Latest / Get The Hell Out of Your Life with Ron Meyers / Man on the Street: I Found Joy; Greg Payton
Transcript
- 0:01Announcer: It's time now to get the hell out of your life.
- 0:04Announcer: A weekly broadcast with real people sharing real struggles and offering real hope.
- 0:10Announcer: Today's show will encourage, inspire and empower you to face life's challenges with a bold confidence and renewed hope.
- 0:17Announcer: Now let's join our host, ron Myers.
- 0:20Announcer: The Provider.
- 0:23Ron Meyers: Hello friends, it is so good to be with you today.
- 0:25Ron Meyers: You know, some of the great experiences that I have had in my life have been outside on the streets talking with individuals about life, about God, about their goals, their plans in life, because there's something about outdoors that there's no inhibitions.
- 0:48Ron Meyers: People just seem to open up and talk.
- 0:51Ron Meyers: And today you're going to hear a conversation I had with Greg Greg Peyton in the streets of Ocean Springs, mississippi.
- 1:01Ron Meyers: I went out, sat down at a picnic bench and Greg, i knew from the gym, decided that he would allow me to ask him a few questions about his new journey with Christ.
- 1:15Ron Meyers: Here we go, hey listeners, i'm out on the streets, i'm in Ocean Springs, mississippi, and I've got a gentleman.
- 1:24Ron Meyers: Greg, i think I met you about a month ago.
- 1:28Ron Meyers: You were going in the gym and you were all excited because you were going to get baptized, not here locally, but going all the way to California.
- 1:37Ron Meyers: I wanted to find out about that.
- 1:39Ron Meyers: But first let's tell the listeners a little bit about you.
- 1:42Ron Meyers: Who are you?
- 1:44Greg Payton: I'm Greg Peyton.
- 1:45Greg Payton: I'm a new believer in Christ.
- 1:49Greg Payton: I'm a new follower of Jesus Christ and my Lord and Savior.
- 1:52Greg Payton: I've accepted Him in my life and I'm very excited.
- 1:55Greg Payton: I'm looking forward to what comes next in my life.
- 1:59Ron Meyers: Well, I know you were excited going to California.
- 2:01Ron Meyers: Why all the way to California?
- 2:03Greg Payton: Well, originally I wanted to go to Jerusalem.
- 2:07Greg Payton: Everything I do, i usually want to do it big.
- 2:10Greg Payton: All of my hobbies, i go all the way.
- 2:13Greg Payton: I'm somebody that goes all the way.
- 2:14Greg Payton: I figured, if I do that with everything else, go all the way with Jesus as well.
- 2:19Greg Payton: I was going to go to Jerusalem and I figured, well, that would take a while to plan and I would end up going alone.
- 2:27Greg Payton: My friends weren't ready to do that.
- 2:29Greg Payton: But he told me about Baptized SoCal and I watched Jesus' Revolution movie and I was like, yes, that'll be awesome.
- 2:37Ron Meyers: The Jesus' Revolution movie.
- 2:39Ron Meyers: I rented out a theater and I gave away tickets.
- 2:43Ron Meyers: I know exactly what I'm going to do, what you're talking about.
- 2:46Ron Meyers: I thought when I watched that I would love to go there and get baptized.
- 2:51Ron Meyers: So that's where you went.
- 2:53Greg Payton: Yes, we, it was about four thousand one hundred of us there that day or more, and It was that pirates Cove and it was amazing, it was a blessing.
- 3:06Ron Meyers: So you said that you were ready to give your life to Jesus.
- 3:09Ron Meyers: Why did you want to give your life to Jesus?
- 3:12Ron Meyers: What was going on in your life that you wanted to change?
- 3:15Greg Payton: Well, I had this void in my heart and I never knew what it was That was missing.
- 3:22Greg Payton: For my life I made Money more than more money than I can ever dream of making.
- 3:27Greg Payton: I've had friends, every hobby I wanted to do I was able to do travel all over the world and still something was missing.
- 3:35Greg Payton: I thought maybe it was relationships.
- 3:39Greg Payton: It wasn't.
- 3:39Greg Payton: I've tried that and And something was missing on the inside and I didn't know what it was.
