The Hope Hotline - The Hope Hotline | S02-E05 | 02-07-24

Episode Date: February 7, 2024

The Hope Hotline | S02-E05 | 02-07-24

Welcome to the video. It's a dirty hair day. Whenever I wear a hat, I can promise you, it's a dirty hair day. That's why I'm wearing it, because it's supposed to be dressed up on Wednesdays, dressed down on Fridays. I'm dressed down both days. I want to let everybody know... Wait, is today Wednesday?

Today's Wednesday, right? God bless. Okay. It's a crazy day um okay so um Wednesday of next week I will not be in town we'll be out of town so we will not have podcast next Wednesday so today Friday and then next Friday um we're gonna do something a little different today but before we get into that I I'm going to have Tracy. Tracy's voice is, Tracy is overcoming the crud that so many people have had. I think it's Natalie. I think Natalie said that a lot of people are catching the variants, variant from COVID. It's because the shedding of the vaccine off of people. Oh, fine.

The vaccinated are shedding. Yeah. And so, which was the purpose of it, which might kick me off of Facebook right now because I'm using that word. Okay. The deadly two words, COVID and vaccine together. Totally. I'm going to tell you, like today's podcast, you might want to just switch over to Facebook because near the end, I'm going to play something

and it's going to probably kick us off. So if you're on Facebook, either go to Black Robe TV. I'm doing Tracy's job right now. Thank you. Go to Black Robe TV or go to Rumble because it might get kicked off. Go, Tracy. There you go.

Yep. So if you're on Facebook, you can say hello. By the way, Talia likes my voice like this. So I'm actually, I'm considering keeping it this way. I find like,

I don't like it like this. When it's lost, I find it kind of, yeah. Sexy? No. If you have a gruffy voice, you don't have a gruffy voice.

No. I'm sick. You have a whisper voice. I know, I know. It's not, I don't like it. I don't either. Allison doesn't either. And she's like praying in a way because she does not like that it sounds like this.

No, you sound congested. Right, I am. And whisper. And whispery. I know, that's why I'm really close to the mic. But you can hear me now. All right, yeah. I can barely hear you, which is going to be a problem for me.

Okay, I'll have to like. No, I can't have you yell because if you yell, then we have no voice again and I need you Friday. Okay. Okay. All right. So if you're on Facebook, we need you to like and share and also just comment where you're watching from and then jump over to Rumble because like Hope just said, we're going to

play something at the end that you'll want to be able to view from beginning to end. And so most likely Facebook will either completely take the video down or like stop it or we'll go mute for a little bit. And so, but it might not, you never know. Facebook is silly like that. YouTube probably will. YouTube has a lot of rights and issues and stuff like that. So if you're on Facebook, hop over. I see you. I see you six people. All right. So we've got, but you can comment first so we can get like their share on your page, do all the fun stuff. And then over to Rumble, that's where we're always going to end up. So I'm going to talk about YouTube real quick. If you subscribe on YouTube, you'll get a notification that we are live before we go live. And we always go live 10 minutes before with our countdown. So you'll get that notification. So you can remember to hop on if you can watch live with

us. And then if you are on Black Robe, you can say hello, me and Talia are in there. And then you can comment, you can subscribe to there as well. And there's always an option to share a link if you would rather share a link in an email form or in a text message or something like that if you want to send it to your friends to watch with you. And so on Rumble, we've got Sharon watching. We've got Sarah, Bob Shkey in the house. Sean's on. And Galena and Fern is on. And Kentucky.

Hey, that's pretty much it. Alice from Kentucky. All right. Oh, and Anne-Marie just popped on too. So we've got everybody over in Rumble. Obviously Talia's in there as well. Um, if you have any questions, you know, you can send them in the chat as well, but it's always great if you can just send them right to our email, then I will definitely get them in line and I'll send them right over to Hope and she'll get those answered for you guys. And of course, we've got our merch and we're working on, still working on that hat and we've come up against a couple of issues, but I think we have the answer. We're going to do a little test print and just see if we're happy with the outcome of what we're going to show you guys soon.

So stay in tune for that. It'll be coming up very, very soon. And I think that's pretty much it. Hope, coming back. Well, well, well. Okay, cool beans. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You're welcome.

All right, so since Tracy is limited to how much she can comment. We don't have Sarah today because I think, is Sarah on her cruise yet or about to go on her cruise? She's traveling. Traveling to get to the cruise. Yes, so she can be ready to hop on tomorrow. So, bon voyage, Sarah. You will be missed. Yes.

Ten days. So, I'm going to, she's going to miss, since we don't have a podcast next week, she'll only miss three podcasts. Right. Yeah. That's exciting though. I know. I'm happy for them.

I'm very happy for her. Like what number is this anniversary? 20th. 20th? Yeah. She's doing it right. I'm on a cruise. They got cute matching shirts. I could never get Tom on a cruise

Really? No Not even the food could get him on I was going to say the food Non-stop food all day long He's not a water guy I did hear from some people who watch this podcast And they're really counting on us doing a ladies cruise

Listen So We might have to figure that out. Okay. Which means we're going to have to put Heather on it. Okay. Thank you. Because I really don't want to be the one organizing that.

Yeah. And, like, if you – organizational things is Heather's jam. Yeah. She's so good at it. She lives for it. Yeah. Talent. I don't know like if we're gonna organizing a closet is really like what she loves it probably is but i'm just saying like yeah

organizing life whatever that entails right right up that chick's alley yeah so since i don't really have you to a certain extent i'm going to count on vanessa and then when talia is not like typing talia doesn't have a lot of history she doesn't she understands to a certain extent of what we're going to be discussing but like the longer you live the more you'll understand this topic so she'll have a limited amount that she can add but I'm sure it'll be good what she does add um okay what I'm going to talk about today is which everybody saw um on social media if you're on social media is why do we do what we do? And I'm so glad. Normally I start working on the podcast,

the questions and everything like that over the weekend, figuring out which ones are next and everything like that. But on Sunday, when I was thinking about everything, I was like, I started to work on the questions and I just like could not do it. For some reason, I'm like, I wonder why I'm like having this block. Why is it that I just, cause normally you, you just get going and it's a flow and it was not flowing. And so, um, by the end of the evening, actually, that's not true. I started working on it, but it just didn't feel right. By the next day, I was like, I know why I'm not supposed to do the podcast normally.

Don't you worry about if you have to cough. Okay. I keep muting it. I'm muting it. You might hear coughing, but that's okay. Do what you got to do, girl. And listen, I know the media would tell you otherwise, even though she's not wearing a mask.

And it's a Zoom call, if you will, to a certain extent. She does not need to wear a mask because you guys won't catch it. Right. No. Nobody's going to catch this thing. We won't catch it because we have a. Nobody's going to catch this thing. We won't catch it because we have a hedge of protection around us in the restrooms.

I don't really, I've never cared about that crap. Me either. I've never, I don't know if I've ever even had COVID. I think I might have, but I like, who knows?

Because I really never felt sick. I know. And so, like, I don't even know if I even, what did I say? That's asymptomatic or something like that? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't, but I don't get sick. I know. I don't either know if I even, what did I say? That's asymptomatic or something like that? Yeah.

