S1: Coming to you from the Morning Star Mission sponsored studio.
S1: This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio.
S2: Carl and crew on this. Freedom and freedom and Friday.
S2: I guess that's a way to say it. Sure. It's
S2: a it's freedom. And Friday, uh, overjoyed at what God's
S2: doing here this week. Just thrilled with your response, thrilled
S2: with the amount of you that are just going back
S2: to even listen to content and your lives are being changed.
S2: We have got a special treat for you today. The
S2: myth that we are debunking is the the cycle can't
S2: be broken. Some of you feel this way, and it
S2: can come and manifest itself in a lot of ways
S2: in your life. For some of you, it's an issue
S2: of salvation. You've not yet been born again. For some
S2: of you, it's an issue of going back to that
S2: old rugged cross and laying down your life all over again.
S2: But we're going to slide over to studio B, And
S2: you're going to hear the heart of Ben Fuller in
S2: a way like he himself says. I don't know if
S2: I've ever had an interview like that. It was an
S2: interesting time with Ben Fuller, and you get the entirety
S2: of it right here. Buckle up, get a swig of water,
S2: and God bless you today.
S1: This is curl and Crew on Moody Radio.
S2: You know, it's not often that I get to sit
S2: down with a fellow former cocaine user. We weren't in
S2: the same decade. We weren't in the same region. But
S2: we tried to find the same thing to fill the void.
S2: Didn't work, did it, Ben Fuller?
S3: No. It didn't. Man.
S2: It's good to have you in here today. It really is.
S2: And I just want you to pour out your heart.
S2: When I saw the bio sheet on you, I'm like, man,
S2: this guy rode hard, got put away wet, and then
S2: found Jesus. It's the coolest story from when you walk
S2: into a worship auditorium with a few thousand people and
S2: you fall on your face receiving Jesus Christ, the new
S2: life of Christ poured out in you. Back up from there, man.
S2: It didn't start that way, did it?
S3: No. Uh, Vermont grew up in Vermont. Vermont? Yeah, yeah.
S3: On a dairy farm. And, you know, I think I
S3: think looking back at 14.5 years of of cocaine, alcohol
S3: and sleeping around and all the things, it's like, I
S3: just wanted to hear that I was loved, you know?
S3: And I never got that from my dad. Really. And
S3: so it was like. And I realize now digging in
S3: further that my grandpa didn't tell my dad that and
S3: my dad. So my dad didn't tell me that, you know,
S3: it was this generational thing that was like passed down.
S3: We just don't talk about emotion. We don't talk about love,
S3: you know? Yeah. And it was just something that I.
S3: I wanted so, so badly. Um, so with that missing,
S3: I just, I had a headbutt relationship with my dad,
S3: you know, and it was like, man, I'm just. I
S3: just need to get out of here. And then it
S3: wasn't long. I was 17, 18 years old, went to
S3: a party, says, hey man, why don't you do a
S3: line of this? This will this will fix your this
S3: will fix your problems, man. This will take you away. This.
S3: This will numb it. Numb it all. Yeah, and I did.
S3: And so man with my personality, it was just, it
S3: was just I was a train wreck. And so I
S3: just started using and um left and right. And then
S3: the more I could, the more I used, the more
S3: I could drink and vice versa. And so next thing
S3: you know, I just became this, like, closet addict hiding
S3: in plain sight, you know? And I had it all
S3: together on the outside, but on the inside, man, I
S3: was just empty. And so I was looking, searching, seeking
S3: for something, I think, you know, just to fill that
S3: hole in my heart that that missing love in my heart. And, um,
S3: I lost my best friend December 16th, 2017 to heroin,
S3: you know, and Ryan, Ryan told me, uh, months before, um, man,
S3: it's everything that they said it was. Don't you dare
S3: try it. And he went to rehab and two weeks
S3: later he got out and and shot up and died.
S3: And it was all fentanyl. And, um, you know, I
S3: quit for a while after that, I stopped doing drugs.
S3: I was like, man, I'm not going to. I don't
S3: want to die. I, you know, I slowed down on
S3: the drinking, all the stuff, but it was like, man,
S3: I was doing it under my own power. Yeah. And
S3: so 2018 shows up and I start singing country music, right?
S3: You know, and and I'm just like, I'm going to
S3: go for it. And I had a lot of friends
S3: support me and a lot of friends pushed me down
S3: to Nashville. And so in the fall, I moved and
S3: I left my landscape career of 15 years and, um,
S3: left the dairy farm, and I went down to Nashville
S3: to think I could make it in country music. But
S3: God had other plans for my life.
S2: He put you in. He put you into an auditorium
S2: with 3000 crazies for Jesus. And what happened?
S3: Yeah, man, it was the fall of 2019. He used
S3: this family from Vermont Mont. That he moved there a
S3: year before I even got there, and they invited me
S3: to dinner. And after this dinner they said, Will you
S3: come to church with us? And I said, why not? Yeah,
S3: you guys fed me. I'll feed you whatever. I'll go. And, uh, man,
S3: I walked in and and it was like. And I
S3: tell people, for someone who spent 14.5 years as a
S3: drug addict, um, trying to get high and I've never
S3: been higher. And I stood there with my feet off
S3: the ground going, what is this? You know what has happened. What?
S3: At this.
S2: Where am I?
S3: This is what I've been looking for.
