Stewardship, Money, & my Stuff: It all belongs to the Lord. | A City Post Pod w/ Hector

City post Sup we back welcome to another episode of build equip

send It's not only the title of the podcast, but most

importantly, it's the mission of the church.

My name is Hector and I'm here with.

Pastor Ricky, what's up everybody?

Hope you guys are doing great. Man, and I was going to jump

into this one. Straight up bro.

Got to make that money, man. Like straight up bro.

My first question like where did this title?

Where did discernment series? Like where did all this come

from, man? So I was, I was thinking about

doing a series on on money finances because I feel like a

lot of people have been asking about it.

People have been talking about it.

You hear the whole like, oh, you got to take Dave Ramsey's like

financial university and money is, is it's big in our culture

right now, the economy, like how the tears, like all these

questions, all these unknowns and but but I think a lot of it

has like what is our relationship with money?

So it's not this whole idea of like, how do I make it?

It's no like how do like, what are my thoughts about it

according to the scriptures? And I think the the more we see

like what the Bible says about money and about finances and

about stewardship, it's going to it's going to help us.

It's going to help our families is going to help us in the long

run. It's going to help how we see

things. So I thought about like, you

know, we call it like, Hey, financial giving, you know,

being rich and all that stuff. But honestly it what it comes

down to is all of these teachings is when you love

something more than Jesus, including money, it don't go

well, it doesn't end well for anybody.

So the love of money is what I thought about.

And then I thought about Bone Thugs.

For some reason, I was just probably listening to something

in my car. And that's, yeah, it just kept

reiterating in my mind. I was like, man, let's just call

it. That's hard, bro.

Yeah, yeah. And then the the background you

chose too for the for the screen and like dintro bro like that is

dope. AI is amazing, man.

Yeah, I just thought it was I, I, you know, I told people like,

I'm actually, I know it's going to sound weird, but I am an

artistic person. Like I, I love, like change.

I like art. I like not doing the same thing

over and over again. And, and the backdrops actually

help tell the story and it helps with the sermons, you know, so

it's not just, oh, it's just, you know, it's not, it's not,

it's not just something to put up there, right?

It helps people remember there's there's a point to everything.

Absolutely, man, that's something me and that's what

we're talking about after the sermon and like kind of just

looking at, you know, everything from the easy worship side and

the software and everything running on that.

The graphics have been on point. Like especially I think I saw a

difference in the previous sermon series with Fight Club,

you know, like that graphic was crazy.

The graphics used from everything from worship to, you

know, the slides throughout the sermon.

Like, it definitely helps. I'm a very visual like learner

so it brings that to life. And even like if we could just

geek out a little bit more, the colours, set moods, colours help

guide stories. I mean, even like the, the

background, the graphics for the song, you know, like if we, if

we have a very like Worshipful song and you use the wrong

background, it, it actually could become a distraction.

So the, the backgrounds actually set the pace and the moods and,

and I don't know, it just ties it all together.

So there's a reason and there's a purpose for all this

creativity. I think God uses all of it, you

know, so everything is very thought out.

Everything is very intentional. It's not just, oh, let's see

what we could throw up there. Like Nah, dude, like it's it's

all very thought through. So I always like try to explain

that to some people that don't really like see.

The big picture. But yeah, like Harlem and even

when she, the way that she chooses her sly, I mean, it's

it's great. And then when we put scripture

up there, like some of the stuff points to it.

So I think it highlights it beautifully.

I know I'm a dork about this stuff.

I I really enjoy it. Yeah man, and that passion

definitely resonates in the sermons and the visual

presentation of it too. The congregation and those

watching online now shout out Sangwan behind the Cam getting

the live stream going 'cause it ain't easy I.

Love, I love when people like people will like come and

mention something. I'm like, all right, cool, why

don't you go learn how to do it then, you know, And then they're

just looking at me like I'm speaking Chinese.

Math it's like. It's not as it's not as easy as

you think it is. There's some training involved

and some knowledge, so you ain't just back there pushing buttons.

Yes, yeah, man. The our worship team is

specifically like guys with audio and video make it look

really easy. It's not.

It's not, dude. Yeah, Carla's the real MVP back

there because she shows up so faithfully, bro.

And like, you know, I know for me personally, like, I would

fold if something like was kind of like, and everybody turns

back. It's like, bro, where's the

lyrics? Like, I, I know I'd freak out.

Yeah. To be honest with you, because,

and that's the that's the thing. It's like, because I know who's

back there, I'm like, this is a technology thing.

