1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:26,240 We'll be right back. 2 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:28,240 This is not Jimmy and Annette today. 3 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,240 We want to welcome you to Living Up in a Down World. 4 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:35,680 I have a very special guest with me, Pastor Brian Mandel from Bridge Church, 5 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:37,200 Fritzburg, Texas. 6 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,560 Brother, it's good to have you today. 7 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:39,840 Man, thanks for having me back. 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:40,240 It's been a minute. 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:40,880 Super glad. 10 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:42,000 Yeah, it has been a minute. 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,120 Annette's been on a roll. 12 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,200 She's been on fire, but she was very busy today and this week. 13 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,000 She just said, why don't you get Pastor Brian back on the program? 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,200 I said, glad to do it. 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,560 Come on, I'm excited to be here. 16 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:53,920 Welcome to the show, brother. 17 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:55,120 We got a lot to talk about. 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:56,160 A lot going on. 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,560 A lot of moving parts in the world right now. 20 00:00:58,560 --> 00:00:59,920 I mean, just craziness. 21 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:05,200 And before we just dive right in, just want to remind you to go to livingupinadownworld.com 22 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:06,880 and feel free to jump on. 23 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:08,800 You can subscribe to our podcast there. 24 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,800 That way you can get a newsletter. 25 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,000 Every time we release a podcast, I put out a newsletter about the same time, 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:15,440 just so you know what's coming. 27 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,160 And it just has pictures and information, some personal things, 28 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:19,280 but we'd love to hear from you. 29 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:21,600 You can always write us through that. 30 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,280 You can always leave a review. 31 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,520 And there's an opportunity from value for value to show your love 32 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:28,880 by giving some value our way. 33 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,600 It's all there at livingupinadownworld.com. 34 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,320 Another thing I want to plug, and this is really exciting. 35 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:38,240 This is something that I've been working on with Adam Curry. 36 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:39,440 I mean, he's the brainchild. 37 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:40,560 He's the visionary. 38 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,560 He's got a team doing this. 39 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:44,400 But I've been just giving input. 40 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:45,920 We're beta testers. 41 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:46,560 Bridge Church. 42 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,360 We're that's code for guinea pigs. 43 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:54,160 And it's been really cool just testing out this thing. 44 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:55,440 It's called the Godcaster. 45 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:01,520 And it's really a podcast player, but he's added an extra element to it, 46 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:05,920 which is really 24 hour streaming music so that you can... 47 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,000 I have it on my Sonos at home and we just play it all day long. 48 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,600 In fact, it's playing right now at the house, 49 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,800 just fill in the air with worship and Christian music. 50 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,080 It's a great way to stay saturated in worship, 51 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,040 the word of God and encouraging things throughout the day. 52 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:21,760 Absolutely. 53 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:23,200 So I want to encourage you to check it out. 54 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,480 So here's an easy way to do it. 55 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:30,320 You can go to bridgefbg.com, scroll about halfway down on that landing page, 56 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:32,320 and you'll see it's called the Godcaster. 57 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,440 You'll see a whole bank of podcasts that are available to you. 58 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,200 But check out Hello Fred. 59 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,360 That's the one I've really been leaning into. 60 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,080 In fact, I just listened to Curry and the Keeper. 61 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,000 They recorded last night after our class, our discipleship class, 62 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,160 and they were on fire. 63 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:49,440 They were fired up after the class. 64 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:50,880 They went home and recorded. 65 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:54,080 And I just listened to it on the Godcaster today. 66 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,400 And it just works so well and it's easy. 67 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,080 So go to bridgefbg.com, scroll about halfway down, 68 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,600 and you'll see the Godcaster. 69 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,040 And then you can click on any of those. 70 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,400 But check out Hello Fred because this is something that Adam 71 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,040 and two other guys have developed. 72 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:10,720 And this is brand new technology. 73 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,320 They actually wrote the code for this. 74 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:13,680 They produced this. 75 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,080 And this thing is going to go big. 76 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,720 I was going to say, this feels like it's very much on the cutting edge 77 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,480 of where things are going with media and news and music 78 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,920 as radio begins to fade and even mainstream media 79 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:28,960 as that begins to fade and things enter the streaming world. 80 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,040 This is sort of a new expression of that. 81 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:31,680 Absolutely. 82 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,320 Isn't it amazing how God gives us creative ideas? 83 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:34,800 It is. 84 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:35,840 He is Elohim. 85 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:37,440 No, not Elohim. 86 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:38,400 It's El Shaddai. 87 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:40,720 Is it El Shaddai? 88 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:41,600 Oh my gosh. 89 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,680 I totally lost it. 90 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:44,640 God Almighty. 91 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,160 Anyway, he is the creative God. 92 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:50,240 I'll come up with it in a minute. 93 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:51,760 I totally lost it. 94 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:52,480 I'm tired too. 95 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,560 I got a little brain fog this morning. 96 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,320 But he's the creative God. 97 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:57,280 He created the world. 98 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:58,080 He created. 99 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,640 So if he created all those things, and then in the New Testament 100 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:03,040 we're told we have the mind of Christ, 101 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,400 then doesn't it stand to reason that if we tap into the mind of Christ 102 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:10,480 that we can in and through that come up with amazing and creative ideas. 103 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,240 I believe God's people should be the most creative people on the planet 104 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,080 because we have access to the one who created it all. 105 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:18,960 Absolutely. 106 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:19,440 Totally. 107 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,120 100% agree. 108 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,800 And so check out the Godcaster. 109 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:23,600 It's amazing. 110 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,480 Now, if you can't get to it through bridgefbg.com, 111 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:34,320 you can also go to hellofred.fm and that'll get you there as well. 112 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:35,280 So check it out. 113 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:37,120 And so glad to have you with us. 114 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,360 This is episode number 82. 