Episode 3: This is Why Your Faith Feels Stuck

A nation went decades without hearing God’s Word, and when Scripture finally resurfaced, it didn’t entertain people it shattered complacency and sparked revival. That’s the moment we sit with today: King Josiah hearing the Book of the Law for the first time, responding with conviction, and leading a sweeping return to worship.

We talk about why modern day miracles are often quieter than we expect. Yes, God can heal and move in physical ways, but we keep seeing the “greater miracle” in front of us: God’s presence changing hearts, bringing people from death to life, and moving believers to respond with real obedience. Josiah’s story also hits anyone who feels disqualified by age, background, or family history. God doesn’t wait for the perfect résumé; He looks for willingness.

From rebuilding the neglected temple to tearing down idols, we connect the dots between biblical stewardship, personal discipleship, and church renewal. We also dive into the miracle of the Bible itself: why Scripture is trustworthy, why it convicts, and why consistent Bible reading (not occasional exposure) reshapes habits, anxiety, and spiritual strength.

To close, we get practical about a daily devotional life in busy seasons: mornings, commutes, interruptions, parenting chaos, and simple ways to stay unrushed and attentive to God. If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the podcast.

Thanks for listening! Find us on Instagram or visit our Website.

Transcript

Welcome And Why We Go Deeper

SPEAKER_03 1:06

First Baptist Church, friends and family, Pastor Chip Dean here, our executive pastor of industry, James Wilson, our executive director of communications, Jenny Highsmith, and welcome to episode three of the deeper podcast. Can you believe we're already three deep? My goodness. It's not that deep. So uh but we're just so thankful that you're going on this journey with us because uh we just we love the word of God and we're so thankful to be in a church that loves the word of God and also knowing that you may not be in our church, you may be in our community, you may have heard what God is doing at First Baptist Church Powder Springs, or maybe uh you are somewhere else and you just want a deeper walk with Christ. And that's why we do what we do. And and uh so we just like to dive a little deeper on the previous Sunday's sermon. And so this last Sunday uh was 2 Kings chapter 22 and 23, even if you want to turn there um on your in your Bible or your fake Bible on your phone and uh and check that out and follow along with us. But we're in the series that we're calling modern day miracles. The whole point is what the miracles that God did in the old testament, Jesus did, similar miracles in the New Testament, fulfilling those miracles uh according to the gospel, and that God is still doing miracles today. Uh, often as human beings, we we long for uh I think sometimes um sincerely, but other times even fleshly, we we long for more of the physical miracles than we do the greater miracles, which is the spiritual miracles that God wants to do in our life. Um, so just just for y'all, and Jenny, you can go first because that's what James uh requested off camera. Uh and just thinking about this series, modern day miracles, that that yeah, we believe anytime that um the word of God is preached and taught in the church, is the spirit of God shaping the community, shaping the the family of God. He's molding us individually, but also he's molding us as his body at First Baptist Powder Springs. What do you see the Lord doing, whether in in your life, in the life of our church, even just through this? What do you feel like that God, how is God shaping us and molding us?

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Man, that's a great question. Um I mean, just being there on Sundays, it is the past few Sundays. Uh, if you've been there in the room, God's presence has shown up. And I think that's such a testament to we want the physical miracle, but sometimes God's presence showing up is the miracle in our life that we need, right? And so I just witnessing that in people's lives and I think seeing not only that his presence has shown up with us, but that people are responding to it. They're they're being obedient to that response, like God's calling them. Um, and I think that's just so important for all of us to remember like, God's gonna show up. What are you gonna do about it when he shows up? Like, you know, are you gonna respond to that? Are you going to take that step of faith? Are you just gonna like kind of sit there awkwardly, right? So I think our I see our people responding, and that's just it's beautiful. And it and it it gives you chills in the room when you see, you know, God's presence just clearly there. So I that's just been the most exciting thing for me in the past few weeks to see. And it's not anybody, you know, standing up saying, I can walk again, right? It's not it's not some crazy miracle, but it is a it is a miracle.

SPEAKER_03 4:31

So yeah, the the I had a church member tell me just yesterday. She said that she she had just gone to another church, I think maybe where she was from or something like that. Great church, great church service. But she said that the Spirit of God wasn't in the room. And um, and and we we never want to take that for granted. We never want to think it's about us. We and what we don't mean by that is great preaching, great worship, anything like that. We mean we yearn and we ask God for his presence more than anything, right? If we don't have the presence of God with us on our lives and with us in our church as a part of our church, then we're wasting our time. Right. And so we desperately yearn and beg God for his presence. Pastor James.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

Yeah, number one, I think you're you're right on there with talking about us. The goal is never for us to say what we did, or for us to go, well, because of me, it has nothing to do with us, but all because of God. And so granted, uh most people think about the why isn't the sea splitting today? You know, why isn't somebody walking on water? But you're talking about the miracle of from death to life, yes, which is incredible. And and throughout this series, we uh there was a lady who surrendered her life to Christ in her in her 40s, and from people that are getting baptized, people that are joining groups, you're seeing the active presence of God uh go into his people and people taking action. They are moving to the to the things that um that what we want to do of marks of a disciple. Yeah. And that's what we're just so excited about, what God's doing. It's just it's been incredible, it's been a blessing.

