thing people think that when Jesus endured all the things he endured and endured an incredible amount of the Asli that he always knew exactly how it was going to turn out at the end but he didn't know any more than you know except that he trusted the father the father said you're not going to die of starvation in the desert Well then whatever else was going to happen Jesus wasn't going to die of starvation in the desert but even if he did die of starvation of the desert he was going to die of starvation in obedience to God he was not going to manipulate God begin to do what he wanted and some people actually turn their back on God Once they find out he's not able to be manipulated and he's not. He's not able to be manipulated no matter what you do you can't make him do anything and that is just so frustrating for Americans think because we're used to being able to just make anybody do anything almost you know if we give them enough money they'll do it or if we threaten them with legal action or if we do something we ought to be able to get what we want and you find out you can do that with God. If you're tempted to try to manipulate God to solve your problems and then the 3rd temptation in this weakness in the pin the weakness when you think oh I just can't take it anymore 3rd temptation you're tempted to see this is the ultimate reality about your problem and completely forget about God That's the 3rd one ah give you this whole thing this is really what it's all about isn't it it's about the kingdoms of this world it's about what this world has to offer now bear that in mind because in 1st John Chapter 2 in the weeks to come we're going to see that he has something to say about how to relate to the world see. Jesus everything tempted to see this is the ultimate reality about your problem and completely forget about God. What you see is really all that matters what you see in the world is all you need it's all you can ever know this what you see who cares how much God loves you. If you don't get what you want. Here and now today if you don't get the thing that you think you need to make yourself fulfilled Who cares how much God loves you well isn't that the big question I remember a true story from another pastor who told the stories told it several times but he was pastoring a church back east was a small church and he was doing most of the pastoral counseling in a 15 year old girl came in Christian girl she was just having a terrible time in her faith she was struggling with the Lord with everything you know and he said well you know the Lord love yeah. Yeah yeah. He died for your sins I mean he's got a plan for you and he's going to work it out and it's going to be yeah yeah yeah i know i know and you know you're seated with him and haven't even all the good theology stuff that young pastors all know and they just play it on you know oh yeah I know that she said she was raised in the church he's a Christian as far as he could tell she said yeah but what good is any of that stuff if the boys won't even look at you. Isn't that interesting 15 years old 15 year old girl and she's feeling like I'm not beautiful I'm not enough I can't get the boys to look at me and you say oh well that's kind of cute you know 15 year old girl and here she is not thinking about her faith. Really not thinking about what God has done in light of what's going on in her life at that particular moment have we outgrown that. Older people have grown that what good is God's love for me if I lose my business what good is God's love for me if I lose my spouse. What good is God's love for me if my kids go off the rails what good is God's love for me if my nation fails my nation goes down. What good is God's love for me. Well now that's a good question isn't it it really makes you say to yourself Do I want the kingdoms of the world is it really in my coming did I marry God for his money did I come saying Well of course I'll get the kingdoms of the world. And that will actually make this whole thing worthwhile and yes eternity is fine and whatever he's going to do the new heavens and new are 1005 but I can't see that I can't touch it I can't taste it I can't empirically know it but I can empirically know this. This is what I want. It really makes you ask the question that's why the enemy came to Jesus at the end of 40 days while he was on the verge of dying and saw the last time he will come at the point of death why why is that that way well it's because the essence of idolatry is always to worship something in the world as if that thing will give you what you really want rather than worshipping God and really trusting him when you're hungry when you're hungry and you're unfulfilled and you are lonely and the world is fading and not giving you everything it's promised on the advertisements and on the movies and you say at that point no you know what I want to press into the Lord when that is taking place when you're seeing that the sifting is really happening and it's interesting because. At this point you might think you've got struggle and you've got weakness now let me ask you this if it's you and and there's a huge battle going on and you're feeling extremely weak what's the next thing you would expect to happen defeat right in your life in my life I mean I feel already weak now I have this immense attack from the enemy I'm going to fall apart weakness plus struggle equals defeat and it doesn't work out that way you've got everything that looks like weakness you've got and it's definitely a struggle but he is not defeated there's a kind of strength that's in him and it brings out a victory you've got struggle you've got weakness but look at the Victory God's word and here's why it's because God's Word is the ultimate reality Jesus understands it see it's not his actual story it's not standing up I've seen pictures where you I actually saw one artist's rendition of this scene or Jesus is holding a sword the sort of the spear you know I mean it's the picture of the Word of God He's holding the sword in the enemy's holding the sword and they're doing this sword fight right and Jesus is physically really strong and the enemy is really strong and it looks like this sword fight like a