Proverbs 17 - Jerry Bryant

Show intro: 0:04

Welcome to the affirming words podcast, where you're encouraged to speak the word renew your mind and transform your life. Here's your host, Rick Tarrant.

Rick Tarrant: 0:14

Well, hey there. Hi there. Hi there. I say that all the time. It is. It is yes, it is yours, yours yours truly. And I want to welcome you to the affirming words. Now podcast, we're actually a recording today with some of the A wa family We call it that because it's just it's, it's so much work to say affirming words of abundance, right? So Awai family, we have a live zoom call going on. And we're actually we've been doing this for about a year in a Facebook group. And we've been putting into practice or trying to put into practice speaking the word out loud, to get it into our spirit, to renew our mind in the process. And it is a process and my guest today is actually not a stranger to AWS, or to the process of this journey we call life. So my friend Jerry, Brian is here. Jerry, before I give you the official introduction, would you pray us in?

Jerry Bryant: 1:10

Thanks, right. I want to talk to my father. Father, you are so good. And you have taken this on this journey. With intentionality and purpose, everything you have ordered for us is coming to pass and will come to pass. So we thank you. We look forward to your speaking by the Spirit of God. Holy Spirit speak to us to the words that we read today that it becomes real food for us satisfying food. We ask this in the name of our Savior and Lord Jesus. Amen.

Rick Tarrant: 1:56

Amen, and amen, and amen. And amen. So I've known Jerry about 100 years. But Jerry, I'm not going to let our friendship get in the way of a proper introduction. So if you will. So my friend Jerry Bryan is here to help us read through proverbs 17 today. Now you may not know this, but Jerry was part of the early Jesus movement of the 70s. And in other words, he was one of the original Jesus freaks. And he pioneered one of the earliest and longest running Jesus music radio shows in syndication called Jesus solid rock. I remember those reels of tape. And in 1978, Jerry became pastor of the last days community in Woodland Hills, California, with Keith and melody Green. And today Jerry host full circle, which is a one hour weekly Jesus music show featuring classic music artist interviews, ministry and lots of memories. Oh, and he's also chairman of the Nashville Alliance. please make welcome the inimitable Jerry Bryant.

Jerry Bryant: 2:53

Well, Rick, thank you. Thank you. I'm so honored by that. Opening there, and I think you read it's just pretty much the way I wrote it. So thank you.

Rick Tarrant: 3:07

You know, the five spot helps. So thank you very much. So

Jerry Bryant: 3:11

let me add it. If people want to find out about the current show, this will be my Oh, Rick, I can't tell you 50 years in broadcasting, and pass, you know, so today over, you know, but the radio show is actually full circle, Jesus music. There's other full circles out there. So if they want to go to iHeartRadio are the iTunes podcast and countless other podcast forums, or places on the web, you can just put in four words full circle Jesus music. And I have I think about 274 hours up of programs, interviews and the like in being in Nashville since 92. I started a church here and now I am the chairman of the pastoral Alliance for the city. It's called worship City Alliance. I don't know how that all happened. And what is it exactly? Well, it's just a place where we can gather as pastors leaders, intercessors parish, church groups, under worship City Alliance come together, come into unity, understanding each other's heart. We'll have some great guests authors that have come in we had Mario Marilla, the evangelist on January we had Artie Kendall, who's written so many great books, all in one

Rick Tarrant: 4:38

on forgiveness that I read. Oh, my gosh. Yes.

Jerry Bryant: 4:42

And we had recently, the fellow who heads up Iris ministries with Heidi Baker will heart who's moved to Nashville, so many people move into Nashville. Yeah, we get together and we worship and we are encouraged by some of the speakers and then we build Relationships are re acquaint ourselves with relationship. And the other thing that keeps me very busy with doing pastoral and missionary efforts is with artists and Christian testimony. Here in Nashville, they've been together for 30 years. It's an umbrella for any ministry that wants to be not for profit. We have about 500 ministries. Underneath that umbrella, I have three ministries under it. They take care of our books and give out receipts and thank people for writing and giving. And I'm able then to have my own autonomy as an underground Shepherd, which is the name of the ministry, our full circle, Jesus, music RW CA, all covered by artist in Christian testimony, AC T, and I'm the care coordinator, I guess you might say, the care coordinator, pastor for Nashville, so a lot of things to take care of encourage people where they are, that means doing a wedding now and then or a mission trip to someplace around the world and stuff. It's It's been fun.

Rick Tarrant: 6:07

Before we jump into reading the Proverbs today or the proverb of the day for today. I you know, as you're sitting there speaking, I'm reminded of when I first met you, which was up in a little bird called Portsmouth, Virginia, once upon a time, and we were both and we were both at CBN. Or I don't recall exactly did you work for CBN?

Jerry Bryant: 6:32

I was on the radio station. Yeah, I had a show there. Okay, that's right.

Rick Tarrant: 6:35

That's right. Yeah, we were in GE. So I had gone up there to be a part. This is a part of our story that I don't think I've ever told here. But there was when I was a young disc jockey at W dia, a friend of mine, who actually was responsible for leading me to the Lord had gone to work for CBN. And they were launching this, this new idea called satellite radio. And it was an interesting format, because they were basically taking a pop music format, and mixing in some, you know, contemporary Christian music, which was still fairly new then but people like Amy Grant and, and DeGarmo and Ki and Petra and Michael W. Smith, and people like that. So I believe twice an hour we would weave in, in between at that time. You know, it might be Barbra Streisand. Neil Diamond, Olivia Newton, John. And then Amy Grant,

Jerry Bryant: 7:26

how cool is all queen is all positive and very clean.

