Joy on the Sidewalks

WEBVTT100:00:00.600 --> 00:00:05.799I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours. And Me,200:00:06.160 --> 00:00:11.830Lord, I am yours, Iam yours. I'm welcome to the Gospel300:00:11.869 --> 00:00:17.429Center Pro Life Podcast, a podcastdesigned to equip, encourage and challenge you400:00:17.550 --> 00:00:21.699in pro life ministry and always werethe focus on the Gospel. Stay tuned.500:00:23.699 --> 00:00:36.609I felt show passish, touch yourheart. Use Me. Welcome back600:00:36.689 --> 00:00:41.369to the Gospel centered pro life podcast. We appreciate you guys listening. We're700:00:41.409 --> 00:00:44.850glad to be able to bring thesepodcast episodes you guys and help encourage you800:00:44.890 --> 00:00:48.170guys and your ministry on the sidewalk. And, as always, we want900:00:48.170 --> 00:00:50.799you guys to reach out to usif you've got questions, if you've got1000:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.960subject episode and so we'll give you, guys our email addresses at the end1100:00:54.960 --> 00:00:57.159of this episode so that you canreach out to us and give us what1200:00:57.240 --> 00:01:02.280your suggestions are for future podcast orclarification that you might need on other subjects1300:01:02.320 --> 00:01:07.590that we covered other I listen.We're not perfect. Vicki's close to perfect.1400:01:07.790 --> 00:01:11.590Yeah, she's not quite there yet, and so maybe we said something1500:01:11.670 --> 00:01:15.829that confused you and you need clarityon something or whatever. We would certainly1600:01:15.829 --> 00:01:21.060love to clarify that and answer anyquestions that you have, and so we'll1700:01:21.140 --> 00:01:23.659again. We'll give you our emailaddresses at the end of this but Vicky,1800:01:23.780 --> 00:01:30.420introduce our topic for today. TheI love this topic. It is1900:01:30.700 --> 00:01:38.370talking about where and how, oreven do you find joy in sidewalk ministry,2000:01:38.609 --> 00:01:45.689on the sidewalk, and unequivocally Ican answer yes, and I think2100:01:45.730 --> 00:01:49.920I have said before on past podcastthat when I was going through the hardest2200:01:49.959 --> 00:01:53.959time of my life, which wasa period of a few years actually,2300:01:53.480 --> 00:01:59.760I was a sidewalk counselor at thetime and I can say with absolute truth2400:02:00.359 --> 00:02:04.709that the greatest joy I found inlife was on the sidewalk and I think2500:02:04.909 --> 00:02:08.389that this podcast is going to helppeople to understand how that could be,2600:02:08.469 --> 00:02:13.789because here you are on a sidewalkwhere babies are dying by the dozens,2700:02:13.870 --> 00:02:15.819by classroom fulls, every day thatyou're out there, if you're at a2800:02:15.860 --> 00:02:21.379busy place like we are, andit's a grievous place, there's no doubt2900:02:21.379 --> 00:02:25.620about it, and you're watching someof the deepest darkis sin that is behind3000:02:25.860 --> 00:02:29.740every one of those will not everyone of those stories, but behind many3100:02:29.860 --> 00:02:34.009of those stories of the women goinginto a board, you are facing down3200:02:34.729 --> 00:02:38.930at the gates of hell. Itfeels like you are standing toetetoe with Satan3300:02:38.009 --> 00:02:43.930himself. Yeah, and how inthat kind of an environment, they it's3400:02:44.009 --> 00:02:49.199often physically very difficult three or fourhours usually that we're out there, usually3500:02:49.240 --> 00:02:57.840in really extremes of whether. Howdo you find joy? But but I3600:02:57.879 --> 00:03:00.310would say, I mean go ahead, one of the things up, because3700:03:00.310 --> 00:03:04.909I think I text you about thissubject. Yeah, US cover this subject,3800:03:04.909 --> 00:03:08.150as I think it would be ablessing. Yeah, is you just3900:03:08.349 --> 00:03:14.539the need for us to to reallyshine forth the joy of the Lord at4000:03:14.580 --> 00:03:17.099that place? Yeah, so thatwe're not just out there. I mean4100:03:17.219 --> 00:03:22.900kind of to me it was likewe want to be compelling, we want4200:03:22.900 --> 00:03:27.169to compel, we want we wantto encourage the women that are going into4300:03:27.169 --> 00:03:29.569the abortions in a minute there,going into the abortion center, to come4400:03:29.610 --> 00:03:31.810and talk to us. And soif we're just out there as a bunch4500:03:31.810 --> 00:03:38.050of gruffs, they're just angry atabortion. We're angry, and we talked4600:03:38.050 --> 00:03:40.520about this in our podcast about motivation. Like the anger and the hatred for4700:03:40.599 --> 00:03:45.039abortion can't be our motivation, right. We've got to be motivated by love4800:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.599for God yeah, and so ofthe love of God and the joy of4900:03:47.639 --> 00:03:53.919the Lord kind of exudes from us, then the hope is that it will5000:03:53.960 --> 00:03:58.270spill over onto others. Now,of course that's got to be tempered with5100:03:58.310 --> 00:04:00.789the fact that they're murdering babies insideof there, and there's certainly an appropriate5200:04:00.870 --> 00:04:05.469response. Is Weeping in anger canbe an appropriate response to what's going on5300:04:05.550 --> 00:04:09.069out there. And yes, soI don't mean to say that we need5400:04:09.150 --> 00:04:12.939to pretend to be full of joyout there and be smiling ear to ear5500:04:13.060 --> 00:04:16.860when we don't really we're not reallyjoyful. But I think this podcast hopefully,5600:04:17.540 --> 00:04:20.779if you do have a problem beingjoyful out there, will encourage you5700:04:20.860 --> 