Follow His Lead

Dan Schilling & Michael Blue look at John 21 to discover the steps to take as we follow Jesus, even when it doesn't make sense.

Transcript

Audio file 

Podcast #2.mp3 

00:00:06 

Welcome. 

00:00:07 Dan Shilling 

Feed Chief Podcast where we help you hear God's voice, follow his lead and thrive as a disciple. I'm Dan Schilling, and I'll be. 

00:00:13 Dan Shilling 

One of your guides. 

00:00:15 Dan Shilling 

Now let's get into today's topic. 

00:00:18 Dan Shilling 

Hey, welcome to the FICCI podcast today, Michael blew my good friend. 

00:00:22 Dan Shilling 

Michael, always good to see you, brother. 

00:00:24 Michael Blue 

Good to see you, Dan. 

00:00:26 Dan Shilling 

Yeah, always been a smile on my face. 

00:00:26 

Happy Friday. 

00:00:28 Dan Shilling 

Happy Friday to you. 

00:00:30 Dan Shilling 

Well, thanks for joining us today. 

00:00:31 Dan Shilling 

We got a great show. 

00:00:33 Dan Shilling 

We're going to talk today continuing on our journey here, of hearing God's voice following his lead and thriving as a disciple. 

00:00:41 Dan Shilling 

Today, we're going to focus on following Michael. 

00:00:44 Dan Shilling 

I know you wrote a book actually called free to follow. 

00:00:46 Dan Shilling 

I know you probably don't tell everybody about that. 

00:00:48 Dan Shilling 

It was a great work. 

00:00:49 Dan Shilling 

You did a great job. 

00:00:51 Dan Shilling 

Tell us. 

00:00:52 Dan Shilling 

Give it gives a few like snippets of what was the free to follow essence. 

00:00:52 Michael Blue 

Thanks Dan. 

00:00:57 Michael Blue 

Very. You know, I don't. 

00:00:59 Michael Blue 

Want you to talk about it? 

00:00:59 Michael Blue 

But I do, because otherwise no one will know that I. 

00:01:01 Michael Blue 

Actually wrote a book. 

00:01:03 Michael Blue 

So, no, I appreciate you. 

00:01:05 Michael Blue 

Bringing it so. 

00:01:05 Michael Blue 

Frida follow it's it's the. 

00:01:08 Michael Blue 

It's looking at what the. 

00:01:09 Michael Blue 

Call is to a surrendered life. 

00:01:11 Michael Blue 

Do we live a surrendered life? 

00:01:12 Michael Blue 

And I do that through the lens that we're talking about here a lot through finances. 

00:01:16 Michael Blue 

But really the punch line. 

00:01:17 Michael Blue 

Cause it's it's. 

00:01:18 Michael Blue 

At the end of the day, it's. 

00:01:19 Michael Blue 

Not really about our finances. 

00:01:21 Michael Blue 

It's about how. 

00:01:22 Michael Blue 

Hungry. Are we to. 

00:01:23 Michael Blue 

Draw near to God how hungry are. 

00:01:24 Michael Blue 

We for him and his word. 

00:01:26 Michael Blue 

And when we do that, when we draw near to God, when we pursue him, when we're hungry and thirsty for him and right. 

00:01:33 Michael Blue 

Our money questions begin to change because it really. 

00:01:36 Michael Blue 

You know this? 

00:01:36 Michael Blue 

Idea of guidance at all, which most every Christian would probably agree that yes, that's a true statement. 

00:01:41 Michael Blue 

God is the owner of everything, but it changes the way I actually live that out in and. 

00:01:45 Michael Blue 

Actually gives it to me. 

00:01:47 Michael Blue 

A lot more meat and a lot more practical. 

00:01:50 Michael Blue 

Application because it's. 

00:01:52 Michael Blue 

Not just this ethereal idea of God. 

00:01:54 Michael Blue 

Running it all, it's. 

00:01:55 Michael Blue 

Actually, you know, hey, I I'm excited about other people drawing near to God. 

00:01:59 Michael Blue 

So how can I use all of me all of my life to draw help people draw near to God. 

00:02:03 Michael Blue 

And so being free to follow. 

00:02:05 Michael Blue 

Is the idea I think of kind of putting off these burdens that that tie us to this world, that keep us in love with the world and how to and then helping us move out into a freedom that really is and following God when I'm not so concerned with the things of the world. 

00:02:20 Michael Blue 

That's what free to. 

00:02:21 Dan Shilling 

So that's so good. 

00:02:21 Michael Blue 

Follow is. 

00:02:23 Dan Shilling 

Well, it's a. 

00:02:24 Michael Blue 

And if you act quickly. 

00:02:24 

It's a great resource. 

00:02:27 Michael Blue 

Yeah, I was gonna say if you act quickly, you can. 

00:02:29 Michael Blue 

Be still one of. 

00:02:29 Michael Blue 

The first few. 

00:02:30 Michael Blue 

100 people to read. 

00:02:31 Michael Blue 

The book and, you know, be. 

00:02:32 Michael Blue 

A part of. 

00:02:33 Michael Blue 

A select group, yeah. 

00:02:36 

Yeah, well, I know you've. 

00:02:38 Dan Shilling 

Partnered with your dad, Ron, to write a couple of resources as well. 

00:02:44 Dan Shilling 

This is your book. 

00:02:46 Dan Shilling 

And so folks can find that I'm sure at Amazon, right, is that the best place to find it? 

00:02:49 Dan Shilling 

If they do want to get a copy of the free to? 

00:02:53 Michael Blue 

Yeah, you can. 

00:02:54 Michael Blue 

I mean and and and when you order from Amazon, you're actually ordering from the Randolph Institute. 

00:02:58 Michael Blue 

So the Rambo Institute is the one that ships it instead of Amazon. 

00:03:01 Michael Blue 

So if. 

00:03:01 Michael Blue 

You want to save the shipping and. 

00:03:03 Michael Blue 

All just go straight to the Round Loop Institute website. 

00:03:08 Michael Blue 

But either one will get to you and it's roughly the same price because we reduce the price on Amazon. 

00:03:12 Michael Blue 

Does that make you pay for shipping? 

00:03:14 Michael Blue 

You're not crying so. 

00:03:16 Michael Blue 

Anyway, whichever place Ron bloominstitute.com. 

00:03:19 Michael Blue 

Back slash store I think and you can find it there or Amazon. 

00:03:24 Dan Shilling 

Well, Michael, let me pray for us, and then I'm gonna turn over to you to get us started today, focusing on this follow fee. 

00:03:30 Dan Shilling 

So let me pray for us, Father. 

00:03:31 Dan Shilling 

Thanks for today and just opportunities today to be to be the sheep of your pastor, to be ones that hear your voice. 

00:03:39 Dan Shilling 

Your word is clear that you say that my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. 

00:03:43 Dan Shilling 

And so today. 

00:03:44 Dan Shilling 

And we want to hear your voice and we. 

00:03:45 Dan Shilling 

Want to follow you? 

00:03:47 Dan Shilling 

We want to be surrendered to you. 

00:03:49 Dan Shilling 

Every aspect of our life. 

00:03:50 Dan Shilling 

And so I pray that you would speak through us and in us, that your name would be lifted up, that you. 

00:03:56 Dan Shilling 

Would be glorified. 

00:03:58 Dan Shilling 

So have your way and our time now. 

00:03:59 Dan Shilling 

Today let us be faithful in all that we do and say to bring honor and glory to you. 

00:04:03 Dan Shilling 

Give us this time now to to to do that, to bring you glory. 

