Jesus's Blueprint for a Golden Life

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Jesus covered everything from anxiety to forgiveness in one sermon. Which teaching from Matthew 5-7 challenges you the most? #SermonOnTheMount   #CheerUpPodcast 🎧 #FaithJourney #FaithStories

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:19):
Hi and welcome to the Cheer Up Podcast.
I am your host, Kara R Hunt,and with me is the beautiful and
kind Sherri Swalwell.
How is your day going so far,Sherri it?

Speaker 2 (00:34):
is wonderful.
It's April and I absolutelypositively always love April.
But the thing that I want totalk about today well, actually,
tomorrow is my anniversary, ouranniversary, we will be.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Happy anniversary to Sherry and her husband.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
I'm not going to mention his name 26 years
tomorrow, and then two daysafter that or the day after that
, I should say so 4-4-0-3, ourdaughter was born and 4-3-99, we
were married.
So I love April, I love thebeginning of April and I just

(01:18):
yeah, but that's not even what Iwant to talk about today.
What I want to talk about isthat I was in a church recently
and we were oh, I don't evenremember what we were talking
about, wasn't the important part.
The important part, what I wantto share with you today, is
that I am absolutely lovingwalking through the Bible with

(01:43):
our listeners and it has made melove the Bible even more Like.
I want to encourage people today.
I want to encourage so ifyou're listening, if you're a
faithful listener, or if you'rejust tuning in for the first
time and you're going, oh great,these people are talking about
the Bible, they're talking aboutBible stories.

(02:03):
I want to talk about somethingelse, Like I want to talk about
current topics or whatever Iwant to talk about.
I don't know, I I don't knowsomething, but I just don't want
to talk about the Bible.
I want to encourage you thatwhen you take one step in God's
direction, when you take onestep with having either a

(02:25):
regular quiet time meaning youstart reading your Bible one
chapter every day, or listeningto praise and worship music, or
whatever when you take a steptowards God, the Holy Spirit
will ignite that hunger in youand it will be something that
you end up craving.
You're not going to crave itnecessarily the first day, but

(02:46):
that doesn't mean that you'renot going to crave it, and so
that's my encouragement is thatI did not always love the Bible
to the extent that I love theBible now, and I think it's
because we have been walkingthrough the Old Testament and
then the New Testament that itdid, and I have a Bible study,
where we're reading through theBible slowly, very slowly,

(03:09):
because we want to make surethat we're really grasping what
we're reading.
But I absolutely have fallen inlove with the Bible, and
anybody and everybody can fallin love with the Bible.
If you just take that first step, just like with healthy food,
like I, I could sit here and sayI hate salad.

(03:30):
Why in the heck do I want toeat salad?
The doctor says I have to eatsalad.
I don't want to eat salad.
If you start, you will grow tolove salad.
If you, if you start anyhealthy exercise I hate to
exercise, why do I have toexercise?
You start and you will grow tolove exercise.
So I just want to say thank you,Kara.

(03:50):
I am loving, loving, lovingwalking through the Bible with
you and with our listeners.
It is just so enjoyable and ithas just made me fall in love
with God even more so that whenI hear things that are happening
in the world today, I can saybut look at what happened in the
Bible.
Here's our example from theBible.

(04:12):
Here's what Jesus did for real,not just what would Jesus do.
And then you, you know, think,you know.
No, you can go right back tothe Bible and know what Jesus
would do.
So I am like just overflowingwith joy about learning so much
and learning from the differentbiblical figures that we've been

(04:34):
studying, and I just want tosay thank you and that is why
I'm filled with joy this morning, because I just have this
hunger that is just contagious.
I hope I that is justcontagious.
I hope I hope it's contagious.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well, it is so awesome because God has really
been good to us.
So, for okay, well, before Ifinish saying what I was going
to say, welcome to the True Uppodcast.
Thank you to all of ourfaithful listeners who continue
to tune in every week andcontinue to give us a shout out

(05:08):
and everything else, and thankyou to those who are new to the
podcast.
Today, new episodes uploadedevery Wednesday and, wow, we
have like almost 200 episodesnow, sherry.
So if not over that, if I'm notmistaken, you know, if we're
not there, we're very close toit and everything else.

(05:29):
So, thank you guys, for thepast couple of years You've been
so awesome.
Your nation wouldn't be thesame without you, without
everyone just tuning in, and wejust thank you so much.
And if you've been blessed bythe podcast, please share it
with a friend, please mention itto others, please like,
download and subscribe.
That just helps us in thealgorithm and it just kind of

(05:51):
helps us when someone's lookingfor a podcast like this or
something like that.
It just kind of helps us on thedifferent platforms and
algorithms so that they'll beable to find it.
So if you guys could do us thatfavor, we would greatly
appreciate it and we want tothank you so much.
And for those who are new,earlier this year, in 20, well,

(06:14):
I think it started last year, in2024, we did.
We started with biblical figuresfrom the Old Testament and then
we did during the summerthrough October, from like June
or July to October, we did anencore presentation of the
Screwtape Letters, which talksabout spirituality and demonic

(06:36):
activity and different thingslike that come against our lives
, that we don't even know it.
It's all related, okay.
And then we came back the fallwith you know the New Testament
and everything else.
So all of that to say I mayhave gotten all the data stuff
mixed up, but go to the Cheer UpPodcast website.
Just type in Cheer Up Podcastin your favorite search engine

(06:59):
and you'll be able to pull allof those up.
So, going back to what Sherrywas saying, this has been such a
blessing to both of us to justbe able to do these podcasts
with all of you, because for thedifferent biblical figures, for
the different topics,especially with the biblical

(07:21):
figures that we have been doing,we study, we research, we pray
so that what we bring to youguys and we pray before each and
every episode, and we've beendoing that for years and when we
get into it and then so that wecan become prepared to be able
to present what the God has puton our hearts to present to you
guys.

(07:42):
And as a result of that, it goesback to what Sherry said.
It fills us with joy and welearn so much in the process and
we'll be talking to each otherand go, hey, did you know that?
I didn't know that.
Or we'll be talking aboutsomething that it's like a rhema
word that came out to us, orrhema theme or topic Like it

(08:03):
just means something to us thanwhat we may have read previously
.
So that joy is there and it'spalpable and we just pray that
you guys can see it too.
So thank you again for tuningin and we pray that you guys are
just as excited about theseseries and the topics and
biblical figures that we've beencovering Because, again, as we
said, as we've mentioned, thosethings may have happened, those

(08:26):
biblical figures live a longtime ago, but the circumstances
and the situations that Godbrought them through or that
they were in are the same onestoday.
It's just different faces,different people, and it's the
same thing and the scripture andGod is the same yesterday,
today and forever, and so andwe're just connecting the two

(08:47):
and saying, hey, look how Godbrought them through this and
look how God's going to bringyou through the current
situations that you are going in.
So, sherry, thank you for goingon this journey with me, with
all of us.
It has just been a blast.
I know you guys are sayingreally it doesn't sound like if
you had to research and studyand do all this stuff.
I was like no, it's been ablast because it has been

(09:07):
ministering to our spirits aswell and we just pray that it
ministers to yours and that itcontinues to do that.
So, okay, enough with theemotional stuff, but we just
hope you do really hear ourhearts and everything when we

(09:29):
say that.
And again, just another gosh.
I just want to say how gratefulwe are so many more.
It's like when we, you know, wecan see when so many different
cities are listening, so manynew cities to the podcast, new
states to the podcast, newcountries and even in one

(09:49):
country there's like new citiesin that country.
You know that have been tuningin.
So I'm not going to list allthe countries and the cities and
states right now, but just letjust know we see you, we hear
you, we know that you are thereand we do not take you for
granted and we just you have noidea how much we appreciate all

(10:09):
of you continuing to tune in.
Okay, today, sherri, we'retalking about the Sermon on the
Mount.
Wow, what is the first thingyou think of when you hear about
that?

