Participants: Jason Bradley (Host), Nadine Joseph-Collins PhD
Series Code: TMP
Program Code: TMP000013A
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00:32 Hello and welcome to The Missing Peace.
00:34 My name is Jason Bradley. 00:36 Dr. Nadine Joseph-Collins is our primary host for this program. 00:40 She's a Speaker, Author and Teacher. 00:43 Her main focus and passion is prayer. 00:46 Dr. Nadine is committed to making our prayer life go "Wow!" 00:49 Before we hear from her, let's invite the Lord to join us 00:53 "Dear Heavenly Father, 00:55 we thank you for the opportunity to serve you 00:57 as we discuss the missing peace 01:00 we ask that you would please be with us, 01:04 clear out anything that would separate us from you 01:08 and help facilitate this conversation... 01:11 Lord, guide this conversation... 01:13 send your Holy Spirit to be with us... 01:15 in Jesus' name we pray, amen. " 01:16 "Amen. " 01:18 So, what is our topic for today? 01:19 You know, we've been talking a lot about prayer... 01:22 trying to find these missing pieces 01:25 that would actually give us the peace that we're looking for 01:27 in our prayer lives 01:29 and we've reached somewhat of a culmination... 01:31 not to say that we're done knowing all we should know 01:34 because there's so much more 01:35 and even the concepts that we have discussed... 01:37 there's so much more that we can learn from them 01:39 as we continue to experience God in our prayer lives 01:42 and as we continue to grow, He will reveal things to us... 01:45 make old things new and so on 01:48 but now we're going to look at a topic: 01:49 It is Finished... 01:51 Unpack that for us. 01:53 I often hear arguments, 01:54 I'm sure you've heard them too, right, 01:56 like, which comes first? 01:57 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 01:58 Nadine: The chicken or the egg 02:00 or... which comes first? The seed or the tree 02:02 or where does the circle begin and where does it end? 02:06 Jason: Yes, I've heard that. 02:07 Nadine: And these questions in addition to other questions 02:10 like, where does God begin in your own experience 02:12 and where does He end? 02:14 And does God still answer prayers? 02:16 These questions are sometimes linked 02:19 to our belief and existence in God 02:22 and sometimes we are looking for these types of answers 02:26 and so, human beings... 02:28 we are, in a sense, desperately searching 02:31 for our beginnings... 02:32 that's why we ask all of these questions... 02:34 "Where does this begin, where does this end?" 02:36 And so, we have that craving and that desire 02:38 to search for our beginnings so much so 02:41 that western Black people with some level of consciousness... 02:44 not all of us but some people 02:46 are spending a lot of money 02:48 trying to get answers about their... 02:50 you know, their beginnings... 02:51 people are traveling across continents 02:53 and they're doing all kinds of tests online 02:56 and different DNA tests 02:57 so that they can find some answers 02:59 about their beginnings. 03:00 I know quite a few people 03:02 that have searched for their beginnings. 03:03 Really? DNA testing and stuff like that, right? 03:06 Absolutely. 03:07 Yes, and we've all heard even about kids who were adopted 03:11 and raised by really good parents 03:13 but at some point in their lives, 03:15 they would want to know 03:16 something about their biological parents... 03:18 Jason: Yes... 03:19 Nadine: That's how much we're caught up with beginnings 03:20 and then we have these fatherless children... 03:22 their entire life... 03:23 maybe they were raised by a step-father 03:25 or sometimes, they have no father at all... 03:27 but at some point they want to know, 03:29 "Hey, who is my real father?" 03:30 And they would be going in search of that 03:33 and so, we seem to be caught up 03:35 with beginnings or answers about our beginnings 03:39 and we're so much into that 03:42 that we celebrate, most of us, every year... our birthday. 03:45 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 03:46 Nadine: Which signifies our entrance into the world... 03:48 then other people will celebrate for example, 03:50 the first day on a job or the first day of college... 03:53 the first day of any level of school... 