WEBVTT
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Good morning.
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Well, it's kind of morning for me.
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It's 11 o'clock.
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It's fine.
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It's happy Monday.
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I know Mondays aren't usually the best, but we're gonna make it happy because this is like the first full-length episode back from something sweeter.
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So I'm gonna try and do this the first couple of episodes just because I want to make sure that everybody is kind of on the same page here.
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Um, I'm going to be posting some of our old episodes as we go.
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The very first one that is showing up for you guys is the Iron Sharpens Iron.
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That was originally recorded in 2024, I believe.
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It was just such a good episode.
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I wanted to play around with it and put it back out there, and I'm definitely going to be reposting our interviews that we did.
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I think it was my sister's testimony, one of my best friends' testimonies, and then uh a close family friend that I had.
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So Emily, LaDonna, and Cassie.
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Those are definitely gonna go back up.
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They were so powerful, and I don't want anybody to miss that.
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But in the meantime, I'm also going to try and start recording again for you guys.
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And I um I'm a little nervous and I don't know why.
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Like I feel like you know, I did this for so long, but just being back in front of the microphone is it's a little intimidating.
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I don't know.
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So, and I don't have my best friend with me because he's at work, but it's fine.
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Also, Andy said hello to everybody, and that I'm not mean because I kicked him out.
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I didn't really kick him out.
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Um, but he's gonna try and pop in on some of the ones that we do, just not every episode.
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He's learning, he's doing his his own thing, and I'm gonna try and do this with you guys.
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And the layout of this podcast is a little different, it does work just a tad bit better having a single host versus two host.
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But again, there is some episodes where he's gonna pop in with us.
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Okay, I've also got to work on the vocal fry because I'm nervous.
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I'm not gonna do that, so it's gonna be okay.
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Um, I was trying to like think of something fun that I could do every episode and like give y'all a little tidbit or like a little sneak peek into our lives and like what we're doing.
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And I was like, okay, well, I can one thing if you've been a fan for a while, you know I love my caffeine, and I am a coffee or a loaded tea person, and I have some form of whatever every day.
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So I was like, okay, I'll just try like I'll tell you what I drank for the day, like what my coffee was, or what my loaded tea was, and I've got to make my mother-in-law asked me for some loaded teas.
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We do them for our youth group, and I keep forgetting, and I'm so gonna do that as soon as I get done with this.
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So if you're listening, I promise I'm about to do it.
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But what did I have today?
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I had so I bought some bones coffee, I love that coffee, and I got their new maple waffle coffee.
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I got the beans, and I made an ice latte with the maple waffle coffee beans, maple pancake syrup, not like legit syrup, like coffee syrup, sugar-free syrup, a little bit of Truvia brown sugar, a little bit of vanilla sugar-free syrup.
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What else?
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I forgot to put my sea salt in it.
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I bought a whole bag of sea salt for my coffee.
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Um that, and then I'm trying to get back on my low carb because I was doing it for a while and I did good, and then I completely just abandoned ship.
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Um so instead of using like milk or anything, I got a banana protein shake, and that was my milk with my maple waffle latte or espresso.
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Y'all, that was so good.
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That was so, so good.
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Um, so that was what I had for the day.
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And I don't know, maybe tomorrow I'll do a loaded tea or something.
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We'll see.
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But I have some really fun ideas for what's to come.
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I want to do some episodes on homeschooling.
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I want to do some episodes on just parenting in general because that's always fun.
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And you always need to learn a little bit with them, right?
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Because they're they're evolving, they're getting smarter.
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So you kind of have to like they keep you on your toes.
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You have to figure out what you're doing.
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And again, if y'all have been here for any amount of time, you know that technically, technically, we have three boys, but really I have four because my husband is my he's my hardest child.
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My hardest child is my mother-in-law's child, but it's okay.
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I love him, he's goofy, and that's why we love him.
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It's fine.
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Um, so yeah, I'm trying to like do the whole let me give you a little insight in what's going on in our lives before we dive into the episode.
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And I like catching up with y'all.
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So when I post this, you gotta in the comments on Facebook or wherever, you gotta let me know what kind of coffee did you have today, what's going on in your life, where you at, how you been, it's been two years.
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Welcome back.
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I'm probably going to rustle some feathers on this episode, and that's okay.
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I just it's for those of you who've been around a while, you know that something sweeter originally came from us doing true crime and wanting to give you legit something sweeter, but something that would give your mind a rest from everything going on in the world, something that would give your heart something sweeter to hold on to, like God's word.
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But I'm gonna be real honest with you.
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I feel like there is just like this fire in my chest, and it is just it's gotta come out.
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Like I I've got to say what I'm supposed to say, and I I don't think it needs to be sweet and sugar coated anymore.
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Because to be completely blunt with you guys, we don't have time.
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We do not have time to be sugar coating things anymore.
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And I'm not saying I'm gonna be rude.
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There's a big difference between sugar coating and being rude.
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I'm gonna hold your hand while I say this, but I'm gonna look at you real blunt like a best friend should, and that's what I want this to be, is like friends sitting down and talking.
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So, yes, this show is going to be something sweeter than what the world has to offer you.
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But you better buckle up, buttercup, because I'm done tiptoeing and playing nice, but it's okay because these are things that we need to talk about, and I don't want to tell you what makes you feel good.
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I want to tell you what I believe God is putting on my heart.
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So, this is the question.
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Let's start an episode with a question, and I want you to really think about it.
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Are you ready?
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If you died right now, today, would you go to heaven?
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You're like, dang, Bridget, you're just gonna start it with that.
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Okay, but are you?
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Are you actually ready?
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And I don't ask that question to scare you.
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I ask because I think that sometimes we get so comfortable with Christianity that we stop actually examining where we stand with Christ.
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So today we're gonna do some self-reflection.
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We're gonna get into a few controversial topics along the way because would it even be a podcast with Bridget slash Andy if we didn't be slightly controversial, right?
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It's okay.
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So before anybody thinks that I am standing here saying that I have got this all figured out, that I am just the best Christian to ever walk the face of this earth, let me be the first one to say, absolutely not.
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Lord knows my heart and he knows that I have stumbled.
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He knows that I have had hard days, he knows that I have messed up.
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But the difference is in this walk is I have to get back up.
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I'm not gonna let the enemy convince me to stay down.
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So today we're gonna walk through this together.
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It's not me standing above you, but it's me standing right beside you.
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Okay, so where are you?
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Let's start with some basic questions.
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Have you made a declaration of faith?
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And before anybody who is already saved and already in church just skips out of this episode because they think, oh, this is, you know, Sunday school stuff, of course I'm saved, of course I've done this, of course I've done that.
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I want you to stick with me because I really want this to be like a self-examination of where we actually stand.
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So don't get too high and mighty on me yet, okay?
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Have you made a declaration of faith?
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Have you accepted Jesus Christ?
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And if you have, here's the question: are you living in that declaration?
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Not just on Sunday, but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
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One of my favorite songs is that Monday Morning Faith.
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It is such a good worship song because it speaks so much truth.
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So if you haven't heard that song, definitely look it up.
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It's Monday morning faith, SEU worship, and who is the person with it?
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Chelsea Plank, I believe is who it is.
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But it is a beautiful song.
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And I'm gonna read some of the lyrics.
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It says, I want to meet, I want to meet with you more than Sundays.
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I want to know more than just my mother's faith, because that's not enough to get me through the rough.
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I need a Monday morning faith, meaning I need to seek you every day of the week, not just Sunday mornings.
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So are you living in that declaration when nobody from church is around you?
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Or what about when you're alone, when you're angry?
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That's a tough one.
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What about when you're tempted?
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What about when you're hurt?
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When no one would ever know what you just did, are you still living in that declaration?
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Because being a Christian isn't just about what we say we believe, and that is a hard one to swallow for some people.
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It's about what happens when that belief actually starts to change our life, when we start producing fruits, because that's how we judge people by their fruits.
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It's how we, you know, we're seeing, okay, is this who you really, are you who you really say that you are?
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Are you seeking him?
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Are you seeking God in everything you do?
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When something happens, is he the first person that you turn to?
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I know this is a lot of questions, but it's opening up a dialogue that I really want to dive into further.
