Deeper Roots Podcast

Does the Holy Spirit Speak To The Non-Believer

• Impact Church Greensboro

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A jellyfish sting, a whitewater rafting rescue, and a pastor going viral for “laying hands” sounds like chaos, but it’s the perfect runway for a deeper question: are we actually living by the Holy Spirit or just trying to manage life with sheer effort and a spiritual checklist? We start with summer catch-up stories that are funny and way too real, then we slide into sports debates that expose how we think about pressure, legacy, and what it means to finish well.

Then a listener message takes us straight into Galatians 5:16 and the ache so many believers feel: slipping into legalism, doing Christianity in our own strength, and wondering why freedom feels out of reach. We talk through three big questions: how to let the Holy Spirit guide you, whether you’re giving the Spirit space to lead, and whether guidance is possible without real knowledge of the Word of God and the gospel. Along the way we get practical about surrender, daily obedience in small decisions, and why pride and ingratitude are often the first signs we’ve put our feet down and stopped “flowing” with what God is doing.

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Welcome Back And Summer Catch-Up

SPEAKER_02

This is the Deeper Roots Podcast. We're four hosts talking about a range of topics from life to godliness. I got Chris, RJ, Pastor Jason, and myself, Zay.

SPEAKER_03

And yes, we have back.

SPEAKER_02

Man, we have a bit of life, a little bit of summer vacation, a little bit of Sabbath, you know? Some good stuff. What's been happening in y'all's life? Some of us went down to Miami. Let me tell you something. Pastor preaches his best when he comes back from two places. The black folk and the beach. I'm telling you, when you come back from them two places, the sermon explain what you mean. You're gonna have to clear that one. He preaches that the black church. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He comes back on fire. When he comes back from the beach, you would have thought he went to the Jordan River. He come back dripping his anointing.

SPEAKER_00

You say I normally don't drip with anointing, but you didn't.

SPEAKER_02

It's an extra drip. It's a little extra. That tan does something in the spirit realm.

SPEAKER_03

You know what?

SPEAKER_00

We did go to the beach. My family went to the beach. Uh we do it every year. It was a great time. I did get too much sun. Uh, not because I was laying out in the sun, it's just chasing kids around. So played in from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the afternoon. We were in the water. So I'm chasing one of the kids around, taking them out deep in the ocean, jumping in the pool, building sand castles that fell over. So it was great. It was amazing. Uh no, uh, the weather was great. It was like not like this week. It was like 83, 84 every day, a little breeze. Perfect. Like it was it was good stuff. So we spent a lot of time outside and and really had a great time. I love it.

SPEAKER_05

How much less, I don't want to say less relaxing is it with at the beach with kids? It's a little uneasy when you have kids that love the water and just want to run at any at any moment.

SPEAKER_00

I don't think I sat down on the beach one time. And in all honesty, Rosetta got it got a good nap a couple of times. Shout out, but I don't I don't think I sat down. Like I was if they were in the water, I was either in the water with them or I was standing right on the edge with them. So there was there was no relaxing to that point. None at all.

SPEAKER_02

I had to learn at a young age. The ocean is not the pool.

SPEAKER_05

No, it's not. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_02

By any means.

SPEAKER_05

Buddy, it is not. Those undercurrents are serious.

SPEAKER_02

I'm in that water. I think it's me and Ariel out there, the little mermaid. We're out there having fun. Buddy, I look up. The current had pulled me so far from my family that I didn't know where I was on the beach. I look at the building. I'm like, that don't look like the hotel that we just walked out of. Pulled me all the way down and had no idea. I had to walk back. I was like, did y'all forget about me? There's nobody come to get me. But yeah, man, having friends, I got stung by a jellyfish.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_02

Buddy.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. How painful is it?

SPEAKER_02

Well, first I was like, yo, this is terrible. We gotta care for the environment. Why is there a plastic bag in this water? Oh nah. Did you try to get it? That was not a plastic bag. No, it had swam up next to me, and I was like, what's that plastic bag doing? And then zzz, buddy, it looked like clear spaghetti noodles wrapped around my leg, right? And I started freaking out. So I'm like, how do you first of all, how do you shake off a jellyfish?

SPEAKER_05

Intensely.

SPEAKER_02

How did that happen? Luckily, it was only like two or three. Like it didn't wrap around my leg. I think I would have passed out if it if I pulled up my leg out of that water and it had wrapped around. So anyway, I started freaking out around the beach. I was like, something bit me, something bit me. And then uh, of course, I get the attention of everybody. You know, this kid is flaying around in the ocean. And one of my friends, uh my college friends, looks at my leg and he was like, You didn't get bit, you got stung by a jellyfish.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And one thing I didn't know about a jellyfish is that jellyfish have like these little barb wires in their like fingers. Do jellyfish have fingers? Sure. In their fingertips, yeah. That latches into your leg. So what I didn't know was you were supposed to scrape those off. So I go back to my dorm and I'm chilling, and my leg is on fire and it's starting to get inflamed and it's starting to swell. And my my super, super, I he was one of my favorite roommates I ever had. He was super country, like real country. But he played a violin, but he didn't know how to play it. So he'll be up at two in the morning practicing because he bought a violin. Right? And he goes, It's the act of I was like, You got bit by a jellyfish. I say, Yeah. He said, You're supposed to pee on it. I was getting ready to say, Did he just pee on you? Okay, well, hold on. Whoa, whoa, did he whoa? So I was like, Are you serious? He goes, Yeah, so he he goes to the store and he gets some like some vinegar or something like that. He's like, pour this on your leg. So pour it on my leg, and then he says, Take your credit card and scrape out the bar, immediate relief. I just I never knew. Yeah, yeah. So yeah, the ocean is not the pool.

Beach Lessons And Jellyfish Pain

SPEAKER_02

No, you know what else is not a pool? White water rafting. Segue!

SPEAKER_05

He's still on, he's still short.

SPEAKER_02

I'm still good at this, buddy. So a birthday celebrations was happening for myself and Santana. There you go. Birthday shout out.

unknown

Go.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah. Uh my wife's birthday. There you go. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. She had a birthday.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So we were like, yo, let's go whitewater rafting. And I was like, I never been whitewater rafting before. That's cool. That was the coolest outdoor experience I think I've ever had outside of roller coasters. Oh, that's awesome, man. That was so much fun. Cool.

SPEAKER_05

That was actually on your birthday, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_02

The day after. The day right after. So the 19th. That was a lot of fun. I was a little nervous. I was like, you know, I've seen the YouTube clips. I don't know how much white water raft that we finna white water raft. You know? Yeah. But it's a lot of fun. There's like a facility out in Charlotte. Never heard of this place. Apparently they're like Olympic certified. So like they be training out there and stuff like that. Went around the easy loop twice. I was like, this is it. This we paid all this money for this. We went around that that second side of the whitewater rafting. That was intense. That was a lot of fun. I was in the I was in the front.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, he he was leading us. He was leading us up up front.

SPEAKER_02

Commanding the ship. I couldn't see a thing.

SPEAKER_05

So all in one boat?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, we were all in one boat. There's like it was eight of us, right? Eight plus the was it eight plus instructor?

SPEAKER_05

Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, eight plus the instructor. And so we're all in there and they're teaching us, you know, the different commands that they have and how to lead the ship and all this kind of stuff. But there was a miraculous moment that happened while on that whitewater raft. We in the boat going down crazy waves and stuff. Crazy waves. We got this massive drop. I mean, this drop must have been like 30 feet drop. Right? Santana falls out the boat.

SPEAKER_01

She fell out.

