¶ The Trouble With Jesus Book Discussion
Hello , hello , and welcome back to God's Diamond in the Rough . We are so glad to be before you one more time . I hope all is well . I hope that you're having a great day . Y'all just got me today and I have a special guest with me who's going to be co-hosting .
Michael's not feeling at his best so he's chosen to sit out this time , but we are excited about this conversation . Yes , the Trouble with Jesus Interesting title , I know it , hallelujah . But Ms Constance this is her name , ms Constance Hastings . She's coming in and talk about her book today . And really the trouble with Jesus .
And all of us know that when we get in Christ , it seems like trouble all the way around us all the time . You heard me . I know that's right , but anyhow , before we get her in the room , we are going to pray , as we always do . So let's go , father , we thank you so much for your grace and your mercy .
Thank you , god , for allowing us this day , another day we will never see again . We pray . The blessings of the Lord will be upon everyone that is here , and we pray for Ms Constance Scott , we pray for myself , we pray for everybody that is here and ready to give and receive .
I pray in the name of Jesus that you will open up our hearts and our minds to be able to receive what you want to give us , god . We just pray the love of God among the people of God . We pray God you will continue to use us in extraordinary ways .
Father , we love you so much , so very grateful and so thankful that you allowed us to see this day and that we are here . We pray the blessings of the Lord would be upon your people , that we would be blessing your name always . We thank you , god again , and we give you glory and honor in Jesus Christ's name . We do pray .
Amen , amen and amen , hallelujah , amen . So , all right , y'all I hope y'all are ready , because I am . I'm getting ready to bring in Constance . Amen , and so , constance , would you please say hello to everybody , amen , and just tell us a little bit about yourself .
Hello everyone . It's my pleasure to be with you and Catherine today , and I come to this place today only by the purpose of God , amen . Like many of us , I had other designs for my life , but Jesus came upon me and led me to many places I never would have been without him .
In that regard , then , that's where I am today , and I'm pleased and blessed to be able to talk with you .
Amen . You know that was my fault as well .
Coming into the Lord I had no idea that I would be doing what I'm doing Amen , but at the same time enjoying amen , but at the same time , because I accepted the gift that was within the call , I'm just so glad , I'm so happy , and that's one thing that as we grow and we develop as a diamond , it goes through a whole lot of things .
It goes through a whole lot of pressure and a whole lot of fire and a whole lot of trying and tribulation , but when you come out of every storm you have a little bit more clarity .
Amen , and you know , for me that's why that's like the biggest motivator in continuing to go forth with God's diamonds in the rough , because life will make that difficult to see . Would you agree on that , ms Constance ?
that difficult to see ? Would you agree on that , ms Constance ? Yes , I certainly would . Life is going to take you , if you're in Jesus , to places that you never even thought of , and that's certainly what happened with me . As it was , I was born in a family where my parents weren't particularly religious .
However , they sent me to a small Christian school down the street from us . It was nearby , it was inexpensive , and it was during the time of desegregation , and they felt there that I would be removed from that because it was an all white school . All for the very wrong reasons . I went to a Christian school and was introduced to Jesus Christ .
It was at that school that I studied the Bible . I memorized a lot of it . It formed me and from that school , at the age of seven I was on my knees asking for Jesus' forgiveness . And that's what life in Christ will do take you places where you never ever should be .
So here I am today and I'm just so grateful to be able to give that kind of encouragement to your listeners that God will form you and take you in these ways and purposes that are always of him .
Amen , hallelujah . So how did you wind up writing a book ? I mean this title . I love this title . Can you talk about the book ? It's like as far as before . You got to the place of writing the book , because I know we write our books all the time and don't even realize it .
Exactly I was at the time . I was working in a faith-based counseling practice but also had ministry as a deacon in a church , and there was a church nearby not the church which my husband and I attended that asked me if I would come and do a women's Bible study , and they gave me several months to think about a topic and to put it together .
I was grateful for that because , first of all , I knew these women and they were very smart , professional . They were very astute in their faith and their understanding of God , so I needed to bring more to them than just the usual women's study , but I couldn't come up with anything . Sixty six books in the Bible , nothing was speaking to me for that .
Well , finally , one day I just looked up and I said the troubles with Jesus , and that was it . It clicked and I knew there that I would begin to form the lessons for the Saturday morning Bible study that I was to present , the Saturday morning Bible study that I was to present .
As I wrote out the outline and it began to flesh out , in writing it and developing questions , I realized that I had then an outline for a book .
And so that really was the basis of it . That's a word , really .
