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Growing Together
Step into a virtual garden of spiritual growth and community connection with the "Growing Together" podcast. This podcast is a nurturing space for individuals seeking to deepen their faith, cultivate relationships, and explore the boundless beauty of a shared spiritual journey.
Each episode of "Growing Together" is a breath of fresh air, where Pastor Michael, Syd, Nic, Pastor Holly, and Pastor Roger try to navigate the twists and turns of life while staying rooted in faith. Their warm and inviting presence makes you feel like you're sitting in a cozy living room, engaged in a heartfelt conversation with old friends.
Diving into topics ranging from personal growth and self-care to building resilient relationships and fostering a sense of community, the podcast aims to equip listeners with the tools to nurture their faith in all aspects of life. Through scripture readings, open discussions, and interviews with experts in various fields, "Growing Together" provides a holistic approach to spiritual development.
Whether you're a lifelong believer, a seeker on the spiritual path, or simply someone curious about how faith can shape lives, "Growing Together" offers a welcoming haven for everyone. Tune in during your morning routine, while taking a leisurely stroll, or even during a quiet moment of reflection – the podcast fits seamlessly into your daily life.
Join the "Growing Together" community and embark on a journey of discovery, growth, and genuine connection. In a world that can sometimes feel disconnected, this podcast reminds us that nurturing our faith and cultivating meaningful relationships can lead to a life that's deeply fulfilling and spiritually abundant. Subscribe now to start your journey of growing together in faith and fellowship.
Growing Together
If We Can Earn Heaven, Why Did He Die?
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Like Diane Sawyer or Barbara Walters of old, here at the Growing Together Podcast we don't mind asking the hard questions. This week, Nic & Dale examine a thought provoking question. If we can earn heaven, why did Jesus die for us?
Growing up, we are all told by those in authority, those that love and care, that if we want it, we have to earn it. Setting goals is a healthy exercise for the body and mind, so it would only seem reasonable to believe it must be the same way in regards to our entrance into heaven. This is not so, and Nic & Dale are here to explain why. Listen in as they discuss many topics along the way including worship and praise, funeral tributes, and the true meaning of tithing. The story of Cain and Abel is a great example found in scripture that can shed light on why works alone can never define our place in God's kingdom.
This is one you will not want to miss, and if you find that this episode changed your heart posture, dig in and listen to some more. We have four seasons worth of content to choose from, and we would love to have you as a regular listener. If we are learning, then everyone who listens is learning, and that's okay by us. This is why we do what we do, to understand His greatness and to share it with others, in the hope a listener will carry it forward and share it anew. Thanks for listening!
Continue on with that, Dale. Oh. Dale didn't think he had a a nice voice. I said, I don't know. I I think he got a voice for radio. And and he more or less said he he wouldn't enjoy that kind of thing if he would do it full time. And uh I kind of disagree.
SPEAKER_00I think I would enjoy that full time, but you were saying Yeah, I I was just saying that I don't think I could uh like if it was a a talk show kind of atmosphere where somebody calls in and we discuss different topics of the day or whatever, and then you get that one irate customer that wants to run you down or something, and next thing you know, we're arguing back and forth. I'm like, yeah, I don't I don't think that I would really enjoy being a radio personality of any kind. I I like this. This is this is fun. I'm talking with my friend, and I don't really look at it outside of that. I mean, I I appreciate that we can be helping people, but at the end of the day, it's like we're gonna go have a conversation with Nick, and if we help somebody along the way, you know, all the better. But telling me I could be a radio personality, I just don't feel I have thick enough skin for that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I suppose you would have to, you know. Especially if you got into interviewing different people and dealing with different people in the outside world. Yeah, you'd have to you'd have to have a thick skin.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I know that I don't I'm I'm the kind of person I like to help people out, and I don't like I don't like not being liked. But when you're when you're doing that kind of thing, somebody doesn't like you or doesn't like I shouldn't say doesn't like you, but doesn't like your opinion. Yeah, yeah. And they take it personally, and then next thing you know, you're getting a personal attack, and I'm like, yeah, no. I'm not I'd rather not open the door to that kind of thing, have enough insecurities as it is. So I don't need somebody pointing out all of my faults when I know what they are already. I'm like, yeah, save that.
SPEAKER_03Just I'd like to have my own history podcast someday. I think that would be awesome. Um but you know what? I mean, the hist in the history realm, people are brutal about facts and about opinion and fact checking and everything. Yeah, just how brutal people can be to each other just arguing about what happened. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00The past, and you're going to, you know, rip me apart because maybe I got one detail wrong or you don't feel that it happened that way. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03There's always this big seems to be this big competition uh with people who are into history and want to argue about it. Everybody wants to be right and everybody wants their ideas to be out at the forefront. And like I said, you wouldn't believe like how nasty people can get with each other. Arguing about something that happened 200 years ago. Absolutely. They take that stuff personal. And I've never quite been that way. Like I'll listen to everybody's view on things and analysis and things like that, and I can agree with them or not agree with them, but I would never get in some like like a nasty argument with somebody because I thought what they were saying was either untrue or not based in fact, or I just didn't agree with their take on their take on things. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I'm and I'm kind of the same way. I'm not gonna hold anything against you if you have a certain view. I'm also not gonna, you know, hype up my view if I I could possibly be wrong. So I I'm willing to, you know, hear what you have to say and balance it with what I have to say, and then history's like, you know what would be hard for me though, I think even harder than being like the host or on radio.
SPEAKER_03I it might be harder for me to be the guest. And I say that because just before I came here, um, I was watching something and uh Bill Maher came on, and uh he's an atheist, and you know, he he's brought a lot of different people onto his show, and Charlie Kirk's been on that show, and different religious people, and they seem to handle themselves well. But man, he just they you know, they get on this uh him and this guest just really got on this turn about you know, religion is just there, it's always been there just to control people, and it just it's just there to make people feel good, to feel like there's they have something to believe in. And that's that's all the more it is. See, yeah and and and I think like if I went on that show and I don't know if I would be able to just be be calm about it. Like I don't know if I would would be able to not be able to get into an argument about that.
SPEAKER_00I think you would get into an argument, but not heated like you're thinking you would I think it's like they were arguing like human they're arguing like religion and human behavior.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And the fact that it just controls people's human behavior and has no basis in well, you know, reality.
