Today Family Worship

Dealing with Difficult Times

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

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Series Code: TDYFW

Program Code: TDYFW200042S


00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people
00:12 I want to spend my life
00:19 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, welcome to Friday night Family Worship.
01:12 My name is John Lomacang
01:13 and to my immediate right is my lovely wife, Angela.
01:15 Good to have you here, Honey.
01:17 I'm so, glad to be here
01:18 and spend the Sabbath with you and happy Sabbath.
01:21 Welcome.
01:23 Grab your Bible and just sit down and relax.
01:26 And we're gonna go into the Word of God today.
01:28 That's right. And we're talking about...
01:30 What are we talking about?
01:31 Difficult times, right?
01:33 We're living in difficult times
01:34 and we're gonna talk about
01:36 how to deal with difficult times.
01:39 That's right.
01:40 And we don't have any difficult people with us,
01:42 we have family.
01:45 We don't.
01:46 This is a topic that really many people right now,
01:49 you know, praise the Lord.
01:50 We are in a new year now,
01:51 and God has been gracious to bring us through
01:53 what might be easily in many of our minds,
01:56 probably one of the most surprising years
01:58 we've ever had.
01:59 At least in my lifetime it is. Unprecedented.
02:01 Yeah, unprecedented was the word
02:02 that was coined all year long.
02:04 But 2021 now,
02:06 we're still having a lot of residue.
02:08 Things are still going on
02:10 and a lot of difficult times are still ahead of us.
02:12 But introduce our panel tonight, Honey.
02:14 Hey, well, we have Dee Hildebrand.
02:17 Nice to be here tonight.
02:18 Always happy to be with my pastor and his wife
02:20 studying the Word in Family Worship.
02:23 That's right. Thanks for inviting me.
02:24 Oh, always glad to have you, Dee.
02:27 And right in front of me is Jason Bergman and his wife,
02:29 his lovely wife, Francine Bergman.
02:32 And they're missing Amanda tonight,
02:35 their beautiful daughter.
02:37 Welcome. Thank you.
02:38 It's good to be here.
02:39 CFO and Kids Network.
02:41 Kids Network. 3ABN Kids Network.
02:42 Auntie Francine. Right.
02:44 Yeah. It's a joy to be here. And what a lovely family.
02:48 Just seeing the example of Christ
02:49 that we see in you, so thank you.
02:51 Amen. Thank you. Praise the Lord.
02:53 And it's so good to know that if you've been watching 3ABN,
02:57 you know, a lot of things,
02:58 not a single one of us wears one hat.
03:01 Everybody has more than one hat,
03:03 but before we go into the topic tonight
03:05 and I want you to invite your friends
03:06 and family members to join around,
03:08 we're going to try by reading God's Word
03:11 and discussing it,
03:12 how to get through difficult times.
03:14 A lot of people,
03:15 thousands of jobs have been lost.
03:17 Countless businesses have been closed.
03:20 People are,
03:21 you know, sometimes you see these long food lines
03:23 and bread lines.
03:24 It's not as bad as the depression in the 1930s,
03:28 but on a scale that's unprecedented
03:30 for this modern generation.
03:31 And you might be watching right now,
03:33 having just lost a job
03:34 or maybe wondering about
03:35 whether or not funds are coming in
03:37 or your bank is getting low
03:38 and your children tuition is due.
03:40 Tonight, we're gonna try to encourage you
03:41 through God's Word,
03:43 but, Honey, would you begin with prayer for us tonight?
03:44 Let's go to the Lord.
03:45 Our precious Father in heaven,
03:47 we come to You in the name of Jesus,
03:49 giving you all the praise, honor and glory,
03:52 which you are so worthy of.
03:54 Lord, we thank You and we invite Your presence
03:56 to be with us through the Holy Spirit.
03:59 We ask that You'll be with those
04:01 that are viewing this program.
04:03 We ask that Your Spirit will go into their hearts
04:06 and into their homes even now as we're praying
04:10 and know, we know that
04:12 we are truly in stressful times,
04:15 you're a parent, with You will soon be here,
04:18 Lord, and we look forward to seeing You
04:21 and going home to be with You eternally.
04:24 So, thank You, Father, for being with us,
04:26 for guiding us
04:28 and just being there for us in Jesus' name.
04:31 Amen. Amen.
04:33 Thank you, Honey.
04:35 When we were talking about what to present,
04:37 we've done a number of family worships.
04:39 We were having lunch
04:41 and looking at the news at the same time.
04:43 And my wife said,
04:45 "I think dealing with difficult times
04:47 is a good one."
04:48 And I'm gonna give each one of you an opportunity.
04:51 And I know that
04:52 we could probably put a list the size of this table out
04:55 on difficult things,
04:57 but as the CFO
04:58 and just as a person in this present society,
05:02 the scenario of the world has now faced.
05:04 What are some of the difficulties
05:06 that you've been seeing?
05:07 Well, you know, it's interesting
05:08 from a financial market perspective,
05:10 a lot of people have lost their jobs.
05:12 When you think of the service industry,
05:15 hotels and restaurants, they've been hit really hard.
05:19 And I think this is a good time
05:20 to think about our family members
05:24 and those that live next to us.
05:26 And maybe it'd be a good time
05:28 to give them an extra gift this year.
05:30 Amen.
05:32 You know, the government talks about
05:34 getting another stimulus package
05:37 and for some it's not too soon.
05:40 A lot of people are hurting
05:41 and especially those at least those two sectors,
05:44 but from a financial perspective,
05:48 it's been very difficult for people.
05:50 And even though the market is starting to get better
05:53 and things are starting to rev up on the market,
05:57 people are still, you know, looking for their job,
06:02 to get their job back.
06:03 I mean, there's a lot of changes
06:04 that businesses have been doing
06:06 because of these situations.
06:08 So, you know, from a financial perspective,
06:11 the other thing I noticed is,
06:14 you remember in March
06:15 when the truck started
06:18 not coming to the stores anymore.
06:20 The food wasn't on the shelves anymore.
06:24 I can't remember in my life that ever being a problem.
06:30 So, you know, we take a lot for granted,
06:33 but this year has really showed me that,
06:36 you shouldn't take
06:37 these types of things for granted,
06:39 That's right.
06:40 And so being in 2021,
06:41 the Lord brought us through a very difficult year
06:43 and now we're entering into one now
06:45 where we could look back and say, phew!
06:46 That's right.
06:48 But we don't know what is ahead of us,
06:49 except the Lord does.
06:50 What about you Francine?
06:52 What have you seen?
06:53 I see a lot of people hurting
06:55 and even neighbors and in the medical field,
06:58 but also kids.
07:00 I see kids that are anxious, a little bit nervous
07:03 because they see their stress on their parents
07:06 or online learning.
07:08 There's a lot going on and a lot of uncertainty.
07:12 And so and some of them,
07:14 you know, they're used to having it one-on-one
07:16 with their teacher
07:17 and now they're having to do it
07:18 and figure things out on the computer by themselves.
07:21 And so that, I see that that's a lot of reason
07:25 why there's a new type of learning
07:27 that's taking place for many.
07:29 Some of them are still in person
07:32 in the classroom,
07:33 however many are not, or sometimes things change
07:35 and they're going back to online learning.
07:37 So...
07:38 They said many of the children of the grades are failing.
07:41 Right. And tense parents...
07:42 High percentages of them. Yeah.
07:44 And parents don't know how to help them.
