"Life of the Christian Man" pt.1

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hi, welcome to Fit 101, Vocalizing Every Noted Topic with a Christian twist. I'm June Bryant, your host, and we welcome you to our podcast. Our vision is to win souls to Christ and to help those who know him by giving them a fresh new perspective on Christian living and reading God's Word. Our mission is to biblically educate people while growing in their Christian walk by answering questions that they are uncomfortable to ask in a church-like setting. You can find us wherever you get your podcast. Please like and subscribe. You can also visit us on YouTube, Instagram, or on our website vent-101.com, where you can leave any questions or comments that you may have. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 1:28

Well, good morning and good day to everybody out there in podcast lane. As you can tell, ain't no woman up in hill. So we gave a little break to my mom's and and Miss Pat. Hopefully, they're enjoying the day off. Because they do go hard just like we do. And hopefully y'all just have to enjoy y'all day. So we're gonna start off with uh my other host over here, and then everybody can introduce themselves.

SPEAKER_10 1:51

All right, I'm brother Shaw, Richard Shaw, happy to be here. Honored to be here with you, brothers, and uh meet some new Christian men, man. Maybe I can get some Ted bits of information I can take home and grow in my wall.

SPEAKER_04 2:06

It don't matter what you got to do.

SPEAKER_07 2:09

I'm uh Rob Whitfield, just happy to be here. Got my shirt on and uh ready to ready to see what this uh brings about.

SPEAKER_10 2:16

Mr. Bobby Barbecue. That's part.

SPEAKER_04 2:19

Yeah, we ain't forget that.

SPEAKER_05 2:21

My name is Andre Payton. Um, I'm pleasured to be here. I've uh watched you all's vent show a lot, and so uh I'm uh looking forward to the conversation.

SPEAKER_06 2:31

Man, I'm Brandon Sullivan. Just happy to be here. I had a uh joyous time last time, so I'm ready to talk.

SPEAKER_08 2:41

Man, I'm Mike Brown Sr. Uh it's my first time being here. Um just open for the conversation. I want to hear what the fellas have to say.

SPEAKER_09 2:52

Oh man, I'm messing up the mic and swinging on the mic, but no. No, I'm Robert Buzzy Henderson, man. I'm just glad to rock with the brothers, man, and and chop it up.

SPEAKER_04 3:03

Amen. Again, thank you all for coming out. We do appreciate you all spending time to come on now just to have a conversation with us. You know what I'm saying? Now I'm gonna start this off, and just you all know this is the Christian men podcast, and the topic is the life of a Christian man. Now, I'm gonna start off with some little, I'm gonna start off with some little general easy for you. Um, what ministries are are you and are you all involved in if you're involved in any ministries right now?

SPEAKER_06 3:30

Um I'm involved with uh refuge and restoration in church and um influence church.

SPEAKER_05 3:41

Wow. And you also with the with the praise ministry, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 4:05

I tell them turn my mic down. We still need you.

SPEAKER_07 4:12

Yeah. Um I'm a member of R Church, and I also like to uh look in my business as a real estate broker, as a ministry, and helping people reach their goals and dreams.

SPEAKER_05 4:24

So you better preach. I'm with R Church as well. Um I know a lot of these brothers, and the only ministry I'm in right now is with the uh feeding the um disadvantaged. Uh so uh, you know, we do that every Saturday. In fact, we were doing it this Saturday um, you know, at this time. So um, but you know, this is an opportunity to come and fellowship with you all as well, but uh, but that's really what I'm in a part of right now.

SPEAKER_09 4:55

Well, um through New Sound of Worship, uh you'll catch me at uh home church of refuge and restoration. Uh I've been blessed and fortunate to be a part of helping other ministries from Calvary Bible Church to Rosa Sharon, you know, just you know, just rocking with the kingdom of God and doing what I can to do my part, man, and fulfill my purpose.

SPEAKER_08 5:25

I've seen you at my wife is at or no. Um I'm still I'm still I'm still searching, so I'm in the mosque. Uh sometimes I'm I'm at or you know, so I'm I'm still I'm still trying to figure some things out, man. But I'm going somewhere.

SPEAKER_02 5:46

Amen.

SPEAKER_08 5:48

I mean, we seen you, dog, you know, that's going somewhere, though. That's the first step.

SPEAKER_07 5:52

Hey, most important. We're just gonna go ahead and claim them at all raised the dog. That's all it takes. You just don't know what yet.

SPEAKER_06 6:02

That's all that's where your family at. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:05

That's it. That's it. Now, my next question. What made you what made you join this brotherhood of being a Christian? What made you choose Christ?