This ain't a personal burn. The people back there gonna fix

it. Facts.

Any words? Don't you know, saying like, and

I was telling, I was telling Andres, I know we're on a

different topic, but I was talking Andres afterward.

I was like, bro, you just got baptized by fire.

Like, man, I was like, this is great.

I was like, this happens to like all the leaders.

Like, dude, I can't, I can't tell you how many times I went

to go preach or speak somewhere and the PowerPoint didn't show

up or my notes weren't on the screen.

And you're like, all right, just give me one second.

Let me go to the bathroom for 5 minutes, get my mind right.

And now instead of just showing it I have to like lead.

People to it. It happens all the time.

You just got to stay ready. So I think it was a great thing,

like just to get that under your belt.

And as a pastor, like I see it as this is a great lesson that

you better be prepared because if you can't see the, the the

lyrics, what are you going? To do right.

Like, you better know this stuff, You know, like what if

all the power turns off you, you, you got to still, we can

still worship, right? You got to lead us.

So it's good to like really, it's a great reminder to really

come prepared. And I think that's that's the

Lord uses these situations to teach us and mold us, man.

Yeah, and I think that's a great segue into a quote from the

sermon, which is ultimately a biggie quote.

You know, we got this brand new, beautiful building, bro, but

more money, more problems, man. We got more equipment, more

technical difficulties, more team to lead, more team to

train, you know, and look at the impact, though.

Like it. Yeah, Yeah.

Guys not doing it for nothing. That's right.

You know, So yeah, man, that's a that's something, you know, my

pastor, homie, you know, he, he a bar ologist, you know, yeah,

man. So all with the references in

there especially is like, man, we'll be safe.

More money, more problems, right.

So, so break that down. Like where did that inspiration

come from? And like, how do you tie it to

the scriptures for those who may not have seen the sermon or

well. It's this whole idea that if I

just had enough money, then all my problems would go away.

Like that's that's the whole thing.

The reason I'm struggling, the reason why things in my life are

not working. The everything ties to this

whole idea of if I could only make more.

And the truth is, is like, you can, if you want, you can work 3

or 4 jobs. You could have all these side

hustles. You could, you can bring in all

the money in the world, but if your heart is not right, if your

head's not right, if your mind's not right, like what does, what

does the Bible say? Like what does it mean to gain

the whole world but yet lose your soul?

You could, you could make all the money in the world, but if

you don't understand what it's for, like how God has gifted

that to you, you're going to end up with more problems.

Like thanks. So it's not more money, more

solutions. It's more money, more problems.

Now, don't get me wrong, because having money, it does help, but

if if you don't understand it, you don't utilize it, well, it's

going to go away. So that's why we need to stick

to these biblical principles of, of managing money and what God

has to say about it. And, and that he's the giver,

He's the one, everything belongs to him and it and I think if

people would understand that, life would be a little bit

easier. As real bro, it's a lot of

wisdom there. And I love like again, how you

tie it back to to philosophers of different times, you know,

with notorious BIG Christopher Wallace.

But you know, shifting gears a little bit like that's a lot of

wisdom there. What is a what does Pastor Wiki

say for? For those who don't know, yeah,

man, shut up. Big prayer in the group text,

man. But what's like kind of some

some wisdom when it comes to finances that you've learned

maybe from a mentor or book or just kind of like any in your

own wisdom? Yeah, it's this whole idea of

being careful with debt and that will, it's not just debt, it's

the interest rates. So if I borrow money at 20% that

like so for every dollar I borrow, I have to pay $0.20, you

know, so it's not just borrowing money, it is how much how much I

have to pay back on top of the money that I borrowed.

And the Bible is very clear, you know, in Proverbs it says like

how you are a slave to the borrower, you know, so it

doesn't free you up. And in a lot of us are doing

well. Like I've had buddies like

graduate college with tons of school loans, get these crazy

jobs, but they're paying, you know, 1500 eighteen $100 a month

for the next 15 years because they borrowed 200 three

$100,000. You know, so it's like having

another mortgage. What if maybe, you know, you

would have, it would have taken you a lot longer to go to

school, but you would have worked or paid for it yourself

or not taking so many loans or been a little bit smarter with

your living situation. So it, when you have all of this

debt, it actually kind of holds you down.

It, it, it buries you in things. And I think the, that's one of

the biggest lessons I've learned is how do you utilize money

without high interest or, or having to tag that on top, you

know, so it's, it's helpful. So for me, that's one of the

things, and honestly, the other big lesson that I've learned in

life is that none of this belongs to us.

