Success - Part 3

In this episode, we explore the nuanced concept of success from a Christian perspective. What defines success beyond material wealth or societal status? Join us as we delve into how success is viewed through the lens of faith, discussing the importance of fulfilling God-given purposes, living with integrity, and impacting others positively.



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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
See one music dot f M realtalk. We're in the building. I
got the fellas in the building.What's going on, Fellas, let's give
ourselves a round of applause. Yes, sir, we're in the building today.

(00:22):
So first and foremost, Fellas,how are you today? Me and
Fritz were just talking about the weatherand stuff. How are you guys there
in your locations? I'm very greatfrom always excited for this one. Nice,
nice, Nice, what about youJoe, Ash and Fritz weather?
It's good here in Manila? Nice? Fritz? Are you in Manila?

(00:45):
No? No, no, it'sa bit hot there here. Yeah.
We were just talking about the weatherand the mountains and the water and stuff
there. So that's what's up,man with shout out to everybody who was
tuned into us today. I appreciatethe fellas for coming on. We are
doing another success part. So lastweek we kind of talked about success and

(01:10):
relationships and things of that nature.I wanted today change it up and talk
from a spiritual standpoint. I wantto ask from as a Christian, for
the fellas, as a Christian man, what does success look like from from
a spiritual standpoint? From a Christianstandpoint, what what is success If you

(01:34):
was to recognize a pastor, agood friend, a family member or whatever,
and you're like, yeah, hewas a role model, he was
he was successful in his wife.What as a Christian in general? What
would that look like success? Anyoneof y'all can jump on that, going

(01:57):
je your friends, support your Okay, you want to go first? Okay,
Okay, So first thing. II was thinking when when Aaron said
that, I was reminded of David. You know, there's a verse in

(02:21):
Acts where he said, after hefulfilled God's purpose, he fell asleep,
asleep, sleep, sleep, SoI think it's fulfilling our our mission in
life. I think that's that's asuccess for me, being able to fulfill
whatever that mission is. You knowthat God given purpose. That's for me.

(02:44):
Okay? Is everybody else frozen?I don't know. Looks like frits
in Eddie is frozen a little bit. I can see Eddie moved, shaking
his hands, but on the sideshaking away. Are you guys frozen?
I can't tell everybody's moving for me, So I don't know everybody fluid Eddie,

(03:09):
Eddie. I can't hear you,I can see you, I can
see I can see you in alittle box, but on the main box,
I can't. You're not show meno love. Can hear me?
Hear me? All right? Ifif you guys saying y'all good, we're
good. All right. So thatwas a good answer, Joe Ash.

(03:30):
So you're saying fulfilling your purpose?Mm hmm that God has put you here
on this earth? Am I am? I correct? Yeah? Is that
right? Gotcha? All right?Hold on, guys, I can't,
I can't. I need to seeeverybody fluid. Go ahead, go ahead,

(03:51):
yeah, hold on your second.I got partrey. This canner brought
to you by all right. Now, now we're back with love. Everybody's
back, all right. Sorry aboutthe interruption. It seemed like every time,
like once this happened to me onmy last show we did on Monday,

(04:13):
like everybody got frozen for a highsecond. All right, Eddie talked
to me, Eddie, you next? What a success I think, Joe
Ash. First of all, listen, let's let's ask ourselves. Do y'all
agree with Joe Ash answered? Ordo you ya think it's something same the
same? I do agree partly,Okay, I agree with him, but

(04:34):
I don't agree with this example,I agree with him. I agree with
Joe Ash. I agree with yousaying that fulfilling your God or dang purpose
on earth. I do agree withyou. That's the partly part that I
agree with. I don't David wasdefinitely successful. David was one of those
characters in the Bible where he hadhe had some victory, reason and defeats.

(05:00):
You know what I'm saying, He'snot the perfect role model to follow
after in regards to picking a personto say, yo, I want to
be like David. One of thethings I will say, the thing that
stands out about David is he hada heart for God. So if I
was to take anything from his life, I would take his heart him wanting

(05:21):
to have a heart for God.But he did have a lot of failures
as well, so he if Ican't one hundred percent say that he was
completely successful, but I think hedid. He did his winning and losing
for the most part of his lifewith the right heart. Would y'all agree

(05:43):
with that? And that's cool?I agree? I agree, Yeah,
I agree, all right? Cool? Cool, all right? So so
then gad Eddie. You know,for me think success is when you've achieved
something and since we're looking about froma spiritual StartPoint a personally, I can't
say I'm successful spiritual because I've notfinished the journey yet. So but if

(06:06):
you're going to talk about people thathave already passed on, well we could
talk about it. But for me, I'm still alive and it's a journey.
I bet i'd the best, pleaseto answer this question when I'm in
heaven. I guess i'd say Ilived a successful spiritual spiritual life. I
don't know if I agree with youtoo, Eddie. Let me let me

(06:26):
go back and say this, Eddie. So he's and and I don't.
I want to stare the part upa little bit for this discussion. But
the reason why I disagree with you, Eddie is Eddie, listen, let's
let's let's look at joe Ash question. I mean, we'll look at Jewish
statement that he made, and Iwant to highlight it to you. Are
you living in your God or dyingpurpose today? Whether I am living,

(06:49):
are you fulfilling your God or daypurpose? Do you even know what your
God ordaining purpose is? Honestly,I don't think I do it. So
so so you you can't sit hereand say that we have to wait until
we we we are passed on anddead to see if we have achieved our
purpose or fulfilled our purpose and not. I think you should try to take

(07:13):
full advantage of filling your purpose now. And I'm gonna I'm gonna let Fritz
answer the question next before I givemy own personal opinion on it, but
maybe before he does. You know, for me, successes and you've accomplished,
you, you've done, you've alreadyfinished dream what you're supposed to.

(07:33):
Let me can measure your success,you know, if my if you want
to measure my success, Uh sohold on, Eddie, we can.
So. I don't like how youframing that though, because the success got
to be the same thing across theboard. When we talked about a successful

(07:56):
relationship, of having a successful relationship, we didn't say once the relationship,
if it's done, we can lookback and say it was successful or not.
You know what I mean? Soyou you I can't I can't work
for me personally. I can't workin those parameters that you're setting for me
saying that the job has to becomplete in order for us to say success.
I disagree with you on that becauseif that was the case, then

(08:20):
it would be that it would bethat way across the board. When we
talk about everything about being successful,do you do you I mean, fellas
talk to me, do you agree? Disagree? I collectually argue that it
cannot be a success. Nothing issuccessful to just finish it. Is that
a wrong statement? To be nothingis something is successful? I disagree with

(08:45):
you, our personal disagree with you. I mean if if, if you're
talking about I think if you're talkingabout ultimate like ultimate succes. Of course,
as you live your Christian life,there are successes that you will be
achieving. For example, you you'reshort tempered, Now you're you know,
more patient, you're more kind,right, So I think those are those
are counted as successes when you alsomanifest the fruit of the spirit and the

