The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Kathie Lee Gifford and Bryan Litfin on Nero, Paul, Easter Hope, and Grace

This is an iHeart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

It's happening across America.

Men are being allowed to compete in women's sports,

robbing girls of scholarships, medals, titles, and safety.

For the first time in history, the U.S. Supreme Court

heard two cases that could decide

the future of women's sports nationwide.

Alliance-defending freedom needs your voice today.

Visit joinadf.com slash Dixon or text Dixon

to 83848 to add your name and side with truth and fairness.

That's joinadf.com slash Dixon, paid for by Alliance-defending freedom.

Support for the show comes from public,

the investing platform for those who take it seriously.

On public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stock,

bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets

which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI.

It all starts with your prompt,

from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow

to semiconductor suppliers, growing revenue over 20% year over year.

You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work.

It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index,

and lets you backtest it against the S&P 500.

Then, you can invest in a few clicks.

Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities,

completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's.

Go to public.com slash podcast,

and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.

That's public.com slash podcast,

paid for by Public Investing,

brokerage services by Open to the Public Investing Inc,

member Finra and SIPC,

advisory services by Public Advisors LLC,

SEC Registered Advisor.

Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool,

output is for informational purposes only,

and is not an investment recommendation or advice,

complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures.

Imagine if your Wi-Fi was a little hot,

smarter, and way more reliable.

Picture it.

Your TV, phone, laptop, even your fancy fridge,

working together to make life easier.

Well, Exfinity makes that dream a reality.

Devices so in sync you'd think they're telepathic.

Wi-Fi that knows when your device needs a boost,

the best equipment to stream,

or games at once with multi-view,

or stream your favorite podcast on iHeartRadio.

That's the magic of Exfinity.

It's seamlessly in tune with you.

Exfinity.

Imagine that.

Restrictions apply.

Time for a sofa upgrade.

Introducing Anabae Sofas,

where designer style meets budget-friendly prices.

Anabae brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation,

with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space

effortlessly.

Perfect for both small and large spaces.

Anabae is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out.

Say goodbye to stains and messes,

with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics

that make cleaning easy.

Liquid simply slide right off.

Designed for custom comfort.

Our high-resilience foam

lets you choose between a sink and feel

or a supportive memory foam blend.

Plus, our pet-friendly,

stain-resistant fabrics

ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years.

Don't compromise quality for price.

Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your living space today.

Sofas start at just $699,

with no risk returns,

and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get up to 60% off,

plus free shipping and free returns.

Shop now at washablesofas.com.

Authors are subject to change

and certain restrictions may apply.

We're here today.

We're here to play

with our allies and adults

from first-time players to elite competitors.

I-Flag delivers top-level competition.

unforgettable experiences

and a community built around the game.

Ready to be part of it?

Join the movement.

Find your tournament and learn more at iflag.org.

That's iflag.org.

Welcome to The Tutor Dixon Podcast.

We have a treat for you today.

I feel like we are getting towards spring

and in Michigan.

When we get towards spring,

like three or four or five springs before spring actually comes. But there is also the hope that

Jesus is coming and that we will see Him again and that hope of Easter and that feeling of

just life coming back. And that is something that I get to share with you today through the

eyes of two beautiful authors, someone that you probably know from TV, but also a beautiful author,

Kathy Lee Gifford and Dr. Brian Littfin. They're joining me today because they have a new book

out and it is a fabulous way to read about these stories and it's a story of Nero and Paul and

at the end how they kind of intersect. It's called Nero and Paul, how the gospel of grace defeated

the ruler of Rome. Thank you to for joining me today. Oh, so happy to meet you finally. We have so

many musical friends and so glad to reconnect with that guy. We spent a lot of time writing these

books. Good to see you. Which if you read the book, you can tell that you do spend a lot of time

because it's almost like a book and then a podcast, a written podcast in the book because we get to

see how you two interact and it's funny. I found myself laughing out loud, especially when you

talked about Paul having the unibrow and you and Kathy Lee is like, I like to think of myself as

better looking. What I say about that is he was no oil painting. Yes, but I mean, you really take

us inside of these two stories and right at this moment, I feel like it's a very interesting moment

on the world stage to hear about these two stories because as we're watching what's happening

in the Middle East and we're watching the dictator in Iran and you hear about Nero and kind of

his life taking this crazy turn killing his mother. I mean, you start at a point where it is

you see him whether deciding whether or not to take the the when you see Nero in the

in the book at first, you you see him deciding whether to take the the sheet off of his mother's

dead body. It's pretty provoking. Well, especially if you realize as you go further into our

story that it's not as if he hasn't seen or naked, he was also having an affair at one point

with his mother, right, Brian? Yeah, I mean, that's in the sources for sure. He didn't even miss much

if you know what I'm saying because it's so funny because he they were the trajectories were

very, very similar. I mean, Nero, a guy, Grapena, you can say you're the you're the one that knows

all the details about this, but his mother was the one that orchestrated the fact that he would be

a Caesar and she did all of her back backstage shenanigans are unbelievable, aren't they, Brian?

