After the Message: What Does God Want?

Thank you for joining us for After the Message.

To learn more about Celebration Church here in Orlando, you can follow us on social media under the handle at Celebration ORL or visit our website at celebrationorl.org.

Well, uh everyone, welcome to After the Message.

Uh if you don't know what After the Message is, or maybe you're stumbling upon this on a in a later date, we're in the future, we're speaking to the future potentially, but no, we're just talking about the uh the past message from this Sunday.

And today I'm joined by my man Danny.

Hey, how you doing?

I'm doing good.

How are you guys doing?

Good man, good.

Danny, for those who are not aware, let the people know what you do here at Celebration Church.

I'm the guy who makes sure the microphone that I'm currently talking to uh turns on.

At least that's a that's that's one way of s of saying what I do.

Yeah.

But I help I do help uh lead our production team.

Um which right now has been interesting because we don't we don't have church right now, obviously, in the normal sense, but it's been uh been cool seeing it do it in this kind of this new way of church with the recordings and the live setting.

And um yeah, we just I work with uh I work with Vinny.

I work with him, he's part of I he I I'm under him, and uh we just you know we're the people try to make things happen behind the scenes.

And of course Nate himself has been a part of this team for uh for uh for a long time before doing what he's doing now.

Um and he's actually kind of came back to production a little bit because we've been having him run Pro Presenter back in the saddle.

Back in the saddle.

How how was Pro Presenter for you?

Propresenter, well, you see, the thing is, man, you set me up for success.

Yes.

So it's not that difficult whenever you have someone like Danny who just champions the team.

I want that's the goal.

I want everyone to enjoy the experience.

Dude, what's the what do you think like the biggest thing you've learned over this like this new period of new equipment and like is there a lesson or maybe even a skill that you have acquired, or is it just kind of like I know how to do this?

Technology wise, yeah.

Um yeah, I mean I always had known about streaming, obviously, and you know, using like some type of broadcast switcher or whatnot.

Okay, but I never actually would never done it before.

So understanding how that all works and how it connects and just getting all the work was definitely all brand new to me.

Um but lucky enough we were able to get some pretty good equipment that was um pretty easy to learn, and um it was one of those things like kind of plug-and-play situation, and we're like in my head, I'm thinking, all right, we're gonna have to turn all these things on and adjust the settings, and and I was like, what that's it.

And I mean it still worked, but it was a lot easier.

So I'm like, it really does have have some really good equipment.

So I recommend anybody who's trying to uh do anything like this, definitely uh look into investing on some good equipment to make your um experience way easier.

Yeah, but it's been um it's been a learning curve, but it's also been a lot of fun.

Um just to get and I love I always love learning new things.

Sure.

I've always been I was it's easy for me to uh adapt.

So if there's something we if this is how we're gonna do it, all right, let's figure it out and let's do it.

Yeah, let's do it with excellence.

And and if something doesn't work next week or whatever, we do something different.

Yeah.

So it's been um no, but it's been really good.

Good dude.

Um so God's teaching me definitely in the technology sense as well during this time.

Sweet.

How long have you been here in Orlando again?

I moved 'cause you're from Miami, right?

Ridig born and raised in Miami.

Um moved here in December of 2014.

Okay.

Um was um just look uh at the time it just for me it was just like I'm trying to change the scenery, yeah, change my cost of living.

Um but it's crazy because to think about how I moved up here was definitely God because every door opened so easily, and I it was just like an instant thing for me, and then how I found celebration was literally the week of I was move moving.

And little did I know this is where God was gonna have me and plant you know my feet here and be part of this church.

Um I just had other intentions at the time, but God always finds a way to br put you back into his um direction, though he wants you to be on.

Right.

Um even when you're fighting him every step of the way.

So it's like um, but yeah, I've been here since it's crazy.

We're in 2020.

It's been I can't believe I've been here this long already.

Um but it's been it's been great um to be up here.

I don't I don't think I'll move back to Miami.

But I can't never say never, but yeah, yeah.

That's a that's a very uh that's a lot of people down there.

I will say that.

Well, dude, that kind of uh that kind of actually segues talking about you know God's will and how he and and how he kind of pulls you back into his plan is this past Sunday we were talking about what does God want?

You know, we're kind of entering that a new series about what does God want.

And um Pastor Keith sort of started out by by uh expressing some of his I guess frustration with their prayers that I've prayed or things that I've asked God for at the beginning and I still haven't seen fruit of that, you know, or questions that I've asked God and I still don't have an answer.

