The Hope Hotline - Growing In Faith | Part 2 | 2 Peter 1:1-10

Episode Date: October 24, 2025

The Hope Hotline | S03-E69 | 10-24-2025

Hello talk Hello and welcome to the hope Yes, yes I am fall festive. I know, I love fall festivals. Oh my gosh. Well, not fall festivals. You look like a fall festival. I'm very fallish today.

Because you know what? I like it. You know why? You do like it? I love. You know I love when you dress for a season. Yeah. I've been trying to dress for a season. I love it.

Yes. I'm always a season ahead. Like, that's not good. No. I'm already, I'm already to like Christmas. Let's go. Oh, no. Oh, yeah.

I'm decorating next weekend. Me too. Yeah. Guys. I got recruits. I don't. I don't. I play.

I don't. think I'll ever see him again after they have to help me. Wait, doesn't Tom do all the decorating? Not this year? Yeah, but it won't be done in time. I want, I want, because it's so late this year, Christmas is so late this year. Again, I have to wait for the tree because we get a real one, so, like, but I want the house to be decorated.

It's going to be less than a month if I wait to Thanksgiving. I can't do that. And it takes me a really long time to decorate. okay yeah you should just start now we are next weekend i've already got my recruits they're not it's one of the recruits in the room yes yes she is pretty much has no choice in the matter i love it yeah i think i'm gonna switch up my theme this year are you doing what i think i'm gonna do roth Lauren Christmas I knew what is that I'll send you a it's a video it's very it's very traditional Christmas is it blue red it's like no it's like the plaids and the green and the red it has to be the right plaid yes because the plaid

the right plaid the right and you don't want to mix plaid right okay so yours is going to be elegant and classy and mine is going to be throw up all over the place Santa and lord knows what because my house looks like we vomited Christmas and it's eclectic and there's no thing I like that me too it looks like a an ugly hallmark except for when Tom does it right then it looks really pretty but I'm doing it so anything goes guys it is what it is very eclectic this year anything goes I love it just you know what suck it up buttercup because at least you're not having to do it oh my gosh sarum's putting up her Christmas tree this weekend so you go girl oh my gosh sarum I think you go girl team do it crazy actually Tudy wants to decorate too and I'm like no you should just

I have fall decorations up guys. I do too. And I just got new ones from Hobby Lobby. Oh, that's going to hurt. Like recently. Like literally last weekend. Oh, last weekend you did it? Yes.

Oh, you got to be a month ahead. Right. But my mantle, I had stuff there and I was like, I hate it all. And then I went to Hobby Lobby and I found my vibe. And I was like, yes. So it was my fault. Mm-hmm. Yeah, my, I have a, I have a, my house is decorated for fall.

But I knew I was going to only, I did it in September. So I knew that I was going to only get like a month and a half out of it. I'm okay with that. Okay. Yeah. I'm okay with that. That's what you got started in August. Right.

That's right, girl. I think right after the women's conference, I started. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. Fall was coming out. Yes. Yeah, falls here. Women's conference is the end of summer for me.

Yes. That's how you end it. I agree. And it's not cold until. cool until this morning oh my gosh that's that might that's where i was going with this okay i step outside yeah i see travis and heather doing something for their chickens as i'm letting my chickens out and i'm like burr i know i know we opened the the glass the sliding glass doors this morning that's appropriate loving it it's earlier this year i'm telling you right now

I'm telling you right now. The Farmer's Almanac said, and that can be trusted, people. Okay. Yes. It's supposed to be a colder winter. Okay. I receive it. And then this has been the coolest September I can recall.

Yeah. I can't recall a cooler September than this one. It's actually October, but yes. No, no, no, no. It started in September. Oh, okay. Usually it's blistering hot in September. This year, Tom and I were like, like, it's,

We're getting cool breezes. You know, it's crazy. I don't even remember September. I know. It just flew. Oh, it did go by fast, but it was comfortable. It was not blazing hot. Usually August, September, are the two hottest months of the year.

And this year, September was like, it was mild. It was a breath of fresh air. Nice. It was so nice. But October's been cooler. Oh, yeah. For sure. And, like, this morning, that's, like, every now and then, like,

there is really cold octobers and i think this one i think we've seen the change i see i think this morning we saw the shift and now could it go back i was so wondering now i was like could it go back to where it's hot in the mornings it may just every now and then but i think like taking a shift people all right the good news is is that sunday and monday i'll be warmer in the mornings but tuesday and then wednesday so it goes tuesday 68 and the morning, so still warm. Wednesday, 63, Thursday 60, Friday 54, Saturday 52, Sunday 53 in the morning. We might have a cold Thanksgiving. We pray for that. Proper holiday season. A proper holiday season. We all live in Florida, but we listen. Oh, my God. Bless. Best thing ever. If you live in Florida,

you know there is no season. Tis the season of nothingness. Of nothingness. That's crazy. We have no It's true. But we have no snow either, so bless. Yes. Because once Christmas is done, I'm like, no more, now it's warm. Now I want to know the beach. Now I want to be outside. Which we can. And I know, and I do. Yeah. This is why we live here. It is why. Yep. This is exactly why. January through April is why we live here. Yeah, true. Your winter is our summer. Correct. Your miserable winter is our miserable summer. Right. The same amount of time, it's a shift. except for and this is what I was trying to tell somebody that likes winters or I'm like except for our we're miserable but we can't die in our misery oh my gosh you go up north and you have to

like you step outside wrong temper you die you could die this is like Florida is the easiest living on the face of the earth yeah I agree like homeless people you don't know homeless people oh my gosh until you're you see them in New York City and it's the city even D.C. Yeah. The city is cold. Super cold because of all the buildings. They trap it. They do.

