Christ Un-barred - EP 71 - Lake Tahoe & Reno ROAD TRIP

What happened? He's not working. How come he's not working? There. I know. I know. All right, as you know, our famous Bucky. He's always wanting to travel. You know what that means, guys. Bucky loves traveling. All right, put him over there. All right, little Bucky. What does that mean, guys? This is a back-to-back-to-back road trip. I don't know what's going on, but for three weeks now, you had the San Francisco road trip. You had the Orange, California road trip, and now you have Lake Tahoe and Reno. Nevada road trip. That's back-to-back-to-back. That's awesome. And you're going to tell them not to forward it. Yes, do not forward. Just watch. It's better. It's better if you just listen to the letter reading or the acknowledgements. It just builds it up. That way, you just really enjoy the road trip. Don't forward it. But they'll probably do it anyways. Oh, man. I don't know.

They're going to do it anyways. Maybe. Hope not. A few will. But if you do... Go back. Go back and watch the letter reading. But don't do it. So it was a last-minute thing. That's why we didn't announce it. We didn't expect it. I think it was Saturday before Sunday service, I think, right? We decided to do this road trip because we were going to go to a couple meetings. Yeah. Well, we were going to go see Pastor Rick. Yeah, he's our Grace International Church in Reno. And then we were going to have a meeting, and then we were going to go see also Sister Magnolia. You guys might remember Sister Magnolia. She was the first female that got out last year at the beginning when we first started doing Christ Unbarred. And then about a month later, at that time, her fiancé got out. Yeah, they were both locked up at the same time. I know. And crazy thing is they got married when he got out, and they moved over there to Reno. And they have been very plugged in ever since then. They attended the marriage seminar together, and they have just been serving. Yeah, and they've been serving the Lord, and they've been watching online ever since. But we never got to meet him. No, we didn't get a chance to meet him. When you two got married, never got to meet him. So that was another exciting part is when we went to, because they live in Reno, we were able to sit there, break bread with him.

His name is Nate. And man, I instantly gravitated toward his brother. And I really liked him. I liked his personality, his character, both of them. We went to a pizza place, really good pizza, Pizza Plus in Reno, shout out. And even though we didn't get a chance to record. Well, I know, but even though we didn't, we did tell them that we're going to do something with them though, because we would love, love, love for you guys to meet them. They're such an amazing testimony, guys, such an amazing testimony. So we would love for you guys to meet with them. And we told them that we would do something, even if it's through Zoom, and have them on the screen for you guys to meet with them. So that way everybody can have a chance to see who they are. Yeah. And for them to share and just give some encouragement. Very special couple. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So, yeah. So, yeah, guys. We, so. The way to Lake Tahoe and Reno, there's two different freeways. First, you got to go to Sacramento. You take Highway 50, it goes to Lake Tahoe, because there's a huge lake. Reno's on the top part. Lake Tahoe's on the bottom part. Highway 50 goes to Lake Tahoe. Highway 80 goes to Reno. We were going to Reno, but I took a scenic route

and went through Tahoe. It was beautiful. Yeah, and then because once you go through Reno, then on the Nevada side, you go north and you can make it to Reno. So that's what we did, which ended up being cool because you were able to see a lot of the nature out there. Yeah, and of course, I took one of our young adults and one of our young adults, and then we took Raven, of course. So Raven was there with us, of course. I love when Raven comes with us. And then we took one of our young adults that just came back from a missionary trip. And it was such a blessing to have them because there were places that they had never been or never gone. And we just decided to take a lot of stops on the way there and take some pictures. And we actually ate at a place that we really, really love in Lake Tahoe. Empanadas. Empanadas, yeah. Argentinian. Argentinian empanadas. Wow, so good. Really, really good. So we stopped and we had an empanada there, just one empanada. We still have the sweet one in the refrigerator.

You still, I can't do it. I can. Happily, I can. And then we stopped and had one there. And then obviously we broke bread with Magnolia. And on the way back, we stopped at another location. The guys, I just can't wait for you guys to kind of see some of the scenery and all the beautiful places. And throughout the whole time, we were looking for bears. We were looking for wild horses, which we found the wild horses, but we didn't find the bears though. I did look though, but we didn't find them. I'm surprised we didn't see any deers. I know. I'm really, really surprised. You know what's crazy, guys, is it happened so fast, this trip, because yeah, Sunday service, and we left Monday morning, early morning, that I didn't even think of it as a real trip. So we had already left the house and the way it was taking us, the GPS routed us a different way than through Sacramento. And then I'm like, wait a second, we're passing through Lockford. In Lockford, that's where the butcher's at and they sell those sausages. And I'm just like, man, and then right then and there,

I'm like, we need to make a real trip out of this. And you're like, oh yeah. Let's do it. So we just, you know, we wanted to take you guys along the trip. You know that we love taking you guys wherever we go, whenever we can, let's just do it. At the end of this month, October, we're actually going to Houston. Yeah. We're going for a pastoral training by Grace International at headquarters. That's going to be a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Yeah, which was really cool because they chose, they're allowing 20 couples to go. 20 ordained. 20 ordained. Grace couples, yeah. Yeah. And we were really, really excited that we were able. What's awesome about it is I think this is the pilot class. So we made it into the very first class. Yeah. So that's exciting. So you'll be filming. Yeah, it's all paid expenses and everything. So we were just really, really excited to be able to be part of that. Yeah, that's awesome. So ready to get started?

Yeah, we got a healthy stack of letters here. Yeah. On the top of it, Brother Jimmy Trejo. Yay. General Jimmy Trejo. He's in Woodville, Texas, and this is what he wanted. He says, you need to shout out. Actually, I didn't want to write it down because why write it if I could just read it because it's in the very bottom of the letter. He had a special shout out to, well, you know, the brothers that were with him. He says, shout out to all my brothers at McConnell Unit. Armando Sanchez, God bless you. My dear brother, happy birthday. Happy birthday, brother. Amen. And love you and all my brothers at the McConnell Unit. Walk by faith and not by sight. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, Brother Jimmy Trejo. Happy birthday to you. Amen. So that's what, you know, we always look forward to hearing from that brother. And Jimmy, you're not writing enough, man. Come on, brother. I'm still looking over the cameras. You say one of these days I'm gonna look at the camera and it's gonna be you standing there.

And I speak that into existence in the name of Jesus. I know you speak it. Are you speaking it? I speak it. That brother's gonna show up. I speak it, I spoke it, and I spunk it. We'll get you a... I speak it, spoke it. Yeah, I don't know what he's gonna want. He's probably gonna want a burrito. I spake it, I spoke it, I spunk it. Spoke it, I speak it, I spake it. So he's gonna... Is that a spake it or a word? I don't know. Yes. King James says that, and Jesus spake. You know what I mean? Okay. Okay, next. Sangre Gonzalez in Kennedy, Texas. How you doing, brother? He says, shout out to the Cub Nation. And yeah, brother, I'm looking forward to writing that message. Of course, I'm going to give you props. I know you said you don't really remember the message, but man, it was really good about a wheat and the tares. And he says, man, I've been investigating Pando and Edovo, because he was comparing because he realized some of the differences and whatnot. So he's trying to tell me like, how come this episode is on Pando, but it's not on Edovo?

And he's just trying to... Oh, wow. Yeah. But I think what makes it confusing is everything's a month behind too, you know what I mean? So either way, he wanted to shout out Ray Gonzalez. Oh, brother Ray. Yeah. So Ray Gonzalez is in a new location also, you know, and oh, he has a joke. He has a joke. Good joke, brother. Let's see. Well, let's see if it's good. I don't remember it. I remember reading it, but I don't exactly remember it. And it's on the last page. You're supposed to highlight them. So that way it makes it easy. No, he wrote joke on it somewhere. Somewhere he wrote it. I promise you he did. Oh, here it is. Yeah. He wrote joke real big. Ready? He says, the inventor of the remote control was found dead of natural causes. Where do you think his body was found? In the couch, in between the cushions. Because the remote's always in between the cushions. You didn't make her laugh, brother. You got to come stronger next time.

I didn't get that one. I know the remotes are in between the cushions, but why would a body be in between the cushions? I don't know. I don't know. I don't get it, brother. Catherine Thrasher. This was a bittersweet moment because you told us about your sentencing, but at the same time to see all the certificates you had and sharing them with us. I'm going to be placing those in a very special place, sister, and I will be taking care of those for you. I know you sent us two letters with just straight certificates. And I know that you're going to be transferred somewhere different. You sent me all your certificates, so I will put them away for you. I will hold on to those for you. I want to tell you how proud of you I am for just all your accomplishments and for how hard you are trying to just better yourself, just for you. And regardless of that sentence, continue to pour into yourself, continue to do better for yourself because as long as you do better for yourself, you will always be more beneficial to your children, more beneficial to your family, to your loved ones, but most of all, you yourself. And I'm so, so proud of you. I just want to tell you how proud of you I am, okay? We love you very much. Amen. I'm curious though, were those copies or were those the actual certificates? They're actual. I've seen them. They're actual. So I will definitely take care of those for you. Oh, look, Orange County Jail.

We were just in Orange. Mm-hmm. Jesse or Jesus Ortiz, thank you so much for sharing, brother. We got your letter and it says here, Santa Ana, California, but it says Orange County Jail. Continue to write us. Thank you. Thank you so much, brother. David Palomares, Grant County Detention Center, Silver City, New Mexico. I've been there one time for a concert I did. I'm asking about publishing. Yeah, we do. I published quite a few books, not only just my own, but for other people, Pastor Thomas, Sister Lydia, Dale. Alfonso. Alfonso. You published two books for Dale. Yeah, two books. Two or three. Two children's book. I've published three of my books. So I know a little bit about publishing. It's not easy if you know what you're doing, you know, but it's not impossible. He wanted to shout out the Palomares family, Tiana, Eileena, and all I want to say, brother, is proud of you for sharing scripture with your son. Don't stop that. Yes. Keep doing it. Keep doing it. Amen.

Richard Vale, thank you for your photo. And it's a good name for the podcast you had in mind. I don't want to say it because I don't want somebody else to take it, but it's a really good name. name that you had, and I see that you had a question. Look, I put top of back page, that way I can find it easy. He wanted to shout out Timothy Ramirez, you know, and Timothy, I don't even know you, but I don't have to know you to say that God has a calling for you. Don't be discouraged, you know, don't be discouraged. And he wanted me to share that with you because it's true. God has called all people. He has something for us, whether we have life without or whether we get out tomorrow, regardless of the fact God can use you if you allow him to. But right here he had a question. Yeah, on top of back page. Okay. Oh, here it is. Can people truly talk in tongues? You're asking somebody that it happened to me while I was in solitary confinement. Don't want to share a long old story, but here's the thing. When it happens to you, you don't question it. And what I mean is I was in a solitary confinement. I was about to go to court, put in a holding cell. I had the shackles on my waist, shackles on my feet, and I was praying to God because I wasn't asking about tongues. I wasn't praying for tongues. I didn't have a worship team rallying me emotionally, nothing. I was just praying to God and all of a sudden I started speaking a language I'd never spoke before. So yes, I truly believe in tongues. And you said, what do you believe about Dr. Ruckman's teaching? I don't know who that is, brother. I'm sorry. Okay. Jose Chacon, Buckeye, Arizona. Thank you for the picture. And man, I thank God that you heeded to what I said about staying away from the Hebrew Israelites. And as far as your question, he asked about the Apocrypha. Have you heard of that before? No. Oh, really? I have it right here. Hold on. So just so a lot of you know, the word Apocrypha refers to writings or statements of dubious authenticity, often associated with biblical texts that are excluded from the official canon by some religious traditions, but included by others. For instance, the Old Testament Apocrypha collection of books included in a a Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and the Vulgate, but not in the Jewish Tanakh or Protestant Old Testament. As examples, Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solemn, Book of Maccabees. So basically the Apocrypha are the books that the Catholic church have in their Catholic Bible, but not in the Christian or the Hebrew. And my question is this, right? Is that,

is the Bible Jewish? Yes. I've heard of the Book of Maccabees. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what that collection is called. And so here's my question, right? Is the Bible Jewish or Roman? It's Jewish. Is the Bible Jewish or Greek? It's Jewish. Is the Bible Latin or Jewish? Jewish. It's the Jewish prophets. It's the Jewish kings. It's the Jewish Bible. And what's interesting is that the Apocrypha was written by people that didn't speak Hebrew. They spoke Latin. So years later when the Catholic church comes, they're including books that the Jews themselves don't even authenticate. So the Catholic Bible has books that the Jewish scholars who originally wrote the Bible don't give it any, I don't know what the word is, credibility. Yes. Yeah. So that is why our Christian Bibles do not include the Apocrypha because we follow after what the Jewish people follow because the prophets and the kings were Jewish. Yeah. So that's, that's basically, you know, why. So the Apocrypha wasn't even written in Hebrew or Aramaic. It was written in Latin. Latin wasn't even spoken in the Old Testament. So it's like me adding history to the Russians and somebody would be like, dude, you're Mexican bro. Like, yeah. You know, and me saying, no, the Russians are wrong. They're wrong. I'm going to add, I'm going to add to their history. They made it weird. And not only that, remember it was the Romans who oppressed Israel in the first place. So you're telling me that the oppressors added to the Jewish Bible? Yeah. Who crucified Jesus? That, that makes the Romans. Yeah. The Romans. So that makes sense. Yeah. All right. Good question though, man. Good question. And I have a really, really good question. I have a feeling a lot of people had that question. So I'm really, that's why I took the time because it's important. Yeah. That's really good. Jose Castro, Santa Barbara, California. Um, and he's like, he realized that he couldn't serve two masters. Yeah. You know, And you're right. You can't. You can't serve God and money. You can't serve God and Satan. You can't serve your flesh and your spirit. You know, so you're right. I really love this letter, man. I'm really praying for your release, brother. Yeah, well that would make you lukewarm. Yeah. Yeah, even Jesus says what he wants you hot or cold, but not lukewarm. Not lukewarm or you'll be spit out. Yeah. Christopher P. Bennett, Lancaster, California. And I like to call you Pastor Chris too. Remember we were reading it that he said that he was in a place where there was just a bunch of scholars, but no spirit. And he got sent somewhere and he was so excited. They call him Pastor Chris. So since other people are calling you that, we're going to call you that.

