(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen. All right, we're there in Hebrews chapter number 12, and we've of course been going through a series on Sunday mornings. We started the first Sunday of the year, a series called Winning the Race of Life, and what we've been learning about is just how to win at life, how to not lose at life, and we've been going through these passages where the Apostle Paul used these sports illustrations in regards to life, specifically that of racing, and we've been applying those and learning, and if you remember in week number one, we learned that in order to win at life, we must determine what winning looks like in our life. If you're going to so run that you may obtain, you need to know what does that look like to obtain, and then in week two, we learned that in order to win at life, we must choose the eternal over the temporal, and last week we learned that in order to win at life, we must choose the important over the immediate, and this week we're just going to add one more layer to those thoughts, and like I said, we've been illustrating this through these scriptures where Paul uses these sports analogies, and I want you to notice there in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 1, we have yet another one. Now we don't know who wrote the book of Hebrews. I believe it's the Apostle Paul, but it's not claimed in the book. I think it's Paul, though, when you look at the style and the wording and the things that he says, and in Hebrews 12 and verse 1, the Bible says this, we're foreseeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, and what he's referring to, because he's going to use this analogy of running a race, and he's saying when you're running this race, there's a crowd there that is cheering you on, that is watching you, and he says in the Christian life, there is a great cloud of witnesses in heaven and on earth that are witnessing you live your life, run your life. He says we're foreseeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Notice what he says. He says let us lay aside every weight. He says let us lay aside every weight and the sin that does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Now when he talks about being beset there, that word means to be hindered, to be blocked. He says there are some things when you are running the race of life that are going to hinder you, that are gonna block you, that are gonna trip you up, that are gonna keep you from getting to your destination. Now he talks about the sin that does so easily beset us, and I'm honestly not preaching about that this morning. Obviously sin can destroy your life, sin can ruin your life, sin can trip you up in the race of life, and that's something that should go without saying, but I want to focus in on this phrase where he says let us lay aside every weight, because I want you to notice he says we need to lay aside every weight, and then he says also and the sin which does so easily beset us, and I believe that that's a different category, that weight, and what he's saying is this, when you're going to run a race and we're understanding this in a physical aspect, a physical foot race, you don't want to run a race with a bunch of weight on you. You know you want to be as light as possible, right, physically, but you don't want to put on a big old backpack, you don't want to put on be carrying around things that are gonna weigh you down, and Paul is saying this, he's saying when you run a physical race you need to lay aside every weight that does so easily beset you and the sin that does so easily beset you, but I believe those weights are not necessarily bad things, they're just things that are gonna slow you down, and in this passage what we learn is that in order to win at the race of life you must lay aside things that may weigh you down or that may slow you down, and today, today what I want to speak to you about is in that fourth layer that I'd like to add to this thought of winning the race of life is I want us to learn that in order to win at life we must not get distracted. In order to win at life we must not get distracted, and there are some things in life that we sometimes get involved in and they're not necessarily bad, they may not necessarily be bad, obviously sin needs to be set aside and sin that'll distract you and keep you from accomplishing your God-given purpose needs to be put aside, but there are other things that maybe they're not bad, maybe they're not sinful, they're just time-consuming, they're just gonna weigh you down, they're going to distract you and keep you from winning the race, and today I want to help you with that, with this idea of laying aside every weight that is slowing us down in the race of life. Now I'd like you to go with me to the book of Nehemiah if you would, if you open your Bible just right in the center you'll more than likely fall in the book of Psalms, and right after Psalms you have the book, actually if you go backwards, I need to go backwards from Psalms, you have the book of Job, Esther, and Nehemiah, the book of Nehemiah, if you start at Psalms right in the center of the Bible and go backwards you have Job, Esther, Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter 6, and today what I'd like to do is this, similar to last week I want to walk you through five thoughts to help you lay aside every weight, because sometimes we don't understand this concept, we understand it in a physical race when Paul says it and we're like yeah of course you don't want to be carrying all this weight with you when you're trying to run this race, you're trying to win the race, but in life we don't understand that there are sometimes some weights we put on, some things that slow us down, some things that distract us, and I want to walk you through five thoughts to help you lay aside and not get bogged down or slow down or distracted in the race of life. Now each of these thoughts builds on the other, it's kind of step one, step two, step three, step four, step five, I would encourage you to write these down on the back of your course week, of course there's a place for you to write down some notes if you don't have a baby sitting on your lap or if you have a baby sitting on your lap I understand you might not be able to write, but for the rest of you I would encourage you to write these things down and each thought builds on the other and we're gonna learn why we or how we should lay aside every weight which does so easily beset us. So here's here's statement number one, I'm gonna give you five statements and and they build on each other and they're gonna kind of take us to