WEBVTT 00:00:00.430 --> 00:00:06.110 Hey guys and welcome back to the salt not sweetener 00:00:06.110 --> 00:00:11.029 podcast. I'm your host Danielle Townsend And 00:00:11.029 --> 00:00:16.109 I hope you guys had a wonderful weekend Right 00:00:16.109 --> 00:00:18.690 now I'm recording this episode at a little bit 00:00:18.690 --> 00:00:20.829 of a different time than I normally do usually 00:00:20.829 --> 00:00:23.910 y 'all it's more like in the morning and when 00:00:23.910 --> 00:00:28.160 I'm Really like energetic and ready to go and 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:32.020 honestly all I'm recording this at like 8 30 00:00:32.020 --> 00:00:35.079 at night. I'm drinking my tea. I'm like laying 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:43.799 down. It's kind of a vibe And I don't know Where 00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:47.079 this episode is gonna go, but that's the fun 00:00:47.079 --> 00:00:51.479 part, right? That's the fun part of This podcast 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:56.509 is we just let the Holy Spirit guide the conversation 00:00:56.509 --> 00:01:00.030 and there has been a topic on my mind really 00:01:00.030 --> 00:01:05.090 heavy today y 'all and that is God is good even 00:01:05.090 --> 00:01:10.829 when your circumstances aren't now at my church 00:01:10.829 --> 00:01:14.629 right now we're reading through the book of Job 00:01:14.629 --> 00:01:17.489 we're going through we just started this plan 00:01:17.489 --> 00:01:19.909 where we read the whole Bible in two years right 00:01:19.909 --> 00:01:22.430 and we're gonna read all of the Old Testament 00:01:22.430 --> 00:01:26.409 in 2026 in all the new testament in 2027 and 00:01:26.409 --> 00:01:28.349 we're reading it in chronological order which 00:01:28.349 --> 00:01:31.750 means we started in genesis but we've stopped 00:01:31.750 --> 00:01:34.150 part way through and we're reading the book of 00:01:34.150 --> 00:01:37.950 job um in the book of job in all honesty all 00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:40.530 it's not one of my favorites it's actually like 00:01:40.530 --> 00:01:44.030 a really hard read for me and i think part of 00:01:44.030 --> 00:01:48.909 it is because part of me relates to job like 00:01:48.909 --> 00:01:53.969 i understand the suffering um the pain y 'all 00:01:53.969 --> 00:01:56.829 y 'all know a bit of my past and honestly there's 00:01:56.829 --> 00:02:00.390 suffering now like in my present time um and 00:02:00.390 --> 00:02:04.030 it's like it's a hard book for me to read because 00:02:04.030 --> 00:02:08.750 it's like y 'all 35 plus just chapters of hardship 00:02:08.750 --> 00:02:14.370 and suffering and and then when you start getting 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:17.830 like closer to like chapter 40, you know, that's 00:02:17.830 --> 00:02:20.889 when God's like laying in at Job and educating 00:02:20.889 --> 00:02:24.389 him a bit and then you do see like God's redemption 00:02:24.389 --> 00:02:27.710 of Job, but it's a hard read. It's like 30 plus 00:02:27.710 --> 00:02:33.030 chapters of just like suffering and misunderstandings 00:02:33.030 --> 00:02:37.590 and it's hard and it's not one of my favorites. 00:02:37.969 --> 00:02:40.150 Y 'all know I've said before my favorite books. 00:02:40.169 --> 00:02:43.069 I love the book of Jonah. That's one of my favorites, 00:02:43.189 --> 00:02:45.310 y 'all. I love the book of Jonah. I love the 00:02:45.310 --> 00:02:48.069 story of Hannah and Panina and first Samuel. 00:02:48.949 --> 00:02:54.030 I love Stephen, which is a short one, you know, 00:02:54.050 --> 00:02:57.750 like where Stephen was stoned. I love Paul. Paul 00:02:57.750 --> 00:02:59.409 is one of my favorites in the Bible, y 'all. 00:02:59.770 --> 00:03:05.250 But the book of Job, this is a thorn for me when 00:03:05.250 --> 00:03:11.750 it comes to reading it. But it was really timely 00:03:11.750 --> 00:03:15.110 that I'd been reading it. I really needed to 00:03:15.110 --> 00:03:20.110 hear that God is good no matter your circumstances. 00:03:20.349 --> 00:03:22.050 And interesting enough, y 'all, I volunteer in 00:03:22.050 --> 00:03:25.150 a kid's ministry, right? And I was leading a 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:28.050 kid's ministry today. And that was something 00:03:28.050 --> 00:03:31.969 that I was talking to the kids about in my small 00:03:31.969 --> 00:03:34.740 group with them. where i was telling them and 00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:36.780 as i was saying it out loud to them i knew it 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:39.719 was something i needed to hear right and as i'm 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:41.699 laying in bed tonight thinking about it i'm like 00:03:41.699 --> 00:03:44.139 this is something that the people listening to 00:03:44.139 --> 00:03:46.979 this podcast episode need to hear is that god 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:50.830 is good even when your circumstances aren't because 00:03:50.830 --> 00:03:53.949 our feelings are constantly changing right how 00:03:53.949 --> 00:03:56.710 we feel about our lives is constantly changing 00:03:56.710 --> 00:03:59.469 how we feel about our appearance is constantly 00:03:59.469 --> 00:04:01.550 changing how we feel about our job how we feel 00:04:01.550 --> 00:04:03.789 about our relationships how we feel about this 00:04:03.789 --> 00:04:05.969 one day we're super happy and super secure the 00:04:05.969 --> 00:04:07.810 next day we might be a little bit sad we might 00:04:07.810 --> 00:04:11.180 be a little bit anxious like Our perspective 00:04:11.180 --> 00:04:13.340 and our views are constantly changing and that's 00:04:13.340 --> 00:04:15.639 why we're told in scripture that the heart is 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:18.600 deceptive. Like God doesn't tell us to like navigate 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:20.459 the world by our heart. We're supposed to lean 00:04:20.459 --> 00:04:22.740 not on our own understanding and trust in the 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:25.420 Lord with all our heart. We're supposed to trust 00:04:25.420 --> 00:04:29.379 in the Lord in his ways. You know, the heart, 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:34.639 our feelings, our emotions are not meant to be 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:38.759 like our guideline and our decision maker. feelings 00:04:38.759 --> 00:04:43.839 can be identifiers right or indicators you know 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:46.860 if we're feeling fearful or anxious or something 00:04:46.860 --> 00:04:49.300 like that that might be identifying something 00:04:49.300 --> 00:04:51.740 you know those feelings are out of nowhere you 00:04:51.740 --> 00:04:53.439 know sometimes those feelings come from believing 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:56.699 lies of the enemy sometimes but sometimes those 00:04:56.699 --> 00:04:59.439 come from past traumas they come from like dangerous 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:03.709 situations fear worry anxiety that's often an 00:05:03.709 --> 00:05:05.790 indicator of something right so it's not saying 00:05:05.790 --> 00:05:08.009 that we ignore our feelings completely and that's 00:05:08.009 --> 00:05:10.370 not saying that our feelings are irrelevant our 00:05:10.370 --> 00:05:13.569 feelings should never be taken as truth right 00:05:13.569 --> 00:05:16.889 um and that's the way i was kind of explaining 00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:20.889 it today to kids was like saying you know like 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:26.300 It's really easy and again y 'all I needed to 00:05:26.300 --> 00:05:27.899 hear this and someone else needs to hear this 00:05:27.899 --> 00:05:31.180 today It's really easy to just like lean into 00:05:31.180 --> 00:05:34.149 the life sucks Because sometimes that's honestly 00:05:34.149 --> 00:05:37.209 how we feel, right? Sometimes we feel like this 00:05:37.209 --> 00:05:40.110 bad thing's never gonna end or I'm seeing the 00:05:40.110 --> 00:05:42.170 same day over and over again. I'm so bored with 00:05:42.170 --> 00:05:43.970 my life. Maybe that's what you're feeling is 00:05:43.970 --> 00:05:45.990 like you're so bored with your life or maybe 00:05:45.990 --> 00:05:47.889 you're in a waiting season and you're sick of 00:05:47.889 --> 00:05:49.870 waiting or maybe it seems like everything keeps 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:51.769 hitting the fan or you don't understand why you're 00:05:51.769 --> 00:05:54.069 suffering. Maybe your relationships are taking 00:05:54.069 --> 00:05:55.730 a hit. Maybe your friendships are taking a hit. 00:05:55.790 --> 00:05:58.449 Maybe you feel lonely. However you feel, it's 00:05:58.449 --> 00:06:02.279 so easy. To come into agreement with those thoughts 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:04.399 right because oftentimes when we're going through 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:07.379 it we start having thoughts of like God doesn't 00:06:07.379 --> 00:06:09.819 care and God's angry at us and this is never 00:06:09.819 --> 00:06:12.420 gonna end and this is never gonna stop and I'm 00:06:12.420 --> 00:06:15.980 speaking to y 'all as someone who We knew from 00:06:15.980 --> 00:06:18.379 a young age from a young age. I had depression 00:06:18.379 --> 00:06:20.699 and like mental health problems like when I was 00:06:20.699 --> 00:06:23.889 like 13 y 'all I was like I remember I was in 00:06:23.889 --> 00:06:25.589 seventh grade and that was mostly what was on 00:06:25.589 --> 00:06:28.170 my mind was I was Thinking about not being here 00:06:28.170 --> 00:06:30.310 anymore. So it started at a really young age 00:06:30.310 --> 00:06:32.629 when I was 14 I had attempts of not being here 00:06:32.629 --> 00:06:36.050 anymore You know it and it was clear to the people 00:06:36.050 --> 00:06:38.829 around me that I had mental I was depressed I 00:06:38.829 --> 00:06:40.790 had like my mental health was in the toilet. 