Josiah And The Greater Miracle

SPEAKER_03 6:04

Yeah, I even think about meeting yesterday with Jake. And Jake's got he's he's got some physical miracles that he needs in his life, you know, with his with his eyesight and MRIs and CAT scans or CTs or whatever it is and all that kind of stuff. And uh, but in this season of not knowing exactly what's going on in his brain and his body with the issues that he's currently having, and yet God is calling him to start a group in his gym. You know, it's just longing for the spiritual miracle. And I think when God really laid that on my heart was was six years ago when Brooklyn was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and just I found myself begging God, God, heal her, God help her to walk. God, um, father, would you would you please just uh restore her to the purpose that you created her for? And I and and God convicted me that not that I shouldn't be praying for physical miracles. I believe we should. I think God can do that. Um, but uh but God convicted me that I was praying more for her to walk on this earth than I was praying for her to walk with him spiritually, to walk with Christ in her relationship with him. And um, so this passage uh is as we are longing for the greater miracles, yeah, the spiritual miracles. God can and still does the physical miracles, they are important, but how much more important are the spiritual miracles? We talked about the miracle of personal revival. Uh, all starts out with a king, Josiah, eight years old, verse one. Uh he began to reign. He reigned for 31 years. His mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adiah and Boscath. I again, I just kind of think it's uh is fascinating uh that Josiah came out of one of the most wicked, yeah, evil cultures. His dad, Amon, was one of the most nastiest kings of all Israel. His grandfather, Manasseh, one of the worst kings of all Israel. So if you can imagine um the temple at this time is dilapidated, uh, the word of God had been hidden for 70 years. And so um, and Josiah, I mean, to to you, and and Ginny, I'll just I'll just pitch this to you. You know, when we look at Josiah, eight years old, and doesn't even mention his dad and his granddad, mentioned his mom and his and his mom's parents, you know, what what do you see in this in terms of um what, you know, you've got three young kids. Man, what what God wants to do in the life of a child, yeah, and and but also what God wants to do in every age and stage of life. Yeah. Right. And what is truly valuable? What do you see here?

SPEAKER_01 8:40

I so many times, how how often do we put God in a box? We say, like, oh, he can only work in someone who's prepared or gone to seminary or he can only, you know, do this. And I think this story is just so clear that he can use anybody, right? Like he can pick anybody. It's I mean, we're not manufacturing the outcomes at church for his spirit to show up. He can show up anywhere that he wants to, right? Yeah. And I mean, I I can't imagine my middle son is nine years old, and I can't imagine him being being a king. That's that just is hilarious, right? But yeah, who knows what, you know, he grew up in the palace or whatever, but what other qualifications as an eight-year-old did he have? Probably none. And so that God qualifies you like you don't need to come in to God's plan with your resume all set up and lined up, right? And it just reminds me of he can take an eight-year-old and do what do what he wants to do. Yes. So how much more could he use me, right? How much more could he use you? It doesn't matter your your history or where you're coming from or how old you are. The the common denominator is that God, if God's plan and you say yes and you're willing, man, he's able.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

So yeah, just it what I'm hearing you say is it is not what you can do for God, it's what God can do through you, right? Yes. And and uh so often I want to do great things for God, do great things, but God, what is it that you want to do through me? And and I need you to do it in me first before you do it through me, right? And um, and just just thinking about, yeah, if God can use an eight-year-old to do the things, then I mean the point is God can use anybody. And people, we use excuses all the time. Well, I will, I'll do, I'll serve the Lord when I, you know, and when God gives me this, does this for me when I when I slow down, when I get to this point in life. Pastor James, what kind of excuses have you used in the past or heard from others in the past? Yeah. You know, when Josiah had every excuse in the world, yeah. Not to be a godly king.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Oh man.

SPEAKER_03 10:46

Man, but God chose him and used him.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

That's so good. Yeah, I call it the case, uh, the c you get a case of the but God. You know, but God, I'm not smart enough, but God, I've failed, but God, I don't have the right job, but God, I don't have the money, but God, I'm sick, but God, it's not the right time, uh, but God, I don't know anybody. Um, but God, I'm uh, you know, I I'm anxious. My history. But it also shows that uh your family and the past of your family doesn't define what God has for you. And so it's like just because that's your grandfather, just because that's your father, does not mean that's gonna be you. It doesn't mean that's God's plan for you, that's God's desire for you. God has something else more than you could ever dream or imagine. And so I think with that, it's it's you may have these uh these excuses, but how thankful are we that God has uh that the Bible so many times uh walks through and talks through so many different people who had the case of but God's right? Uh and the Lord had them continue to do what he called them to do. No matter their excuse, they still trusted God. And I think that's probably the biggest thing is you have an excuse, but your excuses are nothing when they go against God.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

It shouldn't be, but God, I can't do it. It should be, wow, look what what did God look what he did. Yes, yes, yes, you know, like but God. With God, anything is possible, right?

