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Welcome to "Beyond the Outpost" Podcast!
Join the adventure with us as we explore the depths of personal growth, inspiration, and purpose. Hosted by Jordon Good and CJ Shaw, this podcast is your guide for navigating the path to becoming everything you were created to be.
Each episode of Beyond the Outpost features stories, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable steps to help you unlock your true potential. If you're seeking motivation, guidance, or simply a reminder of your inner strength, this podcast if for you.
Join us as we dive into the stories of individuals who have triumphed over adversity, discovered their passions, and embraced their unique calling. Through candid conversations and insightful reflections, we illuminate the pathway to self-discovery.
Whether you're at a crossroads in your life or simply seeking inspiration to fuel your journey, Beyond the Outpost is here to accompany you every step of the way. Tune in, subscribe, and let's go on an adventure together.
Jordon Good (00:00)
you
Hold on a second, say that one more time. The same boiling hot water that softens a potato hardens an egg. Right, right. Gotcha. How are you going to go through the boiling water? Well, in this situation where God's going to allow Satan to tempt you, to test you, God's going, follow me, trust me, I'm going to build you into the character, into the man that I want you to be, or get distracted and fall away and go do your own thing. Yeah. And like, okay, which way are you going to go in this situation? Are you going to lean in or are you going to go, woe is me and hide in a corner and leave?
Thanks for watching guys!
Look at that. Welcome Jordan.
Give CJ a new toy. We got a, we're upgrading our audio equipment. So CJ, thank you for the applause, sir. Right. That's hilarious. Thanks for joining us today, Jordan. Gotta have some fun with it. Yeah, that's awesome. That's good. How you been? How's this week going? Good. A lot of, I'm very attentive this week to the spiritual realm. and part of that is paying attention to.
what people are saying around you, conversations, things that are happening in people's lives, just being aware and then inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal and give you understanding into what's going on. And yeah, it's a lot going on right now in the kingdom of God. A lot of breakthrough is on its way and there's like this onslaught happening right now, which leads into our topic, which is, is it really warfare?
It's kind of where we're going to go today. Yeah. I was thinking about it last night and I sent you the text today going, is the test from God, is it from the enemy or is it from my own decisions? Yeah. I'm like, that's a good question to ask the Holy spirit. Every time something pops up, is this from my own dumb decisions as a human or is this from God testing and building me or is this from the enemy trying to weaken me? Where this thought came from, is it really warfare?
is over the last few weeks, just interesting conversations with people and situations in their life. So you're praying with people and you're kind of helping them through it and finding scripture and just doing life together. And I don't remember who I was talking to, but, I just, and at the end of the time where we were talking, I'm like, is that really necessary to rebuke that right now? Like, and like, what do you mean? I'm like,
Go with me on this, I don't know yet, but what if God's using this and we're actively praying against the thing that God's trying to use? Maybe we need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us, am I supposed to fight this battle, Lord, or are you taking care of this one? Because if you're actively using this challenge, this trial to grow me and answer the prayers that I've been praying, I don't want to bind that thing up and get rid of it.
I want to let you do what you're going to do through it and let you crush the enemy because you've already got the plan figured out and it just kind of made us step back and just be like, let's just look for a second. you go ahead with whatever's on your heart because there's actually a testimony that just came in my mind about that. Actually. No, I mean, I think of like two years since like, and not necessarily in my mind when I pray like rebuking or binding something and removing it, but I think of,
Like when I pray for a situation or something I'm going through where it's like, God, take this away from me. Please take this away from me. Sometimes the answer is no, because there's something greater to come from it. And we always like want the quick route, like make it stop, make it stop, make it stop, or get me through this, get me through this. And he's going to, but sometimes it's hard for us to see what the end goal is until it's passed a couple of years and you look back and go, that's what it was. You know? Yeah.
So yeah, I mean, I think about the situation with like Job, with what was going on there and how like through him, like that would have been something that was just brutal. It would have been a brutal situation to be in. And I got plenty more to talk about there as we go. But to say like these trials and some of the stuff is from God, like there's always something bigger going on that we can't see until later. It's hard to see as a human through the world that we're in, through the lenses that we have to what God has created and where God is going with it. Yeah.
You guys will get to hear from our wives very soon. Yeah, her and I have just been talking about this for weeks. And it's really changed our perspective in our prayer life as far as praying into the spirit realm in the kingdom. And if you just view everything as warfare, you're going to be exhausted. I've lived that life. It is exhausting. You are war out. You are not focused on the kingdom.
You are focused on the warfare coming at you and binding and rebuking and pushing things back. And this isn't for the, you just get so distracted. The enemy literally wins because his whole goal is he can't kill you. Taking you away from it's just exactly. Yeah. And he's like, it's interesting. Cause like I was raised Southern Baptist and I would, I would argue that more often than not, they wouldn't talk about spiritual warfare. It was just we're in a fallen world. Yeah.
