Hello, I am Shelley Quinn,
00:00:31.69\00:00:33.04
and welcome again
to Issues and Answers.
00:00:33.07\00:00:35.80
What issue are you
dealing with today,
00:00:35.83\00:00:38.02
is it possibly
that you are wondering
00:00:38.05\00:00:40.34
can God love you?
Well, we are going to
00:00:40.37\00:00:43.17
find the answers today,
not only from the Bible,
00:00:43.20\00:00:45.51
but from someone who
has really learned that
00:00:45.54\00:00:48.65
answer directly from the Lord.
00:00:48.68\00:00:50.35
I'm so excited to welcome
back again Linda Brawner,
00:00:50.38\00:00:53.31
all the way down
from Mansfield, Ohio,
00:00:53.34\00:00:56.39
an Ohio girl all your
life. Yes. Thank you so much,
00:00:56.42\00:00:59.50
what a joy it has
been to have you come here
00:00:59.53\00:01:02.07
time and again, and
we just really appreciate
00:01:02.10\00:01:05.24
you returning for this program.
00:01:05.27\00:01:06.94
And we're going to be
talking today about love,
00:01:06.97\00:01:09.32
God's love, and know
you Linda is an author.
00:01:09.35\00:01:12.26
She's written a wonderful
book called "Keep Sweet,"
00:01:12.29\00:01:15.07
and you can get that
book at keepsweetforever.com
00:01:15.10\00:01:18.49
which is your website. Yes.
00:01:18.52\00:01:20.24
You know I think
that you touched my heart
00:01:20.27\00:01:24.37
in your book when you
said that your husband
00:01:24.40\00:01:28.52
was an uncommon Christian,
that he didn't always do
00:01:28.55\00:01:32.58
the things that people
might think a Christian
00:01:32.61\00:01:35.46
should do, but he
didn't feel that God
00:01:35.49\00:01:39.39
could really love him
at first, why was that?
00:01:39.42\00:01:42.63
Because of his diabetes,
his mind was not always
00:01:45.34\00:01:49.32
as sharp as most
people, and he didn't get into
00:01:49.35\00:01:54.33
the word. The two
kind of fed on each other.
00:01:54.36\00:01:58.43
He didn't read
the word because he
00:01:58.46\00:02:00.42
didn't feel
worthy of God's love.
00:02:00.45\00:02:02.15
He didn't feel
worthy of God's love because
00:02:02.18\00:02:04.64
he didn't read the
word. He was a good man,
00:02:04.67\00:02:09.08
he was kinder
than you know in fact
00:02:09.11\00:02:12.63
he was a great influence
on me becoming more kind,
00:02:12.66\00:02:15.45
and did a lot of
wonderful things,
00:02:15.48\00:02:18.91
but he underestimated
his worth, and if our
00:02:18.94\00:02:24.57
worth is based on
what God thinks of us
00:02:24.60\00:02:27.51
then there is you can't
00:02:27.54\00:02:29.61
think too highly of yourself.
00:02:29.64\00:02:31.27
You know the Lord
once really impressed upon
00:02:31.30\00:02:34.76
me that when I
go out and minister,
00:02:34.79\00:02:36.59
the one thing I
always try to remember to
00:02:36.62\00:02:38.85
tell people is that
you are worth nothing less
00:02:38.88\00:02:42.25
than the price that
Jesus Christ paid for
00:02:42.28\00:02:44.51
you with his own
blood, that's how much we're
00:02:44.54\00:02:48.23
worth to God,
yes. In your opinion,
00:02:48.26\00:02:52.16
and we hope your
opinion is based on the Bible,
00:02:52.19\00:02:55.06
it is. Who does God
love? Everyone of us.
00:02:55.09\00:03:01.18
No matter how
bad we have sinned,
00:03:01.21\00:03:04.40
no matter what's
going on in our life,
00:03:04.43\00:03:06.51
God loves all people,
yes. So then this is a love
00:03:06.54\00:03:12.36
that is unconditional
love as the Bible says
00:03:12.39\00:03:16.38
in First John 4:8 and
verse 16 that God is love.
