Ep 499 | Gaslighting - Cole Branch 4/30/23

This afternoon to introduce our study.

I'd like to turn your attention. First of all, to John 8:44, the

John 8:44

title of our lesson is gas lighting and the battle for

desire. In John 8:44, we want to look at

John 8:44

who started this whole deal of gaslighting Jesus.

There, in condemning the Jews. He says to them that you are of

your father, the devil, and the desires of your father, you want

to do, he was a murderer from the the beginning and does not

stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.

When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources for he is

a liar and the father of it. As we get into it we're going to

Define gaslighting. If you're not familiar with the

turn, will Define what it is. But it involves a lot of lying

and when we talked about lying lying Started With the Devil, he

is the father of lies and when he speaks a lie he speaks as it

were from his own resources, it just comes out of them.

That's Like he is, he is the father of Lies.

A second verse, to kind of introduce the direction of our

thoughts, as Mark chapter 4, and verse 19, Jesus there in talking

Mark 4 · chapter mention

about the Thorny ground defines the thorny ground as the person

that it comes in and chokes out the word, the cares of this

world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other

things in touring and choke the word and it becomes unfruitful.

So there's the deceitfulness, there's a lie that comes with

riches. And the desires for other things

in the world can choke out the word. 2022, Webster's word of

the year was gaslighting. Now, I know you guys don't know

me that great here in Bakersfield, but in Oakdale,

everybody knows that coal is kind of the guy that that's

behind the times. Now that he's kind of late to

the party I hadn't heard of gaslighting.

So Hannah, I was building this lesson in the strain of thought

and Hannah looks over my shoulder and she sees the title

and come up with gaslighting. I was like a new word to me so

I'm like this is great. Great.

This is going to get to teach everybody a new word and Hannah

just goes, I am so sick of hearing that word.

I guess it's a massively popular word or word that just started

getting way overused. But so if you have, if you have

a reaction like that, that's like, I'm so tired of hearing

about gaslighting, stick with me, we're defining it in our own

context, it may or may not match what you're used to hearing the

word about. So we'll begin to finding it

ourselves for this afternoon here.

Gaslighting, literally means we have two definitions, two ways

to Define it. The first one is two.

Psychologically manipulate a person, usually over an extended

period of time. So that the victim questions,

the validity of their own thoughts perception of reality

or memories and experience or memories and experiences

confusion loss of confidence and self-esteem and doubts

concerning their emotional or mental stability.

So as we talk about this afternoon, the battle for our

desire, I think there's a lot of these components that as we

think about what we want. Begin to question.

Should I want those things? Should I want what we're being

told? What we should want all the

time? We question our own view of

reality. The second definition is this to

grossly mislead or deceive someone, especially for one's

own Advantage. The premise of our study this

afternoon is that there is a very strong attempt to grossly,

misleading our desires, especially for other people's

advantages that really needs to be undermined.

We're surrounded I'd buy it, I believe all of the time and

we're constantly inundated with it.

So if everything that you hear this afternoon, you're like I

knew all that. That's fine because we're so

often surrounded by an opposite message.

That even if we as Peter says, stir up our minds by way of pure

remembrance, we need this because it's so around us on the

opposite extreme. So, if you give a lion the devil

we've already talked about About is referred to as a line if you

give a lion 7.1 trillion dollars, what happens?

Well, what happens? I'll begin to introduce is, is

my iPhone has a YouTube feed on it, these algorithms, and all of

your apps. Now whether it's social media,

so Instagram, and I'm going to show you that.

I've been out of it for a while. Instagram, Twitter.

I don't know. Pinterest, YouTube, They all

have an algorithm that begins to offer you things, that maybe

you're interested in Amazon, does this as well with your

recent purchase is Google will do it.

If you try to Google things it knows what you've searched for.

All of these technologies have this way of getting in front of

you and I could pick up. So I told you this morning, I

had to discipline myself with my phone because YouTube YouTube is

now blocked on close phone. If you try to show me a video,

you're gonna have to show it to me on your phone.

It's blocked because I would pick it up.

I wouldn't even know what I wanted.

