The Hope Hotline - The Hope Hotline | S02-E26| 05-01-2024

Episode Date: May 3, 2024

The Hope Hotline | S02-E26| 05-01-2024

Real talk. Real talk. Real talk. Real talk. Hello and happy Wednesday. Welcome to the Hope Hotline. We are ready to go. You can probably hear Sarah giggling in the background. They're laughing over Songs of Solomon. Yeah. Apparently, they're laughing over its spiciness, but I don't know. Sarah's got something to say. We're laughing because, first of all, Talia didn't even know this existed.

No, I did not. And Vanessa was talking about how it's a love novel that's super spicy. She thought it was something spicy when she was growing up. So, Vanessa, what would you like to say? Full conviction. No comment. Vanessa was reading it under her covers with a flashlight. Yeah, exactly.

As a teenager, teenager like oh my goodness what am i reading i was just telling them i never paid like i read certain books in the old testament when i was growing up like the ones that i liked but the ones that i didn't really they sounded like i just skipped right on over them but the new the new testament is was my jam so i usually stuck in the New Testament. And you know, like, obviously, Genesis, Exodus, you stick with those. And then you get to the Deuteronomy,

or excuse me, you get to Leviticus, and you're like, I'm out. Uh-uh. Not happening. What about Numbers? Numbers was pretty bad, too. But Leviticus was, like, like hands down one of the worst. Like, oh my gosh.

Yeah, I was like, I'm not doing this. I'm not doing it. Then you skip on. You know, when you're reading the Bible, like people, unless you're reading the message, which is Sarah's favorite. But like when you read the bible like my dad would only let me read king james really good luck with that one oh yeah yeah okay that was rough yeah so um so i have a lot of stuff memorized in the king james which

is really easy to memorize scripture in the King James. I will tell you that. But instead of the message, it's too wordy. But whatever. So I would kind of like not understand how like Kings and Chronicles were all the same thing. They all told a story about the same thing. And it's just when you get older, you finally start like it's like a light bulb goes off and you're like oh my gosh it's like when you teach kids like that David and Goliath that that same David is also the same King David and kids are like no way yeah yeah I remember teaching kids like when um because I did the children's ministry so long that when you taught about moses how it went right into joseph they're like i can't believe this this is all because it's so funny how it all like a light bulb goes off right now the little ones are still dumb as a box of rocks so

they're like oh but the older ones like they're like this makes so much sense their eyes get big and you're like I've hit a golden nugget here yeah but I remember those aha moments yeah yeah no way that David is the same David I mean I remember thinking that you know so it's just cool how the Bible comes to life and as you as you spend more time in it as you get older and you know as the maturity the rationale the revelation like you never can read that thing and something not be new it's just not possible it's not possible but yes song of solomontow have at it tonight while you're on it we'll do that's your bedtime reading oh my gosh yes makes you it'll make you're on it. Will do. That's your bedtime reading. Oh, my gosh. It'll make you like.

I'll record myself reacting to it. Oh. You're going to be like, some of it you're going to be like, ew. I know. A lot of it you're going to be, ew. Yeah. I would have been, especially at that age. But I still, like, I just got done reading it about a month and a half ago.

And for me, like I was telling Vanessa, because I did it through the Perry Stone, which there's so much stuff in the Perry Stone that I've already read Song of Solomon before through Perry Stone, but there's so much stuff you can't remember it. And this time when I was reading it, it was even more impactful because I was like, this makes so much more sense. And then you'll read it again. Like you'll go all through the Old Testament all over again, because I do the old and the new at the same time. And then the next time I read it, it's going to be like even more like, right. It's crazy. But I highly suggest now, Vanessa just got the Perry Stone, and she's loving life. I am obsessed.

The notes. And also, I love how it's formatted. Like, the font size is really nice. Yes. Yes, I agree. I don't like the font size. I think it's super tiny. Oh.

Oh, okay. And it's blue. I know. When you texted me that, I was like, I'm not feeling it. That's not what I like. But, like, if I have to, I'll pull out a magnifying glass to read that sucker. Because. Yeah.

Life changing. I've never been the same. You have one? Yeah. Tracy has one. Sarah has one. Ty, do you have one? Ty's looking at me like, heck no, I don't have one.

Your mom has one, so you can use your mom. Does your mom have one? I guess. I don't know. Oh, yeah, she does. Yeah, she does. Yeah, she does. I don't know if she'll let you use that.

I don't know. Okay, Ty's a little bitter over here. Well, I don't know if she'll let me. Let's get her in here. Oh, man don't know if she'll let me. Let's get her in here. Oh, man. Dad gum. Where's Courtney? Okay.

Courtney's in the chat. Is Courtney in the chat? Is Courtney in the chat? No, probably not. Where you at, Courtney? Sometimes she's watching. She does reply. It just depends on what.

I know. Sometimes she does reply. Yeah. It just depends on what's going on in her life. I got to put my phone on do not disturb because somebody's already kicked me out of my notes. So, Tracy's back. I'm back. Praise the Lord, hallelujah.

She's back, back, back. Back again, again, again. I don't, that's like Mary Mack. All dressed in black. That's Mary Mack. Isn't that like what that is? No. What is that? What are you doing over there? You don't know? No. What is that? What are you doing over there? You don't know?

No. Like my kids are grown up. What is that song? I don't know. Okay, nobody knows what it is. I know, but I don't know the title. I'm going to stick with Miss Mary Mack. I can tell you it's not Miss Mary Mack.

It's something else. I'm fine. You took the tune from Miss Mary Mack. It's something else. I'm fine. You took the tune from Miss Mary Mac. That's what I'm saying. Sounds like it. Uh-huh. Trying to make me feel stupid over here. Slim Shady.

Slim Shady. That's what it is. So Slim Shady took Miss Mary Mac? Well, no. Are you sure about that, Sarah? They were not singing it properly. I was going to say, I don't know if that was a proper tune. I mean, I am like a musician over here.

Are they doing it right, Sarah? As opposed to Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mackle, dressed in black, black, black with silver buttons. That's what it sounded like to me. Slim Shady is singing Miss Mary Mack. That's all I'm saying. Slim Shady needs to go back to nursery rhymes or whatever and figure something out because it's pretty pathetic. Okay.

So Tracy's back. I'm back. And silliness is back. Heather's a little bit more serious. It's okay. She's that girl. She's going to bit more serious. It's okay. She's our girl. She's going to get it done. Well, she tried to tell me when to talk and when not to talk.

Of course she did. That was funny. I had to tell her, girl. It's called the whole potluck. That's what I had to say. I'm the host. I was listening. She's always keeping me like.

I know. I know. She keeps me on track. She keeps me on track. She keeps me on track. Somebody's got to. Okay. So let's go to our. What's my jiggies?

Okay. Let's inform everybody where to go. Okay. In a nice way. Okay. I'll be super sweet. Like always. All right.