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well, we had an amazing sermon about the Sermon
on the Mount and it was one ofthose where I'm like, as I'm
listening to it, it like made somuch sense but it's still
germinating inside of me that Idon't feel adequate to be able
to explain it to other people.

(10:43):
So I love it.
I am learning so much moreabout it than I ever like.
There's so many more layers toit than I ever realized, and one
of the things that stuck withme that my pastor said was
something about and I won't getit completely right, but the

(11:04):
gist of it was, if we liveaccording to the principles just
in the Sermon on the Mount, ourlife would be golden.
Like we.
We would be successful in likeevery area, because he touches
on every area.
So we live according to thebiblical standards of the Sermon
on the Mount, we would live agood life.

Speaker 1 (11:26):
Well, and that's why we're going to go through it and
because, okay, so as I wasresearching the Sermon on the
Mount, it goes back to whatSherry said, or she said her
pastor said it is so many layersthere and I could sit here and
bog you guys down with like awhole bunch of the notes that I

(11:47):
took and all the differentlayers to it and the
significance of each layer andeverything like that.
But a lot of that could be.
I'm thinking it would just be alittle bit overwhelming than
just Sherry and I just trying tojust go through it and talk
through it.
And the Sermon on the Mount canbe found through Matthew 5 and
Matthew 7.
Excuse me, the books of Matthew, the book, the Gospel of

(12:11):
Matthew, chapters 5 through 7.
And my preference is always theKJV version, the King James
Version.
But for the sake of a littlebit more clarity over the
recording lines and fordifferent listeners and
everything else, I'm going toread from the ESV version and

(12:35):
Sherry and I are just going tokind of just talk about it as we
go through it.
So in Matthew 5, it starts,matthew 5, chapter 1, and that
one first chapter is just simplyabout the Sermon on the Mount
and it says seeing the crowds,he went up on the mountain and
when he sat down his disciplescame to him.

(12:56):
So it sounds like here thatthey're talking, that he's
talking directly to thedisciples.
In some of my notes I know theywere saying oh, it wasn't just
the disciples, because there wasalso a crowd and everything
they gather.
And I think a crowd did come,but perhaps later and I think
all of this according to thenotes and research, I think it
was like on the bottom of amountaintop type of thing or a

(13:20):
hill.
So again it says seeing thecrowds, he went up on the
mountain and when he sat downthey're talking about Jesus his
disciples came to him and thenverses two through 12 are the
Beatitudes and they say and he,meaning Jesus, opened his mouth
and taught them, saying blessedare the poor in spirit, for

(13:44):
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, forthey shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for theyshall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hungerand thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, forthey shall receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,for they shall receive mercy.

(14:04):
Blessed are the pure in heart,for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,for they shall be called sons of
God.
Blessed are those who arepersecuted for righteousness'
sake, for theirs is the kingdomof heaven.
Blessed are you when othersrevile you and persecute you and
utter all kinds of evil againstyou, falsely on my account.

(14:26):
Rejoice and be glad, for yourreward is great in heaven, for
so they persecuted the prophetswho were before you.
Those are considered theBeatitudes.
And wow, what a comfort.
Am I right, sherri?
Just that whole section.
It's talking about those whoare poor in spirit, for they

(14:46):
will receive the kingdom ofheaven.
For those who mourn, you shallbe comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for theyshall inherit the earth.
What are your thoughts?
Blessed are those who hungerand thirst for righteousness.
When you hear those Beatitudes,to me they just bring such
comfort, right, because he'spretty much covering everybody
and saying it's all good, I gotyou covered.

(15:07):
What are your thoughts onBeatitudes?

Speaker 2 (15:12):
Oh, absolutely the same One is.
They remind me or they feelwhen I read it.
I get the same emotion as likewhen I read Psalm 23.
It feels like a warm blanketcovering me and just making me
feel cozy and warm and safe.
And also some of the Psalms itfeels that way.
Well, I know Psalm 23, but likesome of the other Psalms that

(15:35):
are just like God's way of justsaying I hear you, I see you,
I've got you, and that's thefeeling that I get with the
Beatitudes.
And then when you were saying,like when you were reading
through all the different ones,and it was talking about the
pure in heart or those whohunger and thirst, it reminds me

(15:56):
that God's currency is oppositeof what society's currency is,
so we tend to swim upstream.
That's how we always talk aboutit in my family in our family is
that we as believers swimupstream in the current of
society, and so it just remindsme that God is saying those who

(16:20):
are left will be more, those whoare persecuted will be taken
care of, those who are unselfishor selfless will be lifted up.
So those are kind of my initialthoughts when I hear the
Beatitudes being read.

Speaker 1 (16:41):
Absolutely.
And the next couple of verses13 through 16, are the salt and
light verses.
And it says you are the salt ofthe earth.
But if salt has lost its taste,how shall its saltiness be
restored?
It is no longer good foranything except to be thrown out
and trampled under people'sfeet.

(17:03):
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot behidden, nor do people light a
lamp and put it under a basket,but on a stand, and it gives
light to all in the house In thesame way.
Let your light shine beforeothers so that they may see your
good works and give glory toyour Father, who is in heaven.

(17:24):
Those are some more encouragingscriptures, am I right, sherri?
It's just talking about how weare the sight of the earth, the
light of the world, and that weshould not hide the light that
we have being believers in theLord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
But we're to put it on a standand give light to all in the
house, to all of our family,brothers and sisters and those

(17:46):
we love and we care about.
And it says to let your lightshine before others so that they
may see the good works and giveglory to your Father, who is in
heaven, because it's not aboutus, right, it's about giving God
the glory.
What are your thoughts on thesalt and light passages?

Speaker 2 (18:02):
Oh, absolutely so it goes.
It talks even more right thereabout how it is our
responsibility, but yet Goddoesn't expect us to do it in
our own strength, that he givesus the tools that we need.
He expects us to do it, but hegives us the tools that we need.

(18:23):
We don't have to do it on ourown, but we have the knowledge
here to do it with us.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
Absolutely.
And again you feel that comfortbecause he's just saying you
are all these things, but goahead and do it, because I got
you, it's all good don't youlove how he started the the

(18:51):
passage with saying for thosewho are meek, um you know, I
will give you this for those.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
Oh yes, yes.
Started out saying I've got younow.
Now that I've got you, this iswhat I need you to do, like
absolutely takes care of usfirst and then asks us to do
whatever it is that he needs usto do, so we're never having to
do it in our own strength.
We're never having to do it onour own with our own tools.

(19:14):
We're never having to come upwith our own plan.
He's got the plan.
He just asks us to fulfill it.