07:45 And many of them,
07:46 maybe they're trying to look for a job
07:48 or trying to do their job from home.
07:49 So it's a struggle for many of them.
07:51 And I've read several emails or talk to people on the phone
07:56 and you hear it in their voice for sure.
07:59 Wow.
08:00 Dee, I know you get around
08:01 and you even volunteer for some of the community help.
08:06 The place I've been volunteering,
08:08 they've had to shut down for a little while.
08:11 And now in this new year,
08:14 they're actually trying to help,
08:17 they have a new program where helping homeless teens.
08:22 And we don't think about that.
08:24 We think about that in the big cities a lot,
08:28 but even in smaller areas, there's homeless teens.
08:32 So we're working this year in 2021 to work on that.
08:37 But I think one of the stresses too,
08:41 is you're in a new year,
08:43 but yet things aren't normal yet.
08:46 We wanted to go from last year to this year
08:49 and have normal things,
08:50 but it's gonna take a long time
08:52 to figure out what normal is.
08:55 There's an...
08:57 I don't want to use that word new normal,
09:00 but our lives have changed.
09:03 And, everyone has difficulty with change
09:09 and we're used to little minute changes,
09:12 or even just a few people having a big change.
09:15 But all of a sudden
09:16 the whole world had a huge change.
09:18 That's right.
09:20 And distress level.
09:22 Even if we think it doesn't affect us
09:25 or we think we're doing okay,
09:27 it affects us every individual,
09:30 every human being on this earth
09:32 got affected in some way or another.
09:35 So that stress,
09:37 even though it might be different
09:39 for each individual and different people,
09:41 it's an overall worldly stress. Yeah.
09:44 And I think to tie into that,
09:46 I've noticed also with the young people
09:48 or teenagers too,
09:49 is many of them don't have a purpose anymore,
09:51 or even those that aren't working.
09:53 They want to try to find that new purpose
09:56 because God has created us to have a mission
09:59 or to, you know, to be purposeful
10:01 and to have a goal to reach
10:03 and not having that for some people.
10:06 I think that's the other thing is how can they reach out
10:09 or how can they find their purpose in their life.
10:11 And that's why some teenagers are getting into things
10:14 that they shouldn't even more so now
10:16 because of this extra stress
10:18 or not having that purpose or goal to look forward to.
10:21 And so, if they were working or having something to do,
10:25 they would have that purpose and feel motivated.
10:27 There is a lot of people
10:29 who have stepped up to create new ways to help
10:32 and to have purpose.
10:34 As I looked at many of the news things,
10:36 I know it seems like it's always bad news,
10:38 but I was always encouraged by the good stories.
10:43 And they're still out there,
10:45 good stories of people
10:46 that are coming up with ideas of helping and changing
10:48 and making the world better.
10:50 That's right.
10:51 And I firmly believe that
10:53 the better ideas come from the Lord
10:55 that He feeds into us if we turn to Him and ask Him.
10:58 That's right.
10:59 For guidance and wisdom of...
11:02 That's right. What is my purpose now?
11:04 Yes.
11:05 And also on the news yesterday,
11:08 they said that many people are going for counseling.
11:11 Yeah.
11:12 They can't handle this stress. Yeah.
11:13 You know, mental health was bad before
11:17 and when March hit, it just exploded.
11:21 And when you think of all the jobs lost
11:23 and all the issues,
11:24 and then the kids not being able to go to school
11:26 and then having to teach your kid
11:28 and work from home
11:31 and deal with all the technology
11:32 that you had to learn,
11:34 you know, that is when you,
11:35 when you consider all the things
11:36 that happened before, that was difficult.
11:39 Now you have all these added things
11:41 that people had to relearn or learn new.
11:45 That created a lot of mental health
11:47 and it's still going on
11:49 because there's still many issues
11:50 that need to be resolved.
11:52 That's right.
11:53 Matter of fact, when we look at the Bible,
11:54 we find that in 2 Timothy 3,
11:56 you know, we use our outline here.
11:57 We find that this is not a shock.
11:59 You know, it didn't catch God by surprise.
12:01 Yeah.
12:02 Jason, read that for us, 2 Timothy 3:1,
12:04 the Bible described a condition or a climate of the last days
12:09 that doesn't catch God by surprise.
12:11 That's right. What did Paul say?
12:12 So, yeah we invite you to come and read with us
12:15 in 2 Timothy 3:1.
12:17 It says,
12:18 "But know this, that in the last days,
12:21 peerless times will come."
12:23 Perilous times. Perilous times.
12:24 I remember listening to the news once
12:26 when the guy actually said,
12:28 "we are living in perilous times."
12:29 That's right.
12:30 And then the other word that
12:32 the most repeated word was unprecedented,
12:34 unprecedented, unprecedented.
12:35 Unprecedented, yes.
12:36 And it's just, it is even part of our opener,
12:38 we're living in unprecedented times.
12:40 Meaning we're seeing a lot of firsts in our day,
12:43 but being mindful that
12:44 there was a pandemic before 1918 to 1920,
12:49 where upwards of 50 to 100 million people died.
12:53 There were no vaccines. Praise the Lord.
12:55 You know, there's some help coming in that area.
12:57 And we hope that
12:58 there's some good outcomes to that.
13:00 But perilous times
13:01 is not something that's unusual.
13:03 That is the Lord has prognosticated this.
13:06 And this is how we know
13:08 that we're living in the last days.
13:10 And it also describes what's happening.
13:12 Uh, some people are experiencing,
13:14 we talked about there briefly the result of that.
13:16 What does Luke 21 tell us, Honey.
13:18 If you have your Bibles, Luke 21: 26.
13:20 Luke 21: 26.
13:21 Okay. Yeah.
13:23 "Men's hearts failing them from fear
13:25 and the expectation of those things,
13:27 which are coming on the earth
13:28 for the powers of the heavens will be shaken."
13:31 Wow. Okay.
13:32 So you notice that,
13:34 men's hearts failing them from fear.
13:36 I listened to a restaurant in New York City.
13:39 Actually it was a couple of months ago
13:41 and he said,
13:42 "By this time next year,"
13:44 he said, "80% "
13:46 and New York is huge,
13:47 "80% of the restaurants in New York might be closed."
13:52 Do you realize
13:53 when you're talking about a city of millions, 80%,
13:55 and that's indoor dining,
13:57 and if it snows
14:00 or if the weather gets terribly cold,
14:02 you can't put those outdoor little tents.
14:05 And then it just gets to the point
14:06 where people are...
14:08 Men's hearts are failing
14:09 because they're wondering what's coming next.
14:11 This thing, mankinds.
14:12 Yeah right. Mankind. Mankind.
14:14 Their hearts are failing them. Yeah.
14:16 The hearts of men are failing them,
14:18 the hearts of humanity are failing them.
14:19 They don't have to do...
14:20 In Proverbs 29.
14:22 Turn there real quick. Yeah.
14:23 Proverbs 29:25,
14:25 that's interesting...
14:28 Honey, and I have the same Bible you have.
14:30 I'm so proud of you.
14:31 My Remnant Bible.
14:33 I'm sorry, you said Proverbs what?
14:35 Proverbs 29:25.
14:37 Okay. That's where we are.
14:39 And it's just the first sentence
14:43 and read that, Honey.
14:45 Okay. It says 29. Okay. I was thinking 30.
14:47 Verse 29. 29: 25 reads.
14:51 "The fear of man brings a snare..."
