Priorities - Here Today, Gone Tomorrow — Shane Idleman

Reordering Priorities to Put God First

Matthew chapter 13, I'm not gonna get through a lot. I'm just gonna start with verse 44 where we left off last week. And Jesus has been talking about parables and different things to obviously get our attention.

And the title of the message tonight is Priorities. Here today, gone tomorrow. Has that ever happened to you? You have these wonderful priorities and then they vanish, they're gone. And God requires a reordering of our priorities.

The purpose of priorities is to put first things first even when we don't feel like it and especially when we don't feel like it. It's like a set of blueprints. Priorities help us build the correct life.

And it doesn't matter what we want to do first. That's why priorities are so important. They actually help us do what we don't wanna do. And I mentioned a set of blueprints there. Can you imagine trying to put the roof on the house without the footings even dug?

You know, you drive out to the construction site and there's just a blank piece of barren land and somebody wants to put in the shower right now and somebody wants to put the roof in. Why is that not gonna work?

Because you have to have that blueprint. You have to have the priorities. What comes first? What comes second? What comes third? And the same thing in our own Christian walk. The same thing applies. And I wanna just take a quick test.

I actually heard Chip Ingram mention on the radio this week talking about J .I. Packard's book, Knowledge of the Holy. And I encourage you to read that if you get a chance. But I wanna take a test and just show you, show me where our priorities are at.

Testing Whether Our Priorities Are Focused on God

If we think we have a priority focused on God, let's answer these four quick tests. Number one, is your energy, is my energy directed towards God? Is my energy directed towards God and towards the things of God?

Or is my energy focused elsewhere? Well, priority might be off kilter. You might not have the correct priority. Number two, do I have great thoughts about God? Great thoughts about God or on godly things.

In other words, are my thoughts consumed with the things of God? Are my thoughts consumed with godly things, godly ambitions, or are my thoughts consumed with everything else but God? Number three, is there a boldness in your life to live for Christ?

Is there a boldness to live for Christ? Is there a boldness to speak about the things of God? Is there a boldness there? I've got to tell people about God. I've got to tell people about the truth. There's a boldness when you're challenged.

There's a boldness there. That means your priorities are probably in line. Your priorities are lined up with God. And the fourth point, great contentment in God. Is there great contentment in God? Or is fear and anxiety ruling your life?

And we know when we have contentment in God, don't we? Where there's contentment there, there's not a lot of anxiety, there's not a lot of fear, there's not a lot of, oh, my world's falling apart, my life's falling apart, things are chaotic.

There's contentment in God, there's resting in God. So if you have an energy for God, you have thoughts towards God, you have a boldness for God, and you are content in God, it's a good sign that your priorities are where they need to be.

Or, if you answered no to most of those questions, this sermon is for you. Because I want to help you get your priorities back in the right direction. And actually, the more I was thinking about this, priorities, we don't realize how absolutely vital they are.

Teaching Children Faithfulness in a Hostile Culture

Priority is putting first things first. And it was, as you're watching the news, and so am I, I realized, and it was a sobering thought, that I'm gonna have to teach my children how to die for Christ.

Do you see that's coming to that? Maybe not in our generation, but the next generation, there's a good chance that they're gonna have to die for their faith. How do you teach your child to die for Christ, to die for God?

Well, number one, God has to be a priority. Listen, guys, we are living in such a time where if God is not a priority, if the things of God are not a priority, you will be left behind. You will drift away by the cares of this life.

It's getting that radical. There's no gray area. It's right and wrong, good and bad, truth and error, heaven and hell. And they are separating those lines. There's not like we can live comfortably in the middle anymore.

And teaching our kids, and if our kids look at our own life, some of your kids are grown, some are small, some don't have kids yet, but they should be able to look at our lives and know that God is a priority.

The Hidden Treasure and the Value of God's Kingdom

So with that as the setting, I wanna get into the parable of the hidden treasure, chapter 13, verse 44. And if you weren't here last week, go and check out last week's messages. We messaged a few weeks before as well.

Jesus has been talking about parables and different stories, and what was the whole point of the parable? To awaken, to awaken, to go through a back door, because we're not good at confrontation head on.