Speaker 1 (19:22):
Absolutely, You're right.
He's given us that inspirationand encouragement first and he's
saying, ah yeah, I know you mayfeel like Gideon or whatever,
and be like, well, I can't dothis.
And he's like, yeah, you can,yeah, you can, and this is what
I need you to do.
By the way you know and verses17 through 20, it talks about

(19:42):
the fulfillment, of how he cameto fulfill the law.
And he says do not think that Ihave come to abolish the law or
the prophets.
I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.
For truly, I say to you, untilheaven and earth pass away, not
an iota, not a dot will passfrom the law, until all is

(20:03):
accomplished.
Therefore, whoever relaxes oneof the least of these
commandments and teaches othersto do the same will be called
least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever does them andteaches them will be called
great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless yourrighteousness exceeds that of
the scribes and Pharisees, youwill never enter the kingdom of

(20:26):
heaven.
Ooh, that one's a little bitmore strict and a little bit
more ooh.
Okay, Well, I really need to doa deep insight and research
into my soul and spirit here.
But there's a reason for that.
You know that he says that, butbasically he's saying I'm not
coming to get rid of the law,I've come to fulfill it.

(20:46):
And what are your thoughts onthat?
Those, those passages, Sherry?

Speaker 2 (20:52):
I don't know.
I think if we were having thisconversation just you and me,
I'd be like and now we know whythere is so many layers to the.
I'm just being honest.

Speaker 1 (21:05):
And now we know why there is so many layers to the
sermon on the mount, becausethere he's going back and he's
referring to the law of Mosesand different things like that
and he's just saying, hey, Icome to fulfill that.
We're not going to get awaywith the commandments, no, I've
come to fulfill them.

(21:26):
This is why I'm here and hegoes.
Verses 21 through 26 of Matthew, chapter 5, which is where we
are now, are the verses where hetalks about anger.
He says you have heard that itwas said to those of old you
shall not murder and whoevermurders will be liable to

(21:47):
judgment.
But I say to you that everyonewho is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment.
Whoever insults his brotherwill be liable to the council

(22:07):
and whoever says you fool, willbe liable to the hell of fire.
So if you are offering yourgift at the altar and there,
remember that your brother hassomething against you.
Leave your gift there beforethe altar and go First be
reconciled to your brother andthen come and offer your gift.
Come to terms quickly with youraccuser while you are going
with him to court.
Wow, this one just kind of hitsbecause we get angry with people

(22:50):
, right and I was just havingthis conversation the other day.
I'm like you know, certainthings make me angry.
It's not a lot that people cando to make me angry.
I mean, okay, they may dosomething to make me mad, for
instance, but I can get over it.
If I love them and I care aboutthem, or even if I don't know
them well enough and I careabout them.
Or even if I don't know themwell enough, it's like, oh okay,
you know, I get over it.

(23:13):
But the one I have the strugglewith the most is when I'm
falsely accused of doingsomething, when someone makes up
a lie about me.
I do enough stuff wrong on myown.
I don't need any help, I don'tneed you adding to it, right.
And when people falsely accuseme of stuff or they insinuate
that I did something that Ididn't know, they're they're
planting the seeds in someone'shead that you know something
like that.

(23:33):
That angers me.
That is a very hard time for me.
To something for me to just getover.
And here it says no, you gocome to terms quickly with your
accuser, you know, in case youhave to go to court or whatever.
But you know, and if youremember this, like when you're
in church or something like that, like you're supposed to like,
forgive them, and you know,before you take your gift to the

(23:55):
altar, and so this is a veryhumbling set of scriptures for
me.
What about you, sherry?

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Yes, exactly Like.
This is one of those that itreminds me of communion every
month, and I love the fact thatour church does communion every
month because it helps keep mein a spirit of forgiveness with
people or in a rightrelationship with God, to where
I don't have a chance to letbitterness grow.

(24:22):
But you're right, like thisone's really serious, like if
you have, if you have somethingagainst your brother, or if you
have a, and for someone like mewho is a, is a peacemaker.
I don't like conflict, I don'tlike confrontation.
This one's a tough one becauseI would rather brush it under

(24:43):
the rug.
Well, I wouldn't.
Because I would rather brush itunder the rug.
Well, I wouldn't say, I wouldrather brush it under the rug.
Brushing it under the rug ismore comfortable because I don't
want to cause problems.
And I always second guess myself.
I'm always like well, maybe I'mthe one who's being overly
sensitive, maybe I'm the onethat just needs to take a chill
pill.
Maybe it's not as bad as whatI'm thinking, that it is blah,

(25:03):
blah, blah, need to take a chillpill.
Maybe it's not as bad as whatI'm thinking, that it is blah,
blah, blah.
But God's like no, you need toreconcile with your brother,
with your sister, with whoever.
And if you have problems doingit on your own, then bring two
or three witnesses from thechurch and do it in a biblical
way.
And the reason, I think, whyGod does this, or he commands

(25:24):
this, is because he knows howeasily it is to let bitterness
take root.
And once bitterness takes root,then you've got a whole host of
problems mentally, physically,emotionally and spiritually and
it blocks your relationship withGod.
It blocks your relationshipwith other people.
It affects every single area ofyour life.
So this one's a toughie, butthis one's so important.

Speaker 1 (25:50):
And when you think about it, there's love involved
there, right.
Because he's saying yeah, he'slike you know, I know it's going
to be hard.
I know that person lied on you.
I know.
I know, I know and I know howyou feel.
I get it, daughter, but thiswill bring in bitterness and ill

(26:11):
feelings and everything elseand then it's going to lead to
unforgiveness.
Just, I'm telling you, makepeace with your accuser if
possible, and sometimes thatdon't mean you go.
I mean it could mean you go tothem, you confront them, you
talk about it with them.
Why did they do that orwhatever.
But a lot of times they won'tgive you the time of day because
they know they lied Right andthey know you're going to call

(26:35):
them out on it whether you do itnicely or not, you know.
So most of the time they won'tgive you a time of day.
But it's making peace within it, within yourself, right, you
know.
And I remember something afriend, a friend of mine, told
me a long time ago when thingswas was coming hot and heavy
against her and I think it wasjust a lot of lies, a lot of
rumors and everything.

(26:55):
And we were sitting in a carone day talking.
I think she had just dropped meoff, we had just came from a
church thing, I think, event,and I think we were talking
about what was going on with herand this stuff.
And I remember and this wasdecades ago and it still sticks
with me, remember, and this wasdecades ago and it still sticks
with me she was like you know, Iam just hoping that the
strength of my character willovercome all of the lies and the

(27:19):
rumors and the accusations, andI'm like you know what and she
didn't say it exactly that way,but that's what she was saying
Like may my character be awitness against all of this.
Right, and sometimes that'swhat it comes down to, sherry,
right, but you know the way welived our life, the way we've
done with people, and we none ofus have halos over our head and

(27:42):
everything else.
But when those accusations comeup, you need to you know that
those who really know and careand their ears aren't just
itching for the latest gossipthat they'd be like I am so
sorry, I know, kara, I know,sherry, that does not ring true.
I am so sorry, it just does not.
That is not the person that Iknow and, as a matter of fact, I

(28:05):
know that they wouldn't doanything like that, right, you
know.
And so sometimes we have tojust say, lord, may our
characters stand up and be awitness against these
accusations and just give mepeace about it.
I'm upset about it.
It's bringing me to tearsbecause I can't believe they're
saying these things.
But, lord, just may mycharacter be a witness against

(28:26):
that and the life I've livedwith these, you know, and the
service I've, you know, thatI've had with these people or
community and everything else.
And God, just you know, may yoube a witness, just touch their
hearts.
And I actually, after we calmdown after being falsely accused
, we probably need to pray forthat accuser.
I think the Lord's stillworking with me on that one, but

(28:51):
it's out of love that he'stelling me to do that, right,
right.
He's like this is gonna.
It's gonna make you upset, it'sgonna stress you out, your
stomach's gonna get upset,you're gonna get all mad.
You don't get you know, likeit's not necessary.
They give it to me, come to me,give it to me.
I just let me handle this.
And sometimes that's just sohard because we are born with

(29:12):
emotions, you know, and thingslike that, so it could be very,
very hard.
The next chapter 5, verses 27through 30 of the Gospel of
Matthew.
This one talks about lust andhe says you have heard that it
was said you shall not commitadultery.

