male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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¤¤
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Doug Batchelor: Sometimes
you'll go through a trial
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because you may have
an idol in your life.
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It could be somebody.
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It could be something
that is more important to you
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than God, and God
may touch that person
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or that thing to
get your attention.
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Doug: You know, I
wanted to share what I think is
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a practical message
with you today that I hope
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will be of some encouragement.
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It's about "Coping
Through Tough Times."
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How can we triumph
in spite of our trials?
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The Bible's pretty clear
that there are trials in life.
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Everybody at some
point is going to experience
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varying degrees of trouble.
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You can read in Ecclesiastes
chapter 2, verse 23: "For
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all of his days are sorrowful,
and his work burdensome;
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even in the night
his heart takes no rest."
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Paul said, "All that live
godly," this is 2 Timothy 3:12.
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"All that live godly
will suffer persecution."
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And Paul, he was, "Strengthening
the souls of the disciples,
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exhorting them continue in the
faith, saying, 'We must through
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many tribulations
enter the kingdom of God.'"
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It is through tribulation
we enter the kingdom.
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Everybody
experiences tough times, but
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don't be discouraged.
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In spite of that, we can
have joy and we can have faith.
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You can read where Jesus said,
of course, that "in this life,
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you'll have tribulation; but
be of good cheer, I've overcome
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the world."
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"All that live godly
will suffer persecution.
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St. Augustine said, "God had one
Son on earth without sin, but he
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never had one
without suffering."
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So all of us experience
varying degrees of suffering.
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Now, I'll make
something for you very simple.
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If you wanna understand the
trials that you go through and
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kind of a divine perspective,
everything is gonna fall into
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one of two
categories, and often both.
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In your struggles, God is
trying to do something in you,
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that's one.
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And in your struggles,
God is wanting to do something
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through you.
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And often, he's wanting to
do something in you and through
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you, it's both.
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If you know there's a purpose
behind it, it's a lot easier to
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deal with, right?
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If we just can know, "Is
there some reason for this?
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Is something good
coming out of it?"
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then it makes it a
lot easier to handle.
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So, here are some of the common
reasons, according to the Bible,
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that people go through trials,
trouble, suffering, tribulation.
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First of all, he wants to help
us recognize our spiritual need.
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So, some of it for us.
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It's redemptive.
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The Bible says, "Blessed are the
poor in spirit, for theirs is
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the kingdom of heaven."
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And God may have blessed
you with physical poverty so you
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might know your
spiritual poverty.
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Our different trials that we go
through are designed to help us
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know that.
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2 Chronicles 32:31: "God
withdrew from Hezekiah, in order
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to test him, that he might
know all that was in his heart."
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Hezekiah thought he was rich
and increased with goods, and he
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didn't realize he had a
lot of pride in his heart.
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So, God--now, God didn't
back off so God could find out.
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God knows everything, right?
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The Bible says,
"Jesus knew what was in man."
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He did it so that Hezekiah could
realize, "Maybe I'm not as holy
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as I thought."
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God sends messengers to find out
about Jehovah, and instead, all
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he does is talk about his stuff.
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You ever gone through trial and
the Lord showed you something
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about yourself you didn't know?
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Exodus 9:27: "And the pharaoh
said to them, 'I have sinned
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this time.
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The Lord is righteous,
and my people are wicked."
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Even the pharaoh came to
the place where he realized his
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wickedness as he went through
the trial of the plagues that
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came on Egypt.
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So, that's one thing.
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Number two, God sometimes allows
us to go through trials to
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humble us because God--if you
kick the devil out for pride,
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we're not going into
heaven with our pride.
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We need to humble
ourselves, which is very hard.
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Deuteronomy 8:3: "So he humbled
you, he allowed you to hunger,
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and to feed you with manna
which you did not know nor your
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fathers know, that he might make
you know that man doesn't live
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by bread alone; but by every
word that proceeds from the
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mouth of God."
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Jesus, of course,
quotes this to the devil,
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the proudest of
all, in the wilderness.
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He humbled them that they
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might come to depend on God.
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They went through trials where
they not only ran out of food,
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they ran out of water,
and they had to turn to God.
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They were
attacked by their enemies.
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They learned on a daily basis
that they had to depend on God,
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and it's
humbling, but it's healthy.
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Ezra 8:21: "Then I proclaimed
a fast there at the river Ahava,
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that we might humble
ourselves before God."