This is the situations we face by the dumb decisions we do. And this is just the consequences of our actions and decisions. And then I come up here and encounter some other stuff and there is more talk of spiritual warfare, just with the groups I've been in and people have talked to you. So it's interesting to try to balance out like, okay, what is - We don't acknowledge it too, it's all we talk about. Right, right. So it's what is my dumb decisions based on my fall in reality of I'm a sinner to spiritual warfare, the enemy's trying to distract.
steal, kill and destroy. And where is God trying to build me up, change my character and turn me into who he wants me to be? How do I follow in that path of walking with the Lord? I think what I've learned this week since this kind of whole new revelation I think has been happening is the way God's been confirming it through scripture and unique opportunities. So yesterday,
you know, step number one is you've got to have a group. You got to have your three, your 12 and then everybody outside of that. You really can't, there's, I think there's a reason why God Jesus had 12. You really can't maintain more than 12 solid relationships. It's hard enough to maintain 12. I mean, as you're aware and recognizing in the season of life, like, okay, in this season, you know, we will be friends and doing life together.
for a long, long, long time, but in the season of this podcast, if this is a two -year journey, a five -year journey, we're pretty close right now. But in different seasons of life too, with our children and, but it's funny how when God brings you together, how it's like, your paths are intersecting and you're gonna go on mission together. And leaning into those people, most people will not reach out for prayer. So step one is,
hearing the Lord's voice, Lord, something just happened. And when it happens in your home and in your family, you immediately, the bomb detonates, the cloud of dust, Eldridge talks about the fog of war. You're in it. And if you're so out of control with your ego or your self -righteousness, or just God will take care of it, He brought people in your life to help you see these things.
And we've covered this multiple times here, but I think it's been leading up to today. And reaching out to those people, I need prayer right now. It's amazing the power of that. And most people will not ask for prayer because they think they're bothering someone. But I think the part they miss is they're probably already interceding for you. Because if you're walking with the Lord and you want to intercede for people, He'll give you people to pray for.
But in that just pausing and being like, okay, God, is this a battle that I'm supposed to fight or are you actually fighting this one? And man, that takes the pressure off of the battle that you're facing and brings peace and trust back in. And now you're looking for God's fingerprint throughout the whole process versus just constantly fighting, binding, rebuking, and praying against things versus just like God's fighting this.
I need to go focus over here with what he's telling me to do. It changes everything. Yeah, it sure does. We, I'm going through it right now. Right? You know, last, last week it was last Thursday, I was told that Friday would be my last day at work, you know? So yeah, I might've mentioned something to you. It's been just a crazy hectic week just trying to figure things out, but that's, it was just like phone call. Hey, company's done. Tomorrow's your last day.
Thanks for your help. See ya. We don't need to get into it now, but definitely want to be praying for you guys. Yeah, yeah, no, definitely do. And I reached out to some of the guys, my men's group and stuff, just like, you know, keep me in your prayers and everything. But it's interesting the challenge of like, okay, God, I'm trusting you. Like, yeah, I want to go out and just start seeking everything I can to try to make ends meet or try to, in the sense of like, where's my next step? Go seek it out myself. Yeah. And I'm not sitting there idly doing nothing, but I'm.
praying into it every morning and getting up saying God like what is your will for my life now? Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to do? God my steps. But the one thing I struggle with the most is just like being open and vulnerable to my wife about what's going on. Sure. Cause you want to protect her and give her security. And so being like that person that can just sit down and be like, yeah, here's what's going on in my head. Cause I'm the kind of guy it's like, boom, I'm just going to work it out in my mind, pray about it.
get everything under control and keep moving forward. And she's over there like, I see something's wrong. What is it? I'm just like, I can't even put it into words right now. I'm in the same boat as far as that part. Lord, you know, there's that verse that your wife is the weaker vessel. So don't tell them certain things. They can't handle it is complete foolishness. That's not what that verse means. Your wife is one flesh with you. Now does that mean that you sit with your wife and we talk about everything under the sun? No, we don't have that kind of time.
But these types of situations, you're doing life with her. Hey, if she asks you, let me back up a little bit. I had a coffee with one of my pastors the other morning and we were talking about this, you know, where are you at? I'm like, well, Lord's really working on Lindsay and I and teaching us how to be a team in another level that we didn't even know was possible and it's wild. And he said right there, what you just said, he said, when my wife comes to me and I'm in my,
Mind space. I've prayed about it. I'm just Processing and she's like, hey, what's going on? If she says it a second time I then give her A little bit. I don't just shut down. He goes it'll change everything as coming together as one because she's part of this too, right and her prayers and her intercession is the Probably the first place you should be turning versus I'm not saying you I'm saying I've done this too is
done it as much as two days ago, reach out to a buddy, bro, I need you praying into this. Well, actually I need my wife praying into it because she's part of this too and her prayers are powerful and God might reveal something to her, a strategy. And it's interesting that your call to ministry and your heart for the kingdom and you profess that, everybody that knows you knows that. And...
