Jesus Christ Show | Hour 3 [04/30]

You're listening to kf I am six forty on demand. Skylar, Welcome to Jesus Christ Show. Hi Jesus Um, thanks for tying show. UM, I have a U wait Skylar, Skylar, Honey one second? How old are you? Eleven? Eleven? And Skylar? Do your parents know that you're calling? Yes? Okay, good, go ahead. UM. I have a spiritual thing, UM that I'm being boyed in school by a girl and I don't really like it. M. And how is she boying you? Like? She's like making fun of me, She's like falling me around

M. And what does she make fun of? Things you say? Things you do? Or she just generally is making fun of um. She's like, um doing the things you said? MMM, you know the things that people can make fun of, like, UM, my producer Neil he went bald when he was like like twenty three years old, so he shaves his head so he's got no hair and sometimes people will joke about that, but it also it's also what makes him distinctive. It's also what makes him memorable.

And sometimes people point out those things about you because they're memorable and they don't know how to express it, so they do it in a negative way, but ultimately other people see that as one of the things that make you a wonderful human being is that you have these unique the way you say things, or the funny things you say, or the way you walk or the

way you talk. And if they're pointing those things out and they're making fun of them, usually that is what makes you different and makes you wonderful and makes you Skylar and not someone else. But as far as what scripture says, scripture says, and you can read this with your folks later on in the Book of Romans, and this is chapter twelve, verse twenty. It says, but if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink, for in so doing you will heap burning

coals upon his head. And it goes which doesn't sound very pleasant, but listen, it goes on to say, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. So the scripture asks you to be nice to those people that are mean to you, as long as they aren't physically trying to hurt you. If they get to the point where they're hitting you, or they're throwing things at you, or they are gonna try and harm you that way. Then I want you to let someone know because that's not okay.

And if they're using words to say mean things, you want to tell people, but I don't want you to say mean things back to them, okay, because that makes you that lowers you to their level, and I don't want you to do that. So I want you, honey, to read through that scripture with your folks later on. And I also want you to ask them about this show and let them explain to you what we do here and all that, because that'll be part of the fun as well.

But just know that when people point things out about you and what you look like, those are the special parts about you. Okay, Okay, all right, my dear, you go and you have a great day. You rock down, well, you rock to Skylar bub bye, honey, My goodness. It's very easy to look at life and to look at what you are and who you are and the things that your physical attributes are, what have you or the way you say things. A bully is someone who just

wants to point those things out. But they want to point those things out and hope it's not constructive criticism. They're pointing these things out and hopefully in hopes of hurting you. My goodness, we get we get email like that all the time, and so please know I'm not above it. But you can't let that slow you down. If you watch these shows like um they have those wedding series, you know, where they show everything that went want

wrong at the wedding, I guarantee that's what made the wedding memorable. It's those things that stand out, that are different that make you memorable. When something doesn't go right, that makes that time memorable. If it's just a day, an average day, where everything goes okay, you forget it. It's the days where something exceptional happens, either good or bad, that you

know, buries that into your brain. And just like Skylar, that that there's there's going to be attributes of Skylar that somebody may think is funny or they want to make fun of the name and change it a little bit. That's what kids do. And there's some bullying that is not fun, but it's kind of the healthy part of growing up. And then there's this new breed of bullying that gets very ugly and super mean spirited and and should be

defended against. And there is a time for the as well. Never let anybody put a hand on you, Let never let anybody harm you in any way, shape or form, ever, and that you defend yourself against that, and you go to the proper authorities if you're at school or at work or whatever, to let them know if you're being bullied there as well,

because it happens at works sometimes as well. But when people start to point out characteristics, the way you talk, or things like that, take pride in that if you were to go and have a cartoon drawn of you at the fair or at you know, Disneyland or disney World or something, and you have a drawing done of you, you'll see that they will accentuate certain parts of you, and you may be offended by that, Oh wow, my body really? That small as my head? That big is my nose?

