1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi there, and welcome to the Praying Christian 2 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Women podcast, where we talk about the deep questions about 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: prayer that we're all thinking about but sometimes afraid to ask. 4 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: Whether you're new to the faith or have been a 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: believer for decades, this podcast will be your go to 6 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: for biblical encouragement, inspiration, and practical tips to equip you 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: with the tools you need to live out a more passionate, 8 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: powerful prayer life so that together we can change the world, 9 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: one prayer at a time. 10 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to Praying Christian Women. I am Milana 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 2: here with Jamie. 12 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: How are you. I'm doing great? How about you? I'm good. 13 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: I am so excited for today's topic. This is pretty 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: far from anything we have ever covered before on Praying 15 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: Christian Women. 16 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think our true tu crime hats have been 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: on for long, yess that it's gotten us thinking in 18 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: the direction of like crime and the intersection with faith, 19 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: and I just think this is a really important topic 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: to discuss just for awareness because it's so prevalent. 21 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 2: This is so important. So today we're going to be 22 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: talking about spiritual scams and like Jamie mentioned, if you 23 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: haven't heard, we have a second podcast called Christian true 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 2: crime junkies, where we talk about actual crimes. 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: But I feel like. 26 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: This is so important for praying Christian women because the 27 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 2: type of person who listens to praying Christian women is 28 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 2: the type of person that scammers love the most if 29 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 2: you are trying to find a victim for a specifically 30 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: spiritual scam. So when we think about scamming, we often 31 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 2: think about, oh, send me one hundred dollars and I'll 32 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: send you two hundred dollars. Right, there's all kinds of 33 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 2: variations of it. What are some one of the ones? 34 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: Have you ever come close? Has anyone ever tried to 35 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: scan out of money online? 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: Yes? I had the standard email that comes through, Hey 37 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: I'm in this different country and I have this money, 38 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: but somehow I need you to I don't even know 39 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: what the thing is. It's like, I'll give you the 40 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: check if you send me the money and you just 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: keep the extra. It's like, exactly just for your effort 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: helping me. And I haven't. I didn't fall at all 43 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 1: for that one. But one that I almost fell for, 44 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: and it was fairly recent. It was a couple of years. 45 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: It was a year and a half ago when we 46 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: were in New York and my our daughter had lost 47 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: her phone in the airport or the airplane. We couldn't 48 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: remember which, so I just randomly typed in the airport 49 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: name and lost and Found. And I normally am really 50 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: careful because you have sponts and stuff that pops up, 51 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: but I was in a big hurry and I just 52 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: clicked on it and it looked legitimate, and it had 53 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: a fun phone number, and I called the phone number 54 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: and I said, Hey, yeah, we were at this airport. 55 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if the phone was lost in the 56 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,920 Speaker 1: plane or in the terminal. What do I do? And 57 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: they said something, and just even the atmosphere in the 58 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: background and the way the person said the thing, it 59 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: kind of gave me a little red flag. And then 60 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: they asked for money for like, let's just we'll get 61 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: your credit card number for a deposit to hold just 62 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: in case we have shipping fees or something. And I 63 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: was like, and I looked down at the website and 64 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, that's a scam, and I hung 65 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: up right away. But yeah, it's so easy. Even if 66 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: you think that you know the red flags to look for, 67 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: they're always coming up with new stuff. So it's hard 68 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: to stay ahead of the curve with scams. How about 69 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: you with. 70 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 2: Spiritual scams, I think too, we're not really going to 71 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 2: be diving into how to protect yourself from giving money 72 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: to a fraud sterure. I mean, that's part of it, 73 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: and that is important. Spiritual scams go so much more 74 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: beyond that, where the goal oftentimes is there's no money 75 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: exchanged at all, but you are getting scammed out of 76 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: your empathy. You're getting scammed out of your time and 77 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 2: your energy. You're getting scammed out of your prayer energy, 78 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 2: which sounds kind of benign, but it's one of the 79 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 2: greatest gifts that God has given us as intercessors. And 80 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 2: so I think if anybody is starting this episode as like, oh, 81 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 2: they're going to be talking about people who call for 82 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 2: my social Security and I'm not dumb enough to give 83 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 2: that away over the phone, we're really not talking about 84 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 2: that at all. I mean, there are definitely going to 85 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: be people who will try to scam you out of money. 