Um is there anything in 2020 that you've asked God and you don't have to necessarily be specific, but if you don't want to, but I guess my question is can you relate to that sentiment of past what Pastor Keith was sharing?

Well, I you know going to 2020, all these things with COVID and um being shut down, not having just the normal so I I I'm I'm here with the church, but I also have a full-time job at another company.

Okay.

And um you know, when we got shut down, um I got furlow.

So I was no longer working for that, you know, I mean I'm still working, yeah.

I'm under the company, but I'm not working for them.

Yeah.

So before that I had just got promoted to a new position in sales, and I just hadn't gotten engaged.

So all these things in my head, I was just like, wow, okay, God's providing this job for me to pay for my new future.

I just got engaged.

This is like all my stuff in my head.

I'm like, this is great.

I mean, God, you're setting me up.

And then bam, this virus comes, and all those like plans that I had going is gone.

And I'm just like, okay, I need to rethink this.

And so I just started praying because I didn't know if and when um I would be called back.

Um I work for the event industry, so the event industry has definitely been hit really hard during this time, so it's hard, you know, there's no people to gather and you can't have meetings or conferences.

You can't make money, so it's been that's been very difficult.

So I was like, all right, God, if it's if if what is it?

I was I think I started playing what it where do you what do you want me to go?

What do you want me to do?

So I started changing those prayers for me.

And has it been answered?

Um maybe I don't know yet.

I don't know.

I just you know, I got I'm in a time right now where opportunities have been are coming my uh have come my way, sure, and now I'm kind of like, okay, is this where you want me to be?

Right.

You know, I'll go over you and I'll I'll I'll if this is where you want me to you make make it known to me.

Um so I'm kind of not I'm not in that stage of uh waiting for him to answer.

I'm kind of not sure where or what the answer is, or like I feel like okay, this could be something.

Okay, but I'm not really sure if it is from him or sure.

I don't know, maybe this is the the thing in between the next thing.

I don't really know.

Gotcha.

So I'm so it's not necessarily it's not necessarily like an anxiety, it's more just trying to um develop patience in certain areas.

Yes, I would say a little bit of that.

There's a there's a little bit of anxiousness for sure.

Um especially at the beginning, because there was kind of like I don't know what's gonna happen.

So um, but even now I'm you know, I was kinda like can't you know, there's that anxiousness of like do am I going here?

Is it somewhere else?

I just kinda like you know, you always want that, you always kinda want to know.

Sure.

And maybe I won't know right now, but I it's one of those things I just it's um you know, as a as a human, you want to be, you just want to know what's gonna go on for sure.

But God has his predictability, yeah.

Oh yeah, but God has his timing and he and he knows it when it's meant to be what that time is for you, you will you will be it would be known.

So it's it's definitely hard sometimes when you're just like I'm ready.

Yeah.

That's a good point, man.

I think we I think oh I'll speak for myself.

I forget that a lot.

I forget that whatever it is, God's gonna make it known to me, you know, and and sometimes I feel oh man, I don't want to miss God, you know, and and I forget the whole point that like, well, if God wants to tell me something, he's gonna make sure that it that I hear it.

You get what I mean?

So like just having having faith that if God wants me somewhere else, or God wants me doing something else, or whatever it may be, like he'll make it known.

And uh one of my friends, one of my friends always talks about this when he prays, is he he he tells God, like, hey God, uh can you if you want me to do something else, can you just make it so obvious to me because I'm dumb?

Or like you know what I mean?

Or I'm I'm just an idiot, so I won't know.

So I just need you to make it plain as day, you know?

Yes.

Um I don't think that's a bad, a bad way to look at it.

I mean, he pray.

I think God's gonna it listens to our prayers, whatever it is, and he knows you, he knows the kind of person you are too.

So he knows that there's gonna be certain things that okay, I need to talk to you in this way.

Um one of the things for me, and just just the way God speaks to me at times is through music and through a song.

And I could I could go through a whole sermon and hear uh and and not so not say I wouldn't get anything out of it, but I the word I get from him is through a lyric sometimes.

And it's just like I needed to hear that today, and I needed and I was like, okay, I'm I'm listening.

I I know what you're saying here.

Okay, I need to do that, type of thing.

Or that that happens to me sometimes.

Sure.

And and sometimes it's through somebody who's like literally the uh the way I kind of got this opportunity was just start uh was just out of nowhere.

Someone just called me, told me how to do it.

Here at Celebration, you mean?

No, it was um or an Orlando this other opportunity I got, the person just called me.

Yeah.