SPEAKER_00In in my opinion, you don't need religion for that. You don't need you don't need, you know, the word of God for that. We have enough uh detractors of different types without having to try and make people follow some follow some idea. You have you have sports, people argue over all kinds of sports all the time. Yeah. People argue over who their favorite, you know, this or favorite favorite that, what's your favorite movie? What you know, we have so many things that you could fill without talking about Jesus Christ or God that that's that's not even necessary to you know to occupy the masses. There's way there are way more things going on than just that that you can keep people uh uh riled up about, you know, uh human rights and all this different things. And so in my in my estimation, we do that because if we if you say that it's just it's just a way to control someone, then you don't have to live up to what's in the word. It it the word is not the word is not factual to you, it's just a control mechanism, and I'm if I don't believe it, then I'm free of that control. That's that in itself is a type of control. Because now you're you're controlled by that side of your thought, and you you have no escape, you have no out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Because it does it doesn't make sense in my mind that you would put up a fight about someone who has done nothing but show love. Never sinned. And but their requirement is that we love one another. And that and that's it. You know, love one another as I love you. And I find it hard, you know, I find it hard to understand what's wrong in that sentiment, you know, and but people get venomous about it. They're like, Yeah, nobody's gonna tell me how to live. And I was he said love, what's wrong with that? And and so it just um escapes me when people like Bill Maher say things that um meant to separate and divide. And I've I've said this before. Everything, I shouldn't say everything, but a lot of things on this earth are simply made to divide. Michigan, Ohio State. I've said I've said that. Yeah, we've talked about that. Yeah. So there's a lot of things just set to divide. And when you have a platform like he has, and you take the opportunity to flat out say it doesn't matter, it's just a mechanism of control, you are you are a tool of the enemy. Without even realizing it, you're a tool of the enemy. Because now you're trying to say what I say goes, what I how I believe is the correct way when you're not sure. Because you you you can't be sure. But he's he's sure enough that he can sit there and throw things like that out to the masses, and somebody is buying it. And so you're leading people away from Christ.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah. You know, I'll give him credit that you know he will hear other people out. Like he just doesn't like flat out like disagree with them. He is willing to hear people out. But I just I have such a hard time. I I want to get inside these people's head and think, okay, how do you wake up in the morning? What do you what do you think about what's your motivation? What's your purpose? Uh what do you what are your hopes for the future? And most importantly, it's like, are you that comfortable with the idea that this is all there is? Yeah. Perhaps that's the most intriguing thing to me is too. Are you that comfortable with the fact that this is all there is?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. I'm like, you mean to tell me that once I close my eye, I mean and I mean the final, final closing, I'm comfortable with that. Or would you be more comfortable knowing that if I led a good life, if I followed Christ, if I, you know, led others to him, and I finally close my eyes and I wake up on the other side, wouldn't that be more satisfying than just, hey, Dale's a pile of dirt now? Well, I would be much more happy to find out that I'm with my loved ones, with Jesus, you know, free of pain. All of these things that happen in the afterlife, and there's no way that I could be comfortable saying, oh well, I've I've it's whatever, and just close your eyes and that's supposedly it. No, do you tell me I can go on forever? Yeah. That's I'll take that one. I'll take it like you're like, oh, you close your eyes, that's it. No, no, I'll take I'll take the other one. Take the one that says eternal life to those who believe in me.
SPEAKER_03Well, I wanted to give us a little state of the show uh because last Wednesday, the 22nd, Dale, we had a heck of a day as far as downloads go. For us, usually a normal day is like zero to five per day. You know, that's a healthy day, it's somewhere between zero and five. And you know, sometimes we'll get like ten or something like that.
SPEAKER_00Overachieve a little.
SPEAKER_03But um, on the 22nd, we ended up getting 84 downloads. Yeah, and it just blew me away.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03And with that, with that being said, we have now crossed over 4,000 downloads. We are now a 4,080.
SPEAKER_00Wow.
SPEAKER_03So that yeah, that really put us over that put us into that next stratosphere there.
SPEAKER_00You guys are amazing.
SPEAKER_03So you've got a hand in that. So I just think it's uh, you know, it it's again, these things are so hard to understand. Like, how do we go from just a few a day to you know 80, 84 in one day? And and I always think what's going on there? Like, did somebody just discover our podcast thing? I gotta download or every single one of them. That's interesting. Or did we just have a mass of people that you know for whatever reason just honed in on this show? But whatever it is, I mean it's just it gives you a little lift, I guess. Oh, yeah. You know, it's pretty cool. Definitely a boost. Um, and our uh our our next uh what is it, our next goal is according to Buzz Sprout, uh is uh 5,000 downloads. So we're now 992 away. Uh and as far as episodes go, you guys put us over that tomorrow, all right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03We got we got 90 more episodes to go, so if we count this one, we've got 89 more to go to get to uh 250 total episodes. Um so yeah, so we're having some uh success across the board there, and I thought I'd just share that uh with people because I thought uh that was pretty cool that we had such a healthy day there last week, and we don't see too many of those.
SPEAKER_00Um we appreciate all of you guys for that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So um just thought I'd share that before we get going today. Um, what are we getting into? So what we're getting into, it kind of ties into what you were just saying there. Um and the topic tonight is uh if we could earn heaven, then why did Christ die for us? And I wanted to start the conversation off with this thought. You know, when you're growing up, if you have any type of leadership, you know, in your home, whether it be your parents, whether it be a teacher, a coach, you know, some other family member, what's the first thing you know they tell you when you're growing up and you want something, you got a goal? What's the first thing they tell you? You gotta go out there and earn it. Yeah, you gotta earn it. If you if you want that brand new bicycle, you gotta earn it. If you want to be the starting quarterback on the team, you gotta earn it. No one hands you anything. If you if you want that job, you know, you gotta go out there and earn it. Um so any, yeah, anybody in leadership, anybody that's you know has a healthy mindset, goal-oriented, that's the first thing, you know, we all tell our kids that, you know, you gotta earn it. You gotta go out there and get it. Yep, you gotta work for them. Um and that's true. You know, that's that's a very healthy statement. It makes sense. That's I think that's what we want, you know, our kids to do. You know, we want them to learn the value of responsibility and to know what it feels like to actually earn something, the meaning of a dollar. Oh, yeah. You know, all those things. And so we can find ourselves in this life constantly chasing, well, chasing life with that mindset of if I'm gonna do this, I gotta get out there and do it. I gotta earn it. There's no other way to accomplish this.
