Wood, Hay, and Straw
Tribe
2025-08-24

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our Tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Welcome to Tribe's podcast. Hey, we just wanna say thank you for making this message a part of your week. Our prayer is that these messages will inspire you to make the name of Jesus famous in your life and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. If you're ever in Jackson Hole, we'd love for you to visit our tribe fam in person. To learn more about us, you can find us online or at Facebook by searching tribejh.com.

Yep. Might have taken you a little while to get here, but you're here. You're at least here today. You're home.

And

you've picked quite a Sunday to join us at home because we're in the middle of a series of conversations that I am finding has been path that has been there all along in the Bible, but few have trodden down the path or you've cut the switchbacks and have never actually like taken the the path. But we have been on a journey for several weeks of taking our time as we slow roll down this path to introduce you to a concept that has been in the Bible all along, and perhaps you are super aware and familiar with it. But what I'm discovering is that for many of you, this is either brand new terrain that we're covering or terrain that you've just kind of you've just cut the switchbacks and you're like, but we're talking about this idea of reward and the series of conversations that we are in is called the full reward because my hope, my prayer for you is at the end of this life whether Jesus returns or your blood pump stops working that you when you stand before Jesus, that you will receive a full reward. And as we continue down this path today, just like we always do here at the TMC, this venue is is unusual, and our format is a little bit unusual.

For example, when's the last time that you went to church where you could stand up in the middle of church, walk over to the refrigerator, and help yourself to a fizzy water? Home church. Yeah. Maybe a home church. When's the last time you sat in church and you got to interrupt the pastor with a comment, a connection, or a question.

This this this venue lends itself to that format. So today, if you have comments, questions, or connections, all you have to do is raise your hand. We'll get the mic to you. The reason why we use the mic is so that all of our families that are watching that the livestream, they get to hear your questions, comments, or connections, and they still get to participate. I know that we have a number of families that are that are staying close to home down south closer to Pinedale because they are on evacuation alert, and so they're staying close.

They gotta, like, load their horses up and skid out a lot. You know the Martins. If they need to scurry out really quickly. We have a few other folks who have texted me they're recovering from surgery, or they're home under the weather, and so wherever you find yourself not at home, please feel right at home to be a part of our tribe family today as we get into this conversation. If you have a bible with you this morning, would you turn to the book of second John?

Remember, it's that little skinny book. Hopefully, you're getting better at finding the book of second John. What I usually do is flip all the way to the end and then go back left a couple of books. James is in there. Jude is in there.

The maps is in there. Revelations in there. The maps And then second John is in there. Right after first John and just before

oh.

Fourth John, ride out. So let me put this verse up on the screen for you. Second John one eight. It's been in your Bible all along. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve.

Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. If you've been with us on this journey for a little while, we've already covered the ground about this idea of watching out, being diligent, not to lose or forfeit, not in terms of misplace or you lost it and it needs an Apple AirTag, but forfeit what we, who is we, John, and his ministry team at at producing maturity in you have worked, labored so hard to achieve. Be diligent. Be on your guard. So that you receive your full reward.

We've also talked about how most people, when they read that as, like, they're just cruising through, they think full reward in terms of salvation. Full reward, like, fully saved. Like, yes. Wonderful. Awesome.

But by very definition of just looking at the grammar, if a person can receive a full reward, that's what John and his ministry team wants to see happen, developed, nurtured, cultivated, worked hard for in his network of churches there in what's modern day Turkey today, then by very definition, if a person can receive a full reward, what's another possibility? A person could receive some partial reward. And then, also, if we were to go way at the other end of a spectrum, full reward, partial reward, or no reward. It is possible to receive no reward, partial reward, and a full reward, which is the title of the series of conversations that we're having, a full reward. We also talked about this.

You don't work to be saved. You work because you're saved, and that work earns you reward. Let's I have a not the, like, the flowchart, but, like, a let's see what the next slide is. That's the one. The best thing you could do is take a picture.

We're not gonna go over all of this. But when a person dies, they will face one of two judgments. If you have rejected Jesus, if you have decided that your own righteousness is sufficient, then you'll be judged accordingly. If you have invited Jesus to be the leader of your life and you have received his righteousness, there is a different type of judgment. Every person will stand before the judge, which is Jesus Christ.