- 3:44Greg Payton: And one day I watched This play called Jesus on Amazon and it's by South Sight and Sound Theater.
- 3:53Greg Payton: I noticed as soon as I started watching it that it was something I need to see, so I kept watching it.
- 3:59Greg Payton: I stuck it out.
- 4:00Greg Payton: Before you know it, i was just crying at the end of it.
- 4:03Greg Payton: I was actually at work watching it and I was a little embarrassed because I was crying there at work in in front of my co-workers.
- 4:10Greg Payton: But Honestly, after they're watching that, i thought to myself How can Jesus go through all of this for us And I'm not giving him the time of day?
- 4:21Greg Payton: and that was the boy that was missing in my life.
- 4:24Ron Meyers: Wow, what a great story I Can tell when I see you at the gym.
- 4:29Ron Meyers: You're happy You've got a joy I am.
- 4:33Greg Payton: I'm a lot happier.
- 4:34Greg Payton: I I realized that that's what it was I was missing.
- 4:38Greg Payton: My entire life had started changing ever since that day.
- 4:42Greg Payton: It's a feeling that once you feel it, it's indescribable and it's just pure love it.
- 4:49Greg Payton: And now, where did you grow up?
- 4:50Greg Payton: I grew up in Elizabeth, new Jersey.
- 4:52Greg Payton: I was born here in Mississippi.
- 4:54Greg Payton: My mom and dad met in the military and At a young age I had a broken home and my me and my mom.
- 5:04Greg Payton: We moved to New Jersey, elizabeth, new Jersey.
- 5:08Greg Payton: And what made me actually move here as an adult was Good friend of mine who's basically like a brother to me.
- 5:15Greg Payton: He I was really struggling with a bunch of things and a really bad place in my life And he invited me to come here to Mississippi, do you have the joy of the Lord inside you?
- 5:27Greg Payton: Yes, i definitely have the joy.
- 5:29Greg Payton: My life is not any Bit boring because I've turned my life to Christ.
- 5:35Greg Payton: Actually, just you can include Jesus and everything you do, and one of my hobbies was riding motorcycles.
- 5:42Greg Payton: Just get with some friends and pray with each other and include God.
- 5:46Greg Payton: Just talk to him and Bring him with you because he's always with you, every minute of every day.
- 5:52Greg Payton: He's there.
- 5:53Ron Meyers: What's the biggest things that has changed for you personally Since you accepted Christ?
- 5:59Greg Payton: my biggest thing that has changed, i would have to say, just all of my old habits.
- 6:04Greg Payton: Like I used to use a lot of profanity, i don't do that anymore things that are of this world.
- 6:11Greg Payton: I guess, having your eyes open to the devil's traps because there's distractions and traps that obviously the devil doesn't want us to, you know get closer to God and to learn the truth.
- 6:25Greg Payton: So he's gonna try to stop us every chance we get.
- 6:27Greg Payton: But now That I can see the truth, i understand this and I can try to help others, and Definitely myself, not to fall in each trap.
- 6:37Ron Meyers: The truth will set you free.
- 6:39Ron Meyers: Greg, there is somebody listening that is just skeptical of us Christians.
- 6:44Ron Meyers: You know they think, wow, that's some cold, that's some bunch of weirdos out there.
- 6:49Ron Meyers: But what would you tell the sinning, the the non-believer listening right now?
- 6:54Greg Payton: If there's something that's missing in your life, that's what it could be.
- 6:58Greg Payton: It could be Jesus, and there's nothing to Lose here from you trying it like if you try this you're not gonna make your life any worse than what it can be right now.
- 7:09Greg Payton: You know, give it a try and There's no harm done if you try and if it doesn't work out of us not for you then you've lost nothing.
- 7:18Greg Payton: But if you do talk to God and turn your life to him I mean, if we die today and If we had gave our life to Christ, then we get to go to heaven.
- 7:28Greg Payton: But if we die and there's nothing then and we're just in an eternal sleep, then we still had a good life.
- 7:36Greg Payton: We met so many people, we were seeing people get saved, we watch.