It all belongs to the Lord. Come on.

Seriously, like I've grown up seeing that where where people

like just it ain't mine anyway, you know, like the the

generosity that I've seen people that I've experienced.

I remember growing up as a kid and my dad, like we would, there

would be a guest pastor or somebody that came from out of

town, we'd go to 711 and dude would get like some coffee or

some drinks and they were like fighting over who's going to

pay. And my dad is like, no, like I'm

paying. And I just remember him like

saying, like the Bible says, like you take care of men of

God, you know, like, so it's like all these like these

principles of generosity and giving and taking care of your

brothers and sisters in Christ. And if I got it, I'll, I always

say if I got it, I'll give it. And if I don't, I won't.

You know, it's like that's that's it's that simple.

My pastor. Got.

It's hers. It's that easy.

Yeah. So I mean it.

Everything belongs to God. It's not mine.

You know, you could lose it all. And and like they say, you never

see a hearse behind. I mean, a, a U-Haul behind a

hearse. Yeah.

So what? You're saving it all for?

Thanks. You don't take it with you.

No, man. Hey, that's that's a lot of

wisdom there bro, for sure. So you touched on a lot of

biblical principles and, you know, this past Sunday we were

in the book of Malachi, you know, and that's one of them.

But I didn't even know where it was at in the Bible, for real.

Had to go in that table of context.

Tries to figure that no shame in that you.

Know so but like that was a great lesson, but is do you want

to kind of highlight something from that or is there anywhere

else in the Bible that's really like kind of been something

that's open your eyes to learning how to be a better

store to money. Yeah, and I think with the the

book of Malachi, what like when you study the book, what I

didn't realize was the messianic prophecies that are tied to it,

but also the way that Israel was acting and, and, and that, you

know, that right there. I was like, wow, that's that's

us. It's a great example, you know,

and, and how they're, they're yelling at God and they're,

they're kind of demanding things from God and God's like, no, no,

no, like I'm trying, but you guys are the ones that need to

turn to me, you know, so, so for me it, it was like their

attitude, like their heart behind what they were asking

for. And then I think God is so

loving that he's like, listen, if you just turn back, you know,

like, do what I asked you to because I love you, turn back to

me and I'm going, I'll turn right back to you.

Like I, it's that simple. But the pride in their hearts,

the arrogance, they, they thought that they knew what they

were doing and not just hard headedness.

And for like, for me, I saw that there was that one detail.

I was like man, how how God is waiting for us to come back to

him? Man, our father.

We don't just run laps, run circles.

Man there, there's so much there to unpack, man like yeah, bro,

yeah, but that's that's a great, I think example of God the

Father is like bro, just come back to me like yeah, yeah, you

wiling out? Yeah, you tripping.

Yeah, like finances may not be straight, yeah, fill in the

blank or whatever, but your father is still like yearning

for you, right, man. And that's, I don't know, that's

just, that's something that really stood out to me.

Like that was a highlight from the sermon.

And, you know, listening back to it again today is one of those

like Holy Spirit, just like, like, when are you going to

listen, bro? Because, you know, I'm, I'm

still human. I still I've called short like

we all are, you know, So that's that's a humbling reminder from

from the Father to the Holy Spirit and ultimately, like just

giving thanks to to Jesus for that sacrifice to even give me

access. And even even like how God

responds to them because he, he lets them know he's like, the

reason you're struggling is not because you don't have, it's

because you don't steward right, 'cause you're, I'm giving you

what you need, but it's a stewardship issue and you're not

giving me what I deserve. So it, it just kind of shows

like our, our struggles are tied with our stewardship.

So it's not a systemic issue where it's like, no, it's just

because the way that the system is set up.

But I mean, we could blame the whole world.

Like let's just be real. We we can.

But then I've just never seen broke people with $1000 iPhone,

you know what I mean? Like how you broke, you know,

like you have subscriptions and, and yeah, memberships.

And so it, it's a stewardship right issue.

You know, I'm not calling anybody out.

Please don't e-mail me. I'm just this is just examples

you know? Any complaints in the John Ocha?

[email protected]. We love you, we miss you, we

really hope you feel. Yeah, bro, come tomorrow, Yeah,

for the show. Man, so you kind of hit on a few

things leading into my next question, bro.

But is there any part of, you know, the sermon, whether it was

in preparation, whether it was the teaching on Sunday, that was

like something that really stood out to you, like maybe a

highlight or a lesson or something you maybe didn't get a

chance to like touch on? You know, I think Malachi 310, I

wanted to go deeper into that verse just for time sake.

