Hello, I'm Jill Morikone.
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And welcome to
3ABN's Worship Hour.
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We're so glad that
you have taken time
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from your day to join us today
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as we open up God's
Word and study together.
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Have you ever
struggled with a relationship
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whether it's a
friend or a co-worker,
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maybe a spouse,
maybe a neighbor,
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is there someone in your life
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that maybe you haven't spoken
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with in 10 years
or 20 or even 30.
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Do you want to improve
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the quality of
your relationships?
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Stay tuned for
this message entitled,
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"7 Keys to
Building Relationships."
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But first let's turn
our hearts toward heaven
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as Tim Parton
leads us in worship.
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Thank you, Jill.
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I am moved
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by a couple of
sections of Scripture
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in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
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It says, "Therefore
we do not lose heart.
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Even though our
outward man is perishing,
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yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day.
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For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment,
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is working for us
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a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory,
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while we do not look at
the things which are seen,
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but at the things
which are not seen.
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For the things which
are seen are temporary,
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but the things
which are not seen
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are eternal."
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And in Romans 12:12, we read,
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"Rejoice in hope,
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be patient in tribulation,
be constant in prayer."
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In fact, I want to
lead us in some prayer,
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some requests have come in,
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and listen to
these and pray along
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and let's take time to seek God.
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A gentleman writes in
talking about a job, says,
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"I'm in between jobs
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the last
employment contract lapsed
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due to the virus
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and it may still be weeks
before I'm called in again.
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In the meantime,
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I've been also
applying for new jobs
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without much success.
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Please pray for me and my family
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so I can be strong
in this difficult time."
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Father, I know
that there are so many
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who are watching
who are in need of work.
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Father, I just ask
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that You would
provide every need.
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Father, You've
promised that You would.
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Thank You that
You are Jehovah-jireh,
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our provider.
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Help us to trust and believe
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that our needs are met
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according to
Your riches and glory.
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There's one who has
written in who has cancer,
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she is asking for prayer.
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Father God, You
are the great healer.
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Lord, we're just looking
to you to be our healing.
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Father, so many of our viewers
are battling physical ailments,
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mental needs, again,
financial and spiritual,
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but healing of the body
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seems to be the
one that can bear,
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can cause such
trouble in our spirits
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and get us down so easily.
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And, Father Lord, we know
that You are able to heal.
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So I'm asking O God
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that You would
heal those diseases
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the cancer and
the various trouble
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that people are having
in their bodies, O God,
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bring about Your healing, Lord.
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There is a request
for prayer for a marriage.
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"Please pray for
me and my husband,
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we need your prayers
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for our journey in our marriage.
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The enemy has been
shaking us for years.
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We have two beautiful children,
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pray for them also."
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Lord, I pray for families.
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Lord, this world is
not a friend to families.
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We need You, Lord,
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in our marriages
and our relationships.
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Lord, I pray in Jesus name
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that You would give us wisdom
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in our relationships.
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Thank You, Jesus, for
Your goodness to us, Lord.
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We love You, Father.
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Thank You, Father.
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Jesus, Jesus
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Lord to me
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Master, Savior
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Prince of Peace
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Ruler of my heart
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Today
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Jesus
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Lord
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To me
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There is no name
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In earth or heaven above
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That we should give
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Such honor and such love
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As the blessed name
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Let us all acclaim
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That wondrous
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Glorious name
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Of Jesus
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Jesus
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Is the sweetest name I know
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And He's just the same
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As His lovely name
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That's the reason
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Why I love Him so
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For Jesus is the sweetest name
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I know
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Sing that again with me.
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Jesus
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Is the sweetest name I know
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And He's just the same
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As His lovely name
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That's the reason
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Why I love Him so
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For Jesus
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Is the sweetest name I know
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Yes, Jesus
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Is the sweetest name
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I know.
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Thank you so much, Tim.
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"Jesus is the
sweetest name I know."
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I love that song.
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We're talking today
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about 7 Keys to
Building Relationships.
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I have here a little box I
wanna show to you right now.
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This key sits on
my dresser at home
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and it sat on there
for probably 18 years.
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You can see the top
of it is really faded
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because the sun has
hit it a good many days,
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but inside is in one of those
old-fashioned skeleton keys.
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I don't know if
you ever have seen
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one of these keys.
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When I was in college,
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we used one of these keys
to open up the lock in my room,
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but this key was
how the relationship
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between my husband Greg
and I began with this key.
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He gave it to me
in October of 2001,
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it has my
initials JP on one side
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'cause we weren't married then
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and his initials
GM on the other side.
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And if I close my eyes,
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I can still smell
the smell of the pines,
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I can hear the
water rippling in the lake
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we were sitting right next to.
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I can just feel
the sun on my face,
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and I can hear Greg's voice.
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As he said, "Jilly,
I've given you my heart."
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And this key
represents the key to my heart.
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And I want to
work to win your heart.
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That was at the
beginning of our relationship.
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This was even
before we're engaged.
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That's the
beginning of our relationship,
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we've been friends for years.
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And he said, "This
represents the key to my heart."
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And I want to work to win yours.
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Genesis 2:18,
you know this verse,
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the Word of God says,
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"It is not good
that man should be alone,
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I will make him a help meet
or a helper comparable to him."
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Now lest do you
think this message
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is about marriage,
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it is not
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because God created us,
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you and I to live in community
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whether that is
a husband and wife,
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a spouse relationship,
whether that is friendships,
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whether that is
neighbors or co-workers,
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relationships in general
part of the body of Christ.
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God created us to
live in community.
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We need each other.
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You know the
ultimate relationship,
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of course, comes from
the Lord Jesus Christ.
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I think about that relationship
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He wants to have
with each one of us.
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John 17:3
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if you wanna turn in
your Bibles there with me,
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John 17:3.
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I love John 17.
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You know John 13
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is that entire
foot washing experience.
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Jesus washing
His disciples' feet
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humbling Himself as a servant.
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And the disciple said,
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"I don't want
You to wash my feet."
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And Jesus said,
"No, he's doing this."
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So that whole process we
see Him humbling Himself,
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that's John Chapter 13.
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And then we see
John 14, 15, 16, and 17,
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all have this
counsel, you could say,
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Jesus gave to His disciples
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right before He
went to the cross.
00:11:07.66\00:11:10.40
John 17, of course,
is His prayer for unity.
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Jesus' prayer for unity.
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He prays for Himself.
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He prays for His disciples.
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He prays for you and I down,
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looking down
through the stream of time.
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In John 17:3, He says,
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"This is life
eternal or eternal life
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that you may know
Me, the only true God,
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and Jesus Christ
whom He has sent."
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Well, you see we were created
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to live in relationship
with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Sin brought disunion,
sin brought fear and guilt,
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sin brought a
separation from God,
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but Jesus came to
restore that relationship
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and to bring us back
into harmony with God.
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2 Corinthians 5:18,
one of my favorite verses.
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"All things are of God,
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who has reconciled
or brought back together
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us to Himself through," whom?
00:12:07.36\00:12:09.32
"Through Jesus
Christ, and has given to us, "
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that's you and to me,
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"the ministry
of reconciliation."
00:12:14.30\00:12:18.03
Jesus brought healing,
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He came to
restore that broken bond
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we had with the Father to
restore us back into unity.
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Let's pray.
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Holy Father, we come
before You right now.
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Thanking You for
the gift of Jesus.
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Thanking You for the gift
of Your Word and Your Spirit.
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Would You come just now
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and open up our hearts and minds
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to receive what You
have for us in Jesus' name.
00:12:43.69\00:12:48.00
Amen.
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She was a beautiful girl,
blonde hair, gorgeous smile,
00:12:49.40\00:12:54.50
even white teeth,
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I would call it like a
peaches and cream complexion.
00:12:55.94\00:12:59.67
She was an
upperclassman in academy.
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.28
I was a brand new teacher.
00:13:02.31\00:13:04.91
First job out of college,
00:13:04.95\00:13:06.61
I was 22 years old and
I knew literally nothing.
00:13:06.65\00:13:12.25
I was so caught up in
that busyness of teaching
00:13:12.29\00:13:15.12
for the first time
00:13:15.16\00:13:16.49
of not really knowing
how to make lesson plans,
00:13:16.52\00:13:19.23
but trying to make them any way,
00:13:19.26\00:13:20.96
of grading papers
and doing all of that,
00:13:21.00\00:13:24.10
that I didn't
take time to ask Megan.
00:13:24.13\00:13:28.30
We'll call her that to
ask Megan about her heart.
00:13:28.34\00:13:31.44
I didn't take time to
ask how she was doing.
00:13:31.47\00:13:34.74
And so the weeks
went by and time went on,
00:13:34.78\00:13:37.91
I was busy and occupied
00:13:37.95\00:13:40.02
and she seemed to be doing fine,
00:13:40.05\00:13:41.58
and then maybe about
halfway through the year
00:13:41.62\00:13:44.45
our school went on a retreat.
00:13:44.49\00:13:48.36
And I'll never
forget, Megan said,
00:13:48.39\00:13:50.53
"Can I talk to you, Miss Jill."
00:13:50.56\00:13:51.93
And I said, "Of course,
I'd love to talk to you."
00:13:51.96\00:13:53.96
So we sat down
and she was wearing
00:13:54.00\00:13:55.96
one of those
long-sleeved flannel shirts
00:13:56.00\00:13:59.63
and it kind of struck
me like I hadn't noticed
00:13:59.67\00:14:02.20
that she always
wore long-sleeve shirts
00:14:02.24\00:14:04.47
and I wondered why.
00:14:04.51\00:14:06.68
And she said, "I
wanna show you something."
