Nikki Humphrey (00:01)
if some things we've heard about Jesus were never actually things Jesus said? Follow your heart. God won't give you more than you can handle. Just be a good person. Do what makes you happy. They sound encouraging, but are they biblical? This week on Equip Fellowship, we're talking about things Jesus did not say and looking at what Jesus actually taught instead.
Because sometimes the words of Jesus are more challenging, but also far more freeing than the versions we've created. Join us today for things Jesus did not say. Hi, I'm Nikki.
Hope Mangiafico (00:43)
Hi, I'm Hope. Welcome to Equipped Fellowship, where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus-loving friends on a mission to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith.
transform your mindset and walk boldly in God's Because here's the truth, you have been given great and precious promises by God and Jesus says so. So grab your coffee, lean in and let's grow together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Nikki Humphrey (01:24)
Yes, and today we're doing something a little different. We're talking about things Jesus did not say. There are so many phrases we hear all the time that sound Christian. We might see them on social media, hear them from a friend, or even say them ourselves. Follow your heart. Everything happens for a reason. God just wants you to be happy. Just be a good person. But here's the question Did Jesus actually say that? And if he didn't, what did he say?
Hope Mangiafico (01:51)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (01:53)
Because Jesus didn't come simply to make us comfortable. He came to save us, transform us, and invite us to follow him. So today we're separating catchy sayings from scripture and going back to the word of Jesus Himself.
Hope Mangiafico (02:11)
And it's so good because some of these are so close
Nikki Humphrey (02:15)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (02:17)
to the words of Jesus, but they're not quite right.
Nikki Humphrey (02:22)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (02:22)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (02:25)
And some things before when I was a little baby question, I thought they were in there.
Hope Mangiafico (02:30)
Girl, I've seen some
like reals trend where people are like, I don't know if it's like someone going to like a seminary or just going on a Wednesday night at a church and they're quoting things. like, is this in the Bible or not? And they're like, yes. And it absolutely is a quote from some random thing.
Nikki Humphrey (02:46)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (02:47)
It's crazy.
Nikki Humphrey (02:49)
I mean, I honestly thought God won't give you more than you could handle was in the Bible.
I would have put
Hope Mangiafico (02:53)
Thank you.
Nikki Humphrey (02:53)
money on it like
Hope Mangiafico (02:55)
Well, and the thing is, so this is something I know through the years I've realized is so many of these have probably, I don't know where they originate from, right? But they've probably started showing up to try and bring some sort of comfort to somebody. Because
Nikki Humphrey (03:09)
Yes. Right.
Hope Mangiafico (03:12)
we, as humans, we do not have the right words to say to help someone.
Nikki Humphrey (03:19)
And especially for that, God won't give you more than you can handle. There are plenty of moments in my life and hope's life and your life, if you're watching or listening, of things we cannot absolutely handle by ourselves. Period. And that's where Jesus invites us to depend on him. Because in Matthew 11, 28, he said, Come to me, all you let me try again.
Hope Mangiafico (03:42)
Yes. Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (03:47)
Come to me, I got excited people. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
He also says in Matthew 19, 26, for human beings, this is impossible, but for God, all things are possible.
Hope Mangiafico (04:07)
Such a good one. And you know, we're talking today about things Jesus said, but I couldn't help when I thought about this catchy little phrase to think about Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, 10 saying, in my weakness, he is strong.
We're only weak when we can't handle something.
Nikki Humphrey (04:27)
That's right.
Hope Mangiafico (04:29)
man. And you know, I heard one time, I'm pivoting off Jesus for second talking about this scripture from Paul, but there was a song and it hit me so strongly because it almost like took that verse and flipped it where it's like, in his strength, I am weak. And it makes you feel like, you could feel that it's not about your weakness that's defining you. It's about his strength that defines you.
So in his strength, I am weak. Because he's the great Almighty. He's the one that can handle all things. So I almost want to be that little child that looks like weakness inside of a big God's hand.
anyways.
was gonna say, it's Paul talking, but Paul has such a great conversion story that he clearly understood the things of Jesus and he was carrying it on after Jesus resurrected.
