"& By The Word of their Testimony" w/ Cisco Terrazas, Julio Mercado & Arturo Gamino

On today's podcast episode I am joined by Cisco Terrazas, Julio Mercado & Arturo Gamino.  This is our first time doing a four person podcast interview. This interview starts off a little slow but once we get warmed up you get to hear these men's hearts and the conversation just flows.
Today discuss the importance & power of sharing your testimony according to Scripture. That is, your story of what God has done personally in your life. We can't keep what God has done in our lives to ourselves. Our stories can bring hope to others that might be facing struggles or trials that we have been able to overcome or are overcoming with God's help. The Bible contains many different scriptures that emphasize the importance of this. We will look at and examine a lot of these. This is why we do what we on this podcast.

'And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. ' Revelation 12:11

Transcript

Omar: 0:15

Hello everyone. And welcome to another episode of wrong to strong Chicago. My name's Omar Calvillo. And tonight we got a group meeting going on over here. There's the first time we squeeze four of us into this desk over here into the screen, but a man, I like to welcome my guests. I got Cisco, we got Julio and Arturo, you know, all these brothers been there from, from, from the beginning, you know, when we first started this, so, um, we decided tonight what we're going to do, uh, well, what we want to discuss tonight. It's basically why we do what we do. what's the reason why we're doing this podcast here? It's not just to, uh, uh, share stories, you know, it's not just to, to, to tell what God's done in our life, but most importantly, to point people to Christ through, through these stories. So what we decided to do tonight, we're going to get into some scripture. Uh, so we, we, we had an article that I shared with these men. And this article is basically a bunch of scriptures that talk about sharing your story, sharing what God's done in your life. And so we're going to get into it, you know, we're going to get into the word. So I'd like to welcome my guests. So let's get to it, man. I don't know if you guys want to share some, you know, introduce yourselves, whatever, you know.

Julio: 1:28

Let's go. Let's

Omar: 1:28

go. Should I go first? Yeah, we'll go in order, I guess. Yeah, there we go.

Cisco: 1:33

Uh, Cisco Terraces, man. I think, uh, you know, I've already shared my testimony here a couple of months ago with Omar and, um, you know, uh, still, still moving along and, you know, still, still on that saddle, walking with Christ, at least the best that I can, you know, I mean, I know it's, It's always, uh, a work in progress, as they say, right? So I'm definitely just happy to be here, man. Thanks for the invite. I really appreciate it,

Omar: 1:55

man.

Julio: 1:57

Um, Julio Mercado, I also gave my testimony on here. Um, just say to say ever since then, I just been seeking God, um, you know, looking in his word and trying to grow, learning from my brothers, fellowshipping with my brothers and. Trying to spread God's word everywhere I can. Amen. Amen.

Omar: 2:18

I'm Arturo.

Arturo: 2:19

Um, I gave my, I shared my story, uh, about a year and a half ago and just excited to share, uh, a word tonight, a message, you know, just to, encourage you to, uh, for you to be inspired.

Omar: 2:29

So. Amen. Amen. Thanks brother. No. Yeah. You know what? Man, I just want to thank Julio, man. He volunteered to start doing the editing for these videos. Cause man, it was very time consuming for me, man. You know, like, basically recording the podcast interview, then trying to do the audio and then the video. Uh, so this brother, you know, stepped up about a month ago, this man decided he was going to, you know, help out. So I want to, I want to thank you for that brother. Yeah, no

Julio: 2:53

problem, man.

Omar: 2:54

Happy to serve bro. Oh, no, no, for sure. So now, now, you know, if you guys got any, any complaints or, you know, of the video quality editing, you know, send them to Julio over here,

Julio: 3:03

man. Yeah. I might edit that right out.

Omar: 3:06

Oh boy. Yeah. You know, Hey, I'm, I'm, I'm grateful for these brothers, man. And like I said, we just wanted to have a conversation tonight. So, uh, man, let's get into it, man. Whoever wants to go first, if there was a certain, uh, scripture on here that maybe stood out to you and they, they, that we wanna start off with, you know?

Arturo: 3:21

Yeah. You know what I had when I, I hope I, yeah, go ahead. Go on, go ahead. Um, like I mentioned earlier, there was one that I, that I came across. Other day. And, um, I, I honestly, I hadn't gone through that email you sent, but I knew what it was about. Mm-Hmm. Um, and so when I read it, and it was, uh, Psalms 1 0 7, when I read it, um, I just thought about, uh, what you got going on here. The wrong two strong, uh, platform, right where everyone, uh, it's a opportunity to share their story. And Psalms 1 0 7 2 says, let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story, those he redeemed from the hand of the foe. And just like, um, it's just, uh, a great platform for, those that have been redeemed to tell their story to share, you know, we're called to share daily with people, right? Uh, but this is just a great platform. And even though that, that diverse is very simple, it just says a lot, right? I'll repeat it. It says, uh, let the redeemed of the Lord. Tell their story. Those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, you know, a lot of times, uh, maybe some who are listening right now are in the hand of the foe and don't know that they can be redeemed. But, uh, that's why it's important, uh, for us as believers, those who know what Christ has done for us, to, to share that. But also, uh, we, we've got many, uh, uh, people that we, we are, uh, that God's given us to have influence over. Co workers, family, friends, even other brothers in Christ, right? We can encourage them if they may be struggling, um, or whatever the case may be. But it is important to tell our story, you know, of what, how. The Lord has redeemed us. So, amen.

Julio: 5:04

Amen. Amen. So, um, the one that stuck out to me was, uh, Mark 16, 15, and it says here, it says, um, he said to them, go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. I think the thing that really stuck out to me about this, this, um, verse was how he said to all creation. And I had even looked it up and it said, In ESV it says Go into the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation So, you know, it said like the whole creation is like so like to me that shows that you know your testimony is it's important to share your testimony to the point where he didn't say like Just go share it to other men or he like literally says, you know, to the whole creation, to everybody, you know what I mean? Like everything. So it's like, he wants us to like, let everybody know, you know, of the, of the good

Cisco: 5:59

news. Yeah, man, that's, that's also including the unbelievers, right? I mean, that's what, that's what we're here for to share, especially, you know, especially exactly, you know, just want to say, bro, great minds think alike. That was exactly the one I picked. It's on 107 too, bro. Yeah, that one actually really spoke. Like, as soon as I was reading down the line, dude, I'm like, that one, boom. It was so simple, but yet powerful. Like, you know, just like at the end, um, as it says,

Arturo: 6:23

uh, let's see. I was going through a devotional. That's where I came across it. I was going through a devotional. And like I mentioned, you know, I kind of had briefly knew what, what the topic was about, um, but I haven't, I hadn't dug into it yet, but that popped out and like, man, this, uh, this just reminds me of the platform. Yeah,

Cisco: 6:41

yeah, exactly. Um, what, what I was just trying to get to is just how it says at the end, redeemed from the hand of the foe, you know what I mean? And, and it's just, um. How we were so clouded in our minds, you know, before we came to Christ, um, that, you know, it's, it's a part of the enemy scheme that that's what he wants. He wants us to be in this vicious cycle, bro, where we're just constantly blinded and it's all about self gratitude. It's about making yourself happy and, you know, it's all about you, right. And, and being selfish and, um, and eventually it's when. You know, when, when God, and I could only probably speak for myself, is how he just kind of shook me from the ground, dude. He literally grabbed my foot, turned me upside down, and said, Nope, this is not exactly what I want for you, you know what I mean? Like, he knows what's best for us, you know? And just like a, a real father would, that's love. That, to me, is love. Like, showing me that hardcore, like, look, this is not Um, this is something that you need to walk away from, you know, and it's, and this is gonna, this is gonna make you happy. Trust me. Like there's, it's like, um, We're working, you know, to eventually to be in that throne, right? Like there's that, that heavenly gratitude that, you know, we're gonna, we're gonna be there with, uh, with all his, you know, his treasures, everything that he has waiting for us, you know what I mean? Like, these are the things that I wasn't capturing. I never even, never even came to my mind, you know? So it's like, like these kind of things, these are the kind of things that we, we hear, we have to share these stories, uh, and testimonies, right? Uh, so that way we can be able to grasp somebody else, you know, someone who maybe is falling and is stuck in the hands of the foe currently, as we said, right? So,

Omar: 8:23

that's how I see it. So, you guys were still discussing that, uh, Psalm 107? Yeah, I was telling

Cisco: 8:27

him the same, uh, great minds think alike, cause that was the one, that was the

Omar: 8:32

one I said, you know. That's the same one that I had, you know, you guys gotta excuse me, I had to go get the pizza, man. That was the only way I was able to get all these guys in here, you know, I promised them some pizza, man. But, uh, yeah, I had to run up there.