00:14:06.71\00:14:08.94
And she
unbuttoned her shirt sleeve
00:14:08.98\00:14:12.08
and she started
to roll up her sleeve
00:14:12.11\00:14:15.58
and I could see all
of a sudden slashes,
00:14:15.62\00:14:19.55
dried blood
criss-crossing her arm.
00:14:19.59\00:14:23.66
And I just caught my
breath and I said, "Megan."
00:14:23.69\00:14:26.80
And she said, "No,
no, Miss Jill, look."
00:14:26.83\00:14:28.96
And she turned
her arm so I could see
00:14:29.00\00:14:32.20
it wasn't just
slashes in her skin,
00:14:32.23\00:14:35.50
but she had actually cut herself
00:14:35.54\00:14:37.81
to spell two words
00:14:37.84\00:14:39.97
help H-E-L-P me, help me.
00:14:40.01\00:14:46.61
And I remember I
sat there and I cried.
00:14:46.65\00:14:50.65
There was a beautiful girl
desperate for a relationship,
00:14:50.69\00:14:55.32
desperate to see
someone, to love someone,
00:14:55.36\00:15:00.90
to have someone in her life,
and yet I had been too busy,
00:15:00.93\00:15:06.80
too busy to notice
the pain in her life,
00:15:06.84\00:15:09.40
too busy to notice the
pain in her eyes, too busy.
00:15:09.44\00:15:14.24
We need each other.
00:15:14.28\00:15:16.78
God created us to
live in community.
00:15:16.81\00:15:21.68
I told you I'm gonna give you
00:15:21.72\00:15:23.05
seven keys to
building relationships
00:15:23.08\00:15:25.95
you know I like
lists, so here's the seven,
00:15:25.99\00:15:28.76
and then we'll go back
and unpack each one of them.
00:15:28.79\00:15:31.26
Number one, be intentional.
00:15:31.29\00:15:34.10
Number two, be friendly.
00:15:34.13\00:15:36.63
Be kind, be honest,
00:15:36.67\00:15:39.97
be aware, be trustworthy,
00:15:40.00\00:15:43.87
and be receptive.
00:15:43.91\00:15:46.04
So let's go
back and unpack them.
00:15:46.07\00:15:47.41
Number one, be intentional.
00:15:47.44\00:15:48.78
What in the world
does intentionality mean?
00:15:48.81\00:15:51.71
What does it mean
to be intentional?
00:15:51.75\00:15:54.85
It means to
something done on purpose,
00:15:54.88\00:15:58.15
deliberate or calculated.
00:15:58.19\00:16:01.59
Do you want friends?
00:16:01.62\00:16:02.96
Do you want
relationships in your life?
00:16:02.99\00:16:06.19
Be intentional, make a choice.
00:16:06.23\00:16:09.10
Be deliberate
00:16:09.13\00:16:10.47
with what you
say in what you do.
00:16:10.50\00:16:11.83
You know, often
even from a young age
00:16:11.87\00:16:14.64
we teach children,
what do we teach them?
00:16:14.67\00:16:16.91
You need to make
a choice for Jesus.
00:16:16.94\00:16:19.21
Make a choice to follow Him.
00:16:19.24\00:16:21.01
Ask Him into your heart.
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.24
Make a decision
to join the church.
00:16:23.28\00:16:24.98
Or make a
decision to be baptized.
00:16:25.01\00:16:28.22
In fact, Joshua tells us this.
00:16:28.25\00:16:31.05
And this is a biblical thing.
00:16:31.09\00:16:32.59
So I'm not saying
it's not biblical.
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.76
Joshua tells us
00:16:34.79\00:16:36.12
we need to make a
choice to follow Jesus.
00:16:36.16\00:16:38.39
Remember, at the
end of Joshua's life,
00:16:38.43\00:16:40.00
Joshua 24:15.
00:16:40.03\00:16:43.47
He says,
00:16:43.50\00:16:44.83
"If it seems evil to
you to serve the Lord,
00:16:44.87\00:16:48.24
choose for yourselves
this day whom you will serve."
00:16:48.27\00:16:53.81
You see, Joshua had
served his whole life
00:16:53.84\00:16:55.98
had followed the Lord Jesus.
00:16:56.01\00:16:57.48
He had made his choice
to follow God years ago
00:16:57.51\00:17:01.62
and he had led these
people the children of Israel
00:17:01.65\00:17:04.75
through many
battles, many trials,
00:17:04.79\00:17:08.72
many times where
they had chosen God,
00:17:08.76\00:17:11.09
but then chosen
to walk away from God
00:17:11.13\00:17:14.13
and he's appealing to them,
00:17:14.16\00:17:15.96
make a choice who
you're going to serve,
00:17:16.00\00:17:19.07
"Whether the gods
which your fathers served
00:17:19.10\00:17:21.67
which were on the
other side of the River
00:17:21.70\00:17:23.57
or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you dwell."
00:17:23.61\00:17:27.71
He's saying,
00:17:27.74\00:17:29.08
are you gonna follow
because of tradition?
00:17:29.11\00:17:30.68
Are you following Jesus
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.05
because you were raised that way
00:17:32.08\00:17:33.42
'cause your
mama and daddy did it
00:17:33.45\00:17:34.85
or 'cause your grandfather
and grandmother did it?
00:17:34.88\00:17:37.32
Are you going to do it
00:17:37.35\00:17:38.69
because of peer pressure
of those who are around you
00:17:38.72\00:17:42.79
or are you gonna
do it for yourself?
00:17:42.82\00:17:44.36
"As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord."
00:17:44.39\00:17:49.83
Just as we make you and I
00:17:49.86\00:17:51.73
need to make every day a
choice for the Lord Jesus.
00:17:51.77\00:17:55.44
We also need to be
intentional in our friendships.
00:17:55.47\00:17:59.27
You know, sometimes we think
00:17:59.31\00:18:00.64
friendships just
happen by themselves
00:18:00.68\00:18:03.91
or relationships
just happen by themselves.
00:18:03.95\00:18:07.55
Maybe you might think,
00:18:07.58\00:18:08.92
I'm definitely a
good enough friend
00:18:08.95\00:18:11.95
or maybe you think
why do people not like me?
00:18:11.99\00:18:17.36
Why don't I have more friends?
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.36
Look inside.
00:18:19.39\00:18:20.73
Are you being intentional?
00:18:20.76\00:18:23.13
We need to be intentional
about choosing a friend
00:18:23.16\00:18:25.90
and the most important
quality to look for a friend
00:18:25.93\00:18:28.84
is choose a
friend who loves Jesus.
00:18:28.87\00:18:32.91
That's quality number
one is to choose someone,
00:18:32.94\00:18:35.51
choose to build relationships
with people who love Jesus.
00:18:35.54\00:18:40.78
1 John 1:7, you know, we
quote many times 1 John 1:9,
00:18:40.82\00:18:46.86
"If we confess our sins,
He's faithful and just, "
00:18:46.89\00:18:48.92
but we're not going there
two verses back, 1 John 1:7,
00:18:48.96\00:18:52.39
the Word of God says,
00:18:52.43\00:18:53.76
"If we walk in the
light as He is in the light,
00:18:53.80\00:18:57.20
we have
fellowship with one another,
00:18:57.23\00:19:01.70
and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanses us
00:19:01.74\00:19:05.21
from all sin."
00:19:05.24\00:19:06.78
What is John saying there?
00:19:06.81\00:19:08.14
In the Book of 1 John,
you see this word fellowship.
00:19:08.18\00:19:10.25
This word Koinonia,
00:19:10.28\00:19:12.11
many times it talks
about a spiritual connection,
00:19:12.15\00:19:16.79
a spiritual fellowship.
00:19:16.82\00:19:18.29
Have you ever noticed
00:19:18.32\00:19:19.65
that you can have
a closer connection
00:19:19.69\00:19:22.09
with someone who is in Christ
00:19:22.12\00:19:23.76
than maybe even
your literal own family.
00:19:23.79\00:19:27.33
It says, "If we
walk in the light, "
00:19:27.36\00:19:28.80
meaning if we have
chosen to follow Jesus
00:19:28.83\00:19:31.63
and someone else over here
00:19:31.67\00:19:33.10
has chosen to
follow Jesus, what happens?
00:19:33.13\00:19:35.84
You and I have fellowship
00:19:35.87\00:19:38.54
and the blood of Jesus
Christ His Son cleanses us
00:19:38.57\00:19:41.14
from all sin.
00:19:41.18\00:19:42.51
So key number one in
building relationships
00:19:42.54\00:19:45.71
is to be intentional
about your relationships.
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.58
Don't just assume
00:19:49.62\00:19:50.95
they're going to
happen by chance,
00:19:50.99\00:19:52.89
but be intentional about them.
00:19:52.92\00:19:55.69
Principle number
two, be friendly.
00:19:55.72\00:19:59.33
Proverbs 18:24 says,
00:19:59.36\00:20:02.53
"A man who has
friends must," what?
00:20:02.56\00:20:05.50
King James says,
I've memorized it,
00:20:05.53\00:20:07.04
"Must shew himself friendly."
00:20:07.07\00:20:09.40
New King James says,
"Must himself be friendly,
00:20:09.44\00:20:12.97
but there is a
friend who sticks closer
00:20:13.01\00:20:15.81
than a brother."
00:20:15.84\00:20:17.85
I love this quote.
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.21
I've learned that
people will forget
00:20:19.25\00:20:21.02
what you said.
00:20:21.05\00:20:23.15
People will forget what you did,
00:20:23.18\00:20:26.89
but people never
forget how you made them feel.
00:20:26.92\00:20:32.23
So people
definitely forget our actions
00:20:32.26\00:20:34.00
and they forget our words,
00:20:34.03\00:20:35.36
but they never forget
how we made them feel.
00:20:35.40\00:20:39.13
Be friendly.
