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Sa. Good afternoon, everybody. I am so happy to to be here with you to take some questions. My dear Bible in 365 brothers and sisters. Listen, Erica is going to join us momentarily, and I'm very, very much looking forward to doing this awesome Q and A session before we open up in prayer. I want us just say something that I think is really important. And I hope you guys will remember this. What you are doing right now, as you are reading the Bible day in and day out, and as you're following the schedule and is, you are making a tremendous investment in your soul. You're making a tremendous investment in your mind. You're making a tremendous investment in your intellect, your family, your livelihood. All of it is a just immense, immense investment. And we want to encourage you to continue on. You know, there are many people who will say, well, I missed this day or I missed that day, and if you miss those days, it's okay. We want you to just jump right back on with where you left off, because God is going to honor your commitment in reading his Word, in discerning and learning and understanding and recognizing what is in front of you. And we also want you to know this. Look, we've got plenty of tools available to you within the Bible in 365app. There's a great schedule. You've got Erica that's reading through the Bible every single day with you, which is an amazing recording, you know, that you can listen to and be a part of. We also have a link or an area where we've got lots of resources that are linked. One of the resources that will be linked there is my website, james cadiz.com and it's all there available for extended teaching. There are hundreds and thousands of Bible studies that are available for free. And we have lots of other things available to you, and we just want to encourage you to take advantage of them. You know, one of the things that I'm really excited about is the book that I just finished writing last year. Part two is coming out very, very soon. But many have asked about this. This is the book of Revelation that I wrote about. You're gonna love that. That's a great resource and a great example of a resource that you can pursue. And, you know, our goal is to help you to integrate your biblical worldview into everything that you do in your finances, in the very thing that you do every day in interacting with your families, when you go to work, when you come, interact with your children. The goal is to give you a biblical worldview that will encourage you and. And bless you that you will be able to be equipped in a world that, quite frankly, is getting darker and darker and darker. And it's always been Charlie and Erica's heart to equip you in that way. And we're really excited that this audience is doing exactly that, that this community is building precept upon precept, word upon word, light upon line, and it's faithfulness of God showing up as we study his Word, where we're learning this stuff and we're seeing it, and we continue to see God's faithfulness in it. So don't give up, keep going, keep swinging hard, and God is going to use you in an incredibly powerful way. So with that said, let's pray as we get into these questions and answers. I might take just a few questions alone, but Erica will be joining us, so she's. She's on her way. So let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. We thank you for this opportunity that we can dig deep into your word. Lord, we thank you for giving us the ability to. To read your word, to know and to discern and to learn and to understand what it is that you're telling us. Father, help us to come up with practical solutions that we, we. That we would just know what it is you're saying. And I pray, God that the words that I share would be your words, Lord, and not mine. I just pray that you would bless together. We thank you so much for Erica. We pray, Lord, that you would just bless her immensely. We pray for all of the Kirk family. We just pray that you would pour out your spirit upon them, continue to use them, encourage them. We thank you for all the crew here at Bible in365, use them. And take the first question. And this is a lifestyle question. I think it's an important one, by the way, it gets asked a lot, believe it or not. And so we'll go ahead and tackle this. The question is this. Does the Bible say anything about gambling? What are your thoughts on Christians going to the casino? I'm conflicted and want to obey God's word and not be in sin. Regina, this is a great question, and it's a great question for a lot of reasons because there's a lot of people who struggle with this issue, and it is a really, really important one for us to visit. And by the way, Christians have debated this for a very long time. I want to say this. The Bible never explicitly says, thou shall not gamble. Okay? So if we're going to answer the question honestly, we need to start there. You will not find any direct command in the Bible that specifically forbids gambling. However, what the Bible does give us are principles that should govern how we think about it. Look, the Bible warns us repeatedly against the love of money. We see that in different forms. First Timothy, chapter 6, verse 10 talks about this. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It's not money. It's the love of money. And that's an important passage to look at because, you know, a lot of gambling is driven by covetousness. It's driven by the desire to get rich quick. It's a desire to kind of get something for nothing. And it's really the hope of becoming wealthy without labor, without stewardship, without diligence. And God says that if you will labor, if you will exercise good stewardship, if you will work diligently, then you can actually produce wealth. And this is not a health and wealth message. Secondly. I said secondly. Sorry. Second, the Bible consistently commends hard work and wise stewardship. Look, Proverbs is filled with reminders that God blesses diligence and condemns reckless financial behavior. Gambling often places money at risk, with odds intentionally, by the way, designed to favor the house. When I say the house, meaning the people that you're going. And gambling in the casinos. Look, they're not built because gamblers win, okay? They're built because they make money off the death of the future. And third, and perhaps most consequentially, we have to ask whether it's helping or hurting. Not only our witness, but. But our families, our lives. Look, if a believer finds himself spending money that he can't afford to lose, you know, chasing losses, trying to make up for these types of wins, becoming addicted, even neglecting responsibilities. Guys, it's not good. You create a stumbling block for others. And I. When I say a stumbling block, I'm not necessarily talking about somebody who looks at you and then they're stumbled by and they go and follow you in the casino. A stumbling block, because your bad behavior will create a burden and a problem that other people will have to stomach because of what you've done. Now, do I think it's a sin for a Christian to walk into a casino? No, not. Not necessarily. But let me just say this. A building doesn't make you sinful, okay? But I personally would never encourage it, because casinos are specifically designed to exploit human weakness. They're designed to exploit greed, addiction. Everything about that environment is engineered to separate people, not Only from their money, but from their God. And that's. I think that's really, really important. So here's the question that I would ask. Can you do it with a clear conscience before the Lord? Can you honestly say you're being a wise steward? That's the question that I would ask. Can you, you know, literally lose every dollar you bring and still glorify God in the process? If the answer is no, well, guess what? You probably shouldn't be there. So in most cases, I would say it's not a good idea. Now, my personal conviction is that Christians are better off, you know, completely avoiding gambling altogether and investing their resources in ways that are going to honor God. Time bless, you know, your families, advance his kingdom. And I think that's a much wiser path. As a matter of fact, I personally encourage people to learn how to utilize resources like what's available in the U.S. stock and options market. It's something that's a good. A good tool, but you can't do it as a gambler. You have to develop a skill set. And by the way, if you go on my website, we actually have information on how you can do that, take some classes where you can learn how to be able to do that and not gamble, to actually make calculated decisions that will help you and your family. And I think that's really important. So when. When push comes to shove, that's what you want to avoid. And it's. I think it's really important that you think at that level, that we think at that level because God's given us too much to. To throw it away. Okay, so the next question is. Bella Rose. This is a really, really vulnerable question. I. And I. I gotta tell you, I really admire the boldness in asking this question. And it reads something. Let me read that. Okay. It says, how do I remain happy for someone when I am tempted to be jealous of what they have? Man, what a Belarose. Can I just say that you are so incredibly in touch with your own heart and your emotions. I think it's a sign that you're really walking with the Lord. Okay. Because it's a very honest question. And the fact that you're asking it tells me that the Holy Spirit. Spirit's already doing a work in your heart. I mean, honestly, I see it. It's just. It's amazing. And. And, you know, most people will justify their jealousy instead of confronting it. One of the things you have to remember is that jealousy often comes from comparing God's plan for someone else with God's Plan for you. Don't do that. Because the problem is you're comparing two stories that God is writing separately. And God has a unique calling. He's got a unique timeline, he's got a unique gifting and a purpose for every single person. Look, when Peter looked at John and wanted to know what God was going to do with him, Jesus essentially told Peter, it's not your concern. You follow me, right? Look. Look at what it says in John. I gotta find it. Here. Sorry, a little slow to the draw. Here, let me look. Where is it? John 21:22. Jesus saith unto him, if I will, that he tarry till I come, what is it to thee? Follow thou me. In other words, hey, don't get distracted by what I'm doing in somebody else's life. That's what the Lord is telling him. So stay focused on what he's doing in your life. Look, I found that one of the best ways to defeat jealousy is to intentionally. This is an important word, right? Intentionally. Thank God for the blessings he's given the other person. That's a really important thing to do. That sounds very simple, but it's powerful when you begin praying, Lord, thank you for blessing them or thank you for providing for them. Them. Thank you for using them. Look, it's very hard to get bitter. You can't get bitter when that ends up happening. And the other thing to remember is that what you see on the outside is rarely ever the whole story. Now, you might look at somebody go, I wish I could be physically. You know, I do this sometimes. I see some people running and jumping and oh, man, I wish I could be like them. And, you know, I'm working towards that goal. But the reality of it is I don't know what their whole story is like. You may envy somebody's success or their marriage or their finances, their ministry, or whatever opportunities you may they have without realizing what kind of struggles or sacrifices or burdens they might carry. Someone came to me the other day and said, it must be nice to be you. And I said, you want to trade? So it's kind of important to understand that. And look, jealousy is often. And I want you to understand this because it has everything to do with you, right? Jealousy is often a thief of joy. It steals joy away. Why? Because it causes us to overlook God's faithfulness in our own life. Instead of focusing on what someone else has, spend time thanking God for what he's already done for you. Look, gratitude is one of the greatest antidotes to any kind of Jealousy or bitterness. And when you learn to look at people and their successes and be happy about their successes, you train your mind and your heart to be open to what God wants to do in your life for your successes, you know, for everything that he would put upon you. So my encouragement would be this. Celebrate God's blessings in other people's lives because they eventually become your blessings, okay? And thank him for what he's doing in your life and trust his plan for you, right? That he is putting you exactly where you need to be. And that brings me to passages like, you know, Proverbs, chapter three, you know, verses five and six, where it says, trust the Lord with all your heart. Don't lean on your own understanding. And in all your ways, acknowledge him and what he'll do. He'll direct your paths. So trust Him. He'll direct you. And your story will be something that most people look at and just be mind boggled and be like, what in the world just happened? And I think that's where the value comes into place. I think it's just an awesome place to be. Okay, next question. And this is Abby. Abby says I'm a writer. Most of my stories are fantasy in genre and include elements like vampires, werewolves, witches, and magic in general, both good and evil. I was wondering if, as a Christian, it's okay to write about these types of things. Sometimes the stories can get pretty dark and things that would generally. Things that would generally, would be considered evil, like vampires are portrayed like good guys or heroes. Yeah, that's a tough one. And I, I, you know, I definitely want to put some thought into this as I give you the answer. But look, the Bible. Let me just tell you what the Bible doesn't prohibit, right? The Bible doesn't prohibit fiction. By the way, can you guys reset the timer so that I can look at my. Sorry about that. Anyway, the Bible does not prohibit fiction of any of any type. Okay? Telling stories is a very, very powerful way to communicate, you know, communicate truth. The real question is whether, is it whether or not you're writing fantasy? The real question is what are you doing with the opportunity that's been put in front of you with the talent that God has given you, Right? What is the worldview that you're promoting through your fantasy? For example, C.S. lewis is probably one of my favorite writers. You know, he wrote the Chronicles of Narnia. I mean, when you, when you look at that, or even the Lord of the Rings, which I never read the Lord of the Rings, believe it or not, but the Chronicles of Narnia was one of my favorite. CS Lewis is one of my favorite authors. Erica and I were actually just talking
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about CS we were just talking about this. Hi. Hello.
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It's good to see you. Wonderful, by the way.
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Thank you. Today's been a day. Today has been a Friday, let me tell you.
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I can't imagine. Yeah, it's kind of been that way here, too.
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Yeah, it's been a Friday. It's been a Friday. When I heard you talking about vampires, I was like, yeah, they might not actually be real real. But I tell you what.
