The Hope Hotline - The Hope Hotline | S02-E73 | 11-20-2024
Episode Date: November 20, 2024The Hope Hotline | S02-E73 | 11-20-2024...
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real talk real talk real talk real talk
you know what i noticed just a minute ago?
In that commercial for me, my hair is really blonde.
Yeah.
I think I like it better like this.
I like it like that.
Yeah.
I can tell you this.
My hair likes it better like this.
Yeah.
It's not breaking off.
Good.
Okay. Those things that you never noticed that you might need to notice.
Yeah.
My hair is really blonde.
It was.
It was. You went through your seasons of colors. Yeah. My hair's really blonde. It was.
You went through your seasons of colors.
Yeah.
Well, seasons of gray.
You had red.
You had like a reddish.
Yeah.
I liked it originally.
What?
I love that.
I liked it too until it started fading.
Yeah.
Okay. And then my hair is so porous that it doesn't stay.
So it's not good. How you people doing yeah what blondes have more fun that's right
i don't know that's not what they say that's not what they say that's right you got two blondes
right here yep sorry we've had a whole heck of a lot of fun more than our share true we've had more fun
than probably most of the people that are listening for them and as well as us probably
yeah probably not wrong it's well in some cases i think of who watches this they probably could
equal us but for the most part we you know what you know what i? So here's the thing.
Thanksgiving being next week, I flipping can't even believe it.
I know.
It was September and then it's October and now it's Thanksgiving.
I always say this.
I think it's me and Heather that always say this.
Once it gets to, once Halloween is gone, the devil's holiday.
Once Halloween is gone, it flies by holiday. Once Halloween is gone,
it flies by. Thanksgiving is like immediately.
Thanksgiving's late this year, people.
Very late.
We're not barely going to have, unless you're Vanessa
Tomas, we're not going to really have our
Christmas decorations up at all
and then we're going to be taking them down.
I know. It's like three weeks after that.
I don't even know if I'm putting any up.
I mean, maybe a little,
but I seriously don't even know if it's worth it.
It's worth it.
Because we take everything down the weekend after Christmas.
No, same.
So how much is that worth it?
Maybe you can leave it up longer this year.
No.
Have you ever seen, literally, have you ever seen, but the problem
is, is Tom is the best decorator for Christmas ever. I know. He is so in touch with his feminine
side. His Christmas side. My gosh, it's watching way too much Hallmark. Way too much Hallmark. By
the way, do you have that thing that I sent you? do you want to do it or do you want to wait till vanessa's here oh let's wait till vanessa yeah yeah because vanessa's out of
town yeah yeah i have it well it's ready it's on deck for friday because it'll be i need to smoke
a cigarette while i watch that oh yeah okay yeah yeah yeah i got that plan too. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks to my friend Tara. Yeah. But I don't know where it's going.
Yeah.
Hallmark.
Oh, you watch so many Hallmark.
Yeah.
Have you been to my house when Tom has decorated it?
I think so.
I think I was there.
It's a lot of garland.
Lots of garland everywhere.
Oh.
I don't know.
I know Talia has because Talia pretty much lives at my house.
Yeah.
It was a Christmas.
For all her life.
And it was, I mean, it was decorated very nicely when I came.
It's probably me that did it.
Wasn't Santa in the window last year?
Did you see that?
No, I didn't see that.
Oh, yeah, Tom was over the top.
Yeah.
He has Santa.
Not Satan, but Santa.
Santa.
I know if I change the N and the T.
True, it's a close one. The N from the T, I should Santa. Santa. I know if I change the N and the T. True.
It's a close one.
The N from the T, I should say.
Yeah.
I know what I get. But in this case, he has Santa in our bedroom window.
Yeah.
Walking around.
Right.
Okay.
Brinley loves it.
I will tell you, back in the day, Christmas, he would decorate for our kids.
And Norma still to this day will get mad if he doesn't decorate.
She wants it outside decorated.
She thinks it's for her.
I think it's for Brindley now.
Because Brindley makes sure she comes over.
And he loves that.
He loves that she's so happy.
But Norma would be very unhappy.
I can see that.
She likes what she likes.
She likes what she likes and she doesn't like to share.
No, she does not.
So it's definitely still for her.
Oh, yeah.
I mean, she'll mildly let it be for Burnley,
but mostly for her.
And her heart.
So my outside looks like a Charlie Brown throw up, like Christmas vacation.
It used to be really bad.
Now it's not as bad, but it's bad.
It's like.
Okay.
We used to have a Jesus on the roof.
We write out Jesus on the roof at our old house.
Okay.
That from planes far away, they could see Jesus.
That is so nice. Like planes, like a thousand miles up. they could see Jesus. That is so nice.
Like planes, like a thousand miles up.
And they could see you.
Yeah, he actually, when we sold that house,
strands of lights were still left on the top of the roof by accident.
And we would go past there years and years and years later,
after hurricanes, and they were still up there.
Still there?
Wow.
That's special.
But the inside, vomitosis aliosis with the Christmas. He is a Hallmark
loving decorating garland nut. So is he going to decorate this year then? Why didn't he decorate
the year you did decorate? I normally do the decorating, but we all love it when he decorates
because he's like, I'm not kidding you. Like, he's good.
I can imagine.
He watches enough Hallmark.
He does enough research to know what he likes.
And if he's missing something, he's like, go out and get this.
The last time he decorated for Christmas, I probably made 20 trips.
Oh, my gosh.
To everywhere.
Hobby Lobby, I bet.
Home Depot. Home Depot, okay. Like everything. Yeah, I bet. Home Depot.
Home Depot.
Okay.
Like everything.
Yeah.
He needed all the stuff.
It's important.
It's a lot of places.
It's Jesus's birthday.
It's all about him.
It's all about him.
It's Christmas season.
Yep.
But yep, it'll be like, Christmas will be here, people.
Yeah.
Before we know it.
I know.
Christmas service is on Christmas Eve. Everybody keeps asking.
It was on Christmas Eve last year.
We're doing it on Christmas Eve this year.
Do you have what it's about?
Yep.
Here's the thing. I might be having to change
the color of that because Heather is a little concerned
and I've got to go back and look at it. But for right now,
you want to just share?
Heather might kill me, but I am going to tell everybody
this year what Christmas Eve service is about.
And you guys,
because you're watching the whole pot line,
get to know first.
I'm going to be privy to what the theme is this year
because I'm going to do it right now.
Spur of the moment.
Yeah.
Like,
see,
I think we'll be able to see that.
The yellow might be a little bit,
we might need to change it.
But this year,
go ahead, let's do that. This bit. We might need to change it. But this year, go ahead.
Let's do that.
This year is Christmas around the world.
Yes.
So we are doing Christmas around the world this year for our Christmas Eve service.
Make sure you invite your friends and family.
And we got some really cool things.
Cool things.
Really cool things. So things. Really cool things.
So you're going to want to make sure you invite your friends and your family.
And I think we're going to have to have people register because.
Yeah, that helps.
It helps big time.
But yep, this year's theme, Christmas around the world.
That's all I'm going to tell you.
Yep.
Okay.
But it's got a lot of great photo opportunities, photo ops, along with just a great Christmas Eve service.
What do you call that?
Performance?
Is that what you call that?
Fancy.
Performances?
Yeah.
Very good.
Yeah.
Really good.
That would be great.
It's going to be great.
So that logo might change a little bit.
But overall, we'll discuss to make sure that I'm not wrong.
Oh, gosh.
Between you and Heather?
Well, we're just slightly concerned that you're going to be able to see it.
Okay.
Out on the road.
On the road, yeah.
Okay.
So not that you guys care about that Because this is the most Unprofessional podcast
On the face of the earth
There's one more thing
I was going to tell you about
Well right now
We're ending with Sarah
She's outside
She
We got one of her
Was that Sarah?
That was the end of it
So we got an outer band
With my own eyes
I saw it dissipate
But they said
That this is Sarah's
Like final
Hurrah And it was just I'm lost What happened? Sarah the Hurricane eyes. I saw it dissipate. But they said that this is Sarah's final hurrah.
