Get A Bigger Picture// Triggered (Part 10) // Charles Metcalf

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Get A Bigger Picture // Triggered (Part 10)"

Podcast: Transformation Church
Speaker: Charles Metcalf
Date: November 23, 2025

---

Overview

This episode, delivered by Pastor Charles Metcalf, explores the theme of "getting a bigger picture" in life and faith—especially in response to emotional triggers. Drawing on the vastness of the universe as a metaphor, Metcalf challenges listeners to expand their perspectives beyond self-centeredness. He urges the church community to recognize their smallness in the grand cosmos, embrace humility, and find peace by focusing on God's immensity and grace. The message is part of the ongoing "Triggered" series and provides practical avenues for breaking free from narrow thinking and living with broader, Christ-centered vision.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Cosmic Perspective and Human Significance

• Opening Scripture: Psalm 8 (The Message)
  • David's awe at God’s grandeur in creation and the paradox of human significance.
  • Memorable line: “I look up at your macro skies...your handmade sky-jewelry...Then I look at my micro self and wonder, why do you bother with us?” (03:14)
• History of Astronomy:
  • A timeline from Galileo’s invention of the telescope (1609) to the Apollo 8 ‘Earthrise’ photo (1967), and advances like the James Webb Space Telescope (2021).
  • These milestones illustrate how humanity’s understanding of our place in the universe has grown.
• The Big Realization:
  • “You are not at the center of [the universe].” (13:22)
  • Recognizing this brings peace, clarity, and purpose; immaturity assumes self-centrality.

2. Triggers & The Size of Your Picture

• Core Argument:
  • The smaller your mental ‘picture,’ the easier it is to be triggered by life's problems.
  • “Your issue may not be your trigger. Your issue might be how small your picture is.” (15:34)
• Common Small Pictures:
  • Personal pride, insecurity (“It’s the same universe, the one where you and what you’re going through is at the center.” (18:00))
  • Religious legalism and exclusion (“Some of the smallest pictures in the world somehow ended up serving the biggest God, and it's confusing to me sometimes.” (31:41))
  • Modern identity focused on internal feelings versus external truth (35:55–36:58)
• A Path to Healing:
  • Stepping back to gain a bigger picture helps us move beyond triggers and reactivity.

3. Faith, Science, and God's Immensity

• Reconciling Science and Faith:
  • Brief history of the church's relationship to science, Galileo’s house arrest, and why the split occurred.
  • Pastor Charles's view: "Science isn't threatening to me because I know God created everything... If you are seeking truth, you can't seek truth and not run smack dab into God." (20:42–21:11)
• Theological Reflection:
  • Quotes Colossians 1:17 and Romans 11:36 to affirm God's supremacy and sustaining power over the universe (22:17–23:46).
  • Paraphrase: “If you don’t understand how big God is, it’s very easy to find yourself screaming in traffic because someone cut you off.” (23:46)

4. Practices for Expanding Your Perspective

• Personal Anecdote:
  • Pastor Charles’s own struggles with being easily triggered, striving for control, and needing perspective in life and ministry.
  • Illustrates with humorous but relatable parenting stories.
• Three Ways to Get a Bigger Picture:
  1. People
     • Ask trusted others for feedback you may not want to hear (43:27).
     • “Is there something about how I behave...that doesn’t always make you feel safe?” (43:27)
  2. Perspective
     • Recognize that your perspective isn’t the only valid one (47:41).
     • “From his perspective, he’s right. And from my perspective, I’m right. But sometimes...you would see why they act like that.” (48:00–48:38)
  3. Position
     • Your relationship and orientation to God, eternity, and others determines your peace (51:30–52:46).
     • “All I’m suggesting is I know I’m the most triggered when my picture is the smallest.” (42:27)

5. Eternal Perspective & Hope in God

• Fatherly Analogy:
  • God’s role in ‘zooming out’ with us: what matters to us matters to Him, but He has a broader view.
  • “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me. But as your Father, let me help you get some perspective.” (40:50)
• Heavenly Perspective:
  • Life is short compared to eternity with God.
  • “You’re going to live about 70, 80, 90, maybe 100 years on this earth...And when you’re off these 80 years, you’re going to be with me for...billions of years.” (41:43–41:55)
  • Worship is an act of responding to the bigger picture.

6. Challenge and Response

• Prayer for a Bigger Picture:
  • Listeners invited to identify where they’re ‘stuck in a small picture’—relational disappointments, unmet expectations, etc.—and ask God for a new, broader outlook (56:00).
• Salvation Invitation:
  • Every believer invited to embrace Jesus not as an add-on but as the true center; a call toward surrender and new identity in Christ (57:00–61:20).

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The only way to make sense of the universe is to realize you are not at the center of it.” (13:22)
• “The smaller your picture, the bigger your trigger.” (15:34)
• “Science isn’t threatening to me because I know God created everything. If you are seeking truth, you can’t seek truth and not run smack dab into God.” (20:42–21:11)
• “All the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe...get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies—all because of his death, his blood poured out on the cross.” (23:15–23:46)
• “You need a bigger truth that is outside of everyone that we all agree on...But we can’t do that if we all get to decide the universe revolves around how I feel.” (36:58)
• “Some of the smallest pictures in the world somehow ended up serving the biggest God, and it’s confusing to me.” (31:41)
• “If it’s important to you, it’s important to me. But as your Father, let me help you get some perspective.” (41:39–41:48)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:16: Opening and welcome
• 01:16–04:54: Psalm 8 reading, introduction to cosmic perspective
• 04:54–09:57: History of astronomy & discovery; implications for our self-view
• 09:57–13:30: The vastness of the universe, humbling our perspective
• 13:30–16:35: Key argument: “You are not at the center of the universe”
• 15:34–16:28: The connection between a small picture and being triggered
• 18:00–19:08: Religion, pride, and insecurity: both forms of self-centeredness
• 19:36–21:11: Reconciling science and faith; seeking truth leads to God
• 22:17–23:46: Colossians reading; fixing our eyes on God’s largeness
• 26:37–28:23: Metcalf’s personal struggles with triggers & control
• 31:25–34:53: The danger of small religious and secular ‘pictures’
• 35:08–36:58: Identity, inward versus outward sources of meaning
• 40:50–42:27: Father-daughter analogy, the brevity of human life, eternity
• 43:27–52:46: Three practical ways to get a bigger picture
  1. People (43:27)
  2. Perspective (47:32)
  3. Position (51:30)
• 52:46–56:00: Applying the big picture to daily life, scripture reflections
• 56:00–62:20: Prayer for new perspective, invitation to follow Jesus