SPEAKER_02

We had a life that's all. You feel me? Fell out the boat. I look, I look back and I'm like, what's happening? Right? I don't even see her. Apparently, she's under the boat at this point. Yeah, she went under the boat. Under the boat. Instructors start, you know, giving out the commands, so everybody on the side is like, okay, we're in a situation here. They gave us instructions. We walk, we watched the safety video before, so I'm like, yo, I hope my sister in Christ is remembering that safety video. I kid you not, I turn around. RJ is standing on the boat, calling out to his wife in the water, reaches over the boat. Let's go, pulls his wife up with one arm, and he never stopped rolling. Lifts her up out of the water, flings her back into the boat, puts the oar back in her hand, and says, Let's keep going. And we start, we start meddling like nothing happened.

SPEAKER_04

Yo, everybody needs a friend like you. One lie was told in that story. That's impressive, man. No, yeah, yeah, yeah. Beautiful.

SPEAKER_05

She seems to tell people that I knocked her out of the door. This side is a little different. No, for real, we hit a bit, we hit some, we hit the the it was rough. Yeah. Yes. And we hit we had turned like sideways. And so it was like everybody in. And so we went in and me and her beside each other. Uh hopefully this don't ruin your story. I mean, the story.

SPEAKER_02

The the only story.

SPEAKER_05

And we go in. This is just the beginning of it that he didn't see because he was in the front leader. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, and we we go in and uh we hit a rock on my side and it knocks me into her.

SPEAKER_04

Aggressive, like, like knocks me into her, and she went, she went straight.

SPEAKER_05

So her last thought was like RJ just knocked me into I hear some commotion.

SPEAKER_02

I look back, all I see is toes just in the water, just over the boat. I was like, oh no.

SPEAKER_05

She handled it well though. Yeah, she did. She got back in the boat, and you know, we we kept you know kept running forward, yeah. To forward, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That was the call.

SPEAKER_05

That was the call.

SPEAKER_00

The image that I have in my mind, like I need like security footage, but the image that I had in my mind was like you reaching over the side, lifting her up like this, like that was impressive. I I was gonna say that we should spend the rest of the the show talking about uh manhood and how to be a good husband, how to be a good, how to how to cover and shepherd those which might give you just to give over because you'd have a lot of you'd have a lot to offer in that regard.

SPEAKER_05

You know, rise to the occasion.

SPEAKER_00

Come on now.

SPEAKER_05

You know, what are you gonna do when when those you love off the ball?

SPEAKER_02

I feel a sermon illustration coming on. There's a sermon in here.

SPEAKER_00

See, it it's this might bring up a question on a on a more trivial note, but why are black people doing whitewater rafting?

SPEAKER_02

Hey, like that's hey brother, I was on my white people's stuff that day. All right, and I was like, yo, I want to do some white people's stuff for my birthday. I'm in that boat, get to rafting. Yes, sir. Most fun I ever had outdoors.

SPEAKER_05

And then that was a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_02

Then there was like a rock climbing uh wall that went up crazy. I was the only one to do it.

SPEAKER_00

Come on, man.

SPEAKER_02

I heard the voice of my black mother telling me not to go out there with that white people, and I ignored it. I was like, I'm going anyway. That was fun. No, no life fest. Yeah, shoes on.

unknown

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, sneakers tied tight. Had to had to keep them. They wouldn't let us take off our sneakers. That's good. So I had to keep my sneakers on. Climb up the wall. I get up there. I'm like, I don't got no upper body strength.

SPEAKER_05

20 foot, 20 foot water, 20-foot pool. 20-foot pool. And when I tell you, man, he he was killing that rock climbing wall. Like you jumped in the pool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So when you go up, you can climb as high as you can, but it gets to a certain point where skill starts coming into question.

SPEAKER_05

When you ain't used to doing that climbing in forearms, getting the burning.

SPEAKER_02

Forearms was on fire, biceps, and I was like, oh my gosh, I gotta, I have to drop. And then it's like that fear of like, what does water, what does it feel like to hit the water from that light? And I'm like, yo, I'm 31. I feel like gravity starts working different at this age. And so I let go and I hit that water. And I was like, Lord, you've done it for others. Yes, sir. You've got to do it for me. My wife, see the thing is my wife told me not to do it. She she did. She was like, I don't think you should be doing this.

SPEAKER_05

And then and then he was like, Well, now I have, I have to.

SPEAKER_02

He killed it though, man. He killed it. He he climbed.

SPEAKER_05

He started climbing up there, and I I looked at Charlotte. I was like, we might want to, we might want to like call for him to come back down. Come back down. Yeah, I seen when he looked down, he looked back up, took another step, and it was like, it's time to couldn't hold on. I think you I think you got a rock climbing future in you. Hey, I'll take it. You look pretty good, pretty good up there on those.

SPEAKER_02

Uh I do, I do like to rock climb. I do like to climb. Speaking of climbing, wow.

Whitewater Rafting And A Near Spill

SPEAKER_02

Where is LeBron gonna go next? I don't actually, I don't know what what that had to do. That was bad, that wasn't my my best segue. Chris, Chris, nah, bro. Wasn't my best segue. But can he climb his way to another championship? Fixed it. Come on now. Come on now. Come on now. Chris, I fixed it.

SPEAKER_05

Chris. Or will he jump on a white water raft his way into a situation?

SPEAKER_00

Come on now. And have Steph have to joke and grab him out of the bar. Like he did in the Olympics.

SPEAKER_02

Come here and get that gold mode. Any any predictions of where LeGo is going?

SPEAKER_01

Cleveland.

SPEAKER_05

You think he's going to Cleveland?

SPEAKER_01

Only because he says he wants. The only part that makes it hard is if he's really trying to compete. I feel like Cleveland don't have the pieces currently. You need to get rid of James Harden. And I don't know if they could beat anybody in the East to make it all the way out. Even if he does go, I feel it'd be another Lakers situation. But the fact that he says he wants to have fun, money's not an object. It's the perfect ending to his story to go back where he started. The only other option, unfortunately, I think if he wants to have fun, would be Golden State. Yeah. Because of the Olympics, with how he played with Curry. I think he's always liked Curry. Um he's always been his competitor. Now they'll be teammates, and you know, he likes to jump on bandwagons. Um so he'll be with Curry, and Draymond is his boy. Yeah. So they also talked about possibly, I don't see them doing it, but being able to pull AD in as well. So I don't want LeBron, but at the same time, like I'm curious to know it would be old man basketball versus youth at that point, and who's gonna pull it out. Um, but Cleveland is typically to me the best option to end this story. Retirement year, go out with them, however far you make, you make it. The other one I think is Golden State. Top two contenders is what I think.

SPEAKER_02

I think there's another one. Miami? Miami. Yeah, that's kind of interesting. Go back to Miami. Him, Giannis, bam. That's a big three. That's that's literally Chris Bros. Dwayne Wade all over again. They're not winning. Yeah. What do you mean, not winning? You got out.

SPEAKER_05

You got a multiple-time MVP in Giannis. Yeah. You got the highest score in the last 70 years and bam. Bam.

SPEAKER_02

And then the IQ technology that is LeBron James.

SPEAKER_01

The highest score of one game.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

One game.

SPEAKER_05

The game. He did score eight in the next game, but he deserved a little break.

SPEAKER_02

You know? I think I think Miami's a big option.

SPEAKER_01

They still have Wiggins, right? They still got Wiggins.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, they still got Wiggins. That's a great option.

SPEAKER_01

They still not win.

SPEAKER_02

How would it not?

SPEAKER_01

I don't think it's wide open. But is the goal to get to the championship or to win it? If that's why you're going. Because why would why would you go to going? Yeah, I was about to say you're going to Miami. I don't see them winning it, nor do I see, I don't think he would enjoy it. Who beats Miami with that lineup? Who beats him?