- 7:40Greg Payton: We had so much joy in our life and stayed out of these bad places in life, and there's no harm to that.
- 7:46Ron Meyers: You know, you remind me so much, greg, of my story and I spent so many years of chasing dollars and Recognition and I was very good at it.
- 7:56Ron Meyers: But the more money I made, the bigger the void, the bigger the whole.
- 8:00Ron Meyers: And I tell people that was 23 years ago And I look back and I'm doing things now I never knew I could do and the things that I thought I was going to do I'm not doing them at all.
- 8:12Ron Meyers: So what are you up to?
- 8:14Ron Meyers: What's the goals in your life?
- 8:16Ron Meyers: at least short-term goals?
- 8:18Greg Payton: Well, my short-term goals?
- 8:20Greg Payton: obviously I want to evangelize.
- 8:22Greg Payton: I want to get out here and teach people the truth and show them the truth and show them that Jesus is life and that I.
- 8:31Greg Payton: I just asked the Holy Spirit when I leave my house to just highlight somebody for me.
- 8:36Greg Payton: If someone needs me, i Don't just to use me, to use me to tell them What they need to hear that day, to help them out.
- 8:45Greg Payton: Everyone's not going to be saved and that's just something that you know.
- 8:50Greg Payton: We just have to pray about it because they have to say they have to make that choice themselves.
- 8:56Greg Payton: God gave us free will and they have to make that choice themselves.
- 9:00Ron Meyers: The name of this show, greg, is called get the hell out of your life.
- 9:04Ron Meyers: So how do you get the hell out of your life?
- 9:09Greg Payton: I had a lot of hell in my life, that's for sure.
- 9:12Greg Payton: It's not easy breaking your addictions and old habits.
- 9:17Greg Payton: And also, one thing to tell others is it's just because you get your life on the right path and you become saved doesn't mean your struggles stop.
- 9:30Greg Payton: That's not true.
- 9:32Greg Payton: Like we are all still struggling.
- 9:34Greg Payton: It's a daily struggle.
- 9:35Greg Payton: Like you're not alone.
- 9:37Greg Payton: We struggle.
- 9:37Greg Payton: We just pray about it and talk to other brothers and sisters in Christ and go to them for help.
- 9:44Greg Payton: But it's a constant struggle.
- 9:46Greg Payton: The devil's.
- 9:46Greg Payton: He works 24-7.
- 9:48Greg Payton: He's not sleeping.
- 9:49Greg Payton: He's going to keep coming after us, trying to attack us to get us off our path.
- 9:53Greg Payton: And we have to stay firm on this foundation that we take.
- 9:57Greg Payton: Have you ever?
- 9:57Ron Meyers: had the thought in your head am I really saved?
- 10:01Ron Meyers: Can God really use me?
- 10:04Greg Payton: Well, glad you asked, because the day of my baptism I had this thought in my head that that didn't happen, like I wasn't saved, god didn't forgive me.
- 10:19Greg Payton: So I kept thinking that thought and the guy who actually baptized me was baptizing hundreds and thousands of people, right there behind me, following me out of the water, and he knew I needed a word and he was obedient to the Holy Spirit and he came up to me and he's like yes, it's, you're forgiven.
- 10:37Greg Payton: And I wasn't saying that out loud, i was just thinking it And you know, because I was thinking it's impossible to be forgiven for everything I've done in my life.
- 10:45Greg Payton: And you are, no matter what you've done in your life, you are forgiven and God still loves you and he loves you the same today, tomorrow, you know, since before you were born, he loves you the exact same.
- 11:00Greg Payton: He's not going to love me anymore for saving souls, like he loves us the same.
- 11:04Greg Payton: So, yes, the devil tries to come in and say you're not forgiven and to keep us down.
- 11:10Greg Payton: Is that thought in your head?
- 11:11Greg Payton: But that's all it is And you just have to, you know, put your faith in God and know that he is forgiven and that's in his word.
- 11:20Ron Meyers: There's a lot of people walking around now with guilt and condemnation, and I'm glad you brought up the forgiveness, because one thing that isn't talked about enough is that when we come to the cross, that we are totally forgiven I mean past, present and future So God can have us go out and do what he needs us to do without guilt, without condemnation, and we then become ourselves.
