1 00:00:09,820 --> 00:00:11,540 What's up guys? My name's Alexa. 2 00:00:11,540 --> 00:00:14,260 And I'm Abby, and we're your. Hosts with praises in the pod. 3 00:00:14,260 --> 00:00:18,500 We are so excited to be starting a new series called Let's Go 4 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:21,300 There that is just going to be some topics that are a little 5 00:00:21,300 --> 00:00:24,260 controversial maybe or people like to go back and forth about 6 00:00:24,260 --> 00:00:27,140 it but we're going to get down to the nitty gritty of it and 7 00:00:27,140 --> 00:00:30,740 this week is going to be drinking as a Christian. 8 00:00:30,740 --> 00:00:32,619 We're going to start off from prayer and then we're going to 9 00:00:32,619 --> 00:00:33,720 jump right in. So here we go. 10 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,120 Lord, Heavenly Father, thank you just for all that you do in our 11 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,040 lives, all that you continue to do. 12 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,800 We just thank you that you continue to lead us and guide us 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,920 and that each day is new of your mercies. 14 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,400 Dear God, we just pray that you speak to us and through US today 15 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,320 and let this episode glorify you. 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,520 In Jesus name I pray. Amen, Amen, Amen. 17 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,120 O When we first started talking about doing this, I was like, oh 18 00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:00,160 like I know that it was my idea to do it and like you were kind 19 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,760 of like. But the more that time went on, 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,840 I was like, OK, maybe not like maybe we shouldn't. 21 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,800 But yeah, I just feel like if you're talking about what 22 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,720 scripturally sound like what's in the Bible, then there's 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,200 right. And to worry about like our 24 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:17,320 opinion. No, it's not our opinion. 25 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,600 So I was like, OK, well, then I started worrying about it a 26 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,200 little bit more. And yesterday, like as time gets 27 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:26,640 closer and closer, like of course, because the enemy 28 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,920 doesn't want you to talk about things, that's going to help 29 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,480 somebody and push someone to get spiritually closer with the 30 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,760 Lord. And so right off the RIP, I 31 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,880 started reading last night and I got, I was in Galatians and the 32 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,120 scripture that I got was Galatians 1:10. 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,400 AM I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of 34 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,080 God or am I trying to please people? 35 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,920 If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant 36 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:55,760 of Christ. And so like literally that's the 37 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,160 first scripture I get when I open up the Bible last night. 38 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,200 And I'm like, OK, like, yes, that's you telling me that like, 39 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,120 we need to move forward with this episode. 40 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,120 Like 100%. Like this is something that 41 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,400 needs to be talked about. Yeah, I think too what we a lot 42 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,520 of times do, just our human nature, look for a yes or no 43 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,320 answer on certain topics. And when there's not a yes do 44 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:23,480 this or absolutely no, don't do that, we kind of get conflicted 45 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,680 and we battle with having our own thoughts and feelings in the 46 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,680 way of God's word. And I, and I think for me, it's 47 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,160 more of, OK, there might not be a yes or no on that specific 48 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,280 topic, but just keep reading his word because you'll find the 49 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:41,040 answer you're looking for to find the answer from him. 50 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:43,280 And so that's what gets so confusing. 51 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:45,880 And that's why it was, I was kind of conflicted on talking 52 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,080 about this certain topic because there might not necessarily be 53 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:54,440 word for word like that certain verbiage of what somebody is 54 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,400 looking for, of what he says about drinking and being a 55 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:00,160 Christian. But it's in there. 56 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,480 We just have to keep reading and and I have some notes and me 57 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,600 too. Well, one in church, this or 58 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,800 this series that we're going through, it's that's messed up. 59 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,760 And it's all about letters that Paul had written to the 60 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,640 Corinthians. And so, you know, last week we 61 00:03:16,640 --> 00:03:19,960 were talking about stumbling and causing that person to stumble. 62 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,800 I know last week you texted me and you're like, I got my notes, 63 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,520 girl, Like I got me some good notes, but I've. 64 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,720 Been praying and praying and praying like how do we talk 65 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,720 about this and go over this topic in the right way? 66 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,200 And when that message was preached from First Corinthians 67 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,600 Sunday, I was like, there it is. It's like God told me like here 68 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:47,920 is a way to lean on my word and and use this is what you're 69 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,760 going to talk about. Yeah, so one of the ones that 70 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:54,360 hang on, you go ahead, you go ahead. 71 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,160 What what's one of your nights that you took or something that 72 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,280 you well, I just wrote and what what you're talking. 73 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,800 About Yeah, I just want to read from First Corinthians because 74 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,800 like I said, we're always looking for a yes, should I do 75 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,080 this or no, should I do that? And that's what's going on in 76 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,800 this letter from Paul in First Corinthians is the people were 77 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,000 asking him concerning food sacrifice to idols. 78 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,000 Do we do this or do we eat this food sacrifice to idols or do we 79 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,560 not? And I think a lot of times 80 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,240 Christians with drinking are looking for that answer. 81 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,080 Do can I drink as a Christian or can I not? 82 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:32,160 And Paul's answer kind of blew me away in the way that he 83 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,440 handled that question. And so I'll read it. 84 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,480 It's kind of long, but I'm just stick with me. 85 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,640 And so it says in First Corinthians and it's in chapter 86 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,840 8 and then verse 4. So then about eating food 87 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:50,160 sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing at all 88 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,880 in the world and that there is no God but one. 89 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,120 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on 90 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:01,320 earth, yet for us there is but one God the Father, from whom 91 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,320 all things came and for whom we live. 92 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,840 And there is but one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things 93 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:11,000 came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this 94 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,040 knowledge. Some people are still so 95 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,160 accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food, they 96 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,000 think of it as having been sacrificed to a God. 97 00:05:20,280 --> 00:05:23,080 And since their conscience is weak, it's defiled. 98 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,640 But food does not bring us near to God. 99 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,120 I think of that as like drinking. 