S2: The whole time.
S3: The whole entire time I was 32 years old. I
S3: stepped foot in that place and I stood right in
S3: the back. I didn't need to go to the front.
S3: I didn't need to go anywhere. I just stood right
S3: in the back. And I heard about this man named Jesus,
S3: not as a swearer, but as a Savior. And I said, Lord,
S3: come fix this. Come. Come on. I dare you to
S3: fix me because I'm so broken, I. I doubt you
S3: could even fix me. And man, like a wrecking ball.
S3: 20 beers a night. I was drinking ten, eight, two
S3: zero over the course of two months. I was like,
S3: I don't even like the taste of alcohol anymore. No
S3: more cocaine, no more sex. Why don't you wait for
S3: your wife? My whole life, I felt like Jim Carrey
S3: from Liar Liar. You know, I'm like, the pen is blue. I'm, like,
S3: trying to lie and I can't even lie.
S2: And the Holy Spirit had a grip on you.
S3: I just convicted with everything. So I was like, man,
S3: my whole life is shifted. But I know one thing
S3: is for sure that I was this way, and now
S3: I'm this way. And the only common denominator in there
S3: is a man named Jesus. Amen.
S2: You know, today we're talking about the myth, and we've
S2: been debunking them all week long. But the big myth
S2: that still dangles out there is, I can't break this cycle.
S2: And I guess there's truth in that. If the word
S2: is I. Yeah, but can the cycle be broken? It can,
S2: by the power of Jesus Christ, the power of the
S2: Spirit of God that indwells dwells us and takes us over.
S2: And I was we're going to do if I got Jesus.
S2: But but you said nah, man, I got one even
S2: before that. So I want you to just lean in, man.
S2: Let the Spirit of God roll right through you and
S2: pour out your heart. This song is going to resonate
S2: with folks.
S4: Who? Who?
S5: You broke through a thousand fences. Been rescued from a
S5: thousand ditches. You still swear you don't fit in. So
S5: you kick and scream and you're gone again. Wandering off
S5: into the devil's wind. How's it going out there? Acting
S5: like you ain't scared. And how's that? Half a stone
S5: ain't so hard when you're alone. Cryin tears you hope
S5: nobody sees. Guess the good news is he'll never leave
S5: you be. Cause Jesus loves you. Black sheep. You hate
S5: everything about you. You think we're better off without you?
S5: So you wear your pain out on your sleeve. And
S5: you paint it on in a rebel ink. But the
S5: alcohol and pills ain't fixed a thing. So how's it
S5: goin out there? Actin like you ain't scared. And how's
S5: that half A stone ain't so hard when you're alone.
S5: Crying tears you hope nobody sees. I guess the good
S5: news is he'll never leave you be. Cause Jesus loves you.
S5: Black sheep. Cause Jesus loves you. Black sheep. I can't
S5: tell you when I ain't no prophet. But there'll come
S5: a point in time when you can't stop it. The
S5: good shepherds love smells like smoke. There ain't no hell
S5: so low. Where he won't let the hounds of heaven God!
S5: SIC em! Let the hounds of heaven go. How's it
S5: goin out there? Actin like you ain't scared. How's that
S5: heart stone? Ain't so hard when you're alone. Cryin tears
S5: you hope nobody sees. Guess the good news is he'll
S5: never leave you be. And amazing Grace. It's a pesky,
S5: pesky thing. But the good news is he'll never leave
S5: you be. Cause Jesus loves you. Black sheep. Jesus loves you,
S5: black sheep.
S4: Oh.
S2: Man, that comes right from your belly, doesn't it, bud?
S2: You know, there's somebody listening right now, and this is
S2: so common. Ben. We were talking about this even before
S2: we went on air here that it's so easy to.
S2: That's why I love recovery ministry, but I also. It's
S2: also a very cautionary tale because there's a lot of
S2: people listening right now who they feel that black sheep,
S2: but they wonder, am I? Is my stuff big enough
S2: to even give to God because it feels so trivial.
S2: But anything that keeps us from the love of God.
S2: God's crawling out today, isn't he?
S3: Yeah, yeah. Amen. Amen.
S2: It's that real?
S3: Yeah.
S2: And I don't know what it is that has that
S2: nagging sense deep inside you that I'm unrecoverable. This death loop, um,
S2: of behavior can't be broken. It can. Yeah. The tomb
S2: is empty, and our God is alive. Ben.
S3: Yeah. Amen.
S2: It's just real.
S3: Yeah, it is real. Yeah.
S2: To the person that's just aching right now and wonders.
S2: And it's. It can be anything. From. What are they?
S2: It's food. It's it's outbursts of anger. It's unredeemed time.
S2: It's in the in. It's a ladder leaning against your
S2: 401 K. I mean, the list goes on and on.
S2: What do you say, Ben? Pour out your heart.
S3: Yeah. I just say, man. um, what else have you got?
S3: You know, one of my favorite Bible verses is John six,
S3: verse six eight. To whom else shall we go? You know,
S3: and Jesus was talking about all the people that left,
S3: you know, because it's getting too hard. It's getting too tough.
S3: You know, you can't do it anymore. And Peter said,
S3: my Lord, to whom shall we go? Only you have
S3: the words of eternal life. You know. So maybe you've
S3: tried everything like me and like you. You know, we've
S3: tried everything.
