Beyond Sunday: Generosity Flows From Trust in God

Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.

Generosity is not only about money but it certainly is not less. God calls us to be content in a culture of consumerism. Contentment flows out of trust in God and when we trust Him to provide we are free to notice the needs around us.

Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.

• Transcript

  00:00:01 - 00:02:16

  [Music] Hey guys, welcome to Beyond Sunday where we desire to take the conversation deeper. And so I'm on with uh Sherea. How are you doing today? I'm all right. How are you? I am great. Oh, that's fantastic for you. Thank you. Um yeah, it's a great day so far. We'll see how this conversation goes. Oh yes. Before we dive into the conversation, take a look at this video. [Music] [Music] Heat. [Music] God, what was the big idea for this week? Yeah. So, we're talking about generosity

  00:01:31 - 00:02:47

  and and really how generosity comes out of a trust in God. Um trusting trusting God. So, that out of that and out of contentment um generosity can flow. Yeah. Yeah. So, and in Luke 16, last week we were in we alluded to it a little bit in the podcast last week, but this is the second half of the Luke 16 where the first half is the unwise manager or the is a rascal, right, as as the living translation uh offers of the rich man and Lazarus. Uh the only parable that Jesus uh that we see in the gospels that has a name

  00:02:08 - 00:03:21

  attached to um a person that's in the parable story. And so rich man lives his life great. Lazarus is a poor man at the gate um not doing well. And then like life comes to an end and it's eternal life uh um and heaven and hell. And the poor man is there by the side of Abraham and then the the rich man is um in hell and uh and and suffering. And then it's this interaction too in Luke 16 is this call this conversation that seems to be taking place in this parable between the rich man not and not Jesus and not God

  00:02:46 - 00:04:02

  but of Abraham. Yeah. Well, and it's important also to mention that while they're living, the rich man is walking past Lazarus every day and seeing these needs and seeing the lack and seeing um like something he could easily step into and chooses um like willfully choosing not to meet the needs that exist right in front of him. Mhm. And so then uh in eternity they find themselves uh almost in this role reversal this this different space um where yeah now he's the one asking for a handout um asking for for some help and

  00:03:23 - 00:04:25

  some help yeah uh even for his family who's um in the land of the living right go back and warn them to shift their ways. Uh, and Abraham's response to that, well, they have they have the writings, the Torah, Moses's writings, and the prophets to steer them correctly. Yeah, it's funny. The rich the rich man who's suffering in hell is like, "Well, no, no, no. They need more. I need more. It wasn't good enough for me. Uh, they need they need if Lazarus could just come back from the dead,

  00:03:55 - 00:05:11

  right? Uh, that would convince them to shift their and change their ways." and Abraham's u response to that. Well, look, if the writings of Moses and the prophets aren't good enough, somebody coming back from the dead is not going to shift right and change their ways. And and for me, that's such so it's so stark like um uh the the and you called it out too. He's while they're living um he he passes by and disregards the needs of Lazarus. And while he then is in eternity suffering is like asking for

  00:04:33 - 00:05:43

  help needing needing a rescue and it's like nothing's coming and nothing also is coming for your kin for your family who's um still living like right they've got they've got the they've got the Torah and the prophets they have what they need if they choose to have ears to hear and eyes to see. Yes. And like um they have what they have before them what they need to live the way that God is inviting us to live. Yeah. Yeah. Which that whole story reminds me of A Christmas Carol and like

  00:05:08 - 00:06:17

  Scrooge and that whole thing of like where he does get the the opportunity of like here change. And I I the parable is a stark contrast like you just said, but I also think like I don't know this idea of a cautionary tale where Jesus is telling this story and like like pay attention pay attention to to who's around you to what's around you to the invitation to how you're living your life. Yeah. Um, and that's the even in the the parable or the uh Christmas carol story that idea of like um

  00:05:42 - 00:06:42

  uh I think for me because the overall thing in this is that um when we're talking about generosity, what we're actually talking about is living um like being formed to look like Jesus when it comes to a to having a generous spirit because it's beyond just like giving, right? And that's something even um I guess just because the Christmas Carol is so well known um but that's something even in that idea of like the the ghosts show up to Scrooge or whatever and it's not just that from that moment on he's