And it was just... I'm lost. What happened?
Sarah the hurricane. That was out
in the ocean that they said was going to come and get us.
It dissipated. But it didn't
because they're saying this was the outer band that we
experienced this morning. The rain and all that stuff.
That was nothing. I was out.
I mean, it was sprinkly.
They said there could be tornadoes and all kinds
of stuff. And it was just, yep.
That was a whole lot of nothing.
A whole lot of nothing.
Thank you, Jesus.
God is good.
So now we're done and done, in Jesus' name.
Well, we're just shy of November 30.
Let's see if they can pull something out of their hat.
I haven't seen anything, so it looks good.
If it's possible, they're still counting ballots.
That's true.
That's true. So if they're doing that. How in the world do they not think that we don't think that they're
being fraudulent i don't think they care they don't care they can't it's in pennsylvania although
i think the uh supreme court told them they have to stop pennsylvania supreme court good you're
done you're not counting any more ballots. The other one is California.
Okay.
Because they had to make the House, I think it's the House or the Senate.
Which one's super close?
Close.
I think it's the Senate.
I was going to say, the only thing I've seen is Senate, but that was just a guess.
I think they needed to make the Senate super close so that it would be a tiebreaker with J.D. Vance.
But I don't know okay what do you think about all the picks that um president trump is doing i am more in love with that man than i've ever been this is wild
this is like trump on steroids like everybody he's picked yeah is like making on steroids. Like everybody he's picked
is like making the rhinos
go completely ape-wad nuts.
They're all anti-establishment.
They're all like opposite of them.
Everybody is so afraid right now.
You should be.
You really should be.
Time's up.
Yep.
There's a chance to get this country back yeah if there's anybody that can potentially do it like what he's done is brilliant because he's
hired a lot of retired military not but not like high up in the military okay so they have nothing
to lose yeah like kelsey g gabbert gap i don't know how
you say your last name yeah um then you got peter pete something another he's he's retired uh i
don't know all their names he's from fox okay he's retired military she's retired military. She's retired military.
There's some other ones, too.
They're not, I can't remember the other one that he's talking about putting over the FBI.
But whatever the case may be. So he's getting a lot of veterans, but not high up in the, they're not enlisted, but they weren't high up in
the officers because those people are already bought and paid for.
And then what he's done is gotten a lot of businessmen.
You can't do better than that.
People who know how to run a business, like Elon Musk, are you kidding me?
Like these people are going to run everybody ragged and make them work.
These,
the government is not used to working.
Yeah.
Government employees,
bend one.
I know.
Government workers don't ever have the real chance of losing their jobs.
They have the highest level of job security because to fire one is like the hoops that you
must jump through to fire a government employee is like off the charts so people like do the least
that they can do to keep their job yeah but now they're going to be under like a whole nother
regime and those people are private industry. Right.
Good luck with that.
It's a very competitive world.
And these, you know, Trump and Elon Musk didn't become some of the, well, Elon Musk is the most wealthiest person. Right.
So he didn't get that from slumbering and sleeping.
Nope.
He did not.
And idle hands.
Right.
He got that from busting his buns. Yes, he did. Day and night. Thinking and working. Being innovative. Right. He got that from busting his buns.
Yes, he did.
Day and night thinking and working, being innovative, having his employees work.
Government workers are going to quit.
Get too many of them anyway.
True.
So not, you know, a lot of people getting free pay.
It's going to be a whole different dynamic a whole
different world it's going to be super interesting to watch right it really is i'm loving are you
liking the choices loving them every single time i'm like i don't even do fantasy football but i
feel like this is probably what it feels like if you do fantasy football and you're like yes not
that oh my goodness every time I'm like shocked by it.
And even when I don't know them, if I start reading like their bio and like what they've
backed and, and some of like their previous, um, you know, portfolio stuff, I'm like, this
is amazing.
Like what?
Is this real life?
This is nuts.
And like Nikki Haley.
Yeah.
Kick to the curb.
Mike Pompeo.
Kick to the curb.
I mean, you're done getting better than that.
This is getting good.
See ya.
Don't want to be ya.
Yep.
Like, your days are done.
Yep.
What's so good is Trump went in, and he was so naive the last time.
Right.
Because he believed what you see is what you get, because that's how he is.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know.
I know.
I know.
And he's like.
What's it like?
Shame on you. Like. Shame on. Shame on me. First time. I know. I know. And he's like, what's it like? Shame on you.
Like shame on me.
First time.
If you give me some shame on you the second time.
And what's the last time?
No,
I think it's the shame on me.
If it's the third time,
something like that.
Or second time.
Cause you messed up.
Yeah.
You've messed up.
Like the first time you're like,
okay,
like,
yeah,
I just didn't know the second time.
It's like shame on me.
Yeah.
I don't know.
I don't know anything.
So good for him for a hearing. And I don't know. The second time's like shame on me. Yeah. Kind of thing. So good for him for a hearing.
And I don't know.
It's been fun to watch so far.
It really has been.
Yeah.
It's like, wait till he gets to work.
I know.
I know.
And it's already, that's what I'm saying.
It's already exciting.
He's not even in office yet.
Matt Gaetz quitting the Senate already?
Like he, he must know something that the rest of us don't know.
Like he's definitely,
they're going to have to make him be attorney general. There's some kind of backdoor deal
that's going to make it possible. Why would he quit? He would never quit unless it was a for
sure thing. Okay. I just don't believe it. He's not stupid. He's no stupid human being. Right.
I can't even imagine him as attorney general. People are going to have to run. They're running scared.
The other side.
Yeah.
But Tom would say this on the podcast all the time.
Are you sure you want to do this?
Because when the things change, everything that you've been doing will be done to you.
Are you sure you want this to happen?
Exactly.
That's a very powerful statement.
Because your time will come. Exactly. That's a very powerful statement. Like your time will come.
Yeah. Every day, every dog has its day. Like anything, reaping and sowing, it's a biblical principle. And a lot of times people always think in the now, they never think in the future.
And you're crazy not to, I mean, I just don't see how people only live in the moment.
You have to know that the decisions you make have ramifications for tomorrow.
You better make sure you think about all of those decisions carefully.
Because you might not want to live with your choices.
Well, that's Pastor Tom's message right now is making the hard decision now.
Yeah, that's true.
Like right now.
Like don't keep waiting to make a hard decision because eventually you'll make it,
especially if you are trying to live blamelessly and honor God.
Eventually you're going to have to make a hard decision.
So make it right away.
Get it over and done with.
And then you don't have to toil.
So it's yeah
yep yeah that's true but these people make bad decisions they're not in there they're not in our
field yeah no i mean if you're gonna try and use your office to to kind of like punish or jail your political enemy, you've lost your mind.
Lost your mind.
Because if you don't think, especially them, they're the ones that are like law breaking.
We're law abiding.
You don't think that that's going to come back?
Right.
Come on.
How do you not know?
For me, you have a laptop right and that laptop has child pornography
deals made with foreign countries that should not be like illegal drugs how in the world do you not
think bribery that that's not gonna come back it. It is. It's coming.
You have files in your garage next to your Corvette.
You're not allowed to have them.
You have a server in a bathroom that you're not allowed to have.
I mean, how do you not think that this is not going to come back? I think when you get away with time again, time again, time again,
and then you think that it just won't happen,
but you are crazy to not.
I don't know how you sleep well at night
when you know that you've got all this stuff going on.
These people are evil, though.
I know, and you have to.
They're demonic and they're evil.
Yeah, so they don't care.
I will tell you this.
If Trump allows them to get away with this,
what's going to happen is they're going to go after him and his kids
when this four-year term is up.
If he lights fire with fire,
it will keep people from repeating this stuff.
It is a must.
He has no choice.
He's going to have to.
I think that's why Ivanka isn't really going to get involved in anything this time
because I think she's laid low and kept quiet because she's afraid of the repercussions of everything because of her family.
Which she was, in my opinion, she was not good for him anyway.
She was a Democrat like him, but she still had very close ties with a lot of Democrats.