100 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,040 We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. 101 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,840 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not 102 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:37,760 become a stumbling block to the weak. 103 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,720 For someone with a weak conscience sees you with all of 104 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,120 your knowledge, meaning all of your knowledge in the Lord. 105 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,400 Eating in an idol's temple, won't that person be emboldened 106 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,320 to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 107 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,440 So this weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is 108 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:56,120 destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in 109 00:05:56,120 --> 00:06:00,080 this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against 110 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,440 Christ. That right there tells me if I 111 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,880 am a stumbling block, no matter what we are topic we're 112 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,920 discussing, it doesn't matter. They're talking about food, 113 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:13,480 sacrifice to idols, me and you are sitting here in today's time 114 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,400 talking about drinking. But if I become a stumbling 115 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,640 block to somebody who has a weak conscience, who doesn't have the 116 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:24,280 knowledge of the Lord that we have, that we have gained, I am 117 00:06:24,280 --> 00:06:27,160 sinning against Christ. If I cause them to stumble, 118 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,240 yeah, that is plain as day. That is black or white there. 119 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:34,280 That is, I have caused them to stumble, and therefore that is 120 00:06:34,280 --> 00:06:39,160 what the sin is against Christ. Not necessarily just that one 121 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:40,840 action. It could be a lot of different 122 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:45,280 things, but we are to be leaders in bold for Christ and help 123 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,720 others grow closer to Christ and anything that we do that could 124 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,320 cause someone to stumble, my brother or sister to stumble, 125 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,920 that is where the sin comes in. Yeah, and that's pretty much 126 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:59,320 what I wrote down to like along the lines of like, if someone 127 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,640 were to walk in to like, let's just say the Mexican restaurant 128 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,160 and see me or you like drinking a Margarita or something. 129 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,880 Like, you know, I just feel like they would start to slightly 130 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,200 look at us a little different. Not just because like a 131 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,320 judgmental stance or anything, but like we're sitting here 132 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,040 always talking about God. We're trying to lead them, but 133 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,040 then we're doing something a little bit opposite at the 134 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,760 Mexican restaurant and we're drinking, you know, So it's 135 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,760 like, if we're going to hold ourselves, like are people going 136 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:30,880 to hold us accountable for those things? 137 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,000 You know, like, try to be like expecting more from us and stuff 138 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,560 like that. Then why don't you hold yourself 139 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,960 to that same standard, You know? So like, I don't want anyone to 140 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,720 walk in and see me drinking or see me think or see me in that 141 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,120 light. And then they think that it's 142 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,400 OK. And then they like overindulge 143 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,120 and overdo it. And then that's the biggest 144 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,960 thing is like leading someone astray. 145 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,040 Like, because I think that's where it is where the line is 146 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:04,480 with alcohol too. It's like he clearly says, you 147 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,880 know, drunkenness is a sin, drunkenness. 148 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,640 So when we're talking about that, like that's when it 149 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,280 starts, people are like, well, where's the line of drunkenness? 150 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:18,280 If you're not of a sober mind, you know, like 1 drink could be 151 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,480 completely somebody's drunk, you know, or so, so forth. 152 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:27,360 So it's just hard for me to like, sit here and say, like, I 153 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,440 know that someone would walk in and see me drinking and then try 154 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:32,240 to feel, you know, maybe some type of way. 155 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:36,120 Yeah, I think, you know, somebody might not know, right? 156 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,720 And that just goes back to that chapter in First Corinthians. 157 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,080 They have a weak conscience still, their knowledge of 158 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,400 Christ, they might be new Christians. 159 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,920 They don't know the word, all of the Word, or I mean, I still 160 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:48,360 don't. We don't. 161 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,680 I mean, you're always learning and growing, right? 162 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:54,920 But as you continue to grow in your relationship with Jesus and 163 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,880 know him more and know his word more, you become more 164 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,240 knowledgeable in those topics. And not even just that, your 165 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:05,360 conscience, what the Lord speaks to you, what he puts on your 166 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,120 heart, how he's, you know, wants you to wake up each morning, a 167 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,600 new morning and and live for him and live out your life for him. 168 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:17,560 And those things, those desires or ways that you have become 169 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:22,480 accustomed to living your whole life begin to change. 170 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,880 And so that is what somebody that has a weak conscience is 171 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,880 looking to, is looking at. And you know, it's like I, I am 172 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,520 growing. I am, I am getting there. 173 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:37,680 And if I'm not growing and helping them get to that place 174 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:41,280 too, I'm just their stumbling block and I'm failing at what 175 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,560 I'm supposed to be doing in Christ's word for them. 176 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,160 And that's how I look at it is, you know, I might, you might be 177 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:50,840 on your journey with Christ and still drinking. 178 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,120 And who am I to say that you, you don't have a relationship 179 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,040 with the Lord? That's not my place. 180 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,640 That's God's place for him to prune those things out of your 181 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,320 life. I'm not going to sit there and 182 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:05,040 condemn you and put you down. I'm just, I'm here, I've gained 183 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,040 some knowledge. I have some more years maybe on 184 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,200 you and I'm going to keep leading you closer to him and 185 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,320 envy in that example, because I think we can have knowledge of 186 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:15,680 the Lord. And this is another thing I 187 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:17,960 wanted to touch on me and Dexter, I've talked about this 188 00:10:17,960 --> 00:10:22,280 before some Baptist Church, because you can have knowledge 189 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:27,240 of the word and not present it with grace and not present it 190 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,360 with love. And, and that means you might be 191 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,480 a Christian and you're, you won't sit there with somebody 192 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:37,480 that is having a drink or you're going to condemn them or put 193 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,640 them down while they were having a drink instead of loving on 194 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,560 them and showing them the way of Christ. 