The Courageous Heart: Keys to Living Porn-Free with Stephen Kendrick

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Covenant eyes podcast we're so glad to be with you today, we have a great show a fantastic guest.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And a lot of really good topics to cover as we continue throughout this episode and one of your host today brandon Clark joined by Kara ponder hi Karen how are you.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: i'm doing great how are you today.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: I am so excited you know the gentleman who we're going to be speaking with helped create some movies that so many of our listeners are probably familiar with.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know from facing the giants to fireproof courageous war, I mean it's just a whole list of greatness i'm really excited about it.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: me too Oh, my goodness, my kids my family we enjoyed these movies together, I remember facing the giant I can't believe it came out and like.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: Like wow i'm getting all they can't believe it, but that was like one of the movies that me and my family really enjoyed together and i'm just so excited about this conversation today.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: yeah i'll never forget that moment, you know where they're on the football field, he was the guy on his back and he's gotta crawl down the whole football field like that is just so classic.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Definitely not something i'd like to do that yeah no i'm glad they were the ones that did that.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: But yeah let's go ahead and introduce our guests we've got Stephen kendrick one of the kendrick brothers on WHO.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: helped him create these movies and we're so excited to have you on with us today hi Steven.

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Stephen Kendrick: hey honored to be a part of the Program.

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Stephen Kendrick: Thank you yeah thanks for letting me talk to you guys.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Absolutely so for listeners who don't know a lot about you can you just give us a brief rundown and you know, maybe even dive a little bit into how did moviemaking come about your life.

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Stephen Kendrick: Sure, well, I am 48 years old, live in Albany Georgia, I have six kids my brothers Alex and Shannon and I grew up in a strong Christian praying home.

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Stephen Kendrick: And we had parents that prayed about what else they were going to live in and ended up moving next door to.

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Stephen Kendrick: A man that worked at Lockheed Martin and he was teaching his son about filmmaking he had eight millimeter.

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Stephen Kendrick: Film camera and when vhs cameras came out he bought one of those and we were learning in our backyard, how to make our own versions of indiana Jones and you know those kind of things and so.

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Stephen Kendrick: But we didn't realize that with a pray and mama and a godly dad.

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Stephen Kendrick: And a love for ministry in the Lord, along with a passion for movies and filmmaking that God was going to marry those two and in the year 2002 we decided to take.

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Stephen Kendrick: dip our toe into making a feature film, not knowing anything really about production schedules and budgets and those kind of things and with $20,000 of prayed in money from our church we shot a little movie called flywheel.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And it was nothing.

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Stephen Kendrick: Impressive at all about that production but god's hand was on it and the messages and truths that were communicated were life changing in the movie has gone international and won awards and sold over a million DVDs and.

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Stephen Kendrick: And we've seen God then expand with our loaves and fish and praying church, the impact of the films and with every movie it was like a new film school for us.

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Stephen Kendrick: After that was facing the giants that you reference that we filmed in our local community here in Albany and then fireproof followed with Kirk Cameron, and then courageous.

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Stephen Kendrick: movie about fatherhood in 2011 that was released, then we had the prayer support of our church launched out made a movie called war room.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it was released in 2015 about prayer and then we made a movie called.

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Stephen Kendrick: Over calmer about identity in Christ and and then a documentary last year called show me the father, our first documentary that came out.

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Stephen Kendrick: To talk about the fatherhood of God and the healing that God can bring.

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Stephen Kendrick: That leftover oftentimes from that Father wound that that so many people experience so we're grateful.

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Stephen Kendrick: To get to serve the Lord in this capacity it's the hardest thing we've ever done to make movies, but the most fulfilling when it comes to seeing God use it around the world is people experience truth.

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Stephen Kendrick: So.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: it's a privilege it's incredible and you know as a mom it is so hard to find content that shares your values and is Queen and.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: It just speaks to the heart and I have just been so impressed with the movies, that you were room is one of my favorites and overcome or I you know, the thing is I can't help but.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: tear up every time I watch your movies, like it is just an emotional experience I love them um what has been one of your favorite out of all the movies, that you guys have done, do you have one that kind of stands out is your favorite in the lineup.

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Stephen Kendrick: it's kind of like asking you, which one of your kids is your favorite.

