Unashamed with the Robertson Family - Ep 545 | Jase's Lemonade Stand Encounter & Phil's Warning About the Pulpit

Episode Date: September 11, 2022

Jase got some lemonade from the neighbor kids, but not before asking some discerning questions. Phil isn't sure where the word "pulpit" comes from — or why we use pulpits in churches. Al talks about his visit to Notre Dame in Paris. And a warning for the world not to question where God is if we keep turning our backs to Him. Plus, Phil has some solid advice for marriage, and the men all reflect on the joyful fact that God pursues US!  Watch the Unashamed overtime show, only on BlazeTV: https://BlazeTV.com/Unashamed - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am unashamed. What about you? I'm not a golfer. I'm not sure why I do that to myself. It's like a three-day tournament, right? Three-day and a practice round. So by day three or four, you're basically just trying to get finished. Well, so you were still playing.

We had a little feed at my house yesterday. Dad and the dad got in on. You were the only one out there because y'all were still playing. Yeah. But Willie and Jeff had played already and finished their round. Well, they were in the undercard. I was up there with the big boys, and that's what happens. I understand.

They left that part out because I was like, where's Jay's? They're like, oh, he's still playing. Like you just were playing slow or something. I don't know. No, no. The better you are, the later you go. Just watch a golf tournament. Well, we finished like one shot out.

But look, I'm going to tell you why I was there because, I mean, This was a nice tournament. If you had a hole in one on number 17, you won a very nice truck. I mean, I'm assuming it was a $60,000 truck. I mean, for $100 bucks, with three chances, I thought. So day one. I bet they had that hole set up hard, though. Day one, oh, it was long.

It was like 190 yards. So day one, I hit it left, you know, couldn't handle it. I was like, just couldn't deal with the fact of winning. this truck. Today two, I hit it better. Still a little left. I got up there yesterday and I just a sense of peace came over me and I thought about that verse.

Nothing's impossible. I looked over at that truck. God, all those are. I said, I'm fixed to win this truck. So I got up there, I did my little waggle, focused. I hit it. And when I looked and saw the ball in the way, you know how it feels when you flush one. I said, that's it.

Where's the keys? in flight. The ball's still in the air. It was going dead at it. I said, this is it. This just happened. I was ready. I was already thinking about the celebration because 190 yards is a long way.

But it hit the green and it started rolling and I saw it just going a hair left. It was about seven feet. It was dead pin high, but it was about seven feet. Do you have it back left? The pin was back left? No, it was in the middle. Close, but no truck. So I told Missy, I said, well, she said, did y'all win?

I said, nope. I said, but I came seven feet from winning a brand new truck. She said, is that supposed to be good? She wasn't too impressed, but she said, so you didn't have a hole in one? I said, no, she said, so you made birdie? I said, no, I missed the butt. Nice far. No truck, no birdie.

Just a far. Just a far. So that pretty well sums up that. I will say this. With that plan, not many trucks are given away. I'm sure no truck was given away. Nobody made a... Trust me, I would hurt...

Look, the only... I will say this, because I was making fun of Jep. The only time I thought the truck was one, because, you know, this is not like the masters. You hear zero applause. There were a few fans and supporters wandering around. But there was one moment that I heard an eruption. loud.

You thought so. And I said, somebody just won that truck. So I went to the clubhouse. I look and Jelp is just beaming. Like a glow, I said, you made a hole in one? He said, yeah, I hold it. I said, you won the truck? And he said, no, they had a chip off for $5.

Yeah, you won, you know, some jelly of the month membership or something. But look, so here's what's funny. So, Jelt, when he come up there, they said, all right, you get one free one, and then for $5, you can get an extra one. So Jeff gave him $20 and said, well, I want five. They'll get a free one. So about his fourth chip, and it's not very far, he makes it.

So Jeff said, I mean, I make the chip. You know, it's a big eruption. He said, then I heard a guy said, well, it must be nice just to have an endless amount of money that you could just buy chips from. So they kind of dampen my spirit. Oh, man. Poor Jeffiego.

No, he actually told me he won a, I think he won a golf bag or something, pretty nice for, oh, did he? Yeah, I didn't know what it was. It was a prize for that. Always remember, Jace, you need to make money the old-fashioned way.