We didn't, right. But even I'm going to pull it up

real quick, so I'll misquote it. But Malachi 310 is a is a verse

that we always learn. But for me, what really stood

out? Everybody knows 310 verse 11,

like I've never heard verse 11 preached.

I've never heard verse verse 11 mentioned and how verse 11, he

says this is God. He said I will prevent pests

from devouring your crops and the vines in your fields will

not drop their fruit before it is ripe, says the Lord Almighty.

So he's like, I'm not just going to bless your, your giving, but

I'm going to protect it. That's huge.

Like that's, that's like, so that means that it's not going

to go over way overnight. Like things are not going to

come to take it. That means like I'm going to

sustain it. Like it's going to be continual,

right? You know, like, so as as long as

you keep doing this, there's no end insight.

And even when things try to come at you to, to take, they're not

going to devour it. Like that's a protection bro.

God. Like for me, when I saw that, I

was like, wow, that's something I have not paid attention to.

Right bang, bro strong for real and then like the question

that's about to follow it like I love that answer and like it's a

a testament to God's like omnipotence, you know, just see

controlling everything. But on the tails of that,

something that really stood out to me is like breaking down that

quote from essentially robbing God.

And like coming off of that was like, bro, like I will protect

you. You know, I will protect you.

Make sure you all this like, you know, if you're faithful, you

know, And then as we're going into fall and kind of like the

harvest season and you know, like first fruits and all that

stuff, man. But us robbing God and

withholding those first fruits in our ties and our offering

like bro, that's one of them is like hit me in a chest.

Yeah, that whole robbing God, because it's like how you rob

God, Like there's no way. And God's like everything I own.

I give you everything. All I require is 10%.

Yeah, man. And then you rob me.

Like I think he, he uses those terms to help people understand.

It's like robbing the storehouse.

It's like robbing from the church.

You don't like that's you really got to like be on something

else. If you steal man from a church,

like you know what I mean? Like, yeah, that's hard.

Man. Yeah, man.

Yeah, but then God's like ain't none to play with at all.

Like don't don't rob from my storehouse.

And again, like, Lord forgive me, I'm just a hood visual

learner, but I'm thinking like AYN with a Scheiste running in.

Like then you get that guy. Like, yeah, crazy man.

It's just not something to play with.

No, it's not. And, and even as a pastor, like

I, I take the, the finances of the church to give him very

serious. You know, it's, it's very

protected. It's watched over.

There's accountability there. Yeah.

It's just not something that you want to just like it's made a

mistake now, man. It's, it doesn't belong to me.

So if we want God to continue to bless it, you know, we we got to

make sure we steward it well. Man, and that literally like

ties into the next segment brothers like the the

explanation of stewardship you gave is like it's not one of the

other is both, it's both. And can you break that down,

please? Yeah.

So when you look at the definition of stewardship, it is

managing everything that belongs to God or that everything that

God has given you. And in the Scripture, there's

two things that tie to stewardship. 1 is management and

one is generosity. Well, you, you constantly see

that theme in scripture. So if I manage, but yet I'm not

generous, all I'm going to do is hoard and all I'm going to do is

give to myself and I'm not going to help nobody else.

So I'm going to live life with a close fist.

If I'm generous, but I don't manage, then I'm be broke it all

the way, you know, So it it's you have to be both.

You know, it's like the parable of the talents that Jesus talks

about. You know, he gives the king

gives everybody some talents. One guy goes and hides some

because he's worried he's going to lose it, but one goes and

multiplies it like he's he's responsible with it and he's

blessed because of that. So it's the same thing.

Like you'd get, you take what God's given you and you manage

it well, you know, So it's you have to and then you could be

generous with it. Right, right, right.

That's one of those another one that just kind of hit me upside

the head with the Holy Spirit because it's like Saturday I've

I listen to just kind of while I was cleaning around the house.

Philip Anthony's Mitchell Philip Anthony Mitchell breaking down

the parable of the talents, you know, and like being and they

kind of being convicted of not being the best steward.