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You know, sometimes fasting is
sort of like self-induced trial,
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self-denial, and part of
that represents we're humbling
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ourselves before God.
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Matthew 26:75: "And Peter
remembered the words of Jesus
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when he said, 'Before the
rooster crows, you'll deny me
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three times--'"
Peter had been bragging,
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"Though all men should forsake
you, I'll not forsake you."
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And he went through this
terrible trial so he could find
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out something in his own heart,
and he realized, "I'm not near
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as loyal as I thought I was."
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And the Bible says, "He
went out and he wept bitterly."
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So, that trial accomplished
something in Peter, and it also
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is a warning to us.
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Another reason we go through
trials is point number three, is
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to help us with our priorities,
to prioritize things correctly.
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You remember God said
to Abraham, "You love me?"
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"I love you."
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He said, "Okay, take your
son, your only son who you love,
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bring him to the Mountains of
Moriah and offer him there as an
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offering."
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"Well, Lord, I love you, but,
you know, actually, I love my
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son more." No,
he didn't say that.
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He put God first.
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Now, do you think that
was a trial for Abraham?
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It was.
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Sometimes you'll go through
a trial because you may have an
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idol in your life.
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It could be somebody.
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It could be something that is
more important to you than God,
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and God may touch that
person or that thing to get your
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attention.
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It wasn't just
Abraham with his son.
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How many of you remember
Jephthah with his daughter?
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He made a vow,
"Lord, you give me victory.
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Whatever it is that comes
through the gates of my house
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I'll offer to you."
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And the first thing through the
gates was not his ox or his goat
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or sheep. It was his daughter.
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He said, "Alas, my daughter, I
have opened my mouth to the Lord
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and I cannot go back."
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Doesn't Jesus say, "Unless you
love me more than the husband,
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wife, child, son, daughter,
you're not worthy of the
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kingdom, father, mother."
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Jesus needs first place.
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Trials sometimes help us to
recognize what our priorities
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are and to get them straight.
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Another reason we
sometimes go through trouble is,
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quite honestly, simply
to separate us from sin.
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It's a fire of
suffering that often brings fold
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the gold of godliness.
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1 Peter 4:1 and 2: "Therefore,
since Christ suffered for us in
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the flesh, arm yourself also
with the same mind, for he who
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had suffered in the flesh
has ceased from sin, that he no
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longer should live the rest
of his life in the flesh for the
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lusts of men, but
for the will of God."
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Hebrews 12:10: "For they indeed
for a few days chastened us as
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seemed best to them, but he,"
God, "for our profit, that we
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might be
partakers of his holiness."
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Now, so, sometimes God allows us
to go through suffering, and I'm
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gonna spend a moment on
this, because it's a chastening.
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Now, how many
of you are parents?
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I won't ask you how
you chasten your children.
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But how many of you lived in the
great generation that believed
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in the rod or the belt or
the switch or the willow, and
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you survived?
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How many of you that raised
your hand believed it wasn't
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that bad?
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You know, the Bible has a
lot to say about that one.
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You take this up with the Lord.
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I'm gonna probably get a call
from the officials, but this is
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what the Bible says.
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Hebrews 12, verse 4: "You've
not yet resisted to bloodshed,
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striving against sin."
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There's a struggle
sometimes with temptation.
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"And you've forgotten the
exhortation that speaks to you
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as sons: 'My son, do not despise
the chastening of the Lord, or
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be discouraged when you're
rebuked by him; for whom the
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Lord loves he chastens,
and he scourges every son
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who he receives.'
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If you endure chastening,
God deals with you as sons; for
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what son is there whom
the father does not chasten?
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But if you are without
chastening, of which you've
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become partakers, then you
are illegitimate and not sons.
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Furthermore, if we have human
fathers who corrected us, and we
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paid them respect, shall
we not much more readily be in
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subjection to the
Father of spirits and live?"
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Submit to his
chastening, in other words.
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"For they indeed for a few
days," earthly fathers, "for a
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few days chastened us as seemed
best to them, but he for our
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profit," sometimes parents don't
do it for the best motives and
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the best way.
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They're doing their best.
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But he said, "God always does it
for a profit, that we might be
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partakers of his holiness."
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Sometimes you're going through
trials and God is allowing it,
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that he can refine you and
you can be a partaker of his
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holiness.
