Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 1407 | Jep Robertson Finally Faces the Fear That Used to Make Him Physically Ill

Episode Date: August 26, 2026

Jep Robertson’s surprising new chapter has Al reflecting on how far his youngest brother has come, from a season marked by drugs and fear to using his story to encourage others. Zach gets a bizarre notice from the IRS, and Jase and Al revisit their sketchiest childhood job that put them face-to-face with black widows, ant beds, and more danger than most kids ever face. The guys dig into James and Proverbs to make the case that biblical wisdom is something you live, not just something you know, and that God’s jealousy is rooted in covenant love, grace, and a desire for our full loyalty. In this episode: Matthew 28; Revelation 21:8; Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 2:17; James 1; James 4:4-6; Proverbs 1:1-7, 20-33; Proverbs 2:9, 12, 16-18; Proverbs 3:5-6, 13-18, 34; Proverbs 4:5-9; Proverbs 5:1-5; Proverbs 6:16-19; Proverbs 7:4-27; Proverbs 8; Proverbs 9; Matthew 7; John 8; Revelation 22 “Unashamed” Episode 1407 is sponsored by: https://homechef.com/unashamed - Get 50% off and free shipping on your first box plus free dessert for life! https://duckstamp.com/unashamed - Get your digital duck stamp online and keep it right on your phone! https://myphdweightloss.com - Find out how Al lost 80+ pounds. Visit the website or call 864-644-1900 and mention "Al Robertson" to get 2 weeks free in the program! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ - Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters 00:00 Zach’s IRS Surprise & Robertson Argument Style 05:04 Jep Overcomes His Fear of Public Speaking 09:02 Jase Teases a Future Guest 14:21 Al & Jase’s Childhood Water-Meter Job 20:35 The Robertsons’ Outrageous Water Bills 26:09 Jesus Faced Every Temptation We Do 32:46 Wisdom Is Something You Live Out 38:25 The Fear of God That Removes Fear 43:18 Two Kinds of Wisdom 48:05 What It Means That God Is Jealous 53:08 The Controversial Meaning of James 4:5 56:15 God’s Grace After Unfaithfulness - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So welcome back to Unashamed. We started with a OOO. It's been another classic in-between podcast. Just so you know, the debate rages on Unashamed Nation. You want some lost episode. Run that.

Let me set it up, Zach, and you respond. We just have a wonderful last. podcast talking about the crown of life living forever making good decisions not getting the fights and quarrels over things you can have pleasures on you know with money and and all that and well i thought real i felt good we're we're getting wiser because we realize what wisdom is a verb yeah kind of like matthew 28 how many verb what one of them the first guy I ever had the honor of baptizing, my best friend from high school, he just sent me a text that said, this is yesterday. He said, Matthew 28, the Great Commission, have you ever noticed how many verbs

are in that statement? That's all it said. Oh, it was powerful. I thought, you know, go, make disciples of all nations. You know, I mean, it was, it was, it was, it was, it was, it was, it was, was a good text. And because he's, he's going along with us in James and we're talking about works and the debate that there is in our world and they're missing the point. So in that light, Zach, after that podcast, Zach's like, this R.

IRS, they're after me. I was thinking, for what? So you could take that money and spend it on your pleasures? Why are you mad about that? So go ahead, Zay. That's not exactly what happened, but I did say something about the IRS because I got a notice for a company that I shut down two years ago. I'm like, how can I be getting billed from the IRS in 2025

for a company that ceased to exist in 2023 or 24? That's not possible, but somehow the IRS has said, no, you owe us money. even though that business was not in existence. So anyway, that's what I was complaining about that because I just received that notification. So you want my recommendation, what you should do? What's that?

Invite them over for supper. Invite them over the tax collectors. Okay. Tax collectors and sinners. Jesus, he hung out with these people. They are welcome. They are welcome at the house. But I think the part that where it kind of went haywire

is you went back to a previous argument that still lingers. And then you did some loop and maneuver. And by the time you got to the end of it, that's when you brought in the IRS so that I could go spend the money on earthly pleasures. And I was like, that was 40 gaslighting. I mean, you're playing 40 chess.

It was gaslighting at its finest. You did it. I mean, I was like, I didn't even know. I was like, the way you got there was like, wow.

I was like, which you said in the last, you said in the last podcast, you gave Jay's and Willie credit for that being. the way they argue, which is true. Speaking of brothers, I was going to tell you guys about the serendipity I got of my youngest brother, you know,

we all live on the same street, but Jason and I see each other because it's podcast a lot. But it's not like we're constantly visiting each other because everybody's busy. And we're now all the patriarchs of our own clan. So, I mean, we got big families. And so when you're doing stuff for your kids and grandkids and,

you know, travel for Jason, and do stuff. And so I don't get to see Jeff that often. So I get a text from Jeff and actually Jessica. And she says, hey, we're going to be down there speaking in Mobile. Jeff's speaking. I said, really? I said, Jeff is speaking now?