couple of guys in a Star Wars movie with light sabers you know. Looks like that in a Didn't like they had it all it didn't look like that at all it was Jesus simply saying I don't trust you I trust what God says no matter how hungry I am it wasn't I'm challenging you it's just fact I don't believe you I don't believe you you're lying and it was very simple and in the weakest possible point laying on I mean he could actually been land down he could have been so weak he was laying down. But as the battles going on he himself isn't standing up and being strong and you get we'll see this again and for John to himself and standing up and being strong what he's doing is he's shifting his mind and he's saying I know what reality is and reality is what God's word reveals reality is not what you tell me and it's not what I see I you take me show me this vision you show me the world you offered to me that is not reality I don't believe you. You tell me I should do this that is not reality. That is an amazing way to live and that's where the strength is but it doesn't look anything like the strength that we normally think of that's where those paintings in those pictures and stuff they kind of give us the wrong impression they give us the impression that Jesus was actually feeling strong he wasn't feeling strong he simply knew what reality is he simply said I feel weak I feel terrible. But I know what reality is you can't trick me like you tricked Adam actually didn't trick at me trick deve an atom whether that in this case and that was radical disobedience even worse than what he did. In this case is you can't trick me. And you've already got my bride. And I'm pulling her out I'm not going you see the picture and it's it's going on the inside of and that's where the strength is. He understands God's word and he interprets it as the ultimate reality God as the supreme name and Jesus Jesus doesn't just use these verses as superstitiously like a rabbit's foot like a lot of Christians do that will just quote a verse that's not what he is quoting a verse but that's not what makes this work what makes this work is that he knows in his heart it's true he knows in his heart that God is faithful no matter what is happening in his life he knows that for an absolute fact and he's willing to live that reality no matter how he feels and he quotes it not as a sword fight with Satan but he quotes it because it simply is reality he doesn't use uses things superstitiously. He knows that what God says actually runs the entire universe now Satan also knows and reinterprets the word You'll notice that the victory is because Jesus trusts God's word but Satan also uses it and tries to misinterpret it we don't have time to go into it too much but he actually uses the Bible for his own purposes and by the way side bar there's a lot of folks who use the Bible for their own purposes always be careful of that people do it all the time even in Christian circles they'll quote verses for their own purposes instead of saying what is God really saying here they'll use it to try and get something themselves Satan is the one who does that sort of thing we should actually copy him about it so the expression of God's mind here's what's going on is the expression of God's mind which is His word is in Christ to the point where he is saying to himself I will trust what the father says no matter what and that brings a kind of strength that isn't physically visible but it's deep on the inside you say what does this have to do with 1st John what has everything to do let's turn over to 1st John and you'll see because in 1st John. What. He says to the young men they have a sort of strength. Now the background here is also spiritual warfare because there were a group of people who were teaching these Christians that they could come to God without Christ basically they form a spirituality that was being spoken to them in which they said these are x. Christians pose Italy using the name of Christ but doing it wrong and they were saying you don't need Christ as the incarnate Son of God You don't need the propitiation you don't need the cross you just need to be spiritual and you don't need to worry about sin and you don't need to worry about being transformed 1st John Chapter 2 beginning in verse 12 he said up to this point John has been saying look there's a battle going on for your faith who are you going to trust who are you going to trust and some of them have gone off and trusted this other word rather than God's word and John says Don't you dare do that and so what he does is he calls into question the salvation basically of those other teachers he says they're not Christians he says they're walking in the dark they're using the name of Jesus but they're walking in the dark and there is no moral transformation and they're not actually living the life of Christ and so then you get into the middle of that and you think yourself and I mentioned this last week and the week before you get into the middle of that and you think to yourself Well I'm I'm really a Christian that because look what he's saying in the 1st half of chapter 2 I mean it's amazing he's calling into question the life of these false Christians and saying you're not really a believer and over the last few weeks since I've been teaching this I've had several people actually ask me and I could tell that's what they were they weren't asking me point blank am I a believer or do you think I'm a Christian when you put your stamp of approval on me but I could tell by what they were saying to me that they were questioning and I mention last week that's actually a good question to ask only a real Christian asks that question only a Christian reads a warning and says I want to take heed to the warning. However John realizing that and knowing he's going to exhort him a little more in verses 15 to 17 he takes verses 12 to 14 and he gives them this poetry and he says to them really wonderful things he calls them children and last week we talked basically a meditation on what it means which all that God He calls them children then he refers to the mature ones the fathers that he refers to the young men who were the ones figurative least speaking and probably