Yeah,

true.

I'm probably wrong, but here's the point.

I can be wrong about what I think about the tribulation, let's say.

I can be wrong about what I think about the rapture, let's say.

But I cannot be wrong about what I think about Jesus.

For all the Christians can disagree on as it relates to eschatology.

Well, what does the Bible say about that battle? And maybe are there things that aren't said that maybe you learn or just you get an idea from? Well, what we do

Right.

That's your point.

Put it in context, and it's really clear He doesn't make me lie, but he does make me lie down in green, green pastures.

So the point is the context is always key to understanding the heart and mind of God about anything.

So you can't pull this out of this context.

It's in a context where Paul is specifically getting ready to give the qualifications of a pastor.

So First Timothy two, the end of this chapter, remember the chapter breaks were put in later.

See what's possible at bju.edu/visit.

Mm.

So what happens? Isaiah 14:12 tells us what happens.

At some point, he looks up into heaven.

He says the five I wills.

"I will ascend into heaven." Now, where did his insurrection begin? It was not in heaven.

It was somewhere below heaven.

It was on the Earth.

I'll just say that.

Talk about what's at stake in Amendment 3 and how churches are responding.

Yeah, remarkably, Missouri voters get a second chance at this issue to get it right.

Two years ago, unfortunately, abortion without restriction was permanently enshrined in Missouri law by just really a small percentage of Missouri voters approving that.

And so almost unheard of, Missouri voters get a do-over by the grace of God.

And I'm far more encouraged this time than last time.

I'm watching more pastors than last time speak out.

I see the church in Missouri far more informed, mobilized, energized, organized.

Talk a little bit about that.

Talk about what's at stake in Amendment 3 and how churches are responding.

Yeah, remarkably, Missouri voters get a second chance at this issue, uh, to get it right.

Two years ago, unfortunately, uh, abortion without restriction was permanently enshrined in Missouri law by just really a small percentage of Missouri voters approving that.

And so almost unheard of, Missouri voters get a do-over by the grace of God, and I'm far more encouraged this time than last time.

I'm watching more pastors than last time speak out.

I see the church in Missouri far more informed, mobilized, energized, organized.

And what's at stake? What's at stake is the life of millions and millions, really immeasurable numbers of unborn children inside the mother's womb.

Talk a little bit about that.

So if our faith isn't transferable, why are our transgressions transferable?

Okay, that's a great question.

That's a great question.

So Romans 5.12 puts it this way, As by one man's sin, that was Adam, death entered the world, so death passed on all men, for all have sinned.

So as the father of the human race, we were all in Adam when he sinned.

That means when he sinned, we all died with him.

And 1 Corinthians 15 really answers this question very, very well.

Why did God think we were worth sending Jesus to die for?

Absolutely.

Confirmation bias happens all the time.

So, yeah, there's something true.

When you think about what drives the far left, there's a new term that just recently somebody has coined, the woke right.

We know about the woke left.

The woke left views the world through critical theory.

You're either an oppressor or you're oppressed.

versus the tree

Well, you know, it

shows the flakiness and the fickleness of human beings.

So people naturally want to be on the winning side.

when they thought Jesus represented the winning side, they're shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna, this is the Messiah, here he is, son of David.

And when they thought, oh, wait a minute, Jesus isn't on the winning side after all.

Crucify him, crucify him.

I mean, it just shows human nature less.

And then all of a sudden, it turned into bold preaching, fearless preaching, willing now to really die and eventually die for the gospel.

Today, driving, I heard a sermon this morning, and I won't get it exactly, but the pastor that was giving the sermon said, if you want to know about your relationship with God, Check your checkbook and your calendar, okay? And so the question is, what does generosity reveal about what we believe about God?

Well, yeah, whatever that pastor said, whoever it was, it's been said before, and it's absolutely true.

How you spend your money, how you spend your time defines your priorities, right? So you show me your checkbook, what you've written your money to, and your time, what you've given it to, and you tell me right away.

where your priorities are.

Remember what Jesus said, where your treasure is over your heart be also.

You defined your treasure.

Look, if you write $600 a month to your golf hobby, and you're writing $600 a month to go play golf or to a golf membership, and you're writing $100 a month to God, you've told me right away what God you really serve.

Yeah.

What is a commitment card? How do we use that? Why would why are you excited about that? What are you? Pastor Phil, most excited about in terms of the commitment card, what are you hoping that yields in Abundant Life? Why is that important to you? Why is that a great leveraging resource that we're able to use in the future of Abundant Life? How is it getting to where you feel like God's calling our church to go?

Well, Sunday I talked about having a household budget.

that as a family, you need a household budget that you are paying attention to.

Otherwise, your house is in financial chaos.

And so, well, God's house is no different than your house.

God's family, we need a household budget every year.

And I've shared how we get to that budget every year.

Are you still asking me questions? to do that

Yeah.

You have David that is now in the twilight of his life, the twilight of his leadership.

He's bought the threshing floor, he's bought the piece of ground.

The temple's one day gonna be built, uh, what is today the Temple Mount.

If you ever go up to the Holy Land tour with us, and we go up there, and we see the ancient threshing floor that specifically David bought- That would become, uh, where that temple would be built, and then his son Solomon would of course build the temple.

But, but he lays everything in place ahead of time.

And when I think about even our own church, you know, uh, I pray I never live to s- I, I never live to see how bright the light of abundant life might get someday.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah

...

the point taken.

Point taken.

Like, everybody, everybody wanted you to know that you're having that cup of coffee right now.

Why was that so important that you posted you're having this cup of coffee? Like, uh, the whole thing is feeding the self-idolatry, and we all struggle with the self-idolatry.

Is there not one among us, Les, that hasn't struggled with lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life? There's not one among us, and these are the th- the threefold bait of Satan.

There's 0% chance here, 0% chance here, but then over here sometimes we overlook those subtlety sins in our lives, and isn't it important for us to start paying more attention to those? Because isn't that where most times he's gonna work and cast it out?

And so what is the Christian's responsibility?

Well, I told our church recently that I would do a kind of a whole well podcast on immigration, specifically ICE.

And so let's start with a Bible study.

Everything should begin with a Bible study, right? 1 Timothy 3.16, the entire Word of God, all the Scripture says is inspired by God and is profitable for what? It's profitable, it says, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Doctrine, what to believe.

Reproof, what not to believe.

instruction, what to do, correction, what not to do.

Is that, in your opinion, what's dividing? That's the big