WEBVTT 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.200 Hey guys, and welcome back to the Salt Not Sweetener 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:07.799 podcast. I'm your host, Danielle Townsend, and 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:12.419 I hope that you guys have had a very Merry Christmas. 00:00:12.779 --> 00:00:16.359 That is my hope. I know that might not always 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:20.679 be a reality. I think the reality of holiday 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.239 situations from personal experience as well as 00:00:23.239 --> 00:00:26.559 almost everybody I've communicated with in life. 00:00:27.690 --> 00:00:30.269 A common factor with the holiday season seems 00:00:30.269 --> 00:00:32.810 to be that's the time when you get together with 00:00:32.810 --> 00:00:35.070 people that you don't usually see throughout 00:00:35.070 --> 00:00:38.310 the year, right? It's almost like a reunion time. 00:00:38.469 --> 00:00:40.469 That's that time when, you know, you normally 00:00:40.469 --> 00:00:42.570 aren't with these people, but this is your opportunity 00:00:42.570 --> 00:00:44.750 to see these people. Some of the people you're 00:00:44.750 --> 00:00:47.170 excited to see because maybe distance or things 00:00:47.170 --> 00:00:48.909 like that, you're not able to see them. And some 00:00:48.909 --> 00:00:51.109 of the people, maybe you're not very excited 00:00:51.109 --> 00:00:53.969 to see. Maybe there's a reason why you don't 00:00:53.969 --> 00:00:57.130 see them. the rest of the year. Maybe there's 00:00:57.130 --> 00:01:01.469 a reason why there is that distance. And something 00:01:01.469 --> 00:01:04.310 that seems to happen at a lot of holidays can 00:01:04.310 --> 00:01:09.909 be dysfunction and a lack of peace. And that's 00:01:09.909 --> 00:01:13.670 the direction I feel led to go in today, y 'all. 00:01:14.709 --> 00:01:18.409 I don't know exactly what is going to come out 00:01:18.409 --> 00:01:20.909 of this episode. But there is some scripture 00:01:20.909 --> 00:01:22.849 that the Lord has called me to meditate on the 00:01:22.849 --> 00:01:26.049 past week, which is Romans 12, 18. If possible, 00:01:26.250 --> 00:01:30.709 so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with 00:01:30.709 --> 00:01:35.310 all. And as I'm progressing throughout the week, 00:01:35.349 --> 00:01:37.329 I'm seeing more how that isn't just a scripture 00:01:37.329 --> 00:01:41.989 for me, but that is a word for whoever it is 00:01:41.989 --> 00:01:45.170 listening to this episode. And that's what we're 00:01:45.170 --> 00:01:51.049 going to kind of pick at today. As you're pursuing 00:01:51.049 --> 00:01:57.510 your relationship with Jesus, how do you, so 00:01:57.510 --> 00:02:01.689 far as it depends on you, live peaceably with 00:02:01.689 --> 00:02:05.010 all? I want to start with sharing some personal 00:02:05.010 --> 00:02:09.909 testimony with y 'all. I'm speaking to y 'all 00:02:09.909 --> 00:02:13.490 as a former people pleaser to the core. And I 00:02:13.490 --> 00:02:16.409 didn't even realize how deep of a people pleaser 00:02:16.409 --> 00:02:20.810 I was. And when I've been kind of tracing it 00:02:20.810 --> 00:02:25.650 back, I think where it rooted for me, and I believe 00:02:25.650 --> 00:02:27.650 this roots for a lot of people and they don't 00:02:27.650 --> 00:02:33.250 see it in their own lives, is as a child, I developed 00:02:33.250 --> 00:02:37.789 this idea that I could control the responses 00:02:37.789 --> 00:02:43.069 and the reactions of people around me. Primarily 00:02:43.069 --> 00:02:48.219 adults, right? I had adults around me that sometimes 00:02:48.219 --> 00:02:51.500 their emotional responses or reactions were pretty 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:55.819 intense. And sometimes they feel triggered by 00:02:55.819 --> 00:03:00.379 something so small. And I started to develop 00:03:00.379 --> 00:03:07.020 in my head that maybe if I was just very thoughtful 00:03:07.020 --> 00:03:14.090 and very mindful of my steps that they see. I 00:03:14.090 --> 00:03:17.129 can avoid these big reactions. I can avoid the 00:03:17.129 --> 00:03:19.629 anger. I can avoid the upset. I can avoid the 00:03:19.629 --> 00:03:21.689 hurt. I can avoid the pain. Now I want to be 00:03:21.689 --> 00:03:24.650 very, very, very clear because I've shared this 00:03:24.650 --> 00:03:27.669 in past episodes that I had a lot of self -destructive 00:03:27.669 --> 00:03:30.569 behaviors, like as a child, as an adult, as a 00:03:30.569 --> 00:03:33.090 young adult, as a teenager with the partying, 00:03:33.090 --> 00:03:34.729 the drinking, the smoking, I was really kind 00:03:34.729 --> 00:03:38.669 of destroying myself as a way to disconnect or 00:03:38.669 --> 00:03:43.819 release. I feel like the adults around me only 00:03:43.819 --> 00:03:46.960 knew like a tenth of that, right? Like they didn't 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.620 see all the depth of it. And I had developed 00:03:51.620 --> 00:03:56.060 a response that I called speak when spoken to. 00:03:56.569 --> 00:03:59.770 And I had learned with a lot of the adults around 00:03:59.770 --> 00:04:02.629 me that I would only speak to them if they spoke 00:04:02.629 --> 00:04:04.590 to me first. I wouldn't go out of my way to start 00:04:04.590 --> 00:04:07.129 interactions. I wouldn't go out of my way to 00:04:07.129 --> 00:04:10.090 start conversations. And I also learned to respond 00:04:10.090 --> 00:04:12.370 with a yes or no behavior, right? Like where 00:04:12.370 --> 00:04:15.129 I would just try to be very vague and very quiet. 00:04:15.349 --> 00:04:17.350 I wouldn't ask a lot of questions. I wouldn't 00:04:17.350 --> 00:04:19.509 give a lot of detail because I had learned that. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:23.339 in my experience it was random details that someone 00:04:23.339 --> 00:04:25.500 would get upset over or it was random details 00:04:25.500 --> 00:04:27.019 that would set someone off or it was something 00:04:27.019 --> 00:04:29.100 that most people like wouldn't think twice about 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:32.100 that a person would get really angry or upset 00:04:32.100 --> 00:04:36.639 so I had learned like if I want to limit that 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.579 to the the most I like the most possible limit 00:04:41.579 --> 00:04:48.199 I'll just water myself down and be very bland 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:55.480 and be very quiet. And I learned I'll just make 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.019 myself completely uninteresting to this person. 00:04:58.339 --> 00:05:02.480 And it worked for the most part. But then sometimes 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.779 they would actually get upset at me for being 00:05:04.779 --> 00:05:07.220 too bland or not being excited or not being happy 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:10.360 or not being any of this. And I didn't pick up 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:12.220 on it back then, but it was something that the 00:05:12.220 --> 00:05:14.480 Lord has revealed to me now of even in that time. 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:18.839 when I did everything possible to not frustrate 00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:23.019 or upset someone, that would frustrate or upset. 00:05:23.699 --> 00:05:26.560 And I hadn't realized that throughout my life, 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.360 I was carrying this weight and I was believing 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:33.160 this lie from the enemy because the enemy is 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.100 the deceiver. I was believing this lie that I 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:39.180 could control the emotions, the responses, and 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:41.220 the reactions of people around me based off of 00:05:41.220 --> 00:05:43.939 how I responded, based off of how I reacted. 