{"id":307449,"date":"2022-03-29T08:02:09","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T12:02:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts\/"},"modified":"2022-03-29T08:02:09","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T12:02:09","slug":"what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are You Doing With God&#8217;s Gifts?"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do we do with God&#8217;s gifts to us? Author Joe Rigney reminds listeners that these gifts are meant to be used as an act of worship and thankfulness to Him.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/mp3.familylife.com\/fl2022-03-29.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:25:37","filesize":"23.46M","filesize_raw":"24599719","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2822],"tags":[7062],"podcast_series":[],"cwp_profile":[9689],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-307449","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growing-in-your-faith","tag-gods-gifts","cwp_profile-joe-rigney","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/307449\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/307449\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"rJUn6pO7Wc\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts\/\">What Are You Doing With God&#8217;s Gifts?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/what-are-you-doing-with-gods-gifts\/embed\/#?secret=rJUn6pO7Wc\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;What Are You Doing With God&#8217;s Gifts?&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"rJUn6pO7Wc\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"What do we do with God's gifts to us? Author Joe Rigney reminds listeners that these gifts are meant to be used as an act of worship and thankfulness to Him.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/fl2022-03-29.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Ann, I want you be honest with me\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I always am. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014I\u2019ve been told I talk about this topic too much.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014football.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yep. [Laughter] You already know! So that confirms\u2014I must talk about it too much\u2014do I?!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Eh\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWelcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>, where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most. I\u2019m Ann Wilson.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And I\u2019m Dave Wilson, and you can find us at FamilyLifeToday.com or on our FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> app.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI know that you love football. I have just heard all of the stories, so I don\u2019t know; you\u2019ll have to ask somebody else.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Well, you know, it\u2019s one of those things that, if you love something\u2014it could be football; it could be the Beatles; it could be music\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014Jesus.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014it could be food\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014you talk about it!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes; in some ways, you think, \u201cShould I <em>not<\/em> enjoy those things and talk about them?\u201d We started a conversation yesterday with Joe Rigney, who\u2019s back in the studio with us about this very topic. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo Joe, welcome back to <em>FamilyLife Today.<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Always good to be here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Now, Joe, many of our listeners know you\u2019re a pastor.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I didn\u2019t even mention that before. What\u2019s the name of your church?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Cities Church; it\u2019s in St. Paul.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> St. Paul; so you\u2019re up there where it\u2019s nice and cold.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And you\u2019re the president\u2014the new president, actually\u2014it\u2019s recent\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014of Bethlehem College and Seminary.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Correct. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> You don\u2019t like talking about that at all; do you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> I <em>love <\/em>talking about that! [Laughter] What do you mean?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Do you need people to come?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Do any high school students listen to this radio program?\u2014[Laughter]\u2014do their parents?\u2014because if they <em>do<\/em>, we\u2019ve got a school for them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Alright. So are you\u2014here we go\u2014a Minnesota Vikings fan?\u2014a Minnesota Twins fan? What are you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes; so I\u2019ve got layered loyalties. We are Vikings fans; we\u2019ve assimilated. I\u2019m from Texas, so I grew up a Cowboys fan. We\u2019ve assimilated, and we are now Vikings fans. Baseball-wise, we actually are bigger Astros fans.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Ooh.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> My wife\u2019s from Houston.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> And you have boys.