And it's concrete. And it's concrete. Oh, yeah. There's no grass. It's cold. It's cold. It's flipping freezing and they're laying on the train grids and stuff like that. Just trying to keep warm with the newspaper over them.

Newspaper, it's true. It does work. I mean, I personally don't know that for a fact, but they swear it does. I'm like, there's no way. And they swear it does. Okay. cardboard and paper that's so sad it is sad it breaks the wind it's a wind breaker no yep just to seem sleeping in in the parking garages yeah oh to get out of the wind

yeah yeah it's it's a hard life man that is a hard life thank god it's not me they choose it though a lot of them they like it I don't know all right so you want to do your thing I do all right let's do it all right let's go all right let's go Okay, so here we are again on good old Facebook. If you are there, you can like share and comment, foundation, church, and the Hope Hotline, either options. If you're on YouTube, you can subscribe and do all those things. And then if you're on Black Robe, you can stay there if you'd like. But if not, head over to Rumble.

We've got the live chat going. Mom's hating on us because she says we don't have hurricanes. Whatever. Mom, you know you want to move here. You may not have hurricanes. Neither did we this year, sister. True that. Did you see all those turns?

Boop. It's amazing what happens when... Every single one. When something is not allowed to control the weather. Isn't that crazy? I don't know. I think it's pretty crazy. I'm a conspiracy theorist.

So, listen, you hang around with me a little bit too long. It might happen. So we are not live on TikTok anymore. So I'm actually going to make sure... Oh, I did change it on here. So I'm going to update my little thing for us. because we had some issues. TikTok was being silly.

And really, you can't control when people just decide that they don't like something. And then we get banned and they have to go through the whole process. And it affects everything else on TikTok. So we're not doing that right now, which is unfortunate. But the audio podcast is always available as well. So you can head over there. We love hearing your questions. So please send in your questions.

Ask Hope at HopeHoplotline.com. As you know, we have Natalie as a special guest every month. and so she will be here October 31st. So please send in your questions for that as well. I am always finding crazy stuff happening in the medical world. And I just always am so curious, like what Natalie knows about it or whatever. So I've already sent her a few, like, really crazy topics. And I'm like, this is pretty wild.

And I want to know what you have to think about this. So we have a couple already on the docket of what we're going to be talking about. So if you have something that you've seen or just even in your own personal life, that you have questions about, please bring it. And we'd love to ask Natalie. Okay, as you know, we were on TikTok live, but now we're just on TikTok. So Hope is doing her favorite game, named that tune, and we are killing it. So it's so fun. Everybody loves playing along. They definitely are not happy when we don't tell them the answer, but that's the game. Sometimes games are hard, and sometimes games are not hard. And this one's a tough one. You've got to be on your game.

So, but it's fun. It's fun to play along. We love all the comments. So head over there and follow her there. And then we've got the Hope Hotline, Vanessa, me, and Talia as well. Still chugging along on there. And we've got Foundation Church Worship, also chugging along, doing really good on there as well. So if you're on, if you could just share and do all the things, repost, copy the link, like all the things.

It really does help our stuff get out there. And people are really loving these songs. So the more people we get to show it to, the better. And then Pastor Tom also is on there. And he is well loved by some and not well loved by others. Surprise, surprise. We were not shocked by that. And it's funny, it's mostly prosperity stuff.

People hate the prosperity word. I told you. Yeah, and wasn't surprised, unfortunately. But he's got his TLP clips on there. So just little things he's talking about during the week. So if you aren't, you know, following him every night, these are great little, like, bite size that you can kind of see what's going on, see where he's at with this. And, of course, everything has a biblical spin. So if you are wanting to know more about what's going on in the world, he is live Monday through Friday at 9 p.m.

But if you follow him on TikTok, you'll be able to see these little clips. And I think that's it for today. Beauty. All right. Coming back to you. Beauty, baby. um so what we did on uh what we did on wednesday where we were in the middle of well just the beginning of talking about uh second peter one five through ten which is basically um giving you

there was another scripture a while back that we did something very similar with and it gave basically pretty much the same examples as this i can't remember what it was though but it was instruction on how to be successful as a believer and then on top of that this one that it says if you do these things then you're definitely going to be secure in your salvation and so many people i mean i talk this is crazy but i talk to so many people who either have lived in fear that they have lost their salvation will lose their salvation um and I'm like to me I'm like this if you look at these scriptures and you follow these scriptures then you're secure in your salvation even though there's a theology that teaches you that

but the theology that teaches you that you're secure in your salvation um actually um basically says that you can live as long as you ask said the sinner's prayer you can pretty much live any kind of way you want to, and you're secure, which is, again, opposite of what Christianity's, with the word of God says, too. But this, if you follow these scriptures, like you'll never have to worry about whether or not you're saved, or that you could ever become unsaved, which I think is so reassuring.

