Laboring for God's Glory | A City Post PODCAST w/ Hector.

City Post. Sup.

We back at it again. Yeah, man, this is Hector and

I'm here with. Pastor Ricky, what's up

everybody? And you guys are doing good.

Yeah, man, this is another episode of Build Equips and it

is the title of the podcast. But most importantly is the

mission of the church. Yes, yeah, man.

And today's topic is really cool, man.

It's, it's, it's a good one in this conversation we've been

having lately about just just the work for the king, the work

for the killed, for the care. Kingdom.

Work for the Kingdom, There we go.

It's so much, yeah. Man, and just like that, it

takes some work. There's going to be some slip

UPS. There's going to be.

Some time twisters there's going.

To be, you know, a lot that comes with it, man.

But I think in this topic, like you set a great quote to start

the conversation. And in that work, you know, what

we do and how we, you know, are wanting to build the Kingdom.

Whose fame are you after? Exactly.

You know, it's like we always talk about we're like, you know,

we want to know Jesus and make him known.

You know, we want to make the name of Jesus famous, but we

also are fighting our sinful nature, our flesh.

And sometimes we want a piece of that fame too.

I mean, it's, it's in our DNA, it's in our culture.

It's what everybody does. Like you want people to know

you, you want followers, You want people to like your post.

You want people to share your post, You know, like you want to

be an influencer. So it's part of our human

nature. It's part of kind of like it's

ingrained in us. The problem is, is that when

when it belongs to the Lord, we want to kind of get in on that

cloud. And, and that's not how this

works. You know, it's all about Jesus.

It all belongs to him and it's not about us.

Man, it's so good. Bro.

So as someone who is a creative, you know, who wants to create

content to help push the gospel out and you know how how do how?

What's your advice for someone trying to navigate that world

like? Man, I, I think that now, don't

get me wrong, don't hear me saying not to get things out,

not to post things. That's not what I'm saying.

I think a lot of it has to do with the intention of our heart,

like the motives of our heart, because I think it's actually

wise to have like a strategic plan, you know, a marketing

scheme, a schedule for getting things out.

Like there's times to post things where you're going to

like, where people are going to see it and like it the most.

And there's times where it's a bad idea.

But the motive needs to be this is to serve my Lord.

This is to get the name of Jesus out to get the gospel out.

So I think as a creative two things come to my mind.

Mine is to to be organized, like have a plan.

Don't don't just like wing it, which I think a lot of people

do, you know, they're like, oh, it's organic.

I'm like, no, that's code for I don't have a plan.

And then #2 it's, I think maybe like pray before you send

something out, like ask the Lord to use it.

Like Lord, let your name be glorified, not mine.

Use this for your glory. Use this for your will.

Let people know who you are for this.

And, and I, it's almost like giving God an offering that's

acceptable to him. And I think as a creative, you

should, you should view your work that way because really

when it comes down to offerings, it's not the item, it's the

heart behind the item. And let's ask Cain and Abel

that, you know, so I've been in, I've been in Genesis that like,

like Cain brought an offering to the Lord that was not

acceptable. And Abel brought what the Lord

asked, and Cain got mad and killed his brother, you know, So

it, so it's, it's really the heart behind it, you know,

what's it for? Who's it for?

And I think that's what we got to ask ourselves.

Oh, man, that's that's hearing you say that triggers a memory

and like this kind of emotional moment I had listening to

worship music, man. It's the house fires and I think

Asia Wilson Asia. I don't remember her name, but

something in that is like if I can be anything, I want to be an

offering holy and acceptable to you, Lord.

Like that just kind of hit me back and took me back there,

bro. But but that's so good as far as

you know, who are we doing this for?

Like I'll speak from the eye perspective, who I am doing this

for, you know, in creating content and utilizing these

gifts and these talents and these passions that the Lord has

given me is like back to that title question is, whose fame am

I after? Right.

And even myself as a pastor, like when I, when I look at the

space that was made that the createspace, it's not to like

flex as a church, you know, like, Hey, our church has a room

where we could do all this cool stuff in.