So this separates two different judgments. The Bema Seat, which we've talked about, and the great white throne of judgment. Does this say when? Timing. Yeah.

After the millennium final resurrection. The Bible talks about how the grave gave up their dead. The sea gave up their dead. And there is an ultimate reckoning. We haven't talked if you've been with us on this journey, we haven't put this up too too much.

But I saw a lot of phones out, and that just unpack that. What's the next slide? There we go. This is the bottom line takeaway for our whole time that we're spending on this. Every moment matters when forever is your measure.

I wanna live every day. I wanna live every day thinking about eternity and the reward. Guys, okay, parents. How many of you parents have ever had a child either birthday or Christmas? And and there's one gift that you know they will literally lose their mind when they open it.

It was like the big ask. I'll I'll probably never get this, but, like, you know, can I could I have this for Christmas or my birthday? And parents play it cool. Like, yeah, we'll see. And parents are talking.

They're like, how long

you gonna do that?

And then you just get it for them anyways. But it's the last present that they open. You start them off with, like, the socks. It's like we're in the same family or something. You know, whatever.

But then the the the the best present is last. How many of you parents have ever done that? Yes. Okay. Yes.

You're all good parents. Right? Say the best present for last. So I cannot wait for us to talk about just like go like really deep into the nature of the reward that we receive, what it actually looks like, and then what we do with the reward, but I'm saving that for like, I don't know, maybe a a week or so. Let's see how far we get today.

But today, we are by just way of quick recap, we've already covered second John one verse eight. Here's another verse that we've talked about. First Corinthians chapter 10 verses three through 15. Oh, did I tell you the title of the conversation we're having today? Ah.

If you're taking notes this morning, you can write at the top of your notes the title of our conversation. Wood, hay, and straw. Wood, hay, and straw. That's where we're going today. And if you flip over, hang a left, and go to first Corinthians chapter three verse 10 through 15, I think I have I have the whole thing up here.

I know sometimes when a lot of verses go up on the screen at one time, it's I don't know. Maybe you go cross eyed. But I like to put it all up there at once. Would somebody, either from the bible or their screen, would you mind reading that out loud for us? And we have a mic in the room so that we can all hear your beautiful voice.

First Corinthians three ten through 15.

According to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it, For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear, for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. If anyone's work, which he has built on it, endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

New New King King

James. So think about this. If we only look at second John one eight, I think I think a person could possibly connect that passage with the doctrine, the Christian doctrine of salvation. Like, full reward. Like, fully saved.

Yes. Get to be with Jesus in heaven forever. What a great reward. But if you were to try to apply the doctrine of salvation, the concept of salvation to this passage, you get a little tripped up. Like like, am I barely saved?

Can I be extra saved? Like, partially saved? If I do, like, what part of me gets saved? The moneymaker? Baby, hurts me when you laugh like that.

So to be to be just really super duper clear, We are not because we've already covered this ground. We're not talking about salvation in terms of reward. But once a person has already been saved, This is you're saved, now what? Yeah? Okay.

First Corinthians three ten through 15. Every man's work will be tested with fire. Remember a few weeks ago when we talked about what is that fire and where does it come from? What did we say? I love this.

The eyes of Jesus. And where do we get that from? Remember in the beginning of Revelation, the Bible, John, Jesus' best friend, who he grew up with in Galilee, sees now the resurrected, glorified Jesus and describes him. His feet like burnished bronze, his hair white as wool, and his eyes burn like fire. What is the Bema Seat judgment?

We said this. It's just Jesus looking in your eyes. And when he locks eyes with you, the eyes of love, the eyes of passion, the eyes of Jesus that cannot be fooled, tricked, lied to, manipulated in any way, he gonna know everything. And when he looks at you, the fire in his eyes will evaluate all of the work that you've done. In this passage right here tells us that everything that you have worked with, everything that you have done, achieved, accomplished, that you have constructed out of wood, hay, and straw will be burned, consumed.

Think about scoring at a board game. What counts in the score of a board game are roads and houses, and you have stacks and stacks of wheat. But look at all the wheat that I stored up. Look at my ore. Look at the wood that I gathered.

What's those what do the resources count for? Sorry. Zero. Your score is zero. You are saved, but look what these are not my words.

I'm not making up theology. Look what Paul says. You yourself will escape. Like, okay. You're not negative.

