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here Hey, welcome to Prairie Lakes really glad you're here. You've made a great decision by starting your week off that way so so good job. We're glad to hear remember. We're no matter Church. No matter who you are. Where you been what you've done or even what's been done to you? God does love you and you can look for God here. So that's why we exist is what we do. Hey a couple very quick things. Okay. We're in a series called mindset before we get to that. I just want to say man. I can't tell you the the coolest things that have been happening at 5:25 every day as my alarm goes off in our alarms go off to pray and you're not familiar with that. We've been praying at 5:25 and go Amber PM, I would if you want to do I do PM, so, you know, and we're praying for the succession process that we're in and it's just great praying for the elders and praying for the process and it's just been really great. I was at a wedding reception and after wedding reception, Soon as actually as Pastor Chris Rigg soon as he got done praying and he handed the mic back to the TJ.
About 500 alarms went off to praying everybody laughed and it was it was pretty cool. So hey just just keep praying and want to encourage you with that man. Our elders are leading the process and I'm really really grateful for it. I'm excited about what God's gonna do. All right. So we're in this series called mindset. In fact, this is week week three and in in this series and this is crucial. Okay. This is a big deal. So Pastor Jesse started it two weeks ago and this really kind of set the stage for us.
Kind of said here's what mindset is right. He says it's how we weave our thoughts into right so our thoughts and what we have weeds into beliefs and attitudes beliefs nor stories in order to make sense of ourselves and the world around us, right. So this mindset is this this kind of this this part of us this mind in a heart thing that the shapes are behaviors and helps us make sense of the world around us.
And and so what are the things that that has been striking me? And I want to just get get really super clear on is this is that when we're understanding our mindset right? When you're understanding your your mindset, it's one of the greatest Journeys that you can take. Okay you digging in with the help of the Holy Spirit?
And ask the question. Why am I the way that I am? Why do I respond the way that I do what's going on inside of me? What has shaped my mindset how I view myself and react to the world around me. So instead of kind of being blissfully ignorant in your life or claiming victim's status.
Do the hard work? Of silence and Solitude and counseling wisdom of what my mindset is and how it's shaping my behaviors. It literally shaping who I am. So you understanding your mindset, here's what happens right?
And you can do take the steps. Then you can start shifting your focus to Jesus and his truth and letting him change your mindset now. Please understand this. Okay, please what's in here, right this what's in here inside of me and it's he's from my past. It's from my experiences and like Jesse said attitudes and behaviors. It's it's all kind of a part of me. It shapes me and how I view myself and how I view the world the mind in the heart that inextricably linked doesn't matter where it starts, right? It can start your mind with the thought that says you're dumb and seeks sinks down to your heart with with discouragement it can it can start with the stab in the back that wounds your heart from a rejection of a friend that it can go up to your mind that says I guess I'm not good. I guess nobody loves me. I guess I'm unlovable. But but whatever it goes. I need to know this. These things are are linked in this journey of letting God in on it letting him move in this mindset heart and mind of you.
It is crucial. They're linked together. Just walk down this quick scriptures with me. I want you to see this link. Okay. Now, this is from Deuteronomy Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Deuteronomy, okay. Fix these words of mine then your hearts and Minds tie them as symbols on your hands and buy them on your forts this time and your hearts and your minds go to the songs or the book of Psalms. There's Psalm 26 test me Lord and try me examine my heart and my mind another another Psalms seven nine bring bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure you the righteous God who probes what to say minds and hearts. Okay New Testament now, this is just not just old Jesus replied love the Lord your God with all of your heart all of your soul with all of your mind and keep going to the New Testament for Max all the Believers were in what we're one in heart and mind. Okay. Keep going in the New Testament Hebrews 10. This is the Cove that I'll make with them. After that time says the Lord I will put my laws in their hearts and I will write them on their minds see these are these are linked together.
Mind and heart connection is is there we can't ignore it we and we can't just let it go. We've got to let the Holy Spirit do his work in Us. In fact, there's one verse in Philippians. I think and let's just fact turn there together Philippians 4 everybody just grab your bible. If you don't have one use the one and there's some of the chairs or pews around you use your phone. Okay, but go to go to Philippians 4 and when you get to Philippians 4, there's just this there's a spot in here. I love it and it's a perfect picture of what this kind of mindset is. Okay. So when you go to Philippians 4, here's what you'll see is starting verse 4 what kind of gives the whole picture for right? So, this is Paul talking to the Philippians the people of Philippi And he says this in verse 4. He says rejoice in the lord always I'll say it again Rejoice let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near.