86 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,919 Speaker 2: I manage our church's email account, and so sometimes I get, 87 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: you know, the Hey, we want to make you a 88 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 2: big donation, but we need your bank information or that 89 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 2: kind of stuff. There is this idea that sometimes people 90 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 2: think that because we are women of faith, that maybe 91 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,839 Speaker 2: we're more vulnerable than an average person might be or 92 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: a secular person might be. But we are talking specifically 93 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 2: about scams that are not for your money so much 94 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 2: as for your energy, where the motivation isn't to get rich, 95 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: it is to manipulate and to control. So before we 96 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 2: get into that, do you have a verse of the 97 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 2: day for us? 98 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: I do. It's from Isaiah chapter five, verse twenty from 99 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 1: the NIV. Woe to those who call evil good and 100 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, 101 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. So 102 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: we can only hope that while a lot of these 103 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: types of scams like avoid justice because of the nature 104 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: of them, because money may not be exchanged, it's just 105 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,120 Speaker 1: time and energy, we can only hope that, you know, 106 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: justice will prevail in the end and that somehow they'll 107 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: be recompense. But but yeah, these are these are tough situations. 108 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: I actually had a recent experience where maybe last year, 109 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: there was a friend of a friend, it was it 110 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: was someone that was close enough for me to feel 111 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: like it was legitimate sure to go fund me from 112 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: someone and I did donate to it because that person 113 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: was important to me, you know, And I was like, Hey, Okay, 114 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 1: if they're sharing this for a friend of a friend, 115 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: I'll do it. And I wonder now, because I still 116 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 1: sometimes will get updates and I don't know, it might 117 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: be completely legitimate, but the number of crises that have 118 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: happened one after the other for the last two years 119 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: or however long it's been here, it just makes me wonder. 120 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,799 Speaker 2: Yes, So let's talk about some of the red flags, 121 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: because I think if you haven't thought through this, the 122 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: red flags that you'll have in mind for am I 123 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: being scammed? Are are they asking for any of my 124 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 2: financial information or my Social Security number? Right? But the 125 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: idea of a spiritual scam goes so far beyond that. 126 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: So maybe we should start with an example or two 127 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 2: of what we are considering a spiritual scam. Do you 128 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,119 Speaker 2: have any kind of stories that encapsulate how someone gets 129 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: scammed not for money, but in this specific type of 130 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 2: scam we're talking about. 131 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's someone that I know of in real life 132 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: who had an experience where they had someone call in 133 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: to a church with a prayer request. And I think 134 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: there might have been a money request from the church, 135 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: but I don't know, but it was basically a lot 136 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: of prayer because they were in a bad situation. I 137 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: think maybe they were trying to get out of an 138 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: abusive relationship or something, and these people became like just 139 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: like texting friends with this person to kind of disciple 140 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: them and support them. And over the course of I 141 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: don't think it went longer than a week or so, 142 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: because these people kind of caught on and did some investigating. 143 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: But things happened such as this. They got a call 144 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: from this person's phone number from allegedly a neighbor saying 145 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: that this person was in the hospital and said to 146 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: call them, even though they had barely just mett Yeah, 147 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: but they're thinking to themselves, we've been praying and discipling 148 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: this person, like maybe we're all that this person has. 149 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: And so then later on they got a text from 150 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: a nurse that said something to the effect of, this 151 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: is the only you're the only people that this person 152 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: wants to talk to or once you know, wanted me 153 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: to contact and it's kind of like making you feel special, 154 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: making you feel like you're chosen. And then along the line, 155 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: this person just thing after things happened and they were 156 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: able to confirm that something that they said was a 157 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: complete lie, and that is what made them confront and 158 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: figure out that this was just a scam. No money 159 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: was asked, Yeah, and this is why it is huzzling. 160 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: And they never still they even I believe, asked this 161 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: person why, and I don't know that they ever got 162 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 1: an answer. And it's just this kind of I don't 163 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: know if it's attention, if it's control, I don't know 164 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: what it is, but it's very sick and twisted and 165 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 1: scarier than a financial scam in my opinion. 