She said, oh, yeah. And she said, then he's got another one like two days later in Huntsville. So we were going to be down there. We were seeing if you're all going to be around. I said, perfect. Come on down. It would be awesome. So it was so nice because last night Lisa Cook, we had a few of our friends over here.

Jeff and Jessica came in. And just we were all sitting on the. couch after my friends left and with just the four of us. And it was like, when's the last time we just sat here without 18 kids and 12 dogs and cat running around and, you know, just chaos of home? And it was so nice just to have that conversation. And Zach, I told Jeff, I said, Zach just brought you up on the podcast today on our Hillsdale podcast. He said, I was smoking marijuana with your brother. Zach was telling a story. And he said that on the podcast, Jay's. And I went, Jace?

Wasn't spooking on me, but not Jace. Not Jaze. It was so funny. Christian and John. Jesus. Christian and John Lou got so tickled because Zach was like, no, no, no, Jeff. Which, yeah, I knew, but I was just making the joke. What Jeff said.

He told him. Was he mad that I, he's already spilled all his dirty secrecy. I'm sure he didn't care. Oh, no. What happened was it was funny because, and then he told me, I said, well, who were you? So he laughed, but I said, who were you? speaking to. And he said, what's funny, you mentioned that about the smoker marijuana because I'm speaking to like nurses and healthcare people somehow for the University of Auburn had invited him to

speak. So he said, you know, he said it was interesting. He said they were real interested in my story, you know, with drugs and a period of time where he was in the world. And so he was just telling about how he walked away from that and came to Christ. He was basically just giving his testimony, I guess. But I was like, I was so proud of him because I said, well, Jeff, do you still get like, because he used to be mortified. Jase, he was worse than you about public speaking. I mean, he would get like physically ill and had stomach issues and everything. And he said, yeah, and he said, like you, Jays, he said, no, he said, you know, I just, I know God has built a platform for me to talk to people. And I just had to get over that.

So I just had to decide I had to get out there. Well, it's called wisdom. It is, it is, which I thought was the perfect lead. I was listening to my little brother, who's now 48. I mean, he's not so little anymore because he's, you know, you know, hurling toward 50. But I was like, Jeff, you're doing good. God's working through you powerfully. So it's been a nice little.

I mean, I think it just shows the power of God. And when you think about it, I think, you know, I'm not very smart. Not very, I definitely have some kind of accent in my voice talking slow because people make, you know, they make fun of me all the time doing my voice, even my own kids. when they say and dad said and then they just like well i don't know about that and i'm like i don't think i sound like that not in your ears but yes yes you do dad you're you're you're like that but but when i look at what the platform you know guys give me the expectations i look rough i'm not that educated uh

I talk slow. I spend most of my time in the woods. But people's expectations are so low. So really, that's what got me over that fear. I'm like, they literally, if I can just say anything, they're like, oh, he can speak. Okay. He's doing it. It's like the first time John Gawin got up and spoke, and after watching him on Duck Dynasty,

they were like, oh, he can say more than two words. yeah he's he's articulate exactly and i think jesus does make he makes you smart and he is our wisdom and so now all the difference in me and you is if jessica would have said that to me i would have said what's he speaking on yeah and it because i want a five-letter word that's a person that is alive at the right hand of got any answer besides that and i would have launched in to give and yep kind of of a biblical theme. Let's not overthink this. Well, are we speaking about Jesus? Because that is what I would have. That's why I argue with so many of my.

That's the difference in looking at the world through a challenger versus an encourager. That's the two differences. Exactly. I would want to know what this speech is about. I was just proud he was speaking again. I know. But I'm just telling you the way I'm iron. I was going to share this. I know I'm probably breaking down the fifth wall here, but a week ago. We've added another wall. Yeah. Well, I was making fun. I know. I got it. But we spent a week in Nashville with all these guests. And look, I would venture to say, and whoever was in charge of that, I don't want to mention any names, but Maddie did an excellent job. She did. Of getting these guests together. And I was wrong on a couple of them. I thought,

No, you missed it here. I was just reading their bios. No, it was wonderful. And so I'm promoting one of the guests coming to this podcast at some point because it hasn't been aired yet. So see, I'm doing y'all a favor. It's a tease. I like it.