00:20:39.17\00:20:40.50
You know, the
story is told of a woman
00:20:40.54\00:20:42.30
who was very depressed
00:20:42.34\00:20:44.24
and she lived in her
house with the shades drawn.
00:20:44.27\00:20:48.51
And she didn't feel
00:20:48.54\00:20:49.88
like getting out
of bed in the morning.
00:20:49.91\00:20:52.21
And she just,
00:20:52.25\00:20:53.92
every morning
woke up and thought
00:20:53.95\00:20:55.92
it's not a very good day
00:20:55.95\00:20:57.42
and I'm not sure,
I'm not very happy,
00:20:57.45\00:20:59.85
I don't think I'm gonna go
out and talk to anybody today.
00:20:59.89\00:21:02.59
I'm definitely not
gonna go out and volunteer.
00:21:02.62\00:21:05.49
I'm not gonna go out to lunch
with any of my girlfriends.
00:21:05.53\00:21:08.10
I am going to stay
home with the shades drawn,
00:21:08.13\00:21:12.03
and I'm gonna stay in bed.
00:21:12.07\00:21:13.64
So she lived day after day,
week after week of her life,
00:21:13.67\00:21:19.04
miserable, sad,
depressed, and alone.
00:21:19.07\00:21:23.88
And then one day, she
had a visit from doctor
00:21:23.91\00:21:27.68
who said,
00:21:27.72\00:21:29.05
"You got some
really beautiful violets
00:21:29.08\00:21:30.65
here in your home."
00:21:30.69\00:21:32.02
And violets were
something that she really liked.
00:21:32.05\00:21:33.56
And she had watered
them taking care of them.
00:21:33.59\00:21:36.89
Now I don't have a
very good green thumb.
00:21:36.93\00:21:39.83
So I assure you, if
they were in my house,
00:21:39.86\00:21:41.20
they would have died
00:21:41.23\00:21:42.56
if Greg had not
taken care of them,
00:21:42.60\00:21:44.27
but in this lady's house,
00:21:44.30\00:21:45.63
she was very
good with her violets
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.00
and they were beautiful.
00:21:47.04\00:21:48.37
And they said,
"Why don't every day
00:21:48.40\00:21:51.27
you take a violet to
someone outside your home."
00:21:51.31\00:21:54.04
And she thought,
00:21:54.08\00:21:55.41
she'd been inside
so much cooped up,
00:21:55.44\00:21:57.15
she'd been in the bed,
00:21:57.18\00:21:58.51
she'd been in the
house with the shades drawn,
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.22
she was so depressed,
00:22:00.25\00:22:01.85
she did not want
to get out into going.
00:22:01.88\00:22:04.15
And she decided, "I
guess I can try it."
00:22:04.19\00:22:07.92
So the next day
she took one violent,
00:22:07.96\00:22:11.06
and she took it to someone.
00:22:11.09\00:22:12.89
And the smile on their face
00:22:12.93\00:22:14.60
and the
encouragement that they felt
00:22:14.63\00:22:16.43
and pretty soon she thought,
00:22:16.46\00:22:17.97
"I feel a little better."
00:22:18.00\00:22:19.33
And then the next day
she took another violet
00:22:19.37\00:22:21.20
and the day after
that she took another one.
00:22:21.24\00:22:24.11
And the difference
that made in her life,
00:22:24.14\00:22:27.28
the shades went up,
00:22:27.31\00:22:28.64
she got out of
bed in the morning.
00:22:28.68\00:22:31.31
Her life developed
purpose and friendships.
00:22:31.35\00:22:34.98
You know, those
who bring sunshine
00:22:35.02\00:22:37.02
to the lives of other people
00:22:37.05\00:22:38.45
cannot keep that
sunshine from themselves.
00:22:38.49\00:22:41.69
In other words, if
you feel depressed,
00:22:41.72\00:22:43.56
smile at somebody else.
00:22:43.59\00:22:45.59
If you're lost,
encourage someone else.
00:22:45.63\00:22:48.63
If you're lonely
pick up your phone
00:22:48.66\00:22:52.00
and call someone else.
00:22:52.03\00:22:54.30
If someone has hurt
you reach out in kindness
00:22:54.34\00:22:58.64
to someone else.
00:22:58.67\00:23:00.41
So key number two is
we're called to be friendly,
00:23:00.44\00:23:05.65
to get out of ourselves,
00:23:05.68\00:23:07.92
to get out of what
we're dealing with,
00:23:07.95\00:23:10.45
and be friendly
with someone else.
00:23:10.49\00:23:13.49
Key number three, be kind.
00:23:13.52\00:23:15.92
Now you might be thinking,
00:23:15.96\00:23:17.29
I'm going to one of
those well-known scriptures
00:23:17.33\00:23:19.46
on kindness.
00:23:19.49\00:23:20.83
And I like these
Ephesians 4:32 says,
00:23:20.86\00:23:23.13
"Be kind to one
another, tenderhearted,
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.43
forgiving one another,
even as Christ forgave you."
00:23:25.47\00:23:29.04
I think about Colossians 3:12,
it says, "As the elect of God,
00:23:29.07\00:23:33.24
holy and beloved,
00:23:33.27\00:23:34.61
put on mercies,
kindness, humility,
00:23:34.64\00:23:37.58
meekness, longsuffering."
00:23:37.61\00:23:39.91
But that's not
where we're going.
00:23:39.95\00:23:41.28
Turn with me to 2 Samuel.
00:23:41.32\00:23:43.18
2 Samuel Chapter 2.
00:23:43.22\00:23:44.59
This is a place
where you would not expect
00:23:44.62\00:23:47.46
or think
00:23:47.49\00:23:49.66
that you're
going to find kindness.
00:23:49.69\00:23:51.49
This is 2 Samuel Chapter 2.
00:23:51.53\00:23:53.13
Now remember,
00:23:53.16\00:23:54.50
Saul had been the
first king of Israel.
00:23:54.53\00:23:57.37
And this is, of course,
00:23:57.40\00:23:58.73
before the division
of Israel and Judah.
00:23:58.77\00:24:00.60
And Saul was the first king.
00:24:00.64\00:24:04.47
The second king, do
you remember who that was?
00:24:04.51\00:24:06.11
That was David.
00:24:06.14\00:24:07.48
Now remember,
00:24:07.51\00:24:08.84
he hid from Saul
in the wilderness
00:24:08.88\00:24:10.21
and he was attacked by Saul
00:24:10.25\00:24:12.18
and he almost was
killed many times by Saul.
00:24:12.21\00:24:15.08
Remember, the prophet
Samuel had anointed David
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.39
to be king over Israel,
00:24:18.42\00:24:19.75
and he had done that
anointing more in private.
00:24:19.79\00:24:22.09
Now this is a public anointing
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.93
of the leaders
of Judah over David.
00:24:24.96\00:24:30.93
So we're in 2 Samuel 2:4-7.
00:24:30.97\00:24:34.24
2 Samuel 2:4-7, "Then
the men of Judah came,
00:24:34.27\00:24:38.17
and there they
anointed David king
00:24:38.21\00:24:40.88
over the house of Judah."
00:24:40.91\00:24:42.64
Now this is
that public anointing
00:24:42.68\00:24:44.71
'cause Samuel had
already done it before.
00:24:44.75\00:24:46.75
"And they told David, saying,
00:24:46.78\00:24:48.12
'The men of Jabesh Gilead
were the ones who buried Saul.'
00:24:48.15\00:24:51.95
So David sent messengers
to the men of Jabesh Gilead,
00:24:51.99\00:24:54.42
and said to them,
00:24:54.46\00:24:55.79
'You are blessed of the Lord,
00:24:55.82\00:24:57.79
for you have shown this kindness
00:24:57.83\00:25:00.40
to your Lord," to Saul,
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.26
"and have buried him."
00:25:02.30\00:25:03.67
You notice that word kindness.
00:25:03.70\00:25:05.30
"And now may the Lord
show kindness and truth to you.
00:25:05.33\00:25:09.44
I will also repay
you this kindness, "
00:25:09.47\00:25:12.44
there it is
again the third time,
00:25:12.47\00:25:14.34
"and because you
have done this thing.'"
00:25:14.38\00:25:16.78
Verse 7, "Now therefore,
let your hands be strengthened,
00:25:16.81\00:25:20.68
and be valiant, for
your master Saul is dead,
00:25:20.72\00:25:23.18
and also the house
of Judah has anointed me
00:25:23.22\00:25:25.49
king over them."
00:25:25.52\00:25:26.86
Now at first you might
say what in the world Jill,
00:25:26.89\00:25:28.56
does this have
to do with anything?
00:25:28.59\00:25:31.99
Would you say Saul
had been a good king
00:25:32.03\00:25:34.90
or a bad king?
00:25:34.93\00:25:36.60
We know clearly when he began,
00:25:36.63\00:25:38.03
he was humble
00:25:38.07\00:25:39.40
and he wanted to serve the Lord,
00:25:39.43\00:25:40.77
but that is not the
way that Saul ended up.
00:25:40.80\00:25:43.67
Throughout his reign,
00:25:43.71\00:25:45.04
he became proud and
boastful he thought of himself,
00:25:45.07\00:25:47.71
he was definitely
mentally unbalanced.
00:25:47.74\00:25:51.55
And yet, God called those people
00:25:51.58\00:25:55.75
to still be kind,
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.82
to show respect
00:25:57.85\00:25:59.99
and to be kind to someone
00:26:00.02\00:26:01.52
that we might not even
deem worthy of respect.
00:26:01.56\00:26:04.53
These men might have said,
00:26:04.56\00:26:05.89
"Hey, why would we
even do this for Saul?"
00:26:05.93\00:26:08.06
Because he hunted
David, and he was a murderer,
00:26:08.10\00:26:10.60
and he did all these things.