(09:09):
things that you know you're able toobey and sacrifice for your obedience to Christ.
So I think Eddie, I getyour point when you talk about I
think the ultimate success because all ofus we are not. I think that's
also as something that we can punderupon when we think about success, because

(09:30):
ultimately we can never determine right whenwe of course we can have assurance right,
But in the end, it's notfor us to measure or determine.
If we were able to, wewill be able to hear from Jesus himself
that you know, well done andfaithful servant, because ultimately he is the
judge and he will be you measuringthe things that we've done. But but

(09:56):
if we are defining success in thespiritual, in the spiritual sense as we
walk our Christian life, I believethat we are able to measure those things.
The closer we are from from theWord or how routed we are from
the world, and how it manifestsin their life. If you know,

(10:18):
if we are able to display anduh, like I said, manifest with
the commandments of Christ, his lovefor us and for his church. So
the closer we are to that,I think that's a success all right,
Because on one hand, Fritz,I disagree with you, and then on

(10:39):
the other hand I do. It'slike when you first started off, I
was like, yeah, I'm notagreeing with him either, and then you
cleaned it up at the end.So I guess for me, we have
to now ask ourselves, all right, when we say Christian success, are
we are? We? Are?You? Are you? What do we
do? What are the what isthe what is determining that the criteria is?

(11:07):
Because I feel like you guys arepulling multiple different criterias into and were
smashing this all in to kind ofone fulfillment of answers. Like on one
hand, I could see, Icould see where Eddie is coming from,
right when he says the job isnot done. I get where you're coming
from. But I don't I don'tknow if I one hundred percent completely agree

(11:33):
with that, because there's a coupleof things that the Bible does teach,
Like you can see if somebody issuccessful by their fruit, all right,
by their fruit. I mean that'sone thing. I think A second thing,
especially as a father, I thinkraising your kids is ultimately you know

(11:56):
you, you've become You've become successfulif your kids are successful you because as
a man, the two things thatyou will put on this earth to do
is serve so you are a weknow them by their fruit, right,
and then b is to be thethe golly priest of your home. So

(12:18):
if you're if everything else in thisworld outside of that, preach the Gospel
and be a role model to yourkids. You to me, that's where
I would measure that's to me wherea success starts and finishes for me,
because if you then go with yourGod or Dean purpose, I get that

(12:41):
part. But every man on earth, the creed you got to be.
We are all professed to proclaim theGospel. Disciples, teach disciples A and
B. More importantly, if youhave children, to raise your children up

(13:03):
in the right way. Those areclear directives. Those are established from the
very beginning to be teasted your home. That's that's inherently so if you're going
to ask yourself at the very least, if you never did get to a
point where Eddie is saying, oh, when I passed away and I looked
back at my life, was completelysuccessful in God's mission. As long as

(13:24):
you did those two first requirements,you were successful because that was what was
required of us. The godly orDame purpose part is something that God put
on your life, and sometimes ittake a long time to get to the
point where you even understand that.So you said for you, Eddie,

(13:48):
that you don't even know if youreally know if you even operate in your
godly or Dame purpose now. Andthat's something that sometimes God doesn't reveal that
to you. It's on his timewhen he does so. The only thing
that you can do in the meantimeis due to two requirements. And that's

(14:11):
that's my argu I mean, it'sup, it's up with the bag.
Yeah, yeah, can disagree withme. I'm cool with that. I
mean, frit me Joe asked,what do you think what I'm saying?
Am I? Am? I rightwrong? You know? Well for me
fits Yeah, I get what Aaronwas saying. Uh. And also Eddie,
by the way, Eddie, Iappreciate your your honesty and vulnerability with

(14:37):
regards to you know, being honestabout where you are in life right now.
I think I always think about thiswhen when it comes to when it
comes to, you know, fulfillingour purpose in life. I always do
comparison with UH, with Apostle Pauland and the Thief on the Cross,

(15:03):
because I imagine if they meet,if they meet in heaven, you know,
the Thief on the Cross and theand and the Apostle Paul would meet
in heaven, you know, andthey asked how did you get here?
Like what what have you done?Or what what are the things that you
you know, experience in life?And of course apostle Paul. You know,

(15:24):
you know the story and this andall that, the things that he
has done for Christ. And thenon the other hand, the thief on
the cross, he has done nothing. I mean, it all boils down
to two. You know, whatreally is God's ordained path for for that

(15:48):
for that person. God wanted theapostle Paul to be to be at the
apostle and you know, advocate forthe for the gentles and all that and
the church. And then he thenhe also chose this thief on the cross
who is no longer able to doanything in his life. But do you
know have that relationship with Jesus stressand believe in him before before he died.

(16:12):
So so I want to I wantto propose this question to you then,
all right, sure, because it'sa two part question. All right,
first question, you said Paul,right, yes, do you think
overall Paul was successful? I believeso, yes. Okay, Do you

(16:36):
think Peter this is this is I'madding that part of it. Do you
think Peter was successful? I thinkso? All right. I could say
that on both of their journeys,they both had failures that they had to
overcome the difference between them and theguy the center on the cross is he

(17:00):
accepted Jesus as his personal savior andrecognized prior to death. So we might
can look at him and just say, yo, it's a success just to
make it in the heaven if youwant to, if you want to go
with that and just answer it successfullyin that in that regards, if you
made it into heaven, you're successful. Bro, that was a success you

(17:23):
know, in itself, if youwant to use that. But I go
back to like, even when wetalk about David, you know what I
mean, David was successful in manyways and he was. He had a
lot of mess ups. He wasunsuccessful in a lot of ways. Like
David was the ultimate king. Davidwas if we look at the requirements right

(17:48):
David would would ya say David fulfillhis purpose for the most part? Yeah?
Okay, But we can also argueand say David was the failure of
a father. Yes, mm hmm, right, yep, I mean,
Eddie, do you disagree with that? You we could see No, No,

(18:10):
I agree, I agree to thatextent. I'm saying he was successful
and in many ways, but hewas he was a horrible father. Well,
we can argue that he had tobe there to a certain degree because
he was the king. But onthe flip side, his son followed in
his footsteps, the most wisest manin the world. Was he successful?