But by the skin of your teeth, does it actually say that? Barely. Barely. Yeah. That was for Caleb.

That's the Texas translation. By the skin of your teeth, boy. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. Look at this connected with reward. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Yes, sir? Yeah. Here here it comes. Here it comes. Adam, everybody.

Adam, running the mic.

I had a well, the Lord revealed to me a long time ago, and I think of it often of this is like, if you're spending your whole life building up things that don't last, then when they get stripped away, great loss is like, you're gonna enter heaven, but you're gonna be like, oh, I don't I barely know who I am because I've been constructing a me that doesn't go to heaven kind of thing. And so like yeah.

Good way to think of it. Okay. Now go to that other chart. I feel like this has so much to to be developed, but I've only added one emoji. So you are here in this life.

You are here. And either this is gonna happen to you or Jesus will come back. But after that will be judgment. And there's only one criteria that God is looking for. We've covered this ground, righteousness.

Either your own righteousness, and you can stand as an attorney, a barrister, an advocate for yourself. And try to explain to a righteous and holy god why you deserve to get into heaven. And god's gonna be like, yeah. I'm only looking for one thing, righteousness, and you have fallen short. You have been weighed and found lacking.

Then the Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is lord, that his judgments are right and true and just even if you don't like it. Imagine being a parent raising sibling raising more than one child. And when they, like, fight amongst each other and they both come to you and they're like, they did it. They know they did. I was one.

I didn't do it. They started it. No. You started it. And as a parent, you're like, I don't know.

Are you're both in time out. No. And I'm not gonna tell the candy cane story. I had left an indelible mark on my children, but maybe one that I'm not too proud of. But you cannot you cannot manipulate a righteous and holy god.

And you will either go into eternal reward or into eternal punishment. With return eternal reward, that is based on the assigned work that you have been given. And you will either receive a full reward with gold being refined, or you will have built a life, kinda like you were saying, out of wood, hay, and straw, and that will be discarded. Listen. You can't I don't think I have this on the screen, but I wrote this down.

You can't work for salvation, but your work determines your reward. Okay. I'll say it again. You can't work for salvation, and that's like that's like basic Protestant doctrine one zero one. We all get that.

You can't work for salvation, but your work determines your reward. Now that word work, a lot of us get hung up on that. We either get confused or we get tripped up or or hung up on it. So what about this? Using this word assignment or another word calling.

Your reward will be based upon how well you fulfilled your assignment or your calling in this life. How's that sit with you? Thoughts? Questions? Here it comes.

Elizabeth,

think I see, like, in line with your preaching, like, god give us talents. That's right. One receive, one use thirty, sixty or 100. So this would be full reward. That's right.

Because when we get safe, we have imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. So we didn't deserve anything, but then so this is justification. And then we have sanctification. We receive a reward how much we die to our sinful nature. And morality also witnessing, being witness, which means in Greek martyr, you know, how much we really live for Christ out of love.

Yeah.

Love it. Did you know that in the same way that you are unique, you have a unique calling and assignment? Caleb and while Caleb is sharing, turn to Psalms one thirty nine. I'm a show you.

There's a scripture that talks about that you maybe you I can't remember the full part of it, but it's like based on the the amount of faith that you've been given. Do you know what I'm do you know which one that

one was?

Each person has been given a measure of faith.

And he talks about, like, you carry out whatever I can't remember the context of the scripture, but that basically, like, everyone's been given a little bit different amounts of things. Yes. And so you you do what you can with what you've been given. Right? Yes.

Some of us come out with horrible trauma just right away, or maybe physical or mental mental deficits. We don't always match we don't all match up. Right? So I think, like, there's that context that you've been given this measure, and you're judged on what you do with that. Right?

So that may look a lot different than the guy next to you. And CS Lewis kinda talks about this that, like, none of us really know. We try to judge each other, but there's gonna be surprises in the end. So I think about that. The other thing I think about that's difficult for what you presented earlier, like how does this sit with you, is quantum physics and how that affects probably all of our thinking now.

It's been around for longer, I think, than we realized. But like, there the concept that you have this path before you, and it it could split off into 5,000,000 bazillion different paths. And so you actually have a lot of opportunities to do these different things. But from what I'm hearing, it's like, no. You've been given one thing to do, and so you're gonna be judged on how well you did that or how many deviations come off of this and you recover kinda.

