Biblical mentors Gehazi and Judas, plus modern-day faith discussion

Hi, you're listening to Positive Perspective, one of the most interesting hours in radio, where we shine the positive light of Jesus Christ on the scriptures, music, our communities, and world issues. We're broadcasting live from Skid Row Studios in beautiful downtown Los Angeles. Hi, I'm Willis Boyd. And I'm Shante Duncan. And you are listening to Positive Perspective. Tonight, we're going to open up in prayer. All right, so that means... Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this opportunity to share time with each other and glorify you through the website. And just praying, Lord, that you give us wisdom to speak about, you know, whatever it is we're talking about tonight. So I just thank you and appreciate all the opportunities and all the doors that you're opening for us. In Jesus' name, amen. In Jesus' name, amen. All right. Tonight's show, we are going to talk about two of the greatest mentors that ever lived. And I mean that ever lived. Maybe you know them. One of them is Jesus Christ, and the other one is Elisha. Not Elijah, the Tishbite, but Elijah. And they were wonderful teachers. And performed a lot of miracles. And I think that's sometimes the only thing we understand or the things that we can touch or what we can see. But anyway, wait a minute. We're not talking about them, are we? We're talking about two of the servants or two of their disciples that served under them. And that's Gehazi, Elijah, a servant, and also Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, which I think is also a servant. And we just want to talk about, I guess, the mentoring that they ignored by being, you know, having their own agendas and being self-centered. So what we're going to do is we're going to start off with Gehazi. Gehazi. And Denise, can you read a little bit about that? A little bit of something, research that you did? Sure. We're in 2 Kings chapter 4. And we're talking about one of Elisha's miracles that he created. Elisha met a woman who prepared him meals every time he came into town for her. And the lady was very grateful for it. And she knew that he was a man of God. So she talked to her husband and said, let's make a room for Elisha when he comes to town. So they built a room for him every time he came in. When Elisha came in, he was a man of God. And Elisha said, what can I do to thank you? Lady says, nothing. And so he asked his servant, which was Gehazi, you know, what did he think that she could do? And Gehazi said, well, she doesn't have any sons. She has no children. And her husband was old. So Elisha said, this time next year, you're going to have a son. And that time next year, when he came in, he said, she had a son. That was the miracle that he had created. And as few years passed on by, the son died. The lady was very distraught. And she went to prepare to go to where Elisha was. So today, you know, my son died. And I'm going to read out of chapter four in Kings two, verses 27, 29, and 31. It says, When she, the woman, reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over and pushed her away. But the man of God said, leave her alone. She is in bitter distress. But the Lord has hidden it from me, and he has not told me why. Elisha said to Gehazi, tuck your cloak into your belt. Okay, wait a second. Let's talk about Gehazi pushing the lady aside. I mean, why do you think he would do something like that? You don't think he saw that? He didn't see that she was grieved or in distress? Or I mean, why would, why do you think that he would do something like that? I don't know if we can determine if he realized she was in distress. It could have been because she was maybe considered unholy and she was going to touch him or touch his feet or something like that. It could be for that reason. Well, I don't really think it would be for that reason, because I mean, obviously, the woman was working in the house or a room in a house or a spot where he could study and rest. And also, Elisha appreciated that woman. I think, I think it was because he was the servant. He was like the number one person. And how dare you come up and not kind of go through me or talk to me? That he came, she came up, approached him like she approached him and is like, oh, wait a second. This is a man of God. That's right. I mean, it could be that or. Could be one reason why he reacted that way. Oh, uh-huh. So anyway, go ahead. All right. And it said, Elijah told Gehazi, tuck your clothes into your belt, take my staff in your hand and run. If you meet anyone, do not greet him. And if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy's face. And he was telling him to go to the house where the boy had died and was laying. And Gehazi went ahead and laid the staff on the boy's face, but there was no sound to respond. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, the boy has not awakened. So Elisha and the mother went to the house and. Okay. So, so actually what, what happened now is that Elijah gave him instruction. And then, so he went and followed the instruction, but got no results. Right. So when Elisha went to the house, he, he raised the boy up, brought him back to life, which again was another miracle being that she had the baby and a miracle that he could bring the child back to life. Okay. Okay. And when we go on, we read now in, into second Kings in chapter five, we're talking about Naaman. And Naaman was a, was a great man in his master's eyes. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. A young girl who happened to be Naaman. And Naaman's wife's servant came to him and said that in Samaria, there was this prophet there that she thought could cure him. And so Naaman went to Elisha's house where Elisha sent a messenger to meet Naaman at the door. And Elisha told the messenger to tell Naaman to go down to the Jordan river and wash himself seven times and he'd be cured of leprosy. So Naaman washed himself and he was healed. Hmm. Uh-huh. So by, by Elisha's instruction, um, Gehazi, um, instructed Naaman to go down and wash in the Jordan. And long story short, um, you were saying some stuff early about, um, Naaman's attitude. Well, Naaman thought that he was, you know, I'm a great warrior. Shouldn't there be something more than just going down to the river? I've washed myself probably a million times in the river. Or shouldn't, if I'm going to do it, be a greater river than the dirty Jordan? Little small river? So he had a, he had a pride problem and he thought that, um, that he should have come out and waved his hands and jumped up and down. But instead he, what did he do, Shante? He washed himself in the Jordan river seven times. But he, I know what I mean, but he sent the servant out to. Yeah, his, his servant had to persuade him to do what Elisha told him to do. Or Elisha's, Elisha's servant told him. Not even Elisha. Yeah. Elisha's, um, servant who was Gehazi went out and told him what, you know, what to do. He didn't, Elisha didn't even leave the house. Yeah. He stayed at the house, inside the house. He felt that, that Elisha himself should have come out and, and did all kinds of. Oh yeah. I was saying Naaman's servant persuaded Naaman to. Right, right. But that was after he got hospitalized. Yeah, he didn't. Right. So. Long story short. Um, Naaman followed the instructions and was healed. Right. Okay. So Naaman was very appreciative. And so he's saying here, I've got some money for you. I've got, you know, all these different things. Elisha, please let me give them to you. And Elisha was, no, I'm not going to take those things, you know? Um, so Naaman tried to persuade him, but he didn't want to take him. He kept saying, no, I don't want him. So Naaman was going back to his hometown or whatever. After it was gone a while, Gehazi, who thought that Elisha was being. Foolish or whatever should have taken, you know, Hey, you know, the guy was healed. He wants to give it to you. Take the money. Um, he decided to go on out and meet Naaman. And, um, he sold Naaman. Hey, there's two young, um, men that are from the prophet, which would be Elisha over there. Um, they need the money and a set of clothes. So Naaman was like, oh, okay. If the prophet said that they need it, he tied up the, you know, the money in a, in a bag and he gave them two sets of clothes. So Gehazi went back with the two guys on his way. And as soon as they got over the hill, when Naaman couldn't see him, he sent the, the two young men on their way. And he took the money and the clothes and took it back to his house. You know, being like a little greedy guy that he was. Yeah. So when Elisha saw him, he said, where'd you go? And Gehazi said, I didn't go nowhere. And so, um, Elisha said to him, um, says, wasn't my spirit with you? Um, you know, was this the time to take the clothes and the money? And Elisha then said to Naaman, said to Gehazi, Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and your descendants, um, forever. And Gehazi went on his way with leprosy as white as snow. Okay. So what happened here is that, um, Gehazi was greedy. He was greedy and he was selfish. And. You know, he wasn't being respectful or obedient to his, to his master who obviously must have taken, you know, good care of him. He wasn't in need. I mean, I mean, if you're being, you're in the presence of this man, probably in those days, 24 seven. Exactly. And you see the wonderful miracles that he's performing. And also not, not only that, but how a servant of God acts. I mean, to, to have God in with Elisha. God basically listened to his every whimper. I mean, if, if, if, um, Elisha said something that pretty much did it no matter how big or how small. And I mean, if you're in that, in the presence of that and you're living with that, how do you, how do you think that you can go and do something wrong or lie to this man? Because, you know, he knows everything. So. Well, I think that, um, you know, when Gehazi got caught up in his own, his own wants, not necessarily, not his needs, but his wants. And, um, you know, there was four miracles just in, just in chapter four that he was there. So he's seen these things with his, you know, with, with Elisha. He's seen how Elisha had a one-on-one relationship with God. You know, everybody called. I mean, the lady did her husband. Recognize that to build up, to build a room for this man to come into his house. You know, you're a great man of God. So he's heard people refer to this man. He's seen it with his own eyes, but his own, his own greed and his own selfishness, um, had something different than, you know, what he thought. Is it known how long he was with him? No, I, I don't think it says in the Bible, but I'm just saying like Denise just said, and four miracles. Yes, I'm saying in that little amount of time. Just. He was with him. For a long time, he would have seen a lot of things. Exactly. And I mean, you don't have to be the brightest person in the world. If you're seeing these, these miracles, but I mean, the man brought, you know, brought a boy back to life. Um, you know, that, that in itself, you know, would be like the leprosy, you know, having seen the leprosy cured just by washing in some water. Um, would you not think that he would know what you're doing? I mean. Yeah, I don't know. Anything. I don't know. Oh, well, I mean, I agree with what's being said. I think he was kind of focusing on a way that he could make a profit and kind of keep it. Wait a minute. Are you trying to be funny? No. Elijah's