And so some of the advice she was giving to him
and her husband, horrible, horrible advice.
And they caused a lot of turmoil within the cabinet,
her and her husband.
So that's not a bad thing either,
that she's not going to be involved.
Yeah.
But it takes a lot of guts to fight the system.
And he fought it and he won.
Amen.
Some people don't.
This is where you know God's hand.
I was just reading in Isaiah, it talked about,
and I was Isaiah 34, I think it was.
Isaiah 34, 35 was talking about,
oh, it's 34 where it was talking about end times.
But I literally, when I was reading, I paralleled it to now how basically Isaiah is saying that the Lord says, don't worry.
Right.
I got you.
Yeah.
And not only am I going to take care of you, I'm going to avenge you,
and then I'm going to make you victorious.
And I literally am sitting there going,
that's Donald Trump right there, in a nutshell.
That's us as conservatives
and people who've stood on the right side of things
and have been mocked and ridiculed.
And some people have done the right thing,
like standing outside of an abortion clinic,
praying and singing and then thrown in jail.
What was wrong with that?
So God's going to take care of them too.
He's going to avenge all of them.
And like I always say, I steal this from Pastor Rodney,
but don't mess with the church.
Don't mess with his people.
As soon as you do that, you're in big trouble.
Right.
So.
Yep.
It's true.
Well, you want to do your thing really quick and then we're going to get to, because we'll
do two questions.
I want to get to two questions today.
Okay.
All right.
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but next week we will not be here.
So just a quick little reminder for that.
And that's it for today.
Coming back to you.
That is good.
Hey, did you see that?
I'll talk about that later.
But I saw that thing with Tracy that posted that thing of Taya.
Taya.
That was shocking.
I forget how bad.
I know.
I forget.
If you bring that up really quick, I'm going to, she's not a sponsor or anything, but listen,
seriously, if you have kids that are dealing with acne or you deal with acne, Talia dealt
with it for how long, Tal?
All of a sudden it came, it exploded.
I probably had it for like a good six months.
We tried so many different things.
And miraculously, miraculously, God put Tracy Lopes at just the right time and the right place.
And like it's basically cleaning products, cleansing your face.
Like what it would it how fast that she cleared your face up so dang fast yeah it it was pretty clear after like three months of her doing it maybe it wasn't even a year that you had that
yeah but if you look i look at your face or your you with that hat on and then there's a picture
do you do you um tracy's pulling it up you guys have got to see this so that's her complexion now
plus that picture of that she had like i i only say this because a lot of people battle this is
like very tough for people acne is nothing you can a lot of times it's not just what you eat
it's like your dad had bad acne right yeah so it's hereditary in some cases unless you like attack
it spiritually speaking you have enough faith to get over it but show this picture like that's
the big picture is talia now but that was a year and a half ago tal yeah probably i was not that
long ago that was both sides of her face both cheeks yeah and very very painful very self-conscious
she went from being so outgoing to being such an introvert it was like oh kind of and and that like
um i i'm just telling you like she uses clean products and um if you know of somebody that suffers and deals with this,
Radiant Aesthetics and Permanent Makeup is who you can call.
Her phone number's on the screen right there.
But if you want to give your kid a hope and a chance,
and I know it can be expensive and stuff like that,
but for me it's like braces.
It's kind of like braces. Yeah.
It's kind of like braces.
You got to help your kid out.
I mean, acne is rough.
It is.
It's rough.
And so I literally looked at your picture in that hat,
and I went, wow, so different in a year and a half.
It came on so fast.
It did.
Like literally in a day.
Yeah.
I woke up with it.
Yeah.
It was shocking. Yeah. I mean up with it. It was shocking.
Yeah.
I mean, you tried so many different things, so many different products.
And you got to be careful because some of them are not good.
You're putting them into your system and they're not good for you.
Yeah, they're killing the acne, but they're also killing other things.
So you kind of got to be really super careful about all that stuff.
And they ain't cheap either.
No, nothing is.
And trust me, we tried a lot of stuff with Courtney and us.
We tried a lot of stuff with Taya,
but I just was looking at that.
I was like, man, oh man, somebody might need that.
So if you know somebody, pass on that information to them.
Tracy will take great care of them.
Yes, she will.
She's great.
She's great.
So let's go to the questions.
Let's do it.
If there is no way financially to pay the full 10% of my gross salary,
will that send me to hell when I die?
Does that also go for minuscule retirement Social Security payments?
Okay, I'm not quite sure.
Do you think that they're asking,
do they have to pay on retirement and Social Security payments?
Yeah, do they have to pay the 10%, I guess, on that is what I would think.
Is that a payment or is that income?
It sounds like it's income, but they put payments down.
Maybe when they receive payments from it.
Does that go for minuscule retirement Social Security payments?
We don't make payments.
And we pay into it if we're working, yes.
It sounds like they're talking about income that they're bringing in.
I don't know.
The retirement and Social Security.
But that's not a payment.
They just used wrong terminology then.
Does that also go for minuscule retirement social security payments?
I think they meant income.
Yeah, I do too.
Okay, so no, you're not going to go to hell.
That's for sure.
You're not going to hell.
But what's more important is what does the Bible say about not paying your tithe?
And that's really, do we do things so we don't go to hell? but what's more important is what does the Bible say about not paying your tithe?
And that's really, do we do things so we don't go to hell?
That is correct.
I do a lot of things so that I don't go to hell, as we all should.
Yeah.
I mean, nobody and no thing is going to take my eternity in heaven.
So I think that it's wise of you to be concerned about not paying tithe, sending you to hell.
But the thing is, it may not send you to hell,
but it's very clear what it costs you.
Malachi 3, 6 through 10.
And a lot of people say, well, that's Old Testament.
Well, it is Old Testament, but like Tom always says,
is we are under the Abrahamic covenant.
Abraham was in the Old Testament. And we are under the Abrahamic covenant. Abraham was in the Old Testament
and we are under his covenant. And he gave a tenth of what he had to the priest of Melchizedek,
but Lot believed that Melchizedek was actually Jesus. Okay. So if Abraham paid a tenth,
then we pay a tenth. Okay. So we are, even though this is Old Testament,
we are still under it because of the covenant that we are under through Abraham.
Okay, does that make sense, girls?
Yep, sure does.
Okay.
This is what Malachi says.
It says,
For I am the Lord, I do not change.
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
Yet from the days of your fathers,
you have gone away from my ordinances
and you have not kept them.
And then it says, return to me and I will return to you,
says the Lord of hosts.
But you said, in what way shall we return?
So they're basically saying,
what ordinances have we not kept?
And then the title of it says, do not rob God.
That's a big deal if it's titled that.
This is what it says.
Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed me.
But you say, in what way have we robbed you?
And this is, if you notice, the word you is capitalized.
The Lord is having a conversation, but he's referring back to himself. what way have we robbed you and this is if you notice the word you is capitalized it's taught
the lord is having a conversation but he's referring back to himself what way have we robbed
you lord and tithes and offerings you are cursed with a curse okay you may not go to hell but when
you don't pay your tithes you are cursed with a curse i don't want to be cursed with a curse. I don't want to be cursed with a curse. Same.
Was that you, same?
That was me, same.
Yeah.
I want no parts of that.
Oh, thank you.
So hell may not be in the balance,
but being cursed with a curse is,
I want no parts of it.
Thank you.
No parts.
What kind of cursing is that?
I don't know.
And I don't want to find out. Right.
To be honest with you.
He says, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse.
And here's your promise, okay?
Here is your promise.
That there may be food in my house and try me now in this.
This is the only place in scripture that the Lord tells us to try him.
Because he knows he's going to keep his
word to us. Says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out
for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. So you may say, your
question says the very top, if there is no way financially to pay the full 10% of my gross salary,
will that send me to hell? What part of Malachi 3, 6 through 10, when he says, test me in this,
how in the world do you honestly believe that there's absolutely no way that you can afford
to pay your 10%? Because his word in Malachi 3, 6 through 10 says you absolutely can pay.
And you can absolutely afford to pay your 10%.
And you'll find out you don't just pay the 10%.
