Ep. 88 Knowing I’m Righteous

[00:00:00] Speaker A: How do we remember? You know, there's several, I, I would say helpful ways. The trail markers of our life. You know, the, the stones of remembrance that the Israelites set up. That I remember. Oh, yeah. God, you were so faithful. You're so faithful in the past. You know, writing, writing these downs in a journal or, you know, like, you know, milestones in your life of, of ways that God showed you who he is. [00:00:24] Speaker B: Right. [00:00:24] Speaker A: I think another way is, you know, through a trusted friend, through a brother or female sister, that we can share these truths about who God is and about who we are in Christ. So that when I'm in crisis mode or I'm in a situation or even in a failure, that here's who God is. Well, yeah, here is what Jesus has done for you on the cross, right. That your sins are cleansed. You know, as, as a believer, as a son and daughter. [00:00:52] Speaker B: Right. Hello and welcome to let's Talk Life. Cousins here talking day to day life and how Christ as life connects to your daily life. Paul says it this way in Colossians chapter one. Christ in you, the hope of glory. And so, yeah, we're gonna start off talking a little bit more about just day to day life right now. Kicking things off with, with this question for you, Carl, and for me. What's been stirring. What's been stirring within your mind, your heart, as God has been just doing what he does, loving on us and revealing things to us. Any, Any thoughts there, Carl? [00:01:46] Speaker A: Yeah, I mean, welcome to you as well, Zach. Welcome. I never say hi to you on here. God's always up to something, right? Just. He's always up to something. One of our prayers that's been so meaningful to both of us is open minds. Open my eyes, Father. [00:02:04] Speaker B: Right. [00:02:04] Speaker A: And so the last, I don't know, I guess our oldest son Isaac had shoulder surgery and needed to be in the recovery recliner that, that is in the living room that we didn't have before he had the surgery and so, so he could sleep and so I can't come down and make noise. So I found myself early morning sitting in the back and looking out at the field and watching the sunrise. And it has been so refreshing. The colors of God, the. The. The wonder of God to create a. Every morning this beautiful picture that, that the colors can't be duplicated like we try, but I mean it is just glorious. And the. There's always like this hint of, of pink right before the, the. It becomes more of an orange or. But just this, this pink with a blue. And it's just amazing. And so this past week, Jeff and I went down to Outer Banks and it was kind of. For me, it was kind of this, like this refuge and rest before these retreats that are coming up. Sure. In October. And so it's like, all right, I want a time of preparation. Time of preparation. And you know, growing up in the Midwest, the ocean has always been a marvel to me. It is, is. It mesmerizes me. I just, I see God and in his fullness and how big he is. [00:03:29] Speaker B: Wow. [00:03:30] Speaker A: When Amateos. And, and so when, when I. So one morning I was up like five fifties. He had the. You had the moon, you had a planet, and then you had the ocean and you had a little bit of color. Pre civil twilight or whatever people call it now. I don't know what they call it. I was just looking at the waves and I just, I just, you know, when, when I'm at the ocean. God, you are so much more. Bigger than my problems. Like when, when I'm. When I'm sitting here like, this is your creation. And I think statistics say that we've actually explored less than 5% of the ocean of the world. Like, it's so deep and vast. And, and in Psalm 89, the author says, you rule the raging of the sea. When its waves rise, you still them. O Lord God, who is mighty as you are, with your faithfulness all around you, who in the skies can be compared to the Lord, let the heavens praise your wonders. And so I'm just sitting there thinking, God, you're so big. Like, you are so amazing. And, and, and it really was like, okay, well, my problems. And what I think is. Is really huge to me, is really, really small to God. Very, very small. Doesn't mean it's not important, doesn't mean we minimize it, but it just gives me a different perspective of God, of how I can trust him. And just sitting there watching the waves. Psalm 93. You are mightier than the waves. The mightier than the waves. And it was just like, that's. That's what he's stirring in me Of. Of refocus. A recenter of who he is. [00:05:12] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:12] Speaker A: And. And you know, we'll be talking about some other things later that, that help. That are very helpful in. In. In this remem. Remembering. But yeah, man, that's what's. That's what's stirring in me. [00:05:24] Speaker B: Yeah, man, it's so good. It's so amazing. I live right by the ocean. And I think when you live by it, you don't probably don't go to it as much, but there's times and there's opportunity. Like, you