542. Bill & Judy Kelley Share Their Personal Testimonies - April 30, 2024

[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host in this podcast

[00:00:12] We will be exploring the book of Proverbs

[00:00:16] Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today

[00:00:27] Lord, I pray that you give everyone ears to hear and heart to receive everything you have in store for them today

[00:00:33] I ask this in Jesus name. Amen

[00:00:37] This is Proverb 30 beginning in verse 1

[00:00:42] The words of Agour the son of J. Key his utterance this man declared to Ithiel

[00:00:49] To Ithiel and Yuckel

[00:00:52] Surely I am more stupid than any man and do not have the understanding of a man

[00:00:58] I neither learned wisdom nor have knowledge of the Holy One

[00:01:04] Who has ascended into heaven or

[00:01:07] Descended who has gathered the wind in his fists

[00:01:11] Who has bound the waters in a garment who has established all the ends of the earth

[00:01:18] What is his name and what is his son's name if you know?

[00:01:24] Every word of God is pure

[00:01:27] He is a shield to those who put their trust in him

[00:01:31] Do not add to his words lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar

[00:01:38] Two things I request of you

[00:01:42] Deprive me not before I die

[00:01:44] Remove falsehood and lies far from me

[00:01:48] Give me neither poverty nor riches

[00:01:51] Feed me with the food allotted to me

[00:01:55] Lest I be full and deny you and say who is the Lord?

[00:02:01] Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God

[00:02:07] Do not malign a servant to his master lest he curse you and you be found guilty

[00:02:15] There is a generation that curses its father and

[00:02:19] Does not bless its mother there is a generation that is pure in its own eyes

[00:02:26] Yet is not washed from its filthiness

[00:02:30] There is a generation. Oh

[00:02:33] How lofty are their eyes and their eyelids are lifted up

[00:02:38] There is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose fangs are like knives

[00:02:45] To devour the poor from off the earth and the needy from among men

[00:02:52] The leech has two daughters give and give

[00:02:56] There are three things that are never satisfied

[00:03:00] for never say enough

[00:03:03] The grave the barren womb the earth that is not satisfied with water and the fire

[00:03:10] Never says enough

[00:03:13] The eye that mocks his father and scorns obedience to his mother

[00:03:18] The ravens of the valley will pick it out and the young eagles will eat it

[00:03:24] There are three things which are too wonderful for me

[00:03:28] Yes for which I do not understand the way of an eagle in the air

[00:03:35] The way of a serpent on a rock the way of a ship in the midst of the sea and

[00:03:41] The way of a man with a virgin

[00:03:45] This is the way of an adulterous woman

[00:03:49] She eats and wipes her mouth and says I have done no wickedness

[00:03:54] For three things the earth is perturbed

[00:03:58] Yes for four it cannot bear up

[00:04:01] For a servant when he reigns a fool when he is filled with food

[00:04:06] A hateful woman when she is married and a maid servant who succeeds her mistress

[00:04:14] There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise

[00:04:20] The ants are a people not strong yet. They prepare their food in the summer

[00:04:26] The rock badgers are a feeble folk yet. They make their homes in the crags

[00:04:32] The locusts have no king yet. They all advance in ranks

[00:04:38] The spider skillfully grasps with its hands and it is in king's palaces

[00:04:45] There are three things which are majestic in pace

[00:04:49] Yes for which are stately in walk

[00:04:53] A lion which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any

[00:04:59] A gray hound a male goat also

[00:05:03] And the king whose troops are with him

[00:05:06] If you have been foolish in exalting yourself or if you have devised evil

[00:05:12] Put your hand on your mouth for as the churning of milk produces butter

[00:05:19] And ringing the nose produces blood

[00:05:22] So the forcing of wrath produces strife

[00:05:26] Friends I have a special treat for you today. I have my beautiful wife, Judy on and it's been a while since she's been on

[00:05:34] But anyway, hun we just finished reading proverbs 30 and if you would please share the verse which spoke to you today

[00:05:43] Well, I think it would be proverbs

[00:05:47] 30 verse 5 it says every word of god is pure

[00:05:51] He is a shield to those who put their trust in him

[00:05:57] That just says to me that his word is truth

[00:06:01] It's infallible

[00:06:03] It's perfect

[00:06:04] You know prayer as we speak to god, but he speaks to us through his word