physically as well who were in their productive years and he basically has wonderful things to say to them he says to the children you're forgiven and you know God as Father. And that's security and trust and relationship but you don't stay childish you stay simple in your faith but you grow also in your faith and so the next thing he says is to the grown ones the mature ones the fathers he says you know him who is from the beginning you have a relationship and you have an eternal perspective we'll talk about that more next week when you get older and you get older in the Lord and older chronologically It's not like you're over the hill but you have a better view and we're going to talk about that and your view needs to go in both directions there needs to be this eternal perspective it is good to be an older person it is good to be an older Christian in our culture you'd never hear that so we'll talk about that a lot more next week talk of the fathers and then times to the young men and these are the ones who are in their formative and strong years and he says to them I'm writing to you because you have strength and wisdom and victory over say let's read it again I am writing to you little children speaking to everybody as children because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake I'm writing to you fathers because you know him who is from the beginning I'm writing to you young men because you and it's not just men someone actually called me and asked about that. I said no ma'am you are not off the hook it's not just men it's men and women the Bible uses gender that way he says so it's I'm writing to you young men and women because you have overcome the evil one and then he repeats it again in the poetry I write to you children because you know the father I write to you fathers because you know him from the beginning and I write to you young men now I says 3 things he repeats what he said before and he adds to it because you are strong and the Word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one that's the person I want to talk about today and these build on each other by the way all the young all the quote unquote young men. He's talking about the that and we'll put it this way as a metaphor for the Christians who are in their productive years and that's a broad spectrum they're healthy they're strong physically perhaps but maybe not physically but they're in the years where their their faith is growing they also have that which is given to them by the Spirit as children you start as a child and you grow and we'll talk more about that as well but so they build on each others not like just the children have a forgiveness in the young men have a victory they build on these things build on each other so I want to talk about these young men who have this strength Note carefully that he calls them strong How does he know well because the evidence in there overcoming the evil one. Becoming the evil one. And where did that come from well that's sourced in the fact that God's word abides in them you see where that is it's sourced in the fact that God's word abides in them so let's bear down on that a little bit what in the world is he talking about with God's word abiding in Him I'm pretty sure most of you would like to say Armstrong and what I've just talked about in terms of Jesus facing the temptation probably you're in a situation where you would like a little bit more strength would you not at least spiritually you're probably facing things in which you're asking yourself How could I be stronger. So let's start with what he says about the Word of God because that's really what he's getting after the Word of God abides in you what is it well in this context the word of God is actually the Gospel and we tend to think it's the whole Bible Well it is the whole Bible but the whole Bible is the gospel the whole Bible speaks of Christ what he's really after is this idea that the Word of God on the inside shapes all the thinking in all that's going on on the inside of the person and the Gospel itself has changed the way they see reality just like Jesus said to Satan I don't see reality the way you do you're mistaken about it and you're lying to me when the Word of God is on the inside you see it from a completely different perspective. Primarily the Gospel itself which is that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh who lived a completely perfect life died the death we should have died came back from the dead and rains right now in heaven that reality is the Word of God that lives inside of these people I may ask you something. If you're facing. Difficulty right now struggle of whatever sort what if you really believed that everything outside of your control was in his control very specifically every medical test. Every dip in the stock market. I mean if he can control the stock market that's proof positive that he can control anything. Every dip in the stock market every detail that we say to ourselves we look at it we go now if that happens what will happen if that goes down or if that goes up that goes sideways what let's just a minute. And say to yourself let's pretend for a moment that God is completely sovereign over every detail you know that's actually thinking in Kingdom think right there that moment right there you're thinking in the Gospel you're thinking gospel think you're actually thinking and the Word of God is inside of you at that point you say yeah but I don't have a verse about it I can give you some about that but that's not the point even if you can't remember the verse you know the writer of Hebrews the book of Hebrews that the New Testament says it says somewhere. And then he quotes it. I love that's my favorite thing about Hebrews is that the writer of Hebrews doesn't know which verse it is. But he knows what it says. And that's why when you have the Word of God inside of you like Jesus did You can quote it a lot of us Christians we feel bad that we can't remember the exact address for a verse or whatever don't treat it like a rabbit's foot the wisdom that's in it is what changes your thinking and being in it all the time from the perspective of the Gospel actually changes your intuitions which I'll talk