Welcome And The Table Theme

SPEAKER_00 0:08

Welcome and thanks for joining us on this episode of the Midweek Podcast, brought to you by a Fresh Wind Church. Each week, our team brings you new content to help you take steps towards Jesus and discover more in Christ. Today's episode is hosted by Pastor Ryan.

SPEAKER_03 0:27

Well, hey, welcome back to the Midweek Podcast. Pastor Ryan joined as always with Pastor Tim, and we are in week two of our series dinner party. And uh, you know, kind of using this whole idea of Thanksgiving coming up and gathering together as we often do over the holidays to say, okay, well, what does it look like then to set a table for Jesus so that the people that we we love can can come and experience and encounter him. And I liked how you frame that, you know, week one. You know, every every week we got all these volunteers running around this building doing all this stuff um so that we can introduce you to someone. Um and and so each week we're trying to do that.

Why The Feeding Miracle Matters

SPEAKER_03 1:08

And this past week we looked at the table of provision and how how Jesus fed you know 5,000 plus the women and children on a hillside one afternoon with the boys lunchable. Um and you know, I got to bring Olivia up, who's got an A in pre-calculus and give her an F on my math assignment.

SPEAKER_02 1:26

You were loving that.

SPEAKER_03 1:27

I loved it until I got corrected by some guys walking out and said it's actually infinity. Um, but you know, I call it crazy math. Five plus two equals five thousand, remainder twelve. And uh man, just what that miracle means. And it it was so significant that that all four Gospels include that that miracle, where often, you know, Matthew, Mark, and Luke will share a lot of those things. John's kind of this outlier. He's like, Y'all do what you want, I'm doing my own thing, right? But even he thought it was important enough that it was one of the seven uh signs that that he includes in his book. It it meant something. And what's interesting is scripture says that after the miracle, they didn't understand it. Jesus asked, Don't you understand now? They didn't get it yet. Um, but after the resurrection, it all started to click and fall in place for them. So uh this table of provision was a pretty big idea.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

I I think it's bigger than uh what we understand because it because it talks about our faith, um, how much faith we have in Jesus taking care of

Trusting Jesus More Than Systems

SPEAKER_02 2:31

us. And uh in everyday life we don't think about Jesus taking care of us because we've got a uh as much as you hate the government and however the election went with you today, and I know there's a bunch of people out there who hate our country and want to tear it down and and um rebuild it into what you know, we're the most successful country on the planet, and um changing our governmental structure for what? What has been like this, you know? So uh everybody's chasing us, everybody wants to be us. So we we think about that and and we get afraid. Uh is God gonna take care of us? Uh but when we we lean back into our government, because our government is supposed to take care of us, and actually, guys, I have to tell you, they do a pretty good job taking care of us. And number two, you might not think it taxes and um you know we're we're struggling with our township right now, uh Teresa and I, and you know, but overall, they not only take care of us, they take care of most of the world. They they really do. So I want to first of all say that that we got a great country, takes care of us, and then turn that on its head and say, you shouldn't trust in your government, you should trust in Jesus to take care of you. And that's what this uh table of provision is all about. Jesus said, Everybody sit down, we're gonna have a dinner, and everybody was like, Well, what are we gonna eat? And he said, I'll take care of that. And that's that's the way we need to lean into it. Um, there's some pretty weird things that have happened in uh in our minds when we're afraid that we're not gonna have enough.

How Scarcity Shrinks Your Mind

SPEAKER_02 4:31

And uh they did this uh study in 2013 uh in Science Magazine. A bunch of researchers went over to India and they um tested people's cognitive uh ability before the harvest and after the harvest. Get that. Before the harvest, you're worried, or is it gonna be as good as last year? Are we gonna have any extra? All this kind of stuff. Are we gonna make any money? Right. Is there gonna be profit? Is you know my daughter going to school or is she gonna be here another year? You know, because they got to pay for all that stuff up front. It's not America, okay? So that's in India, and they've got got this plan um to have so much. And if you've been a farmer for a while, you have a good idea of what you just looking out there. I think it's gonna be good, but you never know till the harvest comes in. So they gave them these cognitive tests before the harvest and after the harvest, and there was a 13 point dip in their IQ before the harvest because of their worry about the harvest. Wow. And uh so this is a huge study, huge study, and um I I it's it's crazy to think about that.