Decision Over Distraction

SPEAKER_03 12:12

It's like we we need to disciple our kids to to dream great things that God wants to do in them and through them. You know, and just help them to dream those things and to think those things. And we need to speak life into our children, speak the gospel that uh we had in our message. The greatest thing God does with your life may not be what you do, but who you disciple, and uh, and just continuing to raise up the next generation. Uh, I just heard on on social media the story of David Livingston, one of the one of the great greatest missionaries of all time. And uh there was a uh a missionary that came back from his mission work and went back to his country, and and he was he had this incredible sermon written, planned, prepared. And and basically, like just very few people showed up, and he was wanting to call people to the mission field, the people that did show up. Um, it may, you know, it may not have been the the uh the people that maybe they're past their prime or whatever, you know, not in that agent stage of their life, not able to give their whole life right for for the mission overseas. And uh, but he said he went ahead and preached it, anyways. He preached the message, anyways, and he ended the message with who will go, who will go, who will go. And the organist had the little boy that was that was his assistant that was working the billow for the heir of the organ to be able to play. And the little boy was David Livingston, and he stood up and he said, I will go. Right? And we just never know. We never know what God will call us to do. And uh, we say there's nothing good on the internet. That was good on the internet. Yeah, that's right. Um verse two, and and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the way of David, his father. He did not turn aside to the right or the left. How easy it would be for Josiah to just fall in line with the rest of the world. Uh everybody else around him, from what we can see, from what we can tell, everybody else around him was living wickedly, living uh evil. Um, but I think it's so interesting. He said he, again, he doesn't even use his dad's name. He walked in the way of David, his father. David, I think, was 13 generations removed from him. Wow. He's a direct descendant, but 13, you know, his great-great-great-grand-grand-grands, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, yeah, grandfather. I'm gonna choose yes. I'm gonna change the direction of my family. He did not turn to the right or to the left. Jenny, what do you what do you hear with verse two there?

SPEAKER_01 14:41

How often do we get distracted by the world? Uh as a young kid to not turn to the right or the left. I mean, I just see determination in him to like a like just change his change his family history. He must have had an inspiration to to do that from the Lord. Just I mean, I can only say that that's God given in him that he felt that way and that call. Um but yeah, just how often do we get distracted by what's to the right or the left? And for a a young kid to to walk straight, that's wow. Yes.

unknown 15:21

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 15:23

Yeah, I see that he made a decision. And a decision is to cut off all other options. And unfortunately, we're in a culture where you have so many options that it's hard to make a decision. I mean, I'd do that. You know, I'd sit down every now and then when I get to relax and I put on Netflix, but there's so many options that I spend about 30 minutes looking through the options and I go, oh, well, that was my time right then.

SPEAKER_03 15:45

Sounds like Blockbuster back in the day. You walk around the store 17 times. I was like, somehow.

SPEAKER_00 15:51

There's my two hours for the movie, yeah. Literally. And I think with that, uh, for people, it's like the song, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back. And so with King Josiah, he made a decision, and that's and we can do the same. We can make a decision to follow Jesus in our personal lives, in our marriage, in our homes with our kids, in our workplace. But when we make that decision, it's to cut off all other options.

Stewardship That Rebuilds Worship

SPEAKER_03 16:16

You know, we see these glimpses all throughout the Bible, like, man, uh, whether it's uh Moses or just out of nowhere, whether it's Job, out of nowhere, Abraham out of nowhere. And I think what the New Testament is saying is look at how the Holy Spirit is using each and every one of these people. We know it's not these men, it's not these women in scripture, it's the Holy Spirit of God. He was doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, not in the eyes of the world. And so how do we know what's right in the eyes of the Lord? It's the word of God, yeah, right? It is the word of God. He walked in the way of his of David, his father. In other words, let's pick someone to look to, to walk after. How are they following Jesus? You know, Paul said, um, follow me as I follow Christ, right? And and and so we need to pick the people that are following Jesus the closest. And and he didn't turn to the right, to the left distractions last night in my group in the fellowship hall. Uh, it's all about taking every thought captive. And and the video series is actually in an arcade. You you led it last week. It's it's the the setting because it's all the flashing lights, the bells, and the whistles, and the entire arcade is designed to draw you to that game. It's to get your attention off of everything else and to go to that game. And he said the average American touches their phone over 2,000 times a day.

unknown 17:38

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 17:39

Touches their phone. Don't do it. No, right. You're getting closer. Over 2,000 times a day. And the average American spends seven hours on their phone a day or on a screen. Seven hours on a screen. And just and he's just talking about distraction.

unknown 17:56

Wow.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

And um so that is so convicting, but also I think the point is not don't touch my phone.

unknown 18:03

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

The point is not don't have seven hours of scream time. The point is if I'm struggling with attract with distraction, I need a greater attraction.

SPEAKER_00 18:12

That's so good.

SPEAKER_03 18:13

I need to be the greater attraction to Christ rather than the eyes of the Lord, the uh the things of the word rather than obviously the things of the world. The the question we asked was, are you living like the culture around you, or are you living out God's calling within you? Uh verse three, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, uh the king sent Shaphon, the secretary of the house of the Lord, go up to Hilkiah the priest, that he would count the money that has been brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the threshold had collected from the people. Let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord. Let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the Lord, repairing the house. Basically, uh, because of his dad and grandfather, uh, the temple was in ruins. The temple was completely ignored. They were worshiping false gods at all the high places. And now you see God using the people to contribute their finances for the repairing, for the rebuilding of the temple. And um, and and I it's just very interesting that this is the context. Uh, the the thought I had was the rebuilding of the temple that actually led to a revival in the land. The rebuilding of the temple led to a revival in the land. So I I think I think my question here is um, what what has the Lord, because this is a a major part of, you know, stewardship is a major part of discipleship. And Jesus talked about it all the time. What is what is just a thought that the Lord has been teaching you personally when it comes to stewardship, stewarding your finances, leveraging your finances for for the kingdom of God?

SPEAKER_00 19:58

Yeah, so for for me, it's uh at at some point, this is quite some time ago. I I don't even remember when, you know, there wasn't this big you know, aha moment, but at the end of the day, I I don't own anything. I don't own anything. Um from from from my finances to to my spouse to my kids, it's all the Lords, it's all on layaway, it's all lended. Uh and so my my goal is to do exactly what I'm called to do with it and to uh to have an open hand in regards to generosity to the Lord because it's already his. This is a blessing that even uh gives me anything, any resource, because I'm not worthy of it. I'm not worthy of it at all at all. And so I think for me it's it's recognizing it all belongs to the Lord and what a gift it is, and you reap what you sow. And God loves a cheerful giver. So why not be cheerful? Why not count my blessings and thank them on the way?