03:55 and parents take pictures of their kids... 03:58 the first day when they go to Pre-K 04:00 and the first day when they... 04:02 you know, High School and so, 04:03 so, we mark our beginnings. 04:05 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 04:06 Nadine: And we also mark our "ends" 04:08 but our "ends" are sometimes 04:10 marked by either great accomplishments 04:12 or great disappointments... 04:13 so, the great accomplishments could be: Graduation... 04:16 we all like to celebrate graduation, 04:18 I really didn't like graduation but most people like graduation. 04:22 Jason: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 04:23 Nadine: Because it signifies to people 04:25 the end of something great... 04:26 the reason why I didn't like it 04:27 is because I didn't know what was next. 04:29 Jason: Yeah... yeah. 04:30 Nadine: So, when I know what's next... 04:32 it makes it a little easier for me... 04:33 and so, people usually celebrate or mark the ends as well 04:37 so, we mark our beginnings and we mark our ends... 04:40 but technically, God ends before He begins. 04:44 Jason: Hmmm... 04:45 Nadine: And that's what we'll be exploring today. 04:48 Jason: I was going to say, "Elaborate on that... " 04:51 let's unpack that... I want to hear more. 04:54 Nadine: Yes, so you see, God ends before He begins, 04:56 He finishes things and then He starts them, 04:58 right... and that's what I want us to look at today... 05:01 when God created man... Adam... 05:04 there's nowhere in the Bible that we read 05:06 that Adam was born a baby and he grew up into a man... 05:09 God created Adam... man... the full-grown man... the end... 05:13 Jason: I see what you're saying. 05:14 Nadine: And then, out of Adam, He literally pulled us 05:16 and then we began to make babies 05:18 which we call "the beginning" 05:20 but He started with a full-grown man... the end... 05:23 that is why in Revelation 13 verse 8, 05:25 we can understand why the Bible says 05:27 that Jesus was the Lamb slain 05:30 from the foundation of the earth... 05:31 Jason: Hmmm... 05:33 He did it then before we saw it on the cross. 05:34 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:36 Nadine: So, when we saw it on the cross and He said... 05:37 it was finished... 05:39 it was already done from the foundation of the earth, you see 05:41 when we look at, for example, Solomon... 05:44 in Ecclesiastes 1 verse 9 he says, 05:47 "That which has been done is that which will be done, 05:51 and that which has been done is that which will be done. 05:55 So there is nothing new under the sun. " 05:58 And repeatedly there we see Solomon referring to the 06:01 well, the Past Tense... 06:02 something that has already been done 06:05 before he mentions the present and then he says, 06:08 "There is nothing new under the sun... " 06:10 so, he too was speaking of the past... first... 06:12 or the end... first... 06:14 then, how can we use that sort of principle... 06:17 that Biblical approach... 06:19 how can this affect our prayer lives? 06:21 And when we look at... like... 06:23 ourselves in the physical nature... 06:25 when our parents' egg and sperm correlated to form a zygote... 06:29 to form... to form that cell... 06:30 the color of your eyes... I see today 06:33 the texture of your hair... the color of your skin... 06:36 your height... your size... everything I see now... 06:40 already was in that cell 06:42 which developed into who you are today... 06:44 so, what was in the cell 06:46 now is strictly unfolding who you are now 06:49 or what was in the cell is strictly unfolding 06:51 of what was already there in your genes 06:54 into that cell that developed into who Jason is today. 06:57 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 06:58 when we are oriented to seeing the end first 07:01 or seeing the end before the beginning... 07:04 we can understand why God would say to Joseph, 07:06 "Your brothers will bow to you... " 07:08 the end... 07:10 now, go walk that road... get thrown into a pit... 07:14 get sold into slavery... get forgotten in prison... 