just like we
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  would treat a fellow believer and they know that
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  I am God -centered and Jesus -centered and I
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  don't push religion on anybody, but I love them
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  and they get to see me act and how I speak and
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  how I act on the outside. in the office, outside
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  the office, on social media. And it's about integrity.
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  It's about they get to see me and they're like,
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  man, like how come you don't like do this or
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  do that or whatever? And we just have different
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  standards. And so allowing those people to have
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  a connection with you so their heart is ready
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  to receive that seed that you get to plant. And
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  three, Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Ask him,
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  Lord, what do you want me to say? I just want
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  to say the exact right words that they know that
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  it's from you. There are so many times that I've
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  been in conversation with someone and they're
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  like, how did you know that? Like no one else
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  knew that. Or they'll be... like praying for
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  something or they'll be thinking something and
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  the Holy Spirit will lead. And it is such a beautiful
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  moment because they know that I am connected
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  to the guy that has the answers. And they're
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  like, man, but this could be real. This could
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  be like a real thing. Like, how did you know
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  that? Like, how did you know that's what I was
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  feeling? How did you know that I had that conversation?
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  Bro, I did not know. I did not know that, but
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  he did. He did. And I have fully surrendered
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  my life. Everything that I've had, it is his.
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  Use it. Use it to grow your kingdom. And share
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  your story, not a sermon. People argue theology,
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  but they cannot argue your testimony. Time and
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  time again, there is going to be So many people
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  that argue that it's just a book. It was made
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  up. It's, you know, over so many years on so
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  many different continents and all those other
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  things and da, da, da, da, da. And, but they
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  can't take away your testimony. They can't take
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  away how he saved you. They can't take away how
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  you used to be and how you are now. They can't
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  take away the feeling that you have whenever
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  you're in the presence of the almighty God. They
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  can't take away. The moment that you realize
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  that you were a sinner and you were lost and
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  you had a savior that loved you and how it made
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  you feel to surrender your life. Like they can't
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  take that from you. Keep it short. Keep it sweet.
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  And keep it sincere. People know when you're
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  faking it. People know whenever you are trying
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  to be haughty and like overzealous and like all
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  these like fancy things. Keep it short, keep
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  it sweet, keep it to the point. Everyone that
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  knows me, I don't beat around the bush. I go
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  straight to the point and it's the truth and
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  that's what it is. I don't have what else to
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  say. And in scripture, it says, keep your answer
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  short. Yes, no. And you don't have to elaborate.
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  He is doing the work behind the scenes. You don't
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  have to be fancy. and places that you can shine
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  without preaching a word work school the grocery
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  store and on social media and so at work be that
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  one who doesn't gossip who encourages and stays
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  calm under pressure and so I don't go to lunchroom
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  I don't gossip I do work out in the in my office
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  or at the gym I go for a walk I'm the hole that
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  people come down to. I'm the office that they
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  come down and read scriptures on my wall. And
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  it's encouraging. And whenever we're faced with
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  something, we talk about it. We don't get all
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  in the uproar. At school, if you're at school,
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  stand up for someone. Invite someone in. Or offer
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  a kind word when others are tearing them down.
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  That person that sits by themselves at lunch,
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  that person that may not have the coolest outfit
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  or the brand new sneakers or whatever, be kind.
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  That word that you say to them really can save
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  their life because what happens if they are really
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  just, no one is for them, everyone's against
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  them, they don't have anybody at home and they're
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  sitting there by themselves and you as a follower,
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  you know, Christian. And you are a follower of
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  Jesus and you've attracted a lot of friends,
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  but they don't know Jesus. And so what happens
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  if you would sit down at their well? What happens
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  if you would sit down on their, at their fishing
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  boat, just like Jesus did? Because that's, that's
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  our job. And he sees that. He sees you being
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  kind. And it says in scripture too, those that
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  fed the poor fed me. Those that offered water
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  to the needy, you gave me water. And so we are
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  not serving people. We are serving God. What
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  about the grocery store? Yes, even there. Thank
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  the cashier. Smile. You'd be surprised of how
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  powerful that is. So many times we are able to
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  bless people that we are behind. But I also pray,
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  let me be a blessing today. Let me see where
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  I can be a blessing at, whether that's paying
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  for someone's food. There was a woman at a store
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  and I've seen her there several, several times.