Yeah. I don't know. But I don't get sick. I know. I don't either. It's ridiculous. I never get sick. No, my daughter told me.

And if I do, it's so short because I start fighting it right away. Like it's so brief. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I don't know what it would be like to be like sick for a long period of time. I know. This, like Mackenzie came in my room and she's like, you know why you're sick, right? And I'm like, yeah.

And she's like, it's unbelief. I was like, amen. I know. You know what? I know. I used to have allergies. Okay. Then I prayed and got rid of them.

I didn't even know what they were. But at the same time, after the second year, I got sick with the same thing. I knew what it was. I was like, I've never had allergies. But they say your body changes like every seven to ten years or something like that, right? Yeah, seven. Every seven. So I was like, and I didn't know that either.

I was like, okay. So I prayed those things off. I had it for three years. The third year, I like got rid of it really fast. Before that, it lasted weeks, like laryngitis one time for two weeks laryngitis. And I prayed that sucker off. Never got him again. Years and years.

Like I'm telling you, it was 10 plus years. Wow. Then all of a sudden, came back again. And I had stopped praying that now I would get no, you know, you get to a customer, I will not have allergies this year. And then boom, I had them. I had to pray those suckers off. Now again, I've never had allergy at all. Any allergy issues at all for now, probably two or three years.

But it's just weird. Like I don't get sick. Yeah, I know. It's not weird that I don't get sick. No, it's not. It's weird that when you do start feeling anything, it's like, am I saying it right? Right. Like you forget what it's like not to feel good.

Right. It's so weird. Exactly. It's so true. Some people are like, they'll just say, oh, it's flu season because words matter. It's flu season. Right. And I'm like, it's never flu season for me.

No, thank you. It's never. So some people are just accustomed that they are predicting right that potentially they will get sick i never predict and i never assume it's never going to happen that's what i assume it will never happen same so for me absolutely but your daughter is right she is i know doubt and unbelief that's how those stinking allergies would come back on me i know yep it's because I wasn't on it. Last time.

Got to be on it, man. Yep. So what happened was, and we are going to do the podcast totally different. This is more like, I told Tracy, I said, this is a preemptive strike against what in my spirit. I think, and the Lord even, I feel like gave me that verbiage, but it's a, it's a preemptive strike to, um, I don't know if it's, uh, for our church, if it's for people that are watching. Um, I don't know if it's both, I don't know what, but, um, it's, it's funny because Heather didn't even know, and I'm going to blow the water out of what she's planning,

but it's weird because when Heather and Tracy were talking just before the podcast like two hours ago, Heather's message for Monday night, because she's preparing her message for Monday night for Ladies Hub, and guess what the name of it is. What's the name of it, Tracy? It's the exact, like literally word for word, why do we do what we do?

It was at the top of her thing. It was the title of her message. And it's funny when she explained what it meant. It's like you guys are having the same thought, like overall thought and destination, but different. The way to get there. Kind of, yeah. She told me the same thing and I'm like, it's different. Hers is different, but different. The way to get there. Kind of. Yeah. She told me the same

thing and I'm like, it's different. Wild. Hers is different, but it's still the same. So I do think it's probably for us. It has to be to a certain extent for either certain people in our church or the church itself. I don't know. But when she showed me that, I was like, confirmation that this is what the Holy Spirit wants. Because why would we both name something the same? Now, it's okay. Me and Heather do think a lot alike. But neither one of us talked. Neither one of us knew.

She had no idea. So I believe it's totally the Holy Spirit. And what I want to do is, why do we do what we do? Looking at it from a family perspective to ministry. And we're going to use a lot of scripture. And I'm hoping by the time I'm done talking that people understand the magnitude of this topic, why you do what you do, why it matters. And in some cases, it can be a heaven and hell issue for you that you probably don't even realize that it is. And it's that serious because I think we focus on what's considered big sins.

And then we have the little sins and the little sins. We don't even realize that they're a sin. Now we are accountable for what we know and we don't know, but most of us in our spirit know what we're doing. Sometimes it does not sit well with us, but our carnal nature defeats that conviction. And it feels so good and it feels so right that we just move forward with it, even though we know. It's like innately, we all know right from wrong, but then we choose to do the wrong.

So that, again, Scripture says we're responsible for the things that we know, not for what we don't know. But there are some things that innately we understand and know that it is wrong, and yet we still do it. You guys understand what I'm saying? Now, what I want you guys to always, and I was meant to tell you guys this before the podcast, but everything's transparent here. If I ask you, do you understand what I want you guys to always, and I was meant to tell you guys this before the podcast, but everything's transparent here.

If I ask you, do you understand what I'm saying? Don't always say yes and don't always agree with me. If you don't agree with me or if you don't understand what I'm saying, I want you to say that does not make sense because the reason I am asking you is because sometimes when you're explaining something, it doesn't convey well to people. There's some confusion. And the thing about me is sometimes when I understand what I'm trying to say, right? But other people are like, I'm lost, which can happen, right?

Yeah. So I just want you guys to always say. Now, sometimes Tracy's working and Talia's working, so you're only half listening. I get that. No. But Vanessa's not, and Vanessa's always listening. Yeah. I know, because I've seen you guys, or Sarah's always listening.

Right, right. So always say, do not feel bad, or you're going to embarrass me to say, I still don't understand what you're saying. Right. This part makes sense, but this part does not make sense. Yeah. So you need to clarify it or I don't agree with it because this is what I see in the word. That's what this is all about. Because somebody, I promise

you, is probably watching this that feels the same way you guys might. Do you know what I'm saying? Does that make sense? And if you say, yeah, I agree, then that just blew it out of the water for me to fix something. So, sorry for that. We're going to move on, but that's then that just blew it out of the water for me to fix something. Right. Right. Yeah. So sorry for that.

No, it's good. We're going to move on. But that's. Yeah. So everybody understands what I want. Okay. Got it. All right.

We're going to go to scripture because there is eternal ramifications for certain things about what we're going to talk about. Some things, gray area. But it's like Paul said, even though it's permissible, should we do it, right? So when we get into this, what I want to do is, I think what the Holy Spirit wants to do is stop some things that are about to either occur, some wedges that are about to take place, some people who are in some positions that if they don't watch it, they will be removed from the position.

I think he's trying to guard people's hearts. I think he's also trying to save some souls because people know right from wrong. They know sin from not sin and if they continue in sin it will cause an eternity for them that they were not planning on okay and i i'm not serious because it is that big of a deal um so i don't necessarily think it's, for me, it's a family issue and it's a spiritual issue. Because like I said to Tracy, because I talked to Tracy about this. What day did I talk to you about this on Monday when I was, no, it was Tuesday. I spent Monday battling within myself.

Am I right or am I wrong? And then, and how I should do the podcast is I've never done a teaching as a podcast. I've always done questions as a podcast. I've never done a teaching, right? No. No. Right. Okay.

I want to make sure I'm right. You've always had a question. What did you say? You've always had a question or somebody on. That maybe led to one question being answered. Right. Right. Right.