It's not it, it was, it was like almost, it was a kind of like a

vision from God creating an area and a space that that people can

use to serve him better. And then then you have to also

think about growth, You know, like I think about growth all

the time. Let's say, let's just two or

three years from now, we end up having two services, you know,

like so as a, as a worship team, you can't do the same thing and

expect different results. And if growth happens that big,

you need an area to go and practice before the service.

You're not going to be able to hang out here till the service

starts again. It's going to be too early

unless you want to get up here that early.

That's fine. But so creating almost like an

area where you could run through some songs, you could get

creative with it. You don't have to, you know,

like it gives you room to work on things.

But we have to change our our mentality, you know, because

it's too easy. Yeah, I get it.

I'm just going to go turn some stuff on and, and plug and play.

We'll have that same energy and use that in a better space with

a better setting for creativity, you know, and that's going to

help stimulate growth. So I'm, I'm thinking about like

progressing and it's not the, the growth of the church, it's

the growth of the name of Jesus. You know, like the more people

come here, the more people going to know Christ, be discipled, he

hears word, families, generations are going to change.

Like so the movement of the church, the things that we're

doing, it's not just like I'm bored or I got an idea.

No, it's it's all part of God's bigger picture.

Man, that's huge, bro. And like hearing that kind of

turned me up a little bit because I think back to

something you said to our sermon last week is like, bro, through

showing up that intentionally is how chains are broken, how

generational forces are broken. That's right.

That's that's huge, bro. And I think that's a, you know,

sets up a a great question to to why is showing up so

intentionally network worth it? Yeah, it's, it's, it's worth it.

You know, like I was at a kind of a meeting on Thursday with

other pastors and the speaker said that like, it's hard, man.

Let's just be real. Like being a pastor is

difficult. And sometimes we ask ourselves,

is it worth it? You know, like, is this worth

it? Is all this like headache and

drama sometimes and, and heartache and, and people

talking like, is all that worth it?

And the answer is yes. Like it's easy.

It's worth it because Christ. And, and to get to that point

where one day, you know, I get to just go be with him and spend

all eternity with Jesus and the brothers that I've been in the

trenches with and their families and my families and like, yes,

man, it's, it's all worth this. It's worth missing things, you

know. That's good, bro.

So my, my follow up question to that is for you specifically,

you know, in those struggles of questioning, you know, with all

the stuff that come with, if it's worth it, what's your

motive behind showing up every Sunday or you know, like last we

get to show up with the Wi-Fi going down?

What are your motives? Behind showing up.

Man, I think 1 is personal, then one is kind of like for

everybody. Personally, I love church.

I love it. I love worshipping here.

I love the people here. You know, I always ask myself

like, if I wasn't the pastor, would I come to this church?

Would my family come to this church?

And the answer is yes. Like the way that I see like the

kids being taught the worship, like the teaching of the

scripture. So I have to kind of like

reverse roles a little bit. And I just love this.

I love being here. I love worshiping here.

I love, I love, like, I just love it.

So that's motive #1 but then motive #2 is, is the weight that

preaching carries because it's not just winging some message

like like God would. The Holy Spirit will not leave

me alone if I winged something like it's a it's a wrestling,

like it is a fight every week because of that, because of like

the time and everything it takes to put a sermon together.

Like I'm, I come on Sunday pregnant, you know, like I'm,

I'm ready to pop this thing out on us to explain it.

Like, like I wake up on Sunday with like a holy expectation of

I'm excited to reveal what the Lord revealed to me, you know,

and whether it goes bad or good. I got a lot out of it.

So selfishly, it's like if you didn't get it too bad or if you

fell asleep, I don't honestly, I don't care.

I hope you had a good nap. But me personally, like man,

like God revealed this amazing revelation and truth in his

word, like I can't wait to get this thing out.

So that that's kind of another motivation for me to be here.

Man, bro, that's, that's awesome and how to be super real, bro,

as someone who's benefited from how intentionally you prepare

and you know, in our personal friendship, you being honest

with me and let me into what the Lord looks like and how

intentionally you're in prayer and, and things like that, bro,

Like we, we're talking about this a little bit before we

started recording, bro, but our first Wednesday this past week.