SPEAKER_00I gotta hustle, I gotta beat out the next guy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. And yeah, life is just a constant challenge and sport to, yeah, sometimes beat out the other guy for the job that you want, for the promotion that you want. Um, you you want to be able to provide for your family. So you're out there to earn it. You're out there to, you know, we all don't go to work for free. You know, I certainly don't love my job enough to do it every day for free. I do it because I have to earn it. I have to earn the money to support my family.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03Um, and you definitely don't want anybody to have the mindset of being, you know, greedy or selfish or spoiled to the point where they don't want to work for anything and they just think everything's gonna come to them. Yeah. Um, because when you know those people, they're usually not the best, you know, people to be around.
SPEAKER_00You know, they're spoiled and they're that 40-year-old guy in his mom's basement.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he'll just yeah. Thank you. Yeah, living it up in his mom's basement. Uh you know, I mean it sounds nice. Yeah, sounds nice, Dale.
SPEAKER_00It does sound nice.
SPEAKER_03Some days, but but yeah, but nobody respects that. Let's face it.
SPEAKER_00Well, and I think about that, you know, four-year-old guy in your mom's basement. There's no real freedom in that. No. Because it's still mom and dad sitting there saying, you know, you've been in this basement long enough. Why don't you, you know, you're still not in control of your situation. Yeah. So, you know, why don't you go go out and make something out of your own?
SPEAKER_03Your co-workers know about it, they're making the back.
SPEAKER_00Hey, how's mom doing? You know, stuff. So there's no real freedom in that either. So if you um I just I couldn't no, that could not be me.
SPEAKER_03No, and I couldn't do that. Yeah, when I was 18, loved my parents, but I wanted out. I wanted my own place, I wanted to go to that next level and have my own thing and earn earn my own living. Yeah. So, and like I said, that's perfectly healthy. I think that's what we all want for our kids and for you know everybody around us. Um, so then when that statement hits you, that if we can't earn our way into heaven, then why did he die for us? And we can look further into this as, okay, well, if I don't have to earn it, then the question's gonna come up, well, if I don't have to earn it, then what am I doing following the Ten Commandments? What am I doing following what Jesus said, you know, the Sermon on the Mount? What am I doing? Um, you know, worried about what Paul said and uh, you know, all that kind of thing. Like why do I have to listen to all these commandments and read all this stuff in the Bible and and take it in and use it in my life not only for myself but onto others if I don't have to earn it? Because if if I could earn it, then yeah, why did Jesus go to the cross in the first place? It is a really interesting question. I think it's a deep question to ask. And I think if you would ask a normal person, you would start to go, yeah, why is that? Like, why, you know, if I'm gonna be judged for what I do in this life, you know, then but I can't earn it. You know, if I do all these things right, if I do, if I follow all the commandments and I, you know, live a blessed life and do everything that the gospels tell me to do and you know, live by the word, I can't that's not enough.
SPEAKER_00And and in in my mind, I I'm always going back to to the Bible as to what what we're supposed to be doing in regards to that, because um the Bible oft often states our our worship is as filthy rags. You know, what we what we think is good enough to get us where we need to go, in God's eyes, it's it's not. It you can't do enough. You're covered you're covered in sin, and until you, you know, you could do nothing to earn, you know, to win your way to me. Because no matter how much you loved me, no matter how much you cared for me, you are still covered in that sin. And it was my son that had to that had to cover all of your transgressions. Now you don't have to to do those things um that we think would win us our way into heaven. But uh at the same time, you can't live a reckless a reckless life either. You have to you have to devote yourself to the Lord. And just because you don't you can't earn your way in doesn't mean that your behavior exhibits that of a person that has nothing to has nothing to to gain by being of service. You can't just sit there and rebel and rebel and say, I love God, but I want to do this. And so um that's that's one of the things I have a have a friend who thought he went he went to jail and he came out and he thought I'm already forgiven for all I've ever you know all I've ever done and I can I can live recklessly. And I'm I'm uh didn't tell him then and I should have, but I I'm telling him now if he's listening, that you can't live recklessly. You have to live your life devoted to the Lord, you have to follow him. And that's that's the work, the only work that you can do that that God will recognize as you're worthy to to come to me. You've lived your life in uh in love with me, and you've shared me with other people, and you've dedicated yourself to uplifting others, uplifting me, you know, raising up the kingdom. And that in itself is a work, but it's not work that will it's not what ultimately gets you there. The sacrifice of Jesus is what gets you there. But all that other effort that you put in, that that is showing God that you recognize that you're not you're not worthy. But you love him.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Well, you know, I think people have always taken this great comfort when somebody passes away that, oh, they were such a wonderful person. You know, they did this and they did this and they did this. And he was just such a wonderful guy, such a wonderful woman. Uh you know, he's in heaven today. Like most times when you when you go to a funeral service, if we're honest, a lot of times they end the same way. Like whatever the preacher is saying, whatever the minister is saying at the end uh the pastor. It always kind of ends the same way. Like you know, he's a great guy. His family loved him, he loved his family, and he he's in heaven today because because Yeah, the angels and I I was I was lucky enough to have a couple conversations with him before before he passed. And I can tell you that he loved his family, you know, he loved his friends, you know, he he was a hard worker, uh, you know, a great person in the community, all those things. And it's like you know, we're being told like he's earned his way into heaven. And it gives everybody, it gives everybody such great comfort. So I realize how as a society we've fallen into that idea that when somebody passes, that's what we're looking at. We're looking at what did they accomplish in life, what did they earn as far as oh yeah, he was, as far as I know, he was a great guy. Surely he's in heaven. And I'm not trying to say that as to be negative, to be, you know, to argue that case. I'm just I'm just observing. I'm just observing what you know, when I when I'm a lot of times when I'm there, you know, I can also sometimes that's what I'll be thinking. Like, I mean, yes, my hope is that yes, he did have a relationship with Christ, but I can find myself thinking that that boy as a society they all end the same. We we do this every time. Why is that the uh why is it always, yeah, like why do these always end up the same way, like in almost in the same situation? Um because I I've even found a lot of times where the the pastor didn't even really know that person that well, like they came in right at the end of their life and like I said, may have had a couple conversations with them. And yeah, I mean, you know, a lot of people, yeah, they they are wonderful people. But it's it's almost like, yeah, you we've we're exalting them into heaven ourselves based on the fact that we think that they've earned the right to go. Yeah, well, and a lot of people like we have something to do with the you know, the final say whether somebody goes.
