Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the path.

We've been listening to that thing for years. I still don't have a clue any of the words. I just sit there and listen to it. I go, yeah. Yeah. I just know I am a working man. Oh, yes, I am. I'm a special agent of the lamb. I didn't even go that far. I I know the working man. I go, yeah. That's me. Yeah. I'm gonna wear something and I'm gonna wear your robe. Like, hey, man. Only in the Jesus culture can you get away saying something, I'm gonna wear your robe because it's not cool in any other place. Like, you can't, like, walk up in a hotel and say that even though they're giving it to you, it's still creepy. You can't walk up to a friend or relative, I'm gonna wear your robe. Yeah. Yeah. Man. No. Don't touch my robe. Probably. It's like, no. That's my robe. That's not the same. Yeah. That's my robe. You don't touch it. Yeah. Yeah. It's monogrammed, isn't your name. Yeah. Yeah. He did. A year.

I was thinking. Sometime within the last hundred years. I mean, I didn't put in my calendar or anything. Yeah. Exactly. Don't celebrate that anniversary. Yeah. Oh, Hugh. Alright. You're listening live from the Path. Hey. So I checked the complaint line. Oh, buddy. With no responses. Aw. Come on, guys. Off the hook. I so here's I just I gave you free rein to complain about all the I'm foolery.

There's no no one's listening. That's gotta be the problem. Understand that, but, like, I can a boy can dream. There's there's no way that someone listened to the show and said, I don't have any complaints. Yeah. You would have to listen to the show to complain about Seth. I mean, people keep subscribing. You think someone's listening. No. That's true. We we got our our thousandth subscriber on YouTube. Yeah. Yeah. That's a big deal. Thanks to the thousand of you that don't complain with it to it. We should we should, like For a party, I didn't Oh, yeah. Hey, man. Oh, no. I had we needed two there were two criteria on YouTube for parties. There it was a thousand subscribers and a million hits. Thought we viewed both of those. No. A million we're still shy of the million views probably by I wanna say 20 or 30,000. We gotta do another cash for sale or something. Yeah. Because that that deals the business. We're only 40,000 wait wait. Does that mean that we get the party in 40,000 views?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. As soon as we cross the million threshold, then we'll put a shindig together. I'll bring cheese and crackers. There you And that was the stipulation? Like, that was our stipulation? That was YouTube's That was my stipulation. Oh, okay. Okay. I thought you're saying, like, YouTube will throw us a party. I was thinking that was kinda cool. No. They sent us an email. They did send I assume computer generated. Like, it's not a guy going, hey. This is my friend. You guys are doing a great job. Right. Did you see the sticker that had the two bananas on that? What was that? This this is bananas? Yeah. Come on, YouTube. I feel like they didn't even put any thought into it. No. They really didn't. I think they still use WordArt for that too. They used Microsoft Word 97

Yeah. Put a couple clip arts of bananas up there and say, hey. Nice job on a thousand subscribers. You're not worth any any new subscription to Microsoft Office. Right. I figured they need us. Yeah. We're keeping them afloat. Right. Exactly. Like, what else are people watching on the YouTube besides us? Yeah. I don't I don't understand. We're we're Alright. So, anyway, if let's say you were complaining that we wasted the first, say, three and half minutes of the show.

Give us a call. (515) 517-0085, or we take the text. You can shoot us a text as well. And, I mean, that's all. It's no charge to me. So go ahead and load that beast up. Let me hear what you really think about that. Ben, do you know my number by heart? Your phone number? Yes. No. Have no idea. Perfect. No. Just wondering. That has nothing to do with the previous conversation. Don't worry about it at all. No. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I just wanted to test your memory and see if you were a good friend and had my phone number. No. And sometimes I have I I've even forgotten, what I put you under my phone as. It's it it is under John Buva the third. That's that's phenomenal.

I can appreciate that. Alright. So here's what we got going on the show tonight. So we we got some advice from stacked up. Since Mike's gone, I'm gonna handle the the doling out of the, the secular questions, and we'll see if we can give decent advice. And I did have a question. So after we talked last week, we talked about, habits, like a habit that you were trying to grab and and and and and things changing. And made me kind of think about another question that I had this week was,

as you've in your in your walk with Jesus, have you is there anything that you've changed your mind on? That you feel like your mind has been changed about over time?

And I don't I mean, you this can be it's a pretty broad question and so, like, I don't have any specific parameters to it except for, you know, is it related to your walk with Jesus? And I don't even know what that I want to imply. It's a maturity thing. It's just over time, like, if I were to ask you the same question fifteen years ago, ten years ago or whatever, is there something you that you think about differently than you used to? And so I would say fifteen years ago, was twelve. There's probably a lot of different ways. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Take take whatever reasonable amount of time since you first said yes to Jesus and then, like, things have kind of kind of altered for you. I can dig on. So we're we're gonna talk about that. And there was

there was an article. Dan, so I I I did did I see you were on the you were on the a different radio show today talking about Sabbath. Right? Right. Right. So it was interesting because there was a I I so I didn't watch it. Did it come there was a an article about in Christianity Day about giving Sabbath giving Sabbath a rest. Did you guys talk about that at all? No, we didn't. Okay. Sweet. So I didn't wanna steal that coming. You can go listen to that. Phil's talking about that. But it was it was it was interesting because, like, I didn't realize

because we talked about the Sabbath before and, like, the core of this article let me just read a little to you and and we'll see what you think. So it says and I've I've not heard of this. I grew up in a Sabbatarian religion. Have you heard of that? No. In a religion that I mean, it seems like a lie. I think they just made it.

Yeah. Seventh day Adventist. Yeah. So, like, I I like, it's it's a strict he said, we practice Sabbath observance as a matter of law. You could just say, we Jewish. I mean or messianic Jew or something. I don't anyway, there's some kind of distinction they're making. Says my religious community was conscious of the minute that the sun set on a Friday evening. Yeah. Friday evening. See? Yeah. Yeah. Jewish. Yeah. It's Jewish. But if there's there's Christians doing that, we had one here for a while. Really? That that that observes that? The Friday sundown?