If you're on Facebook, which we don't have a huge group of people, but I see Steffi on there. If you want to like and comment and share and get it out there for us. I got in trouble. No, no, no. Wait. Oh, just wait. Am I still in trouble? We are live on YouTube. And but we have zero viewers. Well, I'm just telling you, Facebook, I think I think I got hurt big time, too, on Facebook. Because my numbers have been affected since I did that. Well, YouTube is definitely not happy with you.

But we are live. They're shadow banning me. We'll follow up with the replays and see what those numbers look like. I count on God. Not the shadow ban. I know. So silly. But anyways, we don't love Facebook.

Sorry, Facebook. No offense. But we, we don't love Facebook. Sorry, Facebook. No offense. But we do love Rumble. And so we've got our live chat going on over there. So if you are just sitting there watching and you're not multitasking like I was always doing, you can hop over to the live chat in Rumble. And we've got a bunch of people over there. Talia's in there helping me and Sean, Fern, Galena.

Logan's on. Hey, girl. And we we got Emery and Aaron's on today. So we've got a bunch of people in the chat, black robe, of course, always available. So you can always hop on there and we won't have any issues with, you know, getting shadow banned or anything. Cause it's our platform. Um, YouTube as always, you can follow us on Instagram. We're on Facebook as well, as you know, because you're probably watching or have seen things there. But Instagram also, we do some updates on there. Anything different and fun, sometimes we'll do those in the stories.

Just a reminder, we are doing our Beloved Ladies Conference, and it will be August 22nd to the 24th. So make sure you are prepared. Take that time off and tell your husbands to take care of those kiddos. Good news. Good news. The merch store is back up and running, and we still have our UBU t-shirt, our Hope Hotline mug, and our spoon. But the new addition now is our hat with our cute model

girl. Yes. So we've got the new Hope Hotline merch and obviously we've had this out for a little while, but our merch store is back up and running with no more issues. And so again, it's available at foundationchurchfl.com and you just click on shop. And lastly, we need you guys to send in your questions. You guys are sending in some really great ones. We've seen like, you know, a good group of them come through and just different questions. So we always appreciate that. And I always said that when people have questions and you come on, it comes into your mind, probably somebody else has had that question. So it's, you know, people appreciate hearing them or they never even thought to ask that question. So if you've been told that you have great questions, please send them in because we would love to hear from you.

That is true. You know what I noticed? You know how people are always saying, I really don't have anything to give. I mean, you give your tithe and probably your offering and stuff like that. I'm looking at a picture. I'm going to make you put it back up. Because when I saw that picture, it touched me. A lot of times people feel like, I don't have anything to give. Or I wish that I can minister to people. I wish that I had a skill set that would offer something. People think that a microphone is really the way to change people. You can disciple people one-on-one,

but you can also change people's lives just by the gifts that God has provided you. And a lot of times we take them for granted because they are so easy for us. And we think, well, that's really not a gift because it's not hard. The reason that you were gifted that is because, like I say all the time, I don't ever stop working,

but I don't feel like I'm working because I absolutely love where God has me. It's what he's called me to do. It's the gift that he's given me. It's what I am passionate about. And so, and listen, I'm a good salesperson. Like God has's given me. It's what I am passionate about. And so, and, and, and listen, I'm a good salesperson. Like God has just blessed me. I've done so many things in my life and everything, I can honestly tell you everything that he's ever placed me in and had me do. I, I don't know how,

except I just believe it'll come to pass. But everything I've ever done when I was a child of God, everything I've put my hand to has prospered, and I have been found with favor everywhere I go. People would always say, how is that? I've done the same thing that you've done, and I'm not getting the same results. Well, I would say it's because I walk in the favor of the Lord and you don't walk with him, but it would also give me an opportunity to

share my faith. And I also expected, and I spoke it into existence, but I, but I will say this. There's a lot of people who are gifted and talented and they have a skill like my hairdresser Jolene the the Lord put it upon her heart to reach out to someone in prison ministry to see about doing hair for prisoners which enabled me to be able to say hey listen if you get an inroad I want to go because I want to minister in the prisons, right? That's one of the things that I feel passionate about. But because she does hair, she's able to disciple and minister

and win the lost for people in prison just by the gift that God's given her. If people actually looked at what the gift that God's given her. Like if people actually looked at what God, the skillset God has given them and how they might be able to use that for him to minister the gospel, a lot of people just say, well, easy for you to say.

I just don't really see people, so I can't do it. That's baloney. Look at the skillset that you have and say, how am I going to use the gifts and callings that God has given me so that I can minister the gospel? But put that picture back of Talia in that hat. Because a year ago, a year ago today, Talia was walking through probably one, and I don't think

you mind me sharing this. No, go ahead. Okay. Talia was walking through probably one of, and I don't think you mind me sharing this. No, go ahead. Okay, Talia was walking through probably one of the hardest times ever in her life. And I saw a young woman go from being the most bubbly, most vivacious, extroverted child. She really wasn't a child. She was 16 years old. To being somebody who was so self-conscious, introverted, and the smile and the glimmer in her eye had just gone. And she was battling a huge battle of acne. And her mom and my family were trying to do everything we could

to help solve this issue for her. Like we all rallied around Talia because we all love Talia, right? And it wasn't until we went to the Radiance Conference, and this is how God will set you up if you're the one going through it, but also God will put us who have the ability to solve problems and minister to people in just the right place at the right time. So Taya goes to the ladies conference in Pittsburgh, the Radiance, and one of my girlfriends, all of our girlfriends in this room,

actually every single one of us call her a girlfriend, but Taya didn't really know her. Tracy, who does my facials, Tracy kept looking at Taya and she's like I gotta fix this I gotta I can I can do something about this and so what Tracy did is she said listen Taya like so gently and so sweetly on the way back at the airport I remembered her talking to Talia and saying being so like cautious about the words that she said because you could see that it bothered her so tell you so much and she took Talia's face from being so what would you say Talia what was like it was painful correct yeah it was excruciating pain because it was cystic acne

along with just regular blackheads and zits, right? Yeah. So what she did is she said, I'm going to bless you at no cost to you, Talia. I'm going to fix this issue for you. How long did it take before, after you did that? I would say like about four months until it started to like

really go away. Because it was so bad. I don't, people, unless they know, she tried to cover it up with makeup, but people really don't know.

But still to this day, Tracy ministers. She's still blessing you. I just saw her yesterday. Huh? I just saw her yesterday. She's blessing you. She's treating you and she has radically changed your life. You went, it wasn't, I, was I lying when I said about all those things about you? No. Like the gratitude and the love

that you have for Tracy is probably huge, but, but to Tracy, it's nothing. Right. Yeah. Cause it's her skillset and she had the power to radically change a young person's life. So what I say to you is I look at that picture of you night and day, night and day. And I think how powerful it is that somebody has the ability to be a life-changing vessel for someone. And all it took was, what, every two weeks. For a while, it was once a week of 30 minutes to an hour. And just both of you know each other better. And it's powerful.

So I'm just saying, look at yourself, see what God has given you and see if there isn't someone that you can radically change their life by simply doing what you know and love to do. It's not hard. But I mean, Talia is totally different. I looked at that picture and I went, man, what a night and day from a year ago.

Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. It really is. It's a beautiful thing. So Tracy, if you're watching, we love you. We thank you. Because she is, she's crazy. It's crazy. It really is. It's a beautiful thing. So Tracy, if you're watching, we love you. We thank you. Yeah. Because she is, she's like mine.

And I thank you for that. I tell her all the time. I'm like, you have no idea how much you have changed somebody's life. And she changes lots of people's lives. But I'm just saying, in this particular case, she took a young person's life and she made it go from night to day. So thank you so much for that. And if you have that ability, like my hairdresser, think outside of the box and think of how you might be able to use your skills and your talents to go and minister to people that might not, nobody wants to minister to. And I'm not talking about going out into homeless camps

and crap like that. And that's not what I'm saying. What I am saying is think about going outside of yourself and seeing what you might be able to do. When I sold real estate, I blessed people all the time because I didn't take commission from them. Because I knew that would be an opportunity for me to share the gospel or to bless people.

I did it all the time. Oh, yeah, look at that. Please. There's ways you can do it. That's like. That was even like I think after going for like two weeks. Yeah, because it was really bad. Yeah.

So now we just look at you and I'm like, it's awesome. I know. It's powerful, people. You have so much power to change lives if you just think about it. I mean, just think about what you have the ability to do and what the talents you have and start thinking outside of the box

because time is of the essence. We don't have that much time and we have to take as many souls as we possibly can with us, um, and then disciple them. So girls, you have anything to add? I mean, that happens a lot with photography. Like when I don't overcharge somebody, like a lot of people do, um, it, you know, if I bless somebody and I don't charge them at all, like it's a huge blessing to them. Oh yeah. Cause photography is not cheap. It's not, it's not especially good photography.

Yeah. And that's, and I get that a lot. So I'm thankful for that or videos that people need for business or whatever. Like it's, it's been a great way to use my skillset and just help people get where they want to go without them going into debt over it. Which is our gem.

Yeah. You doing the videography. Yeah. had to open the door for us. Well, I think part of that is because me and Vanessa blessed the owner at one time because we felt like we were supposed to. Then you came along and you blessed her. And now she texts me personally, you know, know and she texts you but I don't think she does that with a lot of people it opens doors when you just do something that's easy but what were

you going to say I think Vanessa or Sarah was going to say something so I distinctly remember us praying for Talia at Vanessa's for that issue and I just wanted to say that like sometimes we're waiting for like a miracle or like something amazing to happen which we believe for and we love but sometimes God brings a person along to like help meet that need and answer the prayer a lot of times yeah

and we have to be that like we're his body like we're his hands and feet so I just think that that's awesome I do too because she because she had a skill set. I mean, and it wasn't like she wasn't having to take medication or anything like that. Do you know what I'm saying? Right. But she knew how to, like you said, be the hands, be the feet.

She had the answer. That's the miracle behind the whole entire thing. I know. I love it. Yeah. It's like when Elijah went and went to the woman and asked her for the last bit of meal

that she had, right? He asked her to give him her last little bit. And it wasn't manna coming down from heaven. God used a person. And because he used that person, that person obviously was obedient

and fixed him his meal first before they even gave, which is powerful, people. When you put yourself in second position and you put somebody else in first, that's very, very powerful. So even though she had a child, which most of us would say, no, you're not going in front of my child. What she did is she saw the prophet. She knew he was a man of God. She gave to the prophet.

Then she gave to her and her son. And because of that, she was set for life. She was set. And that's how we have to be. We have to put ourselves in secondary positions a lot of times and say, God, are you using me? What were you going to say, Vanessa? Even if you don't think you have a skill set, like as a stay at home mom, like I just, I linked up with Tracy and I opened my home. And now we meet every, every Tuesday and we've got ladies coming.

We had a really sweet salvation on Tuesday. Even if you don't think you have anything to offer, just opening your home for a friend to come over and fellowship. That's also impactful. I wish more people did their Bible studies like you guys do your Bible studies because what a lot of times Bible studies like you guys do your Bible studies. Because what a lot of times Bible studies are very dangerous. They become one, they become very carnal. Bible studies become very carnal.

They become a drama fest. They become less about the moving of the Holy Spirit and the message that of the word of God, speaking the word and and more about what's going on in each and every person's lives, making that a drama-filled situation. That becomes the focus instead of the answer. And so if people would just really do if they're going to do a Bible study make sure it stays focused on the purpose not focused

on filling the carnal nature that's a good point I forget that what we do is very not normal it's not normal and that's why I didn't want to start a Bible study because of all the ones I've experienced in the past. I hate them. It becomes a gossip fest. Almost every single one

of them. When people start outside, if people start Bible studies that are not a part of the ministry and they make friends and now they want to start a Bible study because they could never start one, but they can if they make friends in the church. So now they want to start a Bible study because they could never start one, but they can if they make friends in the church. So now they have this Bible study and they make all these friends and now it becomes a gossip fest about, and it doesn't even have to be about the leadership. It becomes a gossip fest about each other's families. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's dangerous. Yeah, it is. It really is. It's not is. It's not about really coming and studying the Bible. It's about the woes and the health issues.

And it's not praying over the health issues. It's discussing the health issues. Yeah, glorifying it. It's not good. They tend to be very dangerous. But you guys, if I could tell anybody who wanted to start a Bible study, please go to that one for about a month. Follow that. It's a good rule of thumb of this is what one that's healthy looks like. But the problem is, in order to have a healthy Bible study, it means that you have to, and I don't mean this in a negative way,

but you have to control the conversation, which is not easy for the facilitators because you have to control the conversation because out of the abundance of the mouth, the heart speaks. If you prophetically want to receive the right things, then you have to make sure people are speaking the right things. If you want to see salvations, then you have to be speaking the right things

in order for those salvations to come to pass. If you're wanting healings or the move of the Holy Spirit, all that matters what the room is talking about because a house divided cannot stand. And if you have a lot of carnality mixed in with Holy Spirit, it's not good. I agree. have a lot of carnality mixed in with Holy Spirit. It's not good. Yeah, I agree.

But it's powerful when it's all comes together. It is. But it's a tough thing to run. It is. Yeah. Yeah. So you have to be willing to have the hard conversations like you've said in the past. Like you just have to be willing to have them. And if God's really there, then it always pans out okay.

It's just it can be uncomfortable to like stop somebody in their track. And sometimes it doesn't come out. I mean, it always comes out okay, even if it doesn't come out the way you want it to come out. And that means even when you lose, you've had people come and go out of your Bible study. For sure. Yep. Well, that's the same thing with this church. I mean, if you're going to preach a hard message, if you're going to set high expectations, if you're going to say you can't do that or you can do that,

then people are going to come and go. If there's a standard, people will come and go. But if it's all willy-nilly and do whatever you want to do and say whatever you want to say, well, you'll have a legions club or you know you'll just have a social club okay and that's great and all but that ain't church yeah i always heard that thoroughbreds love being around thoroughbreds and donkeys love being around donkeys and thoroughbreds and donkeys don't do well together. And so when you create an atmosphere, like Pastor Tom has set a certain standard at our church, you know, most don't like it. He doesn't allow donkeys. And so therefore, since we're in this church,

the people that come to this church, they already kind of know what to expect from leadership. And so Pastor Tom makes our job easy because they already like expect it from foundation people. You know what I mean? So it does kind of make it easier. And then the people, when we don't let certain things happen, the people that don't like it leave. And so it's so funny because if you look at the people who come to this church, they're all pretty much the same kind of people. Do you know? Have you ever paid attention? And what happens is you can. I've seen this.