[00:06:09] And his word speaks to us and gives us direction and shows us the path

[00:06:15] That we need to walk on and if we don't know

[00:06:18] His word or we don't ever look into his word

[00:06:22] Then we

[00:06:23] We're lost really and I think that's uh, you have to believe believe that the word of god

[00:06:29] The word the bible is truth

[00:06:32] And it was written over

[00:06:34] many hundreds of years

[00:06:36] With many different authors, but yet

[00:06:39] It all goes together

[00:06:42] And it doesn't contradict itself

[00:06:45] It and when they found the Dead Sea Scrolls, they found

[00:06:49] Scripture that was exactly what was in the bible already in the old testament

[00:06:54] um

[00:06:55] You know, it just it just says that god

[00:06:58] Knew what he was doing. He did this. He do did this through men

[00:07:04] But he breathed it through them and this is a god breath book and you have to rely on it or else

[00:07:11] You're lost

[00:07:12] It's it's like today, you know when people don't really trust

[00:07:16] In god and they don't they just decide their own direction and they don't take their authority

[00:07:22] From from the word of god

[00:07:24] They don't base their lives on it. Are their character or right and wrong from the bible

[00:07:32] They're lost

[00:07:34] They struggle. What do you think?

[00:07:36] Well, I think that's I think that's awfully true

[00:07:38] So

[00:07:39] Anyway, I we are recording this on the 8th of april

[00:07:44] But this is going to publish on the 30th of april

[00:07:48] So hun, we are almost one year removed from graduating from keres

[00:07:54] I remember that very well. It was on the 13th of may

[00:08:00] and

[00:08:01] It's almost been a year

[00:08:02] So looking back

[00:08:04] I would kind of like for you to reflect just a moment on our experience at keres

[00:08:11] Let the audience know what you enjoyed about it

[00:08:15] What you miss about it and

[00:08:17] How you plan on moving forward

[00:08:20] Well, I definitely enjoyed being there. I never

[00:08:24] Woke up thinking I don't want to go to class. I always was looking forward to hearing the teachers hearing the word of god

[00:08:31] and

[00:08:34] graduating it's been

[00:08:36] A little bit different. It's been a lot different because we don't have that going on every day

[00:08:42] So you have to purposely

[00:08:44] put yourself

[00:08:46] there and listen to things and read the word and

[00:08:50] That's that that's the thing that's been the hardest for me and we live in a community where we really

[00:08:56] We've we're going to a church, but it's uh, you know, I mean, it's it's different than we've experienced before

[00:09:04] And we do like it like the people and everything but

[00:09:09] You know, it just takes a while to get used to things

[00:09:13] Now in your own community

[00:09:15] So, um, yeah, it's been an interesting year

[00:09:20] I've enjoyed being with uh, my family more which is really good. It's really been great to be close to them

[00:09:27] But I do miss keres and I hear from a friend who is going there now and there have been many changes

[00:09:33] And I know that I would love to be sitting in on a lot of things that are going on right now a lot of these changes

[00:09:40] Especially, you know, the political classes they're having and healing classes

[00:09:47] Just so many things that are just of interest to me

[00:09:51] Yeah, that's good, you know, and you know, it was a moment of time the way I look at keres

[00:09:56] It was just a chapter of our lives

[00:09:59] And uh, you know, I'm certainly glad we went and yet I'm happy to be back in florida

[00:10:05] I believe this is where we belong. This is where we're supposed to be

[00:10:09] And uh, you know just moving forward. Is there anything at all that god has been speaking with you about that you feel that you need to begin doing?