That big? I mean No, it's an exaggeration of those things that make you you. And that's what bullying is sometimes. It's people trying to exaggerate the wonderful characteristics that make you you and make them a negative, and you want to make them a positive by not succumbing to that, not giving in to those taunts and making you someone ugly like they're being and you continue

to love them through it. Now I read verse twenty in addition to twenty one because my producer Neil quite frankly gets a kick out of it every time he reads that being an ice to your enemy leaped, you know, heaps coals upon their head. Obviously that is referencing Proverbs twenty five as well there, but that that imagery of that kindness leaping or keeping coals upon their head is really to show you that that your goodness is what bothers somebody who's being

bad, and by being kind to them it really is twofold. It allows you from breaking down and becoming them. And then two it is like you know, across to a vampire. Kindness burns and it will hopefully help them see the stupidity of their ways. But always be, you know, take the high road. Stillwell, welcome to the Jesus Christ Show. Yes, Jesus, I'm calling because my father and I came to the state of Texas

from Florida to establish the church following my dad's calling to do that. My dad has had a long success of of doing that and anyways became to Texas. I left everything to help him open up the church. The church has been going on for about four years. It's going well, but he had to move back to Florida for a couple of reasons. But anyways, Um, we have a new pastor, and obviously it's it's hard for me to

just I've never had another pastor other than my dad. Um, but at this time, you know, I'm here and I'm a leader here, I'm the music director and I have you know, It's my problem is that I have a hard time identifying with the new pastor and I feel like I'm just fulfilling my responsibilities and then myself and my family are not being spiritually fed. And what is it that's so? What is it that's so different in regards to your current pastor? You know his his A lot of it has to

do with his preaching style. A lot of it has to do with all the changes, um that happened so quickly. Um, it just seemed as though the teachings that my father used to bring were more I don't know, they just kind of and it's it's more people than just myself. But do you have a problem with a pastor himself? Do you get along with him? Oh? I get along with him. Great. I think he's a he has good intentions, and I feel that the church is going to succeed.

Um, I just I don't know if I just not your taste, it's not your cup of tea. I don't feel like I'm I'm learning, and I don't feel like I'm being spiritually fed. And I just don't know if you know I have responsibilities there, So I don't know if it's it's okay to do that. Do you have a desire to pastor the church yourself? No, I don't not at all. Okay, so you can pick up and you can move to another church, no problem. Yeah, I feel like I could do that, and I feel like it it's what my

heart wants. And I went to another church the other day and I felt it was amazing the experience I had, and I felt that that's where I belonged. But I have responsibilities here, so I understand my questions. Are the responsibilities more important than you know, my family, spiritual life and being fed? No, your responsibilities. Your responsibilities are to your family first and

then to that that body second, I mean the church body. It's wonderful for you to be a participant and people should be a participant in their churches. And you have a commitment. I mean, if you've signed something or you've said I will be here till this time, then you should fulfill that. But if it's if it's not you know, a contract that you've made with the church, or if you just really if you think that the church is doing anything damaging, if it's just not your cup of tea, then

you should you know, you finish and you fulfill. But if if you're if you're saying that you're not being fed and it's not your flavor and all of these things, then you know you're obligated to pick up and move. You give them proper amount of time to find a replacement. UM, explain your your concerns and say this is you know where I'm at. I feel really lad I went to this other church, and I feel very motivated by this church, and UM that you'd like to take your family there and you

feel like you're being led there. But you don't want to leave them in the lurch either by not having someone to replace you or any of those things. So treat it like a job in that sense, and give them a proper amount of time to get somebody else. But there's nothing wrong with switching churches as long as it doesn't become you know, musical churches and you just didn't you know, didn't, didn't, didn't and you just keep hopping from one to one um and really search yourself. I mean, have you gone

to churches that were pastored by your father for a long time? Yeah, my whole life. Yeah, So it might be that might be a hard change for you to begin with, to sit under someone else or to hear someone else's teaching and you're you, you've been fed a particular type of food, a particular type of way for a long time, and it may just

be discomfort. So just make sure that you search your heart thoroughly and prayerfully on this and make sure that it's not an emotional decision based on normal discomfort. But there's there's nothing wrong with leaving a church, even if you're in leadership, as long as you give them proper amount of time voice your your concerns or thoughts or wishes or what you feel you're being led to and all those so that the pastor doesn't get, you know, sideswiped and then feels

