The Hope Hotline - Easter on The Hope Hotline!

Episode Date: April 16, 2025

Easter on The Hope Hotline!

Hello and welcome to the Hope Hotline. Thank you for joining us this Easter week. Yeah. Which it's all things Easter, just like Christmas time. It was all things Christmas. I think we should have started this last week. Okay. But she says, okay, I'm patronizing you as in I'm busy doing something else.

But okay. I know my little thing popped out of my ear. Okay. Yeah, so all the questions, this next two podcasts are all about Easter. Yeah, you're gonna need that. All things Easter. So some of them are light,

some of them are a little bit more heavy, but we can carry the load. Yes we can. So, I don't really have anything to say. Why don't you just do your thing and then we'll, well, hello TikTok. Yeah, we got our dual live. Oh, look at that, I can see you guys.

I know, I don't know how this is gonna work audio wise. Can you hop on TikTok and see what it sounds like? Because, well, I don't know if they can, yeah, I don't know what the- We're on it, this is well, I don't know if they can, yeah, I don't know. This is all new. We're figuring this out. So yeah. Hi, TikTok.

Um, I think so. My desk is so sticky on the Sprite challenge. Your floor is probably going to be sticky too. We just all chugged Sprite. So we did the Sprite challenge for a. That'll be posted probably tomorrow. Doesn't sound bad. Sticky. Okay. Thank you.

I'll have it done. We'll have it done tomorrow. Oh, tonight. Maybe you'll see it tonight. I don't know. It was interesting. Vanessa does not disappoint. Vanessa, for people on TikTok, let them see who you are.

Show them who you are, girl. Oh, wait a minute, that's right. You're gonna like. Oh, okay. There she is. Vanessa killed it. I mean, I aimed to please. That's right.

And then, besides Vanessa, you see hunched over eating Skittles. It's Kelly. It's Kelly. You're there. You're there. Yeah, you're on. We put baby in the corner.

We got a whole line of people today. So that's Kelly. Some people are like, is that a ghost over there? No, that's just Kelly. Just Kelly. Just Kelly. All right, you wanna do your thing and then we'll do our, I'll do my thing?

Yes. Okay, so now we're officially on Facebook. It does this funny thing where I can't go live with everybody else, so I have to go live manually. So we're officially on Facebook. It does this funny thing where I can't go live with everybody else. So I have to go live manually. So we're, we're live on Facebook, but Facebook is, we're not happy again with you, Facebook. You're actually really annoying.

So here's the thing. Okay. Can I just tell you about Facebook? Let's do it. I'm coming back to you. We gotta tell you about Facebook, which I hate them. I have no qualms in saying they banned Tom last, not last night, the night before, right? Which we knew, like guys, we know like more people are watching than what they're allowing us to see

or what they're saying. Because as soon as they banned Tom on Facebook and Facebook was gone, I think Erin said, we upped 200 people alone just on Rumble. That's not including like, cause he's on TV too on Christian television. So like literally, it said only 40 people were on. See, that like infuriates me.

Cause why? And that means that's not even, that doesn't mean that 200 people were watching fake book. What it means is it probably was more, but they didn't go to rumble. They just didn't go, they just were like, okay, I guess it's gone. Yeah, right.

So who knows how many people were actually watching the podcast. They just don't allow us to see it. And we're banned. We've been, we've gotten ourselves in trouble like twice on that platform. It takes nothing've gotten ourselves in trouble like twice on that on that platform Mm-hmm. I did it takes nothing to get yourself in trouble now for real but in YouTube That's true. That's true. And you could be talking about people who are happy. Yeah, but it doesn't matter

It doesn't matter. It doesn't it's so for so they so So YouTube's done the same thing to us. I've been in trouble with YouTube. I've been in trouble with fake book. And then, so TikTok's it. I'm done with those two platforms because they suck. I know. So yeah, if you're on Facebook, please, the few of you that are watching, come on over.

There's probably like 100 of you watching, and Facebook won't even let us know. I'm just joking. But yeah, if you're watching on Facebook, please, please, please switch on over. And before you do, you can comment and like and share and do all that fun stuff and just get it out there. And then if you are on Rumble, let us know who's watching.

Hi, Anne-Marie. Talia's on there as well. And if you are watching on TikTok, your experience probably isn't as good as if you come to Rumble. So I would highly suggest pop over to Rumble, set up your little account. It won't take very long.

Just do it real quick, and then you'll be good to go. If you are somebody that likes to invest in good apps and programs and stuff, we pay for the premium. So we don't have to worry about ads. I do pay for YouTube as well. So it's like one of those things that you just, you invest where you appreciate that they, oh hey Linda, you appreciate that people let us speak

what we want to speak about because it is America. Is it really? Not on some platforms. You never know it. Right, exactly. So it is America, so let us speak. Let us say our words. All right. So yeah, we got YouTube, obviously, you can subscribe to, getblackrobe.com, and then later on the audio podcast will be available. Obviously, we're on TikTok as well. And then you'll want to follow us on our social media, which we'll get to in a second.

But before that, please send in your questions. We're doing Easter this week, obviously, and you can send in any question that you have across all, anything at all, any question you have in regards to family or religion or faith or the Bible or anything, anything at all. If it's a medical question, however, send it in the same place, askhope at hopehotline.com, but Natalie will be available on the 25th this month. So she's coming in next Friday. Super excited to have her back. I already have a few questions that have come in, so I'm going to send those over.

