Biblical Manhood

Hey, this is Tim Pratt Jr. and I want to welcome you to the Student of Life podcast. Listen, we're going to get into so many transferable truths throughout the content of these episodes that I believe God is going to use to help you apply because he's going to reveal what's already been there the entire time. Enjoy. Yo, what's up? So this is Tim Pratt Jr. and this is episode 12 of season 4 and I have a special guest on here. For you, man. My guy Nash, he goes by Nash Speaks on Instagram, uh, from the URC space. And on this episode, man, God laid on my heart to just do a two-part miniseries, uh, just dealing with manhood, biblical or godly manhood. And I just wanted to kind of kick off the first one with the interview from Nash that you'll hear from shortly. And then, uh, I had to be a solo episode on, see, uh, episode 13 will just be kind of like a follow-up with me kind of talking about more so just through the lens of a husband and a father. And then from there, you know, we might be doing one more or two, uh, episodes. I don't, I don't know yet. And then we'll conclude season 4, then get ready for more interviews, uh, for season 5. Uh, so that being said, man, uh, just sit back, relax, grab a notepad. It's so much substance, man. Nash brought so much, so much heat, man. Dropped so many bars. Um, so hey, let's get into it. Hey, what's up? So this is your host, Tim Pratt Jr., the Student Life Podcast, and today I have a very special guest. We're going to call this episode Godly Manhood, and I'm doing it with my boy Nash from the URC space. He's a fellow podcaster, speaker, and soon-to-be author. I'm not going to steal his thunder and tell his book.

I don't know it, so if he wants to share it, he can.

But, uh, his podcast is all about, at a very high level, of helping people unbox their life. And I had to bring, you know, through prayer and just discernment, to kind of kick off this Biblical Manhood series. I just felt in my spirit it was none other than start to kick off the show with my boy Nash, man. So, uh, Nash, I'm excited, man, to have you on this episode. I just want to kind of get into your insights, uh, but before we get started, man, and kind of jump into these segments, man, I want to kind of just turn it over to you. And if you want to add on anything to that or whatever with that intro, man. But like I say, most importantly, I just want to thank you so much again for being on this, being on this episode with me again today, man.

Oh man, I'm, uh, I'm a bit overwhelmed. Thank you for that introduction. When I saw the, the script, you know, when we were in discussion of this, I'm not gonna lie, I felt a little intimidated. I was like, oh, Godly Manhood, I don't know if I'm equipped for that. But you know, God, he, he equips those of us and he gives us what we need. Um, but thank you so much. You know, I've been enjoying following your and everything you're doing in this space and sharing with so many of us. So I'm excited to, uh, you know, bring this conversation with you here and just see where the Lord leads us.

Cool. Awesome, man. Awesome. And like I say, I mean, it's likewise. Um, I know that you're on your first season, but I think I'm about 2 episodes from being caught up with it, man, and I love it. So I've sent it to a lot of friends, man. And, um, oh, thank you. Very, very challenging, man, and just very, very transparent since Tim Pratt Jr. So I really hope you feel like at home on this one today.

Oh, thank you. No, I do. You know, I listen, I listen to you because I love first thing how your, your show is very bite-sized. And so it's very easy for me to listen to you like in a morning routine or just, you know, driving around the corner to go pick up something. And man, it's like I got to pull over and like get a notepad and you just be dropping so much wisdom. So I definitely feel like I'm in good company with you. So I'm really excited about our conversation.

To God be the glory, man. Well, that being said, people, man, like I said, we have an exciting one in store for you today. And like I said, we're going to be talking about godly manhood, biblical manhood, whatever terminology you want to use. But primarily, this is going to be the first part of a series, and I'm kind of going to conclude, uh, conclude season 4 with, uh— so one of the things out the gate, Nash, man, um, when you look at the landscape today of manhood, you know, you have the male versus a man. And so I think that, you know, according to Tony Evans, um, he's one of my favorite people to talk about the whole Kingdom Man thing. I just think his contributions to it is amazing. And one of the things I like that he says, that we're all born males but we have to become a man, and the only way we can become a man is through Christ. And so therefore, when you look at manhood today in today's society, you know, it's just, it's loose. I mean, you know, everything, you know, it's just from, well, I'm a man if I can lay it down, you know, I'm a man if I can slang it, I'm a man if I can make other kids and stuff. And before we kind of move forward, like I say, just to kind of set the context for this episode, it's not about being perfect. We never can reach perfection, but we still should strive to be a godly man, a biblical man. And so I just kind of want to see your thoughts on that. It's basically like, what is manhood defined to you from a biblical standpoint? And, you know, just kind of walk us through your thoughts on that topic.