like they're doing something wrong. It just may not be what you're looking for currently. Okay, all right, excellent and good, I hope so, and then you move forward prayerfully. I mean imagine this if and this happens a lot in churches, that if if strangely enough, you went to a restaurant you didn't like something, you would assume, well, that's just not to my taste. I mean, some people might go, oh, that's a horrible restaurant. You know, the sauce was too watery or whatever it

be. But really it might just be your taste. And if your taste is not into that, well then you go to another restaurant that suits your palette. Is Spiritually, a lot of people will jump on the bandwagon of a new church, and then if if the pastors stern on something or says something they don't like, now all of a sudden that it's not being led

by God. And I think that's silly. I think churches, for the most part, are the pastors are listening to God and the movement of the church and the Holy Spirit to see where God is going and are being attentive that way, and the rest is going to be flavoring and things that you like or that you don't like based on your own particular palette. But don't put that on. Don't put that on them. That's not fair to just cramp it down their throat. It's not fair. Jane. Welcome to the

Jesus Christ Show. Hid Hi Jane. How can I help him? My dear had a frog in my throat? That's okay, get him out. I did cost him up, excellent, it could It could be worse. It could be a series of frogs or locusts or frogs. Not so bad about hoss. Yes, well, how can I help you, my dear. I have a lit cross that hangs on a gutter on the back side

of my house. It was kind of an afterthought with our lit up Christmas decorations, and when we took the Christmas things down, we decided to leave the cross up and I turned it on every night for about an hour. And a neighbor told my husband yesterday two doors away that he could see it in the reflection of the window of the house across the street, and he found it extremely offensive offensive to have a cross shining in the neighbor's window across

the street. And I walked over last night to see if that was true, and he had to really cran his neck to be able to see it. But that's beside the point. At Christmas, he had a great, big peace symbol it up in his window, and I didn't go tell him and offended me. But that's not the point. My first reaction was not a good one, and I thought I'd go up and give him a piece of my mind. But I don't have a lot to spare because I'm getting older, so I decided not to do that. You may not get it

back, Yeah, that's true. And I decided, well, I looked at some scripture and realized that I needed to take the cross down. If I love because I'm a follower of yours, the loving thing to do would be to take the cross down. My question for you is should I write him a note and tell him in a very nice way why I'm taking it down. I'm not taking it down because I'm afraid of him, or the only reason I'm taking it down is because I don't want to offend him.

I'm more concerned about loving him, and the loving thing, and the peaceful thing to do in the neighborhood would be to take it down. So should I let him know or should I just take it down. Well, look, there's a couple of things going on here. And first, is this someone that you have problems with or you've never encountered other problems? Actually know him? He came to our home. We had a Christmas tea and he came and everything was very pleasant. Has he voiced that he has a differing

belief than you? Well, I don't know. We didn't talk about our belief I assume he probably does. With the piece symbol in his window when everybody else had Christmas decorations, but nothing, you know, we didn't bring it up, We didn't tell We were all very pleasant. There's been a problem. So during during the Christmas time holiday, he put up just the the crow's foot, the little chicken foot peace symbol, very big eight foot one in his window. But that was his business. He has a freedom

to do that. Of course, we put up a big lit Nativity scene in our front yard with the cross in the background. I see. So this is in the front yard of the backyard that you have. This cross is hanging on a gutter on the back side of the house, but you can see it from the front of the house and that's why it's there. I kind of left it up because of this business with the cross out in the desert that people really have to go out of the way to see,

and somebody wants it taken down. The memorials to the veterans, and I thought, Okay, this is private property, not a lot of people going to see it. But if everybody that believes put across up, people wouldn't have to go to the desert to see one. Well, I understand where you're coming from, and I do. I do completely here that it's frustrating when it's your own property and the like. But if the purpose is to bring peace and understanding to one another via this symbol, that really, I

mean, it is just a symbol. There's you know, there are two guys died next to me on crosses as well. It's more about the resurrection that brings that piece of hope. And in this particular case, if it's offensive um uh to somebody like that, and it's it doesn't change your house, it's not you're not superstitious. It means nothing to you as far as superstition, and um then I think that it is a beautiful sentiment for you to to take the higher road and to love end quote your enemy or your

neighbor through through this. And there's nothing wrong with you writing a note and saying it has come to my attention that the cross bothers you. Um it. It brings me great peace and joy to see it lit up for that hour each night. UM. But I would never want my peace or joy to infringe on your own. And so I'm taking it down. UM. I hope that this is you know, not to be nasty or anything.