Nikki Humphrey (05:29)
As you were talking, hope, and talking about the God hand and just wanting to curl up and the big hand and just be that. I was just like, the whole point of the Bible is God will give you more than you can handle, but He's there with you to guide you every step of the way. Look at all them
Hope Mangiafico (05:47)
Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (05:47)
people: Moses, David, Esther, everybody. He's gonna give it to you.
You can't handle it by yourself. That's what he is there for.
Hope Mangiafico (06:01)
Yeah. And you're talking about that guiding you.
Nikki Humphrey (06:05)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (06:05)
It makes me think about my yoke is easy, my burden is light, and it's all about you partnering with him, sharing the yoke with him.
and
it's funny because you're talking about how you could have sworn it was in in the Bible and I know at some point in my life I've spent time lack of better term meditating on that saying because you could almost defend it with scripture as well but then the more you do that you realize how so many people do fall astray sometimes
And why we have three trillion types of religions out there and forms of Christianity is without Holy Spirit, you can misconstrued what scripture says you need. Going back to what you said, Nikki, you need the big picture, the whole picture of the Bible is that it's about him and what he can do. Instead of zooming in on one little saying or statement, you have to think.
Okay, well if this is true that God won't give me more than I can handle, let me find it in a scripture. that sounds like that's it. Zoom out, can you still support it? Zoom out more, can you still support it? front to back, Old Testament, New Testament, it looks like Moses, as Nicky said, really needed God's help. Anyways.
Nikki Humphrey (07:32)
It it
is. And especially in in the Old Testament when people stopped going to God and asking for
Hope Mangiafico (07:39)
Uhhhh
Nikki Humphrey (07:41)
the consequences were bad, y'all. The consequences were real bad.
Hope Mangiafico (07:46)
That's a great point. Such a good point.
Nikki Humphrey (07:51)
It's not like their lives got exponentially better once they turned away or stopped
Hope Mangiafico (07:55)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (07:57)
asking for guidance or going to God before a battle, a war, a new thing.
Hope Mangiafico (08:02)
Yes.
Well...
It makes me think about scripture too, that the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came to give his life and life to the fool. You have a real enemy, and when you have consequences, the enemy gets access to your life, and his agenda is to kill, steal, and destroy. Best of luck overcoming that on your own.
mean really though.
Nikki Humphrey (08:26)
Really?
Hope Mangiafico (08:28)
These are all real time revelations of my own. This is good stuff.
Nikki Humphrey (08:31)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (08:32)
I like that you started with that one, Nikki, it's good.
Nikki Humphrey (08:34)
Because that's the one out of some of these that we already listed, that was the one where I'm just like and I've used it as a quote unquote anchor verse when I was going through really difficult seasons. Like
Hope Mangiafico (08:47)
Ooh, I feel that.
Nikki Humphrey (08:49)
God won't give me more than I can handle. It's okay.
Hope Mangiafico (08:52)
Thank
Nikki Humphrey (08:52)
Everything's gonna be all right. He's he knows my limits. And he's like, I'm here to help you, not push you to your limits.
Hope Mangiafico (09:02)
That's really good. It's really good. there's so many good ones we can cover on top of that. Because there are a few that kind of popped out, popped out at me
Nikki Humphrey (09:15)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (09:16)
and I couldn't decide which one to run with. So guess the next one that really comes to me that I personally have seen.
a perversion of the pure version is follow your heart.
Nikki Humphrey (09:30)
yes.
Hope Mangiafico (09:32)
And I was thinking about that one
Nikki Humphrey (09:34)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (09:35)
and how it's a perversion of Psalm 37, four that says, the light yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. We talk about him giving you the desires of your heart, but there is a first part.
Delight yourself in the Lord.
I just realized that's also not a, that's not a word of Jesus. But I will say this, that's also similar to what Jesus did say. Matthew 6, 33-34, where it's, first the kingdom of God and everything will be given to you. All of these things that Jesus talks about. So there's Jesus complimenting Psalm 37-4.
