The Christian Blueprint

In this episode of The Extremely Rational Podcast (“The E.R.”), Pastor Anthony and Alden walk through Colossians 3 and unpack its practical blueprint for Christian living. From setting your mind on things above to putting on Christlike character, this chapter offers clear guidance for every believer. Join the conversation as they explore how these timeless truths can help you live a life that honors God each day.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:45

Thank you, everybody. Tom Brown!

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Oh, don't jump me. Tom Brown. Ask him again.

SPEAKER_04 0:51

And he'll knock you down.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Seen him in Maryland once.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

Thank you so much for tuning in. I am Alden Brown or Downtown Brown. You are. PA. Pastor Anthony. This is the Extremely Rational Podcast. We call it that because Pastor Anthony tends to be pretty extreme. And I tend to be pretty rational, depending on the topic, of course. And uh we want to be an ER for you, extremely rational ER for short. So if you need prayer, if you need uh to laugh, if you need to get some advice, you just need to be encouraged. We'll be your ER. So thanks for tuning in, for watching, listening, whatever you're doing. Um we always start with the open mic segment, an opportunity for either one of us to share more anything that's on our mind.

SPEAKER_02 1:29

Stupid.

SPEAKER_04 1:30

And I think um it's just become my segment. We're gonna have to rename it.

SPEAKER_02 1:33

I think your IQ is probably four.

SPEAKER_04 1:35

You bring nothing to the table. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:37

Uh another Bible. You uh good teeth?

SPEAKER_04 1:41

You do have those. That is true. Um beautiful. Well, here's what I want to bring to table today, to the table today. So I could figure out how to speak the language uh English. Yeah. So here's what I want to bring. I had an experience. Go Knicks. I had an experience. Uh I don't even want to touch the Knicks. I had an experience. Okay? Experience at a restaurant.

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Every freaking thing you do is an experience.

SPEAKER_04 2:12

This was wild. Alright, go. I want to bring you guys along for the ride.

SPEAKER_02 2:16

Yeah. Sounds like it's gonna be a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_04 2:18

Shout out Jules, love of my life. Uh we went together to a place called Burger Fi. Burger Fi. I don't know. It's comparable probably to like a Smash Burger or like five guys or something like that. It's just you don't see as many of them.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Um and I think You still like it with an egg on it?

SPEAKER_04 2:32

I do. And their menu uh is a little more disgusting healthy. Disgusting. An egg on a burger is disgusting. Disgusting. That's a hot take. Yeah. I think it's delicious.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:44

Steak and eggs? No? Get a survey on that. Tell your friends to not call you when we're recording. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

To snot call me?

SPEAKER_04 2:51

Yeah. They can call as long as it's a snot call.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Turning my phone upside down.

SPEAKER_04 2:56

So we go to this place. Don't put eggs on burgers. We go to this place called Burger Fi. And it's one of the wilder experiences I've ever had. Um so we walk in, there's one person online ahead of us. Um, and I need to look at the menu. I've never been there before. So so does she. She had been here before, but it had been a long time. So we're just looking at the menu kind of standing off to the side.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

And so you're not seated?

SPEAKER_04 3:22

We're not seated. There's only one maybe one person or maybe a couple, meaning like they were together, a couple is sitting, eating, and there's somebody online. And so whatever, we're looking at the menu. We take a long time, actually, um, just to figure out what we want. Then we finally figure out what we want. So we walk over to the cash register area. And the person who had just you know, the clerk, the person who had just been helping the person before us, is kind of just uh acting like we don't exist, like we're not there. And after three to five minutes, finally comes over to the register, doesn't really utter a word.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

Eye contact.