SPEAKER_00And like sometimes the pastor is a friend of the person that you know that lost that loved one. Yeah. And so they literally don't know that person, they just know the family. And so they come in and they're it's an effort to uh appease, I I shouldn't say appease, but it is. Bring peace to them. Yeah, you know, you want to try and let that family have some kind of closure. And is there closure if he comes up and says, Well, I never knew him, but he seemed like he was an SOB. He was this, you know, and I he's on shaky ground, you know.
SPEAKER_03That's not this was a bad time for him to go, you know, like yeah.
SPEAKER_00So so there's a lot to be said that they're just trying to comfort that family and say, Oh, that service, because I've heard a lot of times after a funeral where someone will say, Oh, that was a lovely tribute, that was a lovely service, and that was you know, and so you're trying to do that, you're trying to send them off in a decent manner. Yeah. And so we get we get caught up in that, you know.
SPEAKER_03And that could almost become a a another work. Yeah. Another shoot that we're doing almost as if, okay, yeah, we're we're gonna work this so everybody walks away feeling.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, feeling like that person has, you know, yeah, they're they're uplifted, we're uplifted. It was it was a great thing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we're gonna see them again.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and we we lack an honesty with ourselves.
SPEAKER_03That um Yeah, but I'm not saying we should change it and be able to do it. No, no, yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00We aren't we're not saying like it's you know, all of a sudden we have services and somebody's being the way I was characterizing earlier. But at the same time, we as we as people that attend that kind of thing or um have lost loved ones, there's a there's a realism we need to deal with.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think there needs to be a takeaway from all that. I think I think death should always be a reflection. You know, I've always said that you know death is not a silence, it's it's actually a voice to the living saying, hey, you know, if this is a reminder, like life is short, you know, if you've got anything like you you need to get right with God, or if you don't have a relationship with Christ, now's the time to start thinking about it. I think it should be a time of reflection for those of us that, you know, maybe haven't thought about God for a while, you know.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I look at it this way. I've lost uh friends that are very close to me, and I've lost friends or I should say like classmates and things that, you know, maybe I wasn't as close to them as I wanted to be, but they are my age or younger, and they passed, and I'm sitting here thinking, I hope they had a relationship. I don't know that they had a relationship, but I hope they had a relationship with God. And you you have to um be honest with yourself when you're when you're dealing in the afterlife because everybody ain't going. Yeah, everybody everybody's gonna die, but everybody ain't going to heaven, and we can be honest about that. It's a small number because a lot of us are falling away and doing our own thing, and then at the end we're like, Lord, Lord, and well, you know, I've done the big ones.
SPEAKER_03Both my parents are gone. So at this point in my life, like, death doesn't really phase me. Because I've done the big ones, you know. Um, and you know, I didn't I didn't have a grandparent left by the time I was 10 or 11. So I've done all the big ones. And uh and I know for a fact, you know, that my mom and dad talked to me about God, they stirred that relationship that I have with him. So they did that work, right? To instill God in me. And I hope and pray that you know they are in heaven. But they are my mom and dad, but I can be honest and say I still don't know exactly the personal relationship they had with Christ. And like I'm pretty sure based on they the the conversations we would have. Yes, but they put you're the only person that knows.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, see, and that's why I've I've said before, and I may have even said it on this show, that our uh our journey is solo, even though we interact with people, our our relationship with Jesus Christ is solo. And no one knows whether I can come to you on Sunday morning and be like, oh bless you, brother, and blah, blah, blah, and say all the all the things that a a follower of Christ would say, and then go home and I'm I'm abusive, I'm you know, I'm irate and whatever. So, and you don't see that. So we have to understand that it's appropriate to send somebody off with with good cheer and good thoughts and all of that, but we can only hope that they have the relationship with Jesus Christ that they need, that He's He's the way, the truth, and the life. And no one comes unto the Father but through Him. And that's that's part of the Um can we work our way into heaven? Can you know what he die for? Yeah, he died so that we had a pathway to heaven and and it's cut and dry because he says, No man comes unto the Father but through me. Meaning, if you plan to get here, you come through me. Your works won't do it, your kids won't do it, your best friend can't pray you into heaven. You can't you cannot earn it. He is the way, he is the truth, he is the life. All of that stuff is on encumbered on him and the sacrifice that he made for us. We couldn't make that sacrifice, therefore, we that's the earning part. That's the earning point. Can you sacrifice yourself for the sins you committed? No, you can't, because you're you're covered in sin. You can't be you can't be dirty rags and throw yourself among clean rags and call yourself clean. It doesn't work that way. He was sinless, came before a bunch of sinners and cleaned us through his sacrifice. That is the only work that could have been done, the only work that needs to be done. Everything else is praise to him. It's not work. When you're, you know, you're going to church, you're in the choir, you're doing this, that is praise to him. That is not work. And so you cannot work your way into heaven, you cannot earn your way into heaven. And that and this is just my opinion, what I'm saying, but if you could work your way into heaven, what would have been the point? Yeah. Because he wouldn't he wouldn't have needed to make that sacrifice. He could have just walked through history and just lived a lived a long life.
SPEAKER_03Or he could have gave us like he could have gave he could have been a motivational speaker.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, just he give us encourage us and that would have been it. But his sacrifice was necessary because we're not capable. We don't we don't have the sinless nature, we don't have the um ability to cover everyone's sins. We can only cover our own. And we can't we can't even do that because we're covered in sin. And and I know I'm I'm like going over say a point, but I'm just trying very hard to let people understand that you can't save your if you're drowning and you can't swim and you're in the middle of the ocean.
SPEAKER_03Can't save yourself.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you can't save yourself. It's almost like that uh joke that they have about the man that was drowning. And God sends like a little dinghy by and he's like, no, no, no, the Lord is gonna save me. And that guy goes away, and next thing you know, they send a guy in a bigger boat, and he says, hop on. He's like, no, no, no, the Lord's gonna save me. And next thing you know, he sends this great big yacht, and they're telling him, get on, get on. He's like, no, the Lord's gonna save. I mean, he drowned. And he says, I waited on you to save me. So I sent you a boat after boat after boat. Yeah. What did you want? And so we can't save ourselves. And so to just just to put a wrap on that, that's you can't earn your way in. You have you have to follow him, and everything else is just praise.
SPEAKER_03Well, and that's what I I wanted to go back to what you just said about that, because that's an interesting thought. That's that's a good that's a good place to go next. Is we often don't think about that part of it. Me personally. I get a lot more out of the word than I do out of worship. That's just the way that I'm built. Um how dare you! I love worship. I know you do. I know you do. Um we all know that, Dale. Yes.
