Encouragement From A Field in a War Zone

WEBVTT100:00:00.120 --> 00:00:02.640Yeah, you definitely don't want tolose the grief and, again, the200:00:02.680 --> 00:00:07.440gravity of what's happening. But ifyou dwell on the grief and the gravity,300:00:07.679 --> 00:00:10.519Um, yeah, if you ifyou lose it, your heart could400:00:10.519 --> 00:00:13.880be callous and can be hardened,but if you dwell on it, you'll500:00:13.880 --> 00:00:20.920start to become bitter and disillusioned.I Am Yours, I'm yours, I'm600:00:21.039 --> 00:00:27.760yours, and me, Lord,I'm yours, I'm yours. I'm welcome700:00:27.760 --> 00:00:33.159to the Gospel centered pro life podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage800:00:33.240 --> 00:00:37.000and challenge you in pro life ministry, and always with a focus on the900:00:37.039 --> 00:00:51.439Gospel. Stay tuned. I feltyour passh touch your heart. Use Welcome1000:00:51.560 --> 00:00:57.759to the Gospel centered pro life podcast. Everyone. I'm yeah, good test1100:00:57.799 --> 00:01:03.000see you, Daniel. I'm VickyKasier here Daniel Parks and we have an1200:01:03.079 --> 00:01:10.040encouragement today. I think this isthis is an encouragement for all of you1300:01:10.120 --> 00:01:17.959who may be, like our state, are seeing an unbelievable influx of abortions1400:01:18.000 --> 00:01:22.319in their state. So here inCharlotte, we're pretty much in North Carolina.1500:01:22.439 --> 00:01:27.879We are surrounded by states that havesome sort of restrictions and people are1600:01:27.959 --> 00:01:38.760flocking from out of state, twoCharlotte specifically, and Tuesday of this week1700:01:38.400 --> 00:01:48.159there were probably more than ninety abortionsin one center. I know we've always1800:01:48.200 --> 00:01:53.000seen people coming from South Carolina andfrom Georgia pretty consistently. Sometimes maybe from1900:01:53.079 --> 00:01:59.159Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, butfor the most part South Carolina, North2000:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.120Carolina's rules because we're not far fromthe South Carolina border. But now,2100:02:02.239 --> 00:02:06.680yeah, we're seeing I mean Ithink today the I was out there just2200:02:06.680 --> 00:02:08.919for a little bit on the sidewalkand our team lead was just counting the2300:02:08.919 --> 00:02:15.240cars that had come from Georgia.I mean we pretty consistently we'll see maybe2400:02:15.240 --> 00:02:19.479a car or two per week orsomething like that from Georgia, and now2500:02:19.560 --> 00:02:23.599it's like multiple people a day comingto at least little tribal abortion center from2600:02:23.639 --> 00:02:29.680Georgia and Alabama and Tennessee and stuff. Yeah, we're thinking probably half of2700:02:29.719 --> 00:02:34.199the arrivals right now are coming fromGeorgia. So they're clearly being sent from2800:02:34.240 --> 00:02:38.319from Georgia. So, but ninetyis it's the record for me then,2900:02:38.599 --> 00:02:43.800the largest number of people coming foran abortion that I have seen in the3000:02:43.800 --> 00:02:50.439ten years I've been out there.Um It's pretty devastating. It's devastating to3100:02:50.439 --> 00:02:55.400be on that sidewalk and watch thesewomen just stream. And Yeah, I3200:02:55.400 --> 00:03:00.520mean there's a certain heaviness just beingthere has. Anyway, we're in front3300:03:00.520 --> 00:03:02.840of a place where kids are dyingright, people are killing their children,3400:03:04.879 --> 00:03:08.159and especially at the latrobe abortion center. Like those ninety cars that showed up3500:03:08.159 --> 00:03:12.400there, we know that they didn'tcome in for something other than abortion,3600:03:12.439 --> 00:03:15.599because that's all they do there.Right. So it's heavy already being there,3700:03:16.199 --> 00:03:20.080but to see the parking lot full, so full that they have to3800:03:20.080 --> 00:03:23.360park people in a second parking lotand even park people on the street,3900:03:23.240 --> 00:03:28.840that that brings a level of heavinessthat's hard to it's hard to grasp,4000:03:28.919 --> 00:03:32.120it's hard to deal with, it'shard to cope with. And, Um,4100:03:32.159 --> 00:03:36.800and so certainly, like we,we know that we need to be4200:03:36.840 --> 00:03:38.680praying all the more for our folksthat are serving out there on the sidewalk4300:03:39.120 --> 00:03:43.840and we need to be rallying peopleto hey, we need more folks out4400:03:43.840 --> 00:03:46.840here, because you could always usemore volunteers out there. Um. But4500:03:46.919 --> 00:03:50.840yeah, I mean just the heavinessis kind of what what just is brought4600:03:50.919 --> 00:03:54.919fresh to my mind because I rememberyears back when I would be out here4700:03:54.919 --> 00:03:59.159on a Saturday. Saturday's used tobe the busiest day. Used to be4800:03:59.240 --> 00:04:02.120like they're sometimes sixty, sometimes seventy, five people there on an average,4900:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.639probably fifty or so on the Saturday. Since the love life started with the5000:04:05.639 --> 00:04:10.560prayer walks and we saw a significantdecrease in people coming out here on Saturdays.5100:04:11.240 --> 00:04:14.479Um. But I mean I rememberback in those days we