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- [00:00]
A
Hello. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Saved. Not. So, what's going on, family? I'm here with my fiance. Once again to the left of me.
- [00:15]
B
Hey, we're back for another one. Yeah.
- [00:18]
A
He said, that's me.
- [00:19]
B
That's me, that's me. The only one in here with you.
- [00:22]
A
Yes. And Jesus.
- [00:24]
B
And Jesus.
- [00:25]
A
These here in the atmosphere. In the atmosphere. It just rhyme. It just rhymed. I thought we were having, like, a. Like a song moment.
- [00:36]
B
Oh, you're feeling musical.
- [00:39]
A
We just watched Wicked. So I'm just like. I feel like. Well, we went to New York last week. We watched Hamilton, which I learned all about. The Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers.
- [00:51]
B
Is it the Declaration Independence or the Constitution?
- [00:54]
A
Both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
- [00:58]
B
Okay.
- [01:00]
A
I believe so. I know that the. That the Schuyler sisters, they quoted the Declaration of Independence.
- [01:08]
B
Okay.
- [01:08]
A
So I knew that it had some sort of tie. Yeah.
- [01:12]
B
Okay.
- [01:13]
A
But that was just super singy. Singy. And then we watched Wicked, and that.
- [01:18]
B
Was super stygy singing.
- [01:20]
A
Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, I was just in a song mood.
- [01:23]
B
Go ahead, hit us with some, you.
- [01:26]
A
Know, which one I'm finna pull out. That's my line.
- [01:34]
B
So good.
- [01:35]
A
Come on, Cynthia. What's crazy is that both of those movies actually gave me very godly revelation.
- [01:41]
B
Yeah. I feel like you can pull God out of anything.
- [01:45]
A
Yeah. If you just put your mind to it. I saw that, like, a lot of people online were like, oh, my gosh. I was. It's like these Christians and they're like, I left the movie theater and I was screaming, crying, sliding down the dang door because, like, the spells are just so eerie and all this stuff. And I'm like, it's a story about witches. Like, of course. But how I went in, into the movie, just, like, watching it was, I'm gonna watch this and give God all the glory and just find God in the middle of it. And I did, and it really helped me, and it was really encouraging, and it was beautiful. I. I love Wicked. I love the wizard of Oz. Been a huge fan since I was a kid. I've seen the Broadway. The Broadway show a few times. So seeing it on the big screen was, like, huge.
- [02:32]
B
First time seeing it.
- [02:33]
A
Loved it.
- [02:34]
B
It was great.
- [02:35]
A
Yeah, it was really great. Anyways, welcome to say, not soft, y'all. Sorry. Chitchatting and whatnot. Can I not touch your leg?
- [02:44]
B
Yeah, you can.
- [02:44]
A
Okay.
- [02:45]
B
But I was just like, hey, y'all, welcome to Save Nas off. Like, what?
- [02:55]
A
I joke. You can hold my hand.
- [02:58]
B
Okay.
- [02:58]
A
Well, we don't have to do anything. No.
- [02:59]
B
Yeah. What?
- [03:02]
A
No. Because I put my hand on your leg, then you put your hand on my leg. So I'm like. I was just. It was just a gesture.
- [03:08]
B
Oh, thank you for the gesture.
- [03:09]
A
You're very welcome. Okay, you guys, welcome to Save Night.
- [03:14]
B
Soft. Welcome.
- [03:15]
A
This is a podcast about Jesus Christ. Not about us, just that we are the vessels and he is the orchestrator. This podcast is basically about navigating the Christian lifestyle. What it's like to walk with Jesus. That it is not an easy one. It's hard. That's why it says that the path is very narrow. It's not wide. It's narrow. And this podcast is supposed to be a light to give you tools and what you need to walk the walk that you need to walk with God. That was a lot of walk. A walk, a walk. So, yeah, topic of today. Absolutely no idea.
- [03:53]
B
I mean, we talking. We got a little bit.
- [03:55]
A
There was. There was a few things I wanted to talk about. Same with you. We are in the Thanksgiving season, so we were talking about, you know, gratitude, what it means to be thankful, the fruits of thankfulness and gratefulness. I think that would be really important to talk about for sure. And just gonna see where the Holy Spirit goes from there.
- [04:19]
B
Yeah. So what are you thankful for?
- [04:22]
A
Well, I was gonna pray first. Pray to people in, but we can start off with that. So let's pray first.
- [04:29]
B
Yeah, go ahead, pray.
- [04:30]
A
Okay. Dear Heavenly Father, we just thank you and praise you, God. God, I thank you for the person on the other side of the screen watching and listening to this episode. God, God, I ask that you bless their mind, that you bless their hearts. God, that you bless their lives. God, that, God, as we give you gratitude, as we give you thanks, and as we just lift up a shout of praise, God, let it be pleasing to your ears. Let it be pleasing in your sight. God. God, just let your mercy and your grace rain down upon your children. God, we thank you that you're a God who is full of providence, that you are a God who is overly generous, and that it's just our job to be fully dependent on you, God. So. So I thank you for your generosity. I thank you for your presence. I thank you that every time we cry out to you, God, you answer, that you deliver us. I thank you that everything that you have said and told us is. Is the truth. It's not a lie. It's not a phony. It's not a fake. It's true, God, it's true. So I thank you that your word is exactly what it says it is. And God, I ask that through this conversation you bless Malik and I to carry the conversation of wisdom. That you bless our minds, they bless our spirits, our hands, our speech, Lord, that you give the confidence to speak, God. I just rebuke any brain fog or any divination within the mind, God. Just ask that your holy spirit moves throughout us, God. And that this is a pure conversation. And that God, as we show the import importance of thankfulness, God, that just breaks chains off of cycles and things that people are trying to break off in their lives, God. So let this episode bring freedom, let it bring restoration. And let your spirit come and meet your children where you are, where they heart. And let it be full of compassion in Jesus mighty name, Amen. Amen. I didn't know if you want to say anything.
- [06:19]
B
No. Yeah, let's get into it.
- [06:20]
A
So what am I thankful for? Yeah, I'm really thankful, I think this year. Well, I'm thankful for Jesus, of course. I'm thankful for the Lord. I'm thankful for what he's been doing in my life this season. I think I'm really thankful to be your fiance into a found love because this time last year I didn't even know that I was going to be a girlfriend, let alone about to be a whole wife.
- [06:46]
B
Right.
- [06:46]
A
And so that's me now. So I'm thankful that I'm thankful that the Lord has put me in a season that I've been praying for for a long time. And I'm thankful that it is butterfly sunshines and rainbows, but not the butterflies that I was thinking of. Like different types of butterflies. Like there's, there's parts of the season of the season that I'm going through that I didn't really expect. But I'm glad I'm going through it because that just means it's going to make our marriage so much more fruitful. So I'm blessed that the Lord is doing what he needs to do. I'm thankful for big time my family this year. I've reconciled a lot with my mom. My mom recently came to Christ. I think I talked about that on an episode. If not, I'll talk about it a little bit right now. I'm the first Christian in my family and so I've been praying for my family to come to Christ about the past five years. And my mom recently just gave her life to Christ about four months ago and it's expedited our relationship and there's been so much fruit. There's been years of trauma restored. There has been a restoration and reconciliation that has been miraculous to where it could only be by the hands of God. And so I'm very thankful for my family. I'm very thankful for my mom. I'm thankful for the time I've been able to spend with her and the conversations we've been able to have. I'm thankful for. Oh, hello. Yeah, you can.