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Stephen Kendrick: they're all so different um I love to watch face in the giants, because of the witty humor that's in the movie and it's such a rewatch or war room was such an incredible experience filming the movie.

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Stephen Kendrick: hanging out with priscilla shire and TC stallings and the people on the set that summer in Charlotte of 2014 I cannot believe it's been that many years ago.

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Stephen Kendrick: Shall we, the father, our most recent one we're excited about because it's true stories.

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Stephen Kendrick: We feature my daughter's adoption story, and that, and that was the way God is impacting people deeply through that documentary they just don't see it coming.

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Stephen Kendrick: And everybody has a father story, but when people watch that the twists and turns in that documentary and the emotional journey you go on, and then the fatherhood of God being on display it's such a deep.

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Stephen Kendrick: level when it comes to our own father journeys, but also to get into the theology of the fatherhood of God and so prisons, we were on a.

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Stephen Kendrick: on the phone this week with a major prison ministry that's talking about how can they show show me the father throughout prisons across the US so.

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Stephen Kendrick: there's no telling what God has in store and we're actually editing a movie right now that we plan to release in September, that we can talk about later called life mark, but it has been a roller coaster ride every one of the movies, has been its own animal I guess you could say.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: yeah you know I think one of the themes that is very clear to see through all of the movies, even going back to flywheel is this.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: This theme of a courageous heart, you know that the main characters having to have courage to do what they did in their different things.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And you know if we look at our company covenant eyes, we look at one of the big things that a lot of people struggle with is pornography and it takes great courage, a courageous hard to be able to overcome that.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know, we really if we go back to fireproof we saw that a lot right Kirk cameron's character struggling with pornography and so.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: I wonder if we could talk a few minutes about having that courageous heart in working to overcome pornography, because the lust is something that when it digs is hooks in.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: yeah, especially for men, it is really, really tough to overcome I feel like i'm making a plan every time I use these words because of the movie titles, but it really is these These are tough things to battle through.

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Stephen Kendrick: Absolutely well having been a youth pastor for years and then work with college students for years and then getting into marriage counseling crisis marriage counseling I have had so many.

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Stephen Kendrick: From you know middle school boys, all the way up to older senior adult Gray headed men all saying.

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Stephen Kendrick: You know they kind of look around, they say, can I talk to you i've got this struggle i'm in a dark place i'm hooked on pornography.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so oftentimes they they didn't plan on being hooked on pornography, they didn't want to stay on it afterwards, but it's interesting.

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Stephen Kendrick: If you study the way God has wired us in a sexual experience there are five different hormones that are released in the body and all of them are bonding.

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Stephen Kendrick: The dopamine levels are tied into what cocaine, you know experiences or brings into our lives, and then the oxytocin levels tie into the heroin that's what that's in in a pornographic experience or a sexual experience.

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Stephen Kendrick: God designed it in marriage to bond you to your spouse and a celebration of covenant love that's pure and blazing them you take it out of that context.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it basically bond you to whatever is bringing you that pleasure and so when people have a sexual experience outside of marriage.

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Stephen Kendrick: You will see them oftentimes struggle with that bond because their brain is rewiring to want to go back to whatever is bringing in that pleasure.

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Stephen Kendrick: But the beautiful thing is that scripture communicates that who the son sets free is free indeed that God not only can renew and transform our minds, but he can bring a heart change and he can.

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Stephen Kendrick: He can rescue us from that and there's so many examples you see that in scripture, but when i'm working with men.

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Stephen Kendrick: I tell them that army navy air force marines, this is a battle, and you have to approach it in multiple ways, you have to approach it at a spiritual level in prayer and with scripture.

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Stephen Kendrick: and seeking the Lord, you have to approach it with a practical level, like covenant eyes and I promote covenant eyes to people.

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Stephen Kendrick: Jesus says, if your right hand is causing you to send cut it off, and he does not literally mean.

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Stephen Kendrick: body, you know maiming your own body, because we don't hear about his disciples limping around you know after they cut their legs off.

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Stephen Kendrick: But what he is communicating is take seriously the things that are leading you to sin and block your own flesh from having access to those things, and so.

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Stephen Kendrick: Covenant eyes is a great opportunity to not only supply a filter that's a practical resource, but then the accountability.

