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>>I AM DR. FREDA CREWS, AND YOU HAVE JUST JOINED TIME FOR
HOPE, A FAITH-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM. TODAY I AM
BEING JOINED BY AUTHOR, DR. RYAN PACK, SENIOR PASTOR OF
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, HENDERSONVILLE NORTH CAROLINA
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING HIS BOOK TITLED WHY
ME, FINDING HOPE WHEN LIFE HURTS. IF YOU HAVE EVER, AND
MOST OF US HAVE FELT LIKE LIFE WAS UNFAIR AND THAT GOD HAD
FORGOTTEN ABOUT US, SINCE IT APPEARS OUR PRAYERS ARE GOING
UNANSWERED, AND OUR PAINFUL SITUATION CONTINUES YOU WILL
WANT TO STAY WITH US AS DR. PACK DRAWS FROM THE LIFE OF
JOB TO ASSURE US THERE IS HOPE OF DELIVERANCE FROM LIFE'S
DARKEST SEASONS AND HEALING FOR ITS DEEPEST WOUNDS.
>>AND DR. PACK IT'S GREAT HAVING YOU ON TIME FOR HOPE.
>>WELL THANKS FOR HAVING ME, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
>>AND THEN I'M GOING TO REFER TO YOU AS RYAN AFTER THIS. YOU
HAVE A GREAT CHURCH UP IN HENDERSONVILLE.
>>I'M BLESSED.
>>YES YOU ARE, AND YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT PEOPLE IN THAT
CHURCH TOO, I KNOW SOME OF THEM. YOU'VE DONE A REALLY
GOOD JOB WITH YOUR BOOK, AND I LIKED WHAT YOU DID EARLY ON
YOU JUST SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JOB. HE WAS TESTED, HIS
FRIENDS ATTEMPTED TO GIVE HIM ANSWERS. THEY ACTUALLY TRIED
TO FIX HIM DIDN'T THEY?
>>THAT'S RIGHT.
>>AND THEN JOB IS RESTORED. YES, THAT'S REALLY AN
ENCOURAGEMENT TO BEGIN WITH WHEN YOU START READING THE
BOOK. ANOTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING OUT EARLY ON IS, AND
YOU BRING OUT ABOUT THE MAN, IN OTHER WORDS MEET THE MAN.
AND THERE'S SO MUCH SAID ABOUT HIM. IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF
WE COULD ALL HAVE THAT KIND OF THINGS SAID BY GOD HIMSELF
ABOUT US BUT HE WAS A GOOD MAN BUT YET HE HAD TO GO THROUGH
ONE OF THE GREATEST PERIODS OF SUFFERING ANYBODY HAS EVER
KNOWN. AND I WAS TAUGHT IN SEMINARY THE WHOLE IDEA OF
UNDESERVED SUFFERING. YES, JOB DIDN'T DESERVE, IT WASN'T
SOMETHING THAT HE BROUGHT ON HIMSELF. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO DO
WITH SIN IN HIS LIFE AND IT WAS A NEW THEOLOGY FOR THE
DAY, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED UP UNTIL THEN, THAT IF YOU
SUFFERED IT WAS BECAUSE OF SIN IN YOUR LIFE. THE FRIENDS
REVEALED THAT TO HIM, DIDN'T THEY?
>>THAT'S SO TRUE.
>>BEFORE IT'S OVER. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE
WHOLE IDEA OF A NEW THEOLOGY THAT JOB WAS BEING TAUGHT AND
I HOPE HIS FRIENDS LEARNED IT BEFORE IT WAS OVER. AND THEN
YOU COME UP WITH SUFFERING BEING A REALITY OF LIFE. I'LL
LET YOU TAKE IT FROM THERE.
