Faith From The Streets
Brian and Friends will discuss stories of faith, homelessness, hunger, and addiction. Most of all they will discuss how they serve the King of All, Jesus Christ.
Faith From The Streets
Philippians
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Sir Brian and Tommy tackle the Book of Philippians. Taking a short break from the miner profits. Giving Pastor Scott a break to recharge. Take a moment and appreciate your Pastor. They have a lot on their plates. Being Pastor is not for the week and it takes a toll on them and there families.
And again, I don't really do I think I think that's a good standard time just for you to realize how much time is taking a lot. So uh again i it's it's uh measuring heart and learning what lessons knowing what lessons need to be learned, discerning what needs to be discerned. That is all on him, brother. And thank God for that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for sure. Well, I mean, let's just say uh just an example. They were the king, or the king, the king. God said, No, you don't, no, you don't, no you don't.
SPEAKER_05To look more like the world, brother. I'm not God's like, yeah, what you have is so much cooler. I could be that king. Yeah, that's what he said.
SPEAKER_01Hello.
SPEAKER_02We are uh gonna start a little bit of a new book here. We're gonna take a break from the minor profits for a little bit. Um we like to make things different, change things up a little bit, you know? Absolutely. How was your week, Brian? Anything good to report?
SPEAKER_05Uh let's see, let's see. Um no, no, no. Kind of anxious for something coming up though. Ah, yes. Uh we'll be going to uh renew conference. Renew.org conference.org, renew.org conference, yes.
SPEAKER_02Scott, our pastor, has written several articles. Yes. And they went last year and it was very profound on them. It made a big impact on them. And they came back with this new vigor for life and wanting to do more. And it's been awesome. Would you say they were renewed? Yes, I would say they were renewed. Um, so hopefully we'll be renewed, although we don't know what that'll look like when we come back. I don't know. I'm kind of scared. Um I'm not scared at all. I can't wait. I can't wait. I get to spend a couple of days with my brothers and sisters and other brothers and sisters in in Christ and learn from each other and discuss his word and just see how it's affected their lives and the lives of so many around us. Oh, right. Oh, it's it's it should be a good trip. We may have some notes along the way from our trip too as we when we get back. By the time this one publishes, it'll be four or five weeks. I still got four more episodes I gotta publish. Oh, fantastic, man. Yeah, yeah. So we're good there. Good. Um, but yeah, that's something to look forward to. Um nothing else that I know of for certain. We did get some updates at the gathering. We now have more power.
SPEAKER_05Oh no, that's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that was that was really good that we were able to update the electricity. Now we can have the coffee pot on and the and the lights in the kitchen on. Meager beginnings, you know. But yeah, we now, and actually, our volunteers are really excited about it now, too, because of the amount of crock pots that come in that we can plug up now instead of having them all over the place. So that's good too. So we're gonna start with Philippians today. Um, we'll see how far we get. Philippians is actually only uh four chapters. It's been a very profound book for me myself. Um, so let's talk about what this book is about. Is Paul thanks the church and Philippi for a gift they had sent him. He uses this opportunity to encourage them to remain true to God and to be joyful in every situation. And I think that's the thing that was impactful for me was being joyful in every situation. That is one of the most difficult things to do. How do you be joyful when you're looking at two months behind on the mortgage and the car payments due and the kids have sports you gotta pay for?
SPEAKER_05It does sound difficult, but I think the way you do uh maintain your joy is not knowing how you're gonna get through it now, but what it's gonna look like in the end. So Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Like what's this gonna look like after God gets me through this? Oh, agreed. How much better are things gonna be? And the first place that I start is hey, I have those things to worry about. Very good. I may not have those things to worry about. Um, I don't have them now, but that's because I'm an older gentleman and my kids are grown. But I do remember those days very well. Um, it happened around uh 60 AD. Uh uh Paul wrote Philippians from prison in Rome. He's he wrote most of his stuff from prison, I believe. Uh the key concepts, like we talked about already, is thanks, joy, and suffering, which again to be joyful in the suffering. Um I believe this is also um a notice to the role models in this book are Timothy, and I can't say that word. Epiphonus. That's gonna be your job to read that when we get there, Brian. Oh, my apologies. I'm I'm sorry, I'm trying to find it in the text. Well, it it yeah, I'm looking at my little notes here, but you'll see it. It's in them, it's in there because I was like, oh my goodness, what is this word? What is this name? So we'll see how I pronounce it when I get there. Do your best, be confident in what you say. So there you go. Absolutely. All right, sir, Brian, let's start with Philippians 1.