Dean. Remember Dean? I remember his last name. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. They took us they they did all the feast. Yeah. And they did the Sabbath. Really? Mean, every week festivals. I know some messianic Jews that do that. Yeah. These are not Jews. But they're not Jews. They wouldn't they wouldn't say they were Jews. Straight up, like, I am still under the sorry. I'm getting off my I mean, they look they celebrated grace, but they Okay. This is big. Yeah. They just thought they should Fair enough. Yeah. Alright.

It said, we made sure that that moment didn't catch us still at work or at the grocery store. It was expected that we would make every effort to ensure we were adequately prepared to rest from physical labors. Our homes and cars were cleaned, errands were run, and food was prepared. Stub ironed their dress clothes for church the next day. As a child, I remember getting Vaseline and a paper towel and shining my black patent leather church shoes. When the sun set, we welcomed in the Sabbath with worship, songs, scripture, prayer, marking the beginning of a sacred twenty four hours. We are constantly reminded of John fourteen fifteen, if you love me, keep my commandments. We interpreted this to mean, if you love God, keep the 10 commandments. Keeping the Sabbath was the fourth commandment. Therefore, if you weren't giving it your best shot, then you were showing God yourself and your community how little you loved him. This mindset was not rest. In fact, Sabbath was taxing on the conscience. So, I mean, as it sits, what what do you what what's your reaction to that interpretation? So, I mean, rightly, it it does say if you love me, keep my commandments. Frankly, I think it's wrong to to release the 10 commandments from that. I think it's still still God's character thing in it. Yeah. Yeah.

But they said but but so we but we're trying to do it and we find that it is not restful. I mean I mean, Jesus still said that the the Sabbath was man, not man for the Sabbath. Right. And and I think that's where they got they they were made for Sabbath. That's when it became a vaccine. Restful. Comes higher than the the purpose of

Sabbath which Right. When you're when you are so focused on on the rules and on the the observing of the Sabbath from the perspective of focused or on the what I can't do and how to not do what I can't do are on the concept

of this is meant to be rest that that my father has given me. And I actually rest that perspective and and spend time, you know, in worship to him and, you know, refocusing. If you're so focused on those rules, then think you're missing it.

Yeah. And, yeah, just like you said, when Jesus talks about man was not made. Being David's out of the food, was he

wrong and all that stuff. I wonder like, well, my first reaction would be is that if if you say, hey, god get like, Jesus made this is made for man. It's a it's a gift. Sabbath has always been a gift. Right? And your reaction is that it takes, hey. This feels like work. I don't know that I'd jump to the thought that say, hey. The Sabbath doesn't apply to me. I'd be like, maybe you're not doing it. Right. Right. Or you're under overdoing it? It's like like, I would expect that gifts from god feel like gifts.

And, like, it's possible that as opposed to saying, oh, this this may not apply to me anymore, we say, hey, maybe I'm approaching this gift incorrectly. Anyway, let's see. He he keeps going. My upbringing, in short, taught me how to work for my salvation. Okay. Fundamental error. I know what it felt like in my soul to wonder if I would measure up and make it to heaven. Was I trying hard enough? Could I try harder? Was I confessing sin so it would be forgiven? Now that does sound like Seventh day Adventist. Was I sincerely striving to please God? I believe my eternal life depended on the answers to these questions. I was convinced that the particular way I kept Sabbath was required to earn God's favor.

Yeah. Okay. So so let let's deal with that. Even it doesn't have to be Sabbath specifically, but in general, what we do was required to earn God's favor.

That's a no. Right? Like, that's not that's not how we earn God's favor. I I would make the case though that I I believe you're missing out on God's blessing, however. Like, the the actual to the extent that it exists in the here and now, god has laid out a way to live that otherwise you benefit from.

Even in even in in in sometimes in an upside down world type of way where, like, you have peace when you shouldn't, and you have calm and joy and then you you are patient and and become steadfast and ultimately become confident in God's character and his provision. And so, you can make your way through situations in which other other folks don't handle very well. And so, I I would say your it is not your effort to be saved, but it is through your faithfulness to what God has called you that you actually get to experience a lot of, what he has promised. And to the extent that you don't say,

take part in his gift of of rest, I don't know that I'd be super surprised that you're not rested. Right? That you don't if you don't take part in his gift, you you don't take part in his gift. And so I again, I I wonder if it's if it's an overreaction to to things to say, like, like, it it's not, hey, either,

you don't do this at all or, you're earning your salvation. Like, I those are those are not the choices on the table. I think that's an arbitrary like, a false comparison. Alright. But in my late twenties, God began to show me that his love, care, and design for my life had nothing to do with my efforts to keep the law. I started believing in grace and started letting go of an earn your keep relationship with God. But Sabbath for me was still a hindrance to fully trusting Jesus only for my salvation. It had also become a source of pride. Ignoring the admonition in Colossians two, I judged others' faithfulness and right standing before God based upon their Sabbath practices.

What if I tell you to let go of the very thing that you think you have to hold? Will you trust me? These words were from gospel artist Donnie McClurkin's song, I'll trust you, Lord, rang in my ear. To begin to trust God fully, had to let go of my spiritual safety net. The law had led me to Christ, and now I needed to live by the spirit. And that's when I experienced rest. This rest had nothing to do with the day or a break from my regular routine. So that's that's interesting though. Do we think, based upon how Jesus treats the Sabbath, does it does it not actually still seem like it's something like that Or no?