>>YES, I THINK WHEN I STARTED STUDYING THE BOOK OF JOB TO
PREACH THIS, THIS IS WHERE THIS BOOK CAME FROM AS I JUST
LOVED TAKING THE ANCIENT TEXT, AND WATCHING IT APPLY TO
MODERN DAY LIFE. IT'S JUST AMAZING TO ME. THE FIRST VERSE
SAYS IN THE LAND OF UZ THERE LIVED A MAN AND THAT JUST
SPOKE TO ME SO MUCH JUST IN THE VERY FIRST VERSE BECAUSE
BEFORE IT SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT HOW GREAT JOB WAS, HOW UP
RIGHT HE WAS, HOW PRAYERFUL HE WAS, HOW HE SHUNNED EVIL AND
FEARED GOD, IT SAYS HE WAS A MAN. AND WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THAT, WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH WE ARE JUST MANKIND
DEALING WITH THE PAINS AND THE STRUGGLES AND THE PUNCHES THAT
FEEL LIKE THEY ARE COMING TO US FROM ALL SIDES AND SO WE
ARE ALL IN THAT SAME BOAT AND WE'VE ALL BEEN IN THOSE PLACES
WHERE WE WONDER IF WE CAN KEEP OUR HEAD ABOVE THE WATER. AND
THAT'S WHY I LIKE LOOKING AT A TEXT LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TODAY.
>>IT'S A REALITY OF LIFE, ISN'T IT? AND IT KNOWS NO PAST
DISTINCTION, IT KNOWS NO ETHNIC DISTINCTION, IT IS
INEVITABLE, AND IT COVERS AS YOU SAY, EVERYBODY. IT COVERS
THE HUMAN RACE. AND I KNOW DR. DOBSON, I SAW SOMETHING HE
WROTE ONE TIME AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU HAVEN'T
ALREADY GONE THROUGH SOME GREAT PAIN AND SUFFERING, YOU
WILL, YOU WILL. BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS LIFE YOU CAN EXPECT
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME SUFFERING AND
PAIN.
>> AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL ASPECTS OF JOB
THAT ENCOURAGES ALL OF US TODAY THAT YES WE ALL GO
THROUGH THINGS AND IT'S NORMAL. SOMETIMES WE FEEL SO
UNUSUAL OR FEEL LIKE WE ARE OFF GOD'S WILL OR WE'RE OFF
THE BEATEN PATH, WE'VE SOMEHOW MESSED UP. BUT IT'S NOTHING
LIKE THAT. HERE WE HAVE JOB WHO YOU SAID IS THIS UPRIGHT
RIGHTEOUS MAN. HE WAS A WEALTHY MAN, HE LOVED HIS
FAMILY, HE INTERCEDED ON BEHALF OF HIS CHILDREN, HE
LOVED GOD, BUT YET HE FOLLOWED GOD AND LOVED GOD, BUT YET HE
STILL WENT THROUGH IMMENSE SUFFERING AND STRUGGLE. IT'S
NORMAL, AND I JUST WANTED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LET THEM
KNOW YOU'RE NOT UNUSUAL. IT'S GOD WORKING IN YOUR LIFE, THAT
THERE IS HOPE, GOD'S AT WORK, WE CAN'T SEE THE WHOLE
PICTURE, BUT GOD IS AT WORK.
>>AND YOU KNOW, CHRISTIANS ARE NOT EXEMPT. SOMEHOW OR OTHER,
SOMETIMES IT APPEARS THAN EVEN THE PSALMIST SAY THAT THAT THE
WICKED ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T SUFFER AS MUCH AS GOD'S
CHILDREN DO. BUT I KNOW WHEN I CAME TO KNOW THE LORD I CAME
IN WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS
AND TRIALS. WE GIVE THAT OUT, I'M AFRAID SOMETIMES WHEN
WE'RE GIVING OUT THE GOSPEL OR ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TURN TO
CHRIST THAT THAT WILL BE AN END TO THEIR PROBLEMS AND I
HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
>> AND GOD OFTEN USES AS IN THIS CASE JOB, GOD USES THESE
MOMENTS THAT SEEM SO BIZARRE AND THESE MOMENTS THAT SEEM SO
UNNECESSARY, BUT GOD USES THEM TO TEST OUR MOTIVES. GOD USED
THEM AS I BRING OUT IN JOB, GOD USES THEM TO REVEAL MORE
ABOUT HIMSELF AND I CAN'T THINK OF ANY GREATER GIFT TO
HAVE IN LIFE THAN GOD WANTING TO REVEAL TO YOU AND TO ME
MORE OF WHO HE IS, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING IN THE BOOK OF
JOB.
