If Only a Button

This is Amy Thomas from the masculine journey podcast where we discover what it means to be a wholehearted man your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network welcome to If Not for God stories of hopelessness that turn to hope. Your host might swing. Wow, what a treat we have for you today. Really, if not for God and believe me, that just like the whole thing in my life is not for God so Mike, I just love the way God gave you that name or that shell right as you prayed about it is it is something that he would want an incident today. We really do have special guest in the studio and a special topic that's actually near and dear to my heart in so many different ways, so Mike wanted to introduce pastoral yet. We got Pastor Ron Harris from greater love church over in Burlington, North Carolina, and he's actually if you guys ever listen to the masculine journey.

He is a personal friend of Danny Marsh who comes on the masculine journey from time to time but pastor Pastor Ron is a Marine was in Vietnam and II think when when he came back he he somehow found Jesus and it's just been a miracle, everything in his life really just it has been an absolute miracle but yet today were actually be talking about being a servant leader being her servant leadership and I got Matthew chapter 24 verses 45 through 47 and it says who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season. Blessed is that servant, whom his master when he comes, will find so doing, assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that servant says in his heart. My master is delaying his coming and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and to draw and to drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and he will cut him into and appoint him with his portion with hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth and and when I when I actually see that one of the things that I think about is that you know number one we have to serve.

We have to be a servant number 20 we have to always be ready but but pastor Ron, have you had you always been a Christian or what I have not and not only that, but I wanted to say about correction to my friend who nobody finds Jesus. Jesus is never lost.

Jesus finds this in band tunes us and touches us.

And yes, I found my walk in my life with the Lord actually in the Marine Corps. It showed me when I get back from boot camp that I needed something in my life greater than myself. The Marines emphasize a lot of things about who we need to be and so when I came back from boot camp immediately went to my pastor and I got baptized on the same day that two other young men got baptized. I was actually taller than the pastor was and too little of the guesser took two people to do that but God change my heart in so many different ways in is work with me ever since. That's the great thing about the Lord he finds you wherever you read because he was there all the time and so once I understood these things and even all my days there were not so great.

He was there all the time standing patiently in line, and so I just thank the Lord that I do understand who he is today, and he walks with me. It was an old song says, and he walks with me and he talks with me tells me I am as I am his own name and and wheat we actually have some pretty good stories today about servant leadership and what it means to be a servant, but one of the things that I brought back to his. I remember when I told the story at Wednesday in the world ever with Sue this morning was that when I first started selling insurance. I was having a tough time and I wasn't selling as much as I really felt like I should have and that the president of the company name Peter he actually came to me and we talked for a while and he said Mike he said during my lifetime. He said I've noticed the times where I have tried to look out for myself and to really get what's in it for might look what's in it for me and he said I've looked at the times in my life. He says where I've had a servants heart and where I've tried to help other people and I've tried to look out for other people when he said the interesting thing is is.

He says that it's actually natural for me to want to look out for myself.

He says, but I've noticed in my life where I had been the happiest is where I have actually tried to be a servant of others and try to help other people. My immediate manager name Vance at the time we actually talk on data's advance. I'm not selling any insurance or not selling any insurance and he said that's the reason why he says, you keep saying I'm not I'm not I'm not.

He said you have to have a servants heart and he says you can go out and sell insurance and he says if you have a servants heart. He said it can actually be enjoyable. He says because you're never nervous when your minds on service and this is not only with the not only with business or whatever it is but it's also I believe with the ministry as well. I've noticed so many times even one of going out to sell insurance that when I think hey I can share the good news with these people. I can pray with these folks I can share Jesus with these folks. All of a sudden it has to changes from the mindset of I've got a go out and do my job to I get to go out and do my job and so one of the things that I've seen that you've done. Pastor Ron is that you always keep money with you and it seems to come back to you right it's right it does.

And not only that, but I found that money is one of the best communicators that they use.

