Go M.A.D.

Three Life-Giving Resolutions for 2024

• Doug and Brad Hutchcraft • Season 3 • Episode 6

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It’s 2024 and the bros are here to talk about the new year. Find out about the unprovoked coffee mug that attacked Brad and how Doug has been supporting Brad’s…resolution? Speaking of resolutions, you’ll hear no shaming from us about that gym membership you only used once so far - in fact we talk about three topics that just might be getting in the way of your resolution-keeping.


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Speaker 1:

It is 2024 and the bros are here to talk about the new year. Find out about the unprovoked coffee mug that attacked Brad and how Doug has been supporting Brad's resolution. Sure, let's call it that. Speaking of resolutions, you'll hear no shaming from us about that gym membership you only used once so far. In fact, we talk about three topics that just might be getting in the way of your resolution, keeping All that and more on the way, so let's go mad.

Speaker 2:

Welcome everyone to a brand new episode of Go Mad with Doug and Brad, and we've got Jesse here and I've got to tell you if you were sitting there saying all I want for Christmas is a new episode, and then you're like, well, christmas passed, all I want for New Year's is a new episode. Well, here we are, here we are we made?

Speaker 3:

I don't know why, Brad, but whenever you introduce these podcasts, I hear the theme song from the prices, right? I don't know why it happens.

Speaker 2:

Okay, this is so weird because I thought you were actually going to say prices, right, and I have no idea why I might know each other a little too well.

Speaker 3:

Brad is having problems. This morning he came in. He came in this actually incredible, it's like from Friends in Native America Check us out on social media if you want to see this. Definitely he's got this great. The problem is white.

Speaker 2:

And I knew that was going to be a problem. He even told his wife.

Speaker 3:

he's like I shouldn't wear this, I'm going to mess it up, and he literally spilled coffee on himself numerous times.

Speaker 1:

He didn't learn the first time, it's just. There's nothing else, there's one cup.

Speaker 2:

You know what? All I know is that it's coming back to get me because I was like, well, I should wear today partly to taunt Doug, because of this awesome Yankees hoodie, and that's what I get that was the first thing I thought.

Speaker 3:

I was like I want that, but it is great to be back. We got held back a little bit by the holidays. Apparently, our families wanted to spend time with us.

Speaker 1:

That was shocking.

Speaker 3:

And the weather delayed shows for a little bit. We live in Arkansas where if you get over an inch of snow you are in deep trouble. Here I was on Facebook.

Speaker 2:

If you get over a centimeter of snow, it is.

Speaker 3:

That's right. I've got my friends on Facebook. They're like from Minnesota. They're like we got two feet of snow last night. We're going to school with some dog sleds and here it's like two inches batting down the hatches by all the milk and bread and Walmart and eggs.

Speaker 2:

And eggs, that's right, that's right.

Speaker 3:

I hope everybody's holidays were good. We're like right on the tail end to be able to say that I was supposed to. Actually, I was scheduled to get cold Wow this year, but apparently inflation made the price way too high.

Speaker 2:

So I got tree bark. Tree bark Wow. You know you can use that for fuel and to warm the house. That's all right.

Speaker 3:

But we figured hey, we're already past the resolution thing. We've already failed at like 92% of them.

Speaker 2:

Wait, wait, wait. I got to tell you I-.

Speaker 3:

Oh, you're at 100% already. Well.

Speaker 2:

I've come up with a foolproof way, a foolproof resolution strategy. Are you guys ready?

Speaker 3:

I'm ready to hear this.

Speaker 2:

Mind blowing. So I did some research and 43% of people quit their resolution by the end of January. And then you look in February. By the end of month two forget it, it's all gone Right. Reverse psychology. Since people break their resolutions, I'm like so maybe if I make an unhealthy resolution, I will break it and be the better for it. So I resolved to actually eat unhealthier, which, yeah, some wouldn't think it's possible, but I resolved to eat unhealthier. I can tell you you're doing great with that Bad news. Yeah, it's evidently easier to keep with those.

Speaker 3:

Science and psychology are falling to their knees. Brad literally called me at about 9 PM last night, out of nowhere, speaking. This is how.

Speaker 2:

I know it's going to be with this revolution. I was eating a block of cheese.

Speaker 3:

It was just a block of cheese. Close, it was a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. He's like if you'll meet me at the parking lot at the big church at 9.30,.

Speaker 1:

I will have I did do it.

Speaker 3:

I thought you were making this up and so we realized it looks like a drug deal or something going down. We're like we've got our trunks open. It's dark, there's no one else there. It's like covering.

