The C.A.S.T.
The C.A.S.T.
Defending Faith in Today's Culture: Balancing Courage and Love Part 2
Can the teachings of Jesus guide us in navigating the complexities of today's culture? Our latest episode promises to equip you with the wisdom and strength needed to defend your faith with authenticity and courage. We launch with a poignant reminder from James 1:19-20, setting the stage for our exploration of when to speak out and when to hold back, mirroring Jesus' responses to sin and religious hypocrisy.
Join us as we confront the reality of standing firm in faith amidst a potentially hostile world. We sift through powerful biblical passages from John, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, and Jude, delving into the balance between courage and love in the face of persecution. Discover the critical difference between defending the gospel's truth and protecting personal pride, as we remind ourselves that the message of Christ, while transformative, can also be challenging for some to accept.
Personal stories and practical advice bring our discussion to life, highlighting the necessity of deep, personal engagement with Scripture. Mike's youth camp experience underscores the value of personal Bible study over second-hand interpretations. We wrap up by emphasizing transparency and authenticity in faith discussions—showing that vulnerability and honesty, coupled with compassion and empathy, remain powerful tools for witnessing. Let’s learn to address sin and truth in relational ways that echo the teachings of Jesus.
Welcome to the cast. Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of the cast. I'm Jarrett, I'm Garth, I'm Mike and I'm Trey, and we are back with part two of a conversation that we started last week that was what up party people. Well, glad Mike's back to Glad to be back. Good energy man, I like that energy, it's that premier protein, the intrusive thought run he's on that one.
Speaker 2:He the intrusive thought.
Speaker 3:Run on that one. What's up everybody. It was really loud in my ears.
Speaker 4:Let's turn Mike down a little bit. He hadn't really said much, but when he did speak.
Speaker 2:You guys remember, in Sandlot he goes, less is more. You guys remember that scene.
Speaker 4:What is it you didn't live by that? Is this to get good or go away? Well, jared this is off to a great start. We're definitely back, baby.
Speaker 1:Dumpster fire chick. So we're going to continue our conversation that we started last week. So this will be part two of Defending your Faith in the Current Culture. Your faith in the current culture. And we ended last week's podcast with reading a scripture from James, chapter 1, verses 19 through 20. And I will read that again and then we'll pick up right there. But before I read that, I'm going to ask Mike, as we get ready to kick this off, will you please say a word of prayer for us? Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Heavenly Father. Lord, I just pray that you'd be with us today. Lord, I pray that you just speak through us. Yeah, absolutely, Heavenly Father. Lord, I just pray that you'd be with us today. Lord, I pray that you just speak through us. Lord, I pray that what we do today is just pleasing in your eyes. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Speaker 1:Amen. So in James 1, verse 19 through 20, it says my dear brothers and sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. And when we look at this, that could be a life verse right.
Speaker 4:Right, we could all take heed.
Speaker 1:When we talk about defending our faith, we've got to have those virtues as part of it, and we talked about last week kind of what that looks like. As we get into this, I want to kind of continue on the calling word, if you will, for the cast, but I want to open with this question how do you discern whether you're being called to speak out or to remain silent in certain situations?
Speaker 4:Oh man, the tongue right. I always read it on church signs when you drive by. You know the tongue is life or death. You know and you choose when you're defending your faith. It's easy to go hard on somebody you know and not be Christ-like. We had that conversation on how Christ chose to respond in the Bible to people when he had to defend himself and I really think that you have to do what he did. You have to be biblical, and to be biblical you have to understand the Bible and not just read what it says, but do it and be gentle about it to where you know you can win those people to Christ witness.
Speaker 1:But like every situation that we come against or that comes across to us, us do we always have to speak out against it yeah, I think you know with the patience piece.
Speaker 4:I think a lot of times you hold your tongue because it's so easy to ensnare us. You know to get us in trouble because of our nature, our sinful nature but was there ever?
Speaker 3:like you know, we look at jesus as our example, like we want to be more like him, we want to follow his lead. I know that the bible does not record every second of his life correct, but the parts that it does record, I don't. I can't think of a time where he saw sin and he didn't address it. I can't think of a time that he didn't, that he chose to just be like um, I'm just gonna let that one, you know, slide right, yeah, he's not that person and if we're supposed to be like him, do we?
Speaker 3:is there ever a situation where we're just supposed to step back and but I but the other thing is that.
Speaker 2:But he did it through love well, for sure yeah absolutely it wasn't like you, suck, you know it didn't.