SPEAKER_02

OKC, San Antonio. No, I'm talking about in the East. In the East. In the East.

SPEAKER_01

But that's what I said. Even if they make it, that's not the goal to make it to the championship. Right. It won't be Boston.

SPEAKER_02

LeBron James getting back to the finals championship? Give him a ring. He got back there.

SPEAKER_01

Give him a ring.

SPEAKER_02

Give him a ring. Just for getting back. And you'll get participation. Right. Participation trophies. Now, do I think that he could beat the Spurs, OKC, Denver? That's a tough one. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. The West is stacked.

SPEAKER_05

Y'all think the Knicks ain't gonna go back? Was that a one-time deal?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it was a one-time. I do think it was a one and done. Fluke in the timeline.

SPEAKER_00

I think the Knicks would be in the top three, but I think there have been some changes in the East. But I think everybody keeps overlooking Dallas. I think Dallas, if Kyrie comes back healthy, like that's a that's a that's a squad for that.

SPEAKER_02

Who's that?

SPEAKER_00

Kyrie, Katie, you got the two big men. Um I I I think Cooper Flag. You know, you know how so Cooper Flag, Kyrie, I and the and the two big men. Um I think I I think Dallas is if Kyrie comes back healthy, I I'm rooting for him. Cooper Flag is not on Wimby level, but he's right under that. I think if they put another piece or two around him, the West is crazy. The West is alerted. So it would sound like a LeBron thing to go to the East to have it easy and then to put on your resume. I made it to the championship game 10 years in a row. I didn't win, but like three of them at that point. But I made it to the championship game. So, but it's it's gotten interesting, man. I I all right. I know I texted y'all in the group chat. I know it just for a little context. I'm a Steph Curry fan, so I became a Warriors fan just because he was from the area and I've been a Warriors fan for what is it, 15 years now. Talk about it. Same. And and been a LeBron disdainer. I won't use hater, but like a disdainer. Just uh everything he does kind of rubs me the wrong way. Right, right. Just because it's his personality, you know, he's he's great, you know, married, family, things he's done for his kids, all that's good stuff. But I've been a disdainer for almost 20 years now. And more than 20 years. But I started thinking about this the last couple of days. I started thinking about this the last couple of days. Yeah. And I told y'all first when it first came out that my disdain for LeBron was gonna be more than my love for Steph, and that I would end up not rooting for the Warriors anymore. Yes. But I think I have flip-flopped a little bit that if he does go to the Warriors, I actually want to see it. Like I actually, I don't want him to hit the the game one of the game winner. I don't want him to do that. I want that to be Steph. But I I wouldn't mind him. I I'd be interested to see what it looked like. The Olympics were amazing basketball. And I know that's just two of them. And I'm I'm starting to turn a little more toward it. So y'all can judge me if you want to, because I changed from about three days ago. But I'm starting to be like, wow, that would be interesting. Yes. And I also don't feel like Golden State is doing anything else to help them. Um, so I know they talked about maybe putting A D with him. That's uh, you know, he's fragile too. So it's, I mean, you're if they get LeBron, you're looking at like a 30-game year. So that's all I want you to play together. It's like 30 games. Other than that, load manage everything and get into the playoffs healthy. But if you get that group and if they do get like an AD or somebody like that, if they if you get that group healthy with Draymond Steph going into the playoffs healthy, like there's nobody, OKC and San Antonio included, that I don't think they could defensively lock down. And then I I I I love it. I think so I've I've turned a little bit in the last three days. So I want to be a LeBron fan, but if he wants to jump on the bandwagon, we'll we'll give him a ride. We'll give him a ride.

SPEAKER_02

I'm okay with the fluff.

SPEAKER_05

I did I purposely didn't say anything because you just completely took my view. And I can't, I can't I can't change it now. I'm too late. Um, I kind of feel a little bit like I did when at the end of Tom Brady's career, I was a I was a hater of Tom Brady. And at one point, after 20 some years and you know, then changing teams, I'm like, you know what? The scales hate that's that's enough. Amen. He's 40 some years old, you know. It's I'm not there yet. If he goes to another steam, I'm gonna still hold on to that. No, I I agree. I won't be rooting for him in Cleveland or Miami, but um but I thought the same thing you thought, which is what else is Golden State doing to help Steph? Um, I was I've been hoping Steph would leave. Uh but if hey, I'll take LeBron. I mean, look, I'll I haven't said this uh because it's been So long ago, but I was a Miami fan when before he came to Miami. Uh, because I was a Shaq guy in LA. I was a Shaq, Kobe, those were my favorite players. So then when Shaq left, I was like, I was Shaq and Wade guy. And I seen a post that I made of um, I don't remember when it was, but memories, and I was like, we're getting LeBron. This is crazy. Wow. And the receipts. The receipts. So I told on myself a little bit. Um, but then it became it became something completely different. After they did those interviews and did the big shows and got Bosch and not six, not seven, not eight. I was like, all right, that's enough. You know, but now I am like a few things. One is Golden State's not doing anything else. They haven't done anything really to help Curry. Even the year they won, I agree, they they didn't do anything to help that. That was Steph put them on the on his back. Willpower. And between him and Draymond made some great clutch defensive plays in that playoffs and finals. And I mean, they they won it. Yeah, it wasn't like they had a stacked team. Um, but so since the since they didn't re-sign KD years ago, they hadn't done anything. No. So if they can bring LeBron and maybe another piece, I don't love the thought of A D because you'll see that it was like it was like uh Draymond steals the ball, outlet to Steph Curry to LeBron. Oh, wait, there's somebody hobbling or something like that, you know. It's AD, he's hurt, but uh same thought of hey, they if they hit a stride at like game 65, yeah, you know, load manage, no back to backs, you know, all those rules. Bro, LeBron's like what, 42, 41, 42?

SPEAKER_00

41 now. You will be 42, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bro, no back to back. I ain't hating on load management this year. Not at all. Bro, this this all their best players are over 35, bro. Manage the load. And if they can, if they can get him and go in healthy, uh, even without um another piece, I think that's gonna be true. And the the experience in big games, yes, between the level headed Steph, bro. They're hey Draymond, like they're not getting nervous. Been there before. Yeah, yeah. You talk about um San Antonio didn't know what to do. No, they crumbled when yeah, they crumbled under the pressure, even under a big lead. If if the Warriors with LeBron get a 30-point lead, bro, you're not gonna be able to do that. If you get a chance, if they get a 20-point lead, you're not coming back. Not a chance, you know. So I would I would love to see plus, I mean, they're at the tail end of their careers. Let's do it. Let's do it. I seen a recent interview with LeBron, I mean not recent, but it came back up where they was like, who's the one player you haven't played with you want to play with Steph Curry? Do it, and so hey, now's the chance.

SPEAKER_01

Do it. I think I think LeBron would be a key component to what Golden State is missing, which is somebody that can help score dominantly without Steph. And he would be a ball handler because God knows they turn the ball over 600 times. But I think he would eliminate some of that. He's big enough that he could go down and help with some of the rebound and eliminate that aspect. They still need a big man. I actually would prefer uh Sabonis.

SPEAKER_03

Porzingis.

SPEAKER_01

He needs to retire with Horford. Um but I actually would like if they could get Sabonis from the Kings.

SPEAKER_02

That would be huge. Sabonis.

SPEAKER_01

Um I think that would be pretty key. And even if we kept Porzingis, put him on the second, come off the bench. Come off the bench with the second team and and run with them. But um I actually like you, like thinking about the Olympics, the what the Golden State needs, because I'm gonna keep LeBron's old, he's had a lot of hype around him based off his participation trophies. But Isaiah's loving this. Wow.