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"Now no chastening seems to
be joyful for the present, but
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painful; nevertheless, afterward
it yields the peaceable fruit of
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righteousness to those
who have been trained by it."
00:10:23.45\00:10:27.79
Job 5:17: "Behold, happy is the
man whom God corrects; therefore
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do not despise the
chastening of the Almighty.
00:10:33.53\00:10:37.03
For whom he bruises, but he
binds up; he wounds, but his
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hands make whole."
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And again, it says, Proverbs 3,
verse 11 to 12: "My son, do not
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despise the chastening of the
Lord, nor detest his correction;
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for whom he loves he corrects,"
and there the Bible talks about
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some children that were
not corrected by their parents.
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Like, it talks about David
did not correct Adonijah, and he
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became very--a
lot of bad behavior.
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Eli would not correct his sons,
and he lost his sons, his sons
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and daughters.
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And again, I'm not talking about
corporal punishment, but I'm
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talking about the chastening of
the Lord, sometimes to save us
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because he loves us.
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Now, there's a couple
times my father spanked me.
00:11:19.47\00:11:21.01
Somebody threw a rock from
our house and hit the neighbor's
00:11:21.04\00:11:23.95
house down below, and my
dad lined us all up and said,
00:11:23.98\00:11:26.85
"Who did it?"
00:11:26.88\00:11:28.15
And we all said we didn't
do it, but he was sure I did,
00:11:28.18\00:11:29.48
and I got spanked,
and I didn't do it.
00:11:29.52\00:11:32.89
But, you know, I didn't hold
it against my father because
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I thought of all the times I did
do things he didn't know about,
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and so I figured
it evened out somehow.
00:11:39.19\00:11:42.23
You know what I'm talking about?
00:11:42.26\00:11:43.83
Parents make mistakes, but
what about all the times you did
00:11:43.87\00:11:46.70
something wrong and you didn't
get in trouble, or you blamed
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it on your sibling
and they got in trouble?
00:11:50.37\00:11:52.54
And so it sort of
evens out at some point.
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Sometimes we go through
trials 'cause it helps us
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to focus on heaven.
00:11:59.08\00:12:01.35
Romans 8:18: "For I consider
that the sufferings of this
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present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory that
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is to be revealed."
00:12:08.96\00:12:10.19
You know, as you think ahead and
you look at heaven, it gives us
00:12:10.23\00:12:14.46
peace in knowing that you can
endure almost anything if you
00:12:14.46\00:12:18.60
know it's not gonna last.
00:12:18.63\00:12:20.27
It reminds you that whatever
suffering you have now, it's not
00:12:20.30\00:12:23.27
gonna last.
00:12:23.30\00:12:24.61
And the sufferings of this life
is like just a drop of water,
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and then look at an ocean.
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I mean, you might have a hard
time in this life with that one
00:12:32.45\00:12:35.22
drop of water, but God is gonna
give you an ocean of pleasure at
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his right hand forevermore
that you can't comprehend
00:12:39.19\00:12:41.82
through eternity.
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.12
So to patiently endure the
struggles of this life, though
00:12:43.16\00:12:46.53
they seem to be long, is really
nothing, Paul is saying, by
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comparison with the
glory that God has in store
00:12:51.17\00:12:53.97
for those that love him."
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Can you say, "Amen"?
00:12:55.40\00:12:57.37
Doug: Don't go anywhere,
friends, we're going to be back
00:12:57.41\00:12:59.61
in just a moment to
complete today's presentation.
00:12:59.64\00:13:02.14
Have you ever wondered before
about this individual described
00:13:02.18\00:13:05.25
in the Bible as the antichrist?
00:13:05.28\00:13:07.65
We have a special
study guide we'd like to make
00:13:07.68\00:13:10.05
available to you for free.
00:13:10.09\00:13:11.39
You're going to want to get it.
00:13:11.42\00:13:12.72
It's called, "Who
is the Antichrist?"
00:13:12.75\00:13:15.16
Using the prophecies
found in the book of Daniel and
00:13:15.19\00:13:18.09
Revelation, along with
other Scriptures by Jesus,
00:13:18.13\00:13:21.33
we'll understand
better this individual,
00:13:21.36\00:13:23.87
this power that is
going to be oppressing God's
00:13:23.90\00:13:26.43
people in the last days.