Did you think he was just gonna let you sit at a remote job for an excavation company? No. No. That season has ended, my friend. And to encourage you in that, you know my journey with this recently and applying for jobs and where I thought I needed to be and nothing happened. And one day I was like, what am I doing?
I have never had to stress about a job, worry about a job, worry about a career, a business idea. God will bring the things to me. If your perspective is right, when you're stressing out about it, or your wife is stressing out about it, it's distracting you from hearing the voice of the Lord, go here, go there, do this, do that. And you've sown seeds into people. Usually he...
almost always he will bring his next thing through people. So that's what happened for me. My wife sewed into, we both did, but my wife really mentored a woman for about five years and this woman has just changed so much in her life and they were right in here a few weeks ago and she's like, hey, my company is starting a new division. If you know anybody who's interested in this, you guys know a bunch of people looking for work, like just tell them to apply.
And it literally, as you know the story, but like hit the marks on a lot of things. I'm like, okay, Lord, is this the path that you have for me right now in this season? And more to come on that later on, but for you, like, I love where you're at with it. It's like, Lord, you're honoring my prayers. I want to do your will in my life and surrender to you. So this isn't serving your kingdom anymore. This season has ended. All right.
what do you got for me? I'm ready to receive whatever that is. And your wife, for Lindsay and I, when we finally started, I need to involve her in this. I need to not try to protect her. You've walked through this with me for the last year, so you kind of know some of the behind the scenes of trying not to say certain things. That's not how you walk with your wife and have a healthy marriage. And then...
the fruit and the favor came when I started approaching my wife as a, you're the weaker vessel, but when he is, when we are weak, he is strong. So if you're weaker, you might be stronger spiritually in certain areas. What's your discernment about this and leaning into your wife versus let me protect my wife. I hope that made sense, but. It's something, man. It's an interesting journey trying to.
balance it all and understand what is God's will for my life. And trying to include that it's not just my life, it's my wife's and it's my family's and balancing all that. Your ministry is your family, number one. Right. And I think that's something so easily lost in the mundane steps of life. Number one is how do I share God's love with my family? And the way I do things and the way I act, the way I treat them. And when stuff's going on around you with...
losing a job and just the stressors of that, it's easy to explode. It's easy to just be short with your kids. Exhausted, tired, emotionally drained. And just being short with everybody, just wanting to go do your own thing, just hide in the corner, just keep your thoughts to yourself, stay in your mind trying to figure things out and just be like disassociated. I don't need to pray as much now because now you're distracted and you're tired and the enemy is winning where God's like, no, whoa, you told me.
You promised that your life was for me. You committed it to me. And my word is gonna go forth and fulfill what it needs to fulfill through you. Don't get distracted right now. Now's when you gotta be prayed up. Now's when you gotta be reading more. You gotta be walking with me more because now the door has closed. And now I'm opening other doors. And the funny thing is about open doors, it's the hallway season. The door closed and you're like, all right God, I'm ready for it. Which one is it?
taking the time to make sure that you're praying and having the right people pray through, is this the door for me? I'm not walking into the thing I'm getting ready to walk into if I don't have at least three people that are like, this sounds good. This sounds like it aligns with your mission, what God's called you to, what you've been saying, what you've been speaking. If I don't get three trusted people, Lindsey being one of them, and then two other guys, it's a no, no matter how good it looks on paper. And just knowing like,
God doesn't just fling the door wide open. He cracks it open, gives you a peek, and then he just holds it. And then he's watching how you leave one season and enter another season really matters. And you will just start hearing these confirming things through people. And that really aligns with the gifting that I think God has for you. You know, you've been talking a lot about, I want to be a preacher, I want to be an evangelist to the nations, I want to be a.
You know, I wanna do elderly care. I wanna be whatever it is that really could teach you some skills for what I think God's created you to do. But if you're not around people that are talking like that, if you're around the woe is me people, bro, sucks for you, man. What are you gonna do? I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna take it to the Lord and I'm gonna continue to advance the kingdom. Back to our topic, is it warfare?
I guess I'll just give a little bit of a quick little testimony and then We'll see where it goes from there. So got a text message yesterday from a friend to a group of guys his daughter had an emergency and Hey guys need prayer. Like I don't know what's going on yet. I just need some prayer What's the typical prayer we want to pray in this itch? Lord, we just pray over let's say it was Rachel and you text me
Rachel's running to the hospital. I don't know what's going on. Lord, we just pray protection over her, over the doctors and all that is good. But somebody's got to be praying. Lord, you're going to use this. I trust that you're going to use this. So I pray your protection and your peace and your revelation around that family. Give them wisdom. Let them see you moving in this situation. Cause when you're the one that's there and it's, you know, Lindsay is, you know, having something happen.
and I am the husband on the way to the hospital. Man, you're just adrenaline is pumping and your brain is just not functioning. You're just like crazy go mode. Having that one guy to just be like, hey man, God is in this. Slow down, breathe a little bit. Let's pray. If you need to talk, call me. And that guy called me last night and I just texted him like, so what like?
