Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 191 | The Best $500 Jase Ever Spent, Joy vs. Happiness, and How to Tick Off an Austin Cashier

Episode Date: December 4, 2020

Jase uses five crisp $100 bills to motivate John Godwin and Jay Stone to kick duck season up a notch. Phil, Jase, and Al weigh in on the difference between joy and happiness, how you can experience joy in bad times, and how to be content in all circumstances. Al counsels against depending on other people for your joy. The guys answer a question about prayer and the coronavirus. And Jase inadvertently violates social-distancing rules in an Austin store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? So obviously, for those that are watching, they see you guys in your face paint to know that... We hurriedly got here because when I got to the boat, deer jumped ducks, and then the ducks started working them. So then I had to sit there because the last thing you wanted... So you started a series of... The hunt was off and then it was back on, right? So I had both boats, which these are big boats.

And so I was going to crank one up, grabbed the rope of the other, and just, that's redneck towing. So you brought, did that what you did? Yeah. Yeah, I didn't know that. I was wondering how have you got to pick Jay up, go back at that? No, no, I got, that was a, to quote a legend comedian, that was a get her done moment.

I'll tell you then I saw a duck get up and I for a second tried to stop and I was like what am I doing? It's just like trying to stop a barge

going no there's no you can't hunt run a boat and drag another boat yes this you bit off a little when you could chew but I made it

and because we were trying to get here at 11 which we were late but we're here So tell me this, because last week we were talking about this whole, you had this, you couldn't motivate stone, I guess, and Godwinners who you were aiming for. You gave a whole speech the day I was about, you know, you would pay $500 to anyone who would build this apparatus. It's a contraption.

There's multiple parts. There's a motor. It's a, Jay invented it. Right. It's unsellable at this point. because it would take $500 just to gather up all these parts. But they have them from the wreckage of decoy contraptions. This is a graveyard.

This place is... It's one decoy with a motor on the bottom of it. He swims around, right? Tied to a string of decoys behind him. Yeah. And automatically... Don't give them too much details because, you know, they may figure out a way to sell this.

But anyway... We have what you call a joke. which is hand operated where the operator is in the blind doing this all morning. But it doesn't look natural. Really, I mean, ducks don't just jerk back and forth. So this thing looks better. Well, they swim, you know, you put swimming decoys. They make swimming decoys now.

But what the glory of this particular invention is that it's hands free. Yeah. So because when you have to pull a jerk strain, you're moving. Well, the number one thing... And you're trying to stay hidden. Well, I guess the number two. The number one thing in duck hunting

is be where the ducks want to be. Number two, you've got to get hit. Because if they see you, these are wild ducks, they're gone. So when you're up there... And it doesn't take much motion. Be still and you're like... Yeah, you don't want a man. So...

It's hard, I know. This is hands free. We're like statues. Right. Not moving at all. But a lot of people miss that. They get up and blind. You don't need that.

You don't have to worry about that. They're in a hot hole. They're bop, bum, bow, bum, boom by but if you really get the number one rule if you're a place where they're coming i mean we're in a place within 10 minutes from the blind where we're sitting right here we're right over there right you know take a while to get through the mud and all this stuff and whatever the vehicle we're going on sometimes swimming sometimes but we're close yeah well it makes it a lot easier if you're just close what so i it's not a great duck hole it's good so jay came up with this

I guess three or four years ago but the motor that he was using went out. We burned it up. So he had another one here. Well then that one burned up. So last year we didn't have one because he said they quit making this motor. So last year was a tough year

and it was sure tough because we didn't have that because it is awesome. So I thought why don't we try to find I mean surely if we can go to the moon which sighed jace gave him a speech if he could go to the moon he's trying to motivate them with that and look then he threw in this well i went to the moon and so i said hey that that's not proven so i got all nobody's been on the moon i got off that because i didn't want to go down that road and then that in a in a size a moon denier yeah in a heat of passion i said because in my mind i thought

what I would pay for it and I said, I'll tell you what, if y'all get one of those within a week, I'll give you $500. They didn't say anything. I noticed. No, they went. Well, Phil noticed the gleam, but I didn't notice it because they didn't say anything. They were looking at the floor when you're giving your speech and when you said $500, both of them's head come up.

I said, he's got them. Well, the next day, they had a version of it, but Jay had forgotten how. he put it together last time because it's been a few years. Well, I just walked by Godwin who had a saw in his hand. He was working on some kind of piece of style. And I walked by there. I said, Godwin, what's your boy you're doing? He said, I get high.

