Covid-19: Hysteria or Health Concern? — Shane Idleman

Here's my challenge this week. I want to speak into what's going on to some degree, but I don't want to have that time take away from really looking at God's word and strengthening and building us up because we all know that's what we really need.

That's why we're here this morning. And I didn't know what to expect this morning at our early morning worship prayer, but we had 60 people just seeking God and looking for his strength. But my plans changed radically.

I don't know about yours. A lot has changed. And I want to speak into a few different issues before I get into the main thrust of the message. Regarding my sabbatical, we're taking it day by day. I mean, obviously, right now, it doesn't look like that's going to continue.

You know, the captain can't go hide in his office when the Titanic has been struck. These are usually the times when we need to step up our game, not continue to back off of it. So again, day by day, but that's what it's looking like now.

Number two point I wanted to get across to you. You know, not everyone is excited about today's service. You know, I hear from those who are, you know, not understanding things. Our church position is that we do obey governmental authorities when it doesn't go against God's word.

Scripture is clear on that. And they are not going against God's word. They're telling churches, they're limiting churches. First it was an encouragement at 250 people in one room. I don't know if the balcony will count.

We're gonna have to figure that out. But they encouraged that. And then the governor just released, I think it was Saturday, Friday night, where it's mandated in California 250. And then, you know, the city here locally, we don't follow under the city jurisdiction, we actually follow under LA County jurisdiction with the county supervisors.

And so I've got friends in those departments were looking, you know, we're just keeping an eye on things because we don't want to, here's a hard balancing act. We want to submit to the governing authorities, use wisdom and do what we can.

But at the same time, we can't be handcuffed to a spirit of fear. Now, welcome to my world and trying to find that balance. So that's what we'll be seeking. That's what we'll be looking for. We're not going to be a rebellious church.

I don't care what they say. We're gonna, you know, because we have to use cautious, we have to be cautious. We have to use wisdom. What is the spirit of God? What is he wanting? Also, number three, we have to remember who we are.

As a church, as Christians, we actually run into battle. We don't run from the battle. We run into the battle. We are the difference makers. We look to God and God alone. So the church has to be that voice.

On one hand, you have people, the world watching saying, aha, you're canceling services. I knew you couldn't trust in God. But on the other hand, you have people saying, why are you spreading something that shouldn't be spread?

And you're trying to find that balance there. I'm going to get into this in just a minute. Number four, we want to use wisdom, but we don't want to let fear control us. And talking to our local officials, and the sheriff's department and the hospitals, I can see a lot of times where they're coming from, because the hospitals are already, you know, at capacity.

And if there is more outbreaks here locally, the hospitals are going to be inundated. So nurses or, you know, doctors, it's so we don't want to give them more of a burden, but we also don't want to let fear when actually the very thing we need might be the very thing we're running from that being God.

You know, how do you be led of the Spirit and be sensitive? Because the Bible does command us to obey our governing authorities. Unless that governing authority says you can no longer worship God and seek God and look to the Bible, you have to look to this God being Caesar or whoever.

So it's a balancing act of finding that balance. But we do want to encourage people, if you're remotely sick, definitely stay at home. If you're elderly and you have a compromised immune system, we want you to encourage you to stay at home.

And these are just wise things to do. Because I also believe that the Bible doesn't want us to tempt or test God. When God says, if you pick up a serpent, you're not going to be bit, you're not going to die.

If you're immortal in the center of God's will. Now, how foolish would I be to go out and grab a rattlesnake? Yeah, I'm going to quote that scripture. See, that's a mocking of God's Word. That's a kind of a defiance there.

God's saying, if in the act of ministry, if going out and ministering to people, the deadly serpent doesn't bite you or the poison, you know, you will not be harmed. If you're in the center of God's will, you are immortal.

Now, people do die in the center of God's will. Absolutely. But it's finding again, that balance. So we're going to use wisdom, but not let fear control us. We would also encourage the church people have been asking, obviously continue many, many are watching online now, I would continue to support your local church, where many all churches are going to take some type of financial hit.

Of course, this is we don't know where this is going to end up. We're trusting in God, but we want to encourage people to still continue to support works of ministry, because we do have families who want to reach out to families in need.

It's also a not a recommendation, but something we want to do here. If there's those shut in at home, the elderly or those shut at home, let us know we'd like to be the hands and feet of Jesus and help in that area.