SPEAKER_04 3:56

No, and just kind of looks at us. Um, I could tell quite quickly that this is a transgender individual. This is a male um who is dressed as a female and um not really communicating much. So um I just begin to order. Now, the first thing happens, Jules says, uh, can I have the barbecue burger? Whatever it is. We don't have it. That's the first word out of this gentleman who thinks that they're a male female's mouth.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_04 4:35

And so I have to say, you don't have it, or or what ingredient? Because you don't have barbecue sauce, you don't have the onion straws, you definitely have the patty. What part of this barbecue burger that you don't have? Because to say you don't have the barbecue burger. But to say you don't have the barbecue burger doesn't actually make sense. You can say, look, we can make it, but it would be without the onion straws, we don't have those right now. Or we can make it, but we don't have barbecue sauce right now. There's just one of the elements that you don't have. It's not you don't have the burger. If I order another burger, you're gonna say you have it. So that's what we do. We order different a different thing. We're gonna get that, we have we can't. Can we also have a small drink? Sure. Hands us this each a small fountain drink that we can go right to serve ourselves the drink. I get over there, there's no ice, and none of the machines work at all. And I'm known after after that happens, I I come back to the counter and I realize that they have like pallets of bottled sodas out. So I'm so I said the soda machine doesn't work. I know that. Right.

SPEAKER_02 5:51

Like Ivan Costello, who's on first?

SPEAKER_04 5:54

So I said, why did you allow us to purchase a small drink and give us the cups when you were aware that none of your machines work, and that's why you're walking out here with pallets full of soda bottles? No response, no answer, totally clueless, doesn't know what planet it is. They're not sure if it's Earth. I think I'm on Earth, but now I'm doubting it. So now they said, Well, can can do you want just a sprite or like just a bottled soda? Yes, please. They exchanged that for us, have to switch registers, all while I then realized that the music we're hearing in the store is on a tiny little Bluetooth speaker on the counter, which is just bizarre. That a little tiny Bluetooth speaker is is what you're getting in and out. Nobody recommended it. Uh we drove past it, and she had had it in the past. The food is good. It's not bad food. We didn't expect the service to be this wild. Okay. Okay, but here it just gets crazier. Really? Because now we go and sit down, we've got our our sodas. We sit down and and here comes this woman out of the back. Is it a woman? It's a woman who knows she's a woman. And she comes over to our table and she goes to me, she goes, Can you can I help can I help you guys? And I was like, I don't think so. I don't think so. She's like, he told me, and she refers to the stranger as a he, which he is, he told me that you guys needed assistance. No, no, we just told him that the machines didn't work, which he already knew, and gave us soda bottles instead. We're good. And she rolls her eyes, frustrated with her obvious uh the employee, who she probably feels she can't fire because of the fact that it's a transgender. Um, it's totally insane. And so we're like, yeah, no problem. After about three to five minutes of waiting, this gentleman, the transgender gentleman, brings the food to us and puts the food on the table, turns around, walks away, then turns around, walks right back, and goes, They were supposed to put an egg on your burger.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

The egg!

SPEAKER_04 8:01

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 8:01

I'm a freaking genius.

SPEAKER_04 8:03

I'm a prophet. And they forgot. Give me one second. One second. Okay, no, he's spitting on that egg. No, I I sit there and I'm and I said to Jules, are they just going? He didn't bring the burger. Is he just gonna bring me a fried egg? I ate half my burger by the time he came back with a fried egg on a piece of cardboard. And said, Here, here's the rest of your order. And I said, Thank you, but you still never gave me my chocolate shake. I'm so sorry. This one's killing me. They never did the chocolate shake. Then I watched him make six shakes for different customers. Never made mine. Watch this. I have to go to the counter and say, I still didn't get my chocolate shake. Get my chocolate shake. And then after that, he made another one and put it on the counter and said, Your chocolate shake's ready. I said, I came, you gave me my chocolate shake. I came up and got it. Is this for anyone? This is how lost the individual is. The store is, I'm like, how does this place stay open? This was the wildest thing I've ever been through in my life, just to have a burger. And guess what? It was delicious. It was a really good burger.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

That's a happy ending.

SPEAKER_04 9:08

I don't think he had a happy ending. The chocolate shake was underwhelming. The the burger was very good. It was very good. It got better when the egg came on a piece of cardboard. And this poor manager can't do anything about it. And she's like running through. But fix your machines. What's going on? And you can't have this person run the register.