- 11:45Ron Meyers: We become the person he created us to be.
- 11:48Ron Meyers: You've got the microphone.
- 11:50Ron Meyers: You're talking to someone.
- 11:51Ron Meyers: Okay, this is evangelism 101.
- 11:54Ron Meyers: Greg Peyton on the streets of Ocean Springs, mississippi.
- 11:57Greg Payton: Well, i haven't evangelized yet, but I'm praying about it and I'm working on it.
- 12:04Greg Payton: But you know, when I came to God, i was broken.
- 12:08Greg Payton: I was broken, i was empty, I was depressed, anxiety, stressed out.
- 12:13Greg Payton: I've always felt less, like I'm never great at anything, like I would never amount to be anything, and I didn't know that that was all the devil's work And because God did not create us to feel like that And I had to just submit and give my life to Christ.
- 12:35Greg Payton: And once I did that, he showed me, like, how important I am in life and the things that I'm going to do.
- 12:42Greg Payton: And even today, you know, sometimes I still have doubts, you know, and I'd go and I pray about it Because, like I said, the struggles never stop, the devil's always working And you have to put your faith in God.
- 12:55Greg Payton: And you know, just like you said, before I sat down I was worried about the ants.
- 13:00Greg Payton: Well, i got to have faith that these ants aren't going to bite me, you know, and it's like you have to just really put your faith in God.
- 13:09Greg Payton: And it's not easy And that's why you have so many people that you can talk to, whether it be in church or other brothers and sisters in Christ, you got to get plugged in because you can't make that decision and not have somewhere to fall back on.
- 13:27Greg Payton: That's very important.
- 13:29Greg Payton: I noticed that I hope, like you know, i haven't not that I know of, i haven't saved any souls yet for the kingdom, but I hope one day just one of the ants will you know, and that will be a blessing.
- 13:41Greg Payton: That, if God sees, if he shows me that this happened, that's a blessing for God to do that.
- 13:47Greg Payton: But if I don't see it and it happens and it's still, i'm happy regardless.
- 13:51Greg Payton: I'm planting seeds and watering seeds And if God allows me to see my blessing happen where I did save someone, then I'd be so excited, thank you.
- 14:04Ron Meyers: Thank you for sharing your story.
- 14:06Ron Meyers: Do you have a Facebook?
- 14:07Greg Payton: or if people want to send you an email or if you want to talk to me, if you need prayer or you need help, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or my email.
- 14:18Greg Payton: Even my email is Peyton P-A-Y-T-O-N-908 at gmailcom.
- 14:24Greg Payton: I would love to help anybody that needs help.
- 14:28Greg Payton: Anyone who's struggling like just let me know you're struggling, you're not alone.
- 14:32Greg Payton: The devil likes to make you feel like you're alone in this world, that you're the only one going through this, that your life is the worst, like no And you'd need.
- 14:42Greg Payton: Sometimes it's something else attached to you that's making you feel this way, and not knowing that can make you feel so miserable, like we're just, you know, isolated and don't want to go out.
- 14:54Greg Payton: Like at one point in time in my life I didn't want to go outside, i didn't want to go inside stores, i didn't want to see my family.
- 15:01Greg Payton: I've missed the years of my life without seeing my family and friends.
- 15:05Greg Payton: Like you're not alone, and my heart goes out to whoever is feeling like this And I hope that you at least try, you know, to speak to someone about it and get you plugged in.
- 15:16Ron Meyers: Sometimes people don't want to go to a church.
- 15:18Ron Meyers: They don't want to talk to a guy with a degree and a suit and tie on, But a regular guy like you.
- 15:24Ron Meyers: I think, Greg, you would be awesome to talk to someone.
- 15:28Ron Meyers: That email was PeytonP-A-Y-T-O-N-908 at gmailcom.
- 15:34Greg Payton: I just want to let you guys know I am still new in my journey.
- 15:38Greg Payton: I am new.
- 15:39Greg Payton: I'm learning every day.
- 15:40Greg Payton: I do not, i have not read the entire Bible yet, i'm just really new.