It's worth a listen. So have you guys seen the type of content that is being pumped into our homes? I was curious what you get any thoughts on it? Well, it's not good. But most of the stuff, the drivel I see that's coming across my kids or grandkids feeds is not very good at all, is that? Yeah, one of the reasons why we got involved with a new platform called Echo, which, by the way, you can get this podcast on ad free, is because we really believe that we need, as Christians, we need to control the pipelines that are pumping content into our lives. We needed to have an influence there. And so we truly believe that we need content that's not degrading our culture, that's not shaping our imagination, no way.

from the kingdom of God. In fact, quite the opposite. We want to be watching content that actually shapes our imagination for the kingdom. It's why we got involved with Echo, EKK. It's more than just a streaming platform. It actually has movies, series, Doug Dynasty's on their podcast, daily devotionals, kids' content, member members perk, a lot more coming soon. And it's the only place you can get this podcast, Unashamed, ad-free.

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They were all outstanding. We had a magician on, and I know what you think when you hear that. And that was the first question we asked. You know, what about that? Those who practice magic arts passage in Revelation 218 doesn't end well. He had a wonderful response, by the way, to that. So even though the world would call him a magician, he's not that, what you think. But he told a wonderful story and all.

But I was researching who he is because he has a famous son that we really never brought up. He brought him up on the podcast. And, of course, me, I live in the woods. I've never heard of him, but his son is like a famous comedian. They call him, Jay, it's the hottest comic out there is what a couple of guys tell me. Nate Bergotsi. I have to say it like that. I'm not sure how to pronounce it.

Bogots. Yeah. And so we had his dad on, Stephen. But anyway, for some reason, you know, this, there's some spirit in our technology. And if you have a conversation with a human, and you don't even have to have. your computer on, you'll pick your computer up, and then all of a sudden, whatever you were talking about pops up. Oh, yeah. So I've never heard of Nate Bergotsie until we had his dad on. But so when you know it, I turned my computer on and they had a little clip of

him doing comedy. He's a comedian. I guess most people know he is. Most people know. It was funny, but I have to bring this out. Because the first joke he tells was about something that me and you did to make a living. When we were a kid, you more than me, I was your assistant, which all that men is, we were water meter readers. Yep. And you basically hired me for a couple of dollars so that you could just sit in the cab of the truck. and smoke whatever you're smoking at that stage of your life while I actually went and did the work. That's right.

I elevated myself to a foreman, Jay's. I decided I was going to be the foreman. How old were you and you meter readers? I was probably 10 or 12. I was a teenager and Jace was about 12. So Al was 16, 17. I was 10 or 12. Those are different times.

We had a famous story that happened while we were doing. And Al actually got struck by lightning in a weird way. On one of those work trips, I mean, a storm broke out, and they're like, we can't read the water meter. So we went to an abandoned barn on somebody else's property. And Al leaned up on this fence. Al lightning struck it. And he just went straight. Yeah, he went straight back.

And I said, you better change your life. I did say that. More crap happened. You got struck by lightning. You fell through the ceiling of a grocery store. I did. You got, like, your life, you got a head with a crowbar. I had a lot of signs.

I had a lot of signs from the Almighty, Zach. I ignored them all until the last one. If you start looking at what happened to us in our younger years, in one year of my life, and it was the third grade, I got a concussion. I broke both bones in my arm and I got shot in the head. Now, granted, it was an explosion from a trash pile and, you know, and a hull of a bullet hit me in the head.

I've told that story before. Jayce, you went to the- One year. You were at the ER at least three times. I feel like y'all's upbringing was like that David Allen co-song, if that ain't country. Have y'all heard that song? That's your... Yeah.

Well, the bleat version. Don't say the rest of it. Yeah, if you start singing that song, we're going to lose some legal... I'm not endorsing the song. I'm just saying that that's what... I would agree that it was... No, it was rough life. I had to tell this because he was like...

You know, he surprised me here he was. He's not real... I mean, he's a world-class comedian, but he never raises his voice. It's not like he's a down. dynamic speaker. Yeah. He just tells stories in a matter of fact way, dead pan. And he's like, you know, I had a job that literally, because people would say, well, what do you do?

And he's like, my vocation, he didn't say vocation, but I'm applying that to James. It's in the, it's in the description. I'm a water meter reader. Why would you ask me? What do you do? I read water meters. It's so funny. He said, unfortunately, I hate giving his bit, but it was so funny because I thought, I remember thinking that, I'm like, I'm a water meter reader.

What a job. And he's like, that doesn't seem very exciting. But when he started doing that job, it was the same year that 9-11 happened. And he said, and wouldn't you know it, here I am doing this seemingly meaningless job. But guess what happened? The whole world immediately believed that we're under attack. And you know what's going to happen? This Osama bin Laden is fixed to poison our water.

He said, so there I am. at night in a field with a lantern watching for watching for ISIS to put poison. I must protect this water, you know. And I thought, well, this guy is funny, you know, but it just, I had to bring that up because we had a water meter reading experience in our life. And we got the, I got the job, Jay's, and you, I guess, my extension, because one of my friends from middle school, they owned the water company that was out there in our area.