00:26:10.63\00:26:11.97
And he's egotistical
00:26:12.00\00:26:13.54
and he is not the
leader I wanna follow
00:26:13.57\00:26:15.34
and not the leader that I think
00:26:15.37\00:26:16.71
that God wants us
to have here in Israel.
00:26:16.74\00:26:19.07
And yet they showed kindness.
00:26:19.11\00:26:22.91
That's powerful to me.
00:26:22.94\00:26:25.11
Why do we show kindness?
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.48
We're called to show
kindness toward people,
00:26:26.51\00:26:29.78
even when they're
aren't worthy of respect,
00:26:29.82\00:26:33.19
even when they're
not even our friends.
00:26:33.22\00:26:36.26
It's easy to be kind
00:26:36.29\00:26:37.86
when other
people are kind to you.
00:26:37.89\00:26:39.46
It's painless to
reach out to people
00:26:39.49\00:26:41.36
when they don't have
any prickles on them,
00:26:41.40\00:26:43.37
but the real test comes
when we're called to be kind
00:26:43.40\00:26:46.33
when it costs us
something when it hurts.
00:26:46.37\00:26:49.50
Now I wanna be clear here.
00:26:49.54\00:26:50.87
We're talking about seven
keys to building relationships,
00:26:50.91\00:26:53.14
not all
relationships are friendships.
00:26:53.17\00:26:56.01
So this is not seven
keys to building friendships.
00:26:56.04\00:26:58.25
It could, of course,
apply to friendships,
00:26:58.28\00:27:00.45
but really
00:27:00.48\00:27:01.82
not all relationships
are meant to be friendships
00:27:01.85\00:27:04.15
'cause some people
you might need to be
00:27:04.19\00:27:05.72
a little more careful with,
00:27:05.75\00:27:07.16
but we are called
still to be kind to everyone.
00:27:07.19\00:27:12.96
I love this quote, I
don't know where it's found,
00:27:12.99\00:27:15.03
but it says, "The
world is full of kind people.
00:27:15.06\00:27:18.70
And if you can't
find a kind person,
00:27:18.73\00:27:22.04
you can choose to be one."
00:27:22.07\00:27:24.81
So the first key to
building relationships
00:27:24.84\00:27:26.54
is be intentional.
00:27:26.57\00:27:27.91
Key number two, be friendly.
00:27:27.94\00:27:29.34
Key number three, be kind.
00:27:29.38\00:27:31.21
Number four, be honest.
00:27:31.25\00:27:34.55
Proverbs 12:22,
00:27:34.58\00:27:37.89
"Lying lips are an
abomination to the Lord,
00:27:37.92\00:27:41.72
but those who deal truly or
truthfully are His delight."
00:27:41.76\00:27:47.66
Another Proverbs on
this about the tongue.
00:27:47.70\00:27:50.00
Proverbs 18:21,
00:27:50.03\00:27:52.20
"Death and life are in
the power of the tongue,
00:27:52.23\00:27:55.90
and those who love it
will eat of its fruits."
00:27:55.94\00:28:01.21
You know, honesty does not mean
00:28:01.24\00:28:03.18
that you sweep
things under the carpet.
00:28:03.21\00:28:06.28
Honesty does not mean
00:28:06.31\00:28:07.65
that you ignore difficulties
in the relationship.
00:28:07.68\00:28:11.89
Honesty does not mean
00:28:11.92\00:28:13.25
that you pretend
everything is fine,
00:28:13.29\00:28:15.72
or put on a mask and
try to be a good Christian
00:28:15.76\00:28:19.49
when you're talking
and walking with others.
00:28:19.53\00:28:22.56
You know, the first year of Greg
00:28:22.60\00:28:24.33
in my marriage,
00:28:24.37\00:28:25.70
we had a discussion.
00:28:25.73\00:28:28.30
So we'll just
call it a discussion
00:28:28.34\00:28:30.24
for our purposes here today.
00:28:30.27\00:28:31.97
It was a lively discussion.
00:28:32.01\00:28:33.98
And I can't tell
you what we argued,
00:28:34.01\00:28:36.95
I was gonna say
argued what we discussed
00:28:36.98\00:28:38.95
because I don't remember
it's been almost 18 years ago,
00:28:38.98\00:28:41.88
and I have no
idea what it was about,
00:28:41.92\00:28:44.19
but I can just tell you this.
00:28:44.22\00:28:45.55
I know that I was right.
00:28:45.59\00:28:47.79
And clearly, in my
mind, he was in the wrong.
00:28:47.82\00:28:51.19
And I remember,
00:28:51.23\00:28:52.56
I kind of wore
that little chip thing
00:28:52.59\00:28:53.93
on your shoulder.
00:28:53.96\00:28:55.30
I don't know if
you've ever done that.
00:28:55.33\00:28:56.67
I think women especially
are kind of good at that.
00:28:56.70\00:28:59.53
And I kind of went
about the house like?
00:28:59.57\00:29:02.30
Okay, so I knew it was wrong.
00:29:02.34\00:29:04.84
And I knew God had
called me to be kind.
00:29:04.87\00:29:07.44
And I knew I was
supposed to be honest
00:29:07.48\00:29:09.78
about what I was
feeling and dealing with inside,
00:29:09.81\00:29:12.31
but I did not want to.
00:29:12.35\00:29:16.89
And so I'll never forget,
00:29:16.92\00:29:18.29
I don't know, maybe
an hour or two went by,
00:29:18.32\00:29:20.46
and then Greg said,
"Jilly, can we pray about it?"
00:29:20.49\00:29:23.96
And I did not want to pray
00:29:23.99\00:29:27.53
'cause I knew if I
went to God in prayer,
00:29:27.56\00:29:29.90
He might say, "Jill,
you're at fault here."
00:29:29.93\00:29:32.67
Jill, you have some
ego or Jill clearly,
00:29:32.70\00:29:35.64
even if the
principle of the matter
00:29:35.67\00:29:37.47
you might have been right,
00:29:37.51\00:29:38.84
your spirit is definitely wrong.
00:29:38.87\00:29:42.94
And yet, I didn't
want to admit that.
00:29:42.98\00:29:45.48
So we now down
by a little couch.
00:29:45.51\00:29:47.52
And I never
forget Greg prayed first
00:29:47.55\00:29:50.49
which I was so grateful for,
00:29:50.52\00:29:53.12
but the first
words out of his mouth,
00:29:53.15\00:29:55.49
the Holy Spirit used
that in my own heart and life
00:29:55.52\00:30:00.10
to bring
conviction of my own sin.
00:30:00.13\00:30:04.93
The first words Greg said
00:30:04.97\00:30:06.30
was, "Father, forgive me
00:30:06.33\00:30:09.90
for not being the husband
to Jill that I should be."
00:30:09.94\00:30:14.44
And that immediately the
Holy Spirit spoke and said,
00:30:14.48\00:30:17.68
"Jill, you're clearly not
being the wife you want to be.
00:30:17.71\00:30:20.52
And you're not being the woman
that I've called you to be."
00:30:20.55\00:30:23.65
And so we asked forgiveness
of each other and moved on.
00:30:23.69\00:30:28.42
Honesty, there's two,
00:30:28.46\00:30:30.49
you could say on
either side of the ditch.
00:30:30.53\00:30:32.46
Sometimes we think we
were afraid to be honest.
00:30:32.49\00:30:34.76
So we hide things
00:30:34.80\00:30:36.13
or pretend that
everything's fine
00:30:36.16\00:30:38.67
when it's really not.
00:30:38.70\00:30:40.10
And on the flip side,
00:30:40.14\00:30:41.97
honesty does not mean
00:30:42.00\00:30:43.51
that we can just
go tell people off
00:30:43.54\00:30:45.87
or that we say what we want,
00:30:45.91\00:30:47.64
when we want,
00:30:47.68\00:30:49.01
and how we want
00:30:49.04\00:30:50.78
or that we just
hold to the truth
00:30:50.81\00:30:53.21
and say the truth
00:30:53.25\00:30:54.68
regardless of
how it comes across.
00:30:54.72\00:30:58.15
I think what you
say matters clearly,
00:30:58.19\00:31:00.72
what you say is very important,
00:31:00.76\00:31:03.16
but how I say it
00:31:03.19\00:31:06.39
matters even more than
the words that I speak.
00:31:06.43\00:31:08.96
In other words,
00:31:09.00\00:31:10.33
the spirit
behind matters the most.
00:31:10.37\00:31:15.47
I don't know if you've
ever had the experience
00:31:15.50\00:31:17.54
where someone
speaks into your life.
00:31:17.57\00:31:20.51
I know just this week.
00:31:20.54\00:31:23.04
I'm gonna pull it
up here in my email.
00:31:23.08\00:31:24.61
Just this week,
00:31:24.65\00:31:25.98
I got an email
from a friend of mine.
00:31:26.01\00:31:29.12
And they said,
00:31:29.15\00:31:31.59
"Jill, apparently you were meant
00:31:31.62\00:31:33.86
to read this today.
00:31:33.89\00:31:35.52
I'm not sure why,
00:31:35.56\00:31:36.96
but I am impressed
to send you this passage
00:31:36.99\00:31:40.30
from Joshua 1:2-9."
00:31:40.33\00:31:43.50
And then they
talked about this passage
00:31:43.53\00:31:45.37
it's, of course,
when Moses had died
00:31:45.40\00:31:48.04
and Joshua was
picking up the leadership
00:31:48.07\00:31:50.01
and moving forward,
00:31:50.04\00:31:51.57
taking the people
into the Promised Land,
00:31:51.61\00:31:54.14
and then they had
highlighted certain things,
00:31:54.18\00:31:56.01
"Be strong and
of a good courage.
00:31:56.04\00:31:57.71
Be strong and courageous."