What happened, man? Like we've been praying all day. Like anything happen yet? Like expecting to hear the good news of Jesus moving. And this guy said, this guy's so powerful and just like, just loved the testimonies he shares that as scary as it was, and as much as they were praying for healing and like, I believe that God will heal this thing. His family member that was experiencing the incident.
said, you know what, I'm good, I don't need that to happen. Because I've experienced Jesus and the minute it happened, while everybody was freaking out, and when the shock wore off of the initial adrenaline, I just had this peace and Jesus and the Holy Spirit and God moment that I've never had before. It's at another level of just peace and trust in Him through this. And He's crying and I'm like, that's it, right there.
While everybody's trying to like heal it, put it back together, we bind the devil coming against all this stuff. Hold on a minute. Are we getting distracted here versus Lord, how are you using this? Where are you at in this right now? And if the Lord's like right now you need to fight and raise up intercessors, you fight and raise up intercessors. If he's like, good question, I'm here. Calm yourself. Ask questions. Pump the brakes a little bit.
totally changed that whole day for that family. Did that make sense? In a way, I think it makes sense. I think it's a lot easier to say than do. a hundred percent. A hundred percent. Because I think my first mind and thought to anybody listening would be like, well, how do I find that out? How do I find what out? If God's telling me to pray in a sense of warfare or pray in a sense of peace. So one, you ask, two, you've got to have two or three people. Yeah.
If you don't have two or three trusted people that you can text, we'll throw it on Facebook. What are you doing? You want 900 people praying for this? They have no idea who you are? No, I want the three or the 12. I want my group praying. Hey, I need you praying. I need anything that you got. And that's step number one. Invite the Holy Spirit into the situation, pray over everything, get it out to your key people. And those key people like, hey, they just should know.
What's going on? What to pray properly? And then listen and just listen. But it's a lot easier said than done. And it's always hindsight. I didn't learn this through going through things. I learned it quite frankly from watching other people and helping other people and seeing God move and then using it in my things and then kind of putting it all together. And it's like,
really is about the body of Christ. Really is about each person walking in their gifting. Right. You got the arm, you got the leg, you got the head, right? Jesus being the head and we have some arms and legs in it that are supposed to help out and we all have a purpose. Yeah. I think that's first Corinthians, second Corinthians. Yeah, it's in Corinthians. One of the Corinthians. Yeah. One of the things, cause as we were getting back to like, is it the enemy?
Where is it from God? Last night I was just reading a bunch of like, just verses, scriptures of like examples. Like what can we find in scripture that defends either or? And I mean I've got a list, which we're not gonna hit everything. But like what are some trials that are clearly from the enemy? Right, and an example in Luke 13, 11 was the lady who had the disabling spirit was bent over. She had it for 18 years.
right, it calls out that that was a disabling spirit. So enemy attack in Ephesians 6 16, the evil one, there was flaming darts. Right? First Thessalonians 2 18 Paul was hindered by Satan and his travels, he says. Yeah. So you got, again, the enemy just interacting. Second Corinthians 12 seven. God gave Paul a messenger of Satan, a thorn in his side.
So we talk, we're, we're the ones talking about the thorn. We potentially, I feel like that comes up a lot in conversation. It was somebody else this week. We were talking about that specific example where it's this person and it's like, hold on a second. Yeah. That person, God's trying to teach you about love through that person. We want people to go away. Right. And it's like, no, you're being a hindrance in my life. I don't want you here right now. Why are you here? Okay. What am I supposed to be learning? It's always going to point back to love.
Always I'm not saying I'm a good example of this I'm saying I'm becoming a better example of sure I have screwed this up in my life in many many ways But I've also seen some pretty powerful restoration in my life. Yeah in many many ways and You know the testimony with my mom and my family and you know That is powerful stuff Yeah, that's a whole topic for another day my brother
The other side of it though is some trials are clearly from God. Right? First Peter 3 17 says, when we suffer for doing good, that's God's will. How do you know you're doing good? And how do you know you're suffering for doing good? Well, I would say in the form of the letter that was written by Peter and their first Peter was talking about those that were being persecuted for standing up for Christ. So I feel like that's a simple way of being like, this is good. Today we don't get persecuted the same way, at least in Western America.
So it's a little harder. Our persecution looks a little different. It's a little different. Even between Christians. Some people stand up for something and you get just blown over by other Christians. But Psalm 119 .75 says, in faithfulness, God will afflict us. And we can dig into that one, the whole Psalm, but it's like, that's deep. What does that mean? Exodus 4 .11, we went over this recently. It's one of those things that just boggles your mind.
says the Lord told Moses, is it not God that makes people blind deaf? And you're like, wait, what? What do you mean by that? God's telling Moses, I make people blind deaf. I make them broken. Why? Right? Can I say something here? At the risk of really offending people. So don't get offended and take it to the Lord. I want to preface it with that. There was a,
a time where I could tell the Lord was coming after a friend of Lindsay and ours. I mean, you know when God's coming after somebody, when you're on the outside, you're like, my gosh, he is coming fast. Cause you just see the heart stuff coming to the surface and it's like, he's ready to rescue this person. I can't wait to see. And this particular person just kept going the opposite direction. Bitterness, anger, like it just kept going down.