- [08:25]
B
I'm not trying to, like, break my neck this whole episode.
- [08:28]
A
We can.
- [08:29]
B
No, you know what I mean? It's like, I want to, like, see you. That's like, break my neck.
- [08:34]
A
Yeah, that's fine. You're so funny. What else am I thankful for? I'm thankful for so much. I'm also thankful for my friends as well. I'm thankful that I got to spend time with Amoye while we were in New York, which. That's my best friend who stayed all the way in New York. I'm very thankful for her. Thankful for my other best friend, Clarissa, my other friends that I have relationships. I think. I'm thankful. This is a big one. I'm thankful, very, very thankful of how God has been so providing during this season of engagement, especially not having help and kind of quote, unquote, doing it on my own. Like, I'm really not. Now God has graced me with his provision to just really help me and take the stress off, like, the wedding and all these things off of me, because he's been taking care of all of it, like, miraculous things, y'all.
- [09:33]
B
Yeah.
- [09:34]
A
So, yeah, I'm really thankful.
- [09:36]
B
That's really good.
- [09:37]
A
What are you thankful for?
- [09:39]
B
I'm thankful for family. I'm thankful for my mom, my dad, my sister, my friends. I'm thankful for ministry. I'm actually really thankful that I get to do ministry with my family. And I think that's something that I'm. I don't. I don't take for granted because I've seen growing up when we did do ministry and a lot of the things that happen in the warfare that take place within it. And I've seen a lot of people, a lot of PKs, who do ministry with their family, but then wind up leaving and doing something else, and they don't want anything to do with their family. And I'm like, I'm thankful that the Lord has kept me and has shown me the truth when it comes to my family and what it looks like doing ministry with them. I wouldn't. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Like, I wouldn't go to the most mega church. I wouldn't go to the. I wouldn't go anywhere. But I. I just love serving and honoring my family. So I'm really thankful for. For that. I'm thankful for the ability to work, the ability to get up every day and experience what the goodness of God looks like, to experience what grace looks like, to experience what mercy looks like each and every day. I'm just so thankful that the Lord has kept me for so long. And. And I think the. When we step into gratitude and being thankful for the little things, then we can honestly fully see God in everything, because we know that we didn't have anything to do with how we ended up here, but it was because of the Lord that provided. He was the one that kept us. So I think. I think those are just some of the things that I feel like I'm really thankful for. And some of the times it's just the little things that I'm just like, God, like, if it wasn't for you, I would not be here right now. Like, I'm so thankful for you. Like, in our relationship and how God has kept us and led us even so much. So we were talking about how, like, last year when we first started dating, and talking like, there's a big difference in both. Both of our personalities. There's a lot of growth.
- [11:59]
A
Yeah.
- [11:59]
B
There's a lot of things that the Lord has done to continue to elevate us and favor us. And those are things I'm thankful for. Like, I'm thankful that we're about to get married. Like, we're. You know, I said this in my vlog, but I was talking about, like, next Thanksgiving, we could be hosting it, like, at our house, you know, like, in our home. And that's crazy to think about, but that's the truth. And I'm very thankful for that, you know, our home. Yeah. That's crazy.
- [12:33]
A
That's really insane to think about. But I love what you said. There were so many things that you said, kind of more so the being grateful for the very small things. I think even one thing that I get in the habit of every morning when I wake up is just like, God, thank you for breath. Like, just breath alone. And even just, like, my health. Have you ever gotten a sore throat? And then you thinking about the times when your throat wasn't sore?
- [13:01]
B
It's not facts.
- [13:02]
A
So that's like. It's kind of one of those things where it's like, no. Like, God, thank you for My help. Thank you. That, you know, I could be sick. I could be in a ditch. I could be in a hospital bed. You could have left me when I got in the car accident or whenever I was down bad and got carbon monoxide poisoning. But it's like you kept me. So it's. It's just taking gratitude in the very small things and even on the simple. Mad at the fact that, like, both of my parents are alive and that I've never experienced loss in my family or that. Shoot. That I have a roof over my head or that I have food prepared before me, that I have a body that is healthy and I have no complications. I have a car I could drive in that I live in a place to where it's. It's not compromising my. My state of self. Like, I'm safe. Like I live somewhere where it's safe to live. Like, just stuff like that. To where it's like, man, like, we truly have so many things to be grateful about, but how many times do we truly admire them again and acknowledge them? Yeah. So I think that was really powerful.
- [14:03]
B
That you said that just at the end of the day. I think it's partnering with God and a lot of things that we do to experience his fullness that he has for us.
- [14:17]
A
Right.
- [14:17]
B
Because one, we're thankful. And I think thankfulness is one side of it, but also the obedience to want to do his work, go hand in hand with each other. What you looking up? She looking up something.
- [14:33]
A
There was something that came to my mind that I would like to talk about because I think people, we talk about gratitude and thankfulness, and it sounds like a kindergarten question, what are you thankful for? Raise your hand. Name three things. But thankfulness is actually something that could help you escape a snare. And, and. And not from a posture of, oh, I have to act like I'm thankful so I could get out of this season. But no, like a true intentional heart that is thankful. It has the ability to. To lead you to escape. I was going to. Where are you going?
- [15:14]
B
But I don't know. When we. When we was praying, I heard the Holy spirit say Psalm 70. Don't know what's in Psalm 70.
- [15:21]
A
I wanted to go to Philippians 4. And yeah, I'm gonna. I'm gonna just read the full thing. It says, rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evidence. All the Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present Your request to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And so why I love this passage is because it tells us something really powerful about Thanksgiving, is that when you're thankful for the things of the Lord, it releases a peace that is that. That quite literally transcends all understanding and guards your heart and your mind. So thanksgiving and gratefulness has the ability to protect. And I think sometimes when we let out a praise and we say thank you, God, it's almost done in vain or with less intention because we feel like we have to do it when Thanksgiving partners with security. And the reason as to why Thanksgiving partners with security is because when you rejoice the things of the Lord, like, it truly pleases him, like that, that pleases the Lord. When you're thankful and you're saying, God, great is your faithfulness, like, great are you, oh, Lord. I'm not saying that God is only going to protect you if you're, if you're full of gratitude, God is going to protect you regardless if you're his child. But more so, what I'm getting at is that whenever we. We acknowledge the Lord and his nature along with his name, there's a protection that comes with that. And it's not just something we just shouldn't say shout of praises, like in vain or because we have to do it, but. But because we understand, we experience another part of God when we're thankful. Like whenever you're thankful, you get to experience God's providence and you get to experience his security. And I think when we lack gratitude, we don't get to experience. Yeah, I just love what it says, especially part six or verse six. Do not be anxious about anything. Okay? So every time you're anxious, what is, what is the. The lineup? It's in every situation by prayer and petition. What's that prayer? It's, it's. You're consulting with God, you're praying to God with petition. You're petitioning yourself to God. It says. It says, and petition with Thanksgiving. So when I'm praying to God and when I'm petitioning with God, I'm coming with a grateful heart. Like I'm coming Thanksgiving. And then it says, present your request to God. So whatever it may be, God, take away my anxiousness. God, please, you know, help me get over this breakup. Help me get over this loneliness or the singleness season that I'm in, or help me get over or experience this grief or conquer trauma, whatever it may be. When you present your request to God, then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. So what's like, the cycle here? It's prayer and petition partnered with thanksgiving, which then is followed by us requesting and asking God, knowing that he loves when we're needing and he wants to fulfill what we have to say. And with that births a peace with which transcends all understanding and protects and guards our hearts and minds. So what do you think about that?