You have people who come in that are like drawn in because they're like, I've never tasted Christianity or seen Christianity like this. Like, this is good stuff. They grab a hold of it and either they stick to it or eventually you'll see people be pulled out. But as they're pulled out, their convictions, their standards all start going down the toilet. And so they no longer look like us, which is a solid, strong believer who is seeking first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness. If you look at a lot of the people that attend this church, they are fervently and they are passionately seeking him first. But the ones that end up leaving and being pulled out, it's because seeking him first is no longer

the priority. It's whatever, like the carnal nature and whatever that looks like, whether it be their marriage is falling apart, whether it be their kids have gotten to a certain age, so sports has taken the priority, whether it be gossip and strife, somebody's ticked them off in the church, so they're not very happy that this person's able to do something or they're not doing something.

It's a whole lot of nonsense. But you see the glimmer of seeking him first, leaving them. People are like, how can that happen? It's because they've changed. They've changed. Not the word, not the church. The church has stayed the same. They've changed.

They have allowed themselves to be pulled out and distracted satan is very good yeah even people with longevity longevity i've seen it with longevity and you just sit there and you can see the glimmer going because you can see the circle of friends that they might have or like the priorities that they used to have they would say i will never like i will never miss church for a sport my kids they will what we'll tell them is we'll play every day but sunday and that changes and so that distraction is what pulls them out i've seen it over and over and over again and people will go the church go, the church has changed. The church ain't changed.

I mean, because you're right. Either you've left and you've gone to a weak, soft church because you can't handle, seek ye first the kingdom of God. It's like I was just listening to Pastor Rodney's son-in-law, and he was talking about the church has lost its way. We no longer are chasing and going after holiness. Holiness is no longer preached in the church. And he was talking about how that's the great falling away, how that enables a great fall. And I'm like, nobody says that though. I mean, Tom's pretty much the only one that I ever hear say we're not preaching the holiness in the church anymore and we're

losing people. Salvations are being lost because of it. And I like was so proud of him for coming out and saying that. So but now we have 28 minutes. I don't feel bad about this, though, because for me, it's like. For me, I'll be honest, I don't feel bad about talking about this stuff because it's just no different than a question yeah i would feel bad if we were talking about one of the questions that are coming up like what our favorite movie is okay i feel bad if i was talking about that

right now but i don't feel bad about it right now and we will answer that question but i'm just saying yeah um you know and i one last thing about one last thing about finding what God has for you and then you using this. I want you to think about this. And it just came to my heart, so I'm going to share it. One of the things, the biggest mistake that the Israelites did when they went into the promised land and they said to what they did is, you know,

Caleb and Joshua were the only ones that looked at everybody and they were like, we can defeat them. But the Israelites, the spies that came out and said, remember what they said. I'm going to try and frame it as close as I possibly can. We were grasshoppers in their eyes, and we saw ourselves as grasshoppers in their eyes. So what they did is they framed it that when the Israelites or when, wasn't it the Canaanites that were in there? Wasn't at the Canaanites that were in

there wasn't at the Canaanites that were in it was Canaan so I believe it's the Canaanites that were in the promised land huh it wasn't because they're from Moab so yeah Canaanites yeah so when the Canaanites, because they were giants, right? So what they said is when they see us, they see us as grasshoppers. But when we, when they, when we see them, we see ourselves as grasshoppers is what they said. So not only were they saying what the, saying what the Canaanites were looking at and how they perceive them, but they were saying, we see ourselves as grasshoppers in their eyes. They actually were confessing an untruth. And a lot of times as we as believers, we do the same thing. We look at ourselves with

the lack of faith and belief in what God has called us to do in the same way they did. So what Joshua and Caleb did is they may see us as grasshoppers. Well, I don't see myself as a grasshopper. We can go in and we can take that land. We can take that territory. Their faith was in believing what the word of God said about who they were. And instead, the other spies believed what the devil, what the Canaanites said they were. Does that make sense, ladies? If you hold yourself back based on what other people say that you are, you will accomplish nothing. You will win nobody and you'll disciple absolutely no one. But if you look at yourself and with the gifts and callings that God has

spoken over you when he formed you, he gave you gifts and talents, right? When you see you in the way that he sees you with the gifts and talents that he's given you, then you'll see yourself with the faith to be able to fulfill those gifts and talents that he's given you, then you'll see yourself with the faith to be able to fulfill those gifts and talents that he's called you to do. Correct? So don't believe the lies. Believe the word. Believe what he has said over you

and believe in what he's given you. And I'm telling you, you'll go out and do mighty things for God and he'll give you ideas. Like I sat there with, when Jolene told me she was gonna to do that, I was like, how in the world did you even think about that? How, what?

And she goes, it just popped in my head. God gave me this idea. And I was like, I'm going to do it. That's how it'll be for you. God will just plop it right into your mind. And it'll be like an aha moment. And you'll be like, I can do that. Unless you believe the lies, unless you be like the tens moment. And you'll be like, I can do that. Unless you believe the lies.

Unless you be like the eight other spies and say, I don't think I can do that. I mean, I don't see myself. I see myself as they see me. Don't see yourself as they see you. You see yourself as he sees you. And you'll accomplish mighty things for him. Amen? Amen.

So let's go to the first question. Okay. It says, speaking of kids, what is the right age to give your kids the talk? My kids have zero interest, but middle school is right around the corner, and I want to open a healthy and godly dialogue with my children before the world tries to. I don't want to broach the topic if they aren't ready yet, though, because I'm also trying to preserve every second of their childhood innocence. But I also don't want to wait too long and risk them hearing things from the wrong influences.

When did you give your kids the talk and how did you talk to them about it? So like junior high, what grade are you going in in junior high? Yeah, but what, how old are you? Like, I mean mean what grade i mean so it's it's like 11 12 is what you're gonna be okay that's that's exactly the age i think it was 12 years old when we told tommy and and listen it also depends on the maturity of the person like if it was brinley i tell her now yeah i'm joking but i'm just saying. The level of maturity, right? She's very mature. And if she were to hear it right now, she might be able to understand it. And I wouldn't want somebody else teaching. Like if I had a kid like Brinley, I wouldn't want somebody else teaching

my kid. Now Brinley is homeschooled. So the odds of her hearing anything like that are slim to none but i'm just saying if i had a kid that was very mature for their age i would gauge what i told them i remember finding out about a menstrual cycle in the fourth grade and it wasn't from my mom it was from the kids in school and i was mortified i was like what the what i did not like that at all. So I think it is important that if your kids are going to hear anything, they hear it from you. I just remember with Tommy, I'm going to tell you right now. That was something else. Something else. So Tom decided to take Tommy for the talk on a walk.