You know what I'm saying? So does god see all of that? Or you know? I don't know. That's the difficulty I have with it is well, what about all these different things?

Like, I missed the boat back then, and now it's gone. And I missed it again, now it's gone, and I'm trying my best to get back on it. So how am I gonna be judged based on all this stuff? You know? And I don't know.

That's where I sit with it.

So for a person to even think about, have I missed the boat? Can I get back on the boat? I would say to you, bless your heart. You're on the right track compared to the person that would be what I would describe as a nihilist, like none of it matters, or somebody that's just given up. Well, I've I've missed the boat or gotten The Bible says a righteous man falls down seven times, but he gets back up.

And then I think about the thief on the cross. His whole life was a junk show that culminated in his capital punishment under the Roman imperial occupation that resulted in his crucifixion next to Jesus, and the criminal on the other side of Jesus was mocking Jesus and trash talking him while he's about just before he's about to meet Jesus, and that thief is like, dude, shut up. And then he turns to Jesus and says, Jesus, remember me when you enter into your kingdom. And Jesus says, full reward's coming. What if what if what if that was his assignment?

We're still talking about that thief on the cross today.

But he

doesn't say condemn it. He says, I'll see you

in paradise. Today, I'll see you in paradise.

We don't know what his reward is.

Okay. Okay. I read into the text. What if that was his full assignment? What if that was his full assignment?

And so without getting off into the weeds of of the intellectual weeds of of predestination, predetermination, or or willy nilly free will, God in his the keyword here is foreknowledge. God in his foreknowledge knows how all of these things are gonna plan out play out. But it is interesting to think about. Psalms one thirty nine verse 16. Did you know that there is a book written about your life before you ever live one day.

This is not the book of what actually plays out. This is the book of what God has for you, your assignment or your calling or the works that he has for you. In Ephesians, Paul says, for we are God's masterpiece created to do good works for him. That word masterpiece is a Greek word poema. It's where we get the English word poem from, a unique, one of a kind, incredible creation meant to kiss the world with the beauty of God and reveal the glory of the Lord on the earth.

That book will be opened, and the life that you lived will be compared to the work or the assignment or the calling that God has for you.

I was just gonna based on what Caleb said, but I think that and you're I'm sure this is where you're going. So I don't wanna ruin your message.

But here you go anyways.

But I'm gonna anyway.

This is my wife.

He can say that to me. Is yeah. Is in Proverbs where it says, we all know the scripture, but trust in the Lord with all your heart. I feel like that's our calling. Do not depend on your own understanding.

That's our calling. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you the path to take. Like, all I have to be concerned about is am I trusting the Lord with all my heart? Am I not leaning on my own understanding? And am I seeking his will in all that I do?

If I do that, I won't get it right perfectly, that's what he sees. And when you were just speaking, just saw this picture. And I see this picture of, like, a timeline of my life, and the bold line is did I trust in the Lord? This is my calling. Did I trust in the Lord?

Did I not depend on my own understanding? And did I seek his will in all I do? That was my calling, was to be close to Jesus. And then under that line is a little line, and it's going ding dong boom bing boom bing boom And that's like, oh, when I was a personal trainer, and oh, when I did these things, and when I did this. But like, those are things I did.

Those are jobs I had, or whatever, but my calling was to be close to him, and I did that through all kinds of different avenues. I was in, you know, like, oh, I was a doctor. I did this. I you know, I worked with what I but the calling was, did in those things, did I depend on him and did I trust him and did I seek him?

Right.

That's what I see is a bold line and a little line of the things we did and the heart of what we did with our life in secret places of depending on it.

Many people confuse their calling with their giftings and their identity, And they get them all swip swap, scrabbled around. And if we were to take a a step back from theology for a moment and just talk practically when our identity was wrapped up or tied to, like, what we could do. And then what happens when you no longer can do what you found your identity in? Being able to do the grand car to car in sub twelve hours. Like, you can't do the grand in that time, but that was your identity.

Well, now who are you? Or you lose that job. Or, like, what whatever. And what do what do what do young people call crashing out? You crash out because you're like, well, if I can't do this or if I don't have this look or if I don't have that or if I don't live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, who am I?

