God is Still Good Even in Tragic Situations (Part 2)

WEBVTT100:00:00.600 --> 00:00:06.440I Am Yours, I am yours, I am yours and me, Lord,200:00:06.960 --> 00:00:10.750I am your. Welcome to theGospel Center pro life podcast. We're300:00:10.750 --> 00:00:14.230going to take right up where weleft off on part one of the episode400:00:14.230 --> 00:00:16.789about the goodness of God. Thiswill be part two. We think it500:00:16.829 --> 00:00:20.870will be a blessing you as well, so stay tuned. Me, Lord,600:00:23.739 --> 00:00:34.460I felt show pass touchs your home. Use Me, Lord. So700:00:35.619 --> 00:00:39.409another one is maphibush chef. Yeah, that's how he's try and say that800:00:39.570 --> 00:00:43.570ten times. That's that's a toughname. Mephibish chef. So he was900:00:43.649 --> 00:00:49.049the son of Jonathan, grandson ofKings Saul, and he had a life1000:00:49.210 --> 00:00:53.640that from the beginning was almost completelyfilled with danger, trauma and suffering.1100:00:53.719 --> 00:00:58.200Yeah, he was only five yearsold, I think, when Saul was1200:00:58.280 --> 00:01:03.359killed. So his grandfather is killed. Yeah, and and it's father and1300:01:03.719 --> 00:01:06.829his son's all were killed the sameand his father and the nurse. Then,1400:01:06.870 --> 00:01:11.750as David's army is coming in,the nurse, math phibish chef's nurse1500:01:11.950 --> 00:01:17.109fears for her life and Mathhibishchef's lifebecause she doesn't know David's hard and I1600:01:17.189 --> 00:01:19.340think she thinks David's going to comeget revenge on the House of Saul.1700:01:19.379 --> 00:01:23.780Yeah, which would be natural thatyou would think that. So she flees1800:01:25.500 --> 00:01:30.659with little little maphibus chef in ourarms, drops him and cripples him.1900:01:30.739 --> 00:01:34.409Yeah, at age five and he'scrippled for the rest of his life.2000:01:34.409 --> 00:01:38.090He cannot walk. So well,I'm not sure if you can't walk or2100:01:38.250 --> 00:01:42.370what the good seems like that.Yeah, actually, I'm just in my2200:01:42.530 --> 00:01:45.769time with the Lord in the mornings. I've been reading through Samuel, first2300:01:45.769 --> 00:01:49.439and second Samuel and read this story. I've read it before, but just2400:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.439kind of read it a fresh andseems. Yeah, he's crippled, he2500:01:53.560 --> 00:02:00.000can't walk. He I don't knowwhat the mechanisms for people who were handicapped2600:02:00.000 --> 00:02:01.310in that way were. Yeah,what did they do back then? Have2700:02:01.430 --> 00:02:05.829wheelchairs that they don't think it.Not only is he dropped and crippled,2800:02:05.950 --> 00:02:09.990but you know, he's lost hisfather, he's lost his grandfather and he's2900:02:10.030 --> 00:02:14.789lost his inheritance. Yeah, hewas an inher right. He was.3000:02:15.069 --> 00:02:19.860He was the grandson of the king. He had all this probably wonderful stuff3100:02:19.939 --> 00:02:23.580coming to him and all of asudden he doesn't know, but he thinks3200:02:23.620 --> 00:02:28.659he's lost at all yeah, butthen that's not the end of he suffers.3300:02:28.740 --> 00:02:32.210There's no doubt from an early agehe suffers. Yeah, but at3400:02:32.330 --> 00:02:37.009that's not the end of the storyfor from a fibish no, no,3500:02:37.210 --> 00:02:42.490thankfully for him it's not. Davidultimately at one point says, is there3600:02:42.530 --> 00:02:49.039any descendant of Saul, of Jonathan? I think he says, is there3700:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.960anyone from the House of Saul,descended of Jonathan, that I might bless3800:02:53.080 --> 00:02:57.039for the sake of Jonathan? Yeah, and ultimately finds my fibish if and3900:02:58.319 --> 00:03:00.150one of his right hand man says, Hey, yeah, there's this there's4000:03:00.189 --> 00:03:04.229this kid. I guess at thatpoint he was older. I don't know4100:03:04.310 --> 00:03:07.590how old he wasn't the Bible says, but he brings them into his house4200:03:07.629 --> 00:03:12.150and provides for him and later onthere's there's some more to the story and4300:03:13.500 --> 00:03:17.060we won't get into that. Butultimately it's redemptive right, and I think4400:03:17.099 --> 00:03:21.500it again. It should encourage usthen, in the midst of suffering,4500:03:22.460 --> 00:03:25.539in the midst of things that goon in our lives that I mean really4600:03:25.620 --> 00:03:29.370blows down to things that are doneto us that are not really as a4700:03:29.449 --> 00:03:31.490result of our own sin. Theone decisions. I think we can.4800:03:31.770 --> 00:03:36.930We can understand when things then,when bad things happened to us because we've4900:03:37.009 --> 00:03:40.370sinned or because we made dumb decisions. You know, I think that's easier5000:03:40.409 --> 00:03:45.199to take. We know we broughtit on ourselves. It's when it's unexplained5100:03:45.240 --> 00:03:49.240I think that it is harder.Yeah, absolutely, and that's exactly the5200:03:49.360 --> 00:03:52.120story here. This this man,didn't do anything wrong. This young this5300:03:52.319 --> 00:03:54.360five year old kid, and doanything wrong. Yeah, but there's redemption5400:03:54.439 --> 00:03:59.189in that. Yeah, and Ithink we can say, well, okay,5500:03:59.430 --> 00:04:01.669well, where's my redemption? Thesemoms come into the abortion center.5600:04:01.949 --> 00:04:06.069Okay, well, I've had thisterrible life. Yeah, and now I'm5700:04:06.110 --> 00:04:10.259pregnant. And how in the world, I mean, God allowed that,5800:04:10.460 --> 00:04:13.979he allowed this, he allowed this, and now he's allowed me to get5900:04:14.060 --> 00:04:16.060pregnant. What is going on herewith that? They're only seen to that6000:04:16.259 --> 00:04:20.180moment, yeah, up to thepregnancy, and not seeing beyond what God's6100:04:20.220 --> 00:04:25.089plan is and what he what hehas in store. And and I know6200:04:25.209 --> 00:04:28.930when we're in any terrible situation,it feels like this is where I'll be6300:04:29.050 --> 00:04:30.730the rest of my life, andthat's never the truth. Right. Yeah,6400:04:30.850 --> 00:04:34.250well, I remember now I'm nottrying to at all compare my story6500:04:34.410 --> 00:04:38.129to the story of the young ladyyou shared when we started out. Certainly6600:04:38.170 --> 00:04:43.079what is horrific as that I'm Iwas blessed and thankful that I had parents6700:04:43.120 --> 00:04:47.439who who did the right thing inso many ways. But I remember finding6800:04:47.519 --> 00:04:53.949out when my wife was pregnant.You were in high school, and I6900:04:54.029 --> 00:04:56.509remember one of the first things Idid, and it was in my own7000:04:56.509 --> 00:05:00.829selfishness, but I remember blaming God. Right, I remember saying out loud7100:05:01.269 --> 00:05:04.470God, why did you allow thisto happen? Yeah, and I remember7200:05:04.509 --> 00:05:08.579saying specifically God, you hate me. I know you hate me because you7300:05:08.579 --> 00:05:11.500allow this to happen. Yeah,did he answer? He didn't answer.7400:05:11.540 --> 00:05:17.540He didn't answer directly. But inreflection I'm thinking how selfish I