Saved at 60: Scott Cunningham Faith & Finding Jesus Late in Life

Dave Quak 
Sunburnt souls. I am really blessed because my friend Scott Cunningham has come up from Melbourne for the weekend. We were at a conference together, but all would say Scott, of all people, you are the OG some souls. Listen, I like the original. You've been giving me positive feedback for over a year and it is just a delight to have you here today, mate.

00:00:50:01 - 00:01:08:16
Scott 
Oh, thanks for having me, Dave, I appreciate it. I never thought there was this. Not a scenario I thought would ever. Okay, but I mean full and full credit to you two for the the work you're doing. It really does speak of the of God's glory, of our father's glory, and the way you're stepping out in faith and doing what you're doing.

00:01:08:18 - 00:01:12:15
Scott 
It's a it's a pleasure to be a part of. It's a blessing to be a part of it, man.

00:01:12:17 - 00:01:35:14
Dave Quak 
And it is a pleasure to have you here. Actually, Scotty's got me here at the start of Winging week because basically, I start winging every week at about April. Because it's cold, bro. It's cold. I hate the cold so much. Like, you don't understand how much I hate the cold. Like, I got a bit going that I reckon Hills actually cold.

00:01:35:14 - 00:01:39:16
Dave Quak 
Not hot because it would be way worse to be freezing in hell rather than.

00:01:39:21 - 00:01:45:06
Scott 
Well, it's going to be extreme one way or another. So whether it's a cold, it's like whatever it is.

00:01:45:08 - 00:01:50:19
Dave Quak 
And then you're like, oh no, it's not cold here because I'm from Melbourne and you're like, not cold at all. It's cold.

00:01:50:21 - 00:02:05:08
Scott 
It's relative. It's really in Melbourne, born and raised. So it doesn't you take seasons just as I come. I'm still a fan. I'm a I'm a snake at heart in that respect. In terms of, like, the weather, it's like, cold blooded. So I need I prefer the heat.

00:02:05:10 - 00:02:06:16
Dave Quak 
You like the heat to.

00:02:06:18 - 00:02:08:17
Scott 
Enjoy the heat? Yeah, I enjoy the heat, man.

00:02:08:17 - 00:02:08:24
Dave Quak 
It's good.

00:02:08:24 - 00:02:13:03
Scott 
When this winter, I take it as it is. But I've got a choice. I'll go with heat.

00:02:13:04 - 00:02:19:23
Dave Quak 
It's the first time I've ever heard someone call them a snake themselves. A snake that in a good sense of a snake.

00:02:20:00 - 00:02:21:12
Scott 
Oh, I have, I have their place.

00:02:21:13 - 00:02:37:01
Dave Quak 
I got their place. S they go to that place, bro. Let's start. Okay. So you're a man of faith. Why don't we start with that? So. Right, even now, you know, we were about to start in the I a to go and he came back with your Bible. Ever since I've known you, man, you're a man of the word and a man of faith.

00:02:37:03 - 00:02:39:22
Dave Quak 
Why don't we start there? What's going on with you and Jesus.

00:02:39:24 - 00:03:12:17
Scott 
Man? Jesus. Well, I know now there's been a walk that's been going on all my life that now I'm aware that walk so I can do it. I can commit on. It's a walk of conviction now. So that way I understand what I'm investing in, where my identity lies. So rather than it being done in Scottsdale, or what I think is right or what others tell me unless it aligns with his his truth, that authenticity, it doesn't it doesn't stand up to that litmus test.

00:03:12:19 - 00:03:44:22
Scott 
It doesn't doesn't stand up to. So that's where I find now with the Bible. It's it. It is everything. It really is the word. Because I've gravitated towards different philosophies and simple truths, whether you want to call them homespun truths or whatever, truth is truth. And it's always been something I've gravitated towards. And and when I found that what I found the Bible and it's like, hey, this covers it, it covers and it speaks to this and it speaks into that.

00:03:44:22 - 00:03:48:21
Scott 
And it's like, this is I didn't think the Bible is like this.

00:03:48:23 - 00:03:51:21
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Was that a later discovery for you Scotty.

00:03:52:01 - 00:04:15:12
Scott 
Oh that only came when I came to Christianity because I'd never other than that I was aware of the Bible and you, everybody knows about Genesis. If any one book or revelation that like most books usually start at the end. Yeah, that's that joke about you read the last page so you know it's coming up. But then I knew of Genesis that and that was a that was an interesting story.

00:04:15:12 - 00:04:33:11
Scott 
My brother was a man, a man of God. 20 came to God a lot earlier than I did at 20 years plus. And he died, November 23rd. God blessing. And, he always credits me with his the start of his journey in faith.

00:04:33:15 - 00:04:34:10
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Okay.

00:04:34:10 - 00:04:49:11
Scott 
And it's like, yeah, okay. How is that? He said, well, we're having a conversation once and I'll raise a few questions. And you just said to me, well, if you're not sure, just go to Genesis and read that, because that's where it all started. I can't remember that coming. I know, and yeah.

00:04:49:13 - 00:04:50:05
Dave Quak 
Yeah, well so.