I wouldn't even be going there. Looking for anything in

particular. I just knew that I could pick up

my phone type in YouTube and I could see what it offered me.

I could see, hey, turns out, you know what, there was something I

wanted, there was something that I was interested in but I didn't

even know that at what it was. I just knew I could go there and

find it. Okay, so here's a quote from a

study about advertising billions of dollars.

Three hundred twenty five point five.

Billion dollars to be exact are spent on advertising in the

United States. Each years from Billboards to

Internet ads. These expenditures are intended

to stimulate demand, inform customers, and differentiate

products and services in the marketplace.

You're like, yeah, yeah. I know.

That's what. That's what advertising does.

It tells you what's different about that widget from this

widget. But there's more to it than just

educating you on the differences.

That's the second part. The resulting heightened

awareness among buyers does more than merely shift, mark.

It's share among competing firms.

It stimulates purchases, and generates additional economic

activity, that would not have occurred of occurred.

Otherwise advertising spending stimulated, a seven point one

trillion dollars of additional sales activity in 2020.

The trillion-dollar life, the seven point.

One trillion dollar lie is that you want more that you need to

buy more, you need to achieve more, you want something beyond,

what you actually think that you You want there is an effort to

convince us. That we don't actually have what

we want and that we want more. So maybe you're like Me at times

and you say well I don't have all that that that Social Media

stuff. I'm glad that that stuff doesn't

work on me. I'm glad those advertisements

don't work on me. Well, first Corinthians 10 and

verse 12 says, let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest

he fall. Here's one of my planning

spreadsheets, okay. So as I reflected on myself and

I like those ads don't work on me.

They're not convincing me that I want more.

This little gold section up here.

Is a goal for God okay. All these little black things

that you see are different areas of life.

That I've said, here I have this goal here, have a section for my

home, I got plans for my home. I want to make, I want to make

some improvements at my home. I have some goals for my

children that we want to achieve.

I have some financial goals down here.

You see, I have several black boxes for financial goals.

I have health insurance, a lot of boxes for health.

Insurance to be taken care of, and retirement planning is a big

ol, long Blacklist. But up here, there's one little

gold box way out in the far future.

So as I begin to look at that and I say well maybe this stuff

is having a bigger impact than I thought.

What why are my why do my goals look like that?

Maybe I've underestimated the impact of what are my desires

have gone. So I know it's not happy New

Years and now we're starting the second quarter but this is the

first time I've seen most of you this year.

How did 2020 to go for you guys? You satisfied with 2022.

Was it a good year as you look back on it?

How do you feel about 20-23 is your starting?

What's my year going to be like, what am I going to work for this

year? What are my goals and intense

for this year? What do you want out of this

year? So we're going to go through

this study in three parts. Again, this afternoon, we're

going to first, look at, show me a Covetous, man from the Old

Testament and the New Testament as well.

This turns out Out, I'll be interested to get feedback from

you guys here but show me a Covetous man is not as easy as I

thought that it would be. And we spent a long time in

Oakdale after this this study some of the girls were at the

back of the building and Hannah was like what happened.

There was a lot of guys around. You say something wrong and you

guys are up there talking for a while.

Show me a Covetous, man. Maybe a little more difficult

than it time to think. Then we're going to move to

secondly contentment without apology from Hebrews chapter 13.

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

And then finally, we'll look at never enough, Philippians

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 and verse 17. So show me a Covetous, man.

I'll tell you a story quickly about this idea of covetousness.

There was a man that was a Confessor, so a Confessor in

Catholicism whatever kind of Catholicism you're talking

about, I believe. But the Confessor is somebody

that receives confessions. So he was, he was saying that he

had received thousands of confessions over his time being

a Confessor, but out of all of the thousands of confessions, he

had never had somebody come to him and confess the sin of

covetousness in their life. And so we thought about it and

he's like, why is this? So he decided I'm going to go to

the most Covetous man. I know that I look at that man

and I I know he's a Covetous man and I'm gonna ask him.

I'm going to tell him this. I'm going to say I have never

received a confession for covetousness.

