The Faith In Action

welcome to this week's crowd church service we are a digital Church on a quest to discover how Jesus helps us live a more meaningful life we are a community a space to explore the Christian faith and a place where you can contribute and grow our service will last about an hour and in a few seconds we will start with a time of worship after which you will meet our hosts for our service who will introduce today's talk after the talk we head into conversation Street where we look at your stories and questions that you've posted in the comments throughout the live stream I want to invite you to connect with us here at crowd church and there are a few ways that you can do just that firstly you can engage with crowd from any device during our live stream and if you're up for it why not invite a a few friends over and experience the service together you see church is all about connecting with God and connecting with others and one of the easiest ways for you to do that is to also Join one of our midweek groups where we meet online together to catch up and discover more about the amazingness of Christ you can also subscribe to our podcast called what's the story where we Deep dive into stories of faith and courage from everyday people more information about all of these things that I've mentioned can be found on our website at www.c crow. or you can reach us uh on social media at crowd church if you're new to crowd or new to the Christian faith and would like to know what your next steps to take are well why not head over to our website crowd. church sln next for more details and now the moment you've been waiting for is here our online church service starts right now well hello and welcome to crowd online Church great to see you great that you're here with us uh for those of you who don't know me my name is Matt Edmonson I get to be part of the team here and beside me probably more importantly uh is Jan Jan bur and Jan your first time hosting crowd welcome is thank you you're in the driving well I'm in the driving seat you're in the passenger seat how does it feel yeah scary yeah well when you've got people like Matt crew in the comments there plenty to scared about isn't there really so uh very warm welcome to you do say hi to Jan uh if you're in the comments if you're watching us live do come say hi in the comments be great to hear from you um yeah and it's also Remembering Sunday we would have saying that weren't we yes um I've not had I'm a little bit rushed tonight uh getting the live stream ready for reasons which I won't bore you with but uh we're a little bit rushed and so I've not had a chance to get everything sorted out one of which is the uh minute silence that we normally do on crowd so I will try and resolve that whilst the talk is going on um but yes remember on Sunday we're going to talk about that probably after the talk a little bit more so just to acknowledge that it is rembrance Sunday popular Sunday today for those of you outside of the UK uh remembrance Sunday is like um uh Memorial Sunday what do they call it in the states Memorial Day yeah I think it's Memorial day isn't it yeah yeah we call it Rememberance Sunday it's we remember the the ones that have gone before us and you know uh sort of fought in wars and all that kind of stuff so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have um so yeah remember on Sunday we've got Nica in the comments even in Nicola or even in la la as we like to say hi Nicola got Matt crow in the comments mat Matt's saying here I can add this to the broadcast saying uh welcome to the crowd church family Jen ah thank you thank you very much and Denny's actually he's he's he's trying to is's look he's put Jam Birch Legend yeah don't know how he knows that is it not true don't think so no I'm sure it is I'm sure it is Jen uh but yes do say hi in the comments uh so tonight I've not prepped you for this actually but you do know what's coming up I do what's coming up it's Chris hulc the right Reverend Chris say right Reverend he's not right Reverend at all no uh Dr Chris in fact he's gone Mis he's gone beyond doctor now hasn't he Mr oh is he a professor I have no idea but you don't call him Dr hul you call him Mr hul there is a surgeon yeah yeah yeah so in the UK If you're watching outside of the UK the way this works is when you're a doctor you're a doctor you've got you can call yourself a doctor but then you and you know this because you're in the medical field uh after a while you stop being a doctor and you become a mister again don't you yeah the more senior you are yeah yeah which is bizarre yeah it's mainly to do with surger surgery okay um medical doctors tend to be doctor but um surgeons are Mr or Miss yeah so you you work really hard and go back to your original title of St yeah all the hard work it's generally how it works um so yeah Jenny's in the comments hey Jenny how you doing good to see you always nice to see you uh yeah so uh we've got Mr Chris Hulan because he is he's gone through the doctor bit and he's like he's a very good he's a very good surgeon he is I believe he is yeah yep so we've got Chris hul tonight talk carrying us on in our in our journey I was going to say story it's not a story in our journey through the book of Acts uh he is taking us forward um even in Matt still feeling good about your new decade now I'm assuming Jenny I'm gonna put this on the broadcast because I can I'm assuming you're talking to Matt crew ah because Matt crew who is always in the comments every week turned 40 I want you to know he is now officially ancient the man who is constantly ragging me and teasing me about my age is now officially ancient he's now into his 40s