Keep writing us, brother. We really want to hear from you more. That's my son's name. Yeah, seriously. We want to hear from you more. Hopefully every week. Jason Friday, Clemens can't charge his tablet. And man, hopefully that we pray that that's already taken care of. Yeah. I really hope that gets remedied. You know, Catherine Thrasher. Oh, here's the other certificates that she sent the certificates. The other ones. Thank you. They couldn't fit all in one envelope. James Campanelli, I believe Eagleville, Pennsylvania. Yeah. Man, he gave a praise report. His dad is healing. His mom is healing in the name of Jesus. He's short timing. We're praying that you get in that program. He would have been released already, but he doesn't want to unless he gets accepted into that faith-based program. Proud of you, brother. Continue going. And don't forget us. We're on YouTube. Every single one of these videos on Pando and Edovo are also on the YouTube channel. And just search House of Rest and you'll find us. Charles F. Nieto, Iowa Park, Texas. And yeah, he said, remember he was saying about his stepson in Madeira at Remnant Church. Man, looking forward to him getting a hold of us. You know, so that'll be awesome. We do enjoy, we enjoy the letter reading because he was like, remember he was saying we're the only ones that do a letter reading and it's a lot of work. And it's rewarding. Sometimes we're crying together. Yeah, it's definitely rewarding. And I don't cry easy, man. At the beginning, we didn't know what it was going to be like, but as time went by, we're like, we wouldn't have it any other way. And even if we were to get a large amount of letters, I'm sure we would figure out a way to continue to do. We were like, what's going to when we get this or what's going to happen? But I don't think we can get away from it. I mean, we really, really, truly enjoy reading everybody's letter. And I think you guys have really respected and really truly have heard us when we said, you know, Hey guys, not the 15, not the 20 letter, you know, page books, you know, but you guys have really understood. And, and thank you for that because it really has allowed us to be able to read a lot of everybody's letters. You know, we've gotten maybe one or two or three that has a lot of pages, but for the most part, I think everybody has been very, very good with that. So thank you. Okay. Paul, Michael, Valdivieso, Seminole, Florida, but yet it's, I don't think that's where you're at. I think that's just your mailing because it says Arkansas, the postmark. But I do want to say this, you were talking about dreams and I do want to remind you and everybody else that not every dream is from God. Satan cannot think, he cannot read your thoughts,

but Satan can input a thought. He can do an inception in your mind. So we got to be careful. Not every dream is from God. You have to have a discernment. Yeah. Pray to the Lord that the Lord give you heat, that he give you revelation and that he, you know, just give you discernment in, in what it was, what that dream is about that he, you know, just ask him, Lord, show me, show me what that's about, you know, reveal that to me. And he will, he'll reveal it to you. He'll talk to you. This is why you have to know your Bible because a lot of times you'll dream something if it goes against the word, or sometimes it's God warning you. If see, you can have a wicked, evil dream. Do you wake up with peace or do you wake up with fear? Because sometimes God will show you something scary because he's warning you. But sometimes the enemy wants to do something in your and you wake up in fear. So because the spirit of God is not a spirit of fear, you're not going to come with that. You know what I mean? So David, Mr. David Gonzalez, Amarillo, Texas brother. I'm going to share something with you that I never talk about this stuff with you guys about Pando and Edovo And I'm not going to go deep into it, but as you guys know it costs money And I want to say this. This is crazy, but this is God's timing that the Pando we were a little bit short and We were opening these letters today, and if I just want you to know brother if it wasn't for what you sent I Don't know what we would have done What a blessing and I just want you to know that I wasn't gonna mention it, but I was telling Sharon I said you know what? He's got to know he's got to know what he did Yeah, you know and man, and and I thank you on behalf of the thousands of people watching this yes What a blessing Thank You brother brother. Thank you Anthony Bryant may the Lord multiply amen Yeah hundredfold, you know multiply your hand And we never do we don't ask you guys for for help because I know the situation and whatnot But man God bless you man. God bless every single one of you because every single time that you guys Whether it be a dollar whether it be five dollars, whatever it be whether you guys send stamps. You know Everything that you guys send it goes right back into the Pando So you guys can be able to continue to receive we put it right back into Pando into the into the Pando

Tithe we put it right back into that So we make sure because we want to make sure that we continue to to have this this The ability to be able to be on every month. We just want to make sure and Because this is a blessing guys, this is this is from the Lord, you know, I agree. Amen Anthony Bryant Holden West, Virginia Wow I just want to thank you. He likes the cub nation. Hey, man, I'm excited. I'm excited to receive I'm excited to start the artwork. Yeah, and we just want to pray for your probation brother Pray that you get it in the name of Jesus that doors open up that maybe before couldn't open but you know Jesus opens doors. It can't be shut. You're supposed to Click on that babe click on it Why are you laughing it's a piece of paper I can't click a piece of baby don't laugh at me she's bantering me Did you just mad dog me I did mad dog you with a smile Okay, Juan M Chavez Delano, Texas Enjoy oh, he really enjoyed the movies. That's what you were saying, you know, and you know I I don't know what other people do on these ministries the reason we were able to get Always with you because it's our movie. We own it. We produced it and directed it and then what's the other one? Kilroy, yeah, and we were able to put that one because The producer and owner of that film is a very dear friend of ours So he gave us permission to do it, but he said he really enjoyed the movies I know wait, I know he requests a picture of us, but I know a way he can get a picture of us just Pause the part where you have the cowboy hat and then on the introduction and screenshot it Yeah, there's a picture of us brother. That's the best way you're gonna be able to get a picture of us Yeah, it's gonna be really really hard before we can every single time that we've tried to send something out We end up getting we end up getting things back. We end up getting it back Yeah all the time. So probably that'll be the best way for you to get a picture of us a good clear picture of us Yeah, plus I got my hat on so that's cool Yeah, and my hair is done really nice and long and it's not this short hair that picture was taken at a wedding Yeah, but a year and a half ago yeah, it was actually before I started wearing cowboy boots and I had bought that hat in Houston because we went to the Grace International and

They had a Texas barbecue on the last day and I felt awkward because I knew everybody's gonna wear cowboy hats So I bought that at Bucky's That great hat. Yeah, that's right, and I didn't even have boots yet or nothing and I and then I came back to Cali And I felt kind of embarrassed and weird to wear a cowboy hat So then when they said this is gonna be a cowboy wedding, I'm like No, I had Stacey Adams on So we did this there was a cowboy themed wedding at a ranch Some dear friends of ours and I'm like so I can wear my hat So I could finally wear it without feeling embarrassed and that that's kind of what was an icebreaker for me Cuz once I wore that and I really liked that picture of me and Sharon I'm like, hey, man I don't look so bad in a cowboy hat and that's what started it and then I got boots later and now then I ended up with a cowboy Yeah, like I literally wearing cowboy boots right now and I'm wearing a big old buckle with the cross on it The one I wear when I preach I'm wearing that right now anyways, Eric Hensley Fresno County, so he's close by. Thank you so much for writing us. I don't think he's ever written us. I don't recall that name I don't think so. Yeah, Bruce Smedley I think Folsom State Prison repressor, California And then he was sharing about stuff that happened in his childhood and But I love the fact that you were you you internalize the sermon or the message I gave About growing your roots deep like a cactus man, you know So I really appreciate you giving me feedback on that. Yeah, and and I hear you man I mean, we're all all of us had different experiences growing up, but you're right you get tired of the the pain and Carrying it and depression and sadness And you're not gonna hear us say anything different only Jesus like it says right here Matthew 11 28 Well, man is covered by that you covered it all who all who labor and are heavy laden And I will give you this come to me Yeah, come to me Jesus says so give him your troubles give him your depression give him your sadness, you know And that's a Matthew 11 28. I wonder if we could see

Let's see. Oh Yeah, Matthew 11 28 right there you have it covered with that blood-in-blood-out picture seriously Put show that again. Look it look at the way. He has it covered with the blood-in-blood-out picture. I Pastor David All right, Joe I live Somebody gave that to him as a going-away present as they were leaving. Yeah. Yeah, Dennis. Yeah Joe Allen, I can't read it. Alejandro. Is that a yes, Kennedy, Texas. Oh He has some good questions Good questions Okay BAM you ready? I'm ready number one Am I wrong to object to Consider any title such as Pentecostal Baptist Catholic I believe in having a relationship with my Lord. There's nothing wrong with not I don't associate to any denomination myself because I am a follower of the Word of Jesus and what he says So that's why I choose to call this non-denominational church But to be honest with you the word non-denominational is almost taking on its own denomination So I hardly even use that honestly, we're just we were believers of Jesus. We follow Jesus worship Jesus serve Jesus So yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. Number two Genesis 2 23 our Abba Finished his creation and rested on Shabbat Exodus 28 11 were given his instructions to observe the Sabbath for us to glorify him and have a relationship with him So you're asking about the Sabbath and all I want to say is this brother is I think that I don't think there's nothing Wrong with saying, you know, I'm gonna recognize the Sabbath because we should have a day of rest. My gosh, do we need it? But I do want to say this is that you've got to remember that the Jewish calendar is not our calendar so when we have a Saturday, that's not necessarily the Saturday for the Jewish because they don't believe in our calendar because Our calendar 2025 is basically saying Since Jesus so clearly the Jewish people don't accept our Gregorian calendar that we follow So their days are different their months are different So, are you sure you're celebrating the true Sabbath according to the Jewish calendar are you following the calendar that the very calendar they reject

You know, but ultimately I want to say this is that every day is the Lord's You know, and so it goes on to question three. Why do most churches? Hold services on the first day of the week on Sunday Again, I'll worship every day. I won't have church any day doesn't matter to me But here in America most people have Sunday off It's not a Sunday is not any more. It's just another day just like any day, you know Every day is the Lord's but honestly here in America. Most people have the day off on Sunday So it makes the most sense to gather on Sunday so people can come worship together Nobody, I don't think anybody's turning it into anything holy or anything like that Number four if you if we are of Yahweh Why do we have to file the church as a corporate entity doing so the church is there for a corporation is it not Maybe we're talking about that earlier. And here's the thing brother. Is that again? Sometimes we we look so deep that we get caught up and go and spiral down How would you write written? How would you write us a letter if there was no name on it? Yeah, or when we leased this building, right? So So the landlord says, OK, you want to lease this building. So show us your lease. Show us your, it has to have a business name. I can't just say, yeah, we're called nothing. You have to give a name. And here's another thing, at least in California, is you cannot lease a building without having insurance. So how can I have insurance if I don't have a name? And if I don't have an, so it's not this overly like, oh, the government owns you or whatnot. OK, put it this way. What if my mom didn't name me nothing? And so how would I go to school? How would I get a job? How would I fill out an application?

How would I have met you? If you would have been like, hey, what's your name? Nothing. So sometimes rather, and I say this with all love and respect, but I've been in prison. And sometimes the enemy, or sometimes our minds, take us down these rabbit holes. And it takes us away from where we should be. But I love that you're asking these questions, though. Because I feel like the fact that you're asking, you are really just wondering these things. And nothing's wrong with that at all. But I have met people that they just like go, and it creates this rabbit hole. I don't think it's just in situations like that, though. Because I think a lot of the times, even out here in just out here in the free world, people don't understand the way things work either. Because I think a lot of the times, people only see the smaller picture. They don't see the big picture of things either. People don't even understand why we do things within the church, and they don't see the big picture. They'll come into the church, and they'll be like, well, why are you doing that? And why are you not doing this? And why are you doing that? So I think that, too, they don't see. Sometimes they'll ask that, well, then why do we need a 501c3?

Or the insurance, why is it important to have? But it's protecting the gathering of the people. It's protecting the people coming in. It's important. Because a lot of the times, I'm looking at the bigger picture. When people come in, and they're like, well, they come in, and they see, well, why is that so important? But they're only looking at something small. But I'm looking at the protection of their children. Do you get what I'm saying? So I notice when I watch TV, which we hardly do. We always watch YouTube or whatever. But pretty much every commercial is either medicine, or the pharmaceutical companies, or lawyers that are saying, hey, if you've been mistreated, bad. So lawyers are constantly trying to sue people. That's the way of the world. So because of that, we're required to have insurance. Because what if somebody comes in the bathroom, pretends to fall, and hits their head? Now they want to sue us, and now they shut us down. Now, is that of God? No, it's not. But that doesn't mean every person that walks in is of God. So we have to be protected. How can we protect it unless we have a name? How can anybody know our address if there's no name outside the building? So it's practical stuff as we live in this world.

Nobody in prison wants to go by their inmate number. But think about it. Imagine if prisons didn't give you an inmate number. What if there was a, what's your name? Joe Alejandro. What if there was three of them? One of them had a life sentence. One of them had a 30-day sentence. And you didn't have an inmate number. And you're the one that has 30 days to do, but because they mix you up, now you're doing life. And I'm just making things up. But I'm just saying, there are certain things that are important in this world. And it's not a satanic thing. It's not like this, ooh, you know what I mean? It's just practical. Yeah, there's practical things. And I think if everybody had the bigger picture of understanding everything, it's like, when somebody goes to a manufacturer or distribution and everything, if they understand how everything is made from the get-go, then they would understand the whole process of something. People just have to understand the process of everything for them to get the bigger picture of things. That's all it is. And I think that people just lack the knowledge of things. And if they understood the whole process of things, then it would be better.

Well, the last question he says, he's kind of wrapping it all up together. And again, I love that you're asking these questions. He says, I believe everything in this world belongs to our Abba, right? Everything belongs to God. Everything. Man has brought nothing to the table, like Peter and the Apostle said. We better obey Yahweh and not men. I agree. Not the corporate Sadducees and Pharisees of this world. So, okay, I'm going to give you an example instead of my opinion. There's a brother that didn't believe in church, church buildings. He didn't believe in having a worship team. He said worship should be, what's the word, not sporadic. Spontaneous. Spontaneous, and so he started a group in his living room. And at first it was five people, then 10 people, then 15 people. He didn't believe in getting a building. He didn't believe in those things. He says, no, that is, what's the word, not corporate, but organized church. And he was against organized church. Well, his house started filling up with 40 people, and those 40 people ended up having 20, 25 kids. Now he didn't know what to do with the kids because he didn't believe in getting somebody to be the kids director or the Sunday school teacher because that's organized. And then he came and was like, man, I'm really having a hard time because I got 40 people coming to my house. I got 25 kids running around. I don't want to put nobody to teach them, but I think I need a building. I said, so at this point, brother, are you going to be against organization and do what you want to do?

Are you going to get something to allow more families to come? Are you going to cap how many people are allowed to come and not allow the spirit of God to bring more? So that's my point. Yeah, that's good. Good, good questions, though, brother. Nicholas Bonilla, Folsom State Prison, that's in Folsom. And wow. Thank you so much for this letter, brother. I truly appreciate everything you said. Remember, we were reading this letter and it was just amazing. Please keep writing us. Amen. Juan M. Chavez, Delano, California. Thank you so much. And you said you want to be a Christian counselor. And I say go for it. Do it. Learn everything you possibly can and do it. Let me tell you that we have a sister here that got out of prison. She got out of prison. She ended up going into one of the rehabs, one of our nirvana rehabs. She graduated the nirvana rehab and got very close to our Pastor Lydia here. And then she studied to become one of the counselors there. And then right now she's actually one of the directors at nirvana now. She got married to one of the gentlemen that came out of the men's nirvana rehab as well. They both got married. They're part of our leaders here. They are both serving Christ. We married them here and they serve and they are amazing.