Yeah, and but but but they he wanted to build a Roman Empire, an earthly

of ego and and and excess and beastie old stuff just just nastiness. But Saul before he was Paul

wanted his kind of fame and fortune too because he wanted to be in the Sanhedrin. He had a

zeal for God. He was extremely proud of, but it was it was not the God that he expected to

meet on the road to domestic. Is that a good way to say? I like it. Yeah, he's a PhD. No, that's good,

you're, but yeah, but you know what you're talking about Kathy. That's a whole opportunity, okay?

But I think in this, this is a moment in time where I love the way the story is presented

because of exactly what you just said, because and it's a reminder to us. I mean, the

Bible is alive, the Bible and and these stories are living for a reason. We remember them because

they impact us today. And as you kind of unpack the story of Saul becoming Paul and and then his life

being totally dedicated to Jesus and to getting people to follow Jesus and saving their lives,

you see Nero on the other hand that becomes completely obsessed with self. And that's true

today. We have to constantly push ourselves back toward Jesus because we live in a world right

now where it's very easy to get consumed with self. To me, the me world. I'm glad you're saying that

to tutor because it's easy, especially like you said in today's world to think, well, this is about,

you know, the book is about, you know, tyrants and political leaders, but we all have a tyrant

within us. Like it's easy to put, you know, Nero into the category of someone that's like in

Iran or something, but we all have that ability. And so we actually, we all need this story,

we all need the gospel. There is this time. We're in a moment in time where there's a lot of

entitlement. And honestly, I didn't this book resonates with me more having run for office and

understanding what happens behind the scenes. And and I think a lot of my listeners are also very

politically in tune and they are watching what's happening just with all of the chess moves within

your own party and the other party. You see it constantly. And I'll pick on some of the people

who are out there and they're on the world stage. And they've said one thing the whole time

there in the United States, but then they go on the world stage and they say something different

because they're almost like chameleons. And you can see that in what Nero is trying to do. He's

trying to constantly find the next thing that's going to make him happy and lift him up.

And he's eliminating all of the evidence of the past. But you can see that it lives within him.

That to me was the most powerful thing is the internal struggle Nero goes through even though he

is very evil, it's still consuming him. It didn't start out evil. No baby starts out evil.

I don't believe that. They come straight from the creator and it's what the world does and

which tentacles get around you and who do you listen to? Some friend of mine today said,

you know, what you worship is who you are. You know, and this man was was worshipping his

his his ego and he thought he was a great performer. I I love the stories we tell about him trying

to make people listen to him sing forever and ever. I've been accused of that.

You can talk about what he did, Brian. I mean, he was ego. I mean, the stuff he built is different

from the stuff that Herod built in our first book together. Yeah. Yeah. That's right. I mean,

they're both making an impact on their world, but maybe in different ways, different arenas. I mean,

Nero much more in Rome. But the ego, both Herod and Nero both are marked by ego. But again,

aren't we all, you know, it's easy to put that off onto sort of other people, but we all need

this message of redemption and hope and how to overcome self and overcome evil with the message

of Yeshua. Well, and you're and you're constantly kind of in between the two because Saul was that

also. I mean, Saul was brutal and and kind of enjoyed the brutality that he inflicted.

Yeah, but he did it. You know, I think he thought he did think he had zeal for God. So he thought

he was doing God's will. But you know, he does too. Well, he's just doing a different God's will,

you know, and so that reminds us that there's always, as you were talking about politics before

Tudor, but there's always this, there's always evil spirits. And I don't know what everybody's

different beliefs are. I know what mine are, what what Kathy's are, but there's always evil spirits

that are lurking around the world of power. They're drawn to power. In fact, the Bible calls them

the powers. And so, you know, that's something to keep aware of and remember who is the victor,

who is the ultimate power. Yeah, that we said, we don't fight against flesh and blood, but

powers and principalities unseen. And because we can't see it physically, we, you know, we

tend to think that, well, that's sort of made up stuff. No, I've seen demons. I've heard demons.

I've encountered them. And more times than I'd like to, it's not a pleasant experience. But it's

certainly made me realize, no, this is real. And a friend of mine told me the other day that

I find theologian. He said, you know, we're supposed to pray in the name of Jesus and the demons

have to flee. Well, he said, yes, and you know what, they really hate to hear Kathy. And I go,

what? He goes, it's flee. In the name of Jesus, it came in the flesh. And they go berserk over

that because they know it's true. And they can't, they have to flee. They can't stand before him.

So we were aware of all of that. We had things that came along as we were trying to make these

books that made things far more difficult. We just, we just are praying people, though. We know

it's, we know what this is. This is spiritual warfare. Let's get at it. You know, and then we can

happen to anyone. It happens to everyone. It's just we're aware of it because we are people who

study the word of God in its original form. And that's the Hebrew. And I hate to call it the old

testament and the Greek and the new. It's one story. We should have never broken it up. There's

400 years between the end of the new old one and the beginning of Matthew. But there was 400

years of the Jewish people were, you know, enslaved in Egypt. We didn't stop telling the story.