a prophet. Yeah. You said make a profit. Yeah. But he was trying to go behind his back. And, um, the fact that he, you know, kind of lied about it. He didn't kind of lie. That he lied about it. Seems, you know, kind of weird. I guess knowing just the wisdom and everything else that he has going on, the conversations with God, how close he would be to God. So God, you know, would make that stuff known to him, make a lot of things known to him. And, um, him still going that route. But he just, you know, wanted what he wanted. So, um, another person we'd like to talk about is Judas. And, um, who was directly a disciple. Of Jesus Christ. And, um, Shante, you're going to read a little bit about him. Mm-hmm. Reading from John 12, verses 4 through 5. But one of his disciples, Judas Isagriot, Simon's son, who would betray him, said, Why was this fragrant oil not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? This he said not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box, and he used to take what was put in it. Now, um, in context, his story is, um, the woman that was washing Jesus' feet with oil and, and worshiping him with, in that, um, sense. And, um, Judas was wondering why she didn't use that oil instead of using it for Jesus, why she didn't try and sell it and give the money to the poor. Hmm. Okay. Don't you think that's kind of, uh, you know, amazing to think that someone that's a disciple of Jesus wouldn't worship him in the same way as, uh, as a disciple of Jesus? As a woman would, that was using it. I mean, this lady had what little bit she had that she was doing, and, and Judas... Was around him. He saw the miracle. Yeah. Same, same with, um, the haze eye. Um. No, but why did he say it in the first place? I mean... Why did he what? Why did he say it in the first place? Like, I don't know if he's trying to make it seem like he's caring for the poor to impress Jesus or to, I mean... Well, you just, you just read it right there. I know. But what was his intention? What was his intention for people to think about him in saying it? I don't think... Not his, his true motives and then what he wanted people to think. I don't think he was saying it because he cared what the people thought. I think he wanted to get that money where he could get his hands on it. Mm. You know, if, if the money was, if, if they put it in the pot or the treasury, which he was in control of or charge of, then that would have been more money that he could have, you know, uh, skimmed off the top there. So... Mm-hmm. So, I don't think he was necessarily thinking, um, you know, what people would think. Oh, I care about the poor, blah, blah, blah. He just said it because he, he wanted somehow... Mm-hmm. ...to get that money. Well, it even says there because he was a thief. Mm-hmm. Not, not because of the poor, because he was a thief. Yeah, I mean, I know why he asked it. I didn't know if he was trying to give a certain impression from saying it. But he probably was because a lot of people like that do the same thing, like you're saying. Mm-hmm. They talk that... ...game. Good Christian folks talk that game and they have an underscore motive and, and, and, and, and an agenda. Mm-hmm. That, that they're really, um, you know, pressing for, uh, forward to. And I think that really hurts, um, the community, the Christian community. Mm-hmm. It really does. I mean, there's a lot of people in high places running these scams and these... ...hustles. And a lot of people are falling for it and continuing to fall for it. But I think it really hurts the word of God. You know, the trust that, that people have in, in today's society. The Bible is a joke. It's a fairy tale. The things that we're talking about right now about Jesus and Elisha performing miracles. That's... People are like listening to us right now saying, yeah, in the storybook, in the, in the fairy tales. That's, that's... that's going on but that's not happening in the real world yeah i think that and i think a lot of people are hostile or afraid of religion and unspecific people like you say that kind of make the rest of christians who aren't that way look bad so i think they do think some aspects are fairy tale and they also kind of watch how people live outside of the bible not saying perfect but there's you say people that you know hustlers or people that are kind of twisting things around for their own gain and i think people see that and they just dismiss it completely well i think there's miracles that happen today but people try to justify why that miracle happened you know probably in the same way that maybe gehazi did or you know something they're trying to justify it in their own minds or that you know when they say that's a fairy book the bible is it's not you know true people could you know you know raised from the dead or i think in those days i mean nowadays with all the modern medicine and all the different things that that that that we have it's more um it's easier to disclaim miracles as you know a good doctor well but in those days you didn't really have a lot of filters in between a miracle something that happened and um you know putting it off or or trying to justify it i think either they just they just refused to believe well it doesn't even have to be medically i mean look at the airplane that crashed with the little girl that walked out of the airplane her whole family was killed to me that's a miracle that something like that would happen that plane was so so badly demolished and everybody else was killed and then she walked barefoot barefooted through you know brush and stuff and found a house that you know in the right direction without a compass if she'd have got another direction there wouldn't have been anything else to me that