know, my office, where I'm at right now, even is. Is like three to five minutes from the ocean. There's a spot that I go to just sit. And I love it in the off season, which is right now. [00:05:47] Speaker A: Yep. [00:05:48] Speaker B: Because there's less busyness there. And I can usually get one of the little canopy areas where I can sit at a picnic table. And that's where I do some of my studying here or there. But just like, there's times that I'm just like, you know, I'm just going to go sit there. Like, no Internet connection, just me and my resources and just typing away. You know, I bring my iPad and I just type on it. And it was just, you know, be there with God in my thoughts. And so it is this beautiful. And I love the whole. The sunrise thing, too. I'm not good at getting up that early, Carl. But. But I do get up. I do get up. And the first thing that I do is. Has become a little bit of a habit for me, just because I enjoy it, is to just do. I go sit in my backyard and just watch the. So I can't see the sun rising because it's on the other side of the state. So. But it. So it's coming up over top of some trees, and it's up before, you know, I can. The beauty comes, really, when it's peeking up and over top of these trees. And also I feel this nice, you know, warmness to the sun, and I just sit there soaking in it. But that's my time of just chewing on some of these things that I'm going through. But that's where I take my time to actually study that. So while it's quiet at home and it's, you know. And so it's similar just seeing that beauty, just looking up. And sometimes you just get that. I think we talked about this last time maybe a couple times ago, but just being mesmerized by these things. [00:07:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:08] Speaker B: By those sunrises, by the ocean, by the fires. The fire pit. Not just a random fire. You don't want your house on fire. That's not too mesmerizing. But in any case, God is. Yeah. Working in everything. He's stirring in everything. He's speaking through everything. And so I had this long weekend away with the family. My wife had some training with her work, and so we just took the kids because it was at Orlando, in Orlando. So we just went and Stayed an extra night and just enjoyed the place. And the kids and I just explored during the day while she was in class. And then she and I took them to various things. We went to SeaWorld yesterday would have been for us right now, but that was our final day. And before coming back last night and so. Just amazing. We're in this hotel. We're five floors up, 19 floors in this hotel, you know, we're five floors up. And. And I found myself over and over again, like, I had to run down for this or run down for that. And I was like, I was fine with it because it's a nice place. It was fun. It was just enjoyable. But I found myself at just such a pace of, okay, I got to go do this, and I'm running. And a number of times, I would say at least two or three times, I got off on the wrong floor because the door would open. I just figure I'm where I'm supposed to be, and I'd walk out. And I was on mission to just do what I needed to do. And totally blind to the fact that I just stepped onto another floor. That's like, this isn't helping me any. And so it's just really interesting. Like, I was on mission, but my mission was. Was me. And I just. I felt this. This was like the first day, the first night even there, or maybe first morning, the second day, but God, just saying, just. Just chill out. Enjoy the presence, you know, slow down, enjoy what's in front of you. Because I realized I was getting on and off of these. These elevators, not even recognizing that people are walking on, you know, from another floor. And I'm just jumping off, like, oh, I gotta get to this. I gotta do that. And it's like I'm missing out on the life that's right around me. And then I can do the same thing with my kids. Like, these little kids, like, come on, come on, we gotta. Oh, we gotta. We gotta do. And it's like, quick, hurry. Everything's fat. And it's like, nah, just enjoy. Just enjoy the moment. Enjoy them pushing the button, even if it's the wrong one on the elevator. And it's like, oh, I guess we're going up instead of that. It's like, it's like. But it's so, so easy to just get caught up. And so that was one of the things that God was really stirring in me this week of just, you're right where you're supposed to be. Just rest and enjoy. So it's just. Just really Neat. So yeah, I threw out this thought, Carl and I don't know, we've got, you know, half of our time, I guess, here to continue on with this, with this idea of knowing I'm righteous. That's really what I titled this, this episode, Knowing that I'm righteous. And the question is, why is that important? And maybe you have other questions to throw at it. That's really all I have in terms of notes there that are shared between us, but all kinds of things that we can go to, I think from that and just. Yeah, anything you want to start