The Hope Hotline - The Hope Hotline | S01-E18 | 03-17-23

Episode Date: March 17, 2023

Question #1 I found some of our Catholic rosaries and Mary statue given as family gifts for my kids first communions. One time I thought they were sentimental keepsakes. Now I wonder if I should toss them. I have been trying to get rid of things I have purchased as art or souvenirs (Egypt, Native American) that may represent the occult. Stinks to throw away memories or good family trips and special occasions but I do want to honor God and NOT honor the enemy.Question #2So, if I am divorced not from adultery or abandonment does porn addiction or unnecessary business travel to be continuously away from home count? If I divorced not in the will of God can I never re-marry now? Or is there a path for me to repent and then be eligible in God’s eyes to eventually date and marry? I’m 16 years divorced and now am living as a Christian. Question #3What’s your favorite flavor ice cream? Question #4I am struggling with the fact that my parents and siblings are not saved. I am Cambodian and I was raised Buddhist, but it never felt right to me. I met my husband at 17, got pregnant at 18 in college and saved at 24 then got married right away. My husband finally found Jesus right before attending Foundation Church. We couldn’t grow in our faith because we were never united in a church, but we are now in Foundation Church. How can we be saved as a family at church? Is that something you will do at some point for folks like us? Please help guide us on our next steps?Question #5Age difference. How far it too far? Question #6Just wanted to know what the Bible says about cremation and maybe your views about it.

Real Talk. Real Talk. Real Talk. Real Talk. Thank you for tuning in to the Hope Hotline. I am excited about today. Got some really good questions. But before I start out, I want to address two questions that have come in very recently

so that I can have you look at some podcasts that will answer your questions. So my first question is that I want you to go back and look at another podcast to answer your question so you're not like waiting. It says, in a marriage, if one person is struggling with something that is sinful, would that prevent the couple from receiving blessings, specifically financially? If so, how does one go about bringing that to their attention so they can overcome it together?

That question was answered on Wednesday, or it's very similar. I'm gonna add to the question really quickly, but go back and look on Wednesday, March 8th, which is episode 15th for the most part it answers your question what I would add to the answer when you go back and watch your question says if so how does one go about bringing that to their attention so they can overcome it together so what I would say to you if it's something uh you said they're struggling with it being sinful

so that means they're not um cave to it they're not living a lifestyle of it so what I would tell you to do is uh pick the right timing if it's a guy that this is is for guys have a timing the right timing that you have to go and talk to them about things. You can't just walk in on a guy and address a situation at the wrong moment. They have timing issues. For me, you can ask me pretty much, unless I am in the middle of something super busy or crazy, you're going to be able to ask me a question pretty much anytime women are very versatile we're very flexible we're we're we don't like

we can multitask right guys can't so to go to them and just start talking about something you gotta pick the right time that That's just the way it is. So when the moment, and you know what? The thing is, is this. I will tell you, in the past, one particular time, I really wanted to talk to Tom about a specific situation, a specific thing. It wasn't sin or anything, but it was something that was very deep

and something that I thought was, that the heart needed to be in the right place for us to have this discussed. And it was it was about the church. So he's very good about the church. He's good at discussing it. But sometimes his mind is made up very strongly on issues. And so he's not a real movable person and those so i knew that i was gonna it was gonna have to be at the right time for me to discuss this so what i

did is i did a three-day fast call me crazy but i did because it was that important to me to have his heart so what i did is i did what esther did i fasted for three days so that when i went in to approach him i would be found with favor and that the door and heart would be open to what was being said. It was perfect. It worked out great because at the end of the three-day fast, God had the moment and the time perfect for me to go in and speak to him. When I knew it was the right timing, I went in. I spoke to him, and he actually had the heart to hear what I knew it was the right timing. I went in, I spoke to him, and he actually had the heart to hear what I wanted to say.

And he ended up actually moving in my direction on it. But I invested the time and I spiritually went after it in the manner in which the word says like we wage not against flesh and blood but against the principalities and the spirits uh so that that are forces for the devil right and i'm not saying that tom was like working forces for the devil that's not that was it's the farthest thing from it but what i'm'm saying to you is, I knew that I needed to make this a spiritual matter. So I took it and I made it a spiritual matter and I went after it spiritually speaking.

And it was that important to me. I would suggest to you, fast, pray. So that when you go to speak to your husband about this, his ears will be here and his heart will be open. He won't know that you fasted. Tom didn't know I fasted. He knew much later that I fasted over it. But I didn't like manipulate.

I didn't tell him I was fasting so I could talk to him so I can manipulate the situation. I did everything quietly. I left it up to the Holy Spirit. And then it worked out. So again, I always go back. It's a matter of the heart. Everything we do is a matter of the heart everything we do is a matter of the heart and that's what god looks at and so you have to go after things with pure motives

and so i would suggest to you let's go back to episode uh 15 on wednesday the 8th listen to that then i would hit and target uh speaking to him on a spirit in the spiritual realm prayerfully fast uh and get in your word to find out exactly what needs to be said how it needs to be said in the scriptures that need to follow suit with what you're talking about okay whatever your financial thing or whatever the struggle is or whatever have the word correlate with what you're saying you can't defy the word fast over the matter and prayerfully go after it as well okay so that one's that and the next one is this one's a little bit longer i'm only going to read the first paragraph okay and the reason is is because you'll know who you are when i give this this question okay