(18:33):
Absolutely? Did he feel it asa father? Absolutely? That is that
is why I am inclined to believesuccesses. You know, for me,
success is like you know, Mitchellaccomplished. That is success. You know,

(18:55):
trying to make a success if betrayedmight be tricky everything if we,
if we, if we, ifwe, if we, if we measure
it only for that in the waythat you want to. Then exactly the
only people, the only person Ican completely can truly say deep down inside
that was missing success was Jesus himself. That's the only person that you can

(19:19):
say that was com truly completely successful. So then you're saying that we there's
no way we can measure up tohim. You know, just because someone
failed in betrayed does not make loveunsuccessful, right, you know, you
can you can fail a million timesbut be successful. But so this,

(19:40):
this is the reason why I don't. This is the reason why I don't
subscribe to what you're saying, becausewhat you're because what you're saying that Jesus
was successful in all things, allright. David was successful and whatever you
want to say his purpose was,but he was unsuccessful as a husband,
he was unsuccessful as a father,all right. So Jesus is the only

(20:03):
person that was successful in all things. There's no no other person on earth
that was completely successful in everything thatthey that they've done. And so I'm
only to me. I guess itreally comes down to your value and what
you value, like like on here, Joe ash is the only one I

(20:29):
would assume have kids in my mycorrect. Yeah. Right, So if
if I was to stand and meetJoe Ash in person, if it's if
his if his wife has a highlyregarded respect for him, if his kids
look up to him as their superhero, that's their dad. They love him

(20:53):
and they have the utmost respectful him. Right, if it's friends and peers
love and respect them, he canbe one of the brokest guys in the
world. I'ld still look at himand say he was successful and the things
that are more important, because youcould tell by their fruit. Then you

(21:19):
can look at somebody else and say, you know, this guy was successful
in making money, but he wasa horrible father, his wife. Him
and his wife don't get along witheach other, you know what I mean.
But he makes millions of dollars.He's a success. There's things that
I could take from his life andbe like, all right, I want

(21:40):
to take and apply that to mylife. And then there's things from Joe
ash life where his family and lovedones and people around him cherish him and
love them. Those things I wouldrather I would take from Joe ash life
and apply it to my life aswell. If I had to say,
if I had to say, ifI wanted to choose between one of the
two our as a Christian, Iwould prefer the life of Joe Ash.

(22:11):
So even if I have to chooseon a personal level, as much as
we want to consider the success thatDavid had, on a personal level,
I would prefer to be a betterfather than to have achieved all those things.
I would prefer have preferred to bea better husband. Then two,

(22:32):
because that's what we're instructed to dofrom the very beginning. First, you
look, you look, you look, you look puzzled, because yeah,
I was thinking on the flip side, I do agree, you know,
with the with the fruits and allof these things, but but even even
people who doesn't know Christ can havethose kinds of fruit. You know what

(22:56):
I'm saying. So so I peopleor you know, people who doesn't know
Christ. I don't know who theyare, but I believe so that they
also have They can also have thatkind of reputation where they get along with
their wife, their kids. Yeah, a lot of their friends know tell
good things about them. But holdon before, before, before you ask

(23:19):
your question, let me phrase thisright, real quest, because I'm gonna
let you out of stage. Sothey have that you said, there's people
in the world that have that typeof relationship, right, and they don't
need to know Christ. All right? What is more important though as a

(23:42):
human being when you stand before God, regardless of what you're about to say,
even the person that doesn't know Christ, but was it those things to
their to their to their wife andto their kids and things of that nature?
Right, when you stand before God, an answer to him? What
is the things that you want tobe accountable for? Because if you say

(24:04):
that, you agree, But thenbut even people in the world, those
the people that are successful in theworld that are doing those things. At
the end of the day, Istill I would give them honor for what
they're doing. For sure, theyfailed in not having a personal relationship with
God, that's where they felt at. But if they're doing all those things

(24:26):
right, if they're the perfect husband, and they're raising the kids right,
Because to me, that's a moralthing that God put on this earth,
whether you saved or not saved,you know what I mean, that's that's
the thing that if you was growingup as an Israelite, as a Canaanite,
as whatever it is. You knowwhat I mean, those are things
that people will respect you for,you know what I mean, being successful

(24:48):
in those things. I don't Idon't know if it's just me talking.
I see Joe actually not in hishead with me, but I don't know
if he agreeing with me. Idon't know if Eddie's agreeing with me neither.
And I you know, I don'twant to I don't want to control
the conversation and take over. Butbut yeah, Joe asked, why are
you not yet talk to me?Yeah? I think it's you on first.
I still want you to. Istill want you to to to you

(25:11):
know, take part in what youwere saying. But Joe, as what
do you not have for what areyou agreeing on or disagreeing? Yeah,
because uh again I have this thisuh, this Bible truth in my mind
that that that's currently running right,that both the believers and unbelievers will be
judged. The judgment, uh isbased on where the first one. For

(25:37):
the unbelievers, of course they willbe you know, in eternity without God
and believers. It's not a matterof you know, just going to heaven,
but there are certain like rewards thatthey will have. So I think,
uh, for us believers, there'salready a standard like what you're saying,

(26:00):
where we could measure, even whilewe're still alive, if we are
hitting you know, God's expectations inthis side of life, but even earlier,
like like what Fritz was saying,I also had this experience. Just
this week, I just buried twotwins five years old, two beautiful,

(26:26):
precious girls who died in an accident, a fire accident. It was really
disheartened, you know, they diedout of fire. Their helpers left them
burning in their room, and itwas really dramatic. But looking in retrospect,
looking back on that, somehow theymay have the two may have served

(26:48):
their purpose because their parents, asI talk with them and counsel them.
I think they are not yet inthat a certain level of faith. So
I think, of course God didn'twill that that would happen, but by
his mercy allowed them to have atleast five years of being with their daughters,

(27:08):
and now even in their brokess,they're looking up to God right now.
So I think technically they serve theirpurpose maybe if that's what God was
intending for them to know Him.But I'm not even sure if these five
year olds, you know, knewJesus in the first place. But that's
not for me to judge. Butwhat I'm saying is for the unbelievers,

(27:30):
there's a different standard for the believers, Like what you're saying, Aaron,
we could actually check our lives rightnow in light of God's like you know,
as a family man, as amarried man, you know, as
a disciple, and you know,things like that, we can actually measure
our success in this side of lifewhere as we're still alive. We can

(27:52):
hold each other accountable, push eachother towards that those written standards that God
has for us. All right,Fritz taken away, man, I agree,
I agree. Uh. The onlything that I'm saying, is that
because we're talking about spiritual success rightat the end of the day, that's

(28:12):
that's what we're pursuing, and that'swhat we well hold on before before you
go into your spell again, toyou define spiritual success, because that's that's
that's I think that's the thing thatwe're getting hung up on the definition of
what spiritual success is. So forme, spiritual success is what me and
Joe ash I talked about. Right, Eddie said, spiritual success is something

(28:37):
that at the end of the day, when he looks back on his life
and does a reflection, he wassaying, to check checked it off.
I'm saying, so, so whatdo you say. What you're saying,
is it it is? Okay,before before I answer that, let me
I'll go to that. I goto that. Yeah yeah, yeah,
you got the floor. You gotthe floor gead Yeah. So basically I'm

(29:00):
saying, is that. What I'msaying before is that, of course,
I'm believers can also do that rightmorally, they can have you know,
beautiful families, beautiful friends, andbeautiful life. Now, if we're talking
about spiritual spiritual success in in asus believers, in our Christian work.
I also picture the same thing.The only difference is, and I think

(29:22):
the most important difference is that it'srooted not just on the moral standards that
we uphold, but the fruitful relationshipthat we have with with Jesus Christ is
you know. I think that's that'sthe more, not more, but the
for me, the primary success thatwe can consider. Because I can have