and down and down. And you're like, I don't even know what to do anymore. And they ended up in the hospital and we were praying, you know, we were praying. We were actually doing a lot of binding and rebuking at that time. And that's not what was needed. It was an eye opening time for us. It was a shift for us in that mentality because I just felt this Lord just being like, no, I actually.
got them right where I want them. They're distracted by everything under the sun and the only way I could get them to stop and focus and just be still and quiet was to put them on their back in the hospital. And God ended up taking care of everything. And they're good, everything's good. Here's what really brought it up was the doctors can't figure it out. Test after test after test in and out of the hospital. The doctors can't figure it out. They don't keep praying, keep praying. And I'm like,
At some point, do we want to just pump the brakes here and say, if professional doctors can't figure out what it is, is maybe it's something spiritual? Did we even take it to the Lord and say, Lord, maybe you're trying to get my attention right now? And I've used that in seasons where you get bedridden. You know, you go down these roads, like you're going in, like you can easily slip into a like, I just don't want to get up today. You get depressed and it's like, wait a minute, why am I?
taken out right now. Lord, are you trying to tell me something? You're trying to do something in my heart and that right there, it's like, well, God doesn't bring blindness or well, if he wants to get your heart and that's the only way you'll listen, Lord, get me. Well, then that's one of my favorite pictures when Jesus is healing the blind man at the pool. Yeah. I don't know. We might've talked about this before, but the one pastor, Robbie Gallaty, again, he brought it like just a beautiful picture for me when I was listening to him. He said, when you look at all these other healings that happen,
God would tell them, you know, your faith has made you well, go sin no more. Go sin no more. And they brought this guy to him who said he's been blind since birth, maybe it was something his parents did, maybe he's been cursed because of his parents sin, blah, blah. And he goes, no, he's just broken. And so what does he do? Spits in the mud, takes mud, which what are we made from? He fixes what was broken by rubbing it on his eyes.
And I'm just like, man, like Jesus who created everything, everything through him was created. He takes the mud, rubs it on that guy's eyes and fixes what God had made broken to begin with. So God, Jesus's will could be done. God's will could be done through Jesus. It's a beautiful picture. I'm just like, that's so cool. That's so cool. And where's that happening in our life right now? Where God's like, no, I'm breaking it to restore it properly. my bank account. my finances. Very easy to get in that trap. And I know that, that's,
I know that's something that you're not, I know you're not not thinking about that. I wasn't not thinking about it. It's one of the first things you think about. How are we going to pay for everything? And then you look back at the end of that season and like, man, God just provided everything. All right, I won't worry about it next time. Yeah, right. Until next time you're like, my gosh. What am I going to do? But that's why you need to journal so you can go back to those things. Yeah. So I don't want to also, I don't want this to be like a,
Is it really warfare? Like, well, nothing's warfare. No, no, no, no, no, no. The enemy is out to get you. He's out to stop things right now. He is trying to distract you in every way, shape or form. The whole point of what I'm trying to make today is this. Is it my battle? Is this warfare something that I'm supposed to take on or is this just trying to distract me from what God is bringing into my life? Can it be a form of both? 100 % could be a form of both. Well, cause the thing that comes to my mind is Job.
Yeah. And you can have debates whether or not that was actually Satan or blah, blah, blah, blah. But in the essence of the story, Satan comes before God. Had to ask. And he had to ask permission, right? God says, have you seen my follower Job? Have you seen him? He's an upright man. Yeah. So he can goes, yeah, well, if I took this stuff away, he wouldn't, you know, he'd curse you. God says, go ahead. Just don't kill him. Yep. So one, the enemy couldn't have any, couldn't do anything without God's permission, which.
is good. Sovereignty of God is still real. But also, but also God allowed it to happen, you know? So it's an interesting picture, but it's powerful, man. I think we just need to be a little bit more careful with giving too much attention to the enemy and understanding exactly what you just said. God, are you allowing this to happen because you're developing in me the character to handle the anointing that I know you put on my life?
I think we do it in the secular way right now, it's motivation, right? yeah. You know what I mean? The secular way of looking at it is the same hot water that softens the potato hardens an egg. Bro, hold on a second. Say that one more time. The same boiling hot water that softens a potato hardens an egg. Right, right. Gotcha. How are you going to go through the boiling water? Well, in this situation where God's going to allow Satan to tempt you, to test you, God's going...
follow me, trust me, I'm gonna build you into the character, into the man that I want you to be, or get distracted and fall away and go do your own thing. And like, okay, which way are you gonna go in this situation? Are you gonna lean in, or are you gonna go woe is me and hide in a corner and leave? There's something interesting that happened this week, got a chance to be around a couple hundred people that really just taken the next step. It's not the next step of Christianity or accepting the Lord, it's like, no.