Why do you think this is? So he goes and he explains the

situation to the man. He says I've never received the

this confession. Why do you think this is?

And the, the Covetous man looks at him and he goes Well, maybe

it's because it's the rarest sin of all.

It's just so uncommon. It just doesn't happen.

Covetousness does not happen. The guy is a response was.

My concern is not that. It's the rarest sin of all, but

that it's the most common Centreville, and we just don't

recognize it in ourselves when we're guilty of it.

Covetousness, maybe we could look at it as the gentleman

sing, like, one of those sins that it's like, it's almost

potentially in some ways if you frame it, right?

And admired sin. That you could look at somebody

that maybe is actually Covetous, but you just look at them and

think, well, maybe they're just driven maybe they're motivated.

They're never complacent. They're never happy with just

being where they're at. That's a successful person.

It's easy to look at Covetous - that way but the Bible when the

Bible talks about covetousness is not very unclear about it.

It's pretty strict on covetousness.

There's three different words for covetousness and there's an

English word within these definitions that I didn't know

and we'll Define as well. So we're going to go through

four definitions here as we defined what is this

covetousness that we're looking for?

The first word is these are strong.

Numbers. You can look them up and check

me on it in the future if you would like.

But covet is to set the heart up on too long for or desire within

the first definition. Covetous the second definition

is a greedy desire to have more also defined as avarice.

This is the English word that I didn't know you can laugh at me

later if you know it but will Define it as well.

The third definition is real similar but it is not Covetous.

These are all three words that are Greek words translated covet

or covetousness in our English Bibles and it is not loving

money or not avaricious avaricious is In English to find

a greedy of gain, excessively acquisitive, especially in

seeking to orde riches. So maybe you're like, well I'm

not Covetous. Don't really care all that much.

About money I get paid on Friday and the money is gone by Monday

morning guaranteed. I'm not covet, just not worried

about my retirement. Not worried about that bank

account taken up. Well covetousness really applies

to a lot more than I realized that it applied to inscription.

so, if you do a study, In a, in a Concordance.

That starts with covet. So this can include Covetous

covet coveted, anything that starts with covet, then it

applies in scripture New Testament and Old Testament to

obviously something that is your neighbors.

Okay, that's that's what first comes to my mind.

Is that I want something. That is my neighbors, and that's

true. It applies to Something in

scripture specifically. That is your neighbor's house.

Your neighbor's wife, your neighbors, serve it, your

neighbors donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor is

Raised used in the Bible. So, you can covet a lot of

different things besides just money.

Anything that belongs to your neighbor that you look at your,

like I want that. They have it.

I want that. That's covetousness.

Yes. It also though applies to

something that is not your neighbors potentially but land

silver gold, the catch of evil. Men applies to water water wars

have happened in California, Treasures evil gain and apparel.

A great scriptural, definition of covetousness.

Would be first John 2:17, do not love the world or the things in

1 John 2:17

the world covetousness. It goes pretty Broad and it's a

lot easier to be guilty of it at times than at first, I thought

scripture and condemning covetousness Jesus says in Luke

Luke 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12 and verse 15. Take heed and beware of

covetousness for one's life. Does not consist in the

abundance of the things he possesses.

In First Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 11.

1 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

I have written to you, not to keep company with anyone named a

brother who is Covetous, not even to eat with such a person,

so don't even eat with somebody that's coming cious.

For this, you know, that no Covetous man, who is an

idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ in God,

let no one deceive you with empty words for because of these

things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of Disobedience

and Colossians chapter 3, and verse 5, very similar to

Colossians 3 · chapter mention

Ephesians 5 put to death your members, which are on the earth

covetousness which is idolatry for because of this.

Just like infusions 5. The wrath of God is coming upon

the sons of disobedience. Old Testament.

References on covetousness. Old Testament has 17 out of 35

times that the word covet just is used in the Bible.

It's Condemned as hating covetousness, it said that you

shall not covet the wicked covet, the iniquity of his

covetousness and woe to him who covets and now you're like, well

yeah, the Old Testament is pretty harsh on some things.