---

Tone and Language

The episode is conversational, often humorous, highly relatable, and rooted in biblical teaching. Pastor Charles uses storytelling, analogies from science, and personal admission of his struggles to create trust and engagement. He speaks candidly about religious misconceptions, emotional triggers, and the importance of humility—always pointing back to grace.

---

Conclusion

The heart of this message is a call to humility, perspective, and transformation. By stepping outside of self-centered thinking—a shift that comes when we see ourselves in the vastness of God’s universe—believers can free themselves from endless reactivity, embrace a life of peace, and love in the expansive grace of Christ. If you’re feeling stuck or triggered, Pastor Charles invites you to ask God for a “bigger picture”—and to lean into the community, perspective, and eternal hope God offers.

---

Transcript

[Pastor]

Love.

[Co-Pastor]

It isn't just one color. It comes in countless shades, different hues. Desert diamonds celebrate all the people we love and all the shades that make them who they are in an entire spectrum of unexpected tones. From warm whites to pale champagnes to deep ambers. Natural colors that reflect they will always be loved for exactly who they are. Discover desert diamonds. A diamond is forever.

[Sarah]

Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and, well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy. But I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell, oatmeal. So long, you strange soggy.

[Pastor]

Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with cage free eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM P M. Too much? Good stuff.

[Co-Pastor]

Welcome to Transformation Church podcast where we represent God to the lost and found for transformation in Christ. We're so glad you're here and wherever you're listening from, we believe God will transform your life through today's message.

[Pastor]

All right, I'm going to read you.

[Co-Pastor]

A portion of scripture. It is out of psalms, Psalms chapter 8. This is written by David King. David, you know everybody. Maybe you've heard of David, David and Goliath. Maybe you heard of David. And you know that tough moment he had with that lady that was named after a bathtub, Bathsheba. And he actually killed her husband, which is super intense. But yet we're all like, I want to be like David. Just funny. Anyways, moving right along.

[Pastor]

Okay, the Bible says in Psalms, this.

[Co-Pastor]

Is written by David. And let's see here. I think in classic I, this. I'm sorry, I do this to the text every single week. I give them scriptures. Then I get up here, I'm like, I think I'm going to add more to it. I don't know if I gave you.

[Pastor]

All the whole chapter, but I'm about.

[Co-Pastor]

To read the whole chapter, so don't worry. It's only eight verses. You're like, oh, gosh, a whole chapter. Well, we are in church, so calm down. Some of you like, whoa, okay, a whole chapter. What are we doing here? Here's what the Bible says. I'm reading out of the message translation. This was a guy named Eugene Peterson. He was a famous theologian, but he was teaching college students the Bible. And they were staring at him with all the these thou's and those. And he was like, I'm going to write a version of this Bible where they can understand it. It's written in their language. So this is a paraphrase, not an exact translation. If you got be with that, go chat GPT it I don't know. This is what it says. Psalms 8 starting at verse 1. God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name. Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you. Toddlers shout songs that drown out the enemy talk and they silence the atheist babble. I look up at your macro skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky jewelry, moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro self and I wonder why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way? I want to pray for you as we get started, Lord Jesus, my prayer is in these next few moments, would you show yourself to us a grand and enormous way? God, we thank you that in the context of how grand you are, that our life finds meaning and purpose. So today, Lord Jesus, for the one asking questions, for the one with answers, for the one wondering about you, I pray we would see who you are. It's the name of Jesus. We pray. And everybody said Amen this morning I want to talk to you about space. I don't know if you've spent any time studying space, looking up into the stars. Last night, if you would have walked out of your house, depending on where you live and maybe the contents of the city that you live in and how clear the skies are, you would look up into the night sky and see something like this picture behind me. Stars. Now, due to the smog in the atmosphere and a lot of different factors, with the naked eye you can see about 2,500 stars. And for a significant amount of human.

[Pastor]

History, this is what every person saw.

[Co-Pastor]

When they looked up into the sky. Until one evening where everything changed.

[Pastor]

In the year 1608, there is a.

[Co-Pastor]

Dutch inventor who has invented this device.

[Pastor]

That allows for magnification. And in Tuscany there is a 45.

[Co-Pastor]

Year old inventor himself who is becoming.

[Pastor]

Known in his city as a genius. And simply off of hearing about this.

[Co-Pastor]

Invention that uses lenses, he creates something. The year 1609, a man named Galileo calls what we would now come to know as the telescope.

[Pastor]

And he peers up on this night in 1609 up into the stars.

[Co-Pastor]

And this is what Galileo sees with his telescope.

[Pastor]

He starts to make out that there's more than just stars up there. There's more than what other people know. And he starts to see other planets forming. And on this night in 1609, our.

[Co-Pastor]

Understanding of the universe completely changes. Fast forward 369 years later. There's a gentleman named Michael. Michael is a part of a mission that is one of the most brave human feats of, of all time. It is Apollo 8 and they have put funding and practice and everything behind men to take them to what Galileo only looked at from the ground. And 369 years later, Michael is standing on the surface of the moon and he turns a camera back at Earth and he takes this photo.

[Pastor]

This photo would come to be known as Earthrise. December 24, 1967. For the first time ever, humans are starting to see themselves in a bigger picture.

[Co-Pastor]

Earth.