- [18:58]
B
I was gonna say, it kind of takes me to Psalm 70, and this is when I knew the Holy Spirit was really cooking, because Psalm 70, verse 4 says, Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. And let those who love your salvation say continually, let God be magnified. Verse 5, it says, But I am poor and needy. Make haste to me, O God, you are my help and my deliverer. O Lord, do not delay. And what I got from that is we. We are. We're seeking God. Like, because we. What you were talking about in rejoicing. Rejoicing is in thankfulness and you saying, lord, be magnified. Did you find it?
- [19:45]
A
No, I'm going somewhere else that I just thought of, but I'm. Let's go.
- [19:49]
B
Teamwork.
- [19:49]
A
Teamwork. I want you to. What does it mean to, like, rejoice? Like, okay, sure, it means to be in and thankfulness, but, like, what does it actually mean to rejoice? Because maybe there's some people who are listening to this episode and they're thinking, like, dang, like, you know, I'm in a rut. Like, how am. How can I be. Because the last thing. How can I be joyous through struggle? How can I experience the joy of the Lord? How can I go through these trials and tribulations and have a smile on my face when they actually really suck?
- [20:20]
B
All right, this is how you do this. This is how you continue to rest in the joy of the Lord when your situation is hard. It's. It starts with faith, right? There's a scripture. I can't remember where it is, but it basically says to count it all joy when trials and tribulations come your way. And it. Like, when you read that verse, you're like, oh, what is it? Like, why do I count it all joy when I'm going through hardship and hard times? And it's because your faith is in the Lord, that the thing that you're going through, he is the one that's taking you through it so that you may come to an expected end, like scripture says, so that you know that by the end of your trials and your tribulation and everything that you're going through, it was for a purpose and it was for to elevate. It was for to build you up in a sense. So that's why when you go through it, you count it all. Joy. So that's why in this verse, it's like, hey, you know, when you're going through times, seek the Lord and rejoice and say, let God be magnified. But then verse five and 70, it says, but I am poor, right? And I'm needy. And it says, God, make haste to me. And even in this is saying that, God, you are my help, you are my deliverer. So even in these times where we feel like God is not near and he is not there, if we are continually thankful and joyful, he will deliver us from certain circumstances. And he's not going to delay. And I feel like with us, it feels like a delay. And it feels like, oh, my gosh, like, God, where are you? But his timing is impeccable. It's like when you feel like he's supposed to be there, he's like, no, I'm not coming just yet, but just let me cook a little bit. And when you least expect that God is like, I'm here. You're at the breaking point, and this is where I needed you to be the entire time. And he'll. And then you'll see, once you're out of your circumstances and your situation, you're like, God, I didn't realize what you were doing while I was in it, but now I fully understand and I see that I needed everything that I went through because it was for this purpose.
- [22:34]
A
Right? Can I add something really quick? Because God is always near. Like, God's never gonna go away. The reason as to why we experience a distance from God is always because of us. And because of our infatuation with sin, our struggles, if we're in oppression, whatever it may be, like, God is always going to be God. And the reason as to why we separate from God is because of our sin. Like, quite honestly. And so I think there's seasons where, like, what you just said of, like, where you're expecting God to, like, do something right then and there. And he's like, I'm not doing that just yet. It doesn't mean that he's not there. It just means that he's not going to do the thing that you want yet. And so I wanted to clarify that Because I heard you say that, you know, you know God is there. I just wanted to say that even in the midst of your struggling and even though it's hard to count it all joy, you could know that it's going to produce perseverance and endurance at the same time. Like there is a reality and there needs to be an accountability and a affirmation, I would say a validation of what you're also experiencing. Because I think there's a lot of people who are going through really hard circumstances that could be draining, and it feels as if their endurance or consistency is getting cut off. And I think something you preach about a lot is just changing your mindset is though even you're going through the hardest time, and even though you're going through the deepest pits of affliction, you have the power to choose what voice you're going to believe, yours or God's. And I wanted to talk about oppression and staying thankful during it. One of my favorite verses is, I wasn't turning to that, but I was turning to another one. But it's Proverbs 17:22, and it says that a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. And so every time we're facing affliction or oppression, or even if it's sickness, spiritual, physical, mental, whatever it may be, I always get reminded of the verse a a excuse me, what the heck. A cheerful heart is good medicine. And what is medicine? Medicine heals. Right. So whenever you get a headache, you take medicine in hopes that the medicine is going to assist your headache and make it go away.
- [24:51]
B
Right.
- [24:52]
A
It's going to heal you. Right. So whenever the Bible says that a cheerful heart is good medicine, it's implying that whenever our hearts are filled with cheer and when it's felt, felt, feel filled with joy, I'm able to be healed from all my circumstances, trauma and afflictions because of the cheer that I'm experiencing with the Lord. And that's something I get reminded whenever I'm going through circumstances is I could get. I can make a way of escape, or I could follow God's way of escape right now just by being joyful.
- [25:23]
B
Yep.