195 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,400 So I think it is important to have that knowledge, but also do 196 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,680 it in the graceful and loving way. 197 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:51,360 That is super important. And something I took away from 198 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,240 Sunday too, is to love those no matter where they're at, we're 199 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,440 always just supposed to be leaning on closer to Christ. 200 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,920 Well, because I didn't as soon as I came to Christ and really 201 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,800 started like living for him, I continued to drink here and 202 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,440 there like. And so that was something that 203 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:11,320 evolved over time where I was ready to sit that down because I 204 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,600 saw this thing that JP, what's his name? 205 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,360 I can't even think of what his name is Paluka. 206 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:19,720 But anyway, call him JP. Yeah. 207 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:25,200 So he posted sin looks like freedom until you're willing to 208 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,320 stop. And so like that took me into 209 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,880 like, you think that just because you have the free will 210 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,560 to drink and all this stuff like, oh, I can do what I want. 211 00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:37,520 I can do this. But eventually like I got to the 212 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,200 point where. How I was trying? 213 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,680 To stop. I tried to stop and I was like, 214 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:44,560 I'm in bondage. Like I truly can't, can't let 215 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:48,120 this go because I was crying about wanting to drink. 216 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,400 My friends were getting together and doing all this. 217 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:55,400 And it's like I realized in that moment that that had me in 218 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,120 bondage over what people think Christian, being a Christian is 219 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,320 like, because most people think, oh, she thought that she 220 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,720 couldn't drink and she was crying because of like she was a 221 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,080 Christian and that wasn't it. It was realizing that the devil 222 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,760 had a like a foothold in my life right there. 223 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,240 So, you know, that was one of the biggest things that like I 224 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,840 started thinking about with this is like especially with 225 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,320 drinking, you know? Yeah. 226 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,880 And I think, you know, it has a like what you're saying there 227 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,520 are a lot of people I know that say, oh, I could quit drinking 228 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:25,040 whenever I want to. Yeah. 229 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,920 And then like you're saying, when it really comes down to it, 230 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,400 can you hold off for six months, a year? 231 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,000 Yeah, two years and it really not. 232 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,400 Even far as simple a month, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know like 233 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,760 it's. Hard it is when you actually go 234 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:45,120 to put something down completely and that is some notes that I 235 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,400 have because I I just say what you grew up doing is a part of 236 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:51,200 your culture and daily life and what you've become accustomed to 237 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,400 there. I think drinking has become, so 238 00:12:55,600 --> 00:13:00,960 is for Christians like such a lukewarm place to be. 239 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,640 And, and I think a lot of kids grow up and see their family go 240 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,320 to church. Christians, they do read their 241 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:11,760 Bible, but their parents still drink. 242 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,480 So when you've grown up in that environment your whole life, 243 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,640 wouldn't you think that's just normal and that that's, you 244 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,960 know, I'm still a Christian, but I can drink because that's what 245 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,120 you've become accustomed to. But it's like your heart 246 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:27,400 knowledge has to sometimes catch up to your head knowledge. 247 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:32,560 And it's a process to disconnect and start to disassociate with 248 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:34,600 what you have done your entire life. 249 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,600 And it may take others longer to get there, but love them with 250 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,640 grace through the process God is in is in charge of the process 251 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,080 and not us. And I realized this is this is 252 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,160 just something too. I think that is just become the 253 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,840 cultural norm right in our day and time. 254 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:58,960 And so it takes time for God to almost prune you and say this, 255 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,840 this isn't the norm for me, you know, and it make that 256 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,200 differentiation well. In this culture today, it's so 257 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,280 easy to get alcohol. Like it's literally at every 258 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,520 street corner. It it's very, you know. 259 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:16,400 We were able to get it when we were like 16, yeah, 15. 16 I'm 260 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:21,480 like, so it's just so accustomed right now for you to start 261 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,080 drinking at a young age, for you to start going out and then all 262 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,800 of a sudden it starts snowballing to now you have an 263 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:31,480 addiction as an adult because you started so young. 264 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,880 And like, I feel like it goes to the Romans verse where it's 265 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,640 talking about conforming to the world. 266 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,400 Like you're fitting in, you're looking just like everybody 267 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,160 else. So many people drink. 268 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:47,720 So that's where you're called to be set apart, to look different. 269 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,120 Because how many times when you finally stopped drinking or 270 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,080 something, right, you would go somewhere and people were like, 271 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:58,240 are you not drinking, right? It was more weird that we 272 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,920 weren't drinking. 100%. Then if I was drunk falling on 273 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,400 my face drunk like people thought it was weird that I 274 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,160 stopped drinking but it's like I gave y'all all these context 275 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,800 clues of I need to quit drinking so. 276 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,680 But that's what everyone has come accustomed to today and 277 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,040 this was become the norm. And it should not be. 278 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,720 It should be. And like, you know, when I just 279 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:25,400 think about that whole alcohol thing, it's like, and God's 280 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:29,880 literally telling us in first Peter 5/8 be alert of a sober 281 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,040 mind. Your enemy, the devil prowls 282 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:34,680 around like a roaring, lying, looking for someone to devour. 283 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,080 We know that he's out to steal, kill and destroy. 284 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:42,280 So alcohol is giving him that foothold in your life because 285 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:46,400 you're not of a sober mind. You're not alert because you 286 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,400 have so much going on. And then you think about like 287 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,760 how alcohol turns people into like a different person. 