would have5200:04:15.080 --> 00:04:17.439fifty, sixty cars there, somuch so they'd be parking them on the5300:04:17.480 --> 00:04:21.079street. I just remember the heavinessthat came with that. But to see5400:04:21.160 --> 00:04:27.879ninety like that's just Um, yeah, it's hard to grasp. It's truly5500:04:27.920 --> 00:04:31.240mind boggling and horrific. Uh,that's three kindergarten classes, you know,5600:04:31.279 --> 00:04:34.319if you want to think about itin those terms, maybe even four right5700:04:34.319 --> 00:04:40.920there in one day being slaughtered.So Uh, you know, it's it's5800:04:41.000 --> 00:04:46.680led us all to to really thinkabout how can we help our counselors who5900:04:46.759 --> 00:04:50.079are facing this, because it isso heavy and it is, I think,6000:04:50.199 --> 00:04:58.279very easy to become very discouraged anddepressed by Um, by that influx6100:04:58.360 --> 00:05:06.000which is just huge. So Um, we were thinking about what can we6200:05:06.120 --> 00:05:13.240say, well, how can weencourage our counselors to stay in the battle6300:05:14.120 --> 00:05:19.079and not be destroyed by the weightof this battle? And one of the6400:05:19.279 --> 00:05:24.879things we have said many, manytimes, and I think just preface,6500:05:25.680 --> 00:05:30.000is this is not our battle.This battle belongs to the Lord. This6600:05:30.120 --> 00:05:32.839is we're called to be there.There's no doubt we're called to be there.6700:05:32.920 --> 00:05:35.639We feel very convicted of that,or we wouldn't have been there all6800:05:35.680 --> 00:05:43.959these years. But ultimately it's it'snot us that brings the results. Yeah,6900:05:43.959 --> 00:05:47.439we're called to be faithful, we'recalled to show up and proclaim God's7000:05:47.439 --> 00:05:50.439word, and God is the onethat does the work. And that doesn't7100:05:50.439 --> 00:05:54.319make it any less heavy for us. There's kind of this balance that we7200:05:54.360 --> 00:05:57.839need to strike, and I've beentalking about this recently just with our staff7300:05:57.879 --> 00:06:02.639here and also just even in myown heart. Um, there's this balance7400:06:02.680 --> 00:06:09.000we've got to strike with understanding thereality ninety babies are dying, but then7500:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.920we can't let our minds dwell onthat. And this is this is a7600:06:13.000 --> 00:06:16.800key right here, guys, andthe key Um, it comes out of7700:06:17.560 --> 00:06:25.000Paul, his letter to the Philippians, and Paul specifically says Philippians four,7800:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.720eight through nine and I believe Paul. You even think about the brother Paul,7900:06:30.000 --> 00:06:32.519Think about the Apostle Paul, Paul. This guy dealt with a lot8000:06:32.560 --> 00:06:38.120of stuff. You talk about heaviness. Not only did he have situations where8100:06:38.120 --> 00:06:40.800he was shipwrecked and he was beaten, he was beaten by the Romans,8200:06:40.800 --> 00:06:44.879he was rejected by the Jews Um, he also had brothers in the Lord8300:06:44.920 --> 00:06:46.439that rejected him, that turned theirback on him. He had to deal8400:06:46.439 --> 00:06:50.279with the pressure of the churches turningaway from the truth that he had taught8500:06:50.319 --> 00:06:54.879them, turning into, you know, back into Judaism and other kind of8600:06:54.920 --> 00:06:59.040heresies and things. And he hadhe had a weight about him, right,8700:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.519and he had to deal with likethe reality of these things. And8800:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.000just like us, we have todeal with the reality babies are dying.8900:07:03.639 --> 00:07:10.560But I believe Paul trained his mindto not dwell on the things that are9000:07:10.600 --> 00:07:13.399bad, the bad things that arehappening. We have to be very intentional9100:07:13.399 --> 00:07:17.040about this. The news media knowsthat the human propensity is to gravitate towards9200:07:17.040 --> 00:07:20.519the bad. Like we like todwell on the bad, and so that's9300:07:20.519 --> 00:07:26.480why you always see bad news rightthat's compelling to get sort of an hour9400:07:26.560 --> 00:07:30.600in the monkey so that there's more, more bad news, I call it9500:07:30.639 --> 00:07:35.040the bad news, and they makemoney off of that human propensity to grasp9600:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.680those things that are bad. Dwellon the things that are bad. Um,9700:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.920I know one thing. This isjust an example, but and sending9800:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.319out emails. You know in thepast you used to do some email marketing9900:07:46.360 --> 00:07:50.040and stuff. If you have anegative subject line, people are far more10000:07:50.079 --> 00:07:54.199likely to open it than if youhave a positive subject line. It's just10100:07:54.480 --> 00:07:58.240a reality. It's human nature.Yeah, but we have to train our10200:07:58.279 --> 00:08:01.720minds to think on the things thatare good. And so Paul says in10300:08:01.759 --> 00:08:05.319Philippians four versus eight through nine.He says, finally, brothers and sisters,10400:08:05.800 --> 00:08:09.920whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is10500:08:09.959 --> 00:08:15.319pure, whatever is lovely, whateveris admirable, admirable, if there's anything10600:08:15.560 --> 00:08:20.439excellent or praiseworthy worthy, think aboutsuch things. One version says, think10700:08:20.639 --> 00:08:26.839on these things. If there's anythingpraiseworthy, there's anything, just think on10800:08:26.959 --> 00:08:30.839these things. So what I wantto encourage you before we get into kind10900:08:30.839 --> 00:08:33.639of the meat of this podcast episode, you guys who are out there and11000:08:33.679 --> 00:08:35.519there's a heaviness out there, whetherthere's an influx of people coming in for11100:08:35.559 --> 00:08:39.000abortions or just a fact that you'rethere in front of a place where where11200:08:39.080 --> 00:08:43.440kids are being murdered. We haveto grasp the reality of what's happening and11300:08:43.480 --> 00:08:46.639not lose the gravity, because wetalk about that right. We need to11400:08:46.639 --> 00:08:52.200not lose the gravity that babies aredying, but we cannot meditate and and11500:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.320have our minds dwell on that.We have to dwell on the good things.11600:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.679What's a good thing? Well,if you're out there on the sidewalk,11700:08:58.320 --> 00:09:01.039you're a good that God is doing. God has called you to be11800:09:01.080 --> 00:09:05.519out there. People are there,you have a team with you. Praise11900:09:05.559 --> 00:09:07.559God. Maybe it's only you andanother person. Think on the fact that12000:09:07.600 --> 00:09:11.919God took someone who was dead intheir trespasses and sins, saved them,12100:09:13.240 --> 00:09:16.879put his word in them and hisHoly Spirit in them and placed them at12200:09:16.879 --> 00:09:20.360a place of death. You're there. That's praiseworthy. Think about that.12300:09:20.440 --> 00:09:24.360Think about God working through you andhow he's using you. If you've seen12400:09:24.399 --> 00:09:28.240babies saved, think about the babiesthat have been saved instead of just dwelling12500:09:28.279 --> 00:09:31.799on the ones who are dying.Think about that, which is Praiseworthy,12600:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.080and praise God for his work.Salvations, people that are coming to the12700:09:35.080 --> 00:09:39.639Lord. Think about that, thebody of Christ being united and mobilized,12800:09:39.720 --> 00:09:43.120churches that are in your city whoare doing nothing about abortion now are doing12900:09:43.159 --> 00:09:48.279something about it. Think on thethings. Train your mind, bring your13000:09:48.320 --> 00:09:52.120mind in subjection, take every thoughtcaptive to the obedience of Christ. Bring13100:09:52.120 --> 00:09:56.840your mind and subjection to those thingswhich are praiseworthy and think on those things,13200:09:56.919 --> 00:10:01.799not losing the gravity of what's goingon. That's my encouragement and I13300:10:01.840 --> 00:10:03.759agree totally with all of that.And it is there. There will be13400:10:03.799 --> 00:10:07.559that tension. I just had acounselor say to me, I think it13500:10:07.639 --> 00:10:13.600was yesterday, I don't want tolose them, the grief, because my13600:10:13.679 --> 00:10:18.440heart will become hard and we don'twant to be hard hearted. It's our13700:10:18.480 --> 00:10:22.039soft hearts that allow us, Ithink too, to be there for those13800:10:22.120 --> 00:10:26.559MOMS. So, but you definitelydon't want to lose the grief and again,13900:10:26.600 --> 00:10:31.279the gravity of what's happening. Butif you dwell on the grief and14000:10:31.320 --> 00:10:35.039the gravity, Um, yeah,if you if you lose it, your14100:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.440heart could be callous and can behardened, but if you dwell on it14200:10:37.720 --> 00:10:43.279you'll start to become bitter and disillusioned. Right, exactly. So, as14300:10:43.320 --> 00:10:48.000I was thinking about this, uh, the story in the Bible that came14400:10:48.039 --> 00:10:50.679to mind is one of my favoritebooks in the Bible, the story of14500:10:50.759 --> 00:10:56.879Jeremiah, the weeping profit, andthere is a very well, there's a14600:10:56.919 --> 00:11:03.320few encouraging passages in Jeremiah, butone of the most odd encouragements has to14700:11:03.360 --> 00:11:09.519do with a field in a warzone. And so in Jeremiah, just14800:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.600to kind of recap Jeremiah, hishis story really is very tragic. He's14900:11:13.639 --> 00:11:16.600he's called to this ministry as ayouth and he says, but I'm just15000:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.519a youth. I mean, hetries kind of to like argue God,15100:11:20.600 --> 00:11:26.399how can I speak? I'm justa youth and Um, and that's where15200:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.159that passage comes from. And Jeremiah, one five that we use on the15300:11:28.200 --> 00:11:31.559sidewalk a lot. Before I formedyou, I knew you and before you15400:11:31.559 --> 00:11:33.960were born, I set you apartas a prophet to the nation's right.15500:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.240Yeah, yeah, and