Right. Is is is is does Jesus let me ask you the question. Does Jesus treat Sabbath like it's some sort of, like, like, it's a mindset? Yeah. Yeah. Like a mindset, not not a not a list of rules and and my mind was was it just did a big study on on on birth of the Pharisees Mhmm. And, you know, how they they came up with all these you know, they had 121 rules surrounding that particular law of Sabbath. Mhmm. You know, there was one law, oral traditions of 1,521

rules, how not to break the Sabbath. Yep. You know? That was more work not breaking it than than, you know Sure. Yeah yeah yeah. And is that what you're saying? But Jesus is just kinda like, yeah, we're gonna go ahead and eat. Sorry. Yeah. So mean, There was a mindset of rest but Yeah. So I bet I guess that's what I'm saying is that, like, I I it's still

I don't know that I get the impression that Jesus is, like, take it or leave it. Right? Like, I don't think he's looking at a gift from God and going, you know, it's not not necessarily a thing. And when he says, when it's made for made for man, I don't know that he's saying, like, I I think it is is still an intentional, like, a cyclical intentional thing Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Of rest as opposed to, like, oh, if I if I give this up,

then I can truly find rest because I'm no longer being so fair cynical about the about laws. Like, I I think we we run risk when when the way that we look at law or the the the way that the the Old Testament law functioned, if you bundle it all up and I say, I I I chuck it all because I don't get to heaven. I'm not saved with that. I think because that's true, but I I don't know that that implicitly describes that these aren't still things of which I are reveal God's character and are appropriate ways to live. Right? Reflect what our here and now looks like. And so and it may so maybe the the reaction I'm having to this is to say, hey. I know we're convinced that we're bound to set aside a day of rest. It's like, don't I don't I don't I mean, I think you you don't have to do that, and that doesn't mean that you're not saved. But I would say that I feel like you might still be missing out. Yeah. I think I think it's okay to hold the fact that, you know, Christ came to fulfill the law and that's an important thing and that is part of it, Sabbath is

But that doesn't mean that we don't still, we don't still uphold the tenant hold the tenant just within a relationship with Christ so that we understand that this does,

show us the nature of God. The the law is is something that does show us who God is and his character and explains a lot what he looked in his people, in his kingdom and I this is a big part of that. It's understanding that, you know, if if we are so focused on on the hustle and bustle and world things of this world and we don't ever take time to rest and look at it to recenter to where God is, which is the more important part. You know, I think that that's that's where we run that risk is is we

may not be under the law still. The foot law may be fulfilled and Sabbath being part of that, but that doesn't mean that we don't still uphold the con that God does want us to rest from things that happen here centered in prayer and I

think that that was one of the biggest things that I at least I've taken from is the heart of what that Sabbath was about was rest from worldly things and making certain that not only it's not like we we push our relationship with week, but it's it's a point of

and it's a point of reboot day. Exactly. Yeah. It's a point of realigning our our week be starting off fresh, ending ending with ending with God and and starting with God. And so I think that we are still subject to that portion. But if it's something that we're doing pharaoh cynically and we're doing it from the perspective of this is law and it doesn't matter the relationship behind it, it's just rules to avoid hell rather than a relationship to find

He said, as I transitioned away from Sabbatarian theology, I was no longer convinced that Christians are bound to set aside a day of rest. Yet, I didn't have to look far to find a book, article, sermon trying to persuade me that the cure for an anxious heart was a Sabbath escape from work, wars, and technology. According to a 2016 poll, 62% of Americans still agree that it's important for society to have one day a week set aside for spiritual rest. But it didn't make sense to me that one could keep the law without being legalistic. And so

that's the part, guess, why I'm struggling with because, like, I don't know that it's legalistic to try to conform your yourself to god's character. And so, like, if if the laws are expressions of god's character or even I mean, Jesus kept the Sabbath. And so Right. Right. And and and frankly, early Christians did

too, but in the in the grace that otherwise Jesus provides. Right? So it's a different day, but, like, it's still a it's still a day of focus and and and and spiritual stuff. And so, their their gut reaction wasn't to bolt from it. Neither was that the gut reaction of Gentiles that are entering the church. They're not bolting from it either. And so I I so I think we gotta be careful here of calling something a law that, like, some of those those those things that we that we looked at as laws that otherwise we felt like governed relationship, that part has changed. But to the extent that

behaviors or dictations of law are reflections of God's character, you're not being legalistic by trying to conform to it. Yeah. Because this was even this was way pre law even as well as being part of the law. You're right. That's creation. Right? Right. Seven is creation. Yeah. Day seven. I mean, it was, a yeah. It's been part of of his character. And and I look at it more as it like, okay, I'm the designer, I know how you guys are wired, I know how you work. Hey, let me do you a favor. Go ahead and rest today. I know that that it's you that you can be more productive or sharper, have more energy,

all that stuff. He just knows that and we tend to ignore it. And then that's what makes kind of dolls down. The big sharpen the saw thing that when you have all this know, rather than working harder, you need to just sharpen your saw and do it well. Yeah. You know? And I think that's part of what a Sabbath does. It sharpens your

carpets your important as physical body. So he says, there's an answer to this. So there are four major views on Sabbath. Three of those views, we see Sabbath as a function of time by ascribing biblical meaning to Saturday or Sunday or simply emphasizing the principle of resting from work on a weekly basis. The other perspective, which is I assume where this character falls, views the Sabbath command is fulfilled in Christ.

Boy, I think I think we're missing out as from of of the law as grace by talking about it this way. Like, it's it's it sees it sees the old testament law as if it was never a grace for his people of identity and a way to live consistent with his character. And like, I think Paul rightly understands the law as a burden when it comes to being something that you have to that makes it feel like that is how you are made right with God. And Jesus does relieve that. But, like, this might be a baby in bathwater, I think, way of looking at the Sabbath. But he says, when we view the old testament through the lens of the new testament, over and over, we see how sacrifices, feasts, rituals, and even people like Moses pointed forward to Jesus.

For example, the Israelites had real physical miraculous manna from heaven that they depended on for survival. Generations later, as the story was passed down, those hearing Jesus describe himself as the true bread from heaven and the bread of life understood the reference. The word became flesh. The Sabbath is no exception to this pattern. Jesus came to flesh out the full meaning of this law, says Craig Blumberg, distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. What jumps out at me more than anything else in Matthew chapter 11 is that he is the one who provides the rest. He provides it not because we do something different on a certain day of the week. He provides it as we turn to him twenty four seven. The idea of Sabbath like rest through faith in Jesus describes ascribed in Hebrews three and four and the rest in Jesus at the Old Testament Sabbath foreshadowed mentioned in Colossians two resonates with me. For more than thirty years, my week was bookended by the Sabbath, in quotes. Observance was one of my religious community's nonnegotiables because shopping work, work, studying, sporting events, and more were off limits. I had been acutely aware of time virtually standing still while the rest of the world swirled outside of my bubble. Sabbath was more than a day. It was an aura. There were sights, sounds, and smells associated with the sacred time. It was what Jewish scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel called a palace in time. I can understand how some are attracted to Sabbath practices.