That's right. You know, I don't know why that's for another time. But we like to think of it as

one unbelievable history lesson. And I was told years ago and I love one of my rabbinical trips when

you go to rock road and rabbi. Rock is Jesus rose the holy land and the rabbis were

benacled teaching. They were telling me that, you know, when, when, uh, Abraham and Sarah were called

of God to, to lead their home, which was modern day, it would be modern day, uh, Iraq everybody. That's

that, that kills me. Now, do we don't know that? It doesn't say so. It says from the land of

Er, right? Yes. And, uh, but the interesting is they changed their names later. God changed

their names. Why? Because he added the letter, the letter H. And that means the breath of God.

He breathed his breath into them and they became new creatures. Abraham and Sarah, as we

tend to know them. That, when you study the way, Ryan's a true, true genius at all of it,

I'm just a student, but I soaked this stuff up because it makes the Bible, which is really

literally written in black and white to me. The stories are so too epic. I mean, you're never

going to learn in the Bible about neuro, the way you're going to learn about neuro from our book.

Is that's, there's no time and there's no, you know, no space. Right. For me, when my space

started getting very, very lukewarm, I started studying, uh, in Israel with, with, what, basically

messianic rabbis who know every 10 layers down deep into, into the word of God. And, uh, it's,

the, the black and white Bible that I had been studying for years. In fact, I read the Bible

from cover to cover 11 times in 11 years and got so bored out of my gourd. And I, and I said,

there's stuff in here that's not true. I don't, I can't read it anymore. It's not, a lot of it is

not true. And I realized it was because it was not, it was a bad translation. It was a bad

translation of what the word really, really said. And once I started learning that, and that

doesn't mean I can speak Greek or speak Hebrew. I can't, uh, but I, we studied the original words.

And then the black and white goes to take the color and it goes to Dolby sound. And it's, it's,

you're ready to just dig into it because it's so rich. Yeah. That, that is what I found

to be the best part of this. And, and I know at the beginning of the book, you say, you know,

some of this is what we imagine the conversations must be like that we have to kind of infer what,

what they must have said. But it does take you in to a life on that is not unlike what we,

we battle every day. And I think that what you said about Paul Saul becoming Paul was so important

that you said, you know, he was just doing what he thought a different God wanted him to do.

Well, he just didn't know it, you know, he was serving Jehovah God, he thought, but so you're

right. And, and yet he was wrong, you know. And, and that's what I think we, I think that has to kind,

kind of be, I mean, you can correct me if you think I'm wrong. But I think that has to kind of

be a constant struggle for us because oftentimes I hear people say, well, God told me to do this.

And it was clear as day. And I, and I think that leaves some of us who don't hear God that way

going, well, God doesn't talk to me. I must not know what he wants. And this book made me realize

you're constantly fighting to make sure you're following what he does want. And you have to be aware

that there, there is always going to be spirits, bad spirits that are going to try to get to you

and convince you that you are more important. I mean, it takes me right back to Eve. It's like,

why shouldn't you know this stuff? And right now there's so many things in the world that

everybody's going, you deserve to know this. And I keep saying, why? I don't know that I am supposed

to know that. Yeah. That's a fundamental point you're making actually because the nature of sin,

if you think about the temptation of Adam and Eve, the, the temptation is not well, you know,

pleasure, luxury, sexuality, pride. I mean, all of those things are related. But ultimately,

the temptation is knowledge and, and the forbidden fruit, right? You know, the apple with a bite

taken out of it, which is the symbol of a major corporation today. And so, you know, that's,

that's the ultimate human temptation. And it's what Satan was tempted by because he said,

I will be like the most high. I will know the things that I don't, I'm not supposed to know.

And so at a core level, the temptation of mankind is to seek after that kind of arcane or occult

knowledge. And, and it gives power and it gives wealth and it gives riches. So all of those things

are related. So our story is very much about knowing the truth, you know, the Paul did not know

the truth as he was saw at that time until the truth encountered him. And Jesus said, I am the way

the truth and the life. And so Paul had to meet capital T truth, not an abstraction, but a person

who then changed his orientation. That's everybody's story. It's time to meet the truth. If you haven't

understood the truth, the capital T truth, who is a person, you don't yet understand the world.

And you can't be set free. Yeah. Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next

on the Tudor Dixon podcast. Hey, it's Ben Ferguson. And I want to be honest with you for a second

about how an act of compassion really feels a couple of years ago. I made the choice to partner

with an amazing organization called Compassion International. Why? Because I wanted to sponsor a child

in need. It was a nice idea, sure, but I had no idea just how much that simple act would change

my life as well. I sponsored Nadia and got to watch her life change right in front of my eyes,

going from starving literally alone on the streets to getting the healthcare and education

she needs to reach her God given full potential. I got to be a part of that change and the light

of that compassion not only illuminates in her. It illuminates now in me. That is the power

of compassion. The light of Christ shines on all of us. Feel it for yourself and change

literally a child's life. Change the world. And you also change yourself. You can sponsor a child

today. Visit compassion dot com. That's compassion dot com. It's happening across America. Men

are being allowed to compete in women's sports, robbing girls of scholarships, medals, titles,

and safety. For the first time in history, the US Supreme Court heard two cases that could decide

the future of women's sports nationwide. Alliance defending freedom needs your voice today.