(29:35):
But I say to you that everyone,not just you, not just you, not
just you, but everyone, okaythe other part was my emphasis.
Okay.
But I say to you that everyonewho looks at a woman with
lustful intent has alreadycommitted adultery with her in

(29:55):
his heart.
If your right eye causes you tosin, tear it out and throw it
away, for it is better that youlose one of your members than
that your whole body be throwninto hell.
And if your right hand causesyou to sin, cut it off and throw
it away, for it is better thatyou lose one of your members
than your whole body go intohell.
Short scriptures, but straightto the point, doesn't leave a

(30:19):
lot of room formisinterpretation, does it,
sherry?

Speaker 2 (30:22):
Uh-uh, uh-uh.
We talked about a while agowhere we were saying God just
says it like it is and hedoesn't really need to repeat
himself.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
Exactly.
And I think in today's culture,like if you know, if someone was
saying things like this, they'dbe like oh, that's toxic
masculinity, you're being tooaggressive, you're being too
assertive, you know, and it'slike no, he's saying it the way
it is, he don't have to addflowers to it, because he's just
straight and to the point.
Right, it is very straight andto the point.

(30:55):
And sometimes I think, when wetry to sugarcoat stuff, that the
point gets lost and peopledon't realize the seriousness of
it.
But here he just goes straightto the chase and then verses 31
and 32 talks about divorce andhe says it was also said whoever

(31:17):
divorces his wife let him giveher a certificate of divorce.
But I say to you that everyonewho divorces his wife, except on
the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery.
And whoever marries a divorcedwoman commits adultery.
Oh my gosh, this has stirred upa lot of controversy in

(31:39):
contemporary churches andChristians and everything else,
and they're just, you know, solike if someone was married and
then they divorced their wifefor irreconcilable differences
and then 10 years later he getsmarried again.
You know, there are Christiansthat come up to them and be like
oh my gosh, you just committedadultery, you did not divorce
your wife for sexual immoralityand everything else, and then

(32:02):
now you formed her to commitadultery, you know, and
everything else.
You need to confess, repent,divorce, whatever, because
technically you're still married.
And then there are others likewait, what?
No, you are completelymisinterpreting that scripture.
Let's go to 2 Timothy orwhatever.
I can't think of the scripturesthat they use to back that up.
But now that one I think a lotof people have misinterpreted

(32:26):
just for their own agenda.
But that one talks aboutdivorce.
But I think what's clear hereis that he's saying marriage is
sacred.
What are your thoughts, sherry?
Exactly, exactly that you'resaying it's sacred, right, right
, right, yep, yeah.

(32:46):
And then the next one goes intooaths, scriptures 33 through 37.
And he says Again, you haveheard that it was said to those
of old you shall not swearfalsely, but shall perform to
the Lord what you have sworn.
But I say to you do not take anoath at all, either by heaven,

(33:09):
for it is the throne of God, orby earth, for it is his
footstool, or by Jerusalem, forit is the city of the great king
.
And do not take an oath by yourhead, for you cannot make one
hair white or black.
Let what you say be simply yesor no.
Anything more than this comesfrom evil.

(33:30):
Wow, sherry, how many timeshave we heard people say you
know I swear by the God of thisearth, or you know I swear with
everything that's in me, right?
Or I promise, or I take a notethat if I don't do this, you

(33:52):
know I swear on my family, thatif I don't get revenge on you,
that da-da-da-da-da.
How many times have we heardpeople swear about all these
things.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
Yeah, I didn't realize how significant and how
wrong that was until someoneoverheard me say it and they
were like no, sherry, you reallydon't want to do that.
And I was like you're right.

Speaker 1 (34:21):
I really don't want to do that.
Right, and he's saying not evenby the city of Jerusalem, for
it is the city of the great king.
So we have to be very, verycareful.
So my suggestion here is don'tswear at all by anything, don't
make an oath, don't, and you mayfeel it with every fiber of
your being.
You know, you know andeverything else, but it's just

(34:44):
don't swear at all.
It's, he says, just let whatyou, you say, be simply here.
We go again back to thesimplicity of what God asks of
us.
Let your yeses be yes and letyour no be no.
It's as simple as that.
We don't have to swear.
If someone says, well, kara,swear to me, swear that you're

(35:05):
going to do this for me, orsomething like that, it's like
no, I'm not going to swear, I'mgoing to tell you yes.
Or I'm going to tell you no, butmost times it's a no, I'm not
going to swear, I'm going totell you yes, and.
Or I'm going to tell you no,but most times it's a maybe.
If I'm going to be honest, ifI'm going to be honest, most
time it's a maybe.
If it's like a year out, um, orsomething like that, I'm like
it is a maybe, but I do promisethis.

(35:26):
I promise that I will get backto you.
Right, I'm not swearing on it,but I promise that I will get
back to you in enough time.
I am not going to leave you ina pinch to where two days before
and I'm like no, I decided, youknow I can't do it.
I don't do that because I don'teven think that that's not my
personality.
I don't like when people do itto me, but I also don't think
that's Christian, that'sGod-like or God about it and my

(35:47):
schedule or you know, and afterI prayed about it, I will get
back to you.
It could be a couple of weeks,maybe a month, but I will get
back to you.
And because he says, anythingmore than this comes from all
evil right.
So we have to be careful andsometimes it's a very simple you

(36:08):
know, we don't have to swear byanything, not by the hairs on
our head, not by our families,not by the skies above or
nothing.
So sometimes just let our yesesbe yes or no, be no.
And when we say that, and if Iget back to you and I agree and
I say yes, I can do it, then I'mgoing to show up, and if I
don't, I have a very good reasonfor it.

(36:29):
Like my flight couldn't, itdidn't land in your city.
It's like yes Cause.
And that's why because I don'ttake my yeses lightly, I don't,
and so I want to, I want tohonor in the scriptures and what
God has as closely as I can.
So when I say yes, I am goingto be there, as much as it

(36:50):
depends on me.
I guess I should say am goingto be there.
As much as it depends on me, Iguess I should say Right, right.
Scriptures 38 through 42 areabout retaliation.
Okay, it says you have heardthat it was said an eye for an
eye and a tooth for a tooth.
But I say to you, do not resistthe one who is evil, but if

(37:15):
anyone slaps you on the rightcheek, turn to him the other
also.
And if anyone would sue you, donot resist the one who is evil,
but if anyone slaps you on theright cheek, turn to him the
other also.
And if anyone would sue you andtake your tunic, let him have
your cloak as well.
And if anyone forces you to goone mile, go with him two miles.
Give to the one who begs fromyou and do not refuse the one
who would borrow from you.
You know what, sherry?
I am not going to comment onthese scriptures because I don't

(37:36):
feel worthy.
So do you mind commenting onthose?

