The Reality Is

Stop Measuring Your Life And Start Living For God

• Crossroads Community Church • Season 3 • Episode 24

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Jealousy can hide behind jokes, ambition, or “just being human,” but it quietly steals joy and turns gratitude sour. Pastor Joey and Pastor Richard start with a simple question: who are you really doing life for, God or yourself? From a funny boots story to hard truths from Proverbs and James, we draw a clear line between envy (wanting what someone else has) and jealousy (guarding what we think is ours or what we believe we deserve). If you’ve ever felt that spike of comparison after seeing someone’s success, family photo, or new purchase, you’ll recognize the problem fast. 

We talk about the real cost of jealousy and envy: bitterness that won’t let go, relationships that fracture, confusion that multiplies, and the inner heaviness Scripture describes as “rottenness to the bones.” We also unpack why these can become “respectable sins” in Christian culture, accepted because everyone struggles with them, even though they still block spiritual growth and keep us living like “mere men” instead of people led by the Holy Spirit. 

Then we get practical. We walk through how identity in Christ breaks the comparison cycle, why contentment is a discipline that can be learned, and how daily habits reshape desire. That includes time in Scripture, guarding what you listen to on the road, choosing community wisely, and taking an honest break from social media when it becomes a highlight reel that fuels envy. If you want biblical teaching on jealousy, envy, coveting, contentment, and spiritual maturity that lands in real life, this conversation will help. 

Subscribe for more real life and real faith, share this with a friend who needs peace, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s the biggest trigger for comparison in your world right now?

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Worship Without An Audience

SPEAKER_01

Give it your all because you're doing it for the Lord anyway. And I that's probably a lot of the problem. It's a lot of times people aren't doing it for the Lord. They're doing it for self. Right. They're probably doing it so they can be lifted up by other people. And I have told plenty of people get back to just doing what you're supposed to do for God. Right. I I I think for a lot of worship teams out there, COVID was a wonderful thing because we were doing worship in an empty building. Well, who are you doing it for? You're doing it for God in the first place, right? Okay, if you're just doing it for God, then go out into that empty place and give it the same intensity that you would be doing if there were other people.

SPEAKER_02

The reality is. The reality is.

SPEAKER_01

Welcome to the reality is podcast, where we're here today to talk about real life and real faith. My name is Joey. We are here with Richard today, and we have got a topic that you said, hey, I'd really like to talk about this topic. And I thought it's kind of funny because for those of you who don't know, you know this, but a lot of our listeners and viewers don't know. Last week I was away and I was in the great Smoky Mountains, and I really enjoyed it. It was beautiful. We had some bad weather. But I told you I finally did the one thing I've been trying to do forever. I got boots. Yeah. Like I finally got some cowboy boots. And right after I hear, yeah, we're going to do a podcast on jealousy and envy. And I thought, man, what great timing to talk about jealousy and envy. Because kind of, if you look at it, I've been talking about getting this for a while and you've had some for a while. And you could think, oh, well, Joey's been jealous and envious of my boots. But now I'm thinking you're kind of jealous and envious of my boots. And you want to do a whole podcast about it. So let's do it.

SPEAKER_00

Let's talk about jealousy and envy today. But I would say that's not all you're jealous and envious of. I'm just, I don't know. Well, I don't know. We both have the same look. So but I was here first. I'm just saying.

Envy Versus Jealousy Explained

SPEAKER_01

You did lose your hair first, didn't you? No, today. Jealousy and envy. And you guys looking on before we even get started, do us a favor. Would you like, subscribe, share this with your friends, and then click the bell. That way you'll never, ever miss out on one of our podcasts. But right now, tell us what does jealousy and envy look like?

SPEAKER_00

You know, one of the things I think we have to establish first of all is while we use jealous and envy synonymously often, uh, and they can be, and that's the tricky part about it, but they can also be two very distinct things. Uh for instance, scripture tells us in Proverbs 14, 30, a sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. But then James goes on and he says, where envy and self-existing exist, confusion and every evil thing are. And so we we learn very quickly how dangerous the envy and the jealousy is to our life. Envy and jealousy are listed in scripture as sin, and they're listed there for a reason as we stop and look at that.