115 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,280 So we're getting a few under our belt. 116 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,280 You're like a veteran at this now. 117 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:45,440 Time flies when you're having fun, right? 118 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,040 And so I'm excited to have you. 119 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:48,960 Man, we again, so much to talk about. 120 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,480 There's been a lot happened in the world over the last few months, 121 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,400 but especially the last week and a half. 122 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:59,040 And so we had an epic and historic election. 123 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:00,960 I mean, what are your thoughts on that? 124 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,600 I mean, you and I've been talking and we've been having these hallway 125 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,960 conversations, you know, where it's just so much happening. 126 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,720 So what's on your heart with that? 127 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,040 Well, I mean, I know a lot of people feel this way, 128 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:15,120 but, you know, I've just had this deep sense of I'm witnessing 129 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:21,280 not just history happening before my eyes, but significant history. 130 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:29,040 We're witnessing the tide turn in our nation in a way where... 131 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:33,120 The best way I could describe it is God is opening a window for righteousness. 132 00:05:33,840 --> 00:05:37,680 He's opening a doorway for the church to step up, 133 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:45,680 stand up, suit up, show up, and have the sort of access and ability 134 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:53,040 to present the gospel and to bring Jesus into every sphere of society 135 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,040 in ways that maybe we haven't in decades. 136 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,440 In fact, I was reading in the Proverbs this morning out of Proverbs 14, 137 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,920 and Proverbs 14, 34 stuck out to me and it says, 138 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:08,880 righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 139 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:11,840 And just watching what happened in this last election, 140 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,480 this last week with Donald Trump coming in, you know, there are people out there 141 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,720 who, you know, who think Donald Trump is the savior. 142 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:20,080 We, of course, know he is not. 143 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:26,720 He's a man, but God works through our leaders and he uses leaders 144 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,960 to either open or close windows for his people, 145 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,160 depending on how we've positioned ourselves, how we're praying, 146 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:35,520 how we're seeking the Lord. 147 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:37,920 And I believe God heard us. 148 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,440 He heard the church over this last year, year and a half. 149 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,920 And through a man, he's now beginning to open doors and opportunities 150 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,240 for us to bring Jesus in ways that we haven't been able to before. 151 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:51,040 I'm very excited. 152 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:52,240 You better preach, man. 153 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,600 I mean, that is just, you are spot on with that. 154 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:56,720 I love that scripture. 155 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,440 It's funny you mentioned that because I actually posted that scripture today. 156 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:04,400 Oh, did you? I posted it on social media and just, just, just it's so, 157 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:06,240 well, maybe I did, maybe I didn't. 158 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:07,040 I'm going to post it. 159 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:08,640 I made a, I made a canvas. It's going to happen. 160 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:15,440 I made a graphic because that one stood out to me today as I read through chapter 14 of Proverbs. 161 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,360 Here's another passage that stood out to me. 162 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,320 This is the other day when I was reading in Proverbs chapter 11, 163 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,920 when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. 164 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,960 And when the wicked perish, there are shouts of gladness. 165 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,520 It's like, oh, that's pretty heavy. 166 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,800 But, but the first part of that, when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. 167 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:37,200 And then the second verse after that, every time I pray for city council, 168 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:41,520 or I pray for the mayor, or I open the county commissioner meeting, 169 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:45,440 or when I prayed for the Senate twice, which I'll probably get back on the Senate floor 170 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:51,360 to do the open up sessions this next year, by the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted, 171 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,920 but by the mouth of the wicked, it is overthrown. 172 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:54,320 Yeah. 173 00:07:54,320 --> 00:08:02,480 And what we have seen is that it appears to me that the left just opted for the second version here, 174 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,200 but by the mouth of the wicked, it is overthrown. 175 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:06,880 And I'm not saying everybody's on the left's wicked. 176 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:12,800 I'm not even disparaging individuals, but there was such a negative bend to everything they said. 177 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,560 And I remember listening to, you know, whether I was reading a news story or watching a film clip 178 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:24,400 or watching a news clip, and just the disparaging things that were constantly said. 179 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:29,680 Now, the right said stuff too. I mean, but it just seems like when in the larger picture of everything, 180 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,600 one outweighed the other. And I always thought about this verse, 181 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,480 that by the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted. 182 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:36,880 Yeah. 183 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:43,360 And anytime I speak to any of these city, and I'll probably say this tomorrow when I open up 184 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,920 the Walmart, doing the grand opening for that, just to pray for them and pray about the city, 185 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:52,960 pray for them and pray a blessing over them, but talk about the power of speaking life, 186 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:58,640 the power of speaking words of life and hope, and how we actually, our words carry force. 187 00:08:58,640 --> 00:08:59,200 That's right. 188 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,480 And I've seen that just through this whole election process. 189 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:08,000 A lot of the, you know, the news pundits and the election commentators and the, 190 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:13,440 and the self-proclaimed podcasts, you know, experts are all saying a lot of the same things 191 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:19,440 that it was really the things that the left was projecting that cost them the election. 192 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:23,040 It wasn't their platform, because they didn't have much of one, 193 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:29,120 but just this sense of disparaging over 80 million Americans by calling them names. 194 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:35,840 I won't even go into all that, but the name calling and the trash talking and 80 plus, 195 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,760 you know, million Americans woke up and said, I'm done with this. 196 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:45,040 Yes. And I feel like, man, one of the things that hit me watching it all happen, 197 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:52,720 especially on election night is that the noise of the media finally got silenced 198 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:58,640 and the American people were able to see in front of their eyes as results came in, 199 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:04,000 that they're not alone, that they're not crazy for embracing conservative traditional values 200 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,320 and feeling like the way things used to be didn't need to go away. 201 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:14,320 You know, whether that be the idea of traditional marriage or that God made us male and female, 202 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:20,160 or that, you know, our education system has gotten way out of hand and is overreaching the, 203 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:24,320 you know, the authority of parents and the lives of their children. 