Dumb Criminal Stories and Ambassador's Academy

Emeal Zwayne

So , so , guys , let me read some of my favorites and then you guys can throw in some of yours and you go ahead and go first . Proverbs 24 , 30 to 34 . I went by the field , by the way . Friends , those of you listening for the first time , this is what my wonderful friends do Anytime I give a reference , to pretend they know what it is Pretend . Proverbs what's Proverbs 24 , 30 to 34 ?

Ray Comfort

I went to the field with the slugger slugger and I looked and I learned a lesson from slugging .

Oscar Navarro

I got a quote from Spurgeon you already had it in front of you .

Ray Comfort

No , no no , no problem . This is what Spurgeon said . The book of Proverbs deals very hard blows against sluggards , and Christian ministers do well frequently to announce the great sin of idleness , which is the mother of a huge family of sins . And it's so true . You know , you hardly ever hear anyone say idleness is a sin , except in the Bible . But it certainly is . Get yourself busy , and when you're rowing you won't fight with other people because you've got the boat in a certain direction .

Emeal Zwayne

All of us seem to have a very profound and deep affection for certain kinds of people in this world . I happen to have that sentiment for Dumbo head criminals . You guys know what I'm talking about . You've seen .

Ray Comfort

You've seen those videos Guys get trapped in the roof , but they're fucking things like that . Yeah , people that try to hold up police stations .

Oscar Navarro

Yeah , yeah , the guy who put lemon on his face because he thought he wouldn't be seen on camera .

Mark Spence

You know that's real .

Oscar Navarro

Stop , yeah , he . This is a true story . The guy put lemon all over his face and he walked into a bank trying to rob it because he thought the cameras wouldn't be be able to see him because he had lemon on his face . And when the cops found him and arrested him , they're like what were you thinking ? He said . Well , when I was a kid , we used to write notes to each other using lemon . Oh you couldn't see it , yeah , and so he thought it made your face invincible . That's a real Wow .

Mark Spence

I'm waiting for the dad joke I know , I know dad joke , that's exactly what I thought .

Emeal Zwayne

I'm like okay , there's a dad joke it made his brain invisible . Yeah , I mean we've had right , we've had people try to cash our bills . Deposit them . Yeah , he's Interested . Yeah , so I came across these . This this says the world's dumbest criminals . True stories of the planet's thickest thieves . This is an Australia fitting .

Ray Comfort

Do you know what the word thick means in Australia ?

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , like that .

Ray Comfort

Stupid .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , stupid , yeah . One thief got more than he bargained for when he reached into the window of a parked car and snatched a tote . The bag belonged to a professional snake catcher .

Ray Comfort

Inside it was a highly venomous snake More as a little sermon , and that when it comes to sin , yeah , you need to do that in Frisco .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh yeah , oh boy , here's another one . Using a wheelchair to escape the scene of a crime doesn't sound sensible , but a Texan duo thought it might be worth a try . Noemi Dushane attempted a knife point robbery at a jewelry shop , while her accomplice , louis Del Castillo , waited outside with the getaway vehicle . The wheelchair Dushane , who also lived opposite the shop , was tackled by a customer before she and Del Castillo were able to make a slow escape . Where did Ray Comfort go ? He was neat to go nap , he just ran away .

Oscar Navarro

He just bailed on the podcast , you just remember these kind of thing ?

Emeal Zwayne

Oh boy , all right , here's one more , guys , as we wait Ray's return , two burglars decided that DIY do-it-yourself disguises were the way to go for their planned break and enter . Both . Matthew McNeely and Joe Miller scribbled on their faces with a black permanent pen before breaking into an apartment in Iowa . The police caught the pair in their vehicle not long after . Apparently , the less than dynamic duo had been under the influence of alcohol . Note to self don't drink and draw . How stupid you got to be , man , we don't know .

Ray Comfort

So , Ray Comfort , we're recording a podcast which by the way , we got video .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , it's video now , ray . Where did you go , ray , to get that book 101 ? Of the dumbest things people have done . Yeah , I was thinking as you're reading . This sounds like what's in the book , because the book's packed full of dumb things that people have done .

Ray Comfort

Can I just point something out about that book ?

Mark Spence

Usually , Ray , you just finished writing a book so you want to get accommodations for a book and different people that appreciate the book . Let us know . Well , Ray did the same thing for that book Name some of the big name people that commenced that book on the back . Oscar , what are you reading ? I laughed until I cried then .

Oscar Navarro

I laughed some more . Frank , no , last name , just Frank . He's from the Lord of the World , seriously .

Mark Spence

Ray , who else to say ?

Emeal Zwayne

I laughed till my side hurt .

Oscar Navarro

It's so funny , alicia , you're a great writer , I'm not going to lie . It's so funny . It's so funny , alicia Quinn .

Ray Comfort

Oh , there's a last name . You've never heard of her . By the way , that's deliberate . I did a dumb commendation thing on there because it's a book about dumb things I do and I love the cover . This is one of the brilliant . It really is brilliant . One of the best covers ever . It's not Well , it's so true , it's you , I did that once .

Emeal Zwayne

Or Sunny Bono , you know .

Ray Comfort

I did that once . I did that once . You did not do that , I did .

Emeal Zwayne

Friends . For those of you that well , that's all of you listening who can't see it . It's Ray's got a little ketchup package trying to squeeze on his fry , sitting at a restaurant , and there's this big biker dude with tattoos and it's going in his eye . For the camera , yeah , oh , for the camera , yeah , anyway it's evangelistic .