- [25:24]
A
And not being caught up in the affliction or the oppression. And so I feel like that's a practice I take a lot. And when I'm going through really hard times, mentally or whatever it may be, those are the times I try really hard to be grateful because I know that my thankfulness and the cheer that I have is what's going to get me out of the oppression that the devil wants me stuck in. And so the other day while we were in New York, we went to a coffee shop and I wanted to like, just get into scripture, like really quickly. And I didn't know what to read, so we just gave each other something to study. And it was just like really random, like, hey, just give me something you don't know. Just like yell out a, a book and give me a number. Yeah, and that's what we read. And the one that you gave me was so helpful. And it was Proverbs 15. And I wanted to share it today. And I love Proverbs 15:15 because it says all the days of the oppressed are wretched. But. But the cheerful heart has a continual feast. So again, here we go with the word, with, with the cheerful heart, right? Which the cheerful heart mirrors a thankful heart. One who is full of gratitude and joy and acknowledges the. The Lord. And so the first sentence of this verse really got me, says all the days of the oppressed are wretched. So what is oppressed? Oppressed means to be tied up in affliction. It means, means to be down by depression, anxiety. It means that your. That your mind is a living penitentiary. It means that your way of living is torment. It means that the only thing you're thinking about is your suffering. It means that your mind is hyper focused on suffering. And so when it says that all the days of the oppressed are wretched, wretched means evil. And so oppression is something either one of two things we afflict upon ourselves or that we allow the enemy to afflict upon us that we're living in. So one of the things I could. What was that? Oh, no worries. Oh, it was the. That's okay. But like one of the Bible stories I could think of on the top of my head were where the devil was full on oppressing somebody was Joe. Right, right. But then another story where I think of someone who caused depression upon themselves is like King Uzziah, someone who fell into pride, fell into, you know, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. And then because of that, he fell into oppression because of his own sin. I even think of like Samson. Samson also fell into oppression because of his own doings. So whenever you're oppressed, the, the one who cultivates that oppression is two people. It's either yourself or it's the devil. Most of the times it is yourself. But when it says that the, the oppressed are wretched, you're telling me that if I'm living in ongoing iniquity of suffering, that my days are evil. And so what this verse tells me is that God wants to call you up and up and out of your oppression. All the days of the oppressed are wretched, all the days of the suffering are evil. And so I think of. I'm just going to take depression for an example because I've experienced depression a multitude of times. Depression isn't a. I'm depressed for one day and I'm going to feel depression a year from now. Depression is a long going suffering of sadness that is rooted in deep grief, that can often translate and transform into numbness and a hardened heart, essentially. And so when it comes to like depression, it's so ongoing and it's almost like a cycle. You're waking up and it's the same thing each and every single day. God is calling that evil. Like depression is evil, like having chronic anxiety is evil. And so when God's showing the nature of, of the oppression that we're living in, and it doesn't even have to be mental, I'm just throwing out mental stuff like depression, anxiety, addiction, bipolar, ocd, whatever it may be. Those are all mental oppressions, even if you're in a physical one. If it's. If you're oppressed physically in your own house by your state of living, the country or state that you live in, whatever it may be. God is calling that evil. But he says the way of escape is the next line. It says, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. The word but is huge because when you say the word but it gets rid of everything that was said right before that. So yeah, all the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart brings a continual feast. You will be fed, you will be nurtured, you will be cared for. Like your daily bread is here. And so I think that just shows us the, the power of having a cheerful heart not only heals us, but it's also our way of escape, you.
- [30:33]
B
Know, And I think it's more than just physical stuff. It's not like, yeah, we're gonna eat really good right now and have a good meal. But it's like spiritually we are equipped and able to withstand the ways of the enemy. Like I feel like when we're married, because my, my version says, Mary, like when we, it says, but he who is of merry heart, like having that cheerful heart does so much and so much inside of you that you have no idea about. Like the things that once got you down and made you upset and made you have an attitude and took your joy away. It. Like, when you. Like, that's like being optimistic. Like, once you start to be optimistic and have that joy that, like, okay, I know that the joy of the Lord is with me, and I know that God is with me. Anything that comes my way or tries to be a stumbling block in my life will have no effect because I know where my joy and my power comes from. And that is like what you said. It's like what you said before when we were talking the other night about the prodigal son and the brother. The brother got so upset that this. That his other brother came back home. And what did the father say to him? That you're rich because you have me. And it's like this same verse. It's like, we're rich because we have Jesus. And it's an understanding of the power that we have within him. And that is joy. That is a fruit of the spirit that we have, like it says in Galatians. So I always go back to the mind because we make the choice of whether we are joyful or not. Like, we make that choice. So if we're not joyful, then we're choosing to stay in the misery that the enemy wants us to live in. I thought you about to say something. You. You had. You had that head knot like, he's about to come in. But like, yes, but like, operating in that joy is what makes sense because we can feast, we can eat the fruits.
- [32:37]
A
So my question is, what. What are practical steps or what powers you to make the choice to no longer have a negative mindset?
- [32:45]
B
For me personally, it's optimism. And I've talked to you about this ever since we've been dating. Like, for me to be joyful is optimism. My thing that I always tell myself is nothing is ever as bad as you think it is, and it's usually not. It's literally something that we've made up in our mind. These hypotheticals of, like, oh, my gosh, this may happen, but it doesn't happen. You know what I mean? So, like, in my mind, I'm like, okay, whatever. Whatever does happen, I'm okay. I'm okay. And I know that the Lord is with me. So, like, I have the joy of the Lord, which is my strength that gets me through every situation.
- [33:24]
A
So how do you have that attitude of being optimistic and saying, you know what? It's not as bad as it really is, while also simultaneously not gaslighting yourself and not disowning and, like, invalidating your own experience and what you're going through.
- [33:37]
B
Right. It's. I feel like, for me, it's having faith. Like, if you know God is a sovereign God, everything that you go through and encounter is because it was meant to happen. God. Like, it goes back to having the faith to where it's like, I believe in him and I know he means well for me. Like, God is working all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. So if I know that the Lord loves me and I. And I love him and I'm walking in his purpose, everything that happens to me, good or bad, is meant for me because he is working it out. So in my mind, I'm like, okay, God, if I wake up today and I said, let your will be done. If something does not go well, that is his will being done. Because I said that. And that is the prayer for my life. So when I. So, yeah, it goes back to having that mindset of, like, if everything goes upside down, okay, God, like, this was meant to happen, you know?
- [34:38]
A
So you would say it's like, confidence of faith. And I would even just. What I'm hearing is contentment.
- [34:43]
B
Yeah. And content to. And knowing that he is good and everything that I have. And I feel like for me to not gaslight myself, I think there has to be a healthy. A healthy balance of understanding. Like, okay, like, I know this is bad. You know what I mean? It's like, it's not like, oh, okay, well, it happened or I'll forget about it. It's like, sometimes it's an understanding of knowing. Like, yes, I understand this bad. Like, I understand this happened. But, God, you're still good. You know, it's not sitting and letting what happened take over you, but knowing who God really is.
- [35:25]
A
Yeah.
- [35:26]
B
Is the. Is the difference, man.
- [35:28]
A
I think that's key, what you just said. Not letting your circumstance come above who God is.
- [35:32]
B
Yes.
- [35:32]
A
And being content in who he says he is and being confident in that. And being confident that everything he told you is true, that it's not a lie, that that's like your real peace. Like. Like where the truth of, like, where the Lord is, there is freedom. So it's like. And it's because of the Lord is truth. So, yeah, I think that's really good. I think what you said about the. I kind of wanted to talk about the prodigal son that you brought up, because I brought that up to Malik today of how I was reading about the prodigal son, Was it yesterday or the day before? Anyways, I was reading about it and just showed, you know, the difference between the son who got up, you know, took the inheritance, went away, spent all that came back and was celebrated versus the brother who stayed there and served his father the whole entire time. And if you don't know the story in synopsis, the story is basically that this man has two sons. One of the sons took his part of the inheritance and left, spent all of his money and. And fell away from his family. Then he was living a way that was apart from the way that he was designed to live. So he was literally eating the food from the pins that, like, the pigs would eat out of. And it said that he came to his senses and remembered. If my servants are treated better at my father's house than where I'm at right now in these stables, like with pigs, then surely I will run back to my father and say, you know what? I'm not worthy of being your son, but I will be your servant. And so then he's running back to his father, and his father sees him in the distance as if he's waiting for him and runs after him. He doesn't wait for him to come up to the door. He runs to him and he says, father, like, I am not worthy to be your son, but I will be your servant. And he says, no, come on in. You are my son, and you will be celebrated like, chop up the fattest, finest calf and let's get this thing cooking. And while this is happening, we got somebody who's a party pooper sitting on the outside wishing that it was them and it's his brother. And he's saying, you know, father, I've been with you all these years, and you never prepared for me a calf. You never prepared for me a party or a celebration, like, when is it for my turn? And he said, son, you are rich because you have me. You have been with me. You have everything because you have been with me this whole entire time. I'm like, man, how many of us, because we lack gratitude sound like the second brother of. We see people, you know, who fall very far away from God, and then they come into the presence of God and they get rewarded for coming back to him, but yet we're salty. Be like, oh, God. Well, you know, I do all my ties. I do all my offerings. You know, where's my. A million followers in podcast? Where is. Where is my entrepreneurship? Where is reconciliation with. With all these things? Where's the blessings? Where's the miracles. You know, how is it that you delivered them from mental illness, but you didn't deliver me? There's just a bitterness that Christians are experiencing because we don't know how to be thankful that God has done it for another person and that he's already done it for you. You just haven't seen it.