Visit join ADF dot com slash Dixon or text Dixon to 83848 to add your name and

side with truth and fairness. That's join ADF dot com slash Dixon paid for by Alliance defending

freedom. Support for the show comes from public, the investing platform for those who take it

seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stock, bonds, options, crypto,

and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investible index with AI.

It all starts with your prompt from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to

semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt

and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index and lets you

backtest it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs

with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's.

Go to public.com slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio.

That's public.com slash podcast, paid for by public investing, brokerage services by open to the

public investing ink, member finraw and SIPC. Advisory services by public advisors LLC, SEC registered

advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only

and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash

disclosures. Imagine if your Wi-Fi was a little hot smarter and way more reliable. Picture it. Your

TV, phone, laptop, even your fancy fridge working together to make life easier. Well,

Exfinity makes that dream a reality. Devices so in sync you think they're telepathic. Wi-Fi that

knows when your device needs a boost. The best equipment to stream or games at once with

multi-view or stream your favorite podcast on iHeartRadio. That's the magic of Exfinity. It's seamlessly

in tune with you. Exfinity. Imagine that. Restrictions apply. Sink into affordable luxury.

Anna Bay is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. With stain resistant slip covers

and a cloud-like frame duvet, everything goes right in the wash. Plus the modular design

lets you change the look of your space anytime. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home.

Shop up to 60% off site-wide. With sofas starting at just $699 and a 30-day money-back guarantee,

shop now at washablesofas.com. Authors are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

What you're saying is kind of blowing my mind because I think about how many people, especially

children, my kids are at Christian schools and you see the battle between the Christian message

and the message that's coming through their phones that you talked about and you hear people

talk about going down this dark rabbit hole of information. That is, it is such a terrible

temptation and the information is not necessarily right and too often these kids are getting pulled

and even adults. I mean we're getting pulled into this too and I tell my girls all the time

when the Bible talks about gossip is so much bigger than you just gossiping at school but think

about how you gossiping at school affects the interpersonal relationships of all the girls that

you know and imagine that on a worldwide scale through your phone. Our words are so powerful.

Scripture is very clear about you know you have the choice choose life or death with your with

your words and it says choose life you know and and every time I haven't I've regretted it you know

it's easy just to say oh did you see that you know it's constant it's not like you're constantly

monitoring yourself and you think of God's not pleased with me now it's just a tender reminder most

of the time Kath you know better than that and that's not what I that doesn't honor me that's

a spirit inside of you drawing not the Holy Spirit he doesn't condemn Jesus did not come to condemn

through the law but to fulfill it and you know and that's another reason why I wish we'd never

the problem with so much of our world is that we think the Old Testament was about the Jews

and the New Testament is for the Christians right it's all of us some of us are born into it

because of my Jewish heritage others are grafted people assume that Jews they they they they

what's the word I'm looking for Brian they convert to Christian right now no with Jews don't convert

they've just received the Messiah they had not understood for all those years Gentiles convert

I I appreciate what Kathie is saying too about the unity of the story between the two

testaments and it's so true and you know the tutor is you think about like our book and it's

landing into the world in the time when the word Israel or the Jews or something like that is

connected with airplanes and battles and wars that's not what our book is about other than you know

of course Nero waged wars but our book is about it isn't about Israel but it's about a spiritual

concept it's about the message of Israel and as Kathie is saying at the beginning of that message

the unfolding of the story chapter by chapter culminating with Israel's Messiah Yeshua and then

what our book is about is how this guy saw who was a rabbi says Jewish name and he takes a great name

so he can relate to the rest of the world or a Roman name but he takes the message of Israel to

the world and we begin the book talking about the temple in Jerusalem and how the veil of that

temple was torn which usually people think well that means you know you can get into the holy of

holies it's the opposite is that the holy of holies is rushing out to come in be inside of you

also there's a kind of the bursting forth of the holy presence of God the Ruach Hakodesh and Hebrew

and and so that the temple can now be anywhere and Paul says I'm going to take that message on

now that I know the truth I'm going to go to the end of the world and we and we take him in the

story to the end of what his world was which was spain and so and he he fulfilled it and so that's

the timeless message is that Israel's message is is is the message of Jesus and it is for the world

and just the way when Kathy Lee when you were talking about this coming out in technicolor and

Dolby Sound and just the way you describe that veil also the the number of people that had to weave it

the the number I think they did it every two years the thickness of it how many people had to

carry it made it so different to me you know because I think of it it's like little tour being

that floated in the air it wasn't whispered it was so pretty you know and therefore what it was

torn into you had a major piece of fabric that was being ripped not by human hands but by divine

hands to give that holiness to the rest of the world I'm sorry Brian I'm just because I got excited

that just the other day I love all the things they're just discovering all the time all the time

to confirm what we know is truth and and did you did you guys read that they've now scientifically

absolutely proven that in AD 33 the there was a massive massive earthquake right there where Jesus

crucified right there that happened it the skies went dark they're they're all kinds of

technical ways now to prove these things I'm also working and I'll talk come back and talk to you

when this thing comes out on working with a friend on the story of the shroud the shroud of turn well

we there's absolutely scientific proof now it was not the burial cloth of Jesus it started out

that way it's the resurrection cloth of Jesus that that image could never have been made without

photography and the kind of energy that went into producing that image and and the way God has

protected that shroud all these two centuries out to millennia is amazing so God is just confirming

what those of us who seek have believed and that's why I didn't like what I was reading in the