how many verses are there in the bible the actual number then unequivocally teach the that people who reject christ will burn in hell for all eternity what does the bible predominantly say the preponderance of the evidence will be the fate of the wicked is it perish annihilation destruction destroy die be cut off like chaff that the wind drives away or is it burn and torment forever okay then there's two more paragraphs okay i discuss this this is very close to the annihilation theory and it may not be close enough for you um when you're done reading it or watching what i said but here's the thing go to episode seven on february 8th which is wednesday wednesday february 8th episode seven okay listen i'm here to answer questions and i want to answer questions

some of them i'm always going to have a biblical standpoint for the most part of my opinion. But I'm giving you my opinion. I am not going to do the research for, like, to ask the actual number of Bible verses. Listen. And I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible. And it might not be considered nice. Heather is laughing over there. I'm dead to say this in the nicest way possible, and it might not be considered nice. Heather is laughing over there. I'm dead serious about this. Okay, get off your lazy keister is what I really want to say,

but I'm not going to say that, okay? Listen, get in the Word. Do some homework. Study it out for yourself. Watch this episode that I gave, but here's the thing. You have to do a little bit of homework people I'm gonna I'm gonna do homework too and I'm gonna look things up but I am not going to go dig so deep for people that like if I did this whole entire question you know how many people will watch this podcast for how long they would start they would start hearing me teach on this and then they would turn

off in five minutes okay we're not doing that this the purpose of this is for people to ask a question maybe able to answer that question my leg is itching maybe to be able to answer that question within a 15 to 20 minute time frame tops tops okay but my job isn't to look up and count numbers of scripture verses for people okay you do that you just you study out the word a little bit okay that's what you have to do answer some of your own questions it's super easy to do it's just very time consuming but this is your question dear dear soul this is your question you need to dig deep i answered what i'm going to answer for the most part in episode 7 february february 8th anything more than that i'm not doing because no one will watch this podcast, okay? And if you study it out, guess what? You'll remember it.

If I do all of the homework for you, you'll never remember it. Am I being nice? I am being nice, right? My heart is not to insult, but also to be very stern and direct. Like, this is too much. Way too much. So, God bless you you but start counting enough about that start counting the verses it'll help you okay first question and i'm not mad about that last question just so you know i'm not irritated or mad about it, but I just think, like, there's only so much people can ask of somebody to do.

I know this is a question and answer podcast, but you can't ask somebody to count how many Bible verses there are in the Bible. You can't do that. I mean, just, that's like a wow, a big wow on my part. But not an angry or an irritated wow. It's more like, wow, that's a bit much. They may not have thought that when they sent it because you said you sent questions. But it is a lot.

They may not have thought about how many. But like processing that, like how am I supposed to count how many scripture verses? You know what I'm saying? like I have to go through they did not think that I know everything trust me oh please okay after we're done with this podcast I'm going to go into the bathroom and throw up after what the the the load of hooey that is being spewed at me right now we're just playing devil's advocate you're not playing devil's advocate you're over there like the load of hooey that is being spewed at me right now? You're not playing devil's advocate. You're over there like, well, in some ways, Heather,

you were playing devil's advocate with your initial thing, which is true. Maybe they didn't process it and think of it like that. I totally concur with you 100%. That's not, well, I know the innocence behind the question could potentially be, I never looked at it like that, but I know that the person could be very innocent in what they're saying, that's why I'm not irritated or mad. I'm more like, that's shocking that you would,

but, but, it's so true, like, somebody might be saying, well, I never thought like asking you to count the number is that big of a deal. It's a big deal. It's a big deal. It's a big deal. But God bless you. I appreciate the question. And I don't want people to be afraid to ask me questions.

But let's, when we ask the question, make sure that it can be answered within a 10 tops. Like let's stick to it. Because sometimes these questions have required me 20 minutes. And God bless, some of it's been my fault when I've gone too long. It ain't yours. stick to me because sometimes my these questions have required me 20 minutes and god bless some of it's been my fault when i've gone too long it ain't yours it probably has an app for how many i don't know that question i'm just telling you the question is so vast i just don't know if there is outside of what i already posted about the annihilation theory because it's, listen, the annihilation theory is very vague.

It has like five different topics and it's, see, we're going way beyond 20 minutes because I'm already talked about something more than it needs to be talked about. Thank you, Heather. I blame you. Oh my gosh, I could see my fat. That's funny. Thank you, Heather. I blame you. Oh, my gosh. I could see my fat. That's funny. The desk needs to be higher, but if the desk is higher,

like after the second podcast we did, by the second podcast, I said, girls, lower the desk. I mean, like everything's sitting on the desk. And then, do you not know, like a week and a half, two weeks later, after I said, we need to lower this desk girls this is too high somebody writes in you need to lower your desk I kid you not somebody sent in a they didn't send in a question they were like you might need to lower your desk because I'm like mm-hmm let's see sweet of them to suggest it cuz at least you know whatever that's kind you know but

already ahead of you heather quit sending me emails okay i was on break okay okay now to the important things and i gotta find my first question because I'm already I love these these questions some of these questions today I absolutely loved but I can't find them found it okay first one I found some of our Catholic rosaries and Mary statue given as family gifts for my kids' first communions. One time I thought they were sentimental keepsakes. Now I wonder if I should toss them.