Well, here's the controversy now. So that's why I wanted the update. Well, I waited for them both to be here. But Godwin, which means I got stuff to do. So we didn't see him for about three days. I was trying to translate that. and so I waited for a morning he showed up what he did so him I said y'all come over here so I handed them five

one hundred dollar bills Chris Chris one hundred dollar bills and they and Jay said this is out of your poker stage Jay yeah so you know it's not even real money it is but ironed it I was possessed I've tried to explain this there's some of you legalistic people out there who don't get it that it's not gambling gambling if you know you're going to win. So if you go back 25 years and you look at a history, you know, I possess a certain set of skills that this is productive for gaining financial sustenance or however you want to put it.

And I always remember somebody said, he learned that my old coot. That's his dad. His dad, to this day, I'm 74. I've never played a game of cards. Your whole life. I've any kind of. He just so Phil's off the hook. Now, I just looked at people playing.

You want to join any? I said, no. I did learn it from the coup that sired you, which would be your dad. Because he, when I was a little kid and everybody else was going, you know, when they got home from school and they went, you know, deal what they do. I was in there playing cards with grandpa. Yeah. I have at least two don't ever do's. Don't ever do.

D.E.D. D.E. Don't ever. D.D. Don't ever. D.D. Don't ever do. Cards. C cell phones. Don't fool with him. Yeah. Or you don't protest either. But I play cards. With the stick,

yeah, with a stick, whatever, you say it on top of it, walking down the road, don't do that. The reason I play cards is if I win money, you know,

if I ever got to where I was losing, I quit playing. That's the difference in me and some of these other people. But I take, so I like to be able to say, I'll give you $500 if you'll come up with this contraption.

Motivation. Yeah, so I give the money to Jay because I thought he designed. Did you give the money before the design was? Oh, Phil. No, I know. He waited until they. If I gave that money, we'd never have it. No upfront cash.

No, because you got to remember when I gave him the speech, I was trying to get them to do it just for the love of duck hunting and being with us. I said, y'all bring something to the table. Bring that decoy. That didn't work. Be productive at something. You were appealing to their inner duck hunting. I'm going to confess right now.

I said a few things I shouldn't have. That was, I didn't say any, you know, I don't use bad language. But I did. I went too far. So I'm confessing that. Because I said, the reason y'all hadn't come up with anything is because y'all ain't got rich, fat, and lazy. I shouldn't have said that.

That's large. I didn't have that. Because God went saying, I ain't rich. I heard that. And his stone said, I ain't fat. Jay said, I ain't. He's fat. Now, they both didn't comment on a lady.

So I thought, yeah. So I gave it to 500 within 24 hours. They had it. Well, I gave it to Jay three days later. Guy went to stand there. But Jay handed it because he felt awkward. Because I think my speech had cut him to the heart. So he said, you keep it.

He gave it to Godwin. Because Godwin had the missing link. Well, that was a nice gesture. Yeah. Well, it was until this morning. Now, we're three days after. after that. No, Jay was sitting there this morning, and I was, I was bragging on him.

I said, boy, the best $500 ever spent. Because what few ducks we saw literally tried to make love with that contraption. So, I mean, they are just zoning in on it. And he said, you know, he didn't even give me $100. I said, no, wait a minute here. Uh-oh. He said, what are you mean? I said, I'll save that speech for a later time.

Because I don't probably beat him once. but he was looking like, what are you talking about? But I was there, he said, you take it. Now, once you give it, you don't start crawfishing. That's right. Y'all work out, I didn't care how they divided the money. So I'm going to have to work on how to, I mean, if you have any ideas for how to negotiate that deal, because guess what, I want another one.

You don't want a little burst of envy and selfish ambition. If you give somebody something, you give it to them. That's why I, and that's really, we've talked about this on a podcast for, that's really the heart of giving. It is. You never, when a gift is given, it's given. I mean, you don't ever pull a string on the thing coming back. I mean, that's just kind of a general.

God loves a joyful giver. That's exactly right. So, Dad, that's a perfect segue into our, we've got some listener questions that we're going to do today. One of the questions was, and this is, we've gotten this several times, so I want to talk about it here, is what is the difference between joy and happiness? Because you hear people say, you know, I know God wants me to be happy. You know, I hear that a lot from people. But, Al, what does that mean? Well, that's right.