Oh man. Bro like I don't even have words

and if y'all missed it I'm sorry y'all missed out on a good one

bro just cause like the the lesson behind what's the word.

Oh, butcher, intercessory prayers.

Intercessory prayers, bro. Like it's bearing so much fruit

in our church, bro. It's bearing so much fruit in

our relationships. For me personally, I won't speak

for anybody else, but in my relationship with my brothers

that I'm walking with here and my relationship with my sister,

you know, and, and her being a part of this church too, Bros,

like, I just want to take that time to say thank you again,

bro, because how intentionally you prepare is like why I think

God is elevating city post the way it has been and like the

growth that we've had here as of late, bro, he just been moving.

No, man, and here's what's even like crazier because if you,

when you plan for some, I know that there's like people that

say, oh, you could use AI, you know, the, the prepared Bible

studies. Like I've had people tell me

that that that's what they've done for lessons or whatever.

But man, you missed. Don't get me wrong, it's a great

tool, but you miss like that personal the.

Intimacy. Connection with God and

presenting something. And what's even funnier is on

Wednesday do like I was at work and I had all these printouts,

you know, and I forgot them. Like it was such a bananas of a

day. Like I just tried to speed to

get here early and just calm my mind and just get my soul and my

heart ready for the service. And I forgot the handouts for

everybody. So not a big deal, man.

Just took some paper like, you know, like I and I remembered

everything. So I was like, cool, yeah, I

just wrote some stuff out in the Sharpie marker, like, and it

worked like it was fine. Like we still had the text, We

still had everything we needed. But just because we didn't have

Wi-Fi or we, you know, I forgot some handout.

It didn't ruin anything. It just you, you keep going.

And I will say, man, it was fruitful, man.

I I loved it. It was just, it was a rich time.

That's the best way I could explain it.

Yeah, bro, it was and, and to that point where like you're

saying, you you forgot the handouts because, you know, it

was just kind of a a day, a rough day at the office, you

know, rushing to get here and trying to get things like God

even uses and blesses that. Man, that's true.

Like, so you know something, I was similar situation.

It was a rough day Wednesday, I had stuff I needed to do

afterwards. So I was rushing out of here.

So I forgot my Bible here, you know, and Rach gave it to me

earlier and like it's something that I forgot about.

But in that time of, you know, this group together, I still had

the note of writing out the prayers and what people were

asking for. So like that, that little

reminder was like Lord, like this time has been so fruitful,

but also like the people that I've been tasked and assigned

with praying for and specific, like reminders of what those

things are, bro, 'cause God even used that.

That's right, you know. What I mean?

So that was just a cool, my bad little little sidetrack.

There no I feel your bad it happens sometimes and you know

and sometimes it's like maybe we didn't need it maybe like it was

it was like a piece of it's good that you forgot it but it might

have gotten in the way of what God was gonna do or what he did

but yeah but all that to say it was like it was still so fresh

on my mind but just praying like OK Lord like what's next like

we're going through prayer this year.

What is it that you want the church to know about?

Like what is it that you know? And those, those are the

questions I asked. So it's not like what what can I

got? What do I got?

Right. Well, you weren't just winging

it like. Yeah, like let me just Google

prayer Bible studies, like Nah, bro, that doesn't work.

So it's just asking the Lord like God, like, what is it?

What do you want to show your church you know?

Bro, that's so intentional and like God uses that and like your

heart has been so locked in with him in that your personal prayer

time and in the preparation is like, what do you want me to

share with your church? What do you want me to share

with your children? And again, the conversations

I've had with some brothers, like how intentional that was

showing up, like what we did this past Wednesday's.

God's presence was undeniable, bro. 100% like learning more and

more of is man, you could, you could do all these things.

Like I know we, we started this with like, is it for your fame

or is it for his? And what I've noticed is like

when it's for your fame, his presence is not there.

Like it's almost like Romans one.