Ray Comfort

It's not just about dumb things . The reason books like that have been written is to get the gospel in the hands of people while they're laughing .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , what I'm shocked about is there aren't like 9,000 volumes from you , ray , because most of this is about your life . They're coming .

Oscar Navarro

Yeah , I think we'll talk about episodes soon , about humor .

Ray Comfort

Yes , you're right we are .

Oscar Navarro

That's going to be good . You just mentioned like get the gospel , while laughing and remembering that , yeah , stay tuned , stay tuned , friends .

Emeal Zwayne

All right , friends , here's a comment from an Academy attendee . The Ambassador's Academy has become one of our highlights , hi guys .

Mark Spence

Oh , I love it , love meeting people . One of the states you're seeing , because John Harris is doing all of Europe . He does the Europe one and that's really neat as well .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , and the one that we do here , and John Harris joined us , for that is lovely wife , danny .

Oscar Navarro

And listener . For those who don't know what the Ambassador's Academy is once a year we take a select few , bringing them out to Southern California . Here Anyone can come , as long as we choose them . Yes , exactly . Well , we say select few because we really care about the experience and the intimacy and that everyone gets enough attention , and so because of that , we limit it to 100 , but is it less Way down .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh , I think it's 100 . Yeah , we have been doing 100 . We may try smaller ones . It's a lot of people that witness a certain question .

Mark Spence

June 19th through the 22nd is the next one .

Oscar Navarro

A lot of people sign up that want to come and unfortunately we have to limit it , unfortunately for people who can't make it , but fortunately for people who do , because they get a lot of attention . A lot of focus goes on their ability to evangelize , and so they get to hear some messages from us and then we , along with another team , take them out on the street and are right alongside you for witnessing . So if you're interested in that , you can sign up on our newsletter at LivingWaterscom . That is one of the first places we announce when the new one comes out and you can be one of the first to sign up and hopefully you'll be able to come out here to Southern California and have a great time with us .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , make sure to check it out , brian . All right , this is from an ambassador's academy attendee , lisa Hadamite Mahafia . I can't get out of my . When I got back from LA , I happened to be at the courthouse one day and decided that was it . I wrote to the captain of our sheriff's office and charge of the courthouse and told him I wanted the same privilege to set up a table . What he does for one organization , he has to do for all . He's a Christian and agreed I should be afforded the same rights . So today the Jehovah's Witnesses were told they could not come in Tuesday as they were now my day and I took a table armed with Living Waters , tracts , books , bibles , iq tests , flip charts and the solve my riddle about the coffin sign . I took Chick-fil-A gift cards to give out , as well as money to put in the Living Waters a gift for you tract . Within minutes I had my first two interested people to solve the riddle . It was easy to flip from the natural to the spiritual . I was actually surprised how easy it was . The three sheriff's deputies in charge of security stood there watching each interaction because they were bored waiting on people to walk through the metal detectors . With each witnessing encounter I had . They would be smiling over at me , amazed at how I could get so many people to talk to me . One made a comment that in the first hour of my being there that I had more interactions than the JWs had in a year . Wow , during the three hours I was there today I had five people decided they wanted to repent and put their trust in Jesus . They said they were going to their car and , before turning the ignition on , would get right with God . A few asked for a hug and several said I made their day and I and asked me to pray for them . I can't put into words my gratitude for what each one of you did to help out at the academy and the impact that has had on my life and now others . Fear gripped me to the point of paralyzing me prior to going to California and I must confess this morning , after praying about it , that I still was fearful driving into the courthouse parking lot . I went by myself and I just had no idea the fruitful conversations God would bless today . Thank you , thank you , thank you , thank you for all you do to make sharing the gospel easy and actually fun . Sorry , I added an extra thank you in there , so I didn't want to .

Mark Spence

Did you also add easy ? Is that why you read that ? Because you said the word easy .

Emeal Zwayne

Yes , of course , lisa . You made our day , thank you so much . Thank you , and that's why we do the academies , for this very reason . And , guys , really that's the thrill for us . It's not just that people are coming and witnessing , they're going back home and they're replicating what they learned .

Ray Comfort

Reproducing after their own kind .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , amen , amen . All right , friends , this podcast is brought to you by how To Make Sure God Hears your Prayer . Book Ray , how does God hear your prayers ?

Ray Comfort

Certain conditions doesn't matter if God hears your prayers , unless you're hanging over a thousand foot cliff by your teeth or you're upside down in a plane 20,000 feet up in the air , going through severe turbulence . That's when you need to know if God hears your prayers . So there are certain conditions . Jesus was heard in that he prayed . Most people think God's a divine butler Just waiting for you to click your fingers and he comes running . But it doesn't work like that . So it's important to understand what scripture says .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh good summation that's why he's the mandem at the look . Wow , stay humble , don't you stumble , because if you do , then we'll all complain and grumble . Oh sorry , I was just inspired to wrap there .

Oscar Navarro

Don't worry , we can cut that out .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , and don't forget the Living Waters . Mug friends , the evidence , study Bible , oh all living waters . No , oscar , it's me today .

Oscar Navarro

How great would it be if it's the entire time , all 200 episodes . We've been editing most of Easy Out and he didn't even know it .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , People say I love your podcast . Who are you ?

Mark Spence

I love your three minute podcast .

Emeal Zwayne

All right friends , persecution and mockery , excited . Today we're going to mine nuggets of wisdom from the book of Proverbs . I cannot , so we did the book of Psalms on the last episode , and today we're going to talk about Proverbs . And man , I love the Proverbs . In fact , my earliest memories of being a new believer was opening up the book of Proverbs and just being blown away .