But it was a question. So I battled within myself. I talked to Tracy about it all the next, yesterday afternoon. And she confirmed with me she felt it was right in her spirit. And so, but one of the things I said to her is, if people do certain things in their family structure and then they enter into ministry, what is permissible in their family, they will introduce and infiltrate ministry with. willing to do something in the most personal and the closest relationships that you have then you'll definitely do it with people that you don't care about or they mean something minorly to you do you you know what I'm saying yeah it's like the care that you have is usually for the

care in the home and then but really it always should it it you, I love what Andrew Womack says. Andrew Womack said that a lot of times families treat each other worse than they treat other people. Not in ministry, though. That's not true in ministry. A lot of times people take for granted Christians because they believe, like, Christians have to forgive me. So they treat them any kind of way.

They'll say whatever they want to say. They'll do whatever they want to do, and it's all under the guise of forgiveness and mercy and grace. That's not the way it is. Families, I love it. Andrew Womack says his brother got married and his wife, so they were having Andrew and his wife over for dinner. And his brother's wife put out like this, like mixed matched dinnerware. And he's like, who's coming to dinner? And she's like, well, you're your brother. And he's like, you're putting out the China. That's family. They don't deserve this. And that's how we should really be with our families.

They're the China. We treat them with the highest of honor. We love them. A lot of times, the way we talk to our spouses or the way we talk to our children is we take them for granted and we talk to them any kind of way we feel like we want to because we're family. They just have to live with it. They have to deal with it.

That's just the way life is. That is not true. And that's why we see families splintering off. That's why we see the divorce rate high. That's why we see the divorce rate high that's why we see families that argue fuss and fight and there's very little peace in the home it's because we don't honor we don't treat them like china and that is the most precious relationships that you will ever have they're only things, your children are the only things that you can take to heaven. So how they are treated and how they are loved

and how they are disciplined should be all biblical. And if you do it the Bible's way, there is no way that they won't enter into heaven. Let's look at Romans 1, 28 through 33. A lot of what we're gonna do is go from the New King James Version, and then some of it will be from the Amplified, because the Amplified just kills it.

Amplified is taking the words and using and translating them from the Greek into what that word really meant. That's the reason why sometimes you just got to go to the Amplified to understand exactly the breakdown of that scripture. It's a super easy way to do it. But this is New King James. It says, even as they did like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do things which are not fitting. And I want you, when I'm reading this to you, I want you to evaluate yourself and say, is any of these things me? Okay? To do things that are not fitting.

Being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, they are whisperers. Okay, even if you're an adult and you don't honor your parents, that pertains to you. If you're a teenager and you are disobedient or you don't honor your parents, that's you. Undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not eternal life, of death. Not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

So not only do you do them, but you also approve of the people who do them. And they might be doing it with you. So I'm going to go back up to the top. A lot of times people go, well, I'm righteous because I'm saved. So unrighteousness is not me. You're not sexually immoral because you're married or you abstain. That's the big sin, right? So you don't do that. Wickedness, you don't do that either. That's the big sin, right? So you don't do that. Wickedness. You don't do that

either. That's a big sin. Then you're not a murderer. You don't have evil mindedness. You're not a hater of God. You're not a violent person. You don't have fits of rage. I eliminate this one, even though a lot of people don't consider it to be a part of this. A proud person, a boaster. We're not going to focus on these, but that really pertains to a lot of people, especially to the people who are not willing to say I'm sorry. If you can't say you're sorry to someone or you can't apologize, you're a proud person. Pride comes before destruction. Make sure that pride is removed from your life. A boaster. We know plenty of them, but hopefully you're not. And inventors of evil things, disobedient parents.

All of those things people would consider like not necessarily big sin, but they wouldn't consider themselves to be doing that. What I'm going to focus on is the ones that I feel like the Holy Spirit is telling me to focus on. People, you need to examine yourself on these ones that I'm about to hit, right? Covetousness maliciousness full of envy strife deceit whispering backbiters all of these things are very prevalent in christian homes very present in the body of christ and all of them are super damaging and all of them have an eternal repercussion if you're not handling yourself and and doing things spiritually speaking the correct way so let's um let's break down those words really quick so in the study notes somebody who has a depraved mind it It's in time, sin distorts. This is the part where it says, let's see,

and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting. So a debased mind, and then in the study Bible, it called it, in the NIV, it calls it a depraved mind. In time, sin distorts the ability to discern good from evil and right from wrong. So over time, you do these things over time, you don't even realize that it's right and wrong because it's become a habit. It's a part of your life. And then the other one says, so that they do what ought not to be done. That's another part of it, that scripture. And that broken down says, what one thinks governs what one does.

And I think that's profound. Because what you think, you absolutely will do. If you have a conversation in your mind about something or someone over a period of time, you will either act out. I'll give you an example. If you have ought against somebody, and when I mean ought is when you have an offense or you are bothered by someone and something that you feel like they have either got over on you or they're able to do and you're not able to do or you're in an argument with them

or you're offended by them or some way, somehow, this person has done you wrong or you feel like they have or they're getting treated better than you are, whatever the case may be. What happens is you have these conversations in your mind. Either you have a conversation to them about them or you have a conversation about them to someone. And eventually, if you don't have the conversation with that person that's offended you, you'll either have that conversation with someone,

which is gossip, or you will treat this person not very nicely. When you have either the next chance that you see them or over a period of time, you will respond to your flesh. So that's why that scripture is very good because it's what one thinks governs what one does. And it is. It's like a boat. It has, what's that governing? It's a governing, what's a boat have on the back? It's a governor, right?

Isn't that what it's called, a governor? Which steers the ship. You guys don't know? You guys aren't boat people? Neither am I. I don't know. There's a governor on something and it steers i feel like it's on a boat are you looking that up yeah but isn't a governor like prevent you from going over a

certain speed is that what it is a governor prevents you what's the thingy that how do you turn a boat steering basics the stern is it Is it the stern that drives the ship? Well, then my example flies right out the window. Turning the tiller? Steering wheel? Someone said rudder. Rudder? Rudder.

Thank you, guys. Maybe it's the rudder. Whoever said rudder, hats off to you. So that blows my theory right out the window. But it's still the same thing. It still says the same thing. What one thinks governs what one does and it will. Yeah. There's the body of Christ and people walk in so much offense. It's ridiculous. I'm going to try and be so Holy Spirit led with this, but let's keep going.

2 Corinthians 10.5. This is where the scriptures save us from ourselves. And so that, let me see what that scripture was. Romans 1. 28 through 33. If we do what I'm about to, the scriptures that I'm about to tell you, you don't have to worry about Romans 1, 28 through 33. Okay, there's warnings and then there's laws.

And I don't mean laws or rules like this. It's boundaries and protection that God gives to us. If you do these things, then you don't have to worry about that happening, right? 2 Corinthians 10.5 says, and this is New King James Version, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.