Maybe the New Testament is a little bit easier on

covetousness, actually the New Testament just gets firmer on

covetousness. It has 18 references and it gets

even harsher. It says that covetousness.

Files a man. It is considered a debased mind,

it is not fitting it all for a Christian, you shall not covet.

It makes you of the world. It causes you to disinherit the

kingdom of God. It shall not be named among you.

It is not fitting for a saint. It is considered idolatry it

disqualifies an elder it is used for exploitation and deception

and it causes you to be called an accursed child.

Covetousness is not a good thing.

So we started out with her all those scriptures and painted

this picture about covetousness, very clearly from scripture

because it's easy, especially in America, the place of the

American dream to just want what you want.

And it's not a big deal. You have the right to what you

want. You have the right to pursue and

work as hard to get your dreams as you want to.

That the Bible paints a very clear picture about

covetousness, not being a good thing in our lives.

Adolf Hitler, I had that he's quoted as saying this, he did

the quote didn't actually come from him, he just really

implemented the strategy and the strategy is if you tell a lie

big enough and you keep repeating it, people will

eventually come to believe it. So we've talked about

advertising that we feel like we're being told constantly you

need more and if they say that to us enough, if we're

surrounded by it enough we begin to believe it.

There's a story about being locked behind a door.

There are these two guys that work together and they began to

play Capture the Flag in an office setting.

I don't exactly know how you play Capture the Flag and it

off. Setting, but they had a way of

playing it. There are something in each guys

office that you could go in and you could get and it captured

their flag. Well, as guys go, you know, it

kind of got out of hand and they had to start setting some rules.

You could only steal the flag between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

So one guy gets into his office early as like 750 7:45 and

here's something in his closet and he realizes it's one of his

co-workers waiting to steal its flag any runs over.

He throws a chair in front of the door and slammed it against

it. And says ha, I got you, you're

locked behind the door. I'm not letting you out until

the end of the day. That's what you get for trying

to steal my flag and the guy. No, that's not fair, that's not

fair. But the guy on the outside.

What he realizes, he's trying to lock this door with the chair.

Was that the chair was too tall to handle was too short.

He couldn't get the chair wedged in there to lock the door, but

he'd already told the man that the door was locked.

And the guy starts saying, that's not fair, that's not

fair. It said nope you're staying in

there and that guy stayed in this closet for the rest of the

day until finally at the end of the day he heard something.

And you guys don't have acoustic ceiling tiles here but they had

acoustic ceiling tiles and a tile moved in the guy was

climbing outside over the ceiling because the door was

locked, but he got out and that door had never been locked the

whole time. So we stayed behind that door

because he believed it and that's one silly story.

You can talk about the elephants to get strapped to a little tiny

stake in the ground because they've been trained that way

and they believe they can't move it when we believe something.

We will stay behind as it were a locked door, it changes us, you

need more. Whatever it is is what we're

constantly being told. So as we conclude this section,

show me a Covetous, man. Could you spot a Covetous Elder?

First Timothy chapter 3 and verse 3 says that covetousness

1 Timothy 3 · chapter mention

will disqualify and Elder and we may say to ourselves, you know,

well covetousness, it's kind of an internal thing.

We all just need to decide if we're coverage.

Has. We can't exactly say that

covetousness has to be something that is you could see in

somebody else in some way, if it can disqualify an elder, then

it's something that we can see. And practically say, this is

something we can't have in our lives.

Can we identify covetousness in ourselves?

Smooth Delta, contentment with no apologies.

Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5 says, let your conduct be

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

without covetousness. I think it's fair to say we've

established that point. Maybe you're like yeah we've

kind of spent a little too much time there but archon duct must

be without covetousness this afternoon.

He goes on to say be content. So we've learned very clearly

that covetousness is not to be a part of our lives, whatever it

is that we are Covetous about. It's not to be a part of our

life instead though. The flip side is that we are to

be content. Contentment literally means to

be possessed of unfailing strength, to be strong to

suffice to be enough. Be possessed of unfailing

strength and be content and be sufficient with what you have.

He says, with such things as you have your.

Like, maybe we could have just started here Cole.

We could have saved like 15 20 minutes.