They're an amazing couple. And you see them. They are on fire for the Lord. They serve others. They are, you know, she's a counselor. She is going for director where she's at. And man, let me tell you this woman. What she does is just amazing for other women and just do it. Don't even think twice. Just do it. Don't stop because your testimony and what you have gone through and everything. It's what's going to help others. If you truly want to be a counselor for the Lord. The Bible says that he will give you the desires of your heart. Absolutely. Okay, Patrick de Herrera and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Thank you so much for viewing brother. And we're going to pray for your son-in-law and know your stepson and your daughter. He says that they're an addiction. So we pray in the name of Jesus right now. In the name of Jesus filthy, filthy demonic spirits of addiction. We pray for them in the name of Jesus for somebody to come to them and tell them about the Lord and to not only lead them to the Lord, but to disciple them in the name of Jesus. And I pray that all that poison be kaka. Yes, in the name of Jesus. Jadrain Lucero penitentiary of New Mexico, Santa Fe, California. He had a question and a joke. And so let me get to the question first. It says it right here.

No back page. Oh, here's the joke first. I don't know if I like this joke. I think it's a little. Yeah, I'm not comfortable with that joke about the Pepsi. Yeah, because I don't, brother, I laugh to be honest with you, but I'm just like, I don't want this to go in that direction because then I'll start getting jokes about drugs and this and that. And I know it's just a joke, but I'm not going to share it. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry, man. Let's see. You did have a question, though. Oh, am I still recording music? No, I'm not at all. So, all right. Nothing for me? It's okay. Sherrod Frazier, Ridgeland, South Carolina. And what are you looking for? I thought there was one more. No, his question was, do I still do music? And have I made any music videos, Christian ones? And the answer is no. That was the question. And so, Sherrod Frazier from South Carolina. We always get in North Carolina, right? Now we're getting South Carolina? So, man, I don't get much from South Carolina, so I really appreciate it. Thank you so much, and we see your request.

Oh, yes. John Kedrowski III, Tampa, Florida. But then it says Jacksonville. So, I don't know. But either way, good question. Good question. There's not that many questions, so I must have had all the questions all stacked together. Because there's not that many. He says, if somebody's cremated, the Good Book says when Jesus comes back, the dead will be raised. So if the body has been burned to ashes, what then? Good question. This is a question I pondered on before. Especially nowadays, people can't afford to be buried. They can't afford a funeral. They can't afford these things. But my thing is this, right? Is that how many people have died in the ocean and get eaten by fishes? How many have drowned and eventually just dissolved? Their body disintegrates. How about this? How many people in other countries in war have been bombed and their body is blown to smithereens? That means there's nothing left. You know what I'm saying? So there is nothing impossible for God. Because that would be messed up if you serve Jesus

and all of a sudden you got eaten by 15 sharks. So what? God's not going to get you because you're in the stomachs of 15 different sharks? And you eventually turn to shark poop? You know what I'm saying? So yeah. That's horrible. I don't think God has a problem with somebody that is cremated. I want to be cremated. I told David that... I told David that I want them to throw my ashes on his... on his... whatever. On my whatever? What do they call it? A casket. On my whatever? You're going to bury me in a cardboard box or what? Babe! On my whatever. And she's like, they're going to throw you in the dirt. No! Throw me! They're going to throw my ashes on your... I didn't know what to call it. On your casket. On your beautiful wooden casket.

Do you want wood? I thought they were all made out of wood. Aren't some of them made out of some type of special bone or special... Special bone? I don't know what caskets are made out of. I don't know, but I want it... I want my ashes to be thrown on top of yours. This next one. Ready? This is another good question. I'm not going to read the whole thing, but basically he's saying that he knows a lot of Christians that they know the word, but as they're talking about the word with each other, they're like drunken sailors. F this and F that and profanity and this and that. No good. And he says, what do I say to them or what are my thoughts? My point is this, right? In the book of James, I'm going to just read it to you. Be like language. Yeah. Like brothers, sister. I'm just going to let the word of God speak. Forget my opinion. Let's see what the word of God says, right? Yes. Well, he's not doing it. He's saying. Oh, wait. No, I'm just saying.

Yeah. Because when somebody says that, I look at them and be like, sister, that mouth. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And you worship from that mouth? I'm not going to give you opinion. I'm going to give you word. Okay. Here it is. chapter. Speak it, How do I get to the next chapter? Oh. Let's see. okay in the book of James chapter 3 it says not many of you should become teachers my brothers for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness for we all stumble in many ways and if anyone does not stumble in what he says he's a perfect man and also able to bride his whole body if we put bits in the mouths of horses so they obey us we guide their whole bodies as well look at the ships also they'll they are large and are driven by strong winds they're guided with the very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs also the tongue is a small member yet it boasts great things how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire and the tongue is a fire a world of unrighteousness the tongue is set among our members staining the whole body setting on fire the entire course of life and set on fire by hell for every kind of beast and bird of reptile and sea creature can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind but no human being can tame the tongue it is a restless evil full of deadly poison with it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness from God from the same mouth

comes blessing and cursing my brothers these things ought not be so does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater can a fig tree my brothers bear olives or a grapevine produce figs neither can a salt pond yield fresh water bite that tongue is that talking just about cuss words no because you can curse somebody without saying a cuss word but when you read that scripture how can you worship God how can you share the gospel how can you share the good things of the Lord and be speaking garbage at the same time this is something you need to pray about it's something you struggle with be like Lord in the name of Jesus if you took addiction from me if he took alcoholism me if he took this from me then take that from me Lord because everything I want to speak should be edifying that's what the Word of God says so anyways and finally he says PS with all that's going on in the world right now this minute do you think the coming of our Lord is very close yes yes every single day the time is sooner what else was the last thing oh he loved us he's he loved the San Francisco but he said it froze up on him so my question is he said it froze up on him the San Francisco road trip did anybody else have that issue because maybe it was their internet or something because I haven't heard anybody else say that yeah nobody else has said it so far yeah Jesse D is the third down heart Texas and I'd really love this letter he loved the San Francisco site trip but he has a joke and this is let's see if we can make Sharon laugh let's see that's the test guys joke what's the best part of the waffle the W because without it it would be awful that was really really really good I like that joke that passed the Sharon test because earlier when he told it to me he had me rolling I was like that's a good joke yeah I really liked it I'm actually gonna share it happy late anniversary anniversary anniversary anniversary so they don't even know oh it was our anniversary guys on October 7 Tuesday yes yeah nine years yes nine years so next year will be our 10th year and we actually want to we want to well here's the thing we want to actually have our ceremony and do our renewals for our 10-year I'll tell you why we got married out in a tomato field while his dad was plowing actually the tomato field and with dirt he was

allowing the dirt just to get to him yes and there was a tractor in the back can can they see if I don't even try why I'll put it in I'll put in the picture okay he's gonna put in the picture where at what minute 55 minute mark okay he's gonna put the picture but you guys can see we actually went out there to go look for his dad while his dad was plowing the field and his dad stopped the tractor left it running and Angel his brother Angel just married us and like I didn't even have a dress I had nothing I had a t-shirt he had a t-shirt and some jeans on and my sister-in-law was like here just throw this on and I threw on this thrift store dress while I still had my boots and Abraham sat on top of the car and our really really good friends happened to go out there and his parents and Abraham snapped that picture and it was just perfect though because it almost it almost signified like the breaking of the ground huh yeah my dad was doing yeah he was breaking It was, what do they call it? The toil of the ground? The toiling? Something like that? No, just breaking the ground. Yeah, the breaking of the ground in planting seed. And it's, that's what it signified. And it was just beautiful, guys. But we never got to have a ceremony or we never got to do that. So I told him I would love to have a ceremony. And you guys will be a part of that, too, because we're going to record it. That I want to have next year. That's October of next year. October 2026. Yes. So, yeah. OK, Anthony Vidales, ooh, Seguin, Texas. Nice. Seguin, Texas. He was just sentenced, but he said he has peace, you know, and brother, just continue watching, continue to learn and and glean and learn as much as you can so you can build yourself up as a man, a man of God.

Let me say that. Angel Torres, French Robertson, Abilene, Texas. Yeah, I didn't know that. He said that when correctional officers are friendly to inmates, that they call up, they're like, oh, that seals inmate friendly. I never heard that before. Oh, wow. But he really loved the San Francisco because the murals. The murals. Yeah, that was beautiful. I knew that they were going to love that. Yeah. OK, Joshua Stewart, Peden, West Tabor, North Carolina. And oh, this is good right here. The top ten list. Remember that? Oh, yeah. Yeah. So you told them that you were going to ask them. I'm going to ask you guys, because this basically what he did. Let me share with you. He says, I watched all the videos on Edovo. I want to give something cool and give my top ten moments of H.O.R.C. So this is his top ten. So I'm curious, what is your top ten or top five or top three? However, it doesn't have to be. Yeah. You know, but he says number one is Bible study. Pastor Al versus the microphone. So he was maybe struggling with that mic. If you don't put it right, it drops. So that was so he probably didn't know that. Yeah. I always have to put it right or it drops. So I guess he was wrestling with it. We weren't here. And that's funny.

He says, man, if God is one and zero, Pastor Al was treating that mic like a speed bag. Number nine, he says, pops, jumps on stage and did the robot for your salvation, heartwarming and hilarious. The same time. Eight. Baby Mateo, everything the smallest and youngest evangelist ever. Number seven. The podcast, the letters, jokes, shout outs, road trips, everything you do for us behind bars, bringing Jesus to us. Amen. Number six is Sunday service baptisms. He loves them so powerful. Amen. Number five. This is a funny one. Angel Pastor Angel's dance move to blame it on the rain. Remember, we were out of town and we're watching live. And somebody told us that and we went to look at it. No, he didn't. I'm like, oh, my gosh. Yeah. Number four, Zef singing worship. That man of God got skills. Number three. Call to my salvation when I was saved by my faith and your prayer. So he got saved by watching us. And number two, Joshua Sunday service. The horns. Remember, we're blowing the horns and all that was recently like a month ago. Yeah. And finally, number one, the resurrection Sunday. Jesus came out of the tomb with a fresh fade. Two tears dropped out of my eyes. That was funny. Yeah, that's good. Yeah. So that'd be cool.

That'd be cool to hear what people's tops. Yeah. So let's hear your top. Whatever. You make up the number. Richard Gonzalez, Amarillo, Texas. He has a praise report of this is going to be a release says that he's not saved. And I think I think you are. I think you are saved, brother. You know, you just got to surrender everything. But he has said he has read the New Testament several different times. And brother, you're a brother. God is doing something. Here's the thing. Let me remind you. Well, God starts. I loved your letter, by the way. God starts. That's right. He he always finished what he said. That's right. He finishes what he started. I loved your letter. Fernando Cordova from I think he's in Phoenix. Yeah. The Maricopa. Thank you so much. And he he was sharing about how he tells everybody about our content. Amen. Sangre, Sangre Gonzalez, Kennedy, Texas. He's got jokes. Let's see if it passes a Sharon test. I'm easy to make laugh, guys. I laugh at anything. Right. Would you say that? Would you agree to that? He's not with me. What do you mean? You don't you don't tell jokes.

He doesn't laugh at everything. She doesn't tell jokes. Why do kamikaze pilots wear a helmet? That's a joke. You know, kamikaze people are. They're pilots that are meant to. Kill themselves like in in Pearl Harbor. So if they're gonna kill themselves, why we're why they were in the helmet for Got it and number two, why is it called the TV set when there's only one TV They're more like riddles. Yeah, they're riddles They are riddles. That's a joke. Yeah Question is Jesus really the lead pastor of HORC. Yes, he is He's the senior pastor here everything that happens is Ran through him Yeah, of course he is so amen sangria keep him coming brother Vanessa Ortiz Carol Young unit Dickinson, Texas She's wants prayer because her son is moving with the dad, but she really loved San Francisco She's a beautiful city. It is a beautiful city. It really is. You need to make sure that you're putting you're not You're not marking the boxes correctly, babe That's why you have a pen next to you, babe. That's not fair Why is it not fair because you're supposed to be more I know but you just marked it. Thank you Justin Ryan a gyar and Delano, Texas good hearing from you brother. Keep writing us. God bless you Ray Gonzales And I didn't see a prayer request I didn't even see that because you stamped the front So why would I read the back nut? Look she's blaming me for blame it on the rain No blame it on the pastor. Why what did you have it? It doesn't matter. You're supposed to read the letter I did read the letter the letters inside. Oh my You stamped the front. Oh my gosh

Ray Gonzalez Salinas Valley State Prison his new address for now and Brother, we always love hearing from you He's now in Salinas Valley and he knew people so that's awesome to be able to go somewhere people know you You know and man, I remember cuz he says man. I have yard now. I have all this stuff. I remember When I got out of solitary and I went to Terminal Island, I felt like I was free I felt like I got released. Really? Yeah, because babe, there's a yard. There's a chow hall. There's a handball court basketball court There's a track there's weights. We had a cardio room with TVs playing There was classrooms there was classes I could take I mean It was overwhelming in a good way because I was here stuck in a cell all by myself and all of a sudden I'm just like walking around and walking the track and there's grass everywhere. Oh, man, it was nice. It was nice If I mean it was nice for what it was Salatheo green styles unit Beaumont, Texas He had asked for some advice on the bottom of the page But his mom has surgery and it's cancer-free Praise the Lord prayed for her before too. Hallelujah, but he did want some advice right here on the bottom of the page Let's see No Yeah, he has really good writing that is Awesome writing man. Yeah, it is nice Wow. I wish I could write like that Yes me too, but no, it's not a private question. I think it might help other people. Okay He says always want to respect. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah me too He was I mentioned to you guys a little bit about a story in the first letter And if you were in my shoes and you you were truly innocent for a crime Not just saying you're innocent, but like truly innocent and you get released Would you continue to fight for the truth or just keep it in God's hands? That is a loaded question because it really You know, I know I Know what happens? I know what happens sometimes in courts when the judge wants you to take a deal and a lot of times

Is the deal is so you don't waste money and go to trial and it spends the government of the state a lot of money so instead they'll say we'll plead guilty to this and It's it's a made-up charge But they kind of like you want to go to trial and possibly do 20 years or just plead guilty to the smaller thing And we'll just give you probation There's things like that that happen You know why because it happened to me and I'm not gonna sit here and share the whole story But that happened to me so I know that happens. You know, I mean now Should I go back now because now on my record it shows that I have three felonies, but in actuality I mean in true actuality, I really should have two You know But do I want to dig it up? Do I want to make an enemy of judges? You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm out, I'm free. It is what it is. I'm not planning on doing more, you know, crimes. So I think it's all discernment, really. I think sometimes it's just better to just... Not shake the hornet's nest. And just, you know, go about, live your life and just let the let the Lord fight those battles, you know, and sometimes our life and who we are on its own will, it will show, time will only show, you get what I'm saying? And I think that it's almost like a process of, what is it, of expungement, in a sense, you know? Because like you always say, let your walk be louder than your talk. And sometimes the way we live our lives and the way that we elude and the way that what we do in our lives will speak so much louder. And I think that's important. Yeah. You know, I really do believe that.