00:31:57.75\00:31:59.91
It says, "Do not
fear nor be dismayed,
00:31:59.95\00:32:02.18
for the Lord your
God my God is with you."
00:32:02.22\00:32:04.99
And then it ends
with, this email ends with,
00:32:05.02\00:32:07.32
"God has
everything worked out, Jill.
00:32:07.36\00:32:09.96
He is faithful to finish
00:32:09.99\00:32:11.79
what He has
started in your life.
00:32:11.83\00:32:14.00
Let me know if there is any
way I can lift your arms up."
00:32:14.03\00:32:18.17
So that is someone
00:32:18.20\00:32:19.53
who's choosing to
speak into my life,
00:32:19.57\00:32:23.84
choosing to bring encouragement,
00:32:23.87\00:32:25.61
and choosing to be honest,
to share the truth as it were,
00:32:25.64\00:32:30.21
but yet share that in love.
00:32:30.25\00:32:32.78
Truth is always to be
combined with love and kindness.
00:32:32.81\00:32:37.52
Ephesians 4:15-16.
00:32:37.55\00:32:39.62
Paul says, "Speak
the truth in love.
00:32:39.65\00:32:44.19
And then we will grow
up into all things unto Him
00:32:44.23\00:32:46.90
who is the head even
Christ from whom the whole body,
00:32:46.93\00:32:50.47
joined and knit together
by what every joint supplies,
00:32:50.50\00:32:53.90
according to the
effective working
00:32:53.94\00:32:55.54
by which every
part does its share,
00:32:55.57\00:32:58.04
causes growth of the body
00:32:58.07\00:32:59.67
for the edifying
of itself in love."
00:32:59.71\00:33:01.98
But that whole passage begins
00:33:02.01\00:33:04.11
with we are called
to speak the truth.
00:33:04.15\00:33:06.05
Yes.
00:33:06.08\00:33:07.42
But we are called to
speak that truth in life.
00:33:07.45\00:33:10.49
So we're called
to be intentional,
00:33:10.52\00:33:12.55
we're to be friendly,
to be kind, to be honest.
00:33:12.59\00:33:15.12
Key number five, be aware.
00:33:15.16\00:33:19.79
I met once
self-proclaimed amazing pianist.
00:33:19.83\00:33:25.03
So what I mean by that was,
00:33:25.07\00:33:27.77
we were in church
00:33:27.80\00:33:29.14
here at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:33:29.17\00:33:31.37
And I remember certain gentlemen
00:33:31.41\00:33:33.51
had played
special music for church,
00:33:33.54\00:33:36.01
and then, after the service,
00:33:36.04\00:33:37.38
he came down
00:33:37.41\00:33:38.75
and he kind of extended his hand
00:33:38.78\00:33:40.12
and he said, "Hi."
00:33:40.15\00:33:41.48
He said, "My name
is..." We won't give his name.
00:33:41.52\00:33:43.32
And he said, "I am
an amazing pianist."
00:33:43.35\00:33:46.99
And I kind of smiled,
00:33:47.02\00:33:48.36
what you're supposed to do
00:33:48.39\00:33:49.72
when people are so
high in themselves,
00:33:49.76\00:33:51.09
they drive you nuts.
00:33:51.13\00:33:52.46
So I kind of
smiled and I just said,
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.70
"It's a pleasure to
meet you, Mr. So and so."
00:33:54.73\00:33:57.60
And then he proceeded to
regale me with probably 5,
00:33:57.63\00:34:01.27
maybe even 10 minutes of stories
00:34:01.30\00:34:03.77
of his amazing virtuosity
00:34:03.81\00:34:06.17
and how he was so
gifted at the piano.
00:34:06.21\00:34:08.94
And as he rambled
on literally he did,
00:34:08.98\00:34:11.98
I thought of the amazing pianist
00:34:12.01\00:34:13.82
that I do know,
00:34:13.85\00:34:15.18
people who just make the piano
laugh and cry and sing and,
00:34:15.22\00:34:18.42
and speak and
minister to the heart.
00:34:18.45\00:34:23.76
It was clearly a turnoff to me
00:34:23.79\00:34:26.46
because that was the
first time I'd met him.
00:34:26.49\00:34:28.10
And those were the
first words out of his mouth,
00:34:28.13\00:34:29.80
but what if I had
associated with this gentleman
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.93
for a day a
week, a month, a year?
00:34:31.97\00:34:36.00
What if he
became a close friend?
00:34:36.04\00:34:37.94
Would those qualities
begin to rub off on me?
00:34:37.97\00:34:44.45
You see, we
become what we behold,
00:34:44.48\00:34:46.85
and we become
who our friends are.
00:34:46.88\00:34:51.79
1 Corinthians 15:33,
00:34:51.82\00:34:54.19
"Do not be deceived.
00:34:54.22\00:34:55.72
'Evil company
corrupts good habits.'"
00:34:55.76\00:34:59.33
And we can say on the flip side,
00:34:59.36\00:35:01.16
if you associate
with people who love God,
00:35:01.20\00:35:05.00
and who want to
follow Him and serve Him,
00:35:05.03\00:35:07.70
what happens?
00:35:07.74\00:35:09.07
We become just a
bit more like Jesus.
00:35:09.10\00:35:12.91
Proverbs 13:20,
00:35:12.94\00:35:14.84
"He who walks with
wise men will be wise,
00:35:14.88\00:35:17.71
but the companion of
fools will be destroyed."
00:35:17.75\00:35:21.48
I like the New
Living Translation of that.
00:35:21.52\00:35:23.92
It says, "Walk with the
wise and become wise." Why?
00:35:23.95\00:35:27.99
That's because we
become what we behold.
00:35:28.02\00:35:31.26
"Associate with fools
00:35:31.29\00:35:32.96
and you're going
to get in trouble."
00:35:32.99\00:35:36.30
So you look at your
life, who do you want to be?
00:35:36.33\00:35:40.64
Be aware of the people
that you are friends with,
00:35:40.67\00:35:44.21
for they will
shape who you become,
00:35:44.24\00:35:46.71
it might be a year from
now or 2 years or 10 years,
00:35:46.74\00:35:51.15
but the people
you are friends with
00:35:51.18\00:35:53.45
will shape who you become,
00:35:53.48\00:35:56.12
be intentional of the
friends that you choose.
00:35:56.15\00:36:00.06
Number six, we're gonna spend
a bit of time on number six.
00:36:00.09\00:36:02.86
Key number six
is be trustworthy.
00:36:02.89\00:36:06.76
You know, there
is a saying I like,
00:36:06.80\00:36:08.30
"Trust everybody with nothing.
00:36:08.33\00:36:13.07
Trust many people
with just a little bit.
00:36:13.10\00:36:18.24
Trust some people with some.
00:36:18.27\00:36:20.98
Trust few people with much.
00:36:21.01\00:36:24.11
And trust almost
nobody with everything."
00:36:24.15\00:36:29.32
Why is that?
00:36:29.35\00:36:30.85
Because to find a
trustworthy person,
00:36:30.89\00:36:33.56
to find a trustworthy
friend is pretty rare.
00:36:33.59\00:36:37.63
One of my friends gave
me this I made a copy of it.
00:36:37.66\00:36:40.96
It sits on my desk.
00:36:41.00\00:36:44.33
It says, "Oh, the comfort,
00:36:44.37\00:36:46.17
the inexpressible comfort
of feeling safe with a person,
00:36:46.20\00:36:51.07
having neither to weigh thoughts
00:36:51.11\00:36:52.81
nor measure words,
00:36:52.84\00:36:54.34
but to pour them all out,
00:36:54.38\00:36:55.98
just as they are,
00:36:56.01\00:36:57.75
knowing that a faithful
hand will take and sift them,
00:36:57.78\00:37:01.88
keep what is worth keeping,
00:37:01.92\00:37:03.95
and with a breath of
kindness, blow the rest away."
00:37:03.99\00:37:08.52
That is a rare
friend, a trustworthy friend.
00:37:08.56\00:37:12.89
Luke 6:31.
00:37:12.93\00:37:14.26
The New Living Translation says,
00:37:14.30\00:37:15.63
"Do to others as
you would like them
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.63
to do to you."
00:37:17.67\00:37:19.00
We know it says,
00:37:19.03\00:37:20.37
"Do unto others as you
want them to do to you."
00:37:20.40\00:37:22.14
Do you want someone
to not gossip about you?
00:37:22.17\00:37:24.97
Then choose not to
gossip about other people.
00:37:25.01\00:37:27.78
Do you want
someone to be trustworthy
00:37:27.81\00:37:29.71
and to hold those secrets,
00:37:29.74\00:37:31.35
to hold those
things in your heart?
00:37:31.38\00:37:33.85
Then choose to be confidential
in your relationship with them.
00:37:33.88\00:37:37.72
Do you want someone you
can rely on and depend on?
00:37:37.75\00:37:41.96
Choose to be someone
00:37:41.99\00:37:43.49
that other people can
rely on and depend on.
00:37:43.53\00:37:47.93
I wanna spend just a moment
00:37:47.96\00:37:49.30
on this danger of
gossip in relationships.
00:37:49.33\00:37:53.70
It's an interesting conundrum
00:37:53.74\00:37:56.00
because many people say
that women are gossipers.
00:37:56.04\00:37:59.27
And you've probably heard that
00:37:59.31\00:38:00.64
and I have
personally experienced that
00:38:00.68\00:38:02.98
with quite a few
people in my life.
00:38:03.01\00:38:04.91
And that is true. I
think women like to talk.
00:38:04.95\00:38:07.88
That's just a given.
00:38:07.92\00:38:10.92
But I think men can fall
into this trap of gossiping too
00:38:10.95\00:38:15.22
and have seen that
00:38:15.26\00:38:18.09
where it affects us
as humans in general
00:38:18.13\00:38:20.93
this issue of gossiping.