00:05:45.550 --> 00:05:48.370 And I remember when I gave my life to Jesus and 00:05:48.370 --> 00:05:51.750 there was like this every day. I was reading 00:05:51.750 --> 00:05:53.990 scripture for like over 12 hours a day and journaling 00:05:53.990 --> 00:05:55.689 and reflecting. The Lord was taking me through 00:05:55.689 --> 00:05:58.850 heavy pruning seasons. And one of the big things 00:05:58.850 --> 00:06:00.970 the Lord had to address with me was my people 00:06:00.970 --> 00:06:04.870 -pleasing behavior. That if you all have been 00:06:04.870 --> 00:06:06.649 here with me for a while, you know when I got 00:06:06.649 --> 00:06:10.170 into New Age spirituality, New Age is like the 00:06:10.170 --> 00:06:12.069 people -pleasing of people -pleasing where it's 00:06:12.069 --> 00:06:16.319 your belief is your belief. You know, like it's 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:18.680 kind of saying all religions are right and all 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:20.339 beliefs are right and they all mesh together 00:06:20.339 --> 00:06:23.220 and like we all go to the same place. And it's 00:06:23.220 --> 00:06:26.639 like this weird where you just are constantly 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:29.279 condoning sin and condoning all these things. 00:06:29.420 --> 00:06:32.339 And I had gotten so enmeshed in that and used 00:06:32.339 --> 00:06:35.879 to that. And when I started being strengthened 00:06:35.879 --> 00:06:38.319 in my faith, I started recognizing, wow, the 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.689 Lord is going to call me. to speak the gospel 00:06:41.689 --> 00:06:43.970 to other people the Lord is going to call me 00:06:43.970 --> 00:06:47.230 to ministry like and that requires me saying 00:06:47.230 --> 00:06:49.389 that Jesus Christ is the way the truth of life 00:06:49.389 --> 00:06:51.790 I started realizing I was like I'm gonna have 00:06:51.790 --> 00:06:54.889 to stand on truths that are gonna make other 00:06:54.889 --> 00:06:57.310 people uncomfortable they're gonna make other 00:06:57.310 --> 00:06:59.790 people frustrated they're gonna make other people 00:06:59.790 --> 00:07:03.730 angry started realizing I was like just being 00:07:03.730 --> 00:07:06.470 a Christian and saying that Jesus Christ is the 00:07:06.470 --> 00:07:09.100 way the truth of life is going to be found offensive 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:16.660 by a lot of people and that was a heavy weight 00:07:16.660 --> 00:07:18.879 for me that was a source of stress and anxiety 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:22.259 at first and the lord took me through a process 00:07:22.259 --> 00:07:24.600 of breaking that down and one of the big things 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:28.879 that he had revealed to me is that i cannot control 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:32.459 the way that other people respond or react and 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:35.129 when you truly start to believe that like Not 00:07:35.129 --> 00:07:36.790 just hearing it, but when you truly start to 00:07:36.790 --> 00:07:38.209 believe that in your heart of no matter what 00:07:38.209 --> 00:07:41.149 I do, no matter what I say, people are going 00:07:41.149 --> 00:07:44.170 to respond how they're going to respond. That 00:07:44.170 --> 00:07:48.750 was a freedom I started walking in that I didn't 00:07:48.750 --> 00:07:51.970 know existed. I hadn't realized how many times 00:07:51.970 --> 00:07:54.709 just what I posted on social media, the way I 00:07:54.709 --> 00:07:57.629 worded something, the outfit I wore, anything 00:07:57.629 --> 00:08:01.600 I did. There was a part of me that was taking 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:03.779 into account how are other people going to receive 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:05.920 this? How are other people going to respond? 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:07.699 There was a time in my life when I would have 00:08:07.699 --> 00:08:10.480 a post and I would like think it through for 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:13.560 an hour of all the possible ways I could word 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:15.519 it and the ways that the wording could go wrong 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:18.160 and the way it could be misinterpreted. Y 'all, 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:19.959 there was a long period of time where God really 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:22.220 couldn't use me to spread the gospel because 00:08:22.220 --> 00:08:24.899 I was so fearful over how other people would 00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:29.480 respond. That like being in that constant state 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:31.199 of fear, I wasn't prepared to answer questions. 00:08:31.300 --> 00:08:35.559 I wasn't prepared to, you know, go in depth. 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:38.259 I wasn't prepared to be rooted in faith and stand 00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:44.419 in my faith and testify. People pleasing, I hadn't 00:08:44.419 --> 00:08:48.419 realized that people pleasing idea and that belief 00:08:48.419 --> 00:08:50.460 that I could control the other people around 00:08:50.460 --> 00:08:55.480 me was really hurting my ability to be used by 00:08:55.480 --> 00:09:01.080 God. And the ways that he wanted to use me. And 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:04.139 this was the part of Romans that I immediately 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:06.519 caught my eye when I was reading it this week 00:09:06.519 --> 00:09:11.159 was, if possible, so far as it depends on you. 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:15.580 You know, in this, the command that we're being 00:09:15.580 --> 00:09:19.879 given isn't try to force other people's hand 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:22.539 and try to control how other people create peace 00:09:22.539 --> 00:09:24.559 and try to control what other people do. Because 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.870 I felt really convicted, y 'all. There have been 00:09:26.870 --> 00:09:32.970 recent times when I have, in all honesty, overexerted 00:09:32.970 --> 00:09:36.230 myself in some areas to create peace between 00:09:36.230 --> 00:09:39.309 people. Like when I see that there's discord 00:09:39.309 --> 00:09:42.730 and things going on, I do believe I was called 00:09:42.730 --> 00:09:47.350 to plant seeds. But I had started turning that 00:09:47.350 --> 00:09:50.529 planting seeds into trying to kind of like... 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.600 force the hand, right? And that's not our role 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:55.620 and that's not our responsibility. And maybe 00:09:55.620 --> 00:10:00.100 you listening to this need to hear today to ask 00:10:00.100 --> 00:10:08.659 God to help you know when to stop. Ask God to 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:11.019 help you discern when are you planting seeds 00:10:11.019 --> 00:10:13.779 and when are you starting to try to force the 00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:25.690 harvest and force the situation. But I want you 00:10:25.690 --> 00:10:27.830 all to stop and think on this when you're hearing 00:10:27.830 --> 00:10:31.269 this today. Is there an area in your life right 00:10:31.269 --> 00:10:38.370 now where you are believing that you can control 00:10:38.370 --> 00:10:41.830 outcomes that aren't in your control? That you 00:10:41.830 --> 00:10:44.230 can control actions and thoughts and feelings 00:10:44.230 --> 00:10:47.870 and responses that you can't control? And I want 00:10:47.870 --> 00:10:50.350 to take this step even further. Is there an area? 00:10:51.149 --> 00:10:53.330 that God has called you to be strong and that 00:10:53.330 --> 00:10:57.690 you are watering down, that you are doling down 00:10:57.690 --> 00:11:03.769 to keep others around you comfortable? Is there 00:11:03.769 --> 00:11:07.649 a step God is calling you to take that you have 00:11:07.649 --> 00:11:10.549 yet to take because you're fearful of how the 00:11:10.549 --> 00:11:13.490 people around you are going to respond or react? 