Ep. 72 Enough Already!

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello. Welcome to. Let's Talk Life. Welcome to our studio, Rasmussen Records. It's beautiful. What started as a casual FaceTime call turned into this weekly podcast and talking life together, life in Christ, and how our union with God intersects with our daily life. So that's what it's all about. John 17. One of my favorite passages for sure. Jesus praying, father, that they may be one, just as we are one. Just pondering that union. We've talked about that here and there, but, man, it's a mystery. But it's mentioned throughout the New Testament and that mystery has been revealed. And so that's always our. As we equip other people, what we bring them along to is ask the Father to reveal to you this mystery so that you can have your eyes open to who you are, who he is. And, boy, it's just beautiful. But enough already. That's our title. How you feeling today, Carl? [00:00:54] Speaker B: Yeah, where does that come from, Zach? Like, what's Enough already? [00:00:58] Speaker A: Enough already. It comes from Teresa. She's the director of the Life center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I went to. I went through AMT with her advanced ministry training. It's where I got my extra training in the network, 220s counseling, ministry stuff. And it was so good. She sent a little newsletter. I don't know if I can hold it up for the camera, but she sent a little newsletter that titled Enough already. And right away, I took it as two different things. You can be like, I'm frustrated enough with this already. [00:01:30] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:01:31] Speaker A: But you can also take it as I am already enough. So I just thought that was really beautiful. [00:01:37] Speaker B: Yeah. So which one is it for you today? [00:01:40] Speaker A: It's a little bit of both. Yeah. A little bit of both. Yeah. There's. There's an element of. All right, that's enough. I've had enough. [00:01:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:01:49] Speaker A: I don't. I don't need any more of this. But, you know, when you flip it around to recognize that I'm already enough, you can face anything. So it actually really works both ways together, which is really neat. [00:02:01] Speaker B: Yeah. And when did you discover you were enough? [00:02:03] Speaker A: Well, I think I'm still discovering. [00:02:07] Speaker B: That's right. Continue to discover. [00:02:10] Speaker A: I. Yeah, boy. I mean, isn't that the truth? Like, I. So I went through that training, I came down here, started non profit, and how many times have I shared that? I come to my office and I'm like, I don't know what I'm doing. Am I really able? Right. Am I really enough? So there's. There's steps along the way. Yeah. All throughout life, I think that we just are journeying into who we truly are in Christ. How about you, Carl? [00:02:35] Speaker B: Yeah. I think that life as we just talked about life is, is like a. It's like a river. And there are times that it seems like the river is roaring and other times it seems like it's a dried up creek. But what's on the other side? What's on the other side of the bend? What's on the other side of the turn? One pastor referred to it as what's on the other side of trust. And I just love that the river's going like this. But God's just wanting us to trust him through it all. And so then, so the question is, am I enough right now or do I need to. You know, one of the things we think of in the church is do I need. I need to work on myself. I need to work on my stuff. I'm really working on myself. Well, what does that look like? Usually it's a list of checklists of things I'm trying to do to really earn his favor. Nobody uses that term, but it's really what it is. It is trying to. Trying to earn his favor for me. Was I trying to prove that I was worthy of his love? Like all of that's not grace. Like all of that is not grace. [00:03:41] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah. [00:03:42] Speaker B: And it's a trap. [00:03:44] Speaker A: Yep. And we were in the trap and we were trapping others. Right. Because we didn't know any better ourselves. And how can you teach what you don't know? So that's where there's still no condemnation. It wasn't for us, there wasn't for others that are in Christ. And what's so beautiful about just that whole picture, man? Like if I'm on this hamster wheel or this treadmill of trying to be better, when is enough enough? That's really where you never really get to a conclusion. You only get to that question, have I, have I got there yet? Am I enough now? [00:04:20] Speaker B: Like, right, right. [00:04:21] Speaker A: At what point am I clean enough or close enough? And the reality is right now I'm clean and I'm close and the Father loves me. And I can trust that's a reality because that's exactly what he. What he gets across to us over and over again