00:38:20.96\00:38:22.80
Gossiping is casual conversation
00:38:22.83\00:38:25.20
about other people,
00:38:25.23\00:38:27.10
typically involving details
00:38:27.14\00:38:29.04
that are not
confirmed as being true.
00:38:29.07\00:38:30.77
So in other words,
00:38:30.81\00:38:32.14
it's making
assumptions about other people.
00:38:32.17\00:38:35.68
It's sharing information
that might not even be true,
00:38:35.71\00:38:39.35
but it seems exciting to
share or it seems enticing.
00:38:39.38\00:38:43.82
Exodus 23:1,
00:38:43.85\00:38:46.86
"You shall not
circulate a false report.
00:38:46.89\00:38:50.23
Do not put your
hand with the wicked
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.53
to be an unrighteous witness."
00:38:52.56\00:38:55.66
We are called to not
circulate false things,
00:38:55.70\00:38:58.83
rumors, gossip
about other people.
00:38:58.87\00:39:02.37
Ephesians 4:29.
00:39:02.40\00:39:03.81
Paul says, "Let no
corrupt communication
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.07
proceed out of your mouth,
00:39:06.11\00:39:07.61
but what is good for
necessary edification,
00:39:07.64\00:39:11.05
that it may impart
grace to the hearers."
00:39:11.08\00:39:14.15
Now the word
corrupt in the Greek
00:39:14.18\00:39:15.75
let no corrupt word
proceed out of your mouth.
00:39:15.78\00:39:18.79
That word corrupt
00:39:18.82\00:39:20.16
literally means rotten, useless.
00:39:20.19\00:39:24.43
Corrupt like a rotten vegetable.
00:39:24.46\00:39:27.30
You ever, I don't
know if you have compost
00:39:27.33\00:39:28.90
or if you throw your
compost in the trash,
00:39:28.93\00:39:30.60
but if you
throw it in the trash,
00:39:30.63\00:39:32.23
pretty soon it starts to stink.
00:39:32.27\00:39:34.97
Vegetables, they
start to have an odor
00:39:35.00\00:39:37.81
if you just leave
them out in the trash.
00:39:37.84\00:39:40.84
Let no rotten useless words
00:39:40.88\00:39:45.71
proceed out of your mouth.
00:39:45.75\00:39:48.25
Have I ever
spoken a useless word?
00:39:48.28\00:39:53.15
Absolutely I have.
00:39:53.19\00:39:54.92
Have I ever spoken a rotten word
00:39:54.96\00:39:57.99
or a word that is
not pleasing to God?
00:39:58.03\00:40:02.80
Absolutely.
00:40:02.83\00:40:04.87
I'm thankful
00:40:04.90\00:40:06.37
that God can
forgive and God can restore.
00:40:06.40\00:40:10.21
James 4:11.
00:40:10.24\00:40:11.57
One more word,
00:40:11.61\00:40:13.54
scripture from the Word of
God on this danger of gossip.
00:40:13.58\00:40:17.68
James 4:11,
00:40:17.71\00:40:19.05
"Do not speak evil of
one another, brethren.
00:40:19.08\00:40:22.65
He who speaks evil of a
brother and judges his brother,
00:40:22.68\00:40:27.29
speaks evil of the
law and judges the law."
00:40:27.32\00:40:31.36
Now that word speaks evil.
00:40:31.39\00:40:33.29
It occurs three
times in that one verse
00:40:33.33\00:40:35.96
and that Greek word only happens
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.67
five times in the
entire New Testament.
00:40:37.70\00:40:40.17
Three of those times
is in this one verse.
00:40:40.20\00:40:42.94
"Do not speak
evil of one another."
00:40:42.97\00:40:46.04
Do not speak evil
00:40:46.07\00:40:47.41
and it literally means
00:40:47.44\00:40:48.78
to detract from
someone's reputation,
00:40:48.81\00:40:52.45
by malice of speech
directed against a neighbor.
00:40:52.48\00:40:56.92
What is that?
00:40:56.95\00:40:58.29
That's gossip, plain and simple.
00:40:58.32\00:40:59.95
You gossip destroys trust
'cause what do people think?
00:40:59.99\00:41:03.16
Are they gonna be
gossiping about me too?
00:41:03.19\00:41:05.53
It demeans others,
it puts people down.
00:41:05.56\00:41:09.10
Usually not always,
00:41:09.13\00:41:10.47
but usually
gossip would be negative,
00:41:10.50\00:41:12.53
and it divides friends.
00:41:12.57\00:41:14.50
You think I used
to be their friend,
00:41:14.54\00:41:15.87
but now I'm not so sure
if they are trustworthy.
00:41:15.90\00:41:21.28
Be someone that
other people can trust,
00:41:21.31\00:41:25.25
with their secrets, with
their feelings and fears,
00:41:25.28\00:41:27.75
with the good and the bad.
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.95
I want to touch just a moment
00:41:29.98\00:41:31.32
on the
importance of forgiveness.
00:41:31.35\00:41:34.12
This is all
encapsulated in this section
00:41:34.16\00:41:36.02
on being trustworthy,
00:41:36.06\00:41:37.66
not gossiping
about other people.
00:41:37.69\00:41:41.56
The importance of forgiveness.
00:41:41.60\00:41:45.67
Now in our
relationship with God, clearly,
00:41:45.70\00:41:48.80
it's important that we receive
and accept His forgiveness
00:41:48.84\00:41:52.77
that He freely extends to us.
00:41:52.81\00:41:54.78
1 John 1:9, "If
we confess our sins,
00:41:54.81\00:41:57.91
He's faithful and
just to forgive us
00:41:57.95\00:42:00.25
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:42:00.28\00:42:03.22
You notice that forgiveness
is not just instantly offered.
00:42:03.25\00:42:06.62
It is freely extended,
00:42:06.65\00:42:08.39
but you and I have
to confess and forsake,
00:42:08.42\00:42:11.86
and then freely He extends,
00:42:11.89\00:42:14.00
the Lord Jesus
extends His forgiveness to us.
00:42:14.03\00:42:17.73
There's a verse
in the Old Testament
00:42:17.77\00:42:19.10
that says something
00:42:19.13\00:42:20.47
very similar to
that in 1 John 1:9.
00:42:20.50\00:42:22.80
This is found in
Isaiah Chapter 43,
00:42:22.84\00:42:26.37
Isaiah 43:25-26.
00:42:26.41\00:42:29.24
The same sentiment
is expressed there,
00:42:29.28\00:42:31.91
"I, even I, " God is speaking,
00:42:31.95\00:42:34.38
"I, even I,
00:42:34.42\00:42:35.95
am He who blots
out your transgressions
00:42:35.98\00:42:39.99
for My own sake,
00:42:40.02\00:42:41.69
and I will not
remember your sins."
00:42:41.72\00:42:44.56
That's the same concept
00:42:44.59\00:42:46.76
that God is faithful
00:42:46.80\00:42:48.13
and just to
forgive us and cleanse us.
00:42:48.16\00:42:49.63
He will blot out our sins
and will not remember them.
00:42:49.66\00:42:53.30
And then verse 26
00:42:53.34\00:42:54.67
has to do with this concept
of confessing and asking.
00:42:54.70\00:42:58.27
It says, "Put Me in remembrance,
00:42:58.31\00:43:00.21
let us contend
together, state your case,
00:43:00.24\00:43:03.41
that you may be acquitted."
00:43:03.45\00:43:05.81
There again, we
state the case meaning,
00:43:05.85\00:43:07.75
we ask God for that forgiveness,
00:43:07.78\00:43:10.75
and He freely extends it,
00:43:10.79\00:43:13.36
but what about
forgiveness for other people?
00:43:13.39\00:43:17.23
I have to say this
is a tremendous gift.
00:43:17.26\00:43:20.80
In my own
relationship with Greg,
00:43:20.83\00:43:22.60
we've been married
just about 18 years,
00:43:22.63\00:43:25.27
almost 18 years.
00:43:25.30\00:43:26.84
And in 18 years,
00:43:26.87\00:43:28.47
I cannot think of
one time in 18 years,
00:43:28.50\00:43:34.24
that he has
intentionally hurt me, not once.
00:43:34.28\00:43:39.05
Now there have been
times in our marriage
00:43:39.08\00:43:41.32
where I have felt hurt,
00:43:41.35\00:43:42.68
but it was not
an intentional act
00:43:42.72\00:43:44.99
on his part.
00:43:45.02\00:43:47.59
The command of God is very clear
00:43:47.62\00:43:49.72
in this concept of
forgiving other people.
00:43:49.76\00:43:53.56
Colossians 3:12-13,
00:43:53.60\00:43:56.10
"Therefore, as the elect of God,
00:43:56.13\00:43:57.53
holy and beloved, put on," what?
00:43:57.57\00:44:00.30
"Tender mercies,
kindness, humility, meekness,
00:44:00.34\00:44:05.21
longsuffering,
bearing with one another,
00:44:05.24\00:44:08.24
and forgiving one another,
00:44:08.28\00:44:12.38
if anyone has a
complaint against another,
00:44:12.41\00:44:14.28
even as God forgave you,
00:44:14.32\00:44:16.48
so you also must do."
00:44:16.52\00:44:18.89
Did you see that?
00:44:18.92\00:44:20.26
As Christ has forgiven us,
00:44:20.29\00:44:21.86
freely extended
that forgiveness to us,
00:44:21.89\00:44:24.99
you and I are called
to extend that forgiveness
00:44:25.03\00:44:29.86
toward someone else.
00:44:29.90\00:44:31.87
The same thing is
said in Ephesians 4:31-32.