Then he says this in six and Chip last weekend when we talked about anxiety was great message for us on the mindset and anxiety and that focus on Jesus. Chip use this one do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by parent petition with Thanksgiving present your request to God, so others what he's saying is listen don't don't live in this anxiousness, but but give it up and give it to God in prayer and in verse 7. This is it this is a spot. I want you to focus in on verse 7 it says this and the peace of God.
Which transcends all understanding will guard here it is again your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And the peace of God will guard. Okay well guard and the word for guard. There's the same when they use for the siddle of the Capitol that can see 360 right? So just think of this.
When you give to God when you pray to God when you say God, I'm anxious about this God. I'm fearful about this God. I'm worried about this and you let him have it here's what happens. the peace of God guard your heart and your mind. In Christ, Jesus your heart and your mind my friends just hear this this idea of mindset right this idea.
Some of the most important work that you can do. Is the tough inside work? Cooperate with God on shifting your mindset let him have this. Okay. So so there's my summary now, let's let's move to this weekend this weekend. We're going to focus on this understanding the mindset of someone else. Okay understand the mindset of someone else now, for those of you who are have to kind of go. Well, what will help me understand this. Here's why this matters here's why because the better that I can understand the mindset of someone else.
The better I can love them. And help them find full life. In Jesus remember what Jesus said in John? He said I've come to they can have life. And have it to the full right this full life in Jesus is peace finally on this Earth.
This life in Jesus is is forgiveness of my past this life in Jesus knowing that that I've got a purpose in the gender, right? So the better that I can understand the mindset of someone else there's my kids. It's my spouse my neighbors my mom and dad whoever it is right my little, Iowa.
The better I can understand the mindset of someone else the better. I can love them and help them find full life. in Jesus It's really difficult to help someone take steps toward Jesus. Or even take the big step what we call over the faith line when they finally say I surrender Jesus. You're my only hope it's hard to help anybody take any kind of steps.
If I don't understand whether they're coming from what's going on in here and here to the best of my ability. All right. So here's what we're going to do. I'm going to give you kind of just just three spots right three spots that help us understand someone else's mindset. So here's the first one ready. First one is this we've got to close the gap, okay.
So I'm going to understand somebody's mindset. I need to do this. I need to close the gap between them and and me I I need to to get into their world to to. in essence be like Jesus.
All right. So remember how the description of Jesus was in The Book of John and John 1. In fact when he talking about the word and the word is there from the beginning and you get down to verse 14 in John 1 and it says this the word and that's Jesus. Okay. Jesus became flesh and made his dwelling.
Among Us We've seen his glory the glory of the one only son who came from the father full of grace and truth. But look at this the word Jesus became flesh and made his dwelling. Among Us you see here's what Jesus did.
Jesus closed the gap between Heaven and Earth. Jesus closed the gap between a holy God and sinful man. Jesus closed the gap between us. It's called the Incarnation. We just got through with Christmas. And what do we celebrate the birth of Jesus God becoming man, right and and and we celebrate that and that's that's the the Incarnation we can we can talk about. He's fully God yet. He's fully man.
And we he lived for 33 years 30 of those years. He was prepping for the time that the Bible says he turned his face to Jerusalem and he spent three years saying here's who I am and here's what I'm doing. And here's what I'm gonna do and for these 33 years, he lives sinlessly and walked all the way to the Cross now. Here's the crazy thing, right? This is I don't want you to miss this. This is so crucial.
We talked about the Incarnation right God becoming man. We think wow Jesus. Look what he did. He he closed the gap between us, right the old theological term was was this God is is transcendent. He is his Transit over us. He's exalted. He's above he's he's Beyond this and the other theological word is he is now imminent he's present in time and space he is he is near us so this God one time is is transcendent, right?
He's exalted above us and then in the Incarnation, he's he's imminent. He's he's near us. In fact, it says he was dwelling Among Us. He he walked in the same sin soak sin staying soil that that we walk on. You see here's what Jesus did.
He left heaven to come to Earth. To close the gap between us our sin. And Jesus closed this Gap and here's what he did. Is he as he closed the Gap, right? This is this is fascinating. He moved to us.