07:18 but the end... I have shown you, Joseph, 07:21 what I have told you... the promise I have given you... 07:23 is that your brothers will bow to you. " 07:25 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 07:27 Nadine: And so, we see... 07:28 God giving him the vision of the end 07:29 and then he is going through a process... 07:31 so, we must be on the other side of the "Red-Sea people" 07:35 because our praise cannot take place 07:37 when God actually answers our prayers... 07:40 our praise cannot take place when the Red Sea opens 07:43 when Pharaoh's army drowns 07:44 or even when we've reached the other side... 07:46 because even demons could give God praise 07:48 when they see these things happening... 07:49 so, we have to be on the other side of the Red-Sea people 07:52 because being like God means we see the end first... 07:55 so, we are already on the other side in our psyche 07:58 even before we get there physically... 08:00 so, that is why we could give God praise 08:02 in the presence of any circumstance 08:04 because we know that the end... 08:06 the promise that God has already given... is done... 08:09 that He said that we are more than conquerors... 08:11 there is nothing that we will go through in life 08:13 that will overtake us... 08:15 so, if we are like Him... 08:16 then, we'll be able to see the end first... 08:19 we will know for sure that I've already won the victory... 08:22 I'm already victorious... I'm already a conqueror 08:25 because God said that... 08:26 so, we have to look at... for example... 08:29 even the example of Job... 08:31 in Job 10, I think... verse 12... 08:33 where Job was in his circumstance in Job chapter 10 08:37 we know that he was not delivered 08:40 until somewhere after Job chapter 38 when God spoke to him 08:43 but in Job 10 verse 12, he is saying to God, 08:46 "You have granted me life and favor... 08:48 and your care has preserved my spirit. " 08:51 Jason: Hmmm... 08:52 Nadine: So, this man is there... losing things... 08:54 his health is being attacked... 08:56 but yet, he can still see the end 08:58 because he knew for sure, "Hey, this is not the end... " 09:02 Jason: Yes. 09:03 Nadine: "God has something in store for me... " 09:05 he didn't know that his "double" was coming 09:07 but he trusted God enough 09:09 because, I guess, he was so close to God... 09:11 he had spent so much time with God... he knew for sure 09:14 that God would not allow him to go through all of this 09:16 if God did not have a plan... 09:18 and so, his experience there is really a blessing for all of us 09:22 as we continue to pray 09:23 when we take the admonition of Paul 09:25 and we can continue to give thanks in everything... 09:27 other parts of nature 09:30 also testify of God's way of operating 09:34 I know you don't like avocadoes... 09:35 Jason: No... not at all... 09:37 Nadine: But here we have this avocado seed, right... 09:40 so, when you have this seed, what should the Christian see 09:43 in light of what we have just spoken about? 09:46 Jason: Ah... I'd say the full-grown tree... 09:48 Nadine: That's right, the full-grown tree 09:51 or forest of trees... of avocado trees... 09:53 just send me the avocadoes... 09:55 yeah... but this Christian should see the tree 09:57 because you see in the seed here... 09:59 is instructions for the thickness of the leaf... 10:02 the juiciness of the bark... the size of the fruit... 10:05 the shape of the fruit... 10:07 all of that was already in the seed 10:09 and that's God's way of operating... 10:12 the same way we spoke about 10:13 everything about you being in the cell 10:15 so, when I was a kid... we used to eat tamarind... 10:19 do you know what tamarind is? 10:21 Jason: I've heard of it before 10:22 but I don't remember, what is it? 10:24 Nadine: Okay, it's a fruit... 10:25 I believe it's a fruit... yes it has seeds in it 10:27 it's a very small one... it's brown and everything 10:30 but tamarind... we used to eat a lot when we were kids, 10:33 you could get them sour... you could get them sweet... 10:36 right... so when we would eat the tamarind seeds... 10:39 we would pass around and just drop them... 10:41 you know, you just drop the seed down... 10:43 a few weeks later, you would pass 10:45 and you would see all of these little sprouts coming out 10:47 so the seed would be there 10:49 but then you would see all of these little... 