SPEAKER_03 6:07

You when you worry, you're dumber. So here's the the big takeaway. Yeah, worry makes you stupid.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

No, you know, we get in a habit of uh worrying because we have a scarcity mindset. We don't look in our garage and uh except for me, now this is my exception, we don't look in our garage and say, um, what do I have? I do because I can't fit my car in the garage. And the garage is to fit your car in. Uh but we look in there and say, What what don't I have? You know, what tool don't I have? Every time it comes up for Christmas, they've been buying me tools for so long, my kids, they're like, Dad, what kind of tool do you need? And I'm like, wow. I can't even I'll get you, I'll get you this cool screwdriver. No, no, don't, I don't have room for it. I've got all the cool screwdrivers, I got them all. And uh, so it's uh but at the same time, we worry about scarcity.

A Potluck Story About Fear

SPEAKER_02 7:20

I'm gonna tell a story on myself. Um when I was a young boy, uh we were growing up in the 70s and things got lean, especially for Baptist preachers. And my dad, uh, to keep the church open had uh given up his salary for a while and and the church was um bringing us food and hand me down clothes. And although I I wasn't catching everything that was going on, I was about Reese's age. Um I knew that you know there was no extra anymore. Um you ate dinner, that was it. You know, um there was no more. So uh we we were kind of struggling there and only lasted about a year, you know, um, that we were struggling that that badly. But during that time something clicked in me and I was worried about food. I was really worried about food and uh are we gonna have enough? Is there gonna be enough? And when we would have um potluck dinners at church, I'd be like the first in line. And I would get the fried chicken and fill my plate um and eat it and then put the chicken in my pockets for later. And uh and it was kind of a a joke to everybody and and the deacons were like, we gotta get some food over there. That boy, that boy over there is starving. And I was, I was about as big as a round as a weed. And um so I I uh I had that thing happen to me. And it got in got into my psychology, you know. Don't waste that food. Don't don't don't don't let's get a bigger freezer, let's, you know, we need a pantry, we need let's make sure. And that that one year of scarcity had changed my mindset to a mindset of scarcity when it came to food. And it's like, clean your plate, don't waste that. You never know when you're gonna get another bite. And it's like, what is going on with me? I got a great job, we got all kinds of food, we go out to eat every night, and then we go to Sam's Club and buy all kinds of food. Um, but I never shook it, even to this day. Um, when something's free, it's like I gotta get all I can of it, you know, just just in case. I don't want to waste this opportunity. Um and we see that in uh sometimes when we do our fall fest or we're doing something in an area where people are poor, you see that in them. The hot dogs are free. Can I can I take can I take six? You can take all you want. They'll walk you you've been there, you've you've handed them out. They'll take twelve. Um this is something I don't get, I need to get it. And um we need to understand that that shapes you. Shape me. Um it shapes people who don't have a lot, and it puts their focus on scarcity. Um and for us as Americans, it's not on scarcity itself, it's on the fear of scarcity. And I this science report is just uh this is what their conclusion says. When we feel short, our attention narrows to the shortage and we lose sight of everything else outside of that tunnel vision towards a s shortage, and we begin to shape our lives around what we perceive as a shortage, even if we know that we're not gonna be short. We can't get over that hump.

Time Poverty And Joyless Faith

SPEAKER_02 11:41

And it was um I think Ashley Williams is a Harvard business school professor, says that 80% of working Americans feel time poor. Now, let's shift that from food. It can be finances, it can be everything, but what I see in our church is time. I don't have enough time. I would love to help the church, but I don't have enough time. I'm running my kids here, I'm working overtime, I don't have enough time. And that scarcity of time works just like the scarcity of harvest. And you can get tunnel vision on that too, and you think, man, if I got an extra hour, it would solve all my problems. And uh, if you've ever sat in here before we start the podcast, you would see how fast an hour goes.

SPEAKER_03 12:35

Yeah, it drives our wives crazy. Yeah. How long does it take to do a podcast? About four hours.

SPEAKER_02 12:43

It takes four hours to get 40 minutes.