- [38:46]
B
Yeah.
- [38:46]
A
And so I think when I read the Prodigal Son, it's so beautiful because it reminds us to be thankful when you don't think anything's happening. Because I think that's what the second brother thought, is that he didn't think anything was happening, but he just failed to look and acknowledge. And so I think that's what gratitude is at the core. It's seeing and it's paying attention, and it's observing and. And acknowledging just what it is instead of wishing for it to be something else. That's why it says, like, was it. The comparison is a thief of joy. Yeah. It's because when you're comparing your successes in your life to somebody else's, you will never think that your life will ever measure up, and I will never be enough. And so when you think of somebody, what somebody else has all the time, you're never going to be truly grateful for what you have. This is something I talk about when it comes to social media all the time. I have people who come up to me and they're like, dang. I mean, how are you reaching so many people? How are you reaching all these people through your podcast and you're preaching all this. I want to influence, like, that, like, all these things. And what I always tell people, I'm like, it's never about the numbers. It's the fact that you're reaching real, legitimate people. So be grateful that even though you get 100 people watching your story, that you impacted every single one of those 100 people. Like, it's. It's not about how many. It's the fact that you just impacted them. Right, Right. And so it's the intentionality of, like. Like, understand that what you have has so much value, but because it's not meeting your expectation, you're not experiencing a gratitude for it. Even when it comes to, like, the way of living all day. And why does she go to this college and have the boyfriend and have all the finances and the money? It's like, if you weren't even paying attention to her life, you would be so grateful that, like, your mom stepped in when your dad didn't.
- [40:35]
B
Right.
- [40:35]
A
Instead of wishing that you've had had a father who could give you all these things. Do you get what I'm saying? It's like when you think about somebody else's situation all the time, you will never truly be grateful for your own. And I believe that's like the story of the prodigal son is God. God was trying to show us that we need to be thankful for what he has given us and for where he is in our lives and not constantly compare and judge of who deserves to be celebrated or not, you know, because it's up to Him.
- [41:06]
B
I was going to say, too, I feel like we're probably more like the other brother than you think, because a lot of us see new Christians, new babes coming to Christ and they're getting rewarded. And most people are getting jealous, like, really jealous that they're not receiving the things that they see other people getting for just coming to Christ. And. And we miss the fact of what Scripture says that we are rich because we have it didn't say Jesus, but he was making it in this sense because he's in the Father's house. But we can understand that. That's what it's inferring because we're in the house of God. And we miss that. We really miss that we are with God. So that means we already have everything that we need. We have everything that we need already. And so many times we're envious and we're jealous. And it's crazy because it's like, because we're in the house, we're supposed to be dying daily to Christ because that's what it means to follow his ways. Because when you're in the house, there are set rules. And my thing is we're getting jealous and upset at people who. Who are being rewarded by coming to the house. So my question is, are we actually doing everything we're supposed to be doing while we're in the house to receive the rewards? Because sometimes, you know, like growing up, we get allowance to the point to where your parents is like, all right, if you do the dishes, if you do this and that, I'll give you money and I'll give you an allowance. I feel like as Christians as we're in the house of the Lord, blessings and answered prayers should be expected. Like, that's something that should be expected because we're doing his will. So my thing is, like, if you're not seeing the things that you've been praying for and you're not getting the outcome that you want, what is it that you're doing? That's not aligning with the Lord. So it's like now you have to check yourself and check your heart because now you're doing it for the wrong motive.
- [43:11]
A
Right.
- [43:12]
B
Which is what the brother was saying. Yeah.
- [43:16]
A
Because he just wanted him to be celebrated.
- [43:18]
B
Yes.
- [43:18]
A
Like it wasn't the reason as to why the father threw the celebration for his son wasn't because his son was sent out and acting ratchet. He wasn't. He wasn't celebrating the fact that he went out and he was doing things he wasn't supposed to do.
- [43:35]
B
Yeah.
- [43:35]
A
He celebrated the fact that he came back. He celebrated their relationship. It had nothing to do with just the son himself. It was the fact that now I get to experience this with you. And so the brother, the reason as to why he wanted to be celebrated was a self centered reward. And so I think what you said is so good because it's just like God will give you the desires of your heart under his conditions. So it's like, okay, you can have the desires of your heart and trust that God's going to grant it, but doesn't match his conditions and his will. Because. Because if it's outside of it, he's not going to bless that. And the sooner you come to realize that you're not going to go to external sources like the world and false idols to look for them to fulfill it when God said no in the first place. And so I think that just what I'm hearing and what the Lord has just shown me is that a lack of gratitude and a lack of thankfulness keeps you bitter. Yes, it makes you bitter. Yes, it makes you bitter towards God and it makes you bitter towards your brothers and sisters and even bitter towards yourself. And I think a lack of gratitude also puts scales over your eyes of the compassion of God.
- [44:48]
B
You won't be able to see it because you're so blinded by your own desires.
- [44:54]
A
Right.
- [44:54]
B
And your own things that you want to fulfill.
- [44:57]
A
Right. Right.
- [44:59]
B
So is that going?
- [45:00]
A
Yeah.
- [45:01]
B
Okay.
- [45:01]
A
Of course.
- [45:02]
B
I know sometimes when it goes off, it's just loading. Okay. Nice. Cool.
- [45:08]
A
Yeah.
- [45:08]
B
I just want to make sure he's.
- [45:09]
A
Just doing his little thing. But the core of it is it's. Sorry, why is it acting like that?
- [45:19]
B
It probably just have.
- [45:21]
A
It's just loading. Yeah, she's just in a silly, silly goofy mode.
- [45:24]
B
Okay.
- [45:25]
A
But what I was wanting to say is that basically unthankfulness keeps you prideful and it keeps you bitter. Because I think what you said was so good, is that when you don't have gratitude you're fulfilling your own desires and you're fulfilling what you think is good and what you think you deserve. And it's unthankfulness is sick and satanic at the core because you're pretty much saying that everything God has given you is not good enough.