00:04:50:05 - 00:04:51:15
Scott 
That started him on his journey.

00:04:51:18 - 00:04:57:17
Dave Quak 
Oh that's amazing. I'm sorry to hear of his passing. How come he died? He must have been young,

00:04:57:19 - 00:04:58:15
Scott 
Early 60s.

00:04:58:16 - 00:04:58:23
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:04:59:01 - 00:05:22:23
Scott 
He just he had, Yeah, it just had, pneumonia. Come on. And it just had knocking sideways. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, Yeah. Man of God. It really, really was so funny. I should say. He's he's with us anyway, because that's from his. That was him in his Navy days. Oh, well, I know it was him and his later days.

00:05:23:00 - 00:05:27:08
Dave Quak 
We're looking at a picture of him from. Is this from the, funeral? Pamphlet?

00:05:27:08 - 00:05:28:10
Scott 
Yes. Sorry. Yes.

00:05:28:10 - 00:05:36:14
Dave Quak 
Harold Craig Cunningham. He didn't. Yeah. He he's a vibrant looking guy. So he's got Navy days as well. You're in the Navy as well?

00:05:36:15 - 00:05:40:24
Scott 
Yes. He joined several months. I joined January 80th. He joined March it.

00:05:41:01 - 00:05:41:16
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Right.

00:05:41:16 - 00:05:45:12
Scott 
And that photo from memory, I believe was taken at my graduation.

00:05:45:14 - 00:05:47:11
Dave Quak 
This one. So he's in the Navy at that time? Yes.

00:05:47:11 - 00:05:52:17
Scott 
He attended. He attended my graduation in uniform and we went out to would have some photos taken to commemorate.

00:05:52:19 - 00:05:53:21
Dave Quak 
Yeah, well, he looks young.

00:05:54:02 - 00:06:01:07
Scott 
Well, at that time that would have been, 1980. So he would have been 18.

00:06:01:09 - 00:06:01:24
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:06:02:01 - 00:06:04:21
Scott 
Maybe not even.

00:06:04:23 - 00:06:07:03
Dave Quak 
A lot of fellows enlisted young in those days. I.

00:06:07:05 - 00:06:20:14
Scott 
Well, I didn't realize I forgotten how young he was. He actually had to get signed up by mom and dad because he wasn't. He was just 17.5. Yeah. So he had to get signed up by mom and dad was, oh, I was 18, so I could sign it so I could join myself. I was an adult. Yeah.

00:06:20:14 - 00:06:25:01
Dave Quak 
So they. What was the Navy like for you, man? Was were you working with Jesus at that time?

00:06:25:01 - 00:06:44:08
Scott 
No. As I said, Jesus for me is only that work with Jesus, that that intentional walk, that walk of conviction has only been since, I can't put a month on, but there wasn't, like, a single moment, a spiritual awakening or an epiphany. It was, beginning of 2022.

00:06:44:10 - 00:06:47:01
Dave Quak 
It's pretty recent because you got baptized only last year.

00:06:47:03 - 00:06:51:10
Scott 
Baptized in July of last year. Yes.

00:06:51:10 - 00:07:00:19
Dave Quak 
Yeah. I remember seeing your testimony, man. You got up and preached it up. You were ready to unleash. Did they have to give you a little time limit? Because I reckon you would have gone for an hour if they let you.

00:07:00:21 - 00:07:15:08
Scott 
Well, I had to when I was writing it, I thought to myself, you need to pull your head in. You can you could easily. Like I had verbosity even when I was at school was the same thing. I. Yeah. You'd come out and you'd have a a ten page assignment needed to be a few hundred words.

00:07:15:08 - 00:07:22:21
Scott 
So I had to trim it. So yeah. It's been. Yeah. Like my father used to say, I've been vaccinated with a gramophone needle.

00:07:22:23 - 00:07:45:09
Dave Quak 
So you you brother said that you were instrumental in his faith, but at that point, you didn't really have your own faith. No. As much. But then, like you said, 2022, it became real. What made it real? Like what was it? The not not the defining moment because you just said it wasn't like an epiphany. But what was the transition from life before to what you're doing now?

00:07:45:11 - 00:08:13:24
Scott 
Well, toward the end of 2021, with the, the implications of Covid and whatever, my work would, I lost my job. And then I had that was November. And then in December, I had an episode that I ended up in hospital and had some significant back surgery and then spent a lost ten kilo, spent a few months recovering.

00:08:14:01 - 00:08:31:15
Scott 
And it's while I was in hospital. I never, never really had any concern or regard for my mortality. Call it, what you could call a blind faith, but not that I had faith at that time, or just dumb, like, it's like, well, I'm in a hospital. You sick? You're dealing with something. You're in a hospital. So that's where you need to be.

00:08:31:17 - 00:08:41:20
Scott 
Yeah, but I was in rural Melbourne for ten days, and during one of the numerous chips backwards and forwards for different tests, we went past the chaplain's office.

00:08:42:00 - 00:08:42:11
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:08:42:13 - 00:08:58:08
Scott 
And I thought, You know. Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a chat with somebody just cos, but I wasn't interested in having a chat with any of the Western, so I found that they had a Buddhist chaplain.