S2: We tried it.
S3: We tried it all and nothing worked. And, um. Man,
S3: it was just a dead end road every single time. And, um,
S3: if you're tired, you know, if you're listening and you're
S3: tired and you're sick and you're just like, man, I'm
S3: ready for something else. I want something more. I need
S3: something new, you know? Um. Isaiah 43. Look, I'm doing
S3: a new thing. Can't you see it? Just call on
S3: his name, you know, and that's what I can't. I
S3: can't say it enough. It's like, man, how did you
S3: get that, man? Where did you do that? How did
S3: you play the Grand Ole Opry with Carrie Underwood? Man,
S3: how'd you get that tour bus, bro? How'd you play
S3: Red rocks, man? How'd you do all these things? You
S3: know what? I don't know, but I know one thing
S3: is true. And his name is Jesus. Because I was
S3: trying to do all those things before and nothing was happening.
S3: I was just spiraling. I was drinking myself to sleep
S3: every night. I was I was wallowing in my pain
S3: all the time. And I was so tired and sick
S3: and lonely. You know, I called in the name of Jesus.
S3: So I would just say this. Ask him for yourself.
S3: Ask him for yourself, you know, and you'll see what
S3: I mean. You'll see exactly what we're talking about. If
S3: you ask Jesus into your heart. Romans ten nine says,
S3: believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that
S3: Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from
S3: the dead. And if you believe that, you will be saved,
S3: you know this isn't a joke. I'm sitting here covered
S3: in tattoos and and and six foot three and and, uh,
S3: you know, I lived a lot of years really hard. And, um,
S3: Jesus has saved my life, you know? So I don't
S3: care who you are or what you've been through, what
S3: you're going through. He can change everything. He can fix
S3: everything for you, and it's not.
S5: Going.
S3: To look pretty. And I think that's the thing. It
S3: took me months to to give up the alcohol. It
S3: took me months. Right. And and he's still working on
S3: my heart. He's still he's still changing me. But it's like, man,
S3: I can promise you he's going to he's going to
S3: change you.
S2: And he's merciful in that. Ben. I mean, one of
S2: my worst face plant relapses was three weeks after I
S2: was radically born again. Yeah, I was at my uncle's home,
S2: and I walked into the room at 3 a.m. into
S2: my bedroom. And I'm glad my uncle was awake to
S2: hear me cry out to God. And I just said, God,
S2: you saved me. Now kill me. Because obviously I can't
S2: win this battle. Yeah, and my uncle put his arm
S2: around me. He goes, no, no, we're going to we're
S2: going to get this. It's a step at a time
S2: out of this thing. Yeah. You know, you've written a
S2: song if if I got Jesus. Yeah. And you say
S2: in there, I've got it all. Do you believe that
S2: Ben Fuller?
S3: Yeah. I think because I've had all these things, I've
S3: had all these other things that don't mean anything. And
S3: I'm realizing that, too. You know, all these all these
S3: special things. And I just bought a farm in Tennessee,
S3: and I'm so grateful that God has opened the doors
S3: for that and, and all this stuff. And it's like, man, I've, like,
S3: walked the land. And it's so special and so beautiful
S3: and amazing and and a beautiful old house and all
S3: this stuff. And I'm like, man. But it's just that, yeah,
S3: it's just vanity.
S2: Red rocks, red rocks, the buses, the bus, the farm
S2: is the farm. But if I got Jesus.
S3: I got it.
S2: All. Give it to us. Come on, man. Pour it out.
S2: I will pour it out.
S5: I've had a dollar to my name. And I've had
S5: friends that walked away. And I've even lost myself a
S5: time or two. There were bridges crossed and burnt. But
S5: through all the wreckage I had learned. There's one thing
S5: that I could never lose if I got Jesus. I've
S5: got all that I could ever need. Take the world
S5: away from me and I'll be okay. If I got Jesus.
S5: There's a hope that's living deep inside. The joy that
S5: I could never hide. In a safe place to fall.
S5: If I got Jesus, I got it all. But I
S5: seen weakness turned to strength. And I've seen failures met
S5: with grace. And it's not from what I've done. It's
S5: Christ in me and on me. I can't explain all
S5: he's given Giving me his name. I'm the richest man
S5: I could ever be. If I got sick. I've got
S5: all that I could ever need. Take the world away
S5: from me and I'll be okay if I got sick.
S5: There's a hope that's living deep inside. Joy. That I
S5: could never hide. A safe place to fall. If I
S5: got Jesus, I got it all. Oh, someday that trumpet's
S5: gonna sound. And the King of heaven will ride upon
S5: the clouds coming down. Then I'll hit my knees. Oh Lord.
S5: Then sings my soul. Yes. I'm going home. If I
S5: got Jesus. I've got all that I could ever need.
S5: Take the world away from me. And I'll be okay.
S5: If I got Jesus. There's no hope that's living deep inside.
S5: Joy that I could never hide. A safe place to fall.
S5: If I got tears. I got it all. If I
S5: got Jesus. I got it all.
S2: You know you're listening right now. And you're thinking I
S2: want that. Jesus. You know, I want to be really
S2: clear with you what Jesus said. He said, don't let
S2: your hearts be troubled to his early disciples. And he's
S2: speaking to you today. He says, Believe in God. Believe
S2: also in me. And. Thomas actually said to him, he says, now, now,
S2: hold it here. I don't know exactly where you're going.
