← In Totality with Megan Ashley
In Totality with Megan Ashley
EP 104: 1 Thessalonians 5: Remember Who You Are (Children of Light)
00:30:29
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- [00:00]
A
Don't you wish everything was more rewarding? With Rakuten, almost everything is. You can earn cash back on those new shoes you've been wanting. You can save on the next trip you book. You can cash in on groceries. Just join, shop your favorite brands and save Target, Instacart, Expedia, Macy's, Sephora, cvs. The list is long. Save online, in store and at over 22,000 restaurants. And when it's time to redeem those rewards, get your money exactly how you want it. Choose PayPal, check, Bilt points, or cash out with gift cards. So go ahead, take a trip, fill a cart, order dessert. Rakuten is a world of rewards. Join today for free. Go to rakuten.com or get the app that's R a K U T E
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B
N 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 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 lor 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 worth 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 Vill 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 megan and join today and I'll meet you there.
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I was asking the Lord, what do you want for this live podcast? First, Thessalonians 5. That scripture just kept coming up. I want to read this, and then I just want to encourage you guys. Is that okay? You belong to the Lord. You are his children. Children of the light. Be patient with everyone. You don't get to pick and choose who you get to be patient with because they don't vote the same way as you. You don't get to be patient. No, be patient. There's a lot of things that happen in our lives that we don't want to be thankful for, but we know that God works all things out to make and conform you into the image of his son. You are making me to look like you. God, thank you. You remove that relationship so I can look more like you. God, thank you. When things are going right, we never say, this isn't fair. That's actually what's not fair. When good things are happening, that's actually what's not fair. Because you are a sinner. He is perfect. We deserve wr. He gave his son. Let's keep it a buck. Yeah.
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I just want to first just, like,
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shout out the team. Jay, Jordan, Nicole, even my friends who came in and helped. Danora, Ashley, my bestie, she's here. She came all the way from Ohio, left her kids, worked all week, left her kids and came and just. She put this whole set together, y'. All. She brought my living room here, and it looks so good. I'm like, this looks better than my set at the house. Um, so, yeah, just everybody, thank you to the volunteers, everybody who bought a ticket and still decided to serve. Like, thank you. Thank you for. This is just awesome. So thank you. And Jackie helped me, y'. All. Jackie's been here. She's been just. We've been praying all day, just helping me go through scripture and praying with me and all the things. And we'll talk about that a little bit later. But I just want to first just thank my team, because I can't do any of this without them. And so to y', all, they're back there still trying to figure stuff out. But I love y'. All. Thank y' all for all that you do and how you support me and how you lift my arms up when I can't. So thank you to them. But I was praying and just asking the Lord, you know, God, what do you want for this? This live podcast? What do you want for this? For this kickback? And if you guys saw the new Village T shirts, if you haven't gotten them you can get them. They'll be in merch over there. But I put on there first Thessalonians 5. And that scripture just kept coming up to me as I was praying for you guys, as I was seeking the Lord about the kickback and the live pod, I was just. That scripture kept coming up. So I want to read this scripture. And as badly as I want to do a Bible study on it, I'm not, but I want to read it and just share my heart with you guys. And specifically because this was curated for the village, if you're not part of the village, is not my intention for you to feel left out at all. But this was curated for the village. This was curated for our Patreon community. That was less.
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Of course.