It's like, OK, you want to do it for you have at it.

And he just bows out like he doesn't, he doesn't show up.

And it's, it's God's wrath on you and your pride.

You know, and I'll be honest, man, like I've been to

conferences, I've been to, I've been to worship services where

it was like that was nice. Like there was no, no presence

involved. Like, like you, just you sense

the heart behind it and you're just like, Nah, this, this

saying is there something is missing?

Like I'm glad y'all are on point.

I'm glad y'all look great. I'm glad that it sounds awesome.

Something is off, you know, and and and then but I always, I

always ask like, is it me? Like do I have sin in my life

that is causing a division or and then after that I asked the

Lord, I was like, or is it something in this room?

Like is it, is there something going on here?

You know, so that's a whole nother.

Yeah, that's a whole nother conversation, a whole nother

part and whole discernment, all that.

Yeah, man. But but you you bring up Romans

1 so that that topic of you know, our heart and how we show

up in our works or just our lives for the Lord.

Like what does Scripture say about that?

Man, that's I love for me I love Exodus, Exodus 33 because Exodus

33 is a great example. Like Moses pleads God for this

verse 15 through 17, it says, Then Moses said to him, If your

presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with

your people unless you go with us?

What else will distinguish me and your people from all the

other people on the face of the earth?

And the Lord said to Moses, I will do the very thing you have

asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name, bro,

that is great. How else are you going to what

separates talent, You know, like what separates worship leaders,

what separates? The thing that separates is the

anointing and the anointing comes from from the Lord.

So if God is not with you as you are creating or you're singing

or you're playing, it's going to be evident you're going to be

like everybody else. Like I've seen guys lead worship

who Can't Sing well, but wreck the room.

Why? Because their heart is aligned

with what the Lord is man and and his presence separates it

man. And that's something I think

that's why when we talk about like working for the Lord and we

talk about doing some great things for the Lord, we do it

because we want, we want to please him, not for him to

please us. You know, like we're not doing

it for like, if I do this, I'll get brownie points.

It's I'm doing this because I want to please my God.

But I love that. It's like, what?

How else will we be distinguished?

Jeez. I.

Love that person. Yeah.

So what's the flip side of that? You know, that's like how we're

distinguished how like in serving.

Well, what? What is?

What's the flip side? Of I think the flip side is it's

like we're going to go even if, if it's without you, because we

think it's what's best and we're going to do the best we can with

what we have. And it's not going to be

fruitful because God's presence is not out there, you know, so

it's going to be mediocre. It's going to and then and then

people, something I've noticed, and this is just an opinion and

a preference. So don't quote me on this, but

I've noticed like when when the Lord is a a part of like a word

like a sermon or a service, people say things like man, I

God showed me or I didn't know this about the word or I learned

this today or man that was awesome.

That was powerful. When it's not when he's not a

part of the conversation, it's man like that was I wish it was

louder. I was boring.

I was falling asleep, I was distracted.

Why did they play that chord? Why did he do this with that

like every it's like the the attention to detail is not about

the Lord. It's about.

Everything else. Right, like critiques.

Yeah, it's like it didn't. So just because like the Lord,

you know, like the Lord was not part of it, or maybe like you

don't understand, you know. So it's.

That's what I've noticed. Right.

Yeah, it becomes more like it it.

Becomes more of an advance instead of like a gathering for

the Lord, right? It's now just like a a gathering

for people. Right.

And it's like back to that, that first question is, is for the

personal fame rather than the fame of Jesus you.

Know. Yes, yeah.

Yeah, man, that's. And then if you think about

like, OK, think about access, we, we, we think of like, OK, I

want, if I, if I want to become, I want to go viral or I want

followers. I want people to like me.

You could pay money on Instagram to get followers.

Thanks. That's not hard.

You could, you could send out messages, you could have people

share it. Like dude, I could, I could

send, I could text my friends and say, hey, can you share this

on your posting please? I mean, we do this for work with

elected officials. You could pay companies to post

something. But God is the one who controls,

who sees it. And if you allow the Lord, yes,

you might get five hits, but one of those hits might be someone

who God is is moving to see it. And and that someone is

somebody. So that's the difference between

relying on people versus relying on God.