Speaker 1:It wasn absolutely. It wasn't like you, suck, you know it didn't. It wasn't right.
Speaker 2:It wasn't that, it was like you know, like he, like you know, just, it was relational, like it.
Speaker 3:I mean, I, so I don't, and I think that sometimes you're like well, a jerk, I was gonna say something else, but uh, and I, just so I, I would say, um, yeah, he wasn't above, it right like he met them where they were right, but we were talking before we hit record, just a few minutes ago, about how jesus responded to to sin that he saw, and the only time that jesus ever became aggressive towards something that he saw was not right was the people who were religious leaders, who claimed to be believers, who claimed to hold God's banner, god's elect Right.
Speaker 1:That is the only time that he ever showed any type of aggression.
Speaker 3:When it was a sinner who sinned, he wasn't surprised. I don't know why we are Right, but he showed them love. He told them truth. He showed them truth, but he did it from a place of love.
Speaker 1:And he also commanded them to stop doing what they were doing Absolutely Just like the woman that was caught in adultery.
Speaker 4:Every one of them.
Speaker 1:Both situations the woman caught in adultery and when he was flipping over the money tables he commanded both of them to stop doing what they're doing. But the manner in which he did it was drastically different to your point.
Speaker 2:But that's because, I mean, scripture also says that leaders are held to a higher standard. So therefore, when you look at it from that perspective, he was holding them to a different level. And so when you're holding somebody that's at a higher level or a different standard, that is a leader, then you need to speak to that person differently, because it's more of a correction and it's not necessarily love. I mean, love is part of correction, but I think he was saying look, man, you got to get together.
Speaker 3:Well, if you claim to be, if you claim God, and you claim to hold his banner high and you are falling short that right that that does, that doesn't.
Speaker 1:That's not helpful to me it's almost like parenting, like when you have a kid that does something wrong for the very first time. You're not gonna go up there and just be this total disciplinarian when they don't know what they did was wrong, right, and you've got to explain to them that this is wrong. And once they understand hey, this is now the next time they do it it's going to be a little bit different, because they now have been made aware and they now know right from wrong in this situation. But they chose to do wrong. And once you have been made aware of those things, you are now held to a higher standard. You are now accountable to those things in a manner of which you weren't before.
Speaker 4:We're now accountable to those things in a manner of which you weren't before.
Speaker 1:So would you say that we are called to address? The root of the question was, yeah. How do you discern whether you're being called to speak out or to remain silent, Right so?
Speaker 4:it sounds like you know we are called to address it. It's just the manner in which we address it. What's really?
Speaker 1:important and I think it goes back to what we opened with last week about the battle that we're facing. We're not. You know, the battle is not that person, it's not the flesh and blood, it's their thoughts, it's their ideologies. Now here's the deal If you talk to those people and yes, they know Jesus and they've rejected Jesus Now that's a totally different conversation, right when they've had opportunities to respond to the gospel and it's not like they're hearing it for the first time Like the woman caught in adultery when she had never encountered Jesus before, and then she did and her life was changed because of how he was.
Speaker 3:And it's not what she expected. Correct, he came at her in a different way than what she'd experienced from other people.
Speaker 1:Because you will have it from both sides when it comes to defending your faith. You'll have atheists that are there just to pick a fight, and then you will have people that don't know any better, and the way that you have to respond to both of those is a little different. If it's the atheist situation and they come very aggressively at you, just shut it down. It's not going to go anywhere. Don't get in a debate and pick a fight that they're wanting to steer and navigate that fight.
Speaker 4:And if you don't know what to say and all you do is pray about it, that's not nothing.
Speaker 1:Right, that's right.
Speaker 4:That's a big deal. We just, you know, worldly we don't see that, but spiritually it's huge and I think that like we were.
Speaker 3:Obviously we're talking about addressing people with gentleness and with God's love. That doesn't mean that you don't address it Like we still. We still give truth, we still talk to him about it Like we still. We still give truth, we still talk to him about it. We still defend the faith and I don't I don't want there to be this like misconception that we're going to be passive about it. No, we're going to confront it head on, but we're going to do it from a place of love and we're going to show God's love as we do it, so let's let's talk about some scripture then for this.
Speaker 1:What are some Bible verses that you found most helpful when you are defending? Your faith and how they impacted you personally. I kind of shared the one from James earlier, but what's? Some other ones?