Speaker 2 (37:42):
Well, I remember.
I remember hearing a lot ofdifferent things.
So back in the, when these werewritten, I guess Roman soldiers
would force people to carrytheir armor or carry something
for them.
And so God was saying don't justdo a little bit, do more than

(38:03):
more than what you're supposedto.
In other words, it's, I thinkit's part.
There's probably a lot more toit, and I don't know if I know
all of the ins and outs either,but I think part of it is like
reiterating that be the salt andthe light, be different Show
that you're different.
Show that being a believer setsyou apart from other people, not

(38:27):
in a bad way, not in a loftyway, but just in a why are you
like willingly carrying thismore than I'm forcing you to?
Well, because I love Jesus.
So, um that, and he loves you.
Yeah, oh, yeah.

Speaker 1 (38:42):
It's all about love.
There it is again.
Yep, yep.

Speaker 2 (38:47):
So that's kind of my take on that one.

Speaker 1 (38:50):
And that's an excellent take.
And the reason you're going twomiles, even though they only
forced you to go one, is becauseyou're showing them Again, like
you said, we're bringing thatsalt and light and you know
they're going to ask why?
Right, right, there's theopportunity.
That's that salt and light.
They need to see somethingdifferent in so that they could

(39:11):
see the God in you and not justthe the, the meanness in us
that's saying I'm just walkingthis one mile, I'm not doing
anything more or anything lessthan you asked me to, you know,
or anything else, cause it'sagain, it's not about us, Right,
it's not about us, wow, it'sjust so humbling.
As you go through this Sermon onthe Mount and the last part of

(39:34):
Chapter 5, verses 43 through 48,here it goes.
It piggybacks off theretaliation scriptures.
It's love your enemiesscriptures, and it says rain on

(40:09):
the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who loveyou, what reward do you have?
Do not even the tax collectorsdo the same.
And if you greet only yourbrothers, what more are you
doing than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do thesame.
You therefore must be perfect,as your heavenly Father is.

(40:32):
Perfect, wow, wow.
And this again, again.
It all comes back to everythingabout Christ is love?
And a lot is asked of those whoare called the children of God.
We have accepted the Lord Jesus, christ of Nazareth, as our

(40:52):
Lord and Savior and we'refollowers of Christ and we
believe in His Word and wefollow His Word and we study the
Scriptures.
A lot is asked because none ofthis is easy.
None of this is easy.
But he's going hey, if you justlove those who love you, that's
really kind of easy, right,because you're receiving their

(41:13):
love, you know that they loveyou.
That's really kind of easy,right, you know, because you're
receiving their love, you knowthat they love you.
But don't even the taxcollectors do the same, even
because the tax collectors, aswe've talked about in previous
episodes, were, you know, notrevered highly in the early
church society back then.
But it's all a big love storyAll of it, everything.
When we just really just lookat this, it's all a big love
story, all of it, everything.

(41:33):
When we just really just lookat this, it's all about love,
love that Christ has for us,love that he wants us to have
for other people.
What, what are your thoughts,sherry?

Speaker 2 (41:43):
everything that you just said.
The only thing that I want toadd to that is that God again
prepares us.
He doesn't make us do it on ourown.
He gave us the Holy Spirit, so,and the Holy Spirit is who will
love through us.
So we don't even have to lovein our own strength.
We can say Holy Spirit.
I really don't like Joe, I justdon't.

(42:06):
Joe is a pain in the butt and Ineed your help, holy Spirit.
And the Holy Spirit says I gotyou, I got you.
I am just glad that you havethe desire, that you have the
want to, to want to.
I got you, you just remain inme, you rest in me and I got you
.
And also, loving people who areyour enemies, or loving your

(42:31):
enemies doesn't mean that theyget to walk all over you.
Their boundaries is part of aloving, healthy relationship.
So I love the scripture in somuch as it's up to you live in
peace with everyone.
Sometimes living in peace meansliving from afar.
It doesn't always mean that Joegets to walk rampant over my

(42:55):
life and Joe gets to createhavoc in my life.
No, god doesn't say that.
God says love your enemies.
And sometimes the most lovingthing that you can do for Joe is
to pray for him from afar,because you know that when you
get together with Joe, yourfleshly persona or your fleshly
person comes out and you don'twant that.

(43:16):
So sometimes praying for Joefrom afar is the most loving
thing you can do.
But we are not.
We do not get a free pass whenit comes to those that rub us
the wrong way.
Our job is to show God's loveand, like I said, sometimes
that's through prayer from afar.
Sometimes that's throughgetting Joe his favorite

(43:39):
Mountain Dew and donuts andputting it at his desk, letting
him know you got it or notletting him know you got it.
But the Holy Spirit will giveyou the strength to deal with
Joe the way that the Holy Spiritwants you to deal with Joe,
because the Holy Spirit is theone that knows Joe's heart and
knows what's going to softenJoe's heart towards being

(44:03):
receptive to Jesus Christ.

Speaker 1 (44:07):
Absolutely.
And again, he's not just doingthat for Joe's benefit, Because
I know some people might belistening and be, you know like,
well, that's a lot of sacrificeon Christian's part, Like we
really have to do you know, anddifferent things like that.
But I mean, it could be.
But it all depends on how youlook at it.

(44:29):
And I think if we look at itfrom God's helping us as much as
he's helping them, that youknow, your perspective changes a
little bit, you know, don't youthink?
And so it becomes lesssacrifice and more love.
Because this I have found outthe hard way when I have had to
pray for those who have hurt meand I mean done harm to me, that

(44:50):
has stayed with me, that mayhave stayed with me for like
decades.
The more you pray for them, theless of a grip they have on you
, excuse me, the less of a gripwhat they did have on you,
because while you're praying forthem, you're starting to see

(45:11):
them as another human being thatGod created.
But God is also healing you inthe process by helping you learn
to forgive, not saying thatwhat they did was right, by no
means.
But it's loosening that gripthat they've had on you and all
those things that used to cometo mind when you would remember

(45:33):
Joe, for example, those hurtfulthings, those things, those
traumatic things, those horrificthings that previously stayed
with you for years, the more youend up praying for that person,
the more you are healed as aperson.
And before, when someone wouldmention Joe's name, you just
grit your teeth right, like youknow everything else.
And then now it's like the moreyou find yourself praying for

(45:55):
them, the more you're findingthat God's healing you in the
process.
And then someone mentions Joe'sname and you're like, oh yeah, I
remember Joe and it's no longerthat, that heated or resentment
or bitterness there Now.
And if someone asks you, youknow you ain't got to be like,
oh yeah, I remember Joe, like hewas the best person that ever
happened in your life.
No, but you know you could say,oh, I remember Joe, but the

(46:23):
bitterness is not there.
And if they ask your, youropinion or do you have
experience with them, like, didyou have?
You know?
Um, what was your?
Your relationship, workingrelationship or whatever the
case may be, was with them?
Be truthful, be honest, right,because you don't want to
deceive and manipulate anyone orlead them into Joe's lair
without being prepared.
But it's all about, there is nobitterness there, and you'll be
able to tell your story of whathappened and everything else,

(46:45):
without the tears, without thepain, without the heartache,
without the nightmares and thenight terrors of just
remembering it all.
You're just able to just sitthere and relate the story of
what happened and let it be thatperson's judgment if they want
to move forward with them.
And you sit back later andyou're like you know what, lord,
before, when I used to talkabout what Joe did to me, man, I

(47:06):
used to couldn't get out of bedthe next day because it just
took so much.
It was such a mental tormentuoustype of experience day because
it just took so much, it wassuch a mental tormentuous type
of experience.
But now it's like I just toldwhat happened and then I ate my
sandwich and I had a littledessert and I went on about my
day.
You don't realize this issometimes later at night, when

(47:26):
things calm down right, andyou're like, wow, god, that's
healing, that's, you know, beenhealed from the grip that he had
, the emotional or soulful gripthat they had on you.
You know the mental grip andyou're like, well, thank you,
father.
God, I didn't cry a tear, Ididn't grit my teeth, I didn't
say I can't talk about him, youknow, or anything else.