I am not a rich man but I tell everybody I am definitely not a poor man. I'm one of those guys that understands what money is about. So I walk around so many times and I give away $50 bills and hundred dollar bills and I've asked the Lord to allow me one day to be able to give away thousand dollar bills and I see that day coming because I've had some opportunities to do that, thing and so I want to be a great steward over things because people understand that money those dear presidents, or those things are international in their language had a young lady at church one day and she is one that calls me her Pol Pot and she was about at that time she was about five years old and so I have given away a couple hundred dollars a day and only had a $10 bill lifted my wallet so I took it out and I handed the door and her mother said pastor you have wasted your money because she doesn't understand denominations of money, but when I looked at her I noticed she was looking at money over differently and everything and I realize she doesn't know denominations, but she knows is some different would most people give to her. So one of those things. People that really believe that you can take money and I tell people that I'm someone was seated and you with this money and all constantly teaching people about tipping the tip does not tell what service you GABA details who you are, so people that I work with a comes our ministry.

We might leave two, three, $400 500 all to to somebody on the meal.

This only 100 $200 but you know you should see the reactions that they have. I'm trying to displace that rumor that Christians were stupors in the old world. Oh yeah, and a matter fact I actually heard that from a waitresses and waiters before and they said yeah and then the Christians come in after church and give their 10%. They don't get anything like that but the you know it's it's it's funny now that people have heard on the radio that Pastor Ron is out there giving 50 and hundred dollar bills out. Everyone is going to want to meet Pastor Ron but but Robbie you actually learned about servant leadership as well because you were actually in the car business and I from what I've heard everybody who's in the car business is honest and trustworthy. Is that right yeah I was. It was during a comes to mind really just revolutionized the way I did business was I work my way up as a car salesman to the bar. I was a general manager, number of excuse me I was a general manager crown dodging Greensboro after 20 some years the car business and I thought I was something that happened in the Gulf War and the dealership just tanked it just tanked and we want selling any cars to speak of.

It was like the 10th of the month of October. We might had six cars out the dealership was full to sell over hundred and RCS I which was customer satisfaction index came in the letter and the man I worked for. He would put up with like if your customer satisfaction went down.

You want to be the general manager long and RCS. I was 1.5 on a 4.0 scale. Okay, so it was F on the we had gotten left and we want selling cars and so I figured my career in the automobile business was over. I'd heard about this crazy prayer that you could just listen to God and he would help you out if you had a problem and so when I went down the field and not just like I help me out on listen, just listen because I don't know. I know I need you. I know I messed up and I actually fell asleep when I woke up I was in more trouble. The dealership was looking for me.

My wife was mad at me. I got up the next morning which was Saturday morning I'll never forget as long as I live in a displayed innocent God. I don't have anything. I don't have any answers. I worked all these years. I don't know what's going on and he shows up to me in my heart and he says to remind. He says you know it's all said and done, is like a matter how many cars you sold and stuck in a matter what your customer satisfaction rating is is it all is going really matter is how many people you really helped in so I call the sales meeting and I will you commence this craziest thing that I went in there and these people use my language not being that of a Christian. Believe me, and I possible guys I've talked to God this morning and I have a new player like the blues Brothers. I want to go to and so I simply said from now on when I can sell cars when our in-service course is already were there to help people suffer guy comes in here and he needs a Nissan and you carrying over the Nissan store guy comes in here and they don't need a car because your past to find a credit ensemble car help them.

Just think this is your brother. They just came in your your mother and do everything you possibly do to help him and enter in here to get the car service to sell a bunch of stuff were to find out what they really need and what the what we can really do, and working to help a minute I think will be okay and I think it's just to be okay. I can even begin to tell you the turnaround in that dealership and in such a short period of time ended up that the dog store was out some Honda's Taurus is edited embarrassed that you know the owner was like oh my God store that was Robbie over the still ever-growing on the Volvo is but I did you know I'll never ever forget that and I and I and I certainly feel that way. To this day, whatever it is I'm doing from doing it in the radio or I'm doing it at home right is not go matter right. A lot of the stuff that's in it for you but what you do for yet I think sometimes people do force their spiritual life from their work life and they say well when I you know I go to church on Sunday and then once I leave church then it's like totally different person, but I mean I think there's there's there's actually a passage where Jesus talks about this and he says whoever whoever can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much whoever cannot be trusted with little will never be able be given much and I was actually having a conversation at Pastor Ron's house last week or whenever it was in. We were talking about this and you said Pastor Ron somebody will come in your church with two dollars Sabato come to my church with two dollars and they have no problem about putting one dollar in were not like a lot of places where we take five or six offerings or anything else we just give you an opportunity to plan C in the kingdom, but they'll come with two dolls. They have no problem about putting 50% of the one dollar in what will come with five dollars.