We've got people that are hurt financially. So this is actually a time not to really decrease our giving, but to maintain that giving and I believe God will bless that as well. Number six. Oh, this is a biggie.

Grace, Family Leadership, and Wise Counsel

Be gracious. Be gracious. Not everyone sees things as you see things. You're going to have nurses and doctors might see things a little bit different than how you see them. You're going to see the anti vaccine people not agree with things that vaccine people agree with.

And we've got to be very gracious with one another on Facebook. And I posted something the other day, my wife said, Oh, that probably wasn't a good idea. You hurt feelings. I'm like, Yeah, I probably did.

I got to watch that, you know, and it's just funny things, right? You want to bring some humor, but some things that it hurts. I'm sure you want to know what I posted, but I'm not sure I want to tell you.

It was from it. I'll tell you. It was because I apologize and repent it, but it was from a satire website. And the headline was parents are worried they'll have to raise their own children as government shut down the schools.

But some but some people really rely on the schools, you know, to get to work and things. So I kind of probably shouldn't have done that one. But you know, so I'm learning to be gracious. I get upset at some of the misinformation out there.

I will say this. Men, now is the time to lead your families. Did you catch that? Men, now it's time to lead your families, not in a spirit of fear. We're not having a spirit of fear in our home. We're educating our children, we're equipping our children.

And if you're single, or if you don't have a husband at home, or maybe a spiritual husband, then lead your families in the right direction. This is when others are listening to what we're saying, listening to what we're doing.

We have a huge amount of influence that we're not really aware of. Many people don't know this as well, because we don't say a lot. We don't toot our horn too often. But this church has some influence even nationally.

Five people right now on the President's Advisory Board are following what we do at this church and this ministry. I hear from them. I did a podcast with one of them on Friday. We'll be releasing it soon.

So we have to be very, we have to be stewards, stewards of this gift that God has given us called West Side Christian Fellowship. So I'm just asking for your prayers on what that looks like. Because every decision I make is upsetting someone.

Think about that. Try that for a while. Every decision, every choice with what we do with services, there's opinions out there. So that's why at this point, we really need to seek God and God alone. But listen to the advice of others.

Listen to wise counsel. We need to do that. But a lot of people are responding in fear. They're reacting in fear. They're not responding into what God's Word says. So let me just get into this. This is going to be a popularity warning.

Conviction, Repentance, and the Call to Revival

What I mean by that is this is not going to be popular. What I'm about to say right here, I got actually from John Piper. I was thinking along the same thoughts as he was in his recent article, kind of confirm what I was feeling.

Because in these times, we not only need to encourage from the pulpit, we also need to convict. These are wake up call times. These are times where people need to be convicted in their sin. They need to be convicted and point them to Jesus.

A friend of mine who is moved somewhere so he could enjoy the party life. And we text him back and forth. He's like, man, I sure hope they come up with a cure vaccine soon. Even though the flu has a vaccine, by the way, you know, doesn't always work.

Can't trust in that. I'm going to get emails on that one too. Let me just get back to the point. So I said there's already a cure. Haven't you heard? And he texted me. I'm like 2 Chronicles 714. If my people, and I believe that.

I believe God's word is that powerful. That if his people call upon his name, he will hear from heaven and begin to heal their land. Listen, at some point, you have to say God's word is not just theories in a book, but it's a life to be lived.

It's a faith to be grasped. It's a boldness to walk in the courage and strength of the Lord. Either you believe it or you don't. God's word is eternal. God's word is truth. And you remind people of those promises.

So what is happening? Well, here's what could be happening. Spiritual sin affects all of us. As John Piper wrote, when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, God ordained that the created order, including our physical bodies, would experience corruption and futility as a result of sin.

This is what happens in a sinful, fallen world. But also sickness can redirect us. God sometimes inflicts sickness on his people as a purifying and rescuing judgment, which is not condemnation, but an act of mercy for his saving purposes.

I can tell you this much. Millions and millions and millions and millions of more prayers have went up this week. Oh, many more people. The president of the United States of America calls a national day of prayer today.

That sees. And I don't like this any more than you do, but I've been ordained and called by God to speak the truth in love. You will not experience revival without pain. If you look at all the past revivals, I can take you to the first great awakening.