Speaker 4:I know it was that 1 Peter 3.15 is thrown around. But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But, like trey was saying, do this with gentleness and respect, and it shows that we're you know you should be ready to defend it, but also maintaining a respectful and gentle attitude when you do it right. Because if you're a Christian and you believe in Jesus Christ, you should have the hope and, like it, should be evident that you're a joyful person because you're, you're saved, you know you're a child of God. You should look different.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And like John 15, 18, it says if the world hates you, if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own, as it is. You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Speaker 2:Remember what I told you A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teachings, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. And so whoever hates me hates, hates my father as well. And so, like I'm just like when I think about if you're going to correct somebody, or if you're, if you're standing for the gospel, like you're going to get persecuted one way or another and you've got to be prepared to do that. But out of the same token, jesus also says turn the other cheek when somebody comes against you. But it doesn't say you know, like you've just got to continue to turn that other cheek because you're going to be persecuted and I'm always reminded like hey, they hated Jesus first, they're going to hate me Now.
Speaker 1:I try not to go through life getting hated but you know, you're doing a pretty good job, mike, I'm just kidding, because I think that's another. Party people.
Speaker 2:I think some people take this scripture and say well, you know, jesus was hated, so I'm going to get hated. No, but a lot of people love Jesus, you know, and they still do, and they love you, mike, yeah, yeah, but Jesus wasn't hated for being a jerk.
Speaker 3:Correct Shut up Are you calling me a jerk. I think that was a fun one. I thought he was calling me a jerk. No, thank you, you projected onto yourself there. Are you a jerk, mike?
Speaker 2:I know sometimes I can be.
Speaker 1:I know I can be, I'm direct hey, true, what scripture do you got?
Speaker 3:My scripture is actually very similar to Garth but mine comes from 1 Corinthians, 16, 13 through 14. It says be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong, but do everything in love. That's good. I think that answers the first question that you ask is how do you discern? You have to be on guard and you have to be ready at any moment. But it also says be courageous and be strong, don't shy away from it. You know, be able to step up and say it boldly, say it with your chest. This is, you know, call sin sin, but do it with love.
Speaker 4:Paul wrote in Philippians 116,. The latter do so out of love. Knowing that I'm put here for the defense of the gospel, it needs to be defended.
Speaker 3:You need to be firm but fair and Paul defended the gospel wherever he was he's in prison right now, wherever he was he never missed an opportunity to defend his faith and because of that he was put in situations and around other people that if it was somebody else they would have never heard the good news. But because it was Paul and he was in prison, the whole prison guard's family got saved. Yeah, he wasn't the whole thing, Right? The?
Speaker 4:whole church, the whole prison Right.
Speaker 1:So I just want to share from Jude, chapter 1, verse 3. It says Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation that we share, I felt compared to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people. You know he's encouraging the believers to defend their faith.
Speaker 1:Stand firm, stand firm. He's defending against the false teachings, the challenging, but he's emphasizing the responsibility. There is a responsibility to us, right, it's entrusted to us To uphold the truth of the gospel. It's not to uphold the truth of your church, it's not to uphold the truth of your position, it's not to uphold the truth of your family, but it's to uphold the truth of the gospel.
Speaker 1:God, first that's where we miss it sometimes is we want to? We get defending the faith confused with defending ourselves. Pride, yeah, and it's ultimately defending what the gospel is, and the gospel message in itself is offensive. And knowing that we talked about that last week and in knowing that, you ought to know that there is going to be pushback, there is going to be some things that come against you just because of what you stand for and there's nothing wrong with that, but you have to know and you have to be prepared to defend. So let's ask this question. We talked about some different passages. Let's look at it this way how do you ensure that you are using Scripture in a way that is both truthful and loving when engaging in conversations about faith?
Speaker 2:Don't take it out of context.
Speaker 4:You got to read before and after the verse that you were referencing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, 100%.
Speaker 4:I know the plans I have for you.
Speaker 2:Exactly, I get ticked off when people read the next one. Anyway, I get irritated.
Speaker 4:You can't just pick and choose your Bible verses, man. It's got to be real. You got to know your context when you're quoting it. You've got to read it and understand it to know that.
Speaker 1:And if you don't, people will pick you apart on that. Oh yeah, that's what people are looking for.
Speaker 4:There's specific passages on Scripture.
Speaker 3:There are atheists and unbelievers who know Scripture and they know how to.
Speaker 2:The devil knows it.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, he know how to, and they know how to. The devil knows it. Oh yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 2:I you know, I didn't realize I was your chainsaw startup again. Yeah, move, uh, I was. I was at youth camp, um, when I was like 17, and I heard this hold up, yeah, story time with mike story.