was a miracle that something like that would happen that plane was so so badly demolished and she was in 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wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash spring that we will even in our generation will never even see i mean that's a good way to look at it but it's so hard to convince people that that might have been god's intention um back to judas um he i mean it says that he was a thief and um you know he i guess the question is is i mean christ knew everything why would he let someone like that stay close to him and serve even in that position i mean what do you i mean why do you think he also knew that somebody was going to betray him you know so he knew he knew he knew what his death was going to be he knew i that's why he was sent here to be to be put to death you know um so to me by bringing in one that was so close to him that people could see there was 12 that were around him constantly the public saw all of that he knew who was going to betray him and he knew exactly when it was going to happen so what are you saying you're saying that basically he allowed this this evil person fulfilled a prophecy so right he knew peter would deny him and betray him in that sense too so but i mean that that's kind of deep thinking that you know he knows this guy is basically evil but he knew it would take an evil person to betray him well and i also think that it it had to be someone that was close to him that that they felt you know for the outsiders looking on in that jesus was was comfortable with was very um intimate with and you know in the sense that he knew exactly what was going on when they ate dinner and stuff if it had just been a you know a guy off the street that went up there and shot a bow and arrow and killed him it wouldn't it wouldn't have been a good thing it would serve the purpose exact same way i mean jesus had to die by the way that he died well it was it was prophesied and it had to be god said it would be done to the letter exactly was done to the letter and and written um hundreds of years before it happened before even um crucifixion was even invented yet so to have one of the chosen 12 be the betrayal to me that just puts such a a significant of you know god said jesus is sitting across eating dinner looking at him thinking you know six months from now you're going to betray me and that and that's when i'm going to be put to death but yet still he didn't treat him like he was you know the redheaded stepchild wait a minute now and my brother's redhead i just think it had to be somebody that was that close to him yeah my stepbrother yeah um i i follow what you're saying but that i mean looking at it like that i guess i always wondered you know why they'd have him in charge of the money when they know he's a crook you know but it's like you know oh judas where's the money i was helping the poor yeah i gave it to the poor every single time every dime you know to fulfill again that you know like like shantae the prophecy it was going to be a piddly amount of money that basically put jesus to death he was so into money that was his one of his weakest oh yeah i guess i guess i've never really looked at that neither you know so that that's what his weakness was was money money and and that whole greedy thing so go ahead and read the rest of that then one of the 12 i'm reading from matthew 26 verses 14 through 15 then one of the 12 called judas is a cry went to the church and said to him i'm going to betray you and i'm going to wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash wash to give me if I deliver him to you and they counted out to him 30 pieces of silver so that was his motive and same thing with him seeing the miracles and and being around Jesus so much and still giving his life up for and the money's was basically his motive so he was he was hustling and um it's his weakness yeah but he he had his hustle going just like but I think the the you know they're asking what what what do we need to give him or what do we need to give who we think will be the weak link in that group that tight group of 12 and it's like well Judas out there you know he's a thief I know but Judas Judas came to them right yeah but but I mean they already had in their mind you're the weak link you know and 30 pieces of silver I mean to us 30 pieces doesn't sound like much but I'm sure it wasn't you know if they were willing to give that it was they knew they didn't say we're going to give you 50 camels you know they knew already that money was what it was and they knew pretty much that you know here's kind of his breaking point he was known as a thief to everybody um I don't know I I don't I mean Matthew 26 okay I mean they kind of put it on it says he went to the chief priest right and they said you know basically how much do we have to pay you to turn him over to us but I mean the scripture where you said he was um a thief that wasn't John yeah that was John so I mean they yeah I guess they had him pegged the chief priests knew or the other disciples the other disciples yeah well whoever wrote that and it could have been after the fact too you know um written after he was dead and whatever I mean those that those that even like nowadays when you're close to somebody uh you know in a group pretty much you can figure out you know and you don't even not even like like an intimate situation like with the 12 disciples but if you're even in an organization like you know your job or a church and stuff and you get around people you can start to see people this person here is the greedy one this person here is the one that that likes the spotlight is standing in front of people doing things you can start to see those I would imagine that people