14:54 Finish it.
14:56 "But whoever trust in the Lord shall be saved."
14:58 What does that mean to you? Wow.
15:02 Right now we don't...
15:03 We just came through
15:04 one of the most horrendous years
15:06 in our modern experience.
15:08 But it says, if you fear man,
15:10 you could find yourself in deeper difficulty,
15:13 but if you trust the Lord, you'll be safe.
15:15 And for those who are Christians
15:17 watching the program,
15:18 or maybe Seventh-day Adventist Christians,
15:20 we know that that's the biggest factor.
15:22 There was a program called Fear Factor
15:25 and fear factor exists
15:26 because I don't trust that crane.
15:28 You know, I don't trust that tank of snakes.
15:30 I don't trust that guy driving that car,
15:32 but there's never a time that we can't trust the Lord.
15:34 That's right. That's what that means to me.
15:35 Yeah.
15:37 And too many people today are trusting in other men
15:40 to bring them safety.
15:41 Yeah.
15:43 Or to come up with the answers.
15:44 And the world basically
15:46 is looking to other men for answers.
15:49 Yes.
15:51 And that's not the answers.
15:53 You're right. And, you know, what's interesting.
15:55 I like listening to other people.
15:56 I was getting gas, it was in February or March.
15:59 And I just remembered in March when I was getting gas
16:02 and people were talking,
16:04 strangers talking to each other,
16:05 which usually doesn't happen anyway.
16:07 And they were talking, they're like,
16:08 "Boy, isn't this time crazy?
16:10 Have you ever heard of this happening?"
16:12 And so, it was really interesting
16:14 how people were starting to connect with other people
16:17 that normally they wouldn't connect.
16:18 So, in that way, it was kind of nice
16:20 that people were actually looking
16:22 and talking to other people instead of just looking down.
16:25 You know, in New York,
16:27 I was there for some treasury meetings,
16:30 some investment meetings,
16:31 and you walk down the streets
16:33 and no one wants to look at each other.
16:34 You know, they look down or look away,
16:37 but this got people to start talking to each other
16:40 and kind of getting to know each other and say,
16:42 "Hey, how are you dealing with stuff?
16:44 And how are you dealing with it?"
16:45 And I think that has really helped people in bonding
16:48 in a little way
16:49 as a positive note to this type of thing
16:51 that was going on.
16:52 Matter of fact, Dee made a point that,
16:54 if we look at...
16:55 Do you have a text for us, Honey?
16:57 Well, in Isaiah 33:14, the very verse.
17:04 Okay.
17:05 I'm sorry, Isaiah what again?
17:07 33:14.
17:10 And let's say we are at Zion, okay?
17:13 Let's put us at Zion.
17:15 "The sinners in Zion are afraid.
17:19 Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites
17:21 who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire."
17:25 So there's a lot of fear.
17:28 And it has seized people.
17:29 It has, it consumed them.
17:31 We saw a church bulletin. Frozen them.
17:33 Yeah.
17:35 We saw church bulletin
17:36 and online we were looking at...
17:38 I did something for a church in New York
17:40 and they had their online bulletin
17:41 and I was looking at it.
17:42 They had two pages of people that have died.
17:45 And most of them were from COVID.
17:46 Oh, my God.
17:47 And I thought, I'm scrolling up on the bus.
17:49 This is the first page, second page,
17:51 third page deceased, deceased, deceased.
17:52 States, states, states people have died.
17:54 And I had to ask, these are a lot of...
17:57 Had a lot of COVID victims in New York.
17:59 And the sad reality is people have thought that,
18:02 you know, this was just a cold, but unfortunately,
18:05 we know it's more than that.
18:07 It's something that has really had quite a bite to it.
18:10 But I want...
18:11 It is perilous times
18:13 when we move into perilous times
18:14 and we move into the end times,
18:19 God is going to put a lot of people to sleep.
18:22 Yes.
18:23 You know. Out of mercy.
18:24 Yes.
18:26 Out of mercy that's gonna happen.
18:27 So, we are gonna look forward to Satan taking more...
18:31 God allowing Satan to take more and more
18:34 allowing them to sleep.
18:36 Well, God allowing them to be...
18:39 Some people have diseases
18:40 that people are praying to be healed,
18:42 but sometimes the Lord allows them
18:43 to be laid to rest because there's trouble coming.
18:45 As a matter of fact, Isaiah 57.
18:48 Look at Isaiah 57.
18:50 This is a passage,
18:52 when my dad passed away in 19...
18:54 Oh, sorry in 2006, my natural father,
18:57 someone gave me this passage.
19:00 I read my Bible before,
19:01 but I had never seen it this way.
19:05 Isaiah 57.
19:06 Okay I was in 47, I don't know why.
19:08 There it is. But here's what it reads.
19:10 It says... 57 which verse?
19:11 57:1. Oh, okay.
19:14 It says,
19:15 "The righteous perish and no one takes it to heart.
19:19 Merciful men are taken away
19:22 while no one considers
19:24 that the righteous is taken away from evil."
19:27 That is to be spirit from evil.
19:29 "He shall enter into peace.
19:31 They shall rest in their beds,
19:34 each one walking in his uprightness."
19:35 So, it's saying,
19:37 the righteous are taken away
19:39 and the actual translation to be spirit from evil.
19:41 Yeah.
19:43 Hence a lot of people
19:44 are not making through difficult times,
19:45 but you made a point, Dee, I want to go back on.
19:47 If you look at our point number four
19:49 in Psalm 146:3,
19:52 maybe you could read that for us, Francine,
19:54 Psalm 146:3
19:56 because Dee talked about
19:58 how people are looking for answers from leaders.
20:02 People are looking for answers from politicians,
20:04 from local leaders, from mayors, from governors.
20:08 But this is a very interesting passage.
20:10 Psalm 146:3.
20:12 Now look what it says to us.
20:14 Okay. 146: 3.
20:18 It's sad when people get so disappointed
20:21 because they have looked to people for the answers.
20:25 And this is what happens to them.
20:28 Do not put your trust in princes,
20:31 nor in a son of man in whom there is no help.
20:36 Could that be? That is so straight.
20:38 Could that be plain? And why...
20:39 And verse 4.
20:41 Why is there no help in man?
20:44 Okay.
20:45 "His spirit departs, he returns to his earth,
20:48 in that very day his plans perish."
20:51 That means you're putting your trust in people
20:53 that are gonna die.
20:55 People that the grave is waiting for them too.
20:57 And it's unfortunate that
20:59 that's the reality of this life.
21:00 Everybody has a date. We just don't know what it is.
21:02 Lord, please postpone mine and keep it for a long time.
21:06 I'm praying that the Lord will come
21:07 while we're alive.
21:08 But you're saying that
21:10 people are putting their trust in princes.
21:11 We could say that in leaders
21:13 and people that are in prominent positions.
21:15 What do you say, Jason?
21:16 So, you know, I was thinking on the other side
21:19 because I like parallelism, right?
21:21 Okay.
21:22 So, you think of Elijah,
21:24 when in 1 King 17,
21:28 it talks about how the ravens were feeding him,
21:31 because why?
21:33 Because the trucks weren't going to the stores
21:35 for him to get food.
21:37 There was a drought.
21:38 So, you know, when I thought about
21:40 what we're talking about early,
21:42 and it reminded me of this story,
21:44 where the Lord said, you know what?
21:46 You go to this place.