And so that's how we got the job because they needed help in the summer. Well, my point was, and the reason I wanted to bring that story up, it's because I think James' whole point is this disconnect from the way you live your life and your belief system in the creator of the universe. it's literally in the description of and we we view words like wisdom is like our english translation of it is that's just something in your mind you think about and and you can yeah we we think philosophy it's a disconnect and when you read the Hebrew word for wisdom all through the bible 149 times in the old testament it's doing stuff well let me ask you something that that is wise

Let me ask you something, though, is you got wisdom. How does a man read a water meter? Because this happened to me, I got an $800 water bill, one of mine. Yeah. The same thing happened. You know what that's called? Extortion. Exactly.

Mine was $1,200. Which led to me contacting the police juror and saying, look, I did the math on. this there's not enough water in wachshtaughton parish for me and this bill so you can come over and analyze it so you got a big one too

what not you out well now he took care of it because he the people on the water company they they were having their meeting and he just said he said look first first item of business what are we going to do about the Duck Dynasty's water bill because they

just because they have a lot of somebody added a zero But there shouldn't be a zero. It's like once a year they just give it this outrageous thing. But I will proffer another possibility. Because we just described the situations where a 10-year-old boy was reading water meters as commissioned by his 15, 14, 15-year-old brother. So, I mean, like, it's been struck by lightning. Who had been struck by lightning.

So there could have been a false reading. But Jay's, something I've never said, told you, Jay's, the real reason why I had you working for. me was because I found out the first time I went and looked check the first water meter that black widows oh no doubt they love to live and so I figured that out real quick I thought this is not worth two dollars that's a Robertson made right there because the first time I'm water meter for all you water meter readers out there let me tell you something your wife should put you on a pedestal because one out of three water meters are just in case with an ant bed. I mean, and there's no pair of gloves in the world because, you know, those ants,

once you touch it, your hands are not the problem. You don't mean. An ant can go from your fingertip to your loin in less than a second. It's just your cover. And then one out of ten had a black widow. Yeah. And look, you only get one chance to survive that. Well, here's what got.

I figured James' hands were a lot smaller and he could reach in there and wipe that meter off quicker. Look, you're talking about intestinal discomfort. So then one out of a hundred, there's a Congo in there that said, I'm going to set up camp here. You lose all faculties of your intestines in that moment. And so when I look at public speaking for Jesus, I'm like, I tell you what, it's not as traumatic as reading a water meter about every 10 minutes. Bargotsie needs this for his act. So, Jase, I think it's fair to say that one of the legacies that our dad left us was the conservation of land. And he made it a point to purchase land, to work land, to conserve land.

And I think now you, more than any of the brothers, are carrying that tradition. I actually was at the land yesterday, and we saw our first waterfowl visitors of the year. It was a little pair of teal, and they jumped up in a little pothole. And I was like, it's still working, Phil. The land is still providing. So we're excited. So the federal duck stamp has always meant something to our family because it connects hunting with taking care of God's creation.

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That's duckstamp.com. I think there's some fraud involved in the whole situation. Well, they don't read them anymore. They just guess at it. That's what I'm saying. They give me an $800 water bill. So I go out there and like, I'm like, I've got to figure out what's going on. Is there a leak?

I find the water meter, which that's a whole other story. And it's like, you should have called me. I'm an expert in water meters. I didn't know that was your, y'all's past vocation. But I found the water meter at my house and it's, it's turned off. And I'm like, well, that don't make any sense. He said, how can they be charged? I got water.

So I'm like, where is my water meter? Because this one is not turned on, the one that's by the road. I find a water meter. And I mean, it's at the back of my property. and it is under, and it took me about literally about 30 days to find it. It is under, I'm not kidding you, probably three feet of dirt.

I'm like, hey, they, so I had to dig it up. I mean, I had to get, it's a whole thing. I'm like, they know how they read. They didn't read it. They didn't read it. They didn't read it. They're just guessing.

It was never read. It's like, if you ever seen the shell game when you have a little pebble under one and they're moving it around, Yeah, that's what it is. This is called life. This is worldly wisdom.

It's unspiritual of the devil, and it's taking your money. So you've got to share Jesus with these people. Can we get back to James? Let's get back. Go ahead. Okay. So we left off on this Proverbs because he quotes, so it's like, and y'all can comment, the, it's now he's getting real practical on how you change this.

because you're not treating people. There's people coming into your crowds, and if they have nice clothes on, you're like, hey, sit right here. This is James 2. But if they have shabby clothes on or they look rough, they're like, who are you? Here's a seat back at the back.

