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Hey there and welcome to the City Lights Podcast City Lights is a church located in the northwestern part of Richmond, Virginia. For more information about city lights you can visit us at. We are city lights dot com Now enjoy today's message when they pop up service. My name is Jacob, and I'm on the team. Here we have. We have been in a serious called How's Your Soul? Now? That could be a big thing. What is the soul? What is all that? Okay, so my hope for you in this series that you will have self discovery by discovering more of Who? God ISS. So I think once we Seymour of God, we can begin to have more of our inside life healthy and fulfilled. Jesus put it like this. When he was questioned by religious leaders, Matthew, 23 says, was sorrows with sorrow waits for you. Teachers of religious law Farris. He's new hypocrites thing. Jesus horse, for you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup in the dish, but inside you are filthy, full of greed. You blind Farris is first washed, the inside of the cup and the dish and then the outside will become clean, too. Now that's pretty intense, But But it's not about the outside. Looking great is about the inside your heart, your soul, like like I. I am Maur, more convinced, you know, with, as I grow my relationship with God that that God is not just interested in the external things that happens around me. But he's far more interested in the condition of my heart. You know, I think out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. So so once you're inside, life is healthy. Well, I believe it will overflow to your outside world. So last week we talked about 44 things to have in order to have a healthy soul. And that's rest restriction, responsibility, relationships. You know, this week we will explore the question. What does my soul What? Why does my soul have hope? Why does my soul have hope? So if you're like me, you probably experience moments when your emotions or thoughts seem like they're spiraling out of control. And when you're surprised and confused, if you're like me, you're also very dramatic. So maybe not like me. But maybe you are okay with dramatic people. Maybe that's on a good thing to celebrate. Okay, anyways, so so. But what do we do when that happens? What do we do when that happens, when everything feels like it's spiraling out of control? One time I got story one time I was playing outside with my daughter, Kingsley. We have this balloon and we were bouncing around. She loves balloons. She calls on booms, booms. You know, she loves balloons and we're playing outside. And we went to a walk to our mailbox when we were living in our apartment complex here in Richmond. And as we were walking to the mailbox, the when took Kingsley's balloons took it. And this thing like it was a rush, you know, just took her balloon in the wind tickets so fast. And so far the balloon was literally in the middle of the street. And at first I was like, Well, too bad that balloon I ain't getting that thing for her, you know, like that lying. But it's my life, you know, get to get that Jinky bowling. But then she's crying, and she doesn't want to go inside until we go after the balloon and She's like Boom, boom, boom! She's so sad. So I'm like, Oh my gosh, I hate to see this ad So I picked her up and we started running towards the balloon moon and before, before the wind takes it even farther into the street. And this was the best part because I was running. I was seriously just trying. Get a blue boy wouldn't any father. But as we were running in, Kingsley's laughin and smiling so big, like me bouncing her up and down while we were running. She she was like nearly having a blast. And here's the best part. When we get to the balloon, guess what she doesn't even want anymore. She's not even thinking about this building. She she had a great time. She had. There was more joy for her running with me, bouncing it, bouncing in my arms and then the balloon. And I think this is a good picture of hope to think this is a good picture of how we can have hope, how I soul's gonna have hope in our father, God see, in times of trouble, in distress, we have to be attentional about directing our souls back to God seethe songwriter writes and gives us this example by speaking to ourselves. Psalm 42 says this. Why my soul? Are you downcast? Why are you disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise them. My savior and my God. When emotions run high, we need to be intentional about directing our souls. That too. God, Yeah. Speak to it. Like like I'm not gonna be upset about this anymore. I refused that. I refuse to live in discouragement. I refuse to live defeated. I refuse. And then? And then here's one thing that I believe, though, that you just it's not gift. We you just to say I'm never gonna be like this. I'm never gonna have this. You got to start speaking of things that you do want in your life. You're gonna say I will have victory in this season. I will have hope in this. I will have joy in this. You got to speak into existence of things that she wants. See, because there's a true that there are only two options for you. When you go through hard times, there's only like two options. You they either you conclude that there is no God in life is meaningless. Are you believe that there is a God in our lives are a result of his plan. Even when things are tough. See if God put us here. If God put us on this Earth that God put us here. But he is good enough to know about and care for our everyday lives. He's good to care for us. Even when I sold are out of control. God is still in control and he has a plan. He has a purpose for our lives. See, God is a personal guy. God is greater than our feelings. He is greater than our emotions. He is greater than our own souls. Yes, I wanted to leave you with this. That means even when we feel discouraged, even we feel condemned by our own mistakes. We can have hope in him because he loves us. He cares for us. No matter was going going on. So you can put your hope in Jesus. Pray with me. God, I pray that that we will put our hope in you. Jesus. Like the story of me holding Kingsley and running God you hold us. You hold us in the journey, not just at the destination. You hold us in the journey and we can laugh in your arms. We can have joy in your arms because you are a good father. So God, I pray that people will experience that joy experience that hope that their souls will have peace in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Now there's gonna be a a weekly challenge posted on our social media. I want you to look at that challenge and try toe make it happen this week until next Wednesday. You know, I truly believe that God is for you, and he's with you in this season. So Hey, I want you to know your next days, your best days and God is with you. Thanks for checking out the city lights podcast. If you'd like to partner with us financially, you can go toe. We're city lights dot com slash give or you can text any dollar amount to 84321 Thanks for joining us today.