1 00:00:02,650 --> 00:00:03,590 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:03,610 --> 00:00:08,750 Speaker 2: Hello, welcome to the Praying Christian Woman podcast. I am 3 00:00:08,850 --> 00:00:10,709 Speaker 2: Alana here with Jamie. How's it going? 4 00:00:11,150 --> 00:00:12,490 Speaker 1: Going great. How about you? 5 00:00:13,070 --> 00:00:17,610 Speaker 2: I'm good. Happy back-to-school season to all the parents out 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: there and people getting kids or grandkids or neighbor kids 7 00:00:21,940 --> 00:00:24,900 Speaker 2: or foster kids or whoever you're getting off to school. 8 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 2: Happy back-to-school season to all the teachers and school workers 9 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,379 Speaker 2: and How's the school year started for your family? 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,860 Speaker 1: It's been good. It's been a lot of moving parts, 11 00:00:36,979 --> 00:00:40,300 Speaker 1: but the kids are excited about their schools and their classes. 12 00:00:40,420 --> 00:00:43,450 Speaker 1: So I'm excited for the school year. Yeah. 13 00:00:43,770 --> 00:00:47,650 Speaker 2: Well, and how about one more special blessing to families 14 00:00:47,729 --> 00:00:50,690 Speaker 2: who have kids start in college or away from home 15 00:00:50,750 --> 00:00:55,170 Speaker 2: for the first time too, or new empty nesters or 16 00:00:55,290 --> 00:01:01,430 Speaker 2: partial empty nesters, whatever season you're in. And happy fall, 17 00:01:01,450 --> 00:01:04,530 Speaker 2: I guess, or spring if you're in the lower hemisphere. 18 00:01:04,890 --> 00:01:08,530 Speaker 2: And I'm really excited for today's topic. It is a 19 00:01:08,690 --> 00:01:13,690 Speaker 2: question that I have been mulling over and finally feel 20 00:01:13,730 --> 00:01:15,470 Speaker 2: like I'm at the point where like, I don't know 21 00:01:15,500 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 2: if you're this way. I need time to like stew 22 00:01:19,260 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: over certain questions before I would be able to like 23 00:01:23,100 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 2: talk through them. And so like if I said, hey, Jamie, 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 2: give me your thoughts about this and you've never thought 25 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,610 Speaker 2: about it before. It might be a little hard, but. 26 00:01:30,530 --> 00:01:33,730 Speaker 1: I don't know. I don't like getting caught off guard. 27 00:01:33,810 --> 00:01:38,660 Speaker 1: And also, I have an input CliftonStrength, so I like 28 00:01:38,700 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: to research and kind of make sure that my opinion 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,500 Speaker 1: is based on something solid. We're kind of jumping into 30 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: this one, so I apologize in advance if I say 31 00:01:49,100 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: anything off the cuff and people are like, that is 32 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: not biblically accurate. 33 00:01:54,690 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: Well, and that's funny because Your input, I think, works 34 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: in the same way that my intellection does. So Jamie 35 00:02:00,300 --> 00:02:04,550 Speaker 2: and I are using CliftonStrengths languages. It's sort of like 36 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,290 Speaker 2: a personality test, but a little more in-depth and tailored 37 00:02:08,310 --> 00:02:11,770 Speaker 2: more toward, like, I think it was designed for business people. 38 00:02:11,810 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: But for me, the intellection side is I need to 39 00:02:15,290 --> 00:02:20,100 Speaker 2: think about something before... Being able to really discuss. 40 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 1: Yeah, like ruminate on it and kind of let it 41 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,100 Speaker 1: rattle around in your mind a little bit. 42 00:02:26,180 --> 00:02:30,300 Speaker 2: So while you're doing the research, I'm just doing the pacing. 43 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,580 Speaker 2: I love that. And then we put our two brains together. 44 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:35,740 Speaker 2: So I've had plenty of time to intellect on this. 45 00:02:35,780 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 2: You have had zero time to input on this. So 46 00:02:39,139 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: the question though is, A, how do we know if 47 00:02:44,100 --> 00:02:48,100 Speaker 2: it is our intuition speaking to us or the Holy Spirit? 48 00:02:49,110 --> 00:02:51,350 Speaker 2: And what I want to focus on even more importantly 49 00:02:51,370 --> 00:02:59,820 Speaker 2: is B, the dangers of assigning Holy Spirit discernment with 50 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,740 Speaker 2: all capital letters to what is the gift of discernment. 51 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: Because if we had a Venn diagram, there would be 52 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 2: some things that would be just intuition, some things that 53 00:03:10,340 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 2: would be just Holy Spirit discernment, and some things in 54 00:03:13,780 --> 00:03:17,850 Speaker 2: the middle. And I think that to live wise lives... 55 00:03:19,100 --> 00:03:23,750 Speaker 2: We need to know where the promptings and desires and 56 00:03:24,490 --> 00:03:29,470 Speaker 2: thoughts are coming from and which we can pinpoint. We're 57 00:03:29,510 --> 00:03:32,050 Speaker 2: never going to get 100% correct, and that's okay, too. 58 00:03:32,110 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: That's part of humility, in my opinion. But I am 59 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,100 Speaker 2: very excited to talk through this. Do you have a 60 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 2: verse of the day for us? 61 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: I do. This is John 10, verse 27, and I'm 62 00:03:44,700 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: going to read it from the New American Standard Bible. 