SPEAKER_03 12:46

Right, right. You know, I I think this whole scarcity thing, I mean, you you got all these people, and if you remember how they got there, right? Jesus had been healing on one side of the Sea of Galilee. They see him get in a boat, and scriptures, they literally ran on foot around to the other side to get there, and they beat Jesus uh to the to the shore. And so they're all there. It's getting late. Traveling back then at night was not great. Um, that's when a lot of bad things happen. It's still bad things happen after dark, right? You shouldn't be out after midnight. Um, what is this? Nothing good happens after midnight. Well, same thing was back then. And you know, Jesus even talks about that, you know, like it's in the night when the thieves and the robbers come out. Well, that was it was he said it because it was true. And so you have this situation where all these people have gathered and there's upwards of 15,000 plus people sitting on the hillside.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

And all of a sudden Well, let's before you go into that, hold that thought. Let's look at the clues. You've been there. The Sea of Galilee is not a pond in somebody's backyard.

SPEAKER_03 14:02

No, no, it's big.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

It's the shoreline. Um, look that shoreline up real quick while we're talking. Um, so these people didn't expect to travel this far as Philip said. Um was it Philip or Andrew that asked him where are we gonna get all the food?

SPEAKER_03 14:25

Uh he asked Philip that. He asked Philip. And 33 miles long is what it says.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

33 miles. So it so you're seeing, and Jesus went over to the other side, so if he went directly across, these guys went 15 miles to get to him. And Philip says, There's no place around here to buy food. So, first of all, in the same day, these guys had to walk 15 miles to meet Jesus on the other side. 15 miles. Okay, that would take me like nine days. But they get there in one day. They don't have time to shop for food, they don't have food for today. Now, and I and I'm sure back in those days, they're like, Well, we're not eating today. Yeah, there's days we don't eat, but this is gonna be one of those days because we want to see Jesus. But Jesus steps in and says, I'm gonna feed him anyways. So uh there we go. Uh that that's laid it out for us. They don't have any food. Right. There was no place to buy any food, according to Philip. There was they didn't have time to stop and fish along the way. They had to run around that entire um Sea of Galilee, and this is um this is a moment where there is a need. Now, if they all didn't eat that night, they were gonna be fine in the morning, don't get me wrong. But Jesus wanted to step in and make provision for them, and only that one boy. Now, I'm sure most people had food, um, or at least half of them had something, and but they were like, uh, we just ran 15 miles. I got my whole family here. Right. You know, we gotta feed them something. Uh, but this one boy showed up and said, I'll give what I have. And uh so finish what you were saying on that. I just wanted people to get they have to get this, right?

SPEAKER_03 16:31

This so yeah, this is the situation, and and yeah, so none of them have anything, you know. And I I said in the sermon on Sunday, you know, what was it about that little boy that he showed up prepared? Um, or at least his mama backed him a lunch. Um, and I mean lunchable is literally what we're talking. It it was probably barely enough for him. And so you get all these guys, 15,000 plus people, and you know, you're saying by morning they're they're gonna be okay. And yeah, most the I doubt anybody's dying on the hill that night because they don't get to eat. But have you ever been around some kids that haven't eaten in a couple hours? I mean, our kids eat, you know, we'll feed them dinner at five o'clock. And then you come to my house and I feed them again. You gotta feed them again. By eight, they're like, we've never seen food. We're so it's like I just fed you. That was lunch. No, you had lunch at 11:30, and you had it again at 2:30, and then I fed you dinner at six. Um, and and I'll be honest, man, you know, I don't eat in a while. Um, I get a little hangry myself, you know. And so you got 15,000 of those going on. And then the fear of, and I don't how intense was that fear? I don't know, except for these people just ran upwards of 15 miles with their family to get here to listen to Jesus, and there's nowhere to go. We're in up this mountain here, there's no food around, and now you start thinking, oh man, what are we gonna do? And imagine any dad or mom in that situation. How are we gonna feed our kids tonight? Where are we gonna sleep tonight? Is there enough hotel rooms out here? Did we bring a tent? Did you did you remember? No, we just took off and ran, you know, we got nothing. That's the situation here. And you start to get this, you know, like those that uh tunnel vision. Tunnel vision was saying, yeah, all of a sudden, that's all I can focus on. And so when when Jesus sees them, I think it was Mark that says he had compassion on that in your gut compassion that Jesus is looking at this this group of people who ran all this way to hear him, to see what he might do next. And he said, Man, they are like sheep without a shepherd. There's nobody here who to lead them unless I do something.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:56

And that compassion moved him to action. He saw the need of the people and said, Man, I I gotta step in here. No one's prepared, no one's ready for this. And and we like you said, we we need to see the whole scope of that picture of right where these people are at, because the table of provision now looks that much more important. You know, it wasn't like Jesus is just like, let's let's feed some people.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:24

This is people in some pretty dire straits here.