SPEAKER_07 6:23

Uh I for me, and not to jump in front of anybody, for me, um I I was raised uh before my parents found God, or before both of them have found God at this point in life. But before then, seeing extreme opposite of that, you know what I mean? Um just streets, and then um my mother ended up ended up joining a Pentecostal church uh from some extreme stuff that was going on with her. So I will say I was raised Pentecostal, so I always knew God, but I found God myself uh in the military. Just I'll I'll say just life circumstances and and on dealing with some things that only God could show me. Like, nah, I'm Jesus, I'm real, and that's it, that your relationship with me is what matters.

SPEAKER_06 7:18

So y'all feel well um I grew up in a church. Um grew up a uh PK. But I was one of them um them guys that sat in the back of the church and uh you know, look at skirts. I'm just being real. Transparent. Yeah, but um I had stepped away for a minute um and tried to build a relationship on my own. Because you can't always hold on to grandma and mama coattails or daddy coattail, you know, you gotta find them for yourself. So I ended up doing that, and that's when I dived in. Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 8:09

So my family, uh my mother's from uh Mississippi, so you know how this go. My father's from Mississippi, so uh up until a few years ago, my mother was just uh was having church, used to have church at a house at my um my mother and father's house, you know. Uh so uh I grew up in the church. Uh I jumped off the porch and I thought it was fun out there. Um I still kept faith. I got myself back together um and started going back to church. Uh Pastor Lee was uh one of our pastors. Uh after uh losing Mike, uh I had to try to find faith because I was upset with a few things. I don't I don't like to say it no more. Uh I was mad at God. I used to say that a lot. I don't like to say that. Um I was confused and what transition in my life. I say that. Right? And uh I had questions, but uh he saved me. You know, I always give that to him because I can be anywhere else uh through the trauma, the tragedy, all the stuff that I've been through. You know, I could definitely be in the dirt from all the stress and feeling that I have, you know. Um but uh yeah, he saved me. So uh I always give him uh I give him praise, man. Uh being joined to a church or not, you know, I I keep my temple safe, man, because I know who saved me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:44

Hey man. And I get it with the the mad thing, I think that's something we all face too. But I know exactly what you did, but being mad at God, but the main thing is you let him didn't let that affect your relationship with him because God wants to be a part of everything. Right. Right, right.

SPEAKER_09 10:02

You wanna go, bud? Uh man, I I'm uh I don't I seem like there's a there's a you know like a a trend of how y'all want to go, but I don't mind, man. Um I think for me it was different. Uh I was I was raised in a Christian home, but and I was raised in like a non-traditional church. So it was like the most uh hood church I could be. I could be, you know, just whatever I wanted. I never understood like the a lot of like traditional church. I didn't understand it. And I honestly still don't to a you know a part of me. But I was always raised in a Christian home, but man, somewhere along the line, I actually, I actually had an encounter with God for real. And it changed my life. You know, it took me from being a Christian to being saved, or it took me from being a Christian to being in the kingdom of God to thinking, because it's a lot of churches or a lot of people, a lot of us, and you know, me included, I was it was like a religion for me. Like if I base who I am off of doing this how many times, or or saying this, but now I'm just grateful, man, that my life has been changed by who he actually is. Like his his word, or it's a part of his personality that's now attributed to me just because I'm willing to accept it, man. It changed everything for me. So it's so funny because it was like, what led you being a Christian? I mean I think it's one of those things you I was born kind of into it and I agreed, but man, when I received him as he's for real, like Rob said, it's like he's for real. Yeah. And I want to be a part of that. I want to know you as a person. It changed my whole life. It gave my life power, man. I'll always be grateful. Even Mike said, man, just he saved me, and I try I cherish that. You know what I'm saying? So that's my that's my guy's levels to it.

SPEAKER_06 12:08

Yeah, yeah. Because is a difference between what you're saying is a kingdom man. Not just uh uh a Christian. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, it is a difference.

SPEAKER_07 12:24

I think it's a different level of understanding that you know um a lot of time we can spend time worshiping and praising and doing what we see being done, and like you said, like as a religion, then when you really sit down and get to know God, that's that's a a whole different thing. And then when you start seeking who he is, and I know personal you seeking God's personality. Like, like, like who are you for real? Like, like what is this really? Like, what do you really want from me? How do you really view this? And you start getting that understanding, that's a whole nother, you know, a whole nother level.