Bible I knew even as a 10 year old little girl that Jesus didn't curse that tree the thicker more

fig tree I said I know teacher but that doesn't I know you said it but I don't think that means

that and what kind what is a 10 year old girl kind of understand that because I said my Jesus

created that tree he wouldn't curse something he created later on a rabbinical trip I discovered

that the sycamore fig tree represented just as the olive tree represents the people of the Jewish

people the sycamore fig tree represented the religious people and that was the Pharisees and the

Sadducees and he was cursing them for not feeding the people that they were supposed to take care of

and he called them hypocrites and he called them you know you have your white wash tombs but inside

your dead man's bones well the word for hypocrite in Greek I love this actors you're

to stand under a mask yeah that's I mean yes yes you are you're pretending to be someone you're not

well Kathy that's a good point and you know as speaking of trees being cursed the scripture says

cursed is he who hangs on a tree so when the one who was cursed in our place is Jesus and there's

a tree at the beginning in the Garden of Eden there's a tree in the end in the book of Revelation

and there's a tree right in the middle and that is the one on which our Messiah hung but he didn't

stay there as you pointed out so he took the curse for us and we can praise him for that how did you

come to the point where you said you wanted to you have another you you wrote a book before this

this was Herod and Mary was that okay so you have and that leads into Nero and Paul how did you

come to this point because Kathy you were saying that life really changed when you went there

explain that to me because I want our listeners to really understand what it is to walk within

those footsteps of Jesus well not everybody especially now nobody's you you don't want to go to

the holy land right now the things we've got to calm down and they will and there will be another

time where our rock road and rabbi tours can start going again I gave that name to rabbi sobles so he

could start the touring business with it and and if I suggest you you go with somebody that actually

knows the scriptures before a lot of these pastors think they do but if if your pastor thinks that

Jesus was a carpenter you know I have he hasn't read the scriptures we read in the Greek in the

Hebrew the word for what Jesus and Joseph did in the new in the New Testament which I hate to say

but is it is in Greek and it's the word is tecton and if you look it up and anybody can on their

ask Siri you know what's the original Greek it says at architect slash builder but there was no

buildable wood in first century AD back then Herod didn't build the temple with wood he accentuated

it with some wood but there was no buildable wood it all had to come down from the the the cedars

lebanon you know along the viamaris which is you know the the west it's the beautiful beautiful

coast of Israel and it made into rafts and then taken apart in well what's modern day Tel Aviv

basically right Brian she is up and then taken over overland by animals and slaves tons and tons

of slaves I mean Herod moved a mountain to be higher than another mountain just so he could be

buried on the mountain that was higher this is the kind of egos we deal with you don't learn that

unless you go to Herodium which was his temple in his palace in in in Bethlehem and you learn

that stuff when you go there but you can look at my videos with that I did with the or you can

read our books and we'll take you there you don't have you don't blame you don't need a passport

yeah you know just just down in fact I wish a lot of people and they're doing it more and more

I did all the and I always do for all my books not just the two that I've written with with the

Brian but I do the audio versions of them because I don't want somebody else speaking our words

or my words you know and I'm so familiar although these ones these two books took me four days

each yeah there's so yeah and I want to make sure I'm saying the names properly in the places

properly and all of that so we we really tried to be very scholarly about this in the places that

as you mentioned we had to use a little imagination we we footnote it basically we let them know

you know we know what like Brian's the scholar I am not but we were really careful about that

because we don't want to be guilty of telling something that we don't believe is is is true

and it's all in the in the in the realm of possibility of course yeah but I know you could

probably explain the way you dealt with it well you said it well you said it well and can I

keep calling me a scholar but then you listen to her talk and she knows what she's talking about

doesn't she well she does and she's being humble but she's learned a lot over the years

well I really call that yeah well I think you are but anyway I mean the the point is like she's

exactly right the readers of this book you know you might not ever get a chance I hope you do get

to go to Israel or in the case of Paul Greece and Rome which is where it culminates and so

until the day comes that you can walk in the footsteps of these great heroes our books are meant

to be very vivid very story like very cinematic and you know we have to imagine some things but we

have texts and sources behind those things so in the meantime to our readers we involve you to be

swapped out not into a bunch of dry you know facts and dates or something like that but to be

swept up into a double saga where you have this ridiculous antagonist Nero and all the people

swirling around him that were like that as well and then you had this protagonist whose fault

whose flawed and who always says you know I was a chief of centers and yet he's got this redemptive

arc and of course at the end the two of them crashed together in this you know the end of their story

