Ambassador to the Kingdom of God

Season 1 Episode 43

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Galatians 5:19-23 KJV

It's the final episode of the Fruit of the Spirit Series! We often think about the benefits we reap from having the fruit of the spirit, but it's just as important to remember how these fruit benefit the world around us. The Word tells us that we will know God's people by the fruit they bear. Remember not only does a good tree bear good fruit, but good that fruit nourishes those around it and is able to be planted to create other trees that bear good fruit. Our role as an ambassador to the Kingdom of God requires that we bear good fruit, not for ourselves but for those we encounter.

References and Footnotes

1. Tim Mackie. "2. Yahweh is our God - I Am Who I Am - Tim Mackie (The Bible Project)". YouTube. August 21, 2017

The Science of the Mind

Season 1 Episode 41

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he Proverbs 23:7 KJV

When we talk about guarding our minds, we should talk about the science too! In this episode we're going to touch on the effect of music on our emotion[1][2], neuroplasticity[3], and mirror neurons[4][5].

References and Footnotes

1. Robert J. Zatorre. "Music and the Brain". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. January 24, 2006
2. Leanne C. Alworth and Shawna C. Buerkle. "The effects of music on animal physiology, behavior and welfare". Lab Animal. 22 January 2013
3. Sentis. "Neuroplasticity". YouTube. November 6, 2012
4. Dr. Shelly Richardson, "Mirror Neurons: Causing Change Within Others ". TEDx | Gull Lake. August 25, 2017
5. Lea Winerman. "The mind's mirror". American Psychological Association. October 2005

Guard the Avenues to Your Mind

Season 1 Episode 41

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 CSB

There's so much more to this concept than I could fit in to this episode. From studies showing that our brains react the same when we see an action as it would if we were to perform the action, to how difficult it is to create new "pathways" (re: behaviors) in our brain. I kept it simple in this episode, but you can expect a follow up with all the science-y stuff next week.

Most Athletic

Season 1 Episode 40

³The angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are unable to conceive and have no children, but you will conceive and give birth to a son. ⁴Now please be careful not to drink wine or beer, or to eat anything unclean; ⁵for indeed, you will conceive and give birth to a son. You must never cut his hair, because the boy will be a Nazirite to God from birth, and he will begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines.” Judges 13:3-5 CSB

The Bible doesn't mention any of our modern sports—it might not mention sports at all, but that doesn't mean there weren't athletic people in Biblical times. The more I read the story of Samson, the more I see Samson in the athletes of today. I found myself having more sympathy for him. Let's talk about vulnerability, strength, and compassion.

References and Footnotes

Jeannette Catsoulis. "‘Brian Banks’ Review: Falsely Accused, and Fighting Back". New York Times. August 8, 2019

"Report: Wife caught Kobe cheating". FOX Sports. December 18, 2011

Lindsay Gibbs. "The legacy of the Kobe Bryant rape case". Think Progress. April 13, 2016

Jill Mahoney. "Chronology of the Tiger Woods scandal". The Globe and Mail. December 8, 2009

William D. Cohen. Remembering (and Misremembering) the Duke Lacrosse Case". Vanity Fair. March 10, 2016

You Are Not Alone

Season 1 Episode S

Why did I come out of the womb
to see only struggle and sorrow,
to end my life in shame? Jeremiah 20:18 CSB

Did you know many of God's people experienced depression? I was reading Jeremiah this week and he said something that really stuck with me...mainly because many of us have said it before: "Why did I come out of the womb to see only struggle and sorrow?"

Fruit of the Spirit: Self Control featuring GirlTalkWithFo

Season 1 Episode 39

⁵For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, ⁶knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, ⁷godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-7 CSB

Is it odd that the only thing in life we can control is our self, but that's one of the toughest things to do? The final Fruit of the Spirit is Self Control (or Temperance). I called up published author and finance blogger GirlTalkWithFo to talk about this fruit.