SPEAKER_10 13:03

Exactly. It's crazy you say that because what led me was like, man, something is obviously missing. You know, uh the difference between doing things in your own strength versus when God is involved and God is the head, the results are different. The results are different. So what hooked me was seeing the results being different. Like, man, I knew something was missing, you know. And I I was raised by my father was a straight G. You know, I tell everybody I was raised on the corner of Parnell and St. Louis Avenue on the corner. My dad's bloodline is Cochrane Projects, you know. So all that sitting on vacant lots and all that, I'm like, okay, I seen what that is, but what's this that has my mother playing gospel music while she's cooking and clapping? I want to know what that is. You know, so I seen both ends of the spectrum, but the one that was most appealing to me was the one my mother showed me. Like, man, what what I know we don't have the most of everything, but that joy you got, I want to experience what's what's that? Right, you know, and she started to give me little pieces of it. I think one of the one of my favorite things my mother did was allow me to go to my godbrother's house. Because my godmother says, in order to come down here, you got to go to church. Okay, now you're going to church, go be a part of something. Whether you want to be an usher, whether you want to be in the kids' choir. And eventually those seeds start to bloom. You know, they planted them. It's God who watered them, and they started to bloom. So that's what drew me to it. Like, man, something is missing. I don't just want to, man, I had some family members that died some rough deaths. Yeah. I'm a shaw. I'm talking about some rough deaths. I'm like, how do we stop that? You know, and it was the ultimate surrender to the will of God, you know, and that was the only thing that was gonna stop it. Or else I was in the manufacturing line to be the next street guy, you know, and and that ain't what I want to show my nieces and nephews because I don't have children. So they are my kids. I had niece and nephews since I was 12, you know, and they say to this day, oh, you the greatest uncle. But without God, none of that was possible. That's right. You know, I don't want to see them go without because I know how I didn't have. That's right. You know, so it's like, okay, how do I look back and change the trajectory of everything and everybody coming behind me? I gotta make some life choices, or it's just gonna keep on going down. And then he said he's a PK. I come to find out my dad was a PK. So I we had a conversation. I said, I see why you was out in the streets, because the responsibility of carrying this cross is heavyweight. Going out there acting fool in the dirt with everybody, that's easy. But carrying this cross, and we we just laugh about it, you know what I'm saying? Because that's how me and close me and my dad was. Because he was like, son, I don't want, I want something different for you. So I started to okay, okay, what seek ye the kingdom. That's where it says that's a good starting point for me. So once I got that, that was the most appealing part of the Lord, and he's gonna draw you. He's gonna draw you. Yeah, and that word gonna draw you or push you. And it always drew me in deeper and deeper. And now as as I go back into a question, I'm on a media team working towards becoming a deacon, all those types of things. Those are the ministries that I'm a part of. And besides, you know, being event 101, you know, uh, I was introduced by the podcast by a secular guy, got me involved in the podcast. But then Godmother, hey, help me since you already know. I'm like, but God, what where I fit, you know? And she was like, you know, I know you're kind of thorough with the business, but see, this is what God's words say. Your gifts gonna make room for you. I didn't know what I was doing on Vim 101. I'm like, Lord, I'm sick in you, and I'm trying, but we all gonna look at ourselves like, man, I ain't gonna never be there, or I ain't there, you know. But God sees different for you, and that's that drawing that agape love that that I'm drawn to that He only He has, and that's what led me to be in the Christian band. Like now, I don't care what you say. You can't make me believe that he ain't real.

