Divine Intervention in Car Shopping and Exploring the Depths of Faith (Matthew 5:11-16...Part 2)

Have you ever experienced a divine intervention during the most mundane tasks? That's exactly what happened to Michele as she embarked on a simple mission - to test drive a car. A gospel song playing on the radio led to a moving spiritual moment, solidifying that this car was meant for them. The encounter took everyone by surprise, especially the car salesman, and served as a reminder of how faith can manifest itself in the most unexpected ways. 

This divine experience catapulted us into a deeper exploration of our faith, particularly around the subjects of heavenly rewards and salvation. As followers of Jesus Christ, we believe in the grace that leads to salvation and the joy that comes even amidst persecution, a life principle that Jesus taught us. So join us, as we journey through an unexpected spiritual awakening, the intricacies of faith, and the fun of life's simple pleasures.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Pure Faith Podcast, a podcast where we discuss all things Bible. I am your co-host, michelle, and this is our host, mitchell, and, um, yeah, I don't know where he is. This is not on our notes.

Speaker 2: 0:23

Yeah, you're on a road, but whatever.

Speaker 1: 0:25

Well, anyhow, we ask that you like this video, that you subscribe to our YouTube channel and that you don't forget to hit the notification icon when new episodes are released, whatever.

Speaker 2: 0:37

You know after how many episodes I would think you know, I don't.

Speaker 1: 0:40

Isn't that crazy? Like it's so weird, like I cannot remember hardly anything anymore. Don't even. Oh, I just want to, don't even.

Speaker 2: 0:50

Oh so yeah, I got like 10 of them. I can just.

Speaker 1: 0:52

I know right, you're better off just not saying a word, okay.

Speaker 2: 0:57

But I want to.

Speaker 1: 0:59

So I've got a funny story.

Speaker 2: 1:02

Probably not as funny as the jokes I got in my head, but okay.

Speaker 1: 1:05

Probably not, so Don needs a new car.

Speaker 2: 1:08

Okay.

Speaker 1: 1:09

The car he's driving has over 200,000 miles on it and he's running it up and down the interstate to Dayton back. Okay, okay, 200,000 miles. So I decided that I was going to go. I took a half day off yesterday and I decided I was going to car shopping. I went over to Richmond, indiana. I test drive a vehicle and I'm like, oh boy, this is just a really compact vehicle. Like everything was like bright in your face, like I just don't know if I like this vehicle.

Speaker 1: 1:34

Now, after I got done test driving this vehicle in Richmond Indiana, then Don sent me a message. She's like well, I don't know why you're there. This one's much closer to home. It's like it's in Pickwell. I'm like, oh well, okay, well, maybe he's like maybe you can go tomorrow. I say, yeah, maybe I can go tomorrow. So if I get that happening off, I'm just going to go over to Pickwell from Richmond and make that drive over there. I'm just going to, I'll just look at it.

Speaker 1: 1:56

And when I went over there and salesman had told me that the vehicle I'd just gotten there like last week and they didn't even have time to clean it up yet. Okay, but if I wanted to test drive it I could. I said, all right, they couldn't find it. I'm like, okay, well, this is interesting, I can't find the car. So I waited about I don't know five or six minutes and he's like, oh, the owner had it, we got it here now. Like, okay, so shows me all of it, tells me I can go ahead and jump in it and take a test drive.

Speaker 1: 2:23

So I take a test drive and I'm like, boy, this is nice. You know, it's a nice vehicle. I said, you know, everything is roomy. It does have my miles on it, which was really good, because you know, any used vehicle was way too many miles on it. And I'm like, by the price, this is really nice. I'm like, I don't know. I just feel like there's something missing.

Speaker 1: 2:42

Oh, the radio. Right, you got to make sure the radio works. Turned on the radio. How good is our God came on during my test drive. I pulled in. I said where can I sign? Is this not a sign from God that this was the vehicle that I was supposed to get? So when I went back, they told me that the reason they didn't they couldn't give me the cars because they literally just posted it on the website at two o'clock, I test drove it at 345. Purchased it at 430 and when I got home I saw the video on the Facebook page that it was posted at 230 and it had 19 people who I'd already called in or referenced appointments for it. So I'm like okay, seriously like this is the work of God Told me that it was one.