Toward us. Dwelt among us. This is crazy. My wife was K was was reading through the the Bible every she's been four years and she takes her time and she takes notes and we were talking about this the day and she said yeah, we're just reading an exodus and he says it was amazing how all these like blueprints for the Tabernacle right and how they had to make things the right way and the viticus and how the artists had the had to use their full gifts and design everything just right right because because God was gonna was gonna dwell in this tent but yet there were still the veil of the temple right and and he was still we couldn't look at him and he couldn't even gaze upon him he could and remember the when they cared the the cross the the Jordan River and one guy slipped and touch it and he died right and God Is So, holy And so great.
and so exalted and yet he came down to us all those rules of the Old Testament and he comes down.
to live among us He closed the gap. So he could be our savior. And then closing the Gap. Here's what Jesus did. He was able to understand. us And help us understand ourselves, the writer of Hebrews. He says he says this about about Jesus.
He says for we do not have a high priest and he's talking about Jesus here the like the high priest right who was unable to empathize with our weaknesses. But we have one who has been tempted in every way. Just as we are yet, he didn't sin you see this.
Here's what Jesus did. He closed the Gap because he's the only one who could live sinlessly and and be the perfect savior, but in closing the Gap, here's what he did. He knows exactly what it's like to be us. He understands us.
He knows what it's like to be stabbed in the back by a friend. He knows what's like to be rejected by people. He knows like to have authorities push him out. He knows what it's like to hurt and feel the loss of a friend. He knows what it's like he knows what it's like to be in the garden. And it's Chip talked about last week to.
shed drops of blood to be anxious and give it to God. you see since Jesus knows what it's like to be us. And he understands us it helps us feel.
Loved it knows that somebody cares that that he understands. and my friends when it comes to your kids or your Your spouse or your little, Iowa? For them to know that you understand. And that you love them matters more than anything.
People that that right and leading the area of of racial reconciliation that they ask this question. How do you get close enough to someone long enough to understand who they are and why they think the way they do it's called immersion, right? Can you can you put yourself in someone else's contacts long enough to know what their life is is really like and my friends Jesus he understands us.
He knows what it's like to be you and me came and walked Among Us. He gets us. And ultimately Jesus walked a mile in our shoes. tempted fully human and God he can be our comforter and our strength. He he closed the gap.
And my friends if you want to love your kids and love your spouse or love your little Iowa and love the people that that are around you one of the first steps and understanding right understanding where they're coming from understand their mindset their heart and mind. What's happening is you've got to close the gap. You got to get near them and that's what we do it perfect. That's what we do.
All right. So close the gap is is a starting point. Here's the next spot that I think it's just crucial if we're gonna understand the mindset the heart and mind of someone else so it's closed the Gap and it's it's B thoughtful. Okay. Now this sounds really silly. I know I know but let's stick with me on this one. Okay.
being thoughtful Is really hard. I don't mean like oh I should be nice to someone that's good. But that's not what I mean. Here's what I mean. Thinking is really hard. Most of us don't like to think especially about someone else and where they might be where they might be coming from, right?
A full means to take the time to pray and think about what their mindset might be. You can't get it all but sometimes just a little bit of thought about their situation rather than yours about their life rather than yours about their mess rather than yours can help you understand.
Here's what we know right? We don't we don't know 99% of the story of most people. Okay, we see how they act we see we see what what triggers them. Right? We don't know the story and one of the things we say around here all the time, but teaching our team all the time is behind every door. There's a story much most of which will never get to the bottom of so my friends listen when you trying to close the gap with somebody be thoughtful.
Don't run in with guns blazing or the white hat to rescue. But recognize your assumptions that you bring into the table. And think through what is like to be them be thoughtful about it. And in Acts we have this this beautiful picture of Paul being thoughtful about who he's who he's trying to love and trying to help take steps. It's an act 17 and he's in Athens and and he's there for a while, right? It says he what's the synagogue and he taught and in their meeting places and he gets invited to to and I'm sure to say this Arrowhead. I don't say that. Okay, but here's what it says in 17, but Paul then stood up in the meeting.
And here's what he said, okay. people of Athens I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with the inscription to an unknown God. Look what he did.