S2: And these boys don't either. And he said, I'm going
S2: to prepare a place for you, and I'm going to
S2: come again and take you to myself. That where I am,
S2: there you will be also. Then he went on to explain,
S2: he said, I am the way and the truth and
S2: the life. No man comes to the father but through me.
S2: And right now, today, right now, in this moment. See,
S2: just like Ben Fuller, you don't have to walk down
S2: a center aisle. You don't have to lift a hand
S2: in the air. You can fall to your knees right
S2: now and receive the love of Jesus. And he will
S2: change you forever. Right now. Right now. And so I
S2: just want to ask you right now. Is today your day?
S2: I'm going to have Ben pray over you in just
S2: a moment. But it's today, the day that you say
S2: I'm going a new way. I'm going God's way. That
S2: means that you've got to say this because repentance doesn't
S2: have sticky hands. It let goes of lets go of
S2: everything on this broad path that leads to destruction. But
S2: right now you're saying I'm done. I'm turning around and
S2: following Jesus. I'm saying no to everything that I've built
S2: my life around to this point in time. The cycle
S2: can be broken today through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
S2: The tomb is empty. Our God is alive. The Holy
S2: Spirit is calling you out of darkness. Not Ben, not Carl.
S2: Holy spirit is calling you out of darkness into the light.
S2: Jesus said, I'm the truth. You're willing to embrace the truth?
S2: Hard truth. You're a sinner and you need a Savior.
S2: And his name is Jesus. And his arms are open wide.
S2: His arms aren't folded, they're open wide. And he says,
S2: I am the life, and he's going to fill you
S2: up with a life like you've never had before, my friend.
S2: And today is the day. And if this you. This
S2: isn't about you doing anything except falling on your face
S2: before God. You might be driving, but you're on your face.
S2: And you can wipe those tears away because you got
S2: a hand helping you. His name is Jesus. And if
S2: today is the day right now that you are turning around,
S2: I'm going to give you a resource here in a moment.
S2: But if today is the day when you're turning around
S2: off this broad path onto the narrow path, today is
S2: the day that you man up, woman up, and you say,
S2: I'm a sinner, I need a Savior. Praise God, because
S2: if you confess, as Ben said earlier, with your mouth,
S2: Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God
S2: raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And
S2: you know what God's saving you from? He's saving you
S2: from yourself. That's what he's saving you from. Because below cocaine,
S2: below stuff below 401 below significant status security is you.
S2: And I've got enough courage to tell you you're the problem.
S2: And Jesus is the answer. We got many surrendering to
S2: Jesus right now. Today. Ben, would you pray for him? Yeah.
S3: Father God, we just come to you and we just
S3: thank you. Thank you for the truth. Thank you that
S3: we don't have to have it all together. We don't
S3: have to have it all figured out that we can
S3: be a mess, that our lives can be falling apart,
S3: that we have nowhere to turn. Um. But, father, I
S3: just thank you for. For riding with us, for walking
S3: with us, for for loving us when nobody else does. For,
S3: for for being with us when nobody else is. Father,
S3: that we're not alone. Thank you. That you never leave us.
S3: That you never forsake us. That that that your love
S3: is everlasting. Lord. So we just. We turn to you.
S3: We look to you, father. You've done it for me. Yeah.
S3: And I'm so grateful you've done it for. For Carl.
S3: And I'm so grateful for his life. It's by the
S3: blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Father,
S3: I thank you for all the stories that are going
S3: to be told. Yes. After today, all the testimonies that
S3: are going to be told. It's like, man, I don't know.
S3: I was driving in my car, I called on the
S3: name of Jesus and I'm not sure what's happening. The
S3: wipers turned on and my car started running again. The
S3: tires suddenly had air in them and I could go.
S3: So hallelujah! We thank you. We thank you for all
S3: the people that have realized that. That it's you, Jesus,
S3: that they've been looking for. It was you, father, that
S3: I was looking for the whole time. Yeah, I love you.
S3: We love you. And it's in Jesus name, I pray. Amen. Amen.
S2: I want you to get out your phone wherever you
S2: are right now. Get your phone right now. Wherever you are,
S2: get to the side of the road. I'm going to
S2: help you with your first steps with Jesus. We're going
S2: to send you a link. I want you to text
S2: one word in because you are new. I want you
S2: to text the word new right now. Get your phone.
S2: Don't worry. I'm going to give you a number a
S2: couple of times. I'll give you time. Text the word
S2: new to 805 five, five, 78, 98. Right now, wherever
S2: you are, text new to 800 555 7898. We're here
S2: to help you take your next step with Jesus. And
S2: for some of you, this is your first step and
S2: you are on to a new path. And it's like, whoa,
S2: there is substance here. That's God calling you. Text the
S2: word new. Just one word to 800 555, 78, 98.
S2: We're going to have this right out to you. 800
S2: 555 7898. Ben Fuller.
S3: Wow.
S2: Wow.
S3: Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks for having me. I
S3: just I know that, uh, there were so many things
S3: that came against me to get here, and I know why. Yeah.
S3: So I'm just. I'm honored and and grateful to to
S3: tell my story. Um, you know, and and it's. Yeah.
S3: The devil hates me.
