Distractions Keep Us From Our Testimonies? | A Sadie Robertson Huff Message Review

The Claim That Testimonies Change Hearts

Pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them. It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do. And that is who your spirit is.

Here's the problem. She believes that these things can be accomplished through her words and message.

I on the other hand believe these. Why are we talking about what might happen in John's life instead of talking about what just Happened in your own life with what Jesus is doing in your heart.

So John mentions this in his writings to clarify a rumor Sadie seems to imply That Peter spread because he focused on what Jesus is doing in John's life instead of looking at what Jesus is doing in his own.

Life, what is that turn that you're getting so distracted by that? You're missing. Wow. God you have me in this space. You're speaking something to my heart. You're redeeming all that was lost. You're covering everything from the past.

You're building my testimony. What are we missing in that moment?

So the spiritual problem she wants to warn us is to not turn and focus on what God is doing in others but instead to focus on what God is doing in our lives and Understand that God is building our testimony by turning we may miss out.

What might we miss out on? Yes, we want to follow God because he said to yes because he has a plan and yes. Because we should want to do as well. But we also follow for the same reasons the disciples stayed with him when all the others left Lord to whom shall we go.

You have the words of eternal life and we have believed and have come to know that you are The Holy One of God. Who else has a solution to our sin problem. Who else gives righteousness and eternal life.

Who else? Reconciles us to God. Welcome to the thirdly equipped podcast where we compare the teachings from popular women's ministry books conferences Bible studies Etc to scripture. Our focus is 2nd Timothy 3 16 to 17 that all Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and training in righteousness.

So the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. I'm your host Melba toast. May this episode bless you and bring glory to God Ladies and welcome to another episode of thoroughly equipped.

I'm so happy you've decided to listen in and if you are new well. Welcome, if this is the first time you're listening to this podcast. We have been looking at the very popular woman's conference the if gathering.

More specifically we have been going over the sessions at the 2020 conference to look at the way the speakers handle scripture. Jenny Allen the founder and vision caster of the if women's ministry set up that year's conference to be centered on Romans chapter 8 with the intent of giving the audience more of Jesus.

And we're gonna start this thing off with one of my favorite chapters In this book called the Bible. And whether you've known Jesus for a long time or you're just checking him out We're not gonna water him down here.

We're going to Romans 8. I don't know that there's a deeper Theological piece of work in the Bible. So we're going here and what you will leave with I believe.

Is more of Jesus. Jenny Allen rightly proclaimed that Romans 8 is an extremely theological passage. And when it's handled correctly is a beautiful chapter to dive into not only to find Christ but learn about the absolute sovereignty over and keeping of God's people in salvation and the help and power of the Holy Spirit in our Sanctification.

Today's session is the last message given by Sadie Robertson huff on verse Romans 8 39 the very last verse of the chapter and not even a full sentence. But half of the sentence. Whether that's intentional, but we'll of course find out.

But before we get into miss Robertson huff's message, let's take a quick look at miss huff's ministry. Sadie Robertson huff is an American businesswoman who rose to fame from her appearance on the A &E Reality program known as Duck Dynasty.

She also is known for being runner-up on season 19 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. She's hosted the podcast. Well, that's a good podcast as well as New York Times best-selling author of the book live original from which came a devotional of the same title as well as a sequel.

Titled live fearless in 2020 she released live remain alive Be alive at a specific time have an exciting or fulfilling life. In 2021 she released live on purpose 100 devotionals for letting go of fear and letting God.

In 2022 she Presented a book titled. Who are you following pursuing Jesus in a social media obsessed world? Quote, my passion is to speak to write to encourage Robinson proclaimed in her website. How does she accomplish this passion passion?

Through not only her books but her social media presence as she has like over 5 million followers as well as through her live original tour, which reached 16 cities and her YouTube channel, which has now 675 ,000 subscribers.

But you know if I could say things that hold that much power that would change people's life. And I know the only thing I could say is the gospel and use my platform to preach. And it would make everything make sense that God's done up until this point in my life.

Her YouTube channel describes her as preaching giving messages and sermons to various churches and conferences. She speaks regularly at the passion conference founded by Louie and Shelly Giglio. The passion conference has hosted speakers that have commonly twisted scripture out of context and gives very self-centered Semi-Pelagian purpose-driven sermons to young adults.

For the FYI Pelagius was a man who taught that man Was good in nature and had the ability to come to God by his own will. Semi-Pelagian doctrine presupposes that people are born good and are actually searching for God.