10:50 you know, things shooting out... 10:51 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 10:53 Nadine: Of course, these days people don't get this experience 10:54 with all these GMO seeds. 10:56 Jason: Oh yeah... GMOs are in every single thing now... 10:59 Nadine: Yes, so these GMO seeds... you won't get that 11:03 because generally, they are created, of course, 11:05 like the seeds that God created except that 11:08 they give you the instructions of the fruit as well... 11:10 the size, the color, the shape... 11:12 all of these were things that 11:14 maybe not reflecting the true fruits... 11:15 if you know them... maybe from a different side of the world... 11:18 you would know that, "Hey... 11:20 this is not really the color of the fruit... " 11:22 however, they also have instructions in them... 11:24 the only difference is the seeds that God has given us 11:27 like this avocado seed here, 11:28 is supposed to give us perpetual food... 11:30 so, this would be... 11:32 one avocado seed would give us a tree 11:34 which probably would give us 100s and 1,000s of avocados... 11:37 and then the cycle is repeated every time it's in season 11:40 but with the GMO seeds... you only get one harvest... 11:43 that's the only difference... 11:44 so, there we see the principle of nature being exhibited there 11:48 that the instructions... 11:49 everything about the fruit is here in that seed 11:52 and when we look at that and examine Jeremiah 29:11, 11:56 one of my favorite texts where it says, 11:59 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, 12:02 plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 12:04 plans to give you hope and a future, 12:07 to give you an expected end. " 12:08 You see, the promise of Jeremiah 29:11... 12:12 God's expected end for us 12:14 will help us navigate the challenges of life... 12:17 it will help us go through 12:19 the times or the periods in our lives 12:21 when we are praying and waiting for answers from God 12:23 if we are able to see things from a different perspective 12:27 and that perspective, we really need to see 12:29 is really from God's perspective... 12:31 is that God answers our prayers even before... 12:35 you know the Bible says, 12:36 "even before we call on Him... " right... 12:38 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 12:39 Nadine: These prayers are already answered... 12:40 so, seeing the end first, 12:42 will help us to go through life a little easier. 12:46 When you are on a plane, 12:48 the higher you go... the smaller the objects appear to be 12:55 are these objects actually getting smaller 12:57 or is it that... you're just going higher in elevation? 13:00 Jason: You're just going higher in elevation. 13:02 Nadine: And that's simply it, you see the thing is, 13:05 the higher we go with God, 13:06 the smaller our challenges seem to be... 13:09 the smaller our problems seem to be 13:12 because we are being raised in elevation 13:14 we have a different perspective now 13:16 because we are higher off the ground... 13:19 and we need to begin to look at life 13:22 from a different perspective 13:23 when we look at life from God's perspective 13:26 where He ends before He begins... 13:28 Jason: Yeah, it's like spiritual... 13:30 "Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. " 13:32 Nadine: Exactly. 13:33 Jason: So, people that are... 13:35 that don't have God in their lives... 13:36 that aren't Spiritual... 13:37 aren't going to see what's really going on. 13:40 Nadine: Exactly... you see, 13:42 I remember in 2004 13:44 when I was going to canvas in Canada, 13:47 I had spoken to a few friends about the program... 13:51 who had been there and they mentioned... 13:53 it was a bit challenging 13:54 but some older person... a friend of mine... 13:57 who had experienced dealing with these students 13:59 said to me, "You know, Nadine... 14:00 it's challenging... 14:02 you should speak to this person or that person 14:04 because they were Leaders in these past programs 14:06 and I'm telling you, it's going to be very hard 14:08 for you to make that scholarship. " 14:10 I called my dad and I said to him, 14:11 "I wanted to go do that... " 14:13 and he said to me, "But you never did sales... 