The Enemy of the Best is the Good

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.879 God has good things for us. He has a good calling on our life, 2 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:06.919 but the best thing is to walk in the good calling that God has 3 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:11.759 on your life, not the things that other people want you to do. 4 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:18.519 I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours, and me Lord, 5 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:23.879 I am yours, I am yours. I'm welcome to the Gospel Center 6 00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:29.399 Pro Life Podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage and challenge you in 7 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:33.479 pro life ministry and always were the focus on the Gospel. Stay tuned. 8 00:00:35.479 --> 00:00:48.560 I felt show passish, touch your heart. Use Me. Welcome back to 9 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:52.399 the Gospel centered pro life podcast. Appreciate you guys joining us. My name 10 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:57.840 is Daniel Parks. I am the West Coast Regional Shepherd for love life, 11 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:03.479 so oversee our efforts on the West Coast and I'm joined with my cohost, 12 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:08.000 Vicki Kessi Org. Hey, there everyone, and Vicki Kessi Org is our 13 00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:12.680 director of sidewalk training. I have a new title. We've given her a 14 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:19.239 new title. Vicki's awesome. She trains a lot of people and actually we're 15 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.719 flying her around the country to various sidewalk ministries where we have a love life 16 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:30.239 presence and just helping equip those sidewalk ministries by sending Vicki and her expertise out 17 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:34.200 there to speak into that. And of course, as we've shared in the 18 00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:37.480 past, we both have an expertise, I guess you can call an expertise 19 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:41.719 in sidewalk ministry. Basically, we've been doing it for a long time and 20 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:46.519 we've made a bunch of mistakes and are trying to help you guys not make 21 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:51.959 those same mistakes. So that's right. Yeah, so in this episode, 22 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.200 I'm kind of excited about it. We were talking about just various episodes that 23 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.719 we wanted to do in various titles that we wanted to to cover. We 24 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:04.319 cover stuff that's really needy, gritty and practical, you know, and then 25 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:09.159 we cover stuff that's more like, I don't know, in the philosophical realm, 26 00:02:09.879 --> 00:02:14.599 kind of looking at what what is going to the our heart, like 27 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.479 what's going on inside of us, as opposed to practical advice on how to 28 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:24.560 Sidewalk Council, but what are some things that are really discouraging, yeah, 29 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:29.000 US, that that we need to address? Yeah, yeah, yeah, 30 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:35.520 because you can be as good a sidewalk counselor as you want, but in 31 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:38.879 have all the principles and all the boxes checked and all that stuff. But 32 00:02:38.360 --> 00:02:43.840 if the enemy uses some other things to neutralize you, right, and you 33 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:49.159 end up not going out through the sidewalk because you're distracted or because you're discourage 34 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:54.280 or whatever it may be, then all the practical stuff does you know good? 35 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:59.599 Right, yeah, and I think I love those words. But the 36 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:02.960 N me is using to neutralize you, because the enemy is very crafty. 37 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:07.599 And the interesting thing is if you're following the Lord, he's probably not going 38 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:12.439 to use bad things right neutralize you so much. He's not going to. 39 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.840 It's less likely in my experience that I'm going to be tempted to do something 40 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:23.199 that's out right bad or wrong. Right, I'm tempted by what is good. 41 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.840 Yeah, and that's how our podcast kind of developed. Yeah, and 42 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:31.199 the title is the enemy of the best is the good. Yes, now, 43 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:35.479 if you've been around me any any amount of time, you've probably heard 44 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:38.000 me say that. Yeah, and yeah, I've heard a lot of others 45 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:42.719 say that the enemy of the best is the good, and it's kind of 46 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:46.759 that principle. The scripture tells us the devil comes as an angel of light. 