Speaker 3:

It's pretty funny, we're like maybe we should get out of here fast.

Speaker 3:

So anyway, we thought so, forget, we're past resolutions, all that, but we are going to talk as we've been talking about what we might want to cover today, we kind of started to realize that so many of our resolutions are actually there are things behind them, spiritual things, where the resolutions and things we want to get rid of or the things we want to do are actually just evidence of something that might be deeper going on with us. So today we're going to actually we hit what would be three huge spiritual components that would help our friends on the podcast, help us to be able to receive God's blessings in a great way. There are blessing guaranteeers, according to Scripture, or three blessing blockers, because each subject can lead to both, and we're going to talk about three things today, three spiritual components of our lives that we might know but that, if you're like me, we need constant reminders of because of how vital God says they are about our spiritual health and to receive his actual blessing in our lives and in our walk with him.

Speaker 2:

So can I kick us off with one. It's actually, this would be called the Resolution. All right, so this is where I'm going to start us with one that people probably are going to say we get it, I just don't tune out. Please do not tune out. These are three very important areas, three amazing grace areas in our lives, and we will allow them to be that. And so this first one the reason I'm going with it is because we always need like you said, doug, to be reminded of these things.

Speaker 3:

I'm 52 and I need to hear these things all the time.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So this first one for me is I will spend more time with Jesus.

Speaker 3:

Oh, all of a sudden someone's going oh yeah, brilliant, read my Bible. I already know this one Turn to the next podcast.

Speaker 2:

Hang on hang on.

Speaker 3:

We promised to say something at least moderately new and exciting here.

Speaker 2:

Well, here's why, For me, this is we've all had those moments where we are reading the Word of God and we're reading the same passage we have read over and, over and over again. It happened to me again during the Christmas season. I was reading through Luke again and things are hitting me all of a sudden. I'm like that's always been there. Why didn't I see it before? And it's because you take things to a new level and you go through different seasons in your life. So one of the main reasons to spend more time with Jesus.

Speaker 2:

I look at Acts 16. You look at verses 25 through 40 and you've got Paul and Silas in jail and all of a sudden the shackles come off, the doors are open and they are free. Now they don't run out of there. They make sure that they are there when the jailer sees them in the morning and everything, and they use it as a chance to talk about Jesus. But we all have experienced the shackles coming off. When you have chosen Jesus, you have found freedom. When you have that relationship with Jesus, you've found freedom.

Speaker 2:

But God doesn't want us to stop there. He wants us to experience a level of freedom that is beyond anything we could imagine We'll never get to fully experience the freedom he gives, even if we walk with Him every day, closely, our entire lives. But we can experience more and more of it. So this is not just spending time with Jesus, but spending time with Him to experience His freedom and His joy in life. So spend time with Jesus, but especially get in His Word more. Hebrews 4-12,. For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. In Psalm 119-105, your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. We need to be meeting with Jesus and in His Word constantly to be able to learn more about this.

Speaker 3:

I love the way you put that, brad. It's interesting you didn't say read your Bible more, say spend your time with Jesus, because that's really what we're talking about here. We're talking about trying to build a relationship with the God, who loves us. He calls us His friend, his heavenly Father, any friend, any father, any family member that I love, I'm spending time with and getting to know Brad, I think the whole reason that we find something new in something we've read before is exactly that scripture you brought up that the Word of God is living and active. It's alive. So there's always something different when we read the same scripture. So we make time for Jesus because it's not a book you're not making time for. This isn't about some religious rule you follow. I guess it's time to do my Bible reading, but to make it quick, the game's about to come on.

Speaker 3:

I actually asked Dad once, who absolutely loves God's Word. He has literally boxes full of notebooks, of journals from what God has communicated through the Word and why it's so important. You know what he told me. He said well, I love God, my Heavenly Father, and this is the way he has given us to spend time with Him. My relationship with Jesus is my life's most important relationship and I need to build this relationship with communication like any other relationship that's important to me, and get this. He also said the best way to understand God's will something we're always trying to find what is God's will is to be able to get this to recognize His voice. So now I can tell what he's communicating to me the more time I spend with Him not the more time I'm reading a book, but the more time I spend with Him, the more I'll know and it's His voice I'm hearing.

Speaker 2:

Are you guys ready? Ken, drop some stats on you here. I love stats. Well, here's the thing, because stats are no way boring, no, they're good.

Speaker 3:

I'm going to be honest.

