A Wicked Generation Seeks After a Sign — Shane Idleman

The Pharisees Demand a Sign from Jesus

Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and testing him asked him if he would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them when it is evening. You say I it will be Fair weather for the sky is red and in the morning It will be foul weather today for the sky is red and threatening you hypocrites you know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern discern the signs of the times a Wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the Prophet Jonah.

And he left them and departed and I had actually a lot more in Matthew 16 I was reading and putting together. But I just felt the need to stop on this one topic where Jesus said a wicked and gen wicked generation seeks After a sign and I kind of want to just talk about that one topic tonight, and it's interesting the context is They are coming to test Jesus.

That's not a good idea. Is it? Coming to test Jesus. So we see from the get-go. They had the wrong heart and it's interesting because they apparently saw signs and wonders Throughout the course of Jesus's ministry early on before this time healings Deliverance that no man ever spoke like this man.

They saw so much already, but they came testing him. So they came with the wrong attitude. That's indicator number one. They came with the wrong attitude and a wicked and adulterous generation. You might wonder why he used two terms well, number one wicked is what is evil in the sight of God it has to do with our heart and our actions and Adulterous is spiritual adultery and many people don't believe that that can happen, but it can cheating on God.

He said wow, but he talks about adultery spiritual adultery throughout the Old Testament primarily and into the New Testament because when you have a Relationship with someone other than God you put something there an idol you're worshiping.

You're giving your attention to something else. It becomes spiritual adultery. The attention the affection we should be giving to God is given to another and that's what he's saying here. In this this wicked generation these Pharisees.

They were the religious leaders of Jesus's day. They were seeking after a sign. Really what they were doing and I'm gonna get into a little bit more. Obviously is they were seeking saying Sika give us a sign.

We want to see for sure if you're God and he said, okay. Hold on just as Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish. So that the Son of Man will be three days in the earth. You will see a sign but not the way you wanted it and he's gonna.

I'm gonna get to that in a minute but this word here a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign and It's a little bit tricky in the Hebrew language in the Old Testament in the Greek language in the New Testament.

It's hard to find words that relate to our words here in English. There's not a real good comparison many times. For example, love is a wonderful example of. In the Greek language, you can have phileo love agape love you can show different aspects of that love.

But we just say I love my wife and I love a cheeseburger. Is there a difference there? I Love sports. I love my children. Big difference. It's it's also has to do with this world. I hope so some of you're gonna be in trouble if not.

But it's it's just what with this word seek. Because Jesus said in the Old Testament to seek God with all your heart, but here seek is a bad thing. Well, it really has to do again with the language in the Greek language.

I'm gonna try to pronounce it a Peasy-toe a peasy-toe EPI Z ETO a peasy-toe what it means is to demand something they were coming demanding something on God demanding. Where other aspects of the word seek like if you seek God with all your heart.

It's seeking with the intent to find something. I have to seek God with all my heart. I have to seek him until I find him. But this is not that type of seeking. This is the demanding almost an arrogant challenge if you would.

They're saying do it right now. Right now Jesus show us who you are right now. And it hasn't changed because many angrily and sarcastically say if you're God do this. There's a lot of atheists believe it or not.

They'll say well if there's a God out there you do this. If there's a God out there you do this or you you show me God. If there's a God out there, why did I lose my father at a young age? Or if there's a God out there, how could a God let this happen?

How could a good loving God let this happen and you see the tragedy that's been the news lately with the Duggards family I think I pronounce that right with the 19 and counting and everything that came out in his past and people are saying if there's a God how could they allow this and you See God being used in different ways all over the news.

And in secular society in the media if there's a God how and they don't really want to know that there's a God. There's two they're challenging God. So that's what the attitude they're coming with because you can just read over this and say Jesus come on.

You're being a little tough on these guys there. Hey, show us show us who you are. They're not saying that. They're coming with an arrogant condescending sarcastic attitude. And they're saying you show us you prove what do you think I've been doing the last, you know?

I don't want to say three years because it's not quite the end of his life. And we don't know exactly where this was in the Gospels. Jesus recorded Gospels are only about three years long, but somewhere in there after a good.

You know Matthew 16 were pretty far into his ministry and they saw Things that no man ever did before they saw amazing miracles. So to me, I just read this and laugh like they're gonna come and say, okay, come on really shows who you are.