And I actually had a couple, too, that came up in my head, and I'm very curious what her answers will be. So that'll be fun, especially from a person in the medical field that believes in and has faith, that believes in God and has faith. So I'm curious what her answers will be for those. And we are on all the different platforms. So we have Instagram you can follow us on, we keep our stories going, put some different videos on. But if you want to see like our newer, more like, not don't know, not necessarily private, hold on, not hope yet, like not private,

but just kind of like special videos that we do, we put them on TikTok and we're putting them out there. So if you wanna see stuff that you probably won't see on Instagram or Facebook, head over to TikTok. But we've only been on TikTok, we're just coming up on a month. Yes. I mean, we're like super brand new.

Yes. From our page to my page. Like my page, it just came up on a month. Yes. I mean, we're like super brand new. Yes. From our page to my page. Like my page, I just came up to a month of being on it. Yeah, yeah. So speaking of, yeah, Hope's on TikTok and she's doing her own. We are newbies, very new. But we're having a lot of fun doing it. So there is Hope's page as well.

Hey, it's hope01, if you're looking for her actual at her mention. And if you do that, make sure that you do all the things. Make sure you follow her and make sure you like repost all the good stuff because that really does help us in our algorithms and all the good stuff, getting our questions out there. But the questions she answers on there are very different

than what she's answered on here. So you definitely, they're very specific. So you- And they're real questions. They're not like, I didn't make. So you- And they're real questions. They're not like, I didn't make the questions up. They're actually real questions that people have asked. So.

Yep, yep. So, and then sometimes it's good just to kind of hear what an answer is because yeah, it might not be your question, but at some point, if you hear that question, you can be like, oh yeah, I remember it. Like some kind of advice and you'll have something to go off of. But it is interesting how like some of these questions

are pretty wild. So definitely check them out. And then last but not least, we have our merch available at foundationchurchfl.com. You click shop, it's all available right there for you. And then of course, if you are here, because it's Easter Sunday, if you're here on Sunday, you can purchase at our merch store along with our TLP stuff and our Foundation Church stuff and our

mugs and our hats and all the good blankets. Everything you need you can come and get at Foundation Church's merch store. And I think that's it for today. Hot diggity. Let us go to the first question. And I remember when my kids were little, I was thinking of this same question. So, Mom, I totally get this question that you're asking. Because if you're a Christian, how do you navigate through like Christmas and Easter and things like that? So it says, I'm a mom trying to teach my kids about Easter beyond the Easter Bunny, but I don't want to scare them with the talk of death and crucifixion. Any advice? So obviously

there are like, if you have small children, like hello, like you're gonna be very careful in what you expose your kids to and their understanding of like Jesus and Easter and the resurrection the whole night, right? Because there's limited understanding. When they're three and four, I don't know, it's really all about the Easter bunny. To be honest with you, I don't know if three and four year olds even comprehend. I'm like, my kids knew about Jesus, but like telling them that he died on a cross

and he rose again. And they'd be like, I don't even know what any of that means. Yeah. And I didn't want them to see Jesus on a cross and all that other good stuff. It isn't until they're like kindergarten, sixth grade. Now some kids do have a better comprehension, okay? There are some kids that just are very, very smart

and they can, you can rationalize and have legitimate conversations. But I was buying Christmas presents for both my children, shopping for them for Christmas. They were both sitting in the cart and they didn't even realize I was shopping for them for Christmas, they were both sitting in the cart and they didn't even realize I was shopping for them for Christmas. Okay, some kids just, it's like, la-da-dee-da-dee.

I mean, it's like right over their head. Okay, you gotta like figure out what your kids, my kids were just kids. My kids were not like people who love puzzles and trying to figure things out. There are certain children that are just all about learning. I did not have those. I was not like that. Truth be told, I had no, I mean, I had no interest in book learning. Give me real life learning and that's my game, but make me learn something at school.

I'm going to cry. Like I don't want to do that. So know your kid, know where they're at and then figure it out. Don't try and force something because you think religiously that's what you're supposed to do. Understand your child, where they're at, and then navigate through that. Does that make sense, girls?

Yes. Okay. So what I'm gonna tell you is like, it's at kindergarten, and if you guys disagree with me, just say, I think that that's, I have a different perspective on that for right now, okay? Just say that I agree, but I disagree. Everybody, like five or six, they start coming of age.

They kind of, like they've been exposed more to the world. They're in the school system. They kind of understand things, right? That's when I would start trying to help them. I asked Jesus into my heart. I understood what it meant to be saved or what the terminology is of asking Jesus into your heart when you're a very small child. That's what they call it. I understood that. I did that at five. Like Like totally, I can still remember doing it, understanding it and totally feeling different after I did. Okay, now there are five year olds that that doesn't make sense to them at all.

Okay, well, that's cause they're too young and they don't get it. That's okay, cause whatever. But that's when I would seriously start looking at my children and helping them understand what the resurrection story really stands for or Easter story, depending on what you wanna call it.

I'm gonna give you two options that if I would have had these for my kids, I would have loved it, but I didn't. So I had to use different stuff that is outdated and people would be like, eh. Now, everybody has seen Passion of the Christ. For the most part, everybody has seen that movie. It's the Mel Gibson movie and most people loved it. Even people who really

aren't Jesus people, they went and saw it and were profoundly changed and totally moved by it. They may not have made a decision for their for them to repent and to get their life right with God, but they love the story and they got it. So it's a great movie if you've never seen it. But they made a cartoon version of this, which I gave Tracy a graphic of it. Or I gave you a graphic. You can put that graphic on. They made a movie or they made a version that's perfect for small children and it's called the passion for I've shown this to our children's church and it was I mean it was great for all ages even a kindergartner was drawn and take they just could could not not watch it. But even the fifth grader

was like, this is pretty interesting. Even though they already knew the story, they were like, oh, I like this. It's a cartoon, guys. It's not that difficult. So, and it was interesting to them. That is a great way, if you are a parent trying to explain the resurrection, Jesus, what he did for each and every single one of us by dying on the cross and then raising in three days. So we start celebrating this on Friday, right? Good Friday. And then Sunday is the biggest celebration of all.