14:15 that's going to be really hard... " 14:16 but one Friday evening I went to church 14:18 and when we would walk through the door, they would give... 14:21 they would have a bowl with promises 14:23 and each person would get one, 14:24 so, I picked one 14:26 and the promise was Isaiah 41 verse 19 14:28 which says, "Behold, I will do a new thing; 14:31 now it will spring forth; shall ye not know it? 14:34 I will even make a way in the wilderness, 14:37 and rivers in the desert. " 14:38 And I remember... after I got that text that Friday night, 14:41 even though these people had my best interests at heart, 14:44 I know they cared for me and so on 14:47 and they were concerned that I would not make it, 14:48 when I got that Word, I held on to that Word 14:52 and I believed that Word 14:53 and I went to canvas with that Word 14:55 and God did not disappoint... 14:57 He made a way in the wilderness and He made rivers in the desert 15:00 because I made my scholarship for school... 15:03 and so, what kept me going 15:06 was the end... that promise that God had given me 15:09 and so, when we are able to shift our perspective 15:12 to seeing the end... to seeing that promise, 15:14 you remember, we spoke about these promises as facts... 15:16 the end... that's it... 15:18 and now we work toward fulfilling that promise 15:21 so, I kept that promise with me every day, 15:24 I still have it in my Bible, 15:25 I held on to it 15:27 because of the Word that God had given me. 15:29 Another instance in my life 15:31 was when He directed me, of course, 15:33 to go and do my Ph. D. in Asia, 15:34 I didn't know how I was going to go there, 15:38 but I used a procedure that psychologists use 15:41 and I had not idea that that was what I was actually doing, 15:44 I would go on that website, 15:45 I would take that aerial tour of the university and so on 15:50 and I would say to God... 15:51 I saw the prayer guide and I said to Him, 15:53 "I'm going to meet you there... " 15:54 but every time I go and I see that picture 15:57 and I see the university... 15:58 it kept me encouraged... 15:59 because now I was looking at the end perk... 16:02 "This is where you want me to be... " 16:04 and Psychologists encourage people to do that... 16:06 they tell them, "Put up a Vision Board. " 16:08 Jason: Yes... yeah. 16:09 Nadine: Put the end perks of what you want to become... 16:12 the year you want to graduate... 16:14 the job you want to have... the car you want to drive... 16:16 they are using Biblical principles 16:18 and getting all of the accolades for it 16:20 when really that started with God... 16:23 He is the One who said to us, "I know what I have for you, 16:25 these plans are to prosper you... 16:27 to give an expected end... 16:29 I have that vision already set for you 16:31 and if you keep your eyes on that vision... 16:34 whatever happens in life will not really deter you 16:37 because you know you have that great expected end. " 16:39 Jason: Hmmm... 16:40 Nadine: So, some of our Viewers 16:42 are worried about the children that they birthed... 16:44 they are worried about them 16:45 because they probably would have left the church, 16:47 they are probably living lives outside of what they were taught 16:51 and God is saying to you, 16:52 "Listen, didn't you do your part? 16:54 I said, 'Train up a child in the way he should go 16:57 that when he's old, he will not depart' 17:00 And if you did your part, then you just need to relax 17:02 and allow me to do my job 17:04 because my plan for your children 17:07 are still great plans... " 17:08 because the thing is, God does not have grandchildren. 17:11 Jason: That's true. 17:13 You know, there's nothing like a praying mom... 17:17 when I was out there doing everything under the sun 17:21 that wasn't spiritual... it was worldly or whatever... 17:25 my mom prayed me back in the church. 17:27 Nadine: Amen. 17:29 Jason: And I wouldn't be sitting here today 17:31 if God hadn't answered her prayer 17:34 and worked on my heart. 