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Oh, no, listen. They promote a lot of things, and actually that's kind of where I was going to. Those stories will ultimately point people toward. The stories like C.S. lewis, the Chronicles of Narnia, they're always going to point people toward truth. Themes like sacrifice, redemption, courage is a big theme. You know, even righteousness. I mean, it's one of those things. But I have concern when evil is glorified or when it's normalized. Look, if witches, vampires, demons, dark spiritual forces, all of these things that you mentioned are being presented as admirable in a way that causes readers to desire or celebrate, like the things that God condemns, then I think we've actually crossed the line in a dangerous territory. And I think the Bible is very clear about God's view of witchcraft and the occult. Deuteronomy speaks about it. The Book of Acts speaks about it. Leviticus speaks about it. Numbers speak about it. They repeat those practices on a daily basis. So, you know, look, I'm an author, okay? And God has blessed me with the ability to write a book that's been very, very successful. Really. It's done really, really well. And one question I often ask, and I've written lots of articles, is, you know, what is the reader supposed to walk away with admiring? You know, are they admiring themes like courage, sacrifice, biblical proponents, or are they walking away admiring rebellion? Are they admiring darkness? Are you making them comfortable with darkness? Okay, you mentioned vampires and werewolves being betrayed as heroes. I think I can make a reasonable argument that that is not healthy. It's bad, remember? Look, and I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, okay? Please don't take this the wrong way. Satan's greatest tactic. Tongue tied here. His greatest tactic has always been to make evil appear good, and good appear evil. Isaiah condemns it. Woe to those who do that. So that's why discernment is very important for Christian artists and writers. We have to think that through. So my counsel Would be this. Continue writing. Continue creating. It's what God's called you to do. But regularly ask yourself, does this story ultimately glorify God? Or does it point people toward truth? Or does it drive them in the. In a different direction? Use the talent that God gave you. Because remember, as Christians, we're not just called to be creative. It's a big part of what we're called to do. Because we're created in God's likeness and image that he's a creator. We're called to be faithful with our creativity. And I think that's the standard you should use when evaluating your work.
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I think that's amazing. That's beautiful. Because even as a creative myself with even stuff with proclaim, like, I want to make sure that all of that is glorifying to the Lord. Just everything you do should be assuming that you are now going to question Lydia. Is that the next one?
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Yeah, Lydia would be the next question.
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Okay. I was in the height of my addiction to very hard drugs, but I started going to church when I got out of prison. I remember the pastor reading the Widow's Offering. And though I barely had change to offer, I gave it. I'm now six years clean and sober, minus one day relapse and attempted suicide. But is it unforgivable that I was high in a place of the Lord?
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Wow. Okay, look, here's the thing that. That you have to remember, okay? Your boy. I got. I really. I really need to think about this. Your. Your past. All the things that have happened to you in the past and the things that were a part of you are no longer that person. When you talk about relapsing and attempting suicide, you're believing the lie that's being spoken about you. And that lie is. God continues to remind you of his promises. God continues to tell you and show you how much he loves you and how much he cares about you. And the enemy wants you to believe the lies that are being communicated. And I think that more than ever, we need to become people. And this is so, like, so incredibly critical. Like, you have to. You have to hear me when I say this, okay? More than ever, we have to become people who choose to believe what God says about you. Okay? You cannot believe the lie that's being communicated. You cannot. It's easy to get to this place where you feel so overwhelmed by the things that you perceive because of the enemy and what he does and what he lies to you concerning. And then we act on it. It's part of human nature. But when you ask this question, and I want to go back to the. To the last part of this. Let me see if I can bring it up, because I'm missing it, because there's one part of this question that really concerns me. You say. You say I barely had you said, I'm now six years clean and sober, minus one day relapse and attempted suicide. But is it unforgivable that I was high in a place of the Lord? I mean, the answer to that is, undoubtedly, you are forgiven. I mean, you make the mistake. The short answer is, no, it's not unforgivable. And there's so many verses, by the way, in the Bible that speak about this. One of my favorite verses is 1st John 1:9. What does he say? If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Notice what it says there. Here's the condition. It's a phrase. I wish I could explain it. In the Greek, it says, all unrighteousness. Okay, so what concerns me more is that you're carrying guilt over something that happened during a season of addiction and profound brokenness. And you mentioned a relapse and an attempted suicide. Those are indicators of someone who was suffering deeply and desperately needed God's intervention. And guess what? He intervened. I mean, unless I'm misunderstanding the story, the beautiful part of your testimony is that God met you there and it has sustained you for six years. But look, sometimes the enemy wants you to keep looking backward at sins that have already been forgiven. And God calls us to look at the finished work of Christ. This is something that we talk. You know, Erica and I talk about this on a regular basis. It's amazing how the enemy will use different people to remind you and remind the world of who you once were. Yet God says that. What has he done? Psalm 103. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. So I would encourage you to stop asking whether. Whether or not God can forgive that sin and start thanking him that he already has. Right? Like, don't wonder whether or not he's done it. Just start thanking him that he has, because he has. Look, the greater testimony is not that you fell. The greater testimony, quite frankly, is that God picked you up, he preserved your life.
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He.
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He delivered you from addiction, and he's kept you walking with him for six years. Okay, look, that's not the story of someone who's beyond forgiveness. Okay? I Mean, that's the story of someone who's experienced the mercy and the grace in a very powerful way. And I would tell you, believe that. Believe your new identity in Christ, not your. What I would call lie. Dentity.
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Okay?
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Don't believe the lies that the. That the enemy is telling you because those lies are just brutal. Don't, don't. Don't let them believe that.
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So we just read, actually, that. That portion between David and Nathan where David was sharing. Isn't that right, Where David said he confessed and Nathan was like, you know, you're forgiven, but, like, you're not. You can't escape the consequences of the sin and of your choice, but you're forgiven. I guess that. That kind of goes in with this as well. Right? Like, to some extent.
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I just lost your audio. Hold on, let me fix this. This is my problem. My audio's been cutting in and out.
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No, no, you're fine. I was just saying it's one of those things where, like, you are forgiven for your sins, obviously, because that's a very direct thing, but you can't escape the consequences of your sin.
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Yeah, yeah, 100%. I mean, look, you're gonna have consequences for the things that you've done, but, I mean, I would even argue in this case that God has restored your mind. He's restored.
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Oh, yeah. No, not this. I'm not saying not this. This is very. No, no, no. I'm just saying, like, in general, with regard to. We'll use David as an example. You know, he was a sinner, but he didn't escape the decisions that he made while sinning for the consequences of it. Yeah. I'm not saying Lydia is an example of that. I'm just saying, overall, when it comes to sinning.
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Yeah. So. Boy, you brought up such a good point. You know, I'll give you the example I always give everybody. I think we talked about this recently. You know, like, I. I could. I could decide that I'm going to drop a tab of acid, right? And then just completely freak out and think that my arm is a dragon, and then I cut off my arm. Well, guess what? When I wake up in the morning after getting high, has. Will God forgive me of that? Undoubtedly. But will I actually have a consequence that I have to live with? The answer to that is yes.
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Right.
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And that's the. I think that's the bigger issue.
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Right, right, right, right. Yeah. Yep. Okay, the next question's from Lewis. How should I help a Christian friend who is addicted to pornography? Who?
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Look, look, it's a. It's a big issue, and I'll tell you why. First of all, you have to understand the nature of pornography. Pornography is a tough issue. Okay? Like, if you go to me as a counselor and you say, pastor James, what would you rather deal with? Would you rather deal with somebody who's addicted to pornography, or would you rather deal with somebody who's addicted to heroin? I'll take the heroin every single time. I mean, literally every single time. Why? Because let me tell you how heroin works. You take heroin, you feel high, you want to feel the same kind of high. You take more heroin, you keep taking more, you'll begin to achieve close to the same type of response, and it will always work that way. Pornography doesn't work that way. You consume pornography. If you want to feel the same stimulation that you felt the first time that you watched it, watching more of it will actually dull you. What's scary is you have to watch something that's different, and that's where we build mass murderers from. It's a very dangerous, very dangerous place to be. So the first thing that you have to do is you have to recognize that it is one of the most destructive addictions that's facing Christianity today and Christians today. And unfortunately, many people suffer in silence because they're ashamed to actually talk about it. The problem is, I mean, it's so destructive that you have to treat it with. With almost an intentionality that you treat nothing else with. Now, the first thing I would tell you is to approach your friend with grace and with truth, okay? That's critically important. Now, you cannot minimalize by any stretch of the imagination or minimize the sin. But I don't want you to really crush the person either, okay? Galatians tells us, you see somebody in fault, you go to them in a spirit of meekness, and you seek to bring restoration. But the thing that I would do is I would encourage them to bring the struggle into the light. The only way you will find victory over this struggle is to bring it into the light. Pornography thrives in secrecy. So one of Satan's greatest tools is isolation. And people who are addicted to it will function in isolation more and more and more. So when somebody believes accountable, also help them understand that it's not like a behavioral issue in and of itself. If you get them, if you frame this as though it's some behavior issue, it's. You'll. It'll never work, okay? Because a lot of people do that. What they do is you'll have counselors say, well, we're going to put a. A code on your computer that's going to block you from doing it. Okay, well, then how do you solve the problem of closing your eyes and imagining it in your mind? It's ultimately a heart issue, not a behavioral issue. And Jesus even says it. He says, you know, whoever so looketh upon a woman with lust after hath already committed adultery with her, with her already in his heart. So the battle has nothing to do with the images on the screen. It involves the mind, and it involves what's going on in your heart, which is why you have to encourage practical action. If a person is serious about overcoming pornography, they should be willing to remove the access points. In other words, you are going to remove it from your heart and your mind if you do not allow yourself to be subject to it. And it might seem like, you know, simple accountability software and filtering devices, but it's a lot more than that. Right? For married couples, I encourage men to not be allowed to log into certain areas unless their wife types in the code with them. And that sounds extreme initially, but what it does is it keeps the mechanism of accountability. Right. I would get rid of certain apps if there's things that create the mindset to move there. I was just working with somebody who's had some victory over this, where I said, you can no longer stay up late at night. You need to go to bed and then wake up early in the morning and start doing your work early in the morning. Because late at night, your body is weak, your mind is weak, your vulnerability is extended. And the thing is, we are supposed to take a radical stand with sin. That's what Jesus said. We don't negotiate against it. Right? And then, look, here's one of the most important aspects of this. You must remind your friend that victory is possible through Christ. This is why I have a strong disagreement with these books that are written. I think there's one called Every Man's Battle. There's a bunch of these books that are written. I cannot stand the premise of these books. Many Christians fall into the trap of believing that they'll be struggling forever. That's not true. God can absolutely deliver people from pornography. He can. Now, look, it may be like a process, right? But there's gonna be. Anytime you involve yourself in intentional process, the setbacks are going to come. With intentionality comes disruption, but the disruption will pay you off. And if your friend has fallen repeatedly. And by the way, let me not say fallen when you're. When your friend has literally purposely done what they've done. Because fallen is not a great word to use. It implies that you just fell over. No. When they've intentionally done this repeatedly, remind them not to run from God, but to run towards him. Right. Your shame is going to say, well, I don't want to talk to people. I don't want to. I don't want to talk to my friends at church. And so the enemy wants them isolated and discouraged. But God says, no, I want you to come back to me. So be a friend who speaks truth. You know, offer accountability. Appoint them to Christ and refuse to give up on them. Right. Constantly be on them. Why? Because they need to know you love them. They need to know that you're in their. In their corner. And sometimes, look, God uses faithful friends as one of the most powerful tools in a person's recovery and their spiritual growth. And I think sometimes you have to do that. And listen, I've had some very, very dear friends in the past that have come to me, some of the most amazing people in the world. They've come up to me with these struggles, and I've just. I've. I've been on them very hard. Like, look, God has a promise for you. Don't ignore the promise. God has wonderful things for you. Don't ignore those things. He. He has big, big plans for you. Don't throw those plans away.
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Amen. Amen. The devil would love nothing more than to just mess with your mind and get you totally off track of what you're supposed to be doing. The next question's from Tina. Me and my husband are separated due to drinking and infidelity. He wants to work things out. I feel obligated because he isn't saved. He believes in God, but doesn't live as such. And I don't know if he believes Jesus died for us. I want him in heaven. What is my duty as a wife if he is trying to get better with drinking, trying to get better with streaking. I mean, I think she's meaning, like, get better with, like, not stop drinking.