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So just bear with me.
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Is he the first person that you turn to?
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Or is he the last?
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Do you pray?
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Do you fast?
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Do you read God's word?
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Do you actually spend time with him?
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And I know that some of these questions sound incredibly basic, but sometimes we need to go back to the basics because you can't know where you're going if you don't stop and ask yourself where you are.
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I want to go through something that is really, really important.
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And it's every every Christian needs to know this, but I want to also explain that if you are someone in leadership, that you need to know this.
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It is called the Romans Road.
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And before we talk about how we are supposed to live, I want you to understand why we need Jesus in the first place.
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So we're going to go through something called the Romans Road.
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This is a simple way of explaining the gospel and walking someone through what the Bible actually says about sin, about salvation, and about Jesus.
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So we're going to be flipping a little bit, so stay with me.
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Okay, so the first scripture is Romans 3.23, and it says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
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You, me, everyone, everyone is born into sin.
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That's why when we're saved, it's called being born again, because our flesh dies and we are made new in him.
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There is not a single person listening to this right now who can say, I have never sinned, because every one of us has fallen short.
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The next part is, you're going to hear my Bible, my pages, sorry.
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Um, the next one is Romans 5, and it's verses 8 and 9.
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It says, But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we are, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through him.
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So this is where the story changes just a little bit.
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God didn't look at us in our sin and decide that we weren't worth saving.
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God demonstrated his love for us by sending Jesus, his son, to die for us while we were still sinners.
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Jesus didn't wait for us to get our lives together, he didn't wait for us to become perfect, he came for us in the middle of our mess, and through him we are saved.
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And I didn't have this part written down, but I definitely want to add in here.
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If you are someone who thinks that you have to be something specific or look a certain way or get it all together before you step foot in a church, let this first scream to you, that is not what you have to do.
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The church is a place for you to come and be made new.
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It is a place for you to come and be washed clean.
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You don't have to work, walk into a church picture perfect.
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Okay, you're not meant to.
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Let God make that new in you because you can't be made perfect without Him.
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And we still fall short of that.
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Okay, next verse.
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It is Romans 6.23.
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It says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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So the wages of sin is death.
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There's a consequence for sin.
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That's God's standard.
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It doesn't matter whether we think our sin is big or little, sin is sin.
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You know, a white lie is the same thing as a blue and a black and a white, like they're all lies, okay?
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So sin is sin, but that verse does not end there.
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It says, But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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So death is what we deserve.
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Eternal life is what God offers us through Jesus.
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And we don't have to pay that penalty ourselves because Jesus paid it for us.
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All right, next one, Romans 8, 1.
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It says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
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So again, this is this is a big promise.
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It says there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
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Jesus washes us clean, he took what we deserve, and that's something that I really want you to sit with because he took what we deserve, not what we could have ended up with, you know, this, that, or the other.
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It is what we deserve for the wages of sin is death.
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So he took that for us.
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All right, next verse, Romans 10 and 9.
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This is how we see, or we see how we respond.
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So let me read it first.
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Verses, it's verse 10 and 9.
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It says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
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So if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we are saved.
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That's the gospel, that's the Romans road.
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Okay, that's how we can explain salvation to someone who doesn't know Christ.
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But that's not where the conversation ends, okay?
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Salvation is the beginning, it is a vital part, but it is the beginning.
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So, because here's where I think that we sometimes get confused.
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We talk about accepting Jesus and we talk about getting saved, but then we don't always talk about what happens after salvation.
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The Christian life isn't, I say a prayer, so now I can go live however I want.
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And while I don't think anybody, I don't think anybody out there intentionally does that.
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They don't get up from the altar and they're like, I just accepted Jesus in my life.
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Now I'm good, I'm I'm you know, clear, whatever.
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I don't think anybody does that, but I do think that we start off striving to be good, and over time our flesh begins to weigh heavier and heavier.
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But I'm getting ahead of myself, so we're gonna back up.
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Salvation is the beginning of a relationship with Christ that leads us into something called sanctification.
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Sanctification is it's the process of being made holy, okay?
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It's of being transformed and becoming more like Christ.
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It's the process of God working on us, changing us, convicting us, correcting us, and growing us, okay?
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And no, that doesn't mean that we're gonna become perfect overnight.
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I promise it's not.
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But there also should be evidence that we've been changed, okay?
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If you are saved and you're still living your life like you did before you got saved, we need to have a conversation, okay?
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And this is where I'm gonna ruffle some feathers.
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I'm I'm gonna give you some backing on why I believe what I'm about to say, but I kind of want to go over it.
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And like I said, this is a heavy one for a first episode back, but I don't know.
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I'm doing I'm we're just gonna go.
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Okay.
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The phrase once saved, always saved.
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I know.
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Did everybody just go, oh no, no, she's gonna talk about it?
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I am, I feel like I have to, so we're just gonna go through it.
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So this is something that Christians have debated for a very, very long time.
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I don't want to pretend like this is a simple conversation that every Christian denomination has interpreted the exact same way because it absolutely is not.
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And it is something that there's there's been a lot of fights over this, there's been a lot of hurt feelings over this.
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.359
So that's not my intentions with this.
00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.359
I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.
00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:42.960
But if someone here's the thing, it gets so controversial because if someone says, Well, I accepted Jesus once, so it doesn't matter how I live now, again, I don't think that that is something that has ever came out of someone's mouth.
00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:49.039
I mean, I hope not, but I do think that it becomes a justification of actions over time.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:56.559
I like where someone says, you know, I just don't see how someone can lose their self lose their salvation while they're standing there in obvious sin.
00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.839
That's a problem.
00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:17.680
And I do want to acknowledge that this is often called eternal security and that there is a verse in John where it says that no one can pluck you out of my hand, but we do need to understand that by going against, you know, once saved, always saved, I'm or by me going against once saved, always saved, I'm not preaching performance-based salvation.
00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:25.759
What I'm saying is you cannot say a prayer and then live a life full of wickedness and expect to walk into those gates.
00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.319
I want you to go back and we're gonna read John 8 24.
00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:39.759
It says, I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:41.440
I'm gonna go a little further.
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.319
Then said they unto them, Who art thou?
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:57.200
And Jesus said unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning, I have many things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true, and I speak the word, those things which I have heard of him.
00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.720
Okay, so salvation is not earned by works.
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:04.960
We've we learned that in Ephesians chapter two, verses like eight and nine.
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.920
It says that we are saved by grace, not by works.
00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:14.640
But the Bible does not talk about we enter salvation and then we remain in salvation.
00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:20.000
John 15, 4 and 6, it says, Abide in me and I will abide in you.
00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:24.559
And that's important because Jesus isn't talking to atheists who never believed him here.
00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:29.119
He's talking to his disciples when he says, Abide in me and I will abide in you.
00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:41.519
So why would Scripture repeatedly tell believers to remain, to endure, to preserve, to hold, to fast and not turn away if there was absolutely no possibility of falling away?
00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.839
James 5, 19 and 20.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.559
I'm gonna read it.
00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:58.720
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him know that he which converted the sinner from the error of his ways, from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.
00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.599
So this talks about somebody wandering from the truth and the importance of bringing them back.
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:08.960
We do we have to be very careful with John 10, 28 and 29.
00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:10.160
I'm gonna read it real quick.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:16.720
And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:23.279
My father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of the father's hand.
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:32.000
It's saying that no one can pluck you out of his hand, and that's beautiful, but it's what he's saying is that someone else cannot steal you from Jesus.
00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.559
There's you have to think of it like this.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:45.440
He's saying not a person can re no person can reject me, abandon me, and live in rebellion against me, and me just sit here and guarantee their salvation regardless of what they've ultimately chosen.
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.039
You just can't l live any way you want to.
00:20:49.279 --> 00:21:03.839
And I mean, I literally one time I had a man look at me and he was about to go do something, and he said, Oh, I might die, or he said something along the lines of, if I die, God might be a little mad when I get there or I show up drunk, but he'll let me in.
00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:10.480
I stared at him and like my mouth fell open because I'm like, What what do you mean?
00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:22.240
You cannot live against everything that the Bible is telling you, and think that you know you're secure because of a promise you made once before.