Ooh, all right, that's where we're starting. That's a heavy question. You know, I just want to preface something before I get into my view of biblical manhood. You know, I grew up not having my father in my home. And I did not have father figures or male figures to kind of show me what it is or was I'm supposed to, you know, grow into. You know, you can read the books, you know, you can watch the documentaries. But it's a lot different when you have somebody in your home 24/7 to really show you how it's done. So my definition came from one of the first things that I got really addicted to. And that's the word. I mean, biblical, you know, or manhood for me is someone who is simply surrendered to God.

Right, right.

You know, when I look at, uh, you know, the life of so many of our heroes of faith like Abraham and Moses and Noah, and the constant thread you see in all of their stories is they were willing to be surrendered and yielded to God, right? And, um, I— it's not— and like you were saying, you know, it's not about being perfect, right? Because you even look at all of them, you know, Abraham, you know, wasn't perfect. He stepped out of, you know, believing God and, you know, went along with sleeping with his, uh, concubine Hagar. You know, Noah got drunk after the flood. Um, you know, I mean, there's so many instances where imperfect people, uh, were still known and seen to be surrendered to God.

Yes.

And I think at the end of the day, and whatever flaws we have, whatever things are are not quote unquote, you know, manly about us or holding up to the standard. God ultimately, he knew that when he created us. He just wants us to be surrendered to him. And so when I think of godly manhood, I just think of someone who is a man who is willing to be surrendered to God and not being so focused on being perfect or getting into the perfection of things, but just having the open heart to consider what it is that the Lord is putting before them and to believe him.

Yes.

And, um, you know, I think, I think that's kind of where my basis of manhood is.

No, no, man. So to piggyback off of that, Nash, man, I totally agree. And, you know, just kind of like, even like listening to your content, uh, just being straight up with you, Um, I was listening to it, man, and it just intrigued me even before this episode, or just leading this, basically kicking off this series to study the life of Samson. And like a lot of people, you know, we in a Sunday school view, you know, Samson was kind of the, the Incredible Hulk before it was an Incredible Hulk.

Yeah, yeah, he was He-Man. Yeah, right.

So, um, and so when I look at him though, man, I was like, you know, here's this man that has all of these, you know, strong, uh, just you can relate them to us. Like, just think areas that were so strong in it, but he was very strong physically, but his will for God was weak, if that makes sense. And so with me, as, as I take a step back and I think about manhood, I just think that it has to change. And so in other words is that with the Holy Spirit, you know, when it's— all of us have some self self in us, you know, especially men, you know, in the context of this episode. Uh, women too, but like I said, we focusing on man on this one. So, so, um, and, uh, but all of us have some self in us. And so I know that it's just typical male desires that are there. And I like one of the things that you said about like fully surrendering and doing what he said, because I believe the, the more that we surrender to God, the more that we die to self the more of God that we have. But it's going to hurt because, like I say, we're consistently bombarded with— in this world, the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God. We're consistently bombarded with what a man is supposed to be. And so it's this war that we have, man. So anywho, I just— I, I really agree with you on that. And then too, like I say, I had my father in my life. He was a very consistent presence. But what makes me just so amazed that God, man, is kind of listening to you, how you navigate through your content that God gives you, man. And I would have thought that you would have had a father in your life.

Oh, do not do that. I will— oh my goodness, I'm getting ready to cry right here in the studio. Oh my goodness. Wow.

So it's just amazing what Jesus can do, man.

It's just—

yeah, isn't what Jesus can do when you consider it. And I mean that like straight up, bro. Like, just listening to you, you would have thought you had that guidance in your life all the way through. So you just show me the evidence of what a surrendered life looks like, man, in true biblical manhood, shape, form, or fashion. In other words, God qualified you, bro.

Oh, that's how we're starting this show. Okay, they didn't tell me I needed Kleenex today in the studio, but I got, I got something here.

Praise God. Praise God. Just, um, it's just real, man. It's so kind of one of the follow-ups I kind of want to ask you, man. Is that what do you think, just kind of going on looking at today, are those common weaknesses, you know, that stopping men from being godly? Uh, just off, just, you know, off the top of the cuff, what do you think?