Because you have nothing for them to gain from a worldly viewpoint. They're having an affair with the world. And in this case, even though world is used in various ways, this is kind of representing the evil ones world where it's all about think the temptation of Jesus remember he showed him all the kingdoms of the world and which I think we think why would even Jesus be tempted tempted to do that but you know he's he became a man it's he's the will of

God is he's going to be sacrificial and serve and bring out the best in people and take on corruption and all this is uncomfortable it was a lonely life, it led him to a cross, he endures it all for us. I just think we take that for granted that the creative universe is willing to do that. It was difficult. So, and he became a man, and people say, well, he probably couldn't have sin because he was God in human form, but the Bible seems to depict that the opposite. I mean, think Hebrews 4, and I think we should read that because I think that ties in with James 1, where he says, when tempted, no one should say. But Hebrews 4 basically says what I'm getting at.

I'll read it. Hebrews 4, verse 15, for we don't know. And this goes back to your priest's thought that I wanted to bring up on the last podcast, Zach. If you haven't listened to the last podcast, you need to before you listen from this point on. for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. So we know why he didn't sin because James depicts that.

We're tempted when by our own evil desire, you decide to have a relationship with the world and things of the earth. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, which is what James quotes in 4-6 about he gives us more grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. So he outlines- And Jace, even in 217 of Hebrews, he says the same thing earlier. For this reason, he had to be made like his brother's humanity in every way

in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest and service to God. So that would be with the capacity to do anything that we would do as a human being. Yeah, do with it what you will, but he just chose not to. That's right. And for the will of God, and that wisdom was coming from heaven, especially when he, you know, when he was baptized, and now the spirit, the other part of the Trinity, enters his body. Yeah. And he now has that wisdom, you know, from heaven that he's relying on his relationship on the will of God. and his just daily vocation of taking on corrupt people in a loving slash justice way.

But even just think about, because that's where we're going with this at the end of this chapter when he's talking about don't judge people. And you start looking at the sermon on the Mount again. You got Matthew 7. There's a whole point about judging, and we'll get to that. But, you know, it lives out in stuff like John 8. with the woman. Remember when he has this scene about they're wanting to do judgment on this woman because she's broken the law. She's having an affair and caught in the act. And it kind of goes in

with this theme of the big picture of us having an affair against, you know, Jesus himself as the bride of Christ. And it goes back to Israel's history and the Israel nation being unfaithing. faithful to God, even though he chose them as his representatives as a nation to reflect who he is. And there's constant language about adultery, jealousy from God. And so when he quotes Proverbs 3, 34, about giving grace to the humble, which is something we can actually do to receive this wisdom from heaven. is humble ourselves. Instead of being prideful and saying, hey, I'm the cat's meow,

instead of viewing your existence on the earth as a gift from God, you're like, well, I'm here, and I want to take as much as I can get, and I don't care who gets in my way. And that's how, look, that's how the world revolves. That's why there's so much misery and pain and lying and cheating and stealing and murdering and all this. So when you go back to what wisdom really is, and I want to go back to Proverbs 1,

and you have this picture of lady wisdom, which I believe the last chapter is this marriage, this married woman of noble character, is this metaphor of wisdom, that ultimately we become a part of when we are married to Jesus, we give him our life. I mean, and it goes all the way back to Adam and Eve, their vocation they were supposed to live out. And so I want to read some of this. Proverbs 1, let's see.

I'm just going to give you a thumbnail, but y'all jump in where you want. I just wrote down a few verses, Proverbs 1, but he starts off. say in the Proverbs of Solomon. And this is for attaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding words of insight, for acquiring a discipline and prudent life. There's no disconnect in how you're thinking, and what your life looks like is my point about this Hebrew word for wisdom. You see that there?

For giving prudence to the simple knowledge and discretion to the young, let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get God. guidance for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. And then you have this famous passage in verse 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and discipline. And so it takes me back to the garden about the fear of the Lord. And you know what the problem with Adam and Eve was.

They didn't have the fear of the Lord until after they brought. broke God's command. Remember what they did the first thing they did after she ate the fruit, gave it to Adam, he ate it. What's the next thing that happened? They ran away and hid. Why are they hiding? They didn't want to be saying. Frayed? Well, they're scared. They're like, oh, whoop, whoop, whoop. Naked and ashamed. So you said, well, how do you get that before? Well, that's why James writing this book. You know what I mean? Yeah. It's, there's a God. There's a God. There's, two camps, it doesn't end well for one, and the other one gets the crown of life. Choose wisely.

