Best Laid Plans

https://www.eaglebrookchurch.com/

When I'm Exhausted 

-----------------------------------------

The recording begins with an announcement about the church's upcoming event, 'Next,' designed to guide individuals in their journey to follow Jesus Christ. This event is scheduled for the following weekend. Concurrently, the church is preparing to launch a new campus in Plymouth on October 4th and 5th, coinciding with the start of a new sermon series titled 'Change Your Mind, Change Your Life,' which will address issues related to anxiety. The narrative then shifts to a motivational story about Diana Nyad, who, at the age of 64, successfully swam 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage, achieving this feat after numerous attempts over 35 years. This story serves as an inspirational example of perseverance and determination. The discussion transitions to a biblical reflection on the prophet Jeremiah, who was tasked by God to warn the people of Judah about the consequences of their sins. Despite facing hostility and being thrown into a cistern, Jeremiah questioned God about the prosperity of the wicked. God's response was a challenge for Jeremiah to prepare for even greater trials, metaphorically described as racing against horses. This segment highlights themes of faith, endurance, and the struggle to understand divine justice. The recording weaves together these diverse topics, emphasizing the importance of spiritual growth, resilience, and the pursuit of understanding in the face of adversity. The narrative concludes with a call to action for the church community to engage with these initiatives and reflect on the lessons from Jeremiah's story, encouraging a deeper commitment to faith and personal development.

Action Points:

  • Encourage people to sign up for the Next experience next weekend.

  • Invite people to the new campus launch in Plymouth on October 4th and 5th.

  • Encourage attendees to think about who they could invite to the new series starting October 4th.

Key Topics:

Introduction to Next Experience

  • Next weekend, the church is offering an experience called Next to help people learn to follow Jesus Christ.

New Campus Launch and Series

  • On October 4th and 5th, a new campus will launch in Plymouth, and a new series called 'Change Your Mind, Change Your Life' will begin, focusing on anxiety.

Diana Nyad's Swimming Achievement

  • Diana Nyad became the first person to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage at age 64, after multiple attempts over 35 years.

Personal Reflection on Overcoming Challenges

  • The speaker reflects on personal challenges faced as a senior pastor during COVID-19, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

Jeremiah's Mission and Challenges

  • Jeremiah was sent by God to warn Judah of judgment due to their sins. He faced hostility and was thrown into a cistern.

Jeremiah's Complaint to God

  • Jeremiah questioned why the wicked prosper and expressed his frustrations to God.

God's Response to Jeremiah

  • God challenged Jeremiah to endure greater trials, using the metaphor of racing against horses.

========================================================================

When I'm Exhausted 

-----------------------------------------

Jason Strand - 00:01

All right, well, hey, everybody, welcome. New to our church. So good to have you with us today. Before I dive in. And if you are one of those people or if you're kind of a new believer or you're just looking for something of like, I just want to really dig a little, little deeper into my faith. We've been working on something over the course of the last year called Next. And it's an experience that we're offering next weekend where we're really helping people learn. What does it mean to follow Jesus Christ? It is not just a prayer of, okay, now I got that kind of taken care of, and now I get to go to heaven. But how do I follow Jesus with my life? How do I become a disciple of Christ? And so this is across all of our campuses. Would encourage you to sign up. You can see below me there on the lower third, the link to get to that, where you can sign up on our website, but would really love for you to consider being a part of this next weekend.

Jason Strand - 00:59

Then, on october fourth and fifth, we are launching a new campus in Plymouth. And we are so excited to see what God is going to do in Plymouth. That same weekend, we are beginning a new series called change your mind, change your life. If you could change the way that you think, it might just change your life. And that open weekend is on the topic of anxiety. It's a topic that so many people need to hear a message about today. And so the question I want to ask you is, who could you invite? October fourth.

Jason Strand - 01:48

God wants to do so that God can speak to them. So I want to encourage you to be praying and thinking, who could I invite? October fourth. On august thirty first, twenty thirteen, there was a woman named Diana Nyad who attempted to become the first person to swim one hundred ten miles from the coast of Cuba to the coast of Florida without being in a shark cage. The first time that she tried this swim, she was twenty eight years old, but a strong wind blew her off course. The second time that she had attempted this swim was thirty three years later. Thirty three years later, at the age of sixty one, she attempted the swim again, but this time, after being in the water for twenty nine hours, she had an asthma attack and was forced to quit. One month later, she tried to do this swim again. This time she was stung by a shell jellyfish. Turn to the person next to you and say, we ain't doing that.

Jason Strand - 02:52

If I got stung by a box jellyfish, I am out. I am so out. A box jellyfish has the deadliest poison on earth. Today, ninety percent of human beings who are stung by one end up losing their life. In Diana Nyad's case, she had a doctor in the boat next to her who immediately jumped into the water to administer medicine. And then the doctor got stung by a box jellyfish. Both of them were in the water screaming. Somehow both survived and Diana Nyatt actually attempted to complete that swim and only stopped when she was stung later again by another box jellyfish. One year later and now she's sixty three years old attempting this swim for the fourth time. She had to quit after a tropical storm and nine box jellyfish. Fish stings. At the age of sixty four, she attempted this swim for a fifth time. I want to show you the local newscast talking about this upcoming swim.

Jason Strand - 04:03

Take a look now.

TV Reporter 1 - 04:05

A sixty four year old US swimmer is heading to Florida. It's Diana Nyad's final attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida. All the way from Cuba to Florida. She expects to make the one hundred ten mile swim in about eighty hours. She'll have a support team with her. If Nyad succeeds, she will become the record holder for the longest unassisted open ocean swim.

Diana Nyad - 04:28

I hope next time I see you and beaches celebrate instead of to say.

Jason Strand - 04:31

Oh here we go again.

Diana Nyad - 04:34

It's the last time. For one hundred percent this is the end of the journey as they say.

Jason Strand - 04:38

Wow.

TV Reporter - 04:38

Nyad has tried to make the swim for the past two years, suffering from exhaustion and dangerous jellyfish encounters. This time around, Nyad will be wearing a protective mask and a prosthetic mouthpiece to help keep the jellyfish away. But that does not protect against sharks. Terrifying.

Jason Strand - 04:54

It loved to almost hear her processing out loud. She's like wait a minute. But that doesn't protect you against sharks. But this time, thirty five years after Diane and I had first attempted this swim, she became the first ever person to swim the one hundred ten miles from the coast of Cuba to the coast of Florida. Here's what she said after this was done. She said, I remember coming out and seeing the faces of the crowd on the beach. Just so emotionally wrought. I realized afterwards that they weren't weeping because somebody set some sports record. They were weeping because they saw someone who refused to give up. And everyone has experiences of that, whether it's fighting cancer or raising a difficult child or whatever. When you feel like giving up, will you give it one more swim? Will you refuse to give up? I mentioned last week and I became senior pastor of this church one week before COVID hit and thirteen Weeks into the job, I wrote down in my journal, I've been on this job for thirteen weeks.