Yeah, um, well, there's another thing that just kind of comes to mind when I think about being surrendered to God, being surrendered to him, and then also embracing the grace that he abounds to us. You know, he abounds it, but we have to embrace it and receive it for ourselves. And I think that is what makes the hard things easy. And I think as men, we compartmentalize, you know, a lot of our lives, you know, this is my love life, this is my work life, this is my family life, this is my, you know, work, this is all these things that we compartmentalize. And in that, we can become intimidated with the different elements in each of those, right? But when we can find ourselves not just surrendered, but also embracing the grace that God gives us, he makes whatever is hard or whatever is challenging, he makes He makes it easy for us and we can find ourselves then entering into a rest, a rest we could never experience. And I love the acronym for rest, releasing every single thing. And that is where we should be because when we rest, he works. But when we work, he rests. You know, one of my favorite passages or Psalms is the 23rd Psalm, which I think is familiar with a lot of people who are believers or Christians and maybe even people who are not because I think the 23rd Psalm, you know, by David, Everybody knows that. And it has been historically surfaced or unearthed that he wrote that psalm about being protected, being restored, being provided for right before he went to go slay Goliath.

Wow, wow.

Talk about like being surrendered, embracing grace, shifting into rest, going to slay a giant. Wow. I mean, this is a boy who is getting ready to, you know, kill a man and he's at rest.

Wow.

I mean, like, that's just something else I just want to add to the element of a man who is surrendered to God. He's also at rest and also embracing grace. But with looking at Samson— praise God— but when looking at Samson, we got the Holy Ghost. We only went in the organ to pump this. The Holy Ghost gonna pump this one. But, you know, when looking at Samson and, you know, we look at his weaknesses, right? And essentially, at the core of it, he lost sight of his vision. And I'm not just talking about the physical vision of his eyesight, which did happen. You know, he lost sight of the vision that God gave him and who he really knew himself to be.

He—

okay, hold on, lemme say that again— and who he knew himself to be, and he would not have given over his secret. And the same instance can be seen with Esau. You know, he was in a weak, famished moment, and he gave up his whole inheritance, his whole inheritance for a bowl of soup. And this is what we do when we decide to do whatever it is that is kind of our thorn in the flesh or troubling us, you know, one more time. You know, we're giving up our entire, just, livelihood of being able to be at peace and rest for whatever that bowl of soup may be. And when I look at some of the different common weaknesses that we can relate to, I think at the core of us as men, and as you were alluding to a little bit earlier, you know, we are wired physically. And, you know, our eyes may see things or get us intrigued with things, or, you know, we might, our heads might turn in certain ways. And that is a constant battle for those of us who are actually, you know, trying to live lives surrendered to God and committed to the Lord. But if we're honest with ourselves, you know, because there is still flesh in us, if we're honest with ourselves, we'd like or we don't mind having whatever that is around. And I think that's the first problem is that in the weaknesses, we're not admitting that there is even a weakness.

Wow, yes, yes, man, don't even—

We're not even admitting that there's a weakness and we're not even admitting that there's a problem that needs help.

Yes.

And so, like, we can be someone who, okay, you know, I'm struggling with, you know, going to the strip club. Okay. There's a part of you or a part of me that likes going to the strip club at the core. There's a part of you, there's a part of me that likes going to the strip club.

Yeah.

And so we have to be real with ourselves or, you know, it could be pornography or it could be, you know, I like this new secretary who's working in the office and I'm staying late because, nah, I'm telling myself that I really am helping her, you know, kind of get adjusted, but really I just like being around her presence. I like the attention that she's showing me. I like the conversation that we're able to have. There's a part of us that likes that. And we have to just admit in the weaknesses, in my flesh, on its own, there's a part that likes this. But when we really can get ourselves to understanding, hmm, there's a part that likes it, but the part that likes it God, I am working with you. I'm striving to surrender this to you as well. Because I've surrendered, you know, the gambling. I've surrendered the drinking. I've surrendered the fighting folk in the street. I've surrendered, you know, cussing out my boss. Like, I've surrendered all these other areas where I've had challenges or where I've had struggle. But this one right here, I kind of like it. And I need you to help me with this surrender and laying it down. And I think with that, we also have to be careful be cognizant of who we're hanging around because—

Totally agree. Totally.