Speaker 1:it's been a while Roll that beautiful bean footage Story time with Mike Don't.
Speaker 2:I have theme music for this.
Speaker 1:See, I can probably find something on here. Let's see, give me a second All right, go ahead.
Speaker 4:Mike Say it so story time with Mike.
Speaker 2:Now, I was at youth camp at 17 17 and I remember this guy standing up. Well, he was, uh, somebody had quoted scripture and then some other pastor at the table I was like man, this guy's quoting. He said he's misquoting scripture, he's taking out of context. And I was like what he's like? Yeah, he's taking out of context, he's not, he's not using it the way it should be used. And it wasn't, it's not. And so at that moment I realized I was 60, I think it was 16 or 17. I realized, like you know what I need to make sure that I read the bible for me and not hear it from just somebody else that was manipulating it.
Speaker 3:Just for that moment there's a few billion people in the world that would do well to say that to themselves, world would be a better place thanks good job about.
Speaker 1:it was Great story time with Mike.
Speaker 3:It was actually on topic.
Speaker 2:I have another story I'd like to share.
Speaker 4:That's a little bit of a testimony that's a little testimony, hey let's quit while you're ahead.
Speaker 1:You know, garth, you read from 1 Peter 3, verse 15. I want to ask that question how do you prepare yourself to always be ready to give an answer? Because that's what it says right To give an answer in season and out of season. Right when? How do you prepare?
Speaker 4:yourself. It starts in your heart. Right Like Christ is Lord, you have to be in God's word every day, cause if not, it's it's, you're not prepared. You're not revering Christ in your heart. You know you're revering yourself or whatever else you choose to do Well, I keep going back to Jesus.
Speaker 3:How did he prepare?
Speaker 4:Every morning.
Speaker 3:Right Early, and then, even in the most, he withdrew, he withdrew. He went away to the wilderness for 40 days and he fasted and he prayed and he meditated on God's word and when he came out his physical body may have been weak, but man, his spirit, man was strong and he was able to withstand temptation. Then he went into his ministry. So I mean, it's spending that time, that's what is so powerful about it.
Speaker 1:I think that's what we miss. Sometimes. We love to use the excuse that well, he was also fully God. That's great, but he never used the deity of Christ Correct.
Speaker 1:Never, never, once did that, and so that tells us if we can practice. I'm not saying we're gonna be Jesus, but we can be like Jesus and that should be our goal Absolutely. And so, looking at those things, there's gotta be sacrifice, there's gotta be discipline, and it kind of goes back to what we talked about for our first episode, coming back in season three, about managing the busyness of life and everything that you have going on. Jesus did with Drew. He pushed those things to the side and to me that's the example for us Turn your phone off, shut your computer down, whatever those things are. That's taking your time, time. You've got to push those things to the side to be able to prepare yourself, no matter if you're in season or out of season. Um, because you never know when that question is going to come. You never know when that conversation is going to happen, so you've got to be ready all the time.
Speaker 3:The worst thing you can be is caught off guard, right, and it's like, oh, what do I do? Very clearly, we're supposed to be ready.
Speaker 4:A mentor said something the other day that stuck with me. He said that he doesn't drink beer because he doesn't want Jesus to come back and he'd be there holding a beer in his hand. That's not how he wants that to play out. That can run on a lot of levels. I don't want to be caught doing this when Jesus comes back.
Speaker 2:And when's he?
Speaker 4:coming back.
Speaker 1:We don't know Anytime that could bridge.
Speaker 2:You can think about a lot of things. Yeah, we won't ask you, mike. No, please don't.
Speaker 3:But it was like yeah, Something triggered the light bulb went off.
Speaker 4:We hit the right chord.
Speaker 2:No, it's funny.
Speaker 4:I thought the same thing too.
Speaker 2:I was like huh.
Speaker 1:It was a deep thought.
Speaker 3:That's as deep as it goes.
Speaker 1:Should be the name of this episode. Huh, that's a fault. Let's move into some transparency here.
Speaker 2:What I think that's a great transition to transparency.
Speaker 1:What's the huh mean? Right, I think that's a great transition to transparency. What's the huh mean?
Speaker 3:Mike.
Speaker 1:Why do you think that transparency is so important when it comes to defending your faith?
Speaker 4:Because if you're trying to witness to somebody or defend your faith and you're a complete hypocrite, you lose the fight, man, you lose all credibility. Yep, and we're not telling you you have to be perfect man, but you got to try at least. He said be holy as I'm holy.