00:13:26.47\00:13:27.70
To get your free copy, call the
phone number on your screen and
00:13:27.74\00:13:31.11
ask for offer
number 125, or visit the
00:13:31.14\00:13:34.38
web address on your screen.
00:13:34.41\00:13:35.88
And after you read it,
share it with a friend.
00:13:35.91\00:13:37.85
Well, let's get back to today's
presentation and learn some more
00:13:38.48\00:13:41.18
amazing facts
from the Word of God.
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.32
Doug: You know, a boxer can
stay in the ring and endure all
00:13:44.92\00:13:46.92
kinds of punches when he
considers the prize, the title,
00:13:46.96\00:13:52.06
and I don't recommend boxing.
00:13:52.09\00:13:55.30
It's a brutal sport,
but I used to watch it.
00:13:55.33\00:13:57.80
And my mother dated a
fellow that was big into boxing
00:13:57.83\00:14:02.07
for years.
00:14:02.10\00:14:03.30
And there was this one fight
in New York City, some of you
00:14:03.34\00:14:05.71
remember Muhammad Ali, Cassius
Clay when I was a kid, and he
00:14:05.74\00:14:09.61
fought with Joe Frazier.
00:14:09.64\00:14:10.95
And it's one of the few
fights that Muhammad Ali lost.
00:14:10.98\00:14:14.65
And they stood toe to toe in
the ring, and they beat on each
00:14:14.68\00:14:17.92
other for 15 rounds,
2 heavyweight boxers.
00:14:17.95\00:14:21.36
And Muhammad Ali got knocked out
a couple times, and he was in
00:14:21.39\00:14:25.23
pretty shape.
00:14:25.26\00:14:26.56
After the fight, he was in
the locker room, and he's on the
00:14:26.59\00:14:29.56
table, and a doctor's checkin'
on him 'cause he's bleedin',
00:14:29.60\00:14:32.40
he's swollen, he's bruised, and
Diana Ross, the singer, came in
00:14:32.43\00:14:35.80
and she saw him, and
she fell down at the table.
00:14:35.84\00:14:38.17
She's on her
knees, and she's crying.
00:14:38.21\00:14:40.54
He said, "I know I'm not pretty
anymore," he said, "but don't
00:14:40.58\00:14:43.65
cry for me, Diana.
00:14:43.68\00:14:44.98
I just got paid $2
million to get beat up."
00:14:45.01\00:14:47.32
He could handle it when
he thought about the prize.
00:14:49.48\00:14:53.05
And we've gotta keep our mind
on the prize, that this is not
00:14:53.09\00:14:56.83
gonna last forever.
00:14:56.86\00:14:58.63
There's a number of
promises in the Bible.
00:14:58.66\00:15:01.33
2 Corinthians 4:17: "For our
light affliction, which is but
00:15:01.36\00:15:06.27
for a moment, is working for us
a far more exceeding and eternal
00:15:06.30\00:15:11.74
weight of glory, while we do
not look at the things that are
00:15:11.77\00:15:14.88
seen, but the
things that are not seen."
00:15:14.91\00:15:18.11
Another reason we have trouble
is to help us help others.
00:15:18.15\00:15:23.89
I told you that God allows these
things to do something in us,
00:15:23.92\00:15:27.36
and often to do
something through us.
00:15:27.39\00:15:29.39
Job was afflicted, and he
might have wondered, "Why is
00:15:31.53\00:15:36.03
this happening?"
00:15:36.06\00:15:37.37
And he and his friends spent a
whole book talking about why an
00:15:37.40\00:15:39.20
innocent man would suffer.
00:15:39.23\00:15:41.00
How many people, how many
millions of people have been
00:15:41.04\00:15:43.44
encouraged by
the patience of Job?
00:15:43.47\00:15:45.67
Even James refers to the
patience of Job, where we see
00:15:45.71\00:15:49.04
that, in the end, God is good,
and we're realizing there's a
00:15:49.08\00:15:53.31
battle behind the scenes.
00:15:53.35\00:15:54.55
And as you look at the trials
that Job goes through, he maybe
00:15:54.58\00:15:57.32
couldn't see it then from
his perspective, but we can see,
00:15:57.35\00:16:00.92
looking back, that God sometimes
allows these things to teach us
00:16:00.96\00:16:07.93
and to help others.
00:16:07.96\00:16:09.23
Notice, 2
Corinthians 1, verse 3.
