The Hamilton Corner

March 21, 2025 · 48:48

Guest host Dr. Alex McFarland is joined by Pastor Paul Blair, Founder of the Liberty Pastors Network

Culture & Media

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Guest host Dr. Alex McFarland is joined by Pastor Paul Blair, Founder of the Liberty Pastors Network www.afaaction.net/life To donate call : 877-616-2396

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  1. 0:00Darkness is not an affirmative force.
  2. 0:02It simply reoccupies the space vacated by the light.
  3. 0:06This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio.
  4. 0:10It should be uncomfortable for a believer to live as a hypocrite.
  5. 0:15Delivering people out of the bondage of mainstream media.
  6. 0:18And the philosophies of this world.
  7. 0:20God has called you and me to be His ambassador.
  8. 0:24Even in this dark moment.
  9. 0:26Let's not miss our moment.
  10. 0:28and now the Hamilton Corner.
  11. 0:33In Matthew 28, 1819 and 20, the New Testament contains one of the key passages that we often
  12. 0:40call the Great Commission.
  13. 0:42Now in Matthew 28, 1819 Jesus says as he's ascending back to heaven, the risen Jesus is
  14. 0:51giving this commission, this assignment to the church.
  15. 0:54And he says, go into all nations, make disciples, and it's very interesting, verse 20, teaching
  16. 1:01them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
  17. 1:06Hi, Alex McFarland here.
  18. 1:07It's great honor to be sitting in today for Abe Hamilton.
  19. 1:10The third attorney pastor, journalist Abe Hamilton is traveling.
  20. 1:14And we've got a great show, and we're going to visit with just a pastor, an author, and
  21. 1:20leader, a public figure for whom I have so much respect, Reverend Paul Blair of Oklahoma.
  22. 1:27But as we bring Paul up, I want to hone in momentarily about Christ's assignment that the
  23. 1:34church go and yes, we are to make disciples and win souls, evangelize people.
  24. 1:40But then it goes on and Jesus says in Matthew 28, 20, teach them to observe all things whatsoever
  25. 1:49I have commanded you.
  26. 1:50Now that being our assignment, here is the question that I posed to you.
  27. 1:55What is the role of the pastor?
  28. 1:58What is the role of the church?
  29. 2:00Yes, we talk about the love of Jesus.
  30. 2:04Call on Jesus and be saved.
  31. 2:07But what about the other topics that we find within the pages of God's holy word?
  32. 2:12What about marriage, morality, gender, human sexuality, human government?
  33. 2:18constitutes just and righteous government what would be oppressive, unrighteous government.
  34. 2:27What about even things like self-defense or should a Christian be in law enforcement?
  35. 2:34I believe, and we'll get the wisdom of Paul Blair in just a second, but maybe in this
  36. 2:41admonition to teach all things that God has addressed in his book, the Bible. There are
  37. 2:48some topics that maybe the church has been silent on and it's time, maybe it's even past
  38. 2:55time, that we as pastors, Christians, leaders, we rise up and we tell our culture what these
  39. 3:03all things God has commanded, what some of those things might be. Well somebody who is
  40. 3:09doing that and is doing it well is Pastor Paul Blair. He and I have been friends for a decade
  41. 3:15or more and really when it comes to being a shepherd, a pastor, a scholar, a role model,
  42. 3:22I mean this man fits the bill and then some. He's in Oklahoma, they also have a church in Florida.
  43. 3:29We're going to learn all things that he and his family and their church are doing and I think
  44. 3:34think it's going to inspire and inform no matter where you are in America, if like myself,
  45. 3:41you love God and country and you believe that our nation needs a biblical worldview once
  46. 3:47again. Paul Blair is a great voice to listen to. He's our guest right now on AFR. Pastor
  47. 3:54Paul Blair, welcome to the program. Thanks for being with us. But even more importantly,
  48. 3:58you for all that you do for our nation.
  49. 4:02Well, thank you, Alex, and it's always a joy to be honored with you, and thank you for the
  50. 4:07opportunity to share the next hour with you.
  51. 4:09I'm looking forward to it.
  52. 4:10Well indeed, indeed.
  53. 4:12I want to talk about a biblical worldview and the role, the call of a minister, but I want
  54. 4:18to hear about your journey.
  55. 4:20How did, and I mean that no flattery, no embellishment.
  56. 4:24I have such respect for you because you, in my opinion,
  57. 4:28are the personification of what a New Testament pastor is.
  58. 4:32How did God raise up Paul Blair?
  59. 4:37Well, you know, there are certainly regrets I have
  60. 4:41in my life, I've spoken to my lovely wife
  61. 4:44of almost 36 years yesterday,
  62. 4:47but God has used all that to put together the package
  63. 4:51that sits before you today.
  64. 4:53So it is a Romans 828.
  65. 4:55And I grew up in a strong Christian home.
  66. 4:58My father was a Bible-cation of Baptist minister.
  67. 5:01I made a profession of faith and I was six years old.
  68. 5:04I had a mother that taught me the Bible from as early
  69. 5:08as I can remember.
  70. 5:09In fact, she read me the Bible when I was still
  71. 5:12before I had been born.
  72. 5:13So I've said, you know, I accepted Christ and I was six.
  73. 5:17I've been in Baptist since nine months before I was born.
  74. 5:20So that's how I walk as better.
  75. 5:24That journey has been.
  76. 5:25But, you know, I was the youngest child,
  77. 5:27and I was kind of a late bloomer, actually,
  78. 5:29there's 10 years between me and my older brothers,
  79. 5:32so I finally got my parents to admit that I was an accident,
  80. 5:36or as they call it, a blessing, I was surprised.
  81. 5:39But they had me a little later in life,
  82. 5:41so I was probably a little bit spoiled,
  83. 5:43they were a little bit better off in their career,
  84. 5:45you know, in their early 40s,
  85. 5:47than they were in their 20s with my brothers.