I could be not being a great steward with the talents that

God's giving me, whether it's this camera with stuff from the

socials, whether like, you know, how I'm leading my family, like

my nieces, my nephews, my brother, like it was one of

those things Holy Spirit just came and really like cave my

chest in with a little bit, you know, and it's based on, you

know, I have we talked about this a little bit before we were

recorded, but just like some check insurance with some really

good friends of mine is like, you know, we're always trying to

push each other to do good, do great, to be our best versions

of ourselves. And you know, in these three

separate conversations, something that just kind of kept

hitting me was like, bro, I'm just trying to be a great

steward and a great leader. And then we come to church on

Sunday, you know, like brother did that breakdown, the

stewardship of management and generosity because you know, of,

you know, just be honest. I'm finally stepping into a

season where I'm being a better manager of my finances, you

know, after some bad decisions with some bad decisions will

like just where my money's been going, like just some bad

habits. But the part that I really like

smacked me that I wasn't ready for was management and

generosity. Like I'm.

Generosity. Part right, you know, because

I'm doing better and I didn't even grade at like with my

tides. But what am I really doing to

bring an offering to the Lord or to his people?

You know, like that's one of those things that it just really

hit me, bro. Like I think of generosity as

man, like when somebody gives to the church, like through food or

something as small as paper plates or like, you know what?

The church needs this. Let me let me go get it.

Let me go bring it. I have an extra couch.

You want it like that, that right there.

That's generosity because you could easily be like, oh man,

I'm almost sell this thing on Facebook marketplace, you know,

like I'm a hoard all this stuff. I can make money off of this.

And yeah, like, I get it. If you need it, go for it.

Seriously. Like it's not a bad thing.

But I think there's times where we could say, Lord, I'd rather

give this to you, you know, like, I'd rather you just do it

with it. And I'll be honest, like Rach

and I, we don't care like to sell our stuff.

You know, like whenever we're done with something, we always

at like, who needs it, You know, like we're like, who needs it?

Or it's let's hold it for a garage sale that's going to

raise money for Air India trip or we know so and so is

pregnant, you know, let's hold it for them.

Like it's just always thinking about how we could bless

somebody, you know, and that that needs to be a practice.

That's so good. Man, as he said, like it's a,

it's a blessing to be a blessing, man, you know.

Horse Yeah, man. So just moving along is some

questions. Something else that stood out to

me from the sermon is like that you changed.

You haven't changed portion break like you.

Break that down, please. No, it was like kind of how they

were looking at the situation because the Israelites were like

God, like you're supposed to change.

Like you freed us from Egypt. Like if you, if you read the

book of Malachi, the grumbling that they're giving God, you

know, and what God is saying is like, I don't change.

Like the Bible says that like alpha and Omega, I'm the same

yesterday, today and forever, you know, like I don't change.

The problem is that you haven't changed.

So God is like, I stay righteous.

But also that's not the problem. The problem is that the

Israelites remain unrighteous, you know, so he's saying like

I'm, I'm taking care of you, I've always blessed you, but

y'all need to change. Like it's not the other way

around, right? You know?

Yeah. And I just use that as the

example like the high school, the the peaker in high.

School, yeah, man, it was a great example for sure.

And it's like, I don't know, again, how much do we take God

for granted, bro? Like in that not wanting to, you

know, I'll just be honest with myself, not wanting to change

and like some eating habits, you know, because that's, that's a

lot of where my poor store shit comes from because I want to

cook. So I'm gonna go to Whataburger.

It's real. Yeah, man, it's right.

And it's out of comfort or it's out of ease or, you know, things

that ultimately feed my flesh and I'm just not a good steward

of. That's right.

Yeah, man. Or it's like, not even that.

I think it's gotten worse in our culture because now it's not let

me just go hit up fat, let me go.

Now it's like, let me paint double and use DoorDash where

you know where I could go to Chipotle, get a bowl for like

$11.00 or I could get a bowl for $20 and then pay another 399 to

have it directly delivered to my house.

And then tip on top of that. So you're paying over $25

something that you would normally get for like 10.

That right there is when we talk about stewardship, like just

thinking now some people could do it.

Listen, if you can do it, man, all power to you, right?

But if there's some of us that are trying to like, get out of

debt and struggle a little bit like we, we need to be smarter

with our what? What God's given us, man, Yeah.

Yeah, bro. And that leads into to my final

like thought when God said test me, yes, test me with your

faithfulness, test me with your righteousness, you mean?

You know, it reminds me like, all right, so back in the day

there was this thing called Kings of Comedy, original Kings

of comedy. Or a pee Uncle Bernie.

Yeah, so, and, and I, I think it, I don't know if it was

Bernie Mac or Steve Harvey where he talks about how there were

some people that like, came in late and, and I was like, Oh

yeah, wish someone, I wish somebody would see it in my

seat. You know, it's like that whole

attitude, like I wish somebody would.