SPEAKER_02

I love it. You guys are coming around.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. You're coming around. He's still not. I my debate has always been he's not greater than Jordan. I don't care how many seasons. Point blank, he's never gonna be greater than Jordan to me. But um coming around to Golden State and giving that Key Capona of scoring is is just crazy. And LeBron, even in his old age, is still probably better than 75% of the league based off last year's stats.

SPEAKER_02

That number's higher.

SPEAKER_01

It really probably is. I'm just trying to give them some grace, but based off his stats last year, he's better than a lot of them that are playing and in their prime. Um, so what do you get averaging? 20 some 25? How close was he to 25 points last year?

SPEAKER_02

You know, I think he was over 25.

SPEAKER_05

And probably still seven and seven or something like that. Yeah. I mean, and plus, bro, how much is that gonna free up Steph Curry? He's getting triple team.

SPEAKER_02

We're getting prime Steph Curry back.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, he's getting how hard is it going? You can't triple double triple team him every every play now. If you get LeBron, you gotta pay attention because if you got Steph running around, LeBron slash into the basket. Bro, what you gonna do? What you gonna do? And then Draymond, who's i I mean, one of the best passers, I think, of all time.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_05

And he's giving screens, he's passing, and he's not just I mean, he used to look for Steph and Clay, but I mean, you have they that did similar things, but now you got you got somebody that opens up a little bit more stuff, and I mean, it it would be it would be fun. It would be fun.

SPEAKER_02

That would be prime basketball. Prime basketball. I'm watching every game. Absolutely.

LeBron Rumors And Warriors What-Ifs

SPEAKER_02

Speaking of speaking of prime, I know we're 30 minutes into the podcast, so we gotta get to some deeper roots at some point. Cristiano Tornado. Yeah, yeah. Last night, I don't know if y'all pay any attention to anything that's not you buddy almost getting knocked out, hitting the penalty at 41 years old, still in his prime, and then the call to not give Coracia the basket, and he gets to go to the round of 16, which he's never done before, is amazing. Yeah. But it pales to comparison. Yeah, yeah. About them boys in the red, white, and blue.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, yeah. Brother, yeah. USA. Man, what how fun was that to watch? Man, man, amazing. Sorry, Chris.

SPEAKER_02

Me, me and wifey staring at the TV just screaming at the TV of every little moment.

SPEAKER_00

I've never screamed at a soccer game before, ever in my life.

SPEAKER_05

But I was on the edge of my seats, like the at least the last 40 minutes of the game. Yeah. For the whole second half or whatever period, or whatever they call it.

SPEAKER_00

And then this Monday night's game is gonna be gonna be even worse. Because without uh, you know, the striker, the number one score, because of the red card that that he got. Like Florida. So he can't play the next game either.

SPEAKER_05

I knew he was out to hold the man, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, when you get a red card, bad call. Terrible.

SPEAKER_05

That was a bad call.

SPEAKER_02

I know so much about soccer.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

So much. I don't know. But that's terrible. With all my knowledge.

SPEAKER_05

Does a red card? Is it supposed to be, is it intentional? Is it kind of like a flagrant in basketball?

SPEAKER_02

It's like getting a yeah, it's like getting a flagrant too. Like it's like, buddy, you you did this on purpose with intention to hurt or it can endanger the other player. Um we all saw the same play. He wasn't doing that on purpose. But the red the red card is so detrimental. If you get a yellow, if you get two yellows, the eagles are red. But the fact that he can't play in the next game and there's no appeal process.

SPEAKER_05

And you can you can't make that call in the World Cup.

SPEAKER_02

No, it's not.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, I'm I'm with the people who think you gotta change the way you call things in NBA finals, yes, Super Bowls, World Cups, on things like that that could change the series, like suspending Draymond Green in game five. Like, you can't do that.

SPEAKER_02

Let them boys play.

SPEAKER_00

Let them boys play. And I was thinking about that going back to the LeBron conversation. How did Draymond and LeBron go from kicking each other in private parts to being best friends now, like 10 years later? Like it's a it's a shocking thing. They were boys then, actually. Really? I did not know that. All right, back to soccer. My fault. I was just I was thinking about that earlier. Like, it's I've absolutely loved so I I I owe two apologies. I owe apologies to the LeBron hate that I've been given, especially if it goes to the Warriors. Praise God. And then I owe apologies to soccer fans. Because I have been I've been like 20 years with 10 toes down on like how bad soccer is. And maybe it is on every other platform except for the World Cup. It's a different stage. It's intense, man. Like, this is I've absolutely loved it. I've been turning it on. Kids go down to sleep. I'm turning on soccer. I don't know any of the players. I barely know where the nation is. I'm googling where the nation is. I'm watching. I'm watching the game. Like I'm fully invested. Like I've really, really enjoyed it. They spit back until I soccer gonna make you do that.

SPEAKER_04

Like, oh, it's close. It's close. Oh, you missed it. Because they only score twice.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's the anticipation, the anxiety that you feel.

SPEAKER_05

And then when old dude uh scored the set looked like he scored the second goal, but then they said he was offsides. And I was so I was like, ah, and then it was like and then like two minutes later, they got that penalty kick, bro, perfectly placed.

SPEAKER_02

But the in between two I don't think did people understand how difficult that shot is. You have to kick the ball to go up, over, down, and corner.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. That and didn't didn't he have I I didn't know this, somebody told me this yesterday. Somebody stepped on his foot and he had like blood all in his like a he somebody cleated his foot, and like, and so they showed a picture of his sock was full of blood. The same one that he kicked it with. Yes. And his his kicking foot, and he uh put it in the corner with blood on his head.

SPEAKER_02

There is no other my wife was like, but like what's the comparison with another sport? There isn't one.

SPEAKER_00

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

Like there's there's no I can't say half court three. Because half court three is easier to do than a free quick free kick up over and in the corner where the goalie can't get it. These are world star goalies. Yeah. Incredible stuff. Shout out team USA. And the brother.

SPEAKER_00

Let's watch together, man. I'm gonna have to watch it in the same spot, but let's text through it on Monday night and see what you see what you feel. At least turn it on.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I mean, I'll turn it on, but I actually, for the first time, I think I get, and I I we're gonna have to go to something manly after I make this statement. But I feel I actually for the first time understand like my wife's watching football. Watching football, and I was just like what okay, great. Like, I because I had it on, and I was like, they just keep running back and forth with the like nobody's really scoring, and I stopped watching when y'all y'all sent that big text, and I'm like, something must have happened. Is it close to being tied or something? And I went back, I was like, Yeah, this ain't it. I don't know what it is. Maybe I need to watch it a little bit more, but yeah, for the first time I was like sitting here, and as y'all were talking, I'm like, so this is what it feels like when you don't enjoy a sport and everybody's like, Yeah, man, you're like, Come on, man, I just missed it.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, I'm with you. Like, I I even I've tried to watch other World Cup games this year and didn't necessarily enjoy it or turned it off or wasn't paying attention. But that game got me. Yeah, it got me, it hooked me. It's great. I mean, I'm sure a big part of it is it was USA. And yeah, obviously, they're underdogs, you know, in this sport. And it but the intense, it's like playoff basketball or sports. Yeah, it's like the intensity is like feel it, it matters so much every moment. And also, uh brother, um, the cardio. Oh brothers, and it's like there's no there's no stopping, there's no timeouts, no, I mean you're they're running like 50 yards back and forth, full sprints, even if it's not the players, the referee by himself has to stay in the middle of the field, seeing everything, running with them back and forth, like bro, incredible work.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's is it's a different type of sport. Definitely gonna be tuned in on Monday. I'm gonna be watching Messi tonight as he faces Argentina. And I tell you right now, you might not understand this, Chris. But if we get a game of Ronaldo versus Messi. Oh man, I need to watch it. It will be the most live streamed event in human history. Like I like it will be the biggest. Like, there's yeah, like I think the only set the only thing that's gonna become second to that is the coming of Jesus Christ as live stream viewing events. I'm not joking. I am joking a little bit, but I'm not joking. Like this, it will be massive. I'm gonna go to somebody's sports bar or somewhere to watch this game in person with the people.