00:04:27.610to be joyful and kind of theoutflow of that would be that that magnetic5800:04:27.810 --> 00:04:31.930nature of joy and life. Andbecause we want love life, we want5900:04:32.009 --> 00:04:34.730to show that we love life,not just that we hate abortion, we6000:04:34.810 --> 00:04:39.000hate death, we love life andwe want our presence to be one of6100:04:39.120 --> 00:04:43.600joy. And so I'll just practicallyshare with you as in Washington state and6200:04:44.000 --> 00:04:47.040spending time with our missionary there,who's awesome woman of God and just doing6300:04:47.040 --> 00:04:54.550an amazing work there in Washington state. Washington state that mean like across the6400:04:54.589 --> 00:04:58.149United States of America. This isthe case, but I think him Washington6500:04:58.189 --> 00:05:01.389state it's even even thicker like this, this darkness that looms over that place.6600:05:01.509 --> 00:05:04.750You just a lot of deception,witchcraft and all that stuff. And6700:05:05.829 --> 00:05:09.660what I found was I was therein front of one of the plan parenthoods6800:05:09.699 --> 00:05:13.620there just doing my thing, doingwhat I normally do. And you know,6900:05:13.660 --> 00:05:15.740if I'm if I'm ministering at anabortion center on a busy road,7000:05:16.339 --> 00:05:20.850I'm going to be smiling and wavingat everybody that comes by. And I'm7100:05:20.889 --> 00:05:27.529doing that not just because I'm someyou know, some Hick that they just7200:05:27.649 --> 00:05:30.930wants to be smiling away and allthe time and how a y'all doing?7300:05:30.050 --> 00:05:32.810You know, not, not becauseof that. I'm really doing that because7400:05:32.850 --> 00:05:36.360I want to build relationships. Yeah, that's that's that's at the end of7500:05:36.399 --> 00:05:41.120the day. That's what I wantto do and in particular, I want7600:05:41.160 --> 00:05:44.399to build relationships with the men andwomen that are coming into the abortion center.7700:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.519I want to gain their trust.And who do you trust more?7800:05:46.720 --> 00:05:50.149Someone that has, you know,has a really sour look on their face7900:05:50.310 --> 00:05:54.670that looks like a gruff that's justlike, you know, looking at you8000:05:54.829 --> 00:05:59.910like you're like you're Weirdo, orsomebody that's smiling and waving. Right.8100:05:59.990 --> 00:06:01.589Who Do you who would you bemore inclined to stop and talk to?8200:06:01.629 --> 00:06:05.899You somebody that's happy, smiling andwaving. And so I don't know who's8300:06:05.939 --> 00:06:09.579going to be pulling into the abortioncenter right. I don't know of all8400:06:09.620 --> 00:06:12.420the traffic that's passing by, Idon't know which ones are going to take8500:06:12.500 --> 00:06:15.819that turn into the abortion center,because I'm trying to smile, wave and8600:06:15.899 --> 00:06:18.649make eye contact long before they getthere. And so, since I don't8700:06:18.649 --> 00:06:21.569know who they are that are pullingin, I'm going to do it for8800:06:21.610 --> 00:06:26.569everybody. So I'm joyful and listen, this is not a put on fake8900:06:26.689 --> 00:06:29.529joy. I have the joy ofthe Lord, even in front of a9000:06:29.610 --> 00:06:33.160place of death, because at theend of the day, I know Jesus9100:06:33.560 --> 00:06:39.519like I know the God who madethe heavens and the Earth, and I'm9200:06:39.639 --> 00:06:43.600his child. Yeah, right,in his Holy Spirit, the same spirit9300:06:43.680 --> 00:06:47.629that raised Jesus from the dead livesinside of me. I have the word9400:06:47.670 --> 00:06:51.990of God, like God has givenme his word to read and to meditate9500:06:53.149 --> 00:06:58.629on. I'm in fellowship with him, and that stuff gives me joy.9600:06:59.269 --> 00:07:02.660I actually believe that stuff right,and so, even in spite of all9700:07:02.699 --> 00:07:05.699that's going on in the world,all the terrible stuff, and the end9800:07:05.699 --> 00:07:10.300of the day, I know Godand I know he's going to right all9900:07:10.379 --> 00:07:14.180the wrongs, even what's going oninside of there. And so I don't10000:07:14.220 --> 00:07:15.649have to be angry, I don'thave to be full of you know,10100:07:16.250 --> 00:07:20.769even fear or whatever of the future, because I know the one. This10200:07:20.889 --> 00:07:23.610is kind of Cheesy, right,I don't have to be afraid of the10300:07:23.649 --> 00:07:26.329future because I know the one thatholds the future. It's such a good10400:07:26.410 --> 00:07:29.089line. Enough, it's a goodit's a good line, but it's true.10500:07:29.129 --> 00:07:31.920That is good. I'm in covenantwith him, right, and I10600:07:32.040 --> 00:07:38.439can be joyful and that joy canshow on my face and that joy can10700:07:38.480 --> 00:07:41.279actually compel others to stop and talkto me. And I'm telling you,10800:07:41.399 --> 00:07:46.470people are more inclined to talk withyou if you're joyful, if you're if10900:07:46.509 --> 00:07:48.310you're full of life. Because I'lltell you who's not full of life.11000:07:48.949 --> 00:07:51.750The people inside the abortion clinic,right, right. I mean we know11100:07:51.870 --> 00:07:58.230plenty of people that worked in theabortion industry that quit and they're not happy.11200:07:59.060 --> 00:08:01.540Their job is not a fun job. The whole place. The atmosphere11300:08:01.540 --> 00:08:07.779inside the abortion clinic is darkness,it's death, it's really heavy inside of11400:08:07.819 --> 00:08:11.100their we know because we've heard fromthousands of women that have been inside of11500:08:11.139 --> 00:08:16.089the