You earn it. Well, Phil, it is, look, it is the best golfers win. I consider it a skill. I mean, so, because they weren't giving you prizes for winning the tournament. They gave you money. so we just didn't perform up to our expectations well you don't play enough to really we didn't no well my

partner's good so he's got to play outstanding and i got to play a little better it's a two-person four-ball right in the best score so basically you play the hole and if your score is better than your partners you play your score but it's you play by the rules of golf so that makes it tough but what i was going to say it was labor day and so when i'm coming home i mean i was just disappointed for about 30 seconds and then I moved on I mean because you're not going to feel bad about getting to play golf But I came around the corner in our neighborhood and I looked and there was like seven kids you know where those two Doberman Pinters usually stand up. They're like somebody Has the same look as that oh, what was that show where the guy had the two? It was a magnum PI

In fact that's what I call it when I walk by there and see them they're sitting there they're looking they don't usually make a sound they just look at you like one wrong move you're dead and they have the shock collars that keep them in the yard but i'm thinking i don't walk right by not shock collars there's a sensor uh for the they have some sensor now for yards where when they get near it they get something on yeah that beats or whatever yeah it's like a wireless uh fence so or a fenceless fence but so when i walk by they sit in there but i call them the lads because on the magnum pi that's what the glit that's what the little British guy called them the lads. So what I was going to say with seven of my kids, I just,

I'll stop because I was like, what are y'all doing? Because they had, you know, a little booth set up, and they were waving. They said, we're selling lemonade. And I said, well, what's the occasion? And the girl, there was one girl. I mean, these were probably eight, nine, ten. One of them was Cody's daughter. No, I know.

Well, look, so she said, we're selling lemonade. I said, why? She said, what was Labor Day? I said, oh. I said, well, I got one question for you. Of course, I didn't realize that that was his daughter because I can't, kids grow so fast and they come in and out, and there's so many kids coming in and out of my house.

You don't know. I said, I got one question for you. She was looking at me. I said, actually, I have two questions. I said, but one's important. I said, do you love Jesus? And she said, I sure do. I said, well, you're going to get a tip.

I said, the other question is, who has the cleanest hands out of this? this crew because I'm just looking at this crew and she said well that would be me I said you pigs the lemonade so I and I so came out she's like that's a dollar I think I gave her like nine dollars yeah and she said well you're giving me way too much I said no when you said you love Jesus I could tell you didn't fake that your response was natural and real and she said well you know I'm Cody's daughter I was like Cody who We were just at your house last night. I was like, well, man, you sure have changed in 24 hours.

And then the boy standing next to her and said, well, I'm her brother. I said, oh, sorry, buddy, I didn't recognize you. Everything is coming back together here. So what I was saying, though, is that made me go home and look up while we celebrate Labor Day. Oh, boy. Well, do you all know? Of course I know. Well, let's hear it.

I'm a citizen. You celebrate all the workers, all the people that have, you know, built our country and built our nation. What started it? Do you know that? I don't know the origin, though. That's why I say. I looked at it up. In the late, and I think this is important, why?

Because in the last 10 years, I've seen a fall of the American worker. No doubt. No doubt. That is true. And everybody I bump into who has some kind of management position, they can't find. anybody that will work. So I thought, well, shouldn't we have, like, address that on Labor Day?

Yeah. I mean, I think, I mean, I saw those kids doing that, and I don't know if it was their idea, if their parents said, well, it's Labor Day. Go Labor. Go labor. But, because that was her answer. She said, it's Labor Day.

And I thought, oh, so you're working because it's Labor Day. So when I looked it up, basically, you know, back then times were tough. We're talking late 1800s. And so they used one day to try to improve conditions at the workplace because it was rough. It wasn't very. Yeah, sanitary or, you know, it was safe. They were working.

The average person was working 12 hours a day seven days a week. Yeah. That's what it said. So, and Kit, you worked all the way down to five and six years old. There wasn't this child labor law. Right. No. So they did it and they did it locally at a few places,

but then there was some riot and, you know, I read the whole thing, can't remember it all. And then the president at that time just went ahead and made it a national holiday. Said, no, we're once a year, we're going to address the work. Our thought processes was if you don't work, you don't eat, a biblical verse. But they got around that by saying, And if you don't work, you'll still be fed because the government of Fiji. Right.

So they stepped in thinking they were doing a brilliant thing, help out the poor. Well, there are some people in need, but there are more people who take advantage of that. Right. Well, and it's always a pendulum swing because obviously the situation you described Jays, it was too far the other way. People were taking advantage of, and it wasn't safe. but now we've gone, the pendulum has gone so far the other way. We actually, these kids are showing us the way we have to have a labor day to work that day.