Speaker 2:

Sarah, my wife Sarah. She comes to me and says, hey, could I share some stats about Bible reading with you? And I'm like, yeah, I mean at first I was like because I'm kind of the stats, well, sure, let me hear those. And as she's sharing them on the, it was one of those. Wait, can you go back repeat that? Wait, is that true? Is that real? But this is done by a reputable firm that just spent a lot of time researching the difference.

Speaker 2:

Reading the Bible four times a week on average, each week, you're reading at least four times that you're doing four days a week. Meet with Jesus. This is the change that makes those who read the Bible on average four days a week or more. Feeling lonely drops 30%. Anger issues drop 32%. Bitterness in relationships drops 40%. Alcoholism drops 57%. Sex outside of marriage drops 68%. Viewing pornography drops 61%. Wow, and sharing your faith jumps 200%. So when we spend this time with Jesus not just as His words say it, but it's backed up by the studies that have been done that we wind up not being controlled by sin anymore and we want to share about this freedom we have found with our friends, our neighbors, our family.

Speaker 3:

And it's not because you're reading a bunch of rules again that all those awesome things happen. It's because you're plugging into the source of all power to do those amazing things.

Speaker 2:

So let's just wrap up this resolution, I guess, as it were whatever we want to call this with a word to men Take the lead. Take the lead in this, guys. Because I was reading First Thessalonians 1 this morning, verse six, I got stuck on it because it says you were imitators of us and of the Lord. I get the being imitators of the Lord part, but Paul's writing you're imitators of us. And I'm just like do I want that? Can I honestly sit here and say, man, I want my children to be imitators of me, yes, of Jesus, please, jesus, right, right, do I want others I interact with to be imitators of me? And what a great goal that is, because it isn't just about saying look to Jesus, but see Jesus in us, see Jesus in me. So I better be living a life worth imitating if I'm going to have that. Make a difference. Heart and the way you do that is meeting with Jesus more. And men, take the lead on it.

Speaker 3:

That's so good. That's all about ambassadorship, that is, being Christ's ambassador. He is making his appeal about who Jesus is through us. So is what they're seeing, especially our kids or in our relationships? Is what they're seeing something beautiful that they want to imitate as his ambassador, or not? Now, jesse, from what I understand, you have a second what we're calling maybe a resolution, or one of God's great blessing guaranteeers or, if we aren't doing it, one of his blessing blockers. What do you got Right?

Speaker 1:

right. Well, thinking back over the past year, sometimes I don't know if you've ever had this experience you hear yourself talking and you kind of slow down and go and do I really sound like that?

Speaker 3:

Yes, is that me talking? Anytime I listen back to the podcast I'm like why didn't anyone tell me I sound like that Touche, touche Well.

Speaker 1:

I've had those moments where I'm talking with my kids or my wife or something, and then I have to slow down and go. How does this sound to other people? I know how it sounds in my head. I want my words this year to be full of life. I want them to be a life giving. There's this verse you mentioned Hebrews, a chapter back Hebrews 3, 12 and 13. Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. And 13. But so, instead of that, encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sins, deception. The stakes are really high in those verses. It's turning away from the living God. Oh, how do we counteract that? Encourage each other daily.

Speaker 1:

Now I had someone local at a local event. I hadn't seen him in a few years and I was already at the event. He came in the back door, saw me from across the room, walked over to me with purpose. He put his hand on my shoulder and said something like man, I'm so happy to see you. You know wherever you are, you just light up the room. If you need anything for me, I mean it, you, you reach out and I left going. Wow, that was so Encouraging. And I was talking about my wife, about a like I want to be that when I grow up and I find it so awkward and difficult as a man to another man to say God is for you, he is not against you, you can do this like. That's so not natural to me, but it gave me such a life. What if I could give that kind of life to the people around me?

Speaker 3:

Wow wow and encouraging each other is all through the New Testament. That scripture actually was no kidding. Thinking about it this morning. It's interesting it it doesn't say there's there no random words in the Bible. It all has meaning. So it's not encourage one another Occasionally, encourage one another when to get a chance. It's daily.