Oh, that's. So good, bro.

Oh, that's so good. And that's something like

earlier this week, you know, and specifically in that creating

content, you know, and pushing things out and wanted to do it

for the Lord, bro. And it's like, you know, wanting

to do it to not gain things here like gain followers, gain money,

get anything like that. But it's to put a spotlight on

him. And to be completely real.

My gain is going to be in heaven.

Mine is going to be like laying treasures in heaven and trying

to to point people in Ambrose. So it's just you saying that

reminded me. Yeah, man.

And then also when you get caught up in God's glory, you,

you get some of that shine on you, You know what I mean?

And I think that's where favor comes in.

Because if you're serving the Lord, if everything's about him,

then God is going to put you in other positions for more access

and capacity and capacity and for like bigger people to get

closer to you, not because of your talent, but because of his

faithfulness. And so he's like, man, here's,

here's a servant of the Lord. I'm, I'm, I'm watching over him.

So I'm going to move you into all these other positions, you

know, so you can continue to serve me.

But now it's going to be at a bigger level.

Man, I hear that and I think of yes, Lord, please, in Jesus

name, you know, if that's what you have for me.

But my concern is along that path, How do I stay out of the

trap of falling into my pride and thinking I did?

It no, no, you know, and that's the thing it's, it's always

going back. It's always going back.

I think it's preaching the gospel to yourself.

And then it's it's walking in humility because the truth is

everything I have is not mine. If I look at my life, it makes

no sense. And and I know we talked about

this in the past, but everything in my life was a launching pad

of the passions that that the Lord has ignited inside of me.

So like working with the city, but then at the same time

serving at my church, surf, Fort Worth, the Blue Zones project,

community hope. I mean, like it just all

snowballing, like it just moves from you stay faithful in one

thing. It just keeps going, you know,

So but I think it's it's staying humble, staying faithful and

then always like, OK, Lord, like asking the Lord.

All right, Lord, what do you have for like, what's going on?

What do you have for me? Yeah.

Here that's convicting bro like to be super real and we talked

about this a little bit before recording man, but that's

something that the Lord convicted me in last Friday in a

Bible study I was doing with my brother Jared and my nephew

Nicholas. You know something we've been

doing over a few weeks been going through the book of kings

and to be even more real is you know in that same time period,

you know what I do with the reels and you know filming stuff

like that is like the Holy Spirit convicted me.

You haven't been giving me your best, you know, So it's like

hearing that is the humility aspect of doing it for the Lord

'cause I feel like to, to check a list, like man, I got to do

this stuff right, you know, like there was no joy in it, you

know, And then the other aspect being like shifting gears and

like Lord, you've blessed me with this ability.

You've blessed me with these resources.

You've blessed me with, you know, how you knit me together

in my mother's womb. And I want to utilize all that

to bring you glory, not me. You deserve my bed, right man?

So. But I think that's a, that's,

that's the proper step because I don't even think people get to

that step. I think people just get into

something and then they think it's all about them.

Like I got to build it. I got to do this, I got to make

it work. And because God's grace and his

mercy, you know, he humbles us, you know, like, and that's what

I think happens. I think he humbles us in love.

Remember the Bible says the Lord disciplines those he loves and

and then it's then it's you have new mercies every day.

You know what lamentations say and, and you just got to keep

going. But I think for some of us,

because of our habits or our motives, we build a ceiling for

ourselves. So the Lord is like, man, I have

so much more for you. I have so much more for you, but

you're limiting yourself because you're not trusting me with it.

And then it's like, no, I do trust you with it.

And then the guys like, no, you, you don't because you say you

trust me with it. But the work you're putting

behind it is saying something totally different.

That's good, bro. That's good.

That convicted hit hit me right in the conviction.