63 00:03:47,460 --> 00:03:49,540 Speaker 1: because I'm using the lexicon and I just want to 64 00:03:49,780 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: comment on a few of the actual translations from Strong's, 65 00:03:54,540 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: just of the Greek that it comes from. So it's, 66 00:03:57,740 --> 00:04:00,180 Speaker 1: my sheep hear my voice and I know them and 67 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: they follow me. And I would read this and think, 68 00:04:02,990 --> 00:04:05,590 Speaker 1: my sheep hear my voice. You know, sheep are what 69 00:04:06,090 --> 00:04:08,970 Speaker 1: Christians are referred to, followers of Christ. They follow the 70 00:04:09,010 --> 00:04:12,470 Speaker 1: shepherd who is Jesus. So those of us who are Christians, 71 00:04:12,490 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: who are believers, we hear his voice. and He knows us, 72 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: and we follow Him. And so I think what we're 73 00:04:19,820 --> 00:04:23,860 Speaker 1: talking about today is recognizing His voice. And this, when 74 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: I looked at the lexicon, is not exactly that. The word, 75 00:04:26,890 --> 00:04:32,130 Speaker 1: it's to hear or listen, and that means listen to Him. 76 00:04:33,029 --> 00:04:38,140 Speaker 1: It doesn't necessarily mean discern. And so we're still a 77 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: little stuck, even with this verse, because yes, I want 78 00:04:42,100 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: to listen to Jesus. And we know in scripture, those 79 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,990 Speaker 1: are his words. We know that for sure in the Bible. 80 00:04:49,110 --> 00:04:51,590 Speaker 1: But what we're talking about is a little bit different 81 00:04:51,650 --> 00:04:53,750 Speaker 1: from that. And so maybe I should have chosen a 82 00:04:53,770 --> 00:04:55,250 Speaker 1: different verse, but it's too late. 83 00:04:56,830 --> 00:05:01,570 Speaker 2: No, I think that what you just verbally went through 84 00:05:01,890 --> 00:05:05,310 Speaker 2: is the question we're talking about. How do we know 85 00:05:06,010 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 2: that difference between recognizing, hearing, listening? So I want to 86 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,750 Speaker 2: start with some definitions like we often do. I also 87 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:15,710 Speaker 2: want to start with some extremes because I think if 88 00:05:15,770 --> 00:05:20,089 Speaker 2: we can picture the extremes, that helps us to hone 89 00:05:20,210 --> 00:05:24,590 Speaker 2: in on what we're really talking about. So when I 90 00:05:24,690 --> 00:05:32,450 Speaker 2: talk about over-spiritualizing our intuition, the extreme version of that, 91 00:05:32,930 --> 00:05:35,890 Speaker 2: and I bet we have all either encountered people like 92 00:05:35,910 --> 00:05:43,870 Speaker 2: this in real life or like in our caricatured imagination. it's, oh, Jamie, 93 00:05:45,450 --> 00:05:49,390 Speaker 2: I really feel like God is not pleased when you 94 00:05:49,430 --> 00:05:50,150 Speaker 2: wear red. 95 00:05:50,650 --> 00:05:51,230 Speaker 1: Do you know what I mean? 96 00:05:51,250 --> 00:05:56,240 Speaker 2: Like, it's very clear that God doesn't care that you 97 00:05:56,260 --> 00:05:59,140 Speaker 2: happen to be wearing a bright red shirt today, which 98 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:00,660 Speaker 2: looks lovely on you, by the way. 99 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,580 Speaker 1: And it's very clear that I. 100 00:06:03,670 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 2: Am forcing my opinion on you through God's voice, which 101 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:17,140 Speaker 2: is so heretical. It is so dangerous. I'm going to 102 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,830 Speaker 2: go so far as to call this an example of 103 00:06:20,930 --> 00:06:24,250 Speaker 2: using the Lord's name in vain. When I take my 104 00:06:24,330 --> 00:06:28,310 Speaker 2: opinion and I tell you that God is saying it, 105 00:06:29,350 --> 00:06:33,330 Speaker 2: then I have just, as I see it, used the 106 00:06:33,390 --> 00:06:37,940 Speaker 2: Lord's name in vain. I have invoked God for me. 107 00:06:38,770 --> 00:06:43,690 Speaker 2: extremely selfish purposes. So that was the real extreme. But 108 00:06:44,350 --> 00:06:49,150 Speaker 2: it can get trickier. It can get into, well, where 109 00:06:49,210 --> 00:06:52,659 Speaker 2: does God want us to go on a mission trip? Oh, 110 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,420 Speaker 2: God must really want us to go to Hawaii. And 111 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,099 Speaker 2: I say that kind of as a joke, but Hawaii 112 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,339 Speaker 2: could use missionaries just like everywhere else in the world. 113 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 2: But how do I know if my call to Hawaii 114 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:08,900 Speaker 2: is Is my body lacking vitamin D because I live 115 00:07:08,940 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: in Alaska? You know, but if I say God's calling 116 00:07:14,490 --> 00:07:19,110 Speaker 2: me to Hawaii, A, I sound really, really special because 117 00:07:19,250 --> 00:07:23,170 Speaker 2: I can hear God. B, nobody can argue with that. 118 00:07:23,710 --> 00:07:25,570 Speaker 2: It's like, oh, oh, don't take it up with me. 119 00:07:25,650 --> 00:07:28,490 Speaker 2: Take it up with God, you know, and who's going 120 00:07:28,510 --> 00:07:33,460 Speaker 2: to go against God? And then it also brings sin 121 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: into it. It means that if I don't go to Hawaii, 122 00:07:36,750 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: I am sinning against the Lord. So those are examples 123 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: of how we might use personal opinion and put that 124 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 2: under the label of Holy Spirit discernment. And then I 125 00:07:51,370 --> 00:07:54,170 Speaker 2: think we do it with our intuition. And I want 126 00:07:54,210 --> 00:07:57,170 Speaker 2: to say this. It's not bad to have opinions. It's 127 00:07:57,210 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 2: not bad. to hope that at some point God tells 128 00:08:01,330 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 2: Jamie's family to move and become our next-door neighbors. Like, 129 00:08:05,010 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 2: it's not bad to have desires. What is bad is 130 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,260 Speaker 2: when I come to you and say, God has told 131 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,740 Speaker 2: me that you need to uproot your family and come 132 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 2: be our next-door neighbors. Because you can't argue with that. 133 00:08:18,100 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: And then somebody's sinning. If you don't do it, you're sinning. 134 00:08:20,380 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 2: And It can be very coercive. So some churches and 135 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:31,380 Speaker 2: high control groups will use it, but it can come 136 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:36,380 Speaker 2: across in even the most well-intentioned well-meaning. I'm going to 137 00:08:36,460 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 2: give you a caricature that again, I feel like a 138 00:08:40,020 --> 00:08:44,099 Speaker 2: lot of people have encountered or can imagine of a 139 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:49,329 Speaker 2: person who is so flaky, but it's all God's fault. 