Life Begins then apparently so apparently so uh but yes uh I won't put back put in the comments yet uh but yes happy birthday to Matt from all of us here at crowd Church obviously now without further Ado let's get into uh Chris hul so we're gonna have a talk Chris is going to uh talk to us from the book of Acts we've been working our way through the book of Acts we are very near the end now uh we're going to end the end of Jan Jan Oh okay Matt uh so at the end of Jan we've got so we're almost there so Chris is going to take us on the next chapter Jan and I will then be back for conversation Street after Chris has done his talk so don't go anywhere do join us in the comments write any questions that you have uh any stories anything you want to share put it in the comments we'd love to see it uh Jan and I will see you in there but for now is Chris hello it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak briefly on oh sorry about that I think get off we're going to try Chris again see how we get hello it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak briefly on Acts chapter 19 uh a chapter full of action in the in the early Church in Paul's uh missionary Journeys let's start reading from the message of the first couple of verses Paul made his way down through the mountains came to Ephesus and happened on some disciples there first thing he said was did you did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed did you take God into your mind only or did you also Embrace him with your heart did he get inside you and it's absolutely keyless the whole business of mind and heart so Faith Christianity is not just about head knowledge it's not something that's theoretical that's nice that that's interesting it's not just a nice philosophy but rather this something about your heart it gets inside you this is something that's going to make a difference something that I'm going to pursue something that will change what I do change my behavior we go on and read in in verse four that explains it said Paul John preached about baptism of radical life change so that people would be ready to receive the one coming after him who turned out to be Jesus if you've been baptized in John's baptism you're ready now for the real thing you're ready for Jesus and it's it's that Readiness now of actually your your head says yes now it's your heart now now you're ready for Jesus uh to take all of you and uh take your heart but but it's even more than that because what comes with that is the holy spirit when Jesus was still on Earth um Jesus promised to leave us with the Holy Spirit and in John 14 uh verse 25 in the Gospel of John we read the friend the Holy Spirit whom the father will send at my request I'm going to leave him with you and it's that same holy spirit that changed a bunch of scared disciples that we read about at the beginning of Acts a bunch of scared disciples in the upper room into a bunch of people who changed the world as we know it so a holy spirit that gives boldness but a Holy Spirit who gives gifts and again reading from the message a Holy Spirit who gives wise counsel clear understanding simple trust Healing The Sick miraculous acts Proclamation distinguishing Spirits speaking in tongues gives us those gifts gives us fruit uh as we read in Galatians where it says again from the message uh the holy spirit gives us affection for others exuberance for Life willingness to stick with things a sense of compassion in the heart a loyal commitment and if we know God if we been baptized in the Holy Spirit we've taken the Holy Spirit into our heart it's that same Holy Spirit who we take with us into work when we go along there on a Monday morning it's the same Holy Spirit who we take down the pub with us when we go for a drink with our friends to the football to that family gathering because we are filled with the spirit whether we like it or not this is the spirit given when Paul laid hands on the disciples in Ephesus and and Christianity isn't just about head knowledge it it it's not just a nice philosophy but about the whole our whole lives our heart our mind our soul driven by the Holy Spirit and that what that's what makes a difference to who we are what we do and and it's that difference that makes people curious so going down the chapter a little bit to verse 18 we read curiosity curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the master and I find this a challenge how do we make that link or how do we show to others that link between who I am what I do and why I do it to Jesus so people like might like me um they might think what I do is good they might be curious about me but but how does that point to Jesus how does that lead to reverence for the master Jesus and I think in many ways this is a toara and first is who we are how we behave we will all be familiar with the phrase actions speak louder than words and and so it is and this is the very Foundation of being able to say anything because people are watching uh friends colleagues that they're all watching they're watching what we do how we behave the people at work our neighbors are you honest do you gossip do you do what you say you will do you care really care do you demonstrate Grace and and what we read here in Acts 19 is that Paul's actions lay the foundation of his words so so see him uh in the meeting place arguing and convincing but that's backed up by his actions we read in verse 11 God did powerful things through Paul quite out of the ordinary and and he was Healing The Sick and things that had been in his possession healed the sick H and we too can pray for those who are sick around us pray for those in need and see God move supernaturally natur but actually