Jesus I Choose You Jesus I Choose You Lord let it always let it always be you Jesus I Choose You Jesus I Choose You Lord let it always let it always be you yeah and all right everybody we are back we are here we are live with
Another episode of the days of your youth podcast and I already told you all um we’re not going to do all of the big Grand introductions by now you should know some of us few of us many of us but man first and foremost happy New
Year Happy New Year we thank God for everything man in 2024 it was 2023 you see in 2023 I’m already already ahead you know that’s how we have to be but yeah we thank God for everything in 2023 we started this platform 2023 praise God for that and a
Lot happened but we’ve endured and we made it Hallelujah um I’m just one of your co-hosts you all know me Shalom and um of course my sister is here she can introduce herself sis promise all right and um before I introduce our well profound family member and guest man guess what I
Brought my Bible today my physical Bible I promised you all since the first episode and then I missed out but yeah this Bible is very special and it’s actually like um encrypted I believe is this hold on is this the Bibles that they put the school
Stuff on no it’s not I already had this Bible before they put the school stuff on it so yeah this is uh King James and Amplified by Bible I got this Bible I think um either when I graduated high school okay I had another one when I
Graduated high school it was given to me that one like kind of came apart so I just bought a new version of it and this is my Bible it has all my notes my tabs and all my Revelation but yeah let’s let’s move forward so today we have a
Lot to talk about and discuss but man I want to um introduce man my brother to you all my friend um coll labor in the kingdom of God man he’s the author amen philanthropist pH philanthropist entrepreneur you name it he’s a father a loving husband multi-millionaire um anointed man of God
Um our very own All the Way Pastor from God’s REM assembly Maryland Pastor Elija you all let’s welcome him here man he’s not a stranger here in God’s re assembly man how you doing bro man I I am blessed I mean after that introduction I think I
Need to be uh going a tour oh yeah man yeah just allow me to introduce you every time thank God but I’m so happy to be here um you know I’m so excited for um everything that God has you know been using you to do and um you know I know
It’s been a few months now since the invitation was extended yeah um and I mean we can’t do nothing unless God order our steps right oh yeah man since last year man he’s been ducking last year he’s been ducking us man but yeah he makes all things beautiful in his own
Time amen we we got a lot to discuss and a lot to talk about man how was how was your 2023 man wow 2023 like it was one of my best years um spiritually um familywise you know just being led by God and um seeing answers to prayers and um you
Know it went by you know went by pretty fast um to the fact that we’re in 2024 um but I’m just so grateful because um if it was it was only God that really helped me and my family last year um and it makes me just want to you know
Continue to um see God more and more um because you know time is constantly moving yeah man and um one thing there’s some things that we don’t have control over is time yeah at all you can’t get it back yeah you can’t get it back oh
Yeah so but I’m so grateful that I’m here to redeem some of that time though prise God yeah we all are how about you how was your how would you say your 2023 was man it’s one of the best years of my life honestly and um I just I was really
Reflecting at the end of 2023 and I was like God really just helped me grow and um and I everything comes from your spiritual life so As I Grew spiritually he helped me mature and um just really developed myself in and because it was I felt like well that’s the year I turned
24 so that was like the first time I ever turned to age and I really felt wow like I turned something you know long for me yeah so God really just just helped me kind of transition into like adulthood and it continuing to transition and I just really thank God
For that man praise God 24 yeah W man I remember when I was 24 but when I’m 24 and you all know why I’m saying that cuz how old am I 21 but um yeah we praise God my 2023 definitely was an eye opener humbling but of course the growth aspect
Of everything man like you said to be able to mature in Christ and then one thing that I’m really grateful for in 23 that happened of course you know you you made it and all those things thank God for another year but like man we went to Israel in
2023 a few months after like they had the whole like attack and the strike W and like the area where it happened is literally like a part of like where we were you know what I mean you remember yeah so it’s like man God has times and seasons in his hand
And um it’s not up to us to know what he’s ordained in his own power so yeah man we’ll just kick it off man pasta man how’s it going um you’re here you just tell us a little about yourself and all of those things man you know he’s from
One of um my countries as well you know I’m I’m from Jamaica too I’m also from Jamaica as well but like man Pastor Le you’re here I know you didn’t just come out the womb and you were a pastor and you just became this husband and father
All this stuff W just tell us man how how does some things start for you man wow I mean everyone has a beginning right yeah and um you know a lot of people you know they they like you said may just see me as a pastor or I’m head of protocol um
But I don’t think you should have said that now they now they know why they can’t um see certain people right yeah um but you know as you know I mean I I was originally you know born in Jamaica um grew up in in DC where I I spent most
Of my days um you was born in J like when did you come to so I came here in 98 um was like December the 11th 98 and um it actually snowed the day after uh it was like a Saturday that I came no I came on a
Friday night and that Saturday it snowed and I was like wow like I’m in foreign now you know cuz that’s what when Jamaicans talk about America that they use the word foreign they said I’m in foreign yeah they I’m in foreign so I was like wow I’m here
Now the first time i’ ever seen snow my first time ever seeing it and I remember we I was just looking outside and we ran out there and I didn’t have a proper code at that time so I’m out there just just you know just enjoying the snow
Running around with my my my two younger brothers and uh I was like yep it’s cold let me go back yeah yeah definitely man um but yeah I mean I grew up in DC um went to um Elementary School there middle school high school um you know seen a lot of things
Growing up in you know in DC you know I remember uh one time when I was in Middle School um you know I was going home and one of the guys in the neighborhood had a had a a gun in his hand a middle schooler Middle School
Jesus and the guy just playing with the gun and just bump me upset my head with it and that day my life flashed in my you know everything was like man like if this guy had a bullet or you know I mean I don’t know he just hit you with it he
Hit me I mean you know you know sometimes when kids have things they want to show off and um and guy just you know playfully hit me in the head with it um but it was one of those things where it want to expose me to a lot and
To really appreciate life you know so you know you know from high school I mean I went to Eastern Senior High School um went to Maryland Eastern Shore for undergrad um and did my four years and uh uh you know had some lifechanging altering moments um while I was there
Got exposed to a lot of things um and some of the what we’ll talk about it today because um but that that’s more so my my my upbringing you know you I worked at the The Washington Post um while I was in undergrad and um even
When I graduated from school had a job you know waiting there for me so um you know I’m I’m very grateful but along the way there’s a lot of decisions that I I made that I’m not proud of um a lot of things I can look back and use that as a
Teaching Point um for you know a lot of our youths and even people within my age group that they can look back and say wow um you know I see how God has you know helped Pastor Elisha and you know I’m not I I wasn’t I didn’t came out the