Took the time to to understand to to think to be thoughtful. about who he's trying to reach to be thoughtful about those he's in connection with to be thoughtful with those he's closed the Gap with For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship.
right Listen my friends. This is hard work. But if you can lay aside what you think they think and lay aside your assumptions think of everybody's just like me or think. I've got it figured out and I need to do this if you just lay aside I learned this lesson so deeply I learned all the time right but my latest one the fact that when this most impactful for me lately was you remember and in June or July into June beginning of July of this last summer I did the series and I did the interview with my buddy Phil who's the manager of bartender at Harry's which is a tavern in downtown, Cedar Falls.
And and as I close the gap with Phil over the years, you know, we do a Bible study in there and you know got them through mutual friends and stuff like closed the Gap. It was very careful, right because one of my buddies like my son-in-law said Hey, listen, don't push him. Don't push him. I'm like a moment. I'm not gonna push him come on, but one of the things that I had this assumption was because he had mentioned to me that he grew up and he kind of said one time he kind of said something like kind of a throwaway sentence like yeah, I did the religion thing. I was Catholic had to go to church all the time. And as soon as I'd have to go I quit so I had this assumption right here was my assumption.
My assumption with with with Phil was this that somewhere along the line that somebody in the church heard him somebody who's the Christian came up and said stupid things to him, you know somebody something, you know, right I had those assumptions, but but they were all wrong. And and I started my my kind of my kind of leaning in with him with that assumption. And here's what I found out as we as we as I close the gap and here's what I found out was was that he didn't have any big big hurt or issues with the church or Christians? No.
He just hadn't yet felt a need forgot. He just hadn't felt it yet. He wants to he's open to it. But he hadn't. And that informs every conversation and every prayer that I have for him now.
My friends be thoughtful. about your little, Iowa Prayerful as you enter into conversations relationship with with people be Spirit dependent in every conversation. Remember what John Church said one of our counselors would be in our staff. He said this he said every time I'm in a session, here's what I do. It's not just two voices. It's three. It's it's theirs. It's mine and it's the Holy Spirit who's we're here with us.
He walks in and he allows time. He's thoughtful, but my friends listen. If we're going to help people move. And take steps in their life with towards God and you want to help your kids move into a full life with Jesus, right? If you're gonna we're gonna make those steps.
You got to close the gap you can't do it from afar. And and you have to do the work. thinking About what's going on? What do I know and being thoughtful? About their circumstances about who they are it's hard work. But but think okay close the gap be thoughtful. Here's the third one.
Third one is this this sounds funny, but just stick with me. Okay, Walkabout. With open arms. Okay walk about with open arms. Be approachable one of the things that we say fairly like all the time. Is this be approachable and Invitational and interruptible think about Jesus right as he walked around he was approachable.
He was Invitational. And he was interruptible. I forgotten I'm gonna go ahead and just put on the line here 99% of what I learned in my languages in seminary Hebrew and Greek. Okay. I'm just honest we have great references now.
Okay, there's just one word that I always remember I mean like okay Agape. Okay. I got it. Right that one. There's another Greek word that I was remembered. It was this word para Patel. Okay parapetel. and it meant to walk about to to walk about and and in the definition is to walk about to make one's way progress.
to make do use of opportunities Now about 94 times or 97 or 94 times this word parapatos used in the New Testament. Sometimes it's you know, it's the word where Jesus says get up and walk right the line man get up and and walk.
but in other places it's this this picture of kind of progress and making do use of your opportunities to to walk about open. armed in your life to walk about open armed.
There's this verse it's just picture that now and here's this verse from first John John. He said this he said whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way. In which he walked? Okay. So whoever says he abides him ought to parapeto who walk about in the same way in which I do pair of potatoing parapattento. I don't know how to say, okay, but How did Jesus?
walk about Here's I want everybody to do everybody every campus right now everybody you're at home every camper, but everybody just stand up right now. Everybody stand up going everybody stand up. Now here's what I want you to do put your arms out like this Open Arms. Okay. So walk about Open Arms now just imagine this. Okay. Just imagine this kind of symbolically you walked about your day because it was but it's about walking about right walk about your day making progress.