SPEAKER_05 17:42

Right, exactly. Right, exactly. Amen. I guess I'm next, huh? Yeah, my Christian journey is uh it's a little slight different than you know the norm. I didn't grow up in a church. Uh the only thing I've ever known uh was a place called the Kingdom Hall. I don't know if you all know anything about that. Jehovah's Witness, yes. Uh that's you know, we didn't go to church, we went to the kingdom hall. And so uh, but there was a time in which I didn't do that either. Uh around 17, you know, I started to kind of wonder like, what is this God thing about? You know, because around that time, around 2002, 2003, there was a big thing on Nostradamus and uh, you know, prophecy and all these kind of things. And so it got me interested, you know, about God. So uh the only thing I knew was, you know, Kingdom Hall. I didn't know anything about church, or in fact, we were discouraged from going to church. You know, we they said that that was uh false religion. So uh so no, I didn't uh I didn't have any other reference point, so that's where I that's what I did. And so I did that for for 20 years, actually, uh from 19 to I think I was around 38. Uh, but then something started to um change in me. You know, uh I think uh I think you said it, like something just didn't seem right. And you know, I I did a lot of things in there too. Uh but something didn't didn't fit right, something didn't seem right. And so a little more research and I found out a lot of different things that you know really brought my uh my whole life actually upside down, to be honest with you. Uh so make a long story short, make a long story short, I um I got out of that and I disassociated myself with the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. You know, but what I want to do uh is I wanted to study the Bible for myself. It's like, okay, what does the Bible say? Um I don't want anybody else telling me anything. I want the Bible to show me what it teaches and show me what it says. And so I did a study on just the Bible. You know, I got my uh I got my dictionary, I got my um my interlinear Bible, it has the definitions of the Greek and the and the Hebrew, and prayed to the Holy Spirit prayed to the Holy Spirit, prayed to God to show me exactly, you know, what I should believe. And that's what I did. And so over time, I started to uh um gain some Christian beliefs. It's like, okay, well, um Christians say that Jesus is God. Well, uh, you know, we didn't believe that. But what does the Bible say? Well, I had to do a whole study on John 1 1, basically John chapter 1, and you know, I came to the realization, okay, well, it seems like that the Bible is saying that Jesus is God. You know, so if I believe in the Bible, then I should believe that. So I'm gonna believe that, right? And then there's some other different teachings too, just one by one, um, I start to see that, okay, well, what I was taught before what was wrong, that that was a false teaching, is actually true. You know, hellfire. I did, you know, we believe that when ones die, they are just go to sleep. You just go to sleep. You know, it's cease to exist. You know, which now I call, I know is annihilism. Uh annihilationism. Yes. You know, but uh the Bible doesn't teach that. Luke 16, 19 through uh 31, Jesus plainly mentions a rich man and and and uh Lazarus. You know, that now that's not a lot annihilationism right there. He's actually saying, you know, uh send down Lazarus because I am in agony in this flame. I mean, that's after death. And so, you know, one by one, the teachings just started to um you know come together to me. And I was like, well, okay, well, now I I have the teaching, so now if I do go somewhere, I can know that I won't be deceived, you know, because that was another big issue with me. I didn't want to, I didn't want to be deceived again, you know, because uh we were taught that this was the truth. And so I didn't want to go anywhere and and also be deceived by what was said is in the Bible, but it's not. You know, so, but like I said, um that was I started to notice or realize that I needed more fellowship with Christian, other Christian people. You know, and I had um Christian friends who also um came from the same situation that I did, you know, but I felt like it's you know, it's always good to be a part of the wider Christian community. And so one day I I prayed and I asked uh, you know, God, well, what where should I go? And I looked on YouTube, well not YouTube, um Google Maps, and um Agape church came up, you know, so I thought it was Agape church, and so I looked into it, and it was actually on our church, you know, it was on Sunday. So I thought, well, let me let me check them out. It seemed like it's a pretty good, pretty good church. And when I came, it's my and also, too, this is my first time actually being in a church service. I had never been to a church service before. I've I've gone to you know church um funerals because you know, some of my relatives have passed away. So I've been there, but I've never been to like the actual church service. So it was an experience, actually, you know, coming in. And I always felt like I bit Bud looked familiar. Yeah, and I figured it out just now.

SPEAKER_09 23:15

You figured it out just now familiar. I just figured it out, dog.

SPEAKER_05 23:22

You're not gonna do it all. You just don't tell me exactly. When you came down the stairs, I'm like, mother look familiar. I don't know why. I feel like I know him where to close the door. You know, but uh let me finish this. No, you take your time, man. I wanna I want to know exactly. You know, so uh so when the church service started, I was like, this is this is so different. And like the music, like live bands, and you know, him him singing and with you all you all singing. I mean this is this is this is amazing, you know, because we've been singing like this at you know where I was from, you know. I know it's the word you know, you know, I'm glad you all know, you know. I didn't know, nobody told me. I'm like, man, this is crazy. Everybody's singing and they're really in tune. And then, you know, when when Pastor Ken got up and he started preaching, and um, I just thought it was so amazing. I'm like, wow, you know, he doesn't have any notes. He's he's he's he's preaching. I can tell he's preaching from the spirit. Um, and uh it's it's incredible. And then the really the the the one that I thought was really impressive was after the the service, not after the service, but after the sermon, and he asked once to come up and to, you know, if you want to accept Christ to come up. I'm like, and I saw all these people coming up and people getting prayed for and people crying, and and you you can really feel the spirit. And I was like, wow, I've never experienced anything like this before. You know, it it was and I felt like God's spirit upon that place. I've never experienced that like that before. And so I'm like, wow, this is what's up, man. This is amazing. You know, so I've been coming ever since. Yeah, you know, and then I decided to let me get rebaptized. I was baptized as a you know, as a JW, as a Jehovah's Witness. But I'm like, let me get rebaptized because I wasn't baptized in the name of the Father, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Man, you know, so I want to I want to redo that. And so um last year in June, I got I got baptized.

SPEAKER_06 25:37

That's crazy because I thought you were there before I was there. I think I was. I think I was. I think I was you you actually wanted to um, you know, being up there singing, you like look for certain people. Yeah. And you one of the people I used to look at and try to find. Really? Yeah. I just never I just that that's crazy. Wow, that's what's up. That's maybe you never know what the effect you have on the thing.