[00:10:19] Well, I again, I'd like to be involved in the women's ministry here and ministering to people who are, um

[00:10:28] pregnant

[00:10:29] Are seeking help from from the women's center

[00:10:34] And just being more

[00:10:36] outspoken and observant, you know, it was interesting the other day

[00:10:39] I went to get my nails done and

[00:10:43] The lady that did my nails, you know, I said, um, you know, how are you and she goes

[00:10:48] Well, her comment was I don't remember exactly. I can't quote it, but it was just like

[00:10:53] Not real well and I said, I'm sorry. Sorry to hear that and then she went on and told me

[00:10:58] What was going on in her life a little bit later and I got to pray for her got to pray for her mother who's

[00:11:03] Has some real health issues. They don't think she's

[00:11:06] going to make it and um

[00:11:09] You know, it's she got tears in her eyes. I know it meant something, you know, and I know that god hears our prayers

[00:11:16] even if we

[00:11:18] You know, just say a prayer and we don't know the people really

[00:11:23] He hears and he cares and he loves them and that's what I asked for was that god would show his love to these people

[00:11:30] He'll her mother and and help her and give her strength and dealing with everything

[00:11:35] So it was a blessing to be able to do that sort of thing

[00:11:38] And I think that's one thing

[00:11:40] That going to keras made me has made me more bold and doing that kind of thing and just

[00:11:47] Stepping out and you know in the past I'm I said, oh, I'm so sorry, you know

[00:11:51] and just gone right on and just talked, you know, not in terms of

[00:11:55] of

[00:11:57] What can I do for you or how can I pray for you? But but now especially going on the mission trip and

[00:12:04] Learning all the things that we did

[00:12:06] It's it's just a matter god hears our prayers. It's a matter of us just being willing

[00:12:12] And that's what I'm seeing, you know, I and I want to kind of pick up on what you're saying

[00:12:18] And really make a point of emphasis on this because I hear a lot of people say well, I'll pray about that for you

[00:12:24] And I'm saying just like you said

[00:12:27] Don't say that say let me pray right now for that

[00:12:33] And that is what people will remember

[00:12:36] If you do that because the next time they see you

[00:12:40] They may think about the fact that you prayed for them and they'll probably ask you to do it again

[00:12:47] A lot of people in our world need prayer

[00:12:51] They recognize they need prayer and they when they have someone that they know will do that for them

[00:12:59] I believe they even seek people out like that. What what are your thoughts on that?

[00:13:03] Right, they do and and what you said at the beginning about just stopping it right then and doing it

[00:13:09] That's the thing because I know that if I leave or I or somebody asked me and I don't do it immediately

[00:13:17] I get distracted, you know, there's so many distractions in life

[00:13:21] And then I forget about it and it's I had good intentions to do it, but I didn't and

[00:13:27] That's we just need to do it right then and not be too busy

[00:13:32] Not really worry about what other people think about you

[00:13:36] And if they're if they don't like it, they'll let you know, but she was definitely open and willing

[00:13:42] You know and I think you bring up a good point there because I think it's important that we ask

[00:13:48] people for permission to pray for them

[00:13:51] And you shouldn't automatically assume even if they're talking about how bad things are going

[00:13:57] Because some people really don't

[00:14:00] Want anything at all to do with godly people. They really don't they'll complain

[00:14:06] They'll gripe

[00:14:07] But if you ask for prayer, they'll say well, no, thank you and it's okay if you do that

[00:14:12] But it is important that you ask that and I did that

[00:14:16] You know now that you're mentioning that that was the first thing I said

[00:14:20] I would like to pray for you. Would that be okay? I would like to say a prayer for you

[00:14:23] Would that be all right with you?

[00:14:25] And I gave her the opportunity to say yes or no

[00:14:28] And that's one of the things I believe that keres helped instill in us

[00:14:35] Now I remember when I first became a christian and I was so

[00:14:39] Enthusied and ready to change the world and you know just get everybody on board

[00:14:45] And what I've realized is a lot of people don't want to hear the bible like I just said

[00:14:51] And it's more important that you love

[00:14:55] People and show people that you care about them and are concerned about them

[00:15:01] Before you even think about bringing up the bible and talking about scripture

[00:15:09] What what are your thoughts on that? That's true

[00:15:11] We had actually talked for quite a while before I I said something to her about

[00:15:15] Wanting to pray for her so you know, that's that's

[00:15:19] Yeah, it's important to establish a relationship and not just immediately go there

[00:15:25] You know and and it's funny. We were yesterday in sunday school at our church

[00:15:30] You know one of the leaders she made a comment that

[00:15:33] You know that we we tend not to be as fired up as we used to be

[00:15:39] And you know what I'm trying to say what I've learned through keres and what I've learned through living life

[00:15:48] Is that you don't have to feel

[00:15:52] Or act like you're gung-ho and ready to reach the world

[00:15:57] I think you need to take a more relaxed approach which I believe is what Jesus did just be calm

[00:16:06] Be loving be concerned about people

[00:16:10] Show them you care without this bull in a china shop attitude

[00:16:17] That turns people off and people don't want that they like the relaxation

[00:16:24] And feeling comfortable around being around you. What are your thoughts on that?