S2: Yeah. Thanks for that short arm and that thing. Thanks
S2: for giving it the full thing, man.
S3: Amen. Yeah. I don't know any other way.
S2: I can tell.
S3: It. him. Yeah.
S2: Ben Fuller, everybody. And God is in control. Welcome to
S2: all of you new in Christ Jesus today. Again, text
S2: the word new to 800 555 7898.
S1: He was running from God, but God's love brought him home.
S1: Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on
S1: Moody Radio.
S2: So overwhelmed by the goodness of God here this morning.
S2: So sweet to have Ben Fuller in here. Uh, what
S2: a guy. What a story. And I want to shout
S2: out the last four numbers of some telephone numbers that
S2: have surrendered to Jesus here today. And some of you
S2: maybe were were just grabbing your phone and you're like, Carl,
S2: what was that again? And we want to help you
S2: in your first steps with Jesus is to if today
S2: is the day when you have most clearly heard the
S2: voice of God saying, surrender all to me, give it all,
S2: we just invite you into the Kingdom of God. See
S2: if God is your father through surrender to His Son
S2: Jesus Christ. And the cry of your soul is, save me.
S2: I'm turning around. I don't have any sticky fingers. I'm
S2: going your way. God. You embrace the truth that you're
S2: a sinner who needs a Savior. You know, when you
S2: come to that point where you're at the end of yourself,
S2: that's when the work of God begins. Everything else has
S2: been the work of creation, the work of formation of
S2: you in the womb, the work of cutting through this
S2: fog of deception from Satan. But today you're new. And
S2: if today is your new day in Christ Jesus, welcome
S2: to the family. Just text the word new to 800 555, 78, 98.
S2: And All I can say is just welcome to the family.
S2: I'm going to shout out some numbers. These are surrendering
S2: to Jesus today on this Freedom Friday cycles being broken.
S2: And what Ben said. That is so right on. I
S2: need you to hear my heart here for a second.
S2: It's it's not a it's not an absolute straight line
S2: because now we're into this. As J. Warner Wallace said
S2: earlier this week, we're in this hallway with twists, turns,
S2: ups and downs, sucker punches from our blind side, all
S2: kinds of attacks down this hallway. But God's gifts and
S2: callings are absolutely irrevocable. In whom the son sets free
S2: is free indeed. And he will keep you, and he
S2: will guide you, and he will carry on to completion
S2: this work that he began in you. I want to
S2: welcome you to the family for 99277127299 just shouting out
S2: the last four numbers of your telephone number 59, 86, 73, 94, 41, 53, 69, 80, 57, 65, 21, 90, 91, 036, six, nine, two, two, five, 50, 77, 18, 29, 54, 36.
S2: 7603 0255 3778. Welcome to the family. I'm shouting out numbers.
S2: Last four numbers of telephone numbers from all across North
S2: America and beyond. Surrendering to Jesus today after hearing Ben
S2: Fuller's story and a couple beautiful songs in the Spirit
S2: of God cut through the darkness, man like tore down
S2: that big veil that's been held up 13, 51, zero five, 33, 30, 89, 83, 64, 1205, 91, 98, 64, 64, 26, 62.
S2: Welcome to the family. To all of you. 07904265. Welcome
S2: to the family. To each and every one of you.
S2: And God has begun this work in you. I want
S2: to add just a little bit of mustard to this
S2: link that you're receiving right now. I want to add
S2: and ask you to go tell two people this morning
S2: what Jesus has done in your life. Go tell. Go
S2: tell two people what Jesus has done in your life today.
S2: Let them know. Let them know. Share the joy that's
S2: in your heart. Share the questions that are in your heart.
S2: And then I want you to find a good church.
S2: A church. And we've got a link in this embedded
S2: in this little link that we sent out to you.
S2: This is maybe the most important thing. I forget what
S2: I titled that blog that we've got in there. Somebody
S2: help me.
S6: Yeah, I'll find it. I think it's, uh, seven things
S6: to look for in a church.
S2: Yeah, something like that. And these seven things are right
S2: from my heart to yours. Find a church that's going
S2: to put their arms around you. It's filled with imperfect
S2: but passionate people who love Jesus. And you find. You
S2: find that place. Get there. Fight through the war and
S2: get there. You're also going to hear voices in your
S2: head like that won't work. You're going to fail again.
S2: I need you to know that that is the voice
S2: of Satan. That's not just something rattling around in your head,
S2: and he's attempting to discourage and defeat you right when
S2: you get out of the chute, because now he's got
S2: one job that he wants to do. He wants to.
S2: If you can't keep your soul from God, he wants
S2: to keep your life from being unfruitful. That's what he
S2: wants to do. And that's this path that we walk
S2: down this hallway with bumps and turns and sharp edges.
S2: But God's going to navigate you through your your role
S2: is to stay as humble and teachable today, uh, throughout
S2: all the days of your life. And Katie bar the door.
S2: He's going to do something amazing. Want to acknowledge as well.
S2: 0103 welcome to the family. And it looks like 9533
S2: might need some help getting that link to him guys,
S2: but that's beautiful. Coming up. I want to talk to
S2: you who feel like you were there once. You know
S2: what God's saying? Come back home. Come back home.
S1: You're listening to Curl and Crew on Moody Radio.
S2: You know, the interesting thing about repentance is I think
S2: we we sometimes believe it's like one and done, right.