So if it doesn't go along with what god's word says then you're to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of christ if it does not if what you think or how you behave go as goes against what the word of god says then you're to take it and you're to take it captive. You're not to allow, like when you do start having a conversation in your head that you know is not gonna benefit you, it will perpetuate the offense of someone, then you take that thought captive

so that eventually you won't even think about that person anymore. And when you do think so that eventually you won't even think about that person anymore. And when you do think about them, it won't be a thought in your head about like what they did to you or how you feel about them. I had a really good example while I was saying that in my head, but it just escaped me. You can't harbor ill will towards somebody if, it's like Isaiah, what is it, 26.3, it says, a man will be in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon thee because he trusteth in thee. If your mind constantly stays on the Lord, then how can you allow someone else to infiltrate your thoughts and cause you ill will

and offense towards them because your mind's on him? And if your mind's on him, none of that exists. Satan would love to like just pull us out of the spiritual realm, put us in his realm so that there's always anger, bitterness, contention, strife, dissension. And that's how he divides the family. That's how he divides the body of Christ. That's how church splits have happened. It's one of the reasons why Tom is very careful. He senses one thing going on that might cause dissension and strife within a certain group or within the body.

He nips it in the bud immediately. That's what a good shepherd does. He protects his flock. A lot of times pastors won't do that because they're afraid that if they go into that situation and you don't let people work it out amongst themselves, then somebody's going to leave because they get mad. Let them leave. Because cancer starts when you allow things to grow and fester. And as a shepherd, you're to take care of things. It's like a good parent. A good parent doesn't let their children continue to argue and bicker and moan and groan. Good parent goes in and says, okay, let's mediate this.

Let's fix this. Because we're a family, we're a family union, and there's not going to be any anger between the two of you. We're going to fix it. So if you look at, I'm going to pass all that. Covetousness. Let's look at covetousness. And I want you to think, a lot of people go, I'm not any of these things. So this just really doesn't pertain to me. And I want you to think, a lot of people go, I'm not any of these things, so this really doesn't pertain to me. And I would say to you, are you sure about that?

Because I think a lot of times think of themselves more highly than they should. Isn't that a scripture? Don't think of yourself more highly than you want. I think people do. And they look at somebody else and they go, oh, they need to fix that. But they never look at the mirror and say, I need to fix that. It's like a husband and wife who fight and have an argument. And the wife goes into the Lord and says, you need to change him. And the whole time the Lord is screaming at her going, no, you need to change you. And as I change you, I will change him.

It's not all, it's not always one person. It's always usually both people who need some fixing, maybe one more than the other. But if you focus less on the other person being fixed and focus more on you being fixed, you end up being less angry at the other person because you're more focused on you. Correct? I mean, it's so true. Like the less you, you, your eyes are on somebody else. And the more you think about yourself, then you're like, I got a lot of work to do on myself. So I better like just worry not about him or her or whatever. Worry about myself. Covetousness is an insatiable desire for worldly gain. And in a world where everybody wants what somebody else has, or always thinking that,

why is that working out for them and it doesn't work out for me? Why do they have that and I don't have that? You think, some of you are watching, who in the heck would think like that? Oh, lots of people do. A lot of people do that aren't even in the world. I can't tell you how many times I've heard this. Covetousness is an insatiable desire to find fulfillment, meaning, and purpose in things instead of God. The spirit of covetousness leads to and is the mother of many other sins. And it is true. You start coveting things, it will lead you to other sins, not just that one.

Maliciousness, the state of feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. How many people are malicious when they feel like they've been done wrong? So they're going to go for the jugular. You did that to me, I'm going to do this to you. All the time. Families deal with this all the time. How many times have you ever seen a family where two family members aren't even speaking to each other? And it's been years. It's been years. And then they go to other family members and tell

all the family members about what the person did that they're not speaking to. And they cause a riff. That's maliciousness. You do do this to me I'm going to do this to you and then it's back and forth and back and forth until now no family is talking to each other there you know the parents are going what the heck like what's going on here like how is it that you know this cousin's mad at this cousin and now my kid is pulled into this and now my other kids pulled into this and it happens i know i'm telling you like i've known of families that have major risks with them with each other and there is no communication and if there is communication like holidays suck it's not good it It happens in church. Churches will literally lose families no longer attending because they get mad at other families in the church.

And it's very, very sad. Full of envy. This one's a big one right here. Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God. I'm going to give you a great example here of someone that I was going to wait till later. I'm going to give you a great example of somebody that conveys this. Have you ever, like, Vanessa has been, but if you've ever been a part of a worship team, this one right here, or if you've ever been a pastor and you're

like not the lead pastor, you're maybe an associate pastor or whatever this one right here applies big time and it's and vanessa you can add to it if you want but i'm going to tell you i'm going to give you a great example some of you know this person and some people you don't know uh aaron's wife naz is one of the most, how do I say this? She's spiritually, I'm not saying she's got it going on spiritually on all levels, okay? That's not what I'm saying. She's got this one big time. But I will tell you, there ain't very many people that are like her,

and there ain't very many people that I know of, spiritually speaking, that are ahead of her. So, again, not a perfect individual, but, I mean, you guys can tell me. I'm going to put the peanut gallery on right now. When I say Naz, do you guys spiritually, like on a spiritual level, she hits it out of the park. Almost every single time something comes against her or someone comes against her or when she's faced with sin or not sinning, like the girl makes the right decisions and she handles almost everything. She works for you, Tracy.

Like she handles things spiritually virtually every single time. Yeah. Correctly. Yeah. With the right motives, godly motives, not selfish. Like I'm going to treat you nicely because it motivates me because I benefit from it. That's not how she operates. Yeah.

It's always because this is what honors God. This is what God would prefer me to be like and how I shall handle this. Correct. A hundred percent. Because I'm going to give an example and you guys can stay on for this if you want. Because Vanessa would know. Vanessa's been, I've been on a worship team for, I was on worship team for many years. Vanessa's been on a worship team many years. Naz was on our worship team for many, many years. Prior to being in this building, Naz was on our worship team like right out of high school.

So she's been with us for a long time, just like Erin. They met here at this church. So I remember when Naz first started the church and she got on the worship team, Tom literally heard her out in the congregation and was like, who is that angelic voice? Because she's got a very beautiful voice. But we actually had at the time one of her girlfriends that was on the worship team who was like off the charts. Phenomenal girl. Phenomenal.

And so what that required Naz to do is instead of getting to sing lead songs, being somebody who got to do leads that made her do backup. Never once, never once did Naz Mongron complain that she wasn't getting a lead song. Why is this happening for somebody else, but it isn't happening for me? It's like sometimes you'll have people who play instruments and they'll be like, why can't anybody hear me? Like, we're all supposed to blend. It's not really all about you. It's about blending. If you know anything about bands or worship teams, it's the biggest egos

on the face of the earth. Why doesn't anybody ever tell me? I sing good. I'm not kidding you. You think that that doesn't happen. Vanessa, does it not happen? Yes. However, I've not experienced that. Well, because you would never say that. I have.