SPEAKER_01 20:50

That reminds me of Drew, my husband Drew has a sticky note in his office and it says, um, this isn't your office, you're just using it. And it's very much like how we see everything that God has given us, right? My this isn't my house. But I God is allowing me to use this house, right? So what has he given me that he's allowing me to use and how am I giving that back to him in return? And whether that's giving back to the church through tithing or how are you stewarding your gifts, how everything that he's given you. So even your home, like how are you stewarding your home to further his kingdom, right? So I think just that's kind of our that's Drew's motto at work, but it's also kind of our family motto of like, how are we taking what we've been given by him and stewarding it back to him in some way?

SPEAKER_00 21:37

So I was gonna say sometimes, like for us as parents, so I'm sure for whomever, you know, you may be a parent or not, but it's you can experience that a lot with your kids. Hey, I'm gonna buy you some ice cream. Can I have some? No. Well, hold up. Wait a minute. What do you mean I can have some? I it's my money. I just gave it to you, and now you don't want to give me any. What are you talking about? You wouldn't have that if I didn't give it to you in the first place.

Finding The Lost Book Of The Law

SPEAKER_03 22:04

Right? Do you have any money? Heard a pastor say one time, uh, as the kids say, You can't have any of my food. Oh, I'm sorry. You don't have any food. You don't have my food. And I bought this for you. This is my food that I've given to you. Well, don't come in my room. Oh, I'm so sorry. You don't have a room. You know, you don't have a phone. You don't have, you know, all these type things. So true. And uh, and we are we are like that with our kids. Yeah. But we are like those kids to God. Yeah. Amen. You know, and uh and we have to remember that we are stewards of of everything that the Lord has given us. And I love that God was leveraging all of their resources for the rebuilding of the temple. And because there is nothing more important in the land than the worship of God. And how how can God leverage my resources? Resources, my family, my finances, my time, my talent for his kingdom. Everything else is just building my kingdom or somebody else's, right? But every time I invest in his, man, that's when we see the kingdom of God that is being built. Um, all right, so verse eight, now we're really getting to the meat of the passage. This is the most important part. And uh, man, this is awesome. Verse eight. Yeah, get get settle in, baby. Uh, and Hilkiah the high priest said to Shapon the secretary, if you can imagine, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. Uh Shapon the Secretary, I mean, they they found the Bible, uh, the word of God uh that had been written up to that point. It was hidden, it was gone, it was lost at best, hidden at worst, right? And um, it had some historians tell us it could have been as long as missing for 70 years, right? Seven decades, um, an entire lifespan at that point. And so there could have been people that had lived that never even heard the word of God, and they were the chosen people of God. So, verse 10, they find the book of the law, the house of the Lord. Verse 10, then Shapon the secretary told the king, Hilkiah the book, the priest, has given me a book. Let's call it a book. And Shaphon read it before the king. And um, and it had this profound, just the reading, the first time Josiah was 26 at this point, first time he had ever read the word of God heard. And we'll get there, but it says that he tore his clothes, like which was grief and conviction, and he was humbled by it, humiliated by it because of his sin. Um, the humility that the Holy Spirit brought on. And so we we talked about the miracle of the Bible. And and you know, we talked about, you know, the Bible says that it makes you wise into salvation. It's God breathed, it's everything we need for life and godliness. God wrote it, men penned it. Um, it is it is inspired by God. It's author, it's the authority of God in our life. It's inerrant. There are no mistakes, it's infallible. It'll produce everything it says it'll produce is sufficient. It's enough for all of our life and godliness. It was written over 1,500 years by 40 different authors, three different languages over three different continents, 66 different books, over a thousand chapters, over 31,000 verses. And it's impossible that there would be one book, one work that all is done over that period of time by one God, one cohesive story, the gospel, all about one hero who's Jesus with no contradictions and all complements one another, even with that graphic up of some over 60,000 different connections all throughout the Word of God. Um you know, when you when you think about the miracle of the scriptures in your life and the miracle that the scriptures have for the lives of others, where does your mind go? Where does your heart go? What do you think about it?

SPEAKER_01 26:15

Jenny I mean the miracle of the scriptures in people's lives. Uh I I just imagine there's so many times where we can be around people that know God. I mean, you even said on Sunday, like you can know what your mom said, you can know what your pastor said, but have you actually immersed yourself in the word of God? And I think so often we can assume that because we're around something a lot, that somehow it's transpired onto us, right? And and are we wearing Christianity as a badge or has the word of God consumed our heart, right? Like are have we been transformed by it? I think I mean similar to how when they read the word in front of him, he just was overcome by the power of the word of God. It's like when you get into scripture on a daily basis, you can't help but see the transformation that's happening in you rather than oh well, Pastor Chip said such and such. Or like there's just such a difference between how God's word affects you personally and being adjacent to it, I guess is what I don't know. That's that's just what that makes me think of.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