And I'm just kind of like, was that from you?

Like I'm just like it, but it was from out of nowhere.

Like I was not looking for, I wasn't seeking it.

I mean, I was definitely praying for what's next, but it was kind of like okay.

So I I I I've every step of the way for me as at least I've got spoken to me, he's made or uh at least how he showed me how this is the right way, it's always made it very easy for me.

The times that it's I felt like it's maybe not the right way was how hard it was to try to make this happen for me, or you know, I'm trying to do it.

Gotcha.

Um, at least that that's from my experience.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, one of the things that Pastor Keith even mentioned was a lot of times we're trying to figure out what God wants us to do, but we're not in the place God wants us to be.

Yes.

And it's it's true, man.

Environment is important, you know.

So if if you're not in the correct habitat or environment that helps move your relationship with God forward, then you're probably not gonna get the quote unquote results that you want.

You know what I mean?

And I don't know, you know, you kind of talked about your move earlier.

I don't know looking back on that, does that look like it was a necessary thing for for your relationship with God?

Um yes.

I I look back at it now it definitely was because I was in a place spiritually, especially being from especially for the church where I felt very distant from the church.

Um even before that was yeah, 'cause I had started this new job and and about I've been in there for a little bit over a year and um I was just made at a point where I just didn't want to make church a priority anymore, or even a relationship.

Not saying I wasn't a Christian, but I just wasn't making that a priority anymore.

And um and maybe it was my excuse like, oh, there's no church up church there anymore.

I don't know.

So I'm like, okay, you want to make that excuse?

All right, go up here and I'll find you another church.

And I was like and I remember just resisting it because I was like, Oh, this feels great.

This worship message, people are awesome.

Like, no, no, no, I don't want to be part of it.

So I think God will use something like that where he'll he'll kind of I felt for me, he kind of like you I I I'll I'll get you up here if if even if it's your intentions were not necessarily for for me, I'll put you I'll point you somewhere else when you're up here, and I'll use you.

Yeah, and and kind of the whole point of the message was what does God want?

He wants a family.

Yes.

And so I don't have kids, but I can imagine uh I can sort of infer that if I were to have kids and I would want them to be in the right environment, you know what I mean, in order to in order for them to advance and and to and to grow and mature.

So I can imagine God being the same way looking at his sons and daughters and and going, just like you said, okay, you don't want this, here, go this way.

Yeah.

And and and I'll I'll put it in front of you, basically, you know, and that's kind of what I'm hearing from you.

Yes, that's that's what he definitely did for me.

And I think you you know what Pastor Kia said it was like you really do need to be in the right place.

Um I'm not saying God won't speak to you in those sense, but it it definitely really does help.

I think you have a you you hear from him more when you're surrounded by or your ch your environment is um more god you know, more I I use that church word god centered, but it would just like you're you have surrounded yourself with groups of people who are after the same things that you're going after at least uh for the kingdom.

Um and it kind of it definitely it helps definitely helps me, but like I want to go I oh yeah, I need to get better.

I need to I need to work on my walk, I need to do this, I need to do that, and when I notice when I'm away from all that and and that's God can still speak to you, but it's you you're you're less and less caring for that stuff.

Gotcha.

Um and I did notice that for that bit in my life where I was just like not and then when he got me back in, I was just like, Why did I do this?

Like this was but I need I guess I needed to learn that to understand how much I needed it.

And I was like, Okay, I can't leave this again.

I need to keep this.

This is what helps me stay straight.

Um, and having different having these groups of people around me, you know, having the the team here at church and and there are teams, it it pushes me to be better and and get dive into the word and grow and learn.

I mean, I got to part during this whole time I spent a lot I spent a lot of time in prayer for sure.

So I've definitely have got better with that, uh, with my walk, uh just getting back to just praying consistently.

Um it's like, hey, have a relationship, talk to me.

Um and then just just reading the word and growing in that way and kind of like letting that be my influence as well as the people around me.

So it's like, but definitely when I'm not away, when I'm not in it or I'm not doing it, God's it's I don't it's like you know what it's like that desire is not there because you're letting other things influence you.

Yeah, there's this there's this almost constant temptation.

The temptation can creep in, I guess, where it's like, oh, I've got this figured out.

Yes.

I you know, I don't I don't need to do all those disciplines that maybe I first started out doing, or maybe and dude, that's a slippery slope.

Very much because the minute that we think that we've got it figured out, it's um it it it'll come back and bite you.

It's like golf.

I don't know if you've ever played golf, but I know a sport.