What do you think's been going on? Do you want a lightning bolt in heaven that says, you know, this is my son and they would say oh, come on. That's just somebody's messing with us Over God to literally speak from heaven thunder and say this is my beloved son in whom I'm well, please.

Oh, that was just thunder. That's not that no matter if you don't want there to be a God you can think of every excuse in the book for there Not to be a God you just look around and you have to say as I often say that creation screams creator.

Why do I say that because it does? Everywhere. There's little things Bacteria and all these little things we can't even there's a whole nother world. You can't even see. Where did all these little things get here and they're just designed just right to do what just all just happened.

It's impossible and I mentioned that recently and and I think it is good to mention again, but if you think it through and People say well, I don't know two planets hit or there was something happened I'm not sure and and where did the first human come from?

I mean did it was it just a little embryo that grew in darkness and Just became a child and then if so, was it a man or was it a woman? And then where did the other sex come from at the right time? I mean you you've you just check your brains at the door to believe that there's not a God and If there was a human from pre-mortal ooze and two planets hitting and it was say a man in his 30s.

Where did the woman come from? Where did the reproductive system come from? Where did the three-pound thing we call brain come from that is more complex than any computer that was ever designed? Where did all that just come from?

It can't just come from anything. You can't take order from order come from chaos. You can't take creation from nothing. But yet we say well you show us God if you're and that's why I love Romans 1 his invisible attributes are clearly seen.

I Mean if you've ever witnessed the birth of a child you say Oh creator Creator I'm a creation. You're the creator. But in our human pride and arrogance we can come in and we can deny the existence of God.

Mainly so we can continue in destructive lifestyles. These guys did not want to repent. They did not want to acknowledge John the Baptist ministry. They did not want to acknowledge Christ. They did not want to knowledge the message of the gospel and I think this is one good excuse to get out of this.

Out of it will show us who you are and they come with that attitude. But I do want to clarify this is a lot different than me or you saying Lord show me. Confirm your will for me if you've been a Christian for any length of time.

I've guarantee you've prayed that prayer many times over Lord if this is you confirm it. Show me I need Lord. I have to know if this is your will. Would you please show me? That's a prayer that God loves he honors that prayer because you're coming from the right attitude.

You're coming to actually here's why I do it this isn't when I do this I'm not testing God. I'm testing me. Is it my heart is my are my motus pure? Is it right. Lord is the flesh in the way here because I need you to show me.

I don't trust me not you. So it's very healthy to say that and pray that. I hope you do Lord. Show me confirm that this is you because you don't want to step out if God's not in it and there's a fine line.

Probably as fine as two-pound fishing line that final line be between being presumptuous and having faith. Very fine line there you can assume something. That's not. God's not in it, and that's not faith.

It's presuming so we have to. I think it's good to seek God in this area and say Lord show me confirm your will. I'm seeking you show me a sign. Lord show me a sign. I Prayed that many times before when I felt compelled my wife I had to plant this church back in the early part of 2010.

I prayed that a lot Lord. You have to show me. This is ridiculous if you're not in it. I'm not. I'm not even gonna take another step until you're in it. And it was amazing the amount of confirmation that came within a week or two.

I don't have time to go into it now. Maybe sometime I will but just confirm confirmation confirm it that would never happen on its own. And I think that's the Lord showing us in my frailty in my weakness and my ability not to trust him a hundred percent and fully.

Unconditionally Lord like a little child daddy. Would you show me show me you're in this because I don't trust what's in here. And you need to come through and that's very healthy to do that. But it's interesting too.

Hypocrisy, Sin Struggles, and the Pharisees

I think I want to note this. Jesus called them hypocrites. That's where we get the word from a lot of times of people in the church. Yeah, there's just a bunch of hypocrites. There's just a bunch of hypocrites in the church.

Have you ever heard that? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but It well, it's true, but it's not. There there's not as many hypocrites in the church as what we think. There's a lot of people struggling with sin huge different difference.

And I've explained this before but of course it fits here and hypocrite is somebody like an actor or actress. They're putting on a mask. So who I am on Sunday is I know who I'm not on Monday, and I'm I'm a hypocrite.