S2: I mean, that's what we believe. And the fact is
S2: we get many opportunities, even on this path, this narrow
S2: path that leads to life to jump back on. There's
S2: this term that's used backsliding. It's really not a biblical term.
S2: I know what's meant by it, but it's nowhere found
S2: in the New Testament, that's for sure. But we find
S2: something else that's going on. There are these distractions, these
S2: off ramps on this path less traveled, called the narrow
S2: path of following Jesus. And it's a constant threat. Now,
S2: I don't want you to be freaked out by that,
S2: because this work that God began in you, Philippians one six,
S2: he'll carry on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
S2: I would say that this the need, though, for us
S2: to stay humbly in close contact with God the Son
S2: and the Holy Spirit, experiencing the liberty of being led
S2: along by him, aware moment by moment that he is
S2: guiding us is paramount. It is. Boom. I mean, it's boom.
S2: We just got to stay there. And let me show
S2: you why. In the book of revelation, we find a
S2: revelation given to John on the island of Patmos, to
S2: the church of Laodicea. Now this is to the church
S2: of Laodicea. These are men and women of God. And
S2: they collectively had an issue that's so similar to the
S2: West today. This is like you can just you can
S2: just copy these words and layer it right over our lives.
S2: And many of you would resonate, and I believe the
S2: Holy Spirit will help you with this this morning. This
S2: is what Jesus says. He says, John, write this down.
S2: I know your works. You are neither hot nor cold.
S2: Would that you were either cold or hot. So because
S2: you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will
S2: spit you out of my mouth. This is not the
S2: losing of salvation. God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. You
S2: didn't save yourself. You can't lose yourself. That's impossible. But
S2: it is possible. For born again children of God to
S2: get so lukewarm. Meaning? Tap water. Yicky. No one likes
S2: tap water. Nope. Just coming through the pipes.
S6: It's gross. I need it. Put some ice in that.
S2: Or some heat to it. One of the two. This.
S2: This is just about. Let's get. What are we doing here?
S2: And this is what Jesus says. For I say to you,
S2: you say you're rich. I have prospered, and I have
S2: need of nothing. Now stop here. Because relative to the
S2: world around us, the threat for our stuff, the access
S2: that we have to find satisfaction and security in the
S2: stuff of this world. It is immense battle. It is
S2: an immense battle. The very things that we pray for
S2: can often become the very distractions from God in our life.
S2: This is what Jesus says. You say you're rich. You've prospered.
S2: Need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor,
S2: blind and naked. Boy, those are hard words to hear.
S2: I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire,
S2: so that you may be rich, and white garments, that
S2: you may clothe yourselves, and the shame of your nakedness
S2: may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes,
S2: so that you may see. All this is related to
S2: what was going on in Laodicea. Jesus is saying, look,
S2: you guys are famous for your riches, your eyesalve, all
S2: this stuff. But man, you need to get you need
S2: to go down to the market, the spiritual market, and
S2: get some spiritual linens for your body because you are
S2: buck naked. And here we go. Man, those whom I love,
S2: I reprove and discipline, not punish. God loves you so
S2: much he will discipline you. Now this is any healthy
S2: parent knows that if you're going to train up a kid,
S2: there's sometimes things you got to do that your kids
S2: are not going to like, but it's for the purpose
S2: of getting their attention and getting them on the path
S2: at home. Yeah, God's saying that spiritually to you. Those
S2: who I love, I reprove and discipline. So be zealous
S2: and repent. Here we find repentance for the church, for
S2: you to turn around, to get that white hot love
S2: for Jesus back again. Now, this issue of discipline is
S2: a big one. And I want to tell you, I'm
S2: going to give you a resource that is going to
S2: allow you to look at your life and go, oh,
S2: this is why God's not here in my voice. Possibly.
S2: Is that true? Is it true that some prayers go nowhere? Yes.
S2: And I'm going to reveal this to you. Coming up
S2: straight ahead.
S1: He's a sports fanatic with a stat for anything you
S1: can think of. Young Thunder is in the crew. It's
S1: curling crew on Moody Radio.
S2: All right. We look at the church of Laodicea and
S2: we get something that that is so applicable. And I
S2: want you to know this. There's no condemnation for those
S2: who are in Christ Jesus. I am absolutely convinced no
S2: one's cheering for us more than our Heavenly Father, because
S2: I'm sure in yesterday's story about my dad, who just
S2: showed love to me when I was. I survived the
S2: great Alaska earthquake and it was nine point whatever on
S2: the Richter scale. It was huge. Three plus minutes. It
S2: shook the ground. And I say this to illustrate the
S2: love of the father. Jesus said, If a father on
S2: earth we being evil, meaning that we don't even have
S2: it squared away. If a son asks for a piece
S2: of bread, we won't give him a stone. How much more?
S2: So our father in heaven. And one, one day, with
S2: the aftermath of that earthquake was. My whole world was
S2: upside down. It's the first memory I have from life
S2: was that great Alaska earthquake on Good Friday. And, you know,
S2: one night I was so embarrassed I couldn't stop peeing
S2: my bed for a long time after that earthquake. Just
S2: waking up screaming in the night. So embarrassing for a
S2: little kid to be peeing in his bed when you've
S2: outgrown that. Walked into my folks bedroom. Dad was on
S2: the nearest side to me and sometimes he heard me scream,
S2: and this time they didn't hear me screaming. But I'm
S2: laying in this mess. And I got up and I
S2: went in. I grabbed dad's shoulder. He sound asleep. I said, dad,
S2: I'm sorry. I wet my bed. Oh yeah. Oh, Carl.