Rick Tarrant: 7:29

Yep, yep. And we run, we would run these little dramatic vignettes that were basically kind of the Gospel story and little 30 and 62nd, creative little dramas, right? radio dramas. And we had a voiceover friend named Charlie glaze, putting putting those things together, as I recall. And anyway, I'm just bringing that part into the story that we were early on, we wanted to see this thing called Christian music, get out there. And Jerry was doing Jesus solid rock and playing, really cutting edge stuff for the day, including our friend Keith green when he I say our friend I never met, I never met Keith, but I kind of feel that kinship, you know? Because of my friendship with you, I think Well, that's all right.

Jerry Bryant: 8:14

You you're gonna have in the journey to get to know Keith, he's one of a kind guy. You have a lot of time to ask him questions.

Rick Tarrant: 8:22

Yeah, I've heard I think it was a buck in any hearing said, Keith. Keith felt like the rules didn't apply to him. Yeah, anyway, so. So you've been at this a long time. And we've been we've, you know, our, our lives have kind of come in and out along the way, but I'm still pleased as punch to have you associated.

Jerry Bryant: 8:44

Well, before we get started, you know, I just want to thank you for your faithfulness over the years, who ups and downs in the journey and here you are still doing what God has called you for he's ordering your steps and this is a very meaningful expression of what he called you to do the voice I love the voice of Rick Tarrant. I tell you that I've used his voice on dropins in my show.

Rick Tarrant: 9:11

That's right. Yeah, I'm still waiting for that residual check to come rolling in just any in heaven. Well, you want to jump into proverbs and then let's see if along the way all right get through our proverb if anyone in our Zoom Room today wants to raise a hand or interact with you don't Don't Don't be so polite. I think I kind of I kind of you know, I kind of set the stage when I said okay, it's a it's a podcast is we're recording so you know, be on your best behavior. It's like okay, so you don't have to be on your best behavior. Just keep your mic muted when you're not asking a question about Well,

Jerry Bryant: 9:43

today we're going to look at the proper the day proverbs 17. And it's an amazing proverb about wisdoms of virtues.

Rick Tarrant: 9:54

What version are we reading from today?

Jerry Bryant: 9:55

Well, you know, today I think I'm just going to use my little handy dandy passion Translation. I don't know you can see it. I think it's blocking out. There you go. The passion translation, and it's easy to carry in my car and I enjoy just some of the ways that Brian has, you know, share the word. I mean, we do want to read many other translations, but we love the living, translation and all the others. And it's great to go ahead and read different ones. This is the one I'd like to read today with verse one.

Rick Tarrant: 10:28

And it's this is the work of Dr. Brian Simmons, I believe, aka

Jerry Bryant: 10:32

Ryan Simmons. He's an amazing missionary who, with the inspiration of the Spirit, wrote this great version.

Rick Tarrant: 10:39

All right, Pong, back and forth. Then you do three I'll do three and we'll see how it goes.

Jerry Bryant: 10:43

Well, verse one, a simple, humble life with peace and quiet is far better than an opulent lifestyle with nothing but quarrels and strife at home. A wise intelligent servant will be honored above a shameful son. He'll even end up getting a portion left to him in his masters will. In the same way that gold and silver are refined by the fire. The Lord purifies your heart, by the test and trials of life.

Rick Tarrant: 11:17

First, for those eager to embrace evil, listen to slander, for a liar loves to listen to lies, mock the poor, will you, you insult your Creator every time you do. If you make fun of others misfortune, you'd better watch out. Your punishment is on its way. grandparents have the crowning glory of life, grandchildren, and it's only proper for children to take pride in their parents. And I'll give a resounding Amen to that as well. Jerry

Jerry Bryant: 11:50

it's not proper for a leader to lie and deceive. And don't expect excellent words to be spoken by a fool. Why is instruction is like a costly gem. It turns the impossible and Sue success. Love overlooks the mistakes of others but dwelling on the failures of others. devastates friendships.

Rick Tarrant: 12:14

Ouch. One word of correction breaks open a teachable heart. But a fool can be corrected 100 times and still not know what hidden. Rebellion thrives and an evil man. So a messenger of Vengeance will be sent to punish him. It is safer to meet a grizzly bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a reckless fool.

Jerry Bryant: 12:38

That's so true. The one who returns evil for good can expect to be treated the same way for the rest of his life. Whoa, don't be one who is quick to quarrel for an argument is hard to stop and you never know how it's gonna end. So don't even start down that road. There's nothing God hates more than condemning the one who is innocent and acquitting the one who is guilty.

Rick Tarrant: 13:08

Why pay tuition to educate a fool for he has no intention of acquiring true wisdom. A dear friend will love you no matter what. And a family sticks together through all kinds of trouble. It's stupid to run up bills you'll never be able to pay or to cosign for the loan of your friend. Save yourself the trouble and don't do either one.

Jerry Bryant: 13:31

If you love to argue, then you must be in love with sin. For the one who loves to boast is only asking for trouble. The one with a perverse heart never has anything good to say. And the chronic liar tumbles into constant trouble. Parents of a numbskull will have many sorrows. There's nothing about his lifestyle that will make them proud.

Rick Tarrant: 14:00

A joyful cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression. Been there. When you take a secret bribe your actions reveal your true character for you pervert the ways of justice. Even the face of a wise man shows his intelligence. But the wandering eyes of a fool will look for wisdom everywhere except right in front of his nose.