- [46:01]
B
I also wonder too, is like, when people understand and they see these things, why don't people reach out to ask for help? And it was crazy too, because this is like the first time I ever had this. This guy, he reached out to me and I saw him in my DMs, and he is. He does like, tick tock. He sent me this message not too long ago. He was like, hey, bro, I love what you and Emmy are doing. Me and my girl, we're like, you know, we're like, we're. We got some movement on tick tock and we're doing a little. Some stuff on Instagram. And like, I went to go check him out to see if he was legit, and he was like, they was getting some good views. But he asked me a really good question and he was just like, bro, you know, we just started following God, like, what is it that you've done in your relationship and your walk with God that has gotten you where you are? And I was like, dang. I was like, I feel like nobody's really, like, ask me, like, what it really was like. And what I did and what I told him was, bro, social media, everything that you're doing to get views, whatever it is that, you know, you feel like you and your girl got a do, put on a front, put on a face, whatever. I said, all of that means nothing. Like, it means absolutely nothing. Like, do not care about any of that. But I was like, what you need to focus on is loving God and using your platform to show people as an example who Christ is to you. And I was like, that's all me and me do, is use what we have and try to live our life as an example. Like, that's all we can do. Like, we can preach the word. That's cool. But if for people who do not know God and will not ever open a Bible, they're going to look out at our relationship and see it as an example of God. And that's what I told him. And he responded back and he was like, bro, I never thought about it like that. And I was like, that's crazy. But it, but it came from you realizing that there was a problem and seeking guidance to ask the question of.
- [48:15]
A
Help, you know, because if you don't ask those questions. That's how preaching in vain happens and that's how vanity preaching happens. And that's why you'll go on Tick tock. And it's like you go on a person's page and every day you're coming out with the video of. The Lord told me this. It's like there's, I think there's sometimes to where you know, people are really like, yo, like, like this is what the Lord has said. And even, you know, I've put out videos, but it's from a sincere intentional heart instead of like, oh, like I need to say that the Lord says this because I need it for the sake of views and for the sake of vanity.
- [48:49]
B
Right.
- [48:50]
A
It's like when you can't make Tick tock your secret space. Like you can't expose your secret space on a place that is a platform and fully exposed.
- [49:00]
B
Yeah.
- [49:01]
A
And so I think when we preach and we do the things on social media or in person, whatever, it may be, like it's an overflow of what we're experiencing one on one with God.
- [49:12]
B
Yeah.
- [49:12]
A
So it's like, I think that's a great question that he asked. Like, you know, what is it that you had to do with God to get to where you're at? It's like, great question because this is not the hyper focus. This is just a product of the overflow.
- [49:24]
B
1, 2, 1, 2, 3.
- [49:26]
A
Okay, sorry. My big Bible knocked, knocked down my whole setup. It's okay. But anyways, excellent question.
- [49:38]
B
What Accident question. Like when you, what you were saying, seeking knowledge when.
- [49:47]
A
Huh.
- [49:48]
B
And the guy, he asked the question to me.
- [49:49]
A
Yeah. He has to ask a question to you? Oh, I don't know.
- [49:58]
B
But yeah, I mean that's what it is. When I feel like you're, you're going through something and you're figuring out and you need help and knowing that you don't have to do it by yourself and you don't have to do it alone. But there's people who have gone through what it is that you're going through and you don't have to do it. I remember, I think my dad told me this, but it's like the reason why you have mentors and you have people to talk to so that you don't have to make the same mistakes that they made. So you like, you get a one up in the game to continue to move forward without having to go through those strenuous processes of like time.
- [50:47]
A
Are you bringing this up to point to the, to the Fact that it's good to ask questions.
- [50:53]
B
Yes.
- [50:53]
A
Yes. Okay. Because that wasn't really stated. You just started talking about that. I was like, wait, but that's what this.
- [50:58]
B
That was the last thing that we were talking about before I got cut off.
- [51:01]
A
I don't think so.
- [51:02]
B
That's what. That's what. That was the point you were making.
- [51:06]
A
That's not where I was going.
- [51:07]
B
What were you talking about then?
- [51:08]
A
I don't know. I don't remember it.
- [51:10]
B
That was the last thing I remember.
- [51:11]
A
I just gave it up to God. And we're gonna find out whenever my testimony is done one day.
- [51:15]
B
What. What are we talking about? What?
- [51:20]
A
I don't. I don't. I don't. I forgot what I was gonna say. But what you said was really good. I just wanted to re. Emphasize that we're talking about getting help and asking questions is important because there's people who have gone through things that you're praying for the blueprint out of.
- [51:36]
B
Yeah.
- [51:36]
A
Yeah. And they may have the answer, and God has trusted them with the trial so they could give you the blueprint out of your tribulation. Yeah, that's good.
- [51:46]
B
It was.
- [51:47]
A
Yeah. I mean, I still want to keep talking.
- [51:50]
B
Yeah, that's good.
- [51:52]
A
I don't know. I think. I don't know what you want to talk about or anything that's on your mind.
- [52:04]
B
No, I mean, I feel like the main thing of just that we wanted to talk about today was just thankfulness and gratitude.
- [52:11]
A
Yeah. I think. I think it's such a small thing, and I think it's something that gets really put to the side when it comes to growing spiritually and what it means to, like, be a Christian and walk with the Lord. Thankfulness is kind of like one of the things that's, like, on the back burner, but it is a fruit of the Spirit. And I think a lot of the times when it comes to us and when it comes to the children of God, we'll focus more on our giftings more than the fruits of the Spirit. Because, you know, everybody has giftings. Everybody has been gifted and been graced by the hands of God. But if you lack the fruits of the spirit, then everything's done in vain. It's all vanity, all of it.
- [52:58]
B
Yeah. I'm gonna say especially love, because, bro, I've been. I always go back to the verse that Apostle was talking about. I think it's First Corinthians 13 to where it's like, you can. You can speak and do all these things. I just gotta go to it.
- [53:15]
A
First Corinthians 13:1.
- [53:17]
B
Yeah. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, X, Romans.
- [53:23]
A
Right there. One more page. You flip too much. Big guy got big hands. That's why you flip real big.
- [53:36]
B
So it says, First Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 1. It says, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or clanging symbol. 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I can't. So that I could remove mountains but have not love, I am nothing. That's a. That's crazy. The gift of prophecy, understanding all mysteries and all knowledge. All mysteries and all knowledge. And though I have the faith to remove mountains, I feel like that's all Christians say and pray about. It's like, God, give me the faith. God give me the gift of prophecy. Give me the gift of knowledge and wisdom of your word. And he said, you can have all of that, and if you do not have love, it profits you nothing. And I go back to that because I'm like, man, having love is so vital in our relationship with Christ that people don't even realize that without it, you're just preaching vainly. Like, vainly. Nothing that you do or say matters if you do not have love. In love, gratitude, joy, thankfulness, they all flow together like you. Like you. I don't think you can operate in one without the other. I love when you just be, like, listening. You just be like, wow.
- [55:07]
A
Yeah, I think it's really good. I think God is good.
- [55:09]
B
Yeah.
- [55:10]
A
I think what he says is true. I think it's terrifying to know that you could have all this faith and that you could say all these things and that could be done. All for vanity.
