What does it truly mean to abide in Christ, and why is it essential for our spiritual growth? Join us as we uncover the profound significance of John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches," and how this divine connection shapes our faith journey. We'll explore how steadfastness, meekness, and mutual support fortify our relationship with God and each other, especially when confronted with life's frustrations and disagreements. This episode reveals how recognizing Christ's presence in every moment, whether in darkness or light, leads to a richer, more fruitful spiritual life.
In our discussion, we'll also tackle the pressing issues of acceptance, forgiveness, and the societal pressures that often distract us from God's presence. We'll share insights from Life for Death Ministries about achieving fulfillment through faith and the joy of a supportive, faith-based community. Hear compelling reflections on the importance of moral character, patience, and the personal journey of celibacy, all contributing to a deeper alignment with divine will. Tune in to understand how emotional, intellectual, and physical maturity intertwine with our desire for acceptance and love, particularly for those who feel hurt or marginalized.
What does it truly mean to abide in Christ, and why is it essential for our spiritual growth? Join us as we uncover the profound significance of John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches," and how this divine connection shapes our faith journey. We'll explore how steadfastness, meekness, and mutual support fortify our relationship with God and each other, especially when confronted with life's frustrations and disagreements. This episode reveals how recognizing Christ's presence in every moment, whether in darkness or light, leads to a richer, more fruitful spiritual life.
In our discussion, we'll also tackle the pressing issues of acceptance, forgiveness, and the societal pressures that often distract us from God's presence. We'll share insights from Life for Death Ministries about achieving fulfillment through faith and the joy of a supportive, faith-based community. Hear compelling reflections on the importance of moral character, patience, and the personal journey of celibacy, all contributing to a deeper alignment with divine will. Tune in to understand how emotional, intellectual, and physical maturity intertwine with our desire for acceptance and love, particularly for those who feel hurt or marginalized.
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing. John 15, 5. Good morning, come, come, join, very, very welcome. Listen, I am the vine, and we reference the vine, the stream of life. I'm growing, I'm expanding right, and where does the vine lead to? If it's life that we're referencing, not death, then it must go to God. It must be Christ, the Savior, redeemer. So it's to him. We're connected to him, in thought, in word, in deed, intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually, intimately. You are the branches From that vein there's different strains the branches it continues to grow to life, the tree of life. Whoever abides in me and I in him, notice that we're not only giving to him, he's given to us, and it's he that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing.
Speaker 1:We face that venue though, haven't we? The abiding and biting isn't the crucifixion of being condemned to some morality of ethical purpose? The commitment doesn't mean that I'm submissive to ugliness. Is that true? Why is the burden of Christianity so heavy? Why can't I get anywhere in this world? Why does it seem like I'm making the right decisions each and every day and I just can't get anywhere. I don't understand. I'm praying, I'm asking the right questions, I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, but I don't get anywhere. So abiding is no more than being steadfast, it's being devoted, it is being meek, if you would, and meek is being real, calm and being subtle and advancing. So the abiding within that life abides in me and I in him. He it is that bears much fruit. We reap what we sow and we sow what we reap and vice versa. The generosity and favor that we have for others is the same generosity and favor that we're receiving when we start to question the presence and the presence gets questioned often. What am I doing wrong? Excuse me, did I do something wrong? Right, why is God and Christ not in a relationship? Excuse me. Why aren't you involving God and Christ in our relationship? Why don't I see God within you? Excellent, good questions, right?
Speaker 1:A sense of relevance to perception of deception. How many of us are good at fighting and I don't mean that in like an MMA way, or I'm going to put on gloves and we're going to go heavyweight and punch the bag? Not that type of style, right? Not in the octagon and the cage and armbars and tapping out Not that type of mindset. But how many of us are good at fighting right or arguing, disputing, debating? I want you to think about it because if he's given it to you, it's probably an opportunity for him to be capable of shining within that moment.
Speaker 1:Often in relationships we have disagreements, we don't agree, we're not happy, we are happy, etc. And we take it to that mindset. But when we have a disagreement, a dispute, if you would, isn't it time for us to acknowledge that we need God and he needs us? We're not separated, we're not going separate directions, we're not upheaved. Excuse me, am I doing something wrong? How come I don't see God within this image of you at this exact moment? And that could be blame. Right, there could be fault attached to that statement, but think about what I'm saying. If you abide in him and he abides in you and the only thing that you have to bear for one another is love, is compassion, is interest within him, right Within him, exactly, then you don't have anything to lose in any way, shape or form. So if you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it'll be done for you, john 15, 7. And it continues to advance.