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Stephen Kendrick: That is so desperately needed, so I encourage men set up accountability, you need that band of brothers set up the filters, you need that but, most importantly, is what God does in your heart.

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Stephen Kendrick: Because the word lust in the Greek it's actually the word epica MIA it means to set your heart upon something that is.

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Stephen Kendrick: forbidden that is outside of the boundaries that God has a lot for you, and when I asked them and they go man I gotta lust problem i'll say well do you even know what lust is.

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Stephen Kendrick: And they're like like think so, you know I know it's the sexual thoughts and the things i'm experiencing and then I say, do you under even understand what lust is and they don't when you really break it down.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so I walk them through a few basic principles that are communicated in scripture and they are that God has provided everything we need.

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Stephen Kendrick: To be satisfied and content in life second Peter one his divine powers given us everything we need for life and godliness the Apostle Paul says, having food and clothing, we can be content.

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Stephen Kendrick: That all I actually need if you look at Philippines for 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me it's in the context of contentment.

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Stephen Kendrick: So Paul is communicating with food, clothing and Jesus that is actually all I need in life to be satisfied in life, everything else is gravy.

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Stephen Kendrick: So, with that in mind Jesus said in the sermon on the Mount don't worry about food and clothing.

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Stephen Kendrick: Because God says, if he feeds the birds he's going to feed you because the flower the fields is going to close to you, so if I realized that whatever God has provided for me in life, I can find satisfaction in those things, and that first Timothy six God gives us all things.

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Stephen Kendrick: to enjoy them he and he's giving me good things in life to enjoy them he's saying to Adam and Eve freely eat of all the fruit that's in the garden, you know all these, but if there's something outside of the boundaries of that.

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Stephen Kendrick: Then in we're supposed to be grateful for, and to fully enjoy what God has provided for us and there's no sin, in that context.

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Stephen Kendrick: lust begins, if you read Romans Chapter one it begins with and gratefulness for what God has already provided.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it begins with not enjoying what he's provided and we set our eyes and then our hearts on something outside of the boundaries of what he's provided that we don't need to be happy.

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Stephen Kendrick: And when we set our eyes and our hearts on that and we lust after something, then the follow up from that is a dissatisfaction with what God has provided.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it says in James for lust will never satisfy you it actually creates greater increasing dissatisfaction.

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Stephen Kendrick: So, because pornography is tying into lust the women that you're looking at do not belong to you they're not your wife or the sexual experiences.

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Stephen Kendrick: That you are viewing or trying to find pleasure in are outside of the boundaries that God has a lot of for you so they're not going to satisfy you they're not going to bring glory to God they're going to actually create greater addiction.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so, when I tell them in if you realize that Jesus has provided through his Holy Spirit the love and joy and peace that your heart as longing for those the first three fruits of the spirit.

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Stephen Kendrick: And that, through an intimate walk with Christ, you can have total freedom in him, then you can actually through repentance and faith in Christ, you can actually unhook your heart.

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Stephen Kendrick: From this lust and God can begin to rewire your brain, as you walk in obedience and repentance to him his word will begin to bring healing it says in psalm 23 he can restore our soul.

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Stephen Kendrick: That includes your mind your will and your emotions and so God has the answers but oftentimes people feel like they're in the dark.

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Stephen Kendrick: Fighting something and they don't even know what the enemy is or how to do it, and if the devil can leave them in that fog of lies, he can keep beating them down.

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Stephen Kendrick: into this life of addiction and chain, and so I am grateful for covenant eyes, because that is a part of an arsenal of being able to help a guy to reroute his mind his schedule towards wholesome things and then, as with the grace of God be set free from this addiction of lust.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: So good oh my gosh there is so much packed into all of that that was amazing.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: I just I love that idea, though, that we really have to face the reality that we are in a war and and having that mentality, you know.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: It is a spiritual battle that we are facing, and we need to call it that, and we need to equip ourselves with the Armor that God provides for us, so that was that was just really meaningful to me thank you for sharing that.

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Stephen Kendrick: So.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And you know I think we say that in the themes of war room and courageous right being being spiritual warriors that's what they have to come to discover.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know I, I wonder if we can talk next about this show me the father film that you guys created because I think what we're experiencing and what we've talked about before on the podcast with other guests.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: is a crisis of fatherhood, that the father being absent is really one leading to the problem with our kids, but if we think about the generational curse aspect of it, too, if a father doesn't cut that curse you know.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Like nip it in the bud right now, you know those are things that are just going to continue down into generations to come.

