Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW210015S
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00:02 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Hello, friends, and welcome to Friday Night Family Worship. 01:12 I'm John Lomacang 01:13 and to my right is my co-pilot, my wife. 01:15 Good to have you here, honey. 01:17 I am so excited to be here at the Family Worship. 01:21 I'm glad that you have tuned in tonight. 01:23 That's right. You know what? 01:24 You're going to be blessed. 01:25 Everyone has gone through trials. 01:27 So what's our topic then? 01:28 The blessings of trials. 01:30 Is there a blessing in trials? 01:32 You stay tuned. 01:34 You'll find out in just a moment. 01:35 But before we go any further and introduce our family, 01:38 we want to thank you for your prayers 01:39 and financial support 01:41 as we continue going and growing, 01:42 getting ready for the coming of Jesus. 01:43 And that's an exciting event that we cannot afford to miss. 01:46 But we do have family here right across the Great Lake 01:49 from me is JD Quinn. 01:51 How you doing, JD? 01:53 Oh, JD is doing good. Thank you for inviting us. 01:55 The great man from the great state of Texas. 01:57 You bet. 01:58 And you're in pastoral? 01:59 I am in pastoral. Yes. 02:01 Very, very blessed. 02:02 It's wonderful, just, it's great to serve God. 02:06 We're on the front line. 02:07 And every day is different, isn't it in pastoral? 02:09 Amen. 02:10 You get phone calls from all over the world. 02:12 All over the world. Wow. 02:13 You know when I first started, 02:14 they said it was a worldwide ministry. 02:16 And so I'd sit there and I think 02:17 while we're ministering, 02:18 maybe we'll get, 02:20 maybe I'll here maybe from Indiana today 02:21 or maybe New York, maybe California. 02:24 And then all of a sudden 02:25 we're getting calls from South America, 02:27 from Central America, from the Caribbean, from Egypt. 02:32 I mean, it's just kind of, wow, it is a worldwide ministry. 02:37 They have joy in their life 02:39 and they have pain in their life. 02:40 Yes. That's right. 02:42 People are people. 02:43 And that's why today's topic is important. 02:45 But who's that nice young lady next to you? 02:46 Somebody who understands the blessing of trials. 02:49 Shelley Quinn. 02:51 Oh, it's so good to be here. 02:52 And it's just wonderful that the Sabbath is rolling in 02:56 and we get to exhale. 02:57 And we're glad that you're joining us today. 02:59 Amen. 03:01 And it's always good to have Dee. 03:02 Dee, I don't think Dee knows about trials. 03:05 Hopefully, I've forgotten all of them, I don't know. 03:07 But I learned the lessons of them 03:09 and the joys of them. 03:11 It's a joy being here. Thank you so much. 03:12 I love being with family. 03:14 And it's a privilege and a joy to be joining you. 03:19 Thank you. Wow. 03:21 Well, you know, we have so much to talk about. 03:22 Honey, would you begin with prayer? 03:24 Yes. Let's bow our heads. 03:26 Our gracious Heavenly Father, 03:27 we come to You in the name of Jesus, 03:29 giving You praise, honor and glory 03:31 for You are more than worthy. 03:33 Yes. 03:34 We come to You, Lord, presenting ourselves to You. 03:38 The viewers and listeners we present them to You also. 03:42 We pray that we'll have an open mind 03:44 to hear what the Spirit has for us tonight. 03:49 Bless each one. 03:50 And we pray that 03:51 we will get something out of this, 03:53 the blessings of trials. 03:55 There are blessings in trials. 03:58 And, Lord, that I just thank You 04:00 for seeing us through our own personal trials. 04:03 And, Lord, we just praise You and honor You 04:05 and thank You for this opportunity 04:08 to uplift Your name in Jesus' name. 04:10 Amen. 04:12 Amen. Amen and amen. 04:13 Thank you. 04:14 I'm going to begin tonight with a saying, 04:16 there's a lady that I highly honored. 04:19 She is, I believe she's deceased now, 04:21 Poet Maya Angelou. 04:23 But in her lifetime, she brought out some sayings 04:26 that are just, 04:27 those ones that kind of marked the moments in your life. 04:29 And when she was writing a book essay 04:32 it's called Letters to my Daughter, 04:34 which she released in 2009. 04:36 She made the statement 04:37 and I think it applies in a great degree to trials. 04:39 She says, 04:40 "You may not control all the events 04:43 that happened to you, 04:44 but you can decide not to be reduced by them." 04:47 Amen. 04:49 And tonight, we're going to talk about trials. 04:51 You could determine 04:53 what that trial is going to do to you. 04:55 You could determine 04:56 how you're going to react to that trial 04:58 and what future that trial is going to have in your life, 05:01 because we all know 05:02 and let's just kind of open this up a little bit here. 05:04 We can recall at points in our own lives 05:06 where people have held on to that trial for 15-20 years. 05:09 It's the repetition. 05:11 It's their testimony at every communion service. 05:13 And I've sometimes said to people, 05:15 when did that happen? 05:17 Wow, I was seven years old, and I'm now hitting 81. 05:21 And I just never forgot that. 05:23 They rehearse the past in a painful way. 05:27 I know people that just never get beyond the trial 05:31 because, you know, God said, Isaiah 43:18, 05:34 "Forget the past, I'm doing a new thing." 05:37 We learn from it and go on. 05:39 That's right. 05:40 It destroys their lives. 05:42 I have a family member who made a statement to me 05:45 that I just wanted to cry. 05:46 She says, 05:48 "It's like that happened yesterday." 05:49 And it happened 30 years ago. 05:52 So, and you can see how it destroys your life 05:57 when you hold on to a trial, don't grow through it, 06:00 don't come through it 06:02 and don't come out the other side. 06:03 When you stay living in that trial, 06:07 it's destructive. 06:08 Yeah. 06:10 And we've all been through trials, 06:11 every one of us. 06:13 God designed them, like you say. 06:15 He allows them. That's not, He allows them. 06:18 He allows these trials, 06:21 so that we can grow and change and become somebody different. 06:25 That's right. 06:27 The good news is, 06:28 is what I like about the study tonight, 06:30 is there is an option. 06:32 Beautifully said, there is an option. 06:34 There is an option. 06:36 If you want to just be satisfied and happy 06:39 wallering around. 06:41 In that particular situation you can, that is an option, 06:45 but there is an out. 06:46 Right. 06:47 And the out is through Jesus Christ. 06:49 I mean, I... 06:51 This is a great study for me, 06:53 because you hear about these things. 06:55 But I don't know if I ever connected the dots 06:57 the way you've connected the dots 06:59 by putting together a syllabus. 07:00 So this is going to be fun. 07:02 Well, let's start with... 07:04 Jesus is a better choice. 07:05 Always. That's right. 07:07 And once again, I just kind of go back to Maya Angelou, 07:10 this is not necessarily one that she wrote down. 07:12 But she was being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey 07:14 a number of years ago, at least easily 10 or more years ago. 07:17 And Maya and Oprah said, 07:19 "What do you do when trials come your way?" 07:21 She said, 07:22 "Well, I just tell you this. 07:25 If God allows it, 07:26 what's on the other side of this 07:27 has to be a whole lot better 07:29 than I have right now." 07:31 And that was a moment I never forgot. 