But, so figure out how you wanna do it. But maybe Friday night you play a movie and you can rent this, I think almost anywhere, but get the movie, rent it out and then by Sunday they'll understand what's going on. Yeah. Depending on the age. Also, we have, we get, well, we don't, these aren't, this isn't what we do anymore. We just upgraded and I don't mean upgraded in that this one stinks.

I just mean we upgraded to a different Bible, but here at Foundation Church, every child that goes to any of our children's programs, they get a free Bible. And these Bibles aren't cheap, but every child gets a Bible. This was the Bible up until about a month ago that each kid got when they went to Kids Rock, which is on elementary school program. It's called the Action Bible. And inside the Action Bible, it's like a cartoon. Like, what did they call these?

Like action, like comic. Golly, thank you. It's like a comic. And I don't know if I pull it back. In front of your face. Put it right in front of your face. Put it right in front of my face. Yeah. Yeah.

So if you're wanting to explain what Jesus did, well, this side, this is great because this is him carrying the cross all the way to being on the cross. And it tells the whole entire story. Starts way back here. But it tells, it's the Old, and it tells the whole entire story. Starts way back here. But it tells, it's the Old Testament and the New Testament. This is where Pilate's signing off and saying, nope, I'm not having any parts of this.

But it just, it literally explains the whole entire thing all the way to where he's in the tomb. The soldiers are guarding the tomb. I mean, it's very short. It's very short, but it explains it thoroughly. To where they go in and they don't find him. Okay, so, and there he's seen. Right there. Gosh, I hate trying to figure it out. There's where he's seen by the disciples in Mary and stuff.

So this Bible, I think it's 20 bucks. You can get it at Christian Book, which is on the web, or you can go to Amazon. You can buy it there. But if you ever like, it tells every story from the Old Testament all the way through the New Testament and like Revelation, we're like, how do we explain Revelation to our kids? That is in like three pages but it's perfect because literally I love that huh I mean yeah I mean this is this is it this is revelation like it's done right here yeah that's it for revelation but it explains it so that so an audio like yes

there is for the action Bible so if they want to be a little bit more independent in their reading they can open up the action Bible and then the audio would read what's on the page for them. For them, yeah. Which we've done lots of reading programs here, like schools do the reading programs. And so we do reading programs here. We'll do either Old Testament or New Testament and then they have a timeframe in which they can get it done. And as they do progressively through, whether it be old or new, then they win prizes.

And the ultimate is a prize like going to the movies or going to bowling as a group, pizza party, that whole thing. And what's great is their younger kids are like, I can't read. And mom and dad sometimes are so busy that they might skip a night or whatever. So what's great about it is what Vanessa is saying is it doesn't matter if you can read or not because your parent can put the Action Bible audio on which is an app. Isn't it? It's an app, right? They can put that app on

and it'll play it for your kid and they read along or they can look at the pictures. I mean it's it's phenomenal. So no kid, as George Bush would like to say, no kid gets left behind. It's true. Not a fan, but it's perfect. Yep. It's perfect for that. And I only know that because my kids were a part of those reading programs. Yes, they were like, let me set you up.

And your one kid was old enough to read by themselves, but the other one was not. Yeah. And some kids like, some kids will read to their siblings, but that's not always the case that it's possible. So it's great. It's a great system. But I will say that depending on their age,

there are many options, and by the time they hit being a teenager, you should be cracking that real Bible open and showing them in the Word because the four Gospels have made them want read it. The four Gospels explain the crucifixion so well. And then the resurrection as well. And then in the New Living translation, super easy for people to read. Then you got the woke version, which is the message. Oh my gosh. Which Tracy's surrendering. Surrendering.

It's like the chosen. I think the woke version is like the passion. Yeah. The passion. What is that? It's also. It's another rendering, but even more rendering. It's like on crack rendering.

The passion's on crack? Yeah. Like as far as what the Bible says? It's the passion and then the message. Alrighty then. Yeah. Scary. What would you guys suggest?

I mean, for me, it's pretty simple. Yeah. It's, yeah. I would you guys suggest? I mean, for me, it's pretty simple. Yeah. It's, yeah. I would say it's definitely, you have to be intuitive with your kids, like you were saying. It depends on each one. Like, I don't feel like it was ever a challenge for us. And we did the Easter bunny and it was never like,

the girls were never confused. Like, why are we doing Easter bunny? And, but it's Jesus. Like, it was always about Jesus. Like, we always went to church on Sunday. We always celebrated. He was the most important. But we still did Easter egg hunts.

Even Alison, she doesn't believe anymore. But she was like, can we do Easter egg hunts still? I'm like, yeah, of course. And so, right. I don't know. For me, nothing gets into the realm of being yucky religious, where it's black and white know, it's black and white, black and white, because somebody might stumble.

But that's just for us. Nobody's ever had an issue with celebrating holidays. But I've also been really honest with my kids about what happened with Jesus and what happened on the cross. But again, it was always age appropriate. I know my kids. I know what they could handle. Even though I have twins,

one could handle a little bit more and the other one, if I said that his back was like ripped open, I think she would just never stop crying like at a young age. So I just had to say that he went through so much just because he loves you so much and that was enough to make them cry. And so yeah, I think you just have to like, you know your kids, you know your kids. Yeah, because everybody's different. They are. But these are great. These are two great options.

Yeah, I love both of those options. I've used both of those options and every child totally got it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Again, no child was left behind. Yeah, it's true. I was lucky enough that my kids were able to kind of like. Grow up in our children's program. So they got to hear from the very beginning.

And it's like Tracy said, you know, Jesus is a part of our everyday. And so it's just in our conversations. And when they were little, you kind of just present it in a way that they understand. And then when, as they get older, you add more. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. You build. That's it. Totally build on it.