00:04:07 Dan Shilling 

We love you and thank you. 

00:04:08 Dan Shilling 

In Jesus name. 

00:04:11 Dan Shilling 

All right, Michael. 

00:04:12 Dan Shilling 

So let's let's get started. 

00:04:13 Michael Blue 

All right. 

00:04:14 Dan Shilling 

Let's what's on your heart here as we get. 

00:04:16 Dan Shilling 

Started on. Think about following. 

00:04:19 Michael Blue 

As you know, as we talked and as we were planning, we thought last week we started with here and with the here father thrive, then I don't want to let the cat out of the bag. 

00:04:27 Michael Blue 

But I'm guessing the next one. 

00:04:28 Michael Blue 

We're going to talk about thriving and what. 

00:04:31 Michael Blue 

That actually means. 

00:04:34 Michael Blue 

But following is is a question I've asked a. 

00:04:36 Michael Blue 

Lot of and I you. 

00:04:37 Michael Blue 

Know as as the title of my book. 

00:04:39 Michael Blue 

As you mentioned, talks about is free to follow and and I think that for me following there's a stirring. 

00:04:45 Michael Blue 

There's a desire to do it, but oftentimes there's there's a struggle to know if I'm doing it and how I'm doing it and so. 

00:04:52 Michael Blue 

You know, we as we talked this passage. 

00:04:56 Michael Blue 

That has an idea of feeding. 

00:04:58 Michael Blue 

Sheep, which is with the. 

00:04:59 Michael Blue 

Feed Sheep podcast in it. 

00:05:01 Michael Blue 

And following that would be really appropriate. 

00:05:03 Michael Blue 

For us to look at. 

00:05:04 Michael Blue 

Today, as we ask the question. 

00:05:05 Michael Blue 

Of what does it mean to follow? 

00:05:07 Michael Blue 

So let's just jump right in and John 21 versus 15 and 19 and I'll ask you to. 

00:05:12 Michael Blue 

Go ahead and read it for. 

00:05:13 Michael Blue 

Us and then we. 

00:05:15 Michael Blue 

Can talk about it. 

00:05:16 Dan Shilling 

Yeah, well, let's start here. 

00:05:17 Dan Shilling 

Verse 15. 

00:05:19 Dan Shilling 

It says when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon, Peter Simon, son of John. 

00:05:24 Dan Shilling 

Do you love me more than these? 

00:05:27 Dan Shilling 

He said to him. 

00:05:27 Dan Shilling 

Yes, Lord. 

00:05:29 Dan Shilling 

You know that I love you, he said to them. 

00:05:31 Dan Shilling 

Feed my lambs, he said to him a second time. 

00:05:34 Dan Shilling 

Simon, son of John. 

00:05:36 Dan Shilling 

Do you love me? 

00:05:37 Dan Shilling 

He said to him. 

00:05:38 Dan Shilling 

Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, he said to him. 

00:05:42 Dan Shilling 

Tend my sheep. 

00:05:43 Dan Shilling 

He said to. 

00:05:44 Dan Shilling 

Him a third time, Simon, son of John. 

00:05:47 Dan Shilling 

Do you love me? 

00:05:48 Dan Shilling 

Peter was grieved because he said to him a third time. 

00:05:53 Dan Shilling 

You love. 

00:05:53 Dan Shilling 

Me and he said to him, Lord, you know everything, you know that. 

00:05:57 Dan Shilling 

I love you. 

00:05:58 Dan Shilling 

Jesus said to him. 

00:05:59 Dan Shilling 

Feed my sheep. 

00:06:01 Dan Shilling 

Truly, truly, I say to you that when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you. 

00:06:08 Dan Shilling 

But when you are old, you. 

00:06:09 Dan Shilling 

Will stretch out your hands. 

00:06:10 Dan Shilling 

And another will dress you and. 

00:06:12 Dan Shilling 

Carry you where you do not. 

00:06:13 Dan Shilling 

Want to? 

00:06:13 Dan Shilling 

Go this, he said to show by what kind of death he was going to glorify God. 

00:06:20 Dan Shilling 

And after saying this, he said to him. 

00:06:23 

Follow me. 

00:06:28 Michael Blue 

So, you know, I think it's important that we set the context of this. 

00:06:33 Michael Blue 

If if you're unfamiliar with this. 

00:06:34 Michael Blue 

You know you you can probably guess this comes near. 

00:06:36 Michael Blue 

The end of of. 

00:06:38 Michael Blue 

John and John 21, this follows. 

00:06:41 Michael Blue 

The death and resurrection of Jesus so. 

00:06:43 Michael Blue 

This is if you will, of the scene where Jesus is restoring Peter after Peter betrayed him and denied him three different times before Jesus went to the cross. 

00:06:53 Michael Blue 

What's but what? 

00:06:54 Michael Blue 

What's really interesting about this whole scene is it comes. 

00:06:58 Michael Blue 

And almost a mirror image scene of when Jesus called Peter the first time to follow him, and that was in a boat. 

00:07:06 Michael Blue 

You know, Peters out there fishing, can't catch any fish struggling. 

00:07:10 Michael Blue 

This guy who he's probably heard of but doesn't know at this point comes. 

00:07:14 Michael Blue 

Into this hey. 

00:07:15 Michael Blue 

You guys look tired. 

00:07:16 Michael Blue 

Any fish all night? 

00:07:17 Michael Blue 

Why don't you try throwing? 

00:07:18 Michael Blue 

Throwing the net on the other side of the boat and you know it's fisherman. 

00:07:21 Michael Blue 

Like, come on. 

00:07:21 Michael Blue 

A Carpenter telling a fisherman had a fish. 

00:07:24 

Yeah, yeah. And we've tried. 

00:07:25 Michael Blue 

It we've cast it. 

00:07:26 Michael Blue 

Everywhere, all night. 

00:07:27 Michael Blue 

Like we didn't. 

00:07:28 Michael Blue 

Just try one side of the boat. 

00:07:30 Michael Blue 

And you know, we know the story caught tosses over. 

00:07:32 Michael Blue 

And they have this abundance of fish. 

00:07:33 Michael Blue 

That starts to basically sink the boat. 

00:07:35 Michael Blue 

And you know, he, he realizes who it is that tells him in this miraculous catch a fish. 

00:07:40 Michael Blue 

And so that's when Jesus says come, follow me. 

00:07:41 Michael Blue 

And he leaves everything and he follows. 

00:07:44 Michael Blue 

Follows Jesus so you know, then Peter lives. 

00:07:45 Michael Blue 

His life with Jesus. 

00:07:47 Michael Blue 

And yet again we come. 

00:07:48 Michael Blue 

To the end after he's failed, he's denied Jesus. 

00:07:51 Michael Blue 

And you have almost an identical scene. 

00:07:53 Michael Blue 

These guys go. 

00:07:54 Michael Blue 

Out after seeing Jesus a couple of times after trying to figure out what's going on and you pointed out that at verse 14 says this was now the third time Jesus was revealed to the to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 

00:08:05 Michael Blue 

So they've seen him. 

00:08:07 Michael Blue 

A couple of times. 

00:08:08 Michael Blue 

And they're still out going fishing at night, right? 

00:08:10 Michael Blue 

They haven't figured out what? 

00:08:10 

Yes, yes. 

00:08:11 

They're supposed to. 

00:08:12 Michael Blue 

Do with the resurrected Jesus and. 

00:08:15 Michael Blue 

And so the same scene happens again. 