Speaker 2:And if you're struggling I think that's another thing that goes with transparency is that if you truly are struggling with something, get accountability, get help, talk to somebody to help hold, know, hold you accountable, and and, because that's the only way. Like and and transparency is a bunch of different things like it's you know, you, it's a part of a testimony, you know, if you're not, if you're not a little bit of vulnerable and transparent about stuff like you're not going to be able to lead somebody to jesus. Because if you, if you look like you got it all together, I guarantee you you ain't got it all together, because everybody else can see you right through it.
Speaker 3:Well, perfection is not relatable. You're not going to be able to speak to someone when you are portraying this perfect image.
Speaker 4:I can't talk to Trey. He's perfect.
Speaker 3:He never does anything wrong. You're not around him enough.
Speaker 2:Me and Mike. That was an example.
Speaker 1:Not a very good one, apparently. Let me Me. And Mike, that was an example. Not a very good one, apparently. Well, let me get my notebook out.
Speaker 3:I got a list. But if you put up a facade of this perfect Christian, that does no wrong, that you, I think, also don't be a hypocrite. That's 100%. But I think also the opposite is true. Don't present yourself as this perfect, holier than yeah, sure.
Speaker 1:And when it comes to defending your faith, it's not a sales pitch, it's not a talk track that you have, and I think that's where a lot of people feel that they've got to get so well rehearsed that they write it down and they memorize it and they spit it out verbatim every time, word for word, to different people. The vulnerability really does come in with the transparency of you know. Hey, I get your point of view, I get what you're saying. I was even in your shoes one day. Let me tell you what Jesus did for me.
Speaker 4:You're doing the sales thing, feel felt found.
Speaker 1:It's ingrained.
Speaker 2:It's ingrained.
Speaker 1:But no, I mean, you know what I mean. Like that, when you really start showing where you were to where you are. And the difference in between, right where you were to where you are, and the difference in between, right and there is only one reason for that change and it's the gospel of Jesus Christ. And you show that. That's when walls start to come down and conversations start to turn a little bit, from you having to be on defense mode because you feel like you're being attacked to okay, let's have a conversation.
Speaker 4:Yeah. Good, all right, love, gentleness.
Speaker 1:That's what it is so how do you balance being honest about your beliefs while maintaining respect for those who may disagree with you? Say that again compassion.
Speaker 4:How do you?
Speaker 1:balance being honest about your beliefs while maintaining respect for those who may disagree with you.
Speaker 4:You have got to have compassion and empathy. To be like that, to to even think that you have to have it, and you get that from jesus and I would say, I don't know it turns your heart and when you're, you don't, don't get aggressive.
Speaker 2:you know, like, keep your guard down. You know, because it's because the moment that I mean it's just human nature you know the moment that you swell up, the next person is going to swell up Like it's OK to you know to keep calm in the middle of a debate or a disagreement.
Speaker 4:Just just remain calm in a world where everybody wants to win, it's OK to lose.
Speaker 1:You know what you're saying is you should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Speaker 4:I mean, I think that's in the Bible. It sounds like that.
Speaker 1:We said that last weekend, this week already.
Speaker 3:I think there's the two extremes and you have people that do both. You have the one that church out in the Midwest who just wants to point fingers and condemn people to hell. That's not Jesus. But to point fingers and condemn people to hell, that's not Jesus. But then you also have the other people who are so afraid that they're going to be labeled a bigot or something. That's intolerant. They just want to sit on the fence and they just want to watch someone else do it. But that's also not Jesus.
Speaker 4:It's sin.
Speaker 3:Both of them are Both extremes. What did Mike?
Speaker 1:say We'll keep rolling.
Speaker 3:But then you, what did Mike?
Speaker 1:say We'll keep rolling Okay.
Speaker 3:But then you have to, you find, you have to have that balance. You have to be able to call out truth, call out sin, but do it the way Jesus did, and it was relationally, it was through respect, it was through love.
Speaker 1:Because you're going to be held accountable for both.
Speaker 2:I mean, this is off subject. Imagine that. Like just believe the whole Bible. Man. Like, if you like you can't believe part of it, oh, the other stuff doesn't matter, no, you got to believe all of it. Like like you can't pick and choose what God did and what he didn't do, like it's all there. Read it you also.
Speaker 3:Read it, but you also got to know Exactly. That's why you got to know. 2.
