Get The Hell Out of Your Life

The Power of God's Grace

• Ron Meyers, Gary Layne • Season 5 • Episode 33

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Imagine a world where grace and love overshadow judgment and division. We start this episode with personal stories of encountering judgmental Christians, only to find liberation through the transformative message of grace, as shared by Timothy Keller. Together with my dear friend and biblical counselor Gary Layne, we reflect on how understanding God's grace equips us to maintain our identity in Christ, even amidst our imperfections. Gary reminds us that although the world may seem chaotic, everything is ultimately under God's control, inviting us to embody Jesus' teachings and become part of the solution.

Our conversation then shifts to the profound impact of living out God's love within our local communities. We emphasize that true change begins at home and with our closest relationships rather than getting entangled in the complexities of national politics. By focusing on showing compassion and letting Jesus' teachings guide our everyday actions, we can glorify God more effectively. Additionally, we discuss the significance of maintaining a constant, personal conversation with Jesus, treating Him as both a coach and a friend who offers strength and peace in our daily lives.

Finally, we explore the life-changing difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Him. Personal experiences and heartfelt anecdotes reveal how a genuine, continuous relationship with Jesus can bring about peace, guidance, and an outpouring of love that touches others. We share moving stories of transformation and faith, building a community of testimony and hope. Whether you're seeking inspiration or looking for ways to deepen your connection with Jesus, this episode promises to uplift and encourage you with tales of God's incredible impact on our lives.

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Speaker 1:

It's time now to get the hell out of your life. A weekly broadcast with real people sharing real struggles and offering real hope. Today's show will encourage, inspire and empower you to face life's challenges with a bold confidence and renewed hope. Now let's join our host, ron Myers. The promoter.

Ron Meyers:

Hello, my friends, it is so good to be with you today. I have been praying for you. This is the greatest time to be a believer, because God is turning our light brighter, walking in his grace, his mercy, his love, his forgiveness. This is a good time to be alive and I hear him right now. Ron, have you watched the news? You see what's happening out there. Yes, I see what's happening, but I know who Jesus is. I know who I was before I met Jesus. As a matter of fact, I want to share something with you.

Ron Meyers:

The last few weeks I don't know if I'm just being tested or it's just a freak of nature, but I have met a lot of people that really are these legalistic Christians that find fault with everything. I mean, if you want to call some people, I can give you some numbers and they will tell you everything that's wrong with people out there. Of course, I tell them when I meet them get off your self-righteous soapbox, look in the mirror. You're not any better than them. It happened the other day at the gym. There was this sweet little old lady. I called her Aunt B. She looked like Aunt B from Andy Griffith, talked about her Sunday school class and the little potluck dinners and all the wonderful things she does. And then, in the next breath, she proceeded to tell me how Donald Trump was the most disgusting man that ever lived. He will never get elected. And she looks at him and she just hates him, even had an insinuation. I wish the bullet wouldn't have missed him. And I just about that poor little old lady. I think she needed a new pacemaker. When I got through with her because I was not going to be quiet and I said I don't know who you think you are, but are you saying you're better than Donald Trump? No, I didn't really say that. Well then, you shouldn't say anything at all. You are an ambassador for Jesus Christ and for you to say, on one hand, that you do all this stuff in church and then, on the other hand, you condemn someone because they just don't live up to your standards Well, I've got some news for you, lady. None of us live up to his standards. That's why God sent Jesus.

Ron Meyers:

And then I had a gentleman come by the office. He was falling apart. I was giving him some advice in the sense that you've got to walk in God's grace and his mercy, and he would hear the word grace, some people, they just flip out. Grace, some people, they just flip out. So a few days after these encounters with whiny complaining Christians, I was sitting down having my coffee with Jesus, dwelling on this, and said Lord, you know, I know I'm an instigator and I know people think I'm a loud mouth troublemaker. But, lord, I understand your grace, I understand it so well. I just don't understand why people just don't get it. So, even though I was thinking about it, I was listening to a podcast from Timothy Keller and he said something in this podcast that, wow, it was the answer that God was giving to me. I heard this short statement and I said thank you, jesus, take a listen.