00:08:17 Michael Blue 

They fish all night, catch nothing, and all of a sudden this guy from from the, you know, from the beach. 

00:08:21 Michael Blue 

Calls and says. 

00:08:22 Michael Blue 

Hey, have you tried the other side? 

00:08:25 Michael Blue 

You know, I always. 

00:08:26 Michael Blue 

Wondered at that moment, did they know? 

00:08:28 Michael Blue 

Or did they think this is probably Jesus? 

00:08:31 Michael Blue 

Or perhaps maybe they didn't even clue into that at that point. 

00:08:34 Michael Blue 

But whatever that was the. 

00:08:36 Michael Blue 

Case they threw it over and had another abundance of fish, and Peter runs in and this scene is is what actually they come in and they eat and says when they finish breakfast. 

00:08:45 Michael Blue 

And Jesus says them. 

00:08:46 Michael Blue 

So I have this this thing. 

00:08:48 Michael Blue 

I don't have anything else to add to the kind. 

00:08:50 Michael Blue 

Of the context of where we are. 

00:08:53 Dan Shilling 

Well, it is good we we talked a little bit here before we got started today. 

00:08:57 Dan Shilling 

You know this is there are 6 disciples that are a part of this crew. 

00:09:04 Dan Shilling 

So it's not just Peter. 

00:09:05 Dan Shilling 

So we can point at Peter and say, oh man, what what was he doing you? 

00:09:08 Dan Shilling 

Know going back fishing again, he actually would have been a leader, right? 

00:09:11 Dan Shilling 

I mean, he was told that the church was going to be built. 

00:09:13 Dan Shilling 

You know upon him as a rock or as a foundation, that it's all about Peter, but he was going to be a cornerstone or a big piece of the church. 

00:09:20 Dan Shilling 

And we obviously see that. 

00:09:21 Dan Shilling 

In acts you know how God. 

00:09:22 Dan Shilling 

Used Peter then to be a part of that, but he. 

00:09:27 Dan Shilling 

They they were back doing what they knew they that they've. 

00:09:31 Dan Shilling 

Known their whole. 

00:09:31 Dan Shilling 

Life and it's interesting when you think about, you know, cast your Nets on the other side. 

00:09:35 Dan Shilling 

It's almost like Jesus is saying. 

00:09:38 Dan Shilling 

Why don't you try to do it? 

00:09:40 Dan Shilling 

A different way. 

00:09:42 Dan Shilling 

And I think that's what he's calling all of us too, right? 

00:09:43 Dan Shilling 

One instead of following yourself. 

00:09:45 Dan Shilling 

Instead of following what you know and. 

00:09:47 Dan Shilling 

What you have expertise in or what you think is best once you try my way, why don't you throw the net on the other side and and see what I can do. 

00:09:56 Michael Blue 

Yeah, that's good. 

00:09:58 Michael Blue 

And and I think that even even this points us to the fact that they. 

00:10:02 Michael Blue 

Had seen Jesus. 

00:10:04 Michael Blue 

And Jesus had. 

00:10:05 Michael Blue 

Died for them and redeemed them from their sin. 

00:10:07 Michael Blue 

But but Peter still was holding on to this guilt. 

00:10:10 Michael Blue 

He was still holding on to this. 

00:10:11 Michael Blue 

What do I do? 

00:10:12 Michael Blue 

And I think he even still had a misconception of what? 

00:10:15 Michael Blue 

It means to follow. 

00:10:16 Michael Blue 

As I think about the disciples like they had, they had literally left everything and followed Jesus like they had given up their jobs and they had. 

00:10:24 Michael Blue 

Walked to them for years. 

00:10:27 Michael Blue 

And yet Jesus has to come back to Peter after and give him instructions and invite him again to follow. 

00:10:34 Michael Blue 

Follow him and and I think it's really important that we just kind of unpack this a little bit of of how easy it is to get a misconception of what it means to follow Jesus and then kind of almost the simplicity of the call that Jesus gives. 

00:10:48 Michael Blue 

Gifts to Peter. 

00:10:49 Dan Shilling 

That's good. 

00:10:50 Michael Blue 

You know as. 

00:10:50 Michael Blue 

I think about. 

00:10:50 Dan Shilling 

Alright, so let's go back. 

00:10:53 Michael Blue 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

00:10:54 Michael Blue 

So the, you know, the original call of of Peter and their idea was was a Messiah that was a conquering hero. 

00:11:00 Michael Blue 

Right. 

00:11:00 Michael Blue 

So they, they were kind of following after after that and now you know, they're like, OK, who are you and? 

00:11:06 Michael Blue 

Who am I following? 

00:11:07 Michael Blue 

So let's look at let's look at the the call a little bit because it's not a very gentle call. 

00:11:12 Michael Blue 

I think sometimes you think of. 

00:11:13 Michael Blue 

Preaching. Hey, come follow. 

00:11:15 Michael Blue 

Jesus and your life will get better. 

00:11:16 Michael Blue 

Come follow. 

00:11:16 Michael Blue 

Jesus and this and that and. 

00:11:18 Michael Blue 

And while that's true, certainly our lives do get. 

00:11:21 Michael Blue 

Better, it's not a thing. 

00:11:23 Michael Blue 

When we hear your life. 

00:11:24 Michael Blue 

Will get better. 

00:11:24 Michael Blue 

We think of it in. 

00:11:25 Michael Blue 

A purely temporal. 

00:11:28 Michael Blue 

Physical thing like God's going to make everything perfect and that's not ever the call actually that he gives to people. 

00:11:36 Michael Blue 

We we learn and we find peace and joy in the process, but not in the media. 

00:11:42 Dan Shilling 

So give tell me what you mean by a gentle call. 

00:11:44 Dan Shilling 

Then what? 

00:11:45 Dan Shilling 

When you say. 

00:11:45 Dan Shilling 

But it's not a gentle call. 

00:11:46 Dan Shilling 

What do you mean by that? 

00:11:49 Michael Blue 

So what I mean is. 

00:11:51 Michael Blue 

Again I if I if I take my own experience and an experience in the church, somebody gives the salvation message. 

00:11:59 Michael Blue 

Think of, you know, a high school retreat or a, you know, something like that, or even just a general gospel message. 

00:12:06 Michael Blue 

The message is true. 

00:12:08 Michael Blue 

You know, Jesus forgives you for your sins, you know. 

00:12:11 Michael Blue 

He's paid the price. 

00:12:12 Michael Blue 

For you, you know, he he is the pathway to heaven and eternity and all these things. 

00:12:17 Michael Blue 

So come and and be one of his followers. 

00:12:20 Michael Blue 

So it's. 

00:12:21 Michael Blue 

It's presented purely as a. 

00:12:24 Michael Blue 

You know what it's done for. 

00:12:26 Michael Blue 

Me type of a invitation. 

00:12:30 Michael Blue 

And it's a very gentle call, it's. 

00:12:31 Michael Blue 

Like, OK, yeah. 

00:12:32 

I want. 

00:12:34 Michael Blue 

Not to go. 

00:12:34 Michael Blue 

To hell. 

00:12:35 Michael Blue 

I want eternity in heaven. 

00:12:36 Michael Blue 

I want freedom from salvation. 

00:12:37 Dan Shilling 

I'll sign up for that, yeah. 

00:12:39 Michael Blue 

And and all of us want that. 

00:12:42 Michael Blue 

And that's that is what's promised. 

00:12:43 Michael Blue 

That's not. 

00:12:43 Michael Blue 

I'm not. 

00:12:44 Michael Blue 

I'm not saying that's not a part of the call of Jesus, but his. 