So the holiday, now there's so many not working that you almost need a day to say, hey, why don't we go to work? I'm telling you, you know, the number one reason I quit going to fast food? I mean, it wasn't because it was fast food. And I'm excluding Chick-fil-A because you'll understand why when I tell you this. I mean, I waited about, I would say, 15 or 20 minutes. That was the first thing. So it wasn't fast. Was it fast?

And I won't name the chain because I don't want to start a fight. And so I get up to the window. Just about any of them, James. And the girl shoved this bag out that had grease stains on the outside of the bag. And she went here. And I just, it just did something to it. It broke you. I grabbed it and I was like, thank you.

She was just looking at me. Get out of it. I was saying you should have said thank you, but she thought I was thanking her for going here. I just, I thought, you know what? We came in here, you're working because I'm stopping. Yeah. And people like me. You can at least be courteous in that moment, even if you don't believe it.

Just here? No. I said, I'm out. Is that, I mean, you think I overreacted? Well, I mean, I think there were other factors subconsciously that. because I'm just not a big fan of fast feed. But I think that's why Chick-fil-A is so successful. They work on their customer service.

The people are friendly. They say hello. I mean, Al, they're like, you know, over-the-top. It's fast. I mean, they're busy and it's fast. I go every time I come out here to get chicken biscuits. Well, I'm sure not all Chick-fil-A's are created equal, but the one in our home. I don't know that I've been to a bad one, but you're right.

It's what it is is it's, but, Jace, that's all in training. like they should be trained to do this stuff. These are kids, you know. You should be courteous and respectful and act like you're, you know, working. Yeah. Well, why are you trying to figure it all out? I did a little light research, Jace, and this would be for you to answer because you'll have the answer

or you'll make one up. I never found the word pulpit in the Bible. Well, hang on. Not one word. Hang on, let's, this sounds like this one needs to. Let's take a break and then we'll get back into it. Now, the dictionary says it's a raised portion. Yeah.

Where a person gets and he's talking to people down below him. But pulpit, I can't find the word in the Bible. You would think, Jase, if you're going to use pulpit, the term, the word pulpit, you would at least... Non-biblical term. Yeah, yeah. Who made that up? Because it's not the Bible, but God didn't say anything about it. So how did we end up thinking?

It's right in between evangelism and rapture. I don't think either one of those two are in there either. Well, you are correct. There you go. So it makes you wonder, why would they come up with this word where the only place that the crowd is being spoken to, Christians, is a guy, a preacher who's in a raised portion talking to him. And I'm thinking, well, the next morning you're out there going down the river and a boat

and you pull over and you're talking to someone about Jesus. Where's the pulpit? How does that fit in to a person following Jesus every week? When does he? Do you all my answer? How many people are actually getting a position that's known as the pool pit? How many areas gathered? Well, here's my answer.

So did theologians dream that up, Jace? I do not know where the actual word came from. That's what I'm trying to figure out. And I do not like the idea of that word, because it is not in the Bible. But now, people who revere the pulpit are going to say, well, you've got to stand somewhere. The problem I have with it is people acquit. Oh, you don't have to stand anywhere. In other words, if we're Christ's ambassadors as though God was making his appeal through us,

I'm trying to figure out where the pulpit word enters the... Well, I'm saying if you're going to get up and speak, I would rather somebody get up where everybody can see him, then he just do it sitting down and we're all pointing the same direction. That would be weird. So I get it. You got to get up. Let me finish my thought.

My problem is it with it is that people equate that with some kind of power. That's what I'm scared. Or holiness. That's one I've wondered about right there. So with that, that's why I don't like it. And I like multiple people getting up on various occasions because I think it keeps it from becoming. I mean, there's one king. His name's Jesus.

It looks like the Apostle Paul and them without realizing it, but the areas they ended up in preaching the gospel on top of Mars Hill down next to the temple where the Jews were in the synagogues. If he could stay a little while, they'd run him off. They were on to something, Phil. Now, you know what we should do. The Apostle Paul was going around, and to him, the world itself was the pulpit. Yeah.

Wherever you are on earth and you're speaking the message, you are, they would give you some historical context because this may help shape your, because I see y'all are running into some theology here. So the ancient Greek, the Greek word is Bima, so it's been around a long time. It means platform or step. But the pulpit has actually been around pre-Christianity, ancient Greece and Rome, because they wouldn't, you know, then they would philosophize us. I'm aware of that.