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Stephen Kendrick: Absolutely, you know in exodus 20 when, God gives them the law and the 10 commandments he references that the sins and the iniquities of fathers are passed down to the third and fourth generation, and so my great grandfather.

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Stephen Kendrick: In rebellion against God, you see my grandfather in a boat rebellion against God alcoholism, it was our dad though that heard the Gospel surrendered his life to Christ and forgave his father and grandfather.

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Stephen Kendrick: And said, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

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Stephen Kendrick: And he was the chain breaker.

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Stephen Kendrick: In our family through the Gospel through forgiveness through repentance through surrendering his life to god's word God basically broke the chain in our family we feature that in the movie courageous, it was our dads resolution.

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Stephen Kendrick: That is basically on display with these men these police officers that are resolving to forgive their dads into live.

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Stephen Kendrick: A new way you know and with a new, leaving a new legacy for future generations, and so war room talks about the spiritual warfare that we're fighting in prayer you see priscilla's character, you know rebuking the.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: devil allowed her.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Every time she saw the way we film that same the family that owned the home came to her and said.

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Stephen Kendrick: The enemy has been attacking our family, we want you to not act in a scene, we want you to maintain it.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so priscilla was really kicking the devil out of that House when she was when we were able to film her and there's so much passion in her voice, because it was a legit exorcism I guess that was taking place as we were filming that scene so but specifically your question about fatherhood.

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Stephen Kendrick: it's interesting that fatherhood, and the love of a father is actually tied to lust.

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Stephen Kendrick: In first Timothy and first john Chapter two, it says that the all the things that are in the world lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

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Stephen Kendrick: It says, if we have those things in our lives it's because we don't have the love of the father in this is what he says so, think about this, if you are not feasting on good food and nutrition, then junk food will look appetizing to you.

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Stephen Kendrick: And you would never walk out of a steak House after having had a seven course meal and a big state and a big piece of cheesecake and a salad and everything else and walk out hungering for moldy bread it's laying on the ground.

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Stephen Kendrick: But if you see a man who has not feasting on the good things the gross stuff becomes appetizing to him.

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Stephen Kendrick: Well, it says lust of the flesh lust of the eyes and the pride of life, what I have seen is that when we place our faith in Christ, if he just says that God adopts me into his family.

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Stephen Kendrick: forgives me of my sins and Chapter three says, then he pours out his love upon me.

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Stephen Kendrick: And that God wants me to realize how much he loves me through Christ, the Holy Spirit is given to every believer in Romans five says that he pours out the love of God into our hearts, so when I am right with God.

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Stephen Kendrick: And I am walking in openness and honesty before him about my said everything else.

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Stephen Kendrick: Then his spirit is not grieved request and he will pour out the love of God into my heart and the love and joy and peace of the Holy Spirit, I will begin to feel and sense.

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Stephen Kendrick: In my life when i'm right with God well if i'm not right with God.

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Stephen Kendrick: And i'm grieving and quenching god's spirit, I will not sense or feel the love of my heavenly Father towards me it's there but i'm not in tune to it i'm callous to it i'm deaf and blind to it.

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Stephen Kendrick: Because i'm grieving and quench god's spirit and that circumstance, the thing that I had been wired for, and that is an intimate relationship with God.

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Stephen Kendrick: Now i'm suffocating from that and i'm not being satisfied in that, so I will begin to long for.

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Stephen Kendrick: Other things and lust is a product of me not finding my satisfaction or the love of my father.

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Stephen Kendrick: And what i've seen in my own life is when I really started struggling with lust when I really start struggling with pride and fishing for praise and.

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Stephen Kendrick: Wanting awards and attention or greed i'm wanting more money more possessions those kind of things, it is like a warning light on the dashboard of my heart telling me, you are low on the love of the father in your life right now.

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Stephen Kendrick: And if we if we recognize that that these longings that we're having are an acknowledgement that we're not feasting on the love of the father.

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Stephen Kendrick: Then we can see them as as god's grace being poured out on us of Lord i'm catching myself wanting to run back into these simple things that are not going to satisfy me, by the way.