- 15:46Greg Payton: I'll say about five months in and I'm reading my Bible daily.
- 15:49Greg Payton: Now I'm praying daily.
- 15:51Greg Payton: I made a prayer room in one of my closets now.
- 15:54Greg Payton: So you know like prayer is where we fight the devil.
- 15:57Greg Payton: That's how we fight, because God's going to do our fighting.
- 16:00Greg Payton: We just have to pray for what we need And just yes, if I can help anybody, please reach out.
- 16:07Greg Payton: I have several things that have helped me that I can maybe pass on to you.
- 16:12Greg Payton: And, like I said, you don't have to be worried about not knowing as much as someone knows, or that's going to happen.
- 16:21Greg Payton: You're never going to know everything.
- 16:22Greg Payton: You're never going to be perfect.
- 16:24Greg Payton: There's only one perfect and that's Jesus.
- 16:26Greg Payton: Like I'm not perfect, but I can help you.
- 16:29Ron Meyers: Amen.
- 16:30Ron Meyers: It's beautiful folks.
- 16:31Ron Meyers: If you could see Greg's face and his sincere desire.
- 16:36Ron Meyers: Sometimes has a new person out there.
- 16:38Ron Meyers: Those are the best ones to talk to, because you know what.
- 16:42Ron Meyers: They're just going to be open and transparent and they're not no condemnation, no judgment, just someone to talk to.
- 16:49Ron Meyers: So his number or his email PAYTON908 at gmailcom.
- 16:55Ron Meyers: Greg, thanks for taking time for visiting with me today on the hot streets of Ocean Springs, mississippi.
- 17:02Greg Payton: Yes, sir, mr Ron, Anytime, thank you.
- 17:07Announcer: Glory to God.
- 17:08Announcer: You're listening to Get the Hell Out of Your Life with your host, ron Myers.
- 17:12Announcer: Real stories, real struggles and real hope.
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- 18:22Ron Meyers: I don't think there's anyone alive that doesn't need somebody something to show them the way, the way to go.
- 18:32Ron Meyers: We all have a choice.
- 18:33Ron Meyers: We can choose the Wizard of Oz.
- 18:36Ron Meyers: We can choose the trees, the moon, the sun.
- 18:39Ron Meyers: Now, for me, i choose Jesus.
- 18:43Ron Meyers: I have spent the last 20-some years doing the things that I absolutely believed that I was created to do here on Earth, but I only could find the way by asking Jesus the truth, the way in the life.
- 19:05Ron Meyers: And he said alright, ron, hey, let's follow your path, let's follow your destiny.
- 19:11Ron Meyers: Now was there a big change?
- 19:14Ron Meyers: A little bit, not so much in the talent, skills and abilities.
- 19:21Ron Meyers: I was still using the things God had given me, but now my focus was to be more positive, to have more of a productive life and to share my faith.
- 19:32Ron Meyers: And the best part of sharing my faith is finding others like Greg on the street and just let them share their faith.
- 19:41Ron Meyers: You know, if more of us would just have a conversation with people I don't care if it's at the laundromat, it's at a bar, it's at a shopping market we should never be quiet about Jesus.
- 19:56Ron Meyers: If we have a relationship with him Now, we don't have to be judgemental, we don't have to sit there and try to preach to people Isn't sharing our story and our faith enough?
- 20:12Ron Meyers: Because if Jesus is who he says he is and the Holy Spirit resides in us, then when we give somebody hope or encouragement or just show them the love of Christ by listening to them, won't something happen there?
- 20:31Ron Meyers: Won't they see our sincerity and belief?
- 20:35Ron Meyers: like Greg in the park, he could have stopped anyone that day and had a conversation with them and they would have all said at least one thing That boy's got some passion, he's got some passion.
- 20:53Ron Meyers: I wonder sometimes what's happened to the church.
- 20:56Ron Meyers: People don't come to church.
- 20:59Ron Meyers: In fact, churches are losing attendance.
- 21:01Ron Meyers: They're not Now if there was a passionate church service going on where we were really taught and educated about the finished works of Christ, the grace that Jesus plus nothing, nothing, no additives, is all we need in life for an abundant life, a forgiven life, a life with no guilt and condemnation.