SPEAKER_00We all know that. Yeah, it's what I'm saying. Anyone that knows me knows I love worship.
SPEAKER_03Um But that that's such a great point, is we focus more on what am I gonna do after church after church, as far as okay, you know, I know I've I know I'm falling short here, so what am I gonna do after church? I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna start working on that. I'm gonna do better, which in reality means I'm gonna earn it. Yeah, exactly. I'm gonna earn my way back to my place where I feel I should be. Forgetting the fact that your most important, the most easiest thing you can do, the most important thing you should do is never mind thinking about yourself. You gotta remember to praise God. That's the most important thing. Like if you don't praise him, if you don't give him all the glory and all the credit, I don't think he cares that if you go out and better yourself or work on that problem or say, you know, I'm not gonna be as mean to people this week, I'm gonna try to be a little more polite or you know, whatever whatever you struggle with. I don't think even if you do, even with even with the word as your inspiration, whatever that pastor said, you're like, all right, yep, this today's the day. I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna fix this, I'm gonna do better. But you didn't praise the Lord while you were in church. Perhaps you've done it all wrong. Yeah. Because you forgot to do the most important thing, which is I don't have to say, I'm I'm doing the Lord's work in spite of myself. So in some ways it's like, that's way my way of praising the Lord. Like, never mind myself. I'm putting God first and praising him, giving him all the glory. You know, that's what we discuss here every week. You know, I don't come on here and say, well, you know, I've got this problem, and I've every person that I've walked up to, I've been extra polite to, and you know, and and I haven't said one cuss word this week. Yeah, you know, I mean I've worked really hard to to uh you know fix that you know that problem to to to make that point to earn it, earn my way back into his good graces. But if you think it's like, okay, yeah, did I praise him in church? Did I give God all the glory this week for everything that's happened to me? Or did I give myself all the credit? Even though, like I said, the inspiration came from the word. But in the end, I gave myself all the credit for getting out there and getting the work done and working my way back there.
SPEAKER_00See, well, it's like me and me and Connie, we have been praising him for like the past month, and we've we've we've had big struggle, you know. I I wasn't working, and she she wasn't working, and those are times when you can sit there and you can worry about how you know life is gonna turn out for you. But both of us just looked at each other and said, he's he's got it. And then almost almost immediately I got a job, and now I have another job, and Connie's looking at at having a job. So he's been faithful when we when we didn't know that he was gonna be faithful. And he's he's always on top of things, and he always has it well in hand, and we have to praise him. When I mean before, before the blessing, we have to praise him. When the st in the middle in the middle of your storm, you gotta you gotta stop and go. I know this this is a painful storm, but thank you, God, for whatever you're bringing me to. Whatever this pain is you're giving me now, I praise you for the joy I'm gonna feel later.
SPEAKER_03And I told you before we went on the air, we were talking, you know, I've been talking about we're moving right now, and I'm not special because I'm moving. Everybody's had to move, everybody. Whatever, everybody still has to have their job they go to and come home and still move, all those things, but that has not made me exempt from time sometimes being a brat.
SPEAKER_00Yep, just hanging your head every now and then.
SPEAKER_03Being a brat and being like, I just don't want to do this anymore. Like I've had enough this week, and I start to develop a bad attitude, you know, and that's me even being a Christian, knowing everything I know. I still get I still have a bad attitude sometimes. Like I still get to the point where I'm like, I just don't want to do it. I don't want to do this anymore. Like, all I want to do is sit down, all I want to do is just take a breath here. Yeah, and sometimes you can't do that, and like I'm saying, yeah, it's not, it's not what I want to do right now. So, you know, you know, and my you know, and my wife is getting frustrated with me because I'm, you know, being negative, having a bad attitude, and it's and it's one of those things where you're like, okay, what's gonna fix that? Most of the time I really do believe it's like if you just step back and thank the Lord for everything. Number one, thanking for the original opportunity that we have to do this. Yeah, and yeah, it's hard work, but this is a great opportunity and it's moving your life forward, and you know, all those things. Okay, well, thanking for that. You know, don't don't just sit around and think, well, would it get better next week? Like next, if if next week I'll I'll I'll work on even if I am getting frustrated, I'm not gonna show it. Like I'm gonna hide it from my wife, I'm gonna hide it from my friends, I'm just gonna pretend everything's okay. That's not really a fix.
SPEAKER_00No, absolutely not.
SPEAKER_03I think you know sometimes the only way you can fix it is like you said, just you gotta praise the Lord for what you have and what for what he's given you and for what he's got coming next. And that's really the only thing that's truly gonna get you like over the hump, like to or to keep you going, going to the next, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, to the next plateau is like because um I heard somebody say before and it's kinda hokey. I I heard it, but I'm gonna say it, and they say um it's kind of a a gamer's philosophy about the Lord, and it's new level, new devil. Yeah, so I'm like I'm like, yeah, that had to be a gamer that came up with that. Yeah. But it's true, is the higher you the higher you climb in the kingdom of God, the more you rely on him, and the more you love him, and the more you're praising him, the newer and different your your devil appears. Because the struggles and turmoil are always gonna be there because those are the refining things, those are the things that that sharpen us. You know, we're always saying iron sharpens iron. Those circumstances are also iron. Yeah. And because when you're put up against them, you either go dull and fall away from him, or you get sharper and your praise becomes stronger, your resolve becomes stronger. Those things in your life are that you're unbothered by things that would topple other people, you're unbothered by them because you're like, I've been there. He's brought me through that kind of thing before. That's nothing. So we have to continually praise him and and rejoice not only in in our successes, but also in our our shortcomings and and in our agony, because that's where we're built. We're built in our agony. We're not building, we're not built when we've reached a mountain, when we've reached a peak, we're not built there. That's a that's a place to also rejoice, but we're we're built in our in our miseries. We're built when we're uncomfortable. And so we have to rejoice in that because once we come through that, that's that's the relaxing spot. That's where you can take a breath and and prepare yourself for the next challenge. But always giving praise to God because He's the one that brought you through it. You didn't do it under your own strength, which a lot of us try to think that we did. I got here because, you know, if I would hadn't studied hard and done this, and you know, I I know this job like the back of my hand and blah blah blah. God gave you the ability to have that mentality to accomplish what you need to accomplish. God gave you um mobility if you need to be um say dexterity or whatever to accomplish a job. God gave that to you. And so we have to recognize what the Lord has given us and praise Him for it.