288 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:58,760 Like I was so angry almost like as as a drunk, you know, like as 289 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,760 drinking when I continue to drink and stuff. 290 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:05,000 Like I was mean, I was cruel. I did things that I normally 291 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,520 wouldn't do that would been out of character for me. 292 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:13,080 So if that's how you are when you are drinking alcohol, then 293 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,960 how can the Lord be present in your life? 294 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,760 Because he's light, right? And we know that alcohol and sin 295 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,640 and like overindulgence and all that is darkness. 296 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:26,360 Those two are two completely different things. 297 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:28,880 There can't be light if there's complete darkness. 298 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,880 He can't be present when sin is involved because he's a perfect, 299 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,280 perfect, spotless lamb. Like there's no way that he can 300 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,680 be present if sin is there. And that's what I just kept 301 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:43,000 thinking about is like when we are under the influence and 302 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:46,600 we're not of that mindset. The devil is going to use those 303 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:51,160 moments of vulnerability in your life to truly get a foothold. 304 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:55,720 Right, Yeah. And and when you said how you 305 00:16:55,720 --> 00:17:00,560 were mentally and and you know how you're angry and it brought 306 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,920 all these things, I just look at that and compare it to the fruit 307 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,240 of the Spirit and it does not align at all. 308 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:12,119 It is, you know, not joy, peace, self-control at all. 309 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:15,480 And it if, if those things don't line up with the fruit of the 310 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,480 Spirit, how can we say that that is I am still close to Christ 311 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,400 because that is not of Christ at all. 312 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,640 They don't match up, you know? What? 313 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,319 That's what I wrote down. So I wrote down the verse that 314 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:31,760 was before the fruit of the Spirit, which is Galatians 519 315 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,080 through 21. This one's a little bit lengthy, 316 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,440 so not as lengthy as Abby, so stay with it. 317 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:38,880 The acts of the flesh are obvious. 318 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:43,200 Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and 319 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:47,800 witchcraft, Hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish 320 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:54,760 ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies 321 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,000 and the like. I warn you, as I did before, 322 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,360 that those that live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of 323 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:03,880 God. And then it goes, goes into the 324 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,120 fruit of the spirit of what you should be doing, the, the fruit 325 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:09,440 that you should hold those things that we talk about all 326 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,960 the time, you know, having that kindness and the joy and the 327 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,120 self-control, just all of those are the opposite of what it's 328 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:19,960 calling. And so in there it automatically 329 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:24,160 says drunkenness. Like I realized that as time 330 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:29,480 went on, I never had a true clarity of who God was and what 331 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,040 he was calling of my life because I was always in that 332 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,960 haze, right? Like the next day, if you, if 333 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,680 you know what a hangover is, you know, you're in that haze, you 334 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,520 know, like you're confused, you're still trying to figure 335 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,120 out what happened last night. You don't feel good that day. 336 00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:49,080 Like I was in that constant state all the time to where I 337 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,840 never knew what God was saying to me. 338 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,880 Like you can't be on that wavelength with him and and 339 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,640 discern of his voice if you're not of a clear mind and you 340 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,920 don't have that clarity, you know so. 341 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:05,080 And and maybe this will speak to somebody too, because my 342 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:09,120 personality, even when I was, you know, trying to grow closer 343 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:11,560 to the Lord and I almost became stagnant. 344 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,800 I didn't have to get drunk, you know, I mean, I, I could have a 345 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,760 glass or or two of just wine and, and I was like, that's. 346 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,320 Good for you girl, because I could. 347 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:24,800 I know, I know we are totally different personalities and I 348 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:30,560 could do that and and maybe I didn't feel as convicted then, 349 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,680 but I will say I was still feeding my preferences. 350 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:40,000 I was still feeding my desires that my Walsh, that flesh even 351 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,960 with not I didn't even have to get drunk. 352 00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:46,320 I didn't most of the time as I got older, I didn't enjoy being 353 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:47,720 drunk. I didn't want to be drunk. 354 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,520 Did I enjoy a glass or two of wine? 355 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:51,800 Yeah, loved it with a good meal. Steak. 356 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:55,320 Yeah. I mean, it's, you know, OK, but 357 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,960 and that I'm still feeding my flesh. 358 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:03,240 And what I learned was when I kept just feeding those certain 359 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,360 references, they might have been small. 360 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,160 And those things that my flesh desired, I was stagnant with the 361 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,480 Lord. I wasn't growing with Him. 362 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,200 Because the moment I put on my fleshly desires to decide 363 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:20,400 whether it be a glass of wine or something else that might be 364 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,840 small man, your relationship with Him will take off. 365 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,680 It was a stumbling block for yourself, like not just the 366 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,680 people around you, like take that out aspect out of it, but 367 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,560 for you that was you holding yourself back from growing 368 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,200 through with the Lord. You know, like they're just like 369 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,560 we said, if you're giving into those fleshly desires and you're 370 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:44,840 doing those things, you're feeding that instead of feeding 371 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:46,840 your relationship with the Lord. Yeah. 372 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:52,880 Another verse that I did write down was Proverbs 20 verse one. 373 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,560 Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler. 374 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,480 Whoever is LED astray by them is not wise. 375 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:00,960 And so when you're talking about that, you know, I was just 376 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:02,800 thinking, you know, wine and stuff like that. 377 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:07,520 And so I just, it's saying that when you do drink and you, 378 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:09,440 you'll start to make a fool out of yourself. 379 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:13,400 And then the beer is a brawler. That made me think at times too. 380 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,120 Like I fought people when I was drunk. 