They have no problem up with no five dollars in which you give him a job and give him some things that all of a sudden they're making to $3000. They have a whole other problem about putting 10% of the and so the thing about it is was great with us is God doesn't need any of your money.

The kingdom will be all right without every bit of it but would you do is the only place where it says that God will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing to you if you give give and it shall be given to you and it is going to be praised and shaken together and running over will be given to you so so many people come up short and they don't have anything to give and one prayer. You will never hear me say is, bless those that didn't have anything to give out. Want to know why you didn't have anything to do. A good friend of mine who is a Jean Dominique. He was telling me his mom is from Haiti and he said his mom told him always to be able to give somebody something if it's only a you know and so all of us have something to give. And if we get out of that motion of where is all about us us for no more and that sort of thing and I'm not telling you anything about given to the pastor or any of those things that tell people where I met all the time. You know I don't need a thing you have. God takes care of my knees and all of these gown things you are a source but you are not my resource. And so I am counting and depending upon the Lord in facultative just a little something many years ago I was on my way to a golf game and I got a call from a friend of mine who is an evangelist and he said look one of the local guys here.

His son needs somebody to minister to him and I told him you would be the man. So I canceled my golf game again as I will have him drop me off and I went to meet this young man. I was able to leave until the Lord. And so when I call my friend Becky said look you call them up. This is number turns out the guy had just sold the business for $40 million and he said to me he said look man, you know you have a need something let me know I'll be able to give it to. And I told him your phone will never ring I will never call you and asked you for anything because if I do pretty soon you will become my God. And so if you want to give me some fun. I'll take a check and spend a quick is anybody but I'll never asked you for anything because God is my source and I work with that and you cannot out give God.

And no matter no fashion or anything. The more you give to him more. He gives back and rewards to you. Amen to that there is actually a story I heard about it if somebody in Congress or is it if is a senator or whatever it was, but the chaplain over all of Congress.

One of these guys was a Christian and he came up to the chaplain and he said chaplain. He said I need you to pray for me about something the chaplain says okay we need to pray for and he says listen.

He said when I was making $30,000 a year. I was able to tie gave $3000 no problem never had a problem. He says that now that I'm making $800,000 a year.

He says I can't give away $80,000.

He said, would you pray for me and the chaplain said absolutely. So we came up and he says are a number pray for you dear Lord, please bring this guys income down far enough you.I reminded of that to you in it. In addition to giving money.

Robbie you actually work with with children who have special needs.

Is that right yes I teach Sunday school Calvary and have with the special needs adults, people from some writing and some are molded me in their 70s something really really fun because they're special. But that didn't happen, you know, I shouldn't say that it happened because of anything other than God and my wife okay because actually what it happened.

I got an opportunity to teach the ham Sunday school class at Calvary, which was like 150 people and I am so not the start I was so honored you only came to me and I immediately said, oh yeah, you knobbed I would be delighted to teach the Hampson class without asking my wife or God or anybody else know so I come home at night was like honey good news were teach. Man Sunday school knowing not what you mean and she said no goddess told me working working special needs. We don't have any special needs and our family down syndrome know autism I kind of thing I'm like what are you talking about, no, no, this is what God told me that were going to do and I said honey I know I have all this is how not humble I am. I was like I have always wonderful Bible knowledge chocolate teaches. She goes know I'm telling you this, what were doing well. The next day. I have this men's group that I go to Amoxil to the stake called Christian business men's committee and there was an old missionary there by the name of Archie Jones and so I tell them all my stories, but these are my guys that have my back your say I don't tell your wife what you is what happened. Archie looks at me. After tell the story goes, he says to me Michael said under the least of these my brother and I was like you XO man.

I had to call it.

Tell him I was you know not to be the teacher was very embarrassing as it Artie put me on the role voted me and it was like Glendale and so all my goodness.

And then I go to the class and when I got to the class of people actually scared me. My coming summer punch in the air there looking out the window and just really you know these are young kids. These are adults and in some of you know a handful and I was like man I don't know you know I don't not in the bathrooms there about three weeks. The teacher looks at me and she says I Robbie I hear your pretty good teacher want you teach next week. I said really and she is what you want me to teach is the fifth commandment, I went one that's on your father and mother in life I can't teach my own kids to do that you sell anyway so I'm like God had me right where he wanted me and I start praying again using the same technique essentially values that day in the field I got I got nothing. I have no idea how much teaches and so I prayed and I prayed and God said what you know how you honor just get down many people can see that in no matter what the situation is this what you did.