But I know I knew the work involved in preparing to rest, and from experience, I knew a weekly day of rest would not eliminate business, workaholism, or a restless heart. The cure for those things was found in resting in Jesus. What could be sweeter than having a palace in time every week, living in that palace full time? That's what rest in Jesus is about. For me, it wasn't about a day anymore. It was about letting go of the shadow to experience the reality. Jesus was the oasis of rest in spite of the relentless madness happening around me.

I mean, here's here's weird, guess. I don't disagree with what he's saying. Right. I just I don't think it's I think it's a both hand. I just don't I don't think it's elimination. I I can see I can see if you are

bound to the traditions of the Sabbath that that were placed on by pharisees and, you know, all the all the things surrounding what was actually biblical

to, you know, the the very, very strict way to look at it that that eventually happened within the orphansions of that. I can see that is if that's your Sabbath, that's totally understandable that you're trying to break from that. It's totally understandable that you're trying to find,

you know, that rest in Jesus every day rather than running into those traditions. But like, I think if you if you orient yourself what I would say rightly, from the perspective of we are not meant to

to uphold all of the the pharisaical traditions of the Sabbath, but to understand that it is a Sabbath meant for rest for man so that we can recenter our relationship with God. Then it's not really a burden. I I think, you know, we're we are we are released from the burden of the law. That doesn't mean that we don't follow certain tenants of it. We don't we don't find ourselves aligning with it because like you said it is is is a revealing of God's character through the law, not just the burden of sin through the law. And I think if we're looking at it from that perspective, it's not something we need to worry about. It's not something that we're like held down by the Sabbath and, you know, I can't watch football on the Sabbath or I can't go and, you know, go to a restaurant with my family on the Sabbath because I'm getting out of my house and I'm working. You know, if if you're if you're held by those traditions, yeah, I can totally understand trying to find a solace from that. But, you know, when you break from that and break from that understanding and start looking at it from more wide Jesus understanding of it, it's not it's not a burden you have to break from. And it's not something you have to run away from. And I think that that's what some people may be running into.

Okay. Anyway, so so having spoke upon Sabbath earlier in the day, I I don't know, Dan, any any other any other lessons or thought thoughts on this? Honestly, we were coming from the other angle of most of us just igno Okay. Right. Yeah. You know, and it's more of a, hey, take Sabbath. Oh, yeah. Find some rest. Get a get some type of of a of a pattern

rest. Some portion of every day, some as we for that.

We're not beyond it. So we were probably more looking at the off at it. You know, mean, had mentioned this, like, one of the

acceptable rest. Applaud that. Yeah. And is great. Yeah. Right. Fellowship. Oh, there was yeah. You know? I thought I do both. So

celebrated. Thanks for that smack to the face. Oh, man. Alright. Well, there there it is. I mean

yeah. I I I get it. I get it. But, like, yeah, it feels like baby in bathwater. And I and I and I do think, like, we run trying not to be trying not to feel like we're earning our salvation doesn't mean

there there there isn't still a way that is that is just right to live and your creator knows it. And so, like Yeah. That's a lot of the rejection of some of the reformed view of of calling of of the most frankly, most of the New Testament is is is saying, here's here's how to live. Like, if you you certainly, like, in in the gospels is talking about this but, like, anything past the gospels is basically answering the question, alright then, look at all this that happened. Now, what do we do? How do we live now? Right.

And so, like, I I wouldn't it's not it's not and the the New Testament answers that in trying to point you to what are the characters how does what's God's character? How did Jesus live? Then let's let's do that.

And, like, to miss that, like, we say that the law was fulfilled to Jesus, it's because Jesus becomes it. Like, his life becomes the new law of which then we, you know, and then we rely on to keep us in right relationship with God because of what he's done. But then we also rely on as an example of what it looks like to live faithfully to God's character on the earth. And so I I think we have to be careful about throwing things around and be like, hey, we're we're being legalistic about trying to be like Jesus. I mean, technically, yeah. That's true. If Jesus is the new law, then, yeah, I'm being a legalist and saying I wanna be that way. Right. You've tried to use that negatively and I reject the negativity around it. I I wanna be around that that way because it's right. Because it's right and good and it does good things in the world and helps me be part of good things that God is doing in the world. And so it's not don't don't throw baby out with the bad bathwater here. There's a reason the New Testament spends a lot of time on how then should we live, because it actually cares. It cares about how you live. Hey,

man. What's going on with this baby and bathwater thing you said, like, six times now? Is that is that not a familiar phrase? No. It is not to me. It said don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. What does that mean? It means don't don't get rid, unintentionally get rid of something that was valuable just because you're chucking something that you think is invaluable. Hey. I dig it. I like that. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The water's all dirty. You're like, man, we really gotta clean this water up. Yeah. Just threw the whole thing out. Now you lost the baby too. You forgot the baby was in there Oh. Because the water was so dirty. Oh, man. That's terrible. Yeah. Okay. I can dig on that. Yeah. Yeah. I'm start using that. Okay. Okay. From time to time. Starting tomorrow. Okay. Alright. So Not on the Sabbath. From Yeah. Reaching back from today as far back into time as you're willing to do, what what have you changed your mind on?

Has has anything changed in how in how you think about something or what you think? Dan, do you got anything at the top of the mind? I I do. I do. And I think it's it's in process because I don't know where to land

on some of this. And it's has to Yeah. I I probably because I grew up in a pretty messed up family.