204 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:29,200 I mean, you go on and on and on. These were things that were not even up for discussion 205 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:34,160 for centuries and millennia. And all of a sudden in the last five minutes of America, 206 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:41,280 everything's been exploded and normal conservative, God fearing, biblically based people have been 207 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:47,280 made to feel like they're isolated, that they're alone, that everybody's abandoned that except for 208 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:54,080 them. And it's easy to feel alone in an environment like that. But we were reminded on that Tuesday 209 00:10:54,080 --> 00:11:00,720 evening that no, no, no, no, a vast majority of people in America still embrace these traditional 210 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,200 values. And I think that was such a boost of encouragement for our nation. 211 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:10,800 You know, we saw a lot of momentum in the last few weeks leading up to the election and yet 212 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,120 different polls were coming out. Did you notice that over and over it would be like, 213 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:20,640 it was like, oh, you know, Kamala Harris is winning, you know, Harris-Waltz, they're ahead, 214 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:24,800 they're up in these states. And then it would be, oh, Trump looks like he's up a few points, 215 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:30,160 you know, over the last election and, and back and forth. And depending on where that poll was 216 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:35,920 coming from, every poll has a slant to it. Whether you're talking looking at surveys that have to do 217 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:42,880 with food or medical field or whatever, they, I heard somebody talking about who was a professional 218 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:47,360 in this and said they call it shelving. So, or drawing what they'll do though, they'll just, 219 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,760 if they get a poll back, they don't like a survey back, they just put it in a drawer. They do another 220 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,320 one. And they change the wording and they, so polls, that's the problem with polling is it can 221 00:11:56,320 --> 00:12:01,600 be manipulated. And so we were getting, you know, I know the big word is disinformation, 222 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:08,400 misinformation. I'm ad nauseum on that, but it's very true. You cannot trust what you're getting. 223 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:14,320 And I think one of the things that really came out through this election was the shock and awe 224 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:21,200 of the mainstream media. Their minds are blown. If you, if you turn on the news right now, 225 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:26,080 they're confused. There's mass confusion. They still don't understand how this happened 226 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:31,280 because they were so certain that they were rooting for the winning side. Oh yeah. I mean, 227 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,200 they were drinking their own Kool-Aid when it came to that. And you can see, and I've even 228 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:41,680 noticed in some of the left-leaning media, some of them are starting to wake up a little bit 229 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:46,560 and realize maybe I'm on the wrong side of this thing. And the question is, maybe I'm not reflecting 230 00:12:46,560 --> 00:12:51,360 the people. So my thought on that, cause I've noticed the same thing is that are they just 231 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:58,240 walking things back because they're trying to save their tails. I mean, let's be real. Mark Cuban. 232 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,560 All right. For example, Oh my gosh, he was disparaging Trump. He was saying Harris is the 233 00:13:02,560 --> 00:13:07,840 answer. And I mean, in disparaging people, disparaging voters, people who voted for Trump, 234 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,160 this happened over and over among celebrities particularly, but it was interesting right after 235 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:18,640 the election, he went on X and started deleting all of his posts about that. He completely walked 236 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:23,440 it back. I mean, I'm like, you know, you could be bold if you think you're winning, but now you're 237 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:29,440 losing and now you're a coward. That was not ever real boldness. That was cowardice from the beginning. 238 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:35,280 I think people think things reached such a fever pitch in the lead up to this where people 239 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:40,400 finally began to realize, why am I taking political cues from Taylor Swift? 240 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:47,440 And Mark Cuban and Beyonce and George Clooney, George Clooney, who are these people? 241 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:52,560 Where do they come from? What do they represent? What do they know? And why would we take our cues from them? 242 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:58,160 And I'm not, I'm not here to disparage the acting profession or entertainment. I mean, I've, I've 243 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:04,560 benefited and enjoyed entertainment all my life, but when it gets elevated over truth, I mean, 244 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:11,040 think about what these people do. If you're a musician, you present a fantasy on stage, you create a show. 245 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:17,840 It's a show. It's not reality. People don't dress like that in real life. They don't act like that in real life. 246 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:24,560 It's an escape for people, movies, actors. Their whole point is to betray somebody that they're not. 247 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:32,960 So why would we trust industries that are designed to falsify or, you know, make things fantastic? 248 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:41,680 We should not. We should not, but yet for the weirdest thing, we have celebrity worship and 249 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:48,640 idolatry in our culture where we're just wowed by these people because they're famous. And I think 250 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:55,520 America, no, I don't think it's obvious America woke up. They did. We awakened from our slumber, 251 00:14:55,520 --> 00:15:02,160 which has been one of my prayers as much as I pray for revival. I pray more for awakening 252 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:08,000 on every level. Well, and that's why I feel like this is now becoming such an opportune time 253 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:14,480 for God's people, for the Church, because as people wake up to some of these more general 254 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:21,120 realities of life, and as we're going to see the practical effects of changing policies in our nation, 255 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:26,960 which whether people realize it or not, a lot of policies, a lot of government, and things that 256 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:33,440 are going to happen are going to be brought back to reflect more of the original founding intent, 257 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:39,120 more of the constitution, and in some ways more biblical traditional values, whether people realize 258 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:43,680 that's where it's coming from or not. And in the context of that, as people see those things 259 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:48,960 actually work, and they actually are a blessing to the nation and a blessing to families, and they 260 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:54,880 heal aspects of society, it's such an opportunity to bring the gospel with it and help people 261 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,800 understand this is why this works, because let me show you where this comes from. There you go. 262 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:04,240 And I love what you said about original intent as well, because that's something that's more 263 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:08,400 in my lane, in my heartbeat. Now I've had to address what's going on in the election from the 264 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:14,960 pulpit, and so I've been doing that very boldly, very unashamedly talking about it. I even told 265 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,360 the Church, I stepped out of the pulpit and said, this is Jimmy Pruitt, citizen Jimmy Pruitt, 266 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:25,120 Church member Jimmy Pruitt, not Pastor Jimmy Pruitt, and I'm voting for the platform that is 267 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,800 represented by Donald Trump. I didn't say I'm voting for Trump, I'm voting for the platform 268 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,760 represented by him. He happens to be the face of it, but it's the platform that I'm voting for 269 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:38,960 because it most aligns with biblical values. And people laughed about it, they clapped and cheered, 270 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:44,240 it was kind of a fun moment. But it was true, I was stepping out of that role to say, as a citizen, 271 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:50,400 as a Christian, a follower of Jesus, I have to vote for a platform that most aligns with 272 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:56,080 my biblical worldview, my biblical worldview as I see it and as I read it. And so to be able to do 273 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:02,400 that, so I've been very vocal about that. But now that we're past this, instead of now beating the 274 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:07,520 drum on election and voting and all that, now that we're past it, we have to ask this question, 275 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:12,080 so what now? And then I just riffed a little bit on that last week, but I want to hear from you, 276 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:18,000 what do we do now going forward as the church, as followers of Jesus? 