Jerry Bryant: 14:29

Father grieves over the foolishness of his child and bitter sorrow. feels his mother. It's horrible to persecute a holy lover of God or to strike an honorable man for his integrity. Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure? That's how you show that you're wise and understand heart and understanding heart keeps you cool, calm and collected No matter what you're facing,

Rick Tarrant: 15:04

even when a fool bites his tongue, he's considered wise. So shut your mouth when you are provoked. It will make you look smart. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Wowzers he has a, you know, he's kind of like, Eugene Peterson, who I like to read from this version, the message that it's a paraphrase ation, as opposed to a translation. But I like I like his street language as well. So Dr. Simmons has an interesting grasp on it as well. So I'll read him both. Well, I'm just I like to sometimes have a translation and the Para physician, but let's see what jumped out there. Me, you know, Oh, this one, this one was particularly convicting. Can you bridle your tongue when you're under pressure? That's, yeah. That's the testing it.

Jerry Bryant: 15:55

Really, it really is. Because pressure is part of life. But it's not the emotion that comes up. It's whether or not you control it. You know, there's a difference, Rick, and you and I both learned this the hard way, between reacting and responding. So let's say something really unexpected happens. I mean, it could be something like dropping coffee on your lap. How do you react? What comes out of your mouth first? Or if your emotions are not brought into check or bridal, then you live that way? You'd be embarrassed, most likely. But when you process what's happened, think it through. And then I would jump up to you know how people treat us sometimes things they say that trigger an emotion. And I have a choice to really react and come back or, Oh, I wonder what kind of day they're having. I wonder, why did they feel that way? Oh, well, Lord, what are you doing here? And what do you want me to do? And most of the time, he says, Keep your tongue in your mouth. You haven't been assigned, stay in your lane. And let it work out. And if I do that, and return evil with good, you know what happens? Many times people will come back. One guy recently was 10 years. But he came back and said, I'm sorry. For how I acted. I'm sorry for that accusation. I knew in my heart, it wasn't true. And I want to ask you forgiveness. 10 years later, but I didn't chase him down. I didn't pin him up. And I didn't put my offense on Facebook.

Rick Tarrant: 17:41

Thank you very much that, okay, we can just we can we, we can close now. Don't put your heart out there on Facebook, please.

Jerry Bryant: 17:53

And work it out there. I mean, everybody's going to have a different opinion on what happened to you know, Word tells us clearly, I'm talking after pastoring, almost 50 years, I mean, bring I have done everything under the sun wrong. But in also trying to help people come into the fullness that God has for them. I say, really basic one on one would be something to go back to and relearn. If you have an offense against your brother, go to him in private, and tell him you may win your brother back. And I tell you, I cannot tell you the numbers of times that people sit well, I never even thought about that. I just thought I'd tell everybody what rotten scoundrel he was. I said, Yes, you want to be vindicated. That's not the virtues of Proverbs that we just read. You want to be vindicated and feel better. For what happened to you. That's not how you resolve it. If you have no interest, go ahead. But if you want to keep your brother, then you have to go to him in love in private, gently, humble, you don't come in with an axe. You don't come in and threaten. And I do it outside rather than in a room where you might put him in a corner because people don't like to be in a corner. It's all about dynamics a lot of times, and then you go wow, why did I make this such a big deal? He didn't even know he did it. He wasn't even thinking that way. It was really me.

Rick Tarrant: 19:19

Right? And when we're holding on to those offenses, Oh, sounds like a bumper sticker. But I remember somebody saying, you know, you have to take offense. You have to actually reach out and grab it. And I know in my own life I've been on this speaking the word renewing your mind journey for a little bit here. And some buttons got pushed this weekend. And in the moment, in fact, there was like three buttons that got pushed in a five minute period, boom, boom, boom and in traffic. And so I took offense, and it's it's like, you know, going through this process, but I didn't hang on to it very long. And I realized, Oh, I've still got one work to do. I got to get that part of my heart worked on because I, I took offense and, and I see we have a hand from our friend John Umstead. Who today I'm calling him the bear poker because you know that proverb that says iron sharpens iron, like, you know, so So a brother is to another brother. So last night in a conversation, John was poking me just a little bit just like it, you know, you're you're getting off, you're getting off track here, Rick, and just kind of bringing me back. And that's why Honestly, I was provoked by the Holy Spirit early this morning to get up and do something I really didn't want to do. But I knew it was an act of love. And I had been saying this thing, you know, I get really aggravated at particularly other Christians who aren't showing much love out there in the world today. And and John has reminded me well, you know, Rick, when you get mad at them, you're kind of doing the same thing. So welcome, my my iron sharpening brother, John Umstead.

Jon Umsted: 21:02

You know, it's interesting, Rick, I'd never said those words. So that must mean what the Holy Spirit told you. Oh, no,

Rick Tarrant: 21:07

no, I'm pretty sure you did. I don't

Jon Umsted: 21:11

check. Jerry, nice to meet you and service history. So thank you for sharing your time with us. On that verse, you know, when you were when you were going through that, the that bridle so the, for the first 20 years of my Christian walk that was like, I just got to grit my teeth. I just got to keep this thing locked down. And the for the past year, Rick has been doing this affirming words, format, and it centers around renewing your mind. And and what dawned on me as we walk as you were talking about this, that verse to me, has now become a thermometer. And what it does is a thermometer doesn't do anything. It just, it just measures the temperature of the room. And so this renewing of the mind process, Rick will give a verse of Scripture, and then we will do an affirmation, then we'll listen to the Holy Spirit. But the course of doing that over the last 12 months, we were transformed. You know, Paul talks about Romans 12. One, present ourselves a living sacrifice. So spotless, blemish free, you know, as God sees us not not kind of begging for the crumbs in the scraps. But when we do that, then our mind then we're able to renew our mind and renew our thinking. And those things that used to be offensive, quote, unquote, they don't have it, there's no ground for it to land. And that's, I appreciate you guys sharing that. Because it was just a reminder of the process that we're all in, you know, moving from glory to glory. And as we renew our mind, so I just wanted to publicly thank Rick for people who listen to this, that the process that the community that he's created around, this really is transformational. So

Jerry Bryant: 23:04

that's good, Jon, thanks for sharing that. Hey, Rick, you remember Keith green used to have things he would say that would provoke people. And, of course, people had to forgive him.