You're going to actually have enough to add on to that.
You'll give an offering on top of that.
But just let's, for the sake of whatever, 10%, you can do it.
There's no risk in it whatsoever.
And I will say, I always say this too,
but with no risk, there is no reward.
You wanna see God and all that he has for you?
Risk all that you believe and all that you control
and give it to him and find the reward
and what he has for you.
When you finally say, I give it all to you, Lord. You know, I trust you in every single part of my life. Most
people, finances are the last place they ever release control of because they think they can
do it better. And you absolutely cannot. You cannot do it better than him. I say that a lot of times people don't pay their tithe because of fear.
And what that means is you have more faith in what the devil can do to you with your finances
than the faith in knowing what God's word says about your finances. And if you can't trust him
with Malachi, if you can't trust him with this word, then how do you trust him with the rest of the Bible?
As far as I'm concerned, if you can't trust Malachi,
then just throw out the rest of it.
How do you know you're actually going to be saved
and there's salvation for you then?
I mean, am I crazy?
No, this is good. Keep going.
I mean, how do you trust that absolutely you're saved?
It's true.
And when you said the sinner's prayer, you're going to heaven.
Right.
I don't know.
Yeah, I know.
That's so valid.
And most people struggle with certain parts of the Bible,
but either the full thing is true or it's not.
And healing, salvation.
Well, a lot of people don't even believe in healing.
That's what I mean.
But they're secure in their salvation.
And I don't get that because it was all done at the cross along with prosperity. I don't get it. And the
people who get all irritated about the prosperity message, I'm like, I think sometimes people get
irritated with the prosperity message because they question the reason why somebody is preaching the prosperity message.
But at the end of the day, it's still true.
It's still true.
And it's like you've told me before.
It's so funny that the people that have problems with prosperity,
the prosperity message oftentimes are the ones that have the money.
And it's like, yeah, it's really easy for you to say that because you have money.
Why do you have money?
Because you pay tithe.
Most of the time people pay tithe.
So you understand the principle of prosperity.
But God forbid that somebody preaches it and you work a nerve.
So you don't want everybody else to have what you have and the understanding that you have because you're believing that the reason that this person is talking about it or whatever you're you're
questioning the motive of the reason why somebody is speaking or preaching and teaching on it right
or they just don't get why like why do we have to spend so much time doing it well a lot of people
don't know this a lot of people are brand new to christian walk and or they've been in churches
that never talk about prosperity because like god God forbid, we talk about money.
And so people are like, why do we spend so much time talking about it?
But like the pastor, most of the time wants to set these people free.
Yeah.
So that they have what you have.
Exactly.
You own a house, maybe.
Right.
Maybe we want people to be able to own a house or maybe we want people to be able to pay for the rent.
Pay their groceries.
Yeah.
And not stress out you get to walk in and buy a gallon of milk or or organic you know whatever and they're having to live off of
you know dry milk a lot of people you think i'm crazy but i grew up on dry milk yeah because we
didn't necessarily have all the money and my mom mom chose to stay home, and we did pay tithe.
And we saw all their needs met.
But still, it wasn't until my parents also understood some things greater and deeper
that they also started walking in abundance.
So it's really easy to say all these things when life is good for you,
and you don't understand the other side where people need
to be free from fear of giving and i don't know so me i'll never shut up about it i'm never going
to be apologetic to talk about it because um the motive isn't for the church to have more because
it's going to have what it what it needs regardless of it it'll come
outside of the four walls of this church if people don't want to give because god's god's business is
this church it says a man who builds the house labors in vain so it's not a man's house it's
god's house and and he'll keep the doors open so for us it's not about having a big bank account. It's for the church.
It's about God's people having a big bank account
so that they can do what needs to be done,
win the loss themselves and help other people
as well as be able to live an abundant lifestyle.
And when you're living an abundant lifestyle,
but you don't wanna hear about giving,
well, I just wanna laugh.
And I think how selfish of you because life is good for you, but God forbid you have to want to hear about giving. Well, I just want to laugh. And I think how selfish of you,
because life is good for you,
but God forbid,
you have to listen to something that will free someone else because you're
just don't want to hear it.
I just,
I,
that stuff irritates the tar out of me.
It's very selfish of people to not want to hear about the prosperity message
when you're prosperous.
Yeah.
It's hypocritical.
It's very hypocritical,
very hypocritical. It's very hypocritical, very hypocritical.
And you need to examine what's the heart behind that and maybe be a little bit more tolerant of things
because God forbid you don't have enough
and you might want to hear about it.
If the shoe was on the other foot,
you might want to hear about what can cause you to have financial freedom.
And besides just working really hard,
because there's a lot of people who work really hard
and they have three jobs and they're barely getting by.
Some people just, and I include myself in this,
some people stumble into just the right jobs in their life
that pay very lucratively.
I've been blessed like that.
I've worked jobs where I didn't get paid a lot,
but I've worked a lot more that I get paid really well.
It just so happens that was the case for me.
But that's not the case for everybody else.
And if you're living paycheck to paycheck,
working three jobs,
you might want to find out if you gave tithe and offering
how that might free you up
so you didn't have to work three jobs.
You can have an abundant lifestyle and have time with your kids.
So for the ones that don't want to hear it about prosperity, you're selfish as far as I'm concerned.
It's a very selfish thought process.
And I guess some people, there are some people that abuse prosperity.
But if you're surrounded by people who don't, then knock it off.
And have compassion for the ones that don't have prosperity
and we're trying to help them get there.
I'm not saying that there's any of that in this church,
but I do know there's a lot of people who do feel like that.
Yeah, me too.
And I don't like that.
I don't like that at all.
So let's see.
So I will say this.
I'm going to give you a couple examples.
Do you have any?
You probably have examples.
But with Tom, there were times where I didn't work.
I stayed at home with the kids and helped raise them.
And there were times where it got really tight.
But I would pay, I'll pay a bill.
I mean, I'll pay my tithe before I'll pay a bill.
That's just the truth.
And if the electric got turned off,
then we would sell where we were living,
live in a smaller house so that we could afford to live
where I stayed home and took care of our kids.
That's what you do, but still pay your tithe.
And you live within your means
and you're a good steward of the money
that you've been given.
A lot of times people spend beyond what they have
and you have no way to pay it ever back.
You can't do that.
You can't live like that.
But I will tell you this, pay your tithe,
even if it means you don't pay your electric bill.
Gotta make sure your electric bill gets paid. But but because i have even a story about that but i will tell you there were times
where it's super tight and then it was two times when tom worked for the sheriff's office and i
remember out of the blue he got two monster raises two different sheriffs went to the state and said
our guys deserve to get paid more the increases were like 10,000 plus each time wow
that's not heard of it the government job and I just was sitting there going holy moly like our
life radically changed in private sector that's very easy to happen yeah you pay your tithe and
even if you're retired and you think how can money come in there's no way you don't understand i'm telling you i know
people who like like we're given a thousand a hundred thousand dollars i know people who were
um given a hundred thousand dollars off their house happened to me it happened to somebody
else i know that's a believer it happens i knew this lady who uh she was working. She had two small children working two jobs.
She was newly saved.
She was told to start paying her tithe.
And she said, I'm going to do this because it says test me in it.
And she was a German woman.
And so she didn't have the money to pay her electric bill.
And her electric was going to be shut off like the next day.
She still went to Bible study that night.
And she was just praying. She was like, Lord, you know my need. You know like the next day. She still went to Bible study that night and she was just praying.
She's like, Lord, you know my need.
You know what the deal is.
A woman comes up to her, gives her an envelope
and says, the Lord told me to give this to you.
And the check was for the exact dollar and cents
for the electric bill.
Oh my gosh.
But I will tell you, can't tell you how many times
the Lord has told me
or tom to write a check for somebody and it was a weird amount and you sit there and go this is so
weird and this is so strange and i'm gonna feel like a freak and then the people call you or talk
to you or you see them like i don't know months later and they sit there and go you have no idea
that is exactly the amount we were standing and believing for
because we needed that.