But it all starts with seeking and delighting and our father first.
Nikki Humphrey (10:30)
Because we see that everywhere, Hope. It's everywhere in our culture. Trust yourself, follow your heart, do what feels right.
Hope Mangiafico (10:38)
The feeling part.
fake Holy Spirit be knocking on your heart?
Nikki Humphrey (10:43)
Ha ha
Hope Mangiafico (10:44)
That ain't
Nikki Humphrey (10:46)
But like
you said, Jesus didn't tell us to follow our hearts, he told us to follow him. In Matthew sixteen twenty four, he says, Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
'Cause, you know, realistically, follow your heart sounds so appealing. And there's a huge,
Hope Mangiafico (11:08)
Right.
Nikki Humphrey (11:11)
huge difference between asking, what do I want to do? and Jesus, where are you leading me? So different.
Hope Mangiafico (11:19)
Yeah.
And I think you and I are real time journeying that out. As I was going through this, I was thinking about things that I feel like actually complements what you just shared. And it's that Jesus doesn't call us to stay comfortable. And I actually, when I was thinking about that, got the same scripture that you talked about.
and picking up your cross. And the thing about that that I wanted to share, so again, that's Luke 9, 20, 23, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up the cross daily and follow me. A long time ago, I was at an old job and this person had the revelation that a cross in some translation is a stake. So you have to pick up what's keeping you bound.
leave the things that are comfortable to you that your heart just loves so much and pick it up and follow him just like Nikki was saying. And I love that visual because if you think that there's a stake in the ground and you're tied to it, you can't move outside of that until you choose to pick it up and now you're free.
You didn't even realize you weren't free, but now you are. And even though following Jesus can feel hard sometimes, the fruit is better than anything you can do when you're planted, where you believe your heart is leading you and where you feel most comfort.
Nikki Humphrey (12:57)
I really feel that right now.
'Cause we're just everything feels hard right now.
And I don't know I know where I'm supposed to I know where I'm where I'm at is where I'm supposed to be.
But earthly Nikki cannot wrap her head around it. Yet.
Hope Mangiafico (13:15)
Yeah,
I understand. And for me personally, I feel the Lord is, and I shared this I think on the previous episode about me surrendering my desire to come home and be outside for my lunch breaks. Like my heart's desire was that when I finally picked up my steak from my house. I
and did a ton because I accepted the fact that I needed to stay at work. My lunches have been amazing outside of my job.
But if I followed my heart, I would have continued to come here every day and it would have, I know it sounds so goofy, I won't say stupid, but sometimes our hearts desires end up being pretty stupid when you realize what you're missing out on. Jesus. And I just, I would be more frazzled and frustrated and less of a light for him if I continue to pull away and funny enough today.
I've been trying to make sure no one sees me like the way my job is situated. They ain't no windows but one facing where I'm at. And I'm like, no one looks at it. Someone comes into my office today, smiling. I just stare. And they're like, well, I looked out the window and I said, you saw me. But here's what's so cool about the Lord. He was like, I think that's so cool what you do during your lunch.
He was like, it makes me want to go out there and do this and do that. I couldn't have done that if I was in my backyard. Create the conversation further. Inspire people by doing what I believe the Lord put in me, which is get outside, be in nature, spend time with him. I'm reading my devotion, moving, whatever. He doesn't really get glory to the world when I was staking down in my house.
Nikki Humphrey (15:12)
That's right. That's so good.
Hope Mangiafico (15:15)
That was today.
Nikki Humphrey (15:16)
It's the same with my situation. I'm put in front of so many different people that I couldn't have
Hope Mangiafico (15:20)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (15:22)
ever been put in front of before. And it was,
Hope Mangiafico (15:26)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (15:27)
you know, I was following my heart. I was real real happy doing what I was doing at home. But it's a whole different ball game when you're interacting with real people on a daily basis. And like you said, Hope, the conversations, things
that can happen, the way it can grow your faith.
