Unveiling the Heart of Faith during Turbulent Times

When my brother Antowan Hallman Sr. and I began to peel back the layers of our faith, we encountered prayer in a way that was anything but expected. Join us as we navigate the profound shifts from our Catholic upbringing to an evangelical faith that thrums with the pulse of the Holy Spirit's work. This episode isn't just a conversation; it's an invitation to witness how prayer can dramatically shape one's personal journey and the world at large.

The fervor of our prayers often reveals the true state of our hearts, and in this discussion, we confront the realities of how our spiritual lives can intersect with the political landscape. Through a candid dialogue, we examine the need for repentance, the allure of deception, and the critical role of discernment in these turbulent times. As we sift through current events and our own experiences, we challenge you, our listeners, to consider whether your actions and petitions are truly rooted in God's will.

To cap off our exploration, we delve into discipleship's transformative power and the stark importance of grounding ourselves in biblical truth. Sharing personal stories of spiritual awakening, we highlight the enduring influence of mentors like Dawson Troutman and the necessity of generational guidance in the faith. As we pose the ultimate question of Jesus' identity, we invite you to ponder His place in your life with fresh eyes and a heart open to revelation. This isn't just another episode; it's a threshold where personal decisions can lead to eternal consequences.

Thanks for listening. Please check out our website at www.forsauk.com to hear great conversations on topics that need to be talked about. In these times of intense polarization we all need to find time to expand our Frame of Reference.

Transcript

Speaker 2: 0:14

let's have it well, here we are. Here we are, folks we've, uh, we're in part two. This is part two, I believe, of our series which may very well take us through the summer, the way things are going, maybe right up to election day. But, talking about the state of our nation, and you know, the president gives a State of the Union address every year, which is, you know, politically motivated, and you know, kind of a report card, if you will. And my brother, antoine Hallman Sr, oh, and, by the way, I'm Raul LaBrush, if you forgot, and you are sir Antoine Hallman Sr. Okay, so it's hard to get us confused. We want you to understand, hear the difference in our voices. So, and if you, if I ever get around to getting the visual part of this on, you'll really be able to see the difference here. Although he is much right, the first thing you're going to see is that he is so much more handsome than I am. So maybe you want to like cover part of your screen or something. That'd be fine too. I won't be offended, it really won't so, but anyways, we were talking, we have, but anyways, we were talking, we have kind of a limited time to talk here today, but we'll see how things go, because we were praying, and as we're praying, not only was I thinking about the power of prayer and I don't know those of you that are listening, you know where you are in that but I'll tell you, god has taught me so much about prayer over time.

Speaker 2: 1:48

You know, I was born a Catholic, raised in a Catholic church, and prayer is very different. In the Catholic church, you know, there's the Hail Marys and the Glory Bees and the Our Fathers, which are, all you know, good prayer. All of them are based on Scripture. They're basically verbatim, you know scriptural portions, but it and, and there is something about that process of being increasingly mindful of what those prayers are. But there's also a very big danger of becoming rote, you know, of just doing it, because this is, you know, like jumping jacks or something, and so that was problematic for me. And then I, you know, I, became an evangelical, became a charismatic evangelical, believe that the Pentecost was not just something that happened, you know, thousands of years ago, but that the Holy Spirit is still here among us. And those are the same things that were evident in the Acts 2 church are evident today. So prayer became much more of a personal thing and you know, becoming aware of things like speaking in tongues and having a prayer language. And then you get to.

Speaker 2: 2:52

You know the modern times and one of the most eloquent ways of thinking of prayer I thought was CS Lewis, who, back in the 50s, wrote that he was an ardent prayer and had become more and more of a fervent prayer as he got older and he came to realize that prayer wasn't so much about what he could do by asking God for things and trying to guide God towards things that would be helpful to him or things that he wanted to see happen, but prayer was more about him being changed by God through prayer. That connection with God was about moving closer to God and by doing that, the changes that happened in him were far more important than the things that he was asking of God. And that was so profound and so meaningful to me that I thought you know, that's exactly that he's so onto something there. And then the final thing was you can think of prayer as not only a conversation with God and a conversation with his son, but it's also a conversation where we come. We just talked about this right brother, that it's a prayer that has basically three answers, you know. So we're looking for.

Speaker 2: 4:06

Why doesn't God answer my prayers and we don't pray? Because how could a God that does you know let's these things happen, possibly be there? I get it. I get all of those things are difficult to come to grips with, but God answers three ways yes, no and wait. Yes, no and wait.

Speaker 2: 4:25

So remember that when you're praying, if you're in line with what God wants, what's God's plan, what God's word reveals, yes is probably always going to be the answer. If you're not in line, if you're just doing something based on your own selfish desires and your own, you know this would be best for me as desires and your own, you know this would be best for me. You know you got to remember that God has the right to say no and God is always more interested in our character than God is interested in our circumstances. Because we can look at I look at my life. I mean you, brother, have got, you know life stories that are incredibly challenging, right, and we look back at those and at the time we sure as heck didn't want to go through them. I mean, horrible things happen to people regularly and there's a huge difference between the people that learn to accept that. I don't see the reason now. I don't understand, I don't even agree with it happening right now, but I trust, I have faith that there's something that's going to come of this that will be revealing in some way to me or to people around me of God's true character and God's love for me.