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A
Yeah, yeah. Having victory over it. Look, this is a difficult situation. And. And my heart goes out to you because, look, you're dealing with two separate issues all at the same time. Okay? A broken marriage and a concern for the salvation of your husband. Like, those are big issues. I would even minimize the drinking thing, not minimize it, but I think those are secondary to the big issues that you're bringing forth. Or the first thing I would say is that your desire to see your husband saved is a good and a God Desire, continue praying for him, you know, continue looking for opportunities to share the gospel with him, and ultimately just understand you. You can't save him. Only Christ can. And you should absolutely care about his soul, but you should not make marital decisions solely out of fear that he won't go to heaven. If you don't reconcile, that's. That's, you know, kind of a dangerous place to be in. Now, the second issue is the marriage itself. The Bible takes both adultery and drunkenness very, very seriously. It's not like a small thing. So you mentioned infidelity, you mentioned drinking. Those are not small matters. Trust that has been broken through, things like adultery. It just. It doesn't get built overnight. That's the. That's the problem. Okay? Simply because somebody says, I want to work things out, that doesn't mean that it can very easily happen. The question I would be asking is this, you know, demonstrating. Is he demonstrating? I guess the best term to put is genuine repentance. Now, you're not God, so you're not going to know his heart, right? But you are going to know him enough to know if he's experiencing, like, simple regret because of the consequences that were created by his. By his actions. Repentance will produce fruit. You know, ask yourself these questions, like, is he seeking accountability? Is he pursuing sobriety consistently? Is he willing to get counseling? That's going to be a big one, right? Is he taking responsibility without blaming others? Is he saying, you drove me to this? Like, ask those questions. You know, here's another one, you know, like, is he making tangible changes that demonstrate a transformed heart? Those are all kinds of things that matter. Now, if he's genuinely trying to get better, I don't think your duty as a wife is to immediately move back in and act as though nothing happened. Okay? Wisdom may require a season of. Of observance and patience and counseling and accountability and rebuilding, you know, forgiveness. Look, forgiveness can be immediate. Like, you could forgive them right away, and you should forgive. Give him right away. But trust has to be rebuilt over time, and so does wisdom in the way that you actually interact with him. Now, as for a spiritual condition, you know, First Peter talks about this. First Peter, chapter three, speaks of believing wives having an influence on unbelieving husbands. That's an important responsibility. Your responsibility is to honor God, to live faithfully before him, to pray for your husband and to share the truth with him. His response to Christ is ultimately his responsibility. He has to put his faith and trust in Christ. It's not your responsibility. So if I were counseling you. And by the way, this is very nuanced. I would have to know a lot more details you know about this. I would say don't rush, because rushing without understanding the game plan and bringing reconciliation can actually harm you in the future. Right. Continue praying for salvation. Look carefully for evidence that there's some kind of genuine repentance, and seek wise biblical counsel from a trusted pastor or an elder that knows the details of your situation. I can't walk you through this just by simply answering a question. You have to be willing to forgive, but you also have to be wise. Look, reconciliation. Is it possible? It's not even a question. Of course it's possible. Would God want it? Absolutely. But a healthy reconciliation requires more than promises. It has to require consistent, observable change over time. And if you're going to be his help, meet as the Bible says, as a spouse. You have to. You can no longer enable him just because he says that he wants. He wants change. Now remember this. Wanting your husband in heaven is a wonderful motivation for prayer, but it should never be pressure for you to walk back into the relationship without biblical wisdom. Okay? Because you'll make things worse. And there's a reason why Paul actually talks about separation being a tool in the context of marriage and why that's. That's so important. I hope that's helpful.
- [49:46]
B
I thought it was great. The next two questions are pretty similar. They're about prayer. First questions from Lisa. The next one's from Daniel. Lisa says, I am a new Christian and always pray to God and feel very blessed. I love God. However, sometimes I feel like my prayers are not heard as my sister and mom are very sick and my very dear best friend was, too, and passed away recently. I always correct myself when I have any doubt that God hears me. But sometimes I just want a sign that he does. Any ideas to help me. Daniel asks, how do you know if God has heard your prayer if you don't think you have an answer yet? I know.
- [50:23]
A
Wow.
- [50:24]
B
My heart just reaches out to both of them because I know the feeling of having my mom being sick. And you just, like, pray and pray and pray that shoulders. And you find, you know, you try to find cures to things that don't have a cure and you just. It's hard.
- [50:42]
A
I don't know. On a personal note, without getting really emotional, you know, I remember it was probably within maybe a year, I don't know, maybe. Maybe a year and a half of the time that I adopted my two baby girls. We went to Arizona we spent some time with you and your mom and Charlie and to just see how your mom invested in my babies. I will never forget how she loved on my babies. I mean, she's still with us and everything, but man, like your mama, you know, in most situations there are other people in the house and in most situations, somebody like your mom, you know, would have every reason to be irritated by the high energy of these little babies. And I think one was, at that point, one wasn't even a year old and the other one was, was. Had just turned three. And your mom, I mean, oh my goodness, how she poured into those babies, I will never forget it. So she's a loving woman.
- [51:46]
B
Loving woman.
- [51:51]
A
You know, we saw, we saw the progression. So it's like hard.
- [51:54]
B
It's so hard.
- [51:55]
A
I know it's hard not to get emotional, you know, because I think about how she ministered to my own, to my own babies and I thankful. I'm thankful that my babies will always have that, you know, one of them probably will never, you know, remember that exact moment. But I think my 8 year old would still remember, you know. Anyway.
- [52:16]
B
No, I know it's tough too, because I was actually looking at photos earlier today of when Charlie, because Charlie, my mom and I would go on little road trips together and I was looking at one of, one of the road trips we went to, up north to Payson together and it was just him and her like laughing in a video and it was so cute. And she just loved, loved him so.
- [52:38]
A
Oh, she loved Charlie too. Charlie loved her. Charlie. Charlie. Yeah. Yeah.
- [52:45]
B
There's anyways my, my heart goes out to her. Having a sick mom, it's not easy. So.
- [52:52]
A
Yeah, okay, let me get my emotions together here. So Lisa and Daniel. No, I, it's, it's good. Look, Lisa and Daniel, I think these questions go hand in hand because, you know, you're both really asking the same thing. You know, how do I know God hears me and.
- [53:14]
B
Sorry.
- [53:18]
A
And when I don't see the answer that I'm hoping for, you know, what do I do? Look, the first thing I want to tell you is that God's hearing your prayer, okay? He's answering your prayer. He hears them and he answers them. He just answers them in different ways. The Bible makes it clear that God hears his children. First John, chapter five. Get your head together, James. My goodness. Okay. First John, chapter five. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. So John says that we can know that he hears us. The confidence comes from God's character, not from our feelings. And look, look, Lysa. Yeah, You've experienced some very painful losses. I'm technically an orphan. I remember my mom going to be with the Lord and when my dad did. And look, you've seen sickness in your family. You've lost a dear friend. In moments like that, it's very natural to ask, Lord, are you listening? Matter of fact, it's okay to even ask why, Lord, Many godly people in the Bible asked similar questions. David did, Jeremiah did, Job even struggled with some of these thoughts. Remember the interaction that God had with Job? But here's what I've learned. This is important. God's silence is not God's absence. It never will be. Okay? God says yes. Sometimes he says no. Sometimes he says wait. Those are the common answers that we talk about. And sometimes we don't understand, you know, what his answer is until years later, or even what his will was, because perhaps we didn't have the ability or the life experience. Don't even need the life, the understanding to know what was going on. And you know, you mentioned wanting a sign that God hears you. Well, look, I would encourage you, with all gentleness, for lack of a better term, to not seek signs as much as you seek God's promises. That's the whole idea behind faith. Okay? Feelings are going to change. Circumstances are going to change. Signs, by the way, they can be completely misinterpreted. But God's word never changes. So one of the greatest evidences that God is working in your life is actually found in your very question. You're a new believer who loves God, desires to pray, and what was the. What was and. And is concerned about your relationship with him. Those desires, they don't come naturally. Okay, can I just say that, like, those are not natural things. God is already at work in your heart.
- [55:53]
B
Amen.
- [55:54]
A
And by the way, Daniel, just little quick side note, if. If you don't think you've reached an answer yet, just remember that not yet is actually an answer sometimes.
- [56:05]
B
Amen.
- [56:06]
A
So God often works on different timetables that we do. Praise God. By the way, Abraham waited, Joseph waited. If Joseph didn't wait, Joseph wouldn't have said there's a whole. Like, we wouldn't be here if Joseph waited or didn't wait. You know what I mean? David waited. The disciples, they definitely waited. It. Faith is not believing. After you see the answer. Okay. Faith, the Bible says, is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. In other words, faith is trusting God before you see the answer. Because God has given you evidence that you have reason to trust in him. So when you're wondering whether God has heard your prayer, don't look first at your circumstances. Look at his promises. If, if you're his child, he hears you, you. Okay, The. The cross that he was crucified on settled that literally forever, and so did the resurrection. So even when you don't understand what he's doing, you can trust that God, the same God who loves you enough to send his son for you is not ignoring your prayers. Quite frankly, he's working even when we can't see it, especially when we can't see it. And that is a healthy place to be. And I don't ever want you to forget that. It's a very, very critical understanding to develop and one that I think if you don't have that, it could be very discouraging. And I don't want you to be discouraged unnecessarily, especially in a context like this.
- [57:29]
B
No. And I think that's where journaling actually becomes, like, a really helpful tool for moments. Like this is where you're able to journal and write down whatever your prayer request might be or even just where you at, where you're at with your life and your season and write it out. And then when you go look back at that moment a week, a month, a year from now, and then see, like, wow, like, this is how God actually answered it in a totally indirect way or a direct way, or in a completely different manner that I had no idea would have existed or happened. I just think it's really powerful to be able to reflect and look back on those moments that you journal and write about, because it shows how truly multi dimensional God is when it comes to just, you know, we think. I mean, he's not a genie. You know, your prayers are. They will be heard and they, you know, they'll be answered in the way that God intends them to be answered in.
- [58:33]
A
Yeah, Amen to that. I mean, I think journaling is powerful
- [58:36]
B
because then it just, it's. It's that reminder for you to be able to see, like, oh, God does, like, how faithful God is. Like, even in moments where you don't even think he's. He's hearing you. He is. I can attest to that.
- [58:52]
A
Yeah. Amen. Absolutely. Amen.
- [58:56]
B
Yeah. Amen. We have. Next question's from Brittany. She's Having a baby through gestational carrier. The carrier would carry an embryo made with her egg and her husband's sperm. Something that is. Is this something that is okay from a Christian standpoint? I had an emergency hysterectomy and we have two embryos remaining. They are past the point of conception in our eyes and already so loved. But I am going against what, but am I going against what God wants, trying to have them? Okay, so she had an emergency hysterectomy and they have two embryos remaining.
- [59:42]
A
Yeah. This is heavy. Look, before I answer this question, it needs to be nuanced with the understanding that you need to be sitting down with spiritual leaders in your life that can hold your hand and walk you through all the various issues that are tied to this. Because with everything that I talk about, there are going to be things that, that are not understood. And I do not want to pretend to understand or know every detail regarding this. And, and I think it's. I just think it's. I think it's just really, really critical. So with that said, I mean, obviously this, this is a personal and a very emotional question. And, and I can clearly hear the love that you already have for these babies. And I can speak very clearly from the perspective of a father who has three adopted children and hope to adopt many more. You're not talking about creating embryos for convenience. Okay. You're talking about two embryos that already exist that you and your husband view as your children. And you're trying to determine how to honor God in what comes next. As Christians, we have to start with biblical principles because the Bible doesn't directly address modern reproductive technologies. They didn't exist at that time. So the first principle is that children are a blessing from the Lord and the desire to have children and raise them for God's glory is good. And it's a God honoring desire. The second principle is that human life has value. And since you believe that these embryos are already human lives, the question becomes, what is the most God honoring way to care for those lives? Now, personally, and I want to say this very carefully, I have much fewer concerns about your situation than I do about the, the. I want to be careful. I say this right. The many fertility practices that involve creating large numbers of embryos and are later discarded or experimented on or indefinitely frozen. The stem cell research nonsense that happens, I have a very hard time with that. But here you're describing embryos created from your egg and your husband's sperm within your marriage. And because of a hysterectomy you no longer have the ability to carry them yourself. So it's creating the dilemma that we're seeing here. And there's some medical issues that have to be addressed here. There's some scientific nuancing that I. I probably should do, but don't have the time to do. But with that, I should just say this. The area where sincere Christians will tend to disagree is the use of a gestational carrier. That's. That's where the big problem is going to come up. We've had this discussion. Somebody asked me about a term people don't know this term, a snowflake baby. That's slightly different situation here. But either way, some believers see it as a legitimate medical means of helping a married couple bring their biological children to birth. Others have concern because a third party becomes involved in the pregnancy process, and that can bring some questions. My concern would not primarily be whether you're asking to bring these children into the world. My concern would be making sure every aspect of the arrangement honors God. That's the big thing, right? It has to honor God. It has to preserve the sanctity of marriage, avoid any type of exploitation of the carrier. That's an important run. Right. And has to be entered into with wisdom and prayer. So I personally would encourage you and your husband to seek counsel from pastors and elders who know you personally and can walk you through the details. Okay. This is one of those situations where specific circumstances do mean something. They matter. So from what you've described, I don't see a couple rebelling against God or trying to circumvent his design. I see a couple grieving a significant loss, loving children who quite frankly, already exist. And I think you could make a reasonable argument to say that and asking how to proceed in a way that honors God. So my encouragement would be this. Pray together, seek wise biblical counsel. You know, make sure you look at your motives before the Lord, which to me, I'm not God, but they seem to be beautiful and move forward in faith rather than having guilt about it. The fact that you're, you're asking this question and wanting to honor God is itself evidence that, that your heart, I think, is. Is pointed in the right direction. And I think that that's a very, very important thing to say with that. I don't think that I feel comfortable going beyond that other than doing those things. And I, I think you're. You're going to be on good ground.