Jason Strand - 06:08

And then right below that, I said, I don't think I'm going to make it another thirteen. I was so overwhelmed. I was so exhausted, I just wanted to quit. In fact, I can remember one specific day where I was praying, God, please have nobody text me or email me. Just need one day. I need one day where there's not an announcement in the news that forces us to change our plans. I just need one day where there's not a catastrophe that I have to deal with via text message or email. God, just give me one day. Felt so overwhelmed. Felt like I wanted to quit. Is there anywhere in your life right now where you feel that way? Is there any area of your life right now where you are so stressed, you are so overwhelmed, you feel so defeated, so helpless, so tired? And everything in you says, I just want to quit today. Called Best Laid Plans. And it's based on a book in the Old Testament called Jeremiah.

Jason Strand - 07:07

And Jeremiah was a prophet sent by God to speak to God's people. And Jeremiah was alive during the last decade of the nation of Judah. Israel was one nation. They split apart into a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom. The northern kingdom, Israel tended to kind of drift away from God for many years, had some kings that led them that way. The southern kingdom of Judah tended to be the one that was more faithful to God. But now the southern kingdom of Judah was ignoring God. They were worshiping false gods. And God sent the prophet Jeremiah to speak to them and say, if you continue, there is going to be judgment. There's going to be judgment for your sin. In fact, God, speaking through Jeremiah, said that he was going to raise up the nation of Babylon, powerful, wicked nation, to come in, wipe out Jerusalem, take God's people into captivity, okay?

Jason Strand - 08:03

And so God gave Jeremiah hardest assignment, a hard assignment to speak to people who didn't want to listen, to speak to people who despised him, who hated him. In fact, at one point, Jeremiah was thrown into what was called a cistern, okay? Which is like a well. There was no water in this well. It was just mud. And he was left down in the cistern, we think, for days, weeks, maybe even months. And that brings us to Jeremiah, chapter twelve.

Jason Strand - 08:32

Jeremiah is getting more and more frustrated. He's feeling more and more defeated. And here's what he says to God. He says, let me bring this complaint before you. And people wonder, can I. Can I tell God what I'm really feeling? Can I tell God, what my complaints are, and my answer is yes.

Jason Strand - 08:50

All throughout the Bible, men like Jeremiah and David would bring their complaints and their frustrations to God. Now, when I do this with God, I don't. I try not to at least come before him, be like, what are you doing?

Jason Strand - 09:02

Like, he's a holy man.

Jason Strand - 09:05

I do. And so I want to approach him with a certain amount of respect, a certain amount of fearing the Lord. But Jeremiah brings his complaint to God, and God is big enough to handle that complaint, says, let me bring this complaint before you, Lord. Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? Your name is on their lips, but far from their hearts.

Jason Strand - 09:30

These are questions that people are still asking today. Why are evil people so happy?

Jason Strand - 09:38

Why are some of them so prosperous? Why is it that there might be a kid at your school and you look at them and you go, they don't even like you at all, God. They ignore you. But they seem to have a lot of friends and be really popular. Maybe there's someone in your circle of influence. And why are they so prosperous? They lack integrity, do some shady business deals. How come everything they touch turns to gold? God, I don't get it. And notice how Jeremiah describes these people. He says that God's name is on their lips, but is far from their heart. These are people who say, I'm a Christian, being the big guy. We're tight, me and big guy. You know, we're good. That they say that they're a Christian. They say that they follow God, but his name is on their lips. His spirit is not in their heart. It's possible to have God's name on your lips, but have his spirit to be far from your heart.

Jason Strand - 10:36

Jeremiah goes on in his talking to God. He says, drag these people away like sheep to be butchered. Imagine if you're like in small group and you're all praying in a circle. Guy next to you is like, lord, butcher them like sheep. I'd be like. My eye would kind of go open a little bit. I'm like, wait a minute, what's going on? Let's talk after we're done praying here, right? Like, this is a pretty honest prayer. Now, I want to read to you how God responded to Jeremiah. But before I do, I want you just to guess what you think he's going to say. Just take a moment. What would you expect God to say to someone who's, you know, feel like they want to quit and they're really overwhelmed. What do you think is going to say? Here's how God responded to Jeremiah. He says this. If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? Let me translate this for you from the Hebrew.

Jason Strand - 11:32

Toughen up, buttercup. That's not what I expected God to say. What I expected God to say was, oh, Jeremiah, that was so hard. You know, you got such a hard assignment. You're telling people about me and they're not listening and they despise you, they reject you. I'm so sor. That's what I expected him to say. Instead, he says, if running with mere men makes you tired, how are you going to be able to run with horses? What does that even mean? I did some research this week. The fastest human being on record is Usain Bolt. He got up to a speed of twenty seven miles per hour during a one hundred meter dash race in two thousand nine. A domestic cat, the fastest domestic cat on record got up to a speed of thirty miles per hour. Your cat is faster than you. No wonder he's so cocky about everything. The fastest dog is a greyhound. It can go up to speeds of forty five miles per hour.

Jason Strand - 12:34

And the fastest horse is a thoroughbred, also can get up to above speeds of forty five miles per hour. This past summer, I took my thirteen year old son Jasper out to Montana and South Dakota for a father son trip. And this is just really a side note, but as a parent, this was one of the best things I've ever done. I wish I, I would have done this for my older two kids because I had him read a book on stepping into manhood, stepping into an adult. And there was four battles that every young man must win. Self image, screens, substances, sexual purity. And we talked about those things on the drive out to Montana. When we got to Montana, we went horseback riding. And I don't know what you think of when you think of horseback riding. I think of like a family camp where they put the little kid on the horse and they walk them down, walk them back, or you're on a trail ride, you just kind of walk the horse.

Jason Strand - 13:23

This was not that, this was me, Jasper and one guy and we crossed the Little Bighorn river at one point. I never crossed a river on a horse. There was a rattlesnake in front of me. And so our guide was like, quick, you gotta move your horse over. There's a rattlesnake right there. Jasper brought his horse to a gallop. He got stuck behind us as we kicked the Horse, and he was in a full gallop catching up to us. But each of us was on a horse and our horse had a name. And I'm gonna read to you. I'm gonna tell you the names of the three horses plus our guide. And you have to try to guess what the name of our guide was. I've asked several people this question. There's only one person who's gotten it right. It was John Alexander. I am going to read to you the names of three horses, one person, in no particular order, which is the name of our guide. The four names were Nike, Cotton, Tommy, and Grip.

Jason Strand - 14:17

Nike, Cotton, Tommy and Grip, which was the name of our guy. The answer is that I was riding a horse named Tommy. Jasper, my son, was riding a horse named Grip. Our guide, named Cotton, was riding a horse named Nike. I thought Cotton was, you know, it kind of could be a horse name. Great cool human name too, because he was like, my name's Cotton.