SPEAKER_01

Uh but but it's something we all deal with. Like, obviously, we don't just go around saying, Well, no, I'm not like look, if we're honest with ourselves, everybody's jealous about somebody's something, and somebody's envious about somebody's something else.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's it's part of the fallen fallen nature, and so as we think about that, it does remind us that that it is part of who we are. Yeah, but I was born that way clearly is not an excuse. It doesn't give you the uh right I thought I had an out. Well, exactly. And and so I mean I can be envy or jealous, and still can't justify it. Now there is, and we're gonna look at that. There is a jealous that scripture tells us that we're for.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but that's the confusing part because a lot of people go, Well, God, God says he's jealous. Like, what does that even mean? And I know you're gonna tap.

SPEAKER_00

Well, exactly. And but we also understand he says with a godly jealousy. Godly jealousy. Exactly. So i if we could just set a stage and kind of help people say, okay, when we're talking about envy, we're talking about an outward focus. All right. So if if see someone with a new car or something, right, I can be envious of that. I'm not necessarily jealous that they have it, but I am envious of it. So it is an outward emotion, if you will. Jealousy is often found more in a restricted context. Jealousy causes me to protect something that I perceive as mine and I felt like you want it, or vice versa. Okay. So that is where jealousy comes. So uh jealousy would be in I could be envious uh of your music talent, or I could be jealous of your music. Envious because I have none uh makes me envious of it. Um, but another musician would be jealous of it because they would want to the level you have.

SPEAKER_01

That makes a lot more sense now. Because I'm thinking you're really not clearly separating the two. But that just did it for you. You got to break it down for me like a two-year-old, bro. Like, come on. It is, it is what it is, man. And I'm sure there's other listeners out there going, huh? What's he talking about? Okay, now I got because they're the same mind level, man. Same mind level.

Coveting And The Contentment Cure

SPEAKER_00

Well, so hopefully that'll set our stage so people can see the difference as as we look at that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I'm I'm guessing because I know part of the 10 commandments that are out there, there's this whole thing about not being jealous, right?

SPEAKER_00

Well, jealous and envy lands under coveting. And so, you know, when he tells us that in in Exodus 20, 17, again, the tenth commandment, do not covet. Covet.

SPEAKER_01

You know, we're and I know there's a lot of us out there that look on at things, and not to the point of I want to do something to that person so I can take it, you know. Like, no, I I never think that far, but I do sometimes look on and go, man, that's really like I wish I, man, Lord, how come I'm not blessed with, you know, and you start getting these emotions inside of you.

SPEAKER_00

And that's where the jealousy comes in, is is is from that. And in fact, scripture tells us that godliness with contentment is a great gain. And so the call for contentment in our life is there for numerous reasons, but one is to rid ourselves of this jealousy, to rid ourselves uh of this envy. Again, thinking about it, I'm envious of what I don't have that someone else has, or I'm jealous of what I think I deserve that that person has.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. And I know uh there's a scripture in there where Paul says, Look, I've learned to be content in all things, right? Exactly. I I've learned how to, I've got a lot, I'm good. Man, I ain't got nothing. Right. I'm good. And that's hard. When I have a lot, I'm good, bro. I'm real good. Exactly. Real good. And then you go, Oh gosh, I've got nothing right now.

SPEAKER_00

And and that's where it gets real hard. Right. And and so we have to be very careful of those things because there is that fine line in there. And and it's the same again that we we touched on it, 2 Corinthians 11 2. Uh, for I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

All right. And so the concern there is is I want you to be so locked in, so focused in your relationship with Christ. Okay. And so again, the Bible portrays God as having loving jealousy over his children, meaning that it it he doesn't want to see us trail off into evil, trail off after the evil one.