When I was eight, college years, I really focused on learning

family and everything I I was absorbing had a picture of the perfect family. Right. A husband and a wife and children and

just never break from that and that's just how it should always be. Anything less than that is imperfect and, you know, it's just not good, not healthy. And and then,

I mean, wasn't even all that long ago. Within the last ten years, you read through all the the scriptures and think, well, wait a minute, a lot of these families were totally messed up. Yeah. You know? I mean, multiple wives and children and blended families and and

it and and so as I say, I I've I've changed but I'm not like saying, hey, it's a great idea to mess up your family and Right. Right. Right. Have affairs and and stuff like that. I'm just saying maybe maybe somewhere in there my my expectation or maybe I'm see I'm I'm gonna debate myself. My expectations are still high for people. Maybe my my grace is

never judged people. Just as say, I don't know where I've landed, you know? Yeah, right. I'm with situations what are in or have been in or or

that are less than perfect because I I can't even think of a perfect family in the Right.

I mean, probably is, I'm just at the moment, I'm I'm just like I mean, the Bible is stories of fallen people, man. I mean, messed up. I mean, you know, Abraham, man, messed up. Isaac, man, messed up. Jacob, yep. Of our most celebrated stories are people that are like, oh man, didn't that guy have a dude or a wife's dude killed? Mean, yeah. Yeah. So so I I think and

there were I I I was celebrating in an elevated maybe the goal of what every family, what every people want, you know, you go into a marriage wanting to stay together forever. Right. And and

I I don't see, don't know. See, I I I'm I'm still fuzzy obviously because I I I don't know where to land that but but it's in a flux Yeah. Somewhere. I think I think I know what you're I think I I get what you're saying. It's like without understanding without giving up the right understanding of what it looks like when it's rightly oriented or

without trying to make it sound like you were over like you were being harsh with it before because there was always grace to it, there is simply a a recognition of a wider expanse of gray on what is actually going on. Does that make sense? Yeah yeah. I mean, I'm still, like, in my relationship with my wife, there is literally nothing she can do that would make me leave her. You know, it might be really hard to forgive her or it might be really challenging if I mean, but I would I would have to in in my understanding of God, my God's heart is for my heart to be soft toward her Yep. Even if she like completely

does terrible things. Yep. I mean, I'm not about physically abusive but I mean like cheats on me or whatever whatever, you know, we'd we'd we'd figure out how to work that out and I would forgive her and move forward or something. But then we have that trust so like I don't, you know, I don't see it happening but that's where I am Yeah. But I don't judge someone who's in a similar situation and then says, oh, that's the excuse. I'm with or I'm gonna let him go. That's usually the situation, they're like, phew, I'm sure glad they had the affair because I was trying to get rid of the turd. Uh-huh. And I I've man, I can't believe how many times I've had that conversation and I'm like,

I don't think you get the heart Right. You know, of what scripture's saying there. That's right. That is that is a legalist understanding that is not really the core of what God's character high five that husband had an affair because you were you finally have a godly reason to leave him. Right. Anyway, yeah. Somewhere in that mess, it it is a slightly different perspective. Okay.

Uva. I've been sitting here thinking on it because there are two things that keep kind of pile driving in my understanding

evangelism. So when, you know, I first started

I mean, I've been in the church for for a long time. Kid, but, know, I remember going through classes when I was a kid on evangelism that was involving I don't know if you guys know about the million dollar bill.

But it's it's a million dollar bill that you would leave with like a waitress or a waiter as a tip and it had scripture on the back of it. So, And like, it's a million dollar bill and so it catches somebody's eye. And then you, like, look at it and it's got a bunch of scripture. And it's like, oh, man. Like, that's really cool. Like, that's a funny way to bring Jesus into somebody's life and stuff like that. And I remember evangelism, that was the extent of it was how do I trick someone into reading the bible? And when they read the bible, the transformative property of god will show up, which

that's it it certainly exists. Transformative property of the of of the spirit is is a real thing. The bible is the living word of God, and I believe in it from that perspective. But it kinda takes a lot of the workout for it for me because all I have to do then is leave behind a piece of paper, rather than do actual work. And and there's really nothing biblical for that that says,

go forth and and and leave pieces of paper in your wake, that have, have verses about me that not really explain anything. And so my my thoughts have morphed

and evolved and matured, if you will, from that hands off way of evangelism that's like a, oh, I gotcha moment to well, no. It doesn't happen in that moment. It's building relationships with people. And it's also making yourself in a place where you

are are walking in faith and walking in the light of Christ and people then see you and see your life and it it becomes impossible for them not to notice the transformative property of Christ through that. You know, rather than leaving behind a piece of paper that's a million dollar bill that somebody goes, oh, that's kind of crazy. I've never seen that before. And then they read John three sixteen to,

I'm going to live my life in a Christ centered way so that when people see me on a daily basis or even see me go through trials or see me interacting with with my brothers and sisters or, you know, a non believer. They they take notice of Christ in my life and they see the light of Jesus through my actions and my living

rather than, things like leaving behind a piece of paper. And so it really kinda took evangelism from that perspective of, oh, I can make this happen in somebody else's life without putting any real work in on my own to, oh, if I wanna be a good evangelist and be good about, you know, going in and and showing people the life of Christ and and the

power of God. I need to to show it through my own light, not just through even intentional acts like doing things like that. Like showing up to a soup kitchen, know, are you really showing the light of Christ by showing up and ladling in some soup into a bowl? Are you showing the light of Christ by being

that light in the world and then starting and building relationships with people? You know, there's biblical precedents for running into a guy, you know, Philip in the in the Ethiopian eunuch, you run into a guy and then God uses you in that moment and then they walk away and they're just saved. And we don't hear about anything after that story, but there's also a biblical precedent for building relationships with and sticking around and not just going for the one time moment, going for the well, I'm here with you the whole time. I'm here with you through the whole process. The long long term commitment Right. To bring you on this journey. Right. And I think so so if if I were to say something that's matured the most, it would be Oh, that makes sense. That makes sense. And I I think,