00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:25.519
You can't live both ways.
00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:28.720
Hebrews 13 and 12 warns against it too.
00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:40.000
He gives a warning saying, Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you an evil in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:43.200
Okay, he's giving you a warning, saying, Take heed.
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:54.799
Then in Hebrews 10 26, he says, For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:56.880
That is plain as day.
00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.000
I'm gonna read it again.
00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:06.799
For if we sin willfully, After we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for your sins.
00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:14.480
That gives us a serious warning about continuing deliberately in sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth.
00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:19.440
Jesus warns his followers over and over and over about falling away.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.119
Go and read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.720
That's your homework, okay?
00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:28.480
And it said he says, Remain in me in John 15.
00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:31.839
Abide in my word in John 8, 31.
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.039
Endure to the end, Matthew 24 and 13.
00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:38.160
Do not be deceived, Matthew 24 and 4.
00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:44.240
Watch and pray, Matthew 26, 41, and hold fast, Revelations 2 and 3.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:52.720
So whatever your theological position is on the eternal security, we should all be able to agree on one thing.
00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:57.680
Grace is not permission to live in rebellion against God.
00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:02.400
Jesus did not save us so that we could remain exactly who we were.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:05.519
He saved us so that we could become something new.
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:10.400
And by his mercy alone, many of us have skated by on this.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:15.920
I understand where the once saved, always saved beliefs come from or the eternal security comes from.
00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:17.839
I genuinely do understand.
00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:40.000
I understand the desire to protect the truth that salvation is a gift and not something that we earn through our works because we don't, but I do not believe that scripture gives us permission to turn God's grace into a guarantee that we can reject Him by continuingly, deliberately living in sin or walking away from Him without consequence.
00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:43.920
I am not saying that you lose your salvation every time that you sin.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:52.000
I'm saying that the Bible clearly distinguishes between stumbling in your walk with Christ and deliberately abandoning your walk with Christ.
00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:56.960
And that brings me to one of the things that have honestly been sitting heavy on my heart.
00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:58.799
And that's lukewarm Christianity.
00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.720
You've heard me talk about this before, but I want to go over it again.
00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:11.359
Revelation 3.16, it says, So then because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:15.680
It talks about being neither hot nor cold, but being lukewarm.
00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:32.400
And Jesus himself says that he will spew you out of his mouth, that he has no room in the kingdom for somebody lukewarm, that you would be better if you're like I know this is so like heavy to say, but I've heard my dad say it like when he first got saved.
00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:36.400
He was like, I'm I've always been that person who if I'm going to hell, I'm gonna go wide open.
00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.279
And if I'm going to heaven, I'm going wide open too.
00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:41.839
And that's the mentality that we have to have.
00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:45.279
You can't have one foot in and one foot out.
00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.279
Salt water and freshwater don't mix.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.240
You can't do that.
00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:50.240
They don't come from the same spigot.
00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.440
So what does it mean to be lukewarm?
00:24:53.599 --> 00:25:00.000
I think it's someone who wants enough of Jesus to feel safe, but not enough of Jesus to actually change.
00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:11.279
And again, I don't think that there are people who have this like evil mindset of I'm gonna go and I'm gonna do just enough or I'm gonna be this or you know, go halfway.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:17.200
No, I think it's something that is it's the devil's biggest tool is comfortability.
00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:25.680
And if he can make us comfortable, he doesn't have to worry about us making us sin or us falling into different temptations all the time.
00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:33.839
Everybody thinks that the devil's gonna come after you with like this big, huge sin and it's gonna be so obvious, and you know, you're gonna fight and this, that, and the other.
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.440
Some sometimes he just has to distract you.
00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:40.400
He just has to make you comfortable.
00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:50.400
I mean, if think about it though, if all the devil had to do is make you comfortable to keep you from doing what you should be doing, that's that's not okay.
00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:54.640
You you need you we need to make sure that we are keeping ourselves in check.
00:25:54.960 --> 00:26:02.640
And uh it's uh like I said, it's someone who wants enough of Jesus to feel safe, but not enough of Jesus to actually change.
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:16.000
Someone who wants heaven, but doesn't necessarily want surrender, someone who wants God's blessings, but doesn't want God's correction, someone who wants Jesus as a savior, but they don't want him as their Lord.
00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:20.880
It's going to church, but never letting church change you.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:30.400
If you have been sitting in the same church for 20-something years and you're still living the same way that you did before you stepped foot in that church, baby, you are not where you need to be.
00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:33.359
You are checking off a box that makes you feel good.
00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:34.240
That is harsh.
00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:38.079
I know that's harsh, but again, guys, we don't have time.
00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.920
We do not have time to be lukewarm Christians anymore.
00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:53.440
It is time to ignite and fight in this work that we have to do for the kingdom of God because everything that you've read in Revelation is happening.
00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.319
Everything is happening right now on your TVs.
00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.599
You can turn the news on right now and see what's happening.
00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:06.799
I was with some friends one time, or I was just in a group of people, and something got said about church or about God or something.
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:11.200
And one of the people I was talking to was like, oh yeah, I go to so-and-so church.
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:15.599
And this other person jerked their head and they said, Oh, I didn't know you went to church.
00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:17.279
That is embarrassing.
00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.559
You can't be that.
00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:29.200
If if you're not living your life in such a way that the fruits of your salvation, the fruits of your life are showing, we gotta do better.
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:33.599
Okay, we've got to like buckle up, we've got to do better about this.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:37.359
And I'm not I'm not saying that this is about perfection.
00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:43.200
God does not ask us to be perfect, but lukewarm doesn't mean just I struggled today.
00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.480
No, people struggle.
00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.440
That's okay.
00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.160
God understands that, and that's why he gives us grace.
00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:51.279
Lukewarm is it's a lifestyle.
00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:57.359
It's not wanting to give anything up that you, it's not wanting to give up the flesh.
00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:00.559
It doesn't mean that you've sinned or that you've had a bad week.
00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:02.799
It doesn't mean that you question something.
00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:09.119
We're human, we stumble, we fall, and some of us absolutely face plant, been there, done that.
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.799
Okay, we all struggle.
00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:15.920
But the question is, what do you do when you fall?
00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.720
Do you get back up and run towards Jesus?
00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:26.000
Or do you use grace as an excuse to stay where you are because changing is too hard and it makes you uncomfortable?
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:33.519
Imagine looking at Jesus and saying, Christianity was too made me too uncomfortable.
00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:40.480
The man who died on the cross for you to live the way that you live, it's too uncomfortable.
00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:42.640
People are gonna make fun of you.
00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:54.720
They're you may not even be ready to give up your lifestyle, but if your lifestyle and your social agenda mean more to you than the man who gave his life for you, we need to have a very strong re-evaluation.
00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:57.279
And I know I've said it more and more times.
00:28:57.519 --> 00:29:07.920
I know this first episode is going to ruffle feathers, and honestly, I'm okay with that because sometimes ruffling feathers starts a conversation that we desperately need to have.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:18.160
And I don't want something sweeter to be just another podcast to where you listen and feel good for 30 minutes and then you turn it off and go back to doing the same thing that you were doing before.
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:20.400
I want us to talk about the hard things.
00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:27.119
I want us to talk about the uncomfortable things, the things that make us stop and examine ourselves.
00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:32.000
Because I think that there are three questions that we need to continually ask ourselves.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:34.000
How do I accept Christ?
00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.839
How am I called to live?
00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.160
And why does it matter?
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:40.960
Okay, that's your beginning steps.
00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:47.599
Then you have to start asking, okay, am I living according to the word that I have pledged my life to?
00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:51.119
Am I walking in the way that he has shown me?
00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:58.160
And I'll be honest, if you're uncomfortable and you don't know what to do, reach out to someone.
00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:00.720
This is not a walk that you have to walk alone.
00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:04.240
There are mentors, there are pastors, there's teachers, there's friends.
00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.599
Hello, me.
00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.400
I'm here.
00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:08.240
Ask me questions, okay?
00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:14.000
Like I don't want anybody to not know what to do or how to do it.
00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:20.720
There's some things that are going to be really hard to let go of, but I promise you, in the long run, it is worth it.