About GirlTalkWithFo

Fo has written two books ("They That Wait" and "Dump Debt & Build Bank: The Everyday Chick’s Guide to Money") and has her own podcast, GirlTalkWithFo. She's also one of the first people I met in college. I've learned a lot about self control from her so it only seemed right to have her here for this episode.

Important Verses

• Acts 24:25
• 1 Corinthians 7:5,9
• 1 Corinthians 9:25
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6,8
• 1 Timothy 3:2,11
• 2 Timothy 3:3; 4:5
• Titus 1:8; 2:2, 5-6
• 2 Peter 1:6

References and Footnotes

GirlTalkWithFo Website

GirlTalkWithFo Podcast

Faneisha Ragin. They That Wait. May 25, 2015

Faneisha Alexander. Dump Debt & Build Bank: The Everyday Chick’s Guide to Money. February 24, 2019

The verse Fo is referencing is 1 Corinthians 15:33

"Quicker rather than not so quick"? Y'all I was definitely trying to say "sooner rather than later"

The Overachiever

Season 1 Episode 38

When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not bring themselves to speak peaceably to him. Genesis 36:4 CSB

We all know that person who seemed to overachieve at everything (maybe we ever were/are that person). For some reason, these people tend to get under our skin, which makes the story of Joseph that much more relatable. Let's talk about both sides of Joseph's story and see what we can learn about ourselves.

Forced Love Isn't Love

Season 1 Episode 37

But if it doesn’t please you to worship the Lord, choose for yourselves today: Which will you worship—the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living? As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 CSB

Countless people try to force the love of God on people they meet, but love isn't something that's forced. It's something given freely, an offer that can accepted or rejected. The damage we cause by trying to force people into a relationship with God is deadly, so let's talk about it.

References and Footnotes

Proverbs 22:6

Matthew 10

At birth, you're supposed to be head first, face down. I was head first, face up.

Alone

Season 1 Episode 36

³Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.” ⁵Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” ⁶Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. ⁷Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” ⁸So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹He entered a cave there and spent the night. 1 Kings 19:3-9 CSB

Is it true that you should never be "alone" in your walk as a Christian? Several people have suggested just that, but I think it's a lot more nuanced than that. In fact I think at times you have to stand alone to grow your faith. Let's talk about how alone time builds your relationship with God and the Biblical basis for it.

References and Footnotes

Moses at Mt. Sinai - Exodus 19

Elijah alone in the wilderness - 1 Kings 19:1-9

Messiah alone in the wilderness - Matthew 4

The LORD will Provide

Season 1 Episode R

¹²Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” ¹³Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.” Genesis 22:12-14 CSB

Just when I think there's no way out, God always provides a way. He's been doing that for His people since the very beginning, which is why one of His names is YHWH Jireh, the Lord will Provide. In this bonus episode, let's talk about why the name YHWH Jireh is so important.

References and Footnotes

"The Lord Will Provide:" Why Is God Called Jehovah Jireh in the Bible?". Bible Study Tools; visited September 2019

Note, the name YHWH is often pronounced Jehovah or Yahweh in English but the pronunciation of the name has been lost since the Israelites believed it was too sacred to speak.

Most Likely To Betray You

Season 1 Episode 35

³Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ⁴“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.

“What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” ⁵So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:3-5 CSB

Betrayal is always unexpected, and it always hurts. The Bible has many instances of betrayal, from sibling rivalries to Judas betraying Jesus. We spend a lot of time talking about the person who was betrayed and vilifying the betrayer, but what happens when we realize we have plenty in common the betrayer? The root cause of betrayal is always selfishness and we all fall prey to the temptation of selfishness. In this episode, let's talk about how we can avoid the pitfalls that lead to betrayal.

References and Footnotes

Another example of betrayal in the Bible is David's betrayal of Uriah (sleeping with Bathsheba then having Uriah killed).

Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness (feat. DJ)

Season 1 Episode 34

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 KJV

What does it mean to be meek? It’s a word we pass around but rarely define or dive into. Matthew 5:5 tells us the meek will inherit the earth, which means we should probably know what it means. DJ joined me as we tried to make sense of this Fruit of the Spirit and apply it to life.