I'm deceiving you. I have these great morals and principles that I talk about. But it's deception. I don't live that way. Now that's a lot different than people coming to church saying man. I'm struggling.

I'm falling sometimes I'm the sin has got me bound. Would you help me and and we saw your hypocrite? No, he's struggling. He's struggling with sin. He's not coming intentionally to deceive people. But that's how a lot of people get out of going to church.

Oh, there's just a bunch of hypocrites there. There are a few granted, but the majority of people who were calling hypocrites are not hypocrites. For example, I just mentioned that story in the news is that gentleman a hypocrite or Was it something he's repented of 15 years ago or 12 years ago?

And I'm not trying to take either sides because I know the big controversy. But is that is that being a hypocrite or is that someone struggling in? That sin not minimizing the victims whatsoever. They need as much support encouragement as anybody else.

But be very careful when you were we use the word hypocrite because what I found a lot of people aren't. They're not trying to deceive anybody they're coming to church they love God, but they Started this old pattern again, and they need help breaking through.

That's not a hypocrite. That's the majority of Christians Struggling so be very careful in that. Because the actual definition of a hypocrite is this a person who pretends to have virtues morals and principles.

That they do not actually possess. They are pretending That they're they're they're they're not really who they say they are and that doesn't fit a lot of people in the church. Some it does don't get me wrong.

Please don't understand but I think we throw everybody under that umbrella. You blew it you're hypocrite. No I'm struggling. Versus somebody who ah comes out later. Yeah, I was deceiving. I was a wolf in sheep's clothing I do not have I could care less about God.

I was playing church. I was going through the motions I was actually trying to draw some people away to me and I was trying to destroy your church. That's a hypocrite. You see the difference. It's a huge difference.

Seeking God Rather Than Signs and Wonders

Let's get back to this back to a wicked an adulterous generation seeks after a sign. Seeks after a sign and I want to bring in some practical application here because I've seen many Christians Including pastors get get all caught up in false Manifestations false things about God and it never turns out.

Well Here's the reason why God says seek First the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will fall into place. Now some churches don't have to deal with this other churches do different things.

But and I've talked about before that the signs and wonders gospel is not the gospel. The signs of you because they're seeking these things. They're not seeking God necessarily. They're seeking Weirdness, they're seeking things that are bizarre.

They're not seeking God. So we have to be careful. Where do we seek? That's not the gospel and the prosperity gospel is not the gospel God might prosper you and God brings signs and wonders God who can do miraculous things just talk to people on the mission field.

But you don't seek those things you see the difference. It looks like this if I'm coming to I'm just using example if I'm going to a Conference or something and and I just am going to seek some bizarre Experience or I'm gonna seek this you fill in the blank, you know, whatever that is you've seen the Holy Spirit be abused before many times some of you if they're going to seek that and I've got to get all Worked up and I'm there to to just get this electricity and I'm there to get this power and I'm there.

They're seeking the wrong thing. That's why an evil adulterous Generation seeks after a wrong thing. They seek after an experience or they they come to church. Do you know there's a lot of people? It doesn't happen here that I'm really aware of but bigger churches to a lot of times people actually go there seeking a downline.

It's in the it's in the rule book. Number one of marketing if you're a real estate agent. Do you want to go to a little church or a big huge church if you're in marketing or sales? Downline do you want to go to a little church or big church?

Come on guys. Numbers numbers numbers. It's all about numbers. Talk to as many people as you can. It sells its marketing. They're coming to church for the wrong reasons. They're seeking God for the wrong reasons.

They're coming in saying all the right things, but I see ten house listings out there. Or I see ten new clients to pick up on this new weight loss pill that's coming out. Do you know that there's been weight loss pills since the 1900s?

Just take this pill. Just take this pill. Just take this pill. Just take this pill. And that's now just wear this belt. Just wear this belt. Just wear this belt. Just wear now just take this product. Just take this product just and it's just come on folks.

Close this and move more. That's the key eat less health eat good take care of the good thing and move more move like God created us. That's the secret. That's the secret but everybody wants that little bullet that little pill and Usually that little pill has a lot of bad stuff in it.

That resembles crystal myth or cocaine very closely a Fedra high levels of caffeine to keep me. I'm not hungry. No wonder you're not hungry. You're about ready to snap. But that's why I'm way off track but their people go to they're seeking God for the wrong reasons.