Hope Mangiafico (15:46)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (15:46)
The way you
can think about things in a different way that you haven't before and get into your Bible and look things up because something new was was brought up. Never would have happened. Am I really uncomfortable? Yes. Do I understand
Hope Mangiafico (15:58)
Yeah. Me too.
Nikki Humphrey (16:04)
my purpose? Yet, kinda, not really. Maybe sorta.
Do I know where it's leading me?
But I'm gonna
Hope Mangiafico (16:10)
that.
Nikki Humphrey (16:12)
I'm gonna I'm
Hope Mangiafico (16:13)
You
Nikki Humphrey (16:15)
gonna follow Jesus and not my I'm gonna follow Jesus to wherever he leads me next to this and not my heart.
Hope Mangiafico (16:22)
Amen. Yeah, I feel that. And you know, trying to figure out where it's headed is part of the thing that keeps us bound. Because when we're
Nikki Humphrey (16:31)
That's it.
Hope Mangiafico (16:32)
trying to figure out where it's headed, we're trying to still follow our hearts to a degree because we're comforted by answers and what God has been showing me lately, certainty. But let's just put a bow on top of that statement really quick as I'm thinking about it. We so often want certainty in the natural to know the answers.
But going back to Jesus, He's the most certain thing that exists. Is He visible to our eyes? No, but we have so much evidence and once you say yes to Him and you have the Holy Spirit, there is no denying that He is the most certain thing that you can put your life in.
Nikki Humphrey (17:11)
That's it.
Hope Mangiafico (17:11)
So we have to remember that and remind ourselves that every time we try to take things back or figure it out, we're following our heart again.
Nikki Humphrey (17:22)
And we're trying to be God.
Hope Mangiafico (17:24)
Exactly. And I was
gonna say heart is almost like just that humanism, human aspect of us, which is what we do when we try to be God
And the super convicting, like as I'm speaking right now, like I'm realizing
Nikki Humphrey (17:40)
Okay.
Hope Mangiafico (17:42)
how much I still attempt to follow my heart, even though I don't say that, I wouldn't tell someone to do it.
Nikki Humphrey (17:49)
The conviction runs deep on this episode, people.
Hope Mangiafico (17:54)
goodness gracious, you're not kidding.
Nikki Humphrey (17:55)
It
so good. Another one
this one. If you
Hope Mangiafico (18:02)
You
Nikki Humphrey (18:05)
I can't even get it out. If you have enough faith, everything will work out the way you want.
That's so much. I mean, this can be a real painful one because sometimes we do all the things, right? We pray faithfully and the healing doesn't happen. The relationship might end. The door still closes. The answer is still no. And we're doing all the things that we think in our own power to make it work. We think we have enough faith and we're just waiting for it to work out and it doesn't.
Hope Mangiafico (18:33)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (18:41)
Jesus himself prayed before the cross, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet, not as I will, but as your will. Matthew 26, 39. Jesus shows us that faith isn't believing God will do what we want. Faith is trusting God even when he doesn't.
Hope Mangiafico (19:05)
Hilarious.
only because this is like a weird episode. It's like we're finding it funny while also super convicting. And
Nikki Humphrey (19:13)
No.
Hope Mangiafico (19:13)
like that scripture she that Nikki just quoted is wild because Jesus is literally sweating blood.
Nikki Humphrey (19:20)
Blood. Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (19:22)
And I'm saying it's hilarious because before we started this episode I told Nikki that my brain went to another camp of ideas but oddly enough the scriptures you're quoting are scriptures I had down too.
And so it's working out so perfectly.
That's so wild
Nikki Humphrey (19:41)
And
this is but the conviction that's coming up is like I hate to say this, but I have to say it because it's conviction, but it's also embarrassing. My cheeks are getting red. Anyway.
Have you ever maybe you can back me up on this one. Have you ever thought that somebody's healing didn't happen or something didn't work out just because they didn't have enough faith or they didn't pray the right prayer?
Hope Mangiafico (20:09)
Yes, including in my own life.