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> I do have boys. We love baseball; so we\u2019re Astros fans\u2014would be the first\u2014Twins would be second.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Okay, and you\u2019ve got sort of a baseball ancestry in your family.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly right. My granddad, Bill Rigney, played in the Majors for the New York Giants; then managed the New York Giants; then, when they moved to San Francisco, he was the manager there. He managed the LA Angels\/first manager for that team; managed the Twins.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Wow!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> There\u2019s actually this really cool deal: for one year, he was the manager of the Minneapolis Millers; which was, before they were the Twins, they were the Millers. It was a Triple A club. So my dad lived in Minnesota. Now, my boys play travel baseball for the Minneapolis Millers.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Wow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Really?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> So that\u2019s kind of a fun little thing for our team.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Do you talk about baseball too much?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> I talk about baseball all the time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> You do?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> How do you know when something\u2019s an idol?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> This is a really good question; yes, so\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Well, you\u2019d better know; because you wrote a book about it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> I did; I did.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Oh, yes. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Let me tell our listeners\u2014I <em>love<\/em> your title\u2014<em>Strangely Bright: Can You Love God and Enjoy This World? <\/em>It\u2019s sort of from the song\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014the hymn.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014you know, how much we love Jesus; and if we love Him so much, the things of this world \u201cwill grow strangely dim.\u201d You\u2019re saying, \u201cNo, they can become strangely bright,\u201d including baseball! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo do you love baseball too much?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> It\u2019s possible to love baseball too much; that is possible. And I think\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> But not for you?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> No, totally for me! This is\u2014you have to check yourself\u2014it\u2019s a <em>real<\/em> danger, because God designed the world to reveal Himself: what He is like, His invisible attributes, His character, His love, His mercy, His power. Everything that\u2019s made is designed to reveal Him; and therefore, is an invitation to know Him. So everything is a display of God and an invitation to know Him; that\u2019s what it\u2019s for. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut that means they\u2019re potent; they\u2019re powerful. And therefore, that means they can become competitors. So this is where, when we think about, in that Romans 1 passage\u2014you know: the invisible attributes are made known through the things of this world\u2014and then human beings\u2014the two fundamental sins\u2014they neither honored God as God, nor gave thanks. So there are two fundamental sins: idolatry and ingratitude.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOne of the ways that was a helpful clarifier for me is that God intends me to enjoy everything in God and God in everything. But it\u2019s also possible for us to separate them. And when you do that\u2014the Bible does this for us; it asks us questions\u2014you put God on one side of the scales, and you put the good thing on the other side of the scales\u2014whatever the good thing is\u2014and you say, \u201cWhich is more precious to you?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe only faithful answer to that question is: \u201cGod is.\u201d He's the fountain of all goodness; He\u2019s the joy of every joy. If you separate and have to choose, it\u2019s Him or nothing! This is what Paul does when he says, \u201cI count everything as rubbish\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u2014\u201ccompared to knowing Jesus.\u201d That\u2019s comparative; do you hear that?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> So compared\u2014the steadfast love of the Lord is <em>better <\/em>than life\u2014so: \u201cIf you have life on the one hand, and you have the love of God on the other, which one do you want?\u201d \u201cDo you love Him most of all and love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? No other gods before Him?\u201d\u2014that\u2019s that question. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIdolatry is when you answer that question the wrong way: when you separate the gifts from the Giver, and you <em>prefer<\/em> the gifts over the Giver. Paul says the greatest evil, in reality, is when we say, \u201cI would rather have these gifts\u2014these things of earth\u2014more than God.\u201d It\u2019s insanity! The Bible talks about this as insanity: \u201cMy people have committed two great evils. They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living water; and they have dug out for themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd this is a great thing\u2014this is a sports one\u2014I do this all the time when doing a youth camp or something like that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Why are you looking at me when you say \u201csports,\u201d Joe? [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Because I\u2019ve heard that <em>maybe<\/em> you like sports! That\u2019s what she told me.