07:33 It wasn't a quote, she wrote down. 07:34 It wasn't in any of her books. 07:36 But those of you that are watching the program, 07:38 there may be somebody right now, 07:40 that might have turned on and say, 07:42 "I'm going to listen to this program 07:44 because I'm in my storm right now." 07:47 So let's go ahead and start with the passage in the Bible. 07:49 Honey, why don't you begin with the first one, John 16:33. 07:52 You know, there's a reality about trials. 07:54 What is the reality about trials? 07:58 There's something about this life 07:59 that we just can't seem to drive down a street 08:04 that will never have a trial. 08:06 And Lord made something clear about the reality of trials. 08:08 Let start with that one, honey. 08:09 Okay, John 16:33. 08:12 This is Jesus speaking, 08:13 "These things I have spoken to you, 08:16 that in Me, which is Jesus, you may have peace. 08:21 In the world you will have tribulation," 08:26 I love the but, 08:28 "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 08:31 And also have a little blue box I want to read. 08:33 Okay, sure. 08:34 In verse 33, from Desire of Ages, 08:36 page 122 and 123, it's real short. 08:39 It says, 08:41 "By passing over the ground, 08:43 which man must travel, 08:45 our Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. 08:50 It is not His will that we should be placed 08:54 at a disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. 08:58 He would not have us intimidated and discouraged 09:04 by the assaults of the serpent." 09:07 Wow. So we do have trials? Yeah. 09:09 But what does good cheer look like 09:12 in the middle of a trial? 09:13 Okay, well just throw that out. 09:15 If the Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. 09:17 True, He's kind of as JD said there's an option. 09:21 There's, yeah, a choice. 09:23 Shelley? 09:24 I was just, I did a word search in the Greek on tribulation. 09:29 You know what it means? 09:30 Tribulation, 09:32 the primary definition is pressing, 09:37 pressure, like you would press out an olive 09:40 in the, you know, get the oil out of the olive, 09:43 or that you would press the grape juice 09:46 from the grape. 09:47 And I thought ain't that interesting 09:48 because that's really what Gethsemane is 09:51 was the olive press. 09:54 So I think that 09:56 and we'll see as we go through tribulations. 10:00 God puts good things in us. 10:02 And as we come under the pressure 10:05 of what's coming out of us is the goodness of God, 10:09 if we're learning our truth, 10:11 that's how we are of good cheer. 10:13 I like that. I like that too. 10:15 Because, you know, sometimes we never know our potentials 10:17 till we put in the position 10:18 where we got to do something differently 10:20 than we've continued to do all the time. 10:22 And you know, the saying 10:24 insanity is doing the same thing over and over 10:26 expecting different results. 10:28 But that's true, JD. 10:29 So why don't you share with us 1 Peter 4:12-13. 10:34 And then let's look at that, 10:36 to find out why trials are really not unique. 10:38 You know, they're really not. 10:39 That's 1 Peter 4:12-13, 10:42 "Beloved, do not think it strange 10:47 concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, 10:52 as though some strange thing happened to you, 10:55 but rejoice to the extent 10:57 that you partake of Christ's suffering, 11:00 that when His glory is revealed, 11:01 you may also be glad with exceeding joy." 11:06 Wow. 11:07 So it's not strange. 11:08 It is not strange. 11:10 Well, I think I go back 11:12 to the very first one you said about, 11:13 and it says that in Me, that's with the capital M. 11:18 So in Him whoever that is, we choose that is Jesus Christ. 11:23 So in Him, He has given you an alternate path. 11:27 It's kind of like, you know, 11:28 you come down to a T in the road, 11:30 do you go to the right or the left 11:31 and never been down this road before. 11:33 Well, I choose to believe that the Holy Spirit 11:35 will impress upon my heart present, 11:38 that I will go to the right or to the left, 11:41 I will make that choice. 11:43 And so that's the team that I want to be on. 11:45 Amen. 11:46 And so here, it's saying right here, but so he says, 11:49 "Hey, I know that there's going to be 11:51 there's going to be a lot of trials, 11:52 you're going to come to some dead ends, 11:54 and you're going to have to make a decision." 11:57 Now, our good friend, Joe Bryan, 11:59 he uses this term all the time, it's biblical, 12:02 the fiery darts are coming toward us, 12:03 the fiery darts are coming towards. 12:05 Here, we're talking about fiery trial, 12:07 which is to try you. 12:10 That's that strange 12:11 that strangeness is going to come after us at all time. 12:14 But we go back to that M, that capital M, Jesus. 12:18 And He says, 12:20 "Hey, yes, you're going to have 12:22 to go through some of this stuff, 12:23 but rejoice because 12:27 you're going to come out on the other side 12:28 without smelling like smoke." 12:30 Amen. 12:32 I like that. That's right. 12:33 You know, Rome, 12:34 had probably just been burned when Peter wrote this. 12:38 And there was a 200 period of persecution, 12:41 year period of persecution of the Christians. 12:44 And I mean, they were severely persecuted. 12:47 But what I like about this, is it applies to us as well. 12:52 When a trial comes our way, we should just expect trials, 12:55 but we evaluate them and trust them to God, 12:59 and rejoice in what He's going to do. 13:01 Amen. 13:02 Dee? 13:04 To me the good cheer and the rejoicing 13:06 is something more internal. 13:10 I couldn't, sometimes when you're in the trial, 13:14 if it's painful, 13:15 you, your outwardly may not seem joyful, 13:19 it should appear peaceful, but it may not seem joyful. 13:24 And you may not rejoice or be of good cheer, 13:26 but it's an inward thing. 13:29 I can rejoice 13:30 because I'm not walking through this alone. 13:33 I rejoice that God is walking through it with me. 13:35 I can be of good cheer, 13:37 because I know that 13:39 this is not His plan for me forever. 13:42 I'm to learn and to grow through it 13:44 and there will, I will come out the other side. 13:47 That's where the rejoice in and good cheer come from 13:50 is hanging on to Jesus 13:52 and knowing that this is a trial, 13:56 and I will get through it 13:58 and I will be better on the other side, 14:00 it's closer to the Lord. Amen. 14:02 It's like the three Hebrews. 14:04 You're not alone. 14:05 There's one that's in the fire with you, you know, 14:08 you're not by yourself. 14:10 Amen. Amen. Go ahead. 14:12 This next one, Shelley, James 1:2-4 14:17 is one that I am still growing to this one. 14:21 Amen. 14:22 'Cause, you know, as it says, in the last verse, 14:24 exceeding joy, be glad with exceeding joy. 14:27 I challenge you, you've got to really be at a special place 14:32 to say I was so glad about that trial. 14:36 It's not something that's natural. 14:37 Shelley? 14:39 James 1:2-4, 14:41 "My brethren, count it all joy," 14:44 count means to evaluate this, 14:46 "all joy when you fall into various trials, 14:49 knowing that the testing of your faith 14:53 produces patience." 