SPEAKER_05 26:04

Yeah, that's right. So, now let me ask. Not to hold up anything.

SPEAKER_09 26:12

Like y'all want to know too. It's like it never happened. No, what high school did you go to, my daughter? I went to Berkeley. Of course you did. See, the thing is, I like this stuff, I like this conversation because who you knew me as before is a different person that you see now. You know, and that's like um he was uh, I think he was a sophomore when I was a senior. Graduated with your sister. You graduated.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

Wow, you graduated with my sister.

SPEAKER_09 26:42

Let me go. You you hooped as well, you know. And the thing is, I was I was just a different person, you know, and that's when that's what always gets me. And it's a lot of Berkeley people that have showed up in the service. Yeah, they be like, I don't recognize that dude. You know, yeah, it's a transformation, and I give that glory to God for real because when I got really, I start being changed from the inside out, and I needed it, man, for where my life needed to go. You know what I'm saying? But that's just a testimony, man, that a lot a lot of people just don't recognize that person because that person is dead. It's a new person that's rescue. So it's a personal. I'm sitting there like a little dog.

SPEAKER_05 27:31

Not the little feature. I know you know him. As soon as I saw him, like, man, I know, I know him.

SPEAKER_04 27:39

I know him from somewhere. Absolutely. Now, my next question isn't so deep. How often do you pray? And how is your how is your relationship with God today?

SPEAKER_09 27:54

Start the morning with kick it off in the morning.

SPEAKER_06 28:00

My relationship um it always could be better. But right now, as I sit right now, I try to talk to him often. Even when I'm not verbally praying, anything I do is a reflection of him. I try to make it a reflection of him, even when I'm uh working, even when I go in somebody's house, I say, Lord, what is it that you want me to do? Because it's not about construction work. That's right. And that's the thing, when I get to go in people's house, you don't know who you're inviting in. Because you're inviting the Holy Spirit in when I walk in. It's not a I always knew when I started construction work, it was just an avenue to get people to him. That's good. So every day I I try to walk with him. You know what I mean? So I I'm praying. When I go in people's house, I'm praying. What I what would you have me to do? Which what can I show them? Can I show them you? You know what I mean? And so my day-to-day is is him. And I try to make sure he and my day. You know what I mean? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 29:34

They say this, you maybe the only bottom people make it. Yeah, they see, hey, you doing, you taking that telephone, brother. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_06 29:41

And and just a regular, if I'm walking down the street, people not about to let me in their house. But construction work, allow me into your kingdom. Without you just gonna let me in. Yes, sir. You ain't gonna think about it. He here for a service. You don't know what service you about to get. You know what I'm saying? Like, seriously, I don't think of it as just construction work. So every day is like on my mind like I'm about to go in these people's house. I need to show them you. And so, yeah. That's good.

SPEAKER_04 30:22

That's good. So, how do you pray, Brother Mike? And what and how's your relationship with God today?

SPEAKER_08 30:28

Well, definitely when I wake up. Um that's the first thing. Second thing, I take an hour out for myself to reboot myself, get myself, my mentor together, and get ready for whatever's out behind my door. Man. Uh, secondly, well thirdly, and I pray before I lay down, man. I pray for my family, pray for people that I don't know, and I definitely pray for myself, man. I always make sure I pray for myself first, because I I done took a horrible beating, bruh. Where um yeah, my life has just changed, man. You know? Through that anger, I had put myself through so much, man, where my heart beat differently. You know, everything is different now. I am not the person I was before 2014. I know that. I'm a different person, you know. So living in my new truth and just giving him what he's supposed to get, you know. Glory, bruh, for saving me, man. I can't say that enough. You know what I'm saying? Because I know I know what was easy, but definitely this end, this part was hard, but it was worth it. It's going to war easy. That's it. That's over. And I just disrespected everything. They forgot about my son. His name don't even. Now they're talking about his ignorant father, what he did. And demonizing his name. It ain't about what happened to Mike Brown Jr.

unknown 32:02

no more.

SPEAKER_08 32:02

It's about what happened to Mike Brown singing and what he did. So doing this battle, I feel the hard way, but the results were good. You know, I'm still here. I'm able to still talk to people, you know. Um, he gives me the strength to still do my college tours. And I'm about to start back doing prison reform in November. I'll be in New York, you know. So it my doors is back opening because I'm not angry anymore.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_08 32:32

You know, so just learning, learning who I am and and and and and trusting him. So, yeah, answer your question morning and night, man. You know, um very seldom. And I'm not gonna say, because it's probably a few times I have, I don't think I called on him through the daytime. I probably have. You know, sometimes we do things without even knowing we did it. You know what I'm saying? Because some things just become natural. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 33:00

So you just you can't count them because they just natural, you know.