it's not only that because what we might consider more mundane things are also quite out of the ordinary and and actually that's really important as we live out our faith our everyday life our whole life Faith at work in the neighborhood with our friends so actually showing Grace to our colleagues when they fail is is out of the ordinary forgiving relatives when they mess up demonstrating agape love that love that we show without any expectation of return from those to whom we are loving and at one level these things are very ordinary and yet at another level these are quite out of the ordinary uncommon almost unheard of in the secular World in which we uh live and it is as we demonstrate being a Christian by our actions so we come to the second part so we can we can speak we can share the good news of the Gospel our actions our Behavior opens the way to discussion of our faith to sharing it joy to sharing its hardships its uncertainties its pain on occasion but without that Foundation of behavior we simply will not be heard and again that's capsulated in uh in the New Testament in in 1 John chapter 3 in verse 18 we read dear children let us not love with words or speech but with actions and its truth and it's as those two work together handing glove that it's effective that there's power that there's reality so let's pause for a moment um we've heard the good news of the Gospel we understand it in our mind but it goes further than that we're then filled with the Holy Spirit our heart is changed and when our heart is changed our behavior is changed how we treat people is different which gives us the opportunity speak to share the good news and at least potentially to be heard it's easy to portray the gospel as all good news somehow warm and fluffy like a big big hug and there's elements undoubtedly of that but but it's also but it's it's all it's not always that for everyone and for those not always that for those who hold power and influence changing how things are done might be great for the poor for the less well paid but that has a consequence it reduces the profits for those at the top being honest exposing untruth will not be welcomed by many will not be welcomed by those who lose power who lose influence those who lose money they're not going to be happy and they're not going to go quietly and so it is in in Ephesus where we we we read about a riot erupting Demetrius is uh the local silver smith he's got a good business going on with the idols he's creating and and he sees Paul having this influence but very quickly sees his business disappearing see sees his profits disappearing so so stirs everyone up um we we have to stop this everyone knows Artemus is is our God but you know we we have to stop it but of course it's not about Artemus it's about his profits and that's that's very often the case and interesting reading this uh again uh looking at this account of the the riot I was struck how much the account in Acts sounds like a modernday Twitter storm everyone getting involved uh everyone waiting in in uh verse 32 again in the message we read as somewhere yelling one thing some another most of them had no idea what was going on or why they were there that it sounds very much like that social media Echo chamber in full swing and and those who are losing out are going to kick that off they're not going to go easily and and that can be difficult that that costs but doing the right thing is the right thing and it's what God asks us to do it's what God's expect us to do and there will be many many around you at work in your neighborhood who will be very grateful for that but again there are those who will not be grateful and who will kick up a storm in response so in conclusion we see faith we see Christianity it's not just this or that but it's about this and that it's not just about your mind or your heart it's about your mind and your heart working together it's not just actions or words but it's both it's action and words one built upon the other it's not just about being nice and and forgiving everyone or calling out Injustice but both it's about love and forgiveness and calling out Injustice all of that powered by God's holy spirit thank you so welcome back big thanks to Chris Hulen for doing that talk uh it's um it's doing these talks always requires a bit of effort and a bit of time and a bit of forethought uh and so super grateful that Chris took the time to do that you you took lots of notes I did uh lots and lots of notes now what we're going to do before we get into conversation Street hopefully uh let me just do this I am going to just queue up the video he says hopefully this is going to work I'm GNA queue up the video for remembrance Sunday uh which is in here somewhere so whilst I'm doing that you just talk about one of the things that you enjoyed from the video Chris okay um I found found it very challenging Chris is always challenging it's like he he's you know very calm Mana but packs A Punch Yeah you know in there so I found I found it challenging from the very beginning about is is God have you taken God into your mind only yeah or is he in your heart also yeah it's like like okay yeah you're like thanks thanks Chris thanks for uh just challenging yeah yeah yeah we'll get into that so what I want to do now let me go back to this scene here and back to live mode so hopefully those changes you didn't see me playing around with the system hopefully that was all fine day so what we're going to do because it is Remembrance Sunday uh we are just going to take a few moments to remember those that have gone before us and to do that we're going to play the video uh called the last post which is the theme I explain it on the