So yeah, it is uh I think one, like you can't even get 10 people to play the game a telephone correctly. That's right, you know, from the first person to the last person, whole different completely message. Like it's it's just gone. It's out the window. And I think the Bible is just it's what is just such a miracle because, you know, and with some of our missionaries uh that are in Uganda and they like press print and share out the Bible in those in those areas, you know, one, we have Bibles everywhere, which are really important to us, but what a gift it is. And just I remember discovering the Bible. Because at first, I'm not gonna lie, at first it's like this big hefty book. I'm like, what is this? I can't read this stuff. Who who are these people that can't read this? It was Ephesians, right? Or everybody would say the book of Job, right? It's like job, what's a job? Uh but then, and it was like homework, right? But then you really start discovering who this God of the Bible is and what he has done for you, what Jesus has done for you, and why you need a savior. And you just see uh people that are just just like you, that have fallen, that have made mistakes, that have just completely messed up, but this amazing thread throughout from first book to the last book, and you just it becomes a thirst and it becomes food, and it becomes like, Lord, I can't know enough about you. I can't I can't I can read the Bible however many times I can't know enough about you. And so I think the Bible is just an amazing miracle, best-selling book of all time for a reason. Uh the most artifacts of all time for a reason. And uh, I mean, again, it's what a gift it is that God himself gave us his words. It's just I I don't even I don't get it. I don't understand it. I'm grateful. It's just I don't understand it. It's his love for us.

SPEAKER_03 29:20

Yeah, one thing we we mentioned on that Sunday morning was the word of God is the only perfect thing on the planet. The word of God is the only earthly thing on the planet. And um, and there are so many good books out there. There's so there there are books out there without error.

SPEAKER_02 29:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

Like I I can I can write a book right now without error. Two plus two equals four. You know what I mean? There is no error in that. That's right. And uh but but when you have without error meaning without error when it comes to spiritual doctrine, spiritual truth, when it comes to history, when it comes to chronology, when it comes to archaeology, when it comes to um uh theology, when it comes to eternity, when it comes to salvation, your soul, that there is zero error, that every single it's it's the verbal plenary um interpretation, inspiration of scripture, that every single word of God in the original manuscripts are from God, just as he meant him, meant them, and that our copies of scripture are reflections of those original manuscripts, that we can trust every word of the scriptures. Yeah, man, that he has given us a supernatural book. Uh we can read a science book, and man, our life is changed scientifically in knowledge. We can read a math book, and our life is changed in terms of understanding math. We can read a self-help book and our life is changed. But only our soul, right? Only our spirit, only our eternity, only our sanctification, our transformation in the life of Jesus Christ, there is only one supernatural book that changes all of life, and it is the word of God. And every time God speaks in his word, lives are changed. And the way that God speaks into our life today is through his word. So when you're getting into the word of God, 2 Peter says, it is just like God is speaking audibly to you. I mean, how amazing would it be to hear the audible words of God? But what if God only spoke audibly today and we did not have his written word? Then you would say what God said, and you wouldn't say what God said, and I would say what God said, and you would say what God said, but we really wouldn't know what God said.

SPEAKER_01 31:31

He said it with this inflection. Exactly. Yes, yes, which probably meant this.

Scripture That Convicts And Transforms

SPEAKER_03 31:36

But how many people live off of that? I heard God say. I heard God say. I heard somebody say about God, I heard someone interpret this according to God. I heard, and and we aren't like the Bereans, right? In in Acts, I'm trying to remember 17, 18, um, where the Bereans, it says that they were counted more noble because they took everything they heard and they tested it with scripture. Because 2 Peter, Peter says that he heard the very words of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. He heard God said, Behold, this is my son in whom I'm well pleased. When Jesus was transformed on the mountain, and here's what Peter said but we have a more sure word than the voice of God. We have the written, the eternal, every single word that God wanted me and you to know is all written down and we can be coveted in this book. That's how supernatural God's word is. How do I know that God's word is in me? I believe that I know best when God's word is in me, when I want to be in God's word. Because what God's word does is it makes us yearn and desire to be more in God's word. Uh I I didn't tell this story in the message, but there was an agnostic professor at the University of North Carolina. And at the beginning of all of his classes in the first of each semester, uh, he would ask his class in North Carolina, Bible Belt, you know, how many of y'all believe the Bible is the word of God? The majority of hands would raise. And then he would say, Great, put your hands down. And uh he would say, Now, how many of you have read the Bible? Very few hands went up. And he said, How many of you have read, and he named this book one of the most popular books at that time? I think it was the Da Vinci Code. How many of y'all have read the DaVinci Code? And nearly every single hand went up around the room. And he said, and he and he was agnostic. He said, It is hard for me to believe. He he he said, Now, now I'm not telling you that I think that I think God wrote the Bible. You're telling me that you think God wrote the Bible. I can see why you'd want to read a book like the Da Vinci Code, but if God wrote a book, wouldn't you want to see what He had to say? And that is that is so we talked about, you know, God's Word being a letter, a love letter to us, being a meal for us. Taste and see the Lord is good. You can't live off one meal a week. Uh, a map for us, understanding how he reveals his will, a light for us, you know, that he guides our way, a weapon for us. It's the only weapon of all of scripture is the word of God, the sword of truth itself, in order to ward off the enemy. And so as a church, we um we want to always be word-centric, yeah, right, in our preaching, in our worship, in our groups. Um, and I believe that all of those is what helps us to understand our personal reading of the word of God. That's why you do those weekly emails for people and we put in their um daily devotionals. That's why we have a church app that they can go to and study deeper so that God's word fills us so that he can send us to serve and live our life on mission. Um, verse 11, when the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. Again, that's conviction, sorrow, humility. Can you think of a time in your life where God's word convicted you most? Where God's word convicted you most?