S2: It's okay. Come on, son. And he came into the
S2: bedroom with me and he was so good to me.
S2: He said, let's just fold these up. Well, mom will
S2: get these cleaned up in the morning. I think she's
S2: got some new sheets over here. Here we go. Let's
S2: let's put these on. Let's get this all cleaned up.
S2: He put his hand on my shoulder. He said, that's
S2: no problem, son. I'm here to help you. If you
S2: ever have this happen again, you just. You just let
S2: me know. I said thanks, dad. All the words I'm
S2: about to tell you are from a loving father who
S2: is for you. And you don't have to wake him up.
S2: He's right here. It's. It's so beautiful. The church of
S2: Laodicea is a message to you and me. It's a very, um,
S2: wealthy community. Laodicea was. They had the American Dream before
S2: the American Dream was invented, and it was eaten their
S2: lunch spiritually as a church. It was chewing them up
S2: and spitting them out, man. And you know what Jesus
S2: says lovingly to him? He said, listen, I know your works.
S2: You're neither hot nor cold. This lukewarm Christianity, I'm just
S2: spitting it out. It's not loss of salvation, it's just.
S2: He says, come on, guys, there's so much more. It's
S2: a it's a return to your first love. And what
S2: happened was, is that they thought they were rich. They
S2: were saying it to themselves, not out loud, but we
S2: got it going on here. I've prospered. I don't really
S2: need you. It didn't say that. They never would have
S2: said that when they met together as a church. They
S2: never sang a song. We don't need you. Oh, we
S2: don't need you.
S7: Sure don't think so.
S2: No no, no. They were singing songs that they need him,
S2: but that their live revealed that they didn't. And or
S2: so they thought. And he said, you're naked, you're poor,
S2: you're blind, you're pitiable, you're wretched. And he says, I
S2: counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire,
S2: so that ye may be rich and white garments, so
S2: that you may clothe yourself. And the shame of your
S2: nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes,
S2: so that you may see those whom I love. I
S2: reprove and discipline. So be zealous and repent. Do radically transform.
S2: Followers of Jesus need to repent on the path. Yeah, yeah,
S2: we don't backslide. We just find diversions, things to fill
S2: us and satisfy us and give us security that are
S2: not God. And he says, you're missing the boat, man.
S2: As a matter of fact, you know what we've done
S2: with Jesus. We often use this verse or hear it
S2: said for people to come to Jesus know this is
S2: come back to Jesus. He says, behold, I stand at
S2: the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and
S2: opens the door, I will come into him and eat
S2: with him, and he with me. I want you to
S2: come back to daddy. Your heavenly Father today. And the
S2: Lord struck me while we were on air with this earlier.
S2: And I'm like, oh my goodness. I know what I've
S2: got to do. I want to give you a resource.
S2: There are biblical reasons why God doesn't answer our prayers.
S2: You know what it is. It's called discipline. He loves
S2: you enough to freeze you out, but he's cheering for
S2: you right now to come back. And I mean, it
S2: is as simple as ignoring truth. It's a jealous spirit.
S2: It's self-focus. It's husbands that are unloving. They're not loving
S2: their wives. Let me just give you this one. Likewise, husbands,
S2: this is out of first Peter three seven. Live with
S2: your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the
S2: woman as a weaker vessel, since they are heirs with
S2: you of the grace of life, so that your prayers
S2: may not be hindered. Men, some of you are not
S2: loving your wives well, and I'm telling you, you've pushed
S2: Jesus out. And listen. He's knocking at the door. He's
S2: not beating it down. He's saying, come on, open it up,
S2: and he's giving you an opportunity to repent today. Some
S2: are hard hearted right now. Some of you have willful sin.
S2: You've cherished iniquity in your heart. And in Psalm 66
S2: it said, the Lord would not have listened. But truly
S2: God has listened. He has attended to the voice of
S2: my prayer because he repented. Double mindedness. I've given seven
S2: things that indicate that God loves you so much, he
S2: will freeze you out of communication to get your attention.
S2: And I think God's doing that today. And I want
S2: you to get this resource right now. Young Thunder, how
S2: did they do it?
S6: My man yeah, just text the word prayers. Text the
S6: word prayers to 800 555, 7898. We'll send this resource
S6: back to you. Text prayers to 800 555 7898.
S2: Yeah. And I want I want to spike this again.
S2: I want to go back to my dad. If my dad,
S2: being an earthly man, waking him in the middle of
S2: the night, can come up and clean up a mess,
S2: he can. I'll tell you what. Our father in heaven
S2: will clean up yours right now. Come back to Jesus today.
S2: Come back to Jesus today. Come back to Jesus today.
S2: Text prayers right now to 800 555, 7898. Godspeed to you, friend.
S1: Romans eight brought her to Jesus while broadcasting traffic overnight.
S1: Super die is in the crew. It's curl and crew
S1: on Moody Radio.