166 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, So another kind of classic version of what this 167 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 2: kind of scam could look like. There's a podcast series 168 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 2: called Scananda where there's this woman named Amanda who basically 169 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 2: like fakes a very long cancer battle. And I think 170 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 2: it's really important to mention that she does this in 171 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 2: the context of her church community, because I think that 172 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 2: adds lad. That's why we're calling this a spiritual scam 173 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 2: and not just like a medical scam or something like that. 174 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: And in her case, a lot of it, I mean, 175 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 2: there was a lot of financial gain, there's a lot 176 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 2: of people donating, but it did go beyond that. It 177 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 2: went into I want people to surround me, and people 178 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 2: in churches, if you go to a good church, they're 179 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 2: going to be good at surrounding somebody in need and 180 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 2: surrounding somebody in crisis. And that is what as the 181 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: Body of Christ were meant to deal. But that also 182 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 2: means that we are more susceptible than some people in 183 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 2: the secular world to these types of scams. Goal is 184 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 2: more about that attention or that control. I think a 185 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: huge red flag is if somebody is in your orbit 186 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 2: and you are ministering to them and they are a 187 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 2: crisis manufacturer, and we need to be careful because some 188 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: people have job chapters of their life where they lose 189 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 2: their home, and they lose their kids, and they lose 190 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 2: their fortune, and they lose their health, and it happens 191 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 2: in the course of like fifty words in the Old Testament, 192 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 2: and people do. 193 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: Go through that. 194 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 2: But there are also people who will either exaggerate what 195 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 2: they're going through or completely make up what they're going 196 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 2: through because they like the attention that it gives them. 197 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 2: It's similar to that munchausends by proxy disease that we 198 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 2: talked about on our True crime show, and this is 199 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 2: a case where it's usually a mom or some type 200 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 2: of caregiver create symptoms because they are addicted to having 201 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: a sick child. There was a mommy blogger who was 202 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 2: accused of killing her child because she loved the attention 203 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: that she got when her child was ill. And I 204 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: don't think it was like I need my kid to 205 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: be dead now. It was like, I need my kids 206 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 2: to be in medical crisis because I feel good doing that. 207 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 2: And then she basically just kept doing these things. It 208 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 2: created symptoms. She basically poisoned him. And I think it's 209 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 2: similar in church settings, where it might not be a 210 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 2: professional scammer who's trying to get a million dollars out 211 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 2: of you. It might just be somebody who wants a 212 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 2: week of your time where you are the only thing 213 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,959 Speaker 2: on their mind for that week. And is people who 214 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,559 Speaker 2: are called to intercession. I think we can all picture 215 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 2: people that we have felt a deep burden for and 216 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 2: it can become all consuming. And that's what makes us 217 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 2: good at praying. Right, So I'm not saying that we 218 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 2: you know, we close our hearts and we never pray 219 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 2: for people in need, and we never reach out to 220 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 2: people in need. But we need to be careful about 221 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: where we allow our prayer energy to get drained and 222 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 2: who we allow. And I feel horrible even saying that, 223 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 2: because it makes it sound like, well, you know, produce 224 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 2: the corpse of your grandma and then I'll pray for 225 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: you or something like that, and that's that's not what 226 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: I'm trying to say. But we do need to be 227 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 2: a little bit wise. 228 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's the shrewdest serpent, innocent as doves. It's the 229 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,960 Speaker 1: do not treat prophecies with contempt, test everything. It's that 230 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 1: God always gives us a you know what, let your 231 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: heart be tender and open and not callous, and yet 232 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: always be wise. And it's hard, and I'll say that 233 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: it's hard to strike the balance. It's even hard to 234 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: strike a balance of giving your energy and time and 235 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: prayer energy to people who deserve it. Like it's even 236 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: hard to balance, like, oh, how much do I give 237 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: before it's just too much exactly. But then add on 238 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: this caveat of someone who's intentionally trying to drain your 239 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: time and manipulate you, and it's even harder. It's very, very, 240 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: very tough. And we don't want to become calloused or 241 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: jaded or or cynical to the point where we lose 242 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: our empathy and our sympathy and our love for people. 