So kind. Yeah. So kind. It's so good, though. It is. We're going to start out, for those of you are wanting to know the scripture, it's 2 Peter 1, 5 through 10. So we're going to look at this. I did it in the New Living Translation, but we're also going to look at it in the Amphi Classic. But it says, in view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises, supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence and moral excellence with knowledge. And that's where we left off. off. And if you look at that scripture, I think I did it. I did not. I stopped because I didn't want to repeat myself. That's what I said. So in the next, do you guys want to add anything that we said when we spoke about that? Do you want to add anything to that from Wednesdays? Good. You good? Yeah, we're good. Okay. So then it goes on to say, and knowledge with self-control. And I will tell you, that's, I think, one of the hardest things that people have.

a very difficult thing in doing is self-control. Most people would say self-control is like anger management, right? Controlling your anger. But I would say self-control is way more than that. When I think of self-control, I think of self-control in putting yourself into places of temptation that would cause you to do things that you wouldn't normally do and you lack self-control and putting yourself into those places. of temptation self-control in being abstinent self-control in not indulging in alcohol right um

there are so hold on there are so many oh my gosh my daughter just sent me a picture of a dog she obviously does not know i'm in my podcast she sends me this picture of this this puppy Can you see this face? Where is she? Oh my gosh, Norma. She's a pet land and she wants this dog and she's been one. Is it the chihuahua? It, I can't remember, but that's the puppy.

Oh, my gosh, Norma. Do it. Don't text her and say do it. I won't. Don't worry. There's a few things I'll say no to. That's one. Oh, my gosh. oh my gosh family family first crazy so many people do so many people lack self-control and they

honestly don't realize it's self-control so um and if they would have self-control it would keep them from sinning like self-control is your mouth not talking too much not giving your opinion too much, not gossiping too much, being careful with the words that you say to the people you love or not to the people you love. People lack self-control with the most powerful thing that is the biggest muscle, and that is your tongue. The lack of self-control with people's mouths is off the chain. I agree.

There's so many things besides what I named, what can you think of that self-control? because people never, ever, ever, they think self-control literally is temperament. I'm like, it's way more than that. There's times where, like, you have to be in a season of not spending money on things that you used to be able to spend money on. So even just having self-control to say no to yourself.

Yes, being a good steward of your money. Correct, right. And food. Like, if you're in a season where God's telling you to fast, like having to, like, go to the fridge and shut the door, like, that's hard, man. Like, six o'clock and you're, like, counting down and you're like, do I have self-control if I'm counting down?

Like, you really start to evaluate, like, this is out of control. Like, I'm counting down the minutes until six o'clock. Like, so I think it really is. It's way beyond that. And, like, you know, a lot of our teenagers, like, struggle with cussing. Like, it's just they're around it all the time. Their parents cuss. And so having that self-control to, like, you talk so fast.

And then you're like, oh, and then you have to take it back. Yep. So just having that, like, thought, just like, okay, I'm around it. I hear it. I know that's a problem, so I've got to have that self-control in that moment. Just being aware. And if you're spirit-led, the chance of you, like, having lack of self-control is less. So if you kill your flesh more often and you allow the spirit to walk, I know it sounds like super like Christianese, but it's true. Like if everything you do, you're asking God, like, okay, should I, you know, involve myself in this relationship and this friendship? And he says,

no, it's probably going to prevent you from swearing because that person is struggling all the time with that. So it's just asking God. That's where my brain goes, because if you think about self-control, what is self-control? It's a fruit of the spirit. Right. So how do you bear fruit will you stay connected to the vine? So if you are connected to the vine and you're connected with Jesus, essentially, because the vine is Jesus, then the fruit of that will be self-control. Yeah. So if you lack self-control, that is so true. go ahead like examine yourself right what does your relationship with christ look like right right why you say that i literally am thinking vanessa because we are attached to that line right and i

think people forget this but if you literally thought that if you realized everywhere you go jesus goes with you the holy spirit dwells within you right yes so if every way would like i i I know people who cuss, right? And I think to myself and they don't cuss in front of me, right? Right. But I'm thinking to myself, okay, you can absolutely control your tongue and not cuss in front of me. But do you not realize, I literally think this to myself. Do you not realize that when I'm not present, Jesus is still present?

The Holy Spirit is still present. And yet you think nothing about cussing, but you can control it. and and even if you want to say it's not that big of a deal then if it's not that big of a deal then why don't you do it in front of me and then on top of that if jesus in the physical body or the holy spirit was not a spirit what was in physical form was in front of you would you do it no you wouldn't and i mean if you say yes you're a liar you're a liar which is self-control there How many people lie without, with no thought about it, no thought about it. That's a lack of self-control.

Right. True. Preach. But would you do these things if Jesus or the Holy Spirit was in spiritual form in front of you? You absolutely would not. So you have self-control. 100%. You can control anything. I tell that to our teens all the time. Would you listen to the same music if you knew that Jesus was standing in front of you? Right. Because he is.

It's just like you said. You abide in the vine. Yeah. You are attached to it. It is like that. I'm telling you. Every time I say that to one of our teens, like, if Jesus was standing right here, would you do that?

They're always like, uh, like it's so, like, they know, you know what I mean? It's just something that you like, but we, like, it's so much easier to just be like, oh, Jesus, like you dissociate from it. But like, he literally is living inside of you. Yeah. And he's everywhere. He is. You know, one of the things that kept me from being intimate with Tom before I was married

and like no hands in bad places, nothing. One of the biggest reasons, that's three years of dating. And we broke up one time was for two weeks. Another time was not even a week. And then another time was, I think, two and a half months. Maybe not even that long. So three years, a lot of time together, minor times of being broken up. And one of the things that kept me from being intimate with him, because you literally you do want to.