Oscar Navarro

Was there a fan ?

Emeal Zwayne

A big fan . No , I was just like man , this is some deep wisdom here , this is some real stuff . And yeah , I mean Proverbs are good . I mean I know my absolute favorite .

Oscar Navarro

I just wanted to quote you there . Yeah , man , Proverbs are good .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , man , proverbs are so cute , man .

Wisdom in Proverbs and Wisdom Literature

Emeal Zwayne

But my absolute favorite proverb is Proverb 32 , 1 to 2 , because it reminds me of U3 . The words of Azure , the son of Jake . He has utterance . This man declared to Ithiel , to Ithiel and Ucal , surely I am more stupid than any man and do not have the understanding .

Oscar Navarro

I just want to say this is how you know . Ez is more godly than us because his Bible has 32 Proverbs . You just said , proverbs 32 .

Ray Comfort

Oh , that's right .

Emeal Zwayne

How do you get so much ? 31 ? Proverbs 32 .

Oscar Navarro

Proverbs 31 to 2 .

Ray Comfort

Now you said Proverbs 32 .

Emeal Zwayne

Take it back to the tape . Oh , that's funny .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , we should have picked up . He said that to see how he was waiting .

Emeal Zwayne

I knew you were here , right , I'm talking about stupidity .

Ray Comfort

Just quote from the book of Hezekiah .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , the book of addition . So yeah , but Proverbs so packed full of wisdom . Like I said in the other podcasts , I read the Psalms and the Proverbs once through every month . Been doing it for a few years and absolutely love it . Can't get enough of the wisdom in there , and if we just pause long enough to take some of these nuggets and really chew on them , meditate on them , pray over them , they're going to have massive , massive impact in our lives .

Ray Comfort

So , Ray , I was just going to say I love the scripture . The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom . And often I'll bring up the fear of the Lord when I'm witnessing to people and they'll say I don't fear God . And then I quote that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom . If you don't fear God , you haven't even begun to get wise .

Oscar Navarro

So , true . I love it . I think in order to understand Proverbs we have to understand , we have to have a good working definition of what wisdom literature is , because wisdom literature is very unique and should be approached differently in the scriptures than the rest of them . And so in the scriptures we have wisdom literature Primarily . That is the book of Proverbs , ecclesiastes and Job , and most . A lot of scholars or historians recognize that the early church saw these three books as almost different characters , or at least the way they understood them . And so you've got Ecclesiastes , which is known as the critic . You've got Job , which is this old , wise , experienced book , and then you've got the book of Proverbs , which is seen as like a teacher or a wise friend . And so all wisdom literature is meant to teach us something about how to live well in God's kingdom . It is not the same as the Torah . If we read wisdom literature like law , we will misunderstand what God's trying to do . It's also not the same as prophecy . One scholar or commentary that I read simply says it like this the wisdom literature is the insight of God's people through the generations on how to live in a way that honors God and others . And it goes on to talk about Proverbs . The root word there is like probability . In other words and we've talked about this before these are truisms . They're not promises , they're not guarantees . They're general rules about how we ought to live in this world , and when we do , we can hope for an outcome .

Mark Spence

Right . So the book of Proverbs is filled with knowledge , and when we apply this knowledge it turns into wisdom , right ? As one commentator said , knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts , but wisdom is the ability to see people , events and situations as God sees them . That's the caveat , that's the catch , that's the change of the trajectory of where you're heading , applying what you know , right . So what is the dad joke about a tomato ?

Emeal Zwayne

Right . Oh , I love that . I was going to just about to share it . Share it . Yeah , that knowledge is that tomato is a fruit . Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad , right ?

Mark Spence

Listen . So , Matthew Henry ? He said it is better to get wisdom than gold . Gold is another's , Wisdom is our own . Gold is for the body and time . Wisdom is for the soul and eternity . Or , as Vance Havner said , if you want knowledge , go to school . If you want wisdom , get on your knees Right Praying . In the text it's a safe place to be .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , and guys , look , we're living in a day and age where , boy , there's such a dearth of wisdom , and especially in this younger generation . I'm blown away by the fact that we have more knowledge than ever , more access to knowledge , to information , yeah , and information than ever , at a more rapid rate than ever , at the click of a button . I mean it used to be okay back in the day , we had computers . Wow , you had to go to your computer . I mean , think of how much more powerful these smartphones are than , like , the computers we had , let's say , in the early 90s , like probably hundreds of times speed and capacity and storage and memory and so and yet , so much foolishness , so much foolishness . I wouldn't be surprised if you ask most teenagers today what's wisdom , they tell you it's the name of a tooth . You know , wouldn't surprise me at all . Ray Comfort , you're about to say something .

Ray Comfort

No , it is the name of a tooth , isn't it ? Yeah , I hear what you're saying . We have so many kids , especially in colleges , that are really how can I put it nicely ? They're just dumb . They've been brainwashed by a system from the world and it just lacks the wisdom of God right from the beginning .

Oscar Navarro

Yeah , I would say that , as I look into the world , I don't see this being relegated to just a younger generation . I see it being a part of our culture in general . I think we are all , to a degree , suffering from the Dunning-Kruger effect . Have you guys ever heard of the Dunning-Kruger ?

Ray Comfort

effect . Yeah , of course . Talk about it all the time .

Oscar Navarro

Yeah so the Dunning-Kruger effect is when you first gain information about something , you have a little bit of knowledge .

Mark Spence

What I'm just go ahead , continue .

Emeal Zwayne

What am I doing ? No , no .

Mark Spence

Oscar , I just don't want easy to comment on what you're saying .