  86. 5:50And I was also a late bloomer of an athlete.
  87. 5:53I really was not exactly the best player on the football team, and I was a sophomore in high school.
  88. 5:59But I was a big kid and got some attention and got some looks.
  89. 6:03As a matter of fact, Jimmy Johnson, D. Jimmy Johnson of the Dallas Cowboy fame,
  90. 6:07started his head coaching career at Oklahoma State University,
  91. 6:11which is where I desired to go because my father wasn't alum from there.
  92. 6:15I received an athletic scholarship by football at Oklahoma State and had a star studded college career.
  93. 6:22wound up being drafted by the Chicago Bears and playing five years in the National Football League,
  94. 6:27although my body was shot. I actually failed my pre-draft physical and
  95. 6:33unfortunate to have gotten drafted at all. They, at the combine camp, they told me I had the knees
  96. 6:39of a 65-year-old man and that's when I was 21. So now that I am almost 65, they feel really bad.
  97. 6:46But you know, I had been very sheltered and when I got to college, all of a sudden, I discovered
  98. 6:52girls and bars and other things that I didn't even know existed. And quite frankly, I never
  99. 6:58had a crisis of what I believed. I always believed in God, believed in Jesus as my Lord
  100. 7:04and Savior, and knew that the Bible was God's words. I never questioned that. However, the
  101. 7:10Bible says that sin is fun for a season. And for about eight years, I was a typical collegiate
  102. 7:16and professional athlete.
  103. 7:17And then my wife to be, we were dating at the time,
  104. 7:23but there was good and bad because my life wasn't right.
  105. 7:27And she was praying for me and trying to get me focused.
  106. 7:30And I was at home on a Sunday evening
  107. 7:34in my father's church.
  108. 7:38All the reason I was there because of my respect for my dad
  109. 7:40didn't really wanna be there.
  110. 7:42But on a Sunday evening, during the service,
  111. 7:44I just had this epiphanies and you know,
  112. 7:47the thought came to me,
  113. 7:48if Jesus is the Lord of your life,
  114. 7:51there's no evidence of it.
  115. 7:53And that just hit me right between the eyes.
  116. 7:56And I was here, I was a big, you know, massive,
  117. 7:59in shape NFL football player in a small church,
  118. 8:02probably had 40 people in attendance at Sunday night
  119. 8:05and I walked the aisle and I made dead set certain
  120. 8:08and I was actually saved.
  121. 8:10wound up being baptized again a week later
  122. 8:13and Cindy and I wound up getting married
  123. 8:15within the next six months,
  124. 8:16and we've had two great kids,
  125. 8:17and now almost 36 years together.
  126. 8:20At the age of 37, God called me into ministry.
  127. 8:25And as I said, I was a pastor's kid.
  128. 8:27Love pastors have great respect for the job.
  129. 8:30But having seen how dirty church politics can be,
  130. 8:35and just how hateful Christians can be
  131. 8:37when it comes to church,
  132. 8:39A job I did not want was to be pastor, but I was 37.
  133. 8:45I did not need a job.
  134. 8:47I owned my own business or a retired professional football player and was serving the Lord, actually
  135. 8:53volunteering and serving in our youth ministry.
  136. 8:57But it was very clear that God was calling me into ministry.
  137. 9:02And Cindy said the safest place to be is right in the middle of God's will.
  138. 9:06So against my career choice, we said yes.
  139. 9:12And I've now been senior pastor of Fairview Baptist Church.
  140. 9:17Now we go by Liberty Church because we do so much work under that moniker across the country.
  141. 9:23But I've been the senior pastor there for 25 years.
  142. 9:25And of course now we have a satellite in Orlando as well as in Oklahoma.
  143. 9:30And just as long as God gets me breath and the opportunity, we're going to do our best
  144. 9:36to see a great awakening.
  145. 9:37I mean, I mean that seriously.
  146. 9:39I'm not just talking.
  147. 9:40Oh, we need our country needs to hit its face.
  148. 9:44And it's gotta be the church that means that we play church
  149. 9:47extremely well.
  150. 9:49We look really pretty on Sunday mornings,
  151. 9:52but the discipleship, the reality of the lordship of Jesus,
  152. 9:5624 seven is not evident in America.
  153. 10:00And that's what, you know, you're working on,
  154. 10:03I'm working on passionately to try to see that kind of a spiritual awakening come to our country.
  155. 10:10Brother Paul, I believe the wheels are turning for this revival, this awakening, this move
  156. 10:17of the Holy Spirit that you're talking about whereby people are saved, whereby people, because
  157. 10:23listen, all of the authentic revivals in history, whether it be the Reformation 500 years ago,
  158. 10:29or whether it be in colonial America during the revolutionary period that was a great awakening.
  159. 10:34Whenever there's an authentic move of God, yes, people get saved, people get born again,
  160. 10:40and Christians repent of sin. But one of the great realities of an awakening is a return
  161. 10:48to the authority of God's Word, scripture. And I believe we're seeing that. I just was on Fox News
  162. 10:55about two weeks ago and they were showing b-roll of empty shelves in the major bookstores, the
  163. 11:02retailers, where one bookstore owner, major national chain, he said, people are purchasing
  164. 11:09Bibles as fast as we can get them in.
  165. 11:12And that's exciting.
  166. 11:13I want to talk about that.
  167. 11:14But before the first break, I want you to give your website.
  168. 11:18Folks, if you're thinking, how do I jumpstart a plateaued or declining church?
  169. 11:25How do we really live up to the challenges of the Great Commission?
  170. 11:29I would urge you to take a look at Liberty Church, Oklahoma, Florida, Paul Blair, what
  171. 11:34they're doing for everything I can see.
  172. 11:38I've been around the block a little bit.
  173. 11:41They seem to be at the absolute forefront of what it means to evangelize in the 21st century.
  174. 11:46Paul, give your website or websites please.
  175. 11:50Well, you can go to one, a landing page is called
  176. 11:53LibertyNetwork.Live.