This is contrary to scriptural doctrine found in Romans and Colossians and We merely need to choose Christ through our own will and Christ will do the rest. Along with preaching and giving sermons to various churches revealing her unwillingness to submit to scripture Miss Huff has had Psychiatrists on her show to give practical steps we can take to live happier lives.

Promoting the idea that being happy can lead us to a better relationship with God. This type of teaching emphasizes feelings as Determining a right relationship with God instead of Christ fulfilling all we need to be made right with God regardless of how we feel.

For more on how I believe psychiatry actually Undermines the sufficiency of Christ and his word as given to us in scripture to train the man or woman of God in righteousness. Check out season 1 the episode titled to opposing doctrines man's wisdom of positive psychology versus God's wisdom at minimum.

Incorporating Psychotherapeutic techniques reveals a lack of trust in God's Word and being all we need for life godliness and right living 2nd Peter 1 3 2nd Timothy 3 16 and 17 psalm 19 Psalm 119 and many other verses.

With that said the purpose of this episode is to take a look at the way Sadie Robertson Huff handles scripture. We have looked at her ministry to see if she's willingly Submitting to Christ's authority to not preach and teach over men in the local church and in this episode I want to go deeper and discern if she actually teaches the text.

Does she teach us and expound upon what Paul wants to teach us in this passage? We can also discern for at least this message whether she not only believes scripture is sufficient To equip us for good works, but also if she believes it's powerful enough to convince us and motivate us To believe in it and live by it.

If she believes this she will teach from it if she does it She will speak more on her own life lessons moving stories or worldly philosophy, etc And etc to make disciples after herself rather than disciples deep in the word.

In fact, we're gonna dive into this topic quite a bit during her message. Now let's dive into the passage or in her case the verse that she's supposed to teach on. If you have been following the series from the start, you would pretty much have a Very good idea of what Paul is trying to teach the early church in Romans chapter 8 and that's because we have looked at this chapter in each and every episode.

Covering the if 2020 conference so we know that Paul in the previous seven chapters was presenting his argument for Why the gospel was the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes Romans 1 16.

By first laying out the problem that every human being born of Adam is born with the nature to sin and That those with this sin nature are destined for wrath for God will judge all men. Romans 1 28 to 2 11.

Paul clearly argues that neither Jew nor Greek circumcised nor Uncircumcised will be exempt from this judgment. Even men who are not given the law as the Israelites were given yet Do what the law requires show that the work of the law is written on their hearts.

Romans 2 12 to 16. All men will be judged by this law and even more so those who are given the law. Paul spends chapters 3 to 5 arguing for the truth that no man is righteous. All men are under sin. Romans 3 9 to 20 that only by faith in Jesus Christ Are we counted righteous?

Romans 3 21 to 26. Faith was always the way sinners were justified all of Romans 4 that by this faith we have peace and Reconciliation with God and have grace and life in Christ Jesus through his active obedience.

Romans 5 in chapters 6 and 7 Paul then appeals to the Romans to understand that because of their faith in the work of Christ They are dead to sin and alive to God to walk in newness of life slaves to righteousness and Because they are set free from sin and have become slaves to God the fruit they receive leads to sanctification and eternal life.

Christ who has fulfilled the law perfectly for us has now become our husband. The law being our old husband who was put to death. So that we may now serve him in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

All informs the readers that the law was not sin, but exposed our sinful nature. The means by which God reveals how we are not righteous how we will be judged. Exposing how there is no good dwelling in our flesh.

By the law we see how we do not love God and neighbor and in this knowledge we are brought to a desperate cry for God to show mercy and Then Paul writes the beautiful truths that are in Romans 8. That there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because he did what the flesh could not do and Condemn sin in his flesh.

So the righteous requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh. But according to the Spirit. Romans 8 1 to 4 by the way that verse I think is probably one of my most favorite.

It was a verse that Really actually drew me out of the purpose-driven theology. Which I could go into it and I want to but it's a whole nother Episode. Anyway, so It's my favorite verse as you could tell I think I have Quoted that verse verbatim in almost every single episode in the series.

Continuing he urges and encourages those of us who are in the Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh because we are God's children and though we suffer and are subjected to this sinful world. We long in the Spirit to be set free from it in our flesh and God who is faithful Will one day set us free from corruption bring us to himself as adopted sons and daughters.

Until then the Spirit Intercedes for us knowing the mind of God and works all things together for the good of those who are called according to his purposes. We are secure in this hope because it is all God's doing all his work all for his glory.

He predestined us in eternity past to be conformed to the image of his Son and those whom he Predestined he calls and those whom he calls he justifies and those whom he justifies he glorifies. Now this is where we will read the text starting at verse 31.