[Pastor]

This is our home. This is where we are right now. And although it looks calm and we are all walking and living our lives.

[Co-Pastor]

There'S a lot happening here. Earth on its axis, rotating at 1,000 miles per hour, circling the sun at 67,000 miles an hour.

[Pastor]

But it is not just Earth that we are a part of. There is a bigger picture, and it is our solar system. You see, we are one little ball on this rock called Earth. But it's amongst other massive stars and planets in our solar system. And within this solar system, there are different places and different planets and different stars. And if you were able to zoom out and look at our solar system.

[Co-Pastor]

This is what you would see. Saturn's rings, the scale of the sun you can't even begin to imagine. And this little solar system is not just a solar system.

[Pastor]

It is a part of a greater story. You see this solar system, our home.

[Co-Pastor]

Earth finds its ultimate home in the Milky Way galaxy.

[Pastor]

And our solar system is in the bottom corner of the Milky Way galaxy, circling the center of the Milky way Galaxy at 479,000 miles per hour.

[Co-Pastor]

The Milky Way Galaxy is flying through space at 1.2 million miles per hour. You see, on that night, when Galileo looked up into the stars, he didn't know it, but he was slowly but surely starting to place humans in the cosmos. Now, if you Fast forward to December 25, 2021, there is an extreme development in Galileo's simple telescope. It is called the James Webb Space Telescope. And this telescope is like nothing because it's giving us live imaging of the deepest photos ever of space.

[Pastor]

If you were to go 400 light.

[Co-Pastor]

Years away with the James Webb telescope, this is the picture that the James Webb telescope took 400 light years away. This is what it looks like when a solar system is being born. This is not a drawing. This is not AI. This is an actual photo 400 light years away. Now, unless you watched Toy Story last night, you haven't heard light year in a while. Let me explain to you what a light year is. A light year is the distance it takes light to travel in a year. For context, light travels at 186,000, not miles per hour, not miles per minute, but miles per second.

[Pastor]

One light year is 5.88 trillion miles.

[Co-Pastor]

That photo's 400 light years away. Now, humans, we have a hard ability and hard way understanding and perceiving time and distance and space. And so even when I say 5.88 trillion miles per second, you're like, okay, that's just super fast.

[Pastor]

But, but let me give you some context. If I were to tell you how long a million seconds were. A million seconds is 11 days. A billion seconds is 31 years.

[Co-Pastor]

A trillion seconds, 31,000 years. So when we talk about light years, this is a significant span of an ever expanding universe. If you were to go 2,000 more miles away, you would run into this photo that the James Webb Space Telescope took. And it is called Ring Nebula. This is of a star the size of our sun dying.

[Pastor]

If you were to go a little bit past and zoom a little bit.

[Co-Pastor]

Further, you would run into this image from the space telescope.

[Pastor]

It is of Sagittarius Sea.

[Co-Pastor]

This is at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. And as expansive and massive as this.

[Pastor]

Image is, this is of a section.

[Co-Pastor]

Of space no bigger than the size of a grain of sand. The deepest photo we have of space was taken by this same telescope. And if you were to look at the deepest point, 4.8 billion light years away, you would see this image. Now, this image of deep space, the deepest photo we have is not stars.

[Pastor]

You could look at this photo and think, man, that's a lot of stars.

[Co-Pastor]

It's a lot of planets. Friends, those little dots are not stars and they are not planets. Each one of those dots is a galaxy. And in every galaxy, there are 400 billion stars. And I'm not talking twinkle, twinkle, little star. I'm talking stars bigger than our sun. And every single one of those galaxies is also 800 billion planets. And the deepest photo we have of space tells us something that Galileo knew in 1609. It tells us something that, hilariously, the church threw him in jail for.

[Pastor]

He died on house arrest from the.

[Co-Pastor]

Church for what he discovered that night.

[Pastor]

And what this photo tells us, and that is the only way to make sense of the universe is to realize.

[Co-Pastor]

You are not at the center of it.

[Pastor]

The only way you will ever find Peace, clarity, purpose, conviction, and a life worth living is to come to the understanding that humans had not realized until 1609, when Galileo looked up into the stars and he realized there is no way Earth is at the center of the universe. And this reality was so jarring for people because immaturity assumes I'm at the middle. Immaturity assumes everything else revolves around me. Immaturity assumes that everything that's happening in my life is the most important thing. And from this is how everything else moves.

[Co-Pastor]

But Galileo knew nothing could be further from the truth. Galileo wasn't the first person to suggest this. He was just the only person who had the tools to observe it. Because at this point, everyone else thought the Earth has to be the center. But he knew that the only way to figure out where we really are in this place called Earth and in this universe is to look up into the stars and to figure out that there's a. There's a bigger picture. I want to submit to you today that one of the most practical and profound things you can do in relationship to your triggers is to do the same thing David did in chapter eight of Psalms. He got a bigger picture. He said, I look into the stars and I see this infinite place. And I wonder, another translation would say.

[Pastor]

Who am I that you would even know me?

[Co-Pastor]

Today I want to preach to you a sermon called Get a Bigger Picture.

[Pastor]

Because I am convinced that the reason we are so triggered is not because you're triggered. What I've learned in my own life is that the smaller your picture, the bigger your trigger. Your issue may not be your trigger. Your issue might be how small your picture is. It might be how small our perspective is on life, how small our perspective is on on our family, how small our perspective is on holidays, how small our perspective is on people we don't understand. I want to submit to you today that if you're looking to move past your triggers, maybe for a moment you could step back and get a bigger picture.

[Co-Pastor]

And this bigger picture starts with one key. Understanding. And that is to acknowledge you're not at the center of the universe.

[Sarah]

This holiday, discover meaningful gifts for everyone on your list. And at K Not sure where to start. Our jewelry experts are here to help you find or create the perfect gift in store or online. Book your appointment today and unwrap love this season. Only at K. Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and, well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy. But I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell, oatmeal. So long, you strange soggy.