video so we're going to play that we're GNA have a minute silence um then we're going to have the RS then Jan and I will be back after this so uh it is Remembrance Sunday here in the UK we're just going to take a few seconds few minutes to remember those who have given the well given a lot uh whether it's their life uh whether uh it's just been a little part of their soul you know and they've come back very different people in modern times um but a lot of people are doing a fighting a lot of conflicts around the world for our freedom and so uh it's time to remember those especially with all the wars that are going on yeah in um Israel Gaza we've got Russia Ukraine we've got um Sudan I mean there this crazy stuff uh going off around the world so let's spend some time remembering those that have gone let's spend some time remembering those who have who are in Conflict at the moment and pray for peace um and then Jan and I will be back after this hopefully this works fine a for okay welcome back uh hopefully that worked uh from a technical point of view sorry again for not checking that now I just want to read this on this remembrance Sunday we stand in a solemn congregation Bridging the past and present in our Collective memory we we remember not only the brave souls of a bygone era but also our contemporary Heroes who have fa face the harrowing crucibles of conflict many did not return leaving a part of themselves on distant battlefields others came back forever changed carrying the invisible yet indelible marks of War today we honor their courage their resilience and their immense sacrifices we remember those who stood valiantly in the face of adversity fighting for the freedoms we so clearly cherish and we acknowledge the profound cost of such bravery not just just in lives lost but in Futures altered and in Dreams Deferred we will remember them not just as a phrase but as a solemn pledge to recognize all who have given so much for so many on this day our gratitude is deep and our remembrance Resolute spanning across all generations of Heroes and so it is I I am a fan is a wrong phrase Jen I do like to take a bit of time on Remembrance and date too um just to remember those and so should we pray and then we'll get into conversation Street do you want to pray or do you want me to pray yeah you you pray it's your first Sunday after all don't want to thr in the yeah father thank you for those who have given so much whether it was their life whether it was just they've left part of them on the battlefield um and father thank you for those that have fought for our freedoms you know many wars are injust and some of them are just and people are always always hurt people are always scarred on both sides of the fence and Lord we pray for peace at this time we remember the conflicts that are going on around the world and as we remember some of the the wars from the past yeah uh we also remember the wars that are going on at the moment yes Lord and Lord we pray for your intervention we pray you would intervene we pray for wisdom for leaders we pray for bravery for those who are involved uh and couraged to do what is right and just amen amen amen very good and on that note we will get into conversation street so you you singing coronation stre I was cuz it's very [Laughter] similar yes it is very similar and for those of you who don't know what Coronation Street is you might as well you might have to explain that Coronation Street is a uh soap opera um a show in the UK which has been going for years all of my life yeah at least 21 years I think Noah was in the Coronation Street some of the early some of the early Charles well so yes uh Coronation Street I don't recommend you watch it it's a bit depressing it's a little bit like most so op is to be um yeah fair enough that was just a bit random singing Coronation Street not had that before but that's awesome okay so we definitely need a theme tune for conversation it's got to be that I'll get Josh to write one we used to have one um what happen to that theme tune we use for ketchup maybe we could use that I'll find it we'll find that out I'll get Josh to sort it out so yes conversation street so what did you think to Chris's talk uh you started off by saying that you thought it was very challenging it was very challenging and thought thought you did you know it was excellent um yeah just the whole thing to start with you know that we have to it it's not just a one-off thing when you first become a Christian yeah um but our minds sometimes can take over MH our hearts you know that our heart can disengage yeah um yeah well I know that for me um some some things are head knowledge and you know you have to push through for the heart yeah yeah it's interesting isn't it I the the the longest distance is from here to here so I can't remember who wouldn't said it but somebody said the longest distance is from your head to your heart yeah and actually getting something in here MH versus just here is really hard to do right um and but it's where the challenge it's where the Life Changes right this is this is where God dwells um God also dwells in our minds he helps us you know we have the mind of Christ we have the wisdom of Christ it's not like we we take God out of our thinking but there is something about a heart change in Christianity isn't there absolutely that is that is quite extraordinary that's where the Holy Spirit it seems uh operates most effectively is in is in our hearts what heart changes have you experienced yeah lot lot over the years I would say um I think I think when I first got married um a wonderful Tim I was challenged uh quite a lot I think I had prejudices that I wasn't aware of um and