  00:06:13 - 00:07:19

  like okay well I'll give a little bit to this charity or to whatever his entire everything about him changes his entire countenance changes um and and that's the invitation is like this is not just um do you give a certain percentage of your money away um not that It's not that those things, but it's not only that. It's like the way that I see the world around me, the way that I um perceive what I'm supposed to be doing, the way I'm designed to live in this world. Is there is there um a generosity

  00:06:46 - 00:07:50

  lens that I'm showing up with? And so then I did what like and I think you uh called this up too, but we talked about like the abundance or the scarcity mindset and how I'm seeing the world. Um and the way that Jesus's teachings then filter through like how those land depending on the mindset that I'm holding. Yeah. And I mean you you you you called it out is that um in uh being formed um and recognizing a generous God and being formed ourselves um and having a generous spirit. uh some

  00:07:17 - 00:08:40

  of that or or I guess it starts on some of that starts with that um we ourselves are hosting the the spirit of God, right? Um and and filling us and empowering us and out of that flows then can can flow a a generous spirit from this abundance mindset. Yes. Um, but the the piece I guess that's landing for me even right now is is in relation to the the the the Christmas um Christmas carol. Yeah. Is is that there is such a transformation that takes place the next morning, right? Um, and in every variation of

  00:07:58 - 00:09:10

  that uh story and uh the different ways it's played, there is such a stark contrast to the night he goes to bed. Mhm. and who he talks to on that last day of work before this encounter. Uh then he and then waking up the next morning, it is night and day. It's just like there's a a a joy, there's a and I that's it's meaningful uh uh that that's way the way it exists. But there is such a transformation that there should then also be a transformation in our life in hosting

  00:08:35 - 00:09:39

  the Holy Spirit and being empowered by the Holy Spirit that it would transform even the exterior of the way I show up in the world. Well, even the cinematography in like you said every variation, right? The colors of the um like even the overall filter. It's dark and it's gray and it's black and he's wearing black and all of that. And then that next morning everything is bright around. Um and so um yeah, I don't know. It's a good illustration. Uh do you want to know what my favorite variation of Christmas

  00:09:07 - 00:10:06

  Carol is? Wait, let me guess. It's Wait, hold on. Let me tell you this. My We watch it every year. It's what we watch when we put our tree up. So this is like tradition. Um the rest of my family hates it. They hate this version or they hate the Christmas carol. I honestly I don't know. Maybe both because this is the only version we watch, but they just hate it. But they put up with it. There are a lot of variations. Yeah. I'm going to I'm going to guess it's with um the animated ones with Scrooge

  00:09:36 - 00:10:39

  McDuck from the DuctTales. No, it's not. Um but it's kind of embarrassing. It's a Muppet Christmas Carol. Yeah. And it's the only Muppet movie I like. I think the rest of them are absolutely ridiculous. Um, but the Muppet Christmas Carol is great and so everybody should watch it if they haven't seen it. Um, it's interesting. Well, and unlike but so that Christmas the Christmas Carol unlike the the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, there's no coming back for this rich man. And that's the cautionary

  00:10:07 - 00:11:17

  tale is like how you live now matters, right? If you're going to disregard the the needs and and cares of others, if we're not going to be um uh uh offering uh having a generous spirit uh or generous um presence, then it's going to matters now if we're not showing up that way for eternity. Yeah. Except that I think actually that's the beauty. Um because I think so the for the rich man it's too late. but it's too late because he's already moved on from this earth, right?

  00:10:43 - 00:11:38

  That's true in the Christmas Carol story, too. He just gets this invitation before he's moved on from this earth. And that's what that's what exists for us, too. And that's what I see even in like um we were also in first Timothy um where Paul is encouraging Timothy like don't let he he says like don't let uh wealth be the thing like it feels secure but it's not. Um, and so there is this that that essentially like that's the ghosts of Christmas showing up to say,

  00:11:10 - 00:12:07

  "Hey, like it's not too late right now. There's grace. There's mercy." Um, so if up until this point you have not looked like Jesus in regards to generosity, if your worldview is scarcity, if everything is about you and and yours and taking care like this is an opportunity, this is a Scrooge opportunity right now to say like it doesn't have to be that way. Yeah. Um, and that's what I think even the parable, the parable that Jesus is telling is like the ghost of Christmas

  00:11:39 - 00:12:40

  future showing up and saying, "Here's what's going to happen." Like, "This is what's coming for you." And that's what Jesus is offering. Um, is like, "It's not too late for you right now. Will you let me form you and shape you um to to look like me in this way?" Yeah. Yeah. And be about and be about the things um I'm inviting you to, right? even uh Paul's letter to Timothy and we were in 1 Timothy 6 is uh um this idea of of godliness and and and he's