Speaker 1:So how is it that, when we stub our toes socially, intellectually, within reason, possible emotional attachment, with satisfaction or non-satisfaction, that we're not capable of finding God within one another? If we can only find God in our trying times or in our enlightened times, then we failed miserably. You see the whole passage. The existence of abiding within the scripture, abiding within salvation, the forgiveness, right, the eternity, heaven, yes, of course, the creation, the whole existence of that is no more than to be capable of finding him within the dark and also embracing him in the light, and vice versa. So I don't think our purest form of testament, our love or hate for one another, is scored and measured when we fall. Rather, it is our trying times, when we stumble, when we fall, when we're walking without a sense of direction, when we're not quite sure where we're going, excuse me that makes up the difference. So I don't think that it's within our ability, what we've been given, to make a difference, but it probably isn't. So my challenge and not that my challenge is relevant because I think it's his challenge I think it's something that we should all try to perceive when your times are trying, when you're finding to be upheaved or you can't get what you want in any way, shape or form, you're not finding satisfaction, you don't have life, you don't have what you're wanting or what you need in any way, shape or form.
Speaker 1:You don't have what you're wanting or what you need in any way, shape or form. Make sure that if it's trying in any aspect or in any degree, that you are capable and able of finding God within that exact moment. You see, if life is only blessed when it's sunny outside, then I'm probably not going to be happy, and if I'm only finding God within you when I'm getting what I want, then he's probably never receiving what he wants. Remember it goes back to him. It takes a lot of theological, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical maturity to be capable of actually trying to advance in this world. And I say that with a sense of gratitude, being submissive to the truth, not as it's bleeding me out, not as it's scoring me and measuring me and it's salting the earth, not like that, more in a sense of I'm capable, I'm able.
Speaker 1:At first I was visiting. I decided I'd stay for a little while. After that I was walking and I was visiting, and then I started advancing. And after I started advancing, advancing, well, I put it back within his hands. When you can, when you, when you can develop, when you can graduate, when you start climbing the ladder, if you would, and you're advancing to the, to the eternity, and it goes back to him, then you don't worry about it anymore.
Speaker 1:I found so many individuals are so invested in worries, troubles and concerns not that they're not relevant probably within your own personal and professional aptitudes, your mindsets, your mentalities, what is right and what is wrong. But I can promise you wholeheartedly that if you let it consume you, if you shine light upon the subject, if you hold it near and dear to your heart and it's possessively the only form of enactment, of prophesying that you have in this world Well, you're not going to be happy. And where does it go? By the way? Right, I'm making all the right decisions, I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm just not seeing God. I don't feel like I'm forgiving God and Christ.
Speaker 1:I've referenced this before. You know, suicide rates amongst scholars, teenage and adolescents are at all-time highs. We're looking at like 75% of teenagers and adolescents have at least thought about hurting themselves. They're not good enough for God. They're not good enough for their spouse, their girlfriend. I wanted to take the prom queen out on a date and I got rejected.
Speaker 1:Who created this society to where there's all these worries, troubles and concerns? And yes, I understand your inequity lies within. Yes, of course that's where it was put there, but it was put there for a reason. It was put there so that we can advance, so that we can learn how to embrace it, so that we can accept it. Acceptance is the key.
Speaker 1:Spend the rest of your life in denial, only to find out there was nothing you could do about it in the first place. What did you gain? So the denial could be that Jesus actually died for remission of your sins. You are saved, you are forgiven, you are redeemed, you don't have anything to worry about. Come to find out it was just a waste of time. In the end, they couldn't do nothing about it anyways. How often do you see individuals in their hour of death? Yes, hail Mary. And their reference is what.
Speaker 1:I guess you got what you wanted, but our wants and needs should be derogatory for what he wants for us. I'm continuing to advance, but if my emotional, intellectual, spiritual, physical input or output, remember the internal works or the external works is not coinciding with God and Christ, then I might be self-deluded in a sense of aggression, and that aggression, if I can't get what I want, I'm going to take it out on self. Have you ever felt like you were mad at your savior, your creator? No, you're not doing for me what I need you to do for me. I'm out, I'm walking away from this relationship. That's relevant, though too right, because I mean, if it works, it works, and it doesn't work, it doesn't work.