So even if you're retired and you're getting Social Security or whatever,
trust God.
Pay your tithe and watch him come through.
You know what's so crazy is we needed three more loads
for that stupid garage that we're building,
which I'm going to love it when it's done. But I say stupid.
I don't mean stupid literally.
We needed three more loads of millings.
And so I called the guy and I was like,
hey, sorry to be a pest.
But he's such a nice guy.
He's like, don't worry about it.
He contacted me yesterday, I think it was.
And he said, hey, listen, I have dirt.
It's not millings, which I needed dirt,
but I was going to take the millings.
I really needed dirt though. He's got three loads of dirt but i was going to take the millings i really
needed dirt though yeah he's got three loads of dirt i can give it to you for free you want it
yeah do i want it are you kidding me yes i want it but that's how god works i mean you would say
well you're retired or you're living on social security or whatever.
Me building that garage has nothing to do with my income from the church.
It was a need.
It was met.
The same thing goes for you.
Do you understand what I'm saying when I say that?
Yeah.
What does me needing to buy dirt or me having to,
I don't want to buy the dirt guys.
Like dirt is $450 a load at the lowest.
A truckload.
Yeah.
I mean,
that's ridiculous.
I don't want to buy a truckload of dirt. I want to test and see that the Lord is good.
I want to live out the Malachi test me in this.
And me and Tom literally were like,
we're going to test them.
We're going to this whole entire thing.
We're going to test the Lord and see how this all plays out.
And so far popping like popcorn. God does
it. Go ahead with your story. Oh gosh. You have many. Yeah. I was trying to text my mom because
I know there was a story about my grandma and grandfather and they were always faithful.
And I don't know how much it was, but I think it was like $400,000 that somebody just sent them a
check for. And Jair's grandmother had the exact same
thing happen for them. Another family member just had their house paid off. And this person
has given so, almost to the point that people are like, are you sure? Are you sure you're
supposed to give all that? That's kind of insane. Believers, and they just were like, yes. And there
was times where it looked scary when they did that. And I just recently, they got their entire house paid off. Um, and then even the details and them getting
their house paid off, like they made sure that they weren't going to get hurt in taxes. So they
even set up a payment plan that their house will get paid off. They don't have to worry about the
payment plan. It's taken care of. It's like set auto pay, but they won't be hurt in the taxes
because sometimes like, I'm sure you know how that works. Um, and, uh, so like
I just, there's so many people in my life that have not just given their tithe, but have given
offerings and just given out of like, okay, God, yeah, I want to do this for you. Cause I love you.
And this is more important that you know how much I love you versus like me putting this money
towards whatever else there is. Um, specific thing that Jaron and I had,
so when I first met him, he didn't really believe in like giving money to the church. And that was
like, all this stuff was so new. He hated worship music. Like he's like, I don't know, it sounds
weird. And then all of a sudden he heard one song and it like wrecked him as Avalanche by Hillsong.
And after that, he became like obsessed with worship music. So I knew the tithe would come next.
But I told God, if you get me out of these situations, which I was in some tough situations
being married before and not having working, I was a stay-at-home mom.
I was like, if you get me out of this situation and have money in my hand, I will tithe like
forever.
And so I was making like 200 bucks a week.
And so when you make $200 a week, 20 bucks is a lot.
Like, you know what I mean? Even back in the day. And so I, and so it was technically,
I think it was like $400 biweekly. So there was a week where I didn't get paid and then
Jared didn't have any work that week. So we went to church on Sunday and had nothing to give.
And it felt terrible. And I was like, and it wasn't like we weren't not giving,
we didn't get paid that week. We already paid our tithe.
And it felt so gross.
I remember because they did pass the plate and I felt like disgusting not putting something
in there.
And I was like, this is terrible.
I never want to do this again.
And I never had to.
There was never a time.
I don't know what it either.
Something came in a certain week, but I never not didn't have a opportunity to give to God.
And because we've been loyal this whole time, when we purchased the house up here, because we used to live down South a little bit,
there was a property right next to us. And we really wanted that property because we didn't
want to have to like sell it or we didn't want to have somebody buying the property next to us
and building on it because they're super close in the community we're in. And so Jared and I were
like, well, let's try to figure out who owns it. And we had just moved in, in October, November,
somebody comes knocking on our door and they're like, Hey, do you know where two or whatever,
two, two or four, um, whatever is. And I'm like, yeah, I think that that's property. Ours is two
12. And they're like, Oh, we own the property. Um, would you guys by any chance want to like,
take it over? And I'm like, uh, yeah, we were going to look for you. Like somehow we didn't
know how to do it yet. And they're like, oh, we're from New York and our parents bought this property and they
passed.
And so it's just us three that own it.
It's my brother and me and my other brother.
And we wanted to come see the property.
And they're like, but we don't like we have no need for it.
And I'm like, I would love it.
They're like, and we see you have like little girls.
I'm like, yes, I have little girls and they would love to play around the property.
And they were like, well, we would love to just give it to you. But my brother is a lawyer and he thinks it's best to
just have like paper. We ended up getting it for like twenty six hundred bucks. And so right now.
Oh, my God. Yeah. And so right now it's like like I mean, the prices are weird and people
are coming and going and there's still issues with us trying to sell it. But I mean, there's
anywhere between forty five and sixty thousand dollars. And, and at that point too, we even had
the money for it because we didn't always have the money for owning a business. Like sometimes
things are weird and we had the cash for it and it just like without toil. And I know those times
happen. And so we never had anybody build on that property. We always had like an empty lot next to
us. And then we have like big plans for that property in the future. We're just, it's just
not working out yet, but that's okay.
But we know that we're going to be able to honor God with that property too.
That's timing.
And yeah, exactly.
It's everything.
It is.
It is.
So it's just like, he just does things and it's just easy.
Like when you're a type of person that doesn't like to always have to like micromanage,
God like just makes it so easy for you.
And I don't want to be cursed.
Like I lived a life that didn't look like favor. And it don't want to be cursed. Like I lived a life that was, didn't look like favor. Um, and
it wasn't even bad. It just, there was, I felt like every time he turned around, it was like
something else. And I don't want to live like that anymore. Yeah. There's something, uh, there is
something about tithing and just knowing that you do not have to worry about any need being met. Right. Like there is such a piece about never worrying.
I don't know how to explain it to you.
Yeah.
And do sometimes things get tight?
Yeah, they get tight.
But it's not like I can't buy anything though.
Right.
Never.
I mean, my need is met.
Right.
Like I'm going to be able to go and buy milk if I need it.
And there is a peace.
There is a peace about when you pay your tithe that you walk in
and you just know that you know.
Otherwise, you can just toss out the rest of the Bible because he's a liar.
And he's not a liar.
I mean, if he's not true to that, you can toss the rest of it out.
It's not, I mean, everything that you've believed for up to this point,
if he can't hold true to that, it's all gone.
Yep.
Yep, exactly.
And Sarah brought up a good point, too.
I was tithing to a lukewarm church for a really long time,
and I still saw God honor it because it was always for him.
I was never giving to a pastor. I was always doing it for God. And, um, and Sarah
reminded me there was a few, I mean, I have so many, but there's, there was insurance issues
that we had. And, um, with the last hurricane, we got full policy. Nobody else was getting full
policy. I didn't get full policy. So, and, and nobody did. I didn't talk to one person that did.
And there was issues with our, one of
our vehicles got flooded and there was an, like the, the vehicle was a 150 Chevy, but it was a
van. And the other one was 150 Chevy truck. And so they messed up the VIN number so that that van
technically wasn't on the policy. So they said they weren't going to cover it, but it was flooded
from the insurance or from the hurricane. And I just, I was like, was like no God like you're going to honor this because you know it was my
mistake I didn't check the VIN number but I you know that I messed up and I I repent of messing
up I should have checked like I should have double triple checked and guess what it was covered the
insurance company took responsibility for it and I'm like why because of God that's what people
don't get it's so good he is on is on your side, he makes it work out.
Even though they are difficult to work with,
like even with mine,
I didn't get full policy,
but God put the people in place
to help me get my place.