about in just a moment but it's the gospel itself and also the entire Bible but the entire Bible as it is interpreted by the gospel sounds like it's a bunch of different stories that each have their own moral the whole Bible is about the gospel according to Jesus in Luke $24.00 it's all about Christ so when you knowing that you belong to Christ and then you're reading even in the Old Testament prophets received so much judgment against Israel and you're realizing all wait a minute I'm in Christ I don't need to be fearful but I do need to learn and so you're reading always in the Scriptures with regard to that what that does is it alters your perception of reality and that is the conversion of your mind that's the conversion of your mind and that's where the strength comes from say well I need I need no no. No no I already know Jesus died for me but what good is that if all boys will look at me what good is that if my b.c. Then the Lord says no no wait a 2nd you haven't thought deeply enough about it get back to seeing what the Gospel has done and how your life now is actually changed your destiny is completely changed see the problem you're facing the struggle you're facing in the light of the fact that you're going to live forever whether you like it or not you're going to live forever and you will like a Christian. See that the gospel is not just simply a piece of information that you signed off on in order to get your fire insurance policy against hell. Does everybody get that I hope you get it because it isn't that it is safety obviously but it's people think it's just this thing that tips me into the kingdom I signed off on you know Jesus died for my sins and he came back from the dead and he's got in the flesh Ok I've signed off on that now get me off into the interesting things about how I should invest my money get me off into the interesting things about how I can be healthy give me some rules and regulations for me my life happier and my business better I have a book called Jesus c.e.o. I actually bought it just for contrast it's absolute garbage. I kid you not written by a business person who treats business principles by from Jesus. I'm gone that's not the gospel. The gospel isn't about your business your business is about the gospel it's a completely different way of life the gospel is a way of thinking so when it says when John says the reason you're strong you young guys the reason you're strong it's because the power of the Gospels living on the inside of you and it alters every you look at everything in light of this eternal reality this new change this new deal it's all about what the Lord is doing. It alters really what you care about what you worry about what you're angry about it alters all these things. So God's word that brings this strength is primarily the Gospel and the Scriptures as they reveal the Gospel How does it abide in it's how does it get in there and what does it mean abide in his means really kind of a weird metaphysical thing for him to say don't work that word in there don't you think it's a weird metaphysical thing for him to say how does a word abide in you well think about it all kinds of words abide in you. Yeah they do for instance the words from the last song you heard. It's ever find yourself Hamann a song later in the day and you think yourself what if I hear that why my singing that one song and I know all the words to it I've got all those words what are they doing there abiding in me. That's actually kind of sobering I'm thinking about those words I'm meditating on what's in that song I went back to listen to a bunch of old nostalgic rock'n'roll from when I was a kid. Past the Prozac let me tell you it was so depressing as a Christian now looking back and listening to the lyrics No wonder my mom was rolling her eyes went I would some of the old rock n roll songs are so bad. And radically immoral I mean I couldn't believe some of the stuff at the time I just it's went right past me I was you know just listen in the music and you know words abide in you all the time all the time influential people in your life teachers instructors mentors have said words that effect you almost immediately you can walk into a college classroom has all the time young Christians walk into college classrooms and universe secular universities as freshman and immediately a new set of words starts to abide in them. And it alters how they think words are very powerful Jesus did say Take care what you listen to words are incredibly powerful and all kinds of words abide in you all the time all the time. You need to ask yourself what words are abiding in me and where are those words coming from because they affect how I think they're expression of somebodies mind those words are the expression of somebodies mind. And my words are the expression of my mind and God's word is expression of his mind so whose word actually abides in me. How does it work well this is a whole sermon but I will shorten it. And you're thinking Osho or no no really. Of the Spirit of God brings His Word into you when you come to Jesus the 1st word that you hear that opens your mind is the word of the Gospel when you hear it for the really the 1st time and it sinks in what God has done that's the spirit of God It's his mind coming into your mind and bringing a reality to you and if you respond to that reality if you hear that and you respond to it internally in your heart by the way the word heart and mind in the Bible are basically the same thing as the whole interior self the emotions the thinking the intellect and the will it's all called the heart so inside in your heart you're hearing this cognitively but it's affecting you that's your 1st interaction with the word the real expression of God's mind. If you are listening to this and you're not a Christian. And you think that Christianity is just about religion it isn't it is the direct expression of the mind of the God of the universe that's what the gospel is and when you hear it through words those words seek to abide in you. and the name of the app is Trail fellowship if you like a cd with this complete message on it it's available for a donation of $5.00 and can be ordered at this toll free number 