America, they said in their journals of Wesley and Whitfield and Edwards, they said there were such debauchery as we had never seen before. The drunkenness, the sexual sin. And then see God in all of that.

God says now there's revival. Why? Because their birth has to take place. There has to be travail. There has to be a pregnancy. There has to be a pain. Then the child is born. When Zion travails, sons and daughters are born.

Revival. There's always pain in that revival. God's got to get his people to a spot of brokenness and humility. And it hurts, doesn't it? I wish it was the opposite. I wish it's when we're watching sports all day and eating too much and life is comfortable.

That's when God brings reawakening revival. It's often the opposite. In the midst of sickness and disease, turmoil and tragedy. Out of World War II came an incredible prayer movement. All the tragedies can point you to God if you let them.

So sickness can redirect. But also number three, sickness can be a judgment from God. Boy, that's a point we want to gloss over. Sickness can be a judgment. God sometimes uses disease to bring particular judgments upon those who reject him and give themselves over to sin.

I like what Billy Graham said many years ago, if God doesn't judge America, he'll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. Yes, we're concerned about the deaths that have occurred. But do you know how many innocent children were slaughtered during the time I came up here?

Where's the outcry? And then number four, God's thunderclap. All natural disasters, whether floods, famines, locusts, tsunami, disease are a thunderclap of divine mercy in the midst of judgment, calling all people everywhere to repent and realign their lives by grace with the infinite worth of the glory of God.

So in the midst of great tragedy can be also great triumph. So before I get into really the scriptures to encourage, I want to give you four practical tips because I believe, as I was thinking about this, actually a good, I don't know how many you've read the bulletin, but I left my house at 4 .30 on Thursday morning, got to Burbank Airport and flew into Dallas-Fort Worth on my way to Michigan.

On the tarmac in Dallas-Fort Worth, I opened my email and it says my event's been canceled. I go, that's nice to know. Three hours ago, it would have been much better timing. So I waited, the next flight was seven at night to get back.

So it was an 18 hour day there in the airport. But fortunately, I was able to put a lot of this together, just stuff that I was putting on my heart. And God brought these things to mind, just reading a lot of what's going on, same things that you are.

And I believe that sermons should have an element of practical application. I think we should be able to speak to people practically as well. And I want to just do that if I could this morning. Number one, as we go into the season, make sure you're getting your facts from reputable sources.

Amen? Get your facts from reputable sources. I found a good one. People will Google this, I'm sure. It's called the Coronavirus Explained by an Infectious Disease Expert and a Pastor. March 11th by Miguel Nunez.

It's on the Gospel Coalition. You can find good information from unbiased sources. And let me just sum everything up for you. The reason why this is so alarming, two reasons, really, is the fear of the unknown.

You know, I don't want to break down the strain of the Coronavirus or COVID -19. And it's a fear of the unknown. How many affected? How is this going to turn out? It's really killing our economy. That, you know, they don't know what to do with it.

They're just, this is a new thing. But the bigger fear is being what's stirred up in the media. That's really where this is coming from. And that's why you'll use, they'll use the language like the death toll.

And I'm not minimizing even one death. But if you compare that to the flu, if you compare it to other things, it's being grossly, grossly exaggerated. And how many people have come down with the virus that are fine?

And there's a working through process of this. And so there's a fear factor that's going on. And unless some of you don't know this, I will tell you up front, there is a big ulterior motive behind a lot of this.

So yes, this is a valid concern to some degree, of course, who's not, I mean, we're not naive. But also, if you had a different president in office, this would be downplayed. As soon as you see a media article that says, presidential elections will be canceled.

You have President Trump for four more years, you'd see the media really quickly change their entire tune. They would change, oh, no, everything's fine. Everything's fine. You can find articles. Did you know that Bill Maher said this, a left wing, I'm hoping for a crash of the economy so we can get rid of Trump, bring on the recession.

The New York Times exposed the real reason behind the coronavirus hype, crash the market to harm Trump's reelection chances. Folks, this is truth. This is a reality. This is why they're creating chaos and frenzy.

Look at everything, the top news stories. It's just all about alarming the people and upsetting the people. The media is creating this fear frenzy. Why don't they report on every flu victim that died last year, 30 ,000 people here just from the flu.