Like, I mean, you love that person. But one of the things that kept me from doing it is my love for the Lord. I could not imagine breaking his heart. But let alone knowing full well that he would be present in seeing the sin. And I was like, he's going way too much for me. like there's no way i could throw that in his face and i think if people honestly looked at sin and realized that because there are people who sin but it's a struggle for them and that sin even is detestable to them in so much that after they do it they're like what the heck did i do okay

sin is not a lifestyle for them sin is not an acceptable thing in their in their home or in their being it is something that there's regret afterwards okay that's that's the way it's supposed to be but then there's people who concede to it and think like I can just repent okay I can ask for forgiveness later where are you at spiritually because it's literally slapping Jesus in the face for what he purchased on the cross for you and if you literally thought to yourself that it is so disrespectful to what was purchased for you and the amount of love and sacrifice that was given for you and then you do that you might think twice about it or you or you need to evaluate do I

really care about my walk with God do I really care about what the Lord did for me because sinning seems so easy you know I would question things about myself like if it is deplorable to you And there is such regret after you do it, then I think you're right standing with God because I think that there's an understanding of the value of that relationship. Whereas the other, I don't know if you do value it. It's just like when it fits into my plans, if it fits in my box, then yeah, I'll work it. If it doesn't, I'm doing what I want to do. That's not self-control.

right thoughts where do you think that like let's say you're discipling somebody and you can tell that there is no like this like you're not that like you sin and you're just like all right i'll get it better next time like do you think that's just a revelation that they have to have about their relationship with the lord because like that is there that is like there's two levels like one is like you sin and you're like oh my gosh like you said like you're you're so broken hearted over it and you really do repent and then you try to do better and then there's the people that are like yeah like you know they're under the same preaching they hear the same word they read the same Bible they sing the same verses but they just like yeah all right I'll get it I'll do

better next time because I do see these two different types of people and I want like what is it like what makes you hurt when you sin because I do like when I'm that mess up like I I think I'm like Pastor Tom where I'm like so disappointed but I don't like I don't hate myself I don't beat myself up about it but I'm just like oh my gosh like yeah I know better yeah so stupid and and then I know people that are just like yeah just do better next time and I'm like it doesn't even feel the same you know what I'm saying that it doesn't feel the same because there's it's like it's like you know there's different personalities you in raising children right yeah like there's ones that are like Tommy true yeah Tommy was not

compliant Tommy was headstrong and he fought the system right then there was Norma very compliant all you had to do is look at her just the wrong way and she's like I'll do it you know I think there's different personalities that they might not feel as contrite because of lack of revelation and headstrong, right? I mean, I grew up in the church, and I, when I would sin, I didn't feel like I did when I got back with the Lord. When I got my life back with the Lord, I think what happens is you take for granted the very thing that saves your soul.

Yeah. And you just are like, when you grow up in it especially, you're like, you know, no different. familiar yeah so you don't understand the value of what's being provided for you versus when i walked away and i knew what life was like without him and how hard it really was and fun is fun is fun for a season right but then after that when the season's up the scars the battle wounds the the baggage that is not fun it's just not and then you have to sit there and go okay um like uh i never want to do that again right true yep oh my gosh please no never like that's that's not that's not up for debate

that's never going to happen again i think i think it's a different mindset of understanding the degree and sometimes it's revelation knowledge and gaining that revelation knowledge through just the word. And then sometimes it's walking away, realizing what you lost, coming back and going, there ain't no way. I'm doing that again.

Yeah. There ain't no way. I mean, literally, I can tell you without question, like, if somebody was to walk in this door and put a gun to my head and say, and denounce him, and live or don't in your life, I'm going to say take my life because I know what it's like

to live without him. I don't, there is no life. Yeah. Yeah. So even if I denounced him, I would be miserable. There's no, there's nothing good in that. Nothing. Like I can't imagine going back to that. I'd rather not live. I'd just rather not live. I'd just rather not live. take my life because there's no life in the other and I know people will they pretend to be happy but in all actuality they're fighting the system because they want both and that's where the lukewarm comes in and it's not good yeah but yeah I I'll never get me to go back never no way there is nothing there is nothing in that life for me yeah there's no joy there's no peace there's nothing fun is fun for a season but that season ends and sometimes it's way quicker

than you expect i don't know how people play both roles i don't i just don't like them that you're always well it is exhausting because you're always looking for the next trip you're always looking for the next party you're always wanting to buy the next thing I think they live very discontented. All the while pretending that they're super happy that they are. I know. And it's that constant tension back and forth. And if you have any level of discernment, like you know, like you look at them and you're like, we know you're not happy.

Like, because it is. It's the trip after the trip after. It's just always. And the next shiny thing. Yeah. Yeah. And when you talk to them, they're not happy. Oh, and the, but, and some of them might be for.

for a short while. Yeah. But here's the thing. But here's the thing. This is what I would say is everybody, it goes back to, you'll face many trials in this lifetime, but I will deliver you from them all. It goes back to that scripture. See, when I face something, it's not hard.

Like I don't look at, when I'm walking through something difficult, I don't look at it As in, oh, I'm going to the valley. Right. It's not miserable for me. Right. I'm not, like, I'm not devastated. I'm not, like, wondering how am I going to get out of this? I already know I'm getting out of it.