- 21:26Ron Meyers: Do you know what stops most of the people that I talk to from achieving their dreams and goal?
- 21:32Ron Meyers: Fear, condemnation, shame.
- 21:36Ron Meyers: They don't think they deserve it.
- 21:38Ron Meyers: That's not the gospel message.
- 21:42Ron Meyers: If you've heard anything that doesn't want to make you go, do life in a more fun, more optimistic way, knowing that, hey, i'm going to go and pursue the dreams and the talents that I have.
- 21:59Ron Meyers: You know, we become almost a very complacent church from my perspective.
- 22:07Ron Meyers: Well, we go to church, but that's just really about it.
- 22:11Ron Meyers: We don't affect the culture, we don't affect our neighborhood, our community or anything, because we're just kind of a quiet person until it comes to Sunday.
- 22:22Ron Meyers: But Jesus is a relationship, and it isn't so much that the evangelism is a goal for me.
- 22:33Ron Meyers: It isn't because my goal is to share other people's story, but the evangelism is born out of that.
- 22:42Ron Meyers: If we have a passion for God and we should if we don't have a passion, if we don't really understand why we believe what we believe, then what's the point of even going to church or even believing in Jesus?
- 22:56Ron Meyers: See, that's what happened to me that I just was hearing a lot of rules and regulations in churches, that I had to do something for God to accept me or to open doors for me, and that I was blocking prayer if I had sin in my life.
- 23:13Ron Meyers: And when I found out that was not true, that Christ is with me, he's for me, i'm totally forgiven, and that he wants to be my life coach, teacher and mentor, i had a whole new perspective.
- 23:31Ron Meyers: I thought of this show I had a dream of I don't mean a real live dream, but I just had that vision of creating a show where other people would share their stories.
- 23:45Ron Meyers: Now, if I was living a life of guilt, shame, condemnation, not thought I was worthy of doing anything for the Lord, i sure would have never thought of doing that.
- 23:57Ron Meyers: I would have said I can't go on the radio, i can't go put podcasts all over the world, i can't do that.
- 24:03Ron Meyers: But with Jesus, he gives us the confidence to do the things we need to do.
- 24:08Ron Meyers: People aren't happy today, i believe, for one reason because they aren't doing the life that they want to do.
- 24:17Ron Meyers: Oh, I know they have the happy face and they say all the right words and they shake hands, but it's quietly.
- 24:25Ron Meyers: They don't tell anyone They're not happy.
- 24:28Ron Meyers: It wasn't what they signed up for and that is exactly true.
- 24:34Ron Meyers: You didn't sign up for the life you have.
- 24:37Ron Meyers: Jesus didn't sign up for the life that you're living and he's wondering how long is it going to take you to get busy and get living, to understand that he's with you, he's for you?
- 24:50Ron Meyers: and right now you and Jesus could go and do the things that you need to do in your life that not only fulfill you but you share the gospel, the expression of Jesus, through everything you do.
- 25:01Ron Meyers: You could do that with you and him alone, period.
- 25:04Ron Meyers: Never walking in a church, never opening up the Bible, nothing, because he gives you everything.
- 25:11Ron Meyers: Now, this is all scriptural.
- 25:12Ron Meyers: This isn't Ron making this up.
- 25:14Ron Meyers: That's what he wants.
- 25:18Ron Meyers: He wants an intimate personal relationship with you.
- 25:21Ron Meyers: Until you fully have that I believe this until you fully have it, You will not understand the thing I'm saying.
- 25:28Ron Meyers: But when you get it, when you get it, you're ruined for life because you feel something that you wonder my God, why did it take me so long to feel this way?
- 25:41Ron Meyers: that really I am loved, that I do matter to this world?
- 25:46Ron Meyers: Now that's what Jesus does, and only he can.
- 25:50Ron Meyers: No man, no denomination, no rules, no regulations never can give you what he is desiring to give you a life of peace, purpose and passion.
- 26:03Ron Meyers: Today is the day to have a conversation with Jesus.
- 28:34Announcer: Get the hell out of your life is the devil for compost detergent carriers.