Speaker 1: 3:25

It was a one owner, so you can, you know they could give you the car face like there's so many stuff, so many things about this. I was like you know, this can't, this just can't be right. And it was just so. Anytime you test drive a car, they got country music playing, swear every time. So they did in Richmond, just you know. And so when I heard that, I thought you know what this is it? And it really moved me.

Speaker 1: 3:47

So by saying that, I mean, I cried Hello, and the sale, though, was really good about it. I think he was kind of thrown back and he's like oh, so you know, maybe you should, maybe you should buy this for your husband. I'm like, no, I'm buying this today. And he's like you're buying this today. I'm like yeah, and then I just started crying. He's like, and are you okay? So I told him and he said this lady, who was from a local town, that she was a very religious lady, and he said that does not surprise me that she had that because they hadn't changed the I didn't change the radio station yet. Like this is.

Speaker 1: 4:23

I mean, they literally just got the car and they made this video, so I just thought that was very powerful and I I just want people to know that. You know, it can come out of nowhere like this. We did not need to have this now. We had just started talking about, we just started looking and it just I just felt like it was. It was a message, it was there was a reason. I tested that car, so now I'm a proud owner of another vehicle.

Speaker 2: 4:48

How many is that now 4?, 5?

Speaker 1: 4:51

Okay, so that's five vehicles sitting at our house. Let me just say one of them is going out to the barn. Okay, one of them is being sold and the other ones are staying. But yeah, I am taking the truck out to the barn because I think Matt needs it.

Speaker 2: 5:10

Yeah, Matt. So Don's car is 200,000 miles. We have a pickup truck that has like 230,000 miles on it. We currently can't get the front tire off.

Speaker 1: 5:23

Right.

Speaker 2: 5:24

We cut lugs off. We currently have a tow rope.

Speaker 1: 5:28

We can see this.

Speaker 2: 5:31

Ram, and tomorrow whenever I get off work. We're going to try to jank it off.

Speaker 1: 5:36

So we got a video yesterday. Also yesterday, we received I received a Snapchat video from Matt, who showed this picture of this wheel and he's lug nuts and they're like broken off and he is just beside himself. He has no idea how to get this tire off and he's sending this video and as he's looking at the tire, he puts it up on his on his TV screen and scars and heavens playing. So he's just crying like he's like that. I've been waiting for an answer for that and I'm just waiting for it. Like, what am I supposed to do? Why can't I get this out? And then I get a picture of this tire with these what are they? Tow ropes. I'm like, oh, that's what that would do. Let's wrap it with a tow rope and let's just pull it off.

Speaker 1: 6:18

Red neck of fire Hill Billy. So, but yeah, it sounds like, um, I don't know. I just felt like God's been working in our lives the last couple of days. So this always well, I'm sure he's working in every day, but visibly getting answers the last couple of days. I mean, you got a cat, matt's got it.

Speaker 1: 6:38

Well, I didn't pray for you. No, that's God working and God. And God gave me a cat. That's I mean, isn't that part of creation? He made the heavens, the earth, he made cats.

Speaker 2: 6:49

But I think you're right, it is good for the boys it is good for the boys, they have to take care of it.

Speaker 1: 6:58

It's luckily cats are take care of themselves primarily.

Speaker 2: 7:03

They do, but they saw me be fed and watered.

Speaker 1: 7:06

I mean, yeah, I guess, unless they're outside, they can find their own food and drink.

Speaker 2: 7:10

Well, that's supposed to be Zeke's responsibility.

Speaker 1: 7:13

Just like gathering the eggs and gardening and yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:16

I did that the last couple of times too.

Speaker 1: 7:18

Oh, in the grass.

Speaker 2: 7:20

I was being like, I forgot your eggs. Thought about this morning as we getting ready, and then I forgot.