I have been trying to get rid of things I have purchased as art or souvenirs, like from Egypt and Native Americans. Well, I guess she went to Egypt, or he, or Native American. That may represent the occult. Stinks to throw away memories of good family trips and special occasions, but I do want to honor God and not honor the enemy. Well, here's the thing. I always say it's a matter of the heart, right? When you look at those things, are you like,

Native American culture is very, very cultish. They do a lot of things. If you hear any banging, we got work being done. Okay, so I apologize if you hear banging, but the work can't stop. So if you bought something on vacation vacation did you buy whatever you bought like they have those Native American dream catchers and stuff like that like the for decorative pieces or um they're hung on the their uh some people put them on their rear view mirror and things like that I'm not a big dream catcher girl uh a lot of people believe in them I don't but some people

have bought them for decorative pieces they didn't really buy them because they consider that they really catch dreams right or the bad dreams or whatever um so I would say again it's a matter of the heart and the reason behind it that this question isn't a black or white it's not a heaven and a hell it doesn't say that if you do these things it it's in the ten commandments we're to not have idols right so we're not to worship something other than our god you're not worshiping these things um you're not teaching your kids that they that if there's something that um you have that's native american that it's a truth that's what you follow. It's more of a sentimental decorative piece, and it's looked upon as that.

My son collects shot glasses. Okay, he doesn't drink, but everywhere he goes, if I go somewhere, I buy him a shot glass, right? It means nothing. We don't look, and we have it in our house uh i'm somebody might come to my house and see that i have shot glasses uh i mean i don't have we don't drink at all we don't condone drinking at all but some of the wine got some of those shot glasses are pretty dang cool. I mean, I don't take issue with that.

It's like work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. So don't put something on something that's not the case. If it's a family heirloom or sentimental to you, keep it. Like the rosaries, you're not praying the rosaries, right? You're not worshiping the Mary statue, correct? So it's an heirloom, it's a gift. It's nothing more than that. I just don't think you should make more of it. I think it's incredibly, what's the right word but I think that

it's wise of you to examine those things and see what they mean to you why you have them things like that okay but I don't think that it's necessary for you to get rid of them if your heart is pure behind why you're keeping them and if you want them to be passed down but your children know like the Catholic faith is missing some things behind it listen there's gonna be Catholic people that go to heaven there are there's gonna be Baptists that go to heaven there's gonna be Pentecostals that go to heaven there's gonna be Episcopalians and Presbyterians,

all different denominations. They're all going to heaven. Some of them have things in them that they shouldn't have, that aren't actually scriptural. But people are going to heaven that are in those different denominations, right? They've got a relationship with the Lord lord they've repented of their sin they believe in the lord jesus christ that he died on the cross so that they might be saved so for me it's don't worry about it if your heart is pure the reason behind them behind it if you have something

that you know you pass down to your children and you have a little note with it and says this, we bought this at this date and it's sentimental because of this. And you don't even have to do that. But your kids will know. They're not going to start becoming Catholics because you kept a Mother Mary statue, right? They're just not. I don't know. I just don't get too deep in the weeds. Just always examine your heart. But don't get deep deep in the weeds just always examine your heart but don't get deep into

the weeds about things okay uh next question so if I'm divorced not from adultery or abandonment does porn addiction or unnecessary business travel to be continuously away from the home count if I divorce not in the will of God, can I never remarry now? Or is there a path for me to repent and then be eligible in God's eyes to eventually date and marry? I'm 16 years divorced and now I am living as a Christian. Okay, so let's take away everything that you said prior to this, except for the last sentence, okay? Because the last sentence is the most important sentence that you said of everything, okay?

It says, I'm 16 years divorced and now am living as a Christian. Okay, sounds like you were not saved at the time of your divorce 16 years ago. Okay, the Bible is very clear. not saved at the time of your divorce 16 years ago. Okay. The Bible is very clear. You are accountable for what you know, not for what you don't know. If you were not saved 16 years ago and you divorced for reasons other than adultery and abandonment, then you're okay. Lots of people that are saved today and remarried were not, when they got divorced, they didn't know any better. They didn't know that they couldn't just,

I'm falling out of love or we've grown apart or he looks at porn so I'm leaving. They didn't know that it was a sin. They didn't know that you can't divorce for those reasons so when they got saved it's under the blood you're forgiven you don't have to worry about a thing at all if you committed adultery and we're not living for the lord okay if you committed adultery not living for god Your spouse divorced you for that. Then got saved and now are remarried. You're okay.

You weren't saved. We are accountable for the sin. We are accountable for what we don't or what we know. Not for what we don't know. There are a lot of people. There are some Christians, and the divorce rate's very high in the Christian realm, and it shouldn't be.

But there's a lot of people who are divorcing for non-biblical reasons. I mean, it's a risk. I'm not going to say, I don't know what happens specifically. I don't know where the forgiveness lies in that that's a chance you're taking because it says that you can't get divorced for any of but two reasons people always like to throw porn in there um I'm not saying that that's what you did I'm just saying in general people like to throw porn in the mix uh he committed adultery it it is true. Lust of the heart is like lust of the flesh. Okay.

But here's the line I will say to you. If the person didn't commit actual adultery with a physical human being, I don't know if you can fall on the porn. Okay. Because people could get divorced all the time. And that's not what Jesus' intentions were when he was talking about adultery and abandonment, or excuse me, adultery being the only reason. So I don't know if you can really use porn as a,

because there's no physical act of, even though it says lust of the eyes is the same as lust of the flesh. I do understand that. But I just, I think that's a deep dive to a certain extent. And I think it's kind of risky to get a divorce over that. But you're, and here's the thing, if you are not saved,

which it sounds like you were not saved at the at the time you're okay you definitely can get remarried you can you're you're totally fine you're totally fine I'm glad you I'm glad that that you did become saved I'm glad that you care about that question I'm glad that you're you're considering whether or not it's something that you should or shouldn't do but you're absolutely if you were not saved 16 years ago when you got your divorce you're fine and you are now get married have well it's 16 years ago I was gonna say have children but depending on your age you might not not want to or have be able to. No, don't adopt.