Jason Strand - 14:43

The reason why his horse. What you guess?

Jason Strand - 14:52

Like high thirty miles per hour. So thirty six, thirty nine miles per hour. Which means that this random horse that I ran to in Montana this summer was thirteen miles faster than the fastest human being who's ever lived, Usain Bolt. When God says to Jeremiah, if you're tired now running with mere men, how are you going to keep up with horses? Here's what he means. It's going to get worse. If you think you're tired right now, just you wait. You're going to be exhausted because things are going to get worse. And that was true, Gerald. Jeremiah was going to be beaten and despised because of the words that he was speaking. He was going to get thrown into a cistern and left there. The nation of Babylon was going to sweep in, destroy Jerusalem, destroy the temple, take God's people into captivity. Let me give you like a modern day example of this. This would be like another nation like China invading the United States, destroying New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, destroying Chur and taking people back into captivity to live as slaves for servants in China.

Jason Strand - 16:12

That is what is about to happen to the nation of Judah. And so God says to the prophet Jeremiah, hey, if you think things are bad now, just you wait. I wish that I could tell you that our world is going to get better. But a couple weeks ago, there was little kids at a church, at a school right here in Minnesota who were shot. Some of them were killed. And now this week on my phone, I watched Charlie Kirk, a thirty one year old father of two assassinated on a college campus. And you might wonder how does that kind of thing keep happening over and over again? And the answer is sin. The answer is Genesis, chapter three. Just a ancient story. It explains the evil and darkness that exists in our world today. The Bible says that our battle is not against flesh and blood. Our battle against is against the rulers and principalities of this dark world. That there is an evil and a darkness that exists in our world today.

Jason Strand - 17:30

And I wish I could tell you it's going to get better. But this is one of the things that I love about the Bible is it's so real what Jesus said, He said, in this world you will have trouble. And you do. Maybe today you feel helpless, you feel hopeless, you feel fearful or anxious. And those are some of the things that Jeremiah felt as well. Jeremiah looked around at his world and he said, what's going on? Why is there so much violence? Why is there so much wickedness? Why is there so much evil? Why are all these things happening? And why is it that people who are evil and oppose you, God? How come some of them are so prosperous and successful? How come? And he felt overwhelmed and he felt helpless and he felt defeated and he felt like he wanted to quit. And he didn't quit. He prayed. He kept speaking God's word, he kept sharing the gospel. He did not quit. And so today I want to give you some hope.

Jason Strand - 18:41

Two ways to have hope when you feel like if you want to quit. The first one is this. Don't write God out of your story. Don't write God out of your story. In nineteen forty, there was three hundred thirty eight thousand British soldiers that were stuck between the German forces, the Nazi army and the English Channel. They were on a beach called Dunkirk and they were pinned down. France had just fallen. Now it appeared that these soldiers were going to be defeated and London and England were going to fall as well. And so Winston Churchill went to King George and he said, we might be able to save thirty thousand of these soldiers, but we can only get a certain amount of ships onto the English Channel because of water conditions. And so about three hundred thousand of them are going to lose their lives and London and England are going to fall. And so King George got on the radio and he spoke to every person in London and England and he called for a national day of prayer.

Jason Strand - 19:44

People responded, churches were full, people were fasting and praying for God to do a miracle. Shortly thereafter, there was a violent storm that broke out over Dunkirk beach and it grounded The German air force that had been bombing the British soldiers. And around the same time, there was a dramatic change in the conditions of the English Channel. And now they were able to get many boats on there, and they saved all three hundred thirty eight thousand British soldiers. Winston Churchill went on the radio and declared it the Miracle of Dunkirk. It's actually such an inspiring story, they made a movie about it. But if you watch the movie, I'll warn you, they left out the best part. There's no mention whatsoever of the National Day of Prayer. In fact, if you Google Miracle of Dunkirk, you won't find anything about the National Day of Prayer.

Jason Strand - 20:45

You have to Google Miracle of Dunkirk, National Day of Prayer to even know that it happened. In history, it's easy to write God out of the story. Maybe today you feel a little like those soldiers on the beach. You feel pinned down, you feel helpless, you feel defeated. And I want to remind you today, don't write God out of your spirit. God tells Jeremiah after he says he better learn to run with horses. He tells them, yes, I'm going to uproot the nation of Judah. I'm going to take many of them off into captivity in Babylon. But here's what you need to know, Jeremiah. As hard as it's going to be over here, I'm going to use it for good over there. There's going to be men like Daniel and Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego, who it talks about in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. They're going to be taken into captivity in Babylon and they're going to live lives of integrity, and they're going to be a light in a dark place.

 

Jason Strand - 21:44

And even the rulers of Babylon are going to come to know the true, living God. Because of men like Daniel. Something is going to be so bad over here, I'm going to use it for so much good there. And then God says this to Jeremiah. He says, but afterwards I will return and have compassion on all of them. I will bring them home.

Jason Strand - 22:08

And if these nations learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, then they will be given a place among my people. Here was the question that came to mind as I read through this. What is God trying to teach you right now? Yes, you're in a difficult season. Yes, you might have some fears. Yes, you might feel a little overwhelmed or tired. You may feel helpless or defeated. But what is God trying to teach your life? Maybe it's patience. Maybe it's faithfulness. Maybe it's perseverance. What is God trying to teach you in your life? What is he trying to get your attention about? And is it possible that something that is so painful and horrific over here could be used by God for something so good over there? Is it possible that other people can watch you deal with adversity and hang on to Jesus Christ and go, wow, that's what it means to follow Christ and sign me up?

Jason Strand - 23:08

Is it possible that God could use the death of one person over here to see hundreds, maybe thousands of millions of young people come to faith in Christ over here? Don't write God out of the story. Second way to have some hope when you're feeling defeated. Is this to see problems as an opportunity for God to show his power? What is your biggest problem right now? You want to help the person next to you? Maybe it's a health issue, maybe it's a relationship in your life. Your problems are an opportunity for God to show his power. Because here's what I know about God. He can run with the horses. Look at what it says in the book of Isaiah. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint.

Jason Strand - 24:16

Talked to a man one time business leader, CEO. He told me he had to take three ambience just to sleep four hours at night. So exhausted, so overwhelmed. Talk to a young college student who, even though he was young, felt overwhelmed and tired and weary with life. Maybe you feel a little bit of I don't mean this to be cliche or trite, but look at the verse again. Hope in the Lord. Don't put your hope in another person. Don't put your hope in something else in this world. Put your hope in the Lord. In fact, here's what I want to say to you today. Never let the presence of a problem cause you doubt the presence of God. Never let the power of a problem cause you to doubt the power of God. God never downplays Jeremiah's problems. But what if our problems are an opportunity to put our hope in the Lord? What if our problems are an opportunity for God to display his power?

