EP 102: Laying Down Idols in the Hidden Places ft. Dinorah Peña

Summary

In Totality with Megan Ashley

Episode 102: Laying Down Idols in the Hidden Places ft. Dinorah Peña
Released December 30, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this vulnerable and insightful conversation, host Megan Ashley and guest Dinorah Peña go deep on how Christian faith is lived out—especially around the challenges of idolatry, anxiety, and truly delighting in God. Using stories from Scripture and their own lives, they explore how personal preferences, ambitions, relationships, and “good things” can become idols, subtly hindering spiritual growth. Listeners are encouraged to examine their hearts, find assurance at Jesus’s feet, and let their lives act as authentic witness to the Gospel—even (or especially) in the hidden places.

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Key Themes & Insights

1. Delighting at the Feet of Jesus

• Posture of True Devotion:
  Megan and Dinorah reflect on experiences of kneeling in prayer, relating them to Mary’s posture at Jesus’s feet (Luke 10, John 11).

  “I just wept because I just kept thinking about the day that we get to be face to face with him… the first place I’m gonna be—I just know that… I am going to be at your feet.” —Megan (04:24)

• Contrast Between Mary and Martha:
  They discuss the anxiety of always “doing” (Martha) versus the peace Mary had by abiding and waiting for Jesus.

  “There was an assurance that Mary had… even if He didn’t raise my brother from the dead, He’s still here.” —Dinorah (08:01)

“In every encounter that we see Mary and Jesus, she’s at his feet.” —Megan (08:39)

2. Remembering God’s Record and Dealing with Anxiety

• Spiritual Amnesia:
  Both admit to quickly forgetting God’s faithfulness and slipping into anxiety and impatience.

  “I struggle with impatience, and that impatience can produce a lot of anxiety in me. But I felt like the Lord was like, ‘Be patient and remember who it is that you’re waiting for.’” —Megan (09:13)

• The Importance of Knowing Scripture:
  Reading and delighting in the Bible roots the heart in trust rather than anxiety.

  “Get in the book… Read your Bible… Delight in this history that will give you the assurance that your heart needs to be steady.” —Megan (12:54)

3. Laying Down Idols: Hidden and Obvious

• What Are Idols, Really?:
  The conversation broadens the traditional view of idolatry to include good things—work, relationships, even ministry and Bible study—that take the place of God.

  “You don’t want to lay it down because it’s an idol. Oh, you don’t want to get off social media when He’s calling you to because it’s an idol. You don’t want to be consecrated because whatever he’s taking you apart from, it’s an idol.” —Dinorah (17:56)
  “Every time that you raise up an idol, you abandon God.” —Dinorah (18:27)

• Idolatry in Good Things:
  They warn that even God-given blessings or spiritual disciplines can become idols when pursued for validation, influence, or personal fulfillment.

  “Don’t turn a good thing into an idol… Don’t turn reading your word into an idol. Don’t turn your studying into an idol because I just want to have something to say.” —Megan (45:10)

4. The Call to Spiritual Community & Mutual Accountability

• Being Stewards of Each Other:
  The responsibility to lovingly warn and counsel fellow believers is emphasized (1 Thessalonians 5).

  “Yo. We have to be warning each other… that is being a good stewardship over your people, you know what I’m saying? We all have blind spots.” —Megan (23:32)

• Kindness & Witness:
  They stress that how Christians treat each other—publicly and privately—affects their collective witness.

  “Recognize how when we are not kind to others… we are tainting our witness.” —Dinorah (24:33)
  “My first priority as a Christian is to be a Christian. That means I have to love you… I may not agree with you, but I have to give you dignity.” —Megan (26:22)

5. Filtering All of Life Through the Gospel

• Practical Living:
  Choosing the Gospel over personal preferences is a continual process, requiring honesty, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace.

  “This is why we have to live with the Gospel as the filter through everything we do... what would bring Him glory, not what would vindicate me?” —Megan (31:44)

• Confession and Course Correction:
  Confessing quickly and repenting restores right relationship and reflects spiritual maturity.

  “Confess at a faster pace and repent.” —Megan (47:55)
  “And the Bible says that He will be faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —Megan (47:57)

6. Your Life is Your Greatest Ministry

• Authentic Witness:
  Ultimately, how one lives—especially in private—matters more than outward ministry.

  “The greatest ministry you will have is your life.” —Dinorah (32:39)
  “The real thing is the evidence of how He’s working in your life, period… if you would have normally popped off on somebody, but you don’t, you choose a better way… that’s evidence that the Holy Spirit is sanctifying you.” —Megan (35:48)

• Glowing with the Lord’s Countenance:
  As Christians delight in God, it changes them in visible ways, making their faith attractive to others.

  “That is the countenance of the Lord… when you are delighting in the Lord, that radiance you will have.” —Dinorah (38:11, 39:09)
  “Let your life preach the Gospel.” —Dinorah (37:18)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Idolatry:

  “If I’m not living it, then that’s also an idol. Then the ministry is just an idol to me.” —Dinorah (44:03)
  “Don’t turn good things into an idol. Fight that temptation. Ask the Lord to cultivate in you a fear of… Him so that your life is to worship one God. And that’s Him.” —Megan (46:08)

• On Accountability:

  “Every single friend of mine has the absolute right to correct me with love, period.” —Dinorah (24:10)

• On Delight:

  “The whole thing of this conversation is about delighting in the Lord… when you are delighting in the Lord… it makes me understand You more… it helps increase my devotion and my reverence for You.” —Dinorah (38:48, 39:09)

• On Community:

  “It’s so important to have people in your life that are fiercely running after the Lord in the same way that you are.” —Megan (43:20)

• Humorous, Relatable Moments:
  The episode is peppered with laughter, banter about aging (“Do you ever get ankle pain from sitting?” 34:03), and inside jokes, lending warmth and authenticity.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Posture at Jesus’s Feet, Mary vs. Martha: 03:02–09:05
• Remembering God’s Record & Overcoming Anxiety: 09:13–13:00
• Calling Out Hidden Idols (social media, ambition, etc.): 17:24–19:57
• Good Things as Idols; Biblical Example of Golden Calf: 20:13–22:31
• Christian Witness & Accountability: 24:10–32:09
• Living the Gospel & Course Correcting: 31:00–36:28
• Your Life as Ministry/Countenance of the Lord: 37:18–40:54
• Confession, Repentance & Delighting in the Lord: 47:55–49:18
• Journal Prompts & Reflection Homework: 48:41–49:41
• Closing Affirmations & Friendship: 42:15–44:10

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Practical Takeaways & Journal Prompts

Journal Prompt 1 (Megan):
In what ways have I not been delighting in the Lord? Have I been doing things for selfish ambition rather than delight? Where can I take inventory and turn back to true enjoyment of God? (48:41)

Journal Prompt 2 (Dinorah):
What areas of my life am I upholding my personal convictions or preferences over the Gospel? How can I realign my priorities to reflect Christ’s love and truth? (49:21)

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Final Thoughts

The episode is a powerful reminder that Christian living is not just about public ministry or activity, but a surrendered, honest, and worshipful heart before God—one that is vigilant against hidden idols and eager to delight in Him. Ultimately, it’s about letting one’s life, even in the hidden places, reflect God’s love and truth “in totality.”