00:11:16.049 --> 00:11:19.279 When I look back, There were so many times where 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.840 I knew God was calling me to step out in faith, 00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:25.340 but I would delay that response. I would delay 00:11:25.340 --> 00:11:28.340 that action. I would delay my responding to God's 00:11:28.340 --> 00:11:31.000 call because I was overthinking, well, how are 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:33.500 the people around me going to react? And what 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.039 might I lose if people around me don't receive 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:44.639 it well? And this, that this is what I keep being 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.779 brought back to is so far as it depends on you. 00:11:47.860 --> 00:11:50.960 God is calling us to take, we have to take responsibility 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:54.519 of what areas can we control? Like what areas 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:57.639 in our life can we contribute to peacekeeping, 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:05.460 to showing love, to killing the tension, to killing 00:12:05.460 --> 00:12:13.139 the anger. So we've looked at this part, right, 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:16.059 of recognizing that we cannot control other people 00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:18.059 and not trying to exert that control. But let's 00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:20.399 take a moment to look at the accountability aspect 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:25.360 here. Because we do have an accountability to 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:28.120 take. And I'll share with y 'all a personal example, 00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:30.960 a personal testimony that I felt convicted by 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:35.710 with the Lord, right? There was... A connection, 00:12:35.850 --> 00:12:38.230 a relationship I had with a person that there 00:12:38.230 --> 00:12:41.029 was some tension going on. And I felt like the 00:12:41.029 --> 00:12:43.149 majority of the tension was on their part. You 00:12:43.149 --> 00:12:45.269 know, I felt like I wasn't doing a lot of wrong 00:12:45.269 --> 00:12:48.269 in the situation that caused the tension. I felt 00:12:48.269 --> 00:12:51.389 like that was more on their end, right? I felt 00:12:51.389 --> 00:12:53.149 like they were more the person with things to 00:12:53.149 --> 00:12:58.210 adjust or things to fix. But I hadn't realized 00:12:58.210 --> 00:13:00.490 that, you know, they were coming around and trying 00:13:00.490 --> 00:13:05.879 to soften the tension. Maybe the root of the 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:09.299 problem hadn't been fixed yet. I'll say that. 00:13:11.659 --> 00:13:14.700 But they were trying to limit the lack of peace 00:13:14.700 --> 00:13:18.879 that was going on, right? They were trying to 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.879 like, okay, hey, I know we haven't completely 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:24.279 fixed this problem yet, but let's at least like 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:31.980 be kind towards each other. And I personally, 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:35.200 y 'all, wrote that off because I took it as this 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.559 person just trying to dismiss the problem and 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:40.940 dismiss the situation and you know maybe maybe 00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:45.139 they were I don't know I I don't know hearts 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:47.500 and I don't know minds but there was a part of 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:50.039 me that was apprehensive to creating peace with 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:52.659 this person because I was like no like if I make 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:54.379 peace right now they're gonna think that I'm 00:13:54.379 --> 00:13:56.460 over it and it's okay not to work on this and 00:13:56.460 --> 00:13:59.600 it's okay not to fix this and I started feeling 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:02.259 convicted by the Lord the more I was thinking 00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:09.539 on the scripture as far as it depends on you, 00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:12.200 do your best to live peaceably. And I thought 00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:15.399 about it, and I was like, me choosing to show 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:18.500 this person kindness, me choosing to show this 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:23.679 person love, isn't excusing things. I don't have 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:27.129 to say, you know what, never mind. I don't have 00:14:27.129 --> 00:14:29.769 to back down on all these things I said. I don't 00:14:29.769 --> 00:14:31.870 have to back down on these boundaries that I 00:14:31.870 --> 00:14:35.990 stood on. But I should try to show love to this 00:14:35.990 --> 00:14:39.769 person. And I had a conviction of just telling 00:14:39.769 --> 00:14:44.149 this person, hey, I love you, would make a world 00:14:44.149 --> 00:14:46.669 of a difference in the way that we're interacting. 00:14:47.730 --> 00:14:49.629 And I listened to that and I told this person 00:14:49.629 --> 00:14:52.009 I love them and it immediately diffused the tension. 00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.740 You know, these boundaries that I set, I haven't 00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:04.039 backed out on them. You know, the things that 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:07.779 I said can hold to scripture. Did I say them 00:15:07.779 --> 00:15:11.000 in a way that was exactly Christ -like? No, and 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:20.000 I had to repent for that. But that was an opportunity 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:28.519 for me to work through and to utilize. the tools 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:30.659 that God has given me and how to love people 00:15:30.659 --> 00:15:34.299 but still stand on business. You know, Jesus 00:15:34.299 --> 00:15:36.539 called people to go and sin no more. He would 00:15:36.539 --> 00:15:38.240 heal them, but then he would say, but go and 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:43.039 sin no more. In order to show love to people, 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:47.740 Jesus wasn't saying, okay, you can conform to 00:15:47.740 --> 00:15:50.440 the world. Your truth is your truth. If this 00:15:50.440 --> 00:15:52.340 is how you're feeling, this is how you decide 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:54.200 is best to handle, just do that. Just do your 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:56.679 thing. Now, Jesus would call them to a higher 00:15:56.679 --> 00:15:59.639 place. Jesus would call them to grow, to be better, 00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:03.720 to do better. But he wasn't doing a thing of 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:05.899 where he's like, but I'm going to make you feel 00:16:05.899 --> 00:16:09.240 like crap and I'm going to be mean to you and 00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.899 petty towards you and all these things until 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:17.120 you do it. His love was unconditional. He loved 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:19.620 them regardless, but his love didn't look like 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:23.820 enabling or encouraging to conform. And that's 00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:26.159 what I had seen in that situation, right? Is 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.179 where I can show this person love. I can tell 00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:31.960 them I love them. I can show them like, hey, 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.220 like I'm not stewing and angry. I don't hate 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:41.580 you. I can do that. And still not back down on 00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:44.240 the boundaries I know God has called me to establish. 