Right there with that one, bro. Yeah, it's like when you say

that is, is like you're saying you, you say you, you trust me

with your boobs, but where your actions like men kill that

noise. Not there yet, right yet yes,

like you're saying it, I ain't seeing it and and there's 22

totally different things, even even me personally, just to be

honest, like I know we talked about this, but the beginning of

the year I was convicted and being in my preaching, like I

felt like I could do better, like I was preparing.

I was but, but I was trying to be more like, I'm not going to

say entertaining, but I was thinking too much on keeping

people's attention. A.

Little more charismatic. Yes, I was thinking a little bit

too much. And and then when when this new

year hit, I was like, I need to spend more time in preparation.

Come on, like so more time and like getting in the word

studying, you know, like forget about the time.

Like the humble work? Yeah, just the humble work.

Who cares what anybody else says.

They like it or not. Hey, there's thousands of other

churches you can go to if you don't like it.

But me personally, I was like, I got to focus more on my

relationship with the Christ and then my my time.

And in that skill set, you know, preparing in and out of season,

you know, like the Bible says, I'm tired, have a crazy it don't

matter and get that thing going. Yeah.

That's so good, bro. That's something you you said

previously like before that statement of, you know, visually

sometimes we just like you say that, but we got to see the

work. That comes in.

I'm a very visual learner, you know, so that's something I'm

super thankful for and how intentional God has been with

the men of God that he's placed around me like you and how you

prepare for the sermons and seeing the work behind his

podcast and seeing all the stuff you're doing behind the scenes

just to keep these doors open, bro.

And then, you know, when about a month ago, like 2 months ago,

maybe Steven really taking some time to sit down with me and

prepare for, to lead our men's Bible study, like really seeing

that work. And then the example that came

up yesterday and applying the things I've learned from you and

applying the things I've learned from Steven and being real with

my nephew and my brother last week that, you know, I haven't

been giving this my best in our Bible study is like, yeah, but

in that in that preparation and being humble, like being real

with things like man, you don't have it together.

But I'm trying to do this for the Lord and for.

Y'all exactly. The example that came to mind is

your dad. Yes, you know, and and Mr.

Robert and how he just shows up so intentionally in the small

things for our church and making sure it's clean, making sure

it's organized, making sure like, just the atmosphere that's

set before anybody walks in here and how he treats that humble

work so sacredly. Yes.

Yeah, Man, that's just a powerful example, brother.

Shout out, Mr. Robert. Yeah, no, I, I agree.

And and, and I know after hearing the last part, he was

like, how much do it offer the Lord and this and that, But even

growing up like that was something that we always heard.

It's like you don't go halfway with the things of God.

Like it, it's not about. So even my mom, you know, my mom

is a master teacher. Like I, I get a lot from her

growing up in that like she used to travel the state of Texas

teaching youth leaders how to do Sunday school.

Like like that's what her and her thing was you prepare

whether it's three people or 30 or 300 the same way.

So knowing that I'm only going to have five students in my

Sunday school class, I'm going to prepare like it is the last

thing that they hear, you know, like and that was the vibe.

Like that is that's the method. And even like from the get go of

City Post, there were Sundays where I knew there was only

going to be like 8 people in that gym because every people

out of town sick. Whatever you prepare man COVID.

Man. Bro, like preach into a camera

for months. It didn't matter.

Like I knew like God was going to use it, you know, and God

used that season to work things out in my life through it.

So you prepare and it's not for you, it's for the Lord.

It's like I'm doing this for God.

So I'm bringing my best every single time.

And I know we talked about this because I think that the our

culture says opposite, you know? Real quick, man, that that means

a perfect segue into a segment. I want to start for the podcast,

man. And that that segment called my

pastor got bars. Hey, what you're saying is like

that that conversation of what? Yeah, but it's facts though.

Like it's like what you're saying how what our society

pushes, you know, and we talked about that a little bit before

recording those four deadly words.

So today's topic for this brand, you saved me to the podcast, My

pastor got bars is those four deadly words.

So go for. It it's not that serious.

Which is 1 like you said our society is like poisoning us

with is like those 4 words. Think about that, how that

shifts things if it's not that serious.