381 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:20,760 Like I just went out of my way, like because my flesh wanted to 382 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:24,640 drink so bad that here I am now turning into a completely 383 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:26,960 different person. Yeah, I think that's where, like 384 00:21:27,120 --> 00:21:30,680 you, you could like, you could have one drink or something. 385 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,920 But for me, on my end of the spectrum, it's like all or 386 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,240 nothing. Like I couldn't just go have a 387 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,480 simple glass of wine or, or just one drink or something. 388 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,920 Like it was like all or nothing that continued to have me 389 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,920 completely change, you know, so like. 390 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,840 And it just spiraled. It spiraled, yes. 391 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,520 And so that is just such a big thing to me is like, if you're 392 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:58,240 living 1 foot in and 1 foot out, like, are you all in for Christ 393 00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:01,880 or are you like still teetering between that old life? 394 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,240 I'll say this, it's not about us anymore. 395 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,280 Here's what really became the drawing line for me was when I 396 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:13,240 had Son, nothing became about my life anymore. 397 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:19,040 And I almost saw how that's how Jesus treated us because when he 398 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,880 went to that cross, it was not about him. 399 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,600 It was about God's will and in what he had set out since the 400 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:32,400 beginning of time when sin first entered this world to send Jesus 401 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:37,160 on that cross that long ago. And Jesus, nothing about his 402 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,480 life was about himself. And that's how it became when I 403 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:45,400 had Sutton and I and I realized this isn't about me anymore. 404 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,360 It's not about what I want and desire. 405 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:51,320 And I might enjoy this and I might enjoy going out with my 406 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,800 friends. And all of that's got to be put 407 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:55,480 to the side. And it's the hardest thing 408 00:22:55,480 --> 00:23:00,560 sometimes to do, but it's the most rewarding thing to do as 409 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,360 well. And you know, when you put your 410 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,800 preferences to the side and think about others in that way, 411 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:08,440 that's how I thought about with Sutton. 412 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,080 Do I want to be a stumbling block for my daughter too? 413 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:16,920 You know, do I want to see her maybe one day struggle with 414 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,480 Christianity and drinking and go through what I went through? 415 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,360 And I'm like, no, so it's not about me. 416 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:26,880 I want to be more Christ like. And more Jesus like. 417 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,640 And what that means is putting all of your preferences to the 418 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:31,920 side. Which are which we always talk 419 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:35,720 about like our kids see us do certain things like and they 420 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,240 mirror that. So if they continuously see you 421 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,240 drinking and stuff like that and having these parties at your 422 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,200 house where you're getting drunk and all that, they're going to 423 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,280 grow accustomed to that. They're going to grow up 424 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,400 thinking, oh like it's perfectly fine. 425 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,840 Like my parents did it this morning. 426 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:54,760 I literally was thinking about Lot's wife and then how, you 427 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:56,280 know, she turned to a pillar of salt. 428 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,920 And then I saw a video later on. I'm like, this is crazy. 429 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:02,880 You know, it's like our phones like read our minds and stuff. 430 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:04,960 Like literally you don't even have to talk about it anymore. 431 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,640 It's just there. But I saw this video and it was 432 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,080 talking about how Lot's wife, you know, probably we got to 433 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,760 read context clues here, didn't like actually turn into a pillar 434 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,040 of salt. But she couldn't grow. 435 00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:20,560 She was a statue. She was stuck in the place that 436 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:23,960 she's in because she turned back and would not let go of the 437 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:25,120 past. She looked back. 438 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:28,120 She looked back at the past and wouldn't let it go. 439 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,520 And so when you think about that in today's context, you're like, 440 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:36,360 are you stuck because you can't let go of those things? 441 00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:41,400 You can't let go of the alcohol or the vape or, you know, going 442 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,040 out the porn addiction or anything like let that stuff go 443 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:48,880 because you're not. For fun, the desire for Oh my 444 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,200 gosh, that is my life. That's what I do. 445 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:52,360 I don't have anything else to do. 446 00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:55,000 Who am I going to hang out with? What am I going to go do on 447 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:56,240 Friday night? What am I going to go do on 448 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:59,440 Saturday night? It's the looking back to that 449 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:03,720 was your life and design and still wanting that and almost 450 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,880 not able to let it go. Yeah, and that's such a big 451 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,480 thing. It's like when you do, you know, 452 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:15,320 a be obedient to God and you just listen to those callings 453 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,320 and what he calls of us and stuff like that. 454 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,320 Like he's going to give you fun. He's going to give you new 455 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,320 friends. He's going to surround you with 456 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:25,200 those communities where you're not even going to question what 457 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,320 am I doing when it comes Friday, like, oh, usually I'm at I'm at 458 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:31,920 the bar, but now he's going to fill that with other things. 459 00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:36,640 And I will say that my first year of walking faithfully with 460 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:40,480 him, I did stay so busy because I was so scared to get bored. 461 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,080 I was so scared to come home and be like, man, Georgia Bob sounds 462 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,440 good. You know, or like, let's run up 463 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,400 to the Mexican restaurant and have, you know, like a Taco 464 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,120 Tuesday and drink or something. So I did keep myself busy. 465 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,440 I did start saying yes to hanging out with people that I 466 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,960 normally would be like, no, like, I'm going to go home. 467 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:02,200 Like, whatever. No, like I tried to surround 468 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:07,800 myself and change 100% of the things that I was doing so that 469 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:11,400 I didn't fall into those temptations and being surrounded 470 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,800 by those people that are doing right and they are being 471 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:17,760 obedient and they're, you know, following the Lord closely. 472 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,960 That's how you be, That's how you're held accountable. 