God needs to come through the back door and show us in a way that, oh, that's me. That was the point of the parables, to draw out something in our life that we don't normally see. So the parable, it's called the parable of the hidden treasure and Jesus says again, because he's been talking about the kingdom of heaven, again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid, and for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

And I want you to stop there for a minute, talk about this. The kingdom of God is valuable. It's very valuable. I don't think we realize how valuable this treasure is. And misaligned priorities, when our priorities are misaligned, I'm preaching to myself here, because it's very hard to keep consistent priorities.

God, family, church, relationships, you know, all these things, you've got to keep these priorities and the enemy likes to come in and knock us off track and get our priorities way over here. So I've got priorities and I want to, you know, watch 50 Shades of Grey instead of go to church.

Bad priority. I saw a good article, it was called 50 Shades of Garbage. And I'm just saying that because it's in our culture now and it's alarming that Christians are being drawn towards this type of entertainment.

But is it really? It really shows the condition of a person's heart, what they view consistently. I mean, we've all watched questionable material, but consistently what we view, it shows the condition of our heart.

These things should not entertain us, church. Darkness should not entertain light. Sexual perversion should not entertain those who are focused on God. The flesh might like it, but your spirit should say no way in the world.

Are you gonna watch that? So we see this shifting of priorities. And whatever is drawing me away from my priority with God must be eliminated. And you might say, that's a pretty strong statement, but think about it.

If something's pulling you away from God and your relationship with God, it must be eliminated. Now there's seasons in life. You know, I've told you, I'm coaching a little league team right now and it's very hard.

You know, it's like I took a second job, part-time job. And there's a season for a few months, it's worth it. But I'm talking about there's things that are pull, and actually it's not pulling me away from God.

I'm still getting my time in the morning. But when Jesus said, if your eye causes you to sin, cut it out. If your hand causes you to sin, pluck it off, or pluck it out, cut it off. Why? Because they're causing us to sin.

So if we have misaligned priorities and there's something in my life that is causing me to drift from God, you don't think that thing should be removed? That's why I talk often about entertainment and unplugging the TV for the love of God or the computer.

I mean, if these things take all our time and they're zapping our strength and they're pulling us away from God, at what point do we say enough is enough? Enough is enough. I just realized that this week.

Disciplining Technology and Reclaiming Time

I actually lost my phone. And a few of you know I didn't lose my phone, right? I'll be transparent here. I was walking down at the aqueduct and I walked down on the side of the aqueduct and it got slippery.

And I just ended up in the aqueduct. And I couldn't get out because the side's slippery. So I'm like, well, no, I'm not gonna die here. I see a ladder, it's 40 feet down there. My dog's sitting here laughing at me.

So I found a little ledge on the concrete, pulled up, put my foot up, finally got out. Well, guess what went in the water? And my mom said, oh, did you wanna scream? I said, no, I actually was so happy.

So Monday's gonna be five days without a phone. And I've been talking to my wife like, could I do this? I mean, is that possible? Is there freedom in that? I don't think I could. Kids and coaching in the church.

But boy, this is a wonderful few days. And I only say that because you don't realize how quiet. Unless I go somewhere on my wife's computer and check my email, I'm not gonna get a beep, beep, beep, because my phone would beep for email, beep for text, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep every five minutes.

And it's just realizing, gosh, if I get that phone back, I need to just turn it off a lot of times instead of beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, priorities, and the kids say, dad, why? And just learning, okay, that really helped me realize that, hey, I survived.

Try going four or five days without a phone. Because I was going like, it withdraws. Oh, man. And then I would leave and go this, I can just go to the store and go to the Sports Chalet and buy it without, just quiet.

Unbelievable. But it really taught me that I need to get my priorities back in check when I get a phone. I don't know when, I'm not in a hurry. But, and just make that not control me, me control it. It's okay to turn it off.

It's okay to have some boundaries there. Because it will zap your strength. It will, I mean, it becomes addictive. You hear the beep, beep, beep, oh, I wonder what that is, I wonder what that is, I wonder what that is.

And guess what, it usually adds more chaos. And more confusion. And I don't know if we were supposed to communicate with that many people. I don't know if we were designed that way. I hooked up Gmail five years ago, now I've got 3 ,000 contacts in Gmail.

So I don't, I mean, were we designed to deal with that much stuff? Now everybody hears a sermon on the radio they don't like, they can tell me off real quick. Beep, oh, what is that, I, oh, I'm not listening to you ever again, you really upset me.