S2: Churchill lived to see. The first time I read this,
S2: I remember I was a young follower of Jesus. I
S2: was reading through this and I'm like, whoa, um. This. Behold,
S2: I stand at your heart's door and knock. This is
S2: written to people who are in Christ Jesus. Is it
S2: possible to get off the path? Oh, boy. It really is.
S2: And I want us to understand something here that that
S2: this journey of faith that we have, there's going to
S2: be a lot of things, three primary things that are
S2: going to be a direct assault on our faith, on
S2: this path less traveled. Thomas Aquinas codified it. You might
S2: have heard of the world, the flesh and the devil.
S2: And he he codified that in a beautiful way many,
S2: many years ago. And it's true. The world is the
S2: systems that we live in. And they're constantly screaming at us,
S2: you know, go my way. Let's go this way. Right.
S2: I mean.
S6: I mean.
S2: It's it's constant.
S6: With advertising and stuff like that. I mean, commercials, TV shows,
S6: all that stuff. It's just you really can't turn it off,
S6: you know, unless you're very, very intentional and very, very
S6: aware because it's just so subliminal that it comes about
S6: you just while you're living everyday life. It's hard to avoid.
S2: Yeah. I mean, we're called to be in the world,
S2: but not of the world. And what that requires is
S2: to be able to sort out what is coming from
S2: the world, but is not of God.
S6: Absolutely.
S2: And that's that's a bit of a dance there. So
S2: the world, the flesh, the flesh is the Greek word sarx.
S2: All it means is that all that we are apart
S2: from God. And boy, I got one on my heart
S2: right now. I want you to respond to somebody in
S2: just a moment. There's a lot of you that are.
S2: That the. Because the sarx is everything we are apart
S2: from the Spirit of God. There's a lot of you
S2: that are your you are hampered by thoughts that you
S2: need to shake yourself free from. And these are the memories.
S2: The tapes. Use tapes. The digitized messages that you hear
S2: from way back and that were just ingrained in you.
S2: You're a loser. You're never going to make it and
S2: super die. Those are messages you heard, sister.
S8: Messages I heard and lived in and still can get
S8: triggered by him. I mean, they're there. And of course,
S8: it's that renewing of your mind. But you really, it's not.
S8: It's not even peeling back the paper. It's kind of
S8: taking a chisel as well, because they can be so ingrained,
S8: like you said. And you're talking about this Heavenly Father
S8: with some of these things that are going through your
S8: head in these thoughts. It can be very hard. I mean,
S8: I was there, I admit it, it was very hard
S8: to realize and to understand and even give God a
S8: chance going, how can he be so loving? We're comparing
S8: him to an earthly father. I have no example of that.
S8: And it took a lot to get through that and
S8: through scripture, through prayer, through the Holy Spirit to understand
S8: that no, that is, that is not truth. God is truth.
S8: The scriptures truth. The word is truth. And that's what
S8: you need to fill your mind with.
S2: Yeah. And it's an ongoing battle, right? I mean, come on.
S8: Yeah.
S2: And and it's it's never one and done.
S7: No. I mean.
S2: Those voices from the past, they're going to be echoing, man.
S2: I mean, they echo.
S6: They do that. Why, why why do they do that?
S8: And they can just kind of pop up to you
S8: think you're good, you're walking along, you succeeded, and.
S7: Wham, there it is.
S6: I'm back.
S8: Speed bump.
S2: And you know, this is how insidious it can be.
S2: We can be sitting here talking on a radio show
S2: or when we go to a song, and I could
S2: say something to somebody, and it's not even necessarily a
S2: reckless word, but there's words that are spoken. Bang! It
S2: takes you to a place.
S6: Absolutely.
S7: Yeah.
S2: I have a couple worship songs. When I listen to them,
S2: it takes me to a bad place. Isn't that weird? No.
S2: I'm serious.
S6: Because why trauma you experienced.
S2: Experience because of some some church.
S7: Hurt? Yep.
S2: And it's directly associated with that song.
S8: So all of us have that.
S2: Yeah we.
S7: Do.
S2: So here's the deal. The world, the flesh and the devil.
S2: Then you've got the devil. And he is a liar.
S2: And he is a deceiver. Those are his two primary things. He.
S2: Excuse me. He's a liar and deceiver. That's one and
S2: the same. And he's an accuser. And he tries to
S2: tell you things like. You'll never get victory over this.
S2: Some things will. Some battles will never be won, blah
S2: blah blah. And on he goes. Father, by the power
S2: of the Holy Spirit right now, grab people's heart to
S2: the truth that you love them. And Lord, even though
S2: you call for repentance today. I pray in the name
S2: of Jesus on this Freedom Friday, that this notion that
S2: there are these myths, that there are some cycles that
S2: just can't be broken, crush that notion in the name
S2: of Jesus right now, all over America and Canada and
S2: beyond right now. Crush it, crush it, father. Come on,
S2: let's go. Move in. Power. Set people free. I pray
S2: in the name of Jesus. Amen. And let it be.
S2: Fear is a Liar by Zach Williams. If you haven't
S2: gotten this resource, come and get it, Young Thunder. This
S2: will set people free because the discipline that people are
S2: encountering today, God's lovingly saying, turn my way again.
S6: Yeah, this is a great resource we have for you
S6: why your prayers aren't being answered. Text the word prayers
S6: to us at 800 555 7898. Text the word prayers
S6: 800 555 7898. God wants to connect with you. Here's how.