Speaker 2: 5:34

The old song by Sandy Patty if you can't see God's hand in something, trust his heart, just trust his heart. And then the last point is wait. And sometimes God just says wait. Sometimes he doesn't answer, like why aren't you answering me, god? And it comes down to God saying wait, and that to me is evidence of God saying you're not there yet. You're not there for the answer to this. And I use that as a way to look at maybe, maybe, just maybe, the results of this election are an opportunity for us to learn to wait. Wait for the outcome, wait for you know, if things happen the way I don't want them to and you know you hate me for it if you're of that bent.

Speaker 2: 6:24

But I don't believe that Trump is a man that will do good things for us, but I also believe that if he is God's tool to accomplish God's ultimate purpose, then he will become that tool. He will be part of the plan and I have to be willing to accept that and not run from it, but to say, hey, you know, the Israelites got brought out to Babylon and God used that for a purpose. Look at what happened as a result of that Daniel and Daniel in the lion's den and Daniel in the furnace. You know the stories that came of that, the reality of Daniel's faith and the model of his faith that came out of that. It's just phenomenal. How could you not say that was God's plan right? The things that we as Christians, as believers in the word of God, became aware of and have been blessed with knowing as a result of that, are phenomenal. It's just so good.

Speaker 2: 7:24

So we're talking about prayer today. Folks Prayer in America, and how is it that there are so many people, men and women of God that are? I don't know what their prayers are. Personally, I don't know what they're praying for. I don't know if they're praying to the same God I pray to or what is going on.

Speaker 2: 7:45

But the evangelical church right now, when it can't find hardly anyone that will stand up and say like Paul Ryan just did our Wisconsin US representative for years and years and years, was the Speaker of the House for a relatively short amount of time. Even Paul Ryan said he will not be voting for Trump because he believes the character is far more important than policies, essentially. But where are the evangelical leaders that are saying, mr Trump, we're thankful for things that you've done for the company country, we feel that you were in line with things that we believe in, but your character's got to. You got to straighten up, man, you got to fly right, dude. You are so anti.

Speaker 2: 8:30

What we believe in, what we hold to be true, what we hold to be self-evident in the Bible, this has got to stop. You got to stop it now. Where are the gatekeepers? Where are the people of integrity that will stand up and say no, no, I demand better leadership. I, you know, I demand that the world be led by leaders that are men of integrity, people of integrity. We're not. We're just failing and failing miserably, and I don't get it. We're just failing and failing miserably and I don't get it. So there I go, there at my diatribe my, my soapbox is complete for all you.

Speaker 1: 9:16

I'm just talking to you. What do you think? Well, when we talk about prayer, brother, you know it's going to. It starts with. It's an internal, internal process first. You know. You know because, again, people know. You hear people say I'm praying, I'm praying, but this thing is not coming to pass. I'm praying, I'm praying, but this thing is not coming to pass. You know it's not happening. I don't see it and it's like, well, we have to start looking internally. Well, we have to start looking internally.

Speaker 1: 9:44

You know, the God's word says if we read the Bible, boy, the Bible tells us everything pertaining to life. You know, of course, like you know, in Isaiah 59, right, he'll say, you know, hey, but the Lord's hand is not shortened, that he cannot save, nor is his ear heavy that he cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear. Now you hit me, like on our in my Sunday sermons. You hit me.

Speaker 1: 10:19

I was talking about keeping our hearts in the right posture with God, you know, and that's where it starts internally. You know, of course, it's like he's not going to, he's not going to bless the foolery of our hearts. You know. And, of course, when we are praying, someone I heard this one pastor say, and it made total sense to me. He was like when we pray, are we asking for the same things that Jesus would ask for? You know, when we talk about being in the center of his will, right, you know it's like, are we praying for things that Jesus would ask for? You know? Would Jesus be praying for a new house, a new car, these things, or would Jesus be praying that people are saved? You know that people are delivered from sin, people are forgiven. You know, what are we praying for? You know, of course, but it's just an internal thing, because God's word clearly says hey, I know, if our heart is not in the right posture, he can't hear, he won't hear. I mean, this is not past Antoine saying it.

Speaker 1: 11:17

God's word said in Isaiah 59, one through three he said it that I will not hear because of the condition of your heart. So it starts right there and so, and then, of course this is the thing when people are not hearing from God or things are not coming to pass, we tend to get frustrated. Then, yes, this is a the greatest, one of the biggest tricks of the enemy. He brings in doubt, he brings in condemnation, he brings in anger, he brings in all these different emotions that try to drive us away from God. But no, what is it? Oh, my goodness, I want to say first Chronicles. But anyway, it's like seek the Lord and his strength, seek his presence continually. That what the scripture says. And so it's like in our worst times, in our tough times, first things first. Again, we have to repent.

Speaker 1: 12:10

John the Baptist came saying, hey, repent and be baptized. Jesus said it himself repent and be baptized. And so when we have a repentant heart and we can say you know what I've been wrong, lord, I can admit that I'm wrong, I can confess my wrongs. You know he is quick to forgive and will heal our land, you know, and. And. But the thing is we're in today's world where you can give a person the truth, which is the Bible. The Bible is the only truth you know. You can say, hey, this is what the Bible says about the situation. You know, either they, the Holy spirit, is going to convict them and they'll turn from what they were doing, or they will just actually clamor up, get more angry and double down on the lie they choose to believe and keep walking it out, and so that's what we're starting to see, and that's what I believe that we're seeing in the country right now.