00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:28.000
Walking with Christ is probably the easiest choice that you're ever going to make, but it's the hardest lifestyle that you'll ever live.
00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:32.160
Not because, you know, it's I let me explain it a little better.
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.319
Choosing Jesus is easy, okay?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:38.000
But surrendering everything to him, that's where the work really begins.
00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:41.279
And I'm gonna leave you with the same question that I started with.
00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:44.799
If you died today, would you go to heaven?
00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:48.240
If you are not sure, do not ignore that feeling.
00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:52.559
Please seek him, open his word, pray, okay?
00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:56.960
Talk to someone who you trust who genuinely follows Christ.
00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:02.880
Don't push that question away because it's uncomfortable, because we do not have time to keep playing church.
00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:12.799
If you are showing up to church on Sunday and still living your life how you want to, Monday through Saturday, we need to have a re-evaluation.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:19.359
We don't have time to keep pretending and we don't have time to keep telling ourselves that tomorrow is guaranteed.
00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:30.400
So again, buckle up buttercups, because if we're gonna do something sweeter, if we're gonna revamp this podcast, if y'all really want Bridget to be back behind this mic, we're gonna do it for real.
00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:37.039
We're not gonna sugarcoat it, we're not gonna water it down, and we're not afraid of the hard conversations, okay?
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:41.200
Because the world has enough voices telling us exactly what we want to hear.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:45.839
And I am not gonna hold your hand and tell you that this is okay.
00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:57.200
I'm not giving you this prosperity gospel of, you know, this is exactly how this is supposed to go, and this is, you know, God doesn't want you to be uncomfortable or whatever.
00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:09.839
No, guys, it you've got it's gonna be uncomfortable, it's gonna be hard, but it is the best choice that you are ever going to make because at the end of the day, it's the only choice that matters.
00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:15.039
I want this to be a place to where we come back to what God's word actually says.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:18.400
Jesus is coming and he is coming soon, people.
00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:22.319
So it's time that we clean our houses, our spiritual houses.
00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:26.400
We stop playing church, we stop being a social media Christian.
00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:31.119
This isn't just for you in your life, this is for your children, for your spouses.
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:34.559
You have to be the light in the darkness for others.
00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:46.720
Because what if one day you get to heaven and the great I am is looking at you and he says, Because you didn't obey me and follow what I wanted for you, their blood is on your hands.
00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.240
Do you want to hear that?
00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:52.559
Or do you want to hear, well done, my good and faithful servant?
00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:56.960
So that is it for this episode of Something Sweeter Podcast.
00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:04.319
I hope you stuck with me through the whole thing, and I hope that you understand that in no way am I saying that I am this perfect Christian.
00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:08.160
I'm not saying that I am a perfect specimen of exactly what God says.
00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:12.319
I have stumbled, I have made mistakes, and I will make more mistakes.
00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:25.039
But I'm going to do my best to live accordingly, to live the life that God has called for me to live, because I'm not going to get to heaven one day and him say that I didn't do what I was supposed to do.
00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:28.799
So I hope you tune back in for the next episode.
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:32.720
I haven't really figured out what this schedule is going to look like.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:37.200
I've just been studying and writing things down and recording as I go.
00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:42.400
Maybe once I get a little more established, I can give you a schedule of what this looks like.
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:45.200
Um, but I do want to acknowledge something.
00:33:45.599 --> 00:34:01.759
I when I put that first little tidbit up of hey, it's been a while, I was not asking for handouts, and I don't want anybody to think that I was, but I know that God put it on a few people's hearts to send money for the podcast episodes.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:04.480
And I'm so grateful for that.
00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:10.400
I I truly, truly am, but I don't want you to think that I was asking for that that's what that was about.
00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:11.199
It wasn't.
00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:19.599
I was just trying to be transparent and explain things because it does podcasting does get it it is a financial there there's a financial thing to that.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:21.519
Okay, you have to pay to do certain things.
00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:30.239
So I just wanted to say to those of you who did send money in order for us to put up a couple months worth of episodes, thank you.
00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:36.480
Thank you from the bottom of my heart because because of you, we are paid up for a little bit.
00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:40.320
I think we have, I think I have a whole month's worth that we can do.
00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:51.199
And I know that God's gonna provide in his way and in his timing, and I am trusting that, and I know that if this is something that God wants, He's He's gonna provide for it.
00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:56.480
And I just I want to say thank you to those of you who have sent things.
00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:58.480
I truly, truly, truly appreciate it.
00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:03.519
And you know who you are, and I love you so so much, and you are just so near and dear to my heart.
00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:06.480
But I'm gonna say a quick little prayer and then I'm gonna let you go.
00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:08.719
All right, so bow your head, close your eyes.
00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:11.119
Like we talked, unless you're in the car, please don't do that.
00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:13.920
But um, let's just go ahead and pray.
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:17.119
God, I thank you for something sweeter podcast.
00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:20.880
Lord, I thank you for putting this on my heart and this burden to spread your word.
00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:36.960
And for the people who encouraged me, for the people who have helped me, and those who have been working behind the scenes that I haven't even seen yet, God, I thank you for everything that you were doing for this show because I know that you have bigger plans than even what I can dream up.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:47.280
Lord, I pray that it is not me talking, that it is you talking through me, that everything in this show is not for my glory, but it is for your glory, God.
00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:57.760
And that those who need to hear these specific topics of what is to come, God, I pray that there is nothing in the world that distracts them from getting the word and that they are able to hear what you have set out for them.
00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:13.440
Lord, I pray that everybody who has listened to this episode today, that they take a moment to reevaluate where they are at with you, God, and that they kick this lukewarm Christianity to the side and that they dive headfirst all in ten toes down for you, God.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:24.400
And that if anybody needs anything, God, and I am not able to be there if I'm not able to do something, God, I pray that you send somebody in my in replace of me, Lord.
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:28.239
But I pray that I am also able to help anybody if they have questions.
00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:33.039
God, I thank you for the friends that I have made through this journey, and I thank you for the friends that are to come.
00:36:33.280 --> 00:36:40.880
God, be with everyone as they are working, as they are at home, as they are with their families, Lord, and put a hedge of protection around them, God.
00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:44.400
And I thank you, thank you, thank you for everything that you are doing in our lives.
00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:46.639
In your almighty name we pray.
00:36:46.880 --> 00:36:47.519
Amen.
00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:14.480
Good morning.
00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:16.960
Well, it's kind of morning for me.
00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:18.000
It's 11 o'clock.
00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:18.800
It's fine.
00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:20.800
It's happy Monday.
00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:29.760
I know Mondays aren't usually the best, but we're gonna make it happy because this is like the first full-length episode back from something sweeter.
00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:37.520
So I'm gonna try and do this the first couple of episodes just because I want to make sure that everybody is kind of on the same page here.
00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:42.399
Um, I'm going to be posting some of our old episodes as we go.
00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:46.640
The very first one that is showing up for you guys is the Iron Sharpens Iron.
00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:51.520
That was originally recorded in 2024, I believe.
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:53.039
It was just such a good episode.
00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:59.679
I wanted to play around with it and put it back out there, and I'm definitely going to be reposting our interviews that we did.
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:07.680
I think it was my sister's testimony, one of my best friends' testimonies, and then uh a close family friend that I had.
00:01:07.840 --> 00:01:09.840
So Emily, LaDonna, and Cassie.
00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.359
Those are definitely gonna go back up.
00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.400
They were so powerful, and I don't want anybody to miss that.
00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:20.400
But in the meantime, I'm also going to try and start recording again for you guys.
00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:25.599
And I um I'm a little nervous and I don't know why.
00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:31.760
Like I feel like you know, I did this for so long, but just being back in front of the microphone is it's a little intimidating.
00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:32.560
I don't know.
00:01:32.719 --> 00:01:37.760
So, and I don't have my best friend with me because he's at work, but it's fine.
00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:44.560
Also, Andy said hello to everybody, and that I'm not mean because I kicked him out.
00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:45.680
I didn't really kick him out.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:50.959
Um, but he's gonna try and pop in on some of the ones that we do, just not every episode.