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For community, early access, and bonus content, listeners are invited to join Megan’s Patreon. (Details omitted above as per instructions.)

Transcript

[Narrator/Ad Host]

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[Megan Ashley]

Book [e-mail] what's up fam? Listen, if you've been blessed by In Totality the podcast, then I want to personally invite you to go deeper by joining our Patreon community called the Village. Every Tuesday morning, the Village members get early access to the full episode of the podcast two days before it drops publicly on YouTube. So while everyone else is waiting, you're already soaking it in. But that's just the beginning. As a Village member, you get exclusive access to the In Totality Docu series. It's a behind the scenes look at how I walk on my faith in real life. No filters, no fluff, just real moments of me trusting the Lord, processing life, and growing in truth. We also do live book club zoom calls where we read and grow together in the Word. I'm not just talking at you, we're walking through it together. Asking questions, wrestling through scriptures, learning to follow Christ more fully. You know, like that Romans 12. You'll also get bonus content, extra conversations with podcast guests that go even deeper, plus moments that didn't make it to the episode but were just too good not to share. And one more thing, when you join the Village, you get first access to merch before it drops public. So if you love the message and you want to rep the movement, you'll get first dibs every time. But more than the content, the Village is about community. It's a safe place for believers to connect and grow and be reminded that you're not doing this walk alone. You're a part of something real. We're building something special and we would love for you to be a part. So hit pause, go to www.patreon.com meganashley and join today and I'll meet you there. What's up, you guys? Welcome back to part two of my amazing conversation with my good, good, good friend Dinora. She's back on the podcast. We're finishing out our conversation. I can't wait for you to hear the rest of what we had for you guys today. I hope you enjoy. I just wet because I just Kept thinking about the day that we get to be face to face with him.

[Dinora]

I feel like, Martha, you had a.

[Martha]

Little bit of anxiety, baby.

[Megan Ashley]

Always just anxious. Just, just. We quickly forget.

[Dinora]

Guilty as charged. Quickly justified though.

[Megan Ashley]

Warned. Yeah.

[Dinora]

Come on, come on now we in there.

[Martha]

So we. We just gonna stay in there.

[Megan Ashley]

We. We going there. We going there.

[Dinora]

But you don't want to lay it down because it's foreign. I gotta say this because I just remembered as cuz we were talking about the Holy Spirit earlier when I was talking to. When we had Bible study on Tuesday. I was talking about like prayer and how I. When I pray and I get on my knees and I'll put on some Willie Maguso and I'll just get on my knees and I'll literally ask the Holy Spirit to facilitate encounter with Christ. And every single time that I ask the f. The Holy Spirit to facilitate an encounter with Christ, the first thing that he sees.

[Martha]

Oh my gosh, G. That is all I see. It is his feet on him on a foot.

[Megan Ashley]

Not. I promise you, I am not even joking. When we did the seven days of fasting and praying with. With. With 2819, I no lie. I think I told Jordan and Jay this like the next morning or something, but I remember getting on my face and. And it was literally I had my hands out like this and I was on my face and it.

[Martha]

I like you were touching his feet.

[Megan Ashley]

And I just wept because I just kept thinking about the day that we get to be face to face with him. And I know that the first thing, like I long to see his face, but I know the first place I'm gonna be. I just know that the first. First thing that I don't even know if I'm gonna make it to your face because I am going to be at your feet. And I. When I tell you that image wrecked me, ma'.

[Narrator/Ad Host]

Am.

[Megan Ashley]

Wrecked me.

[Dinora]

That is right where the Holy Spirit takes me every time. I ain't seen nothing else.

[Megan Ashley]

I ain't get to the.

[Martha]

All I see. All I see is the bottom of the cloth and his feet. And I'm like, keep me right here.

[Megan Ashley]

I mean, what.

[Dinora]

Keep me right here. What an honor.

[Megan Ashley]

What an honor to be at your feet.

[Dinora]

At your feet be.

[Megan Ashley]

And again, we talked about this. We talked about this the other day because me and you both struggle with this Martha complex.

[Dinora]

Bam.

[Megan Ashley]

And thinking that we marry and we not. And Mary every single time. Where was she at? She was at his feet.

[Dinora]

You know what's crazy? I was reading and, and tell me if you have if you had this experience, because maybe I'm reading too much into it, but when I was. Where you at? John, chapter 11, the story of Lazarus. So, yes, you and I were talking about, like, yo, you had again. It's so funny, because at the same time that the Lord is speaking to you about stop being Martha, he was telling me the same thing. And so the experience that I had with that is at the very beginning of my consecration. I'm having a hard time because again, I'm trying to go, okay, sit down, Lord, let's go. Let's prepare for hidden in the Lord. We can enlist that. And when I tell you he was giving me nothing, nada.

[Megan Ashley]

Is that Spanish?

[Dinora]

Okay.

[Megan Ashley]

And.

[Dinora]

And then there, like, on the seventh day. I'm not even trying to be all poetic about this, but it is true. The true number. On the seventh day, I'm at the edge of my bed. I ask the Holy Spirit to facilitate an encounter with Jesus Christ. He brings me to the Lord's feet. I'm just crying, crying, crying, crying, crying, crying, crying. And he's like, I just need you to delight in me.

[Megan Ashley]

Relax, relax. Stop.

[Dinora]

Yeah, like, just delighten me. And he took me to the story of Martha and Mary. And he's like, yo, just be married. And again, it's crazy because I. We've done a Bible study on Mary before, but then I. I was. And again, I haven't been able to, like, really, really sit with this, but I'd love your thoughts on it, because in.

[Megan Ashley]

Come on. Bible study.

[Dinora]

Let's go in the story of Lazarus coming to Bethany to then raise Jesus. Coming to Bethany to raise Jesus, Lazarus from the dead. I realize a difference in the posture that Mary and Martha had when Jesus came, because when Jesus gets there, Martha immediately runs to Jesus. But notice that Mary stayed.