SPEAKER_02 19:28

And not on it what always happens is we forget what he's done. And here he feeds these people. It will be a few chapters later that he says, You're only here because I fed you.

SPEAKER_03 19:43

It's not even terrifying, it's paragraphs later. Is it? Paragraphs in in John it is. Um, I think it's oh man, verse 30 something, I think. He he circles back around to that. Um, it's 26. Verse 26. Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Like, y'all have already forgotten about the whole thing. What this was you're just here because you're hungry.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Why you ran. You ran to hear me, and I fed you, and now this is all you can think about. And I don't I would let's apply that to our lives. More is uh what we think is the answer to scarcity. Um, but when you get more, all you can think about is more. And that's that's that's our psychology, that's the way we think.

SPEAKER_03 20:37

Well, and studies have proven that. It's like it's why when you made, you know, $20 or $30,000 a year, you figured out how to live off of it. And you kept thinking, man, if I just got a race, man, if I just got a different job, man, when I finish my degree and I start making more money. And then some of you making double or triple what you made back then, and your bank account looks exactly the same. Yep. Because you learn to live off of it. It more is just more now. I I it didn't do anything for me. I've tapped it out. And and that's where we're at. It's just that it's never what we thought.

SPEAKER_02 21:15

I I really appreciate my son-in-law Zach. He is um and Cassie's this the same way. They're like, I've got a goal. We're going on vacation and um I've got to put this much money away. So we're not doing things. So I was talking to him on the phone and um we had it on speaker phone and Teresa and Maddie were talking about something on Amazon or whatever, you can get it. And Zach broke in and says, We're taking a break this month on Amazon, remember? Because we're we want to take that trip. And uh I I love that. I love that. Um that he would at at scarcity. doesn't grab 'em. I need more because you know, when will I get more? And that's that's a discipline that we all gotta we all gotta move into. Um especially when it comes to the Lord. Uh we feel like there's um we feel like he's scarce. You know, God, why haven't you done something in my life today? And you prayed for a parking spot and I gave you one up front.

unknown 22:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 22:28

You don't remember that was yesterday. And that leads us into this thing that Jesus is is talking about um you know I just fed you and that that's all you're concerned about. But back in the old testament he led his people out of Egypt. He gave them manna and he gave them water and then they complained about the manna and can we get well then I'll I'll feed you with um quail and you know till you're sick of it. And it we don't remember and God spent most of the Old Testament all his prophets said the same thing. Remember I'm the one who led you out of Egypt. Remember all the things that I have done for you. Remember, remember why do we need to remember so much is so we don't get this scarcity mindset that he's always taking care of us. Teresa preached her mini sermon you know before we got up there in the first service it was great. These birds they don't worry about where their next meal's coming the flowers they're not they're not afraid. The Lord takes care of them he'll take care of you. And uh so we we've got to break this scarcity mindset whatever you're dealing with it might be your finances it might be food it might be um relationships I know we got a a lot of lonely people in this church. Seems like it's a a lonely epidemic everywhere everywhere. But that that time scarcity seems to apply to Afresh win um more than just about anything else. I just don't have the time.