SPEAKER_05Okay, Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi. With the overseers and deacons, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God, in all my remembrance of you, always offering the prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all. Because of your fellowship and the gospel. From the first day until now, for I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_02Let's stop there. Um, a couple little notes here I want to talk about, especially that last uh that last line there. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on in the completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Um, again, talking about the suffering earlier, you know, be confident in the trials and the tribulations that you're going through, that God has started something in you and there is an end game, there is an end point to it. And you will learn along the way and be better for it at the end of it when you are seen through it.
SPEAKER_05So if it seems a struggle, would you consider it uh conditioning?
SPEAKER_02Yes, that's a good word, yeah. Okay, because a lot of times what I think is, and I and we've talked to our gathering people, um you have to learn, you have to unlearn, and you have to learn. And to do that, sometimes we have to have these struggles, these rough times. And I've told them many, many times that when I go through a struggle now, I go, oh, God's got something good coming. Oh man, that this sucks right now, but God's got something good on the other end of it. Like, what do I need to learn though? And the biggest thing that unfortunately, God we use him as a genie in the bottle. We go to him when there's something we need. And he doesn't work that way. And if he did work that way, what would you ever learn? Would you not keep making the same mistakes over and over again? Although we do, don't get me wrong. Right.
SPEAKER_05Um and again, I I do agree, I do agree to an extent. So I I think I think that some people do overuse that, but I think oftentimes he will grant you those things too. Uh just for you to realize how much of a mistake it was. So uh again, it's it's uh measuring hearts and and and learning what lessons knowing what lessons need to be learned. Discerning what needs to be discerned. That is that is all on him, brother. And thank God for that. So yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_02Well, I mean, let's just say uh just an example. They wanted a king, they wanted a king, they wanted a king. And God said, No, you don't, no, you don't, no, you don't.
SPEAKER_05To look more like the world, brother. And that's and God's like, yeah, but what you have is so much cooler. I could be that king. Yeah, that's what he said.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I am your king, I am the one you're supposed to be relying on and dependent on. But they wanted a king, and we've read through judges, and truly then. We really need somebody to make that a movie. Can you imagine? My goodness. So go back up into the first part there. Um to God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and the deacons. Um, the overseers, I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that is also considered an elder or a pastor, uh a person who supervises over specialty works.
SPEAKER_05It sounds like I can gather that from the name, the overseer.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Uh but uh to what that exactly is, I don't have a uh I don't I don't have any like special specialization in that.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, so I'm looking it up now, and it does say as a person who supervises, manages, or directs the works of others, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently and safely.
SPEAKER_05So but is that what is like would they have been any other significance in the in the church?
SPEAKER_02Yes, because they would have been your pastors and your elders, the ones that kind of make the decisions. Um technically, pastors and elders I think are interchangeable. I don't think there is really a distinction there. Um to which one? A distinction between elder and pastor. I think elder, pastor, and overseer are kind of all interchangeable. Where a deacon is more of the go out and do things, like uh go out and visit the sick, go out and also do like the landscaping and the yard work and the stuff like that. Like I think the deacon role is more of a physical role.
SPEAKER_05Well what what about uh two formats what I've seen, where the pastor is held responsible for the things they're saying by the elders who should also know better as well.
SPEAKER_02Yes, right?
SPEAKER_05And then uh in a in if a con a member of the congregation comes forward and says, like, hey, um wrongful Steve got it wrong again, you know.
SPEAKER_02Oh Steve.
SPEAKER_05Oh Steve. That's wrongful Steve, and that's his full full full address and name. Yes, yes. But uh but wrongful Steve got it wrong again, yeah. And he uh so again, the the the the elders would then pull wrongful Steve aside. It's like, hey look man, you're gonna have to this has been brought to our attention. Yeah, we kind of had a chit-chat. Yeah, we thought it was right. There's three of us now coming to you, wrongful Steve, we've we've addressed this. Whatever the steps that they've taken, the necessary steps, and that's that's kind of the idea. But also, too, I can kind of see where you're coming from as well, too, because an elder could possibly, when wrongful Steve's like, ah, I am sick today, I can't do it. An elder can step up and and kind of lead. So I can kind of see that, but I was just wondering if there was like maybe more I don't know, I was just more concrete. That'd be interesting to look into. So yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02And and what brought me to that conclusion is because I have been uh approached about being a deacon, and um it's just not something that I'm I'm into. Like I don't really want a title I just I just want to be what God wants me to be, and I don't want to have any kind of stipulations to that. You know what I'm saying? Like if God tells me to do something, I don't want to have to go and talk to the elders or the deacons or the whoever and get an okay from them to do it. Is that wrong of me to be that way?