[Megan Ashley]

Stayed.

[Dinora]

Yep.

[Megan Ashley]

She waits until he calls her. Mm. I know.

[Dinora]

Okay, So I wasn't tripping.

[Narrator/Ad Host]

Okay.

[Dinora]

Because I was like, wait, whoa, wait a minute. There's even something here.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dinora]

In how Martha. I feel like, Martha, you had a.

[Martha]

Little bit of anxiety, baby.

[Megan Ashley]

Always just anxious. Just.

[Dinora]

Just anxious like, oh, I gotta get this. I gotta get this. I gotta get this.

[Megan Ashley]

Oh, Jesus.

[Dinora]

D. Megan, you gotta this. You gotta get this. You gotta get that. And now, like. Like, I feel like there was an assurance that Mary had that even if he didn't raise my brother from the dead, he's still here.

[Megan Ashley]

He's still here. Yeah, he's still good. He's still God. He's still kind like that to me.

[Dinora]

That did something to me. Like going from Luke chapter 10, where we read the story of Mary and Martha to then John chapter 11, where you're like, you even notice the difference. Like that says something about Mary's heart.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

And Martha's heart.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. And when. And when she goes to him, she goes. She, like she's always just. I don't know that. That always struck me is that in every encounter that we see Mary and Jesus, she's at his feet.

[Dinora]

Yo, chapter 11, verse 20. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, that's good.

[Dinora]

That like remain abide.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah, that, that, that. Still, she's still. I think that that's the thing, like you said, it's the assurance. She's still, she's calm, she's confident in him. And even in, even in her brokenness, she knows she has an insurance in him. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, even though she is sad and, and lamenting over the fact that her brother dies, so she thinks is that, well, he was dead, she still, she has just an assurance that, that God, that Jesus is who he says he is. And I think that that's the thing that we have to know is like, we don't have to be anxious about all the things, but we have to. Like even today I was thinking about this. I. I struggle with impatience and, and that impatience can produce a lot of anxiety in me. But. But I felt like the Lord was like, be patient and remember who it is that you're waiting for. Yeah, remember who it is that you're waiting for. Even like she knew they sent a letter saying you're the one that you loved is. Is dying thinking that he was going to come quickly. And he didn't come, but she remembered the one that she was waiting for. So whenever he decides to show up.

[Dinora]

It was right on time.

[Megan Ashley]

On time. And that his glory will be magnified whenever he decides to show up. That his timing is always perfect and I am assured that he is who he says he is all the time and that his timing is perfect. And I think that's the posture that the Lord wants us to have, is a relaxed heart that is sure that he is who he says that he is at the end of the day. Do you know what I'm saying? I think that's the biggest thing for me is like, remember the one that you. That you're waiting on.

[Dinora]

You've said that to me. I remember when, when we. One of the Conversations that we had that I'm like, sis, like, how do, how do we navigate this? And you were just like, yo, we remember his record. Like, we remember what he's done. We remember his history.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

Know what I'm saying? And we rest in the assurance of that. And I think that what you're saying is what Mary did. Mary rested in who she knew Jesus to be.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. And, and, and here's the thing. They had, they had, you know, they had the, the Torah, they had, they had the prophets and the, they had all the things and they had what Jesus had done thus far. We, like, at that point, she didn't know if he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. But guess what? We do. We know he is. Yes. And so we have the history of God. We know that he has power even over death.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

So what makes your situation any different?

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

What makes. What makes your situation any different? He is the resurrection power. That's what he says. I am the resurrection.

[Dinora]

Come on. Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

When he says that I am the resurrection.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

I here right now with resurrection power. And there's nothing that you're going through that is. That is beyond my power. Do you know? Like, I think we have to. I'm not even say we. Yes, we. Megan, you, me, I have to remember that because I. It's. We quickly forget.

[Dinora]

Yeah, we do.

[Megan Ashley]

We quickly forget.

[Dinora]

Guilty as charged. Quickly justified, though.

[Martha]

But guilty as charged.

[Dinora]

You know, but guilty as charged.

[Megan Ashley]

I just, I'm like, I always have to remember, constantly remember the, the record that God has and the history that I have in my own personal relationship with him and the history of who he is through His Word, which is again, why we are so big on. Get in the book.

[Dinora]

Read your Bible.

[Megan Ashley]

Get in the.

[Dinora]

Study your Bibles.

[Megan Ashley]

Delight.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

In this history that will give you the assurance that your heart needs to be steady, to be tamed, to be relaxed, to be calm, to be assured. This is the history. Yeah.

[Dinora]

And what you will find also is that when we are being Martha's, that we're experiencing the anxiety and all that stuff is that like, Martha, we're looking around, we're looking like this, doing all the other.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh. We were just talking about this the other day.

[Dinora]

We're not looking up. We are not looking up. We're looking within. We're looking left and right, left and right. We're not looking up.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

And I, I again, I know that this is part of the sanctification process, and I'm going to say a strong word, but I Hate that.

[Martha]

I constantly go through that.

[Dinora]

I hate, like, you know how this, what we were talking about, like, how instable. Unstable it feels that, like, one moment you're good, you feel like, o, I'm so encouraged.

[Martha]

Like how you woke up this morning.

[Dinora]

You'Re like, oh, I'm so encouraged. And then the very next one, you're.

[Martha]

Like, take it away. Let this pass. I don't want to do it.

[Megan Ashley]

For sure.

[Martha]

And all, you know, that you had, like, you.

[Dinora]

Oh, wait, wait, wait. Did I pray? Did I invite the Holy Spirit? Did I worship? Did I this, that like. And yet. And still we will wallow in it. I know that it's a bad word, but I hate that.

[Martha]

That.

[Dinora]

I hate that I.

[Megan Ashley]

Because. Because you feel so unstable, stable. It's like, I was just fine, what happened?

[Dinora]

And then when I get to the other side, I'm like, duh.

[Martha]

You know that this is the answer every time.

[Dinora]

And yet every time, somehow you forget the answer.

[Megan Ashley]

You forget. And I think that that's like. I think that that's our human experience. I'm not like, I don't want. I don't want. Because I'm just for us. I don't want us to beat. Because we will beat ourselves up. Me, you just talked about this the other day where I was crying out to the Lord, and I was like, I am sick. Sick of me. Yeah, I am sick of me. You know what I mean? But I do also, at the same time, feel the Lord being like, you talk worse about yourself than even I do. And I'm the only one that's justified to say it. You ain't even justified to say it. Come on, stop talking to yourself like that. Stop talking. Stop giving yourself an identity that he hasn't given you.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

First and foremost, you are a child of God. Son, daughter, child of God. And you have to. We have to constantly remind ourselves. Ourselves of the identity that he has given us through His Son.