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motivated to do their best. They are auto motivated and their business lives by Proverbs 16 3, which is commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans. The phone number for them is 941-460-3962. Just, girl, I got somebody in here. You just rip that skillet bag open and have as many as you want, pumpkin. Have fun with that. What? Oh, yeah. Listen, you can be quiet, but you can eat those skillet skittles as much as you want.

Eat that skillet bag, skittles. That skillet bag. I love that, you know why I said that? Cause we have a restaurant around here called Skillets. And I flippin' love skillets. So I was thinking skillets, not skittle. I love skillets. Is skillets still around?

Yes, and it is muy bueno. That's only Spanish I know. Muy bueno. Yeah, is the Venice one still here? Oh yeah, it's good. It's so good. I've never heard of it. You've never heard of ske-

Oh my gosh. I've never heard of it or been. So good. If you like potatoes, which I do. Oh, I love potatoes. She loves potatoes. I'm telling you. Oh, I love potatoes. Talia. She's obsessed.

Skillets is for you. What time are they open for? I don't know, but they're good. Tanya, Skillets is for you. I don't know, but they're good. Okay, next question from Skittles to Skillets to the questions. Is it okay to enjoy the fun parts of Easter like eggs and chocolate, even if I'm trying to take my faith more seriously?

And I'm not, when I say this, and I'm not bashing anybody, and I'm really not bashing anybody, but sometimes people get so religious that they lose fun in their walks with God. Like being religious, you're not gonna attract a lot of people to, like people will say, I'm not a religious person. I'm not a religious person either.

I love God. I have a relationship with Jesus Christ. And that's not being religious. I think when you said, I'm a person that believes in that the Bible has boundaries and it has some guidelines for us to live by that protect us and keep us safe. Okay? But I'm not a person that believes that even though the Bible is and does have rules in

it, okay, those rules are what I'm referring to, boundaries and guidelines. Okay? But I'm not a person that like, I meet lots of religious people and things that aren't even wrong to do, they're like, it's a big fat no-no. And I'm like, but that doesn't say that in the Bible. So it's because everything, they're so stringent and so strict, like rigid, like where's the fun in being a Christian? And I'm not talking about going and getting drunk and I'm not talking about going and partying and doing all this stuff.

I'm not talking about that. I mean, we all know that that's clear in the Bible. We're not to be doing those things, but I'm just talking about just life in general. Like you're so rigid that there's no fun. Who wants to be a Christian if that's the case? And I know plenty of them that are like this. I'm like, man, I would never want what you have.

And you're not probably recruiting too many to want what you have. Do you understand what I'm saying, girls? Oh yeah. Yes. It's like... Alison always asks me when she sees like an older person, she's like, mom, why did they lose their smile?

And it's true. And a lot of times they are, you talk to them, they believe in God and they're very like strict about it. Like I, yep, I believe in God, I'm religious. But like, you don't look like I wanna hang out with you. Like where's the joy of the Lord? Right, where, do you have fun? Like, what do you do for fun?

Like what's fun in your life? Like I have a lot of stuff I do that's fun. Yeah, you really do wonder. Yeah, right. You really do have to wonder. I mean, sometimes they're very joyful, but it's in the rigidity that they're joyful. And I'm like, no thanks.

No thanks. I think that you can absolutely do Easter with eggs and chocolate and be completely happy. I mean, if I took eggs or chocolate eggs and chocolate bunnies away from Tom, he might cry. We don't do our baskets every year. He made it clear on Sunday. There's an expectation of lots of chocolate. Yeah, we do. Like for this person, just so you know, on Easter that afternoon, I will be hiding baskets in my house.

For multiple people. For multiple people. And there's a competition who can find their basket first. Every basket is designed for that particular person, even what they like. And so, like, we, like, I, Tom is 56, my kid's 26, 24. Then Talia will be 18, 19, but she's not, like, but she's shy of it.

And then if Kristen comes over, then how old is she? She's another 24. I mean, so like that's all adults here and they're still behaving like children. Have fun. Have fun. Have fun. Like.

I have lunch after right after church, but I'll be there after that lunch. Just in case. For when my, because it's my nan's birthday. Okay, this thing is crooked by the way. So in other words, like that can wait till after the podcast, but like another word you're telling me, we're going to have to wait on you.

Yeah. Psalm 118, 24 says, this is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. I say use Psalm 118 for enjoy your life. It doesn't mean go live it however you want to under the confines and the boundaries that the Bible says. But listen, that's a pretty like, I have fun every day.

Same. Same. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I feel like I'm actually doing more than I ever did before when I didn't have the boundaries, believe it or not. Don't be religious. Don't be religious. Don't take the fun out of the holidays

because they still can be really fun and keep the first things first, like you were saying. Right. Why do we do, why are we having this holiday? What happens is if you look at other countries, they'll celebrate our religious holidays, but the thing that's missing is the first thing, which is always Jesus.

They take days off, Christmas, most countries do not celebrate Jesus for Christmas. It's all about, it's not even Santa. For them, it's about the gifts and it's about the day off. That's the truth. Study it out. I'm not kidding you. But if you keep Jesus first and the rest second, then why not?

Why not? Exactly. Right. And I love it. Cause a lot, a lot, a lot of stores are starting to close on Easter. Oh, I love that. They're catching on.

I know that they started, cause a long time ago they started, this is going back to Christmas, but people were maybe not Christmas Thanksgiving. People were working on Thanksgiving. And I thought that was so sad. I know that is sad. It is sad, but I was a hypocrite cause I still went out on Thanksgiving. And I thought that was just so sad. I know, that is sad. It is sad, but I was a hypocrite

because I still went out on Thanksgiving and shopped. But I feel like last Thanksgiving that we just celebrated, a lot of stores were closed. I loved that. Yeah. They closed and then they opened late on Thanksgiving. So if they opened at all. Right.