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.460 And being rooted in the things I know God has 00:16:48.460 --> 00:16:51.919 called me to be rooted in. And that was a wonderful 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:55.299 moment for me. I see that there is an area where 00:16:55.299 --> 00:17:00.100 I can do better to create peace. But that peace 00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:04.839 doesn't look like going against God's word. And 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:06.759 I had taken a recognition where I was like, I 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:10.170 can't force this person. To be more peaceful. 00:17:10.210 --> 00:17:12.130 I can't do these things, but what I can do is 00:17:12.130 --> 00:17:16.670 I can pray for them. I can give it to God because 00:17:16.670 --> 00:17:20.450 there is a spirit behind different actions. When 00:17:20.450 --> 00:17:23.789 I recognize that that spiritual battle is God's 00:17:23.789 --> 00:17:30.289 to fight. There's a weight lifted off of the 00:17:30.289 --> 00:17:36.950 shoulders. I can tell you that. Maybe you are 00:17:36.950 --> 00:17:40.309 listening to this today. And this is just your 00:17:40.309 --> 00:17:43.930 opportunity to hear that you can be kind. You 00:17:43.930 --> 00:17:46.470 can show Christlike love. You can love someone 00:17:46.470 --> 00:17:54.710 and also stand on God's word. You can do both. 00:17:58.250 --> 00:18:00.849 Boundaries don't always look like being hateful 00:18:00.849 --> 00:18:04.210 and angry. In fact, that's kind of unchristlike, 00:18:04.250 --> 00:18:08.720 right? You can stand on boundaries and still 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:11.380 be praying for someone's salvation. You can stand 00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:13.240 on boundaries and still tell them that Jesus 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:18.740 loves them. There's something that's been coming 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:22.079 across my social media a lot recently. I find 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:24.500 I keep passing a lot of videos of people saying 00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:27.519 the same thing, that they're saying that Someone 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:30.680 who calls you out on your sin and tries to direct 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:34.180 you back lovingly to Christ loves you a lot more 00:18:34.180 --> 00:18:36.220 than the person that's enabling you and telling 00:18:36.220 --> 00:18:47.599 you to stay in it. It is actually a very, very 00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.980 loving thing for a brother and sister in Christ 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:52.640 to be like, hey, I see that you're falling away 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:58.250 here and lovingly point you back. When they have 00:18:58.250 --> 00:19:01.690 that bigger picture in mind of the walk with 00:19:01.690 --> 00:19:05.630 Jesus and you looking more like Jesus and you 00:19:05.630 --> 00:19:09.670 living a life submitted to Jesus is far more 00:19:09.670 --> 00:19:12.690 important than your fleshly desires or your comfortability. 00:19:16.950 --> 00:19:21.569 And this, y 'all, I didn't expect to go in this 00:19:21.569 --> 00:19:24.470 direction, but there is a book that I started 00:19:24.470 --> 00:19:29.099 reading this fall. That is called Servant Warfare. 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:33.079 And it's by Steve Sojournan, if I'm pronouncing 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:36.960 his name correctly. And this was an eye -opener 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:42.329 read for me, right? Because when I... really 00:19:42.329 --> 00:19:45.109 started stepping into my authority for Christ. 00:19:45.210 --> 00:19:46.549 And I feel there are a lot of other Christians 00:19:46.549 --> 00:19:49.230 who run into this as well, right? When you step 00:19:49.230 --> 00:19:52.410 into your authority in Christ Jesus, when you're 00:19:52.410 --> 00:19:55.410 able to start discerning the spirits behind things, 00:19:55.490 --> 00:19:56.910 when you're able to start looking at something 00:19:56.910 --> 00:19:59.750 and being like, yeah, that is a demonic influence, 00:19:59.910 --> 00:20:03.789 that is a demonic oppression situation, whatever 00:20:03.789 --> 00:20:06.869 it may be. you immediately want to step into 00:20:06.869 --> 00:20:10.329 the, I rebuke and I cast this out in the name 00:20:10.329 --> 00:20:13.369 of Jesus. And like you so quickly, I know for 00:20:13.369 --> 00:20:15.910 me personally, I immediately, when I would spot 00:20:15.910 --> 00:20:17.869 something as demonic, I immediately wanted to 00:20:17.869 --> 00:20:20.650 expose it and be like, Hey y 'all ring a ding 00:20:20.650 --> 00:20:24.529 ding. This is demonic here. Expose it, cast it 00:20:24.529 --> 00:20:27.450 out, cast it down. And I felt like that was me 00:20:27.450 --> 00:20:30.529 really being a champion for Christ. Right. I 00:20:30.529 --> 00:20:34.220 felt like that was me really. really doing a 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:38.140 big one. And you know what? That is part of our 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:42.240 authority as Christians, right? That is part 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.160 of our authority that the Lord has given us is 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:49.079 to trample, to trample on serpents and scorpions 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:52.220 and to in the name of Jesus Christ, cast out 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:55.880 demons. But this was where my mind was opened 00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:59.960 that I hadn't thought on it that long. But we 00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:02.039 also know from reading scripture that when you 00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:04.440 rebuke a demon, when you cast it out, right, 00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:06.980 that demon goes about and it goes through the 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:12.220 waterless places and it seeks a new vessel. And 00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:15.420 then it comes back and it returns, but it returns 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:17.920 with, I believe it's like seven more, seven more 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:23.160 demons. So you rebuke it from that person, but 00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:24.819 then it comes back and it comes back stronger 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:30.599 and it comes back more powerful. The thing that 00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:34.480 the Lord has really opened my eyes to is when 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.940 you are trying to deliver people, and when you 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:41.559 are rebuking, when you're casting out demons, 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:49.200 if that person doesn't become a space that welcomes 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:54.839 Jesus Christ, that wants deliverance, that sees 00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:57.099 that they need deliverance, that sees that