Timothy Keller:

A person whose conscience is framed by grace has got a psychological strength to look at yourself realistically. You have that kind of psychological strength that no one else has got, because everyone else bases their self-image on their performance and so if they can't admit what they've done, if they admit the failure, their spiritual failure, if they admit the failure in performance, their self-image is gone, their identity is destroyed. They've got no reason to live. But a person who says I am like this and yet God has received me and I'm completely valued and accepted and welcomed into his family, you have got the ability to look realistically at who you are. And then you get on a rocket ship it's called, and yet here's what I really am. And yet he has received me. My father gives me everything that I need.

Ron Meyers:

Thank you, jesus. So, basically what I heard there was this Ron, you have grace seared on your conscience and anybody with the legalistic mindset is never going to understand what you're talking about. And, friends, that's a shame, because we should all understand the gospel of grace. I have on the phone with me a good friend of mine, gary Lane. He is a biblical counselor. Now, gary, it seems like the world is going out of control. We've just lost control, haven't we?

Gary Layne:

It's not out of control, it's totally in his control. But what happens is we get scared or we get confused or we forget.

Ron Meyers:

We forget that God is in control and it's just hard for people to realize that I think personally, this is the greatest time to be alive as a believer, because, as the world is getting darker, jesus is getting brighter and Jesus is living within us. So we need to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

Gary Layne:

Wow, that's so well said. I think it's easy to complain and it's easy to criticize and it's sometimes harder to walk out our faith. But you know, jesus said a lot of amazing things in his three years in ministry and they're so well recorded. You know, I challenge people just to go back and read, just read the gospels. Forget about I mean, don't forget about the rest of the Bible, but read the Gospels and listen to what Jesus was saying. And he said some amazing things, like in this world you will have tribulations or you'll have trials or you'll have problems. But then he said be of good cheer or be at ease. Why? Because I've overcome the world Now. He said that over 2000 years ago and it was just as crazy for them at that time as it is for us in our time. So that's very applicable.

Gary Layne:

Jesus is looking right at us and saying Gary, look, you know you're going to have problems in this world. I'm telling you you will. But take heart, be of good cheer, whatever translation you have, he says to you. He says Gary, look, I've overcome this. This is not beyond my capabilities, I have it all under control. So that's just one verse. He said peace I give unto you not like the world gives peace, but my peace I give to you. And so there's just so many passages where Jesus was dealing with people who were distraught and dismayed. You know, their country was was being reigned and ruled over by Roman soldiers. They'd been invaded multiple times over the year by the Babylonians and the Syrians, and so they had a history and they were so tense. And here's Jesus going I am peace, and so it's. It's amazing. It peace, and so it's amazing it's very similar to me.

Ron Meyers:

Gary, I met you during Hurricane Katrina. You were down here as a volunteer and we saw so much turmoil and tribulation here on the coast. And I don't know if you were here the day on the radio when I said something that a lot of people didn't understand. But I said one day we will look back at Katrina and thank God we went through it, because if we could get through Katrina which you know it was terrible If we can get through something that horrific, we can get through anything. And I think maybe God is saying, hey, there's something I need you to do. You can help some people get involved in a cause that's greater than your problems or your circumstances.

Gary Layne:

Yeah, that's excellent. Jesus again. Jesus said so many things. Here's a little tidbit he said. He said let your light shine before men, that they see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. So one thing we should be about is good works.

Gary Layne:

What does that look like? That's whatever God's put in your heart or called you to. You know, it might just be buying somebody breakfast in the drive through line ahead of you or behind you, or it might be taking second place instead of first place in something, because because the other person, uh, was, was there. So it's. It's about oh, my goodness, it's about love. It's really about love, right? Jesus said people will know that you're my disciples because of your love for one another, and so Christians have got to stop. You know, I'm a counselor, I'm telling you you shouldn't say you've got to stop, but we need to. We need to focus on loving, maybe ourselves first, but then loving other people because of the great love with which we've been loved. Right, and that's what, and that's what Paul wrote. He said because of the great love with which we've been loved, we can love others.

Ron Meyers:

Yeah, you know, Gary, you and I talked about a year ago on emotional intelligence and that was just really a fascinating show we did. And right now, somebody out there that really is scared, concerned, worried about the future. They're worried about either political party worried about the future.

Gary Layne:

They're worried about either political party. What would you tell that person? Well, first off, I would say don't worry about the political situation. I know it sounds like the world's coming to an end, but we've endured 200 years of history. We've had great presidents, not so great presidents. We've had Democratic presidents, we've had Republican presidents, we've had Democratic, this Republican that you know. The world goes on. The sun comes up every day.