throughout the Bible. And really that's. That is the message of the gospel. That is the gospel more so than even just a message. [00:04:46] Speaker B: So just even thinking about that, enough verses that come to my mind cautions, you are complete in Christ. [00:04:55] Speaker A: Right. [00:04:55] Speaker B: Just that completeness It's. It's like you take the word, you're enough. Like in Christ, you're enough. You're complete, you're whole. You know, living wholeheartedly. It's a great. It's a great. It's a great reminder that, you know, we think that I need to do something first. Gotta get my life together. I mean, even in the church. Right? How many times did someone resists even entering a church door because they saw. What did they really see? Right, Right. You know, and so it's. It's like, no, no, no. Right now, Jesus has made you enough. [00:05:31] Speaker A: Right. [00:05:31] Speaker B: And you have everything you need. Second Peter one. There's the other verse. You have everything you need for life and godliness. Those are the two verses that really resonate with enough. [00:05:39] Speaker A: Sure. [00:05:41] Speaker B: Amen. [00:05:42] Speaker A: No, it's awesome. Thank you for sharing. I'm just processing, like, how did I used to look at verses like that? And I can't really even necessarily answer other than just feeling like I'm not enough and I need to do better and I need to shape up. And. And so when it came to teaching those verses, it was almost like, well, I'd either teach that you need to do better, try harder, or I just stay away from them. Because this is confusing to me. It's like it says, I'm complete, but I don't feel like I'm complete. And we live mostly by our feelings. If we're. If we're living according to our own effort, you know, it's all going to be feeling based. And so that's the difference of really stepping into walking in the Spirit. I think a beginning point of walking in the Spirit is actually knowing who I am in Christ, then I'm able to walk in the Spirit. And I can believe these truths because it's my reality. [00:06:31] Speaker B: Right, Right. The reality of Christ in us. [00:06:35] Speaker A: Right. [00:06:35] Speaker B: The reality of Christ in the. [00:06:37] Speaker A: Yeah. So I want to. Before we even get to the scripture that we have in our notes, it's Second Corinthians, chapter nine. But I just want to share a couple of these thoughts. Just that she started writing off this newsletter. Enough already. Like I said, it's the title. But she starts off just saying how we struggle. So many. Most people, I think everybody struggles with the belief that we're not enough. And so this lie ultimately produces shame. And shame as we've talked about, too. And really the understanding of shame is truly that there's something wrong with me. And so if I feel like there's something wrong with me, then I'm not good enough. And so therefore, I need to do something. And so instead of claiming the truth of what God says about us and who we truly are in him, we're on that again, Treadmill. But I love these little bullet points. Well, I'll just read this last sentence. Once you believe you are not good enough, you also perpetually feel like you do not have enough time or talent or resources or money or love or acceptance. And so she takes all those things, and I won't read all of them, but she just. She just uses time. She says, time cannot give you worth, so there will never be enough time. Talent cannot give you value, so even the talents God granted, you feel empty. Resources cannot give you security, so even the resources you have leave you feeling poor. It's just amazing because it's like, well, God gave me these gifts, so if I'm using them, shouldn't I find satisfaction in that? And it's like, yeah, well, there's truth to that. But am I looking for validation because of my gifts? Or am I enough already trusting that reality and my gifts can just be used and I can love on other people and use my gifts? So I don't know if any of that kind of resonates with you, Kyle, but I just thought there was some. Some good stuff there. [00:08:24] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, just. It's just a reminder that the kingdom of God is not over there. Over there, it's from within. And so all those things. You know, I even been using this phrase a lot. Time does not heal all wounds. We think we've heard it before. Time heals all wounds. Time heals all wounds. And it's like, well, actually, time can create more bitterness and resentment and forgiveness. [00:08:48] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:48] Speaker B: So it is Jesus in time who heals all wounds. It is a person. It's the person of Jesus. So just even that reminder, that's well written, well written by your friend Teresa. [00:09:02] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:05] Speaker B: What about you, man? When you read that and just even now, what popped up to