Speaker 1: 13:06

Now you know, of course, when we're talking about, hey, this man that's running for president, and you got a bunch of Christian leaders lined up behind him, which I, just for the life of me, I do not understand. This man has not exhibited one fruit of the spirit, not one love, joy, peace, kindness, nothing. He has not exhibited one piece, but he is actually the epitome of Proverbs 16 through 19 when it says these six things the Lord hate, and seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devise wicked plans, feet that are swift to run into evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who spreads the discord amongst the brethren. He is the epitome of that, but yet a lot of Christians have lined up behind him.

Speaker 1: 13:55

Jesus said in his word though hey, in that day, many of God's elect will be deceived. And again, we were talking off us, off off microphone, and we were talking Off microphone and we were talking about this. You know, a lot of people, even God select, will be deceived, and we're seeing the Bible. The Bible is the only Book that has fulfilled Prophecy. You got all hey, no disrespect to Other religions, but not the Quran, not Buddha's book, not Harry Krishna's book. None of them has fulfilled prophecy. The Bible is the only one. And even as the New Testament Starts to come into a prophetic Existence, we see it. We see it clear as day.

Speaker 1: 14:44

And this is where, again, when, when we talk about prayer, it's going to start with an internal thing. Because remember David, what did he say after he got caught, after he set up Uriah to be killed? And the prophet came to him and was like, hey, this man did this and that and the other. And David was like go get him, I'll do this and that. And he's like it's you, and what did? What was david's first response? He ran into prayer. Lord created, created me a clean heart, renew the right spirit in me, take, cast me not out of your presence, take not your holy spirit from me, and I will teach transgressors your way. He first acknowledged his own. He.

Speaker 1: 15:19

I mean a wholehearted repentance where not that 360 repentance, where we start at the point we've we do the thing for a little back to where we started, but that 180 turning away from that thing completely and and and it takes effort, it takes work, but it starts in prayer, starts internally, our individual relationships with god. You, you know, of course I like to say, hey, what's in a person's heart is between them and God, you know, and that's where it's like so, it's like that helps me not to take offense, you know, because the Bible tells us many in that day, many will be offended. It's just like we choose to take offense to things and of course we have to learn that. Hey, you know, when we as men and women of God really start to gather and believe and know that the infallible written word of God is true and every issue pertaining to life is in this word and we choose to, we believe it with our whole heart and then ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in this word. He'll direct our paths, in it and we'll be able to discern and see. We'll not only be able to discern spirits, but we'll be able to discern seasons. You know, we will know when things just don't sound right.

Speaker 1: 16:42

You know, the Bible tells us I'm trying to think Proverbs 25 or so. It says it is to a king's honor to search out a matter, meaning that we can't be the blind led around by the blind anymore. We have to search out matters for ourselves. We have to actually get word, and it's easier said than done. You know, of course. You know there's like as a pastor, I come to the realization that some people don't know how to read at all. Walk and start by giving you some good, solid interpretation.

Speaker 2: 17:30

That way you can eventually begin to get your own revelation. You've been quoting Proverbs so much and you mentioned Proverbs 16. I was looking at it speaks so much to what's going on right now. Proverbs 16.12,. It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness, so we're watching the Stormy. You know what is Stormy's last name? Richards, yes, Daniels.

Speaker 2: 18:02

Thank you, daniels. Thank you, daniels. Storm Daniels talking about her encounter, so lewd and livid that the judge had to say maybe you shared a little too much there, but anyways, sounds like an abomination to me, especially given the fact that the man was married and you know, saying that the crime is that he was trying to use hush money to keep his chances from, you know, losing the election. And his defense to that is no, he was trying to keep it quiet to protect his wife. Well, yeah, hello, either way, the act is an abomination. Hello, church, hello, that's your defense, right? Oh well, I was really just trying to protect my wife. Oh, great, so you're a liar and you're, uh, you know somebody trying to do something not so good and then the bible's what.

Speaker 1: 18:53

The bible doesn't say this, but it was a old uh saying uh, it's like hey, if you lie, you steal yeah, well, and then go a bit further.

Speaker 2: 19:01

and in 1618, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. So I look at that and think you know part of where we went wrong, and this is part of Tim Alberta's book talking about how we started in his mind.

Speaker 2: 19:33

Where it really has gotten bad in the evangelical church is that we somewhere along the line got the idea that America and strong American leaders is more important than Christ and what Christ leads us to do. And the argument and the thing that I've been compelling my Christian friends to do is to say why in the world are you aligning yourself with Trump or Biden to the expense of aligning yourself with Jesus? Because if you will align yourself and it's honestly one of the biggest problems that anti-Christians have, non-christians have with Christians, just like Gandhi. Gandhi once said I would be a Christian myself were it not for Christians you know what kind of indictment is that to us as Christians, we have been the poorest representations of Christ.

Speaker 1: 20:30

You know, like when we're talking, trying to disciple people, or we're trying to share the gospel with people, yeah, people are like why would I serve that God?

Speaker 2: 20:39

Right.

Speaker 1: 20:40

At that scene. They got Jesus signs on the Capitol. No, that was not of God's heart. You know, to do what was done? No, absolutely not.