So then in verse, let's see what I got down here. I have 29, but let me just give a few of these, like verse 20. Wisdom calls aloud in the streets. She raises her voice in the public squares. At the head of the noisy street, she cries out in the gateways of the city. She makes her speak. God's appeal for humans to have this. Look at verse 22. How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

So I feel like there's a sense of humility there that he's saying. And then he gets to 28. They will call to me, but I will not answer. They will look for me, look for me, but they will not find me, because they're not wanting to embrace this wisdom. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept my advice and spurn my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways. oh we're going back to that that confrontation between the evil one and eve remember and be filled with the fruit of their schemes for their waywardness of the simple will kill them and the complacency of the fools will destroy them but whoever listens to me will live in safety

and be at ease without fear of harm so you fear the lord and you remove fear it's it's that same narrative through the theme of the Bible where you fear God and yet the number one saying in the New Testament is do not be afraid right I mean it's just awesome to think about so Zach how old are you I'm 48 years old Al 48 48 yeah that's about when it all started to go south for me right along in that mid to late 40s you know I'd been rocking out literally south it all just oh yeah it all moves south literally gravity had moved every everything down. I started gaining weight. I would try kind of some sort of fad diet, and it would work for a little while. It was a roller coaster. And what I didn't realize was, is my metabolism

had changed, and our good friends at PhD weight loss, Dr. Ashley Lucas, really began to explain that to me. For me, it's been a year and a half. Here's a picture of me at the beginning of the journey, quite poorly. Here I'm now 75, 80 pounds less, which is a great blessing. For me, all of my medications, I'm not on any of them anymore, off my CPAP machine, live in my best life. And I want to encourage you to check these guys out to do the same thing. Right now, when you call and mention Al Robertson, you'll get two free weeks and they'll pay for the cost of your food, which is a $1,500. Call $864, 644, 1900.

That's 864, 64644,000. Or go to my PhD weightloss.com. Because the goal isn't to lose the weight once, is to never having to start over a Again. So again, that's 864, 644-1900, or go to my PhD weightloss.com. It really is whatever is motivating you. You know, we talked about it yesterday on Hillsdale. Martin Luther put it a great way. So, you know, the inner being of who we are makes a choice on what wisdom or who you're going to serve. And then the outer being of what people see is a result of that. So that's what you see. It's like with Job, you know,

fears God and shuns evil. And I like the way those are put together every time. This is just what you're describing here. So I want to show you this pattern because I'm setting you up for when we get to this controversial verse in 4-5, there will be no doubt in your mind what this is saying. Because I think it's very important. It's a very important verse. And that's the reason it's so controversial.

So when you get to 2-9, it says then you understand what is right and fair. Every good path. Just think about here's your life. God's like, I will give you something so you can understand everything that is right and just and fair. And every good path that you should be taking. I mean, this is so encouraging when people are sitting around thinking, well, I don't know what to do. And the first thing we need to do is ask for God's wisdom. And don't take that lightly.

Verse 12 of chapter 2 of Proverbs, wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men from those whose words are perverse. so you're not duped because that's the evil one. That's what he does is he gives you a lot of truth with a little lie in there so that you'll do something that you think is good. That's not. And verse 16, look what it says of chapter 2. It will save you, having this wisdom from the adulterous. Well, isn't that funny how James brings up this being,

he calls them being adulteruses, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth, and ignored the covenant she made before God. You see what he's doing with this metaphor, having this lady wisdom here? It's the same thing that happened with God in Israel. Exactly the same.

And now fast forward to James, we're married to Christ. It's the same principle. By the way, verse 18, her house leads down to death and her path to the spirits of the dead. So it's the same wisdom from heaven being pictured as a woman in a marriage and this wisdom from God.

So then when you get to chapter three, it says, let's just look, famous verse we've read many times, verse 5 and 6. It's everywhere. Trusting the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding and all your ways to acknowledge him and he'll make your past right. And we're like, oh, isn't that great? You know, what a verse. it's all in this wisdom vocation though because look what the next verse says do not be wise in your

own eyes fear of the lord shun evil this will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones honor the lord with all your wealth with the first fruits of all your crops then your barns will be filled and overflowing verse 13 blessed is the man who finds wisdom gains understanding it's more profitable than silver which a lot of james is about the money aspect verse 16 long life is in her right hand and in her left hand are riches and honor her ways are pleasant and all her paths are peace she is 18 that's where we left off she is a tree of life to those who embrace her and those who lay hold of her now you see this connection between what happened in the garden the tree of life life, what Jesus did on a cross, conquering death, giving us forgiveness and grace, and then even

James saying, if you'll hang in there with trials in Jesus, you'll get the crown of light. You see that go all the way to Revelation 22. What's there? The tree of life. By wisdom, the Lord laid the earth's foundations by understanding he said, all right, I read that last time. Oh, look, I skipped one in chapter one that I should have read. 29.

Speaking of wisdom, I'll read 28 and 29. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer. They will look for me. Yeah, I read that, then I left off 29, but I really wanted to see this. Since they hated knowledge, and look, I love this verse, and did not choose to fear the Lord. I think it's interesting that this wisdom that's from heaven, the backdrop of it is, just like Adam and Eve in the garden, there is a choice here for you to make,

which I think is going to help you understand the argument of James 4 and 5. He also references a choice in Proverbs 810 and 912, because the first nine chapters are about that. But not only that, verse 31, after you choose the fruit, then it says they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

So there's that concept again about when you choose the wrong source, then you have to live with the fruit that comes as a result of that, which is right down the line. Yeah, and I apologize because I'm just giving you the thumbnail. I mean, we can't break down all nine chapters. But a lot of these things I'm reading on purpose is going to make you understand where James was coming from. So you go all the way to chapter four and verse five.