Remembering Provision Through Gratitude

SPEAKER_03 24:16

Don't have it yeah it's interesting because you you start paralleling this story with you know the Passover and then when when God leads them out into the wilderness and he feeds them with manna. And and John just brings that up you know he's wanting you to read these two stories together. You have Jesus who's getting ready to feed uh feed this crowd of people on the hillside and he wants you to to read that along with with Passover and and what all happened there when God feeds them with manna in the wilderness and how you know God's providing again and you as you start to do that man it it reminds you that when when God sent the manna he told them go out and gather what you need don't keep anything till morning. You know and and whoever gathered had enough you know um whether they gathered a little or they gathered gathered a lot it was enough. They were all full they were all satisfied but that scarcity mindset kicked in and some of them were like we're out in the wilderness and here's I know about the wilderness this man of stuff don't come out every first time we've ever seen it. And so they went out and they're like I know what Moses said but I'm gonna grab some just in case this doesn't work tomorrow and they kept it and by morning it was full of mold and I think scripture says maggots I mean it was worms. Yeah it I mean it was disgusting repulsive I don't know you ever open your trash can and it's got stuff growing in there you're like it was one of those situations you know like get that out of here um but that scarcity mindset had kept crept in on them and they said man we we gotta we gotta put some of this back and instead of this man I'm gonna trust him every day to provide he provided here and I'm gonna trust him to provide tomorrow and they said no I don't know if I can do that I'm gonna have to put some back there was only one extra that they were allowed to to keep and God tells Moses to to take this jar and to put some of the manna in the jar as a remembrance. Right and that manna lasted He said I want you to put this back so that future generations are will remember when I fed you in the wilderness and so you were talking about all these prophets said remember who I am remember I was the one remember what I did. And so God said I want you to take some of this and put it in this jar so that people will remember who I am what it I'm the God who provides. I'm the God who meets your needs. But the problem is they try to go outside of that and do it on their own and then it doesn't work. It doesn't work and I think so many of us man we God shows up and he'll provide and then we try to well how am I gonna get more of this for myself so that I don't get in this situation. Instead of just saying man he's faithful and he met me here. He's gonna meet me there man I remember one time we were struggling and I was like Lord I don't literally didn't know how we were going to feed the kids you know and someone Venmoed me money out of the middle of nowhere and I'm like what was that for still not sure if they meant to send it to me or not answered prayer. Answered I mean just showed up and I mean I had literally that morning been praying like Lord you know what's going on over here and I'm gonna need some help and boom it showed up and it's easy to try to okay well what do I got to do to get some more of that you know instead of saying man Lord I'm gonna rely on you and I'm gonna keep living the way that you've called me to live I'm gonna keep doing the things that you've called me to do I'm gonna steward the things that you've given me to the best of my ability and I'm gonna trust that you're gonna show up and provide and he's faithful to do it.

SPEAKER_02 28:14

And Jesus just after that he brings us all up again he says remember how many baskets I love that you you in Mark chapter eight he quizzes them on the leftovers as soon as as soon as it's over they forget oh yeah I had a whole basket to myself and you had a little bitty basket up there on on on the stage I think those baskets were bigger.

SPEAKER_03 28:42

Someone asked me on Sunday where did the 12 baskets come from I was like you know that's a good question.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Jesus was maybe we sitting over there while everybody ate he was doing some basket weaving because he's like we're we're about to have some leftovers I don't know where they came from but again yeah here's all those disciples who had walked around thinking I don't know if we're gonna have enough I don't know how we're gonna do this if we had eight months worth of wages it wouldn't be enough to give everyone a bite what are we talking about here now have their own goodie bag to go home with yeah that was the that was the memory jars you know those leftovers was the memory just like the manna um that was in the tabernacle it's remember right and uh we have a hard time doing that uh because let's face it we don't put all our dependence on the Lord we've got all these social um parachutes uh for our country and us and then we got our family who will take care of us you know we got um friends who take care of us and and oh boy when when that's all gone and you gotta depend on the Lord it can be fearful but I think the point that we want to make here mostly is how it affects your thinking 13 points down for a guy like me that's a lot. I was gonna say I think for a lot of people I know 13 points is too much to be given up we listen folks we just don't have enough cognitive ability to just be giving up 13 points and I I I think it's it's a chance for us to look at this this is an unhealthy way to live it's an unhealthy um what was that you preached on ruts we make these ruts in our brain we were talking about renewing our mind and uh it makes a rut you're stuck in that rut and you look out in your garage that you can't walk through and say what I don't what don't I have you know and you can't even live in there can't even use it for what it needs to be used for but what don't I have I need um and it it manacles you you know steals your joy I don't I don't have enough time if I just had enough time if I didn't have to work this overtime or if my boss would let me go or maybe I should get another job. Man that's all kinds of focus that you don't have on your wife that you don't have on your kids that you don't have on what God's calling you to do.