our destination. Statement number one is this, to not get distracted in your life, to not get distracted in your life, and I realize these are a little wordy so I'll repeat them for you, to not get distracted in your life you must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important. To not get distracted in life you must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important and I want you to go to Nehemiah because in Nehemiah chapter 6 we have one of the passages that is the most clear representation of this I think in the Bible as far as an illustration or story it's one of my favorite parts of Nehemiah one of my favorite stories in the Bible and of course if you remember Nehemiah, Nehemiah was part of the captivity and he was sent back to Jerusalem to build the wall if you remember the walls were broken down and Jerusalem was in distress and Nehemiah was sent back with the authority with the resources of the king to build up the walls of Jerusalem that the people might not be a reproach but whenever you're doing anything for God or whenever you're accomplishing anything for God you're always going to have opposition and Nehemiah found himself with that opposition notice Nehemiah chapter 6 and verse 1 Nehemiah 6 1 the Bible says this now it came to pass when Sanballat and Tobiah and Gachem the Arabian these are the bad guys and the rest of our enemies notice the rest of our enemies heard that I had builded the wall and that there was no breach left therein though at the time had not set up the doors upon the gate so they were almost done with the race that was set before them they were almost done with accomplishing the task that they had the wall was basically built but they just had to set up the gates and get it all done notice verse 2 then Sanballat and Gachem sent unto me saying come and they give an invitation they say come let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono but they thought to do me mischief so here we have Nehemiah who's doing a great work he's doing a great task he's accomplishing a great thing and then you've got his enemies who are inviting him to come off the wall and they are saying come let us meet together in some one of the villages they say Nehemiah why don't we get together for coffee Nehemiah let's get together for lunch Nehemiah we want to have a talk with you and of course Nehemiah understood last part of verse 2 that they thought to do me mischief and I love the response that Nehemiah gives notice verse 3 and I sent messengers unto them saying I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you and in life what you and I need to understand that there are lots of things that we could do and there are lots of things that we can do but there are only some things that we should do and Nehemiah understood this principle that in order to not get distracted in life we must avoid saying yes to the things that are lesser value we must avoid saying yes to the things that are not eternal like we've learned in previous weeks and not important we must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important and you say why here's why because when we allow ourselves to get distracted it hurts us and the work that we are doing I mean notice what he says there at verse 2 last part of verse 2 but they thought to do me mischief they actually wanted to kill him they invited him over for lunch get him off the wall get him where he's not protected get him where he's by himself that they might kill him they've already been trying to manipulate the situation to stop the work they've been trying to intimidate the people to stop the work it got to the point where the workers literally had to work with one hammer and a hammer in one hand and a sword in the other because they were building and battling all at the same time and finally when the work is almost done they decide we're just have to kill Nehemiah and they send this invitation they say come let us meet together in some one of the villages but Nehemiah understands that in order to accomplish great things in life and for God we must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important because there's lots of things we can do but there are only some things that we should do and when we allow ourselves to get distracted it hurts us and the work that we're doing he says but they thought to do me mischief notice verse 3 and I sent messengers unto them saying I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down why why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you and if you've been with us and maybe you haven't been with us over the last hour weeks and I would encourage you to go back and listen to these sermons as we've been developing them but if you've been with us and you've been tracking and answering the question what does winning look like in my life what does winning look like in my marriage what does winning look like in my parenting what does winning look like it financially in my relationships the question you have to ask yourself is this when you've got a direction in which you are going when you've determined that winning looks like this is what winning looks like with our children and our parenting then you've got to ask yourself what is distracting me what is distracting me from accomplishing that goal what is it if winning in marriage looks like you know not only not getting a divorce but but actually getting to the end of your life and being happily married getting to the end of your life and being glad that you still want to be together if that's what winning looks like then what is it in life that's distracting you that's weighing you down from getting there if winning as a parent looks like raising mature responsible productive young people that are ready to take on life and are willing and ready and excited to serve the Lord if that's what winning looks like then what is it that's distracting you that's veering you away and here's all I'm saying there are some things that we might get asked to do there are some invitations that might come our way there are some things that might pop into our heads and think I'd like to do that and I'd like to go there and I'd like to do this but there are some times in fact there are many times when the response needs to be I am doing a great work I cannot come down why should the work cease why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you here's the thing here's the thing in our culture there are many in fact that's become the norm to for husbands to send their wives off to work to put the kids in daycare or public school or as Christian school or some sort let somebody else raise the