473 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,080 Right. I know, you know, God is so 474 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,040 good. I remember when I first started 475 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,000 really wanting to get rid of, you know, the things of the past 476 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:32,040 and you probably noticed it. We weren't hanging out as much 477 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,800 during that time that I had Sutton and we were living in 478 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:39,280 Byron and things like that. God sent somebody that reached 479 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,800 out and messaged me and was like, hey, I haven't seen you in 480 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,680 forever. Do you want to go get lunch? 481 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,280 And brought like a friend to me at that time that I really 482 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:50,720 needed. And that was sober. 483 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,640 That was a Christian. That's an amazing woman. 484 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,600 And you know, I gained some other friends in that and I was 485 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,600 like, wow, look at God. He will do it when he knows the 486 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,880 desires of your heart and we'll send you friends and send you 487 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:04,280 things. Because I was struggling. 488 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,080 I was feeling lonely. You go through a period where 489 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,480 you do you feel lonely like you said, when you go out or people 490 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,920 start finding out that you are not drinking, yeah, you don't 491 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,360 get calls anymore. And then they think that you 492 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,520 wouldn't want to come, you don't want to hang out with them. 493 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:21,040 They're drinking. And I'm like, well, I never said 494 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:23,240 that. Or sometimes people are 495 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:27,000 respectful and they don't want to drink around you, so they 496 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,600 just know, OK, well, she's living a different life and 497 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,120 she's probably not going to want to come to this party anyways. 498 00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:34,640 And they aren't maybe doing it maliciously. 499 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,560 It's just a part of, you know, OK, well, she's kind of going 500 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,200 somewhere different with her life. 501 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,240 But you, you do go through a period of loneliness. 502 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,000 For me. It was needed. 503 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,880 Yeah. Because it was, you know, like 504 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:49,320 you said, I was almost becoming a stumbling block to myself. 505 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:53,320 I had to let some things go. Friends were, you know, going. 506 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,640 And I had to really grow in my relationship with God and and 507 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,560 build my family on that time. Well, I was going to say, even 508 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:04,720 with that, like even with you feeling that way, we were still 509 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,600 friends. We weren't hanging, just hanging 510 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,640 out because we were in two different chapters, right. 511 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,960 Like I was still probably two years ago. 512 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,280 Yeah, I was. I was out drinking and partying 513 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,400 almost three years ago now. So it's like. 514 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,600 Yeah. We were in two different 515 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,640 chapters, but does that mean we weren't friends? 516 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,680 Does that mean that we weren't going to come back? 517 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,400 I mean, look at us now like we're both in the same spiritual 518 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:25,640 walk. We're still in two different 519 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,760 chapters, like we're still two in two different things. 520 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,920 But God is going to place other people in your life for that 521 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,040 season. And then, you know, like we've 522 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,920 been through it all, but you still need other friends. 523 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:40,360 You can't just depend on that one person for every single 524 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,040 season. You God is going to send people 525 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:46,520 to help build your faith to help push you and grow. 526 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:48,440 So you like that's what it's all about. 527 00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:51,640 Getting on this side of Christ is helping other people. 528 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,360 I mentioned it in the episode before and it's like you need to 529 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:57,840 be that person that's you needed. 530 00:28:58,120 --> 00:28:59,360 Yes. Back then. 531 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,600 So find somebody that's not as far along as you and try to 532 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,080 start pouring into them, but make sure that you have someone 533 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,120 that's further along than you that's pouring into you because 534 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:12,720 you do not need to continue to pour into other people and then 535 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,680 your cup go dry and they're excelling in your backsliding. 536 00:29:16,960 --> 00:29:20,280 Well, 1/2 so many people think I'm not really growing closer 537 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:22,360 with Christ, but I'm not going further. 538 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,480 You know, I'm not moving away, but it's like you are because if 539 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:27,880 you're not going forward, we're steadily moving through life. 540 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:30,760 So you are growing. You don't know it, but you are 541 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:33,320 starting to backslide. That's why it's important to 542 00:29:33,320 --> 00:29:37,680 really jump into those groups. I remember my dad, it was a, it 543 00:29:37,680 --> 00:29:41,440 was something he heard from his pastor, but it was if you're not 544 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,560 consciously growing closer to the Lord, you are consciously 545 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:48,080 growing away from the Lord and you don't even realize it. 546 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,000 And it takes work. It's constant work. 547 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:55,920 But I love what you were just saying about having somebody 548 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:59,080 that is further along than you and then you have somebody 549 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,720 underneath you. Because I did write this down. 550 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,480 I said we are never called to accept sin. 551 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,280 No matter how much I really didn't want to talk about this 552 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,720 topic, it has to be talked about because I just think it's become 553 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:16,280 too culturally normal. I think that it is something 554 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:20,280 that we should push for our generation to try to get rid of 555 00:30:20,360 --> 00:30:22,920 in their life and and learn to grow closer to the Lord and have 556 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:26,160 those people because I put we are a body of believers coming 557 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,440 together to look more like Christ. 558 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:31,120 You know, we're all in this together. 559 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:33,080 We all need to be pushing each other. 560 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:37,920 We all need to be growing closer together and not being stumbling 561 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:41,360 blocks for each other. And that's really super 562 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:46,440 important to me is to see, you know, somebody ahead of me where 563 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,320 they are. Yeah, in their relationship and 564 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:51,800 then keep growing that body. That's what we're here for. 565 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,040 And that's what, well, that's really why we're on this earth. 566 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:55,720 Yeah. There were some questions that I 567 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:57,520 wrote down that maybe we can talk about. 568 00:30:57,520 --> 00:30:59,800 I don't know if you wrote the same thing or have something 569 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,840 similar but I put does it hurt the faith of someone around me? 570 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:05,840 This was my question. Like if I was going to somebody 571 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:10,120 asked me why do you not drink? And is my freedom leading 572 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:15,680 someone else to someone else's failure and do I love others 573 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:17,480 enough to lay down my preferences? 