  00:12:09 - 00:13:10

  connecting this godliness to contentment verse six but godliness with contentment is is great gain right in contrast to godliness for financial gain um and so we've brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it uh but what but if we have food and clothing we will be content with that um and then going into more the temptation of wealth or of money and what that brings. And then he in verse 10, for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have

  00:12:40 - 00:13:50

  wandered from the faith and pierce themselves with with uh with many griefs. Um and I do I do love this part of this charge for Timothy of um flee from from all of that, right? All all that the ungodliness or the temptation of of greed or wealth. pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Uh fight the good fight uh of the faith. Right? This is man what great what great encouragement Paul giving to Timothy in that moment. Uh these are the things you will face. This is what already exists

  00:13:14 - 00:14:14

  and has existed. Um but there is a there is a different way that we are called to live. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I think um for me in that in that section where Paul's writing to Timothy, it's in verse 17 um where he says, "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." And that caught my attention because uh the way Paul words that like

  00:13:45 - 00:14:46

  uh trust in God who richly gives all that you need not just to survive, not just to like make it out, okay, but for your enjoyment. Yeah. Um which speaks to a God who is generous. This is a God and and you and I, we've called this out on the podcast before. This is something that we're uh almost probably daily we're calling out like here's where I've seen God's goodness. Um and that's what this for me that's what that invokes is this reminder of like God is a good God. Um

  00:14:15 - 00:15:09

  we talked about uh even the what came to mind yesterday the practice of deanu of like it would have been enough and in all these spaces like we can say that um that is so true because it would have been enough for God to create humanity and say figure it out but he saved us and it would have been enough for God to say okay I'm going to take your place on the cross and like put up with you to save this humanity that I created but he also is like no I'm going to cover you so so I'm going to I'm going to save you

  00:14:43 - 00:15:39

  but also I'm going to cover you and justify you and give you like all of God's goodness. And then beyond all that, he's like, I'm also going to worry and care about the little things that like might be inconsequential, but I'm going to give you goodness. And so over and over again, this God who like lavishes his love upon us. Um it points to a character and nature of a God who's just incredibly generous and is like there's enough and I will give and I will give and I will continue to give.

  00:15:10 - 00:16:09

  And so that um that call out for me then is like not only can I trust God because he has and he continues to give and to be generous and so I can be content because I know that like all of this we we we called out Psalm 24 also like the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. So let's not forget this is all his anyways, right? So I can be content and I can trust. But also, if that's who God is and that's the image I was created in, then this is how I'm designed to see the world also with this generosity

  00:15:40 - 00:16:39

  that's like I just want to like give and give and give because I trust that there's always plenty to be given. Um, and and so whether that's financially or whatever, like that's in all of the five capital spaces, right? In every one of those spaces, I was created in the image of a God who's generous. And so I was designed to live uh and to see the world through generosity. Um and so then what that for me what that points back to is actually um I can't do this without God.

  00:16:10 - 00:17:19

  And you said that a minute ago like that what this actually is is like I can I can put practices into place. Um I can budget well. I can whatever. But ultimately, if we're talking about seeing the world through uh a lens of abundance and and having a generous spirit, what we're actually talking about is like, God, would you fill me with you? Would you make me look like you because I can't actually do this um I can't do this without you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I guess um it's so encouraging and yet there still

  00:16:46 - 00:17:46

  is a struggle uh at wars within us of do we trust that there will be enough, right? Um that that what Paul writes to Timothy here, right, of of rich God will richly provide everything for our enjoyment. Um because prior talks about like to the contentment of like if we have food and and clothing, we'll be content. Um, and even Paul offers that in Philippians, like I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have a lot, and I'll be content in all things. Um, but this this this abundance

  00:17:16 - 00:18:38

  of God, this goodness of God that that he'll so lavish us. He desires so much to give and lavish us with with his presence that in this space, do we trust that um that's enough? Yeah. I I I'm drawn back to the garden. I'm drawn back to to even, you know, Cain and Abel and and it's like all he God has provided in the garden for Adam and Eve is so lush and beautiful. One thing I ask, yeah, don't eat of of the fruit of this tree. And then for for Cain, right? Um, man, if you do what is right, will you not be