Womb as a you know someone quoting Bible scripture but oh yeah man who who you know had a pass um and um it makes you really appreciate um the mercy of God and the grace of God praise God praise God so I mean just knowing like of
Course Bas Elisha we know him you know I mean the people may not know him as much but like I I just like want to know like okay so before like there’s a huge like story that I want us to unfold and talk about a little bit um but before we even
Get into all of that so how would you say like you grew up in DC and I know like I I only went to prek in DC and I was fighting like I fought a few times in Pre there not because I wanted to because I had to you know
Certain areas is just you got to do what you got to do but like I know like you know you have people that grow up a more urban you know community and it’s a little bit harder but it’s like man you made it out of that right like would you
Say like oh it was my faith in Christ all of that let’s talk about some of that past like how would you say like you growing up young black male in the district of Colombia how did some of that shape like your behavior to become
Who you were now yeah I mean I I think along the way I I didn’t have life figured out and I think God positionally placed people in my life at certain Seasons some of them they weren’t even Christians and you know it was through mentorship like for example you know
When I was in Middle School um there was this um you know was like a mentor to us and he was like one of the coaches for The you know bask for the basketball ball club and the boys and girls club and soccer team which I I played well
And I was a good soccer player won a few championships okay um this want slide that in there just put that in there um but you know God positionally put those people in my life to kind of open my eyes to certain things and I think before we you know started a recording
We’re talking about you know some of the people who for them to even go beyond the Realms of DC or PG County it was like you know it’s like a big trip for them like a once in a year thing yeah and um you know this this this gentleman
As I me mentioned you know he would take us on and on trips to like Virginia to certain parts of Baltimore and you know really broughten my eyes to see different things um and that was in Middle School because um dur during that time you know everyone was more so
Territorial you know you stay on this block you rep your block oh yeah and you know it was more so of trying to survive or oh yeah you know being clickish or or gang um so you know like as I mentioned I mean God really put people in my life
During you know to help me to kind of um broaden my scope a bit and then when I got to high school you know I was you know trying to be a knucklehead person and um you know run the Halls a bit my first semester high school and U my my
Ninth grade teacher she called me one day and she was my my earth science teacher her name is Jan Marsh and I still talk to her till this day um and she said the boys that you’re running around with they have nothing else to live for I see something great in you
Wow and I don’t want you I want you to get yourself together and that conversation really changed my life Wow and I you know I I started going to class taking things more seriously and then when I was in high school no I’m sorry when I was in 11th grade I found
Out that our high school had a partnership with the Washington Post and I got introduced to a mentor and that Mentor was working at The Washington Post he was an IT supervisor and you know like I said I mean he was someone that this is
It yeah it was it and um you know he would take me on his boots and took me to to like Wizards game and all the sporting events in his area he looked like us or he looked like that no he looked like us oh mans oh oh my goodness
Back dreads and um you know he he spent time to expose me to things beyond my neighborhood and not that I mean I I came in when when I when I came here my dad told me you know we brought you into this country to make something better of
Yourself go to school you know and do something great um but because sometimes you’re limited in what you see in like based on what you see or your surroundings you know I didn’t I wasn’t I didn’t see a lot until God started putting people in my life and um you
Know Arthur was someone that you know he took the time out I mean he didn’t have any children um he was a just one of those humble person you know you can tell that um if if he was probably exposed to the Bible more and Christ he
Was someone that you know could could lead you know I think it was someone that God just used used for That season of my life yeah um and like I said I mean he exposed me to a lot you know introduced me to other people other
Black men that were doing things at the Washington Post at that time and really give me that that support that I needed as a young black man to know that I don’t have to be part of what the the the system or I mean I’m not going to
Use the word system but part of the the mold right um and he he really opened my eye to that man I can’t even own a boat one day I mean he told me that and that really I mean when and it’s it’s something for to see another black man
Own a boat yeah it that that could really open open your life I mean open your mind and I’m like man I need to go to school I need to take this thing seriously um and then like like I said once I graduated Washington Post gave me a scholarship um a matching scholarship
And I went off to the Eastern Shore and that opened up a different chapter okay oh okay so turn the page yeah yeah yeah yeah no no no no no man that’s interesting because like you think of like mentorship yeah and all of that I didn’t have no type of mentorship grown
Up so I just knew I was a lot of us we just play sports said look either we’re gonna go to the NBA NFL or the league matter what league was it was we was just going somewhere and you look at it like you already know
A lot of people that grow up in a certain Community certain area some of the outlets that they have is sports music or drugs you know what I mean that’s some that’s some of the outlets that’s not all the outlets and um it’s good that you just shed the light to let
People know like there’s other options out there so you finish high school you go to college this is where we start to touch some things specifically you go to college and um tell us about that yeah so I went to college and I went there on
A purpose you know the purpose was you know being the first boy of my family to go to college was something that I wanted to achieve are you the oldest of all your siblings no no so you know I have six brothers Three Sisters my oldest
Brothers is about 55 I have two younger brothers Six Brothers yes so you know there 10 of us 10 of us and I’m the first to first boy to go to go to college so come on obviously praise God praise God you know going there I had a chip on my shoulder
Because I’m running this Marathon for the family breaking generational exactly exactly lift up your head all your Gates yeah definitely LIF Everlasting you know doors um so went there and wanted I made sure that know so when I was going my my father gave me a Bible that was that
Belonged to my mom oh wow so I held on to that Bible and um it was one of those Bibles that I I read because it it really helped me to stay in my faith partly right so we go into that more um but you know when I my freshman year you
Know God connected me some other people who you know like one of them was Courtney he was a was the air director and he was he was another Jamaican you know but he was a what director era director for like who it’s kind of like a ra but the level above
Oh a resident director yeah resident director yes yes um so he was someone that um you know he had already graduated but he worked there and he was very in touch in helping you know young men and and you know getting them um you know making sure that they
They didn’t go they didn’t follow the wrong things while they were in college um so you know my second semester I became an RA and you know I was didn’t know exactly what I wanted to I I changed my major like three times from General Studies to Agra business and one