00:08:58:11 - 00:08:58:23
Dave Quak 
Oh, yeah.

00:08:58:23 - 00:09:18:04
Scott 
So I said. And so I made arrangements for OCS nursing staff and said, oh, yeah, we'll let them know. And I ended up coming around, but not because I know I ended up having a chat with her. And then I said, oh, I know. I looked delved into Buddhism. They're like, read different books and just not really divided too, but just the resignation of their philosophy.

00:09:18:04 - 00:09:36:08
Scott 
You just it hit a chord. That then I had a chat with her and I, she gave me some names of, like the tradition she was in. I went home and I thought, I'll follow this up. And when I started looking into it, it was like this tradition in that tradition. And this is not a by no means a judgment, miss.

00:09:36:08 - 00:10:07:06
Scott 
I'm talking to. I'm looking from the outside. And I thought, this, to me, is presenting the way that religion presents in the West. Which is what kept me away from religion is like the different denominations in their declarations and their stances on doctrine and you're you're one or you're this or you're something else. And I thought, why would I go and looking into a, a or culturally different religion when I've got this one that I didn't think I was going to stay away from?

00:10:07:06 - 00:10:18:03
Scott 
That reason. I'm seeing the same thing here. So I just thought, oh, I'll look into it a bit more. I think I've shared this with before. I read a Myles Munroe book.

00:10:18:09 - 00:10:19:14
Dave Quak 
Oh, yeah.

00:10:19:16 - 00:10:24:08
Scott 
That fatherhood, the the, Jamaican minister. Yeah.

00:10:24:08 - 00:10:32:19
Dave Quak 
I haven't heard that name in a long time before you mention him. Yeah, he was really huge, like 20 years ago, right? Is he, like, bald?

00:10:32:21 - 00:10:34:10
Scott 
Not a lot up top. No, no, no, no.

00:10:34:12 - 00:10:36:10
Dave Quak 
I know the guy. I mean, yeah.

00:10:36:12 - 00:10:39:13
Scott 
Yeah. He died 2014, in a plane crash.

00:10:39:15 - 00:10:40:11
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Okay.

00:10:40:11 - 00:11:00:15
Scott 
Yeah, I read when I read that book. He's about fatherhood because at the time, the grandson had just been born. He was born, February 5th, 21. So I would have been just going on one. So his father asked me to, he said, and I said, oh, I'd notice that book on your bookshelf. I was going to ask about it, you guys.

00:11:00:15 - 00:11:09:21
Scott 
Oh, yeah. He said, have a read. And you see. So I read it. And the way he spoke of God, I'd never in Canada at any rate, before.

00:11:09:21 - 00:11:12:02
Dave Quak 
Was it the father heart sort of stuff?

00:11:12:03 - 00:11:12:20
Scott 


00:11:12:22 - 00:11:15:11
Dave Quak 
What was it that really made you kind of drawn to it?

00:11:15:12 - 00:11:22:23
Scott 
Not. It wasn't anything in particular, but it was just that that continuity. And it was. It was from mercy and compassion.

00:11:23:03 - 00:11:23:13
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:11:23:13 - 00:11:32:22
Scott 
And love. Whereas I just grew up with it was a God of, an angry god, a vengeful god. Wrath. Retribution.

00:11:32:24 - 00:11:33:06
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:11:33:11 - 00:11:38:12
Scott 
Punitive. Yeah. You you tie the line, you're going to get smited. You're going to get smoked.

00:11:38:14 - 00:11:58:01
Dave Quak 
Yeah. It's amazing when we get that revelation. Hey, after hearing religious God, who is, like you say, he's portrayed as angry and vengeful and everything else, and then realizing God's is over and over, slow to anger, abounding in love, what did that do for your own relationship with your kids?

00:11:58:03 - 00:12:26:09
Scott 
Well, I've always been close to the two children, dearly. My wife and I, Julie, we're blessed with two fine, fine human beings. Yeah, our son Aaron and our daughter Rebecca. And they they're very much their own people. That was always the big thing. Yeah. So what? It's actually done is open my eyes to the extent of their their faith.

00:12:26:11 - 00:12:27:13
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:12:27:15 - 00:12:28:14
Scott 
It was always there.

00:12:28:19 - 00:12:29:10
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:12:29:12 - 00:12:46:01
Scott 
And Becky's being a follower of Jesus for that for a while, and it's like nothing was said about it. It was just accepted. And and I can bring up topics in the air. You guys are any familiar with the stories?

00:12:46:05 - 00:12:46:15
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:12:46:15 - 00:13:00:24
Scott 
So where he's where he when and where he's reading the Bible I don't know. It doesn't matter. I don't need to question him or interrogate him to make sure that he's doing it. Just when we had these conversations, you know, that he knows or that he's familiar with what we're talking about.

00:13:01:03 - 00:13:03:23
Dave Quak 
Yeah. And Becky got baptized not long after you hear.

00:13:04:00 - 00:13:07:18
Scott 
She got baptized November of 23.