47 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:51.240 Right, the enemy comes a devil we're walking with Jesus, like you 48 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:53.360 said, the enemy. He's not going to come with some straight up temptation 49 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:55.759 to sin. I mean certainly we know he can and he will, but 50 00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:59.919 a lot of times that he comes in the subtleties. He comes in his 51 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:03.400 craftiness because he knows if he just kind of shows all his cards, then 52 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.360 you're not going to take the bait. But if he can come and crafts, 53 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:12.879 he can come with good things but they're not the best things, then 54 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.319 you can get distracted. I think that's the main thing that we want to 55 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:19.920 warn you guys about, is just being distracted. Yeah, getting distracted by 56 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:24.519 other things, by things that vibe for your time and your attention and your 57 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:30.439 focus. Whenever, in reality, the best things are. They're certain good 58 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.439 things. Right, if we're if we're children of God, God has good 59 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:38.720 things for us. He has a good calling on our life. But the 60 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:42.399 best thing is to walk in the good calling that God has on your life, 61 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.279 not the things that other people want you to do. Right, right, 62 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:53.680 and for me those good things it's less an issue of distraction as much 63 00:04:53.759 --> 00:04:58.600 as just losing energy. Yeah, then I don't have the energy to put 64 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:02.439 for spiritual, emotional whatever to be a fourth for what God has indeed called 65 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:05.199 me. Yeah, to do. Yeah, and so, just to be 66 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:11.120 real plain, the best things for you as a believer in Jesus is what 67 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:14.800 God has called you to. Right, that's the best thing. Now, 68 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.480 God calls people to all kinds of things. I certainly believe that there are 69 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:25.839 more people called to do sidewalk ministry than are actually doing it. Yeah, 70 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.720 there's a lot of people out there that should be doing this ministry. They're 71 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.759 not right, but also don't believe that everyone is called to this ministry. 72 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:35.879 Right. There are people that are called to do things in the political realm. 73 00:05:35.920 --> 00:05:39.560 There are people that are called to do things. You know, there's 74 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:43.079 people that are called to be pastors of Churches and in order to do that 75 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.839 and do that, well, that's the best thing for them. They're really 76 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:50.120 not going to be involved in the sidewalk ministry. I hope that their church 77 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:54.319 would adopt a we you can get involved with love life in some capacity, 78 00:05:55.360 --> 00:06:00.160 but they're not going to be on the sidewalk likely. Yeah, people who 79 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:03.639 are called to be a missionary in, you know, China or Africa or 80 00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:10.279 wherever oversees their call to are not going to be able to do the sidewalk 81 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:14.199 ministry because that calling is the best thing for them. If I was to 82 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.959 come along and try to try to convince then they need to do sidewalk ministry 83 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:23.240 when they're really called to go to China and be a missionary, yeah, 84 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:25.920 that I would be. I would be competing with the best thing for them 85 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:29.120 by offering a good thing, right. So that's kind of the train of 86 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:30.560 thought that we're going for here. Yeah, and I want to say I 87 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:34.480 just want to affirm you guys that are listening to this. You're likely listening 88 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:40.600 to this podcast because you are called to this ministry, whether you're called to 89 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:44.480 it in some kind of you official, full time capacity as a love life 90 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.720 missionary, or whether you're called to it as a lead volunteer or a volunteer, 91 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:51.399 my weekly volunteer, monthly volunteer, whatever it is, you're likely called 92 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:55.680 to this. And so what we're going to be speaking and kind of in 93 00:06:55.720 --> 00:07:00.920 the terms of is don't let good things compete with that calling, which would 94 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:02.519 be the best thing. Right. That's what God has for you. Now 95 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:06.680 I cannot tell you what is the best thing for you. Vicki's not going 96 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:10.720 to be able to tell you what's the best thing for you? You have 97 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:15.040 to seek the Lord and you know, we can, maybe, probably won't 98 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:16.959 be able to drill into all of the principles that will tell you what are 99 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:19.000 the best things for you. But the number one thing is you need to 100 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:24.360 seek the Lord. Right, if you desire to do the thing that's that's 101 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:28.920 a good marker of like this is probably what God is calling you to. 102 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:31.199 But also you want others in your life speaking into that. Do you? 103 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:35.360 Do you see in my life that God is calling me to this particular Ministry 104 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:40.439 of that Particular Ministry? Talk with your pastor talk with people that love Jesus 105 