Day someone asked me what is Agra business and I’m like it’s the agricultural side of of of you know I’m it’s the business side of Agriculture thank you for saying that cuz I was asking the same question so I figured out he was going to explain it
Yeah so I I I quickly jumped back to business because I knew some it was something that was just leading me towards studying business and you know I changed my major back to business and things start going in the right direction and then my junior year I
Started seeing you know a lot of people and fraternity I mean I I saw them in you know like starting from freshman year and I I figured well you know I’m a person that’s studious um you know a little bit outgoing um and I started doing some research you know researching
Like what organizations I want to be on be involved in on campus and around my junior year I decided to I wanted to pledge oh okay um so that started a chap a season a season where I was you know pretty much living a student Life in a Day and another life
Um at night because I wanted to be a part of this you know organization and um from the the outside you know I saw people who they they carry themselves well very well um you know you can look at people like Martin Luther King oh
Yeah um w we the boys okay um um you know other great men that that went down um or took on that that that um cross those Sands ex yes across those Sands right um so you know I I started to you know do my research and I remember um I
So before I went to college I was going to a church called a new beginning in DC and um I had called the pastor and I told him that this is what I wanted to do and um he told me it’s not a good idea oh really yeah he told me it was
Not a good idea and I you know I said well you know but these people who you know I was just name dropping like these people were were it so you know I I don’t I don’t see why you know I shouldn’t do it and
Um I mean but that taught me a very important lesson you know which is you know if you’re not in your right place and consistently hearing the right where you can wander yeah um and you know being away you know for school I didn’t have a church where
I was going on a consistent basis um I didn’t have when you were there like you weren’t going to church going to church I was living life enjoying College oh yeah enjoying College um and so I mean I that summer I saved up you know because
I know I was going to be pledging um I saved up a lot of money um before you jump into that though um I’ll say this you know I mean like you see like when you go to like school you go to college like you see a lot of like organizations and
Clubs and things like that and I feel as though like you know we’re at that young age where we’re still trying to just figure things out what do we want to do for the rest of our life who do we want to be the identity Discovery um I too was interested in
Like you know what I mean becoming a part of um a Greek organization as well I won’t say the specific one because it doesn’t really matter but um I don’t think it was a matter of like because you see a lot of men they say like Brotherhood I don’t know like what
The women said they they say sister Sisterhood right you know I mean you a lot of women don’t like each other sometimes so like I don’t know but yeah I’m sorry but like um for me it wasn’t really the Brotherhood aspect because I mean I ran track and I played football I
Feel like was enough there but um man it was just all that stepping and all the it just looks cool it looks it look cool you know what I’m saying I was like man put one of those shirts on you know what I mean okay let’s let’s be open now of
Course you saw those guys a lot of women were attracted to them you know what I’m saying and then they said oh it’s a lot of networking you know I mean it’s just like yeah you don’t have to worry about getting a job because like you just tell
Tell them your probably put that on your resume and I was just like man forget the network I just want to do the dance you know what I’m saying but it just it just look like let’s be honest it looked cool yeah I mean you show up as a
Freshman you hear all this noise and people saying move out the way people are coming because you watch all that stomp y you know what I’m saying just like yo this is like everything man but it’s just like man like as Christians you know you can touch on it like when
You come to college you see other Christians like is Christ that attractive like do we do you feel as though like we make Christ attractive on campus or just like in general that when people see us and they like man they’re Christians a part of this Christian organization man it motivates them to
Want to be a better Christian um I will say that well I’ll just speak for my person experience the Christians on my campus it was very a closed um I don’t want to say Society but a very closed group yeah um and I’m I’m not trying to play the card where
It’s like oh Christians are judgmental you need to welcome everybody that’s not what I’m saying but it didn’t really feel like something that we were all like oh we’re all Christians cuz then once you get into the Christian Community it’s okay you’re a part of this Fellowship you’re not a part of my
Fellowship so then there’s you know what I’m saying so um I don’t think we I for my experience it wasn’t like a thing where I was like oh wow this looks cool it’s just like okay well those are those those are those and they’re part of that
Fellowship and you know what I’m saying and I I think um because I feel like nowadays it’s like now we’re on the other extreme where it’s like okay we want to make Christian cool you know what I’m saying but it’s not about it being cool it’s about it being true you
Know so it’s like okay now we dress a certain way to trct the world and now we accept things or we say it’s okay you know let’s just love and let’s just but that’s not the right way either at the end of the day you know we live Jesus he
Draws on men so if as long as Jesus is a focus I think that’s all the attraction if you’re not attracted to Jesus then you’re not attracted to Christianity right amen I mean that’s a very good question because I know I’m thinking back now and and I know when I was in
Undergrad I mean I I know there was a Christian group on campus and maybe they weren’t bold enough but never had anyone that to really approach me and talk to me about like Christ I mean and I you know and also I mean I guess I can’t really blame them I mean
During that time I considered myself a Christian but I knew a lot of the things that I was doing outwardly was not you know a true representation and maybe if they did try to approach me I mean I mean you know who knows you know how
Things could have um Turned out you know within some of the the decisions that I made um but I mean going back to your question I mean I think um sometimes well based on what I I did see you know it was more clickish
Um in terms of who were like part of you know part of the Christian group and them not really you extending an arm you know telling people about Christ and you know I mean who knows you know what was the underlying reasons for that but I mean
That that was my experience in undergrad that you know I knew they were there but they didn’t didn’t they weren’t as active as you know as now how we have you know 100% Triumph where we have meetings and we have so many things that you know Outreach where we are you know
Evangelizing on campus and letting people know you know about Christ um so like what would you say just getting back into your story so you saw like you know what I mean the fraternity you don’t have to say the specific one free to say whatever you want um what
Would you say specifically um they drew you um to them I mean you probably mentioned it already right you know so you know as I mentioned the kind of person that I thought I was that I was trying to associate with you know I’ve always I saw myself as like a
Business person someone that is making decisions you know that impacts others the community um and I I too was also looking for that Brotherhood and and based on what I saw and the impact of what I saw people doing within this particular fraternity that would that’s what drew me to it you know