I'm actually want to go do this, build the kingdom thing. And as these people were talking and it was a beautiful night. I just was like, many are called, few are chosen. And I'm like, there's some chosen people in this room right now. You can tell the chosen, like the ones that are like, all right, Lord, I submit it to you. My life is your life. I've laid it down. They don't need to talk about it. You just see it, you hear it, you watch it.
And the amount of things coming against to try and stop the called and the chosen is what kind of really highlighted this for me. Cause there's something going on right now where God is priming things and moving in such a massive way in the body of Christ, where could this be a big test?
Who's gonna get distracted? I love you, you still will be doing my will, but this might not be the wave that you're gonna be on. You gotta go around a couple more times, some more training. Who's gonna get distracted right now and who's gonna stay focused? And I think that's a real good self -assessment for everyone to take that's listening to this. Just where am I at? Am I being distracted? Am I taking on things I shouldn't be taking on? Am I allowing conversations to...
reach my ear and my family that should not be reaching my ear and my family. When you're advancing the kingdom, you get it all. Yeah. and I think that's where you guys challenges. But that's the thing that's really challenged me just in the past couple of months is just like trying to figure out, look, I have felt called into some kind of ministry. Right. But I've got student loan debt. I've got things like that that are like, okay, well if I can't meet these requirements, you know, I can't do it because I'm shackled by debt. Right.
I've got those things hanging over my head. So I'm like, okay, I want to go do this stuff, but I've got problems. Like I got to get those things fixed. And the initial, like when I was first digging in realizing I was feeling called, I also had like this timeframe put on me where I was like, I can get out of debt in seven years. Everything paid off following, you know, financial coaching. and that was the path I was on. And then, you know, this stuff happened. You're like, all right, what, what's the plan now? But I don't even know where I was going with that.
It's just encouraging to know that in 1 Peter, that's where I was going with that, 5 10. I won't read this one. Can I say something while you're looking for that? Absolutely. Matthew 6 33 says, Seek ye first the kingdom. It doesn't say seek ye first, get my finances in order, and then I'll advance the kingdom. God has a funny way of...
What's your Bible verse? First Peter five 10 says, and the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong firm instead fast to him be the power forever. Never. Amen. Got a question on that timeframe. Yeah.
And I think this is going to be helpful for a lot of people. So seven years in this program, whatever you had kind of the plan you had laid out, submit your plans to the Lord and he will direct your steps. What if God's like seven years? What? No, I need seven years of you seeking the kingdom and advancing the kingdom. Right. Probably a Christian program. I know nothing about this, so don't give anything out there. No, I had nothing to do with any program. Okay. So it was just you developed the plan and seven years is going to be.
and God's like, but wait a minute, you, no, no, no, I need you focused on me and my kingdom. Can you turn me up a little bit?
And what if God is like, okay, so your plan was I'm gonna go to this job. I make this amount of money per hour. I make this much. If I just stay within this range, if I just put a lid on everything that I wanna do in my life and stay right here in seven years, I'm debt free and then I'll have peace and we'll be good. And God's like, what? No, no, not at all. You get peace now, focus on me, focus on advancing my kingdom. I can get that paid off in seven.
minutes, seven weeks, seven months. I can do that in a day if you focus on me. And I think that's the greatest trap when it comes to building kingdom wealth is the idea of I need to just put myself in a box, trade this amount in for this amount. This amount of hours gets me this. I won't do any of this stuff. Instead of being like, Lord, what do you have for me today?
Like you, with the giving to the things we've been talking about where God's calling you guys to give, it's so interesting that you guys commit to giving and then immediately God's like, let's put her to the test. Because you're gonna learn about how kingdom resources work and you're going through this wild journey and you're open about it, which most people aren't. And, man.
You're a fun one to watch. Cause you have your heart for the Lord and the kingdom first. You are that kingdom first family. We try to be. You are, I'm telling you, you are. And to your point, that's something that was like laying on my heart after I felt that called after bootcamp is one of the things I'm like, okay, if I feel called in this ministry, like what does that look like? And that's something I was praying into and trying to seek guidance on. And the reason seven happened was because just recently, just before that we sat down with our financial coach.
And she laid out for us, like, if you do this, the snowball method, whatever you want to call it, death stacking, you can get your student loans and your house paid off. Seven years, you'll be good to go. I'm like, awesome. No correlation yet to the ministry deal. Right. Just had that number in my head because I'm like, seven years isn't bad. I can do that. And then we're doing the Bible study, right with the men's and the men's group. And if we go at the rate we're going, it'll be about seven years that we'd get through the entire Bible. I'm like, okay, so I'm being trained up.