SPEAKER_05I I'll I'll tell you this. It's an assumption. Okay? Because again, uh for the church, it means that you are definitely somebody that they can call for to be a deacon whenever they need deaconship.
SPEAKER_02Deacon skills.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Decanery.
SPEAKER_02I don't I like what you can be a decanery. And I've already put myself in a position, and I've said it many, many, many times. I'm a I'm a jackwagon of all trades and a master of none. Yeah, you are. Okay. I wear mini hats. I've said that before.
SPEAKER_05And that might be very good for a deacon. I don't know. Probably. Does it still prevent you from booting down doors and telling people that you don't have any more bubblegum? All right. You all out of gum. I'm all out of bubblegum. So the only thing that remains. Wrongful Steve. You're wrongful Steve.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you're right. You're very true. That's good stuff. I like that. But I I guess one of the things that I've just always had a problem with is I don't understand hierarchies and how things again, it's just I see them now and I I I don't.
SPEAKER_05I I get that, I do. Yeah. I do. But at the same time too. Like the idea behind I think it's just placing a measure of responsibility upon the individual so that when they are called, just like well, okay, that's me, I'm the guy, so I I have to go do that thing then. So uh not to say that that isn't, you know, um that it is an expectation or isn't an expectation uh from being a Christian. Because again, like you know, you you could still just ask wrongful Steve, who's who's sitting down there, and and and and he's not a deacon and he's not any any other member, he's just yeah, uh an average Steve. That's wrongful. Uh but he he will he will be there, and and you could ask wrongful Steve to like, hey, could you do that that thing? But I think it's just a measure uh with the structure.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_05I I think I think that's all it is. So but um now now the hierarchy and who's supposed to yield to who like i i it gets really complicated sometimes, it does. But um I I myself am not a huge fan of the hierarchy. You've you've you've heard me argue points before this before. Oh, absolutely. But today, today, my friend, and call me wrongful Steve if you will, but uh today I I I'm kinda I'm seeing it a little different.
SPEAKER_02So I I see I see it as a measure for the church to have uh a reliable uh Yes, there has to be structure, a reliable structure, and with a hierarchy, you'll have structure, and you always have the jester or the the the A-team guy or whatever, you know, get the job done. I love it when the plan comes together, kind of thing. Um and I think that's where I I find myself. It's like just whatever you need, ask me and I'll take care of it, I'll do it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I think that's one of the things that I've always done. I've always been that person, which makes me think that's what God intended me to be.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02You know, He gave me uh certain set of skills that are just for me, whether I know what they are or not. You know, it's like I've told you before about the handyman stuff. You're not handy where I am. If I can't fix it, then it can't be fixed. You said a certain set of skills that you've acquired. I know, I know. We've had so many movie quotes in the last five minutes. It's high wrong, it's high. I love it. Okay, so let's go on to what was that, seven after that? Yes, sir. Yes, it was seven.
SPEAKER_05We're gonna let Dragula go, so it is only right for me to think this way about you all because I have you in my heart. Since both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are fellow partakers with me, in this grace, for God is my witness. I will long for you, all, with the affection of Christ Jesus, and this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more, in full knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ, having been fulfilled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and the praise of God.
SPEAKER_02So this is something that is kind of, I don't know if it's unusual for sure, but this first part, okay, um, it's headed Thanksgiving. And it's Paul giving kudos to the people in Philippi. Like, you guys are doing really good, and I appreciate you, and continue to do that work, and I have all the confidence in you that you will continue to do that work, which is very like that's very good. That's awesome. And he's yes, he's in prison, but at the same time, he's still giving them, you know, I have confidence in you, I have faith in you, that you are doing what is right. Um, God is my witness, how long for you will the affection for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus? Oh, yeah. I mean, that's they're a loving people and they're showing love to the people around them. And I think that's fantastic. I think that's one of the things that maybe the first couple times I've read this particular chapter that I missed out on. I missed out on the fact that he's talking about, you know, he's proud of them. Not that I want to say a whole lot about being prideful, but you know, it's all for the praise and the glory of God, which is what they're doing. And they do have the discernment to be able to tell what's right and wrong. And they don't have to worry about false prophets or anything else. So, yeah, I I think that's a really good message here about you're doing a good job. Keep it up.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Where we see in Revelations, the seven churches in Revelations, not so much. They don't get kudos letters, they get letters of you know, disdain and they're not doing well. Uh, Pastor Scott actually did a a lesson here one time on a Sunday, uh, what the letter from Paul would look like today to the church. Oh, nice. Yeah, it would not be a very complimentary letter, I do not believe. But that's from You know, seeing what we see today in today's world, which we've seen in Hosea, how we could take a lot of what's going on in Hosea and put it right into our newsfeed today, and it it fits. You know, nothing new under the sun. It always comes back to that, I believe. You want to go ahead and continue on with the next part there?