And once I had made up my mind I was I was Allin okay um you know Allin meaning I need to do whatever it takes um and you know during that during that time I mean there’s a lot of things that I did um just to kind of fit in you know
That when you know after I gave my life to Christ um in 20 2012 um 20 yeah in 2012 hold on before we even jumped in so so you you said okay you don’t like you don’t you stay where you need to right um according to your comfort
Level so I remember you saying like you saved up a lot of money correct okay so you saved up a lot of money right um to like I guess start the process which you don’t have to explain but I we already know like you know what I’m saying with any of those like
Sororities or fraternities everybody has to go through like a certain like process process correct you know what I mean and um evolves a lot of things you know which running errands yeah you know what I’m saying Hazen whatever they want to classify it as I mean that’s what it
Is you know what I mean and everything I guess some people talk told me is like to Humble you and build you back up correct correct things break down break it down break you down build you back up but um yeah I know some people that have
Been broken down from that thing you know what I mean completely but um so you did all that you’re going through that um if you want to touch on one or two things you can if not what was your mindset like when you were going through
Like that process like how did you feel like what was motivating you to even continue to do that right so one you know I when when when I started you know so so before I started I I ran for to be on sgaa student government Association
And I ran against an alpha and a Kappa at that time dang and I end up winning oh so so now they have this thing where let’s say someone is in like a prominent role oh yeah I know they they start the process but they jump and they drop out
Now you during that probate during the um that coming down section they usually like you know put that person in the skit so um I remember as in like put him in a skit as in like saying oh so and so and HBC I know everything you’re talking
About so for me it was like one anything I start I’m going to finish it yeah and by not doing by not by dropping it would show me as a weak person oh yeah and that’s I’m not a weak person and you know there’s a lot of you know trust me
A lot of physical aspect of it um that you know you feel it you know you go home and you’re like I might going to sleep tonight am I going to go to wake up for class in the morning um but it was just knowing that this is something I set out
To do and I’m hoping like okay once this done there’s going to be like this Outburst of you know um Brotherhood and you know Network and all these things that will make you feel like this was all worth it and that wasn’t the case um for for me um you know for for
For so many reasons but you know knowing that determined I was um and I wasn’t someone that’s going to break easily whether you know it’s mental um or or physical or psychological I I just wasn’t that kind of person that to break easily um and that motivated me more than more than
Anything um and there you know obviously there there were times where you know you’re like is this you know truly worth it but when I looked at okay what was the reasons why why you know I I I stuck with it you know because during that
During that time I mean you you you’re building a friendship and a bond with other other Brethren and you you learn to trust them and they learn to trust you because that that’s how you kind of build that that that brother Brotherhood by the Line brothers and um you know
They were you know motivation too because like I said I mean it’s it’s not saying oh you’re going to walk down to walk to Florida it’s not a walk in a park it’s a a very um tough thing where you have to check you
Know is is is is is what am I doing is is it worth it right um and you know those things like I said in my mindset at that time you I wasn’t thinking about my church you know I wasn’t hearing the word that we hear from our father and
The Lord um you know that that that talks about true righteousness and you know what it is to you know to to be a brother um in Christ you know those things were were far from from my brain it was more so how am I you know I need
To finish this and once I do this I have my letters on have my jacket oh yeah you know I can um you know stroll the yard and you know be the the the spotlight at the party and um and those those were some of the things that was like man
Okay can’t wait for this day yeah those things they were they were very attractive yeah it was was very attractive very attractive you know and um so you finished the process um you got through all of that so you’re a member of of um the the fraternity yeah I was goingon to say
Club it’s not a club right you’re a member of the fraternity um like do you think like there was like significant changes in your life like once you became a member oh yeah absolutely you know you know one and I’m I’m speaking for what I saw
During my college days you know I don’t know how things have evolved um since since then um but before I mean I mean I was I mean I used to drink you know and drink case beer and know Corona you drink Corona get Corona and
You know it it it exposed me to a lot more of those things the womanizing because now you know people know you as this is you know he’s on SGA on a Royal Court now he’s he’s a frat guy so you automatically you know just get extra
Attraction and you know I F you know found myself just you know just going along with with the flow because it was like you know it was was what the norm for someone that was um in that atmosphere and so I mean it it certainly pushed me further away from the fear of
God you know because I mean at this point I mean I was just living you know just enjoying you know the the the the season that I thought that that came with that right yeah um and you know it it it really pushed me to the intent where I
Mean I I I mean when I would come back home you know I wouldn’t even go to church because like I know like the things I was doing and me going to church is like it’s a huge contradiction so but weren’t you a Christian I I was I
Mean I I was by affiliation okay um but when when I see when I was away you know like I said I didn’t have anyone or that constant hearing of God’s word you know I mean I had a Bible I mean I barely read it um but when you know the
Holy Spirit start convicting me of certain things um I was I pretty much quenched it right because I’m like I want to do what I want to do um was was this voice I’m hearing telling me that it’s not right um and it grew a lot
Louder once I grad once I gave my life to Christ and I was post undergrad um that I realized that man like and I’m I’m not doing I’m not 100% I’m like in two lanes right you know I’m I’m trying to satisfy what is pleasing to myself
And trying to please God and I realize like there’s no way I can walk down you know this path um and you know like like I said I mean once I um had those convictions you know started you know asking myself questions and I mean I didn’t want to
You know fully believe leave it because you know when you’re online you’re building a relationship with people know you all eat together yall you know go places together do a lot of things together um so you’re like man you can’t be that person to break that bond with
Someone because you know you’ve you know you spend a lot of your time you know with these people um and but as I began to you know hear God more it just became so clear to me that I need to make a decision and you know there’s a
Scripture that you know that I stumbled upon was um 2 Thessalonians chapter 3:6 you know that says I bese I beseech you therefore Brethren um by the mercies of God um that you depart from any brother that does not walk according to the Traditions which we’ve been you know which you’ve been
Taught and that scripture it really you know it hit me because I I I I was like like I said I was you know at that point I was going to you know church hearing God’s word more and when I come to church I was calling people my
Brothers but then when I was my fraternity call these people my brothers so I’m like I’m like hey there there something’s not adding up here and um but when I heard that scripture it it was just like a Dart like you know it just like the Holy Spirit just hit me