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:42.879 and that love you, that are close to you, and they can affirm 106 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:45.800 the calling that you feel in your heart. Now, do not mean to 107 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:49.800 say that you're giddy about being involved in this ministry. It's often across to 108 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:54.600 bear for us to step into the best thing that God has for us. 109 00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:57.560 Right. Yeah, I mean I think of the Apostle Paul. What was 110 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:01.680 the best for him? It was to go to be Apostle, an apostle 111 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.319 to the gentiles, to bring the Gospel to them. Because of that, 112 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:09.600 it was pretty, pretty difficult for the Apostle Paul Right, he said down, 113 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:15.160 shipwrecked. Yeah, haunted, pretty imprisoned. Yeah, he didn't have 114 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.279 an easy time of it, but he followed his calling. Yeah, he 115 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:24.879 did, and he followed it until he's his life was taken because of the 116 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:28.120 Gospel, right. It's what Church history tells us. Yeah, and so 117 00:08:28.920 --> 00:08:31.320 again, we're not going to be able to tell you what the best thing 118 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:35.120 is for you. That's between you and the Lord. But if the best 119 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:39.519 thing for you is to do this sidewalk ministry, I can tell you there's 120 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:45.519 going to be good things that compete for your time and your attention. Yeah, 121 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.080 so, and that's that was one of the things that kind of sparked 122 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:52.879 the the podcast. In the article that I wrote, I was telling you 123 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:58.080 about an incident that happened a while back that I've always felt guilty about, 124 00:08:58.200 --> 00:09:01.840 where I was on the sidewalk. And again, we're doing this whole article 125 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:05.600 from the perspective, basically, of if you're calling as as a sidewalk counselor 126 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:11.279 I was on the sidewalk doing what I was called to do and and someone 127 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.440 came great guy, but he showed up with a whole bunch of political tracks 128 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:18.279 and wanted to have me hand them out. All my friends and family and 129 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:22.240 all of our counselors and everyone in the pro life movement in fact needed to 130 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:28.600 read and hand out these tracks and and wanted me to then call my representative 131 00:09:28.600 --> 00:09:33.240 immediately and and then show up at a rally that he can't and I was 132 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.840 just as He's speaking, I'm thinking these are all it was good. It 133 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:39.600 was a good cause. I don't remember what it was at the moment, 134 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:43.600 but there's always something in the in the pro life world, and and I 135 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:48.200 think this is all great, but I just was feeling panic, thinking babies 136 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:54.080 are dying. I'm here with a mission that God has set me on and 137 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:56.320 I don't even want to take the time really to engage with him about this 138 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:01.600 very serious and important subject. But it wasn't it's not what I do. 139 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.919 Yeah, I needed to focus on the sidewalk and I actually told him, 140 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:09.720 no, I know, I won't do that. I'm so sorry, but 141 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:13.480 this is what I do, this is what I need to do. I 142 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:18.120 can't take the time to do that. Yeah, and and he was kind 143 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:22.120 of actually, I'm not sure he was thrilled with me right. He looked 144 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:24.840 a little bit taken aback and and said, what, would it be okay 145 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:30.639 for him to hand out the pamphlets to my sidewalk counselors? And I said 146 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:33.600 okay, but I even then I was thinking you shouldn't be doing that. 147 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:39.399 Yeah, I was thinking the best that that whole team could give to the 148 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:43.279 Lord was to do exactly what they were doing. Yeah, not to be 149 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:48.080 sidetracked by this very important and good thing. Yeah, and and then I 150 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:54.039 felt great, great guilt. And and so I think what this story reflects 151 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:58.759 is what I like to call the tyranny of the good right of the urgent. 152 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.159 They were urgent things. We will all face them. There are good 153 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:05.639 things. We will all face them, but we do need to keep our 154 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:11.840 focus on what God, yeah, would have us do. Yeah. So 155 00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:16.519 the scenario, if you guys didn't catch that, is she's out on the 156 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:20.840 sidewalk reaching out as people are going into the busiest abortion center in the southeast. 