it's, like, the interesting in in a similar way, I've ended up on a both hand. Right? Like like, yeah, we need people to hang out at the soup kitchen. And, you know, sometimes we just need people to ladle the soup. Like, it's it's Right. It's, like, trying to confine all that. Like, I think that's one of the risks that we that we constantly run is, like, there's such a wide such a wide question to ask of God, which is how do we live? Right? And so, like, there's a wide expanse of answers that fit a numerous situations. And so it's when you box your theology and then say, well, based upon this one thing, this is what I think is this is saves the day. You run the risk, like,

of not seeing the the world in its entirety. And so, like, I I would say that's something that has changed over time for me is is being more aware of that and and trying to be careful about like, recognize that there's not a one. There's not a one thing. There's not a one thing. There's not a one way. There's not a of which God expresses himself through the work of his people. And so, like,

to be very careful about saying about looking at the the the way God is doing things and being like, man, I'm not I'm not sure that's right. Like, again, with fits within the boundaries of scripture. And so, like, that actually fits with the with the core thing that I was gonna say, which is and this is this is gone one way and then kinda back the other direction a little bit, is kind of our understanding of actions, work. And so I think when I was little,

I my concept of was, you know, be good, go to heaven. And that's that's not actually even the fault of of the way that people teach really. It's just sometimes that's what kids can land latch onto. Right? Like, they latch onto practical things and they say, and frankly, parents, this is on us. Sometimes, that's what we reinforce from our understanding of churches, like, shouldn't lie. Jesus would be upset. Like, well, it's not quite right. But this is what this is what kids tend to latch onto. And then, I think, as you become as they became older, right, it starts to latch onto the right theology which says, look, I can't earn my salvation and like, wee, I can't earn, you know, what I do doesn't matter. That's not right either.

That's not the right bucket. And then to basically where I am now, and I suppose I'm I'm open to continuing to mature in this area, which is similar to discussion we just had about the Sabbath, which is, I know very very well indeed that I I I'm not allowed in the party on my own. I'm I have a right relationship with God because Jesus has done what he's done. However, in response to that,

it is for the good of the world and for myself, to to, conform as much as possible to God's character and the example of Jesus. And so, it matters what you do. And so I think that has been a transition for me I

guess, over time and, and, like, depending on when you Hello? Okay.

We're gonna take a quick pause. Hold tight for just a second. Okay. Welcome back. Sorry about that.

Yeah. Anyway, that that might have perhaps that's the Lord saying you would babble along about that too often. You said I get it. I get Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I can get it. Yep. It'll work. We understand. So, yeah, I think, anyway, that I think that's the, the thing that sticks out for the transition for me. Alright. Alright. Good. Yeah, man. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. That was that's not the right way. You're listening live from the Path. Hey. I don't Is there something for you? Like, something that you has changed substantially for you over the last, you know, whatever amount of time, let us know. Give us or I'm gonna assume it's complaint. Give us a call on the complaint line. (515)

517-0085 or, same thing. You can give us a text, (515) 517-0085, and it's a live from the path complaint line. We'd love to be able to hear from you, share your story. And,

maybe it's on Sabbath. Maybe you got you got some commentary on, on what we're talking about the Sabbath. Maybe we got it wrong. We're we're nailing down and say, look, you you really should still have a day and you're like, nah, forget it. It's in my mind. The lord Jesus gives me peace in my mind. I don't need to take a breath. I just ride this, exercise bike all the time and the lord bring me peace on it. Maybe that's the thing. Sounds awful. That's why it's a complaint. We got it way wrong.

Alright. Good. Good. Good. Good. Let's do some what's this? I had to hold on. Rebirth of Jerusalem based Christianity will be greater than Protestant Reformation. No. Don't care about it. Ruth? I don't yeah. I don't remember what it was. I don't think it's necessary. What did I close out the deer rabbits? Hey, man. Hold on. You were responsible for the deer life in the path. I'm working on it. I had him up. Well, I'd hope so. And then I then I lost him. It's understandable. It's okay. Went in Rome. Okay. Here we go. Wait. Used that one wrong too.

Deer life in the path. My husband, John, recently returned from his fourth Middle East tour after having been gone for a year. As soon as he got back, his mother invited him and his two sisters on a vacation cruise for a week. He said yes, and they'll be leaving in a couple of weeks. The downside is no spouse is allowed. John and I are in our mid forties. We've been married twenty five years. I feel slighted, left out, and frankly disrespected. I'm not sure how to bring this up to him or to his mom. I don't wanna cause my husband, who's currently going through a difficult reintegration process, any stress. I don't wanna cause drama with his mother, who regard my speaking up as an offense to her gesture for her children. Please help. Do I just keep my hurting mouth shut?

Oh, man. That's that's that's messy. It was it was rude for the mom. Oh, totally. It would be inappropriate for the wife to make a big stink because then the husband's in the middle. Right. Yeah. Vent vent to us. We'll listen. Yeah. And we'll agree with you and let him do his thing. How long is the cruise? Week long. It's a week. I mean, it's another end of the world but like I totally dig where she's coming from. Yeah. Yeah. Like four tours year long. Just

a couple weeks back with him and he's already leaving for another week. They go on a cruise with his two sisters and his mama. Yeah. You gotta suck this one up, I'm afraid. You think the problem is that one of the sisters has an iffy spouse situation and so it was just cleaner to leave everybody out? Probably. Or to Maybe the mom's being straight selfish though. I think yeah. Mom's it's traumatic on mom to take her little boys off the war. Right? Like, that's I'm not downplaying the fact that's a big deal. Like, your your kid goes off to to a war zone. Like, that's a big deal. At the same point in time, like, you know, husbands leave your mother and father. Like,

he's And he doesn't need to choose. He that's what I say. She has wife has to be quiet. Yeah. She he doesn't they'll put him right in the middle of it. We we totally dig on the fact that this sucks. We totally dig on the fact that that that mom was rude for doing this, was not thinking of the spouses at all. But at the same point in time, you might just have this.

Thank you for your service. Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. Right up. Straight. I mean, thank you for your service. Yep. Secular says, because your husband is having a difficult time reintegrating, I do think you should keep your mouth closed. The reason you and the other spouses weren't invited may have been the cost involved. I mean, that's not a positive thing. That's fair. Right.