(47:49):
You just relayed the story andyou survived it and you finished
it and you ate your sandwich,and you drank your tea, ate your
salad and even had dessert.
You know that is when you knowthat that person no longer has a
grip on you, and I believe thatis the heart, at least one of

(48:09):
the reasons, and the heart ofwhy God he emphasizes that we
are to love our enemies.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
Well, that, right there, what you said, is so
poignant, because the fact thatyou could sit there and eat your
sandwich instead of havingnausea or having the turmoil in
your physical body, having theturmoil in your physical body,
speak to God.
And then it goes back to theBeatitudes, where God says
blessed are the poor in spirit,for there's the kingdom of God.

(48:39):
Blessed are those who mourn,for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the merciful, forthey will be shown mercy.
God's showing you at thebeginning in the Beatitudes if
you do all these things, I'vegot you.
If you're mourning, I've gotyou.
If you're mourning, I've gotyou.
If you needed mercy, I've gotyou.
If you are hungry, I've got you.
If you are poor in spirit, I'vegot you.

(49:00):
So again it goes back to he'sgot us first, and now we have a
job to do.

Speaker 1 (49:06):
And now we have a job to do, excuse me.
And now we have a job to do.
And boy, now we can do itwithout that heaviness, right.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
Right.

Speaker 1 (49:15):
Because he's got us.
Because he's got usno-transcript.

(49:45):
Ministering to me now Like thisis why, kara, this is why are
you seeing it now?
You know this is.
Why Are you seeing it now?
You know he is so good.
And so when we go to chapter 6,verses 1 through 4, it's talking
about giving to the needy andit says Beware of practicing
your righteousness before otherpeople in order to be seen by

(50:06):
them, for then you will have noreward from your Father, who is
in heaven.
Thus, when you give to theneedy, sound no trumpet before
you, as the hypocrites do in thesynagogues and in the streets,
that they may be praised byothers.
Truly, I say to you, they havereceived their reward.
But when you give to the needy,do not let your left hand know

(50:27):
what your right hand is doing,so that your giving may be in
secret and your Father, who seesin secret, will reward you.
And I think, just to sum up thatone, he's just pretty much
saying you know, if you give ahundred dollars to the charity
down the street, and if someonesay you know, hey, kara, what
you're doing, I'm like oh, I'mgoing down the street here, I'm

(50:47):
going to give a hundred dollarsto this charity, and then you
tell everybody on the way there,like, what is your goal, what
is your, what is your heartRight?
Like, why did you have to leteverybody know when you're
walking down the street thatwhat you're about to do?
Um, and is your heart in theright place?
What do you, what do you think,sherry?

Speaker 2 (51:05):
Oh, I couldn't say it better.
I think you nailed it.

Speaker 1 (51:09):
And then verses five through 15 is the Lord's Prayer,
and it says they have receivedtheir reward.

(51:29):
But when you pray, go into yourroom and shut the door and pray
to your Father, who is insecret, and your Father, who
sees in secret, will reward you.
And when you pray, do not heapup empty phrases as the Gentiles
do, for they think that theywill be heard for their many
words.
Do not be like them, for yourFather knows what you need

(51:51):
before you ask Him.
Pray then like this Our Fatherin heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth asit is in heaven.
Give us this day our dailybread and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven ourdebtors, and lead us not into

(52:11):
temptation but deliver us fromevil, for if you forgive others
their trespasses, your heavenlyfather will also forgive you,
but if you do not forgive otherstheir trespasses, neither will
your father forgive yourtrespasses.
Wow, I think a lot of people arefamiliar with the Lord's Prayer

(52:32):
and the forgiveness partespecially.
Like you know, forgive so thatyou can be forgiven, and
everything like that.
But the one that I love, to mepersonally, is verse 13, and it
says and lead us not intotemptation, but deliver us from
evil, and sometimes I forgetthat we could pray.

(52:54):
Lord, don't lead me into youknow, please don't lead me into
lead us, lead me not intotemptation, and I think
sometimes that one getsoverlooked.
What are your thoughts on that,sherry?

Speaker 2 (53:04):
Agreed.
I think that we have a lot morepower as believers than we ever
remember or than we put intopractice, and that one is a
great example.
I know that I don't practicethat one as much as I should
either.
Why do I want to be on thedefensive, always fixing
problems?
Instead, I want to be on theoffensive.
Lord, I don't even want to seethat today.

(53:25):
I don't even want to deal withit today, Absolutely that I
don't have to Because I don'thave want to see that today.
I don't even want to deal withit today, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (53:35):
That I don't have to Because I don't have to right.
It's like, lord, just leave menot temptation, you know, and
everything else, and you justhave that faith and trust, you
know, and everything before yougo into it.
And to me that one has alwayskind of well, I guess, just to
me and the people and thechurches and the pastors and
things I've been around that onejust seems to get overlooked.

(53:56):
But wow, that's really powerful.
To me it's something that Iforget too.
I'm not saying that they allforgot it or whatever,
no-transcript.
And he's saying hey, you know,if you want me to deliver you

(54:17):
from evil, ask Yep, you know,lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil.
And I think that is somethingthat we should probably be
saying when we wake up in themorning.

Speaker 2 (54:29):
Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1 (54:31):
You know.
So verses 16 through 18 talksabout fasting and it says and
when you fast, do not lookgloomy like the hypocrites, for
they disfigure their faces thattheir fasting may be seen by
others.
Truly, I say to you they havereceived their reward.
But when you fast, anoint yourhead and wash your face that

(54:52):
your fasting may not be seen byothers, but by your Father, who
is in secret.
And your Father, who sees insecret, will reward you.
And that's another set ofscriptures, I think, sherry,
that are kind ofself-explanatory.
Right, we don't have to looklike we're dying when we're
fasting, right, you know so thatpeople be oh my goodness, are

(55:15):
you okay?
Oh well, I'm just fasting.
And oh, because I'm justfasting for the sins of the
world and I'm just so wearyabout it all.
Yeah, you know, like, what isthat all about?
You know, like, you knowwhere's your heart really at.
So what are your thoughts onthat?
So why?

Speaker 2 (55:37):
are you fasting?
Are you fasting for a diet, areyou fasting for sympathy or are
you truly fasting for an answer?
I think there are times andplaces, as parents or as leaders
, that you should address andtalk about fasting, and that you
should maybe fast with peopleso that you can encourage them
and they can encourage you, andso on and so forth.