Here we go, how many people come because I did this how many people come to church to find a mate. I confession 2000 for 15 years ago. I Was going to a young adult study and my motives, you know, they were I want The Word of God, but Lord, I finally said Lord.

I'm coming here to meet somebody and this is not right. I need to come here to seek you now. I met my wife there six weeks later. Praise God, but my motives were not good. Because you go to church you go my attract to anybody here nope, I won't be here next Sunday next church and Isn't that how that works though?

So if you look at the practical application of this verse it is enormous. Because what do we go to church seeking many people go to church seeking just a good feeling. Actually a lot of people come to church seeking conviction because if I can go to church I felt convicted.

It's like therapy now I can go home. Ah, man, like I'm a confession in the Roman Catholic Church. It kind of serves that role. I came to church Shane convicted me. I feel better next week. I'm feeling really bad I come to church.

I feel convicted now. I'm feeling really better. It serves as therapy or It's what good people do they come to church? Let me put something $20 in the offering box and I'm feeling pretty good. And I mean good people go to church I got to tell people I go to see all these wrong reasons for going to church.

The real reason is to come and worship God and to seek him. You you should come to church because I come to church every Saturday, even if I'm of course, I'm speaking. But I say Lord show me something Minister to me and help me minister to others.

Let this be a unique Saturday night Lord. How can we touch the lies Lord move in this place? We're here to seek you it's your service. So that's the framework here. That's why the signs and wonders gospel is not the real gospel nor is a prosperity gospel the real gospel.

Because you're seeking the wrong thing and it's interesting Jesus referred to the fact that they saw natural signs, but not spiritual signs. They said they could read the weather pattern they could see all these things but they could not read the spiritual signs and It's happening today to the secular media now is using words like Apocalyptic Armageddon, there's a date man.

This big signs are clearly that it's secular media even picks it up. So they say remember I mentioned a few weeks ago half the sum of California's gonna fall off in the coast now. They're measuring earthquakes and mammoth.

I said, well, I'm gonna be fishing on that crater in August. I hope it waits. Because I'm not living my life in that fear, but we see these signs. I Mean if I was an atheist and I just happen to read.

You know what Jesus's words signs earthquakes famines civil war unrest hmm, and you just see the connections there and You read elsewhere in the last days. They will become disobedient. Blasphemers proud unteachable arrogant lovers of money lovers of pleasure boastful.

Are we going in that direction? Oh, we're already there and we laugh. But when I was I remember when I was a kid. The things I mean the kid the things kids say now at eight or nine. I'm coaching a little 18.

I would have got my mouth slapped at 12. I mean, they're just disrespectful and belligerent and Where did this happen, it's like a tidal wave of disobedience and disrespect. Because in the last days as truth.

Here's what's happening as truth goes down evil comes up as you suppress truth evil comes up. Why are you probably many people and they're asking me. I get emails at least at least once every week or two.

Why are so many people coming out of the closet? Why are so many people want to change their gender? Bruce Jenner now, he's idle. Why why why. Because Romans says they suppress the truth when you when you suppress the truth and keep suppressing the truth God gives you over to your own debase and corrupted mind.

So what we're seeing now is a tsunami of sin and filth because we've been suppressing the truth. You used to have the Ten Commandments monuments out in front of courthouses in the public schools 50 years ago.

No, not now. We start removing God from everything from government to schools to church life to our family. Nice. You're suppressing the truth as you suppress that truth on godliness and unrighteousness comes out.

This is not a popular sermon. You're gonna hear on TBN tomorrow, but it's the truth. That's why all this stuff is coming out truth is going under. But there's a remnant. But God will bring revival. I believe he will awaken his people.

God still sits on the throne. He said he told us this 2 ,000 years ago. So that's what's happening and you're also seeing good being called evil and Evil being called good. Think about this. Hollywood loves what's going on with Bruce Jenner?

They would know they would love nothing more than to hear in the news tomorrow that this pastor died of a heart attack. Let's just be true. Let's just be honest. They hate what I'm saying what I'm saying, what is good they say is evil and Things that are evil and wrong.

They're calling good. So we're seeing that that whole twist in a culture. That's why these things are coming up. I Mean, isn't it? Are you just looking going who's next where it's coming. It's coming up.