Oscar Navarro

Don't want him to yeah , just go ahead , you have so the dining Krueger effect . The idea is , when you have a little bit of knowledge , you think you have a lot of knowledge and information on a particular subject , and this is like people call it , like the simpleton effect . So what happens is that you've got , you've got people , you've got four or five people that will approach a podium and the guy who has very little information will often be the most confident , and that person , even though they have the least amount of information , because of his confidence , can deliver in such a way that everybody will think he's the wisest one in the room . But what the Dunning Krueger effect shows is that if you pursue knowledge a little bit further , you begin to realize that you know nothing . And then you get to a place where you know a little bit , and only until the end , where you gain true wisdom . And I think Wisdom , as you pointed out , is lacking . I think the entire , our entire culture , we are all settling for the Dunning Krueger effect . We want the confident , powerful communicator and we're like man . That guy must know what he's talking about , but more often than that they're the one with the least amount of wisdom .

Ray Comfort

You will always think we can jump higher , run faster and longer than we actually can . When you see someone do it on television who's had a lot of practice , you think I could do that , but you can't . Yeah , it's just human nature to think we and especially morally , we all think we're morally better than what we are , and that's why it's so important to use the Lord , bring the knowledge of sin .

Wisdom and Ignoring Consequences

Emeal Zwayne

I have a subheading in in my book . What's the name of the book ? Oh , fight like a man , a bold little battle plan for personal purity . But there's , there's this one subheading within a chapter . I said without wisdom , wisdom .

Mark Spence

We . Don't yeah dad joke right there .

Ray Comfort

Oh , that's gonna be , the shortest dad joke ever boy , I love it , but yeah you know , got original .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , oh , it's wonderful , thank you .

Mark Spence

Thank you , thank you . So how long did it take chat GPT to write your book ?

Emeal Zwayne

You know it's been done , it's had to be done by now . Yeah , all book no way , I wouldn't be surprised .

Ray Comfort

I think every publish is trembling at the thought that the author is gonna come back within a few days .

Emeal Zwayne

I wrote the book you wanted . In fact , I just I just finished signing my contract with with my publisher and I was surprised . I'm like I'm surprised there isn't a clause in here that says this was not obtained by AI or something .

Ray Comfort

You know why should they care ? Well , it's gonna be better than what the author can write .

Emeal Zwayne

Right , but you know what I'm saying . Like yeah , it's crazy , I'm sure right now schools are scrambling to find out how people are are cheating .

Oscar Navarro

Oh , they already can , you can , you can see ways that you you can Reinter Writings into chat , gpt , and then find out if it was written by check and trace it back . Yep , oh , really .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , but what's that ? You write a hundred percent . You can write to chat . Gpt ends to say I want you to disguise what I'm gonna write now so it can't be detected , and chat .

Emeal Zwayne

GPT Oscar is .

Ray Comfort

That is that something that's real , so what ?

Emeal Zwayne

happens ? Chat GPT providing no .

Oscar Navarro

No , it's , in general , it's in it's in general , you can reapply it . So that this actually just happened to a basketball player . He got caught doing something really stupid and he had this like apology that he wrote and everyone was like man , that seems weird . And somebody like threw that back into an AI and it was like , yeah , I wrote that Wow .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , that's , it's just crazy , but they'll find ways around it . They always find ways around it anyway , friends . So , yeah , so the book of Proverbs 31 , not 32 , not 32 chapters 31 chapters Mainly believed to have been written by Solomon . There's a you know , a couple exceptions . You have Azure . I read from that Proverbs 30 , the stupid , the stupid verse . And then King Lemuel . Some believe that King Lemuel was Samuel as well , or Samuel was Solomon as well , and they're just packed full of wisdom . Hmm , I , I Absolutely love the Proverbs . It might be the book I quote most . Yes , I think it's one of the most quoted books . What would you say in your own lives ? Or no ?

Oscar Navarro

I've never I'll have to create a graph until you . Oh , chat GPT yeah .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , yeah . So I don't know why I said um cuz I got nothing .

Mark Spence

I'm still stuck back with chat GPT . I just asked chat GPT Write me an apology letter to my boss for stealing from him and I'm reading it . It's just absolutely amazing . And then I dropped it back into chat GPT and I said is this plagiarized ? I dropped it in and says sounds like somebody's very sorry for what they've done .

Oscar Navarro

Drop it and say did you write this ? Did you write ?

Emeal Zwayne

So , so let me kick us off , guys , because I want us all to share different Proverbs that have impacted our lives and and that would encourage our friends . But but I think the best place to start is in the first proverb , one of my favorites , and I think it's a good commentary on the importance of heeding wisdom . I mean , the whole theme of Proverbs is wisdom . He did , he did , and this is a what's called a personification of wisdom . This is as if the wisdom was a person and and it's speaking . It's not the Lord . Some , sometimes people will mix it up . They go this is the Lord . No , this is wisdom . Wisdom calls aloud outside . She raises her voice in the open squares , she cries out in the chief concourses , at the opening of the gates in the city . She speaks her words . How long you simple ones will you love simplicity , for scorers delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge . Turn at my rebuke . Surely I will pour out my spirit on you . I will make my words known to you , because I have called and you refused . I've stretched out my hand and no one regarded , because you disdained all my counsel and would have none of my rebuke . I also will laugh at your calamity . I will mock when your terror comes . When your terror comes like a storm and your destruction comes like a whirlwind , when distress and anguish come upon you , then they will call on me , but I will not answer . They will seek me diligently but they will not find me , because they have hated knowledge and did not choose a fear of the Lord . They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke . Therefore , they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled to the full with their own fancies , for the turning away of the simple will slay them and the complacency of fools will destroy them . But whoever listens to me will dwell safely and will be secure without fear of evil , and there goes great comfort again . So , guys , look as I , as I read Proverbs on and when I counsel people this is the proverb that I , yeah , oftentimes Go to when I sense that they're not open to receiving counsel . And the Proverbs are full of rebuke toward those who don't receive counsel , in fact that they're called stupid , that you know , those that don't receive correction counsel their fools . They're setting themselves up for disaster , and all of us at this table here Know that there have been times when we did not heed the voice of wisdom , but we we've seen the tragedies of those who have done it in severe cases , and what a tragedy that is .