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  And she always had this kind of grimace and grouchy
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  kind of context to her. And I was able to be
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  behind her one day. and she had forgot her debit
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  card and she only had enough cash and I said
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  and she was like you know and she was trying
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  to put food back or whatever I said absolutely
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  not I got it and she that her frown and just
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  kind of grimace like totally like softened she
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  had a smile and she was like that is so kind
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  I said, absolutely, God blessings. I said, you
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  were an actual prayer, an answer to my prayer
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  today. I pray that I get to bless somebody today
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  and put someone in front of me. So thank you
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  for being an answer to my prayer. On social media,
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  be the light and not drama. Be encouraging, share
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  hope, and not just scripture, but kindness. And
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  so as you may have seen social media, I've prayed
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  online every day. whether I'm in the ER with
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  my dad or whether I'm in a different country,
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  whether I am at home, outside, I pray every morning
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  on social media. If he has given me breath, then
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  I will pray. And it's about, we don't post drama.
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  We don't comment on things. We shed the light.
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  We are encouraging. And we share the hope that
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  he, the things that he has walked us through
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  and our testimonies that he has done for us and
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  just to give him the glory and no one else. You're
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  not responsible for the outcome, only obedience.
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  And so 1 Corinthians 3 .16, it says, I planted
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  the seed, apostles watered it. but God has been
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  making it grow. So don't be discouraged if someone
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  doesn't respond the way that you hoped. It doesn't
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  mean that you failed. It just means that you
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  planted something that God will grow later. At
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  the perfect time, there has been so many times
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  that I have planted a seed, the person got mad
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  and left. But to come back years later and that
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  little seed flourished. Because God's job is
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  to do the tilling. He's the farmer, we're the
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  planters, and he's the grower. And so it is not
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  your role to change someone's heart. Your job
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  is just to plant seeds. Your job is just to be
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  kind and plant that seed. Your job is to see
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  the hope, plant that seed. Your job is to have
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  kindness and plant that seed. It is not your
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  job to water it, grow it, put the sunshine on
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  it, put the fertilizer on it. That is not, that's
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  not your job. Your job is to plant the little
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  mustard seeds and let the creator of the universe
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  grow that seed. And at the end of the day, the
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  biggest impact that we can have is love. And
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  how we love others. John 13, 35 says, by this,
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  everyone will know that you are my disciple if
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  you love one another. So love big, shine bright,
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  and don't be weird. Unless the Holy Spirit tells
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  you to be weird and then obey. Otherwise, you
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  can be friendly, faithful, and full of joy. And
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  so your challenge this week, I challenge you,
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  ask God for one opportunity to be the light naturally,
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  not forcefully, not spotlighty, not flood lamp,
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  just a natural glow. Look for that one person
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  that you can encourage, pray for, Or simply just
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  show kindness to. And if the Holy Spirit nudges
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  you to speak, go for it. But if he nudges you
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  just to be present and love well, that's powerful
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  too. And to obey. So friends, that's it for today.
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  And remember, it isn't about being perfect. It's
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  about being present. It's about being intentional,
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  to be spirit -led, and to shine so brightly with
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  the love of Jesus that people can't help but
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  be curious about the light in you. I want to
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  thank you for listening to Fostering Faith. Don't
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  forget to subscribe, share with a friend who's
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  trying to figure out how to talk about Jesus
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  without getting weird. And come back next week.
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  We'll have more faith -filled fun and fire on
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  the way. And until then, I would love to pray
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  for you. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much
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  for this time. Thank you so much for our light
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  that is inside of us. Thank you so much that
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  you have loved us big and so we can love others.
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  Thank you so much for the words that you are
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  going to give us whenever we're in that situation
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  to say something that is going to be meaningful
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  and impactful, short and sweet this week. Thank
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  you that you have given us the opportunity to
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  be a blessing to somebody. Thank you that you
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  use us. I pray that the listeners surrender their
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  lives and they can be used fully by you because
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  there is no better job than to be used by you
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  to grow heaven. I pray all of this in Jesus'
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  name. Amen. Amen. Until next time, shine bright,
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  love big, and don't be annoying. Have a great
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  week. Love you guys.