00:16:09.26\00:16:12.03
Now, this is a little bit
of a deep verse, so you gotta
00:16:12.07\00:16:16.67
follow me.
00:16:16.71\00:16:18.01
Paul sometimes
waxes eloquent here.
00:16:18.04\00:16:20.71
"Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.98
Father of mercies and the God
of all comfort," now that's the
00:16:24.01\00:16:26.75
operative word, "who comforts us
in all of our tribulation," why?
00:16:26.78\00:16:31.99
"That we may be able to comfort
those who are in any trouble."
00:16:32.02\00:16:37.19
The sermon's about how
to get through trouble.
00:16:37.23\00:16:41.86
Why do we go through trouble?
00:16:41.90\00:16:43.06
"That we might comfort those
who are in any trouble with the
00:16:43.10\00:16:46.47
comfort with which we
ourselves are comforted by God.
00:16:46.50\00:16:50.87
For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, our consolation
00:16:50.91\00:16:54.31
also abounds through Christ."
00:16:54.34\00:16:56.24
We're consoling others.
00:16:56.28\00:16:57.55
Now, if we're afflicted,
it's for your consolation and
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.72
salvation, which is effective
enduring the same sufferings
00:17:00.75\00:17:04.39
that we also suffer.
00:17:04.42\00:17:06.22
Or we are comforted, with
your consolation and salvation."
00:17:06.25\00:17:10.73
So, whatever you're going
through, God even might be using
00:17:10.76\00:17:13.66
it to discipline you, but it
could have multiple purposes,
00:17:13.70\00:17:17.03
one of them being that whenever
you get through it, you will be
00:17:17.07\00:17:20.84
able to relate to
another person and help them.
00:17:20.87\00:17:25.54
A friend was telling me they
were in the hospital for some
00:17:25.57\00:17:28.21
procedure, and a nurse came in
and had to turn them, and they
00:17:28.24\00:17:35.38
said, "That nurse was, like,
Atilla the Hun, just came in and
00:17:35.42\00:17:39.59
just threw me around, and I'm
in pain, and I'm going, 'Ow, ow,
00:17:39.62\00:17:42.02
oh, ahh--'" And said, "The next
day, another nurse, a different
00:17:42.06\00:17:46.49
nurse came in and they had
to turn them, and they were
00:17:46.53\00:17:50.57
so--they said, 'Is
this okay? How's this?
00:17:50.60\00:17:52.30
Am I going too fast?' And
they were so considerate."
00:17:52.33\00:17:56.24
And finally, they got them
settled down, and they had to
00:17:56.27\00:17:58.21
say to the nurse, they said,
"I just gotta tell ya, I really
00:17:58.24\00:18:01.04
appreciate you're being
sensitive and gentle because
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.21
yesterday, boy, I had a nurse
that was like a professional
00:18:03.24\00:18:05.58
wrestler, came in here
and just throwin' me around."
00:18:05.61\00:18:07.88
And the nurse said, "Well,
I'll tell ya, I've had the same
00:18:07.92\00:18:13.15
surgery that you've had.
00:18:13.19\00:18:15.96
I know how you feel."
00:18:15.99\00:18:19.16
And so when you're going through
some kinda trial or something,
00:18:19.19\00:18:23.26
just say, "All right, Lord,
I don't know what I've done
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.13
to deserve this," but
maybe you didn't do anything
00:18:26.17\00:18:28.84
to deserve it.
00:18:28.87\00:18:30.14
Maybe he's gonna use it
later to help somebody else.
00:18:30.17\00:18:33.91
And another very simple
principle in why we go through
00:18:33.94\00:18:37.11
troubles and suffering
is to grow Christian virtue.
00:18:37.15\00:18:41.62
1 Peter 1:6: "In this
00:18:41.65\00:18:44.42
you greatly rejoice, though now
00:18:44.45\00:18:46.22
for a little time, if need be,
00:18:46.25\00:18:48.52
you've been grieved by various
00:18:48.56\00:18:50.16
trials, that the trial of your
00:18:50.19\00:18:52.03
faith, being much more precious
00:18:52.06\00:18:54.56
than that of gold that perishes,
00:18:54.60\00:18:56.63
though it be tried with fire,
00:18:56.67\00:18:58.40
might be found unto praise
00:18:58.43\00:19:00.34
and honor and glory
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.67
at the appearing of Jesus."