was.7500:05:18.180 --> 00:05:21.290Now again, my scenario was wasa good bit different, but I remember7600:05:21.370 --> 00:05:25.889crying out to God and even blamingGod for that whole situation. But now7700:05:25.930 --> 00:05:29.569I look back and at that timemy life was over. Right, here7800:05:29.610 --> 00:05:31.170I am in high school, gota baby. How in the world is7900:05:31.250 --> 00:05:33.930this going to work out? Right, yeah, my life is over.8000:05:34.009 --> 00:05:38.279Yeah, little did I know thatwas the best thing for me. My8100:05:38.399 --> 00:05:41.120life needed to be over, becausethe life that I was living was was8200:05:41.240 --> 00:05:45.439full of selfishness and sin and theLord's use that, you know, unwanted8300:05:45.480 --> 00:05:49.230pregnancy air quotes. Yeah, toreally turn my life around. Yeah,8400:05:49.269 --> 00:05:53.310we've got a daughter who is ablessing. She's twenty two years old.8500:05:53.389 --> 00:05:58.029She's a blessing to our family.Yeah, me and my wife are married,8600:05:58.470 --> 00:06:00.230eight kids now. So I seethe redemption of God. Yeah,8700:06:01.029 --> 00:06:05.019that situation that I thought was theend of the world actually turned out for8800:06:05.420 --> 00:06:08.899my good. Yeah, I couldn'tsee that the time. Now I'm telling8900:06:08.899 --> 00:06:10.740you, at the time, ifyou would have tried to tell me that9000:06:10.860 --> 00:06:13.579there would be any good that wouldcome out of that, that whole situation,9100:06:13.899 --> 00:06:15.779I'll to called you a liar rightnow. I was doubting the goodness9200:06:15.819 --> 00:06:19.290of God. Yeah, yeah,but but there was light at the end9300:06:19.290 --> 00:06:21.769of that tunnel. Like, yeah, that thing is when you're in the9400:06:21.850 --> 00:06:26.170tunnel, it's pretty dark, it'spretty tough to see. Yeah, yeah,9500:06:26.209 --> 00:06:29.610you know, I think one ofthe things it is helpful and as9600:06:29.689 --> 00:06:33.680we encourage people and we're doing trainings, because we do trainings with sidewall counselors9700:06:34.360 --> 00:06:39.839and really get into some of thehard cases. That's I think that's really9800:06:39.920 --> 00:06:42.519where a lot of the fears liein people like, what do I say9900:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.399if someone says they were raped?What do I say if someone lays out10000:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.149this story like what we laid outin the beginning? How do I answer10100:06:47.230 --> 00:06:51.870this? And one of the encouragementsthat we give is sharing testimonies. Sharing10200:06:51.949 --> 00:06:58.350testimonies is so powerful and there areso many testimonies because God is so good10300:06:58.990 --> 00:07:02.100and has brought redemption in so manysituations. Yea, you'd be hard pressed10400:07:02.139 --> 00:07:06.620to find a situation that's not comparable, a current situation in somebody's life that's10500:07:06.620 --> 00:07:12.220not comparable, comparable to a passsituation that has redemption in it. Exactly.10600:07:12.300 --> 00:07:15.220And you're talking about testimonies of thepeople that we know, and the10700:07:15.300 --> 00:07:20.410Bible, obviously, is also filledwith testimonies of people who who suffered,10800:07:20.490 --> 00:07:27.170struggled and ultimately did see redemption.Yeah, so. So both, I10900:07:27.250 --> 00:07:30.519think, are very, very,very bad, valuable, the biblical stories11000:07:30.560 --> 00:07:33.399and then the the stories of peoplehere and now that that we know,11100:07:33.959 --> 00:07:39.040maybe maybe even ourselves. Yeah,absolutely so. How about the beggar crippled11200:07:39.399 --> 00:07:45.110from birth? Okay, he wasanother one who xthree tells the story of11300:07:45.750 --> 00:07:48.910that man. But so from birthhe's got it even worse than a Phibish11400:07:48.910 --> 00:07:54.550chef. Yeah, Miss Phibis chefat least had five years that he could11500:07:54.629 --> 00:07:59.100walk or crawl or whatever, butthis man in in act three had been11600:07:59.220 --> 00:08:05.100crippled from birth. So his entirelife, from infancy to adulthood. When11700:08:05.139 --> 00:08:11.579we meet him in xthree he's anadult begging outside the temple and he's in11800:08:11.740 --> 00:08:16.649complete dependence on others to care forhis needs. In fact, he had11900:08:16.769 --> 00:08:20.610to be carried each day to wherethey I don't know who carried him,12000:08:20.610 --> 00:08:26.290friends or whatever. Family would carryhim to the gate called beautiful, spot12100:08:26.329 --> 00:08:30.800at the gate called beautiful and theTemple Gate, and his only manner of12200:08:30.920 --> 00:08:33.759taking care of himself was to beg. He would beg for alms and he12300:08:33.840 --> 00:08:39.399did this his entire life. Thatwas his life to be crippled and to12400:08:39.480 --> 00:08:43.590be carried where he could he couldbeg for alms. So, you know,12500:08:43.950 --> 00:08:48.950total dependency on others, no hopefor a normal life at all.12600:08:48.389 --> 00:08:54.029He knows he's got a, youknow, a lifelong crippling condition, and12700:08:54.629 --> 00:08:58.299he couldn't even take care of himself. He couldn't. He had no employment12800:08:58.500 --> 00:09:05.379other than being being a beggar.Yeah, so that's a pretty dismal outlook.12900:09:05.379 --> 00:09:07.620Yeah, absolutely pretty, especially ifyou think about in that day and13000:09:07.659 --> 00:09:13.370age, right, you didn't havesocial ware Welfare Systems. You basically had13100:09:13.570 --> 00:09:16.529to beg for money, you hadto beg for food. If you didn't13200:09:16.529 --> 00:09:20.690have the means to be able towork and you didn't have family that was13300:09:20.730 --> 00:09:24.559going to provide for you, thenyou had to rely on the goodness of13400:09:24.600 --> 00:09:30.279people that were passing by. Yeah, have whatever these social warfare programs welfare13500:09:30.360 --> 00:09:33.480programs are. You didn't have disability. You can draw a disability in those13600:09:33.480 --> 00:09:35.399days and you really beholding to thepeople that were walking by every day.13700:09:35.480 --> 00:09:41.549Yeah, yeah, so, youknow, he has to have wondered about13800:09:41.710 --> 00:09:45.950is. Is God good? He'soutside the temple, so I assume he13900:09:46.269 --> 00:09:50.549at least had some sort of knowledgeof God. And then he sees Peter14000:09:50.029 --> 00:09:54.379and John and are we going there? Did you want to look at look14100:09:54.419 --> 00:09:58.379at that? Just one of youknow, every every Bible study class as14200:09:58.419 --> 00:10:03.379a kid, you probably heard thisstory. But when I don't know that14300:10:03.460 --> 00:10:11.450I ever thought much about what aterribly depressing place he was coming from.14400:10:11.450 --> 00:10:18.330When he sees Peter and John Enteringthe temple and he asked them for charity.14500:10:18.370 --> 00:10:22.159Yeah, he reaches out his handsand ask asking for alms. It's14600:10:22.559 --> 00:10:28.240what he did day by day.And Peter and John Look at him and14700:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.000say, silver and gold, wedon't