Like hey I got you you know I got you on this hook what are you gonna do and you know and when it happened like I literally cried you know I literally cried and I think at that time was I think I was I think I was engaged at
That time you know I call my fiance my wife at that my wife um jelene and I told her she was like yep that’s God speaking to you and I I fought it for like weeks wow you know I literally fought it for weeks because I’m like I’m looking at the the
Good things right looking at the good things that we we do in the community you know certain events that we have to help the poor we look at people who have done some very instrumental things for you know civil rights um and really helped to you know pave the way for you
Know the the inclusion you know of African-Americans in a lot of things and Outlaw and a lot of um um bad laws that were know geared towards African-Americans and I held on to those things and I said no you know I’m still going to be part of it because we are
Doing some some good things um but then the Holy Spirit tell me you know it said Can a a fountain can it also have you know a bitter water and and um you know good water and those things you know I’m like man the holy spirit is just like
Fighting me right now and I’m like when God convicts you he’s going to start throwing his word at you man and but one thing I realized though is like the more I was reading God’s word more contradictions I was Finding there it goes and that that’s very clear because
During a time where I was going through the process and trying to being a part of it I wasn’t reading my Bible you know I was doing what looks good what I think will make me look cool what will make me feel you know like I’m
Part of something um and that’s just the way the enemy really get people um by one to take the Bible away from them oh yeah you know and that’s how you see in our schools now where that’s been taken from people so all kinds of things
People are doing if they had God’s word there they would easily read God’s word and say no this is unacceptable you know and but the way the Holy Spirit works though I mean Holy Spirit I mean God works in certain mysterious ways so I was battling back and forth by making
The decision so one of my other lion Brothers I called him because me and him were were very close and I was like man you know you know I got saved so when I when I when I had gotten saved and I start to pull back from certain things I
Wasn’t going to like so you said you got like I guess you really got saved like what led up to that point where you like you know got saved wow so I when I when I got so all right I got when I got saved I was in in South Korea I got
Sa yeah that’s The Insider yeah PE yeah so oh man I got saved there and when I got saved I started going to another church called Ebenezer ebener Church of God so you went all the way to South Korea just to encounter God that’s beautiful that’s
He’s never too far so everywhere yeah so I got saved there and you know I’ve shared a story like when I got Sav I erased everything on my phone I did that I was on the coach bus going to the airport and I completely wiped every
Single thing out my phone wow and when I went back I started going to a church named eanes that’s where my brother was going where um in heightsva where that the last person that we had on yeah so um yeah so I was going to that church and
It was like I I was seeing changes yeah in my life but it wasn’t hitting me the way I needed that push yeah um so when I started you know my my my my my wife told me about gr and I started coming to gr and it was like
One I mean it was it was hard for me to even you know because I’m used to being around a lot of like Jamaicans and you know people from the Caribbeans so when I came here it was like I hear people from you know all different parts of of
Of of life um so I’m like man like it’s lot different right um but I I I I came and I was hearing you know a lot more of the word and the word really start you know becom more and clear and clear as I came and you know you know our father
And Lord you know he would gave a a word one time you know even talked about naming and things like that um but going back to what led up to you know me making that decision was one I was starting to hear God more and more um
And that’s when I had made the decision to become the gr more Faithfully yeah um so when I heard that word you know it was like okay I need to I need to sober up and I start pulling back from the fraternity so I wasn’t going to like you
Know frat meetings and you know even pledging other you know pled people that want to be part of the fraternity because I just felt like you know it’s not good for me to say I’m a Christian but it’s a contradiction right and what was like the Tipping Point was was one
Of our new pledges he came in and he was one of the guys that were on the um like the Christian organization on campus oh wow and this guy like this you see this guy man you can tell like he was about his word the day he came an outfit this
Guy stopped drinking stopped womanizing and that was the final blow for me where I was like God woke me up and to the intent that the guy changed his name even he wasn’t a Christian he’s not a Christian now he’s a Muslim this day Chang his name to a
Muslim name and he’s a full-blown Muslim um and that was the the final straw for me so that’s when I start like I said I mean I start hearing God a lot more um once I withdrew myself from going into the activities so now I finally got the
Conviction that I needed I need to do something and one day I called my my friend one of my line Brothers he was like you know the closest to me on the line and I told him I was like hey man you know give my life to Christ
And excuse me he was like yeah he did too and I said I’m thinking about leaving fraternity and he said man I’ve been thinking the same thing too wow so G two different ways yeah so we um so I mean I I’d already started to draft
Know the letter I’m going to send to our chapter and you know people like you know you know and I I drove this letter man and wow I don’t know what’s up with this mic that’s cool but I drove the letter and both of us end up leaving the fraternity the
Same day yeah the same date but one thing I to say though is that it was not an easy decision you know because these are still people too right yeah yeah yeah yeah what’s more important is do you want to live for now or for the life that come and that was
The the turning point where I said I rather please God than please Men Please men yeah because men will change yeah you know PE you know philosophies will change tradition I mean it can be passed down but one thing is sure doesn’t change and the more I I I I began to you
Know walk in a fear of God because I think that’s what it really comes down to right you know are you going to be in a place where you’re walking the fear of God or you be in a place where it’s lack because during that time you know when I
Made that decision some of my other brothers you know they call me say hey man you know but so and so they’re a Christian and look you know you know and I’m like dude man but you know you know I had to like poke holes in some of the
Things that we did I’m like man but how does why does this contradict you know the Bible says why we do this why we do that you know um man first of all man I mean number one we just thank God because thank God you know Bible says that the righteous is
Bold is the line it takes boldness to speak up and speak out you know I mean an even stand you know what I mean for Christ but you saying all of that like just reminded me cuz I told you like I was I was this close you know what it
Means to be pre- line oh yeah of course so I was preline right um that means like that means like it’s the semester before like you start your process correct and like we already know everybody we went to the meetings everything we already knew who was going
To start and I was one of them I have siblings and I have cousins that are in the same organization that I was showing interest in so they were calling from headquarters and all of that make sure this guy is this and all that I don’t know but
Um like when I got saved like it all happened I got saved and it’s just like I was on fire for God and I was grown and I was just like you know I was Captain of my track team we was in the bus one day right and