Julio: 8:41

There's pizza,

Omar: 8:44

but, uh, no, yeah, you know what, that, that scripture is, you know, it really like a master stood out to me too. That's one that I highlighted, man. Cause, uh, okay. We're, we're speaking that we were redeemed from the hand of the foe who, who is our foe?, you know, who, who, who did God redeem us from, you know, I don't know if anybody wants to share. Well, I, I I'm gonna read another one before we discuss it, which, uh, ties in I think perfectly. And it's revelation 12 11 and they have, and they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives even unto death. So here it says they have come conquered him, which it goes back to the other scripture, which is our foe. You know, it says by the blood of the lamb and by the word of the testimony. So going back to the other one, you know, who, who, who is our foe according to the scriptures, you know,

Julio: 9:29

yeah, that would definitely be the

Omar: 9:30

devil, the enemy. You know, and, uh, according to the Bible, they call him the accuser of the brethren, man. It says that he's constantly before God, uh, accusing us. And I was reading something where it says he's constantly accusing because we're constantly sinning. So he's always trying to, to go, you know, before God kind of like job, you know, we did the series on job, you know. Where it says that he went before him and he, man, he was trying to accuse him, but God said, man, look at my servant Job, right? He's like blameless, you know, he's sinless. But as far as for us, man, he's constantly accusing us, but we know that we've been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, meaning Jesus sacrifice has Basically washed us from a past, present and future sins, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop like attacking us, man. So how, how have you guys encountered the foe or the enemy, like in your lives, like in a spiritual sense, I guess, because I know we could talk about like Satan, the devil and people are like, oh man, you know, that ain't real. Have you guys experienced like spiritual attacks in your life, especially since you came to Christ that you guys want to

Julio: 10:41

share? Yeah, I have. I definitely have. Um, um, it's come to me like, um, in a form of dreams, like nightmares, um, made up accusations in your head where you're thinking, you know, things are crazy and it's not really happening. Unjustified anger. Um, Yeah, spiritual warfare is when he starts attacking, he, he started, he comes in, uh, you know, in a lot of forms, almost, it seems almost as if like it's Taylor Taylor to you, you know, to every person. We all have our weaknesses and the enemy, he knows every one of them. So it's like, you know, the way he might attack me might not be the way he attacks the next man. He knows what, how to push our buttons, how to trigger us, you know? So with me, yeah, it was, um. It was a lot like with, um, with the nightmares and, uh, you know, he comes in thoughts, you know, and he gets in your head too. So, I mean, I've definitely, so once I became Christian, you know, when I started my walk, it started, man, I really like, I, I started seeing it like the spiritual warfare was not, you know, he came like full force. And I was like, I was unprepared. We had never talked about that. You know, I never really, you know, so that was something that really caught me by surprise.

Omar: 12:01

All right. What about

Arturo: 12:02

you? Yeah, you know what? Um, I've had a couple of, um, of things like that. A fit more physical, you know, uh, I've had a lot of that too, which you shared, um, just, you know, constant attacks, you know, with the mind, the lies, things like that, but a physical attack from, from the enemy. early on in, in my walk with God, and this is probably like, man, about 25 years ago. Um, and I was like 19, 20, um, I was sleeping, I was asleep, but kind of falling in and out of sleep. Right. And, um, then I see this, I kind of dip to, to, uh, sleep and then all of a sudden I see this, um, large, dark image, you know, pretty much like, I think that image that most people think of. Of Satan, like just tall, big, strong, but sharp nails. But it was all like black and like a shadow type, you know? And, um, even like a long tongue and a long tail, you know? But it started choking me, choking me. And I couldn't, in my dream I couldn't breathe, but I woke up and I couldn't breathe. I felt, I still felt the like, um, I think, you know, Have you ever been choked and like you feel that imprint afterwards? I, I felt that, you know, um. And it, it did spook me, but at the same time I knew, um, I had gone through, uh, I had already gone through my first step books, a few of them, I, I was learning things of, of the things of God, what the Word of God says, so I knew it was an attack, spiritual attack, but because, uh, being a young believer, or I think for anyone it can be frightening, right, but I knew that, you know, if I called on Jesus, uh, that, you Jesus would, would, uh, would the enemy would flee, you know, and it did, but it also made me aware, uh, the next day just, and from then on really like how, how this is a real thing. Yeah. You know, a real thing. This is not just like, Oh, you know, Hey, I struggle with, with lying or drinking or lust. This is a spiritual warfare, a real spiritual warfare physically and spiritually, you know. Um, and then I had another encounter maybe five years ago. Um, again, uh, we were away on vacation, and, uh, now this time I have a, a family at this time now, and, uh, my sons were in the other room, and me and my wife were in, in, in our room, and I wake up in the middle of the night because I see again a large image, and I can't recall really what it was saying or doing, but it was a large, uh, image that, that, that represented, uh, Satan, and again, just what, kind of looking towards, My kids room, you know, so again, uh, you know, I rebuked it in the name of Jesus. Um, you know, just called on the name of Jesus knowing that, um, the Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus that's my Lord and Savior, um, nothing on me, right? It was all Him and, you know, and and it, it fled, right? So but again, it was just another reminder that, hey, you know what, um, and we were out of state. We were, we were in a state kind of that, that, um, Has more of those like, uh, brujeria stuff like that. Okay. So, so some of that I'm sure was, was there, right? And again, it's a spiritual warfare, just again, um, making its presence known, you know? Uh, because I would, I was, I would, even on vacation, I would pray for my family at night or in the morning, you know? And I think, and I, and I would play worship, even worship music there when I was getting ready in the morning. And so I think, you know, uh, they didn't, the, the spirits there didn't like that, you know, so it's, it's a real thing, you know?

Omar: 15:16

Yeah, definitely, man. I think those are some good ones, man. What about you Cisco? You got any come to mind?

Cisco: 15:20

Yeah, actually, now that you guys keep talking, it's like, I, I, I was kind of coming in and out and I'm like, remind, remembering, uh, certain things that there, there was like a few, even before I came to Christ, I wasn't too sure exactly how to like really kind of understand them, you know? Um, I, I think when I began my walk. I initially started with the thoughts. The thoughts were the first thing that, um, was a battle for me. Um, you know, I just felt like someone was telling me, and I know it was the enemy, it was like, you're not good enough. You're, uh, you're not worthy. Um, you know, this happened and this happened, right? Like, he's just kind of explaining my personal life at that time because things were just kind of crumbling little by little. And, you know, these are the things that are your fault. You did this, you know, it's like kind of like this blame game, right? And I was believing it. The thing is that I was believing it and I was going down this really dark hole. And, uh, luckily I had, you know, obviously you guys, I would have my, my talks. I either, whether it be, you know, text messages or call, you guys would kind of help me get out of that. Um, which is really good for, um, to always be connected, right? That's, that's a very important thing. That's the one thing I always want to, you know, tell those, you know, that are out there. Like, uh, Yes, spiritual, uh, warfare. It's, it's real, man. This is not an illusion. It's not a game. This is real. Um, and you can't fight it alone. That's the thing. A lot of people think that I'm strong enough to do this. And that's not true, man. You need, you need your soldiers, you need your backup no matter what. And we always fight back to back, right? Cause that's how, cause one's got to take the front, one's got to take the back. And that's just how we help each other, you know? And that's the, the simple, the simplicity of it. We could just talk to each other, you know? So I'm, the thoughts were the first initial, and then just actually recently, um, you know, it wasn't so much like, it's kind of hard. To tell if it's dreams, I'm kind of like coming in and out, but I would feel this really heavy like dark presence like over me and I remember actually just recently about a couple weeks ago, um, you know, I felt kind of like scared, right? Um, but I know that I was mumbling the name of Jesus. I, I, my wife was actually like sleeping next to me. And I, and I like was just, I was just kind of saying like, just the name of Jesus. And I was just like mumbling that dude. And the more I kept saying that name, it's more like he was, whatever it was, his encounter was getting even like more and more. And I'm like, Nope, I'm still not going to back up on that name. And eventually it backed off. I was like able to wake up and I'm like, Whoa, I was like in cold sweats, man. I was just like, you know, I knew I was fighting something mad, but. Again, man, that the name of Jesus, bro, so powerful, you know, just, just saying it just, just by saying it, you know, so yeah, it's, it's like, it comes in, in, in, in shapes and forms. Some may start with the initial and it, you know, it progresses, man, because, uh, every day is a, is a constant battle is a fight. And the enemy will, like you said, you actually put it in a really good way. He tailors to you because even when we grow, he's going to try to manipulate, he's going to have to try his newer tactics and try something better, you know what I mean? For his, for his sake to try to grab you back, you know, so To grab you