It depends on, she's my age and it was 16 years ago. I don't have any desire for adoption. None whatsoever. So be free, have fun, within reason. Only date Christians, never an unbeliever. And only marry the guy or girl that God's told you to marry. Don't make the same mistake twice. So there you go.

The next question. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? I have a few. But my ultimate, ultimate, favorite favorite ice cream is chocolate peanut butter I love chocolate peanut butter it's the best like the best of the best of the best next next best is mint chocolate chip yeah Heather Heather knew I liked that one I love chocolate I mean I love mint chocolate chip your mint mouth is minty fresh afterwards for a short period of time, and then the dairy kicks in, and it turns your whole mouth sour.

But you know what I really, really love? This is not the best. Chocolate peanut butter is the best, right? But I love, Heather knows this too. Like, I'm trying to lose weight, okay? Heather's laughing. Along with the gummies that I'm eating right now. My weight gummies.

When I get home, I have to take two. Along with my weight gummies and my intermittent fasting, I'm trying to not eat ice cream ice cream is my achilles heel i love it chocolate it's a whopper it's a doozy kills me every time so like in the um office here heather i'm gonna have um well i'm gonna to have Tracy take a picture of this big. Heather bought this ice bucket for when we have guests come into town. For guest speakers. One of our working guys. I love him.

He just blew a kiss at me. He's a sweet boy. So, the ice bucket, I just thought, I was thinking, people are going to say he blew a kiss to you. That's inappropriate. No, he's like, he's not like my kid, but I've witnessed to him. I'm trying to get him saved. He thinks I'm like his mama, you know, but he's not my kid,

but he thinks I'm his mama. Oh, this is my husband. Hold on. Heather's going catch and talk answer time okay that's live and in person okay so we have a big huge ice bucket and uh it's full of cookies candy hard candy soft candy. I'll have her put it on there for everybody to see because it's chucked full. Like it's, it's big. Does he need me? No. Okay. What time is it? He doesn't know that he's, he might've been calling for his food order, but probably not. He's got 30 minutes and then I'll take it. So like we have a real problem here.

We have buckets of cheat of snack bags of chips and then good healthy snacks, too. But the bad ones are always calling your name. It's not good and once you have one it's like a chip you can't stop so I don't start with ice cream I did have some last night cuz I was it's my cheat day healthy like halo like halos good they have a chocolate peanut butter one but here's the thing. You can't, like, even with Halo, you're only allowed to eat a little part of that. And then the cow.

So, like, you're, like, killing yourself. Like, what's the point? I'm not going to do it to me. I'm not. I refuse. It's either all the way or nothing. Thank you. Yes. All to me. I'm not. I refuse. It's either all the way or nothing. Thank you. Yes.

All or nothing. That's it. Back to ice cream. So Culver's. I don't know how many of you guys love Culver's. But I love Culver's. I love their food. I love their ice cream.

Tom loves their shakes. They got some good shakes. What is that? What kind of ice cream is that? That's not ice cream. Tom loves their shakes. They got some good shakes. What is that? What kind of ice cream is that? That's not ice cream. It's custard. It's thick and yummy. So they have a blackberry cobbler.

I love their blackberry cobbler ice cream. You know they have the flavor of the week. No, it's flavor of the day, right? It's flavor of the day. That's how much I don't go because I love it so they every and just like on Friday I think blackberry cobbler was their favorite flavor of the day I know Heather just said that's her jam it is I love. I love Blackberry Cobbler. It's like nothing. I didn't, though. I did not turn my car around.

First of all, I'm intermittent fasting. And then I thought, I'll go there when I get off my fast. But then I was like, I'm not going after I get done with my fast. Because you know what? I don't want to go back out. Plus, it's not good. It's not good. I like ice cream ice cream gets on me way worse than anything else and then custard is even more better than and that's not proper English right there but it's

better it is more better than regular ice cream so favorite ice cream is chocolate peanut butter. If anybody ever wants to get me anything, get me a waffle cone with chocolate peanut butter ice cream in it. Hi, Brinley. And I will love you for life. Then there's always mint chocolate chip or blackberry cobbler from Culver's. Love it. My baby girl, my little, she's like my grandbaby. My little baby Brinley was just

puking through the window at me so okay we have a lot of action going on around here today so next question i am struggling with the fact that my parents and siblings are not saved that would be tough i i that would be tough she goes i am Cambodian and I was raised Buddhist but it never felt right to me isn't that funny because God is God I mean you people I've known of other people who have done other religions and they just always sensed and knew that this isn't it like there's there's something more it's just so amazing how God formed us and made us be like that just so that you will come to him like everybody has a fighting chance um everybody has a fighting chance someday I'm going to tell you Tracy's cousin story like for the people who've it's who have been concerned about suicide or lost somebody that didn't know the Lord.

And she has a story that's similar to a family member of mine story. That it will just inspire you to know that up to our last dying breath, God is fighting for us. Tooth and nail. And it's such a relief in knowing that that's the case with God but it's a beautiful story about a family member that she just recently lost but I'll wait on that it's just it it gets you right in the feels that's for sure so so she goes I am Cambodian I was raised Buddhist but it never felt right to me. I met my husband at 17, got pregnant at 18 in college, and saved at 24, then got married right away.