I'm gladyou brought that up because that's that's so15600:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.320critical. Well, Jeremiah was calledfor this God already knew, just as15700:11:41.360 --> 00:11:45.080he already knew all of us thatare on the sidewalk. We're going to15800:11:45.120 --> 00:11:48.559be on the sidewalk ID already knewthat. We have been called, called15900:11:48.559 --> 00:11:52.519to that work. and Um soJeremiah is already kind of a reluctant prophet16000:11:52.960 --> 00:11:58.559and then he's told what is goingto have to be his life being a16100:11:58.559 --> 00:12:01.759prophet for God in this man astreet at that particular time and place.16200:12:01.919 --> 00:12:07.159He was told he would never marry, he could not attend the normal social16300:12:07.240 --> 00:12:13.879customs like Um and celebrations like weddingsor funerals. He was told he never16400:12:13.919 --> 00:12:20.759have children. Um So he hada very isolated, lonely life. And16500:12:20.799 --> 00:12:26.679on top of it, his messageis to be to a very wicked,16600:12:26.759 --> 00:12:33.559disobedient people who have strayed so farfrom God, to tell them your wickedness,16700:12:33.879 --> 00:12:35.960now is the time of judgment andyou're going to be led away to16800:12:37.080 --> 00:12:43.080captivity. The battylonians are going totake over and you all need to basically16900:12:43.480 --> 00:12:48.960repent and turn back to God.And he he preaches for forty years with17000:12:48.000 --> 00:12:54.720no results. With no results.Can you imagine that? No visible fruit17100:12:54.840 --> 00:13:03.480forty years. Um. So,basically looking at it from, you know,17200:13:03.559 --> 00:13:07.639a human perspective. He was atotal failure right. He there was17300:13:07.799 --> 00:13:13.879just zero it. It seemed asthough every effort was wasted on on on17400:13:13.960 --> 00:13:20.519his part. But in this story, Um, where it talks about the17500:13:20.559 --> 00:13:24.600field, he's preaching to these people, the Babylonians, I think the childeans.17600:13:24.639 --> 00:13:26.559I'm a little bit fuzzy on likeall the people that are a part17700:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.799of the Babylonians and who took over. Maybe maybe, if I say something17800:13:30.840 --> 00:13:35.960wrong, do correct me. ButUm, the Chaldeans have already taken over17900:13:35.039 --> 00:13:41.000a good portion of the land,including a portion that is the middle of18000:13:41.000 --> 00:13:45.919the war zone, a field,and that field is owned by Jeremiah's uncle18100:13:46.679 --> 00:13:52.440and in the middle of Jeremiah.Let's see the the verse is I think18200:13:52.480 --> 00:13:56.440it's chapter thirty two. Yeah,Chapter Thirty two, Jeremiah, and it's18300:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.759the whole chapter and it talks abouthow, Um, the uncle basically wants18400:14:01.759 --> 00:14:05.840to get rid of this field becausethe field is worthless. You know,18500:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.840it's in the middle of a battlezone that I don't know if the uncle18600:14:09.919 --> 00:14:13.440believed Jeremiah that hey, we're goingto be going into exile and that field18700:14:13.480 --> 00:14:16.240is going to be worthless, notonly as worthless said as it is now,18800:14:16.279 --> 00:14:18.279but it's going to be worthless.For how long were they in Babylonian18900:14:18.320 --> 00:14:24.039Captivity? Eighty years, something likehis, his lifetime. He was never19000:14:24.039 --> 00:14:26.519going to be able to, youknow, to to do anything with this19100:14:26.559 --> 00:14:31.600field. So the cousin, Jeremiah'scousin comes and says, Hey, buy19200:14:31.600 --> 00:14:35.720this field, pay, pay goodmoney and buy this field. And Jeremiah,19300:14:35.840 --> 00:14:43.600Here's God's Um word voice telling himby the field. He wants him19400:14:43.600 --> 00:14:48.320to buy the field. and UmJeremiah knows the field is worthless. He19500:14:48.360 --> 00:14:52.720knows God's prophecy because he's been proclaimingit now for, you know, decades.19600:14:52.279 --> 00:14:56.399And he knows he's spending money fora field that will never be redeemed.19700:14:56.879 --> 00:15:00.840But he does it because God toldhim to do it. So he19800:15:00.960 --> 00:15:07.759was obedient. He buys the fieldand then God talks about how that field19900:15:07.960 --> 00:15:13.279one day will be redeemed, theit will be prosperous, the people will20000:15:13.399 --> 00:15:18.919return. There's that beautiful poign inverse where God says they will be my20100:15:18.159 --> 00:15:24.320people and I will be their God, and so there will be repentance and20200:15:24.399 --> 00:15:31.960there will be returned to the landand the field. He specifically says fields20300:15:31.960 --> 00:15:37.080will be bought in this land,of which you say it is a desolation20400:15:37.559 --> 00:15:41.799without manner. Beast men will buyfields for money, sign and seal deeds,20500:15:41.879 --> 00:15:48.600calling witnesses and Um, for Iwill restore their fortunes, declares the20600:15:48.639 --> 00:15:54.759Lord. That's how that chapter ends. So he ends with this vision for20700:15:54.879 --> 00:16:00.879Jeremiah, saying it's