00:12:49 Michael Blue 

I think we kind of stopped there when the call to follow him. 

00:12:53 Michael Blue 

Is a much more radical mindset. 

00:12:56 Michael Blue 

Change and life change than just simply. 

00:13:00 Michael Blue 

You know, receive things that make you happy and. 

00:13:02 Michael Blue 

Then go about your business. 

00:13:05 

Yes, yes. 

00:13:05 Michael Blue 

Right. 

00:13:05 Michael Blue 

So if we look at the call? 

00:13:08 Michael Blue 

You know, Jesus calls. 

00:13:10 Michael Blue 

Him, Simon, when it was not the name that Jesus had changed it to. 

00:13:15 Michael Blue 

Son of John. 

00:13:16 Michael Blue 

This was the same name he. 

00:13:17 Michael Blue 

Had given him when he first called Jesus to him. 

00:13:21 Michael Blue 

And then he questions him and and says, do you love me? 

00:13:25 Michael Blue 

Right. 

00:13:25 Michael Blue 

And and what I what I and setting this passage and looking. 

00:13:28 Michael Blue 

At it, the idea of. 

00:13:29 Michael Blue 

Love, I think we think of love in. 

00:13:31 Michael Blue 

This, this, this kind of, I don't know. 

00:13:36 Michael Blue 

Affectionate emotional feeling, that. 

00:13:38 Michael Blue 

We have towards somebody else like I love my wife. 

00:13:41 Michael Blue 

I love my. 

00:13:42 Michael Blue 

Kids and it's it's. 

00:13:43 Michael Blue 

A feeling that I have inside of me, but it's it's a a bit beyond that. 

00:13:48 Michael Blue 

I think that love, and that's true sense, is this idea of a willing forfeiture of my rights or my privileges in another person's. 

00:13:57 Michael Blue 

So if I if I think about. 

00:13:58 Michael Blue 

That you know. 

00:13:59 Michael Blue 

Jesus says if you you know, your brothers will lay down your life for them. 

00:14:02 Michael Blue 

That's a willing. 

00:14:02 Michael Blue 

Forfeiture of my own rights for them. 

00:14:05 Michael Blue 

If I love my wife, I love my. 

00:14:07 Michael Blue 

Kids, there may be times where I I willingly give up or or just my life changes significantly when I get married, when I have kids like I give up some things and I do so happily and willingly. 

00:14:18 Michael Blue 

Because I I love them. 

00:14:21 Michael Blue 

And so, Jesus. 

00:14:22 Michael Blue 

Do you love me? 

00:14:23 Michael Blue 

Are you willing? 

00:14:23 Michael Blue 

To give up. 

00:14:24 Michael Blue 

Your rights and privileges in order to follow me. 

00:14:29 Michael Blue 

And I think that this this was really put a a pen on when he says, OK, if you're willing to do this, I want you to do something that you may not think you want to do and that's feed his feet and tend his. 

00:14:42 Michael Blue 

Or to feed his lambs intent his his sheep. 

00:14:46 Michael Blue 

So I you know, once again, I feel like I'm talking a lot, but I'll. 

00:14:49 Michael Blue 

I'll stop and give you. 

00:14:51 Michael Blue 

For kind of as you think about. 

00:14:52 Michael Blue 

Feeding sheep and tending. 

00:14:54 Michael Blue 

Lambs like you're this podcast is called feed sheep. 

00:14:57 Michael Blue 

Like what is that? 

00:14:59 Michael Blue 

What's what's the picture you have in your mind there? 

00:15:01 Dan Shilling 

Well, Michael, it really began several years ago for me and I felt the word was saying something clearly to me again and again it was, you know, feed sheep, don't chase goats. 

00:15:12 Dan Shilling 

And when I think about what that means to me is the goats are, I say, in life, I said the goats are kind of like the folks that. 

00:15:23 Dan Shilling 

They chew your flowers, you know, poop on your sidewalk, stand on your car and scratch the paint, right? 

00:15:28 Dan Shilling 

I mean, they're it's they're independent animals. 

00:15:30 Dan Shilling 

They're they're not followers, they're they're ones that don't want to follow. 

00:15:36 Dan Shilling 

They're they are hard in their heart. 

00:15:37 

Right. 

00:15:39 Dan Shilling 

Right. 

00:15:39 Dan Shilling 

And So what my growing. 

00:15:43 Dan Shilling 

Care and passion has been actually, you know, it's just this morning this first came to mind. 

00:15:49 Dan Shilling 

Here just a little bit ago and I was going through. 

00:15:51 Dan Shilling 

I'm I'm actually right now in terms of feeding lambs. 

00:15:54 Dan Shilling 

One of the things that I'm doing is with my 13 year old son Jesse, and I've been praying about how do I engage him in God's word. 

00:16:03 Dan Shilling 

And he's not really interested in reading right now. 

00:16:07 Dan Shilling 

And so to tell. 

00:16:07 Dan Shilling 

Hey, go read your Bible. 

00:16:08 Dan Shilling 

Go get into devotions. 

00:16:09 Dan Shilling 

And I've been praying about it and I felt the Lord just and prompted me a week or so ago was to invite him to listen to the Bible together. 

00:16:19 Dan Shilling 

And so right now we're doing the the New Testament in 60 days, which is about 20 minutes a day. 

00:16:27 Dan Shilling 

And so he and I are listening to the Scriptures together. 

00:16:31 Dan Shilling 

He's at that age. 

00:16:32 Dan Shilling 

He's not really interested in reading a lot. 

00:16:34 Dan Shilling 

He's got school and other things, but just engages him in God's word. 

00:16:38 Dan Shilling 

And so I'm doing this with him. 

00:16:39 Dan Shilling 

So we're in Matthew right now and. 

00:16:40 Dan Shilling 

This is Matthew 936 and it says when Jesus saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. 

00:16:53 Dan Shilling 

And what my sense has been as well is that. 

00:16:57 Dan Shilling 

Out of Ezekiel 33 and 34, we see that the the shepherds were neglecting the sheep. 

00:17:04 Dan Shilling 

And I think the shepherds were neglecting this and this time too. 

00:17:08 Dan Shilling 

And this is what Jesus was saying there. 

00:17:09 Dan Shilling 

They were sheep without a shepherd and I, you know, unfortunately I think there are a lot of sheep still today that are sheep without a shepherd. 

00:17:18 Dan Shilling 

And so my burden or the calling that I feel. 

00:17:21 Dan Shilling 

In the season is to provide encouragement to help folks on their journey to help them to hear his voice, to follow his lead and thrive as a disciple, not just like raise my hand. 

00:17:32 Dan Shilling 

I want to go to heaven, but really helping people thrive as a follower and so a good friend of mine also said to me recently said, I think you really need to think about focusing on the Lambs. 

00:17:42 Dan Shilling 

And at first I was thinking I'm not. 

00:17:44 Dan Shilling 

I'm not in children's ministry. 

00:17:46 Dan Shilling 

I don't want to do that. 

00:17:47 Dan Shilling 

But what I realized what? 

00:17:48 Dan Shilling 

What the spirit God was speaking through them is that people that are tender, they're soft, they're they're. 

00:17:54 Dan Shilling 

Young, right, that that. 

00:17:55 Dan Shilling 

They're supposed to have a heart like. 

00:17:56 Dan Shilling 

A child that's wanting and desiring. 

00:17:59 Dan Shilling 

To walk in intimacy with him. 

00:18:01 Dan Shilling 

So I think it's so unique to see what he says here. 