Jason Strand - 25:19

In his book Stress Less, author Charles Stone writes these words. He says, refrain the stress inducing experience as a challenge rather than a threat. In other words, if you're dealing with stress right now, your tendency naturally is to feel anxious and fearful and control the situation. He says instead, see it as a challenge the problem is still there, but you'll experience a peace as you tackle that challenge. You might be listening to this and you're like, come on man, I'm a double major, I got three part time jobs, I'm a single parent. I mean, I'm just so overwhelmed and yes, but Jeremiah was a prophet sent by God to speak to people who despised him, who hated him, who shouted him down, who beat him. In verse six, here's what God says to Jeremiah. Even your brothers, members of your own family, have turned against you. He never downplayed his problems.

Jason Strand - 26:19

But what God said to Jeremiah is even in those problems. I am going to use you to speak to an entire nation. I got a letter from a friend after a message that I gave about a month ago. And he wrote this to me. He said, you may or not remember this, but seven years ago today, I reached out to you as I was entering treatment for alcohol addiction. I carried your words with me ever since. And it's been a source of hope in my journey. It hasn't been easy, but it has changed everything in my life for the best. Friends have been lost, relationships have changed, my circle is smaller. But most important, my family life is amazing. And I read that in my office and I was emotional because I know this guy, I know his family. Seven years from now, your life could be in such a different place. But you have to hope in the Lord. You have to put your hope and your trust in Him. I love this verse from Psalm thirty four, verse nineteen.

Jason Strand - 27:37

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. The two things I notice about this verse is that righteous people experience afflictions. Just because you're right with God doesn't mean that you're not going to have any problems or issues in life. Just because people are righteous doesn't mean there won't be problems and sinful things in our world. But notice the promise that if you are righteous, if you are right with God, he will deliver you from them all. You can hope in that. You can put your hope in the Lord, that no matter what it is that you're experiencing or feeling right now, that he is going to deliver you. But this is a promise for people who are righteous. Maybe you're here today for the first time, or maybe you're just checking out church and you want to know, how do I get right with God? How do I become righteous?

Jason Strand - 28:39

It's not by doing more good works.

Jason Strand - 28:44

Or saying that of those Things. Here's how a person, they put their faith.

Jason Strand - 28:55

We give up our sin and we receive as a free gift the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jason Strand - 29:03

He paid the penalty that we could not pay for ourselves. We receive his grace and his forgiveness. And so when God looks at you, he doesn't see the sin of your life. He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ covering your sin. So today, for some of you, I believe that God brought you to church to say, this is the moment in your life to get right with God. This is the moment to say, God, I put my faith and my trust in Jesus Christ, and I am going to be again to follow him with my life. I want to pray across all of our campuses for you. Let's pray together. God, there might be someone here who today just said, I'm going to go to church. And I haven't been to church in a long time. And, God, they want to be right with you. They want to be that righteous person who can hope in you and know that you deliver them. So right now, God, in the quietness of their mind, they're just going to pray these words.

Jason Strand - 30:10

Lord, I confess my sin to you. I confess that I have ignored you. Confess that I've worshiped and loved the things of this world more than I have loved you. But right now, in this moment, God, I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins that I could not pay for myself. And I put my hope in him. I put my trust in him. Right now, God, I ask for the free gift of eternal life and of your grace and your forgiveness. God, there might be others of us here for whatever reason. Maybe it's something in our personal life, maybe it's something going on in the world, and we feel a sense of anxiety and fear and helplessness. That's how Jeremiah felt.

Jason Strand - 31:03

You gave him a heart assignment and you've given us, in many cases, a heart assignment. There are people out there, God, who need to know about Jesus Christ. And I pray that you would use us, God, I pray that you would use us to invite, to talk, to share, to pray that we would not quit whatever it is that we're facing right now. God, as we hope in you, as we trust in you, we cling to the promise that you will deliver us from them all. Every affliction that we face, God, at one point in our life, at some point in the future, you will deliver us from them all. We hold on to that promise today. It's in Jesus name that we pray.

Jason Strand - 31:43

If you prayed that prayer, text the word begin to seven seven, eight. Eight, eight. We'll see you next weekend.

========================================================================

When I'm Exhausted

Jason Strand | Sept. 14, 2025

Diana Nyad Swim from Cuba to FL. She did the 110 miles swim. They were crying because they saw someone who refused to give up. 

I Just Want to Quit!

Jeremiah 12:1-2

God gave Jeremiah a hard assignment. Can I tell God my complaints and frustration? YES  

God, I do not understand why they prosper.  

Jeremiah 12:3 - Butcher them like sheep.  

Jeremiah 12:5 - God says "Toughen up, Butterrcup."  

Fastest:

Human 27 mph

Cat 30 mph

Dog 45 mph

Hourse 45 mph

Four battles that every man must win.

Names: Nite - horse, Cotton - Guide, Tommy - house, Grip - horse

Things are going to get worse!

Psalm 34:19

============================================================================

Voices: Live Like a Mist - July 27, 2025

Eagle Brook - Guest Speaker Bob Merritt

The days might seem long, but life?  It's short, and we don't get re-dos.  So don't miss out on even the littlest moments God's given you today.

Those baptised last weekend - die to self to live the way God wants us to live.  

Been five years since he was the senior pastor.

James 4:14 - how to live our life.  We are just a mist.  What ever you are going through is temporary.  Life is short and how we should live it.

Hunting story - 6 years of preparing and dreaming. 800 pound Elk and he hit the tree.  It is no longer about the kill... it is about the moments that lead up to and which follow it that are the blessing. 

Enjoy the little things...

Your life is so short - enjoy the little things the moments of life

#1 Do some good every single day. James 4:17, In all our planning fir thr future, we can miss the beauty of today. HUG people. Smile at people. Give a kind word. What is your life all about.

- Love the Lord

- Love Others

#2 Give up Control. Let go of things you can not control. James 5:7 Stop stressing about things you can not control. Focus on what you can control. We can control how much you consume.  Love is a behavior, it is a choice. Feed your faith and God will honor your life. We all have difficult people in your life. Don't allow them to control our peace and our joy.

- Lower your expectations.

- Limit your exposure. Proverbs 13:20

- Outlast them - wait them out.

- Pray - sometimes all you can do is ask God to help you control your anger and emotions.  Sometimes the person that we need to control firsyt is ourself.

Jesus coming is near. James 5:8 Trust him. It can take time, it can take years, but he is coming for you. 

#3 Don't live life mad. James 5:9 It is ok to get angry. Ephesians 4:26 Do not be the person who is always mad. Be grateful and you won't live mad. Thank God for coffee; Genesis 1:11 It is a miracle, watermellon.  Sight is a miracle. Puppies are one too. 