277 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:23,840 Yeah, well, one of the things that we're working on here at The Bridge is bringing people back to 278 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:32,080 the biblical concept of discipleship. We've got to get away from this idea that to be Christian 279 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:39,200 means I go to church on Sunday and I'm pretty nice to people. It goes a lot deeper than that. And 280 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:45,120 Jesus told us to count the cost before we follow Him. And that as disciples, we're called to make 281 00:17:45,120 --> 00:17:51,120 disciples both in the nation and of the nations that we find ourselves in, that we're to preach 282 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:57,120 the message of the kingdom and to show people who Jesus is. And so we've got work to do, 283 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:07,120 and we've been given fresh freedom to do it without fear of massive persecution. So much of the 284 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:12,080 church has endured through so much of the last two millennia. And continues to, and continues to in 285 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:18,640 other parts of the world. We live in such a unique time in history and in such a unique nation 286 00:18:19,360 --> 00:18:24,880 where we have the opportunity to be a beacon to the rest of the world of the gospel without 287 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:32,080 almost any hindrance at all. And if we don't steward well what we've been given, that's when 288 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:37,280 we should fear that it might be taken from us and given to somebody else who will steward it well. 289 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,600 And so I think there's a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the church right now 290 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:48,000 to use the freedom we've been given in a way that glorifies Jesus. Absolutely agree Pastor Brian. 291 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:53,680 That's, you nailed that. We keep saying we've been given this window. I mean I feel like it's 292 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:59,760 the word that keeps coming to my mind. This is a window of opportunity. And now I love the word 293 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:04,480 you use because one of my favorite words, we have to steward this moment. And this moment could be 294 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:09,200 next four years. It could be, it could be the next eight. We don't know what that, what's going to 295 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:17,040 come. I've got a lot of hope for the future now for what I would call the more conservative side 296 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:23,520 of things. I've noticed and you can't help but notice the team that Donald Trump is pulling 297 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:27,920 together. I mean it's an all-star roster. Oh my gosh. I mean it's an all-star roster. Oh my gosh. 298 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:36,960 I mean it's it's rock star status type things. And the interesting thing I saw a comparison 299 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:42,400 last night I read a comp and I showed it to Annette where it showed that the most of the ages of 300 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:48,480 the people he's pulling in, he's pulling in 43 year olds, 48 year olds, 40 year olds, 39 year olds. 301 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:54,240 I mean this is next-gen. Well everything is interesting. Everything that everybody has said 302 00:19:54,240 --> 00:20:00,240 that Donald Trump is the antithesis of is exactly what he's surrounding himself with including 303 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:06,160 former Democrats, young people, lots of strong women. I mean you name it. That's who he's got 304 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:12,240 around him. And people of color and different nationalities. I mean it's it's been remarkable 305 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:19,600 and and I think all of that put together now sets us up for a very bright future and a real chance 306 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:25,520 to turn this thing in the next four to eight years. Now as that now as that applies to the 307 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:31,680 church to me I would have done the same thing anyway. Had had this thing gone the other way 308 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:36,560 I would have woke up the next morning and got back into work and we're still on mission because the 309 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:43,840 mission for us as followers of Jesus and you and I as leaders of a church we our mission doesn't 310 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:51,040 change. All it does now is help us dial in and gives us more clarity in our mission as to what 311 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:56,640 to do next. And I would say though... Defines the opportunities that we have. Exactly. Now we see 312 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:03,680 avenues, roads, ways to go with this. And really it tells me it's pedal to the metal time. 313 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:08,480 This is not where we and I said this a lot I've been saying this to a lot of people including our 314 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:14,400 church but this is not where we go get a gallon of sweet tea, sit in a hammock and enjoy Indian 315 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:19,120 summer in central Texas here in the whole country. This is the most beautiful time of the year. 316 00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:25,360 Temperatures like in the high 70s today no wind it's just like unbelievably gorgeous here but this 317 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:31,760 isn't the time to relax. Celebrate absolutely man when you're working hard for something and there's 318 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:37,200 a win you should celebrate the win. So I'm not disparaging people getting excited about winning 319 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:44,560 but to me I'll never forget Coach Rivera in football. I mean we scored a touchdown. 320 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:49,040 We're all man we're cheering and clapping we're on the field doing our victory dance 321 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:54,400 and the other teams lining up. I mean they're like you still have to kick a field goal here. 322 00:21:54,960 --> 00:22:00,720 The clock is still running and I remember our coach yanking us to the sideline and all of us said 323 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:07,760 yeah he said boys he said the game is not over. You scored a touchdown yay now get back out there 324 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:15,040 and hit somebody. I mean that's right get back in the game. There wasn't time to celebrate 325 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:21,600 extensively yeah yeah rah rah. Also when I got injured one time no I made a bad play I remember 326 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,640 I missed a missed an assignment as a defensive back and the dude ran a deep pattern on me. They 327 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,520 threw a touchdown right over my head. I can still see the ball in slow motion going over my head in 328 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:36,880 a perfect spiral. He catches it the crowd goes nuts and I run over the side. I'm so mad at myself 329 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:42,000 because I missed the it was me it was on me nobody else and I went up to one of my coaches and said 330 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:46,080 I can't believe that and he said and I thought he was gonna yank me out of the game. He said 331 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:51,360 get back out there they're running the next play because they were running the the uh the the extra 332 00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:55,760 point and I'm still I'm supposed to be on the field. I'm over there whining to my coach. He said 333 00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:00,560 get back out there there's another play to run. That's right and he wouldn't even let me lick my 334 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,880 wounds and I would say that maybe maybe the election didn't go your way and you're listening 335 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:10,000 this podcast and and we want you to know we don't disparage you as a person because you voted 336 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:15,760 different from us. We don't disparage you. We may have disagreements on on certain ideologies and 337 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:22,640 theology but we're not disparaging anybody and I would even say to you there's not lick your wounds 338 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:28,080 a little bit but don't get out of the game right of your own. Same way had we have had our side 339 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:32,960 loss that had it not have gone our way I wouldn't have spent a lot of time grieving because there's 340 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:38,320 work to be done. If anything it probably would have kicked me into overdrive in that moment. 341 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:43,680 Well I'll tell you one of the heartbreaking things I've seen the last few days is um people that are 342 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:50,320 are making statements on social media and different platforms saying things like you know I'm not doing 343 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:55,680 Thanksgiving or Christmas with my family this year because they voted in a different way than I did 344 00:23:55,680 --> 00:24:01,680 or you know they're all in different ways. Or encouraging others to do the same. Yeah. Yeah you need to cut off 345 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:08,720 all your friends and your family. And that gets to the root of I think you know what what we've been 346 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:17,200 looking for to change you know through the platform that we we did support here and that is the attack 347 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:23,040 on the family. I mean and that's just another expression of it. You know the nuclear family was 348 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:28,720 the unit that God designed at the beginning of this whole human experiment that he said this is 349 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:34,480 going to be the nucleus from which all of his blessing flows all of his activity flows all of 350 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:40,480 his workflows and there is nothing that Satan would love to destroy more than the family because it is 351 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:46,320 the very fabric of society itself. You know when mothers and fathers and children are not whole 352 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:52,560 units anymore that's where every evil thing stems from that. That's well said you know in the 353 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:58,560 