Yeah. So this number seven, which again, we're, we're in Genesis seven days. It just kept reoccurring. I'm like, okay, seven years, seven years, something's going to happen. So it was not like a, or I'm going to wait and hold off anything until seven years. Like I'm still doing stuff. Right. I just have this like. I didn't mean for you specifically. Yeah. I get what you're saying, but for, for me, just what I was going through is like, something's going to happen in seven years. I'm just going to hunker down, keep doing my thing, keep building the kingdom. Like you said, keep.
pouring another man. Focused on God and what's your plan for me today? Yeah. And I, okay, seven years. You said something pretty interesting in there that I think a lot of people missed and you said I'm being trained up. Yeah. And I think a lot of people are like, well, I'm supposed to go do this. So I just do it now and I'm ready to go. And God's like, no, no, no, no, no, no. That the rate you're going, this is going to be a 15 year journey. Or you can pay attention to.
what I'm telling you to do, where I'm calling you to go, who I'm bringing around you. And we can make this a three, four, five, six year journey. And it's in the training where God weeds everybody out. I see that now. Yeah. And timing dude, timing is everything. Like we have struggles when we can't see past a year, past a couple of months. Like what is this going to look like in a couple of months, what we're doing? We're not worried.
about months from now. We're just, you know, let's go a week at a time and see what happens. But like when I think of like Abraham and Sarah seeking to have a son for 30, 40 years in the desert, just wandering, you know, we don't have that kind of patience today. If we don't see God moving immediately, we're like, well, it must not be, it must not be for us. It must not be what God called me into. And you're just like, your faith is in the gutter. Right. But it's like, you know, you realize God's timing, but he doesn't care if it takes eight years.
Yeah, he might want you to move and act on something in a day or two or in a week, or he wants to see you act faithfully in the next moment, but his end goal might be decades from now. Quite frankly, you may not be alive. Right. I got the tour of ministry yesterday. Very well known and
I just got the full tour and I'm like, I have never seen something run so well. Process is in place. Excellence. The atmosphere of the employees was calm and loving and kind and everybody had a job and everybody was doing their job. They weren't overwhelming their employees with, well, you need to do these three jobs. No, this is your job and we're going to do this one thing in excellence and you're going to be in the process. The whole thing is incredible.
And just talking through it, they're like, I said, are the people alive that started this ministry? Because it started as every ministry does. God puts a vision out there and you just start moving forward and it seems like nothing's happening for a long time. It's the church. He always starts your ministry with people, because that is the kingdom of God, people. And this ministry has been around for many, many, many, many decades. And only four years ago did they start getting these processes in place.
It just grew to that. And now they're growing at such an incredible rate. And it really hit me, I'm like, if you're really building the kingdom of God and you're doing your part in building a kingdom business or a ministry or a family, there's a good chance that you may never see what it really turns into. And God will bring people to take it. So you're just stewarding it for this leg of the journey, if it's really a kingdom thing.
and then he's gonna bring other people to take it to the next thing. And you might just be the guy building the foundation. Yeah, dude, and that's like when I read through, you know, the end of Genesis into the Exodus. You read that and you realize, they were enslaved for 400 years, 440 years. America hasn't even been around that long. No. Right? And you're just like, you try to put these things in perspective of what they were going through and how God was working. It took them 440 years to...
let his will be done. And we sit here and struggle with a year at a time. And it's like, get past yourself. Like it's not about you. It's about the kingdom. man, you're speaking to me right now. I just got corrected on this this week. Thank you for reminding me. It's a tough reality to go like, all right, this life's not about me. It's about what can I do for God? How can I bring glory to God? And how can I take joy in glorifying God while I'm here doing my little part?
And then where can that go from there? Where's God gonna take it? You're spot on, man. It's a tough reality. But then you can sit there and give praise to people that start those things. I think of, is it Samantha Nye? That goes to life. I just met with them yesterday. Yeah. My daughter goes to Empower. really? Yeah, she goes there. And just to have somebody who's willing to step out, have the fruitfulness to go, I'm gonna start this thing. And I can only imagine what she went through to get started and what she had to overcome. And I'd be somebody I'd love to.
That's somebody I'd love to talk to maybe have on some time. I've just seen where like, all right, I just want to start this thing, have a couple homeschool parents come out, have some kids a couple of days here and there to have a school together. And the thing took off. Yeah. Like awesome. Yep. Who knows what it's going to be, you know, a decade from now. Yeah. For real. Yeah. Well, we continue to pray into continue to grow because it's a good thing and it's being used well.
I don't want to share their story, but those people have completely stayed faithful to a mission that is hard. That's a hard mission. We should have them on sometime. We will. Yeah. We were just at a thing with them yesterday morning. Good people. Heart for the Lord, heart for the kingdom. I got corrected in that this week. I had a ministry mentor.
reached out and I was just sharing with him some things God's doing and I'm like, and he's like, is that what you really want? Like, ooh, that's actually a really good question to ask. What do you really want? And I shared, you know, what I want and that night, it's like, it just kept ringing in my head. You know how sometimes somebody says something, you know, just like that one line just sticks until you like address it. And I'm like, what do I really want? I'm like, what the?