could see what they're doing and they're working 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going on out there. All right. It's time to have a look at what's going on and where you can get it going on. The best impressions start at home. Elite furniture for affordable prices. Live in large furniture. For more information, contact Richard Boyd at 951-214-8555. The students for Global P.E.A.T. Peace Building at UC Irvine will hold their Arts for Peace and Justice event on Tuesday from 5 to 7 at the Student Center Terrace. The event is free and it's a night of performances by dancers, artists, poets, and more to inspire others through the theme of peace. I'd like to thank our engineer, Cheyenne. You're doing an amazing job. Thank you for helping us. If you'd like to be part of our show through sponsorship, you can contact us at 951-789-1046. If you'd like to learn more about our organization, Positive Light, and make a donation, please visit our website, positivelight.org, and like us on Facebook at facebook.com slash wearepositivelight. Now, back to our discussion. Oh, good job, Shante. Sorry about that. Should have known you had it under wraps, right? Anyway, yes. So, we're at Judas, and we're talking about two people that had brilliant mentors, and we're talking about how they basically betrayed them, not looking ahead to a bright future, but being condemned to a very tragic one. So, where did we cut off with Judas? We were kind of talking about him going to the chief priests and willing to give. Jesus up to them for 30 pieces of silver, and how that was his weakness, and despite seeing all the miracles and being around someone like that, he was still driven going after what he wanted and his desires and his weakness. And money was a really hard thing for him to give up. So, I guess to bring it to today's light, I am a man. I am a man. I am a mentor. And right now in my life, I am being mentored by some pretty brilliant people. I really do appreciate what's going on in my life right now in those areas. Melvin Ishmael Johnson is one of the mentors, and one of the reasons, the main reason why we're sitting here tonight. And it doesn't stop there. Writing, creative writing. And, you know, he's got his hands in all kinds of positive things going on in the city. And just helping people to try to reach the next level. And I think that if we are fortunate enough to get an opportunity to have someone in our lives that are teachers, or have enough foresight. To help us go in a certain direction. Then I think that we really should, you know, humble ourselves enough to try to follow their instructions. And where I'm going with this is that I believe that a lot of people, and I'll say young people, are not doing that. And I mean, this, what we're talking about, um, Gehazi and Judas, this is what, 2000, two thousand and a half. I mean, it's a lot of years ago that, that people have, I believe, a worse attitude. And, I mean, how do you guys feel about that? Or? Well, I think, especially now, and probably always people have, but even now, because, the world is at a, such a fast pace, that, people are just, very, very, selfish, and very much to their own agendas. And they don't take the time sometimes, to just sit down and, and pray to God, talk to God one on one and say, what is it that, that, you know, you want me to do? You know, and, don't take advantage of, of what God's offering them. You know, something that when you were talking, when Sean, in fact it just came to me when, when Shantae was reading the thing, God knows what our needs are. He also knows what our wants are, but he's going to provide for our needs. He also knows what our wants are, maybe our downfall. So, you know, he wants to provide for you and give you opportunities. Opportunities that you capitalize on, brings more blessings to you from God, that open up even more doors. What you're doing right now with, with Melvin and with Geza, who knows that, and years from now, what you may be able to give back to someone else through what somebody gave to you. And that may be what God's plan is, because this is something that, you know, came out of the blue, you know, somewhere, some opportunities and stuff. They came from heaven is how I think. And I guess that is out of the blue, right? Out of the blue, they came from heaven, but, you know, you can take a look at it and say, well, you know, I'm kind of tired because I work a full time job and you can make this excuse and, you know, it's a lot of miles to drive, it's a lot of miles to drive, it's a lot of miles to drive, it's a lot of miles to drive, and gas is kind of expensive. And, you know, I got this. And then, you know, you don't know what blessings that God's got planned for you, but you have to complete something before you can get it. And- You have to do something. You can't just sit still. You have to improve your craft. You have to try to educate yourself in different ways. Sometimes it's a slow process and sometimes it's awkward, but I believe if we just get up and we just start moving that, you know, and we say God, because that's what, that's where our faith is. That's who we believe in. And that's who we believe gives us the motivation and the energy, the health who's providing for us in a way that we can do the things that he's, I guess, participate in the opportunities that we believe that he is blessing us with. Do you have any, anything to say on that Shontay? Yeah, I think with today's generation, there's not really a lot of mentors that we, you know, do have. And sometimes the ones we have aren't really positive or saying, you know, kids that don't come from environments with a lot of resources or a lot of positive role models. But yeah, I think with the younger