Abrahamic covenant you know Genesis he says that in you through all the families on the earth will 354 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:04,720 be blessed. It was a reference to actually families it was a family statement the covenant of Abraham 355 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:10,400 which is an everlasting covenant and is still in play and because we here Gentiles have been 356 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:15,920 grafted into the vine of the Jews it's our covenant now too. We're not replacing the Jews 357 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:21,200 replacement theology don't get me started. We're not replacing them we're added onto and brought 358 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:26,000 into the family and the wall of separation in the New Testament tells us it's been broken down 359 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:30,720 where there's no wall of separation anymore not replacement. Now we're unified we're together 360 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:36,480 and we get to reap the blessing of that covenant but that covenant was a family blessing. It was. 361 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:42,000 In you through all the all the families in the earth should be blessed and so we approach that 362 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:49,600 as families and I you know we know and we have seen how certain things whether it's education 363 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:55,360 low or high or middle whatever education you want it's all been infiltrated by those who want to 364 00:25:55,360 --> 00:26:01,440 decimate and destroy divide families the nuclear family and so the attacks on the family here's 365 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:08,160 here's how I recognize the activity of the enemy who's under attack yes who's under attack what is 366 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:13,520 being attacked and when I see that that tells me this is something that is the apple of God's eye 367 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:18,560 this is something that God has daylighted or highlighted this is a good thing a right thing 368 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:25,840 so whatever is under most attack is typically the center of where God is or the or the focus of where 369 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:32,640 God is in that season of life and we've seen the family under massive attack which tells me the 370 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:37,040 value of the family in God's heart and eyes or the enemy wouldn't be trying to destroy it and 371 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:43,600 counterfeit it I mean you couldn't have said that any better and I love what you you said this last 372 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:49,760 Sunday in church about what our responsibility is right now as the church and then you said it's to 373 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:55,200 live holy and to show up you know complicated if we want to talk about what what does the church 374 00:26:55,200 --> 00:27:01,200 need to do right now you know congruent or alongside of all that's been happening politically 375 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:07,760 this year we've we've witnessed a lot of judgment happening in the church a lot of leaders being 376 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:13,840 exposed a lot of things that weren't as they should be being exposed across churches all over 377 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:19,120 this nation and there's been a purging and a refining that God's been doing because I think 378 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:27,120 he's trying to position us to live holy and to show up to be to be the bride without spot and 379 00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:34,080 blemish that he can really work through and show the world who he is accurately and I feel a burden 380 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:40,800 or a fear of the Lord right now that more than ever I need to be an accurate reflection of Jesus 381 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:45,200 an accurate reflection of the truth that is in scripture and that if I'm going to speak 382 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:51,040 as a Christian as a believer I better do it accurately I better be saying what God's saying 383 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:56,800 not my version of it not the way I'd like it to be not the way it's been morphed in popular culture 384 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:03,200 or even in popular church culture but to get back to the book to get back to truth and to declare it 385 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:08,480 regardless of the consequences or how people receive it or not. Very well said PB I mean 386 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:16,000 literally not trying to shape the word of God to fit my template but I'm having to realign myself 387 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:21,360 to say this is what God's word for just as an example one of the things I have been adamant 388 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:29,200 about is continuing to support Israel. I mean not too many months ago it looked like the whole 389 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:35,440 world was turning against Israel at least America I mean even even the the administration that was 390 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:40,160 in charge was confused half of them were for Israel half were not they were divided on that 391 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:44,080 and and they were saying different things in different environments and trying to speak to 392 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:49,520 different people and I saw the I saw the the disparity between that and like oh no no no you're 393 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:56,880 not in alignment and so one of the things I did boldly and I post it every Saturday I post hey 394 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,440 here's the sermon and you know here's what's coming I post pictures I always post a picture 395 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:07,600 of an American flag and a picture of a Jewish flag and I don't care I'm to a point where 396 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:14,320 I'm with you I want my life to so align with God's word I don't want to make God's word align 397 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:20,640 with my life. I just went through me and Annette together we went through and unfriended a ton of 398 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:28,560 people on social media on our Facebook that are preaching another gospel. Hyper grace this this 399 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:35,200 sense of of you know man you're okay I'm okay God's got it covered love covers a multitude of sins 400 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:42,320 therefore therefore I mean this this easy believism or what's called a greasy grace easy grace. Well 401 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:46,880 and where has that led I mean now you've got people in those camps talking about do we really 402 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:50,960 need the book of James? Why don't we throw it out? That was the one I brought up the other day that 403 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:58,400 just that's that was a tipping point for me where I realized uh they're moving away from the word of 404 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:04,480 God now they're beginning to judge books of the Bible based on their interpretation of grace and 405 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:12,480 and so I'm so with you I want to align my life with what God says irregardless of the temporal 406 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:20,240 consequences or circumstances. My life has to align with Him and here's what I what I'm finding 407 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:26,640 even in little incremental pieces little minutiae things little nuances where I'm doing that little 408 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:33,680 adjustments there's massive blessing. Massive. And one of the blessings is confidence. Go there. 409 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:40,240 There is there is something happens when you not only know you're righteous because Christ makes 410 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:45,680 you the righteousness of God or God makes you the righteousness of Christ in righteousness of God in 411 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:52,560 Christ Jesus the scripture says but when you're actually acting righteous that doesn't mean just 412 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:58,560 pure externals it's the nuances it's who you are when no one's looking it's what you're thinking 413 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:04,000 about when no one knows what you're thinking about it's the judgments you make when you're driving 414 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:08,080 down the road and somebody pulls out in front of you and their car's all beat up and you just go 415 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:13,520 down this this weird path of judging that individual just based on their car I mean I'm 416 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:18,400 just being really authentic here and I'm just I'm learning to capture those thoughts you know 417 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:23,520 the scripture says we can take those thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ so I'm 418 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:29,680 I'm trying to be quick to repent in the moment like I mean as soon as I something comes in my 419 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:34,560 mind I'm the Holy Spirit's the more I lean into this I'll put it this way it's not about me 420 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:39,920 figuring it out it's really me trusting the Holy Spirit that with that flag that pops up that's a 421 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:45,280 signal wait you're judging that part you didn't even realize you went autopilot there and you've 422 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:49,920 you made a judgment on that individual by the clothes they're wearing or the other drink or 423 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:54,800 what they're eating at the dinner table because you're so righteous as a carnivore now you're 424 00:31:54,800 --> 00:32:01,360 judging what's in their food basket at at HEB at the grocery store so I love what you said there 425 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:06,560 because that's that's exactly what