I think there's exceptions. Because sometimes you get charges that are, put you on certain records for the rest of your life and you really didn't do it. Yeah. Because we have a brother that fought a case like that. And they told him, just plead guilty. Remember? Ugly charges that stick to you for the rest of your life. And if you really didn't do it. So I think sometimes there's reasons to fight, because that will prevent you from getting jobs that could prevent you from a lot of things. So, you know, so sometimes I can't give a yes or no answer. It all depends on the situation. Yeah, I think I think it is. Accordingly. Yeah, you're right. You're absolutely right. So Angelica Guerrero, Marlin, Texas. Oh, she had a question. Angelica Guerrero, is that has she written before? Yeah, she has. Yeah. OK, so here's the question. What's the meaning of communion? Basically, you know, in John, I think I mean, I'm sorry, Luke chapter 20 or chapter 21, Jesus talks about having the Last Supper. That's what communion is. Why do we do it? She's the one that wrote a few weeks ago with some answers. So I'm going to pull her. I'm going to pull her. We said we were going to say we never did. Yeah, I'm going to pull your last letter out, sister, and have it for next week. So that way they'll be ready for for him to answer those questions.

Yeah. So what the meaning of communion is basically the Last Supper. And Jesus says, do this in remembrance of me. He didn't tell us to celebrate Easter. He didn't tell us to celebrate Christmas. What he did tell us is to have the Last Supper or we call communion to do it, to remember him. That's why we do it, because he commanded us to do it. Second one is about alcohol. Proverbs 20, verse one in Proverbs 23, 29 to 35 says to not drink wine. So it's bad to intake any of these drinks or that we can drink them, but not overtaken by them. So here's the thing, right, is the Bible. And I'm going to be very careful. Don't run with what I'm saying at first. Listen to everything I say. The Bible says, do not be drunk. But most people watching this, you have disqualified yourself from having a drink and not getting drunk, because most of you were alcoholics. And many people watching this because of alcohol. That's why you're in a situation you're in. So there's things that we disqualify ourselves from. And I would say this. So because of that, it is not smart to ever drink again. Why would you want to give the enemy that? Why would you want to give a crack to the enemy if you know that that has caused you to slip up before? So I believe that now that you're in Christ, that Christ deliver you from that. Are there some people out there that that that maybe they drink socially? Maybe they drink a New Year's one glass of wine, whatever. Maybe, maybe.

But most people here at house arrest came out of alcoholism. You know, and the Bible says not to be drunk. And most people cannot have the willpower to drink one drink. I don't drink at all. Yeah. Nothing. And let me finish with this. Tell me one person that their life has become better with alcohol. So that's that's my answer to that. So why did the Lord not speak for 400 years? Because God kept warning and warning and warning and Israel didn't want to listen. So because of that, there's 400 years of silence between Malachi and. Matthew, you know, and and that is why there was 400 years where there it's not that there was silence, it was that God was not sending up any prophets. You know, there was, I think, for a really, really long time, I think at the beginning at the I'm going to say maybe the beginning 10 years of my walk with Christ, I think. that I live that type of life where I always thought like, oh, well, I could still have drinks socially and all of that, like once in a while. I live like that. And I remember that it took for my pastor's wife to one day sit me down. And she's like, come here, sit down. This is before we met. Yeah, way before we met. I've been serving the Lord for 30 years. And I remember she sat me down and she says, if Jesus was in front of you, would you have a drink with him?

And I'd be like, no. I remember I'd sat there and I was like, no, I wouldn't do that with him. Would you do this with him? And I'd be like, no, would you do that with him? No. And she's like, so then why are you even doing that? And I remember that brought such a big conviction to my heart. And I think that for a long time that that brought a lot of conviction to me. And it made me think about a lot of the things that I would do in my life. Like, I really thought like, well, would I do that if Jesus was in front of me? Would I do that with him? And because in true reality now in retrospect, even now knowing who I am in Christ, if Christ is in me, would I do those things? Because I attain him in my heart, he's with me. So why would I wanna do any of those things? It's like, if I'm going to put poison into my body, then I'm putting poison into him. Think about that. Like, just really think about that, guys. Like, if I'm going to, if you're going to shoot up that heroin, if you're going to put that cigarette into your mouth and you're saying that you have Christ in you, then you're giving him that puff.

You're putting that poison into him. Because that's, my gosh, you know? Think about those things, so, yeah. The other question, I think it's the last one, fasting and prayer. What's the reason we do this? Yeah, that was the one that she had. That was the letter that she was asking about. Fasting is, it's a way to put your body into submission. Because, let's be honest, our flesh is constantly hungry for the things of this world. Our flesh has lust or food or whatever, constantly, constantly. So when we fast, we're forcing our body to submit. And you're basically saying, no, I'm in charge. I'm not gonna let you eat because I'm in charge. Another reason for fasting is for direction. When you truly are at a fork in the road and you really don't know which way to go, maybe it's court, maybe it's fighting a case, maybe it's taking a plea agreement, whatever it is, and you really don't know because you're like, man, I can see it positive this way, I can see positive that way, and you fast. You fast because even though your body is becoming weak, your spirit is strong, your discernment is strong, your connection to God is more clear, and you can get an answer. When you see in scripture, it says, when they were at a crossroads, they fasted

because they needed direction. So, I mean, there's more to it, but I think that's mainly the main gist of it. And yeah. And yes, the parable of the seed, yes, we can be one seed and we can be another. We're not just in the thorns for the rest of our life. We choose what you're gonna be. You're gonna be on good soil or whatnot. Enos R. Johnson, Woodville, Texas. Thank you for your letter, brother. I wish I could take longer to answer you, but I will say this, this whole thing with Charlie Kirk. Unfortunately, I think that, no, I don't think I know. Many people in prison are very limited to what it is that you even know about him. There's no way that you're able to access the multiple times because he's on YouTube of him talking two or three hours, debating with people, talking to people. And so instead, what most news do is they clip stuff out of context and therefore you paint the picture of who he was by whatever the news chooses to show you. And unfortunately, it gives you a very biased view of him. I don't take it back. I'm really glad that we honored him, dedicated that service to him. And I wish you could see the things we know about him because we've been watching him for years. You know, so, but I'm sorry, you know, but I'm glad you shared your thoughts about him.

And respectfully, thank you. Thank you for that. Sean Thomas, Mayville, New York. Congratulations for leaving witchcraft and to giving your life to Jesus Christ and for being baptized, brother. Praise God. Welcome to the kingdom of God. Welcome to the kingdom. Leonardo Roquet, Jr., Morganton, North Carolina. He has some jokes. that he he a cub vote he likes the name the Cubs and but he says that the cub should have a gap like your teeth and cowboy boots like me yay yes cuz Jesus stands in the gap and then he had a question why are we still living in a democratic state of California two answers one is our families are here our grandchildren are here our parents are here our siblings you know I mean so that's a huge thing but the second reason is this California California you know let's let's be real California you get hopefully I don't forget what I was gonna say oh go ahead so don't you forget what you're gonna say my second reason is why would I leave and run when we can be here in the front lines that was my thing yeah I was gonna say that too but you already answered that part but you know you get a lot of beautiful things in California you get the mountains you get the ocean you get land you get a little bit of country you get a little bit of everything and you get a mixture of the different the different seasons at the same time you know I I do love that California wasn't always bad it's a beautiful state you know it's unfortunately you know government has made it horrible but I truly believe the reason why it continues to go bad is because people keep leaving and because people keep leaving it's gonna continue to get worse if we just run away we have to stay to make it better yeah you know and if people stay if good people stay then I believe that this country can I

mean the state can be good again I really do believe that yeah I don't believe that God has called us to move away to preach to other Christians he's called us to be on the front lines to reach the lost yes you know and I believe that but another misconception is most people you know think of LA and San Francisco as all California those are little tiny blips when you look at the state of California where we are at it's very conservative conservative I don't mean politically I mean conservative in the biblical standing yes there are so many areas where people are Christians here in Modesto surrounding areas in the foothills I mean up and down the Central Valley here not this whole state I don't like when the news tries to put California in a certain view because of what LA or San Francisco is doing we're a huge state you know so and you know and you know what's really sad is that people have tried to divide everything about this blue and red and just all of that but the thing is is that we're just all people of God and you know and we we have to we have to get back to just this is God's country amen this is God's country and we got to get back to just putting God in the forefront and that's it we got to put him first because at the ultimate of everything God has to come first amen that's it we got to put him first in everything all right Damon Lambert Grand Junction Colorado there's a lot of jokes but yeah praying for your mom and your girlfriend remember you're saying they're both yes and but he has a lot of short waiting to get home to her yeah I'm excited for that okay here's I'm gonna just read them quickly there's a lot of short jokes did you hear about the fly who put himself on the map he got squashed in an atlas what do you get when you cross a pig with the comedian slopstick humor what goes eek eek bang a mouse riding a firework why didn't the veterinarian want to treat the toad she was afraid it would croak why zombies only date smart girls they just love a woman with brains when zombies break into a house where do they look for food in the living room that's good what did the zombies say to the other one who wanted to fight you want a piece of me what kind of birds the zombies like to eat the most crit I can't even read the writing let's keep

going why did the hen wash the chick's mouth out with soap he was using foul language oh that's a good one yeah it's a good one what's black and white and red all over an exploding zebra what do you call a bug that work its way to the top head lice what small gray sucks blood and eats cheese a mouse keto why did the zombie sprinkle cheese powder on people's feet he wanted Doritos did you hear about the zombie hairdresser she died On the job. Oh, that's good. Do dark circles around the eyes make a zombie look dead. No, but being dead does And finally, what should you do if zombies surround your house? Pray that it's Halloween Thank you, hopefully made some of you laugh, okay This thing is long man. We got a few more to go. Okay. Okay, Antonio Bustamante, Tucson, Arizona Brother thank you for praying for my brother-in-law Louie. Yes. Thank you so much. He loved the AZ trip He loved the Dallas trip and thank you for writing his brother. He got saved watching our content man. Praise God. Thank you Frank Sepulveda, Corcoran, California and He says pray for exoneration, oh, here's a joke. Here's a joke one joke As you guys can't be doing the multiple we like them, but one joke again. Why did Dracula buy a tractor? To plant fear in the people. Oh You made her laugh That was good. Okay. This is a don't mention my name. So either way he was talking about generators You asked the question would life be better with self-powered generators? Yeah, of course, but he loves the road trips. Amen Okay, brother Derek Khan He said that oh Oh, he sent Abraham the baptism card I got to show Abraham the baptism card and he loved it and he put that in his room So, thank you so much and he sent an artwork when Cujo was about to kill us in Texas Oh, that was so good and he sent that our work Thank you this is a really really great letter and I love the fact that he I guess he had let his hair grow long and he Cut his hair and he's using it as a perfect icebreaker to talk about his new creation. Amen. Praise God That's an awesome testimony there Orlando Robles Dartmouth, Massachusetts, I think and This is awesome

So he transferred and had a list of blessings, right? So he got moved to another place and I got a show I know we're got a few letters But this is so awesome because this is guys the point of view of this brother. So he ended up getting Released and taken to Massachusetts remember So he had two officers pick him up and they picked him up in a brand new Nissan SUV then take it to Airport Bush International, that's where we go in Houston And he and and flew there to Atlanta then another flight to Boston after 12 years of to getting to ride in a new vehicle It was a blessing getting to be around people at the airport was a blessing getting to fly was a blessing He got to eat Burger King. It was a blessing. He got to wear free world clothes It was a blessing and even though it's just for a short time being out of Texas prison it was a blessing, you know, and I'm just like that blessed me to hear of That the fact that instead of being all angry or whatever. He just enjoyed it. He just enjoyed that moment. Yeah, that was awesome Christopher a blessing Christopher can't read your last name, but you're in Seminole, Florida and Yeah, brother. He says he's from the Bay. Oh, actually, he's not a Seminole, Florida. That was just the He's in San Jose, yeah, yeah, that's right He but yeah, he lives he's from Oakland. It's close by and What did I write on there? Yeah, I can't wait to meet you brother. You ain't that far away from us. Are you trying to see if he has his last name? Yes, no, we can't read your last name. It sounds like Christopher's your brother Christopher Christopher Nader. Oh, really? There's another Christopher Elliot new Folsom State Prison, thank you so much brother My question is are you local when you get out? Are you local? Cuz if you're from that area, it's not that far from us Sure ain't Christian Hernandez, Santa Barbara, California, man. He did some this cool little beautiful artwork artwork of Pooh Pooh bear. Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm gonna display this I really like it Jose Florida's colony unit Kennedy, Texas very insightful appreciate the word the words man the way you write Thank you so much. And all the things that you said really truly means a lot continue to write us brother Olivia Gamboa, that's the sister man. I don't man and man. I sent you a birthday card. Mucha. Gracias por tu to