I uh I play terribly, but there are times when I'm like playing a little bit better than normal and I go, oh, gotta figure it out.

I'm good.

You know, I'm shot a great score today, feeling good.

Next round I play terrible.

It's like I haven't played in my entire life.

So you just gotta you gotta stay focused on the Lord, man, and you can't you can't for a second take your eyes off of him because the minute that you do, uh you start to slide a little bit, you know.

I I had I uh you you just kind of saying uh just brought a memory to me.

Um when I was uh in so in South Florida, the church in South Florida, we had um this uh this lady, she came and she had the she was very heartbroken, like she had her lost her job and and she and her relationship wasn't great, and and she's like I come in here, I just need to I need to find God and I need to and I just need to get my life back together.

And she was and she had like yeah, we're just well God's here, he's gonna help you, right?

She was coming so consistently, and you could tell she was getting involved.

And then at some point, she just stopped showing up, like out of nowhere.

And we're just and I think we had reached out and was like, Hey, we where are you?

We haven't seen you in a while.

Oh, I'm good.

I'm like, I mean you're well?

Like, oh I I'm I mean, I'm yes, but I'm also like, I'm good, I don't need to come to church anymore.

And I was like, Who what do you mean?

She's like, Well, I got my job and I have a new boyfriend, and and it's all good, I'm happy.

So I I I checked all my boxes, God, you know, I don't need to come anymore.

And I'm just like, no, you no, you want to keep coming because you keep this up.

Yeah.

So that's like kind of like the whole thing.

We're just like, once you know I'm good, I don't I don't need this anymore.

And I I just at that was like, what?

But yeah, we well, I guess you know, I've done it, but yeah, I just remember from seeing from that perspective, and I'm just like, man, okay.

All right.

Well, yeah, we've we've sometimes we look at God as like our general store, you know, like or like a reha rehabilitation, like, okay, I came in here, I I feel better, I got well, now I can go do my own thing.

Yeah, yeah.

I I see that for sure.

One of the one of the big or probably the element that we mentioned about, you know, what does God want, like, is originally his intent, and still his intent, I guess you could say for us, is we're created in his image.

And I know if you've spent any amount of time in church, you've probably heard that, you know, created in the image of God.

And um this theme has been coming up in my life over the past 60 days.

It's almost like, okay, God's trying to show me something, so I'm glad you're here to help me talk through this.

But sadly, I hadn't really given it much thought as to what that meant.

I had just kind of accepted it like I'm created in the image of God.

Okay, cool, move on.

You know, there was even me too, yeah.

There was even an ignorance or uh me being naive to that as well, it means like maybe I look like what God looks like in a sense, or it's almost like attributes of or consciousness or you know, emotions, or or what I have a spirit and animals don't, or whatever it may be, you know.

Um but what in reality what I'm finding and what Pastor Keith alluded to is created in the image of God actually means you're an ambassador for God.

Yeah.

Almost like you're an extension of Him.

And I think, you know, not to like not to like dip, dip our toes in pagan religion or anything, because there are like things out there that say like everybody's a little piece of God.

And I hope I don't get in trouble for this, but I think there's a little bit of truth into what they're saying.

No.

You know what I mean?

No, I know exactly what you mean.

Not in the sense that not in like an Eastern religion sense where we're all deities.

No.

But God has uniquely created us to and the best way is to image him, you know, to to be to be a a part of his bloodline, so to speak.

Yes.

Kind of like his DNA.

You know, if you think of a a natural family, um, it's almost like a spiritual DNA.

Yes.

I think the way Keith put it was perfect because I I always knew what what it was, and that was for me, it was like, okay, we're manageing God, so we're like God.

Okay.

And that's all I just took it and like, yeah, okay.

But like the way he said it was just like we're in balance.

ambassadors, right?

You know, and I and then and I think you're right because he even alluded to that in the sermon.

He said that we kind of like we're a piece of him and we're different, kind of a the different different part of God too.

You know, God's many things.

And he has and he's created us all differently and for different things.

And so you know you you know it and I think uh we're talking I talked about enneagrams.

Yeah.

Yeah and I was just like oh yeah I think I did I think I did that recently uh what are you I think I'm but I I'm pretty sure I'm a six.

Okay.

Um do you know what that means because I don't so it means that I am I think I wrote it down but I can't remember exactly I guess I'm more um I guess loyal I think it's what it was and willingness to um don't be modest Danny.

I don't know I'm just trying to remember what it all said.

It it sounded like me.

Like when I read it I'm like that sounds more like me.