Speaker 1:Timothy 3.16, right that all scripture is God-breathed. Yes, all right, that's good. Let's close with one more question and kind of as we have talked about, you know, defending our faith and what that looks like. We obviously are all in agreement and we know that it can take many shapes, sizes and different forms. It can be through strangers, it can be through friends, it can even be through family, it can be in the workplace. So it's very hard to pigeonhole and just take it from one angle because it can come in so many different places. But that is why it's so important to be prepared and to be in season. Be ready in season and out of season. But in today's culture, what are the biggest challenges you see to living out and defending the Christian faith?
Speaker 3:I think it goes back to what I said previously. I think it's the people are so quick when a Christian stands up to defend their faith, we are called bigots, we're called intolerant, we're labeled these things that are just not true. And nobody, nobody, wants to be labeled those things. And I think there has to be a comfort level, like we have to be okay with being persecuted Beatitudes and we have to be okay with being hated the way that Jesus was. Now a lot of I think a lot of a lot of believers do bring it on themselves, and the way that they do it, yeah, you know, they become jerks and they all they want to do is point fingers and condemn and but whichever way we're going to be, we're going to be labeled things that we're not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and to tie into that. You're right, we bring it on ourselves, because I also think that sometimes we want approval from people and and through trying to get approval of people, we'll sacrifice what we believe in. And I think you've got to take a stand, you know, and but hold true to, to to your values, hold true to what the bible says, and so, um, because they're truly're truly your friend, they're going to love you, no matter what. I mean I've got a friend that we don't vote the same way and we're tight, like I mean, he needs something. I'll be there tomorrow, you know, I'll be there today if he needs something. So we have differences of opinions all the way around.
Speaker 3:I didn't know you and Mike were friends.
Speaker 2:Trey, we're not. You know we are. You wouldn't be sitting at this table listening for me Go ahead.
Speaker 1:Garth. What was the question again? What are the biggest challenges you see to living out and defending the Christian faith?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it'd be me. Self-centeredness, selfishness, anger I am my own worst enemy, and if I can surrender myself to Jesus Christ and be more like him, the world would be a better place.
Speaker 1:I agree. That was going to be my answer is it's myself, I think. I think that too many times we want to blame outside sources and outside situations instead of we need to reflect on us and how could we handle something better? How could we be more tactful? How could we use God's word better? How could we be used by God better? And I think that if we start with ourselves, I think things will change more. But but it starts with ourselves in submitting and surrendering to Christ.
Speaker 4:We could sing man in the Mirror again.
Speaker 2:Mike, I'm starting with the man in the mirror.
Speaker 3:We're going to get a fly for copyright now.
Speaker 1:No, I think we're good. It was in the wrong key, but no, I mean, as we wrap this, this episode up, I hope it was beneficial to some of you listening, um, because I do feel that, as the days continue, uh, this, situation and this culture and the climate of this culture. It is not going to be more friendly for believers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not going to be easier it is going to get worse and how we navigate it is going to be easier. It is going to get worse and how we navigate it is going to be very critical, but we are called to navigate it. We have the ability to be equipped to navigate it, and that's where being in the Word, being prayed up, but having the right community of believers to walk through this together. Be encouraged, be patient. Don't let your emotions get the best of you, because I think a lot of times when we think of defending your faith, emotionalism can rise up and kind of overtake some of those things that we then lose and the side of those people that we're having conversations with and even having debates with. We then lose, and that's not our goal.
Speaker 2:I mean, god's still sitting on the throne and I think sometimes we forget that, like he is still, like he's going to win, and it's not our, it's not like it's his battle, correct?
Speaker 1:You're not fighting the battle, he's fighting it. Yeah, he's already won it, right?
Speaker 4:His enemies will be a footstool for his feet.
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 1:All right well, we'll wrap up this episode right there. Great discussion, guys, on defending our faith in this culture that we live in. Make sure that you guys tune back next week as next week's episode we're going to be talking about the bonds of brotherhood, building strong Christian friendships. I think it kind of ties off of this. You know the need and the importance of having relationships with fellow believers and having good, strong foundations in that and what that looks like. But thank you, guys, so much for tuning in. Make sure that you guys check us out on all social media platforms that we have. Wherever you're listening from, please like and subscribe, whether it's on Spotify, apple, wherever else you're listening from, help us out, share it, let people know all about the cast. But thank you so much for listening. I'm going to ask who opened up with prayer. Was it Mike? I did, thanks, mike. Hey, garth, you want to close us in prayer?
Speaker 4:Father, thank you for this discussion and help us to revere you as Lord. Help us to be prepared to give anyone that ever asks us the reason for the hope that we have.