[Pastor]

Break up with bland breakfast and taste AMPM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with K tree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. Am P M. Too much. Good stuff.

[Co-Pastor]

Now some of you are in here, like Charles. I'm not. I know that I'm not at the center of the universe. I'm not the center of any conversation.

[Pastor]

I would never do that.

[Co-Pastor]

You know, people who are prideful think they're the center of the universe.

[Pastor]

And you're right. Absolutely a prideful person. If they're talking, there's a lot of mes. There's a lot of I's.

[Co-Pastor]

You know what also has a lot of me's and I's insecurity.

[Pastor]

So don't stand there judging people.

[Co-Pastor]

They so prideful.

[Pastor]

In the same way you say I'll never be.

[Co-Pastor]

I can't, I won't. What do they think of me? It's the same voice, it's the same universe. The one where you and what you're going through is at the center. And I'm not mad at you for it. I get it 100%. I get it. All I'm submitting to you is that the best parts of your life will be lived when you're not at the center of your own universe. You see, Jesus comes onto the scene in the scriptures. The reason the Pharisees don't like him is because he's constantly trying to give them a bigger picture. And they don't like it.

[Pastor]

They have a picture. Their picture was, if you want to get right with God, you sacrifice animals.

[Co-Pastor]

And then there's this bigger picture called grace. We still don't like this bigger picture.

[Pastor]

Because we like the picture where you get what you deserve.

[Co-Pastor]

You do bad things, you get bad things. But the gospel is a bigger picture. It is.

[Pastor]

You believe in me, I cover all.

[Co-Pastor]

The bad things you've done.

[Pastor]

And as long as you believe in me, you repent and put your faith in me. That is all you need.

[Co-Pastor]

But we like the smaller picture of religion. I mean, it's hilarious to me. You may not know this. Up until 1609, church and science were never enemies. The church funded all the scientists, all.

[Pastor]

The art, all the discovery because they had a perspective that if God created all of this, we should be learning about it.

[Co-Pastor]

But the church, you see, was at a pivotal point because there was this young man named Martin Luther, who had just nailed 99 thesis to the front of the door. And so people are questioning the church, and then this man Galileo is saying that the Earth isn't the center of the universe. So in a grasp for power, they.

[Pastor]

Put him in jail. And this was when church and science split. And that apparently, if you believe too much science, then that can't be faith. And what are we going to do? And how are we going to reconcile those? And some of y' all in here having pictures on the stars and on the screen you like, okay, what is this astrology? What is this horoscopes? And I don't do. No, that's who you were raised. You were raised that science and stars and galaxies are spooky, weird Greek mythology. They have nothing to do with you because you read your Bible and God made the Earth in seven days, and that's what it says. So I believe it. There's no way anything else could be possible.

[Co-Pastor]

Science isn't threatening to me because I know God created everything. Oh, let me phrase it a different way. I have a bigger picture. There's no, here's my belief. I'll offer it to you. You can take it or leave it laying right here on the third row. I don't care. But one of my beliefs is if you are seeking truth, you can't seek truth and not run smack dab into God. Cause he is all truth.

[Pastor]

So every time a scientist is like.

[Co-Pastor]

Well, we discovered, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, I'm like, I bet you did discover it.

[Pastor]

There's a point in which my wife.

[Co-Pastor]

Was a little nervous. I'm not gonna say the whole crazy take because my wife said, you can't say that on stage because people will hate you for it. If you want to know, come ask me. I still won't tell you. But all I'll say is there's a point in space where literally time ends. Not. Not like in theory, like scientifically. There's a point in space where time ends. You want to know my take? I know exactly what's on the other side of that ending. Bible tells me that he stands outside of time.

[Pastor]

I ain't scared of no black hole. I ain't scared of no space scientist telling me, oh, well, you know there. I know exactly what's on the other side of that. My Bible tells me what happens. And all I'm saying to you is maybe there's a bigger picture that you've been afraid to get into, and it actually has the peace that you need. Here's what the Bible says. I'll go to Romans, chapter 11.

[Co-Pastor]

I did not give you the scripture, Heather.

[Pastor]

I'm so sorry.

[Co-Pastor]

Romans, chapter 11 says, for all things were created by him, through him, in Him. You know what that tells me? Even though we are currently in an ever expanding, never ending universe, all of that, the scripture says, was by him, through him, and currently still residing in Him. Oh, my goodness. Okay, let me just read you the scripture. Colossians, chapter number one says this. He is supreme in the beginning, leading the resurrection, and supreme in the end.

[Pastor]

From the beginning. He is there, towering far above everything and everyone.

[Co-Pastor]

Listen to this.

[Pastor]

So spacious, so expansive, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe, People, things, animals and atoms get properly fixed and fit together. Vibrant harmonies, all because of his death. His blood poured out on the cross.

[Co-Pastor]

If you don't understand how big God is, it's very easy to find yourself screaming in traffic because someone cut you off. I'm connecting the galaxies and your triggers. This is what's happening right now, in case you don't know. If you forget how big God is, you're gonna sit at Thanksgiving dinner with maybe some amazing food and maybe some not so amazing food. I don't know your family, nor your cultural background. I hope it's all amazing. But you will sit there so triggered, because you've forgotten how big, how grand, how enormous and eternal the God we're in here singing to is. And David presents. And I am presenting this morning that one way you could live less triggered, is to just step back for a second and remember I am on a rock flying through the universe at 1.3 billion miles per hour, and I don't feel it. And that kind of messes with my brain. And he just showed me a real picture of hundreds of billions of stars. I don't know if I believe him, but if that's possibly true, and the God that I'm singing to, that the scripture says is intimately involved in the details of my. He also created that. Well, if he's big enough to create that, he's probably. He can probably help me not be so triggered by what's happening now. I. I gotta be honest with you. This. This sermon is born. And Heather, I need to turn my clock back on because I'll go till tomorrow. I have so much quantum physics in my brain right now. Y' all will be so bored. But this sermon is really born out of Me trying to figure out how to deal with my own triggers. I was telling my wife this the other day. I don't know what is happening to me, and if you know what is happening to me, please help. Just shout it out from the crowd. I would love to know, but the older I am getting, and I'm not old, but I am getting older, and I find myself being way more rigid and, like, easily bothered by things not going my way.