That's a word because and it's a word to the believer it's simply because you know , we are going into these different arenas whether it be Bible study or preparing a sermon or whatever , have you and we have an outline and we just kind of put it to the side and say , okay , well then here's my notes for this particular sermon , or whatever I was doing to kind
of put it away . And then it's like , cause I personally have a whole box of sermons and you know just lessons , I've prepared outlines and notes and I'm like what am I going to do with all this ? I don't want to throw it away . So that's an excellent , excellent thing and really a nudge for somebody , a diamond here .
That's going to bring you a little bit more clarity . Don't just tuck it away right . Don't just put it aside . Use it to its glory , take it a little bit further . That is an awesome , awesome , awesome , awesome thing , amen . So can you dive a little deeper in regard to what is the focus of your book , like outside ?
I mean , I know you said the title is the Trouble with Jesus , but what are the areas of focus ?
All right , the Trouble with Jesus subtitle is Considerations Before you Walk Away . And in the formation of the book came this voice to me .
This voice is the voice of a doubter or a skeptic , someone who doesn't totally believe , if they believe at all , in God and challenges and things of that nature , and so that that's the the format and the structure of the book . If I could , I just want to give you a taste of what that voice sounds like . This is from the very first paragraph of the book .
Okay , all right , now , let's be clear about this . You can tell your story any way you see it , and I can jump in with my two big commentary when I want , but none of this believe it or you're going to burn crap . I'm only willing to listen because , I agree , jesus story might have things I like about it , but it's my choice what I do with it .
I've been given other belief systems about the universe , how we got here , what it means to pass through this life . I guess , though , that I think there's more . I'm willing to give Jesus the benefit of the doubt and doubt what I bring to this table .
Okay , ok , and from there , I guess I said there's this interchange with this voice as it goes through the life of Jesus and the trouble that Jesus was born into , the trouble that Jesus brought , the trouble that he met in the context of his life , which ultimately got him killed .
And that trouble also extends into our lives today and how we sometimes wrestle with who Jesus was and our understanding . But in all of this , jesus overcame trouble . He did that through the power of love and the resurrection . He ascended to heaven and he invites us , he gives us that choice to be with him in faith and eternity .
Amen , as well said .
¶ Navigating Skepticism and Faith in Jesus
So it sounds like to me that it really is directed toward the skeptic , as you said , the one that's kind of like doubtful .
Yeah , yes , in that way Doubtful yeah , yes , in that way someone who is a believer . We all have people in our lives like this . We know that skeptic , we know that doubter .
Often they're people that we love , but we need a way to begin to earnestly bring our faith to them , our faith to them , and I see this as almost like an evangelistic tool to be able to take this book , give it to that person in your life for whom you've been praying and have relationship and you so much want for them to come to Christ and say , if you'll
read this , could we have a conversation and let the Holy Spirit take it from there and what God can do as you have this conversation , bring this to this person . Following each chapter as well are sections called further considerations for you , further provocations , and it's a series of questions that people can journal if they like .
And it's a series of questions that people can journal if they like , but it takes what each chapter discusses . It brings that to where people can begin to make these considerations of who Jesus is and what he means in our lives , even now .
Amen . So would you say that you ? Would you say that have you ever experienced any skepticism yourself ? And would you say that , if that answer is yes , would you say that that ushered you into even more of a personal initiative ? In writing .
Yes , I love that question , catherine , and you are so right . I wrote the book and I gave it to a reader who was or she thinks she is a confirmed skeptic , and I said I want you to read this book from that perspective . I want you to give me your feedback . And she did . But then she made this comment .
She said you know , I see in the book , where you have this voice , a challenge of this is a jesus story . But I also read a skeptical voice sometimes in the narration and I realized then , katherine , that yes , sometimes I have been in that place and it came through in the writing as well . So I had to do some revision on it , but it was .
It was so revelatory to me about what God was showing me and my faith and what I had to deal with and work that out through my very own book in the Holy spirit .
Well , amen , hallelujah , and I believe that the spirit prompted me to ask that question , just simply because I don't know exactly the scripture .
You might know it off the top of your head , but it says and this is paraphrasing it says something to the effect of we all must be the first partaker of whatever God brings to us , and I believe that when we are being prompted to give something to the world that brings glory to him , we have to first experience that , so that there's a level of intimacy
between you and him that makes the invitation that God is using in that moment to bring them in to make it personal for you . So , like for you .
