Encore Interview: The Faith of Senator Tim Scott

Everybody Greg Laurie here. You're listening to the Grigori podcast and my objective is to deliver hopefully compelling practical insights and faith culture and current events. From a biblical perspective to find out more about our ministry. Just go to our website harvest.org so thanks for joining me for this podcast, Sen. Tim Scott is a US senator for the great state of South Carolina.

He serves on the U.S. Senate committee on finance and he is also the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction, and the only African-American ever to serve in both chambers of Congress. I first met Sen. Scott at the capital club and I was introduced to him by my friend Marco Rubio was also at that time I met Trey Gaudi, Sen. Scott and Trey are good friends. They written a book together as well. That is called unified, or unlikely friendship gives us hope for a divided country sold Sen. Scott took some time from his busy schedule. Recently we had a conversation about issues that America is dealing with right now. What Tim, thanks so much for being on with us and I should call you Sen. Scott. But her friend so sometimes I call you Tim so I might go back and forth. I prefer to him.

So that's a good news with Tim. Thanks so much, you're so busy right now. Honestly, I was amazed that you still were able to do this interviewer you made time to do this interview with all that's going on because literally you're in the eye of the storm is your taking point on legislation brackets addressing our countries of policing system right now. And of course the whole national conversation is about the tragic death of George Floyd, and I think pretty much everyone who is seen, would agree that that was a horrible injustice and to describe it as a murderer is not an understatement identified to see this poor man not able to breathe and even calling out for his mother and that this is created a furor in the country. Legitimate protests but then also it's escalated in the riots and of the destruction of property in even the loss of more life and now the conversation is more into a new topic where people are calling for the abolishment of the police departments and die in changing the whole thing defunding the police so and I read a quote on social media Tim weight where you made the statement a quote we need order in the streets in the easiest way to have that is, they have a strong presence of character driven law enforcement officers what you mean when you say character driven law enforcement officers arming the exact opposite of shelving the officer that murdered George Floyd, I mean that when I was a 16-year-old, and involved in a major car accident laying on the side of the road, but a highway patrolman came up to me and told me that my mother would be happy that I was alive when I fought all she would've cared about was the vehicle because it was her first new car and he was teaching me a very valuable lesson as a character driven officer.

He was teaching me that there is far more important things to your mother than the material possessions that she could live without the she can't live without her son and so there are a lot of officers out there that are doing their jobs and we made those jobs. Those folks are doing their job and stand up and be counted because so often and too often what we hear about in the news recently are the tragedies brought about by people who seem to lack that character position of I would say that Romans 13 is another interesting chapter as relates to policing and frankly having government officials with swords back in that day.

Sounds like law enforcement officers to me and that just tells me about the importance of order and structure in a society can be seen woven into the Scriptures that we both so love that's right. And you know God is established order. He's established government like he's put you where you are absolutely where I am is putting those folks in-service on law enforcement where they are, as well as those that serve in the military new quoted Romans 13 in an and I know a lot of people in law enforcement that that are wonderful people full of integrity and do their job so well but you know when you see an abuse or something that is it a wrong and with everyone filming everything and we all see it. It's very easy to characterize everyone that way but I think we need to have the ability. I know you struggle with the because printed to be a state I support law enforcement and believe that they been placed there by God. Then someone will say, what about racism then if you see I believe racism is real.

I believe that racism is wrong and sinful. Someone will come back and say what what what about you know what about this. You know when the come out of from another angle. Why don't you talk with the police officers. I believe God is established law enforcement. I believe racism is a real problem in our country. I think we need to talk about it and I don't know why you have to be in one Of the other nano you yourself have been attacked for what you're trying to do with all of this without a question I always say a great bit. The two are not mutually exclusive. I can be pro-law enforcement and pro-communities of color. You can be both, and the question is how do we drive ourselves to a position where Galatians 323 29. That reminds me that we are both seeds of Abraham and adopted into the same family. There is no black know why there is no judo drink. It is a blog why the Bible is a Jew and Gentile male and female. And so, from my perspective.

When you read that it's impossible not to come to the conclusion that God is not colorblind. He actually loves diversity.

He embraces diversity and we should too.

And we should treat each other, according to Matthew 22 verse 39 we should treat each other as we would want to be treated if we found ourselves literally living out Scripture.