[00:16:30] You never read in the bible where jesus pushed himself on anyone

[00:16:33] They came to him

[00:16:35] So, um, I think that's our example is that we don't we don't push ourselves on other people but we

[00:16:42] we

[00:16:43] We talk about it

[00:16:45] We live it in front of them and then if they want to know more they'll they'll talk to us

[00:16:51] And I have a question. Is there anything specifically that comes to mind that you have changed

[00:16:58] Because you have been to keres

[00:17:01] You know just

[00:17:03] In the way you think

[00:17:05] Or whatever. Well, I think a lot of times in the past I would see god as

[00:17:11] well

[00:17:13] Maybe I didn't feel as deserving as I should be could be to him

[00:17:18] I needed to be better than I was and

[00:17:22] I think keres definitely changed that especially the classes on the love of god because now I really

[00:17:29] Honestly, I feel like when I talk to god, I want to say god

[00:17:33] This is your girl. Judy you love me so much. You're my heavenly father

[00:17:38] And I know you're going to take care of this

[00:17:41] And like I was thinking about some health issues and I thought I've got the a team

[00:17:45] I have got the father god the son and god the holy spirit living in me

[00:17:50] And I I've got what it takes to live life

[00:17:53] And I know that he loves me

[00:17:55] And and that's the thing that we have to really realize is the love of god

[00:18:00] The love that he loves us so much

[00:18:03] That he would be willing just to die for us

[00:18:07] That we are so so special

[00:18:09] And and I think that that's really the thing that changed the most is

[00:18:14] Just really realizing that it wasn't

[00:18:18] He loves me on my best day on my worst day like that song says, you know, he loves me

[00:18:23] Yeah, you know and and the thing about it is satan is still real

[00:18:28] And satan is going to try to attack you at your most vulnerable or your weakest position

[00:18:36] And you know, you have had some health issues

[00:18:39] So how do you go about that knowing that you have been healed?

[00:18:44] And when something comes up in your body, how do you deal with that?

[00:18:50] Well, the best thing is to go to the word of god and to know that what the word says about it

[00:18:57] That it says by his stripes. We were healed

[00:18:59] That this is his desire for us

[00:19:03] It is not for us to be sick and it's to think on those things

[00:19:07] And if I wake up in the night and I

[00:19:11] I'm think thoughts or something that are a little bit unsettling. I'll just I'll just say prayer, you know, father god

[00:19:19] I just our daddy. This is jude, you know, I need to go to sleep. I need your sweet peace

[00:19:25] I need to sleep now and I know that you care about me and want me to have sleep

[00:19:30] And invariably I'll go to sleep

[00:19:32] It's like I know that he cares about me and I know that he he does

[00:19:39] He does

[00:19:40] Care about every single thing, you know, it's every hair in my head and

[00:19:44] That and just say the scriptures stand on the word and know that his word is truth

[00:19:50] So bill you asked me the question. How has your life changed since going to care us and

[00:19:56] This year

[00:19:57] What you're doing and going forward. How would you answer that same question?