That's not a reassuring thing either. Yeah. I'm just too cheap. Great job, secular. Man, I I wouldn't I just wouldn't do that. Winning it. I feel like you gotta do it right. If it wasn't, then mama may have wanted her brood around her and no one else. You say you and your husband have been married twenty five years, that would make you a military wife. By definition, military wives are resilient and independent.

If you feel you will be at loose ends while your husband is with his mother and siblings, I suggest you and the other excluded spouses plan some activities together to pass the time. If you all like each other, you could have a ball. Later, when the time is right, you and your husband could plan a private getaway just for the two of you. I agree with the ending. Alright. Alright. Alright. Mom, don't do that. Your life in the path. I've been married for almost a year to an amazing man who surprised me with a stunning large engagement ring. I'm a modest, humble person, and often find myself hiding the ring because, although I love it, I don't like the attention it brings. My proud mother-in-law often brags about the ring to others. He recently started working at the same place I do, oh, man, and has been showing off the ring on my finger to my coworkers. It makes me very uncomfortable because I like to stay as professional as possible. My mother-in-law is so sweet that I don't want to hurt her feelings. I also don't wanna stop wearing my ring to work because it's so special to me. What do I do?

I mean, you're gonna run out of coworkers eventually. Right? They've all seen I'm pretty sure that's my wife right there. It's like, hey, Jimmy. You've seen this white you've seen this ring before. You wanna see it again? She shows off the the wedding ring? No. No. She she one who just doesn't wanna be Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah. Yeah. I mean, she maybe stopped buying her stuff like she was into our marriage because she just didn't want it to

she still wanna be a Yeah. You know, a show. Yeah. And it would've really it would've killed her if if my mom was pulling her around. Yep. But I think it's the same kinda the same as the last one. You just just just I mean, like I said, there's only so many employees. I mean I mean Right. But, like, is there something to be said for the fact that, like, this gal should be able to have a conversation with her mother-in-law that says, hey. I mean, that's still yeah. That's a healthy conversation. I'm trying to have I'm trying to be professional. Yeah. I get that you're excited, and I am most certainly excited to be marrying your son. That's the reason why I continue to wear this ring. It is special to me. But I don't think I need to be paraded around like we're Tiffany's. Like, it's it's not a deal.

Like, just just let it be and and let me do my work. I think we both know how that conversation's gonna end, though. Well, maybe you should That's really great. I'll just say that's ring. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What's there's nothing on oh, sweetie. There's nothing unprofessional about this. Yeah. Let's go show it to Janet. Yeah. Shut up. It's my life. Well, that took a turn for the worst part. It really did. I tried to take the high road on that first deal, but then you said, nope. Right turn. I went, alright, low road. Let's do this. Shut your mouth, Janet. Yeah. I mean, I I think it's I I think, frankly, I would be clear that it's a that it's just something that makes me uncomfortable.

I'm you know, like, if you try to make them, like, a case on any other grounds, you can just flat out agree disagree with what's professional, what's not professional. Right? Whether everybody else cares or whether they don't care. Right? You can try those grounds. If you say, look, it just makes me a little uncomfortable. Do you mind if we not if we not point it out? And then I I I would hope that she would respect that. She's not Danza is not gonna hamper. She's not going to, but I think it might be conversation. It might be more comforting for this gal to at least have the cup. Yeah. Because then you can bring hubby hubby into it and be like, hey. Gerald,

I talked to your overbearing mother, and I told her to stop show showboating me around like I'm some show horse. Yeah. And she's not respected. Yeah. I mean I mean, dad's probably right here.

Mother-in-law is gonna do what mother-in-law is gonna do. Does she work in the same place? That's a bummer. You're now poor. Yeah. I'd probably find gainful employment somewhere my though. She said she's sweet. Yeah. Well, yeah. There's no wrong being sweet little lady. I mean, here's the she's proud. She's proud of of of the of her son. She's she's proud of the anything nefarious coming from the mother-in-law. No. No. Personality thing. And here's here's the thing. Most people recognize that. They're not foolish. Yeah. Yeah. Right? They can tell when you're uncomfortable and that you're not, like, you're not parading it around and, like, we just we have grace for mom-in-law. Regular says, it's a little late to do anything now because most of your coworkers have probably seen your rig. That's what I'm saying. Nice. You should Foreshadowing. What you should have done, when your mother-in-law first drew attention to it was take her aside and ask her privately to stop because you're a humble person and also concerned it might incite jealousy.

That's that's always the good deal. Hey, mother-in-law. I'm a very humble person. Yeah. Unlike yourself. I'm modest and humble unlike you who are like Rue from the Golden Girls. And I I think we need to realize that there's a bit of a personality. Stop stop showboating me.

What's oh, what's the what's this? What's this one here? I don't know. You're you're the one Dear life from the path. Oh. Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Oh. That's it? That's it? Yeah. Oh. According to the Beatles, they're certain that it happens all the time. Hell. Was that clever for 11:00 on a Monday? Yes. Was.

Love at first sight? I certainly understand infatuation at first sight and like at first sight, but I feel like love actually has the connotation at time. I I was gonna go for lust.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, hey. You By definition, lust. Love you. I mean, you know? Hey. I say the love word around you so that you would allow me to make these lustful acts happen. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. I I I think if you're if you're I can understand

having feelings undefined at first sight and then wanting to pursue said feelings into a relationship to to blossom

into love. Yes. But, like, looking at somebody one time and going, hey. I can't wait until thirty years from now. We're in the middle of a cancer battle, and I need to hold your sickly hand because we've spent a life together in a covenant with the lord. Can I see that? No. He's asking a little much. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Okay. Yeah. That's in spite of sight. Right. Exact that's literally the exact opposite.

That is love best yeah. In spite of first sight. Secular agrees. Says there is such a thing as strong mutual attraction at first sight, but love doesn't happen in an instant. Love requires actually getting to know someone. That's true. I've seen those, the dating shows where they're you're the fiance for ninety days and then you get married. And they're right. That time is valuable. Then you can have a forever relationship.