And so they walked a lot. But Tom was like, I think it's time. I think we got to give him the talk. And I'm like, OK, well, you have at it there, buddy. And so they went for a walk. And Tom proceeded to tell him about life. And Tommy broke down, started bawling, crying. His eyes out.

And he was like thinking, we're sinning. He's like, you don't do that with mom, do you? And Tom's like, how do you think you got here, buddy? Of course. And he just started crying. He thought we were sinners and we were going to hell. He literally was like, you guys are going to go to hell for that. Tom was like, we're married. We're allowed. He still didn't believe him. He still did not believe he was crying his eyes out. Now, Norma, on the other hand, there's Heather. Norma, on the other hand, she was pretty much the same age as him. We

homeschooled our kids, so it was pretty easy. But she thought it was gross, and she did not cry. And she didn't care about my salvation, and she didn't care if I was going to heaven or hell over it. Of course. At all. That pretty much explains it. Now, for them, they kind of had an idea about some things,

but on the whole, they knew nothing. Now my kids are 23 and 25. So 12 years ago was a long time from now. Like that's a long, and I didn't do like, my kids did not do, I mean, they did like art classes and music and things like that, but I didn't have them in like these co-op groups and stuff like that, which the co-op groups back in our day were mixed with saved and unsaved kids. Like you guys as co-op groups are like handpicked. You guys know every single person. There's like

you control the communication. Back in my day, it wasn't the same exact way. Homeschooling is super popular, but it was way different than it is now by a lot. So my kids were very sheltered. The odds of them hearing anything were slim to none. And any kid that wanted to tell my kids something that they shouldn't tell them, they came to church and I would have like pounded them into the ground or I would have their parents pounded them in the ground so pretty much it was a safe environment now Tracy yeah you have two high school students two senior students did you tell them or did they find out in school because they only live part-time with you yeah yeah which

made it harder right yeah um so I told them like in bits and pieces as they were like, because they're girls, so they want to know where babies came from. Yeah. You know, like very early on. Yeah. And I was like, you know, I just, I prayed, always prayed. Like, how much do I tell them? And so Mackenzie was more like sweet and precious.

Like if I told her too early, she would have cried too. Just because like she would have like, how could somebody do that to my mom? It's disgusting. My mother told me, I think when I was 17, 16, 17, I still thought it was gross and disgusting. And I thought it was gross and disgusting that she did it with my dad. Right. That's yeah, that's the worst part. That's nasty. I ain't ever doing that. Then a year later. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. But it wasn't far from there. Oh, my gosh. Yes, I don't, like, remember, like, the...

I know I do. I remember telling them, and I don't remember what... They were probably around that age, too. They were probably around 10 or 11 or 12. And they were like, huh, that's weird. And that was it. It was... But it came...

It was, like like bits and pieces. And I kind of waited for them to ask more questions than they never did. Mine was bits and pieces too. But when it came to the big, I was like, I don't know about that. They went to public school too. So as they were getting bits and pieces, they probably were hearing certain. And then they're like, oh, yeah, that's weird. It made more sense to them because they probably were putting two and then they're like oh yeah that's weird so it made

more sense to them because they probably were putting two and two together prior to your conversation yeah that makes sense yeah absolutely so yeah which is probably what this person's going to experience to a certain degree yeah because her kids are going into junior high right so i would suspect they have to hear something at school oh right especially junior high now yeah before junior high now yeah before junior high sarah's going before junior yeah unfortunately because her kids your kids are in public school but have your kids always been in public school uh so i homeschooled when they were little like when taylor was in kindergarten but then i had like a newborn a two-year-old a

four-year-old and a seven-year-old, and a seven-year-old. But no, I'm speaking from the teacher position here. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. Teaching fifth grade, they knew things that they probably shouldn't. Yeah. But I, because I was a teacher, and my first job was at a high school, and I had conversations with high school kids where they were like, so when you eat food, that food goes into your stomach

and then the baby just eats it, right? And I was like, what? So I actually have a video of my oldest, Taylor, when she was two or three and I was pregnant with Trace where she's explaining exactly how that baby got there. The baby's in your uterus and it comes out of your

vagina at two years old because I was horrified that my kids would grow up with anything other than the truth. So I probably, the pendulum probably swung a little bit too far. I can think. Because they knew all of it.

And if they ever asked me a question. Just that she could say certain words as a two-year-old. She is like Brunley. It probably made sense to her that you never know. I know. My niece just sent me the video of her

literally yesterday where she's like, and then the baby's going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. And then it's going to come out. And so, yeah. Wow. But I would draw pictures. Like, I told them everything.

If they had a question, it was like, I'm going to be the one that you hear it from. I don't blame you for that, though. I'll be honest with you. I mean, I don't know how well that's served me right now. Well, I mean, okay. So in some, but here's the thing. Like I will say this. Okay.

You have fluctuated in and out, right? Yep. But I will say this. They probably can say on the whole that when you tell them something, they can trust it. And they don't necessarily like it, but that will be the thing that brings them back, Sarah, just so you know. Even when I was not walking with the Lord, they knew for sure that what I was telling them was the truth. But that's what will bring them back because they know that there's a consistency there. And trust is the biggest thing with, I mean, hypocrisy is not good.

Believe me. I walked away because of hypocrisy being one of the things. But I will say to you, trust in any relationship is the key. And even though I walked away from, because, partly because of hypocrisy, one of the things that brought me back is because I trusted my parents. Like what they said, they never lied to me, you know. And so that's the thing that brought me back because I trusted them completely. And so I will say that to you. There are faults and failings that all of us as parents do.

Like we're obviously not perfect, and we're going to get things right. We're going to get them wrong. The more successes help in making sure that they come out of it and they are saved. But because there is failures, if you can make sure that your kids can trust you, I think that that beats anything. Like by a lot.

Absolutely. I think it's huge. I also was never, my mom never gave me the talk. Ever. So like I ever. She found notes from my boyfriend. And that's when she decided she was going to come pick me up from school i was like too late miss that bus lady sorry mom if you're watching but um but i found

a book when i was nine at my friend's house and i taught myself everything such a good reader i was um so i didn't also didn't want that to happen so I had an experience where I was like I'm I'm making sure yeah yeah wowsers okay so if this person wants a book I have one to recommend okay so let's put let's get tell you that information so that um so that we can put it in there there because it probably is not just this person. There's probably a boatload of people that would love to have a good

book or guideline. Maybe they don't use the book, but you use it as a guide to help navigate through a very awkward It can be very awkward. It's the talk, Seven Lessons to Introduce Your Child to Biblical Sexuality. There's one for puberty as well. yeah I mean it can be awkward it can be very awkward it's the talk seven lessons to introduce your child to biblical sexuality and that's and there's one for puberty as well um and relationships

I have all three um and it's on Amazon and so she can put on the the chat the the link on the chat and are you doing rumble too Tal yeah oh Yeah. I didn't know if Tracy did both. Okay, so this might be embarrassing because you got your daughter in here, but Vanessa, like. So we tag teamed. Jeff was responsible to have the talk with Joe. That's how it was in my house. And then he did that. You get the boy, I get the girl.