186-636-6382 extension 3 that's Pacific time and you can ask for show number 11097 thank you for joining us today for Pastor report and willing heart we hope you've enjoyed our time together willing heart is a production of trail Christian Fellowship helping people think like Jesus. Kale d.c. 95.3 f.m. Across broadcasting station. You can now say Alexa play k l d c After you take one very easy step to get started click the Alexa banner on 1220 k l d c dot com and follow our simple instructions then you can start saying Alexa played k l d c Just one more way for you to hear God and Country radio on k.l. D.c. . You would love to support the ministries you hear daily on k l d c But you have trouble remembering their contact information reach calle d.c. Through our website 1220 k l d c dot com. Hi I'm Conny Pak and I will commute in knowing to where I love meeting with each day to study lines. I line and verse by verse yesterday we started this 9th chapter in 2nd Corinthians with Paul's balance teaching regarding giving and the walk of faith Prince our God is so great and so awesome we could never tell his goodness but he truly doesn't need our help to make him look good you don't have to stretch the truth just give him the do praise life principle the Lord doesn't need me to lie to make him look good versed in here's my advice about what is best for you in this matter last year you were the 1st not only to give but also to have the desire to do so now finish the work. So that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it according to your means for if the willingness is there the gift is acceptable according to what one has not according to what he does not have our desire is not that others might be relieved while you're hard pressed but that there might be equality at the present time your Plenty will supply what they need so that in turn there plenty will supply what you need then there will be equality as it is written he that gather as much did not have too much and he that gathered Little did not have too little Barclay wrote this The devil will lead to resolve as much as you like the more the better just as long as you never carry it out you see they had made up their mind a year ago a long time ago oh we're going to do something about it but here they were some time later they still hadn't done anything about it and he said Now finish the work so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion according to your means now I can imagine God looking down on these 3 groups of people at this time 3 groups of Christians one group is in the land of famine Palestine they're struggling to literally live the other group in Corinth Greece not that far away is relatively wealthy and then there's this 3rd group of Christians in the Macedonian area very poor and willing to do anything at all to help even the poorer people in Jerusalem at the time and Paul is telling this wealthy group in current go ahead and get involved don't just say. Ain't it awful all it's too bad Have you seen all those poor people over in Africa isn't it a shame now maybe we should get a committee together and study the social economic ramifications of poverty in Palestine you know the world doesn't need another study of what is wrong the world needs us to stand up and show them what is right maybe these Christians in Corinth had some concerns like you and I do maybe they wondered well what if a famine comes here what if I lose my job what if I don't have a dog that p.g. And e. Or I can't work at the telephone company anymore what am I going to do I think I better hoard it bag I better put it in the bank someplace I better see that I get the best interest rate because after all I could be in trouble one day we can see that they had these concerns because he goes ahead and he tells them now our desire is not that others might be relieved while your hard pressed in other words we're not wanting the guys in Jerusalem just to go on a vacation so the 2 guys can work harder and have more of a burden placed on you but that there might be equality this is not a plea for communism or socialism but each quality in our response to need now at the present time your Plenty will supply what they need and here's the answer to their question so that in turn there are plenty will supply what you need some time this shoe may be on the other foot and God is going to bring it back and help supply for your need life principle my generosity is measured by my attitude. Rather than the dollar amount. 16 I think God who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you for Titus not only welcomed our appeal but he's coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative and we're sending along with him the brother who's praised by all the churches for his service to the Gospel what is more he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering which we administer in order to honor the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help we want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift for we're taking pains to do what is right not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man in addition we're standing with them our brother who is often prove to us in many ways that he's Alice and now even more so because of his great confidence in you as for Titus he's my partner and fellow worker among you as for our brothers they are representatives of the churches and honor to Christ therefore show these man the proof of your love and their reason for our pride in you so that the churches can see it we see that Titus some brother that's unnamed but a good report was chosen to take this offering back to Jerusalem all of the financial dealings of the church should be conducted properly above board and with complete integrity and Paul took all the necessary steps to protect God's property Chapter 9 c. There is no need for me. To write to you about this service to the saints for I know your eagerness to help I've been boasting about it to the Macedonia and telling them that since last year you indication were ready to give and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action but I am sending the brothers in order that are both thing about you in this matter should