Omar: 18:26

back or to, to derail your walk, you know, cause especially if you're making an impact, you know, like for the kingdom of God, if he's using you like to reach others, like we're doing here, I believe that's what we're doing through this podcast. Man, we're reaching many with the gospel, you know, these testimonies are pointing to God. Uh, I know you, you mentioned when you're saying the name of Jesus, reminds me of a brother that was on here recently. He said that he felt like a presence come over him. And at first he started like, like cursing at, you know, like, man, you know, I ain't scared of you. I ain't scared of you. But then when you realize that he in his own strength couldn't do it. Mm-Hmm. he said that in his memory bank. He remembers something about he didn't know no like the scripture, but he's a man in the name of Jesus. Like, Mm-Hmm. I rebuke it. That's the only way he was able to fight it, man. So going back to what you said, man, there's power in the name of Jesus. I remember when, um. My girlfriend got saved and she started going to church and I asked her to pray for me. When she started praying for me, I started having demonic nightmares at night. Like, like just seemed like every night. And then it was almost like God was allowing, you know, going back to the accuser of the brethren. I remember dreams where I would dream almost like a book of things that I had done. And I believe that God allowed the enemy. To accuse me in my dreams, because it was in those accusations that I seen how much of a sinner I was, you know, like things in my past that at this point I'm, I'm going to school, you know, I was trying to get a certificate, you know, trying to, trying to, uh, live like legit. But when my girlfriend got saved, I started having those dreams. Like, this is what you did. This is what you did. And, and, and, and I could sit here and say that it was the enemy. Yes, but I believe God allowed it. Cause I needed to know how much of a sinner I was and therefore I needed a savior, you know, which months later I came to salvation. So to be honest, I, I thank God for those spiritual attacks because those spiritual attacks actually strengthen my faith. They let me know that this is real. Like, man, like God is real and the enemy didn't really show his face. Until I drew close to God, that's when he's like, okay, all right. But man, to me, man, that just strengthened my faith. Like, let's go, man. I know, I know this is real. There's ain't no fairytale book. There's ain't no something that man made up. A lot of people believe, Oh, you know, the Bible, you know, man made it up. Nah, this is real. You know, this is the spiritual life is real. The spiritual life is more real than what we can see. You know, I know. Yeah, definitely. And I'm sorry.

Arturo: 20:58

No, and I think that's that's a great point there. Like recognizing that we're we're sinners because this is why we tell our story. Because our sins is what separates us from God, right? And so the Bible says that, um, that we can't come into heaven with our filthiness, you know? But he gave us his son Jesus Christ to shed his blood and to cleanse us. So now, now we can come into his presence, you know? Because after we die there is, There's two, two places we go, heaven or hell, you know, there's eternal life. But I think a lot of times people just kind of go over that because they don't really believe they're sinners. They don't recognize that they don't understand that, you know, um, they think, Oh, I'm not that bad, you know, but like you said, until you recognize that you're a sinner, then you realize, Hey, I'm not going to be with God. You know, I'm not going to go to heaven. This thing is real, you know? And so. Sharing our stories, sharing our testimony is why it's so important, you know, because, um, because we're lost, right? We were lost before we knew, you know, we were blind. Our ears weren't open to the truth. We weren't responsive, you know, but. By people sharing with us, sharing their story, their testimony, or even just sharing the word, what the word God says, the gospel that penetrates our heart, you know, God uses that, you know, the Holy Spirit begins to work in us. So you're right that it's important to recognize that we are all sinners, you know, so we're going

Omar: 22:26

to share some with you. I'm sorry I couldn't No, no, we're good. Hey, that was great. I'm actually,

Julio: 22:32

I'm gonna piggyback

Omar: 22:33

off, Hey, this is the first time we got four guys, so it's gonna be constant interruption going on, so don't worry about it,

Julio: 22:38

man. I about say piggyback. Piggyback. You gonna piggyback off my piggyback No, what I was gonna say is, um, no wait, hold on. Last

Omar: 22:48

I, and I'm gonna bust stop my piggy bank so you guys could give some offerings at the end of this

Julio: 22:53

Go ahead. No, what I was gonna say is that, um, so the Bible, you know. The Lord wants us to, to give testimony, um, you know, he wants us to share our testimony. He wants us to confess, you know, our sins. And he also wants us to, to let people know, you know, what, what he did for us. But I think that there's even a further thing that, you know, I feel like giving testimony is also has another benefit because like you can be convicted by somebody else's. Testimony, like I was telling Omar one time that I was watching, um, the podcast when, when he interviewed Hassan and I became convicted over my tithing. And we talked about it too. You know why we were talking about it that day? That's right. Yeah, because I was feeling convicted and I was trying to get out of it. I was trying to figure it out, but it's because I was watching the, I was watching the podcast and he was giving his testimony and then Omar gave a piece of his testimony and I became convicted from somebody else's testimony, which made me become obedient. So, I mean, there's so many, you know, there's so many different angles of, you know, of righteousness through your testimony. You know, you can. You can let people see that, you know, like they're not alone and you're not a horrible, you know, original, you are so far from God. You can never, you know, they can see that there's other people that have been when you've been, yeah, you know, and have done what you've done and have come back and, you know, and it's okay. You know, like we're all sons of God and that's all he's waiting for is for us to come home. That's it. But then there's also the aspect of, you know, like. Just being convicted. So I think like, there's a lot of, there's a lot of benefits of testimony. You know, there's a lot.

Cisco: 24:43

Amen. Yeah. I was actually gonna go back to what you said that, you know, God allows certain things to happen in order for you to be able to capture and recognize your flaws. Right. And where you're actually failing or where we're falling. Right. Um, we're not doing good, uh, by his laws, you know, and, um, you know, the only thing we can do, um, is. Kind of come to certain terms. We're not gonna have the final answers, you know There's I know there's a lot of people out there that think you know Either Christians have the answers and and that's far from the truth, man Um, there was a actually something that a brother and one of our Bible classes said like two a few weeks ago Who said uh, don't don't put God in a box Because God is like, there's, there's so many things we're never going to understand. So the only thing I wanted to just kind of add to what you said is that I think that is true, that God allows certain things to happen. But see, the beautiful thing about it is that It's not just like a negative, because the first thing people are going to attack to is, it's something negative, right? But in reality, what God does is He puts these safeguards, right? Where He only allows certain things to happen to a certain degree, because He knows that this is the only way you're going to be able to see what's going on in your life. You know, this is the only way you're going to be able to capture certain things. Right. And I feel like each and every one of us, he, he has placed these safeguards where, you know, no, thank God we were, we're still alive. We're still breathing. Right. You know, and that even alone is just a gift, right. That we're actually even here to be able to talk and even give our testimony. Right. So I feel like we, he, he loves us so much that he does. Put safeguards just to make sure that we're okay, but eventually we have to learn We always got to let we always got to learn a lesson one way or another and that's what that's what a real father does Too, you know, um, you know, there's certain times where we're a bunch of knuckleheads We're small who hasn't done it where I want to put my hand on the stove top And guess what? I'm pretty sure my dad is like, all right, cool. You want to touch that stovetop? Go ahead. He already knows I'm not going to, it's not going to kill me, you know, but you're going to learn. And guess what? I touched that stovetop. I don't want to do it again, daddy. You know what I mean? And I think that's how we just learn, you know, and that's just like a, a, a simple, simplistic little example, you know, of, of what God allows to, you know, us, you know, it does for us in a sense to learn.

Omar: 27:03

Yeah. And yeah, I think some of those hard things are eventually what leads us to'em, you know? Mm-Hmm. Yeah. But, uh, you know what, uh, anybody else got a scripture? I know who, who started off with the scripture? That was you or two, right? Yeah. So I'll give, uh, Julio a chance. And then Cisco. I went, actually, we got it.

Cisco: 27:15

We all went. Yeah. Yeah. We all, we all went, we all talked about it. You guys

Arturo: 27:18

said the same one. You waited too long for the

Omar: 27:22

I still got right here. You know what I hear? I'm gonna, I'm gonna read one that that stood out to me. It's in Acts, uh, four, uh, chapter four, verse 20. And it says, for we cannot help speaking about we have seen and heard. And here it says, uh, Peter and John Bowley proclaimed their testimony of Christ before the religious leaders, emphasizing that they cannot remain silent about what they have seen and heard this verse highlights the desire and urgency that comes with sharing our testimony and the impact it can have on others. So here it says, man, they were basically told that, you know, like to stop talking, you know, like in, in, in Jesus' name and, and sharing what, what God had done. And it says, well, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard. Um, before coming to Faith that you guys encounter somebody like that, that man they just couldn't help telling you about what God had done in, in your life or were you guys like impacted by somebody else's testimony? Before, you know, you finally surrender to God, if anybody wants to share.