- [64:06]
B
I think that's great. Now we have Mandy. Okay. For the majority of my Life. I wasn't sure what I believed in. If anything, after what happened to Charlie, I felt this need to join a church. After attending a few different churches, I finally found my church family. The first service I attended, I bawled my eyes out. I felt a presence of the Holy Spirit that I've never felt before. My kids are 9 and 7. I have been married for 10 years. My husband is a hard working farmer who has gone a lot. A year ago, I was questioning my marriage and felt like I was losing myself in the chaotic life of work and motherhood. Since finding a church, I recently got baptized. My kids attend Sunday school, and we talk about Jesus in our home daily. Instead of nagging my husband, I embrace his hard work.
- [64:56]
A
Yeah,
- [65:02]
B
Man. God. Sorry.
- [65:16]
A
You better finish reading it, sweetheart. Let me finish reading it.
- [65:19]
B
I love him like a wife should when he comes home. Instead of losing myself to motherhood, I've completely embraced every second of it, never wanting my precious babies to grow up. It seems like the more I pour myself into my daily readings, church and family, the devil shows his face more than I have ever witnessed. Why does it seem like the closer you get to God, the harder the devil works on you?
- [65:45]
A
Yeah, look for those of you that can't see. And I have the blessing and the benefit of knowing Erica and Charlie so well that I know exactly why Erica's in tears. You know, man, you know, it's really fun. I think one of the very first times I talked to Charlie about Erica privately when he was like getting ready to propose to her and he wanted to talk about like, what's the, you know, what do I, you know, questions about that. One of the things that he said is, he said, my wife's a, well, my, you know, my fiance. What I hope to be my fiance one day. She's a godly woman. She's a woman that really, really loves God. It. And, and I sat down with them before they both got married and I said, look, when the two of you get married, God is going to use you in a way that is so extraordinary that the enemy is going to attack you in ways you've never been attacked before. And then when Charlie went to go be with the Lord, Eric and I were talking about this. I reminded her that the enemy was going to attack her harder than anything she's ever experienced before. Because the devil hates godliness. He hates people who act righteously. So I'm giving you context for why Erica is in tears right now so that you understand it, because the attacks are real and they continue to happen. And God's faithfulness, although very obvious and very apparent, so are the attacks of the enemy. So let me just say this without getting close. I wish I could just fly over there and give you a big hug. Sorry, Erica.
- [67:28]
B
It's just. What's so powerful to me is that anyone who's married that still has their husband or spouse here, I want them to love their spouse so much. And I love that she's realizing that nagging is not the. Gosh, they're here. They're breathing love on them. If they're doing something that upsets you, communicate that. But don't hold that against them. Don't try to fix them. Don't try to mold them into something that you think they should be. Just love them. Love them so much. Because you stood at that altar and made a covenant with God. And let me tell you something. And Pastor James, you know this. When you stand at that altar and you make a covenant with God, that is not just some small promise. That is a covenantal love. God forbid, one day, when your loved one, your spouse, goes to be with the Lord, God steps in and fills that void in a way that no one else in this world ever could and ever will.
- [68:37]
A
Amen.
- [68:39]
B
And I always understood the covenant of marriage. But let me tell you something. When you become a widow, you see it on a totally different level. And to be able to feel the presence of God in your life on that. And that's like, such a magnitude way. It puts everything in perspective. So why my heart is just like reaching out to Mandy is because she gets it. She gets it. She realizes that all the little stuff like the spoons in the sink and the dishes on the table and, you know, the clothes on the floor, and they're not in the laundry basket, like, who cares?
- [69:20]
A
Who cares?
- [69:21]
B
Your husband's alive. Go and run up to him and give him a kiss. Write him a note for his lunchbox, like, just love on them. Because life is so short and you are so blessed to be able to still have that.
- [69:44]
A
Yeah, sorry, man. I. I couldn't answer the first part of that question better than what you just said. Erica, the part of that question that I'll actually address is the one that speaks to. Why does it seem as though the closer you get to God, the harder the devil works against you? Well, it's really simple, because you're no longer walking in the direction he wants you to go. The devil wants you to go in a different direction. I want you to think about it this way. If You're. If you're, if you're floating downstream, the current doesn't fight you. It's not going to fight you, okay? The moment you turn around and start swimming upstream, you immediately are going to feel the resistance. Look, the Bible tells us this. Ephesians, chapter six. You know, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The spiritual battle was always there. You just didn't recognize it before. Now your eyes have been opened and you see it a completely different way. Look, another thing to remember is that Satan hates anything that glorifies God. He hates healthy marriages. He hates godly mothers. He hates children being taught about Jesus. He hates believers growing in the Word. When he sees a family moving towards Christ, he will often attack the very areas where God is producing fruit. It happens all the time. It's because this is the tactic of the enemy. But here's the, the encouraging part, okay? It's very, very important. Don't ever mistake opposition for defeat. It's one of the things that I'm very proud of Erica, that she's been able to model. I think Charlie was a great example of this. You have lots of opposition, but it doesn't mean that you're defeated. Okay? Many new believers will believe. They think if I'm struggling, then I must be doing something wrong. Something is, is. Is in terrible shape. Well, actually, sometimes the opposite is true, okay? Sometimes the struggle is evidence that you're actually moving in the right direction. James even says it. He says, submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Notice the phrase, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Notice it doesn't say, you know, never face your attacks. It says to resist. So, look, I would also, to go out of my way, matter of fact, make it a huge point to encourage you to remember that Satan is not God's equal. He never will be. Okay? He's a created being. He can only do what God ultimately allows. And God often uses the spiritual battles to strengthen your faith. The resistance builds the spiritual muscles, so it will also deepen our dependence upon him and it will draw us closer to him. That is so incredibly important that we understand that. So when you see these attacks acts, don't be surprised. Don't be discouraged. Instead, let them remind you that you're no longer the person that you used to be. The woman who was questioning everything a year ago is not the same woman who is now walking with Christ, who's loving her family, realizing what she has in her family and growing in the Lord. The enemy may be working harder, but God is definitely and always will be greater. Okay? He's always going to be bigger than that. So keep doing exactly what you're doing. You know, stay in the word, stay in fellowship, keep praying with your children, keep loving your husband. Erica demonstrated that beautifully. And remember that God, the very same God who transformed your life, is more than able to sustain you through any battle that comes your way. The transformation was the harder part, not the battle.
- [73:17]
B
Amen to that. Next question's from Stephanie. I often struggle when others want to discuss biblical laws with me. For example, I don't curse, especially not using the Lord's name in vain. When people question me, I say it's my choice because I'm a Christian and want to respect God's name out of obedience and love. Some respond that they are Christians, too, and ask if I'm implying they are bad Christians because they curse or have tattoos. They then argue that everyone curses and some have crosses tattooed in their skin and that many old laws, like avoiding mixed fabrics, are considered obsolete today. My question, Can God's own words become obsolete over time? Is it really okay for Christians to pick and choose which biblical laws to follow or ignore? I know that this is not in alignment with what you and I were texting with about last night, but it just. It reminds me of what we were talking about last night with regard to C.S. lewis. Not to, like, totally unload and open Pandora's box here, but I just.
- [74:16]
A
No, I mean, it's so huge. I mean, it's like, oh, my goodness. Okay. It's a really important question, okay. Because it gets really to the heart of how Christians should understand the Bible. Okay. The overwhelming short answer is no. Okay? God's word never becomes obsolete. God's character never changes. His truth never changes. His standards never change. As a matter of fact, it becomes. It's so immutable in many ways and transcendent. It actually becomes more valuable, more relevant. The confusion comes when people fail to distinguish between different types of laws that God gave Israel. That's really important. You know, in. In John 1:1, it says this in the Greek, it says, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Later on, it says, and the Word became flesh. Now, the reason why I quoted it in Greek is because there's two very viable words that we have to understand, Theos and Logos. We're talking about the living Word. This is not God diminishing the Old Testament or the Law. Let me step, Let me take it a step further. Later on in John, it says this. The law was given to us by Moses. And if you were to translate it in the Greek correctly or from the Greek correctly, it says grace and truth realized in the law through Jesus Christ. Okay? So with that said, there are aspects of the law that God gave Israel that only applied to Israel and did not necessarily apply to us in the situation. And the way that we know it is because of the fulfillment of those things. I'll give you an example. Okay? Let's look at the ceremonial laws that govern sacrifices or temple worship. We've been going over that, by the way, for all of you that have been watching, you know, all the dietary restrictions, the ritual purity, those laws pointed forward to Jesus, okay? So when Christ fulfilled them through his death and resurrection, believers were no longer under those ceremonial requirements. That, that's why we don't offer animal sacrifices today and why the New Testament declares certain dietary restrictions or were fulfilled in Christ. Okay? They all pointed to him and he became the. Here's a great example. You go and you sacrifice an animal for the forgiveness of your sins. In the Old Testament, the Bible says that Christ became the perfect lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and now his sacrifice is superior barrier. So we no longer need to go back to the blood of bulls and goats in order to be able to, to experience that. By the way, there were also very civil laws, very important civil laws that were given to a nation that was a theocratic state. Those laws governed Israel's national life and their judicial system. People forget that. Okay, so there are moral laws, by the way, that reflect God's unchanging character. And, and the commands that were given, like on lying or stealing or adultery or murder, you know, idolatry. That's a, that's a big one, right? Blasphemy or sexual immorality like we were talking about earlier. Earlier. Look, if you took the, the name even of God in vain, those were all rooted in God's nature, right? They're reaffirmed through the New Testament. Even Jesus will go and say, well, you've heard it said this, but I tell you, God act. God's law actually makes it even more Jesus's law. And the New Testament makes it even more consequential. It's the fulfillment. Remember, Jesus said, I didn't come to abolish the law, I came to fulfill it every jot and tittle. So when somebody says, well, if you don't wear mixed fabrics, you Know why, why, why don't you curse? You know, those are like crazy, unreasonable questions. What they're doing is they're comparing two different categories of laws. So their question that they're asking is a talking point that they've been trained with. But they don't have the ability to understand the distinctions that in essence put the delineations in the way that the law is actually put. Somebody who doesn't understand the law is going to say those types of things. I remember early on in law school, I had a professor that say, you're going to be told a series of things by people throughout your career that are going to question what the law has told you. But their questions come from a place where they don't understand the law. Thus, their questions speak of their ignorance of the law. So for your example, let's just deal with this. You know, you talk about using the Lord's name in vain. Well, that's not merely an Old Testament concept, okay? Christians should desire to honor God. God and honor the name of God because we love him. It's not about earning salvation. It's about reverence. Now, regarding tattoos, look, that's where sincere Christians may end up disagreeing. Like, my. My opinion, you don't put a bumper sticker on a Bentley. I don't think that that's like a God saying it's a sin. I'm just saying, you know, look, some people will point to, like, Leviticus in that situation, and they'll argue that that passage was connected to, like, pagan mourning practices, you know, which creates a universal prohibition. But even there, the question should be, does this glorify God? You know, like, how close can I get to the line? That's not the question you want to ask. The question is, how can I glorify God? Look, the bigger issue, and I gotta. I gotta think how I'm gonna frame this, because this is really important. The bigger issue is the idea of that these people do, of picking and choosing. I used to watch this when I would go to campuses with Charlie. It drew like there were times where I'd want to steal the microphone from him when they would quote these Old Testament law questions because they're taking portions of the law that they don't understand, and they're using it to make a statement that they don't understand. And it's absolutely ridiculous.