(29:47):
a beautiful life right now, likemy family is good, I might I
have a beautiful girlfriend and all that, you know, all those things.
But if my heart and if mylife is not you know, and overflowing
from the love of Christ and myrelationship with Him and my communion with Him
and not so really in His presence, that those things are, those things

(30:10):
are I would say, checklists,but not really things that I could consider
the things that you know counts assuccess because I could, I could what
Paul said, you know, Icould say all these things, I can

(30:30):
offer myself as a burning sacrifice,you know, But if I do not
have love that those those things are, those things are futile. So that's
what I'm coming from, alright,to work, though, friends, in
saying what you said, the Biblesays A Matthew twenty two, And this
is Jesus speaking. He says,love the Lord your God with all your

(30:52):
heart or your soul, and allyour mind. That checks off what you
just said, right, That checksoff what you just said. All right?
Then he said, this is thefirst and greatest commandment, and the
second is like unto it, thoushall love thy neighbor as thyself. To

(31:15):
me, that love thy neighbor asthyself. Part when you start looking at
what Jesus' mission was and saving soulsand things of that nature, I think
that second part of love is whatI'm speaking of. When you talk about
being a great father. You couldtell the fruits of his labor, you
know what I mean. You couldtell you could tell how successful was by

(31:38):
the fruit he bear. You knowwhat I mean? The people around him.
So when I say I look,I said I look, and say
if I met Joe ash a person, I say. His family loves him,
His wife adores him, He wasa great son to his mom.
He respects his dad. His dad, you know, respects him like he

(31:59):
just he has a great relationship withthe people that he's loved and supported by.
You know what I mean? Tome, that speaks volumes as well.
You know what I mean more sothan what what we are saying at
the end, good and faithful servant, you you you made it, you
know what I mean, or whateverthe case may be. I'm not discrediting

(32:21):
that we are to uh eddie,but you got two vocals things on or
something? You want twice? Now? You good? You good? I
just wanted to say you want twicethough, brother, Now turn your camera
back on. Man, I didnot switch it out, machine off.

(32:42):
Oh all right, well yeah,but you want twice. It's all good.
I tried to disconnect you in theother one, but you, uh,
you jump back on. Okay,all right, but anyway, so
yeah, you jump back on again. But it's cool, it's cool.
Uh you made me forget my mypoint many now I feel like I'm just

(33:05):
rambling anyway. I feel like whenJesus commanded those two things, the first
part was to first be successful inyour personal relationship with loving, loving God.
All right. The second part islove thy neighbor as ourself. But
I think that can be put outin a broader situation of saying, like

(33:30):
again, you know, we didn'tknow Joe ash by his fruit. You
understand what I'm saying, I knowEddie bias true. If I go to
Eddie, if I go to Eddie's, if I meet Eddie in person,
if I visit him in Kenyon.Two things shouldn't be evident. A His
love for God right and then bthe people that love him and how they

(33:55):
love him. The door, hisfruit that he bears. So if he
had children or whatever the case wouldbe, if it's if they If I
see his kids and they're bad,and they're running around and they cursing at
him and so on and so forth, and they don't you know what I
mean, He's not successful. He'snot successful in that area. You understand

(34:19):
what I'm saying. I don't know. Maybe maybe maybe I'm just maybe I'm
just rambling on. I mean,Eddie, what do you think about what
I'm saying? Because you you youjumped off for our sex. What do
you think about what I'm saying?I think my problem is maybe the definition
of success I guess because for me, I like I said, when with
the gun, success to me isat the finish and when you when you're

(34:45):
done, that is what I'll sayyou're successful. If I ask you to
travel from when it's done okay,So hold on, Eddie, hold on,
hold on, Eddie. So Iwant to challenge all right, let
me first and all, let melet me make sure you're the only one
who is coming to this conclusion,Joe Ash, Are you concluding the same

(35:05):
thing that Eddie's concluded? No?All right, Fritz, are you concluding
the same thing Eddie's concluding? Thesuccesses all at the end? At the
end? Yeah, when you check, check it all off, when you
reflect back and no, all right, cool. So Eddie, you're the
only one standing on this ship.Eddie, have you been successful thus far?

(35:29):
I am specifically said yes. Noanswer, man, Yes and no
answer. Have you been successful thusfar? What have you measuring my spiritual
spiritual journey or in general? Becauseyou you said on Eddie, you're saying
that you're saying that you can't measuresuccess until to the end. Yes,

(35:50):
But you also are also admitting thatyou don't know what to measure it by.
So how am I even to measurewith your successful Eddie? If you
have to pass away, if youwas to pass away tomorrow, could we
say you were successful? If I'mgoing to make a success by let's say,
Eddie, hold on, Eddie,Eddie, Eddie, listen, Eddie,

(36:12):
I don't. I'm not. I'mnot trying to be difficult with you.
Rather check check check me out,Eddie. I'm I'm one of those
type of guys. Well, Ilike direct answers. You could tell me
your story afterwards, but I wantyou to answer the question yes or no,
and then you can explain it.Don't give me the explanation and then
through the explanation and never getting answer. Okay, So I'm asking you directly.

(36:36):
If you was to pass away tomorrow, will we be able to say,
yo, Eddie was a successful guy? Yes or no? No?
No, that's deep. See again, I'm saying no because right now we're
talking about, you know, successfrom a spiritual standpoint, and honestly,

(36:59):
looking at myself, I wouldn't sayI am so Eddie. Hold on,
hold on, Eddie, I'm sorry, Eddie, I got accents. Yes,
So it's success different in others.So success it's different in other in
other ways. Totally totally so allright, So what were you successful when,
Eddie? If success is different inother ways, what were you successful

(37:21):
when? Okay? Good, Now, if you're going to measure success by
actly actly, you know material wasthe material I could say pretty much.
I thinks I have here and there, and you know, I tell I
was successfully you know, achieving thatwhat. But but it comes to all
right, Eddie checked this out.You know how when we talk about the

(37:42):
females and stuff and we say whateverthey bring to the table, all right,
all your earthly things are unimportant tous. It's not important to me.
Joe Ashen frets that's unimportant. Allright, So good good, Next
with success, okay, uh uh, you know what, how how can

(38:04):
I see you and say I amsuccessful from a spiritual standpoint? Yet?
Yet the only way I'll never knowthat it's not by There's no way I
will one hundred percent successful from aspiritual standpoint, because you know, we
have we have one judge somewhere,you know that will judge us all,

(38:28):
you know, and say you weresuccessful or you are more right? Now,
I disagree with you. Fritz counterthat, Fritz counter. Yeah,
although I'm understanding where you're coming from, Eddie, because we're talking, you're

(38:49):
talking about the ultimate ultimate prize,like the ultimate end of things that you're
you're pretending to. Okay, atthe end of the day, it's Jesus.
It's God who will say if you'resuccessful or not. But again we're
talking also about the things in ourChristian life spiritual and a spiritual walk where