These would not be problems, but when we are living in a place of a utopian society I think is called heaven. By the way. Work on her face are real face people fall short, and we should hold those people will fall short accountable to the level that is necessary to improve the outcome of the society and sometimes that means being hard on people who abuse their power and authority.

Sometimes it means being clear about the challenges that may be in dimly endemic to poverty or or other issue so if we're going to treat the. The subject right.

We have to view it now from my view up from the Lord's dear Daniel and that's the best way for us to make progress in this nation and unfortunately most of us are picking sides when you get the remind me on this one because in Joshua with Angel comes down than in the that the armors that you are my side are you on their side and you did seriously on the side of the Lord. That said, she was inside and I don't mean to be overly religious because in my opinion, this is not about religion. This is about eight personal relationship that transform the way I see others because it first transformed how I see myself in it. I will take that new transform self, who before I was saved I was filled with iniquity driven by sin and by my instinctual law so to speak. Now is a born-again believer I'm driven by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So I don't look for a black solution or a white solution oriented blue solution. I look for God solution and that means at the start there ending there and in the middle. Stay there on that is the greatest statement, not a white solution, not a black solution out of blue solution, a God solution manager Greg Laurie will have the second half of US Sen. Tim Scott in just a moment were so grateful to hear of the changed lives through a new beginning in whatever you send us a letter, email or post a comment on social media. We read every word dear Greg, I married a Christian man that was not being a Christian life.

God wanted me to be as unkind and selfish in the fall of 2012. Scott got a hold of me and I realized what kind of life I become asked for forgiveness happily ever after. Right now it's a match.

Soon after, has been decided he didn't have many more in my life and marriage went into a downward spiral.

Having heard your program. Many times I remember sitting there wondering if you had a message on marriage problems. Chip is the same week you are doing a message on marriage, divorce and adultery. I Chandan it was like God used you to talk directly to me.

I listened and we listen to this message is to help me get through. I prayed and asked God to take control that Saturday night my husband came home and said he wanted to work on our marriage ticket. If nonsense and counseling for my pastor and his wife saved our marriage. Pastor Greg, thank the Lord for your message right when I needed at when I was losing hope. Happy ending. Now we have two amazing little boys are so much in love with each other. Thank you for letting me share what an encouraging story of God working in this woman's marriage, and for you have a story to tell. Pastor Greg would love to hear from just email him at greg@harvest.org again, that's great that harvest.org Pastor Greg is talking with US Sen. Tim Scott today on a special edition of a new beginning in a unique guide to determine the last time I interviewed you which legality I said no to. Were you sure you're not a preacher you know you know you know the word of God. You're applying it to your work and I love this so much about you because it's all integrated together, but you mention the word same. When did Tim Scott come to this relationship with God know I was 11 years old of Baptist Church Moore St., Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, lack gave my life to the Lord. He became my Savior. He did not become my Lord until I was a freshman in college on a small football scholarship at Presbyterian College. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Not just by Savior because it's lovelier so I knew I needed a Savior. I didn't realize that the delineation between a Savior and a Lord Lord is how you live your life Savior is where you go when it's over. I needed a Lord and and I me I want to do a earthly father and I found in Scripture.

At 18 years old that Jesus cries could lead me to my heavenly father and I can read the Scripture to understand who I am in Christ that became my journey and is one of the reasons why you rebuy legislation. If you focus on my agenda is not about helping fill in the blank people is not about conservatives without Republicans thought about Blacks is the conservative black is not about me, it can't be about me.

I have been called to serve a greater good and that greater good is helping people the least of these. First, Matthew 25 talks about certain groups of people that need help help widows, prisoners make up the hungry. How did I treated him. Jesus is how I treat my fellow brothers and sisters as if I do that in my legislative priorities. I think the country is going to better off, and maybe I'm only called to reach 1/10 of the country are 1% of the country do your job. I might just be the tell your arms are the heart of the head on the body of Christ on simply the toe or the finger. The pinky Caliendo. I want to go all in for what the Lord is giving me when I do that I know that Matthew 25, 21, well done my good and faithful servant is what I will hear the end when it was all about me all about black people is all about politicians is all about conservatives all about Republicans. I don't know that God looks at us as man I made you an African-American alive and healthy. In 2020, and the best you can do is just help yourself.

I think he wants every characteristic that he is given each of us to serve other people dress and to do so in a way that attracts people not to ourselves but attracts people to the God in us to go to the Lord in the world.