00:19:01.70\00:19:04.14
And James says in James
1, verse 2: "My brethren,
00:19:04.17\00:19:06.68
count it all joy."
00:19:06.71\00:19:09.44
How many of you think,
"Oh, joy," when you're going
00:19:09.48\00:19:12.31
through a trial?
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.65
"Count it all joy when you fall
into various trials, knowing,"
00:19:13.68\00:19:16.79
just know, see, if you know
there's a purpose, that God has
00:19:16.82\00:19:18.95
got a purpose in it, "that
the testing of your faith, it's
00:19:18.99\00:19:23.09
helping you develop
faith, produces patience."
00:19:23.12\00:19:27.46
You know, when the Bible says,
"He that endures to the end will
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.60
be saved," that word
"endurance" is "patience."
00:19:29.63\00:19:33.34
"Let patience
have its perfect work."
00:19:33.37\00:19:36.27
Now, why would he say, "Let
patience have its perfect work,
00:19:36.30\00:19:38.51
except that it's possible
for you not to make the most
00:19:38.54\00:19:42.11
of your trials?
00:19:42.14\00:19:43.91
Say, "Lord, I will embrace
whatever it is you're trying
00:19:43.95\00:19:48.28
to teach me through this.
00:19:48.32\00:19:49.75
Somehow, sometime God is simply
glorified in some way through
00:19:49.78\00:19:53.96
the trials we experience.
00:19:53.99\00:19:56.32
Why did Jesus
say Lazarus got sick?
00:19:56.36\00:20:00.00
Because he ate too much sugar?
00:20:00.03\00:20:01.60
Or did Jesus tell the disciples,
"It's for the glory of God"?
00:20:01.63\00:20:07.20
"I didn't heal him right
away for the glory of God."
00:20:07.24\00:20:10.07
John chapter 9: "Now as Jesus
passed by, he saw a man blind
00:20:10.11\00:20:13.61
from birth."
00:20:13.64\00:20:14.94
And the
disciples wanna know, "Why?
00:20:14.98\00:20:16.28
Did he somehow do somethin'
wrong, or did God know he was
00:20:16.31\00:20:19.18
gonna go bad, or was
it his parents' sin?"
00:20:19.21\00:20:21.72
They're always
trying to figure out why.
00:20:21.75\00:20:23.65
You know what Jesus said?
00:20:23.69\00:20:25.45
"Neither, but that the works of
God should be revealed in him."
00:20:25.49\00:20:29.92
God was gonna be glorified in
a great way through his healing.
00:20:29.96\00:20:34.00
Now, that man had been blind.
00:20:34.00\00:20:35.30
He wasn't very old.
00:20:35.33\00:20:36.63
He had just come of age, so
he's, like, 18, 20 years old,
00:20:36.67\00:20:40.17
and been blind his whole life.
00:20:40.20\00:20:43.64
And you might think, "Well, what
a terrible thing, to be blind
00:20:44.11\00:20:46.44
your whole life, and the
Lord allow that, that he might
00:20:46.47\00:20:49.18
be glorified."
00:20:49.21\00:20:50.68
But how good did that man
feel when he got his sight?
00:20:50.71\00:20:54.85
And how long is that affliction
compared to eternity if he's
00:20:54.88\00:20:58.92
healed by Jesus and
he has everlasting life?
00:20:58.95\00:21:01.92
So, Paul said, "We shouldn't
question the Potter, saying,
00:21:01.96\00:21:05.19
'Why did you make one
vessel like this or one vessel
00:21:05.23\00:21:07.66
like that?"
00:21:07.66\00:21:08.93
We've gotta trust that God's
God, and he knows what he's
00:21:08.96\00:21:10.57
doing, right?
00:21:10.60\00:21:12.67
I used to always wonder,
"Why was I born healthy and
00:21:12.70\00:21:15.37
my brother with
cystic fibrosis?"
00:21:15.40\00:21:18.11
But if God can be glorified in
it--I was able to pray with my
00:21:18.14\00:21:21.81
brother before he died, and
he asked Jesus in his heart.
00:21:21.84\00:21:27.42
Romans 8:16: "The Spirit himself
bears witness with our spirit
00:21:27.45\00:21:32.12
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs--and
00:21:32.15\00:21:35.19
heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, if indeed we suffer
00:21:35.22\00:21:39.76
with him, that we may
be glorified together."