Speaker 1:But when it comes to suicide or hurting yourself or doubting or being capable of building sustainment within every shape or form and disregard, you should not have to question his existence or be denied. You see, you're brought up into a world where the ultimate in your mind, the only achievement that you can ever hold near and dear to that is going to hold any worth in any way, shape or form, is being one within and thought and word. Indeed, compassionately holding out the hands here, come, come into my heart, soul, mind. You're very welcome, receive me, deliver me and vice versa. You're receiving him and delivering him. It is the notion of acceptance, of accepting salvation. Some would say well, you're accepting it through catechism, you're accepting it through baptism. You've made that agreement, you have testified it, you've witnessed it, that now you're capable, you're able.
Speaker 1:I'm telling you daily, each and every day most of us are not capable of accepting forgiveness, we're not capable of accepting acceptance. Well, we don't have it. So all these creature-created entities that are only made to help direct us and guide us, it's the GPS of life. Somebody puts it on the phone turn. Right now. We deny its presence, we don't want to listen. We're going through the teenage phase. I know better than everybody else. Well, then I'm cutting everybody else off, then I'm stealing the money and it's all going to be mine and it's over. Well, we've decided as a family, now that I know that I'm wrong, I, with this before Lord, forgive me, you don't want to hear the reference. Now that I know I'm wrong, I'm going to continue to get as many people as I can on my side so that we can be wrong together. There was a family decision. We've decided we no longer want your heart to beat very good when one person decides to be God. Before you know it, we all decide to to be God and it gets worse and worse and worse and it can't go any further. So the testament of the scholarly notion.
Speaker 1:And why the oppression? Should life itself not be happiness and joy within discovery? What about academic planning and scheduling? What if you're in college and it's so tough? I'm working full-time, I'm going to school full-time, I don't have any time. It's hard to make ends meet, I'm not good enough, I don't have spouses, I don't have wives, children, etc. Hobbies, activities. I'm seeking fulfillment, but it's not being offered.
Speaker 1:You will recognize the world that creature created is far from anything that we will ever be capable of actually praising. In fact, when we take in what creature has done on this earth, we are going to be condemned. We're not going to be happy or seek in satisfaction because we're not abiding within the law of Christ, because we're not abiding within the creator. No, no, no, no. Deceptively, there has been dead ends and detours that have been put on this earth and they've been put there to teach us, and I think, different.
Speaker 1:If my generation is scorned, bittered and bitten and they just don't get it, I take it right to my grave, to where I'm still filled with sin and equity and death, telling other human beings how to live, what's right for them, what's wrong for them. I've never figured it out. I don't have it. I don't have myself. Should the next generation be cursed? And you know what they say the apple don't roll too far from the tree. One rotten apple ruins the whole orchard. My Lord, have mercy. Of course, the tree of knowledge. There you go. We know better than everybody. So now you know better than the creator. Now you know better than anybody that you could reference, and we are the answer.
Speaker 1:By the way, your belief needs to be relevant for you, because you are the one that lives, breathes and walks within that testament. If it becomes destructive taunt for anybody else, then it's not right. So questioning of what your wants and needs are in this earth, as if you can be God, is the problem. I can tell you wholeheartedly Lord forgive me, and I do very well in this particular spectrum. If you would, I can tell you it's normal to have wants, it's normal to have emotions and, by the way, I'll give you the honest statement, it starts right on top and it's all in caps. There's nothing wrong with you and, by the way, I believe in God. Good morning, jesse Drackey.
Speaker 1:Life for Death Ministries, very welcome, come in. Come, come in, join me. There's nothing wrong with you? For you to seek to want to be with somebody, to have passion, to have hobbies, to have interests, to have careers, to be capable of having your own. Listen, you're capable of having your own because God gives you your own. Never compare it to somebody else. Let it be good for you and continue to build on what you've been given.
Speaker 1:If you're not capable of having your own, guess what? You're not going to be happy because you're not going to be capable of having God. So there is no shared lives, there's no shared vision. There is no. It's my this and you don't get to have it. No-transcript. Put a torch upside the house and have it completely burned right down to the ground.
Speaker 1:Think about what I'm saying. Ask and you shall receive. Seek and ye shall find. I often wonder who are you, where'd you come from and where are you going? And I'm not God asking that rhetorical question as the reflection in the mirror is no more than the notion of acceptance, of denial. The presence of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, the substance doesn't exist within me anymore. I am capable and I am able within them realms in every way, shape and form, and I can advance within that.