not prove hollow but that you may be ready as I said you would be for if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared we not to say anything about you would be ashamed of having been so confident so I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you promised then it will be ready as a generous gift not as one grudgingly given Paul had told the Macedonians they he was sure that the current the ends were going to be generous givers he's saying I bragged on you now don't let me they're coming now get your offering together get it ready I rag on them I've I've told them that you are going to it's already in your heart to do this so take care of it Paul also one of this offering collected and ready to be hand delivered to the Jews in Jerusalem when he arrived why did he want this already taken care of why did he write a head and get the matter all collected and earmarked and set aside for these brothers who would come in hand deliver it you see he didn't want them embarrassed because they are unprepared to give when Titus and the brothers showed up have you ever been called on at the last minute and like you're gone. No it was said you haven't got your wallet and you're like oh I need to bring yours and Jerry and I do this every time and I'm I usually when I didn't bring it Jerry he didn't want to member you see he wanted them to have it all taken care of and it's embarrassing on the other part remember the guys are coming out of Macedonians showed up you know in here they were even poorer and they had already given and you come to somebody and they're not prepared and he didn't want anybody uncomfortable in this so he's giving them plenty of time to fix the situation he was encouraging them to follow through with what they had already determined to do he was strengthening their resolve versus 6 through 9 Remember this whoever so sparingly will also reaps sparingly and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously each man should give what he's decided in his heart to give not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver and God is able to make all grace a bound to you so that in all things at all times having all that you needy you will abound in every good work as it is written He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor and his righteousness endures for ever here he's teaching us more about this wonderful grace of giving verse 6 give generously He compares it to sowing seed if a farmer had a lot of see and he kept most of it in the barn and he just was so scared to sow the seed because he wanted to make sure he had seed for next year and he only planted a handful. All of seeds then he's going to just replace a small crop that's the idea of generosity is the idea if you have plenty of seeds throw it out there and plant it and let it come up and then you're going to have more that's going to come back life principle I can't outgive God I can't out give God verse 7 each man should give what he's decided in his heart to give give of your own free will each man do you see it every man should decide in his own heart what to give That's free will giving birth 7 and not reluctantly or under compulsion for God loves a cheerful giver there it is give cheerfully we should also give proportionately now proportionate giving is commanded in the Old Testament law of the tide of 10 percent but I do need to tell you to be faithful to the word that the law of the tie is not found or spoken of in the New Testament but the principle of proportionate giving is found many times in the New Testament for example an axle $1129.00 then disciples each according to his ability that's proportionate determined to send relief to the brother and wallowing in Judea so we can use the Old Testament as a benchmark for giving for our understanding of proportional giving However 10 percent might just be a starting place for you you're not restricted to only 10 percent you can give more. To medically study God's word together to study each book from Genesis to the and the food prophecies of Revelation download our app and find more teaching in principles for applying the word knowing the word dot com There you can see in your ministry support and are secure website or a mailing address is knowing the word Buel box 57662 or one but just in California 95357 we are slowly supported by our listeners help us take the good news around the world blessings still next time sharing the Good News of the Gospel Kal d.c. 95.3 f.m. . If the makers of fortnight are being sued for it's that addictive design Trey's Imbrie asked shouldn't even rethink playing it. This is license to parent according to writer Alexa Mae asprin a Canadian law firm has filed a class action suit on behalf of the parents of 2 kids who are allegedly addicted to the video game fortnight the suit compared fortnight to cocaine into bacco claiming the game's creator Epic Games knowingly put on the market an extremely addictive game geared toward you the parents claim for Knight causes dopamine to be released in the brain the same way cocaine and other drugs are resulting in a chemical addiction after talking with 2 different men myself men who are both digital programmers by the way they both affirm their own roles in personally making video games and other digital platforms highly addictive kids gain more insight for today's culture by visiting our website licensed apparent God org impacting lives for God 12 20 am and 95.3 f.m. Welcome to enjoying every day life with New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer. Odds a day's program Joyce will be teaching from her series pressing in and pressing on if you desire ever. The thing that God has for you today Joyce invites you to press into his incredible purpose for your life receive the peace and joy you've been looking for just a quick reminder you can give to a specific outreach of your choice give to a cause that's near to your heart like water feeding medical project girl or wherever needed most Also be sure to check out Joyce Meyer dot org forward slash greatest gift a 7 week Bible study journey that you and your friends can be a part of together you'll receive weekly encourage Mitt and ways to reach out to others sign