Lord, what is, why is this not leaving? Like I want the kingdom to advance. And I was like, eh, all right, working it back. And then in the morning I woke up and I just first thing in the morning I was like, you submitted to me. You submitted your life to me. It's what my will is for your life. Does it really matter what you want or do you want what I want for you? And I'm like, no, I want what you want for me. I actually want what you want for me.
And that's a scary thing to say because you know there's gonna be trials and tribulations, but I trust you and I want what you want from me. So I messaged the guy that I'm like, you know what? It doesn't matter what I want. It's what Jesus wants and it's what his will is for me. It's what his ministry, what does he have for me? I wanna submit to that. And if this is part of the process and building me to do that, I want this. So you just highlighted that again for me.
but it's a really, really good point. It's nuts, man. It's a crazy journey to be on. Just to finally lay down your life, your will, or what we prayed about earlier. It's not my agenda. We're not trying to get our agenda across. There's literally no agenda with this. There is nothing. Right. No agenda. It's just like, how do we as people follow Christ? How do we serve His will? And how do we advance His kingdom in our small little life here on earth?
doing what he wants us to do, doing it as best we can. And yeah, it's not as simple as going, you know, I'm not important. You know, I'm saying like, it's not about me. Not that you're not important. There's a difference. You know, God loves you and God cares for you. And as we talked about last week, you know, even the sparrows that are taking care of, he's going to take care of you as well. So he loves you. He wants to see good happen to you. And he wants to see you do good for his kingdom. But to realize like, all right, this whole scheme of things, it's not about me, it's about him.
and bringing glory to Him. And that's not always an easy walk to walk. I wanna wrap up with this. And as it comes to whatever you're facing right now, whatever you're going through, I'm talking to us, but I'm talking to our listeners.
Just pause today, grab a journal and just your Bible and start pushing back on the things coming at you. one would be start, start picking three things a day that you're grateful for. You want to really shatter some things in the spirit realm coming against you. Gratefulness, worship, boy, that really changes things quick. Lord, I thank you for this trial that I'm in.
Thank you that I get to draw closer to you through this the enemy he can't do anything with that. He's like I'm losing it and Just really take it to the Lord Lord. Are you fighting this battle for me? Raise up my intercessors. What am I to do before I go on go ahead? no, I like that smile, man You see someone looking at the Bible smiling read it. That's more important what I'm saying the first Corinthians 10 13
Says no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Amen. That's what I leave you with this week. That'll wrap that part up. There's two other things I want to say. So one, do a self assessment. Check your heart, invite the Holy Spirit in, ask him for wisdom in what to do. Number two.
There are people right now that are getting ready to walk out of the fire, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You're getting ready to walk out of the lion's den. You've been in it for a decade, a month, five weeks, whatever it's been. But it is time for you to walk out of it. You do not want to be smelling like smoke walking out of that furnace. You want to walk out of that praising and smiling, because people are watching. You don't want to walk out of that lion's den and be like, man.
Boy, what did I just go through? You want to walk out of there praising the Lord and be like, couldn't touch me. Those lines, they were roaring the whole time. But then I put him to sleep and just start preparing yourself for how you're going to exit this season of trial and testing and being in the furnace and Jesus is in there with you and getting ready to, how am I going to walk into the next season when I walk out of here?
because if you don't walk into that next season, glorifying God and praising God, I really don't think God's gonna open that door for you. He does not open a door for you and want you walking through there like, well, God opened up this door and yeah, but you know, that last job I had, that was the good one. And that last marriage I had was, yeah, that's not God. If he opens a door, he wants you coming through there stained free, smoke free, praising him, worshiping him, glorifying him. And now he's like,
Cool, now I can build on this. So I think that's a good place to end. I'll take it. It's a good conversation for me this week. Anything else buddy? No, I appreciate it. You asked how my week went. There you go. That's how my last 14 days have been. So cool. Well, if you guys need anything from us, please go to our YouTube channel. You can follow us over there, comment on things there, give us your questions. If you have prayer requests, hit up the website.
She's gonna finish that up this week and also you can do it on social media. And one final thing is we're gonna do the Eldritch campfires. So the girls have a date. We're actually gonna associate it with the Eldritch? For the men's part, we are. Sweet. We're gonna add some things in there. The Holy Spirit's just kinda showing you some things and me some things, but we're gonna try and follow his curriculum. Okay. And I put it on their website so that if anybody wants to come from the area, they're welcome.
But if you follow us on social media and at Foxcrest Farm follow Foxcrest Farm on social media You will see some of the updates for that stuff on there as well It is gonna be campfire nights open to families big fires We could do we have five fire pits so we could do five fire pits and then a massive bonfire somewhere but those are gonna be fun events and I'm excited to get people together and People are excited about it. So we have a bunch of those coming up starting in June. Awesome, which is
Right around the corner. Right around the corner. It's crazy. I feel like we just got out of the snow. I know. Yesterday I was sweating so hard as I was trying to do some gardening. It was a little hot yesterday. So. Cool. All right everyone have a great week and we will catch you next week. Peace.