00:18:03 Dan Shilling 

About you. 

00:18:04 Dan Shilling 

Know three different ways. 

00:18:06 Dan Shilling 

Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, and then coming back and saying feed my sheep. 

00:18:11 Dan Shilling 

So why do you think he did that? 

00:18:12 Dan Shilling 

Do you think there were three different? 

00:18:15 Dan Shilling 

Ways he stated it here. 

00:18:19 Michael Blue 

Honestly, I I'm I'm not sure if you if you have a reason then I'd love to love to hear. 

00:18:23 Michael Blue 

Your reason I can certainly conjecture. 

00:18:26 Dan Shilling 

Yeah, I don't know either, but it's interesting that he did. 

00:18:30 Dan Shilling 

You know, he didn't just say. 

00:18:31 Dan Shilling 

And I think if you look at different versions, probably it reads differently, but I think there's something significant with each one, you know, with feeding lambs which, you know, you say maybe someone tender tending to them is. 

00:18:47 Dan Shilling 

One of the things that Michael you and I've talked a little bit about this recently, that God's been convicting me of is I have no business trying to feed the sheep. 

00:18:53 Dan Shilling 

Outside of the pen until I'm. 

00:18:55 Dan Shilling 

Taking care of the ones inside of the pen, which means to me, is caring for the seven sons that God has and trusted me with. 

00:19:02 Dan Shilling 

I got sheep. 

00:19:03 Dan Shilling 

In my own. 

00:19:03 Dan Shilling 

Backyard and and that I can't shepherd them from a. 

00:19:07 Dan Shilling 

100 yards away. 

00:19:09 Dan Shilling 

I mean, I could put food down for them, but but I can't. 

00:19:13 Dan Shilling 

If I'm not attentive to them. 

00:19:14 Dan Shilling 

And and this good friend Bert, he is in. 

00:19:18 Dan Shilling 

He's Dutch in the Netherlands and he was telling me about he and his father had sheep. 

00:19:23 Dan Shilling 

Many times and he said they get this thing called a spider mite or like a spider tick and it gets in it and starts sucking the blood and. 

00:19:29 Dan Shilling 

Life out of them. 

00:19:30 Dan Shilling 

But unless you're tending to them and you're looking closely at. 

00:19:33 Dan Shilling 

Them you'll never see it. 

00:19:35 Dan Shilling 

And So what God's been showing me is like I can't tend to these ones that he's entrusted me from 100 yards away. 

00:19:41 Dan Shilling 

Like, hey, they look fine in. 

00:19:42 Dan Shilling 

Some ways I've been guilty of this. 

00:19:44 Dan Shilling 

As a as. 

00:19:45 Dan Shilling 

A father and tending to these ones, guys giving me to me from like 100 yards away. 

00:19:51 Dan Shilling 

And and he's saying. 

00:19:52 Dan Shilling 

No, you got to get close. 

00:19:54 Dan Shilling 

You got to kind of pull through that wool. 

00:19:56 Dan Shilling 

And and get in life with them. 

00:19:59 Dan Shilling 

And then the last one again is to feed them and help them mature as lamb. 

00:19:59 

Right. 

00:20:02 Dan Shilling 

So I think there's almost like a progression that we're helping people mature and. 

00:20:05 Dan Shilling 

Grow in their following. 

00:20:08 Michael Blue 

Yeah, yeah. 

00:20:09 Michael Blue 

And I I think. 

00:20:10 Michael Blue 

Too part of the call. 

00:20:12 Michael Blue 

To Peter is Peter. 

00:20:14 Michael Blue 

Get rid of your ideas of about what a leader is. 

00:20:16 Michael Blue 

Get rid of your ideas of of what I'm going to do as far as conquering the world like you think it's military. 

00:20:22 Michael Blue 

You think it's my? 

00:20:23 Michael Blue 

You think it's power? 

00:20:24 Michael Blue 

I'm telling you to go take be a shepherd, which is not us, you know. 

00:20:28 Michael Blue 

Not like a famous job. 

00:20:31 Michael Blue 

Tried a glamorous job and just tend to the the sheep, right and and shepherds could only handle so many sheep. 

00:20:37 Michael Blue 

If you, you know, take the analogy and and. 

00:20:39 Michael Blue 

They had to. 

00:20:39 Michael Blue 

Care for them and and take care of. 

00:20:42 Michael Blue 

And so effectively, he's calling him to kind of a an unrewarding, dirty job, frustrating job of tending sheep. 

00:20:52 Michael Blue 

They're going to wander that are going to do this and that, and he's saying this is what it means. 

00:20:56 Michael Blue 

Peter to follow me. 

00:20:58 Michael Blue 

Is not to go be famous, not to go be a king or a Prince or whatever you had in mind, and to sit at my right hand. 

00:21:04 Michael Blue 

It is to go do this and care for those people. 

00:21:08 Michael Blue 

And then he also. 

00:21:09 Michael Blue 

Tells him, he says. 

00:21:10 Michael Blue 

Peter, by the way, when you are are older, what's going to happen is you're going to die in a death similar. 

00:21:17 Michael Blue 

To the way. 

00:21:18 Michael Blue 

I die. 

00:21:18 Michael Blue 

You're going to stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. 

00:21:23 Michael Blue 

And then it says in. 

00:21:24 Michael Blue 

This is to show what kind of death he was to glorify God. 

00:21:28 Michael Blue 

So he says this is your new job, Peter. 

00:21:30 Michael Blue 

This is what it means to. 

00:21:31 Michael Blue 

Follow me and. 

00:21:32 Michael Blue 

By the way, when you do this. 

00:21:33 Michael Blue 

It's going to lead to your death. 

00:21:35 Michael Blue 

In a humiliating and painful way, and then says, and after saying, as he said to him. 

00:21:41 Michael Blue 

Follow me. 

00:21:42 Michael Blue 

Right. 

00:21:42 Michael Blue 

So you have 3 appearances to Peter. 

00:21:43 Michael Blue 

You have this miraculous catch the fish. 

00:21:45 Michael Blue 

You have this restoration around of fire feeding him breakfast when he was the one out fishing, right? 

00:21:51 Michael Blue 

Jesus had fish waiting for him, yes. 

00:21:54 Michael Blue 

And and and he says to. 

00:21:57 Michael Blue 

Don't worry about that. 

00:21:58 Michael Blue 

Miraculous catch. 

00:21:58 Michael Blue 

I've already got a few. 

00:21:59 Michael Blue 

That have already seasoned up for you. 

00:22:02 Michael Blue 

And then he says. 

00:22:03 Michael Blue 

Follow me. 

00:22:04 Michael Blue 

And so to me this is. 

00:22:05 Michael Blue 

Such a clarifying picture. 

00:22:07 Michael Blue 

For Peters life. 

00:22:08 Michael Blue 

Of what it means? 

00:22:09 Michael Blue 

To follow him. 

00:22:11 Michael Blue 

When I say the word follow like what? 

00:22:14 Michael Blue 

What do you think of we kind of described as we talked about tending in in the in the? 

00:22:18 Michael Blue 

Picture you've had, but what's? 

00:22:19 Michael Blue 

The picture that that we ought to be giving. 

00:22:22 Michael Blue 

Somebody from a passage like this from the rest of scripture, when we say. 

00:22:25 Michael Blue 

We want you to. 

00:22:26 Michael Blue 

Be a follower. 

00:22:27 Michael Blue 

Of Jesus. 

00:22:30 Dan Shilling 

Well, and and it's I think you can see it in multiple places. 