- [55:19]
B
Yes.
- [55:19]
A
And that you think you're doing it and you're in right standing with the Lord. But I think it's because there's a part of. I think a lack of love simultaneously says that I don't believe God has done it for me, or I don't believe that God has truly accepted me. Like, love conquers all of that. Love says, it's not your works, it's my son.
- [55:46]
B
Yeah.
- [55:47]
A
And I think love is acknowledging that. It's. It's not anything that you've done. It's not anything you can do. God just loves you because he loves you. And that's the reason and the only reason. Only. And I love how they say, you know, you can all know all the mysteries, you can know all the Prophecies, you can know up and down. You could read somebody mind. I don't care what the heck it is. You can have all the faith in the world, but if you do not have love, then it's in vain. So what does it show us? It also shows us, like, the character of God as well, because I think sometimes we think that God is super powerful and miraculous. I'm not saying he's any of these things. He is, but we'll think God is all these things. All knowing, all powerful, all, all, whatever it may be, omnipotent, omnipresent, He. He is all, but he's all these things except for all love. And it just kind of shows that if God is requiring. Requiring out of us love and says that, like all of these things, you know, they're great, but love conquers them all. I believe that just mirrors how loving God is. If God is calling us to love and he's saying, look, you could do all these things, but if you don't have love, all of it's in vain. I see God in that light as he's just saying, I'm full with so much love. Like, yeah, if. If God were to be powerful without compassion, it would all be for nothing. Like, that's just outside of the nature of God for God to be wrathful. And a judge without compassion wouldn't align with. With true divinity.
- [57:31]
B
Right.
- [57:32]
A
And so I think that verse just shows us, okay, sure, how vital it is to have love, but then also the reality and the truth of how large God's love and compassion is for us and how much of it he actually hosts.
- [57:47]
B
Yeah. And it's for us to see ourselves in Him. I feel like, damn, I forgot I was gonna say something to notice, but I'm gonna just go this way. I feel like one. I'm just very thankful that the Lord loves us and the Lord wants us to understand what his love looks like in ourselves. And I remember I was watching something. I think it was a lady that was on Tim Ross podcast, and she made this really good point, but she was. She brought up the point to where it's like, we're. We're made in God's image. Correct? And she asked him the question. She was just like, is God broken?
- [58:36]
A
Right?
- [58:37]
B
And she was like. And Tim was like, no. And then she asked him the question. She was like, are you broken? He was like, no. But it was like questions like that to where she would put God in it. And because we were made in his image, the things that we also struggled and dealt with. God does not deal with. So therefore we do not deal with. And it's because of that love. And it's because of He. He saw. He saw us in need, a sinful human being to. Who has gone through so much iniquity and hurt and pain and turning our back against him that he sent his son because out of love, you know, and it says it John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We have everlasting life because of the choice of God saying, hey, I love you so much so that I'm. I don't want you to suffer, but I'm going to send someone to die in your place, you know, and redeem you.
- [59:41]
A
Right. I think it's understanding that sin is what ultimately breaks you. I think God will. God won't break you, but God can for sure crush you. I think of, you know, jars of clay and how he molds. It's not like a breaking. Yeah, like God, if anyone has done art, because I did, I did ceramics and everything. So it's like you mold the clay or if you want to do, you know, paper mache or whatever it may be, and then you put in the kiln. And then after that, that's when it becomes hard and fragile and easy to break. But you can't break clay that's soft. You can't break that. So God will crush you and mold you to transform you. But what breaks you is sin. That's what truly breaks you. And so I think that what you said is so good because it reveals to us where our brokenness stems from. It doesn't, it doesn't stem from God because God does not permit evil. And also God doesn't take delight in wickedness. That's what Ezekiel 33:11 says, rather. So it is sin itself that breaks us down. And so what us as a species are having to come out of agreement of and grow and be sanctified in is unlearning the brokenness that we've experienced through trauma, through experiences, through a life being indulged in sin. It's coming out of agreement with that and, and partnering and holding hands back again with God.
- [61:18]
B
Yeah, because you got to think the, the. Through centuries, decades, through generations there, the enemy has allowed deceit to come in through families. Yeah, and, and that's the, that's the main cause and point of things is your belief system. It's like what you believe in your mind, and that is what takes flock and flies around. And like, will mess you up because it's based off your belief system. My thing is, like, if you don't find someone, get on a secret place, talk to God to help you understand his truth, then you will be stuck in sin, you will be stuck in deceit and thinking that you are someone who God did not intend for you to be. So is what you said is getting right with God.
- [62:20]
A
Yeah. And it's picking up her cross and choosing him daily. Because if you pick up your cross only one night, God's not going to heal you from anxiety the next.
- [62:30]
B
Right.
- [62:31]
A
You know, it's. It's a matter of choosing him daily, picking your cross up daily and pursuing him daily. You look at every character in the Bible, like, David always loved God, but God didn't exalt him until years later. Same with Joseph, or I think of Jacob. Jacob loved the Lord, but yet he didn't actually wrestle with God and conquer until years later. Same with Joseph. Joseph loved the Lord, but he didn't see the things of God until years later. Later. Because these people had to learn what it meant to, like, get up and really carry your cross.
- [63:05]
B
Yeah.
- [63:06]
A
And what it meant to seek God daily. It's not just, hey, seek God, but like, seek God continually. Seek God on a daily basis. Like, pick up your cross and understand, like, yeah, the destination is death. So you are going to have to die to yourself in a lot of areas in order for God to fill you up with life.
- [63:23]
B
Yeah. And I feel like the worst, the worst type of Christian is the one who has just enough Jesus to think he has enough Jesus. And that's really hard. And I was preaching on this. It's like the middle ground of, you know, you have enough Jesus to not indulge in sin, but you don't have enough Jesus to walk in holiness. And it's like you, you're on the fence and you're in the middle ground. And honestly, that's literally this lukewarmness. And God would rather you pick a side, Pick a side. And the thing is, like, he. He. He's. He's wanting your heart fully. And I love in Revelations, it talks about how he is at the door, knocking. He's waiting. He's. He's literally knocking at your door waiting to encounter you. But I love God because he's such a. He's such a gentleman. And because of free will, he's not gonna bombard himself in on you.
- [64:34]
A
God believes in chivalry yes.
- [64:36]
B
And he's like, all right, I need you to make this choice because when you open the door, I'm coming in and you're going to experience something new, and you're going to be washed clean, and you're going to have the fullness of grace and of mercy and all the things that I have before you. But I need you to take that step to open the door and allow me to come in so I can give you what was rightfully yours. And I don't know, sometimes I feel like I just don't maybe understand it or people sometimes to why they continue. Continue to live the life of suffering to where they're in addiction, they're in drugs, they're. They feel like there's no other. Other place to turn. And I'm like, bruh, if you feel like you're at rock bottom, what else is there to lose? But then to try Jesus, like, to really just be like, you know what? I'm gonna give this a shot. And I promise you, if this is anyone watching this or send this to somebody, like, he will completely wreck your life for the better. Like, for the better. And you will start to experience and see things that you would have never seen or experienced. Because he's just that good. Like, he's just that loving to. To where he will take everything from you that you feel like is burdensome, that you feel like you have to do. The thing that you feel like is the thing that is giving you this satisfaction. Whether it's girls, whether it's vape, whether it's alcohol, whether whether it's partying, whatever it may be. The Lord is like, hey, will you just give it to me and try me and watch? I will. I will give you the fullness of who I am. And I think it's just. People just need to experience Jesus. And I feel like from there that's going to be birth and intimacy with him that you would have. That you would have never thought, like. And it's real and it's just really authentic when you just know who Jesus is, like, that love for him.