you? [00:09:09] Speaker A: Oh, man, I mean, yeah, I love that about time. I've heard that. Maybe we've talked about it, but just what you shared, it's so good, talent wise. I mean, when I just think about that, I think, boy, I mean, I had a lot of. Not even had. I have a lot of talent in certain areas, but I never could really believe it. And I felt like it was something that I had to, like, I don't know, make sure I wasn't using for my own advantage. It was like, well, what does that look like? And what does that mean. And it's like, I don't know. But for some, it actually held me back from just being the best me that I could be. Like in all of my giftedness that God gave me and all of the Christ who's in me, like just living as me. And so I don't know. It's crazy how that mental game, it is a lie from the enemy. And it's exactly what he uses to trip us up and to keep us from living the most effective lives that we can live. He doesn't want us living that way. Even though we're already enough and we're good with God and God loves us, we can believe all these things that are so crippling. So that takes us to 2 Corinthians 9, 8 specifically. And I don't know, Carl, if you [00:10:24] Speaker B: have more, I'll just send the mixed messages. The mixed messages, right. I mean, it's like my experiences and God's words aren't lining up. So my experience is one thing, and I. And I think. I think God's word's saying something different. Right. So it's, it's, it's, it's. We get the mixed messages and then the wise that come in and say, you're not. Right. You don't really deserve grace. You. You don't. [00:10:49] Speaker A: Yes, you. [00:10:50] Speaker B: Whatever it is, whatever the life. [00:10:52] Speaker A: Yes, yes. [00:10:53] Speaker B: And it's. Man, it could be. It could do a number on us. I mean, there's people who, who just say, I'm done. I'm done. Right. I'm checking out. Just look, as John Elmer says, I'm just gonna look for a little life somewhere. Right. You know, pastors who say, I'm done. I'm done with it all and just not want anything to do with God or, you know, just. And so I think that that mixed messages and the vibes that come in, that's. That's cool, man. So, yeah, so you. You wanted to talk about Second Corinthians 9, 8. [00:11:22] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, we'll read it and just kind of dissect that verse a little bit. But I appreciate and thank you for bringing that point up about mixed messages, because this is ultimately it. I mean, I am enough already and so enough already with the mixed messages. Yeah, that's kind of the point. That's the whole kind of theme of today's talk, really. [00:11:42] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:11:43] Speaker A: You know, but 2 Corinthians 9, 8 says that God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good deed. I don't know if there's something that jumps out to you, Carl, or where you want to go, maybe with this, but I'm pretty fascinated just by the strong language that's used. I think it's like, strong language that I could never believe before. And now that I've stepped into understanding and seeing myself different, I can take the word all and understand that it means all. [00:12:20] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:12:21] Speaker A: And, like, words like always and everything and every, those are all used in this verse. And it's amazing, like, to make all grace abound to you. Like, it's not a portion, it's not in part. I mean, there's this. It's all. And what is the grace of God is His Son. It is Jesus. Grace is a person, and it's Jesus. God is love. And it's like when we can learn to receive his love, then all grace can begin to really manifest itself inside of our lives. Like, we start to really see the power of God in us and through us, and it just changes everything. And it's not because I'm all sudden different than I was 10 years ago or 20 years ago. It's because I came to an understanding of the reality of who I've always been. Even 10 years ago and 20 years ago. [00:13:13] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:13:14] Speaker A: Because I received. I believed and I received Christ when I was nine years old. [00:13:19] Speaker B: I started receiving. Yeah. [00:13:21] Speaker A: Yeah. But I didn't really know who I was until I. [00:13:24] Speaker B: Right, right. [00:13:25] Speaker A: Until I came to the point of really receiving his love and accepting this reality that I am loved and that I am enough. All this stuff was kind of foreign to me. [00:13:34] Speaker B: Well, and again, God is able. Like, he's able. He's. [00:13:38] Speaker A: Amen. [00:13:38] Speaker B: He's got it. He's capable. He's fully capable. I mean, we were just on a zoom an hour ago and just talking about that God's able to do it without us, you know, whatever. Whatever it is that we think. It's up to me, you know, and it says, God's able to make all grace abound to