Rick Tarrant: 23:17

I was one of those actually.

Jerry Bryant: 23:19

You remember one time he said, about bumper stickers. He made the statement. He says, You know, I see all your bumper stickers. I know your bumper sticker. Your bumper is going to happen. I'm not sure about you.

Rick Tarrant: 23:32

He can he kind of called him like, as he saw him didn't. Yeah, I don't remember exactly what but I remember I don't it was probably it could have been it was probably some of the lyrics in his albums. I don't recall. What but I just remember, I got to a point where I couldn't receive from Him as like. It's like, it's like my grandma, you say now he didn't quit preaching and going to Midland kind of a thing. But I got to last days newsletter in the mail in the summer of 82, I believe. And he was conciliatory, in in his in, you know, the front article, editorial, whatever you want to call it, and just kind of apologizing for sort of being a jerk along the way. And he was showing humility. And I remember reading it thinking, Oh, okay, I can receive from this brother wasn't like, a few weeks or, you know, a month later he was gone.

Jerry Bryant: 24:23

Well, the backstory on that is that Keith operated out of zeal and immaturity. Right? And he did the best thing you could have ever done when he moved us all to Lyndale, Texas and got out of the city of LA. And his reason for going there is it was one fella, an old guy who could speak into his life and that man's name was Leonard Ravenhill. And a lot of people don't know who he is. He was an understudy of a W. Tozer he's old guy, but he had a way of dealing with Keith out of fatherly love, and we all noticed a tempering. He didn't compromise what he believed. But he was tempered somewhat. I remember one time saying, this isn't the focus of our talk here. But I remember one time I shared with him, I said, you know, the last person that came out of the room there that you were exhorting, I mean, it was raw meat hanging off their back, and I had to try to help bring some healing. He said, Well, I can't help it from right. And I go, yeah.

Rick Tarrant: 25:33

You know, that kind of reminds me of someone else in the room today. I mentioned in the last

Jerry Bryant: 25:39

last part of the story. Well, he said he couldn't help it if he's right. And the last part of the story is I said, he said to me, he said, Jerry, I just, I can't be like you. I'm not a dip. A dip? I said, a dip. What do you say? He said, You're just a deployment. You're a diplomat, diplomat? No, I have a shepherd's heart. That's pretty sure. And I'm not a prophet. Of course, he would never let anybody tell him he was. But he was very prophetic.

Rick Tarrant: 26:10

Absolutely. Without a doubt. Yeah. If he couldn't see that, or if he didn't want to see it,

Jerry Bryant: 26:16

he didn't want to see it. No, he didn't want to be what was

Rick Tarrant: 26:19

the you know, the the course of this conversation, during during this hour that we're together, he can go wherever it leads. And for those who remember, Keith green, I love talking about him. And I'm sure that some of the lessons he learned along the way can be applicable to us as we go through wisdom. And we've kind of been talking about offense, and the need to forgive along the way. And I know, in my own experience, that is what kept me down for so long was that I don't, you'll have to help me, Pastor help me here. So I don't know if it was all unforgiveness, or if it was the fact that the heart was still wounded, and didn't know how to sort through that, you know, like, I didn't have $100 an hour to buy, you know, a good therapist. And I'd never heard of this thing called, you know, inner healing sessions. Actually, I didn't have two nickels to rub together at one point in time after a crash and burn. So I couldn't have afforded that either. So what I should have done, Jerry was picked up the phone and called you and said, Brother, I'm in trouble. Well, you did once

Jerry Bryant: 27:23

in a while. And I want to say to you, I really am. So I'm so blessed that you followed through and then shipwreck, you, you, you paid the price to get that resolved. And all of us have wounds and hurts, that we can push down and God gives this the gift of forgetfulness for a while. And you don't even think about it. And you know, until the person comes back into your life again, or you see, and then what, what is your first thought. So instead of calling it, you know, unforgiveness, you just had unresolved conflict inside. And, well, a lot of times, we have no clue even what it is I just feel the pain. I don't know why I feel the pain. And then the loving Holy Spirit begins to reveal what the root is. And it goes back further. And it's something you have not thought about from my case. I remember one time I forgot something for at least 30 years until we brought it back to my memory I go. That didn't happen, did it? Oh, yes, it did. Yes, it did. But I had because of fear of discovery, discovery or fear of disclosure. I haven't forgotten it. Interesting. So that's the way it works. But whenever he chooses to bring it up, it's wise to get low, go slow. And listen to his voice. Because he's gentle, and he's kind. And all these, I'm gonna put

Rick Tarrant: 28:59

that in the chat. I'm gonna write that one down. Go slow,

Jerry Bryant: 29:05

stay low, go slow. And listen to the gentle voice of a father who loves you so much that he wants to fully restore you. Now, the thing that happened really happened most likely, or at least you perceive it did. That's not the issue. The issue is you walking past it, where it's not ever able to control you anymore, or cause reaction that is ungodly. And this could be one of the biggest problems still. I see in the body of Christ. People who will just not ever deal with each other again, and I'm out of your life now and it feels really nice. Or if we were in the same church, I'd have to deal with it. If I lived in last days community with Keith. We didn't go 24 hours without having to deal with whatever it is that causes the problem. Because Keith would make sure he'd knock on your door. 230 in the morning, go. Come on out we need to talk about Something that happened today and I noticed you didn't resolve it. So what are we doing here? 230 in the morning, you might say, Well, that's very controlling. Well, he was a zealot. He wanted the word of

Rick Tarrant: 30:11

the Holy Spirit was waking him up at 230 in the morning, like I woke up early this morning. Well, he

Jerry Bryant: 30:16

never went to sleep at 230. He was writing songs if 230 waking me up to come in here, oh, God, I'm trying to go to sleep. I gotta get past the community tomorrow.