abortion clinic and many workers thatworked inside of the abortion clinic. Again,11600:08:16.569 --> 00:08:18.129so we know it's dark and they'renot full of joy inside of there.11700:08:18.610 --> 00:08:26.410So why not really help create astark contrast between plan parenthood or,11800:08:26.009 --> 00:08:30.439you know, a preferred woman's houseand er whatever abortion clinic is created a11900:08:30.519 --> 00:08:35.559start contract between the atmosphere inside ofthere with the atmosphere that's outside, with12000:08:35.679 --> 00:08:39.559the Christians that are out here wholove Jesus and the love people. So12100:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.590that's that's kind of what came tomind as I thought about this subject and12200:08:43.710 --> 00:08:46.990why I kind of shot that takeseverybody, you to encourage you hate.12300:08:46.990 --> 00:08:50.830We need to do an episode aboutthis and basically you have just summarized the12400:08:50.909 --> 00:08:56.980entire article and one very eloquent coupleof minutes there. But Um, it's12500:08:56.259 --> 00:09:00.700report. We can wrap it upright now now. We actually have a12600:09:01.139 --> 00:09:05.620lot of scriptural support and honestly,you did touch in a general way on12700:09:05.860 --> 00:09:09.620on everything that scripture points out butI do want to say if you don't12800:09:09.980 --> 00:09:13.769have that joy, you're not goingto last. You will not last out12900:09:13.809 --> 00:09:18.610there. We do need to tapinto that joy in order to be sustained13000:09:18.690 --> 00:09:24.360out there. So so I justthe way I what I did after Daniel13100:09:24.440 --> 00:09:28.039had this this inspiration, and whatI did was I did a word study13200:09:28.080 --> 00:09:33.159of joy in the Bible. Andthere's hundreds, hundreds and hundreds of versus13300:09:33.240 --> 00:09:37.360about joy, to the point whereI had to just like just I couldn't13400:09:37.360 --> 00:09:39.909even read them all. I hadto just cut off after I did like13500:09:39.110 --> 00:09:43.590twenty. I thought, okay,that's better enough. But they they point13600:09:43.750 --> 00:09:46.950out, I think each verse Itried to pick once that pointed out a13700:09:46.990 --> 00:09:54.059different aspect of where that joy comesfrom and and how it could be applied13800:09:54.139 --> 00:09:56.340at our at our work on thesidewalk. So let's give that a shot.13900:09:56.379 --> 00:10:01.259I'll kind of give you the summaryof what I've found in a verse14000:10:01.460 --> 00:10:05.779and then you can read the verseand and expound upon it. But but14100:10:05.059 --> 00:10:15.250the first one is it is inadversity and opposition that's strange and joy are14200:10:15.370 --> 00:10:18.690built. And so just think ofthat adversity and opposition. While we certainly14300:10:18.730 --> 00:10:22.840see plenty of that out on outon the sidewalk. Yes, we do.14400:10:24.159 --> 00:10:26.320Yeah, and so James and JamesWon. Yeah, I love this14500:10:26.399 --> 00:10:31.720passage. First two counted all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials14600:10:31.759 --> 00:10:37.190of various kinds, for you knowthat the testing of your faith produces steadfastness,14700:10:37.710 --> 00:10:41.669and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and14800:10:41.789 --> 00:10:45.909complete, lacking in nothing. Soand he's talking about people, he's talking14900:10:45.909 --> 00:10:48.750about Christians that are being persecuted,some of them unto death. He's saying15000:10:50.860 --> 00:10:54.899take joy, count it all joy, and that word joy, I think,15100:10:54.059 --> 00:11:00.100is very intentional, that even thoughwe don't feel good, maybe even15200:11:00.139 --> 00:11:03.529outwardly, because of persecution or whatever, we can be joyful in the fact15300:11:03.570 --> 00:11:09.690that we know the Lord and thatGod is using even when someone persecutes us15400:11:09.690 --> 00:11:13.210or calls US names or whatever,God is using that to test our faith15500:11:13.409 --> 00:11:18.919and to produce, produce steadfastness tomake us more like Jesus. All right,15600:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.559yeah, so it's going to strengthenus and it helps you to look15700:11:20.559 --> 00:11:24.519at those trials, I think,in a very different way, instead of15800:11:24.559 --> 00:11:28.279saying woe is me, look atwhat I'm enduring out here. It can15900:11:28.320 --> 00:11:33.190be lucky me, look at theopportunity to grow in my strength in the16000:11:33.309 --> 00:11:39.830Lord and my stead fat, fatsteadfastness and in my faith. So there's16100:11:39.870 --> 00:11:45.190a shift that happens when no,when you know there's a there's a passage16200:11:45.230 --> 00:11:48.419in acts. I believe it's inacts, chapter four, Gush, it16300:11:48.500 --> 00:11:52.100could be a little later on.You guys probably who are listening, probably16400:11:52.379 --> 00:11:54.539more than I do, but youknow know the passage when I mention it.16500:11:54.620 --> 00:12:00.740That where Peter and John were beatenfor speaking the name of Jesus,16600:12:00.820 --> 00:12:05.129preaching the name of Jesus, andit said they rejoice because they were accounted16700:12:05.250 --> 00:12:09.090worthy to suffer for his namesake.So they rejoice. They were happy that16800:12:09.129 --> 00:12:13.889they were beaten. That's kind ofhard, but they saw things from an16900:12:13.889 --> 00:12:18.559eternal perspective and they were able torejoice because they were counted worthy to suffer17000:12:18.639 --> 00:12:24.000for the name of Jesus. Theyloved to Jesus and they were able