Let me start with this. I saw the question, and at this point, we don't know who asked this, but I'm sure that they're probably listening right now. If you're listening right now, what's the difference between joy and happiness? So first thing I did is I just counted them up. I counted up how many times happy is mentioned. How many did you get? In the Bible. I got about 30 times on happy and listen and 240 on joy.

Just a few texts. 1, 1 Peter 1, 1, 1, chapter 1, verse 8. But what would you say before you read it? I mean, what is the... I'm fixing to explain the difference. The difference here. Because she wanted to know the difference between happiness. Yeah, are they the same?

I was going to make the point, though. It depends how you define that. Well, so off the top of your head, you say, well, let's just see what God had the writers. They wrote down what they wrote down by the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter says in second Peter one but in first Peter one starting verse three praise be to God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ in his great mercy he's given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that can

never perish spoil or fade just think about what you have he's saying he's getting ready to show you that you ought to be jumping up down about this. Joyful. Kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation is in the time that's ready to be revealed in the last days. So last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief, all kinds of trials.

these have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise glory and honor what's weird there he's saying be joyful in suffering do what i mean what's weird about that verse is the first one you read he's talking about being joyful though you have trials that's that's correct get that kind of mindset philippians one verse verse 25 is a beauty. I know consequently of this, I'm convinced of this, I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith so that through my being with you,

again, your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on a kind of time. There's another text that says, inexpressible joy and the difference between joy if it's inexpressible and so deep. I conclude that man-made happiness is one thing. I'm happy because you say, well, God did mention it. You can be happy. But what he's talking about here is fruit of the spirit.

It's love, number one. And number two is joy. Well, since it's fruit of the spirit, you say, what's the difference? One of them is spirit-induced. And the other one, you can be happy, happy, happy, running around on planet Earth. Thank you. You've got on top of the world. You've got everything going, but you don't know Jesus.

So this is a person who knows Jesus and says, what's the difference between me being happy about it, me being joyful? Where there's synonymous words. If you're joyful, you're happy. But didn't you invent that phrase, happy, happy, happy. Happy, happy, happy. But my point here is joy is being fruit of the spirit, which shows you that's a bigger thing than just being happy about what God's done. You know, inexpressible joy, meaning you can't even put you, you're in a safe position, your past sins are removed, your futureman's not being counted against you, you're guaranteed to be raised from the dead, you have God's spirit in you.

So these qualities like love, joy. It is interesting that happy is not mentioned in that list, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. No, no happy because it's bigger than happy. It's holy spirit induced. That's my answer. It'd be interesting to see what the Greek words. Yeah. Like I'll give you one.

I mean, you mentioned 30, which I'm surprised. The only time I know of in the New Testament, so I could be wrong since you had 30 references, where he said something along those lines to me about just your happiness, and I'll read it, is in 1 Timothy 6 in the last paragraph, verse 17 says, command those who are rich in this present world, not to be arrogant, nor to put their hope and wealth. Because a lot of people immediately, when you think happy, they think, well, money makes you happy. That's what I labeled, just my label, man-made happiness.

All right. But he is addressing this, and this is one place in the New Testament. If there's another one, lay it on me. But where he addresses this as far as happiness, which I think is the difference in joy, which is what we're saying, you know, the joy. before I continue reading this, when I read Hebrews 12, where it says, Jesus, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame.

His joy as us. Yeah, that seems like an apposition that he could find joy in us on a cross. Right. I mean, that's ridiculous. But that's what I think the difference is. it's not about how much money I have or, you know, how many women I've been with, you know, because when I was in high school, that was the pursuit of happiness. All my buddies, that's all they talked about.

Yeah. Let's get drunk and let's find a girl. Why? Well, because I want to be happy. I want to be happy. And so. It's kind of like the woman who gave the two cents being poor, poor, but gave the two pennies. and Jesus said, that's what, that's what I'm looking for right there.

Right. She was full of joy and she didn't, and she gave her last two days. So people say, well, that's nonsense. So he says, he has this warning to the rich in 1st, Christ 6th. And he says, don't put your hope in wealth, which is so uncertain. That's an interesting way to look at that. It is. But to put their hope in God, and here's the phrase.

that I think addresses happiness, not necessarily joy, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. That doesn't say happy, but it is a strange verse because he's basically saying he's giving you things to enjoy. So now it's surrounded by, keep this in perspective, because wealth is uncertain and we know there's, 200 verses about joy and affliction, suffering, even like what we said about Jesus and the cross.