Rick Tarrant: 30:26

Two thoughts came and one of them was a conversation that I had yesterday, someone said, you know, there's an old saying that says, time heals all wounds. And we were talking about that is like, no, that's not right. Time does not heal wounds. Like you were saying, if you just ignore this thing, you may forget about it. But it's still down there. And it can erupt at at the most inopportune time. And anyway, that's what was one thing and then I was remembering something rich Mullins said in a song, he said, sometimes you have to forget what you had to forgive. Yeah. And I know you've been down this path a long time and this area of forgiveness and letting letting go of grievances and, and offenses. And you've not only counseled people, but you've had to, you've kind of had to walk it out in in your, in your own life as well. During those times. Since we do you know, this is about the word. How has that entered into you're not getting passed, but getting through. And because it sounds so Pollyanna to say I'll just read the word, or stay in the word, where is the the meat and bones of I can

Jerry Bryant: 31:46

be very transparent. And you can only be transparent to the degree of your healing. You can write that one that's another

Rick Tarrant: 31:53

writer down.

Jerry Bryant: 31:55

You know, I, I have always been one who wanted to hide, because I didn't want people to know the real me, I didn't want to judge me, I want to be loved and liked and carry it in the boy, you get a wake up call if you Pastor people. Because they love you one minute they stab you the next, I had lots of opportunities to forgive folks. And I realize now as I look back, it was just out of their woundedness or immaturity, the way they responded, it wasn't even me at all. It could have been anybody that triggered whatever the pain was inside of there. But I think the real wake up call came around 2000 When I began to realize that things didn't, the things that were going on in my life, or not as they appear to others, I was getting ready to have a meltdown, I guess because I remember saying I'm satisfied. Right now we're where I am. I've always wanted to have a big church and record albums that I had produced. And I had all those sayings. We traveled the world, we had lots of finances, I always never let finances rule us or people control. But I would say it was really nice to have these provisions that a lot of people strive for. But I realized that I needed to look at things because I was not satisfied by any of these things. And so I started going to some I told you about this some inner healing groups like the Elijah house or restoring the foundations or kirsta blessing. Some of these things are just a little short seminars that always deal with a broken. I mean, that's the goal is to help you deal with the past and the things you haven't read, you know, resolved. And you may think I'm fine right now, you're only fine because you're not recalling some of the things you've never been willing to deal with. But the real reality check came in 2009 When my wife of 35 years left, went back out to California out to the West Coast. And I went into a cave I did not want anybody to know I had failed in my marriage. I did not want anyone to know UPS embarrassed, ashamed. I didn't want to be seen. And so fear had a grip on me. And I had a Pentecostal preacher. And I have nothing against Pentecostals. But sometimes some of my brothers are loud, real

Rick Tarrant: 34:26

loud. Hallelujah. Yes, I know what you're talking

Jerry Bryant: 34:29

about. Well, this was one of those folks. And I thought he's a great guy, but I probably would never have any intimacy with Him. Because we're just on to dip. I'm a quiet, more mellow guy mostly and He's way out there. And God chose him. Every single day he would call me and encouraged me or pray over me or prophesy over you send me an email or a text. He wouldn't stop. There was a couple of times I said, Brother, give me a breath. You know, give me a break. He said, This is my assignment. And what he would constantly remind me is that I had not disqualified myself. God's plan still not. You know, his plans are still going to come to pass. And all of us can say hallelujah, I needed to hear that. You've actually been talking about that. On this show. Well, actually,

Rick Tarrant: 35:19

we started this month off with our friend Rick Osborne on the first of February, I believe it was the for the second of February. And he said, he came that morning, he said, I feel like I have a word. And that's for those who feel like they may have been disqualified along the way. And he said, he's not through with yet.

Jerry Bryant: 35:39

Well, and we need to know that John's got the fire, flag up the emojis, right? I'm feeling on fire right now, John, because bring it in truth. I am willing now to be open and transparent, because I've been so healed of all that wound and shame and disappointment. And I had to choose, like we've talked before, to really forgive from my whole heart. And forgiveness means you never have to tell the story again. I've only told this story because I needed your approval of me. I want you to think bad of me. But when I don't have to tell the story anymore, God gives us a chance to go down and, and bring healing and I chose never to speak one word against my my wife. I mean, that's, that's just not what I want to do. It doesn't bring anything in resolving. Now I'm happy to tell you today that she and I have been restored in our friendship. Through a circumstance that I didn't see coming that she didn't see coming. God has brought us into a really wonderful, meaningful friendship. After many years of since 2009, I was just last Monday up celebrating healing that she had in Carbondale, Illinois. She had non Hodgkins lymphoma, worth stage. And I had gone up to pray for her and annoying her and along with the chemo and the different things, Doctor says she's totally cancer free. Wow. And so I took her out, took her out to dinner to celebrate. And about every day we're sending a note of kindness and, and, you know, we don't have to talk about the past and the futures in God's hands.

Rick Tarrant: 37:35

It was like our friend Tom Dooley used to say, Man, the future is so bright, I have to wear sunglasses.