Right. My demeanor and my, my mentality is, okay, so God, how are you going to fix this? It's not my responsibility. Yeah. So I don't, like, again, it's either. You go through the valley or it's a little bump in the road, like a little rocket or a pebble. Like I never live in misery. I never live in depression.

And I never live in like, holy crap, what am I going to do? I never think like that. And when you see it for what it is, like when you know, oh, this is just a weapon formed against me and it shall not prosper. Like, you're like, whatever, we'll get through it. The Lord will, I have victory every single time. Oh, this is just a drive-by. We call when the enemy tries to. like throw things at us. We just call them drive-bys. Oh, this is drive-by. Yeah. Yeah. That's all it is.

Yeah. I know it's crazy. You remove the power away from it. Exactly. Right. And like, so us Christians, like we have our ways of doing that, but the way the new age people do it, they use all of the Christian ideas. So theirs is like stay grounded in the present moment. Don't get lost and worry about the past or the future. So you do meditation on mindfulness, which is exactly what we talk about. Do not worry about tomorrow you know then we think right and then the next one is energy and vibrations everything has energy so you want to raise your vibrations guess what you raise your vibrations through gratitude love and joy such counterfeit exactly i think like new age is like the literal counterfeit it's literally jesus but if you are jesus that's the problem it's you it's not

like this one's self-compassion and acceptance so you make you have a mantra that says it makes me like six saying that. I give myself permission to feel, heal, and evolve. So you are Jesus. You're the Savior. You're the Savior. You're the God. You're the doer. And so everything's on your shoulders. And they do manifestations too.

If you manifest things into existence. Right. Well, that's scripture. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Yep. Yeah. Yep. So they're manifesting it through what? Meditation? Is that what you said? They literally just speak.

things into the universe yeah like good things always happen to me yeah well actually it's a biblical principle i know right exactly so it works because it's a biblical principle right exactly and they think all the while they think they're taking credit for it right right holy moly right it's wild it is I'm like why don't you just instead of the universe pick God right everything else is the same I feel like crap it's just crap it's hard it's hard that way. Right. To throw it out in the universe? No, right, exactly. You get past the ferment? No, just okay. Oh my gosh. I heard that. God. I heard that. But I'm just saying. All these mantras.

I'd rather believe that there is a God. Right. Almighty. And then hold that thing up. Like, instead of a mantra that you make up in your mind, just read this thing. Just read that Bible. Crazy. So much easier. But the thing is, is new age doesn't require you. not to sin. Oh yeah. No. Yeah. Because that's a problem. Right. You can do whatever you want. Yeah. But you want to be a good person. But your good depends on what you deem is good. Yeah. And that's a problem. And that's a huge problem. Because what I think is good might not be what Hope thinks is good and what Vanessa thinks is good. So then whose truth are we truthing? Has to be one truth. Has to be. It's the only way this works. So you can be a spiritual person.

Yes. Not a godly person. Correct. Not somebody who chases after whole. holiness correct isn't that interesting that's sickening I know it is it is because it's so close to the truth but so far away you know it's so funny and and I think like like self-control which the next thing I think this is so funny because I think I don't think it's funny funny I just think it's like it's like steps right step one step leads to the next step to the next step that makes it easier to be able to do whatever you know if you're putting you have directions to something every step helps you to complete the next step so that when every when whatever you're doing the directions to whatever you're doing are finished you're like oh that wasn't so bad right

right size yep so it's super easy and the end result is success but it's just basically following directions but I was looking at this while Vanessa was talking and it's so funny because it says that the knowledge with self-control and you have to have the knowledge to know what you have to be self-controlled then right exactly which are the sins that if you do these things you'll not inherit the kingdom of heaven yep self-control not to be jealous right right so you lead you straight to a desperate place very desperate yep yeah but so you have to have the knowledge and the knowledge is to know the things that will lead you to inherit everlasting life, then self-control in doing those very things.

Yes. Discipline, yep. And then it goes with patient endurance. Right. So you have to be able to endure. Patiently. Right. Which is a fruit of the spirit.

And most people endure with anger, angstance, and. and sometimes malice. Like, it says that, like, a lot of times endurance is also very fearful. People will endure, but through the, in times of, like, I know what I'm talking about here because there have been times, not, like, I'm not a fearful person, but what I will say is there have been times that while I'm walking through something, I have to fight the fear. so I fight the fear and I usually almost always overcome but there are people who fight the fear through endurance and worry and then that's not patient right no and that's hard it well yeah you lose your patience because you're so full of angst which it says that worry will lead to sin so are you really enduring right no right patience you got to like pay when you're patient

you're calm mm-hmm you're walking in peace right you're walking in that your knower knows that it's all good right true but a lot of people don't walk in patience a lot of people Well, it's fear. It is fear. Yeah. What you got there, Vanessa? No, I was just thinking, like, what is fear? You know, that's putting your trust in the wrong kingdom.

Because fear, what it's, the root of it is just you don't trust God. Yeah, it's faith in what the devil can do to you versus faith in knowing that what the Lord's promises are for you. It's just, it's one or the other. It is. A house divided cannot stand. You cannot serve two masters. No, you can. You're going to love the one and hate the other.