children because we need to make more money so that we could live in a certain house so we can drive a certain vehicle so we could wear certain clothes so we could have a certain quality of life and certain vacations but look mom when God gave you those children he gave you those children that when God gave you those children he gave you those children for you to write and here's what I'm telling you there are some moms that need to say yes it would be nice to maybe go into that career yes it would be nice to maybe work in that field yes it would be nice to do those things but I'm doing a great work I cannot come down and the truth is this the truth is this that in order to not get distracted in life you must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important and they're not all sinful they're not all bad back in 2016 before our church had that major protests in 2016 in fact the end of 2015 and in the beginning of 2016 my wife and I we we decided to to do something my wife of course being the pastor's wife here holds all sorts of events and tons of events you know the Mother's Day teas and the ladies Christmas parties and all that and for years she had been making these little favors she had just made them herself they were handmade and she made these beauty products that she would give to the ladies as gifts and they were like face creams and lip balms and lotions and things like that and they were all all natural and organic or whatever and she was just doing it just you know as gifts and his little favors for all these little events that we put on here but over the years as she did this these things got really popular not only within our church family and some of you ladies know you know ladies are constantly asking like oh can I have another one and she's happy to make them and we're always giving them out and she's giving them out or whatever but we they started being given out to even ladies in other churches and people started asking you know can we get one of these face creams from your wife and this and that or whatever and we started to realize that wow she kind of had developed something here that had a lot of value and people were really happy with it and and and we got this idea to start this side business back in 2015 and 2016 where my wife was going to be making and producing and selling these beauty products and we got really serious about it I've never spoken about it publicly but we got extremely serious about it I mean we had a business license we had a website build we had accounts set up for it we had names already copyrighted it was gonna be called pure and pleasant beauty products and some of you have received some of the pure and pleasant beauty products that my wife made you know from the things we had the labels and the the everything already know something my wife was gonna be doing and I was kind of helpful there and this is something kind of to distract us you know from all the work and everything the ministry and things that we were doing and we were getting ready to actually launch it in the spring of 2016 and in the spring of 2016 something happened that you guys are all aware of I preached a sermon that went viral and we had all sorts of protesters and and things that happened and because of that we put a pause on the launch of this business and during that time of the protest we also and this is something that we didn't speak about at the time and I've told you about it since then but we also had a health scare with one of our kids and it was kind of a big deal and it ended up working out fine our kids are finding their healthy but at the time we weren't sure what was going to happen and we were dealing with that and dealing with the protest and dealing with these things and as some time went by you know my wife and I kind of started talking about how busy we were not only with our children because our children are you are young now and they were even younger at the time and with the ministry the ministry takes up a lot of our time and energy and a lot of extra focus that goes into it and we kind of started talking you know is this something that we should really be launching is this something that we should really be doing is this something that we should really is this something is this somewhere where we want to put all our resources and our energy and part of the problem was that this was a consumable product so something that she's gonna have to be making on a regular basis all of the time and sending it out and and again and we're not and look Proverbs 31 talks about women having businesses from home and all that and we're all for that we're not saying there's anything wrong with anybody doing that in fact we're not saying there's anything wrong with us doing that we just decided in 2016 based on the season in life that we're in based on the the amount of children we have the ages of our children the fact that there are some priorities that we have like homeschooling them and and that my wife has like homeschooling them because because of the fact that we already had so many responsibilities and things that needed to be done for church because of those things we just kind of decided that the pure and pleasant business had to be put on the back burner and and what really what we decided was this we decided this was a great idea and it seems like a super opportunity and it seems like everybody really loves it if we can just people get ladies to try it they'll want to buy it and whatever but we decided you know what we're doing already a great work and we cannot come down and here's all I'm telling you here's all I'm telling you to not get distracted in life you must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important even when they're good things we're not saying starting that business was a bad thing we're not saying it was a bad idea we're not saying as some it would have been sin for anything like that but we just realized that we were all we already had a lot on our plates we already had things that were more valuable more important something that needed our time and our energy we had our children we had our own marriage we had the ministry and we just decided hey I'm glad we had this idea we started walking in this direction and we actually were very serious about it and did all sorts of things but at this point we are doing a great work and we cannot come down and in order to win at life in order to win at life you must not get distracted and to not get distracted you must avoid saying yes to things that are lesser value here's statement number two and if you would go with me to the book of Matthew in the New