SPEAKER_03 31:30

I mean that kind of scarcity really um wrecks your joy of life and here's the thing man I think a lot of us who are and there's some of us we're just we are literally physically tapped you know burning the the candle at both ends but I think a lot of us who are sitting around saying I don't have the time I don't have the time I don't have time you pull up screen time on your phone you know and see how much time you're you've you've spent on you know Instagram or eBay or Facebook um any whatnot TikTok whatever those apps that people use or or look at how many episodes of you know the newest show you've you've been binge watched um and all of a sudden it's like even though we're in I'm not saying we're not busy because we're busy but you're saying what you're saying here is so important we we spend all this time worrying about things and in the time that we do get we devote to these other things that and listen I'm not against people watching a show I'm a I like a good TV show or a good movie. It's one of the ways I bond with my kids is movie nights you know um those things are important but man we we we have so much either worry or dead space that we we don't give to actually like okay Lord I'm gonna give this to you and and man I think it's affecting us um we don't we live this is gonna sound rough but man I think so many Christians live joyless lives. Yeah you know you look at them and it's like we're supposed to be the salt and light of the earth we're supposed to be attractive to the world and and I don't mean physically I I mean the way the way that we live uh should be attracted to the world and I think a lot of people look at us and go well man that's what following Jesus is like I don't want anything to do with it.

SPEAKER_02 33:33

Yeah and we have a you just uh watch YouTube or TikTok or uh whatever you're watching people are raging all over the place. It's like why are you so upset? Um settle down well nobody thinks like me nobody nobody this nobody that men this women that it just goes on and on and on. Take a breath and remember what God did for you yesterday. And I think that's what Jesus is trying to teach through all of this Mark chapter 8 which you which you marked here where um they are they're supposed to in not in that story with eating those leftovers it's supposed to be a remembrance a memory of what God has done for you. That's what Jesus said don't you understand yet don't you understand this yet and the disciples had to be looking at him like no I don't don't get it that's so much of their their life following Jesus you know but they but after he rises again they get it you know and they run off to do things with no support whatsoever. And uh well I'll I'll go down to Samaria. Well Philip they hate you down there. You're a Jew there what are you gonna do? Well a bunch of people are gonna get saved and then they'll take care of me what and that's exactly what happened. As a matter of fact it went so crazy that Peter and uh was it John or Andrew? I can't remember they went down there to figure out what was going on. What do you mean Sumerians are being saved? Now we gotta go well we better check this out sure enough they're down there filled with the Holy Spirit starting the church and support and felt yeah it's a it's a crazy crazy change from the scarcity mindset to I got God on my side and uh he owns the cattle on a thousand hills and if if I need it he'll cash them in.

SPEAKER_03 35:35

Well so I think the key here is is that remembrance you know gratitude is how memory gets practiced. Jesus gave thanks before the bread multiplied and gratitude looks backward at God's track record and forward in trust at the same time. So it says Lord I I thank you for this provision here. And I know to the world it doesn't look like enough but I know that you've provided it and then it looks forward in trust to say because you've provided it I'm trusting that it's gonna be not just enough but it's gonna be more than enough because that's how God works. Yeah you know it's gonna be more than enough and so I I think we need to to put these these rhythms in our life and it's why you know Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year I know most people like Christmas or their birthday or you know whatever. I love Thanksgiving because it's it's the family it's the food without all the extras. Yeah. We're just gonna get together and say thanks and enjoy each other and what we have Black Friday man ticked me off because it's like the one day after we got got done giving thanks we all stood in lines you know um now I think retailers have ruined Black Friday by making it you know a month long yeah um which is almost better because now we can just be thankful. Because back then man you would watch these people who would show up and and we would go around the table and what are you thankful for and what are you thankful for and all everyone would have an answer. And then three o'clock in the morning we're standing in line at you know best bye because we got to get that new TV or whatever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:26

And the the ads would come out and we'd be passing the ads out you know around is this worth running and getting um and you know that would have that still would have been a big thing even today if someone wouldn't have started cheating. Well I'm gonna do my Black Friday on Wednesday or everyone got greedy and now it's lost it man.

SPEAKER_03 37:49

But I think better for our our psyche.

SPEAKER_02 37:52

Yeah better for our families definitely but this is um this is what Jesus wants you to do is the is to there's got to be a time when you set a table of remembrance. Now we do that with uh the Lord's Supper every quarter um or at the end of every month we like to um remember what Jesus did for us through the Lord's Supper and that's that's a jar of manna the Lord's Supper is a jar of manna for us where we sit down and we think back to what Jesus has actually done for us and and we I don't think we can function without that but at the same time we need to we need to start remembering what he does for us every

Thanksgiving Practices That Build Trust

SPEAKER_02 38:41

day.