00:13:07:20 - 00:13:11:23
Dave Quak 
When you mentioned their names, you teared up quickly. What's going on there?

00:13:12:00 - 00:13:33:14
Scott 
Oh. It just needs to be to be blessed with, to, to search, to find human beings. Yeah. That, when you and when you look at it and after what we spoke about over the weekend through the course of the workshop and what Jesus said about that, the angels aren't even made in God's image, and I don't procreate.

00:13:33:14 - 00:13:54:00
Scott 
And you think that we're part of that, that dominion as well, that divine, that divine dominion and that we can pass that on and that is pro creation, and that's where the, the, the, the true meaning of these words. It's really starting to hit me now. It's like, yeah bro. And means in in his stead. Yeah. Under his dominion.

00:13:54:02 - 00:14:16:01
Scott 
So we're creating as parents but only through his authority. And when you, when you as I said to be blessed starts to fine human beings. And you hear things about and then it's not because people know that Scott's their father and Julie's their mother. But then when I meet Nate, Julie and I, they saw you during the sign and it's like, oh, you done such a great job.

00:14:16:03 - 00:14:17:07
Scott 
They've done the good work.

00:14:17:07 - 00:14:18:01
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:14:18:03 - 00:14:24:02
Scott 
We created we we created the environment as best we could. And then they flourish in that environment.

00:14:24:04 - 00:14:30:20
Dave Quak 
Yeah I know it's rude to ask someone that age so I won't ask your age Corey. But how old were you in 2022.

00:14:30:22 - 00:14:35:08
Scott 
How old I was in 2022. Well at the beginning of 2022 I 60.

00:14:35:10 - 00:14:55:06
Dave Quak 
Yeah. So you found Jesus at 60. And you've been active in discipleship and following him and getting hooked into the church and getting baptized. So, you know, it's you're in a rare minority. Not a lot of people meet Jesus for real later in life, right? Like a lot of people do it on the on the 20 years old or, you know.

00:14:55:08 - 00:15:06:00
Scott 
I'm fine. I'm getting a lot of that say back. Even when I first joined the church, people are like, people would ask us what church you come from because I it's like people move. It's it's always at a state of flux.

00:15:06:00 - 00:15:06:20
Dave Quak 
Yeah, yeah.

00:15:06:20 - 00:15:26:08
Scott 
And it's like, that gives you a new face and I see your age. So I probably I until I get all the places and when I explain the story that just you just see the eyes wide and it's like, it's, I get this. Yeah. It's I've read that it's it's not, not a not a common thing.

00:15:26:09 - 00:15:35:15
Dave Quak 
That's not common. It's amazing, though, because it changes the whole demographic of not just your life, but also your wife's and your children and then grandchildren as well.

00:15:35:16 - 00:15:45:15
Scott 
Well, I'm stepping in. I'm stepping into that authority that that's invested in fathers and husbands. Yeah. And which really when I look at it, I've neglected over the years.

00:15:45:16 - 00:15:52:07
Dave Quak 
Yeah. When you realize you neglected it, did that come with any shame or anything? Because I don't think it should. Like, it's just because.

00:15:52:07 - 00:15:52:18
Scott 
I.

00:15:52:19 - 00:15:53:16
Dave Quak 
Have the revelation.

00:15:53:16 - 00:16:13:05
Scott 
Yet I tend to be matter of fact about the single. I've used the term pragmatic with people before, and I said, it's like you're not living yourself as a pragmatist, but you're talking about decisions that you make. I label myself as being matter of fact. It's like it's done, it's done. You can beat yourself up over it, or you can look at it and learn from it.

00:16:13:05 - 00:16:42:06
Scott 
Yeah. So I'll look at it. And by and large, things that things were not a stable household. It's fine. But in looking at the truth, that true authority, that God, that God given dominion as a father and a family, that's what and how that works. And what had the Bible points that at it. That is it's just so much it's just really just drawing things together for me and just aligned it with his truth.

00:16:42:08 - 00:16:54:24
Dave Quak 
It's cool man. Yeah. Walking along with his truth. This is a bit of a weird question, especially for me to ask, but why do you listen to somebody and soul so much? Yeah. Do you remain like.

00:16:54:24 - 00:16:57:01
Scott 
An answer, a question where the question is like, why not?

00:16:57:04 - 00:16:58:09
Dave Quak 
Yeah, because you're.

00:16:58:09 - 00:17:01:05
Scott 
Right. Why are you doing this? And what do you hope people get from it?

00:17:01:05 - 00:17:23:01
Dave Quak 
I mean, for me, it's just hoping people who have meant like all issues, but people with mental wellbeing issues, like people who have mental ill health, that they'll believe that God is absolutely invested in them, absolutely in love with them, and that they can walk and flourish in their mental wellbeing. So like that's my heart and I hope that's coming through.

00:17:23:01 - 00:17:24:03
Dave Quak 
You call on do you better.

00:17:24:07 - 00:17:27:05
Scott 
I wouldn't be listening otherwise on your own and still be.