as Paul finally gets to Rome so it really it really reads in a story like way we want it to come across

that way yeah and almost a Hollywood like way where you're you're going this story cannot possibly

be but it also makes you realize this is how Hollywood came to be was the stories of the past were

so vivid and so so unrealistic and yet this happened and it's it's interesting because as you

read through there's this desire for for Paul to rub off on your own you know there's this human

desire to go get it finally get it and and redeem yourself you know redemption is something that I

think is always lingering in our hearts and the need for for redemption and I think that's

that spirit that's constantly calling us back insane be wary of the the idols be wary of the

that sinful nature that's pulling you uh-huh test them yeah and and yet you know that there are

people who never are you know Nero never he never turned he never was redeemed he never turned

good and how do you how do you prepare yourself to stop those people from being in your life to

stop that influence which I think is very easy to have that influence in your life right now because

people can get to you evil forces can get to you so much easier today than any other time

well the people ask us all and I'm sure you two Tudor you know do you think there's more evil

in the world I'm asked that every day so is brilliant okay so it may seem that way because

you know people have phones and they they collect the things we would never see and and there's

24 hour of course channels where you know if you see images you wish you never did and you can't

get rid of them you know they're there and but I say no it seems like it but the truth is evil

isn't the story of in the scripture starts in Genesis in the in the garden and whether you

believe that metaphorically or real or literally it doesn't change the story for me it's you know

it's it's fascinating cinematically of course but it's um the the point of what I'm trying to make is

that the even as God is walking in the coolness of the evening with the Adam and Eve the serpent is

in the garden so why should we you know he was always there always there always here and um so

but the the subtitle of our book is living hope ancient evil which has always been with us

juxtaposed against living hope and if you've read our book Herod and Mary uh and I hope you have it

you haven't you will you also find it fascinating um it it ends with with basically Herod's death

as Mary and uh and then the baby Jesus are returning back from from Egypt because the one who

sought to kill them is dead and we we the the end of that that book I was doing the audio version

I it took me an hour to get through it I would sob every time um and I we had I had to read the

end of the book you you have to read it you know I don't call and Gwyneth Paltrow to do it because I can't

you know I do it and uh but even when you listen to the audio you hear me just I can't

you know what I'm talking about Brian I don't want to give the book the end of the book away

but we needed a way to express why the the the guy who called himself the other king of the Jews

who wasn't even a Jew and Mary who had just given birth to the king of kings yeah you know it's

just foundly moving to me even right now I'm remembering yeah I had my book my hip replace the next

day I just stumbled into that and I'm done I'm done I'm glad you brought those things up because you

know as we talk about great evil and we're talking about demonic powers and evil spirits and kind

of the the tyrants of the world whether they're in the first century or today it's important

to recognize that the story is one of hope and you say well you know like a Nero like Tudor you

said he never he never converted that's true we have no evidence he commits suicide and he's

pitiful but as Paul came and made his way to Rome the seeds of the gospel fell under the soil

that was good so Paul getting there yeah okay he didn't convert Nero as far as we could ever tell

but many others did in fact the scripture says that there are some in the emperor's household

who are believers which would be Nero's household so the gospel goes for right yes I found that

fascinating yeah there's a triumph to it all and and sometimes that triumph is secret or hidden

but God's up to something even in the in the lives of your listeners let's take a quick commercial

break we'll continue next on the Tudor Dixon podcast hey it's Ben Ferguson and I want you to pause

what you're doing for just one minute and I want you to hear about Alejandra she lives in a

remote community with very few resources and little to no health care so when Alejandra gets sick

her parents have no real options no doctors in their community and no money for real medical care

by the third day her body was shutting down she woke up and just long enough to tell her mom

I can't take the pain anymore I can't keep going her parents drove hours to find a doctor who tried

everything but she needed a private hospital and that was impossible for her family to afford

and that is when compassion international stepped in now through compassion Alejandra was treated

and against all odds she survived she lived because someone just like you took action right now

unfortunately their children just like Alejandra who won't survive unless someone like you steps in

compassion international partners with local churches providing children with the support

that they need critical medical care plus food education and the hope of the gospel all in Jesus name

so help a child just like Alejandra today you can visit compassion dot com that's compassion dot com

it's happening across America men are being allowed to compete in women's sports robbing girls

of scholarships medals titles and safety for the first time in history the US Supreme Court heard

two cases that could decide the future of women's sports nationwide alliance defending freedom

needs your voice today visit join adf dot com slash dixon or text dixon to 83848 to add your name

and side with truth and fairness that's join adf dot com slash dixon paid for by alliance defending

support for the show comes from public the investing platform for those who take it seriously

on public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stock spots options crypto and now generated assets

which allow you to turn any idea into an investible index with AI it all starts with your prompt

from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue

over 20 percent year over year you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work

it screens thousands of stocks builds a one-of-a-kind index and lets you back test it against the