Speaker 1:So we found that individuals that have hurt themselves, that have experienced unsatisfaction. They're making it harder on themselves than necessary, and the institutionalization that they're facing in their everyday lives is no more than a direct confession of the problem. The schools that they attend daily don't have God in Christ, and factors added pressure. I'm a jock, I'm a grunge or emo or whatever these names are these social ranks and hats of stereotypes that we create in society that either condemn or accept, reject or invite, and it's a lot of a pressure. I get A's no, I fail miserably. No, I have a girlfriend. I have girlfriends. I have zero, I have none. I'm a star quarterback. I have no sports. I'm in pep band, I'm playing the trumpet or the clarinet. Think about what I'm saying so every day.
Speaker 1:Our advancement doesn't need to be the acknowledgement of creature and so self-deposingly so. How do we remove the creature expectation and turn it into eternal expectation, biblical representation through your creator, savior and redeemer, you are saved and you are redeemed. It doesn't need to be that I'm flown off down creek and I'm out of a paddle. I'm out of oar, I'm not going nowhere in this. I'm self-doubting and instead of floating, I'm drowning. I'm drowning in my sadness and my sorrow and my agony. Taking matters into your own hands, of course, you would imagine would be part of the solution. Things aren't right. You can't trust anybody to do it for you. I'm going to do it. I'm going to make sure it's done right and then it's going to be over with.
Speaker 1:But the institutions that condemn in this world, that don't offer sustainment and only make things worse, are no more than the lack of God in Christ being the divine full purpose in every heart, soul and mind in this world. We've got to the point to where it's a necessity. You don't even need God and Christ anymore. You don't have to have them in your life. You can continue to advance in every way and you know what you want visitation with God and Christ. You can come see them. You can come see them for once, an hour on Sunday, and after that. Then you're going back to the wolves, you're going back to the lions so they can start consuming you and eating you alive.
Speaker 1:You'll notice individuals that have hurt themselves or that seek that no more than want to be accepted. It's not that they're not happy with who they are. They just want somebody that loves them, accepts them, is capable and able. You know, I'm Life for Death Ministries. I mentioned that earlier. I have a, not a program, but I have an initiative, if you would, a mission. I'm a missionary, of course, very, very good, and see what I'm capable of providing is.
Speaker 1:Competence means discipline, degrees, lives and loves and abundance of anything, anything you can think of. Let's make it happen. And let's make it happen today. Of course, you can't ask for possessive things of I want something that's not mine, I want to steal his girlfriend from him. No, no, no, no. So you can have your own. You see, you find the most joy and sustainment and fulfillment in every way, shape and form when you realize that your Savior and your Redeemer is capable, competent, of providing for you and giving you the fulfillment that you seek and that you find. So you don't have to fight, you don't have to hurt, nor do you have to deny His presence, and I get it.
Speaker 1:Sometimes you can be in a social culture to where being Christian isn't cool anymore. But I think a little bit different. We're hip, we're cool, we've got every aspect that makes it happen. We're capable of turning around and putting the speaker and boombox on our shoulder as we walk down the road, and some of us we even break and we dance. We've got a whole lot of love, compassion, interest and joy. We sing, we praise, we stomp the ground, including fanning of the face. You might even see us down on our knees praying and singing the grace with happiness and joy, and our family lives are no more than love, compassion and the beauty the beauty of the heart, the soul and the mind that can be found from what God has delivered into us. For we find love within every aspect, in every shape, in every form, and we continue to move within it.
Speaker 1:So, to be sorrow, to worry about somebody else's life, to make a decision on them in every way, shape and form, because you're not getting what you want or life isn't going the way that you wanted it to. By the way, if you don't mind me asking you and I've already told you, who are you, where'd you come from and where are you going For, the only testament of you need to be accountable for the decisions you're making. You know, sometimes God tricks us a little bit. He pulls the wool right over our eyes and we see things a little bit different. Well, I was capable of discovering something else about somebody else. I probably shouldn't have heard it, seen it or witnessed it, but I did and I give credit to God for that.
Speaker 1:I abide within the scripture, within the terms, within the commandments, what I've been delivered, but the moment that I step outside those guidelines, the moment that I step outside that arena, the moment that I'm no longer within that safe haven where I'm protected, where I'm safe, where I'm being delivered here, it comes Off to the races, the gates open and here comes the lions and guess what? They're hungry, they're looking to consume you, to eat you, to make decisions on you. So, by the way, I don't live in a world to where anybody can make any decisions on anybody. I go to work every day and I'm being bullied. I go to school every day and they're making fun of me. I don't have a life and they're using things on me.