Death toll rises to 20. Why? Because there's an agenda behind this. Now, I'm not minimizing what's happening. I'm not living in a bubble. I'm not naive. But at the same time, you have to remember the forces working behind this.

Have you ever heard that phrase, stirring the pot? Yeah, everything's fine till someone stirs the pot. Now, I'm not saying everything's fine, but there's a pot stirring. This is pot stirring at its greatest.

And here's why. Maybe it's just me feeling this way, but the response of what's going on doesn't match what the virus is producing. You know, you think this is a black plague, like closing down everything.

Because see, when the economy crumbles, mass hysteria, civil unrest, the agenda begins to come into play, what's trying to be pushed behind all this. Now, of course, God allowed it. It could be of just natural origin.

It could be the Chinese maybe created. Who knows? All we know is it's something. We have to deal with it. We have to deal with it the right way and use wisdom. But make no mistake about it, how they're reacting to what this is.

I think it's in China they just released 60 ,000 people because now they're fine who initially had the virus. At some point, the body builds up immunity with the antibodies, the white blood cells, and your immune system begins to work against these things.

So our response must be physical or spiritual. Well, okay, both, I'll give you that. But primarily, our response needs to be spiritual. That's why the president called a national day of prayer. That's why we had 6am worship this morning, all Sundays.

That's why a group were here all night last night, praying and seeking God. That's why we're having prayer every day at 12 o 'clock over the hill there in Lancaster. More information is, guess where at?

In the bulletin or get some of your lead. We're doing that. Our response has to be spiritual. Do we ever walk by or sign out front for months and months and now finally we can apply it? If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and I believe that God will begin to renew his people.

Fasting, Reliable Information, and Practical Preparation

So what we're also going to do is call the church for those who can or want to, we want to call a time of fasting. For those who would like to do this, we're going to begin on the 22nd of this month and three weeks is to Easter.

21 days of fasting, whatever that looks like to you. It could be missing meals, it could be water fasting, juice fasting. This isn't a time where you bend God's arm. What fasting does is it positions your heart to hear more clearly from God.

It shows God how bad do we want this. And you can look at Ezra, you can look at Nehemiah, you can look at David. Throughout the Old Testament history, they would call people, sound the alarm. Sound the alarm.

Call a sacred assembly. Let us begin to petition God again with prayer and fasting. Fasting starves the appetites of the flesh and it allows you to begin to seek the heart of God. And number two on this practical information section, be informed, not overwhelmed.

Amen? Be informed, not overwhelmed. And I want to, you know, talk to you a little bit more about this, but I think we all are kind of on the same page. We want to be informed. We want to wash our hands.

Amen? Haven't we been saying that forever? You know, and if somebody's sick, you know, encourage them to just stay home and get some sleep and just practical things we can be doing. We want to respond to love.

We don't want to hold the rattle stake and entertain it. Do you know there's people who hold rattlesnakes in church services? In the South, Pentecostal, and they've died quoting that scripture. There's, there, you must find that balance.

And I remember on this issue, I saw Howie Mandel show up for work in his hazmat suit and, and big, you know, mask and different things and, and pray for those people. They, it's a true fear. It's a, it's a paranoia because often it's because they don't know God.

So of course they're fearful. They're fearful of anything because we have to point them to the true source of hope and peace, which is God and God alone. But they can't understand it, right? Because the heart hasn't been converted.

As soon as the heart is converted, that's where peace and joy come from. Now I'm going to give you a, just a heads up here. Your panic level is directly related to how much media you're watching. You want to write that one down?

Your panic level, the panic level that you're seeing out there is directly related to how much media a person is watching and listening to. Because you're not even, believers aren't even given a spirit of fear.

Fear has to be fostered. Fear has to be fueled. Fear has to be sought and embraced. You don't have that spirit of fear within you. You have peace and love and a sound mind that God has given you. So we actually have to go out and find fear and then feed on it.

And then from that, we are fearful. That's where fear comes from in the life of a believer. Now with kids and not expecting things, fear comes into my heart sometimes, into my mind. And we have to learn to just cast away that fear.

And then number three, obviously do what you can physically. Do what you can physically. A healthy immune system. Now I'm not going to go into a lot of detail because I have on YouTube, you can find it under fasting forum or the health expo.