  00:17:56 - 00:19:04

  accepted? I it's I'm offering you all of me, right? God is is saying, right? I've I've created all of this for you to to work and tend to and live in and it's all great and I'm I'm all I'm giving you all of me. And that's where it's in this space like we you and I talked about it and um maybe people listening to this are like um oh what not every sermon seems to land that you and I both felt like this Sunday was like I don't know flat or uh and I wonder too if there that Josh

  00:18:31 - 00:19:44

  brought this up uh for us on Sunday exhortation is this spiritual there's a spiritual battle spiritual warfare going on that this I think this mindset's a part of it the scarcity or the not trusting God that that that um or like when God says I want I want to give you all of me as his creation as his as his children are like yes but as if as if there would be another option that would be better right and that's the warfare piece of like do we actually get it right you and I are having this conversation I'm excited

  00:19:07 - 00:20:31

  about giving because God is a God who gives constantly and consistently and abundantly that I want to give. I want to have that same nature and character because it seems like a a natural response to who God is and who who he's created me to be. But it does uh ra a war rages within me of yes but I also like these things uh in this world and uh my things and my whatever that um man that's the there is a battle and I wonder if that's where on Sunday for you and I it just felt like uh I don't know a wall or like a haze or

  00:19:48 - 00:20:46

  what but um I talk about it now on this podcast. I'm like, "Yes, that I'm excited about that." Well, well, I wonder if this doesn't and this is going to seem so general because also we talk about this all the all the time and it seems like everything boils down to this, but I wonder if this is not also another example of trusting the story. Um, and so yes, trust God, but but um maybe more specifically uh is this idea of like I I trust God and I trust the story he's writing even

  00:20:18 - 00:21:12

  when I can't see or when I don't know. Because I think that's the thing, right? In the garden and we I I called this out on Sunday like in the garden here's this beauty like you get all of this and yes all of me designed for relationship you can have it all just this one piece and what what Eve like in her choice to reach out and to take what it really is is like because she's not denying God. She's not specifically like in in what we read of her response is not this like

  00:20:45 - 00:21:43

  um I hear you but I don't like what you're saying. It's this like uh she's she's twisted it in her mind. The serpent's twisted it in her mind of like I want that and more. Um and so like this is so great God and let me let me be part of writing this story. And so she reaches and she takes and now we've got this tension that humanity has literally been sitting in from that moment forward of like empire and kingdom. Yeah. Which Yeah. No, which the contentment piece is huge for the generosity which we called

  00:21:15 - 00:22:24

  out on Sunday and this is where it's landing for me that um uh it's it'd be difficult to practice generosity or uh to live into generous uh nature and heart and actions if I myself am not content with what God has given me to say it is enough. It's enough for today. Well, and and and that's where I was was headed with that. And also now trust to trust the story in that because there is a piece like Paul calls it out in Philippians when we talk about being content. We are not talking about so so

  00:21:48 - 00:22:55

  yes it is I trust that I have enough. But if we're being really honest there are spaces and moments in time where I don't where where there are humans who don't have enough. Right? I grew up and there were times in my growing up time where we quite literally it was like we don't have a home right now. we don't have food, we don't have electricity, like whatever. And that's true for lots of people where there isn't where basic needs are not being met. And so that that idea of like um contentment that

  00:22:22 - 00:23:25

  Paul offers is beyond just like I I don't know. I guess what I I guess what I wonder is like in um in middle class America when we have a conversation around contentment if it's like okay, you have enough. Your needs are always met. you've got uh you know uh uh housing security and you've got a job and if you lose your job like yes you could but you'll find another job and like you're not you may not have the newest things but what like but the truth is what Paul's talking about is a

  00:22:54 - 00:23:55

  contentment that's like even if you actually don't have what we would consider enough your basic needs met is God enough and that's the trust the story piece um will I trust that everything else might fall away. We've been talking about Hebrews 12 a lot. This unshakable, like the things that are shakable and the things that are not. If everything else falls away, including the things that we would consider basic needs. Do I trust that my God will not fail? Yeah. That my God will will stand, that my God

  00:23:25 - 00:24:29

  will stay, his kingdom is unshakable, he will remain on the throne, and that he is a God who lovingly pursues me because I was made in his image and I am his child. Like that piece, that's where contentment comes from. Yeah. And also within that, do we have a kingdom kind of mindset or an eternal mindset, right? That that as I go back to the the Lazarus who is uh poor and um in a in a in a in a we'd recognize like in no way is anything about this life on on earth going well for for Lazarus other than he