That's the origin. So it actually predates Christianity, which is stronger to your point, actually, because you probably should hear something out in the Bible since it predates the New Testament. Is the word in the Bible? The word is not in the Bible. Well, here's what I was going to say. I mean, it's used so much, and it seems to be the centerpiece of America's Christian groups. it seems to be the

the spot. It's elevated. It's literally. I've been to Mars Hill. And you have too, right? So why don't we just put a Mars Hill in all the buildings? Now you're getting somewhere.

Now you're beginning to think like I'm thinking. Then it would make you be in context. Well, I could do the rock. I've done far more sharing Jesus with people away from a pulpit. Yeah. It's not even a factor. Well, here's another factor.

Everything I do, Monday through Saturday, I mean, talking to people, you know, on the riverbank, you're standing here, you're standing there. I mean, it's just something about the place where you have to stand in order to preach as the pool pit. To get in the pool pit. 99.9% of all human beings never get a shot at the pool pit. But I'm just thinking, well, why would we go down that road? I'm going to ask you a question. because now where were they primarily meeting in the New Testament homes homes here there and

they have pulpits in their homes they had to drag one or make one so that's my point I think you're over it elevate it and then if you stand there then you need to listen to him because he's in the pulpit it represents part of the problem with the modern church now you're beginning to read my Let me say another thing, and this, y'all might like this. So there's another use of the word other than what we're talking about here. The bow of a boat, ship is also called the pulpit, especially on the old whaling ships. You remember on jaws when he goes out and shoots the shark with the harpoon? That's called the pulpit on a boat.

So in that context, it was used for fishing, which kind of goes back to what our overall. I'm simply asking the question. It'd be a perfect place to share Jesus with. A bunch of fishermen on a boat. That's right, in front of the boat. See, my point, I'm getting to the part on where I don't see how you pull together. Pull and pit. I don't know what's the pit.

What part is the pit and what part is the pool? Maybe you're trying to pull people out of the pit. Maybe that's where it came from. Well, it's a one-l pool, so I don't know. But a pit, it can be a pit. Depending on what's coming out of there. Yeah. I think your point is, I agree, that if you put all your Christianity into that moment for one hour,

whether somebody's speaking, even the worship, I mean, if you're only worshiping an hour a week, let's just take worship. Let's get on that. If you're only worshiping an hour a week, if you're worshiping God, an hour a week. How many hours are there in a week? $156. $160. $168.

168. So let's say you worship God an hour a week. Yep. That's terrible. It's not good. And only one person is talking and you don't have the chance of saying, preacher, what are you talking about? Well, you can say well.

You can't question what's coming out of the pulpit because that's the official place to stand. I think we should say well if we don't agree. But I've done it about three times and everybody looked around like, what do he say? I didn't say it loud. You know, I was just like, well. Well, I'm thinking, so I'll wrap out up in my head anywhere you're standing, sharing Jesus with the world. Oh, you're in the pulpit.

Okay, now we're talking. But you just not going to use it. You don't have to be the ordained person to be in the pool. No, no. I mean, I think it has a purpose. It has a function, but you're right. That has a bigger function. And the word itself is so much moved past just the lectern or the stand or whatever

because it's even a position. They'll say, oh, he's... And if you noticed, it's sought without saying it, is considered hallowed ground because that's where the... It's down front. Which I'm just a little leery after studying Hebrews. Right. You know, we're getting down to where you're standing and who are the ones you're listening to. and if he's not up in an elevated portion of the premises,

he's not, he's not, he's not, he's not, he's not, he's not, he's not the man. When you go to Europe and you go and you, so now the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, a lot of the old cathedrals that are there are like museums. We went to one. Remember we were in Paris. We went into Notre Dame. Oh, yeah. And it's, so it's more of a museum, but I notice it's funny when you go down front,

there'll be signs there that says, don't come here. That's right. You can walk around. You pay 20, Almost in the minds of many religious people, it's almost hallowed ground. And I just don't think it should be that way. Well, we even use words like sanctuary and stuff like that, which kind of takes it back to the temple. It's a modernization of the temple idea that we talked a lot about Hebrew.

The book of Hebrews, if it hasn't done anything else, it crushed that part, that way of thinking. Right. Exactly. And look, Jesus has gone through the greater and. more perfect tabernacle, heaven itself. So this old thing about, you know, camping out, you know, with one guy standing up at an elevated portion, I think it just needs to be rethought.