[Pastor]

I don't know, maybe you pray a lot and so this doesn't happen to.

[Co-Pastor]

You, but, like, it does not take a lot to. I've just.

[Pastor]

I haven't lived a lot of life, but there are things that I feel.

[Co-Pastor]

Like I've gotten some information, I've learned some things I've learned myself.

[Pastor]

So when things don't go, I just feel. Feel like I'm like. Like I walk around trying to.

[Co-Pastor]

And my whole parenting journey is like, don't.

[Pastor]

Ah, okay. Don't sit down. Gentle parenting.

[Co-Pastor]

Okay, sweetheart, if you don't know, be quiet. Okay, I'm gonna just.

[Pastor]

No lie. Last night, my wife is like, are you okay?

[Co-Pastor]

And I was going, yep.

[Pastor]

Just.

[Co-Pastor]

Some of you are like, how did this guy get a microphone? I just. I can't do it.

[Pastor]

And it's. It's just.

[Co-Pastor]

It's everything, like, everything is like, hoo, ha ha.

[Pastor]

Okay.

[Co-Pastor]

I've been. I'll give you a real life example. I've been in church my whole life, so I've been to thousands of church services. And no doubt, this happens all the time, and it's hap. I wish I could tell you it's not happening more, but it's happening more. I go. I get to the church service. I'm like, all right, this is how it's going to go. And then it starts not to go to the place, because some of y', all, you don't let me connect the dots to you. This is my calling, but it's also my job. So you know how you have a job and you, like, plan for your day? And it's like. So it's a weird thing because I'm.

[Pastor]

Like, hey, God, I love you. Also, what is happening with the lights? Like, so I'm like, trying to, like, Jesus. What is that? Okay.

[Co-Pastor]

Yep.

[Pastor]

God, you're worthy.

[Co-Pastor]

Worthy.

[Pastor]

What time is it? Okay.

[Co-Pastor]

Ah.

[Pastor]

Okay.

[Co-Pastor]

Yeah. Okay. So this happened to me an undisclosed number of weeks ago, 4 point billion light years away in a far, far galaxy. And I'm sitting there, completely triggered by things that should not be triggering me.

[Sarah]

This holiday discover Meaningful gifts for everyone on your list at K. Not sure where to start. Our jewelry experts are here to help you find or create the perfect gift in store or online. Book your appointment today and unwrap love this season only at K.

[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. I think I saw a billboard of yours recently that said 20 billion. 120 billion is an insane number.

[Dan Morgan]

Yeah, 20 billion recovered. It's actually, I think somewhere north, probably closer to 22, 23 after this year. And each year we get bigger and badder and our army grows. So the number will hopefully keep getting bigger and bigger as time goes on.

[Co-Pastor]

Awesome.

[Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan?

[Co-Pastor]

What.

[Host]

What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. We are always open. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 24. 7 365.

[Host]

Wow. Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forththepeople.com for an office near you.

[Co-Pastor]

But I just have too many control issues. So I'm just. And I'm sitting there in service and I'm just trying to, like, calm down. Literally, like, doing breathing techniques. And y' all are like, how are you a pastor? Trying to calm down. And literally, I feel sitting there and we're in worship, I feel like the Holy Spirit says, you're really gonna make this whole service about you. None of these songs are about you. Them lights are not for you. And nobody here today showed up to hear you say anything. Are you really going to make this moment about you? And what I realized in that moment is the only way to not be triggered, but stay triggered. You can be triggered. I'm fine with you being triggered, but the only way to stay triggered is to keep everything revolving around you.

[Pastor]

It's the only way it works and the only way to keep your small picture. Ultimately, you want to know where ultimately.

[Co-Pastor]

Our small pictures lead us. And by small picture, let me define small pictures for a while because there's two forms of small pictures pictures. There's sanctified small pictures and then there's secular small pictures. So Nobody's getting out of here for free.

[Pastor]

So sanctified people, we love God. We have some of the smallest pictures in the world. Certain people are going to heaven, certain people aren't. That's a small picture believers hold.

[Co-Pastor]

I don't believe that.

[Pastor]

Yes, you do.

[Co-Pastor]

Because I could name a couple groups.

[Pastor]

Of people, be like, oh, yeah, but.

[Co-Pastor]

They definitely are clearly not going to heaven.

[Pastor]

We have pictures of who we think God loves and doesn't love based on who they are, what they do, how they dress, how we perceive them, what they say that changes God's love for him. Some of the smallest pictures in the world somehow ended up serving the biggest God. And it's confusing to me sometimes the smallest picture of redemption. Well, God will redeem you once you stop doing that and you change and you rebuke that and you renounce this and you did you have a list of stuff you renounced when he came and found you, or did he just come and find you, scoop you up, empower you to believe? And now you're here, different. Please do not come over here with that small picture. Such a small picture of people. Such a small picture of God. Here's the small picture. You don't realize everybody you don't like and are judging are just as much his children as you are.

[Co-Pastor]

It doesn't make any sense. It's a very small picture. There's a secular small picture, small picture of how you gain meaning and value money and success. That's how you become important. You do these certain things. And here's what both pictures will lead you to do. The only way to maintain your small picture is at some point you have to stop rejecting truth. This is what the church did in 1609. They had a picture that the Earth is the center of the universe. Galileo's like, hey, definitely not. And they're like, we don't like what that may mean for business. So that's not true. Do you know hilarious fact 350 years later, like in the 90s, the Catholic Church issued a statement that said, turns.