Talk that hate I can meet this but I mean complianos. Te agradezco mucho Que Dios me la bendiga hermana. Oh, and she also sent me a picture Yes, she sent you a picture. So now we know her daughter look like twins I know the Paris is mucho a tu hija muchas gracias hermana Ellis Hyatt Hondo, Texas. Thank you so much. She sent all kinds of articles and stuff and recipes and everything Thank you so much. And finally the two last that all my kitchens done guys. So I think I'm getting ready to, now I can probably start getting ready to do those recipes. Amen. Last two. Francois, Lee Farrell, Arcadia, Florida. He's from Haiti. Yes. And brother, we're going to pray for you because of the things that you were sharing and the things that you were saying. So I want you to receive this. I don't want you to pray. I want you to be a sponge getting dunked into water. And I want you to soak this up. Okay. But before I pray, I want you to say this. If you really want to be delivered, whether it's curses or witchcraft or whatever it is that you think is going on, I want you to say this, and this goes for anybody out there say, I do not want any curse on me. I do not receive it. I belong to Christ. Anything that is not of God, I commanded to leave. I want you to say that. Now I'm going to pray for you. Receive it in the name of Jesus. I speak to every single filthy spirit, every single oppressive spirit, any spirit of witchcraft, any spirit of voodoo, any spirit of anything demonic. I command you to leave in the name of Jesus right now, detached from his spine in the name of Jesus, detached from his belly in the name of Jesus. I cast you out and rebuke you in the name of Jesus. You do not belong there. You are trespassing. And therefore I cast you out in the name of Jesus, not in my power, but in the power of the one that sits on the throne in the name of Jesus. I declare you free. I declare you set free. I declare freedom over your life in the name of Jesus. Now come out filthy spirit in the name of Jesus. Come out. I command you right now. You will not withhold. You will not say no. You will not hide. I cast you out in the name of Jesus now in Jesus mighty name. Amen. Amen. Amen. I declare you free in Jesus name. And the last, last one is Bobby Foskey. He loved the San Francisco trip, but he had some questions, very simple questions, but I saved you for last. Ready? David and Sharon, if you could be, if you could be God for one day, what's the top three things you would change in our world for the better? Wow. Oh, he's asking us that? Yes. If you could be God for one day,

what are the top three things? I don't know if I could think that fast. Um, I don't know. I, me for one day, for one day. Yes. I would change hunger. I agree. That'd be my one of mine. No hunger in this entire world. No hunger in this entire world. There would be no violence in this entire world. No violence, no hunger, and that everyone would know him. I'd have to agree with you exactly word for word. Number two, David and Sharon, what's your all time favorite meal? Can I go first? Oh yeah. My first is chorizo con papas with homemade tortillas. Okay. Oh, I just said one meal. Okay. Well, you said, you said, uh, I said one meal. Okay. Chorizo con papas. Okay. He didn't say one ingredient. Okay. Chorizo con papas with homemade tortillas is my favorite meal. All time favorite. What's yours? Well, my all time favorite, but I can't really have it anymore that much. Um, has always been, uh, a veggie pizza. The, the, that's your all time favorite. Yeah. Well, it says always been, I mean, I know you like it. I don't know is your all time favorite. Yeah. My all time favorites always been a flat, flat bread, veggie pizza. Okay. Number three, will you two take me to San Francisco when God lets me out and take me to all the good food places? Yes, sure. Absolutely. Number four, David Sharon, what's your two favorite Bible verses and why? Okay. Mine is Jeremiah 29, 11, and then, uh, Romans, uh, six, eight. Mine is Jeremiah chapter 20 verse nine and Jeremiah chapter 33 verse three. Okay. So Jeremiah 29, 11, uh, for, for you declares the Lord because I realized that my plan just never worked. And I realized that he, his plans are just so much better than mine. And so I've I've always just let go and just let Him lead the way, and so that's why that scripture is so important to me. Then Romans 6, 8, because when I finally realized my identity in Christ, it's just so awesome for I have been crucified with Him, and yet then when I came to be resurrected in Him and then crucified and then I came to be new in Him, that's huge to me, and that's what Romans 6, 8 is. It's about identity, and so that to me was just, it means everything to me now because I'm a new creation in Christ. So mine, you got to look them up.

Question number five. Do you want me to look it up for you? No. They can look it up. I already told them which one. Oh, for Romans 6, 8, it says, for I have died with Christ and for I have... Yeah, he has my two favorite verses, so I gave him two favorite verses. Question number five, David Shearn, what's your greatest fear that you overcame and how did you overcome it? I don't know. I don't know what my greatest fear is. I don't know how to answer that. Do you? I think for a long time, my biggest fear was when I was going through this whole brain, the whole brain thing because I had no control over it, remember? Yeah. It's just that I never realized how scary, now I realize how scary things can be when somebody is really, really sick and ill because when they have no control over their bodies and when I began to, when I got sick with the whole brain issue, I had no control over my body and I think that scared me and I think that's when I was really, really close to not realizing like how I had to just trust in the Lord and I had to just be like, Lord, you know, I trust in you and I had to just draw closer to him and realize that if something was to happen to me that I just had to be so close to him and just love him so much and realize that he was my ultimate goal just to be near him and that was it, but just I think that was my ultimate fear at that time. Yeah. I don't know how to answer it. I have a fear of heights. I haven't overcame it because I'm still scared of heights, so. Number six, David and Sharon, is it wrong for me to want a good Christian wife when

I sometimes think on it more than God? I truly want a good Christian wife, but not more than I want. I don't think there's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're locked up in prison. Of course, you're looking forward to coming out and finding a partner and all this and that. I don't think there's nothing wrong with that. Number seven, I'm very shy and I'm somewhat a loner and have a hard time talking to people. What's your advice on how to change? I think it's beautiful that you desire. I think you should be desiring a woman of God or women. You should be desiring a man of God. Him? Women. I said women. You should be desiring a man of God. The Lord's going to give you the desire of your heart, and that's what you should be praying for, but you don't get it twisted, though, because you shouldn't idolize. Never idolize the man. Never idolize the woman. People, that's their mistake that they make, that the moment that they come out, you know, unfortunately the moment they come out, they begin to look for, they think that they're looking for the woman of God and the man of God, and unfortunately they fall because they begin to idolize the woman or they begin to idolize the man. We see that happen a lot. And we see it happen too much. Instead of just serving God and allowing things to happen organically, and they start to idolize the opposite sex, and they think that, oh, well, no, I'm doing the right thing, and I'm looking for that man of God and looking for that woman of God without really placing God in the center of it all. You got to do things right and just allow the Lord to lead the way.

So don't ever idolize. Just pray for it and let God do the rest. How about as far as number seven? He's shy and is a loner and has a hard time talking to people. OK, so I think from what I've seen and from What I've noticed, and I'm not just saying this because of my husband, but I've noticed this from people coming out of prison, jails, or whatever. I've seen that it's different from just your normal people out here in the free world that have not done time. I think it's different and harder for you guys to adapt and to talking to people and all of that. For me, it's easy for me to talk to people. I can easily adapt to talking to people and meet people and say hello to people. I'm a bubbly person. I can make friends like that. With David, it's not like that at all. I'll let you speak because it's much different for you. I don't know, but the advice on how to have a hard time talking to people, what's your advice on how to change? I don't have any advice on that because other than just talking to people, you just got to get over it and get past it. I don't know. I don't think there's a way of just getting over it and getting past it, brother. I think what happens, I think it's time. I think it happens in time. I think it's just going to naturally happen in time, but I will say this is that you got to open up your heart slowly in due time. That's all I can say is that you got to give people an opportunity to get to know you. That's for sure. Because if you don't give people an opportunity to get to know you, then how can they ever

trust or how can you ever trust ever again? People have to get to know you. I had to get to know my husband. Other people have to get to know you. I think that once you get to a place of comfort, then you slowly bring down those walls and then they truly get a chance to get to know the real you, but it's all in time. It's okay if it takes time. That's it. It's just going to take time. Don't be in a rush. It's okay if it doesn't happen in one or two days. It's just going to take time. Number eight, do you think music that's not Christian is good to listen to? I have over 1,100 songs on my tablet, but I know some of it I shouldn't listen to. What do you think and what kind of songs do you all like, the type that is? You already answered your own question. Yeah. If a song, you know, if worldly music takes your mind somewhere else and you have a conviction and you know it, then I would delete it. Just delete it. If you're already second, anything, not just music, books, music, movies, video games, anything that you already second question that takes your mind, if it takes you further from the things of God or it takes your mind somewhere else, get rid of it. Anything, friends, people, environments, anything that takes you away, takes your mind anywhere else, then you need to cut it or you need to move and just remove it. It's that simple. And once in a while, I mean, those songs that I listen to, I'll be like, oh man, remember that song in the 80s? Remember this song? But there's music that I stay away from.

You know, there's a lot of music I stay away from completely. If I go on a bike ride or if I'm in a gym, sometimes I'll put some 80s music, something that'll just kind of hype me up a little bit, but it doesn't take me somewhere else. It's just like I hear it as background just to hype me up so I can do the exercise I'm doing or the bike ride I'm doing. But if I ever hear songs that take me somewhere else, just cut it out. You know, you don't need it. You don't need it. And honestly, I don't really listen to music anyways at all, Christian or non-Christian. I listen to a lot of books and audibles and things like that. You know, when I met David, you know, there's things innocently that I didn't even know that I really liked two songs when I first met him, you know, and innocently, I didn't know what they meant, but I listened to them as young, really, really young because I had my brother and my sister that they were all into like the block parties and they were into the stuff and I would listen to it as young as a youngster. And, you know, and I remember telling David, man, there's this song, these two songs that I really, really like. And he's like, he's like, what are they? And I'm like, I don't know. But I and then I come and I sing it to him and he's like, one of them is like, why not? And he's like, do you know what that's talking about? And I'm like, no. And he's like, I think about. But you just sang White Lines Blow Away. Yeah, and I'm like, and he's like, I'm like, Oh my God, that's, that's not good. And I'm like, okay, no, I don't like it no more. So because I didn't understand because I didn't understand that, that I didn't really. Yeah, I didn't understand that life. So then after I'm like, okay, forget it. I don't like that one.

I go, let me let me sing the second one to you. And I said, the second one's like, pass the dochi on the left hand side. And he's like, do you know what that's about? And I said, no, what? And he's like, well, that's about, you know, passing the joint to the left. So and he's like, yeah, that's not and I'm like, Oh my God, forget it. The two little songs that I grew up with when I was younger, and I'm like, forget it, you know. But see, that's something innocently that I didn't even realize. And I didn't know about because I just didn't understand him. But now that I know about it, I'm like, yeah, those aren't my favorite songs anymore. Number nine. He says, I believe Saturday is a day of worship. But Paul says one day is as the next as long as we do it for the Lord. That's what matters. What do you believe? Yeah, every day, I think we talked about that already is a day of worship. I'm never gonna put one day over another. I understand we need a day of rest. But as far as a day of worship, every day is a day of worship. You know, and number 10. When my mother passed away, she told my sister to tell me that she was tired and she loved me so much, but she was ready to go home. And that was, I believe, the last word she spoke. I believe she was seeing angels to take her home. What do you believe? Well, I'll say good afternoon to on Yeah, I believe that my grandma, same thing the hours before she passed. She was very weak with cancer. And remember her, the whole family is around her.

And she goes in Spanish, she says, Yeah, I've been in for me. She says they're coming for me. And she kept looking like she saw something coming closer and closer, some angelic beings. So yes, I do believe that, you know, I worked for a hospice. And every single time, and it happened a lot, remember, I told you that every single time that when somebody was ready to go home, a lot of the times right before they took their last breath, they would do this. Yeah, I heard of that, too. Yes, they would, they would be like, yeah. And they would get stiff in their hands would just fall. I've heard I've heard Yeah, not just heard, I have heard people very close that a lot of people have done that in Christ. Yeah. And, you know, it's, it's, it's happened so much. And you'll hear a lot of people that will do that. So I do believe that there's something beautiful and that there's something that they see. Yeah. So guys, we are at an hour and 42 minutes. So I there's no way I can stack the two Bible studies. That's impossible, because it's not always at an hour 42. We have the road trip, the road trip, maybe stack one Bible study. Yeah, well, they always get that. So you're going to get the normal Bible study next week. I'll be able to stack. So you're caught up to the current Bible study. But thank you for being patient with us. This is the longest podcast we've ever done. Shouldn't have been this long, but we were able to answer a lot of these letters. So God bless you. We're going to go.

I don't want to add another minute because it's getting late and I still got to do a lot of stuff. Love you guys. So God bless you and see you later. All right, guys, we are giving you guys a surprise road trip. Didn't expect it, but we're here in Lockford first. It's a small town because I got to stop here and get some teriyaki sticks. And then we are going to, oh, here's a parking. Going through Lake Tahoe and then Reno. Guess what? You guys are coming with us. You guys are coming with us, but we can't go anywhere without some teriyaki sticks. First, this is a butcher, a butcher place. Yeah, a butcher shop, butcher shop, and they have the best fresh teriyaki sticks. There's always a line. I just noticed there's a little line, not too bad, but we're going to grab some. I'm going to wait for you. You're going to wait? I'm going to wait. Oh, you can hear the Italian music. Is this Italian? Portuguese. Portuguese music. Yeah. All right, guys. Okay, I just got the teriyaki sticks. We are in Lockford, California. It's a really small, small community, small town, but don't let that fool you. People line up, no matter what time of the day, what day it is, rain or shine, there are people in line to get the sausages.

Let me see, there was a line right when I stepped out, let me show you guys. Look at that, there's people standing out there, waiting in line, which is actually the short line. Sometimes it's a lot worse. So, this is Lockford, California, and this is pretty much it, just a few streets, and then nothing. We're going into the foothills, and after the foothills, then we're going to go up the sea level, and I'll just show you guys around when we get closer, so that way you can see something different. All right, so we are, I know, we are going to go through downtown Placerville. Placerville is an old, during the gold rush days, and it's just a little small town, and we're going to take you through the old part, the old downtown. This is heading up toward Lake Tahoe. It's a foothill town, we're not actually in the mountains yet, but it's foothills. You can see some of the old buildings that are, they're restored, they're historic, historic buildings. Yes, sir. All right, look, there's a museum I never knew. See, to the left, the sign, right here, the brown sign, by the H. Oh, yeah. So, I'm turning right on Main Street, this is the historic Main Street, Placerville. Oh, yeah, look, it's more that way. Yeah. So, imagine this in the 1800s. It's a little small town. There's a lot of, probably locals, I think a lot of people come visit, there's a lot of shops over there, but read them out. There's housework, hard work, florists, clothes. Look at Sourdough. Old steamers, Old Town Center, Sourdough and Company, Bonkers, I don't know what that is,

yeah. It's like a little hobby shop type place. Look at Rexall, I like that old school. Rexall, like a old, I think it was a little drug store, no? Yeah, like a pharmacy maybe? Yeah, like an old little pharmacy. Oh, yeah. Lofty Loose, yarn shop. Yeah, so it's, for a small town, it's a lot of hustle and bustle. Yeah. A lot of old mills, Mel's Diner. Yeah, Mel's Diner. Since 1947. And that's pretty much it, guys. I mean, it goes a little more probably residential, but that was the main downtown. Now we're jumping back on the freeway I was on. And, uh, keep going. See you guys later. I think there's a little train. Oh, yeah. I think there's a little, there was another little train up ahead. I'm not sure. I'm still recording, that way they can see. I know that this last month was breast cancer awareness. Oh, that's what all the pink ribbons? Yeah, all the pink ribbons. Hopefully, guys, I can find like a little short video talking about the historic last week. You know how to find those little videos? Yeah, yeah. So, alright, guys. We are now in Pollock Pines.