My husband finally found Jesus right before attending Foundation Church. So you're a Foundation Church member. I think I know who you are. And if this is who I think it is, it's I love this girl. Oh, I love her. Cute as a bug in a rug. We couldn't grow in our faith because we were never united in church, Oh, I love her. Cute as a bug in a rug. We couldn't grow in our faith because we were never united in church,

but we are now in Foundation Church. How can we be saved as a family at church? Is there something you will do at some point for folks like us? Please guide us on our next steps. So let me bring some relief to you. You don't need to get saved again. You don't need to get saved as a family. That's not even in the Word of God. You don't need to get saved again. You don't need to get saved as a family. That's not even in the word of God.

You don't get saved as a family. You get saved as an individual. Now what you do is each person has received their own salvation, right? As a family unit, you come together every person plays a part in the family and how they are to operate as a christian unit unit okay that doesn't mean that you get saved as a family to make the christian unit work you're already saved you don't need to come to that agreement as a family together when you ask the lord to be your lord and savior your husband did and then eventually if your children haven't as they do everybody operates as a christian in that family to make a cohesive unit everybody has a role if the roles do not operate as they should,

then getting saved as a family unit is not going to change that fact. What's going to change that fact is, for example, the husband. The husband is the priest of the home, right? So if, and the wife is the support, correct? And husband and wife are to submit to one another. But ultimately, the wife submits to the husband if a decision has to be made and they can't come to a complete agreement on it.

So here's where the roles get jammed up. The husband is the priest of the home. He's working. Your husband's newly saved, right? he's working he your husband's newly saved right he's trying to find his way and he's about to make a decision that you don't agree with but it's not it's not that it's not uh a godly decision it's just not the one that you think he should he should make because you're more spiritual than him correct you have more a spiritual hearing so he does he's about to make a decision and he believes in his heart this is the one that he should make for the family

you disagree with it completely because you feel like you hear the voice of the Lord better he's more immature in his faith but he's trying to figure it out so what you do is you start to subvert that authority and try and coerce him manipulate him and not submit what he's saying because you know better okay God's not going to honor that first of all if he's seeking the Lord and he's about to make the wrong decision his heart is in the right place so the Lord is going to help him figure this out if you are right and he is making the wrong decision God will fix it God will make it are right and he is making the wrong decision God will fix it God will make it work and even if he makes the wrong decision God will still fix it because the

heart is in the right place but what is wrong is you and you'll answer for this too because God is not going to honor your manipulation or your you not being submissive to your husband when he is trying to do what is right for the family. Does that make sense? I hope it makes sense. So all of us have a part to play to make the family be a cohesive unit and to run as a biblical home, okay? When we step out of those things,

that's when everything gets jammed up and doesn't work properly. And if he were to make the wrong decision, what you're going to do is as he's making the wrong decision, you're just going to ask the Lord to keep showing him and showing him and showing him the right path. And you're going to be that support to him and help him find, you know, help the Lord give him guidance through this process. Okay. But we have a responsibility. your husband is the ultimate authority and he has the biggest he has the biggest uh well i won't i i think it is true um i was gonna say he's got the biggest role to play as far as he answers to god the most and how the family

will return respond and how the family because he guides he's like the shepherd so how he behaves and how he what kind of example he leads and how he leads this home biblically if it's not right he answers to God which is kind of a scary thing uh so there are lots of lots of scripture verses for him as being a father if he's a father Ephesians 6 4 says and you fathers do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and the admonition of the Lord if you want your child to be saved your husband's going to have to do that it's huge fathers do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord if you do opposite of that plan on them not serving the Lord and that's the truth so that's a huge role that didn't say mothers and you mothers it says and you fathers okay super

important also Proverbs 22 6 has trained up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it that is what you have to do now your family is saved so husband and wife's huge play a huge part that keeps a family intact a husband and wife staying married and not divorced okay you have to do that you have to be a united front so that's where it begins and then it trickles down to the children so that they are saved so that they come and have a strong relationship with the lord kids are the only thing you can take to heaven outside of yourself you can't take your spouse because he has a personal choice but your kids it's your job they are your investment you have the ability to ensure that they go to heaven or they may not they may they may not go to heaven

but but a lot of times the reason they don't go is because of the training that they were they were under the training was bad um if a parent wasn't saved oh well they were training their child up that doesn't mean all hope is lost you're not you can't win them to the lord no you got you got a fighting chance um the the word says that uh god honors the prayers of the righteous, right? And they avail much. So start praying over your children. You can also be the example to your kids. Make them want what you have.

That's not all. All hope is not lost. You have still a great deal of power and authority over where your children end up, whether they're adults or still small. Be the godly example. Win the loss. Show them what it looks like to be out there winning the loss. You also should be winning the loss if you don't have kids.

The other thing is make disciples. So your children are your disciples. You should be training them up to be disciples in the Lord. Also, you should be out there winning the loss and training people to be disciples. Your kids will see that, but as adults, that's our jobs to do. And then also pray in front of your kids. Pray. Pray in the spirit. Make sure they're seeing you read the bible daily those are all things super important but as a husband and wife you should be praying about your marriage you should be praying about your family and and even if you don't have kids you should be praying over opportunities to witness you should be making sure that your marriage stays first and foremost

outside of your walk with God. And your relationship with the Lord. Lord first, God first, marriage and husband and wife second. Then kids. A lot of times it gets jumbled up. God first, if he's lucky. Kids second. And husband or wife third.