Testament Matthew chapter number six statement number two is this to avoid saying yes to the less important and by the way I've kind of turned this into a motto in our ministry since 2016 some of you may or may not have noticed but I I have tried to chop away at the things that even in our ministry that we've been doing that are just not necessary I find myself saying no a lot because there are all sorts of ministry opportunities and ideas it seems like every week of my life somebody's telling me about some opportunity or some ministry or some idea or something that we could do and they're all good things and they're all good ideas and they're all great things but the thing is this that sometimes when you say yes to everything you get distracted you get overwhelmed you get overbooked you get over over a concern with other things that are lesser value that are less important and what we've learned in our ministry and what we've learned in our life is that in order to win at life you must avoid saying yes to the lesser value things you say why here's why because and and here's and here's and here's the really the point in regards that to avoid saying yes to the less important things because that might be the question you're asking well how do I know what's important what's not important what should I say yes to and what I should I say no to here's what you need to realize is this to avoid saying yes and here's statement number two if I didn't make that clear to avoid saying yes to the less important you must realize that not everything matters equally to avoid because look to not get distracted you must avoid saying yes to the lesser value things but in order to avoid saying yes to the unimportant things you must realize you must realize that not everything matters equally I'd like to read for you this little article entitled the Pareto principle some of you may have heard of this I've talked about it before not by that name but let me read this for you the Pareto principle named after esteemed economist Vilfredo Pareto specifies that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes asserting an equal and unequal relationship between input and output this principle serves as a general reminder that the relationship between inputs and output does not balance the Pareto principle is also known as the Pareto rule or the 80-20 rule the original observation of the Pareto principle was linked to the relationship between wealth and population according to Pareto he observed that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population after serving a number of other countries he found that the same applied abroad for the most part the Pareto principle is an observation that things in life are not always distributed evenly and since Pareto made this observation and this realization there's actually been a lot of studies and a lot of research and a lot of books written about the Pareto principle and they've applied it into different areas of life and they have found that it's how it's consistent to the most for the most part now that's not always 80-20 sometimes it might be 70-30 sometimes it might be 90-10 but what they have found is this that usually 80% of the results are a cause of the 20% of efforts when they researched sales professionals they found that 80% of their revenue came from 20% of their customers even when they researched restaurant goers they found that 80% of the time you you and and you know maybe ask yourself if this is true 80% of the time that you go out to eat you will go to 20% of the restaurants 20% of restaurants get 80% of your business and the Pareto rule just seems to be kind of a principle of life that 80% of the outcome is a result of 20% of the effort even in church world 80% of the work done by the volunteers is done by 20% of the congregation and just in life they have found in businesses have found that 80% of the productivity is done by 20% of the staff 80% of the revenue comes 20% of the customers and whatever and and and this is how it goes it's just a principle of life and and here's all the reason I'm bringing this up is this since 80% of results if it's true and they found it to be true it since 80% of results that you desire in life 80% of results that you desire when you said this is what winning looks like in life when you ask yourself when we ask the question what does winning look like in my life if I was able to write my own eulogy if I was able to write my own obituary if I was able to script what people would say about me at my funeral this is what I would want them to say and if you've determined that in marriage this is what winning looks like in parenting this what winning looks like in regards to my health here's what winning looks like in regards to my emotional state here's what winning looks like spiritually here's what winning looks like when you've determined what winning looks like and when you realize that 80% of the results that you desire in life come from 20% of the effort then you must determine what is that 20% of the effort that you should be focusing on and here's what I'm saying to avoid saying yes to the less important you must realize that not everything matters equally every invitation every opportunity everything that you can do in life is not equally important in fact if there's probably 80% of it that doesn't that would that doesn't matter in fact there's probably 80% of it that only accounts for 20% of what you consider a win in life and there's probably 20% of it that would account to 80% of what you consider a win in life so in order to not get distracted and weighed down in order to lay aside every weight that does so easily beset us you need to realize and you need to like Nehemiah say I'm doing a great work I cannot come down I must avoid saying yes to that which is less important and in order to avoid saying yes to that which is less important I must realize that not everything matters equally and there are some things there are some things that are more important than others and I must focus on those here's statement number three when you realize that not everything matters equally when you realize that not everything matters equally you must focus on that which has the most value when you realize that not everything matters equally in that 80% of the results that I desire in life are going to come from 20% of the output that I put out there the effort that I put out there the focus that I put out there when you realize that not everything matters equally in life then you must focus on that which has the most value and here's the point when you determine what has the most value you can live a