00:06:41.089 --> 00:06:43.490 We've talked in past episodes about how I saw 00:06:43.490 --> 00:06:47.449 Coping and just like I I drank and smoked just 00:06:47.449 --> 00:06:52.459 to detach, you know, like I am someone who I 00:06:52.459 --> 00:06:55.420 I know firsthand what it's like to come into 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:58.420 agreement with those thoughts and to just Spiral, 00:06:58.420 --> 00:07:02.339 you know when I was in my early 20s at my college 00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:05.980 campus at my psychologist there they you know 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:10.620 diagnosed me I had PTSD Anxiety and panic disorder 00:07:10.620 --> 00:07:13.019 because I was having constant panic attacks like 00:07:13.019 --> 00:07:14.680 it was so bad y 'all I thought I was gonna pass 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.899 out I couldn't breathe like I could I never I 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:19.459 For a while like I wouldn't even go in stores 00:07:19.459 --> 00:07:23.160 because every time it would be just a mess I 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:26.819 had Really bad like really bad Sleeping like 00:07:26.819 --> 00:07:29.060 I never slept like they had to put me on such 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:31.319 heavy sleeping medication just for me to be able 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.879 to like Catch a couple hours. I had an eating 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:40.800 disorder It was really it was really bad so like 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:44.000 I'm speaking to you all as I first -hand experience 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.379 of I know what it's like to have the thoughts 00:07:46.379 --> 00:07:49.660 get like really bad like I know what it's like 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:52.300 to feel lonely like I know what it's like to 00:07:52.300 --> 00:07:55.040 feel like it's never gonna end I know it's like 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:57.560 to feel like there's no answer I know what it's 00:07:57.560 --> 00:08:00.360 like to feel all of those things and keep in 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:03.300 mind like the majority of that when I was feeling 00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:06.720 that that was Before I gave my life to Jesus 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:08.560 y 'all know I grew up in the church I was baptized 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:10.300 and everything but my heart was far from the 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:13.180 Lord and then I left the church as a teen and 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:15.899 You know, I started that mental really having 00:08:15.899 --> 00:08:17.959 mental health problems as a preteen You know 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:21.360 went into my 20s and then you know after that 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:23.139 diagnosis I think it was like a year and a half 00:08:23.139 --> 00:08:26.680 later I fell into new age and all of these things 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:32.740 and when I gave my life to Jesus I remember him 00:08:32.740 --> 00:08:35.440 telling me that I needed to give up my smoking 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:38.519 and my drinking At that time I was just smoking. 00:08:38.620 --> 00:08:40.559 I wasn't really drinking anymore. I hadn't drank 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:44.779 in like a year But I remember like kind of pleading 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:46.879 with the Lord of this is how I cope with my depression 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:50.700 and my anxiety and this is how I like Sleep like 00:08:50.700 --> 00:08:53.080 what do I do now? Like I've never been able it's 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.700 never been fixed before. I remember telling the 00:08:55.700 --> 00:08:57.899 Lord I was like I've tried therapy. I've tried 00:08:57.899 --> 00:09:01.720 the medication like What do you expect me to 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:03.580 do without this and I remember Jesus just saying 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:05.740 like I have I remember in prayer just feeling 00:09:05.740 --> 00:09:07.279 like he was telling me I have something better 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:09.759 for you and I didn't know what that meant but 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.200 in denying the flesh and giving that thing up 00:09:12.200 --> 00:09:14.220 because you know the Lord revealed to me it was 00:09:14.220 --> 00:09:16.679 an idol and it was causing distance between me 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:18.559 and the Lord and I was one of those people who 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:21.759 I couldn't just have a drink for me like I just 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:23.700 had to completely let it go and be okay with 00:09:23.700 --> 00:09:29.779 that and I did And Jesus gave me a peace that 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:31.940 surpassed all understanding. Like it wasn't like 00:09:31.940 --> 00:09:33.799 all of a sudden I was never anxious again or 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.519 was never sad again. But when those feelings 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:38.399 started coming up, I took them to the Lord and 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:42.259 I saw just how much authority Christ had over 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:45.059 these thoughts and these feelings. And I started 00:09:45.059 --> 00:09:47.720 taking these thoughts captive and making them 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:50.120 obedient to Christ, which that's in Corinthians, 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:53.820 I believe. And it was amazing the night and day 00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:55.639 difference of when I started getting my strength 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:58.519 from the Lord. and when I stopped taking my feelings 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:00.519 as truth because that's the thing y 'all what 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:03.100 I realized the running problem I had ran into 00:10:03.100 --> 00:10:04.940 with the depression anxiety was I was coming 00:10:04.940 --> 00:10:06.879 into agreement with a lot of those thoughts right 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.860 when I would start having those thoughts of like 00:10:08.860 --> 00:10:11.539 it's never gonna get better and this is who you 00:10:11.539 --> 00:10:13.360 are and this is what people think about you and 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:18.080 all these things and I would just accept it and 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:20.419 then it would make me sad and then it would make 00:10:20.419 --> 00:10:22.919 me anxious And then when those thoughts start 00:10:22.919 --> 00:10:24.679 coming up, I start saying, okay, well, what does 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:27.419 God's word say? Because I know that this intrusive 00:10:27.419 --> 00:10:29.220 thought is saying like, I'm not good enough. 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:32.899 But when I, when I hold it up to God's word, 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.620 I'm precious. God knows every hair on my head. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:41.220 Before I was born, like before he informed me 00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:47.059 in the womb, he had a plan for me. And it immediately 00:10:47.059 --> 00:10:49.600 cast that down of like, I'm important to God. 00:10:51.879 --> 00:10:54.539 Or when I have that fear that's like, this thing 00:10:54.539 --> 00:10:57.279 is never gonna end, it's never gonna end. Remember 00:10:57.279 --> 00:11:00.179 that God, when you humble yourself, God exalts 00:11:00.179 --> 00:11:03.960 the humble. And that if I submit myself to Him, 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:10.299 He's gonna take care of me. God will fight for 00:11:10.299 --> 00:11:13.720 me. I need only be still. So when these thoughts 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.799 start coming, instead of coming into agreement 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:18.379 with them, y 'all, instead of coming into agreement 00:11:18.379 --> 00:11:20.299 with these words, hold them up to the Word of 00:11:20.299 --> 00:11:24.279 God. That's the instruction though that we're 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:27.200 given right is to Take these thoughts captive 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.279 because these these thoughts set themselves up 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.919 against the knowledge of God When the enemy is 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:35.899 coming at us with those thoughts because those 00:11:35.899 --> 00:11:39.360 thoughts aren't from God When they're you know, 00:11:39.500 --> 00:11:41.360 either produced in our own head or their whispers 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:43.639 of the enemy a lot of times the enemy is whispering 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:47.820 those things y 'all and We just accept them as 00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:49.899 ours. There's some things that we're blaming 00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:52.659 ourself for, some thoughts that aren't even our 00:11:52.659 --> 00:11:55.179 thoughts. And I think that's like a whole other 00:11:55.179 --> 00:11:57.080 conversation for another day that we'll dive 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.639 into. Sometimes they're whispers of the enemy, 00:12:00.340 --> 00:12:02.700 trying to plant seeds of doubt and fear and worry. 00:12:04.860 --> 00:12:07.519 And I encourage you today, you who are listening 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:09.460 to this, instead of coming into agreement with 00:12:09.460 --> 00:12:12.360 those thoughts, instead of coming into agreement 00:12:12.360 --> 00:12:14.340 with those things and just accepting them as 00:12:14.340 --> 00:12:17.049 true. Hold them up to the word of God and cast 00:12:17.049 --> 00:12:22.490 them down. Make them obedient to Christ. Because 00:12:22.490 --> 00:12:25.070 if they don't align with the word, the truth, 00:12:26.169 --> 00:12:29.769 they're crushed under his foot. Amen. So as I 00:12:29.769 --> 00:12:31.960 was saying, y 'all, it's really easy. to come 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:34.279 into agreement with that stuff right it's a lot 00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:36.700 easier to just instead of like going through 00:12:36.700 --> 00:12:38.700 the process of like okay i'm gonna take this 00:12:38.700 --> 00:12:41.279 and make this thought captive and obedient to 00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.659 christ and like i'm gonna rebuke and i'm gonna 00:12:43.659 --> 00:12:46.779 step into the authority sometimes honestly and 00:12:46.779 --> 00:12:48.299 there are some people who don't like to admit 00:12:48.299 --> 00:12:52.200 it feels better to just wallow in pity like self 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:55.620 -pity and sadness and it's important that we 00:12:55.620 --> 00:12:59.149 feel our feelings right But it's also important 00:12:59.149 --> 00:13:01.309 that we don't forget who God is and sometimes 00:13:01.309 --> 00:13:03.049 I'm speaking from experience y 'all I've had 00:13:03.049 --> 00:13:06.309 times after giving my life to Christ when sometimes 00:13:06.309 --> 00:13:08.210 those sad thoughts or those anxious thoughts 00:13:08.210 --> 00:13:10.970 come the fear and it keeps hitting me even though 00:13:10.970 --> 00:13:13.370 I'm making it I'm taking these captive and making 00:13:13.370 --> 00:13:16.309 them will be up to Christ they keep hitting and 00:13:16.309 --> 00:13:19.070 There are times before when I've literally like 00:13:19.070 --> 00:13:21.870 kind of cried out to God and said God just let 00:13:21.870 --> 00:13:26.820 me be sad like So it's draining doing this it's 00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:30.220 draining like trying to just keep the faith But 00:13:30.220 --> 00:13:32.740 we know and I believe it was Paul who said this 00:13:32.740 --> 00:13:35.960 in scripture like be prepared to fight for your 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:41.440 faith like And I'm trying to think of the wording 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:44.620 y 'all and it's slipping my mind, but it's like 00:13:44.620 --> 00:13:48.179 We need to endure until the end right which means 00:13:48.179 --> 00:13:52.080 that sometimes I think I had this belief when 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:55.000 I was really new in Christ as I thought like 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.039 That was the hardest thing was just giving my 00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.799 life over to Christ and like it was gonna be 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:00.659 kind of easier from there Like I wouldn't have 00:14:00.659 --> 00:14:03.080 to can that's the word contend for the faith 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:05.340 I didn't think I was gonna have to contend for 00:14:05.340 --> 00:14:08.080 it and now I understand what that means, you 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:10.580 know contending for the faith is when you have 00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:13.139 These intrusive thoughts is when you have this 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:14.700 warfare when you have these different things 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:18.279 going on and you're tempted to say I'm I'm tired 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:21.639 of fighting for the faith I'm tired of like casting 00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:23.580 these thoughts down. I want to just give in to 00:14:23.580 --> 00:14:26.580 the sadness and self -pity and just whatever 00:14:26.580 --> 00:14:30.419 and I'm here to say like don't be ashamed like 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:32.000 whoever you are listening to this episode today 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:33.720 if you've been feeling that way of like just 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:37.360 wanting to give in like don't feel ashamed like 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.580 I know me personally like there was a little 00:14:40.580 --> 00:14:43.559 bit of shame where I was like god delivered me 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.080 and did all this and like he's using me there's 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.279 podcasts there's all these things i should be 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:51.580 i shouldn't be saying this to them like when 00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:54.039 i would have those moments of like god like i 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:56.419 know this isn't what i'm supposed to do but like 00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:59.000 i feel like just sitting in my sadness and like 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:02.019 i just feel like crying and crying more and listening 00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:06.559 to sad music and even crying more but then a 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:07.940 part of me would feel shame be like you know 00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:10.100 that's not what you're supposed to do like you 00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:13.120 know that you're not supposed to come into agreement 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.480 and just accept it. You know you're supposed 00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:19.379 to contend for the faith. But you know the interesting 00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:21.879 moment is those were the times when I learned 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:24.919 that it's not about my strength. It's about the 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:28.120 strength I can get from God. And I wasn't always 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:30.799 perfect in those times, but I really learned 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:34.799 to submit, like to take it to God and to say 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:37.820 like, I can't be strong. Like it's not about 00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:40.299 my own strength. It's not about my own understanding. 