Then I told somebody I was like yeah man I can’t wait next semester I’m going to do it too and then this person she’s not even like saved Sanctified on fire for God she was like hold on I thought Christians can’t do that I was like what
Like that’s what that’s where the convic conviction came right regular normal person in my track team was like hold on I Didn’t Know Christians can do that and I was like but what do you I was like wait why you say that what do you mean she was like yeah
Um I remember my pastor was telling me and then I saw another video on YouTube and she was like yeah you should go check it out I was like man so I watched some of those videos on YouTube where it was like hey I wanted to do what I used
To do it I’m an ex this I used to be in it I was just like that’s where all the conviction started coming so but I started doing the same I started balancing but it’s good I was literally praying fasting it’s good I can still do
This give to the poor and they were telling me Oh man come on man this guy’s a pastor this guy’s a bishop and he’s this he’s this you know why the these people carry candy canes because Shepherds carry canes I’m like what are you talking about but like let’s get
Down to it right but I really had to go like to God In Prayer you know what I mean and like I started having like a series of Dreams when I tell you series I had a series of Dreams where like God showed me every single one of the
Organizations like I was in it and then one of them don’t want to go too deep but it’s like I was in the dream and it’s like it’s like a group of us got to this level got to this level and then it was like we got to they got to a level
Where it was like only they could see but the other ones like people like us we weren’t supposed to be there but for some reason I was there they was like all right now they’re not watching it’s like they were showing like some secrets and all those things and it’s like um
Something that popped up that I wanted to read 2 Corinthians 11:14 and it says and no Marvel for um Satan himself is transformed into an angel of Light yeah you know I mean there’s a lot of things that appear to be good you know what I
Mean but it’s like at the end of the day if the foundation is not Christ it can never be Christ Absol it can never be Christ him in somewhere he’s you know God said give to the poor so we’re you know and I was thinking like even if I
Do get in I’ll go in and change it no no no no you don’t have you ain’t strong enough you can’t not changing they’re going to change you this is exactly ancient depths in history way before you like they’re changing you rather than you changing them so like I came to that
Realization that I was it was more to it too but like I was content with where I was in Christ and then I try to say hey let me just start my own Christian one or whatever but it was just like right and they have they have those but I was
Just like at the end of the day you know what I’m saying like Bible says this is a confidence that we have in Christ like I was content with where I was in God and I just said forget it you know I mean a few people was upset like dang we
Supposed to do this we supposed to do that you be all right like literally like to the point where on the day of that probate for that organization like my track teammates brought balloons and stuff for me they thought I was like a part of it because like they weren’t
Seeing me the SMS and all that what let me tell you what happened what happened was I had just joined God’s ran assembly this is the first day we were doing like the 60s day fast he was in the secret place a secret place so every day like
I’m fasting I’m cramping up at practice they think like oh this guy’s leg because like he’s doing something extra it’s like I’m the sunb yeah literally like when class is over I’m leaving campus now was the campus MC I stopped all of that because the Holy Spirit told
Me Silence Yourself during this period and just see God so like I was gone off campus like for like a whole semester and you know that’s how it is of course nobody would see me anything so they assume like okay cool but I mean hey there is a process in everything we do
Of course whether it’s your pledging whether it’s your you know I mean growing in a relationship with the holy spirit it’s process of course you know I mean it’s a process so I mean yeah and um one scripture is also thinking about when you’re talking about that Devil
Comes as an angel of Light is where it says flee every appearance of evil and that word appearance means form so we only flee evil when it looks evil but we got to flee evil when it looks good too right you know a lot of times when God
Tells us to make these decisions I’ve never pledged anything but there have been things in my life recently allegiance to the FL um there’s been some things where um God has told me to take a step back from her delete or you know this is completely different but I had a
Platform on social media and it was this year I deleted it completely and you know I said this well yeah that year yeah sorry y’all I got to catch up but um yeah no and some oh no you can use it to preach the gospel but I have to look
At that foundation of the platform of course what did I do to build it you know and I’m going to come and do hook and Crook and say know I’m preaching the gopel like you know what I mean so it’s like No And especially if it’s something
That will take you away from God my salvation is more important than anybody’s salvation that I evangelize to yeah you know something I I thought about during this time too you know was the Psalms it says I will not ex exercise myself in things too high you
Know and all of us we have to know what those things are yeah um because Paul talks about it a lot is that I serve God out of a pure conscience and for me during that time is like my conscience was was all me messed up because I’m
Trying to appease to a certain Brotherhood and I’m then I’m trying to please God and what it confirmed was I was having the form of godliness it goes but I was denying the power there power there come on now and starting the whole another topic you know pastor’s always got a word for
Somebody yeah but you know you know you know what what it was for me is when I look back at it you know I I realize that one you need to be around the right people the people that you’re around has influence on you yeah and you know for
For anyone that might be considering you know those kinds of things one you need to take yourself away from it yes and look to God ask God for direction and I’m sure had I had a a relationship with Christ you know I wouldn’t have made those decisions because I look back I’m
Like man I wasted all this money you know pledging even pre-plate is it to say I’m a part of this but what does God say what does God want you to be part of you know and um one thing that is is certain is that as
We all mature in Christ Christ Christ is going to convict us of certain things in our lives you know for some people is you know how many times are you on social media for the day you know what tradition are you doing that’s more so been passed down from family to family
Yeah that you’re doing that is not of God but you feel like it’s well we know we’re Christians and that colon nut right you know so it’s it’s it’s one of those things where all of us have to seek to know God more and more and when
The Holy convicts you you know it bring things to your life that you may be blind to but now the H Holy Spirit open your eyes to it and you see it from a different angle yeah and that’s when you know like wow like man God God is
Working on me yeah you know and that only comes with the intimacy exactly because I there’s a there’s a phrase going around called personal convictions right I have personal beef with personal convictions and it’s where people will say okay well holy spirit convicted you of that thing and it’s not like a thing
Where okay Holy Spirit told me to take out my nose ring or you know what I’m saying but it’s like goes to the Bible exactly you know there’s things where it’s like okay Holy Spirit told you not to go to the club but he didn’t tell me