I love this little statement. get wisdom get understanding do not forget my words or swear from them do not forsake wisdom and she will protect you love her and she will watch over you wisdom is supreme even if it cost all you have get understanding get this wisdom um esteem her and she will exalt you embrace her and she will honor you And there's the crown in verse 9. There's the crown, verse 9, and present you with a crown of splendor. I know what that is. Life. So you go to chapter 5. And same thing. Pay attention to wisdom. Listen to my words that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. Well, how much time did James spend on the tame in the tongue and what you say?

for the lips of an adulteress there's adulteress again drip honey and her speech is smoother than than oil but in the end she's bitter as gall sharp as a double-edged sword her feet go down to death her steps lead to the grave look it's the same thing what you say the cycle of life the cycle of death wisdom from that comes from the earth wisdom from heaven all places it out in how you treat people and what you say. You go to chapter six because you have this, here's the lady folly as opposed to Lady Wisdom, which is the earthly. And 16 through 19, I just think this is interesting that this famous passage is in amongst this idea of wisdom. In verse 16, it says, there are six things, the

Lord hates seven that are detestable to him, haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies in a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. It just, does that not make more sense when you read James four, the first four or five verses? All of those qualities are in that section on what the Lord hates. And then it's then the whole next section of chapter six, is warning against adultery. See that? See the heading there?

So then when you get to chapter 7, and I've read this many times, he literally tells a story about a young man who lacked wisdom, verse 4 of 7, you are my sister, call understanding your kinsman, they will keep you from the adulteress,

from the wavered wife with her seductive words. And it's a story that I've used a lot of times when somebody's cheating on their wife or something, I read this story because it ends up with the ACDC song, which is her, the adulterous woman is a highway to hell. That's literally what it says. So now you know where they got that song. And then chapter 8 and 9 is wisdom's call, but it's actually a depiction of those two houses that Jesus referred to in the sermon on the out about the one built on the sand versus the one built on him as the foundation.

And it's a beautiful illustration of the importance of wisdom. My whole point is in this. If you read the book of ecclesiastes, you read the story of Job, you read Song of Solomon with this idea of the Lady Wisdom, which is what my interpretation of that song of Solomon is, he's using the strongest desire that man has, which is our sexual desire. I don't know if it's technically the strongest desire, but every guy I've talked to, that seems to be the strongest desire. It's definitely near the top. Yeah, and God gave us that.

So, look, we can replicate and fill the earth. And no matter what happens, that desire is strong. I think he used it to illustrate that idea of wisdom where that's what your desire for your husband, whether you're male or female, in Jesus, has to take precedent. on that. It's what he's mirroring if you want a good life and you want to live forever. And so I think that's the picture that James is tapping into. And so when you come all the way back to chapter four and read the one passage that we haven't dug into, I think we got time to do this. So when he says in chapter four, four, you adulterous people, he brings up in the spirit of wisdom, in the spirit of what their lives are looking like,

where they're having a belief system without a vocation with people. Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God, or do you think scripture says without reason? And there's no specific scripture that says this, which is what causes the debate. it's multiple scriptures that have this impression that says the spirit he calls to live or dwell in us envies intensely. And so I believe that this is a picture of God giving us his spirit.

We're married to him. We're going to dwell with him forever. And there's a jealousy coming from God if you're having an affair with the world. world and there's an envy these are emotions that are good from god because he wants what's best for us and there's six other passages that says has this same phrase in the new testament that the spirit dwells in us and it's all a capital west the only reason this one is not is because the people who translated this are just based on context and said well they they don't like this verse because the people who to believe that we're all bad from the beginning,

it wouldn't make sense if this is talking about that spirit and dwelt in us. Another reason they don't like it is because it makes God look bad because it's like, well, why would God envy anything? Although when you go back and look in the Old Testament, and some of those you read even in Proverbs in your little run and your thumbnail, know, it's all over the Old Testament that God is jealous for his people. I mean, he says that's where I wanted to go, Al, because it's just like anger. There's a good anger. Remember when he says, in your anger, don't sin. There's a good jealousy. There's a good envy. And here's the,

here's the way you would describe that. So how do I know if it's godly jealousy or good jealousy or bad jealousy? Bad jealousy is coveting. It's wanting something that's not yours. You look at your neighbor's bike and you're like, man, I want that bike. I'm jealous or I want his truck. I want his house. I want, I'm jealous of what he has. He has something that's not mine, but I want it. A godly jealousy and a healthy and a good jealousy is when you do have something that's yours, like a wife. And then now she's out there living in adultery against you. She's actually committing adultery against you. She's not acting faithful in the ring. You should be jealous. And And that jealousy actually flows directly from love.