#4 Persevere through difficulty. James 5:10-11 Blessed are those who push through - they are blessed.  God has a purpose for our pain. Job 42:10 God is working for my good. Persevere and push through. Bower (basset hound), was put to sleep after 15 years. There is a kind of grief in life that you can not fix. It increases our joy.

Blessed are those who push through!

     ***-----------***----------***----------***----------***

Living a Meaningful Life: Lessons from the Book of James 

Created with Smart Noter 

Summary 

The recording is a sermon by Bob Merritt, a former senior pastor, who shares insights on living a meaningful life based on the Book of James. He emphasizes the brevity of life, likening it to a mist, and outlines four ways to live purposefully: doing good daily, giving up control, not living in anger, and persevering through difficulties. Merritt shares personal anecdotes, including a hunting story and a family wedding, to illustrate his points. He stresses the importance of relationships, gratitude, and trusting in God's plan. The sermon concludes with encouragement to live with purpose and faith, trusting that Jesus is coming and that God has a plan for each life. 

Action Points 

• Pray for those who were baptized last weekend. 
• Continue to support and pray for those who have taken steps of faith. 
• Reflect on personal relationships and consider reaching out to loved ones. 
• Practice gratitude daily to combat living in anger. 
• Trust in God's plan and persevere through personal difficulties. 

Key Topics 

Introduction to the Sermon Series 'Voices' 

The speaker introduces the sermon series 'Voices,' highlighting the diversity of speakers and perspectives. Bob Merritt, a former senior pastor, is welcomed back to share his insights. Merritt's background and current role in coaching pastors are briefly mentioned. 

Reflections on Baptism and Personal Growth 

Merritt reflects on the significance of baptism and the ongoing journey of personal growth and faith. He emphasizes the importance of daily self-denial and living in accordance with God's will, acknowledging that life is imperfect but encouraging perseverance. 

Life's Brevity and Living with Purpose 

Drawing from the Book of James, Merritt discusses the transient nature of life, likening it to a mist. He urges listeners to live with purpose, highlighting the temporary nature of current struggles and the importance of seizing opportunities to do good. 

Personal Anecdote: Hunting Story 

Merritt shares a personal hunting story to illustrate the lesson that life is about the journey and experiences rather than the end goal. He reflects on the importance of appreciating the moments and relationships that make life meaningful. 

Doing Good and Building Relationships 

Merritt emphasizes the importance of doing good daily and nurturing relationships. He shares a personal story about attending a family wedding, highlighting the impact of small acts of kindness and the value of being present for loved ones. 

Giving Up Control and Trusting God 

The sermon discusses the importance of relinquishing control over uncontrollable aspects of life, such as weather and other people's behavior. Merritt advises focusing on what can be controlled and trusting God to handle the rest, using the metaphor of a farmer waiting for rain. 

Dealing with Difficult People 

Merritt offers advice on handling difficult people, suggesting strategies like lowering expectations, limiting exposure, and praying for patience and understanding. He emphasizes the importance of controlling one's responses and maintaining peace and joy. 

Living with Gratitude 

Merritt shares how practicing gratitude has transformed his life, encouraging listeners to appreciate everyday blessings. He highlights the joy found in simple pleasures and the importance of recognizing the miraculous in the mundane. 

Persevering Through Suffering 

The sermon concludes with a discussion on perseverance through suffering, drawing on the story of Job. Merritt encourages listeners to trust in God's plan and find strength in faith, even amidst life's challenges and losses.

     ***-----------***----------***----------***----------***

Living a Meaningful Life: Lessons from the Book of James

Created with Smart Noter

Pastor Jason Strand    00:06 God speaks to us through a variety of voices. Whether it's a funny story, a challenging idea, a word of encouragement, God can meet us right where we are. We're in a message series called Voices with a different gifted speaker each week, bringing their own unique perspective, wisdom, and Heart for God's word.

Pastor Jason Strand    00:27 Bob Merritt was our senior pastor at Eaglebrook for twenty nine from nineteen ninety one to twenty twenty. Now he coaches and advises pastors and church leaders, drawing on his own experiences of both success and struggle. Bob is the author of three books, Proud dad of two kids and grandpa to seven grandkids, and the lucky husband to his high school sweetheart, Lori. Please welcome back my friend, Bob Merrit.

Pastor Bob Merritt    01:04 Thank you. They did that last night. And my family sits up here and I can see them. They don't stand. That touches me in a place in my soul that you'll never understand. Thank you for that. I love this church. I love what God is doing through you and through this church, our leadership. Jason's doing such a fantastic job. I'm so grateful to him. Those of you who were baptized last weekend, I just have been praying for you all week long that this would be a new beginning in your life, that God would do a new work because of your obedience in going public with your faith. We all make mistakes, and even after being baptized, you'll make mistakes. Life is not perfect. It never will be. But I'm just so proud of those of you who took that step of obedience. You know, denying yourself, laying down your life, being buried in the watery grave, if you will. Just dying to self and then being raised to new life and dying to self is an everyday thing.

Pastor Bob Merritt    02:32 Even as a pastor and Christian, I need to die to myself every single day in order to live in the way that. That God wants me to live. But way to go. Those of you who are baptized, praying for you will continue to do that. You know, it's been over five years since I stepped down as senior pastor of this amazing church. And on my last day, the whole church showed up. Two kids, my two kids spoke, the dog came. Blue, by the way, is good. People ask about blue. They never ask about our grandkids, but they ask about the dog. But the minute we got home, here's what my wife said after that service. She said, well, that was your funeral. She said, I'm not going through that again. When you die, we're gonna put you in a box and bury you out back. My wife's very pragmatic. I love that about her. But ever since my funeral, I'VE wondered about my life and really what it all means.

Pastor Bob Merritt    03:34 And so I'm gonna dive into the book of James a little bit today with you. James is such a great book, teaching us how to live our Christ. Those of us who are followers of Christ, look how James describes our life. He says, what is your life? Great question. Have you ever thought about that? What is your life? He says you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. He says we're just a mist. I should have come on tried this earlier. But he says we're just a mist that appears for a while and then we're gone. Which means that whatever you're going through right now is temporary. Whatever you and I are going through right now, whether it's good or bad, is temporary. It also means that if we're going to do something significant with our lives, we really better get to it. The title of this talk today is Live like a Mist. Since life is short, how should we live it?

Pastor Bob Merritt    04:51 And James touches on four ways we should do that. But before we get into the verses, I want to tell you a hunting story because you are starving for hunting stories. So last summer I spent hours shooting my bow because I finally drew a coveted Montana out tank. And my good friend Ron Iverson lives out there. Ron and Pam are watching right now today from Montana. And Ron would guide me for eight days in September, last September. So Ron has guided me five other times. We've come close. But some years you don't even see an elk. So if I ever got a chance, I was practicing and practicing so I would be ready. First two days we didn't see anything. But the third morning Ron did some bugling and immediately. I love that sound by the way. Beautiful sound. Immediately a mature bull answered back about a quarter mile away and Ron quickly grabbed his cow call and literally it's called the hoochie mama.