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We have been gathering together for the last almost two years. Right. And we. A lot of y' all started off when I had close friends and we did the Beta Satan together and. Yeah. And then we transitioned to Patreon, and we've been doing Bible studies and we've been praying together, and we've been encouraging each other and being a community, truly. But we've been doing it all online and haven't been able to do it in person. And so I wanted to put this together for all of us to just see each other and hug each other and say hi and meet and all the things. And so as I was praying for you guys, this is the scripture that came up. So I want to read it. If you have your Bibles or if you have your phones, you can get your phones out and read it with me. And then I just want to share my heart for the intention on this whole evening. Is that okay? Okay. So go with me to First Thessalonians, chapter five. And if you don't read first and Second Thessalonians, it's a great books. People don't really be over there a lot, but I think they're great books. And so I want to read this, and then I just want to. I just want to encourage you guys. Is that okay? All right, so about the. The times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you, for you yourself know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains on a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark for this day to surprise you like a thief. For you are children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then let us not slee like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self controlled and put on the armor of faith and love and the helmet of hope and salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, as you are already doing now. We ask you, brothers and sisters, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves and we exhort you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle, Comfort the discouraged, help the weak. Be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone. But always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Rejoice always. Pray consistently, constantly. Sorry. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ. Don't stifle the spirit. Don't despise prophecy, but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. He will do it. Amen. This scripture, this chapter was so good to me. Because as I was reading it, man, as I was reading it, I kept seeing Yalls faces. And so I don't have anything, you know, new to say. I just have his word to remind you of. I just have his word to speak over you, right? That Paul is talking to the Thessalonians and he's reminding him of their identity. So I'm here to remind you of who you are. You belong to the Lord. That's your identity. That you are his children, that you are children of the Light, right? And so whatever your identity was before, you can lay that aside. Whatever the enemy tries to lie to you and say that your identity is your sins, your past sins, your mistakes, you can lay that aside. Because now that you're in Christ, you have a new identity. You are his children and you live in the light, right? You belong to Him. And so because we belong to him, he talks about the day of the Lord. Coming and not being worried about when that day is. And. And I don't. I don't believe he's saying, don't worry about it. Live not with anxiety, but live with urgency. Learn how to. To place when that anxiety comes up. Learn how to lay that down and pick up urgency. I'm not going to be anxious, but I'm going to live with urgency. So I'm going to live as if the Lord is coming back. Who believes he's coming back? Do you believe he's coming back? Do you really believe that he's coming back? Then live like he's. Because his children know that he's coming back to get them, right? I didn't have the greatest experience with my father, an assurance with his word. I didn't. I remember many times of him saying he was coming and he didn't, right? And so it's easy for me to carry those trauma, that trauma. It's easy for me to carry that into my relationship with the Lord. But I know that, that God is a man, that he can't lie. And so if he says he's coming back, I believe he's coming back. And so I. Knowing that my dad is going, like he's going to come back and get us, right? That son, like he's going to send his son to come back and get us. And so I live with that urgency. I'm not anxious, but I live with that urgency. I live with that urgency in my own life. I live with that urgency in my witness, right? And so I live knowing he's coming back and knowing that when he comes back, it's going to be sudden, right? And so the world, when he comes back, and it's going to be like a thief, it's going to come like destruction for those who are not submitted, for those who have not repented, but for those who have and those who are in Christ, it's going to come sudden and we are going to be filled with so much joy. So live with that. Live with that hope, right? Life is hard, y', all, and we're gonna talk about that tonight. Life is hard. Like y' all know me. I'm gonna keep it real with you. Life is hard. Being a Christian is hard. But when I know who I am, when I know who I am and I know that Christ is coming back for us to live with him forever, in eternity, there is a joy that's CE in my faithfulness, right? So know who you are. I'm here to remind you of who you are. God didn't save you just for you to be a servant. He saved you for you to be a son and a daughter. That is your identity. First is you're a child of God, not just a servant of God, right? Know who you are. Remind yourself who youo are. And when you're tempted to forget, pick up the word. This will remind you. Okay? Remember this night. Go back and look at 1st Thessalonians 5 and be like, that's who I am. I'm a child of the day. I'm the child of light. I'm. I'm his kid, right? And then Paul goes on, now that we know who we are, what do we do? So now Paul tells us what to do. And he says, warn those who are idle. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. And this is my favorite part. Be patient. Be patient. Be patient. Be patient with everyone. What does everyone mean? Everyone? That means you don't get to pick and choose who you get to be patient with, huh? Because they triggered you. You decide not to be patient because they don't vote the same way as you. You don't get to be patient because their sanctification pace isn't yours. So you get to not be pa. No. Be patient with everyone. Paul is telling us here that no matter you find someone in, there's something for you to do. There's a way for you to serve in every season, but always, in any season, be patient. Every time you see someone that's discouraged doesn't mean that they're in sin. Be patient. Be patient. Let me ask you something. Think about it. How long did it take for you to say yes to the Lord for real? He was patient with you, And he's perfect. You get to be patient. So because this is who you are, this is what you do because of who you are, not because I feel like it's because of my identity, because of who I represent, because of the grace and the patient that was bestowed upon me. I will be patient with everyone, no matter the season. Warn those who are idle with patience. Huh? Comfort those who are discouraged with patience. Huh? Help those who are weak with patience. Be patient. And y' all listen. Even with your own selves. Be patient. Even with you. Be patient. Be patient. Okay, I want to go on, but I can't. I think it's clear what. What Paul says about repay. Don't repay evil for evil. You guys know that. I don't need to tell you that. Y' all know who you are. You know? Y' all know who you are. But. But this is Another thing that you do because of who you are, you rejoice always. This isn't a suggestion. This is what you're supposed to do. Mind you, feelings aren't in this. It's not about how you feel. It doesn't say be happy always, but it says rejoice always. That's a decision I have to make. I make the decision to rejoice in spite of how I feel, right? I pray constantly. Not because I feel like it, but because of who I am. And that's what we are commanded to do. We pray. I'm praying tonight, y'. All. I have been praying this, and I pray this tonight, and I pray that the Lord does it tomorrow. But I pray the Lord is going to make some intercessors tonight. I pray that the Lord burdens hearts for intercession. Everybody ain't supposed to be a podcaster. Maybe you supposed to be an intercessor. Maybe instead of talking, maybe you supposed to watch and pray. Pray constantly. Does that mean I need to be laid prostrate on my face all day, every day? Maybe, if that's what he called you to do. But I stay in a constant communication with the Lord all day. I'm praying all day. Cuz guess what? I need them all day. Huh? I am needy all day, all day. So I pray constantly because of who I know who I am, and I know that I'm needy. I know I need them. So I pray constantly. Okay? And in everything, give thanks. This is hard because there's a lot of things that happen in our lives that we don't want to be thankful for. But we know that God works all things out for the good of those, those who love him and are called according to his purpose to make and conform you into the image of his son. You are making me to look like you. God, thank you. That trial came so that you can make me look like you. Lord, thank you. You shut that door so that I could look more like you, God, thank you. You removed that relationship so I can look more like you. God, thank you. You didn' I asked for because you know better. God, thank you, thank you, thank you. In everything. Give thanks. That is. That is what you do because of who you are. Give thanks in everything. Don't pick and choose. Give thanks in every. Let me. Let me. Let me put this nugget in your ear, okay? I heard John Piper say this, and it wrecked me. He said, when things go wrong in our lives, we always say, like, when. When we're. When we're doing all the things. Right? Right. When we're in our older brother right village, y' all know prodigal son, right? When we're. When we're in our older brother pride. And I've done all the things. This isn't fair. This isn't fair. Why is this happening? This isn't fair. But when things are going right, we never say this isn't fair. That's actually what's not fair. When good things are happening, that's actually what's not fair. Because what we deserve is wrath. Huh? Keep that in your mind the next time you say this isn't fair. No, he saved you. And he didn't have to. You are a sinner. He is perfect. We deserve wrath he gave his son. Let's keep it a buck, huh? Give thanks in everything. In everything.
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Okay, listen, you guys want to know what I've been thinking a lot about lately? Rest. Because when you're tired and everything feels louder, your emotions feel closer to the surface. Your prayer life can even feel distracted. And I realized I am starting my days already depleted because I wasn't resting well. And a big part of that for me was my mattress. Listen, I had to switch over. I switched over to Brooklyn Bedding and I got the Sedona Elite mattress. And I've experienced the kind of rest I didn't realize I was missing. Now I wake up with less tension, mentally clear and feeling peaceful. If you sleep hot like I do, Brooklyn Bedding ma feature a cooling technology like glaciotech covers and copper flex foam, which I deeply appreciate and are constructed 100% fiberglass free. They're also one of the few mattress brands endorsed by the American Chiropractic Association. What I love about Brooklyn Bedding is that they handcraft every mattress in their Arizona factory. No middleman, no gimmick, just top tier quality, honest pricing and real craftsmanship that's built to last for a better night's sleep. Sleep. Brooklyn Bedding understands that sleep isn't one size fits all with all mattresses for different sleep styles, body types, and even hard to find sizes. And if you're not sure what you need, their sleep quiz takes like two minutes to help guide you towards the right fit. And they stand behind their products. You get 120 nights comfort trial. No pressure, just space to see if it's right for you. So listen, go to BrooklynBetting.com and use the promo code totality at checkout and get 30 off site wide. Listen, guys, that's 30. That's major. This offer isn't available anywhere else. That's BrooklynBetting.com promo code, totality 30 off site wide. Support our show and let them know that we sent you after checkout. Listen, guys. That's BrooklynBetting.com promo code, totality 30% off. You don't want to miss this offer.