Arturo: 28:22

Yeah, I, I think so. I think, you know, when I look back now, um, I do remember, um, just people sharing their testimonies, being excited, you know, I'm, I'm very, I'm very introverted. So it's, for me, naturally, that's not natural, right? To be outgoing and, but at the same time, I make it a priority to have a lot of one on one conversations, you know? And at least share a bit, uh, pour into them or listen, and just kind of try to share my story with them or, or pray with them, you know? But so, so with that being said, right? Like, and I had looked at this one too, uh, that, that X 4 20, where you were saying, right, that we cannot help speaking, right? We cannot help it because it does, even for me being introverted, it may, it may come out differently, but I can't help, but not share with someone, you know? Um, Even if it's like a quiet conversation like which what's inside what God has done has got to come out, you know So and so so I had that one too has popped out at me, too Just because of that that that that verse how it's how it's phrased for we cannot help speaking about what? we have seen and heard and so that's great because so that was kind of on my mind earlier to about Our testimonies are testimonies. It's just not what how we came to Christ, but what God has been doing all along, you know, and God is constantly doing things. So that's why it's important to also reflect, you know, and take a look. What is God doing? God? What are you doing in my life? What have you done? Um, and it shouldn't be difficult because, um, when we're following God, when we're surrendering. We see that growth, you know, Hey, maybe I'm not getting mad anymore. Maybe I treat my wife differently now. And maybe, you know what, what I'm driving, I'm not flipping the bird. I don't know what, whatever. Right. There's, there's, there's these things where people are, are growing, you know, everyone's walk is different. Right. And so, there's constant growth, but also like, like, you just got to just change in you. Right. Um, and so there's always a new testimony. There's always something new going on. It says, uh, that, that we, um, how we change is because of God's love. That's what makes us change, you know? And so God is constantly loving on us. And so there's so much to share, so many stories to, you know?

Omar: 30:39

So for sure, you know what, uh, when I was talking to pastor Manny mill, he said that, man, we should have new testimonies. He said, we can't go through our Christian walk, sharing the same story for 20 years. You know, like, man, if you're in relationship with God, there's something new that he's doing in your life, you know, throughout the years, you know, it can't just be the same thing. Now there should be

Julio: 30:58

growth. Yeah. You know, I also, on the X four 20, he says, you know, I guess that he said, um, for, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen or heard. You know, like the apostles, they didn't, they didn't care. Like they couldn't stop talking about, about the Lord. They couldn't stop talking about them. And, um, and they did it faithfully, you know what I mean? Like, no matter what to, to the point where like, you know, fast forward to, to revelations 12, 11 says, and they have conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony for they love not their lives, even unto death. Like, you know, like. All the apostles, I think, except for one, right? Like they all gave their lives, like they couldn't help, but speak even to the death of them about what they had seen and what they had heard. And they took it literally to the grave, you know, that's like obedience. But at the same time, like us as believers, we should, for us, it encourages us and it gives us direction, you know, like if they, if they did that thing, you know, we should also be. following suit and be excited about, about doing it as well.

Omar: 32:08

Amen. I love that part at the end where it says they love not their lives, even unto death, even unto death. And you know, a lot of people, like they say, you know, Oh man, like this is man made, you know, like. If you think about this, if the, if Jesus didn't resurrect, that's a lot of people question, right? A lot of people don't question that Jesus came, that he lived, you know, that they even, uh, secular, um, historians acknowledge Jesus, but where a lot of people debate is that, that he resurrected. And I heard somebody say, like, that would have been foolish for these people to lay down their lives and suffer horrible debts. A lot of these, uh, apostles and the disciples, they suffered horrible deaths for something but they knew it was real and they couldn't help it, man. They couldn't help themselves. Like, man, they couldn't stop talking about what they had seen and they had heard, man. And that should, I think we should be like that too. Like man, like man, be bold no matter what opposition we encounter, right. Continue sharing what he's done in our lives. Uh, I know, uh, pastor Juan was, uh, I think it was a couple weeks ago. Where you was talking about when you share your story, a lot of times we don't got to get like theological and theological debates. Like we don't got to be, you know, like, uh, yeah, you know, but man, simply man, uh, I was lost and now I'm found, I was blind and now I'm see, I was dead. And now I live, you know, it was like, man, this. It's something that it's real that people, what do you say? I believe people can't debate where you were at. Right.

Julio: 33:38

And where you're at now.

Cisco: 33:39

When you make it personal, it's like when you make it personal and you talk about yourself, who's going to debate that dude? It's like, they're not, they're not the ones walking in your shoes. You know what I mean? So yeah, that's actually really true. You know, that's a really good, good way to start to share a testimony. Right. To be able to capture somebody's eyes. That's a good one.

Omar: 33:58

Any other scriptures? You guys want to talk, man? No, but

Julio: 34:00

you know what? I want to talk about what you said, um, how you said, like, it would be foolish for them to, you know, like die such horrible, grotesque deaths. Like, why would they do that? And, you know, it just made me think like, like, it would be like us in our former lives, you know, how we used to be. And all of a sudden we met somebody or, you know what I mean? And now we see him, you know. Making people see that we're blind and walk that were, that were main. But then on top of that, even to take it a step further, empowered us to do it as well. There would be no stopping us from talking about that. They would have to hang me upside down and crucify me on a cross to make me not talk about that. Like, that's like, you know, and, and you said like, you know, the, the, the theologians, everybody, they say like, yeah, he did. He did exist. You know, they just, they wonder if he came back, if you could raise somebody from the dead, if you can make a blind man see, if you can make a cripple man, why would, why is that such a stretch? Um, you know, why is that such a stretch? And they're like, Oh yeah, me and my guys over here seen thousands of people seeing this with their own eyes. You know what I mean? Like, so that's why, you know, bring some mind. Like the greatest trick that the devil ever did was, you know, um, making people think he didn't exist, you know, almost the same thing, you know, like literally wipe the memories of the entire earth. Like it's, you know, you have to believe.

Omar: 35:31

You got something over there too? Yeah,

Arturo: 35:32

yeah, just, uh, you had mentioned that we wanted to share another verse, and there was another, um, obviously, a lot of these verses are great, you know? Uh, but one, um, again, that I really like is Psalm, uh, Psalm 9, 1 and 2, and this is about just, uh, a heart of, uh, gratitude and praise towards God, right? Um, I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart. I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you. I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Amen. And so, again, it's, it's, it's just like, um, when God, when God delivers you, when God, uh, sets you, redeems you from the foe, right, again, you can't help but speak this stuff, you know, you can't help but share it, you know, uh, and, and so, again, you're grateful for where you came out of, where God saved you from, uh, from the hands of the foe, right, because we were, um, we were dead in our transgressions, right, and, But God made a way for us, you know, and so with that, you just got to have this heart of gratitude and praise, and you just can't help but praise and worship and be thankful, be sharing, you know, again, like I mentioned, I'm, I'm introverted, I'm quiet, you know, but at the same time, my small conversations, my, my, uh, I do a lot of one on one conversations. And I'm able to share more, you know, that in that way, you know, okay, that

Omar: 36:52

makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. I like what it says. Like, almost like the praise Thanksgiving. I'm going to read what that came to my mind. Uh, this one's in Psalm 40 and, uh, I'm going to start at verse one. It's a, there's a Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the Lord to help me. And he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground. And steadied me as I walked along, he has given me a new song to sing a hymn to praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed and they will put their trust in the Lord. So here, man, it says going back to the praise, like, you know, and that one, you know, like, thanks, man. You just, what do you say? He couldn't help himself, but to exalt the Lord, man. And here he's saying that. It says he, he, uh, took him out of the pit of despair. You know, he was like, so imagine being in a pit despair, man. Like, man, whoa, you know, I can't, can't get myself outta here in the mud. And the Meyer, the Meyer's almost like I, I believe, like clay. So picture yourself in mud and clay's like, you just, you just stalk him. You, you can't, it is almost, I know I'm thinking about maybe like quicksand, you just struggling that man, you can't get yourself out. Somebody gotta help you get out of there. And then it says he's uh, he put me on solid ground. And steadied me as I walked and here, man, he has given me a new song to sing, like going back to what you're saying about being introverted, same here, man, I'm introverted, but man, when it comes to worshiping like a church and we mean worship in the sense. Of like singing, that's what I'm, I'm, I'm talking about this is like singing, man. I can't help myself, but to sing, man, sometimes I got to contain myself, man. Cause I feel like dancing a little bit, man. Cause we got to tap your shoulder, come down brothers. We're not, we're not in one of those churches, but man, I can't help, but to sing, man. Cause only, you know, what God's done for you, man. And a lot of times. You know, maybe you could be quick to judge somebody when they're singing or dancing, whatever, but man, you don't know what God brought that person out

Arturo: 39:01

of what brings that joy to them, you know, and that's only something that God does in each of us, you know, and, and, um, and you're right, you can't judge them, you know, because God, who knows, that's just the way they show their excitement, their gratitude, their joy, you know, Um, I think, cause I think we've all seen some, some, some crazy dance, but then we see some real quiet people, you know, and at the same time they're probably pouring out. Yeah.