generation, there's just a different mindset. There. But I mean, we say that and, and, and, you know, we are quick. I guess older people are quick to always say point younger generation. But in the case of Gehazi and Judas, that what are you saying? I'm just saying basically that wasn't younger generation. That was just selfish. I know you just were bringing up the younger generation, but yeah, it applies to all people. Yeah. And, and, and, and I think that we as individuals have to put down the pride thing. Well, I think you have to get out of your comfort zone. Your comfort zone is getting, you know, you do the same thing today. You're going to get the same results tomorrow. So sometimes we have to, you know, imposition ourselves a little bit or, you know, so I, you know, or do something that may not, that may not, that you're not comfortable with, you know, because there's something else going on. I'm down the road. ourselves out of the same pattern of thinking that that we've probably it's been instilled in us since birth you have to make an asserted effort to do that you can't just keep going on with life doing the same old thing because you're going to get the same result you know and and what if that works with you what if like um say you're in a in a poor neighborhood and you've been I guess taught that that neighborhood is fine that there's nothing wrong with you it works for some people that's why they're still there and then there's people that don't want to be there that can try and get out but are they trapped but you can take that poor neighborhood and you can take it and say what can I do in this neighborhood if that's where I'm comfortable I'm comfortable but this is where I want to be maybe this is where I want to mentor at yeah I'm going to get involved in organizations that are going to help me in this neighborhood and I'm going to help me in this help the youth or I'm going to get involved with organizations that help the seniors. Just make something positive out of where you are. And maybe you can't get out of that. And maybe maybe that's where God wants them to be is in that poor neighborhood. But it's the works that they can do and the influences they can have. That's going to help somebody that God wants to be out of the neighborhood. But they've got to get themselves out and not expect to have a handout to get them on out of that neighborhood. It's got to develop a character and you could be the mentor. You're working down at the at the boys club and you're the mentor down there in that poor neighborhood. But that that helps somebody else. It's like you said, you have to just move, keep moving and do something. I mean, it may not seem that significant, you know, or you may not necessarily feel like that's where I don't know, like if you're in that poor neighborhood and you you probably don't see any solution to it or you think it's a hopeless situation. If you're trapped in there, you just have to make something. Something positive out of it. I mean, what else can you do? And what if you have a mentor, like you said, the boys club and or someone who just comes down? I mean, I've seen so many things working down in the skid row area and the thinking that is, you know, drummed into a person's mind. And it's just it's just backwards thinking and it's never going to win. But how do you rise up above? I mean, I think it's just so important to have that when you have a brilliant person trying to mentor you and you just can't hear him or you think they're stupid because of the way that you've been taught to think. I mean, what is that? I mean, do you you know, it comes down to do you really want to change your situation or do you just want to make excuses while you're in your situation? If you want to change your situation, you have to you have to do something to change it. First thing you got to do is get down on your knees. And my. And pray, you know, for God to give you the the guidance, the foresight, the, you know, to see what is it I'm even supposed to be doing, because not everybody that that's down there down helping, not every mentor is a good mentor. People take, you know, some people take advantage of situations and they use people and pimping the poverty. Well, our poverty pimping. Well, you know that or, you know, it could be that that. You know. I'm going to use you to sell drugs because I think this, or I'm going to use you to do whatever it is that you want them to do. Or put the silver ring in front of them or put some money in front of them. You have the church down there that's clapping their hands and doing this and that and saying, come down here and do all these things. And you spend all your time in church, but you're not really accomplishing anything other than you're just in the building clapping your hands and saying, hallelujah, this and that. And every time the pastor says, we need somebody to set up the studio for this or to put the chairs out for that or be the one collecting this, you're down there helping do all that. But what are you really doing? Are you doing it because that gives you the glory? Are you doing it because that's what you think that you need to do? Did you really get down on your knees and pray and say, God, what am I supposed to be doing to glorify you? So basically self-centered. And I know a couple of people that are brilliant people, but in my opinion, they're hustling. They're hustling the church. They're hustling whoever they can hustle for, in my opinion, crumbs. And I believe like in the instance of, and you can go to Elijah, which Elijah the Tishbite. Elijah. Elijah. Elijah the Tishbite. And Elijah was his servant. And just the whole frame of thinking, you were saying something about when he made up his mind to, now did Elijah. It