was frightened of maybe certain certain people groups or not not not traveling or anything but there was some things or looking into other religions you know I was I was quite skeptical I was very quite afraid of that yeah um but I'm not not advocating it but I'm just saying yeah it's okay we're safe we're it's okay to to ask questions and yeah you know so that's an interesting one isn't it because I think a lot of people struggle with that aspect of the ability to question and the ability to search as a Christian it's like well sure I should know what it is and people really struggle to to have that sort of Freedom uh you know almost like God's going to get them yeah absolutely I mean and it's it's not healthy at all is it no and if God doesn't it's someone in church WIll you know it's it's it's legalistic it's fear based and I think God is you know it's God who gives us our minds our Spirits personalities and he knows the and he's secure with us asking questions you know he'd rather that than us do things without fully understanding or embracing it you know properly yeah yeah it's you read through the book of Psalms and there's David just asking thousands and thousands of questions God seems okay with that you know uh church sometimes isn't um but God on the whole is uh and I think asking those questions is um is totally fine uh what's my here please don't sing we can't afford the royalties okay uh head knowledge of God is quite easy but uh having God in your uh I'm guessing that's heart uh is coming up there so yeah let's put that on the broadcast head knowledge of God is quite easy but I I find but having God in your heart I'm imagining is what Nichol is going to say there um is not always as straightforward have you found that that I have found that um I think I think we you know we're very um professional about being Christian sometimes I love that yeah yeah yeah that we can go through the motions can't we Without Really you know it it's just a decision it's just something we have to do yeah um but we can remain Untouched by by things and yeah so I I don't think that's that's how it should be I'm not saying that we should be emotional um you know wrecks every day or that's good because I I don't think I could do that no me neither but I I think it take you know we're we're one person but we're made up of different parts and it's it's opening the door to all of that isn't it yeah it is I love that so many people are professional Christians it is isn't it yeah have you seen that a lot yeah so how do you if head knowledge is easy which is something Chris was talking about um but heart knowledge having God in your heart is because it's it's it like you say it's easy to go yeah well you know I can mentally Ascend to God doing dot dot dot but when there's a heart change required that's where we wrestle so how how do you get it from here to here have have you done that I think I think it's got to be um trusting God and um you know spending time with him when you know someone you're more likely to trust them and be prepared to take that next step yeah um yeah no very true when you know someone you're more prepared to trust them uh and that oh here we go uh reading what the rest of what Nichol has put here so head knowledge of God is quite easy but having God in your heart is completely different thing and place to be yes that's put that on there um yes it is and I think um it's worth a time and investment to do that and um allowing the Holy Spirit to do that transforming work and so this is where uh we get back to what Chris was talking about because actually he was he was bringing up those scriptures like one John 3:18 about um uh Christian faith not just being words only but actually also based on actions so there's there's what we say and know what we do and those two things have to marry up right and this is where I think your coming coming back to it the professional Christians this is where professional Christians struggle is because what they say and what they do don't yeah marry up don't marry up do they whereas um what we do and how we act has got to tie into our words so um and this is this is probably the hardest thing because this and this is where Christians get called Hypocrites a lot right so we may profess to be a Christian and I think the example that Chris gave was uh giving Grace to people when they when they mess up and you leaned over to me and said oh you don't do that no I didn't man uh in a jokey kind of way I just want to say but it is it is one of those things isn't it it's like yes we are Christians yes we believe God but um I also have my right to have my pound of Flesh from that person over there if they didn't do what I said um and so it's that's where head knowledge and heart start to wrestle right definitely and um I think it's called integrity that's true um so true you know it's it's okay being one thing but you you know you've got to be that when the you know when you're pay and your window cleaning bill um whatever's going on you know when you're in the car and the person in front of you didn't indicate and you know things like that bug me but we should be the same we should we should yeah I really need to make note of that CU I'm definitely not the same person when I drive sometimes that's just not good enough it's so true my daughter looks at me sometimes and questions whether I'm actually a Christian when I drove which is not I mean you know it's not great I joke about it but um you know it's it is one of those things where you're right the way we are in every aspect of our life we want it to mirror the gospel I do think sometimes if Jesus was driving a car he would have a he would have a word with a few