14:55 It's interesting Jewish wisdom literature. 14:59 They wrote that trials were proof of faithfulness. 15:04 God allowed it as it, 15:07 so that we can prove our faithfulness. 15:10 And then he says, 15:11 "But let patience have its perfect work, 15:15 that you may be perfect and complete in it, 15:20 lacking nothing." 15:21 If we don't let patience have its work and if, 15:27 you know, I've been through this, 15:29 I'm still on a 17-month trial. 15:31 And God has taught me some patience, 15:36 but He's always put a smile on my face. 15:39 There's been a couple of days 15:41 where my patience has grown really weary. 15:44 And you know what happens? 15:46 When we don't remain patient, 15:48 the trial becomes like a temptation to doubt. 15:53 So that's why it's so important 15:56 that we keep our eyes on the Lord. 15:58 I mean, you don't want to feel sorry for yourself. 16:01 And self-pity is straight from the pits of hell. 16:07 But when we have patience just believing that 16:11 God is going to produce something great out of this, 16:15 and it will do its perfect work, 16:16 it's wonderful. 16:19 I started going this direction when you mentioned while ago, 16:22 this big pressure tank, 16:24 you know, there's just sitting there just 16:26 something's ready to go off 16:27 if you don't control that pressure. 16:30 If you don't have that valve up there, 16:31 you know that whenever it reaches a certain pressure, 16:33 you know, it's just going to explode. 16:36 And right here, 16:38 we are being given some direction right here. 16:42 Hey, one of the options is patience. 16:44 Wow. 16:45 Now that's going to, that tap might be intellectually, 16:49 but at least the minimum, please hear this, 16:52 the minimum Lord increased my patience. 16:55 If it gets there 16:57 and you're hearing a noise goes off, 16:59 you know that steam is going to, 17:01 something's going to happen, 17:02 Lord, Lord, please help. 17:05 But you know, I was just thinking, 17:07 I've never used a pressure cooker, 17:08 but my grandmother always did. 17:10 And she would take the little weight off of it, 17:13 so it can kind of, 17:14 I think that's like prayer, 17:16 when you said that we have a release valve, 17:18 when that pressure is building up, 17:20 and we turn it over and entrusted to the Lord. 17:23 That's how we can remain patient 17:27 is knowing that He's involved. 17:29 Amen. Amen. Yeah. 17:31 And that's, yeah, the patience is, 17:34 when you reach the top and you can't take it anymore. 17:37 Prayer, okay, Lord, give me the patience 17:40 to wait upon Your time 17:44 to relieve this pressure and pain. 17:48 Sometimes the pain will feel overwhelming. 17:53 And whether it's physical, mental or emotional, 17:58 we will reach a point 17:59 where I can't take this anymore. 18:02 And so that's when you reach up with prayer to Lord, 18:07 I need some of this pressure off of me 18:09 through prayer, let me have patience. 18:11 Father, remind me that 18:13 You're walking with me through this 18:15 that You're carrying me, Father. 18:17 Sometimes we have to remember He's carrying us. 18:20 And it's when you have your eyes on the Lord, 18:22 trusting in Him that He restores your peace. 18:26 That's right. 18:27 What's coming to your mind, honey, I see? 18:29 Nothing, I'm just enjoying this, 18:30 just when I say enjoying it, 18:32 you know, it's strengthening, it's encouraging. 18:35 Recently, I bought an air compressor, 18:38 because I've just got tired of going to the gas station. 18:41 And it's really tough 18:42 when you have just that auxiliary can of air 18:44 and it's like 2PSI. 18:47 You can't blow up anything with that, 18:49 even a balloon. 18:50 You drag to the gas station. 18:52 And then it really gets you on the pump 18:54 is down at the gas station. 18:55 We in Thompsonville, 18:57 you've to drive 10 miles either way 18:58 to find a air, 19:00 and you just want to catch it on. 19:01 So I finally bought an air compressor. 19:04 And, but I was reading the instructions 19:05 and had two valve gauges on it. 19:07 One showing the pressure in the tank. 19:09 And the other one 19:10 as it's building up the pressure in the tank. 19:13 It says caution, caution, 19:15 make sure the valve on the left, 19:17 you calibrate that to zero pressure. 19:20 Because you could have 19:22 30 pounds of pressure in the tank, 19:23 but if the one on the right is 150, 19:26 that tank is about to blow. 19:28 Because it's, you know, it's not calibrated. 19:30 They said make sure that 19:32 how you do that calibrate that one on the left to zero, 19:35 so that as this one is building up, 19:36 and then they have a line 19:38 even though the tank could hold like 19:39 220 pounds of pressure. 19:41 They say please do not go past this number. 19:44 Because it begins to compromise the seams 19:47 of how well that's made. 19:48 And I thought about that, life builds up in us sometimes. 19:52 And prayer is that regulator. 19:54 Just patience is that regulator and God says, 19:58 "Don't let the pressure get to you." 20:00 Make sure that you could regulate that pressure in life 20:02 by prayer and by patience. 20:04 Yes. 20:05 And the good news is, 20:06 is that you had the good sense 20:08 to read the directions. 20:09 And you know this is the direction. 20:12 Amen. 20:14 Lots of times, I know, 20:15 doing the Quinn way, we always blow up. 20:18 And then we read the directions. 20:20 And if I'm gonna live long enough 20:22 that I'm going to read directions first. 20:24 How many people buy things and don't read the direction? 20:27 So many. 20:28 Now what, where does this go? 20:29 What pieces is connected to like that address 20:31 that's on 30 degree angle. 20:32 I'm a direction reader. Oh, you are? 20:34 Yes, I am. 20:35 And I'm one of those guys that try to do it. 20:39 Angie, we got this entertainment stand, 20:42 and I thought this seems pretty easy... 20:46 Everything was everywhere. 20:47 Everything was everywhere. 20:48 And Angie said, just click the video 20:50 and it will walk you through it. 20:51 There's a little video. I got this, honey. 20:53 You get it put together 20:54 and there's eight screws left over. 20:56 And it's all well. 20:57 So I was so glad after trying. 20:59 I said, now, 21:01 this screw looks just a little quarter of an inch longer 21:03 than the other one. 21:04 If they both have the same treading, 21:06 let me try it. 21:07 And then I press the video says 21:08 there are only four of these screws 21:10 and eight of those do not use the four short screws. 21:12 I said okay, and so Angie came in the room. 21:14 You know, women cannot, they can't hesitate, 21:16 at a good moment they can't hesitate to say. 21:19 I told you, just look at the video, 21:21 it will instruct you. 21:23 And I got through it effortlessly. 21:25 He did. But we made it different. 21:27 In our household, Shelley has her, 21:32 her DNA is wrapped differently than mine. 21:34 Yes, most women. 21:36 So she has a better engineering mind 21:39 than I do. 21:40 And now you talk about pressure. 21:42 Honey, would you like to put that together? 21:44 Since she's sitting there 21:45 she can already see how it goes. 21:47 I can do this. 21:48 I you know, I am the man of the family. 