Speaker 1:I seen a kid yesterday and it was crazy. He says to me it's a form of power. See, this is what I'm capable of doing. He jumps on and on of individuals and he's scoffering on them. On and on of individuals and he's scoffering on them, he's stealing from them, he's not abiding in them, he doesn't have any of his own. And he told me he says it's a power. He says it's a type of power. He says it's actually real powerful and I'm very capable and competent.
Speaker 1:I thought to myself oh, my Lord, your creator and savior and redeemer, he's capable of not only giving you life but also taking that life from you. But I thought to myself my Lord, have mercy. Who taught you? I know, go straight to blame. Fault, fault is part of lacking acceptance. But what's wrong with you, you poor child? You're a child of God, not a child of sorcery. You're a child of the most high of forgiveness and repentance. You don't have to worry about anybody else. You're either allowed to have your own or you're not allowed to have it. Respecting elders, abiding, being patient, within his time, his clock, you will receive your blessing. Well, that's only part of the plan.
Speaker 1:So we need to reevaluate our own interpersonal, physical, intimate actions and interactions. We need to be relevant, not only to self but to what we find to be relevant, because when we get denied, we're actually being approved of. You know, I like it when I get denied. And, of course, I've been single and celibate for like seven years and it's not some omen that I've sworn to or I've taken the oath of celibacy or something like that. It's not that, it's the exact opposite. I swear. I've even got blood tests. I don't have leprosy, I'm good to go, but it's extreme. I can't find anybody to talk to. It's out of this world. But the self-deluding notion of denial can be enlightening. I like to get denied. Do you know why? Because it helps me improve who I want to be and who he wants me to be. I've told you, individuals, this for years and you might not have been listening.
Speaker 1:Moral character flaws cannot be bought, changed or purchased. So if it's a character flaw on who you are, focus on what good you've been given to try to improve the world. And, by the way, stop living in a world to where they define what's right for you. They're the score, the measure, the bar. Their success is where you try to aim for. Their failures are now what you're going to be accountable for. You don't need them, but yet you're not allowed to make decisions on them. When you make decisions on others, when you're in their life, without regard, circumstances or consequence, you will find yourself failing in every aspect and you don't have anybody to blame, in a sense of fault, other than yourself.
Speaker 1:So if you want to mature. If you want the house, the car, the whip, hair done, nails done, everything done, I think a little bit different. You want to hit the corner, stalin. You probably need to focus on what you can accomplish for self and not be so deluded into the derogatory that you should actually have and the perception within. Well, lord, forgive me and help me. I'm going to wrap this up in prayer.
Speaker 1:Our gracious Heavenly Father and Christ, our Savior, redeemer, remind us to imbibe in the scripture, in the walk, in the testament, within the light. Let our purest form of doubt lie within the salvation, the cup, the trust being born again, turning over a new leaf and not denying its presence. Let us be reminded that it's not somebody else's life, that it truly belongs to yours, that the statement it's not yours becomes so very relevant when we start to look at ourselves and then we are the only person that I can change. Remind us to seek to discover, to discover in one another, to let that beauty of love, compassion, yes, the religious life, the church life, truly shine in each and every one of us, bringing us joy, compassion, shape, form and interest. Each and every day. We ask that you continue to honor, to witness and listen to our nearest and dearest wants and needs, what we hold near and dear to our hearts. For a lot of us still seek fulfillment, still seek sustainment, and we have wants and we have needs, and we know that you can provide for us with love, knowledge, compassion and growth. In the name of the Father, son, holy Spirit and Christ, our Savior's name, we pray.
Speaker 1:Facebook, instagram, twitter. Be sure to follow the feeds online. Check out the Buzzsprout. You might like it. There's a lot of talks on there with a lot of different topics. Be sure to utilize fan mail. Hit me up if you have any questions, regards, troubles or concerns. There's definitely resources available for those that are self-doubting or imposing or afflicting. Remember, not only might you be afflicting yourself, but you might be afflicting others, and in no way, shape or form should you be capable of being a cost or expense to anybody in any regard, regardless of the circumstance.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening, thank you for your continued support, thank you for trust in Life, for Death Ministries to be capable of delivering more than the word, but the compassion, the spirit, the interest, the emotional, physical, whole person entity that continue to advance this world If you need to be freed and you don't want to be put in those chains anymore. You have to make that decision of commitment and make that decision today. It's never too late to be turned around, to be born again or to re-invite yourself into the kingdom, but it takes, with a simple gesture of acceptance Come, come into my heart, soul and mind, save me, redeem me and deliver me. Thank you for listening. Have a very, very blessed day. Abide in him so you can abide within one another, not without consequence or regard. Thank you, god bless you. Have a very good day.