But then he says, command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. So he basically said what we're saying. It's okay that God has provided some things for you to enjoy, be happy. However, then he labeled three things that you need to pursue,

which is being rich in good deeds, which has nothing to do with money, because I think he realized what I've realized, you'll get way more happiness out of serving and sacrificing and doing good to others than you would any amount of money that you could buy, you know, a new truck, or you think that's going to make you happy, but we've all had new trucks in the last 10 years. I don't think we had one before that, No.

Because there was no money. Right. But you realize you have it, and guess what? You feel good for what? Two, three days? Yeah. Yeah. And then that's all that.

Yeah. So what are you going to do? Go buy another one? It has no eternal consequences. Well, and you talked about the words themselves, Jay's, happiness. You think about the word hap, the root word of happiness, is circumstance. Like, you know, you hear somebody say a happenstance, you know, like, it's, it's based on circumstances and that drives people to happiness or not. I mean, my life's going good.

I'm happy. My life's going bad. I'm not happy anymore. And so I think that's the root difference. The idea of joy, biblical joy, is like you said, or I thought about James I, one, consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many guys. Because then he goes to describe what that happens, you know. And by the way, I mean, that's a mindset. Jason, and you work with the worship team a lot. It is amazing in the book of Psalms how many times joy is brought together through song, singing, singing, joy, singing, joy, singing. The Psalm is one right after the other. Oh, I agree.

Yeah. So, you know, people can be happy, but most of them don't break out in song over being happy. they're like maybe a yippee about of two yippees and boy i got i got some money now i've done i pull that off but i believe that's right athletics you know and somebody can run the fashers and football team and all that's that's all of that you know they're happy they'll turn flipped look what i just did i i mossed them all jumped up and got the ball they're happy they're happy but but this kind of this is a level above that I think the problem is in our culture is the reason the singing industry is so successful. Let me just think about it.

How many tens of millions of dollars. Now forget church songs, just people who sing because it makes people happy. And I think comedians the same thing. You know, I'll kind of think about sitcoms and, you know, we'll sit here and talk about Seinfeld sometimes and laugh. and that's what's appealing to people. What is not appealing, and the reason I brought this verse up, because I did a lesson on this at, you know,

a church one time, unfortunately, it was just crickets. Yeah. Because unfortunately, a lot of times. A lot of times. No, I just think they thought, what are you trying to say? And here's my point.

Here's why it was cricket. Some of the most miserable people I've ever been around are people in Jesus. Because they're like, well, I can't be happy. You know, there's a joy in me. But, you know, I'm suffering. I don't have anything. And, you know, I'm like, well, wait a minute here.

He does say he provides, you can enjoy things in life. And I always take up for things that are good, clean fun, like hunting, like metal detecting, like card playing. I take up for those things. because when I was in high school and all my friends were doing the things that I knew were wrong, it's tough on a kid, and I say a teenager, to have something to do. You know, I played a lot of ball.

I mean, every kind of ball there is. Because I looked at it as something that made me happy. I was born with physical gifts from God that I was good in sports. You know, any sport, athletic is the word I was looking for. So it's okay. But at some point, you got to realize that what he got to was that he said, you know, command to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share, which was very difficult for me to share and be generous when I didn't have anything. Now, I want to thank my wife for that. She had that down way more than me.

It's like a lot of times when we had no money and the collection plate is coming around, she more than me would say, we're giving even though we don't have it which you brought up the widow lady but there is something about that that brings happiness because you're there's a trust and a reliance that god's going to take care of me and i'm doing right thing guess what i didn't starve i mean it happened so he got to the point i wanted to read this last part in this way so he always said he's provided anything for our enjoyment but focus on being generous sharing doing good to others in this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that day so that they may take hold of the life and I like this phrase that is truly life so to me having putting your happiness

in wealth only is not truly life right being able to enjoy the things God's giving you if he blesses you with you know trucks and money and you then have to look at that and and say I have a responsibility. If you want to have true life, I'm going to have to share this. That's where I'm going to experience. It's going to leap over from just being happy to joy. Hang on down.