  177. 11:56LibertyNetwork.Live.
  178. 11:58From there, you can go to both churches.
  179. 12:00You can go to our Liberty Pastors website
  180. 12:03from that landing page as well.
  181. 12:05And as you focused on it, we'll talk later,
  182. 12:07Alex, discipleship.
  183. 12:09It's not just hitting people to pray the center's prayer,
  184. 12:12which we have always been so good at.
  185. 12:15That's not the end, that's the starting pistol.
  186. 12:18If people are truly coming to faith in Jesus,
  187. 12:21then we much actually teach them to observe all things.
  188. 12:26Mm, indeed, indeed.
  189. 12:28And you know what, folks, that sinner's prayer,
  190. 12:32I prayed that prayer at age 21, it's wonderful.
  191. 12:35You know, Romans 10, 13, and the book of Joel, by the way,
  192. 12:39say, whoever calls them the name of the Lord shall be saved.
  193. 12:43but it's not just to be a convert, it's to be a disciple.
  194. 12:49Paul, what is a disciple?
  195. 12:51If somebody said, give me the definition of that word,
  196. 12:54in terms of the Christian New Testament gospel,
  197. 12:57what is a disciple?
  198. 12:59They follower of one,
  199. 13:01and we are followers of Christ in the Greek.
  200. 13:05You know, the Messiah, Yeshua, Hamashiah, the Hebrew,
  201. 13:08the Christos in the Greek,
  202. 13:10And of course, in Greek, the disciples
  203. 13:13were first called Christians in Antioch.
  204. 13:16So as Christian, we are supposed to be following Christ.
  205. 13:20And we should be following Christ 24-7.
  206. 13:23Every facet of our life should bear testimony
  207. 13:28that Jesus is the Lord.
  208. 13:31So Alex, not just going to church on Sunday morning,
  209. 13:34but our work ethic, our business ethics,
  210. 13:39sexual proclivities, our integrity, whether we can control our tongue about gossip and slander
  211. 13:47and evil speaking, and how we vote. You're not following problems. If you are a party to
  212. 13:55a group that promotes Marxism, which is anti-biblical, or abortion, or transmulation, or homosexuality,
  213. 14:05or even sexual freedom, even if it's between male and female.
  214. 14:12If it's outside, if God has designed and gifted, then that's sin.
  215. 14:17And as Christians, every facet of our life is to bring glory to God.
  216. 14:22Amen.
  217. 14:23Amen.
  218. 14:24Folks, you're listening to Paul Blair.
  219. 14:25He is my guest tonight, Alex McFarland here.
  220. 14:28My website, AlexMcFarland.com.
  221. 14:31This is the Hamilton Corner on the American Family Radio Network.
  222. 14:34You can listen to this show again on AFR.net.
  223. 14:38There's a station map.
  224. 14:39You can find the American Family Radio affiliate in your area.
  225. 14:42And of course, you can listen online and on your mobile device.
  226. 14:46Stay tuned more with Paul Blair, Biblical World View, in the church, in the public square,
  227. 14:52and how you can make a difference to help save our nation.
  228. 14:56Don't go away.
  229. 14:57We're back after this break.
  230. 15:01What is DEI and why is it antithetical to truth?
  231. 15:05DEI teaches people to view themselves and others,
  232. 15:08primarily through the lens of race, gender, or social status.
  233. 15:12As Christians, our call is not diversity for diversity's sake,
  234. 15:16but to proclaim Christ, calling people into unity
  235. 15:19through the power of the gospel.
  236. 15:21I'm Jenna Ellis, and you can read my article,
  237. 15:23Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,
  238. 15:25a truthful definition on thestand.net.
  239. 15:34Shining light into the darkness,
  240. 15:37this is the Hamilton Corner, an American family radio.
  241. 15:41Welcome back to the program. Alex McFarland here is so honored that you're listening. Do you know
  242. 15:471 Corinthians 1558 says your labor in the Lord is not in vain. We're talking about the Great Commission
  243. 15:54and just the words that are I believe the Lord is impressing on my heart recently.
  244. 16:00Where in Matthew 2820 Jesus said and look this is the assignment to the church in every generation.
  245. 16:08is the assignment to we Christians, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
  246. 16:14commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world, amen. Well,
  247. 16:20so many things that maybe, maybe we think they're controversial, but let me say, folks, if it
  248. 16:26is in the Bible, it is truth, T-R-U-T-H. And we are to tell truth to a world that needs
  249. 16:33to hear it. And somebody who's given his life to do that is Pastor Paul Blair of Liberty
  250. 16:38Church in Oklahoma and in Florida.
  251. 16:41And we're going to resume.
  252. 16:43And Paul, before the break, we were talking about this thing of the Great Awakening.
  253. 16:50I want to, before we go too far, I want you, if you would, to talk about your NFL football
  254. 16:56career.
  255. 16:57I want to tell you briefly about how I, the privilege, one of the first big events that
  256. 17:02our ministry ever put on in the 90s, we brought coach Tom Landry to Greensboro, North Carolina.
  257. 17:11And what a blessing it was. Did you ever meet or know Coach Landry?
  258. 17:15I went down there on a pre-draft visit, got a chance to meet Coach Landry. And actually my
  259. 17:26welcome to the NFL moment was really, we played in the very first what was called all the
  260. 17:33American Bowl. We played Dallas at Wembley Stadium in a preseason game back in 1986. Now
  261. 17:41that happens, they'll play two or three games internationally every year. But the very first one
  262. 17:46we played in and of course Coach Landry and the Dallas Cowboys were there but and I was with
  263. 17:52Mike Dittkin, the Chicago Bears but that was one of the first times I got my first check like that
  264. 17:59week because we were going over there and I looked up at the top of the check and of course
  265. 18:03I'd grown up in Dallas Cowboys fan living in Oklahoma City that's all we had on television
  266. 18:07around here were the Cowboys so Don Meredith and Rogers Tom Ock and that era you know loved them
  267. 18:13but on my check it said the Chicago Bears football club incorporated and I realized that I worked
  268. 18:20for this business and the Dallas Cowboys were were not something that struck stars in my eyes
  269. 18:27they were simply a competitive business to the company that I worked for.