140 00:08:50,050 --> 00:08:52,340 Speaker 2: And so I was like, oh, Sorry I made you 141 00:08:52,380 --> 00:08:58,230 Speaker 2: wait for an hour. God and I were having a conversation. Okay. 142 00:08:58,809 --> 00:09:01,630 Speaker 2: What do you say to that? You can't say anything 143 00:09:01,650 --> 00:09:01,949 Speaker 2: to that. 144 00:09:02,410 --> 00:09:07,010 Speaker 1: No. I have a friend who knew someone that was 145 00:09:07,130 --> 00:09:09,959 Speaker 1: like that. And she kind of told me about it 146 00:09:10,179 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: in a like almost attitude of admiration for this person. 147 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:18,780 Speaker 1: She said, this person is never on time. They are 148 00:09:18,980 --> 00:09:23,250 Speaker 1: always late for stuff. but they just are always following God. 149 00:09:23,490 --> 00:09:26,929 Speaker 1: And so it's like, oh, exactly. I think the example 150 00:09:26,950 --> 00:09:29,810 Speaker 1: that was given to me was, I was late because 151 00:09:29,950 --> 00:09:32,470 Speaker 1: the Lord told me to stop and have a conversation 152 00:09:32,510 --> 00:09:35,170 Speaker 1: with this person. And so therefore I was late for 153 00:09:35,429 --> 00:09:40,540 Speaker 1: our prearranged meeting. And just like anything, I think there's 154 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: absolutely a time for that. I think there are times 155 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,719 Speaker 1: when you get interrupted and I will find myself just 156 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: being like, you know what? This is what I was 157 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,020 Speaker 1: meant to be doing right now and not doing this 158 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:55,540 Speaker 1: other thing. But just like everything, it could be corrupted. 159 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,309 Speaker 1: It could be manipulated because I'm not going to place 160 00:09:59,370 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: judgment on that. person that was doing that because I 161 00:10:01,820 --> 00:10:05,300 Speaker 1: don't know them. But it could be a sense of 162 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:10,459 Speaker 1: self-importance of, I'm always about the Lord's work. So you 163 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: little people don't have any bearing on my schedule because 164 00:10:14,660 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: I'm doing the Lord's work. And you might be part 165 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,980 Speaker 1: of that and you might not, or you might be 166 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,239 Speaker 1: part of that later than you wanted to, because that 167 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: appointment is overridden by my special hearing from God. That 168 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:29,500 Speaker 1: attitude can become part of it. Or it could also, 169 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,370 Speaker 1: without being quite as like haughty, it could become an 170 00:10:33,710 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: excuse for Like your mindset could be flipped and you 171 00:10:37,220 --> 00:10:40,340 Speaker 1: could just be like, oh, I'm it's OK that I'm 172 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,119 Speaker 1: not on time ever. The Lord meant for me to 173 00:10:43,220 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: oversleep because I was maybe having a dream that, you know, 174 00:10:45,780 --> 00:10:48,709 Speaker 1: I think there are two pitfalls like that. But I 175 00:10:48,790 --> 00:10:52,170 Speaker 1: do think that it would be bad to be afraid 176 00:10:52,190 --> 00:10:56,470 Speaker 1: of those God changes in direction. But in the name 177 00:10:56,530 --> 00:10:58,850 Speaker 1: of keeping a schedule, because you could be so bound 178 00:10:58,890 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: to your schedule that you miss God's work. people's time 179 00:11:03,140 --> 00:11:05,980 Speaker 1: is also important and you should be considerate and you 180 00:11:06,020 --> 00:11:09,020 Speaker 1: should be. So I don't know, like everything, I'm wishy-washy 181 00:11:09,070 --> 00:11:09,630 Speaker 1: and in the middle. 182 00:11:23,070 --> 00:11:26,970 Speaker 2: So I feel like there are certain things that aren't 183 00:11:27,070 --> 00:11:29,770 Speaker 2: good or bad. They aren't God or Satan. They're just 184 00:11:29,820 --> 00:11:34,220 Speaker 2: your personality. There are some personalities that are flighty. There 185 00:11:34,260 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 2: are some personalities that have a hard time being on time. 186 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:42,110 Speaker 2: It can be a little annoying to people that they're inconveniencing, 187 00:11:42,210 --> 00:11:46,030 Speaker 2: and that could be where it ends. But the problem 188 00:11:46,350 --> 00:11:50,410 Speaker 2: is when it turns into something that is so spiritual. 189 00:11:51,090 --> 00:11:56,579 Speaker 2: So here's what it would look like if I over-spiritualized 190 00:11:57,250 --> 00:12:02,260 Speaker 2: my creative intuition. Let's say you're my publisher. And I'm 191 00:12:02,830 --> 00:12:06,689 Speaker 2: writing a book and I have signed a contract. I 192 00:12:06,730 --> 00:12:09,650 Speaker 2: have given you my word that I am going to 193 00:12:09,730 --> 00:12:11,850 Speaker 2: write this book for you. And you've already given me 194 00:12:12,010 --> 00:12:14,990 Speaker 2: some money for it. Okay. And then I come to you. 195 00:12:15,010 --> 00:12:17,689 Speaker 2: I say, Jamie, you are such a great sister in 196 00:12:17,730 --> 00:12:20,150 Speaker 2: the Lord. I totally know you're going to understand this. 197 00:12:21,309 --> 00:12:23,750 Speaker 2: God has called me to another project. So I am 198 00:12:23,809 --> 00:12:26,530 Speaker 2: going to be focused on that. And I will have 199 00:12:26,570 --> 00:12:29,220 Speaker 2: to come back. I have to lay this down on 200 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:34,300 Speaker 2: the altar. this commitment that I made to you. Now, again, 201 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,210 Speaker 2: I want to be careful in the same way you 202 00:12:36,250 --> 00:12:39,490 Speaker 2: were careful. There might truly be a time where God 203 00:12:39,550 --> 00:12:43,170 Speaker 2: calls somebody to do something like that. But if that 204 00:12:43,230 --> 00:12:47,710 Speaker 2: becomes my personality, I am going to step out on 205 00:12:47,750 --> 00:12:50,569 Speaker 2: what I see as a not flimsy limb and say, 206 00:12:50,610 --> 00:12:54,990 Speaker 2: it's not God, it's your personality, and you are making 207 00:12:55,130 --> 00:12:59,809 Speaker 2: God the fall guy for it. And that's really dangerous 208 00:12:59,970 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 2: because what are you going to do now? If you 209 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,180 Speaker 2: cut my contract, which you might have the right to 210 00:13:06,220 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 2: do because I didn't deliver, then I could sit here 211 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,140 Speaker 2: and be like, oh, she didn't see God. She was 212 00:13:12,179 --> 00:13:18,510 Speaker 2: so earthly minded. So yes, there are