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I did.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Okay.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> You know, you\u2019re out there on the football field; you\u2019re talking to the kids, and you are saying: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cYou know, when you\u2019re running around out here, and you\u2019re getting tired? It\u2019s hot, and you come off the field; you come over, and there\u2019s the big Gatorade<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. What if you went over there with your cup, and you walked up, and you looked right at that Gatorade; and instead of filling your cup with that, you started digging in the dirt and shoveling that in your mouth?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen you tell that to <em>any <\/em>kid, they go, \u201cWhat!? That would be crazy! That would be insane!\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd it\u2019s like: \u201cThe Bible says that\u2019s <em>evil<\/em>; that\u2019s the greatest evil. And that\u2019s what sin is: it\u2019s when we forsake the Fountain of living water for broken cisterns\/for dirt. That\u2019s idolatry: is when we separate the gifts from the Giver and prefer the gifts <em>over<\/em> the Giver.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And you know, it\u2019s interesting, as you were using the Jeremiah passage\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014Jeremiah 2\u2014when Jeremiah is saying that, who is he saying that to?\u2014people who have tasted the Gatorade.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> That\u2019s right!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> God\u2019s people.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> People who have experienced God as the Living Water.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> God\u2019s people; absolutely!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> They <em>know<\/em> better! That\u2019s why He says, \u201cThis is <em>unthinkable<\/em> that you do this.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Now, a pagan; I get it!\u2014they\u2019ve <em>never<\/em> tasted\u2014but if you\u2019ve tasted it\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014and then we find ourselves\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, here\u2019s the question, though: \u201cHow do we know when it\u2019s an idol?\u201d Because usually, when we\u2019re worshiping an idol, we\u2019re the <em>last<\/em> to know.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes; I mean, there\u2019s a whole bunch of tests; I call them comparative tests. The Bible sets these up for us, I think. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<ul><li>\n\t\t\t\t\tOne of them is singing songs like: [<em>Better Than Life<\/em>]\u201cThe steadfast love of the Lord is better than life\u201d; <em>Jesus Is Better<\/em>\/<em>Jesus Is Better<\/em>. You should sing songs like that in order to orient yourself. \n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul><ul><li>\n\t\t\t\t\tOne of the ones\u2014and maybe we can talk about this at some point\u2014is suffering. Suffering is when the gifts get taken away: \u201cDo you curse God? Do you shake your fist at Him?\u201d or \u201cDo you say, like Job, \u2018The Lord gives; the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.\u2019\u201d That\u2019s faithfulness! It wasn\u2019t an idol\u2014it was painful; that\u2019s important\u2014but it wasn\u2019t something\/Job didn\u2019t curse God over his loss. \n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul><ul><li>\n\t\t\t\t\tGenerosity\u2014we can talk more about that\u2014generosity has a way of overflowing. I have received all of these good things from God; and now, I\u2019m going to spread them and share them with as many people as I possibly can. \n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul><p>\n\t\t\t\tThose are ways that you can sort of determine: \u201cIs it something that I <em>must <\/em>have in order to be happy?\u201d Because then, the truth is, the one thing that you must have in order to be happy is Jesus. He is \u201cthe treasure, hidden in the field, which a man found and, in his <em>joy, <\/em>went and sold everything he had\u201d\u2014including football, baseball, and pumpkin crunch cake\u2014\u201cin order to buy that field.\u201d Jesus is the treasure! But this is the sort of treasure that brings all the gifts back and says: \u201cNow, you can enjoy them rightly,\u201d \u201cNow, you can be oriented to them rightly, as gifts, not as Giver,\u201d\u2014gifts, not gods. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPart of the way I test my enjoyment\u2014you know, \u201cIs this getting too much?\u201d\u2014I try not to think about \u201ctoo much\u201d in some sort of absolute sense; it\u2019s always relative: \u201cDoes my joy in the gift increase my love for God?\u201d This is where, again, that Romans 1 passage is helpful: idolatry and ingratitude? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe flipside of idolatry and ingratitude is worship and thanksgiving. In my experience, thanksgiving is an on-ramp to worship. So here\u2019s the gift\u2014\u201cGod\u2019s been kind to me,\u201d\u2014\u201cEvery perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.\u201d He gives you the gift. What should you do when someone gives you a gift? You should say, \u201cThank you.\u201d From the low-down, bottom of your heart, you should say, \u201cThank you,\u201d\u2014you receive it; you enjoy it\u2014\u201cThank you.