Speaker 1: 7:26

Gee, thanks for my vehicle to blocks. I thought I was going to have six dozen eggs to bring home.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Yeah, now you can just drive up to the house.

Speaker 1: 7:36

Thanks, you're welcome. Oh, my All right. Well, that was fun.

Speaker 2: 7:44

I don't think I have any cool stories. You know, I don't think, so Do I.

Speaker 1: 7:50

I don't know. You're going to tell me one later. I think he said that you heard a good testimony, so you'll tell me that later, because I was running a little bit behind again tonight. There were no parking spots. I had to drive. I thought I was getting eggs.

Speaker 2: 8:09

I'm not even going to say anything, oh it's true.

Speaker 1: 8:13

All right, what are we doing? I think we're going to do a Bible study. I think so, but what are we doing on? Isn't that funny?

Speaker 2: 8:24

We're going to do the verse after the verse we did last week.

Speaker 1: 8:28

Oh, that verse.

Speaker 2: 8:29

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:30

Oh, that's going to be so exciting. Page three, page three I'm on page three. Oh, okay, I'm good.

Speaker 2: 8:39

Yeah, your pen works better.

Speaker 1: 8:41

Hit the button. Okay, we're good.

Speaker 2: 8:45

Are we ready to start it then? I?

Speaker 1: 8:46

mean, I don't know, I thought this should just be a nice cool night. I got a Versailles tiger shirt on because it's Marianne week. I'll let you guys know how that went next time.

Speaker 2: 8:57

We're having a little party out at the bar.

Speaker 1: 9:00

Oh really.

Speaker 2: 9:00

But what's the game?

Speaker 1: 9:01

Fun.

Speaker 2: 9:02

Because I don't want to go to the game.

Speaker 1: 9:04

I won't want to go to the game either. Too many people. But I'll be at the game.

Speaker 2: 9:08

Yeah, you kind of have to go, I have to go. Okay, so we'll go ahead and get into the Bible study portion.

Speaker 1: 9:16

Oh, okay.

Speaker 2: 9:17

So I guess it's my turn to talk.

Speaker 1: 9:19

It's your turn to talk. Like for I did have Starbucks Ten minutes and you can't tell. Ten minutes Caramamochiata thing, Like it was really good.

Speaker 2: 9:30

Eleven minutes.

Speaker 1: 9:34

Sorry, I'm good.

Speaker 2: 9:37

Okay. So before we get into verse 12, we're doing Matthew 512. We're going to do a little bit of a free, free cap of 11. Because again, like we said last week, verse 11 and 12 go hand in hand. It's kind of like the Beatitudes, where verse 11 was first part and verse 12 is going to be the second part. So the first part verse 11, was talking about the group of people that Jesus is kind of pointing out here, and then verse 12 is going to be the promise that is going to be given to those people. So, if you guys remember from last week, verse 11 was bless thoseor bless their you who are reviled, persecuted and have all sorts of things uttered against you falsely. That's not an exact quote, but that's basically it On the account of Jesus. So, like we said, the Beatitudes were in third person. It was they those.

Speaker 2: 10:43

It's that type of group. Now we have switched to bless their you, and you refers to the person that's reading it. Yes, exactly. But now we're going to take it a step further, which we didn't do, this full breakdown last week Because, yes, you is everybody, you is whoever is reading this, but now Jesus is going to break it down to a smaller group. Now we're going into you who is reviled, persecuted or have basically a false rumor spread about you. So now, if you fall into one of those three categories which, like we said last week, we've both fallen into, that category.

Speaker 2: 11:24

So now this would include us as long, along with a lot of other people who are watching this, you have probably been reviled, persecuted or had false rumors spread about you, so now this is about you. But then Jesus takes it a step further and says on his account so, like we said, we don't think our persecutions were because of our faith. So now we are no longer included in this and probably a lot of other people have been excluded because of that. But there are still people out there who still fall into this category. But this is the category that Jesus is referring to here as we go into verse 12. And so verse 12, once I find it reads Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Speaker 2: 12:27

So, like we just said, verse 11 is about being reviled, which, remember, that's a verbal attack persecution which could include verbal attack, could include physical attack, could involve economic attack, like the cancel culture, could involve all those things. And then the third one is the false rumors, people spreading lies about you just because they're trying to. That kind of goes with the economic attack and all that other stuff.