And the Lord promised me.
He's like, listen,
we will make that money stretch.
Right, right, yeah.
You will get everything fixed
and everything done
and we'll make that.
And that's exactly what he did did same with us because that full policy still had to pay out a lot of
people and that didn't all go to my house unfortunately so I had everybody in the room
taking from that pot but God told me the same thing he's like don't you will have enough don't
worry about it and I'm like okay because it dwindles real quick. It does. Especially the cost of everything is astronomical.
It really is.
And yeah, and he's been so good.
And so I, he just.
But he'll see it through.
He 100% will.
And it does matter where, I mean, I love what Jonathan says, but you got to get into the flow.
Yep.
And where you plant and sow your seed does matter.
It does.
Because you'll get a really great return
if you plant it in the right place.
Yeah, it'll go further.
He'll still honor your giving
even if you don't put it in the right place.
But it's way better when you do.
Totally agree.
Talia, you got a story?
Or you just keep moving?
No, I forgot.
I didn't get to think about it.
I forgot you asked us.
That's okay, girl.
That's okay.
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about gossip. I still don't know why we're on gossip. But I think people, well, Tom preaches
about it a lot. First of all, I think that's one of the reasons why.
But I think a lot of people don't want to go to hell over gossip.
I think people are waking up to the fact, I mean,
most people know that lying is a sin,
but a lot of people don't know that envy, jealousy, gossip,
that they're sins.
And like, if you live in that, you're not going to go to heaven.
Gossip's very hard because people by nature, it's very hard to tame the tongue. And I think that they're,
they're afraid of the repercussions of not being able to tame the tongue and what is and what is
not gossip so that they're not crossing lines. The question is, is gossip is discussed often
as something that will send a lot of people to hell. When does something become gossip? My
wife and I were discussing this today. I think that talking about someone when they aren't there
is okay if what you're saying is fact and part of being concerned or wanting to help that person,
even if it is something that can make you shake your head. However, if you are discussing something as if it is just a juicy piece of
information, even if it is true, it likely turns to gossip. Seems to be a very fine line. It is a
fine line. You're absolutely right. You can look online for definitions and find one that makes
you feel good, kind of how people will adjust their Christianity. That is absolutely 100% factual, actual.
You are a smart person.
I see one that is casual or unconstrained conversation
or reports about other people typically involving details
that are not confirmed as being true,
which makes you think, well, the information is all true,
so isn't it gossip?
Then there is another that says gossip is conversation
that's light and formal usually about other people's business that covers
pretty much everything I'll let you cover that by what the Bible says about
it I think that you may be able to help people by giving examples when something
crosses the line what I think is great is that a bunch of people around us who
attend foundation church will often say I don't want to gossip and you are right that is fantastic because most churches are riddled with it it's caused more
church splits yeah then i don't even know i i think um gossips cause more church splits than
infidelity of the pastor or fraudulent spending by the, you know, the accounting department of churches,
which sometimes is the pastor.
But I'm just telling you, like, gossip.
And when I say church splits, I mean, people leave churches all the time.
And a lot of times there is gossip involved.
I'm talking about church splits where, like, we have had some in the area where
half the church stays and half
the church goes and it was all from gossip and that is dangerous um i mean that's super dangerous
i sit there and wonder what how god thinks about that like i know he doesn't like it when people
leave a church and they're gossiping as they go. Right.
That that's don't touch the church.
I can tell you that that's not good.
But when you cause half the church to leave.
Yeah.
Not good.
Holy moly.
Millstone.
Yeah.
She said Millstone in case you didn't hear.
But yeah,
100%.
Um,
they say, I don't want to gossip,
but it is difficult to discuss certain items
and understand if it's actually gossip or not.
I'm hoping that you and the peanut gallery
might be able to provide some insight to assist everyone.
So what I'm going to tell you is,
I'm going to give you a little bit that I pulled up, okay?
Okay, so the Hebrew word translated gossip
in the Old Testament is defined as one who reveals secrets,
one who goes about as a tale bearer or scandal monger.
Okay, so it's somebody who's not speaking the truth
or is telling the truth about somebody,
but it's not something that should be shared.
So even if whatever is being talked about is truth,
because I've had people say, well, truth is truth.
I mean, it is the truth, so why can't we share it?
Because not everything needs to be shared, even if it's truth.
If it's that person's personal business and it is true, you still need to close your mouth.
It's not something that needs to be shared. And that's what I oftentimes think is a lot of people
enjoy, like, have you ever watched, have you ever seen somebody who's risen to the top
and everybody's cheering them on?
And once they get there,
everybody can't wait to get them off the top
and like see them be humbled.
Have you ever seen that?
And so what they'll do,
and I don't know why that is.
I don't know if it's jealousy, envy, all sins, resentment. I don't know why it is that
people can't applaud and cheer each other on. I don't like that. That's one of the things that I
love about Pastor Clover. Like one of the things that she's very good about is when you're in
ministry, a lot of times people in ministry are very competitive.
And I mean, they are very competitive.
They've talked bad about other churches,
about the different things that they have going on at their churches.
They are always competing with the number of people who attend.
It is childish behavior.
That's one of the reasons why Tom and I, up until just 2020,
never associated with other pastors or churches in general, because it's very toxic. And it becomes a thing of, it's not really about
winning the lost, gaining souls for the kingdom, about getting people to prosper so that they live
a more abundant life. It's not about that. It's about the pastor and his power and the number of people who follow him.
It's very sickening.
Am I wrong?
No, not at all.
It's very sickening.
It is.
Yep.
But the thing I do love about her is like, they just started their church and they're
doing really great.
I mean, for, they've grown a lot.
I wish I could say Tom and I grew as quickly as they did.
They've only had their church for like a few years.
We weren't even close to the number of people who attend.
So they're doing phenomenal.
But it doesn't matter if it's a small church or a large church. She is cheering that pastoral staff on and praying for them
or just saying things about them that are not, I mean, it's just not
the norm. It's so sweet. And so that's how we should be. We should not really be wanting to
say anything negative about anybody, but encouraging each other to get to the next level.
And the next thing I would say, this is one of the,
I found this stuff that I really loved when I was looking this up. It says a gossiper is a person
who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who
have no business knowing it. Gossip is distinguished from sharing information in two ways. One is
intent. And remember this, God looks at the heart.
What's the intention of the heart behind what we say?
Gossipers often have the goal of building themselves up
by making others look bad and exalting themselves
as some kind of repositories or knowledge,
as some kind of repository of knowledge.
That was a grammatic error.
The type of information shared.
The second is the type of information shared.
Gospers speak of the faults and failings of others
or reveal potentially embarrassing or shameful details
regarding the lives of others
without their knowledge or approval.
Even if they mean no harm, it is still gossip.
So what are we doing those two
things when we're talking about people and talking about things? Am I saying you're going to get it
right every time? No, I'm not. You're going to mess it up. I have done it plenty of times myself
and recently, you know, where like, you want to sing that Britney song? Oops, I did it again.
You know, like, I mean, I think we all have a hard time controlling the
tongue, but are we winning more than losing? When you're a husband and wife, it's one of the things
like Tom and I talk pretty much about everything. What we don't do is when we talk about something
that needs to be talked about, we are very limited to how long we talk about it
and to the degree that we talk about the person.
Because first of all,
that person doesn't deserve to be destroyed.
Second of all,
you become critical of other people,
you're gonna turn on each other.
You don't think that's gonna happen?
It will happen. Whatever you sow in the ground is coming up and it'll affect you
and the person that you're closest to that you're doing it with even husbands and wives. So, you
know, can you talk to one another? Yes, but be very careful to the degree in which you do that
and limit that. I'll say that this is funny, because I was telling Heather,
the other, like two weeks ago,
I walk into the office,
and I come and sit down at my desk,
and I have Norma,
I have my three children in the copy room together.
Norma, Tommy, and Heather are all in there.
And they're in there, like, talking about me
and busting my chops.