times where big H, 213 00:13:19,230 --> 00:13:23,410 Speaker 2: big S, big D, Holy Spirit discernment come and we 214 00:13:23,450 --> 00:13:26,650 Speaker 2: need to change our plans and people might be inconvenienced 215 00:13:26,850 --> 00:13:30,330 Speaker 2: and we might feel awkward, and it might be really hard, 216 00:13:30,350 --> 00:13:33,180 Speaker 2: but we just know that we've got to do it. 217 00:13:33,850 --> 00:13:37,189 Speaker 2: There might also be times where you can't make a 218 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 2: commitment and you've got to take that. I've got to say, Jamie, 219 00:13:41,380 --> 00:13:45,620 Speaker 2: I am struggling so much right now. I am having 220 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:50,500 Speaker 2: such a hard time focusing. I am not going to 221 00:13:50,540 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: be able to meet this deadline. Can we talk about 222 00:13:53,820 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: extensions or can we talk about ways that maybe we 223 00:13:57,700 --> 00:14:02,059 Speaker 2: can both get back on track. Or maybe it's a 224 00:14:02,140 --> 00:14:05,130 Speaker 2: life-altering event. It's, I have gotten this terrible diagnosis and 225 00:14:05,170 --> 00:14:07,630 Speaker 2: I need to step away from this. That is so 226 00:14:07,690 --> 00:14:10,810 Speaker 2: different than saying, I've gotten a diagnosis and God has 227 00:14:10,890 --> 00:14:14,250 Speaker 2: told me to step away from this. The end result 228 00:14:14,490 --> 00:14:17,069 Speaker 2: might be the same. It might be the wise choice 229 00:14:17,130 --> 00:14:18,930 Speaker 2: for me to step away from it. But as soon 230 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 2: as I say, and God has told me to, I 231 00:14:23,340 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 2: have assumed so much And I have thrust so much 232 00:14:27,060 --> 00:14:29,740 Speaker 2: on you because what if you come to me and say, actually, 233 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 2: God told me that we were supposed to submit this 234 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: on time. 235 00:14:31,980 --> 00:14:32,620 Speaker 1: Then what do we do? 236 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,990 Speaker 2: Then we're just two budding rams and nobody's going to give. 237 00:14:37,630 --> 00:14:40,310 Speaker 2: And we're both doing it in the name of the Lord. Yeah. 238 00:14:40,870 --> 00:14:43,290 Speaker 1: No, I think that's a nuance that's important to hold 239 00:14:43,430 --> 00:14:48,370 Speaker 1: on to because I think sometimes we think it's bad 240 00:14:48,870 --> 00:14:51,790 Speaker 1: to want things just for wanting them. Like you're talking 241 00:14:51,810 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: about the Hawaii thing. Like, You know, you said it's 242 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,020 Speaker 1: not bad to, it wouldn't be bad to want to 243 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,340 Speaker 1: go to Hawaii. But I think sometimes we put a 244 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:05,990 Speaker 1: God stamp on it to make it seem like righteousness 245 00:15:06,180 --> 00:15:08,530 Speaker 1: in case the haters are going to hate and say, oh, 246 00:15:08,610 --> 00:15:11,830 Speaker 1: why is she using resources to go to Hawaii when 247 00:15:11,890 --> 00:15:15,190 Speaker 1: she can stay at home or whatever? So, yeah. And 248 00:15:15,210 --> 00:15:17,890 Speaker 1: I think that can be dangerous. I actually found in 249 00:15:17,950 --> 00:15:21,990 Speaker 1: my really quick looking, I found a similar passage to 250 00:15:22,030 --> 00:15:25,010 Speaker 1: our verse of the day. that clarifies a little bit more. 251 00:15:25,390 --> 00:15:28,130 Speaker 1: So can I share that? I think it's John 10 252 00:15:28,130 --> 00:15:30,410 Speaker 1: verses three to five. So I'll just read them first. 253 00:15:30,470 --> 00:15:32,610 Speaker 1: And again, I'm going to do the NASB and then 254 00:15:32,650 --> 00:15:34,510 Speaker 1: go to a couple of these things. But it says, 255 00:15:36,310 --> 00:15:38,850 Speaker 1: to him, the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his 256 00:15:38,910 --> 00:15:41,470 Speaker 1: voice and he calls his own sheep by name and 257 00:15:41,510 --> 00:15:44,550 Speaker 1: leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, 258 00:15:44,910 --> 00:15:47,250 Speaker 1: he goes ahead of them and the sheep follow him 259 00:15:47,970 --> 00:15:51,650 Speaker 1: because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will 260 00:15:51,690 --> 00:15:54,620 Speaker 1: not follow, but will flee from him because they do 261 00:15:54,700 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: not know the voice of strangers. So this is a 262 00:15:59,100 --> 00:16:02,460 Speaker 1: little bit different because it's saying that they will follow, 263 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: like we as Christians are going to follow Jesus because 264 00:16:05,540 --> 00:16:09,100 Speaker 1: we know, which means we have seen or perceived, hence 265 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:13,970 Speaker 1: to know his voice or his sound. Like that's basically 266 00:16:14,010 --> 00:16:16,830 Speaker 1: saying we'll know his voice because we don't know the 267 00:16:16,870 --> 00:16:21,460 Speaker 1: voice of a stranger. And Again, it's more of an 268 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:26,630 Speaker 1: allegory because, of course, we hear the voice of Satan sometimes, probably, 269 00:16:26,690 --> 00:16:29,210 Speaker 1: or whispers of the enemy in some way, shape, or form. 270 00:16:30,030 --> 00:16:32,770 Speaker 1: We've heard it, but I think this is kind of 271 00:16:32,830 --> 00:16:36,940 Speaker 1: saying that if, as Christians, I think, and I'm going 272 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: to extrapolate, I don't know if I'm theologically accurate or not, 273 00:16:40,020 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: so take this with a grain of salt because I'm 274 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,110 Speaker 1: not a theologian, but If we spend time with Jesus, 275 00:16:45,470 --> 00:16:47,630 Speaker 1: if we spend time in God's word and we come 276 00:16:47,670 --> 00:16:51,770 Speaker 1: to know the character of what sounds like him, then 277 00:16:52,510 --> 00:16:57,370 Speaker 1: we are not necessarily going to follow a voice that 278 00:16:57,430 --> 00:17:00,490 Speaker 1: is contrary to that because that is not what is 279 00:17:00,570 --> 00:17:03,470 Speaker 1: familiar to us in terms of what we have come 280 00:17:03,530 --> 00:17:07,790 Speaker 1: to know as what Jesus would say. Coming from scripture, 281 00:17:08,510 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: coming from experience of you know, what is the fruit 282 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:15,990 Speaker 1: of the spirit? James 3, 17 is another one. Like, 283 00:17:16,010 --> 00:17:19,389 Speaker 1: but the wisdom above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, 284 00:17:19,470 --> 00:17:23,010 Speaker 1: full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And 285 00:17:23,250 --> 00:17:26,270 Speaker 1: so if those things are not coming out of what 286 00:17:26,290 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: we're hearing, then those are outside of the voice of Jesus. 