SPEAKER_02 9:25

Maybe the Lord set it up that you would have something to talk about today.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

I think he did, and and we do. And it was one of the more entertaining experiences. I mean, you you should have seen. I was in awe. I mean, like, I really was trying to figure out. And I'm talking to a customer next to me, and he goes, Boy, this place has really uh come down in uh quality. I said, I don't know, it's my first time here, but this is absolutely wild. I've never been a part of anything more bizarre. And it really was 90% was just the server. I mean, this clerk, whatever you want to call them. I mean, had no clue what they were doing.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

This individual.

SPEAKER_04 9:58

This individual had no idea. And they were as clueless at a server and a clerk as they were about their own identity, which is sad. And I do honestly, it is a sad thing to see somebody not sure what their gender is and to be battling that. It's sad. I feel for them. But they uh it would be nice if they could just do the simple task of uh serving us at this, you know, at the least, you know, if you're gonna have a job. So it was really a wild experience. Um I I'm not gonna shout out burger fi in a positive way, other than your food was good. We'll do a commercial. We we enjoyed the burger. Eat a burger pie. Definitely order out. Get um the burger with an egg on it, but expect the egg later, delivered later on a piece of cardboard. Uh, but it was delicious.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04 10:47

And it's my open medicine.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

That's amazing. Oh man. So uh Jules, good luck.

SPEAKER_04 10:57

I'm grateful for it. She's amazing because uh she's she hung in there with me. It was something else. But it really started with she was disappointed. She wanted that barbecue burger. How do you say something? We don't have the barbecue burger. What do you mean you don't have the barbecue? What do you not have? What part of it did you not have?

SPEAKER_02 11:14

You used to travel with us with Uncle Bob. Yes. Uncle Bob is my mom's brother. We used to go to Florida a lot together. We went to a restaurant and uh he ordered a BLT. And the girl said, We don't have BLTs, but we can make you a salad that has those ingredients. He said, You have bacon, you have lettuce and tomato? Put on freaking two pieces of bread out of money. That's what I'm saying. That's true. That's true. And he's running after her. He's like, wait, wait. If you have the bacon and you have the lettuce, you have the tomato, did you have no bread back there?

SPEAKER_04 11:43

Is that what it is? You don't have bread. I mean, that that but it's he's right. Like that was my point. When she said we don't have the the barbecue burger, which ingredient don't you have?

SPEAKER_02 11:52

He's running after her. One more Uncle Bob's store. Well, I got a million of them. One time I will tell the real funny one, it's a little dirty, but we're okay here. We're rated X here. Yeah. Um so again, we're at a restaurant, and really um a girl has a tattoo right here. Yeah. And you know, if you go like this, it goes one tattoo. Okay. It goes like this. You know, and so me, you know me, I talk to everybody. And what's happening, she's going like this and pouring water in his lap. And he's not saying a word when she leaves, he is sobbing.

SPEAKER_04 12:24

That's insane. Why didn't you say something? Why wouldn't he? He's too nice to say something is insane. Oh my god. Oh, the cluelessness of people out there on planet earth. And you know what? We're gonna dive into some material right now.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

That the Lord is not clueless.

SPEAKER_04 12:38

He's correct for the upright and uh it's really a template of how, especially if you're a Christian, if you're not a Christian, you need Jesus. If not, if you are a believer in Jesus, here's the blueprint. And you told me this once, and it was really changed my life because you said you want to you want to live a really uh just a quality Christian life. You want to walk the walk, read Colossians 3 every day and live Colossians 3. And so I want us to go through it. I'm loving it.

SPEAKER_02 13:02

We'll read through it, and we'll just we'll stop wherever we want to. It would be a real um healthy time for the church to learn to live according to the word. You guys do understand, as Christians, it's not optional. Yeah, this word is uh is what we're commanded to do with the power of the Holy Spirit to do it. Amen. And uh hopefully, and really your generation, we are seeing it. And again, another shout out to Pastor Stephen and Miss Steph. We we are seeing something that's very special uh because the church has been an unhealthy place in the last two years. It's it's turning around, but you know, um God's people need to walk more in what you're about to say.