Well, I think you're right. And we all need to realize we're part of this. I mean, I spoke at our church this past Sunday. I stood up front. We didn't have a pulpit there anymore, just a little table. I was at a little table in a little house. Oh, you're calling the little thing. Well, that's actually the pulpit.

at the stand that you that's what the word actually means is that that what you but like I said it's dad's right it's expanded to a position of authority in a place that's right of almost that's what scares me yeah which is it's not you're right it's not biblical at all just kind of has graduated at that point all right hang on let's take a break all right you want uh the review and a sermon for you in 13 hebrews 13 we're almost through with so we get to we went through the how great Jesus is. We got to faith. We got to hope.

Faith, Hebrews, we got to hope, Hebrews 12. Then we get to love. He says, keep on loving each other as brothers. So we love one another. That's biblical. I think we went through that. We love strangers.

Do not forget to entertain strangers by doing so, to your point, Phil. that to do that, you're going to have to get out of the building mindset. Yeah, don't. Every once in a while, they'll say, if there's a visitor here, you know, welcome them. But let's face it, in most churches, visitors are rare.

Do you agree? My point is, don't forget verse 23. I'm getting there. When you come to Jesus, you've come to the church, of the first born who's named 12 23. Yeah, 12. You have come to God, the judge of all men. And listen to this, Jace.

You have come to the spirits of righteous men. And this phrase is small but powerful. Made perfect. Yeah. Perfect. We're going to get to that. We're going to get to that. So we got loving brothers, loving one another, loving strangers.

Then he said love those who are being persecuted. love the ones who are out there really getting persecuted for Jesus. Remember verse three? Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves? No room for a pulpit there, Jason. Okay.

You're on this today, Phil. So four, now you can't have a pulpit in marriage or it just, that's not going to work. Somebody standing in an elevator station. I have a position saying, here's your way you. As they felt to your argument, because you're saying, well, God has made us perfect, which is true, right? You just read it. But if you declare in your marriage like that statement, I'm perfect.

I'm perfect. It's not going to go well. I have done it. Turn it around and say, nobody's perfect. That's a lie. Jesus, it was the perfect one who has made his people perfect. forever, the Hebrew writer says. I know.

I tried it with the wife. No, that was early on in the marriage, and it just didn't go well. I was saying, technically, I'm perfect. God forgave me, and you have to, too. You have to view me as perfect. She's perfect, too. I know, but I was saying,

she wasn't viewing me as perfect in that moment because I had messed up, and she was mad. I said, you got to love me. That's why you remind her, you're perfect, and she's perfect, why we arguing about such a little my time's matter on who going to feed the dogs this morning. So dad was there. Not sure what though.

I'm sure we've had an argument. Marriage should be honored by all. That includes you and start with you and your wife. That should be honored. You love, but if you had the category for your sermon now, so you love one another, you love the strangers, you love those being persecuted,

you love in the marriage. with or without kids. So you love the family dynamic there. And he takes a time out there and says it, because when he gets to marriage, which is the most difficult venture based on the stats that what, 60% of people now getting married or getting divorced?

Something like that, 50 and 60. So he takes the time out and he brings up the two most argued things in marriage and pretty much in society that there is. I mean, we didn't stop there. We left off here in our last podcast before our guest. But when you think about it,

because he brought up, what do you bring up? He brought up sex and money. Because he says, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexual immoral, keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Because God has said,

never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? It's a great way to roll. So what I was going to say is, so he gives these things we should love, each other, the marriage, those being persecuted, even strangers because we're God's ambassadors. We represent him.

Well, then it's like he gives the motivation to love, to do that. I mean, the first one is the one I just read when he said, Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. And that's a quote from Deuteronomy 31. You know, the Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid what can man do to me, which is a quote from Psalm 118. So I was going to ask y'all what y'all thought about, you know, when he brought up the two things that we argue about the most.

Now, he gave the answer to the money one, because he says, be content with what you have. Right. I mean, don't, because my point is it's about love because it's like people commit adultery

and they're immoral in the name of love. And he's talking about loving one another, obviously loving him, as he loves us. And then he's like, keep yourselves free from the love of money, which my point is, the theme is things you love or people you love.

And things you shouldn't. And things you pursue. Because we're all pursuing something. Everybody listening to my voice, there's something that is the predominant pursuit of their life. Yep. It may be money. It may be sex.