00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:56.560
He's learning, he's doing his his own thing, and I'm gonna try and do this with you guys.
00:01:56.799 --> 00:02:04.719
And the layout of this podcast is a little different, it does work just a tad bit better having a single host versus two host.
00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.920
But again, there is some episodes where he's gonna pop in with us.
00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:11.120
Okay, I've also got to work on the vocal fry because I'm nervous.
00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:13.919
I'm not gonna do that, so it's gonna be okay.
00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:23.599
Um, I was trying to like think of something fun that I could do every episode and like give y'all a little tidbit or like a little sneak peek into our lives and like what we're doing.
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:38.159
And I was like, okay, well, I can one thing if you've been a fan for a while, you know I love my caffeine, and I am a coffee or a loaded tea person, and I have some form of whatever every day.
00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:48.319
So I was like, okay, I'll just try like I'll tell you what I drank for the day, like what my coffee was, or what my loaded tea was, and I've got to make my mother-in-law asked me for some loaded teas.
00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:53.360
We do them for our youth group, and I keep forgetting, and I'm so gonna do that as soon as I get done with this.
00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:56.000
So if you're listening, I promise I'm about to do it.
00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:58.000
But what did I have today?
00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:05.039
I had so I bought some bones coffee, I love that coffee, and I got their new maple waffle coffee.
00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:22.319
I got the beans, and I made an ice latte with the maple waffle coffee beans, maple pancake syrup, not like legit syrup, like coffee syrup, sugar-free syrup, a little bit of Truvia brown sugar, a little bit of vanilla sugar-free syrup.
00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:23.280
What else?
00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:25.280
I forgot to put my sea salt in it.
00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:27.520
I bought a whole bag of sea salt for my coffee.
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:37.039
Um that, and then I'm trying to get back on my low carb because I was doing it for a while and I did good, and then I completely just abandoned ship.
00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:47.199
Um so instead of using like milk or anything, I got a banana protein shake, and that was my milk with my maple waffle latte or espresso.
00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:49.680
Y'all, that was so good.
00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.360
That was so, so good.
00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.560
Um, so that was what I had for the day.
00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.639
And I don't know, maybe tomorrow I'll do a loaded tea or something.
00:03:58.800 --> 00:03:59.759
We'll see.
00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:03.680
But I have some really fun ideas for what's to come.
00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.719
I want to do some episodes on homeschooling.
00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:11.439
I want to do some episodes on just parenting in general because that's always fun.
00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:14.080
And you always need to learn a little bit with them, right?
00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:17.199
Because they're they're evolving, they're getting smarter.
00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:19.759
So you kind of have to like they keep you on your toes.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:21.600
You have to figure out what you're doing.
00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:32.720
And again, if y'all have been here for any amount of time, you know that technically, technically, we have three boys, but really I have four because my husband is my he's my hardest child.
00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:36.000
My hardest child is my mother-in-law's child, but it's okay.
00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:39.680
I love him, he's goofy, and that's why we love him.
00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:40.720
It's fine.
00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:48.399
Um, so yeah, I'm trying to like do the whole let me give you a little insight in what's going on in our lives before we dive into the episode.
00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:50.560
And I like catching up with y'all.
00:04:50.720 --> 00:05:02.240
So when I post this, you gotta in the comments on Facebook or wherever, you gotta let me know what kind of coffee did you have today, what's going on in your life, where you at, how you been, it's been two years.
00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:03.519
Welcome back.
00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:09.759
I'm probably going to rustle some feathers on this episode, and that's okay.
00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:28.959
I just it's for those of you who've been around a while, you know that something sweeter originally came from us doing true crime and wanting to give you legit something sweeter, but something that would give your mind a rest from everything going on in the world, something that would give your heart something sweeter to hold on to, like God's word.
00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.480
But I'm gonna be real honest with you.
00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:38.720
I feel like there is just like this fire in my chest, and it is just it's gotta come out.
00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:47.519
Like I I've got to say what I'm supposed to say, and I I don't think it needs to be sweet and sugar coated anymore.
00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:52.000
Because to be completely blunt with you guys, we don't have time.
00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:54.959
We do not have time to be sugar coating things anymore.
00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:56.240
And I'm not saying I'm gonna be rude.
00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:58.639
There's a big difference between sugar coating and being rude.
00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:06.639
I'm gonna hold your hand while I say this, but I'm gonna look at you real blunt like a best friend should, and that's what I want this to be, is like friends sitting down and talking.
00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:11.360
So, yes, this show is going to be something sweeter than what the world has to offer you.
00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:22.560
But you better buckle up, buttercup, because I'm done tiptoeing and playing nice, but it's okay because these are things that we need to talk about, and I don't want to tell you what makes you feel good.
00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.720
I want to tell you what I believe God is putting on my heart.
00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:28.959
So, this is the question.
00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:33.920
Let's start an episode with a question, and I want you to really think about it.
00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.399
Are you ready?
00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:41.839
If you died right now, today, would you go to heaven?
00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.040
You're like, dang, Bridget, you're just gonna start it with that.
00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.399
Okay, but are you?
00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.160
Are you actually ready?
00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:51.199
And I don't ask that question to scare you.
00:06:51.360 --> 00:07:00.560
I ask because I think that sometimes we get so comfortable with Christianity that we stop actually examining where we stand with Christ.
00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.519
So today we're gonna do some self-reflection.
00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:14.399
We're gonna get into a few controversial topics along the way because would it even be a podcast with Bridget slash Andy if we didn't be slightly controversial, right?
00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:15.360
It's okay.
00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:27.920
So before anybody thinks that I am standing here saying that I have got this all figured out, that I am just the best Christian to ever walk the face of this earth, let me be the first one to say, absolutely not.
00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.759
Lord knows my heart and he knows that I have stumbled.
00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:35.120
He knows that I have had hard days, he knows that I have messed up.
00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:39.199
But the difference is in this walk is I have to get back up.
00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:42.319
I'm not gonna let the enemy convince me to stay down.
00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:44.879
So today we're gonna walk through this together.
00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:48.639
It's not me standing above you, but it's me standing right beside you.
00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.879
Okay, so where are you?
00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.040
Let's start with some basic questions.
00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:55.199
Have you made a declaration of faith?
00:07:55.360 --> 00:08:07.600
And before anybody who is already saved and already in church just skips out of this episode because they think, oh, this is, you know, Sunday school stuff, of course I'm saved, of course I've done this, of course I've done that.
00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:13.600
I want you to stick with me because I really want this to be like a self-examination of where we actually stand.
00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:17.360
So don't get too high and mighty on me yet, okay?
00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:20.319
Have you made a declaration of faith?
00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:22.800
Have you accepted Jesus Christ?
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:28.480
And if you have, here's the question: are you living in that declaration?
00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.720
Not just on Sunday, but Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:37.360
One of my favorite songs is that Monday Morning Faith.
00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:42.320
It is such a good worship song because it speaks so much truth.
00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.639
So if you haven't heard that song, definitely look it up.
00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:49.279
It's Monday morning faith, SEU worship, and who is the person with it?
00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:52.240
Chelsea Plank, I believe is who it is.
00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.919
But it is a beautiful song.
00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:55.279
And I'm gonna read some of the lyrics.
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.320
It says, I want to meet, I want to meet with you more than Sundays.
00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:03.600
I want to know more than just my mother's faith, because that's not enough to get me through the rough.
00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:09.840
I need a Monday morning faith, meaning I need to seek you every day of the week, not just Sunday mornings.
00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:15.120
So are you living in that declaration when nobody from church is around you?
00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.559
Or what about when you're alone, when you're angry?
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.600
That's a tough one.
00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:21.120
What about when you're tempted?
00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.360
What about when you're hurt?
00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:30.799
When no one would ever know what you just did, are you still living in that declaration?
00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:38.159
Because being a Christian isn't just about what we say we believe, and that is a hard one to swallow for some people.
00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:47.679
It's about what happens when that belief actually starts to change our life, when we start producing fruits, because that's how we judge people by their fruits.
00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:54.000
It's how we, you know, we're seeing, okay, is this who you really, are you who you really say that you are?
00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:55.919
Are you seeking him?
00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:59.120
Are you seeking God in everything you do?