  00:23:57 - 00:25:08

  he might actually just be alive. That was be the only like perk of his life. But actually that maybe that's not such a perk. But then he he winds up next seated next to Abraham, next to uh next to Abraham in uh in the presence of God that um with that in the parable that Jesus is telling offers a an eternal perspective that you know that things may not go well while I'm here on this earth. Um I might not sense the blessing in worldly terms. And and I think that's even what Paul brings

  00:24:32 - 00:25:29

  out in this letter to Timothy of like to to those who are rich like do do good be rich in good deeds be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life right that that there is if we're only living this life for the here and now we're going to be disappointed when things don't go our way or when when when we can't get enough. But if I have an eternal perspective, is God

  00:25:01 - 00:26:00

  enough? Yeah. And I guess that's maybe that's the thing is that with that eternal perspective, the question is like what is enough? When we say you'll always have enough, what are we talking about? And that's what I sense in Paul is this like enough is that I've got a God who won't fail me. A God who who I can remain in relationship with. And we um we sang on Sunday. We sing um if I could have anything and then into um nothing else. And both of those songs the chorus of if

  00:25:30 - 00:26:22

  I could have anything like if there's anything in this world I could have. What I want is your eyes on me God. Like because because when you are looking at me and when I am firmly in your presence my world changes. And then even the idea of like I don't want your blessings like there's nothing else but you that I want. And I don't know that's the firm foundation. We Yeah. And we'll sing that with our mouths. And I I know that that to be true. And there have have been and there

  00:25:55 - 00:26:58

  are more frequently uh the more I am shaped and formed like Jesus. This happens more frequently where I recognize like that actually is the only thing I want. But there's still work to be done if I'm being honest. And that's the piece is like if I that's what contentment is. Um like you can take everything else away and it might hap that might happen. um the world may fall away, but do I recognize that enough is Jesus? It it makes me think of um in Ephesians the like uh the father's blessed us with every spiritual

  00:26:28 - 00:27:23

  blessing um in the heavenly realms. And I heard a uh years ago I heard um I don't know I think it was a youth speaker um preach on that message and he talked about uh he talked about growing up in school and he was kind of a brat of a kid and he had stolen a bunch of stuff from another student's desk or whatever and he took all this stuff that he wanted but he took it home and he hid it in his drawers at home or whatever. And so then the next day at school the kids are like beating him up like

  00:26:56 - 00:27:36

  where's the stuff? Where's the stuff? and he's taking this beating, but he's also just kind of chilling because he's like, "They're not gonna find it. Like, I've tucked it away. It's at home, so they can beat me up, but they actually can't take it back from me." Um because once I get through this, it's at home waiting for me, right? And so that's this perspective that he has in this moment as he's like stolen all this kid's stuff or whatever. Um but he

  00:27:16 - 00:28:12

  talked about that idea like if if ultimately the thing I prize the very very most are the heavenly like the spiritual blessings that God has given the presence of God that I'm invited into both now and for eternity. If that's the thing I prize the very most nobody can take that from me no matter what happens. And that's what I hear in Paul um like I know what it is to live with nothing and with everything. I've figured out essentially he's like I figured out the secret to life. It's the presence of

  00:27:44 - 00:28:56

  God. That's what I like. That's the thing that matters the most. And so that um that mindset like yeah, I can be generous because actually the only thing that really really matters at the end of the day is so secure that's not going anywhere. Um Yep. And that's the Yeah. That's the prize. That's the foundation. That's the fixing our eyes on Jesus and laying hold of him. Yeah. Yeah. So, well, this conversation would have been great prior to Sunday. I'm gonna get less of a flat feeling. I don't know.

  00:28:20 - 00:29:23

  So, right now, we're going to trust that whatever whatever was given yesterday was enough. Um, and that that whatever came out of our mouths, the spirit did some fancy translating before it hit the ears and the hearts of the people. And uh Sure. But also even now like this is this is encouraging um and that uh that even some of the clarity that's offered in this conversation about generosity flows from our trust in God that um that for me that application the like hands-on that looks like contentment.

  00:28:52 - 00:30:07

  Where is my where's my contentment coming from? Is it that I have enough or is it that God is enough? There's a difference there, right? Yeah. Yeah. Because if I believe that God is enough, then I can trust that I have enough. But if it goes the other way around, then then I've misappropriated. I haven't put in God in the place that he ought to be. That he is the thing in which I lay hold of. He's enough. Yeah. Yeah. And and he's more than enough. Like he is he's not just enough like we're scraping by.