Yeah um and a little bit of nine because the nine's like the more peaceful one.

Okay.

Um so I and it's kind of weird how those things work because I think six kind of loop m leads to nine.

Okay.

Sort of I don't fully understand it either but it it's kind of funny how those things and it's kind of fun like I think he had said peacemaker and he said like someone's a who challenges or something in the sermon.

He needs these people to do what God intended you to be and and be that person and handle situations and things that that make sense for you.

Like hey you know you're I'm I'm not saying what you are but you better not don't put that on don't you put that on me I don't know what you are we should have we should read it out like that's unique.

Well let's for instance you're the first let's say you're a person like and you're just gonna be that person who like challenges everything but that might be your strength you know then that's fine.

That's where God puts you there to I know I want you to be that person obviously sure you're gonna do it in an in in a in a good manner but let's hope so but but then you need those people too who are just gonna help put the situation out and and handle it peacefully but all of this saying saying all this all should come from a kingdom mindset too um like in in in everything that we do um should we should definitely be thinking like God right how what would Jesus do in these situations the cliche thing and the bracelets but it really does you know it's a it's a good thing to think about it once in a while in situation like would he really be doing this or how would he say this in the situation or how would he approach it um so yeah I mean that was um yeah I I don't I I wrote it down I just don't remember what it what all of them say.

Yeah man I uh I'm a along the same train of thought as well I guess now Pastor Key's former thoughts about the Enneagram because it sounds like he's come around to it but people don't yeah what's your Enneagram and I'd say I'm a child of God.

It's yours.

You know like what's your Enneagram number child of God whatever number that is that's what I am you know just to kind of like throw people off yeah just to kind of throw okay so but uh yeah that's that's funny man and and it's true and and the Bible even talks about that as far as the body the body of Christ I mean we're all different parts we're we're all part of the same body like you can't look at your foot and go you're not as poor as important as my hand or whatever it may be and in order for the body to work properly all parts have to be working in unison.

Yes.

And so as the body of Christ the whole the church we all have to be able to bring our God given gifts and abilities in cohesion with one another in order for the proverbial body to function properly.

Yes.

So I think like you said him bringing in the analogy of the Enneagram helped me move forward a little bit in my understanding of what the image of God is.

I th that was great.

It was just it's a great way to kind of explain it.

Because I I guess that for you I was just like stuck on it before I didn't really think about it as much but yeah that was just it was a a great thought process how you know to really think about and then how you said with the body of Christ even more so you need all the parts to work together in that and it's almost a it's a responsibility.

Yes.

You know it's it's a responsibility that we we have a purpose you know and and the purpose that we have is to help move God's kingdom forward and to and the only way that we're gonna do that is if we're operating in our God given ability.

Yes.

Um you are recently engaged I am congratulations.

I feel like I started a trend did you I felt like I was trying to I was trying I was talking to Hope and I was like did we get engaged first?

Because we got engaged back in uh was actually we had right before this whole thing started happening um back on a cruise um so I actually have not been into like a church service since before like since February.

Jeez um so I was like man I'm really missing it.

But yeah yeah so I recently got engaged and I was telling her so I think we I think we started something because a bunch of people after us had gotten engaged.

Um but yes.

Do you know Hope's Enneagram?

Oh oh I should know this I think it's a two okay but I don't remember what it says.

That's helper I'm pretty sure it's two is like the helper.

Yes yes I think it's that one.

Because that's what my wife is she's a she's a two which is a helper.

I don't know anything else besides those two the she's a helper so I don't know what I don't know the full extent the no me either it's probably gonna make me go back and read them all again.

Yeah hopefully she doesn't listen to this and be like I've told you a million times Danny um kind of along the lines of the the family idea of of God we're the children he's the father do you tend to look at God as a father?

Like what how do you you tend how do you usually view God in your relationship with him?

Yeah I mean I think I grew up hearing that so much because I always a lot of time I start my prayers with dear father are um so I definitely have always you feel like we're all his we're all his children, right?

We're you know so I always got this feeling that we are his family and he wants to help his family.

You know that's me why did he send his son to die if he it wasn't helping his family.

That's a great point.

So I was always in that mindset like yeah kind of yeah he's our father.

Yes he is God and very powerful who he is but it's I always find it cool that they he refers himself to as father because I'm like we are he wants he's he's he's taking care of us.

You know he wants our he wants us to be well and he wants all of his children to you know to be well and be with him and serve him.

That's why we're here right we're here to serve his kingdom and keep bringing back more of his children.