Gary Layne:

It doesn't matter who the president of the United States is, and so it doesn't matter. It probably matters, more importantly, locally, who is in your town and who is sharing the love of Jesus with each other. You make more difference in your own town than you'll ever make on a national level, and so we get caught up in this, in this the big picture, instead of focusing on the local picture, which is where I live and the community I'm working in. So let your light shine in your community and God will God will be, will be glorified through that, because we're showing love for one another, compassion for one another. You know, give a, give a, jesus said. When you give a cup of water in my name, you're doing good. So give somebody a cup of water today and start focusing on how we can help other people.

Ron Meyers:

You know, one of the things I've had a few conversations about are the amount of Christians that will look at, and I'll use Trump as an example. While it is Trump, they say, well, there's no way he can be a Christian because you don't behave that way. And I said, well, do you know his heart? I tell people why are you surprised about this, Didn't Jesus?

Gary Layne:

as you say in a lot of quotes of Jesus that they will not like you because of me, it's so true and, first off, I don't know that, probably not a popular position, but it's like I don't know that the secular world that I live in is my home and so I have to live here. I don't have to live here, I can. You know, god has made us free people in America. For sure, we can move and leave, but but I don't want, I don't want my life to be defined by who our president is, and so if he is a Christian or isn't a Christian, that's not my issue, that's between him and God, that's exactly right, it's like any pastor.

Gary Layne:

If you have a pastor in your neighborhood or you have a pastor and you don't like what he says, it's like well, you know that's between me and God. Let God deal with him in the way he needs to. I was just reading today it's fascinating that this topic came up. I was just reading today that Jesus was before Pilate. You know, pilate was the leader of the Roman Empire in that area. He was the appointed person. I don't think he was duly elected, but he was the leader. And Pilate was like you know, are you, are you a king or not? And Jesus said yeah, I am a king, but this is not. This isn't my kingdom.

Gary Layne:

It's because if this was my kingdom, my people would be fighting so that I wouldn't have been taken, and so I really, really struggle with Christians who are fighting for this world.

Gary Layne:

We should be fighting that there are lost people and dying people going to hell without Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the solution to their major problem. Life is going to throw us a bunch of lemons and we can learn to make lemonade, but only through the strength that Jesus Christ provides. Otherwise, I'm on my own and I'm looking to someone else to help me instead of looking to the one who's already helped me Jesus. And so that's why Jesus knew, in his time and his day, that politics weren't the solution. Better health care wasn't the solution. Less poor people wasn't the solution. What the solution was have Jesus in your heart and then, because of the love that you have, you will start to change from the inside, and that will change you, which will change your family, which will change your neighborhood, which will change your community, which will change your town, which will change your city, which will change your state, which will change your country.

Ron Meyers:

It's an inside out thing, not an outside in, and I think christians have lots that focus on that I have a board on my little chalkboard on my wall and I'm looking at it and it has in the middle center it says jesus, center of life, and from that is all the things that come out of there joy, forgiveness, visions, dreams, youthfulness, abundance. So if j Jesus is the center of our life and we do life with Jesus, I tell people, listen, you need to look at Jesus as your coach, as your friend, as your mentor, you need to talk to him, you need to have conversations with him and you need to open your heart to him. If there's something really bothering you, well, take it to Jesus. I mean, he is alive inside you. So why not have daily minute conversations with Jesus? That's what gives me peace.

Gary Layne:

You know, I ask people all the time is it okay to have a conversation with Jesus while I'm opening the mail and paying my bills? And of course it is. Of course it is. He wants to be in constant communication with me. He's always listening, he's always there for me. He's there, he's there, he. He is an advocate for me. Right, he's on my side, he's for me. And so the weird thing is, he's for our enemies too. You know, he's for people, and so that's what we need to understand is that God, through Jesus Christ, provided that solution. Like you said, he should be the hub in the middle of our wheel, not one of the spokes. Yeah, you know.