(39:14):
as we journey, as we fulfillor as we walk on God's or the
in purpose in our life, they'realso hurdles. There are also things that
He gives and brings into our lifethat needs overcoming and needs change or needs
reformation or needs things that to beremoved. Right, So there are things

(39:37):
that God wants us to change orto be and if we are doing those
things, like for example, forme, I am I don't have like
the longest temper when I'm driving,right, So as as a Christian,
right, I need to to tochange that because it's it's not displaying a

(40:02):
christ like character, not just tothose people are driving around me, but
also to those who are sitting besideme in the car. So they're they're
they're able to see my attitude andthe things that are the things that are
coming into my mind. So Ihave to change that. And if I

(40:22):
am able to change that, thenI believe that is a success. No,
not not the ultimate success, becauseyou know we are not going to
heaven because we are patient in theroad. But it's still you know,
a successful transformation that God is creatingin our lives inwardly and then later on

(40:46):
outwardly. So this is why Ialso disagree with you and Matthew, Chapter
six, verse thirty three. Jesuslets us know that the have to success
is to seek His kingdom first,and his righteousness, and all other things

(41:06):
will be added unto us. Soto me, obedience to God, which
is powered by the spirit of God, motivated by love for God, and
director that directs towards the advancement ofGod's kingdom, to me, that is
the ultimate success when it's all saidand done right. So if if we

(41:31):
if we follow those steps on apersonal level, whether you know what your
purpose is or not, if youare obedient to God and God's word,
to me, you are a success. Eddie. I don't know if Eddie
is frozen or not. Hey,he's back. Do you two agree with

(41:52):
that? Though? I do?I love it. I was trying to
type it, tweet it now,Matthew, chapter six, verse thirty three
that I'm saying, that's Jesus sayingit. Or be obedient to God and
and and you know, be righteous. To me, that's the starting point

(42:15):
of the measurement. Jesus told youhimself. He said, I'll leave you
with two commandments. Loved nat loveGod with all your heart, and then
love that neighbor. Mhm. Thoseare the two starting points of for the
measurement. So so hold on,Eddie, Eddie. Do you love God?
Yes? They do, all right. So if you was to pass

(42:37):
tomorrow, the only the only thingto me that outside of you telling me
on a personal level that you loveGod, the only other way that I
can tell that you love God isby your fruits preach, So you would,
yo yo, Eddie. You know, you know the beautiful thing about

(42:57):
all of this to me, Imean one one personal thing that I've learned.
Right See, you're you're you wantto look back. See the thing
that I don't. One of themain reasons why I disagree with you,
Eddie, is you want to lookback. You want the job is done,
and you want to look back andhave this beautiful reflection of right,

(43:22):
I was able to do this andthat I actually look at that and say,
that's kind of selfish in a wayto me. Whenever you want to
brag about something The best way tobrag is not the brag at all.
Let other people do it for you. Right when you die, Eddie,
it's not going to be you sittingthere saying I made it. It's going

(43:44):
to be the people that you impactand touch lives. That's going to be
standing giving a testimony about what you'vedone in their life. That's the impact.
That's the fruit. It's not whatyou want to sit there and say,
hey, yeah, I made it. Nobody cares what you think to
be too. Be honest with you, It's all about the fruit that you

(44:04):
leave, Eddie. So if youwere to die, die to day and
I attended differneral, I can tella by the food that you left.
Mm hmm. Okayhead you you youwant a debate on this or whatever?
Yes? Please? Now two things. Two things you've mentioned. Two things
you know Matthew six thirty three.You say that is the starting point,

(44:30):
right of success? Starting point?So it is not good success if it
is a starting point. Secondly,when you mentioned fruit, I never said
what I never I never said.I never said. Listen, you're looking
at will we disagree on So let'slet's letsten, let us let us touch
in the real honest what wire wedisagreeing on. It's not the point itself.

(44:53):
M hm, You're what we aredisagreeing on is you're saying that I
need to be the ann needs tobe completed for you to measure Yes,
And I am saying that the measureof success is by the fruit of your
labor, and that food of laborcan be why you're here on earth or
when you pass away. You canbear fruit during your life and afterwards.

(45:20):
Either or it doesn't. It doesn'tneed to be a high moment. When
you just said I completed my journey, I'm done. No, your measurement,
that's not how that's how you that'snot how you measure your success as
a As a matter of fact,Eddie, I'm a businessman. I'm a
businessman. In order for me tobe successful and stay successful, I have
to fall. I have to failand I have to I have to go

(45:43):
through this journey and navigate. Tobecome a successful businessman. You have to
take losses and you have to youhave to win some and lose them.
But you have to be successful.You have to kind of be ahead of
the game and you gotta you gottatake something else and you gotta overcome some
challenges and and when it's all saidand done, Eddie as a businessman,

(46:06):
so I'm gonna let's take the Christianpart out of it. As a businessman,
right, I have to succeed infor as a as a look,
Eddie, as a successful husband,we're going to fail in that journey too.
One of the things, remember whatI said one of the things about
David that made David ultimately successful.Because we can all sit here and agree

(46:31):
that David was successful in some things. David felt on a lot of things.
But what David, what David did, what David was successful when when
we're talking about obedience to God,he had a heart for God. He
was successful in that. And asa as a as a as a if

(46:52):
I go back to Joe Ash andsay, Joe Ash, your wife loves
you, it's gonna be many timeswhere I can sit here and say,
I know for a fact there aretimes when Joe's wife hates him. Come
on, Aaron, But at theend of the day, when it's aw
set and done right, I wouldstill say even the times that she hate

(47:15):
him, she still love him becausehe has a he's a good man,
has a Well, we can makemistakes. Good man can make mistakes,
Eddie Hue, So I'll give youback the floor. I'm just saying where
we disagree, because you said you'remaking a point that you make your point

(47:35):
is success starts there, and I'msaying to you that, yes, we
are agreeing with you, success doesstart there where we disagree. I want
to at least agree on where wedisagree at. You're saying that it can't
be measured until it's completed, andI'm saying to you that if I went
to your place right now and metpeople around you and met your family and
met everything I can, I cantell right there if you're being successful up

(48:00):
to this point by the people thatyou touched. I don't need to wait
until you die or whatever. Andthat's where I feel like we're disagreeing.
I feel like I'm slowly bringing youon to Chris. Chris Joe, I
mean, are you agreeing disagreeing?Like, are we on the same page?
What? Talk to me? Yeah? I think both we're disagreeing on

(48:22):
what counts. So I think Eddie'stalking about it only counts at the end,
but we're talking about it counts nowwhen we start. Success counts now
when when we overcome something or weachieve something. So yeah, well so
so let me ask this first toyou. Do you are you agreeing with

(48:45):
me? Are you agreeing with areyou a greeing with Eddie at all?
Or do you are you saying thatit does count? Now I understand that
you understand what we're both saying.I want to know where you said at
on it? Yeah, yeah,just like what I was explained to Edie
earlier. When I'm driving, Ineed to, you know, extend my