[00:20:01] Well, I've given this and thought and you know as far as the game of golf goes

[00:20:08] You know for anybody listening and went to care us with me

[00:20:12] Um, I used to think the game of golf. I had it like on a pedestal

[00:20:17] Like golf was actually like a god to me

[00:20:21] It's something I felt I had to do two or three times a week and

[00:20:26] If I didn't do it, I felt like I was missing something

[00:20:31] And I have come to the realization that the game of golf is nothing more than a game

[00:20:36] And it just isn't all that important to me anymore

[00:20:40] And I've definitely put it off that pedestal

[00:20:43] A matter of fact, I am enjoying playing golf every Thursday with a group of guys

[00:20:50] And I usually just always played golf by myself

[00:20:54] I never cared if I played with anybody or not

[00:20:57] But I've totally changed and I want to play with other people

[00:21:02] And I really don't have that much desire to go out on my own and I haven't been going out on my own

[00:21:08] but one of the real

[00:21:10] Realizations I've gotten is that uh, you know, one of the words that god has spoken to me is that we are to be stewards

[00:21:17] And being a steward we happen to have a one half acre property

[00:21:23] And it's a lot of ground that I'm responsible for

[00:21:27] And I want my yard to be the nicest yard there is and there's a lot of upkeep that's required

[00:21:35] You know, I care about every single plant in my yard

[00:21:39] And I know that may sound silly to some people

[00:21:42] But that plant to me is real. It's alive and it wants to do well

[00:21:47] And I want it to do well and if a plant isn't doing well, I'll put fertilizer on it. I'll do the best I can

[00:21:55] I'll sometimes pray for them. I want them to do well

[00:21:58] And if it doesn't do well

[00:22:01] Then I'll replace it with something that wants to be there

[00:22:05] And one thing about florida is you know

[00:22:09] If a plant is happy because they're gonna flower. They're gonna bloom. They're gonna grow

[00:22:15] So there's no question if a plant is happy or not

[00:22:18] And you know, I've been talking to you about this because you know now is the spring

[00:22:23] It's grain the grass is growing and the plants are growing and you know

[00:22:29] Now is the time you have to spend a lot of time out in the yard

[00:22:33] So anyway, I don't want to ask you about stewardship because I know your

[00:22:38] Domain is inside the house. How have you been dealing with that?

[00:22:43] And what are your thoughts of stewarding the inside of the house?

[00:22:47] Well, I can just say that you're an

[00:22:50] inspiration the way he works outside is

[00:22:53] Just admirable. I think other people notice it too. He spends hours out in the yard just working

[00:22:58] And sometimes I'll notice his mouth moving. I think he's praying or talking to god or maybe talking to the plant

[00:23:04] so

[00:23:05] It's it's also a time that alone time that I think that you can

[00:23:11] And communicate with god

[00:23:13] It is and you know, like I said, I used to do that on the golf course

[00:23:17] A lot of times I would talk to god on the golf course and now I do it in my yard

[00:23:22] But I'm being productive at the same time

[00:23:24] And one thing I can't stand is going to bed at night and looking in a mirror and not having accomplished anything that day

[00:23:32] I really really struggle with that and I believe that is to me what a steward is

[00:23:38] Is if you go to bed at night and haven't accomplished anything all day, you've wasted a day

[00:23:44] So I don't know how do you feel about that? Do you feel the same way or am I a little bit over the top there?

[00:23:50] You may be a little more driven than me in that respect because

[00:23:54] Sometimes I just like to read and I don't feel that that's a waste

[00:23:58] And a relaxation is not a waste. You need to have times of relaxation

[00:24:04] It's not all work and it's not all chores and doing this and that but

[00:24:08] I think that my main thing that I'm looking at is the inside of the house and trying to fix it up

[00:24:14] So we have some projects that are in our future here

[00:24:18] Well, you want to go on a little bit of detail and let the audience know what kind of stuff we're doing

[00:24:23] Well, you know just the normal stuff. We have a couple of bathrooms that need remodeling and painting and

[00:24:29] In the inside and yeah, it's just slowly we're doing little things here and there

[00:24:35] So anything else hun that has happened, you know in the last year that god has been dealing specifically with you

[00:24:43] and wanting you to really zero in on and you know get to work on

[00:24:50] I think the biggest thing is just to

[00:24:53] keep doing the right thing and

[00:24:57] Putting my faith in him and not wavering

[00:25:00] Just being um and being a good example to those around me

[00:25:05] If I'm not and I fail sometimes I'm convicted about it, especially with my grandchildren

[00:25:12] if I um do something or say something maybe that's um

[00:25:17] You know, I think oh that wasn't as I wasn't as good as I could have been in that situation, you know