21:53 Now let me get my toys out first, 21:55 because I'm very proud of my toys. 21:56 You know, I got everything that electric, 21:59 so I got all my toys out here 22:00 just to do a little 30 seconds job, you know. 22:04 And then of course, 22:05 well, honey, when you think that 22:07 it might go there? 22:09 Well, yeah, I guess it could. 22:13 Oh, but anyway, we get through it. 22:15 And it does because of the author's skill. 22:18 You line it up 22:20 and the God has given you those skills. 22:21 Dee does her own. 22:22 Well, actually I do because my husband used to say, 22:27 here, Dee, you put this together 22:29 because he knew I read the instructions. 22:32 And I got it, I had to take a book down to a salesman 22:35 because I went to get a part. 22:37 And he says, "Oh, no." 22:39 And I said, "Yes, the instruction book says it." 22:40 He goes, "Oh, no, they'd..." 22:42 And I, I'll be back. 22:44 And he says, "Oh, it does say that." 22:48 I read the directions. 22:50 So when we read the direction book, 22:53 and the most amazing thing about this direction book, 22:55 it can change to address our specific problem. 23:00 It doesn't actually change, we see it differently. 23:03 That's right. 23:05 In the trials you see it differently. 23:06 And it produces its perfect work 23:08 as this Bible says. 23:09 And that's why James and, Dee, 23:11 I'm going to have you go to Romans 5:3 and 4. 23:13 But that's why, 23:14 you know, when James talks about various trials, 23:16 let me make a statement here. 23:19 The various trials develop various strengths, 23:23 because you never know what you need 23:24 until a specific trial comes along and says, 23:26 oh, I don't have... 23:28 It's like weightlifting, right? 23:29 You want to lift the weight for the arm 23:30 or for the leg, the abs. 23:33 After a while lifting the same weight, 23:34 you think I've got to change the weight, 23:36 because you no longer feels the weight. 23:38 And you know what, God knows that. 23:39 God says, 23:41 "I need to develop in you something 23:42 you don't have yet. 23:43 So I'm going to increase the weight." 23:45 And... And He allows trials. 23:47 He allows it. Somebody said... 23:49 You know what breaks my heart is when I recognize a trial 23:53 that's very similar to one I had before 23:56 because I know I didn't learn the lesson. 23:59 It's like oh, Father, 24:00 I thought I had overcome and you're letting me see that. 24:04 Yeah, true. 24:05 I know that, Dee. 24:07 All right. 24:08 So what are some of the good results 24:10 of trials or tribulations? 24:11 Dee has that. Romans 5:3 and 4. 24:14 Romans 5:3 and 4, 24:16 "And not only that, 24:18 but we also glory in tribulations 24:20 knowing that 24:21 tribulation produces perseverance, 24:24 and perseverance character 24:27 and character hope." 24:31 Wow. 24:33 Yes, different steps. 24:34 Do we see ourselves on the shelf 24:37 when the tree gets cut down? 24:40 Let me interpret. 24:42 Do we see ourselves on the shelf 24:44 when we are first dog out of a rock quarry? 24:49 No, we don't. 24:51 When those guys are sent by certain designers 24:55 and certain sculptors, 24:56 He says I'm looking for a particular kind of rock. 25:02 Would you go, dig it out for me 25:04 and the guys that just have no skills 25:06 but to dig out a rock out of a big old mountain 25:09 that sits in the front yard, 25:11 now it's going to be 39.95 per pound. 25:14 It's like 600 pounds. 25:16 And somebody said, 25:17 "Why would you pay that much for that rock?" 25:20 And he says, 25:21 "Wait till I'm done." 25:23 Do you think God does that? 25:25 Oh, yeah. Chisel us. 25:27 He chisel us. 25:28 Go ahead, Shelley. 25:30 I'm just going to say, 25:31 the tribulations producing perseverance, 25:35 character, a proven character and hope, 25:37 this is disciplined for greater holiness. 25:40 And this is what God is. 25:42 Say that one more time. This is what... 25:44 This is disciplined for greater holiness. 25:48 You know, the Bible says that. 25:50 And that's one of my favorite things 25:52 about the Sabbath 25:54 is Exodus 31:13 says, God says, 25:58 "I'm the one who sanctifies you. 26:00 I'm the one who sets you apart from evil." 26:04 And sometimes the things that come into our life. 26:08 It's just a matter of disciplining us to sanctify us, 26:13 to help us to recognize certain things. 26:17 Something that jumped out at me whenever we were reading, 26:19 what are some of the good results 26:21 from tribulations? 26:22 What jumped out at me is testimonies. 26:25 It gives me a testimony to build off of. 26:28 You know, there's a lot of stuff, 26:29 a lot of junk that's happened to every one of us that... 26:34 Let me tell you about this. 26:35 Dee says, 26:36 "Well, let me tell you about my testimony." 26:39 And it's a good way to me. 26:42 Yes, I do know that 26:44 perseverance certainly is part of, 26:45 is outcome of tribulation, 26:47 perseverance, character, hope, 26:51 so is the testimonies. 26:53 Do you know, the most wonderful testimony, though, 26:57 is the one that you don't have to say 27:00 that other people can see it, 27:03 live it. Yes. 27:04 See, you're living it. 27:06 That's the most wonderful testimony. 27:08 If your family or friends can say, 27:12 I see a change in them. 27:15 And then you give all the glory to God. 27:17 Amen. That's right. 27:18 That's so true. Beautiful. 27:20 And you don't get there without tribulation. 27:23 No pressure without being cut away. 27:27 She said in the moment ago about the... 27:29 The redeemed Bible says that 27:30 the redeemed of the Lord say so, 27:33 in redeemed. 27:34 Amen. Yes, and testify. 27:36 And they overcame by the word of their testimony. 27:38 I know, by the blood of the Lamb, 27:40 by the word of their testimony. 27:41 I know you're thinking that 27:43 because when you say testimonies, 27:44 it's like our minds that are just so biblical. 27:47 And it's so wonderful to know that 27:48 there's a Bible verses in there 27:50 that the Lord brings back to the surface 27:52 when you could hear a word like that. 27:53 Thank you. 27:54 And, but what now, but how frequent are we? 27:58 This is one that sometimes may rub us wrong. 28:01 How frequent are we to expect trials to be? 28:05 This is something. 28:07 We don't like trials to come one after the other. 28:11 We sure don't. 28:13 But let's look at some of the realities. 28:14 Acts 14:22. 28:16 And the title of this is strengthening the converts. 28:20 Okay. Yes. 28:21 And verse 22 says, 28:23 "Strengthening the souls of the disciples, 28:26 exhorting them to continue in the faith, 28:30 and saying, 28:31 we must through many tribulations 28:35 enter the kingdom of God." 28:39 What if somebody told you that the day you got baptized? 28:41 Well, welcome to the tribulation group. 28:43 I try to tell people that. 28:45 You know, I mean, 28:46 and Paul bore witness to this, didn't he? 28:48 He was probably persecuted and suffered 28:51 more than almost anybody in the New Testament. 28:55 But I tried to tell people, 28:57 when you come to Christ, you're on the devil's radar. 29:01 That's right. 29:03 I tell people when you come to work at 3ABN. 29:05 Exactly. 29:08 And we see that a lot of times. 29:10 That's true. I always tell people... 29:11 He always want baptismal candidates. 29:13 I said after Matthew Chapter 3 is Matthew Chapter 4. 