Omar: 39:25

Yes. Crazy. You know, just meditating on his goodness, man. But I want to touch on this too. It says, uh, uh, after he says he's singing a hymn of praise to God, it says many will see what he has done and be amazed. And they will put their trust in the Lord. So by by you giving things to God, by you singing that new song, man, people will be amazed. And because of all that, because people have seen that God brought you out of the pit. Maybe a lot of the people have seen you guys in your own pit per se, you know, and they seen what God's done. He brought you out. And now you guys are on solid ground, like on steady ground. And it says they will be amazed and they will put their trust in the Lord. So that's like another reason why we share these stories here, you know, on the podcast, we talk about the before not to glorify that past life, but people need to know, uh, that there's hope,

Julio: 40:19

Hey man, you know, when you, when you were reading that, you were saying like, they took me out of the mud and the mire and he put my feet on solid ground. And like, all I was thinking about is like, yeah, like, you know, like. Like I used to do, you know, we should just drink and, you know, and do drugs and, you know, and just, you know, commit violent acts and, and, you know, and when you think about it, it's like, man, I was thinking back and I was like, man, like, you know, I haven't been sent, you know, not drinking, not smoking and probably decades, you know? So when I think about, and he took my, my feet and he put them on solid ground. That's what I think about, like, I'm sober. I don't have the desire to smoke. I don't have the desire to drink. I don't have the desire to do those things. Like he literally like that, that verse is like, it speaks so much to me because he literally took me out of the mud and the mire. And he really did, he really did put my feet on solid ground. So it was like, yeah, it's like you said, like, we're not glorifying what we used to do, just letting people know, like, you're not lost. You know what I mean? Like, you know, I mean, you might be lost right now, but you don't have to be. You know, like there and we know so many people that have overcome, you know, drug addictions that have overcome, you know, alcoholism that, you know, have overcome just, you know, Mental illness. I mean, when I first started coming to church, like I used to get, um, the panic attacks. I mean, like, you know, they wanted to send me to a psychiatrist. The doctor was trying to get literally called them happy pills. No lie. That's literally what he called the pill. He said, I could give you these. They're happy pills. Then, you know, they'll take out all of that away right away. And, but you know, it ended up being the blood of Jesus that ended up completely just when, you know, took all of that away, you know, I was struggling with, uh, With the smoke in the weed and when I first came here, you know, and I remember all you guys prayed, put your hands on me and they prayed for me and it was exactly a week from that day because I left from here, got in my car, smoked on the way home, but it was one week later, coming back to the next, we were doing the wrong to strong, I was coming back to do the workout in, I mean the workout in the word, and I was coming back to do the workout in the word and I just grabbed my vape and I started to, And I just looked at it and I threw it out of my window and I never touched it again. You know what I mean? And like, I didn't go to some, you know, have class like, like the Lord literally just stripped that away from me, you know? And so, you know, I'm grateful. You know what I mean? And yeah. So I want to scream it from the rooftops. You know, I want people to know, you know what I mean? Like I want people to know because that mud and that mire that's, that's despair, you know what I mean? That just a life of misery and just, you know, so I want people to know that, you know, that. This is there, you know what I mean? The Lord, and he wants you to come. You pay. It's absolutely, actually, it's already paid for. Mm-Hmm. You know what I mean? It's already paid for. All you have to do is go and claim your prize. Yeah. That's it. Nothing more. It's, you know what I mean? So it's like you don't have to do tricks, you know? That's why when I tell the brothers, when I talk to them, like, you know, you don't, you don't have to, don't stop smoking, don't stop drinking. No, just come on, come, come, come drunk. I don't care. Come, come as you are. Come, come high. Come on. Don't. So that your job is to come and the Lord will do his job and take that away. All you need to do is just come. That's it. So it's like, I want people to know that. When I say, when I tell my testimony is not to, to glorify that, you know, the mud and the mire I was in is to glorify the, the, the solid ground, the

Omar: 44:08

one, the one that puts you on the solid ground, man. Yes. You know what thing? Thank you for sharing that, that, that story, man. People need to hear that. How you were coming here. We're basically doing a Bible study. You're smoking right before you come in here. Yep. You know what I'm saying? And, and here we prayed for you laid hands on you, and you went in your car and you smoked right away, you know? Yep. But people need to hear that man.'cause a lot of people, man, let, let, let me, let me stop smoking like you mentioned. Let me stop drinking, then I'll go to church. Yep. You know, man. Come, come as you are, man, and let the, let the Lord work in your life the way he will. It might be, like you mentioned, it might be right away or it was like a week later. It was exactly seven days later. Look at that, praise God, man. No, but thank you for sharing that because I know a lot of men, maybe some women, they need to hear that, man. Come with your struggles, you know, a lot of us had those addictions for years and man, sometimes God supernaturally takes it away, but sometimes, you know, might linger for a little bit, but there's hope that he can do it. Yeah,

Julio: 45:09

he says that he doesn't, he doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies.

Omar: 45:13

Call.

Cisco: 45:14

Amen. Exactly. But I, what I want to kind of like tell those, the viewers, you know, to those that, you know, either just either, either recently found cross Christ or even those are maybe are like just even tiptoeing. Right. Um, you know, what we talk about is the things that, you know, Christ has got us, you know, out, out from right through his glory. Right. Cause we always got to glorify him now through every. Aspect of our life, the mistakes that we've made, don't get me wrong, we've, we've caused this ripple effect, right? Um, that has affected other areas, right? Whether it be people we've hurt, right? Uh, marriages that are broken or something like that, right? And, um, even though, uh, God has touched us, we, I'm not going to sit here and say like everything else is, is beautiful and great. It may not be, right? And, and a lot of people tend to like kind of grasp that, well, my life is still like a mess. It's still a mess. And even, and I'll, I'll sit here and I'll say for myself, like, trust me, man, trust and believe, even though I'm here with God, um, my life, there's still a lot of fixing, there's still a lot of, uh, things that I still need to work on, you know, um, each and every one of us, probably in a sense, we all have to keep working on that, but, but the, the one beautiful thing that I can definitely say, and I give to Christ every day, it's, Is that he allows me to see it through his eyes, not my eyes, because what I see is a mess. But what he sees is what we constantly are saying is, there's hope. There's a light, trust me, there is a light. It's like you just need to not focus on everything around it. I need you to hold on tight and I want you to, you know, connect, go to church, do the things that you need to do in order for you to be able to see that light, you know, because it's, it's at the end of the tunnel, you know, and these are the kind of things that we got to share with everyone because it's not all going to be pretty, man. It definitely is not, you know. So the things that I remember, I used to paint these pictures, you know, as I was young, like this is how my life's going to be. This is how things are going to go. And you know what, dude, it was just a lie of the enemy, dude. That's exactly what he wanted. He wanted me to perceive this thing and go gung ho so far because he already knew that's not attainable. You ain't going to make it. And guess what? You're going to fall. And that's exactly what happened that each and every one of us. We're probably painting a picture and we felt hard because we were upset that we never got what we wanted, right? Or something that we just never attained, right? So now I sit here and I say now you know what all that I don't want even I don't want I want to leave It all in the Lord's hands. I don't want it in my hands, dude. You know, this is the reason why I was in such a hot mess, you know, so, you know, I just want to let the viewers know it's like, hey, just because everything else that has been affected, you know, from the wrongdoings, don't, don't, don't hold on to those things, man. Those are the things that, you know, continues to continue to help push us away from Christ. You know, he wants you to see the light and he wants you to see it through him. You know what I mean? And trust me, he's going to do all the work. You just got to keep, you know, keep doing your, your part, you know, and just keep coming to him, you know,

Omar: 48:19

Amen. Amen. You don't want to, I was thinking about like, um, uh, pastor Minnie mill said, uh, uh, courage, according to the book of Joshua, he said, courage is doing what God's called you to do, no matter what the consequences, like, and not only courage, I was thinking about success. I was talking to my wife, like, you, you know, what success to me is now just obeying God that success, you know, like, uh, it might not. You know, I might not get what I want. I know you mentioned that like, man, I got these ideas of this is what I want. This is what God's going to do. Might not be, but just obeying God, man. Like, what are you calling me to do in this season and this relationship, whatever it may be, and just, just be obedient to it, man. That's that's success, man. Cause when it's all said and done, we do, what do we want to hear? Good job. I know. Good job, I know we don't scripture. Who, who remembers that? You know the,

Arturo: 49:12

whoa, whoa. Well, well done. Good and faithful servant. There you go, man. Yeah,

Omar: 49:17

yeah, yeah. and all the words jumbled in my mind. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Man, there's so many scriptures. No, but yeah, well done. Good and faithful servant man. Just to be. And what don't you

Julio: 49:26

want hear? Depart from me. I never knew you. I never knew you, man. That's, you don't want to hear that. You know? You, um, you were saying like, you know, like, and it's true, we don't have it all together. We still have our battles and we still have our struggles and we're going to, you know, we're going to, but you know, it's just, you know, how we talked about like, you know, the spiritual battles and the spiritual attacks and you know, we still got stuff going on in our lives that isn't perfect and which all comes out to us because we're not being obedient, something we're not being obedient about, but just knowing that. You know, how much easier is it to fix problems and to face problems when the main thing is out the way, you know, like you don't have to worry about your salvation. You know, that's the main thing that, that, that set, that set a stone. You, you secured the bag. You know what I mean? Like you're, you're good. It makes it easier to focus on things. And then not just that, but like, yeah. So now once we come to Christ, spiritual attacks are going to start, but now we have a whole armor of God, you know what I mean? That he gives to us to, to repel the attacks, to defend ourselves. So it's not, we're not left defenseless. You know what I mean? Actually, it's, it's quite the opposite. You know, the, the second that, you know, that Christ died on the cross for us. The devil is, his power was stripped away. All he can do now is fool us. You know, that's it. All he can do is fool us. So it's just you to be strong in the spirit, you know, and to be faithful and to be confident and move boldly and to obtain, you know, to obtain victory over, over the enemy.