And they are having a field day now nothing that they
said they all believe what they said was true i don't agree with everything they said and i don't
agree that everything is true about that but that's their perception of things right but not
one of them went so far as to make me look bad uh not not a one of them wouldn't have said anything that they had to my face
or haven't said to my face and that's heather saying true and then um because she's in here
and then not one of them doesn't love me more than life itself so if you put those things into
perspective they were all talking were they gossiping about me? No. Even though some of the
things they were saying true, none of it was to ruin my credibility, to destroy character on my
part, or my integrity. That's one of the ways that you can judge whether or not what you're saying
is true or not, or should it be said. If you go where you're like trying to hurt somebody's character
or question, cause to question somebody's character, you need to shut your mouth because
you're going way too far. You can talk about people, but, and even say things that are true,
but what's the heart behind what you're saying about them? And it can be truth. And the person that you're talking about might not even
agree with you, right? But do they think that you're trying to hurt them? Because nothing that
they said was trying to hurt me. Not one thing. I didn't necessarily agree with everything that
was said. But not one thing was said to hurt me in any way with any of them. So that's where I would say,
when you're talking to one another or with other people,
make sure that that's the goal when you're talking.
Does that make sense, what I just said?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, they were just, oh, yeah, that's true.
They were trying to make a plan as to who gets me to have to take care of me.
Who has to.
Who has to take care of me.
Oh, my gosh.
And then the things that they'll have to deal with after they hit me.
It's pretty funny.
I was working, and I was just rolling my eyes.
I'm like, those dorks in there.
You're such dorks.
But hey, listen, like some of the things,
some of the flaws that they see in me,
like they genuinely think that there are flaws,
but none of them were destructive.
Hey, do you understand what I'm saying when I say?
Absolutely.
Yep.
I hope everybody that's watching understands what I'm saying when I say absolutely yep I hope everybody that's watching understands
what I'm saying yeah um because ultimately a lot of times we we should never talk about somebody
we don't really know especially in a negative fashion because a lot of times what you could
be saying or is not a truth it's your perception of that person that you don't know so you should
just keep your mouth shut yeah or or a situation that you don't know. So you should just keep your mouth shut. Or a situation that you don't know about.
So you should keep your mouth shut.
But if you do know, everybody that's involved does know,
let's make sure that we hold each other up in high regard.
And let's always try and make sure, not where we lie about them.
That's not what we do.
But what we do do is we try and make sure that that person,
when everybody walks away,
the person that's being talked about,
their integrity and their character is not destroyed.
It's actually left in high esteem.
Because it'll happen to you.
It'll happen to you.
Let's look at what Romans 129 through 32 says.
Being filled with unrighteousness,
because people are afraid that this is a heaven and hell thing,
and it is.
Romans clearly says,
being filled with unrighteousness, sexual immorality,
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness,
full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness.
They are whisperers.
That's a gossip.
Backbiters, haters.
A backbiter is a gossip.
Haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents.
A lot of people think that it's okay to let your children be disobedient to you.
You're sending them straight to hell.
Isn't that what Tom just said on Sunday?
You're sending them straight to hell, teaching them to be disobedient,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who knowing the righteousness
judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, death meaning hell,
not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. So make sure that you're not
doing these things and you're not participating with people who do these things because that scripture
right there tells you to stay away from all of it now let's look at who normally
is a person that gossips 1st Timothy is very clear 5 12 through 13 it says
having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith and besides
they learn to be idle.
Somebody who's idle.
You know, a lot of times people who gossip don't have a lot.
They have a lot of time on their hands.
They don't have a lot that they're doing.
Okay.
I see a lot of people who don't work.
Women who stay at home.
Right.
Have small children.
People who are retired.
I mean, my goodness, retirees worry about the smallest, littlest things
that back in the day when they actually had a job,
they didn't even have time to think about the stuff that they are so.
You look at HOAs, homeowners associations,
and the silliness that goes on inside of them
because usually the HOA is led by retirees.
Yeah.
And all I got is time on their hands.
So all they do is run their mouth and are busybodies.
They're about everybody's business.
Besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house,
and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies saying things which they ought not. So are you a person that has a lot of time
on your hands? So that means you're talking a lot. Okay, be careful about what you're talking
a lot. Like for me, I sit there and go, I don't have time for all that.
I don't even want it.
Like there's too many things.
And if you don't have enough, then find something.
Find a hobby.
But make sure that hobby doesn't involve other people
where you can talk about them.
Words matter.
Words matter.
They're very, very important.
We're actually warned against them.
We're actually told to let our words be few.
So most of the time, women battle being gossips.
Men, they don't really care.
They have very few words that they ever really want to say.
And the ones that they do is usually like about something that they need.
Yeah. Logistics. Yeah. it's not really about somebody else they really don't have time about that even when
they're retired unless they're an hoa president or something like that they really just don't care
yeah um but women we need to be careful with this we need need to be very, very careful about this.
And I sit there and think about the,
have you ever worked for a company that is mostly women?
Yeah, Chico's.
Oh, dear God.
It's the worst.
Yeah, well, and I worked in a small department and the higher up was really great. She just,
no nonsense. So there wasn't a lot of issues in our social media, but like in the fashion industry,
100%. Yeah. Yeah. Women have a tendency to veer off course and say things that they shouldn't say. Yep.
Women are super catty.
Can be, yep.
For sure.
I mean, did you raise your hand?
Women are very catty.
I was extremely catty.
We're very critical of one another.
We're always inspecting one another and sometimes people say things that they should just keep to themselves yeah nobody wants to hear it especially the
person I find it funny how people all look somebody up and down and then go and tell them
about how they should have done this or how they should have done that with their outfits or their makeup or their hair or whatever.
It's like, don't believe I asked you.
I don't really want to know your opinion on it, but some people can't help themselves.
They just run their smack.
Think about what you say before you say it.
Super, super important.
We should build each other up instead of tear each other down.
Proverbs 20, 19, and this is the New Living Translation, and I love this translation.
A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don't hang around with chatterers. Are you? Because a
lot of times people, a lot of people say, well, I'm not, I'm not the one talking. I'm the one
listening. Okay. It doesn't matter. If you're listening, you're as bad as the one talking.
And a lot of people don't know that either. You listening to gossip is just as much sin as the
one gossiping. It's not good. If you don't listen, they can't talk. So they're both sin. A lot of gossip has
been spread on prayer chains. I love it when people ask us, do we have a prayer chain?
Or can we start up a prayer chain? And the first thing I think of,
nope, because that's where gossip is usually heavily involved in. I have never been in a
part of a prayer chain that there hasn't been multiple gossipers on the prayer in. I haven't been, I have never been in a part of a prayer
chain that there hasn't been multiple gossipers on the prayer chain. It's an opportunity to say,
you know, Sally's going through a divorce. It's a very tough time for her. Her husband cheated on
her. Now her kids, they're this and this and this and this. We need to pray for her.
It's a way, it's a guise to spread gossip, to get the juicy news out under a Christian realm.
It's not good.
So we don't do prayer chains.
If you need prayer, there's plenty of places.
There's plenty of time for you to come to a hub
or something like that, and we lay hands on you.
It's pretty much every Sunday.
And then we have prayer teams at the front. we do every sunday every sunday we don't need a
prayer chain where people can talk about what they heard with each other it's not good it's like not
doing communion on christmas and easter so that people don't heap curses on themselves by taking communion when they're not. If you are not in the right standing with the Lord and you take communion, the word is
very clear. That's you're keeping curses on yourself, right? Well, same thing with the prayer
chain. Why are we going to assist you in gossiping? We're not going to assist people in taking
communion when they shouldn't. And we're not going to assist people to gossip when they shouldn't, when we have plenty of other vices or ways for people to get
prayer or get their hands laid on them. Let's see. Proverbs 11, 12 through 13 says, and this is the
New Living Translation says, it is foolish to be little one's neighbor a sensible person keeps quiet a gossip goes around
telling secrets but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence and the thing is is i love it
when people um people will think you defied their confidence and then they'll go around and they'll
and they'll talk to other people and they'll find out you're the one telling them the news nobody else knew it
now you've spilt the beans because nobody else knew it because the person that you thought went
around and talked about you or gossiped about you actually said nothing it's embarrassing it's
embarrassing i know i've done it that very embarrassing. I've literally thought people have said stuff.