SPEAKER_00 35:21

Uh yeah, for me, it was when I would when someone shared the gospel with me. It was I I grew up at church as a kid and services were long, so I was typically falling asleep, and uh they didn't really have a kid's ministry, so I just kind of sat down. And then my mom worked a lot, so we were kind of at home and here and there. And I went to church a lot and just still really didn't have a clear understanding of the of the gospel. And I'll never forget when the gospel was just laid out for me when I was uh 15 and it it cut me so bad because it was at that moment I knew I needed a savior. I was trying to find whatever it was and anything and everything and sports and video games and all the things as fulfillment. Um and and you know, even without growing up with my father, so trying to find that fill that void and that gap and all those things. And what once I heard those clear words of what Christ did for me, it was over. And the pastor was like, hey man, you know, some people they they they may want to take a few moments, they may want to take some time to decide. I was like, no, I'll do this right now in this little church lobby. I'm doing this right now. But that that's when it just it just cut me, it cut me up.

SPEAKER_03 36:30

My my mom just reminded me of her salvation testimony the other day. And she said, uh, I think she I think she was in her 20s. And uh, man, the gospel was preached and she went forward. She'd been in church all of her life. Dad was a pastor later on, and all this type stuff, and she went forward, and and the pastor said, Susan, what are you doing up here? And she said, I need to get saved. He was like, You already are saved. She's like, No, I'm not, you know, kind of a deal. And but she was just convicted. Convicted in that moment. Yes. I'm like, yes, I am. No, I'm not. It's not a time to argue, people. So uh and and uh man, just praise the Lord. Wow, you know that the Lord convicted her in that moment. Jenny, for you.

SPEAKER_01 37:07

I mean, I think back to when I was a teenager, uh my dad had left our family. There was there was a lot that had happened in my life that kind of made me feel, oh, well, you know, teenager, you start to be a little emo, maybe, you know, a little emotional, a little like poor me, right? Like it's all about me. Um, and I just remember reading in James, uh, consider it pure joy whenever you face trials. And I remember that convicting me in my teenage years of, you know, I need to not be bitter about my circumstances. I need to see how has God put these circumstances in my life to for his glory, right? And not be um so self-centered and and think about all the bad things that have happened in my life. I think that was a turning point for me to realize that um everybody's got a story. Yeah. And it's, you know, it's not all about you. And we're supposed to consider it joy no matter what we go through. And and that was really convenient. James was a very James, I appreciate that. The book of James was a very important important book for me then. Huge.

SPEAKER_03 38:10

I you know, I I I did not choose this time in my life, I'm, but I'm thankful God chose this time in my life. Um, I was probably at that time 12, 13 years old. Uh I was under satanic targeted attack. I believe that because my TV was the only TV in the house that got a certain channel. That um as a young teenager, I was I was watching this this filth and um and and I never got caught. My student pastor, my youth pastor, preached a message in in a in a chapel service, and um, and he said, if you are not walking in the light, you are walking in the darkness, and you are not living by the truth. And and if you can walk in the darkness and not repent, that is a sign of a lack of salvation. And I remember God just cut me to the quick and I went straight to my parents and I told them exactly what was going on. I mean, I you talk about conviction, you talk about grief, sorrow, humbled, all these type of things. I heard someone say today, uh, today, as people are deconstructing their faith, they're blaming their parents for their for their feelings, for their sins, for for who they've become. They blame their parents rather than looking at their sin as their choices. I love that with Josiah.

SPEAKER_02 39:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:32

That he did not allow his family background to be his excuse. Rather, he allowed the word of God not to say, yeah, my dad was a terrible man. Right. My grandfather was a horrible person. Rather, he looked to himself, right? He looked to himself. And so often we compare ourselves to others, we blame others, and we don't take response personal responsibility. I believe if you want personal salvation, you have to take personal responsibility. So it's the great wrath of the Lord. This is what Josiah said when he heard first time in his life, he ever heard the word read. You know, it's very interesting. He didn't be like, oh man, God just loves us so bad. You know, God is so uh, he's just so cute and cuddly, and I just, you know, want to snuggle with him. Uh, but no, he said, for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book to do according to all of that is written concerning us. Some people think what was written up to that point was the book of Deuteronomy, and and he was probably talking about Deuteronomy 32, the list of blessings. If you follow me, this is what I'll give you. And if you're not following me, this is what I'll do to you. And then it was probably that list that's it. He said, I know we're not following God. And he was so convicted, I'm not following God, and so this is God's curse on my life. Right? We can't appreciate the grace of God until we accept the holiness of God. Um, does anything stick out to you in that verse?

SPEAKER_01 41:02

So many things. I I think the fact, like you said, that he responded right away. It wasn't an excuse of, well, my family history or oh, I've just had so much trouble lately. Like, give me a break. It was just immediate repentance. And I think so many times we can, when we're convicted of something, we can kind of let it like, let's see if it softens over time. Like, let's see if it doesn't, like, let's just give it some time, or whatever it might be. Like, do we respond right away to that conviction? I mean, I think your story of you going straight to tell your parents.

SPEAKER_03 41:36

I mean, that's that's too room. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 41:38

Like, I mean, and that that should be our response every time is um when the Lord convicts us of stuff just to go right away. I think, you know, we're teaching my oldest that right now. And he came to me last night and he was like, Mom, I didn't want to tell you this. I've been not wanting to tell you this all day. Um, he's like, but I'm trying to take ownership over my choices. And he said, I made a failing grade in a class today. And he was like, I was scared to tell you. And I think that's how we feel so often with God is like, we're so scared to admit that we had a responsibility in the choices that we made, right? Um, but you know, just the reassurance that God gives us like, hey, you know, this is my promise to you, and and how important that is to remember.