And honestly, that's what I thought about when when I read

this text, it was like, God's like, man, I wish somebody would

man, you know, put some ties in the storehouse, watch what

happens. And that's what God's saying is

like man, like test me in this, like just try it and see what

happens, you know. So God is, is almost like

enticing his people, right? And he's right.

And then he gives a promise to that test though.

Yeah, break that down. Yeah, 'cause he, he even says

it, he's like, see, if I don't throw open the floodgates of

heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be

room enough to store it. And I think that this promise is

not based off of material or finances.

It's, it's a blessing from the Lord.

He's like, man, watch me overwhelm you with my goodness

and my grace and my giving and watch, see if just just see me

work, you know, and I've seen that dude.

I could attest to it. So yeah, there's so many

examples in my mind. Yeah, man.

Or times when I'm like, man, I don't even know how this is

going to work. And then next thing you know,

it, someone comes and, you know, drop something off that we need

or offers furniture or you get home from a mission trip.

You got a brand new fence. Like, like what?

Yeah. I remember I told Ray said we

don't have money for that. And she's like, well, like, they

decided to work on your house. I was like, what?

Yeah, test me. Yeah, man, and that's something

like so convicting even right now, like God is saying test me

and like just see how I'm gonna show up.

But there's certain parts of whether it's my pride, whether

it's like my decisions, whether it's my stewardship that for

whatever reason, I'm just refusing to change in or

surrendering. And God is like, come on,

mensal, just come back. Like I got you.

Not only do I got you, I'm going to protect you.

Not only do I protect you, but like it's going to be more than

you ever even wish for, hope for, like prayed for.

And it's just like. You know where I see this in two

men, like you just gave me a thought relationships.

So you know, I remember when I when the Lord called me and I

say the story all the time when the Lord called me, I was like,

I'm going to follow you now, I'm going to follow you now and I

know what it means and I was like, I want I want a woman of

God. So if you're not aligned with

being a woman of God lining with my calling, my purpose, we just

going to be friends, you know, like and I just remember making

that decision. That is an example of test me in

this. Watch me pour out this blessing.

Boom, here comes rage. Boom, boom.

You know what I mean? Like it.

It's just like married way above my pay rate.

You know what I'm saying? So it's like this amazing woman

that has come into my life and I didn't really like doing all I

did was like, all right, Laura, I'm gonna trust you.

But it just wasn't in the area of relationships because we're

going to see next week is Jesus says I need all of it.

It's all and I think a lot of people are not experiencing the

floodgates of heaven because they're giving in one area of

their life, but they're withholding in another and what

God what Jesus saying is like it's it's all or nothing.

So it is management and and generosity is both and following

Jesus is everything there. There ain't no both.

And it's just one thing. It's just everything, you know,

and that's the hard part. That's that's the honest

conversation that I had to have with myself.

So what does that mean? Like so that means like I, I had

to, there were some people had to cut off, You know, it like

it's something I was talking to. Ma'am.

I do Kevin with man. We were just chopping it up

Sunday morning and, and, and, and it was like this, this

conversation about like, I think sometimes there's people in our

lives that, that it's like, it's time to kind of like let go of

it. But I don't think that we have

to cut people off because you're going to outgrow them.

And when you outgrow them, they fall off, you know, so that's

the, so the more that you grow instead of you wearing like,

man, what am I going to do with this person?

How am I going to manage this person?

Man? Just keep growing and, and

you're just going to grow so much that they're just going to

fall off and they're not going to be able to hang.

So it so it's, it's a, it's a, a mentality of like growth.

And I'm, I'm gonna follow the Lord relentlessly.

And when you follow the Lord relentlessly, you're going to

leave a trail of dead bodies, you know, like it's like y'all,

you're coming or not. And and there's going to fall

off. Yeah, there's so much there,

bro. And what that does too, is that

it eliminates the guilt because I know in our minds we're like,

man, you know, we, we have this like savior mentality of like, I

got to make sure I save this person.

It's no, it's, it's not up to you.

You, you follow the Lord, right? And then, yeah, you share the

gospel, you minister. But it's their decision.

So I'm excited for the next sermon.

But again, brother, when Holy Spirit been moving with me in

this season, he ain't been pulling no punches.

So I'm excited to hear your perspective and what the Lord is

revealing to you and, and where we're going to be at next week.

You want to give us a sneak? Peek at all man yeah sure.