[Dinora]

Yes, yes.

[Megan Ashley]

That is your identity first.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

Not anything else. And so I like, I know for me, the Lord is constantly like, stop it. Yeah, stop it.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

I don't say that about you. So what makes you think you have the right to say that about you?

[Dinora]

For sure, for sure, for sure. Speak the. Speak the gospel over your life.

[Megan Ashley]

But this is. This is the thing in Hebrews 12, I think. I just think that I. For me, I constantly just talking about keeping.

[Martha]

I feel like I know where you're gonna go.

[Megan Ashley]

Hebrews 12, right? Is therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of Witnesses surrounding us. Let us lay aside every hindrance and sin that so easily ensnares us. And let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and the perfecter of our faith at the end of the day.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

He is the founder and the perfecter. So whatever he starts, he will finish to completion and perfection. And we gotta keep our eyes on him.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

And so anything that is causing you to look to the left, take inventory. What keeps causing me to look to the left?

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

What keeps causing me to look to the right? What keeps causing me to look within, then I need to take off the. I need to lay those things down.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

I need to take those clothes off. Take it off.

[Dinora]

Put on the. Be clothed in Christ.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh? Because it's slowing me down.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

It's keeping me from the pace of which he is sanctifying me. I need to lay those things down so that I can endure this race. Because guess what? It's a race. Which means you're constantly going to be running.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

It doesn't stop.

[Dinora]

There's no water stops there. There's no water.

[Megan Ashley]

There just isn't. It's just a constant run. You got to just keep running. And whatever is hindering you from the pace at which he is telling you to run, then you got to lay that stuff off. And it may look different in different seasons. One season you might be able to wear that. The next season you ain't. You may not have to. You got to take that off.

[Dinora]

Take it off.

[Megan Ashley]

I may not be. Be able to be on social media. Yes. In this season.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

During this part of my race, y. I may not be able to hang out as much as I used to in this season and this part of my.

[Dinora]

But you don't want to lay it down because it's an idol.

[Martha]

On the next episode of in totality. You don't want to lay down because it's an idol.

[Dinora]

So that's why you. You want to be hindered.

[Martha]

Come hinder me. You want to be hindered.

[Megan Ashley]

Not come. Not come hither, but come hinder. Oh, my God.

[Martha]

Come.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Martha]

You.

[Dinora]

You want to. You don't want to lay it down because it's an idol. Oh, you don't want to get off social media when he's calling you to. Because it's an idol. You don't want to have separation because it's an idol. You don't want to be consecrated because whatever he's taking you apart from, it's an Idol you don't want to.

[Megan Ashley]

And see, we gotta be able to call stuff for what it is, because we be calling it. Oh, it's just like a hindrance. No, it's an idol. Huh? It's an idol.

[Dinora]

It's an idol. And what you don't recognize is that every time that you raise up an idol, you abandon God.

[Megan Ashley]

Oh, my goodness.

[Dinora]

You are abandoning God every single time you raise an idol. And we were talking about this one of. Let me be clear. One of my biggest temptations is idolatry, for sure. I shared with the village last time I was here that the Lord rescued me from idolatry because I turned the business that he gifted me to steward over into an altar, and I turned the clients that I was working with into idols.

[Megan Ashley]

And. And. And we know. If you know your history, you know what God does with idols every time. Shatters them every time.

[Dinora]

I mean, destroys them. I be giggling at the story in 1st Samuel when. When the ark was in exile and they. And. And the Philistines put the ark next to one of their. I don't even remember the name now, but to put the ark next to their false deity, false idol. And the Lord literally was like, one.

[Martha]

Day the arm fell off, and then the next day it was on the floor. And then the day after that, it's like, yo, he really destroys.

[Dinora]

Destroys, like, literally destroys the idols in your life.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

But again, we will. That. That's why we can't fool. Like, we get that. We experience that disruption in that race.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

Because on the race, when we're running 10 miles per hour and we find an idol, we're like, oh, hold on.

[Martha]

Let me check this thing out.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

Oh, let me go.

[Martha]

You could tell me what's gonna happen next. Wait, let me. Let me just make a stop real quick and then get on my race.

[Megan Ashley]

Nah, nah. And you know what? And. And this just. This is like. I just thought about this in my mind because I was thinking about the Israelites, where Moses is getting the law, right. And they're getting so impatient, and they make this golden cab, but what did they make the golden calf of? They made it of, like, the gold in the juries that they had. And it's like, you can take a good thing and turn a good thing into an idol.

[Martha]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

The gold. Was that the purpose of the gold and all that stuff was not for the purpose of making an idol. It had an. It's a. It was a good thing. There's things that we can do with gold there. There's resources and all the things. But that don't take a good thing that God gives you and turn it into an idol.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

Because it's easy to do and.

[Martha]

Sorry. That. That now we. Now we're in it. So now we gotta just stay here.

[Megan Ashley]

I'll talk about it and.

[Dinora]

Because I just thought of this because, like, how did they get the gold? Yeah, they brought people with them.

[Martha]

How did you know about a golden calf? How did you know about it? How did you know?

[Megan Ashley]

How did you even know to do that?

[Martha]

How did you know to do that?

[Megan Ashley]

How did you know? Who told you?

[Dinora]

Who told you?

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Dinora]

Who told you? Yeah, who are you bringing along a race with you that should not be on the race with you?

[Megan Ashley]

That's good. Who's in your ear? Who has your influence?

[Dinora]

Who's getting your. Like. Oh. Who's getting your save? Who's getting your share button? That's good because I. What. Oh, what sign are you?

[Martha]

Oh, let me send you.

[Dinora]

What? I'm sorry. Indoctrination. Oh, yeah.

[Martha]

Listen to this new song by such and such.

[Dinora]

And now you. And now you on social media, proud to be petty and pretty. Sorry, Cardi, but it's true.

[Martha]

Like, we celebrating that you petty for sure.

[Megan Ashley]

That you're the problem.

[Martha]

That you're the. We're celebrating the fact that we clearly need therapy.

[Megan Ashley]

You know how crazy that is? But for. For sure. For sure.

[Martha]

You know what I'm saying?

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

Like, yo, be mindful. You got to be vigilant, man. You. You gotta be. You gotta guard. You gotta guard yourself from that stuff, man.