574 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,960 Those are my questions and things that I realized of why I 575 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,960 do not drink anymore. Yeah, which it really did start 576 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:31,080 for me, like this was for me, like I knew that God had called 577 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,520 me to something higher and that's why I laid them down. 578 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:39,000 But now I continue one for my spiritual walk, but for others 579 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,960 too, to let them know that it is possible to break those 580 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:44,800 stronghold. It is possible for him to break 581 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:51,760 those chains and like for for them to see that growing closer 582 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,840 with Christ means laying those things down like, you know, 583 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:56,640 getting rid of those fleshly desires. 584 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,160 We're going to fall short. Things are going to happen like 585 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:04,440 whatever, but I want to make, I want people to see that like I'm 586 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:07,920 pushing and giving it everything that I got and I'm not going to 587 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,840 just lead them astray. Like I, I know that I'm going to 588 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:14,760 be held to a higher standard to when I go and judge because I am 589 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,400 leading people like with this podcast, like you're leading 590 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,440 people, you're going to be judged a little harsher. 591 00:32:19,440 --> 00:32:23,040 But that doesn't mean that we're not going to mess up. 592 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,400 We're not going to do things, but we do have to continue to 593 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,520 move forward and do right by others, I guess. 594 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,480 You are kind of actually doing right by others. 595 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:38,920 You know, when I think about being around somebody or, OK, I 596 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,920 remember this when I was still drinking and I wasn't heavily 597 00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:48,240 drinking, but when I was, I knew I didn't need to be doing this 598 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:52,120 if I was around somebody that was sober because, you know, I 599 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:53,720 have that. I have people in my life that 600 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:57,280 are are just getting sober. They might be 6 months sober, 601 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,480 they might be a year sober and I was still drinking at this point 602 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,360 in time. When I was sitting there 603 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,960 drinking around this person or or people that I knew were 604 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:12,120 sober, it would eat me up. I don't and I know why now. 605 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:16,400 I know it was so Lord, like this is not what you need to be 606 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:17,520 doing. This is not right. 607 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,880 You know, this person is just sober. 608 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,160 This is not how you handle this gracefully and and so forth. 609 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,680 But it did it ate my conscience up. 610 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,960 I felt super convicted. So I mean you are kind of called 611 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,040 to a higher standard to do right by others to to lead them. 612 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,880 When I when I just was thinking of that too, like you were 613 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,440 talking about like how you stop getting invited or sometimes 614 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:43,680 like you still want to go to those places like even though 615 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:46,880 you're newly sober. I would really encourage you not 616 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:50,000 to like, yeah, don't put yourself in those situations. 617 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,080 You're literally tempting yourself when you go and do 618 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,520 that. Because I would try, you know, 619 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,320 to go do things here and there and I would leave almost crying 620 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,520 sometimes because like the urge to just want to drink and to be 621 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,080 in socially involved in that stuff. 622 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:10,920 Like it, it ate me alive. So just in turn to that, like 623 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,520 you never want to be a temptation for others, but also 624 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,000 you don't want to put yourself in that position where you're 625 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,000 tempted. That's why you need to change 626 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,000 your surroundings. You need to change your people 627 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,400 that you're around. You need to just take maybe go 628 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:27,760 into a season of isolation it. Is a season of yeah, it is 629 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,639 because you, you've got to cut out a lot of stuff and places 630 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:33,800 and everything that you are accustomed to doing. 631 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,480 Everything. It's your path, your daily walk. 632 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:40,400 Oh, I get up on Friday mornings. I go to work, then almost every 633 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,440 Friday I go hang out with so and so friend. 634 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,480 Yeah, now that looks totally different and it is going to 635 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,199 feel isolating. Even though you are trying to 636 00:34:49,199 --> 00:34:53,960 not drink and and be sober. You really cannot put yourself 637 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:57,280 in those same walks of life that you've been doing the last 20 638 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:00,000 years. They have got to change and you 639 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:01,760 just can't put yourself in that temptation. 640 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,360 Yeah, because that's exactly where that crushing and that 641 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,760 pressing comes from. That's where God is going to 642 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:10,160 stretch you in those seasons of isolation, in those seasons of 643 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:11,680 loneliness. That is when you're going to 644 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,240 grow closer with Him because he's close to the broken 645 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:15,480 hearted. You're broken hearted. 646 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:18,760 You're grieving over that old life that you used to have. 647 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,800 So if you're grieving and you're broken hearted about about it, 648 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:23,360 guess what? He's close. 649 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,400 He's near because you're going to start leading and like trying 650 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,320 to get him to lead you and try to lean on him during those 651 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:31,960 times. You'll never feel closer. 652 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:34,360 No, absolutely not. And that's why we go through 653 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:36,960 these seasons. That's why we get dealt these 654 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,080 cards and where we go through these trials and tribulations 655 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,960 and all these things. So we do lean on him, that we do 656 00:35:43,200 --> 00:35:45,480 call on his name and seek guidance. 657 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:49,880 I actually asked my mom this the other day because I told her I'm 658 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:54,240 in just such a good season. I guess you would say with like 659 00:35:54,240 --> 00:35:57,560 Greg just coming to Christ and being sober and we're we're 660 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,320 learning this new life together, but it just feels so good. 661 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:04,240 And I was like, I kind of feel convicted that like I don't, I'm 662 00:36:04,240 --> 00:36:07,000 not praying for something so specific. 663 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:10,840 I'm not praying for a specific answer to something right now. 664 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:14,680 Like I'm not. And she was like, that's normal. 665 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:18,240 You're not always in a trial, You're not always in a valley. 666 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:21,800 Like sometimes you're just, you are gliding, you know, good. 667 00:36:22,240 --> 00:36:25,680 You're not always seeking him for a certain answer. 