Like I think next week we're going to look at someone that

loves riches. So there was a kid that loved

his wealth and he asked Jesus, what do I got to do?

And Jesus says go sell everything to the poor and then

come follow me. And he's like.

And then the Bible says he went home sad.

It's a lot to unpack there bro for.

Real, but a common theme that I'm seeing in, you know, this

past week sermon, the one that's coming, our most recent sermon

series and Fight Club all the way back to when Joel came last

week for the creative meeting. Bro, it's this heart posture and

it's like just where we're struggling with and it's like

back to just what I learned. Anything that competes in our

heart that competes. With the Lord idols bruh.

Yeah, man, so I bad and I just. Right now, dude, I'm telling you

like we have. I think we have an idol issue,

not just outside, we have an idol issue in the church.

And when you look at people that are, are, are having a hard time

mentally, like if you look at like sin, these are just

outcomes of sin and and you're just not wanting to seek the

Lord and follow him. So man gives you over to it.

All right, Well, you want your idol, go for it.

You want to be famous, Go ahead, be famous.

See how that works Like it, It's just, it doesn't end well.

And Jesus is like, just follow me.

Like leave it all, leave it all behind.

I'll be honest. Like, that's my prayer.

Like, like Jesus, we want you here.

And when you show up, like my prayer is that there is a

conviction of sin and a spirit of repentance that, like, sweeps

our church. You know, I mean, it starts with

me, right? So yeah.

And that and, and just just talking off top of my head, even

like that time on Sundays, like when it's like, Hey, if you need

prayer, right, come, come to the front.

We have people that pray for you.

Like imagine if people were like, you know what, I'm going

to go and lay, lay stuff before the Lord, you know, like I don't

even even if you don't need to pray with nobody, right?

Like just the, the posture of like walking and and just saying

Lord, like here it is, you know, like it's that right there is

going to cause a shift in our culture.

And that's what I'm realizing too.

Like man, revival is not having 5 hour worship services.

Like that's just great music. People with nothing to do on a

Friday night. It's just now revival starts

with repentance. And when, when people are

repentant of their sin and you, you start seeing people like

coming to God saying, forgive me, that's when we're going to

see like a sweep. Yeah, that's when it's going to

start hitting. So just throwing that out.

Yeah, bro, that's that's great. And I hearing you say that in

like, I remember a moment at the end of, you know, it's like that

at the end of the sermon when you were talking about Elijah

and the altar, you know, and. Yeah, I rebuild that.

Right. You know, and like that

invitation for prayer, like you're saying, bro, like you

ain't even got to pray with anybody up here.

Just come and bring it to the Lord's feet.

Like really just come put it at this altar and like that's one

like this this season that the Lord has had me and especially

this how passionate Joel was that night that just really

stuck to me. Like bro, like this pet sin that

I refuse to surrender and put at this altar is literally what is

keeping me from seeing his protection, seeing his fullness

of like that, like opening the floodgates, you know, tying it

back to this past sermon, bro, but.

Yeah, and and, and and that's and honestly, even in our sin as

well as we're doing, that's called grace, you know, 'cause

even like when I'm every morning, like when I pray and

I'm like, Lord, just forgive me. Like give me a fresh start.

Give me renew my heart, you know, like cleanse my heart,

like wash me with your blood. I've sinned.

And then I just started listing them off.

Yeah, like I've started getting more personal with what I've

done, which is it's crazy because when you start exposing

stuff like that, it it brings you like a realization of like,

man, I really have sinned against God and even in my sin,

he allows me to serve him. Man, you know, like, and I think

that's the the passion. Like that's where the passion

comes from. It's like that realization.

And you're right. Like God's like man, I have some

great things for you. Like I just need you to

surrender, man, you know, And then also like what he says,

like, man, the way that you, you, you, he gives through us.

So if if we're clenching our fists.

Man. Like what what is think about

all this stuff that he has for you but hasn't unleashed yet

because your hands are closed. Imagine if you just left them

open. You don't like just let him like

flow through you, give through you trust you with like, like,

man, dude, how awesome would that be?

Yeah, like, and that's going to take some time.

I'll be honest. I'm I'm three.

It's taking time, man, to learn that that concept of giving.

Dang bro man. He's got trust.

And all like to to the point you had earlier of, but where that's

going to change is, you know, I'll, I'll speak from the eye

perspective where that's changed for me or not completely where

it's starting to change. Where I'm starting to see is

like a prayer I had is like, Lord, let my sin that grieves

you, let it grieve me. Just don't let me be OK with it.