17:36 Nadine: Exactly, and the thing is... 17:38 your mom also had already trained you 17:40 in the way that you should have gone 17:42 so, your spirit would have always been troubled out there 17:44 while she was praying for you because you knew better, 17:47 you see, 17:48 and so, God's expected end... 17:51 or God's plans for us does not change 17:53 according to our circumstance 17:55 and in your story, we can see that 17:56 because He always had that great plan for you 17:59 so, even though you were out there 18:01 doing what you think was your own thing, 18:02 I'm sure these experiences are now instructing you, in a sense, 18:05 but His great expected end for you came to pass 18:08 because you had a mom who was praying for you, 18:11 mom who believed that her prayers would have been answered 18:13 because she knew that God had great plans for her son. 18:16 Jason: Hmmm... 18:18 Nadine: And so, His expected end does not change... 18:19 He said, "When you are passing through the fire, 18:21 I will be with you... 18:22 when you are being oppressed, I will be there with you... 18:26 the rivers will not overflow you... 18:28 the fire will not consume you 18:30 because whatever you're going through 18:32 I am still there with you 18:33 because I have that great expected end for you... " 18:35 and thankfully we know 18:36 that because He does not have any grandchildren, 18:39 He is as concerned about the children 18:41 that every parent is worried about... as God is 18:44 and He... God... is probably worried even more 18:46 because these are His children 18:48 or concerned... I should say, even more 18:50 because these are also His children 18:52 so the enemy's plan for all of us... 18:54 even as you shared your own experience... 18:56 is to destroy us... 18:58 and that's what he tried with Joseph... 19:00 when we look at Genesis 50 verse 20, 19:02 the Bible says there in Joseph's story 19:06 that you intended it to be harmful to me 19:09 but God intended it for good. 19:11 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 19:12 Nadine: So, there we are seeing 19:13 that even when the enemy tries to derail us 19:16 from the plans that God has for us... 19:17 of course, God's plan will still be accomplished 19:21 and it's amazing how the enemy interferes with us... 19:24 with our children... 19:25 with our families... with our jobs and so on... 19:28 not because he cares so much about these things... 19:30 what he's really after... he's trying to affect our faith. 19:33 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 19:35 Nadine: He's trying to affect our belief in God... 19:37 he's trying to affect the way that we trust God... 19:40 because if he can interfere with everything around us, 19:42 then we may begin to doubt that we have the covering... 19:44 we may begin to doubt that God is really with us 19:47 but Job's example, again, a clear example... 19:49 that even in the midst of all of that... 19:52 we need to be faithful 19:53 because we know that God is still in control 19:55 and that end-plan is still there... 19:57 that is why we must be 19:59 on the other side of the "Red-Sea People" 20:01 we can't wait to see God work before we can testify... 20:04 we cannot wait for Him to bring our enemies across the Red Sea, 20:08 drown them before we can give Him praise, 20:10 we can't wait for Him to heal us of our sicknesses, 20:13 save our marriage, 20:14 bring our children back to church 20:16 provide them monies that we're looking for 20:18 to pay off our debts... 20:19 or even give us that job that we want... 20:21 that house or that car... 20:23 before we can give Him praise... 20:24 and that's why Paul encourages us 20:26 in 1st Thessalonians 5 verse 18 20:28 that we must give thanks in everything. 20:30 And there we saw Job, of course, doing that. 20:32 Just imagine Moses... 20:34 Moses began to walk toward the Red Sea... before it opened 20:38 you see, so he was literally acting out 20:41 like when we spoke about faith... 20:42 he was acting on the faith that he had 20:45 because in his mind... he was already giving God praise 20:47 "I'm already on the other side even before that Red Sea opens" 20:50 and that's why we can look at Revelation 6 verse 2 20:53 where John... on the Isle of Patmos 20:57 sat there in a state of hot oil... 21:01 they say, "boiling hot oil" 21:02 and there he saw Christ riding on a white horse... 21:06 waving a flag... 21:08 now, other parts of the Bible tells us 21:10 that any time we see a white horse... 21:12 or we see that white flag... 21:14 it's because there was victory 21:15 so John was there on the Isle of Patmos 21:18 seeing the vision of the end-time battle... 