Speaker 1: 20:49

And you know, and again, it's just when it comes to the church itself, when it comes because I hate. Well, it is what it is the church is. Race is a dividing factor. Race is a dividing factor. You know, of course, people have chosen to believe a different doctrine than what the Bible says. You know, people are. You know, I heard this one pastor say we must fight and continuously work and strive to live by biblical principle versus personal preference. But now we're starting to see in the church, personal preference. You know, of course, and you mix a little bit of poison in there about oh, you're no, uh, there's an anti, there's an anti-white sentiment in the country because, uh, I guess trump did a uh time magazine, uh article where he said uh, there is an anti-white settlement in the country which pours fire on something that probably is not. Well, it is, let's just say that it is, but it pours fire on it. But also, it's again, it's spreading a lie.

Speaker 2: 21:56

Right. Well, look at what's happening with Tim Scott. Right Governor Tim Scott coming out, being chosen potentially as Trump's running mate, Right For vice president, and he gets asked after Trump makes a statement about how you know, will you accept the the election if you don't?

Speaker 1: 22:15

win the results.

Speaker 2: 22:16

Oh, you know, will you accept the results? And he's like, well, I believe everything has been done correctly and everything has been done honestly and I won't have any blah, blah, blah problem with that whatsoever. And but he would never answer the question of will you accept if you don't win?

Speaker 2: 22:31

He is not willing to accept Double down on that Right, right If that if that would happen, if he doesn't win, he's already giving triggers, cues, to say you know there are people will have to rise up or else they're going to lose their country. So we know. That was the same language, the same metaphor that was being used during January 6th. Well, now, so Tim Scott gets you know. Questioned about the same thing, Would you be willing to accept if Trump doesn't win? And his response was not yes or no, His response was well, when President Trump wins. And it kept, I mean like three times asked him but will you? Will you, will you accept if he doesn't win? Well, when president trump wins? And you're like what is going on and you think about the, the visuals of that right that if, if tim scott becomes his vice presidential running bait, I would not be, surprised.

Speaker 2: 23:27

I would not be surprised if Trump would do that purely to say, see, I'm not a racist, see, I'm not. And that will become some sort of plank for him. It's just, it's so, so like wicked in so many ways. I don't get it.

Speaker 1: 23:43

I don't get how.

Speaker 2: 23:43

Tim Scott can even be there and say that I just don't get it.

Speaker 1: 23:47

Yeah, you know, it's just like in the black community, you know, we have this saying hey, skin folk ain't kin folk. You know what I mean. And just because you're a brother, you're not a brother, you know. And it's like because you go against the very things that's going against us. You, you know, and it's like because you go against the very things that's going against us, you know, like we're talking about voter suppression, voter intimidation. He is actually preaching these things on because we got to remember I think we totally brushed over something that Trump said. He said that if he doesn't win, there is going to be a bloodbath, and I don't think anyone paid attention to that. That I don't want to say it scares me, but it's like that is a that after what we saw on January 6th, he, he gave them marching orders. Now, I'm not a big Michael Cohen guy and thing, but he kind of gave us. He, like Donald Trump talks in code and when he says something, you know you take it at his word. And when he says, if he doesn't win, there's going to be a bloodbath, that's suppression, intimidation at its face value, and I think, regardless of the party that you represent vote for, and things like that. We really have to take that into heart, because a person can say, hey, I'm a diehard republican and still vote for trump and that, and even though you can say, I'm a diehard republican, I don't like what he said, but I'm gonna vote for him because he's a republican. Now there has been a few people that has said with their mouth oh, I'm not voting for him because of this, that and the and the other, but only one that's in that booth when they vote is them, that piece of paper and God. So you know that's.

Speaker 1: 25:38

This is where, again, prayer, god's word, is coming to light and we have to hear it, and the things that we are seeing come out of the church today. It shouldn't be discouraging. It's been prophesied. So all we could do is pray. All we can continue to do as individuals, as churches, as communities, is continuously go before the Lord. Lord, create in me a clean heart, renew the right spirit in me, take this heart of stone out of me, give me a heart of flesh, sprinkle me clean with water. Lord, just make sure that my heart is in the right standing with you and, of course, and when we do that, god will answer, he will hear and, yes, he'll show us things about ourselves that we don't like.

Speaker 1: 26:30

You know, I don't know how many times the Lord showed me something so ugly about me. I'm like, oh, I, it's like we don't think about these things until it's revealed. And then it's like, lord, I repent of that whole way of thinking. My whole thought process pertaining to that matter was wrong, and but we have to be strong enough to say know what I? I'm gonna turn that around.

Speaker 1: 26:56

And remember I quoted, uh, the new badger football coach, luke fickle, when he said, uh, change is inevitable, but growth is optional. Yeah, and yes, and because, yeah, change, and this is why where people, where the, the growth part doesn't take place, because change it brings about pain, like this new offense that the badgers are running. I don't know how I feel about it yet, but you know, but it's just. But that change brings pain and change is pain, you know, and with growth is going to is going to be some pain in the growth process.

Speaker 1: 27:31

Meaning we have to acknowledge some things about ourselves that we have to say, man, I was wrong. And as a pastor that's, I'm constantly before the Lord saying, wow, lord, thank you for showing me that, thank you for showing me that. And that's where, hopefully, again, the sad part is I'm just going to say it. You know, a lot of the church has fallen under a demonic spell. There's a demonic spirit within the church right now, because, if you saying that now, because if you're saying that, uh, that presidential candidate is a man of god and he is christ the second coming and you believe that?