00:44:31.90\00:44:35.70
"Let all bitterness,
wrath, clamor, anger,
00:44:35.74\00:44:38.11
and evil speaking
be put away from you,
00:44:38.14\00:44:40.51
with all malice.
00:44:40.54\00:44:42.71
And be kind one to
another, tenderhearted,
00:44:42.74\00:44:46.28
forgiving one another,
00:44:46.31\00:44:47.75
even as God in Christ
Jesus has forgiven you."
00:44:47.78\00:44:51.15
The same principle as
Christ has forgiven us,
00:44:51.19\00:44:55.19
then we are to extend
00:44:55.22\00:44:57.79
that
forgiveness to someone else.
00:44:57.83\00:45:00.40
Think about the
Sermon on the Mount, Matthew,
00:45:00.43\00:45:03.06
turn with me to Matthew 6:14-15.
00:45:03.10\00:45:06.97
Matthew Chapter 6, of course,
00:45:07.00\00:45:08.40
Sermon on the
Mount is Matthew 5, 6, 7,
00:45:08.44\00:45:11.94
but right sandwiched
in the middle of there
00:45:11.97\00:45:13.78
is this passage, which...
00:45:13.81\00:45:15.44
When I used to read,
it seemed pretty hard.
00:45:15.48\00:45:17.65
And it's the same concept
00:45:17.68\00:45:19.21
that we've been
talking about here
00:45:19.25\00:45:20.58
in Colossians and in Ephesians.
00:45:20.62\00:45:22.92
Matthew 6:14-15.
00:45:22.95\00:45:25.45
"If you forgive
men their trespasses,
00:45:25.49\00:45:29.22
your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
00:45:29.26\00:45:33.60
But if you do not
forgive men their trespasses,
00:45:33.63\00:45:38.03
neither will your Father forgive
00:45:38.07\00:45:40.80
your trespasses."
00:45:40.84\00:45:43.47
What does that mean?
00:45:43.51\00:45:44.84
If we extend
forgiveness to someone else,
00:45:44.87\00:45:47.64
God will forgive us, but
if we hold on to grudges,
00:45:47.68\00:45:52.85
to bitterness, to unforgiveness
00:45:52.88\00:45:57.09
God cannot extend
His forgiveness to us.
00:45:57.12\00:46:01.32
Now I used to think
that was really harsh.
00:46:01.36\00:46:03.16
Why?
00:46:03.19\00:46:04.53
Is God not going to
extend that forgiveness to me?
00:46:04.56\00:46:07.53
But the truth is
God is not being mean
00:46:07.56\00:46:09.46
and He's not being harsh.
00:46:09.50\00:46:11.07
It's a kingdom principle.
00:46:11.10\00:46:13.47
If I don't open up my heart,
00:46:13.50\00:46:15.40
if I don't let Him come in
and take out that bitterness
00:46:15.44\00:46:19.67
and that unforgiveness,
00:46:19.71\00:46:21.14
what am I doing?
00:46:21.18\00:46:22.51
I'm withholding
part of me from God.
00:46:22.54\00:46:25.01
And I'm saying,
00:46:25.05\00:46:26.38
"I don't want you to have access
00:46:26.41\00:46:28.65
to that part of my heart."
00:46:28.68\00:46:30.99
And if I don't give Him access,
then clearly He can't come in.
00:46:31.02\00:46:34.72
And clearly He can't change me.
00:46:34.76\00:46:37.56
Now I wanna talk
for just a moment
00:46:37.59\00:46:39.46
about two types of offenses,
our hurts in our lives.
00:46:39.49\00:46:45.63
I call them the first one.
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.17
Now this is just
Jill's coining of the term.
00:46:47.20\00:46:50.07
I call them pretend
or perceived slights.
00:46:50.11\00:46:53.38
Now you might say
00:46:53.41\00:46:54.74
what in the world are
you talking about that?
00:46:54.78\00:46:56.54
What I'm saying is
00:46:56.58\00:46:57.91
I think sometimes we
are too easily offended
00:46:57.95\00:47:01.65
and we are too easily hurt
00:47:01.68\00:47:03.82
when there is no
offense intended.
00:47:03.85\00:47:07.26
So I could separate these things
00:47:07.29\00:47:10.03
into two categories
00:47:10.06\00:47:11.39
one would be these
pretend or perceived slights
00:47:11.43\00:47:14.53
and over here on this side
00:47:14.56\00:47:15.90
is really real issues
00:47:15.93\00:47:17.50
that really do need forgiveness.
00:47:17.53\00:47:20.54
I don't know if you've
ever met someone like that
00:47:20.57\00:47:23.37
where if you
don't call them back
00:47:23.41\00:47:24.74
right away
00:47:24.77\00:47:26.11
or if you don't do
00:47:26.14\00:47:27.48
whatever that there
is the spirit of offense.
00:47:27.51\00:47:30.51
What is a pretend
or a perceived slight?
00:47:30.55\00:47:33.75
You ever walk in the hall?
00:47:33.78\00:47:35.58
I've done this.
00:47:35.62\00:47:36.95
Walk down the hall
and someone passes you
00:47:36.99\00:47:38.55
and you say,
"Hey, good morning."
00:47:38.59\00:47:40.22
And what if they
don't look at you?
00:47:40.26\00:47:41.59
And what if they don't respond?
00:47:41.62\00:47:42.96
And what if they
don't say anything?
00:47:42.99\00:47:44.46
And you think I
must have offended them.
00:47:44.49\00:47:47.70
What if you call someone
and they never call you back?
00:47:47.73\00:47:49.96
You wait a week,
you wait two weeks,
00:47:50.00\00:47:51.40
you wait three, and you think
00:47:51.43\00:47:52.77
maybe they're mad at me?
00:47:52.80\00:47:54.50
What if you say
he says he loves me,
00:47:54.54\00:47:56.50
but I don't
really think he does?
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.77
She said there's nothing wrong,
00:47:58.81\00:48:00.18
but I'm not really sure.
00:48:00.21\00:48:01.84
He's been grumpy lately,
00:48:01.88\00:48:03.58
so I must have done
something to offend him.
00:48:03.61\00:48:06.78
Those are what I called
perceived or pretend slights.
00:48:06.82\00:48:11.59
Probably the fruit of
an over active imagination,
00:48:11.62\00:48:16.66
or maybe too much attention
turned inward to myself.
00:48:16.69\00:48:22.90
What's the solution for that?
00:48:22.93\00:48:24.93
Not necessarily forgiveness
00:48:24.97\00:48:26.43
'cause there's
probably is nothing
00:48:26.47\00:48:27.97
that even needs forgiveness.
00:48:28.00\00:48:30.34
Solution for this, I
think it's threefold.
00:48:30.37\00:48:32.34
Number one, think no evil.
00:48:32.37\00:48:36.04
1 Corinthians 13,
00:48:36.08\00:48:37.41
that beautiful chapter on love
00:48:37.45\00:48:39.28
and what God is and
what His character is,
00:48:39.31\00:48:43.25
and who He is?
00:48:43.28\00:48:44.62
1 Corinthians 13:5,
00:48:44.65\00:48:47.66
"Love does not behave rudely,
00:48:47.69\00:48:51.49
it does not seek its
own, it is not provoked,
00:48:51.53\00:48:55.83
it thinks no evil."
00:48:55.86\00:48:59.13
So the first solution
00:48:59.17\00:49:00.50
is just not to
imagine the worst,
00:49:00.54\00:49:03.71
not to think the worst.
00:49:03.74\00:49:06.54
Second solution is to
think on what is true.
00:49:06.57\00:49:08.54
Philippians 4:8.
00:49:08.58\00:49:09.91
Paul says, "Finally, brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
00:49:09.94\00:49:14.55
whatsoever things are noble,
whatsoever things are just,
00:49:14.58\00:49:18.22
whatsoever things are
pure, and lovely enough,
00:49:18.25\00:49:21.26
good report, if
there's any virtue,
00:49:21.29\00:49:23.39
if there's any praise,
think on these things."
00:49:23.43\00:49:27.10
So we're called to
think on what is true.
00:49:27.13\00:49:30.63
What does that mean?
00:49:30.67\00:49:32.10
That means if a person
says, "Everything's good, Jill."
00:49:32.13\00:49:36.94
And I say, "Are
you sure we're okay?"
00:49:36.97\00:49:38.67
Everything's good,
00:49:38.71\00:49:40.04
then we think on what is true
00:49:40.08\00:49:41.41
and I believe
absolutely everything is okay.
00:49:41.44\00:49:45.75
Solution number three,
00:49:45.78\00:49:47.12
trust in the Lord
or the other person.
00:49:47.15\00:49:49.58
To let you know,
00:49:49.62\00:49:51.05
to follow the
Matthew 18 principle
00:49:51.09\00:49:53.22
and to come to you
if there is any issue.
00:49:53.25\00:49:57.06
So the bottom
line of all of that
00:49:57.09\00:49:59.49
these pretend or
perceived slights
00:49:59.53\00:50:03.00
is to simply accept
the words and actions
00:50:03.03\00:50:06.37
of other people at face value.
00:50:06.40\00:50:09.24
Now those are
pretend or perceived slights,
00:50:09.27\00:50:11.81
but there are real offenses
00:50:11.84\00:50:13.54
and there are real abuse
that really needs forgiveness.
00:50:13.58\00:50:18.55
You've probably experienced
some of that in your own life.
00:50:18.58\00:50:20.75
Maybe someone has gossiped
about you, or lied about you,
00:50:20.78\00:50:24.69
or betrayed you, or
your kids, or your family.
00:50:24.72\00:50:27.99
Maybe they've
stolen something from you.
00:50:28.02\00:50:30.93
Maybe someone in your
family has experienced abuse
00:50:30.96\00:50:34.80
or verbal or
physical or sexual abuse.