Now we're in the mountains, guys, you can tell because... the type of trees there is. We are an hour away from Lake Tahoe so we're going to go even higher I think this is 3,000 uh what's it called elevation is 3,000 feet so we're halfway up because Lake Tahoe is between six and seven thousand but there's a nice little town also Pollock Pines. Anybody ever been here? Let me know in your letters if you have ever been here or if you're from here. Yeah or if you're from here. Let us know a little bit about here. Yeah I don't know much about it but it seems like the houses and stuff are like hidden inside of the forest Really nice tall trees here. It's beautiful Jesus, just the mention of your name Flowers grow, the desert blooms again as it does like fire in winter cold like pure precious gold Jesus, just the mention of your name Jesus, just the mention of your name that precious name Flowers grow, the desert blooms again oh yes like fire in winter cold like pure precious gold Jesus, just the mention of your name like a lighthouse to a sailor in the midst of a midnight storm you know it's like a harbor to an old ship that's battered and torn it's like bread to a starving empty heart like like fresh running water to a soul that's parched Jesus, just the mention of your name yes Jesus, just the mention of your name Flowers bloom, the desert blooms again Oh yes, like fire in winter cold Like pure precious gold

Jesus, just the mention of your name Jesus, just the mention of your name Flowers bloom, the desert blooms again Oh yes, it does Like fire in winter cold Like pure precious gold Thank you Lord Jesus, just the mention of your name Jesus, just the mention of your name Jesus, just the mention, thank God, of your precious name Just the mention of your name Alright guys, we are here, we made it to Lake Tahoe This is called empanadas, traditional handcrafted Argentine empanadas So, Sharon thought I got her on camera, but I was actually looking to the left It's really good guys I'm going to get that one, beefed up, ground beef, sautéed onions And I'm going to get corn for the cheese Oh man, I'll show you what it looks like when I get it Look at this one, canned Bigfoot Ready to eat for the podcast? Yeah, that would be cool You know they have a Lake Tahoe Monopoly up there? See it on top of that shelf? No, which is it? You know we have a Monopoly family You know we have a Monopoly See the water guys over there? One of the biggest lakes in America What's crazy about it is the fact that we're 6,000 feet up Alright, it's just been my voice, say something to them Uh, hello

So, where are we? We are in Lake Tahoe South. Is this South Lake Tahoe? Yeah, South Lake Tahoe. South Lake Tahoe or by the little private beach actually. Thank you for all the animals that contributed. Both of these chimichurri? Yeah. This is chimichurri, so you add chimichurri. Alright guys, we are here in the heart of South Lake Tahoe. We're a few blocks away from the Nevada border. California cannot have casinos other than the ones on reservations. So, as soon as you cross into Nevada, there's casinos right on the line between Nevada and California. Another funny note is that California is known for its horrible streets and the moment you cross into the Nevada side, the roads get smooth. That's something me and Sharon noticed. Always. Yeah. It doesn't matter where we cross over from Southern California, here, Reno, the freeways get really smooth in Nevada. So, here's the state line. This coming light is the end of California. And look, there's a Harrah's. There's a Caesars Republic. So, now we are in Nevada, right now. And the road got smooth. So, on this side, there's a bunch of casinos on both sides. So, people come up here from California to vacation, to snow during the winter, and to gamble. All of these are casinos, left and right. Alright. I'll just put music on it. Why? Talk on it. Tell them where we're going. I don't know where we're going. Alright, guys. This is a tunnel. We're going to the spot where we can see the entire lake from up top so you can get a better view of it. It's a spot that David and I really love going to. From the first time we ever came to Tahoe, this is where we came and we stopped. After that, we just kind of made it a thing where we would come here all the time and just sit here and just talk sometimes. I like to believe we discovered it. Yeah, but we didn't. It's nice to just come and just take it all in. Sometimes, we just talk about how amazing, amazing the Lord is and just how grand He is and just all that He's done. In our lives, all that He's done, just in general. Just watching and looking at how beautiful everything is, it's just amazing. So, you guys are going to be able to just stay the same when you guys just see. It's coming now. Yeah. Somewhere up here. We're excited for you guys to just be able to see the same, take in the same. Oh, here it is. The problem is getting to the left side. Well, remember there's an area where you can turn. Alright, guys. We'll be right back when I turn around.

Alright, guys. We'll be right back when I turn around. That's Lake Tahoe. It literally, it looks like an ocean, literally, literally, literally, that was for Sangria? Yes. Look at these rocks, Abraham climbed these rocks once, up there. Every time I see this guys, it makes me think of Lake Galilee, it makes me think of the disciples when the storm came when they were in the middle, and all of a sudden Jesus came walking on the water. I don't know how big Lake Galilee is, but every time I see Lake Tahoe, that's what it makes me think of. This is what it's called, Galilee. Did you see the sign? Probably that's why they call it that. It said Galilee. But I mean the lake ain't called that, it's called Lake Tahoe. I know, but the area is called Galilee. Yeah. I could keep walking all the way down, but I probably won't be able to come back up. Look, there's a little lizard coming up. Oh yeah, look, there's a lizard. Check him out. That's cool. Alright, we made it to Reno. Well, we're going to go meet a couple, that's why we came down here. And that way you can see a little bit of Reno. Look at the way the lights look on my camera. Super bright. Let me see. It's very good. Cleaning my lenses.

Better. Oh yeah. No, they don't look like they're all up in heaven. It's been a while since we've been here. We do have a Grace International Church here, Pastor Rick. I was supposed to meet him earlier, but I wasn't able to, but maybe tomorrow on the way home, maybe. I don't know. But yeah, we have a Grace International Church here that if you are in a Reno area, it's called Living Waters. It's on East Moana, I believe, is the street. And Pastor Rick, man, really good pastor. So yeah, we'll show you a little bit more in a minute. So Reno has an interesting nickname. I'm not sure why. I don't know the history of it. Maybe some of you guys do. It's called the Biggest Little City in the World. Yeah, and here's a sign right here. The Biggest Little City in the World. So there's a whole bunch of casinos around us. This is, I guess, I guess the Main Strip. I'm not sure. It's nothing like Vegas. I don't know anything about the city. No. No. Me either. I've only been in here a handful of times. I think just the two times that we've come to visit at Rick's.

Yeah. Well, last time I preached at the Grace Church here and then the one in Yarrington, which is 90 minutes away into Nevada. But I know it's dark already, but just wanted you guys to see a little bit of the city. We're on our way to meet some friends and looking forward to it. It got dark fast. I know. I know. Oh, man. Tomorrow, at least, I'll be able to get some more footage so you guys can actually see more than just lights. We can also see some of the wild horses because that was really nice to see the wild horses. Yeah. So. I don't know if I told you guys I don't think I did so here in Nevada wild horses are protected so there is wild horses and we saw some and I completely forgot to record it I didn't record anything well I was driving though most of the time we saw them off the freeway but we're gonna try to get some free tomorrow and hopefully we can find some they're on the outskirts of Reno and you can just see them out in the mountains in the fields you know but yeah so we're here downtown Reno if you're from here let me know on your letters we get letters from Nevada don't we all right guys God bless all right guys we just checked out of our hotel we're here at Jack's I know you guys like seeing the food great food great people it's a diner and prices are decent so look at some of these plates so those of you that like the sweet stuff look at that tell you what I'm gonna get I'm gonna just go back to basics I'm gonna get a and it comes with hash browns or fries cottage cheese or fresh fruit served with tortillas so that's what I'll be doing guys what it's just chorizo oh thank you that's my mocha aka Cadillac

all right guys I'm going to show you our Grace Church here in Reno in case if you live here or release here or parole here or come out here if you're ever here Pastor Rick it's right off of Moana Lane off the freeway I'm not sure what freeway this is it's right by the airport and I'm heading southbound so I get off here exit 32 Moana Lane and turn right this is somebody who we trust very much and love very much and he's a good pastor and a good good teacher hopefully you're enjoying this trip with us the different areas that we're showing you Sharon's here with me no I think she's just checking something up on her phone but she's here I am you knew I was doing something I know well that way they're like look I'm she ain't talking okay so you turn here Moana Lane and it's a few blocks away it's a smaller church but hey man maybe that's why they need you to help grow it a lot of times it's easier to just find the big church it's already established but there's a lot of small churches that they just need to help they need the they need your your gifts your talents and that way you help build it it's right here in the shopping center I believe Yup. I'll show you right now. Right there. Living Waters Christian Fellowship. And there it is. See you later. Alright guys. This is where a lot of the wild horses are. And look at that. Wait. Where'd he go? This is all state land. They're protected by the state. Yesterday there was like 15, 20 of them out here. Look at that. They're just wild out They like to be around this. I imagine because there's food and there's water. That's Raven. Getting closer guys. I'm getting closer. He rushes me. I'm bouncing out of here. Guys, this is a historic California route or route, however you say it. It is amazing out here. We are over 7,000 feet above sea level. Heading back to Modesto. This is the

Sierra Nevada mountains. We're already in California side. There was a gate back there where the freeways closed probably because it snows so much you can't get through. See that? Absolutely beautiful. I'm like blown away. I have no words right now. How beautiful it is out here. And right now at the beginning of fall. We should come back in the month and see how it's all white. If you're watching this and you are not a believer, how can you be a creator? How can this happen by chance? How can this happen by accident? It takes more faith to believe nothing created this than to just admit that there is a creative God who created color, who created trees and the animals, who created ecosystems that work perfectly with each other, with the animals and the plants. It's just amazing. Oh my gosh. Is there a way to show them down there? I'm showing them now. How beautiful. Get all excited. That is so beautiful down there. You know these mountains are just rocks. We're still going higher. I wish we could have stopped right here. Can we get in there? There's no cars. We have to show them down there. OMG. Look there's a petrified tree right there. Look at that. It's beautiful. lake down there. We are in bear country. There's bears out here. Black bears, brown bears. There's no grizzlies here. That would be Montana, Wyoming, I believe, but there's brown bears and black bears. Well, like the California bear on the flag. But they are out here, many of them. Some are friendly, some aren't. There's also a lot of deer. There's mountain lions. So those are probably the three biggest animals out here. Amen. I also want to give a shout out Anthony De La Garza, also Gerald Bainbridge. Thank you for that super chat on YouTube. So we have been studying the minor prophets and we're almost done. We did Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and now we're on Haggai. And two more after that. Why did I choose to do minor prophets?

Because I think this is the most ignored portion of the Bible. So we wanted to spend, I don't even know how many months we've been at it now, but it doesn't matter. We read it in context, we get a better understanding of what it is that we're reading, and that's important. Let me start this. Every time we start a new book, this is a very short, it's literally I think two chapters, but it's important. I always want to describe what was happening because it's important to know the who, what, why, and where. It helps us better understand what was going on, and when he says things, by knowing what was going on, it gives a better perception of what was going on. So this prophet, all this time, all these other prophets were warnings from God. Warnings that the Assyrians were going to come. Warnings that the Babylonians were going to come. And some of them we saw that the northern kingdom fell and no longer was there. Then we see that the southern kingdom was being warned. For months, we've been reading these warnings that God was giving, God was giving, God was giving. Haggai is different. The damage is done. You ever seen the movie Book of Eli with Denzel Washington? How it's like after the apocalypse, it's showing what the world was after. I think that in the movie, the context was like a nuclear bomb, that's why people went blind, right? Because of the brightness. And it was a story of this, it was just fictional, but nevertheless, Denzel Washington is this person that has the Bible in his heart, and it's after, after the destruction. So this is Haggai. It's after the destruction. The warnings are done. Israel has fallen. The Assyrians came. The Babylonians came. The people that were still living were taken captive, and 70 years have passed now. So this is after the fact.

And what God was saying to Haggai. Kingdom Airbrush, thank you so much, brother, for that super chat. This is how we pay our internet bill here at this church. All these super chats add up, and YouTube sends money at the end of the month, and boom, it goes straight to the internet, because the internet is really important here at this church, because there's so many people that watch us through the live stream. So thank you. Every dollar helps. So I wrote down a couple things about Haggai before we get into it. Let me see here. So this, oh, Haggai lived around 500 years before Jesus. That's a long time. Think about it. Our nation, United States, is only, what, 200-and-something years old? So 500 years before Jesus. And like I said, the Assyrian Empire is gone. The Babylonian Empire has collapsed. And who's in power? The Persians. The Persians are the ones who are in power. If you want to know who the Persians are, if you've ever seen the movie 300, Sparta, you know, that Persian army, that's Persia. So Persia had... taken over and they were taking over every single nation that they came across. But in the midst of that, 70 years after the fall of Israel, two leaders rose out of the rubble. One of them was named Joshua. He was a high priest and the other one was named Zerubbabel. And Zerubbabel and Joshua were important because Zerubbabel was of the bloodline of King David. So he had royal blood and Joshua was a priest because that had to, so it's interesting that God brought a priest and somebody that had royal blood together. And they're like, man, this is a rubble.

This is a mess. There was something interesting because the Assyrians were vicious. The Babylonians were vicious and so were the Persians. But Persia did something different that the other two kingdoms didn't do is they realized that the Jewish people were captive. They were taken away from Israel. And the Persian king said to the Jews, if you want to go back, you can go back. Now, this is a big deal. Imagine you being forced away from your home and now you're an old, say you were taken when you were a child and now you're 70 something years old. And all of a sudden you get the news that the Persian king says, I'm allowing you to go back home. God promised it in the book of Daniel. God said that 70 years the people would be punished because of them worshiping other gods. But after 70 years, in other words, after that generation, he would allow them to rebuild. So this is what's happening here as we read it, that the people were allowed to go back to rebuild. And you would think that is good news. But to Haggai, he started to see something different that he didn't like. Another thing before we read Haggai is you're going to notice that God, well, actually I'm not going to bring that up till we get to that verse. Let's do that. That'll be better. So Haggai chapter one, verse one. Diana, sister Diana, Ayala, thank you so much for that super chat. Thank you. So it says in the second year of Darius, the king in the sixth month on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai, the prophet to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,

governor of Judah and to Joshua, the son of Jehoi, Jehozadak, the high priest. So that's how we know these things. So think about it. So you have a high priest, you have a descendant of David, and now you have a prophet. So he has a word for these two men on the message Bible. It says on the first same verse, but in the message Bible, on the first day of the sixth month of the second year and the reign of King Darius of Persia, God's message was delivered by the prophet Haggai to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest, Joshua, son of Jehozadak. So now verse two, thus says the Lord of hosts. So this is what God said. Thus says the Lord of hosts. These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord. Verse three and four. Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai, the prophet. Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? Five? No, no, that's it. Three and four. So it says here, two, three, and four in the message, a message from God of the army, angel armies, the people procrastinate. They say, this isn't the right time to rebuild my temple, the temple of God. Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it. How is it that it's the right time for you to live in your fine new homes while the home God's temple is in ruins? So the people went back, they were happy to go back. They went, they rebuilt their homes, but they ignored the temple of God. This is a point I was gonna talk about that I said I wouldn't talk about it till we got to the scripture. Because many of us do this, many of us say this,

but we gotta be careful. Because we'll say things like this, and it's true. They'll say, well, the building isn't the church, we're the church, right? We say that, I've said that, it's true. We are the church. But if God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, these people went home to rebuild their homes. They built their homes beautifully. If God didn't care about the building, why is he making it a deal here? And it's just something to ponder and think about. I don't think God wants us to idolize our church building, because it's just a building. But we can't ignore the fact that God said, that's nice, you're building your homes. But what about my home? And it makes me think, because I think sometimes we lean so much of, well, I'm the church, we're the church, that what if we have that mentality? Because if God cared about the temple then, and yes, I get it, we're the temple, I get it, but isn't the place where we come to worship something important also? You know, and has that been exaggerated? Yeah, I think people exaggerate it, and they turn the church into look like some kind of five-star hotel, and I'm not talking about that, but it seems like that's something that matters to God.