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Let's get back to the show now. Village. I, I, I, I read this last part and I said, these are my people. They don't despise prophecy. They test all things. We are living in a time where you need to test all things. Get in the scriptures. Get off TikTok, get off Instagram, get out of YouTube, get in your word. That's how you test it. You know your word. A lot of y' all be amen and stuff that ain't in the word. I see you. I see you.
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I see y'.
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All. I see who y' all talk. I see it because you following me. Stuff that you be liking be popping up on my screen. I'm like, well, what they doing following? What is going on here? Test all things. Test it. Be a berean. Go back and listen to Jackie's message at Acts 2:42. Be a Berean. Paul came and they was like, yeah, yada yada, Paul. Whoop dee doo. Huh?
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What's up, guys? This episode is sponsored by Better Help. I think one of the quiet pressures of this season, especially in February, is the feeling like everyone else has love figured out. Like somehow everybody around you is thriving in their relationships and you're the only one still asking questions and or feeling unsure. But the truth is, most of us are still figuring out, and that includes me. No matter where you are, married, dating, single, or intentionally focusing on your own healing, relationships are layered, and love requires growth. Scripture reminds us that wisdom comes through counsel. And therapy can be one of those ways we seek understanding, clarity, and peace in the middle of it all. This season can bring up a lot. Old wounds, expectations, comparisons. And sometimes the heaviest thing isn't the relationship itself. It's the pressure we put on ourselves to have it all together. Therapy can create space to slow down. Gently ask, what's weighing me down? What am I carrying that I don't need to carry anymore? Therapy isn't about fixing yourself, but it's about becoming more aware. It can help you identify patterns, communicate more honestly, and approach relationships with grace instead of striving. Whether you're doing the work individually or alongside of a partner, it's an opportunity to grow in wisdom and emotion. Emotional health, which matters deeply in every season of life. BetterHelp works with fully licensed therapists in the U. S. Who follow a strict professional code of conduct. They also handle the matching process for you through a short questionnaire that helps identify your needs and preferences. With over 12 years of experience, they typically get it right the first time. But if the match isn't right, you can switch to another therapist from their recommendation. BetterHelp is one of the world's largest online therapy platforms with over 30,000 therapists and more than 6 million people served globally. And it works. Live sessions average between a 4.9 and a 5 rating based over 1.7 million client reviews. If this season has you feeling behind, overwhelmed, or just in need of clarity, remember, growth doesn't happen all at once.
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Months.
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Sometimes it starts with creating space to be honest with yourself and with God and where you are. Sign up today and get 10 off of betterhelp.com totality. That's B E t T E R h e l p.com totality said Whoop Dee doo.