SPEAKER_05Okay. Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. So that my chains in Christ have become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else. And that most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord because of my chains, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife. But some also from goodwill. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me affliction in my chains. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. And in this I rejoice. Yes. And I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my salvation. Through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.
SPEAKER_02That's good stuff. I mean, we started to talk about it a little bit in the beginning there. Um, that though I am in change, Christ has become well known throughout the whole guards that he's imprisoned.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I mean, when I was talking earlier about being able to praise in the suffering, praise in the hard times and the bad times. And this is something that happened to me. I'm not particularly proud about it, but I'll be transparent about it. Um, I was in a situation where I may be like Paul, I may be sitting in a jail cell, but I'm gonna be preaching Jesus. No matter what happens, my faith was in God and in Jesus, and that if if that's what God wants from me, then that's what I'm gonna do. Um, it turned out okay, everything was all right. Um, but yeah, it was it was a very interesting thing because because of these verses, in that situation, I was not panicked, I was not worried, I was not concerned, I was very calm, very collected, very polite, and it all turned out fine. And I was seriously prepared to go into whatever the situation preaching God. And I'm gonna tell you right now, man, that kind of non-anxiety, non-worry, to be able to not worry about those things and be calm about all those things, it's fantastic. Giving it all over to God, trusting in God, trusting in He is for us and who can be against us puts a whole new level to pass. Do you want to make a note? Yeah, so when you do and when you can give up your worries and your anxieties and and fully trust in God, um it it's it's just amazing. I there's no word for it. Like when you start looking at every moment, moment to moment, and realizing that God is in control and He has your best interest, the worry of the world just goes away. Um, we see it a lot at the gathering with, you know, what are we gonna prepare? And then all of a sudden somebody knocks on the door and everything's there.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah. Well, uh now what is it I usually say? To kind of calm everybody down.
SPEAKER_02Well, yeah, you're always the calm voice, but and I don't know why I get like that sometimes, but I do. Loaves and the fishes, loaves and fishes. Absolutely, brother. So thinking about these things, we actually did a Bible study, what was it, Tuesday? Yeah. Uh Tuesday at the gathering. And one of our uh brothers, who is a success story from The Gathering, um, he's doing very well. He's seven months, eight months clean and all those things, doing fantastic. He said he wanted to lead the Bible study. He did. Which I and I told you this, like I that was almost that was almost as proud of him as I was as having my grandson. I agree, brother. You know, it was just it was so amazing. I loved it. And I went in and I sat with him. And of course, knowing who he is, and and he was directing it towards his his recovered fiance. Um, actually, they're married now. Um, the uh the one he wanted to do was Matthew 6. Right. You know, don't worry about tomorrow because tomorrow worries about itself and just so many things, you know. Like that's a that's a very good mantra for people in recovery, I think. Oh, agree. You know, take each moment, each step at a time, one day at a time. And that's what they're told in the recovery.
SPEAKER_05Well, I I I I would I would definitely say to partner with other things, but uh but it is a good one, yes. Because again, a lot of the worry, but at the same time too, like a little bit of concern. But you know, let's let's let's try and turn this ship around. But yeah, uh no, no, I I agree with you, brother. I I agree with you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think both of us have let go of a lot of our anxieties and like it's just been I don't know, I I I just can't describe it. There really isn't words for it. I smile in at adversity, I smile in good times. You know, I I I look around and I see what God is doing and how he's working, and even in the struggles, I see people struggling, but I see God with them too. Yes. I see that God is with them and he's trying to get them to open their eyes and rely on him like everybody else is supposed to. And then seeing the success stories that we've seen is just, oh, it's so awesome. It just makes you want to be more of a part of it. Yeah. You know, like if we could be open every day and and be ministering and teaching and talking about him every day.