157 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:24.240 Twenty five to thirty baby scheduled to die in that place. Okay, 158 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.639 and she and the team were there reaching out, trying to reach those MOMS. 159 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:33.919 A guy comes along with political flyers, a good political movement and a 160 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:39.559 good political push and some things that I don't again not like you got always 161 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:46.360 provide. It's definitely pro life. But so in that scenario like that's that's 162 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:50.000 a terrible scenario to be focus in your attention on some kind of political thing 163 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:54.919 like you're dealing really in the ditch with people that are dying at that moment 164 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:58.679 right if he could read the situation, well, he could have read that 165 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:01.759 a Kay, it's probably not a good idea for me to be drawing their 166 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:05.759 attention away from this right now. Let me let me get her phone number 167 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:07.799 or email address, an email or about it. You know, that would 168 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:11.840 be a good way to read the situation. Yeah, so we don't mean 169 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:16.080 to say that standing against wicked stuff. I mean I know in California this 170 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:22.799 Abtwo to twenty three bill, what they're calling the infanticide bill, is something 171 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:26.399 that state of California at this point there's like really close to passing. Yeah, 172 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:28.480 and I want to get into all of that, but certainly we need 173 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:33.720 to stand against that stuff and there many of our people in California that stood 174 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:39.320 against that. Certainly they do, but weren't right there in the ditch and 175 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:41.960 we're trying to stop people from killing their children. That's not the time for 176 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.679 us to be focused on these other things, to be thinking about those other 177 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:48.159 things, like people are dying inside of the building right there. We need 178 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:56.000 to focus on on that. Yes, now we'll say too that, for 179 00:12:56.000 --> 00:13:00.080 for the brother that came by to share those things with you right maybe the 180 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:05.080 best for him is that he has that political movement and all of that stuff. 181 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:09.080 That's maybe the best thing for him. Often Times the best things for 182 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.919 us will draw other people. It will be the best things for us are 183 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:16.919 the good things for other people whenever they're really in the vein of the best 184 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:20.679 thing for them. All of this is between you and the Lord. No 185 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:24.720 one can tell you really what's the best thing for you. You've got to 186 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:28.559 seek the Lord and figure out where he's got you and where he wants you. 187 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:35.480 The point of this podcast is you can't do everything are you'll burn out 188 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:39.960 and end up doing nothing. You'll do nothing well, and so that was 189 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:43.919 the first main point is that no one can do all things well. And 190 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:46.399 I would even I would take what you said. I agree with what you 191 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:52.799 said, but but I also believe that at no point would what he what 192 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:56.879 he was asking me to do, be my best. Yeah, I just 193 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:01.240 I know my limitations and that's one of the things we're going to get through. 194 00:14:01.320 --> 00:14:05.679 As we talked about and we kind of wrote up principles of discerning, 195 00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:09.080 yeah, what is best, and the very first one is really what you've 196 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:13.320 already said. Be In the word and he'd got's calling. Yeah, God 197 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:20.480 doesn't want us frazzled, discourage, never having time for for to prioritize the 198 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:24.559 things that God wants us to prioritize. Yeah. So I was thinking in 199 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:33.039 scripture there's so many examples of that where there is a leader that God has 200 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:37.200 appointed, he's given them the mission. That leader knows his mission and he's 201 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:43.720 overwhelmed. Yeah, Moses, Elijah, Jesus himself. Well, I don't 202 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:48.000 know that I would describe Jesus himself as overwhelmed, but but Jesus himself will 203 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:52.960 points in in every one of those cases and in every case in the Bible 204 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:58.919 where there's a leader, godd urges that leader or someone in that through God's 205 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:05.440 inspiration, someone urges that leader to delegate and there are some things to just 206 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:13.639 let go because they can't do it all. So, you know, find 207 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:16.120 out what your mission is before God. He will reveal it to you. 208 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:20.320 If you're in the word, if you're in prayer, if you're seeking godly 209 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:28.159 people's advice and counsel, he will reveal it. Yeah, and then follow 210 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:33.240 that with all your heart. Yeah. So, so that was the first 211 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:35.279 thing that we had already kind of let me mentioned to along those lines. 