to17100:12:24.039 --> 00:12:26.559be identified with him in that wayand they were joyful. Man, that's17200:12:26.679 --> 00:12:31.669tough, but the Holy Spirit cangive us strength to be joyful even in17300:12:31.710 --> 00:12:33.470the midst of being beat with therods like they were. Yeah, and17400:12:33.629 --> 00:12:41.789actually that feeds into the second generalprinciple of joy. The Holy Spirit brings17500:12:41.909 --> 00:12:48.500joy and the Holy Spirit is presentin every believer. And on that sidewalk17600:12:48.580 --> 00:12:52.220the Holy Spirit is there. Yeah, absolutely. We know the fruits of17700:12:52.259 --> 00:12:56.740the spirit. The fruit of thespirit is love. WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE?17800:12:56.820 --> 00:13:01.929Joy, peace, patience, kindthat's goodness, faithfuless, gentleness and17900:13:01.049 --> 00:13:05.169self control. The Holy Spirit workingin US again. This is the spirit18000:13:05.250 --> 00:13:11.169that raised Jesus from him the dead. This is the Holy Spirit. The18100:13:11.529 --> 00:13:15.399what the third person of the Trinity, right, what we identify as the18200:13:15.480 --> 00:13:20.480third person of the Trinity? He'sGod living inside of us. Yeah,18300:13:20.639 --> 00:13:26.200this same God who created all things, who, you know, some people18400:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.110joke and say God has a senseof humor. He does this. This18500:13:30.309 --> 00:13:33.070God, the God of the Bible. Yes, there's a heaviness, there's18600:13:33.070 --> 00:13:35.710a weightiness to his presence. Right, he's not to be trifled with.18700:13:35.789 --> 00:13:39.789He's holy, he's other than he'sdifferent than we are, but he's also18800:13:39.830 --> 00:13:45.379a god of joy. And tothe point where here the Holy Spirit of18900:13:45.460 --> 00:13:52.980God, the fruit, the outflowof his working is joy. And so19000:13:52.139 --> 00:13:56.169we can be joyful in the midstof trial, we can be joyful in19100:13:56.210 --> 00:14:00.210the midst of darkness and death,because we know him and we have him19200:14:00.250 --> 00:14:03.649in US right. So similar truth, and this is our third one,19300:14:03.769 --> 00:14:09.840is that we cannot serve without thehelp of Jesus and our joy is full19400:14:11.440 --> 00:14:18.639when we rely on him. whereelse do you rely so heavily upon the19500:14:18.720 --> 00:14:24.389Holy Spirit then in an impossible ministrylike this young yeah, yeah, absolutely.19600:14:26.149 --> 00:14:30.190It's like put yourself out there sothat you're beholding to the Lord.19700:14:30.269 --> 00:14:33.149If you do ministry and you're involvedin things that you can do in your19800:14:33.190 --> 00:14:37.590own natural giftings as not a wholelot of joy in that right. But19900:14:37.669 --> 00:14:41.220if you push yourself out of yourcomfort zone and you watch the Holy Spirit20000:14:41.299 --> 00:14:45.059move through you, there's a lotof joy and just looking back and seeing.20100:14:45.139 --> 00:14:48.659I mean we had an experience yesterdaywhere we did a one hour journey20200:14:48.700 --> 00:14:52.450with some pastor or some leaders outon the sidewalk, and that's where we20300:14:52.529 --> 00:14:56.250take pastors and leaders out to kindof show them the Ministry of Love Life20400:14:56.250 --> 00:15:00.210and kind of talking through just havesome time to pray. There's a really20500:15:00.250 --> 00:15:03.690sweet moment in the Lord's presence wherewe are praying. We are praying for20600:15:03.850 --> 00:15:07.039God to protect those babies inside thebuilding and for women to run out of20700:15:07.120 --> 00:15:11.759that place. Thirty minutes later,this young lady comes running out of that20800:15:11.879 --> 00:15:16.279place, just as she prayed.Yeah, it's like thirty minutes after we20900:15:16.399 --> 00:15:18.200pray, Sam, it was Presus, like you prayed. Yeah, so21000:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.909she comes running out of that placeand it's like we get to look back21100:15:20.909 --> 00:15:24.590and we know it's God's work.Right, God did the stuff. It21200:15:24.750 --> 00:15:28.629wasn't us, right, but I'mlike, this one brother who's out there21300:15:30.070 --> 00:15:33.669called me. He's like joy,like you, just in his voice,21400:15:33.750 --> 00:15:35.620like that was miraculous, I wasamazing. God, let us be a21500:15:35.740 --> 00:15:39.259part of that. It was allthe work of the Lord. But God21600:15:39.379 --> 00:15:45.779uses prayer and God uses people,so we were counted worthy to be part21700:15:45.820 --> 00:15:50.450of that whole situation, and that'sso amazing and brings so much joy.21800:15:50.649 --> 00:15:54.850But never would we've been able toexperience that if we didn't put ourselves on21900:15:54.929 --> 00:15:58.889the line, make ourselves uncomfortable andjust being out there on the sidewall and22000:15:58.009 --> 00:16:02.250depend with ourselves in an impossible situations. Right, and but the God,22100:16:02.370 --> 00:16:06.639who's the God over the impossible,will do make possible what we think is22200:16:06.720 --> 00:16:11.360impossible. And I love the versethat that we connected with this one.22300:16:11.480 --> 00:16:15.799John Sixteen Twenty Four. Yeah,until now you've asked nothing in my name.22400:16:17.039 --> 00:16:21.389Asked and you will receive that yourjoy may be full. This is22500:16:21.429 --> 00:16:26.190US asking the Lord so that ourjoy may be full, bringing our petitions22600:16:26.269 --> 00:16:30.309before God so that our joy maybe full. God wants to give us22700:16:30.429 --> 00:16:33.419fullness