- [79:48]
B
And a lot of times it was out of context, too. Like they wouldn't even put it. So that's the thing, is that a lot of people read the Old Testament completely out of context and then just use it in a way that backs up their position with which out, without actually doing research to understand the entire context of that, of those verses.
- [80:07]
A
Thousand percent. Yeah, like 1,000%. So that's, that's what happens. And Jesus even said it. He says, look, verily, verily, I say unto you. He says, till heaven and earth pass. What? He says, not one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. The law wasn't abolished. It was fulfilled. Jesus said, I came to fulfill the law. So, you know, ultimately, obedience should never be about, like comparing ourselves to other Christians. It should be about asking, what does God's word teach? And how can I best honor him with my life? That's the question every believer should be pursuing. And unfortunately, it's, it's sad that this is the case.
- [80:54]
B
Peace.
- [80:54]
A
But it's not happening. And it's very painful, by the way, to see that not happening. It's, it's, it's very, very painful.
- [81:01]
B
Right? Totally. Next question's from Christine. I began thinking about why Christians don't celebrate Passover, which then led to Hanukkah. Jesus celebrated the Jewish holidays. Wouldn't Christians also honor these holidays? I felt compelled to research why Christians don't, but didn't really like what I found. It seemed more like a decision by man and not by him. I was curious your thoughts on this.
- [81:24]
A
Okay, well, let me. This is a relatively easy one. As a matter of fact, I, I enjoy this one because it go. It goes to Charlie's view on the Shabbat. Right. There's so much to say about it. Like, and I think that the, the question is extraordinarily thoughtful. I think it's a really, really important question. But I think the answer may surprise some people. Okay. Because first, let me just simply say this. There's nothing wrong with Christians celebrating Passover, Hanukkah, or any of the other Jewish holidays if they understand what those holidays mean and if they're doing so unto the. In fact, many of those feasts are rich with symbolism that points directly to Jesus. Passover, for example, is one of the most powerful pictures of Christ in the entire Bible. Like, think about that. Jesus is our Passover lamb. So if you're studying and commemorating Passover, it can deepen your appreciation for everything that God has done. And it's very easy. When you partake in communion, you're being reminded of, of Passover. So the question becomes, are Christians required to celebrate those holidays? Well, the answer is going to Be. No. Okay. The New Testament makes it clear that believers are not obligated to observe feast days given to Israel under the Mosaic covenant. Paul says that in the book of Colossians. I believe it's in chapter two. Let me find it here. He says, let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink. And here's the operative terminology here. Or in respect of a holiday day or the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ. So in other words, what he's saying is these observances pointed forward to Christ. Once Christ came, believers were no longer under any obligation to keep them. Now, look, regarding Jesus celebrating Jewish holidays. Yeah, that's absolutely true. He did celebrate Hanukkah. Hanukkah, of course, was the commemoration of what happened when Antiochus came in and desecrated the Temple and the Maccabean revolt and what happened there. It's a beautiful, beautiful story. But remember, remember, Jesus was a Jewish man living under the law before his death and resurrection. He actually was the fulfillment of the law. He fulfilled the law perfectly. And again, we are. We are under Christ's fulfillment of the law, which does not negate the law. That's a very, very important thing. Now for Hanukkah specifically. Look, it's interesting because Hanukkah is not one of the feasts commended in Leviticus 23, just like Purim. Why? Because Purim and Hanukkah happened after Leviticus 23, okay? It commemorates the rededication of the temple, like as I had mentioned before. And Purim, for example, commemorates what happened with Esther. Okay? But again, those things happened after Leviticus 23, and Jesus was present. It was. Was present in Jerusalem during that celebration. But even then, there's no command for Christians to observe it, even though Jesus was the one that was doing it. And way, by the. By the way, I think you're correct about one thing, and I should probably point this out. Historically, some segments of the church moved away from Jewish roots for reasons that were not always biblical. They weren't biblical. Okay, look, there were periods in church history where anti Jewish sentiment influenced decisions like it's happening right now. There's a bunch of people in the name of Christianity that are lying about Israel, Okay? And we should be honest about that. Not every historical church practice was based on biblical precedent. Just like we're seeing right now, there's a massive movement, an anti Semitic movement that exists right now within people who refer to them as the. As the Church. My view is simple. I think most people who are. Who are looking at this would understand it the same way Christians should understand this. Jewish feasts. Jewish feasts are important because they reveal God's prophetic plan. That's an important one, right? And they point to Jesus in some pretty remarkable ways. Look, if a believer wants to celebrate Passover, even Hanukkah or Purim or of those types of feasts, remembering God's faithfulness and learning more about Christ. Come on, that's beautiful. It's not just fine, it's beautiful. I think what we should avoid is the crazy extreme where you say, well, if you're a Christian, then you would observe these feasts or you shouldn't observe them at all. I think neither of those are accurate. Romans 14 gives us that principle, right? It says, some believers will esteem certain days, others do not. The key is, whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord.
- [85:45]
B
And.
- [85:45]
A
And by the way, Charlie talks about that in his book on the Sabbath, and he does a really, really good job arguing the theology behind it. So, look, I would encourage you to keep studying. The feasts are incredibly rich. You will be blessed. You cannot lose studying the feasts, okay? The more you learn about them, the more you'll see Jesus all over them. And just remember that your salvation and your standing before God are found in Christ himself. They're found in you putting your faith and trust in Him. Him. You're wearing his robe of righteousness. You get credit for his perfection, for his perfect fulfillment of the law. And it's not as a result of the observance of any of these days. It's about the observance of Christ in all of these days. If that. If that makes any kind of sense.
- [86:26]
B
Our next question is from Courtney. What Bible study or plan can you recommend for a couple on the brink of marital disaster?
- [86:34]
A
Who? I. I do. I. I wish that I learned a little bit more about your circumstance, because that is a very, very loaded question. And I just have so many questions in my heart. You know what I mean? Like, you know, are you willing to read together? There's a lot of things. There's a lot of things that I would want to know. But let me just say this. Let me just assume that I know nothing about the situation, because I don't. You don't? Look, if you're on the brink of disaster, start with the ultimate marriage book, the Bible. Like, I mean, honestly, okay, a lot of marriages are in crisis because vulnerable spouses have drifted from the Lord. So bring the Lord back into it, the marriage problems are oftentimes symptoms of deeper spiritual problems. If you go back to the Bible, you're going to solve a lot of those problems by default. So I would begin with the study that draws both people closer to Christ. Now, if I were counseling a couple in this situation, there'd be a few things that I would suggest. Ephesians would be a great place to start because it deals with the spiritual warfare. It also, in all of its six chapters, it creates some things that should cause you to want to contemplate. Like, I would read every chapter. Like, read one chapter a day and discuss it. Like, I would pray together and ask this question, question, what? What does God want me to change? Like, what? What does he want to. What does he want for my spouse? But I think the more important question is, what does God want for me? You know, look, one of the clearest passages in the Bible for marriage is Ephesians, chapter five, okay? And it lays it out. The other thing that I would do, and I know this is going to sound really cliche, so get ready, right? First Corinthians 13, okay? A lot of people think it's a wedding passage. It's not a wedding passage. A lot of people read it at weddings, but it's not. It's a marriage passage, you know? You understand what I mean? You have to ask yourself, because it describes what love is. You have to ask yourself, am I patient? Am I kind? Am I keeping records of wrong? Am I seeking my own interests? The focus should always be self examination before spouse examination. And you know, it's really interesting, I say this to everybody that I've ever walked through marriage issues with. I'm like the Lord, look, your spouse will benefit more from a conversation you have with the Lord than a conversation you have with them. And then the other thing I would say is read through the Gospel of John. It's one of the best books to read in rediscovering who the Lord is. A husband and wife who are drawing closer to Jesus are naturally going to begin to draw closer to each other. And John will help them do that. I think it's a good book. And then also, look, pray together every day. You know, when I met Nicole, I knew immediately that the Lord wanted me to marry her. Like, I didn't waste any time, 20, not even 20 minutes, probably seven minutes of talking to her. Then I told her, I think God wants us to be married. And she knew it too. And from the day we had that conversation, we promised one another that every single day we would pray in the morning and we'd pray in the evening before we even got engaged to be married. We've never strayed from it. Why? Because when you pray with one another, you allow yourself to create a vulnerability that very few people get to experience. That vulnerability mends you together while you subject yourself to the insight and the truth that God's word wants to put. And look, it's important to just recognize that. Okay? And by the way, I do want to add a caveat to this, because there's a lot that I just don't know. So if your marriage is dealing with things like adultery or pornography or abuse or any type of addiction, serious betrayal, anything like that, the Bible alone can do anything. But your understanding of the Bible is what keeps the Bible alone from being able to do anything. In other words, you need biblical counseling. So go to get some accountability. Find mature pastors or elders that can walk your marriage through the issue. Issue. It's, it's, it's really, really, really important. You know, I think that I can be safe when I say this because it's the same thing with me and Nicole. Erica was always able to, and so was Charlie, reach out with the permission of their spouse before anything ever happened. At the very beginning of their agreement in their marriage, they were always willing to reach out to people that they trust if there was a problem so that accountability could be enforced. And I would say that in the case of my wife and in the case of many marriages that are healthy, that saves marriages. You have to have accountability. You have to get. You know, it's really interesting. You can save a marriage before it ever shows a sign of it falling apart. Like, because a marriage will fall apart if the focus is not on Christ and if the decision to have accountability is to going gone, the marriage will fall apart before you even know it. So with all that said, those are some important things to do, you know, and it's, it's difficult because I'm not there. Like, I wish I could sit down so many times. I can sit down and in typically one counseling session, I can point a couple towards a very viable solution if they're willing to, to do it as they've been instructed.
- [92:03]
B
Great. The next question is from Victoria. Within six months, my husband left my children and I and my mother went home to heaven after three month battle with cancer. This was eight years ago and this summer I'll be 35. I grieve that I am not remarried and am running out of time to have more children. What biblical encouragement or wisdom can you give?
- [92:25]
A
Well, my heart goes out to you. I mean, it's. I mean, like, two profound losses. You know, you. You lose your mother, you lose your marriage that, you know, you thought would be there forever. Like, that's just a tremendous amount of grief for anybody to carry. And like, my just. My heart hurts over that. Look, what stands out to me is that your question isn't just about being unmarried. It's about feeling like the clock is ticking. You know, that it's. That it's. You're running out of time. It's about the desire for a husband, you know, more children, a future that. You know that A future. That is what you've always hoped for. I think that's a better way of phrasing it. Look, there are biblical names that come to my mind when I think of your circumstance. I think of people like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah. Okay, if you're not really studying the Bible, you might not be familiar with those names, but there are many others like those names who experience deep sorrow related to a family, related to family and children. One of my favorite names in all of the. This, like, undoubtedly would be Ruth. Ruth was widowed before she even had children. You know, Hannah prayed that God would give her a child, and she was barren for a long time. I mean, all these names, we could go through story after story. But you know what many of them have in common? They were much older when they had children. So one of the. One of the themes I think that we repeatedly see is that God's timing is often very different from our hours. Okay? That doesn't make waiting easy. I want to just. Just acknowledge that. So I would encourage you to not measure God's faithfulness by your current marital status. Don't. Don't. Look, it's understandable to grieve what hasn't happened yet. That's a very real form of grieving. Okay? There's nothing wrong with bringing that grief to the Lord. In fact, he actually invites you to do it. Right? Psalm 34 says, look, the Lord is near unto them that are of broken heart. Heart. And he saves. Such as that have a contrite spirit. So notice that God doesn't rebuke the brokenhearted people. He doesn't tell them not to do that. He says, hey, come. Come to me with these problems at 35, by the way. Can I just say this? Not that I want to minimize your feelings and not that I want to put you down by any stretch of the imagination, because that's not what I'm Doing. I want you to be encouraged by this. At 35, you're still kind of a baby. Okay. I mean, at 35, I would caution you against believing the lie that your story is over because it is an absolute lie. Okay. I've seen God bring wonderful marriages together later in life. I was 39 when I married my bride. Okay. I have three beautiful children, and we'll probably have a few more. I've seen women become mothers after they thought the opportunities had completely passed. Passed years after they thought the opportunity has passed. I've also seen God give people a different future than they envision and one that turned out to be way better than anything they could have possibly imagined. So the danger is allowing grief over what might never happen to rob you of the greater thing that God has for you today and in the future. Okay, so you. You mentioned your children. Look, please don't take this the wrong way. They need a mother who's present. They need a mother who's hopeful. They need a mother who's trusting in the Lord. They don't need a mother consumed by fear or sorrow or grief about tomorrow. And you can be that mom. I'm certain. You probably already are in many ways. Here's my encouragement. Look, go ahead. Nothing wrong with continuing to pray for a godly husband. Okay? If that's your desire, continue asking God about the possibility of. Of more children. Absolutely. Please do it. There's nothing wrong with those prayers, but hold those desires with very open hands before God. Okay? I already quoted this before. Proverbs 3, 5, 6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don't lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Trust Him. He knows better than you. Okay, look, I'll make it very clear based on the question that you've asked. God has already carried you through the loss of your mother and certainly the collapse of your marriage. He's not going to deny you now. He's proven Himself faithful through some of the most darkest moments of your life. The same God who carried you then is carrying you now at this moment. Your future is not determined by a calendar. Don't believe that lie. It's determined by Almighty God, who happens to be sovereign, who loves you. He sees you. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he knows you better than you can ever know yourself. If he gave a son for you, I promise you he has great intention for you and will bring you the best if you allow him to do it.