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd then, that thanksgiving then becomes an on-ramp to adoration and worship. You can see why: you\u2019re chasing\u2014\u201cEvery good and perfect gift comes <em>down <\/em>from the Father of lights\u201d\u2014it\u2019s like a sunbeam. You\u2019re supposed to follow the sunbeam where?\u2014back to the sun; right? This is just an echo; this is just a little mini-revelation of what God is like: \u201cWhat must <em>He<\/em> be like if this thing is this good?! What must <em>He<\/em> be like?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo turning all of your enjoyment of things of earth into, first, gratitude on the way to worship of God Himself, for who He is\u2014not for His gifts, ultimately\u2014but for who He is. That\u2019s one of the ways that you just cut the root of idolatry\u2014because you\u2019re not separating them and preferring the gifts over the Giver\u2014you\u2019re using the gifts, chasing them back to the Giver.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> My thought is\u2014this might sound crazy to you guys\u2014but I\u2019ve talked to so many wives who, when it comes to going to church, you\u2019ve got these wives who are taking their kids and their family. So often, I\u2019ve had women come up to me and say, \u201cMy husband\/he says that he connects with God more on the golf course,\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014more hunting, more golfing, more watching sports; because he says church is boring.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> As you\u2019re talking about all of these things, what would you say to that wife or, even, the guy?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> You want to say two things: one is, \u201cIt may be that you are able to meet with God wherever, because God is everywhere\u201d\u2014right?\u2014\u201cthat\u2019s true.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cSo when you\u2019re out in the deer stand, or you\u2019re at the fishing hole, and you feel like there\u2019s just something right in the world, and you have a sense of: \u2018God, thank You for this wonderful thing. I\u2019m here with my son, and we\u2019re hunting!\u2019\u2014or whatever\u2014that\u2019s a good thing. You should say, \u2018Thank You,\u2019 for it.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>But<\/em> if all it is\u2014is that\u2014and it <em>never<\/em> leads you to the Word of God, which is sweeter than honey; and it never leads you to the worship of God\/the praise of God\u2014if church is dull, but the fishing hole is alive\u2014there\u2019s a disconnect in your soul; something is not right. What you need is to bring them together; because otherwise, they become competitors. The competition is the thing that the Bible teaches is so deadly\u2014it\u2019s the essence of sin\u2014is when God\u2019s gifts <em>compete<\/em> with Him for our affections. But if they become rightly ordered\u2014by subordinated to Him\u2014then it\u2019s good, and it\u2019s right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI would say, if I\u2019m dealing with a guy, who says, \u201cI meet God on the golf course,\u201d or \u201cI meet God\u2026\u201d\u2014wherever\u2014I would say, \u201cIs it really the Living God that you\u2019re meeting with? Because the Living God did give you that as a gift, but not as a replacement\/not as a substitute. And coming here, gathering with the people of God\u201d\u2014one of the regular things we do on Saturdays, and on the way to church on Sunday\u2014is: \u201cBoys, where are we going? What are we going to do?\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re going to worship God; we\u2019re going to worship God with His people.\u201d [Psalm 122:1]: \u201cAnd I was glad when they said, \u2018Let\u2019s go to the house of God.\u2019\u201d We want to meet God with His people! That\u2019s something that I look forward to every week, and I want my kids and my wife to <em>follow<\/em> me in that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf we\u2019re honest, like you said, every week that\u2019s not the case\u2014we feel dry\u2014<em>but<\/em> He\u2019s the Fountain of living water, so come empty! Come to drink. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Joe, when you were talking earlier, like one of the signs that it is not an idol is that we receive it with thankfulness and, then, we\u2019re generous. I would love to hear your thoughts on that. I know you pastor\u2014I pastored for 30 years\u2014you know, we know, as we lead a church, that <em>most<\/em> of the people in our congregation are giving a little bit, but not very sacrificially. I\u2019m not saying I went and looked at numbers, but we just know. That\u2019s generally true across America.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Do we love money too much? I mean, you know, FamilyLife is a ministry that\u2019s supported by people, saying, \u201cI want to sacrificially give to this ministry,\u201d and thank God so many do!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> But I think it\u2019s a struggle for us. It\u2019s a struggle for me; I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s just people sitting in my church. We all struggle with this; it could be close to an idol.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> One of the reasons I love the Bible is how it speaks directly to us in these kinds of ways. In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul says, \u201cAs for the rich in this present age\u201d\u2014I\u2019ll just pause there; you go, \u201cThat\u2019s us,\u201d\u2014that is Americans\/Westerners. We live in the wealthiest society in the history of the world; we are the wealthiest people who have ever lived.