I've heard. I've heard. I've literally heard people on our, not necessarily this particular one, but I have heard in the past from foundation church people who are on worship, the worship team say, I wish people would compliment me or why doesn't anybody ever come up and tell me that I sang that song good? Or I wish people would tell me how good I sing or whatever. Like, what's the reason? Why do you do what you do? Why do you do what you do? And here's the

thing I will tell you. I sense things in my spirit. And as soon as I feel, whether it's worship team, whether it's hub leaders, whether it's just the general public that attend this church, if I sense in any way, shape or form, there's that spirit of why not me? I try and nip it in the bud as fast as I possibly can, because it's a cancer. It's a cancer. I obviously try and do it very diplomatically, but I know it in my spirit, the spirit behind. And here's another thing that I think is so funny is when people, I will get to that later, but what I was going to say about Naz is Naz never in a million years would say, why is she always getting the lead song? She would have never, you know what Naz was like? I'm just so grateful that God is using me in my gift.

And if people knew, actually, Naz is probably outside of Aaron. She is the most skilled and really should be singing. But because we need her in another place, she doesn't get to, which she would rather be singing because that's really her heart and her passion. You don't hear her say a daggum word like, I wish I wasn't back here doing the, what do you call that? The broadcasting, but she's the one putting out the mixer. Thank you.

She would rather be singing. That's really her hearts and desire. She would never say it because why she does what she does is unto him. It is all about kingdom mindedness. And what does God want me to do? And if God wants me to be sitting here doing this mixture and it helps the kingdom, then that's what I'm going to do because it's not about me. And she would have been happy to sing background for the rest of her life and not get a lead song because that's she was just willing to do what God had had her do but that's where envy and I and I see people in in families envy can kill and we'll get into that

a little bit but envy and a family dynamic is like keeping up with the Joneses. Very, very dangerous. Very dangerous. You're looking at other family members and you're going, why do they have that? I know how much they make. How can they afford that? None of your business. It's none of your business. Why you care are you envious strife uh strife means conflict antagonism quarrel struggle clash competition big time disagreement opposition fight is any of that you it's not good if it is they are whisper whisperers. What's a whisperer? The whisperer is the gossip. The Hebrew word means one who gossips, but does so by murmuring and complaining. Isn't that interesting? Sometimes people think that I'm not really gossiping

because you're not really talking about somebody, but you're complaining about what you don't have and you're murmuring and groaning about what you don't get or what somebody else is getting or like why you're not treated this way. And like family dynamics, like if a kid feels like one kid is more favored than the other, first of all, there should be no favorites. I know we tease and we make fun of that in this podcast. There should never be a favorite. All you're doing is causing contention and strife among siblings. And there will be murmuring, complaining,

and you are perpetuating whispering when you do that. It's just like letting a child throw itself on the ground when they are two years old or younger, and then they grow up throwing a tantrum. What do you think that that tantrum breeds? Bits of rage. We do not enable our children to sin or to begin planting a seed to sin. When we have favorites, we create the ability for murmuring and strife and complaining,

which ends up being gossip. No one should ever feel like they are lesser than anyone else in the family dynamic. I'm not serious about it. It's not good. It is not good. And you think it's cute. It's not cute. It's not cute at all. It's not funny. It will come back. And the damage and the hurt that is caused by it is not good even if daddy over here has a favorite and mommy over here has a favorite if you have three kids what happens to the one that's out if you only have two kids then it's they can put each other against each other or mom and dad end up pitting each other against each other because if dad doesn't treat your little favorite the right way then you kind of get resentful of him vice versa do you know what i'm saying does that make sense absolutely because i've seen it yeah

people like no that doesn't happen yes it does enter into ministry for 20 years and i promise you it's way more than you think it is. Whispering and complaining. So if you are breeding that in your home or in the body of Christ, it's very, very dangerous. And sometimes what you think is favoritism in the body of Christ, you don't know what you think you know. I can't tell you how many times people have said to me I thought you were so wrong about how you were doing something or how your decisions on things I thought you were so wrong and I didn't agree with them until they find out the whole story or and it isn't even from us it's from somebody or something else they find out the whole

story and they were like oh my gosh you weren't wrong so what you think you know and what you do know you know are two different things even our staff even our staff uh has questioned amongst themselves questions decisions tom and I have made. And Tom and I don't even tell them. Like, you can question all you want to, but I'm not going to gossip to you so that you understand why the decision that was made was made because Tom and I are very tight-lipped.

We do not breed it in our staff, and we do not breed it in the congregation. So there have been times that staff members question why we do what we do. Board members have questioned why we do until they find out the whole story. For whatever reason, it has to be disclosed. And sometimes it's never disclosed. But there are sometimes it's like there's no other choice. You have to or they find out another way and they're like, yeah, I now understand why you did what you did. Holy mackerel. So what you think you know and what you do know, even in families, people are always outside judging other families. You don't live in that home. You don't

know what's going on in that home. And until you do, you don't know. So you just might as well mind your business. There's something about it. The Bible is very clear that we are not to be busybodies. The next one is backbiters, talking malicious about someone who is not present. To backbite is to gossip about someone behind his or her back. Lots of people, guys. There are so many gossips. Tom says that he doesn't know why women will go to hell. He knows

why men, because of lust. And I can tell you, I know why women will go to hell. Gossip and loneliness. Because women who are lonely will do things, they will sell themselves short and be with men and give themselves to men, be used up, spit out, all for the sake of not being lonely. It's not lust for them. For the man it is. For the woman, it's just so they can have someone to be a companion with. And they'll sell themselves short for that. But then there's the gossip. Women gossip more than men do too. But women, by nature, it's not good. Proverbs 16.28, New King James says, A perverse man sows strife.

I'm not kidding you. I want people who are listening to this right now to quit thinking of, oh, I know somebody like that. And I want you to seriously say, am I like this? Is this me? And point the finger back at you instead of pointing at someone else that you know. I know somebody like that. Are you like that? Because if you're quick to make that statement about someone else, the odds are you need to be pointing that finger back at yourself.

A perverse man sows strife. A whisperer, there you go, there's that word again. A whisperer separates the best of friends. If you are a whisperer, then you are a perverse man. And I'm going to tell you this, and I know this firsthand, and I know it very well. If you think that you can talk to someone, you might think that you have the most righteous reason to tell somebody about something that you have an issue with in your family or in ministry or in the church.

Maybe you're not in ministry, but you attend the church and you feel like you have the most righteous reason to talk about something with somebody. I just want you to know, I hope it's worth it to you because in the end, not only will you not be friends with the one that you're talking about or the leadership you will not, and you want to climb up in leadership, you're not going to be in leadership because God won't allow that. And if he does, it'll be very, very brief because

truth is revealed about things. And the one that you're talking with, that you're so close with, and you have like something that you both agree upon righteously that's been done to you wrongly or whatever the case may be. Just know that you won't be friends with them very long. And I know this for a fact because I've lost friends. And there's one that I think of that I was extremely dear friends with that I would confide in about things that were not done right to Tom and I in ministry. And I'd be like, I just can't. And I thought I was so righteous in talking about these things. I am no longer friends with that person. Everything that I talked about and then everything that I confided in

was ended up coming back against me. Not that the person used it against me, but it came back against me. And trust is destroyed because when you're willing to talk about other people with someone, then they think that you're going to talk about them with others.