00:15:40.340 --> 00:15:43.399 Like I need you to strengthen me. I need you 00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:45.659 to get me through until tomorrow. I need you 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:48.779 to give me a piece. I need you to help me through 00:15:48.779 --> 00:15:51.279 this because like my mind can't do it right now, 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:56.200 God. Like my body can't do it. Like it actually 00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:00.840 brought me closer to him. It's interesting how 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.919 God can use that suffering. God can use everything 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:07.740 for your good. We see that in the example of 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:13.240 us with Joseph in the Bible Where he says what 00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:16.139 the what y 'all meant to harm me and he's speaking 00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:18.259 about his brothers What the enemy meant to harm 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:22.139 me what y 'all did to harm me God used for my 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:26.539 good God can use anything for the good of those 00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:30.440 who love him Look at look at how Jesus is. Jesus 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:34.139 was literally crucified the ultimate suffering 00:16:34.460 --> 00:16:36.320 but there was good that came out of it because 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:39.240 it paid the debt for us and actually integrated 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:41.399 the Gentiles into being able to be children of 00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:44.419 God as well opened up the door for a whole lot 00:16:44.419 --> 00:16:49.320 of people it did so many things Jesus did so 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:54.899 many things by suffering so yeah y 'all it's 00:16:54.899 --> 00:16:58.899 a lot it's a lot easier to come into agreement 00:16:58.899 --> 00:17:04.059 with these things it's a lot easier to not contend 00:17:04.059 --> 00:17:12.440 for the faith in the short term but someone needs 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:14.099 to hear this today and I want to be thoughtful 00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:15.940 with the way I word this the ground that you 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:19.240 give to the enemy you're gonna have to like fight 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:24.259 for it back with God so just like don't give 00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:28.619 it away in the first place interesting enough 00:17:28.619 --> 00:17:30.339 that's something I had written down on a piece 00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:32.900 of paper that I remember hearing from a sermon 00:17:32.900 --> 00:17:34.680 like a while back and I believe it was Bobby 00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:42.720 Chandler who said that and it really stuck with 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.160 me because there are things that the Lord delivered 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:50.099 me from such as like I don't have the crazy panic 00:17:50.099 --> 00:17:54.670 disorder now like I used to He delivered me from 00:17:54.670 --> 00:17:58.069 addictions. He delivered me from connections. 00:17:59.609 --> 00:18:01.490 But the important thing with deliverance is you 00:18:01.490 --> 00:18:03.690 don't go back, because the deliverance is God 00:18:03.690 --> 00:18:06.710 removing you from that place, right? But then 00:18:06.710 --> 00:18:09.890 he also has to replace your... you have to allow 00:18:09.890 --> 00:18:12.470 him to work out that desire to go back out of 00:18:12.470 --> 00:18:15.910 you like for example the Israelites God delivered 00:18:15.910 --> 00:18:17.789 them from Pharaoh's hand from Egypt but once 00:18:17.789 --> 00:18:20.009 they were in the wilderness they wanted to go 00:18:20.009 --> 00:18:21.910 put themselves right back in the bondage they 00:18:21.910 --> 00:18:26.009 were delivered from they wanted to go right back 00:18:26.009 --> 00:18:28.829 to it because the space they were in was uncomfortable 00:18:28.829 --> 00:18:33.009 and unknown to them And there's sometimes when 00:18:33.009 --> 00:18:36.210 God will like deliver us from a situation and 00:18:36.210 --> 00:18:37.930 I'm speaking from experience because I'm someone 00:18:37.930 --> 00:18:41.529 who's done it Where you put yourself back into 00:18:41.529 --> 00:18:43.730 that thing that God delivered you from for whatever 00:18:43.730 --> 00:18:47.069 reason Maybe that new space he has you in is 00:18:47.069 --> 00:18:50.779 uncomfortable or it's unknown or it's not as 00:18:50.779 --> 00:18:53.019 easy as you thought it would be and just like 00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:55.779 how the Israelites they said well you know at 00:18:55.779 --> 00:18:58.019 least in Egypt we had meat at least in Egypt 00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:01.220 we had this it's like yeah but you had pain and 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:03.980 suffering you were in bondage this is just wait 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:05.859 until God gets you to the promised land this 00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:08.859 is the wilderness man but they couldn't stick 00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:10.940 it out through the like they didn't want to stick 00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:14.819 it out through the wilderness and I think someone 00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:18.220 listening to this needs to hear this today That 00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:22.160 like what you Give to the enemy like you're gonna 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:24.380 you're gonna have to go through that deliverance 00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:28.500 again. You're gonna and do you really want to 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:30.680 in the most loving way I can say this and I pray 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:34.339 that this is I want to be thoughtful with the 00:19:34.339 --> 00:19:36.660 way I word this because I'm someone I know what 00:19:36.660 --> 00:19:39.279 it's like to be going through the suffering Where 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.799 it's like you don't really want to hear a lot 00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:43.980 of what like you want to hear the things that 00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:45.619 make you feel good about being sad and upset 00:19:45.619 --> 00:19:47.480 you don't really want to hear the motivational 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:51.240 stuff you know um that's important that someone 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:54.839 hears this today that like it's really easy to 00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:58.859 come into agreement and everything but keep in 00:19:58.859 --> 00:20:00.980 mind what you're giving up when you come into 00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:05.619 agreement right um like for example if you've 00:20:05.619 --> 00:20:09.180 been living a life of sobriety You're going through 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:13.599 that pain and that suffering and you know alcohol 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:17.920 Marijuana is your way of getting by and getting 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:21.859 through And you're hitting that point where you're 00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:25.319 about to go right back into it Remember how much 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:30.460 God had to do to deliver you from it Remember 00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:34.240 that deliverance process remember the gratitude 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:38.160 you had for him what he did and just remember 00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:40.519 that like if you fall back into it yes God will 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:45.339 help you get out but it's gonna be a fight again 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:49.079 Either you fight for your current sobriety or 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:51.759 you're gonna be fighting to get sober again and 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:54.400 keep your sobriety And that's just one example. 