off with Carl there. Knowing that. [00:10:09] Speaker A: Righteous. [00:10:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:10:10] Speaker A: I mean, even in your notes when I don't know I'm righteous, what does that look like? Yeah, and, and even, you know, even thinking about the, the justness of God, you know, sort of our friend Wayne Jacobson's language here when it comes to if I'm a child of God, does my life look different when I remember it or does. Or do I look different when I forget it? You know, and so, yeah, no, knowing it is, is really, really important. And in experiencing Jesus really, you know, and really living out this life of. And even like the actions could actually be the same, but the motivation's different. So if I'm living from this place of identity, if I'm living from this place of I am his beloved, you know, as we talked about, if, if I know him as beloved right now because I've received Christ, so it's. I've received his greatest gift, I've posture of receiving, my life's going to look different than as if I think I need to earn it or strive for it. It's going to look totally different. [00:11:15] Speaker B: Sure, sure. [00:11:16] Speaker A: So that's what I would start with. How about you? [00:11:18] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I mean, similarly, I'm. I'm coming off of, you know, just like I said, studying through material from the high Trust leader course, which you've been through too. And that's why I knew I could probably just throw it out there and you could pull from stuff that you've learned even from that. But I just, I love that. I think that's why I forgot I put that in our shared notes that there is a difference. Like if I, if I know this or, or if I forget this, the way that I operate in my life is gonna, gonna show and reveal the very thing that I'm remembering or forgetting. And what's really encouraging about it is that who we are is who we are. Like it, it doesn't change based on our behavior. It's just this, this is true of us. So if I'm. If I'm not living out of that reality, it's not because the reality isn't mine. It's because I've just simply forgotten what I have. And so I'm just. I don't know, I'm just looking at this. It's coming out of second Peter in his chapter one. I love how the end result really is love. And it's like, even if we just hold on to that for a moment, when it comes to remembering and forgetting, oftentimes it's God's love for us that we're either remembering or forgetting. You know, I had this weekend away with the family and, and with little kids, it's. It's a little, you know, there's a lot of just extra busyness with that. So I was still corresponding with a couple of guys, but one guy just, just texted me and said, I'm just really struggling. And so it was just an opportunity. Just like, remember, just remember that you're loved. And, you know, and I appreciate the fact that he can even reach out and say, hey, this is what's real for me right now. And it's like, that's, that's valuable and that, that's one of the points I think that I'm going to make next, actually. But, but it is like the reminder of him being able to encourage me, like, oh, no, you're loved, even though you're going through a hard time, or for me to remind him, hey, no, you're loved even though you're, you know, you're struggling with that. But this is the reality. When I know that I'm righteous, that I'm a godly person, that God. That I'm. That I'm with God and God is with me, then I'm not afraid just like this guy to be able to get a hold of me and actually share his life with me. I'm not afraid to trust other people with my situation. But on the flip side of it, if I'm forgetting or if I simply don't know, because I think there's a lot of believers that just don't know the realities of what they have in Christ. [00:13:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:13:41] Speaker B: And so if I'm. If that's where I'm at, then I'm going to be on guard to keep people from really knowing what's going on in my life, knowing my struggles. I'm not going to be vulnerable and real with them. I'm not going to text them and say, hey, pray for me, because I'm struggling with this, because I think they're going to. You know, it's all based on performance by that point. It's like. Because I didn't. Because I don't know who I am. Right. So it really brings a whole different dynamic to the way that we operate, the way that we think, the way that we live, the way we treat other people. And I think this is. This is crucial for believers to really understand. And like I said, I think many unfortunately don't know. So that's where my mind runs. [00:14:18] Speaker A: Wow. [00:14:20] Speaker B: With much of it. Do we want to dig into Second Peter here a little bit or what? [00:14:24] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. [00:14:25] Speaker B: I'm just. I'm looking at it here. It says this in Second Peter, chapter one, verses three. It's all the way through nine. We'll just kind of pick apart maybe some of