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What's in this book? What's in the script? We testing that thing? Huh? Tested. Be people who love God's word. Be people who love God's word. Be people who love God's word. God's children love God's word. Okay, moving on. We know who we are. We know what to do now. How do we do it? How do we do it now? May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. How do we do it? We don't. He does. Everybody should have took the biggest exhale. Thank God I don't have to do it. He does it by doing all the things that we just listed. By doing all the things. That is how we are being sanctified by him. He will sanctify us completely. Completely. That's good news, y'. All. A God who starts a thing finishes a thing. So if he started it in you, he'll finish it. Don't be frustrated. If you don't respond like you used to respond. He done started a thing. If, if, if, if you. If you've. If you've put to death some sin and you keep putting it to death, he has started a thing and he will finish it. He will finish it to completion. Completion. Don't be frustrated with the pace at which God is sanctifying you. Don't be frustrated it. Because it's him that's doing the sanctification. It's him that's doing it. That's good news. It's God that's doing it and he will do it. To completion. The God. Let's remember who we're talking about. God. Perfect, holy, sovereign, righteous, blameless, spotless. Like God. Him. He's gonna do it. To completion. I want you to remember that it was a miracle that. That you are saved. It's a miracle that you are saved. Do you understand that? Do you know that it is a miracle that God saved us? That a perfect, holy God decided to send his Son to come here, Live, be all man and all God. To be tested in all the ways and remain sinless, spotless. Who took on the wrath that we deserve. Who drank from the cup that we deserve. Listen, don't let the gospel become common to you. It is not common. It is a miracle. It is a miracle that you are saved. That he died on the cross for your sins. Yours. Make it personal because it's personal. Salvation wasn't just a group project. He thought of you personally. You. He saw you and your sins and what could separate you from the Father. And he nailed it to the cross and he shed his blood so that we could be made righteous, so that we could be justified, so that we could live with him in eternity forever. That is what God did. That is what God did. He was so serious about you that he sent his son. That's a miracle. It's a miracle that you said yes to him. And it's a miracle that's going to keep you. Sanctification is a miracle. So it was a miracle that saved you. And it's a miracle that's going to keep you. And so rely on that. Rest in that. Know who you are. Know what to do because of who you are, and know how it's going to get done. That is my prayer for you guys. That is my prayer for our community. And that at any point that the enemy tries to discourage you, to distract you, that you would remember this, that you. You would remember this moment, but you would remember Scripture and that you would replace the thoughts that the enemy tries to plant in your head with scripture. When Jesus was being tempted for 40 days and 40 nights, and Jackie and I were talking about this, we were like, he was being tempted by Satan, y' all just being tempted by Satan's imps. Like, that was Satan himself. That was Satan himself tempting Jesus. And what did he use? What did Jesus respond with? The Word. He responded with the Word. And so when you're being tempted to forget your identity, when you're being tempted to not do what you should do, when you're tempted to think that it's you, that's doing it. Remind yourself of the Word. Replace those thoughts with Scripture. Amen. I pray that that encourages you guys. That is my heart for you guys, and I pray that it encourages you. And I pray that if any point as we were going through 1st Thessalonians 5, at any point that you felt like, I'm not doing that. I'm not being patient. I'm not warning those who are idle. I'm not encouraging those who are discouraged. I'm not helping those who are weak. I'm not doing that. Lord, I confess and I repent. And Lord, give me a heart to do those things, to be who you called me to be, to live out my identity faithfully in spite of how I feel.
- [35:33]
B
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 In Totality Podcast everywhere you listen to your favorite shows. Follow In Totality 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.
- [35:59]
A
Don't you wish everything was more rewarding with Rakuten? Almost everything is. You can earn cash back on those new shoes you've been wanting. You can save on the next trip you book. You can cash in on groceries. Just join, Shop your favorite brands and save Target, Instacart, Expedia, Macy's, Sephora, cvs. The list is long. Save online, in store and at over 22,000 restaurants. And when it's time to redeem those rewards, get your money exactly how you want it. Choose PayPal, check Bilt points or cash out with gift cards. So go ahead. Take a trip. Fill a cart. Order dessert. Rakuten is a world of rewards. Join today for free. Go to rakuten.com or get the app that's R a K u T E N Goodbye New Year, New you this season, Ollie is here to help you embrace a slower pa, the kind where you cozy up at home with your dog tucked right beside you. After the holiday rush and all the spending, you're probably craving those quieter moments, soft blankets, a comfy couch, and the kind of emotional reset that only happens when you're curled up with your pup. Spending intentional time with your dog isn't just comforting, it's proven to support your mood, reduce stress, and help you feel more present during the winter slowdown. If you're leaning into that slower, more intentional rhythm, Ali can help support it with fresh human grade food slow cooked recipes, tailored meal plans, and an app that lets you tap real experts whenever you need peace of mind. Visit olly.com wondery and use code wondery for 60% off your first box.