Man, I hear it so much where it's like it's not that serious

or it's not that deep or like I hear that so much and, and in my

mind I'm like, well, it, it kind of is, especially if it's for

Christ, like the fact that you didn't prepare for the Lord, It

is that serious. I don't care if it's only like

10 people and your mama's one of them.

Like it doesn't matter. Like it's, it's, you always have

to prepare the best you can. But if you have a culture that

pushes back on preparation, hard work, you know, I told you I was

like, I feel like there's people that work so hard not to work

hard bro. Like y'all will find everything

and anything just not to bust a sweat.

And like there's a chair that needs to be moved.

Oh man, I can't make it or like it.

It's, it's like, man, it's crazy, man.

And we have a culture that we're taught to just do the bare

minimum, you know, and if you're asked to do anymore and you

don't want to be compensated for it, then forget it.

And that's not how this thing works, you know?

Man that's so good bro and it's again hit me right in the

conviction. Like, OK, so it's like, yeah,

they're asking me to do this, man, but I'm not going to be

paid for it. You don't see what's on the

other side of that. You don't see the opportunities,

you don't see the job offers, you don't see the person you're

tripping over 100 bucks and you don't see the future and what

God could be potentially, potentially giving you just

because you don't want to work extra.

You know, like it, it's it's crazy to me, you know, and I

just see it differently. Like I've, I know, like when

when I was in my Community Center days, like I'm just going

to, I'll give you one good example that, and this is

followed me when I was in my Community Center days, man, I

was at Rosemont. There was a big competition

where like the kids made these boats out of cardboard and tape

and then painted them. We did it with our kids.

Something happened where like the day of hurricane harbor

closed like something happened where they cancelled the events

and I was like man I had these kids bro.

So I called my mom and dad and I was like can we use your pool?

No so I have a picture of it and yes.

And it was on on a weekend. I was not getting paid for it

because I was an hourly employee.

Didn't care man. Went to my parents pool 3-4

hours. Ordered some pizza.

Few boats sank but there was one that rocked.

It had a great time. What was on the other side of

that was my programmer position, you know, because I was able to

bring that to an interview. Like there's things on the other

side that if our laziness takes over, it's going to be

preventing you. And that's why I say like

you're, you're going to have a ceiling on your life.

Now, some people are cool with it, like some people are cool

living basic. But I think man, like when you

have the Holy Spirit and God put something in you, you're not

cool with being basic, right? Like it's not going to allow you

to sleep. Man, bro, that's so real, that's

so good. And again, right back in the

conviction, because I think of, you know, the season I am with,

with this new job, you know, and all the extra stuff I like and

that's something that ain't in my job description, right?

I don't get paid for that. Like that's that's not my role.

You know what I mean? Like thinking of those and and

thinking back to a conversation, something you said is like, man,

is God using that. What I don't see on the other

side of that is God using it to expand my ability, right?

You know, and preparing for whatever's coming next in that

expansion process, bro, because it's uncomfortable.

It's worth, it's like, I like I got to get some stuff refined

out of me is usually some frustration.

But man, like you saying that took me back to that thought.

No, because like there's a difference between taking being

taken advantage of and a difference in like being given

opportunities. And I mean, it's, it's evident.

It's, it's evident. But when there's something

that's like a big project or an opportunity to connect with

people or work with like somebody on a higher level, why

wouldn't I take that? Because I don't want to work,

you know, like that's so dumb to me.

And, and, and I just think about like, there's people that have

these goals and dreams, you know, and visions, especially in

our creative space. And it's like, yeah, but you're

not willing to do the work. You're not willing to put any

more in. Like you're happy just chilling.

Man hearing, hearing all that and your Holy Spirit just

stepping on my neck today, but it's refusing to serve well and

refusing to do it for the Lord, bro, because it's not in my job

description, because it's not because I don't want to deal

with the latest dogs or, or these chickens or whatever.

You know the the situation may be bro, but man, that's that's a

good. Word and it's like what we we

talked about like yeah, those are four deadly words.

Like it's not that serious. But then God hits you with some

words too. My presence ain't there like.