243 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: So it's tough. It's not an easy topic for any 244 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: of us. 245 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 2: It's not. Yeah, and even this idea of who deserves 246 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: our intercession and our parerentes, that's such terrible language to 247 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 2: even cloth it in. But we do need to do 248 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 2: a tiny bit of triage. If we think about intercession 249 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: as the emt responders of the world's spiritual needs, there 250 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 2: is a level of triage that must happen. And so 251 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: that means here's one that I don't think anybody should 252 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 2: feel guilty for. If I hear about a natural disaster 253 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: overseas and at the same time my child is in 254 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 2: a coma, my prayer energy is going to my kid. Right, 255 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 2: Nobody's going to think that I'm a terrible Christian for 256 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 2: having that attitude. And nobody should feel guilty if you 257 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 2: are in a family crisis and you are not praying 258 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 2: for anybody but that immediate family member. I think that 259 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 2: we can even picture when God gives us a great commission, 260 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: this is going to be a parallel. I don't think 261 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 2: that this is the purpose of the Great commission is 262 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 2: not to teach this life, but he talks about you 263 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 2: will be my witnesses in Judea and Samaria and all 264 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 2: the ends of the earth. And it's this picture of 265 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: concentric circles where you start right where you're at and 266 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 2: then you get bigger. And so it's this idea of 267 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: you will intercede for the people in your family, and 268 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 2: you will intercede for the people that you personally know, 269 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 2: and you will intercede for people on a global level. 270 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 2: And I think that we can create a hierarchy so 271 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 2: that if your prayer energy has to go between a 272 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 2: stranger who posted something really sad on Facebook or your 273 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 2: best friend who just got a breast cancer diagnosis, that 274 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 2: can be a little bit of a no brainer because 275 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: it sounds a tiny bit callous at first. It sounds like, well, 276 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 2: let's just pray for everybody. But I want to invite 277 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: people who have that thoughts to recognize that there is 278 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:05,919 Speaker 2: humility and understanding that you cannot fully intercede with a 279 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 2: deep prayer burden for everything that comes into your orbit, 280 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 2: and that there does have to be sometimes some picking 281 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: and choosing of what happens and what happens in these 282 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 2: spiritual scams. Is it somebody who shouldn't be in that 283 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: close circle of I will drop anything and pray for you, 284 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 2: I will drop anything and minister to you. I will 285 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 2: drop anything and call you. There are some people that 286 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 2: are in that circle, and then there are some people 287 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 2: who are going to force their way into that circle 288 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 2: and drain your energy. And some of them are doing 289 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 2: it just because they're a little emotionally immature. Some people 290 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,719 Speaker 2: are going to be doing it because they're making up 291 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: things entirely just to get you to react. 292 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's spiritual stewardship, is really what it is. 293 00:17:56,920 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: And it's not to say that sometimes God doesn't drop 294 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: a very very random prayer burden or a very random 295 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: person into your life. I mean it could happen. You 296 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: can start with the logical triage of close to distant. 297 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: Every once in a while you'll get a prayer burden. 298 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: Like I remember a friend one time in Arizona and 299 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 1: she had an estranged son whom I had never met, 300 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: and as soon as she said his name, I just 301 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 1: was like, I need to pray for him, and so 302 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: he was a prayer burden for several years. I prayed 303 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: to him and I might prayed and I would ask 304 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: how he was doing, if she had heard from him, 305 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: things like that, and that was just random. I mean, 306 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: he's not taking my prayer energy. But that was a random, 307 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,719 Speaker 1: like not close circle. But I prayed for him, probably 308 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: as much as people in my close circle. Yeah, and 309 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: that's okay too. And there are people that will come 310 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: into our lives and maybe they have no one else, 311 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: and maybe God has ordained for you to minister to 312 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 1: this person in some way. And I've seen that happen 313 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: that in my life. But I've also had the feeling 314 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: that I think, looking back, was probably imposed on me 315 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: by that person that I was the only one in 316 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: their life that could help them, and it was a 317 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:17,160 Speaker 1: very intentional thing. And for me, looking back, I would 318 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: say the one thing that caused me to take a 319 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 1: step back was the fruit that I saw of my investment. 