21:47 There's gonna be a drought,
21:49 go to this place and I'll have the ravens.
21:50 Now, I probably clean off this stuff
21:52 after the ravens drop everything.
21:55 Just because I'm an accountant, you know.
21:57 But seriously, when you think of what Jesus did,
22:00 we don't have to fear,
22:02 you know, the Lord will provide our needs.
22:05 We need.
22:06 It won't be the same way
22:08 that we think they're going to be.
22:10 But I think we can trust the Lord
22:11 and look to Jesus
22:13 and have that confidence in Him,
22:15 that He will get us through this.
22:17 Just like He,
22:18 you know, got Elijah through this situation
22:21 where there was a total drought.
22:23 There was no food,
22:24 but the ravens came and gave him the food.
22:26 That's right.
22:27 As a matter of fact, that's a great point.
22:30 God is going to supply our needs.
22:31 That's right. That's what you're saying.
22:33 And that's what it's projecting.
22:34 Not just physical though.
22:35 See there's, right now, people look back on last year.
22:39 There are families who lost their mom and dad,
22:43 entire families.
22:44 There's families
22:45 that lost many people in their family.
22:48 So he is actually,
22:50 God is the only one
22:52 that's going to be able to get you through that pain.
22:55 And eventually you're going to see
22:59 how God works it all out and why He allowed it.
23:03 But in the meantime, you're still hurting.
23:05 It doesn't stop your pain, even when you know,
23:09 but He is the one that will carry you through.
23:13 Matter of fact, Dee, read Psalm 34:19.
23:17 Psalm 34...
23:18 Psalms 34:19.
23:19 Let's turn to that because
23:21 I'd like you to actually read verses 17 and 19.
23:25 I'm sorry, 34 what's my verse again?
23:27 Psalm 34:19.
23:29 Verse 19 but...
23:30 Yeah read.
23:32 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
23:34 but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
23:37 He guards all his bones, not one of them is broken."
23:40 Okay.
23:42 And that verse there,
23:43 that was actually a prophecy of the coming Christ.
23:46 But the verse that we were reading there
23:48 in verse 19, truly there're people...
23:50 Many are the afflictions.
23:52 How many... Of the righteous.
23:53 Of the righteous.
23:54 But notice the context, in a righteous relationship,
23:58 you can trust in the Lord to deliver you,
24:01 which I want to just catapult
24:02 right into the very next aspect,
24:04 because there's something about trying to deliver yourself
24:07 that makes it difficult.
24:09 Jeremiah, the point number four,
24:10 we have Jeremiah 48:7.
24:13 This is another reason
24:15 why people are going through difficult stresses.
24:17 Look at Jeremiah 34:7.
24:21 Thirty four?
24:23 Jeremiah 48:7.
24:25 Oh, okay.
24:26 I'm getting dyslexic all of a sudden.
24:28 That's another stress of COVID.
24:31 Angie, you've already got that.
24:32 Don't you? Yeah.
24:33 Dyslexic? No.
24:36 No, the Bible verse. I'm joking.
24:38 Here we go.
24:40 It says,
24:41 "For because you have trusted in your works
24:44 and your treasures.
24:47 You also shall be taken,
24:50 and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity,
24:54 his priests and his princes together."
24:56 Now what is in essence its talking about
24:58 one of the difficulties that Israel faced.
25:01 And the two things that I grabbed from that was
25:03 people trust in their works and in their treasures.
25:06 And we're seeing,
25:08 we have seen many people work hard
25:10 as somebody once said,
25:12 "Do you know how long it took me
25:13 to get my company to this point?"
25:16 And it's unfortunate.
25:18 They said, "I'm closing doors. I'm laying off employees."
25:20 They trusted in the works of their hands.
25:22 And then they said,
25:23 "I don't really have enough
25:25 to pay bills for the next month.
25:26 I'm waiting for some kind of government help."
25:29 And once again, trusting in treasures,
25:31 which in fact, today,
25:33 you can't really count on those things
25:34 because they're minimal.
25:36 And the things that we work difficult and work hard for,
25:39 they're disappearing, and they're just evaporating.
25:41 It's heartbreaking
25:42 when you put your life into something to build it up
25:45 and you watch it disappear.
25:47 I think that there are God's people
25:51 who have put their life into work
25:54 that has been built up.
25:55 And as they see it disappear,
25:57 they look at it differently than the non-believer.
26:01 It still breaks their hearts to watch their work disappear.
26:04 But that's not where their treasure is.
26:07 Their treasure is in heaven.
26:10 If your treasure is here on earth
26:12 and it's anchored here,
26:14 then it can practically destroy you.
26:16 But if you watch, we're going to have to watch.
26:19 If we live long enough,
26:21 we're gonna watch everything be taken away from us.
26:25 Are you ready for that to happen?
26:27 Is your treasure where it needs to be?
26:29 Is that how you're gonna get through difficult times?
26:32 Because you have your treasure where it belongs,
26:34 and it's not going to destroy you
26:37 as you watch everything disappearing
26:41 over a period of time.
26:42 You know from an accounting perspective
26:44 in treasury.
26:46 You know, we look at managing assets,
26:48 but when you look at it from an earthly perspective,
26:52 I look at it it's all burnable.
26:55 So when you look at it from that perspective,
26:58 you have to look at everything that you own
27:00 and say, you know what?
27:02 It's time to leave it in your mind.
27:04 So, you know, subconsciously when you get to that point,
27:07 you just moved
27:09 and you don't have to think about it.
27:10 And you make sure that your family's with you.
27:12 Amen.
27:14 Because even though we're all burnable,
27:17 it's really important that
27:18 we take priority in what's important.
27:22 It gives you a freedom too.
27:24 I enjoy remodeling and redecorating.
27:27 Yes, you do, and you do it yourself.
27:28 So, I've just redone another room.
27:30 And I get great joy in that.
27:32 It's the works of my hand.
27:33 God gave me a talent, I'm using it.
27:36 But even as I'm doing it...
27:38 You're not chained to it.
27:39 I'm not chained to it.
27:40 It's like, well, sometimes 'cause you make mistakes.
27:43 Right. Oh, well, it's gonna burn.
27:45 It's good enough for me.
27:48 So you can let it go.
27:50 You can take a joy in your work.
27:53 God wants us to take joy in our work
27:55 in what we accomplished in what we build.
27:57 So take joy in it,
27:58 but don't think that is your anchor
28:02 that you depend on, that you trust in.
28:06 That's where we make our mistake.
28:08 We want to...
28:10 Put so much trust in it.
28:11 We want trusting in things that are...
28:15 Temporary.
28:16 We don't want to trust in things
28:17 that are temporary.
28:19 We want to put our trust in...
28:20 Eternal things. Eternal things. Thank you.
28:22 I need some help with my language.
28:24 No, you know, and I like what you said
28:26 that we are, we're stewards.
28:29 And even though we know things are gonna go away,
28:32 the time that the Lord has given us
28:35 that we need to take those opportunities
28:37 with the skills that God's given us,
28:39 the intellectual property and share it
28:41 because we don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring.
28:43 And this situation in March happened so fast on all of us.
28:47 Yes.
28:49 You know, priorities became very valuable.
28:51 What are our priorities?
28:53 And that question
28:54 really helped a lot of people understand
28:58 where are we gonna go?
28:59 Who are we gonna follow?
29:01 And I think, you know,
29:02 knowing Jesus was that mental health of peace
29:07 and comfort and joy
29:10 that we need to share with others.