Mark Spence

Have you ever sat down with somebody who wanted counsel ? You gave them the counsel . It's biblical counsel , it's good counsel . It's gonna get them out of the hole they're in . They look at you and they say I'm not gonna heed it or I'm not gonna do it , or are they more congenial towards you ? Easy . And they say you know , yeah , no , I'll think about that .

Emeal Zwayne

Well , you know , that brought to mind , mark , something that I just watched of Ray's . It's a new video he did on abortion and it had a video from a young lady that he had interviewed a long time ago as a part of one of our movies , but she had had an abortion and Ray was just speaking words of wisdom to her about the folly of it , that it's murder and so on and so forth , and at the end he says will you please think about what I shared with you ? And she said , no , I won't .

Mark Spence

And is that because she had an abortion herself and her conscience is pricked and she cannot run away ? Yeah , I think so . You think I mean is that ?

Emeal Zwayne

it . Her face was twitching , Ray , wasn't it ? Yeah , she was talking . I mean , I think she was heavily under control .

Mark Spence

I was blown away as I watched that interview that Ray had . I mean , ray was filled with so much wisdom and it really seemed that it was , from on high , pointed directly to her as a warning from God , giving her a chance to repent . You murdered your child and Ray was asking so if you were to murder a child , how would you do it ? How are abortions performed ? What would you do ? And I'm like my jaw dropped as I'm watching this and I've seen it before , absolutely standing in awe of what our society has become and what we're teaching the young . And today I saw that Governor Newsom wants to put a Planned Parenthood in every university in California .

Emeal Zwayne

You think about that applied in eternity , crying out for wisdom , wishing you can go back and undo what was done and the personification here you know you- .

Ray Comfort

There was in the seven reasons video if anyone wanted to see it on a YouTube channel .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , but just this personification here of wisdom . I also will laugh at your calamity . I will mock when your chair comes . When your chair comes like a storm and your destruction comes like a whirlwind . When distress and anguish come upon you , boy , you extrapolate that to the day of judgment . You know , but , ray , you've seen that with people regret , that regret of not heeding wisdom , even abortion , I mean we're talking about that topic . But the women that their lives are destroyed , how many women have we heard of who say I cannot stop thinking about that child every day ? I mean Mark , even in the movie , what is it that young lady said every day I think about that child every day .

Mark Spence

Her friends had no idea that she had an abortion and she said oh , did I not tell you ? Yeah , oh , no it's honey , she knows she didn't tell him . I think it was a place of release for her to be able to tell her friends to let him in .

Ray Comfort

We don't realize how complex we are , how complex God has made us , in the sense that we have this conscience that sits there like a smoke detector with the batteries out and there are terrible consequences for sin , both inwardly and outwardly . You can make a mess of your life , but inwardly you destroy your own character and what God's created . How would you define conscience ? Conscience is the okay , it's the impartial judge on the courtroom . Mind con with science , not just sit at a million times , but half a million .

Oscar Navarro

I don't know about you guys , but I think , as I think back on my life and I think of moments where I've heeded wisdom , it feels very alien to me . It feels like something outside of myself right Like when I'm following my own heart that feels natural , feels like this is the right thing to do , but I feel like I can look back at my lives and see my life . Oh , it's a new doctrine I can look back on my life and see these like pivot points as a Christian , where I saw counsel through prayer and mentors and God's word , and I received a wisdom that was so different than what my natural sense wanted to do . And I look back now and I can be like man . I am so glad I didn't make that decision for me . I'm really glad the Lord , I heard what the Lord wanted for me in that moment . And , yeah , I don't know , do you guys sense that like wisdom is just beyond you ? Yeah , we think it's way beyond you .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , absolutely , and that's why the Proverbs speak to that . Proverbs 11 , 14, . In a multitude of counselors there is safety . Without consultation , plans are frustrated . With many counselors , they succeed . And this is , I think , how you can distinguish a person who truly wants to honor the Lord and one who wants to do their own thing . Proverbs 18, . One he who separates himself , seeks his own desire , he quarrels against all sound wisdom . The person who does not wanna talk to other people and get their input is a self-willed person who just wants to do what they want to do , and I'm telling you they're setting themselves up for disaster .

Mark Spence

And that's what Proverbs 14 is right . I mean , there's a way that seems right to a man , but the end there of his dad Still with thunder .

Ray Comfort

Now it's thing Proverbs , it's just so true . And in every way there's a way that seems right to man . You don't wanna satisfy these desires that I've got , I don't care what anyone thinks , and it ends in death and it's frightening . So it's a great verse to write across your forehead Hmm , Don't you dear , I'll tell you , I'll tell you my forehead yeah it's so On the inside of your forehead .