But truth is, most of the times it's kids first. Husband and wife second. If they're lucky, God third. That's not good, but that's just the times it's kids first husband and wife second if they're lucky god third that's not good but that's just the way it is and it causes big issues and that's the reason why lots of marriages don't stay intact a lot of kids uh don't become saved divorce has played a huge part satan is very coming cunning he comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He has destroyed the family, and through the destroying of the family, he has created instability with kids. Kids now have seen how divorced parents marrying over and over and over again.

So marriage is not looked at as a sacred covenant, a binding contract. They look at it as if it doesn't work out, that's okay. I'll keep trying until I find the right one. It is not. It is not something that is easily walked into and easily exited out of. It is something that when you say I do, that is forever. No ifs, ands, or buts about it outside of adultery and abandonment. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. You stay committed, you stay to that person, and you work it out. There's no other options. But that's not what we do anymore. Even in the church, it's very willy-nilly. Like marriage is not looked at in the manner in which it is in the word would you agree with that yeah it's it's it's just it's it's just so flimpy people um

I ate lunch with um someone it I ate lunch with this uh beautiful woman on Friday. Oh my gosh. She, so sweet. Oh my gosh. She told me her husband, now let's see how long they've been married. Over 40 years. I can't remember. 47, I think it is. Get this, Tracy. She knew him for three days. Three days and got married to him. Yeah. That's nuts. That's crazy. Still married. Now, would I say that people should do that today?

Absolutely not. But the difference between her and her husband versus modern day society, or even not even, there are people in her age bracket that knew each other far longer than three days and they walked away from the marriage just like that no what this husband and wife did is they got married after three days and the commitment that they made was a commitment and no matter how hard or how tough times got which I don't even know if they ever had any hard times. She spoke of none of that.

If it was easy or if it was hard, regardless of the circumstances, there was no out for them. They were in it for the long haul, against the odds. They have a beautiful marriage, beautiful relationship. They're sweet as pumpkin pie. He was healed of cancer in our church yeah you did his testimony yeah he is very strong in his faith and um got healed of cancer when the doctors told him you you'll never be healed unless you get treated he's like i'm not getting treated he was you know he made a stand he had it for years

years cancer free if you're sick in your body and you or you took the vaccination and you're feeling the repercussions of it foundation church that's all i can tell you we see so many healings in this place it's insane all the time so if you need if you have sickness in your body if you need healing we'll definitely pray over you that's for sure come visit don't be shy we pretty much have we have people are up at the front all the time that uh are praying for people but then tom lays hands on the sick constantly so ever almost every sunday he lays hands on the sick but he he lays hands on people as they're leaving he prays over people all the time we stand out at the front and as people leave and we talk to people and he's always praying for somebody so if you're sick and

you need healing and you need hope please visit foundation church we'd love to pray with you. Next question, age difference. How far is too far? And I believe this question, this didn't say, but I believe this question is based on one of my last podcasts that talked about dating, right? Do you know what podcast that was? Was that last week's? Like How to get a man?

Was it about flirting and dating? How far apart should you date? That was like last week. She'll put it on the bottom for you. Like if you're single and you're wanting to find a mate, how much of an age difference should there be? That's what I'm believing. That's what this'm believing that's

what this question is about this is my opinion there's nothing in the word of God because here's the thing guys like when um Isaac got married he was 40 years old 40 Abraham had Isaac Isaac got married at 40 to Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Rachel. I got to go through my list. So normally the average age for a girl that got married in the biblical times was right around 14, 14 to 18. Okay, that's gross to me. I'm going to be honest with you. That's disgusting. But that was the culture right pedophilia the culture

my goodness gracious but they also got married very young boys men married very young too it just so happened like he was very he was abraham was way out there in the promised land there ain't there wasn't anybody you always married within your family they weren't close to the family so uh so isaac married his mother's brother's daughter does that make sense so they had to go back to to the servant had to go back to that family to get to get him a wife so that's a very large age difference okay i don't agree now the bible like i said the bible does have major age differences in it that's old testament not new testament um my opinion is 10 years anything over 10 years and it's getting a little skeevy

and gross either way personally though I will tell you I really don't know what a 30 year old woman would have in common with a 20 year old man like men are very immature to all together so when you're dating that 20 year old guy in my opinion it's like dating a 16 year old tops 18 tops gross like what do you have in common outside of pure lust and like trophy like you want to have this trophy with you now women are different we're more immature by nature not me I am not I've never have been I have not I've been so I'm I'm so immature I mean I'm mature but listen when I was 23 I was dating a 19 year old yeah I acted like I was 16 he was more mature than me he was hot though oh my word let me just tell you this I would go out with this guy and he wasn't a boyfriend I didn't want to I didn't want to have a solid relationship with him or anything like that. Just wanted to go out and have fun.

But he was so dang hot. Like people would stop dead in their tracks. My friends even were like, how in the world did you get that guy? And I had to honestly respond with, I don't know. I've asked that same question myself. I had no idea how that guy liked me. Outside of the fact that I work for a company where I got free tickets to sports events, and he might have dated me for that. He might have used me, and seriously, I don't blame him.

It's sports events. They were great seats. He was a trophy. He was a trophy. I didn't mind, I didn't mind being used I didn't um because he was good looking but really seriously anything more than 10 years is just gross to me I mean what do you Tracy what do you think 10's it right like my sister her husband he's 10 years older than her. She's super mature.