That so I’mma still go but holy spirit didn’t tell you that because he’s not your friend corre and so you know what I’m saying he know if he told you you’re not gonna listen right so it’s it’s that thing of like Desiring that intimacy with God to where it’s like nothing else
Matters or even if does matter God Like You Matter more you know what I’m saying and it it’s time and it’s actually Desiring it because you know everyone can be called a Christian like everyone can go to church everyone could post the Bible quote on your story everybody can
You know even have the aesthetic cuz now there’s a Christian aesthetic right you know what I mean but it’s like do we really have that intimacy where God can tell us to turn left or turn right God can tell us hey don’t wear that or don’t
Eat that like it can really like our relationship with God can really get that deep you know so I just think that that conviction is so important as a Christian else it’s like what is the relationship right you know what I’m saying between you and God I want to
Talk to those person convicted individuals because like here you here you here’s the thing you have people that I remember like as I was growing you know what I’m saying in my relationship and everything you know I mean there’s certain things that like people says oh the Holy Spirit
Didn’t convict me personal conviction personally I’m not convicted and that’s not scriptural there’s no like the Holy Spirit didn’t or I’m not conviction on my personal conviction because when you say my personal conviction right you’re actually still includ yourself conviction doesn’t come from us conviction comes from God conviction
Comes from the holy spirit so there’s no such thing as personal conviction there’s no such thing as my conviction your conviction is based off of you growing up a certain way you know what I’m saying and if there’s a fight you’re not supposed to run you got to stand and
Fight that’s your personal conviction but this has nothing to do with the life in Christ Jesus of course you know what I mean so the Bible says in second Peter chapter 1 um verse 19 it says we have also a more sure word of Prophecy where
Unto ye do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place unto the day Dawn and the day star arises in your hearts let’s go to verse 20 knowing this first no Prophecy of the scripture W is of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not
In Old Time by the will of man but by holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost so the thing about it is this when you measure your standard to the scripture this is what I like to do first of all if you see it in one
Place knowing that the scripture is not a private interpretation written by holy men of God all scriptures given by the Breath of God by the inspiration of God there’s always going to be somewhere in the new New Testament that you can literally parallel with the Old Testament right somebody that wrote this
Scripture years ahead of this person by the same Holy Spirit wrote something that had the same interpretation so if it’s in the Bible everything that’s in the Bible majority of it if not everything is not there once right you will see something that they’re referencing from the Old Testament XYZ
But it’s just telling you it’s not of private interpretation men of God are saying these things but the same author finisher of our faith which is Jesus which is the holy spirit is backed by the same thing and it’s like you say this conviction I want to say this
Before like man see this always happen it’s getting hot now you know you know what I’m saying I remember like people on my campus like they were part of like our Christian fellowship and organization and it’s like they knew what I preach they knew what I stood for
And they knew like every time like a lot of them wanted to join like one of the um organizations they would come to me hey Drew like so I was thinking about doing this doing that doing that and it’s like there’s people that I know that literally like I remember them
Saying Oh this is not of God I will never do it and they ended up doing it right you know what I’m saying but they will come to me and ask me like you know what I’m saying and I will see like literally when they start to like
Contradict what they used to say yeah they say the same thing we were saying like this good like this good I mean the Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servants like no when you endure hardship not when you that kind of hardship so one thing I
Noticed with our generation is that we tend to compare ourselves with ourselves yeah and based on that we make decisions because we looking at at the externals we’re not looking at the secret life we’re not looking at you know and you know not not not that we’re judging
People um but we make decisions based on what we see externally and based on that we um do things that um pushes us further away from Christ um because we’re comparing ourselves and we’re trying to be like other people um and this kind kind of confirmed what it says
Um in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 um verse 12 it says uh for we dare not make ourselves up the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves but they measur themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves are not wise um and that’s you know I I looking back at that you
Know I’m think about the decisions that I made when I wanted to be part of their fr attorney because I was comparing myself and like okay these men they do this and I saw that as the standard when I should have been looking at the Bible
Yeah and Jesus Christ as a standard and I I I certainly think if we are you know if people are groomed to look and be more like Christ it will help them in their decision making it will help them in their conviction of things that they
Should or should not do um you know as they grow more with Christ yeah and it’s like you know there’s there’s still hope like at the end of the day I wanted to do it God told me not to even do it you did
It you were a part of it you grew Holy Spirit convicted you boom same Holy Spirit um and I was just making reference to those things because like I know like people in my Christian Fellowship when I was in college like there’s some of them that was interested
Some of them actually ended up you know I mean being a part of those organizations you know but I just remember like those conversations prior to they would come to me and like hey what do you think what do you believe like and like I wouldn’t try to impose
My will on them I would really just encourage them like hey this is how I felt about it this is what the Holy Spirit told me and I believe that everything that I made my decision based off of was from the word of God but I
Really want you to go and pray yeah like really take some time and seek God like and ask God should I and I remember like was one young lady she actually didn’t do it she said like she was really praying she said like she had a dream
She said in the dream she ran into like all of the houses she checked this one out came out checked the next one out came out check the next one out came out and she was done and said she hopped in the car and the person that was driving
Was me I’m like oh okay you driving the car all right hey I don’t know if that’s what God that’s how you interpret God spoke to you you know what God told you of course then I remember there was another young lady that like she was more like in depth serving and Ministry
All that stuff and like we had those conversations prior but like she went in and started she didn’t finish and then it was like I didn’t see her for a while when she was on it and then one day I finally saw her and it’s like we just I
Just sat down and was just talking to like how are you how have you been she just broke down crying she was just like yeah man you were right all these I was just like I wasn’t right you know I mean like at the end of the day gives glory
To God but it’s like you felt and you experienced like some of the things she said some of the things that they were making them do wasn’t of God and then there was those that like actually went through and did it right and then I remember when when they saw me after
They finished like their process says it’s like I saw one of them from afar it’s like you can see in their face like the conviction and all of that cuz I was coming like they had like this so I was just like the Holy Spirit just really