God's doing I think I think he wants to do that for the whole 426 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:12,240 church of Jesus here's how I know why we're not in the last of the last days his Bible says he's 427 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:18,320 coming back for a bride without spot or blemish she's got lots of spots and blemishes so I know 428 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:24,880 he's not coming back too soon so when we can get our act together and again it's not just about 429 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:29,360 focusing on the externals although that is an element of it that I think we've ignored for too 430 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:35,760 long well and then you know to understand what the scripture says about that God says that he's given 431 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:44,880 us his powerful grace and it's that grace it's his power that empowers us to become like Jesus to 432 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:50,320 change so you know we've been given this gift which has become a curse word in modern Christianity 433 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:56,080 which is repentance right you know it's not just a one-time entrance into the kingdom thing 434 00:32:56,080 --> 00:33:01,280 it's a daily thing exactly repentance isn't something to be ashamed about it's it's a thing 435 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:06,640 to rejoice about the lifestyle every day every moment as the Lord reveals to me where I'm out 436 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:12,800 of alignment with him he's granted me repentance to where I can come back into alignment with him 437 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:18,160 just through an adjustment of my heart and every time I do that there's an outpouring of grace 438 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:24,880 an enablement directly from him to follow through on that and to experience what you mentioned that 439 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:30,000 that washed and clean conscience which allows you to have confidence before the Lord there's 440 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:36,160 nothing worse than not feeling like you can boldly approach God with confidence you know to feel 441 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:41,040 ashamed like you can't enter his presence because you know there's a misalignment going on and he's 442 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:47,600 given us the tool to fix that at any moment. I love that I love that listen to this you prompted 443 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:52,000 me I mean right there you just you just triggered something and I mean use trigger in the best 444 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:57,440 possible way that's an overused word in our culture but in Proverbs chapter 10 verse 9 445 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:04,400 whoever walks in integrity walks securely. I did a little word study on all those key words right 446 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:10,640 there the word walks means to live in to dwell in yeah it's also means behavior to act like so 447 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:16,480 whoever walks like whoever acts like whoever lives in integrity the word integrity means exactly what 448 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:21,920 you think it would the integration or wholeness in other words you in other parts of the Bible 449 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:28,960 you hear the word perfect or perfection it means complete sound whole well and and so whoever 450 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:35,840 walks in their in their integrity walks securely that word also means safety but it also means 451 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:44,560 confidence yes so I'm finding that when I'm having like insecure moments for example when I when I go 452 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:48,880 to pray when I'm outside of the church like I'm so confident in our pulpit because this is our 453 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:54,080 spiritual family so I'm like it's like family reunion every time we're together and I feel 454 00:34:54,080 --> 00:35:01,600 comfortable here and safe here and confident here when I go out and do things like pray for a city 455 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:06,240 commissioners meeting I walk in the room I know one person and there's a whole lot of people there 456 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:12,480 that look like they mean business yeah that can be intimidating and I know if I'm walking in integrity 457 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:19,680 I can walk in that room very confident very safe very secure same with praying for I mean could be 458 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:27,520 praying for the city council meeting stepping into environments where pastors used to actually be the 459 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:32,640 authority in the room that have now been marginalized by ourself we've removed ourselves 460 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:39,360 we've capitulated our place but now we're stepping back into those places one other thing I want to 461 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:44,720 I want to key on I love what you said because you got me you just made me go off in 30 directions 462 00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:53,280 but one of them is this grace has become such a popular thing an overused uh terribly defined 463 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:58,800 and redefined word in our Christian culture right it just means basically anything goes these days 464 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:03,840 God's got it covered and and there's there's elements of truth in those statements sure but 465 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:11,040 the word I think that God is beginning to daylight or highlight is the word mercy wow so mercy and 466 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:16,400 grace I see as like a hand in glove I mean like when I played baseball I had a catcher's mitt I 467 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:21,760 was a catcher during part of my career in baseball and that and the more I wore that glove through 468 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:26,720 the years the more it came molded to my hand and if anybody else tried to put my glove on they'd 469 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:32,240 go I don't know how you even use this thing for me I put it on it's like it's like putting my skin 470 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:38,240 on it's like a perfect fit because it has molded to my hand I see mercy and grace like that a hand 471 00:36:38,240 --> 00:36:45,200 in glove relationship where they mold perfectly together mercy by definition is that you don't 472 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:52,000 get what you deserve grace you could flip the you could flip the script and say grace is you do get 473 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:58,960 what you don't deserve I mean those that's a hand in glove relationship but when you over emphasize 474 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:04,160 one over the other I think you get out of balance with that and I think that's what we've seen I 475 00:37:04,160 --> 00:37:10,960 believe and I heard lots of people say because I man on the on the heels of the election I'm pulling 476 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:17,120 up all my favorite preachers I'm pulling up people I I learned from that mentor me spiritually from a 477 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:23,120 distance whether it's YouTube or whatever podcast and I'm listening to what they're saying and 478 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:30,960 without fail almost every one of them I would say 99 percent of the people that I listen to all use 479 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:38,400 the same word to describe what happened in the election God's mercy God is being merciful it 480 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:47,680 wasn't spike the ball it wasn't slam on the left it was literally this is God's mercy God heard our 481 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:53,840 cries and he's being merciful in fact several that I love to listen to you even went so far as to say 482 00:37:53,840 --> 00:38:02,240 God stayed his hand of judgment I think we've had limited degrees of it but he actually heard our 483 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:10,000 eyes and his state his hand when he when we deserve judgment right he gave us mercy what are your 484 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:16,080 thoughts on mercy and grace wow I think I man you know it's such a good way to put that as a as a 485 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:22,400 hand in glove relationship and it's hard to rightly understand one without the other agreed you know 486 00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:31,840 because of his mercy his grace becomes available and because his grace becomes available I I'm 487 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:38,160 enabled to please him in ways that I couldn't before you know God asks a lot of his people 488 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:44,160 but he doesn't ask a lot without supplying even more there you go to be able to fulfill what he's 489 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:50,720 asked us to do and asked us to be and I remember 15 I was about 15 years ago or so there was a 490 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:56,800 study done in a segment of the American church that was surveying people's understanding of what 491 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:04,480 grace was biblical grace and only two percent of those who were surveyed identified grace as God's 492 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:11,120 power and empowerment of believers only two percent and yet if you look in the New Testament 493 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:18,640 God's grace and his power are spoken of synonymously absolutely in the same verse often you know that 494 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:22,560 Paul will be talking about the grace of God and then simultaneously call it his power 495 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:30,640 yes because his grace is powerful I mean it's it's what destroys the work of the enemy 496 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:37,680 in the culture but in our lives personally it demolishes the dominion of sin over our lives 497 00:39:38,240 --> 00:39:42,640 it's what enables us to walk in the freedom that's promised in the scriptures you know I 498 