was Elijah. That called him? No, no, no. Elijah, did he call him? No, he didn't call him. He was just coming through the town and God laid upon Elijah to say, you know, go with him, you know, let him be your mentor. Or Elijah made up his mind. He said to him, let me just go tell my mom goodbye, my mom and dad goodbye. And he says, no, no, no. Elijah said, you don't need to go do that. You don't, you don't have to come with me or anything. The spirit had moved Elijah to go follow Elijah and to show how committed he was to being his servant to follow him. He killed all his oxen and cattle and burned all his, his, his, um, the yolks and all of that fed all the people with the meat that was left over and says, I'm ready to go. Basically, there was no farm tools left or cattle or anything else for him to ever go back to. He got rid of all that. He got made up mind. He got made up mind that I am going to, to follow you because he felt, because he was a man of God, that that's what God had told him to do. And he had faith to go do it. It's walking by faith. Okay. But do you know, Shante, what his reward was for, for being obedient and walking by faith? Mm-mm. Um, a double portion of... Mm-mm. Mm-mm. Elijah, Elijah's spirit? Mm-mm. Do you, do you, do you, do you recall now? Yeah. Mm-mm. So, I mean, can you say anything about that or do you know anything about that? No, I mean, I recall that story, but I don't necessarily... Um, I think it's, um, um, he asked him and he said if, uh, he asked him for a double portion of his spirit and Elijah said that that was a hard thing, but if you see me ascend, then it will happen. If, if you don't see me ascend, then, um, then I, it, it won't be done. Mm-hmm. And it turns out that... Well, it says when they had crossed Elijah, Elijah said to Elisha, tell me, what can I do for you before I'm taken from you? Wait a second, too. And that's, that's another whole thing there is that good people that are trying to accomplish things in life and they have, they have other people that are coming in, helping them in any kind of way. What is, what are they always saying? They're saying what? What can I do for you now? And I mean, you just don't, you don't hear that anymore. Mm-hmm. You got these greedy, selfish people that are just give me, give me, give me, give me, give me, and no matter how much you do for them or you give to them, they're, they're not appreciative enough to even offer anything to you. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. Right. And this is like, the lady did something for Elisha and then Elisha, what is, what can I do for you? Mm-hmm. It's like, it's not back and forth anymore. We're not, we're not giving to one another. We're just. Taking. Taking. Taking. Mm-hmm. And go ahead. I'm so sorry I interrupted you. Oh, I just said, he asked, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit. You have asked a difficult thing. Elijah said, yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours. Otherwise, it will not. So basically, for Elisha's obedience, he was able to do exactly twice the miracles. Well, I think another unique thing there was Elijah knew he couldn't give a double portion of his spirit. We can't give a spirit. So he said, if it's meant to be, if God approves, I will ascend up to heaven and you will see me. If not, then it's not meant to be. And how many, you know, just imagine if somebody said something like to you, how many people have ascended up to heaven and not, you know, not die, just went up to heaven? Only two. Only two. So, I mean, the chances of, you know, you said that to me, be like, yeah, right. Well, that ain't going to happen. You know, I mean. Actually, three. If you count Jesus and then you have Elisha, no, Elijah, and the one in the first chapter, what's his name? Come on. He walked with God and then was no more. I can't think of his name. But I believe that Moses and him will be the two witnesses that come back. Not Moses and him, Elijah. And I can't think of his name. But yeah, but that's what I'm saying. But the chances of when Elisha heard that, he's, like I said, thinking that isn't going to happen. And then to see, you know, and just ascend on up like that. And you knew he was a man of God. Elijah was a man of God because he could not say, okay, hey, you know what, you got it. Even though he's done all the great things that he's done, he knew that he had to depend. And rely. And rely on God's spirit or God's affirming. That was out of his hands. Right. You know, he knew it had to be God's will. You know, and Elisha asked something that was really almost the impossible that he knew a man couldn't give to him. Yeah, well, I mean, imagine asking that thing. I mean, but that comes again from being mentored by him. Walking with him and experiencing the great things. And probably making countless people happy. Saving lives and doing those things. But what gets me is this discussion we're having about miracles and being lifted up to heaven and chariots of fire. You have the skeptics out there laughing, thinking that we're insane to think or believe in these things. But look at the princesses. The principles behind them. I mean, look at these things that this book that you don't believe in, this God you don't believe in. Look at what if just half the world would apply their lives to these teachings. I mean, what kind of world would it be? Boring? No, a whole lot better than what we have right now. You think so? Yeah. And your thoughts, Shantae Marie? I'm saying if everyone. Followed it? Yeah, I'm saying that a lot of people, you know, they put down the Bible and they think it's for crazy people. And you have to be crazy or stupid to believe it. What you're saying, if everyone did? Not everyone, just half the