life of clear priorities because our priorities should be determined by our values we should put the first things first and this is a principle that is taught throughout the Bible let me show it to you just a couple examples Matthew chapter 6 are you there look at verse 33 Matthew chapter 6 and verse 33 the Bible says this Matthew 6 33 the Bible says but seek ye first the kingdom of God now look there God is telling us there is something of value and you should prioritize that which is of value God is telling us you can't do everything first I mean right do you understand that not everything can be first in my life I can't do everything first so I need to determine what is the most valuable thing what is the 20% if I can only get the 20% what is the 20% that's going to yield the biggest results the biggest bang for my buck the biggest results that I desire in life and God says well if you want to know what I think you need to put me first but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and then God says this and all these things shall be added unto you he said don't worry so much about the rest just worry about the priorities because the first things must be the first things and value should determine our priorities and when you determine what you value most that you can live life based on clear priorities let me give you another example keep your finger right there in Matthew we're gonna come right back to it go to Colossians chapter number one Colossians 1 Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1st 2nd Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1st 2nd Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Colossians 1 you've seen this verse before I just want you to see it again Colossians chapter 1 and verse number 18 the Bible says this and he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence what does that mean that he should come first that she did he should be the premier he should be the most important and here's what I'm telling I'm telling you to not get distracted in life you must avoid saying yes to the things that are less important and sometimes those things are wicked and sinful and sometimes there's nothing wrong with them they're just not what you can do they're just a distraction in your life and sometimes you've got you get ideas in your head and you get a business license and a business account and you start a website and you get it all ready to go and then you realize this is gonna be a big distraction for us we're already doing a great work we cannot come down why should the work cease to not get distracted in life you must avoid saying yes to things that are less important so avoid saying yes to the less important you must realize that not everything matters equally when you realize that not everything matters equally then you must focus on that which has the most value because when you focus on that which has the most value you can determine you a clear line of principles you can put the most valuable things first keep your finger right there in Colossians we're gonna come right back to it go back to Matthew Matthew chapter 6 if you would your statement number 4 I only have 5 statements we're moving quickly statement number 4 you must focus on that which has the most value you must focus on that which has the most value remember not everything has the same amount of value there are some things in your life that have more value than other things by the way this this applies anywhere this place at work and work at work there are probably some things that are more important than other things for you to do you know here I've already Baptist Church there are lots of things that I think are extremely interesting that I would love to learn about sometimes I'm envious that's probably the wrong word that sounds sinful but sometimes I maybe that's it is what it is envious or jealous or whatever of brother Oliver you know with brother Oliver we he does a lot of work for us here in media work is a great work with it and and we get to put him through all these courses to learn all sorts of things and he's learned all about video editing he's made some epic documentaries where he's just learned you know took some a few hour courses here and there and and and watched a lot of things on YouTube about it and just kind of gather these skills and and build these things I couldn't I couldn't edit a YouTube video of my life depended on it I think it's cool sometimes I watch him doing these things I'm like man this is amazing right now he's learning about website building and we want to update some things on our website and he's taking courses and things and things that nature I actually think it's extremely interesting I would love to be able to do those things but you know what here's the thing that's not my main thing I mean I mean honestly the the the Brit the greatest value and I hope this doesn't sound arrogant I hope you understand but the greatest value that I bring to the table as a staff member here at ready Baptist Church of the Baptist Church is the time that I spend in study of God's Word and preparing the sermons that are preached every week and and and I'm not saying that what he's doing is not as important it's just not as important for me 80% of the results that happen here actually in regards to my work and energy that goes into this place happens as a result of 20% of the time that I spent in sermon preparation now that's not the same for brother Oliver and I can do some things with videos and documentaries and he can preach from time to time but my main thing is not necessarily the main thing and I would venture to say in your work in your business in your life there are some things that have more value than other things and here's all I'm telling you if you want to live at life you must avoid I can't take every course that he's taken even if I think they're interesting I just don't have the time there's only 24 hours in a day there's only so much that I can do and I must do what is the most important thing for me and he has to do was the most important thing for him as a member as a staff member here what brings the most value to our ministry and if you don't want to lose that life you need to avoid saying yes and that doesn't look what I say yes twos may not be the things you say yes to what you say yes to may not be the things that I say yes to but in order to win at life we must avoid saying yes to the things that are of lesser value to avoid saying yes to the things that are lesser value must realize that not everything matters equally when we realize that not everything matters equally then we must focus on that