Um uh you know, Uh, My my goal is to for us all to live in this neighborhood, um, being friendly and helping one another, and you know, please always let us know. And if it's something we can do, we will do. Thank you, you know, and just have that kind of attitude. Not nan or nan or nan or or or yeah I took this down because of you, your big jerk and or anything like that, because that doesn't really it's a hard that then it becomes a pride issue. Uh and uh and and do it that way, I think

is the more loving and peaceful way to bring it about. And not hey, you put up a peace symbol and I put up this or what and don't look for things that he's doing that you can shoot back at or anything like that. Just leave it at that and say, well, I was happy to have it for the time that I did, and it infringed on other people, and I will respect that, knowing that you live in a community that communes with one another, and and leave it at that. But

I think you have the healthy and the proper attitude. Jane, Thank you, You're very welcome. Thank you. I know it's frustrating, and I know that there's it's going to be some of you that may disagree with that and say no, you're stand strong and hold it up. But here's the

thing. It's it's this attitude where where you're just trying to protect that symbol, and really what you want to protect is what the symbol stands for, right which is Christianity, which is the following of Christ, which is the tenets of Scripture and the importance and the beauty and the justice of scripture and your freedom to express that in the United States. That's what you're trying to protect. And if that's what you're trying to protect, then it's not about

the symbol. It's never about the symbol. I know that that in that context, you're any more than your marriage is about the wedding ring. That those things are symbols, outward symbols. So the world knows, but the world should know that you're a Christian in many different ways that have nothing to do with jewelry or affectations, you know, a koutraman or things around the house. Your faith should be worn on the very expression of who you are

and what you do in life, the way you act. This very act of taking down that cross in this context, the very act of showing that restraint and loving a neighbor and saying goodness, gracious. That was never my intent to offend. So please take this action of me removing the cross from

my lighted cross as a sign of peace and understanding. That becomes a very powerful note because I guarantee if somebody went to someone with that attitude and says, take your peace symbol down off of your window, they go, no, forget you, I'm going to do what I'm going to do, and you really it really shows the nature of a person, not what they say or how they act, but how they react to a situation. That really shows the character of the individual. And I think Jane obviously has on an

immense amount of character and faith. Her faith isn't wrapped up in a piece of plastic or a piece of metal or a piece of wood. Her faith is wrapped up in her heart and no one can ask you to take that down. Throughout the existence of the United States, you've seen that this goes back and forth. Jane even cited one herself that there's this kind of war on the symbols of Christianity. Now you can, you know, you can

look at things like other pagan belief systems and it's a okay. The Jack O'Lantern and the black cat, which these types of things, even if they're fanciful recreations or representations of them, that they can you can put those up in a school and there's no problem. But you have to call a Christmas tree holiday tree, or you can't put any of these symbols up because they represent Christianity. And yes, there's a double standard, get used to it.

There are also others that fight for in God, we trust on money and one nation under God in the Pledge of Allegiance, when that wasn't even originally in the Pledge of Allegiance. And you're not going to tell me that the country was less God focused when it wasn't in the pledge of allegiance.