S&P 500 then you can invest in a few clicks generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities

completely customizable and based on your thesis not someone else's go to public dot com slash

podcast and earn an uncapped 1 percent bonus when you transfer your portfolio that's public dot com

slash podcast paid for by public investing brokerage services by open to the public investing

ink member finraw nsi pc advisory services by public advisors LLC sec registered advisor generated

assets is an interactive analysis tool output is for informational purposes only and it's not

an investment recommendation or advice complete disclosures available at public dot com slash

disclosures imagine if your wi-fi was a lot smarter and way more reliable picture it your tv phone

laptop even your fancy fridge working together to make life easier well extended a mix that dream

a reality devices so in sync you think they're telepathic wi-fi that knows when your device needs

a boost the best equipment to stream or games at once with multiview or stream your favorite

podcast on iheart radio that's the magic of xfinity it's seamlessly in tune with you

xfinity imagine that restrictions apply tired of spills and stains on your sofa

wash away your worries with anabay anabay is the only machine washable sofa inside and out

where designer quality leads budget-friendly prices that's right sofa started just $699

enjoy a no-risk experience with pet-friendly stain resistant and changeable slip covers made

with performance fabric experience cloud-like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic

and never needs fluffing the sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can

be rearranged anytime shop washable sofas dot com for up to 60% off site wide that's by a 30 day

satisfaction guarantee if you're not absolutely in love send it back for a full refund no return

shipping or restocking fees every penny back upgrade now at washable sofas dot com offers are

subject to change and certain restrictions may apply I think the story of grace is so important

in this book because that is where we get caught up in saying we can never be redeemed we can

never be good enough is that we can't we don't understand grace we don't understand his love and

and so often when I'm frustrated with myself I say what would I do if my kids had made a mistake

they would absolutely hug them and love them and I would just it would not matter I will

always love them how much more does God love me than that how much more grace does he have for me

and that to me was where Paul was yeah right well he was aware of his sins and so his gospel wasn't

some abstraction as he preached grace and he's the apostle of grace he knew first and foremost I

have received grace and then he he passed on that message and praise God for his grace we all need

it so I want people I want people right now as we go into not only are we going into the Easter

but in the world we're going into a very challenging season when it comes to politics and

politics is I would say to your point of evil has always been there politics is there but in

abundance now and I see I see younger and younger people getting affected by the stresses of

politics and by the false teachings and now we see false prophets and false teachers getting

mixing that I want to be a political leader but I'm also going to bring a false gospel to you and

we're seeing that out of Texas right now where we have a candidate who's saying God is a woman and

God is non-binary and the story of Mary is the story of why God approves of abortion and all these

crazy things and that to me is like this is a time to get deep into a book like this where you can

really feel those times and see God's grace but also God's lessons and how true his word is

and what is the word of the false teachers and how did to determine which is which and help your

children determine which is which and follow the path of the Lord. Well that's one of the reasons

I keep writing all of these kinds of books and making my movies to the way I shot a lot of it in

Israel and it's just important that we understand where we came from and how we got here now and

I as a woman who had a Jewish father who was an immigrant from Russia, he escaped the

pogroms my mother's father was also an immigrant there's a lot of talk about that I don't get involved

politically but I just I don't even know what I was going to say it's do you know Brian I've

probably done a hundred interviews in the last week. Well whatever it is it's going to it's going

to be about Yeshua and the goodness of his message for sure. Yeah yeah yeah what I was going to say

is that so many of us who are believers and we sincerely try to follow Yeshua or if you call

them Christ same same person same person but one is is Hebrew and one is is is from the apostolic period

after Jesus was resurrected and ascended and you know people were not called Christians

when Jesus was on the earth they were called followers of the way and then of course we know

what happened in Jesus went away and then it became the new period and then it was called the

apostolic way because it was it was different they they weren't disciples anymore than the same

way they were taken they were to take it at what's the meaning Greek to take away to to go forth with

to be a possible the world of possible means sent out yeah yeah so I just wish people would

understand where we came from as as from a Jewish perspective it's important Jesus was a rabbi he kept

every one of the of the festivals and and all the main things that happened in Jesus' life

tutor happened on during the festivals that we read about lots of them and 90% of what Jesus

talks about is it was from Galilee but he went to the festivals and we say Easter in in in in our

culture but it was not Easter Sunday that Jesus was resurrected it was first fruits it's called first

fruits in the in the in the Jewish faith to tell him what first fruits is and Jesus is called the

first fruits of the resurrection but it basically means that the Israelites would bring in when they

got a harvest they would offer the beginnings of the harvest because they said Lord we know you're

going to bring much more so when Jesus is resurrected he's the first fruits of a harvest to come

there's going to be so many more resurrections and life if he's the life much more life is going to

be harvested in the wake of of that one so it has a reference to that I just love learning about that

we know we know about Passover he's crucified on Passover but think about Easter because that's

really is it a pagan term it's just it's just not Hebrew the word Easter is like from Ishtar I think

which is a goddess or something but see that's where the listen and the east so it's related to that

like like resurrection and the east the sun well it's just it's the whole everybody uses and so I

guess we have to embrace it on that level but as you're pointing out there roots behind it

hmm yeah I mean I there's so there is so much to learn and I love that you wrote the book I