SPEAKER_03And I often use the Example of Cain and Abel. Oh, absolutely. You know, it doesn't say in the Bible why God favored Abel's, you know, sacrifice and had a problem with Cain's. You know, we don't really get much insight into, you know, what went on there. But I've just always had a feeling that it has something to do with where Cain's heart was in all of that. That you know, his sacrifice might have been greater, it might have been a greater number, it might have been a greater uh in size, it might have looked, you know, more impressive, but but there wasn't nothing behind it where Abel could have just given the minimum of what he had. It could have been one wheat stock.
SPEAKER_00But it was the best of his.
SPEAKER_03Like, look at this. Mine's, you know, 10 foot tall.
SPEAKER_00And it was like, look at all these cows, like running the little burning meat.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, goes on the cows go for you know a mile long.
SPEAKER_00Um, but they're not your best ones. Your best ones are not field grazing. Yeah, you can get ready to make steaks out of them.
SPEAKER_03So, you know, I I've I've I've thought about that a lot over the years, and and that's always been my takeaway with that, because people always talk about, well, we don't know. I'm like, well, I think I think you can I think you can get this.
SPEAKER_00If you if you put yourself in that situation, which I try to do with a lot of uh stories in the Bible, like with uh Noah and Jonah and all these all these other stories you hear. I try to imagine myself in that situation. I've tried to imagine myself on both sides of the Cain and Abel thing. It's like, what would make my brother so angry that he would kill me for it? Yeah, and so it would have to be something like, I've brought all of this, Lord, you know, and he's like, Yeah, that's not good enough. Yeah, and along comes Abel, and he's like, This is the best I have, Lord, the shiniest of everything I have. But in in Cain's eyes, it's like, that ain't very much.
SPEAKER_03And God's like, I've got ten of those back there, just like that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Are you kidding me? And God blesses it. And anger wells up in Cain because he's like, Oh my gosh, look at what I brought. You you have no business bringing that teen tiny little bit and getting and just couldn't let it go. Couldn't let it go. And day after day, and he's like, I ain't had enough. This guy, and then he's out in the field and he's all happy and everything. God loved my. Eats away at him. Eats eats away at him, and he's like, I gotta put a stop to this. Yeah. And it I would never be able to do that kind of thing. I I really I really don't think it would take quite a bit. And that's why that's why I say I feel like it had to happen that way. Because it would take quite a bit, if that's your brother, to get to that spot. Oh yeah. So I always feel there had to be something that just kept gnawing and gnawing and gnawing at him until he just I can I can't take it. And then that was that was that was when he snapped. He saw him and he maybe smiled a little crooked at him or something like that, and he's like, Yeah, pop up. But we have to we go coming back to now, we have to be um uh vigilant that we don't have that kind of thing well up in us, that we're you know, thinking that we earned what what God sh how God should treat us. We've we've earned God's love and respect. We've we've uh earned being his favorite, we've earned whatever we think we, you know, whatever we think we did to be where we're at. We always have to come to God uh with humility. It says come boldly before his throne, but that's in prayer when you are making your uh petitions to him. As in praising and loving him, you have to come with humility because you know you didn't earn it, you know you don't deserve it, and he has to he has to see that in you. He has to see this this child understands what uh what my son, what I've done for them. And that's that's the reward is understanding that you didn't earn it. And and anything you do in this life is not earning it. It it's all it's all to the glory of God. And and his word even says that do all as unto the Lord. You know, so we just have to quit trying to work our way into heaven. Work, you know, and do those things that God would love would love and have us do, but don't think that your work is what's getting you into heaven. It's that sacrifice that Jesus made that's getting you into heaven, and the work is just your outward show that I love you for the sacrifice and things you've done for me, and this is how I repay you, is by showing you and I think maybe that's at the heart of what tithing really is.
SPEAKER_03You know, because that's that's a subject that you know a lot of people you know obviously can have a little bit of a problem with is why do I need to give part of what I make? You know, I'm already, you know, things are already tight. You know, I'm working as hard as I can, I'm working all this overtime to support my family. We've barely got enough just to, you know, have a little extra money on the weekend so we can do something together. So why is why does the church expect to you know give me a percentage of what I make? You know, so you know, you hear those arguments, you obviously, you know, everybody goes through that where you're worried, like, well, you know, I wanna I wanna tithe, but if I do, then I'm gonna worry about Yeah, we're gonna have to you know, so there's that stress of that, and I get that, you know, I do understand that. But I think what you're saying kind of is at the heart of the true meaning of it is that no matter what you're earning, no matter how successful that you think you are, and no matter what you've done in life, the fact that you're willing to give God a certain percentage of of what you make to give it back to the church to see the kingdom forward, that's that's what it's all about. And so, you know, that's sometimes another part of the now on the other side of that, don't think that because you do you do have money, you know, and you've got plenty of money in the bank, you've got plenty enough to fall back on, and you're giving hundreds of dollars to the church every week just because you can, and that makes you feel like I'm earning my way into heaven. I tithe hundreds of dollars every week, so yeah, I gotta be a shoe-in, right? Because I'm and that doesn't necessarily mean that. It all goes back to what we're just talking about Cain and Abel. I mean, a guy can walk up there, put $200 in a basket. Yeah, there's a lot of people. He could have had $500 in his pocket, you know. Then you you can have somebody come up and put a dollar in there. But guess what? Now their pockets are empty. Yeah, it just goes to the heart of it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, there's no first national bank of Jesus Christ. That's not that's not how that works. Oh, we have your account on deposit. No, there that's not how that works. Yeah. Um, yeah.
SPEAKER_03So you really do have to search your heart with the whole tithing thing, you know. Um, but but I think it's important to understand, I don't think a lot of people truly understand why we do it. You know, like uh me personally, I don't think any like once I give that money up, I don't think any more about it. Like I don't think, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I think a lot of people don't try to uh let it go. Well, they don't they don't want to understand what it's all about because they would they would much rather say he doesn't need my money, put it in their pocket and be all and be done with it. They don't really try to understand what is it, what is the requirement of it. That's it's a faith exhibit because God doesn't need your money. The cattle on a thousand hills is his. So if a if the if that's what he's saying, he's saying I'm wealthy enough without your money. Your money is a demonstration of your love for me. Your faith and your faith and trust that I will do I will do something great with it. You give it to me and let it go, and I'll do, I'll bless you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And he says, I'll pour you out a blessing that you can't you can't contain. Right. And so when we hear that, we think, oh, I gave you a hundred dollars, something a thousand. It's it doesn't always come in that. Right.