SPEAKER_00 42:22

So and he already knows.

SPEAKER_01 42:24

Yeah, he already knows. He's like not telling him anything new.

SPEAKER_00 42:28

Literally. Yeah, that's so good. I think of uh just mirroring what King Josiah is Pharaoh. You know, this guy is in power, just about anything and everything you could ever want. And he's seeing he literally real time seeing these things happen because of his choices, these plagues and people getting hurt and uh God on display and harden and continue to harden his heart. Yeah, it's just wild versus King Josai, who's reading God's word, yeah, grief, right? We need to move, and it's just it is just uh really, really interesting. It's just really interesting.

Covenant Renewal And Tearing Down Idols

SPEAKER_03 43:08

It's just fascinating, man, that when when we don't, um, because there are so many times in my life that I I did not soften my heart to the Lord. Yeah, right. He's convicting me, and I and and I um I resisted the Holy Spirit, right? And and every one of those times I regret. Yes. Every single one of those times, and every time that that um I've responded biblically in repentance for my sin and not allowed excuses, you know, to continue in my sin. Um, man, those all those times I'm so grateful for. Uh just very quickly, it says that Joe uh God blessed Josiah, verse 19, because his heart was penitent. He said, God said, and you humbled yourself before me. And and I believe that as we read the word of God, James talks about, we talked about James, talks about that the word of God is like a mirror for us. That it it um we read the word of God so that the word of God reads into us, reads our hearts. Um, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, it is doctrine and it is reproof or rebuke. It's conviction in our life, that we're not just getting into the word of God to feel better about ourselves. Yeah, we're getting into the word of God for for the Lord to allow our sin to come to the surface. I I heard I was reminded this week about the silversmith and how how do you refine silver, right? As you burn it so that all the infirmities are are they they all come to the top and you scrape them off. And they ask the silversmith, how do you know when it's done? And he says, When I can see my reflection.

SPEAKER_02 44:42

Yeah.

Practical Daily Bible Habits

SPEAKER_03 44:43

Right. And and I love that because our life is to reflect Jesus, our maker, our silversmith, right? As he is forming us and fashioning us into his, fashioning us into his image. So when we are reading the word of God, the goal is to not feel Better about ourselves. The goal is to become more like Jesus. I heard it said this week don't follow Jesus because he makes life better. Follow Jesus because he is better than life. Right. And that man, I'm just I so so resonate with that. Um so here's the end. He um, Josiah, I love this. He read in the hearing the all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord, and the king stood by the pillar and he made a covenant before the Lord. This is in front of everybody. I'm gonna walk after the Lord. I'm gonna keep his commandments, his testimonies, his statues with all my heart and all my soul to perform the words of the covenant. This is this is his um his brave heart moment, right? Yeah, he is he's in front of everybody. Who's with me? Let's go fight, you know, the devil. And uh and and all the people joined in. Yeah, you know, all the people joined in in the covenant. We are with you, man. And I think that, I think people need to hear that from each and every one of us. This is what I'm gonna do. You with me? That's right.

SPEAKER_02 46:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 46:05

You're not gonna do this alone. I got you. Let's do this thing together. Yeah. Let's walk, because so many people think they are walking that road alone. And when he did it, the Bible says that, man, they uh all the people joined in. Man, they went and tore down all the all of their idols, all their false worship. They got rid of all the things. They revived their worship. Hey, let's not, let's not live for the world, let's live for the Lord. And so, man, let's let's live our life in terms of worship to God. Uh, they revived their fellowship with one another. Let's get together and talk about the things of God. And then at that revive their power in their life, to the not the power of sin, revive their power of of righteousness, right? And obedience, sinlessness, uh, repentance before the Lord. And so here's where I want to end it is what are the best practical tips that you have found in a busy life to spend time with the Lord on a daily basis in his word, as undistracted and unrushed and unhurried as possible. What have you found that works the best? What does it look like for you? I think that's what everybody wonders. What does your devotional life look like? What does it look like for you? What have you found, Jenny?

SPEAKER_01 47:24

I think it's important to note that I have three kids. So there's been my my personal devotion with the Lord right now is waking up at 5 a.m. and that's when I can spend time. But four years ago, every time I would wake up at 5 a.m., my middle child would also wake up at 5 a.m. So it's almost it's almost, you know, every single time. Right, right. But I think in the younger, when they were in their younger years, for me, it felt so discouraging that every time I'd set aside time, it was interrupted. And back then I had to kind of adjust to either including them with me in my and not seeing it as I have to be alone as a mom in my devotional time, like I can include them in it. Or it could be I was hand washing dishes then, we didn't have a dishwasher. So I would spend my time while I was washing dishes, talking to God and praying and using that moment of doing that sort of task to commune with him. Um, so I think different stages of my life, it's looked different. Um, but it's always it's been more important um that I connect with him daily and less important about having a very specific way that I do it. I think I had to give up that, oh, my devotional time has to be me sitting down with my coffee and my Bible and you know, whatever time of day, it it was never that when they were younger. So it just didn't work out that way. So um I think just the eagerness to be with him and just not losing that was an important part. So being flexible.