Nikki Humphrey (20:12)
Like if they would have just did this, if they would have just followed the Jesus formula, if they only would have did this, then they would have been recovered or they would have got that job opportunity or that that door would've
Hope Mangiafico (20:23)
Thunder for
Nikki Humphrey (20:24)
opened up. And I'm being like so judgmental about this person in my head.
Hope Mangiafico (20:30)
Yes, I've both given it and I've received it. And it's funny you even, I've said that many times on this episode, you even mention that because I came across a video of this guy who is a pastor's kid and he's not a kid anymore, he's like 35. But he makes these videos that just get you thinking. And he has this big white board behind him and it was like, did you not have enough faith for healing or something like
that and he was sharing his own testimony of how he would hop from one place to another and people were saying, be healed, you're gonna walk out and you're gonna be healed. And the crazy thing about this, both being the person giving it and receiving, is it actually, this is so funny because I literally had this written down, I can't believe you are opening this door. It creates a culture of lies.
Nikki Humphrey (21:23)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (21:24)
And that's actually the worst thing of all because Satan is the father of lies.
But it's a why. All of it.
And it's not, here's the thing, and this is really important because this guy was talking about this in the video too, it's not intentional-wise.
raising my hand with what Nikki was saying, my conviction was so strong because of things I had learned, the things of God. I wasn't intentionally trying to be judgmental or to believe a lie about something and then potentially spit out a lie that I'm gonna pray this, you're gonna do this, you're gonna walk out free. Like there's no backing, no evidence of that. But it wasn't intentional. It was ignorance.
of not knowing my Father and my Savior and the voice of Holy Spirit well enough. It was following my heart.
Nikki Humphrey (22:18)
I totally was. I've been there too. Like I just didn't know better at the time. And I just thought, you know, you read these books and you read about these mirror and these healings and all this. And folks, it gets you excited. You know that there's a possibility and healing does. And we're not saying don't pray about it or don't bring it to your father and and don't don't lose faith that, you know, healing could happen for you because it's all possible with God.
Hope Mangiafico (22:45)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (22:46)
But there's never prescription or formula. And that's that I I always try to break things down that way, like what's the secret sauce? Like what's the remedy?
Hope Mangiafico (22:54)
Always.
Nikki Humphrey (22:56)
the XYZ. And that's that's not it. There's not a playbook to how to do this. It's it's person by person, it's specific. It's relational with God the Father.
Hope Mangiafico (23:12)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (23:13)
It's cultivating that and being able to hear for yourselves.
Like I used to go to everybody for prayer for healing for all those things. And I was just like, I was putting, I said this on episodes before, I was putting my faith in the person, not in God. I was maintaining that relationship with that person who I thought could intercessory prayer, my healing through me, instead of putting that same effort into my relationship with God.
Hope Mangiafico (23:19)
Right. Thank
Well, that's what you just shared, Nikki, of your own story is another thing that's like what Jesus didn't say, what we act like is because we read scriptures that is like, Paul went out and healed people and everyone in the New Testament after Jesus resurrected were able to do healing that we think there are certain people that can do certain things. And then the church creates a culture of that unintentionally. And Nikki and I are here to say that
At any point in time, Holy Spirit can give someone a gift of healing. It's the question is, is it your time now? Are you able to steward the healing right now? He's a good, good father and he knows what you can handle in regard to stewardship.
And the heart's desire, if you wanna follow your heart, you need to follow this part. If you're aligned with God, it's to let him do more heart operations on your heart because that's the only thing that will steer you in the right direction is rip it open and let him get the gunk out.
and your healing may not look like you're expecting, but I promise you, you will be more healed and whole than you could ever imagine when you believed you could just muster up enough faith.
Nikki Humphrey (25:03)
Because it goes back to what we've been talking about since the beginning of this podcast. It's a onion. You have to go through the layers of healing. Maybe it's a relational thing with God. Maybe it's a mental block. Maybe it's something physical that you need to be doing. Like
When there's a blockage, it takes different things to unblock it. And so it's
Hope Mangiafico (25:27)
Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (25:28)
it can't happen all at once. It would overload the system. Your capacity you'd it's too much.