Which I'm in agreement with you on that. I love that. Yeah. But even back in the day, like stores were closed on Sundays. I remember that. I remember that. Yeah. Very well.

And you literally could not buy alcohol on Sunday. Right. That was a no-no. I know that a lot of people are like, what the heck are you talking about? I know, and I'm not a hundred years old. I'm not a hundred years old. I'm not a hundred years old. And it's the truth.

Yeah, it wasn't so long ago. That you could buy no alcohol on Sundays and stores were closed. You had to buy everything the day before for Sunday dinner or you aren't gonna get it or you're gonna miss out. I mean, and everybody ate Sunday dinner together. I know. It's just not like that anymore, which is so sad, man.

Let's bring Sunday dinners back. Okay. Gosh. Like that wouldn't be so, but the problem is, is families aren't together anymore. Yeah. And whereas families, it wouldn't just be like you and your parents, it would be aunts and uncles

and grandparents, all of you guys together after church, because you all went to the same church together. And then you all went to one of the, it's usually grandma. You went to grandma's house and you ate. So I love that. We did that. We did that as a family.

I mean, we had Sunday dinners and all that other stuff, but it's great. It's a sweet time. It's a sweet time. It's a sweet time. It'd be nice if we could get back to some of that more simple lifestyle. I think kids that are just so addicted to their phones and I mean, adults are too.

So I'm not busting, I'm just kids, but I think that this generation, if it went back to the eighties, 70, 80s, even some of the 90s, and they got to experience what life was truly like in the more simpler times, they'd be like, this ain't so bad. This is better. Yeah.

This is not, because you don't know what you're missing because you'd never experienced it. But I think people would really be shocked at like how great, I mean, you literally played in the streets with your friends, kickball, you literally played in the streets with your friends, kickball, baseball, basketball in the streets. And then when the street lights came on, you knew you all went home.

I mean, it was like everybody could do that though. And everybody did do it. Like all the neighborhood kids came and they played. I mean, I remember we were even older, like junior high and stuff like that. And there was no phones. So you got together and you had the best time. But when you just knew certain things meant certain things

and that's what you did. And the world was very safe, very safe. And people were not as evil as they are today. True. Even my neighborhood drug dealer was really nice. Oh my God. His name was Cookie. Well, she grew up in New York.

Yeah, his name was Cookie and he would get us like ice cream bars when the- It's probably laced with something. No, the ice cream truck came every day. They don't understand, it was a simpler life. They don't even see how broken they are. See? Ice cream truck. They don't understand. What are you talking about? It was a simpler life. They don't even see how broken they are. Cookie was a good guy, okay?

He had his clientele and Vanessa was not his clientele. No, we were the neighborhood kids and he kept us safe. Yeah, well, listen, it was different back then because there was kind of an honor with people back then. Like you didn't mess with kids. And like, you kind of like everybody watched out for their own. I mean, and that's not how it is today.

I mean, when a mother or a stepmother and is locked away a kid from 11 to 32 and barely fed him, I mean, they just found this guy that he had to set fire to his room to be released. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah. It's terrible. I believe it was in Ohio. I think it was in Ohio.

But I mean, what are we doing? What are we doing? As a society. That's a sick individual. And it wasn't just the step-mom. The father had just passed away a year and a half prior to that. And the father of this young man was worse. Yeah.

He was like five, eight or five, nine or something like that. He was like 89 pounds or some ridiculous. I mean, it was terrible. I mean, we live in a sick society. That did not go on back in my day. And if it did, it was like, we live in a sick society. That did not go on back in my day. And if it did, it was like, it was like unheard of.

People just didn't behave like that. But people are more and more evil and they have dumbed down their feelings. So it's a crazy, crazy time, but simpler times. Here for it. Yes. So the next question is more of a, actually me and Kelly were just talking

about this at lunch today. I told her, I said this, cause she and I were talking about something. I said, I have that question today. This is so crazy. The question is, I have thought so much about Judas and his betrayal and have a few questions because I feel like he is seen as the bad guy, but

wasn't his betrayal part of the plan? So the first question that this person had is, if Judas had to betray Jesus for the crucifixion to happen, was he really... Oh, I should ask you guys, do you have anything else you want to add to that other one? No. No. Okay, okay God bless we're gonna keep going first question if Judas had to betray Jesus for the crucifixion to happen was he really responsible for his actions and there's this is I with almost all of these I gave a this versus that mentality there's free will and then there's destiny. So free will versus destiny. Okay, all of us have free will. That's what the Bible says. And our free will determines our destiny,

not you have free will versus a destiny that you've been ordained to live out. Okay, because that's not scriptural. Judas was destined to do what he did, but he was destined to do what he did because of his personal choices, not because God caused his heart to be a certain way. Judas made his heart a certain way. I mean, I don't know, like he was not a good guy. I think that when he, when Jesus asked him to be a part of the disciples, I think he may have made the decision. I think a moment in time, it's like the parable of the sower, but, and I'm gonna

read it, the parable of the sower, but I think initially Judas probably was like, yeah, I believe in this guy. Yeah, I want to, I want to live a different lifestyle. But as soon as they gave him charge over the purse and the money that the disciples had, because the disciples had because the disciple people think they were poor. They had, they weren't poor, they had a purse and in that purse there was money and he was robbing from it. He was a thief. So he was making decisions, bad decisions, prior to betraying Jesus. And why did he betray Jesus? Ladies? For money. Because his heart was more towards, his heart was more in love with money, which money is

not the root of all evil. It's the love of money that is the root of all evil. And he loved money more than he loved Jesus. That's the reason why he did what he did. Not because he was destined by God, God chose him. Okay, I'm gonna let you be the one. It's not how it works. It's not biblical. It's not biblical at all.