have. What we do have,14800:10:31.039 --> 00:10:33.919we give to you. Rise upand walk in the name of Jesus of14900:10:33.960 --> 00:10:39.750Nazareth. And this man rises upand walks and ultimately the redemption, of15000:10:39.830 --> 00:10:43.230course, is in the fact thathe is healed. Right, but it15100:10:43.350 --> 00:10:48.669goes beyond that. And here's whereI think again testimonies are so important,15200:10:48.110 --> 00:10:52.779and we're talking to abortion minded womenat the abortion center, sharing testimonies with15300:10:52.899 --> 00:10:56.740them, because this guy ultimately isa sign to the people in the temple15400:10:56.940 --> 00:11:00.059and when everybody looks and they noticedthis man, this is the guy who15500:11:00.139 --> 00:11:03.620was out in front of the gateday by day and he couldn't walk.15600:11:03.980 --> 00:11:07.129Now he's leaping for joy. What'sgoing on here? Right, tension is15700:11:07.169 --> 00:11:09.730drawn to him and ultimately attention isdrawn to James Or, I'm sorry,15800:11:09.769 --> 00:11:13.409to Peter and John, and theypreach the Gospel Right, and this guy's15900:11:13.529 --> 00:11:16.610life and the redemption that comes eventhrough the suffering, and I believe this16000:11:16.690 --> 00:11:20.360guy that point was forty years old. So forty years of not being able16100:11:20.360 --> 00:11:24.879to walk, forty years of really, I'm sure, a lot of rejection,16200:11:26.120 --> 00:11:28.879but most people passing by are probablynot given him alms. He's reaching16300:11:28.919 --> 00:11:33.230out his hand and they're smacking itdown. Yeah, and yet this guy's16400:11:33.389 --> 00:11:35.830life is not just redeemed in thefact that he can walk, but it's16500:11:35.870 --> 00:11:41.549redeemed in the fact that God isusing him as a testimony and people are16600:11:41.549 --> 00:11:45.789going to get saved through this guy'shealing. That's right, Sony in turn16700:11:45.870 --> 00:11:52.980a life to so many people throughthe suffering and then redemption of the man16800:11:52.100 --> 00:11:58.539crippled young birth. So, andthese stories are in the scriptures for that16900:11:58.700 --> 00:12:03.289purpose. Yeah, to show usGod's redeeming power, to show us that17000:12:03.370 --> 00:12:07.529there is no situation that God can'tintervene and that God can't move in.17100:12:07.889 --> 00:12:11.169And again, I know the questionis, well, God didn't intervene at17200:12:11.250 --> 00:12:15.169this point, right? God couldhave? Could have intervened even with mafibish17300:12:15.250 --> 00:12:18.120if right, he's five years old. His cod image of the nurse drives17400:12:18.600 --> 00:12:22.919these care taker. Yeah, couldhave. God could have sent an angel17500:12:24.000 --> 00:12:26.279to steady her. God, there'sall kinds of things that we can think,17600:12:26.320 --> 00:12:30.389well, God could do this andGod could have dod that and God17700:12:30.429 --> 00:12:33.789didn't. So why? And ishe good because he didn't? And again17800:12:33.950 --> 00:12:37.190we're not going to answer that question. We're not going to bring an answer17900:12:37.230 --> 00:12:41.070to the age old question of eviland all of that. But what we18000:12:41.190 --> 00:12:45.460do have to do is look atthe scriptures, look at the testimonies,18100:12:45.500 --> 00:12:48.539look at what God has done andwhat God, I believe, because he18200:12:48.620 --> 00:12:52.980doesn't change, can do in aperson's life. And sharing from that perspective.18300:12:52.539 --> 00:12:56.419Here's what I think of folly forUS sometimes. And so if you18400:12:56.460 --> 00:13:01.370guys don't grab anything else from this, just just remember this little point here.18500:13:01.610 --> 00:13:05.970When someone is sharing with us theirgrief, right, we always want18600:13:07.009 --> 00:13:11.850to try to give an answer,but a lot of times people are not18700:13:11.049 --> 00:13:13.919looking for an answer. And evenwhen they're talking about the goodness of God,18800:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.480as God good because he allowed this, in this what they really want18900:13:18.600 --> 00:13:22.360is for you to identify with theirsuffering. Yeah, to identify with their19000:13:22.399 --> 00:13:26.840pain, to hear them, tohear them, that be a listening ear,19100:13:26.000 --> 00:13:30.149yeah, and to say I'm sorrythat you went through that, like19200:13:30.669 --> 00:13:33.190I've did that, even with someof the pro abortion people out here in19300:13:33.269 --> 00:13:35.470the side of yeah, they I'vehad some of them pour out their story19400:13:35.590 --> 00:13:39.389to me and they're asking me,so, why did your God allow this?19500:13:39.429 --> 00:13:43.139Yeah, and one of my answersis you guys might not appreciate this,19600:13:43.379 --> 00:13:46.700but it was kind of trying toconnect on the level that they can19700:13:46.740 --> 00:13:50.539understand. Is One young man thatwas sharing with me some of the things19800:13:50.580 --> 00:13:54.620that had gone on in his lifeand he asked me why. I said,19900:13:54.779 --> 00:13:58.529you know what, I'm not surewhy, but sometimes life sucks.20000:13:58.570 --> 00:14:01.850Yeah, sometimes life just sucks.Yeah, and there's no explanation for it.20100:14:01.929 --> 00:14:07.210I can't give you some big theologicalexplanation for it, but I think20200:14:07.210 --> 00:14:11.720theologically we can say life sucks sometimes. Yeah, stuff happens. Yeah,20300:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.960and it happens to everybody, someto varying degrees, on different levels.20400:14:18.679 --> 00:14:20.480But when someone's pouring out their heart, when you talking to an abortion minded20500:14:20.519 --> 00:14:24.830Moma and she's laying out this justterrible story of what she's gone through,20600:14:26.750 --> 00:14:30.230really what we need to do isenter into that suffering. Yeah, I've20700:14:30.309 --> 00:14:33.389touched on this before, but theLord really spoke this to me some years20800:14:33.429 --> 00:14:37.710ago, the word compassion. Youknow, the Bible says that that Jesus20900:14:37.789 --> 00:14:43.179looked on the multitudes with compassion.We've got to have compassion on people.21000:14:43.059 --> 00:14:46.700And that word, if you breakit down, the prefix calm is with21100:14:48.659 --> 00:14:52.490and then passion, Calm Passion.What is passion? Passions not just we21200:14:52.730 --> 00:14:56.690think of. Maybe passion is justthis love, this, you know,21300:14:56.289 --> 00:15:00.289heart pounding love. That's not whatthe word actualally means. We think about21400:15:00.289 --> 00:15:03.889passion. You remember the the movieThe Passion of the Christ. The word21500:15:03.929 --> 00:15:09.639actually, at a root, meanssuffering. So we're supposed to suffer with21600:15:09.919 --> 00:15:13.720calm passion when someone is suffering,when someone sharing with you their story of21700:15:13.799 --> 00:15:18.679suffering, we're supposed to suffer withthem. Yeah, we're supposed to grieve21800:15:18.759 --> 00:15:20.870with them. Yeah, and then, of course we can bring Jesus into21900:15:20.909 --> 00:15:26.110that situation, because he has compassionon us, so much so that he22000:15:26.149 --> 00:15:28.870came to this earth, and Ithink sharing the story of Jesus and the22100:15:28.909 --> 00:15:33.710suffering that he went through for oursake is a way to redeem that in22200:15:33.830 --> 00:15:37.980to show that God has entered in. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ22300:15:39.100 --> 00:15:43.059came and suffered. Yeah, thathe was tempted in all things as we22400:15:43.139 --> 00:15:46.820are, yet without sense. Sohe came and entered into humanity suffering and22500:15:46.940 --> 00:15:52.649ultimately dies so that human beings couldcould not experience eternal suffering. Yeah,22600:15:52.690 --> 00:15:56.330separation from God. Yeah, andwhat you were talking about there. With22700:15:58.809 --> 00:16:03.850that, it's so important to sometimesjust enter into the suffering with them.22800:16:03.250 --> 00:16:06.919I think. I think it's thelast example that we were going to talk22900:16:06.919 --> 00:16:12.960about was job. It is soso job. Remember his three friends and23000:16:14.679 --> 00:16:21.590how they did everything wrong right.They did the things that you just identified23100:16:21.629 --> 00:16:29.309as being dangers. Of when someoneis suff frame that they're not necessarily looking23200:16:29.389 --> 00:16:33.539for you to solve it or toto even identify what is causing it.23300:16:33.740 --> 00:16:37.980Be At your sinner whatever. JobJust wanted to vent. He kind of23400:16:38.019 --> 00:16:41.860J he was suffering and he wouldhe see. Basically told them, would23500:16:41.860 --> 00:16:48.250you just be quiet? Would youjust be silent? Yeah, because they23600:16:48.490 --> 00:16:51.649they were true. They first,well, they were wrong. They said23700:16:51.649 --> 00:16:55.809it was a result of his sin, but and and they were just basically23800:16:55.850 --> 00:16:59.529saying, you know, man upand just deal with it and repent and23900:16:59.809 --> 00:17:03.399turn from whatever. And then he'sgot the wonderful wife who who says you24000:17:03.480 --> 00:17:07.720should just curse God and die.Support job is not getting. There's no24100:17:07.839 --> 00:17:12.039one with true compassion. Yeah,who enters into that suffering situation? So,24200:17:12.359 --> 00:17:19.549as our last example of someone whosuffered, job isn't he's a little24300:17:19.549 --> 00:17:25.309bit different from the others in thathe had led the first half of his24400:17:25.430 --> 00:17:32.420life. It sounds like an incredible, just abundant blessing. He had a24500:17:32.500 --> 00:17:34.700wonderful wife, although I wonder aboutthat. Yeah, that might not have24600:17:34.779 --> 00:17:37.700been a wonderful but he had lotsof kids, he had lots of crops,24700:17:37.740 --> 00:17:41.900he had tons of money, hewas well respected, he loved God,24800:17:41.099 --> 00:17:45.170he was a righteous man. Yeah, he was like the you know,24900:17:45.369 --> 00:17:49.329Mr Wonderful Exams, like from fromthe description of job, which is25000:17:49.410 --> 00:17:53.089probably why Satan went after him.Yeah, he'd you know, this would25100:17:53.089 --> 00:17:56.809be a good one to attack becausehe's so revered and he loves God so25200:17:56.890 --> 00:18:02.640much. And Satan poses what Ithink is a very good question for all25300:18:02.720 --> 00:18:07.480of us. Do you love Godbecause of all the wonderful things, the25400:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.869things he's given you, and ifthose were gone, would you still love25500:18:11.990 --> 00:18:17.589God? That's basically Satan's premise.Yeah, that job would no longer love25600:18:18.109 --> 00:18:25.069and follow God if God removed thewonderful things from job's life. And God25700:18:25.789 --> 00:18:32.299agrees to let Satan have that job. And so, from my perspective,25800:18:32.380 --> 00:18:34.220not being the one who's going throughthe suffering, I'm thinking, you know,25900:18:34.700 --> 00:18:40.700job needed to know that. Thiswas a lesson. Job needed to26000:18:40.819 --> 00:18:48.410learn, ultimately, if his relationshipwith God was truly based on his love26100:18:48.009 --> 00:18:56.400and trust and and glorifying of Godfor who God is instead of what God26200:18:56.039 --> 00:19:04.240gives. He couldn't find that,I don't think, in in his prosperity.26300:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.640Yeah, and and so God took, well, not God, but26400:19:08.839 --> 00:19:15.230God certainly gave Satan permission to takeeverything except job's life, right, yeah,26500:19:15.309 --> 00:19:21.230that's right. Job Loses his crops, his children. Interestingly enough,26600:19:21.750 --> 00:19:25.220God left jobs. Why? Yeah, I think that's an indication. I26700:19:25.259 --> 00:19:29.099don't think the devil even touched hiswife at all, as indication that maybe26800:19:29.180 --> 00:19:33.299she might have been working alongside thedevil man. But yeah, his health26900:19:33.539 --> 00:19:40.289even was under attack. Right.And so I guess job had every right27000:19:40.450 --> 00:19:42.329to be crying out like, Lord, why? And he did cry out.27100:19:42.369 --> 00:19:45.930Why, you did it? Whyare you doing this? And God27200:19:47.009 --> 00:19:52.559never answers why. But what Goddoes is is talk about what God has27300:19:53.160 --> 00:20:02.799created. Yeah, and how hehas programmed or designed his creation for all27400:20:02.920 --> 00:20:07.190of these amazing things like the geesethat flies south. I can't remember if27500:20:07.230 --> 00:20:10.029he used geese, but it wassomething. And when you know the birds27600:20:10.109 --> 00:20:12.990that that no when to migrate andwhere to lay their eggs, and the27700:20:14.670 --> 00:20:22.259crocodile that nothing can really harm thethe perfect design of their armor. Yeah,27800:20:22.660 --> 00:20:27.819or even he had. He inturns it around and ask asks job27900:20:29.500 --> 00:20:34.180a series of questions of which jobcan't answer. Job Can't begin to answer28000:20:34.970 --> 00:20:41.410what God knows, y what Goddoes, and it's in seeing the magnificence28100:20:41.569 --> 00:20:48.809of God that a change happens.You know, I know one example that28200:20:48.890 --> 00:20:53.279I've heard oftentimes and I'm sure youhave to it's kind of Corny, I28300:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.400guess, but the more I ponderit, the more I'm like that's seems28400:20:56.480 --> 00:21:00.920to be how how it is withlife and suffering and all the stuff.28500:21:02.400 --> 00:21:07.390You've ever heard the example of someonewho's is it crocheting or whatever? You28600:21:07.549 --> 00:21:11.230know, how you have like apiece of cloth and then you weave into28700:21:11.269 --> 00:21:14.190it and you have a design,right, but if you look at it28800:21:14.309 --> 00:21:17.750from the bottom side it looks likea mess because there's all the knots.28900:21:17.789 --> 00:21:19.220Said, there's all the knot yeah, it's all them. Yeah, and29000:21:19.259 --> 00:21:22.859all that color come together. ThanYeah, if you look at the top29100:21:22.980 --> 00:21:26.099side of it, right, it'sa beautiful picture. And, yeah,29200:21:26.299 --> 00:21:30.099can be a house or a dogor you know whatever I mean. There's29300:21:30.099 --> 00:21:36.210all kinds of things that I've seenthat people knit into fabric and it's like29400:21:36.369 --> 00:21:38.089that, right. Yeah, it'sa matter of perspective. Yeah, God29500:21:38.210 --> 00:21:41.690sees the top side. Yeah,beautiful entire plan and always see her.29600:21:41.769 --> 00:21:45.329The Not always see this is thejunk, the struggles, and God is29700:21:45.410 --> 00:21:49.759actually weaving a beautiful picture in ourlives and I think we have to help29800:21:51.240 --> 00:21:53.799it. Again, it's a matterof perspective and we have to help these29900:21:53.839 --> 00:21:56.839MOMS that we encounter, the abortioncenters, these DADS, even some of30000:21:56.880 --> 00:22:00.630these pro boats, and even ourselves. We have to encourage each other that30100:22:00.789 --> 00:22:07.789God is doing something. He's doingsomething from an eternal perspective that we only30200:22:07.190 --> 00:22:11.789kind of grasp or see from atemporal perspective. Yeah, and it does30300:22:11.910 --> 00:22:15.109require for us to trust. Andwhat else are we really stuck with,30400:22:15.430 --> 00:22:18.660though? Yeah, we're stuck withdo we trust the Lord, yeah,30500:22:19.099 --> 00:22:23.740or do we trust this temporal worldthat, within itself, is all of30600:22:23.900 --> 00:22:29.180this mess, sin, destruction anddeath? Are we willing to trust the30700:22:29.299 --> 00:22:33.130Lord and and really we don't havea choice. If we look at the30800:22:33.170 --> 00:22:37.849scriptures and we see this God whomade the heavens and the earth, we30900:22:37.970 --> 00:22:41.849must put our trust in him.Ultimately, he is the one in control.31000:22:41.890 --> 00:22:45.359Ultimately, he is the one thatholds our eternity in his hands.31100:22:45.519 --> 00:22:49.440Yeah, yeah, absolutely, andthat's really do. The perspective is the31200:22:49.559 --> 00:22:56.599eternal perspective. Yeah, when weare stuck with our roots and in our31300:22:56.480 --> 00:23:00.430eyes and our minds and our heartsin this world and this world only.31400:23:00.470 --> 00:23:06.230Yeah, then there's every reason tobe depressed, every reason to be discouraged,31500:23:06.309 --> 00:23:08.910every reason to think, what's thepurpose? Yeah, that's why I31600:23:10.029 --> 00:23:12.539think, what's the point? Andjust let's just end it all, and31700:23:12.740 --> 00:23:18.420that's what we hear the pro socalledpro choice crowd say, is why bring31800:23:18.579 --> 00:23:22.180a child that you know is enteringa family of suffering, entering a world31900:23:22.180 --> 00:23:25.700of suffering? Why? Why let'sjust kill the baby now? Yeah,32000:23:26.619 --> 00:23:30.450yeah, one of the reasons why? Just looking at statistics. We were32100:23:30.450 --> 00:23:34.289talking a little bit about this.Yeah, suicide statistic and depression. The32200:23:34.410 --> 00:23:41.000more and more kind of an atheistic, secular mindset takes a grip on our32300:23:41.039 --> 00:23:47.400society the more and more these thingsincrease, suicide rates, depression and all32400:23:47.440 --> 00:23:51.799of this. Because if there isno eternal perspective, if all there is32500:23:51.960 --> 00:23:56.029is this life and, as asaid earlier, sometimes life sucks. Yeah,32600:23:56.349 --> 00:23:59.789then what is the point? Right? So we have this assurance that32700:23:59.869 --> 00:24:02.990we've got, even though we're inthis temporal world, we've got this eternal32800:24:03.069 --> 00:24:07.910perspective that this eternal God lets ussee from, and we get that perspective32900:24:07.950 --> 00:24:11.660from his word and we get thatperspective from being in relationship with him.33000:24:12.460 --> 00:24:17.700And what we need to do asministers of the Gospel, as Sydwalk ministers,33100:24:18.299 --> 00:24:22.180is to help bring that eternal perspectiveto these MOMS that are in crisis,33200:24:22.539 --> 00:24:25.450to let them know that there's aGod that has compassion on them,33300:24:25.769 --> 00:24:29.490like he has experienced the suffering thatyou're experiencing now, the stuff, the33400:24:29.569 --> 00:24:33.049struggles that you're in right now.God knows about it. He hasn't turned33500:24:33.049 --> 00:24:37.130a blind eye, he's not distantin some kind of deistic God. You33600:24:37.210 --> 00:24:40.480know, the DST think that there'sa god, but he really has no33700:24:40.680 --> 00:24:42.839relation to his creation. Kind ofstarted everything in them. Yeah, he33800:24:42.880 --> 00:24:45.359kind of wound it up and letit go. That's not the god of33900:24:45.400 --> 00:24:48.240the Bible. The God of theBible is relational. He's in it,34000:24:48.400 --> 00:24:52.150he sees it. Why he doesn'tstop it and understanding all of that.34100:24:52.349 --> 00:24:56.390I don't know. I don't seethe history he sees. I think he34200:24:56.630 --> 00:25:03.829sees so often we're if you stopthat beautiful thread before it's finished, the34300:25:03.869 --> 00:25:08.059pattern, that it's no longer thatbeautiful and resolve. Yeah, but we34400:25:08.180 --> 00:25:11.299don't see that. We don't alwayssee that. Sometimes we just have to34500:25:11.339 --> 00:25:15.660trust that he does right. Yeah, and with people who are in the34600:25:15.779 --> 00:25:19.700midst of that struggle and the midstof understanding or trying to understand it,34700:25:19.859 --> 00:25:25.809is God really good? Yeah,listening, like we said, having compassion34800:25:25.970 --> 00:25:30.690on them and then helping them tosee from an eternal perspective, not in34900:25:30.809 --> 00:25:33.009some self righteous way. I waslike, we just need to look at35000:25:33.049 --> 00:25:36.079God's word, you just need toread your Bible. Yeah, but in35100:25:36.160 --> 00:25:38.000a very gracious way. We Ithink we can help them see. And35200:25:38.359 --> 00:25:41.880again, I think it's sharing testimonies, yeah, sharing what God has done35300:25:41.880 --> 00:25:45.480in our lives, that we've seeingGod and saying you're not you're not alone.35400:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.440Look at not only in our stories, but look at through the Bible,35500:25:48.519 --> 00:25:52.750the Bible. I I turn peopleto Psalms solve a time. Yeah,35600:25:52.750 --> 00:25:56.630when they talk about I'm all alonein this, God just he doesn't35700:25:56.670 --> 00:26:00.589care about me. But then I'llsay, you know, there's so many35800:26:00.630 --> 00:26:03.740people in the Bible that said thissame thing, that had the same struggles35900:26:03.819 --> 00:26:08.579that you're having and the same sorrowsand questions and they cried out to God.36000:26:08.740 --> 00:26:12.980Yeah, and his book is astory of redemption. Yeah. Absolutely.36100:26:14.019 --> 00:26:17.539Yeah, and we see the summationof it all in the revelation,36200:26:17.619 --> 00:26:21.930right, which is pretty rough storyitself. Do you get to the end?36300:26:21.970 --> 00:26:27.170Yeah, when you see that theLord has redeemed it all and ultimately36400:26:27.210 --> 00:26:33.240Jesus Christ, the greatest king thereever has been or ever will