SPEAKER_04 13:43

Yeah, and I'll quickly before we go into it, because you said you know it's not optional. Um, I had a conversation with a coworker of mine the other day, um, and he was blown away. And it wasn't a faith conversation, it was just a life conversation. He really asked me about my own personal fitness, and so I was getting into a lot of what I do. And obviously, I I shared with him what I share with most people now when they ask me about you know my fitness, they you they'll you say, What do you do? What do you how do you work out? And I and I tell everyone, I'm wildly consistent more than anything, more than the actual workout routine or what I choose to do, uh lift-wise, or how technically sound I am. I am just extremely consistent. I'm so disciplined, I don't miss, I don't miss workouts, and when you're really consistent with anything, you usually get great results. Um, but he was just so grateful for that conversation. But what I told him in that conversation is something I've mentioned many episodes ago on this podcast is that I don't give myself an option. There is not an option. I must work out every day. That's it. I for life, it's a life sentence. I've given myself a life sentence. You are going to be fit, you're gonna stay fit, you're gonna lift, you're going to work out. And I do that with a bunch of things in my life. Amen. But that's what our walk should be like. And so let's in in faith and in Christianity. And so let's go into Colossians three and just read through this. I love it. Then we'll stop and talk about things as we as we see fit. Amen. So just starting from verse one, first of all, it's titled Put on the New Self. Amen. I mean, here we go. So Colossians three, verse one. If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand, seated at the right hand of God. Amen. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. I mean, right, first of all, you got a you go.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Well, what's the first thing? We we are uh we are embarking 45 years in the church, 42 years of 50 to 100 people, last three years grew to six to eight hundred people. Nobody can say that's not true, it's true. On top of that, my Bible class was five to ten people, it's now fifty to a hundred, and Holy Spirit Nights is 150 people. Yeah, something's happening. Yeah, it is it's different, it's it's growing, it's it's amazing, but it comes by renewing your mind. What do you think about? It's just it really, guys. I know it sounds so simple, but what do you think about? Yep. Um, Pastor Stephen and this, you know, Alden was there. I was playing softball, my leg was real. I think I tore him. I mean, I couldn't even. Oh, you had to have torn it. It was all black blue. Yeah, uh, and I went back the next week, not to play, but to watch and support, and we were horrible. So I'm like, please, Stephen, please put me in. He just looks at me. He said, You have the strongest mind of any human being I've ever seen. Whatever God says, you do it. And somehow you remember where it is in the Bible. Now go sit down, you're not playing. But why is it so amazing? There's a human being who does what God says. What do you do? Who do you listen to? Why is that amazing? Yeah. So your choice is listen to God or listen to somebody who's not God, yourself, yeah, a person. I mean, and I'm not trying to say how what I do. I listen to God, yeah. He's proven. He's been around forever. He's never failed me. He met me in a Canadian prison, he met me in my bedroom. He he has my life. Yes, he yes.

SPEAKER_04 16:59

Yeah, we are all far too often, including me, certain areas of my life for sure, thinking way too much about everything that's happening here on earth, whether it's worrying about what my job is gonna be or what I'm gonna do tonight or how I'm gonna fix this issue or whatever it is, we get so self-absorbed, so caught up in everything we can see and hear around us that we forget to keep our minds on the things above and to walk in a life of faith, knowing God's already in the future and he's got it.

SPEAKER_02 17:26

That's exactly right. And the truth of the matter is, and I just even hate saying this, but you're not here for anything else. Right. You're not here for God for jewels, and I don't know what your plans are. Hopefully, you'll get married one day, maybe have children one day, maybe. But that's not what you're here for. I'm just sorry to break that to you. That's right. You're here to bring people to heaven, yes, not to get married, not to have children, not to have a job, not to play sports. I'm so sorry. Those are all temporal things that will disappear.