  270. 18:31And it became very business-like at that moment.
  271. 18:34So it kind of lost its magic other than the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.
  272. 18:39Now, I have to admit, they were everything that I thought they would be.
  273. 18:42So that was, but Winley said to him that was, I'm sorry to take this down to bad.
  274. 18:49Hey, the Lord is good to us.
  275. 18:51and listen to this, we brought Coach Landry to Greensboro.
  276. 18:58I guess it was about 97 or 98.
  277. 19:02And by the way, we had 400 teenagers come to the altar and accept Christ the night.
  278. 19:08He shared his testimony.
  279. 19:09But I want to tell you something Coach Landry said.
  280. 19:12I'd love your comment on it.
  281. 19:14So I was just, you know, starstruck because my father loved to watch the Dallas Cowboys on TV.
  282. 19:20I grew up, you know, and anyway, so what a prince of a person he was, godly man.
  283. 19:28So we're having dinner myself and some of the people that helped put this on and we
  284. 19:32were all just kind of starstruck.
  285. 19:35And finally, one of the men that owned a local funeral home who had donated money, he's in
  286. 19:41heaven now, but he said, Coach Landry, you know, we're just trying to, how to break the
  287. 19:45ice and talk to this iconic figure.
  288. 19:49this gentleman, he said, Coach Landry, I guess you've seen a lot of men become great athletes
  289. 19:55out there on that football field. And I'll never forget, and I want your opinion. Coach
  290. 20:02Landry, he said, well, if a man is a great athlete, it's not out in the game. Great athletes
  291. 20:09are made by the preparation before the game. Now, comment if you would on that as it comes
  292. 20:17to Christianity because you know we're all going to get tempted to sin. We're all going
  293. 20:23to be maybe intimidated to be silent when we should speak up. The Bible says the fear
  294. 20:29of man brings us snare. Would you apply Coach Landry's wisdom the preparation before the
  295. 20:36contest, the necessary preparation before the crucible of testing? For 25 years I suppose
  296. 20:46I've thought about those words.
  297. 20:48If somewhat greatness is determined by the preparation before the testing, would you agree,
  298. 20:55Paul?
  299. 20:57Oh, absolutely, Alex.
  300. 20:58In fact, one very simple way to illustrate what you're just describing is the fact that
  301. 21:05now we go through pre-marriage counseling, biblical pre-marriage counseling.
  302. 21:11When I got married, we had no counseling.
  303. 21:13is this, you know, the Baptist Church don't get divorced.
  304. 21:17And good luck, congratulations.
  305. 21:19But nobody really equips you to be married.
  306. 21:22And, you know, when I go through marriage counseling,
  307. 21:25the first thing I do before I start meeting with a couple
  308. 21:27is I have a Marine Dave Ramsey's book,
  309. 21:30A Total Money Makeover and Bring Me A Budget,
  310. 21:32because you can't live on love.
  311. 21:33And that's a real part, but budgeting is something
  312. 21:36that the Bible talks about.
  313. 21:37And it's something that they better deal with
  314. 21:39because infidelity and money problems
  315. 21:42of the two biggest positive divorce.
  316. 21:44So as you said, I think that's an illustration
  317. 21:47of how we are to be taught chapter and verse,
  318. 21:51how now shall we live.
  319. 21:53But that's part of what we're supposed to be doing in church.
  320. 21:56You know, and I love great men with good intentions,
  321. 22:01but I don't need to preach John 3 16 52 weeks in a row.
  322. 22:05Most all of my people, if not all of them are already saved.
  323. 22:09So I always have something evangelistic
  324. 22:12And we do throw evangelistic messages in there.
  325. 22:15I've written books, booklets, we've got tracks,
  326. 22:17we have evangelism, explosion.
  327. 22:20Obviously that is a part of our church.
  328. 22:22But for the flock that's been entrusted to me,
  329. 22:26I need to be discipling them in every area of their life.
  330. 22:30And that's what we need to do.
  331. 22:31That's that game plan preparation.
  332. 22:34And one thing to Alex, I tell you,
  333. 22:36one of my mentors who's now in heaven,
  334. 22:38But he was an old independent Baptist.
  335. 22:42And you know, independent Baptist can border on legalists
  336. 22:45if you're not careful.
  337. 22:47But this man was good.
  338. 22:49Yeah.
  339. 22:50He was a Nuthetic Bible counselor,
  340. 22:52taught me a vast amount of information.
  341. 22:56But one of the things he taught me,
  342. 22:58and now understand the context of this,
  343. 23:00and it'll stun you at first,
  344. 23:02but he said in child raising, and also in your people,
  345. 23:07He said, pastor, you, of course, I was his student of time,
  346. 23:10but you have to teach them how to sin.
  347. 23:13And I was like, what?
  348. 23:15And I didn't have to teach them how to sin.
  349. 23:18And here's the point, even though we have given our hearts
  350. 23:22and lives to Christ, we still have that endemic nature.
  351. 23:26Even though John tells us, don't do it,
  352. 23:30there are still times that we do.
  353. 23:32So how do you handle that?
  354. 23:34Do you just ignore it and pretend it didn't happen?
  355. 23:37Or do you recognize oops?
  356. 23:39I messed up on that one.
  357. 23:41And how do you deal with it?
  358. 23:43I did that with my children in raising them.
  359. 23:47I'm competitive as an athlete.
  360. 23:49I'd gotten mad watching a sporting event one time
  361. 23:52and had misbehaved.
  362. 23:54And I went back with my sons every
  363. 23:57young time, probably eight and 10.
  364. 24:00But five minutes after I lost my temper,
  365. 24:04I had I said, oh my goodness, Lord forgive me.