(55:59):
Right, but the majority of thetime, I think that people should
fast privately.
So I started a fast at aparticular point in 2024.
And nobody knew, not even myfamily, like nobody knew that I
was doing it and I I was hungry.
I was very hungry, but nobodyknew that.

(56:20):
I was Like nobody knew any partabout it because it was between
me and God and what I wasfasting for was so significantly
important it was, in my opinion, it was a life or death thing,
like that's how important what Iwas fasting for was, and I was
fasting for that answer.

(56:41):
So the hunger pains reminded meof my purpose and my my reason
why I was doing it, and itwasn't a diet and it wasn't um,
it wasn't anything except that Ihad such a burden and I didn't
know.
In fact, I asked God multipletimes before I started.
God, is this what you want meto do?

(57:03):
I don't know.
Like, this is my go-to, but Idon't know.
Is this truly what you want meto do?
And so that's where it reallytruly needs to be a heart
between you and the father.
Um, sometimes I think, well, alot of times, I think we can
fast for the wrong reasons or wecan fast in the wrong way.
Um, I think we need to just if,if we're choosing to fast, or I

(57:26):
should say when we choose tofast, because the Bible tells us
when, not if, but when wechoose to fast, we need to to
guard our hearts, and we need toexamine our hearts and make
sure that we're doing it for theright reasons, for the the
right amount of time, and reallymake it spirit-led instead of
fleshly or human-led.

Speaker 1 (57:46):
Absolutely, because there's a difference.
There's a huge difference and,like you say, if you're praying
for something that's really onyour heart and God has led you
to fast, you want to make surethat you're doing it right and
for the right reasons and notsitting up there and just hoping
and begging someone to ask youwhat you're doing because you're

(58:07):
looking so gloomy, you know,and things like that.
Verses 19 through 24,.
Do not oh, excuse me, it'stalking about your treasures in
heaven laying up your treasuresin heaven.
Do not lay up for yourselvestreasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy and wherethieves break in and steal, but

(58:28):
lay up for yourselves treasuresin heaven, where neither moth
nor rust destroys and wherethieves do not break in and
steal, for where your treasureis there, your heart will be
also.
The eye is the lamp of the body.
So if your eye is healthy, yourwhole body will be full of
light, but if your eye is bad,your whole body will be full of

(58:51):
darkness, and then the light isyou, and excuse me, I'm going to
repeat 23, verse 23.
But if your eye is bad, yourwhole body will be full of
darkness.
If, then, the light in you isdarkness, how great is that
darkness?
How great is the darkness?
No one can serve two masters,for either he will hate the one

(59:12):
and love the other, or he willbe devoted to the one and
despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
When I hear, when I think ofthis set of scriptures, sherri,
I'm thinking about idol worship,right, money not just being as

(59:34):
a tool to help take care of yourneeds and resources, to help
build the kingdom of God, but asyou, just taking it and getting
it, and you know you're takingit and you're getting it, and
then you're serving God andmoney Meaning in your heart,
money means to you just as muchas God.

(59:55):
What do you think?

Speaker 2 (59:57):
Yeah, I think that we definitely have to be careful.
My pastor is always saying tome if you want to know where
your heart really lies, look atwhat you spend your money on.
Look at where your money goes,because where your?
money goes.
That's where your heart goes aswell.
Absolutely Enjoy a cup ofcoffee.

(01:00:18):
It doesn't mean that you'renever allowed to buy yourself
that book that you really wantedto buy.
It means do you tithe regularly, Do you save regularly?
Are you a good steward of themoney that you have?
Are you buying always on creditand never paying it back?
Are you, you know, hungering forthe things of the world, or are

(01:00:41):
you satisfied with, with whatGod has given you?
Like, there's a whole lot oflayers to that.
So it doesn't mean that Goddoesn't ever want us to have
pleasures, but he wants us tohave pleasures that coincide
with the income and the statusof where he has put us.

(01:01:01):
And there are people who don'tmake a lot of money but who are
great at financing or investingor whatever, and they're able to
live really nice lives, verycontent and satisfied, because
they are good stewards of theirmoney.
So that's all that God issaying is, if you're a good
steward of your money, then yourheart well, your heart is where

(01:01:26):
your treasure is.
So look at where you spend yourmoney.
Look at where you know are youworking 70 hours a week, 80
hours a week, just so that youcan stick up with a lifestyle
that you wouldn't normally beable to have?
But what are you sacrificing?
So yeah, that's my pastoralways says look at your, look

(01:01:47):
at what you're spending yourmoney on, and that will tell you
where your heart is.

Speaker 1 (01:01:51):
And before we wrap up chapter six, I just want to add
to that I just I didn't evenknow this was a thing and I
guess I've been doing this for awhile Didn't even know it was
called this, but it's called.
People were talking about andsome of these people are very,
very, very well known and verypeople who have a lot of stuff
on their plate, like career-wise, and a lot of them were saying

(01:02:15):
that they've had to go throughdigital detox.
And a lot of them were sayingthat they've had to go through
digital detox because they haverealized that, you know, if they
lost their phone or if theycouldn't find their phone, or if
they couldn't find their tabletor something like that, that
they didn't know what to do withtheir life.
You know what I'm saying.
It was like, you know, theywere tied to that, like they
couldn't think, or you know, itwas like something was off in

(01:02:36):
their world, you know, becauseof their phone, because they
were so tied to it.
They ended up talking tosomeone, texting someone,
chatting with someone, sendingan email, replying to an email,
you know, taking care ofbusiness, you know, on there, or
something else, and they werejust kind of like it gets to a
point that you realize this isruling your life.

(01:03:01):
And then when you get to thepoint like I don't even know
what to do with myself because Ican't find my phone, or someone
took my phone away from me forlike two hours, Like I don't
know what to do with myself,that is a very, that is a red
flag that that may be indeedruling your life, which is very
close to becoming an idol, right, and so sometimes we have to do

(01:03:23):
the name they give it isdigital detox, and sometimes
I'll tell Sherry, I'm like, ohmy gosh, sherry, like I meant to
forward this to you the otherday.
I'm like, but I'm just notchecking, like my emails or my
text messages, because Becausesometimes, just for me, mentally
, again, it goes back tosomething we, you know, we had

(01:03:44):
talked about, we talked about.
It goes back to God just havingme being more mindful of how I
feel, I think of when I'm doingsomething, and sometimes I just
need to put stuff down.

Speaker 2 (01:03:57):
I do.

Speaker 1 (01:03:58):
And sometimes I just need to be like you know what I
can get to it, when I can get toit, I am not going to stress
about it and everything else.
And it's like, and sometimes Ihave to do that and at first it
seemed hard, right, but now youknow it gets easier when you do
it because you realize the skyis not going to fall Right.
It's not going to fall right.

(01:04:22):
It's not going to fall if youcan't answer that email, that
text, that chat, that phone call.
You know right then and rightthere, and I think it just
brings like balance to your life.
So again, it just goes all backto balance and be very careful
of that.
And if you can't be withoutyour phone for at least four
hours, it's dangerously close,or notepad or any type of
digital device like that.
It's very close to becoming anidol.