which has the most value and when we focus on that which has the most value we do it because a yes to a lesser value thing is really a no to a higher value thing understand what I just said if there are only certain things that bring so much value to the results that you want in life and you go around saying yes yes yes yes yes yes yes to everything what you're really is saying is no every yes is a no to something when I say yes to higher value things which for me as the pastor of this church is spending time in the word studying and preparing sermons when I say yes to higher value things and I have to say no to things that are lesser value for me like learning how to build a website and in your life when you say yes to higher value things you have to say no to lesser value things but when you say yes to lesser value things you're really saying no to high value things and you have to get it in your head that not everything has the same value you must focus on that which is most valuable not everything matters equally and a yes to a lesser value thing is really a no to a higher value thing there's this I had it in my notes here I don't know if I missed it I wanted to read it to you I was reading this book recently that kind of dealt with this with this topic and they had a an old Russian proverb here it is an old Russian proverb according this book says this when you choose when you chase two rabbits you will not catch either one when you chase two rabbits you're not gonna catch either one because a yes to a lesser value thing is really a no to a higher to a higher value thing and this again is the principles taught in the Bible Matthew chapter 6 verse 24 notice what Jesus said Matthew 6 24 now he's talking here about something very specific but the principle can be applied notice what he says no man can serve two masters no man can serve two masters when you chase two rabbits you're not gonna catch either one no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hate the one who despise the other you cannot serve God and mammon and what do you here's what Jesus is saying Jesus saying when you say yes to mammon wealth material goods you're saying no with something which is lesser value a yes to something that's lesser value is actually saying no to something that's higher value God seeking first the things of the kingdom of God no man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other else he will hold to the one despise the other you cannot serve God and mammon and here's what he's saying a yes to a lesser value thing is really a note to a higher value thing because you can't chase two rabbits and catch both sometimes you just have to focus on that which there's all sorts of things you can do but there's only certain things that you should do let me give you another example of this taught in the Bible go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 if you give your plays in Colossians if you kept your finger Colossians you've got Colossians first second Thessalonians first second Timothy second Timothy chapter number two second Timothy chapter number two second Timothy chapter two look at verse number three second Timothy chapter two in verse number three the Bible says this thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is that what you and I have been called to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ he says thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ verse four no man that wore it here's what he's saying if you're gonna get engaged in a battle if you're gonna be in a war if you're going to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ there's no man that wore it and tangled himself with the affairs of this life here's what he's saying the soldiers on World War two that stormed the beaches of Normandy on day day on D day they had to be focused on what they were doing there they couldn't be storming those beaches having bullets flying all around them and worried about I wonder what's going on back home I wonder what look no man that war is entangled himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him with chosen him to be a soldier and the idea is this no man can serve two masters you can't do two things at the same time you can't do it well so we must avoid saying yes to lesser value things because not everything has the same value and we must focus on that which has the most value because when we say yes to that which has a lesser value we're really saying no to that which has a higher value I told you I was reading this book recently that dealt with this subject I want to read to you a little excerpt from this book it says this this is a writer he says I once knew a highly successful businessman who had worked long days and weekends for most of his life sincere in his belief that he was doing it all for his family someday when he was done they would all enjoy the fruits of his labor spend time together travel and do all things that they've never done after giving many years to building his company he had recently sold it and was open to discussing what he might do next I asked him how he was doing and he proudly proclaimed that he was fine when I was building the business I was never home and rarely saw my family so now I'm with them on vacation making up for lost time you know how it is right now that I have money and time I'm getting those years back here's what the writer said he said do you really think that you can ever get back a child's bedtime story or a birthday is a party for a five-year-old with imaginary pals the same as dinner with a teenager with high school friends is an adult attending a young child soccer game on par with attending a soccer game with an adult child do you think that you can cut a deal with God the time will stand still for you holding off on anything important until you're ready to participate again and the point is this the point is this that a yes to a lesser value thing in reality is a no to a higher value thing and you can go ahead and say yes yes yes yes yes all day long but you will lose at life because not everything holds the same value and if you want to win if you want to win you better focus what has the most value you better focus on that which has the most value in your life your statement number five go with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 13 if you would 1st Corinthians chapter 13 you've got Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1st Corinthians statement number five is this since a yes to one thing is really a no to another thing right I mean this guy said yes to work he said no to his family you can't chase two rabbits and