00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:56.279 There are a million different things out there 00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:58.220 Maybe you're someone who's been delivered from 00:20:58.220 --> 00:21:00.599 like a sexual addiction Maybe you're someone 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:02.559 who's been delivered from gossip. Maybe you're 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.779 someone who's been delivered from unforgiveness 00:21:04.779 --> 00:21:06.819 Maybe you're someone who's been delivered from 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:08.839 being like a workaholic like keeping yourself 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:12.799 busy Busying yourself worldly things instead 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:18.359 of like God Maybe it's new age. Maybe it's I 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:21.539 don't know what it is, but when we're suffering 00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:25.059 and There's all these thoughts coming to mind 00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:28.380 tempting us to come into agreement with them 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:32.579 Like the enemy starts with your mind do y 'all 00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:37.380 get that Like our our decisions that we make 00:21:37.380 --> 00:21:41.380 and our choices like our brain is The control 00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:44.079 mechanism for our body our brain tells our hands 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:48.089 to go Your brain is what tells you to get in 00:21:48.089 --> 00:21:50.349 that car and drive to the liquor store. Your 00:21:50.349 --> 00:21:53.130 brain is what tells you to pick up that phone 00:21:53.130 --> 00:21:54.970 and start scrolling on those websites you shouldn't 00:21:54.970 --> 00:22:01.089 be on. Your brain is the one that picks up that 00:22:01.089 --> 00:22:03.509 phone call, picks up that phone and makes those 00:22:03.509 --> 00:22:05.089 calls to pick up all those extra shifts when 00:22:05.089 --> 00:22:09.069 you should be just, I don't even want to say 00:22:09.069 --> 00:22:11.750 distracting, but filling your time with being 00:22:11.750 --> 00:22:15.690 in God's presence instead. Working on sitting 00:22:15.690 --> 00:22:20.470 in his presence You're maybe doom -scrolling 00:22:20.470 --> 00:22:22.309 for hours is your thing That's the thing I felt 00:22:22.309 --> 00:22:24.450 convicted about before is the dopamine hit from 00:22:24.450 --> 00:22:26.869 just doom -scrolling and keeping your mind distracted 00:22:26.869 --> 00:22:30.509 You can't be sad if you're distracted Y 'all 00:22:30.509 --> 00:22:35.369 that's the reason why and that's not truth You 00:22:35.369 --> 00:22:39.940 can't you can distractions only like divert your 00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:41.819 mind but when that distraction goes away you're 00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:44.099 still gonna be sad and upset but that's like 00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:49.420 the the way that's like one of the gosh you guys 00:22:49.420 --> 00:22:52.240 can tell I'm recording this late at night you 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:55.079 can late for me you can hear the tiredness in 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:57.960 my voice my brain's starting to slow down but 00:22:57.960 --> 00:23:00.220 that used to be one of my mottos is like well 00:23:00.220 --> 00:23:03.740 if I'm distracted I can't feel it or if I'm not 00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:07.079 sober I can't feel it and I was one of those, 00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:09.599 I didn't want to feel my sadness and I didn't 00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:11.599 want to feel my anxiety and I didn't want to 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:15.960 feel those things because I saw like how bad 00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:19.059 it was when I allowed myself to feel those things 00:23:19.059 --> 00:23:22.299 before I, you know, this was long before I had 00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:24.940 given my life to Jesus where I saw that when 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:27.240 I would try to just feel those emotions and sit 00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:30.099 in those emotions I was really self -destructive 00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:35.609 and honestly I would say like in my teenage years 00:23:35.609 --> 00:23:39.670 and then even going into my mid 20s, like my 00:23:39.670 --> 00:23:42.890 early 20s, you all know I've been sober for years 00:23:42.890 --> 00:23:49.109 now. I could probably be God, but I'm glad that 00:23:49.109 --> 00:23:51.369 the Lord gave me a different coping mechanism, 00:23:51.569 --> 00:23:54.440 which is Jesus Christ. It's all I need is Jesus. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:57.380 Jesus isn't a coping mechanism. Jesus is a solution 00:23:57.380 --> 00:24:00.200 That's the difference is like Jesus was heart 00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:02.480 surgery for me and these other things were just 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:05.220 band -aids but for me I went to these things 00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:10.640 because like If I wasn't if it helped me dissociate 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:12.680 and if I was dissociated, I wouldn't have to 00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:14.500 think about my current situation I wouldn't have 00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:17.900 to feel my current situation and I actually Part 00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:19.859 of me for a while believed that that actually 00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:23.180 kept me here longer that if I didn't have that 00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:26.480 To turn to like I don't know how I would have 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:31.200 done just on my own with my thoughts And I know 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:33.759 God and his timing and revealing to me that all 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:37.940 I need is Jesus But I'm really I'm here today 00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:40.019 empathizing with y 'all I know sometimes I'm 00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:43.380 speaking that word of voice, but today I'm empathizing 00:24:43.380 --> 00:24:47.599 and saying I understand what it feels like to 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:56.339 be like wanting that distraction or feeling like 00:24:56.339 --> 00:24:58.380 that distraction or that coping mechanism is 00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:00.980 the only way but I'm here today just reminding 00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:04.900 you guys that Jesus is the way these other things 00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:09.380 are band -aids and eventually like how Jesus 00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:11.539 was talking to the woman at the well he is the 00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:14.299 living water and if you drink from him you'll 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:18.230 never thirst again These other things you're 00:25:18.230 --> 00:25:21.069 gonna be thirsty again, you're gonna want more 00:25:21.069 --> 00:25:25.849 You're gonna desire more it's not gonna be enough 00:25:25.849 --> 00:25:28.170 and like I said once you go into that thing God 00:25:28.170 --> 00:25:30.349 already delivered you from now It's not just 00:25:30.349 --> 00:25:32.430 a fight for your faith. It's not just a fight 00:25:32.430 --> 00:25:35.829 to stay delivered. It's a fight for deliverance 00:25:35.829 --> 00:25:40.690 and being delivered But I want to go back to 00:25:40.690 --> 00:25:44.150 this to all of Even with what you're going through 00:25:44.150 --> 00:25:46.690 right now what you're feeling whatever is going 00:25:46.690 --> 00:25:49.329 on in your life that doesn't change God's character 00:25:49.329 --> 00:25:52.210 No, no, honestly, it might change the way that 00:25:52.210 --> 00:25:56.750 you feel your feelings might fluctuate But remember 00:25:56.750 --> 00:25:59.809 our feelings aren't true and that's something 00:25:59.809 --> 00:26:03.710 that you know, I was telling the kids today is 00:26:03.710 --> 00:26:07.490 When you're when you're sad and when you're upset 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:10.579 Like just when you're when you're suffering and 00:26:10.579 --> 