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes; and we read that\u2014don\u2019t we?\u2014and think, \u201cOh, that\u2019s for the rich people.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> That\u2019s right!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m not one of those.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m not one of the rich people.\u201d [Laughter] We think that\u2019s not us; it\u2019s like, \u201cYou have an iPhone,\u201d\u2014right? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cYou have a car.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cYou have a car,\u201d \u201cYou have indoor plumbing,\u201d \u201cYou have air conditioning.\u201d Solomon, the richest man ever or whatever, you know, would be amazed at the things that you have access to\u2014the things that you can just snap your fingers and get <em>now<\/em>\u2014so that\u2019s us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat does Paul say to them? He says, \u201cWell, charge them not to be haughty,\u201d\u2014don\u2019t be proud, because it\u2019s easy to trust in wealth. You say, \u201cI can do all things through wealth, which gives me strength,\u201d\u2014you can [wrongly] say that\u2014\u201cDon\u2019t be haughty nor set your hope on the uncertainty of riches\u201d; there\u2019s a hope-setting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think one of the things, when I think about the way that riches, for me, is a temptation and a snare: it\u2019s a security; it\u2019s a hedge against <em>risk<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> You would say that, Dave.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Oh, yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> It\u2019s not luxury as much as it is a hedge against risk.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cI feel safe\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014\u201csafe.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u2014\u201cif I have\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014\u201ca number in your bank account.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cA number in my bank account makes me feel safe.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Paul says that\u2019s setting your hope on something that\u2019s uncertain: moths can break in; thieves can steal; the stock market can tank\u2014that happens to your wealth\u2014don\u2019t set your hope there, <em>but<\/em> set your hope on God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s the third: don\u2019t be proud; don\u2019t set your hope on riches; set your hope on God, because He\u2019s not uncertain, and He will humble you; but then, what\u2019s interesting is how he describes God. Who is this God who we\u2019re supposed to set our hope on?\u2014\u201cHe richly provides us with everything to enjoy.\u201d Now, that\u2019s a really strange thing to say to rich people, I think: \u201cAs for the rich, set your hope on God, who <em>richly <\/em>provides you with everything to enjoy.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis is the theme of the book: \u201cEnjoy the things that God gives.\u201d But he doesn\u2019t stop there. I think, if He did stop there, I think we are into worldliness; we are into idolatry territory. But He says there are four purposes why God gives you those things: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<ul><li>\n\t\t\t\t\tHe richly provides you with everything, first, to enjoy;\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul><ul><li>\n\t\t\t\t\tbut then to do good\u2014to be rich in good works, to be eager and generous, ready to share\u2014so that you store up treasures as a good foundation for the future, so that you can take hold of that which is truly life. \n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t<\/ul><p>\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s these other three purposes: this generosity: \u201cBe as rich in good works as you are in wealth, rich person.\u201d \u201cWhere is your true wealth?\u201d\u2014it\u2019s in your generosity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo God\u2014my hope is set on Him\u2014He provides me with family, and friends, and food, and money for my enjoyment\u2014but not just for that\u2014if it stops there, it\u2019s gone wrong! Instead, it\u2019s meant to be a tidal wave of generosity, so that you fund FamilyLiferadio, and you fund Bethlehem College and Seminary. [Laughter] You know, in other words, you fund missions to the unreached peoples of the world. You give sacrificially in order to show that your treasure is not in your wealth but is <em>in God<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> It is interesting that, when you think about even the money thing\u2014and I don\u2019t want to camp here too long\u2014but it is a big idol for, probably, all of us. When you think about that, when people hear a pastor or a ministry like ours say, \u201cHey, we encourage you to give to our ministry,\u201d often we hear, \u201cOh, look; here they go!\u201d\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014 the ten percent tithe\/whatever\u2014\u201cThey want our money!\u201d And the truth is, when we give, we <em>break<\/em> an idol.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> It\u2019s like, when I\u2019m generous\/it\u2019s like it\u2019s a move that says, \u201cYou know, I have a tendency to put my hope in this.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u201cWhen I give some of this away, it breaks that.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And again, I have to keep doing that, because it tends to come back. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI remember a pastor preaching on that passage. I\u2019ll never forget\u2014he used a theme much like what you just said, Joe\u2014he said, \u201cHere\u2019s your motto; go home and say this over and over: \u2018I will not put my hope in <em>riches.