Hope Mangiafico (25:36)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (25:36)
We have to just keep our trust in that we have a good, good father. And he's going to lead us for our next right step of healing. Not the one that we think is right.
But the one that is right for us.
Hope Mangiafico (25:54)
Amen.
Mmm. So good.
another one that could be a hot button.
that just being a good person is enough.
Nikki Humphrey (26:06)
What's the sticking of that one?
Hope Mangiafico (26:07)
That was brutal. It really is.
I understand the sentiment behind it.
But Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, the life.
And that sums it up for me.
Nikki Humphrey (26:23)
Yeah.
But as it keeps saying and and I thought you were gonna keep going.
Hope Mangiafico (26:29)
No, I actually didn't even have it written down. just popped
Nikki Humphrey (26:31)
Okay.
Hope Mangiafico (26:32)
in my
Nikki Humphrey (26:32)
Okay. So I had it written down, I'm like, she's going right where I was going. You did. But he said, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. And then it goes on. No one, and I was gonna have you repeat it. I was gonna be like, say it again, hope. No one comes to the Father except through me. John fourteen six.
Hope Mangiafico (26:57)
Ugh.
Nikki Humphrey (26:58)
You can't
just be a good person. It's a like you said, Hope, it's a great senti sentiment.
We should all be good people. Period.
Hope Mangiafico (27:05)
you
Nikki Humphrey (27:07)
But the invitation was so much bigger.
Hope Mangiafico (27:10)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (27:11)
Our eternal salvation is on the line.
If we just think being a good person is gonna check all the boxes at the end of the day, it's not.
Hope Mangiafico (27:24)
It's so exhausting when I think about it too. Like you and I have grown so much out of work-based mentality and when I hear just be a good person, that is so works-based instead of identity-based.
Nikki Humphrey (27:39)
Yes.
'Cause everybody could think here's a conviction, everybody could think you're a good person, but you're doing it with a heart.
Hope Mangiafico (27:47)
I've never done that, you've done that?
You kidding me? golly that's like one of the hardest things to break out of.
Nikki Humphrey (28:00)
You know, you're bringing the meal over, you're doing all the things, you just being that good person. But my heart posture was not and what does God see? He sees your heart more than your actions.
Hope Mangiafico (28:16)
Yes, and that's exactly why going back to just the previous statement we made, your best thing to do is say, Lord, inspect my heart, give me a heart operation, because that's what brings forth the healing, the deliverance, the connection, the eternal life. Like it's not easy, by the way, guys. But it's what he sees, as Nikki is saying, in the heart. You cannot hide it.
There's no amount of faith or gift of the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure why I'm saying it this way, but there's no amount of faith or gift of the Spirit that will remove your choices that have heart in your heart. That's a choice you have to make.
can't spiritually bypass heart problems.
Nikki Humphrey (29:03)
And don't you think people know? I feel like people know.
Hope Mangiafico (29:06)
Thank you.
Nikki Humphrey (29:06)
You think you're just covering up so good or just like whatever. I just as you're talking about this, I just rem you know, just imagine that you, you know, making something and you got all this hate, but I'm like, think about the frequency that you're putting in what you're making somebody.
Hope Mangiafico (29:24)
Well that's why food is so much better when it's made with love, right?
Nikki Humphrey (29:28)
Right.
That's what I'm saying. Like you're just giving somebody this thing that just is a yuck bomb. I mean it might taste delicious, but it's just like it wasn't created out of love.
Hope Mangiafico (29:38)
And that makes me think about the concept of being a good person and how we may define it culturally. And this is where I think comparison can be a thief of joy. me, honoring how God made me is one of the greatest things I can do. And so how my overflow of my relationship with him is me often not making a dish and giving it to someone.
my skills and my giftings are utilized in different ways in someone's life. And it both edifies me and what God's done in me, as well as the person. And that's really important to also realize while you journey this life and you're like, well, I want to be a good person. I understand I need Jesus to help me with that. Be careful of comparing what that looks like.