they 00:21:57.099 --> 00:22:00.000 need a lifestyle change, Sure, that demon's fleeing 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:01.740 for a little bit. That person gets a temporary 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:04.980 relief. But then it's starting right back up. 00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:08.640 And the thing that the Lord has been showing 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:15.279 me is how the love of Jesus and opening people's 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:25.460 hearts to Christ is so, so crucial to that. It's 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:27.559 so crucial to someone being delivered, to someone 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:29.539 having a different life. And I was having this 00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:31.299 conversation with someone not too long ago where 00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:33.079 it's like, yeah, you can rebuke the demon. You 00:22:33.079 --> 00:22:35.220 can rebuke all that. But if you're not showing 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:37.759 the personal love of Jesus, if they don't see 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:40.259 that they need to change their habits, if they 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:42.140 don't start seeing how welcoming these things 00:22:42.140 --> 00:22:44.359 in is harmful or damaging, they're going to welcome 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:50.319 them right back in. And the thing that this book 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.380 had revealed to me. servant warfare was literally 00:22:54.380 --> 00:22:57.519 what, what it's called is spiritual warfare from 00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:59.940 a servant mindset, from a servant perspective 00:22:59.940 --> 00:23:03.539 of this was a man who was a pastor that him and 00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:05.859 his church would go throughout the week and just 00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:09.019 serve people in the community. And they had little 00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:10.900 cards made up that said, hey, we're doing this 00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:12.960 thing to just show you the love of Jesus in the 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:14.880 practical way. They're washing people's toilets, 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.940 like businesses' toilets. They're putting coins 00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:20.319 in people's parking meters. They were just doing 00:23:20.319 --> 00:23:22.680 these things that were random acts of love and 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:24.720 kindness. And when people would start saying, 00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:28.059 why are you doing this? That was opening up the 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:30.559 door for them to start telling them about the 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:34.359 love of Jesus. And there is actually a story 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.539 in here of... There was this lady who was, I 00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:39.720 believe she was a tarot card reader. She was 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:42.299 like into the psychic stuff and had a little 00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:45.400 business and had ordered for meals, free meals 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:46.920 from the church. And the church came and brought 00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:50.660 them to her. And in doing that, and in showing 00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:55.660 her the love of Jesus and talking to her in front 00:23:55.660 --> 00:23:57.900 of all the other clients sitting out there, multiple 00:23:57.900 --> 00:24:02.000 of them that day received the gospel, gave their 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:05.160 lives to Christ. And ended up becoming members 00:24:05.160 --> 00:24:12.720 of the church. And the common theme, and there 00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:14.700 were many, many stories like that in that book. 00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:18.339 The common theme that kept popping up is before 00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:22.390 these people were open. to being delivered. Before 00:24:22.390 --> 00:24:24.670 these people were open to having, because he 00:24:24.670 --> 00:24:26.529 talks about deliverance sessions in this, when 00:24:26.529 --> 00:24:28.789 they were literally casting out and rebuking 00:24:28.789 --> 00:24:31.529 demons. And there was some very interesting stuff 00:24:31.529 --> 00:24:34.789 that I was reading about in there. But before 00:24:34.789 --> 00:24:37.509 people would be open to that and recognizing 00:24:37.509 --> 00:24:40.569 that they needed that, they first were recognizing 00:24:40.569 --> 00:24:44.390 that they needed Jesus, right? They were first 00:24:44.390 --> 00:24:53.009 recognizing that they needed Christ. And that 00:24:53.009 --> 00:24:56.670 was the mind -blowing thing for me of like, I'm 00:24:56.670 --> 00:24:59.750 so quick to rush and try to expose and try to 00:24:59.750 --> 00:25:02.170 rebuke and try to get all these people, you know, 00:25:02.170 --> 00:25:03.829 delivered, like trying to cast out all these 00:25:03.829 --> 00:25:09.569 demons. But if these people don't know the love 00:25:09.569 --> 00:25:12.569 of Jesus, if these people don't know that they 00:25:12.569 --> 00:25:15.589 need different, then these demons are going to 00:25:15.589 --> 00:25:18.529 come back into a well -cleaned up space with 00:25:18.529 --> 00:25:23.369 seven more. Big chillin'. And that's something, 00:25:23.430 --> 00:25:25.029 y 'all, that the Lord has been taking me through 00:25:25.029 --> 00:25:26.930 the past, I would say, especially like six months, 00:25:26.990 --> 00:25:33.890 is showing people the love of Jesus. You know, 00:25:33.930 --> 00:25:38.210 we're not called to repay evil for evil. We're 00:25:38.210 --> 00:25:40.890 not. That's actually what's said right before 00:25:40.890 --> 00:25:44.230 the scriptures. Do not repay evil for evil. If 00:25:44.230 --> 00:25:46.890 possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably 00:25:46.890 --> 00:25:49.490 with all. And I started learning, oh my goodness. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:54.099 Like the problem isn't just that these people 00:25:54.099 --> 00:25:57.359 need delivered, that they need these demons like 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:00.299 rebuked. The problem here is like they need to 00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:02.220 accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:07.039 So that way the deliverance sticks. Then deliverance 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:12.319 isn't going to stick if they don't desire to 00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:16.160 live like Jesus. And I started recognizing that 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:20.680 speaking in hate. in anger and saying like expose 00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:23.720 just the kind of constant exposure and frustration 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:27.700 and harsh language isn't the way that jesus spoke 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:32.339 to people he spoke to people with love he spoke 00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:35.940 to people with kindness but he never went against 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:39.799 god's word you can speak with love and kindness 00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:43.099 and not be going against god and not be watering 00:26:43.099 --> 00:26:46.740 down the gospel we have like this misunderstanding 00:26:51.190 --> 00:26:53.670 I don't think there's a better way to word it 00:26:53.670 --> 00:26:57.210 in this generation where people think that if 00:26:57.210 --> 00:27:00.789 they water down the gospel or leave out parts, 00:27:01.049 --> 00:27:04.809 it'll win more people over. It'll be better received. 