Let's take a break. I like James 1, verse 2. He just starts out on the front end of his letter. Consider it pure joy, my brothers. Check this out. Whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. So first, consider it's kind of like if someone writes me a nasty letter and it gets to me

through whatever means and they say you might order to read that, that may fire you up. And when you know that trials and people, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're taking. a cursing, James said, considered pure joy. Be happy that you're who you are. Because your faith, testing of your faith, develops perseverance. Joy is a good thing.

Because I got joy here and a bunch of trials coming your way, and your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God to give generous, to all without finding fault and it be given to him.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. Other words, if your litmus test is, but I got up this morning, I really wasn't, I'm just not happy about the way things are going. You're looking at it wrong. You need to say, I've been tested here.

See if my face real or not, or if I'm just going through the rigors of the, what's the way you call it, that they go to church and they're bored and they leave their bored, they're not happy, they're not joyful people. I've spoken to them, Jason has spoken to them. You say, why aren't they the happiest people and the most joyful people on the planet? I mean, immortality, life and immortality, I don't know why you wouldn't be jumping up and down. saying, well, yeah, you're going to get a cussing and so what?

I think it's trying to be ritualistic instead of being inspired by a real living being. For example, I've gone and spoken at youth rallies before, and before I get up and speak, like the youth pastor get up, there'll be hundreds of kids out there, and they'll sing a song. and the last thing I would think is that these people were happy. It just, it's like he's singing.

Oh, I'm so poor and everybody's around me, he's rich and I don't know what I'm going to do. The brother, he went on to say, James, in humble circumstances, you say, he's poor as a snake and he's barely making it. In humble circumstances are to take pride in his high position. I mean, you just think of the way that reads, He ought to be happy about the fact that he doesn't have too much money.

He's struggling. But the one who's rich should take pride in his low position because he'll pass away like a flower. The sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant. His blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he stood the test, he'll receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. So you look at that, you know, you say, boy, that's a, to most people, they would say,

that's a strange way it looking at life. Yeah. It'd make you joyful. That's what happens. Well, I think people are looking at it from a perspective. When I see this question, because I read this verse in First Timothy in the saying that we don't really focus on in life, as it said, God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. I think people are looking at it like, they'll ask the question,

well, whatever makes you happy. They're not looking at these things coming from God in their life. They're trying to find something that makes them happy. While you're there, I'm on record as saying, I didn't read it anywhere. I just thought about it. And I said, the rarest. commodity there is on this earth is peace of mind. And I think that's what James and these Bible

writers are saying, be full of joy in the face of things. Will most people be belly aching and graphing and complaining? He said, don't be like that. So you've got everything to live for it, and it's guaranteed, be thankful that you suffer anything. Tries, you have bad times, a good time, just go with the flow and be full of joy because you know you get. out of here alive. It's worth it out. It's back to that thought you talked about for that, about not being dependent on someone else.

That's right. So joy comes from a relationship with Holy Spirit, as you said, that's fruit borne out in your life. I've heard so many people, at least I do a lot of marriage stuff, and they're like, well, you know, she just does, I'm not happy. She doesn't make me happy. Oh, yeah. Or, you know, I mean, God wants me to be happy and look at the way this.

I've heard people tell me that out for 40 years. So it's always the same thing. say, look, you're trying to make it dependent on your spouse for you to find joy. You're always going to be in a bind like that. I mean, it's got to come from inward relationship with God. Trust me, you'll be happier people if joy has been born out in your marriage and your life. No matter what the circumstances are. That's right.

I mean, every marriage, every family has a season of challenge. I mean, that's, we've talked about it many times. I think the word we're looking for is contentment, which if you look it up on a worldly definition, it says a state of happiness and satisfaction. But earlier in 1st, Timothy 6, in verse 6, he said, Godliness with contentment is great gain. It's great gain. Great gain.

So if you're going to be godly and happy in that, well, then you say, well, why did he make that statement? Because I think that's really what the biblical word for happiness should be. he then says for we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it well why is he saying that because he's later on

going to say look I'm giving you things to enjoy but remember this rule there's nothing here that's going to provide long-term happiness so nothing so that's why it says godliness with contentment

being happy that we're going to do it God's way It may not always feel the best or even make sense. By the way, I raised both of you boys. So y'all came up the ranks. Y'all saw the whole thing unfold from catching catfish, buffalo and Gasper goo and selling them. We were making about $2.25, $2.50 a week, see if we can get the duck car going.