SPEAKER_03 38:41

Yeah so here's as we kind of wrap this this one up let me give you just a little bit of application for this week um at at the end of the the miracle of Jesus feeding these 5,000 men plus the the women and children the disciples collected 12 baskets of leftovers and so um as you head into to Thanksgiving uh this month here's what I'd encourage you to do make a 12 basket list and write down 12 specific times where God has provided for you. Maybe it's a job that you were praying for maybe it's a check that came in or a Venmo you know dropped into your Venmo balance out of nowhere a friend that you've been praying for a diagnosis that turned out okay a hard season that you survived and God got you through. Just write down 12 specific times and then keep it where where you see it next time you're tempted to start running the numbers like Philip and think, Lord I don't think we're gonna make it God I don't think this is going to be enough God I don't know if we can get through it. You'll have that list of these 12 times God got you through and here's what I know he's the same yesterday today and forever if he was faithful then he's gonna be faithful now. If he carried you through it then he'll carry you through it now and we need that remembrance to kind of fuel our faith to get us through these things.

SPEAKER_02 39:57

There's a couple of things um in that that I want you to remember when um the doctor says we need to check something out that might be bad and then you pray and you say Lord don't let that be bad and it comes back and it's not bad. Now we we write that off well there was nothing wrong in the first place. You don't know that right right you don't know that so those kind of things should go on your list. Lord um let me get that day off with my family let me get that day off early so we can go on this trip or whatever and you ask them and you get that day off and we just let that go as well that was kind of a coincidence you know oh yeah my boss was in a good mood yeah that that type of thing remember those things and uh write them down those a prayer journal um is so um helpful to keep you from getting that tunnel vision and losing those 13 IQ points right you know and here's the the thing that a lot of us forget about our prayer journal is we write down all the requests but we don't often go back and write in God's answer.

SPEAKER_03 41:10

You you want some some fuel for your faith go back and write the answer to those prayer requests and you'll start seeing man I was so worried about all this stuff and then God just kept showing up and it wasn't always the answer you wanted. Sometimes he said no sometimes he said not now but he answered and he made it clear um so that's that's the first thing I'd encourage you second thing man pray the the Lord's prayer um give us today our daily bread and just pray that maybe every morning this week wake up and and just pray that prayer trusting that the Lord's gonna provide he is faithful and he's gonna give you everything that you need um we sang that song on Sunday everything I need my father has it maybe listen to that song on repeat this week you know and uh and then this one it's gonna seem a little counterintuitive maybe but I want you to to practice thanks before um and so before you open the bill before you you look at your calendar before you you have to walk into a hard conversation thank God for what he's already done and I think that would shift a lot of our perspective on this thing um that you know your water bill comes in or your heating bill as we head into winter and you know oh man it's about to get rough thank God that he's he's provided thank god for the job he's given you to to pay these things and it sucks it no one likes paying that bill but thank god that he's given you the ability to do it um and then uh add a add a question uh or basket question to your Thanksgiving table ask everyone this Thanksgiving when did God come through for you this year? And and even ask the kids man make them a part of it. When have they seen God come through for them this year? And allow that time to to really be a sp a place to remember God's faithfulness and his provision.

SPEAKER_02 43:05

And that one I I I really think that we should bring that home um to every table we set with our children. You know, we would sit down with the kids and we'd say what was your high and what was your low today? And uh they give us their high and low and I think when you said hey did God come through for you today in in whatever it was your kids are taking tests. They're trying to have relationships with their friends or trying to be cool and not get embarrassed that there's a lot of stuff going on. And um when you remind your kids when they're young you know hey how what did God do for you today? Oh I got that score, you know or you know my my uh I got an A on that test or I got a C on that test 'cause sometimes that's the thank you too. Or um I thought my friend was really mad at me for something I did, and but today everything was okay. You know, those are the things um and you'll teach your kids to pray for everyday things. And as they're everyday things, uh God answers their prayer in everyday things. He's answering prayers for you that you didn't even pray because the Holy Spirit prayed them for you. And uh once your kids realize that God's interested in being their shepherd and uh wants to be their shepherd every day, they won't grow up with a scarcity mindset. They'll know that God cares for them. And so maybe add that to every table.