29:13 So that's our job right now in this time
29:16 is to share the good news that Jesus is coming soon.
29:21 This has been predicted.
29:23 Let's go out
29:24 and share the good news with people
29:25 who are really hurting.
29:27 And there are those
29:29 that are outside of the Christian realm.
29:30 I wanna look at Matthew 7:14.
29:33 There are those outside of the Christian realm.
29:35 'Cause if you've caught it a moment ago,
29:37 we've been talking about, yeah difficult times will come,
29:40 but the Christian
29:41 who doesn't connect him or herself to his things,
29:44 even the works of their hands could trust in,
29:47 well, that's temporary, it's burnable, it's flammable,
29:49 it's not eternal.
29:51 I wanna keep my mind focused on the eternal,
29:53 but then there are those that try to make it through,
29:56 you know, they see the difficult times coming
29:58 and they don't want to adjust their lives to say,
30:00 I really need the Lord now.
30:02 The Bible describes the kind of experience
30:04 that they go through.
30:05 Look at this. You should go 13.
30:07 Mathew what? Okay. Matthew 7:13-14.
30:11 Okay.
30:12 All right, Hon, well go for that,
30:13 verse 13 and 14.
30:15 Matthew 7:13 says,
30:17 "Enter by the narrow gate,
30:19 for wide is the gate and broad is the way
30:24 that leads to destruction.
30:27 And there are many who go in it,
30:30 who go in by it,
30:33 because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way
30:37 which leads to life.
30:39 And there are few who find it."
30:42 Now what I got out of that,
30:43 is not that as,
30:45 it's not that God hid the way to eternal life,
30:48 but they're trying it their way.
30:50 And when you, when God is saying go right,
30:52 and you go left, God's saying, turn now,
30:55 you turn in the opposite direction.
30:56 It becomes difficult.
30:58 And I believe a lot of the difficulty
31:00 that people are facing is because
31:01 they're trying to do it their way.
31:03 They say, "Well, what could we do next?
31:04 What we could do?"
31:06 The best thing you could do next is pray
31:07 and say, Lord lead me.
31:09 I think there's a statement Ellen White made in the book,
31:11 Selected Messages.
31:12 She said, "Pray, Lord, stand at the wheel,
31:15 carry us through this difficulty,
31:17 bring us safely into port."
31:19 And so that's what we have to do
31:21 in times like these, the ship is rocking.
31:23 There's water coming in
31:24 and Jesus is right there saying,
31:27 if you just wake me up, everything will be just fine
31:29 'cause I'm on board with you.
31:30 What do you say?
31:31 So, you know, I kinda like this
31:33 because it gave me a different perspective
31:34 that in life, that when you focus on something,
31:38 you put all your attention in that.
31:40 So when there's things
31:42 you have to let those other things go away.
31:45 But many people like get distracted, right?
31:47 They get, they look this way and they looked the other way
31:51 and they find themselves in areas
31:53 that they probably shouldn't be.
31:54 And that's why the Lord said, you know, focus on Me.
31:58 Look to Me for this.
32:00 And you'll receive,
32:01 you know, your desire when you focus on Jesus.
32:04 That's right. That's true.
32:08 Get away from focusing on yourself.
32:09 Don't try to make it.
32:10 It doesn't, you know, the key is this.
32:12 It doesn't have to be difficult,
32:13 but it will be difficult if we don't do it God's way.
32:15 That's right.
32:16 A lot of people say, well, you know,
32:18 I came from a family of great financers.
32:19 I got great education, great plans,
32:22 you know, forward-looking,
32:23 but this was something that had, no,
32:26 it just is, I'm cutting off all means of sustenance.
32:29 And you're gonna have to just either try to do it your way
32:32 or do it God's way.
32:33 There's a quotation we'd read here.
32:34 Satan sends us distractions. Yeah.
32:37 If you're determined to trust in the Lord
32:40 and you bring your family together
32:42 and you get into prayer
32:43 and you certainly on the Father
32:45 and praying and saying, Lord, give us wisdom,
32:49 but we can get distracted
32:51 because all of a sudden,
32:53 you're not sure
32:55 how you're gonna put food on the table
32:56 for your children.
32:58 So Satan uses that
33:01 to detract you from God,
33:04 where you have to stay focused on Him
33:09 and hang on to Him even if it's just by a thread.
33:13 That's right.
33:14 There's another component to that too,
33:16 read that quote there, Hon.
33:17 Even the blue box,
33:18 that very first sentence, it says,
33:20 "The path which I have set before you,
33:23 Jesus says, is narrow.
33:26 The gate is difficult of entrance
33:28 for the golden rule
33:30 excludes all pride and self-seeking."
33:32 So people have to say, you know,
33:35 I'm not buying into that Christian thing,
33:36 that God thing,
33:38 I can make it through this difficult time.
33:39 And the road gets very, very difficult.
33:41 Francine, I wanna share something with you.
33:44 Matter of fact, I want you to share with us...
33:45 But Jesus says that the near,
33:47 the gate is what he set before us
33:51 that the gate is difficult.
33:53 So even if we choose Him,
33:56 it's going to be a difficult path.
34:00 But if we continue to choose Him,
34:02 He gets us through it
34:04 because when it gets impossible to deal with
34:10 if we let go of Him.
34:11 Right.
34:12 And what makes it difficult is we got to put pride aside.
34:15 We have to put self-seeking aside.
34:18 Self-motivation aside. Yeah.
34:20 I'd like to point out that,
34:22 remember how Jesus was taking
34:24 a little one on his lap and saying,
34:25 unless you become like a little child,
34:28 basically, it's just simple faith.
34:30 Just totally trust Him.
34:32 Don't make it complicated with these worldly things
34:35 that you do see.
34:36 Your Father has you under His wing,
34:39 He's looking forward for you.
34:41 I mean, He's careful for you.
34:42 And one of the things that I like in Psalms 27:5,
34:47 I don't know if you want me to read it, but...
34:48 Yeah, go for that.
34:50 "In the time of trouble,
34:51 he shall hide me in his pavilion, "
34:54 which I think is the cliff of the rock.
34:55 But "in the secret place of His tabernacle,
34:58 He shall hide me.
34:59 He shall set me high upon the rock."
35:02 And when I was in the classroom,
35:03 we would often have this picture
35:05 that we would show the kids of that bird
35:08 that's in the cleft of the rock.
35:10 And there's a storm brewing,
35:11 you see all the birds of prey
35:16 that would attack the bird.
35:17 You see the waterfall that could be there.
35:20 And yet the birds are safe and sound.
35:23 And they're not worried about their heavenly Father,
35:27 they're under there.
35:28 And I just see that picture
35:29 that He has all this turmoil can be around,
35:33 but God's got you.
35:34 And He's your father.
35:36 And just like a child has that total faith in their father,
35:39 it's total faith that we need to have in God.
35:42 And it's when we look
35:43 to these little things on the side,
35:46 we get distracted.
35:48 Angie? That's right.
35:49 His eye is on the sparrow, right?
35:50 If His eye is on the sparrow, as the song says,
35:52 I know He watches me. He's watching.
35:54 We have to keep our eye on Him.
35:57 That's right. So, yeah.
35:59 I heard the story about a sparrow,
36:00 matter of fact,
36:02 because somebody was going through a very tough storm
36:06 and they said the winds were so high,
36:08 70, 80 miles an hour winds.