catch them both if you want to win at life and if you don't want to be distracted alive you must avoid saying yes to things that are less important to avoid saying yes to that which is less important you must realize that not everything matters equally when you realize that not everything matters equally then you must focus on that which has the most value you must focus on that which has the most value because a yes to a lesser value thing is really a no to a higher value thing here's statement number five since a yes to one thing is really a no to another thing we must be okay with leaving some things undone you know that you're not gonna get everything done that you want to get done in life at the end of the day there'll always be something else to do I've had to learn this in my ministry because I'm a pastor and one of my primary responsibilities is to preach three times a week and you know the thing about preaching Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night that there's always another Sunday coming I mean as soon as I get done preaching tonight or actually you know I'm actually not preaching tonight but um as soon as I get done preaching on a Sunday night generally speaking when I'm done I get about 30 minutes of relief and then my mind starts thinking I gotta preach on Wednesday and on Wednesday soon as that sermon is done I got a Sunday morning coming and the Sunday night coming there's always another and I've had to learn I've just had to learn if I'm going to take my wife on dates if I'm going to spend time with my children if I'm going to have evenings at home if I'm going to have dinner with my family if I'm going to take time with friends and things of that nature then I just have to be okay with realizing that some things are just not going to get done today some things are just gonna go undone and we've got organizational skills and to-do lists and all sorts of things that tell us and keep us kind of making sure that we're getting done what needs to get done today so that we don't fall back and all those things we understand that but the point is this is since you saying yes to one thing is really no to another thing we must be okay with leaving some things undone you have to be okay you have to be okay with saying you know this parent pleasant business idea we've had I agree honey I think I think that's something that there's nothing wrong with it it's just not something we need to do not something we need to do right now because saying yes to one thing is really saying no to another thing we must be okay with leaving some things I'm not first Corinthians 13 11 I want you to notice this the Bible says when I was a child when I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things Paul said there was things that I used to do when I was a kid that that now that I'm grown he's like I have to put those things away those things have to go undone and let me pick on you men for a little bit because you're fun to pick on and you know let me give you some examples you know something that that children do that needs to be put away when you become a man video games adults playing video games ridiculous and you say I can't believe you say that okay does it happen eternal value is it important does it change anything does it do anything does it help you grow does it help anybody else grow is it an investment in anybody's life and like I'm not mad if you play video I'm just telling I'm just telling you if you want to spend eight hours you know every Saturday playing video game after video game after video maybe when you were 16 or something I mean I don't think it's acceptable but maybe your parents thought 16 and 17 year olds have nothing else to do so let them go ahead and do that but when you're 30 and 35 when you're married and have children and you think it's okay to spend our upon our upon our upon our playing video games while your wife goes ignored and your children go ignore you will lose that life because there are some things in this life that just have no value and if you want to win at life and if you want to win at life you have to say no to the lesser value things that you can say yes to the higher value things let me give you another another one for guys football Oh pastor are you really gonna preach against a Super Bowl the week before the Super Bowl in Northern California when the 49ers don't you know the 49ers are playing no actually I don't I didn't know that the 49ers are playing because I'm doing a great work I cannot come down but yeah some of you have informed me the four you're really gonna preach against the 49ers the day for look if you think I give a rat's tail what people think about my preaching you obviously haven't been paying attention you're gonna preach against the against football what's wrong with it how about the fact that it promotes alcohol and alcohol ruins people's lives how about the fact that it promotes drunkenness and the Bible says that when you drink alcohol you'll per say perverse things your eyes will be upon strange women how about the fact that it promotes nudity I've never understood wives who want their husbands to watch football do you realize that there's a bunch of half-naked cheerleaders on the field yeah what do you have against football there's lots of things advocate so well how about this it's a waste of time there's nothing of value there's nothing important nothing gets done you're watching a bunch of grown men play a kid's sport and and here's the point here's the point you and you the the problem is this grown men spend Sundays and Monday nights watching football and whatever whatever season we're basketball baseball all the same thing while their kids go ignored while their marriages fall apart while their health goes out the door so I'll pass I thought you guys weren't the football aren't you guys always playing football playing football yeah we're always playing football you know that's something worth doing you say what well number one we're spending time with friends fellow believers we're fellowshipping our kids are there and we're spending time and investing in our children we're actually running around and doing something good for our health not sitting around drinking a coke or beer good night hopefully not and here's all I'm telling you here's all I'm saying I'm saying there are lesser values and I don't want you to misunderstand I'm saying I'm not saying that hobbies and and and and things like that are are all necessarily bad what I'm saying is this that when you've got a hobby that is affecting the rest of your life you will lose that life you will lose that life because you