—the enemy can use anyone to encourage us in things that we know that we shouldn't be doing, but we still like at the core. And even with that, it goes back to just being plugged into the Word of God. And if we're out of touch with the Word and what it says and not adopting it as our daily belief, our thoughts and our mind and just— it can just be a battleground that the enemy will just use for his advantage if we allow him to. And I think in that, some of the things that we struggle with, whether it be, you know, I don't know, pornography, masturbation, strip clubs. Okay, I'm sorry, I'm getting transparent here. I hope that's okay. You know, all of these things, we're scared to say them to anyone because I think there's a part of this Christian culture, like, "Oh, because you're a Christian, you should never struggle with that." I remembered I was having a conversation with— yeah, I remember I was having a conversation with a family member. I won't say the name, you know, to keep the innocent and the guilty protected. And me and this family member, we were talking about church leadership. And it was revealed at a particular church that there were a number of pastors who were struggling with pornography in the neighborhood. And, you know, their first response was, "I didn't know that Christian, let alone Christian leadership men, were struggling with pornography." Wow. And my first question to her was, "Is pornography a Christian problem or is that a human problem?" Mm. Because when you take off the mantle of pastor, shepherd, leader, minister, elder, whatever, they're still a human. And that is— it's not a problem that you are now automatically exempt from being confronted with because now you are in the cloth or you have the collar on. You still are going to be faced with those things. And I think they're, you know, just what that family member's response, it's like, okay, I can see why nobody wants to open up because they're afraid they're going to be judged or they're afraid that they're going to be, you know, criticized or like, why are you struggling? What do you mean you're watching that like, no, like, you're in Christ and you're free and you're this and you're that. It's like, we don't need the Christian toxic positivity right now. We need someone to just meet us where we are, you know? And that's what Jesus did, right? I mean, when he went to go meet with the woman at the well, he went into her mess, right? He went into her mess. He knew exactly that she was going to the well at that particular time because she was ashamed of the life that she was living. She knew how people talked about her. She knew, the word on the street, she knew it all. And she wanted to make sure she could just get her water and leave and not have to deal with it. And Jesus intentionally positioned himself to meet her where she was. He met her where she was, and not only did he meet her, he spoke to her in a way that she could, one, understand, two, feel convicted without feeling condemned, and three, she became one of the biggest evangelists. She started telling everyone, "I met a man who told me about myself, who knew this, who did that." you know, did-a-da-da-da, and she was transformed that day because Jesus met her in her mess. And we gotta be careful with that too as Christians because we can get on this, oh, I'm just gonna meet everybody in their mess, and then you start becoming the mess, you know? Remember, Jesus didn't become the mess, you know? And I think he'll be very clear with those with whom is an assignment that we're supposed to be engaged with and we're supposed to be intentional with, but, I know I kind of talked around the bush there, but when looking at the weaknesses— Yeah, but when looking at the weaknesses and what's really stopping us from being godly men, I think all of those things are kind of intertwined. But at the core of it, it's we're not admitting that we like the thing that is keeping us ensnared or stumbled or, you know, kind of shackled to not being fully on with God.

Right. Man, I wholeheartedly agree. And I, I don't even know, I just, I love that, man, because it was so much substance in there. And just kind of one of the things that really jumped out to me, which you said, was like, you know, I often say this, uh, when I'm, when I'm, uh, preaching or having an opportunity to speak, uh, but I kind of said in two different, uh, ways. So I, I was out with a guy, uh, we was having lunch, and, you know, he was saying that, um, he said, man, we were just, we're talking about, like you say, owning up to it. Like, it's like we have this thing in our head, like, okay, God knows everything, he knows the beginning from the end. I mean, he literally knows everything, but it's like in our mind, somehow, some way, the devil kind of try to deceive us. And like, okay, if you don't say it, then God doesn't know it, you know? Yeah. So yeah, and it's like, but he was like, man, listen, something just happened right now, but I love Jesus more. He was like, it's that simple. I seen something that my flesh desires, but I love Jesus more. Okay, my dad, you know, uh, I've picked this up from him. I love God, I love my wife, and I love my family. When I see something, I can be out, you know. Right now, uh, down here in the South, we're moving into what they call sundress season.

Oh, so hallelujah, glory, glory.

I mean I mean, no matter how safe you are, I just believe if most men— like you say, when you— that mantle, man, before the titles and all of that, it is a man. Um, and I believe if most men, you know, be honest— I mean, temptation is out there. And, you know, we— my dad did this series and I did one part of it, uh, where it was like a 5 or 6 part series called Battling Temptations. And you hit on a lot of things, man, just with substance. And I think, like I say, the, the first way to overcome any weakness, man, but especially in the context of this episode, is that we have to acknowledge it. Paul did this. Yeah, Paul wrote this in Romans 7 and 8. It's just so beautiful, man. And especially when you get around verse 14 through 24, when he talks about this war, like, did my flesh— I desire to do these things in my flesh, but with my mind I serve the law of of Christ, meaning that I believe that we have to talk to ourselves. Now I'm not saying answer yourself, but talk to yourself, man. Crucify this flesh. And so many times it's like we're waiting on the Holy Spirit to crucify, but the instructions from the word of God is we crucify, we mortify this flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit. And we can only do that by the renewing of our mind with the word of God. And so with me, man, I just I tell dudes all the time, you know, I just released this episode this past Monday called My Mind Playing Tricks on Me.

And yeah, I got it saved.