00:21:39.79\00:21:44.13
Sometimes we don't
learn except through trouble.
00:21:44.17\00:21:48.20
Have you learned that
pain is a great instructor?
00:21:48.24\00:21:52.91
There are lessons you learn
in pain that you won't learn any
00:21:54.91\00:21:57.15
other way.
00:21:57.18\00:21:58.68
I've got something I'd
like to share with you.
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.38
Do not hold a spark plug wire
when someone is turning over the
00:22:01.42\00:22:05.02
ignition.
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.26
I have learned that it is not 12
volts that will go through you,
00:22:07.29\00:22:11.06
but because of the
capacitor, you will experience
00:22:11.09\00:22:14.40
10,000 volts.
00:22:14.46\00:22:15.93
Ask me how I know that.
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.63
Ask me how I know you don't
wanna touch your disc brakes
00:22:18.67\00:22:23.34
after you park the
car, that they're very hot.
00:22:23.37\00:22:29.14
I will never do that again.
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.61
I have learned that lesson.
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.38
So, when you're going through
a trial, sometimes I say, "Lord,
00:22:34.42\00:22:36.85
if I'm doing this because
there's somethin' you wanna
00:22:36.89\00:22:38.52
teach me, please teach me now."
00:22:38.55\00:22:41.02
Don't be afraid of trials.
00:22:41.06\00:22:42.42
Yes, life is tough
for everybody, amen?
00:22:42.46\00:22:46.63
You don't have to be afraid.
00:22:46.66\00:22:48.53
Who was it that said, "A man
who fears suffering is already
00:22:48.56\00:22:51.90
suffering from what he fears"?
00:22:51.93\00:22:53.94
Thomas a Kempis said: "He who
knows how to suffer will enjoy
00:22:56.14\00:22:59.07
much peace.
00:22:59.11\00:23:01.14
Such a one is a conqueror of
himself and a lord of the world,
00:23:01.18\00:23:04.01
a friend of Christ
and an heir of heaven."
00:23:04.05\00:23:07.02
You know, the Bible tells
us that Christ suffered for us.
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.65
Hebrews 2:9: "But we see Jesus,
who was made a little lower than
00:23:11.69\00:23:15.42
the angels, for the suffering
of death crowned with glory
00:23:15.46\00:23:19.03
and honor."
00:23:19.06\00:23:20.36
Christ in the garden said,
"Lord, if there's any way not to
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.80
drink this
cup," but he drank it.
00:23:22.83\00:23:25.53
"That he might
taste death for every man.
00:23:26.03\00:23:28.57
For it was fitting for him, for
whom are all things and by whom
00:23:28.60\00:23:31.74
all things are, in bringing
many sons to glory, to make the
00:23:31.77\00:23:36.58
captain of their salvation
perfect through sufferings."
00:23:36.61\00:23:40.92
So, if he's our captain and he
suffers, we should know that he
00:23:40.95\00:23:44.69
can bring good of it.
00:23:44.72\00:23:46.02
Even the soldier by the
cross of Jesus saw Christ
00:23:46.05\00:23:49.39
in his sufferings.
00:23:49.42\00:23:50.76
He saw him say,
"Father, forgive them."
00:23:50.79\00:23:52.56
And through beholding the
sufferings, he said, "Surely
00:23:52.59\00:23:55.26
this is the Son of God."
00:23:55.30\00:23:56.53
When Christians would know how
to joyfully and patiently bear
00:23:56.56\00:24:01.54
our sufferings, it sometimes
is the very best opportunity to
00:24:01.57\00:24:04.61
witness, amen?
00:24:04.64\00:24:06.88
And God is working in us.
00:24:06.91\00:24:08.31
I'll close with a little poem
that you may have heard before,
00:24:08.34\00:24:11.75
someone once shared.
00:24:11.78\00:24:13.05
It's called "The
Oyster and the Pearl."
00:24:13.08\00:24:16.38
"There once was an oyster whose
story I'll tell who found that
00:24:16.42\00:24:20.52
some sand had
slipped into his shell.
00:24:20.56\00:24:23.32
Just one little grain, but it
gave him such pain, for oysters
00:24:23.36\00:24:27.83
have feelings,
although they're quite plain.
00:24:27.86\00:24:30.67
Now, did he berate the working
of fate which had led him to
00:24:30.70\00:24:33.60
such a deplorable state?