So be careful what you fight for. It's not that those things aren't worth fighting for at times, and there are opportunities because it really starts to infringe on your freedoms as well as a standpoint of being an American that you should have that ground. But more importantly than any of the symbols or any of those statements, you know what would mean more to me than it's saying God we trust on your money. What would mean more to me is if you

trusted God truly, honestly and in the depths of your heart. That has more value and means more to me than just saying it or throwing it on a dollar bill. So I think when you look at the actions and your actions, speaking loudly and showing the character who you are, I think that's more powerful. And now this guy has to go to bed each night not feeling like he had a victory in any way, shape or form, because it's not What does that even mean? If you have it on for an

hour or two, it's no big deal. But why fight that and have him further dig his heels into the ground against Christianity and those the practice Christianity, and another reason to fuel the fires of his frustration, anger, or whatever it might be that make him feel that way, because to be offended by a cross is a bizarre thing. You can drive up and down streets all over the place and see that people have symbols of their Jewish faith on

their doorposts. I for one, find that beautiful. I smile every time I see one at the that symbol of an outward faith that is deep within an individual. And if somebody doesn't feel the same way, then so be it. But people searching and the different beliefs out there and all of that is a thing of beauty. The purpose, the hope is that they obtain truth. And it's not just for culture, it's not just out of habit

or those things, but it's truly truth seeking. And some people that will be a turn off to, and there's others that will appreciate it and understand it for what it is. But my concern foremost, always above everything is going to be what's in your heart, not what's hanging on a wall. Mike, Welcome to the Jesus Christ Show. Thank you, Jesus, thank you for taking my call, my pleasure. How can I help you?

Well, I've known many friends over the years from different religions that all believe in Jesus, and they also believe even God and pray to one God, and they have good families and everything. And they'll tell me that because I believe Jesus is God, that I can't go to Heather. Oh. Well,

they're sound like fine friends, but bad theologians. That that's really part of Christianity, an essential And if you remember when I was talking with the disciples, often I would ask them and who do you say that I am? That that was a huge importance to their belief because if they had some sort of false notion as to who I was, then they were no longer important to the cause of growing Christianity. So will you find in scripture a

place where I say the words I am God? No? Never, But you do find throughout scripture statements that are the equivalent, especially two thousand years ago. Uh. For instance John ten thirty I say I and the Father are one. Uh. That's a major claim. So John ten thirty three. Also, um, if you remember, they tried to stone me for that very reason, and it's you know, which good work do you stone me? Well, they're not stoning me because they want to. They're stoning

me because I'm making a proclamation of deity. And I love to go to John because that is the deity of Christ. They find in John John eight fifty eight. Yes, and including John you know one one which is you know in the beginning was the word, the word good God, and the word was God. But then one of these religions they have a Bible that says God was a god, a god small gee. And then it's like my Bible is wrong or something. Okay, well here's the thing. There's

there's a bunch more. John eight fifty eight is a great example. I tell you the truth. Before Abraham was born, I am that that word I am is a Hebraic reference that is incredibly power powerful at the time, and so much so that again based on Leviticus levitical law, they wanted to stone me. So um, the John one one verse gets difficult. And although it's a great verse, in the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God. And the word became flesh

later on in fourteen. But the problem with that is that in the Greek um there's there. It's a little convoluted. So technically the verse that they're saying, hey, it can be translated this way, they're right, Oh no, no, it can be. However, it's not proper translation in the Greek. So I'm not going to get into all the complications because there are many as to why why it can be translated that way. But context, context, and we're running out of time, so I want to get

a few things out. Context does not allow it. So yes, is it grabbed grammatically a possibility? Yes? Is it a possibility in context of the verse? Absolutely not. So well can I go to heaven? Though? Jesus as my main question that can they go to heaven if they pray to God for intercession? And I do believe in Jesus, I do know

anymore than if you if you won't find the same place. If you dial a phone number and you get the last two digits wrong, but everything else was done with good intent, and you really believe in the area code was right and all that you're you're not going to get the same person. I would also ask you to go to Acts twenty twenty eight and a very good one is John twenty twenty eight that talks about Thomas. If you remember,

he says ikusmuthus moon in the Greek. He says the Lord of me, the God of me, and that would be and I don't correct him. I don't correct him at all. And if that was, if he was wrong, it would be blasphemy. And I would have corrected him because he was calling me God. He wasn't saying oh my God, which is what that particular group that comes knocking on your door will tell you. But that would have been using God's name in vain, and he would have been reprimanded.

I didn't reprimand him. Remember, more importantly than all this nuttiness, these words, I Am with you always kf I AIX on demand