And you confuse your identity with your calling, with your gifting. What if your gifting lies in one area, but you have you have confused that with your assignment. You're really good at a particular skill or or or area, but you use that for your own to build your own kingdom. That would be building with wood, hay, and straw. And you got fame, notoriety, success, helped a lot of people.

And then you stand before God, and you're like and he's like, yeah. You got a good stack of wheat there, but it scores for zero. And then and then there's identity. So so for for me, my identity is as God's favorite son. That's my identity.

I'm I'm literally his favorite. In all of human history, I'm his favorite. You can laugh all you want. That's my identity. I am his favorite.

When he looks at the sea of humanity, he goes, that one. That one's my favorite. My love and my favor are on him. That's my boy right there. That's my identity.

You can take away you can change my job. You can take away what's left in my hair. You can take me out of Jackson Hole. You but you cannot steal my identity. I can get it confused at times.

My calling is to lead, love, and shepherd people. It happens to line up with my vocation. But even if I were banging nails as a carpenter or working as a ski instructor or a mountain guide, I'm gonna shepherd people. I want us all to be together. I want us to do life together.

I wanna see your eyes. I wanna put my hand around your shoulder and draw you in. I wanna see how you're doing. I wanna provoke you to be the very best version of you that you can be. In my gifting in terms of ministry, I use for ministry, but lies in teaching.

Like, when it comes to skiing or climbing, if you've ever moved through the mountains with me, not only do I want us to do it together, but even if it's redundant and you already know this, I'm gonna try to teach you something. I love to teach and impart and share. So so that's me. What are you? Who are you?

What's your calling? Psalms one thirty nine verse 16. That book will be opened at the end of your life. With the last few minutes that we have together before we worship the Lord in one other way, we have read first Corinthians chapter three verse 10 through 15, but I wanna double click on just a few verses. So go back to first Corinthians three and we're gonna look at verses 13 through 15.

And we have it up here. I'll read it for you. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire in my translation says that shines in Jesus' eyes will show if a person's work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.

But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. Hudson. Here we go. Wait.

Let me stretch out first.

I think I think I'm struggling to this is a question. I think I'm struggling to understand who the person who's saved, like all their works get burnt up is like, I'm thinking about the I think it's Jesus talks about, like, an olive tree bears olives. Like, an olive tree can't bear thorns. So I'm like, okay. Like, the olive tree bearing olives is the person who's saved and also gets a good reward.

And then, like, the thorn tree is someone who's not saved at all, no reward, and also no salvation. But who's the person who's saved? Like, is that just someone who bears, like, less olives or, like, no olives, but they're not they're also not bearing thorns? Does that make sense? And then to add on to it, I think I'm getting confused because, like, there's so many verses in the Bible that talk about how, like, God looks at the heart.

So then I'm like, what if you're, like, a person who just never finds their, like, thing? Or you know what I mean? But you, like, had a good heart, you were saved, and you were actively trying to live out your calling your whole life, but then when you like get to judgment, like there's not a lot there. It's not because like your heart wasn't in the right place, but it's more just like you just never found your thing, or like you never really because I think some people just have like these really cool opportunities that drop into their lap, and like fit their calling, and like they're gifting perfect things. It's like, yeah, that makes sense why you have a lot of good works, but like what about the person who doesn't find that thing?

Does that make sense?

Okay. So

That's a lot of questions.

Sorry. A lot of a lot of questions there. So what about the person what happens to the person who is saved, is, like, trying to discover their calling but never really does. That question should shake every one of us to the core. What is my calling?

What is the unique assignment that you have for me? That that's a burning question that every single one of us, regardless of your age, occupation, education, vocation, should be pursuing. The Bible says in Psalms 25 that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Lord, what do you have for me?

And he says, can you give a

show in which one? He'll show you. In Psalms, it says, oh, you can Google this, Joy, so that you can tell me where it is, where the address is. Wait patiently for the Lord to act. Travel steadily along his path, and he will something.

Maybe reward you by giving you the land. Psalms 37? What is it? Oh, I don't know.

Be still in

of and the the wait patiently for him

Okay.

To not fret with people, succeed in their ways.

Different? Maybe that that's it. Okay. But the the okay. Quick.

To Amanda now. See, this is the team effort.

Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.

Okay. Read that one more time slowly, and I'll pause you just a couple times.

Okay. And that was tribe's word for 2022.

Yes. Yes.