At this point you could have just said don't be Covetous and

instead be content and be content with such things as you

have, maybe maybe we could have. We can talk about that after but

be content with such things. As you have you notice he

doesn't Define what you have. He doesn't say be content with.

This is the list of what you need.

He says be content with such things.

As you have contentment is not contingent on the things that we

possess So our excuse that I'm Covetous or I really want that

thing because well, this is just a standard of living thing.

I have to have my air conditioner, Maybe.

Paul doesn't say anything or the writer of Hebrews doesn't say

anything about what you have he simply says be content with such

things as you have for. He himself has said, I will

never leave you nor forsake. You the reason you can be

content, the reason I can be content with whatever I have is

because at the end of the day he's never going to leave us nor

forsake us. That's the conclusion of the

matter on this. It reminds me of second

2 Corinthians 12:8–10

Corinthians chapter 12 verses 8 through 10.

All in speaking about the thorn in his flesh, says concerning

this thing. I pleaded with the Lord, three

times that it might depart from me, time out real fast.

Somebody just taught on this the other day at Oakdale that thorn

in the flesh. I'd always thought about it as

like the little Thorn on a rose bush or something.

You know that like it's just something that's a little

annoying in your flesh and it kind of hurts, but it's not

really a big deal. That's not really what that

Greek word there is though it's like a big steak almost as The

way that this brother was describing it that this is

something that is a massive wound to you.

It's not just something minor that Paul was dealing with,

probably that he was asking for the Lord to take away.

Anyways, he asked the Lord three times to take this away and gods

response in verse 9 and he said my grace is sufficient, that

weren't sufficient. There is the same word as being

content to be possessed of unfailing strength, Paul.

You can be content with my grace.

For my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Weakness. Therefore, I take pleasure in

infirmities in reproaches in needs for Christ's sake.

For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Obviously we couldn't leave a discussion on contentment

without at least addressing. First Timothy chapter 6, in

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

verse 8, First, Timothy 6 and verse 8 is when Paul says to

Timothy and having food and clothing with these, we shall be

continued. Maybe you're like me and you

have this immediate thing that goes up in your mind.

As soon as you read this verse, I call it my capitalist defense

mechanism, you can call it whatever you want in your mind,

but it's like, as soon as I I read this and having food and

clothing with me, these we shall be content.

I'm like, he didn't really mean that he didn't really just mean

that food. And clothing is enough.

Paul knows that you need health insurance, he knows that you

need 2,000 square feet in your home.

He knows that you need two cars. He knows that you needed a job.

And he knows, That's where I immediately go.

And I was listening to this guy who and your mind is, first

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

Timothy chapter 6 and 8. Apply to Paul says, what?

He says it's not complicated. Who does it apply to them, so we

accept what it says, but now, who does it apply to?

I was listening to this guy on, he was talking about

covetousness, he was hammering down on how bad covetousness was

and the need to be content and he read 1st, Timothy Chapter 6,

and verse 8. And then he Completely

backtracked on everything. And he said, now congregation

you don't have to live by this standard.

Paul didn't expect all of the Christians to live by this

philosophy. This is just a decision that

Paul and Timothy had made in their Journeys.

What do you think? Do you think that's all that it

applies to? Is it just Paul and Timothy that

should live by having food and clothing?

We shall be content. What about our Brethren across

these here. I have our Brethren and Togo and

Ghana because Jimmy had recently gone to Togo and Ghana the gross

national income per capita. Over in those places was seventy

six dollars and 67 cents per month.

Or $185 and 83 cents a month. I'm just going to be straight

with you. If I made that in like a week or

even a day. My attitude would suffer.

Now, after this study, I hope my attitude wouldn't suffer.

But these people that are they fine with it.

What about the Philippines, Jimmy, our Frank goes to the

Philippines and we have these conversations as we talk about

our Brethren elsewhere. And we say, well, should we send

Aid in this situation, or how much should we send them?

Because, you know, you don't want to send them too much and

increase their standard of living.

And they need to be content with what they have over there.