Pastor Bob Merritt    06:02 That's what it's called. And this is what a cow elk sounds like. So Ron was doing this and his bull elk hears it and he wants to come to see this co Ron told me to move one hundred yards up the ridge and get ready. I tell you, my heart was pounding out of my chest. The adrenaline was surging through my body. Ron kept calling, the bull kept coming. We could hear him coming. Six years, six years of preparing and dreaming came down to this. One of the most intense and surreal moments of my entire life. By now this eight hundred pound animal was coming fast and the first thing I through the timber where the tips of his Antlers just kind of swaying back and forth. Then, steam blowing out his nostrils, he closed to one hundred yards. Seventy five yards. I drew my bow. And at fifty yards, I had this six inch window between two pine trees. And I thought, this is it. All the practicing, all the waiting and trying, for this one single moment, I held steady, I took a deep breath, I let it fly.

Pastor Bob Merritt    07:30 And smack, right into a tree. The elk ran off, out of my life, gone forever. Here's a photograph of my arrow that just sunk into the tree and I'm unscrewing it. Ron is making fun of me. That's why I'm smiling. Twenty years ago, though, I would have been so upset by this, it would have bothered me for months. Here's what I'm learning. After sixty eight years of life, it's no longer about the kill. It's no longer about the trophy or the deal. It's more about all the moments leading up to and after it that really matter in life. It's about the woods. It's about the sunsets, the mountain streams, and the absolute joy of even seeing an animal that. But mostly it's about sharing with a good friend and knowing that God has blessed us with all of it. Well, the next morning, we were out again. And two hundred yards away, we spotted not another elk, but a grizzly bear that was coming our way.

Pastor Bob Merritt    08:48 Now, you do not want this to happen when you're carrying a bow. I literally jumped behind Ron and hid behind him, and then I pulled out my bear spray. Ron, however, unsnapped a. Fifty seven Magnum that was strapped to his chest. And I thought, I'm standing here with a spray can and he's got a. Fifty seven mag. Seriously, I'm Pee Wee Herman and this is Clint Eastwood standing next to me. The bear eventually caught our wind and ran off the other way. But, man, what a moment. What a moment. I love what author Robert Ralph says about life. He says in Enjoy the Little Things, for one day, we will look back and realize that the little things were actually the big things. So true. So James asks, what is your life? He says, it's so short. Don't miss the little things. And then he mentions four ways to not miss the small moments. And the first way is this. Today.

Pastor Bob Merritt    10:05 Do some good every single day. He says, since life is short, anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it actually sins. So I want to raise a question. Is there good that you and I ought to do today, or is our schedule so full there's Actually, no time for doing good. James warns us. He says it this way. He says, there are those who say, you know, today or tomorrow, we'll go to a certain city. We'll stay there maybe a year. We'll even do business. We'll make a profit. But James says, how do you even know what's going to happen tomorrow? And notice here, they've got it all planned out. When? Today or tomorrow. Where? To a certain city, not sure how long, for about a year. What are they going to do? They're going to expand their business and make a profit. Now, there's nothing wrong with making trips and making money. What he's saying is this. That in all of our planning for the future gang, we can miss the urgency.

Pastor Bob Merritt    11:19 We can miss the beauty, the absolute gift of what today is, what today holds for us. He says, you don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow. So anybody who knows the good he or she ought to do today and doesn't do it misses the point. One of the things that I don't want to miss are the little opportunities to do good that come along every single day. Things like a hug. I have become a hugger. Shocking, But I have been a smile, a kind word. Two years ago, we got a wedding invitation. And it was for the son of my wife's sister, Carolyn. But I immediately dismissed. Cause it was in Baltimore. And who wants to go to Baltimore for a wedding? Plus, Carolyn and I have some history that goes way back to when I was dating her sister Laurie in high school. I didn't like the crowd she hung with. And she didn't like me, always pointing that out to her. In fact, this is prom night.

Pastor Bob Merritt    12:35 We were just mad. We were always mad. It didn't matter about what, sometimes about nothing. We were just mad. We didn't like each other at all. Today, Carolyn, who's in the foreground here, one of my favorite people. And it meant the world to her that we would come to her son's wedding in Baltimore. The night we left the reception hall to come home, we were saying our goodbyes. And Carolyn singled me out of about a hundred people. And this is what she said. She said, bob, I can't tell you how much it means to us that you came to Andy's wedding. And I kind of brushed it off, said, of course we come. And then Carolyn did something I will never forget. She took my face in her hands and she said, bob, look at me. Tears were pooling in her eyes. And she said, I will never forget that you came. And the words you said in your toast to Andy about being a real man was so good for every young man here.

Pastor Bob Merritt    13:46 And then she said, I love you, Mom. I mean, what's that worth? We arrived home tired. I was behind at work, hadn't exercised in four days. But the moments spent with Carolyn and Tim were so good. I have missed way too many of those moments. So James says, look, what is your life? What's it all about, gang? Isn't it mostly about relationships? You know, Jesus, when he was pressed on this, he said, look, life comes down to two things. Do these two things and your life will work. Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul and mind. Have a relationship with the Creator who loves you and knows you. And the second thing he said, love others. If you do those two things, you got life nailed. James said, anyone who knows the good he should do and doesn't do it mainly in relational. The relational world misses the point. That's why. Does anybody here need to get on a plane and go visit a son or a daughter, a sister or brother?

Pastor Bob Merritt    15:09 Or maybe just send a text, a kind word, make a call. One of my favorite Instagram reels of all time is of an older Irish couple who are recording a message for their daughter who just had a baby. And they totally mess it up. I want you to watch this and just smile. Take a look. Hi. Hope you're having a wonderful time. Won't belong now till you hold your. Please. Sorry, Joe, we're not used to making videos here. I know. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine for your dog. Oh, sorry, love. We have the now. Anyway. Can't wait to see her. Hold her in our arms. Know you and Sha will make wonderful parents. I'm sorry, O. He's laughing at me. Anyway, hope you have a great day, sweetheart. We will see you soon. Yeah. I just love these two. Don't you wish they were your parents or grandpa? I mean, they're just good people wanting to do a good thing. First way to live like a mess, do some good every day.

Pastor Bob Merritt    17:01 Second way, give up control. I'm a bit of a control person. I like to be in control. Most of us do. But people who know that life is short begin to learn they can't control everything. They shouldn't try to control everything. They need to let go of things they can't control. So. Verse seven. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its crop. He has no control over this. How patient he has to be for the fall and spring rains. I just Want to ask anybody here? Waiting for something that is beyond your control, like a promotion or a ring or a date, he says, look, a farmer has to wait and be patient because he has no control over certain things, like the weather. So what does he do? He does what only he can do. He plows his field, he plants his seed, and then he has to wait patiently for rain. When you live like a mist, you stop stressing so much about things you can't control.