21:21 the battle that is not yet won... 21:22 the final battle that Jesus would actually fight... 21:25 and so, there we are seeing in our prayer life... 21:28 the many times that we are going through our process 21:31 like, John was there... 21:33 God already had the end-plan, 21:35 John saw that final battle... 21:37 and in our own stories, when we are praying... 21:39 God sees, of course, the end... 21:41 He already knows the end... 21:42 we don't see that end 21:43 because, of course, we are limited in our vision 21:45 and I wanted to say something quick about seeing the end first 21:49 because most things are two-times created... 21:51 so, if you want to create, let's say, this vase... 21:55 or anything at all... 21:56 you would first draw that thing on a piece of paper, 21:59 which is the end... 22:01 if you want to build a house, you need to have a plan 22:03 and that plan shows how many bedrooms you want to have 22:06 where each of them would be located... 22:08 you will see where the garage will be... 22:10 the kitchen... the bathrooms and so on... 22:12 everything is already there in the paper... the end... 22:14 and then you begin to build that paper... 22:16 and so, when we begin to apply that 22:18 to our own personal stories, you know... 22:20 the Bible is so filled with promises... 22:22 the things that we are worried about... 22:24 He has already given us a promise for each of them... 22:26 the end... they are just like that piece of paper 22:28 that gives us that plan for building that house... 22:31 you see, and that's what really 22:33 we need to be wired to see the end first 22:35 and once we are wired to see the end first, 22:38 seeing things from God's perspective... 22:40 it will save us a lot of headache... 22:42 a lot of heartache... 22:43 a lot of disappointment because we'll be seeing victory. 22:46 Jason: Yeah. 22:47 Nadine: We'll be seeing the end... 22:49 we'll actually be dancing and praising God 22:51 because we'll just be on top... 22:53 because we know the end is already predicted... 22:55 and that's why God wants us to shift our focus... 22:58 He wants us to see that end first... 23:00 and in Deuteronomy 1 verse 8, 23:03 God told Moses and Joshua, 23:05 "Behold, I have set the land before you... 23:07 I have given you the land... now, go and take it. " 23:10 And this is so funny to me 23:11 because if you tell me you're giving me a piece of land, 23:13 I would want you to show me that deed... 23:15 Jason: Yeah. 23:16 Nadine: I want some evidence that this land belongs to me 23:18 but God says to these guys, 23:20 "I have given you the land, now go and take it. " 23:22 So, the Word of God... the Bible says... 23:25 in the Bible it says, 23:26 "When you pray... believe you have it. " 23:29 Jason: Yeah. Nadine: The end. 23:30 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 23:32 Nadine: And then the Bible says, "Then you'll receive it. " 23:33 So, the Bible doesn't say, "The end... " 23:34 but it says, "When you pray, believe you have it 23:37 and you shall receive it. " 23:38 So believe you have it... the end... that's the state... 23:41 you have it and then you will receive it 23:42 because the Bible says, "The Word of God... " 23:45 or, I think, Spirit of Prophecy expands on that... 23:47 "The Word of God is like a seed... " 23:49 and just like the tree was in the seed 23:51 but all you are seeing is the seed... 23:53 the Word of God, Jesus says, is the seed... 23:56 and once we understand the parable of the seed, 23:59 we understand the parable of Scripture... 24:02 the principle is this... 24:03 when we have the Word... we already have the "thing" 24:07 when we have the Word, we already have the "thing" 24:11 because the Hebrew word for "word" 24:12 and the Hebrew word for "thing" is the same thing 24:15 and that is why in Creation 24:17 Jesus could have said, "Let there be light... " 24:19 and "light" appeared and continues to appear until now 24:22 because His word was the thing itself 24:24 so He spoke these things into existence 24:26 and what is so amazing... Jesus is also called the "Word" 24:30 and the "Word" is calling things into existence 24:33 and so His Word was the things that He was speaking Himself 24:35 I mean, what a mighty God we serve! 