Right. I don't know. Like, people need, I'm going slow on purpose. No, I know, because there's a lot to chew on. Well, and plus, you need to evaluate. Who am I? Yeah. Which one am I?

And why do I, why am I not seeing success? Right. Or new levels, yep. Because a lot of times people falter and fail, and they wonder, why every time I mean I've had people literally say to me every time I get saved I feel like Satan pulls me back

or every time I get saved something bad happens and then like it just makes me not want to get saved and like is it really that you're saved are you still doing the same things and you're trying to convince yourself because you said a sinner's prayer you're saved

and your activity and your lifestyle has not changed and you're the same person So again, you have no knowledge. You have no moral excellence. Right. So why are you thinking like nothing's working for you? Because you're not working the system.

Yeah. Yeah. When I saw perseverance, I thought about in the opposite way about excitement. So when you're building, you build with endurance. And we talked about this with Charlie Kirk, how everybody gets really excited. and starts, like, persevering through this trial. Yeah. And then everybody burns out.

Always. And so that is not perseverance. And so everybody said, like, this is the new revival. And I said in my TikTok, like, my concern is, I love this. Like, I love that people are going to church this Sunday. Please go to church next Sunday. Like, don't lose it because it's not in your TikTok feed anymore. Yeah.

And you're not going viral because you sent and went to church on Sunday. And so, like, but that is that, there is a. reward attached to persevering because nobody does it nobody's loyal nobody works like pastor tom does monday through friday every single week year after year after year like those people always make it somewhere because they just persevere and they stay loyal to what god told them to do everybody else gets bored because it's not exciting anymore always yeah i've told you i've met some of the most talented christians that have such an amazing skill set from speaking to singing and you know god's got a call on their life.

Right. The problem is, is they have no grind. Yeah. They have no grind. Yeah. Like, when it gets, becomes monotonous and things aren't happening, like, as fast as they want them to happen, their endurance is gone. That.

And revelation, revelation says, those who endure to the end shall be saved. So even though you've said a sinner's prayer, if you're not doing these things, which is patient endurance is one of them, those who endure through the end will be saved. You might not make it. Right. People think that it's just a fluffy, that's why Tom always says, Jesus is not a hipster. Right. His teachings aren't like in that soft, swirly southern twang that most of these pastures all have now. Like they all talk the same. They all have the same monotone like that's not Jesus okay and what they're preaching is not the word it's not it's a let me lull you to sleep keep you in the pew and make you believe something

that's just not true and it's all self well selfish on their part it's a selfish motivation right they're the only ones to be honest with you they're the only ones reaping the rewards And the repeating of the rewards is going and saying, I have this many people come to my church. And this is how much money we bring in every Sunday. Yeah, the rewards here on earth. Because they'll be paying a price because the word is very clear. Those wolf and sheep's clothing are going to answer much higher than anybody else

because there's a higher accountability and responsibility. And woe to them. I would hate to be them. See how much, you know, thinking you're popular and all this other non-es. it's worthless it's filthy rags right filthy rags it's dangerous very dangerous mindset yep um i don't know but those who endure to the end will be saved so yeah i i think like i go back to self-control i think people just really don't there are so many times that back in the day i used to just like

When I wasn't saved even more so, I had absolutely no self-control. My mouth, my actions, the whole thing. And, like, you're supposed to be opposite of that. You're 180-degree turn from that. If you're still a Christian, and you're lacking self-control and you look very similar, I used to have a family member who was a very temperamental, very angry person, and they would say, well, that's just, and they were Christian, and that's just how God made me.

No, that's not how God made you. That's how your parents allowed you to behave and treat, you know, they gave you everything that you wanted, and they never disciplined you, and you were never corrected. That's not how God made you. That's how you were trained, and you grew up, and no one ever spanked you and said, you're not going to act like a spoiled brat.

That's not going to be allowed. And then on top of that, when you got saved, When God tried to correct you in your behavior, you said, no, not today. Right. Because you can't act like that and call yourself a Christian. Most people don't want what you have if they see you behaving like that. They just don't. It's a turnoff.

If you look the same way, you act the same way, and you talk the same way, you're no different than the world. So why would somebody look at you and say, oh, that's a Christian? They're not going to. And self-control is the key to all of that. Right. Right. And so what's the opposite of self-control? It's being disciplined.

It's being consistent every single day. Not having self-control? What's the opposite of self-control? So it would be being disciplined. No. Opposite of... Same. That's the same as self-control.

Opposite of someone not having self-control. Self-indulgent? Yes. The opposite of self-indulgent? Yeah. Is go ahead. True. that um is is being disciplined like how do you how do you how do you how do you become self

like how do you get self-control is by being disciplined by being consistent by being in your word by staying consistent with um with the word and being connected to jesus um and if you're not doing those things which is the force central yeah and then what is it yourself indulgent indulgence that's yeah there's so many times that people have come to abide or even on church on Sunday and they're like I really didn't want to come today but I knew I had to that's having self-control like your flesh wanted to sleep and then you came and then they're like this was like the best sermon I've ever heard this was such a I knew like I'm so glad I didn't stay home which you should know and recognize discipline yeah recognize the days and I used to say this yeah to myself when

I really didn't want to do something I used to say to myself there's a reason why Satan doesn't want me here right I recognize this yeah so that means I really should go right do the opposite of what you're feeling. And if you think that, like, there's a possibility that you being in a certain room that God needed you there, now you're no longer just thinking, like, I'm going to church from me, I'm worshiping for me, I'm listening to the message from me. Like, maybe God needs you to do something there. And so then you're thinking about other people. And we're created to serve like we are. And so when you go into a room and you know that God sent you there because he needed you to do something, you go in differently. It's not all about you. Complete different mindset.