The other does not. So when the Bible says that God's jealous, he's jealous over what's his because it's his. And I think this does get to the nature of who he is, as you were talking about, God's not evil in his being. He's not evil. And he's not the origin of evil. And that's a big thing to think about. God did not. He is not the origin of evil.

And that's why some of theologies have bothered me are the one. that would locate God as creating evil. I'm like, what are you talking about? That's why I highlighted that Proverbs 1.29 where it says, you choose this. Yeah, yeah. Each one is dragged away enticed by their own evil desire. Exactly.

And so if somebody's going to come to me and say, with Jase, I disagree, do something about that Proverbs 129, because I'm going to go back to that. Well, you know what they'll say. He laid that as a foundation for where he was. going with this. Well, because I think I get where I get why people say that, because they'll get to verses like, you go back and read the story of Exodus and you think, well, God hardened Pharaoh's

heart. Well, they're God's making him evil. Well, no, that's not what's going on in Exodus. What's going on in Exodus is Pharaoh hardened his own heart first several times. And then what God does is he strengthens him in his resolve. So God has the prerogative to come in for his purposes. And, yeah, he can take your belligerent evil, and he can actually harden you in that because he knows what you're going to do anyways.

And I think that's why that word and is Chazak to strengthen and resolve when he says he's hard and favor his heart. That's the picture. But you are, you have the, you're the one deciding this, not. Exactly. And I think, I think this passage is the key to understanding how what you just describe works because would you say pharaoh was prideful or humble oh he's prideful mindful absolutely before god i want to do this before god hardening he was prideful yeah i want to

i want to i created a uh i i i think without denominational interpretation without just strictly going by grammar uh context of of this verse james four or five and i want to read this to you. Let's just get this on record. Do with it what you will. So watch what this says. Verse six, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Is the key to solving the puzzle of verse five when you look at how verse six connects to verse five, the divine jealousy, which is a positive. We're representing this is a positive thing. It becomes the most logical argument. So listen, verse six begins with the word, but day and the grief. This word creates a contrast or response to whatever was just said in verse five.

In verse five is about a jealous God. God's jealousy demands your total loyalty. But he gives more grace to help you meet that high demand. That makes perfect sense. God's standard is incredibly high, but his grace is even bigger. In verse five, if if verse five is about the sinful human envy, our human spirit tends toward bitter envy, but he gives more grace. This works grammatically, but it misses the intense emotional weight of James calling his

readers adulteresses in verse four. That's correct. It makes no sense. That's correct. The Old Testament quote, James quotes Proverbs 334, God opposes, God gives grace to the humble. This quote perfectly matches the idea of a jealous God. in the ancient world, marital jealousy could lead to a fierce backlash if the cheating partner was

arrogant about their unfaithfulness. By quoting this, James is warning his readers, if you proudly choose the world over God, he will oppose you like an enemy. If you humble yourself and realize you broke the relationship, he will give you grace and welcome you back. So the flow of the whole argument, when you put four, five, and six together is a single thought. This logic flow like this. What is the problem? Verse four. You're acting like unfaithful spouses by loving the world more than God. Make sure you're not doing that, by the way.

Verse five, do you think the scriptures lie? God fiercely and jealously longs for the spirit he placed inside you. He wants your whole heart. And what is the solution? Don't be afraid of his

intense jealousy. He gives you more grace if you'll humble yourself and match his high demands through humility, confession, whatever you want to fill in the blank there by giving him your heart and starting over. By looking at verse 6, James is not diagnosing human sin. He is showing how fiercely loving God responds to our unfaithfulness with a beautiful combination of passionate jealousy and overflowing grace, which is what the cross and the

resurrection and him being at the right hand of God is all about. So I concur 100% I think that's dead on. And I'll close with this, having out of the three of us, having been one who is lived in a marriage with infidelity, that you can't share your spouse with other people. That's not what a covenant is. And the same way God can't share us with the evil one, there's no sharing. You have to make the choice. And the choice is for 100%. But I will say this, you can, by grace, even survive that if it happens.

Which then functions like your real marriage. You're still going to mess up and you're going to struggle, but you're faithful. And you come together and you work it out. And God gives you more grace. And that's the litmus test right there. I'm not saying that the right belief system doesn't matter because it does. but we got to remember the point of the whole thing is relational faithfulness. That's really what the whole thing's about.

And it's not 50-50 is 100, 100. We're all in. All right, we've got to end up there. Nice job, Joe, pulling that together. We'll see you next time on Unashamed. Thanks for listening to The Unashamed podcast. Help us out by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcast. And don't miss an episode by subscribing on YouTube.

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