Y'all were there before. Y'all were there during, and now we're looking back. Did we ever sit around, me, your mother, with y'all, and just sing the blues. We're down and out, I don't know what's happened, you know, where's God?

Did we ever go through all of this unhappy? I never remember it. I mean, all I remember is just pressing on, and that was the mindset. Let's take another break. Well, in the next verse, he says in verse 8, but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that,

which I think he was laying the foundation, like you're saying, we didn't have much. But we did have food and clothing. We were focused on God. And then later on... We ate a lot of fish. Yeah, you see the temptation

that comes from having a lot of stuff. To me, it's a little easier when you don't have a lot because you're not having to deal with that kind of temptation. That's a good point. No doubt about it. And you had to teach then the next generation, Jason, I've had to do that.

with our kids and now my grandkids about having too much. And then somehow gleaned in your happiness from that. I love the way he closed out Philippians. Paul said to your point, Jay's, I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Talking about the Philippian Church. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. That's joy. That's joy. Your happiness is not dependent. So he said, I know what it is to be a need. I know what it is to have plenty. I've learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,

whether I'm well-fed or hungry, living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. I mean, that's the core, really. That's the answer to the question of the person who contact. What's the difference? I think the hard part is getting practical though with it. Because, like, I'll go back to the dating on what. was making my buddies happy and making me miserable

because I was dating girls. I'm looking at them. They're willing and able for anything I want to do. But I was like, eh. And so it was causing me a lot of discomfort, and I was getting ridiculed. And my point is, at the time, it seemed a lot bigger deal.

But, you know, even though I had made up my mind to do it God's way, in that moment it was very difficult because it just it's just right here let's just get it over with the old flash cries out and so your curiosity to be happy

because they're like hey this is the greatest thing I'm just like nah see it was very hard and I think that's what happens to people they know these verses they know the concept but in the moment you know I think about affairs

and things it's just so hard to just take a time out and say, I'm going to trust God, even though I know this is going to be happy for a little bit, because it will be. Sure. I mean, sin is fun. I think somebody said that. I don't know who, but most of it is.

So that's where the problem is. It's hard to grit your teeth and just say, no, I'm sticking with this plan because I know true joy is going to come later if I do it God's way. And if you depend it, that happiness on that one moment, whether it's an affair, a moment of weakness, whatever, it's never going to measure up. You're going to keep falling short because it's not what God desires. You know what's interesting? He makes a good point that I hadn't thought about it.

Maybe that's why, without us even realizing, but I'll have many between just the three of us here, and Willie, too, and Miss Kaye, working with the women. but all these different people, they're reaching out to us and they're basically saying, can you fix me so I can be happy? I can be joyful. I'm down in the dumps here.

Why would they come to us to try to help them? Because they see it and they want that for their own life. They think we seem happy. That's a good point. If we go around singing the blue, and there's no joy there, who's going to come to you to say, can you help me?

because I don't feel any joy. But you made a good point I hadn't thought about that a minute ago that joyful people, people that find joy in whatever is going on in their lives, tend to be happier people. I mean, it really does relate. The definition for joy has happiness in it, and the definition for happiness has joy in it. Because I looked it up.

Yeah, exactly right. Because the bad days, because we all have bad days, we're not saying we don't, you're saying I'm going to hang on here, because I know God's way is the right way. It's like we're almost cheating. Because when the temptation comes or you start thinking, oh, if I had this, I'd be happier. Then you're like, no, I just, I got to get through this.

Because I know if I trust. Be content with what you have. I know if I trust God's way that the joy there is going to bring me happiness, which is why I brought up the thing about marriage, because that seems to be the one I get just like you. The answer on why did you leave your wife and go be with this woman? Because you're looking at this woman. It's not that she can't be saved, but you're just looking at it.

This is not going to work long term. Anybody could have done this. You didn't pull off some magical move. I could have gone and done the same thing because it may be a woman who's battered, he's had tough times. There's always reasons. And then all of a sudden the excitement starts because they're doing. something that's wrong and that's why I said there's a fun element here.

15 minutes of glory. Yeah. And then look, how many times have we have these conversations and then you look up three years down the road and now they're split up? It's like the same problem. I'm like, wait a minute, what happened to this?

All I want to be as happy if I could just have this? Well, then you did it. And that didn't make you happy. No. And now we have the same speech and it's like almost a cycle that's hard to break. And they've moved on. Maybe I can get it out of this pill. Oh, my goodness, this will make me happy.