SPEAKER_04 17:52

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 17:53

And here's a shout-out to anybody who has children. They're not yours. Right. They're not. They're being stewards. And can we just take a quick look at God? God's intention is that you be with him forever. You think he's caught up in this place? He's not. How'd you get caught up in this place? Yeah, and it goes, I'm 70. I don't know if you want to tell him how old you are, tell him how quick it is. I'm 36. And this is scary. In three more years, four more four years, you'll be almost halfway through 80. And how quick? How do you get caught up in it? I didn't say don't live here. I know. I didn't say don't, but don't you get caught up like this is gonna last forever? And you guys make fun of us? This ain't lasting forever.

SPEAKER_04 18:35

No, I try to share whenever I get a chance. And um, you know, like what when when I had the opportunity to preach, actually uh a couple years ago at Eastgate, one of the things that I share about in just living a life of worship, is just living as a Christian in general, is simply that not another second is promised to any of us. Literally, and it's and I this shouldn't be a morbid way of living, it should have the opposite effect. Exactly. But you literally, wherever you're listening to this, you might not wake up tomorrow, you might not get home from work, whatever you're doing, you're not promised another breath.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 19:07

Which does that yes, which doesn't mean you go, oh, well then YOLO, I'm just gonna do crazy things and live how I want. No, no, no, no. It should mean yes, I am I desperately need to live a life that honors the Lord because I don't want to suddenly and unexpectedly be standing before him and go, oh shoot. Whoops. Amen. I was supposed to be living as unto you for you, and trying to lead everyone I can to you. And instead, I was so wrapped up in my own stuff that I forgot about you, Jesus. That's exactly right. He's not supposed to just be the savior of your life, he's supposed to be the Lord of your life. Amen. So let him lord it. Amen, amen, amen.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

And that's just the And you're ripping yourself off. Yes. There's nothing that you can go get better than you can do. You are ripp ripping they cannot be God for you. Yeah, and that's just including yourself.

SPEAKER_04 19:53

That's the first two verses of Colossians three. It gets so good. Um For you have you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

Can I just touch that? Yeah. What did you say? You have what? Died. How the freak do people get offended? Yeah, you're supposed to be dead. Yeah, you understand. Your ego. You never got offended. Oh, uh, if you knew me, not that often. Yeah, you're evil. And when I do, I repent.

SPEAKER_03 20:21

Right.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

No, I I've had a lot of bad things happen. I get over it. Yeah. I am dead. Have you ever been to a funeral? I challenge anyone to offend that man or woman in the casket. Yep. Shoot them in the head. Tell them what they tell them what they say. Stab them. Tell them they owe their tax. They'll never get offended because they're dead.

SPEAKER_04 20:41

Right. And look, it is something that you have to be active about. I mean, because it says it right here in verse 5. It goes on to say, put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you. And so, yeah, we are we are dead. We have to actively put to death the earthly things that are and they list them sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire. You don't think you have evil desires? I promise you do. Amen. Covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming.

SPEAKER_02 21:09

Amen. Can I again quick interject? You know how many people come up, Pastor Anthony? I don't know how to get rid of lust. I can't. You know what the Bible says? I don't know how to get rid of my flesh. I don't walk in the spirit.

SPEAKER_04 21:21

And you won't carry out the desires of the flesh. Yeah, that's Galatians 5, 16. So good.

SPEAKER_02 21:26

He just told you, and you said I don't have to. He just told you. Well, how do I do that? Well, what are the things of the spirit? Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, patience, faithful. Walk in those things. Self-control, baby. Self control nine. Boom. Amen. Yep. And you can because you have his power now. That's right. Nothing that he has asked you to do has he left you powerless to not be able to freaking plug in grace upon grace.

SPEAKER_04 21:53

Amen. In these, you two once walked when you were living in them. But now you must put Them all away. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge.