00:22:33 Dan Shilling 

But when he says, you know that it's it's a daily take up my cross daily willing to lay down my agenda my will my plans, my purpose, my goals, my time, my whatever and say. 

00:22:49 Dan Shilling 

Am I willing to say, OK, have your. 

00:22:52 Dan Shilling 

Have your way today you know, just allow me to when we think about the Lord's you know that he says that your Kingdom come your will be done. 

00:23:01 Dan Shilling 

And for for many of us, one of the things that I we're doing a group with a a group of young men, which my four of my boys are a part of right now. 

00:23:11 Dan Shilling 

And we're calling these groups poem names. 

00:23:13 Dan Shilling 

It's a Greek term that means a flock of sheep who followed Jesus as their guiding keeper. 

00:23:18 Dan Shilling 

So this is one of our goals. 

00:23:20 Dan Shilling 

Long term is to get people into these groups to be a part of a poem, nay group or a poem May fellowship where they're gathering with other sheep. 

00:23:28 Dan Shilling 

Where they. 

00:23:29 Dan Shilling 

They hear God's voice, right? 

00:23:30 Dan Shilling 

They're they're longing to be together to follow Jesus as their guiding keeper, not follow a man, not follow themselves. 

00:23:38 Dan Shilling 

And this process is is a journey. 

00:23:41 Dan Shilling 

It's not a. 

00:23:41 Dan Shilling 

OK. 

00:23:42 Dan Shilling 

I'm I'm I'm good. 

00:23:43 Dan Shilling 

And it's to me it's daily. 

00:23:44 Dan Shilling 

Right. 

00:23:45 Dan Shilling 

Daily take up my cross daily seek him for that bread of life daily look to him. 

00:23:50 Dan Shilling 

For the direction he wants me to go in. 

00:23:53 Dan Shilling 

Even if yesterday we were going north, he says. 

00:23:55 Dan Shilling 

Tomorrow morning go South. 

00:23:57 Dan Shilling 

I don't say wait a minute, not doing. 

00:23:58 Dan Shilling 

That we were going. 

00:23:59 Dan Shilling 

North that I really am willing to say. 

00:24:01 Dan Shilling 

OK, I'm following you. 

00:24:06 Michael Blue 

Yeah, that's good. 

00:24:07 Michael Blue 

I mean, and and it's it's drawing near, it's it's laying down like you said our it's our preconceived notions our rights it's this open handedness that. 

00:24:17 Michael Blue 

You know, in many ways I think you look at our journeys, we look at many, many people's journeys and there's it's not always that linear. 

00:24:25 Michael Blue 

No, I'm going this way and then? 

00:24:25 Dan Shilling 

It's no, it's not. 

00:24:28 Michael Blue 

I check that way and. 

00:24:30 Michael Blue 

Some of it's some of it's made just making mistakes. 

00:24:32 Michael Blue 

Some of it's made being disobedient, some it's. 

00:24:34 Michael Blue 

I think God also directing me in. 

00:24:35 Michael Blue 

One way to help me get to another. 

00:24:37 Michael Blue 

Or to teach me something else and. 

00:24:40 Michael Blue 

You know, and I've I've often been. 

00:24:42 Michael Blue 

Stuck in this idea that there's. 

00:24:45 Michael Blue 

There's a perfect pathway that I I've gotta find. 

00:24:48 Michael Blue 

I've gotta, you know, really root it out. 

00:24:50 Michael Blue 

And if I don't find that path, then God's out there disappointed in in my life and how I'm I'm follow and how I'm not following him because I haven't found the stone. 

00:25:00 Michael Blue 

I haven't found the gate. 

00:25:01 Michael Blue 

I haven't found the whatever and so there's an idea of entering in and obeying. 

00:25:05 Michael Blue 

But the following. 

00:25:07 Michael Blue 

I think is much more simple than. 

00:25:08 Michael Blue 

Oftentimes we make it. 

00:25:09 Michael Blue 

We like Peter, have this idea of massive impact, massive ministry, massive leadership, massive control, when in fact Jesus saying. 

00:25:19 Michael Blue 

I want you to tend the sheep, the people. 

00:25:21 Michael Blue 

That are in your life. 

00:25:24 Michael Blue 

And let me you know, I'm going to dictate. 

00:25:26 Michael Blue 

I may take you. 

00:25:26 Michael Blue 

Early in a very. 

00:25:27 Michael Blue 

Difficult way like I did with Peter. 

00:25:29 Michael Blue 

I may let you live long like he said when they ask about what about John, what about this other guy and he's. 

00:25:33 

Like if he if. 

00:25:35 

He's to go early if. 

00:25:36 Michael Blue 

He's still live long. 

00:25:37 Michael Blue 

It's not up to. 

00:25:38 Michael Blue 

You like that doesn't matter. 

00:25:40 Michael Blue 

And so it's it's much more simple I think than we we make it where I've made it and I as I try to find this perfect path that will bring you know, I say glory to God. 

00:25:50 Michael Blue 

But ultimately, if I'm truthful, what I'm seeking is glory to Michael. 

00:25:55 Michael Blue 

Yeah, and. 

00:25:55 Michael Blue 

And, you know, God exalted along. 

00:25:57 Michael Blue 

The way as. 

00:25:58 Dan Shilling 

Well, right, yes, yes. 

00:26:02 Dan Shilling 

You know, it's interesting to like just you made me think about talk. 

00:26:05 Dan Shilling 

I talked to your dad not too long ago, Michael, if I told you this, but he and one of the things that really stood out to me in the conversation we were talking about ministry and doing different things. 

00:26:13 Dan Shilling 

And I can I can fall. 

00:26:15 Dan Shilling 

Into the same trap you know. 

00:26:16 Dan Shilling 

Like, oh, God, you're telling me to. 

00:26:17 Dan Shilling 

Build this and he just said this comment that I believe the spirit God spoke through him, he said, you know. 

00:26:22 Dan Shilling 

You can think globally but act locally. 

00:26:26 Dan Shilling 

Right. 

00:26:26 Dan Shilling 

Don't take care of that taking it. 

00:26:28 Dan Shilling 

Really. What guys? 

00:26:29 Dan Shilling 

Would saying act locally means my backyard? 

00:26:32 Dan Shilling 

I mean my literal, you know, my family. 

00:26:35 Dan Shilling 

If I'm not making disciples in my own backyard, why? 

00:26:38 Dan Shilling 

What am I trying to do with everybody else? 

00:26:42 Dan Shilling 

And so I think for all of us, that's the call, right, whether it's our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbors, you know, whatever scenario we are in life. 

00:26:50 Dan Shilling 

God entrusts us with people, sheep that are without a shepherd. 

00:26:55 Dan Shilling 

They like he, his compassion upon them. 

00:26:57 Dan Shilling 

They're they're lost. 

00:26:58 Dan Shilling 

They're helpless. 

00:26:59 Dan Shilling 

They're they're looking, they're. 

00:27:03 Dan Shilling 

But we like what Paul, I think when he says follow me as I follow Christ, I don't think Paul was saying hey, I got. 

00:27:04 

Right. 

00:27:10 Dan Shilling 

It all right. 

00:27:10 Dan Shilling 

I'm perfect. 

00:27:12 Dan Shilling 

Come join me. 

00:27:12 Dan Shilling 

He was interesting. 

00:27:13 Dan Shilling 

Hey, I'm. 

00:27:14 Dan Shilling 

I'm a lost guy. 

00:27:15 Dan Shilling 

Too, but I'm. 