About DJ

DJ and I met in the young adult ministry at our church. He participates in our Sabbath school and Bible study discussions, and like most of us, is trying to grow in his relationship with Christ.

Important Verses

• Numbers 12:3
• Psalm 37:11
• Zephaniah 2:3
• Matthew 11:29
• Matthew 12:19-20
• Matthew 21:4
• Galatians 6:1
• Ephesians 4:1-3
• Philippians 2:3
• 1 Timothy 6:11
• Titus 3:2
• James 1:21
• James 3:13
• James 4:6
• 1 Peter 2:23
• 1 Peter 3:15

References and Footnotes

1. I apologize for my air conditioner being so loud in the background. It was too hot to turn it off!
2. Philippians 2:3

Most Likely to Beat You at Everything

Season 1 Episode 33

¹⁰Who can find a wife of noble character? She is far more precious than jewels. ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good. ¹²She rewards him with good, not evil, all the days of her life. ¹³She selects wool and flax and works with willing hands. ¹⁴She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from far away. ¹⁵She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and portions for her female servants. ¹⁶She evaluates a field and buys it; she plants a vineyard with her earnings. ¹⁷She draws on her strength and reveals that her arms are strong. ¹⁸She sees that her profits are good, and her lamp never goes out at night. ¹⁹She extends her hands to the spinning staff, and her hands hold the spindle. ²⁰Her hands reach out to the poor, and she extends her hands to the needy. ²¹She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all in her household are doubly clothed. ²²She makes her own bed coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple. ²³Her husband is known at the city gates, where he sits among the elders of the land. ²⁴She makes and sells linen garments; she delivers belts to the merchants. ²⁵Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come. ²⁶Her mouth speaks wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. ²⁷She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle. ²⁸Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her: ²⁹“Many women have done noble deeds, but you surpass them all!” ³⁰Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. ³¹Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.” Proverbs 31:10-31 CSB

The Proverbs 31 woman is essentially perfect. It’s the most empowering and intimidating passages the Bible has to offer on what it means to be a virtuous woman. We don’t often talk about the little details, but I'm pretty sure every Christian woman has had a battle trying to align herself with this superwoman standard.

References and Footnotes

1. What I meant about being more conservative and less conservative in a nutshell is that I'm waiting til marriage to have sex, but right now I have blue highlights in my hair. Where I stand on issue doesn't map uniformly to one side or the other.
2. There is so much more to talk about! Be ready for a Proverbs 31 episode, and probably a post. I want to go deeper Biblically and reach out to other women for their commentary. So this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Most Likely To Get You In Trouble

Season 1 Episode 32

²⁰Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat. ²¹When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him, because they said, “He’s out of his mind.” ²²The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.” ²³So he summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished. ²⁷But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. ²⁸“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they utter. ²⁹But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark 3:20-30 CSB

The Pharisees stayed trying to "catch" Jesus. They were against Him, in favor of their own traditions and the status quo (which gave them power). The were so engrossed in trying to harm Jesus, they erred close to the only unforgivable sin. Following in their footsteps is a guaranteed way to get us into trouble. Let's look at how their actions look in our modern world and talk about the dangers of calling good evil and evil good.

References and Footnotes

Yes, that's Bubbles speaking in the background. I had been gone all day and she wanted some attention. Of course she may have also been trying to tell us something about the Word 🤷🏽‍♀️

Other gospel records of Mark 3:20-30: Matthew 12:22-32 and Luke 12:10

Not everyone who says Lord, Lord will get into the Kingdom of Heaven: Matthew 7:21

Sheep of a different fold: John 10:16

Ask And You Shall Receive

Season 1 Episode Q

Therefore I tell you, everything you pray and ask for—believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 CSB

My Testimony Tuesday was too long for an instagram video, so I decided to make it into a podcast episode. When I need God to straighten out my finances, He came through with a quickness. At the end of the day though, it's not just about God filling up my cup, it's about what I do with what He's giving me.