Amen.

So amen that'll preach Danny man if I'm honest uh sometimes I don't and sometimes I almost look at God as like um a manager someone that I don't want to disappoint or someone that hey here's your assignment uh make sure that you do it this this and this way and if you don't here's the consequence you know what I mean so sometimes I can look at God as like my um Mr.

Deadline.

Yeah Mr Deadline or like the efficiency police you know like I don't know man.

No I get I get what you're saying.

But I kind of think of that way too because I don't want to disappoint my father you know I want to make sure I'm I'm doing what I you know I'm I'm I'm respecting him I'm doing everything I can to honor him you know honor God right and so I that's a I mean so I kind of think of it a little bit that way too um but yeah I I know what you're saying sometimes it's hard because even then he's like he's God how is he your father?

Yeah but I think I've always approached it as like well I I can go to my dad and have a conversation just tell him everything I'm happening for the day and just things I'm dealing with it's the same thing I go with God.

I just talk to him like here God I'm one of yours I just I just need to have a conversation with you and tell him what's happening with me.

So I kind of always approach the way I prayed in that way as well too just like I'm going to you I need your help.

Yeah um is he it's different yes of course because he's gonna answer when he wanted ready to answer obviously but yeah but I've always kind of approached it that way but I can definitely see it the way you are definitely approach it too because he is he definitely is managing us as well too and you and he gives us assignments right and he won and we obviously don't want to mess up that assignment.

We want to do it to the very best of our ability um but yeah I definitely could see it for sure.

Yeah I just think sometimes that can it can be an unhealthy viewpoint for me you know and so to be able to to be able to shift my perspective in times where that is unhealthy and look back and go, you know what you're you care for me more than you care about the assignment.

Yeah.

You know and I don't know if that's heretical but I feel like it's true.

Like if if God like you were saying you think about your own relationship with your father and you know if you know you're out there and you've been fortunate enough to have a to have a good relationship with your dad then you can sort of correlate those two things um and I have had a good relationship with my dad and so that's true man like and that's super encouraging for me to sometimes I just need to tell my dad like how my day's going you know and like what I'm struggling with and sometimes I just need here need to hear him on the phone say like it's alright man like I'm praying for you you'll get through this you know so that's a great way to look at it with with the Lord is like sometimes God's just yeah someone to we just need to talk his ear off a little bit.

No it's it's true.

And one thing I love my dad says he goes every time he ends this phone before he says goodbye I just want you to know that I'm always praying for you.

I always want him to know that I got you.

I'm just kind of like and that's how I know it and I I know that's how God is too obviously we don't actually hear him but I know he does just by the acts and things he's done in my life.

So but yes I love hearing that you know when we have kids we both have our own families and our kids tell your kids how you pray for them.

I don't know it's always encouraging to me it's awesome when you hear that and you're like man okay thank you I'm so happy.

Appreciate that thank you I need prayer.

I'm not the only one on my behalf speaking of prayer you kind of you mentioned earlier and and I I wanted to circle back to it you mentioned earlier how you had almost found a prayer again through this season you know and how it had if I heard you correctly kind of reinvigorated your relationship.

Yes uh if you wouldn't mind sharing like your method of prayer.

Oh okay uh how what does it look like you know and is it certain times is it does it matter where or when or ha what has it been like for you over the past few months?

So it it I don't have a schedule.

I kind of just pray when I feel like it's I need to pray.

And sometimes I pray when I know that something's happened to someone, right?

And I just want to pray for them right away.

And then when I'm just dealing with something I pray right there and then but I've tried to I don't it's hard for me to it's always been hard for me to put a schedule.

So I I just been like you just find a point in your time of the day and pray at least once a day if you can.

Um whatever it is.

It could be a some simple small prayer and that's it.

You know um sometimes I played multiple times a day and it just it was a it was just one of those days where emotionally it was a lot.

So I just needed to talk to God.

Yeah.

Um but I noticed when you consistently have a prayer life it helps your relationship with God.

I I just I don't know how to ex explain the feeling I just it's just better.

Yeah.

I just have that overwhelming like sense of I feel the Holy Spirit I don't know if that's you know so like is that you Holy Spirit um where I'm just trying to um and I notice it when I don't pray.

When I'm not having an active prayer life I can tell that right away and what a difference is um and even when you do stuff for me it's like when I was you know not in this consistent prayer when the times I did pray and I was praying you know a little bit more um like I was like a at a job site and I was having like just stressed out and didn't know if everything's gonna go well and the whole time I was thinking um why um um just like thinking I'm this is not gonna work and then I just realized why haven't I just given this to God?