Does this first Timothy 6 and n? It seems to apply to them in

this context. What about the other side of

town? Let's bring it a little closer

to home. Should the other side of town,

you know they're still in America, they should be grateful

for what they have. And whatever side of town you're

from. There's another side of town.

And if you're in the worst side of town in your neighborhood,

there's another neighborhood. So we all have some sort of

perception that we're like, well, they should be content

with what they have but then it comes to myself.

And for some reason, I want to back myself out of what Paul

says here when it comes to my contentment.

In 1st, Timothy Chapter 6 and verse 3.

The teaching is sent out to anyone and the preceding verse.

And First Timothy chapter 6 and verse 7, Paul says that we

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

brought nothing into this world and we will take nothing out.

I submit to you that none of us brought anything into this

world, and none of us are taking anything out.

I believe. 1st Timothy, Chapter 6 and verse 8 applies to all of

us. Could I live it out?

Put on a live by that principle. This is something that desires

more consideration, just than just a few minutes.

When we're in an assembly with a bunch of other people, this is

something that we all need to go home and think about, can I be

content? Am I currently content and how

do I work on my contentment? And as we think through that,

the question, we need to ask ourselves is since I have more

than what Paul says in 1st Timothy Chapter 6 and verse 8,

what am I accomplishing for the Lord with all of the extra that

I have? Since God has blessed us.

So abundantly with freedom and opportunity.

What am I accomplishing with it? We move now to Never Enough will

start out in James chapter 4, where do Wars and fights come

James 4 · chapter mention

from among you? Do they not come from your

desires for pleasure, that war in your members.

So he says, you guys are fighting.

You guys have these problems? Where's it coming from?

Can't you see are they not coming from your own selfish

desires for Pleasures that are warring even within yourselves?

He says, You must and do not, have you murder and covet and

cannot obtain, you fight and War yet.

You do not have because you do not ask you ask, and you do not

receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your

pleasures adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know

that friendship with the world is enmity with?

God? He says you have these desires.

Hours within yourself that are creating the strife and this

problem for you. And you're trying to get it

through these wars of whatever, however, your warring amongst

yourselves, but you should just ask for the things that you

want. But sometimes you even ask for

the things that you want of God. But God tells, you know, because

you don't have a good reason for what you're asking the reason

that you're asking is simply so that you may spend it on your

pleasures. That's not a good enough reason.

To want something. Do you not know that friendship

with the world is enmity with God if you want to be a friend

of the world, you're not on God's side.

And they'll go on to say, draw near to God and He will draw

near to you. Can I admit to myself when my

desire for more is driven simply by my own desires for my own

pleasures. Never Enough though.

From a brighter perspective. Philippians chapter 4 verses 11

Philippians 4:11–17

through 17 Paul. And speaking here says, I have

learned in whatever state I am to be content.

Paul has given these instructions in first, Timothy

chapter 6 and now here in Philippians chapter 4, verses 11

Philippians 4:11–17

through 17, he says, I have learned in whatever state.

I am to be content. I know how to be abased, and I

know how to abound everywhere. And, in all things I have

learned both to be full and To be hungry, both to abound and to

suffer need. I can do all things through

Christ. Who strengthens me?

Paul says, I know how to be content.

I've lived this out when you go to 2nd Corinthians, chapter 11,

And look at what Paul went through.

Paul has the background to tell people how to be content to tell

people. Look, You need to know how to

suffer one and be contented and trust in the Lord.

He says I can do all things through Christ.

Who strengthens me? He says, you sent Aid once in

again, for my necessity, speaking to the Philippian

Brethren, not that I seek the gift though, but I seek the

fruit that abounds to your account, there is Never Enough

fruit for God. So we've talked about a desire

for more, that is simply selfish.

Well, Paul shows us Us that there's another perspective you

can seek a gift but not because he simply wants it for himself.

The reason that he wants what he's going for is to create

fruit for the Lord. Can I align my desires that way?

That there is Never Enough fruit for the Lord, and that is what's

driving me. I'm not driven to have more

because I want an easy. But I'm driven to have more so

that I can do more for the work of the Lord.