And Nash, I'm just being real with you, man. It's thoughts that certain things I haven't looked at since high school, since college, and I can see these images so clear sometimes, man, where it's like somebody— like stuff I haven't looked at I'm 31. Stuff I haven't looked at in like 15 years, man. And it's like, it's so clear. And it's like the names, man, uh, from pornography and so on. And I have to talk to my wife about this, man, where it leads to dreams and stuff. And I'm like, okay, wow. Um, and you know the type of dreams I'm talking about, you know? And it's like, okay, yeah, all right, man. Like, is this me? Is this, is this something with me? Like, Lord, search me. And so I— because I don't want to carry out— and one thing that I tell a lot of young men or just men in general. It's like, I know what the word said about thinking it in your heart. I get that, that is scripture. But also too, don't fall for the deception of the enemy, man. Just because it's a stronghold thought that, that you might be struggling with to take captive, that doesn't mean that you have to carry that action out. Yeah, you don't have to let that manifest to the physical action of it. And a lot of times, I know we talked about this on yours, is that accountability, man. Accountability is is so huge. And I— one day the Lord gonna release me to just do a whole series on accountability.

All right, I'm in agreement with that, man.

But I think that just gives us the perfect segue, man, into like what we were going to talk about, overcoming these weaknesses. And I just kind of want to read something else, if you don't mind. Yeah, please. Uh, that I kind of got out of a book, and it was by, uh, John McCain. You know, Republican, love or hate him, but I tend to just agree with the truth. I don't— I'm not pro neither one.

But this came from John McCain. I admire him a lot. So I, I really love of his convictions.

Yeah, but he, he wrote that you must know the difference between right and wrong because sometimes you will be tempted to do things that you know that are not right, and no one will know that you did it, but you will know. How many of us place our convictions above our lives? You have to know your non-negotiable things you won't sell. What are the things that you won't retreat from, that you will not compromise? Have you written them down? One of the most powerful tools for compromising is rationalizing. You will be well served to write down and vocalize your convictions so when you are faced with a temptation to compromise, you'll have the power to resist. Let the courage of your convictions drive you to stand tall in truth. Nash, when I read that, that's something I used to read daily because I can literally back all this up with scripture through the power of God. Yeah, but this was so relatable. And Nash, man, I had to like literally read this like 30 days straight because of just things. And of course, you know, going back and putting scripture as well, but this was so timely for me in a place I was in my life when I read this. And I'm a quote person because I just— yeah, it's like the quotes, quotes kind of remind me of scripture in a way. And so I try to tell people, like, when I meet people that aren't as biblical, uh, I tend to like give them quotes that scripture still can support because they might not want to hear the Bible right now.

Yeah, but meeting people where they are, that's it.

Yeah, exactly, same thing as you said. But, and it's like, man, and then as they see these things, you know, we, we dive deeper, you know, and and the Lord takes care of that because I can't convict, man. It's only Holy Spirit. But everything that you said, Nash, man, I think it leads into this is how we overcome temptation. So yeah, recognize the struggle, but I just feel like you perfectly graced— like God just had you, man, as you were communicating how you graced into like also too this is how you overcome it. And so I just kind of want to ask you, man, like in a way, if you can kind of extract some of those things, uh, what do you think like people can practice? Maybe just a few things people can just in bite size, like what can they practice to say, okay, this is what I'm going to do to overcome these temptations that I'm dealing with?