- [97:11]
B
Amen. I agree with that. And on Top of that, I'll just add now, when you get in that headspace of feeling like you're either running out of time or any of the negative thoughts that you might have, I just want to encourage you instead to shift that to gratitude and literally say out loud, I am grateful for the children that I do have. I am grateful for this life that I do have. I am grateful. And just when you have your heart postured in gratitude, it really takes your mind off of the things that you don't have because it's very similar to when Adam and Eve are in the garden. You focus on the tree, you can't get to focus on the tree you can't eat from, but you turn around and you have this amazing garden around you. You not focused on that. You're focused on what you can't have and don't have. So I would just encourage you to make sure you focus on those babies and love on them and just be grateful. I'm sure you are. I'm not saying you're not. I'm sure you're super grateful for what you have, but just double down on that gratitude and I think it will really help reposition and refocus your mindset when you kind of sometimes go through those late night contemplations.
- [98:20]
A
Yeah. Amen.
- [98:22]
B
Next question is from Christina. Can our loved ones see us from heaven?
- [98:27]
A
Who? That's a good question, and it's one that a lot of people ask. Look, the. The honest answers of the Bible doesn't clearly tell us that our loved ones in heaven are watching our daily lives on earth. Many people are going to assume that they are, but there is actually very little biblical evidence that supports that idea. One passage that people will often point to is Hebrews 12:1 where it says, wherefore, seeing that we are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, some will interpret that as believers in heaven watching down on us. However, look, the context is going to talk to us about these are people bearing witness through the testimony of their lies described in Hebrews 11. The context is what happens in Hebrews 11. So the bigger question is. So like, for me, if I were to answer that question, I'd say there's probably no real evidence of it, although we do have evidence and revelation that people from heaven are looking down upon what's happening on earth. So I can't be definitive about that. So we, we don't completely know. Now, do people in heaven have awareness of things that are happening on earth? Absolutely. It's like I mentioned There are passages that can prove that, I think very easily. Luke 15, Jesus said, says that there's rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. How does that work? Okay. In Revelation, the saints in heaven, they're aware of what. What's happening, like I had mentioned before. So the Bible never explicitly says that, you know, your. Your mother, your father, your spouse. These people are watching every detail of your life. Personally, I. This is my belief. I think there's a reason God doesn't give us extensive information on this.
- [100:05]
B
This.
- [100:06]
A
I think that God wants us to focus on heaven and not on earth. The focus is. The focus of heaven is Christ. And I think that that's how God would want us to focus. You know, I think I'm at liberty to say this because I've heard Erica say this publicly, but, you know, one of the first things that Erica told me when Charlie went to go be with the Lord is she said, more than ever, all I can think about is heaven and being with him. That's how God designed it. God designed it that way because. Because if the focus was, well, they can see me from heaven, well, then you're gonna. You're gonna just. You're gonna. You're gonna talk to your loved one and your focus is removed from all of that. And I could. Look, I can just tell you this, where Charlie is right now, he. He's focusing on. On. On, like things that he's never seen before, right? He's. He's experiencing great joy. Probably a little antsy, going, hey, where's. Where's my babies? You know, maybe there's some of that going on. But look, look, one thing I can tell you with confidence is this. Look, our loved ones who are with the Lord, they're not missing us in the way that we miss them. I know that sounds kind of insensitive, right? But it's true. Look, they're there. They're in the presence of Christ. They're experie joy and peace and fulfillment beyond anything that. That we can ever imagine. I mean, Paul said it in Philippians. He said, to depart, to be with Christ is far better. That's what he said. Those were his exact words. So while I can't tell you with certainty that your loved ones are watching your. Your like, literally daily activities, I can tell you with certainty that if they died in Christ, they're safe, they're joyful, they're with the Lord. In one day, we're going to see that again. And I think that's really where our hope as Christians sit not whether or not they're watching us now, but in the promise that because of Christ and what he's done, and we wear his robe of righteousness and we get credit for his perfect life, our separation is extremely temporary. And. And look, for believers, goodbye will never be the final word. The final word is reunion in the presence of the Lord. And that reunion is going to be sweet. It's going to be sweet. And I thought about this. There will be so many people that will be in heaven and will look at Charlie and say, I'm here because of you. And they're going to look at Erica and they're going to say, I'm here because of you. Can you imagine? Could it be any better? It's an amazing thing.
- [102:41]
B
Wow. Gosh. Next question is from Bobby. If a person is trying to get out of debt, but they also feel the need to tithe, should the priority be to focus on getting out of debt first and then tithe?
- [103:00]
A
Boy, boy, I have so much to say about this.
- [103:03]
B
Well, forget we have Pastor James Cadiz here instead of Dave Ramsey. So let's hear it.
- [103:10]
A
Yeah, I think Dave Ramsey errors in the view of. Of debt. I think that the view of debt is a. Is a broken one that he carries. And, and I have lots of reasons for that. I, I can. I just speak from the perspective of a person that by God's grace, I have been blessed financially because of what God has done for me and the wisdom that he's given me. We encourage people, by the way, to learn how to become financially independent as a church. If you go to my website, we actually have some classes you can take to be able to do that. I think it's really, really important. We have examples in the Bible where debt is actually good. And I think that God created debt as an instrument to create wealth. Believe it or not, the story of the widow is probably one of my favorite stories. The widow of the prophet is one of my favorite stories. And I think that this question has been debated for a very, very long time. Let me just simply say this without getting into the crazy nitty and gritty of it. If Second Corinthians, chapter 9 says, Every man, according as he purposeth in his heart, speaking about tithing, so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. With that said, I always tell this to people. Do you want God to bless you, or do you not want God to bless you? Right. And if a person is struggling with debt, certainly they should create a Plan that includes, in my opinion, both faithful giving and aggressive debt leveraging. I'm not going to say debt reduction. In some cases, debt reduction is important. Like you don't get into debt for things like candy and in entertainment and things like that. But there are places where getting into debt is actually a good. Like, like a really, really good thing. Like, for example, I personally will not buy a car. Cash. Can I. Could I right now write a check for my motor vehicle? Vehicle? Absolutely, I could. No problem. But you know what? I don't care If I'm paying 10 on the loan, fine. I'll pay 10 on the loan. No problem. I. I can do a transaction in the market where I'm making way more than that. By the way, I'm kind of mad at Elon Musk. Can you pass that message on to him? Right. Why did he have to have his SpaceX initial public offering today? He destroyed one of my positions in the market. Anyway, I, I got a little distracted there. I love Elon, but anyway, look, giving is a part of what God commands you to do. It's the first fruit of all that he has put in front of you. And what I would do is continue to give to the Lord as your lead. Okay? Now, I know people who are being lied to by liars and thieves like Benny Hinn. They are. They're liars and thieves who will tell you, take the money that you have left and give it to the Lord and then sit there and expect that he's going to bless you when he's not because you were foolish. Okay? You have to have some wisdom. And, and I think it's. I think it's really, really, really important. Now I would be careful of saying, well, I'm going to stop giving completely until my debt is gone. That would be hugely erroneous because you'll make that excuse for the next 10 to 20 years and you'll never be in a better spot. Spot then as you were in the first place. Okay. On the other hand, I'd be cautious about somebody giving so much that they neglect their family. Look, the. The Bible does not tell me. Can I just say this? The Bible doesn't tell me that I'm wrong by missing out on a Bible study. It doesn't tell me that I'm wrong by taking a vacation from teaching at church. It doesn't even tell me that I'm a bad person who should be condemned if I skip out on a tithe payment to the church. Church. But you know what? It does tell me It Says, if I can't provide for my family, I'm worse than an infidel. So, so you have to be able to provide for your family. Okay. And look, if I were counseling someone, I would say continue giving as the Lord leads, even if it's a similar amount during a season of, of paying off debt. But you have to work diligently to deal with the financial restructuring that needs to happen, happen. Okay. Generosity and stewardship, they're both very biblical principles and they should work together rather than compete with each other. And, and I think that God has made a way for all families to build on principles of wealth. I believe that that's not health and wealth teaching, that's not prosperity doctrine. It's me simply saying that God has given us these amazing financial instruments that exist, exist today that can teach you how to become better at not only providing for your family, but becoming more effective for the kingdom. And, and that's not an easy thing to achieve, but it's one way that you can become very, very effective. And it's one of the things that I value a lot. You know, people ask me to do things or, or something will come up and praise God. I'm not held by that. Well, I need the money to, to be able to do things, do this. You know, it just, it doesn't work that way because God has been faithful to provide every step of the way. So I think giving is important. But there's a lot to say about debt. There's so much to say about that. There is bad debt. There is debt that's bad. You got it. Like, you don't go into debt for pizza and bubblegum. You don't go into debt to buy a better car. It doesn't work that way unless the car is your source of livelihood and it's being used to make money. Then go into debt for what you need to buy and then pay it off. There's a lot to be said there. That's a, it's a, it's a, that's a tough one. But I hope that's, I hope that's helpful.
- [108:51]
B
Yeah. Next question's from Susan. Can Satan read our minds? Can he get into our heads?
- [108:59]
A
Yeah, I don't believe that the enemy can actually read, read our minds. I, I, I think that that is something that is exclusive to, to God's capabilities. It really is a good question. The answer is definitely not. Psalm 139 even makes it clear that God is the one that searches our hearts and it's God's Ability, not Satan's. Now, Satan will cause us to think that that's the case because he's a, you know, he wants us to believe that, but that is not the case. Now, can he influence our thinking? Absolutely. Okay. The Bible makes it clear that spiritual warfare involves the mind. And, and it's one of the playgrounds that the enemy uses. And if somebody struggles with fear, he'll attack that. He'll. He'll. He'll find that as a new attack vector and he'll exploit it. Now, can he get into your head? Well, in the sense of, like, whispering lies or, or bringing temptations your way or attacking your thought life? Yeah, absolutely. In the sense of, you know, possessing a Christian or having unrestricted access to your mind? No, no, it's impossible. The Bible says greater is he who lives in you than he. He that's in this world. And one of the greatest protections that we have is what Paul tells us in Second Corinthians, where he talks about, you know, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and doing what, bringing into captivity every thought. Notice this to the obedience of Christ. We're called to evaluate our thoughts. Not every thought that enters into our mind is going to be from you. Some are going to be temptations, some are going to be fears, but some are going to be accusations. Some are going to be the enemy speaking to you. And you must absolutely. You must absolutely ignore those and put them up against biblical truth. It's really, really important. Look, the good news, as I said before, is the one who lives in you is infinitely greater than the enemy who opposes you. And first, John tells us that
- [110:51]
B
the next question is from Brianna. In the end times, will a person still be able to be saved if they've taken the mark of the beast?