00:17:27:07 - 00:17:37:04
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Yes. And so does that resonate with you. Like do you have areas in your thought life or anything that you need that, that it's helping with or.

00:17:37:06 - 00:17:59:14
Scott 
It's moments of reflection and moments of revelation two with the the variety of people that you spoken to for more like reading that recent email you sent out and you spoke, you went through a quick bio of like he's spoken to from tragedies through the days and everything in between and all around. It's like all walks of life are walking with Christ.

00:17:59:16 - 00:18:27:10
Scott 
Yeah, and it's too much of these, of these urban myths and social stereotypes. I mean, there might be archetypes and thing but it's too many social stereotypes. What we should be interested in is more like archetypes. So yeah. And it's things I can resonate to resonate with in people's testimonies and what shared and that were all made in God's image.

00:18:27:10 - 00:18:36:08
Scott 
That's what it just comes back to all the time. We're all made in God's image regardless of where we are physically, mentally. Yeah, emotionally, spiritually.

00:18:36:08 - 00:18:55:15
Dave Quak 
Yeah, I love it. So for you to practically live this out in your work, you're on the lawns at the moment. You also do a few things around the home when your son lets you, what's it like for Scott at 62, now 63, now.

00:18:55:17 - 00:18:57:07
Scott 
63.

00:18:57:09 - 00:19:19:05
Dave Quak 
Who is a trainee, also a dad and a granddad. Relatively new Christian, but neck deep, like you're not playing around, you're in this, you're. What's it like for you to walk with Jesus? Like, what does it really look like if someone was going to be like, okay, what can I glean from this man Scott, about faith? What's it look like for you?

00:19:19:07 - 00:19:38:14
Scott 
That's that's a good question, because in the faith, you can so easily probably fall in the trap of, like, coming to Jesus. Everything's going to be good. Oh, I can just let go of the reins. And yeah, he's got well, he has his hand over it. But then it's still that responsibility. That accountability for what what goes on on a day to day basis.

00:19:38:14 - 00:19:55:18
Scott 
So it's not expecting changes overnight that suddenly things drop into your lap. You live the way you've you don't just keep doing what you're doing, but you keep doing what you've been doing. Yeah, because I don't I'm not running out looking for a new job.

00:19:55:20 - 00:19:56:11
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:19:56:13 - 00:20:18:02
Scott 
I just I need to be doing that. It's sort of like, oh well I can't mix with these people on this or that. And it's the I. So I just give it all to my story, his glory. So I do just have those moments. Well, I try to make it not moments, but rather a moment. It's like a perpetual moment.

00:20:18:05 - 00:20:18:14
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:20:18:14 - 00:20:27:23
Scott 
That you just whatever you're doing, you're walking. You're walking with Christ, you're looking for Christ and you're not looking for. Are you ready to see Christ in others as you are in yourself?

00:20:28:02 - 00:20:34:24
Dave Quak 
Yeah, I like that. So I like what you said about, you know, you didn't have to quit your job and withdraw from the world.

00:20:35:01 - 00:20:36:04
Scott 
I've seen that happen.

00:20:36:04 - 00:20:36:14
Dave Quak 
It can.

00:20:36:14 - 00:20:59:12
Scott 
Happen. I've seen that happen. And people disregard the, the, the life or the I who I saw somebody in surgery. Fernandez. Your history. I read a book of. Okay. Carmen. I think his name was Henry. Now in and he referred to it as our chronology. And I thought, that's a good by putting it so that up until that point in time, people can just go, I know my I'm working with Christ now.

00:20:59:12 - 00:21:02:13
Scott 
That doesn't matter. Then I feel that that's dishonoring Christ.

00:21:02:15 - 00:21:03:08
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:21:03:10 - 00:21:18:20
Scott 
Because he's walked with you even when you're ignorant of it. Yes. Even when you weren't aware of your identity in Christ. He's been walking with you. He said his hand over you. And then to turn around and say, well, that life is a waste is is like to belittle him and his sacrifice on the cross.

00:21:18:22 - 00:21:29:04
Dave Quak 
The love it's got. Because you were already an image bearer before you were redeemed by Jesus. He's walking in the revelation of what that looks like on a day to day basis.

00:21:29:07 - 00:21:30:21
Scott 
And that's why we're all image bearers.

00:21:30:21 - 00:21:45:19
Dave Quak 
That's the thing. Hey, that's. Yeah, I think sometimes there's a bit of a like anger towards those who don't yet know Jesus from some Christians because they're like, they're just evil, this and that and whatever. And look, I know people do evil things because they do, but they all are image bearers.

00:21:45:24 - 00:21:47:11
Scott 
They're all image. Yes.

00:21:47:13 - 00:22:05:19
Dave Quak 
And it's not till we walk in that like, it's not till you got to 60 where you realize, okay, no, wait a second. I've been an image bearer the entire time. You know, and even before we recognize Jesus, he's already still tapping on our lives. Yes. You know that thing from your brother? It's called Provine and Grace.

00:22:05:19 - 00:22:17:20
Dave Quak 
Basically, it's like a a hyperlink to the past where Jesus is doing a work of grace leading up to 60 year old Scott. It's crazy. It is. And only he can orchestrate that stuff.