(01:04:42):
And right now I'm just going towrap this up with the last
verse in Chapter 6.
And it's, excuse me, the lastsection of verses in Chapter 6,
25 through 34.
And these are the do not beanxious passages.
Therefore, I tell you, do notbe anxious about your life, what

(01:05:06):
you will eat or what you willdrink, nor about your body.
What you will put on, it's notlife more than food and the body
more than clothing.
Look at the birds of the air.
More than food and the bodymore than clothing.
Look at the birds of the air.
They neither sow nor reap, norgather into barns, and yet your
Heavenly Father feeds them.
Are they not of more value?
Or you excuse me, are you notof more value than they?

(01:05:28):
And which of you, by beinganxious, can add a single hour
to his span of life?
And why are you anxious aboutclothing?
Consider the lilies of thefield, how they grow.
They neither toil nor span.
Yet I tell you, even Solomonand all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grassof the field, which today is

(01:05:53):
alive and tomorrow is throwninto the oven, will he not much
more clothe you, o you of littlefaith?
Therefore, do not be anxioussaying what shall we eat or what
shall we drink, or what shallwe wear For the Gentiles?
Seek after all these things,and your Heavenly Father knows
that you need them all, but seekfirst the kingdom of God and

(01:06:16):
His righteousness, and all thesethings will be added to you.
Therefore, do not be anxiousabout tomorrow, for tomorrow
will be anxious for itself.
Sufficient, for the day is itsown trouble.
Oh, my goodness, sherry, wow,with so many.
I was just listening the otherday when I was talking about

(01:06:37):
studies.
Wow, with so many.
I was just listening the otherday when I was talking about
studies and that teens now are,like from 16 to 22 or whatever,

(01:06:57):
experiencing anxiety like neverbefore, and that six to eight
year, all these things.
And your Heavenly Father knowsthat you need them all.
He knows that we need all thesethings, he knows that we need
food, he knows that we needclothing, he knows that we need
shelter.
And basically he's saying if Itake care for the flowers and
the animals and everything else,are you not of much more value?
Like I know, these things, seekme first and all these things

(01:07:23):
will be added to you.
And that's all I want to say onthat, and I'm going to hand it
over to Sherry and then we canwrap it up.
But wow, sherry, what a set ofpowerful scriptures.
Am I right?

Speaker 2 (01:07:36):
Well, like you were saying, the Sermon on the Mount
is just so full of the.
I think you could read it.
I think you could read thosechapters once a month and you
would get something new everysingle time.
And that's another reason why Ilove the Bible so much.

(01:07:58):
It is because it's a livingbreathing.
It's the living, breathing wordof God and, um, he just teaches
us and he unpacks the layersdepending on the season that
we're in, depending on our faithlevel, where we are, depending
on so many different things.
And as we wrap up today, I wantto, um ask you the question
that I started asking lately,and that is is your heart right

(01:08:21):
with God?
Do you have a personalrelationship with him?
Do you have a relationship withGod in a way that you know with
certainty?
Then you can, if you want to.
Romans 10, 9 tells us that ifwe confess with our mouth that
Jesus is Lord and believe in ourhearts that God raised him from

(01:08:44):
the dead, it says, we will besaved.
So it's not a matter of sayingwords, it's not a matter of we
talk about this all the time onthe podcast.
God wants our hearts.
It's a matter of our hearts andwhat we truly believe in our
hearts.
We can't.
We can fake things in in life.
We can.

(01:09:04):
You can be such a faker thatyou can deceive me by what you
say.
You can deceive your husband,your wife, your boss, your kids
by what you say and how you sayit.
You can manipulate people withyour husband, your wife, your
boss, your kids by what you sayand how you say it.
You can manipulate people withyour words, but God is not to be
manipulated.
God will not be mocked.
God knows the truth.

(01:09:26):
He knows our hearts better thanwe do.
He created us.
So when you speak from theheart, when you pray from the
heart, the prayer that we'regoing to pray right now, god
knows and you will be saved.
You will have that assurancethat we're going to pray right
now, god knows and you will besaved.
You will have that assurancethat you're going to heaven.
So if that's where you're attoday and that's what you need,
then I would like you to, or Iinvite you to, pray this prayer

(01:09:49):
with us right now.
It says oh Heavenly Father, Icome to you in Jesus' name.
I believe you died on the cross, that you rose again and you're
seated on the throne.
Jesus, forgive me for all thatI've done wrong, and I choose to
forgive all others.
Come into my life today andforever.

(01:10:09):
I am yours In Jesus' name, amen.
If you just prayed that prayer,we want to say welcome to the
family.
We encourage you to find aBible-believing church, and
another way that you can growyour relationship with God is
through the Jesus in theEveryday membership.
You can find that on my website, sherriswalwellcom.

(01:10:32):
It's a way for you to grow thatrelationship with God now that
you have one.
It's a way for you to grow thatrelationship with God now that
you have one.
Or maybe you prayed the prayer20 years ago and you still want
to grow closer to God.
You want to have that deeprelationship with him.
You want to dive into thescriptures more, or you want

(01:10:55):
accountability, because you havegreat intentions and every
month you start off strong, butthen you, you life gets in the
way.
So if that's something thatwould be a valuable tool for you
, then head over to my websiteand check out the Jesus in the
Everyday membership link.
I also want to encourage you togo over to Kara's website,

(01:11:15):
kararhuntcom, and check out herbooks, the Habakkuk series.
They are amazing, and I'm notjust saying that because Kara is
an amazing woman of God and agreat author.
I'm saying that because that'show I met her.
I met her through a Christianfiction writing group and it was
through reading her one book,jan, that is coming out very

(01:11:37):
soon that I was like wow, likethis woman is anointed, this
writing is anointed.
It is amazing.
So when I say that, I am sayingthat as a reader, not as
Sarah's friend.
So go over and check out herbooks.
They are in paperback, kindleand audiobook, kindle and

(01:12:02):
audiobook.
So whatever kind of reader youare, or listener, you will be
able to get it in your versionof choice.

Speaker 1 (01:12:07):
So, as we wrap up today, oh, sherry, can I just?
Can I add one more thing?
Yeah, the Sermon on the Mountgoes from Matthew's excuse me,
the Gospel of Matthew fromchapters 5 through 7.
And we covered in depthchapters 5 and 6.
I highly encourage ourlisteners to finish up with

(01:12:30):
Matthew, chapter 7.
It is just 29 verses andthey're quick verses, but please
continue on your own.
Pull out your Bibles, find yourfavorite translation and finish
up and just hear what God hasto say.
The topics covered in Matthew 7are judging others.
Ask and it will be given to youthe golden rule, a tree and its

(01:12:56):
fruit.
Oh my goodness, the passages ofwhere he says I never knew you
Build your House on the Rock.
And it wraps up with theAuthority of Jesus.
Again, it's only 29 shortpassages, please.
I just want to just encourageeveryone to just go there, take

(01:13:16):
out your little study, take outyour study notebook excuse me
your writing journal, and justgo through those different
passages and just listen to Godtalk to you as you do it.
Oh my gosh, I am telling youyou will not regret it.
Okay, that's all I wanted toadd, sherry.

Speaker 2 (01:13:33):
I am so glad that you did add that.
So next week we're going totalk about the prodigal son and
then we will be wrapping up theNew Testament biblical figures
before we have another encorepresentation of the Screwtape
Letters, and we'll talk moreabout why we're doing it that
way in the next couple of weeks.
But until then, have a greatrest of your day and we are

(01:13:55):
excited to join you next weekfor another exciting episode of
the Cheer Up Podcast.
Have a great day everyone.