SPEAKER_01

And something like I'm jealous for my kids because I've got such a right. Like, I don't want to see you go through these things. Right. That jealousy is okay. Right.

SPEAKER_00

As you think about jealousy and and envy, uh the the Webster dictionary defines it as a zealous vigilance, okay? And so it goes as far as to say that the the idea of it makes you zealous of someone. Otherwise, you you can't let go of it. And and we know where that goes uh with that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

Consequences That Rot The Soul

SPEAKER_01

So setting up the stage for us, we all we have agreed. We have an issue with this. I think if we just talk to any human being, anybody listening, anybody watching, me included, you included, there's a bit of jealousy in each of us. There's a bit of envy in each of us. But but we are saying it's sin. We don't want to sin, and you now have the job of telling us how do we deal with this? How do we overcome those type of things? Or or even more so, what type of trouble can we get into because of that type of behavior?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and I think setting the stage and understanding, okay, there there are some consequences that come into our life. Absolutely. And so I think we'll deal with a couple of those, then we'll come back and talk about okay, so how do we how do we stave off these consequences? Okay. Uh, first of all, jealousy brings hopelessness and depression. When when a person is jealous and envious, Proverbs 14, 30, a sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones. How many times have you seen someone be in a position they should be thankful? Yeah. All right. Exactly. And and look, I'll never forget, and I wish I didn't have to tell this story, okay? But I bought a new boat a couple of years ago, and and literally waiting on the boat to come in, all right, because I had it built, and and so it it came in. Dude, when I went up to pick it up, there was the boat I bought and a boat someone else bought. Both of them brand new, but mine wasn't as let's say as luxurious as this boat, right? Yeah. And I wish I could say it wasn't true, but the I looked at my boat, I was excited for my new boat, but that boat. And then you see, oh I mean, my goodness, you you you look a gift in the eye, uh-huh, and and you immediately become frustrated about it. Let's be honest.

SPEAKER_01

How many times, how many people do we know that say, oh, look, I just bought a new car. Look at my new car. It's got this, it's got this, it's got this, and then and then they pull up to the light. Like, not even an hour after getting your car, and you go, Oh, look, what car that car has exactly this is in everybody.

SPEAKER_00

And and so we know that medical research, okay, all scripture tells us, which is enough for us, but we also medical research tells us that jealousy causes a number of medical issues. Uh it causes you to lose sleep, it causes you to have bouts of anger, it causes again, uh, it causes headaches. It causes a number of things uh from a person because of bitterness in them. You were just telling us before the podcast started. I had a headache. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

You were just telling and it and I'm wearing my boots right now. It must be connected. Dude, those boots are square-toed. I mean, yeah, yeah, yours are pointy toe. I can't do pointy toes.

SPEAKER_00

That's all topics. You don't even have real boots, okay? So that's a topic for another day. It sure is. We're gonna do a podcast on boots. On real boots. So uh listen, Proverbs 27, 4 says, Wrath is cruel and anger is a torrent. Literally saying anger is a flood, but who is able to stand before jealousy? I want you to listen to what the wisest man that ever lived said. He says, Okay, wrath is a really cruel thing to happen to you. And when someone is angry at you, it's like a flood. Yeah, but jealousy, no one can stand against it because it just never stops.

SPEAKER_01

It really does. And that's a hard place to be at. You can almost deal with somebody being mad at you because you know the the anger will eventually go away. You're right about that. But when somebody's jealous of you, and and I hate to say this, I've had people who have just literally and and there's no overcoming that, and I don't know why. It's like what what do I like? I can't change who I am. I I I cannot apologize for the gift things that God has given me, but you seem to be more upset at me because and I know that's not an anger that's gonna pass. It's like you say, that's not an anger that oh, I'm mad at you because you did this. No, no, when you're jealous of somebody, and I've watched it happen, you'll lose relationships. Oh, it'll lose them every time. Exactly. And you'll never be able to regain that. And that's so unfortunate.