320 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: And I hate it's not transactional. We must be led 321 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: by the Holy Spirit. But what I found was the 322 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 1: more I gave, the more this person demanded, and there 323 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: was absolutely no growth. There was no evidence of any 324 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:45,640 Speaker 1: kind of benefit to what I was pouring in. Yeah, 325 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: which again you got to be careful because you don't 326 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,879 Speaker 1: always see and you know, Jesus says, if you do 327 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: something for the least of these, you do it unto me. 328 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: And yes, there is your goodness, your good efforts, they're 329 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: not way did, but there is a stewardship that we 330 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: have to maintain. And what I was finding was I 331 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: was spending so much time trying to solve problems for 332 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: this person, to help them, find resources that would help 333 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: them help themselves, helping them directly, and my family was slipping, 334 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: my close relationships were slipping because I was so overwhelmed with, 335 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: you know, trying to figure out how to help them. 336 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: And this person was always in crisis mode, always in 337 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: emergency mode, and there was no end in sight. And 338 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: I just prayed about it, and I ended up making 339 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: a very intentional break from this person, and I felt 340 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: very bad about it, but I just through a lot 341 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: of prayer, I feel like God gave me the wisdom 342 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 1: that my time helping this person was done. Yeah, but 343 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,719 Speaker 1: it's hard because the Bible doesn't say help people as 344 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: long as you see them improving, you know, So that's 345 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,639 Speaker 1: not always the case. There might be someone in your 346 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: life that's a long term person that you help and 347 00:21:09,080 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: you have to go at it on a case by 348 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: case basis. But the litmus tests I think are are 349 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,199 Speaker 1: you doing well the things that God has called you to, 350 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: primarily meaning your family and whatever it is, or is 351 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: this overtaking? Are you not setting enough boundaries? 352 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 2: And I want to make a distinction because I think 353 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 2: it can be important. We're kind of giving our listeners 354 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 2: warnings about two types of people, and I think they 355 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 2: both warrant warnings, but they are two different types. So 356 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 2: one is, let's call it like an emotional vampire. This 357 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 2: is somebody who they are always in crisis mode. They 358 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 2: always need to be rescued. Everything's like a level eleven 359 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 2: out of a scale of one to two, and it 360 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 2: just feels very chaotic and very draining. And that is 361 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 2: somebody that you need to be careful about how much 362 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 2: time you can invest in because eventually you will get 363 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 2: to the point where, kind of like you did, you say, Okay, 364 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 2: no matter what I do, they're always going to need more. 365 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 2: So let's call that kind of the emotional vampire. And 366 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 2: then we've got the emotional scammer, right, And this is 367 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 2: there are similarities. They both like attention, they both like 368 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 2: to attach on giving sympathetic empathetic people. They're both training, 369 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 2: but one of them is completely making everything up. 370 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 1: Right, there's a big difference. The one I'm talking about 371 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 1: was not making stuff up. This person was just genuinely 372 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:02,240 Speaker 1: always in crisis and looking for it and maybe blowing 373 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: out of proportion right. Right, Sometimes you can blow out 374 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,199 Speaker 1: of proportion and not make it up. But there is 375 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: a difference between saying I'm so overwhelmed, my car's broken down, 376 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: I've lost my job, I'm getting evicted from my house, 377 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: I need help, and having all those things be true and. 378 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:22,399 Speaker 2: I've got cancer. I need you to drive me to 379 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 2: all these appointments like there are like it's so bizarre. 380 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 2: The stories have become a dime a dozen. They have 381 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 2: people who fake cancer or other very serious diseases. Sometimes 382 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 2: they do it just online like a blogger, or sometimes 383 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: they even do it like in their communities. I need 384 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 2: you to drive me to disappointment, and they go and 385 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 2: sit in the hospital lobby for an hour and then 386 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 2: they need you to drive them back, and you have 387 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 2: to ask yourself, Okay, what are you getting out of this? 388 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 2: And sometimes it's money, right, if they're taking up collections, 389 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 2: But sometimes it truly is I need some attention. And 390 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 2: that is the type of scam that we're really wanting 391 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 2: everybody to be aware of, because on the surface, it 392 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 2: doesn't sound like the kind of thing that anybody should 393 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 2: have be warned against. Who in the world would invent 394 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,399 Speaker 2: a terminal illness? And the amount of people who do 395 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 2: is kind of staggering and mind blowing. 396 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, just to be aware that there. Most of us 397 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,360 Speaker 1: would never even it would never even cross your mind 398 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: that that kind of person would exist. And so your 399 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 1: litmus test for whether I'm getting scammed is are they 400 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,240 Speaker 1: asking for money? And as long as they're not asking 401 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: for money, then of course they're legitimate because what could 402 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: they gain. Yeah, it's very very interesting, and sometimes it's attention, 403 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: sometimes it's power. It's just this probably sick feeling of 404 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 1: having power over someone by lying compulsively and having them 405 00:24:56,160 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: believe it. I can't believe the real life person that 406 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 1: would have someone drive them to appointments and just sit there. 