[Pastor]

Out Galileo was right. And we just want to acknowledge. Because you have to deny truth for so long when you keep yourself at the center of the universe. Here's ways we do that. We assume everyone's motive is out to get you. That's not true. You don't know their motives. It's impossible to know a motive. Literally impossible. Yeah, but I know. No, you don't. You don't know their heart. You don't know what their brain is thinking. No, Matter how long y' all have been together, you do not know their motive. And there's no reason the target cashier was intending to make you feel dumb. You just felt dumb because you didn't have your coupons on you. And now you're like, oh, you want to talk to me? No, that's not. It's impossible to know people's motives. You can't. But it's. You start denying truth.

[Co-Pastor]

Everyone's out to get me. I have no friends.

[Pastor]

You start using very definitive. You always.

[Co-Pastor]

That's not true. Nobody always does anything but breathe until they don't. And. And so that doesn't even really work.

[Pastor]

There's no always, there's no never. It's not true. But what do you do to keep the picture around you? You gotta start making absolutes and denying truth. This is what has happened with our culture. The only way. Oh, gosh, I got too much stuff.

[Co-Pastor]

To say, and I'm trying to be on time. Okay, let me talk about identity for a second. This is gonna be a little rant, but it's gonna be great, trust me. There is a theologian who wrote on traditional and modern identity, how we gain these and grow in these. Traditional identity was from outside in. So you go outside of yourself, you go to your family, you go to your job, you go to religion, and you try to find truth outside of you. And then you find whatever you deem as truthful, whatever religion you deem as truthful. And then you adjust your internal feelings to that truth because you realize, I.

[Pastor]

Need something greater than me, bigger than me.

[Co-Pastor]

So I go outside of me to find it, and I adjust to it. Here's modern identity. The universe is inside of me.

[Pastor]

Whatever is true in me is the most true thing.

[Co-Pastor]

And then I tell everything outside to.

[Pastor]

Adjust to me, regardless of if it's true or not. So this is how culturally now, people's feelings are the God they serve most. So if you feel like something, if you act like something, you don't go.

[Co-Pastor]

Outside of you for truth.

[Pastor]

You determine your truth on the inside, and you tell the whole world, you now have to live to my truth. The only problem with that is we all got different internal feelings. So where does ultimate truth come from? Where does good and bad come from? If you get to say you feel like something and you are something, I'm not mad at you. But you have no right to tell somebody who felt like hitting you in the face that they were wrong because they felt it. And you gotta adjust to how they feel, and that's the truth so I can hit you in the face and you can't say nothing. It doesn't make any sense.

[Co-Pastor]

You have to have a greater truth that is outside of everyone that we all agree on and decide this is good, this is bad. But we can't do that if we all get to decide. The universe revolves around how I feel. Now, I know some of y' all think I'm talking about certain people, but I'm also talking about you. That's a great illustration.

[Pastor]

Post that and let TMZ pick it up.

[Co-Pastor]

No, no, no. I'm talking about you when you decide.

[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey. How's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. Why do you guys think you win so many cases?

[Dan Morgan]

The insurance companies and other companies that we go against know that we're going to take it to the end that we believe in the case. So we fight for every dollar, and we're not afraid to go that extra mile for our clients.

[Host]

Are insurance companies, like, actually afraid of you guys?

[Dan Morgan]

We don't bluff. We take it to trial. And we are not strangers of getting very, very, very large verdicts.

[Co-Pastor]

Awesome.

[Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 24 7, 365.

[Pastor]

Wow.

[Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Co-Pastor]

Who should and shouldn't get grace when you decide who God can and can't save, when you decide who God's anointing is really on and who it's not on. When you decide that it's okay for you to do this sin, but. But this one isn't that big of a deal. And you now have become the moral compass for sin and not sin.

[Pastor]

Because we love to judge people.

[Co-Pastor]

We can see their sin. Yet you sitting there judging their sin.

[Pastor]

Is a sin and then taking it to your prayer group is gossip. So where are we getting?

[Co-Pastor]

Let me calm down. Y' all see, it's happening. You see, I'm like, All I'm saying is the Bible presents a way for you to live a life where everything is in the right proportions and everything is balanced and everything is understood in its proper weight and scale. I have a two year old daughter named Blue Sunday. And Blue Sunday's life revolves right now around how much chapstick she can steal, take, acquire and use in one day. If you give her chapstick, it'll be gone in two minutes. Did she eat it? Did she lose it? We don't know. This is true. I have a kid who's currently eating chapstick and so we're buying the best kind we can just to. She can't. Everybody knows you can't stop a 2 year old. Come on. But right now her life revolves and the good or bad nature of her day is determined by this very small, insignificant thing. But she doesn't possess the maturity to delineate how important that is. But thank goodness she has a father whose whole job is to come up to her and say, hey, I know that you're really tore up about that. And I'm not saying it's not important because if it's important to you, it's important to me. But as your father, let me help you get some perspective. I can get you more chapstick. Let me translate it. I can help you find somebody who's gonna love you. I. I can help you find another job. I know you're tore up about it. I'm not saying it's not important, because if it's important to you, it's important to me. But let me talk to you. Let me give you some perspective. Let me help you. This isn't everything. I promise there is a world that.

[Pastor]

Is bigger than this.

[Co-Pastor]

And I know you feel disappointed now, and I know you feel overwhelmed now.

[Pastor]

But let me tell you something. You're going to live about 70, 80, 90, maybe 100 years on this earth.

[Co-Pastor]

But guess what? I've been here for forever.

[Pastor]

And when you're off these 80 years.

[Co-Pastor]

You'Re going to be with me for.

[Pastor]

Billions of billions of billions of billions of billions of years. And you're going to be walking on streets of gold and you're going to be singing in the best choir ever. Singing holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. And I'll wipe every tear from your face. And this is not an idea and it's not a dream and it's not an imaginary place, friend. The reason we worship, the reason we sing is because we have a bigger picture.