SPEAKER_00

Well, which brings us to to another consequence of it, which is why that happens, and that is jealousy makes you cruel. You know, yeah. Listen, yeah, Solomon wrote in the Song of Solomon that jealousy is as cruel as the grave. I never thought you would quote a song of Solomon. Exactly. I'm sorry, continue. Yeah, just had to had to dig deep for that one. So uh, but think about what he said, man. I mean, can you imagine jealousy equivalent to the grave? I mean, it it it just the anger will go, like you said, but that jealousy, man, it just stays with you in your life.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and and it overtakes you.

SPEAKER_00

Right. It overtakes you. You know, the thing about jealousy is it takes your power. It takes power out of your life. It think about what he said as as we go to 2 Corinthians 10, 12. For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

That's that limited power you're talking about.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. So, I mean, I am limiting my walk with God. I am limiting the knowledge God will give me, my, my, my, control of the spirit in my life. I mean, I've I've limited the power in my life from my jealousy. Yeah. And comparing yourself to yourself is probably one of the more foolish things you can do, right? And and yet, but that's what he said. They they compare themselves with themselves, you know, and and so it it absolutely becomes a major issue. He causes carnality in our life. And first Corinthians 3 3 says, For you are still carnal. Listen to how Paul worded carnal, okay? He said, For where there is envy, strife, and divisions among you, you're carnal and behaving like mere men, mere ordinary men when you got these things going on in your life. And and he says, you know what? Uh you're just not going to move past that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but but if you've got see, mere men, if you've got the spirit of God in you, you shouldn't be living as a mere man. You should be living with the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of you, right? But the jealousy, I think what you're saying is the jealousy is what brings you to this point of you're saying, I'm not going to get past and let the spirit do what the spirit wants to do because of my jealousy. It's holding on to.

SPEAKER_00

Paul says you're carnal. You're you're you're just living, you're living as fallen men live, not as men that have been, you know, brought bought by the spirit. And and so that's where jealousy also brings bitterness into our life.

SPEAKER_01

And that's what I was talking about. Like, there's literally a person who was just bitter because of their jealousy. And I'm going, dude, like, and and here's the other thing that I would, and please help me out with this. Like the person on the other side is not even looking at that. Like that, I'm not going, oh, look at all the things I have, and look at all things. Like, so so you are throwing something on this other person that they don't even want, and you're jealous of something that you're perceiving them to be, I don't know, lording over you. And I was never doing that, but I still lost people because of their perception and their bitterness, as you put it.

SPEAKER_00

And and that's the sad part about jealousy. There there rarely is a reason for you to be jealous of the one you're jealous of. Or I guess a better way to put it, the one you're jealous of has done nothing to try to get you to be jealous of them. Right? It's they're just being them. Now there are people. Oh, there are people.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, look at what I've but you're on the other side being jealous of somebody who's not lording something over you. Like that, and there's the bitterness right there.

SPEAKER_00

And and so it it causes rottenness to the bones. It causes us to be miserable. James chapter three words it this way. But if you have bitty and ver envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. He said, Okay, if it's there, don't lie about it. Yeah. He said, This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. All right. He's saying, if it's in your life, quit lying about it and get rid of it.

SPEAKER_01

And that's the whole point. It's it's verses like that when I come across in the Bible and I go, whoo, the Bible is an equal opportunity offender. Somebody is gonna be offended. Somebody's not gonna like that. Yeah, somebody won't like that one at all. Well, but again, truth is truth, right?

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. And and then, of course, jealousy and envy brings confusion into life. All right. For both parties, I believe. Exactly. Okay. James 3:16, for where there is envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. And and buddy, I I mean, how clear can James be? If it's there, it brings about every other form of evil that can possibly be imagined.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and you could see the confusion like easily, easily. Great. You've told us consequences of jealousy. Well, okay, guys, we want to thank you for listening to the case. Exactly. No, no. We need to clear all this up. And I'm sure you're gonna now help us walk through what it looks like in our life and how to deal with that.