(49:06):
patience. And if I am ableto extend my patience that in my spiritual
life through you know, the transformationof the spirit, then I counted as
a success. So I'm successful youknow a Christian who overcomes my short temperedness,
right, so that counts. Thatalready counts. So and matter of

(49:29):
fact, hold on, I'm sorry. First, I'm gonna cut you off.
Man, I'm sorry. I'm sayingI want to Fris just put planning
this in my head. When hesaid this, Fritz said that he has
sometimes he ill temper when he drives. Am I correct? Yes? All
right, So Eddie, I'm gonnaask you this question. If Fritz went

(49:49):
to work earlier today in his car, right, maybe home without being ill
tempered, and he has to dothat again tomorrow, the next day,
in the next day. But fortoday, did he made it home successful?
Yes? He did for today right, So all right, but but

(50:12):
we can measure, but we canmeasure that that he made it home successful
today. The journey is still notdone. You got to do it again,
I think. Let me add this. What if I hold on,
Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie, hold on, hold on, I
cut friss off, so I wantto give first to respond response. Sorry,
yeah, yeah, now it's okay, It's okay, go on,
Eddie, go on, Eddie.That's fine. Fine. I could argue

(50:34):
and say that what you're talking aboutright now is the success process. What
if I that is that? Ready? You know what you guys calling success
is the success process. You knowyou're meant to get from point to A
to B, from it to Z. Now, if you're at point to
Q, you've been successful to youknow, your success process is going on
A to Q, but you're headingto Z. You know at the end

(50:55):
you'll say yes, so it's sofinished from A to Z. So that
was a successful journey from it.You know, you cannot say you're successful
and then feel little why you knowpoint why? So how success before you
complete? You know the trust Atturneybecause I just argue with you that you
can still fail and still be successful. If you felt that point why,

(51:16):
that's fine because success is overall thejourney you do. You don't have to
be measured completely at the end.You could be measured during during the time
you're doing it. Again, Davidfelt at the end of his life he
was more of a fight than hewas a success. So if you were
to say at the end David wasa successful man, you said he was

(51:38):
successful, Well, what made himsuccessful? Because he was failing at the
end bro through the end of hislife was where all all the all of
the you reap what you sow,all the badness that he reaped, he
that he sold. I mean,he was reaping it towards the end of
his life. If we were tolook at David at the end of his

(51:59):
life, he was very unsuccessful.I agree, But we have to look
at the total picture. I getyou on that we look at to look
at the total picture. But ifI'm looking at the total picture, there's
a lot of things that I couldpull from his life that he was successful
in. And there's a lot ofthings I could pull from his life that
he was unsuccessful. I could measurethat though. I could have measured that
while he was living, though,I didn't need to wait for him to

(52:21):
die to look at that and figurethat out. Addie, that's what we're
trying to say. Let me askyou this last question, and then I'll
give Fritz and Joe ask a chanceto respond to your pastor? Why do
you do you respect your pastors?Yes? They do? Is he a
successful man? I give him spiritually? I will never know that. You

(52:42):
know, people you know be ahumans. You can't see. I cannot
see someone's heart to you, well, well, so why is he your
pastor? If why why is he? Why is he if you can't see
his heart, why is he yourpastor? To me, him being your
pastor should be you should be ableto see his heart for him to be

(53:02):
a shepherd, that's one of thethings that you should That should be one
of the reasons why you attracted towant and then follow him in the first
place. Am I wrong? Joe? Actually, Fritz, Yeah, because
the fruit of his life, alife of a spiritual leader. You know,
you see it in his relationships,his integrity. So yeah, some

(53:24):
we follow people that we look toas successful, whether in business or in
our spirituality. So I got whatyou're saying, Aaron, and I agree
with that. Maybe it's just Eddie. It's just you know, say,
looking at the bigger picture. Sopartly there's that measurement of the ultimate measurement

(53:47):
when you die. But again wecan check, you know, our current
journey if you're leading a successful lifeor in that. So that's for me.
I don't I don't want to makeit seem like me and Eddie a
debate with each other, because it'snot that. You know, it's not
it's not that Eddie. It's justa total, totally different perspective. I

(54:13):
don't know if you know this.This is a an apologist. He's very
renowned apologists. He's very good,like he's traveled around the world and he
has this ministry where he you know, just I think, just giving an

(54:34):
answer to any you know, debate. His name is Ravi. Oh yeah,
Zachar Ryan. That's my guy.That's my guy. He was successful
in many ways, but at theend of his life, man, all
right, there we go there,we go exactly. Yeah, Yeah,
that's what I was thinking. That'swhat I was thinking. You know,

(54:58):
I think that's the point I thinkwhere Eddie is coming from, where you
know, when when we're looking athim and hearing and you know, just
watching all of those things that he'ssaying and all those things, and then
at the end of his life there'sthis revelation where you know, we know
the things that he you know,he was accused of. And but so
so hold on in Fritz. Soso if if if Eddie is going to

(55:22):
hold Robbie Zachariah to the criteria,then how can we not hold David to
the same criteria. Yeah, Imean the point the point here is that
but hold on, no, Ican't. I would love for Eddie to
answer that then, because if you'regoing to say, Robbie Zacharia at the

(55:42):
end of the day, right whenit's all said and done and it's complete,
and you look back and say hewas a failure or whatever the case
would be, because my argument toall of that is not for me to
judge, you know, I mean, it's not for me to judge.
Is forgot the judge at the endof the day, right exactly. Yeah,
yeah, that's what's that's what Eddieis thinking. We cannot judge ultimately

(56:05):
if rais was definitely ra has somuch impact for me personally. Yeah,
so much impact, right, that'sunquestionable, like so much wisdom, so
much knowledge. He is important.But again I think that that was Eddie
is coming from where we cannot wecannot see it. Like you are doing
ministry. You're very good. There'sso much impact in your ministry, in

(56:29):
your life, and then at theat the end of your life there's something
revealed. But even if it wasnot revealed, you know, we get
we cannot, we cannot say.I think that that's that's Eddie's point,
and I still disagree with that point. Let me say that because because because
the Bible says, and also inMatthew chapter seven it takes it talks about

(56:54):
the narrow role in the wide role, all right. Later on in that
chapter, Jesus says people will doa many things in his name, prophesy
hell, a whole prefer of things. And at the end of it,
I never knew you, all right, I never knew you. People wanna

(57:19):
stand in front of him, saidI did all these things in your name,
I perform miracles that did this,that and the third, and he's
standing there like, but I neverknew you. And then in John I
think it's John chapter ten, Jesustells you how you can know him.
Obey my commandments, follow me.I have a relationship with him. And

(57:44):
John I think it's John chapter ten, verse twenty something like that. But
he speaks on that my children knowme because they follow me. So if
if that main thing is I don'twant him, and listening to what he
says, you understand I'm saying.So my thing with Robbie zachariat because I