Before I go into the parable of Saur, girls, do you wanna add anything to any of this? No. Yeah. Do you have anything? I don't. So Matthew 13, three through 9 in 19 through 3, I'm going to do the new living translation for this, says, listen, this is Jesus saying this parable, listen,

a farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across the field, some seeds fell on the footpath and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on the shallow soil and underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the sun and since they didn't have deep roots they died. Other seeds fell among the thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil and they produced a crop that was 30, 60, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. Anyone with an ear to hear should listen and understand." But the disciples still

were like, I don't understand. I don't get it. I don't understand what the heck you're talking about here. So Jesus said, I will explain it to you, says, the seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the kingdom and don't understand it. So when he said those who hear the message that are people, those are people. Okay, so I will re-state that sentence. It says the seed that fell on the footpath represents people who hear the message about the kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one, which is the devil, comes and snatches away the seed which is a person. A person is a

seed. The seed that was planted in their heart. Excuse me, the seed is not a person. Sorry, in this case it's not. A seed that was planted in their hearts, which is the seed represents the Word of God and their heart being changed and wanting to be saved. Does that make sense? Because I screwed that first part up. No, you made it. Yep. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. So this person, so the first seed, the devil snatched it away immediately from their hearts,

which means they got distracted really fast after they got saved. And they said, I want this, but you know what? I really want that lifestyle more. So I'm not really, I made a decision, but I'm gonna retract that decision. Almost as quickly as they make it, they walk away from it. Then the next seed, which is our second one, falls on rocky soil, right? And they hear the message and immediately receive it with

joy. But since they don't have deep roots. They don't last long which means They did it for a very short period of time, but they didn't study their word. They didn't they didn't What's another? They didn't study they didn't get involved. They didn't fellowship with other people They didn't find themselves accountable with other people. So when another option, when their old lifestyle comes back and is available to them, they're like, I think we're gonna go back to that. Yeah.

Because they never really did anything with the other lifestyle to make it be of value to them. Am I saying that good? Or is there another way to say that that's better? No, that's good. Then, so they fall away as soon as they have problems and are persecuted for believing God's word. Like when family, you get saved and family starts saying, Oh gosh, you're not into that Jesus thing, are you?

Oh Lord, you're not going to get religious on us, are you? Oh crap, now you're not gonna get religious on us, are you? Oh, crap, now you're not gonna party with us anymore because that lifestyle's not available. You're not gonna stop drinking, are you? So then because you meet, you're met with criticism, the pressure and the peer pressure pulls you right back into that lifestyle. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word,

but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. That right there would be Judas. The seed that fell on ground, on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's Word and produce a harvest of 30, 60, or even a hundred times as much as they had been that had been planted. So out of the four seeds, only one of them is good and only one of them makes it. And see the thing is is God knew God, our steps are

ordered by the Lord, right? That's what the word says. So God already knows, like, who's gonna choose wisely and who's not. And he knew Judas, he wasn't gonna make it. But he knew his heart, his heart was towards money and other things. Go ahead.

No, I'm taking it all in. But even so, like, he knew yet he still washed his feet. You know, he was still in fellowship with him. Like, yep, even knowing that he was going to be betrayed. Yep. Like, that's, that's what stands out to me too. That's like putting the Bible tells us, even with our worst enemy, the one that persecutes us or talks bad about us

or treats us poorly, we're to heap coals of kindness on them. Beauty for ashes. And that's really, for me, like to be Christ-like is, and that doesn't mean to be a doormat, people. That's not, that's not what that means. But that means to understand what you're dealing with when you see it and then you don't respond to them in like, you just are like, I see who you

are. I know who you are. I'll do what the word tells me to do, but that's all I'm going to do. I'm not going to lie to you to mistreat me. So God knew that Judas was going to betray him, but he didn't give all of him because even in that, Jesus had some words for him too. So he didn't hold anything back to him. He basically, and I'll get to it, but he basically told him what was going to happen to him for betraying him.

So, but if you think about this, God knew, it's just like God knew that Judas would betray Jesus. God also knew that when he gave Satan permission to test Job in the Old Testament, that Job would pass. He said, you can't test anybody else, but you can test him. Because he knew. God knows. He knows our hearts. He knows how we feel about Him. He knows if we're for real or if we're not. And how you behave and how you behave or like what your desire is for Him. And not sure. Like I've had moments in my walk with God that I'm in like, I think I'll put that thing on the shelf for a little bit

as far as being aggressive in my walk. And I'm still a Christian, but I'm just like not hungering and thirsting after him. If I stay in that state, I'll go backwards. But that doesn't mean, but if I don't stay in that state and I get back and do course corrections and I get back, but is that really what he wants for us?

No, he doesn't want us to shelf and just kind of relax and coast for a while. He wants us to be aggressive in our walks with God. But that doesn't mean that if you're not being aggressive in your walk with God, that doesn't mean that you're also not saved. And a lot of people think they can stay in that state and they'll be fine. I would argue with you about that because that's also not biblical.

But I also would say that just if you're in that state for a period of time, that doesn't mean that you're not saved either. True. I mean, it goes both ways. Some people are so dogmatic. Like, if you're not, like, then you're not saved. And then there's some that you're too relaxed, too compromising, and then, but that's okay, cause there's grace.