Yeah. Oh, that's such a— that's another heavy question. And I think before I share, just my heart on this. I think everyone needs to position and posture themselves to go before the Lord and really lean in with the Holy Spirit to see what is gonna be the most practical for them. Okay. And how they can move forward in this. But I'm gonna share some things, but I also just wanna just preface with that. So I know, I think for me, and this is gonna sound just very, out there, like, "What are you talking about?" But the first thing I'm going to recommend is being still, being quiet, silencing the noise, and being before God with no agenda. I'm talking just sitting in a place where you can just be quiet and just listen. I'm getting ready to embark on just some crazy things on the horizon. You mentioned a few, you know, the book is coming out. And it's gonna require a lot from me. And I'm having to make a lot of big decisions and photo shoots and audiobook and all of this stuff and website and book tour and all of these things. And there's just, I need clarity. I need to have a direct answer and direct vision from making sure that I'm in step with God wants me to be. And one morning I was in my, time with him and he just told me, you're gonna hear the answers that you're seeking for in the silence. Wow. Wow. And it was in that moment when I said, okay, I'm scaling back social media. Now again, this is me, you know, and I went to God for this for myself. And I think everyone should go to God for themselves. But I'm just saying, this is what I got. I silenced social media. I started kind of restricting when and when and how I send text messages, when do I check my emails. I started putting, you know, kind of blocks on different things so that there could be more silence around me. I started driving in my car with just like not listening to anything. Just so that I don't wanna miss it. You know, like, you know, just, you know, it's like, what was it, oh my goodness, was it Elijah who had said, you know, it wasn't in the thundering, it wasn't in the lightning, you know, it was in the stillness. Still small voice. That's where he heard it. So I definitely think, you know, in order to overcome, your personal crafted success plan is gonna come from the Lord, and it may come when you're simply just silent with him. And I think that that's the first thing. I think the second thing that we can consider is just simply being honest with God. Being honest with yourself. And, you know, I'm not trying to get too much ahead, but you had mentioned it with accountability, at least one other brother. Like, I just find that to just be a must. You know, God already knows and he is not fazed by any of it. But when you can tell someone else, I have found that to really be the antidote to breaking the power of secrecy and the power of what I, you know, wanna call shame management or lust management or whatever it is, whatever management it is that you might be struggling with. And I think you can find yourself shifting from that kind of a management to fully embracing this freedom that he died to give us. You know, Galatians 5:1 is one of my favorite verses. You know, "In this freedom Christ has made us free and completely liberated us. Stand fast then, and do not be hampered and held ensnared and submit again to a yoke of slavery which you once put off." You know, there is a freedom that he died for us to have. And, you know, Paul said, "I'm free to do anything, but it doesn't mean that everything is permissible for me to do." And getting a revelation of the grace that is abounding to you, but also the freedom where you reside and how God sees you. So I definitely think that those are just a few things, but, you know, ultimately, I think every person or every man should go to the Lord for themselves to see what their particular action plan is going to be. Because for someone else, it might be, you need to listen to this particular album, or you need to read this book, or you need to, you know, there might be something that the Holy Spirit is trying to get to you, 'cause he knows how to reach you where you are, whatever phase in life you're in. So I definitely, you know, I push that more than, you know, anything else that I said. Um, yeah, that, that's, that's what comes off the cuff to me at the top of the mind.

No, that was, that was awesome, man. And I really think that kind of leads us to our closings, uh, like you say, man. But I, I, I totally agree. Like you said, you have to— and that, well, anytime, um, you know, the Lord leads me to minister a message, man, I'm speaking on here. And you're even helping me, you know, even just make sure it's that reminder, or just, you know, challenging me as you were talking to just make sure, um, that I always tell people, man, to— I'm— I just— my primary goal is to point people to Christ, uh, you know, just point them to Christ. Because like I said, what it looks like in the context of my life might be different than yours. Uh, that's why I'm a very principle-centered person, because even when I'm reading the Bible, you know, through the— through the power of the Holy Spirit, I'm trying to extract principles, uh, through that guidance, man. Because although my content, like when you look at biblical passages and stories, like, you know, I'm not slaying giants, you know.

Yeah, same here. You're in good company, right? Exactly.

But I might be, or, you know, I might not be actually talking to a woman in the— at the well, but I might be talking to a woman in the grocery store, or a man, you know, in the grocery store, or a kid, man, or something like that. So sometimes I tell people, you know, don't skip over the story in the Bible, but at the same time, what is the principle? What, what is God teaching you? What is he showing you to apply? And I think if more people look at the Bible that way and help— and, and the Holy Spirit, you know, pray like you say, go to God, and he brings you in shape. Because the devil, yeah, um, man, it's customized temptations. Like you said, everything looks different for everybody. You and I, as we're going through this episode, you might not have the same struggles that I have, and I might not have the same struggles that you have. But at the end of the day, just how we were having this conversation on this episode, I still see the similarity. I still see the similarity is that we're being tempted. And some of these things are self-desire. Some of them I do believe is the devil setting the stage, because if we be honest some of us, everything is not the devil, Nash.

Okay, can we just say that? Can that just be aired out? Like, that's the truth. That's the truth. That is the truth.

So some things are just us, you know. And I'll leave, leave with this, man. And like I said, as you close out this episode, but my dad, you know, he often, as well as my father-in-law, you know, one thing they always used to say, they said that I guarantee right now if you could strip, strip away the devil and his stems, his demon influence, a demonic influence, or whatever, and you just leave us to our flesh, leave it to our flesh. And even if somebody puts you in a straitjacket and locked you up in a room, I promise you, I guarantee you that you are still going to have issues in your members. Mm, because it's you. And that's what Tony Evans beautifully described in most of his books, you know, especially like I say, if you're a man out there, I highly recommend plugging into the Kingdom Man book by Tony Evans, man.