Wow, okay. And then it's like, were we created to, and then how many things did I get of people texting me, look at this, these 21 guys are getting beheaded. I'm like, that just ruined my day. I mean, are we supposed to absorb all of that, that much influx of media, and knowing what's going on everywhere?

So to me, it's been very relaxing, taking time with the Lord, you know, my wife and kids, I can actually went to the park with the kids, didn't have to check, just spend time with them, kicking footballs for an hour, just playing with them, and I realized, you know what, my priorities can get out of whack.

They can get off on these little things that we think are little, but if they're zapping your time, they're zapping your energy, and you can tell that there's a drawing away from God, I wouldn't say they would draw me away from God, but in the mornings I found, people know I'm up early, so, you know, getting texts at 5 .15, 5 .30, and responding back in the baseball, and I gotta coach tonight, is it still on, and I'm like, okay, an hour went by, and I didn't study.

My wife always says, turn that off, it's fine, just get, and so, those kind of things can distract, and guess what, after that hour, on the phone, I'm not happy camper, I'm stressed, because I know it should have been time in prayer and worship.

So when you can get your priorities back on track, there's tremendous freedom there, when everything is in line, this, and then this, and then this. Now, here's a question I was getting off a little bit.

Persecution, the Rapture, and Preparing for Faithfulness

We have an American mentality of priorities, I don't know if you've noticed this, even in the church, eat, drink, and be merry until the rapture comes. Eat, drink, and be merry until the rapture comes.

Are you well aware that theologians are divided on the rapture? Are you aware that you might see some persecution? I mean, it's gonna be real hard, you go to Egypt, and say, oh, guys, you just missed the rapture.

You know, sorry, but we're gonna experience it, and they're being persecuted, they're being burned. I mean, so be very careful what you're living for, and how you're, you know, let me just eat, drink, and be merry, and then I'll be taken up before all the bad stuff happens.

I don't know. You better not count on that. I pray for the rapture, oh, Lord, please come and take us. But you have to prepare for as if you might go through persecution. Where there might, kids, I might have to teach my kids, someday, somebody might pull a gun to your head and say, denounce Christ, or die.

I have to face them with those realities. That's the world we live in, but there's an American type of priorities that I've seen that, you know, and we joke about that movie, but it's like, oh, that's, you know, people see the beheadings.

Oh, that's so sad, as they drive to watch Fifty Shades of Grey. Christians, that's the culture we live in, that's the church. Oh, how sad. You have no clue. Why, because priorities are misaligned. Priorities are not correct.

The Treasure That Demands Total Reordering

Now, here's the interesting thing. Let me read it again. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man finds, and then he hides it. So it's like, picture he's walking out in the desert, finds his treasure, and then he hides it.

But for joy over it, he goes and sells everything, and then he buys the field so he can have the treasure. So it begs the question, does the owner of the land not know about the treasure, or does he not view it as treasure?

Because either the owner of this land didn't know it existed, or he knew, but he's like, that's like all those guys who bought that land years ago where the Borax plant is. That's just Borax, what are you gonna do with that stuff?

And now it's a billion dollar, you know, industry, if they didn't see the treasure there. And I think, you know, I read a lot of different commentaries, of course. Once I get the sermon down, I wanna look and see what other people say about it, because obviously we don't, you know, you need to look to other sources just to check things.

But I think both can be true. Many are not aware of the treasure, and many care less. So we know that a lot of people are not aware that they hold, that there's a treasure that's possible, the kingdom of God.

And if you just sit and think about this, this isn't about money and retirement and joy, this is about the kingdom of God, eternity. Eternity separated from God. We talked about hell last week, or a few weeks ago.

We talked about the realities of heaven and hell, the realities of eternal separation. And there's a treasure that we can go and possess to make sure we're secure. That sounds pretty valuable to me, I don't know.

It doesn't seem to many other people, they could care less. Rob Bell goes on Oprah this week and says, oh, the church is coming around soon, and everybody's gonna embrace gay marriage. Oh, really? I don't think so.

Rob, you're bordering on being a false prophet there. This is not a good direction to be going when you, the majority of the church that wants to be liked, the majority of the church that cares less about absolute truth, the majority of the church, yeah, that church, sure.