There's great ways to build up your immune system. But we have to remember that those things in and of themselves don't really fix a problem. And what I mean by that is I talked to a friend of mine at a health food store.

He said, we sold out of all elderberry, clodial silver, and echinacea, olive leaf oil. And I said, yeah, as they're driving to Carl's Jr. You know, it's a lifestyle. A lot of those things I just mentioned affect your immunity because your immunity requires a response.

You take turmeric and cucumin and all those things that are good. You know, I'm not, I'm not shying away from that. But the best thing you can do for your body is less stress, more time in God's word, deep sleep.

And people, here's the sad thing. Now people are running to alcohol and medication. That's not going to help. The people are posting things. They think it's funny. It kind of is, but it's, it's like, it's like pretty, people, pretty soon the liquor stores are going to look like Costco.

If these kids are home any longer, you know, because everybody's worried about everybody being at home and, and turning to liquor and tranquilizers and Xanax, and that's not going to, those things by nature don't help with fear.

They actually, did you know that one of the withdraws of medication alcohol is fear and anxiety? When you're coming off of that, it actually, it heightens it. So my thought is rest, good food, good diet, take nutrients.

I could go into a whole discourse right now about the importance of high dosages of vitamin C. Don't take my word for it. Look it up. Look at all the studies. They used to give cancer patients intravenously dripping high, high doses of vitamin C to actually kill the cancer cells.

Now they don't allow that in America. That's why people go to Mexico and different places, but there's, God has given us natural remedies as well, but you don't trust in those. You know what I mean? In other words, I'm not going to go grab a whole bunch of natural remedies and, and, and trust in those.

I'm using all things that God has given us to take care of our bodies through prayer. Did you know fasting is a great immunity builder? Fasting and taking time. There's a food shortage, but that can be okay if you turn to fasting and prayer and seeking God.

Isn't it interesting? We live in a time where a piece of, a roll of toilet paper is more important than the word of God. Nobody, I've, have you seen a story where bookstores are running out of the Bible?

Think about that for a minute. Because we're allowing, if we didn't read that in the media, Costco would not be full and gone and missing and Trader Joe's. I just wanted some bread. It's all gone. What, what, what, what's creating this?

It's a frenzy and we have to be careful who and what we read. Yes, be equipped. I got it. But what is really influencing you? And then four, this is where I really want to get to this morning. We must consume spiritual food.

Amen. We must consume spiritual food throughout the old Testament, even into the new. There was one general theme. The Bible says, be strong and be courageous, be strong and be courageous. And there's a verse I keep falling on the last week.

It was, it was actually given to a high priest named Azariah in the old Testament. And it's something interesting. You're not gonna believe this. It says, in those days, in 2 Chronicles, I believe, in those days, it was not safe to travel about.

For all the inhabitants of the land were in great turmoil. But as for you, be strong and do not give up for your work will be rewarded. See, I take those promises to the bank. There is a hope if we look to the right source, is there not?

And I've heard you guys have been doing a new song while I've been gone. I've been a little jealous. I'm glad Brad did it this morning. There is a song, I know it well. You guys pay attention before I came up.

A melody that never fails on mountains high or valleys low. My confidence, my hope will rest in you and you alone. Folks, you've got to get back to that. That has to be your anchor. If you're not in worship and in the Word and prayer more than the media, you will be swayed.

Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So if the mind is not be renewing, mine included, if it's not be renewing and renewed and reprogrammed back into, oh, that's right.

That's what God's Word. Haven't you done that before? Oh, that's right. That's what God's Word says. We're gonna be okay. I forgot. CNN says we're not. I mean, you look at the headlines. Worst case scenario by the CDC.

I don't wanna know the worst case scenario. I wanna know best case scenario by God. And we have to reprogram and renew our mind. Saturate your mind on these truths. Proverbs 3, 5. Trust in the Lord with some of your heart.

What? Oh, I gotta fix that for the next service. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. What that word lean means is it's it's I'm kinda putting myself up against something like I'm propping myself up against this pulpit.

I'm leaning against. I'm looking for support. I'm hoping in this will not fall. So if I'm leaning on my own understanding, I'm not going to get good direction. In all my ways, acknowledge God and he will direct your path.