Nikki Humphrey (30:30)
And be if this came up as you were speaking, be careful of trying to be a good person so much over and over again, doing all the things that you become exhausted, depleted, depressed.
Hope Mangiafico (30:42)
Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (30:44)
you wanna isolate all these negative thoughts come in. You could just good person yourself, right?
Hope Mangiafico (30:57)
Into a hole. A dark fit.
Nikki Humphrey (31:01)
Yeah, where you have no time for Jesus because you're too trying to be a good person everywhere else.
Hope Mangiafico (31:08)
As you were saying that, Nikki, scripture came to mind. This is Jesus' words in a different way, because it's in the book of Revelation. But it's in Revelation, excuse me, Revelation 2, and it's a message to Ephesus. And Jesus said that basically, he knows that they did a lot of works, they labored, they were patient, they were great, they didn't tolerate evil. But I have one thing against you, is what Jesus said.
You have left and forgotten your first love.
If you do all of the things, just like Nikki was saying in a very practical way, it's the same as leaving your first love that he was speaking to the Church of Ephesus. And when you leave your first love...
it doesn't really matter.
And that's a very hard word to receive, to be honest, because then it's basically your works are in vain.
And mind you, the father's character is so good, he'll use all things for good, but you gotta come back to your first love.
his restoration in areas do depend on us to some degree.
We don't want our, it's like what Paul said, right? Like you just keep abounding in sin because you have all this grace.
Sin is a daunting word to some people, but I'm just gonna go ahead and tell you, so much of what we do is sin.
and we write it off and excuse it because we have this abounding grace.
but moving without his permission or moving based on our heart's desires or because it feels like it's a good thing to do, I would dare to say that's a sin because sin is missing the mark. And we're missing the mark if he's not in the equation.
Can I have your...
mention one more. I don't know if we'll really get a chance to dive into it, but it's one that has always really bothered me.
I mean, really, really, really, really, really.
And actually is a good one to compliment what we just wrapped up the last one with. And that is everything happens for a reason.
If you want to hurt someone's heart, say that to them.
Nikki Humphrey (33:20)
I will hurt you. No, just kidding.
That one.
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (33:25)
damage.
Nikki Humphrey (33:26)
It I was just like, do not say that to me. Like do no.
The girls that I'm teaching all the time, they say that all the time.
Hope Mangiafico (33:36)
Really?
Nikki Humphrey (33:37)
Everything happens for a reason. This is Humphrey, everything happens for a reason.
Hope Mangiafico (33:41)
And I guess that comes...
Nikki Humphrey (33:42)
We can work
things all out for good.
Hope Mangiafico (33:45)
That's what I was going to say, that comes from that, Romans 828.
Nikki Humphrey (33:49)
But it's different than everything happens for a reason. What they don't get is that we have free will and choices.
Hope Mangiafico (33:56)
Amen. Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (33:59)
And sometimes things happen because of our choices. And some
Hope Mangiafico (34:05)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:05)
of those things are consequences.
Hope Mangiafico (34:07)
Well, you know what's interesting about what you're talking about, free will. Again, some scriptures that I had pulled that's somewhat relevant to that is Jesus was so amazing. He healed so many people, but two stories that really stood out to me was when he healed the man at the pool of Bethesda who was paralyzed for 38 years. This is John 5 14. Jesus loved on this person, but he did say, stop sinning.
or something worse may happen to you. AKA, you got free will and this consequent, this part of it. just realize that there's consequences to these things. And also in John 8-11, where the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus was so loving. He was so kind, didn't condemn her. And he said, neither do I condemn you, but go and sin no more.
And I think when we say everything happens for a reason, it almost, this is kind of a weird statement, Nikki. And I have to almost think about it, but it feels like a get out of jail free card.
God's gonna work it out, you know, I don't get it. Not really worried about my decisions, the sin I did. It's gonna teach me something maybe, or God's, you know, just no accountability.
or false comfort to someone that maybe lost a loved one or something like that. Traumatically.