What then shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also with him graciously? Give us all things who shall bring any charge against God's elect.

It is God who justifies who is to condemn Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at the right hand of God who indeed is Interceding for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or?

Nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We're being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered now in all these things We are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm sure that neither death nor life.

Nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers. Now this is Sadie's verse. Nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Paul is presenting to the church the undeniable Set in stone Argument for our hope and that is God in himself that God who did not even spare his own son to save the people that he Foreknew will not spare or allow anything to ever separate us from his love.

I mean Just think about this ladies. I have a son a son. I love very very much. Would I sacrifice him to save someone else's child and not only just Anyone's child, but my enemy's child or even for my enemy.

Would you? We're talking about a love here that we struggle in our sinful nature to understand and grasp and yet The love is not the only point of Paul's argument though. It is the strongest Within this argument is the nature and power of God himself that while God in his great love Sacrificed his son for us There's also God's power that same power that creates and sustains all things Proverbs 16 for Acts 17 28 Colossians 1 17 Hebrews 1 3.

This power was at work in predestining you to hear and receive the gospel to be given faith to believe to work in you to sanctify you and make you holy and The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will raise you to glory in new bodies without decay and corruption.

That is how Paul can say that we are more than conquerors and that Nothing can separate us from the perfect right true powerful love of God through Jesus Christ. These verses the end of chapter 8 are meant to bring us to an Understanding of God's work in the salvation of his people and the keeping of them for all of this life and into eternity there are no more comforting empowering truths than these for the Church of God and So it should trouble us.

Greatly if someone mishandles this text and then want to make it about something else. Why should it trouble us if one doesn't teach this from this passage? Because one we are sinners. We can our flesh and faith.

We continually need to be reminded that our salvation was God's work. We need to be reminded so that we give God the glory that he so rightly deserves. To we need to understand this because with the salvation given to us by faith in the gospel comes a hope the hope of being with Christ set free from our flesh and Reigning with him in an incorruptible new heavens and new earth.

This hope reminds us that we are not alone in our temptations and trials. Jesus too was tempted and yet is without sin. We who are tempted and have fallen into sin have a high priest who understands yet intercedes for us.

Hebrews 4 15 and 3 we need to understand this because this hope is in what we cannot see yet. But is made assured by the work that God already has done the gospel this hope Always reminds us of who our faith is in Christ.

So is this where Sadie Robertson Huff will go in her message? Well, let's dive in and find out Miss Robertson Huff starts her message with what she calls a church moment.

I just want to have a church moment because we're the church, right?

By this she means a sharing of what God is doing within the church. She tells a story of how she had visited some colleges and was very encouraged by how the young college students would.

Literally jumping up on their feet in front of other students saying yes, I'm gonna follow Jesus. I don't care what it's gonna look like tomorrow. I don't care what my past is look like. I'm saying yes to Jesus because he changes everything.

Y 'all literally young people on their feet. Can't even contain themselves worshiping.

Her purpose in stating this is to encourage people to know that God is moving within the colleges and in the younger generation.

And I just wanted to share that with y 'all just for encouragement that God's doing something.

She then prays before getting into her message Asking God to use her message to inspire the woman there to take revival back with them to the places that these women are going.

Now.

Normally, I wouldn't play clips of prayers within a message. But her prayer here will reveal something she believes about Scripture about the Word of God itself. And I think it's an underlying belief that a lot of popular Christian speakers have.

In fact I think it's what a lot of typical Evangelical Christians believe about revival and conferences in general. So I want to play the clip and then explain.

God, I thank you so much. You're so good You're so big you're so holy and we are just in awe that we get to stand here With breath in our lungs because you gave us life. God I thank you so much for every woman that got to if this weekend and is watching online and Lord I pray that this would not this would not just fall away God that it would land on good soil every word that was spoken.

That they would take this and I would begin to revive their hearts and bring revival back with them to the places They are going. God I pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them.

It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do. And that is who your spirit is. So God, I pray over this word. Would you anoint me to be able to speak this word to your beautiful daughters God?

God, give me words. Give me wisdom and so your name we pray. Amen.

So when we pray we're coming to God asking him for certain specific things and in this case Sadie is asking that God use her message that this message and the other messages from the if gathering.

2020 conference would land on good soil every word that was spoken. That they would take this and I would begin to revive their hearts and bring revival back with them to the places.

They are going that our message would be something that would change these women from the inside out. Bringing new life because that is what God does and it is who his spirit is.

God, I pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them. It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do. And that is who your spirit is.