Yeah, yeah. And my girl, I think she's sleeping So I don't think she can hear me Praise ye the Lord She got her cycle early And so that kind of forced my hand You know what I mean? And so we kind of

I also took it in bits and pieces I haven't I'm going to confess something And so we kind of, I also took it in bits and pieces. I haven't, I'm going to confess something. I haven't had like. The official official. The talk. Yet. It's a tough one. It is.

We might have it today. After this? Because of this? After this. She might be. What does she mean mom what talk poor Emma oh my gosh

okay we have put something in motion here that I was not suspecting that might not be a good thing Taya have you heard the talk because you might need to go home and get it when you said give Taya that information I thought you meant

like four times Taya's a senior in high school so I'm hoping she's had the talk I don't think I don't remember I don't think they ever gave me the talk I know everything but that I think that's from school yeah I think that's from my friends in school and everything

the internet that's from from school yeah i think that's from my friends in school and everything and the internet that's not good yeah yeah so is there a book for adults like that one that you just shared because i would like to read that as well for myself you can schedule me sexuality for adults oh help oh there is a book there is a book. There is a book. Songs of Solomon. Good one. That way. Oh my God. That was good. That was good. That's, yeah,

ba-dum-bum. That's right. Oh my gosh. That's funny. If you need a book, we're in trouble. Especially if you have children. Sarah. I think you already know things. She's making no comments. I don't know.

We're going to leave that one alone. Okay, so pretty much everyone in the room except for Emma knows what we're talking about. But on the way home, Emma's going to find out whether she wants to or not. Emma, go back to sleep. I don't blame you. Good night, Emma. Don't blame you, sweetie. Okay, so let's go to the next question.

I got plenty of time. I know. Okay. Question from my 11-year-old. So this is someone who has an 11-year-old child, and it's a boy. So let's go. How do you know for sure that the Holy Spirit is inside you? This is, just so you know, this may be your 11-year-old's question,

but I cannot tell you how many adults I know that do not know the answer to this question. They live in sweet oblivion as far as what it is the Holy Spirit does, doesn't do. And then there are some doctrines that go against everything what I'm going to tell you. So for context, he was saved at age six, baptized at seven. He's well-liked in school and proudly shares his faith and boldly speaks the truth whenever the doors open in conversation. He's always inviting people to church, gave a new Bible to a classmate who wanted a Bible

but never had one, lays hands on the sick and sees them well. The list goes on and on. That said, he can't speak in tongues yet and sometimes he wonders if he has the Holy Spirit because he doesn't hear a voice. I told him hearing the Holy Spirit starts at obeying that pull inside to do or not to do things. And as we obey and dig into the word, more and more our sensitivity to him gets stronger, and we are able to hear him more clearly. But he still wonders if he's missing something.

What are your thoughts? How does one truly know that the Holy Spirit dwells in them? Okay, so I'm going to tell you is the more that he prays and he communicates with the Holy Spirit, he will hear his still small voice more clearly. And then he's just got to take the confidence to step out and believe what he's heard. But there is a difference between having the Holy Spirit live inside of you versus the infilling of the Holy Spirit. And this is where a lot of people miss it. When

you get saved, the Holy Spirit does live inside of you. But that does not mean that you are filled with the Holy Spirit. That is two different things. And a lot of people get very confused by this. And there are doctrines that believe being filled with the Holy Spirit was in the book of Acts, and it was left behind at that time frame. And they teach you that it's demonic. Okay? So I'm glad that you actually are encouraging your son to be filled with tongues, because if he gets filled with tongues at a very early age. Powerful, super powerful.

And our children's church kids are getting filled with the Holy Spirit left and right. I mean, they're laying hands on each other for healing. I mean, these are things that should be taught at a very early age, if not in the home, which in my home they were. But a lot of people don't teach it to their children in their house. A lot of people don't even speak in tongues. So their kids are doing without, and they don't know. So I applaud you for that. But that's why it's great that it's happening in our children's church

because it's powerful. So I'm going to give you scriptures, and I'm going to show you where living, living inside of you versus being filled are two different things because it's very clear in scripture. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 6.19. This is referring to salvation, right? Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? This is 1 Corinthians 6, 19.

This is Paul saying this. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? So if you get saved and you say, Lord, I'm giving my life to you. You are now the Lord of my life. That means when you say you are the Lord of my life, you are no longer your own. Whose are you? You're his. Okay. So you don't get to dictate what you're going to do. This is one of the reasons why it's like at the Dare to Be the other night, Friday night, I specifically said, and I've even said it here in this podcast last week, people treat their walks with God like a hobby.

It is not a hobby. It isn't a secondary thing in your life. It is your primary thing. And in order for it to be primary means he is the Lord of your life You don't tell him what he's going to do and when he's going to do it or he conveniently is fit into your schedule he does and Everything he tells you to do you do and then you conveniently get to do whatever you want to do when he's done with you Does that make sense?

That's how it works. John 14, 15 through 17 says, if you love me, keep my commandments. So if you love him, you'll do what he says. If you don't, then you don't love him. That's basically what that sentence says. Because only loving him shows, you only show your love for him

is by keeping his commandments, by doing what his word tells you to do. And I will pray the Father and he will give you another helper. And that word helper is capitalized, meaning the Holy Spirit. And he may abide with you forever. The spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you. So when you got saved and you meant it, then he is now inside of you. He dwells within you. And if

you are quiet and if you communicate with him and you're quiet enough to learn to listen to that still small voice, you'll start hearing him more and more louder and clearer. But you have to be quiet. And you have to spend some time in his presence. And it doesn't mean that you come to him with a wish list and like, I want, I want, I want, I want. Or help me, help me, help me. It's communicating with him. It's communicating with him. It's talking with him.

He wants to be our friend. So if you're always putting out your wants and your needs and your desires, where's the real communication with all of that? That's what we do with friends. If you do, you stink as a friend. You're a taker. You're not a giver. It's a give and take relationship.

But I dare say there's a lot of takers out there. I ditch them. If you're a taker, I ain't gonna be your friend. But if you are a person that gives all of yourself as I give all of myself in a friendship, there's give and take there. That's a good balanced relationship. And that's what the Holy Spirit wants from us, a good balanced relationship. But let's look at the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Just because you're saved does not mean you have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1.8 says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth that is talking about the day of Pentecost which is Acts 2 1 through 5 when the

day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly or they suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were were sitting then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire and one sat upon So, maybe you guys can help me over there, but for me, when I got saved, when I came back to the Lord, when I got saved, I knew that the Holy Spirit was in me, right? When I got saved, because I felt that peace, I felt that comfort, like the things that he says, that the word says that the Holy Spirit is, all of those things were present for me. But it wasn't until I received the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit that radically, radically changed my life, spiritually speaking. I would go to heaven being saved and the Holy Spirit living inside of me. But it's being filled with tongues and it's being filled with the Holy Spirit that like totally catapulted my walk with God to a whole new level.