212 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:39.080 Delegation can can be a key. Yeah, because you can't do everything. 213 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:43.679 And even Jesus, as you mentioned, delegated, right. Remember, he 214 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:46.759 sends out his disciples. He can't go into every city at one time, 215 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:52.440 so he sends them out. Yeah, and so certainly delegation is a key, 216 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:56.960 but you can't start delegating stuff until you actually know what God has called 217 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:03.200 you to correct. And so being in the word and and heating God's calling 218 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.559 is a really critical way to figure out what is the best for you. 219 00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:11.960 Yeah, yeah, said, like you mentioned. Yeah, think other people's 220 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:18.480 feedback is really key. That's the that's the first step. And then once 221 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:22.039 you figure that out, I think the second thing is prioritized. Yeah, 222 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:32.000 prioritize your time, Priori prioritize your focus, your energy and a general kind 223 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:37.200 of priority. I don't know framework, I think for really every believer. 224 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:41.679 Maybe you'll disagree with me, but God is at the top prioritized. Spending 225 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:47.600 time with God, yeah, reading his word, worshiping her him, speaking 226 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:49.799 to him, yeah, having a relationship with him. That's number one. 227 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:57.039 Yeah, and then second is your family. Yeah, and spending making Tart, 228 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:03.159 having targeted time when you are spending time with and meeting the needs of 229 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:08.640 your family. And then thirdly, I think would be your calling, right, 230 00:17:08.680 --> 00:17:11.720 focusing on your calling. This is where maybe there's some disagreement. I 231 00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:18.279 thought third was focusing on your calling. And then, fourthly, restorative activities 232 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:26.000 and time for rest whatever, giving yourself a cushion where you recharge your batteries. 233 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:30.599 And then, if, after all of that, then you can look 234 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:34.720 at those good things and decide do you have the time, the energy, 235 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:40.720 the inclination, the desire to do those? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. 236 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:44.119 I think that's a great framework. You know, I would say it says 237 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:48.799 we're talking about good things. I mean we're talking about political things. Yeah, 238 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:53.039 or maybe on the flip side, if God's best for you is to 239 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.480 be involved in the political realm, we're talking about sidewalk ministry, then maybe 240 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:00.680 that's one of those kind of peripheral good things. Right, you could do 241 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:04.720 yeah, I would say you can do the good things you can go to 242 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:10.519 political rallies, you can go out to the sidewalk if your focus is politics. 243 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:11.640 I mean, I'm trying to think of some other examples. You know, 244 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:15.440 if you're a missionary overseas, that's the best for you. When you're 245 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:18.519 in town, you know, visiting family, maybe you got to the sidewalk 246 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.039 or something like that. Maybe you have political Alio, I don't know. 247 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:26.839 Yeah, but you should never do the good things at the expense of the 248 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.720 best things. Right. Again, the enemy of the best is always the 249 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:37.000 good. You can do good things, but you should never do good things 250 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:41.240 at the expense of the best. Right. And so that priority list for 251 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:49.119 me helps me to stay focused on am I really giving my best in the 252 00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:55.160 proper priority of what God has has called me to called me to do. 253 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:59.720 Yeah, and and remembering that that we cannot do it all. We've already 254 00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:02.799 said that. That's another principle. Remember that. Don't be ashamed of that. 255 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.319 We can't do it all. Yeah, like I think in the in 256 00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:10.519 the article I said at some point I could be involved politically. I was 257 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:15.400 actually politically involved, much more so before I became a sidewalk counselor. But 258 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:18.480 to do both of them, I will be basically a lousy sidewalk counselor and 259 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:23.319 allows your political advocate, because I can't. I know