Speaker 3:

I mean we're getting beaten down with words by the culture, things we read in other relationships. That might not be our healthiest relationship. You're getting beaten down by words all the time. This world is desperate is. Our neighbors are desperate for words of encouragement. Remember dad saying something interesting. He said think of that word in Encouragement. It's like you're poor. Encourage in to somebody Encouragement when you take the time to say you know what. Here is something that I've noticed about you, like Jesse Just brought up. Here's something that I noticed about you that is awesome. Let no one wholesome talk come out of your mouth that says in a fusion is for, but only what will build one another up. It's so opposite. So the opposite of wholesome words are the ones that tear People down.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it's such a great encouragement guys, because in encouragement, see where we're poor, encourage into others To do this, because it's certainly a challenge. Every one of us has a challenge with this. I know there are people who nail encouragement better and they that's just kind of how they're wired. But still there are those days, there are those times, even if that's you, there are those times. It's like I'm not feeling that, but that Ephesians verse, ephesians 429, what there's an equation there, yes, 429 that I really like, because you read that first part do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth. It's like great, yeah right. It's like how don't let any. Because I mean, it's pretty clear, don't let any. But then the second half, but only what is helpful for building others up. We have a limited numbers of number of words. Even hutchcrafts have a limited number of words.

Speaker 2:

We can say, no, I'm googling it if your mouth is filled with Encouraging words and building others up, it won't have room for the unwholesome talk. So the more you focus on don't focus on the negative of I can't do this, I can't avoid unwholesome talk focus on the fact of doing encouraging talk, wholesome talk, words to build others up, and then you'll see the other Dropping more and more, and we've all been in those circles where the conversation is snarky and maybe jokes are a little offhand at other people's expense and we leave and we feel I Don't know not great and then we've been in those circles where people are building each other up, or where one person takes the lead to encourage someone else or to call something out about someone else.

Speaker 1:

That builds them up and we leave and we feel like we've just been Buied afloat.

Speaker 3:

That's good it can keep you going for the right kind of compliment. I'm gonna keep you going all week, you know so we've got to here, doug, we've got to.

Speaker 2:

really, I spending more time with Jesus, using these life-giving words more to build people up. Well, that's it. No wait, doug, you Do you have, you've got one, and this one is so key. Man, this trifecta here, this one is gonna be challenging for people but could be a game changer.

Speaker 3:

Well, I'm going to talk about forgiveness here for a minute. But it's not as simple as we think sometimes. We've all had those moments or those times where we've been hurt so badly by somebody. We're not sure we've ever let it go, and there's a real danger in that, because there's so much power in forgiving those, according to God's word, that have hurt us the most. You know those relationships where like, oh man, I hope I don't see him in Walmart, I hope I don't see him at the Thanksgiving table, because there's something there, maybe, that you haven't forgiven. It's like unforgiveness. Before you take another step in this year, ask God, is there somewhere I'm being held back in my relationship with you because of something, some bitterness I haven't let go? Maybe it's recently, maybe it's years ago, because unforgiveness is like chaining yourself to a tree when you want to like you said earlier, brad walk in freedom.

Speaker 3:

What strikes me so deeply about letting go of bitterness towards even the people that have hurt us the most is how much emphasis Jesus puts on it. It's a huge blessing blocker. We assume God is always thrilled with our praise and worship, but did you know there's actually a spot in God's word where he says thank you okay. So you're bringing me some praise and some worship. Stop not interested. He says actually, first go. If you're bringing an offering and realize you have something against someone or they have something against you, go be reconciled to that person first. Go get right with that person. Then bring your offering of praise to me. Go get that taken care of first. I'll still be here.

Speaker 2:

The Bible is filled with equations like that where it is.

Speaker 2:

Take this step and you get to experience more of the freedom. Spend time with me, you get more freedom. Use life-giving words, you get more freedom. It's certainly with forgiveness, but let's face it, I mean forgiveness. It's a hard topic to talk about, because so much hurt has been done and so much hurt has been done and we I want to make sure that you listening right now understand when we talk about this we don't take it lightly, because we know that some of the hurts that have been done to you not that you've done to others even now, that's a whole other thing but the hurts that have been done to you, they leave lasting scars, they leave hurt that lasts for a long time. But that's where finding the freedom and the healing and forgiveness from Jesus, so that we can then forgive others, is so key, because it is hard but it also is doable, and Jesus says when you do it, you find freedom and you find life.

Speaker 3:

See, brad, I think that's a huge reason you just nailed it why we don't forgive. Sometimes we feel like if I forgive that person, it's like I'm saying what they did to me was okay and that it didn't hurt me. But you're not. You're just saying I'm not going to let that person. I'm going to forgive them and release bitterness, give it to God, because I'm not going to let that person live rent-free in my heart, in my spirit and that hurt. I'm also not going to take revenge. I'm not going to try to find a way to get back at them.