[Co-Pastor]

All I'm suggesting is I know I'm the most triggered when my picture is the smallest. It's hard for me to focus on what's important because I've missed the bigger picture. Today, I want to give you three ways, three things that can help you get a bigger picture. Number one, people. If you're trying to get a bigger picture, you need people to help you get a bigger picture. Somebody outside of you. Let me tell you, this is how you get a picture, a bigger picture. Ask people, hey, is there anything you would want to say to me, but you'd be afraid of how I would respond if you said it to me? Ask that question to your friend. Some of you are like, absolutely not.

[Pastor]

There's no way. Is there something about how I behave in our relationship that doesn't always make you feel safe?

[Co-Pastor]

Ooh. See, we don't like these pictures. Like, yeah, I think.

[Pastor]

I think I like my small picture.

[Co-Pastor]

I think. I'm not mad at you. I'm just saying what is on the outside of your frame right now? Who could you be? Who could you become?

[Host]

I've got Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi, Dan.

[Dan Morgan]

Hey, how's it going today?

[Host]

It's going good, man. Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Dan Morgan]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner at Morgan and Morgan, which is America's largest injury law firm.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. Why do you guys think you win so many cases?

[Dan Morgan]

The insurance companies and other companies that we go against know that we're going to take it to the end that we believe in the case. So we fight for every dollar and we're not afraid to go that extra mile for our clients.

[Host]

Are insurance companies, like, actually afraid of you guys?

[Dan Morgan]

We don't bluff. We take it to trial. And we are not strangers of getting very, very, very large verdicts.

[Co-Pastor]

Awesome.

[Host]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident?

[Dan Morgan]

Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 247 365.

[Pastor]

Wow.

[Host]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show.

[Dan Morgan]

Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you.

[Co-Pastor]

The other night, I was talking to my wife and it was active. There was a whole story with it. But I'll jump to the end of it pretty much. I walked into the closet. My wife was there, and I told her I was like, hey, when I tell you I did not want to ask this question so bad, like, my insides were like, don't do it.

[Pastor]

Don't betray us.

[Co-Pastor]

And I had like fight to get the words out. I was like, do you maybe ever, just a little bit, kinda think that maybe I'm a little intense with. Don't you cover your mouth. Come on, John.

[Pastor]

I see you.

[Co-Pastor]

He's like, what, you don't think you're intense? So do you think I'm ever a little intense with the kids? Kids? Maybe. She was like, well, it's not that.

[Pastor]

I mean, you, you, you obviously love them.

[Co-Pastor]

That's how you know it's bad.

[Pastor]

It's like.

[Co-Pastor]

I just think your, your passion can sometimes. And I was sitting there like, okay, I get it, I get it, I get it. But it was a real moment where I was like, okay, this picture and the one I had in this picture, I just, I don't like how I move and talk in this picture. I don't always like how I feel in this picture. And so I gotta go to somebody else to help. And then that night we were having some friends over, so I go up to my other friend Carl, and I'm like, so today Abby said that maybe, you know, sometimes I'm, you know, a little. And my friend, who is also way more intense than I am. No, I'm just kidding. He was like, yeah, definitely. You definitely are. He was like, but he said, I didn't find that out until years later in my journey. And now they're all 17, 18, 19, and I'm trying to adjust. So how great is it to find that out with your 3 year old? And in that little moment, the people in my life helped me do something. My second point, get some perspective.

[Pastor]

You need people to help you get some perspective. Just, just. It's the same thing as just how you see it. If I was to ask you gentlemen.

[Co-Pastor]

Right here in this amazing green mint suit, three piece, man, you look amazing. What color is this? It's not trick, just guess. Just clothes. The Bible right here. Black. Okay. I think it's white. He said, well.

[Pastor]

Here'S the point.

[Co-Pastor]

From his perspective, he's right. And from my perspective, I'm right. But sometimes, because you're only on your.

[Pastor]

Side of the story, you're only on your side of the situation, you're only on your side of what you're experiencing. It takes some people to say, hey, I know you feel that way and if you would come over on this side for just a second, you would see. See why they act like that. So, yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm mad, and you are right to be mad.

[Co-Pastor]

And there's a different perspective. It's a greater story. And hopefully, if you can get some people and give you some perspective, ultimately it starts to change your position, changes how you carry yourself. It changes how you relate to people. It changes how you walk. It changes how you talk. It changes your understanding of where you are in all of this. And what I'm saying today, again, I do not at all, in no way am trying to minimize what you've gone through, what you're going through right now, what you will go through. All I'm saying is sometimes it's helpful to just back up a little bit. I'm gonna close. Team. Could y' all put that picture back up on the screen of the massive galaxies for me? Okay, so this picture is technically a picture of Earth. Technically, Earth is in there.

[Pastor]

And the photo that I took, my.

[Co-Pastor]

Beautiful kiddo, Jade October, sitting on the front row today, and she has all leather on because she's a G. She has her pink Barbie Jordans on, and she has massive, fluffy Christmas socks. And I snapped and I took a picture of those fluffy Christmas socks because her feet aren't gonna be that small forever. And this photo and that photo are both pictures of Earth. It's just one is from a different perspective. This photo, that photo. And there's another photo. If you could go to that photo team. These are all three different pictures of Earth. And all I'm saying to you this morning is all three of those photos, the ones you have on your phone.

[Pastor]

This one and the one zoomed out.

[Co-Pastor]

You need all of them.

[Pastor]

And there are days when some of them will serve you better, and some of them aren't going to serve you well. Some of our pictures are so zoomed in, it's not serving you well right now to focus on that. I'm not saying that it's not true. I'm not saying it didn't hurt. What I'm saying is if you focus on who left you your whole life.

[Co-Pastor]

I'm not saying it didn't hurt. I'm not saying they shouldn't have done it.

[Pastor]

I'm not saying they don't deserve something that you can't even do. What I am saying is right now, that is not helping you become the person you say you are wanting to become. Because every person that walks up to you, you're judging their motives and you're assuming if they're going to hurt you and you're afraid of relationships and you know you need it, but you won't admit it. All I'm saying is there are some.