Here's the problem. She believes that these things can be accomplished through her words and Message. I on the other hand believe these things are accomplished through the words of God and the gospel message of Jesus Christ those all being found in scripture and scripture alone.

What you believe about the means that God uses to bring revival is how you determine the method of Encouraging revival or new life. If one believes that it is God's words that affect change Then when delivering a message one will want to use God's words.

Expound about upon God's word and teach God's word to bring about change. This is what is called the efficacy of scripture that the scriptures not only have authority They're not only without error that they are not only sufficient But that it has also the power to change the heart.

But if you believe God uses your words and influence to encourage and change women from the inside out Then those are the words you will use in your message. You will use your personal ideas your philosophies your Experiences your life lessons you have learned etc and etc to bring what you believe will be life to your hearers.

And I truly believe that most of the popular female speakers within the evangelical women's ministry of today Actually believes that God uses these things to bring revival. This comes from the belief that our stories carry weight Our patent are powerful to change people's lives and to bring revival.

Lisa Harper in an interview with Levi and Jenny Lesko on their podcast sheds light Into this belief as well.

When I listen sometimes to younger communicators, they're so excited to share all their verses and their things and their rhyming outline. I think sometimes they tend to forget the power of the richness of just a simple story.

I do think when it comes to the gospel, we forget their real stories and that's what our heart connects with. I think that's why he says then the enemy is defeated by the blood of the Lamb and our.

Testimony.

Because if I told you Jenny I was just studying the Hebrew term for you'd be like well cool. I mean, that's good for context. But when you say Lisa, here's how I put one foot in front of the other after we lost Linnea.

Here's how I saw God when I wasn't sure I could pick my heart off off the pavement. I go. Tell me more because the authenticity in that actually lends credibility to the compassion of God in your life.

You can exegete and your heart can be totally removed from that and I'm not knocking next to Jesus. I love studying the Word of God and having context but I can give you you know, a Greek verb tense and Not give you any of my heart.

Hmm, and and it's because I'm trying to be self-protective or at some core. They're still unbelief in me. But if I go, let me tell you where I was dying and God pulled me out of a pit. I dug myself and rescued me.

Let me tell you about the God who set my clumsy Mistake-prone feet on solid ground and it's been so then you go. Curious wait.

Just a quick note here. Telling people what God has done through our stories is not the testimony that is meant by the scripture verse. She references Revelation 12 11 is apocalyptic literature. Describing persecution of the Saints and in this context the casting down of Satan and the Overcoming of him by the Saints because of the blood of the Lamb.

They're holding fast to Jesus who shed that blood and cleansed them from all their sin. That's their testimony so much so that they even gave up their lives because of this testimony because of the gospel.

So what this verse means by testimony is the story of what Christ physically and spiritually did to wash them of their sins. The Testimony that what Christ did overcame sin death and the devil. The thing is they would be right if true Revival came as a result of seeing how others gave their lives to Christ if the good news was that Jesus can make your life have purpose and The testimony of Christ was about how we changed your life.

Good stories like that can cause people to change. But change in what way do our stories? Have the power to take out the heart of stone and replace it with the heart of flesh. Do they bring salvation.

Does believing in the work God has done for others bring another? Justification. Will they bring sanctification and cause them to desire to battle their sins. Do these teachers testimonies cause us to hope in this life or in the life to come?

Christ's return our glorification and the new heavens and the new earth. Don't get me wrong. These things are not bad, but they are not the message that changes hearts. They are fruits of a changed heart.

We behave as though these fruits are the message that people need to hear. The God has changed my life and given me purpose and he can do it for you to type of Evangelism, but the message that people need to hear that is the power of God unto salvation is the life words and death of someone else.

True revival does not come from acknowledging the blessings and fruits that come from a changed life or from finding purpose. True revival comes from the Acknowledgement of our sin the crying out for a Savior and the pure dependence on and faith in Christ and his word.

I Recently read a wonderful book by Jonathan Edwards titled the distinguishing marks of the work of the Spirit of God in it. Mr. Edwards lays out for us how to differentiate between real revival and false revival.

I hope to do an episode to talk about this in the future because it seems to me that this kind of talk of revival is common and even growing within the evangelical sphere and We actually see examples of this type of talk within the if gathering.

But what I'm trying to explain here is how this belief that God will use our stories and Experiences to change hearts and bring new life is really the material they used to build up their audience. But if it's not the Word of God, then it will not stand up to the fiery trial.

Paul in first Corinthians 3 10 to 15 expounds upon this. According to the grace of God given to Paul like a skilled master builder He laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it for no one can lay a foundation other than that.