00:22:17:22 - 00:22:46:05
Scott 
100%. And it's the father. It was, it was. An intelligent man, not highly educated. Which doesn't mean it just means they left school early. He joined the Navy. Same thing. 1718. Whatever. But read a voracious reader and words he'd use. I'd never hear anywhere. And I've not heard anybody else talk about people being sanctimonious.

00:22:46:05 - 00:22:46:19
Dave Quak 
Oh, yeah.

00:22:46:19 - 00:23:08:13
Scott 
Or that too had the temerity and it's like, I still don't even. You shouldn't even hear that words very much. These temerity to have the gall to have this sort of like the arrogance to do something but sanctimonious, that's sort of that that still resonates. And that's where it can be easy to fall into that trap as a, as a Christian or as a, as a believer compared to the nonbelievers.

00:23:08:13 - 00:23:25:22
Scott 
Yeah, but that's where I tend to be pedantic about things. And I like to be clear my mind about what I think, and I refer to people that aren't of faith. It is believers to be. Yeah, rather than non. Yeah. So rather than make it a negative title, make it a title that can that flourish.

00:23:25:22 - 00:23:26:09
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:23:26:11 - 00:23:33:24
Scott 
That can be worked with because otherwise it's, it's almost like a distinction. A delineation where it doesn't need to be that.

00:23:34:01 - 00:23:34:11
Dave Quak 
No.

00:23:34:16 - 00:23:41:18
Scott 
Because I know I was, I was on. Well not always in that place myself.

00:23:41:19 - 00:23:42:03
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:23:42:03 - 00:23:51:03
Scott 
Not on the other side of a line but I was in that place myself. So I didn't turn around and say, oh, nonbeliever. It's like holier than thou sanctimonious.

00:23:51:03 - 00:23:51:23
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Yeah.

00:23:52:00 - 00:23:55:12
Scott 
Dead still.

00:23:55:14 - 00:24:05:19
Dave Quak 
So tell me about your rhythms, Scott. So how do you grow? So you've got work obviously. So you got a maybe you can have a podcast on. But what do you do when it comes to like reading the word or prayer or whatever. What's left.

00:24:05:19 - 00:24:14:17
Scott 
Like I, I get up early in the morning because work starts at seven and I work signing a few bit six K from home. So I ride to and from.

00:24:14:17 - 00:24:16:14
Dave Quak 
Work when I'm pushing. Yeah. Oh know.

00:24:16:16 - 00:24:34:06
Scott 
So I've done that for a while. So you try to incorporate these activities into your life. So rather than make it training and you've got to find time. Make extra time. So it's just a good time and it's not much difference in terms of driving. Say I get up early enough to do some writing.

00:24:34:08 - 00:24:35:12
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:24:35:14 - 00:24:54:22
Scott 
And have breakfast and then, with to starting with church now just slowly finding my feet in terms of like different, Bible studies and fellowship groups and prayer groups and that sort of thing. Just weaving that into without to sort of dropping all the, the family routines that we do, waving, waving those in.

00:24:55:00 - 00:24:55:08
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:24:55:13 - 00:25:10:12
Scott 
So in terms like that, that's work five days a week, 7 to 3. And then weekend time is, yeah, family because we spend a lot of time with the back and the grandchildren. Yeah.

00:25:10:14 - 00:25:27:12
Dave Quak 
So so you insisted on having the Bible here. Tell me what you've been doing in the wood lately, Scotty, or do you have any revelation for us, mate? Because that's not just a not just a Bible. It's a well-worn Bible. I like seeing a Bible that's got, you know, it's not just been sitting on the shelf doing nothing.

00:25:27:12 - 00:25:29:16
Dave Quak 
That's cool. That's got some runs on the board.

00:25:29:17 - 00:25:33:06
Scott 
Well, it certainly has, Excuse me.

00:25:33:09 - 00:25:34:18
Dave Quak 
No, you're right.

00:25:34:20 - 00:25:49:04
Scott 
Yeah, I've read it. It was the first one I read cover to cover. It's the new King James. I wasn't sure what Bible to. By the time. It's like there's so many byways you could have, you could buy. And it's like. Yeah. So I bought this one and it's, it's it really has been a blessing. It's it's with an LNG white commentary.

00:25:49:04 - 00:26:05:01
Scott 
So that wasn't for any reason. I know she's, she's SDI, but not because I align with it. And not that I don't align with SDI, but it's just but in her commentaries it's been a revelation. And I love using the cross references. So rather than just I'll look at a verse and it's like, oh like and it's like, oh, that, that one hit me.

00:26:05:01 - 00:26:24:15
Scott 
So then I'll go to the margin. It's like, oh yeah. So and, and I, I tend to be looking more for New Testament references and some references. So I don't know why, but it's not to say that there's no value in looking at the Old Testament references, but I find it through the Psalms in the New Testament because New Testament, that's just what it is.

00:26:24:15 - 00:26:27:15
Scott 
It's the New covenant. Yeah, it replaces the old one.