00:24:33.64\00:24:35.54
No, he said to himself as he lay
on the shelf, 'If I can't remove
00:24:35.57\00:24:38.37
it, I'll try to improve it,' so
the years rolled on by, as years
00:24:38.41\00:24:42.54
always do, and he came to
his ultimate destiny: stew."
00:24:42.58\00:24:47.22
I don't recommend oyster stew.
00:24:47.25\00:24:49.78
"But the small grain of sand
which had bothered him so was
00:24:49.82\00:24:52.82
a beautiful
pearl all richly aglow.
00:24:52.85\00:24:56.12
Now, this tale has a moral, for
isn't it grand what an oyster
00:24:56.16\00:24:59.69
can do with a morsel of sand?
00:24:59.73\00:25:01.80
What couldn't we do if we'd only
begin to enrich and embrace what
00:25:01.83\00:25:06.07
gets under our skin?"
00:25:06.10\00:25:08.10
God allows trials
because he loves you.
00:25:09.14\00:25:11.21
We need to learn how to
just see it through a heavenly
00:25:11.24\00:25:14.51
perspective, and nothing
is gonna--the pain won't last.
00:25:14.54\00:25:18.61
It's all temporary.
00:25:18.65\00:25:20.55
And just say, "Lord, help
me to avoid bringing sufferings
00:25:20.58\00:25:23.15
on myself.
00:25:23.18\00:25:24.49
If I suffered for
your sake, let me rejoice."
00:25:24.52\00:25:27.02
Jesus said, "Be
exceedingly glad."
00:25:27.06\00:25:29.32
And remember that he suffered
and it is an honor to be able
00:25:29.36\00:25:34.13
to suffer as a Christian, amen?
00:25:34.20\00:25:37.03
male announcer: Don't forget
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"Amazing Facts"
wherever and whenever you want.
00:26:07.96\00:26:11.03
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:26:11.07\00:26:13.57
¤¤
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announcer: What if
you could know the future?
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What would you do?
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What would you change?
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To see the future, you
must understand the past.
00:26:35.86\00:26:39.96
male: Alexander the Great
becomes king when he's only 18,
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but he's a military prodigy.
00:26:42.60\00:26:45.53
male: A hundred and
fifty years in advance, Cyrus
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had been named."
00:26:48.20\00:26:50.37
male: Rome was
violent, they were ruthless,
00:26:50.41\00:26:53.98
they were determined.
00:26:54.01\00:26:55.84
announcer: This intriguing
documentary, hosted by Pastor
00:26:55.88\00:26:58.21
Doug Batchelor, explores the
most striking Bible prophecies
00:26:58.25\00:27:02.28
that have been dramatically
fulfilled throughout history.
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"Kingdoms In Time."
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.86
Are you ready?
00:27:08.89\00:27:11.26
announcer: "Go into all
the world and preach the gospel
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.83
to every creature."
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.67
Through radio, television,
print, evangelistic events,
00:27:18.70\00:27:21.84
and the internet,
Amazing Facts International
00:27:21.87\00:27:24.41
is heeding the call of
Jesus to go into all the world.
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Millions of individuals
in over 150 countries
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have been blessed
by the Word of God.
00:27:32.01\00:27:34.28
"Amazing Facts" has
spawned new spheres of influence
00:27:34.32\00:27:37.05
in India, Africa,
China, and Indonesia.
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Armed with these
precious truths, gospel workers
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are empowered to
spread bright rays of light
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on every path they travel.
00:27:45.36\00:27:47.56
Please visit
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org
00:27:47.60\00:27:51.27
to learn more about
Amazing Facts International
00:27:51.30\00:27:53.87
and how you can
participate in this exciting
00:27:53.90\00:27:56.17
soul winning ministry.
00:27:56.20\00:27:57.47
That website again is
reachtheworld.amazingfacts.org
00:27:57.51\00:28:02.11
Thank you for your support.
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.05
¤¤
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announcer: Don't forget to
request today's free offer.
00:28:09.92\00:28:11.65
It's sure to be a blessing.
00:28:11.69\00:28:13.46
And thank you for your continued
00:28:13.49\00:28:14.92
support as we take the gospel
00:28:14.96\00:28:16.93
of Jesus Christ to the world.
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We hope you'll
join us next week.
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¤¤
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announcer: This presentation
was brought to you by
00:28:24.50\00:28:26.40
the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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