of joy and he'll do it. That's so much what you described.22800:16:33.620 --> 00:16:37.340You asked in that prayer for thewoman, for that people would run out.22900:16:37.379 --> 00:16:41.019The woman ran out and your joywas full because not only had you23000:16:41.100 --> 00:16:45.940seen the power of God, butyou had seen his gracious response to a23100:16:45.019 --> 00:16:51.049specific prayer. Doesn't always work thatway, but it it. When it23200:16:51.210 --> 00:16:55.370does, my goodness, the joyis is, as this verse says,23300:16:55.409 --> 00:17:00.440your joy is full. The presenceof God is very strong when we face23400:17:00.559 --> 00:17:07.839a ferocious enemy, which there isno I mean we are facing Satan.23500:17:07.880 --> 00:17:10.519Like I've said, we are atthe gates of hell when you're in sidelock23600:17:10.599 --> 00:17:15.910ministry. So when you are inthe presence of God, when he is23700:17:15.069 --> 00:17:23.589coming against his most forceful enemy,Satan himself, there is a fullness of23800:17:23.670 --> 00:17:29.990joy. Yeah, absolutely, PsalmSixteen Eleven, you make known to me23900:17:30.099 --> 00:17:33.539the path of life in your presenceis the fullness of joy at your right24000:17:33.660 --> 00:17:40.140hand or pleasures for Evermore. Here'sa point that we've touched on so many24100:17:40.180 --> 00:17:42.180times and we're going to keep ontouching on. Yes, we're in the24200:17:42.259 --> 00:17:45.930presence of the Lord. Wherever wego on the sidewalk, the Lord is24300:17:47.049 --> 00:17:51.210in US and his presence is thereand sometimes you can like tangibly feel the24400:17:51.289 --> 00:17:56.410presence of the Lord, like God'sdoing something miraculous behind the scenes. But24500:17:56.809 --> 00:18:02.359I will say we need to bepersonally in our walk with the Lord,24600:18:02.599 --> 00:18:06.480in his presence, because there canbe a heaviness in our lives. But24700:18:06.599 --> 00:18:08.880when we get in the presence theLord between us and and the Lord,24800:18:10.079 --> 00:18:14.829spending time in prayer with the Lord, his presence, as he touches our24900:18:14.869 --> 00:18:18.509hearts, as he speaks to usthrough his word, I mean not.25000:18:18.750 --> 00:18:22.710I'll all sometimes getting my prayer,calls it, and put some worship music25100:18:22.789 --> 00:18:26.980on the just worship him and justgetting refreshed in his presence brings joy and25200:18:27.019 --> 00:18:30.099I can go and I can goon the sidewalk in this very dark place,25300:18:32.339 --> 00:18:37.339but I can minister enjoy because Ijust had an encounter with my father25400:18:37.539 --> 00:18:40.619right he just spoke to my heart. He just spoke something fresh to me25500:18:40.779 --> 00:18:44.529through his word and energized me,and so I can minister out of that25600:18:44.730 --> 00:18:48.890life that he's put in me andI can minister enjoy even in spite of25700:18:48.930 --> 00:18:52.490the death and there the darkness isgoing on inside of that place. Yeah,25800:18:52.490 --> 00:18:56.720and so it's very important for anyoneinvolved in this kind of ministry,25900:18:56.759 --> 00:19:02.160really any ministry that especially such aFO cult ministry, to have a regular26000:19:02.319 --> 00:19:07.480time where you are intentional, intentionalabout spending time in the presence of the26100:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.069Lord. Yeah, and you knowchurch, of course, but I think26200:19:11.109 --> 00:19:15.789an alone time with with God isreally, really important and that's what Jesus26300:19:15.950 --> 00:19:19.990models himself. And for me it'sso it's getting in in nature in my26400:19:21.069 --> 00:19:23.619Kayak, on long hikes, onmy bike, on long walks, something26500:19:23.740 --> 00:19:29.180where there's no one around me andI'm surrounded by the beauty of his creation26600:19:29.220 --> 00:19:33.059and I'm not worshiping the creation,but it just brings me more in touch26700:19:33.180 --> 00:19:37.730with the Creator and that's when I'mprobably most closely feel his presence and I26800:19:38.049 --> 00:19:42.450need a lot of that time,and even more so if I'm at on26900:19:42.529 --> 00:19:48.130the sidewalk more. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. We knew the27000:19:48.170 --> 00:19:52.329passage give us this day our dailybread. We Need Mana from heaven.27100:19:52.369 --> 00:19:55.559Yeah, and we need it everyday. Every day we need to be27200:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.839spending time in the presence of theLord. Yeah, every day. Whatever27300:19:57.920 --> 00:20:02.680that looks like. I mean foryou it's on your Kayak. For me27400:20:03.079 --> 00:20:04.720it's in the morning when I getup, and I do think that,27500:20:04.920 --> 00:20:07.789and I'm pretty sure you do this. Like we get up, we spend27600:20:07.829 --> 00:20:11.710time in the word, we stemspend time in prayer. Right, some27700:20:11.829 --> 00:20:15.789people spend more focused time in prayerand in my early part of my walk27800:20:15.869 --> 00:20:18.710with the Lord, my most focusedtime you. I'd get up in the27900:20:18.750 --> 00:20:22.299morning, read some scripture and doyour quick prayer to start my day,28000:20:22.380 --> 00:20:25.339but my most focused time was actuallyin the evenings before I went to bed.28100:20:25.420 --> 00:20:26.579It was just it was a bleedbest time in the presence of the28200:20:26.619 --> 00:20:32.059Lord and inner jazz and refreshed mein his presence. So whatever that looks28300:20:32.099 --> 00:20:34.099like for you guys, there's plentyof books out there about how to get28400:20:34.140 --> 00:20:37.250in the presence of the Lord.But listen, if you're involved in this28500:20:37.369 --> 00:20:41.609ministry, what do we say?Be In the word and be in prayer,28600:20:41.730 --> 00:20:44.809be in church. He's your threemeans that God has given to help28700:20:44.930 --> 00:20:52.279us to stay fueled. And ifyou're walking in you kind of a lack28800:20:52.359 --> 00:20:56.799of joy in your life, maybeyou need to examine. Am I really28900:20:56.799 --> 00:21:00.319spending time with the Lord? AmI really spending time with this God of29000:21:00.480 --> 00:21:03.710joy, this God who, youknow, the Holy Spirit, that the29100:21:03.789 --> 00:21:07.869fruit of his Holy Spirit is oneof those fruits is is joy right?29200:21:07.910 --> 00:21:11.710And so it's been a time inthe presence of the God who brings joy,29300:21:11.789 --> 00:21:15.710in the presence of the Lord andyour presence, there's fullness of joys29400:21:15.910 --> 00:21:21.660is vital to us. Exuding thatjoy is exuding the right words that sound,29500:21:21.819 --> 00:21:25.660yes, very good words. That'sElla, Daniel, and you'll get29600:21:25.779 --> 00:21:30.819extra credit. No, it's yeah, yeah, I also have a warning29700:21:30.740 --> 00:21:36.450what you point out. It's notjust abiding in his presence, you know,29800:21:36.609 --> 00:21:38.849through prayer or wherever you find God, a per closet, whatever,29900:21:38.930 --> 00:21:44.170but but abiding in his word,because that's how he speaks very tangibly to30000:21:44.250 --> 00:21:48.160us. His word is it's written. He's written what we need to hear30100:21:48.279 --> 00:21:52.519and know. And and so Ithink it's very important that again, it30200:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.559be intentional, that you see youfine time when you are alone with God,30300:21:56.759 --> 00:21:59.519no distractions, no TV on,and for me. It's early,30400:21:59.559 --> 00:22:03.789early morning, nobody else is awake. I sit down with coffee and breakfast30500:22:03.910 --> 00:22:08.390in and open up my Bible andand that's when I absorb so much of30600:22:10.349 --> 00:22:15.980what God is saying to me.So really important for for every one of30700:22:17.859 --> 00:22:22.299us who are involved in sidewalk ministry. There is sorrow for you, like30800:22:22.460 --> 00:22:26.619you said early on. Therefore,there is grief, there is sorrow in30900:22:26.940 --> 00:22:33.930in this ministry, but we havea hope. We cannot forget that hope31000:22:34.609 --> 00:22:41.130that will see Jesus in the end. And in the end all things will31100:22:41.170 --> 00:22:45.839may be made right and no onecan steal the certainty of that joy.31200:22:47.119 --> 00:22:48.519I just read, by the way, this is a little bit off topic,31300:22:48.559 --> 00:22:52.319but it's true too. This morningin my Bible study it mentioned a31400:22:52.400 --> 00:23:02.390movie where the line was if,if it's not all right, it will31500:23:02.430 --> 00:23:06.549all be made right in the end, and if it isn't all right,31600:23:07.470 --> 00:23:11.750it's not the end. And that'sjust a movie line, but it's actually31700:23:11.950 --> 00:23:17.460theologically kind of true. In theend it will all be made right and31800:23:17.619 --> 00:23:22.180we can be joyful in the midstof all those setbacks and that whore that31900:23:22.259 --> 00:23:26.299we often see on earth, becausewe know the end of the story,32000:23:26.660 --> 00:23:30.529and there's a couple of good versesthat that go along with with that thought.32100:23:32.410 --> 00:23:34.769Yeah, so, John Sixteen,twenty two. Yeah. So,32200:23:34.970 --> 00:23:40.289also, you have sorrow now,but I will see you again in your32300:23:40.329 --> 00:23:44.720hearts will rejoice and no one willtake your joy from you, no one,32400:23:44.960 --> 00:23:48.279knowing to no one, and nothingcontaining this present. Right. Yeah.32500:23:48.519 --> 00:23:52.960Absolutely. Also, I'm thirty versefive, for His anger is but32600:23:52.119 --> 00:23:57.390for a moment and his favor isfor a lifetime. Weeping May Tarry for32700:23:57.470 --> 00:24:03.029the night, but joy comes inthe morning. Amen. Yeah, so32800:24:06.309 --> 00:24:10.299this is the day that God hasappointed for us. Right, we all32900:24:10.539 --> 00:24:15.339have today, right now. We'renot guaranteed anything else. We can rejoice33000:24:15.619 --> 00:24:21.019in that simple fact. We canrejoice in that day and be assured that33100:24:21.220 --> 00:24:26.890God wants us there at that veryplace, at that very moment, speaking33200:24:26.009 --> 00:24:32.529those very words and finding joy inthe hours that he has given us to33300:24:32.569 --> 00:24:36.329serve. I mean, nothing isan extent nothing. Nothing isn't that.33400:24:36.410 --> 00:24:40.519God doesn't make mistakes. US beingthere in front of that abortion center is33500:24:40.880 --> 00:24:42.160if God has called you there,and of course, if you're there,33600:24:42.359 --> 00:24:48.200you probably believe he has. That'swhere you're supposed to be, and there's33700:24:48.279 --> 00:24:51.880joy knowing that you're in the placewhere God has appointed you to be.33800:24:52.799 --> 00:24:56.269Amen. Yeah, some one eighteen, verse twenty four. This is the33900:24:56.390 --> 00:25:00.750day that the Lord has made.Let us rejoice and be glad in it.34000:25:00.990 --> 00:25:03.950A man, we can rejoice andbe glad. Yeah, there is34100:25:03.109 --> 00:25:08.980joy in discovering the strength of Godwhen our strength fails us. We have34200:25:10.099 --> 00:25:14.660touched on that on on past podcast. It's not our strength, it's it's34300:25:14.779 --> 00:25:19.460the student of God. And whenwe recognize that, our strength will fail34400:25:19.500 --> 00:25:22.769us. All of us are goingto get old like me, and you34500:25:22.890 --> 00:25:26.450are going to find that you arenot as strong as you used to be34600:25:26.690 --> 00:25:32.569and and things are falling apart.So your strength will fail and if your34700:25:32.730 --> 00:25:37.200joy is built on you being strongand able to conquer the world, that34800:25:37.359 --> 00:25:41.680will end. Yeah, it's kindof goes back to that whole one about34900:25:41.480 --> 00:25:45.359kind of putting ourselves out there andseeing God do the impossible through us.35000:25:45.359 --> 00:25:51.109Yes, is that we learned thatthe strength that is needed to accomplish the35100:25:51.150 --> 00:25:55.109mission that God has called us whocomes from him. And so here this35200:25:55.230 --> 00:25:57.670passage in the AMA eight hundred andten, which is a powerful passage scripture,35300:25:59.309 --> 00:26:02.710it says, then he said tothem go your way, eat the35400:26:02.789 --> 00:26:06.819fat and drink the sweet wine andsend portions to anyone who has nothing ready35500:26:07.819 --> 00:26:11.059for this day is wholly to theLord. Do not be grieved, for35600:26:11.140 --> 00:26:14.779the joy of the Lord is yourstrength. Yeah, the joy of the35700:26:14.859 --> 00:26:18.170Lord. Now there's a heaviness.This is Nehemiah. This is Nehemiah sharing35800:26:18.329 --> 00:26:22.170with the children of Israel how theyhad turned away from God, and this35900:26:22.210 --> 00:26:26.009is like revival breaking out and theythese people are broken and they're fasting and36000:26:26.490 --> 00:26:30.569praying before the Lord because, youknow, they're praying for the Lord to36100:26:30.650 --> 00:26:36.599restore his people and restore Jerusalem.Leave. That's the context here, and36200:26:36.759 --> 00:26:38.160the am I encourages them. Yeah, I mean, there's a time to36300:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.920weep and all that. Right,we know that in scripture, but he's36400:26:41.960 --> 00:26:45.519saying the joy of the Lord isyour strength. Be Joyful in God,36500:26:45.640 --> 00:26:49.269like we are his children, weknow him, so let the joy be36600:26:49.430 --> 00:26:52.670your strength. Yeah, and soguys on the sidewalk. Yeah, again36700:26:52.710 --> 00:26:56.190it's heavy inside of there. They'rekilling babies and the church is not risen36800:26:56.230 --> 00:27:00.549up in the number that she needsto rise up, and that can be36900:27:00.630 --> 00:27:03.940heavy. And we want our nationto turn back to the Lord and repentance37000:27:04.140 --> 00:27:08.819needs to flow across the land andrestoration to God. But let's let the37100:27:08.940 --> 00:27:11.900joy the Lord be our strength.Even in spite of that, that we37200:27:12.099 --> 00:27:15.490know him, that God is stilldoing something in this earth. Babies are37300:27:15.529 --> 00:27:21.329being saved at places of death,the Gospels being preached right souls are coming37400:27:21.369 --> 00:27:23.329into the kingdom, not as manyas we would like, but they're still37500:27:23.410 --> 00:27:26.890coming into the Kingdom of God andwe get to be a part of that.37600:27:26.410 --> 00:27:30.319So let's let the joy of theLord out there be our strength,37700:27:30.400 --> 00:27:33.240let it be our energy, whatenergize them with, what gets us up37800:27:33.279 --> 00:27:36.519in the morning and gets us outthere on the sidewalk with the joy the37900:27:36.599 --> 00:27:40.240Lord be that strength. Yeah,and so we have an article out and38000:27:40.519 --> 00:27:44.079we're not going to go over therest of it because, well, we'll38100:27:44.079 --> 00:27:47.789let you read those in the article. I'm going to go all the way38200:27:47.829 --> 00:27:49.950to the last point in the article, but you all can look at that38300:27:51.109 --> 00:27:56.269article that comes out with this lotsof really great verses and I think it's38400:27:56.349 --> 00:28:03.420given you a taste of of thefact that scripturally there's no doubt we should38500:28:03.460 --> 00:28:07.619have joy in ministry for the Lord. But all these passages, I'll just38600:28:07.700 --> 00:28:11.099say you guys need to read thearticle because, yeah, all of these38700:28:11.180 --> 00:28:15.529passages, in the points that arethat are kind of made and then reiterated38800:28:15.529 --> 00:28:18.930by these passages of scripture are powerful. Just talking about joy, I mean38900:28:18.009 --> 00:28:25.329joy is a common word throughout allof the Old Testament and the New Testament39000:28:25.369 --> 00:28:29.279and of course we know, listenin light of what's going on around us.39100:28:29.279 --> 00:28:30.640We live in a dark world.There's there's babies that are dying,39200:28:30.680 --> 00:28:34.480people are going people are going tohell, there's death and sickness and all39300:28:34.519 --> 00:28:37.160that stuff. When we know that, we have to grapple with that,39400:28:37.279 --> 00:28:42.750we have to deal with that.Jesus certainly knew that. Jesus experienced darkness39500:28:42.789 --> 00:28:48.630and death and all the things thatthe fallen world has to offer. And39600:28:48.750 --> 00:28:52.950yet Jesus was was a joyful guy. I don't see Jesus, and read39700:28:52.990 --> 00:28:56.660about him in the New Testament,as just he's some gruff that walks around39800:28:56.660 --> 00:28:57.940with a chip on his shoulder allthe time, just mad at the world.39900:28:59.059 --> 00:29:03.859He certainly called Sinsin, he certainlyconfronts wickedness and evil, but he40000:29:03.940 --> 00:29:07.180seems in his interactions with with thedisciples and just in general, to be40100:29:07.299 --> 00:29:11.849a joyful man right, and sohe's our example. And why was he40200:29:11.930 --> 00:29:15.130joyful? Well, because he spenttime in the presence of his father.40300:29:15.289 --> 00:29:19.690So these passages of scripture and theencouragement that we given to you guys hopefully40400:29:21.089 --> 00:29:23.009have been an encouragement for you guysto get in the presence of the Lord40500:29:23.009 --> 00:29:30.279and just have that that joy ofthe Lord Exude from your person out there40600:29:30.319 --> 00:29:34.400on the sidewalk and be a personwith joy on your face and joy in40700:29:34.440 --> 00:29:37.789your eyes joy in your heart.Yeah, and let's let's let's do one40800:29:37.910 --> 00:29:41.549more. Let's let's give one more. It's at the very end, it's40900:29:41.589 --> 00:29:45.630the very last one, because Ithink that would be a good closing thing41000:29:45.789 --> 00:29:52.349to think about. There is joyin knowing that we're pleasing God by our41100:29:52.430 --> 00:29:56.420faithfulness and ministry. Yeah, andI think that that gives you a whole41200:29:56.460 --> 00:30:02.059new perspective again, when you're facingall the persecution, and you know,41300:30:02.099 --> 00:30:06.859our lives are usually not on theline, but it's definitely persecution out in41400:30:07.210 --> 00:30:11.049front of an abortion center and rejection. But you can have joy because you41500:30:11.170 --> 00:30:15.170are there pleasing God, you arebeing faithful in doing what he has called41600:30:15.250 --> 00:30:21.250you to do, even when it'spainful. Yeah, absolutely, and it41700:30:21.440 --> 00:30:25.880really kind of speaks to that pleasurethat a child has in doing what they41800:30:25.960 --> 00:30:29.319know pleases their father. You know, I think about my kids. If41900:30:29.359 --> 00:30:32.160they ever did clean their room,which they don't do very often, but42000:30:32.200 --> 00:30:34.640if they ever did, I canimagine a scenario in which they would come42100:30:34.710 --> 00:30:38.190and actually, this has happened.They just got done clean in the room.42200:30:38.190 --> 00:30:41.509They know it looks they're like.They come in and say, Daddy,42300:30:41.710 --> 00:30:42.430come and look at my room,come and look at my room.42400:30:44.069 --> 00:30:47.750They're happy that they did the rightthing, even without being asked, and42500:30:47.990 --> 00:30:51.900there's joy in that, in pleasingtheir father. That's kind of a natural42600:30:51.940 --> 00:30:55.740example. But then we see thisexample in Matthew, Chapter Twenty five and42700:30:55.819 --> 00:30:59.140verse one, and it says hismaster said to him, well done,42800:30:59.180 --> 00:31:02.819good and faithful servant. You've beenfaithful over a little. I will set42900:31:02.900 --> 00:31:07.450you over much. Enter into thejoy of your master and turn to God's43000:31:07.569 --> 00:31:11.609Joy. Yeah, and there's joyin doing. I mean, just imagine43100:31:11.650 --> 00:31:15.250that scene in heaven. But Godsays well done, good and faithful servant.43200:31:15.250 --> 00:31:18.200That's what we're after, right,God saying well done, and just43300:31:18.319 --> 00:31:22.160imagine the joy that we're going tohave in that. Well, we can43400:31:22.240 --> 00:31:26.640have that joy now, knowing thatwhat we're doing is an obedience to God,43500:31:26.839 --> 00:31:29.319given a voice to the voiceless.Right, we know that what we're43600:31:29.359 --> 00:31:33.750doing is pleasing to the father andthat we are in extension of his work43700:31:33.869 --> 00:31:38.109in the earth, pleading on behalfof the fatherless, of the orphan and43800:31:38.190 --> 00:31:41.670the widow. Right, God isa father to the fatherless and we are43900:31:41.750 --> 00:31:45.990being his hands in his feet.We are being extent, an extension of44000:31:45.910 --> 00:31:49.299what he desires to do to protectthe innocent, and we can have joy44100:31:49.779 --> 00:31:53.380in that. And so, guys, a hope that this, this episode,44200:31:53.420 --> 00:31:56.660was an encouragement, do you guys, to go out there to minister44300:31:56.779 --> 00:32:00.700out of joy, not, ofcourse, losing the reality of what's happening.44400:32:00.900 --> 00:32:04.049We will never lose that, thatbabies are dying, that people are44500:32:04.130 --> 00:32:07.890headed for hell like that's a realitythat needs to be heavy on our parts.44600:32:07.970 --> 00:32:12.450But even in spite of that reality, we can have joy and knowing44700:32:12.569 --> 00:32:15.079God, knowing that he's going toright the wrongs, that we belong to44800:32:15.160 --> 00:32:19.720him. His Word is enough,he is sufficient to do the work.44900:32:19.839 --> 00:32:22.559His grace is sufficient to empower usto do what he's called us to so45000:32:22.720 --> 00:32:27.200we can minister out of joy.So hopefully this was a blessing and,45100:32:27.559 --> 00:32:30.390as we talked about at the verybeginning, we want you guys to reach45200:32:30.430 --> 00:32:32.190out to us if we can,if we can bring some encouragement to you45300:32:32.269 --> 00:32:36.190guys, if we can do apodcast episode, that would be a blessing45400:32:36.230 --> 00:32:37.309to you. If you have anyquestions for us, you can reach out45500:32:37.309 --> 00:32:40.390to me, Daniel, Love LifeDot Org. You read reach out to45600:32:40.470 --> 00:32:44.700her, Vicky at Love Life DotOrg. We'd love to help you and45700:32:44.740 --> 00:32:47.819answer any questions that we can.But until next time, God bless got45800:32:47.900 --> us.