Like why can't I just let him help me right now?

Yeah.

So I stopped in the middle of where I was and it was in a hotel somewhere I was in some back hallway.

I just started to pray.

I didn't care if anybody was looking at me or whatever.

I'm just like God didn't you do help me because I can't do this by myself and I just felt this relief come and I just remember like and after I prayed and the the day went I at the end of the day I prayed just thankfulness and I just remember like God I'm sorry I need to pray more because it's so to me it's such a and that's right so during this whole time having that consistency with praying through this time has been so good I'm I I I'm afraid when everything goes back to normal I'm gonna forget how to do that again.

I was like alright God I'm I was like so I think my prayers need to adjusting help me to not go back to that.

Right.

Um because I it's so important.

It is um so I don't I don't mean some people can do a schedule I did that at one point but I was so bad at it so I'm just like I just kind of just prayed when it just want to pray.

And maybe it wasn't every day but it was way more than it was before.

So just find sign sign find consistency in your prayer life.

Yeah.

I just that's what I would definitely encourage uh whoever's listening definitely find just find time to to pray and not just pray for the bad stuff that's happened in your life because we get in the habit of doing that.

Right.

Pray for pray for the good wow and and and honor God and tell him thankful like you know thank you God for this job you provided for me and constantly thank him about it and and remember because at the end of the day it's he's the one who's provided for you.

He's you know the money you have in your pocket that's God's you know the house the apartment you rent whatever that's his the car you drive whatever I always try to remember those good things um and just you know and pray for others I was like I always try to try go down the line just you know maybe there's a situation that happened I try to pray for them but I try to pray as many people I can think of um but yeah it's it's so healthy when you have that consistent prayer life and I and I can tell when it's not so yeah man that's I don't know for you how it is uh it evolves over time you know I think right now it's that's a little bit more uh sporadic so there are definitely times where hey I've I've set aside this time in the morning to where before I do anything else I want to fix my attention on God.

Whether that is five minutes or 50 minutes, you know, I at least know that before I do anything else I want to start my day off this way.

However it has evolved into kind of what you're talking about where certain situations would um propel me to pray.

You know whereas before I may not think about it until my next time in the morning.

Does that make sense?

Yes so I I think right now I'm I'm more along the lines of being able to consistently pray like so before we went back or before we were went into quarantine and we were doing we had our next steps classes and stuff and I got to teach step one on Sundays and one of the things was was telling telling us what it means to pray without ceasing.

Yes you know the Bible says to pray without ceasing and I remember first hearing that I'm like all the time like how am I supposed to think about anything else like if I'm just praying the entire time you know but as as I started to learn and develop that just means it's open line of communication you know it's like a text thread like yes I can text he can text back you know like I remember that prayer earlier I need to update that and I got more information but no man and it even goes back to what you were saying with the with the idea of the father is with the good news like who I want to call my hey dad guess what you know what I mean and and so that's a really good point man and I think it's something we forget like even just telling God something like guess what happened today and thanking him because like God you're probably the one behind it you know it just could be your whole pair just could be praised.

Yeah for sure for sure um so the three things that uh Pastor Keith like the three points I guess you would say reflect dominate repeat.

Oh yes um so reflecting who God is dominating our situation and repeat that process over again I'm gonna be honest and Pastor Keith don't get mad at me if you're listening to this but when I first heard we're called to dominate I took a little bit of issue with that okay because I was like really is that is that what we're called to dominate you know but as I started to reflect on it and as I and when I I listened to the sermon over again.

Reflect amen uh I started to really think about it and and it it makes sense because originally God called Adam and Eve hey here's here's the area take dominion over this area you know don't don't be passive in the garden you know you I'm calling you to be to be my ambassador to be an extension of me here on earth and and so it it actually it it adds more weight to us in a good way I think and in in a healthy way.

Whereas a lot of times it's just like you know just leave me alone kind of like that lady you were talking about like hey I don't have to come to church anymore I'm good.

I got everything I need or I everything I want when in reality there is a responsibility for us to have dominion over the areas that we're in and to to be to be the image of God to those who may not know what he looks like.

Yes so I say all that to say to ask what's your opinion of it and did you did you have that first initial reaction like whoa dominate like that doesn't really sound Christ like you know he was meek and humble but yes did you kind of have that initial reaction?

Yeah because when we think about it we kind of think it negatively at times with that word.

I don't guess it gets to tell it used or or people how they use that yeah how they use that word.