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Stephen Kendrick: And this is just a reminder that I need to run back to you not to not to sin, not to less not to porn not to be sort of things.

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Stephen Kendrick: I need to run back to you and the men that I have seen that have found freedom, sometimes after decades.

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Stephen Kendrick: of being addicted into this cycle of going back to it feeling a shame beat up by the devil.

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Stephen Kendrick: Going back to God, forgive me, I feel so horrible you know, and then a few days later they're back into it again and they're just caught in this cycle of addiction.

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Stephen Kendrick: The ones that I have seen finally find freedom, it is because they begin to learn to intimately walk with God be in his word be surrendered to him be open and honest before him walk in the light, as it says in first john.

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Stephen Kendrick: confessing their sins drinking in his love for them and two things happen when we find that intimacy with God our.

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Stephen Kendrick: Hunger for the things of this world and the lust begins to go down our appetite for those things begins to go down.

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Stephen Kendrick: And our ability and strength to walk away from it begins to go up and there'll be a point as you're walking with the Lord when you will see the the shifting take place, and you will see a renewed victory.

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Stephen Kendrick: In your life that you have never experienced before because God is now at the point where he's satisfying you, to the point and strengthening you, to the point.

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Stephen Kendrick: Where the balance shifts and you're able to walk away from it and say God, I cannot believe it.

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Stephen Kendrick: But it has been weeks now and months since I have gone back to porn it has been weeks now and month since I have been thirsting for and trying to chase these things that I used to think I made it like every other day.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it's not because of just filters and thank God for filters, but it's because of the work that God is doing in our hearts that when we know the truth of his love for us the truth sets us free.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: there's just so much to reflect on there, you know it's a it's a great gift to us to have our faith right, because we know that.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: A freedom comes through Christ, in the end he's the one who breaks the chains who who allows us to leave our shackles behind you know, one of the things that I think about when we when we look back to let's say fireproof right.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And, and you have the book The.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: book is.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: No love there, yes.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know there's so many different things right in that book over the 40 days that that he has to work through and that.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know anybody who goes through the love, there is a real book i've had it, you know i've done the love dare on my life that we have to work through I what I love about it is it's a journey.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Yes, so I would love, if you could talk a little bit about that you know this journey that you know it's not just one day and we're going to be done.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: yeah no.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: it's it's it's a journey and it's more than 40 days even, but I think it's a good example of how our walk with Jesus goes.

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Stephen Kendrick: Yes, absolutely well the scriptures communicate that God when he saves us he spiritually justifies us it's a legal contract with Christ.

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Stephen Kendrick: were illegal covenant with Christ, where he is making us new and in god's eyes, we are forgiven of our sins, but that forgiveness that takes place in god's eyes.

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Stephen Kendrick: is not yet transformation of our character long term, you know we we have the righteousness of Christ imputed are given to us undeservedly but then he wants to change us.

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Stephen Kendrick: And that is called sanctification it's the process of God, making us, day in and day out more like Christ.

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Stephen Kendrick: And for the rest of our lives, he who began a good work, and you will be faithful to complete it.

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Stephen Kendrick: until the day of Christ Jesus and so he's molding us growing us working with us, and so we have to think long term, you know, life is a marathon it's not a sprint it's easy for us and our American you know Amazon prime two day shipping world that we.

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Stephen Kendrick: think we can just push a button and suddenly all our problems are solved.

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Stephen Kendrick: And, but oftentimes you'll see in scripture.

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Stephen Kendrick: That it is a journey of sanctification of learning to walk with the Lord of daily dying to yourself daily deepening yourself in the word and prayer and walking in obedience and you see God changing you and bring in victory and.

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Stephen Kendrick: I think about a friend of mine, who was a love the Lord he was in the military married with kids hooked on porn, for you know before he got married and then the 15 years he had been married.

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Stephen Kendrick: And, and he got to the place where he was so weary because he was so tired of continuing every two three days to go back to God going God.

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Stephen Kendrick: I don't even know what to say i'm here again, and I feel so ashamed again and so defeated again and I feel like you're you're.

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Stephen Kendrick: That you hate me at this point I don't even know if i'm saved anymore, you know because of I don't I don't see evidence of salvation in my life because i'm walking in defeat.