- [66:51]
A
So what are easy ways for you to experience Jesus? Whether if you're a brand new Christian or one who's known him, bruh, you.
- [66:59]
B
Just talk to him. I feel like people, you know, feel. I don't know. To me, I don't know. I think it's just how I think in my mind, but I think everything is very practical, elementary to where he's giving you the blueprint. Like, he. Like this, this Bible like, if you. If you don't know what Bible stands for, is basic instructions before leaving Earth.
- [67:24]
A
That's not actually true, but it's a fun acronym. But the word Bible wasn't actually.
- [67:29]
B
Okay, yes, it's not. But the acronym, but everything in this is a book of instructions. That's the point I'm getting across.
- [67:39]
A
Yeah.
- [67:39]
B
It's like, these are instructions for you to follow. So when Jesus is talking to his disciples and you're reading this and he's teaching them how to pray and how to talk to God, and you say, like, our Father. One, he's saying, this is your Father in heaven, in which when you say, this is my Father, this is meaning that you have a relationship with him. So it's like, okay, this is someone who I can come to, I can talk to, I can have a relationship with and not feel judged, and I can just give my heart to him. For sure there's going to be conviction. Like, we all have conviction. He corrects us. But, like, to the point to where you just talk to him and it's like, God, I'm upset today, and this is what I'm going through, and I'm sad or I'm happy is whatever it is that you're going through. He just wants communion. And I feel like talking is the first step.
- [68:34]
A
It's a good start. And I think people don't know where to talk. And it's like, you don't know. Like, just start to recite the Lord's Prayer and ask the Lord to help you intercede and help you speak and just kind of envision him as if you're speaking to a friend or your father or mother or someone that you really love.
- [68:52]
B
What was the other question?
- [68:54]
A
I think that was it.
- [68:56]
B
Okay. Yeah, that's. That's what I would say. What would you say?
- [68:59]
A
I would say, for sure. If you don't know what he's saying, like, it's all in here. It's like, if you want to hear from God, it's in here. I mean, I think a huge thing that also helps me get into the presence of the Lord is like, sitting and being patient and, like, really being sensitive to him. Showing up is like, not coming and being like, hey, God, I need you to hurry up. Like, come and hurry up. Let's experience this real quick. And, like, let me go. It's like, coming with the intention of, like, God, I'm not leaving until I see you. I'm not leaving until I experience you.
- [69:34]
B
Is.
- [69:34]
A
It's like coming with the Heart that's like, I actually want to like pursue a relationship with you and I actually want to hear you and see you. And I'm not just here for the wrong reasons. I think you experience the love of God in his presence when you come actually seeking his presence instead of seeking his presence to just like check it off of your list.
- [69:53]
B
Yeah, I was also going to say, like, even in the secret place and your time that you spend with God, it's the Holy Spirit is always speaking and it's up to you if you're listening. So even when you're in your secret time, it's like you can be there worshiping, singing, speaking and talking. But that's a one sided conversation. It's a monologue with you talking and just wanting things from God. And God is like, all right, whenever you decide you want to just stop talking and just sit and be quiet and allow me to give you what you need, I'm here. And I think sometimes it's like that is more important than always talking, but getting in the word reading and just saying, holy Spirit, speak like your servant is listening so that you can hear what God has for you.
- [70:51]
A
Yeah, I think that's good. I feel like we sat in so many different positions in this video. I was back here like this.
- [70:58]
B
We was turned around.
- [71:00]
A
No, everything. Yeah, I think that's really good. I think it's. I think that's a good application. But yeah, I think that's awesome. Yeah, I feel good in that. Yeah, I feel the Lord's pleasure. And I also feel sleepy time. Yeah, I'm all tired. It's really late because we go to Kansas.
- [71:23]
B
Kansas. Do they know? They don't know.
- [71:26]
A
Well, we could. Well, they're gonna find out if they follow us on social media. But yeah, God has been blessing our engagement season with lots of things for us to celebrate.
- [71:34]
B
A lot to be thankful for, lots.
- [71:36]
A
To be thankful for. And so, yeah, big application. Stay in a posture of gratitude, of thankfulness. Yeah, I think that's really like the main takeaway is like truly be thankful and not just thankful during a season for a holiday, but truly, like make it a lifestyle to stay thankful. Because it might just be the thing that you're missing that might be holding you back from experiencing an aspect of the Lord. And yeah, I think that's.
- [72:05]
B
That you feel good about it.
- [72:08]
A
Yeah, I feel really good.
- [72:09]
B
Same.
- [72:09]
A
How do you feel?
- [72:10]
B
I feel really good. Yeah, I feel like this is a good conversation.
- [72:13]
A
Yeah, I know. Same always. Good.
- [72:19]
B
Well, thank you for having me on again. It's my third time, man.
- [72:24]
A
Yeah, well, technically fourth this year. Third solo wine. Fourth with Danny and Perry.
- [72:33]
B
Oh, right, right.
- [72:35]
A
That was a good one.
- [72:35]
B
That was a good one.
- [72:36]
A
Yeah. When we marry, we gonna be doing a lot more. You're funny and really cute. You're really cute. Hey, what was he on there? Okay, I'm joking, but few announcements. You guys, I have some great merch coming out. I don't know when I'm gonna announce it, but the moment I'm able to announce it, I'm super excited. You know, the T shirts was cool, but we're no longer. Well, I'll do maybe T shirts again one day, but we're coming out with, like, some, like, pieces, so I'm really excited.
- [73:15]
B
Accessories.
- [73:16]
A
If you need prayer, there's a link down below. If you. If you feel led to tithe toward this podcast, there's also a link down below. And also if you feel led to donate, if it's on your heart, towards Mima Leaks. Holy matrimony.
- [73:31]
B
Holy man. There.
- [73:33]
A
There's a link down below. Above all things, we really just want prayer. We really want prayer. If any of you guys feel led to do those things, that's just. What. What is down below. If you got saved from the episode as well, there's also a link down below. Am I missing anything else? This is holiday season. Everybody busy, so. Oh, also, because I plan on posting this tomorrow, there's also a Black Friday sale on the merchandise. Everything is 40 off until Saturday the 30th until 12pm yeah. So, yeah, that's that.
- [74:11]
B
Love, y'all.
- [74:11]
A
Yeah, we love you guys so much. Thank you for watching. Thanks for tuning in. Hopefully the Lord has just filled you up. That's the prayer. But, yeah, we love you. We thank God, and we'll see you when we see you.
- [74:27]
B
See y'all.
- [74:28]
A
Okay, see you guys.
- [74:29]
B
Bye.