up by Joyce Meyer dot org forward slash greatest gift Now here's Joyce with today's series pressing in and pressing on. So we're talking about pressing into new beginnings and that in order to do that you have to always be willing to let go of what lies behind how many years you have had something in your life that you put a lot of yourself into and it just didn't work out. Well you got to be very careful that you don't just get stuck. At the things that didn't work and let them get you to thinking that you're just a failure and that it's all over because I'll tell you something God is never without a plan. You may not know what the plan is but God knows what the plan is now in the book of Samuel there's Samuel one until we read about. King Saul Now 1st of all God never wanted the people to have a Cain. He wanted to be their king but he the people insisted on having a King so. Here Nor in a man named Saul to become king the Bible says that when the Spirit came on Saul he was turned into another man and that's what happens now when the Holy Spirit comes on you whatever you were before you can kiss goodbye because he's going to turn you into a. Shark crashing and from on. Do you realize do you realize that we have the world changers sitting in this room today. I'm telling you when God gets hold of you and it's all over but the shouting for the Devil because if you really stick with God and do what he leads you to do I mean you just have no idea what you can accomplish and what you can do I mean until a place called Fenton Missouri. Not got a lot of degrees honorary degree. You know the things I've been given and I appreciate all of them but I have a 12 grade education and. So let's just say for all intents and purposes I'm not especially brainy smart but I love God and I've got a lot of common sense. And. So I'm not educated to do what I'm doing and never want to. I don't feel like I have got to have some kind of a fancy title in front of my name. I started out Joyce I'm still Joyce. I expect to be respected and to be honored but I'm not. In the titles I'm trying to impress people I was a master and God got hold of me. And he changed my life to his word and he called made to share his word with people and today. The message carrier near this weekend will be heard around the world in over 100 different languages. And I almost failed English. I didn't care what was a noun or a pronoun or a verb or what it was I was wanted to talk and so now people think I speak all these languages and I'm still working on English. Is kind of funny but I still to this day. I don't know when to use. Rather and when to use weather. So I druther. I'm trying to get a point across that really to be honest it's God that makes you special. And you don't have to have a bunch of special stuff going for you for God to you all you have to be is available. Here I am God is need say in me but you can't be stuck somewhere in mourning over every mistake a Jew made you can have a victim mentality in Law My parents didn't treat me right I didn't get the right education I didn't get a chance to go to college I didn't do this I didn't and I did something else it doesn't matter what you don't have this you do have Jesus in your life. You understand that if you have Jesus if you have a great personal relationship with Jesus you have got all that you need. To do something great as that glory something great. With your life. So Don anointed soul to become king and saw a saw was partially old d.d.r. But he wasn't completely obedient he did know to what God told him to do but a little bit of what he wanted to and. He did this over and over until God and they said you're not going to be king he lost his opportunity because of disobedience Well the prophet Samuel had put a great deal of time into Saul and he loved him and I'm sure he had prayed for him and worked with him and so one Saul lost the opportunity to be king. Samuel was grieving very grieving you know what we have lost in our lives we grieve over those losses and it's right to do so but you have to be very careful that you don't let us period of agrees get on your lives and keep that the rest of your life because if you do it will keep you from letting go of what lies behind and pressing on to the things that are ahead I remember a story a woman told me a friend of mine her teenage son got cancer and they did everything everybody prayed they did all the treatments and he still passed away and so naturally she was grieving and hurting and she said one day she was in her basement doing her laundry and she said I could just I could feel the spirit of the grief just trying to wrap itself around me and she said I grabbed a piece of clothes and threw it around me and said This is my garment of praise and I'm not going to live in Greece as you just started dancing around your basement with that he said quote wrapped around you know you got to let the devil know that no matter what he has been able to do to you in the past and no matter what he has taken or stolen that you are going to put your faith in God and God is going to give it back to you not one time but double. The enemy. And when you've had some warning and some grief in your lives oh it's so sweet when the joy comes. You know that we couldn't even know Joy if we didn't know sadness. One time I went was my daughter to the 2 as a facial and somehow or another I got home didn't have my wedding ring and. They didn't have it nobody had seen it and so I just. Figured I must a lesson on the counter on this thing can somebody took it and so. It really hurt me that I had lost it you know it meant a lot to me in and. There was a grieving period of time and then I finally just said well lard is just a thing and I can live without a thing and so one about my business and up to 3 months went by my daughter called me one day the one that had been with me at the spine she said just what I found. And I said what she said I found your ring it was in my purse. And. Think And why would it be in your purse well then we realized the person had belonged to me at one time and I had given those to her so when I took my Randolph's I just looked at the purse thinking it was mine put it in her purse she won home