When that happens I can walk up to a police officer who happens to be white and love him because when my house was broken into what I was a kid. He responded, I can say to the police officer who happened to be white, who pulled me over for driving while I was black and had no other reason for pulling me over.

I can be righteously indignant to that I can be both should be both done that's what were missing were not on someone's side and is painful when you're black conservative Republican to speak out when you see wrong on the conservative side and when you guys are all on the black side to get a title from both sides begin with stones. My strength because of about that's right, you know, when you're young men you mentioned your father wasn't there. I I didn't have a dad growing up, my mom was very good divorce seven times so I grew up in a fatherless home, I came to faith at 17 very close to your age to 18 eighteenths are very close. There, but a mentor stepped into your life and it's interesting we were standing in line at Chick-fil-A and all he could afford with the French fries and a glass of water in which you have another motive for sending them online at Chick-fil-A and then you met a man that worked in the movie theater for the next four years impacted your life and it turned out to be the last four years of his life.

So get some length about the.

The influence of a mentor and a young person's life or this is one of the beauties of God's law of the of the agape form of love is unconditional and doesn't see anything other than the purest form of love and that's why pure love casts out all darkness. It's a form of light and for me that came in the form of the Tripoli operator that you just described was working at the movie theater after I stood in line because he had really cute girls working there and I wanted the franchises will help came down and brought me a Chick-fil-A sandwich and started the conversation. This is 1980 through 1981, 82, white guy, poor black kid and he started conversation one the most important things he taught me over the next four years was that what you think is possible is way too limited. He really started weaving into my consciousness.

This notion that with God all things were possible and that after he passed away, I became far more familiar is 38 years old when he died.

I was 19 and I realized that I had a responsibility to teach the lessons of John Lamy's the lessons he taught me about having a job is a good thing, but creating jobs the better thing making income will make you have a good quality of life, but having a profit gives you equity in this amazing country and I really for a poor kid who flowed out of ice was a freshman was like manna from heaven. It was just enough to sustain me, but it made me hungry for more. And what I learned was Ephesians 320 and 21 that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you ask or imagine.

Slide 19. I started dreaming about the craziest things like one day being governor my state of being mayor of my salient for some reason. Even then I knew I wanted to be in public service because one of the lessons of John was a poor kid can make a huge difference. You just have to find your path as a will try to say to people who may be listening to us is that mentoring is transformative, do not think you need to have a black mentor to help a black kid. You need someone who loves unconditionally without any other motivation to make the kind of difference that leads to poor kid flunking out of high school who failed Civics.

The study of politics. The one baby and I was a senator writing the loss of our country because God has a sense humor while I begin, I think that man saw with your potential. They got a special plan for your life and I wondered Tim, this is probably not a question you want to answer, but would you ever consider running for the presidency while that is a question amended by homeowner Association, who knows Greg I've been watching you thoroughly at the last of the last of the church since the 1980s, 83, 84 yeah no longer hair than you have now down to your shoulders and I thought you were the coolest dude who love the Lord and he was doing what God called on the do.

My hope is that my future will look like your entire journey which is I will do a guys call me to do and it may be a higher office running for the May lose or it may be entering into the ministry become an evangelist where I get to go around and share the gospel of Jesus Christ in the land of the living so whatever he calls I hope I have ears to hear, and a heart that is soft enough to respond, or just for the record, I think you'd be an amazing president that that was God's plan for you and I think you're an amazing evangelist to the silica and a lot of options out there, but I would like to pray for you that we are wonderful.

So let me pray for your father thank you for Sen. Tim Scott Howell at that poor boy with an uncertain future with no father was touched by you and that man took an interest in them and how you guided him and how he is served in this position that he is in and we know that you have a plan form yet in the future.

The thoughts that you have turned him are good and we pray that he will find that plan and walk in it that you will protect them, which will guide him. Given the wisdom he needs as he navigates political issues racial issues, social issues, all issues in our faith is in you and I trust is in you and I thank you for him. Bless us Sen. Scott and his staff, and use them for your glory and ask this in Jesus name, amen, amen. God bless you baby you for your ministry. For all these years and I thank God that he called you when a bid and look what God did in your life. And I gotta say is exciting to see and to learn from you. Even to this day, she Sen. everybody Greg Laurie here.

Thanks for listening to our podcast in the learn more about harvest ministries. Please subscribe and consider supporting this show. Just go to harvest.org. By the way, if you want to find out how to come into a personal relationship with God.

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