Yeah.
And I'll be like, listen, I just want you to know that this is what really happened.
And I'm like, I don't know what you're talking about.
I have no idea what you're saying.
Oh my gosh.
Great.
So embarrassing.
Great.
You don't get embarrassed, so you're good.
Well, I may not get embarrassed, but my pride gets hurt.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
For sure. I'm humbled. I don't like pride gets hurt. Yeah, for sure.
I'm humbled.
I don't like being humbled either.
But it's true. You literally think this person has ran their mouth.
And you're like, you're the one that ended up spilling the whole beans.
And if you would have just been still and shut up, nothing would have ever happened.
Nobody would have ever known.
I'm just saying to you, listen, all of us fail.
We just do.
We fail when it comes to this.
Because sometimes we think, and that's the intent of the heart.
Sometimes we make a mistake and we actually say something we shouldn't have said,
but our intentions weren't to hurt anybody right that that's where God
looks at at the heart but that's where also asking for forgiveness when you've
I mean I I've actually like screwed up big time and told said stuff I mean it's
been a long time but said stuff but I shouldn't have said and then they're
like oh I didn't know actually that happened recently I was told that somebody was pregnant I wasn't
supposed to say that they were pregnant and I thought everybody
knew by that time and they didn't
but that wasn't gossip that was
like not keeping a confidence
but I hadn't done that in so
long like I couldn't even believe I did
it but I was just sure because
based on what somebody else said that
they had shared the information.
But still, it all matters which is the intention of the heart.
And if we screw up, the great thing is there's repentance.
But you don't go around and run your smack and say,
but God will forgive me, so I'm going to do this.
And then I'm going to ask for forgiveness.
I'm a licensed person.
That's not how it works.
Just be very mindful, be very careful,
and God knows what you're trying to do.
It's like when you try to stop cussing.
Like, they're going to slip, right?
But if you're trying, that's struggling with something,
not living like something.
And it says those who live like this
will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.
If you're striving to be diligent in your walk with the Lord and live holy as he is
holy, which is what the word tells us to do, we're to be holy as he is holy.
If you're trying to do those things, God knows he looks at those things.
And when we mess up, that's a struggle.
It's fixed and it's forgiven.
And that's where you can't be so bound that you're anxious and like examining every single thing.
That's not good either.
So there's a balance to everything.
True.
You want to add something, girl?
I was listening to something this morning
and it was Charles Spurgeon
and it's always be silent in 10 situations.
And it just basically said like, shut up.
Like just don't talk.
But it was very specific things that shut up, like just don't talk good though. But they,
it was very specific things that he said and like why you're quiet and like, and how people,
when you're quiet, people around you will actually take inventory of what they're even saying. And
it's, I've heard it, I've heard, I don't know if it's this one, but I heard something really
similar and it's something that always sticks in my mind to be more silent, listen more often,
and then ask questions after that. Like if you're not like, sure. But yeah, it, uh, yeah, I've, what else did I say? Oh, I had a question for Talia.
So when you're around and Linda kind of touched on this too, but I had it in my head from something
else when you're around like younger people and they don't really know they're gossiping.
How do you deal with like, like how do you shut down gossip when you're on younger people? Cause
a lot of older people are just like you said, they're like, they're just looking for the next person to gossip. But sometimes like younger people don't really know, like how do you shut down gossip when you're on younger people? Because a lot of older people are just like you said. They're just looking for the next person to gossip.
But sometimes younger people don't really know.
Like how do you shut it down?
Yeah.
Usually, I don't think I've had to.
But if I were to, I'd probably be like, listen, you need to go to this person first.
And if it's not resolved, then you need to go to, if I'm a higher up than me.
Yeah, that's good.
Yeah, that's exactly what you, as the staff of this church,
that's the usual go-to statement that is made on a regular basis.
Yeah.
Is, have you gone to this person?
Right.
Go to this person.
Yeah.
Because that's really what matters.
Right.
Most time, that's not what they want to do.
Right.
But at least as the person hearing the information, like you actually have like something to do.
Because a lot of people are like, I don't know what to do in those situations when they come to me.
I don't even know they're going to gossip.
And then they start and like, how do I stop it?
So, and then you also said something.
What did Jesse DiPlanta say?
That's the other one.
He goes, so since this person's like on your mind so much, why don't
we just pray about it? That's what he says. I love that. Me too. And if you're not gossiping,
then you would be totally fine with praying for that person. Because if the intent in your heart
is like, I don't know what to do in this situation, like what would you do? Then they would be totally
fine sitting and praying for that person. Yeah. I've known of people who've literally said,
if this conversation does not stop, then I'm going to just know.
I'm going to make everybody aware that I'm getting up
and I'm removing myself from this conversation
because this is not Christ-like.
And I'd be like, if that was said to me, I'd be like, oh my gosh, holy moly.
And there's probably times it's appropriate to do that. You can tell when it starts to get really
gross and like, you can't just say like, okay guys, let's like bring this up to the person.
There's times where you're going to have to probably say, I know Pastor Tom dealt with that
in the police department, right? Like he, nobody would gossip to him because he'd always get up and walk away. Right. He's famous. I've literally watched. Yeah. Not him,
but other people I've been, you know, you're yeah. He's literally would get up and he'd leave. Yeah.
But I would, I have watched it group functions, including myself, I've done this,
where gossip has started
and I just quietly remove myself from the table
or I've watched other Christians
and I'm like,
what's going on?
Why did you come over here?
This innocently,
because they look like they're having fun.
They're like,
conversation changed.
I just want to be a part of it.
And I went,
okay.
That's what you do.
I mean, they probably probably if you got up like when it happened with me they didn't even know why I got up yeah right they had no clue
right right I'm just not gonna participate yeah yep and this wasn't here at this church this is
way back a long time ago but I mean there's a girlfriend of mine who comes here. I've known her and her kids since they were,
I used to, she used to roll a blade
and I used to walk with my kids in their strollers
and her kid in her stroller.
And both of us would go to a mom's group
and the people would gossip.
Eventually I stopped going
because the gossip was ridiculous.
And she's like, why aren't you going?
And I'm like, too much gossip. And she's like, why aren't you going? And I'm like, too much gossip.
And she's like, I have to constantly get up from the table and remove myself because of
the gossip because women by nature run their mouths.
Let that not be us ladies.
But I find that I hear more people tell me at this church, just what was said in this statement of,
I don't, they literally will not talk to people if they feel like the conversation is going to
go to gossip. And they'd be like, I don't want to, I don't think that this is appropriate.
Right. Good for you guys. Yeah. Good for you. Yeah. God, you'll be honored by that god like way to go yeah yeah so that's it i think yeah yeah we're done
23 minutes over super sorry not sorry yeah no people were like this is timely so good job well
whoever wrote this question way to go apparently gossip is a hot topic it is it is always a hot
topic it has always been a hot topic when you deal with people right but for some reason we're trying to figure this out and make sure that we're not doing it. So let's just we'll
keep talking about it until we figure it out. Yeah. And if you guys have questions, let us know.
Yeah. And then Friday is all about Thanksgiving. So join us for Friday because they're going to
be Thanksgiving questions. Yeah. OK. Like if you're going to a family function.
Oh.
And you're a Trumper.
And they're not.
That's a positive.
Like what do you wear?
Like can you wear your MAGA shirt?
I've known people who have walked in with their stuff on.
I believe it.
That's rough.
Just wear a mask.
If you're a MAGA person
and they're a
Harry Balls one,
then all you gotta do is
wear your stuff and then put your mask on.
Wear your
surgical mask.
You're playing both sides of the fence then.
Right.
Making everybody happy in Switzerland.
Just kidding.
Watch us on Friday because it will be all about Thanksgiving and a little bit of Hallmark.
Oh, gosh.
That's it.
Okay.
All right.
See you.
Bye.
Bye.
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Bye.
Bye.
Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Real talk. Real talk.