Nikki Humphrey (35:39)
Yes. Or you were praying f for something and it didn't come through.
Hope Mangiafico (35:43)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (35:43)
It happens for a reason.
And again, you're missing the whole relational aspect with God then.
Because you're just taking it surface level. Instead of taking the thing that you're struggling with or
Hope Mangiafico (35:56)
you
Nikki Humphrey (35:58)
the action that you did or anything, you you're missing bringing it to God.
In seeing what he has to say about it.
Hope Mangiafico (36:06)
Yeah. Ugh, it just hurts my heart.
And I notice when people make statements like this, there's not really confidence in when they say it. It's one of those like, I'm trying to believe it.
But I realize it's probably not true.
Nikki Humphrey (36:23)
You never get to the root of the issue. That's why I try to tell the girls. I'm just like, but you just said, like everything happens for a reason. But what is it? Like what led to those choices? What how did you get there? What happened? What did
Hope Mangiafico (36:37)
you
Nikki Humphrey (36:38)
you want to happen? How did you end up where you're at right now? You're missing all those things. So you have no information or data. So in the future, you could maybe make a different choice.
or take a different action or a different approach, you're just gonna do the same thing over again. And be like, well, everything happens for a reason.
Hope Mangiafico (37:03)
I like how you presented that because it sounds like through what you shared, you're providing the second part of the equation. If we're talking cause and effect. Everything happens for a reason is the effect, so what's the cause?
Nikki Humphrey (37:18)
Mm.
Hope Mangiafico (37:19)
And so many of these statements are half truths or half a part of the equation. Half equipping, you said? Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (37:24)
Half equipment. Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (37:29)
And it's funny because as you were speaking,
I'm like what Nikki's saying is like nah, duh, common sense, but we don't actually think about what got me here.
Nikki Humphrey (37:40)
If nobody teaches you that,
Hope Mangiafico (37:43)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (37:44)
if you just stay surface level in your faith and nobody teaches you how to do that, you're just gonna keep, you're just gonna stay there. Again, you're just at Camp Jesus and he'll God will
Hope Mangiafico (37:55)
the
Nikki Humphrey (37:56)
use it. God will use Camp Jesus, but he wants so much more.
Hope Mangiafico (38:01)
you
I think a good thing that we had already quoted once, but as you were saying that, Nikki, it just led me back. I think it's John 10, 10, where I quoted earlier, the enemy comes to kill, stone, destroy, but Jesus came to give us life and life to the full. When there is something that doesn't quite add up with what's in scripture, that's God's promises because of Jesus, we need to pause and think.
what is going on because my inheritance, which is in scripture, we are co-heirs with Christ. What am I missing and what do I need to be held accountable to or for so that I can have life to the full? I don't know what that is, by the way, guys. Like, I have no, I don't think any of us actually can wrap our minds around what that is. But what I do know is we
have the potential to go from glory to glory, faith to faith, and just rocket ship because we have the best Father ever who has streets of gold in heaven and he just illuminates light. So that's our inheritance as a fullness of life and that should be our pursuit to hold us accountable.
Nikki Humphrey (39:18)
that do it.
Hope Mangiafico (39:19)
I think that'll do it.
As we wrap up today, maybe the biggest takeaway is this. We need to know Jesus for ourselves and all the things that he says and promises. Not the social media versions of Jesus, not the version culture has created, not even the version of Jesus we've built in our own minds. We need to know the Jesus of scripture. Some of his words comfort us, some challenge us, some convict us, and some completely change the way we see our lives.
Jesus never promised that following Him would always be easy, but He did promise something much greater. In Matthew 28-20, He says, am with you always until the end of the age. So this week, when you hear something that sounds biblical, pause and ask, did Jesus
Nikki Humphrey (40:11)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (40:11)
really say that? What does scripture actually say? Go back to His word, get to know His voice intimately.
and then have the courage to follow where he leads, pick up your cross and walk. Thank you for joining us today on a quick fellowship where friends become family through Christ. Until next time, we'll see you in the overflow.