287 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: I think it still leaves a lot unsaid though. And 288 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,300 Speaker 1: I think it still leaves a lot because like you said, 289 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,360 Speaker 1: moving to Hawaii, I mean, that could come from Jesus, 290 00:17:43,060 --> 00:17:45,700 Speaker 1: but it doesn't necessarily have to come from Jesus. So 291 00:17:45,740 --> 00:17:46,620 Speaker 1: could staying at home. 292 00:17:46,940 --> 00:17:51,180 Speaker 2: And if it doesn't come from Jesus, that doesn't make 293 00:17:51,220 --> 00:17:54,300 Speaker 2: it wrong either. I would say this is going to 294 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 2: be my biggest takeaway, like the mic drop moment of 295 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,460 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to say is sometimes God will tell 296 00:18:02,500 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 2: you to do something and you should do it. Sometimes 297 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 2: your intuition will tell you to do something and you 298 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:12,139 Speaker 2: should do it. The only thing you shouldn't do is 299 00:18:12,220 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 2: attribute that to God. 300 00:18:14,550 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: Yes, there you go. 301 00:18:15,790 --> 00:18:18,790 Speaker 2: Maybe there is something in your heart that is being 302 00:18:18,850 --> 00:18:22,550 Speaker 2: drawn to Hawaii and you can't explain it. And you 303 00:18:22,609 --> 00:18:24,490 Speaker 2: do have the means to go there. 304 00:18:24,550 --> 00:18:27,170 Speaker 1: God bless you. And so you do. 305 00:18:27,890 --> 00:18:31,470 Speaker 2: God did not call you to go to Hawaii, but 306 00:18:31,650 --> 00:18:35,900 Speaker 2: your intuition knew that you needed something there. You needed 307 00:18:35,940 --> 00:18:39,020 Speaker 2: the fresh air. You needed the rejuvenation. You needed the ocean. 308 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,660 Speaker 2: Something there, your body needed. And that's what I have 309 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 2: learned to strip intuition down to. It's your body finding 310 00:18:47,500 --> 00:18:51,340 Speaker 2: nonverbal ways to communicate with you what it needs, or 311 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 2: your subconscious finding nonverbal ways to communicate with you. Your 312 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:02,270 Speaker 2: intuition is not like a terrible, corrupt thing to be 313 00:19:02,310 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 2: afraid of. 314 00:19:02,710 --> 00:19:03,550 Speaker 1: Your intuition. 315 00:19:04,380 --> 00:19:08,300 Speaker 2: is really, really, really smart. It's not as smart as God, 316 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,580 Speaker 2: but it is really smart. And so I think we've 317 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:17,619 Speaker 2: been taught as Christians to, okay, listen to God in 318 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,389 Speaker 2: the Bible, listen to God in the Holy Spirit, listen 319 00:19:20,410 --> 00:19:23,290 Speaker 2: to God through your pastor and teachers and Bible teachers, 320 00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:26,929 Speaker 2: and everything else must be wrong. And that leaves out 321 00:19:26,970 --> 00:19:29,630 Speaker 2: this entire, okay, A, we've got common sense. I don't 322 00:19:29,690 --> 00:19:32,550 Speaker 2: need to read in the Bible or to have the 323 00:19:32,609 --> 00:19:35,869 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit tell me, that I shouldn't go outside at 324 00:19:35,869 --> 00:19:40,740 Speaker 2: 10 below without proper winter gear, right? That's just me 325 00:19:40,780 --> 00:19:43,100 Speaker 2: using my brain. I don't stop and pray and ask 326 00:19:43,180 --> 00:19:45,830 Speaker 2: God if it's in his will that I wear a 327 00:19:45,890 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 2: coat because I believe that God has given me the 328 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,460 Speaker 2: gift of common sense. And so I wear a coat 329 00:19:54,500 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 2: when it's 10 below. In the same way, God has 330 00:19:58,140 --> 00:20:03,390 Speaker 2: given us in two differing volumes an intuition that will 331 00:20:03,450 --> 00:20:06,790 Speaker 2: speak to us, but it is still so different than 332 00:20:06,810 --> 00:20:10,970 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit. So for example, I think one thing 333 00:20:11,050 --> 00:20:15,450 Speaker 2: that a woman's intuition was designed to do is to 334 00:20:15,550 --> 00:20:19,100 Speaker 2: tell you when you are in an unsafe situation or 335 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 2: with an unsafe person. We have not had the gift 336 00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 2: of being extremely muscular and dominant. And so God has 337 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:34,460 Speaker 2: given us the extra gift of being able to read 338 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,850 Speaker 2: people well and to know to differing degrees of accuracy 339 00:20:39,010 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 2: and never to 100% accuracy if we are with somebody 340 00:20:43,780 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 2: who is unsafe. Here is the extremely tragic version of 341 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 2: how bad it is when a well-meaning Christian believes that 342 00:20:53,380 --> 00:20:58,109 Speaker 2: intuition and Holy Spirit are exactly the same thing. In 343 00:20:58,150 --> 00:21:03,030 Speaker 2: this scenario, the woman is walking down the road and 344 00:21:03,070 --> 00:21:06,889 Speaker 2: just has a bad feeling. Because her intuition that was 345 00:21:06,950 --> 00:21:09,929 Speaker 2: given to her by God is telling her that something 346 00:21:10,010 --> 00:21:13,590 Speaker 2: is dangerous. But this woman, A, has not been told 347 00:21:13,630 --> 00:21:17,050 Speaker 2: to trust her intuition. And B, she has been told 348 00:21:17,070 --> 00:21:22,750 Speaker 2: that the only extrasensory information that she gets is the 349 00:21:22,810 --> 00:21:29,020 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit. So she interprets it as God told me 350 00:21:29,130 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 2: to leave and I didn't. And then let's make it 351 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:36,990 Speaker 2: terribly tragic that she gets mugged. The woman with the 352 00:21:37,070 --> 00:21:41,709 Speaker 2: wrong understanding of the distinction between the Holy Spirit and 353 00:21:41,750 --> 00:21:46,169 Speaker 2: her intuition can very easily say, God told me to 354 00:21:46,230 --> 00:21:49,010 Speaker 2: leave and I didn't, so I was punished. Or even, 355 00:21:49,550 --> 00:21:51,910 Speaker 2: God told me to leave and I didn't, so God 356 00:21:52,170 