This is Psalm thirty seven thirty four. Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path.

There you go.

He will honor you by giving you the land.

The idea of travel steadily along his path, that Hebrew phrase means to dance. Partner dance. Letting him letting him lead. Right. Which is what, Colson has come to me like, how you really how you really hanging, dangling my toes over the fire, PB?

How can we know her calling? I'm gonna want that full reward, which is great and wonderful. Colson, you're not the only person to be thinking this. You are just the only person brave enough to come to me and be like, what's my calling? We're all thinking that.

Maybe that's the next series. Oh. Okay. Okay. Okay.

So so I can speak into Hudson real quick before we pass this And we can see your calling, Coulson. We'll talk. We can talk later. People are drawn to you, and it's an anointing that you have.

The nurturer will nurture you.

But, yeah, I think of it like Hudson, I was having the same thoughts, and the thing that I equate it to is just obedience, to speak into what Lissa was saying. Yes. We there's our there are specific things and there are broad things, and and they're both right. Like, the broad things, we are all called to the great commission in this in the scripture. We are all called to trust in the lord with all of our heart.

We are all called to James one twenty seven, feed the orphans and widows. You know, like, we do have specific things as believers we are called to do, and we also have these specific things that Brian was talking about. But if you have cultivated the relationship with the holy spirit, I don't think as a believer who has truly surrendered your heart to the lord, you need to worry too much about getting to heaven and wondering if you'll only have hay. Because if you are living day to day in obedience to the holy spirit, yeah, you'll get off track. Even if it's a good thing, you'll get off track and there'll be knowingly bad things, you know, but, like, the the whole point is quick repentance.

The scripture talks about this, and then just obedience. The book that has our name on it, I think of that as, like, Amanda's book of obedience. And that's big stuff, and that's little stuff. And the Lord meets you where you are. You know?

Like, some like, you might be so precious and just like, Lord, in the grocery store. Like, what do

I get today? Like, pea peas or corn.

You know? And we're some of us might be like, okay. That's silly. But if that's where you're at, he's so gentle, he meets you there. And then some of us might be like, get married or not, or move here or not.

Like, there's small stuff and big stuff, and the Lord just meets you where you're at. And if to me, if you are so obedient and so in tune with what the holy spirit is speaking to you, and he's there all the time, the bible calls him a still small voice, and I think that because he's so close. He doesn't need to yell. He's right there. So, yeah, just listening and being in tune all the time.

You will be guided to what job or what to eat or where to move or what to do, what vocation, anyway, all kinds of stuff.

I'm a put you on the spot for a second. Like, I've been Hey, Susan. And when you miss it, like when you are trying so hard, or you hear him all the time, or when you do your own thing and you miss it. And like practically, like the dance, what that looks like, and the process of obedience and growing in that. And I'm putting you on the spot just because I've been so, like, encouraged watching you and Lissa navigate so many difficult seasons, like, real time, in real life, being real humans, but, like, pour your life out and honor the Lord.

So my question would be for you, when like, can you describe a time or several times, big or little, that you've looked back and been like, that was just for me.

My flesh And what you did. Like my flesh dead work?

Yeah. Like, just a real honest time, like, talking about this scripture of, like, you're in obedience, but you look back and you're like, and then what you did. Like what do you do when that happens?

I got a good one. I got a good one. And don't give the mic to Liz because yeah. So so one time one time I was I was on staff at a large church in Oklahoma, and I was I was on pastoral staff, and I was leading a community group, like a home group. And this was at, like, a predominantly kind of Baptist conservative theology church, And we had done some study that the group wanted to do, and I was like, alright.

Let's really get to the, like, good stuff. And so I was like, let the next topic that we do, let's do an introduction on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Because, like, like, they need it. And and listen. I was like, did you know that the voice of the Holy Spirit often sounds identical to the voice of your spouse?

Jay. And so I charged like like three, you know, Tuesday evenings into this. And and I was like, you know, it was from the Bible, and it was good, right, and true, but it was not from the Lord.

I

got called into my pastor's office. What are you teaching on? And I was like, it's here in the Bible. And then I was, like, trying to, like, be defensive of the Holy Spirit as if he needs me to defend him. And and I can't remember what he said, but he basically was like, knock it off.