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness feat. Gramps

Season 1 Episode 31

¹Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. ²For by it our ancestors won God’s approval. Hebrews 11:1-2 CSB

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Diana Simumpande

Hebrews 11 is a perfect description of faith, but faith is something that you have to grow into--it's personal. Since faith comes from experience and wisdom, I asked my grandfather to join me in discussing this important Fruit of the Spirit.

About My Grandfather

My grandfather is a retired musician and a minister in the United Methodist Church. He serves as a chaplain in various organizations and preaches from time to time.

Acts of Faith Described in Hebrews

1. Hebrews 11:3 - Understanding that God created the world through His Word (Genesis 1)
   Today, people are ostracized if they believe in Creation. We can't fathom God merely speaking and things coming into existence. The invisible became visible, and it's hard for us to simply trust that. Thus this acknowledgement of God as the rightful supreme authority in the universe requires faith.
2. Hebrews 11:4 - Abel's sacrifice was better than Cain's because His was given through faith (Genesis 4)
   We may not sacrifice animals and crops anymore, thanks to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, but we do sacrifice time, dreams, relationships, etc. for the glory of God. We should always be willing to give God our best!
3. Hebrews 11:5 - Enoch escaped death because of his faith (Genesis 5:24)
   Can you imagine how much faith a person has to have to be taken straight to Heaven with no need to actually die?
4. Hebrews 11:7 - Noah built the ark on faith (Genesis 6)
   The people around him had to have laughed at this outrageous act. Similarly, people today will laugh and mock us when we . do God's Will. It takes faith in God's Word to push past this criticism and do what God has called us to do.
5. Hebrews 11:8 - Abraham left his home on faith (Genesis 12)
   Living away from home is a big deal for most people. People are always shocked that I moved to South Florida alone and don't have family in the area. At least I have a cell phone, face chat software, a car, and access to flights. Abraham didn't have any of these things; he just struck out on his own.
6. Hebrews 11:11 - Faith allowed Sarah to conceive in her old age (Genesis 21)
   Many couples have fertility problems today and many women in the Bible had fertility issues. However, God made a way for each of them (Sarah, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth, etc.) Their faith is what kept them going.
7. Hebrews 11:13 - Those mentioned above knew prophecy. They wanted to see the "paradise" they would inherit and the savior who would bring this salvation, but they died before any of this came to pass. However, they died knowing it would come to pass.
8. Hebrews 11:17 - Abraham offered his only son as sacrifice (Genesis 22)
   God did exactly the same thing, except He had to allow Jesus to die (there was no alternative sacrifice waiting for him. Sometimes the sacrifice we are called to give feels like something we could never part with, but God is more important and always work the sacrifice.
9. Hebrews 11:20-22 - Isaac blesses Esau and Jacob; Jacob blesses his children; Joseph mentions the Exodus.
   Each of these men had faith in the promise that God would lead them into their own land where they would prosper.
10. Hebrews 11:23 - Moses hidden (Exodus 2)
    Despite the turmoil and evil around them, Moses parents had faith that God would protect their child.
11. Hebrews 11:24 - Moses rejects royalty(Exodus 2)
    Despite the turmoil and evil around them, Moses parents had faith that God would protect their child.
12. Hebrews 11:27-29 - Moses delivers Egypt (Exodus)
    Going back to Egypt was not an easy feat for Moses; he had to face his past (killing two Egyptians and confront Pharaoh). It takes faith for us to enter into certain situations and it may take even more faith to do the things God calls us to in those situations.
13. Hebrews 11:30 - The Battle of Jericho (Joshua 6)
    We have to let God fight our battles; it requires much less work on our part and is always successful.
14. Hebrews 11:31 - Rahab helps the Israelites (Joshua 2)
    In order for Rahab to help the Israelites and become grafted in to Israel, she had to betray the people she grew up with. Some times we have to leave those closes to us to become closer to God.
15. Hebrews 11:32-34 - The judges of Israel (Judges)
    When God called, they went to battle for Him, literally.