Well, all you have to do is follow them a little while. All of a sudden, they're singing the blues. They're down in the dumpshed. I thought you had the pills to get you out of that. And then sores are coming on their fame. You're depending on some thing or someone else for joy, and it's never going to work. I mean, it's got to be internal. It's got to be Holy Spirit.

Let's take one last break. So I wanted to relay this to another question in our last. segment here, which is a person asking about the coronavirus. Basically, the whole statement was, am I, do I have the wrong motive by praying that this ends? Like, in other words, he's kind of asking the question is, you look at this macro, big picture of 2020, and it's been tough on a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. And so as a Christian, especially based on us talking about being joyful, how do you deal with praying that God removes something that maybe it's here for a reason? So that's kind of his question is how do we look at this from a

from a big viewpoint or a higher viewpoint of what's going on day to day in our country? My answer would be a short one on that one. If you know you're a child of the resurrection because you've put your faith in Jesus coming down in flesh, dying on a cross for you, being buried and raised from the dead, if you're a child, You know you have put your faith in that. You've died the sin. You've been buried in a pool of water and here you come up. You're sealed with God's spirit.

Coronavirus or no coronavirus. Oh, you've got it beaten already. Whichever way you go. Whether you go early or the physical, you experience the separation from the tent, as Peter called it. You're separated from your tent. You're this body. And then you go on to be with God.

He's coming back. He'll give you a new body. But it'll last forever. If you know that, I don't know what the big worry is about what man can do to you or what a virus can do to you. Yeah, I think people try to. The reason they ask these questions is trying to assess blame in one way. You know, why is this happening? You know, you go back to Joe, which I think is the oldest book written.

Very ancient. Yeah. And, I mean, you had a conversation among God and the evil world. where they allow or God allows this scourge to happen to Joe, which seems, you know, a little bit, it makes it feel uncomfortable. But I think if you... But it's really James I mean, right? Well, right, because what we view as problem, like big, major problems of life,

well, to God, they're not a problem. And so we get all bent out of shape. Like, you know, when you take the innocent dying or something happens to a kid, I mean, if God is eternal, if you really believe God is true and real, this kid is not dead. That is correct. They will live forever in. That is correct.

But people say, ah, because they're inserting themselves as God. And they say, well, I wouldn't do this because they're here for limited time. be how old will they be and I'm like all I know for sure is I don't know how old we're going to be all I know for sure is it's not much of a question if you are outside of time and you're going to live forever you're not worried about what age you are that's the last thing you worry about that's right I think the key point is when Jesus prayed all those little children ripped out of the womb they're alive yeah when we went through John 17 you know Jesus prayed for protection from the evil one, which to me should be our focus. I'm not going to allow this to send me down a road

that's evil. Whatever that is, I think it's a good prayer. I mean, to me a better prayer, not a better prayer, but I think a more mature prayer is let's use this as an opportunity to get Jesus out there. Because it does remind people that we're perishable. which is kind of our take on it. The reason we don't get bent out of shape like most people is because we think, well, what if I died from the flu? Well, the world is like,

what are you talking about? I'm like, well, all it does is remind us that we're perishable. I have personally baptized way more people in the same time frame inside the coronavirus time frame we've baptized more than we ever have before. Correct. During the pandemic.

And they're reaching more people than ever before. Didn't Jesus say, don't fear those who can kill the body, but fear the one that can kill the body and the soul. That is correct. And that's what I mean by protect us from the evil one. I mean, it may have come from the evil one. They may have had a simulated conversation like Job, and this affliction has come, but it does remind, nothing changed.

We're perishable. Did you not know that? we already knew that. People get sick. Jesus said that. It's not the healthy that need the doctor, but the sick. He's fully aware that people get sick.

And unfortunately, people die. Mrs. Grandma died from coronavirus. We just lost a cousin. We lost our cousin. So it inspires me. I think it's okay to pray, okay, in this, but guess what? There would be something else.

Because it's still revolving around the major factors. I think a great illustration, Jason, a good friend of ours, Ron, who's a huge LSU fan, meets with us, one of our brothers. During this year, he, of course, like everybody else, he's healthcare workers, so he's, you know, trying to not get coronavirus, but he finds that he has a brain tumor. We're in the middle of all this stuff. And the conversation Ron and I had, initial conversation, I think, is the right one to have. Of course, I prayed that God would take this affliction away from him. I mean, my first prayer was, you know, I want him to survive.