00:26:27:17 - 00:26:28:24
Dave Quak 
Or fulfills it. Yeah.

00:26:29:01 - 00:26:51:03
Scott 
Sorry. For is that the old one? So, yeah, I've read that and I've, I've read the NIV. I've, I've read the New Testament through that, and I've read most of the Old Testament. I have about, forget I just, I like the cross. Cross refer not just within verses, within the translation, but between translations.

00:26:51:03 - 00:26:51:16
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:26:51:18 - 00:27:11:06
Scott 
So, what new King James? Not for the sake of saying, well, I've got this list, but just for the sake of information and those rhythms you're talking about where I am a new King James and Evie. I have an an ESV book of Psalms, so I've yet to get in there yesterday. I've got the Bible for everyone by ante.

00:27:11:06 - 00:27:12:21
Scott 
Right. And John Golding guy.

00:27:13:02 - 00:27:14:08
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Nice.

00:27:14:10 - 00:27:24:02
Scott 
And just I just I'll cross-reference those. I'll put the past in translation from Brian Simmons, and that's that's an interesting. Yeah.

00:27:24:04 - 00:27:35:03
Dave Quak 
But that's the thing, man. You got to get. It's like Christianity is one of those things where it's all in. No, not at all. If it's not at all like if you're sitting on the fence, it's just not satisfying.

00:27:35:05 - 00:27:44:13
Scott 
Anything you sit on the fence is what, what Mr. Miyagi say. It's like a grape. Yeah, and left the left hand side of the road, right hand side of the road. Or sit in the middle of road. Get squashed. Yeah.

00:27:44:13 - 00:27:44:22
Dave Quak 
That's it.

00:27:44:24 - 00:27:46:20
Scott 
It's like you sit on the fence, you get splinters.

00:27:46:20 - 00:28:07:01
Dave Quak 
That's it man. All right Scotty, the craziest thing about doing a podcast is the time goes twice as fast in podcast land as in real, time, which means we're running out. We've got about five minutes to go. If you could sit with someone you love who doesn't yet know Jesus, what are you going to tell him?

00:28:07:03 - 00:28:41:01
Scott 
To open their ears. To open their eyes. And I open their heart. Soften their heart. Because really, truly that that word is in our heart. It's like I see it so often in people that they talk of different values and it speaks of God, but then they'll turn around and say that they're a person of logic. I don't have the faith like you have, and it's like, well, it's not about comparing to my faith, and my faith is not stronger or weaker than anybody else.

00:28:41:01 - 00:28:47:17
Scott 
It's how I have the faith I need for what I do at the time. So I just.

00:28:47:19 - 00:29:15:13
Scott 
Accept it. Yeah. Accept it and open yourself to it and let it let it speak to you and just follow that path. I mean, I can't, I can't, but it's not it's not prescriptive. Just as much as it's not punitive. Yeah. It's personal. It's a relationship. Yeah. And until we start exploring it and it religion, it's it's not a, it's not, not moral absolutes or social or moral relativism.

00:29:15:13 - 00:29:21:02
Scott 
It's it's it's moral objectivity. Yeah. It's walk it's accepting that truth.

00:29:21:06 - 00:29:22:03
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:29:22:05 - 00:29:39:17
Scott 
So it doesn't mean you any less or because it's taking you so long to realize it. Just accept it. When, when the time is right, your life and your heart, he'll move. That's people say all. All I had to give is my heart. Well that's all he wants.

00:29:39:19 - 00:29:49:14
Dave Quak 
Question I didn't tell you was coming. What if he was sitting before Jesus himself and you got to speak from the heart to him. What would you say.

00:29:49:16 - 00:30:00:20
Scott 
Thank you. Thank you for letting me, for letting me, for walk. Not not letting me, but for him walking with me and continuing the walk with me and not giving up on me.

00:30:00:22 - 00:30:01:12
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:30:01:14 - 00:30:21:18
Scott 
Not not forgetting me. It's like, oh, when he's ready, the time would come. Yeah. So it's like, come, Jesus, come. So it I, I welcome me, I say good morning to him each morning. One of the first things I do when I get up is I like to go outside and just grab myself and just look up and see whether this thousand knot or whatever.

00:30:21:18 - 00:30:43:06
Scott 
And just now I just imagine all those stars haven't changed since he was, since he was here and before he came. So there's that continuity, that presences around us. It's it's there all the time. It's just we just get so committed to, to this world where we should be convicted to his, to his kingdom rather than committed to this world.

00:30:43:11 - 00:30:44:05
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:30:44:07 - 00:31:09:22
Scott 
That's where Romans 12 two is really. It was one of the one of the first things I did when I started this journey. My brother was visiting us, and he was catching up with these friends for a Sabbath school lesson. And then they had to the talk afterwards, and I didn't feel uncomfortable joining in. And one of the, one of the, the other ones that attending, he turned around.

00:31:10:00 - 00:31:26:10
Scott 
He I quoted 12 two and as soon as you said that, that was like, snap. I thought, that's how I've lived. And here it is. It's in the Bible. Don't be, don't be. Trent, don't conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. I thought that sums my life up.