There's a balance to everything. And you gotta just make sure you stay in that balance. Let's go to the next question. Second question is, if Judas was doing what had to happen, is it fair that he's so heavily judged? I would say yeah, absolutely. I think it's absolutely fair that he was judged because we all have choices. You can make a good choice or you can choose poorly. I mean, all of us have had to face it in life. Deuteronomy 30 19 says, today I've given you the choice and this is God, God says, today I've given you the choice, and this is God,

God speaking, today I've given you the choice between life and death, between blessing and curses. So he gives us choices, one's bad, one's good, one's bad, one's good, and he says after that, now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live. So he actually tells you the answer to the question, tells you which one to choose. Most won't listen to him and they will not choose life.

They will choose death. They will live a life of sin that leads to death. And there'll be no excuses because they're the one that chose that. I mean it's free will. Thank God for free will. Even though I chose wisely, I'm grateful that I got to make the decision. That it's not forced upon me. Ladies? Yeah, yeah. No, it's true because that's true love. Like, otherwise we would just be robots. So if there is no free will, first of all, wouldn't it be in God's image?

But second of all, you're not truly, you can't really love somebody when you don't have the choice. You have to have a choice to love somebody. Now how many of us wanna get married to somebody that we're forced to love? Right, exactly. No, absolutely not.

Although statistics show forced marriage, Drew, I think it's like an 80, 90% success rate. But isn't there like a whole process to it? Yes, there's like a whole process to make sure that this is like- That you're compatible. Yeah. There's all those. So arranged marriages is what we're talking about.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the word. But, but like, I don't know, he's our father. So like, of course he wants us to love him. And so I do think it's one of those things you and you really hit it, is not being dogmatic about one way or another. And that's for this Easter message, for how you celebrate, how you live out your life, and also not putting it on other people,

because your convictions might not be the same as me. My weaknesses aren't the same as your weaknesses. And so to be dogmatic about any of this stuff is kind of silly. But yeah. Especially if somebody is so dogmatic, but it's not in the Bible. Right.

If there's not a Bible verse, you know. And a lot of people make manmade rules. Yeah. I mean, I always use this as an example, but people who say smoking is a sin. Right. I don't smoke, okay? So I don't have a dog in this fight,

but I'm just saying, it's not in the Bible. So smoking's not a sin. Do I like it? No. Do I think it's smart? No, I think it's freaking stupid to smoke. I mean, it's a death wish. But at the same time, free will.

It's not a sin. It's stupid, but it's not a sin. And some people will be like, well, you think it's stupid, but I don't. Okay. Well, again, free will. Exactly. It's not heaven and hell. It's not heaven and hell. So now there are a lot of things that are different than that, but on certain things people make up manmade rules. I mean, forever. Dancing's a sin. Bologna dancing is a sin. It's not in the Bible.

In fact, there are great men of God who danced, danced before the Lord. Yeah, some naked. Some naked, exactly. Okay, I'm not doing that, but I'm gonna shake a leg. I'll do it naked. No. She says no.

Stripper, there's stripper back there. Oh my gosh. I'm a dancer for money, money for dancing. I hear you know what she's saying. You don't want to hear it. I'm singing. She's singing a song for you. I'll be a private dancer, dancer for money.

Oh dear Lord. I don't think David danced for money though. No, he didn't. Just for God. No, just for God. And the arc. Okay. No, he didn't. Just for God. Just for God. And the Ark. Okay. Oh yeah.

And money. No. Multitask. Oh my gosh. It's yours. I do not own that right now. Oh my gosh. So third question is, did God plan the portrayal

or did he just know it would happen? So we're gonna go into that one. Let's see, did I do that one already? No, I did not. So this is God's plan versus human choices. Everybody has, if we all live by God's plan, we would all be successful in more ways than we even thought or dreamt possible.

Exactly. Yeah. And know behind. It's not what we do though. You wouldn't be behind anywhere. Like you'd be so far ahead. True. Yeah. But we're human. Yeah. And we're dumb as a box of rocks. And for those of us who believe in God, because some people that are watching, they don't. Right. They don't. It's not that they don't believe in it. It's just they don't believe in it for them. They believe in a God, they believe that God is good, that He's loving, it's just not something they want to partake in. But for us that do believe, we know He has a plan for us. Now whether or not we're going to let Him work that plan out for us or we're going to put

our own ideas into the mix. I mean, sometimes I literally think I know better than God. God, let me tell you how it should really go down. And like, I'm an idiot. Cause I can't think of his ways are so much better than our ways. That's biblical. And like, I need to just sit in the passenger seat and let him drive.

Right. Be a passenger and let him drive. Cause he'll take us place to places we never thought we would go. Mm-hmm. Very true. And so for me, God did know that Jesus would betray or God knew that Jesus would be portrayed.

He also knew that he would need a betrayer, but he also knew that Judas, like there was no hope for him. He was going to fail, regardless. It's just like Pharaoh. Pharaoh, when he kept, Moses kept going to Pharaoh, let my people go, and it says that God hardened his heart. It was already because his heart was already hard, and God knew that there was no hope for him. So just the mere talking or the sight or whatever of the Word of God made him grow colder and harder. How many of us know people that like they hate somebody? And it's not that the person does anything to them, it's just this person that hates another person.

They can do that person can how many of you? Okay, for example, there there's a guy and a girl dating. The girl breaks up with a guy and she starts dating another guy. The guy that got broken up with hates the guy she's dating. Does he really know him? No. And the more he hears about this guy and all the good things about him or how he protects her, how he keeps her safe, all these things, he hates that guy even more. Is it the guy? Has the guy done anything to the other guy? Nope.

It's just the mere mention of that other man, annoying this man. And he can have done nothing, but he gets harder and colder and meaner and nastier about the other guy because he has what he wants. Which same thing with Pharaoh. God had the heart of the Israelites and Pharaoh wanted the Israelites as slaves. So there was nothing, no matter what, didn't matter about God. They both wanted the same thing. And Pharaoh, knowing that God was better than him and would do better by the Israelites, it made him hate him. The more the Israelites wanted to go and be with their God,

it was more threatening to Pharaoh, which made his heart go harder and harder and harder. Does that make sense? Yes. At all. Yes. Yep. Sometimes you don't have to do anything to anybody and they just get more angry, angrier and more distant and more hateful towards you.