He's a good brother. I love him. But then the next thing that he and I talked about and we prayed about was if he doesn't, if he decides this brain tumor is going to do you in. I was just speaking really honest with Ryan. I said, then I want to pray that he gets a lot of glory out of you going through this and that people are helped because of your faith and what you believe. And so I think that's the way you have to measure.

It's like, of course, the first prayer is take this away. because we don't like pain. But the second prayer is if God says, no, I'm just going to let you battle this thing because there's something better at the end of it, then I want to be ready for that and be praying that God gets glory out of my fight. And so that's what he's done. I mean, he's, and I'm inspired by that because it's like he's in the fight of his life, you know. I think what causes us all these problems and where we have questions like this

is because every time you watch a news show or hear the radio and when it comes the coronavirus they say the same thing go out there be safe wear your mask up they don't say holler at people if they don't wear a mask but there's people out there doing that and they're making fun of people who

don't wear a mask or who don't think it's that sick or they'll say you know take this serious practice social distancing don't meet more than six on yeah don't have all these and so people say well you know why aren't you taking this serious

And I'm like, well, because the biggest thing they're leaving out. To me, if they would just add, and look at this Jesus, because he actually can cure diseases. And even if you die, you can come back from the dead. So, well, people say, well, we can't. That's the, we can't talk. Well, I take that, I take that more seriously than I do your list. and I'm going to follow the list as a citizen.

The reason it doesn't seem like I'm taking that as serious is because I have that one in Jesus above those. I'm like, okay, and that's why when something comes up like, well, we're not going to let you sing in California. Well, no, wait a minute, because you just took number one and said, we can't do number one. We're going to put that down here under social distancing.

No, I'm going to put that one right. back up here. And I think that's where this big chasm is between people who don't believe and us, because to them, they're terrified because you only live once. The only thing that's changed with me is five times, I mentioned last week in the Bible. It says greet one another with a holy kiss. You're still on the kiss. And I said, Phil, here's the problem. Nobody's going to kiss you anyway. I don't want to test God, but I don't fool with no mask and all this stuff.

and then social distancing. How are you going to baptize somebody if you don't have him by the nap of the neck? Because Phil, there's not a person living within a half a mile of you at any time. Granted, I had withdrawn somewhat before the virus. But somebody will hear that and they're like,

Phil's not social distance. Yeah, he's not wearing a mask. There's nobody here. No, he's not a rampant. So I'll close with this, by the way, what you just said at the end was perfect

and the Supreme Court of the United States. States of America agrees with you and struck down Cuomo's deal about that you can't tell people not to meet. So the Supreme Court says just what you said, that our number one fundamental right, Jay, do you realize how close you are to being on the Supreme Court? That's right. You were just right there. Has that ever crossed your mind? Well, I know the one who is the Supreme Supreme because there are some who's going to say your dogma sounds a little bit too Bible. Jesus The dogma speaks loudly in this one. Yeah.

Well, I'm based on all this on being in line. I mean, look, my mind's a million miles away. I'm in Austin, one of the most liberal cities in the world. And look, I didn't realize that on the actual floor, they had round circles that say, here, save it. So I'm not six feet. I'm five and a half. I'm not in my circle. and the cashier, which I've been having trouble with cashiers.

Yeah, you're like a convenience store. You're, sir, stand back. You know, so I'm looking back like some idiot behind me is doing something. There's nobody behind me. So I'm like, oh, she's telling me. She's like, stand back. I'm like, what? Social distancing.

And I was like, oh, there's circles on the floor. They have them. Well, I chuckled. And you wonder why I don't go to town. So when I chuckle. So when I. chuckled because I'm telling you, the reason I chuckled is one, I didn't know that was written on the floor. And two, I thought I'm five and a half instead of six.

I'm going to heaven. I have a mask on. And I had the virus already. And you're so upset about this, I can't help but laugh. It costs me. And I could tell it burned her up that I laughed. Like, you're not taking this serious. And that's when it hit me.

What I just said, I thought, she doesn't get it. I'm trying to abide by these rules. But overall, I have a bigger picture than this. Sorry, I violated six inches of the six-foot rule. And I didn't see this artwork on the floor. Oh, man, that's what I should have said. I didn't want to say it like that. Well, Jay's the convenience stores nightmare.

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