SPEAKER_01

So if Messi wins tonight, that's what'll happen.

SPEAKER_02

No, and so the pathway of Ronaldo to get to the point where he faces Messi, and the pathway of Messi to get to the point where he faces Ronaldo, Messi just has to go through the East. That's not that difficult. Ronaldo has to go through the West. That's the comparison. Like his pathway is extremely difficult to do so. But if he gets through all adversity and he gets to that point where they face each other, it will be bigger than the actual like final World Cup game. Incredible stuff.

SPEAKER_05

Well, because they've been rivals for years. It's like if we had not it wouldn't be quite as big worldwide, but in America, it would have been like if LeBron and Kobe had a NBA finals against each other. Because it was like their fans have just this person's okay.

SPEAKER_02

No, this person's LeBron versus LeBron Prime, NJ Prime. Yeah. Finals. Yeah. That's like it's bigger than that. Yeah. Huge. Huge. Good stuff. Uh

World Cup Fever And Soccer Respect

SPEAKER_02

going on the list here, we do got some fan mail that we do have to get to. But before we get to the fan mail, I gotta I gotta touch one more thing of foolishness before we do. Pastor. You got hands for real? If it ever came down to it, if it ever came down to it, and you had to fight. You got you got hands, bro? Somebody's talking crazy in the parking lot. Talking crazy.

SPEAKER_05

Saying they're gonna do something to your wife or your kids.

SPEAKER_02

Go, I mean, just go down. Like you got that, you got that dog, you got that lock in? I I'm let me he has to be pastoral still.

SPEAKER_00

Let me let me make some disclaimers. I'm not saying this is Christ-like, I'm I'm just saying I understand. And one of y'all better be ready to take over the church. That's my point.

SPEAKER_02

I don't know if I'll win or not, but if you say those things about my wife and my kids, like for context for the listeners, if you didn't know, uh, there's a really popular viral true story that's going on right now where a pastor, I think they were um loading up the bus with congregants and they were going somewhere, and a man that has been berating the both the pastor, his family, the congregation for years, a 20-year-old was standing in the parking lot spewing obscenities and all types of debauchery about uh the pastor's family and himself, and the line that kind of did it was like the next time you leave to go preach somewhere, I'm coming to get your family. Yeah. And he decided to approach him on the approach to approach this man. The man did swing. He did, he did swing, which is all the permission he did. Buddy had him belly to the floor, neck in the left, right? That lock in, and looking at this man, you would never think he had no kind of hands. Yeah, but he but he went crazy, and I think it's completely justified. But he is facing charges, of course, for putting hands on somebody.

SPEAKER_01

Well, he said in his sermon, I did what the Bible said and laid hands on the sick. Literally, he said I see the clip. He said that was awesome.

SPEAKER_02

Man, I'm surprised. You know what gets me is none of the deacons went with him.

SPEAKER_05

Oh, right.

SPEAKER_02

None of the armor, like I ain't no official armor bearer, but I love a good bra. Bro, if Pastor Jason stepped in that parking lot, uh yeah.

SPEAKER_05

That was crazy. Yeah, yeah. Either uh either I'm going instead or I'm going with.

SPEAKER_02

Sweet. Just help me out. Use the time in the off. The next don't leave me in there. Come on, I'm petit. Like, don't don't leave me in there.

SPEAKER_00

No, we getting you out.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, Cryan. Man. Uh uh, just so people don't say I called him boy. Uh, that was a reference to over a year ago.

SPEAKER_05

He did he did a strawberry picking video and somebody called him strawberry boy.

SPEAKER_02

Anyway. References, but yeah, one of us goes in, we all go in. We all go. We all go.

Pastor Fight Clip And Protecting Family

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, man. Speaking of, get to the deeper part, the deeper roots part of this deeper roots episode. We got some fan mail to come in. Shout out you guys giving us fan mail. We were off on vacation. A lot of really good topics to get through. We're gonna go in chronological order. So, way back, College Park, Maryland. Shout out, this is uh this person that has actually mentioned uh text the pod twice. So this is their second time. Yep, same number. And he listened to the episode, so he starts off. Another question for the pod that I was really trying to figure out myself during Bible study. Shout out to you doing your Bible study. But I want to see what you guys had to say. I've had a bad habit of falling into legalistic ways of being a Christian, doing things in my own strength, and this book has been helping me with that a bit. But I was reading Galatians 5.16, write that down, Galatians 5.16. I had these three questions, and one of them being to myself personally. Question number one, I'll go back through this so we can all kind of chime into all these questions. Number one, how do I let the Holy Spirit guide me? Number two, am I giving the Holy Spirit space to even guide me? And number three, can the Holy Spirit guide a person in doing the things of God without that person having proper knowledge of the Word of God or the gospel? What do you guys think? So, a little recap here. Uh Message came in from College Park. He was reading the book of Galatians and having some convictions and some thoughts that he was having about Galatians 5, 16. And he had these three questions. We'll tackle them one by one. Question number one How do I let the Holy Spirit guide me? We talked about it. Okay, not all at once. RJ, what do you what do you think to this person's question? How do you let the Holy Spirit guide you?

SPEAKER_05

So um in his question, he didn't name say anything specific about okay.

SPEAKER_02

Um and for reference for our listeners, Galatians 5.16 says, So I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. So he's like, okay, how do I walk in the spirit? How do I hear what he's saying? Like, how do we how do we do that, guys?

SPEAKER_05

Yeah. Um well, I'll just start talking. All right.

SPEAKER_02

Let the Holy Spirit use you.

SPEAKER_05

Just like this. I mean, I I'd say that um one I think is hearing hearing the voice. So I think when you're walking, you know where you know what God is leading you. You know what I mean? And I think we've talked about some of this before, is the more you're obedient to the spirit, the more clearer his voice gets, the more you understand what his way is, what he's leading you to do. And I would say don't overcomplicate it as well. I think sometimes um we think every little thing has to be a specific thing that the spirit is leading us to do. But if it's specific to this and it's a sinful thing, then you know you know what it is. And I think there's something to putting to death the deeds of the flesh, and there's something to giving, but in not in a way of I'm just not doing this to. Be a better person, but in a way of now I'm living life, I'm living life by the spirit and understanding my sin, I'm dead, I'm crucified, and there may still be some things that are moving, some things that are wiggling, some things that you have struggles and issues with, but the more you fill yourself up, I'd say with the word of God, with uh good community, with church, with good preaching, I think the more you fill those things up, the more those other things will fall off. Yep. And the more you listen to the spirit, the more you are obedient in the spirit, and the more uh I'll say those things come back up. On number one, on the times where it's easy, there are times where it's harder, or just speak candidly. There are times where it's harder to um to not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05

On times where you feel empowered, where you feel like it's easier, make sure you're obedient those times. That's good, man. Number one. That's good. And I'll say that those times will increase as you're obedient to the spirit. Yeah, so it will become easier, not easy, yeah, but easier as you walk in obedience to not fulfill the lust

Fan Mail On Walking By The Spirit

SPEAKER_05

of the flesh, but to walk in the spirit.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so I'm gonna speak definitely before Pastor Jason so he can correct all the wrong I might be about to say. Um and I guess to answer that question, because redo question one more time.