Breathe in their vicinity and they're like... And you've done nothing, but their heart grows harder and harder towards you for no reason whatsoever. And it's all because of lack of God. True. And the more evil they have in their heart. What is that?

I said, I know the feeling. Sometimes you can do nothing. So for me, I say this, even though God knew Judas would fail, God didn't set Judas up to fail. Judas set Judas up to fail. Judas set Judas up to fail. God in his word, God wants everyone to be saved. God does not set anybody up to fail.

It would go against his word. In 1 Timothy 2, 4, it says, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. It says all men. Is Judas one of all men? Or does it say that he desires some men to be saved? No, all men, which is also women.

Everybody has the same fighting chance. He wants every single person to be saved and come to the knowledge of him. So he'd be a liar if he had certain people that he set them up so they couldn't succeed and be saved. Then the Bible would no longer be true to its word. And we'd have no leg to stand on to believe in it. But that's not true. Judas made his own choices. God just knew what he was going to choose.

Ladies. Right? Yeah. Yeah. That's super clear. Super clear. Yeah. That's super clear. But good questions. Yeah. Like great questions.

These are really good questions. I like these. Yeah. They make you go, wait a minute. What? Yeah. Let me study this out. Cause I literally was reading these and I went, that's such a great question. Yeah.

Like if I didn't know certain things, I'd be like, yeah, that's not cool. Right. Right. Like how could he, how could that happen, yeah, that's not cool. Right, right. Like how could that happen to Judas? That's not fair to him. Right, right. I used to think about that about Pharaoh. Like before I had like a real understanding,

I'm like, well, that sucks. Like he was set up to fail. Like his heart grew hardened. And, but then the way Pastor Tom said it, you know, it wasn't that like God touched his heart and it like got hard. Like it was the character of God. And so that was like, like mind blowing for me.

Cause I always felt like that, it didn't feel right. But it just didn't feel fair. Okay. So yeah, so I just think it's very interesting. And you couldn't reconcile it in his word. Like, you know what I mean? Like there was that disconnect. Exactly, yes.

Where when you view it in that lens where it's the character of God that makes one's heart hard, like that makes sense. Yeah, it does. Well, it says even with that Jesus, just his presence made people angry. Yeah, it made the Pharisees very angry.

So just think about God with Pharaoh, if you liken it to the same thing, it's no different. Right. Yes, no. And that's why it's all the same. Yeah. And then it's cool to see it like replay, like the patterns replay throughout the Bible.

So then when these questions come up. Exactly. Yes. Yes, exactly. So true, though, Tracy. It's not like it's it's pretty amazing how one reflects the other. Yeah. It's like a repeat, a repetition of history. Right. So, um, but just different people, just different, uh, characters. Yeah. Right. Right. But

very similar situation. Lastly, could Judas have been forgiven if he had asked or was he doomed? A lot of people that, I mean, he was doomed guys. A lot of people think that he had a fighting chance. He didn't have a fighting chance. And here's the reason why. And I love when the Lord caused me to remember this. I was like, cause I was like, could he? I'm like, no, I don't think he could have.

But what do I have to stand on to back that up? Because I know that he didn't. But, this is redemption versus grace, right? So what did Jesus say at the Last Supper? And I was so grateful that this came to my mind. But I just got done reading this, and I would say that's probably a reason why it came to my mind. But get this, in Matthew 26, 20 through 25, it says, When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table with the twelve.

And while they were eating, He said, I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me. Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, Am I the one Lord? one asked in turn, Am I the one Lord? And he replied, One of you who has just eaten from the bowl with me will betray me, for the son of man must die as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. He told him, If you do this, what's going to happen? And he did it right here. He says, it would be far better for that man if he had never been born. Judas, the one who would betray him also asked,

Rabbi, am I the one? And Jesus told him, you have said it. So, Jesus could have decided that very moment, I'm not doing it. Because he was forewarned, if you do this, how terrible it will be for the one who betrays me. So no, it would be far better for that man to have never been born.

He was doomed. He was doomed. So he knew going into it, if he did this, what would happen? He still chose to do it, because guess what? Thank God for free will. Thank God, God doesn't force us to love him

and to receive him. We all get the choice. We all make the decision. And I'm grateful for that. I would hate to have to be made to love someone or something. I want it to be on my terms. I choose him because I choose him,

not because he makes me choose him. Right. And that's powerful. Love is powerful when it's all you who decides. Yeah. So, plus I would never want somebody to love me because they're made to love me. I want them to love me because they chose to love me.

So Jesus in the Trinity, Jesus, Holy Spirit, God, how valuable is it to them when they know, like when we know he chose us, we think how powerful that is that he dies on the cross, he chooses us, but how how powerful that is that he dies on the cross, he chooses us. But how powerful it is for all of us had a free will that say, I choose you back. So that's it.

Ladies, you wanna add anything to that? No. Yeah, no, it's good. That is good. I love that. I love those questions. So to the ones that wrote those three, thank you very much for sending them in

and especially the Judas one. The Judas one is super powerful and it just makes us value what we have and going into Sunday. We'll have more questions on Friday. Thank you for tuning in. Good Friday. Yep. And joining us on the Hope Hotline,

we will see you Good Friday. Until then, find us on TikTok and watch us on the whole pot line. We will see you Good Friday. Until then, find us on TikTok and watch us on, not on, we are on Facebook? Yeah. Social media, Facebook, Rumble, and that's about it. Real talk.