Identity In Christ Ends Comparison

SPEAKER_00

Well, you know, here at our church, we operate off a simple philosophy is people need to know the why before the wh. Amen. Okay. And so the why we just gave them. Yeah. These are the dangers of what you're faced with. All right. So how do we kill that? Yeah. And and, you know, first of all, you got to know who you are in Christ. Amen. You know? Uh if if you know who you are in Christ, then you have nothing to be jealous of. You have nothing to be envious of. Romans 6, 1 and 2 says, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not.

SPEAKER_03

We'll love that next time. Of course not.

SPEAKER_00

And he said, Look, you've died to sin. How can you live in it? All right. So when we stop and we say, okay, who I am in Christ, I am dead to sin. I am alive in Christ. Yeah. I am who Christ made me. I'm a new creature. I'm a new creation. And I'm exactly, listen, Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 says, For by grace are you saved through faith, not of works, because there's nothing to boast about. So you won't get to boast about it. But then he says in verse 10, unto good works. So otherwise, when God redeemed me, he had me set aside for what he planned for me. All right. Absolutely. That means we joke and play about it, but but in all seriousness, that that means that God set me aside to expound the word. Yeah. He set you aside to lead the church into worship and preparation and understanding what worship is and how worship fits. It's not that one is more important than the other. It's what God said, this is what you will do, this is what you will do.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00

And so there's nothing to be envious or jealous or or or think why it's what God said.

SPEAKER_01

That goes back to that whole body image of because I'm not an ear, I'm not going to do anything. Well, because I'm not a toe, I'm not. No, no, come on. We're all working together.

SPEAKER_00

And we're all working together.

SPEAKER_01

Like, how many times do we go out and do things? I say, Man, it's not fair that they don't let me pray. And you go, it's not fair they don't let me sing. Exactly. You know? Not your job.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Right. And when we understand that, that that who I am in Christ, this this is what Christ set me aside for. And I love the analogy, again, reminding ourselves of the body. Yeah. Right? It takes every part of this body. And he even says there are the comely parts, there are the visible parts. And then there's the invisible parts. Well, uh, I'm thankful the invisible parts are invisible. Okay. Unfortunately, I've uh seen some of the invisible parts. And and you know, the the reality though is when you stop and think about it, those parts you don't see, you don't want to be without them. You don't want to be without them.

SPEAKER_01

And let me tell you, I've I've seen them because I've seen a C section where they literally just start taking everything out and putting it on the table so they can get a kid out. I'm like, oh, yeah, I ended up in a different room. Yeah. I was like, I can't take this anymore.

SPEAKER_00

They're horrible looking parts. You know, probably too much information. But anyway, so uh we know who we are in Christ. Yeah. And knowing who we are in Christ, whether we're visible or invisible as far as the world is concerned, there is nothing for us to be jealous about because this is what God set me aside for. This is what God called me to do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So I shouldn't be looking on at somebody else going, but I want to do that. No, God has created you perfectly for what you're doing right now. Exactly. Do what you do. How many times have we said this just to each other and to other people? Be faithful in what God has given you to do, and then watch how God will glorify you and bless you. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00

Just be faithful. Well, if you really go back and look, all right, you just look at what we do. All right. Okay, occasionally someone is touched through the worship uh of our church and they come to faith and and they will say, Well, I I this is like my first contact. That's an occasional thing. The majority of the time, though, someone behind the scenes has Done the legwork to get that person in. Absolutely. They've already shared faith with them. They've already planted that seed. That person walks in the door under conviction for sin. Oh, yeah. And it's got nothing to do with what you and I are doing. Nope. So it's the unseen that did all the work. Amen. Not the seen. Amen. And I think if people could just understand that, this is who I am in Christ. I have nothing to be jealous or envious of. This is my role. This is my place. This is what God called me to do. And I'm thankful for it. Amen.

SPEAKER_01

Just do what you're supposed to do.