Like my sister, my older sister, she acts older than her husband. Like he's kind of like me. Like he's a kid at heart. Men are kids at heart. They're children, right? They're children. They're fun. That's what makes them so appealing, right?

So she's more mature than him. And my younger sister, she married somebody, I think he's eight. If he's not eight, he's just, he might be seven. But he's like eight years older. But she's more mature than me. Like my younger sister,'s more mature than me like my younger sister way more mature than me in a lot of ways in some ways no but that's a good fit they are they fit really good together he's such a great guy he's not really

immature though he's not got a lot of child in him her husband no hey man he's a great guy just he's a he's such a sweet man uh he looks like George Bush oh yeah oh yeah looks like not senior junior holy mackinoli he looks like I see I think George Bush is a nice looking man yeah right but yeah she did good she did good think George Bush is a nice looking man. Yeah. Right. But yeah. She did good. She did good for herself. He's a good looking guy. He just.

He's just not very childlike. But. She isn't either. They're a perfect match. Yeah. I think it is. I think it is maturity. I think it is maturity.

I think that's a big thing. Like, Jared's not mature at all. What is that? You're only four years apart? Tom's younger than me. He likes to say two years, but that's not true. Because I am, well, right now we're the same age. I mean, we're not the same age we're close I am

I am 55 I have to think about it he's 54 but when we have that two year time difference between May and September he likes to say it's two years when really it's like a year and a half a little bit a little bit more than a year and a half but not by much so yeah but I like younger guys I like I never date really dated my age no what you always dated older really okay hold on one second let's get personal with Tracy really quick how much older what's the oldest guy you ever dated if you're a freshman in high school you always dated a senior yeah okay you always dated seniors even if you were a sophomore yeah did you ever date anybody was in college when you were in high school yes huh interesting I only dated I think I've only dated one guy that was older than me.

And the rest were younger. Yeah. I dated the pastor's sons. The pastor's sons. That's plural. That's kind of weird. There were only two boys, too. They didn't have any other kids.

But I dated the older brother first. Super nice guy. Not really a boyfriend. He was in college, so he would come home, and I would date him. Does she need you? And then I dated his brother, his younger brother. How long? Like long?

Like long relationship? No, I never dated for very long probably six months with the older brother and probably three or four with the other brother maybe a little bit longer than that but not by much but he he went gay I I don't think I turned him gay no it's not my fault he's like he he was on American Idol not American it wasn't American he's in he's in um England he lives in London I believe very like he's listen if he hadn't gone gay if he looked like he does now and wasn't gay and I knew him back in the day like Tom's the one I was supposed to marry right I

would have dated that guy a lot longer though good looking good looking guy turned out to be a really good looking guy he wasn't as good looking then but you know your kid your kid like he was I think I was 18 I think he was 17 something like that and you're in that weird, awkward stage. But he was both very nice guys, very good guys. The pastor, I mean, I don't know if they were, I don't think they were saved, but I'm pretty sure they weren't. Yeah, they weren't. I didn't do anything bad, but no, they weren't. I don't think they were saved.

But they were very, very nice boys. But their parents were a hot mess, so that probably had a lot to do with it. Yeah, not good. But very nice guys. So I say, back to you, not to me, 10 years is it. Don't go over that. Don't go under and don't go over. Like, dating somebody even 10 years younger than you, unless you're a guy.

I know that sounds so sexist, but's so true like it's a maturity thing I mean it's really cool to be a that air condition popped on and it feels great but it's really cool to be a cougar I think nowadays for women to be cougars and date men that are a lot younger like cleavage is about to show date men that are a lot younger than them so you can say hey i can get a younger guy but i mean what do you have in common there's nothing you have nothing in common unless you're in your 50s and he's in his 40s that makes sense to me but yeah but here's the thing my tom loves this show called million dollar listing and the new ones right now and the girl there what's her name i think it starts with a j i can't remember she's the only girl realtor

she's ridiculous first of all her attire is off the charts inappropriate in my opinion. Second of all she's 40 something years old divorced with two girls. She's dating a 20 something year old guy. She's a joke. I'm sorry she's a people would say well you're just jealous. No no no not jealous at all. I mean have you seen my husband? Not jealous at all. But you look ridiculous. first of all she doesn't dress her age you're in the 40s you're not in high school so quit dressing like you are come on she looks so insecure and so and Tracy that's it she's born in 75 so how old is she it's she's okay because seriously I knew she was in her 40s. Okay. Because seriously, I knew she was in her 40s.

I just didn't know what number it is. Okay. Because she said she's in her 40s. And the guy she's dating is like 26 or 27. 27? I don't know. Okay. And they talked about how there's 20-year age difference between them.

And they, come on. Get a grip. Like they come on get a grip like come on it's ridiculous 27 thank you you just look for me that's screaming desperate like you are trying to like relive something grow up I, you're making lots of money, but this thing right here, it ain't on screw tight. It's not. Dating somebody 20 years younger, he's a very good looking kid,

but it's, after you stop filling your face with Botox and your lips and everything else, eventually your true age is going to show and he's going to dump you. And maybe that's all she cares about is just using him, he's using her. But for me, self-respect. I like myself too much. I mean, again, I call myself a Bentley.

I like myself too much. I would never. But they're not saved either. Take that into consideration. But still, even if I wasn't saved, no're not saved either. Take that into consideration. But still, even if I wasn't saved, no, not doing it. Not doing it. Okay, next question, because I got two minutes left and I want to do my salvation. Just wanted to know what the Bible says about cremation and maybe your views about it.