[Co-Pastor]

Times you got to keep a different picture there. Sometimes it's going to be important that you zoom up and you realize today is the only day we got. You don't know what would happen tomorrow. The Bible says we are not promised anything. And that would serve you well some days to realize you don't have forever to say I'm sorry.

[Pastor]

The Bible actually says some of you are so proudful, you talk like this, today we will do this, tomorrow we will do that. It says you should. If God wills it, you'll do that. But it's prideful for you to assume you got tomorrow to do what he told you to do today.

[Co-Pastor]

So sometimes you need that picture that today is all I got. And sometimes you need the picture that I'm going to be with God forever. And that person that's gone, they're gone. But not forever. The Bible says I'm going to read two Scriptures. One is in Isaiah. Says this. Isaiah, chapter 40. So who is like me? Who holds a candle to me, says the holy. Look at the night skies. Who do you think made all this? Who marches out this army of stars each night and counts them off, calls each by name so magnificent, so powerful, and never overlooks a single one? Bible also says in Colossians, Chapter 2, Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words. They're trying to drag you into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through empty human tradition. But that's not the way of Christ. Listen to this. It says everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. Listen to this. You don't need a telescope, a microscope or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ and the emptiness of the universe without Him. When you come to him, the fullness comes together for you, too, for his power extends over everything. Here's a beautiful thing about God. That telescope we made can zoom out for a hundred billion years and it would never find the end of what he made. And at the same time, the Bible.

[Pastor]

Says.

[Co-Pastor]

You ain't got to look far to find me. If you're in here and you feel like whether it's your triggers or people or it makes your world smaller. And sometimes in that small world, you can feel like God isn't close. You can feel like you're lonely. You can feel like you don't have any hope, you can feel like it's never gonna work out. You can feel like you don't know where you're going. If you're in here and you're like me and you're tired of sometimes getting stuck in your small picture, I want to pray for you. I'm asking everybody to bow their heads and clarify. Close their eyes. If you're in this room and there's some area of your life where you feel stuck in a small picture, maybe it's a friendship that's gone. Maybe it's an expectation you had that. That didn't get met. A relationship that didn't work out, Something that seems you can't get out of. You can't get over it, you can't get past it. If you're in here today and you need a bigger picture, I'mma ask you just to raise your hand. Every head bowed, every eye closed somewhere. You need a bigger picture. Lord, our hands are raised because you're the only person who can give us a bigger picture. Holy Spirit, we are asking you to do something supernatural. And that is to change how we see it. To change how we see the pain. To change how we see people. To change how we see the problems we face. To change how we see the things we're going through. Not to overlook it, Lord God. God. But to look at it with the right perspective. Holy Spirit, would you change the way we think? Change the way I think we want to be different? If we're honest, this picture hasn't served us. It's been safe. It's what we know, but it's not. It's not who we want to be. So give us a new picture today. Every head still bowed, every eyes still closed. If you're in this room or watching online and you've never accepted Jesus as your Lord, Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that we saw God in human form when Jesus showed up. If you are trying to find Jesus, Scripture just said you don't need a telescope, you don't need a microscope, and you don't need a horoscope. You can walk right up the truth itself and it is standing, ready, willing and waiting to help you with whatever you need. The same God who spoke the. The stars into existence is the same God who can speak to the pain you're in right now. And if you're in this room and you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, I'm not talking about religion. I'm not talking about. You have to talk to somebody else to pray for you. I'm not talking about you got to go through a lot of steps and do all these. I'm talking about, you know, Jesus Christ of Nazareth for yourself, who is a real person, and he's closer to you than your very own breath. If you want. Want that relationship today, if you want to lay it all down for him. I'm not talking about this idea where you do good things from here on out. I'm talking about your life is not your own. You don't make your choices. You will do what he says do, you will go where he says go, and you will be who he says be. If you are in this room today, then you're looking for a greater identity. You're looking for a greater reality. You're looking for a greater story. If you're in this room or online, I'm going to count. Count to three. And if you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you're going to raise your hand strong, not apologizing and not worried about it, because you are going to find your place in this universe, and it starts today. 1. He loves you. 2. Today is the day of salvation. Don't wait another day. 3. Lift your hand right now all over this room if you want to accept Jesus. I got you over here, my man. I see you over here in the back. A whole row of people, whole family right there, both of you together. I see you, my man.

[Pastor]

So many people. I got you, sister.

[Co-Pastor]

So proud of you. I see you people online, all together in this room and around the world. I want everybody to bow your heads, close your eyes, repeat this prayer after me. Say, dear God, thank you for loving me. Dear Jesus, thank you for dying for me. Thank you for living for me. I admit I'm a sinner. I've made mistakes and I can't fix it by myself. I need you. Save me, change me. Transform me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Pastor]

Come on.

[Co-Pastor]

If you love Jesus and you're grateful for everybody who just made the choice to follow Jesus, why don't you give.

[Pastor]

Him a shout of praise?

[Co-Pastor]

Hey, listen, if you just made that choice, it's the best choice you can make in your whole life. Everybody can go ahead and stand up. We're gonna get out of here. But if you text the word save to the number that's on your screen, we would love to partner with you to help you. And our worship team is going to continue to sing. If you need prayer for anything, we're gonna have some team up here at the front. Front and standing by those back. Bleachers if you need anything at all, any prayer, we would love to pray with you. We're so grateful for you. Thank you for being at church this Sunday. Join us next Sunday. I pray you have an amazing Thanksgiving. I pray you eat some good food and I'm gonna pray for you. Lord. Thank you for your people, your children. I pray Lord God that this week we would live with a bigger picture. In the beautiful name of Jesus, we pray. And everybody said Amen.

[Pastor]

Amen.

[Co-Pastor]

Amen. Thank you for joining us today. If you said that prayer and accepted Jesus into your heart, it's the best decision you could ever make. We want to celebrate with you and we have some tools to help you on your journey. Text saved to 828282 and to find out more about TC Text connect to 828282. Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your friends. Thanks for listening. Now go out and live a transformed life.