be,36500:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.359rules over it all and he isactually the the servant King. Yeah,36600:26:37.480 --> 00:26:42.000and those who belong to him arein his eternal kingdom, under his rulership,36700:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.920whether it is no more, asthe Bible says, no more tears,36800:26:45.279 --> 00:26:48.750no more suffering, no more pain, no more separation, no more36900:26:48.789 --> 00:26:53.549darkness even. Yeah, God doesa way with darkness and death. That's37000:26:53.589 --> 00:26:57.509ultimately the perspective that we need tohave, right. We can't always understand37100:26:57.549 --> 00:27:03.900and we can't always help people understandwhy, but we can't help them understand37200:27:03.980 --> 00:27:07.220who the Lord. He is theredeemer. Yeah, and if you'll put37300:27:07.220 --> 00:27:12.180your trust in him, he canredeem any situation. I found a great37400:27:12.299 --> 00:27:21.569deal of help in going through theseexamples that we shared today in my ability37500:27:21.690 --> 00:27:26.849then to go back, especially tothis one woman and talk with her about37600:27:26.250 --> 00:27:30.240you are not alone. Listen tothe people of God who suffered, but37700:27:30.440 --> 00:27:37.119they're suffering really did lead to toGod, did lead them ultimately into a37800:27:37.440 --> 00:27:45.390closer relationship with God. Yeah.So we've really shared some of these tragic37900:27:45.549 --> 00:27:48.869examples from the scripture and even practicalas we started out, even the very38000:27:48.910 --> 00:27:55.549beginning of this this podcast. Yeah, with the story from the young lady38100:27:55.589 --> 00:27:59.380on the sidewalk. Yeah, andwe've talked a little bit about some of38200:27:59.420 --> 00:28:02.900the redemption that could come. Butagain, the question is, is God38300:28:03.019 --> 00:28:07.539good? Yeah, and the questionof suffering and evil and then bringing the38400:28:07.619 --> 00:28:14.529answer whe there's redemption there is rightand that's something we need to say.38500:28:14.609 --> 00:28:18.529But yeah, kind of in thein the every day, I guess,38600:28:18.529 --> 00:28:23.369suffering and then ultimately redemption. Whatdoes that look like? So is God38700:28:23.569 --> 00:28:26.960good in the midst of these.Can you find trials? Can you find38800:28:27.079 --> 00:28:30.640you find the Lord? And Idon't know if purpose is the right word,38900:28:30.720 --> 00:28:36.599but can you find God's goodness inthe midst of your struggles and suffering?39000:28:36.640 --> 00:28:38.519And I think you can, andI think, I think we did39100:28:38.599 --> 00:28:41.990talk a little bit about in eachof those cases, that that there was39200:28:42.150 --> 00:28:48.390a good that came about at theend. But I think it maybe is39300:28:48.710 --> 00:28:52.710good to kind of think in terms. I don't know conceptually. So what39400:28:53.269 --> 00:29:00.019was the what were those general goodsthat that came about, the general evidence39500:29:00.140 --> 00:29:08.339of good? So in all ofthose stories the circumstances were transitory, they39600:29:08.339 --> 00:29:14.650were not permanent. Okay, you'dalready touched upon it earlier. And and39700:29:14.849 --> 00:29:18.250so I think knowing that that nomatter what we face, it's going to39800:29:18.410 --> 00:29:22.210pass. Now my pass to somethingworse in some cases, but but it39900:29:22.450 --> 00:29:26.720is, it is, it isgoing to pass. But I think also40000:29:27.400 --> 00:29:33.400understanding that our happiness is not necessarilyGod's goal. In fact, I think40100:29:33.440 --> 00:29:37.279it clearly is not God's Goll buthis glory. Yeah, and that he40200:29:37.480 --> 00:29:45.589would be magnified. So maybe wecould talk about in any in each of40300:29:45.630 --> 00:29:52.940these cases, how God was goodin allowing suffering so what is suffering produce?40400:29:53.059 --> 00:30:00.059And one of the first things thatI think these stories show is that40500:30:00.220 --> 00:30:07.970suffering produces joy. And so maybecheck out acts. Sixteen, okay,40600:30:08.049 --> 00:30:14.289versus twenty two to twenty four.Yeah, this was the suffering of Paul40700:30:14.410 --> 00:30:19.130and Silas. Yeah, yeah,fairly, fairly wellknown passage. Right as.40800:30:19.170 --> 00:30:23.799Paul and Silas were beaten and throwninto prison at sixteen, Right,40900:30:23.880 --> 00:30:29.039the first twenty two, right,says, it says. Then the multitude41000:30:29.039 --> 00:30:33.119rose up together against them and themagistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them41100:30:33.160 --> 00:30:36.710to be beaten with rods, andwhen they laid many stripes on them,41200:30:36.750 --> 00:30:41.269they threw them into prison, commandingthat the jailer keep them securely. And41300:30:41.390 --> 00:30:44.670having received such a charge, heput them in the inner prison and fastened41400:30:44.710 --> 00:30:48.549their feet in the stocks. Butat midnight Paul and Silas were praying and41500:30:48.710 --> 00:30:52.940singing hymns to God, and theprisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there41600:30:52.980 --> 00:30:56.660was a great earthquake so that thefoundations of the prison were shaken, and41700:30:56.740 --> 00:31:02.140immediately all the doors were opened andeveryone's chains were loosed. Now, so41800:31:02.420 --> 00:31:04.490this is of course, them rejoicingin the midst of suffering, right,41900:31:06.250 --> 00:31:10.529but they were set free, right, they were all the prison he set42000:31:10.609 --> 00:31:12.970free. Right, the prison doorsopened up. Yeah, but it doesn't42100:31:14.009 --> 00:31:15.410end there. Right, we mighttend to think, okay, well,42200:31:15.490 --> 00:31:19.039the prison doors opened up, they'reready to go, right, just march42300:31:19.119 --> 00:31:22.279on out. Yeah, they didn't, ultimately, Huh. What ultimately happened42400:31:22.359 --> 00:31:26.279is they were a testimony, towitness, this jailer who came to know42500:31:26.359 --> 00:31:30.680the Lord and his whole household.So this is again, this is how42600:31:30.799 --> 00:31:36.670God can redeem and bring, inthe midst of suffering, a testimony,42700:31:36.750 --> 00:31:41.349a witness for his own glory,for handing. Their response was to praise42800:31:41.630 --> 00:31:48.500and to sing and to worship.And so this joyful, really worship ceremony42900:31:48.859 --> 00:31:52.619in the midst of their terrible circumstances, that nothing had changed. Yet you're43000:31:52.660 --> 00:31:56.940still in jail, and yet they'vechosen to they've really chosen joy, joy43100:31:57.059 --> 00:32:01.450and worship in the midst of thestruggle. And the result, then,43200:32:01.569 --> 00:32:07.049with that attitude, was they wereultimately freed and many people, a whole43300:32:07.130 --> 00:32:09.009HOUSEHOLP, the jailer's household, cameto the Lord. Right. Yeah,43400:32:09.049 --> 00:32:17.480it's pretty amazing. Yeah, sohow about suffering produces rewards. Yeah,43500:32:17.759 --> 00:32:22.880so I'll read it, or maybeyou could read and Hebrews Eleven, twenty43600:32:23.079 --> 00:32:30.829four to