It's— yeah, and he just had— and the follow-up one just came out, Kingdom Man Rising.

Yes, man. And Tony Evans, man, I'm telling you, people, man, like, you would be truly blessed by that. And that's so, man. All of that being said, like I say, I, I think that you gracefully described everything. But the most important, like you say, man, is for all of us that the lesson that I took from you in that and what I learned, man, is that even in listening to this, make sure that you lay before God, that you get before God and let him direct you in that, man. And so now, as that being said, man, do you have any, just like I say, I don't really put a number to it, it could be 1, 2, 3, you know, just closing remarks just a recap of just kind of the main point that if somebody just skipped to the last 2 minutes of this, what would you want them to take away from this, man?

Ooh, okay. A lot. But the first thing that comes— well, I want to go back to 2 things that we had talked about earlier in our conversation today. And the first thing was on, you know, you were saying like the flashback and the thoughts, and that kind of goes in with the customized temptation that you were just saying. The devil does not come at us with anything new. And I just want folks to know that this is not a new thing that he's trying with you. You know, the same cunning, conniving, "Did God really say?" I think you would be, you know, all of that reconsideration, all of that has been happening since the Garden of Eden. I mean, there's nothing new. Satan ain't got no new tricks. But I do believe that we can begin trying new things that will reinforce and fortify ourselves. To really overcoming that. And I'm just a believer that God can do whatever he wants. You know, I was talking to a friend and, you know, we were discussing about a very prominent minister and how this minister and her husband, they both had struggled with smoking for some years. And, you know, she said, "I'm gonna quit smoking." He said, "I'm gonna quit smoking." He threw his cigarettes in the trash, never smoked a cigarette another day in his life. She put her cigarettes in the trash and she's digging up, you know, the buds out of the trash and trying to find them in the car and all, and, you know, and struggled and struggled and struggled and struggled and struggled. And I say all that to say both of them ultimately wind up becoming free from wanting to smoke and aren't smokers today. But there is something in that. We cannot compare our struggles with someone else's. So you were saying what I struggle with and what you struggle with, you know, we just can't do that. And so the first thing I would say is definitely don't compare your journey your journey with someone else's. Just because God instantly maybe set someone free from something that you've been wrestling with and battling with for a while, there's a reason for that. God is trying to give you a different song to sing. He's trying to give you a different sound that nobody else is gonna be able to have because of what you're gonna have. So, you know, that minister's husband can get up and say, I don't smoke anymore. And God be like, woo, you know, and she gets up and says, well, I don't smoke anymore, but that's because I had to da da da di da da di da da di da da, and we go like, oh, oh, you know, We get behind that with some amens. So just don't compare yourself and don't compare your story and what God is doing with you with someone else because God can do whatever he wants. If he wants to take it away tomorrow, he could. If he wanted to do it today, he could. We have to trust the process and not allow the process to distract us from the promise that he has given us. I think another thing is getting ourselves connected into a Bible-believing, I'm gonna say Bible-believing again, church. And if you can't do that, you know, You know, get into the Word for yourself. Establish your own relationship with the Word because that's really where it starts. Yes. You know, we can get business acumen from studying the Word. We can get communication tips from studying the Word. We can get so much from studying the Word. And wherever it is that you might feel that you have had lack in your life or you haven't had guidance or oversight, you can get that in the word. And so that is just so, I mean, it's just so key. I mean, like, you know, you were just saying like, wow, I didn't know that you didn't have your father in your life. Like, I mean, the full, you know, totality of that is because I've established myself to have a relationship with the word and following his voice and where it is that he wants me to go. I think you mentioned it earlier too, embracing the word accountability. It's really gonna take you a really long way. You know, when you can confess whatever it is that you're struggling with, and maybe you don't struggle with anything, but just to have another brother in life that you can just openly and candidly share with, that is just gonna help you in so many levels. And I think, you know, looking at it as brotherhood and not necessarily some sort of trip to the principal's office, like, "Oh, I'm in trouble. I gotta say this is what happened," or this is, you know, "I had this slip up," or, you know, All of that is not involved with accountability. And I think Covenant Eyes does a really good job of really breaking down what accountability is and what it's not. And if you go to their website, covenanteyes.com, you can find just a whole slew of resources to help you kind of craft and see where and how you should look for an accountability partner and who would be a good accountability partner for you. And then, you know, like I said, connecting yourself with a brother that you can pour into and someone who is pouring into you. We should all have a Paul, somebody who is pouring into us, who is reviving us, encouraging us, restoring us, spurring us on. And then we should be doing that to somebody else. Because when we have that kind of flow, you know, someone's coming down to us, we're pouring into someone else, it just puts you in, I believe, the original intention of what manhood is supposed to be. You know, brothers just helping brothers from all different walks of life. And I'm just— I've seen the benefits of that in my own life. The men that I have been able to really become close with and those who are pouring into me and those who I get to pour back into. And I've just seen a complete shift of when I have all of this in my life versus when I didn't have it in my life. Wow. Not saying that I still don't have the temptations and I still don't have the struggles. Those things are still there and those things are still probably gonna be there every day, you know? But I have a successful hedge of men who are walking through it with me. And I think ultimately that's what we should do as men. We should not feel like we need to walk through this life alone. We were not built to be islands. That wasn't the intention of God's design for us. And we gotta get out of that style of living and be willing to connect with some other brothers and with the Lord so that we can really embrace the life he, he died for us to have.