>> AND I LOVED WHAT YOU BROUGHT OUT ABOUT THE MOTIVE,
WHY DO WE SERVE GOD? IS IT TO KEEP SO WE WON'T GO TO HELL,
SO WE'LL BE BLESSED, SO THIS, SO THAT OR IS IT BECAUSE OF
WHO HE IS AND THAT WE LOVE HIM, THAT HE IS OUR GOD? I
HAVE TO ASK AS THE PSALMIST DID SEARCH ME AND KNOW MY WAYS
AND BE OPEN, GIVE MY HEART TO THE LORD AND LEAVE IT OPEN TO
SHOW ME THOSE THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT NEED TO GO, THAT ARE
NOT RIGHT.
>>THAT'S RIGHT, AND FROM THE VERY ONSET OF WHEN THESE TESTS
START IN JOB'S LIFE, SATAN AND AS I STUDIED THIS, THE HEBREW
WORD FOR SATAN IS THE WORD ACCUSER. AND SO HERE'S THE
ACCUSER COMING BEFORE GOD AND SAYING, THAT JOB, HE WON'T
FOLLOW YOU AND BE BLAMELESS IF HE DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF HIS
STUFF, IF HE DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF HIS CATTLE AND ALL OF HIS
FAMILY AND ALL OF HIS MONEY BECAUSE HE WAS A VERY VERY
WEALTHY MAN MOST POSSIBLY ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST MAN IN HIS
DAY. AND SO HERE, THE ACCUSER COMES AND SAYS, IF YOU TAKE
EVERYTHING AWAY FROM HIM HE WON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE GOD.
AND AGAIN GOD ALLOWS THIS TO HAPPEN SO THAT OUR MOTIVES CAN
BE TESTED AND TO KNOW DO WE REALLY LOVE GOD. I USED THE
PHRASE IN THE BOOK, DO WE LOVE GOD FOR WHAT HE GIVES OR DO WE
LOVE GOD FOR WHO HE IS? AND I THINK THAT'S A DISTINCTION
THAT ALL CHRIST FOLLOWERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A
DECISION ABOUT. DO I JUST WANT THE HANDOUTS OF GOD OR AM I
REALLY SEARCHING FOR THE HEART OF GOD?
>>WHEN I PRAY FOR PEOPLE THAT I KNOW NEED THE LORD, AND EVEN
MY VIEWERS WHEN THEY'RE TELLING ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS
WHICH WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO, I DO PRAY THAT THEY CAN
UNDERSTAND IF GOD INTERVENES, AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS PRAY
THAT HE WILL, BUT THAT THEY NEED A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
AND NOT JUST WHAT HE HAS TO GIVE OUT.
>>THAT'S RIGHT, AND I DISCOVERED AS I STUDIED JOB
MOST OF JOB IS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND AT
THE END OF THE STORY AS GOD REVEALS MORE ABOUT WHO HE IS,
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHRASES YOU'LL FIND THROUGHOUT THE
BOOK IS THE PHRASE GOD SAYS MY SERVANT JOB. HE SAYS IT IN THE
BEGINNING, HE SAYS IN CHAPTER 42 AT THE END, AND I JUST LOVE
THAT PHRASE BECAUSE GOD'S SAYING HERE'S MY SERVANT. I
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JOB, AND HE TRUSTS ME AND LOVES ME
BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP NOT BECAUSE OF REWARDS AND NOT
BECAUSE OF THE STUFF OF EARTH, BUT HE LOVES ME BECAUSE OF THE
RELATIONSHIP AND THAT'S CRITICAL.
>>WELL, I ACTUALLY IN TEACHING THIS SUBJECT, GO TO ROMANS
FIVE, VERSES 3 THROUGH 5 AND THREE THINGS ARE LAID OUT
THERE THAT SUFFERING IS SUPPOSED TO PRODUCE IN OUR
LIVES. AND THEN OF COURSE, IT IS TO BRING US CLOSER TO THE
LORD, FOR US TO HAVE A GREATER INTIMACY WITH HIM. BUT IT IS
PERSEVERANCE, LEARNING TO HANG IN THERE HOWEVER TOUGH IT
GETS, CHARACTER, WHICH I CALL CHARACTEROLOGICAL CHANGES.