Footnotes and References

1. Both my grandparents taught music, so I began learning from them at a very early age.
2. I have no idea how old my grandfather is and the revelation that he is somewhere near 80 was actually a shock to me during the episode.
3. That is actually me playing "Great is Thy Faithfulness" at the end on the podcast. Pardon my intonation, I'm a bit out of practice.

Most Likely to Shoot Their Shot

Season 1 Episode 30

⁵So Ruth said to her, “I will do everything you say.” ⁶She went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had charged her to do. ⁷After Boaz ate, drank, and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the end of the pile of barley, and she came secretly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

⁸At midnight, Boaz was startled, turned over, and there lying at his feet was a woman! ⁹So he asked, “Who are you?”

“I am Ruth, your servant,” she replied. “Take me under your wing, for you are a family redeemer.”Ruth 3:5-9 CSB

The entrance to where I stayed in Belize
Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Tamarcus Brown

Is it proper for a woman to "shoot her shot"? My friends and I have been talking about dating almost nonstop for the past week and while I wish I'd just recorded our conversation, I had to let some of that conversation bleed over in to the podcast. So let's talk about Ruth basically asking Boaz to marry her...

Footnotes and References

Ronald L. Eisenberg. "Levirate Marriage". My Jewish Learning; visited August 2019

Christopher R. Smith. "Did Ruth seduce Boaz to get him to marry her? (Part 3)". Good Question Blog. February 20, 2013

Judah and Tamar - Genesis 38

Miracles in Belize

Season 1 Episode 29

Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.Galatians 6:2 CSB

The entrance to where I stayed in Belize
Photocredit: PSALMS to God

I went on my first mission trip! In this episode I wanted to dispel some of the beliefs about mission trips I encountered before I left and I wanted to share with you some of the miracles I experienced there. In the episode I share 6 miracles I saw throughout the week, and those are just the ones I know about! One thing is for certain, if you let God take the reins, He'll show you Who He is.

Footnotes and References

The background ambiance is actually a recording I took while in Belize.

Jeffrey Gettleman, Hari Kumar, and Kai Schultz. "Retrieving Body of Missionary Killed on Remote Indian Island Is a Struggle". NY Times. November 24, 2018

Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5

I totally forgot to mention that the Vacation Bible School theme was Fruit of the Spirit, which as you know is also the theme for this season of the podcast.

You Are What You Eat

It's an old saying, and often used in jest, but what we heat actually says alot about our spiritual walk.

Season 1 Episode O

⁴The riffraff among them had a strong craving for other food. The Israelites wept again and said, “Who will feed us meat? ⁵We remember the free fish we ate in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. ⁶But now our appetite is gone; there’s nothing to look at but this manna!"Numbers 11:4-6 CSB

Photocredit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons

How we deal with food says a lot about how we deal with our spiritual walk. In this episode, we're looking at Numbers 11:4-6 and how easy it is for the devil to tempt us away from God with something as simple as a meal.

Can you imagine eating something bland like oatmeal or grits, for days on end? Some times we have to give up the comforts of home to accomplish God's mission. How we handle giving up our favorite foods can indicate our willingness to turn away from sin. The Israelites thought it was better to be in bondage with great food, than free with a temporarily "bland" diet. When God is delivering you from a situation, what will you say?

Inspiration for the Episode

I went on a mission trip to Belize earlier this month[1] and after I'd paid all my money, I found out we weren't going to be having lunch—not like lunch isn't included so we have to pay our own way but like we won't be taking a break during that time so there will me no time for lunch. Y'all I was floored because I love lunch. Lunch is my favorite meal of the day. Not only do I just love food, but its a great break for resetting the day. If I had a rough morning, lunch is the time to reset for the afternoon. So, when I found out there wasn't going to be lunch, I had to have a deep conversation with God. I spent a lot of time mentally preparing for a week of no lunch. Once I got there, the very first night there was a mix up during dinner. Many people in the group got frustrated and while I don't want to go into detail about what was said, the situation very much reminded me of the how the Israelites behaved in Numbers 11. That is how we got to this episode.