SPEAKER_00 49:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:04

I I love it. I I'm right with you. And I think for me, uh, you know, I'm I'm a logical person. So I'm going uh if you have time for Facebook, you got time to open up the Bible app.

unknown 49:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:16

You know, if you got time to jam out on Spotify, you can open up the Bible app. I mean, it can read, you know, it's you can go to a plan and press play and it'll read it if you're driving, or whatever the case is. And and so with that, with my kids, same uh three kids that are young as well, and uh it's one of the most important things for me is is the decision. So I've made a decision to follow Jesus. And if I want to be a better husband, if I want to be a better father, if I want to be a better coworker, a better leader, a better pastor, a better son, and not a sense of better of in regards to me, but better because I'm submitting what James wants, my flesh, to Christ. And because of that, I will show the love of Christ in those areas of my life. And that only comes, it doesn't come from my words, it comes from the word of God. It comes from spending time with him. And I could either spend more time doing stuff that I want to do, and I see the result of that as me ignoring the Lord, but I'm, you know, getting more followers or I'm liking all these posts or I'm watching all these shows. But then the result of that is also I'm not being as nice to my spouse. I'm being a little short-tempered. I'm being a little more uh uh, you know, pushing away time with my kids or whatever the case is. So practically, if you got time for your social media and other stuff, you got five, 10 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 50:34

And I think the key is so often we think that, oh, but I need to have rest time. Yeah. Right. And we trick ourselves into thinking that we need this some sort of you know, sabbatical time during the day instead of knowing like it's more important that we need God, right? Like that we have time with him. Yeah. That's what's gonna be true restoration and not watching show or literally.

SPEAKER_00 50:57

That's what I've been talking to the kit my kids, is like, hey, it's okay to pray. We we pray every morning before they leave for school. We pray before we eat. It's like, hey, you know, you can also talk to God throughout the day, right? It doesn't need to be just when you eat.

SPEAKER_03 51:11

We're not we're not covering this for you. Yes, we're teaching you how to do this throughout your day.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

Absolutely. So so if it's not the one hour in the morning time, talk to the Lord throughout the day. So just spend time with it.

SPEAKER_01 51:24

I love teaching my kids that like we'll they'll have a problem and I'll be like, okay, let's pray about this like let's bring your life like and see how you bring your life in to the Lord, you know, in all the situations. It's not just you know, yeah, at bedtime prayer or Yeah, hey, wait until tomorrow at 6 a.m. Yes, God is here for you all the time in all the situations.

SPEAKER_03 51:45

Oh good. So so often as parents we respond emotionally rather than biblically, rather than spiritually. Preach it. And it's all about how I feel about this rather than how God feels about this, you know, and and we need to point our children to the word of God and and and not just in times of correction, yeah, but also in times of instruction, right? In times of devotion. Um very interesting. Uh I'll just kind of rant for a second. Uh a study by the the Center for Biblical Engagement surveyed thousands of people uh and found something shocking. Reading the Bible one, two, or even three times a week showed very little difference in a person's life. But for some reason, when a person read the word of God four times a week, statistically, in the research of what they asked these people to respond to, everything changed. It was like flipping a switch. Anxiety and destructive habits dropped while sharing your faith and discipling others increased. Here's the point it's not occasional exposure that transforms you, it's consistent engagement. You can't snack on scripture and expect to change life.

SPEAKER_02 52:58

Right.

SPEAKER_03 52:59

But when you start feeding, feasting on God's word regularly, is when it changes everything. And uh I I would just encourage people to have a time every day that you get in God's word to hear God's voice for your life. I would encourage you once a day, however long or however short that is, be in the word of God and be in personal prayer with God. That is what changes us. Psalm one, two, delight yourself in the law of the Lord, and he will um and let me read it specifically. Sorry. Psalm one, two, but but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night. Um for me, I have to get up early before my kids. They typically get up at six. So so I typically get up at five and I'm I'm in the word in prayer, 5:30 to 6, and all of that, um, because I want unrushed, unhurried time. But um I think I'm called, I think the word of God, the principle is give God your first and your best.

SPEAKER_00 54:05

That's right.

Final Encouragement And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_03 54:06

So I I think the earlier I can get into the word in the day, the more opportunity God has to change me, not my day, to change me throughout my day to live more like Christ. So I so the first part of my day, um, you know, I want to come, I want to come to work. I want to be with my family already spirit-filled. Right? I don't want to, I don't want to start my day empty. I want to start my day full.

SPEAKER_00 54:30

Yeah, I've heard about some people like doing it right at night before they go to bed. I mean, hey, two each is out. If that works, you'll have great dreams.

SPEAKER_03 54:38

Exactly.

unknown 54:38

Go to sleep.

SPEAKER_03 54:39

If that is the best option, sure. Correct. Midday, I think the point is get in it. Yeah for me, best practice for me is give God my first and my best. You know, and um and and I am like one of my idols asleep. And and I had to destroy, like Josiah, destroy my idol of sleep and say, God, you give me better rest and better strength. So I'm going to sacrifice, I'm gonna tear down the idol of sleep, God, for the purpose of getting into your word. And I have I've done it for this the last 10 years, and I man, I I've I've never regretted it. I've never regretted it. And so we believe in the miracle, the supernatural word of God that wants to change our life, transform us into Jesus Christ. And so we encourage you to get in the word of God, let God speak to you, let God transform you, let God change you, let God work in your life, make you more like Jesus Christ, and you get into prayer with Him and like Josiah, watch what God can do both in you and through you. Thank you for joining us today. Thank y'all so much for this conversation, Pastor James and Jenny. And uh, I just love talking to y'all about this stuff. Thank y'all for joining along, and we are looking forward to our next podcast with you. And if we can do anything, serve you in any way, if you reach out, have any questions, if we can help pray for you, please don't hesitate to let us know. But we love you, and we hope to get to see you at First Baptist Church Outer Springs very soon.