I'm gonna read three and four again. God tells them, then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet. Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses? You know what that means? That means at least your house has walls. Why is my temple wide open? While this house lies in ruins. Verse five, now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, consider your ways. In the message it says, and then a little later, God of the angel army spoke out again. So this is a third time. So God has brought this up, and they didn't do nothing. Brought it up a second time, they didn't do nothing. Then he brings it up a third time. He says, take a good hard look at your life and think it over. In verse six, he says, consider your ways, verse five. Then he says, you have sown much and harvested a little bit. You eat, but you never have enough. You drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but nobody's warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. Wow, I'm gonna read that in the message.

He says, take a good hard look at your life and think it over. Oh, you've spent a lot of money, but you got nothing to show for it. You keep filling up your plates, but you never get filled up. You keep drinking and drinking and drinking, but you're always thirsty. You put on layer after layer of clothes, but you can't get warm. And the people who work for you, what are they getting out of it? Not much. A leaky, rusted out bucket, that's what. Again, we can't ignore scripture. We can't. What is God saying? He's like, you're fixing up your own homes, but you're not fixing mine. Then you wonder why everything's going bad for you. You wonder why you can't pay your stuff. You wonder why there ain't enough food in the fridge. And yes, I get it. I know some leaders take advantage of that. I know there's leaders that ride around in Rolls Royces while the congregation are starving. I get that. Matter of fact, I have a friend in LA, in Wilmington, he was telling me that he's not a Christian. And I said, but he knows so much of the word of God.

And I was talking to him, we were having dinner at his house and I said, brother, I said, what are you waiting for? You know so much of the word. Why don't you get that word in you? I said, I'm gonna be bold enough to say, bro, this is a huge podcaster. And I'm sitting there with his family, having dinner and sharing. And I said, dude, you are so well-spoken. I think you're called the pastor. And he says, I know I am. him he says but here in LA he was did you know there's a pastoral Royals Rolls Royce Club like what he was yeah he was these pastors man he was and I ain't talking about megachurch pastors they got these little past there's little churches in South Central LA but they're riding around in Rolls Royces he was yeah South Central don't want me to pastor cuz I'll tell the truth I said maybe that's why he needs you to pastor to call that stuff out so because it's been taken advantage of it doesn't take away the truth of what God is saying because I believe it's true I know people here that they are faithful and when they're faithful to the house of God I see God bless them that's just the truth you know and and sometimes I don't like to say that because I would rather they say that because if I say it it sounds biased but we see what the word is saying God is saying man that's nice you got a nice house what about my house verse 8 and 9 this is thus says the Lord of hosts so this is God talking again he says consider your ways he says go up to the hills and bring wood and build a house that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified says the Lord 9 says you looked for much and behold it came to little and when you brought it home I blew it away why declares the Lord of hosts because of my house that lies in ruins while each of you busies himself with his own house well I'm gonna read to you 11 therefore the heavens above you have withheld the

new and the earth has withheld its produce and I have called for a drought on the land and the hills on the grain the new wine the oil on what the ground brings forth on man and beast and on all their labors what does the message say it says God said here's what I have then here's what I want you to do so this is what God says climb into the hills and cut some timber bring it down rebuild the temple do it just for me honor me he says you've had great ambitions for yourself but nothing has come of it the little you have brought to my temple I've blown away there was nothing to it and why this is a message from God remember because while you've run around and caught up with taking care of your own houses my house is in ruins that's why because of your stinginess and so I've given you a dry summer and a meager crop I've matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought drying up fields and hills withering gardens and orchards stunting vegetables and fruit nothing not man or woman not animal or crop is going to thrive Wow see this I'll be honest with you this is why I like reading line by line here because it's verses like that that I'm awkward to preach on I really am honestly because of so much scandal and so many things that it just comes off wrong sometimes in people's eyes but when I say we're going to read through Haggai we're going to read through Haggai and we're just reading the word I'm not even adding my own opinion to it we're just what does the word say that's what the word says and the word is God's word does God lie no he says men lie but I don't and it's crazy because he's basically telling them you're being stingy and you're wondering why it's not raining you're being stingy you wonder why you're not growing as much fruit as you should or vegetables as you should you're not you're not breeding as many animals as you should you wonder why how about maybe because my house is in ruins and you're trying to take care of your house I remember I didn't think of this I heard it and I applied it to myself is that, and I'm not just talking about giving money, I'm talking about just giving who we are, giving our time, giving our talents.

So many people, sometimes I have had people in the church that had an amazing talent and I don't find out about it till three years later, and the whole time we have been praying for somebody with that talent. You've withheld it, not from David, you've withheld it from God, because that talent was meant for the people. You know, I've often said this, the people of Israel, when they were in the wilderness, God rained down manna, and out of manna, they were able to eat, they would gather the manna and they were able to bake bread every day so they could eat, because they were in the desert, and God provided manna, but God told them, he says, don't gather more than what your family can eat today, and guess what some people did? They gathered more for the next day, because they were greedy, and the next day, they're like, hey, let's make some more manna, and they opened it and it was full of worms, it was rotten, why did God do that? Because, in essence, what they were saying is, I don't trust you, God, and because I don't trust you, I'm gonna gather extra for tomorrow, and that is disobedience, because they weren't walking in faith. And a lot of times, we can be the same way now, we get our manna, we get our time, our finances, our money, our talents, or whatever it is, and we withhold it, because, God forbid,

what if I run out, and all of a sudden, it goes bad? So I tell people, I'm like, do you wanna be somebody that God blesses you, and you just gather it and hoard it? I said, because what's better is to be a funnel for the Lord, see, if you ever have a funnel, and there's no air, what happens? It doesn't go down, it gets stuck, and then, eventually, it overflows, it doesn't work. And God is looking for funnels. Time, finances, gifts, all that stuff is not meant to be hoarded. If we become a funnel for God, see, if I have a funnel that is plugged up, I will no longer pour into it, but if I find a funnel that is pouring through, I'm gonna keep pouring into it, right? Now, which would you rather be, the funnel that hoards the little he gives you, because it's plugged, or do you wanna be the funnel that God says, oh, this person, they're just giving, they're giving, so, man, I see they're giving, so I'm gonna pour more into them. See, God is looking for funnels. And the thing is that, if you keep giving, you can't out-give God, and he'll keep pouring and pouring and pouring because he's looking for funnels, not hoarders. And I get it, at first, at first, it's like, especially if you came from nothing, if you came from poverty, and God blessed you with a job, man, that feeling to hoard that is so strong

because you're like, I don't know if I'm gonna have this ever again. But if you start to learn to trust God, and learn to be a funnel, he's gonna bless you. And you know what's crazy, is he will make your funnel bigger and bigger and bigger. I have seen this, I have witnessed this, I have lived this. And it's just like, okay, Lord, this money ain't mine. See, a lot of us, we're like, Lord, bless my tithe. You got it wrong, Lord, Lord, I want you to bless every dollar I have. Why would you bless the tithe, and you, let's say you even tithe, which is 10%. Why would you not say, Lord, bless my 90? Why do we pray, Lord, bless the tithe and multiply it in the hands of the ministry? No, I'm like, Lord, bless my 90 that you multiplied in my hands. Lord, I want you to bless everything, and multiply it, because you know the needs that I have for my family and my children, and the sustenance that I need, Lord. In the same way, Lord, bless what I give the house of God. Let it be multiplied, but bless this also. Let me be a funnel. Okay, that's, where are we at? Thank you. 12 oops so then 12 says then so this is many times that God spoke to Haggai to tell the people to tell the prophet I mean I'm sorry to tell the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor in verse 12 says then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jehoshaddak

the high priest with all the remnant of the people look what they did they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet as the Lord their God had sent them and the people feared the Lord what does that say in the message it says then the governor Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and the high priest Joshua son of Jehoshaddak and all the people with them they listened they really listened to the voice of their God when God sent the prophet Haggai to them they paid attention to him in listening to Haggai they honored God so they actually listened took four times but they finally started to hear verse 13 then Haggai the messenger of the Lord spoke to the people with the Lord's message I am with you declares the Lord and the message then Haggai verse 13 says that God's messenger preached God's message to the people I am with you God's word what a beautiful thing because at first they weren't getting fruit they weren't getting vegetables nothing was happening but all of a sudden they obeyed the word of the prophet and because of that God says I am with you trust me the whole world can be against you but if God says I'm with you what else do you need man imagine if God shows up at your house and says I I'm with you we're freaking out about our bills we're freaking out about this our car breaking down our air conditioning ain't working all this stuff we're tripping out and then all of a sudden God says I am with you man that's awesome thank you in verse 14 and 15 it says and the Lord look at that the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel governor of Judah and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozarach the high priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts their God and on the 24th day of the month in the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king in the message it says this is how God got Zerubbabel Joshua and all the people moving he got them working on the temple of the god of angel armies this happened on the 24th day of the sixth month in the second year of king Darius I love the fact I don't know why the message left it out but back to to the the ESV that I'm reading out of I really like the part right here where it says that the Lord stirred up the spirit of these men so it's like God didn't stir them until they started listening to the prophet he's not going to stir the spirits when we're in disarray

but when he sees that the people heard the message repented and said we got to do things right we got to fix these things we got to do these things I don't want to withhold my gift I don't want to withhold my talent I don't want to withhold what I have because he's right here I am thanking God for my home but his home is in shambles and they started to listen and because of that God started to stir the hearts of the leaders and that's a beautiful thing to happen to have our hearts stirred they're just something about the spirit of God stirring in us is it on the mics not on um try it yo there it is oh you're in space yeah That stirring, would that be a baptism of what we in today's life call the baptism of the Holy Spirit? There's moments we see that, see the reason in the day of Pentecost, the Bible says that the Spirit of God came and stayed, but we see many instances in the Old Testament where the Spirit of God would come and stir people up. Same thing, we see it happen with King Saul, that he prophesied. We see it happen with Moses, and not only that, but the leaders that he chose. So yeah, I would believe so, that the Spirit came and would stir men up. What was different in the New Testament is the Spirit came and stirred and stayed, yeah. But these men, yeah, the Spirit of God stirred in them. So this is awesome. This is great news because even though God was like, hey, what's up with my house? But they repented, they changed their hearts and their minds, and notice something though real quick, God didn't have a problem with them fixing up their homes. And I think today he doesn't have a problem. We should have our homes as nice as we possibly can, especially those that are, you're still raising children, you still have your family, you wanna, man, you wanna give your wife a nice home, as nice as you can possibly do. Or those that don't even, aren't married, you wanna have a nice place, a nice home. Abran Rodriguez, thank you so much for that super chat.

Javier 209, thank you for that super chat. But at the same time, God sees the change of heart and he turns things around. And again, it comes back to us today, because we wanna obviously make it relevant to us today. Don't withhold your gifts because you're not withholding it from me or Sharon, you're withholding it from God. And trust me, God will start to bless you. I remember in the very beginning of House of Rest, I didn't have teachers, I didn't have announcers, I didn't have worship, I didn't have nothing. And every Sunday I would hear complaints of the ministries we don't have. And I'm like, there's 20 of us. Well, you know, I don't know, there's no children's here, I think I'm just gonna go to this church or that church. And I said, you know, how bothered are you that we don't have children's? Man, I'm really bothered. Maybe that's why you're here, man. Maybe God's calling you to lead it. Oh, no, no, no, no, I'm just saying what I see missing here. Well, that ain't helping. How about if we all do something? How about if 20 people don't sit and watch me preach and 20 people actually become team players and we could actually grow something beautiful together? Because you have skills I don't have, you have skills I don't have, you have skills I don't have, you have skills that nobody else has. But can you imagine if we actually did something together? What would happen? You know, if all of a sudden we're in an apocalyptic world and one of you is a welder, another person's a carpenter, another person's a gardener, another person's a hunter, guess what? We're going to be able to eat, we're going to be able to have shelter, we're going to be able to do this, we're going to be able to do that, all kinds of stuff, because we

would do it together. And I can't help to think, I love House of Rest Church, but I got to think, what would it be like if everybody shared their gifts? What could we do? We would be unstoppable. But unfortunately, some people come, a church hurt or this church did this and that church did that. So now I'm just going to sit here and just hear you preach and I'm just going to withhold everything I have because I don't want to get hurt again. That's like the person that gets married to somebody and you make that new spouse pay for everything the other people did to you. That ain't right. That's messed up. So I got to pay for other dudes that hurt you? Or I got to pay for, you know what I mean? It was like, so House of Rest has to pay for what another church did to you? How does that make sense? And sometimes, and yes, I get it. We got to get past it. I get it. Sometimes we come with our walls up and we come with our defenses up. And you know what? Sometimes as a pastor, I have my defenses up against some of you guys. Why? Because I've been betrayed. I've been hurt. And it's like, we all come with our walls. What if we brought those walls down? What if we actually said, man, you know what? Let's make something great.

Yeah, yeah, usually there's a 20. Usually there's 20% doing 100% of the work. That is hard. I've had a pastor tell me, if you have 100 people and 20 are doing stuff, he goes, you're actually blessed. Because most people, it's 5% that hold the 100%, the other 95%. Yeah, it is tiring. Where are we at here? Thank you. Chapter 2, verse 1. In the seventh month, on the 21st day of the month, the word of the Lord came to the hand of Haggai the prophet. I'm going to read 1 through 3. So another word comes to him. Verse 2, speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozorak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people. And say, who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Oh, let's look at the message and let's talk about it. So God had spoken. Some people repented. They started to fix the house of God, right? So now, we're going to read in the messages. On the 21st day of the seventh month, the word of God came through the prophet Haggai.