SPEAKER_02 22:14

So, how did that happen, Brother Walden? How did it happen? You put it off. Correct. It's not mad. Oh, the Holy Spirit. No, no, no. You put it off. Choices, choices, choice. You put it on. Yep. You have the power. Oh, I can't. Well, I'm sorry. I'm gonna lose it, so that's okay. This is what you want from me. Yeah. Every effing person gets up and puts clothes on every day. They do. And takes clothes off. That's what he said. Put me on.

SPEAKER_04 22:41

I don't always like to. I love having a pair of shorts on and about nothing else because I love the summer, I love the sun, and I've worked very hard to be healthy. It's a principle. But no, you're right.

SPEAKER_02 22:53

You have the power to put on Christ and to put off that old man. That's your choice every day. Yeah, yeah. To walk holy, to walk blameless, and that's your choice. And here's if you don't, repent and then choose it. Don't stay, oh, I made go.

SPEAKER_04 23:12

Here there is not Greek or Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave-free, but Christ is all and in all. Amen. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Amen. Bearing with one another, and if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Amen. Should we pause?

SPEAKER_02 23:40

Well, I just have to quickly, and I I'm gonna do this as quick as I can. If um I went into a uh an investment, and my wife and I lost our home and lost everything.

SPEAKER_04 23:52

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 23:53

Everything.

SPEAKER_04 23:54

Yeah, you mentioned it on the last podcast. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

And um the Lord told me that if I and that was 2010. Now I had also in 1985 become an ordained minister, and from nine and left my vocation then and took vocations that would help me to be a minister around my church. That one wasn't going to be able to. So from 85 to 2010, I took jobs that let me still be a minister. Okay. The main one was waking up at 3 30 being uh uh delivering papers, left left the whole day open to be a minister. In 2010, I went into this vestment. In 2010, I got a call from them saying, Well, we want you to come down here. They said the feds are on the way, it's a Ponzi scheme. Can you pray? We're all going to jail. I'm not gonna tell the whole story now. One day I will. I am getting to a principal. When that all cleared, and my wife and are homeless and had to find a place to live and um just rebuild our life. I heard the Lord say, I want you to go to prison. His name was Nick Cosmos. It's not a this is public front front page in his day. You tell him you love him and I love him, you forgive him, I forgive him. Watch what I do for you. I've said, Lord, are you effing kidding me? I obeyed the Lord. Again, it's a half-hour story, if not more than that. But here's what I'll say to you, brother Alden. Since 2010 to now, I've never worked a secular job. My wife and I live in a gorgeous home, you've seen it, with a gorgeous waterfall and hot tubs and palm trees and music. I have more money in the bank right this second than I have ever had. God told me to go forgive someone that took everything from me. I did it his way.

SPEAKER_04 25:24

Yes, you did. There's really no other way.

SPEAKER_02 25:28

That's exactly right. And again, just a simple principle. So you kill him, what happens to you? You beat him up, what happens to you? You take revenge. That's exactly right.

SPEAKER_04 25:38

And here's the key. Above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. By the way, we mentioned this in the last episode as well. You did. Unless we were off camera when we talked about this, I don't even remember. But we we have a hard time loving our fellow Christians, our family, our kids, our spouses, our spouses. We should be loving our enemies. He tells us to love our enemies. We can't even love our loved ones. It's really we certainly can't love people in another church. And it is the most powerful again, it's just ridiculous. And it's the most powerful and necessary thing which binds everything together to perfect harmony.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

Exactly right. As an old preacher, 70 in September, I've seen anointings and miracles and healings. I've I've seen revival, I've seen everything, but I haven't seen us change the world because we haven't become one yet. Yep. That's what we're missing. That's right. Unity. Yep. Nothing divide, nothing. That's right. Nothing. Jesus said it so clear, a house divided against itself cannot stand. A nation or kingdom divide cannot stand. Say, Daddy, when the church becomes one, as we're one, then the world will know that you sent me. That's what I believe this last hour is is truly becoming one in Christ.