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Stephen Kendrick: And, but he saw the Lord not only bring into a place of intimacy with Christ accountability with other guys that he began to have that shift take place where satisfaction with the Lord and strength.

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Stephen Kendrick: was also increased, and he began to walk in victory and he's like whoa it's been a while, for the first time in a long time.

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Stephen Kendrick: But he told me he said I got to the place where I realized that my wife, even though I was walking in victory now she's still didn't know all the stuff that I had hidden over these years.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so, he finally got to the place where he opened up and he basically opened up the sewer CAP and he told his wife what could be going on behind the scenes.

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Stephen Kendrick: And she freaked out and was grossed out and was like i'm done.

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Stephen Kendrick: You know i'm out of here because she had known about the porn addiction in the past and forgiven him multiple times, but you got to view it almost like a cocaine or heroin addiction, you know it's not just a confession.

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Stephen Kendrick: You got to think this is going to take some time and some support on a high level for us to get through this, and so, but she saw the Lord changing.

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Stephen Kendrick: And she saw that he was genuinely seeking the Lord and trying to be a faithful husband and she eventually months later couldn't believe it, but she came to a place where she forgave him.

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Stephen Kendrick: and saw God restore their marriage and it was beautiful, because it was a process over months and years.

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Stephen Kendrick: But it was worth the journey worth the sacrifice and God was in the middle of it, and I would just say to the people that are out there they're like man i've tried and I failed.

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Stephen Kendrick: And i'm like well, it says in proverbs 2416 a righteous man falls seven times but rises again they say, well, I mean i've done too much i've denied God, with my life well Peter denied Jesus three time.

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Stephen Kendrick: Oh, I had an affair, on my wife, I can never be very good.

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Stephen Kendrick: Well, David.

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Stephen Kendrick: had an affair, so you, it is not justification for sin, but we have a God, whose grace is greater than our sin.

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Stephen Kendrick: And he is not surprised by our brokenness he's been dealing with resurrecting dead marriages and bringing healing and forgiveness, and you know Jesus what the woman caught in adultery.

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Stephen Kendrick: You know, instead of picking up the brick and hitting her upside the head, which he had the right to do since he had no sin.

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Stephen Kendrick: He is showing compassion for the Center for those who are willing to humble themselves and I love psalm 51 because it's David in all of his transparency and honesty saying God, I am broken.

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Stephen Kendrick: I have sinned against you wash me clean created me a new heart change me and he says God, it is not my sacrifices you want you look at my contrite broken heart.

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Stephen Kendrick: Lord, this is what you are wanting for me if will come to God in that place of brokenness and realize that he will restore and heal and transform, but it is a journey.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it is it goes beyond a quick fix we can't microwave our faith we gotta we gotta remember the Lord is in it for the long haul and we got to be in it for the long haul.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: amen amen you know, one of the other themes that i'd really like to touch on because we actually have a new resource for married couples who are struggling with pornography called restored vows.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Is the importance of fighting for our marriages, you know, we see that throughout fireproof war room courageous.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: And, and even back to fly wheel, you know it's it's about keeping the marriages alive, and I know not every marriage has the possibility i'd say, for whatever reason, but there is a real importance in what they talk about in fireproof right you never leave your partner in a fire.

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Stephen Kendrick: Yes, well fireproof it was interesting working on that movie with Kirk.

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Stephen Kendrick: Very he's very committed to his marriage my brother Alex and I are very committed to our marriages, we saw some incredible spiritual attack all we're working on that maybe.

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Stephen Kendrick: And if you realize that your spouse is not your enemy, but Satan definitely wants to destroy your marriage and that.

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Stephen Kendrick: If you go back to genesis to that is god's DNA from air genesis 224 is actually the blueprint for marriage in scripture it's the passage Jesus quoted every time people ask him about marriage and sexuality.

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Stephen Kendrick: It is the past as the Apostle Paul quoted and occasions five when he talks about the roles and responsibilities in marriage genesis 224.

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Stephen Kendrick: In the context of God, creating he for Adam and he she is a helpmate they're facing opposite directions.

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Stephen Kendrick: The way god's wired men and women, we are where we think differently, we.