IT'S TO CONFORM US MORE INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST, AND
THEN HOPE IS TO COME OUT OF IT. BUT ALL OF THAT AS IT
WERE, HAVE TO COME FROM A GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER.
>>ABSOLUTELY AND GOD USES EVERYTHING IN OUR LIFE,
EVERYTHING WORKS FOR HIS PURPOSE AND GOD USES ALL OF IT
TO REVEAL MORE OF HIMSELF. AND I OFTEN DON'T THINK WE'RE
LOOKING FOR THAT, WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHAT WE CAN GET
OUT OF IT. BUT YET THE REAL ANSWER FOR HOPE IS REALIZING
WHAT GOD'S DOING FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY. I'M ALWAYS
LOOKING AT THINGS FROM JUST 2012; I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AT
THINGS FROM JUST A MONDAY OR A TUESDAY, BUT GOD'S AT WORK,
FROM ETERNITY TO ETERNITY. I CAN'T SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE,
BUT GOD HAS IT.
>>HE DOES, HE HAS A PICTURE AND IT'S LIKE A PUZZLE, HE'S
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER IN OUR LIFE. I LIKE TO THINK THAT
HE SEES IT, HE KNOWS WHERE THE PIECES ARE AND WHATEVER IS
GOING ON AT THE TIME IS SOME OF THE PIECES THAT ARE MAKING
THAT FINAL PICTURE THAT HE HAS IN MIND FOR OUR LIVES. THAT IS
WHERE FAITH COMES IN, TRUST, FAITH, BELIEVING GOD, TRUSTING
HIM NO MATTER HOW TOUGH IT GETS, RIGHT?
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>>IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK AND WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
>>IN THINKING AND PRAYING ABOUT WHAT I WANTED TO SAY
RELATED TO OUR DISCUSSION TODAY, I COULD NOT GET AWAY
FROM THE WORD RESILIENCE. THERE IS MUCH ATTENTION BEING
GIVEN TO THIS SUBJECT AND IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING WE NEED
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AS WE FACE HARD TIMES AS A NATION AND AS
INDIVIDUALS. AND, I MIGHT ADD THAT CHRISTIANS ARE NOT, AND
HAVE NEVER BEEN EXEMPT FROM THE ADVERSITIES OF LIFE. SO,
FIRST ALLOW ME TO TRY AND DEFINE RESILIENCE. SIMPLY PUT,
AND TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT I WISH TO
SHARE WITH YOU, IT MEANS POSSESSING THE ABILITY TO
BOUNCE BACK OR RECOVER FROM ADVERSITY AGAIN AND AGAIN OR
AS A WAY OF LIFE. RESILIENCE IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE BORN
WITH OR WITHOUT, ALTHOUGH RESILIENT PARENTS CAN
CERTAINLY SERVE AS ROLE MODELS FOR COPING WITH ADVERSITY AND
ADAPTING TO LIFE'S CHALLENGES. BUT, IT STILL REQUIRES THAT WE
AS INDIVIDUALS DEVOTE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO DEVELOP
BEHAVIORS, BELIEFS AND ACTIONS THAT ENABLE US TO FIND MEANING
IN TAKING ON DIFFICULT CHALLENGES, TO GAIN PERSONAL
STRENGTH, WISDOM, INSIGHT AND COMPASSION FROM UNFAVORABLE
SITUATIONS, AND ABOVE ALL TO TAP INTO THE POWER OF HOPE.
RESILIENCE IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT FOR STUDENTS OF THE
BIBLE, OF CHURCH HISTORY AND INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE
LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE THAT IT CAN BE A SYNONYM FOR
ENDURANCE AND PERSEVERANCE. THE APOSTLE PAUL ASSERTS,
"...BUT WE ...REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS, BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT SUFFERING PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE (OR RESILIENCE)."