Cisco: 51:07

Yeah. Amen, man. Amen. I had just, uh, recently had a conversation with a brother, um, you know, um, their idea of success. Right. Um, sometimes it's like. It's driven by where am I going to be in 10 years, 20 years, and stuff like that. And I told them, like, you need to pay attention. It's today. Don't pay attention. Tomorrow, 10 years from now, 20, it's not guaranteed, man. Why are you worried? You know what I mean? That's the one thing I actually had to learn that today is what counts, you know? And guess what? Tomorrow is gonna be today again. And that's gonna count too, you know? So my focus is the little wins, which to me it's not little wins actually anymore. It's God's, it's God's Um, present his gift that he helps me to attain the, on the day to day, uh, because I want to be loyal to him. I want to get up early in the morning, give him my first fruits, which is, uh, pray to him. You know what I mean? Talk to him, uh, right after that, get into scripture, right? As soon as I put those in perspective, like in the beginning of my days, it helps align everything else, everything else just falls perfect, you know? But, you know, the enemy's always gonna be there, no matter what, so try to Friggin put his foot right, right in front of yours to try to, you know, trip you, you know what I mean? Uh, but you just need to hold on to those words, you know, so I was just telling them like don't don't think about the the future man Think about now because that's what's important. You know, what what are you gonna focus on? Uh, that's gonna help you and strive Uh, to get closer to God, you know, that's, that's what I see on a day to day basis.

Omar: 52:48

Oh, that's good. I know you mentioned like those small wins. A lot of times we want the big thing, but you know, those small wins, they, they compound, you know, they, you know, they, they add up I guess to put

Cisco: 52:57

it simply. They do bro. They do. You

Julio: 52:59

know, and the Lord laughs at our plans anyways.

Cisco: 53:02

Yeah, that is true.

Julio: 53:06

That is true. Yeah, it really

Cisco: 53:07

does. That's why I say don't paint a picture,

Omar: 53:10

man. You know what reminds me? I think this is in the Proverbs. It says, unless the Lord builds the house. It's builders, labor, and vein, like we could be working, you know, like man, sweating, you know, putting all the work, but unless the Lord builds the house, we're gonna labor and vein, meaning, man, we got to know that we're doing what God's called us to do, if not, we could get busy doing the wrong thing, you know, and

Arturo: 53:34

I think that goes just, um, it goes along well with what you were saying about the future. Like if you don't, you know, If you're not building for today, if you don't know what's going on today, if you don't, you don't know where you're at today, if you don't know where you're at with God, we're building on that. How are you gonna have a future?

Cisco: 53:49

You know? Yeah. Like a foundation. Like a foundation. Like a foundation. Right. Right. You know,

Arturo: 53:53

and it's just like you said, you're laboring in vain, you're worried about tomorrow, but you got, there's things that gotta be done today. Mm-Hmm. don't mean you don't pour into tomorrow. Yeah. But there's a lot of things that gotta be done today, you know? Yeah. Um, and, and the same thing. Yeah. It's great to have plans for the future, 10 years from now, whatever. Mm-Hmm. But you're right, it's not guaranteed. Right. Yeah. But what's guaranteed is your growth today. Correct. Uh, uh, we're, and, and, and you get to know. Um, you, you continue to submit to God and. You may not know exactly where he wants you to go, or you may, but you're going to follow faithfully. Yeah, you know, but you don't know if you're not in in today. Yeah, you're in tomorrow. Yeah,

Cisco: 54:32

correct, correct. I think it's a part of submission, right? And I think we're a lot of these people, um, tend to like focus on this word. Like, ah, it's kind of kind of harsh, man. Like submission is like, well, it technically is like when you When you get out of this, um, secular thoughts, right, of what that word really means, trust me, man, it actually really changes the perspective of what submission really means. It's like, no, you know what? He is my father. He is the King, the Alpha, the Omega. I believe that. Wholeheartedly, I believe that. And guess what, dude? I will submit to him. And I will be in that word, you know? And, you know, maybe I might have bad days too, you know? Who knows? But no matter what, I want to always get up. And give him the first, uh, fruits of my, my, my day, you know what I mean? And

Omar: 55:15

you know, I was thinking about what you said about like the guys that plan for tomorrow and you know, what small wins that we could do today that affect our tomorrow, our prayers, uh, when you, when you were saying that it came to me, something that you said, Julio, in the, in the, in the podcast interview, it said that you, you, you were complaining about your job and you know, how much you were making, but then you remembered that, man. You were praying for this kind of job five years ago, whatever it was, man, I want a job like this. I want to be making this much. And then you caught yourself like, man, I'm living in answer prayers. You want to share a little bit about that? Cause, uh, but one thing that we could do today to invest in our tomorrow, it's prayers, seeds of prayers that man, that you, you're going to reap, you know, God willing, God will answer those. But you want to talk a little bit about that?

Julio: 56:05

Yeah, no, I remember exactly what you're talking about. I remember that day. That's the day I had an encounter with the Holy spirit that day. And, um, but then like the afterthought was like, man, like. Here I was complaining, and it's true, I was complaining. Literally about every single thing in my life. Like I was complaining about every little thing in my life. And then finally it did. It came to me, you know, it came to me like this is, you know, a couple years ago, three years ago, four years ago, you were praying for this, you know, you were. I got the increase and, you know, and never acknowledged it until that day. I never acknowledged it. I never, I didn't even see it or even know that it existed until that day. And that's the day. And that's the day that the Holy spirit, he fell on me. And, and that is what opened my eyes. Like, and I was like, man, I'm literally living in a blessed time. Like, you know, I'm alive, I'm doing well. You know, my family is doing well. Everybody's good. Like a couple of years ago, I prayed for this so hard and I didn't pray for it. Just one day, like this is something that I was praying for regularly and it happened so gradually that I lost sight of it.

Omar: 57:25

That's why it's good to, to reflect and be thankful, man, for those, for those answer prayers, man. Yeah. Man, anything else you guys want to share, man? Before we get ready to sign off anything on your mind someday, you know,

Julio: 57:38

you know, there was something that I wanted to say about, um, about the testimonies, you know, like, I wanted to say that, you know, like it's, it's, they're, they're so important to, um, For us to keep giving, giving hope to other people. You know what I mean? Because, um, sometimes we don't know who's looking at us. We don't know, you know, we don't, a lot of times we fail to even see our audience, you know, um, I'm sure like when I was little and like all those gangbangers and drug dealers were driving by in those cars and I was on my ports like, man, when I grow up, I want to, they had no idea. I was sitting there. I was their audience that my friends were their audience. They had no idea. They're just doing their thing every day. But at the same time, we have eyes on us too. And yeah, we have judging eyes, you know, as a Christian, you have. A bigger audience watching for your faults, you know, so that then they can like be like, Oh, I see them church people this, you know what I'm saying? But at the same time though, you know, what we don't realize is that we do have people, we have a lot of people that, that they see us, they see our progress. They remember, you know, us a couple of years ago, five years ago, 10 years ago, whatever it is, but even people that are in every single day lives. They see the growth, you know, because I, I, I, I'm convinced that we, we grow daily daily. We learn scripture. We were constantly learning and evolving. And it's like, like, like, like, um, pastor mills, I said, like, you know, like your, your testimony should be, should be updating. You know what I'm saying? Like, because if it's not, then it's a problem, you know, like then he was like, becoming complacent and. That, that, that's the killer. You know what I mean? That, that's the killer, right? That we can never come Can become complacent. We, we have to push forward. We have to, we have to completely continue to improve and move the mark up. You know what I mean? Not just for us, but for other brothers that can see too. Like, well, you know, we're not there. We're never going to get there. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? We're never going to get there. So, but, but, you know, man, let's, let's, let's try to get there in glory. Yeah. There's got to be growth. There has to be continual growth, you know, because. You can read the Bible a million times and you missed everything still, you know, like every time you read it, you could read a verse today and, you know, study just one verse study for hours, days, and then next year read that verse again and you, and you'll, you miss something. You'll always miss that. The, that's why it's, it's the living word that literally is the living word because it is. As you are growing, it is growing as well. God's word doesn't stand still, you know?