Speaker 1: 12:57

Right.

Speaker 2: 12:58

So let's set up a scenario here. You said you're going to the football game tomorrow night.

Speaker 1: 13:03

I am going to football game tomorrow night.

Speaker 2: 13:05

So let's say you're going to this football game and let's say you see somebody that you haven't seen for a long time.

Speaker 1: 13:14

Okay.

Speaker 2: 13:15

And so you're like, oh hey, how's it going? You start catching up and conversation turns the podcast and turns the faith and turns to Jesus and they're asking you questions about your faith and Jesus and your sharing. You're just talking. I mean, it's just you two, just talking.

Speaker 1: 13:33

I could do that. Yeah, okay, all right.

Speaker 2: 13:37

But then, just out of nowhere, somebody behind you just starts unleashing, just reviling you, just verbal attack. And what would be your first reaction? What do you think your first thoughts and reaction would be?

Speaker 1: 13:53

I'm sorry you feel that way. I will pray for you.

Speaker 2: 13:56

You actually think that's what you would say I don't know Like I feel like today I would.

Speaker 1: 14:02

But if you would ask me a year ago, I would be like I would have said a lot about words, but I feel like I'm strong enough now that that's what I would say. So maybe I'm a bad example. No, I mean, I mean back in the day I probably would be like you need to mind your business. Don't talk to me. I'm having a conversation here. I might have said some choice words. Yeah, I might have whipped my hair around.

Speaker 2: 14:28

Yeah, me too.

Speaker 1: 14:30

Got my nail bow. Back in the day what I would have done. Girl. Okay, this really went weird. But I really think now I would just tell someone that I, that I would pray for them, and you know what. That would probably upset them even more.

Speaker 2: 14:48

No, probably so. But what Jesus tells us to do is to rejoice and be glad. Would you rejoice?

Speaker 1: 15:01

I think I'd break out a song. We have a dance competition, so what is like rejoice?

Speaker 2: 15:11

Okay, jesus is telling us to rejoice. So if somebody is re-viling out, somebody is persecuting out, somebody is spreading rumors about us, Now, how do we rejoice?

Speaker 1: 15:18

We're supposed to rejoice.

Speaker 2: 15:21

Well, what is that the core of rejoice? What's that the center of rejoice? Joy. We need to have joy in all things. So, even though we are being re-viled or persecuted or whatever, we need to have joy. In that moment we need to be glad. But we don't need to be glad and rejoice over the fact that somebody is yelling at us or, in the case of persecution, if somebody starts taking swings at you and start beating you up or whatever.

Speaker 1: 15:56

That could really happen too.

Speaker 2: 15:57

That could happen. But it's not because you're getting there's not beat out of you, that you need to be rejoicing. It's because of what the promise is from that persecution, from being re-viled, and that promise is a great reward in heaven.

Speaker 1: 16:23

So, even though they're attacking me, I can just be okay with that, because I know that I will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Speaker 2: 16:29

Yes, but not only that. You will receive a great reward.

Speaker 1: 16:33

A great reward.

Speaker 2: 16:34

Yes.

Speaker 1: 16:35

So this whole concept eventually yeah, because we're still being persecuted for Jesus to say.

Speaker 2: 16:48

But this concept of reward is a very big and deep area, okay, so I'm not really going to go into it too deep here.

Speaker 2: 17:02

Once we get into verse six, there's going to be a lot more about rewards, okay, and so I need a little bit more time to prepare for that. So we're just going to do a brief overview. And the fact that there are rewards in heaven. Something that we need to know and something that we can get out of the Bible is the fact that whenever that time comes and it's more geared toward the end times whenever Jesus comes again, there will be a judgment for believers and a judgment for non-believers, and the judgment for believers is going to include fire, but it's going to be a way of seeing your good works, the good things you've done in life, to see where you would stand in order to receive rewards. There are multiple levels of rewards. Again, like I said, this is very deep. It includes a lot, especially a lot of end times type stuff, but this would be full into one of the rewards, which would be part of the crayons I almost said crayons. There might be crayons in heaven.