00:31:26:14 - 00:31:27:13
Dave Quak 
Yeah.

00:31:27:15 - 00:31:48:01
Scott 
And then that just keeps on popping up different places. It just. And even popped up over the weekend during the workshop with Wes and Jen. It just they had don't be done. Conformed to this world doesn't mean you're going to be militant. It's it's like they accept he's his truth.

00:31:48:03 - 00:31:56:11
Dave Quak 
Yeah. Scott Cunningham from freezing cold Melbourne. It has been so nice having you, bro.

00:31:56:16 - 00:31:59:02
Scott 
Thanks for having me. You've been a great host. You really have.

00:31:59:02 - 00:32:17:23
Dave Quak 
No, I just having you on the coast. I mean, I've had the privilege of hanging out with you since Friday and it's been so cool. I just it's just such an encouragement to me and I'm sure it will be to others to see a man who's all in for Jesus. You know, you came to the banquet at dessert.

00:32:18:00 - 00:32:18:17
Dave Quak 
You know what I mean?

00:32:18:17 - 00:32:20:08
Scott 
Like, yeah, well, it's the same.

00:32:20:10 - 00:32:38:11
Dave Quak 
You know, the analogy where they invite, you know, the workers in the harvest or whatever. You came in at 60, not 15, and get the same reward and the same harvest and the same blessing from God, and get to live just the same as anyone who's been there from, from the beginning, which is amazing. Grace.

00:32:38:13 - 00:32:48:20
Scott 
Now I have an eating the scraps from the table is, What did you said to the dogs? Too late. And she said, because you said I should be giving my bread to my people. And she said all, even the dogs from the scripts.

00:32:48:20 - 00:32:57:10
Dave Quak 
That's in the table. And you don't even get the scraps. You get invited to the banquet, you know, the to sit in a place of esteem and a place of honor.

00:32:57:13 - 00:32:58:17
Scott 
Oh, we share that table.

00:32:58:17 - 00:32:59:10
Dave Quak 
It's amazing.

00:32:59:10 - 00:33:07:14
Scott 
And we share it. We share it with everybody. Yeah, everybody. So feed. Feed your enemies. Hungry. Feed him when he's thirsty. Give him a drink.

00:33:07:17 - 00:33:08:20
Dave Quak 
That's true man.

00:33:08:22 - 00:33:25:18
Scott 
I remember reading a great, great comment about. It's like when you mentioned that we had that big table and what it's based on that you can eat anything you like, but the only thing is that the cutlery is like half a meter long, so you can't use your fork to feed yourself. Said in the idea is that everybody has to use a fork to feed every.

00:33:25:20 - 00:33:35:24
Scott 
So you write about feeding others first before you feed yourself. So but whether you can always walk that way with a yeah, no, it's a challenge.

00:33:36:01 - 00:33:57:14
Dave Quak 
Well, maybe I'll, ask you to pray if that's okay, Scotty. And maybe in that exact vein about, you know, the half meter long forks to feed others, you know, like, pray for those that I get to know. Jesus. You know, pray for those who haven't met or, realize how much he wants to journey with people. Do you mind closing us?

00:33:57:18 - 00:34:26:01
Scott 
Oh, I'll do my best. It's like I'll just on reading through Corinth ians at the moment. So I just say, add chapters two and three and the boats. And the way they end it just reminds us that Father God. Yes, it. Christ, you're always with us, whether we we believe or whether we're aware of that or not, or whether we're clear that our walk with you, that we have the mind of Christ and we just need to open our mind to your mind.

00:34:26:01 - 00:34:50:13
Scott 
So, father, just help people to realize that that he is there, that he is with them. Because when we learn that when people discover, father, that they are Christ's, because we belong to Christ, and then we belong to Christ belongs to God, so then we belong to him. So, father, just remind people that as being being in Christ, we are the Abraham of his seed.

00:34:50:15 - 00:35:25:05
Scott 
And that we're here is to the inheritance of of the promises that God made to him. So, please, father, just help people to see that that we live in that promise that that that that's our platform that for praise. We pray for his Providence revival in our life. So yeah. Please, people, father, help open their eyes that they can see this and that they can come to you and live in that revelation of eternal, eternal hope, of your everlasting faithfulness.

00:35:25:07 - 00:35:41:15
Scott 
So in in your name I pray that people find these, find this in time, through whatever reason. That's through connections, through friends. Just open your hearts, open your minds, open your souls and bring it. Bring it to God. In Jesus's name.

00:35:41:17 - 00:36:08:03
Dave Quak 
Amen, Amen. For more candid conversations on faith and mental well-being, check out Sunburntsouls.com You can subscribe to our podcast on any major provider or contact us directly to book us to preach or speak something. That souls is a faith based ministry, and we want to thank everybody so far for their generous support. If you want to get behind us, pray our message reaches the ears of those that need to hear it.

00:36:08:05 - 00:36:17:23
Dave Quak 
Feel free to donate financially online, but if you feel obliged or manipulated to give you better off sharing a loved one a coffee instead. I'm Dave Quak from Somewhere Souls.