Speaker 1: 28:22

uh, let's look at matthew he who has eyes to hear, eyes to see, let him see. Who has ears to hear, let them hear.

Speaker 2: 28:30

And my goodness, Gospel of Matthew 24, 22. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Then, if anyone says to you, behold, here is the Christ, or there he is, do not believe him, For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. I'll tell you, brother, I have been praying please, God, Lord, please, make me the if possible, Make me the if possible, that don't, Because that phrase if possible, the elect would be deceived. That tells me that it's possible to not be deceived, and I want to be believed, I want to be the elect that he cuts the day short for, Because those are the people that are striving.

Speaker 2: 29:31

I'm not a pre-tribulationist Christian. I believe the tribulation is something that we're going to go through. True believers are going to go through it, Because if we don't go through it, there's nobody there to keep providing the way out, Like you know, and the word says, God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should have everlasting life. Well, I don't see how there will be any hope for any of those people left behind if we're pre-tribulationist, if we're gone before the tribulation occurs, so that being one thing, but can I be, please Lord, please Lord, can I be one that retains faith and says, okay, even though this is awful, even though it is apparent plainly to me that this man is an antichrist? But he's even called, within the House of Representatives, when they've been called as Republicans, to vote in ways because Trump is saying this is the way you need to vote as Republicans, to vote in ways because Trump is saying this is the way you need to vote. The thing when they were being asked to. You know, contain him, impeach him, you know. And they had to turn away from that and say we're not going to impeach him.

Speaker 2: 30:45

One of the senators I wish I could remember who it was said boy, the things that we have to do for the orange Jesus. Look that up, the orange Jesus. I mean. How much more blatant, how much more like in your face, hello, do you have to be in order to get that? That's how he's being seen. He is, you know, the prophet. He is the people saying you know, I wouldn't mind having him as king. Well, who's supposed to be our king in a Christian's life? Who's on the throne in our lives. I mean, if you keep praying, Lord, make you the only person on my throne. I challenge anyone who is thinking that Trump is the way to go. I challenge you just start praying, Lord. Help me. Help me in my disbelief. Help me to put you and you alone on the throne of my life. Help me to do that today, no matter what I see, no matter what I hear, no matter what I believe right now. Help me to put you and you alone on the throne of my life. What would happen?

Speaker 1: 31:46

I've got to believe that's where love would start to abound, because you know what we have done. We have kicked Jesus off the throne and put ourselves there and begin to judge uh people and things like that put America on the throne, america's on the throne now, that's, that's Alberta's point right, we're, we're worshiping.

Speaker 1: 32:08

America, yep, and we are to love and not judge. And you know, and it's like when it's just one of those things that we pray for at FaithWorks Ministries, like Lord, open the eyes of your people, lord, touch the hearts of your people, help them to see, help them to turn from their wicked ways, lord, god, help them to see, help them to turn from their wicked ways, lord, god, help them to see what it is, because you got highly educated people, highly educated, smart people, but they follow this man every word. One of the people that used to attend our church, you know they, they basically sold their house, and gay and bought it and built a smaller house to give him money. And for the life of me, I just don't get it. And but however, I understand, I read the Bible and I know that this gentleman, well, this man, Is an agent Of the Antichrist, because, again, he's going to bring about all the Hate and confusion and all the violence and all these different things, and then there, the Antichrist is one that's going to Try to bring this universal peace. And there it is, you know. And so we have to just Be able to again Discern the seasons, we have to be able to see what season we're in spiritually.

Speaker 1: 33:39

Pastor John Hannah. He says Everything is spiritual. You have to look at it from a kingdom lens. We have to take off the world lens and put on Our spiritual lens and we have To pray. We have to pray and, of course, what the Bible says, the affected fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. And of course it said, of the righteous you know, and of course, those of us that have received Jesus and we had said you know what, not only do I desire relationship, jesus, but I will abide in you, as in John 15, one through eight. You know, I will abide. You are the true vine, I am the branch, you are the source of life. Everything, every good thing comes from you. I believe and trust you, lord, and it's like even the word, even the Bible, parts of the Bible, that I don't fully understand, that you have not given me revelation on. I believe you, but what is Psalm 119, 160,? He says the entirety of my word is true and my righteous judgments endures forever.

Speaker 1: 34:45

But also later on in Psalms he says unbalanced scales are an abomination to the Lord. And so we see all these unbalanced scales. You know we're talking about diversity, equity and inclusion. We're talking about all these, you know, just these systemic and systematic disadvantages that have been etched in stone in place in various institutions, and even we see the things that are happening now.