Jerry Bryant: 37:41

Yeah, I think somebody wrote a song. But anyway, I can tell you on the other side of the worst tragedies, when we walk them out with him. And so this is the point of everything we've set up to now you you know, somebody say, Well, you know, how do we do this intimacy with the Father is really the only way it's not self help programs. It's not the anagram. It's not any of the things that we come up with that say, Well, this is my answer. No, I'm going to tell you from an old man's perspective, it comes from knowing Father God, knowing your beloved son, allowing him to mode you stop resisting, stop striving, give it up. And you know, we walk out these proverbs every day, whether we do or don't is whether we have His favor manifested to us or we're resisting that favor and messed up going around them out. One more time, I'm done with that

Rick Tarrant: 38:36

we have it we have a choice each day we can choose a path of wisdom, or the path of the fool. And, you know, I've been on both sides of that, that tracks.

Jerry Bryant: 38:46

Well, I'm glad to tell you, you don't have to live that other way anymore. You can walk in a freedom, empowered by Holy Spirit, that gives us the abundant life that Jesus was talking about that very few people have discovered.

Rick Tarrant: 39:02

Wow, those are those are name affirming words of abundance, you know? Because he wanted us to have an abundant life. And so when you've been counseling people and someone's sitting across the desk from you, or your or your, you're out in the out in the yard, in a lawn chair, having the conversation and they've been through the stuff and they're hurting, and they're harboring unforgiveness. How do you get them on that path to heart healing? Is is it a website? Is it a, you know, a prayer journal? Is it just curious what your process has been that you've seen people through?

Jerry Bryant: 39:40

Well, because we're all so different, God uses different things for me. Some seminars and I went through a ministry called heart sink, which was amazing to bring the fractured parts of my heart together the way God intended as one I have a part of my heart that wants to To always defend and guard myself, heart sink is on the internet, you can find it hard St. ministries and I know we have a big group in Nashville that that goes to heart sank. There's other places if not, you can look it up on the web. But the idea of bringing the fractured heart into wholeness and releasing the Guardian, and all of those things that try to protect us.

Rick Tarrant: 40:23

Yeah, explain the Guardian real quick, because I only heard that term in the last week, actually. But it was very enlightening.

Jerry Bryant: 40:29

It's something that we have done in our souls, to avoid more pain, we've allowed a part of our broken heart or fractured heart to rise up not assigned by God, by the way, our heart is to help guide us by the Holy Spirit. And it has to be reassigned this part of our heart actually thinks is doing us a big favor. Because if you catch me in something that I don't want you to know about, I will lie. I will steal I will misrepresent, I will kill if I have to, to protect myself from more pain. Now, that's very much if you want to read the stories in the newspaper every day, that's where it's coming from. It's so rare that a guy gets pulled over, you know, for speeding and says, Hey, sir, Boy, I wish you hadn't caught me. I was trying really hard to get past you. I was going 75. You know, I really know that I deserve a ticket. If you can show me grace, that's great. But otherwise, I need to get what I are. When nobody does that. You know, we always say, Well, you know, my watch was going off and I, oh, you know, I got this call and I'm on my way to emergency and my medicines kicked in, we can't come clean. And it's just the way our, our heart moves. It says it's always an enmity are so I mean to say, always an entity against the Spirit, you know, I'm going to fight and struggle from my way. Anyway. So I'm sitting down with these folks. And I'm trying to listen, first of all in love. I'm not gonna sit there and go, Well, it's just just like anybody else. I can I know all the right answers. I know the the pattern. I know the steps. No, I don't do that. I have to say, Well, every person's unique and different. I know where it comes from is unresolved conflict and pain. So let me see what would really fit in here and empathy, emphasizing the pain and knowing how real it is for that person. And listening. It's important, you know, to listen, and to care. I don't want to go up and be the first thing so what how's it working for you? It doesn't bring healing. But I sometimes will tell his story. And then I'll tell mine, or maybe I'll tell my story. And then I'll tell him this. I can relate. This is what happened to me. But his story is you must forgive others the way he has forgiven you. Is there anything that to this moment? You know, he's not been willing to forgive you? Oh, well, no, he's forgiven me for everything. Well, to that degree, I can fatherly give some counsel without the word, the word, the word, brother. There's no need for that people have heard the word and they're pretty much turned off a lot of times, to being chastised. And we do need to chastise our brother if he's an error and won't repent. But sometimes just listening and then playing it back. Is this what I hear you say? I'll always recommend the book by RT Kindle. Ki K E N D, a ll. And that book on forgiveness is called Rick, what is it called?

Rick Tarrant: 43:51

When they just called forgiveness, like,

Jerry Bryant: 43:53

no, no, no, no, we got to look it up on the web, because we want to make sure people will know where to get it. I'll look it up. Yeah, do it. Kindle AR T, that book I give to everybody. I will give them sometimes, mp3 from total forgiveness. Jeff found forgiveness founded in the in the library here. Total forgiveness is such a great book for people understanding the power of forgiveness, which is a lot of thinking, right? You know, if you want to be right, you'd have to think right. And I think a lot of my counseling with people is just helping him to understand they've embraced an ungodly belief system. And if they'll just jettison that and embrace a godly belief system, a lot of these things are clearly in Christianity, one on one, you know, a lot of these things Jesus spoke into, if we'd go back there, you know, but the point is, is that if I've embraced an ungodly belief system, it is probably Probably been marinated. Since childhood. I cherish experiences in my experiences with my family. And it's gonna take a while to change that mindset. It's a mindset. It's a stronghold. And it's not overnight that that is is changed, but you can change it by choosing. And we talk a lot about choice here. Make the right choices, and you can be right. You know, every morning, I put something along this line on my Facebook page under Jerry Bryant. And most of my step is all about dealing with fear. unforgiveness, how you see yourself how you see life. little short, you know, little picture and little short note with passage of scripture. And that's just my assignment. Otherwise, I wouldn't be on Facebook to see how you're doing right?