SPEAKER_03 44:42

Well, that's uh I think it was Pastor Jared that started it. Um and Joy and I have picked it up, and Ellie's usually the one that reminds us to do it each night. But uh good, bad, and godly. What was good, what was bad, and what was godly. Where did you see God uh today? And man, like you're saying, when you've you know your kids got a test coming up and you've prayed about it, hopefully you've prayed about it with them, and then they get the A on the test, or they you know answer that essay that they were so worried about, or whatever. The friend situation that they thought was bad. You need when it's when you see God respond and they get the A or the relationship's been resolved, you need to thank God right in front of your kids. Oh, thank God we were praying about that, sweetie. That way they know where their gratitude should be directed. Right. This isn't because you studied hard, we were worried about it, even with you studying, we were worried. You know, this was God, He'd helped you do this. Um, and you if you start to train your kid to see those things and recognize God's presence and faithfulness in those everyday, mundane things, man, it'll keep them, like you said, from getting in this scarcity mindset where I'm always afraid. Man, no, I prayed about that. I gave that thing over to the Lord, and I know my father has it.

SPEAKER_02 45:57

And he's faithful. That's right. I love it. Um I I I love that. Um highs, lows, and godly. I I think that's a a good way to engage your kids. That gives you an opportunity to tell the kids what God's done for you too. And and thank God for that. And they begin to see that memory and that thankfulness in your life and they'll add it to theirs. Um anyways, this whole thing feeding five thousand on the side of the mountain. Uh we think, well, he had to do something big, you know, he's he's God or whatever, but it was compassion.

SPEAKER_01 46:36

Right.

SPEAKER_02 46:36

It was compassion. He left to get away from them and they ran all the way over there. Now he could have been like, I wanted a day off. But he turned around.

SPEAKER_03 46:49

Gotta show you this text. My wife, this was during the ladies' conference. She'll probably kill me for sharing this.

SPEAKER_02 46:56

Oh, that'll be fun to watch. Can you set up a time where we can come over?

SPEAKER_03 47:01

Uh and watch her kill me. Yes. Um, sure. Yeah, I'll do that for everyone. Oh man, where is it at? Um, oh, here it is. So she was Priscilla Schreier was preaching on the same content. My wife sends me a picture where she's underlined this verse in her Bible uh come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while. She said, just saying, to rest after serving the disciples went on a boat to a remote place. I think she's asking for a cruise. That's what it is. I told her, I said, keep reading though. No rest for the weary.

SPEAKER_02 47:42

What a beautiful uh picture of what um the Lord is like. I'm tired, I need some time off, but I'm gonna take care of you. So I don't think the Lord gets tired anymore, and I think he's all in. Um but I know you get tired, and I'm asking you guys um to start making those memories, um, start writing them down, uh, start thanking God for them, and he'll build a faith um where you don't worry at all. Yeah, and you you're saying, Well, that it'll never be. I want to lessen my worry. No, he can take it all away if you'll trust him.

SPEAKER_03 48:28

Cast all your cares and worries, anxieties upon him because he cares for you. Amen. Praise praise.

Prayer, Support, And Closing

SPEAKER_03 48:34

Father, I thank you so much for this passage. And uh, Lord, I thank you that it it reminds us once again that you are faithful. You are a God who provides. And Lord, I I know that there's so many of us who have so many things weighing on our hearts, on our minds, and and Lord, a lot of us, man, we just feel drained mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically. And uh, we have this tunnel vision, this scarcity mindset where we're worried about what being enough and having enough and getting through this next season or this thing. And uh, and Father, I just pray that you'd give us the faith that we need to bring them to you. And uh, you asked Philip where, and he's he just started calculating how much. Father, we know the where is in you. Amen. You are the bread of life, you are the way, the truth, and the life. And you've promised that whoever comes to you will never be hungry, will never thirst again. And so, Father, I pray that you would teach us to be satisfied in you and then to remember uh the things that you've done in our life so that we don't end up in this scarcity mindset again, but we have faith that is solid because we know that you're a God who cares for us and will come through. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 49:46

Thanks again for joining us for this episode of the Midweek Podcast. We'd love to hear from you. Let us know how God is using this resource in your life or send any podcast questions or topic ideas to podcast at a freshwind.org. If you would like to support this ministry financially and help us continue offering new resources that equip you to discover more in Christ, simply text any amount to the number 84321. We're so grateful for your support. Make sure to tune in next week for a brand new episode of the Midweek Podcast. Be blessed and have a great week.