Everybody's coming out of the closet. It's time for Christians to come out of the closet too and say we will seek God with all of our heart with all of Our soul with all of our strength. The majority is now becoming the minority and God says good Gideon's army.

Now I can get you down to the faithful few who actually pray and fast and seek me with all of your heart. You know, God doesn't need a big church. He just needs a faithful few. That's all he's looking for.

Because one plus God equals a majority. That's why I'm not really worried. One plus God equals a majority when God's in it when he's in it. That is the majority. So you might be saying what is the best way to seek God the right way now, I've got everybody scared about seeking him the wrong way.

Staying in the Word, Prayer, and Obedience

How do we seek him the right way? Very simple. I've talked about this often, but I have to talk about again stay pray and obey. It's a little thing. I learned 15 years ago that help has helped me greatly.

Stay in his word obey his principles and pray for direction often. You cannot go wrong doing that stay pray and obey. Stay in his word. Most people say no don't want to do that one obey his principles.

No, I don't want to do that one and pray often become men and women of prayer. I don't want a time when time allows I can do that. You see why it's not working. Because that's foundational and I want to say this about the Bible too.

I've said it a lot and haven't really Made this point too clear. We talk about principles to follow, you know, the Bible says do this the Bible says do this but something interesting I I think we forget is this this literally literally transforms your mind.

It renews your thinking. So it's not just follow this and yet, but your mind actually changes. So when you're in the Word of God and not the media you you you just change. Your heart changes things that used to upset you now.

Don't things that you used to be addicted to and you couldn't say no to now your whole because now your whole heart and mind is Changed that's how powerful the Word of God is. It's not just a good book with suggestions.

It reprograms the mind. Because Paul says don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So it actually changes an individual. That's why I said a few weeks ago, that's why places like Teen Challenge and other rehab centers are so successful.

Is it because they just do certain things that nobody else has thought of. No they renew the mind. When you're in this two or three hours a day and your whole environment changes now, it's God-centered you change.

You come out of there changed. I don't want to take that again. I don't want to drink that again. I'm changed because I renewed my mind. But then what does the devil do? Is that a temptation is that a distraction and then Pulls us back in that direction.

I Was doing so good that and then pulls us back and I got to get back in and renew my mind. So that's why we encourage people to stay in this consistently because it renews your mind. There's a battle out there.

There's a battle weight raging and we have to read so that's what I want the point I want to get across because I'm gonna say read your Bible read your Bible read your Bible. Your mom said read your Bible pastor says read your Bible, but there's not just reading your Bible you change your your mind.

It literally changes good example. I started I got off track recently with little kids and at night and getting too much done I'm now trying to before an hour before I go to bed. I'm trying to get a Lot of good reading and I've got Andrew Murray's book.

I don't know if you know that is if you don't pick up some of his book Andrew Murray Ian bounds on prayer. I go to I go to bed. I'm I can't wait to get up in the morning. I is it 230 is it for I can't wait to get up because I've been hungry on that Word of God.

I've been hungry on prayer. He talks about getting into Word of God and feasting on it letting it not commentaries. But letting the Word of God change you and challenge you and I'm I can't wait to do that tomorrow morning.

Why. Because I put that in a night now my whole attitude has changed towards that reading George Mueller about orphanages and seeking God in prayer and Him fully surrendering life and how God has worked and how he became a man of prayer and these guys would spend two three hours In prayer that's boring.

No, it's not boring. They were filled with the right thing. So when I put that in guess what I want in the morning I can't wait to get get into the prayer closet. That's how men and women of God should operate because they're renewing their mind.

The problem is we turn on Isis updates and Earthquakes and mammoth mammoth. People email me they think they're like Shane. Don't you live right there? What are you gonna do? What do you mean what I'm going to do?

I'm gonna go to church and preach and we're and that's I'm not gonna live a life of fear. But so many people want to knock us off that that that that that pedestal of trusting in God because misery loves company and It's a Christians who are nowadays Putting so much misery out there and they're not focusing on the Word of God.

And we can identify it nine times out of ten. You can identify when somebody's not Focusing on the Word of God very simple. There's no fruit of the Spirit. There's no love and peace and gentleness and think about this.