It may be rock and roll. It may be rock and roll. it might be fishing. You know, it might be car racing. But it's more times than not, money or sex or some kind of relationship that... And money is a root of all kinds of evil. Be careful with your internet, getting rich quick,

Jase, when you say, I'm going to put this much money. Be careful that it doesn't get to such a point that it begins to be your focal point on planet Earth. Well, that's what I was going to say. Look, it's not just the acts. The pursuit of it can be overwhelming. Yep. Oh, yeah.

And so, I mean, I just saw. There's a mighty number of individuals that the love of money brought them down. Yeah, I just saw, I mean, a couple days ago, this one of the stocks, Bed, Beth, and Beyond, which has been what they call a meme. steam stock you know the stock goes way up and it goes way down it has nothing to do with the business people are just and the business is not doing very well but but the uh the cfo who had sold a bunch of stock just so happened when it was up and then it went down and people started investigating and say wait a minute now what's going on well he just went out and jumped off a building and that just

happened yesterday killed himself and I thought how tragic is that Well, the first thing I looked up, which was hard to find, because I wanted to see if he had a family. Of course he did. He had a wife and $2. And I just, I thought about this passage. I mean, it's sad because you feel for them. Did he say why he jumped off the building? Hang on, let's take a break.

No, he did not. Or was it the stock market went down his stock? No, he got out perfect. He sold. Did he feel bad about making money of why? you jump off the building? I'm saying there must have been... There was probably something illegal that went on.

The red flashing light started coming up around it. But I just saw the picture of their family there, and I thought about this first, because you see it, you know, in that moment of how you get off track. I mean, who knows? I don't even know the situation. I just hate it for that wife and the kids, because I know whatever this was over,

wasn't worth it. No. No. It wasn't worth it. There was your true treasure. Yep. Right there. He gave his life over it.

Yeah. But it all revolved around. He was the chief finance. Boy, does that make the Hebrew's text come to life? Woo. Well, I just brought it up because it's sad and I feel for his family, but I thought about it because he was the chief financial advisor for this, a major company in our world. And it just didn't go well. But you can't have a pursuit or a love for money or immorality.

I mean, he's the one God, you know, took a time out here and then gives us the motivation. Because he said, I mean, I think it's interesting because he says, be content with what you have. Because God has said, well, this whole book of Hebrews is about putting your confidence in God's word. think about it he said i cannot lie it's impossible for me to lie i i've built this whole eternal possibility for you on my promises the the hebrews 11 all the witnesses what did they witnessed the promises of god so the motivation i think first for having an attitude of love is that you base it on god's promises and what was his promise here fear, his presence was the promise.

Never will I leave you and never will I forsake you. And it was God who said, to add to your thinking there, it was God who said you take these scriptures and you feed on them because solid food back in Hebrews chapter 5, the last statement in that letter, solid food is for the mature you say mature people would not put everything on the love of money at all

but the solid food the scriptures that you take you say well where is this food coming from by God said I'll never leave you he said just read what I've said to you because if you you who by constant use you take the scriptures and you use them have trained themselves so it's not a day or two thing no this is a lifestyle they've trained

themselves to distinguish good from evil you say if you the scriptures have got you on a level to where you know you shouldn't put everything into how much money you make and how fast it comes because it can be a detriment and it can cost you your life, as you just said with the guy jumping off the building. He was a little bit too solidly controlled by the love of money. I mean, the bottom line is when we look back on our lives, you don't jump off buildings because, you know, you lost some money in the stock market. Or you're going to be in trouble for doing something.

I mean, but what I was going to say is, you know, is, so that's a quote from Deuteronomy 31. And when I went back and read that, you probably know more details about it than I do, but 31 6 says, and this is basically the Lord giving them the promise that they would cross over to the promised land. Yeah, they were right there at the door.

And he said, Moses, you're not going to be able to go. Because there was some consequence of his sin before. Yep. But he could see it from a distance. So you get to verse 6, Of course, they're all scared because they're like, well, how do we know they're going to let us live there? Or, you know, what is? I mean, there was a lot of unknowns.

And you've got to think about it. Talking about being poor. They've been wandering around for 40 years. 40 years. And they were enslaved. They were enslaved before that. So it's not like we got a lot of military mind here. I mean, for 30 years, we were all working hard.