twenty six. And thisis talking about Moses, who chose to43700:32:30.589 --> 00:32:37.230suffer. He chose suffering. Andwhy? Okay, but by faith.43800:32:37.390 --> 00:32:39.869Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of43900:32:39.950 --> 00:32:45.460Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to sufferaffliction with the people of God than to44000:32:45.579 --> 00:32:50.859enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than44100:32:50.900 --> 00:32:54.380the treasures in Egypt. For helooked to a reward. He looked to44200:32:54.539 --> 00:32:59.089a reward he want, he wanted. He chose suffering. It said,44300:32:59.130 --> 00:33:05.210yeah, that he would suffer forGod because he didn't want to engage in44400:33:05.369 --> 00:33:07.250sin. He didn't want to sufferfor sin. He wanted to suffer for44500:33:07.410 --> 00:33:13.440whatever it was that God was callinghim to do, looking to the reward.44600:33:13.480 --> 00:33:16.200And he would have been looking fora reward unless he had an assurance,44700:33:16.240 --> 00:33:22.200yeah, that there was a reward. So suffering ultimately produces a reward?44800:33:22.200 --> 00:33:32.390Yeah, how about suffering produces understanding? Okay, so think about job,44900:33:34.430 --> 00:33:38.549the blind man and the crippled man. Yeah, what was the result45000:33:39.029 --> 00:33:45.019of their suffering in terms of theirrelationship with God, and that seems like45100:33:45.140 --> 00:33:47.420they were wrong. Brought closer tothe Lord, they were drawn closer to45200:33:49.259 --> 00:33:52.299to God. Yeah, sure,they came to a greater understanding of the45300:33:52.380 --> 00:33:54.660Lord, for sure, job did, he said, for I had heard45400:33:54.700 --> 00:33:58.849of you, but now I've seenyou and I repent and in Justestin ashes.45500:33:58.930 --> 00:34:02.049So he he came to truly seeGod for who he was. But45600:34:02.289 --> 00:34:07.809the the crippled man, you know, was rejoicing praising God. Yeah,45700:34:08.010 --> 00:34:14.320was the result. So they allcame to see the power and glory of45800:34:14.519 --> 00:34:20.480God. And suffering has a wayof kind of opening our eyes to what45900:34:20.840 --> 00:34:27.949truely matters and and also helping usto appreciate when we're not suffering. Yeah,46000:34:27.989 --> 00:34:31.670you know, like I heard,I don't know the exact same,46100:34:31.829 --> 00:34:39.340but it's like someone said that bangingyour head with a hammer is really so46200:34:39.500 --> 00:34:44.980valuable because when you stop, yourealize how good it feels to stop.46300:34:45.099 --> 00:34:50.380Yes, so when suffering ends,there's a greater appreciation from what you've what46400:34:50.619 --> 00:34:54.409you have been given, that maybeyou didn't understand before. Absolutely I know46500:34:54.489 --> 00:35:00.769when I was diagnosed with cancer isprobably when I first and most appreciated the46600:35:00.809 --> 00:35:05.409gift of life because I was atrisk of losing it. Yeah. So46700:35:05.730 --> 00:35:08.719sometimes suffering gives us that different perspective, gives us a different yeah, an46800:35:08.800 --> 00:35:15.280eternal perspective. Yeah. Yeah.So, given all of this, how46900:35:15.400 --> 00:35:22.789can we share the gospel effectively toGod's people who are suffering? Yeah,47000:35:22.829 --> 00:35:27.789or people who are not yet God'speople? Right? How do we share47100:35:27.789 --> 00:35:31.949the Gospel to people who are suffering? Yeah, and how do we effectively47200:35:31.989 --> 00:35:37.260convey to them in the midst ofwhat they see is not good and it's47300:35:37.260 --> 00:35:39.420not something's not good, it's notfun. Yeah, but how do we47400:35:39.500 --> 00:35:44.099have them to see there is agood god? Yeah, yeah, and47500:35:44.219 --> 00:35:46.380I wrote down four things. Ithink it's a hard question. I do47600:35:46.539 --> 00:35:52.170think it's a hard question. Ido think it requires a lot of study47700:35:52.409 --> 00:35:57.730and prayer. But you touched onthe on a lot of them already.47800:35:57.769 --> 00:36:00.929We've touched on them. But numberone, don't minimize the suffering, and47900:36:00.369 --> 00:36:07.559I wrote but magnify the mission.So they are on a mission for God.48000:36:07.639 --> 00:36:09.840All of us are on a missionfor God. We may not we48100:36:09.920 --> 00:36:13.639may be kicking and screaming and rebellingagainst it, but we all have a48200:36:13.679 --> 00:36:16.119mission, yeah, for God.And if we can focus on what that48300:36:16.280 --> 00:36:21.269mission is. If you're on thesidewalk. That mission is to be a48400:36:21.349 --> 00:36:25.630voice for unborn babies. Yeah,and no one else is speaking. So48500:36:27.510 --> 00:36:32.300is their suffering as your ministring therethere is, and and is their suffering48600:36:32.420 --> 00:36:37.059in those moms. There there is, in our case, the mission to48700:36:37.139 --> 00:36:40.539speak for the unborn. In theMOM's case, the mission is to care48800:36:40.619 --> 00:36:45.260for that on born. Yeah,and nurture that unborn and do what is48900:36:45.340 --> 00:36:51.409right, yeah, for for thatchild. So the second one direct attention49000:36:51.570 --> 00:36:54.409from the suffering to the savior.Yeah, that's good. I like eses.49100:36:54.929 --> 00:37:00.329Yeah, a literation suffering to thesuffering to the savior, which is49200:37:00.409 --> 00:37:05.280again your eternal perspective. Take them, take them from where they're struggling to49300:37:06.119 --> 00:37:09.760who is ultimately the one that willlend all struggle. Yeah, and that's,49400:37:09.760 --> 00:37:15.639of course, Jesus, giving biblicalevidence of God's promises fulfilled, and49500:37:15.710 --> 00:37:20.150we talked about that, yeah,a little bit. And Biblical stories of49600:37:20.510 --> 00:37:22.750those who have suffered and endured andthey have come to a pace, a49700:37:22.829 --> 00:37:27.070place of peace and join reward.Yeah, and I'll add to that.49800:37:27.829 --> 00:37:31.019Do you back in on that?That fourth point is personal stories as well49900:37:31.099 --> 00:37:36.460as right. talked a lot aboutso far in this podcast. Sharing personal50000:37:36.619 --> 00:37:40.139testimonies how God has and I shareda little bit of my testimony. Yeah,50100:37:40.619 --> 00:37:44.769and I share that with with menand women at the abortion center about50200:37:44.769 --> 00:37:46.489how God had brought me from whatI felt like was the end of the50300:37:46.570 --> 00:37:52.809world to whole new life in him. Yeah. Sharing Stories of people in50400:37:53.329 --> 00:37:59.719situations of rape, their redemptive stories. Yeah, we're God has brought moms50500:37:59.880 --> 00:38:04.320through and their child ultimately was ablessing to them in the midst of that50600:38:04.480 --> 00:38:07.800terrible situation, the terrible thing thatwas done to them. Other stories MOMS50700:38:07.840 --> 00:38:15.030that have had bad diagnosis from adoctor, your baby is going to have50800:38:15.190 --> 00:38:17.389this situation, of that situation,how God was able to redeem that,50900:38:17.510 --> 00:38:22.349turn that situation around or in themidst of