And I was rebuked by the Lord through my pastor, and my pastor was right. And I was wrong. And I repented, and I repented to the community group. I missed it. And I have never this was all of the Lord because I've never felt more loved by the Lord and by my pastor.

I was forgiven by my wife who worked really hard not to say I was really quick on the lips of some of the spouses in here, And and it was it was wood handshore, and it got burned up before my eyes. And and and I was like, okay, Lord. I'm gonna I'm gonna let you lead the dance. There have been plenty of other things. I'm gonna I'm gonna we should land the plane here.

I've we have we never even got to the actual wood, hay, and straw, so you just have to come back next week. But this is the journey that this is the journey that we're on. I want to read a quote to you, and some of you have seen this video, but I want to play a short video for you. But listen to this quote. Caleb already teed up the author of this quote by mentioning CS Lewis.

It's not on the screen, so just listen with your ears. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought the most about the next. The apostles themselves who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English evangelicals who abolished the slave trade, all left their mark on Earth precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think about the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. It really don't matter if you happen to be good at it.

Now in a in a oh, yeah. There it is. I did have it up. In in God's beautiful book of obedience for your life, your gifts and your calling, all do line up with your identity and your skill set, your passions, your proclivities, your interests. But are you willing to lay down your life so that the Lord can live his life through you.

Like you said earlier, man, you can you can you can litigate, you can lobby, you can advocate, But look at all of the people that I helped. Look at the the awards that I received as a result of appreciation for all of my great work. And it is quite possible that the Lord would be like, that was not what I had for you, but I was so good at it. It was not the assignment that I had for you. So I I I know that you're, like, going into this sort, but I wanna sorry.

Sorry. It's okay. I want to

Let me resolve it. So we don't

I wanna I wanna show you this short video, and then you guys can do your do your thing. But watch this video that that says what we've been talking about perhaps just from a little bit different angle. Yeah. Thank you, Joe.

You. Accountant Jones, accountant Jones. I called you to the marketplace. Had you done this, you would have significantly impacted two people. You and those two men would have helped churches with their finances, and those churches would have impacted 750 1,321 souls.

If you would have sought me, I would reveal this to you. You saw me, and you heard my voice. You were obedient to my call. Well done,

It ain't never too late to cultivate that relationship with the Holy Spirit. Inquire of him. What do you have for me? And if you want the cliff notes for walking in your calling for dummies, which is about the best that I can do, add one word to that question. What do you have for me today?

What do you have for me today? Imagine going into prayer and and asking,

oh, Lord, what is my calling? The grand vision for my life that I must thusly pursue in faithfulness and thine power to receive a full reward.

That's like, bro. Baby steps. If you are 13 or 34 or 54. You can just say, Lord, what do you have for me today? And I already hear your internal monologue and be like, but I wanna know the whole thing.

The Bible says that the steps of the righteous man are ordered. What do you have for me today? So Lord Jesus, my prayer for our tribe fam here today is that they would press in to a relationship with your beautiful, wonderful, precious Holy Spirit. And that they would say, Lord, what do you have for me today? How can I love you today?

How can I serve you today? How can I live my life today to receive a full reward? And, Lord Jesus, I ask that you would impart a special grace to our tribe fam that they would live with our our our big idea in mind that every moment matters when forever is their measure. Now you take just a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you have a conversation with him. Maybe there's some wood, hay, and straw that you need to, like, cast into the fire.

Maybe you're just stuck in, I don't know, and I don't know, and does my life have any value and meaning? I don't know. I don't know. In that way, the Holy Spirit would just show you. No.

No. No. No. No. Look at this gold that I'm refining in you.

So let the holy spirit speak to you for just a moment.

I don't know which one of you is Hudson who asked that question, but we've got a book here called Birthright by David Needham. Just super quick, speaks super well to the differences between this our spirit and our renewed self and our flesh and the fruits that those produce. Great read. Totally recommend you getting into that. That was the word on my heart.

For you, from the Lord. We're gonna continue in one more form of worship today, by presenting our offering, and our tithes today. And just like we were talking, God just wants our heart of, God, what do you want me to give today? I wanna lay it all at your feet. What can we give you today?

Not not something wrote, but relationship with him. What does he have for us? So if you'll bow your heads and pray with me as we pray over the tithe and above and beyond that our offering. Father god, we give you all that we have, and we long so desperately for what you have for us. And the giving is not about an obligation, god, but an invitation from you to partner with you on what you are doing.