  366. 24:08And I sincerely asked God to forgive me.
  367. 24:10Then I went to the children's mother.
  368. 24:13I went to sin, they said, baby, I absolutely misbehave
  369. 24:16all ago, would you forgive me?
  370. 24:18And then I went to my sons and I said, boys, your dad
  371. 24:24misbehave all ago.
  372. 24:25That wasn't right.
  373. 24:26You know, I want to honor God and everything that I do,
  374. 24:28but you know, I'm a human sometimes you blow it.
  375. 24:30And I want you to know, I blew it all ago.
  376. 24:33I've asked God to forgive me.
  377. 24:35I've asked your mom to forgive me.
  378. 24:37And now I'm asking you boys to forgive me.
  379. 24:41Well, that's incredible pressure off of those boys, because they recognize that even a man of God doesn't live 100%.
  380. 24:49Every now and then he blows it.
  381. 24:51So how do you deal with it?
  382. 24:52Do you pretend it didn't happen?
  383. 24:53Do you act like a hypocrite and ignore it?
  384. 24:56Or do you address it and talk them when it happens?
  385. 25:01Here's how you deal with it.
  386. 25:02No, it's not okay.
  387. 25:03But when you do below it, when you do stand,
  388. 25:06when you do stumble, you address it,
  389. 25:08you confess it, you repent of it,
  390. 25:10and then again, you ask forgiveness for those
  391. 25:13that happen to bear witness,
  392. 25:14and then you get back up on your bike and start riding.
  393. 25:17So as you said, Alex, it is game planning.
  394. 25:20It is preparation.
  395. 25:21It is training them, not just teaching them,
  396. 25:23but training the flock how to live for Jesus
  397. 25:27in every area of life.
  398. 25:29So that game planning that the preparation before the game is Tom Landry alluded to is
  399. 25:36what we're supposed to be doing in our discipleship training.
  400. 25:40Amen.
  401. 25:41And I think that really we are not fulfilled until we, number one, no Christ, be saved.
  402. 25:51But then to be growing in the Lord.
  403. 25:53And I just want to, I want you to speak to the person listening and there might be someone
  404. 25:58listening and they think, well, you know, I've waited too long. Maybe I'll go to heaven, but
  405. 26:05this thing of really thriving as a Christian, bearing fruit as a disciple, it's too late
  406. 26:11for me. I've procrastinated. I've run from God. See, listen to this, folks. Some people
  407. 26:16need to come to Christ. Some people need to come back to Christ. But I believe, you know,
  408. 26:22Joel 225 says God restores the years the locust has eaten.
  409. 26:28Pastor Paul, would you speak to the person who they can't seem to give themselves permission
  410. 26:35to trust that Jesus still has things to do in their life?
  411. 26:40Well, first thing, Alex, someone needs to enter in that situation.
  412. 26:44They need to recognize.
  413. 26:46Jesus has forgiven not only our sins, but for the sins of all mankind that hit their knees and come to come to him.
  414. 26:57So if Jesus says that he's going to forget our sins, and then I don't want to remember my sins,
  415. 27:05who do these people think is that keeps bringing them up again, that wants them to not get past it?
  416. 27:12Well, obviously it's Satan.
  417. 27:14So recognize where that comes from.
  418. 27:17And if Jesus is willing to forgive you,
  419. 27:19if his blood atones for every sin that you've committed,
  420. 27:23he's willing to say, okay, it's covered,
  421. 27:26it's been washed in the blood,
  422. 27:28then who are you to keep bringing it up to yourself?
  423. 27:32Learn from it and move on.
  424. 27:34And as far as the being too late,
  425. 27:39couple of good examples, the thief on the cross.
  426. 27:42You know, in the hours of the day that Jesus was hanging on the cross, you know, it began
  427. 27:47between two thieves.
  428. 27:49They both began mocking him.
  429. 27:51But over the course of the events of that day, the sun going, you know, being going dark
  430. 27:58at noon day.
  431. 27:59And of course, the other signs in Jesus, while they were cursing the crown, Jesus was saying,
  432. 28:05Father, forgive them.
  433. 28:06They don't know what they're doing.
  434. 28:08This one thief recognized that this was the Messiah.
  435. 28:13Perhaps his training growing up as a young Jewish boy in synagogue or from his father.
  436. 28:19He recognized, this is the Messiah.
  437. 28:20He looked at him and said, Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.
  438. 28:25And Jesus responded, today you will be with me in paradise.
  439. 28:29Well, that guy hadn't done anything that was worthwhile.
  440. 28:33All he had done was just before he died, looked to Jesus in faith, and Jesus said, today you
  441. 28:40will be with me in paradise.
  442. 28:42Another example for someone that's run away or gotten discouraged, I said, I just give
  443. 28:46up, I can't do it, I failed, I'm a failure.
  444. 28:49Consider Peter.
  445. 28:51Peter was so grieved after he had denied the Lord three times that even after the ascension,
  446. 28:58Peter still was so disappointed in himself that the scripture says he went back to the
  447. 29:03Sea of Galilee and went back into the fishing business.
  448. 29:06Just didn't think he was worthy.
  449. 29:08Of course that's when Jesus showed up and they had breakfast on the seashore and said,
  450. 29:13Peter, if you love me, do you love me?
  451. 29:14Feed my sheep.
  452. 29:16Well, if Peter could be salvaged and used by God to do all that God used Peter to do.
  453. 29:27He had rejected Jesus, after walking with Him for three years, and then rejecting Him
  454. 29:33three times on the night of Jesus' arrest, then there's nothing you've done that's too
  455. 29:39great that God won't say, welcome home.
  456. 29:43Let's get back after.