SPEAKER_08 33:04

So, yeah, but that's me. That's me.

SPEAKER_06 33:07

Yeah. It's funny, um you said 2000. Uh it's been 12 years. Um I God told me to leave my job that same year in October. I I thought I was leaving my job just for my business. And then when I quit, he told me you have no other choice but to walk with me at that same time. At that same time, I haven't punched nobody else's clock since that October.

SPEAKER_08 33:52

That's deep. Because you know, I used to do uh transportation. I used to take people to their dialysis and to their doctor's appointment. And my my job was gonna be over in October. Wow. Wow. He was gonna, he's gonna move, he moved to Atlanta to do uh what you call it, uh, they buy the trucks and do uh Talking a box truck thing. Box truck thing. Yeah. So uh, and it's crazy. My mother always told me I was gonna be a preacher or a teacher. Look at where I'm at now.

SPEAKER_02 34:24

Hey, crazy.

SPEAKER_08 34:28

You're gonna either be a preacher or a teacher, boy.

SPEAKER_07 34:35

Look at you now. You know, uh too. A lot of us are from R church. And I don't know if y'all remember, but um, around the time where the incident happened with Mike Brown, that's when Pastor Kenham got the prophetic word of the new facility that we at now. Um same time, Frank. So you know, y'all time yeah, yeah, same time.

SPEAKER_08 34:59

And I want to say this I really respect them as a couple and pastors. And another reason why, they never use my son's name for profit. That part. That part. I know. So many people have done it.

SPEAKER_09 35:16

They never they not them kind of people.

SPEAKER_08 35:19

They never did it. Man, no.

unknown 35:22

Really?

SPEAKER_08 35:24

Because if they did, they would have been outed. Somebody would have known they did it, and then they got back.

SPEAKER_07 35:29

Yeah, that ain't and see, and that's the thing about all the people. They never did that, man. I appreciate that. It's just it's real. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, and everybody can say something's real, but I'm not saying that because it's my church, that's my church because it's real. You know what I mean? Well, I can say this everything.

SPEAKER_04 35:47

I know the le I'm every time I walk in, I'm doing certain.

SPEAKER_08 35:51

I'll be like, what is this? Right, exactly. I'm the same thing. Yep, I sit down. I make sure I go get prayed for y'all see. I walk up there.

SPEAKER_04 36:09

Okay. The one thing you said, the people you said is like how God delivered you from all them things. Yeah, and how how like going through grievances a lot of times, especially with men, it brings anger. And I think we've all had bounced with anger at some time in life. I went through that so bad to where I had to get therapy for a couple times. Yeah. So, Trust, and I understand that's I'm still in therapy.

SPEAKER_08 36:33

Yeah, I think we all should have it. I don't believe in it.

SPEAKER_04 36:40

Because I want more of our people to be open to that. Ain't nothing wrong with getting help. God made them too. We need therapy. It's the help grow healing.

SPEAKER_09 36:50

I think it's God in therapy. Yeah. Yeah, it is. You see him in therapy.

SPEAKER_04 36:54

Definitely. Absolutely. I ain't trying to get back off the top of my bed. How often do you pray and how is your blessing with God now, as of today?

SPEAKER_07 37:04

So I make sure, like I'm me or my spouse, nobody can leave my house without us praying. Um I make sure, you know how a lot of times they, and I and I never understood it, but you know, a lot of times you get woken up between two and three in the morning, all that. I've I've I think I've done that all my life, but now I make it a point. It's just known. Hey, if it's anytime after midnight before four, you wake up, you go in in there, and I mean a real, you might be in there an hour and a half. Like, don't worry about the sleep you're finna get after that, but you're finna really get in there and get into it. At the same time, though, um because I don't I don't ever want to make something like try to sound holier than now. Because some sometimes if if you just clock in a time to where you can do that, that can become religion or or ritualistic too. So as you were saying, like I want to make sure to always be genuine with God. So I want to talk to him throughout the day. I don't need to be seen or heard or none of that. You know, I just want to make sure to be in communication with him throughout the day. I've learned though, since I've made it a point to be doing those early morning, late night prayers every day. Um probably in the last two years, year and a half, I might have missed maybe two or three days or something like that. But it's shown me show you you. You're not as close as you think you are. You're not as so when you ask how that relationship is, it's like you know, you am I judging on how much I talk to him, or what is really being revealed here? Because when you come in this much in prayer, you you see your fly, I mean you should hopefully you're being convicted and seeing your shortcomings, your sins, the things you didn't know that was wrong, and stuff like that. So of course, the devil can use conviction as condemnation. So I'm not saying it's a condemnation thing, but you see, bro, you got some work to do. You know, so if if that makes sense, not to and this is kind of off the question, but going on to like your anger, bruh. I I pray for you a lot, my guy, because just sitting up here, just I know the anger I got about the situation. My ground journey wasn't my son. You know what I mean? And I listen, but on our Christian walk, I'm noticing I think when you would talk about this, um people and the way life, we can say life, but the way people can offend you as a Christian and bring you to a place of I'm ready to crash out or I'm ready to you know what I mean? Like but that's our that's the real stumbling block, you know, the the grudges and the anger and the unforgiveness, and those are the things that'll keep us from making it to, you know, you've done everything else right, but certainly you you ain't forgive them, I can't forgive you. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 40:28