668 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:27,920 And when she said that, I was like, oh, thank God because I 669 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,280 thought I was like, you know, doing something wrong. 670 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,040 But it was like, things are just going so well right now. 671 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:34,680 And I know that things are going to happen. 672 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,480 I do know that. So I'm not scared to say that or 673 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:41,200 anything, but at the same time. But you know, man, that's so 674 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:43,000 good. And this is kind of getting off 675 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,800 topic, but that's good what you were talking about because those 676 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:50,840 seasons, you know, I look back to the times that I have never 677 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:53,960 felt closer to the Lord. Like, I mean, I felt like he was 678 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:57,240 right there, you know, in my heart, he was right there in my 679 00:36:57,240 --> 00:36:59,200 front seat driving to work. He was right. 680 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:02,560 I mean, he was just his presence was man. 681 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:08,480 His presence is so feeling are those times when you are you are 682 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:10,600 going, you're broken hearted, you're going through it. 683 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,200 He is right there. And then you come out of those 684 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:17,920 seasons and yeah, you kind of do feel not distance, but you still 685 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:21,320 crave like what you're saying, that's almost you craving. 686 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:23,760 Hold on. I need, I need that. 687 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,680 I need that closeness. I need where you know what's 688 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:27,120 going on. Everything is fine right now. 689 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:30,160 But it's almost like you're in a season now where you can give 690 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:32,680 that back to others that are maybe going through it. 691 00:37:32,680 --> 00:37:34,680 And that's really what it's about. 692 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:38,000 You're coming out of that season, you're in a great place. 693 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:40,920 He has you where he wants you, and you're living that out. 694 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:43,640 And now you're able to give to others and help them see the 695 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:47,040 fruition of coming out of that season and into a good season. 696 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:50,560 And I think that life is just those trials like that all 697 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:52,200 throughout. It's kind of like a wave, those 698 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:53,960 ups and downs, those valleys and peaks. 699 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,240 And he's there always pruning us. 700 00:37:57,240 --> 00:38:00,600 But I've never felt closer when I was going through that time of 701 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:01,840 my life. Yeah. 702 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:03,960 Or just when I was going through that time of my life of 703 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:06,480 isolation, giving up drinking, giving up everything that I was 704 00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,920 doing and it was the best thing. Now looking back that's ever 705 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,240 happened to me, I've never felt closer to the Lord. 706 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,960 I've I will never regret that. And I don't think there's any 707 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:23,440 Christian or anyone who just has a strong relationship with Jesus 708 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:27,360 Christ that will say I regret giving up drinking. 709 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:29,400 I've never. I've never heard that. 710 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,240 You will never hear that. Not a what? 711 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:37,240 So it just tells you the truth behind first listening to His 712 00:38:37,240 --> 00:38:40,760 word and being obedient and the truth behind giving it up what 713 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:42,000 how good it is. Yeah. 714 00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:46,040 And so I guess how I would close, like my piece of advice 715 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:49,000 or something, you know, just that start to close this out 716 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,400 would be like if you are going to try to, you know, completely 717 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,920 give up alcohol or whatever, don't think about the future. 718 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,920 Don't think about next week or this Friday. 719 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,960 Focus on getting through today. And like people really do say 720 00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:05,600 one day at a time. And it's so true. 721 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,200 Like that is what got me to almost two years sober. 722 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:13,480 Today is like one day at a time. I focus on saying sober today. 723 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:18,640 I focused on finding, seeking first, the Kingdom and all of 724 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,160 his righteousness and all of those things will be added to 725 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:25,800 you. Matthew 63333 You seek first, 726 00:39:26,640 --> 00:39:28,840 he's going to give you the strength, he's going to allow 727 00:39:28,840 --> 00:39:30,880 you to get through it without drinking alcohol. 728 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:34,640 He he is going to give you that guidance and that wisdom. 729 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:37,000 So that would be my one thing advice. 730 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:40,800 And then two, I would like to just say I just pray that like 731 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,560 y'all don't hear this and think that it's coming off on a 732 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:48,880 judgmental way whatsoever. Like I just want you to let the 733 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,680 Holy Spirit speak to you through this and don't listen to it as 734 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:54,600 my voice. Like I pray that the Holy 735 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:59,280 Spirit's is talking to you and if you don't feel like he's 736 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:02,080 talking to you in this then just know that I'm not judging you. 737 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:05,800 Girl or boy, guy, whatever. Yeah, because there were times 738 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:09,120 when the Lord didn't had it pruned me yet of drinking. 739 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:11,160 And it might not be your and it might. 740 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:13,800 It might. But don't, don't give up. 741 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:16,400 Keep reading your word. Yeah, just keep reading your 742 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:18,040 word. That's all I can say. 743 00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:20,800 Just keep throwing because you'll get there. 744 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:22,840 He'll prune you. It's not our job. 745 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,680 No, we aren't doing this episode to prune anybody. 746 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:30,640 We aren't doing this episode to try to change anybody because we 747 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:33,600 can't change anybody. We are just doing this episode 748 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:39,640 to strictly say how God has changed our life, how Jesus has 749 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:43,400 radically rocked our world, and what we gave up to get there. 750 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,000 Yep. And what we've learned along the 751 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,240 way and what we have learned learned along the way. 752 00:40:47,240 --> 00:40:49,880 Absolutely. Like I love this episode because 753 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:54,240 it had me digging. And like studying and like just 754 00:40:54,240 --> 00:40:56,440 trying to get, you know, one-on-one time with the Lord 755 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:58,920 because I never want to come on here and just be like, oh, this 756 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:00,920 is how I feel. This is what I'm thinking. 757 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:04,240 You know, like I wanted to have a foundation. 758 00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:07,800 And so that's where I went to study and read and just try to 759 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:10,720 get right with him and know like this is where he was bringing 760 00:41:10,720 --> 00:41:13,320 this episode to. So all right, guys. 761 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,120 Well, we hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did. 762 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,520 Make sure you tune in next week. Stay tuned. 763 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:19,920 Stay blessed, and we'll see you guys later. 764 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:20,600 Bye.