- [111:01]
A
No. Believe it or not, the Bible actually says that after you've taken the mark of the beast, it's. It's actually too late.
- [111:06]
B
Wow.
- [111:08]
A
And as a matter of fact, in Revelation, chapter 14, wow. There's an angel that actually says with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. So if you accept the mark of the beast, you're gone. That's it. Which is why now more than ever, you should be understanding that now is the time. Today is the day. Because when we're raptured and the tribulation is going on. If you've rejected God, you're going to want to take the mark of the beast. Remember, the context Here in Revelation 14 is an angel in the sky begging people to not do what they're in line to do. You're going to want to take the mark. It's, it's crazy, but. Yeah, that's a heavy answer. I know it's, it's frightening in many ways, but it's, it's absolutely true. But praise God, if you're a believer today, you won't even be there for that. You'll. We'll be taken up. And that's, that's a pretty exciting thing.
- [112:18]
B
Brenda asks shortly after accepting Christ. When I was a young teen, I had a spiritual dream that to this day comes to mind frequently. Even after 50 years. I have prayed for discernment, but feel no closer to the answer. My spirit feels it's important to my purpose, yet its meaning is beyond reach. I've only told the dream to a couple of people. How can I find understanding? I mean, it's hard to be able to give any, like, insight when you don't really know what the dream is. But I'm sure you're able to.
- [112:45]
A
Yeah, I can speak to the general principle. I mean, I think the question is fascinating in and of itself. And I think the first thing that I would tell you and not become discouraged simply because you, you don't understand the dream. Right. You know, throughout the Bible, there were people who received visions, dreams, even promises from God that didn't immediately understand them. Joseph didn't fully understand what God was showing him. Daniel was certainly confused. He was given visions. He couldn't completely interpret many of them. So in some cases, years passed before the meaning even became clear. Now what stands out to me is that this dream has remained with you for 50 years. Look, I think that's kind of. Kind of unusual. Most dreams fade quickly. And the fact that you, you know, still remember may actually mean something, but it doesn't automatically mean that it was a message from the Lord. Not that I want to. Not that I want to diminish what you're saying. Right. I think that's where discernment is going to become important. And my first question would be, does the dream align with God's word? You know, God is never going to communicate something through a dream that contradicts what he's already revealed in the Bible. And that's a very important thing. Examine it in the. That light. And second, I'd Ask whether you're possibly putting too much pressure on yourself to solve it. You know, sometimes we spend years trying to decode something when God may simply be asking us to remain faithful with what, like he's already evealed revealed. God did that to Daniel. God actually told Daniel. This isn't for you to know. Seal up the book. People are going to find out later what all this means. Daniel was content with that. So if this dream truly came from the Lord and truly has significance in your life, then I think God is fully capable of making its meaning clear at the right time. And quite frankly, you don't have to be in bondage to force the answer. I would continue doing exactly what you've been doing. Look, you pray for wisdom, stay in God's word, remain open to his leading. You might also consider maybe sharing the dream with somebody who's been walking with the Lord, who may be a little bit more mature, like a mature pastor or a trusted believer who's grounded in the Bible. Sometimes another set of like eyes on this godly eyes can help identify themes or lessons that may maybe you've over overlooked. And I've done this before, I've talked about dreams like this. So I would just give you one warning here. Don't allow this. What's the best way of putting this? This pursuit of understanding a dream to become more important than walking with the Lord. You know, God's primary will for your life has already been revealed in His Word. And the clearest guidance you'll ever receive comes from the Bible. A lot of people spend a lot of time, I want to figure out what this dream said when the obvious words are right there in front of the Lord. And I think that that's an important thing. So my encouragement would be, you know, hold the dream with an open hand, ask God for understanding, but don't become anxious if, if, if God doesn't give you what you perceive is the correct answer or you don't have an awareness. If the Lord intends for you to understand it, look, he's going to be more than capable of revealing it in its meaning at the right time. In the meantime, same time, look at the Lord, focus on being faithful, focus on seeking him and do the things that he's already made clear. And trust him with everything that remains, everything that remains a mystery. Just trust him with it. And don't, don't, don't be over obsessed with trying to figure it out.
- [115:56]
B
Amen. All right, our final question is from Ryan. Similar to what we talked about earlier about just the enemy kind of testing you. So we'll end on this. Why is it that the closer you get to God, the more pushback life gives? My brother and I were just talking about how ever since we've started this journey with God and reading the Bible and attending church and teaching our young children about Jesus, that things seem to be in constant chaos and being tested. Is that the enemy or is the power of God testing us? What is the best solution going forward?
- [116:30]
A
Okay, so at the expense of sounding like I'm repeating myself, but it's important to do so. Yes, there's a spirit spiritual battle. And the Bible tells us that there is a real enemy who opposes the work of God. Ephesians 6:12. You know, we're not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against notice this spiritual wickedness in high places. That's a big deal. So think about what you've described, okay? You're reading the Bible, you're attending church, you're teaching your children about Jesus, you're growing in your faith. Those are exactly the kind of things that glorify God and literally threaten the influence that the enemy has on you. So look, I've said this before, you know, I. I've often said that when you're moving away from God, Satan is not going to resist you. He doesn't have to work very hard. But when you begin moving towards God, that's when you start noticing resistance. It's like the swimming upstream illustration that I gave earlier. Okay? At the same time, look, not every difficulty is a direct attack from Satan either. You got to understand that, right? Sometimes God allows trials to strengthen us. James tells us this. Sometimes that resistance is good for conditioning. God uses difficulties to mistake. He allows those things to happen. He wants us to deepen our trust in him and to depend on Him. That is very, very important. So the answer oftentimes is going to be both. That both happen, okay? The enemy opposes God's work. And God uses even that opposition for his purposes and our growth. That's why it says that all things come together for the good. It's why Joseph had the authority in telling his brothers what you meant for evil. God took any meant for good. Good. It's the understanding that Job developed after he interacted with the Lord. So the key is not to become fearful every time something goes wrong. You know, sometimes Christians begin attributing every, you know, flat tire or argument or inconvenience to Satan. Well, listen, the rain falls on the just and the unjust. Okay. The better question is, how should we respond? That's the focus. No matter what. How God. How does God want me to respond? And I would say, say, stay in the word. Stay in prayer. Stay connected. This is a big one. Stay connected to a healthy church. Continue teaching your children about Jesus. Continue doing all the things that you've been talking about that provoke the battle. I mean, that happens. Right? Don't retreat just because it gets difficult. As a matter of fact, double in on it. Right? One of his greatest goals is discouragement. And. And if he can't stop you from coming to Christ, he'll try to convince you that following crisis work, worthless. So don't. Don't let him do that. Don't believe the lie. The reality is that you're not fighting for victory because of Christ. You have already victory. You're fighting from victory. You're not. You're not fighting for victory. You're. You're fighting from a place of victory. And that outcome was already determined by the Lord. So my encouragement is this. You know, don't be surprised by the resistance. Expect it. It's like swimming upstream. But don't focus on. On anything other than the Lord. Right? Keep walking faithfully. Keep raising your children in the ways of the Lord. Do the things that he's asked you to do. And the God who saved you is more than able to sustain you through every single trial that comes your way. Why? Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the Lord. And that should be the thing that should encourage and strengthen your confidence in all of these matters. It's really, really critical.
- [119:52]
B
No, total. Okay. Pastor James, you're the best.
- [119:56]
A
What a great time.
- [119:58]
B
That was awesome. I'm so grateful. I look forward to these every month.
- [120:03]
A
So, yeah, I think we have an amazing community.
- [120:07]
B
We do.
- [120:08]
A
We're a lot of people who. Yeah.
- [120:10]
B
So blessed.
- [120:11]
A
Yeah. Very, very encouraging.
- [120:13]
B
10 years. Isn't that wild?
- [120:16]
A
Wow.
- [120:16]
B
500, 365. 10 years old.
- [120:19]
A
It's amazing how fast time goes by.
- [120:22]
B
Time's a thief.
- [120:23]
A
It's amazing. And I have to say this, and I hope people will be encouraged by me bringing out this observation. One of the most incredible things that I have enjoyed. And I hate to say this, I don't hate to say it, but I'm going to dig deep into making this statement. One of the things I've enjoyed in watching you, Erica, in this season has been how you have doubled down on your investment in God's word. You know, Charlie and I used to talk about this a lot, but when Covid happened, a lot of people lost faith in their pastors. They lost faith in their, in their walk with God.
- [121:03]
B
They lost faith in everything. I mean, they just, the amount of broken trust in our society is at an all time high to the point where, and this is why even stuff on our turning point action side with our boots on the ground, where we're literally, it's not even just door knocking. You're literally like healing that fracture within the community of not even trusting your neighbor anymore. Like, that. That's so sad to live in a world where somebody says like, oh, this is so and so, or this is such and such. And they're like, like, really? Prove it. Yeah, it's like, well, it's the truth. So like, you know, but they, but people, people will believe what they want to believe. And we've talked about this before. Like the truth won't set some of these people free because it's not their truth.
- [121:56]
A
Yeah, yeah. They don't, they don't want it. You know, and I was thinking about this. Like I said, you know, this was something that Charlie and I talked about. Like a lot of people, people left that time period no longer believing the words that their pastors told them.
- [122:11]
B
Yeah.
- [122:11]
A
Because when their pastors confronted death, they ran from it. They shut down their churches because of fear of death.
- [122:17]
B
Right.
- [122:18]
A
And, and, and a lot of people would come to me and they would, they would say this to me. They would, they, they would make it really, really. I mean, it was, it was like heavy. They would say thank you for giving, thank you for being a pastor that I don't have to abandon because I don't trust. Like, in other words, thank you for holding fast to what you believed. And you know, the whole world watched you lose everything and you doubled down on the Word. You double down on, on biblical principles. You double down on the Lord. Come on. What a blessing. Like, I've been blessed to watch that. And I think that's what, that's what's made Bible in 365. So much more meaning, meaningful.
- [123:01]
B
Right?
- [123:02]
A
Because we're teaching everybody else to double down on the word of God. Right? To go seek him and to look to him and, and you know, I, I, I'm gonna do this. My sister, she sent me, she sent me this text and she told me to tell you this, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna have to read it. I just have to read it.
- [123:19]
B
Okay.
- [123:19]
A
She said this, she said, because she, she tried to call me And I said, I'm doing the Q and A with Erica right now. And then she said, said, listen to these words. May our great God continue to bless that woman immeasurably. Make sure she knows how much we love her.
- [123:40]
B
That's so sweet.
- [123:41]
A
Like, what a. What a. What an impact that's being made here. It's. It's. It's just. It's incredibly. I just. It's. I. I'm gonna. I'm gonna take a liberty and re. Read one more part of this. She said, God bless that woman. Every day is a nightmare. And she keeps carrying on, her reward in heaven will be so massive. I pray that she's comforted by knowing that Jesus is with her every step of every moment of every day.
- [124:19]
B
Amen.
- [124:20]
A
And there are so many of us that continue keeping her in prayer and walking. Walking in his truth to carry on the wonderful mission as she did and as her husband was called by God to carry out.
- [124:31]
B
Amen.
- [124:32]
A
I mean, there are.
- [124:34]
B
That blesses me.
- [124:35]
A
That millions of people that feel that way about you.
- [124:38]
B
That blesses me. I. I am well aware that this world does not understand me. Okay. I'm well aware of that. You know, okay, people. People talk about the sequin suit. You know, I wasn't going shopping, and, you know, one of our team members picked out outfits for me to wear that day. And my option was that or, like, this other outfit that didn't even fit. It's like, all right, I'll just wear it. Like, who really cares? Becomes a thing.
- [125:09]
A
Why is that even a discussion?