  457. 29:45And you know what, this is a great word because folks, no matter who you are, no matter what
  458. 29:50your age and no matter if you feel like you've held God at arm's length and it's too late
  459. 29:58for you. It isn't. Please believe that Jesus will say, he can save you and he will save
  460. 30:04you if you put your trust in him. But then as a born again believer God has things to
  461. 30:11do in you and through you. Paul, I've loved, you know, in the case of Peter, you know,
  462. 30:16had denied the Lord and he was so embarrassed. I believe he probably was
  463. 30:21embarrassed. Little did he know that weeks later he would preach the inaugural sermon
  464. 30:28to initiate the church age. But in Mark, this is precious folks. We're talking
  465. 30:35with Paul Blair, but I love this in Mark 16, 6, and 7. The women go to the
  466. 30:41empty tomb. Christ has risen. Jesus is risen proving that He is the Messiah and the angel
  467. 30:49says to the women at the tomb. Don't be afraid. Jesus is risen. Now the first evidential apologetic,
  468. 30:58the empty tomb. See the place where He lay past tense verb. He's not laying there now.
  469. 31:04risen. Then go your way, tell the disciples and Peter. Isn't that so sweet, Paul? The angels,
  470. 31:13hey, we know he's probably a way weeping tears of remorse, but go get the disciples,
  471. 31:20let everybody know Christ is alive and p.s. Don't forget Peter because he's special to Jesus too.
  472. 31:27Make sure Peter gets the message to that.
  473. 31:29We serve the God of the second chance.
  474. 31:34We serve the God of the 50th chance.
  475. 31:36Hey, we got a brief break.
  476. 31:37Hey, Paul, can you stay with us one more segment?
  477. 31:40Happy to.
  478. 31:41And what's your website?
  479. 31:44Liberty Network.Live.
  480. 31:46Liberty Network.Live.
  481. 31:50Alex McFarlane here, Pastor, popular.
  482. 31:51When we come back, we're going to talk about how to bring politics into the pulpit.
  483. 31:57You think that's not appropriate?
  484. 31:59know it is appropriate, we'll tell you why, and we'll give you some pointers on how. If
  485. 32:04you're a pastor and you're itching to lay the cards on the table and really speak truth to
  486. 32:10your parishioners, Paul's going to tell you how to do it biblically, fruitfully, appropriately.
  487. 32:16We'll come back the biblical worldview for our nation and for each of our lives. Stay
  488. 32:22tuned, we're back after this brief break.
  489. 32:31Gossip. It isn't easy to kick. Who doesn't want the insider info? Who wouldn't want to be the
  490. 32:36bearer of this week's most exclusive whisper? How then do we bless the name of the Lord when we were
  491. 32:42just cursing his child? How do we bear his name while we so flippantly defame his very likeness?
  492. 32:49So put on the full armor of God and let one of us who is without sin throw the first stone.
  493. 32:54I'm Lauren Bragg and you can read Gossip and the Gospel on thestand.net.
  494. 32:59a Hamilton Quarter podcast and one-minute commentaries are available at aFR.net back
  495. 33:10to the Hamilton Quarter on American Family Radio.
  496. 33:16Welcome back to the program.
  497. 33:17Alex MacFron here always a joy to visit with my friend, Pastor Paul Blair, and I just appreciate
  498. 33:24him so much.
  499. 33:25And others too.
  500. 33:26I know they're pastors listening, and I want you to know, Pastor, you matter.
  501. 33:33And thank God for the men that are in the pulpits, they're loving their flock.
  502. 33:39Hey, Paul, I've pastored two churches spoken in 2000.
  503. 33:44It's not just the pulpit, it's the hospital room.
  504. 33:48It's the ER at three in the morning and we've all been there a week ago.
  505. 33:53I did a funeral for a man.
  506. 33:55He was a believer.
  507. 33:57But at the graveside, somebody whispered in my ear and they said, there's this one, this
  508. 34:03when this one that are atheist and things like that.
  509. 34:07I personally believe that the most rewarding work, if God has called you to it.
  510. 34:13Now it's not always easy, but it is the greatest calling in the world is to be a pastor.
  511. 34:21Pastor Paul, would you speak to how one hears the call?
  512. 34:26Part of the reason I interviewed George Barna recently and they're like 20% of American churches
  513. 34:33don't have a senior pastor.
  514. 34:35Like one out of five churches do not have a pastor and don't have a viable resume on the
  515. 34:41table to look at.
  516. 34:43I've got to believe there are a lot of people out there that do have a call in their life.
  517. 34:47Now you don't rush into this if God hasn't called you.
  518. 34:50You don't call yourself into the pastorate or the ministry.
  519. 34:55But Paul, speak to the man out there that might be wondering, could I be a pastor?
  520. 35:03Is God calling me?
  521. 35:05Because you know the Bible says, pray there for the Lord of the harvest that he'll sin
  522. 35:09forth labors.
  523. 35:11Speak about the joy of that calling to pastor a church.
  524. 35:18Well, you know, Alex, you talked about some of the difficult parts of it and, you know,
  525. 35:25counseling, crisis counseling.
  526. 35:28One of the true joys that my wife and I have is we have got so many young families that
  527. 35:36are a part of our congregation that are just hungry, that want to be discipled, that crave
  528. 35:44to know how they're supposed to live for the Lord.
  529. 35:48And of course, you mentioned that you all have been married
  530. 35:5235 years, sitting at 35 right now,
  531. 35:55will be at 36 here in June.
  532. 35:57And I love her today and we act just like newlyweds.
  533. 36:02And one of the little tidbits that I share
  534. 36:06with our congregation, that's a secret of marriage
  535. 36:11is always earn the next date.
  536. 36:14You know, in the dating process, whenever we are going to call our beloved or go pick them up,
  537. 36:21we always look our best, we're always on our best behavior, we're always kind. Why?
  538. 36:26Because we want to be, we control our behavior, we want them to be drawn to us.
  539. 36:32So we try to be attractive in every way. And then when we get married, we think we can stop trying.
  540. 36:41Well, that's insane. And that's a lie of Satan. And I am I want to be just as kind and compassionate.