00:27:16 Dan Shilling 

A lost guy going after and following my savior. 

00:27:19 Dan Shilling 

Would you like to join me? 

00:27:20 Dan Shilling 

I'd love to have you join me. 

00:27:22 Dan Shilling 

And I think that's really what we're. 

00:27:23 Dan Shilling 

About really this will Fiji, but we wanna invite you to join us on a journey. 

00:27:29 Dan Shilling 

We don't have it figured out. 

00:27:29 Dan Shilling 

We don't have like hey we we. 

00:27:30 Dan Shilling 

Got it. 

00:27:31 Dan Shilling 

All down and we're gonna teach you like. 

00:27:33 Dan Shilling 

From it, but we are on a journey of desiring to follow him wholeheartedly. 

00:27:39 Dan Shilling 

And like you said a little bit ago, Michael, that that's not a linear path. 

00:27:43 Dan Shilling 

And there are days that I'm guilty of, like, man, I can't find the perfect road and. 

00:27:47 Dan Shilling 

I think it's guys like there is no. 

00:27:48 Dan Shilling 

Perfect Rd. 

00:27:49 Dan Shilling 

It's just you're just with me. 

00:27:51 Dan Shilling 

And and I'll be. 

00:27:52 Dan Shilling 

With you, you know, in this process, if you just state like you said, abide in me. 

00:27:56 Dan Shilling 

Stay near to me and I'll be with you. 

00:27:58 Dan Shilling 

Matter what, you're. 

00:27:58 Dan Shilling 

Going through and. 

00:27:59 Dan Shilling 

It's hard, right? 

00:28:01 Dan Shilling 

But it's it's it. 

00:28:01 Dan Shilling 

Is what I believe God's calling us to. 

00:28:04 Michael Blue 

Yeah, 100%. And and I think that as we think about, you know, even thinking globally, you know that global thinking is. 

00:28:13 Michael Blue 

To equip people to act locally. 

00:28:15 

Yes, yes, absolutely. 

00:28:16 Michael Blue 

So I mean, even even if I'm thinking globally. 

00:28:19 Michael Blue 

The the church, the. 

00:28:21 Michael Blue 

Our fellowship, all of it, grows. 

00:28:23 Michael Blue 

In this feeding sheep idea with one another. 

00:28:28 

And it's. 

00:28:28 Michael Blue 

And and so I it's the following. 

00:28:31 Michael Blue 

You know, I look at the cause of Jesus to follow and and almost all of them required people to make a pretty to to leave something to or leave everything behind, right. 

00:28:40 Michael Blue 

He he didn't say you. 

00:28:41 Michael Blue 

Know bring. Bring as. 

00:28:42 Michael Blue 

Much as you can. 

00:28:43 Michael Blue 

He said. 

00:28:43 Michael Blue 

Leave it. Leave it. 

00:28:44 Michael Blue 

Behind I've got everything that you need. 

00:28:46 Michael Blue 

Simplify it and and walk behind me. 

00:28:51 Michael Blue 

Even to the rich young ruler, which? 

00:28:52 Michael Blue 

I'm sure we'll talk about at some point. 

00:28:53 Michael Blue 

You know, he says one thing you. 

00:28:55 Michael Blue 

Lack go sell everything you have and distribute to the poor. 

00:28:58 Michael Blue 

Then you have treasure in heaven and come follow me. 

00:29:00 Michael Blue 

I want to stress. 

00:29:01 Michael Blue 

That Jesus didn't say you know what, that. 

00:29:02 Michael Blue 

Would be really great seed. 

00:29:04 Michael Blue 

Capital for this ministry. 

00:29:06 Michael Blue 

Why don't you sell everything you have, give it to Judas because he's the handler. 

00:29:10 Michael Blue 

Of the purse and. 

00:29:11 Michael Blue 

Come, follow me. 

00:29:13 Michael Blue 

He said we got this. 

00:29:16 Michael Blue 

Just bring yourself. 

00:29:18 Michael Blue 

So I think kind of as we as we. 

00:29:20 Michael Blue 

Think about wrapping up here. 

00:29:24 Michael Blue 

When I think of following, I think of walking behind somebody else, right? 

00:29:29 Michael Blue 

And so ultimately Jesus is the person we're walking behind. 

00:29:33 Michael Blue 

There's also people in. 

00:29:34 Michael Blue 

Our lives that we walked with and behind. 

00:29:38 Michael Blue 

In this following but but as as we. 

00:29:41 Michael Blue 

Kind of close up. 

00:29:42 Michael Blue 

Can you think of an example in your own? 

00:29:45 Michael Blue 

Life of somebody who you. 

00:29:47 Michael Blue 

Who you. 

00:29:48 Michael Blue 

Really view as being. 

00:29:49 Michael Blue 

Someone who's followed Jesus in a way that that's like Paul say, that's a that's a life. 

00:29:54 Michael Blue 

Worthy of imitation. 

00:29:57 Michael Blue 

To kind of encourage us. 

00:30:01 Dan Shilling 

Well, I think you're going to laugh when I say this, but. 

00:30:04 Dan Shilling 

I think you. 

00:30:05 Dan Shilling 

Know one of the stories that you and I have encouraged each other with. 

00:30:08 Dan Shilling 

I think you and I have done that with each other. 

00:30:10 Dan Shilling 

I've seen you do it and I saw you make a radical choice. 

00:30:13 Dan Shilling 

And I'll leave you up to share what that choice was. 

00:30:16 Dan Shilling 

You know, if you want to share the details. 

00:30:17 Dan Shilling 

But you know what many would say. 

00:30:20 Dan Shilling 

That's absolutely stupid, right? 

00:30:22 Dan Shilling 

And it related to your finances. 

00:30:24 Dan Shilling 

I can say at least that part of it for you know, folks that know. 

00:30:26 Dan Shilling 

But you made a decision to follow. 

00:30:30 Dan Shilling 

In in an area that very, very, very, very few would even. 

00:30:36 Dan Shilling 

And so it wasn't. 

00:30:37 Dan Shilling 

It wasn't like you woke up one day and had a bright idea. 

00:30:39 Dan Shilling 

It wasn't like someone tried to, you know, convince you or manipulate you or out of coercion to to make this financial decision. 

00:30:47 Dan Shilling 

But you did it as an act of obedience and an act of love as a part of your journey. 

00:30:54 Dan Shilling 

Of being a follower faithful. 

00:30:57 Dan Shilling 

To do whatever the owner asks you. 

00:30:58 Dan Shilling 

To do so. 

00:31:00 Dan Shilling 

Sorry, I had to use you brother. 

00:31:02 Michael Blue 

Not really who I was, what I. 

00:31:03 Michael Blue 

Was looking for Stan. 

00:31:08 Michael Blue 

As yeah, thanks for that. 

00:31:10 Michael Blue 

I you know and. 

00:31:13 Michael Blue 

And I think this. 

00:31:13 Michael Blue 

Is true of of hopefully all of. 

00:31:15 Michael Blue 

Us, but there, you know and. 

00:31:16 Michael Blue 

Following Jesus, there are certainly times where we. 

00:31:20 Michael Blue 

Make these big gestures that feel really significant and they are. 

00:31:24 Michael Blue 

I mean, they're a. 

00:31:24 Michael Blue 

Part of our journey, but. 

00:31:25 Michael Blue 

They they still are parts of. 

00:31:26 Michael Blue 

Our journey, even thinking back about the rich. 

00:31:29 Michael Blue 

Ruler selling everything. 