people. Oh, yeah. We're a lot better off still. Yeah, I think so. Well, even if half the people that say they're Christians tried to follow the Bible. Not even those that are non-Christians and stuff. You have Christians that's, you know, so-called Christians. People sit in church and that's about as close as they're going to get to God is what they said on Sunday morning. And yet they thump their Bible and say I'm a Christian. And they don't apply any of the teachings of what's going on inside there. Yeah, well, I think we're all probably guilty of that at one time or another. But I guess my point is that or the whole, I guess the whole point of this discussion is that we have people out there that are, you know, hustling so hard that they're just drawing in pennies when God wants to give them so much more. They're so blinded by their vain ambitions and, how do you say, agendas that they cannot see this big picture that God, and I believe he wants to give us all. And I mean, I can't. You know, what God, I think what God wants to give us all is different for each individual. Because what God feels my needs are may not be the same as what he feels that your needs are to make you have the most amount of blessings that God has to give to you. You know, you look at people that are, you know, I think of like Mother Teresa. She did a lot working with the poor and everything. But she was very, very poor. But she was a very humble. But she lived a long time and did a lot of work with a lot of these third world countries and stuff. God had to be with her to survive a lot of things she survived with. Yeah, I believe that she's very an incredible woman. And I do believe that God was with her because of the things that she was able to do and the attitude. And she was a happy woman about the things. Even though she lived a very meager. Life. And that's, I think what I was going to get to was peace. And I think that's probably the biggest, the biggest blessing that God can give anybody is peace. Peace within yourself. Yeah. There's a friend of mine, a good friend of mine that has cancer and he's an atheist and he wants to be an atheist and he likes that. And he can't bring himself to accept God in any kind of way. But. And he can't bring himself to accept God in any kind of way. But. And he can't bring himself to accept God in any kind of way. But. When he dies, if he dies and praise God in my thinking, you know, I've been praying for him and God has sustained him. In my opinion, that God has sustained him and he went into remission and his heart was too weak for chemo and it looked like he was a goner. And basically he told me they said he was a goner. But I believe through prayer that God has given him an opportunity to be able to live. To be able to accept him. Many opportunities. Yeah. And either he will or he won't. And this man, too, even as an atheist, has been a mentor to myself. A non-Christian man who is, I guess, what is it? The golden rule. And see, there's a lot of good people that are going to hell. And that's what I tell him. I says, it's a shame you're going to hell because there's only one. There's only one way that you can get to heaven. And that's through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Well, it'll be interesting. You know, like they say, there's no atheist in the foxholes. When death faces us in front of us. Right. You know, people's attitudes change. And sometimes, because tomorrow's not promised, you know. Death are just like a really serious situation. People start praying even when they don't believe or they ask people to pray for them. You know, that kind of thing. Yeah, but he's not like that. No, I'm just saying that's what people do. But yeah, a lot of people are like that. But it's, I mean, I don't know. It's a hard thing to know. But, you know, making that decision, you know, Jesus saved the thief next to him, you know, on a split second. So, if he was to get to that point and in his last breath accepted God and repented, he's going to heaven. Yeah, that's kind of what was just going through my mind before you said it. Any last comments? I still can't remember what his name was. Yeah, I, thank you. Now we got like 42 seconds in my, I'm thinking. We'll be driving home and it's going to be. Any last comments, Denise? On people hustling for pennies instead of waiting on the riches that God wants to give them or apply themselves to the good things that God, the directions that God want them to go in for. Yeah, I think we just need to, we need to pray and we need to ask God what is it that he wants from us and what does he want us to do? And then God's going to let us know. And we just need to have the faith to follow him. And the blessings are going to, you know, they say pour down from heaven. Chante Marie. Yeah, it's along the lines of Denise was saying, praying and asking God what it is he wants you to do. And I think he'll give you that peace. Okay, yeah. I believe it is, has a lot to do with faith because when your babies are hungry and you're trying to pay the rent or, and you don't want to wait on the Lord because you just don't think that he's going to come through for you. I think that we need to just try our best to, to have faith and see what he does. If he doesn't do anything, then I think it's fair game. I think if, if, you know, if you're going by his word, and he's not doing anything, then I think it's fair game. But if, if you just have the faith, I don't believe that he, he will let you down. In closing, I would like to say that we are never more like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And when we are loving, forgiving and creating. Thank you for listening to Positive Perspective. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.