SPEAKER_02

Question number one: how do I let the Holy Spirit guide me?

SPEAKER_01

And this is the part, correct me, please. Um because I think, in order to answer that, like for the spirit to guide you, I think you can be guided by the Spirit without realizing you're guided by the Spirit, but you can't be guided by the Spirit if you don't have Christ. So I think the first part is because I think it's even the placement of where that even comes in Galatians. Um, but I feel like the first part is by by accepting Christ, of course, and then you start to look at the things through understanding the word and what was said and what established, and then you also have to understand what is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Yes. Because if you go and figure out what the fruit of the Holy Spirit is, then you can start to see where he's guiding you in your life, and you can ask yourself the simple question of, is this fulfilling one of those fruits? If not, then is it really of the Holy Spirit? Like, what is the outcome of what I'm doing? Is it more of, will it be more for pride in myself? Yeah, is it to stand corrected, like to put myself on the platform or somebody else on the platform? How does it line up against what scripture says about what the Holy Spirit produces in me? Yeah, is is a way, plus what everything RJ said to start to listen and to obey. Um, and I think that's why it's written out the way it is, so that you can start out like, okay, I can judge anything I'm doing based off these fruits, the word says, is based off what the fruit is produced when you are following the Holy Spirit. Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_00

It's well done. Yeah. I I love what you guys have said. I and I think to look at it from this perspective has been helpful for me because his question is, you know, as as Paul says in Corinthians, there's no temptation taken but that which is common to man. So that everything that he's saying is all something I'll speak for myself that we've all had to and continue to learn, grow, discover, journey in. Um, and one of the things that's helped me is to think of the origin of walking in the spirit. I think sometimes when we think about walking in the spirit or being or salvation, we think of, you know, or mortifying the deeds of the flesh, we think that there has to be like that's beyond me. That's something further than where I am. And I want to go back to the if if he's a believer, if he's a child of God, start with the fact, and you guys said it well, start with the fact I'm righteous, I'm a son of God, I'm empowered by the Holy Spirit, I am beloved of my Father. That's where it starts. And then walking in the spirit is so if you could imagine, let's go back to the white water rafting, or imagine yourself in a river. You are all that is the origin, that's where you start. The only thing that stops you from walking in the spirit is putting your feet down to stop the flow of the water. And and so, in other words, of looking into I've got to muster up strength to walk in the spirit. No, no, no. The only thing that stops it, because that's your origin. If you're a child of God, righteous, beloved, sanctified, set apart, all of that, that's your identity. And but you can grieve the Holy Spirit and not yield to the Holy Spirit. So walk, I love the analogies that that Paul uses about about being in the spirit, walking in the spirit. That's a it's a it's it's it feels like a simple thing for us to do. And I want him to think that way, that it is a simple thing to walk in the spirit. Why? Because your new birth has allowed you to be in the spirit. Can you hinder that? Yes. And how do you hinder that by grieving or not yielding to the direction of the Holy Spirit? So, what I would encourage him to do, and in uh addition to all the things that they suggested, they suggested continue to wake up with the mindset of surrender. I'm not in charge of my life. God, what do you want to do with me today? How do you want to use my hands? How do you want to use my mind? Instead of thinking that I have to stop something, how can I fill my mind with what God is desiring for me to do? And that ends up decreasing the other things that I feel drawn to do, which I normally would be drawn to do when I'm not occupied by the things that I'm called to do. So walking in the spirit would be more for me a um a not a positive thing, but like uh an active thing. I'm actively doing what the Holy Spirit asked me to do. And then the scripture says here, when you're walking in the spirit, your flesh doesn't have the things to connect to as it normally does. So active in the spirit, feeding my spirit, uh asking with a humble heart of God, what do you want to do with me today? Surrendering, not letting, not letting pride get you to put your feet down in the river because pride was like, I got this. And you stand up in a river and all of a sudden you stop flowing with what God wants to do. God, what do you want to do in my life today? Everything that I am is yours. Anything that you want to do through me, I'm open to it, I'm available to it. How do you lead me? Filling your uh mind with the thoughts and the ways of God. Uh, and then you'll look up, and some of the things that used to be so it drew your attention all the time, it doesn't fascinate you anymore. And the world becomes dimmer. And it's not a this is not an overnight thing. This is not somebody laying hands on you and all of a sudden you don't have to fight the flesh anymore. That's not true at all. This is a this is a process of sanctification, and it is like the more you are fascinated with the light of who God is, the more other things they just don't attract you as much anymore. I'm not saying the enemy won't attempt to uh, you know, seasons of your life to tempt you and draw you away, but you you have been fascinated by something so much more valuable. And you're like, why would I want to step down to be a part of something that's not the fullness of what God has called me to do? So my thoughts would be surrender and gratitude and openness to whatever the Lord is doing, and you'll find yourself flowing in a river that you didn't come up with. It's the river, it's the salvation, it's walking in the spirit, is walking in accordance to what God has called us all to walk in.

SPEAKER_02

And hearing y'all talk about that, I think uh I'm seeing it from a different perspective. This is this is a real-time thought, so guide me. It seems like following the Holy Spirit is not following a rule book.

SPEAKER_00

Amen.

SPEAKER_02

Right, it's following in a relationship. Come on. Yes, yeah, sure. And that I think that thought kind of shifted things for me. And it Galatians kind of speaks about it at the top with the verse. It starts off with you are free in Christ.

SPEAKER_00

The whole book, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And then from there, because you're free in Christ, the Holy Spirit has granted you access to remember everything that Christ did. Okay, so now I'm I'm in a relationship with a person, not not a spirit rule book force. Yes. So now because I am in a relationship with a person of the Holy Spirit, it doesn't allow any room for fleshly desires because I am walking with a person, yeah, not a rule book. And that kind of I don't know, is that like it shifts it?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, sir. That was the whole book. That's that's what Paul said. Who tricked you, Galatians? Like who you started off knowing that this was not you, yeah, and then you started following. Who who tricked you and led you back into thinking that this was about rules and regulations? Yeah, and and is exactly the contradiction or the comparison that he's making is directly between rules and walking in the spirit, and those are two different worlds.

SPEAKER_02

And that kind of leads into oh, go ahead, go ahead before I leave to a second question.

SPEAKER_05

No, I was just gonna say uh amen to all that. And we've been saved by a miraculous supernatural new birth. Come on, man. And to think that now I can handle this, I can do it, Nazi. I can do it. Come on, it's a trick of the enemy that we all can easily fall into, no matter how long you've been saved and how long you've been walking with the Lord, to say, now I now it's on me. God saved me, and now it's on me to do better, to do get right, to do good. But no, I am Pastor Jason said it so well. You actually probably should have gone first. No, um, but but that this started not with Jesus coming and making me better, but this started with I am Galatians 2 20. I am crucified with Christ. Yeah, nevertheless, I live. Not I live, not I, but Christ in me, and the life I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God. Yeah, it's this is an ongoing walk, an ongoing thing that we we now live, not in our own power, but in the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

SPEAKER_02

That kind of goes into his second question of Am I giving the Holy Spirit space to guide me? And based on what we just said, you don't have there's a disconnect between a textbook and the Bible. The Bible invites you to have a relationship with Yahweh. A textbook is just a book of information, rules, regulations, and law. You can't have a relationship with a textbook. You are under the law, the the mandate, the standard of said textbook. So I am constantly failing the textbook because there's no relationship there. What the Bible offers, what what Yahweh offers, is a relationship. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Not if you study harder, if you do better, if you use your own grit, you'll be holy and sanctified. So there's a difference there. So when he asks the questions, am I giving the Holy Spirit space to guide me? My question is, are you in relationship with the Holy Spirit for him to guide you? Does that make sense?