BUT RESILIENCE GOES BEYOND MERELY ENDURING OR
PERSEVERING. AND PAUL, PROMPTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF
GOD, CONTINUED BY RELATING THAT PERSEVERANCE PRODUCES
CHARACTER. IN OTHER WORDS, AS WE PERSEVERE AND GROW
STRONGER, OR RESILIENT, WE ARE CHANGED AND EVEN TRANSFORMED
AS A PERSON. AND ACCORDING TO PAUL, THE FINAL STAGE OF THIS
PROCESS IS HOPE. (ROMANS 5:3-4: HOLY BIBLE) HOPE IS THE
BELIEF THAT NO MATTER HOW PAINFUL LIFE HAS BECOME, IT
CAN BE GOOD AGAIN; NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE BETRAYAL, WE CAN
TRUST AGAIN; AND THIS BELIEF CAN ENABLE US TO PICK UP THE
PIECES OF OUR SHATTERED DREAMS OR BROKEN HEARTS AND DETERMINE
WHAT WE CAN MAKE OUT OF THEM. AND WE CAN BELIEVE AND HOPE
BECAUSE GOD PROMISES THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM, "`FOR I KNOW THE
PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU,...PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM
YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU A HOPE AND A FUTURE.'" (JEREMIAH
29:11: HOLY BIBLE) I CHALLENGE YOU TO BELIEVE THE CREATOR
GOD'S WORD AND BECOME A RESILIENT PERSON (ROMANS
8:28-30: HOLY BIBLE)
>>WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR STAYING WITH US ON TIME FOR
HOPE. MY GUEST FOR TODAY IS DR. RYAN PACK, AND WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HIS BOOK WHY ME AND LET'S GO WITH THE SUBTITLE
RYAN, FINDING HOPE WHEN LIFE HURTS. IF WE EVER DO NEED HOPE
IT'S WHEN LIFE HURTS, RIGHT?
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>>WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MAN THAT PROBABLY HURT MORE THAN
ANYBODY WE COULD EVER THINK ABOUT REALLY. LOSING 10
CHILDREN, AT ONE TIME, HIS WIFE TURNING AGAINST HIM,
WANTING TO BAIL OUT ON HIM. NAME SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS
THAT HAPPENED.
>>CHAPTER 1 JUST GOES THROUGH AS A MATTER OF FACT WE'RE TOLD
THAT WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GIVEN THIS PORTFOLIO IN CHAPTER 1
ABOUT HOW WEALTHY HE WAS. BASICALLY HE OWNED A SHIPPING
INDUSTRY OF THE DAY WITH THE CAMELS THAT HE HAD. SO I MEAN,
HE'S LIKE A BILL GATES, WARREN BUFFETT PUT TOGETHER, VERY
VERY WEALTHY, HAD SO MUCH BUT HE LOSES EVERYTHING. IN
CHAPTER 1, HE LOSES HIS CATTLE, HE LOSES HIS HERDS, HE
LOSES HIS BUILDINGS, HE LOSES HIS HOUSE AND THEN THE REAL
SHOCKER IS WHEN THE HOUSE IS DESTROYED, AND HIS CHILDREN
DIE.
>>AND HE WAS FOUND OUT ON THE ASH HEAP.
>>HE WAS.
>>TEARING HIS ROBES AND GRIEVING, WHICH HE DID, BUT HE
ALSO DID SAY THAT FAMOUS STATEMENT THAT HE MADE, THE
LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY. WHAT A
SURRENDERED SPIRIT THERE.
>>AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE KEYS TO FINDING
HOPE WHEN LIFE HURTS IS THAT ATTITUDE OF SURRENDER. WE TRY
TO HOLD THINGS SO CLOSELY, AND WE ACT LIKE WE OWN IT ALL, BUT
WE DON'T OWN ANY OF IT. THE BREATH I BREATHE, EVERY PENNY
IN MY POCKET IT'S ALL GOD'S. AND SO JOB REALLY HAD AN
UNDERSTANDING, AND I BELIEVE THAT GAVE HIM AN ABILITY. YES,
HE GOT MAD, IN CHAPTER 3 HE POURS HIS HEART OUT, I MEAN,
HE GOT VERY MAD, VERY FRUSTRATED AS ANY HUMAN WOULD.