It's true. And then your criticalness of others will turn on them because you can't be critical and not think that it stops with just this person. Husbands and wives who are very critical about others will eventually become very critical of each other. It doesn't end. Just because you're a confidant at that moment doesn't mean that you won't turn on one another.

You will eventually. Because eventually you'll ostracize yourself from so many people because you're so critical of everyone that now all you have is each other. And even you two will turn on one another because you've got a critical eye the word is very critical I mean very um uh the word is very clear about being a critical person um even sometimes constructive criticism you can have a lot of constructive criticism for people but maybe you need to pick and choose your constructive criticism because eventually it's no longer like that. It's like everything is nitpicked to death, right?

I was going to say something about that. Oh, and the other thing I mentioned, and it was in the top of my head when I brought this subject up. It's so funny, and you guys put yourselves on. It's so funny when you know when people are talking. And Vanessa might understand this because she's been in ministry. And if you have a big family, you definitely know this because I've experienced it with both family and in ministry. You always know when people are talking. And how do you think you always know when people are talking? What makes you, what would make you think that? Let me just, I'll just say it. You always know

when people are talking because they always use the same terminology. Okay. They always have the same mantra, correct? Every time, yes, every single time a family member has gossiped with someone else, God is so good because you know they have been because one or two or more will repeat the same thing that they've been sharing. And even in the church body, if you have been gossiping with other people, you and the person you're gossiping or people you're gossiping with use the same terminologies. That's good.

They phrase the sentence extremely close, but they'll use certain words that are specifically the same. Correct? Yeah, that makes sense. And it calls you out. Yeah. Which is not good because now, especially with me, because I find out everything.

People tell me everything. Because the reason why is a lot of times the Bible tells you if you have ought against someone, you go to them. So what will happen is people will say, I heard this about this church, or I heard this about you, or I heard this about this situation. And I want to know, I'm coming to the source. Is this true? I find out everything. And a lot of times, no one knows that I know that they've been running their mouths. And all God does is show me who they are, who they're gossiping with and they won't even know that I know. And it's people who have positions in this church. They don't even know that I know that they've gossiped or they're gossiping

or they've said things. Let's just let it play out and let God do his work. Sometimes it plays out and it's totally fine and then other times it doesn't work out so well. But God is always faithful and I just shut my mouth. I let God handle it. And it always does. But yeah, in this church, it happens. In other churches, it happens. Have you not seen it, Vanessa, in ministry? But what else in your family? It's happened to me with family more

times than I would care to, not with my personal siblings, but it's happened outside of that, like cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, things like that. And it's always the same thing. It's not good. Proverbs 6, 16 through 19 says, these six things the Lord hates. Indeed, seven are repulsive to him.

So let's think about that word repulsive as I read them to you, because that's a very strong, people think God, people think Jesus, people think the Holy Spirit, ooey gooey mushy, you know, like there's no, there's no like sternness. It's only kindness.

That's not the truth. There's six things the Lord hates. Indeed, seven are repulsive to him. A proud look, which is the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others. That's powerful. A proud look, which means your attitude makes you think that you overestimate who you are

and discount the others that maybe are better than you. A lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that creates wicked plans, feet that run swiftly to evil. Are any of these you? If any of these things are you, just so you know, God hates them and he finds them repulsive. A false witness who breathes out lies, even half truth. How many times have you heard people like for dramatic effect,

over exaggerated a situation to make their point more like valid? All you did is invalidate your, if you can't tell the truth about that situation and you have to over exaggerate it, it means that the odds are it's not as bad as you're making out to be. And your word and your truth are null and void. They mean nothing. But most people for effect, they over exaggerate, over exaggerate. And this happens in families all the time. If someone in the family does someone wrong or says something slightly out of line, then it's made way worse.

Maybe it has more like if somebody says, I hate that. I hate that. There's more like oomph behind it. Tell the truth as it is always. Otherwise, you're a false witness. And one who spreads discord, which is rumors, among brothers. The word is so full about being a liar, being a gossip,

being envious and covetous, all of these things, there's reasons why. It's because a lot of times people don't think that those things mean anything or they're that important. I'm not a murderer. I'm not a homosexual. I'm not cheating. I'm not stealing.

But are you lying? Are you gossiping? And a lot of times gossiping, there is lying in the gossip. And so are you envious? All of these cause you to either compromise or sin. And once you start a habit and a lifestyle of these things in your life, it is as serious as heaven and hell. And for me, if I can snatch people out of the flames in the pit of hell by making you just, you know, it's very clear. A wise man is slow to speak,

is what it says. If we can all learn to be wise and just shut our mouths before we say a daggum word, we'll save ourselves from a lot of things, including hell. Let me move on. So I'm going to move to the family dynamic really quick and just give you a couple examples. I'm over time. Do people mind if I keep going?

I'll ask them. Do you guys mind? I'm going to keep going. I probably have another 10 minutes. Yeah, let's do this. And I'm going to go. And people just get off if they want to get off. Okay?

And they can hashtag replay. How many of you guys have ever known mothers and daughters who gossip? Yeah. It's famous. mothers and daughters who gossip? Yeah. It's famous mother and daughters who gossip. And then a lot of times the mother and daughter gossip, and then they gossip about, about different family members. I, one of the things that I love about my family is no gossip allowed. My mom, my siblings, and like my sister, uh, one of my things my sister does before we eat breakfast, if we go out to breakfast or whatever, one of my things my sister does before we eat breakfast, if we go out to breakfast or whatever, one of the things she always says in her prayer

is guard our tongues. That's good. Guard our tongues. So we're careful about the words that we say while we're meeting together. So it sets the tone before we get started. My mom and I vowed, because I will not let a wedge go between me and my

mother. We do not talk about my siblings in a negative or ill way. My sister and I do not talk about our siblings in an ill way. And those are the ones that I talk to the most. But none of us, if you allow that, it will divide. And for me, those relationships are the most precious. Family is the most precious. But a lot of times, moms and daughters will sit and gossip about anywhere from aunts, uncles, and cousins, and then about extended family beyond that. Because there's such a great, strong relationship. Usually the dads don't really get involved in it.

It's dangerous, ladies. If you don't want a close relationship with your mom gossip grandmas I see this too grandmas who talk about every single stinking family member because they got nothing to do with their time if they can't control them like the matriarchs

if they can't control them or guilt them then what they do is they talk about them. You know what you need to do? You need to find a hobby, or you need to find volunteer work. Keep yourself busy. It's heaven and hell.