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Stephen Kendrick: We have different goals and passions and desires and it's of God it's a beautiful thing we are facing in opposite directions, we see things our spouse can't see.

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Stephen Kendrick: And they see things we can't see and we need them to watch our back, and they need us to watch their back and they will reveal things about us and we will reveal things about them.

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Stephen Kendrick: But in the middle of that brokenness if you look in genesis three it says there will be a struggle now because of sin.

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Stephen Kendrick: That the jurisdiction that God has given men and women in life, you know.

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Stephen Kendrick: is now broken, and so it says that men will struggle in their role as leaders of the home and women will struggle in their role as that helped me and support system there says in genesis three this is part of the curse.

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Stephen Kendrick: But you jumped to the New Testament Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law and, if you look in a season's five.

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Stephen Kendrick: He says this marriage your marriage is actually not about your personal happiness is about god's glory, as revealed.

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Stephen Kendrick: in Christ and his bride the church being on display through your marriage and it's going to require death to self but God can bring healing and restoration there we've seen marriages, even after fireproof restored after 27 years of divorce.

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Stephen Kendrick: you've seen me where the wife left the husband and lived a lesbian lifestyle for a few years and then came back to him and God working miracle there it's unbelievable what our God can do.

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Stephen Kendrick: he's still working miracles, and I tell people God can resurrect any dead marriage if you're willing to die to yourself first.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so blase place your marriage on the ultimate for the Lord whether you're married or divorce and ask God to work a miracle in that situation and the next thing is pray.

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Stephen Kendrick: faithfully and during Lee and long term marathon kind of praying sometimes it's years of prayer before God does something there.

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Stephen Kendrick: Sometimes it's the freedom that he gives to if they remarry you know, are there.

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Stephen Kendrick: Are there are lost in wanting to walk away like first Corinthians seven says there's a freedom there for you to be able to move on in that situation.

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Stephen Kendrick: But oftentimes it says in Romans 12 as much is it depends upon you try to be at peace with the people that you have broken relationships with and God is still in the miracle working business, and I would tell people.

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Stephen Kendrick: Just be obedient, it is our tendency to focus in on our rights in marriage and our spouses responsibilities.

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Stephen Kendrick: you're supposed to be doing this for me you're supposed to be doing the business I deserve I deserve I deserve, but if seasons five flips it around and says no, you focus in on your responsibilities.

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Stephen Kendrick: husbands love your wives like Christ loved the church wives respect and support the leadership of your husband's like Jesus did to the father and, like the church does to Christ.

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Stephen Kendrick: In that confines if we will die to ourselves and quit focusing in on what we deserve our rights and we'll focus in on our responsibilities and the secret there is that we do it unto the Lord not our spouse.

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Stephen Kendrick: I love my wife, because of christ's love for me, not because she's always lovable and a wife.

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Stephen Kendrick: respects and supports her husband, not because he's respectable or deserving of that at all, or that he even knows better or is more spiritually mature, but she does it as unto Christ.

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Stephen Kendrick: That Jesus, is the reason why she's doing it if we'll focus in on our responsibilities quickly our spouse will see a difference and oftentimes that's when the healing begins.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: This has been such a great discussion Stephen we just have a couple minutes left here, but like I said I want to make sure.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: That we get to this new movie which is coming out September 9 to theaters all across the US.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Tell us about it because it's something that I think every one of our I mean i'll just say it every one of our listeners should go see this movie and support it, especially in the battle that we're in with our culture.

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Stephen Kendrick: Life mark is based on a true story, it is a very inspirational movie with it's family friendly, but it is about.

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Stephen Kendrick: A true story pro life pro adoption movie God, let us to make it back in 2019 Kirk Cameron plays the adopted Father in this movie.

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Stephen Kendrick: is coming out September the ninth across the US and theaters and we would encourage people, please rally your church your family your you know sports team, whoever it is your circle of influence to go out and support this film.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it will be an event we're doing an interview at the end afterwards, but the movie you can watch the trailer now online check out life mark movie and.

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Stephen Kendrick: And to see the information about the film but we're hoping that for such a time as this with the Supreme Court case that's going on right now.

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Stephen Kendrick: All the issues with roe V Wade regardless of what happens, this is going to be a hot topic and the church needs to rise up with compassion and clarity.