okay, thisreally what that field is is a symbol20800:16:02.159 --> 00:16:06.440of yes, there is desolation rightnow. Yes, you don't see the20900:16:06.440 --> 00:16:11.360fulfillment of my promises, but trustme, the promises will be fulfilled and21000:16:11.399 --> 00:16:18.799that field will be of great value. So as I'm as I'm thinking of21100:16:18.840 --> 00:16:23.600that story and feeling so sorry forJeremiah, but thinking what a privilege that21200:16:23.679 --> 00:16:27.039God did reveal what was going tohappen. And, by the way,21300:16:27.240 --> 00:16:33.360Jeremiah never did see that day.He never did get in human life.21400:16:34.200 --> 00:16:38.440In his life he never saw thefield redeemed, he never saw the return21500:16:38.519 --> 00:16:42.879from captivity Um, he never sawhis people repent and turn back to God.21600:16:44.759 --> 00:16:48.080But he kept preaching faithfully anyway.And I was thinking in so many21700:16:48.120 --> 00:16:53.480ways I could see this as ananalogy of what we face as sideball counselors.21800:16:55.240 --> 00:17:03.399Our field sometimes looks desolate, ourefforts sometimes seem absolutely feudal. Ninety21900:17:03.559 --> 00:17:08.039babies were killed Tuesday. There wasone baby saved that we and we knew22000:17:08.079 --> 00:17:12.680that it was a confirmed save.That's the only one we knew about.22100:17:12.880 --> 00:17:18.119So that to me, is lookingat it, that desolate field, knowing22200:17:18.240 --> 00:17:21.680God doesn't want those babies to die. Why? Why? God? Why22300:17:21.759 --> 00:17:26.960are all these babies dying now?And yet are our folks are standing there22400:17:26.960 --> 00:17:33.279in obedience to God's call, knowinghis promises, knowing his attributes, knowing22500:17:33.319 --> 00:17:37.720God is good, knowing he promisesthat all things will work together for the22600:17:37.759 --> 00:17:41.519good of those who call, wholove the Lord, who have been called22700:17:41.519 --> 00:17:49.079according to his purpose. And wemay not see that field of abortion redeemed22800:17:49.599 --> 00:17:55.599in in our lifetime, we maynot see it until Jesus comes again,22900:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.000but we do have God's promises thatin the end all will be made right23000:18:00.759 --> 00:18:06.960and we are standing there for apurpose and we're standing there from a place23100:18:06.960 --> 00:18:11.519of victory, because Jesus has alreadysecured the victory. Yeah, yeah,23200:18:11.759 --> 00:18:15.000a man. Yeah, I don'tI don't know if I shared this with23300:18:15.039 --> 00:18:18.519you and maybe I've shared it onthe previous episode of the podcast, but23400:18:18.559 --> 00:18:22.559I shared with our staff a coupleof weeks ago just the devotional before we23500:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.920did our staff meeting, and thetitle of my devotional was life sucks.23600:18:26.200 --> 00:18:32.960Sometimes life sucks, but we win. And the premise is that there's difficulties,23700:18:33.000 --> 00:18:34.880there's things Jesus said. In thisworld you will have tribulation, you23800:18:34.880 --> 00:18:38.559know, because we're in a fallenworld. There are falling people. We23900:18:38.640 --> 00:18:44.640are falling people in perfect in manyways, many aspects, and uh so,24000:18:44.759 --> 00:18:48.359issues are gonna come, we're gonnaface issues, we're gonna see things24100:18:48.400 --> 00:18:52.400like ninety babies dying. We're gonnafeel the pressure and the weight and the24200:18:52.559 --> 00:18:56.279grief from things like that. Butat the end of the day, Jesus24300:18:56.359 --> 00:19:03.319Christ has defeated the worst enemy ofall death and if we're in him,24400:19:03.480 --> 00:19:06.480we win. As a matter offact, the passage that I went to24500:19:07.359 --> 00:19:10.680was in acts chapter two, wherePeter Again, this is a guy who24600:19:10.720 --> 00:19:14.160rejected Jesus when he said, whenall else reject you, I won't reject24700:19:14.200 --> 00:19:18.000you, but he did anyway outrightdenied, even cursed when he denied even24800:19:18.000 --> 00:19:23.200knowing Jesus three times. So thisis a loser like he he was a24900:19:23.200 --> 00:19:30.079loser, rejected Jesus and all that. And yet in Jesus resurrection, Jesus25000:19:30.119 --> 00:19:33.880Calls Him To be a leader rightultimately fills him with his Holy Spirit.25100:19:33.880 --> 00:19:37.720In Acts Chapter two, when thespirits poured out and this man who was25200:19:37.759 --> 00:19:44.079a loser before became a bold proclaimerof the Gospel, even so bold.25300:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.480Then, in front of a crowdof three thousand people in the day of25400:19:45.480 --> 00:19:49.279Pentecost, he pens the crucifixion ofJesus on them. He says this Jesus,25500:19:49.279 --> 00:19:52.599that you guys crucified, pointing thefinger at them. So he was25600:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.960so bold. He's going to preachto this crowd of three thousand people who25700:19:56.000 --> 00:19:59.880some were probably angry and somewhere wonderingwhat's going on in this day of Pentecost.25800:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.119But then in that in that past, I believe it's in verse