00:27:06.430 --> 00:27:10.809 But that's not what we're called to do. We're 00:27:10.809 --> 00:27:13.309 not called to shift or change God's word or to 00:27:13.309 --> 00:27:22.380 water down God's word. But I'm telling y 'all 00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:25.500 today, and I know from experience every time 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:28.980 before I gave my life to Jesus, when people would 00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:30.839 come at me and say, what you're doing is wrong 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:32.740 and wicked and evil. When people would speak 00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:35.039 at me in anger and frustration, I wanted nothing 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:38.440 to do with Jesus. I wanted nothing to do with 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:42.079 Christianity. I wanted nothing to do. And they 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:46.440 actually made me want to bury myself deeper in 00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:52.640 what I was doing. It actually made me want to 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:57.440 stray further away from Christianity. And of 00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:59.640 course, now I can see that, you know, that was 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:02.880 me being hurt by people, not by Jesus, not by 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:06.160 the church. At that time, my only example of 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:08.680 Jesus, my only example of the church was the 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:11.180 people who were coming towards me. And all the 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:12.779 people I was seeing were people where I was like, 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:18.700 well, this just feels angry and hateful. Y 'all. 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:24.299 The Lord has really been changing the way that 00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:29.160 I view discipleship making and deliverance. And 00:28:29.160 --> 00:28:32.160 the root of it is love. And I feel like there 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:33.740 are other people who need to hear this today 00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:37.759 is love and kindness. You know, the people who 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:42.680 were able to plant seeds for me. When I look 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:49.400 back. And I didn't see it in the moment. But 00:28:49.400 --> 00:28:51.640 these were people who I knew that they disagreed 00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:54.559 with when I was a new ager. I knew they disagreed 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:56.380 with when I was a tarot card reader. I knew they 00:28:56.380 --> 00:28:59.599 disagreed with these things. But they were the 00:28:59.599 --> 00:29:04.200 first people that they weren't like, they continued 00:29:04.200 --> 00:29:07.400 to show me love regardless of their disagreement 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:09.660 with what I was doing. They never said what I 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:12.400 was doing was okay. They never said that what 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:14.500 I was doing was fine. They never said anything 00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:18.559 that contradicted God's word. They listened. 00:29:18.619 --> 00:29:20.700 They would ask me questions of why I did what 00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:25.240 I did. I want to be so clear that they never 00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:31.579 conformed to it. But they also showed me a love 00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:34.920 and acceptance that made no sense to me. Like 00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:36.539 when they would find out I was needing something, 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:40.049 they'd be so quick to give it to me. They would 00:29:40.049 --> 00:29:43.109 just talk and give me advice and show me love 00:29:43.109 --> 00:29:45.869 in ways that had been so long since I've seen 00:29:45.869 --> 00:29:47.390 that love. Because there was nothing I could 00:29:47.390 --> 00:29:49.609 give back to them. They were showing me love 00:29:49.609 --> 00:29:58.690 and kindness just to do it. And when I started 00:29:58.690 --> 00:30:01.509 giving my life to Christ, and when I started 00:30:01.509 --> 00:30:03.869 giving my life to the Lord, I was able to look 00:30:03.869 --> 00:30:07.710 back and be like, man, that was Jesus. Trying 00:30:07.710 --> 00:30:14.609 to get to me through these people. And it actually 00:30:14.609 --> 00:30:17.349 encouraged me when I was looking back and reflecting 00:30:17.349 --> 00:30:22.369 on conversations. To deny the flesh in some areas. 00:30:28.009 --> 00:30:33.109 I'm telling y 'all. That if we want to bring 00:30:33.109 --> 00:30:36.569 people closer to Christ. Like if we want to. 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:40.279 point people to the cross if we want to get better 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:49.380 at discipleship making if we want people to want 00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:55.099 Jesus one of the best ways one of the best actions 00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:58.119 we can take is by showing them the love of Jesus 00:30:58.119 --> 00:31:00.019 and I've said this in that past episode love 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:03.619 you cannot show it and give it until you have 00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:07.490 experienced it right And I want to be so clear 00:31:07.490 --> 00:31:11.069 that like, although today I'm able to talk about 00:31:11.069 --> 00:31:15.509 forgiveness and love and kindness and peace, 00:31:15.730 --> 00:31:20.609 I had to first receive it. I will be the first 00:31:20.609 --> 00:31:22.309 one always to tell y 'all that I'm not speaking 00:31:22.309 --> 00:31:24.349 to you as like from some mountaintop of I've 00:31:24.349 --> 00:31:26.809 never made these mistakes or I made them and 00:31:26.809 --> 00:31:29.289 I'm like better now and I'm just. preaching and 00:31:29.289 --> 00:31:32.029 teaching. No, I'm actively working through this 00:31:32.029 --> 00:31:34.410 and learning this because I am an imperfect person 00:31:34.410 --> 00:31:39.450 who falls short. And the only reason why I know 00:31:39.450 --> 00:31:43.269 the forgiveness of Jesus is because of the many 00:31:43.269 --> 00:31:45.930 times I have had to experience the forgiveness 00:31:45.930 --> 00:31:49.569 of Jesus. How many times I've had to go to him 00:31:49.569 --> 00:31:52.690 in repentance since giving my life to him and 00:31:52.690 --> 00:31:54.890 say, I have fallen short here. I did this. I 00:31:54.890 --> 00:31:59.069 did that. Please forgive me. And experiencing 00:31:59.069 --> 00:32:02.309 the forgiveness where Jesus is ready to forgive 00:32:02.309 --> 00:32:12.250 me. Where he's ready to make peace. I had to 00:32:12.250 --> 00:32:15.289 experience that so many times before I was actually 00:32:15.289 --> 00:32:19.470 ready to extend that to other people. And it 00:32:19.470 --> 00:32:22.410 was by seeing and experiencing how Jesus forgives 00:32:22.410 --> 00:32:25.250 me that I was able to see how I can like be forgiving 00:32:25.250 --> 00:32:27.509 of other people. Now I want to be so clear to 00:32:27.509 --> 00:32:32.490 differentiate this. Like I can't, Jesus's level 00:32:32.490 --> 00:32:34.869 of forgiveness and my level of forgiveness are 00:32:34.869 --> 00:32:37.750 like different weights. Obviously my forgiveness 00:32:37.750 --> 00:32:40.990 is I'm foregoing people to God of where it's 00:32:40.990 --> 00:32:44.549 like I, any need for a lick back, a get back, 00:32:44.630 --> 00:32:46.410 vengeance to make you feel some type of way, 00:32:46.470 --> 00:32:49.920 any of that, I'm letting that go. And whatever 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:53.000 consequence, if there is anything like that, 00:32:53.039 --> 00:32:56.140 I give that to God. And I'm trusting in God's 00:32:56.140 --> 00:32:59.059 ability to divinely handle it. I understand that 00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:01.339 vengeance is not mine. Vengeance is the Lord's, 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:03.740 right? And that is my forgiveness. My forgiveness 00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:07.599 is foregoing someone to God. I personally do 00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:14.599 not have the capacity to like forgive sins and 00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:16.559 like the entry of heaven like Jesus does, right? 