my limitations. To 260 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:30.480 part of knowing that that you can't do it all is is is to know 261 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:34.240 what your own personal limitations are, right in terms of energy, physical time. 262 00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:37.680 Yeah, yeah, whatever. ME. Some people have a higher capacity, 263 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:41.839 some people can spend plates in all kinds of directions and they can do 264 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:45.519 a lot of stuff and do it all well, right, yeah, and 265 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:49.160 some people are sort of singularly focus. Yeah, now I'm I'm learning, 266 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:52.440 I've learned to spend some plates and that sort of thing. Yeah, but 267 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.680 really my band is toward being singularly focused, like I can do one thing 268 00:19:56.680 --> 00:20:00.920 and do it well. Yeah, but by God's grace he's helped me spend 269 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:03.839 some places and I think the season I'm in right now, I'm doing the 270 00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:07.599 best that the Lord has for me. But I do have to I do 271 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:11.599 have to know myself and know my limitations. Like, one thing I do 272 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:15.440 know about myself is I have to have a day to disconnect and you need 273 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:18.400 a nap to and I need a NAP right. Yes, do have to 274 00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:22.880 take naps and a regular basis and I do need a day to disconnect, 275 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:27.119 right. So the best for me, yes, is for me to take 276 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:30.599 a day to disconnect. Yes, so when a good thing comes in a 277 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:37.079 ministry opportunity or, you know, political rally or, you know, worship 278 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:40.839 night at church or something like that, which actually that might be more of 279 00:20:40.839 --> 00:20:45.400 a refreshing time for me. But really I just need a time to disconnect, 280 00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.200 to be at home, to walk slowly, you know, and just 281 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:53.960 ponder, ponder life for a day, to go and wander around the mall 282 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:59.359 or Wal Mart or something, just disconnect from ministry. I have to have 283 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:02.839 that. Yeah, some people can do without that, I think. Yeah, 284 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:06.480 but not me. And so I know my limitations and I know in 285 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:10.119 that particular situation, I know what's the best for me, right, and 286 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:15.400 also have learned that I can't do it all. Right. And the next 287 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:18.759 point, and this is probably the hardest point for me, yeah, don't 288 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:23.599 feel guilty or feel the need to apologize. Yeah, you've you you know 289 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:29.279 what you're calling is. You've prioritized your life, you know what your limits 290 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:32.720 are, you know you can't do it all. And then when someone asks 291 00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:37.839 you to do that good thing and you know that you need to say no. 292 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:41.680 You don't need to feel bad about it. Yeah, I do. 293 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:45.000 I still feel bad about it every time I tell no to someone. Yeah, 294 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:51.240 but I'm urging me and all of you listening, you should not feel 295 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:56.440 guilt or the need to apologize for trying to be the best that God has 296 00:21:56.519 --> 00:22:00.680 called you to be and determining, like on your day of rest, for 297 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:03.920 example, Daniel, I I imagine that there are some people that think, 298 00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:10.160 yeah, Daniel's got to go play air soft instead of instead of, I'm 299 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:15.240 coming in and recording other podcast or whatever. Yeah, and I do think 300 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:18.720 that we can be very hard on each other. Yeah, we can look 301 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:23.880 at how everybody else lives their life and say that is not what they should 302 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:30.240 be doing. Yeah, so, but we shouldn't have to apologie dice, 303 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:33.960 we shouldn't have to explain ourselves. Yeah, and I think all of us 304 00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:41.200 need to remember to extend respect and grace to each other that are doing their 305 00:22:41.279 --> 00:22:45.480 best, as they see before God, doing their best. Yeah, and 306 00:22:45.640 --> 00:22:49.880 that that doesn't mean that, in brotherly love and Christian love, that we 307 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:52.839 should not point out if we don't, if we really do think there's a 308 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:59.240 problem. Yeah, and an issue. But but anyway, I think that 309 00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:02.279 that, for me, is one of the hardest parts. I do feel 310 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:06.599 guilt, right when I say no to those good things, like I did 311 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:11.880 that day when that political guy came and handed me all the tracks. Yeah, 312 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:15.480 I think I did what was the right thing, but but I still 313 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:18.960 felt bad about I felt bad about it