[Dinora]

You. And I think even first Thessalonians, which is. I know that that was like really heavy on your heart today. Chapter five. I think there's a part of it where he even tells people to warn, to be counsel.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

To other people.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. Like warned that. Yeah, yeah.

[Dinora]

Come on, come on now we in there.

[Martha]

So we. We just going to stay in there.

[Megan Ashley]

We. We going there. We going there. Yeah. I know exactly what you're talking about.

[Dinora]

What?

[Megan Ashley]

What?

[Dinora]

He literally says chapter five verse. Baby, you need some tabs. Although I have the tabs and I still don't know where the books are. It literally says chapter five, starting verse 12. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And you, brothers, admonish the idol, Encourage the faint hearted, help the weak. Be patient with that, everyone.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

Admonish that's to counsel, to warn people.

[Megan Ashley]

Warn them. Yeah. Yeah.

[Dinora]

Yo. We have to be warning each other.

[Megan Ashley]

And that. And that. And that is being a good stewardship over your people. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm. I'm being mindful because we all have blind spots.

[Martha]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

You may not see the things in me that. You know what I'm saying? You might see something in me that I don't see because I'm a blind spot. But in patience and in love and in gentleness, you can be like, hey, sis.

[Narrator/Ad Host]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

I'mma warn you.

[Dinora]

I'm sure.

[Megan Ashley]

Be careful of that.

[Dinora]

For sure.

[Megan Ashley]

I. I know that. I know I've been. I've been seeing a consistent pattern. Be. Be careful of that. Yeah. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I think there is a stewardship that we need to have over one another.

[Dinora]

That's what brotherhood and sisterhood is. Every single friend of mine has the absolute right to correct me with love, period. And you need to be mindful of how you not being kind is actually tainting your witness.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes.

[Dinora]

Because that's. That's the problem.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes. Yes.

[Dinora]

If. If nothing else.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes.

[Dinora]

Recognize how when we are not kind to others, when we are not being loving to others, we are tainting our witness.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes. And I think we need to be mindful. We need to be so vigilant and mindful of that right now, in this season. There are so many reasons for us to disagree with one another, to argue with one another, but we need to be mindful of how that affects our witness. And Christians, we need to be mindful of how we're engaging with one another in the public because it is. It is tarnishing our witness.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

At the end of the day, we are supposed to be glorifying the Lord and being his ambassadors for the kingdom. And so me and you bickering and arguing with each other in the comments. How is that making us better witnesses of the gospel?

[Dinora]

How. How are we living the gospel when we're doing that? How are we living the gospel by doing that?

[Megan Ashley]

It's. You know what I mean? I think that. I think I don't hear enough of that conversation about protecting your witness.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And stewarding your witness.

[Dinora]

I don't think people. People recognize it. And I think that even for the people that do, they don't want to. Because I want to uphold my preferences over my. And my personal convictions over what the Bible says. That's what I want to do. And so my personal conviction is that you're wrong. Because you believe this or you agree with this. And so that gives me the right, despite the fact that you are a Christian and I am too. That gives me the right to publicly defame you. That gives me the right to call you out and be mean to you and say slander your name. Because my personal conviction tells me that you're wrong.

[Megan Ashley]

Instead of saying what is what is what is. My first priority as a Christian as to be a Christian is to be a Christian. That means that I have to love you. That means that I may not agree with you, but I have to give you dignity.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

I have to give you honor.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

Right. I have to respect you. I have to. I have to be gentle towards you and loving towards you and. Huh? I got to pray for you.

[Dinora]

Come on. Even when you're not doing those things for me, even when you're not honoring me, even when you're not respecting me, even when you're not loving me. What sets us apart as Christians is the fact that I will do it in spite of that. My.

[Megan Ashley]

So good.

[Dinora]

My commitment to the gospel is not.

[Megan Ashley]

Contingent upon what you're doing.

[Dinora]

It's either I'm committed or I'm not.

[Megan Ashley]

Yep.

[Dinora]

And if it's not here, then it's a personal conviction and it's a personal preference.

[Megan Ashley]

And here's the thing. This is why we have to live with the gospel as the filter through everything that we do. Because let me. Let's keep it a buck. If love was contingent, where would you be at?

[Dinora]

Oh, man, where would I be at? Six feet under?

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Dinora]

An 80 double hockey sticks?

[Megan Ashley]

Huh? Burning, gnashing of teeth? I mean, what. Yeah, if love was. If, if you're not receiving that from God, then you don't need to be giving it to other people.

[Dinora]

Come on. Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

If his love isn't contention, then you. You should be working to be like him.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

The one who was on the cross and prayed for those who were actively persecuting and killing him.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

Prayed for them when he was reviled. He didn't revile against them like he did. He did not do to others what others did to him.

[Dinora]

Yep.

[Megan Ashley]

He loved them. In spite of how they treated him. He prayed for them. He like. Do you know what I mean? We gotta constantly be living with this gospel as the filter through what we think, through what we see, through how we want to respond, through what we're listening to, everything. Okay, I'm going to take that feeling. I'm going to filter that through the gospel before I respond, yes. Before I react, I'm going to filter this thing through the gospel. What would the God, after thinking of the cross, what then is my response.

[Dinora]

Come on, come on.

[Megan Ashley]

We gotta think, we gotta be gospel, gospel minded, Christ minded believers.

[Dinora]

Yes, yes.

[Megan Ashley]

And not sometimes, all the time. All the time. And not that you're going to be perfect, but I'm saying you're, you're quickly to course correct for sure.

[Dinora]

Like what would were talking about earlier? It's that you have, you have the experience. Paul, Paul had that experience.

[Martha]

Remember last time, Romans 7, Paul had that experience. Paul is wrestling with his flesh and.

[Dinora]

He'S like, man, the things that I know I should do, I can't do.

[Megan Ashley]

And every time I want to do right, evil is present.

[Dinora]

You know what I'm saying? And so evil's always going to be present. But again, yo, it's the, it's the moment that, that and thank God for, for, for those moments that the evil, that the evil is present because then it convicts us and it leads us to hopefully repentance.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dinora]

So that we can continue to be conformed to the image of Christ. You know what I'm saying? But that's exactly what it is. Like yo, in our life we have, who knows how long we're going to live because you know, the lifespan is growing greater and greater.

[Martha]

Baby, I'm almost 40, looking like I'm 18. Okay. So I might just be 109 and I must spend 109 years being conformed to his image. You know what I mean?

[Megan Ashley]

I'm saying?

[Dinora]

Like I just. There is so much more wickedness in.