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:19.319 So I felt the need to differentiate that. My 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:22.079 forgiveness is I forgo someone to God. I'm not 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:26.339 holding on to something that I'm never meant 00:33:26.339 --> 00:33:28.160 to hold on to in the first place. Vengeance is 00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:32.460 not mine. Vengeance is the Lord's. Now Jesus, 00:33:32.640 --> 00:33:38.359 when we put our faith in Jesus, We're able to 00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:40.180 receive the forgiveness of sins, right? Because 00:33:40.180 --> 00:33:43.240 he paid the debt. He went to the cross. So when 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:46.019 our faith is in Jesus, when we go before God 00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:49.500 one day, inevitably fall short. Every single 00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:53.440 one of us has fallen short. Jesus says their 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:57.279 faith was in me. They're covered. And we literally 00:33:57.279 --> 00:34:01.579 are able to access heaven. I feel like people 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:03.980 know this, but I feel the need to say it anyway. 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:06.619 Whether or not we forgive someone does not determine 00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:08.440 whether or not they go to heaven. I could be 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:10.559 holding someone unforgiveness the rest of my 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:12.639 life, and if they have put their faith in Jesus 00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:19.280 Christ, they're going to heaven, baby. Their 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:23.300 faith is in him. Their heart is with him. Whether 00:34:23.300 --> 00:34:25.340 or not I choose to forgive someone does not determine 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:26.940 whether or not they go to heaven, whether or 00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:29.710 not they see salvation. I just felt the need 00:34:29.710 --> 00:34:31.809 to kind of differentiate that. My forgiveness 00:34:31.809 --> 00:34:35.170 is a different type of forgiveness from Jesus. 00:34:35.550 --> 00:34:38.369 But my forgiveness can look very similar to the 00:34:38.369 --> 00:34:43.630 way Jesus forgave in ways, right? Because I've 00:34:43.630 --> 00:34:45.329 experienced how he's done it for me. Most of 00:34:45.329 --> 00:34:48.190 my life, I had fallen short. Most of my life, 00:34:48.190 --> 00:34:54.019 I had been angry and rejected him. lived in the 00:34:54.019 --> 00:34:56.000 flesh and did all these things, believed the 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:57.619 lies of the enemy, did all these things that 00:34:57.619 --> 00:35:03.599 didn't serve Jesus. I went against him every 00:35:03.599 --> 00:35:07.760 day of my life. I betrayed and denied him every 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:14.400 day of my life. But then one day when I saw the 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:17.019 truth and I repented, he was ready to forgive 00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:22.909 me. Like he was ready to, I love you. I've been 00:35:22.909 --> 00:35:27.690 waiting for you. And him showing that to me has 00:35:27.690 --> 00:35:30.030 opened my mind up that I can show that to other 00:35:30.030 --> 00:35:33.690 people too, right? And there's the scripture 00:35:33.690 --> 00:35:38.489 that I want to read to y 'all. Again, in Titus, 00:35:38.489 --> 00:35:42.769 Titus 3, where it says here, starting in verse 00:35:42.769 --> 00:35:46.630 3, for we too were once foolish, disobedient, 00:35:46.630 --> 00:35:49.230 deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, 00:35:49.449 --> 00:35:53.329 living in malice and envy. hateful, detesting 00:35:53.329 --> 00:35:55.829 one another. But when the kindness of God, our 00:35:55.829 --> 00:35:58.269 Savior, and his love for mankind appeared, he 00:35:58.269 --> 00:36:01.110 saved us, not by works or righteousness that 00:36:01.110 --> 00:36:06.230 we had done, but according to his mercy. And 00:36:06.230 --> 00:36:10.599 y 'all, I remember when I first repented. To 00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:13.659 give my life to Jesus. And I felt a peace. And 00:36:13.659 --> 00:36:16.079 I felt a weight lifted off of me. And I was reading 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:18.420 scripture. And they were talking about offerings. 00:36:18.860 --> 00:36:21.440 And I remember having this thought of thank you 00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:24.519 Jesus for coming here. And making it to where 00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.980 I just have to put my faith in you. Because I 00:36:25.980 --> 00:36:28.039 don't have the money for a goat or a cow or a 00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:30.559 cattle. I can't drive to a temple and do all 00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:32.880 that. I started thinking I was like glory be 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:38.380 to God. That we can repent and be forgiven like 00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:46.030 that. That it's not a works -based thing. And 00:36:46.030 --> 00:36:47.550 you know, I want to circle this around to that 00:36:47.550 --> 00:36:50.090 person that I felt the Lord calling me to show 00:36:50.090 --> 00:36:52.389 love to. I shared that testimony with y 'all 00:36:52.389 --> 00:36:54.989 earlier of just telling them I love them. Is 00:36:54.989 --> 00:36:58.170 I had been holding into my heart, a part of me 00:36:58.170 --> 00:37:01.130 was refusing to interact or be kind or show love 00:37:01.130 --> 00:37:02.809 to this person because I was like, they haven't 00:37:02.809 --> 00:37:07.150 changed yet. And I felt convicted of the Lord 00:37:07.150 --> 00:37:12.030 saying, But my being kind to them or my showing 00:37:12.030 --> 00:37:14.670 the love of Jesus to them shouldn't be dependent 00:37:14.670 --> 00:37:17.010 on their works because I'm not deserving of it 00:37:17.010 --> 00:37:23.210 either. And this was something, honestly, I really 00:37:23.210 --> 00:37:26.429 struggled to fully grasp or understand. I know 00:37:26.429 --> 00:37:28.050 that there's more that the Lord is going to reveal 00:37:28.050 --> 00:37:30.230 to me on this topic throughout my life, but it's 00:37:30.230 --> 00:37:32.650 crazy the understanding I have of it now versus 00:37:32.650 --> 00:37:39.659 just a couple months ago. But from a humble space, 00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:42.920 when I remind myself that I'm not deserving of 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:45.739 the forgiveness I receive from Jesus, I'm not 00:37:45.739 --> 00:37:47.639 deserving of the love or any of these things, 00:37:47.679 --> 00:37:49.820 yet I still receive it anyway, that allows me 00:37:49.820 --> 00:37:51.679 to show that and share that with other people. 