actually, even for months. It 314 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:22.880 happened, maybe even a year ago, right. Yeah, one thing I 315 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:27.359 do want to point out in this same vein is the pro abortion crowd accuses 316 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:32.720 us of being hypocrites. Yeah, if we advocate for the unborn, but 317 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:36.720 we don't do foster care, we don't have we have an adopted ten children, 318 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:41.480 we are not feeding the homeless and we're not working in every pregnancy resource 319 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:44.839 center, right, you know, within a twenty mile radius. And we 320 00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:48.400 don't want to fall into that same trap. That is that is wrong, 321 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:52.200 that is illogical, right, and we don't want to fall into that same 322 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.559 trap towards each other that, unless we're doing all the pro life things, 323 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:00.480 we're not really being, you know, doing what God has called this to 324 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:07.079 do. Yeah, that is at an inaccurate, yeah, and impossible, 325 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:10.720 right thing to do. Yeah, I mean the question often again, this 326 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.960 is from proboard people on the sidewalk or wherever? Are you going to adopt 327 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:17.559 any of these children? How many children have you adopted? That's always the 328 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:22.119 how mean, how many children have you? Have you done falster care for 329 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.440 right, right. Well, I understand that that's a a very that's the 330 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:30.799 best for some people. Yeah, adoption, falster care and all that's the 331 00:24:30.839 --> 00:24:34.240 best for them, but for me I cannot do it all right, and 332 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.759 I certainly couldn't do what I'm doing now and do falster care now. Maybe 333 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:41.720 God will give me grace and open up that door and that would be the 334 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:42.880 best for me and my family at some point, but it's not right now. 335 00:24:42.920 --> 00:24:47.480 I know my limitations and I don't feel guilty for that. I don't 336 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:49.640 feel guilty that I'm not doing that because I know what the best for me 337 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:53.680 is. But a lot of times that stuff is just the distraction and again 338 00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:59.599 it's just the devil trying to heap guilt on us when in reality we're doing 339 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:03.200 what God has called us to and we're keeping our focus on him, not 340 00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:07.960 on what other people say. As far as like, we certainly want to 341 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:11.039 input from other godly people. If you got godly people speaking in your life 342 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:15.160 and they see a gift in you and you're not utilizing that gift, but 343 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:17.960 you're doing some other things that are not utilizing that gift, then you need 344 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:21.160 to take heed. But if you just got a bunch of ungodly people throwing 345 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:26.279 accusations at your even your own conscience, sometimes right, throwing accusations against you, 346 00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:29.440 you, you know, probably just need to give it to the Lord. 347 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:32.559 Yeah, yeah, I'll say to this kind of manifest itself. You 348 00:25:32.599 --> 00:25:37.839 mentioned before we started recording this podcast that we get emails and stuff and we 349 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.880 love to hear from you guys. We love to hear, you know, 350 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:45.440 input, feedback, questions that you have about sidewalk ministry. It's our focus. 351 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:48.359 We love those things. But we get emails and, you know, 352 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:52.799 calls from people want us do all kinds of things. You know, I've 353 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:56.119 even got eat all kinds of things. I've gotten. People want me to 354 00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:57.880 read their book, they want here, you know, do this or do 355 00:25:57.960 --> 00:26:03.039 that, and I just can't. I don't have the bandwidth to do all 356 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:07.039 of that stuff. I can't read every pro life article that's ever been written 357 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:11.000 and give my opinion on it. No, I can't. Can't read every 358 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:15.720 prolife book and give my opinion on it or whatever, and so I have 359 00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:21.079 to you have to call some of that stuff out because you'll wear yourself out. 360 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:26.240 Now let's just tell you I am not obsessed with the issue of abortion. 