Which is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold Silver precious stones wood hay straw each one's work will become manifest. For the day will disclose it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one is done.

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives He will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up He will suffer a loss though. He himself will be saved but only as through fire. The church is God's field God's building.

Sadie by being a teacher is participating in watering that field or building on a foundation and either she is building the audience up with the firm materials of God's Word or she's building with weak materials such as her own words her own knowledge and experience.

The same goes for all the speakers at this conference and that is the perfect thing to keep in the back of our minds as We go through her message as we listen. Let's determine what she's using to build us up now.

She presents the starting point of her message on a story in John 21 of the conversation between Jesus and Peter. She talks a bit about how close Peter and Jesus were. How wherever Jesus went Peter wanted to be with him.

How Peter and Jesus were best friends.

Peter was just there for him. He's like, don't worry. You are my boy like they were best friends.

And how bold Peter was in regards to Jesus. Yet when Jesus was arrested Peter turned away from Christ in fear. She then goes in the setting of the John 21 passage and the breakfast with Jesus that happened around a charcoal fire.

Give it to Jesus to redeem a moment. Jesus, you know goes on to die on the cross and then he's resurrected from the grave and where does Jesus go? Jesus goes back to the Sea of Galilee and has breakfast with Peter and I just think that's so cool.

First of all that Jesus like wanted to have breakfast. I think that's awesome. And he was like, hey guys. Like let's have breakfast. That's just I used rose from the grave like that's amazing. And so they're about to cook some fish and it's really crazy what happens they're about to have breakfast around a charcoal fire.

Now that's really important because Peter denied Jesus three times at a charcoal fire. And now they're sitting here after the resurrection about to have breakfast and it's a charcoal fire and I always make that point really strongly because I think that happens a lot of times.

You get in the presence of Jesus and All you can really think about is your past. You're like, oh wait, I'm here. I'm with Jesus. I'm at if I'm at this conference I'm at church, but I can't stop thinking about what I just did what I just walked through what I'm coming from.

Hold on a second, so from the historical fact that there was a Fire in one of the times that Peter denied Christ and then there was a fire when Jesus was cooking fish. She gets that we so often think of our past when we are in the presence of Jesus.

In the recording of the Gospels of Peter's denials There's only one gospel that makes a point to mention that it was a charcoal fire. She makes it a point to say that Peter denies Christ all three times near the charcoal fire.

Peter denied Jesus three times at a charcoal fire.

While there was a time that Peter denies Christ while warming himself near a fire There are still two other instances of this denial that don't talk of Peter being near the same Charcoal fire. In fact in two of the Gospels were told that Paul walked away from the fire after his first denial of Jesus.

Also in the telling of the breakfast and conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21 We have no clue what Peter is thinking. So we don't know if he was thinking about his past or of his denials. Why is she emphasizing these things?

Because she wants to draw out from them some kind of problem. We have in this case that we supposedly like Peter did. Get distracted by our past when we should be focusing on what God wants to do for us now.

And Jesus is ready to have a new conversation with Peter at this charcoal fire. And this conversation isn't a denial. It is a redeeming moment.

This is a perfect example of Narcissus. Putting something into the text to make some kind of special point about ourselves. This is not handling scripture rightly. Doesn't really matter what he was thinking.

It was important to the writers of the Gospels or they would have included it. What was important and what is important is what Christ says and does in this passage? He restores Peter now. Miss Robertson Huff goes into this talks about how Jesus asked Peter three times If he loved him, but I'm curious at this point What this has to do with Romans 839.

She goes on to talk about how she had recently given this message.

I just um recently shared this message about Peter and Jesus at passion conference.

In which she relayed how in the text after being restored and told about his mission and his death. The next thing we see Peter doing is miraculous works by the power of the Holy Spirit. But it turns out that she was wrong.

There was one other instance right after his restoration that we see him mentioned.

The next time we see something that happens with Peter is actually the next verse. I Don't know how I miss that. Because this verse just didn't really catch me in. The moment when I was reading it for passion, but it really caught me when I was reading it again.

And that funny how that can happen. You can read the same story a hundred times and it's a hundred and one that you're like, wow. So after this amazing redeeming moment between Jesus and Peter. Do you love me?

Yes, you love me. Yes. Here's your purpose. Fema. She then he kind of talks about the death. He's gonna have to die, but he's like hey just keep following me verse 20 right after that moment. It says Peter turned.

Peter turned around. Simple. It's not a big deal. He just turned he just turned. You're having breakfast and he turned. But it is a big deal. Because he turned and he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.