But those who are in the word of God and changed by the truth of God's word and understand that his truths are absolutes, they can't be flexible, they can't be bended, they can't be removed, we understand that's wrong.

That's absolutely wrong. So you see this big shift that's happening. Many could care less about this treasure. And this treasure does change everything. You notice how when this guy found it, everything changed.

He sold everything, he had to buy this treasure. And that's what the kingdom of God should do. When it affects you, your priorities should not look like the world's priorities. And you guys know I write for the Christian Post and different places pick it up, and I'm amazed at how many Christians email me and they're mad when I say things like, that's legalism.

That's legalism? How's that legalism? How's not wanting to look like the world and obeying the word of God, how's that legalistic? How's that moralistic? It's probably because you don't like what I said.

Is why? If my priorities look just like the world, then what do you do with come out from among them, be separate? If I'm watching the same things, spending the same amount of money, doing the same things, if I look just like the world, the Bible says that's not good.

For the love of the Father is not in you. And John actually says, I believe it's 1 John, he who says they know him, Christ, but does not do his commandments, they are a liar. And the truth is not in them.

Listen, if you take this seriously as I do, those are some warnings to have us check our hearts and our priorities. But on this point, I like what John Nolan said, he's a common commentator. Ownership of the field does not come easily.

Think about this, what is the field? He found the treasure, the kingdom of God. Ownership of this field does not come easily, it involves a total reordering of priorities. Since to achieve ownership, the finder must first liquidate all of his assets.

Everything must be focused on the single goal of owning the field in which the treasure is to be found. Nothing less will suffice. The field is purchased and the treasure is secured. So he's not saying, I'm not saying, nobody's saying to take out of this, oh, you have to go and sell everything and go live in a hut, and that's how you gain favor with God.

But we should look at our possessions, we should look at things and say, are these things pulling me away from God? Uh-oh, I guess I gotta stay right here. Reverb in the mic. So is it pulling me away from God or is it keeping me anchored to him?

And I found that we give up so much for so little. Have you noticed that? We will give up so much for so little. And we learned a few weeks ago that the worldly pursuits come in and they choke us away from our priorities.

Seeking First the Kingdom of God

So you might say, Shane, how do you get your priorities right? And this is interesting because on a sermon like this, I could have a checklist, you know, plan ahead, the phone thing I talked about, scheduling and all these things.

But what I found is the way to get our priorities right is to seek first the kingdom of God. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you. If God is not a priority, then nothing else will fall into place.

And today, everybody seems to be busy as if that's a sign of godliness. You realize that busyness is not godliness, correct? We need to slow down. And then he goes right into the next parable of the pearl of great price.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and he bought it. Kind of the same thing, but now he's talking about somebody finding a pearl of great price instead of something in the land.

But this tells me when he found it, when he found it, this is a good time to remind you what I've reminded you many times before, that finding something involves seeking. You can't find it if you're not seeking.

You can't get the priorities straight if you're not seeking. Find something involves seeking. There's a seeking there. But here's what we do. We let the I don't feel like it control our lives. Or is it just me?

I don't feel like doing something. I don't feel like it. What about when spouses, when they're arguing, I don't feel like talking. Well, what happens after they talk? The reward, hopefully, or the couch out in the other room.

But there's okay, I'm glad we talked. I don't feel like walking, exercising, eating healthy. I don't feel like all those things, but what are the benefits? Oh, I don't feel like speaking graciously, like when we, you know, just be slow to speak, speak graciously, season your words with grace.

I don't feel like doing that. I'm angry right now. But what happens after you do that? A gentle answer turns away wrath. I don't feel like reading the Bible. I don't feel like doing these disciplines.

But see, the result comes later. The reward actually comes later. So when it comes to priorities, very rarely will you feel like it all the time. I don't feel like it. I don't feel like doing this. Yeah, welcome to the sinful, fallen world where our flesh doesn't want to do anything that resembles a passion for God.

And I think if we can get that in our minds, that's why discipline is so important, and perseverance, and commitment, doing things even when we don't feel like it. Remember the definition? The purpose of priorities is to put first things first, even when we don't feel like it, and especially when we don't feel like it.

That's the whole purpose of priorities. Let me read that again. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and he bought it.