00:09:59.360 --> 00:10:02.159
When something happens, is he the first person that you turn to?
00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:06.480
I know this is a lot of questions, but it's opening up a dialogue that I really want to dive into further.
00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:07.919
So just bear with me.
00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.720
Is he the first person that you turn to?
00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:12.399
Or is he the last?
00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:13.600
Do you pray?
00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:14.559
Do you fast?
00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:15.919
Do you read God's word?
00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:18.720
Do you actually spend time with him?
00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:31.600
And I know that some of these questions sound incredibly basic, but sometimes we need to go back to the basics because you can't know where you're going if you don't stop and ask yourself where you are.
00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:36.399
I want to go through something that is really, really important.
00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:47.919
And it's every every Christian needs to know this, but I want to also explain that if you are someone in leadership, that you need to know this.
00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:50.240
It is called the Romans Road.
00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:56.799
And before we talk about how we are supposed to live, I want you to understand why we need Jesus in the first place.
00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:59.600
So we're going to go through something called the Romans Road.
00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:10.080
This is a simple way of explaining the gospel and walking someone through what the Bible actually says about sin, about salvation, and about Jesus.
00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:12.960
So we're going to be flipping a little bit, so stay with me.
00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:21.279
Okay, so the first scripture is Romans 3.23, and it says, For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:26.320
You, me, everyone, everyone is born into sin.
00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:32.799
That's why when we're saved, it's called being born again, because our flesh dies and we are made new in him.
00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:41.519
There is not a single person listening to this right now who can say, I have never sinned, because every one of us has fallen short.
00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:45.679
The next part is, you're going to hear my Bible, my pages, sorry.
00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:50.399
Um, the next one is Romans 5, and it's verses 8 and 9.
00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:59.200
It says, But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we are, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:06.000
Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through him.
00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.679
So this is where the story changes just a little bit.
00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.279
God didn't look at us in our sin and decide that we weren't worth saving.
00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:22.000
God demonstrated his love for us by sending Jesus, his son, to die for us while we were still sinners.
00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:31.519
Jesus didn't wait for us to get our lives together, he didn't wait for us to become perfect, he came for us in the middle of our mess, and through him we are saved.
00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:35.840
And I didn't have this part written down, but I definitely want to add in here.
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:49.440
If you are someone who thinks that you have to be something specific or look a certain way or get it all together before you step foot in a church, let this first scream to you, that is not what you have to do.
00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:54.000
The church is a place for you to come and be made new.
00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.799
It is a place for you to come and be washed clean.
00:12:56.960 --> 00:13:00.639
You don't have to work, walk into a church picture perfect.
00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:02.559
Okay, you're not meant to.
00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:07.360
Let God make that new in you because you can't be made perfect without Him.
00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:09.279
And we still fall short of that.
00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:10.960
Okay, next verse.
00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:13.120
It is Romans 6.23.
00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:21.200
It says, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:24.240
So the wages of sin is death.
00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:26.159
There's a consequence for sin.
00:13:26.320 --> 00:13:27.600
That's God's standard.
00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:32.080
It doesn't matter whether we think our sin is big or little, sin is sin.
00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:37.279
You know, a white lie is the same thing as a blue and a black and a white, like they're all lies, okay?
00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:40.799
So sin is sin, but that verse does not end there.
00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:46.240
It says, But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.240
So death is what we deserve.
00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.240
Eternal life is what God offers us through Jesus.
00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:57.840
And we don't have to pay that penalty ourselves because Jesus paid it for us.
00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.600
All right, next one, Romans 8, 1.
00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:11.039
It says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.840
So again, this is this is a big promise.
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.279
It says there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ.
00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:29.440
Jesus washes us clean, he took what we deserve, and that's something that I really want you to sit with because he took what we deserve, not what we could have ended up with, you know, this, that, or the other.
00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:33.039
It is what we deserve for the wages of sin is death.
00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.039
So he took that for us.
00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.960
All right, next verse, Romans 10 and 9.
00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.039
This is how we see, or we see how we respond.
00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:44.559
So let me read it first.
00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:46.480
Verses, it's verse 10 and 9.
00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:55.679
It says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:03.200
So if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and we believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we are saved.
00:15:03.360 --> 00:15:05.679
That's the gospel, that's the Romans road.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:10.639
Okay, that's how we can explain salvation to someone who doesn't know Christ.
00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:14.320
But that's not where the conversation ends, okay?
00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:19.840
Salvation is the beginning, it is a vital part, but it is the beginning.
00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:23.279
So, because here's where I think that we sometimes get confused.
00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:30.799
We talk about accepting Jesus and we talk about getting saved, but then we don't always talk about what happens after salvation.
00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:35.759
The Christian life isn't, I say a prayer, so now I can go live however I want.
00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:40.879
And while I don't think anybody, I don't think anybody out there intentionally does that.
00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:45.200
They don't get up from the altar and they're like, I just accepted Jesus in my life.
00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.679
Now I'm good, I'm I'm you know, clear, whatever.
00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:57.600
I don't think anybody does that, but I do think that we start off striving to be good, and over time our flesh begins to weigh heavier and heavier.
00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.159
But I'm getting ahead of myself, so we're gonna back up.
00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:07.759
Salvation is the beginning of a relationship with Christ that leads us into something called sanctification.
00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:12.639
Sanctification is it's the process of being made holy, okay?
00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:16.399
It's of being transformed and becoming more like Christ.
00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:22.159
It's the process of God working on us, changing us, convicting us, correcting us, and growing us, okay?
00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:25.120
And no, that doesn't mean that we're gonna become perfect overnight.
00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:26.240
I promise it's not.
00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.240
But there also should be evidence that we've been changed, okay?
00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:39.039
If you are saved and you're still living your life like you did before you got saved, we need to have a conversation, okay?
00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.879
And this is where I'm gonna ruffle some feathers.
00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:49.600
I'm I'm gonna give you some backing on why I believe what I'm about to say, but I kind of want to go over it.
00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:53.840
And like I said, this is a heavy one for a first episode back, but I don't know.
00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:55.840
I'm doing I'm we're just gonna go.
00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:56.320
Okay.
00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:58.720
The phrase once saved, always saved.
00:16:58.879 --> 00:16:59.200
I know.
00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:02.960
Did everybody just go, oh no, no, she's gonna talk about it?
00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:06.160
I am, I feel like I have to, so we're just gonna go through it.
00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:11.440
So this is something that Christians have debated for a very, very long time.
00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:20.960
I don't want to pretend like this is a simple conversation that every Christian denomination has interpreted the exact same way because it absolutely is not.
00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:25.920
And it is something that there's there's been a lot of fights over this, there's been a lot of hurt feelings over this.
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:27.359
So that's not my intentions with this.
00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.359
I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings.
00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:42.960
But if someone here's the thing, it gets so controversial because if someone says, Well, I accepted Jesus once, so it doesn't matter how I live now, again, I don't think that that is something that has ever came out of someone's mouth.
00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:49.039
I mean, I hope not, but I do think that it becomes a justification of actions over time.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:56.559
I like where someone says, you know, I just don't see how someone can lose their self lose their salvation while they're standing there in obvious sin.
00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.839
That's a problem.
00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:17.680
And I do want to acknowledge that this is often called eternal security and that there is a verse in John where it says that no one can pluck you out of my hand, but we do need to understand that by going against, you know, once saved, always saved, I'm or by me going against once saved, always saved, I'm not preaching performance-based salvation.
00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:25.759
What I'm saying is you cannot say a prayer and then live a life full of wickedness and expect to walk into those gates.
00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.319
I want you to go back and we're gonna read John 8 24.
00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:39.759
It says, I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:41.440
I'm gonna go a little further.
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.319
Then said they unto them, Who art thou?
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:57.200
And Jesus said unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning, I have many things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true, and I speak the word, those things which I have heard of him.
00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.720
Okay, so salvation is not earned by works.
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:04.960
We've we learned that in Ephesians chapter two, verses like eight and nine.
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.920
It says that we are saved by grace, not by works.
00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:14.640
But the Bible does not talk about we enter salvation and then we remain in salvation.