They ate good when the quail came. Well, we were eating good for 30 years while we'd been on the dog calls. But guess what? We didn't have any money. That's right I mean it was embarrassing I remember even when I'd go out With my wife when we were dating

I mean she's like where do you want to go And I said well how much money you got She's like how much money do I got She's like my dad's a preacher I don't have anything I said well Looks like Taco Bell They got For that sonic brown bag

Special But back then I wasn't so easily offended But I just think they work better You know what I mean Probably Yeah, now these days. Well, you know, you didn't have many choices. These days, I'm like, here.

So look, verse 6 says, be strong, courageous, do not be afraid or terrified because of them. For the Lord your God goes with you. And he will never leave you nor forsake you. Now, here's why I bring this up. So I read this whole story. But what I found interesting is that in chapter 32, I can barely read my right. Deuteronomy? Yeah.

Yeah. And then 47, you know, they turn their backs on him. And it says, why would I have written this down? Yeah, 47, let's see. I got read 32. Maybe that's chapter 32. What has to be? So for some reason, I want to read these verses.

At the top of the chapter. 32, 47, it says, they are not just idle words for you. they are your life by them you will live in the land you're across oh because i wanted to make the point that he's saying when god says something they're not idle words i mean i like that statement they are your life the word of god is your life based on the province so then in verse 50 watch what he says uh there on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Horan was gathered. Oh, this is when he went to that Moses go up.

This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites. Therefore, verse 52, you'll see the land from a distance. So then I got 33.5. It says, let me see where I'm at here. For some reason, I want to read 5 through 7, but that's not right. I did this real later at night Well chapter 30 You could throw that in Jace

When all these blessings and curses I've set before you come upon you Let's be 34 And you take them to heart Wherever the Lord your God disperses you among the nations When you and your children return to the Lord Your God and obey him

With all your heart With all your soul According to everything or command you today Then the Lord your God Will restore your fortune and have compassion on you and gather you again to all the nations where he scattered him, you know,

in other words, he's going to take care of you. Well, the point I was going to make, I got it now, it's in chapter 34, because we know how the story he played out. Let's take our last break. So in verse 5, Moses, the servant of the Lord, 34, 5, died there, as the Lord has said,

he buried him, and the Lord buried him. And he was 120 years ago whatever that means. When he died. Yeah, whatever that means. The Lord buried it. And in verse 10, since then, no prophet has risen to Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.

And that's what I wanted to get to, because God had a relationship with him. He had given his promises. He says, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you? But then a few verses after he said that, it actually says, because they went out, we know what the nation did, they turned their back on God, and what happened? he forsaked him and so when people read that they're like well i thought he said he would never do it because they turned their back on him it wasn't like his choice to do it he gave his word i'm going to carry you through you trust me and they sounds like modern day american yeah what he's saying is is

i didn't go anywhere yeah you did exactly i'm still here you know what's interesting about moses jays he was until jesus came he was he came the closest to the presence of the almighty god the anybody that's ever lived, which is why my theory is that when he went up on that mountain, he didn't get to go into Canaan. He just got to look at it from the mountain, but then he went on to the ultimate promised land because, you know, all of a sudden we see the devil's disputing over his body. God just said, all right, come on, come on up. You know, the same thing happened with Elijah.

Some of the people that have lived on earth lived it in such a way that God says, you know what? You're not even going to face death. You just come on. you cross over, which is interesting. I mean, it's my theory. The Bible doesn't say that. It just says he buried him. But, I mean, when God buries you, I don't even know what that means.

But I think that's his answer. He's like, because really the irony in all this is, you know, he's making a point here that you're pursuing something, whether it's money or sex or your own self-sambition, or in this case, or religion without Jesus. And the irony of it is when you go back to 31, it was like, well, he was pursuing them. The reason he made this statement, and that's the irony of our faith, is that it's not so much about what we pursue compared to knowing that God, the creator of the universe, is pursuing us. And once you stop and realize that and put your faith and trust in him, all of a sudden you start experiencing the promises that he gives, that's true, no matter what the circumstances look like. And the presence of God, Al, I was going to bring that up. Because you notice it too. Love, joy.