29:15 And the Spirit led him into the wilderness 29:17 to be tempted of the devil. 29:19 So he got baptized Jesus in Matthew 3, 29:22 in the Spirit of the Lord. 29:25 And this is important. 29:26 The Spirit of the Lord, 29:28 Jesus didn't arbitrarily wander in the wilderness, 29:31 but this is the hour He came for. 29:32 But it's a test, isn't it? Yeah. 29:34 So you got to look, now watch this, 29:35 here's where I'm going with it. 29:37 You have to sometimes, 29:39 this is a concept that 29:40 sometimes is foreign to Christians. 29:42 But when you become, 29:44 and Shelley just made this point, 29:45 when you get out of the stands, I use a football analogy, 29:47 when you leave the stands 29:48 to get on the field and you look down 29:50 and see a different color team jersey than yours, 29:53 you know, you're going to get hit, right? 29:54 Don't think it's strange 29:56 concerning the hits you're going to get. 29:57 But the thing that's strange, 29:59 the thing that's beautiful about it, 30:01 you don't jump from the stands on to the field, 30:04 you got to go through the locker room, 30:06 you definitely got to pass the coach on the other team. 30:09 And the thing about that is 30:10 the Holy Spirit, 30:12 who is God's appointed coach in our lives to help us. 30:15 He says, 30:16 "Come on, let me lead you to the place 30:18 where your life is going to be stronger. 30:19 Let me lead you." 30:21 And the thing about that 30:22 I think you mentioned a moment ago, 30:24 you were alluding to, but then you change your mind. 30:26 God doesn't send the trials, but He sure does measure them. 30:30 He never allows the trial to come to us unmeasured, 30:33 to try to crush us. 30:35 But He allows them to come to strengthen us. 30:37 But He allows this specific trial 30:39 we need at that time. 30:42 It's not just random trials. 30:45 They have a purpose to them. 30:46 And trials are different. 30:49 You may have a major trial 30:52 that you're going through in your life, 30:53 but we have sometimes it's the minor trials 30:57 that we fail the worse. 30:58 Yeah, the little. Like the Battle of Ai. 31:01 When you have, we do have trials all the time. 31:05 But they're different trials. 31:08 Now, you've been through a really long one lately. 31:11 Yes, she has. 31:12 But did God put this trial on you 31:14 when 20 years ago when you were a new Christian? 31:17 No. 31:19 He put tribulations on you to grow you. 31:23 But He didn't, you know... 31:24 He allowed. Yeah, He didn't put it on me. 31:26 You know, there are... 31:28 We have to realize 31:29 bad things happen to good people. 31:32 There's children who are in cancer wards 31:36 with leukemia, 31:37 and it's a matter 31:39 of God... 31:43 I'm just going to say this as briefly as I can. 31:47 Satan has accused God 31:49 in saying you're not fair, you're not this. 31:52 God has allowed Satan a certain period of time. 31:56 And so there's rules of engagement, 31:58 and God allows 32:02 certain things for Satan to do. 32:05 It's because He's committed Himself morally, 32:08 that He's not going to get involved in it, 32:11 that that's how it is allowed. 32:13 And we can't, I can't explain 32:18 the bad things that happen to young people. 32:20 It's not, it's just something 32:24 that we're all going to go through trials, 32:27 and they're specific trials here. 32:29 Let me bring this up real quick 32:30 in following this particular vein. 32:32 There's a term called deficiency motivation, 32:36 deficiency motivation. 32:38 Okay. 32:40 I'm ready to get go to the first grade. 32:43 Okay. 32:44 So I'm prepared as I got my new jeans on, 32:47 my new shoes and everything, 32:48 my mother has been, 32:50 it's going to be okay little boy, 32:52 it's going to be okay. 32:53 So I get to the first, I get to the door. 32:55 Oh, my goodness, what a strange feeling it is. 32:57 Look around see all these new people, 32:59 don't know who the teachers are. 33:01 Don't know where the bathrooms are. 33:03 I don't know anything. 33:04 By the time that I get through the fifth grade 33:06 though, boy, I'm king of the perch. 33:10 I know where the bathrooms are, 33:11 I know who all the teachers are. 33:13 I know the good teachers, bad teachers. 33:15 And then what happens? 33:17 I go to the sixth grade, junior high. 33:21 Here again fear comes up. 33:24 Don't know where the bathrooms are, 33:25 don't know who the teachers are, 33:26 don't know that. 33:28 I don't know a squat. 33:30 Then what happens? 33:32 Ninth grade comes, 33:33 deficiency motive and starts out all over again. 33:36 Then what happens? 33:38 College. 33:39 Then what happens? 33:40 Career. 33:42 Then what happens? 33:43 Family. 33:44 All through life and we see this 33:47 I think there's an enemy out there 33:50 that's very mature. 33:51 I think we learned about this, this last Sabbath 6,000 years 33:55 he knows how to come in 33:56 and he know exactly how to weave the web. 34:00 And so there's always 34:01 going to be something around the corner. 34:04 And so, are we to expect trials happen to us? 34:08 Absolutely. That's right. 34:10 As the different as we climb one step upon another step, 34:14 there's going to be a trial. 34:16 Well said, JD. 34:18 I'll never forget that picture. 34:19 No. 34:21 2 Corinthians 12:9, 34:23 the deficiency motivation our solution is Paul. 34:28 Jesus told Paul, 34:29 "My grace is sufficient for you." 34:33 And Paul says, 34:34 "I can do all things through Christ 34:36 who strengthens me." 34:37 So that's a good point. It is. 34:40 One thing around it, on the sufficiency, 34:42 boy that bothered me for a little while. 34:44 But you know, sometimes you hit a speed bump 34:46 and you just nearly have a heart attack. 34:48 Oh, yes, that's... 34:50 And then but, 34:51 boy, then you can hear that little voice. 34:53 My grace is sufficient. 34:55 You gonna live through this, JD. 34:56 Yes. 34:58 Thank you Jesus. 34:59 The end here, 35:00 you're going to find yourself on Pikes Peak, 35:04 a little different speed bump in Pikes Peak. 35:07 But in a wonderful word that he used sufficiency. 35:12 I don't care how big a problem you got. 35:16 My grace is sufficient, bring it on. 35:19 Okay, honey. 35:20 The picture that we can't, 35:22 that creates bad things happen to good people 35:25 that we can't, the thing that 35:27 we can't understand is the sin issue. 35:30 Because no matter we can do everything right. 35:33 We can be close to the Lord, we can walk through our trials. 35:37 The sin issue is the unknown 35:40 that we don't have control over that, 35:43 Satan has over it 35:44 and it can affect anybody at any time. 35:46 That's right. 35:48 And then that is that tribulation 35:50 that God walks you through that we can't explain. 35:55 There is no explanation on this earth 35:57 of why some of those things that look so unreasonable to us 36:03 that we just can't understand. 36:05 It goes back to the sin issue. 36:07 Sometimes there's places we don't want to be, 36:09 honey, talk about that. 36:11 You just listen to me about the... 36:13 When we were in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. 36:17 This is talking about fear, overcoming fear, okay? 36:22 I don't like parasailing. 36:24 You don't like heights? 36:26 I don't like heights. 36:27 And I decided, well, when we went to St. Thomas, 36:31 Brother Isaac, right? 