SPEAKER_05

Yes, sir. And we speak about the Bible not being a textbook. I hope this doesn't offend anybody. Talk about it. But I hate when people say basic instructions before leaving earth. The Bible is not just instructions. Hey, we read this because it helps us with life. Yeah, the Bible, it is living word, it is it's what Jesus used with temptation. Yes, sir. You know, it it is it is life.

SPEAKER_02

That yo, say that again. It's what Jesus used to battle temptation because it's living. As soon as something becomes living, it has agency, which means I now have to relate to it. I can't relate to a textbook, it's not living. But when you say he's the living word, and this is what he uses to battle things, now it forces me to get to know some person. Yeah, yeah. That's not a textbook. My goodness, yeah. Hey, that's good stuff.

SPEAKER_00

I it the the origin is so important. Uh, John 3, you must be born again. Like the origin is so important. And if the origin is, if the genesis of your relationship is secure, that you know that you're a child of God, you receive Christ, then everything else flows from there because you're not earning to try to get to a position. You cannot be more righteous than his birth made you. And if you have received his new birth, you don't, there's not degrees of righteousness, you are either righteous or unrighteous. And if you are righteous, then walking in the spirit is walking in accordance to who Christ has made you because of his sacrifice. And that may it for a while it may seem like semantics, but it's the whole difference because if you do not begin there, you'll always be trying to earn something that you already are, which in my opinion was the deception of the garden that that the enemy talked Eve into thinking that she did not have possession of something that she already had possession of. When the enemy says, if you'll eat this, you'll be God is trying to keep something from you. Yeah, and she was already made in the image of God. She was not God, but she was already made in the image of God, and the enemy deceived her to uh get something outside of what God had provided for her, because it was some idea that the enemy says you're withholding something, God's withholding something from you. And that's the temptation that we feel today, the same temptation that Christ dealt with in the wilderness. The enemy tried to convince him, I'll give you something that God has not given you. Um, and that's uh that's a lie, and that's how he leads us away. Um, and and I I'm I'm gonna speak very honestly. I know in my life, and I I keep going back to these two things, and I know I just keep beating a drum that's it's but I know in my life that I'm not where I need to be when I am arrogant and ungrateful. I'm not walking in the spirit because when I am ungrateful for what God has done, and I start complaining and whining, I'm automatically out of the spirit because I'm acting entitled, I'm acting like I I deserve something, I've earned something, I want to earn, I know I'm out of the spirit of God now, and now I am in my flesh trying to produce something. And then, secondly, when there's an arrogance of I can do this, I oh, I'm automatically, I know that I am outside of where I need to be walking in the spirit, because nothing causes uh a spiritual man, and I'm speaking from experience, nothing causes a spiritual man to trip more than feeling like I got this. So whenever you feel that little, that little voice, yeah, yeah, I'm good. I don't, I don't need to pray today. You know, I don't, I don't need to ask the Lord for help today. You know, I can handle this little thing by myself. Uh, that's that's that should be a check in your spirit. Your check engine light should be going off. Hold on, man. You're outside of the spirit now you because the spirit is going to keep you grateful for the origin that you couldn't earn and is gonna keep you, it's gonna keep, I keep using this analogy, but it's the best way I know. It's gonna keep your feet off the ground and you're gonna actually flow with the river that you didn't start. But when when arrogance or pride begins to arise, I got this. You put your feet down and you stop the river from flowing. So those are the two checks for me. If I'm ungrateful or if I feel pride, I got this, I know I'm outside of the spirit every time. And normally, and normally destruction happens or stumbling happens or uh something happens right in those moments of I'm getting ready to make a flop out of this thing.

SPEAKER_05

Amen. And and I'll say we talked about the Holy Spirit uh not too long ago um in church, and just a reminder that the Holy Spirit is not something that that comes, it's something that stays. And also it's not something outside of you that you're asking to empower you and help you. This is something that's in you, as as much to a new believer, as much as blood is important for your body, come on, man, as much as breath is important for your lungs, the spirit is our life. Like it is like this is what this is how we live, this is how we move, and this is how we are a being. This is this is everything. It's not a part of us now. It is, it is how we live. It has quickened a dead body, yeah. A dead body that was crucified when Jesus was crucified, and now we are alive in Christ. Like, and going back to what you said, all we have to do now is let. Yes, let allow. Yes, move stay out of the way, don't put your foot down, like don't don't grieve the spirit, which I've done plenty of, and just some encouragement in case you've grieved the spirit, you won't find anything more patient than the Holy Spirit. And he's been patient with me. I can tell you how many times, and I wouldn't encourage you to do it, because his voice does get quiet, it doesn't get quieter. You you harden your heart and your ear to his voice, and it does happen over time. But if you allow him to do what he's trying to do, yeah, and be patient with yourself, yeah. You don't you you're not gonna get you're not you are perfect, but you're not gonna do everything perfect in your life. I mean, 20, 40 years down the road, you're still probably honestly, you you still gonna look back and say, Oh, I should have been further. But there's no condemnation now to those who are in Christ Jesus, and I would say in the in those words, like just know that what what you guys are saying is true, yeah, that what God has done and is doing, yeah, yeah, and just trust Him.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, beautiful. It kind of leads into his uh final question. Question number three Can the Holy Spirit guide a person in doing the things of God without that person having proper knowledge of the word of God or the gospel? Heavy question.

SPEAKER_05

No is the answer.

SPEAKER_02

Talk about it.

SPEAKER_05

How can someone hear unless he has a preacher? I think I think, and also you have to, I mean, this is a part of growing, is growing in your knowledge and understanding of you know what he's already done and what he's already accomplished, and now we have to expose ourselves through the word, through sound preaching, through community, that that now this is how we grow. I would encourage you, bro, memorize the scriptures, learn the scriptures, make it become a part of who you are. Like if you're you're saying you if you're struggling, I'll say early on, that was one of the key parts because I had a job where I had to drive very far, then I'm in heavy equipment all day, then I'm driving far home. I don't have, I just don't have the time to read the scriptures for two hours a day. But I take some scripture that I need and I memorize it and I meditate on it day and night, and I think about it, yeah, and I wrestle with it. And when something else comes up, let me take a quick break, look that up. Yeah, boom. Now let me think about that. Now I'm thinking about that. And that's I mean, to me, I've meditated on scripture a thousand million times longer than I've read it. You know what I mean? So I say, like, like, I mean, that was when when I was trying, I mean, renewing your mind is a big, I mean, a big part of this. Yeah, you know, and I think scripture is what we don't we don't meditate like yoga meditates, like Buddhists meditate. We meditate on something. Yes, and I think those things like our weapons of our warfare are not carnival. Mighty when I was trying to rule mighty through God with the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought. And I'll just say that, and then what do you replace it with? Whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are lovely. If it be of good report, if be on prayer, be of praise, think on these things and then meditate on things of God, yeah, on who he is, not just what he's done. Remember, know that. And I'm not saying that this is something that you have to do, but it's something you should want to do.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's walking. Walking with the Spirit. That is how you do it. Meditate on his word day and night. Let his laws and statutes be written on your heart. That's Bible. That's Bible. That's Bible. And to this person's point of can the Holy Spirit guide a person in doing things of God without that person having proper knowledge of God and the word of God or gospel? I agree that Jesus and the Father draws people to themselves. I will draw the but if you read the Bible, the Father does the drawing, Jesus does the drawing. They both have an active role of drawing you to them. The Holy Spirit reminds you of the words of Jesus. And then it also says, Have you received the Spirit since you believed? So there is an acknowledgement of the gift of the Holy Spirit coming into your life. So this person, to me, this this question is like I tiptoe around it. It's like the the salvation will bring you to the Father and Jesus and accepting that gift and that gospel. The Holy Spirit will keep you and guide you in the truth that you have come to. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm like walking in the Trinity, the roles and responsibilities of each person in the Trinity. Everybody, the the gift of the Holy Spirit is for everybody. But you have the right and free will to reject it.