See that a lot with older women, or they're gossiping about their friends. It's not good. It's not good. Or you gossip about your family to your friends. Older women gossip all the time because they like they don't have a job anymore. So their job is yap, yap, yap. Close it. It does not help you or anyone else and it might be as serious as heaven and hell don't be a busy body the word is clear about being a busy body we're told not to be it

and most of the time it's because you're spiritually bored and you know the thing is is uh gossip feeds the flesh it's like drama it's like um what's that it's like when you um when you work out it's not isn't it endorphin is that what that is yeah so when you work out, isn't it endorphin? Is that what that is? Yeah. So when you're gossiping, it's energizing you. The problem is it's like a drug. By the time it's all said and done, there's a yuck factor afterwards,

and you can't get that back. Right. And it's super, super super carnal super carnal if you're in a family and there's somebody in your family that is well off and you're not well off and they go on trips all the time and they're getting the next newest car and they have the next greatest gadget and you don't be happy for them be happy for them. Be happy for them. If they're not saved, that's my honey leaving. If they're not saved, pray for their salvation. And then that financially they continue to increase in their finances

so that they can give it to the kingdom and more things can be done for the kingdom. Correct? It's all about mindset. If you have a family member that's financially the same place you are, but they keep buying things, they keep getting things, and they're a believer, don't be jealous of them. And don't be keeping up with the Joneses. Maybe you need to find out what they're doing. Maybe they speak correctly over their finances. Maybe they tithe and you don't. Maybe you need to figure out what they're doing so maybe that you can reap the same rewards

and the benefits they are instead of being offended and envious of what they have and you're covenanting their lifestyle. All of this is dangerous and it will cause a wedge between you and those families or that family. Let's see, next scripture we're to go to is James 3.16. For envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

So if you think that you can escape being envious and self-seeking and it caused no problems, you are sorely mistaken because James is telling you otherwise. There is evil in the midst of it. James 3.16 amplified is even better because it says for where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder, unrest, rebellion, and every evil thing and morally degrading practice. Let that not be us.

So if you act like this in your home, I can promise you that you will act like this in ministry. It's going to happen. If you sit there and lambast with your husband, family members behind their back, don't think that you're not going to come into the church and do that to the leadership, do that to volunteers, do that to somebody you do ministry alongside of, envy what they might have. Maybe they're climbing the ladder quicker than you are for whatever reason in ministry and you're jealous of that. Or even you sit in the pew and there's somebody next to you that you are envious of for whatever reason. Have you ever known, like one of the things that I do not get, and I'm going to hit this really quick and it's not just something that came to my mind.

We don't really battle this too much at this church, but have you ever noticed how there's always people who want to always be friends with the pastor yes or the pastor's wife or whatever have you ever noticed that yes i have all the churches i've ever gone to we really don't deal with that very much at this church part of it is because tom pretty much puts out the vibe i'm gonna be friends with no one right second of all the other reason is is he's so transparent that people really don't find it to be like that big of a deal to even be friends with him. Whereas most pastors puff themselves up and make it be like, it's the cool factor for you to know them. We could give a rip about any of that stuff. But if you are a person that are watching this and you don't attend this

church, or maybe you do, but I just don't know that you're like this. If you're always like making sure that everyone knows that you're friends with the pastor or that you do this for the pastor or you've done that for them or whatever, dangerous. It's very dangerous. All you're doing is trying to stir up envy and strife and make people want what you think you have. God will take that from you. Be very careful about that. Let's see.

I will hit one subject that is going to be very touchy, and it's only touchy because it's been in this church before. People who work, this is a big offense, and this is where gossip and strife come into play. People who work, and Tom and I hate this, when people work with each other, that like Tracy's, like has hired half the church for her, for her business. Her and Jer have a company called Leak Hero,

which is they go into homes and they find leaks in people's homes so that they can then, they've just started another business so that they can then restore the property back to what it was prior to the leak. Right. So they go in, they find the leak and then they in turn fix the fix, whatever the leak cost. Correct. Am I right about that? No. Close though. So right now, yeah, right now we just find the leaks. We will spot them and then a plumber will come back in and change it. And then eventually if there was like a flood, we would and dry it out so that's like the next step but right now

we just find leaks okay so i was right that you actually what you do though we find leaks but you are starting that company okay so you don't have that coming not fixing them yet so you can keep yourself on so okay so tracy and jared took it upon themselves to hire half the church we did and the reason they did that is because you are going into people's homes and you need people of integrity and character who aren't going to steal, aren't going to make up a reason for the leak and charge more. True.

A variable amount of reasons why they chose to hire Christians. I'm going to give you an example for them. Not that this has happened because this hasn't happened. But what happens is, say that they have to fire somebody, right? Or a relationship with somebody in the church ends on a bad note, which it hasn't ever. Nothing with you guys has ever done it. But Tom and I hate when people hire people in the church.

You know why? Because inevitably, it's like a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. It's going to end. Yeah. And if it doesn't end well, which a lot of times it doesn't, someone's going to leave the church, or all parties are going to leave the church, or everyone's going to be offended, or one side's going to leave the church or everyone's going to be offended or one side's going to be offended.

It's not good. Yeah. It's not good. If you can't be a mature person and get enter into a relationship, a working relationship with somebody who owns a company or you're both working for a company that isn't owned by somebody in this church, but both of you work for a company that hired both of you,

and then somehow there's strife between each of you or whatever, and one quits or whatever. If you can't handle that maturely, spiritually speaking, don't take the job. Don't do it. Or don't work together. Right.

Exactly. It's not good because what you will do is breed offense, anger, animosity, and strife within the body of Christ. We don't need it. Amen. We don't want it. Amen. So don't do it. Yeah. Very rarely, and I'm thinking of just a few families,

but very rarely has it ever happened where people can work together and all the parties stay at the church. Yeah. But not all the time does all the parties stay at the church and conduct themselves in a spiritually correct way. So make sure. Mm-hmm. What I'm trying to do is eliminate any potential for gossip, envy, and strife.

Yep. So let me go on to this. Let me do this. I'm going to give you a couple more examples. One of them is going to be Tracy. The other one is my friend Pastor Clover. She was on this podcast. So for people who are in ministry, you want to know how to handle yourself correctly

pastor clover is perfect they herner has been started this church they left the river church where they were pastors doing great there god called them out into starting their own church they moved down to fort myers knew not a single solitary soul they've gone from having in just two years to having one service to now two service and they're packed out. Now they're doing great. But there are other pastors that left right around the same time as them that are either doing equally or better. And some of them aren't doing, you know, not that numbers matter. They do matter, though, because it's just like Tracy said.

If you have a healthy ministry, growth is supposed to happen. Right. Like, which I thought was phenomenal way to phrase growth, but something healthy should grow. Right. And truthfully,

isn't that what it's all about? Yes. Like Jesus. 100%. Like, like when he died, they grew in numbers. 5,000.

Right. Like you're not like they grew in numbers. Right. 5,000. Right. Like you're not like supposed to. Yeah. I don't understand that. There are churches that Vanessa has experienced where they didn't want growth. They wanted to keep it small. Biblically, you are completely wrong. You're supposed to grow.

And with that growth, not always is growth easy because you have to find your way through it. We've experienced this at the church. We grew very quickly. River Tampa Bay and Revival Today have both said growth, when the growth happened exponentially, they had to find their way through it. And sometimes they did things right. Sometimes they did things wrong. But you got to figure it out. Nobody's going to hit it out of the park every single time.

But the thing is, is growth is supposed to happen. And we should not despise growth. We should not not like it at all. So they've grown. But they haven't grown necessarily as much as some other ministries. And what does Pastor Clover do? Every time somebody succeeds, she is cheering them on, even though they may have surpassed her. Pastor Rodney is famous for this.