Forgive them like I'll forgive you.

SPEAKER_07 40:30

That's not easy. But that that's hard, bro. That's hard, that's really hard. And I'm not even talking about something as deep as like your situation. I'm just saying daily offense, shady offenses, or behind the backs, or this or that. It's you know, see you digging, you hauling my paper, man. Okay, that was good. I am gonna ask that question. I want them to get there.

SPEAKER_04 40:55

We were gonna dive into that one too. Because I know we all go through our own different struggles, stuff like that. But I want them too to go ahead and answer that one real quick. Uh the question is Is how often do you pray and how was your relationship with God as of today?

SPEAKER_09 41:08

Man, I I think I dig where everything everybody uh dig what everybody has said, man. It's one of those things where my relationship with God is it's hard to explain because I I it's just my everything, dog. You know, I I can't I can't function, man. I've I've been a wreck as a person. I've been mentally just not right as a person, don't know where I'm going. I don't know really how to be or where to be. I've been one of those people where I needed help. He has been my help. I'm trying not to tear up crap. Hey, but no, but it's the truth. He is truly my everything, man. I don't know how to do that. I'm just one of those dudes, man. Look, I got this for a real. I appreciate it. But nah, man, he's my everything. I don't have nothing else. You know, and without him, I'm really, really, really lost. So I I can understand that my me getting to know him is always a journey. You know what I'm saying? And it's always something, I don't want to say I'm chasing it. I'm being fulfilled by my everyday of seeking him. You know, that's that's what's on my mind. And I think that answers the second question, though. Because you like, how's the prayer life? That is the prayer life for me, you know, because it's like a prayer without ceasing is like you, it's just you always being mindful of him, you know, and always in connection with them. You know, so if even I'm if I'm not uh praying, which I do because I have to, because that's his way of invoking what he wants done on earth, and he wants to do it through us, and I'm with that. But it's just to be mindful of what's on his mind. That's how what I'm reading, you know, what I'm putting into my heart and what I'm aspiring after. You know what I'm saying? That's all I got. After that, you don't have much of anything from me. You know what I'm saying? It's it's not worth much, but with him, that's my everything, man. So I don't know. It's hard to say that, you know, it's sound like you're saying you got a strong bless you. Man, I just have one. You know what I'm saying? I'm not a strong person, but in him I am. You know what I'm saying? So that's why I'm like, I'm just glad I got him. Right.

SPEAKER_05 43:36

Yeah. Amen. Amen. And I I want to piggyback off not only what he said, but what everybody has said. You know, um, and you know, I try to pray throughout the throughout the day, you know, and just off of, you know, some things that may not make sense to me, I try to ask, okay, now, now give me give me clarity on this right here, you know, or you know, reveal to me what I, you know, need to do because there's some situations that I have no idea. You know, before I tried to take it, you know, upon myself to try to figure out the situation. And I saw how that turned out. You know, and it it never turns out, you know, good in most cases. And so, but now these situations that I'm coming upon now, it's like I I have absolutely no idea on how it's it's going to pan out. You know, I have no reference point. Um, and so I just try to give that to him and knowing that, you know, he'll he'll take care of it, you know, and I can just go in or go about my day and go about my life, you know, knowing that, you know, cliche's saying, but he's gonna take the wheel, you know. He's gonna take the wheel, he's gonna lead me in the in a direction that I need to go, that I don't know that I should go, but he knows the direction I should go. Yeah. And so I'm just gonna allow him to take over. And so I try to I try to do that throughout the day and to you know, give him the big and the small. And um, you know, I feel like, you know, I I I have a relationship with God, you know, personally. You know, before it was a it was through um it was through something else or through someone else. Yeah you know, and uh, you know, won't get long-winded in that, you know, but uh but now I feel confident that I can go to him personally and that he can be my Lord and Savior. That's right. You know, my personal Lord and Savior. You know, I can go to him and I can just speak to him about different things. And so, you know, I I truly, you know, value, value that relationship. You know, like I said, it's and like all of you all have said, you know, it's it's gotten me through a lot of times that I didn't feel like I would be able to get through, uh, even still now, even still today. You know, so uh I value the art my relationship with God, you know, with the Lord, and and uh like I say, I pray to him and I try to teach my kids to uh the art of prayer too. Because that's another thing I think that you know we didn't me personally I didn't learn is actually how to pray. And I think that's one of the most important things that you know uh as men, as fathers, you know, we can pass on to our kids is is the um the knowledge of not only how to pray, but uh the the um the the benefits of praying and having that relationship with God.