can't chase two rabbits and catch the most there are some things that are just lesser value and there are some things that are no value and if you want to win that life if you want to win at life you must be okay with leaving some things undone when I was child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things go to Ecclesiastes chapter number three we're gonna look at two more passages will be done keep your place in 1st Corinthians we're gonna come right back to it keep your place in 1st Corinthians 13 go to Ecclesiastes from the center of the Bible you've got the book of Psalms Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes chapter number three Ecclesiastes chapter number three and let me just say this sometimes sometimes it's no you're 35 you're playing video games no stop it no no one thinks it's cool your wife doesn't that you said my wife doesn't say anything she must be scared of you but she doesn't think it's cool nobody does some things there's no but look honestly sometimes it's just no for now you understand that sometimes it's just no for now Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1 the Bible says this to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose to everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven notice verse 2 a time to be born a time to die a time to plant a time to pluck up that which is planted a time to kill and a time to heal a time to break down and a time to build up a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing teenagers a time to get and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to cast away a time to rend and a time to sew a time to keep silence a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate a time of war and a time of peace notice verse 17 I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and every work there's a time coming when you may sometimes it's no sometimes it's no other times it's no for now I've been using this pure and pleasant thing as an illustration but honestly when my wife and I in 2016 decided that we were not going to launch this business we actually did not say no we said no for now but not forever we actually have plans of one day Lord willing being able to launch it in a different season of life actually our plan I'll let you know what our plan is our plan is we have four four daughters the oldest is seven and the youngest is a year old and our plan is that one day we're gonna have four girls that are gonna be an older teenager or down to maybe like a preteen or whatever and they might want to do something to bring in some income for themselves on the side and I don't want to send my daughters off to work in some secular so one day their mom is gonna maybe bring back all those pure and pleasant things and we're keeping some of those things and the business license is updated or whatever bring back those things to just have something for our daughters to be able to work and sell from home and something that they'll be able to take the majority of the work on and what kind of guide them and help them it'll be something that we can invest into them something that they can do for themselves here's what I'm telling you sometimes the answer is not no sometimes it's just no for now but not forever because there's a time for every work there you know today honestly I went I went to this missions conference I feel like every time I go to a conference I get three or four invitations to go preach somewhere if I wanted to and I'm not saying this in an arrogant way I'm just telling you if I wanted to I could get on a plane every week and go preach somewhere in America if I wanted to I don't want to you know I want to help and I try to go to as many events as I can and when I do I take as many of my family members as I can so that we can spend time together and those things you know but honestly one day when my kids are grown and married and out of the house there really will be no reason why my wife and I couldn't get on a plane every week and go preach somewhere and go help some young church somewhere and be back for Wednesday and be back for Sunday and it won't cost us I'm just something sometimes I have to say no but it's not a no forever it's just a no for now in this season of our life in this area of our life with our responsibilities with the things that we've got we've got so many things on our plate and we were trying to handle those and do those things but we want to be careful that we don't say yes to every little thing because a yes to something that is of lesser value is actually a note to something that is higher value and if you want to win at life if you want to win at life you're going to have to learn to say to avoid saying yes to that which is less important I am doing a great work I cannot come down why should the work cease you're gonna have to learn to avoid saying yes to things that are of lesser value why because you must realize that not everything matters equally and when you realize that not everything matters equally then you must focus on that which has the most value because when you say yes to things of lesser value you're in reality saying no to things of higher value and because saying yes to one thing is actually saying no to another thing you're going to have to be okay with leaving some things undone and some things we just have to say no and other things we may say no for now but if you want to win at life you got to focus on what matters most the eternal and the important or you can chase two rabbits but you're probably not catch either one that's why I had to have a word of prayer heavenly father thank you Lord for your word thank you for the Bible thing for these biblical principles they're so clearly taught in Scripture and Lord honestly I I wish I wish that all of us starting with me and especially with me would be able to just keep this thought in the forefront of our minds I'm doing a great work I cannot come down there are some things that we just have to say no to and there's other things that we may say no for now but Lord I pray that you would help us help us to answer this question what does winning look like in my life what is that 20% of things that I can do in my marriage with my children at work spiritually and church that are gonna yield the greatest results and rewards the Lord help us to focus on those help us to focus on them Lord we love you we thank you for teaching us these things Lord I pray that you would help us all to be able to get to the end of our lives with as few regrets as possible because we focused on the right things and the matchless name of Christ we pray amen we're never the Mac