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 2: punished me. And that is so, so wrong. You did 357 00:21:57,820 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 2: not sin against God by ignoring your intuition. You, I 358 00:22:03,820 --> 00:22:07,740 Speaker 2: will submit, were sinned against by the world that forced 359 00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 2: you to ignore your intuition. And God was up here, 360 00:22:13,060 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 2: like morality was not a part of it, right? It wasn't, 361 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,330 Speaker 2: am I sinning or am I not? It's, am I 362 00:22:20,380 --> 00:22:23,770 Speaker 2: trusting my intuition or am I not? That's why it 363 00:22:23,930 --> 00:22:28,450 Speaker 2: almost sounds like I'm advocating for a less spiritually pure 364 00:22:28,490 --> 00:22:31,570 Speaker 2: way of looking at ourselves. But I hope people see 365 00:22:32,260 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 2: Like the danger of enmeshing your intuition in God and A, 366 00:22:36,740 --> 00:22:40,330 Speaker 2: how prideful that can be, but also how devastating that is. 367 00:22:40,510 --> 00:22:44,709 Speaker 2: If then when you ignore your intuition and something bad happens, 368 00:22:44,730 --> 00:22:47,250 Speaker 2: then you take it as God punishing you because you've sinned. 369 00:22:47,290 --> 00:22:48,170 Speaker 1: That's tragic. 370 00:23:00,770 --> 00:23:01,100 Speaker 2: It is. 371 00:23:01,900 --> 00:23:05,780 Speaker 1: So my husband and I, we're celebrating our 27th anniversary 372 00:23:05,820 --> 00:23:08,859 Speaker 1: this year in a few days. And we went to 373 00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:12,170 Speaker 1: dinner last week to celebrate. And we kind of went 374 00:23:12,190 --> 00:23:13,889 Speaker 1: through during the dinner, we kind of went through the 375 00:23:14,030 --> 00:23:17,290 Speaker 1: eras of our last, of our 27 years and kind 376 00:23:17,330 --> 00:23:19,389 Speaker 1: of just kind of like the whole dinner, we're just 377 00:23:19,410 --> 00:23:22,610 Speaker 1: kind of going through these different eras and talking about 378 00:23:22,650 --> 00:23:25,050 Speaker 1: them and what we got out of them, what were 379 00:23:25,070 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 1: the good things, the bad things, the in-between. And it 380 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: reminded me of just before moving to Alaska. We had 381 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,820 Speaker 1: lived in Arizona. And at the time, we were really 382 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:39,260 Speaker 1: happy there. Like we were very plugged into our church. 383 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:43,420 Speaker 1: Looking back, I would say it was the place where 384 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,629 Speaker 1: at least my husband had the best friends of almost 385 00:23:47,690 --> 00:23:50,690 Speaker 1: anywhere we've lived other than maybe like our college friends 386 00:23:50,750 --> 00:23:54,110 Speaker 1: back in Virginia. Because for men, it's kind of difficult, 387 00:23:54,190 --> 00:23:56,409 Speaker 1: I think, to make friends. I would say he had 388 00:23:56,430 --> 00:24:00,350 Speaker 1: the most friends, not necessarily, you know, that he didn't 389 00:24:00,390 --> 00:24:04,129 Speaker 1: have good friends other places. But anyway, I was involved 390 00:24:04,170 --> 00:24:07,330 Speaker 1: in children's ministry. He was involved in doing sound for 391 00:24:07,350 --> 00:24:09,870 Speaker 1: the church. We were part of this like church that 392 00:24:10,590 --> 00:24:13,899 Speaker 1: was mobile. So every Sunday we had to get there early, 393 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,939 Speaker 1: set up everything. I mean, I was involved with music. 394 00:24:17,020 --> 00:24:19,200 Speaker 1: It was just, it was the most involved. I'd say 395 00:24:19,220 --> 00:24:22,399 Speaker 1: that we have been at a church in terms of 396 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:26,130 Speaker 1: time spent serving and being with people in the church. 397 00:24:26,190 --> 00:24:30,140 Speaker 1: So Anyway, everything seemed like it was good. And then 398 00:24:30,420 --> 00:24:33,780 Speaker 1: he was given this opportunity to go to Alaska. The 399 00:24:33,820 --> 00:24:36,369 Speaker 1: first time, we said no. It didn't seem like the 400 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:39,850 Speaker 1: right timing. But then that opportunity came up again. And 401 00:24:39,869 --> 00:24:43,330 Speaker 1: we started wondering, is this God giving us this opportunity? 402 00:24:43,869 --> 00:24:48,109 Speaker 1: My husband felt very strongly that he was supposed to 403 00:24:48,150 --> 00:24:49,149 Speaker 1: be going. And. 404 00:24:53,390 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: But not necessarily like, oh, God is calling me here. 405 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,439 Speaker 1: It was just he really wanted a change of scenery 406 00:24:58,480 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: at that point and thought it was the right thing 407 00:24:59,980 --> 00:25:02,939 Speaker 1: to do. So we're just kind of doing this discernment 408 00:25:02,980 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: process and, you know, knowing that we're going to do 409 00:25:05,740 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: it imperfectly because we're not going to hear from God 100%. 410 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:14,939 Speaker 1: But I just remember asking God, is he wanting to 411 00:25:14,980 --> 00:25:17,500 Speaker 1: do this for the wrong reasons? And I came to 412 00:25:17,540 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 1: the passage in, it was about Samson and how. 413 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:24,820 Speaker 1: I hope I don't get it wrong because I haven't 414 00:25:24,900 --> 00:25:25,740 Speaker 1: reviewed it recently. 415 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:27,260 Speaker 2: I remember this story. 416 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,490 Speaker 1: Yeah, like he had this idea that he wanted to 417 00:25:30,530 --> 00:25:33,630 Speaker 1: go after this Philistine woman. He was forbidden to marry 418 00:25:33,670 --> 00:25:39,149 Speaker 1: a Philistine woman. And I think he basically was... Drawn 419 00:25:39,210 --> 00:25:41,420 Speaker 1: to her. And I don't know. Anyway, whatever the case. 420 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 2: His parents were worried. 421 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: His parents were worried. That's right. 422 00:25:45,660 --> 00:25:49,379 Speaker 2: Like the narrator was like, and they didn't know that 423 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:50,740 Speaker 2: this was part of God's plan. 424 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: That's right. And so. 425 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 2: Right. 