BUT HE HAD A THEOLOGY AND A PERSPECTIVE, NONE OF IT WAS
MINE TO START WITH. IT'S ALL GOD'S, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN GOD'S,
AND SO THAT'S HOW HE CAN SAY A PHRASE SUCH AS THE LORD GAVE
IT IN THE LORD CAN TAKE IT AWAY. AND I MEAN, HIS RESPONSE
TO HIS WIFE, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING, HIS WIFE SAYS WHY
DON'T YOU CURSE GOD AND DIE? AND JOB SAYS TO HIS WIFE,
SHALL WE ACCEPT GOOD FROM GOD AND NOT TROUBLE?
>>OOOO, THAT'S QUITE A QUESTION, ISN'T IT? QUITE A
QUESTION, I THINK EVERY CHRISTIAN, EVERY TRUE
CHRISTIAN HAS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WHEN SOMETHING COMES
ALONG THAT IS PAINFUL OR EVEN AN UNEXPECTED HAPPENING.
BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR PLANS DON'T WE?
>>YES.
>>AND WHEN THOSE ARE DISRUPTED WE CAN GET A LITTLE UPSET
ABOUT IT.
>>WE CAN AS A MATTER OF FACT WHEN I TAUGHT THIS SERMON
SERIES AT MY CHURCH I SHOWED UP ON THE VIDEO SCREEN A
PICTURE OF THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH AND I SAID THIS IS THE
PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS RIGHT HERE AT THE FRONT OF
THE CHURCH. AND THEN I SHOWED ANOTHER PICTURE OF A FLY OVER
OF OUR CHURCH AND SAID THIS IS THE WHOLE OTHER PERSPECTIVE,
IT'S HIGHER UP. AND THEN I SHOWED A PICTURE OF THE WORLD
FROM THE SPACE SHUTTLE. AND I SAID THIS IS ANOTHER
PERSPECTIVE, AND THEN I SHOWED ONE OF THOSE COMPOSITES OF THE
MILKY WAY AND I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT GOD'S
PERSPECTIVE IS UNLIMITED? AND HERE WE ARE AS LIMITED FINITE
PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND MAKE SENSE OF AN INFINITE
GOD, HE IS SO MUCH BIGGER. HE SPOKE THE WORLD INTO BEING, HE
KNOWS EVERY HAIR ON MY HEAD AND HE KNOWS EVERY DETAIL OF
MY LIFE AND I REST IN THAT AND I TRUST THAT AND THAT'S HOW I
KNOW I'VE LEARNED TO MAKE IT THROUGH HURTS IN MY LIFE IS
GOD'S GOT IT ALL FIGURED OUT AND I TRUST HIM. HE SEES MORE
THAN I CAN SEE.
>> YOU KNOW, HE BROUGHT ALL THAT OUT TO JOB BEFORE IT WAS
OVER. I LOVED IT BECAUSE JOB WAS FINALLY COMPLAINING AND
WANTING TO DO AWAY WITH THE DAY HE WAS BORN AND YOU KNOW
ALL OF THIS, AND FINALLY GOD SHOWS UP, AND HE DOES IN OUR
OWN LIVES TOO, DOESN'T HE?
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND I LOVED IT WHEN HE SAID, BASICALLY, HE SAID TO
JOB, STAND UP AND TALK TO ME MAN TO MAN.
>>EXACTLY
>>AND ADULT TO ADULT. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S TIME WE HAD THIS
CONVERSATION AND WHEN HE GOT DONE WITH JOB, JOB DIDN'T HAVE
ANY MORE TO SAY, ALL THOSE RAMBLINGS AND ALL THOSE
SAYINGS THAT HE HAD SAID, HE REALIZED WHO
GOD WAS THEN, DIDN'T HE?