people on occas of course there's righteous anger yeah I don't think that's what you're talking about though yeah yeah probably fair play really is fair play um no it is fair play but it's interesting isn't it this uh I think it's there's this really interesting analogy that I heard once uh which I think is so true and that is um when the pressure is applied to us what's on the inside comes out right so the analogy was a a squeezy ketchup bottle right it's not until you turn it upside down and squeeze it that you find out what's really on the side you could have you know Ketchup label on the outside but it's not until the pressure is applied that you find out what's really on the inside and with Christians I find it's the same we we say we are Christians that you know that blah blah blah and all of this stuff but when the pressure is applied to us when we get squeezed a little bit what's really in US starts to come out that's right yeah and quite often what what's in US is not ketchup no it's um it's and it's really not good uh and it's and we know what comes out of us because of what we say right so um out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Bible tells us in Proverbs and so it's in those precious situations it's how you talk that you kind of go that's a real indicator of maybe something inside that needs to change so if um you know I might moan when somebody cuts me up but I I'm what I am really aware of is if anything slightly hateful or hurtful starts to come out of my mouth that's when I'm G and going God I there's something in here that needs to change inside me because that's a heart thing that's right um and so when the pressure is app applied uh that's when we find out what really really makes us and this is where behavior um has to match what we believe right so um what we say and how we Act is super super important course I I think um you you know what Chris said as well with that whether we like it or not when we you know when we profess to be Christians when people that we work with know that we're Christians they are watching us yeah and your neighbors are watching and um your family who aren't Christians are watching you yeah and it it seems a bit unfair but it's that's the way it is and um I used to really struggle with this at work um I've never I've never been someone who swore a lot or anything it wasn't that but it was some days you know it work is just tough yeah it's it's tough but I when I was a a young Christian I kind of felt that I I didn't want to be a bad witness yeah so I felt like I had to always be happy always be um on things always you know one time blah blah blah all good things but actually there you are a human being yeah and I think we will all get it wrong we will lose our temper we will get impatient we will be sarcastic um or gossip you know uh okay but I think it's then recognizing that and saying oh I'm messed up there yeah and I've sometimes apologized to work colleagues for being impatient or um I'm not saying you know it happens all the time but I think it's okay we are human yeah we are going to blow it you know yeah um but I think it's also important to be humble enough to say I'm really sorry you know totally totally agree it's really powerful isn't it that I think sometimes it's when I've gone back to people and apologize that actually becomes the most powerful yeah absolutely because people go well yes you are human no you're not perfect but the fact that you're big enough to come and apologize that says a lot absolutely I mean yeah um and I I think again what was it Chris said the right you do the right thing because it's the right thing to do that's right right and um and yeah I I think we we s it's interesting how you put it because you talked about how you felt like you needed to act and a certain way to be a good witness like trying to act and be something that we're not yeah it's a big pressure it's a massive pressure isn't it and actually um and I was I think I was the same way for a long time and it's it's almost like I had to protect God's reputation somehow exactly it I mean yeah yeah and um and actually the older I've Got The more I've realized that I'm not sure I was protecting anything to be fair I think probably I was doing slightly more damage because people because this again comes back to the comment you made earlier about professional Christians you know um but I think and people the other thing is people look at it and go well you know if I need to become a Christian I've got to live like that I've got to be totally perfect I can't you know I can't do drink I can't do drugs I can't I can't even take an aspirin I can't sniff alcohol you know I can only wear whatever it is you know whatever those beliefs are yeah yeah um which are not I mean don't do drugs obviously but the rest of it we could probably have a conversation about um but it's one of those where I think we give this impression to people that they have to be something that they're not to be a Christian when actually God just wants you authentic you right yeah cuz I think if we continue down that road where setting people up to fail and it's very unattractive it's very unrealistic um you know I I you are what you are yes we I think we do have a um I do we do have a responsibility in how what language we use and you know if we're kind to people and that's a choice that we make every day yeah um you know but those things are really important but we you know God this grace is God shows us Grace we can show it to other people and ourselves I think someone once said um you know if treat yourself like you would your best friend yeah cuz that we can all be so hard on ourselves yeah um I I'm particularly struggle