SPEAKER_05Well, well, well, well, well, well, I do need some time off. I need some time away.
SPEAKER_02Well, eventually I'm gonna retire and I can be there more often. Hopefully, at least that's the goal to retire one day. All right, let's read the next section there. I like this next section a lot. Good.
SPEAKER_05For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. We're gonna stop right there. Well, you have to.
SPEAKER_02You have to stop right there. Like, how how important is that? It's huge. It's so big. Yeah, you know, it's like and I've been on this kick for a while because I've had a lot of people pass away in my life over the last couple years. And one of the things that that kind of started me on this journey was death for us, for Christians, is just an opening of a door. It's not death is nothing. You know, Jesus died on the cross, he went to the grave, he took back the keys, he is master over life and death and all those things. He undone what was done in the garden. So it really is, it's just another door opening up. It's like moving from one house to another house. You know? Uh it just and to be able to say that for me to live as Christ, which is go out and minister and preach and talk about Jesus. Oh, agreed. And to die is to gain, which is to gain an eternal life with him. To be there in his presence, to ask him all the questions that you think you want to ask him. Oh, I want to ask him this, oh, I want to ask him this. But let's be honest, when you get there, it's just gonna be like, oh my goodness, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here.
SPEAKER_05Well, yeah, I know. Uh and and uh also just like uh I I don't even fathom what to expect. I don't I don't know.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'll go to that song. Um, will I dance for you, Jesus? Right. Or will I fall down on my knees? Will I sing? You know, I I don't I I can't fathom. You know, I can't fathom. I just I I I want to say that I'll dance, but more than likely I'm gonna fall on my knees crying. Yeah. Just thankful that Agreed. Yeah, just I don't know.
SPEAKER_05You you said it, I believed it, I am here. That is amazing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Everybody gets hung up on uh what their life's gonna be like in heaven and all these things, and I'm like, hey, I'll mop the floors, I don't care, I just want to be there. I don't mean put me to work, do whatever you want, just as long as I'm there, you know. That's the important thing. To be in his presence. I I would love to find out what the dogs and cats and the birds are saying to each other. And the squirrels, I love the little squirrels. But the truth of the matter is it's just gonna be so, it's just gonna be, I don't know. Yeah. Pearly gates, streets of gold, you know, it's just gonna be awesome. Yeah. All right, 22.
SPEAKER_05But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me. And I do not know what I will choose. But I'm hard pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ. For that is very much better. Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. And convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your reason for boasting may abound in Christ, Jesus in me. Through my coming to you again. Only live your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear about your circumstances, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, contending together for the faith of the gospel, in no way alarmed by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same struggle which you saw in me, and now here to be in me.
SPEAKER_02As you're reading that, and we talked about, you know, to live. I'm gonna be preaching Christ, I'm gonna be talking about Christ. To die, I get to be with him. Um, but again, it's still all very like an A plus report card for the people here. I'm convinced of this. I know that I will remain and continue with you all, your progress and joy and the faith, so that your reason for boasting may abound in Christ Jesus. Yeah, it's all very much like I know you guys are you're good. I'm here, I'll be helping you out as much as I can, but it's all very much, you know, a good report card.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Like I understand hard press between the two having to desire to depart. And again, being that I've been around so much death lately, it's like I don't want to be worried about it. Like when it comes that time, I I want to have the smile on my face and I want to be joyful. Now, well, that whether that'll happen or not, I don't know. I I may, who knows? But just the idea of it, like either I'm going to go to work tonight or today or whatever, or I'm gonna be with Jesus. I'm good either way. And having that as your thought process, nothing else can sway. Like, what else is there to worry about? I'm either gonna wake up, go to work, or I'm going to wake up with Jesus.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And depending on your work, I understand some people hate their work, and work sucks sometimes, but at the same time, being that, hey, I am thankful I have a job to wake up to. I am thankful that this job has provided for so many for so long, for me and for my family. Yeah. You know, again, being thankful in everything, not just, you know, the positives and the good things.
SPEAKER_05Be Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_02So, yeah, that's a very positive um chapter there, in my opinion. Um, one of the things I want to go back to, I'm gonna go to my NIV because I've got it highlighted. Uh going from 15 to 18. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of self and selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether for false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice. Yes, I will continue to rejoice. This has been very profound on me because it's changed the way that I see worship. I can't say that somebody is worshiping incorrectly. Who am I to say that? Who am I to say that that's not the proper way to worship?