  541. 36:49I want those warm fuzzy feelings from my wife. I want to be just as courteous to her and not crude
  542. 36:56or rude around her just as if we'd gone out on our first date and for some. He does the same thing.
  543. 37:04You know, if both players are serving the Lord and operating into the same playbook.
  544. 37:09And I am a goppying or sacrificially serving and loving my wife as much as I can every
  545. 37:18day, then her needs are all being taken care of.
  546. 37:21And she doesn't need to look anywhere else because she's perfectly contented.
  547. 37:25And I'm her knight in signing armor and I'm meeting her needles.
  548. 37:30And then at the same time, I don't have to worry about my needs because she gets up every
  549. 37:34today and she's a dopping or sacrificially serving and meeting my needs,
  550. 37:39emotionally as a partner, as a maid, a lover, a mother, whatever it happens to be.
  551. 37:47Then I also and complete this satisfied.
  552. 37:51Don't have to look anywhere else.
  553. 37:52She's everything to me.
  554. 37:54And then that also brings about those warm fuzzy,
  555. 37:58that fileto type of love where we have that responsive love.
  556. 38:02And of course, when you're serving one another
  557. 38:05and you've got that responsive warm fuzzy feelings
  558. 38:08and the arrows becomes a part of it and everything else.
  559. 38:11And that's how God designed it to be.
  560. 38:13So the true joy of pastoring is making disciples.
  561. 38:18And I gotta tell you, Alex, when you're a young preacher,
  562. 38:22you've got other preachers that you've admired
  563. 38:25and your first year or two, when you're behind the pulpit,
  564. 38:28you're copying other styles and you're trying to be.
  565. 38:31Adrian Rogers.
  566. 38:32Yeah, exactly.
  567. 38:34And then you finally realized that you're not.
  568. 38:36You're who you are.
  569. 38:38You're the best, you're Alex McFarland.
  570. 38:41So be the best Alex McFarland can be.
  571. 38:44And my style is, I am not nearly as dynamic
  572. 38:47or as boisterous as I once was.
  573. 38:50I really want to teach the Bible.
  574. 38:53I wanna teach people.
  575. 38:54And that's what disciple is.
  576. 38:56And I do, I mean, we all use voice inflections.
  577. 38:59I want to be entertaining and I want to capture their attention.
  578. 39:03But the reality is if a gifted speaker can get up and stir a person's emotions and they
  579. 39:10make an emotional response heading due north, and then another gifted speaker comes in and
  580. 39:17stirs their emotions and gets them an emotional presentation that means them do south, then
  581. 39:25they're conflicted, they're going all over the place because we just can't trust emotional
  582. 39:30response. I want to treat chapter and verse. I want my people to know the truth. And once
  583. 39:38they know the truth, they can't be shaken. And the reality is there is there's there's
  584. 39:43only truth. There's just one truth. There's not white truth, black truth, male truth, female
  585. 39:48truth, trans truth. There is just the truth. And when you equip her people with the truth,
  586. 39:54and you've done what God has called you to do,
  587. 39:57and you've made that disciple.
  588. 39:59And then it's their responsibility to hand it off
  589. 40:02to the next generation, and then the next generation,
  590. 40:05and so on.
  591. 40:06This is a wonderful calling.
  592. 40:09It's like, it's a shepherd.
  593. 40:10You're shepherding a flock.
  594. 40:12So if God is calling you,
  595. 40:14then obviously the only answer is yes.
  596. 40:17And I can't say how each person is called.
  597. 40:20Mine was unique.
  598. 40:21I mean, I'm not boring with the details,
  599. 40:24but it was crystal clear that God was saying,
  600. 40:26this is a job that you're supposed to have,
  601. 40:29and I knew it and Cindy knew it,
  602. 40:31and we were just forced to submit our resume,
  603. 40:35and then it was up to them.
  604. 40:38So, but anyway, it is hard work.
  605. 40:43I do not believe that pastoring is a career choice.
  606. 40:46I do believe it is a calling.
  607. 40:48I think we've got too many career pastors
  608. 40:50that are afraid of getting fired.
  609. 40:52Therefore, they don't take bold stands, but you can't get fired from your calling.
  610. 40:59So if you are called into ministry and you respond to that calling, then it's all about
  611. 41:05serving the Lord and glorifying the Lord.
  612. 41:09Amen, brother.
  613. 41:10Amen.
  614. 41:11You know, in 2 Timothy 4, 2, where Paul told Timothy, preach the Word.
  615. 41:16If you preach the Bible in its entirety, isn't it true?
  616. 41:21Inverably you'll get to the political topics. Oh absolutely
  617. 41:26Well, there's nothing new under the Sun and the thing when we come out of and teach them basic biblical worldview
  618. 41:33Alex and our Liberty pastors camps by the way if you're pastor or you
  619. 41:38Attended church we're gonna have our next camp coming up sometimes September. We haven't booked it yet
  620. 41:44But we're it looks like we're gonna be in Orlando and we invite pastors to come heavily
  621. 41:49subsidize, we want them to bring their wives, have a second high moon, only cost a pastor $99
  622. 41:55for three days at a luxury hotel, and then we ask that they attend all the training, but
  623. 42:01it's a second honeymoon for them at virtually no cost. But the basic fundamental of biblical
  624. 42:08worldview is recognizing that God has established four realms of government. It begins with
  625. 42:14a self-government, then family government, then church government, and then civil government.
  626. 42:20And biblical worldview is placing under each realm of authority each particular subject.
  627. 42:27So for example, my salvation, well that's self-government.
  628. 42:32It's up to me at some point in time to surrender and submit my part in life to Christ.
  629. 42:38The mayor can't make that decision for me.
  630. 42:41My parents can't make that decision for me.
  631. 42:44But for example, another example, as far as education, training up your children, well
  632. 42:51that falls under the realm of family government.
  633. 42:54The Bible says, Mom and Dad, you are to train up your children in the nurture and admonition
  634. 42:59of the Lord.