with that you're your worst enemy Your Own Worst Enemy oh yeah absolutely you know call yourself stupid don't you what a flipping idiot and um you just have a need a bit more grace for it for ourselves um yeah I think that's one of the works that the Holy Spirit does in you isn't it is actually you it's really interesting that in Christianity one of the things that I one of the transforming works I think of the holy spirit is you start to see yourself the way the Holy Spirit sees you right now me this is what humility is right so uh I've heard people talk about humility in a way that is basically them talking down about themselves right so for me to be humble I have to say negative or bad things about myself but I'm not convinced that's what humility is um no on any kind of level now I'm not no you know the Bible says we should think think of ourselves uh soberly not more highly than we ought to but think of ourselves sober soberly uh which is probably a great expression but humility is not me saying I'm rubbish no and um humility is me saying I feel this way about myself but that's not the way God sees me yeah so humility is seeing something not as you want to see it but seeing it as God sees it so absolutely you know the example of going back to the coworker coworker God would ask for you to give Grace to that coworker even though you might want your pound of Flesh well humility is saying not my will but your will be done right it's it's saying God I'll do it your way yeah but conversely when it comes to yourself M humility is not necessarily saying negative things or bad things about you humility is saying what God says about you that's right do I mean yeah and I I much prefer that I actually annoys me when people are self-deprecating at times and I I can do it that's what annoys me about myself it's actually you know it it it just doesn't the atmosphere is not great when people are saying oh I'm so rubbish I'm I failed again um you know I can't do anything well you know it's it's almost like you got to nip that in the bud yeah you what you did wasn't the greatest thing but let's move on and you are actually great you know most of the time you are kind you're loving you're you know you're very respectful so it's getting it into perspective and you know God God doesn't wash his hands of us does he when we know very grateful that he doesn't me too we wouldn't be here would we well the thing about forgiveness is you know when God forgives you of your sin H you one could argue that God did that 2,000 years ago right so you've already been forgiven of the sin that you are asking God for forgiveness for you know this I I appreciate the semantics and there's different ways theologically to look at this but one of the things that happens is when you go to God to confess your sin and he forgives you the question always then is do you receive that in the sense that if he forgives you you're no longer worthless you're no longer a failure you you what I mean this is all the selft talk that we bring to it actually What God Says is no you're righteous you're made whole in Christ you know you are a new creation all things possible to him who believes when you know in him we're more than conquerors you know by Grace you are saved and we could just go one and another and talk about all the things that God says and so forgiveness often for me is the reconciling back of my vision or my understanding of my own self in relation to God yeah now I appreciate that there is sin and that sin is eil evil and in sin no good thing can dwell no right um and I'm not justifying or excusing any kind of sin in me but I am also aware of God's reconciliation um and his ability to uh to change my life you know and bring around that I think when we get to heaven um you know we pray the Lord to pray don't we yeah your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven you quite often I find myself wonder what it's like in heaven yeah I do um because if I'm praying you know your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven it's like I'm praying for that now to exper it now here on Earth wonder what heaven's actually like and I don't I don't think there's a lot of complaining in heaven I think there's a lot of rejoicing I think there's a lot of Praise I think I think it's going to be absolutely amazing I think um you know it's just going to be everything and more you know um I have no idea what that really looks like I know it there'll be people singing and it'll be peaceful and I think there'll be beautiful water and you know what I think what I'd like is CH no is wild animals roaming around you know like like we see cats and dogs in the street I think there'll be lions and things tigers that absolutely Thrills me but then they won't kill me or you knowz I'll already be dead but they'll be tame if you know what I mean t they well there yeah absolutely be like heaven one big Safari Pock that that's what I'm looking forward to is all I know Jen is I'm going to slide down those streets of gold in my socks yeah absolutely and I'm just going to keep on going and we're going to have sliding contest I think it's going to be great fun yeah yeah absolutely yeah Nicholas said here when I was up last week which she was in Liverpool uh she was with Sharon and I put myself down quite badly oh here we go and Sharon said don't talk about my friend friend like that that's right and since then I've been a bit more careful about how I talk about good absolutely niola hardly so too don't talk about my friend like that love you that though Sharon's on this Sharon's my wife by the way if you're need yeah she won't let you talk to yourself like that absolutely she's not a fan of