00:26:15.259 when you're going through it That's the perfect 00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:19.240 time to read the Bible Because what what we see 00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:23.259 in the Bible is we see God's character We see 00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:26.299 who God is and we're reminded because honestly 00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:28.660 when we're not in the word and like when we're 00:26:28.660 --> 00:26:31.819 just sitting there guys like and thinking about 00:26:31.819 --> 00:26:33.640 and we're just trying we're getting hit with 00:26:33.640 --> 00:26:35.220 all these thoughts and all these feelings and 00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:37.619 making taking them captive and making them obedient 00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:42.400 to the to christ um we can sometimes start to 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:46.019 lose sight of who god is what god's capable of 00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:48.299 what his word says and we can start to believe 00:26:48.299 --> 00:26:52.200 the lies of the enemy right so it's important 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:55.299 to stay in your word it's important to stay in 00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:58.400 the bible Because when you're going through when 00:26:58.400 --> 00:27:02.140 you're having those emotions, right? The feeling 00:27:02.140 --> 00:27:06.180 like God doesn't care or God isn't gonna deliver 00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:08.960 That's when it's important to get in the work, 00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:13.980 right? And we can see times where God cares and 00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:19.259 where God delivers We can see with Job even after 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:23.859 that long period of suffering God still restored 00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:29.640 him You know someone listening to say you need 00:27:29.640 --> 00:27:33.019 here God does care And God does love you and 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:35.599 just because he appears to be silent doesn't 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:37.559 mean that he's not working doesn't mean that 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:40.799 he's not cooking God is all -knowing. He is planned 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:43.420 for everything. He is not surprised by what's 00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:46.640 going on And notice how job felt like God was 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:49.380 silent that whole time. He kept saying like just 00:27:49.380 --> 00:27:51.559 tell me what I did Tell me what's wrong like 00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:56.130 he felt like he wasn't hearing from God And we 00:27:56.130 --> 00:27:59.789 see like at the end of Job where God speaks to 00:27:59.789 --> 00:28:03.789 him and we see that God never left him God never 00:28:03.789 --> 00:28:11.210 left him And God loved him and sure God corrected 00:28:11.210 --> 00:28:18.390 him but God also restored him and I want this 00:28:18.390 --> 00:28:21.130 to be your encouragement today y 'all when you're 00:28:21.130 --> 00:28:23.769 going through these things find comfort in God's 00:28:23.769 --> 00:28:28.259 Word Find comfort and prayer to Him. Take your 00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:32.380 raw emotions to Him. Because He already knows. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:35.019 He already knows what you're feeling. He already 00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:36.920 knows what you're thinking. You can't hide it 00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:42.200 from God. You can't lie to Him. But get in His 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:45.339 Word to be reminded of His character. Maybe you 00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:48.920 need to be reminded of the things that He doesn't 00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:52.019 want you to do. Maybe you need to open up the 00:28:52.019 --> 00:28:54.079 Bible and read about the works of the flesh. 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:56.539 you know there's works of the spirit there's 00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:58.240 fruits of the spirit but there's also works of 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:02.579 the flesh they're listed off you know that one's 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:07.980 in obviously new testament i believe it's in 00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:12.779 one of paul's letters again y 'all oh that tiredness 00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:16.920 is catching up with me tonight but um yeah maybe 00:29:16.920 --> 00:29:18.859 you need to hear today that that thing that you're 00:29:18.859 --> 00:29:21.200 tempted to go back to that coping mechanism maybe 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.490 you need to read up on the works of the flesh 00:29:23.490 --> 00:29:25.390 maybe you need to be reminded that that thing 00:29:25.390 --> 00:29:29.250 is idolatry maybe you need to be reminded that 00:29:29.250 --> 00:29:30.910 that thing is something that god doesn't approve 00:29:30.910 --> 00:29:33.490 of maybe you just need to be reminded that like 00:29:33.490 --> 00:29:35.730 if you already feel like you're far from god 00:29:35.730 --> 00:29:38.710 now slipping back into that thing or going back 00:29:38.710 --> 00:29:41.390 into that thing produces more separation because 00:29:41.390 --> 00:29:43.430 we know that the wage of sin is death and we 00:29:43.430 --> 00:29:46.990 know that god god turns away from sin right like 00:29:46.990 --> 00:29:49.390 he isn't in the presence of sin so when we're 00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:52.759 Consistently like when we go back into that willful 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:58.420 sin Christ loves us. God loves us But that puts 00:29:58.420 --> 00:30:02.940 a bit of distance between us and him, you know 00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:08.759 So maybe you need to hear today to like Open 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:12.519 up God's Word before you say yes to go back into 00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:14.980 that thing What does God's Word say about it? 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:18.339 And maybe you're like You know, I know me sometimes 00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:20.440 when I want to go back into that and I hear what 00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:22.480 does God's Word say? There's a little part of 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:25.200 me that get might get at those times angry and 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:27.859 frustrated because the flesh The flesh wants 00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:31.119 to sin the flesh wants to cave the flesh wants 00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:33.940 to act on feeling and on emotion We know from 00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:35.759 reading the Bible that the flesh and the spirit 00:30:35.759 --> 00:30:37.740 are enemies what the spirit wants to do The flesh 00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:39.640 doesn't want to do what the flesh wants to do 00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:43.160 the spirit knows we shouldn't be doing So, you 00:30:43.160 --> 00:30:45.240 know when you when your flush is wanting you 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:48.220 to cave and wanting you to do that thing and 00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:50.400 your spirit saying no No, no, we're not doing 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:52.759 that. We can't do that. This is what God's Word 00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:55.779 says your flesh gets a little irritated Right 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:59.059 like you can feel sometimes like the anger or 00:30:59.059 --> 00:31:03.359 frustration kind of stirring up in you Because 00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:05.740 you know that you're called to deny your flesh 00:31:08.819 --> 00:31:11.539 But someone someone's needing to hear this today, 00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:13.220 and I know I'm needing to hear this today of 00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:17.039 like God's character is never changing God is 00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:20.799 the same today tomorrow forever and ever He was 00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:22.740 the same in the Old Testament. He