Is this you love joy peace gentleness calmness goodness faithfulness self-control or is there anger. Anxiety panic attacks preparing this this is we're just constantly bombarded. So be very careful in this area as well.

The Word of God literally renews your mind. We have to keep our hearts pliable humble and broken before the Lord as we seek him and he will direct us. You have to have your heart in the right spot for him to direct you and I want to say this to somebody too I hope it helps stay usable stay usable.

Becoming Usable Through Obedience and Ministry

Many people aren't usable for God if God will give him this ministry in this time slot on this day with this sort of income then I'm usable. That's not usable. We tell God what we want to do. I want to minister to The the person who's got it all together and the family who's this and I don't want to go talk to homeless.

And I know you're not usable. It's hard to be usable though. Isn't it because we do we our flesh wants to pick the comfort pet the path of least resistance the comfortable path. Give you example about five hours ago.

I got a call that there's a 14 year old girl dying of cancer. She's got about a week left and the family's requesting a pastor. Can I be there tonight after the service? What did I say? No, I'm too busy, of course.

Use it, but did the flesh want that? It's hard it's difficult it's man I'm not. I don't like this when it deals with kids but usable look wherever you want to use me you I Have to be ready to go. So do you and The good news about this is many people are convicted.

I am too about this area. God says good. That's why she brought this message because now you need to get back into being usable again. Because we do we get too comfortable. We've got hospital homes. We've got three hospital homes.

They want to open to six homes or terminally ill patients or patients that are very sick and we don't have enough people to go visit these these hospital homes. A Church doesn't have enough people to go visit these people.

It just perplexes me. I Mean do we want the right environment next to our house with the air conditioning on before the game starts? I? Mean folks if you're gonna get out and do anything for God, you've got to be usable.

You've got to be flexible and pliable and say Lord wherever you want me to send me. Because often it has to do with ministering to those you normally wouldn't go to on your own. That's why it's called ministry.

If it's not called ministry, it's called a social gathering or a potluck. That's easy but ministry is difficult and I came across this article that Joe McIver wrote on The Christian Post opinion page and he talks about a pastor named Bruce MacGyver, he was a longtime pastor of Dallas Wilshire Baptist Church.

He used to tell a story of a man in his former church who was without any evidence of human giftedness. This man could not stand before a group and say a word his attempts in business would all come to nothing his family life was in shambles and yet he was faithful in church attendance.

That's what that's what caught my eye. One day Bruce and the man found themselves in a car alone traveling to a funeral. That's when the man decided to open up to his pastor and ended up giving him a lesson.

He'd never forget the man said pastor. I want to tell you something. I've never shared with anybody before. You're going to find this hard to believe but when I graduated from high school I was named most likely to succeed at the commencement.

I won the orators medal means he was he was a good speaker. People used to come up on the street and say you're going to make your mark in this world. You're going to do great things as a young adult.

I got all the definite impression I got the definite impression that God wanted me to devote those gifts to him. But I resisted that call. I had other things to do more important things. I thought. For 20 years every time I set foot in the church that beckoning appeared it was constant, but I continued to deny it.

That was long ago and you see what has happened. All my gift in this has wasted away from disuse my business ventures have failed and my family life is a grief. It's falling apart. I'm telling you all this so that perhaps you can use it sometimes when you're speaking before a group.

They have their lives before them. I wish you could tell them about me and then say it may cost a lot to say yes to God. But it costs even more to say no and that is true. Disobedience when God is calling us to do something disobedience results in what I call spiritual death.

See it's impossible. This this is another point last night Andrew Murray was to had a whole chapter on obedience to God. It just I had to put the book down said oh my god. It's everywhere God says I desire obedience not sacrifice.

Those who are obedient obey my word. Those who love me keep my commandments and it's throughout all of Scripture and disobedience leads to heartbreak. Now, let me put in a disclaimer. We cannot serve God perfectly on this side of heaven.

Me included. There's many things that I fall short on and trying to obey him. But if there's areas in your life that you know, God is saying do this do this do this. Fighting that will not improve things.

Hiding from God's call will not improve things. Disobedience leads to disappointment. Disobedience leads to spiritual death. What I mean by that is people can die spiritually. Have you ever been there?

I have the life of God is out of you. Not literally, but there's no passion for the things of God. Church attendance is difficult. And I think that's why church attendance is very difficult for most people.