took the stuff out of it never used it again for months and then when she got it I was so over. That I found my rain Well here's the thing I would have never had the experience of that joy. Had I not had the loss. And I want to tell you something I want you to get this and believe that today some of you have had some terrible loss in your lives you've endured tragedies in just as things have happened to you that are not right that are not fair and it's been hard but 0 volts. Oh oh come on now you know want to. Go old. Tell you if you won't have a better attitude and you won't take on a victim mentality and you'll go ahead and love God and the obedient to him and continue to try to help people oh your reward is going to come. And you are going to be no you are if you're. Going to Die and look at what you've lost look at what can happen in your future. You know Martha said to Jesus her brother Lazarus had died and she said Jesus Lazarus has died if you would have been here he wouldn't have died and Jesus said He will rise again Martha was looking at what had happened Jesus was looking at what could happen. Come always did you want to do today keep staring at everything that has happened are you want to get excited about what God can do in your life. But. You've got to hear all of that are all worth. You cannot have a bad attitude. And also have a great life that God wants to get. Now either people have hurt you or maybe you've done some things that have made you sad. And people have her is the number one thing that God requires is that you forgive them. And the really painful part bless them. Oh. My goodness. Let's really Luke 6 beginning in verse 27 as I say to you the here love your enemies do good to those who hate you. Now I'm not making this up this is. Like you've got to be kidding God. Bless those who curse you praise for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek offer the other also and from one who takes away your cloak don't withhold your tunic give to everyone who begs from you and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. Old Kay. And as you wish that others would do to you you do also unto them my goodness what if the whole world lived by the. Credo that the people the way you would like to be treated Thanks for listening he encouraged with today's offer pressing in and pressing on 3 cd series and free from guilt and condemnation booklet for purchase everything as a digital download this package is available now for a donation of $20.00 or more u.s. Funds and we do accept all major credit cards you can order today's offer from our website at Joyce Meyer dot org Or you can call us toll free at 187-9008 not again the number is 187890089. Well emotional healing doesn't just happen overnight it's a day by day process and time and God's Word is a key I want to help you in your journey with my new healing the soul of a woman devotional it is possible to break free from your pain and you don't have to go through it alone by 9 today devotionally with she was scriptures that will help you walk this path to freedom now available wherever books are sold or order your copy today and to least Meyer dot org. Thanks again for listening to enjoying everyday life our mission here is Joyce Meyer Ministries a simple sharing Christ and loving people remember Together we can do more. You heard that one lady on that one show on that one day at one time and you would really like to contact her ministry reach k.l. D.c. Through our website to contact any of our Christian programmers 1220 k l d c dot com on. The Bible is a revelation of the mind and will of God to man and in that we learn what God is and who he is Steve Gregg host of the narrow path radio program every week day we open the Bible for discussion and would love to hear your questions car. And concerns about the Bible and of our faith Please Join us weekdays from 3 to 4 b.n. Bibble grilling answers to your theology questions the narrow path is live and ready for your participation right here weekdays you're listening yet a onesie we're going to enter into what I am 95.3 f.m. And streaming online at 1220 to see that come across for broadcasting God and country station. The c e m network is pleased to present Ronald Eldar. Christians are supposed to overcome the world. How are we doing. Are we overcoming the world. Or is the world overcoming us. A case can be made you know that the Christian faith is being marginalized elbowed into irrelevancy by the culture we all have to live in. And what's worse Christians have cooperated in the process. Nancy Pearcey in her new book total truth says to many people today Christians and non Christians alike Christianity is seen only as a personal interior preference something that exists only inside a person's head in their book because Pearson sets out to show how Christians cooperate in their own marginalization with a false piety centered in personal experience rather than in objective truth and that's a difficult sentence what is she trying to say. She is saying that we have contributed to all this by a false religiosity a pretense of religion that is centered in personal experience as opposed to objective truth in fact it's not at all uncommon to hear people speak of experiencing Christ one of the great Christian mystics Hildegarde of England describes her spiritual awakening in terms of an experience she says and I quote When I was 42 years old and 7 months a burning light of tremendous brightness coming from heaven poor it into my entire mind like a flame that does not burn but in candles it inflamed my entire heart and my entire breast just like the sun that warms an object with its rays Now what does this elimination do for Hildegarde she said all of a sudden I was able to taste of the understanding of the narration of books I saw the Psalter clearly and the evangelist and other Catholic books of the Old and New Testaments in the quotation Hildegard was overcome by this what you would call an experience of intuition of connection making she had insights that helped her understand and say she went to bed sick by all this and it was when she placed her hand to writing that she received new strength got out of bed and spent the next 10 years.