(58:09):
can't. You can't sit here andsay, Robbie, at didn't Rob I
can tell you at this particular pointin time, this is you know.
One of the things that's mind bogglingto me is the time when Jesus the
disciples were meeting. There was goingaround preaching and Jesus was in the midst
of them, and I don't rememberwhat verses, but there was a magician

(58:31):
or something like that was also healingand doing a whole bunch of things,
and they came up to Jesus.It was like, Jesus, this guy
is a total hypocrite. D dhe's doing this that, and Jesus like
yo, let him live, lethim do what he do. And that
kind of mind boggled me for awhile, right and so, but at

(58:57):
the end of the day, excuseme, whether the gentleman was having some
sort of impact. He was,he was spreading the gospel, eating,
he was doing good and didn't evenknow. And at the end of the
day, he's gonna be one ofthose He was one of those people that
I never knew you, you knowwhat I'm saying. So, Robbie Zachariah,
I would say this, Eddie,just like David. Then if you

(59:20):
could sit here and say, Davidfulfilled his purpose even though Robbie Zachariah felt
as a husband again as a husband, as a father in your regards,
he did fulfill his purpose. Thoughhe brought up many people to Christ and
a lot of people, a lotof people listened to him and was saved
because of him and what he did. He wanted to look at that,

(59:43):
and you can say he saves hispurpose. I would say he was successful
in his mission. He felt inhis marriage, he felt as a role
model to his kids and to me, Eddie, when you stand before God,
those things are going to be waymore important than all the lives that

(01:00:07):
he The lives that he touched isvery important, But and him bringing souls.
And at the end of the day, we can sit here and say,
all those people that you bought,I never knew you. I'm not
saying that he don't know Jesus,he got an answer for that, you
know what I mean. But he'sgoing to be judge a lot more on

(01:00:30):
his role as a father and asa husband more than he is about what
he accomplished. And that's the reasonwhy I can sit here and say today
that I can measure a person bytheir fruit. But here's the thing,
Eddie, because I look at Robbiezacharyat So So, Joe ashing Fritz,

(01:00:50):
right, because we could argue todaythere's a lot of false prophets and false
pastors who are successful, right,And so you could sit there and say,
well, the fruit, they're successful, they're fruitful. And the reason,
the key thing is the reason whyI care so much. If people
would have really got a chance toget to know Robbie Zachariah, we would

(01:01:12):
have known from the get go.If you got to know him personally,
that his family situation is all messedup. I would have stopped knowing if
I would have got the chance toget to know him personally, I would
have recognized immediately something is off withthis guy, not because he's successful out
there, because he's not successful inhis home. So when I look at

(01:01:34):
a pastor and anything else, andyou get to know the man right to
really know someone, the food oftheir labor will be told by the people
that are surrounded by him, notstrictly off of his impact. Joish,
you agree with that, Joash,Yeah, I agree with that. That's
why when I made my statement Eddie, I said, if I met joe

(01:01:58):
Ash in person, Joe, Iknow Fritz and Joeys stands up in front
of many of people and preach anddeliver the message, and that sounds all
well and good. At the endof the day, if I was a
sister and say I wanted to haveFritz or joe Ash be my pastor,

(01:02:20):
I'm not going to judge that byhow many people they impact out there.
It's going to be based around thepeople that are loving them, that's close
to them will impact Because when Isit down, when I sit down and
need to be disciplined about something.When I when I need to come for
advice, I'm not coming for adviceto be a pastor. My pastor can't

(01:02:44):
give me a I don't want tolearn how to preach. That's not the
type of advice I need advice asa man as yo, as I'm struggling
in my home. My pastor needsto be successful in his home in order
for them to give me advice.For me to want to sit and listen
to instead what I'm saying. Youknow, it's eleven o'clock and yeah,

(01:03:04):
want to add anything, take away? You know, say anything else?
I guess, I guess, mymy. Where where we do not agree
on is maybe the definition of success. Right for me, success is actually
the additionary defends it as an outcome. Right, so be could say I'm

(01:03:28):
successful in this and this and thisand not that and that and that.
Hold on, let's look at let'slook at that. Let's look at an
Oxford definition of success, and soyou know, an outcome, hold on,
hold on, I got you,I got you, my brother.
I Because one of the things anypeople do in the study is they don't

(01:03:54):
always look at the whole big pictureof everything. Can you see my screen?
Yeah, fellas, can you seemy screen? Mm hm. So
this is the Oxford Learner's Dictionary website. Success it's a now all right.

(01:04:17):
First definition uncountable the fact that youhave achieved something that you want and have
been trying to do or get.The company has achieved considerable success in this
market initial initially the venture enjoyed afair amount of success. So here the

(01:04:38):
the mission is not complete. Inthis definition, success is doing something and
doing something I didn't have got Sothen, as a Christian, what is
an ultimate? Oh? No no. So one of the things I wanted
you to see here, though,Eddie is is success has more than one

(01:04:59):
definition in the Oxford Dictionary. Andso for me, when you are reading
a definition, you also got toread on how it's being positioned and used.
Second definition on account And I learnedthis from Bible study, especially if
you want to get deeper into theword. Words have the way, even
them being nouns, pronouns, verbs, you know what I mean? Those

(01:05:21):
are linked to other words. Thefact of becoming richer, famous, or
of getting high social position. There'sanother one. A person or thing that
has achieved good result and been successful. I would argue all three of our
answers, all three of these definitions. We would define what we have all

(01:05:46):
said on this podcast true. Butremember it was success from a Christian you
know standpoint. You know, forme, what's the different Eddie success from
a Christian standpoint? I'm still IfI meet Joe Ash as a Christian and
he's a Christian man, and he'ssuccessful with his family and he's successful with

(01:06:09):
his life for Christ, well youknow, he's he's he's following god commandments,
you know what I mean, he'spraying, read and study and even
on top of that, it's noteven on me to judge if he is
or not. But the only thingI can do is bring correction to him.
If I see that he's something thatis off, and if he makes
the proper, the proper changes.Mm hm, he's still you know what

(01:06:31):
I mean? You can you canyou can see the fruit by his willingness,
his heart to want to change anddo the right thing, the job,
the job. I don't need Jesusat the end to say well done,
my good and faithful servant. I'malso looking not only when I want
God to say that to me,but I also want my parents and my

(01:06:53):
friends to say that as well.While I'm here on earth, affirmation is
important. Well, I agree withthat affirmation brings more and more success.
It keeps the spirit high for moresuccess than the wanting to do more.
Man and Eddie, I don't wantto make this like going against you.

(01:07:13):
Man, I don't want to makeit seem like this. We've got a
cople of people that's responding to ushere I have. Let me just give
him shout out. I want togive a shout out. The great She
says. A successful life is thatit's yielded to obedience to God's word.
Tricksy says, Hey, guys,good show. She also said preach Uh.

(01:07:35):
She says, as they say,a man is known by his success.
All right, shout out to fPJ pro creator. Success standards are
in scriptures. Great convo, andone more shout out. You can be
successful in ministry and you fail inyour marriage. And that's what we're saying.