36:34 A shout out to you, Brother Isaac. 36:36 You recognize my husband and said, 36:39 "You don't have to pay for anything." 36:41 We're like "What?" 36:42 So he says, "I'm going to put you on parasailing." 36:46 My heart pitter-pattered. 36:47 I should have never purchased that. 36:48 I wouldn't purchase it. No. 36:50 So he says, "Go on parasailing." 36:51 I'm like, "Okay, it'll be a little fun, 36:55 but I got to overcome this fear." 36:58 So off we went to on the boat. 37:01 We got our gear, harnesses, 37:04 everything set up and off we go. 37:06 And I say oh, this is so nice, so going up. 37:10 Then we got way up. 37:12 My heart was pounding. 37:15 I was, my eyes closed. 37:16 He sent you about, maybe about 350-400 feet up. 37:19 I didn't realize that, I didn't pay attention. 37:21 That's 35 to 40 stories over the ocean. 37:24 You looked down? 37:25 I looked down. 37:27 Look up Angie, look up Angie. 37:30 My happy go lucky husband, look at all the islands. 37:33 Look at all of this. 37:34 It's beautiful out there. I said, "Don't talk to me." 37:38 I said, "Don't see me." 37:39 She said, "Don't touch me." 37:41 Don't touch me. He's touching me, "Honey look." 37:43 Stop it, stop it. 37:44 I don't want to hear it. 37:46 Now, some of you that bring you the greatest trial 37:49 could give you the greatest view 37:50 of where you're heading. 37:51 Amen. 37:53 That's wonderful. So what... 37:54 So you need to have eyes wide open in those trails. 37:56 That's right. I peeked. 37:59 Did peek a little with one eye. 38:00 So why am I telling my wife in the moment of fear, 38:02 open your eyes. 38:04 It's not that bad. Amen. 38:05 There's anticipated fear, 38:07 there's anticipated trials and there's actual trial. 38:10 What I was trying to motivate her 38:12 about was their two kids went before us. 38:16 Yeah, he did. 38:17 Look here, he couldn't be bigger than a harness. 38:19 And another kid was about 12 years old. 38:21 And his brothers were terrified. 38:23 And his mother said, 38:25 "His brothers didn't want to do this, 38:26 they're terrified." 38:27 So I told him I said, 38:29 "When you go back, tell your brothers. 38:30 Look, I'm a courageous kid." 38:31 And he said, "Yes." 38:33 And so Angie went after these two kids 38:36 that went bad knee-high to a grasshopper. 38:38 I said, "Honey, look they survived, you'll be just fine." 38:40 She said, "Don't talk to me." 38:42 But I had a fear, 38:43 what if it pops all these things, 38:45 you know what if I fall in the water 38:46 and the sharks are going to get me? 38:48 Did any of that happen? No. 38:50 So what did your worry gain you? 38:52 Nothing. Oh, I get it. 38:54 What did, what did it rob you of? 38:56 Right. The joy. 38:58 The beauty of what God was trying to show you. 39:01 So sometimes God is lifting you up 39:03 in your most fearful moments, 39:04 the moments of tribulation to you, 39:06 and you're missing out on what He's trying to show you. 39:10 So the only way she knows it is now on our video, 39:13 the one I wore on my chest, 39:14 DJI, but let's go on to a couple of things here 39:16 because there are big questions 39:18 that we have to ask ourselves in trials. 39:20 I'm gonna go to Shelley, this time, I changed my order. 39:22 Shelley, Romans 8:35? 39:24 Romans 8:35. 39:25 Yeah, there are some big questions 39:27 we have to ask ourselves when trials come. 39:29 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ, 39:32 shall tribulation, or distress, 39:35 or persecution, or famine, 39:38 or nakedness or peril or sword. 39:42 Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ." 39:46 And you know, Paul, 39:48 endured all of these things, did he not? 39:51 Yeah. 39:53 But he emerged triumphant 39:55 because he knew that Christ was his rock, 40:00 that Christ was his, 40:03 he was under the wings of the Lord. 40:05 And he did not worry about the peril. 40:08 He didn't worry about it. 40:10 And I think that there's another passages... 40:11 We're more than conquerors, right? 40:13 Yeah. 40:14 We're going to reuse that one. 40:16 Right. We're going to use that one again. 40:17 Okay, I'm sorry. That's okay. 40:19 But look at what he... 40:20 Look at the categories that he brings out. 40:22 What are some of those categories again, honey? 40:24 Which one? 40:25 Let's look at the tribulation or distress. 40:29 Boy, have we, has the world been going through distress? 40:35 Some more than others. 40:37 Some are fighting persecution. 40:39 What else? 40:40 Famine. Famine, nakedness, peril. 40:43 I don't think any of these categories 40:45 would be ones that people will say, bring it on. 40:50 I want to go through famine, I want to go through distress. 40:52 Nobody will bring it on. 40:54 But the Lord, it's funny that it starts that way. 40:58 That's why I want to go to Romans 12:12 next, JD. 41:01 Romans 12:12. 41:02 Because we're finding some unusual terms 41:05 in the middle of these difficulties, 41:06 as Shelley said, 41:08 "Who shall separate us?" 41:09 What is Paul asking us, Shelley? 41:13 Who shall separate us, what is Paul asking us? 41:17 I'm sorry, I don't understand your question. 41:19 What is Paul asking us who shall separate us, 41:21 what is he asking? 41:22 The love of Christ. 41:23 There's nothing that can separate us is that? 41:25 Yes. Okay. I didn't understand. 41:27 So what is that... 41:28 Even when we think we feel separated, 41:31 we feel separated, 41:32 God actually did not separate from us, 41:34 He is right there. 41:36 Jesus felt forsaken on the cross. 41:38 But God, what, but He wasn't. 41:40 But He wasn't. 41:41 It was a feeling that was not true, 41:43 because nothing can or will separate us. 41:47 Now, I wanna bring out something we didn't see. 41:49 Because I said what is Paul asking us. 41:51 Did he ask us what shall separate us? 41:58 People sometimes are the very, 42:01 the very place where these things come from, 42:03 because people just what, 42:05 we could be on an island by ourselves. 42:06 How many people on an island by themselves go through this? 42:09 But how do... 42:11 But where do we go through them? 42:12 Usually through people. 42:15 Could be family members, church members, 42:17 people that we don't know, 42:19 until Paul is saying, Okay, if you see them coming, 42:21 remember, is this going to be the one 42:23 that's going to separate you? 42:25 That's what he's asking, "Who? Not what?" 42:27 We always think what, but he's saying who? 42:30 Because he went through some stuff. 42:31 And JD, Romans 12:12? 42:34 In Romans 12:12, talk about who... 42:38 Yeah, the kind of attitude. 42:39 "What is our response in everything, 42:41 we should rejoice and hope. 42:43 We should be patient in tribulation, 42:46 continually steadfast, 42:49 have our feet planted firmly in prayer." 42:52 So in other words, 42:53 he would have mentioned these up here. 42:55 But Paul would not have mentioned these, 42:57 who shall separate from the love of Christ? 42:59 Shall it be tribulation? 43:01 Shall it be distress or persecute 43:03 if they didn't anticipate it? 43:05 So, you know, this is coming down 43:06 from inspired man. 43:08 So they already have given us this, 43:10 you can expect this. 43:12 But then come in here and says, 43:13 hey, but there is this option we were talking about earlier, 43:17 you can rejoice in hope, 43:19 you can be patient in tribulation. 