I told you I'm my pastor. It's like, fine, it ain't that

serious. Cool.

I'm not going to be a part of it because your heart's not there

and your heart's not right. So like, and I, I believe man,

like I believe all heart God honors when you prepare well,

like God honors it, man, like God will will take that to the

next level. Like he'll take it to places

that you can't get there, can't even fathom, dude.

And when you prepare well and when you're like, OK, Lord, this

is for you, man. The Lord honors that.

It's such a mighty way and. That's why we try to make Jesus

famous. That's right.

We want his name out there. Yeah, if it ain't Jesus, then

none of this is worth it. That part, you know?

Then why do it? It's a waste of time.

You know It has to be about Christ.

Right. And then that reminder of doing

it for Christ. He deserves my best.

Exactly. Even when I'm tired.

Yeah. Even when I'm frustrated.

Even when I want to go like he deserves my best because he

showed up time and time and time and time again for me.

Bro exactly exactly. He's the king man.

Like we have got to change our perspective on like our

relationship with Christ. And going through the sermon

series, the gospel, I've learned so much.

Like there's been such a refreshing in my spirit with

understanding who God is, understanding our relationship

for sin, how jacked up we are, like how we deserve death.

We don't deserve nothing, man, and God, in his great mercy and

love, has given us a way out through Jesus and the way that

he's changed my life. Everything I have belongs to

him. So yes, my life is a living

sacrifice. You know, I had a friend of mine

there. There's some, they're great

friends of ours, but they made a comment one day and they were

like, you know, I just don't want my life to be all about

church. I don't want everything to be

about church. But I also flipped it and I was

like, I could say that about anything.

I don't want my life to be about youth sports.

I don't want my life to be about school.

I don't want my life to be about my kids.

I don't want my, I mean like go down the line and it's like no

like. And you're right, I don't want

my life to be all about church either.

I want my life to be all about Him.

And because I made my life all about to be about him, he's

like, this is what I want you to do.

So I take my marching orders from Christ, not from society or

what I want. If it was what I wanted, I'd be

doing something totally different.

I mean, I'd be gone every weekend if it was up to me, you

know? But this is what the Lord has

asked of my life. Unequivocal yes.

Amen man. Well, thank you bro for serving

well. No, I appreciate that.

Yeah, bro you you've you've grown so much in just a short

time that I've known you in grown in a man that's good grown

is a pastor as a teacher, as a communicator, as a father, as a

husband like bro, thank you. And that's, that's bearing a lot

of fruit of that relationship you have with the Lord and being

locked in with him and showing up when we don't want to, bro.

Or, you know, fresh off of surgery, you're still not

feeling too good. Like bro.

It's a powerful example, bro. So thank you, thank you, thank

you for serving with us. No, I appreciate that.

You know, we build different. So that's.

Right, shout out. Jesus but that's all I got bro.

I don't know if you got any closing thoughts.

And my only closing thought and I just didn't want to let this

go. Like, and when I think about

making sure that it's the name of Jesus that's famous and not

the name of this church or myself or anybody else in here,

it's important man, because if, if it's all about you, God is

only going to be able to take you so far.

And, and it's like, Nah, but like the, the dream I have, like

the vision is so big that we it's only God that's going to be

able to accomplish it. But Proverbs 16 five God detest

the proud of heart. So God hates pride.

So when our pride creeps in, when it, when we think we got it

all together, when we think we know it all, when we never ask

for help, when we never ask for opinions, when it's my way or

the highway. The Bible is real clear says

that God detest the proud of heart and they will not go

unpunished. So just keep that in mind as you

grow your ministry, as you ask the Lord for things, keep your

pride in check. Ask the Lord to take care of

that, because yeah, God and pride don't mix.

Right, man, It's a quote. A wise philosopher I've grown to

admire. Jermaine Pride is the devil,

bro. That's right.

That's all I got brought up. You wouldn't close anything.

Tremaine ain't wrong. Oh man, all right, city pugs, we

love y'all. We out.

Bye, guys.