00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:20.000
John 15, 4 and 6, it says, Abide in me and I will abide in you.
00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:24.559
And that's important because Jesus isn't talking to atheists who never believed him here.
00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:29.119
He's talking to his disciples when he says, Abide in me and I will abide in you.
00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:41.519
So why would Scripture repeatedly tell believers to remain, to endure, to preserve, to hold, to fast and not turn away if there was absolutely no possibility of falling away?
00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.839
James 5, 19 and 20.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.559
I'm gonna read it.
00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:58.720
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him know that he which converted the sinner from the error of his ways, from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins.
00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:03.599
So this talks about somebody wandering from the truth and the importance of bringing them back.
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:08.960
We do we have to be very careful with John 10, 28 and 29.
00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:10.160
I'm gonna read it real quick.
00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:16.720
And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:23.279
My father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of the father's hand.
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:32.000
It's saying that no one can pluck you out of his hand, and that's beautiful, but it's what he's saying is that someone else cannot steal you from Jesus.
00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:34.559
There's you have to think of it like this.
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:45.440
He's saying not a person can re no person can reject me, abandon me, and live in rebellion against me, and me just sit here and guarantee their salvation regardless of what they've ultimately chosen.
00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:49.039
You just can't l live any way you want to.
00:20:49.279 --> 00:21:03.839
And I mean, I literally one time I had a man look at me and he was about to go do something, and he said, Oh, I might die, or he said something along the lines of, if I die, God might be a little mad when I get there or I show up drunk, but he'll let me in.
00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:10.480
I stared at him and like my mouth fell open because I'm like, What what do you mean?
00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:22.240
You cannot live against everything that the Bible is telling you, and think that you know you're secure because of a promise you made once before.
00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:25.519
You can't live both ways.
00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:28.720
Hebrews 13 and 12 warns against it too.
00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:40.000
He gives a warning saying, Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you an evil in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.
00:21:40.160 --> 00:21:43.200
Okay, he's giving you a warning, saying, Take heed.
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:54.799
Then in Hebrews 10 26, he says, For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:56.880
That is plain as day.
00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:58.000
I'm gonna read it again.
00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:06.799
For if we sin willfully, After we have received the knowledge of truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for your sins.
00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:14.480
That gives us a serious warning about continuing deliberately in sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth.
00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:19.440
Jesus warns his followers over and over and over about falling away.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:23.119
Go and read the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.720
That's your homework, okay?
00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:28.480
And it said he says, Remain in me in John 15.
00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:31.839
Abide in my word in John 8, 31.
00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:35.039
Endure to the end, Matthew 24 and 13.
00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:38.160
Do not be deceived, Matthew 24 and 4.
00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:44.240
Watch and pray, Matthew 26, 41, and hold fast, Revelations 2 and 3.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:52.720
So whatever your theological position is on the eternal security, we should all be able to agree on one thing.
00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:57.680
Grace is not permission to live in rebellion against God.
00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:02.400
Jesus did not save us so that we could remain exactly who we were.
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:05.519
He saved us so that we could become something new.
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:10.400
And by his mercy alone, many of us have skated by on this.
00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:15.920
I understand where the once saved, always saved beliefs come from or the eternal security comes from.
00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:17.839
I genuinely do understand.
00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:40.000
I understand the desire to protect the truth that salvation is a gift and not something that we earn through our works because we don't, but I do not believe that scripture gives us permission to turn God's grace into a guarantee that we can reject Him by continuingly, deliberately living in sin or walking away from Him without consequence.
00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:43.920
I am not saying that you lose your salvation every time that you sin.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:52.000
I'm saying that the Bible clearly distinguishes between stumbling in your walk with Christ and deliberately abandoning your walk with Christ.
00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:56.960
And that brings me to one of the things that have honestly been sitting heavy on my heart.
00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:58.799
And that's lukewarm Christianity.
00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.720
You've heard me talk about this before, but I want to go over it again.
00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:11.359
Revelation 3.16, it says, So then because thou art lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:15.680
It talks about being neither hot nor cold, but being lukewarm.
00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:32.400
And Jesus himself says that he will spew you out of his mouth, that he has no room in the kingdom for somebody lukewarm, that you would be better if you're like I know this is so like heavy to say, but I've heard my dad say it like when he first got saved.
00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:36.400
He was like, I'm I've always been that person who if I'm going to hell, I'm gonna go wide open.
00:24:36.559 --> 00:24:39.279
And if I'm going to heaven, I'm going wide open too.
00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:41.839
And that's the mentality that we have to have.
00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:45.279
You can't have one foot in and one foot out.
00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:47.279
Salt water and freshwater don't mix.
00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.240
You can't do that.
00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:50.240
They don't come from the same spigot.
00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:53.440
So what does it mean to be lukewarm?
00:24:53.599 --> 00:25:00.000
I think it's someone who wants enough of Jesus to feel safe, but not enough of Jesus to actually change.
00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:11.279
And again, I don't think that there are people who have this like evil mindset of I'm gonna go and I'm gonna do just enough or I'm gonna be this or you know, go halfway.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:17.200
No, I think it's something that is it's the devil's biggest tool is comfortability.
00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:25.680
And if he can make us comfortable, he doesn't have to worry about us making us sin or us falling into different temptations all the time.
00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:33.839
Everybody thinks that the devil's gonna come after you with like this big, huge sin and it's gonna be so obvious, and you know, you're gonna fight and this, that, and the other.
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.440
Some sometimes he just has to distract you.
00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:40.400
He just has to make you comfortable.
00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:50.400
I mean, if think about it though, if all the devil had to do is make you comfortable to keep you from doing what you should be doing, that's that's not okay.
00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:54.640
You you need you we need to make sure that we are keeping ourselves in check.
00:25:54.960 --> 00:26:02.640
And uh it's uh like I said, it's someone who wants enough of Jesus to feel safe, but not enough of Jesus to actually change.
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:16.000
Someone who wants heaven, but doesn't necessarily want surrender, someone who wants God's blessings, but doesn't want God's correction, someone who wants Jesus as a savior, but they don't want him as their Lord.
00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:20.880
It's going to church, but never letting church change you.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:30.400
If you have been sitting in the same church for 20-something years and you're still living the same way that you did before you stepped foot in that church, baby, you are not where you need to be.
00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:33.359
You are checking off a box that makes you feel good.
00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:34.240
That is harsh.
00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:38.079
I know that's harsh, but again, guys, we don't have time.
00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:41.920
We do not have time to be lukewarm Christians anymore.
00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:53.440
It is time to ignite and fight in this work that we have to do for the kingdom of God because everything that you've read in Revelation is happening.
00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:56.319
Everything is happening right now on your TVs.
00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.599
You can turn the news on right now and see what's happening.
00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:06.799
I was with some friends one time, or I was just in a group of people, and something got said about church or about God or something.
00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:11.200
And one of the people I was talking to was like, oh yeah, I go to so-and-so church.
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:15.599
And this other person jerked their head and they said, Oh, I didn't know you went to church.
00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:17.279
That is embarrassing.
00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.559
You can't be that.
00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:29.200
If if you're not living your life in such a way that the fruits of your salvation, the fruits of your life are showing, we gotta do better.
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:33.599
Okay, we've got to like buckle up, we've got to do better about this.
00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:37.359
And I'm not I'm not saying that this is about perfection.
00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:43.200
God does not ask us to be perfect, but lukewarm doesn't mean just I struggled today.
00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.480
No, people struggle.
00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.440
That's okay.
00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.160
God understands that, and that's why he gives us grace.
00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:51.279
Lukewarm is it's a lifestyle.
00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:57.359
It's not wanting to give anything up that you, it's not wanting to give up the flesh.
00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:00.559
It doesn't mean that you've sinned or that you've had a bad week.
00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:02.799
It doesn't mean that you question something.
00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:09.119
We're human, we stumble, we fall, and some of us absolutely face plant, been there, done that.
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:10.799
Okay, we all struggle.
00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:15.920
But the question is, what do you do when you fall?
00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.720
Do you get back up and run towards Jesus?
00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:26.000
Or do you use grace as an excuse to stay where you are because changing is too hard and it makes you uncomfortable?