43:21 And you do have that option of being steadfast in pray, 43:26 in prayer. 43:28 You know, my wife brought something out here 43:29 and I want you to read that, 43:30 verses 9-11 because what's the category? 43:33 The title, If you have the remnant Bible 43:35 that says behave like a Christian, 43:38 above verse 9, 43:40 because it says like, verse 9 says, 43:41 "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. 43:45 Cling to what is good." 43:46 These are just practical steps of being a Christian, 43:50 "Be kindly affectionate to one another 43:53 with brotherly love and honor, 43:56 give in preference to one another, 43:58 not lagging in diligence, 43:59 fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." 44:02 And then, of course, 44:03 "Rejoicing in hope, 44:05 patient in tribulation, 44:07 continually steadfast in prayer." 44:11 You know, rejoicing in hope to me, 44:14 the hope that he is referring to here is, 44:19 I mean, hope in the Greek is eager expectation. 44:24 But the hope he's referring to here 44:26 is our hope of Christ return of our ultimate redemption, 44:32 of knowing that whatever our sufferings 44:37 are light and momentary, 44:38 and we had this eternal glory ahead of us. 44:42 But continuing steadfastly in prayer. 44:46 I think to me prayer, 44:49 I see humility is total dependence upon God. 44:54 And prayer is 44:57 how you can measure your dependence upon God. 45:00 If you go through the day without prayer, 45:03 you're not depending on God. 45:05 But if you're turning everything 45:06 over to God in prayer 45:08 that shows your humility, and you can rejoice. 45:11 And also creates that relationship. 45:13 Amen. That's right. 45:15 I was reading last week in a devotional. 45:18 JD? No, go ahead. 45:20 I was reading last week in the devotional thought 45:22 and Oswald Chambers, 45:23 because you know, coming back from vacation, 45:26 I looked at my schedule. 45:27 Coming back and I thought, 45:30 I wrote it to Donna, 45:31 I'm stressed just looking at this. 45:33 I'm just stressed looking at this. 45:35 I think I should extend my stay, 45:36 I was thinking to myself, 45:38 but Oswald Chambers was appropriate for me. 45:41 Because as I was reading, he says, 45:43 if the, I'll use the word the things of life, 45:49 if the thing that God has called you to do 45:52 stresses you out, 45:54 you are putting all of the responsibility 45:56 on yourself. 45:58 But if it doesn't stress you out, 46:00 you're putting the responsibility 46:02 to perform these things on Christ. 46:05 And so often we put the performance on ourselves. 46:07 I mean, come on now we all work here. 46:09 Oh, yeah. 46:11 We know, we know it's like, what has that require him? 46:13 Okay, well, I got two hats on, 46:15 I haven't take the other one off yet. 46:17 When you are relying on yourself, 46:18 it's stressful. 46:19 But I said to somebody, now I get it. 46:21 The Lord says, 46:23 "Come unto me, all you who are 46:24 weary and heavy laden 46:26 or labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest." 46:28 So we trade our yoke for His and He says, 46:31 "My yoke is easy. My burden is light." 46:34 And after I got through my sermon on Sabbath, 46:36 and then the Bible marking on the Sabbath afternoon 46:38 to kind of so to speak, wind up my week. 46:41 I said, 46:43 "Honey, that was not so bad. 46:45 That was not so bad. 46:46 I asked God to give me strength and He did. 46:49 He surely did. 46:50 But He takes the stress off too. 46:53 He does take the stress off. 46:54 When I first started in my position, 46:57 I put it on myself, 46:59 that I had to book all these people 47:01 and I had to talk them into coming. 47:04 It was my job to get them to say yes. 47:08 That's a lot of stress. Yes, it is. 47:10 But the minute that I finally realized, 47:15 God brings people to 3ABN, 47:18 God impresses in our hearts. 47:20 It's not Dee's job. 47:22 It's God's. 47:24 And the minute 47:25 the responsibility belongs to God 47:27 about who came or didn't come. 47:30 All I had to do was make the phone calls. 47:32 And I would say to people, well, if God wants you here, 47:35 He won't give you any peace. 47:38 Well, that's a good one. 47:40 I have, I want my wife to read one of these here. 47:42 But I want to throw this one back to Shelley. 47:44 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 47:47 when I was thinking about my wife, specifically, 47:49 but Shelley, what assurance that we've been given 47:52 concerning trials and tribulations? 47:54 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 47:57 the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, 48:02 who comforts us in all our tribulation, 48:06 that we may be able to comfort 48:08 those who are in any trouble 48:11 with the comfort 48:13 with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 48:17 Boy, it is because 48:20 through the past 17 months, 48:24 God has strengthened. 48:26 Excuse me, this is one of my challenges. 48:30 God has strengthened to me every day. 48:33 He has given me the courage. 48:35 But what's amazing, you mentioned 48:37 about your life being a witness. 48:40 I've been comforting others, 48:43 you know, in my words, 48:44 trying to give them the same comfort 48:46 with the things that God has taught me 48:48 while I've been in His waiting room. 48:50 But I'm constantly surprised 48:53 by the number of people who say, 48:55 your life has been such a testimony 48:58 watching you go through this, 48:59 I'm going, wow! 49:01 You know, so, but God uses us when... 49:06 He doesn't just comfort us, so we can sit back and think, 49:09 oh, I've got his nice fuzzy blanket around me. 49:12 He comforts us 49:13 so that we can be a conduit of blessing 49:16 to someone else. 49:17 I tell people, 49:19 somebody asked me to call a woman 49:21 who'd lost her child. 49:22 I cannot imagine a worse pain than losing your child. 49:28 What did I do? 49:29 I called another woman who'd lost her child. 49:32 And God had brought her through 49:34 and I asked her to call this lady. 49:37 I can't comfort someone 49:41 in since I've not been through it. 49:43 I can give them theoretical, practical, 49:47 but this was somebody who could empathize 49:51 'cause she'd walked through it, 49:52 she'd receive the comfort from God 49:54 and she could be the conduit to this woman. 49:56 Wow. 49:58 So when you go through it, 49:59 you're helping somebody else go through it. 50:01 It's like, some time I remember not too many years ago, 50:03 well, it is many years ago 50:04 because we haven't been 50:06 on a roller coaster in a long time. 50:07 No, in long time. 50:09 But I've seen some treacherous roller coasters. 50:10 And you know what people often ask folk 50:11 that have been on a roller coaster 50:13 before they get on? 50:14 How was it? 50:16 How was it? 50:17 You say, "It feels great." 50:21 You know, you're in line, there's no turning back, 50:22 you've been buckled in and strapped in 50:24 and a harness going over your head, 50:26 and it's moving, and everybody going, 50:28 see you on the other side. 50:29 That's how trials are sometimes, 50:31 you got to buckle in, you got to buckle in, 50:33 there's going to be some serious 50:35 that first drop in a trial. 