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Stephen Kendrick: And it is our goal to do both in a powerful way through this film The Ministry resources that are connected to it as well.

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Stephen Kendrick: We hope, a lot of women who've had abortions will find some healing as a result of seeing this film and the follow up resources that we've got.

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Stephen Kendrick: And we're also hoping that to reach and and future generation and lift up the value of life, the way that God does in scripture that were made in the image of God and from the womb, to the tomb God views us as priceless worth dying for and that we need to value life like he does.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: amen amen oh my gosh that sounds like such a powerful movie so everyone mark your calendars will make sure that we put links in the show notes, so you can check it out.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: All right, well in closing today, this has been such an amazing conversation Stephen is there anything that you want to throw out there and closing to our listeners that.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: You know, a takeaway that they can just take with them as they continue on their commute or as they're working out wherever they're listening to this podcast.

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Stephen Kendrick: Sure, I would say, if you grew up in a home that you never had answered prayer if you are circumference of friends or people that do not walk with God.

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Stephen Kendrick: If you're watching media and consuming content that is godless and atheistic, then you will become discouraged and you will begin to struggle with your own faith.

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Stephen Kendrick: If you like me grew up or surround yourself with people that are walking with God and have constant answers to prayer.

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Stephen Kendrick: God is teaching them things through the word the Holy Spirit is working you're working in your life.

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Stephen Kendrick: And you are seeking the Lord you're in a good Bible teaching church where there's people that are worshiping God and supporting one another and walking in love.

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Stephen Kendrick: Put yourself in environments consume content get in god's word.

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Stephen Kendrick: And if you get in that river of light of love of how God is working, it will strengthen your faith.

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Stephen Kendrick: it'll strengthen your family or strengthen your marriage and you will see God not only build you up and strengthen you personally.

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Stephen Kendrick: But then he'll put you and engage you in the game to then be a positive influence for the people that are around you.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so i'll finish with this one verse that I think about often it's Romans 1221 and it says this do not be overcome by evil, but you overcome evil with good.

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Stephen Kendrick: And so, that is my theme, that is what we're trying to do with the movies, that we make.

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Stephen Kendrick: And i'm grateful for covenant eyes and what you guys are doing that you're not just sitting around cursing the darkness that pornography is going on.

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Stephen Kendrick: But that you're saying let's do something about it, and not only help guys get set free from it, but let's help restore their lives, their marriages, their families and let's become warriors that are walking in victory, rather than defeat.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: hey man oh my gosh great.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: that's fantastic Stephen thanks so much for being on with us today's just a gift of being able to visit with you and to share, about the movies that you've created the movies, that are coming out and just this message that God can heal all.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: things and we can live.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: porn free in Christ.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: Karen I guess yeah absolutely Karen any big takeaways for you.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: know many I you know I think it's just reinforcing the fact that we as Christians, we need to pay attention to what we're consuming, and we need to support organizations that have a mission that aligns with our values.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: And the movies that Stephen and his amazing organization are producing or just the right kind of content for our families and for our viewing habits so.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: For me it's just reinforcing that and I think we just need to be more active with our money and where we spend our dollars and supporting the companies that align with our values.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: yeah absolutely you know I think one of the things for me the the Multi brand image really stuck out to me, and I think about genesis right in the story of sodom and gomorrah and how lot hesitated.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: He hesitated to leave and then even lot's wife looked back right I think there's a there's a clear call to action that we need to leave this life.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: not hesitate and move back in and not look back if we are struggling with pornography, because it only leads to destruction.

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Brandon.Clark@covenanteyes.com: You know there's so many different examples in the movies right, but in real life of what happens with porn so that's My big takeaway is leave the LIFE don't even hesitate and don't look back and find that freedom in Christ.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: amen oh good so good.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: Well, with that we are going to bring today's episode to a close.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: And we do want to remind everyone that in the show notes will be links to everything we talked about today, as well as a link to our newsletter where you can get all of these podcasts delivered right to your inbox so if you're a gen X or like me.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: that's kind of your preferred method of communication.

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Karen Potter, MA Ed.: Definitely fill that out we'll get that to your inbox and on behalf of everyone at covenant eyes thanks for tuning in be sure to look us up and, like us, on all your favorite podcast platforms and until next time God bless and take care.