And God says, tell Governor Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and high priest Joshua, son of Jehozorak, and all the people. So this is the question God asked. Is there anyone here who saw the temple the way it used to be, all glorious? And what do you see now? Not much, right? So the people kind of went and fixed the temple up, but they kind of half did it. They're like, well, we'll put up some wall, but have you ever seen somebody that you put up sheetrock, but you never texture it? You half do things? I do that. Anybody ever half did something, or am I the only guilty one? All right. Oh, thank God, I thought I was going to be the only one. Huh? This chapter is giving you anxiety? So God's like, OK, I see you put a half effort into it. And God asked a question. He goes, how many of you are old enough to know the glory that the temple was? And now you look at it, not much, right? You know what's scary? Do we approach ministry like that now? Oh, I'm teaching the kids. Oh, I'm worshiping. Oh, I'm playing an instrument. And God's like, really?

That's your all? Are you giving your all? Or to the preacher? But God, five people got saved. Yeah, but was that your all? You put everything into it? The women's lunch brunch, you really put everything, or you just kind of settled for it? Men's breakfast, are you really putting everything, or you just kind of settle for it? And I'm just using as examples. I'm not accusing, because that's why I put the preacher in there too. Because to other people, it seems like it. But God is like, yeah. Anybody know what the temple used to look like? Because you see it now, it's not much, is it? Verse 4 and 5. And he says, yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong. O Joshua, son of Jehozarak, the high priest, be strong. All you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. So God talks to the governor, I mean, to the high priest and the governor. He says, so get to work, Zerubbabel. God is speaking. Get to work, Joshua, son of Jehozarak, high priest. Get to work, all you people. God is speaking.

Yes, get to work, for I am with you. The God of the angel armies is speaking. Put into action. The word I covenanted with you when you left Egypt. I'm living and breathing among you right now. Don't be timid and don't hold back. Wow. See, we might not have came out of Egypt, but we came out of sin, and sometimes God has to remind us and say, don't you remember what I did when you were in that situation? Why don't you put into action the word and the covenant that I gave you? Didn't you say that I would be your Lord and King and your Savior, that you would follow everything I say? Yes, Lord. Well, why don't you quit talking and start working? Because I'm with you. I love it. He says, I'm living and breathing among you. Don't be timid. Don't hold back. If you're gonna evangelize, evangelize. If you're gonna teach, then teach. If you're gonna preach, then preach. If you're gonna worship, then worship. Bring the house down. Whatever it is you're gonna do, do it with everything.

I am with you. Don't be timid and don't hold back. Man, if that don't bring conviction, because I'm convicted right now. And God is like, what are you waiting for? I'm with you. You know, the Bible says that it's the living word of God. And even though he was saying it to Haggai, I believe he's saying it to us right now, this moment. Why are you holding back? Why are you timid? He says, I'm living and I'm breathing among you. Wow. Sometimes we think like, man, if I was just there when Jesus walked this earth, if I was just there, man, I would have been bold. I would have been bold. He says he will never leave us nor forsake us. He says he is with us for always, to the end of all things. He's forever with us. His Holy Spirit is in us. So we have something better than him in the flesh. We have him in the spirit. And that's why he says, you speak to the mountain and command it to move. You cast out those demons. You lay hands on the sick. You proclaim the gospel. And people bring you in front of judges, don't worry because I will bring it into remembrance

and I will give you the words. But we're timid. Maria Lopez, thank you so much for that. Man, I'm gonna read this chapter more so I get more super chats. God bless you guys. Thank you, seriously. These super chats truly help, really. Verse six and seven. And the Lord says, wait. Or five? Oh, I read five, right? Not six. Oh, sorry. Five says this. I'm getting excited here. He says I am with you always, that's the end of four, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt, my spirit remains in your midst, fear not. Man, my spirit remains in your midst. That is awesome. Bible says any time there's two or three gathered, he is there in the midst. The Bible says that he inhabits the praises of his people. My spirit remains in your midst, fear not. Why would we fear if he's here? Oh, that rhymes, good T-shirt. Make that shirt, Tino. Why should I fear if he is here?

I wear 2X now, just saying. I got you. Verse six and seven. For thus says the Lord of hosts, yet once more in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations so that the treasures of all nations shall come in and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. Man. I'm gonna read six and seven in the message. This is what the God of the angel army said. Before you know it, I will shake up sky and earth, ocean and fields. I'll shake down all the godless nations. They will bring bushels of wealth and I will fill this temple with splendor. God of the angel army says so. Man. God says, I'll use the money of the ungodly to bless the house. That's awesome. Verse 8. See, here's where Jesus, he starts, he starts flexing. The Lord starts flexing. God starts flexing. Verse 8 says, the silver is mine. The gold is mine, declares the Lord of Hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts.

And in this place, I will give peace, declares the Lord of Hosts. The message, God says, I own the silver. I own the gold, decree of the God of the angel armies. This temple is going to end up far better than it started out. A glorious beginning, but an even more glorious finish, a place in which I will hand out wholeness and holiness, decree of God of the angel armies. Man. The whole world belongs to him. He says, all that silver, all that gold, that's mine. But he's talking, as I read it, he's talking more. He's using those examples of silver and gold, but see, his glory is beyond gold and beyond silver. He's like, what started out as a little tent, a tabernacle in the wilderness, and then it turned into a temple. He's like, what's coming later is going to be greater. See, he's talking about himself. Because see, we don't no longer worship in a temple in Jerusalem, because now the spirit of God lives in us, and we're the temple. And that is much greater than a building, because we're living. We're alive. We're the temple of the living God. He lives in us. That's something better than silver and gold. Judy Reels, photography, thank you for that super chat. Thank you. I'm going to keep going, all right? So let's keep going. If you tell me where I'm at. 10, yes, thank you.

I knew that, just testing. 10 through 12, on the 24th day of the ninth month in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet. Thus says the Lord of hosts, there's another word from God, ask the priests about the law. If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil of any kind of food, does it become holy? Good question. Well, let me keep reading. In the message, on the 24th day of the ninth month, again, this was in the second year of Darius, God's message came to Haggai, God of the angel armies. So he asked this question, consult the priest for a ruling. If someone carries a piece of sacred meat in his pocket, meat that is set apart for sacrifice on the altar, and the pocket touches a loaf of bread, a dish of stew, a bottle of wine or oil, or any other food, will these foods be made holy by such contact? So he's asking a question, because there's meat that was meant for sacrifice. And if that touches something else, does it make that holy? And the priest said, no. Verse 13 says, then Haggai said, if someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean? And the priest answered and said, it does become unclean. So he's getting to a point, verse 13, same verse in the message. So then Haggai says, how about someone who is contaminated by touching a corpse? Because Jewish people weren't allowed to touch dead bodies, right? He was, if that person touches one of these foods, will it be contaminated?

And the priest said, yes, it'll be contaminated. Verse 14, so here comes the point. Oops, wrong page. So verse 14 says, then Haggai answered and said, so is it with these people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord. And so with every work of their hands, and what they offer there is unclean. The message, then Haggai said, so these people are contaminated. Their nation's contaminated. Everything they. do is contaminated. Whatever they do for me is contaminated. God says so. Oh, oh, wait a second. So God says if something is contaminated, you can't make it holy. And he says these people are contaminated because they're not obeying me. And everything they touch is contaminated. So that means whatever they do for me is contaminated. This is why you cannot build a ministry or a church with a contamination of sin. Sometimes people try to build ministries out of their own ego, out of their own wants, out of their own agenda. And God's like, you think with that mindset, I'm going to bless something? It's contaminated. And it says in the end of the verse, God says so. Verse 15 and 17, let's see what happens. So verse 15 says, now then consider from this day onward, before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, how did you fare? When one came to a heap of 20 measures, there were but 10. When one came to the wine vat to draw 50 measures, there were 20. 17, I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me declares the Lord. This is what it says in the message. He says, think back. Before you set out to lay the first foundation stones for the rebuilding of my temple, how did it go with you? Isn't it true that your foot dragging, half-hearted efforts at rebuilding the temple of God were reflected in a sluggish halfway return on your crops? Half the grain you were used to getting, half the wine, I hit you with drought and blight and hail. Everything you were doing got hit, but it didn't seem to faze you. You didn't. Doesn't the New Testament say God loves a cheerful giver? So if you're giving out of anything else, keep your money. Did you know that the tithe is supposed to be the first fruits,

but most of us treat a tithe like, let's see what I got left. I don't want to say this as a pastor, but I'm going to say, because the word says, God says, keep your money. Then if I want the first fruits, I want the first. I don't want your leftovers. This is what the word says, and I'm here to preach what the word says, and that makes me nervous as a pastor here. You know, but it's not what I, I'm going to say what the word of God says. He says, let it be the first fruits. Yeah, that's right. Exactly. He says, everything you were doing got hit. Doesn't seem to faze you. Verse 18 and 19. Consider from this day onward, verse 18, from the 24th day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider is the seed yet in the vine? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, the olive tree have yielded nothing, but from this day on, I will bless you. Let's read 18 and 19, the message. Now think ahead from this same date, this 24th day of the ninth month. Think of head from when the temple rebuilding was launched. Has anything in your fields, your vine, your fig tree, your pomegranate, your olive tree failed to flourish? From now on, from now on, you can count on a blessing. Verse 20, the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the 24th day of the month. He says, speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I'm about to shake the heavens and the earth and to overthrow the throne of the kingdoms. I'm about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations and overthrow the chariots and their riders and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. And on that day, declares the Lord of host. I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and I will make you like a signet ring for I've chosen you, declares the Lord of host. And the message, it says, I'm about to shake up everything. I don't know about you, but I need some shaking up of everything, don't you? I am about to shake up everything. to turn everything upside down and start over from top to bottom, overthrow governments, destroy foreign powers, dismantle the world of weapons and armaments, throw armies into confusion so that they end up killing one another. And on that day, this is God's message, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,

as my personal servant, and I will set you as a signet ring, the sign of my sovereign presence and authority. I've looked over the field and I've chosen you for this work, the message of the God of the army angels. You know, this is beautiful because at that time he was talking to the governor of Israel, Zerubbabel. But the Bible says that you and I are ambassadors of the kingdom of God. So you are governors. Now don't you want the Lord to bless you, to say that you will be my signet? See a signet ring on the king's hand was important. That meant power. And what he's telling Zerubbabel and he's telling us, don't you want to be that power? Don't you want to be my ring that I show off? He says, if you follow after me, I will make you my personal servant. And as I look over the fields of Modesto, I look over the fields of Modesto, I looked over the field and I have chosen you for this work. And I'm just like, Lord, let me be one. Choose me. Choose me, Lord, I will serve you. I will give you everything. And God is looking for those who will give him everything, men here, women here. He's looking for those and he's basically making a promise that if you give him everything, he will bless you. And I'm not talking about finances. He would just bless you in any which way he pleases. I didn't know we were going to get through a whole book today, but amen. What a beautiful book. I don't know about you, but this spoke to me. 500 years. So this is 2,500 years ago, but it spoke into 2025.

You know, before we end this, I always want to give an opportunity for anybody that's here and anybody that's watching that you can surrender your life to the Lord right here, right now. This is a time and a moment. And as we do this, we're going to have something really special going on because we have a young lady that is serving this country and she asked to be baptized. So we're going to have a baptism right now because she told, I don't know who you told, but you're like, no, I'm not getting baptized anywhere, but house of rest. And she's here visiting family. And she asked me Sunday, is there any way I could get baptized? I know it's not the first Sunday I said, yes, let's fill that water up. So as she's ready, getting ready, I want to give everybody an opportunity. Anybody watching online, if you want to give your life to the Lord, today's a day of salvation. Tomorrow is not promised. And if that is you and you want to be welcome into the kingdom of God, there's no specific prayer, but I would like to lead you. And if that is you, whether you're watching on Pando, Edovo or YouTube or Facebook, wherever you're at, if you follow this prayer, the Bible says, if you believe, if you confess with your mouth and believe it in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you shall be saved. So if that is you, I want you to just close your eyes by your head and say, Lord God, I repent of all my sins. I know you died on the cross for me, but after three days, you rose in power. You are Lord. Be Lord of my life. Take out my heart of stone and put in a heart of flesh. And I will serve you all the days of my life. Beginning today, in Jesus name, amen. If you pray that prayer of salvation, I want to pray for you in the name of Jesus. I command everything that is not of God, anything that is demonic. I break those chains in the name of Jesus right now.

Chains of addiction, chains of hate, chains of anger, chains of alcoholism, whatever it may be. And I declare you free. You are free. You don't belong to darkness anymore. You don't belong to the kingdom of darkness anymore. You have now been transplanted from darkness into the kingdom of light. And I pray good things for you. I pray. I speak life into you. That you hunger for his word, hunger for prayer. That you hunger for a new life and you seek after the Lord and fellowship with others that are like-minded in the name of Jesus. Amen So right now we're all gonna stand we're gonna worship and I'm about to baptize somebody god bless you guys Are you hurting and broken within, overwhelmed by the weight of your sin, Jesus is calling Have you come to the end of yourself, do you thirst for a drink from the well, Jesus is calling So come to the altar, the father's arms are open wide, forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ Leave behind your regrets and mistakes, come today there's no reason to wait, Jesus is calling Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy, from the ashes a new life is born, Jesus is calling So come to the altar, the father's arms are open wide, forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ So come to the altar, the father's arms are open wide, forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ Oh what a Savior, isn't he wonderful, sing hallelujah, Christ is risen Bow down before him, for he is Lord of all, sing hallelujah, Christ is risen Oh what a Savior, isn't he wonderful, sing hallelujah, Christ is risen Bow down before him, for he is Lord of all, sing hallelujah, Christ is risen So come to the altar, the father's arms are open wide, forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ So come to the altar The Father's arms are open wide Forgiveness was bought with The precious blood of Jesus Christ O come to the altar The Father's arms are open wide Forgiveness was bought with The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Bear your cross as you wait for the crown Tell the world of the treasures you found Lord we thank you, Lord we thank you for the salvations of this night We thank you for the baptism of this night We thank you for our hearts being stirred as we read your word in Haggai I pray blessings over every person that has heard this message, this Bible study today May you Lord, may you shine your face upon each and every one of us Lord We thank you Lord God because you are full of mercy Lord We thank you because of your salvation And we thank you because of your love for us We thank you in Jesus name, Amen Amen guys, thank you so much for being a part of this Bible study Next week we're starting in Zachariah, brand new book, God bless you