SPEAKER_03You can not always money.
SPEAKER_00No, you can drive in down the road and the semi's coming and misses you entirely, and it and you realize if it were that much closer, that you could be done. It could be, you know, your child who was strayed from God comes home. So, you know, there's any number of ways that it can be multiplied. And we always expect because we're human, we always expect some kind of financial or some kind of visible blessing. Every blessing won't be seen. Like you won't know that there's somebody praying for you to get a job. You won't know that there's you know anything going on out of the ordinary in your life because God works behind the scenes. And so it doesn't it doesn't matter. The money shouldn't matter.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And what matters is I put my faith in you, Lord. And I give I give you this because I put my faith in you. You say it's required, it's required, and here it is. And and leave it at that. Don't like expect the blessing from it, even though that's what his word says, we don't expect that. I do it because I love you. I it's my demonstration of my faith and love in you. So that's that kind of thing is our willingness or unwillingness to earn it, earn it that way. We're like, well, if I gonna earn it by paying by tithing, right?
SPEAKER_03Then when the plate comes my way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I was like, there's a that's a perfect place to earn it if you want to earn it. Well, people could have that feeling of oh my gosh, are you like I found it funny because we're talking about this. I didn't think we were gonna get on this subject. Me neither.
SPEAKER_03They had a way it works.
SPEAKER_00I was looking on Facebook one time and they were showing Trump at church. And I don't know if it's AI or whatever. I don't I don't I don't uh trust Rios anymore. I think all of them are AI as far as I'm concerned. But had a had a shot of him on the front pew of this church, and he goes into his his pocket and he's thumbing through his money, and they try to make it seem like he just gave like a couple hundred dollars or whatever. And I'm like, So? That's really all I could think. I'm like, yeah, he's yeah, he's multimillionaire or whatever, billionaire. But what if that's all he gave then, but that's not all he gives all the time, you know I mean, like what if you don't know, yeah. What if he he owns that church? You know, he he gives something. Yeah, he might have a wing of it. I don't know. But they, you know, just those kind of things. And I'm like, that's really not important. No. What's important is his heart posture.
SPEAKER_03If it if his heart posture And as we said in the beginning, only he knows that. No matter how no matter how much you see on the outside, no matter how much you can hear somebody talk about God, or like when Trump goes on and talks about God and all this, still at the end of the day, only he knows exactly where he stands with God and with Jesus. Yep. As far as his relationship goes. He's the only one that truly knows that. And I think we could say that about all of us. Absolutely. We're the only person that like truly knows if we're like David, if we're after God's own heart, or or if we're just hoping to make it, hoping to earn our way in there.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Our relationship is all individual. It is one all one-on-one. It's us with him. It's Dale and Jesus Christ. It's Nick and Jesus Christ. It's not Dale and Nick coming because together we can't we can't do anything.
SPEAKER_03When you when you get up there, you can't put a good word in for somebody.
SPEAKER_00You can't. It's like, but he he's he's a great guy.
SPEAKER_03And there's there's a country song out, I believe, right now, it's a big hit. And I forget the title of it, but it's more or less uh he was working on his friend's faith, you know, trying to get him there, but the dude either wasn't receptive or just hadn't gotten there yet, whatever. But and it's a nice song, you know, it's a nice idea, and it's a big hit right now, you know. So I think that I don't know what the exact title is, but more or less he's saying to Jesus, like, I'd appreciate it if you let him in. Because he just didn't have enough time to get where he needed to be. So I'd appreciate it if he could. And it's like that's a nice thought. It is, it's a nice thought. So I'm not like I'm not coming down on her or anything, but again, the reality of it is like that's not the way it works.
SPEAKER_00Like you can't, you can't I hear that, and all I can think is it's like somebody going up to God and saying, Hey God, could you do me a solid just you know, he's he's he's been a good guy.
SPEAKER_03He's yeah, you know, we're we're we're bro I'm like no, that's not how and again I'm thinking like, well, maybe in God's infinite wisdom he could see forward to where that guy was gonna be and say, Yeah, he was gonna make it okay. So you're in. Maybe he maybe he does. I don't know. But that's but that's but that's the point. I don't know, and none of us do. You know, so why chance it? I guess that's the thing. Like, why oh absolutely you know, yeah, like why why put it all on the line so in the end you hope maybe your best buddy can put in a good word.
SPEAKER_00And why be satisfied with thinking that we're just dust after this life?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, because I said it already, but I'll take the other one. I don't want to just be one and done, so to speak. It's like, okay, he's he's finished, on to the next thing. No. But um I j I just think we don't put enough importance on our own personal relationship sometimes. We don't we don't have that prayer closet with him and have that hour-long conversation because we just can't sit we can't sit still that long. But just to sit with him and say, you know, God, I I I love you. I I've I know I slipped back sometimes or done some things I shouldn't have done. I pray for your forgiveness and then just there's nothing wrong with just sitting. And and we don't do this enough, in my opinion, to just sit, don't say anything and just just feeling. You know what I mean? Because if you're quiet and still, because that's where he exists, he exists in the still small voice, that that gentle breeze, that when you're driving down the road and you see that remarkable sunset, that's where he's at. And just take that time, don't close your eyes on the road, just just just to be clear, don't do that, but just to be still, turn your radio off, open your windows, let that that breeze flow through, and just experiencing and just be grateful for the day he's given you. And in the middle of your, you know, hectic day, in the middle of your, you know, I got this to do, I got that to do, it's all it's almost time for work. Just take that moment, give it to him, and and just go from there, because it it will relieve a lot of your a lot of your stresses. I know it does it does me, and I don't do it as much as I want to, but it it you realize he's there. If you just take time and you just like feel instead of talk or try to fill the space with conversation and just just experiencing, you will.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Well, I and I again I just think it's a real important point that you you praise, you worship, and you you tell people that he is who he says he is, that you know that he is who he says he is. You know, that that's such an important part of it is that yeah, don't be looking, you know, everybody wants blessings, but don't go, don't go out there every day just looking for a blessing, looking for, you know, a a good a good luck charm, so to speak. Just the first thing always should be that, yeah, that you give him all the worship and the glory, and and you can say, I believe that he is who he says he is. Yeah, and we'll take it from there. Everything else is blessed. Yep. Yeah, everything else we'll we'll take it from there. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00No matter what your situation, consider yourself blessed. Even if you're even if you're in the midst of struggle, just consider yourself blessed because you are. You have another day to turn whatever turmoil you have around. You have another day to show him that, yeah, I didn't get it right yesterday, but today is another day, and I'm all about praising you and and delivering your goodness to somebody else.