You said you had asked somebody to read the book and they just kind of questioned you as to say , okay , well , this is a personal thing , like you know what was your experience , you know what I mean , and it just sounds like so God , yeah , absolutely All day . What was your thought ?
You are so right .
So , yeah , it's such an astute observation and I thank you for that amen , okay , so , um , let me see , I'm now you guys , everybody , diamonds , I'm looking at um a list of questions here that I'm thinking about answering , asking . Let's see which one I think is most relevant right now . Let me read this question .
It says to know love , one must know its lover . Explain what you mean by this and how it relates to the message in your book .
I'm going to go back to my counseling practice , okay , and what I saw there was persons would blame their spouses , parents , someone with whom they're in a relationship , for not loving them , as they thought they needed love . Yet these people , at the same time , had a resistance to understanding the other person's needs and limitations .
And for these reasons , humans do not love perfectly . We do the same with God . Out of our limitations and needs , we feel God should love us as we demand , and so we apply that same resistance sometimes to God . Well , god met that resistance in the form of his son , jesus Christ .
And by knowing Jesus , we know the love of God and what God wants for us to love us as we are , to transform us into the love of his son . So we need , or the likeness of his son . So we need , to know Jesus in order to know the love of God well , amen , I got another question for you .
so with that thought , do you do you personally this is a personal question and what you think I'm and this is just a kind of not even a devil's advocate , but just to kind of put things in perspective for the listener Would you say in your personal opinion that Jesus almost dares us to be controversial ?
Let me see he dares us to be controversial .
To question question what he says oh oh , I see what you're saying .
Okay , it's , it's a healthy thing to do . Yes , let's remember . Yes , jacob spent a whole night wrestling with God , and we all have that point in our lives where we do that . Let's remember the disciple Peter . Yeah , peter was the most likely to screw up .
Yeah , yeah , he always was saying the wrong thing , and so forth .
And then the night Jesus was arrested . He betrays in three times . He was walking away , actually , from what he believed , but he didn't know what to do with it and he had to wrestle with that . God forgave him and he met Peter on that beach after the resurrection and said to him three times Peter , do you love me ?
And he brought him back in that , the music in which we grow and , yes , it's hard and we can get beat up by it , but we are changed and transformed and we know that days later , when the Holy Spirit came and Peter got up and preached , oh my goodness , he was a transformed man and he was such a powerful apostle that went forth and spread the word and
we're grateful for him and what he went through , and God will do the same with us .
Amen , hallelujah . You answered that so honestly and I ask that just simply because you know it is okay , cause I believe that we live in a the world paints the picture to the church , um , that we as believers are not supposed to ask our father questions . But the thing is , is that if we don't ask questions to our father , how will we know ?
Know because , because correct me if I'm wrong I believe , go ahead that's the point in which our faith is often stretched .
And you know when , when things are totally wrong and we're asking where god is , in that we have to be in that place where we were once . When I've been in those places where I just didn't know what was going to happen , it came to me to just sit back and watch and see what God would do .
I don't need to take control of it , I need to let God take control of it . And yeah , more , more . Well , yes , god came through in ways that I would not have known otherwise absolutely .
I mean to me , I'm just like you know you , he , he wants us to do that , because if you're doing that , that that's a signal that you have intimacy with Jesus . You don't have intimacy , then you don't have relationship and this is what he wants us to have with him .
I mean , because we could have been robots , you know , just to do everything that he tell us with no feelings , no emotions , none of that . But even Jesus himself had emotions while he was on his journey in the earth . And so , you know , my point is don't ever get into a place where you think you can't talk to your father .
You don't ever get to a place where you think that you can't ask him a question , because I believe too that when we asking God a question , that the posture and the attitude matters . You know , I always , I oftentimes use the um how I oftentimes use , how .
You remember , in um , forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dane was on the pole in the storm and he was laying God out . You remember he was laying God out , but after the storm was over , god blessed him , he made peace with God , and again , I always believe that honesty is the best policy when we're dealing with the Father , because we're his children .
He loves us , you know , and so you know the trouble with Jesus is powerful . I love that book title . I'm interested to get it myself . So you have something in your mind and heart you want to share , go ahead , say that again . I have one I said . I said you have something in your mind or your heart you want to share in this regard ?
um , I I I love your questioning , Catherine , because that is the core of my book . This doubter and skeptic is challenging Jesus in his story and in his purpose in coming to life , and that's what I hope and pray for your listeners that they realize that this is a healthy thing to happen .
If you believe that your faith is going to be good , you'll never have questions and you can always just accept it as it is . You're not achieving as you put it I love this word intimacy in your relationship . God wants that from us and he wants from us a relationship that is honest , that is candid and in which we can grow in understanding him .