But it isn't about you. No, it's not. And you're not happy. Like, everything's about you and you're not happy. So opposite season, do start serving. When I went through my separation, I found out in September, everything happened. So it was like very, very new at the end of September. So October, I had to start making decisions about the holidays.

Ugh. Correct. And my girls were, like, had just turned five years old in May. So they were five and a half years old. I was a stay-at-home mom every day with them, never, ever didn't have them. Even when we would go out on dates or go out with people, like I put them to bed and then I went out. I never didn't have my girls with me. And so I was like, well, this is going to be terrible.

And so I told my mom, I'm like, he, we figured out that I would have them for Christmas this year. I had to fight for that. But I got them for Christmas the first year, but I didn't have them for Thanksgiving. And so I told my mom, I'm like, I don't want to have a normal Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving. Like, that will make me sad. So we went to a soup kitchen because I'm like, if I can go and put myself in a position where I see that somebody else is way worse than me, then my mind will be okay. And then we ended up having a Thanksgiving dinner later, but it wasn't on Thanksgiving when everybody on social media. Like you kind of just,

when you're going through something, especially when it's not your fault, don't be a victim. Like, go and serve somebody. So we did. And it was one of my like most memorable Thanksgiving's that I've had that, and it wasn't sad at all. Like not even a little tiny bed. I was like, man, God, you are so good. My whole family came. Like it was, it was a really, really awesome Thanksgiving. And then our own little Thanksgiving was great, too. God honored that in my heart. And so you just, if you're very self-focused and everything's about you and everybody is doing this and I'm never, I'm always left out and, oh, stop.

Like, you're not happy. You're not. And if you need healing in your body, go heal people. Yes. Like, whatever you're in need of, you do. Yes. Because that first of all, if you're needing healing in your body and you start laying hands sickness sick and you start seeing them healed, guess what happens to you? Your faith is built.

And then you realize the power that is inside of you and you'll actually receive your healing based on your actions. Yeah. It happened to me when I abide. All the time it happens. We were praying over everybody and I didn't tell them that I needed prayer. And by the end of it, I was like, oh, I'm fine. I didn't pray for myself. So it's so true. If you want friends, go be a friend be friendly if you want relationships go be nice to people if you want a village oh my gosh because it does take a village it's a lot to unpack but oh my gosh please god I know tom doesn't listen to this podcast no but for real though let's just let's just talk about that real quick people want a village they want community they want friends right but they're not willing

to be friendly they're not willing to be a villager they're not willing to um inconvenience themselves right yeah right but they want the benefits of a village they want the benefits of being connected to a community but they're not willing to put anything it's like come into church and not tithing right you know it's so funny it's because i've had listen this is so flippin funny i've had people get mad because like something happens in their life And they need the church to come in and swoop in, or church people, I should say, not necessarily church. They'll want people from the church to come in and help give provision, you know, like somebody's sick in the family. So they need, they want dinners made or whatever, right?

And they will be so bothered and so upset that nobody came to their aid and nobody helped them out, right? First of all, nobody knew, because they have no friends. And second of all, my comment has been, and they don't like this. But when you're, you come to me, you're going to get truth. And so they'll be so bothered and so upset that nobody was there for them. And my question to them is, how many meals did you bring to somebody else when they were in need? So the seed. So the seed.

And most, and nobody ever. that's ever been mad right that people weren't there for them not one not one person has ever said I have done that and I still nobody was there for me I have never had one person come to me it's always been I've done nothing I've given zero I've never made one meal not one meal for another family yet they were all hot and bothered that was not done for them. Right. Do you know how many times I've asked for meals to be cooked for me? I've never asked. Do you know how many times? Do you know how many times? Probably never. Never. And do you know any times people have offered? A lot. A lot. Right. But like and that's the

like that's the problem and that's why victim mentality drives me absolutely crazy because it's not going to get you the result you want. Right. Like you've that that mindset is going to push everybody away and it's going to make you hate people, like you are. And so I've planted seed and take, I do do that stuff. I do take care of people. So guess what happens? When I'm in need, it's offered to me. And it just seems like such an easy fruit check.

It's as if it was scripture. I know. I don't know. So. What's your reef. I know, literally. I'm like, you would think it doesn't change the fact that they walk away. Irritated and bothered.

That's what I mean. And there's like, that's what I think about. But it's truth. The victim mentality is that nobody wants to reflect back and be like, okay, she's right. I never have given anything to anybody. Yeah. I'm going to start doing that from now on. And I'll just learn.

That's not what I hear, though. Right. Of course. It's crazy. I know. It's crazy. They do not say that. I know.

I know. They look at me like, so what. Right. So what I haven't done that. I'm like, okay. I don't know what to tell you. I just need to take a map. It's exhausting.

Literally it's exhausting at some, it is exhausting sometimes at the level of ignorance. I know. And sometimes it's not ignorance. It's entitlement. And it's like, and I will give examples.

And I have. Like, I'm like, you know, that may have happened to you, but I can give you names. And I will sometimes be like, this person went through something similar. We had to tell people stop. Yeah.