>>HE DID. AND A MATTER OF FACT ONE OF THE HEBREW WORDS
THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THAT I HAD FUN STUDYING
WHEN I LOOKED AT ALL THIS, IS IN CHAPTER 40, VERSE 4,
JOB FINALLY CONCLUDES AND HE FINALLY SAYS
I AM UNWORTHY, AFTER ALL OF THIS DIALOGUE,
JOB SAYS, I AM UNWORTHY. HOW CAN I REPLY TO YOU?
I PUT MY HAND OVER MY MOUTH. THAT HEBREW WORD FOR UNWORTHY
LITERALLY MEANS "LIGHT IN WEIGHT". SO LITERALLY
JOB IS SAYING "OK, GOD. WHITE FLAG.
I AM A LIGHTWEIGHT. I CANNOT DO THIS ON MY OWN."
THE HE SAYS I PUT MY HAND OVER MY MOUTH AND I JUST
SURRENDER TO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
>>IT'S KNOWING WHO WE ARE, AND RECOGNIZING WHO GOD IS.
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>>NOW AS A PASTOR, AND AS A COUNSELOR WE WATCH PEOPLE
GOING THROUGH THEIR SEASONS OF PAIN AND DARKNESS AND SO FORTH
AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSES AND SOME OF THEM
YOU'VE NAMED LIKE THE, VERY OFTEN INITIALLY ITS SHOCK. GOD
WOULD DO THIS TO ME, HE WOULD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME?
THEY ARE SHOCKED AS IF THEY DON'T DESERVE IT OR THAT IT'S
SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING TO SOMEBODY ELSE. THEN YOU TALK
ABOUT THE INNER TURMOIL, EVEN JOB SHOWED HIS GRIEF, THAT
INNER TURMOIL BY TEARING HIS ROBES AND ASKING THE QUESTION
WHY. I HAVE BEEN ASKED THAT QUESTION WHY SO MANY TIMES,
AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE. IT COMES OUT, IT'S JUST A PART OF
THE RESPONSE. AND THEN THE INJURED DIGNITY, HERE HE WAS
BROUGHT DOWN TO NOTHING, TO NOTHING. MOVING ON, LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE WORSHIP. I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS THE
HIGHLIGHT, ALMOST THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR BOOK. HOW
THAT WHOLE THING OF SURRENDER, SUBMISSION, OBEDIENCE,
ACCEPTANCE, BUT IT'S AN ACT OF WORSHIP.
>>IT IS. IT SAYS IN VERSE 20 OF CHAPTER 1, AT THIS JOB GOT
UP OR GOT UP AND TORE HIS ROBES, SHAVED HIS HEAD, AND
THEN HE FELL IN INITIAL SHOCK TO THE GROUND THE SCRIPTURE
SAYS. THEN HE GOT UP, BUT THEN HE FELL AGAIN A SECOND TIME,
HE FELL TO THE GROUND IN WORSHIP. AND WHEN HE FELL TO
THE GROUND IN WORSHIP THAT'S WHERE THE PHRASE COMES FROM
THE LORD GIVES US AND THE LORD TAKES AWAY THAT HE KNEW THAT
HIS ONLY RESPONSE WAS TO WORSHIP GOD AND FALL BEFORE
HIM. HE HAD A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD EARLY ON
FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO COME IN THE MOMENT OF GRIEF AND THE
MOMENT OF TRAGEDY AND SAY GOD I'M GOING TO WORSHIP YOU.
>>GOING TO WORSHIP YOU. YOU MENTIONED SOME OTHER THINGS
THAT FRIENDS CAN EITHER HELP US OR ADD TO OUR PAIN AND THEN
I WANTED TO CLOSE OUT WITH ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD
IF I CAN QUICKLY FIND IT BECAUSE OUR TIME IS RUNNING
OUT. BUT THAT THERE IS RESTORATION AND RECOVERY, AND
WE MENTIONED THAT EARLY ON. BUT I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WE ARE
NEVER THE SAME AND SHOULD NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER WE GO
THROUGH A PERIOD OF PAIN, SUFFERING, DARKNESS AS WE WERE
WHEN WE ENTERED IT. WE OUGHT TO BE TRANSFORMED PEOPLE, DO
YOU AGREE WITH ME ON THAT?