(01:08:00):
I don't hey, so, fellows, wouldy'all wouldy'll want to consider uh
finish this conversation on the next episode. Maybe we all can go back in
and do some research or whatever andbring it and present it to the table,
to the council. Bring to thecouncil, you know what I mean?
On on what maybe we can evenask some of our people in our

(01:08:24):
church, to some of our loves, what is success as a Christian and
come up with a definition. Iwould love to hear, because Eddie,
Eddie, I'm going to also say, I think partially and by me saying
this, I don't I don't knowif it's right or wrong to say this.

(01:08:45):
I don't. I'm not saying itto be ancious or whatever the case
may be. I'm saying culturally,maybe how y'all how people perceive and how
things are in your culture. Youknow, maybe just the people that you're
surrounded with, maybe they all havethat view, so you have that view.
Actually didn't though, I don't.I've didn't say that because I mean

(01:09:06):
I was looking at I'm not sayingthat's the case. I'm not saying that's
the case. I'm just suggesting yeahyeah, yeah, yeah yeah, no
no no, no, I wouldn'tknow. But because it's mind baggling to
me that you don't look at yourpastor and say he's a successful man.
Honestly speaking, I'd be lying ifI say, you know, I know

(01:09:28):
for sure he's successful. From aspiritual distance standpoint, you know, I
think only God can Only God cansay that. You say you know that
he is or he isn't. Atthe end of the day, God will
is done that We'll say, youknow you made it, you know you
were successful, you know so soso so so. You don't think Jesus
when you just said you're known bytheir fruits, he's not a fruitful man

(01:09:54):
like like you. I guess I'vementioned that the career. You know he
was successful in bringing people to Butyou know, for me, if you're
talking about success from a Christians standpoint, what is our goal as Christians to
get to the Kingdom of Heaven.So if I do not get to the
Kingdom of Heaven, then I've notbeen successful. Even if I did a

(01:10:15):
million good things or brought a billionpeople to Christ, if better not get
to Heaven, it wasn't successful.I would say the ultimate goal is not
the ultimately I would say, yes, get to heaven, but the ultimate
goal is to have a personal relationshipwith Christ. I think that's the ultimate
goal. I think that's the rewardfor having that. It's getting to heaven.
But my goal in life is notto sit there and say, oh,

(01:10:36):
I just want to make it tohave it. My goal in life
is to grow my personal relationship withChrist. And that could be evident.
You can measure with much success orthat by the fruit that I bear.
I don't know because I don't.Again, I don't make this like it's
me and you. You're you're goingback and forth with each other. Man,

(01:11:03):
you know what I mean. Letme see here f F F J
wrote, I think we said thissomebody. He said, Uh, success
standards are in scriptures. Great convoand uh, I think I said this,
you could be successful marriage. Hesaid that. All right, all
right man, uh, Joe ashyour fresh. I need you all to

(01:11:25):
you know what I mean. Yeah, Joe as to look like I've seen
Joe as a couple of times.I think he tired, I think for
winding down. But yeah, man, I want I uh, I want
you to, you know, youguys to jump in on this. Man.
Don't don't let me. I don't. I don't want to. My
job is to lead the conversation,So I might I might cut cut in

(01:11:47):
in here, but I do wantyou all to you know, let this
be the platform for y'all to doyour thing. Man, I don't you
know, I have a whole bunchof other podcasts that I debate on it.
I just want I would rather listento y'all debate and enjoy it rather
than me debate or whatever. SoFritz, you know, Fritz, I
disagree with your no, but yeah, I see where I think there's a

(01:12:15):
tension between you know, long termand the short term way of seeing things.
But yeah, I would. Iwould go to you know, going
with that perspective where we could dosomething in this life, you know,

(01:12:38):
make the adjustment, adjustment and youknow, like what scriptures tells tell us,
like let's spur on each other towardslove and good deeds. So that
again, that's where Aaron's saying.You know, when when you know God's
love, you're living on the God'slove, you're faithful. I think that's
success, you know, on thehuman point of view. So uh,

(01:13:02):
you know, as we as wewrap up, I think it's good,
you know, to check our livesif we're aligned with what God expects of
us and really not not be likeyou know, successful in the outside merely.
But we're rotting on the inside oryou know, people are gonna find

(01:13:24):
out when we uh, we're atthe end of our lives. So I
think the encouragement here is to live, you know, as we're growing in
our understanding of God's will, weare to pursue you know, inside out
again what scriptures say, pursue purityalong with those whose hearts are peer as

(01:13:45):
well. So I think that's that'swhere we're getting here, you know,
I think, and that's for allour listeners and those who are watching right
now. Success really attainable by God'sgrace, you know, these things that
God is expecting us to live byand again in church community by his spirit.

(01:14:06):
You know, we get to checkon each other and push each other
towards those clear standards written in scripture, loving God and loving people. And
yes, let's loan for that commendation. Well done and good, good and
faithful servant. But it's again,you know, less like speaking as a

(01:14:28):
pastor, and I've I've done manymemorial services. You know, this is
like my most meaningful job as apastor, you know, when I write
do memorial services because at the endof a person's life, you know,
it actually matters how people will rememberus at the end of our lives.
And so I've seen people who tryto honor the dead, you know,

(01:14:53):
even make fun of them. Evenso I don't want to be made fun
of when I'm there in the book, you know, I want, well
though I'm not sure how I'm gonnahear it, but to those who are
still alive, the people that I'llbe leaving, you know, I want.
I want my life to be alegacy, that a life that would
point them to continue to pursue Godby his case. That's it for me,

(01:15:20):
words for its Yeah, I justwanna make make a point where we're
talking about success and for our listeners, we we guys are talking about success,
that doesn't necessarily follow that we arepursuing success because just like what we're

(01:15:43):
talking about, success is a fruit, right, success is a byproduct of
what we really have as Christians,and that's you know, our relationship with
God and our relationship with Christ.So please, when you when you listen
to us, don't please don't thinkthat you know you have to pursue these
things, you have to get thesethings, or you have to achieve these

(01:16:05):
things, because those things are byproducts, right, those things are those
things are fruits of a fruitful relationship, a fruitful communion, and fruitful bond
with with God. So we arenot looking at and we are not focusing

(01:16:26):
on the things that are achievable,but we are cleaning on the things,
or we're not cleaning on the thing, but we're cleaning on the person and
and that is that is God.So any you want, you want to
leave us with some last words.I was admiring your books. I was
admiring your library back there. Man, you've got a lot of books.

(01:16:50):
Yeah, I enjoy reading. Ijust put them, say Josh, saying
perfectly, well, I will cool. Cool. I just want to go
shout to the fellas. Thank y'allfor listening. I think this was a
great, healthy conversation. We'd loveto continue it next week. Make it

(01:17:10):
two hours. Yeah, we signingout. Man high at you boys,
We're out of here. You havea good one.