24:37 Jason: Yes, amen. Nadine: You know... 24:38 that He was able to speak these things into existence 24:41 so just think about... 24:42 if Joseph knew when he had that dream 24:45 that he would have one day been in Pharaoh's palace, 24:48 it would have made his journey a lot easier 24:51 and that's why I mentioned earlier on, 24:53 the plans of the enemy to destroy him 24:55 came back to be the biggest blessing 24:56 "because what you meant for destruction... " 24:59 he is saying, "The Lord set this up 25:01 so that I can be here to save a lot of people... " 25:04 so, in our stories... 25:05 if we knew a lot of what we are going through right now, 25:07 you know, 25:09 if we really knew the end-plan that God had... 25:11 then, you know, we would trust Him more, 25:13 and we would go through our trials a little easier 25:16 because knowing the end... makes the journey easier 25:19 but when we spend time in the relationship with God... 25:22 in fact, we should spend time in our relationship with God, 25:25 is only then, of course, 25:27 we can get all of that kind of revelation... 25:29 He can continue to reveal His plans for us 25:31 and we continue to grow in Him... 25:33 because God's end-plan is a great plan 25:36 but everything that we are going through in life 25:38 is preparing us for what He's doing with us... 25:41 and we need to be intimate with Him 25:43 in order that we would be able to know these beautiful things. 25:46 Jason: Yes... yes... 25:47 Nadine: We spoke about intimacy earlier on, 25:49 it's only through prayer 25:51 that we could grasp hold of the end 25:53 that God has in mind for us as well. 25:55 The problem with us is this, 25:56 we have the seed in our hands but we still doubt... 26:00 Jason: That's a severe lack of faith. 26:03 Nadine: Yes it is 26:04 because we refuse to see the tree in the seed, 26:07 all we are allowing our minds to see is the seed 26:10 and I want to really encourage our Viewers 26:14 to see their life stories... their experiences... 26:19 everything... through the eyes of God 26:20 because if we look at it from God's perspective, 26:24 if we look at it from His side of the table... we will realize 26:29 that He always has a great expected end for us. 26:32 Now, the end and beginning are truly concepts of the human mind 26:36 because God has no end and no beginning, really... 26:38 He's infinite... 26:39 He has no space and He has no time... 26:42 His end-plan and His beginning-plan is the same plan, 26:44 by the end of the day, 26:46 the take-away points... I would really like to leave with us 26:48 is that, "God ends before He begins in your story... " 26:51 and we need to remember that, "You are already victorious!" 26:54 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 26:56 Nadine: The prayers that He impresses you to pray 26:59 since we've really have already established 27:01 that He is the One who places in our heart 27:03 the will of what we should ask for 27:05 these prayers are already answered... 27:08 we just need to be patient in the process 27:09 and the last thing I really want to leave with us today 27:13 is that, "God's end-plan for every one of us 27:16 is still a great expected end!" 27:18 and that will never change... 27:19 Let's say a prayer, "Father, 27:21 help us to see the end even before our journey begins 27:24 because it will help us worry less, 27:26 be more patient, 27:27 be more tolerant of obstacles and criticisms... 27:30 open our eyes to see the forest in the seed 27:33 to believe in you and never doubt 27:35 so that we... in seeing the end before the beginning 27:37 will be more like you, we pray, 27:39 in the name of Jesus, amen. " 27:40 Jason: "Amen. " 27:42 Thank you for that powerful information Dr. Nadine. 27:44 Thank you for joining us, 27:46 we are engaged in a spiritual warfare every day... 27:49 pray... Satan is no match for God... 27:52 he's a defeated foe... 27:54 Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith... 27:57 prayer and the Word of God 27:59 are our weapons against the darkness of this world, 28:02 for victory... spend time in prayer, 28:04 don't forget to make prayer a priority 28:06 to supply the missing peace. |
Revised 2018-03-14