Speaker 1: 18:28

I hope so.

Speaker 2: 18:28

Yeah, what else would I write with?

Speaker 1: 18:31

I know right, we're in heaven.

Speaker 2: 18:32

Yeah, but now there are five different crowns that we can be rewarded in heaven, and this would be one of them.

Speaker 1: 18:40

Okay.

Speaker 2: 18:41

So I think that's, I think I'm just going to leave it there for now.

Speaker 1: 18:45

I think it's a great idea.

Speaker 2: 18:46

So in two years, whenever we get to verse six, I will go more in depth into I don't know how you think we're still going to do this in two years. I don't even know. Anything could happen.

Speaker 1: 19:01

I know.

Speaker 2: 19:06

I fear it where I'm at in my notes.

Speaker 1: 19:09

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 19:12

So this whole idea of Because this kind of gets into the whole idea of good works, especially when it comes to the different crowns that we can receive, the different rewards we can receive it does really have a lot to do with good works. But this could also tip over into that whole idea of salvation, because there is a belief out there that in order to get into heaven, you need to do good works. It's the grace verse. I forget the other one. But the other belief, which is what our belief typically is, is that we are saved by grace, through the free gift of grace, through Jesus Christ. So the way it would work is go away, fly, grrr. I know you just want to hit me. If it's on my hand, you can hit me.

Speaker 1: 20:25

Yes, did it.

Speaker 2: 20:26

Yep, oh my goodness, you actually got it.

Speaker 1: 20:28

Yeah, we'll get it.

Speaker 2: 20:30

I don't even know what to say right now. It's been how many weeks Just every week that we've had.

Speaker 1: 20:37

Where'd you go I?

Speaker 2: 20:39

don't bring it with me.

Speaker 1: 20:40

I think you do.

Speaker 2: 20:42

I think it's just here Well it's not anymore.

Speaker 1: 20:45

It's gone to the kingdom. Hopefully it gets a great reward.

Speaker 2: 20:55

Maybe I don't know.

Speaker 1: 21:00

I really hope, I do.

Speaker 2: 21:04

Okay. So getting back to this whole idea of salvation, so salvation comes from the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That's what salvation is about. It's about it comes from that free like I was saying, the free gift of grace that comes from Jesus. If we just accept Jesus for who he is, accept that he came down from heaven, was born of the Virgin Mary and he eventually died on the cross for all of our sins in three days, rose again and fulfilled all of the scriptures and eventually ascended into heaven, if we accept that, then we have salvation. That's it.

Speaker 1: 21:49

That's all you need.

Speaker 2: 21:50

You have salvation. Salvation just simply means you're going to heaven. But there are rewards that can be accrued throughout life by doing good works. But you're not doing good works in order to get into heaven, accepting Jesus Christ as how you get into heaven. And then as you develop in your relationship with Christ, as you study your Bible, as you just have that deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus, it is going to naturally instill in you a desire to do good works.

Speaker 1: 22:28

So it's not a checklist. You can't say well, for this crown, I got to do this, and for this crown, I got to do this, and for this crown, well, I hope I can get that done.

Speaker 2: 22:36

It's not like that and that's the weird thing about it is, if you are living your life trying to do things in order to get those crowns, you're not going to get the crowns because you have the wrong motive, you have the wrong inspiration, you have the wrong motivation. It's not about living your life so you can get these rewards in heaven. It's about living your life in Christ and living your life the way Christ wants you to live your life. Because if you do that, then you're going to do the things that are going to give you the crowns, but that's not your desire. You don't care about that. You want to help the needy, you want to do all these other good things, and there's no motive on your part that, oh, I want to do this so I can get this reward in heaven. That's just not how it works. So I mean, like I was saying, you're going to develop this desire as you develop your relationship with Christ and, like I said last week, you can accept Jesus Christ, you can be awarded that salvation, but then you don't do anything besides that. You just get up, you go to work, you don't talk about Jesus to anybody else.