twenty25900:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.480four, he talks about Jesus,he talks about the resurrection, she said,26000:20:06.519 --> 00:20:10.440whom God raised from the dead Um. And then he says this.26100:20:10.519 --> 00:20:15.799He says because it was impossible thathe could be held by death. Peter26200:20:17.000 --> 00:20:21.119was confident. Peter was a boldman who previously had been a loser.26300:20:21.200 --> 00:20:23.359Now he's a winner. It's kindof Cheesy, but we win. We're26400:20:23.359 --> 00:20:26.960in Christ, and Peter knew thatbecause he knew he was in the one26500:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.880who had defeated death. And hesays that it was not possible that he26600:20:29.920 --> 00:20:32.880could be held by it, thathe could be held by death. And26700:20:32.920 --> 00:20:36.359so what Peter is saying, thisis what we need to understand. It26800:20:36.480 --> 00:20:40.440wasn't that it was improbable, thatit probably wouldn't happen, very unlikely to26900:20:40.480 --> 00:20:44.759happen, but Peter's basically saying itdidn't even enter into the equation, didn't27000:20:44.799 --> 00:20:49.119even compute, wasn't even worth considerationthat Jesus could be held by death.27100:20:49.880 --> 00:20:55.759It's not even it's not possible.It's impossible that Jesus could be held by27200:20:55.799 --> 00:21:00.279death because he is the Lord overeverything, he is the victor over free27300:21:00.359 --> 00:21:04.680enemy and those are in him.It's impossible that we can be held by27400:21:04.960 --> 00:21:08.400death. And so we win,no matter what's happening around us, and27500:21:08.400 --> 00:21:12.079we're grieved by those babies that aredying, for sure, but if we're27600:21:12.079 --> 00:21:15.160in Christ, we win. Allwe have to be to have victory.27700:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.480We've said it time and again.We just have to obey, just just27800:21:19.559 --> 00:21:23.480be obedient, trust in Jesus,show up on the sidewalk because he's called27900:21:23.519 --> 00:21:26.880you to. And Jeremiah. Jeremiahthat he was a failure in the eyes28000:21:26.920 --> 00:21:32.440of the world, was a victorin the eyes of God because he obeyed28100:21:32.480 --> 00:21:36.640what God told him to do.Yeah, so, analyzing and looking at28200:21:36.680 --> 00:21:42.240what Jeremiah did and just this simplelittle story in with the field, we28300:21:42.279 --> 00:21:48.440came up with some kind of keyprinciple, principles that I think will help28400:21:48.519 --> 00:21:53.119all of us to obey faithfully,to follow God faithfully in the midst of28500:21:53.119 --> 00:21:59.799such great discouragement, such such difficulttimes. And the first one is my28600:21:59.799 --> 00:22:07.279favorite. He was obedient in thedifficult things. It is so easy to28700:22:07.359 --> 00:22:11.960be obedient when God is answering everyprayer the way you want it answer,28800:22:11.759 --> 00:22:17.799when things are cushy, comfortable andhappy and going the way you hope that28900:22:17.920 --> 00:22:23.400life will go. It is awhole lot harder to obey God when you29000:22:23.480 --> 00:22:30.240see no end and the situation isvery difficult. And why I love that29100:22:30.359 --> 00:22:33.640is, first of all, it'strue. It has been so true in29200:22:33.680 --> 00:22:38.079my life that, Um, youknow, it's scripture, but it also29300:22:38.279 --> 00:22:44.640it rings true in my life andmy experience, but it is also the29400:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.799very thing that allows ninety women tocome and aboard their child. Most of29500:22:49.799 --> 00:22:53.160those women would claim to have faith. We know that because we've been there29600:22:53.160 --> 00:22:56.279a long time. We've talked toa lot of women out there. We're29700:22:56.279 --> 00:23:00.839in the Bible belt, and yettheir faith is not sustaining them to be29800:23:00.920 --> 00:23:06.359obedient to God's clear command that shallnot murder in whatever difficulties they face.29900:23:07.440 --> 00:23:11.720So to me this is one ofthe most key points for us. Obedience.30000:23:11.880 --> 00:23:18.720No matter what, no matter whatyou're facing, you still obey God30100:23:18.759 --> 00:23:26.319through those hard times. Yeah,and God honors that. Yes, yeah,30200:23:23.279 --> 00:23:32.319yeah, yeah, so, Um. The second thing that I love30300:23:32.359 --> 00:23:38.440about Jeremiah and breaks my heart forhim, is that he had to live30400:23:38.599 --> 00:23:44.680what looks like an unbearable life,not only in his obedience to the calling,30500:23:45.160 --> 00:23:51.079which was so lacking in fruit fromwhat he could tell, but the30600:23:51.200 --> 00:23:55.440things that God required of him.Like I, we don't know why.30700:23:55.920 --> 00:24:00.000I don't know why, Um,but they were very hard things. I30800:24:00.039 --> 00:24:04.119have read some commentaries. For example, why was he not allowed to marry?30900:24:04.319 --> 00:24:07.839Well, God knew that for thenext eighty years life was going to31000:24:07.920 --> 00:24:15.640be pretty unbearable under the Babylonians andUm and that, uh, you know,31100:24:15.720 --> 00:24:21.160he'd be bearing children to a populationthat was doing all kinds of