407 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: M that's crazy to me. 408 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 2: Crazy, Yeah, what a waste of time, But that it 409 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 2: feeds something in them. And I do believe that churches 410 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 2: and prayer warriors and women of faith are more susceptible 411 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 2: to this because we want to serve, and if you 412 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 2: are a person of integrity, you are more likely to 413 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 2: assume that other people are people of integrity. If you're 414 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 2: a compulsive liar, you're more likely to be suspicious that 415 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 2: everybody is lying, right, don't they say the most jealous 416 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 2: people are the ones that are the big and so 417 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 2: other versions of this scam. We had a story in 418 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:55,719 Speaker 2: our church community of a woman who faked a pregnancy 419 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:58,600 Speaker 2: and then a miscarriage, and again the question is well 420 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 2: why and and it was kind of just for the attention. 421 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 2: And another interesting side of that is in certain cases 422 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 2: like that is a crime, and you don't always think 423 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: about it because you might just think that's weird. But 424 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 2: if people are giving donations, or if people are even 425 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 2: like bringing over cast roles or things like that like that, 426 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:29,400 Speaker 2: that could be under certain definitions fraud because you are 427 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 2: gaining by deceptive means. I've had people who have made 428 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 2: my red flags go off, like Facebook friends. It's the 429 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:45,720 Speaker 2: person who every day there's a new catastrophe. And again 430 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 2: I used to think that until they started their GoFundMe page. 431 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 2: But it must be real, because of course that would 432 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:56,679 Speaker 2: be why somebody would scam. But there were a couple 433 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 2: people where I'm like, oh, really, this is again, like 434 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:07,560 Speaker 2: and maybe but again, and sometimes it's just for the attention. 435 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 2: I don't know if social media has fueled this, but 436 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 2: I wouldn't be surprised if it has, because we get 437 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 2: a dopamine hit when people react to us on social media, 438 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 2: and for certain people, that can become so addictive that 439 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 2: if you're not getting it by something that's happening in 440 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,400 Speaker 2: the rural world, you might make something up. 441 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: It's interesting because during the height of my health anxiety, 442 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: when I was given my symptoms, and there were a 443 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:41,200 Speaker 1: couple of stories I came across that instilled absolute fear 444 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: and terror in me, and when I revisited them, I 445 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: just had this feeling and I was like, why would 446 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: someone do this? But I just had this feeling something 447 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: about the writing. It made me think it was fake. 448 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 1: And I hate even saying that, because someone who actually 449 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: is struggling with something and sharing their story, I would 450 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 1: hate to call them a lot. But there were just 451 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 1: red flags and I can't explain it, and I don't 452 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 1: even know where I would go to find them again, 453 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: but I just wonder it just felt like there were 454 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: people out there sharing their stories and they were faking 455 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,439 Speaker 1: it for whatever and for whatever gain. And at that 456 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: point I was like, what gain would you get? But 457 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: it's a thing. I think it's a thing, very prevalent thing, 458 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 1: more so than we would know very much. 459 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 2: So M So, what do you think are just warning 460 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 2: signs that we can leave our listeners with. 461 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: I think you hit one on the head, just the 462 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: always in a state of crisis, always in a state 463 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: of emergency. I think another one, like going back to 464 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: the example that I gave of the person, I think 465 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: having someone else communicate to you through them through texting 466 00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: or even phone calls, which I have heard of scams 467 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: of catfishing scams where people use different voices and it's 468 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: all the same person and somehow they're very skilled or 469 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: they have thought where that changes their voices. I don't 470 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 1: know what they're doing. So if you're getting communications through 471 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: that person's texting or cell phone, it just seems a 472 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: little off, Like why would a nurse call and give 473 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: me medical information about this person that doesn't sound right? 474 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: Or why would this person's cousin text me through this 475 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: person's phone to say that they're in the hospital. So 476 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: just little things like that that could be red flags, 477 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: I would say, But just the repeated crisis over and 478 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: over and over and over and over, even if it 479 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: doesn't require money. 