And when we do that , when those challenges come to us people challenge us we can begin to express to them our faith and what god has done in our lives . No one , no one , can ever argue what your experience is . That's right and and that's what I hope and pray that this book provides for others .
Hallelujah amen . So how do we get your book ? Okay ?
I'm going to show you the cover . I don't know if it's going to be . No , that's good .
¶ The Trouble With Jesus Book Insights
The Trouble with Jesus Considerations Before you Walk Away . By Constance Hastings . It's available wherever you love to buy books online . I particularly promote local bookstores in order to support them . If you go in and you ask for the book and they say we don't have it , ask them to order it .
They know how to order this kind of book there for their store and in that same way , it would be a , a um , almost like a witness to take . Go to your bookstore and say I want this book because somebody in that book and unpacking it is going to look at it and go oh , the trouble with Jesus .
Yeah .
So don't discount all the ways in with our life , our faith , their own personal ministry in Jesus Christ can come about . And you know , I just I just pray and hope that it becomes that kind of meaning for all of us .
Amen . So if anybody wanted to like talk to you personally or , you know , get on your social media handles or website anything would you like to share that information as well ?
Yes , companion to the book is a blog the Trouble with Jesus which can be found at my website , constancehastingscom , and if you go on my website , you can read the blog .
The blog is similar to the book , only it's only a 10 minute read for each blog , but at the same time , you'll have access through the blog to email me or any questions or any ways in which you would like to discuss something with me . I certainly would like it . You can subscribe through the website as well .
It's a sub stack email and receive the post weekly .
Amen , amen , amen . All right , y'all . So we are coming down to our last minute or two in the show , so I want to , um , I'm going to give a final word and then I'm going to ask you , uh , miss Constance , to give a final word and a prayer . Amen , in that order , but , um , amen , before she does that .
You know , at the end of the day , my word is just simply this trust Jesus no matter what , amen . Trust him no matter what , because he absolutely has a plan for your life , and don't look at the trouble as a bad thing , but look at the trouble as a way that Jesus is using to make you more like him .
At the end of the day , that you will find more clarity in who you are . Because , at the end of the day , when we're going forth in this journey , we are , jesus is perfecting us and we are becoming more like him all day , every day , I mean .
At the end of the day , when we turn our lives over to Christ , he says to us we are a new creature and we have to seek his face . And we have to seek his face , we have to find him so that we can find us . Amen . And so with that I mean , that's my final word and I hope that everyone is encouraged as they listen . Amen .
So , ms Constance , what ?
is your final word today . First of all , amen to everything that you just said , but I also want to encourage people that when they speak with these doubters and skeptics , the choice is there . Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life . Do you believe this ?
But in doing so , we have to allow , as I said , the Holy Spirit to do what the Holy Spirit will . When the rich ruler asked Jesus what must I do to attain eternal life ? And Jesus said sell all you have and give to the poor , the man walked away , and Jesus allowed him to walk away .
But don't despair when those that you love apparently will do that , because Jesus doesn't give up even when we want to walk away , and that grace follows us completely through our lives . He is always calling . So , whereas your witness in the moment may not have brought , seemingly , any transformation in their lives , let God do what God does for them .
So let us pray , then .
Gracious God Lord , before you now , catherine , myself and all who may hear this , let me just pray for those that we have in our lives that don't believe , that are living in such ways that these doubts , these skeptics , impede them from knowing , indeed , the love of Jesus Christ and what he did for us through his cross , through his resurrection , through his call
on our lives . And , lord , I thank you for all of those who will be bold and brave to take what they have in you and present it to others , to be willing to have that conversation .
For in doing so , lord , we know that you will be glorified , that this is your according will , that the Holy Spirit , power , movement and activity goes before us , and that the forgiveness , the mercy , the goodness , the love and grace in Jesus Christ is for all of us , as he came to know us , to reveal God to us and to overcome the trouble in the world .
We give this to you , then , in Jesus' blessed and holy name , amen .
Amen , hallelujah . Thank you so much for that prayer . That was an awesome prayer to God . Be the glory . All right , y'all . Y'all know what time it is . Oh , by the way , thank you again , ms Constance , for being here . We certainly appreciate your presence .
Amen .
So you stay right there . Y'all know what time it is . Until the next time we meet again , please remember that you are a diamond in the rough . Amen , and we'll see you on next week . Hallelujah , blessings and love from us to you . Have a great day .