What Happened in Numbers 11?

In Numbers 11:4-6, the Israelites are frustrated with their meal situation. God provided manna for them every day and this manna was sufficient for every need, but it wasn't the lavish feasts of Egypt. Although they were enslaved in Egypt, they had access to a variety of foods that they had grown used to. Now, they were free but only had manna.[2] They lamented this fact and actually wished to return to Egypt and bondage over the food!

How Does it Relate to Today?

The Bible doesn't tell us exactly what manna tastes like, but based on the description I think of it like oatmeal (or grits for my fellow southerners). Both oatmeal and grits are pretty bland by themselves, but can be really awesome if you add to them. Nonetheless, I can't imagine eating only oatmeal or only grits for days on end...

If you're like me, you are privileged to eat what you want when you want to eat it. Sure, there are times when I'm running late or something comes up and I have to eat late; or maybe I'm missing an ingredient and have to wait for a store run. However, ususally I am able to decide I want to eat, go to the fridge or pantry and find exactly what I want. In the times I don't have it, I may go get it. It's nothing for me to passover the vegetables in my freezer and go to the store because I suddenly had a craving for zucchini. Not everybody has that luxury There are people who don't know when they will get there next meal or what that meal will be.

Israel was in between the privilege of eating what they wanted whenever they wanted and not knowing if they would see food again. God gave them what they needed but not necessarily what they wanted. In this situation, they reacted the way many of us today would. For example, we know that certain foods are bad for us—fats and deep fried foods may give us high cholesterol and sugary things may give us diabetes—but it tastes good. We will often choose the deep fried oreo or a quick burger and fries over a kale salad. In other words, we would choose bondage to health problems over a healthy life style. In the same way, we choose bondage to sin over freedom in God.

In Belize we were being asked to eat what was prepared for us for one week. Just one week of discomfort. We're not talking about a 40 day no food fast or a 21 day Daniel fast or even a 10 day Daniel fast. Just 7 days... People were upset. If we can't handle that, how are we going to handle any other temptation Satan throws at us?

References and Footnotes

1. Mission Trip Episode: Miracles in Belize
2. As I edit these show notes 3 years later, I realized that this is very much like financial slavery as well. Many of us would not move to a place with less modern comforts for a cheaper cost of living so that we can reclaim our time; instead we give all our time to corporations to afford the comforts of modern life.

Black Israel Pt. 3

This is the last episode in the Black Israel series; it ties together everything we’ve been talking about. In this episode I ask the question, does it matter? And Is it relevant to today?

Season 1 Episode 28

The Lord will afflict you with wasting disease, fever, inflammation, burning heat, drought, blight, and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.Deuteronomy 28:22 CSB

Photocredit: Unsplash/Hush Naidoo

This is the final episode in the Black Israel series and the first episode back from my hiatus. Today we're talking about the health issues discussed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, as well as wrapping up the series. When I first started studying this I wondered if it mattered and what it's relevance to today was. So, in this final episode, we discuss why this passage is important to all of us today, regardless of color, nationality, or lineage.

The final footnotes include links to the first 2 podcasts in the series and the initial blog post about the topic.

Footnotes and References

Bubbles has chronic upper respiratory issues, so don't mind her if you hear here sneezing in the mic throughout the episodes.

Kim Carollo. "5 Diseases More Common in Minorities". ABC News. October 2011

When I said a hard head makes a soft behind, Proverbs 13:24 popped into my head too.

God tells us what to eat in Genesis 1:29, Genesis 9:3, and Leviticus 11.

Surrendering to Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell within you means you should see changes in your behavior (this is the main point of the Fruit of the Spirit series.

Ree Hughes. "Deuteronomy 28: The Curse of Israel & The Black Israelite Theory". PSALMS to God. June 19, 2016

Ree Hughes. "Black Israel". PSALMS to God. June 10, 2019

Ree Hughes. "Black Israel Pt 2". PSALMS to God. June 17, 2019