00:31:30 Michael Blue 

My guess is he was a well connected guy from a good family and whatnot and and he would have had opportunity to make that back. 

00:31:37 Michael Blue 

He would have an opportunity to do other things afterwards. 

00:31:40 Michael Blue 

So these these decisions that look. 

00:31:44 Michael Blue 

Vague and radical at the time, I think feel to the person pretty normal after you walk through them and you know, use the other people who like, well, that's the real sacrificial life or or following but this. 

00:31:56 Michael Blue 

Part of all of that, though. 

00:31:58 Michael Blue 

Is this this is a journey? 

00:32:00 Michael Blue 

Of steps and so one one step but one of my favorite quotes in the world is is Jim Elliott as they grew before they ever went to the Elk Indians before they ever kind of made that stuff they. 

00:32:11 Michael Blue 

Were you know? 

00:32:12 Michael Blue 

In South America, and they were preparing. 

00:32:14 Michael Blue 

And they had this thing happen. 

00:32:16 Michael Blue 

And and I don't have time for the details, but he. 

00:32:19 Michael Blue 

His comment was we. 

00:32:20 Michael Blue 

We pushed back the boundaries of our step of our faith. 

00:32:23 Michael Blue 

One more step. 

00:32:23 Michael Blue 

We push back the boundaries of our faith. 

00:32:25 Michael Blue 

One more. 

00:32:25 Michael Blue 

Stuff and I think that's. 

00:32:27 Michael Blue 

What this life of following is we're we're continually pushing back the boundaries of our, of our faith and other death and and realizing as we live it out, that God is trustworthy. 

00:32:37 Michael Blue 

He is faithful. 

00:32:37 Michael Blue 

He is someone we can trust in following when he says leave everything behind and come follow me. 

00:32:42 Michael Blue 

Deny yourself. 

00:32:44 Michael Blue 

Than I the world and follow me because it's a better place to be. 

00:32:48 Michael Blue 

I'm not telling you this is going to be easy. 

00:32:49 Michael Blue 

I might even like Peter say, hey, you're going to stretch. 

00:32:52 Michael Blue 

Out your arms and die and be carried. 

00:32:55 Michael Blue 

Where where you don't want to go. 

00:32:58 Michael Blue 

But this is the only life that will bring you satisfaction, and it's in the life that points towards eternity. 

00:33:06 Michael Blue 

And so we're all gonna have different journeys. 

00:33:07 Michael Blue 

We're all going to have different ways we walk through. 

00:33:09 Michael Blue 

This following means following. 

00:33:12 Michael Blue 

It means stepping behind the leadership of our father and so we need to get in step with him by spending time with him and been spending time with one. 

00:33:20 Michael Blue 

Another doing the same things. 

00:33:24 Michael Blue 

So that's that's my closing thought and I think we'll get into our stories at some point in this podcast, cause I also have been courage. 

00:33:30 Michael Blue 

By your story and. 

00:33:31 Michael Blue 

I I think it's it is helpful in a way that's. 

00:33:36 Michael Blue 

To just admit like we're not. 

00:33:37 Michael Blue 

We're broken people, but these are some things that God has LED. 

00:33:40 Michael Blue 

Us to do. 

00:33:40 Michael Blue 

And you know it seems. 

00:33:42 Michael Blue 

Scary. And these? 

00:33:42 Michael Blue 

Are the fruits of it. 

00:33:43 Michael Blue 

It's encouraging people to take steps because, you know, it seems scary. 

00:33:47 Michael Blue 

On one side of. 

00:33:47 Michael Blue 

It where it's when you get to the other. 

00:33:49 Michael Blue 

Side you're. 

00:33:50 Michael Blue 

Like, why was I scared? 

00:33:54 Dan Shilling 

As I shared with the young men. 

00:33:56 Dan Shilling 

Last night we were. 

00:33:58 Dan Shilling 

Together with for our planet groups I mentioned prior that I I shared just briefly about, you know, the the biggest story that we had and that again will come at A at a future time. 

00:34:12 Dan Shilling 

But I I said at the time, you know it it, it seemed like, Oh my gosh. 

00:34:17 Dan Shilling 

And we were talking about how do you know if you're hearing? 

00:34:19 Dan Shilling 

That's voice. 

00:34:20 Dan Shilling 

And I said, well, the reason I knew this wasn't me because I would never come up with. 

00:34:23 Dan Shilling 

This idea like. 

00:34:25 Dan Shilling 

I wouldn't. 

00:34:26 Dan Shilling 

This was not. 

00:34:27 Dan Shilling 

It's not. 

00:34:28 Dan Shilling 

Out of my flesh. 

00:34:30 Dan Shilling 

And so I think, how do we know? 

00:34:32 Dan Shilling 

I mean I think because I want to wrap up for us today and think, but how do? 

00:34:34 Dan Shilling 

I know if I'm following, how do I know if I'm hearing? 

00:34:38 Dan Shilling 

And over the years, people say, how do you know? 

00:34:39 Dan Shilling 

I said, well, cause most of the time it was what I felt God would speak to. 

00:34:43 Dan Shilling 

My heart was in the antithesis of what my flesh wants. 

00:34:47 Dan Shilling 

Like go ask that person to forgive you. 

00:34:49 Dan Shilling 

You were wrong. 

00:34:50 Dan Shilling 

Like what? I wasn't. 

00:34:51 

Wrong. I'm not. 

00:34:52 Dan Shilling 

Gonna do that? 

00:34:52 

You know or or. 

00:34:54 

Hey, go do this with. 

00:34:55 Dan Shilling 

The resources I've given you and like wait, that was for me, you know? 

00:34:58 Dan Shilling 

So whatever The thing is, usually my measuring stick is not always but many times when I'm prompted by him. 

00:35:06 Dan Shilling 

To follow him, it's in the opposite. 

00:35:09 Dan Shilling 

Direction kind of. 

00:35:10 Dan Shilling 

Like put your net on the other side. 

00:35:11 Dan Shilling 

Of the boat. 

00:35:12 Dan Shilling 

Then you're you're you're fish in the wrong place. 

00:35:14 Dan Shilling 

And I'm doing this because I love you. 

00:35:16 Dan Shilling 

I want to see you thrive. 

00:35:17 Dan Shilling 

And so as we wrap. 

00:35:18 Dan Shilling 

Up today, this is what? 

00:35:20 Dan Shilling 

We're after we want. 

00:35:21 Dan Shilling 

To we most of everything else that we want to accomplish in our journey here together. 

00:35:27 Dan Shilling 

Is to help each other hear his voice, follow his lead, and thrive as a sample. 

00:35:32 Dan Shilling 

So I want you to know that we're praying for you, and then we want to encourage you. 

00:35:35 Dan Shilling 

Thanks for joining us today. 

00:35:36 Dan Shilling 

And we're going to continue on this process. 

00:35:39 Dan Shilling 

This isn't just a A tag line, it's our mantra. 

00:35:42 Dan Shilling 

It's where we're going to continue to focus much of our time, but we're going to look into specific areas of our life, including our money, including areas that are tough and willingness to surrender and follow them. 

00:35:56 Dan Shilling 

God bless you. 

00:35:56 Dan Shilling 

Thanks for joining us, Michael. 

00:35:57 Dan Shilling 

Thanks again. 

00:35:58 Dan Shilling 

Always a pleasure. 

00:35:59 Dan Shilling 

Look forward to see you next time. 

00:36:00 Dan Shilling 

Thank you, Dan all. 

00:36:01 Dan Shilling 

Guys soon. 

00:36:01 

Right. God bless.