So I'm kind of like whoa I'm supposed to dominate it sounds a bit extreme.

Yeah yeah the more I thought about it too is like yeah but but but we should be we should be at the forefront.

We should be leading we should be over all of this and it doesn't mean we have to be mean people about it or anything or not that's not what that's not what he's trying to say.

He just says we should be the we should be the church everywhere we go um and and lead in that um and he like I I think one of the things he said that that that hit home for me is like sometimes we just kinda like to s just kind of skip by we just kind of barely get just enough right we're not gonna no God didn't call us just to stand in the sidelines and do nothing.

He he wants us in the front.

He wants us to lead he wants us to so I think that's what I was getting how I was interpreting it was be the one leading in all areas of and it's not just in church it's in where you when you go somewhere whatever wherever a situation you may be um be Christ in those situations.

Dominate I guess it would be I maybe another another uh uh word for it but yes I I I that's kind of how I was taken it um but don't be afraid to take charge but you can always make sure you do it in a nice nice manner.

A god yeah I mean not the bully people but you know it's the um just that kind of like that we we should be one people should not looking to us but when they see us they see God type of thing and we're gonna lead with his with his kingdom mindset.

Yeah um everywhere in any all facets of our life so yeah um when I first heard I was like I just I just kept thinking of like a a team about ready to run out of the field with their hands one on dominate on three one two three dominate football team so I remember those locker room speeches from coaches for sure.

Yeah we're gonna crush them.

I was like okay I mean you're head you're like, yes, we're gonna do it.

But that's a good point, man.

Sometimes we can take our experiences, especially with words or different uses of vocabulary, and equate them to what the world has to say about it instead of what God has to say about it.

Yes.

So that's a great point.

What God is what God is saying by having dominion is not having control, it's just having a sense of authority because of who we are as God's children.

Yes.

You know?

So yeah.

Dude, is is there anything else that kind of stuck out to you that I made you put your phone away so you don't have your notes in front of you, but is there anything else that maybe stuck out to you that you well I was glad we hit we hit on that point because I was gonna say let's do that.

Okay.

Um I'm trying to think um there was one thing that he said.

Um I think it's kinda along the lines of what I was kind of saying prior, which is basically how um I think I think it's what he said, I'm not sure, but maybe it I this is how I interpret it or whatever.

Um just how how we how we lead our life.

Sometimes we let other things around us influence us and dictate how we are seeing those situations or handling those situations and we're not thinking of it from a God perspective, like mindset.

We're just we're letting something or some entity or whatever influence our our thought process instead of let it be from God.

So I mean I got I definitely heard that at some point, something on that from Keith this past Sunday.

Yeah.

Um was like make sure you when you when you're in these situations wherever you make sure you're you're coming at it from God's perspective, from his thoughts, from his kingdom mindset.

Um because that's what we should be at all at all times as Christians, you know, and and and so we'll get lost sometimes if we're it's depending on what you're listening to, what you're you know, you always like what's your influence right now.

What are you letting influence you and personally?

It's it's gonna come out, whatever you're you're putting in your in your head.

Um and it may not be bad, but but is it God?

So it's like I always it's been this I think that's a that's God's been kind of been teaching me that this year for sure.

Was like are you when you have these thoughts, are you thinking from my perspective from a kingdom difference?

And would I be doing it this way?

And I'm like, I kind of want to see it from his lens.

And so I mean, that's yeah, so like I definitely I think I heard something like that.

I wrote it down somewhere on my notes.

That's great, man.

And one of the great things about God being our father, kind of backtracking on that is man, when we do stray away, you know, and we do start letting other things, he's right there when we turn around, you know, and say, Hey God, I've been letting this influence me instead of you.

I'm sorry here, you know, and and he's right there with open arms and um that's a great thing about our God, you know, and that's why he is a father to us and we're part of his family.

Exactly.

Yeah.

Man, thanks so much for for doing this.

This has been really encouraging for me.

Um For me as well.

Thank you.

I uh I enjoy the I enjoy the panel discussions, but uh again, don't I mean I'm just gonna get in trouble again.

Pastor Keith, I just really like this one-on-one thing that that me and my boy Danny got going on right now with the with the conversation, like not being filmed and stuff.

But yes, this has been great.

It's all good, man, and and again, super encouraging.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Me as well.

Thank you for having me.

Yeah, dude.

Thank you for joining us for After the Message.

To learn more about Celebration Church here in Orlando, you can follow us on social media under the handle at celebration or l or visit our website at celebrationorl.org.