Speaker 1: 35:10

This group of lawyers, the conservative there are so many of these little societies that the world just don't even know about, or some don't even know about that are just continuously fighting to take away rights of people. I can't remember what show I was watching and I can't even remember the lawyer's name, but I want to say it's the conservative society. But these guys are continuously on the steps of the Supreme Court fighting everything that relates to giving people of color an upper hand, like just recently, a thing where it was like because they're hollering reverse racism now because it was an organization trying to give grants to Black women to help them build businesses. That's racist, is what they said, and the Supreme Court has put a halt on their organizational uh operations until this thing can be appealed and all this and that other kind of stuff there. But again we see the unbalanced scales, uh, right before our very eyes, and the thing is we can no longer sit silent and and and let the enemy have the country, the world, we, the world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God Right, and so, us being the sons of God, right, and so us being the sons of God, the Bible says blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

Speaker 1: 36:37

So when we are talking about peace, because peace oh, I'm going to preach on this a little later, actually I'm going to preach on it at the Juneteenth celebration, wednesday, june 19th, at Oxnard Park. But it's like the Bible tells us, for such as is up to you, live peaceably with all men. And, of course, when we talk about peace, peace goes way beyond just that, oh, it's a downtime between wars, or it's a mellow feeling. Peace goes a lot deeper with that because, again, peace equals love. And I'm going to put it all together on that sermon. I'm not going to give it all away now, but again, because when Isaiah prophesied it, isaiah, I want to say it's Isaiah 9. He was, like you know, a child will be born, his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, mighty God, prince of Peace.

Speaker 1: 37:34

And so when we say, hey, you know, the Prince of Peace, god is love. The world is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. The world is waiting to be loved on, to be loved on the right way, to be loved on without judgment, to be loved on without stipulation or without the need for something to be done in turn. Because what is? Because a lot of people, when we talk about love, no love. People think love is an emotion, like it's like an oven. I'm a turn. I like you today, so I'm going to go to 500 degrees, or I don't like it today, so I'm gonna go back down to 200.

Speaker 1: 38:13

Love is not an emotion. Love is a choice we choose to love and love has to be demonstrated in action. You know, we choose to love our wives, right? That's why the Bible says no love your wives as Christ. So love the church. You know, because we have to choose to do it. You know, because we have to choose to do it, like, when we choose to love Christ, he comes into our heart by way of the Holy Spirit and gives us guidance in these matters.

Speaker 1: 38:37

And that's where we have to get people, to get them back to the Bible. Because people are sitting in churches, they're going to slide off that church right into H-E-L-L because of the condition of their heart. You know, you know, and that's where we have to get back to the Bible teaching. We have to get back to people reading their Bibles on their own to get this thing, because, again, when people are going off on things that they've heard, you know, and of course we got this herd mentality, you know, it's like OK, you believe it, I believe it, let's go and do this. And it's like, again, like I said in the beginning of this, it is Proverbs 25. I want to say it is.

Speaker 1: 39:26

It is to a king's honor to search out a matter, meaning to research it for yourself, get the truth about it. What does the Bible say about it? And when we can get to that point, that's when we can start to really crack this spirit of hate that's over the nation and actually trying to quickly overcome the world. The Bible says Satan is the prince of the power of the air right now, but you know he will be defeated. We have to.

Speaker 1: 39:54

When we can trust, believe and know that he is a defeated foe, we can actually start to operate Truly in the power that has been given us. And that's where, again, but that power, faith, come by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, and so we can get back into this word Get back and just get back. Get back into this word get back and just get back. Get back to Jesus. You know, because a lot of people you know they go to church, they go for the charismatic pastor, they go because their friends and family go, but are they going to see Jesus? And that's what we got to get back to go to see Jesus. Come to Jesus, come to me. All you are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest and uh, that's, you know, uh, that's what we pray for, brother, just a hearts to be changed.

Speaker 2: 40:41

I've been thinking, as you're talking about prayer and I, it struck me that prayer is kind of a story. You know, prayers is not. Prayer is a story of both what's going on in our lives and the story that we would want to be told about our lives. You know that this thing happened and I prayed to God and then this happened and it was wonderful. We want a story with a happy ending, you know.

Speaker 2: 41:08

So when you're praying, you know what if we asked ourselves, who are we praying for? Because the elements of a story are to answer like five questions who, what, where, when and how. If you answer those things, you've got the elements of what people look for in a story. So, who? Who are you praying for? Who are you praying to? And that's why I love that you're talking about prayer coming from the word of God, because if you're praying from the word of God, that pretty much nails down who you're praying to? Because if it aligns itself with the word of God, then you can know that it's coming from the word the mouth of God. Right from the word, the mouth of God, right. What are you praying for? You know what really is at the core. Are we praying right now for America, because if we're praying for America really seriously, why are we not praying for the kingdom of God? The Lord's will be done, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed. Be thy name, thy kingdom come. Thy kingdom, come, thy will be done.

Speaker 2: 42:17

You know it doesn't say anything about praying for America, and you can call me an anti-patriot if you want, but I love this country as much as anyone can love a country, but I love it as a country. I don't love it as the Lord and the idol of my life. So who, who, what? Where are you praying? Where are you at in your life? You know, where am I at in my life? Am I at a point where I'm feeling sorry for myself? Am I on pity street? Am I on, you know? Oh, I wish this wasn't happening street. Am I, you know, on doubt street? Am I on, you know? Oh, I wish this wasn't happening street. Am I, you know, on doubt street? Am I on angry street? You know where am I?

Speaker 2: 42:57

Because there are places that we can be in that will affect our prayer and affect what we're praying for and who we're praying to. Right, and then the when. You know, I find it interesting. Who is it that talks about? You know we're tragedy Christians. We're tragedy prayers. You know so, when things get tough, it drives people to their knees. You know you're in the middle of a battle soldiers oftentimes. You know, foxhole Christians. Right, the bullets are whizzing by, the bombs are blowing off around them and they're on their knees going please, god, get me through this, please, god. Those are effectual, fervent prayers. I can tell you that. So, because they're at that point.