Pastor Bob Merritt    18:26 Like the way weather or world events or another person's behavior. We have no control over those things. So what should we do? Focus on what we can control. Dang. We can't control what's on the news. That just spikes our anxiety. But we can control how much we watch of it. Same with social media. You know, after scrolling through Instagram, not once have I said, oh, I feel so much better about myself. I always feel worse. We can't control what's on our screens, but we have a hundred percent control over how much we consume it. I tell my kids all the time, Megan, Dave, control what you can control. Number one, love your. Love your spouse. Love, by the way, is not a feeling. Primarily, it's a behavior. So when you love your spouse, if you're married, you learn how to forgive. You learn how to overlook faults. And every one of us has many, many faults.

Pastor Bob Merritt    19:31 You learn to bite your tongue. You learn to give up certain things. That's what love is. It's a behavior, it's a choice. It's not necessarily a feeling. Feelings come. I tell my kids, control, love your spouse, raise your kids, which is the second most difficult thing you'll ever do in your life. Raise them, you can control some of that. Go to work. That's a thought. You have control over some of that. Most of that. Fraud in your faith. That's up to you to feed your faith and grow in your faith and God. I tell my kids this all the time, control what you can control. And I'm telling you, God will honor your life. Another thing we can't control is other people. Have you noticed that? Do you have anybody in your life who's difficult? I asked that question last night. Some lady back here, but just the guy sitting right next to her. Yeah, this guy right here.

Pastor Bob Merritt    20:36 I don't know what's up. We all have difficult people in our lives. It could be the person we're married to. Marriage is hard. It could be another parent who just annoys the heck out of you because their child is on your child's soccer team. And they just drive you nuts. Worse than nuts. Could be a coach, could be a co worker, could be a teammate, a neighbor. I've had that neighbor, by the way. We all have difficult people we can't control. But what's tragic is when we allow somebody else to control us, to control our peace and our joy. Friends. We can't control the other people, but we have one hundred percent control over our responses to them. I gave this a lot of thought this week, actually this whole last month. How should we respond to difficult people? Four quick tips. Number one, lower your expectations. People aren't that good. I'm not. You're not?

Pastor Bob Merritt    21:48 Don't expect a foolish person to be wise or a dishonest person to be honest or a toxic person to be kind. A foolish, dishonest or toxic person will always be that way because that's who they are. Stop being so shocked when a fool behaves like a fool. Lower your expectation. Second, limit your exposure. This is so important. It is okay to lovingly avoid a fool. Proverbs thirteen twenty. Love this verse. A companion of fools suffers harm. I take this verse very seriously. It is a warning to avoid people who don't take responsibility for their foolishness. Boorish, toxic behavior. Did you see him in aisle four? Duck into aisle six. That's okay. Third, difficult people sometimes just outlast them. Sometimes you just gotta wait them out until they just kind of die off or whatever. This the eleven o', clock, I get a little loose. Neighbors move.

Pastor Bob Merritt    23:20 Co workers quit. Classmates graduate. Just outlast them. Finally, form. Here's the biblical word. Pray. Biblical response this is so true. Dang. Sometimes all you can do is say, God, help me. Help me control my emotions. Help me control my anger. God, would you fill me in this moment? Fill me with your spirit. Fill me with your love, your joy and self control. By the way, you know who else is difficult? I. I know that's shocking for some of you. I can be very different. I can be very self centered. I can be very petty. I can be very harsh and unfair to the point where you'd wonder he's a bastard. I love this. I agree with this quote from author John Ortberg. He says we have all been idiots and we'll be idiots again. It is that bad. So true. Sometimes the first person we need to control is ourselves. Control. You can control the virus plows his field, he plants his seed and then he waits patiently for God to show up.

Pastor Bob Merritt    24:55 Ben James adds a very interesting statement at the end of this. It says for Jesus coming is near. Farmer has to wait patiently. He's planted his seeds. He's waiting for Jesus. It's kind of an odd state. What it means is that no matter what you're going through in life right now, Jesus is coming. He has come. He will come. He sees what you're going through, how hard it is sometimes. Friends, Jesus is coming. Maybe you're single right now, you don't want to be. By the way, I have a huge heart for young people in their twenties, single, wanting a relationship. And it's not happening for whatever reason. Twenties are very difficult. Trying to figure life out, careers, relationships, all of that. And you're tempted, sometimes you're tempted to make a bad decision out of desperation. If you're single right now, God sees you. Jesus is coming. He said, I'll never leave you or forsake you.

Pastor Bob Merritt    26:19 He is with you. He knows all about that. Trust him. Maybe you're in a job without much purpose. So you show up, you put in your time and wonder, is this ever going to get better? And it can take time, it can take years. But if you, you control what only you can control, I promise that Jesus will reward your effort. He is coming for you. Maybe you've prayed for children and it's your deepest sorrow and you wonder if God even cares anymore. I don't know why, I don't know how, but if you will trust him. Jesus is coming for you. Maybe not, not in the way you think, but he's coming. He will come. He has come. And he will show you his goodness in ways you might not even expect. Or maybe it's just a sadness that you can't even explain. James says our life is so short. And he promises that no matter what's happening right now, Jesus is coming for you in this life and the next.

Pastor Bob Merritt    27:27 The farmer plows his field, he plants his seeds. He controls what only he can control. He shows up, he does the right things, and then he trusts that the right time in the right way. God knew what only God. Third way to live Like a mist. Don't live mad. Don't live mad. He says, don't grumble against each other or God will judge you. And the word grumble here is in the present perfect tense, and it refers to someone who's just always mad, just always in a bad mood. Don't anybody like that. Hey, it's okay to get angry. In fact, we should get angry at things like theft and abuse and dishonesty. But the Bible says, in your anger, in your anger, don't sin. It's okay to get angry, but don't let it turn into ongoing anger. Do you know anybody who just. They're just mad. They wake up mad. They go to work mad. They drive mad, for sure. They wait in line mad. Is that you?

Pastor Bob Merritt    28:58 I lived mad for a very long time. I had almost no patience. Critical. Harsh. I still struggled with these things. By the way. My wife and I used to go on long walks together. And there was a lady on our route who watched us from her window. And I'd never met this lady, but I heard through the grapevine that she had a name for me. She called me the Mad Walker. Apparently, I walked mad. But in recent years, I'm happy to tell you I have found something finished, changed me. Mister Gratitude. Because when you look for things to be grateful for, it cures you from living man. First. First thing I do every single morning. I did it this morning. I thank God that I'm alive. That he's. That he's actually gifting me another day. It's amazing that I can feel this new day. I thank God that I'm alive and that the absolute joy of mourn. Coffee with French vanilla creamer.