SPEAKER_05

Yes.

SPEAKER_02

But it doesn't mean that that it wasn't for you. Does that make sense? I feel like I'm yapping now.

SPEAKER_00

I I was I hope I say this correct too, and as I'm stepping into a world that I don't want to get into, but um with what we just celebrated with Juneteenth, my mind automatically went there of the celebration of being slaves being set free, but not everybody having the knowledge of that yet. And so the progression of years of the knowledge or the the reality that that there's no more slavery, but then the practicality or functionality of it taking years to reach everybody's ears. And and I think about that a lot of times with believers in my own life. There is a lot more that has been purchased for me in reality that some that I have never had not even ventured to, I don't have knowledge of yet the freedom that I'm going to walk in.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But there's been a lot of freedom that has been purchased for me, emancipation that has set me free and that I do not know is mine yet. And I look back over the last you know 30 years of my life, there's levels of freedom that I'm walking in now that I did not know 20 years ago, that I did not know 10 years ago. And so there is a there there, you you said the Holy Spirit is patient because this process takes time, but he is a teacher, he reminds you everything that Jesus has said and all that he's done. And what he does, he's reminding you of the freedom that has already been purchased for you. He he is not doing the the uh he is not doing the uh the purchasing of the freedom that has already been done. He is teaching you about the freedom that has been purchased for you by the cross. And so that you cannot learn all that in one day. You can't learn all that in one, you know, one seminary class or one Bible study. That's the process of sanctification. And the more you know, the freer you walk. Yeah, the more you know, the more you submit to, the freer you walk. So, whatever knowledge this person has, walk in the knowledge of what you know now, and then continue to seek more understanding about what the Holy about what Christ has done for us at the cross and with his resurrection, and submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit that teaches us about what Jesus has done, and then his knowledge today will allow more freedom tomorrow. Yes. And and this knowledge is different. You you nailed this. This knowledge is different. This is not book knowledge or textbook knowledge. This is uh a word that means intimacy. Your knowledge of a person, your knowledge and intimacy with a person will then cause you to walk in freedom as to what that uh what God has purchased for each one of us. So I would encourage you to be patient where you are, quick feeling like I say that's a simple thing, but don't feel like I fail, I should be further, I should have regressed, I don't know enough. Walk in the real walk in the knowledge that you have now, yeah, and then seek more understanding by counsel, by word of God, by conversations, by hearing, being faithful to the house of the Lord, uh, being faithful to being community and all of those things teaches us more by the help of the Holy Spirit, teaches us the reality that has already been purchased for us, and then we start practically living something that was purchased for us 2,000 years ago. But if we don't know that it was purchased for us, we live in bondage because we don't know that that freedom has been given to us.

SPEAKER_02

Amen. Amen. And it's okay, loose thought coming to me right now. Correct me if I'm wrong. Okay, this is a real-time thought I'm having. I don't know if it's Holy Spirit inspired or hot gas. There's a difference between consciousness and Holy Spirit. Like, like, uh is it called consciousness or like um like I I I there's this voice, I feel like universal consciousness, like I know what's right and wrong. Yeah, there's a difference between that things and the Holy Spirit. So like even if I think it's in Romans, uh, where Paul talks about there's even on the Gentiles' hearts, God's law is written on it, which means they know right from wrong. Yeah, the Holy Spirit, as it's described in the Bible, doesn't just necessarily tell you right and wrong, he leads you back to the truth of Jesus Christ. So everybody has a conscience of I know what's right and wrong because the the Father has written that on our heart. So we know at a very young age, I'm lying. Murder is wrong, lust is bad. That's just God's universal law that is instilled in us. So it I'm getting a little heady right now, but like when we when we're saying the Holy Spirit is something that comes to you, that you receive, that you that you accept after salvation, we're not saying you've lived a life of no consciousness because that's conscience is not the Holy Spirit. The difference comes is I cannot have a relationship with my conscience. That's just law. Everybody has that, but I get to have a relationship with the person of the Holy Spirit who leads me and guides me into all truth. Conscience can't do that, only the Holy Spirit can. That's a loose thought.

SPEAKER_00

No, I my mind went to Matthew 5 when you said that where Jesus said the law has told you to do this. Uh, you walk one mile with somebody, but uh under grace and the new covenant, you don't walk just one mile, you walk two miles. And I think that's why moralism is not our standard. Like being a moral person, being aware of law, and that that's why people say, well, if you teach grace, then this it creates lasciviousness and you can go do whatever you want to. Not not the grace of God, not the not the spirit-led life, because the spirit-led life is so much further than a consciousness of right or wrong. Yeah, it's now what pleases the Lord, what honors the Lord, and it could be morally right to do it, but if it does not, uh if it or it could be more the moralism doesn't direct our thoughts now. It's what honors the Lord, what pleases the Lord. And just because it might be morally okay for me to do this, I'm not gonna be criminally uh I'm not I'm justified in doing this. But if the Spirit of the Lord says, I want you to go further, I want you to go more, I want you to, I want you to go deeper than just being morally justified. I didn't create, I didn't commit a crime. That's the standard of grace, the standard of walking in the Holy Spirit is so much further than that. The law tells you to go a mile. Yep, I tell you to go too. The law tells you to give your coat, I tell you to give your cloak also. And there's a there's another step for uh walking in grace that is not uh just the freedom to, you know, as Paul said, to go continue in sin. No, that's not grace at all. Grace is saying, now I have I'm empowered by the Holy Spirit not to do my own will, not to do my own desires, not to even be justified as I did the moral thing. No, no, I want to do being led by the Holy Spirit what God has called me to do. And that's that's so much different than really living by uh pen or paper, you know, black and white, what is right and wrong, what is wrong.

SPEAKER_02

Amen. Amen. And as the to answer this person, shout out to you for texting the part and letting us know. Thank you. The practical steps you can take is we all hear God's voice very still, small, what we might feel like uh uh little little moments all throughout the day. I think I think of the story of the people that's like, well, what can I go dip in the water seven times and I get my healing? And God's like, No, sometimes it's a little simpler than that. It's not it's not this big booming voice when you wake up in the morning that says, Read your Bible and wear this red shirt today because somebody no, sometimes it's a small thing. So just did I clean, did I steward my room well today? Did I go get the gas in the car and not push it off and go home and go to the McDonald's instead? Like, like this, the still small, the little things, we wrap those up and then we'll be it will for me anyway, it gives me a better ear to be like, I'm listening to the Holy Spirit in these life ways. That way when he speaks to me about godliness, I can I know the voice already because I've already been doing it practically Monday to Tuesday.

How To Message The Pod

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Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_02

Chris, any thoughts? Hey, praise God. You can go ahead and message the pod. We want to hear from you. We do have another piece of fan mail that I think is going to be a fantastic episode next week about dating and love life. And I'm really interested to dive into that one. So you can text the pod anonymously. Um, if you want to comment on our YouTube channels, how do everybody watching on YouTube right now? You can comment down below and we will see them, or you can text the pod anonymously. Click into the episode, not just the title screen, but actually click into the episode and send us a text. We want to hear from you. Help us craft these episodes, be a part of our community. We are back from vacation and we can't wait to crank out some more episodes uh throughout the rest of the summer for y'all. Anyway, that's it. Peace out. See y'all next time.