36:09 And the very next day,
36:11 their little brown sparrow was back for his food.
36:14 And they asked,
36:16 "Where did he hide during the storm?
36:18 Where did he go?"
36:19 And I heard an amazing story.
36:20 They said, "When a bird stands on the,
36:23 when it perches on the branch, when it bends its knees,
36:28 it's claws lock."
36:29 Yeah.
36:30 If its knees are bent, its claws lock
36:32 and there's nothing that's gonna blow it off
36:34 because the claws is just...
36:36 when the knees, when they bend this ridge like it.
36:38 The foundation, you mean?
36:40 When it locks that wind may shake him,
36:43 but he's locked to what he's holding on.
36:45 He's anchored. Yeah.
36:46 And when you bend your knees,
36:48 you'll be anchored in the times of difficulty.
36:51 Yes, amen.
36:52 Another one I want to bring out.
36:56 Dee, I'll throw this to you, Isaiah 26:3.
37:00 And then, then, Honey...
37:02 Isaiah, what again?
37:04 Isaiah 26:3.
37:06 And then,
37:10 the one I'd like Angie to share is Psalm 73:26,
37:16 but Isaiah 26:3, Dee.
37:18 "I love this one.
37:20 You will keep him in perfect peace,
37:24 whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you."
37:28 What does that mean to you?
37:29 I went through last year very peaceful,
37:32 not in fear
37:35 because I kept my mind on Him
37:37 and I live day by day with Him saying,
37:41 "Okay, Lord, I'm gonna do what I'm supposed to do,
37:43 but Your job,
37:44 I'm not going to try to do Your job."
37:47 And that is...
37:48 I'm glad, Dee. Yeah.
37:50 I am so glad.
37:51 Don't try to do God's job.
37:53 Just do your own job.
37:55 And He will and trust in Him because He trust in you.
37:59 And my trust is completely in the Lord
38:02 and that's letting Him deal with what's going on.
38:07 And the peace that passes all understanding.
38:11 There is a peace.
38:13 Now, was I peaceful every second?
38:16 Well...
38:17 There's too many people here that know me,
38:19 but there is a, there's a deep abiding peace
38:23 that is deep within you that stays there all the time
38:26 even if the surface of you gets a little wrinkled somewhat.
38:30 But you could be a...
38:32 You could be a duck on a pond and the water's rough,
38:33 but under the surface, you're just moving right along.
38:36 But I wanna add something to this.
38:38 Psalm 73:26.
38:40 I wanna share that one, because this is another one.
38:42 And, Jason, I wanna have you read another one
38:44 here in a moment.
38:45 Psalm 76? Psalm 73:26.
38:47 Angie's gonna read that for us.
38:49 This is when a person is losing their confidence, right?
38:51 That's right. Yeah.
38:52 It says here, Psalm 73:26, "My flesh and my heart fail, "
38:59 and I love the but,
39:00 "but God is the strength of my heart
39:03 and my portion forever."
39:05 Notice what happens?
39:07 My flesh and my heart fail.
39:09 And there were people that had...
39:11 There are some other,
39:13 and I know we've been talking about
39:14 COVID intermittently here,
39:16 but there's a phrase for those of you
39:19 that are website builders,
39:20 or maybe Photoshop people like I am.
39:23 There's an acronym, CSS,
39:24 cask ID, cascading style sheets.
39:28 Meaning the same style throughout an entire document
39:30 by making it available to one and then making it so,
39:33 to speak, a cascading style.
39:37 Like bold and that whole thing throughout the document.
39:39 But there's another CSS call COVID stress syndrome.
39:45 COVID stress syndrome.
39:47 People have talked about the long-term effects of it,
39:50 and it's, in it there's no age group
39:53 that it's limited to.
39:55 I watched the news not too long ago,
39:57 where a basketball player, a young man in college,
40:02 he just was walking up, back up on the court
40:04 after dunking a ball.
40:07 And he didn't get back to half court
40:10 and he just fainted, fell flat on his face.
40:13 And they said, it was maybe a couple of weeks before that
40:16 he had just been cleared of his COVID that he had.
40:19 He'd been, they said he had no prior symptoms.
40:22 He said, very healthy.
40:23 And they're saying, we wonder
40:25 if this is a lingering effect of COVID.
40:27 And some people said, "Well, I have shakes."
40:29 Other people say, "My hair is dropping out.
40:31 No taste.
40:33 No taste, I can't get my...
40:34 I can't stop coughing.
40:36 All these things are happening because there's a stress factor
40:38 that goes on the flesh and the heart fail.
40:42 But God is always constant.
40:44 Go to Isaiah 35:4.
40:45 Okay.
40:47 And most of us, even Christians,
40:49 our flesh and our heart fail,
40:52 but it can be a failure of a momentary moment.
40:55 Yes.
40:56 I mean, if I can have a moment, if I see a car swerve into my,
41:02 I'm gonna have a moment of terror.
41:04 Absolutely. You know?
41:05 Absolutely.
41:07 But it doesn't shake my perfect peace
41:09 that's deep inside me.
41:10 Yes. That's right. Yes.
41:12 And there are people that are so fearful
41:14 and the Bible has the answer.
41:16 Okay, there you go, Hon.
41:18 Now read it, Psalm 35, I mean, Isaiah 35:4,
41:21 "Say to those who are fearful hearted,
41:25 be strong and do not fear."
41:27 That's all I'm gonna read.
41:28 However I like that.
41:30 Say to those who are fearful hearted,
41:31 be strong and do not fear,
41:33 But you can't accomplish that
41:35 unless you do it in Christ only.
41:37 You're not able to do that. Exactly.
41:39 Not possible. Exactly.
41:41 God's the only one that can do that for you.
41:43 Yes.
41:44 Which bring...
41:46 I wanna give you a financial text.
41:47 Oh! Okay.
41:48 Deuteronomy 8:17.
41:50 This is another one that causes people stress.
41:55 You know, Jason, as I mentioned before,
41:57 if you're just joining us, he's the CFO of 3ABN,
42:00 and God has been so graciously provisionary for this ministry,
42:05 carrying us through a challenging times.
42:08 Dee, even our church,
42:10 God has blessed our church tremendously.
42:11 Yeah.
42:12 I know I came too earlier much last year
42:15 and early in the year,
42:16 it's like, John, you know, we're gonna face hard times.
42:20 It's gonna get difficult.
42:21 I'm concerned. I'm nervous.
42:22 And you looked at me. "Dee."
42:25 And God, all of a sudden,
42:28 it's like, we have to, we have funds.
42:30 We've gotta do something with,
42:32 because God does not send us funds to sit on.
42:34 So our church has been very active.
42:37 We are very strong into evangelism
42:40 and in getting the word out
42:41 because God has provided.
42:44 And that I'm like, wow, Lord, this is amazing.
42:48 We actually did better during COVID
42:49 than we did when there was no COVID.
42:51 We're doing, but we're reaching a lot of people too.
42:56 We're doing God's work.
42:57 And that's why He blessed us.
42:59 As long as we continue to do that, we'll be okay.
43:02 Deuteronomy...
43:04 Deuteronomy 8:17.
43:05 And by the way, the context of this story is
43:07 those who have got houses and lands and all this stuff.
43:11 And then all of a sudden,
43:12 a difficulty comes and look at this one,
43:15 Deuteronomy verse 17.
43:16 So, it says,
43:18 "Then you say in your heart,
43:19 'My power and the might of my hand
43:22 have gained me this wealth.'"