Omar: 1:00:34

Amen. You know, if I could share real quick on growth, uh, and what was in November? I think it was like 17th. I tore the tendon on my bicep. Right. And I remember that night when it happened, it was a freak, a bowling accident. Right. That night I knew I had damaged it and I could see that my bicep had curled up. I knew what it was because it happened to my other arm, uh, five years before. But five years before, man, I handled it very childishly, man, very immature, complaining, murmuring. Why me? You know, just man down and now, you know, why God, why you allow this to happen? But this time, man, I believe going back to growth, like that night, I just accepted it. I accepted it. Why? Because I know God is in control. And. Prior to this, I had, I had a conversation with my wife where she basically called me out. She said, sometimes you act like a little kid when you don't get what you want, man. I'm 45 years old. Hey, let's keep it real. Let's talk about it, man. Hey, I'm that hurt, but it was truth that I needed to hear a man. I'm 45 years old and I'm over here throwing tantrums when I don't get what I want. So that night, man, I came home and I accepted what had happened to me and man. That season, this season, which I'm recovering now, you know, I'm doing physical therapy, you know, I had surgery December, I forget what, what date early December, but even through the surgery and everything, I've trusted God that he knew why he allowed this to happen to me. And it, man, I've, I've been. You guys could ask my wife. I just handled it so much differently. Like, man, I just went with the flow. Like, all right, I can't use my arm. You know what I started doing a lot? The video editing. That's when I started releasing all these podcast videos, man. Hey, I, I, I, I couldn't, I couldn't do anything with my arm. I remember, I remember

Julio: 1:02:35

you made the reels. Yeah, a bunch of them. And I was like, man, how did you learn how to do that? You got a lot of time, like five or

Cisco: 1:02:41

six of them out one day. I remember like, man, this guy's got a lot of time in his hands.

Omar: 1:02:46

But that all goes back to. Okay. I know I can't do certain things, but God, what, what can I do in this season? And I believe it was a season to polish the podcast videos. And you mentioned the reels and things like that. So, man, like at 45 years old, I'm learning to accept even the bad, you know, I think there's a scripture that says, should we only accept the good, you know, and not the bad, you know, only God knows why he allowed that to happen to me in this season. And I believe it's to cause me growth. So it's funny how an injury to me, that was devastating as a man. I don't like to be injured. I don't like to ask for help. I think we talked about that before, but man, it's caused me to mature. And, and, and going back to people are watching. My wife was watching, my kids are watching where before all they seen, they, they seen the little kid complaining, murmuring, you know, like man. Angry man. I was angry about five years ago when that happened to this arm, always angry, always frustrated. Yeah.

Julio: 1:03:50

I was even thinking when you said like My wife was telling me, you know, what, what'd she, what'd you say? She said to

Omar: 1:03:55

you? Um, oh, that, that acting the childish or

Julio: 1:03:57

mature. Yeah. And I, and when you said that, the first thing that came to my head was, Ooh, I wish I could have heard his response to that Hey,

Omar: 1:04:06

and you know what? At, at first it stings. You gotta realize that, man, sometimes we need to hear a certain truth, man. Like, oh, definitely you, you know, like, man, like I said, 45 years old, still acting like that. Like, nah, so something's gotta change, you know, like going back to what he says people are watching, man. So, yeah. What, what, what kind of. Uh, example or testimony might give them to my children, you know, like, man, okay. That's how old, and he's still acting like that. No, no, man, you know, let's, let's get some growth, man. Let's get some, uh, uh, to, to be, um, yeah, mature as a

Cisco: 1:04:37

man of God, but go ahead. Yeah. You know what? I want to actually add to that in a little bit to what you said, because this, um, this verse right here, uh, really kind of speaks it in a sense, right. You said the growth, right. Yeah. In a sense, you said. You were looking up to somebody, right? It's almost like there was a light shining, something bright, right? Like you can show something to your kids, your wife, something different. Right. And you were just looking up to something that was bright. And this one kind of came to me. Um, uh, Matthew 5 16, this is in the same way. Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven. And that's kind of like how, um, you know, I kind of want to remind everyone, man, it's like, um, we need to be that light. You know that that that we I we we should be shining bright, you know, no matter what you know The things that were shining bright before Christ. Yeah, those are the things that got us in trouble, right? We definitely know that now right but um, you know in a sense like now you're in a different path, right? We're now you're shining You're, you're literally shining, bro. You stop smoking. You, you know, you're, you're, you're, you're changing in so many ways. And, and I betcha your family, your wife, so many people see it. And even now you, I know you've been walking with the Lord a little longer. Now it's like now you're maturing, you're correcting other areas and aspects. Right. Be even, even like, I know you had your big testimony, like, you know, uh, father is a father mills who said, uh, yeah, many mills. Is that even as we are growing, we, we got so much more to still grow and correct, you know, so it's like, you know, um, we are, uh, important in a sense, right? Primarily it's like, I, you know, God is, uh, is your father, you know, he's, you know, we are his children and, you know, whoever's out there, man, who's, who's just listening to this podcast, man, it's like, yeah. You are loved, you know, uh, you, someone actually looks up to you and you may not know it, right. You may not know it. And, um, and it would be great to, uh, just be able to, you know, to, to shine, to just be able to shine for someone, man, that, that maybe does look up to you. And, uh, we, we, we should always be there no matter what, for someone that needs. You know, just that needs a little helping hand, you know, in a

Omar: 1:06:55

sense, I'll let you guys go, man. Any final words are true Julio and then Cisco, and then we'll get ready to wrap up, man. No, no,

Arturo: 1:07:04

just, uh, again, just agree with the brothers. How are you guys mentioned about, right? We have our testimony, right at the word of our testimony, but also our actions. People are, people are watching, right? So not only just our, our, our, the word of our testimony when we tell our testimony, but we also have a testimony of how we behave. Uh, how we're showing love, you know, how how it's expressed, you know, uh, and, uh, how you guys mentioned, right. People are watching, you know, so it's more than just saying, but doing right.

Cisco: 1:07:34

Correct.

Julio: 1:07:35

Yeah. I would just say, you know, um, you know, for us, everybody out there, everybody has a testimony, um, and every testimony matters. Um, there's nobody out there whose testimony doesn't matter. Everybody's growing, everybody's learning. And, you know, I would just want to encourage everybody to, you know, to keep on trying, you know what I mean? We're never going to reach that perfection that we're looking for, but strive for it, you know, strive for it, strive, strive to be better tomorrow than today, you know what I mean? Um, reach your hand back, pull somebody up. Give an encouraging word, um, remember where you were when you were in your dark place and think about what you needed at that time. Those words of encouragement, that little boost, you know, whatever, whatever it might be, you know, and remember the Lord is watching too. You know, the Lord, he's watching you and he, we have expectations to me, you know, we have to, we, we, we have eyes that are on us and we can't let the, you know, Don't let the Lord down because he didn't let, he didn't let us down, you know, he didn't have to, he didn't have to go up there and hang on that cross. He didn't have to suffer that, that humility and you know, and everything that he did, he did that for us. You know what I mean? That's love. So I would just encourage everybody to, you know, do what you can to help the next man continue to, um, continue to, to do what you can and give those testimonies. Those testimonies are so important. You know, we never know. Who's going to hear what, you know, sometimes you say something and it might be something that of the most, it might be so insignificant to you. It might be something so little, but it might land on the ears exactly that need to hear it. And that might be exactly what they needed to put everything together for them, you know, so be encouraging. You know what I mean? Walk in the Lord. Carry your cross.

Cisco: 1:09:35

That's really good, bro. That was actually really good.

Omar: 1:09:39

What about you Cesco? Any final words, final thoughts before we get ready to wrap up?

Cisco: 1:09:44

I mean, he, he, he, he pretty much explained it, man. It's, it's, it's very important, man. That we're, we're just, you know, here just sharing, you know, uh, just a little, like you said, the little things do count, man. Um, you know, how I wished I was, um, Able to be guided when I was younger or I was able to look upon someone who can give me their, their thoughts, their, their opinions or whatever, you know, and, um, now that we're here, I feel like now it's my job to make sure that I can do it, not only like for my children and everyone else I care for, right? But to those who, who I don't know is that I always want to be that helping hand to reach, you know, and that's just me through either speaking or helping in other ways. You know, it's just, no matter what, it's like, throw yourself out there, man. Somebody. Trust me, you, you'll save a life. You, you'd be surprised, man, that when someone's, and I said this before, like, when someone's down on their luck, you just always have to be loving, man. Be loving, be caring, you know, be careful with your words, cause, you know, they are very strong, you know, to others. Uh, so just, you know, just again, just, just keep, keep praying and, and just keep loving one another, man. And again, testimony. It's important,

Omar: 1:10:59

man. Amen. A little bit. I'm going to ask you guys to close out in prayer, but I want to share one last scripture and then we'll get ready to wrap up. It's in our acts one eight, it says, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria. And to the end of the earth, then it says, uh, this is just a little thing at the bottom. It says here. Jesus is promising his disciples that they will receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of him in all places. A lot of times you think about the power of the Holy Spirit, man, to do miracles, to do all these things, right? Man, God empowered me, but man, he's given us power to be witnesses, to share a testimony about what we have seen and what we have heard. It says this verse highlights the strength and authority that we gain when we share our testimony as we are not only speaking of our personal experiences, but of his work through us. So that, that's like the main thing right there. Like when we're all sharing our story, it's like, yeah, this is what he, what he's done. This is our personal experience. But it's his work in us is his work that made you throw out that vape, you know, it is his work that made me stop drinking and getting high as well. You know, it's the, it's the power of Christ in us, but that power comes for us to be witnesses. So my prayer is for those that are watching, they're going to be listening to this podcast, man. I pray that just like Julio mentioned in his podcast, when the Holy Spirit came on him, he had the encounter. I pray that each one of you, men, women will have your own personal encounter with the Holy Spirit. And I pray that he will empower you to be witnesses, that you too, maybe right now you find yourself in a dark place. Maybe you find yourself in the mud, in the pit of despair, in the mire, but I pray that you just cry. And call out to God is a, and I believe in Jeremiah says, you will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart, cry out to him with all your heart, wherever you're at, you ain't got to be at a church building. You could be right in your home, in your bedroom, your garage, driving in your car right now, call out to God. And I pray that he will visit you, that he, that you will encounter him and that he will empower you. To be witnesses. I pray that you have your own testimony and man, reach out to us. We, we want to hear it. You know, if this, if this, if you listening to us, you know, helped you in some way, man, reach out, send us an email, send us a direct message. But man, we're, we're here. We're praying for you. If you need prayer, reach out to us and man, we'll, we'll, we'll stand in the gap for you. You know, that's, that's my, my final word. And I'll throw it over to these guys. If they each want to say a brief prayer to close us out. Yeah.