  635. 43:00That's not the responsibility of the civil governing authority.
  636. 43:05Biblically, the role of civil government is to punish evil and to protect the good that
  637. 43:11we may live peaceably in all godliness.
  638. 43:14And there can be no human law that contradicts God's law.
  639. 43:20And our founding fathers knew that and quoted it frequently.
  640. 43:24That's what the Declaration of Independence says,
  641. 43:27when it says that the laws of nature and nature's God,
  642. 43:31or what this country or our declaration was built on.
  643. 43:35Natural law defined by Sir William Blackstone
  644. 43:38as God's design, God's will, as described in nature
  645. 43:43and in the Holy Scripture.
  646. 43:45So no human law can contradict civil law.
  647. 43:49So if God says marriage is one man and one woman,
  648. 43:54then the legislature has no jurisdiction to redefine that.
  649. 43:58But I read from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22,
  650. 44:02and there's nowhere in there that tells me
  651. 44:04what the speed limit on interstate 70
  652. 44:07or in a state 35 on a beat.
  653. 44:10So man is free to legislate and determine
  654. 44:13what is a safe but effective speed.
  655. 44:16So Biblical worldview is just understanding.
  656. 44:20First of all, it's all under God's authority.
  657. 44:22So what is truth?
  658. 44:23What is the Bible saying?
  659. 44:24And then delegating to each realm,
  660. 44:27self, family, church, civil,
  661. 44:29who's responsible for oversight in each area.
  662. 44:33And then it's just chapter and verse
  663. 44:35what God has to say about the details.
  664. 44:37It's all there, and we show these pastors this,
  665. 44:41and it's just as, we can't sit there, Alex, and say,
  666. 44:45Jesus is Lord of all, and then turn around and say,
  667. 44:49but I can't talk about that subject in church.
  668. 44:52That's a contradiction.
  669. 44:53Exactly.
  670. 44:56How do you navigate, let's say you preach a sermon
  671. 45:00about gender or sexuality,
  672. 45:03and you preach against this end of homosexuality
  673. 45:08or abortion, we have legal protection for the unborn
  674. 45:11because life is sacred.
  675. 45:13So if you preach on one of these volatile issues,
  676. 45:18have you had any pushback ever from a congregant?
  677. 45:22And if so, how do you deal with that?
  678. 45:24I've not had pushback.
  679. 45:26If somebody leaves, they leave.
  680. 45:27People come, people go, I don't want to offend anybody,
  681. 45:31but truth is offensive to error.
  682. 45:33And I don't just pick on homosexuals.
  683. 45:37I mean, as we said a while ago,
  684. 45:39God created us as sexual beings.
  685. 45:42God's design is to enjoy the gift of sexual intimacy
  686. 45:46within the bonds of marriage.
  687. 45:49Anything outside of that is a sin.
  688. 45:51So if a man is a philanter and cheating on his wife,
  689. 45:54well guess what?
  690. 45:55I preach against that.
  691. 45:56That's a sin.
  692. 45:57If a man is going online and looking online pornography
  693. 46:01and lusting after another woman.
  694. 46:03Guess what?
  695. 46:04That's a sin also.
  696. 46:05And also the Bible's very clear on male on female,
  697. 46:10female on female on transgender mutilation, all of that.
  698. 46:14You know, all I am called to do is make disciples proclaim
  699. 46:17God's word.
  700. 46:19Don't get mad at me, get mad at the author,
  701. 46:21because eventually you're gonna have to answer to him.
  702. 46:25Wow, well said, well said.
  703. 46:27You know, time fleets away, it is always such a blessing.
  704. 46:30I want to thank you.
  705. 46:31I always learn from you.
  706. 46:34I want you to give us a homework assignment.
  707. 46:37Do you have any books you especially recommend?
  708. 46:40And by the way, the Liberty Pastors retreat.
  709. 46:42I've been to this, folks, it is top drawer.
  710. 46:47It is absolutely world class.
  711. 46:49And for the ministers, Paul, give the website
  712. 46:53about the pastors' retreats.
  713. 46:56And not only will you be refreshed and energized, you'll be inspired, instructed.
  714. 47:03You bring in world-class speakers, and I went to one in Florida.
  715. 47:07It's fantastic.
  716. 47:08Where's the website for info on those, Paul?
  717. 47:12Liberty Network.live.
  718. 47:13And at the top of that landing page, you'll see one says, there's a segment says Liberty
  719. 47:19Pastors, Liberty Church Orlando, Liberty Church Edmund, Paul K. Blair, my personal stuff, athletic
  720. 47:25So we go to Liberty Network.live and you can find information about everything and we will be
  721. 47:32publicizing and promoting the next camp very soon. So we encourage pastors and everyone. In fact, this training,
  722. 47:40our basic training is all on that Liberty pastors segment of the website.
  723. 47:46So any person can go online and register and go through this training free of charge. There is no cost to it.
  724. 47:53Amen. Well, we're almost out of time. Look, I look forward to being at Liberty Church in Oklahoma on March 30th.
  725. 48:00And so if you happen to be in that area, come, it's online. What's the church's website, Paul?
  726. 48:06Uh, Fairview, I'm sorry, Liberty, Liberty Network. Live, it's on there. Go to Liberty Network. Live, and then the church website for admins up at the top of the page.
  727. 48:17Well, folks, we want to see you when we're in Oklahoma.
  728. 48:20I'm looking forward to be there.
  729. 48:21Pastor Paul Blair, thanks for being with us on the show today.
  730. 48:24And more importantly, thank you for what you're doing for America and Christ Great Commission.
  731. 48:29Amen.
  732. 48:30God bless you, Alex.
  733. 48:31Blessings you, folks.
  734. 48:33Tell somebody about the American Family Radio Network, but most of all, tell everybody about
  735. 48:37Jesus.
  736. 48:40The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American
  737. 48:45Family Association or American Family Radio.

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