SPEAKER_04 26:52

All churches that call on the name of Jesus are our brothers and sisters. We're not going to be too much longer. I want to plow through some of this stuff. It's just so good. Um It goes on to say, and let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. That to me is just paramount for me. My own life, we've shared it in the past, our struggles with anxiety, and it was a revelation for me when I when I really was in a panic attack. I was able to have enough of a clear thought to say, Oh, wait, you are the God of peace and you are living in me. Therefore, peace must be reigning over my mind, over my heart. Peace reigns. Uh let the oh, and be thankful, it says. Which, by the way, we enter his gates with Thanksgiving. That's the entry point into his presence.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

And I believe Thessalonians said, This is the will of God that you be ready, thankful in all things.

SPEAKER_04 27:39

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 27:39

But my mother died. What did he say?

SPEAKER_04 27:42

Be thankful in all things.

SPEAKER_02 27:43

I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_04 27:44

Thank you that I saw empathy and I lived with that I had a mother. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

I want to have that with you. And I will start with that. But you want me to change the Bible for you? I can't. My brother's dead, my sister's dead, my father's dead, my everybody's dead. I have to be thankful that I had them. I have to be thankful that they're with him. Yep. I have to be thankful that he's with me. Amen. And he'll never leave me or forsake me. Yep. I can be thankful for that no matter what happens.

SPEAKER_04 28:10

Yes, you can. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts. Again, go back to the beginning. Let what? The word of Christ. Well, how are you going to have it? Better be reading. You better know it.

SPEAKER_02 28:29

That's your dad.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yep. And he's right. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 28:32

Well, if the word of God is our answer and you don't know the word of God, guess what? You don't have many answers. Yeah. It's a free book. Open it up.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

It's so true, man. Come on. I mean, this stuff is so good. I love it. This is how we live our.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

Mick Tangora says every time he is the guest host, whatever he said, when he talks about Friday night. Yep. He said asking questions is a wonderful thing. Yes, it is. That's how you learn. Yep. It's not a shameful thing.

SPEAKER_04 28:53

It's not a dumb thing. No, and God loves our questions. All right. Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God, the Father, through him. And then this chapter ends by giving us the rules for a Christian household.

SPEAKER_01 29:08

Isn't it amazing? Yep. I mean, this is how we live our life.

SPEAKER_04 29:11

There's a pattern. And heads up, because people think this stuff is controversy. It's ridiculous because it's not controversial.

SPEAKER_02 29:17

That's exactly right.

SPEAKER_04 29:18

Wives, submit to your husbands. Amen. As is fitting in the Lord. Amen. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

SPEAKER_01 29:27

Amen.

SPEAKER_04 29:28

Like Ephesians says, love them as Christ loved. As Christ loved the church. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Amen. Fathers, do not provoke your children lest they become discouraged. Amen. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye service as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Do that with your boss, guys. You know? Do that with your pastor. Do that because when people I hate my brother. You know what? I might too, but it's the position that they hold. And when I serve them well, and when I when I obey them, get honored by the Lord.

SPEAKER_02 30:04

And Colossians 3 23 says, whatever you do, do all of your work with all your heart for the Lord and not. So when you go to work, you're going for the Lord, not for It's the next verse.

SPEAKER_04 30:16

Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men. It's right there. It's the next verse. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance of your reward.

SPEAKER_02 30:25

That's what Caroline and I have done. Yep. We are receiving the inheritance, for we have done everything unto the Lord.