<\/em>\u2019\u201d And he said \u201criches\u201d like that [emphasized] to remind us [that\u2019s] nowhere to put your hope. It\u2019s almost laughable: \u201cI will not put my hope in <em>riches, <\/em>but in Him who richly provides.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes, yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I\u2019ve never forgotten that motto, because I have a tendency to do this! I\u2019m going to put my hope in Him, who richly provides. One of the ways I\u2019ll do that is everything you just said: \u201cI\u2019ll be thankful,\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll be generous,\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll model this\u201d; if I\u2019m going to live this out in front of my kids, if I\u2019m going to live this out with my spouse, it could easily [help prevent this from becoming] an idol. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I know you spend Saturdays on a baseball field with your boys.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> That\u2019s awesome!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Everything in me, even as a pastor, wants to say, \u201cGo do it!\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> But I know some are going to say, \u201cNo, no, no! That\u2019s a waste of time,\u201d rather than, \u201cNo, no, no! That\u2019s enjoying what God has given me\/the things of this world.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> It\u2019s a beautiful thing; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes; there are layers there. One is: we don\u2019t just <em>spend <\/em>money\u2014we talk this way, too\u2014\u201cWe spend <em>time.<\/em>\u201d So when we think about generosity, it\u2019s easy to think about money first; and we should,\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u2014because it\u2019s a very concrete way. Mammon is a temptation and a snare. You know the parable Jesus tells about the soils.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> That third soil, they choke the life out\u2014the cares of this world and the desire for riches\u2014that\u2019s the thing that chokes the life of the Word. That <em>really <\/em>happens to people, so we want to give until it hurts. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI love C.S. Lewis\u2014he\u2019s one of my heroes\u2014says, \u201cHow much should you give? It needs to pinch; it needs to hurt.\u201d Like, in other words, there needs to be things that you say, \u201cI can\u2019t do that, because I am sacrificially giving to others. There are things I can\u2019t do for myself.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think, when you think about your kids\u2014I think this is a principle\u2014on the one hand, I want to be generous to my kids. Jesus says, \u201cIf you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,\u201d\u2014even <em>evil <\/em>people know how to give good gifts to their children; that\u2019s the baseline\u2014so I want to give good gifts to my children in order to be this model of God to my children\u2014\u201cThat\u2019s how God is; He\u2019s generous with me, as a Father to His son. I want to be generous as a father to my son.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut then, I also want to invite my kids into: \u201cHey, we\u2019re not going to do this thing; because we\u2019re going to be generous to others. We\u2019re not going to get to go to that, because we\u2019re going to get to go do this.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd then, I want to spend <em>more<\/em> than just money; I want to give myself: my time, my talents, my treasure. My wife is <em>unbelievably generous <\/em>with everything she has. And it\u2019s not that she\u2019s just writing a check all the time. The main thing is she is unbelievably skilled and competent. She comes up with amazing recipes. The number of times that she\u2019s been like, \u201cHey, I\u2019m going to make you a pumpkin crunch cake,\u201d and then she makes two and gives one to somebody else: \u201cHey, I\u2019m going to make it for you.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tShe just makes all of these things, and she pours herself into it, and then she just wants to give it away: \u201cI want to bless other people with these things that I have.\u201d That\u2019s not going to show up on a balance sheet; that\u2019s not what that was. It\u2019s just she loves to see other people happy; and \u201cIf this will help make them happy, I want them to be happy,\u201d\u2014ultimately so that they can be happy in God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s an amazing and beautiful thing to think beyond\u2014don\u2019t just think \u201cmoney,\u201d narrowly\u2014I remember, when I was a college student, and I was like, \u201cI don\u2019t have any money.\u201d [Laughter] I say, \u201cDo you have time? Do you have talents? Can you give those? Can you sacrifice those? Can you use those to be a blessing to others?\u201d You <em>do <\/em>have something; and whatever you have, God has given it to you, <em>both<\/em> for your enjoyment and for His mission.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> You know, I was thinking\u2014I\u2019m sure you have stories as well\u2014of moments of seeing the face of God\/experiencing the pleasure of God moments in my life that had nothing to do with sitting or standing in a sanctuary, opening the Word of God\u2014you think that\u2019s the only place\u2014but being on a football field; or being on a baseball diamond with my kids; or being at a concert, where you\u2019re so moved\u2014not just intellectually, but even emotionally\u2014at the very presence and beauty of Christ;\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014a sunset\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014a boat on the water.