that, maybe the doctors diagnosis51000:38:22.469 --> 00:38:28.539was correct. And yet still theirtestimonies after testimonies of how God was able51100:38:28.539 --> 00:38:32.780to use that what outwardly was aterrible situation to bring redemption. Yeah,51200:38:32.900 --> 00:38:38.179family mother. Yeah, and sothose stories, biblical stories and stories,51300:38:38.179 --> 00:38:40.809are the experience. I know,not how they or hell. Yeah,51400:38:42.090 --> 00:38:45.090I mean I would rather not havethe story of cancer, but I do51500:38:45.849 --> 00:38:52.690and and it I use that storyall of the time, talk about what51600:38:52.969 --> 00:38:55.960was a probably one of the mostsevere, certainly most severe physical struggle I51700:38:57.519 --> 00:39:02.519ever had to endure. But howGod was there and and there and in51800:39:04.000 --> 00:39:08.440in amazing ways and in little thingsthat that brought hope and just sparks of51900:39:08.800 --> 00:39:16.309light in in all of that darkness. So that's another really I don't know52000:39:16.389 --> 00:39:22.389if reward is quite the right word, but benefit even of suffering is that52100:39:22.349 --> 00:39:28.820you now have something you can sharewith others, especially if you've come out52200:39:29.300 --> 00:39:31.900on the other side of it.Now you have something you can share with52300:39:32.059 --> 00:39:37.900others that that brings hope to them. Yeah, so then I think if52400:39:37.940 --> 00:39:40.489you've gone through all of that,and it for me this was very cathartic52500:39:40.650 --> 00:39:45.849writing this article and going through allof these testimonies of Biblical figures and how52600:39:45.929 --> 00:39:50.929they endured suffering and the really thebenefits or rewards, I don't know what52700:39:51.210 --> 00:39:57.079quite the right word is, ofof their struggles, then I think maybe52800:39:57.519 --> 00:40:02.519if someone can be brought through thatprocess of thought, then I think they52900:40:02.599 --> 00:40:07.909maybe are more ready and able tohear who is the or what is the53000:40:07.989 --> 00:40:13.510final and ultimate proof of the goodnessof God? Yeah, which is of53100:40:13.630 --> 00:40:16.710course, the cross, Jesus atthe Cross. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah,53200:40:16.949 --> 00:40:22.820God, in His mercy, allowinghimself to be crucified by the hands53300:40:22.860 --> 00:40:29.260of men that he created, allowinghimself to be crucified to pay the penalty53400:40:29.820 --> 00:40:34.739for sin. And was it fairor just for God? Well, I53500:40:34.860 --> 00:40:40.250mean that's that's actually a deeper theologicalquestion. Answered superficially. Then they's officially53600:40:40.329 --> 00:40:44.489it was unfair, it was totallyunfair, it was unjust. So and53700:40:44.730 --> 00:40:49.409so when I was talking to thiswoman and I said, when you were53800:40:49.570 --> 00:40:52.360four years old, what happened toyou was so unfair. Yes, so53900:40:52.679 --> 00:41:00.760unjust, and yet you have agod who created you, who knows all54000:41:00.840 --> 00:41:07.829about unfairness and injustice. Yeah,and and came to the world to solve54100:41:07.829 --> 00:41:13.989that problem. Yeah, yeah,and this is ultimately, as we've touched54200:41:14.030 --> 00:41:17.659on all throughout, redemption. Yes, this is the redemption of lost humanity,54300:41:17.699 --> 00:41:22.980right, but also there's this scripturalpicture sometimes that we can miss.54400:41:22.699 --> 00:41:28.380The Jesus Christ comes to redeem losthuman beings, but also to redeem the54500:41:28.539 --> 00:41:34.889creation, right to to the Biblesays the the creation groans in weights for54600:41:35.010 --> 00:41:40.170the revealing of the Sons of God'sultimate redemption. The creation itself is redeemed.54700:41:42.250 --> 00:41:45.489The the new heavens and the newearth come and what God had intended54800:41:45.690 --> 00:41:50.400with human beings, what God hadintended with his creation, for this to54900:41:50.599 --> 00:41:53.679be a display of his glory andfor sin not to have tainted and mess55000:41:53.800 --> 00:41:59.320the whole thing up. Ultimately,Jesus is blood and His resurrection from the55100:41:59.400 --> 00:42:05.030Dead Brings Redemption to the whole thing. So global warming won't matter. They55200:42:05.110 --> 00:42:07.150won't. It's going to be okay. It'll be all right, but it's55300:42:07.269 --> 00:42:15.230only okay through Christ and through Godand through his redemptive process, not through55400:42:15.389 --> 00:42:20.460whether we limit Coto, although I'mnot saying we should. Well, that's55500:42:20.460 --> 00:42:22.099another I really like for you weregoing with that. that. Yeah,55600:42:22.099 --> 00:42:28.539all creation is groaning in anticipation whatwe what it's coming, Jesus says.55700:42:28.579 --> 00:42:32.130Behold, I make all things new. Yeah, all things new. Yeah,55800:42:32.449 --> 00:42:37.730it's ultimate redemption. This fallen world, this, as I said before,55900:42:37.530 --> 00:42:42.809this world that sometimes sucks, thislife is sometimes sucks, is not.56000:42:43.210 --> 00:42:45.320It's not going to suck anymore.Actually, it's going to be what56100:42:45.400 --> 00:42:51.400God originally intended, and the devilis no longer going to have a say.56200:42:51.840 --> 00:42:54.960He's no longer going to have afoothold in this lost world. But56300:42:55.079 --> 00:43:01.710Jesus Christ will rule and reign overhis kingdom, yea, and those that56400:43:01.829 --> 00:43:07.750belong to him will rule and reignbeside him. And it's it's awesome that56500:43:07.869 --> 00:43:12.940God has entered into our suffering andthat he's willing to after he ends enters56600:43:12.940 --> 00:43:17.260into our suffering, we get toenter in his victory and that's redemption.56700:43:17.900 --> 00:43:21.980Yeah, that's what God desires forus. Yeah, because he's merciful,56800:43:22.099 --> 00:43:25.980because he's good, because he's good, and I think we've answered our question.56900:43:27.210 --> 00:43:30.530God, God's good, even whenwe can't see it at the time.57000:43:30.889 --> 00:43:32.889Yeah, he immately is good,Ay man. Yeah, well,57100:43:34.010 --> 00:43:37.289that guys. We're going to wrapthis thing up. We appreciate you listening57200:43:37.369 --> 00:43:42.000and we would appreciate if you wouldshare this podcast, if you would leave57300:43:42.039 --> 00:43:44.920us a review on itunes. Youcan leave us review. Let us know57400:43:45.039 --> 00:43:47.320what you think. Reach out tous, let us know if there are57500:43:47.320 --> 00:43:51.159other subjects you like for us tocover. You can reach out to me,57600:43:51.280 --> 00:43:53.280D parks at cities for lifecom.You can reach out to her,57700:43:53.280 --> 00:43:58.989vcassy organ cities for lifecom. Wewould love to answer any questions that you57800:43:59.070 --> 00:44:01.909have we'd love to hear from you, but until next time, God bless.57900:44:06.150 --> 00:44:15.900Give me our love for love.Give me our love for gratitude.58000:44:17.940 --> 00:44:27.730I know it will cost me mylife. Nothing's too precious, and some58100:44:28.250 --> 00:44:28.690met you