361 00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:30.440 Okay, it does not consume my life as much as I'm involved in 362 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:34.759 this Ministry and this is the passion of my heart. I'm obsessed with Jesus 363 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.640 and the Gospel like I want him. I want to be near to him. 364 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:44.039 So I don't spend every week an hour of my life thinking about abortion 365 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:48.119 and reading books about abortion. I do my due diligence to be well informed 366 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:52.079 of these things, but I want to know God more and more, and 367 00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:56.680 that translates into what I do in this ministry. So the best, best, 368 00:26:56.839 --> 00:27:00.400 best thing is to know Jesus and then find out what he's calling you 369 00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:04.119 to. That's the best thing, and walk in that calling. So I 370 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:07.440 say that just you know. If any of you listening have sent me an 371 00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:11.720 article and I haven't responded to it or whatever, it's probably just because I 372 00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:14.839 don't have the time to read all that stuff. Right that that just happened 373 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:18.000 to me just I think it was yesterday, maybe the day before, someone 374 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:19.759 who I love sent me an article, and I did and said do you 375 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:25.079 want me to continue to send these and I said no, please don't. 376 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:29.200 It's not that I don't appreciate so much that you love these things in that 377 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:33.480 you're thinking of me, but I just just what you said. I just 378 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:37.559 don't have the band with yeah, to people send this stuff all the time, 379 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:41.799 but what you were saying about God and and being immersed in in him, 380 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:45.640 that he is our should be our top focus. That is the very 381 00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:49.920 best. Is kind of the last point that that we make in in this 382 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:56.880 article is rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord that he has given you the privilege 383 00:27:56.920 --> 00:28:02.759 of knowing your calling and equipped you to do it and then do it to 384 00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:07.960 the best of your ability, because if you don't, then that is one 385 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:12.240 of the pieces of his plan that is not being what he has called them 386 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:17.079 to be and that can disrupt everything. Yeah, so you know, the 387 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:21.000 Bible uses the analogy of the body, the body of Christ, and speaks 388 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:25.440 about the human body. Right toe is not a finger, a finger is 389 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:29.519 not a toe, and every part of the body has to work. It's 390 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:33.559 complimentmentary. Yeah, but they can't know the toe can't replace the finger and 391 00:28:33.640 --> 00:28:37.240 vice versa. Right yeah, so you need to do your best. Let 392 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:41.599 everybody else do their best. Yeah, and and hopefully the body then is, 393 00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:47.160 you know, functioning, functioning optimally. Yeah, to give glory to 394 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:51.279 the head, to give it races Aart. Yeah, and understanding. We're 395 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:55.920 all connected. None of those different components. We talked about the political area, 396 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.000 we talked about the sidewalk area. There's a lot of other things that 397 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:03.519 have to do with prolife, ministry and all that other stuff, and none 398 00:29:03.519 --> 00:29:07.720 of those things are bad. Right. Those things are good things and those 399 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:11.559 things are the best things for those who are called to them. Right. 400 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:15.079 So, about God's grace, will stay focused on the best things for us, 401 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:21.119 will not let the good choke out the best, will not do the 402 00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:23.799 good things at the expense of the best, and we'll keep our eyes fixed 403 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:27.079 on Jesus. Amen. Man, Amen. All right, guys, we 404 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:30.920 appreciate you joining us for this podcast episode. We'd appreciate if you guys would 405 00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:34.119 share this episode with others that you think it would be a blessing to. 406 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:37.640 You can reach out to me, Daniel at Love Life Dot Org. You 407 00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:41.119 can reach her, Vicki, with a why at Love Life Dot Org. 408 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:45.319 Give us some feedback about this podcast or other episodes. Maybe some ideas of 409 00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:51.400 other episodes that we could do and leave us review. If you find the 410 00:29:51.400 --> 00:29:52.960 time to do that, it would be a real blessing to us. Let 411 00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:57.039 us if it would be your best. Yes, leave us the best review 412 00:29:57.119 --> 00:30:00.000 that you can. If you just going to leave us a good review, 413 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:04.000 you don't leave us for best. Won't five stars now we would appreciate that, 414 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:07.759 just to help us to get up in the ranking so other people see 415 00:30:07.799 --> 00:30:11.880 this podcast and can partake in the blessing that, hopefully it is to you. 416 00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:15.440 But with that, until next time, God, bless God, that 417 00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:27.839 you all give me our love for love. Give me our love for gratitude. 418 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:40.279 I know it will cost me my life. Nothing's too precious, and 419 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:51.240 some that you