Speaker 2: 24:03

You may go to church on Sundays, but once you leave church, you don't do anything else about it. Well, guess what? You've still accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you're still going to be saved, you're still going to go to heaven, but you're not going to get any rewards, you're just going to get access to heaven. And you may be like ah, that's great. You know, I just want to go to heaven. Well, the Bible tells us that the more rewards you receive and the higher rewards you receive. Sorry, I tickled my throat so well, chuckle my time. I Know you make faces at me a lot.

Speaker 1: 24:47

That's because you're my younger brother drinking chocolate milk at the age of close to 40. I'm not 40, yet You're close to 40. You're over 40. I understand that and I don't drink chocolate milk.

Speaker 2: 24:58

Well, that's your problem.

Speaker 1: 25:02

I drink Starbucks.

Speaker 2: 25:05

You need less Starbucks. Hey, I'm 15. I still drink chocolate, you do yes, so much chocolate. Chocomunks good for you.

Speaker 1: 25:18

Sorry.

Speaker 2: 25:26

Whenever we get to heaven. Yes, it's not going to be a Socialistic type scenario, as where everybody's equal the same. No, it's more like a democracy, as in there is a hierarchy, there's going to be people in charge, there's going to be jobs that need to be done. Well, those who receive the higher rewards Will be put in positions of more authority. More rewards you have, the more authority you have, that type of stuff. So, with that said, if you are one who chooses not to share Jesus, just Kind of be a closet Christian, then you're not going to Receive any rewards and you're not going to have a very high position in the new Earth whenever Again, like I said, this is all about end times. So, whenever Jesus brings heaven down to earth in that millennial Kingdom, you're not going to have a very high Position. But again, this isn't about thriving and trying to get those, but, as disciples of Christ, we should have that desire.

Speaker 2: 26:54

Again, we're going to develop the design develops yeah and eventually You're part of those good works is going to be sharing Jesus with others right more openly, more boldly. Well, guess what? Whenever you start opening, or start opening up in sharing Jesus more boldly, that greatly increases your cheese of being reviled, being persecuted or having rumors about you for the sake of Jesus. Well then, whenever that happens, well then.

Speaker 1: 27:24

You're a reward greater in heaven. Boy, I learned something Really, I did.

Speaker 2: 27:32

Some of your age could learn new things.

Speaker 1: 27:34

Oh, I can, I absorb it all. I can't see it, but I can absorb it I.

Speaker 2: 27:41

Got tickled my throat. I've had it for like the last three or four days. Let's just change the weather.

Speaker 1: 27:47

I hope so.

Speaker 2: 27:48

It is.

Speaker 1: 27:48

We sit here with strep throat.

Speaker 2: 27:51

Maybe I got. I got the vid, so the cool kids are calling it now.

Speaker 1: 28:00

The bed you have about one minute left. What are you? Where you going?

Speaker 2: 28:08

I guess we're gonna have to stop there, because the next part is we'll start talking about the prophets, or so they persecuted the prophets who are before you, and with that we're gonna be taking a step back in the first Kings 18, 7 through 16, and talking about that, breaking that down and all that other stuff, all that other stuff. And then after that we're beginning to verse 13, where I'm gonna talk about Making hot sauce.

Speaker 1: 28:40

Hot sauce and chubblin milk. All right, so we thank you for joining us, bob, for this, this episode of the pure faith podcast, please. Please leave a comment on this video or go to the contact page on purefaithlivingcom To send us a message and, as always, if you like what you hear, then we ask that you share the show with others so we can all work together and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. I can always get that line.

Speaker 2: 29:04

Well, good job.

Speaker 1: 29:05

Don't forget to subscribe and we will talk to you again next time.

Speaker 2: 29:08

Have a blessed end of the week.