So I pray that you open our hearts to what you would have us give, God, and that you would take the tithe and the offering, and you would multiply it to further your kingdom here in this valley, the surrounding region, and to the uttermost bounds of the earth. We know you are faithful to show up when we ask. And we thank you, God. We pray this in Jesus' name. Everybody said, amen.

We don't pass buckets here at Tribe. We've got a lockbox downstairs on the outside for cash or check. You can give online at our website. There's just a little give button, or you could set up a text to give. It's super easy to just throw a contact name on that, and then it's just as easy as texting a friend after that.

We had a killer showing for the Good Samaritan Mission this past Wednesday. Thank you all that came. It was super awesome to have you guys. We will definitely be doing more of those in the future, so keep an eye out for that. We've got a big worship night coming up for the Good Samaritan Ministry on August 28.

Is that this Thursday? Yeah. That's this Thursday. And then the next big thing on the calendar is serving at the Wind River Reservation in October. I'd super encourage you to be there.

It is so fun to get to pile into a bus with a bunch of your tribe fam, spend a few nights together hanging out in community and getting to serve one of the poorest communities in the state and in the world, and getting a love on them and partner with the church that is just changing lives and a whole nation and people group over there. It is so awesome to be a part of. Unless you guys have anything else. Brian, you wanna come pray us out?

Just like at your house, all good things go on the fridge, and so you can check the fridge for your report card for opportunities to serve and you can sign up and you can look at that you can take a picture so take a peek at the fridge just before we leave I'm going to invite Gretchen to come up and share about an opportunity that Tribe has coming up in September and an opportunity for you to give towards that opportunity towards that event that's going to be happening, but I wanna just make quick mention of this connect card. It's a connect card. You know what to do with it. Leave it in your seat or put it in the box there. Gretchen, tell us a little bit about what's happening in September, your role, and Tribe's invitation.

This feels wrong. I don't belong up here.

Okay.

Okay. So Tribe has been in connection with a ministry out of Nashville called Risen Hearts. It is a couple that started it, and the Lord put on their heart to minister to IDF soldiers who have experienced extreme trauma in the past two years. Yes, Israeli Defense Force. So one thing that they are doing now is they are they have selected one unit who has had loss of people in their unit, amputees.

They've just experienced a lot of terrible, terrible things. And they have selected this unit, there's 10 of them left, and they are bringing them out here to Jackson from September second to the tenth. And they're basically just ministering to them, giving them a respite from all that they've been through, a place to regroup, rejuvenate, and then so that they can go back fulfilled and ready to continue. Tribe has graciously offered to take care of all of their breakfasts and dinners. They're actually doing some of their own dinners, but so we need to feed 15 people for eight days for breakfast, and we need to feed 15 people for four nights for dinner.

I will be cooking three of those nights, and we if anyone has a calling on their heart to cook for one night on September 8, please come and talk to me, and I can give you all the information. If not, we can figure something out. I can either cook the night before and bring it, whatever. But if you would like to do it, I think it's an amazing opportunity. And we're just giving them groceries.

So pray about it. Next week, we will be doing a special offering that if you would like to contribute to this mission, you can give to us. I think total we would need probably around 3,000 to cover all the breakfasts and the four dinners. Yeah. Thanks

Gretchen for helping. So, this week pray about if there's an amount that the Lord would put on your heart to give next week and or participate in another way. And so you can talk to Gretchen after service about that and then be praying this week about what the Lord would have you give above the tithe as an offering towards this initiative next week. Could would you stand up and I'll pray for you? Lord Jesus, thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. You. Thank you. You.

Thank Thank you. You. You. Thank you. That my life is not an accident.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That you have incredible things planned for me. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Lord, that you do not hide them to to keep them from me, but you hide them for me to discover and to walk in. I pray for a full reward for every single person here that they would pursue the calling and assignment that you have for them. Reveal it to them Lord.

God I command a blessing over each and every person in our tribe fam here today. Give us a great week, Help us to enjoy the last few hours of summer as our students get ready to go back to school. Wait. Is that tomorrow? Tomorrow.

Jesus, we love you. We pray these things in your name, the strong son of god. And everybody said, amen. I love you so very much. Have a great week.

And remember, Jay, you got this.