Pastor Bob Merritt    30:08 It's heaven. You tea drinkers. What are you doing? Coffee. Have you ever thanked God for the coffee bean that comes from a tropical plant that God created from the very beginning and the vanilla bean that originated from Reunion island in the Indian Ocean? God sent, said, let the land sprout with every sort of seed bearing plant. When was the last time you marveled at a watermelon seed? Can the camera catch this? Just tiny. When was the last time? I love what William Jennings Brown wrote about the watermelon seed. When you can tell me how this siege is. Sprouts as a tiny leaf that turns into a sprawling vine that blooms yellow flowers that forms a hard surface of green with a red heart so delicious it drips down your chin. When you can explain the miracle of the watermelon seed, or peach, apple, pear or avocado seed, only then can you explain the miraculous work of God.

Pastor Bob Merritt    31:22 This comes from this. You've got to be joking. You're not just seeing a watermelon in Sam's Club or Costco. You're seeing a miracle every time you see it. The only proper response is gratitude. Sight. Your retina transmits data through an optic nerve at a rate of ten million bits per second. And I don't understand any of that. What I do understand is this body part filled with fluid and nerves and muscles can see a million different Shades of color. Your eye has the ability to pick that up. Some people can't see color. Grateful for puppies, Grateful for God's grace. Grateful that God has forgiven a sinner like me and continues to do so. James says, your life is a mist, gang. Don't live it madness. Life's too short for that. If you live it grateful, I'm telling you, it'll change your life. It'll change your marriage, it'll change your family, it'll change your friendships, your work, culture, the whole thing.

Pastor Bob Merritt    32:50 Mostly, though, it'll change you. Wake up, be grateful for what God has done in your life. Finally, when you live like a mist, you learn to persevere through difficulty. James five eleven says this. Be patient. He says, be patient in the face of suffering. Be patient for blessed. This is kind of strange. For blessed are those who push through, persevere through the hard times in life. You've heard of Job's perseverance, seeing what God finally brought about with him. Friends, everybody suffers in this world. But those of us who have Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who've received him into our life know that our suffering is temporary and that God has a purpose for our pain. He doesn't cause our pain, but he uses it for greater purposes that often we don't see to form our character, to form things like tenacity and perseverance. Wisdom. James references Job in a two day period.

Pastor Bob Merritt    34:06 Lost his family, health, money. He lost everything. But his faith never wavered. He didn't understand his pain, but he had a quiet calm that no matter what happened to him, God was in control and God had a purpose for his life. The Bible said God made Job prosperous again, gave him twice as much as he had before because he persevered through suffering. What I've learned when I'm going through a season of suffering is I might not understand why in the moment, but that in all things, even in the hard and painful things, God is working for my good, that God has a plan and purpose for my life, and that my job is to persevere, push through, see what God has for me. A few months after they were married fifteen years ago, my daughter and son in law bought a basset hound who they named Bauer after Jack Bauer. Even though Jack Bauer is a guy, Bower's a girl and this dog was often the steady source of calm through the early years of marriage, med school, residency and now the last four years relocating here in Minnesota.

Pastor Bob Merritt    35:36 Bowers, droopy eyes and floppy ears endeared her to everyone. So Last fall, when it was becoming too hard for her to walk, we knew it was time. And the girls, the gals at the vet, were so kind. They were so compassionate. We lifted Bauer out of the back part of my truck that day. She was able to walk in. But I'm telling you, it was heartbreaking to watch my daughter lie on the floor grieving, holding her beloved dog for one last time, just beyond words. So Laurie and I got down on the floor with her and we held our daughter and we cried with her. Eventually, the vet asked if we were ready and she gave the medication. Laura closed her eyes, her breathing slowed, and she was gone. Fifteen years of loyalty and love. Fifteen years of waiting at the door, howling in protest when they left her home alone. Fifteen years letting the kids lay on her, tug on her ears, pushing her away from their snacks.

Pastor Bob Merritt    37:21 That evening, Nellie drove to her house after work, and they lifted Bauer out of our car. He carried her to the backwoods and laid her next to the hole that we had dug. And then Nellie, this wonderful man of God, got down on his hands and knees and he just cried over her. None of us said a word as we let Nellie grieve and say his goodbye. A couple months later, the kids made a cross, and we planted it there to remember the sweet. As I reflect on this and other losses that we experience in life, there is a kind of grief in life that you can't fix. There are losses that you can't avoid. You just have to go through them and trust. And God will meet you. You. God will carry you. Some of you, it's not a dog that you've lost. Some of you here today, watching online, fourteen campuses just lost your spouse of fifty years or sixty. Or you've lost a son or a daughter. I can't imagine.

Pastor Bob Merritt    38:51 Or you've lost a friendship, or maybe your health. Through his servant James, God says to us, be patient in the face of suffering. He says there is a blessing, there is a strengthening. It's counterintuitive, but he says there's an actual joy that comes through suffering. My capacity for joy has actually increased because of suffering. Isn't it true? If it wasn't for suffering, we wouldn't know the joy of being comforted. If it wasn't for sadness, we wouldn't know the joy of being happy. If it wasn't for loneliness, we wouldn't know the joy of being loved. If it wasn't for fear, we wouldn't know the joy of having peace. And if it wasn't for death, Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior. When he died, it was darkness around the planet. The universe cried. It was over. There was no hope. But that death was the cause for the best moment in human history.

Pastor Bob Merritt    40:15 The resurrection of Jesus Christ, who defeated to death. And paid for my sins. And paid for your sins. And he says, whoever put their faith in me, I will forgive you and I will raise you as well someday. The worst moment three days later became the very best moment. Some of you are going to season of suffering right now. And it's so blinding that it's hard to see your way through. It's hard to see any sort of purpose in it. Dang. It's a hard world. It is. But God understands it. And he sees your quiet moments of desperation and loss. He knows all about your loneliness. He sees you right now, right here. He loves you. He is for you. He. He has a plan for your life. And he gives us this promise. Be patient in the face of suffering. For blessed, blessed are those who push through, telling you Jesus is coming. In the meantime, in this brief existence we call life, do something good every day.

Pastor Bob Merritt    41:47 Give up control of the things that are beyond your control. Don't live life mad. Push through the tough stuff. And I'm telling you, if you do, God still has a plan and purpose for your life. The farmer plows his field, he plants his seeds. And then he waits patiently for God. So great to be with all of you today. Next week, Jason kicks off a brand new series called Escape Room. It's about how to deal with temptation. We're all tempted in this life. Jason's going to deal with that. Let me offer a quick prayer. We'll be on our way. Father, thank you so much for your love and grace. Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for puppies, thank you for watermelons. Thank you for all the great things you pour into our lives. We love you. You too. We're so grateful for you in Jesus.