- [125:11]
B
But, no, you're right. So, like. Or my rings. I've always worn these rings, except for the one that I just recently had for Charlie's Medal of Freedom. They represent my babies. It's like, I don't need to walk around explaining myself of who I am and all of that. Maybe I should. Maybe that's something that a PR person would say, yeah, you need to go on a speaking engagement. But, you know, what's so interesting is people would say, you know, when Charlie passed. I hate saying when Charlie passed. He didn't. He was murdered. When he was murdered. I never went on shows to talk about myself at all, actually. And that's why, really, no one. Everyone wrote my story before I could even tell the correct version. But I went and honored my husband with all of his obligations that he had that he had set, and I wanted to honor him in that way. And, you know, everyone will scrutinize and analyze, and they'll do all of that. Stuff until they're actually in the position of that person. And it's so easy to analyze someone when you really don't even know them or understand them. But those that really understand and know God and Christ, like, they get it. And I don't have to explain myself. I mean, all that matters is when I come home, my baby's running into my arms. That is, like, the most precious thing. And, you know, it's so interesting, too, is Charlie. And I, like, you know, this, there was no separation between. Between anything. I mean, he's my best friend and love him so much. And, you know, even to all this drama on the Internet of people claiming that the video that I had in my YWLS intro is AI. And it's like, first of all, I would never. That's just sick to even think that someone would even make a fake AI version of your husband. But aside from that, like, full disclosure, obviously that video is not fake. But the interesting thing about all of this is Charlie and I were so in tune with each other. And so when people say, you know, why are you doing this? You know, why are you? And it's like, Charlie and I had these conversations. I mean, you know, this. You were a part of that. Pastor James. Charlie and I had conversations about all of you, all of this, all throughout our life. And, like, death threats and all this was never anything new to us. I mean, I had rape threats and death threats. The kids had kidnapping threats. I mean, we've always had threats. And so whenever you lose someone or you go through immense grief, you have a choice to either turn that grief into purpose or let that grief absolutely consume you to the point where you are worth nothing to anybody. And, you know, like you mentioned earlier to the young lady who asked about, you know, feeling if when she's 35, if she can't find another husband or whatever, having more kids, like, you have to be constantly in a position of thanking God for what you do have left. And when it comes to all of this, like, being a part of Turning Point is an extension of my husband, like, that's a piece of him that's still here. That's how my babies will know their father. And, you know, this. Pastor James, like, thank God I'm so grateful that Charlie included me in everything, because when all of this happened and the board made their decision and all that, there was no learning curve. I wasn't sitting in a meeting being like, what's a chapter? What's the national field program? Like, who runs our event? Like, what is an event I didn't have to answer. I knew all of that. I could walk into a room and call, say people hi by their first name. Like, I didn't have to learn the ins and outs of everything. And so it's like when you have that moment where you're watching your loved one build something and you're alongside them for those moments of building. Anyone who has a spouse that's an entrepreneur knows this. You, even with Nicole, know this. When you're building something and your spouse is along with you for that ride, you're their vault and their confidant. They're asking you like, hey, I had this phone call today. What do you think about this? Or, hey, I'm thinking about doing this. What do you think about that? And it's like, I had that even too with Charlie, with proclaim. I would ask him, you know, like, what do you think of this design? And he'd be like, I'm not a fashion. I'm not into fashion. I was like, I know. And that's why I love asking you your opinion. Because. Because I genuinely love your input. I genuinely appreciate your outside perspective because you're not in the echo chamber of what I'm going through with tech packs. So I love that. And that's what's so special about building with your spouse, is that when you have that healthy, beautiful marriage, there's no daylight that separates that dream and their heart. And you building alongside them, it's so. It's so beautiful and it's just so special. And I feel honored and blessed that I can be a part of the team that Charlie single handedly picked.
- [131:03]
A
This is what I learned.
- [131:03]
B
It's an honor. It's an honor because my babies get to see what their father built.
- [131:09]
A
Amen.
- [131:10]
B
And they get to see and be a part of that legacy. And one day my kids will be running through these offices in a way where they're in leadership positions and that'll be a special full circle moment. But this is so much more than titles and all that stuff. This is.
- [131:31]
A
Well, I mean, this is what I've learned. Yeah. And this is what I've learned. And I think everybody should take heed to this. It's really, really important. I've learned that people who have never moved a needle a day in their life. Life spend more time tearing down than they ever would building because they don't know what building looks like.
- [131:47]
B
Right. It's so easy to tear down. It is so easy to tear down. It's very hard to build. And Build something that's lasting and it
- [131:57]
A
relates to a biblical characteristic. Those who are far from God, destroy. Those who are close to God, build. And this recent obsession with the AI video that I've been seeing, it goes to speak very clearly to that precedent. I saw someone on video recently talking about this, and I'm thinking in my mind, why are you so obsessed with it? And I'm looking at it, I'm thinking you're obsessed with it because you've never spent a day in your life moving a needle. You don't understand what that looks like. So now all of a sudden you become a subject matter, matter expert in the facts that relate to this and you, with confidence, make these assertions. All you're doing is tearing down. You don't, you don't build, you destroy. And I think that that is deeply, deeply demonic.
- [132:52]
B
Yeah.
- [132:53]
A
And, and, and, and, and I just see it, I see it so much. I mean, I mean, how many of these guys do we see? They're, you know, locked up in their basements. They, they've never done anything admirable. They don't know what it's like to put their neck on the line for another life. Life. They don't know what it's like to do the beautiful thing, to pursue marriage and to seek out children and to, and to live the life that God calls them to. They, they don't know what it means to live in a lifestyle of nobility. But when they see an opportunity to prey on somebody who's vulnerable, oh, there it is. It's their, it's their moment to become popular, to become. And then they build audiences of people who are just, just like completely gone. It, it, it creates poison. And this is the worst part about bitterness. When you get jealous and when you get bitter, it's like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. It just, it just doesn't work. And I mean, everything that God has blessed you with is apparent. It's obvious. That's why the devil hates it.
- [134:00]
B
That's just, that's that, like these people, they can try with their words or whatever else they want to get either a reaction or to hurt me. But I have survived the worst day of my life.
- [134:18]
A
Yeah. Yep. Amen.
- [134:20]
B
Anything that anyone does on this earth pales in comparison to that moment that I had to live through. And it's this freedom of knowing, like, you can't hurt me. There's nothing you can do that will hurt me. There's nothing that you can do that will break me. I have survived again. The worst possible, unfathomable moment of my life.
- [134:51]
A
Yeah.
- [134:52]
B
Good luck. Yeah.
- [134:56]
A
I'm sorry, I can't help but to just rejoice when I hear you talk that way. Like, what do you.
- [135:02]
B
I go and live my life with my babies and I just. That's all that matters to me is honoring my husband, honoring his wishes, honoring our family succession plan, and obeying God and his wife word. That is my. That is my current life plan right now. People say, what is your plan for five years? Personal plan for five. That is my personal plan for every day of my life. And I don't really need to know or want to know really what the five year plan is at the moment. Was you trying to get through every hour of your life, you know, each day and each hour, each minute. Minute come with its own thing. But for people who have gone through grief, that's another point too. It's like when, when you are. When you're in the thick of it and you know that a wave is just about to crash on you, you just sit there and you literally say, like, brace for impact. Yep, it's coming. And then it just.
- [136:09]
A
Yep.
- [136:10]
B
Goes right over you. And then you say to yourself, I survived it again. And it just. Sure, you dry off, but you get back up and you know that God has you. And again, he is not going to. He's not going to leave you. I mean, for those of you who are going through some extremely hard moments in your life, do not ever once think that God will. Will forsake you, because he won't.
- [136:40]
A
Amen. Amen.
- [136:41]
B
He won't.
- [136:42]
A
Amen. Amen. You're a living testimony of it. And it's been, it's been amazing to see that there are lots of people, lots of people that are not going to hell because of the faithfulness of your husband and your faithfulness. It's.
- [136:57]
B
Glory to God.
- [136:58]
A
It's so amazing. So amazing. And in a, in a superficial world, world where people care about superficial things, it's really refreshing to see what I believe to be one of the sweetest hearts. You and Charlie, just amazing. My sister was recalling the day that we all met and her looking at you and going, holy smokes, this girl is beautiful. And she has all the cool stuff. That's what she said. And normally when that happens, like, my sister will automatically turn off, like, oh, that's gotta be a. That's gotta be a fake, you know, superficial person.
- [137:45]
B
You can read right through people when they're not being transparent or authentic. Oh, especially when you have that ability. It's just, it's very easy.
- [137:54]
A
Oh, yeah. And that's what she expected to see when she just, like, her first glance at you and she said, my goodness. I, I, I just looked at her and I just said, they're very rare. They're very rare like her. They're very rare. What an exceptional one. My sister knew it, like, right away, she knew it. May you remember I told Charlie, dude, what are you waiting for, bro? You're nuts. Marry her.
- [138:18]
B
I love it. I love that man so much.
- [138:22]
A
Yeah. Some great memories. Just reminiscing on, on some of those moments and how God has just blessed, blessed us.
- [138:28]
B
Amen.
- [138:28]
A
You know, in the midst of it all, and he's given us so much, and, and there is still this amazing legacy that's being left and how people's lives are still being dramatically and radically changed. I mean, that you can't, you can't ask for better.
- [138:42]
B
Yeah, it's true.
- [138:44]
A
You know, I think the one thing Charlie would be blessed with, I think there'd be a lot of things that would really hurt him if he knew what was going on, but the one thing that he'd be really blessed with more than anything is how his legacy is being carried by his bride and by his, his children.
- [138:57]
B
Amen.
- [138:58]
A
I think it would, it would, it would be like, wow.
- [139:00]
B
I know. You know, I got a really sweet message from his parents because I, I go see them next week, and I love them.
- [139:09]
A
They're great people.
- [139:10]
B
They're so sweet. I adore them. Today's his mom's birthday, by the way.
- [139:14]
A
Oh, I got to send her a text. Yeah, it's, I have to give her a call.
- [139:18]
B
And they were just like, we are so proud of you. And, and that just, it means everything. I love.
- [139:26]
A
Oh, yeah, yeah. So sweet. I, all of us feel that way. We're all very, we're all very proud, and we're all thankful to what God. For what God has given us in, in you. And the fact that, praise God, you're safe and you're still here and you're with us. And I know that's been a journey, you know, keeping you safe. That's been, that's been tough. But God's been faithful and, you know, until he returns, you know, we need you active and serving him, and I think that God is doing that. He's been blessing all of us through your faithfulness, and I can't wait to see how the babies are going to turn out.
- [140:04]
B
I tell you what, my espec. Well, you know, my son's still.
- [140:10]
A
He's still a little young, but he's all born.
- [140:13]
B
My daughter is a spicy little meatball.
- [140:16]
A
I love it. I love it. Mine are, too.
- [140:19]
B
Yeah.
- [140:20]
A
My babies are like, I love it.
- [140:22]
B
I love it. They have their opinions, they have, their thoughts, they have. I mean, it's just amazing. It's amazing to see them grow up and know that that's a piece of Charlie that's still on this earth and I get to love on them and watch them grow. And also there's times where I think to myself, as they're doing little things like coloring or, you know, painting or playing with Legos, and I think to myself, like, I'm literally witnessing a little piece of mini Charlie in both of them as they're doing their little thing, as they're coloring or as they're explaining something. I'm like, I get to see him as slightly that age to some respect, and just. It's special to relive. Relive that with them. So it's true.
- [141:10]
A
It's true.
- [141:10]
B
Well, I love you. Thank you for everything.
- [141:12]
A
I love you, too.
- [141:13]
B
Give my love to the family. And before we close out, I would love a prayer for our whole Bible and 365 family. And then we will resume next month.
- [141:25]
A
Amen. Let's do it, Father. We thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and your goodness. Lord, we thank you for these, your people that are gathering in your name, Lord, studying your word, learning it. Lord, please be with my Bible and 365 brothers and sisters. Bless them spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, financially. Have your hand upon them, Protect, protect them, use them, Lord. And we also just pray, Lord, for our dear sister Erica. We pray that you would encourage her, build her up, Lord. Have your hand upon her, Lord. Bless the children. Bless all of the Kirk family, Lord. Be with them. We pray for Erica's precious mom, Lord. We love her so much. And we just pray, God, that you would be her strength, Lord, and that you would continue to be her shield. And, Lord, we thank you, Lord, for all of the. The staff at Bible in 365, Lord, just bless these amazing people who come along my side on a regular basis, Lord, and are used so greatly by you, Lord. Just bless them. We love you, God, and thank you. We look to you and we ask these things now. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
- [142:22]
B
Amen. All right, God bless you guys. Have a great weekend and we'll see you next month.