SPEAKER_03I agree. Got anything else to bring to this conversation? I'll say I I didn't bring this up, but I've had this idea for a long time, and it was and it's all based. Dun, dun, done. Um we got stuff coming into the shop all the time, UPS, and and I can't remember what these people sell, but in the package they had this card, this big index card. And right across the top, that's what it said was if we could earn our way into heaven, then why did he die for us? And then it has a few scriptures on down, and then it talks about their business and what they do. And and so I've kept that card, and I've only got that one package from them. And I've kept that card clipped up on my filing cabinet to where I can see it every day, and I've just kept it because I thought that's just awesome. Like you don't see that every day. I mean, what did I it it was like uh oh I forget what kind of material it was, but almost it was almost like a plastic, but it's like plate. And I forget w what kind of plate it is. So we we bought these plates in and like I said, it opened up the package and it was right on top. And that's in real big letters, you know, across the top. Says, you know, if we could earn heaven, why did he die for us? And it goes on to explain that. And then and then it talks about their business and what they sell and how long they've been, you know. I just thought that's pretty cool. So I have to end up there. And so I've thought about that for a long time. Um yeah, so that's that's where that's where I got this idea from. And I've been holding on to it for I guess I've been holding on to it until I didn't have an idea, which is moving and everything. Yeah, the ideas have been, you know, not as they're not flowing right now. So um I'm glad I had that one, you know, up there for a while. It just seemed like a good time to do it. Yeah. Uh worked out. But that's the cool things. I mean, that's the cool things that you know, a lot of people would have just threw that card away. I mean, I've had it for I'm t I've had it for I think a couple years, Dale. I've just left it clipped up there, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And I don't think we've ever done business with them again. Like I said, I've never received another card or but that that's kind of unique.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So things like that are, you know, I think things like that can happen for a reason, and and you need to pay attention to those things. Any anything that gets you, anything that just kind of makes you think, and um to me is always, you know. Um like I got this one I've I've been trying to fit this one in for a long time, Dale. And that's got nothing to do, it's not religious at all, but um the eagle song already gone. Um there's a line at the end of the song. Uh he says, So oftentimes in life we live our lives in chains, never even knowing that we have the key. And I thought, that's an episode. I just I can't get it together yet. Yeah, it is. And I've had that one forever, and it's like it's an eagle song. It has nothing to do with Christ and nothing to do with religion, but just that line. I'm like, Yep. I'm like, just that idea is like that's an idea. Like, and it's just like, okay, I gotta make this episode out of it. But I thought, yeah, I mean, that's perfect. I mean, that is the way we live our life a lot of the time. Like, we just we don't even know we got the key is Jesus Christ. We don't even know it. Like we're sitting in the cell, like oh yeah, looking for all these ways out, you know, looking for all these answers, and it's like we have the key the entire time. Yeah, so oh my gosh. So yeah, I'm always looking for those little, you know, little flash points, so to speak. So yeah, that's a lot of times how I'll you know get my ideas or get inspired to do something.
SPEAKER_00So But yeah, that's that's definitely gonna have to be an episode because that's you could talk forever on that about us having the ability with with him being the key to unlock our our our suffering and our chains and just never mind. I'll just I'll get started on it. That is just awesome.
SPEAKER_03Alrighty. Well, um, yeah, so start thinking of some ideas, Dale. Oh, yeah. I I have a few and I'm well, so uh believe it or not, I mean the kids are gonna be back in school in two weeks. Yeah, Elsa goes back August 20th. Uh yeah. So I mean, we're not far along till I mean fall will be here before you know it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we're starting to try and get her into the uh brace yourself for school mode as we're trying to get her in bed earlier and take your vitamins, brush your teeth before all that stuff before bed. And yeah. So probably should have started that a little sooner. She's giving us a little kickback on that.
SPEAKER_03It's hard to go to bed at daylight. It is, you know. I remember that as a kid. I'd see my other kids out there playing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. You hear all the kids running around in the yards and stuff. Like, can I get up? Like, brush her teeth, get in bed. It's like, yeah, no.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I remember those days. Oh, yeah. All right. Well, yeah, we'll keep this thing going. Um, I don't know. I don't really I don't think I have anything else. Uh like I said, we're just gonna my life right now, it's crazy. We're just gonna keep moving, try to finally get uh things going in the right direction and get some progress. And you know, it's all consuming right now, but you know, that's I I guess for me today, you know, the takeaway is you know, if things getting tough, find a way to praise him.
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah. You know, just never you know, we came in here to talk about earning and that whole idea, but that's my takeaway from this episode. It's just uh yeah, you know, quit trying to figure out how to how to get in there. Quit trying to figure out how to you know, make sure that God thinks that I did everything right. You know, and didn't didn't like again didn't show my emotions if I'm having a bad day. And you know, forget about that. Maybe just praise him a little bit more. Maybe that'll take away a lot of those, you know, a lot of negative feelings and all of that stuff.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. We gotta do that every every now and then when we when consciously do that, I should say. Consciously just give give Him the glory.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Everything else will take care of itself. Yes, it will. All right, sir. You want to pray us out?
SPEAKER_00I can do that.
SPEAKER_03Alright.
SPEAKER_00Father God, I thank you for this uh a moment in time that you allow me and my brother Nick to get together and converse about what it what it means to try and earn our way in, knowing full well that we cannot. There's a sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ that draws us to you. We pray, Father God, for traveling mercy as we leave here. Bless those that um hear what we have to say, and just plant a seed in their heart and let them know that what we're doing here is not for us, it's for anyone who's listening, anyone who can grab a hold of your greatness, Father God. Thank you once again for all those things that you do for us, those things you continue to bless us with. Nick with a new home, me with employment opportunities. We pray that you just continue to watch over our families, our friends' families, and turn our enemies into friends, Father God. And swords into plow shears. Thank you for all things. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Michael Brindley
Host
Beth Jarvis
Co-host
Dawn Reed-Enochs
Co-host
Nic Affolter
Co-host
Roger Deardorff
Co-host
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