I like I said I love the way the book is written for those of you who haven't read it you you read

a chapter you're taking in it's like it is like you're watching a movie you're taking right to that

time and then we get this commentary from the two of you at the end which as you can see if you're

listening you know that it's beautiful it is amazing and it is really thoughtful but it's also

very natural so I love the way the book is written I encourage people to go on get it it is

Neuro and Paul how the gospel of grace defeated the ruler of Rome so tell everybody it's just

everywhere right all the bookstores it's available March 10th it says you can pre-order it right

now that and the audio and yeah and I think I think it'll take you on a journey we learned from

our first book here in and Mary that we did the code at the very end the code is a really a musical

term to repeat to go back and to and discuss but I think this way works better because we write

you're right the chapters are very specific and then we talk in our quotas about how we can

apply it to today yeah and what what can we learn from this that that I can literally take away

from that and apply it to my own life because otherwise it's just entertainment yeah and we want

to entertain with our book we really do I've been an entertainer all my life and I don't know

any other way to even think except for in rhyme and lyrics and cinematically that's who I am he comes

more from the academic world so it's a good combination yes that's why it's such a good mix honestly

that's what I was thinking my daughter is always saying I want a better study Bible that kind of

explains things to me and this is this is like you said this takes some stories from the Bible

and it just kind of blows them up and goes in deeper but that at the end that study part of it

takes you to today which I think is so beautiful I think it was Cody's idea yeah your son Cody

oh he's a great dude oh yeah Cody's Cody's got his thumb prints all over this book too he's

such a dude he's a keeper yeah that's good I love that guy life so much better than him I said

yeah I love Eric because she's so much nicer to me than you walk I'm a narrator yeah we all do that

but even even the way you explain I'll say this and I know we've got a little over but you're so

fascinating to talk to you I will say even the way and I could see your connection to Mary and I

understand why you're saying the last book was hard for you to read because even the way you

described Mary watching Jesus crucified and saying my son's 35 I what would I do as a mom and

and that I would put myself in that place and I think the same I was thinking as you were taking

me through that in the book I was thinking yes yes as a mom you would do anything and and we have

to remember that what we know she didn't know she didn't have that foresight of what was next you

know she didn't know that she knew she had enough people telling her this will be right but that

human side of her is he's still getting pulled away that he's not with her every day and yet she's

at the cross but she's also at the tomb mm-hmm and and for Peru when the when the Holy Spirit descends

she's there too yeah that is Pentecost that was that's always been yeah that's a it's a Greek word

but it's it's something that the Jews celebrate that's 50 days after Passover right yeah right and

this is the kind of thing that we wanted those those quotas to do which is like like you're doing

to it or you say I have to think about this from my own life and if it's just a book about to go to

the first century or people from long ago doesn't have that but so many people love Kathy's voice

they heard it in their ears for you know every day for so many years all those listeners and now

a new generation that's getting to know her and so we wanted we wanted to talk about the books

so you get a little window at the end of each chapter into what we're thinking and how it might

apply and jokes and and and insights and we share back and forth and so like you said it's like a

little miniature podcast at at the end of each chapter yeah yeah absolutely I loved it I I encourage

everybody to go out and get it again it's Nero and Paul how the gospel of grace defeated the

ruler of Rome and it is Kathie Lee Gifford and Dr. Brian Littfinn thank you so much for sharing

today it was amazing talking to you both thanks for having us a blessing long shalom everybody god bless

you yes and thank you all for listening to the podcast god bless you get the book go out and

make sure you tune into the next podcast we love having you all listening and thank you so much

for joining me today we'd love to have you here it's happening across America men are being

allowed to compete in women's sports robbing girls of scholarships medals titles and safety

for the first time in history the US Supreme Court heard two cases that could decide the future

of women's sports nationwide alliance defending freedom needs your voice today visit join adf.com

slash Dixon or text Dixon to eight three eight four eight to add your name and side with truth

and fairness that's join adf.com slash Dixon paid for by alliance defending freedom imagine if your

Wi-Fi was a lot smarter and way more reliable picture it your TV phone laptop even your fancy fridge

working together to make life easier well expediting makes that dream a reality devices so in sync

you think they're telepathic Wi-Fi that knows when your device needs a boost the best equipment

to stream or games at once with multi view or stream your favorite podcast on iHeartRadio

that's the magic of Xfinity it's seamlessly in tune with you Xfinity imagine that restrictions apply

sync into affordable luxury anabay is the only machine washable sofa inside and out with

stain resistant slip covers and a cloud-like frame duvet everything goes right in the wash plus

the modular design lets you change the look of your space anytime visit washablesofas.com to

upgrade your home shop up to 60% off site wide with sofas starting at just $699 and a 30-day

money-back guarantee shop now at washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions

may apply flag football is exploding and iflag is leading the way as the Guinness World Recordholder

iflag host premiere flag football tournaments nationwide for boys girls high school girls and

adults from first-time players to elite competitors iflag delivers top-level competition unforgettable

experiences and a community built around the game ready to be part of it join the movement

find your tournament and learn more at iflag.org that's iflag.org

this is an iHeart podcast guaranteed human