  00:29:29 - 00:30:50

  He's enough like this is the very very best. Yeah. The the like there is Yeah. There is no empty space that he isn't filling and and overflowing. Yeah. That's good. Well, that's my Cyro, so I already shared it. What's yours? Okay. Um Yeah. So, I think um and I've said this on the podcast before um because in these last few months, I feel like God is just um there's this consistent quiet reminder um to understand or get to know the character of who the father is. Um and

  00:30:10 - 00:31:17

  this keeps coming up in various ways like um yeah, have you not heard do you not remember who I am? And and actually if you would just if you would just remember who I am um then all the other stuff that feels heavy or distracting or overwhelming or uncertain like just remember who I am. Um and so even in this uh we closed with um a generosity liturgy. Uh we closed the message out with that yesterday. Um and I loved it because the refrain in the liturgy was Holy Spirit come. And so in every line

  00:30:43 - 00:31:32

  was this like um when our hearts have shrunk and our giving with them, Holy Spirit come. And so every piece that was about like you know something that we would consider like yeah generosity it was this like holy spirit come. And for me that's what I what I said even just a minute ago or earlier of like um I actually can't have a generous spirit um on my own. I'm not going to work I'm not going to be able in my flesh. I'm not going to be able to work myself into that. That's going to be the transformative

  00:31:08 - 00:32:11

  work of the spirit in me. And so that's why I love this liturgy. But one of the lines of that said um that we may know you greatly through the expansion of our offering. Holy Spirit come. And I was sitting on that a little bit because I think um this idea that like God, would you take what we give and expand it beyond what we what makes sense? Expand it beyond what we could understand so that we can know you and know who you are. And so then for me the the the um like if I'm going to walk that out to

  00:31:39 - 00:32:45

  its logical end, what that means is like how often am I not getting to see uh parts of God's greatness because of a scarcity mindset. So, um, if I'm going to hold things tightly and if I'm going to operate from a take care of me and mine kind of a standpoint, what I'm actually doing is denying myself the opportunity to see a God who's generous, to see a God who works in abundance, to see a God who works and shows up miraculously. Um, because I'm I'm trying to do it all myself. And so this idea of

  00:32:11 - 00:33:06

  like, yeah, will I um will I hold my hands open with everything that he's given and everything he's offered, trusting like not only God, are you going to be enough and and everything you just said resonates like yes, God is enough. Not that I'll have enough, but that God is enough. But also, God, would you show off in a way um that just reminds me of who you are and and would you take what what little I have to offer? Um would you take that and would you show off in such a way that it's

  00:32:40 - 00:34:15

  like oh man God is so good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It it reminds me of um just something God has invited me into this year which is to pray um weekly for the um the finances of our church. And um and so I've um in that invitation desired to be consistent in that and and what I've experienced uh 6 months into our fiscal year is God showing off like you asked for it, right? And uh here here I am. Yeah. In ways that I just um I was uncertain walking into this fiscal year with our church and God was like, "Well, you

  00:33:25 - 00:34:44

  pray. Meet with me. Pray." And um and it wasn't and I was it changed even shifted my heart a month two months in. It was like um yes, pray for the for the finances of the church, but also in that trust me, right? Trust trust that um I've called you into this and um the yeah the budget committee meeting together prayerfully so and all that goes together in that like trust me trust me that all that was by design and um and and and now be with me. Pray over this and watch Yeah. Yeah. Watch me show off.

  00:34:07 - 00:35:18

  So good. Yeah. Have you not seen? Have you not heard? That's what comes to mind. Yes. God is an everlasting God. Yeah. It's good. So while we lift our eyes up because there is um there are there are flourishing hills above the the dead graves. So um might we get our eyes up to see the goodness of God in those places where he is. Yeah. The hills are flourishing, the fruit is being produced, and God's kingdom is breaking in. Yeah. Wow. Well, guys, thanks for joining us on this episode of Beyond Sunday. We

  00:34:42 - 00:35:30

  hope and pray that your conversations are going beyond Sunday. There there is encouragement and depth and understanding and uh even calling out the areas of of yeah, where things aren't maybe lining up the way we thought they would. But we hope and pray your conversations um are are are that for you. Have a blessed week. [Music]