426 00:25:52,540 --> 00:25:54,940 Speaker 1: They didn't know. And it's like, who are we to 427 00:25:54,980 --> 00:25:58,149 Speaker 1: think that God won't even use? And I think this 428 00:25:58,190 --> 00:26:00,010 Speaker 1: was in the Bible. Like, who are you to think 429 00:26:00,070 --> 00:26:04,590 Speaker 1: that God won't even use just the regular, like carnal 430 00:26:04,630 --> 00:26:08,390 Speaker 1: desires of a person, their wishes, their wants? to bring 431 00:26:08,430 --> 00:26:11,190 Speaker 1: about his plan. And so I just remember reading that 432 00:26:11,230 --> 00:26:14,230 Speaker 1: and thinking, okay, like, all right. So even if, which 433 00:26:14,670 --> 00:26:17,670 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that it was not a God ordained thing, 434 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:21,700 Speaker 1: but even if he's not seeking God about this, God's like, 435 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,500 Speaker 1: who's to say I'm not going to move your family 436 00:26:23,540 --> 00:26:26,100 Speaker 1: where you're supposed to be one way or another. And 437 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: so that gave me this idea of, okay, maybe. And 438 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,420 Speaker 1: then I just went to God directly and I just thought, 439 00:26:32,010 --> 00:26:35,550 Speaker 1: please give me confirmation. And so I just remember reading 440 00:26:35,570 --> 00:26:38,470 Speaker 1: about the transfiguration and Jesus takes a couple of the 441 00:26:38,510 --> 00:26:42,710 Speaker 1: disciples up and Moses and Elijah are there and everyone's 442 00:26:42,790 --> 00:26:45,310 Speaker 1: so happy. They're like, wow, let's just make a tent 443 00:26:45,350 --> 00:26:47,750 Speaker 1: and stay here because it feels good to be here. 444 00:26:48,630 --> 00:26:50,660 Speaker 1: And Jesus was like, nope, you got to go back. 445 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 1: You've got work to do somewhere else. Even though this 446 00:26:52,940 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 1: is a great place and a holy place and things 447 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: are really good here, I have other things for you 448 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:01,780 Speaker 1: right now. And I read that and not everybody would 449 00:27:01,820 --> 00:27:03,369 Speaker 1: read it and come away with the same thing, but 450 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,010 Speaker 1: I really felt the Holy Spirit just nudging me like, 451 00:27:06,090 --> 00:27:09,190 Speaker 1: this is for you. to understand that you're in a 452 00:27:09,210 --> 00:27:11,550 Speaker 1: good place, but I got other things. So go down 453 00:27:11,570 --> 00:27:15,270 Speaker 1: the mountain and keep going. There's more for you somewhere else. 454 00:27:16,070 --> 00:27:18,910 Speaker 1: And we ended up in Alaska. This podcast would never happen. 455 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,530 Speaker 1: Our friendship would not have happened because you lived in Alaska. 456 00:27:23,130 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: And any number of things wouldn't have happened. So all 457 00:27:27,260 --> 00:27:29,460 Speaker 1: of that to say that I feel like a very 458 00:27:29,540 --> 00:27:31,219 Speaker 1: safe thing to do when you think you might be 459 00:27:31,260 --> 00:27:34,010 Speaker 1: hearing from God, but you're not sure, is just keep 460 00:27:34,170 --> 00:27:39,060 Speaker 1: asking him for wisdom. And again, another scripture is James 1.5. 461 00:27:39,060 --> 00:27:41,780 Speaker 1: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, 462 00:27:41,820 --> 00:27:44,820 Speaker 1: it shall be given to him. And it might be 463 00:27:44,859 --> 00:27:47,320 Speaker 1: that if you're not sure of yourself, but you're sure 464 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:49,219 Speaker 1: of God, you might need to ask a few times. 465 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:51,850 Speaker 1: But I just truly believe if we just keep asking 466 00:27:52,330 --> 00:27:56,130 Speaker 1: and pursuing and being open to God's showing us through scripture, 467 00:27:56,250 --> 00:28:00,310 Speaker 1: through sermons, through people, through circumstances, I really believe that 468 00:28:00,970 --> 00:28:04,409 Speaker 1: we will eventually receive be able to discern like, is 469 00:28:04,470 --> 00:28:07,130 Speaker 1: it really God or is it not? Yeah. 470 00:28:07,630 --> 00:28:09,810 Speaker 2: And then I just want to add the reminder that 471 00:28:09,850 --> 00:28:12,010 Speaker 2: sometimes it's not going to be God, but it's still 472 00:28:12,050 --> 00:28:13,970 Speaker 2: going to be a nudging that makes sense for you 473 00:28:13,990 --> 00:28:14,650 Speaker 2: to listen to. 474 00:28:14,710 --> 00:28:17,350 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah. Good point. 475 00:28:18,010 --> 00:28:22,290 Speaker 2: As Christians and as women, we really have had a 476 00:28:22,350 --> 00:28:27,730 Speaker 2: disservice thrust upon us to not learn how to trust 477 00:28:27,810 --> 00:28:31,990 Speaker 2: and honor and listen to our intuition. We're We're taught 478 00:28:32,030 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 2: to suppress it. We're taught that, well, since the heart 479 00:28:35,140 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 2: is deceitful above all things, then anything that I might 480 00:28:38,740 --> 00:28:42,060 Speaker 2: think or want must necessarily be my sin nature. And, 481 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:47,070 Speaker 2: you know, there's so much that God has put inside 482 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:53,090 Speaker 2: us by design that doesn't have to be as complicated 483 00:28:53,910 --> 00:28:57,370 Speaker 2: or as afraid of being tarnished by sin as we 484 00:28:57,390 --> 00:29:01,930 Speaker 2: make it. Like, sometimes we're hungry and that's a sign 485 00:29:02,310 --> 00:29:03,190 Speaker 2: that we should eat. 486 00:29:03,370 --> 00:29:04,130 Speaker 1: So we do. 487 00:29:04,850 --> 00:29:07,150 Speaker 2: And sometimes we're hungry and we're in the middle of 488 00:29:07,210 --> 00:29:10,610 Speaker 2: something and there's no food. So we don't like you 489 00:29:10,650 --> 00:29:14,390 Speaker 2: haven't sinned one way or the other, but the hunger 490 00:29:14,410 --> 00:29:18,630 Speaker 2: is still in most cases, right? Like, you know, relationships 491 00:29:18,670 --> 00:29:22,990 Speaker 2: with food can get enmeshed in, in things of the flesh. 492 00:29:23,070 --> 00:29:25,469 Speaker 2: But if you're not in a situation like that, like 493 00:29:25,510 --> 00:29:30,020 Speaker 2: hunger is just hunger. It doesn't have to be oh God, 494 00:29:30,060 --> 00:29:33,140 Speaker 2: should I eat this piece of pizza or not? Like 495 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:35,470 Speaker 2: I really need, because I want to do it. But 496 00:29:35,850 --> 00:29:37,410 Speaker 2: if I want to do it, then it must not 497 00:29:37,470 --> 00:29:39,890 Speaker 2: be good for me. And I don't want to make 498 00:29:39,910 --> 00:29:43,860 Speaker 2: you mad. Like we have so much freedom in Christ. 