you. [00:13:55] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:56] Speaker B: And. And again, so I read. I read verse eight, and I don't see scarcity in here at all. No. You know, and it's just like, well, where does scarcity come from? You know, it's. It's not from God. Right. All grace, all sufficiency, all things at all times, every good work. Abounding, abounding. [00:14:15] Speaker A: That's abounding. [00:14:16] Speaker B: Scarcity mentality. Right. You know? [00:14:19] Speaker A: Right. Oh, it's quite the opposite. [00:14:22] Speaker B: Flourishing. Yeah. I guess it's more than man. [00:14:24] Speaker A: And. And that's where. So even just that, it's the abundance. [00:14:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:28] Speaker A: Of grace is the way that Romans 5:17 puts it. [00:14:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:32] Speaker A: For by the transgression of the one, death reigns through the one much more. Those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life. It's like, boy, that's really exciting to think about. Yeah. I want to. I want to reign in life. I want to have joy and peace and patience. I want that fruit of the spirit is real. It's not something that I'm chasing after. It's actually a reality and it's in abundance. And it's absolutely true. Yeah. I would say that probably the most power packed words in this verse is that God is able. So that is a fantastic place to really start. But then how it relates to me is all these power words to say that all grace abounds to me, that I have all sufficiency, that I have this abundance of grace. And why? Because it is God who is able and he loves me and he's given me this. It's just. It's so beautiful, man. [00:15:27] Speaker B: And so you read that and it's like, yeah, I have enough right now. I am enough right now. You know, that God sees me. I mean, you can't read that and say, well, I'm still lacking or. Right. I mean, it's, it's like beautiful. [00:15:41] Speaker A: Yeah, it is. There's. There's so much truth in there, you know. Romans 5:17, throughout this last few years has really been a verse that's come to life for me. [00:15:50] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:51] Speaker A: And I will say that like this, this verse is popping through my brain like all day today and yesterday. Like, wow, this just like what you said. I can't. I can't see it another way. This is a reality. This is who I am. And it doesn't mean that I don't feel this or that different than what that says. But just like when I come into my office and say, God, I don't know what I'm doing, it doesn't take me very long to rest and just sit back in my chair right here and just say. And allow God to just pour over me and say, you're doing it, you're okay. Yeah, you're right where you're supposed to be. And it's like I can rest in that, you know, It's a loving father just kind of embracing his son, just saying, it's okay, you're fine. You're right. Where you're supposed to be. That's a beautiful picture. That's. That's the picture that I get, you know, every time I kind of have those roller coaster moments or like the river, like you talked about. [00:16:45] Speaker B: Right, right. Reigning in life. I mean, isn't that beautiful? It's a promise. [00:16:51] Speaker A: Yeah, right. [00:16:54] Speaker B: Much more. I mean, that's a phrase you like too, from Romans 5, 17, Romans 5 [00:16:58] Speaker A: all together and much more. You know, we've talked about that. It's just. It's so good. I think that's what every. Everybody in life wants. Much more. Those that are not in Christ don't even have a clue what that possibly looks like. So they're just chasing. That's all they have is to chase. And those that are in Christ, unfortunately, I think we get stuck still on. On the search for it. [00:17:21] Speaker B: Right. [00:17:21] Speaker A: Because we simply just don't know. So that's. That's really kind of become my mission. My purpose is to help equip people to know who they are. Because a lot of Christians, pastors included, because I was one of them, didn't know. I didn't know all along who I truly was in Christ. And it's a beautiful thing to step into understanding and thank you, God, for that wisdom, for that revelation, because he's the one that reveals it. Yeah. Good stuff. Any closing thoughts? Carl, what do you have? [00:17:49] Speaker B: It's available to each person. Listener. [00:17:52] Speaker A: Yeah. So good. So good. I love God's word and how it comes to life. When he gives you the eyes to see that we can recognize that grace and peace to you. As Paul would start his letter, it's like, that's for us. And that was earth shaking to them like Titus 2. For the grace of God has appeared and it teaches and it trains you and equip like we're already equipped. We have the Spirit in us. We have Christ in us. Such good stuff. So if you're listening and you're a believer, you are enough already. Amen.