unspeakable31200:24:21.200 --> 00:24:26.240evil. God knew that and maybein a sense he was sparing Jeremiah from31300:24:26.279 --> 00:24:32.960the pain of watching his wife andchildren, his family, be Um raised31400:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.519formed in that kind of an environment. That's one of the commentaries I've read.31500:24:37.559 --> 00:24:41.720Yeah, well, if you thinkabout it and just dig a little31600:24:41.799 --> 00:24:48.599deeper with Jeremiah, he did sufferrejection and we've said oftentimes the ministry on31700:24:48.640 --> 00:24:52.480the sidewalk is the Ministry of rejection, and so it's tough and so we31800:24:52.519 --> 00:24:56.960identify with that for sure. Sohe suffered rejection and false accusation and he31900:24:57.000 --> 00:25:00.880had to do some hard stuff,confront the lead and things like that,32000:25:00.960 --> 00:25:04.519which are which are hard things todo. But he also had the glory32100:25:04.599 --> 00:25:10.960of fellowshipping with God. I meanthis guy seemed to have some kind of32200:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.960direct communication. I don't know therewas a voice from heaven or something Um,32300:25:17.000 --> 00:25:21.680but this guy had direct communion withGod and that's really an important point32400:25:21.720 --> 00:25:23.799here. I don't know if youhave it listed in this list of things32500:25:23.920 --> 00:25:30.480key principles to endure faithfully, butcommunion with God is key. Um,32600:25:30.599 --> 00:25:33.880well, you have that. That'sthe third point. He knew God,32700:25:33.200 --> 00:25:37.759right, this man knew the Lord. He had an intimate relationship with the32800:25:37.799 --> 00:25:44.240Lord, and that, guys,will sustain you when nothing else will.32900:25:44.319 --> 00:25:47.359That's why we say, and Iwant to put this warning out there because33000:25:47.400 --> 00:25:51.559I know, especially you guys thatare new to sidewalk ministry, the temptation33100:25:51.799 --> 00:25:55.559is to let the ministry on thesidewalk replace your relationship with the Lord.33200:25:55.599 --> 00:25:59.559And so instead of seeking him inprayer and being in the word for that33300:25:59.640 --> 00:26:02.960day that you volunteer or for yourwhatever, maybe you volunteer a couple of33400:26:03.039 --> 00:26:07.480days or you serve in the leadershipcapacity, and so you let your service33500:26:07.519 --> 00:26:11.160to the Lord Replace Your intimacy withthe Lord, and that is a trap.33600:26:11.519 --> 00:26:15.759Do not fall into that trap.You need intimacy with the Lord.33700:26:15.799 --> 00:26:19.240You need one on one time withJesus in his word and in prayer and33800:26:19.279 --> 00:26:23.759in worship. That time on thesidewalk is different. That's time where you're33900:26:23.759 --> 00:26:27.880serving him. That's time that youserve him out of the overflow of what34000:26:27.920 --> 00:26:32.960you got while you were in hispresence alone. Right, you get filled34100:26:33.440 --> 00:26:37.160to overflowing and the overflow is whathappens in public when you go out to34200:26:37.240 --> 00:26:41.640the sidewalk. So don't fall intothe trap of replacing intimacy with God with34300:26:41.759 --> 00:26:49.039ministry, and I don't think weeasily develop the depth of intimacy God in34400:26:49.079 --> 00:26:53.119a place of comfort. And again, I'm speaking from my own experience.34500:26:53.160 --> 00:26:59.359I would say the times when Ihave felt the closest to the Lord is34600:26:59.359 --> 00:27:03.079when I've been in the most painful, impossible situations, breast cancer being one34700:27:03.079 --> 00:27:07.039of those times. Terrified. Iwas terrified, I you know, I34800:27:07.079 --> 00:27:10.119thought I was gonna die. Noone wants to hear those words. The34900:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.759prospect of what I was going toendure was overwhelming, beyond my ability to35000:27:14.799 --> 00:27:22.279bear. And yet God was sopresent in in my life at that time35100:27:22.160 --> 00:27:26.440and I think that that is maybeI'm glad you did mention this and bring35200:27:26.440 --> 00:27:30.000it out, because I don't thinkI brought it out that well in the35300:27:30.160 --> 00:27:33.880in the article that we wrote.But Um uh, that it is in35400:27:34.079 --> 00:27:42.000sometimes when we absolutely um are atthe end of our ability to cope,35500:27:42.039 --> 00:27:52.319to bear in such difficult circumstances,that God is necessary and that we understand35600:27:52.720 --> 00:28:00.400the necessity for God as truly theonly hope. So I think that that35700:28:00.440 --> 00:28:06.000goes right into the third one.Jeremiah knew God. He studied God's word,35800:28:06.039 --> 00:28:08.119he prayed, he listened to God'svoice, and we need to do35900:28:08.160 --> 00:28:12.279the to do the same. Yeah, yeah, and next you have here36000:28:12.279 --> 00:28:17.440in number four. Here he didn'ttry to make God who he wanted God36100:28:17.480 --> 00:28:21.319to be. He understood who Godwas, and that's we don't bring God36200:28:21.359 --> 00:28:26.160down to kind of match our expectations. God is God and our service to36300:28:26.240 --> 00:28:30.400him is because he's Lord, nothis service to us because, you know,36400:28:30.000 --> 00:28:34.039we're cute and we're special or whatever. He let God be who God36500:28:34.160 --> 00:28:37.720was in his heart, in hismind, and that's why he was able36600:28:37.759 --> 00:28:41.559to be an obedience and there's asense in which if you're going to be36700:28:41.599 --> 00:28:45.039an effective believer, you're gonna beconsistent, you're gonna be faithful, you've36800:28:45.079 --> 00:28:48.559got to fear the Lord, andthat's what Jeremiah did. He feared God.36900:28:48.599 --> 00:28:52.559It wasn't wasn't that he was afraidof God. He was intimate with37000:28:52.599 --> 00:28:55.480the Lord, but he had areverence and a fear for God and who37100:28:55.519 --> 00:29:00.279God is and knowing the true attributesof God. Not what he wanted God's37200:29:00.440 --> 00:29:07.119attributes to be in those struggles.The next one. You've said a lot37300:29:07.440 --> 00:29:14.160to our sidebag counselors, and Ithink it's again a key point, that37400:29:14.160 --> 00:29:19.119that it's our obedience, that we'reresponsible for our faithfulness, doing what God37500:29:19.160 --> 00:29:22.319has called us to do, butwe're not called for the results. That37600:29:22.519 --> 00:29:26.759that's that's God's, God's job,not ours. The burden is his.37700:29:26.960 --> 00:29:30.960I heard someone else say recently it'sGod's burden to bear. It might have37800:29:30.960 --> 00:29:36.640been you, Daniel. It's God'sburden to bear, not ours, um37900:29:36.680 --> 00:29:41.720which leads to the final point,uh, that when we have that perspective,38000:29:42.200 --> 00:29:47.119when we recognize it's all God,we're just there in obedience and we're38100:29:47.160 --> 00:29:51.400doing our part, but everything elseis up to God, well then of38200:29:51.440 --> 00:29:56.000course all the glory also goes tohim, not to us. So that38300:29:56.079 --> 00:29:59.039allows a team to be able togo home at the end of the day38400:29:59.079 --> 00:30:02.720when their shift is over, whetherthere are still babies in there being slaughtered38500:30:02.839 --> 00:30:06.359or not. You know, you'vebeen out there. We had someone collapsed38600:30:06.400 --> 00:30:11.200from heat exhaustion recently and we're learninglet God be God, let God be.38700:30:11.480 --> 00:30:17.759He is in control. You doyour part and then rest assured that.38800:30:17.960 --> 00:30:22.079Um, that is all he's askingof us. Man. Well,38900:30:22.079 --> 00:30:26.480guys, we hope that this podcastepisode was a blessing to you and encouragement39000:30:26.519 --> 00:30:30.200to you and, uh, wealways encourage you guys to reach out to39100:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.960us. If there's any way thatwe can speak into the situations that you39200:30:33.960 --> 00:30:36.200guys are facing, we'd love tobe able to do that. You can39300:30:36.240 --> 00:30:38.319reach me, Daniel at Love LifeDot Org. You can reach her,39400:30:38.440 --> 00:30:42.200Vicky at Love Life Dot Org.Also, we'll mention we're doing a monthly39500:30:42.240 --> 00:30:45.279what we're calling a Q and e. rather than a q and a.39600:30:45.400 --> 00:30:49.319it's questions and encouragement side of whatquestions and encouragement meeting. We do it39700:30:49.400 --> 00:30:56.319the first Saturday of every month,five PM eastern time, and that actually39800:30:56.279 --> 00:31:00.960an invite to that goes out toeveryone who's been through all three of our39900:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.559training modules. We have three trainingmodules, Sidewalk One oh one through one40000:31:03.559 --> 00:31:08.000oh three, and so if you'rein a love life city and you've completed40100:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.160all those, you should have gottenan invite to that. If not,40200:31:11.759 --> 00:31:14.599we'd like for you to complete allof those modules, even if you're not40300:31:14.640 --> 00:31:17.079in a love life city. Ifyour church is a house of refuge,40400:31:17.160 --> 00:31:19.480Church love life. You can completethose modules and be a part of that40500:31:19.680 --> 00:31:22.880meeting. It's just a meeting wherewe, Vicky and I, meet with40600:31:22.920 --> 00:31:29.839everyone who's doing sidewalks and encourage youguys and, uh, answer any questions40700:31:29.880 --> 00:31:33.440that you have as best we can. Talk about the stuff together, encourage40800:31:33.440 --> 00:31:36.240each other and not just us encouragingyou, but you guys encouraging us,40900:31:36.319 --> 00:31:41.160encouraging other folks who doing sidewalk ministryin cities across the nation under love life.41000:31:41.519 --> 00:31:44.119And so I just wanna, Um, just make you guys aware of41100:31:44.160 --> 00:31:45.400that and if you need more informationabout that, you can reach out to41200:31:45.400 --> 00:31:48.000me, reach out to your citydirector if you're in a love life city.41300:31:48.480 --> 00:31:51.559If not, again you can reachout to me. But Um,41400:31:51.640 --> 00:31:56.200yeah, we appreciate you guys listeningand until next time, God bless you.41500:32:00.000 --> 00:32:08.759Give me out live for love,give me our life for gratitude.41600:32:12.799 --> 00:32:21.640I know it will cost me mylife. Nothing's too precious. Since I41700:32:22.079 --> 00:32:30.400met you, M M