43:24 Okay, but now read verse 16.
43:26 You're in charge. You're in trouble now.
43:28 Okay.
43:30 I wanna add a couple more to those
43:32 because the Lord brings,
43:33 He's walking the Israelites
43:35 through all the tremendous ways He blessed them,
43:39 and then they are living it up
43:43 and they say, wow,
43:45 my power and my mind have gained me this wealth.
43:47 And look at verse 16,
43:49 just a portion of the latter part of that.
43:51 Yeah, well, the whole verse 16.
43:52 Okay, it says,
43:54 "Who fed you in the wilderness with manna,
43:57 which your father did not know that he might humble you
44:02 and that he might test you to do you good in the end?"
44:08 Okay.
44:09 So, then also in verse 17, they say
44:11 "we did it." "We did it."
44:13 Yeah.
44:14 But, but look at verse 18 now, finish this picture.
44:17 "And you shall remember the Lord, your God,
44:20 for it is He
44:21 who gives you power to get wealth,
44:24 that He may establish His covenant
44:27 which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day."
44:33 God is saying, I made a promise,
44:35 I'm gonna establish, I'm gonna carry it through.
44:37 So, don't get all sidetracked and think that you're the one
44:41 that's involved in all the successes in your life.
44:44 Now let's go down...
44:45 But He gives us power. He gives us talent.
44:48 He gives us purpose
44:50 that we are to accomplish His will.
44:53 And that's where we enter into joy with Him.
44:56 You know, I think one of the Bible verses,
44:58 which is one of my favorites is John 15:5.
45:00 And I think I may have said it another time on TV,
45:05 but it's
45:07 "I am the vine, you're the branches,
45:10 he who abides in me and I in him
45:11 beareth forth much fruit,
45:13 for without me you can do nothing."
45:16 But then in 7, it says,
45:19 "If you abide in Me and My words abide in you,
45:22 you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you."
45:25 Just like our Prophet Elisha
45:32 who didn't have to worry about anything.
45:35 God told him you're going to get the manna.
45:37 So don't worry about it even though there's a drought.
45:39 So he trusted in the Lord
45:41 because he knew of himself he couldn't do anything,
45:43 but because he trusted the Lord,
45:45 everything was okay.
45:47 And I think when we focus on the Lord,
45:49 when we give up our own self,
45:52 then He can fill us like a glass of living water.
45:59 And I think that's where we get that hope
46:01 and that faith and that peace
46:06 in knowing that our heavenly Father knows
46:08 what we need at the perfect time.
46:11 As a matter of fact, Francine,
46:12 to build on that Ephesians 3:20-21.
46:18 We fight against the Lord so often,
46:21 and we stop his hand.
46:24 Yes.
46:25 He wants to bless us.
46:27 Yeah, it was good.
46:28 I tried it.
46:30 And we have a couple of more
46:31 that are gonna be really, really good.
46:32 But this is what Jason just talked about,
46:34 Ephesians 3:20-21.
46:35 There's two roads, right?
46:37 Life and blessings.
46:38 Ephesians 3:20-21.
46:42 And this is what Jason was just...
46:44 When you mentioned that this came to my mind.
46:47 "Now, to whom who is able to exceedingly,
46:50 abundantly above all that we ask or think
46:53 according to the power that works in us,
46:56 to him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus
47:00 to all generations forever and forever.
47:03 Amen."
47:04 So who's, He's able to do what?
47:06 Exceedingly. Exceedingly.
47:08 Abundantly. Abundantly above.
47:11 Is that emphasis exceedingly, abundantly above all.
47:15 Which means more than our expectation.
47:18 That's right. Yes.
47:20 But you got to just try the Lord
47:22 in order for that to happen.
47:24 And we don't wanna minimize the impact
47:25 because, yeah, those people,
47:27 you know, they're talking about 70, 80, 000 jobs
47:29 lost in one sector,
47:31 then upwards of a million people
47:32 or 2 million people filing for unemployment.
47:34 We don't wanna minimize any of that.
47:36 And you might be watching and you saying,
47:37 but I'm in that situation.
47:38 I'm in that situation.
47:40 What is God going to say to me?
47:41 And we have a scriptural answer for that also.
47:46 Isaiah 41:10.
47:48 And then under point number 10 here.
47:49 For though, and this broadens the picture, actually,
47:53 this actually broadens the picture.
47:54 There those people that...
47:56 When we looked at the statistics
47:58 of how many people are filing for unemployment,
48:01 we have at 3ABN
48:03 and we could speak for all of us.
48:05 We have been blessed really beyond measures.
48:07 So, blessed, yeah.
48:09 No one's been laid off.
48:10 No one's been laid off. No.
48:14 We've had very, last year we did amazingly well.
48:20 There was a few cases, but they came from the outside.
48:24 They did not flow through the ministry,
48:27 but we did all that,
48:28 we did everything
48:30 that we were supposed to do or could do,
48:32 and then trusted in the Lord to take it from there.
48:35 And I watched, I saw how His timing,
48:37 how things happened and the timing of it.
48:40 And I'm like, wow, this was God, not us.
48:44 So, He really kept His hand over us.
48:47 And I think he'll continue to,
48:49 because we, I really believe that
48:51 this ministry walks in His will.
48:54 And that we're doing His work.
48:56 So He's kept His hand over us.
48:58 Is that true, Jason?
49:00 Oh, you know, when I think 41:10 basically just says it.
49:04 You mind if I...
49:05 Okay, you wanna me read it. Read it please.
49:07 Okay, it says,
49:08 "Fear not, for I am with you,
49:10 be not dismayed, for I am your God.
49:14 I will strengthen you. Yes. I will help you.
49:18 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
49:23 You know, these are promises.
49:25 We can't just let them go and just,
49:28 you know, go into the abyss.
49:30 These are promises that God Himself says,
49:33 "I'm gonna be with you.
49:34 Trust me, and I'll be with you."
49:36 And yes, I have been in hard times.
49:41 I have struggled with that. I have wrestled with that.
49:46 But I think once I said, you know what, I'm done.
49:49 I can't do it anymore.
49:51 You know, Lord, You have to take over.
49:53 And this is where, you know, Isaiah 10 just says,
49:57 you know what? Fear not
49:58 because I know what you need
50:00 and you're created for a purpose
50:03 to be part of the body of Christ
50:05 and you, which the gift I've given you
50:08 needs to be used.
50:10 So think about that
50:12 that there's a gift that God has given you,
50:14 figure out what it is and use it to His glory.
50:18 And He will bless you. Amen.
50:20 That's right.
50:21 Go back to that original verse.
50:23 So I am in the, being in the vine.
50:25 That's right. Oh, yeah.
50:26 This is the most critical part
50:28 is that you have that relationship with the Lord
50:32 and walk with Him.
50:33 That's right. Yeah. I mean, when you think it.
50:35 I mean, that's just a great,
50:36 I'm the vine, you're the branches.
50:37 So all power, all strength, all nourishment
50:42 comes through our heavenly Father and Jesus.
50:45 I mean, how powerful is that?
50:47 And we're the branches,
50:48 we're supposed to provide the fruit.
50:50 Exactly. Oh, yeah.
50:51 So what is our fruit?
50:53 I mean, that's just a whole another,
50:54 you know, another time.
50:56 That's it.
50:57 I'm the vine, you are the branches,
50:58 the fruit come from the branches.