499 00:29:44,620 --> 00:29:48,500 Speaker 2: I think that if I wanted to just like become 500 00:29:48,980 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 2: grandmother to the world and like impart grandmotherly advice to 501 00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:55,790 Speaker 2: the world, it would be like, things are okay. Like 502 00:29:55,970 --> 00:30:00,230 Speaker 2: God is not as mad about every small choice you 503 00:30:00,270 --> 00:30:04,190 Speaker 2: make as you might be afraid he is. Like it 504 00:30:04,210 --> 00:30:06,620 Speaker 2: would be, imagine how sad it would be to like, 505 00:30:06,660 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 2: you take your kid into this beautiful playroom, like just 506 00:30:10,020 --> 00:30:13,860 Speaker 2: the playroom of their dreams. And they come to you 507 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:16,460 Speaker 2: with every, like, mommy, is it okay if I play 508 00:30:16,500 --> 00:30:20,160 Speaker 2: with this one now? Or will that make you mad? Like, mommy, 509 00:30:20,220 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 2: are you sad if I play with this toy? Like, 510 00:30:22,460 --> 00:30:24,719 Speaker 2: could I be done playing with this toy now? Or 511 00:30:24,740 --> 00:30:27,610 Speaker 2: does that hurt your feelings? That would be so sad 512 00:30:27,690 --> 00:30:29,459 Speaker 2: for a mom. And I feel like sometimes that's how 513 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 2: we treat God with the gifts he's given us. 514 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. So there's a book, there's a popular book out 515 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: by John Burke and it's called Imagine Heaven. And he 516 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,970 Speaker 1: has a podcast too. And I would say, absolutely take 517 00:30:42,010 --> 00:30:44,150 Speaker 1: it with a grain of salt because he's a very 518 00:30:44,210 --> 00:30:47,710 Speaker 1: biblically based person. He interviews people who have had near 519 00:30:47,730 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: death experiences who are Christians. Some of them are not, but, um, 520 00:30:52,250 --> 00:30:54,770 Speaker 1: But he talks to them about their experiences. And his 521 00:30:54,810 --> 00:30:57,510 Speaker 1: goal as a pastor and as a Christian is not 522 00:30:57,550 --> 00:31:02,210 Speaker 1: to take everything. It's to find out everything, find common threads, 523 00:31:02,590 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: find out if they're biblical, and just talk about it. 524 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: And the idea is to equip believers with the not 525 00:31:09,980 --> 00:31:13,740 Speaker 1: to take someone's testimony about their alleged, whether it's true 526 00:31:13,780 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: or false, near-death experience as gospel, but to allow us 527 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:22,110 Speaker 1: to take these stories and be able to imagine heaven 528 00:31:22,350 --> 00:31:28,260 Speaker 1: more fully and more biblically. So anyway, my point is, 529 00:31:28,580 --> 00:31:32,020 Speaker 1: one of the things that in his interviews that keeps 530 00:31:32,100 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: coming up, and whether it's true or not, I believe 531 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: it's biblical, is that their experience with God and with 532 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:44,239 Speaker 1: Jesus in their experiences tend to be that they are 533 00:31:44,570 --> 00:31:50,990 Speaker 1: so full of joy and laughter and they're whimsical. They're loving, 534 00:31:51,870 --> 00:31:56,010 Speaker 1: but fun. And I'm not saying that there's not, there 535 00:31:56,070 --> 00:32:00,390 Speaker 1: aren't wrathful, judgmental aspects to God. And I'm not saying 536 00:32:00,430 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 1: that these experiences mean that's truly who God is, because 537 00:32:03,860 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm not going to, you know, that's extra biblical. But 538 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: in the Bible, if you really do read it, and 539 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,170 Speaker 1: I mean, there's just so much love. There's so much, 540 00:32:14,230 --> 00:32:17,130 Speaker 1: when you hear about the parables that Jesus uses to 541 00:32:17,170 --> 00:32:20,790 Speaker 1: describe God, like the prodigal son, you know, I mean, 542 00:32:20,890 --> 00:32:24,810 Speaker 1: he's joyful. He's loving. And I just feel like we 543 00:32:24,830 --> 00:32:28,030 Speaker 1: get so hung up on the God with the ruler 544 00:32:28,090 --> 00:32:32,350 Speaker 1: wrapping your knuckles when you've done something wrong that as Christians, 545 00:32:32,390 --> 00:32:35,670 Speaker 1: we forget some of the whimsicality and the joy and 546 00:32:35,690 --> 00:32:38,170 Speaker 1: the laughter that's, you know, reflected in us. What are 547 00:32:38,190 --> 00:32:42,580 Speaker 1: the things that we love about humanity? And we're made 548 00:32:42,620 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: in his image and we love to laugh. We love joy. 549 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:48,209 Speaker 1: Those are things that fulfilling to us. So I don't know. 550 00:32:48,510 --> 00:32:52,110 Speaker 1: I just know that a wrong understanding of God has 551 00:32:52,190 --> 00:32:54,890 Speaker 1: been my pitfall, my downfall in a lot of my 552 00:32:55,530 --> 00:32:58,850 Speaker 1: problems as a Christian. And I just feel like the 553 00:32:58,890 --> 00:33:03,990 Speaker 1: more I look to who God is, it just helps 554 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:08,540 Speaker 1: me to live my life, to enhance my prayer life, 555 00:33:08,660 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: enhance my relationship with God more when I understand more 556 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: who He is. I don't know. Maybe we'll cut that 557 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: whole thing out. 558 00:33:16,750 --> 00:33:20,410 Speaker 2: No, that made a lot of sense. Yeah. Well, I 559 00:33:20,450 --> 00:33:24,830 Speaker 2: don't have a formal blessing ready, but I do hope 560 00:33:24,910 --> 00:33:29,350 Speaker 2: and pray that everybody listening learns to trust the gift 561 00:33:29,570 --> 00:33:33,469 Speaker 2: of intuition that God has given you and that you 562 00:33:33,530 --> 00:33:35,550 Speaker 2: are able to hear the voice of God when he 563 00:33:35,610 --> 00:33:38,690 Speaker 2: is trying to communicate with you. And my prayer is 564 00:33:38,710 --> 00:33:43,350 Speaker 2: that may we all have even greater ability to discern 565 00:33:43,410 --> 00:33:47,210 Speaker 2: which is which and Just as a reminder to drive 566 00:33:47,250 --> 00:33:50,969 Speaker 2: it home, that doesn't mean your intuition shouldn't be listened to. 567 00:33:51,010 --> 00:33:53,730 Speaker 2: It just shouldn't be attributed to the Lord. Amen. 568 00:33:57,670 --> 00:33:59,530 Speaker 1: We'd like to take just a quick second to thank 569 00:33:59,570 --> 00:34:01,950 Speaker 1: the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us 570 00:34:02,030 --> 00:34:05,610 Speaker 1: on the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio.com, you will 571 00:34:05,650 --> 00:34:09,009 Speaker 1: find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They've 572 00:34:09,030 --> 00:34:12,790 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 573 00:34:13,330 --> 00:34:14,350 Speaker 1: That's lifeaudio.com.