SPEAKER_00

And then which leads us to the second idea, and that is just be content ever how God chooses to use you. Thank you. And 1 Peter 4 10. As each one has received a gift, minister to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So Peter says, Each of you have a gift, so be a good steward of whatever that gift is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Where you are. Wherever you are, do what God has gifted you to do. And I have said this plenty of times to people. Stop trying to get to something bigger and better. No, just this is what God has gifted me to do. I'm gonna give everything I have to the place where God has put me for this moment, for such a time as this. And like we said earlier, be faithful in doing that. Be content, as you said, give it your all because you're doing it for the Lord anyway. And I that's probably a lot of the problem. It's a lot of times people aren't doing it for the Lord, they're doing it for self. They're probably doing it so they can be lifted up by other people. And and I have told plenty of people get back to just doing what you're supposed to do for God. I think for a lot of worship teams out there, COVID was a wonderful thing because we were doing worship in an empty building. Well, who are you doing it for? You're doing it for God in the first place, right? Okay, if you're just doing it for God, then go out into that empty place and give it the same intensity that you would be doing if there were other people there.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. And see, we have to remember that the Lord may not use us in the ways we think we need to be used. Thank you. He will use us in the ways he chooses to use us. Amen. And and even use uh what what we do here. And and I mean, we're sitting here in in a room with a couple other men in the room, you know, uh making it possible for us to do what we're doing. Absolutely. But at the end of the day, we will never see anyone that this either impacts or that just turns us off. Uh okay? Yeah, exactly. But but the Lord is using this in the way the Lord chooses to use this. And so I think if we could just remember that, it will get rid of the jealousy, it'll get rid of the envy. I like that. And just say, you know what, wherever God chooses to use me.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, use me right there.

Daily Habits That Rewire Desire

SPEAKER_00

Right. Amen. So I think that's extremely important. Uh also, as we say, just about every week. Let me guess. Let me guess. Spend time in the word. Prioritize scripture.

SPEAKER_01

Get in the word.

SPEAKER_00

The psalmist said uh in Psalm 139, search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, know my anxieties, and see if there's any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting. Well, scripture is clear that God challenges us, grows us, matures us, teaches us through scripture. Absolutely. All right. And so if I'm going to have God expose me, then I've got to be in God's word. And and I've got to see that. I was reading this morning, uh, my devotional time was out of 1 Samuel.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm reading where, you know, preached through it a couple years ago, obviously, but Saul is told specifically, go conquer the people, the Amalekites, bring nothing back. I mean, it was as clear as it could be. Bring nothing back. And so he's comes back, and and Samuel says, What you up to? I did exactly what God told me to do. Samuel's like, like you said, uh, what's that I hear? You know? Well, I bring that up to say, okay, so God taught me this morning, reminded me this morning, the things I think no one knows, people know. Yeah. Right? And so that reveals that was my note this morning, man. I'm reading that and I'm like, the things you think no one knows, God's going to put somebody in your path that's going to be that Nathan, that's going to be that Samuel, and they're going to say, So what do I hear? How many times have my kids go, how do you know?

SPEAKER_01

How did you find God reveals things, you know? And it's not, and let's be clear, it's not like I'm hearing the voice of God going, This is what's happening with your kid. No, somebody will come to me and go, hey, I recognize this. Hey, I noticed this. Hey, I saw this. God is revealing things through other people. You aren't getting away with what you think you're getting away with.

SPEAKER_00

So just do what you're supposed to do. And if you're spending time in Scripture, then God's going to be teaching you that. Thank you. 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16. Yes. All scripture is given by inspiration. It's profitable. Doctrine reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness. We break that down this way. All scripture will tell you what is right in your life. All scripture will tell you what is not right in your life. It'll tell you how to get right in your life. And beyond that, it'll tell you how to stay right so you don't have to follow the other processes. Okay. Prioritize time in Scripture, folks. If we can just start our day with God's word. I'm not saying that you won't do anything wrong that day.

SPEAKER_01

Of course not. Of course not. And I am going to just emphasize start your day with it. Yeah, exactly. Start your day with it, even if it's just a verse. Right. Hold on to that verse until you can get time to actually spend time in the word, but start your day with scripture.