[Martha]

Me that the Lord has yet to reveal.

[Dinora]

But the, but the question is, are you submitted and surrendered enough so that when that wickedness rises up, he can convict you and you can receive the discipline and that you can then repent and actually turn from your ways and then help in your shepherding, bring other women into that enlightenment.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

You know what I'm saying? So it's like what? Like, are we doing it or not?

[Megan Ashley]

What are we like, are we Christians.

[Dinora]

Or are we not? Are you asking them bracelets y' all be wearing? What would Jesus do? What would Jesus do?

[Megan Ashley]

You really think we need to bring those, like, bring it back, bring it back. Wwjd Bring it back. Cuz that was like a movement for a minute. Like we need to bring it back for real. What would he do?

[Dinora]

But the purpose is that you would actually ask yourself that. Yeah, it's meant to actually be a reminder that when you are in an experience, you. You would say, what would Jesus do?

[Megan Ashley]

And again. And you know, I love the braces. I think it's fine. But we need to work on branding it in our hearts. Come on, let me brand like the. When the scripture says this word that I have hidden in my heart so I don't sin against you. Come on, let me take this word and brand it in my heart so that when I'm going through things that might offend me, things that might hurt my feelings, things that bring up my triggers and my trauma, I am going to filter that through the lens of Christ. What would Christ do? How would he respond? What. And ask yourself, okay, in this moment, what would bring him honor?

[Dinora]

Oof.

[Megan Ashley]

What would bring him glory? Not what would make me feel better. Not what would vindicate me, but what would bring him glory? What would bring him honor? And if you're. And if you're asking yourself those questions, then I'm telling you, it's going to re. Redirect. Recourse you back to doing what a Christian is supposed to do.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes. And everything that we do, we need to be asking ourselves, does this bring him?

[Dinora]

Does it bring him?

[Megan Ashley]

Does him bring ig?

[Dinora]

Does it shepherd more people closer to him? Or is it making people go away from him? Because, again, your greatest ministry is your life. All of this is ministry. The podcast is. The Bible said everything is ministry. But the greatest ministry you will have is your life.

[Megan Ashley]

Hello.

[Dinora]

Because your life is the evidence of your actual love and devotion for Christ. Say it again. What? I said, what is it again?

[Megan Ashley]

Your life. Oh.

[Dinora]

Your greatest ministry is your life.

[Megan Ashley]

The way you live when ain't nobody watching.

[Dinora]

Ma', am, let me tell you something. Ah.

[Martha]

After I stretch my legs.

[Dinora]

That's.

[Megan Ashley]

I told you. That's why I can't do that. It hurts, man.

[Martha]

Next season, we got tape on recliners, Bob's furniture. Send the recliner. I'mma get you the partnership. I'm gonna come out of retirement to get the Bob's furniture. We can sit on recliners next time.

[Megan Ashley]

18. But them knees. Them knees is 40. Them knees is 40.

[Martha]

Hey. 36. Go suave.

[Megan Ashley]

That face is young with them knees, child. Them knees is gonna tell it every time.

[Martha]

And ankle, knees. And ankle. Because ankle. Why you in this much?

[Dinora]

Why you're so much.

[Megan Ashley]

You said ankle. What's going on with you?

[Martha]

I never had ankle pain in my life. Let me set a chiropractor appointment.

[Megan Ashley]

Yo, when you start getting ankle problems from sitting, you got ankle problems from sitting, okay?

[Martha]

Wait, you need to stop, ma'.

[Megan Ashley]

Am.

[Martha]

Look at how, like, do you Wonder I am £166? You. I have been putting £166 on my ankles, ma'.

[Dinora]

Am.

[Megan Ashley]

He said ankle. What's up with you? You all right?

[Dinora]

Why?

[Martha]

See, I don't even remember what I was gonna say. What we talking about?

[Megan Ashley]

It's okay.

[Dinora]

Lord, Lord, heal my ankle.

[Megan Ashley]

Heal her ankle. She's. She had 166.

[Martha]

I don't even wanna. That one is the one that. I don't even want to twist it because the way the cat. The mic is gonna.

[Megan Ashley]

She said my ankle. Dinora, please.

[Martha]

What was I saying?

[Megan Ashley]

I don't know. Now I gotta stress, man.

[Martha]

I was gonna say. Go ahead, go ahead.

[Dinora]

Ooh wee.

[Martha]

With your tiny little ankles. You got lala ankles?

[Megan Ashley]

Where is lala ankle?

[Martha]

Nana Anthony? She got tiny little ankles.

[Megan Ashley]

Give us a second as we stretch and regather.

[Martha]

Nah, son, this is. This is a real sacrifice right here, this knee.

[Megan Ashley]

I ain't gonna hold you. I ain't gonna hold you. Just keep it like arthritis or something.

[Martha]

She said arthritis.

[Megan Ashley]

No, seriously, something going on anyway.

[Dinora]

What we talking about?

[Megan Ashley]

Anybody's talking about. Your life being. Your life is the fruit. Your ministry is your life, man.

[Dinora]

I have something I was gonna say.

[Megan Ashley]

Dang.

[Dinora]

Your ministry is your life.

[Martha]

You see, that's.

[Dinora]

That. That's the ankle trying to be a distraction.

[Megan Ashley]

See, he had come in, but I.

[Dinora]

Was gonna say something very specific. What were you saying? You said something. We were saying ministry is your life.

[Megan Ashley]

No, I was saying in private, like, I think like you were saying, like, the ministry, like, the stuff that we do. Yes, it is fruit, but it. The real. The real thing is the evidence of how he's working in your life, period. Like, it. In little ways in, like this. Like if you would have normally popped off on somebody for something, but, but. But you. But you don't. You choose a better way. You choose that's evident that the Holy Spirit is sanctifying you and working out. You know, you're. That's the part of working out your salvation in your life. And so I think. I think what you're saying is. Is. Is needed. And. Yeah, I just think. Yeah, that's. Yeah, like we need that.

[Dinora]

I lost the stream, bro.

[Megan Ashley]

It's okay.

[Dinora]

And it was something good, too.

[Megan Ashley]

Dang. It'll come back. Or maybe it will.

[Dinora]

Or maybe it won't. Or maybe it won't.

[Megan Ashley]

You know, it may not.

[Martha]

And you go be saying something else, and I'm like, oh, wait, I just Remembered.

[Megan Ashley]

It's okay.