was the same 00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:26.259 when he created Adam and Eve. He was the same 00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:30.420 when Noah was here. He was the same when Jonah 00:31:30.420 --> 00:31:35.759 was here. He was the same when Paul was here 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:39.559 and converted. He's the same now character is 00:31:39.559 --> 00:31:44.259 the same and just because our situation changes 00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:51.799 doesn't mean like God doesn't change and just 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:55.180 as good as God was when you're it's really easy 00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:57.059 to say God is good when you feel like you're 00:31:57.059 --> 00:31:58.920 winning and you're up on the mountaintops and 00:31:58.920 --> 00:32:01.819 you feel like kind of unstoppable and like feel 00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:03.980 like you're on a winning streak and like it's 00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:06.240 just life is sunshine and rainbows it's really 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:11.420 easy to say God is good glory be to God but God 00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:13.359 is also good when you're walking through the 00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:15.619 valley of the shadow of death God is also good 00:32:15.619 --> 00:32:18.200 when you're at that low point God is also good 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:21.460 when you're on that on that boat and it starts 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:24.480 storming and you need God to calm the storm God 00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:26.839 is good when you're on your way to that place 00:32:26.839 --> 00:32:28.539 and all of a sudden there's mountains in between 00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:32.000 you and that place God is good when the opposition 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:34.559 arises. God is good when it doesn't go the way 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:40.500 you expected it to. God is still good. And someone 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:42.720 needs to hear this today, and we learn this through 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:46.319 the book of Job, that, you know, yes, we see 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:47.680 it throughout the Bible that sometimes there 00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:50.079 is suffering due to disobedience. We see that 00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:51.720 with the people in the book of Jeremiah, right? 00:32:52.180 --> 00:32:57.329 They're bound and... Their enemy overtakes them 00:32:57.329 --> 00:32:59.589 because they refuse to repent and they refuse 00:32:59.589 --> 00:33:02.750 to humble themselves before God we see consequences 00:33:02.750 --> 00:33:04.829 in that way right suffering that comes through 00:33:04.829 --> 00:33:07.750 consequences through poor decision -making and 00:33:07.750 --> 00:33:13.069 disobedience You know, we see for example like 00:33:13.069 --> 00:33:16.769 in the book of Ezekiel Where you know, there 00:33:16.769 --> 00:33:19.849 are people who anger God and frustrate God like 00:33:19.849 --> 00:33:24.319 we know that There are people who are turned 00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:27.240 over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh. 00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:29.500 We know that through reading the New Testament 00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:34.619 I believe that was a prayer that Paul had So 00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:38.319 we know that sometimes suffering, you know consequences 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:43.180 of disobedience but there is also sometimes where 00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:47.019 We don't we suffer and we don't know why and 00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:49.920 it's not due to being a bad person or being disobedient 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:53.200 or having hidden sin And that's the perfect example 00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:55.619 with the book of Job. All his friends were so 00:33:55.619 --> 00:33:57.500 quick to think, well, he's suffering because 00:33:57.500 --> 00:34:00.180 he's a bad person. He has hidden sin. He's making 00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:02.859 excuses for his children and like just all these 00:34:02.859 --> 00:34:06.119 different things. When actually the reason why 00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:08.300 it started was because God was so proud of him. 00:34:08.300 --> 00:34:10.460 He said to Satan, isn't my servant Job awesome? 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:13.300 He doesn't curse me. He doesn't turn his back 00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:15.880 on me. And Satan was like, well, of course, of 00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:17.460 course he's worshiping you and praising you. 00:34:17.579 --> 00:34:19.760 You've given him everything he wants. If you 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:22.530 stop protecting him. If you allowed him to suffer, 00:34:23.050 --> 00:34:24.750 he wouldn't worship you, he wouldn't praise you, 00:34:24.909 --> 00:34:28.610 he's only praising you in the sunny weather, 00:34:28.769 --> 00:34:30.949 he's only praising you on the mountaintops. Get 00:34:30.949 --> 00:34:33.510 him in a valley and watch him switch up. So God 00:34:33.510 --> 00:34:35.889 allowed him to go through the valley to prove 00:34:35.889 --> 00:34:39.030 to Satan that Job wasn't going to switch up. 00:34:39.110 --> 00:34:43.789 God trusted him so much, had so much faith in 00:34:43.789 --> 00:34:51.949 his faith. Sometimes we're suffering not because 00:34:51.949 --> 00:34:59.090 God's angry or we're disobedient sometimes We're 00:34:59.090 --> 00:35:01.949 suffering and I and I can't I can't say that 00:35:01.949 --> 00:35:04.610 I know every reason why we suffer I can't say 00:35:04.610 --> 00:35:06.750 that I see every reason of why I've had to suffer 00:35:06.750 --> 00:35:10.730 at all But we know that sometimes that that suffering 00:35:10.730 --> 00:35:14.610 is a testing of our faith We know that our faith 00:35:14.610 --> 00:35:16.809 has to go through the fire That's how our faith 00:35:16.809 --> 00:35:19.030 is proven just like gold has to go through the 00:35:19.030 --> 00:35:20.869 refiner's fire our faith has to go through the 00:35:20.869 --> 00:35:25.210 fire We know that faith produces endurance and 00:35:25.210 --> 00:35:30.409 the steadfastness Like that the suffering produces 00:35:30.409 --> 00:35:38.889 endurance and steadfastness We know that suffering 00:35:38.889 --> 00:35:42.469 can be used actually to further God's will and 00:35:42.469 --> 00:35:45.610 to align things look at Joseph Joseph went through 00:35:45.610 --> 00:35:51.750 a lot of suffering a lot of suffering his brother 00:35:51.750 --> 00:35:54.889 sold him into slavery and then when he's in slavery 00:35:54.889 --> 00:35:57.349 he says no to adultery like he tries to stay 00:35:57.349 --> 00:36:00.269 away from it so he gets lied on and put in prison 00:36:00.269 --> 00:36:08.389 like he went through a lot of suffering but God 00:36:08.389 --> 00:36:13.730 used that Place him where he needed to be Because 00:36:13.730 --> 00:36:16.949 he met that person in prison that one day I was 00:36:16.949 --> 00:36:19.789 gonna tell I believe it was a Pharaoh at the 00:36:19.789 --> 00:36:24.829 time that he interprets dreams Look at Daniel. 00:36:25.050 --> 00:36:27.309 He was suffering right in a way if he was taken 00:36:27.309 --> 00:36:29.070 away from his homeland and brought to Babylon 00:36:29.070 --> 00:36:33.610 as I believe he was a teenager Never to go back 00:36:33.610 --> 00:36:36.429 home again That might be seen as suffering right 00:36:36.429 --> 00:36:38.849 to live in the enemy's land your entire life 00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:44.880 But we see that God eventually blessed him You 00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:47.179 know because he interpreted dreams and he had 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:50.960 a high position and he was used to speak God's 00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:58.500 word and prophesy and Talk to King Nebuchadnezzar 00:36:58.500 --> 00:37:01.840 Sometimes God will use that suffering to teach 00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:04.980 you to grow something in you to develop something 00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:10.780 in you. I mean look at Look at David. He was 00:37:10.780 --> 00:37:14.460 anointed king and then sent back to be a shepherd 00:37:14.460 --> 00:37:16.900 boy. He had a waiting period. That could be viewed 00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:20.420 as suffering, having to go back. Look at how 00:37:20.420 --> 00:37:25.039 Saul was attacking him for years coming after 00:37:25.039 --> 00:37:29.159 him, trying to stab him with spears and chasing 00:37:29.159 --> 00:37:31.599 him out. He had to leave. He was hiding in a 00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:37.039 cave at one point. That's suffering. And it wasn't 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:40.719 because God, it wasn't because he was all disobedient. 