SPEAKER_00

And I will I want to go just one step further because I think what happens is we start our day with scripture because we hear it, we hear it, we hear it, and and I think we get to that point, but then we take the world and plug in behind it. Right? Yeah. And so look, I realize if if you live in in the Charleston area like we do, Charleston Somerville, okay. You look at your GPS, it says three miles, three hours. Okay. And so right. So we spend a lot of time in the car around here. Yes, we do. Okay. All right. So the question for you it would be what do you want to fill your mind with while you're in the car? Okay. So if something's not filling my mind, then anger is dominating me when I'm sitting in the car. So I can listen to biblical podcasts. Absolutely. I can listen to the the you know, the reality is there's a great one to listen to. But seriously, I can listen to podcasts. I can listen to the Bible online. Thank you. I can catch scripture. I can listen to sermons. I can, I mean, there is, I can listen to worship music and and I can let God speak to me through the music. I can there's a number of things that I can do to keep scripture in my mind. Absolutely. Other than climbing in my car and turning the news on and just getting angry because of traffic and because of world events. Okay. So I would challenge people to put the things of God in their head.

SPEAKER_01

Period. You know, period. And let me go on record saying, because it personally happened to me. The music that you're listening to fills your heart and fills your mind. All the way. As much as you want to say, oh, I don't even pay attention. It's just playing in the background. I'm not even listening to it's it's feeding your spirit, it's feeding your heart, it's feeding your mind. Watch what you listen to. No, absolutely. Let me just clearly say, watch what you listen to. And it doesn't go away. It does not go away. Okay. I am living proof of that.

SPEAKER_00

I like uh classic country. I I confessed. Okay. I mean, this is stuff I listened to in the 70s and 80s. And Joey, I know every word to every song.

SPEAKER_01

And hadn't heard it in a good 30, 40 years.

SPEAKER_00

And you can still sing all the words. And the moment it comes on, I know every word. It doesn't go away.

SPEAKER_03

It doesn't.

SPEAKER_00

But in all fairness, I grew up on the hymns, and and you can jerk that hymn book out, which I can show you what one looks like. Please. Um, and and you can pull that hymn book out. And guess what? I I know the words to those songs.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. You still have those in your heart, in your mind.

SPEAKER_00

I remember when I wasn't exactly living for the Lord. That was a plot way to put it. And I was I was in law enforcement, and and I would be riding down the road, three o'clock in the morning by myself. And Joey, I'm just telling you, the words to those old hymns, I'm I I promise you, they they flooded back into my mind. Yeah. And you would be like, where in the world? Flood your mind with the right stuff. Absolutely. And so scripture, scripture-based worship songs.

SPEAKER_01

Worship songs.

SPEAKER_00

I would encourage people if you'll listen to worship songs in those hard times and those difficult times, those things are going to come back and give you comfort.

SPEAKER_01

Especially the ones that are singing scripture.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Especially those. And it's amazing how many times I wake up and I've just got a song in my head, and it is literally scripture. I'm singing scripture. I'm like, praise God, that I'm waking up to scripture. Right.

SPEAKER_00

And and which brings us to a thing that I would argue goes with that, and that is choose your community wisely. Amen. First Corinthians 15, 33, evil company corrupts good habits. All right.

SPEAKER_01

How many times have we said that?

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. So if I have people around me that are going to talk the things of God into my life, and I'm not talking about walking around and all we talk about is scripture or yada, but but what I'm talking about is when I am having a bad day, someone is speaking godly wisdom into my life, and and when I am frustrated or discouraged or whatever the case may be, that godly wisdom being spoken. Choose your community wisely because if if I'm going to hang out with people that are going to say, it's not fair, right? Uh here comes my envy and my jealousy. And I'm I'm being told I'm right to feel the way I feel. All right. Yes, you are. So it it my community will make the difference in how I live my life. I can't tell you how many times I have heard that statement.