50:37 You see it from the ground, 50:38 but it's different when you're in it. 50:40 Exactly. Right? 50:42 We know. 50:44 We've been married 37 years, 50:46 you definitely go through trial. 50:47 You can encourage others, 50:48 as you see them going up getting ready for the drop, 50:51 you can encourage them. 50:54 And also maybe give them some help 50:57 of getting through that drop. 51:00 As you hear them screaming from a distance. 51:02 But it also encourages them 51:05 that they're not other people have gone through this before. 51:08 Right, like Cheri. Yeah. 51:11 You got through it. 51:13 It gives them hope to when they see 51:17 that God brought you through it. 51:19 I think this is one reason why, 51:20 you know, we have different members. 51:23 We're in the totality 51:24 of all these different experiences in life. 51:27 And there are some people's gone through 51:29 that they are very courageous 51:30 because of what they've gone through, 51:32 they're very compassionate of what they've gone through. 51:35 And it's so ironic consequence, or maybe divine, 51:40 that that's the person that God puts in your pathway. 51:45 Someone that has gone through something similar 51:47 because they can be empathetic, 51:50 you know, they can be there to with, 51:53 you know, being able to exchange 51:54 the right words at the right time. 51:56 That's right. Encouragement. 51:58 Now, honey, I'm going to have you read 2 Corinthians 1:5-6. 52:02 And the question, 52:03 what did trials and tribulations 52:05 enable us to do? 52:07 "For as the sufferings of Christ 52:10 abound in us, 52:12 so our consolation also abound through Christ. 52:17 Now, if we are afflicted, 52:20 it is for your consolation, 52:23 and salvation, 52:25 which is effective for enduring the same sufferings, 52:31 which we also suffer. 52:34 Or, if we are comforted, 52:36 it is for your consolation and salvation." 52:40 Wow. 52:41 That's what Shelley was just talking about a moment ago. 52:43 If I go through it, 52:44 I'm supposed to help you go through it. 52:46 If you go through, you're supposed to help me go. 52:47 My abundant supplies your lack, 52:49 and your lack supplies my abundance. 52:51 And then you could say, I know what it's like. 52:53 I have learned, as I've gotten older, 52:57 even in my role of pastor, 52:58 there are times I can't say to people, 53:00 I understand, I understand what you're going through. 53:02 Right. 53:03 Now, even if we think 53:04 we've been through the same trial, 53:06 it's not the same, it's always different. 53:07 So you can't say that. 53:09 But I think it was the same and Dee helped me with that, 53:12 because when someone lost their spouse, 53:14 and Dee lost her spouse, 53:16 I said Dee, you could it's the same thing 53:19 and Dee said to me, 53:21 "No, it's not Angie, it's not the same." 53:23 It's not, no trial is exactly the same for each individual. 53:27 I may go through the same trial that you went through, 53:30 but it's different for me but that doesn't do away, 53:33 we can still comfort 53:35 because there is an understanding, 53:37 there is a comprehension 53:39 that you should never walk up to anybody 53:40 and say, I know your feeling. 53:43 No, you don't. 53:44 One thing that I've learned through experience is that 53:47 most people want to be heard. 53:50 So listen to what I just said, if a person wants to be heard, 53:55 then whenever you're empathizing with him, 53:58 I hear what you're saying. 54:00 It's not I understand what you're going through. 54:02 I see what you're going through. 54:05 But I do hear. 54:07 And that, that, it's a great. 54:12 You're showing your compassion right there. 54:14 I do hear, no, I don't understand you, 54:17 but I do hear. 54:18 JD's brother recently died just a few months back. 54:23 And when I'm trying to comfort my sister-in-law, 54:27 you know, you can't say 54:29 oh, I understand how much you're hurting. 54:32 I've not lost my spouse. 54:34 So what I've learned to say is, 54:38 I can only imagine what you're suffering. 54:43 I mean, in my wildest imagination, 54:46 I mean, but that's kind of my go to phrase now. 54:50 I can only imagine what you're feeling. 54:53 And that's true, we can only imagine. 54:56 That's right. But how did you get? 54:58 Did you not get to your wisdom 55:00 through tribulations on your own? 55:03 You get there. Yeah. 55:05 You grow in this wisdom 55:06 of how to comfort and help other people 55:09 through your own tribulations. 55:11 That's right. 55:12 And, you know, that is a gift of age. 55:14 You know... It is so... 55:16 Not always... Gray hair. 55:17 Not always. 55:18 But in many cases, but in many cases, it is. 55:21 You talk about you just whispered to me... 55:22 Oh, well Job, you know, 55:23 his friends just stood there with him. 55:25 They were there to comfort him. 55:27 You don't have to say a word sometime, 55:29 when someone's going through a severe trial. 55:31 Just be there for them. That's right. 55:33 Be there and let the Lord in His time instruct you 55:35 what to say or what to do. 55:37 Dee, we're coming down to the end of our hour. 55:39 But I want to get this one, it's Romans 8:38-39. 55:43 What kind of determination should you have 55:46 when trial and tribulation come? 55:48 Romans 8:38-39, 55:52 "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 55:56 nor angels nor principalities nor powers, 55:59 nor things present nor things to come, 56:02 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, 56:06 shall be able to separate us from the love of God 56:10 which is in our Christ Jesus our Lord." 56:15 That's right. 56:16 Which is in Christ Jesus, nothing will separate you. 56:19 So that's why I am with these two very important points. 56:21 Oh, yeah. 56:22 And this is something that I've learned 56:23 and I believe that we could communicate this to you, 56:25 because if you're younger, 56:27 you got a lot more trials ahead of you than many of us. 56:31 If you're older, you look back on a lot of trials 56:33 that shaped you to become who you are today. 56:36 But we have to look at trials through eternal eyes. 56:39 Romans 8:18, 56:41 "For I consider 56:43 that the sufferings of this present time 56:46 are not worthy to be compared 56:49 with the glory that shall be revealed in us." 56:52 And that is not just the glory eventually, 56:55 but the glory that we are becoming right now. 56:57 You're better Christian than you used to be. 56:59 What happened? 57:00 Well, I could tell you the shift in my life, 57:02 the paradigm that happened five years, 57:04 six years ago, 10 years ago, 57:06 when I did this, this is what happened, 57:08 the paradigm. 57:09 So some of you may be going through a paradigm 57:11 but remember these words, Romans 8:37, 57:13 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors 57:17 through Him who loved us." 57:20 Thank you, family. 57:21 Thank you so much, the blessing of trial. 57:23 Thank you, honey. 57:25 We have been through it together. 57:26 So we know that trials are a blessing. 57:27 But let me pray this prayer for you. 57:29 And I pray that 57:30 you will trust God in the trials, 57:31 so when they come and they pass, 57:33 you can look back at the blessing of the trial. 57:36 God bless you and happy Sabbath. |
Revised 2021-05-23