Ron Meyers:

Gary, I tell people, you know, years ago, on my before Jesus day, my little picture my office desk was JR Ewing. You know he was my hero and I love JR. But then, when I met Jesus, the change that began to happen inside, that spiritual rebirth, all of a sudden I didn't want to be that way anymore. I wanted to look at people and I saw them through the eyes of Jesus, which I started changing my perception of the world and people and I'm thinking, wow, if I feel this good with a new born relationship with Jesus, maybe that's what I should do, is just tell people or interview people and share their Jesus stories. And that's the answer you just said we need more of Jesus in our life and not just once a week on a certain day to go to a building. But it's 24 seven, it never ends.

Gary Layne:

You know. That's the connection. That's a personal relationship. I can't you know. Let's say, you know we have a president right now and I know his name and I know what state he's from and I know he's. You know this and I know that, but I don't know that guy. I don't know that person. I just know about him.

Gary Layne:

And so to know somebody personally means I know what's going on in their heart, I know what's going on in their life, I know what's going on in their daily activities, and so that's a personal relationship, not a knowing relationship, but a personal relationship.

Gary Layne:

So you know it's different and people don't, probably we don't know how to have personal relationships. We struggle in our marriages, we struggle with our kids, we struggle with our boss, and so how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ needs to be the number one thing we learn to do how to experience a person who is on our side, who is for us, who loves us, he gave his life for us, died so that we could have the relationship. That's how much he cares about us, and let that sort of sink in your head for a moment. And then, all of a sudden, I'm starting to share about this person that I have a relationship with who's pretty cool, who's pretty neat, who's there for me in my struggles, who never abandons me, who's always ready to give me a solution and a way through something not out of it, but through it and so that I mean that's the ultimate relationship that we're all searching for and that's what brings peace in our life, so well put.

Ron Meyers:

I will often talk to people. I'll ask them well, who is Jesus to you? And they say, well, the Bible says this and that. I said no, no, I didn't ask that. I said who is Jesus to you? Until you actually can relay a personal experience, something that happened to you, then you know Jesus only from a distance, something that happened to you. Then you know Jesus only from a distance. Until you know him personal, you're not really walking in the freedom of the grace that he's given you. So when I say to someone who is Jesus to you, oh man, he is my savior, he is my friend, he helped me when I was in trouble and now I tell other people about him. That's a healthy relationship with Jesus to me and you can tell it.

Gary Layne:

You probably knew that you knew the answer before you asked the question. But to both people, right, right, you knew the one who was struggling, who didn't have the close relationship, and you knew the one who was going through things with a piece in their heart, you knew they had the close relationship. So it actually shows out through our attitudes and that's what the world is desperate for.

Gary Layne:

They're desperate for something that will give them a sense of calm, a sense of peace, a sense of security, and it's not going to come through world politics or world domination. None of that's going to work, because this is not our world, this is Satan's world and he is running amok amongst the lost and, and like you said at the very beginning, the world is getting darker, and so our light should be shining brighter and people should be seeing our good works that the father has, and even Jesus like for my grace, are you saved through faith? That's a great verse. We all know it. Not of ourselves is the gift of God. Let's say the mansion books, that's Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. But 10 says we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, amen. And so that's why we're here.

Ron Meyers:

And the good works is and this is a conversation I have with many people Well, you have to do this and do this. I said well, but if you set out on your day that I'm going to do this and this and that is that really, are you doing rules or things that you need to do? Are you doing it because Jesus inside of you is urging you to do it and you want to do it?

Gary Layne:

You know, it's the thing that spurs us to good works, isn't it? It's the fact that you have an overflowing amount of abundant love pressed down, shaken pressed down and flowing over. If I see my life that way, then that overflowing should be going into other people. And it's just as easy as a simple conversation. You know, I had to go to the. My neck was really struggling and I was hurting and I went to see a therapist and she was talking to me and I was just listening. You know, I wasn't complaining about my. It's like, if you can help me, that'd be so nice. And and I said, you don't look like you're having a good day, are you okay? And she's like no, you know, thanks for asking. I'm not. I'm going through something really bad. I said, well, tell me about it. You know, and just just allowing her to share her story with me made her feel better. You know what? You came in here for me, for help, but you helped me more than I helped you. Amen. Thank you so much for that.

Ron Meyers:

Well, you know what you just lead into. My last thing I want to talk to you about we're almost out of time. You have the microphone, you are a counselor, you're a world traveler. You have talked to a lot of people. Now I want you to talk to the hurting people that are listening to this right now, that are just about losing hope.