SPEAKER_04 30:32

It's incredible. It's incredible. You are serving the Lord Christ, it says, for the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done. Amen. And there is no partiality. That's Colossians 3. Read it every single day of your life and begin to walk in faith and live this thing out. That's your blueprint right there. That's exactly right. That'll answer most of your questions most of the time. And if you have more, he loves them. So ask away. Come to Bible study on Friday Night of East Case.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Yeah, and there's suffering. Guys, doesn't that isn't that what makes if there's no suffering, we're in heaven. We're not in heaven. We're not in heaven. This is what makes us different, how we suffer. I am going to give a shout out to a woman named Corey Tenboom. I don't know if you've ever heard of her. No. Alive during the Holocaust. Her and her sister. The way that she is the quietest, most powerful human being. Anytime I think I'm getting a raw deal, I just Corey Tenboom, I'm like, oh my God, this woman, they're in concentration camp watching everybody die. Have the victory of the Lord, the power of the Lord, angels visiting them. Just absolutely. This is supposed to be what follows a true Christian. Yes. It's not blessings. I'm so sorry to tell you, God, I'm I'm living them. It's how we conducted ourselves when we suffer. That is supposed to make us different. That's what the Bible said.

SPEAKER_04 31:57

Yeah, and it's one of my favorite Bill Johnson. We're going to end here. Amen. Uh I've always loved Bill Johnson for a million reasons. Uh, one of the things that he said that blew my mind was that when his father passed away and he's there at the bedside and he's in so much pain and he's suffering, and he doesn't understand why his life would have ended as early as it did. And he he recognized that in that moment he had the gift of an ability to praise the Lord in and through pain and suffering. Why that's a gift? It's because when we get to heaven, we don't have that anymore. It will be perfect paradise. So we have the opportunity, a gift to send up, as he said, uh incense, that's exactly potpourri, a beautiful scent of a fragrance of worship into the nostrils of our Lord by worshiping him and loving him and thanking him in the midst of suffering and pain.

SPEAKER_02 32:43

And and why if we're here to change the world, let them see that.

SPEAKER_04 32:46

Yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 32:47

Guys, let them see that. That'll change somebody else. I thank you, Lord, that I have been crushed and that I suffer, but in everything you have comforted me so I might comfort those who are in any pain with the comfort you have given me through your Lord. So, Lord, I'm in pain, but you've comforted me, so I might comfort others who are in any pain. Yes. What the freak do you think we're here for? That's it. Go fishing, have a blast. We're here to be comforted to show the world there's comfort for them. They're going to hell. Yeah. We're here to make a way that this dark world is transformed to light. They're owned, they're not going to see that in your blessing. I hate to tell you. Yes, sir. They're going to see it when you suffer and that you suffer differently. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:42

That's divine. Yes, it is. Let's be Christ, huh? Let's pray, Lord. We love you. We thank you so much, Lord, for being the example, for coming and walking it out and living it out and suffering ultimately, sacrificially, giving yourself for all of us. You are King. You are King. And we love you. And we want to be just like you. We want to become Christ right here on the earth. Help us, Lord, in the midst of our suffering, to honor you, to love you, to thank you, to praise you, to worship you, and let the world see. And Lord, we just want to be a shining example of who you are. And we want people to be led to you. Ultimately, we want to live a life that reflects you, but leads others to you, Jesus. Lord, let Colossians 3 be on our hearts and our minds always. Let it help renew our minds and let us walk a life, Lord God, that honors you. We love you, we honor you, and we thank you in Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_02 34:31

Shout out Eastgate Church. If you don't have a church, 9-11 on Sunday, we'd have something every night. And Friday night, I teach a Bible class. You can bring any questions, anything that you want. And uh we're just praying for sick. We're praying for lost, that God would heal them and God would save them. We love you. Yeah. He loves you. Yes. And I promise you he has a great plan for you. You are not an accident. Be blessed.

SPEAKER_04 34:57

Tony, we love you, bro. Guys, Tony's coming on the next episode. Tony's coming on. You better listen to the next episode. Watch it. Listen. Tony, our producer, is coming on to share his story together.

SPEAKER_02 35:08

Don't ever ask for an egg with a burger.

SPEAKER_04 35:10

Please. Burger Fy. Bye.

unknown 35:15

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 35:16

Thank you so much for tuning in to today's episode. It truly means a lot to us. If you'd like to hear more episodes like this, please subscribe to our channel. It's the simplest and most impactful way to show your support. We'll see you on the next one, and as always, God bless.