00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:57.519 And going back to our root topic today, doing 00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:00.039 your best to live peaceably with others includes 00:38:00.039 --> 00:38:02.539 showing the love of Jesus to them, whether or 00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:05.619 not they deserve it. Because you don't deserve 00:38:05.619 --> 00:38:12.289 it, and I don't deserve it. When we live in Scripture 00:38:12.289 --> 00:38:14.989 as our truth, we're operating as Scripture as 00:38:14.989 --> 00:38:21.530 the truth, none of us deserve it. Not a single 00:38:21.530 --> 00:38:23.449 one of us, our salvation, our entry into heaven 00:38:23.449 --> 00:38:27.210 cannot be bought by works. Our works do not buy 00:38:27.210 --> 00:38:31.050 our way into heaven, so that way no man may boast. 00:38:33.690 --> 00:38:36.210 Our works do not buy the love of the Heavenly 00:38:36.210 --> 00:38:42.030 Father. And when we're striving to live a life 00:38:42.030 --> 00:38:46.750 Christ -like, we need to stop ransoming our love. 00:38:46.849 --> 00:38:49.670 We need to start saying, I'll only show you love 00:38:49.670 --> 00:38:51.949 or only show you if you meet these certain requirements 00:38:51.949 --> 00:38:54.969 or do these certain works. And again, I don't 00:38:54.969 --> 00:38:57.190 know how many times, but I'll continue to reiterate 00:38:57.190 --> 00:39:00.710 this skill. Love doesn't mean putting down boundaries. 00:39:02.190 --> 00:39:08.769 Love doesn't mean access. And I do encourage 00:39:08.769 --> 00:39:12.230 you. To pray that God shows you the ways that 00:39:12.230 --> 00:39:17.130 you can love people better. If you're needing 00:39:17.130 --> 00:39:20.849 a new topic to Bible study on, I encourage your 00:39:20.849 --> 00:39:23.730 next one to be love. How to show Christlike love. 00:39:23.889 --> 00:39:26.929 How to be forgiving. What ways can you grow in 00:39:26.929 --> 00:39:30.829 that? And if you're sitting here listening to 00:39:30.829 --> 00:39:32.510 this and thinking, I already love people super 00:39:32.510 --> 00:39:34.289 well, or I already do this, there's nowhere to 00:39:34.289 --> 00:39:42.130 grow. I want to lovingly, lovingly, Discourage 00:39:42.130 --> 00:39:46.030 that thinking. Because there is a pruning that 00:39:46.030 --> 00:39:50.429 can be done. As long as we are walking here on 00:39:50.429 --> 00:39:53.469 this earth in these bodies, there is more that 00:39:53.469 --> 00:39:55.809 we can learn about the Lord. And there is more 00:39:55.809 --> 00:39:58.409 that we can improve in and grow on. We're not 00:39:58.409 --> 00:40:02.489 perfect. We all fall short. And we're continuing 00:40:02.489 --> 00:40:04.969 to go through a growing and learning process 00:40:04.969 --> 00:40:12.219 every day. So I want it in the most loving, loving 00:40:12.219 --> 00:40:14.920 way because I have been in that position. I have 00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:17.019 had moments where I'm like, God, I've showed 00:40:17.019 --> 00:40:19.539 the love to these people in every way I can think 00:40:19.539 --> 00:40:21.159 of. I've done this in every way I can think of. 00:40:21.179 --> 00:40:24.500 I don't know what more you want from me. And 00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:27.900 then usually he'll let me kind of settle and, 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:32.840 you know, get back in his presence and get emotionally 00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:36.519 sorted. And then he'll show me exactly the thing 00:40:36.519 --> 00:40:38.619 that I'm needing to heal and work on. Usually 00:40:38.619 --> 00:40:41.179 when I feel an apprehension or I immediately 00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:45.400 want to wall up to something like that, there's 00:40:45.400 --> 00:40:49.900 an unhealed pattern or thought or behavior that 00:40:49.900 --> 00:40:54.099 I'm protecting or defending. So in the most loving 00:40:54.099 --> 00:40:57.639 way, I just want to say there is an area that 00:40:57.639 --> 00:41:00.719 you can be expanded on. And I do encourage you 00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:03.719 to pray to the Lord to help you expand that. 00:41:03.760 --> 00:41:05.840 I know there's probably some more he's needing 00:41:05.840 --> 00:41:08.269 to show me. We're working through it this week, 00:41:08.329 --> 00:41:10.809 obviously. I thought I did so well at making 00:41:10.809 --> 00:41:13.309 peace with people until the Lord revealed to 00:41:13.309 --> 00:41:16.389 me I can be doing better. I thought I was doing 00:41:16.389 --> 00:41:20.349 so good with deliverance and rebuking until the 00:41:20.349 --> 00:41:22.050 Lord showed me that there was a whole aspect 00:41:22.050 --> 00:41:26.130 of it I was missing. I thought I was doing so 00:41:26.130 --> 00:41:29.829 good with standing on God's truth until I was 00:41:29.829 --> 00:41:32.130 put in situations where I recognized I was watering 00:41:32.130 --> 00:41:40.480 down Scripture. I pray that this episode just 00:41:40.480 --> 00:41:45.340 helps you today in how you interact, in how you 00:41:45.340 --> 00:41:48.199 show the love of Jesus, in how you take accountability, 00:41:48.619 --> 00:41:52.260 and maybe helping you to stop taking accountability 00:41:52.260 --> 00:41:55.239 for some things that aren't yours to take. You 00:41:55.239 --> 00:41:58.780 know, I feel like that was a good part, the first 00:41:58.780 --> 00:42:01.710 part of this message. That there are some areas, 00:42:01.849 --> 00:42:04.070 there are some weights that we're carrying that 00:42:04.070 --> 00:42:06.750 God never meant for us to carry. There are some 00:42:06.750 --> 00:42:10.210 responsibilities that we're bringing along with 00:42:10.210 --> 00:42:14.050 us that aren't ours to bring along. And when 00:42:14.050 --> 00:42:16.550 we start identifying this is an area that should 00:42:16.550 --> 00:42:20.530 be left to God, it's crazy the freedom that we 00:42:20.530 --> 00:42:27.010 can step into and move through. I pray that this 00:42:27.010 --> 00:42:30.670 episode... blesses you and helps you and that 00:42:30.670 --> 00:42:34.389 you're guided in this season I pray that my testimony 00:42:34.389 --> 00:42:38.909 however sometimes honestly y 'all it can be sometimes 00:42:38.909 --> 00:42:41.110 embarrassing to share some of these testimonies 00:42:41.110 --> 00:42:42.590 because I'm like I feel like that's a really 00:42:42.590 --> 00:42:45.230 obvious thing to fall short on but I feel like 00:42:45.230 --> 00:42:47.670 me being vulnerable and sharing this with y 'all 00:42:47.670 --> 00:42:54.050 it keeps me humble but I really truly hope that 00:42:54.050 --> 00:42:57.579 it also It helps y 'all to see that like I'm 00:42:57.579 --> 00:42:59.739 moving through this process too. I'm in the boat 00:42:59.739 --> 00:43:02.579 with you. Like although I'm speaking about these 00:43:02.579 --> 00:43:06.559 things, like these are things that I'm moving 00:43:06.559 --> 00:43:08.440 through and learning through and that you see 00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:10.639 that like I'm also just moving through it and 00:43:10.639 --> 00:43:14.280 walking through it and that I fall short too. 00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:18.539 And I hope that it helps you in softening your 00:43:18.539 --> 00:43:21.280 heart and just accepting some of these things. 00:43:23.469 --> 00:43:26.050 I pray that y 'all have a wonderful day. Please 00:43:26.050 --> 00:43:28.309 subscribe wherever it is you're listening to 00:43:28.309 --> 00:43:33.110 the podcast. Like, subscribe, share this episode 00:43:33.110 --> 00:43:35.909 with someone you feel maybe needing to hear it. 00:43:35.929 --> 00:43:37.869 If you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to share 00:43:37.869 --> 00:43:40.489 it with someone, share it with them, and I will 00:43:40.489 --> 00:43:42.130 see y 'all later. God bless.