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:33.519
Imagine looking at Jesus and saying, Christianity was too made me too uncomfortable.
00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:40.480
The man who died on the cross for you to live the way that you live, it's too uncomfortable.
00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:42.640
People are gonna make fun of you.
00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:54.720
They're you may not even be ready to give up your lifestyle, but if your lifestyle and your social agenda mean more to you than the man who gave his life for you, we need to have a very strong re-evaluation.
00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:57.279
And I know I've said it more and more times.
00:28:57.519 --> 00:29:07.920
I know this first episode is going to ruffle feathers, and honestly, I'm okay with that because sometimes ruffling feathers starts a conversation that we desperately need to have.
00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:18.160
And I don't want something sweeter to be just another podcast to where you listen and feel good for 30 minutes and then you turn it off and go back to doing the same thing that you were doing before.
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:20.400
I want us to talk about the hard things.
00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:27.119
I want us to talk about the uncomfortable things, the things that make us stop and examine ourselves.
00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:32.000
Because I think that there are three questions that we need to continually ask ourselves.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:34.000
How do I accept Christ?
00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.839
How am I called to live?
00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.160
And why does it matter?
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:40.960
Okay, that's your beginning steps.
00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:47.599
Then you have to start asking, okay, am I living according to the word that I have pledged my life to?
00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:51.119
Am I walking in the way that he has shown me?
00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:58.160
And I'll be honest, if you're uncomfortable and you don't know what to do, reach out to someone.
00:29:58.319 --> 00:30:00.720
This is not a walk that you have to walk alone.
00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:04.240
There are mentors, there are pastors, there's teachers, there's friends.
00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:05.599
Hello, me.
00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.400
I'm here.
00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:08.240
Ask me questions, okay?
00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:14.000
Like I don't want anybody to not know what to do or how to do it.
00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:20.720
There's some things that are going to be really hard to let go of, but I promise you, in the long run, it is worth it.
00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:28.000
Walking with Christ is probably the easiest choice that you're ever going to make, but it's the hardest lifestyle that you'll ever live.
00:30:28.160 --> 00:30:32.160
Not because, you know, it's I let me explain it a little better.
00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.319
Choosing Jesus is easy, okay?
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:38.000
But surrendering everything to him, that's where the work really begins.
00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:41.279
And I'm gonna leave you with the same question that I started with.
00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:44.799
If you died today, would you go to heaven?
00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:48.240
If you are not sure, do not ignore that feeling.
00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:52.559
Please seek him, open his word, pray, okay?
00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:56.960
Talk to someone who you trust who genuinely follows Christ.
00:30:57.200 --> 00:31:02.880
Don't push that question away because it's uncomfortable, because we do not have time to keep playing church.
00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:12.799
If you are showing up to church on Sunday and still living your life how you want to, Monday through Saturday, we need to have a re-evaluation.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:19.359
We don't have time to keep pretending and we don't have time to keep telling ourselves that tomorrow is guaranteed.
00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:30.400
So again, buckle up buttercups, because if we're gonna do something sweeter, if we're gonna revamp this podcast, if y'all really want Bridget to be back behind this mic, we're gonna do it for real.
00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:37.039
We're not gonna sugarcoat it, we're not gonna water it down, and we're not afraid of the hard conversations, okay?
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:41.200
Because the world has enough voices telling us exactly what we want to hear.
00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:45.839
And I am not gonna hold your hand and tell you that this is okay.
00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:57.200
I'm not giving you this prosperity gospel of, you know, this is exactly how this is supposed to go, and this is, you know, God doesn't want you to be uncomfortable or whatever.
00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:09.839
No, guys, it you've got it's gonna be uncomfortable, it's gonna be hard, but it is the best choice that you are ever going to make because at the end of the day, it's the only choice that matters.
00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:15.039
I want this to be a place to where we come back to what God's word actually says.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:18.400
Jesus is coming and he is coming soon, people.
00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:22.319
So it's time that we clean our houses, our spiritual houses.
00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:26.400
We stop playing church, we stop being a social media Christian.
00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:31.119
This isn't just for you in your life, this is for your children, for your spouses.
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:34.559
You have to be the light in the darkness for others.
00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:46.720
Because what if one day you get to heaven and the great I am is looking at you and he says, Because you didn't obey me and follow what I wanted for you, their blood is on your hands.
00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.240
Do you want to hear that?
00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:52.559
Or do you want to hear, well done, my good and faithful servant?
00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:56.960
So that is it for this episode of Something Sweeter Podcast.
00:32:57.119 --> 00:33:04.319
I hope you stuck with me through the whole thing, and I hope that you understand that in no way am I saying that I am this perfect Christian.
00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:08.160
I'm not saying that I am a perfect specimen of exactly what God says.
00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:12.319
I have stumbled, I have made mistakes, and I will make more mistakes.
00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:25.039
But I'm going to do my best to live accordingly, to live the life that God has called for me to live, because I'm not going to get to heaven one day and him say that I didn't do what I was supposed to do.
00:33:25.279 --> 00:33:28.799
So I hope you tune back in for the next episode.
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:32.720
I haven't really figured out what this schedule is going to look like.
00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:37.200
I've just been studying and writing things down and recording as I go.
00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:42.400
Maybe once I get a little more established, I can give you a schedule of what this looks like.
00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:45.200
Um, but I do want to acknowledge something.
00:33:45.599 --> 00:34:01.759
I when I put that first little tidbit up of hey, it's been a while, I was not asking for handouts, and I don't want anybody to think that I was, but I know that God put it on a few people's hearts to send money for the podcast episodes.
00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:04.480
And I'm so grateful for that.
00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:10.400
I I truly, truly am, but I don't want you to think that I was asking for that that's what that was about.
00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:11.199
It wasn't.
00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:19.599
I was just trying to be transparent and explain things because it does podcasting does get it it is a financial there there's a financial thing to that.
00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:21.519
Okay, you have to pay to do certain things.
00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:30.239
So I just wanted to say to those of you who did send money in order for us to put up a couple months worth of episodes, thank you.
00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:36.480
Thank you from the bottom of my heart because because of you, we are paid up for a little bit.
00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:40.320
I think we have, I think I have a whole month's worth that we can do.
00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:51.199
And I know that God's gonna provide in his way and in his timing, and I am trusting that, and I know that if this is something that God wants, He's He's gonna provide for it.
00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:56.480
And I just I want to say thank you to those of you who have sent things.
00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:58.480
I truly, truly, truly appreciate it.
00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:03.519
And you know who you are, and I love you so so much, and you are just so near and dear to my heart.
00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:06.480
But I'm gonna say a quick little prayer and then I'm gonna let you go.
00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:08.719
All right, so bow your head, close your eyes.
00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:11.119
Like we talked, unless you're in the car, please don't do that.
00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:13.920
But um, let's just go ahead and pray.
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:17.119
God, I thank you for something sweeter podcast.
00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:20.880
Lord, I thank you for putting this on my heart and this burden to spread your word.
00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:36.960
And for the people who encouraged me, for the people who have helped me, and those who have been working behind the scenes that I haven't even seen yet, God, I thank you for everything that you were doing for this show because I know that you have bigger plans than even what I can dream up.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:47.280
Lord, I pray that it is not me talking, that it is you talking through me, that everything in this show is not for my glory, but it is for your glory, God.
00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:57.760
And that those who need to hear these specific topics of what is to come, God, I pray that there is nothing in the world that distracts them from getting the word and that they are able to hear what you have set out for them.
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Lord, I pray that everybody who has listened to this episode today, that they take a moment to reevaluate where they are at with you, God, and that they kick this lukewarm Christianity to the side and that they dive headfirst all in ten toes down for you, God.
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And that if anybody needs anything, God, and I am not able to be there if I'm not able to do something, God, I pray that you send somebody in my in replace of me, Lord.
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But I pray that I am also able to help anybody if they have questions.
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God, I thank you for the friends that I have made through this journey, and I thank you for the friends that are to come.
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God, be with everyone as they are working, as they are at home, as they are with their families, Lord, and put a hedge of protection around them, God.
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And I thank you, thank you, thank you for everything that you are doing in our lives.
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In your almighty name we pray.
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Amen.