Okay, there is absolutely nothing in the scriptures about cremation. Okay, it does say that you'll return to the earth like dust. There is absolutely nothing in the scriptures about cremation. Okay. It does say that you'll return to the earth like dust. Your body is going to go back to dust. So I have family members that have been cremated. I have family members that have been buried. My dad is buried. That's how he wanted to be done. My mom wants to be cremated.

So they're just going to put, once passes away on top of his box they're putting her cremate cremated remains it's not for me cremation is not that big of a deal it's a big deal to people because you're going it you're putting your body in fire you're dead your soul's in heaven who cares genesis 319 says in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, for out of it you are taken, for dust you are, and to dust you shall return. Let's look at the burial process. The burial process is where the oxidization of your body breaks down and then it turns into dust.

Okay. The cremation process does what the burial process does in minutes. So the cremation process has an oxidization of process. So when everything is finished, your body is now dust. When they, listen, I've seen it. I've seen the cremation process. One of my jobs, one of my many jobs that I've had in my life was in, not cremation, although it was, I worked for a funeral home. I couldn't think of the name.

I did. I worked for a funeral home. I know. And what I did is I've done sales pretty much all my life. So what I would do is I would help, and I did this for a very brief period of time, but I would help in the sales department of selling people's, whether their plots for when they passed

or cremations, whichever way they wanted to go. So if you wanted a burial plot of land, I helped set that up for you. And then like, so that the family didn't have to go and spend so much money, you buy it in advance, you and then like so that the family didn't have to go and spend so much money you buy it in advance you save the money so that when it happens you know decisions like people make such bad decisions impulsive decisions when they have to make a decision right now and especially in the middle of a loss like your your heart is just so you might spend

way more on something that the family member didn't want you to spend all because of the loss and your heart being broken over it so there is something to be said for these people who actually work for funeral homes and help prepare people for the after right like to make good sound decisions so it's a. The funeral, it's a very lucrative profession, but it's a much-needed profession, in my opinion, because you can get somebody who will take advantage of you in a very desperate time. So one of the things that I did when I worked for the funeral home is I learned the process of embalmment to cremation.

And one of the things, when you walk in and they have the big, huge cremation burners going, they're like tubes. And they stick the body in the tube. And it is hot in there. It's hotter than tar. I mean, it is hot in these places. When they pull, they put you in, and then they pull you out, not you per se, but the body, they pull you out. Literally, it's a pile of ash. It's a pile of dust. And they just sweep it up, and they put you in your little urn. Whereas, if you're buried, the embalmment process keeps your body preserved for a much long period of time

but you're still going to turn to dust that's just the way it is so I was about to say that's just the facts which is what I say all the time that's just the truth so truthfully one or the other it doesn't matter the bible doesn't say you can't be cremated. People just have a bad thought process on it because it's fire. Hell. They, you know, look at it as the same way as hell. Like hell's got fire. So you put your body into fire. I say do whatever you want to do.

Cremate, bury, whatever you want to do. Cremation is much cheaper but other than that i mean don't worry about it cremate my mom don't care either my mom's like i'm doing it you know because people have questioned her she's like i'm doing it i my soul isn't going to be in the fire. It's in heaven. So, with that, that leads us straight into salvation. When you go into the fire, when you go into that burner,

where will your soul be? Will it be in heaven or will it be in hell? Truth is, only you know that. I say that funny, but it's not funny. Listen, hell is real. It's very real. And if you've never studied it out, I say this a lot.

You need to study it out. People think hell is going to be like earth. It is not like earth. And you need to really know, if you're not saved, you really need to know where you're going and make sure that's really where you want to go. Because I think if you studied it out you'd you'd get saved really fast um and everything that you think that you're giving up you wouldn't care it wouldn't matter to you you'd be like that I don't I don't get

to get drunk every weekend anymore but I don't get don't have to go to hell but I'm going to be saved from hell I'll give up the drinking every weekend you find out the way salvation sin salvation sin you'll be like it's super fast super easy quick decision not a problem so if today's the day that you would like to rededicate your life or you'd like to get things right, I want to be that person that helps you do that. And it's as simple as saying a sinner's prayer. If you just say this prayer with me, you're going to heaven. You have to live a godly lifestyle though after you say this prayer. If you falter and fail, just get it right. It's not a big, struggling with sin is way different than living in sin. You will not be allowed to live in sin after you say this prayer and go to heaven.

So if you say it and you mean it and then you live and strive to be a believer, you're going to heaven. But if you say this prayer and then go out and live the same lifestyle as you did before, you didn't mean it. It's not happening for you. That's just the way it is. So say it and mean it and then change your life around. And let's do this right now. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to come into my life. I ask you to forgive

me of my sin. I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. I'm going to turn my life around 180 degrees, go the opposite direction from living for the devil to living for you. Whatever you say I will do. Whatever you say not to do, I will not do. And when I die, I'm going to heaven. I thank you for what you did on that cross in Jesus mighty name we pray amen

I don't make my prayers be all these theological mumbo jumbo fancy schmancy it doesn't need to be fancy schmancy all God wants to hear is from your mouth that you mean what you say in the most simplest of forms. People make things so complicated.

The Bible's not complicated. Being a Christian is not complicated. It's super simple. Just black and white. Simple. Easy. And if you live a simple, easy life, you stay away from from sin you do what the bible says to do and you don't do what the bible says not to do you'll live a happy easy solid life amen see you next week

or excuse me it might not be next week it might be on in two days whatever it may be i'll see you soon have a great night and take it easy. Bye.