Yes, man. Nash, man, that was beautiful, man. I just straight up, like I say, people, guys, ladies too, I mean, like I said, you might be dating, you might be married if you're tuning into this, man. Hey, your brother, your friend, your best friend, cousin, whoever, uh, man, this right here was so beautiful, Nash, man. And I just, uh, I'm, you know, just basically encouraging people to plug in, man. And like I say, Uh, for you all that's rocking with me, man, the URC space, man, it— I'm telling you, it's been a blessing to me. Uh, I'm trying not to steal some of Nash's content, but in all truthfulness, man, I just want to piggyback off of one thing you said, man, and that's, um, what you talked about with, uh, just being truly connected to God. Because for me, man, I tell people all all the time. If you look at me then, you know, versus now, I'm a better husband, I'm a better father, man, I'm a better friend, I'm a better man, uh, I'm a better just associate, a co-worker, you know, business partner, whatever. The only reason that I'm better in these areas is not because of the self-help books— they do help— but it's because of God, man. It is because of God. And, and And the last thing I want to say, man, is what you said, is that I tell people— I'm not saying I don't believe ministry should be born and endured, you know, and all that type of stuff, but you have to get— as Nash said, get into a Bible-based church. Yeah, worship, you know, the music. I joked about the organ, but all that stuff that I tell people, man, don't get caught up in the antics. All that stuff has its place, but you want it to be sound doctrine. And then most importantly, people, them demonstrating, not just teaching it, but demonstrating it with their lives. You will know them by their fruits. But yes, pay attention to the fruit through the power of the Holy Spirit. So Nash, man, I want to thank you again, man, for just jumping on here with me, man. I, I have to bring you back on as I get into things, man.

Oh, that'd be so much fun. Just, man, it's likewise, man.

It's, it's likewise, bro, man. The love that I have for you, man. And just so people can know So, uh, we just met through Instagram, man. Yeah, I've been knowing you my whole life, to be honest. Yeah, bro. Yeah, God is good.

Social media can be used in very powerful ways.

I just look at it that this was God ordained, man. Nash always trying to send me little quick things, man, and you don't realize how much. Uh, and I just want to encourage people, I just got to share this on my spirit, you know, man. Nash hit me with little quick text messages, a little links, man, and it's just little things like that, bro, uh, that I tell people and I try to find myself doing it too. Because you never know what someone is going through, man. So Nash, man, I truly appreciate, man, this relationship, man, as it evolved into just a friendship and a brotherhood, man, through the power of God. And, um, hey, you know, I tell people, man, find people like it. You know, I pray that every man can find kind of like that Nash in their life.

Oh, whoa, no, not that much pressure.

No, it's like, in all seriousness though, man, So Nash, I want to thank you again, man. And if you want to, uh, Nash, just feel free, but, uh, just quick shout out, man, as, uh, if you know people, if they want to kind of get in contact with you, if you just want to kind of share that real quick here, man.

Oh yeah, thanks. Yeah, um, I am still, you know, getting things kind of in, in gear with my website, but you can just follow me on Instagram. I'm there at Nash Speaks Live. Um, yeah, that's pretty much it. Uh, the URC Space is streamed on wherever you listen to your podcast— Apple, Spotify, Google, the whole, the whole nine. You go to anchor.fm/nashspeakslive and you can just get the full details of the show there.

Awesome, awesome, man. Like I say, I'll definitely make sure to get those links, uh, in the notes within this episode. So hey everybody, man, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to rock with us. I hope this has blessed or impacted you in some kind of way. And, uh, as always, man, God is love. Be blessed. Hey, what's up? I want to thank you for taking the time to listen to this Tim Pratt Jr. podcast. If this content has impacted you in any kind of way, please take some time to share it on your social media feeds. And also, if you want to connect with me or just learn more about me, go over to www.timothyprattjr.org. Once again, thanks.