SPEAKER_01

It's not fair. How come? Why look, let's just go back to the one you said before. I love this one. Be content with what God has given you. Exactly. If you are content in that, you don't have any jealousy or envy that you're worried about. All you have is the Lord. I'm trying to impress the Lord, not anybody else. I don't want what anybody else has because what you have, let's be fair. The things that you're jealous of are the things that are going to fade away anyway. So it doesn't matter. I want to hang on. If you want to be jealous of something, be jealous of somebody who's able to quote scripture. Oh, I'm jealous of that. Okay, great. They'll do something about it.

SPEAKER_00

No, exactly. And so choose your community. I just can't emphasize that. We say that so often. Yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah.

Social Media Pressure And Closing Hope

SPEAKER_00

I want to throw another one in that as I was riding through this and kind of saying, okay, what are some things we can put together to talk about? I will tell you that when you talk about jealousy and envy, whether you're looking at a secular site or whether you're looking at a religious and nature site, every one of them, I believe, said, get off social media. Now, we're telling people to use social media to watch us, so we have a real problem going on here. That's what I was gonna say. Now, turn it off. Wait, no, no. Wait until after this episode and then turn it off. Well let the belly go off and tell you to turn it off. But Joey, we man. We sit down, we watch, we look at social media, and we see the picture of the one time the house is clean and the kids are clean, and we snap that picture real quick as if we live that way.

SPEAKER_01

It's the most fake thing ever. Everything. But then what's even worse is now they've got uh AI like animations of things that look real and it's not really real either. Everything is just fake. Like, stop.

SPEAKER_00

That's how I can get a picture of you and a fish. I can use AI. That thank you. That was a good plan. So we sure ran out of time, didn't we? Hey, why don't you wrap this thing up for us? You're being jealous again. Okay, I want to publicly apologize. But but social media. It's so true. Social media takes us and makes us believe people are living the way they are not living.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And and we we picture some crazy ideal out there, like this is really how people live. And and so just take a break from social media. Quit quit trying to measure up to what the world calls success and live the life that God calls success. Godliness brings gain. That's what Paul said. Exactly. You know, and and so this godly contentment is what brings gain. And so that's what I want in life.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. I would I would even say, even if you're following like good Christian people, there's they're still showing you pictures of their highlights. Oh, this isn't their life. I'll go back and I know I know we're out of time, but I just have to say this one thing. I remember watching a Bible study, and it was a devotional thing, and the guy did it in his junky garage just to show people this is what I really look like. I know you guys have seen because he's a he's a you know famous pastor, and everybody sees him as this famous pastor, and his life is like it must be so perfect, and every his house is like always clean. He did the devotion in his junky garage. He says, This is my mess, this is how I live, this is real life, and that that just stuck with me. I said, Wow, there's there's truth and there's reality right there. We all have messes, we all do. Yep. So wrap it up for us.

SPEAKER_00

You know, when we really kind of say, What is the reality here? Well, the reality is is we have grown to accept respectable sins. And gossip, slander, envy, coveting, pride. We've talked about those over the last several weeks. Yes, we have. And and we call them respectable sins. And and the reason they're respectable is because we all do them, and so we find a way to make it okay. It's okay, everybody does it. But you know what? When we talk about comparison and jealousy, we are hindering what God wants to do in our life. And they're not respectable, they're sin. And I don't care if everyone does it, it's sin. And we have to make ourselves available to God. And the good news is if we seek God, He'll eliminate those from our life. I love that.

SPEAKER_01

And that's reality right there. If you seek God, He's gonna take care of everything else in your life. So thank you so much. And guys, thank you for tuning in and being a part of the Reality Is Podcast, where we are talking about real life and real faith. Again, do us a favor, like, subscribe, share this with a friend, and click on the bell so that you're always reminded of when you can tune into the reality is podcast. For now, we'd like to say God bless you and have a wonderful day. Goodbye now.

SPEAKER_02

The reality. The reality where real life meets real fun.