480 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, And then again, the encouragement we want to 481 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 2: leave everybody with is to be shrewd, to know that 482 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 2: some people are going to lie and fabricate and yet 483 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 2: to somehow, And this is the balancing act we all 484 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 2: have to figure out, with grace, how to do to 485 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 2: still be ready to minister and serve and love and 486 00:29:57,720 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 2: intercede for people. Let your inner sleuth come out. You know, 487 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 2: if you're hearing about someone that you've never heard of 488 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 2: who's having this huge health crisis, or there's this missionary 489 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 2: who something devastating has happens, to just do a tiny 490 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 2: bit of sleuthing. Even again, I think a lot of 491 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 2: people would recognize that would be important to do before 492 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,880 Speaker 2: you send any money, but even do it before you 493 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 2: invest a ton of emotional energy, and that can help. Again, 494 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,959 Speaker 2: I loved the phrase you used of spiritual stewardship. We 495 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 2: only have so much stamina for real intensive prayer, and 496 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 2: so we don't want to squander that on something that 497 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 2: is completely made up just because somebody wants to manipulate. 498 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I would add encouragement if someone listening has 499 00:30:56,520 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: invested time in someone and have been just completely blown 500 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: away by the realization that it was a scam. If 501 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: you've invested time and energy into someone and it has 502 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 1: just all been for what seems like nothing. That's not true. 503 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: Your love, your intention to serve, your prayers, none of 504 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: them are wasted. I go back to Jesus talking in 505 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: Matthew twenty five, and it's verse forty. The King will reply, Truly, 506 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: I tell you, whatever you did for one of the 507 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 1: least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did 508 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: for me. So it doesn't mean we need to not 509 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: try to prevent it in the future. But if you've 510 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: done this before, please don't feel shame or guilt, because 511 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: I know that the story that I shared earlier, the 512 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: people involved felt very guilty. They had a lot of 513 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: guilt and shame. How could I have fallen for this? 514 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: How could I have wasted my time? It's not wasted. 515 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 1: You have given that time to the Lord out of 516 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: the goodness of your heart, and it didn't go to waste. 517 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think that there's also a sense of 518 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 2: if you're really not sure, there is a question of, 519 00:32:01,720 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 2: well would I rather be taken advantage of or turn 520 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 2: my shoulder on somebody in need. There was another podcast 521 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 2: about a bunch of doulas who kept getting scammed by 522 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 2: a woman claiming to be pregnant, and it was usually 523 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 2: over the phone. They were like virtual dulas, and she 524 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 2: would invent all kinds of medical catastrophes and like pretend 525 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 2: to die on the phone and have you know, like 526 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 2: I'd have to get resuscitated. And it was this sense 527 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 2: of when they found out, you do feel embarrassed and 528 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 2: you feel angry and how could someone have done this 529 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 2: to me? But then there's also this question of I 530 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 2: gave to somebody because I am a kind, loving person 531 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 2: and that's something to honor and be proud of as well. 532 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 2: All right, well with that, can you close this in 533 00:32:59,000 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 2: the word of prayer? 534 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: Sure? God, we just thank you that nothing is wasted, 535 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: that you are a redeemer, even of what feels like 536 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 1: wasted time and energy and prayers, and we thank you 537 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 1: for that. God. We just pray for that innocence and 538 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: that shrewdness that you call us to have. We just 539 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: pray that we would be wise, that we would see 540 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: red flags when they're needed to be seen, that you 541 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 1: would expose lies and deceit, and that you would just 542 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: help us to be able to love freely and pray 543 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,040 Speaker 1: with passion, and to still be wise and to be 544 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 1: good stewards of our spiritual energy in Jesus name, Amen. 545 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: Do you love true crime but feel like it's a 546 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: guilty pleasure because of the swearing and explicit content. If so, 547 00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: I can't wait to tell you the good news. Alanna 548 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: and I just launched our brand new podcast, Christian True 549 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: Crime Junkies, a squeaky clean crime show for believers. Each 550 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:13,240 Speaker 1: week we bring you unforgettable testimonies of survival, stories of justice, 551 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 1: and tales of redemption and yes, sometimes plain old murder, 552 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 1: always clean, always from a Christian perspective. Listen to Christian 553 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: True Crime Junkies today wherever you listen to podcasts, and 554 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:30,479 Speaker 1: don't forget to follow us. New episodes come out every 555 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: week and you don't want to miss out. We'd like 556 00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 1: to take just a quick second to thank the team 557 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 1: at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. 558 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com, you will find 559 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've 560 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 561 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:58,279 Speaker 1: That's lifeaudio dot com.