51:00 That's okay. And that takes time.
51:02 And that takes effort.
51:03 And it takes dedication. Yeah.
51:04 It reminds me of a quick story real quick.
51:06 But we were living in a place where we had a garden
51:09 and we would have like 12, 15 kids at our garden.
51:13 And parents were like, what are you doing?
51:16 And it was just that
51:17 we were spending time with them.
51:19 And then we got them eating green beans
51:21 and what not,
51:22 but it is the time that we spend with God
51:25 that you can do that
51:27 you are constantly and your vine
51:30 and your, those branches get stronger in Jesus.
51:33 And I think, you know, the other part of that is
51:35 I believe we're strengthened by encouraging others,
51:41 by lifting others up,
51:43 by letting him know that we have heard,
51:45 we went through these things.
51:47 You can accomplish that too.
51:49 And by praising God now, watch what He will do.
51:52 Yes.
51:53 It's kind of like,
51:55 I know that some people receive stimulus checks
51:57 and some people say,
51:58 "Oh, I was waiting for that."
52:00 Well, let's go to another one, Philippians 4:19.
52:03 Honey, read that for us.
52:04 People are waiting for things to come from outside,
52:07 but what does the Lord say to us?
52:09 "And my God shall supply all my needs,
52:13 according to His riches and glory."
52:16 One more time, Honey.
52:17 "And my God shall supply all my needs,"
52:22 make it personal,
52:23 "according to His riches and glory."
52:25 I love that. That's a reality.
52:26 It is.
52:28 That's not even, "Are you sure Lord?"
52:31 I know that one of the things that was gonna shocked us
52:34 when we get to heaven even just on the journey there.
52:39 When we leave planet earth
52:40 and it disappears into what did we just leave from?
52:44 What happened to earth?
52:46 God is saying,
52:47 "And you thought that was it?
52:51 I'm gonna lift the curtain on what I really am all about."
52:55 And when we see what God is able to do,
52:57 we will remember some of these verses
52:59 and we say, you know what?
53:00 It is true.
53:01 He does own a cattle on a thousand...
53:03 Hills? Yeah.
53:05 What happened to those hills? They're gone.
53:07 They're gone out of sight.
53:08 My God shall supply all our needs,
53:10 but I wanna bring in these couple of texts here
53:13 before we go to prayer,
53:14 because I think it's important
53:15 that we remember some of the things
53:17 that people are going through right now.
53:18 There's another one. Hebrews 13:5.
53:21 Whoever gets to that one and read that for us,
53:24 Hebrews 13:5,
53:26 because there's some people that are sequestered.
53:27 I've talked to church members,
53:29 some people in the medical field
53:31 that they say, well, I have to stay healthy.
53:33 I know church is open,
53:34 but I cannot come for medical reasons.
53:36 Do you have that one? 13:5.
53:38 13: 5 or, Francine, do you have it?
53:40 I do. Okay.
53:42 Hebrews 13:5.
53:43 "Let your conduct be without covetousness, sorry.
53:48 Be content with such things as you have,
53:50 for He Himself has said,
53:52 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'"
53:55 That's right.
53:56 So people that are sequestered in their homes
53:58 in that silent place,
54:00 they might be hearing
54:01 just the sound of their own footsteps
54:03 or the sound of their pipes
54:07 or the phone calls that are coming in.
54:09 We get phone calls from members that say,
54:11 "I watched Zoom. I saw the sermon today.
54:13 I watched the communion.
54:16 But I'm waiting till things really calm down."
54:20 Some people have said,
54:21 "I'm in line to get my shot.
54:23 And after that, because I'm in the medical field,
54:25 I'll be there.
54:26 But until then
54:28 I cannot be in any kind of public place
54:29 to even risk
54:30 because they're taking care of patients."
54:32 So we understand that.
54:33 And if you're confined in a situation like that,
54:35 remember that,
54:36 "Fear not, for I am with you.
54:37 I will never leave you, I will never forsake you."
54:40 But two powerful passages.
54:42 I'm gonna have Jason look at one.
54:44 And then, Honey, I wanna you to read
54:45 the very last one, but Jason, Isaiah 45:22.
54:49 And then, Honey, you read Hebrews 12:2.
54:52 So, Jason.
54:54 Okay. Okay.
54:56 Well, matter of fact,
54:57 let me look at, let me go ahead and read that one.
55:00 Isaiah 45:22.
55:01 No, you do the last one. It's your favorite.
55:03 Oh, you mean that one? Okay you do Isaiah 45: 22.
55:05 No, that's okay. Go ahead.
55:07 All right, here it is. Look at this.
55:09 I'm going to read Hebrews 12:2,
55:11 and I think that should be the last one.
55:13 It should be the last one.
55:14 Go ahead, Jason. You got it. Did you find?
55:15 No, I did not, I stopped so...
55:17 Isaiah 45:22.
55:20 Yeah. I have it.
55:21 Go for it, Dee. Okay.
55:23 "Look to me and be saved all you ends of the earth,
55:27 for I am God and there is no other.
55:31 Wow. Okay. So let's think of it.
55:35 It's not presidents and princes, prime ministers,
55:39 governors, mayors, congressmen, senator.
55:44 It's God.
55:45 Can we all say amen to that? Amen.
55:46 It's God.
55:48 He said, "Look to me all you ends of the earth,
55:51 for I am God.
55:53 And just in case,
55:54 you're gonna spend a few hours looking for another one.
55:56 There isn't a lot. I'm it, that's it.
55:58 So God has allowed us.
56:00 And I think there's now one question we have to answer
56:02 before I read that last text.
56:04 Why has God allowed us to go through difficulty?
56:06 Because He could start shedding away all the things
56:08 that we've trusted in,
56:10 and I'm really not minimizing the loss of the loved ones.
56:13 Not at all.
56:14 By no means, there are many sad hearts
56:15 watching this program
56:17 that have lost a precious loved one.
56:18 And that person
56:20 by no means is anybody that God has shed it away,
56:23 but have the comfort here
56:24 knowing that God will keep you even for the better days
56:27 that are ahead of you.
56:29 But I end with Hebrews 12:2,
56:31 "Looking unto Jesus."
56:34 We encourage you to do that. Your favorite one.
56:36 That's one of my favorite ones. My wife knows that.
56:38 "Looking unto Jesus,
56:40 the author and finisher of your faith"
56:43 for who,
56:45 "for the joy that was set before him
56:47 endured the cross
56:48 despising the shame
56:50 and is sat down
56:51 at the right hand of the throne of God."
56:54 So, how do you deal with difficult times?
56:57 If we put that in one word, what's his name?
56:59 Jesus, Jesus. Trust in Jesus.
57:01 Trust in Jesus,
57:03 covenant with Jesus,
57:04 spend time with Him, get to know Him
57:06 because this is just the beginning
57:07 of the breadth of what's coming.
57:09 It's gonna get worse before it gets better,
57:11 but in the midst of it all,
57:12 "I am the Lord, I do not change,
57:14 I'm the same yesterday, today and forever."
57:17 And so, from our family to you,
57:19 we're praying that
57:20 this new year will be a blessing to you.
57:22 If you're still going through difficulty,
57:24 it's better to go
57:26 through that difficulty with Jesus,
57:27 but, Honey, it's Friday night.
57:29 And what do we always say at the end?
57:30 Happy Sabbath.
57:32 God bless you until we see you again.
57:33 God bless you. Okay.


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Revised 2021-02-11