Emeal Zwayne

It's so . It's so key for us to step back and to realize . The reason why it's extremely wise to get counsel from others is because others have been places you haven't been . They've seen things you haven't seen . They've experienced things you haven't experienced . They have insight into God's word that you may not have come across , especially someone who's older , though it's not exempt to the older . I mean , you could have someone wiser , who's even younger than you , you know , but someone whose life has been invested in the things of the Lord and someone who cares about you . Man , it's so essential and , oscar , you speak to this all the time and it's so essential the importance of community within the church . That's where wisdom is really coming .

Mark Spence

Can I comment on that before he says it ? I don't know of anybody else in my life that is a bigger proponent for the local church than Oscar . Right that , Oscar , you are always elevating what God has designed for the believer , namely to become accountable specifically to the pastors , the shepherds that God has inside your life .

Oscar Navarro

Man . I think it's just . I think we see so clearly God's grace at work when people are find themselves in gospel community . Gospel community being , I would define that as being in a godly Christian church that preaches God word , in which you are both known and loved . Known for all of your sins and for all of your strengths , loved in that they will hold you accountable , encourage you and lift you up in those moments . And so I just I look at my life . Actually , when I look at the people who I have a high degree of respect for through and through , I see them being faithful members of a local church . I think you guys are prime examples of that . If you attest , you know , if you look at your lives , the people that you spend your time with more often than that are also members of your church . Your time in the local church goes beyond that hour and a half or two hours on Sunday . It bleeds into barbecues and vacations and long drives and weekends and fun and like it's all bled together . Your pastor knows you and I think that so many Christians are lacking in spiritual vitality because they lack participation in their local

The Importance of Church and Laziness

Oscar Navarro

church .

Mark Spence

Well , let me take it , let me expand on that . I invited a theologian to come be a part of our Living Waters Equip program that's coming out and we were gonna record on Monday .

Ray Comfort

Hasn't it got a new name now ?

Mark Spence

It's gonna be on Living Waters TV Okay , living Waters TV In the spring , but this specific portion is Living Waters Equip and I invited to come out . I said , well , film on Monday , we can have you come out on Sunday . And he said , yeah , no , that's not gonna work . And I said , okay , no problem . He said , oh , listen , I have church . I'm like , oh , are you teaching at your church ? And he said , no , I'm just attending my church . I wanna be with God's people . Wow , there's a high view of the local church right there .

Emeal Zwayne

Well , that's really impressive . Well , that's an appropriate view that says I'm not just there necessarily to get , I'm there to also give . I'm a member of that body and I'm there to minister to others and love on others . Yeah , and to also receive and be encouraged , to be sharpened , to be held accountable . Again , there's no such thing as a churchless Christian . Really , it wasn't even a thought in the early church . What are you talking about ? Yeah , I just worship God on my own at home . We are the people of God and , especially because of the cold run of persecution that they were in , you couldn't just profess to be a Christian . It came with a cost under many circumstances .

Oscar Navarro

I think this is how strong we are convicted about it . If God forbid . One of our listeners is like oh , I don't do church , like the Living Waters podcast and the YouTube channel that's my church . I would tell you , please make this the last episode you ever listen to until you find a home church , because we are not a replacement to what God intends to do through you and to you in the context of the Lord .

Emeal Zwayne

And on that note , let me just say too , this is extremely important Even for those of you that partner with us financially . If you've made Living Waters your primary place of giving and you're not giving your local church primarily , we want to ask you to stop giving Living Waters and give to your local church , because you need to be faithful there first .

Ray Comfort

And if Christian minister was seeing a check for a million dollars and there was a note with it saying I was going to give this to a local church . But I gave it to you , my local church , and he sent it back .

Emeal Zwayne

Wow , that's integrity . Yeah , right there .

Mark Spence

I regret doing that now .

Emeal Zwayne

So , guys , let me read some of my favorites and then you guys can throw in some of yours . Yeah , you go ahead and go first . Proverbs 24 , 30 to 34 . I went by the field . By the way , friends those of you listening for the first time this is what my wonderful friends do anytime I give a reference to pretend they know what it is . Pretend Proverbs . What's Proverbs 24 , 30 to 34 ?

Ray Comfort

I went to the field with the slugger and I looked and I learned a lesson from slugger .

Emeal Zwayne

I got a quote from Spurgeon Because you already had it in front of you .

Ray Comfort

No , no no , no problem . This is what Spurgeon said . The book of Proverbs deals very hard blows against sluggards , and Christian ministers do well frequently to denounce the great sin of idleness , which is the mother of a huge family of sins . And it's so true you hardly ever hear anyone say idleness is a sin , except in the Bible . But it certainly is . Get yourself busy , and when you're rowing you won't fight with other people because you've got the boat in a certain direction . Oh , that's good .

Emeal Zwayne

So Proverbs 24 , 30 to 34 . I went by the field of the lazy man and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding , and there it was all overgrown with thorns , its surface was covered with nettles , its stone wall was broken down . When I saw it , I considered it well , I looked on it and received instruction a little sleep , a little slumber , a little folding of the hands to rest . So shall your poverty come like a prowler and your need like an armed man . We find a lot of Proverbs that were birthed out of observation , and what comes to mind , guys , is you , as you listen to this in the spiritual realm , with a lot of believers , unfortunately .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , and that whole weeds thing . We tend to just look on it as a house property . You cover weeds , but trim your nasal hair . Let those weeds pull back just a little bit here , here what it sticks out . Trim those weeds back and same with the eyebrows . I've seen some guys atheists . They disappear behind tumbleweeds . Oh yeah , oh yeah , can we trim it ? What was that guy's name ?

Emeal Zwayne

Richard Dawkins ? No , Dawkins has some big eyebrows . Was it Rooney ?