Rick Tarrant: 45:55

Well, and I wouldn't be on Facebook at all, if it wasn't for, for members. I'm pretty sure so,

Jerry Bryant: 46:00

but I had people write all the time and go, Oh, I needed to hear that today. I was stuck a lot of people. It's not that they're bad. They're just stuck. And they don't know how to get

Rick Tarrant: 46:15

unstuck. Yeah, I was I was stuck for a long, long time. And reading. And I've mentioned this several times this week in the group. But in Exodus, I think chapter six, when the Lord told Moses to go tell the Israelites, hey, I'll let you guys out of here. And it says they didn't believe they didn't receive it. It says because they're, they're there. Well, it was because of the burden of slavery. But Another version says, because of the anguish of their spirit, their spirit was in anguish. And it just hit me that it wasn't because they had a hardened heart. They had a broken heart. They were Oh, that's

Jerry Bryant: 46:49

very good. That's exactly what it is. They don't realize what is causing the pain. Right. And by the way, I'm on Facebook, as being from Nashville, and my bio is, you know, leading worship City Alliance and working with AC T and full sort

Rick Tarrant: 47:07

of ASCII all this stuff. Before we let you go. Well,

Jerry Bryant: 47:10

I want to stop talking because I realized we we've we focused on so many things. Maybe some of the folks who are on our panel here are joining us have some questions.

Rick Tarrant: 47:21

That's very gracious of you. You're you're you're you're you're a much better co host than I am a host. So, yes, unmuted myself and come forth. yawn, Heather to seek wisdom from this gentleman I've known for well, over a minute, you know, or we'll just or we'll just make somebody named John, a third co host, and John. Well, we have John, we have John France. But you know, I've yet to I don't think I've ever heard John France ever actually say anything. But come in here. Dr. Umstead. Before we let this gentleman Yeah.

Jon Umsted: 48:00

Thank you for do you like the emoji sticks?

Jerry Bryant: 48:04

I love that's good.

Rick Tarrant: 48:06

I like the mind blown one. Yes.

Unknown: 48:08

This one? Right. That's the Yeah, so I typed in some of your Jerry isms. I don't know if that's the right term or not in the chat. So Rick, save the chat so that we can go back and, and share those. You know, when you mentioned father, Andrew, part of the group that 100x Rick's part of it as well, but they use that those that heart sync method, and it's so rich, and I you know, when you started talking about that you're like, so good to connect those parts that guardian, those things that have been fractured, and Jesus just restores it all. And so, now, are you are you trained in that? Do you use that in your ministry? Is that is that your primary method when you meet with folks?

Jerry Bryant: 48:55

Well, I I really let the Holy Spirit leave. I have had so many. I went through 12 inner healing courses, and every one of those put a piece of something in me that I got pulling, most of it is my own journey. And but honestly, as the Spirit gives me infusion from above, I want to speak his words and not just a form. Yeah.

Jon Umsted: 49:20

Yep. That's so good. I have one other question too, that our church had a we live in the Kansas City area. And our worship pastor went to Nashville and started a church called new tread church. And as a look into your, your alliance, if somebody is not part of that, how do they come into the community to participate with you?

Jerry Bryant: 49:40

I think New tribe might be or at least they visited us once. Yeah, yeah. It would be it'd be simply going to the Facebook page. Nashville, W ca. Okay. And you know, and we have a website too. It's a worship City Alliance calm And we want to get any church in every church at least aware that a lot of times my newsletter just lets people know what's going on in the area who's speaking. What conferences are coming up and things like that.

Jon Umsted: 50:12

Yeah. Okay, good. Yeah. It's as you talk about that the richness, the history, the legacy that you carry in your imparting to others is just something that want to have them at least get plugged into. So thank you for your time. It was my joy.

Rick Tarrant: 50:29

You know, there's another gentleman that I hope to introduce you to one of these days Jerry and his name is David Cassidy. I don't know if you're always passive ever have ever crossed. But he used to be a pastor up in the Paducah Kentucky area, and then went to Austin now he's he's been over Nashville, actually. He's been in your backyard and Franklin at Christ community for several years. But I think he just left and is now pastoring, a church in Florida. But he said something to me once years ago, we were I was considering going to actually work for him as a worship leader. And we were meeting and talking and he said, You know, I don't ever want to minister with someone who doesn't walk with a limp. And I didn't fully understand what he was saying at the time. Now I have a much clearer understanding of what it means to to walk with just a little bit of a limp. Just that little bit of reminder that oh, yeah, we've been through some stuff. And I'm guessing that that you may feel the same. I'm just curious.

Jerry Bryant: 51:29

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I always try to keep an open door, I will not burn bridges for anybody or anything. Now, obviously, we fellowship if we are centered in Christ, and we believe that He is God. That's a big important step right there. But it's not my row. As a matter of fact, I think the last time I was on with you, I said, one of the things I had to finally overcome, and I'm choosing to every day, you know, we don't ever say we've arrived, but is that I cast down reasonings, imagination, speculations, opinions, everything that exalts itself above the mind of God. Now, every Have you ever thought this through reasonings and analyzation, and speculations and opinions and all those things are self centered, because they're coming out of me, if you take it to the furthest degree, I got to be very careful, our inner into idolatry, self focus. And I've got to cast down all idolatry, idolatry, and repent, and bring every thought, into captivity to the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, that'll save you a lot of pain, if you could learn to do that by His power. And then also do what Jesus said. He says, I don't say anything, unless I've heard the Father say it. I don't do anything, just because it seems right. And our church always did it. I'm not going to do anything, except what I see the Father doing. Now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the more I can embrace that, I stay out of a whole lot of trouble and places I didn't have any business being by just staying aligned with heaven staying aligned with a father's heart. And that's hard because I want to talk and we all do we have opinions about this, that and the other. And frankly, the world doesn't care about your opinion, but they will respond to your love if it's genuine.