it so what time is it Goodness Me time is flown by a million miles an hour anything else in your notes in the last in the closing minutes um I just think um what Chris said our actions and our behaviors then open up the doorway for us to be able to share our faith yeah um there's I think so many people say oh I really really struggle to tell you know they know I'm a Christian at work or my neighbors but I find it hard to um to the go the step further um but I I just think it it's about spending time with people um yeah where you know in in work you might only have 10 minutes here and there or on your break or but I think I think it's okay to you know meet up with people for a coffee at work and just get to know them let them get to know you and then I think naturally then you know what did you do at the weekend um what's going on in your family you know you know just being real being not honest about sharing letting people in yeah and I think um as we do that more then the conversation will change you know it'll get a bit more bit deeper it'll it will be about God yeah not all the time you know but I think I think of you know it's like laying the foundation yeah it is um and then building those relationships absolutely absolutely very good well how was your uh we got a few minutes before I need to say goodbye I'm just kind of curious how was your first time I really enjoyed it it's amazing how quick it goes isn't it yeah thanks for coming to crowd and it says here in my notes and correct me if I'm wrong Jen but you're hosting next week I am with you is it you again is it me you again next week Fab this is just the warm up next week's going to be even better more jokes come in next week John Harding next week it it is you're right look at that homework showing me up now cuz I obviously clearly haven't uh done my homework I do it on the fly as we as we're looking at these things now uh yes that's it next week we have John Harding speaking carrying on our book our book carrying on our journey through the book of Acts we've got Paul's farewell speech uh next week then after that we've got Anna Kettle speaking we've got uh I'm doing one Sharon's doing one we got Pete farington and then it's Christmas hooray Christmas cool I'm starting to feel I'm starting to feel a little bit christmy now oh yeah yeah not getting I'm not getting too into it just yet um but I'm starting to feel a little bit Christmasy which is do you like Christmas m i proper love it yeah I do as well proper love I like the lights and music The Magic of it the magic of Christmas so um yeah I we it's our Josh's birthday late November so we tend not to think about Christmas until we through that in December we'll be I'll be wearing the Christmas jumpers of what you have you've got a few of them I've got a fair few Christmas jumpers yeah absolutely I've not bought one for a few years um sort of put a moratorium on me buying uh more Christmas jumpers because you know frankly I've got 4 thousand of them um but yeah so we've got all that coming up so yeah do come and join Jan and myself next week uh as we conver as we converse uh about John Stu I have no idea what I'm talking about yeah I I'll be here to uh just keep it all safe and running smoothly and watching Max yeah keep the ship moving forward that's that's why we frightening me now yeah frightening myself if I'm honest with you that's okay uh coming up next week we've talked about promote the zoom yes if you would like to join us uh midweek we have midweek groups online that do uh Community online if you'd like to know more about that do get in touch with us uh you can find out more information on the website which is just come up on the screen if you're watching the video www.c crowd. church if you're listening to the audio or you can reach out to us on social media at crowd Church uh that's also on your screen uh and we would love to hear from you I'll let you know the zoom links and all that sort of stuff just get in touch with us um and we would love to hear from you you can also reach out to us uh if you have any prayer requests we've had people emailing us this week uh and people can WhatsApp us the WhatsApp numbers on the website we have people connecting with us via WhatsApp uh which is always great from around the world always love getting those messages uh so yes you can reach out to us through the website www.c crow. or via social media crowd church we would love to hear from you that's it from me that's it from Jan I'm just going through the comments I think I've got them all I think I have uh so I'm going to click this button on here anything else from you in closing no just thank thanks for having me been great great sh your love for Jen all right we'll see you later have a great week cheers guys bye bye thank you so much for joining us here on crowd church now if you are watching on YouTube make sure you hit the Subscribe Button as well as that little tiny bell notification to get notified the next time we are live and of course if you are listening to the podcast uh the live stream podcast make sure you also hit the follow button Now by Smashing the like button on YouTube or writing a review on your podcast platform it helps us reach more people with the message that Jesus really does help us live a more meaningful and purposeful life so if you haven't done so already be sure to check out our website www.c crowd. church where you can learn more about us as a church more about the Christian faith and also how to connect into our church Community it has been awesome to connect with you and you are awesome it's just a burden you have to bear and hopefully we'll see you next time that's it from us God bless you bye for