it. But it says, his divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, to the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. I'm just like. There's so much just in that first verse. [00:14:49] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:14:49] Speaker B: That it's hard to even process. So. So we have everything pertaining to life and godliness. It's like man, everything. So that. That's what I'm oftentimes forgetting on my worst days. Right. So something happens, and I get caught up into thinking that something that's happening is a result of. Because I am a failure or because I am a sin or because it's like I'm forgetting. No, those things aren't true of me. I'm forgetting the newness of life that I have in Christ and that I have everything that I need. [00:15:20] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:15:22] Speaker B: Wow. But his divine power. Wow. I think that his love is a power. I mean, God is love. God is all powerful, you know, his divine power is his love, and He's. He loves us. It's like, man, I don't know if there's anything out of that verse that just pops out to you, but. [00:15:40] Speaker A: No, you. You hit it. I mean, this is like, Jesus is enough. Like, this is. You've got everything that you need right now for life and godliness. That. That you lack nothing. He's given us all things that pertain to this. This life and. [00:15:56] Speaker B: Right. [00:15:57] Speaker A: You know, and you. You could sort of simplify it maybe if. Well, if Christ is in me. Of course. Right. Of course. Everything I need. [00:16:06] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. How much closer can you get than being united? [00:16:11] Speaker A: That's pretty close. [00:16:12] Speaker B: Being in us. Yeah, yeah. [00:16:15] Speaker A: Not separation, union. Yeah, yeah. [00:16:18] Speaker B: Yeah, I love that. And I just, I noted this, I highlighted it here on my thing and the verse I just read and then the final verse, I think it's either verse 8 or 9. It says the true knowledge of him and then again it says in verse 9 the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I don't generally like the word knowledge, so I would like to understand and know the original language there. That's just something to kind of ponder and to know because there is the way that we understand knowing and knowledge throughout scripture, depending on the Greek word that they're using, really changes with the meaning. And I think that there's, there is a true like relational, personal knowing. And I'm quite certain that's what's being used here. I don't know how you would see it. Carl, maybe you know a little bit more about the Greek than I do. [00:17:07] Speaker A: Yeah, no, just. I thought you were going to the last verse. So I was wrong. This is verse eight. [00:17:13] Speaker B: Okay. [00:17:14] Speaker A: Because nine's so helpful. Nine is so helpful as well. But you wanted to make the point of, you know, these qualities are yours. [00:17:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:22] Speaker A: Because of who you are in Christ. Right? [00:17:25] Speaker B: Is that what you're trying to say? Yeah, yeah. Well, and, and just going off of that, just knowing it versus forgetting it. [00:17:33] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:34] Speaker B: Or not knowing it at all. So I mean, let's just look at the qualities. The verse continues on, you know, talking about these things that you have. Where does it start here? Is it diligence to faith, to supplying moral excellence and then having knowledge and then having self control, then having perseverance and then godliness and then brotherly kindness and that it produces in you love. So all of these things like to truly know, to truly have a relational, personal, intimate knowing of these things. Not just the knowledge about, it's not, it's not about knowing about God, it's about knowing. No, these things are actually true of me. And it's a, it's a personal and it's a like right now reality for me that changes everything to really know him. And so I don't know. What were you saying about verse nine? What is verse nine? [00:18:26] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it says whoever lacks these is so near sighted, he's blind, having forgotten. [00:18:32] Speaker B: Wow. [00:18:32] Speaker A: He was cleansed from his former sins. [00:18:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:18:35] Speaker A: And so there's a, there's that, that spiritual amnesia. Right, yeah, I forgot. Yeah, forgot. [00:18:43] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't know if there's a percentage or. I mean there's not a perfect percentage, but just, just in your dealing with, with people in general. Ministry leaders, lay people, whatever. I mean, what's the percentage of people that you think are like. I'm not even sure what I'm asking, I guess, but just that forget. Like, isn't that how who we work with all the time is this typically who we're working with is people that are believers