[Dinora]

It's okay if it comes back. It does. But if it doesn't, it doesn't. But, yeah, I mean. Yeah, I mean, I think that, again, it's just submitting yourself to that process, right. Of being mindful of, like, yo, how am I shepherding again people closer to the Lord by how I live.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

How. How am I. By and again, you. Yo, your life is. Your life. Will preach the gospel.

[Megan Ashley]

It really will.

[Dinora]

You're like, oh, now I remember. You see, I told you.

[Martha]

Okay, you see, I told you.

[Dinora]

I will remember. Yo. Okay, so my. One of my really close friends, Marlene, she. She doesn't. She doesn't live in California, but she has a home in California. Whatever. And so every time I see her, she's like. And. And she's known me from before because she actually used to be a client of mine. And she was like. She's like, dinora. It's just, yo, you have a glow. You have a glow. Like, she's constantly talking to me about my glow. And, like, mind you, like, she's one of my close friends, so, like, we spend a lot of time together. Like, I don't see her all the time. I will see her maybe once every two or three months, but when I see. And, like, she's just kind. There's just this glow. There's just this glow, baby. That is the countenance of the Lord.

[Megan Ashley]

Oh, you sound like the old folks. Countenance of the Lord.

[Dinora]

Okay, that is what it is. Like, again, we were talking about Moses earlier. Like, remember in. In ex. In the book of Exodus, that man had to come back down with a veil on his face. He has spent so many days in that mountain with the Lord that when he came down, he had to put a veil on his face because his face was so bright. It would have caused people to die.

[Megan Ashley]

Could you imagine? Imagine.

[Dinora]

And so that's what it is. There is a countenance that you have again when you are. When you are delighting in the Lord.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes.

[Martha]

That's what this is all about.

[Dinora]

This.

[Martha]

The whole thing of this conversation is about delighting the Lord.

[Dinora]

Like, yo, when you are delighting in the Lord, that you're sitting down and you're like, lord, I just want to read your word because it's so rich, and it just shows me more about you, and. And it makes me understand you more, it makes me love you more, and it helps increase my devotion and my reverence for.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

And, oh, Lord, just bring me to your feet, huh? That radiance yeah. That you will have.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

That is.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

And so. And so that is why I say I will go. I will go and spend time with Marlene. I'll go to her house. And we ain't even talking about the Lord and the.

[Megan Ashley]

Like.

[Dinora]

We're not even talking. Let's say we're not even having a conversation about the Bible or anything. And immediately, what does she recognize?

[Megan Ashley]

Something's different about.

[Dinora]

Yo. There's a globe. And then. That naturally then allows.

[Megan Ashley]

Let me tell you what's been.

[Dinora]

Let me tell you about what the Lord has been doing.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. And that's. And that's what's beautiful. If we. If we. Because, again, we've been talking about your witness.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

If we look at the early church, that's what happened to. That's why Christianity expanded in the way that it expanded. It's because they lived differently. There was something different about the ones who were following Christ than the rest of the people. They. Differently. And people are looking at them and they're like, oh, they. These people are being persecuted. But they're. They're.

[Dinora]

They're.

[Megan Ashley]

They're willfully.

[Dinora]

And they have joy.

[Megan Ashley]

They have joy. They're. They're going to. Being. To be executed. And they're. And they're happy about it. They're rejoicing. They just got flogged. Peter and John, they get flogged, and they come back rejoicing right back. Rejoice.

[Dinora]

It's crazy work.

[Megan Ashley]

You hit crazy.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

I'm not rejoicing, bro.

[Martha]

I'm up on you. Right up.

[Megan Ashley]

You flog me. Yeah. What?

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And they're rejoicing.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

That is some serious delight and devotion to the Lord. That's some. And I like. I'm like, lord, create in me that. Create in me that. Cultivate that in me.

[Dinora]

Yes.

[Megan Ashley]

Where no matter what I am going through, I can feel what I feel. Because I'm not taking away from lamenting and all the things. Right. Feel what you feel. But, Lord, cultivate me a del.

[Dinora]

A delight that makes your countenance come into the room before I do. We like the way that that light will show up before you. He is still Forerunner.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Dinora]

And is.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Dinora]

Still Forerunner. I' ma come in that room before you. You don't even gotta say my name. And people gonna see me in you.

[Megan Ashley]

We.

[Dinora]

What are we talking about? What do we talk about?

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. That's good.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

I just. This was great.

[Dinora]

You got that countenance all day on you, baby.

[Megan Ashley]

I don't feel like it, but thank you.

[Dinora]

No, you do.

[Megan Ashley]

Thanks. So do you.

[Dinora]

You do. And you know that. Well, no, I don't say you don't know.

[Megan Ashley]

I don't know.

[Dinora]

But let me. Let me. Let me affirm you that you do.

[Megan Ashley]

And.

[Dinora]

And beyond. It's. I get to experience differently as someone that's an actual friend of yours in real life. And I think that it's really important for everyone to know, for those of you that are part of the village, that you have a leader that actually lives this, that I've experienced how you carry out, like, how I have been blessed by how you carry out your gospel. Because the way that you have covered me, I feel like.

[Martha]

Yo, I just know Megan tired of me because I feel like I just.

[Dinora]

Been crying to you for, like, two years.

[Megan Ashley]

No.

[Martha]

And it's been.

[Megan Ashley]

Like, we've been in the. We've been in the.

[Dinora]

In the trenches.

[Megan Ashley]

We've been in the trenches for real. For real.

[Dinora]

And it's. And it's the way that even when we were at acts, it's the way that your children have ministered to me.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah, Caleb, that's your baby.

[Dinora]

That is my actual baby.

[Megan Ashley]

That is your baby.

[Dinora]

It is the way that you have.

[Martha]

Literally taken your whole face off. Literally, all your makeup was up because.

[Dinora]

You were crying out to the Lord for me.

[Megan Ashley]

Me? Oh, yeah, I was. That was.

[Dinora]

That was like, ma'.

[Megan Ashley]

Am. Yeah.

[Dinora]

Like, I need the people to know that Megan actually ain't no joke. Okay. Like, this ain't like, oh, hey, yeah, I'm gonna get my podcast. No, no, no, no, no, no. If all of this goes, she's still gonna be on her face to the Lord for me, For.

[Megan Ashley]

For sure. She said, if anything. I don't. For sure.

[Dinora]

If there is one thing that I know.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. For sure.