So again, what did we just say? This is a good time to remind you that finding involves seeking. So if you want to find, if you've maybe drifted from God in this area, drifted from God in the area of priorities, to find him again, that involves seeking.

And there's a few scriptures I put in your bulletin, 1 Chronicles, seek the Lord and his strength. Seek his face continually. There's a continuation there. So many people say, well, I sought him tonight, and he didn't answer.

Yeah, what'd you do yesterday? What are you gonna do tomorrow? It's a process of continually seeking. Listen, this isn't a genie in a bottle. Let me rub it and see what happens. There's my three wishes.

I sought him for 10 minutes. No, this is a heart bent towards God, continually seeking him with all of my heart, with all of my strength. Though I fall on my face on Monday, I'm gonna get up on Tuesday.

I'm gonna seek him Wednesday. I'm gonna seek him Thursday. Friday was difficult, but Saturday I'm coming to seek him against this continual process of seeking him. Without that, you will not find him.

This isn't some little kid hidden in the corner that you try to find real quick, which I do all the time with my little ones. This is a God who says, seek me with all of your heart, with all of your mind, with all of your strength.

Then you'll find me. But so many people get to that, I tried it. I tried it. I'm bored in church. I'm falling asleep. And there's no continuation there. It's not continually. It's in actually little segments that fit our lifestyle.

When God says, I want you wholeheartedly. Seek the Lord and his strength. Are you weary tonight? It's his strength, not yours. Seek his face continually. Then 1 Chronicles 22, now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

Now set your heart. That's like setting a bone. You have to set your heart to seek him. Lord, I don't want to. I don't feel like it. I don't want to do this, but I have to set my heart. My heart's not gonna tell me what to do.

I'm gonna tell it what to do. I'm gonna set my heart towards them. And it's hard. How many of us don't feel like coming to church? I know everybody in this room doesn't just, God, I can't wait to get there.

Let's go, let's leave early, come on. I know, it's fighting and kicking and screaming all the way. God, man, we just went last week. Why again? Oh man, there's something going on. I think there's poppies growing.

Let's go do that instead. And I know it's hard. I used to be sitting in the pew five years ago. And I had lots of excuses. And doing this now really shows me, like everything now centers on Saturdays.

I mean, this is my priority. No sports, no birthdays, no parties, nothing, nothing. This is it, this is priority number one, uno. So everything else must fall in place, at least for me. You know, I have to do that.

Seeking the Lord While He May Be Found

And then one of the favorite verses I read last week, I want to do it again. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Some of you need to hear that. Seek the Lord while he may be found. There will become a time and a place where you will no longer be able to find God when you die.

And there's not another, wait, when I get in front of him, by the pearly gates, as if there's pearly gates, you know, when I get in front of him, then I'll give him my selfish pitch. You know, show him everything that I did was good.

He'll say no. There's a time. That's why it says seek the Lord now. There's always an urgency. You'll never see in the Bible, give it a couple years. You know, have your fun now. It's always now. Seek the Lord now while he may be found.

Call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord. Oh, if I could tell our nation that right now, if I could tell the prodigal son, the wayward daughter, if I could tell everybody, listen, listen, call on him now, return to him, return, and give up your wicked ways and return to the Lord.

Remove those ungodly thoughts. Remove that wickedness and turn to him. Let him save you. Let him secure you. Let him fill you with his spirit. That's what seeking involves. And that says he will have compassion on him and to our God he will abundantly pardon.

And there's a release that comes from seeking God. Many people, they're bound. If they don't know Christ, that's a whole different story. But once they come to faith and knowledge in God, there's a release.

There's a pardon. He's abundantly pardoned them. And if you don't know God, the Bible just says if you confess with your mouth that Christ is Lord and believe that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Basically, it's a person saying, I'm a sinner. Lord, I need your sacrifice. I need your son. I turn to him. I turn to you, Lord, would you save me? And then there's a pardon that takes place and then there's a release.

But I also believe in the lives of many Christians, we can get bound by sin. Have you ever been to that spot where you're so bound up, you can't seem to get rid of this, you keep falling and falling and falling?

God says, turn to me. Turn from those wicked ways. Turn from those wicked thoughts. Return to me. I will pardon, not for salvation, but to release you of that burden you've been carrying. And from that comes a tremendous freedom.