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_02Wrongful Steve.
SPEAKER_05Poor Steve. Oh no, I know.
SPEAKER_03Uh our our our our guy, wrongful Steve the third, uh is is uh he chooses to worship uh by declaring the Lord's name is Satan.
SPEAKER_02That's a bit extreme, but okay, I see what we're doing. No, no, no, no, no, it is.
SPEAKER_05I'm I'm just sorry. I'm just trying to find like uh the the weakness in the armor, brother. Uh and and and I think uh I no, I think that there are there is uh uh wrongful ways to do it. Uh again, when we're when we're being dishonest and and we're uh uh we're being confused, I I think I think those those are things. But again, uh I think where he says, like, you know, praise be that they are worshiping Christ, uh uh then uh even if we find ourselves in a bad situation, like uh like one of these uh these uh well I mean I hate to uh lump all of them together, but like uh one of these wrongful Steve mega churches, right? And and and we have these things where we know they are wrong, but there is some Christ being taught there. And again, it might be enough for that individual to go, like, hey, wrongful Steve is wrong. Right. And I can leave.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_05And I can go find a real church.
SPEAKER_02It's about planting a seed there.
SPEAKER_05Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And it may take a wrongful Steve to plant that seed. Yes. Um, but I think one of the things that I focus on here in this particular passage is um uh but what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives, okay, that's what I'm getting at. False motives or true motives, that Christ is preached. Um we know about prosperity uh gospel or yeah, prosperity gospel. Uh we know about, like you said, the megachurches. My first thought is the righteous, the righteous gemstones. I don't recommend watching that show, but it was funny. Um but it does give a bad name. But however, it's the discernment that makes the difference. Um I've been in a lot of different churches and I have branched out in a lot of different churches, and I have seen where there is some stuff going on that is not Christ. I saw a video the other day, a gentleman was saying that he doesn't believe that Jesus died for our sins. And I was like, what? So I had to listen to it. So that's definitely something that you have to be able to discern. And I think it's even Jesus saying that if anybody else is preaching anything other than the gospel, it might have been Paul, that that's a false teaching. But if you believe, and if you're teaching that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died on a cross for your sins, that he was raised again three days later, what else matters? Is that not the gospel in a hands in a hands?
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02In a hard shell? Here in a hard shell.
SPEAKER_05No, uh I I I I see your point about uh the gospel in a knapsack. I I uh I do think it's a move in the right direction. But again, like it would it would be for for me it would be harmful for me to have not had the impression that the um the whole message was love. And and and again, when the Lord says, Ah wait, you can't follow ten, I've got two for you. Two commandments, right? Yeah, two commandments, and and and and him saying that has I I mean I I think it is changed my world. Uh because again, when I go back and I read it time and time again, uh different passages in the Bible, I read something new, I see it. I see I see it every time. I'm like, nope, there it is, love right there. I how did I miss that? And again, uh yeah, I I think I think. It's a step in the right direction. I think for me, it was definitely the love and compassion that is shown time and again throughout the Bible. Because again, people want to hang up on like you know the villainy and the violence and things like that. People are doing wrong in this book, and it's in the Bible, so the Bible, you know, uh accounts for it. And I was like, well, I mean, it's people were doing things, yes. They were doing wrong, yes. Well, nobody likes accountability. Well, and I know that's exactly it. So uh I but I I think you know, l love for me was was was immensely powerful. And again, like I said, I go back to it every time and I see it. And then and then uh I I've heard the argument too, like how am I supposed to uh love other people like myself if I hate myself? And and again, and I'm just like ah well, okay, well, you you didn't the the first one, if you remember, is uh love and honor God. Now, who are you? The the image bearer of God. Oh, yeah, very interesting. So so so the thing is when you see it, you'll see it, and and brother definitely I felt it. It was love. So, and and and that that is the method by uh by how we measure things now. So I'm just like, am I loving that person? Am I loving God or the image bearer of God in that person? And and those, like I said, it's it's been immensely powerful for me.