Rick Tarrant: 53:24

Boy, you are yes, that is that was just revealed to me. This morning, very early this morning. As a matter of fact, so in the in the in the two or three minutes that we have left. The word abide is coming to mind. And I'm thinking where Jesus was talking to his disciples and saying, as, as the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father, so I am in you and you are in me. We are one. And, and oh, in this verse this morning that I was reading that jumped off the page is a jumping off the page at me right now. I can paraphrase it. If it doesn't. It's not. But he was saying, if, if you love me, you will keep my word. And just that whole idea of abiding in Him and His words in us, and can you address that for just a moment? How that applicable in your life.

Jerry Bryant: 54:21

I do believe that love is the secret sauce or it's the oil that keeps everything flowing the way God intended. We've got to learn how to love. And if I'm quick to argue if I'm rebellious and my attitude, if I'm Hardy. There's so many things that are opposite of love. If I love to argue you can't just say well, I'm analytical. I like to sort things out. You need to still do all things in love. And I think if there's anything the father would ask of us right now is that we would have a renewed Baptism of Love. by the Holy Spirit. I mean, the Word baptism, you know, I think of it as saturated, marinated, overwhelmed, you can go down the list. And when I was in England last time, my little friend may know this term, I was actually shattered. I was shattered by love,

Rick Tarrant: 55:15

shattered by love so well, I just

Jerry Bryant: 55:17

mean, well, it's true, you know, there's no resistance to that kind of overpowering love that we can receive from the Lord Jesus. Every moment every day. I'm in love right now. I walk in. Now, if I get out of love, that's where I started getting into trouble. do all things through love. So it is the it is obviously the foundation of all that we do even after we have all these wonderful gifts of the Spirit and many other things happening. He says, above all, love,

Rick Tarrant: 55:52

love. And I love what Rick Osborn teaches us that it's not us gritting through love. It's not us, somehow willing ourselves to love but it's allowing, being at one in him, you said I don't do unless I hear the Father. That that that that oneness, allowing him to love through us. And it's like, most mornings, I'll wake up and say, Okay, it's no longer i that live, but Christ in me, Lord, I surrender, I need to, like John said, I need to decrease, you must increase. And on a good day, I stay decreased.

Jerry Bryant: 56:26

And, you know, the deal is, is that when we have days and we choose wrongly, we go to the Father and we acknowledge it. He says, I don't know what you're talking about, you know, it's all forgiven. But would you like to be more like me, oh, he has, please. And he's so gracious and tender, not judgmental or condemning. We, we have a big job ahead of us, if you've got assigned it to us, they help the church awaken, that it's not about the law, or it's not about how hard we strive to please God, how many chapters we read how much we pray, it's just a gentle walk with Him of tenderness and compassion. And that is not alive in you, you can ask him to make it alive. You can say, you know, I've struggled being out of focus here and being distracted, bring me in to the cords of compassion. That's what the word says. Just draw me to you. I give you permission to do anything that you and I don't personally agree on. autist give up, I just gonna agree that you're right, and I'm wrong. Pull me in Lord, by the power of your Holy Spirit, I pray that over everyone listening in any capacity now, or in the next few days, allow his love to soften your heart, you know, get rid of all the hardness and resistance, not working for you. I say that with a little bit of a smile, what's working is yielding to his tender, compassionate love. And he loves you more than anyone in the whole wide world, you are so special to him that he would give his own son for you. And He'll bring you through whatever you're going through right now. He did me, he's bringing us all through because he has a wonderful, wonderful plan for us to cooperate work with him on Earth. It's what Jesus said, on earth as it is in heaven. So I'm very much involved in pursuing that whole line of thought as well. So I'm seated with Him in heavenly places. And I can do the things that he's asked me to do. Thank you, Rick, for this opportunity.

Rick Tarrant: 58:40

Thank you for for coming on. And I was gonna ask you, would you pray that prayer over those of us in the Zoom Room and those who may hear it on the podcast, you know, next week, or, you know, next decade or whatever, or in the live stream? That would be? I'd be honored if you would?

Jerry Bryant: 58:55

Well, thank you. Well, Lord, I'm just so grateful for relationship that I have with these precious friends. But most of all, the relationship you've invited me into through the bridge, to the connector, and we are so grateful Holy Spirit, that you are a teacher, you draw us to the Father, I'm so grateful, Jesus, as my friend, my Savior, you made it possible through your shed blood. So we are most favored, because we've said yes to you. And that's all I want to do, or does ask that you'd help us all to continue to say, yes. The more we say yes, the quicker we say Yes, Lord, Your will be done on earth and as it is in heaven. And so I pray that all the distractions and all the schemes of the evil would be broken now. mindsets be broken, and our minds be awakened to the Love of God, that you have demonstrated to us, to your son Jesus. And we realize we don't have to die to go to heaven. We don't have to die to learn how to function with you in an a more effective and loving way right here on Earth. In the short time we have left, we thank you. In Jesus name. Amen. And amen. Amen.

Rick Tarrant: 1:00:25

Everybody unmute, show some love. I want Jerry to hear. We love you, Jerry. No, we're talking you see now this. Let me hear some of that Pentecostal side of yours. Yeah. Hallelujah.

Jerry Bryant: 1:00:45

All right, everybody. God bless you.

Rick Tarrant: 1:00:50

Yes. All right. Don't forget, speak the word. renew your mind, transform your life. And I'll see you later alligator.

Vicki Bey: 1:00:59

Thank you, Rick. Thank you Rick. Thank you Rick.