[00:25:23] so um

[00:25:25] just just learning how to

[00:25:28] live life and and

[00:25:31] Being soft toward others and trying to help as much as I can. That's really my main objective

[00:25:39] Yeah, I'm gonna go over one more thing that the lord has been dealing with me, you know, and I spoke about um

[00:25:46] stewardship, but another example

[00:25:49] Is that we are our bodies are a temple of the holy spirit and we are to take care of our bodies

[00:25:57] And you know instead of golfing I've been exercising. I began about three weeks ago

[00:26:03] And I'll go out and work on the elliptical machine

[00:26:07] Work for 50 minutes, and I'm doing right now 10 and a half miles

[00:26:11] So that is less than a five minute mile and I am going to town

[00:26:16] And you know one thing about exercising. I mean really exercising

[00:26:21] I'm not talking about going to the gym and going on the treadmill

[00:26:25] And you know listen to your phone and going just barely walking. You don't ever break up a sweat

[00:26:31] You know when I exercise

[00:26:33] Believe me. I sweat like a pig and uh, you know, I'm I'm lifting weights now

[00:26:39] And that's the same thing, you know, I push myself and after every set

[00:26:43] I am giving all the energy I have

[00:26:47] And you know because of that my body is alive

[00:26:50] And I'm feeling more alive than I have in a long time

[00:26:54] And it's like your body is actually speaking to you

[00:26:57] And in this particular case my body is not happy with me because I am stretching it to the limits

[00:27:04] And you know whenever you make changes like this

[00:27:08] And you know whenever if god asks anyone in the audience listening today if god asks you to do something

[00:27:14] He wants to stretch you

[00:27:17] God has something in store for everyone listening to this podcast today

[00:27:22] And how you react to that is really going to

[00:27:27] You know characterize your life

[00:27:29] How is your life going to go and you know in john tentan?

[00:27:33] It says the thief comes but to steal to kill and to destroy

[00:27:38] But I have come that they may have life

[00:27:42] And have life more abundantly

[00:27:45] So that's my question to you and we're getting ready to close hun

[00:27:48] But how would you answer that question?

[00:27:51] Do you feel like you are living the abundant life?

[00:27:55] And is there anything you may have to change in order for that to happen?

[00:27:59] Oh, I I'm definitely living the abundant life

[00:28:03] God provides for all of our needs

[00:28:05] And we we don't lack

[00:28:08] He's good. He is a good father

[00:28:10] And um, I'm just I'm walking in his blessings. That's all I can say

[00:28:14] Well, you know in second john verse three

[00:28:17] It says I wish above all things that you prosper and be in good health

[00:28:23] Even as your soul prospers

[00:28:26] So for anyone listening today and you have any question about what god's desire is for your life

[00:28:34] That one verse answers everything

[00:28:37] He wants us to prosper in all areas of our life

[00:28:42] physically

[00:28:44] spiritually

[00:28:45] Mentally he wants us to have it all

[00:28:48] So hun, if you would go ahead and close us out

[00:28:52] Just talk to anyone who hasn't

[00:28:55] received Jesus in their life right now or up to this point and let them know

[00:29:01] How important it is and how important god's love is and how real it is

[00:29:07] And why they need to give their heart to jesus. Yes, if you're feeling lonely today

[00:29:13] disillusioned

[00:29:14] Not prospering feeling like overwhelming thoughts about things that are having happening in your life

[00:29:21] I would just encourage you to turn your eyes on jesus

[00:29:25] And look to him because he can be your source of comfort and peace

[00:29:30] If you'll just turn your life over to him and just say a simple prayer

[00:29:34] Just pause and say father god. Thank you for sending jesus

[00:29:39] Thank you that he died on the cross for me

[00:29:43] And thank you that he rose again from the dead and that I can come and live there with with him someday

[00:29:50] And forgive me of my sins and help me to walk the path walk the way that you have

[00:29:56] And live out the purposes that you have for me in my life in jesus name amen

[00:30:01] Amen, thanks hun. That's been a blessing and you know, I'm gonna close with a blessing now

[00:30:07] May the lord bless you and keep you the lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you

[00:30:14] The lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace friends

[00:30:20] Please join me again tomorrow as we further explore wisdom