00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:44.440 God anointed him to become king because he was 00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:46.639 well pleased with him. He was like, yep, this 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:50.760 is the one I want. I like David's heart right 00:37:50.760 --> 00:37:56.000 here. This is the one. Our suffering isn't always 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:59.079 because we've done something wrong. Our suffering 00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:01.559 isn't always because God's anger upset at us. 00:38:03.130 --> 00:38:06.349 and know that even if you are suffering because 00:38:06.349 --> 00:38:08.929 God is angry or upset at you, I've been through 00:38:08.929 --> 00:38:11.610 that. When I was a new age, I had my back draw 00:38:11.610 --> 00:38:14.329 on the Lord and God allowed me to go through 00:38:14.329 --> 00:38:17.809 suffering. Number one, He wasn't very pleased 00:38:17.809 --> 00:38:22.389 with me. But even though He wasn't very pleased 00:38:22.389 --> 00:38:23.929 with me and allowed me to go through suffering, 00:38:23.949 --> 00:38:25.869 He used it for my good because He used it to 00:38:25.869 --> 00:38:27.809 get me to fully submit and surrender my life 00:38:27.809 --> 00:38:30.869 to Christ in a way that I never have before. 00:38:31.179 --> 00:38:35.519 Devote my life to him He turned my pain into 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:40.539 testimony to glorify him the suffering I went 00:38:40.539 --> 00:38:46.559 through is now like a testimony So no, maybe 00:38:46.559 --> 00:38:48.579 I'll need to hear this today too that like you're 00:38:48.579 --> 00:38:51.000 not always suffering because you've done something 00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:54.920 wrong So when you look at someone else who calls 00:38:54.920 --> 00:38:58.019 themselves a Christian suffering Don't be so 00:38:58.019 --> 00:38:59.860 quick to say they have hidden sin or they're 00:38:59.860 --> 00:39:01.619 doing this or they're doing that. You have no 00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:04.440 idea why God is allowing them to suffer. You 00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:06.260 have no idea what their next season may look 00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:10.619 like. Which is why we should be guarding our 00:39:10.619 --> 00:39:15.280 mouths. In the most loving way. Guard, guard 00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:17.739 your mouth. Guard your mouth. Some may need to 00:39:17.739 --> 00:39:20.079 hear this today. See other people suffering or 00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:21.760 see other people going through it? Stop being 00:39:21.760 --> 00:39:23.940 so quick to say God's angry at them. They're 00:39:23.940 --> 00:39:26.099 a sinner. They're doing this. They're doing that. 00:39:27.559 --> 00:39:29.739 Because the next season you might see God is 00:39:29.739 --> 00:39:31.960 actually really well pleased with that person 00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:39.340 And he's not exactly very happy when you like 00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:44.159 speak death or bear false witness Slander one 00:39:44.159 --> 00:39:47.539 of his children. He doesn't really care for that 00:39:47.539 --> 00:39:52.940 So whoever you are listening to this podcast 00:39:52.940 --> 00:39:56.429 today, I know we have a large variety of I have 00:39:56.429 --> 00:39:58.210 a lot of different people on different parts 00:39:58.210 --> 00:40:00.210 of their walk. I pray that wherever you're at 00:40:00.210 --> 00:40:03.289 on your walk, this encourages you and helps you 00:40:03.289 --> 00:40:05.250 today of remembering that like your feelings 00:40:05.250 --> 00:40:12.690 aren't facts. That God's Word is. And God's never 00:40:12.690 --> 00:40:15.190 changing. His character isn't changing. His purpose 00:40:15.190 --> 00:40:17.369 for your life isn't changing. How he feels about 00:40:17.369 --> 00:40:22.670 you, it isn't changing. That thing being a sin 00:40:22.670 --> 00:40:25.889 isn't changing. The works of the flesh don't 00:40:25.889 --> 00:40:27.829 stop being works of the flesh just because of 00:40:27.829 --> 00:40:36.190 how you feel But that God is good and he'll give 00:40:36.190 --> 00:40:41.949 you the strength And remember y 'all that like 00:40:41.949 --> 00:40:46.510 even if your situation isn't good God still is 00:40:46.510 --> 00:40:52.050 And if you're going through suffering if you're 00:40:52.050 --> 00:40:55.329 in a valley right now Sometimes it just helps 00:40:55.329 --> 00:40:57.750 to flip the perspective and one thing that's 00:40:57.750 --> 00:41:00.550 really it really helps me and I'm not saying 00:41:00.550 --> 00:41:03.269 I'm perfect at it But when I'm in those suffering 00:41:03.269 --> 00:41:06.250 periods y 'all look at it as this is an opportunity 00:41:06.250 --> 00:41:11.769 to worship Despite what you're going through 00:41:11.769 --> 00:41:18.369 like this is an opportunity to worship In a valley 00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:21.920 It's really easy to worship on the mountains. 00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:24.719 It's not as easy to worship in the valley, but 00:41:24.719 --> 00:41:26.699 there's still something for you to be grateful 00:41:26.699 --> 00:41:33.400 for today. The fact that you have accepted Jesus 00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:37.019 as Lord, the fact that you know the gospel is 00:41:37.019 --> 00:41:39.900 something to be thankful for because not everybody 00:41:39.900 --> 00:41:43.300 does. Like there are people out here today who 00:41:43.300 --> 00:41:49.269 are rejecting Jesus, who are mocking Jesus. There 00:41:49.269 --> 00:41:52.949 are people who refuse to hear. And think about 00:41:52.949 --> 00:41:57.230 just how blessed you are that it's penetrated 00:41:57.230 --> 00:42:00.329 your spirit. The Word of God hasn't taken root. 00:42:01.429 --> 00:42:03.269 If you can't think of anything else to be grateful 00:42:03.269 --> 00:42:08.150 for, be grateful that you know Jesus. Be grateful 00:42:08.150 --> 00:42:14.630 that you know Jesus. And worship Him. There's 00:42:14.630 --> 00:42:17.929 something that one of my pastors at my church 00:42:18.980 --> 00:42:22.659 Said this past summer when I was doing we have 00:42:22.659 --> 00:42:25.500 a week of like serving where it's like mission 00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:30.619 work basically in the community and One of the 00:42:30.619 --> 00:42:38.099 pastors said it's really hard To be like angry 00:42:38.099 --> 00:42:42.820 sad upset ungrateful and praising at the same 00:42:42.820 --> 00:42:45.920 time So when you're going through it, even even 00:42:45.920 --> 00:42:49.369 if it's rough Start praising God because you 00:42:49.369 --> 00:42:52.050 can't be both you can't be in the state of praise 00:42:52.050 --> 00:42:56.130 and gratitude and worship and also like at the 00:42:56.130 --> 00:43:01.389 same moment be ungrateful and Angry and upset 00:43:01.389 --> 00:43:03.070 and that's not saying that those feelings might 00:43:03.070 --> 00:43:05.889 not come back later That's when you take them 00:43:05.889 --> 00:43:10.570 to the Lord, right? I pray y 'all that this episode 00:43:10.570 --> 00:43:14.829 has blessed you and again, I'm sorry for I've 00:43:14.829 --> 00:43:16.449 been tripping over my words a little bit. Y 'all 00:43:16.449 --> 00:43:18.469 can tell it's getting late. I already took like 00:43:18.469 --> 00:43:21.130 my nighttime vitamins. I have like vitamins I 00:43:21.130 --> 00:43:23.630 take before bed and they make me like a little 00:43:23.630 --> 00:43:27.389 sleepy and I've had like my chamomile tea just 00:43:27.389 --> 00:43:29.730 to kind of like relax me. It's nice in the winter 00:43:29.730 --> 00:43:32.090 to drink my teas and I'm laying down so this 00:43:32.090 --> 00:43:35.250 is like of course the combination for sleepy 00:43:35.250 --> 00:43:39.809 talk. I hope you guys have a wonderful week and 00:43:39.809 --> 00:43:43.780 that this episode has blessed you in a way. And 00:43:43.780 --> 00:43:47.159 I do ask that you hit subscribe wherever it is 00:43:47.159 --> 00:43:51.079 you're listening to this episode. And I'll talk 00:43:51.079 --> 00:43:54.619 to you guys soon. Have a wonderful week. Bye 00:43:54.619 --> 00:43:55.099 guys.