Arturo: 1:13:45

Let me, I'll start off heavenly father. We come before you father God. And we just, we thank you for this, this time, Lord God, this opportunity to, um, to give you glory, uh, praise father God, just to share Lord God, uh, what you've done for us, Lord God, the importance Lord God of. Of letting others know the power that there is in your Holy Spirit, Father God, the power that there is in your redemption, Lord God, um, and, uh, and you offer that to all of us, Father God, we, we don't need to qualify for it, Father God, you've already qualified us through your son, Jesus Christ, Father God. And, uh, so I just prayed Lord God that, um, uh, that let us share our, our, our testimony. Let us share what God has done, what God is doing. Lord God, uh, the hope that we have in him. Father God, um, let us be, uh, uh, a light. Lord God, let us be an encouragement and let us inspire others towards you. Lord God, give them hope. Uh, that there's more than, than, uh, this muck and mire, Father God, but that there is life in you, Father God. Um, Father God, we just pray, Lord God, that, um, so that, that our, that our words, Lord God, wouldn't just fall on empty ears, uh, uh, or a hard, hard, Lord God, but that you would, um, that you would just prep, Lord God, the, uh, the soil, Father God, that you would just, uh, that you will prepare hearts, Lord God, that, uh, blind eyes would see Father God, that deaf ears would hear Father God, and, uh, Lord God, that through our simple story, Lord God, even though it's simple, it's powerful, Lord God, because, uh, you've, uh, have, have changed us. You have done amazing things. You have redeemed us from the hands of the foe, Father God. Uh, so we thank you for that, Lord God. We give you glory. Uh, honor and praise Father God. So again, Lord God, I just pray for those, uh, they're not sure where they're at Father God, but, uh, there's something tugging at their heart, Lord God, that they would just, uh, that they would just drop on their knees, Father God, uh, in surrenderedness and humility, Father God, because, uh, you, you honor humility, Father God, that's what you, uh, call us, uh, call from us. Father God is, is, um, just to be humble before you, Father God, to honor you as a King, that you are Father God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Father, So, uh, so just pray Lord God for, for those Lord God that are, that are just there at the, uh, I guess at the crossroads while they got trying to figure out, uh, what is what Father God and Life Lord God that are stuck in the muck and mire Father God that they will maybe receive some, uh, hope, some inspiration, some encouragement through, through, uh, through this platform Father God, through those that, um, that they encounter in life Father God, because we know Uh, uh, that those that are listening, Lord God, you are working in their lives, Father God and, um, and Lord God, maybe, uh, this is the beginning here through this outlet, but you're gonna have many, many more ways, Lord God, that, uh, you will encounter them, Lord God, so I just pray that their eyes would be open to that, Lord God, so, uh, again, Lord God, I just pray continue to use, Uh, continue to use your, uh, your sons and daughters, father God, as they share their word, Lord God, uh, and that, um, those that are lost will receive you. Father God, I will give you glory Lord.

Julio: 1:16:40

Amen. Amen. Heavenly father. We thank you father. Thank you so much for heavenly father for your deliverance. Thank you Lord for, for coming into our, to our lives father God. And taking us out of the muck and the mire. Thank you for, for putting our feet on that solid ground, Father God, for, for, for taking away the bad habits for delivering us from the devil and his evil ways and his thoughts. Father God, I ask that you take this, this podcast today, Father God, and you take these words and you deliver them, Father God, to the, to the, to the ears that they need to fall upon. Father God, I ask that you bless these words and that you, that you open the hearts and soften the hearts of anybody that needs to hear them. Father God, you just let them know, Father God, that they, that they can come as they are. As they are, where they are, you will meet them. Father God, all they have to do is call your name and you're such a, such a gracious God. So you're so, so you're so full of grace and forgiveness and love that you, you, you come to us when we, when we call for you, Father God, let them know, Father God, put it in their heart that they are already forgiven. They only have to just claim. The gift and it's their father. God, just let them, let them, let them come as they are. They don't, there is no cleaning up for you, father. God, their, their, their only job is, is to just come to, just to, to call you. That's their job. Let them know you'll do the rest. Father God, you will, you will clean them up. You will, you will take their souls and make them right. Father God, father, God has any brother that's out there that that's confused. That's wondering. And. You know, they just might feel like they need somebody to talk to, or, you know, they, they, they don't know where to reach out. Father God, I ask that all they have to do, Father God, it's just, it's, it's just email this address right here, Father God, and, and somebody will email them back. We will call them back, and we will reach out to you. We will find you. We'll bring you God's word. Yes. We, we'll show you. We'll point you in the right direction. And, and, you know, and you walk, walk with us because we're all walking too. You know, we ask this Father God in your name, Lord. And, and you in your, in your beautiful name, father God, Jesus. Jesus. Amen.

Cisco: 1:18:52

Amen. You know, heaven. Father, I just wanna say thank you, God, for just meeting us where we're at right now. God, you know your. Your words are powerful, God. I'm thankful, God, that we're able to, to share our testimonies, uh, to be able to, you know, not hold these words on, you know, between these walls here, God, but these are the words that need to, you know, get across the continent, the world for people to hear, God, there's so many people out there. That are hurt and just, you know, as my brother Omar said, just stuck in the mud, God. And we want to reach out to those people, God. Those people that, that, that need, that need your word, God. You know, we want to be able to just express the love and the care, God. The same love and care that you've given to us, God. You know, you've helped us to be able to see things in your, with your eyes, God. And that's a beautiful thing. Those are the things that I'm appreciative on a day to day basis, God, and, and I just pray, God, that, you know, those that, that are pretty much on the fence or, or just, you know, just don't know exactly where to go, God, they, they know that they can come to you, God, at any given point of their life, God, that all they need to do is just submit, just get on their knees and just call out in the name of Jesus, God, God. You know, they don't have to have this long prayer or, or have this coded paragraph that they need to say, all they need to do is just talk, just ask in the name of Jesus, man. Like this is, I need you, I need you, I want you, you know, just the same way that we did God, you know, so they're, they're the light is at the end of the tunnel. That, that is for sure. There is hope out there. No matter what and it doesn't matter what each and every one of us are going through, you know, one one is not far Much more than the other guy because we know that through you there is hope no matter what God so that that I'm very very thankful God, you know this this ministry. I'm just thankful that it's growing That it's getting to places, God, and there's people just kind of grabbing, they're, they're holding on, God, they're holding on to this, this train that you've caused, this ripple effect, God, and I'm, and I'm thankful for that, God, you know, so all I ask is for, for this, this, you know, want a strong ministry, just to continue to grow, continue to guide us, God, continue to push us in the areas that we feel that we may not hit, but I know through you, we're going to hit. So again, God, this is not just for us. This is, this is for us to share, to share for the, to the world and let them know who we are, why we're here, because we all have a purpose, God, through you and each and every one of us, and even those that are just listening, God, that may, may not know you, trust and believe they, they too got a purpose, they just don't know yet, but I'm praying, God, that the Holy Spirit You know, just just touches their heart and helps them to see things got through your eyes So again God, I just want to say we thank you We love you and I just pray for hydro protection over each and every one of us got on a day to day basis God because the spiritual warfare It's real. It's definitely real without a doubt, God, but we need you to help us, God, to put on our daily armor, God, and to continue to help us fight these battles, God, because they are definitely difficult, God, but through you. Again, anything's possible. So again, we just want to say, we thank you and we love you. Heavenly father, God, in the mighty name of

Omar: 1:22:13

Jesus, Jesus name, man, man, amen, man. Just want to thank my brothers here for joining me and thank you guys for listening in on another episode of wrong to strong Chicago, um, Matthew 4, 16 reads the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. Alongside Arturo, Julio, and Cisco, my name is Omar Calvillo, and we are Wrong 2 Strong. Amen.