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:49,520 I've met so many Christians who see such a disparity between what they read in their Bibles 499 00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:53,200 about what believers are like and what they experience in their own personal lives 500 00:39:54,400 --> 00:40:00,240 and a lot of that disparity starts with misunderstanding mercy like you said that God's 501 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:06,000 not trying to put his thumb on me and give me everything I deserve if he did that I'd already 502 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:14,560 be a goner right that he's starting with me from a place of love and mercy as a father who wants to 503 00:40:14,560 --> 00:40:20,240 adopt me as a son absolutely and then he wants to like any good father would with his son 504 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:27,120 give me everything I need to succeed and that's his grace beautiful hand in glove you know grace 505 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:31,920 sometimes people think grace is like a buffer right like it's the buffer between our sin 506 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:37,920 and God's judgment right that it's just somehow gives us a space of protection and covers 507 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:43,840 there's an element of that undeserved right undeserved sure but here's another thing I 508 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:49,760 did a deep dive study many years ago I remember when I did it because the idea of grace really 509 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:55,680 became started coming up strong when I was actually ministering to a lot of college students back in 510 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:00,880 Brownwood Texas River of Life church a little church we planted we saw God move in some amazing 511 00:41:00,880 --> 00:41:06,880 ways but a lot of the students I was dealing with they were just that was when among Christians 512 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:12,560 smoking cigars drinking alcohol just suddenly came on the scene from the Baptist church I mean 513 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:17,840 these Baptist kids were going ape nuts with freedom in Christ and grace God's grace they 514 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:23,040 were just my liberty they were running with it right you know and uh I mean they got a little 515 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:27,680 he gave them an inch they were taking a mile and uh and I was having to work with these students 516 00:41:27,680 --> 00:41:32,480 and they kept bringing up grace grace grace and I finally just said I've got to go to God's word 517 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:37,680 I got to see what this really so I did a deep dive exegetical study went into the original 518 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:44,000 language both in the Hebrew in the Aramaic and in the Koine Greek and when I came away from that 519 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:49,280 study I had the definition you've heard me use a jillion times I've heard you even preach it oh yeah 520 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:55,200 where where it is God's power God's here's what grace is I'll just say it in a very clear sentence 521 00:41:55,760 --> 00:42:04,480 grace is God's power God's strength God's authority God's ability and God's favor to do what you 522 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:11,200 cannot in and of yourself do that's the operative word there to do there it is it's grace it's power 523 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:18,400 to do authority to do favor to do I mean it's all of those to do you've been enabled the scripture 524 00:42:18,400 --> 00:42:24,160 says that when the apostles were doing miracles like an early book of acts you know three and four 525 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:31,840 man they were going out and God was like showing up it says that they did it by his grace it says 526 00:42:31,840 --> 00:42:38,240 it says the grace was on them to do this and as I pulled in all these elements and created that 527 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:45,920 definition I've never had a single person ever say uh that's not grace grace means grace means 528 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:51,440 I can kind of do what I want people never say that out loud but they sometimes practically do it 529 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:56,320 does that make sense their practice reveals that maybe their words don't because no one will ever 530 00:42:56,320 --> 00:43:02,640 say oh I don't believe that grace is a license to sin but if you're living like it is you don't have 531 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:08,560 to say it you're living it yeah because it's the in the doing that we see what you truly believe 532 00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:15,280 wow wow that's so good and if we could get a hold of the grace of God we would experience so much 533 00:43:16,240 --> 00:43:23,600 in our walk with the Lord that maybe we've been missing empowered yeah how empowered to do 534 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:30,480 I don't know about everybody listening out there but I want to experience God amen I want to be a 535 00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:36,240 living Bible character come on you know if God is that's a heavy prayer right there brother oh yeah 536 00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:40,720 I know look what they went through to pick which one you're talking about there but yeah I mean if 537 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:45,520 God is the same today as he always was which is what the scripture says he's the same yesterday 538 00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:51,680 today forever that means he's still able he's still willing and he's still doing all the same 539 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:57,440 things he's always been doing so the only real question is am I in on that am I a part of that 540 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:03,120 yeah and it sure looks like I'm invited and so are you gosh the invitations there isn't it yeah 541 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:08,240 he says get out of the boat come on what was happening in the boat well they were dry they 542 00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:14,640 were safe yeah they weren't drowning and he tells Peter Peter Jesus shows up on the water says hey 543 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:20,320 Peter looks at him everybody's freaking out Peter being the spokesman he's always the one hoof and 544 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:26,640 foot and mouth disease right and he says if it's you Lord bid me come to you on the water and Jesus 545 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:33,040 says come come on come on and the beauty of it is that Peter got out of the boat man we can make fun 546 00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:38,000 of Peter all day long he's fun to riff on right he's he's fun to make fun of he's kind of an easy 547 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:43,440 target because he was just such a go-getter such a doer and the fact that he got out of that boat 548 00:44:43,440 --> 00:44:50,640 and I've said this for years whether he took one step or five it was still a miracle he was the 549 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:56,320 only one of the disciples who walked on water exactly I don't care if he ended up sucking water 550 00:44:56,320 --> 00:45:01,440 and oh lord help me you know I mean you can you can make fun of what happened there I love the 551 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:06,880 way it was depicted in the chosen where he just grabbed hold of Jesus and said don't let go of me 552 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:12,000 don't let go of me I mean it was powerful he said it was such man they did a great job on that 553 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:18,240 capturing the really what I believe is the heart of it as opposed to the obvious oops how did that 554 00:45:18,240 --> 00:45:23,200 work out for you Peter because we could make fun of it but that's I'm like you I want to be like 555 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:30,240 that I want to be like Jacob at the river Jabak when when the the man who says the man you know 556 00:45:30,240 --> 00:45:37,200 capital N showed up and he he grabbed hold of him he wrestled with God all night and said I won't 557 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:45,520 let go until you bless me unless you bless me and that could have meant his death and he I'm sure 558 00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:49,840 the angel lord took it easy on him because I mean he could have just dumped him off the planet 559 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:55,760 but he wrestled with him he allowed him to toil which is interesting to me that he even allowed 560 00:45:55,760 --> 00:46:02,000 that struggle for hours God seems to place a high value on persistence he does I think he was 561 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:09,120 welcoming uh Jacob's heart to wrestle yeah to wrestle for the blessing and the question is are 562 00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:16,960 we really willing to as you say become a Bible character but to become a to become a Daniel 563 00:46:17,600 --> 00:46:24,480 to become a I'm already a lot like David I identify a lot with David like I'm quick to repent even 564 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:29,760 though I screw up I'm a big hot mess but I'm quick to repent but I mean when you start looking at are 565 00:46:29,760 --> 00:46:36,000 we willing to to step into that and are we willing to wrestle are we willing to hang on even if it's 566 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:41,440 painful even if it's humiliating can you imagine how he's probably getting drug around and thrown 567 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:47,600 around you know back and forth can't even imagine what that looked like but I love the persistence 568 00:46:47,600 --> 00:46:53,600 in the heart of Jacob to say I know I'm screwed up I know I've made mistakes but I'm not letting go 569 00:46:53,600 --> 00:47:00,400 he had obviously um decided in his heart before that moment transpired that that's the way he was 570 00:47:00,400 --> 00:47:04,240 going to be because you don't you don't decide that in the moment you know in the moment of 571 00:47:04,240 --> 00:47:10,800 difficulty or trial you have to decide ahead of time who you're going to be how persistent you're 572 00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:16,800 going to be and going after the Lord so that when it gets hard you've already decided I'm not going 573 00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:22,640 to quit this is who I am and