They need to stop giving. Why do you think that is? It's because they invest. They invest in this ministry and they invest in people. It's not the church and it's not the people in the church. No. It's the person. Right.

Right. It's the way it is. Every time we had an abide event, especially when we were smaller and we asked everybody chip in to do like a baby shower, we always had too much money. Like we wanted to like, yes, literally we had to tell them to stop. Like somebody needed a baby carriage, so it was a big event or a big person. event or a big purchase we had everybody chip in it was too much money like we had to end up giving them in the book of acts yeah it's as if it's scripture it's it also happened in the old

testament right when they were building the temple and they literally had to tell the people to stop bringing stuff oh yes you're right you're absolutely right stop bringing we've got too much right could you imagine wow that would be nice but but the the way the things are at today is entitlement and And what's in it for me? And it's very selfish. Very selfish. We're going to have to keep going on to Wednesday, which I'm totally fine with. I love that.

I like the next one. But the next one's so good. But are the next one that's after this or going to the next. Godliness. Yeah, godliness. Imagine that like perseverance. And then, okay, what are we persevering in? Godliness.

So, like, it's all, like, connecting. It is all connecting. So good. It's breaking it down. But let me just read you in the, read to you. and what this says and in exercising knowledge develop self-control

and in exercising self-control develop steadfastness patience, endurance and in exercising steadfastness develop godliness so notice that in the Amphi like classic it's saying for you to develop it

the expectation wasn't that it should just hop down and you should just be that right that's a good point no that's not expectation was not like okay there you go right now now do it

no you're to develop it you're to exercise it it's to become a habit it should be something that just over time absolutely naturally occurs I did not like I am a whole different person than what I used

to be from when we first started this church I am a whole different person and I and I am very happy that I am the same person very grateful but I'm sure and they are because well Vanessa knows but I was not I'm totally different no I'm different too and I'm glad I'm not the same either I'm sure you're glad that I'm not the same though we're not the same because Lord's a mercy could you imagine how much more better is that a no it's two positives is that good grammar

probably not but it doesn't matter we'll be I always use the same year I know I do think about that like even like even more better even more better in 10 years yeah how much better will we be in 10 years yeah because we were to go from glory to glory victory to victory victory so in 10 years I know like unstoppable yeah yeah flip and unstoppable have to have perseverance that's if we don't give up that's if we don't give up right that's if we give up or go backwards we got to run the race yeah no thank you it's so it's crazy but I take it as a compliment to myself like that I didn't allow myself to stay the same. Amen.

At all. Yeah. True. And that's because the Lord is very patient. You're the minority. I think we're the minority. We are the minority because most people just like are like that person. That's why God made me.

Yes. I'm like, bull crap. I hate that saying. Yeah. Bull crap. That's not how he made you. Right. God does not make us.

God expects like, yes, the heart is desperately. wicked and we were all born with a sinful nature okay but god didn't do that it was the sin of man and satan himself that played played a part in that god had nothing to do with you having a sinful nature sorry that's just not true then he couldn't expect us to be perfect as he is perfect that scripture would just be totally null and void or that we are to be holy as he is holy that scripture would be null and void. Or that theology, I should say, of this is the way God made me. Well, okay, then he can't give you those scriptures for you to do that very thing.

It's not possible. But, again, it's just trying to make excuses for being able to live however you want to and it be okay. It's never okay. Let's do sponsors really quick. Real estate appraisal Associates of Southwest Florida Inc. is owned by Laura Keller. and they've been in business since 2005. They provide the most accurate certified home appraisal in southwest Florida, and they have upfront pricing with no hidden fees.

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9-4-1-4-60-39-62. Thank you so much for joining us today on the Hope Hotline. We hope you have a fantastic fall-licious. Christmas isious, some of you. It's starting next weekend for me. Fallicious weekend. Enjoy that crispy, nice weather. I know.

It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. And we will see you on Sunday, whether it's through live stream or in person. Make sure you are here and make sure that you, what do I want to say? Bring a friend. Yeah, you can bring a friend. Invite somebody.

Invite your friends. That person that said they wanted to come. Just be like, hey, do you want to come with me this weekend? Because I have a few people that are like, oh, yeah, yeah, we're going to be there. And they keep not being there. So I'm going to tell Jare, because it's his friends. oh well they suck um no what i was going to say is like like don't be a hearer of the word be a doer of the word i mean it's great and all to show up true which we want you to show up

please but there's no point in showing up if you're not going to do something with it so that's a word because that's what we're talking about here so like be here live stream in person but do something with it make sure that on Monday you don't look the same as you did on Sunday and then Tuesday you don't look the same as you did on Monday like make some radical choices

and decisions in your walk with God I mean that's what is it we're in desperate need of people making radical decisions and choices because then the Charlie Kirk effect actually sticks and sustains itself versus like COVID, like once it was gone, people went back to their all ways. Okay, guys, nothing's changed except in your mind.

But nothing has changed. The agenda is still the same and things are going to come back. And you're going to be caught off guard once again because you didn't stick to what God's word says. And people will be crying all over again. But we won't because we're going to smell it. We're going to see it and we're going to know it right away. Amen. And you could have, but you didn't do what it took.

So make sure, if you come, make sure you do something with it. Because what's the point? Right. There's no point. Amen. Amen. We will see you later. Wednesday, if you don't join us for church on Sunday.

Bye. Real talk. Real talk. Real talk.