Ray Comfort

Mickey Rooney . He disappeared behind his tumbleweeds . Yeah , he was an atheist , that's it .

Mark Spence

Brick . Have you ever tucked somebody's eyebrow ?

Ray Comfort

Oh yes , it's in the book 101 of the dumbest things . It's one of the dumbest things they ever did . I was having a meal with a couple . We were eating fish . I remember very distinctly I'm running away to the airport and he was telling me something so earnestly and I saw a hair across his glasses and I thought you know , it's really between him and I . So I reached out and just gently because we're all close lifted that hair up and realized it was attached to his eyebrow . So I kind of tucked it into bed and stroked it and just carried on eating fish .

Mark Spence

It's one of the craziest things I've ever heard .

Ray Comfort

What about EZ doing the same thing with my son ? On his wedding day , my son , jacob , had this hair sticking out from his top of his shirt and EZ goes to pull it out and it was off his hair .

Emeal Zwayne

Well , it's a nine inch chest hair . I mean you've got to try .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , just leave it alone . That's why I've learned that lesson .

Oscar Navarro

Leave it alone , you're planning on putting the ring on it If there'd been a proverb about touching someone's eyebrows .

Ray Comfort

I would have taken heed , but I never found one . Yeah , I just went ahead .

Emeal Zwayne

Well , fred too . Yeah , proverbs too . I don't think Proverbs 24 is about nasal hairs .

Ray Comfort

EZ , you could actually write a book called Proverbs 32 , Wisdom that You've Learned .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh yeah , that's a good idea , yeah , but yeah , I mean just laziness , man , whether it's physical laziness , spiritual laziness , it's destructive and it's harmful . And we got to realize that when we think , hey , I'll just do it tomorrow , you're just basically creating for yourself an aspect of character that's going to delay a lot of things in your life and you're going to look back one day when it's too late . You know , maybe with some things it's too late to disciple your child , who's now grown and didn't get the influence that they could have from you as a parent .

Ray Comfort

When I used to make leather jackets many years ago , I remember working as a guy who was a non-Christian . He'd come in and just watch me work . He'd come in day after day . I think I witnessed him and he just watched me work . He loved watching work . And one day he says I don't know what's wrong with me . I just something's not quite right . And I says I don't know what's wrong . He got all the symptoms of a disease I see prevalent with much of today's youth . He said what is it ? I said it's laziness . He said he said to me laziness .

Oscar Navarro

I said laziness .

Ray Comfort

I said how many pronounced laziness , because that was his problem . He just loved watching work . A laziness , laziness .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh , that's great , right . Yeah , laziness man , it's a plague . It's such a big plague In fact . It's hard to find young men these days especially . Obviously , this applies to young and old , but especially these days , this younger generation , it's just how can you do nothing with your life ?

Ray Comfort

It's so good being busy as kids who used to build tree huts , tree houses . I love doing it . Once we finished , we'd build another tree house after we had a war and have fun like that . But just doing nothing is hard . We weren't created to do nothing . Yeah , we should , as Christians , be about our father's business with great zeal and unison .

Emeal Zwayne

There was something I read about recently called how to train your memory . Oh , what was it Nesting ? There was something about it . But where people it's becoming like a trend where you just take days off and you just sit in bed , you eat in bed , you do everything in bed and just watch TV and videos .

Mark Spence

We need to do an episode on laziness .

Oscar Navarro

Cribbing or something that sounds like a nightmare to me .

Emeal Zwayne

Oh .

Oscar Navarro

Kelly . On a Saturday , for example , if it's like 10 o'clock and I haven't gotten outside , she's like you need to go to the gym . You're driving like I started getting cabin fever 10 am , 10 pm . Like I haven't been outside I get cabin fever . I gotta go do something .

Mark Spence

Charles Bridges . He said the proud person , a Satan's throne , and the idol man is his pillow . Oh , looks good .

Emeal Zwayne

All right , proverb 1620 .

Mark Spence

I don't know what that means . I just kind of read it twice . What does he mean by that ? I just you just seen it if we're going to .

Ray Comfort

I was really like yeah , amen oh that's deep .

Oscar Navarro

It's deep , wonderful .

Ray Comfort

That'd be funny . I remember some preacher from the pulpit said to a congregation to show a point he says things are more like they are now than they ever were before . And everywhere he went , amen . And he said actually that's a meaningless statement , it means nothing at all . Things are more like they are now than they ever were before . So we don't really listen to what we read .

Mark Spence

One of my favorite proverbs , one of yours as well proverbs 3 , 5 to 6 . Mm trust in the Lord with all your heart . Lean not on your own understanding , and all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths .

Ray Comfort

Can I say something about that ? I heard that probably painted across a painting or sign written across a painting , was a new Christian Huge painting of the ocean and waves and I had it written in white . I remember a guy come to the door once and he obviously wasn't a Christian . He just poked his head through the door one to sell something , looked at the painting and he says , ah , trust in the Lord was . He couldn't finish reading it because of the conviction that came on when he realized it .

Emeal Zwayne

You know it was a scripture never forgotten that , mark , that that's one of those , I think , verses that has become , you know , played out , if you want to use that word , because people code it so much without paying attention to it . But think of the , the , the depths of wisdom and health . There isn't that trusting the Lord ? Things don't have to be complicated and intricate and high and lofty with all these points . And trust the Lord . Trust the Lord what a novel concept . Don't lean on your own understanding because you don't have enough wisdom to know all the facets of life . Acknowledge him and everything you do . He'll direct your past .