Getting things done the way okay things coming to you. But if you walked about like this with open, I've put your arms like this and you walk like this. You didn't do it like a plow getting people out of your way. You didn't do it like a like a a Mac Truck that you're gonna knock people out of your way. You didn't do it leading with this. You don't walk about like that. You didn't do it leading with I won't do that one. Okay, but right but you walked about like this just stand here and just picture this if you walked about your life like this like Jesus, right because because whoever says you advice to him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked walk about parapet don't if you walk about like Jesus, And your approachable?
your Invitational you're interruptible everybody sit down. Okay, good good. So now but get the picture now, right? if each of us in our own homes, first of all in our places of business or employment.
The places where we have Recreation and our neighborhoods, right? We're in our little, Iowa If we would walk about. with open arms and people deemed us as approachable.
Invitational interruptible They would feel. loved the Gap would close allowing you to be thoughtful about their life.
Because you simply walked around now listen. Literally don't walk around like this. You will get kicked out of your neighborhood. Okay, but spiritually personally to walk about like this.
To be unflappable. When people open up to be unshockable to be unfreaked outable, right? If you're the kind of person that where it's mentionable, it's it's manageable. And parents we've got to be that way with our kids one of our guys Simon Campbell who's on our digital team his wife Laura worked at a non-profit in Marion.
And the the nonprofit it worked with vulnerable people through a Ministry in Marion and and here's what she would say to everybody that she would would close the gap with right? Here's what she would say. She would say it takes a lot to shock me.
Okay, and then she told Simon this and Simon told me that she said Jesus never clutched his pearls and neither should we my friends listen listen You're gonna start to understand the mindset.
Of someone else so that you can love them better. And so that you can help lead them to a full life and in Jesus. if you walk about with open arms You close the gap with people and you your thoughtful about what's happening in that moment. Listen, you can't be shockable in that moment. You can't be we at Prairie Lakes are strategy has been this this way forever. Right? We we think here's how we're going to make a difference in Iowa. We're gonna we're gonna we're gonna have this strategy. We're gonna have one coffee at a time. We're gonna have one barbecue at a time. We're gonna have one soda at a time. We're gonna have one backyard at a time. We're gonna have one beer at a time. In other words. We're gonna help disconnected people get connected to God through the process of Spirit Led relationships.
And help people to see Jesus. at work in US my friends my friends. listen and ask good questions. Remember our verse from James Quick slow quick to listen.
slow to speak slow to become angry be more interested and interesting, but imagine this right imagine this. the people in your little Iowa your home and your neighborhood and your workplace and your workout place and the families that you hang with and the families that your kids hang with right? You're you're little Iowa that you've been planning by no accident, by the way.
God has got you exactly where he wants you to be. And imagine if in that little, Iowa. You could close the gap with people. Getting near to them. Like Jesus got near to you.
Imagine as you got near you could actually slow down and be thoughtful about what God might be up to in their life. and imagine if you could just Always be like this. Open arms.
Imagine what God just might do close the gap. Be thoughtful. walk about parapeto with open arms I want to close with this. I want to just close with this make this be our challenge because this is the last week of mindset and it's this is a big one, right? This is kind of a year long where you you choose you do the work with the holy spirit inside of you and whether it's the the my heart and mind you got to do that work whether it's the anxiety right and but it's just all so it's getting to understand someone else.
Would it be like? And how would your world change if this would happen? You'd asked this question who are the one to five people right? Not not 10 to 20 or 100 to 500. But who are the one to five people that God has put in in your path.
Who are the one to five people? That I can close the gap with. It's like Jesus closed it. Who are the one to five people that I can be? thoughtful and think deeply and pray for and pray about and that I can do this with.
That I'm approachable and I'm interruptible and I'm Invitational. You're not going to shock me. I'm not gonna clutch my pearls because Jesus never did. Who other one to five? this year that God has putting on your heart.
That you can understand. their mindset so they can be loved better and better by you. And they can take steps. Toward a full life.
in Jesus All right, I'm gonna pray right now for all of us everybody put your stuff away. Let's bow our heads right now. So father. Thanks. Thanks. Do the work in us. God. Please do the work in US. and father we want to cooperate with you.
In helping do your work? And some people that you've brought to our path in our the, Iowa. So right now God, would you put those names? on the tip of our tongue in the Forefront of our mind We're just stamp them on our heart.
Who are those people? And our little Iowa that you put in our path my path. That I can begin to help. understand their mindset so they can know you.
And name of Jesus we pray. amen