So I going that day. I am thinking I have accomplished. I get down on my knee. I do that I do my best to explain what a mother and a father in on what God teaches on this all the stuff in there looking out the window and punching the air and I I've got no idea you know if I've accomplished anything until the family show up and is the family shows up. The students start getting down on one knee and the parents go in our families go, what's this in nursing.

Well we taught on the fifth honor your father and mother and the tears came and I was like oh God, you, you did it didn't believe them on Michael's over 20 years ago now and I can't even imagine my life without these people and I can't even begin to tell you how much they have taught me by visit Robbie but it was funny how much these folks have taught me about this whole subject. You know what is amazing is that is to work with the ark of Alamance and I work with the same folks.

One of the things that been a true blessing to me. I got to attend camp that they do every year. Cohasset and so I'd worked there and I never seem part of that I work with the pastor friend of mine and we got there and it was about 80 people that were there and they have disabilities of all sorts, and no it was just a wonderful thing we do so many different things, but one of the things that really impressed me and changed my life was the second time I went I was in a particular cottage and they asked me if I would look after this young man that was there and it was a young man of probably about 25 years old and one of the things I had to do was I had to go into the shower with them and so it instills something in me.

You know to be in the shower with a young man that is naked and you have to wipe his back and everything and had to shave him and all and the first thing you did was is said to me that he had no choice about who came in that room and saw him, or anything else.

And for a man to have to touch another man that he does not know is not related to a something, I'm a guy who is served all his life and yet I was taken to a place I was not familiar with the Lord. Humble money so much that day it changed my whole perspective. An outlet from a person who was looking with sympathy to a person who could empathize with what it happened in and it humbled me in such a way, I have never forgotten that thing and gave me a respected sense of respect that I've never had before. You know God's growing us all out to another story.

Michael three years ago I went to Haiti on a mission trip with actually teen challenge that I was doing Talks but they take me to an orphanage there a Catholic orphanage was in Jamaica and people in Jamaica because of their religion when somebody is born special needs.

They think their garbage and they throw him to the curb literally their out on the curb.

These babies in this Gorge. Orphanage rose around every day and picks up these babies and takes them to the orphanage.

Now, unfortunately, the, the Catholic orphanage does have near the resources needed to minister to these people. So unfortunately, many of them that would be able to walk many of them that would be able to talk never get the help they need. So there actually encrypts and they're all stacked up and yet you have to see it to fully appreciate you know what the deal is.

And then God had me you know they're here I'm here and and were helping these people put on diapers and were helping them feed people that really should've been able to feed themselves another 1516 years old. Amazing enter life and encrypt my time and I watched same kind of thing are totally out of my element totally.

You know like oh my goodness, but then what I saw was that these people that had lived in this environment is whole time still have the glory of God and that there was this one young man and this other guy was taken on this other guy cribbed the crib, he took his plastic that he been playing with in this other young man. It was like what they can talk again but you could just see that man this this guide knew what was right and he wanted to help his friend and I was like this is just, you know, and ended it in the least little of attention that gave them they shine like us like a bright morning and and I just make you want to cry when you think of in all the stuff that's going on out there that God gives us a little window sometimes to see what's going on and ended close it out. I wanted to share some so many times we say we need to tell people about Jesus. We need to tell people about Jesus. And I know every week we have the Wednesday and the word that's what we say. But you think about a practical application of that, you'd be surprised when you give somebody a $50 bill to give somebody $100 bill words before they won't hear anything about Jesus all of a sudden they're all ears. And so you know when Jesus said what you've done for the least of these you have done it on me that when we help people out in a situation that they're in, then their hearts and their minds may be opened to hearing the gospel with Jesus in Robbie. What had he want is always in Pastor Ron greater love over in Burlington go visit his church. Check out the website know that God bless you how fragile and unpredictable, like your landline or financial security feature with our 1873 the Polish Roman Catholic America has been protecting its members and their families financially are like affordable life insurance community rate and lower your income are transferring 3.1 years hundred dollar man in our work how your life are important in our life, protecting life.

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