Speaker 3:

That's one way to know you've really forgiven somebody. Is that you, when you see them, when you think about them, you don't start entertaining those thoughts of man, how could I do something, say something to get back at them? But actually and get this, when Jesus gets involved, this gets pretty incredible. But rather than that praying for them and blessing them, you're not saying what they did was okay and look, in situations of abuse, maybe something even illegal. It doesn't mean you're not saying you don't want justice to be served. It's just saying I'm not going to be the one that serves that justice.

Speaker 1:

That's going to be up to God Very good point, and there's a world of difference between life and death, difference between folding your arms and saying I'm not going to forgive them because they don't deserve it, and the person who goes. I'm having a hard time, jesus, help me. The former Jesus calls us to repent and the latter Jesus is going to come alongside and help us as we look to him.

Speaker 3:

If we don't know how to forgive, jesus knows how to forgive and he can help us learn A great way to know if I've really forgiven someone is he doesn't get brought up anymore, not only in your mind, but when you're talking with that person.

Speaker 2:

We've all been in those, I know, but we've all been in those, You're right. You're right.

Speaker 3:

It's just, I'm sitting here and I'm just like now I'm starting to think through my head and I'm like, oh, we've all been in those conversations with a loved one or maybe someone that we're not loving like we should and all of a sudden, something that came up eight years ago, something that happened eight years ago, comes up in the conversation. Good chance, you haven't forgiven that, so we don't bring it up in how I've been sinned against to the offender, or bringing it up to others. I would like us to pray for my friend Joe, who is really struggling with some things that are really offending me. I'm going to make a list here's what they are.

Speaker 3:

Because is how we're, how we were hurt. Those words they keep coming back like a broken record player on skip. 1 Corinthians 13, 1,. This is huge One of my life versus a great test to know have I forgiven this person? Love keeps no record, no list of wrongs. Paul said that a guy who had been the apostle Paul would been betrayed so many times by people who were supposed to be believers. And he says, no, you keep a list. That is not real. Christ, like love, so rip up the list, give it to God, move on, Doug.

Speaker 2:

I love that and for those, let's say, I may be a little younger, the record player that skips. I will cover that on a different episode, but I actually love that because I remember it's a vivid memory of that you just get stuck in the same spot and for for Sarah and I, that was one of the key moments in our relationship. We had dated earlier on and we were apart for a while. When we got back together, we sat there and had a conversation about we have to leave some things in the past because if we bring them into the new relationship, this isn't going to work. And we talked for hours and we we shared what we had done to hurt the other person. We shared how maybe we had felt hurt. And I'm just going to tell you only by the grace of God and him being in those moments, we were able to leave those behind. And when things come up, maybe in a situation now it's not like oh yeah, well, remember when it's a you know what, there's a freedom there and a freshness that is so amazing, but it really is in all three of these things.

Speaker 2:

So one thing I want to make clear we started with joking about people kind of they give up their resolutions Right. These are easy to let fall by the wayside. Any of the three of these. It is only when we commit ourselves to spending time with Jesus, when we are committed to saying I'm going to do the hard things to spend time with him, that will be my priority, to make sure I am having giving life, giving words and, if I'm not, to ask for forgiveness when I need to and I'm going to take the steps to forgiveness. Because when we stay committed and we let invite Jesus into those moments, we can have success and not have these be like the other random resolutions that fall away. These can be life long, high impact, life changing things.

Speaker 3:

Three either blessing blockers Each. That's what's interesting about each of these is God says ignore these or don't, don't invite me into these. Or assume you've got your act completely together on these and it could block blessing, it could affect our relationship not our salvation, but our relationship. Or, if you focus on these things, if you invite me in. King David said this is a guy after God's own heart. According to Scripture, he said search me, oh God. Maybe take a time every day, every week, where you say search me, oh God, see if there is any offensive way in me, especially in these areas, and lead me in the way everlasting. Now I can move forward in freedom and enjoy. So invite God into these conversations. They're so important in our relationship with God, even if you think I've got it all together, maybe tonight search me, oh God, see if there's anything that I could be doing better at, especially in how I'm representing you as an ambassador.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. Well, thanks everyone for joining us today for the first episode of the new year. Woohoo, Please leave a review.

Speaker 3:

Tell a friend, do whatever it takes, Share this share this if it meant anything to you, if it's helping make a difference in your life. That's what. That's why it's called go mad, go make a difference. If you think it might make a difference in somebody's life, maybe suggest this episode or the podcast.

Speaker 1:

That's right and from all of us to all of you until next time, go mad.