>>ABSOLUTELY AND NOT ONLY TRANSFORMED, BUT WE REFLECT
MORE OF THE CHARACTER OF GOD, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND MORE OF
THE CHARACTER OF GOD.
>>AND YOU BELIEVE THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OR
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF GOD BY ALLOWING AND EVEN SOMETIMES
DIRECTING A SEASON OF DARKNESS AND PAIN?
>>ABSOLUTELY, IT SHOWS US MORE OF WHO HE IS SO THEREFORE WE
CAN REFLECT HIS CHARACTER AND HIS QUALITIES TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT IS THE TRANSFORMATION.
>>THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR VIEWERS TO GET A
COPY OF YOUR BOOK AND THE LORD BLESS YOU, CONTINUE BLESSING
YOU IN YOUR MINISTRY UP IN HENDERSONVILLE AND THANKS FOR
YOUR TIME AND WE APPRECIATE HAVING YOU ON TIME FOR HOPE. I
HAVE SOME THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU, DON'T GO AWAY, I HAVE A
PRAYER REQUEST.
>>LOOK AT THE FEARS THIS PERSON IS EXPERIENCING.
>>AND LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU THAT GOD HEARS PRAYER AND WHEN
YOU CRY OUT FOR HELP, HE'S THERE. BECAUSE FOR YOU TO HAVE
THAT DESIRE TO KNOW HIM, AND TO CRY OUT FOR HELP TO HIM,
THAT'S PUT THERE BY GOD HIMSELF. THAT'S A WORK OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT. WE OF COURSE WILL COVER THIS OR HAVE ALREADY
COVERED THIS PRAYER REQUEST IN PRAYER. WE HOPE WE HEAR SOON
THAT THIS PERSON HAS COME OUT OF THE WILDERNESS AND HAS
FOUND THE LORD. AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER ENCOURAGING NOTE.
>>AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE ENCOURAGING WORDS ALSO. SO IF
YOU HAVEN'T SHARED YOUR PRAYER REQUEST WITH US, IF YOU
HAVEN'T SENT ALONG AN ENCOURAGING WORD, I REALLY ASK
THAT YOU DO THAT.
>>TO ORDER RESOURCES, FOLLOW ON SCREEN INSTRUCTIONS
>>NEXT WEEK ON TIME FOR HOPE
THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT ANGELS 234 TIMES, THEY ARE IN 39
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE, 19 OF THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS, 20 IN THE
NEW TESTAMENT BOOKS. THE RANGE OF MATERIAL ABOUT ANGELS IN
THE BIBLE GOES FROM GENESIS 3 TO REVELATION 22, SO THERE IS
A LOT OF MATERIAL TO WORK WITH AND ALL OF IT IS ENCOURAGING.
>>AND ISN'T IT AMAZING THAT PEOPLE READ THE BIBLE, I'M
GUILTY OF THE SAME THING, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS NEVER
REALLY REGISTER WITH THEM. BUT BY THE WAY, THE ISRAELITES,
GOD'S PEOPLE THAT WERE AHEAD OF US, NOW THEY'VE ALWAYS
BELIEVED IN ANGELS SO THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR THEM SHOWING
UP SO OFTEN IN THE SCRIPTURES.
>>YES ANGELS WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
AND SOME OF OUR GREAT ANGEL STORIES HAD TO DO WITH THE
ISRAELITES AND WITH THE STORIES OF THE PROPHETS, AND
SOME OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL, AND SOME OF THE JUDGES. THERE
WERE SOME VERY INTERESTING ANGEL STORIES ALL THROUGH THE
OLD TESTAMENT. BUT THEN WE TURNED TO THE NEW TESTAMENT,
AND THEY ARE ALL AROUND CHRIST DURING HIS LIFE. OF COURSE
THEY'RE HELPING THE APOSTLES, FOR EXAMPLE IN ACTS CHAPTER 12
WHEN AN ANGEL GETS PETER OUT OF PRISON. AND THEN THEY SHOW
UP PARTICULARLY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, WHERE WE HAVE
INTENSE ANGELIC ACTIVITY.