Oscar Navarro

Well , that Acknowledge him and everything you do , I think is is a powerful

The Importance of Applying God's Wisdom

Oscar Navarro

thing . So I think so many people try to compartmentalize their faith . You know , you know they think to themselves oh well , god , god's gonna be great for for for , you know , my Sundays , god's gonna be great for raising my children . But what does God have to do with my workplace ? Mm-hmm , what does God have to do with my golfing buddies ? What does God have to do with ? Like , no , no , in all your ways . Acknowledge him in all your ways . His wisdom is not compartmentalized to your spirituality or your moral aptitude . His wisdom is for all of life .

Ray Comfort

Yeah , you know , you want . You won't do that . You want to acknowledge them in all your ways if you haven't got a humble heart . It really is the outworkings of humility , yeah , to realize that you know nothing and that God is everything . Yeah , and so you'll do that , yeah .

Emeal Zwayne

And again the Proverbs are littered with verses on the value of humility Proverbs 16 , 20 he who heeds the word wisely will find Good , and whoever trusts in the Lord , happy as he . There it is again . You know that simplicity you heed the word wisely , you're gonna find good . I've yet to meet a person who's lived a life of Consistent obedience to the word , who has looked back as they've gotten to their latter stages of life and have said , oh man , I so regret that I wish I didn't heed God's word . You know it's always the opposite that we're hearing .

Oscar Navarro

And you trust in the Lord , yeah , you're gonna be happy that reminds me of J I Packer , who's one of my like heroes of the faith . He , in his wife , passed away years before he did , and then he lost his sight . And For J I , he , he were on a first initial basis . Yeah , j , yeah , you know J Fizzle , no , but he , his his like pastime , his hobby was reading . He was an avid reader . I mean , he had shelves and shelves his books , and I'm , and they have this interview of him and he's sitting in his library and you just see all these books and the interviewers , like man , like , do you do you long to read again ? Like you've lost this Thing that you've just always done . And this blind , you know 80 , 90 year old man who's lost his wife a few years ago this smile comes on his face and he's like , I am so thankful for all the verses of God's word that I've memorized because I just sit here and meditate on them .

Ray Comfort

Wow it brings me joy you know , one the wonderful things to sound a bit dumb , but iPads can Lift up a font to about six inches if you're losing your sight , and so the iPad has opened up so many doors to people with bad eyesight when it comes to reading scripture .

Emeal Zwayne

Yeah , yeah , we're blessed to have these technologies today . Proverbs 28 , 23 he who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor . I rebuke you easy , but isn't that stiches ?

Ray Comfort

I often bring that verse to mind when I'm talking to you . How , when I've said some really harsh things to some guy I'm witnessing to and he turned around says thank you . And I think of that proverb Wow yeah , yeah , and and it's .

Emeal Zwayne

It's hard to say hard things to people and , and again , we can say them in a way that there's a proverb talks about someone's words are like the piercings of a sword , you know . So it's not that , it's not that when we say hard things we have to say them in a hard way . Or when we confront someone , you could do it with tact and gentleness and love and care and Humility , but speaking truth , caring enough about someone to say , hey , I'm gonna , I'm gonna tell you the truth because I love you . Another one of my favorites , a proverb 27 7 a satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb , but to a hungry soul , every bitter thing is sweet .

Ray Comfort

That is so true , isn't it ? Yeah , it's so hard when I finish a 40 day fast .

Emeal Zwayne

I'm not saying I'm on one , but it would be hard .

Ray Comfort

Imagine yeah , I can imagine how you do anything , but you know , 40 minute fast , but you think of the spiritual ramifications of that .

Emeal Zwayne

You know , when you're satisfied in Christ , when you're feasting upon him , the dainties of the world just aren't even appetizing like after you eat a full meal .

Mark Spence

Sometimes even your favorite dessert is an appetizing you know , there's always room for a chili cheese dog .

Oscar Navarro

It's chili cheese 30 , crazy going so well .

Emeal Zwayne

Proverbs 10 , 19 , and the multitude of words . Sin is not lacking , but he who restrains his lips is wise . 25 , 11 , a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and settings of silver , and , and we could go on and on . I mean Proverbs 31 . Done it on the , on the the Proverbs 31 .

Ray Comfort

I thought it'd be indiscreet for me to say you are going on , oscar dirt .

Emeal Zwayne

But , friends , we wanted to wet your appetite today . If you're not a Proverbs person , I've become one . I soak yourself in the Proverbs be a prevalent Proverbs person ? Yeah , be a persistent , prevalent Proverbs person who perseveres while perseverating . Nothing more perfect , but but do it , jump in , meditate , memorize and encourage others through the Proverbs . Well , there you have it , friends . I hope you enjoyed those nuggets we gave you . Don't forget how to make sure God . Here's your prayers . Book by Ray Comfort and well very fitting the 101 of the dumbest things People have done . Don't forget the Living Waters mug Did .

Ray Comfort

I did a kid , I'm gonna drink with you or not ? Did you hunt what , what , who ? That book , the dumb book that I dedicated to you ?

Emeal Zwayne

Did you ?

Ray Comfort

I don't know .

Emeal Zwayne

I don't think so . Let's see . I should have , oh , I should have oh here , oh no , dedicated to the dumbest person in the world myself . What that's all lies ? Check it out , friends , remember . Podcast of living waters . Calm with your thoughts and comments , ideas for topics , and don't forget to give us ratings and comments on whatever platform you listen on . We hope to meet you in person one day , two friends , maybe . Thank you for joining us . We'll see you here next time on the Living Waters Podcast . The ultimate cure for insomnia and do a proper snore .

Ray Comfort

Okay .