Pastor Rodney is famous for not only helping propel you to grow, but then if you start growing past him, he financially supports you in getting bigger and better, even if it's beyond him. He will help you go past him. Isn't that the way we're supposed to be? Or should we just surprise people who pass us and we've helped them get to the level they are? Like, why are they passing me up?

You should be happy. You have a part in that. That's a good thing. That's not a bad thing. And that's what I love about Pastor Clover. It's even though somebody is doing better than her, she doesn't resent them for it. She applauds them for it.

And then she supports them in that. And really, that's the way we're supposed to be. It shouldn't really be. Again, it goes back to why do we do what we do? Are we doing it for him? are we doing it for him are we doing it for ourselves right it's good it's the seed that's been planted is it a good seed or is it a seed that's very motivational and motivated by self right and that's truly important did you do you do what you do because it's really about you. Are we about the kingdom?

Tracy. Tracy's like one of the best people I know. And I don't mean that. I mean that sincerely. I'm going to close out with this. And I truly, and I'm not kidding when I, I'm going to get choked up. I'm not kidding you when I'm going to tell you. It's going to probably be hard for me not to have a tear or two.

Because, I'm not kidding you. She's probably one of the best people I know. And the reason why she's one of the best people I know is because I'm not saying that she's done everything perfect. And I think she would tell you she hasn't done everything. I haven't. But when she doesn't do things perfect and you correct her, the heart behind which she receives the correction, whether you correct correctly, because sometimes when you correct people, you're carnal in how you correct. But how someone receives their correction, they can either be as carnal as you,

or they can do it the way Christ would expect you to receive it. And every single time, Tracy receives it correctly. Every single time. There are things that Tracy would probably love to be doing besides what she's doing in ministry. Like there are levels that she's probably very capable of going. But again, like Naz, she's good in her place. And when God's ready to move her up, she'll take that on and she'll move up and she'll probably keep doing what she's good in her place and when God's ready to move her up she'll take that on and she'll move up and she'll probably keep doing what she's doing because she loves it and she does it for the kingdom she loves her husband as Christ loves the church now listen I'm not saying she does everything right in that relationship but even that the heart behind what she does that

is oftentimes extremely correct. Why do we do what we do? And when we do it, is it about him or is it about us? And I can tell you, the people that I mentioned, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, almost every single thing that they do is kingdom-minded and kingdom-responded. From Naz to Pastor Clover to Pastor Rodney to Tracy. And if you look at all four of these lives

and you look at what God is accomplishing through all four of these lives and you look at what God is accomplishing through all four of these lives, you can't deny that the anointing that they have on them is extremely powerful. And ones that people look at and they say they're different. I can't tell you how many times people have told me NAS is like, like they can't even like pinch me. Does that really exist? Is that kind of person really, it really exists. The only reason it exists is because she chooses to walk in the spirit man, not in the flesh man.

And that's a powerful thing. When we walk in our carnal nature more than we walk in our spirit man, we ruin our anointing. We don't allow God to do the things that he wants to do through us. And we hold ourselves back from being the family member that people need to see Christ radiating through. He is the light. You have the potential to win every single person in your family.

You will either split a family apart, whether you realize it or not, or you will be the thing that says, I don't want anything to do with Christianity, if that's what it looks like. Or you can be the light. You can walk anointing and empower. And when a family member is sick in the hospital, you're the one that they call and say, we need you to come lay hands on this person. Or when there's a family situation where there's maybe a husband and wife splitting up, it's a cousin or something, they call you in because you can be the mediator because you can speak godly wisdom into that relationship. And in the presence of the body of Christ, either you can be the wedge or you can be the glue.

You can bring your gifts and your talents to God and you not be seen and he be seen or it can be all about you and what you feel like people should see, hear,

receive. Like you've got it going on. What you got to realize is maybe you don't got it going on. Maybe it's all about you and it's not really about him. And if you are like that, you will be, if you ever are used to ministry, you will be very limited to ministry. And that is a dangerous thing. So before we close out, I really want you, we're going to play this song.

And at the end of the day, why do we do what we do? Is our eyes focused on him? I have listened, I listened to this song. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to this song. And the reason I listened to it is because it reminds me of who he is, why I'm allowed to do what I'm allowed to do, and for me to keep things into perspective. Because at the end of the day, it's all about anointing and power. And if you have no anointing and no power,

what's the point? There is no point. So we're going to pray a prayer. And then we're going to play this. And then we're going to close out., and then we're going to play this, and then we're going to close out. You can stay on and listen, or you can just shut off, but I would encourage you to stay on

and allow the Holy Spirit to really penetrate your heart to reveal to you some things maybe you need revealed, and maybe just to love on you. So, Heavenly Father, we come to you right now, and need revealed and maybe just to love on you. So Heavenly Father, we come to you right now. And Father, I thank you for the opportunity to teach this, to speak on this, to bring revelation knowledge. I believe that you gave it to me and I believe it's for every voice that's going to hear this message so that relationships can be healed, ministries can grow,

situations can be resolved, a life of offense can be removed, healing can begin, envy and strife will be no longer, people to be happy with what they have, and then maybe for it to be revealed to them how to go to the next level if they so desire that. But ultimately, Lord, we do what we do, or I do. This podcast, I will speak for the women in this room because I know their hearts. We do what we do because of you and because you're so beautiful. Amen.

See you Friday. Jesus, bright as the morning star Jesus, how can I tell you How beautiful you are to me Jesus, song that the angels sing Jesus, dearer to my heart than anything. Sweeter than springtime, you're purer than sunshine. Ever my song will be. Jesus,

you're beautiful to me. Come on, let's worship him. Let's love on him. Hallelujah. Everybody sing Jesus. Jesus. Bright as the morning star. Jesus, how can I tell you how beautiful you are to me? Jesus, song that the angels sing Sweet Jesus Dearer to my heart than anything Sweeter than springtime Pure than sunshine

Ever my soul will be Jesus You're beautiful You're beautiful to me Anybody ready to join up in the throne room? Come on, let's give them the glory Come on, let's give them the honor You're holy, you're holy

You're holy, you're holy You're holy, you're holy You're holy, you're holy You're holy, you're holy You're holy, You're holy You're holy, You're holy You're holy, You're holy You're holy, You're holy You're holy, You're holy Oh Lord You're beautiful

Oh Lord You're beautiful You're worthy, You're worthy You're worthy, You're worthy You're worthy, You're worthy You're worthy, You're worthy You're worthy, You're worthy You're worthy, You're worthy Yes He is, yes He is There's nobody like You

There's nobody like You There's nobody like You Nobody, nobody, nobody There's nobody like You Nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, nobody, no My soul says yes My soul says yes Yes, Lord You're holy, You're holy

You're holy, You're holy You're holy, You're holy Yes, He is Yes, He is Yes, He is Yes, He is Yes, He is There's nobody like You There's nobody like You Everybody sing yes Everybody sing yes

My soul said yes Everybody sing yes In the morning yes In the noon day yes My soul said, yeah My soul said, yeah Nobody like you Nobody like you

Yes Nobody like you Yes Real talk Real talk Real talk