Gaslighting in summary. We looked at show me a Covetous

man and the need to be aware of the Covetous man internally and

externally. In our first point we moved

secondly to contentment with no apologies and we need to accept

the Simplicity and sufficiency of contentment in our lives.

And finally, we looked at that there's never enough.

There's never enough fruit for the Lord and we need to

earnestly desire. The fruit of God's work.

What will your year look like, what will your life look like?

What do you want out of life? Will the world have a shot at my

desires? Or have my affections been

nailed to the cross. I have a story to read to you as

we close. It's about a Mexican fishermen.

The Story Goes Like This. There once was a vacationing,

American businessman standing on the pier of a quaint Coastal

fishing Village in southern Mexico.

And he watched as a small boat with just one young Mexican.

Fishermen pulled into the dog inside the small boat were.

Several large yellow fin tuna enjoying the warmth of the early

afternoon sun the American complemented, the fisherman on

the quality of fish and he said, how long did it take you to

catch him? He said, oh a few hours.

Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?

The American businessman asked. The fishermen warmly replied

with this. I have more than enough to

support my family's needs. The businessmen then became very

serious. He said, but what do you do with

the rest of your time? Responding with the smile, the

fisherman said I sleep late. I play with my children.

Watch ball games, I take a siesta with my wife, sometimes

in the evenings, I take a stroll in the village to see my friends

to play the guitar, sing a few songs, the American businessman

impatiently interrupted. He said, look, I have an MBA

from Harvard. Offered and I can help you do

help you to be more profitable. You can start my fishing several

hours longer every day. You can then sell the extra

fish. You catch with the extra money.

You can buy a bigger boat with the additional income.

The larger boat will bring before long.

You can buy a second boat, then a third and so on until you have

an entire fleet of fishing boats, proud of his own sharp

thinking, he immediately excitedly elaborated, a grand

scheme, which could bring even bigger profits then instead of

selling your catch to a middleman, you'll be able Sell

your fish directly to the processor, even open your own

Cannery. Eventually you could control the

product for processing all the way to distribution.

You could leave this tiny Coastal, fishing Village and

move to Mexico City, maybe even Los Angeles and New York City

where you could have even further.

Expand your Enterprise, having never sought it thought of such

things, the fisherman asked, but how long will all this take

after a rapid mental calculation?

The Harvard MBA pronounced probably about 15 to 20 years,

maybe less, if you Work really hard.

And then, what senior asked the fisherman, why?

That's the best part answer. The businessman with the left,

when the time is right, you would sell your company stock to

the public and became very rich. You would make millions,

millions really, what would I do with it all?

Asked the young fisherman in disbelief, the businessman,

boasted then you could happily retire with all the money you've

made, you could move to a quaint Coastal fishing village where

you could sleep late. Eight play with your

grandchildren, watch ball games and take Siesta with your wife.

You could stroll to the village in the evenings where you could

play the guitar and sing with your friends, all you want.

You know, it's funny when you read the story, you see the loop

there, right? It's not quite as funny when I

play that game with myself. And I actually think through the

loop that potentially I'm creating, if you noticed in that

story, I've read that story several times in different

lessons and until this last time, I never noticed the, the

fisherman starts out by saying I could play with my children.

And then at the end of the story, the businessman, lets him

know you could play with your grandchildren.

You're going to have missed your children.

You're going to have checked out in this Loop for most of your

life. The LIE is that I desire more.

The truth is that there's nothing to desire from this

world. Jesus said it best when he said

what profit is it to a man? If he gains the whole world and

loses his own soul, if anyone desires to come after me, let

him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me, I will work

harder. To align my desires and bring my

desires nearer to Jesus. Jesus offers us an alternate

life focus and that's to walk in the light that he offers.

Are we here this evening or this afternoon?

And not a Christian come believing and willing to turn

your life over to Jesus. Believe that he is the Son of

God. Repent of your sins confess, his

name before men and that's a confession that is present now.

And you will continue to confess his name before men for the rest

of your life. Whoever you stand before and be

baptized for the remission of your sins and then walk in

newness of life for the rest of your life.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information, or you would like

to receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

Please email us at info at her Church of Christ

Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

honored guest.