Gary Layne:

Yeah, so so there is a God who cares about you. You say, well, I don't know that he does, because look at what I'm going through. That's not the point. The point is, we're all going to go through struggles in our lives, and I'll. Let's be honest. Probably most of what are we're going through is somehow caused by decisions that we've made because we haven't been looking to someone to guide us. So there's a God who cares, there's a God who loves you so intently and so intensely that he wants a relationship with you and was willing to kill his son and shed his blood so that you could have a relationship, salvation relationship. However, you want to say that and what he's asking you to do is to trust him, and trust is a really hard thing, but trust him that he will guide you through your pain and through the experiences that you're having right now, and he will. He'll give you a piece that will pass your ability to understand it.

Ron Meyers:

And you're saying that not because you are a preacher and counselor. You're saying that because that's what you have experienced in your life, isn't it?

Gary Layne:

It's exactly what I've experienced. You know, I had a wife that got cancer and struggled with that for two years and died from that. You know, I've watched someone that I loved deeply for 30 years. I watched her struggle and die. That's horrible. I've heard the stories of other people but I've experienced that personally for myself and I know, through all of those things, that God was with me and was with her and was guiding our decisions and guiding our hearts and all of that. And yeah, she died. The cancer killed her. But you know what? Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we know that she's out of pain and that she's celebrating life in heaven with him and she's probably forgotten all about me completely. You know, it's been four or five years now and she's enjoying heaven and left me behind to finish out life here on earth with all my aches and pains as I get older.

Gary Layne:

But you know what God is so good. But people don't see it. They think he's full of hate and he's not.

Ron Meyers:

He's full of love. Gary, what is your website? You have a lot of great resources. Our listeners should take a look at.

Gary Layne:

I do. I keep adding a few little things here and there. Functionalchristianitycom so big, big title, but FunctionalChristianitycom. I really want people to understand how God works in our day-to-day life, in every situation.

Ron Meyers:

And now pray for our listeners, please in every situation.

Gary Layne:

And now pray for our listeners, please. I will, father, thank you so much for Ron and his ministry and for your word. But, father, most of all, thank you that you sent Jesus to walk around on earth like a human being and then you showed us what you're like and what your attitudes are, and what our attitudes should be like as we interact with other human beings on this earth. Lord, we go through so many tough times and so many struggles in our lives, but you've said we will go through those, and of course that's true. But you also said I'll go through them with you. Even David, before Jesus, said even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I won't fear evil because you're with me. Your rod, your staff, they comfort me. So, father, you are the comforter, the great comforter that comforts us when we're in need.

Gary Layne:

So, father, I pray for every listener that hears this today that they would take a step of faith and say Father, I'm just going to start trusting you and I'm going to rest and watch as you work. In my life I quit working and now I rest in you and let you do things for me. And so, father, help us to learn from that. Help us to do that Well, father. Thank you for the listeners and their days. Bless them. I pray in Christ's name, amen.

Speaker 1:

You're listening to Get the Hell Out of your Life with your host, ron Myers. Real stories, real struggles and real hope.

Speaker 5:

Here's a refreshing word from Ephesians 5, 1 and 2. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us. Ron, we'll be back in a moment to wrap up today's conversation. We want to encourage you today with God's promise to you. It comes from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and the future. That's God's promise to you when you choose to commit your plans and future to him. Now back to Ron.

Ron Meyers:

Well, friend, my time is up and walk in God's extravagant grace. Wherever you go this week, God loves you unconditionally. It's not based on what you can do, it's based on what he did on the cross. You are free to become you, and so, my friends, check out my website, thepromoterorg. I'd love to send you a copy of my story, the Promoter, and, in the meantime, remember this I love you, jesus loves you, and when you give Jesus your heart, he will give you the grace that will lead you to a life of purpose.

Speaker 1:

Get the hell out of your life is underwritten by the Christmas City Gift Show. We invite you to come shop with over 255 vendors from all over the United States from November 8th through the 10th inside the Coast Convention Center located on the beach in Biloxi, Mississippi. You can find more information at christmascitygiftshowcom. Thanks for listening, and if you would like to share your story of what God has done in your life or listen to previous episodes, please visit our website, thepromoterorg. To share your story of what God has done in your life or listen to previous episodes, please visit our website, thepromoterorg. Join us next week for another episode of Get the Hell Out of your Life Real stories, real struggles and real hope.