And it gave me such a boldness and such a power that living with the Holy Spirit just was not the same. Okay. Do you guys want to add to that really quick? Or not even quick. Do you guys want to add to that? Yeah. No, I agree as well. And I don't think I even realized it except looking back because when I was filled with the Holy Spirit, my dad was very like pushy about me speaking in tongues because he knew what was good of it, but he never explained it. So I just felt like it was like for show, like, oh, you can speak in tongues. So you're like real, you're the real deal. So I like sat on my tongue, my prayer language for like 10 years, never used it because I was like, this is just for me and God. But looking back on my life during that time, like I can see where I made better decisions. I knew what to do. I didn't always listen to what other people told

me. Like I really was spirit led and I did use my prayer language, but just between me and him, nobody ever heard it. I never even really did it out loud. It was just like such a personal, intimate thing, but it was more so because I didn't want it to be like a showboat thing, which is what I kind of felt like it was, you know? So it's just a misunderstanding. But, but now looking back, it is kind of cool to see like before that point, life was like harder, but there was a piece, you know, I did have that piece. I did have that helper, but like there is, there's a difference.

There's a definite difference. Yeah. There's nothing like it. Yeah. Nothing. Tell you, you want to add something? I mean, the day I got saved was at Ronnie's, and then that's the day that I fell in the spirit.

So, I mean, that whole day for me was way different. Yeah. And I didn't really experience it before. Did you get filled with tongues that day? That day, no. I didn't. I know you started seeking everything. Now, Vanessa, what about you?

What do you got to say? Or nothing? I was filled and got my prayer language as a child. And now looking back, I just made this connection when you were just sharing that, Tracy, how it served me my whole life. Tara, especially, if you're watching, shout out to Tara. She tells me all the time that I grew up in a bubble. Because she knows the neighborhood I grew up in. Like, she's very aware of the hood that I came out of. Because you guys are from the same area. And she's like, you're a unicorn.

How? How did you manage to get out of there the way that you did? And now looking back, like I, I was like, I had a Holy ghost bubble surrounding me. Um, and so, yeah,

that was the benefit of, and it was introduced to me as a child and it was so easy. I just received it like a gift. Faith as a child. Yeah. If that's what we're all to have faith, the faith of a, as a child,

because it is easy. I didn't have to toil for it. I didn't have to beg or plead or it was literally just, oh, it was like learning English. It was like learning a language as a child where it's just like you just absorb it so easily. And I believe that's that's how we should approach receiving and being baptized. It's a free gift that you easily receive. I agree. When I used to teach children's church, I used to say to the kids,

when I would teach them about tongues, I would say to them, how many of you guys want to learn another language as you get older? How many of you guys would want to learn Spanish or like you want to learn German? Or do you want to learn Russian or whatever? You know, how many of you guys are, are,

are not afraid to learn another language from another country? And all of them would raise their hands. And I'm like, well, your heavenly language is no different. You shouldn't be afraid of it. Like it's the same thing, but you should desire it more than you desire any other.

And then kids were like, I never thought about it like that. Yeah, that's good. Because it's your language that only you have with God. Jesus, it's a great communication. It's the Holy Spirit. So once you really eliminate the fear of it, none of us are afraid to speak another foreign language. This is no different.

It's not any different. So there's no reason to be afraid of it. It's the best one out there. Sarah, go ahead. So I didn't know what happened when I got mine. I was praying with a Methodist student union group around me. And it just happened. And I was like, well, that's something new.

And then I learned about it later. But then I didn't use it for years because I walked away from the Lord. What I love about it is that it's a continual filling. Like you can continually, like my prayer language is not the same. It evolves. Now that it was, you know,

when I was 19, um, it's, there's more syllables. It's more like a, like I'm actually talking as opposed to just, you know, so I love that like a regular,

like you just said, like another language it can be developed yes and um and it should yeah we just yesterday at abide this was just literally like exactly what we were covering like we were teaching this we you know people receive their um their language but also so i left yesterday and there was an issue that came up with my two older kids and I was like well time to test out let's try this I prayed and it sounded different than it even had yesterday or the day before I mean it was different and then within hours like I got a message that what I prayed for had been resolved with no toil.

My initial reaction was like, oh, I'm going to get myself in the middle of this and I'm going to fix this as mom. And then I was like, nope, I'm going to try this instead. Yeah. Prayed in the spirit. Literally didn't even pray with any understanding at all. Yeah. Just was like with my children and this situation on my heart laid it down for the lord prayed in the spirit and then boom answers amen so it's powerful it is powerful and i like i've done tongues for the body

like i've had tongues for the church and that when i've done for the church, it's totally different than my personal prayer language. Like people are like, that's not your prayer language. I'm like, oh, it wasn't my personal prayer language. It was a tongue for the body. So it was different. And then just like two or three months ago, I was praying over this couple and how I prayed spiritually was like, not my prayer language. It was like way different than even when I gave the tongue for the body,

like you just have to be open to whatever the Holy Spirit wants to say and how he wants to say it. It's like when we communicate, like, um, there are certain people that when you're in a group setting, you talk a certain way because you want to communicate it to them in the way that they'll receive it. It's if you're angry, righteously angry, you communicate in a whole different way, whether it's English. Well, my tongue is different. When I'm like righteously indignant on something, my tongue is not the same way. When I'm speaking it, it is very different. It's no different. We just complicate things so much and we make it way more than what it is.

We communicate and we use different language and vocabulary when we're talking to different kinds of people, trying to communicate different kinds of ways. Why would your tongue be any different? Absolutely. It's not. You just need to be open to receive and whatever you feel like the Holy Spirit is giving you, you say it. You've got to let your pride down and not be worried about what others think. Right. And most people don't speak in tongues because of pride. Yes. And they're too afraid

of what others will think, or they're afraid they'll look stupid, or it's all about me. And me hold you back from all that God has for you all the time. Sarah was going to say something. So I just recently saw a video. It was a pastor, but he was also a neuroscientist. And he talks about when they've done studies when people are praying in the spirit that it activates the same part of your brain that activates when you're listening instead of speaking.

So it's literally the Holy Spirit is praying on your behalf. which is what it says. And your brain activates the receptive part as opposed to the expressive part. So even science backs it up that the Holy Spirit is praying on your behalf through you. Blow your mind. Yeah. I love that. That's so good.

That's awesome. That'll blow your mind. Don't be that's so good that's awesome that'll blow your mind don't be afraid yeah don't be afraid that is good stuff right there yeah i will tell you this the last thing so you have the um indwelling or the um you have being filled i'm going to use the same terminology so there's no confusion. You have when you get saved, you have him living the Holy Spirit inside of you. And then you have your gift of tongues or other gifts. That's the being filled. But let's not forget that there are the fruits of the Spirit.

The fruits of the Spirit are super, super, super important. And the fruits of the Spirit are what shows whether the Holy Spirit is living inside of you. Okay? The fruits of the Spirit actually are you saying, I am the example. I am the tangible Jesus here on this earth. And when we walk in the fruits of the Spirit, we draw others to us, and we become what others want to be. That's how it should be, at least. And so let's look at that, Galatians 5, 22 through 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. I want to make sure you understand this.