That's why I have to worship him, guys. I have to. I don't know about you, but I have to worship him. He saved me. Like we sang, I was blind, but now I see. I was lost, and now I've been found. This isn't lost like you losing your car keys.

This is lost for eternity. Eternal separation from God. Outer darkness. The Bible says weeping and gnashing of teeth. Shane, why are you trying to scare me? I'm not trying to scare you, I'm trying to awaken you.

Wake up, wake up. That's what we need to hear. You will seek me and you will find me when you search for me with all of your heart. Jeremiah 29. So when you search for God with all of your heart, you will find him.

You will find him. Here's the key. We have a priority problem because we have a seeking problem. Hey, I did, I had a checklist here. Here's how to get your priorities in line. Here's how you do this. The reason we have a priority problem, most people, is they have a seeking problem.

They're not seeking God with all of their heart. What do you think the scripture means when it says seek God, love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength?

That, to me, embodies everything. That should be an all-consuming passion, all-consuming fire. And then when I seek him, everything else falls in place. My time is maximized. My energy is focused. My heart is on fire for his glory.

My life has purpose and meaning. Sorrow has turned to joy and depression has turned to excitement. When I seek him, doesn't mean there's not difficult valleys, but overall, there's tremendous peace. But seeking must be a priority.

Seeking must be a priority. It's interesting. Sometimes we sing, there's a song out there, the more I seek you, the more I find you, the more I find you, the more I love you, the more I seek you, the more I find you, the more, this whole thing.

Some of you, I don't like that song. Well, those who are truly seeking God don't have a problem with that song because they know, again, he died for me. He delivered me from my destruction. He encourages me.

He forgives me. He's an ever-present help in the time of need. The Bible says, where can I go and flee your presence? Where can I go and get rid of you, God? Where can I go? It says, if I ascend into heaven, you are there.

Up into heaven, behold, if I make my bed in hell, even you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and go to the farthest parts of the ocean, all the way out there, the Bible says, even you are there.

You are there to sustain me, to hold me, to guide me. And I get passionate about this area because it's a lie. Men are believing a lie that real men don't worship. We can't, seeking God is not manly. King David, who killed more men than anybody.

And the Bible says that you will not even build my house because you shed too much blood, God said. Elijah called down fire from heaven. These are worshipers. Samson was a worshiper. Elijah was a worshiper.

Men and women of God are worshipers. That's not, it's not trying to be cute. That's truth. Real men actually worship God. I've said many times before, when I was bench pressing a lot of weight and getting big and beating big people up and getting drunk and partying, that was a real man.

No, that's not a real man. I was dying inside. I couldn't say one gracious word if I tried. Anger ruled and dominated my heart. My flesh was destroying me. That's a real man? The problem is the enemy's got your heart.

You've got handcuffs on. Oh, you'll jump up and down when your favorite team wins. 3 ,000 back on my taxes, some of you say. Yeah, I can't believe it, let's go celebrate. Look how excited you get. Look how excited you get for 3 ,000.

It's gonna be gone on one vacation. But you've got a God who's not only saved you, but he's a continual present help. He'll be there two in the morning, three in the morning, four in the morning. That's who we serve.

Yeah, we don't wanna worship him. We don't wanna seek him, that's boring. No, it's because your heart's dead to the things of God or it's dying, it needs spiritual resuscitation. Call the paramedics. Something's gotta spark.

Worship, Repentance, and the End of Superficial Christianity

And it's funny, this week I said, Lord, you know, sometimes I go to him too with many problems. I said, I'm tired of preaching. You know why? Because they need more of you and less of me. Listen, guys, I love it, but I'm tired of preaching.

And we go, thank you, good job, we'll see you next week. I'd go home and say, Lord, that's not what you called me to do, we need more of you and less of me. I'm tired of everybody smiling as if everything's okay.

I'm tired of superficial fellowship, and I'm tired of people telling me what I want to hear. I'm just being honest. Of course, I'm not gonna quit preaching, I love it, that's what God's called me to do, but I'm tired of preaching and sharing my heart, and I see so many people, all their problems would end if they would just worship.

If they would just seek him, if they would just seek him. Sometimes now, I've got people calling a lot from even out of state and they want counseling appointments and I say, what in the world am I gonna tell you in private that I haven't said from the pulpit?