SPEAKER_02So so I find it fascinating that, like you said, from ten to two, but if you break down those two, you can hear those two all day long and not break them down. But if you break down those two, oh yeah, the ten are being taken care of. Of course, and everything else possible because how do you murder, how do you steal, how do you covet if you love? Agreed. If you love, then like you were saying earlier when we went to lunch, you know, oh, that's fabulous for that person. That's great that they have this, that, or whatever. They don't covet people's stuff. And the one thing that we see the most of in our line of life, I guess, more than is the coveting. People coveting other people's stuff to where they steal it and they're upset because they don't have it, and we will willy-nilly give you whatever it is that you possibly could need, so there's no reason to covet those things and to steal those things. But unfortunately, we live in a world of consuming and stuff.
SPEAKER_05Right, right. We are definitely trained for that mindset.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, how many times have we had issues over somebody's phone?
SPEAKER_05We have to tell people like, do not leave it out. It will grow legs. Yeah, I mean, it's uh yeah.
SPEAKER_02And there I just don't understand it. And and again, probably because it's the journey I'm on, I have lived with much and I have lived with nothing, and I have been content in both. Yeah, and I am definitely far more content with nothing. It's easier to manage.
SPEAKER_05No, and that's fine. Uh no, I I think at a certain point, like the stuff does become stuff, right? Uh, and and then you can view it as clutter and and all those things as well, too. But um when it's also measured with the love that you have that you've received those things, again, love it's always led with love, so then I can appreciate those things. And again, when I when I think about those things, uh my apologies. No, I I think I I think I'm kind of going off the the message here. I uh that that's that's uh that's that's pretty much that's pretty much what I it love. Love was was hugely and immensely and bigly and giantly and all the I I don't know why I'm just different differently. You need a thesaurus, a thesaurus. I need a thesaurus. Yeah, but but but it was yeah, it was it was instrumental.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean that it was for me too. I mean, and again, we've actually referenced two specific jokes that George Carlin did. One was about stuff, and one was about the two commandments, breaking it down to two commandments, which is exactly what Jesus did, which is hilarious, because George Carlin breaks it down to the two. He says, I can simplify the ten to two. Uh well Jesus beat you to it, George. But yeah, it it it love is instrumental, and that's the thing that I think we've seen the biggest change in our community is that we love on one another in every situation, in every season of our lives. We lead with love, we follow through with love, we we we do as much as we possibly can with love, and they see it and they feel it. Just the change in our community alone is astronomical to me.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean and that's and it's still something we're struggling for. I I I I don't want it to seem like uh it was an instant thing. Um but uh and and we might have to fight for it sometimes uh but that's a good thing to fight for, agreed. Agreed.
SPEAKER_02Uh and I think one of the things that we do very well, and I even posted this on my Facebook, uh tell your loved ones and your friends that you love them.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02Say it so much that it's awkward, yeah, and then it becomes not awkward, and everybody says it.
SPEAKER_05I fear that I've said it to my wife to the point where uh uh she might have discerned at one point in time that it meant a little because I said it so often. But uh I I also assure her uh that when I when I don't have something uh impertinent to say, uh I say what's on my heart, and that's why she hears it so much.
SPEAKER_02I've actually said to my ex-wife that I wish I could find another word that was more important or more impactful than love for her. And I I never did figure it out, I never did get it, you know. So I get what you're saying there. I I do the same thing, and that's yeah, so but there is really no word that's more important than that one or impactful, especially if it's from the heart, which we talked about earlier. It's all about your heart posture. Agreed. And if you can say, I love you to somebody, and they feel it, that's the changer. That's the game changer right there. Fantastic. I do love the book of Philippians. I love this first chapter. Um, Life Worthy of the Gospel was one of the headings that I liked. Um so in 27 it says, Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Love. You know, just conduct yourselves in a manner showing people that they're loved, that you love them. Agreed. Just amazing. And Paul is doing a great job of building them up here. And I think he continues with the next two chapters, too, next three chapters. Do we want to go to the next one? Are we gonna call it?
SPEAKER_05We will, but we should probably call this one an episode per now.
SPEAKER_02So Okay.
SPEAKER_05Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'll pray south. Holy Father God, thank you so much for everything that you have given us. Thank you for the examples of love that you've given us. Uh Jesus coming and dying on the cross is the the ultimate show of love. And even Jesus says it's to look to die for one's brothers or sisters is the ultimate show of love, Father. And we just are so thankful that we have that, and we are able to do that, and we're able to uh share your words with other people and share your love with other people, Father. And we just are so grateful for um the opportunity to have these things in our lives and to work through these things and to share it with other people, Father. We ask all these things in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.