Speaker 2: 43:37

So where are you? Are you at a point where you're just feeling so driven that you know if there's a God? I'm hedging my bets here, god, I'm just hedging my bets here that if you're out there, I need you now. Okay, so I need, if you don't mind. And then, how are we praying? Is probably, maybe is the most important thing with what's going on right now is how are we praying? How?

Speaker 2: 44:03

I'll challenge anyone evangelical. You've got a MDiv, whatever you have. Okay, I challenge you. I know I'm not. I don't have an mdiv, I have not studied theology, I've not studied eschatology, I don't have all those learned things. I'm matthew, okay I'm. I'm a fisherman. I'm I'm peter, okay, I'm. I am that level. And I will remind you all that those are the people that Jesus chose as apostles. He didn't have a seminary. In fact, the people that were going through seminarial studies at that day and age were the people he fought against regularly. So let's get that straight your degrees are not what answers who you are as a Christ follower. That's not it. And if you can't admit that, then you know pride comes before a big fall.

Speaker 1: 44:54

That's a great point, brother, you know, of course I've been in the presence of people that can, you know? Basically, get the Bible memorized from front to back but not have the Holy Spirit. And that's what we need to live in this world. That's what we need to replicate the image and culture of Jesus. You know, that's what we need, the Holy Spirit. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to teach us these things, to bring these things to memories, to pray for us, because when we don't know how to pray, as we ought to know how to pray, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us.

Speaker 2: 45:30

You know, and that's where the Bible is not a tool to beat people down. The Bible is a tool to lift people up Right. So if you're going to, use the Bible as a you know something to just beat people, to say you are living against God and, you know, be a righteous person in law, boy.

Speaker 1: 45:49

You know, which is how I see a lot of preachers using it, you know, and that's where exactly, and that's where, again, like when the Holy Spirit is praying for us, and intercession for us. And again, the parts of prayer, you know, of course. You know we give adoration to God, we confess our sins, we thank God and we give supplication, right, we pray, and you know, and it's like, and then the other part of that is listening. You know we have to sit silent and listen. You know for what instructions the Lord has for us next or what he is trying to show us. Because, again, you know, I'm a firm believer that God speaks to all of us and a lot of us don't like what we hear. And, again, you can either accept the correction from God, you can accept the correction or you can try and tune it out and just double down on the lie that you believe. Because one of my favorite chapters in the Bible I've said this numerous times John, chapter eight. You know, of course, uh, you know he had, uh, just uh, forgiven the adulterous woman. Then, of course, uh, they confront him. We are children of Abraham. He was like Abraham is our father. It was like Abraham is your father. You would know God and you would know me, and it and it, just it. He just basically ripped from the shreds. And I love that. Uh, I love that chapter and love that. I love that chapter and but that's where we are. You know, we people, you know we Honor God with our lips but our hearts are far from him and we just have to, and we have to get our hearts towards Jesus. We have to get back to that and of course it's going to take some hard things from all of us to when God shows us us we either going to change or we're going to double down on the lie, and that's we have free will to do so.

Speaker 1: 47:42

But again, I just choose to believe the Bible and, like you were saying, I'm no theologian, I don't have any degrees in ministry. I just when the pastor said, hey, the Lord said, or no, ordain you into your pastorate. I'm like, no, I don't want to. I see what you go through. I don't want to do this. But if it's God's call, so be it. And all you can do is just say Lord, equip me to do this, because I can't do this in my flesh. Antoine Hallman can't do this. I need your spirit, I need your Holy Spirit to do this for me. You know, like that Solomon prayer. Lord, teach me how to go in and out amongst your people, teach me how to judge your people correctly. I don't want, I don't know how to do this. I need you to help me do this.

Speaker 1: 48:31

And but again, it just it's an internal thing, because here's the thing, you know, and I preached on this a few times it's like we have to take off the immediate glasses and put on the eternal glasses. You know, we tend to fight and wrestle and run towards the immediate things house, car, old clothes, this and that and the other but are we really worried about our soul? Do we know? You know because, okay, lord, you know, because a lot of people in the world, they seem to think, oh, if I just do, okay by people, if I just, you know, I'm nice to people, I do this and that and the other, I'll be okay.

Speaker 1: 49:12

Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the life. The only way is through me. And so we have to exhibit his culture, manifest his nature, that people will be saved, because people ain't going to read their Bibles, they're going to read you. And like you were saying earlier, man, you made a great point, brother, about you know, it's hard to get. It's hard to decide. I don't want to say it's hard to disciple, but people are saying, hey, like you mentioned, gandhi is like I'd be a Christian if it wasn't for the Christians, and that's how we're being looked at even present day. And so there's a remnant. There's a remnant that's going to stay faithful. That's going to stay faithful and I just pray that I'm a part of that remnant and that I will continuously preach and teach the word of God in its entirety and in total truth.

Speaker 1: 50:10

And I guess one of the things about myself I've in the last let's see, this is 2024. This is 2024. Well, since 2011, I've been telling the total Truth about myself and everything I hear and see, and it's almost like telling the truth To a fault. But I'll say this I feel so free because I can tell the truth that way and I ain't got to remember a lie. And I'll tell the truth Regardless of the consequence to myself, because, again, it's just remember a lie. And I'll tell the truth regardless of the consequence to myself, because, again, it's just, uh, I just I'm, I'm, you know, I'm free, I'm healed, I'm redeemed, I'm blessed.