00:50:34.83\00:50:38.17
Forgiveness does not mean that
00:50:38.20\00:50:39.53
what the person
did to us was right.
00:50:39.57\00:50:42.50
It simply frees us
00:50:42.54\00:50:44.44
from constantly being
damaged by that person.
00:50:44.47\00:50:48.41
You see when we hold on to pain.
00:50:48.44\00:50:50.41
When we hold on to bitterness,
00:50:50.45\00:50:52.88
the only person we
punish is ourselves.
00:50:52.91\00:50:56.15
Forgiveness allows God
to open our hearts again,
00:50:56.18\00:51:01.26
to Him and to other people
00:51:01.29\00:51:02.99
so that we can experience
His help, hope, and healing.
00:51:03.02\00:51:07.00
I think about
Jesus on the cross.
00:51:07.03\00:51:08.93
This is definitely not a pretend
00:51:08.96\00:51:10.93
or perceived slight.
00:51:10.97\00:51:12.30
This is real.
00:51:12.33\00:51:13.67
Remember, when He
stretched out His arms
00:51:13.70\00:51:15.30
and the nails were
driven into His hands,
00:51:15.34\00:51:18.07
what did He say?
00:51:18.11\00:51:19.44
Luke 23:34.
00:51:19.47\00:51:22.24
He said, "Father, forgive them,
00:51:22.28\00:51:24.78
for they do not know
what they are doing."
00:51:24.81\00:51:29.45
Father, forgive them.
00:51:29.48\00:51:32.75
Be intentional.
00:51:32.79\00:51:34.99
Make a choice,
00:51:35.02\00:51:36.36
to be someone that
other people can trust,
00:51:36.39\00:51:40.00
to be someone who doesn't gossip
00:51:40.03\00:51:42.03
about other people,
00:51:42.06\00:51:43.50
to be someone that
freely extends forgiveness
00:51:43.53\00:51:48.74
toward other people.
00:51:48.77\00:51:50.84
We are to be intentional,
00:51:50.87\00:51:52.74
be friendly, be kind, be honest,
00:51:52.77\00:51:56.04
be aware of the friends
that you are associating with.
00:51:56.08\00:52:01.02
Be trustworthy, don't gossip,
00:52:01.05\00:52:03.99
extend
forgiveness toward others.
00:52:04.02\00:52:07.19
And finally, number
seven, be receptive.
00:52:07.22\00:52:11.43
Proverbs 27:17.
00:52:11.46\00:52:15.83
"As iron sharpens iron,
00:52:15.86\00:52:18.53
so a man sharpens the
countenance of his friend."
00:52:18.57\00:52:24.21
What does that mean?
00:52:24.24\00:52:25.57
Literally it means
00:52:25.61\00:52:26.94
that other
people help us to grow.
00:52:26.98\00:52:31.15
Other people
speak into our hearts,
00:52:31.18\00:52:33.88
other people
speak into our lives,
00:52:33.92\00:52:36.05
and they help us to grow.
00:52:36.08\00:52:37.72
How can other people
help me along this journey?
00:52:37.75\00:52:41.29
If I'm humble, if
I'm willing to be taught,
00:52:41.32\00:52:45.96
if I'm willing to accept
help when I need it most,
00:52:45.99\00:52:50.67
that's where other
people can speak into my life
00:52:50.70\00:52:54.14
and other people can help me
in the midst of that journey.
00:52:54.17\00:52:58.44
Sometimes I don't know if
you find this in your life,
00:52:58.47\00:53:00.61
but sometimes for me,
it might seem easy to give,
00:53:00.64\00:53:05.05
but it's hard to
accept, maybe hard to take,
00:53:05.08\00:53:09.32
be willing to accept
help from other people.
00:53:09.35\00:53:13.09
Be willing to accept
suggestions from other people
00:53:13.12\00:53:17.13
that's I'm trying to learn this.
00:53:17.16\00:53:19.69
Be willing to accept
criticism from others,
00:53:19.73\00:53:22.86
and to see where you can grow.
00:53:22.90\00:53:26.30
Be intentional, make a
choice to be receptive,
00:53:26.33\00:53:30.07
and allow other people
00:53:30.11\00:53:32.37
access into your heart and life.
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.08
Now, of course,
00:53:34.11\00:53:35.44
you want to be careful with this
00:53:35.48\00:53:37.81
and allow safe people
and trustworthy people
00:53:37.85\00:53:41.02
to have access into your
heart and into your life.
00:53:41.05\00:53:45.65
You know, some time ago,
I went through one of those,
00:53:45.69\00:53:52.13
I would say dark experiences
00:53:52.16\00:53:55.43
where I was someone who
preached the Word of God
00:53:55.46\00:53:59.63
and believed in
claiming promises
00:53:59.67\00:54:02.20
from the Word of God.
00:54:02.24\00:54:03.77
And I taught
women in congregations
00:54:03.81\00:54:06.37
that what the Word
of God says is true.
00:54:06.41\00:54:08.64
And you can claim that.
00:54:08.68\00:54:10.98
And you can say,
God, if I don't feel it,
00:54:11.01\00:54:12.65
I know You're still there.
00:54:12.68\00:54:14.02
And God if I don't
know if I'm forgiving,
00:54:14.05\00:54:15.68
but I know that
You have forgiven me.
00:54:15.72\00:54:17.35
And God, I know that
00:54:17.39\00:54:18.72
in You I can become a
new creature in Christ Jesus.
00:54:18.75\00:54:22.32
And yet, in this time,
when I walked through my life,
00:54:22.36\00:54:27.00
I couldn't hear His voice.
00:54:27.03\00:54:30.53
And I couldn't
sense His presence.
00:54:30.57\00:54:34.64
And I didn't know
where to find Him.
00:54:34.67\00:54:37.27
I mean, I knew,
00:54:37.31\00:54:38.64
I knew He was
in the Word of God.
00:54:38.67\00:54:40.54
And I read and I
felt like I got nowhere
00:54:40.58\00:54:42.44
and I prayed,
00:54:42.48\00:54:43.81
and it felt like my prayers
just came back down around me
00:54:43.85\00:54:46.18
and I said,
"God, I can't find You.
00:54:46.21\00:54:49.88
God, where are You?
00:54:49.92\00:54:52.92
God, I need You.
00:54:52.95\00:54:56.73
Why aren't you there?"
00:54:56.76\00:54:59.29
And it was at that moment
00:54:59.33\00:55:01.80
that one of my
friends spoken to my life.
00:55:01.83\00:55:06.40
And they said, "You know, Jill.
00:55:06.43\00:55:08.84
If you for whatever
reason can't get to Jesus,
00:55:08.87\00:55:14.58
let us carry you."
00:55:14.61\00:55:18.68
I think about the paralytic.
00:55:18.71\00:55:21.55
Remember, he
couldn't get to Jesus.
00:55:21.58\00:55:25.35
He couldn't walk.
00:55:25.39\00:55:27.26
His legs didn't work.
00:55:27.29\00:55:29.22
I'm not even sure he
could have crawled to Jesus.
00:55:29.26\00:55:32.19
And yet people who loved him
00:55:32.23\00:55:35.86
and who were willing to
speak into his life said,
00:55:35.90\00:55:39.23
"Let's go to Jesus
and will take you."
00:55:39.27\00:55:43.10
And so they picked up one
on each corner of his mat,
00:55:43.14\00:55:47.84
and they carried him,
and the building was crowded,
00:55:47.88\00:55:52.68
and they couldn't
get through the door.
00:55:52.71\00:55:54.52
So they climbed to
the roof and opened it up
00:55:54.55\00:55:57.32
and let the man down
00:55:57.35\00:55:59.42
through the roof
right in front of Jesus.
00:55:59.45\00:56:04.29
Why?
00:56:04.33\00:56:05.66
Because they loved him
00:56:05.69\00:56:08.13
and they knew
00:56:08.16\00:56:09.50
he couldn't get
there on his own.
00:56:09.53\00:56:12.20
Is there someone in your
life you need to carry to Jesus?
00:56:12.23\00:56:18.31
Is there someone
that God is calling you?
00:56:18.34\00:56:23.18
Someone who's lost,
someone who's alone,
00:56:23.21\00:56:26.01
someone who cannot
find His face anymore?
00:56:26.05\00:56:30.99
God says, "Would
you pick up the mat?
00:56:31.02\00:56:33.66
And would you carry
your friend to Jesus?"
00:56:33.69\00:56:37.83
Maybe you're the
one on the stretcher
00:56:37.86\00:56:39.73
today and you're saying, "God,
00:56:39.76\00:56:41.26
I need someone to
carry me right now to Jesus."
00:56:41.30\00:56:47.70
God calls us to
live in community.
00:56:47.74\00:56:51.77
He calls us to
join hands together
00:56:51.81\00:56:57.28
as we walk this road to glory.
00:56:57.31\00:56:59.55
Let's pray.
00:56:59.58\00:57:00.92
Father, we come
before You right now.
00:57:00.95\00:57:04.29
God, we bring You our hearts.
00:57:04.32\00:57:06.82
We bring You our brokenness.
00:57:06.86\00:57:09.79
And I ask right now
for my brothers and sisters
00:57:09.82\00:57:12.53
that You would bring
someone into their lives
00:57:12.56\00:57:16.36
who can carry them to Jesus.
00:57:16.40\00:57:19.63
And God that
You would enable us,
00:57:19.67\00:57:22.44
each one of us,
00:57:22.47\00:57:23.84
to be stretcher bearers
00:57:23.87\00:57:26.84
and carry our friends,
our family, our neighbors,
00:57:26.88\00:57:31.51
and co-workers to You.
00:57:31.55\00:57:33.21
In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:57:33.25\00:57:35.35