[Dinora]

Is that Megan actually lives on her face.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. And I. And I'm grateful. Thank you for saying that, and I appreciate you and thank you for encouraging me as you often do. And I think it's so important to have people in your life that are. That are fiercely running after the Lord in the same way that you are. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I just. I can't imagine not having a friend like you who I can call and they're going to. To point me in the direction of the Lord. Do you know what I'm saying? And. And just for you, too, like, you. You have your ministry, and you are shepherding women and discipling women, but you are also living this thing out. And it's not about just. I'M doing the things just to do the things. But you live the thing.

[Dinora]

Because here's the thing. Here's the thing. If I'm not living it, then that's also an idol. Then the ministry is just an idol to me.

[Megan Ashley]

One thing that Dinora is going to.

[Dinora]

Come after is idolatry. No, yo, I. I just. Here's the thing. I feel so strongly about it. One, because it's what the lord rescued me from. But two, it's my greatest temptation.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah.

[Dinora]

Do you know how, if I'm honest, embarrassing to a degree, it even feels to. To admit like, yo, idolatry is a struggle that I have. That. That when. That when I feel myself down, I am tempted to find an idol to make me feel better. That when I'm going through those valleys that I'm like, oh, well, let me find an idol. What's going to be my next idol? Oh, can I turn this friendship into an idol? Can I turn this pastor into an idol? Can I turn this ministry into an idol? I am looking constantly for an idol, but I feel so strongly about it because the. The thing about it is that idolatry shows up in the smallest things.

[Megan Ashley]

In good things. That's what I'm saying. In good things. Don't turn a good thing into an idol.

[Dinora]

Don't.

[Megan Ashley]

Yeah. Don't turn reading your word into an idol. Don't turn your studying into an idol. Because I just want to have something to say.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And I want to be.

[Dinora]

Come on. Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

Because that's a thing.

[Dinora]

Because it's not about the Lord.

[Megan Ashley]

It's not about.

[Dinora]

It's about you raising yourself up as an idol.

[Megan Ashley]

Yes. And it's like, don't turn good things into friendships. Don't turn ministry into an idol. Don't turn social media. Don't. And I think what you're saying is, is that you're communicating a truth that we all have the temptation to. Yes. You're just brave enough to say it.

[Dinora]

Listen.

[Megan Ashley]

But we all. I have the temptation to turn things into idols where I'm looking for a person to give me a word when he gave me a word already, ma'.

[Dinora]

Am. And that book is thick.

[Megan Ashley]

Thick. You got Tony.

[Martha]

Thick books.

[Dinora]

Tony, you got the.

[Megan Ashley]

You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? So it's like I am tempted that I'm tempted to turn people into idols where I need their affirmation, but when I've already been affirmed, that's me right here. Do you know what I'm saying? So yes. You just have the bravery to say what we're all tempted to do.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And we just have to be mindful of it. Don't turn good things into an idol. Don't fight that temptation. Ask the Lord to cultivate in you a fear of. A healthy, reverential fear of him so that you know that your life is to worship one God. And that's him.

[Dinora]

Come on.

[Megan Ashley]

And that's it. He said, I will have no other God before me. No other God. And we have to know that we are. It's so the reason why it's so easy to make idols out of things. Because we were built for worship. We were literally created for worship. But we were created to worship one God. But because of sin, now we. We are sinful. Nature tempts us to worship other things.

[Dinora]

That's how we be in secular concerts. Raising our hands. Huh?

[Megan Ashley]

Worship.

[Dinora]

Talk about, oh, I felt so free.

[Martha]

What.

[Megan Ashley]

I don't know what came over me.

[Dinora]

That was me previously.

[Martha]

I've said that before. I'm really talking about me. Trust me.

[Megan Ashley]

All the time. You know what I'm saying? But we were created for worship. So that's why it's so easy for us to worship other things. But we have to be pray. Like I told you in the Psalms, where it says, give me a mind that's undivided in the fear of the Lord Jesus. Give me a mind that is undivided in the fear of the Lord. Let me. Let me have a heart that wants to worship you and you alone. God. That's it. And anytime the Bible says that if we are tempted, he will provide a way of escape. Lord, let me be sensitive to the way of the escape that you're providing for me. Let it be clear how you're giving me a way of an escape to idolize things that I shouldn't idolize. We just have to be honest. We have to be honest. I just think that that's the biggest thing. Confess at a faster pace and repent.

[Dinora]

Repent.

[Megan Ashley]

And the Bible says that he will be faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is his promise. And so confess and repent.

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

And do it quickly.

[Dinora]

Rapido.

[Megan Ashley]

Huh?

[Dinora]

Rapido.

[Martha]

Rapido. Rapido, rapido. But do it fast.

[Megan Ashley]

Okay.

[Martha]

You got the rapido.

[Megan Ashley]

Anyway, not only did we have a Spanish lesson, but I pray that you got some healthy wisdom and word. I think our biggest takeaway is to delight in the Lord. And. And so I. I'm gonna do a journal prompt and you do a Journal prompt.

[Dinora]

Okay.

[Megan Ashley]

Okay. So my. My journal prompt is going to be in. In. In what ways have I not been delighting in the Lord? And I think we should write those things down. Like, have I. I think, take inventory. Have I been delighting or have I just been doing the things for selfish ambition? Right. The Bible says that where there is selfish, ambitious, selfish ambition, every evil practice is there. Right. So, like, we don't want to be selfishly motivated to do things that. That make us an idol or to whatever, like, prop ourselves up. So in what ways have I been lacking in delight?

[Dinora]

Yeah.

[Megan Ashley]

When it comes to my relationship. That's my. That's my.

[Dinora]

That's good. That's good. That'll preach. I will say, what areas of my life am I upholding my personal convictions over the gospel?

[Megan Ashley]

That's good. Maybe I need to write that down.

[Dinora]

Yeah, I think.

[Megan Ashley]

In what ways am I upholding my personal preference over the gospel? That's good. All right. So that shows that's your general prompt in homework. And what. What ways have I not been delighting? In what ways have I been upholding my personal preference over the gospel? I think this was amazing episode. I. I pray and I know it was helpful for me. It's baby discipleship.

[Martha]

We preach to each other.

[Megan Ashley]

This was. This was a great discipleship for me and so thank you. I love you. I'm so. I'm so thankful that you're in my life and I'm so thankful that you're my friend and just all the things that God is doing in you, I'm just, just. I'm just in awe, all of it. And I love you. I love you guys. And we'll see you next week. What's up, you guys? I hope you enjoyed this episode. Thank you so much for listening and I hope you felt encouraged in some way. Be sure to like and follow into Tality podcast everywhere you listen to your favorite shows. Follow into Tality on Apple podcasts or Spotify and be sure to turn on your post notifications so that you can be the first to listen whenever there's a new episode.