Speaker 1: 50:44

I have to think back to what Jesus did on the cross to give me life now. And he died. I was bought at a price. It's no longer I who live, but the Christ that lives in me, in the life that I now live, in the flesh. I live by faith in him. And what does Jesus want? He wants souls saved, bottom line. He wants every. You know, god wants everyone to confess Jesus Lord and will be saved. And so all of our activities in the roundabout way, at end of the day it's about saving souls, and but not only just getting souls saved but discipling them in the word that they may be disciples for Jesus as well.

Speaker 1: 51:28

You know, there's a Billy Graham's. I was in the discipleship training and I did not know this gentleman. It was a couple of blurbs on him Dawson Troutman, the founder of the Navigators. I did not know that he was. Billy Graham called on him Because Billy Graham was like hey, billy Graham Got these stadiums packed full of people, Right, and people are confessing Jesus Lord. But he's like OK, dawson, how do we keep these people in line? You know, how do we? How do we stay in touch with them? How do we keep discipling them? And that's where Dawson Troutman came in. And that's what you know can get people to confess Jesus, but we also have to walk them through it.

Speaker 1: 52:20

Then, of course, dawson Troutman, you know he was talking about how you know, sometimes, discipleship, you know it may happen in smaller groups. Uh, that way, you, you raise up children and grandchildren. Generational discipleship is what he called it as I parap, paraphrase it generational discipleship where you, as the dad, you're going to raise up some children, then your children are going to raise up some children and their children, and so on and so forth. And we got this generational discipleship going on. And that's where we want to get back to.

Speaker 1: 52:52

We want to get back on track with that, know, as a country, as a nation, as a world. Uh, get back on that, you know. And, um, because again, at this point, you know it's uh, not our will, but that will be done on earth as it is in heaven, because god's sole purpose, what he wanted he was like, he wanted the earth to replicate heaven. He wanted heaven on earth is what he desires. And, of course, how do we do that? By confessing his son is Lord and believing that he was raised from the dead because of this confession will be saved, and uh, yeah, there you have it.

Speaker 2: 53:25

There you have it. Well, folks, uh, we got started late today. Uh, my brother and I try to do nine until 10 am on a Saturday morning. We got started late because we got praying. Now in that prayer, getting in the way of plans, oh boy, and here we are about 40 minutes over what we tried to do. But you know, I'm thankful. I'm thankful for you, brother, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to talk about something that's so critically important to us today. So, and you know, if my people will humble themselves, if my people will humble themselves and pray, I read somebody not too long ago I was talking about. The danger of that prayer is that it presumes that we are the chosen people of God. It presumes that America is the new Israel, and I'm not sure that there's a really biblical foundation for believing that.

Speaker 1: 54:35

It depends on who's preaching. Yeah, who is israel. You know, like, if it's, uh, depending on, like, what church you go to, uh, if you go to a black church or where the israelites we are, if you go to a white jesus, we're the israelites. You go to an asian church where the israelites are hispanics, or where the israelites, everybody, want to be the israelites. But remember, the israelites kept messing up so many, regardless of who god, he god, loved them and forgave them and continuously blessed them in regard and but we're, in a sense, we're all grafted in. That's the thing. You know. We are the promise of abraham. You know? I'll give you the sentence as a innumerable well in that scripture that I read before, right, the word that's used in that.

Speaker 2: 55:13

To me, that we translate, elect can also mean the chosen, you know. So you know, if it were possible, even the chosen would be deceived. So, uh, if it were possible and I have to say I think it's possible, um, in fact, it's proving out to be possible, if not probable, in a lot of cases. So so, brother, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for being willing to, as always, so freely share of your mind and your spirit and your heart.

Speaker 1: 55:44

Well, just thank God, man, because I believe you know the Lord is going to do a thing through this eventually. You know we just be those willing agents, that's all.

Speaker 2: 55:58

Amen and amen. You have been listening to Frame of Reference Coming Together. I never even said that at the beginning. This is Frame of Reference. Coming Together, that's just Frame of Reference.

Speaker 2: 56:07

Coming Together and Jesus Christ is a way to come together, a new way to come together. So if this is uncomfortable because all these guys are doing the Jesus thing again, you know every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, and it's not mine to decide whose knee and whose tongue. I don't get to decide that. That's God's job. But he is our Lord of our lives and if that makes you uncomfortable, I just invite you to consider it.

Speaker 2: 56:41

Josh McDowell says it really astutely Jesus is either a liar, a lunatic or who he says he is. So decide. He's not a great teacher, he's not another great prophet. He didn't give room for that. He's a liar, he's a lunatic, or he's who he says he is. So look at who he says he is so and then you determine if you think he's a liar or a lunatic. Everybody gets to make that choice. So thank you for joining us here on Frame of Reference Coming together. I am Raul LaBrush and Antoine Hallman, sr. Indeed, we are. So you guys have a great week. We'll tune in again. Hopefully you hear us. If you've got any comments or questions or points you'd like to make, go to www.4soccom and there's a place there where you can blog your heart out and let us know and it's a good thing, good thing to confess before the Lord what's really going on, and we'll join you in prayer, take care.