We we I was I was at my my parents' house last night and, like, there were commercials for that on. I'm like, good night. Really? Ninety days? Ninety day ninety day fiance. I've currently been with my girlfriend for two months. Yeah. That means in thirty days, I gotta be ready to Yeah. To wife up. You could be yeah. Uh-uh. And I was I've been best friends with her for seven years prior to that, I'm still not there. You better have an impressive engagement ring. Yeah. Right? That could be a shower That my mother-in-law is gonna show around at. Yeah. Look at that. Would you look at that? Okay. We got hold on. We got time for one more.

No. Wait. What it's oh, it's you already read a second. Man. I I I just I I think about, like, the like, the place someone has to be to to write in to Dear Live From The Path and ask about love at first sight. Like, that's more interesting to me than the answer itself. Yeah. Yeah. True. And what made me I say

mean, there there is chemistry at first sight. Yeah. I mean, there's some people you just kinda click with, you think, yeah. Alright. Sorry about that. Go ahead. Interesting. Here we go. Dear life from the path.

My husband has less and less interest in me. Oh my. It started with the last presidential election. What? Oh, man. Ruff. He says I look like Hillary. This is already great. Since then, I've cut way back on politics because he doesn't want to hear any of it. Being an activist on several fronts, including politics in other areas, this is a big emotional part of who I am. I get so upset by his silences that I stopped talking to him completely. That's mature.

I've spent from this is what Mike does it. I can't help with commenting. I've spent from spent from feeling so lonely, so unworthy of love, helpless, hopeless, and powerless. I can't take this much longer. He says he wants to be with me, and he has just started private therapy. I too am in therapy. Wait. You're going to therapy separately? Okay. I get it. Yeah. I think that's what it is. I was ready to draw up divorce papers when I suddenly changed my mind. I told him I'd wait a year for him to have his therapy, and then we'd review everything we had learned and proceed from there. Have I made a mistake? Right now, I can't stand to be around him. He can be the world's greatest giver, but other times, he's a selfish, insensitive, arrogant know it all. This sounds like a poll politics problem. Oh, man. I don't know if I'm still in love with him because he voted for Trump. No. She didn't say that. Oh. I thought that was serious. I'm like, woah. I feel like that's what it is. I think we all know what happened. I'm pretty sure exactly that's what it is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know if I'm still in with him. Line of I voted for Hillary and my wife and I hate each other now. Does this proposed one year respite have any chance of working? Can I be the obvious one here?

I don't know when you're not. Yeah. That's you know what? That's a valid point, man. I appreciate you. Yeah, man. Don't throw the baby at the bath So I I I feel like if you are if you're working on a relationship together and you are both in your own therapy on your own without any

input from the other into the actual therapy session and they're also not pursuing anything joint. You guys are already acting like people who are not married together. Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with going to therapy on your own, but I certainly think it'd be a good idea to throw a mix in of the, hey. Let's go to therapy together

and do this as a couple. As in, like, not on our own, which is what divorce is connotating.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think the time the time is a good thing, but it really does matter what you do with the time. Like, I mean, you know, you've been around, elections be coming up again. Right. Right. So You guys are gonna have, like, a a a life altering shaking divorce moment every four years, apparently. Yeah. Hopefully, you guys aren't, aren't yelling at the local council people because then you guys are gonna have it a lot more often than just four Yeah. I I would say I think I yes. Is the year does the year have a chance of working? Yes. It does. Of course. I think it in fact, it gives you a chance where you otherwise wouldn't have one, so congratulations

on taking a chance. But there are other steps that you're gonna have to take in there, and one of them is not just living learning how to live. Like, these are these are not necessarily just individual problems. Right? They're they're together problems. They're problems that exist, like, if you otherwise are fine without each other, like, you're not arguing on your own in a room, then the problem really is how you interact together. And so to Buuva's point,

although I think it it does make sense to continue to go to the therapy that you're currently going to, at some point, you're gonna have to deal with the fact of what that what your lives look like together. And so, if you put that into the year and probably a good chunk of it, then yeah, think it sends a very good chance of of helping and I would I would at least very much commend the the patients that says, yeah, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater here with your vote and and let's let's spend some time and try to work this out. But, like, it does work you do have you actually have to work it out. You can't the time's not gonna do you any good unless you're actually doing something it.

Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I I would say step back from politics. You you're at a pretty high level, it sounds like, and it's hard to admit it, but all politicians, they use people like you as pawns and you're just in a game they're playing. Step back, heal your marriage, heal your heal yourself,

then decide as a couple how much to get back into it. Take a take a break. Take a break. Yeah. Yeah. Every what did they say? All politics is local? That's your house. Deal with your own politics. Yeah. Dear life in the or

Sekler yeah. Says The her question was, does this proposed one year respite have any chance of working? And says, yes. It does. It appears that in the midst of your pain and turmoil, you experienced a brief moment of clarity. Your decision to give your husband and yourself a year of therapy and then revisit the issue of divorce was both wise and brilliant. You married each other for a reason, unnecessary, semicolon. Now give yourself a chance to remember what it was. There you go.

Man, I lose myself in some of the definitions that you or descriptions you read out because I find myself laughing at statements on within the deal. It's always Unnecessary quotations, unnecessary parentheses, unnecessary it is that's true. It is always unnecessary semicolons.

I Yes. Yeah. Half of the dear life from the path and especially secular does not understand the concept of semicolon in Ben in in Ben's life. That's right. All all semicolons are unnecessary. I suggest the complaint line. There you go. Yeah. I'd like to complain about unnecessary semicolons. Yeah. No. I think that's a good idea. Give us a give us a call or text (515) 517-0085. That's 515, unnecessary semicolon, 517-0085,

and we'd be glad to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the Oxford comma? Give us a call. I'm for it. Alright. Let's see. Next week, Dan and Dan and Boob are gonna be out. Right? No. Actually, we're here. That's been postponed. Okay. Postponed. Alright. So so we might just be back Next week, we'll be here. Doing legitimate stuff. We will see you next week. In the meantime, be faithful in means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening to live from the path.