and they have forgotten. And I don't know if there's a number. There's not really a number. Maybe it's 100%. Because everybody seems to forget right along the way. [00:19:15] Speaker A: Sure. [00:19:16] Speaker B: You and I included. So it's just really fascinating to think about, to ponder. Yeah, that's so good. He who lacks these qualities is blind or short sighted. [00:19:28] Speaker A: Yep. [00:19:28] Speaker B: Having forgotten. [00:19:29] Speaker A: Going back to that prayer. Open minds. [00:19:32] Speaker B: Yeah, right, right. Yeah. And that's, that's. And it's tough because it is by revelation and it's only by revelation from God. And, and we don't say that as like we've gotten it. And you don't. [00:19:44] Speaker A: No. [00:19:45] Speaker B: Right. That's not at all what it's about. But it's easy to make it sound that way. So it's very important to even dissect that and understand that if you are in Christ, if you are a believer, you know that Jesus, who Jesus is, and you trust and believe in him, then as a Christian, as a believer, as a saint, these are yours. This is who you are. And it doesn't mean that we, we know it right away, that we get it. I mean, I, I would say it took me a lot of years to actually have my eyes open to it, but are you, are you better off having your eyes opened? Is life different with your eyes open? It's like, wow, yeah, so much better. But I'm not, I'm not any better than the next person. It's just that I. My life is better having remembered and living out of that, that remembering and that knowing. So it's just, it's just very beautiful, very beautiful stuff. So. Yeah. Yeah. Anything, Any other thoughts, Carl? [00:20:41] Speaker A: Well, how do we remember? You know, there's several, several, I would say helpful ways. [00:20:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:49] Speaker A: You know, of course, the, the trail markers of our life, you know, the, the stones of remembrance that the Israelites set up. That I remember. Oh yeah. God, you were so faithful. You're so faithful in the past. You know, writing, writing these sounds in journal or you know, like, you know, milestones in your life of, of ways that God showed you who he is. [00:21:10] Speaker B: Right. [00:21:11] Speaker A: I think another way is, you know, through a trusted friend, through a brother or a female sister that we can share these truths about who God is and about who we are in Christ. So that when I'm in crisis mode or I'm in a situation or even in a failure, that, yeah, oh yeah, here's who God is. Oh, yeah, here is what Jesus has done for you on the cross. [00:21:33] Speaker B: Right. [00:21:33] Speaker A: That your sins are cleansed. You know, as, as a believer, as a son and daughter. [00:21:39] Speaker B: Right. [00:21:39] Speaker A: And so I think that's. That's two. Again, helpful. Number three is, Is Jesus Christ the living word? I think the written word, reading it without the veil of shame, you know, without the veil of shame. So it's not like, oh, well, if you, if you have these and you're good, it's like, no, no, since you have these, yes, you are good since you have these already in Christ in you, you have everything you need for life and godliness. So since you have them, you won't be ineffective and you won't be unfruitful. [00:22:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:22:09] Speaker A: His Galatians do. His life has lived through you. So go ahead. [00:22:13] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I love that. Thank you for, for saying that. That's how I was going to kind of conclude it anyways, because it said, this version that I'm reading says, for if these qualities are yours, if these qualities are increasing. And I love like the true understanding of even that word. If is just really kind of another poor translation. It really is, since. Yeah, these realities are yours since they are increasing. Because if you're in Christ, all you're going to do is continue to grow in Christ and to know more and more and understand more and more. And you're. And that love is going to grow, that relationship is going to. [00:22:47] Speaker A: To grow. [00:22:48] Speaker B: It's just a reality. And so we get to live from this present reality that we have in Christ. And it's just so beautiful. So since you have all this, this righteousness and this godliness, you don't need to strive to become righteous or holy or godly. You can rest in and believe and trust in. This is just as true of me because this is who Christ has made me. [00:23:10] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:23:10] Speaker B: And then taking that trusted brother or sister in our life and being able to say, listen, I'm struggling with this. And just, just that openness to be able to talk about it, just, just the walls come crumbling down where you actually accepted and loved and, and it's so beautiful. It's just. It changes everything. So, yeah, I think that is pretty much all the time we got today. It's always a joy talking life with you, Carl. Good stuff.