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Oh, being in South Africa at a safari; there are so many different things. It reminds me of the C.S. Lewis quote: \u201cWe may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cThe world is crowded with Him; He walks everywhere incognito.\u201d What a great quote.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> Yes; wherever you go, He\u2019s there. This is the point of Psalm 139: \u201cThis knowledge is too lofty for me.\u201d What\u2019s the knowledge that\u2019s He\u2019s too much for him? It\u2019s like: \u201cHe\u2019s in front of me; He\u2019s behind me; He\u2019s surrounding me; He hems me in, behind and before. If I go up to heaven, He\u2019s there. If I go down to the depths, He\u2019s there,\u201d\u2014[Paraphrasing] \u201cIf I get into a boat, and I go as far as I can across the sea; if I get on a spaceship and go across the galaxy\u2014wherever you go\u2014God is there; and He\u2019s holding you,\u201d\u2014\u201cEven there, Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold me fast.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo wherever you go, God is present; and God is active; and He\u2019s revealing Himself. He\u2019s pursuing you, and He wants <em>you<\/em>. He doesn\u2019t just want your stuff! Your stuff is an expression of you: \u201cI\u2019ve given you this. Do you know why?\u201d And it\u2019s because \u201cI want to make you happy in Me, and I want you to then help others be happy in God. That\u2019s why you have all of the things that you have.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, with the sports thing, I think there are things that my boys, I don\u2019t think, could have learned except on that field; because, what\u2019s happening is\u2014in both victory and defeat\u2014you know, the passions are awakened\u2014the desire\/the competition: the \u201cI want to win!\u201d\u2014and then, the disappointment sinks in. It\u2019s like I <em>want<\/em> that roller coaster. I want them to experience the loss, and then be able to be there with them, and say, \u201cThis is practice; this is training for life. There will be hard things, where you will be <em>crushed <\/em>by reality, and I want you to feel God is here for you in this.\u201d Or elation because you won the thing!\u2014and then I want you to say, in the highest point of your joy\u2014\u201cGod is better than this.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy son\u2019s little league travel team won their state championship last summer. My son hit a grand slam in the championship game, on a 3-2 count. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> <em>Come on!<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Wow!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> I told him, \u201cIt\u2019s only downhill from here, bud.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Joe:<\/strong> \u201cYour baseball career can\u2019t get any better. [Laughter] You\u2019ve just hit the high point.\u201d But it was like there was this swell of emotion afterward; and I\u2019m thinking, \u201cAnd that\u2019s just a taste of what God is like! He\u2019s <em>better<\/em>; He\u2019s <em>better<\/em>,\u201d and \u201cI want that to be my flavor, but I want to give that to other people: \u2018He\u2019s better!\u2019\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Well, and I think, too, as I\u2019m listening to this, I\u2019m thinking, as we\u2019ve talked about even Psalm 139, God is <em>shouting <\/em>in His Word, in His creation, in things that we love: \u201cI love you! You matter; you matter to Me!\u201d The question is: \u201cWill we see it?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Shelby:<\/strong> That was Dave and Ann Wilson, talking with Joe Rigney on <em>FamilyLife Today. <\/em>If you\u2019d like a copy of Joe\u2019s book, <em>Strangely Bright, <\/em>you can grab it at FamilyLifeToday.com; or you can give us a call at 1-800-358-6329; that\u2019s 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat if I told you that the foundation of your marriage isn\u2019t all on you to figure out? Sounds good; right? FamilyLife\u2019s <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup> is three days for you and your spouse to get away together, hear from fabulous speakers, and connect over God\u2019s Word. Whether you want to take a road trip, or stay close to home, there\u2019s a <em>Weekend to Remember<\/em> getaway for you. When you sign up this week, you\u2019ll get over 40 percent off the regular registration price. You can find out more at FamilyLifeToday.com; or again, you can give us a call at 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd if you know of anyone who could benefit from today\u2019s conversation, you can share this podcast wherever you get your podcasts. And while you\u2019re there, it would really help us out if you would rate and review us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou know, treasuring God sounds like such a nice phrase, but how do you treasure God when life isn\u2019t going great? Joe Rigney will join Dave and Ann Wilson, again, tomorrow to talk about just that. We\u2019ll see you then.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn behalf of Dave and Ann Wilson, I\u2019m Shelby Abbott. We will see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife, a Cru<sup>\u00ae <\/sup>Ministry. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelping you pursue the relationships that matter most.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2022 FamilyLife. 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