that maybe goes back to the moment we're in as a nation as a church in 574 00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:31,920 America in this space in this window of mercy we better fortify who we are and what we stand for 575 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:38,720 and our commitment to truth and just speaking out so that that can be strengthened now 576 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:44,320 before maybe it's more difficult later very well so I don't think we were ready for it to be as 577 00:47:44,320 --> 00:47:48,960 difficult as it could have gotten it if it had gone another way I had already made up my mind 578 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:53,680 no matter which way this thing goes I will continue to speak out knowing full well had it 579 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:59,120 gone the other way there could have been strength you know more strict rules and what we can say 580 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:05,040 from the pulpit I mean things were starting to lean towards censorship and whatnot yeah I'd 581 00:48:05,040 --> 00:48:10,160 already made up my mind I had a talk with my wife and said Annette if things go the other way I'm 582 00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:15,360 not going to stop saying what I'm saying if we get pulled off of all platforms we'll at least still 583 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:21,600 have our website you direct people to our website and I am not going to back down and she said I'm 584 00:48:21,600 --> 00:48:27,040 with you all the way and so we'd made up our mind no matter which way it went now I'm relieved 585 00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:33,120 me too but you know what it doesn't make me back off and now if anything it's what you said we need 586 00:48:33,120 --> 00:48:40,640 to fortify our our resolve now we've got this window I love what you said window of mercy 587 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:46,960 we have a window of mercy now let's leverage this moment leverage this time to make the 588 00:48:46,960 --> 00:48:52,080 make the decisions now before the before the pain before the tribulation before the trial comes 589 00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:59,520 as well said brother well and I and I mean I can't help but think that the revival that you're seeing 590 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:04,400 break out across the world and I love how you call it decentralized revival you know it's it's 591 00:49:04,400 --> 00:49:10,560 pockets here it's pockets there it's not some big coordinated movement I believe God means for that 592 00:49:10,560 --> 00:49:15,440 to increase you know we know if you read your Bible you know that there is a time coming in the 593 00:49:15,440 --> 00:49:21,920 future where it's it's going to get a lot darker before Jesus comes and resolves everything it's 594 00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:26,560 gonna be wild stuff but I believe what the scripture also tells us that before we hit that truly 595 00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:33,200 darkest of times we're gonna see a massive revival you're gonna see the church in its finest hour 596 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:39,920 and maybe just maybe God's getting us ready for that I'm all in I'm all in well I've got a title 597 00:49:39,920 --> 00:49:46,080 for today's show while we were talking oh yeah God the world and other things yeah we covered the 598 00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:50,800 gamut man hey thanks for being on the show today thanks for having Brian it's such a blessing I 599 00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:55,280 love I keep using the word riff because I'm a guitar player but I love riffing on these things 600 00:49:55,280 --> 00:50:00,720 with you because there's just an iron sharpens iron man it's like just an escalation I say 601 00:50:00,720 --> 00:50:05,040 something you key off of that you say something I'm like oh my gosh I think I'm gonna go 12 ways 602 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:09,920 from here but thanks for being with me today and you're on the show that gave Annette she's at a 603 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:13,920 Bible study today with a bunch of ladies in our city and having a good time with that I wanted 604 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:18,960 to say thanks to Jen I just want to give some shout outs to people who blessed us with satoshis 605 00:50:18,960 --> 00:50:25,200 and boosts so Jen thank you so much at Jen also survives grace he's a dear friend of ours man just 606 00:50:25,200 --> 00:50:30,960 a great brother in the Lord also boosted us and Eric PP I don't know you Eric but I want to say 607 00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:35,920 thank you brother for boosting us encouraging us sending those satoshis and just just letting us 608 00:50:35,920 --> 00:50:40,080 know that you're listening letting us know that you're a part of this in fact I'm scrolling through 609 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:45,520 a lot here Randy Black Randy I don't know you brother but thank you brother for being with us 610 00:50:45,520 --> 00:50:50,720 for hanging with us I noticed you boosted on curry and the keeper as well so thank you so much for 611 00:50:50,720 --> 00:50:55,520 being a part of this and coming along for the ride and also got to say a big thank you to 612 00:50:55,520 --> 00:51:05,280 Adam Curry for a massive striper boost yeah 77,777 sats and love my brother and uh usually we talk a 613 00:51:05,280 --> 00:51:09,520 lot about Adam and Tina but I gotta tell you I just want to want to just give a big shout out 614 00:51:09,520 --> 00:51:15,200 to Adam and Tina Curry just such great friends of ours you should check out their podcast curry and 615 00:51:15,200 --> 00:51:21,760 the keeper you can actually get it on the godcaster so just man go to the godcaster you can go to um 616 00:51:21,760 --> 00:51:28,400 hellofred.fm and you'll find their podcast on there do check it out and uh just a big thanks to 617 00:51:28,400 --> 00:51:34,400 Adam for developing he really felt like God gave him a vision for this godcaster and he feels like 618 00:51:34,400 --> 00:51:39,440 this is his purpose he said you know when he invented podcasting him and another guy named Dave 619 00:51:40,240 --> 00:51:47,280 tag teamed on this thing now 20 years ago he said it felt good it was exciting we felt carried along 620 00:51:47,280 --> 00:51:52,960 by a wind he said but I didn't know God I didn't know Jesus and I knew it was for a bigger thing 621 00:51:52,960 --> 00:51:59,040 than me but I didn't realize what that was or who that was and now whenever he speaks and tells his 622 00:51:59,040 --> 00:52:04,800 story he always tells people hey man I didn't invent podcasting God did I just happened to be 623 00:52:04,800 --> 00:52:10,400 the vehicle he's very humble about that and now with this new the godcaster which is a new 624 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:16,640 a whole new platform which is has the potential to revolutionize radio stations and uh 625 00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:22,160 radio stations I see it it's coming and and he's he's going to be speaking at the national religious 626 00:52:22,160 --> 00:52:27,760 broadcasters uh annual event this year which is a massive event he'll be talking about this he will 627 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:33,040 be talking he'll be doing a breakout session specifically on hellofred the godcaster but also 628 00:52:33,040 --> 00:52:38,080 he'll be talking around this foundationally as a keynote speaker there and he'll be talking about 629 00:52:38,080 --> 00:52:44,160 so man just so proud of him but uh just just thankful what God is doing in people's lives 630 00:52:44,160 --> 00:52:50,960 who have these unique skills and again tapping into the creative nature of God it's amazing 631 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:56,400 amazing actually it's the word Elohim that's the creative nature of God the Elohim element I 632 00:52:56,400 --> 00:53:01,760 remember so brother man what's what's next on your sketch you're actually preaching this Sunday 633 00:53:01,760 --> 00:53:06,080 preaching this Sunday we got a men's breakfast coming up on saturday that you're going to be 634 00:53:06,080 --> 00:53:10,800 speaking legacy men legacy men we want to we want to raise up strong men of God and they're they're 635 00:53:10,800 --> 00:53:14,480 coming out of the woodwork yeah here's a short little hint of what I'm going to be talking about 636 00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:20,640 is that we as legacy men have been have been charged by God to not be the ceiling for the 637 00:53:20,640 --> 00:53:26,080 next generation but to be the platform for the next generation and I'm going to go all in on 638 00:53:26,080 --> 00:53:30,640 that word I'm going to beat that drum hard so I'm looking forward to it so you'll be preaching this 639 00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:35,440 Sunday yes super excited about that what's your what's your main topic you're going to be we're 640 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:40,480 going to be talking about baptism but not like people have ever heard it before there's a lot 641 00:53:40,480 --> 00:53:45,680 more going on in the scripture about what baptism really is and we're going to go deep on it and you 642 00:53:45,680 --> 00:53:50,560 know very few people actually unpack that topic on Sunday morning to me I have an offshoot class 643 00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:57,440 we do a class on before baptisms but we all felt just this this lean into it's one of those things 644 00:53:57,440 --> 00:54:02,240 because we have such a mixture of people at our church we're we're not I would even say 645 00:54:02,240 --> 00:54:07,840 non-denominational we're more inner-denominational and so we have people who from different faith 646 00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:13,520 you know origins and faith families and faith traditions that maybe have a different thoughts 647 00:54:13,520 --> 00:54:18,720 on baptism and for to bring clarity from God's word is going to be huge for people well the title 648 00:54:18,720 --> 00:54:23,920 the message is going to be called the immersed life I love that I saw the graphic I was like dude 649 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:29,360 that's an awesome graph I told faith I want to be there because that picture was amazing so anyway 650 00:54:29,360 --> 00:54:35,120 thanks again for being with me brother it's a joy to do this life with you and nomers Naomi your wife 651 00:54:35,120 --> 00:54:41,040 such a jewel and we get to do this we get to do this all right God bless you my brother man have 652 00:54:41,040 --> 00:54:47,360 an amazing amazing week hey y'all live it keep living up in a down world and God's good even if 653 00:54:47,360 --> 00:54:52,080 it had gone the other way we'd still be living up in a down world either way but we are out of here 654 00:54:52,080 --> 00:55:05,920 God bless you