And I'll just be super real. Like that's something I was

struggling with coming to church this past Sunday and I'm walking

in the parking lot and I just see Diana say what's up to her.

And that's something I love about our community where I was

just super real, where when she asked how I was doing, I was

like, and I'm alright. Like she's like, it's kind of

we, we exchanged that moment, you know, but that's, that's

what I love about our community. That's what I love about our

heavenly Father is like the grace that even though I know

him, like struggling with this sin, I know like it's, it's

grieving you and it's barely like starting to grieve me.

You still allowing me to pull up with this camera and capture

stuff from the reels or capture photos.

And like, even though I'm still a flawed human, you're allowing

me to serve you through that grace.

And right. One of those moments is like,

Dang. But you see it, but that's the

indicator that that you belong to him based off of first John

because when you have habitual sin, you don't think that way.

You don't care. You give two craps about how I

what I did Saturday night, how I'm living it.

It doesn't faze you. There's no stirring of the

heart. There's no like man is God like

man. I feel like I'm I'm not doing

you see it like that is the the move of the spirit in our lives.

Now it is our role to react to it, like, what are we going to

do? You know, and that's when

repentance comes and and you start making like, you start

making some decisions of how you're not going to do that no

more, you know, and and that's going to take, like you said,

it's going to take some time, man.

And and I think God gives us like community and he gives us

our church. I agree with you.

I think our church is one of those places where I feel I

could just share, right? I have to be careful myself

because I know not everybody has my candor and my, you know,

sense of humor. But there's certain people that

could handle my sin. Now there's certain people that

can't. So you have to figure out who

can and who can't, you know, who's mature enough and and

who's not, you know, So that's just something that I also like

realize that I have to be careful with.

But yeah, but our church, man, it's, I think people, I mean,

like I said, there's real ones, right?

Yeah. There's no, absolutely no

faking. Yeah, no, there's not a lot of

Christianese. Come on.

For real, though, like, how's your week?

All blessed, brother, You know, I know, like, nobody talks that

way. Yeah.

And if you do, there's just it's weird, something wrong, right?

Yeah, man, but a lot of love. Too a lot of love.

That's right, yeah. Yeah, bro.

Well that's all I got. I don't know if you have any

closing thoughts, Anything you want to share?

No, I mean, I think the only thing I would share is my hope

for like this sermon series is that you don't feel you don't

you don't leave here convicted in a way of I messed it up.

Like my, my hope is that you live here encouraged.

Like, man, even though I messed it up, God has given me a way

out. You know, I'm, I screwed it up,

but God is telling me how to fix it.

And I think when it comes to our finances, some of us feel like

we're so buried. We're like, ain't no way out of

this thing. And God's like, no, there is a

way out of this thing. It starts with trusting me

first, right? And then, you know, there's,

there's tools and mechanisms and things that we could use.

So it's like fixing my heart. Now I could go to financial

university. Now I could go and talk to

financial Wizards that tell me how to manage my money, 'cause

if I don't get my heart right, then all this stuff is I'm just

going to be back at square one that.

That's good bro. Yeah, and last thing I'll say

too, and encouragement. Anybody needs some financial

advice? We have some really smart people

at this church also, you know, give a shout out to like my my

guy Andrew Edward Jones. Anybody needs help with

retirement funds and 519, you know, like college savings,

thinking about the future, a strong believer and he is

awesome to go to man. So that's available to this

church as. Well, man, it's awesome, bro.

Yeah, Dope, man. It's been good.

Yeah, man, it's been a great episode.

And real quick, if you're watching or if you're listening

later and you have any questions you want to ask Pastor Ricky, if

there's any like, yeah, if there's any topics you want us

to cover, like you see either of us, shoot that like.

Over in a text. Whatever.

If you got my number, text me. If you don't, I don't want to

hear it. I'm just like, I mean, just

wanting to to mix things up a little bit, you know, continue

to grow. But yeah, man, I want to end

things a little bit different today.

If you don't mind, would you mind closing this out in prayer?

That's right. So, Lord Jesus, we thank you so

much for this time together. Father, it's awesome, Lord, to

serve you. Thank you for loving us.

Thank you for your grace. Father, thank you for your

sacrifice. How even when we continually sin

against you, God, we are forgiven.

So Jesus, help us to love and to chase after you.

Father, help us to just go after you unabandonedly, Lord, and

thank you because you are so good to us.

So Father, be with us this week and we love you and your name.

We pray all these things. Amen.

Amen. We love you all, we out.

Peace.