If the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, then every fruit of the Spirit that I just said to you also lives inside of you. You don't need to pray for patience. Patience already exists. You just need to draw it and use it. You don't pray for peace. You activate peace. It already dwells inside of you. If the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, the fruits exist as well.

So you have to activate those fruits. A lot of times people don't think they're there because they don't know who's in them. And so they don't know. It's like the promises of God. The reason people aren't receiving the promises of God is because they don't even know the promise exists to call it out. You know, it goes back to saying that the scripture that talks about you have not because you ask not. You don't ask because you don't know. And if you don't know the word, study to show yourself approved, right? You have to study in order to know to receive. There are so many scriptures that talk about people not knowing because they don't study the word or they don't know the word, which is Jesus himself, because they don't know the word. They don't know what's

theirs. They don't know who they are in Christ. They don't know the things that like, like it's a Christmas tree and you have all these gifts under the tree and you walk in and you think none of the gifts have your name on them, but every gift does have your name on it. You just don't know it because you don't go and read the tag. It's the same thing. Get in the word and find out who you are. But once you find out who you are, you need to walk in it. You need to apply

these things so that people will be drawn to you. So they'll want what you have. It's another way to share the gospel. Matthew 7, 15 through 20 says, beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. And this is where it gets good. You will know them by their fruits. A lot of people are taken advantage of or led astray because they don't know the fruits that they should be looking at and they don't believe that they are allowed to be a fruit inspector. So because of that, they're taken out. And it tells you right here that you should beware of people because you'll know them by their fruits,

and people are not fruit inspecting. They're just hoping that what people are telling them is true, when you should actually be feeling what the Holy Spirit is. If you have the gift, the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy, the gifts that the Holy Spirit provides, a little bell will be going off. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. That ain't right right there.

Stay away or you'll know what they're saying makes no sense or there's a motive behind what they're doing. You'll know. The discernment will be there. Let's keep going. You'll know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits, you will know them. Should you be fruit inspectors? 100%. Does fruit matter? 100%. So should you be producing good fruit?

Your fruit is the fruits of the Spirit. You need to be walking them out daily. If you don't, you are a bad tree. And people should recognize that and say, is that somebody or something that I need around me? Are they going to lead me astray? Is what they say and what they do, is it is it holy spirit driven is it is it fruitful if it's not i am like i am astounded when people

and i it but it just shows it's like what we go back to when we were talking at the very beginning, like people being, they're seeking first, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness. They're totally like in the zone, like totally focused. They've got the blinders on. Nothing's leading them astray. And then there'll be a person like a woman. She's totally focused. And then there'll be that nice looking guy who pretends to be a christian she should know the fruit yeah but she's hoping for the best it's true that's it

and it's like know the fruit be a good fruit inspector because he's gonna pull you out in a way. And what you start, and in some, listen, I have seen women who were dead on years, focused, seeking him first. And either a girlfriend or, not because they're gay, but a girlfriend or a guy will come along. The guy will lead them out because they're lonely or they start falling prey and weak so everything that they would again the twinkle in the eye starts diminishing or a girlfriend will start gossiping with them and you know pitting them against another person that they they were very very good friends with and now that relationship is destroyed. But the person that destroyed the relationship is a scoundrel. And they never saw it. They believed the lie.

But if they would have looked at the scoundrel everywhere they go, that person does this everywhere they go. And you won't be friends with them very long because they'll dump you like they've dumped everybody else. It's because you've lost your focus. You're not walking in the fruits of the Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit. You don't have tongues.

Tongues. You've lost your focus. Prayer, worship, fellowship, Bible study will keep you strong. It'll keep you on track. And you just got to stick with it. But I will tell you this, whoever wrote this about their son, I think, I'm not sure, I don't know who this is, but I think you might have a little evangelist or a pastor on your hands. If he's walking around that school laying hands on people,

witnessing to them at such a young age, you are doing something right, and there is something inside that child that you need to keep cultivating. You need to encourage, and it sounds like you are, but you have the ability to make this young man believe that what God's called him to do, like he has the ability to do it. Yeah. And for that, kudos to you because not many people are like doing that with their kids. True.

So great job. Great job, parent. And stick with it and keep encouraging him. And who knows? We might see him out in the mission field. We might see him traveling the world. He might have a church. Who knows?

That's exciting. Does anybody have anything else to add? That's good. Just one little thing. Yeah, please. that's good just one little thing yeah please ephesians 5 9 through 11 says for once you were darkness but now you are the light in the lord walk as children of light lead the lives of those native born to light for the fruit the effect the product of the light or the spirit consists in every form of kindly goodness uprightness of heart or righteousness and other

translations and trueness of life and try to learn what is pleasing to the lord let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to him take no part in have no fellowship with the Amen. That's good stuff. Yep. That is good stuff. You know, the key to everything, the true key to everything is, it's crazy, but it's this simple. A fool uttereth all its thoughts, but a wise man is slow to speak. And if you learn to speak less and listen more, listen to him more.

And it's not easy. But if you would learn less to spew all of your thoughts, all your fears, all your worries, all your concerns, all of the drama, all of the gossip, all of the whispering. If you would learn to control this thing right here, life and death is held in it. And it's not just life and death for yourself as far as, you know, you can speak fear about health and wealth, like being poor, and we can't afford that. Like, all of that matters, right? But a fool uttereth all its thoughts. One of the worst things in biblical times to be called was a fool. But a wise man is slow to speak. If you would watch what you said about your family, about your friends,

about anyone that you hold any value to, and even the ones that you don't, you would radically change your life and turn everything around. And you would see people and you would do things in a different light. One of the greatest things that I think that goes on in the leadership of this church, in my house, in my house, we don't talk about people. We don't talk about people who attend this church. We don't talk about family members in our house. We are very careful because we know the power of words and we know how they come back on us. You reap what you sow. And if you want to sow dissension and strife and negativity and fear and worry and complaining, guess what? Speak it.

The whole world would completely change if those of us who were believers mind and watch the words that we spoke in a powerful, powerful way. So I would, and you know, a lot of times I, before I say something, I think about what I'm going to say before I say it. And I used to not live like this, but I'm getting better and better and better about it every single day. And a lot of times I'll think before I say something and I'll say, should I say

this? And a lot of times it saves me. But like today, I lost this battle today. Today I didn't for a very short period of time. I lost this battle and I allowed myself to speak things that like, that I obviously have to apologize and take back for, but minding, minding your words will save you from many, many things. It'll, it's,

you know, it'll even saves your heart. A merry heart is good medicine. You want to, you want to have a merry heart, mind your words. And it also controls how, control this it controls this it controls this and so do that so we will see you on friday thank you for tuning in love you guys a bunch and i hope this podcast it's 22 minutes almost 23 minutes over super sorry about that but i'm

not sorry because it was good stuff have a great day see you on friday bye real talk Super sorry about that, but I'm not sorry because it was good stuff. Have a great day. See you on Friday. Bye. Thanks for watching!