Instructed me you know what I’m saying meing quiet Spirit right you know what I mean so when I was just I greeted the young lady I was just like man how are you she was like yeah I’m good I said man congratulations man you just endured
And you overcame a lot right I just hope you’re doing okay right simple like it wasn’t my place to just now you know I mean because she expected me to be the one that’s going to say oh devil not of God s all of those things but it’s just
Like no just sold that seed and just like man wow she saw the character of Christ at the end of the day and um there’s more of them of course you know what I mean we’re in Ministry we have to preach the younger generation older generation we’re going to see more
Testimonies coming this vein but um what would you say you know I mean if you were speaking to the young man the young lady they’re on defense they want to make that decision they want to end up joining this um group this Greek fraternity or sorority what is it that
You will say to be able to encourage them and steer them in the right direction so that they will be able to acknowledge God in all their ways wow no that that’s a a fully loaded question you know and um one of the things looking back at right all of us are
Desiring to be part of something we want to be loved we want to be respected we want to feel accomplish and in looking back you know we I I was trying to find those things in part as part of being a part of being a part of an
Organization and one thing we need to know that you know everything that you desire in an organization or in a group you can find that in Christ and even more amen and what we cannot do is limit ourselves or box ourself in into a particular way or Greek letter or you
Know because at the end of the day it’s not going to take you to Eternity um and the most important thing that you want to be part of is the body of Christ and that’s to be you know a Bonafide Bonafide Christian you know like couple months ago I was you know at
At at church um Jerry Maryland and this young lady came up to me after church and she and because I had shared my my my testimony um that particular day and she said wow I’m so happy you talked about it because she wanted to be part of swy at her
Undergrad and what I told her was that you have to be able to hear from God directly yeah don’t join something because your emotion or you feel like you can like you like you fit in you know that is not you hearing God that’s you being emotional and you know trying to measure
Things based on your Earthly standard um and when I told her to go pray about it you know she actually did and she you know I mean I know she hasn’t joined she still come to church um so you know what I my advice to people is that don’t
Try to attach yourself to something that you cannot see plainly in the Bible um because it will not last you can find a lot of people there but if God is Not drawing you there then it’s going to be a waste of time um you know I thought
About um Solomon was talking about you know vanity of vanity you know everything that he desires eyes on to accomplish he did it and then he realize his vanity and that was my story when I realized that I was further away from Christ than I should have you know than
I wanted to be because I was pursuing things without hearing from God yeah um and that’s what it will lead you you know um you know the most important thing is to have a relationship with God and to have a pure conscience because if your conscience is not pure
Um then you know like something is not right um and then what you’re doing is is you know everything will be just baseless because God is not there anymore sheesh brought it right back to Ecclesiastes for he did it for us you want you want to read it before we close
Okay eclesiastes yes wow chapter 12 verse One S y’all these pages are small I’ll be sure to bring my my big Bible next time the big the pastor one the Pastoral yes okay Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth while the evil evil days come
Not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say say I have no pleasure in them no pleasure in them man days of your youth remember your creator know your creator earnestly desire to know God um a lot that we could have talked about could have went
Into like so many different things even talking about you know what I mean the Greek emblems that’s on all of these you know I mean what is it Shields you know what I mean Paul preached against those things too you know what I mean but um that’s
That’s that’s more to it you know what I mean but at the end of the day thank you Pastor Elisha for coming man um sharing your story your testimony with us it’s about to be spring semester on campuses you know what that means yep
Yeah well if you go if you go to HBCU I don’t know what that means if you go to HBCU you know what that means spring semester usually when you have a lot of these ones cross these Sands you know but um at the end of the day this may be
A seed that’s swn or seed that’s watered but um God gives the increase amen and can you just um close us out in prayer man for someone that’s listening someone that’s um Desiring God just lead us in the Prayer of Salvation close us out Heavenly Father we thank you Lord for
Your blood we acknowledge our sins Lord and we thank you Lord for the precious blood of Jesus which was died for our sin Lord we thank you Lord because because of your blood we have we have the remission of sins Lord and father we thank you Lord for everyone that is
Watching this podcast right now Lord we pray that you just have mercy upon them Lord father we pray that anyone that desire to have a relationship with you Lord we pray that as they accept you as their lord and their savior Lord we pray that you will come into their heart Lord
For those that want to dedicate their life to you right now Lord we repeat this prayer for heavenly father I thank you thank you for dying for my sin I thank you Lord for for throwing my iniquities into the depths of depths of the sea I believe that you’re my Lord
And my savior I believe that you died for my sin father I thank you for giving me a new opportunity from today to serve you I thank you for welcoming me as part of your own Lord Jesus father I thank you for empowering me to live a life
That please you I pray Lord that you wash me from every guilty conscience father your word says even if our heart condemn us you are greater than our heart amen so we pray Lord that you will freshly Empower each and every one of us from today Lord anyone that is on the
Verge of making a decision Lord we pray that your holy spirit will enter their hearts right now Lord and speak to them pray that you give them guidance pray that you make a way of Escape Lord you said that you will always make a way of Escape Lord there is no temptation that
That we face says common to man but you always make a way so we pray Lord by them by anyone listen to this podcast right now Lord you make a way way of Escape for them in the name of Jesus Amen father take all the glory in Jesus
Name we pray amen amen amen amen amen praise God man you all man let’s just clap it up one more time come on Pastor Elisha appreciate you love you thank you and um man you you going to be here again got some we didn’t ask him if he
Did a step show before nothing we we really get into it but yeah man make sure you guys like comment subscribe all of those things we have a lot of things coming up this year man we have our men’s arise conference oh man we gonna have an episode with all my
Brothers we on here we have our um February 14th Agape celebration do you love me oh yeah yeah yeah is it do you really love me you really love me you really love me so we we got a lot to touch these relationship man ain’t Ma you know what I mean but we
Got to talk about it man all of it our audio series that we have what is it called again back to the basics back to the basics we’re gonna have a lot more content for you guys that’s just strictly audio it’s more like um foundational touching things to help you
Build your faith salvation Grace and all of those things but yeah man you praise God man hallelujah hallelujah know I won’t be afraid of the Arrows by the day and the Terrors by the night Lord you always by my side and know I won’t be afraid
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