So trust in the Lord with all your heart. So what does that mean? God, my finances, my health, my relationships, my children. I'm Lord, I'm trusting you. I'm trusting you with all my my heart, all my soul.

And I'm amazed that a thousand people can go to Costco but they don't wanna come to church. The only people push the little things for your credit card by the time you check out? Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds.

Where's the outcry? You ever seen the doors open at Costco? They're running. They are running to get some. Where are they running to church? They're like, God, I need more of you. I need more of you because they're not trusting in the Lord and God Almighty.

So remember that trust in the Lord. That means trust means put your thoughts, your finances, your marriage, your children. Anybody worried about their kids or grandkids? What we're leaving them, what the what you you put all that into the hands of the Lord.

And then Psalm 28, seven, the Lord is my strength and my shield. In him, my heart trusts. My heart exalts. And with my song, I give thanks to him. So now we have a verse that talks about where my heart is at.

My heart is giving thanks to God and getting off the pity party. Anybody start a pity party this week? Check your retirement has dropped 30%. In our case, all of our family events have been canceled, all the stuff that kids were looking forward to all the my daughter's in gymnastics and was going to do state and finals and go to the regionals and done.

It's everything's over as everything's canceled. And you begin to, you know, you begin to have a pity party. And you begin to, you know, kind of traveling or this or that. But we have to remember that God tells us to give thanks to him.

Well, look at the houses we live in the the opportunity that's out there that this could be a great opportunity to witness to God and to really bring our lives back and really hone them in what is really important.

Do you know a lot of idolatry was just removed? What am I going to do all day sports is gone? Well, I don't know what to tell you. But we need trust in God and be thankful. Matthew 625. Therefore I tell you, this is Jesus, do not be anxious about your life unless a major virus hits the scene.

Do not be anxious about your life unless it gets really bad. Do not be anxious about your life unless it gets challenging and difficult. That's one thing I love about the Bible. There's not a lot of wiggle room.

Jesus, it's like it's like Jesus said, do not be anxious about anything. Why? Because I'm still on the throne. I'm still the Prince of Peace. I'm still who's going to fire Jesus. Have you thought about that?

Everything shut down except God. God doesn't go to sleep. He said he told Israel. He, he told the nation of Israel. He said, I am an ever present help in time of need. I do not sleep. I do not slumber.

There are no gods before me that all the other gods are but rubbish. But this God, the living God, I will not sleep. I will not slumber. Israel, America, if you just call on the name of the Lord, you will be saved.

Not you might, not God will consider. It's an ever present help saying, come to me all are weak and heavy laden. Seek me with all of your heart and you will find me. Cast your burdens on me because my prayer is light.

Oh, I've been missing preaching. I'm glad I came back for just a little bit because it's that spirit of God. It's the spirit of God taking over, pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments. Who's going to conquer God?

Who's going to tell God what to do and what not to do? Who's going to silence the voice of God when God says, I will work all things together for those who love him, for those who called according to his purpose.

I will work all that together. Listen, this is a pie in the sky. I really believe this stuff. I've lived it. Did you know you have to go through things like this to really know who God is? Does a person ever get in shape without training their body?

Develop muscles where there's tension, there's pressure because of that. Do not be anxious about your life. Oh, wow, this is really relevant. What you will eat. Costco, what you will drink. I mean, it's kind of funny, but it's not.

We just go there for normal stuff. You know, there are houses somewhere. If this is you, you need to repent and bring it here. I can picture, I can really picture closets full of toilet paper. All right, Lord, I hope this is you because I told myself I wouldn't say it, but it came back to mind.

We're going to have to actually lock up our toilet paper here. We've had some missing from last week. It needs to be brought to the surface. Listen, there's so many rabbit trails I could take right now and get political and funny, but I'm not going to because Jesus says, don't be anxious.

Don't be anxious about what you eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is life more than food and the body more than clothing? Is life not more than food and body more than clothing?

It is. So when we trust in Jesus, here's what we forget. Yes, you will go through challenging times. Some listening to this will lose their job. There's a lot listening, I'm sure going to be in live stream too.

Some listening will come down with COVID -19. Some will probably pass away. Some will be stripped of financial resources, of plans, all kinds of things. Yes, the Christian life is not about, I know we've been told it's your best life now and you can have all this good stuff and a big house and all, but that's not the Christianity of the Bible.