SPEAKER_04 46:31

I'll say for me personally, where I'm at now in life, and I because I've been going through a transition, it's about as strongest it's ever been in my life. Because I pray I never saw myself as somebody where people hit me up to pray with them. I never saw that coming. Because just like you all, I have the similar testimony, and my mom got me and told me don't talk too much, so that's why I've been quiet today. But the one thing about that is I do, I pray a lot, I'm not gonna lie. That's like with the struggles of like how I get easily offended sometimes. So I have to pray. That's what keeps me, um keeps me on the right accord. That's right. So that's why me personally, with my my relationship, I talk to him like how I talk. Pops, what's going on? Can you please show me what's going on? Right. I need revelation right now. So it's like, and he be like, dude, you retarded. I told you stop doing that. You're gonna get the same result. But you're gonna do it again. You wanna see, you wanna keep, you wanna keep seeing it. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. It's like, so like to me, that relationship is like he talks with me, and the way I hear him, it sounds like almost like a regular prayer like me talking. Right.

SPEAKER_10 47:46

Exactly.

SPEAKER_04 47:46

And he be like, Man, you tripping. Um, I'm I'm glad you did that. Uh, I'm smiling on you right now because you stepped outside of your box. I was never a person, I figured it was a certain way to pray. I figured a certain way to go about it and all that, and it's a conversation with God. That's the easiest way to put it. It don't have to be a certain place, certain time. And I just asked you all that how often you do it, just to see how, for one, because we got people that list, a lot of people that list us up across the world. And your perspective may give them insight of something that they may be going through to help them pray more. Or what you may say may even give them a different way of thinking about it. But like with me personally, I pray all the time. People call me to pray with them. I never saw that coming. Asking the study of the Bible and stuff like that, I didn't realize I knew the Bible like that. I've always been a person that I pray a lot, but my prayers changed. Right. Because before it was so dry and bland, and just like, Lord, help me with this when I need them. It wasn't because I'm doing it to help somebody, praying for somebody. I was a person to put them on the shelf. I was like, man, I need them right now. Let me go and get you up. Lord, can you help me with this right now? And he always showed up. And see, over time, that's what made me follow him. Because I went through something similar as you around the same age. I was like, how am I to know I'm in the right religion? I was raised Southern Baptist. As he said, I have a choice but to go to church. My mom didn't play that. She wasn't going, but she made sure that we was going, that I was going. And so it was instilled in me, but I still combated it. I was focused on the wrong thing. I'll look at them. Like it sounds like a church person. I'll look at them. They probably Christians. How they up here getting turned up? Ooh, they're Christian. I know he's smashing her. Stuff like that was going through. So I'm like, I don't believe y'all. How no I'm in the right thing. So my mom gave me a book. It broke down all the different religions. Then I started, like you. Again, I said, we sound similar. You sound like, damn, that's crazy. I'm because I got I got a little nerdy side of me. I need to know the facts and evidence. Right, exactly. If I don't think it, if I don't think it's factual, I don't, I'm like, dude, you gotta show me the facts. Right. So I I dove I dove into it and through it all, it said Christ. I just heard the voice say Christ. I said, well, I know I know who I'm gonna follow. Exactly. So just to um, and we're gonna end it right there right there. Well, you started something, just so you know. Okay. Okay. But the key thing about this is, man, I again, I want to thank you all for coming. And this is our first segment. We still got a second segment, but we keep this all timely. Uh, brother, you mind printing us out real quick.

SPEAKER_10 50:26

Your most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for this occasion to lift you and exalt your name above all. We thank you for these men gathering. We thank you for the tidbits that went across the airwaves. Hopefully, it plants a seed, you water it and nurture it, and someone is led to you by what we say and what we do in our actions daily. We thank you for everything that you do for Vent 101. We thank you for these brothers. We thank you for these homes that's represented in this studio today. All these things we ask in your son, Jesus' name. Amen.