When you realize you're in the presence of God, not just on Sundays, but every day. I mean, I love good worship. I mean, I do. But you're in the presence of God. You know, when he made this whole point about Moses, but he summed all that whole book up in one verse in Hebrews 3,6, where it says, you know why Jesus is better than Moses? Because you're his house. He's in you.

you know Moses and you have all the verses about his face was glowing and you know if you look straight to God because a lot of people read that face to face they're like well he couldn't I saw him face to face or he were you know he would just burn up or whatever but he definitely had some kind of relationship where God buried him and he was at the burning bush and he experienced the presence of God in a way you know others hadn't but the same concept applies that we have the presence of God inside. And that's what Hebrews 3-6 says. We are his house.

Back to your point, Phil. We don't go to the house of God. I mean, we are the house of God. I'll read it. That's why I flipped it, too, Jay's from fear to faithfulness. I mean, that's the flip. That's why the post-bit thing won't work. That's why when he said, be courageous.

That's where I got this idea. Look, 3-5 says Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. I mean, we just read it. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house, and we are his house. Yeah. I mean, that's what it says. That's us.

If we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast, that's why when he said, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you, the first phrase of that quote from Deuter Army 31 was be strong and encourage. It may look like you're outnumbered, but I'm surrounding you. You're in the presence of God. That's what he's saying. So when it comes to money and, you know, I lost my job, but my wife left me, all the unfortunate incidents that happen in life,

it may look like you're outnumbered. It may look terrible. It looks like impossible that you could love in that situation. Continue to love anybody because we get bitter and we get mad and we get angry. and then we make mistakes, and then it snowballs. And he's like, you're going to have to trust me. I mean, I think that's his point. When Paul says this in Philippians 4,

it drives the point home he just made, he says in verse 11, I'm not saying this because I am in need because he said he wished you'd been able to express gratitude to the Philippine Church, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need. I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well, fred, or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. And then he says this verse, which is probably taken out of this context of contentment every day. I see it on tattoos. I see it on people's t-shirts because they apply it to a lot of things. But the point is what he's saying is you can say this only because of the contentment you get in Christ. I can do everything to him who gives me strength, meaning that I can be content always. because he is. Because even here, he tied it to that.

He's like, keep your lives free from the love of money and be content because God has said, never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can a man do to me? Which, what is the answer to the question? What can man do to me? Nothing. Nothing.

Now, people just realize that. They get some confidence. Help them greatly. Yeah. Especially again, because he uses the word fear again, it always goes back to that. Remember this picture that was painted when the presence of God was there? Moses, he's got him stuffed in between two rocks as his presence is so powerful, but the people are looking up at it and they're so fearful.

But what they don't realize is the presence of God is the ultimate thing that can make you invincible. Well, that's the number one motivation for love because you've got to be. first John for and said, this is love for God. Not that we loved him, but that he loved us and gave a son for us. So I think that's the first motivation. The second one, which we'll get to in the bonus time, is the one Phil. Phil already did a podcast about this with himself, was that verse seven, remember your leaders. He spoke to words.

We were there. Because I was going to say motivation number two is that when you're, because life is tough. We do have problems making money and with the relationships and broken homes and fear and all these things. So he's like, the number one answer is presence of God, word of God, promises of God. That is like, well, remember your leaders who spoke the word of God. Everybody needs a posse of people who are holding them accountable and where you seek advice. 90% of all individuals I run into, 90%. When I see them and they come to talk, wherever they come from,

made a big trip, drive for 1,000 miles, 90% of them, Jase, they're singing the blues. Yeah. They are singing the blues. I don't know what happened. Well, to your point, Phil, earlier, look, all the leaders. Over and over. All the leaders that are in my circle who hold me accountable with who I ask advice, none of them are pulpit preachers.

Which adds a little credence to what I've been. Well, wait a minute, though. One of them is I'm in your posse. Well, you're in my posse, but I mean, now we're. I guess Tadney Club might have pulled over. So I want to talk about that. But if you didn't know him like you know him away from the pulpit, it would be. Because our relationships because we're brothers and we've been.

Yeah, we're brothers. I wasn't counting my immediate family. I'm saying all the outside guys, well, I guess one of them does preach occasionally out of the pulpit. Well, you're destroying your whole illustration. Well, I was just making a point, though, two or three of them off the top of my head, they're not. They're just leaders. They're leaders of their family. They love God.

They know the Bible. So when I call these people, I think that's motivation number two because we all, you don't want to get out there by yourself and try to tackle all the, All of life. All right. So we've got more to explore there. And I thought of two good pulpit stories for you, Dad, to hammer home your points. We'll do that in the overtime. If you want to follow us over, blazTV.com slash unashamed and subscribe to BlazTV to get our overtime segments.

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