00:03:16.41\00:03:21.32
It is his nature to
love, yes. He loves sinners.
00:03:21.35\00:03:25.08
Yes, and that's
why we can trust him.
00:03:25.11\00:03:28.27
His love is not
based on what we do,
00:03:28.30\00:03:32.15
not based on what any
church tells us to do,
00:03:32.18\00:03:36.71
or tells us is
right. God's love for us
00:03:36.74\00:03:40.03
is based on his
nature, and the Bible says
00:03:40.06\00:03:43.32
he does not
change. Amen, Malachi 3:6,
00:03:43.35\00:03:46.81
but he also says
that you know I think
00:03:46.84\00:03:50.07
there's going to
be someone out here
00:03:50.10\00:03:51.67
in our audience is
going to say you girls
00:03:51.70\00:03:53.90
are wrong, you
know God doesn't love
00:03:53.93\00:03:56.16
everyone but he
says in Romans 5:8 that
00:03:56.19\00:03:59.72
he demonstrated his
love for us in this that
00:03:59.75\00:04:03.39
he send Christ to
die for us while we were
00:04:03.42\00:04:06.80
yet sinners. So that
is proved John 3:16 for
00:04:06.83\00:04:11.75
God so loved the
world, all of us,
00:04:11.78\00:04:15.95
that he gave his
only begotten son,
00:04:15.98\00:04:18.56
so that whosoever
should believe in him
00:04:18.59\00:04:20.94
should not perish but
have everlasting life,
00:04:20.97\00:04:23.12
right, right. So how
did you learn of God's love?
00:04:23.15\00:04:29.07
First, I had people
tell me about Jesus.
00:04:31.90\00:04:34.68
By then I was reading the Bible,
00:04:34.71\00:04:37.29
I was in a college that
was nominally Christian,
00:04:37.32\00:04:41.11
and there were a lot
of good Christian kids
00:04:41.14\00:04:45.88
there who expected
the institution to be
00:04:45.91\00:04:49.09
more religious,
to have values more
00:04:49.12\00:04:52.37
what they had grown up with.
00:04:52.40\00:04:54.80
They were afraid, I
do believe they love
00:04:54.83\00:04:58.31
the Lord but
they were not getting
00:04:58.34\00:05:00.87
the kind of
education they expected,
00:05:00.90\00:05:03.22
and they kind of
clumped together in fear.
00:05:03.25\00:05:06.51
And so I started
reading the Bible,
00:05:06.54\00:05:09.56
because I figured you
know they're probably wrong,
00:05:09.59\00:05:13.52
but at least I should
know what they're wrong about.
00:05:13.55\00:05:17.90
And as I read I realized
that yes we are sinners,
00:05:18.64\00:05:23.99
and yes something
has to be done about it,
00:05:24.02\00:05:27.66
and that something
was Jesus Christ dying
00:05:27.69\00:05:30.99
on the Cross. And the
most important thing I got,
00:05:31.02\00:05:35.13
and I am not, it
was a blend of attending
00:05:35.16\00:05:37.97
a sort of evangelistic
series, reading my Bible,
00:05:38.00\00:05:41.60
and these friends
answered my questions,
00:05:41.63\00:05:44.23
was that God does
love us, he does not look
00:05:44.26\00:05:48.95
forward to punishing
us for transgression.
00:05:48.98\00:05:52.69
He wants to save us from sin.
00:05:52.72\00:05:55.72
The word salvation
in the original language
00:05:55.75\00:06:00.30
means to save, to
heal and to restore, amen,
00:06:00.33\00:06:04.45
its all one thing
in God's eyes. Amen,
00:06:04.48\00:06:07.77
so its amazing to
me that here you are a
00:06:07.80\00:06:11.43
college student not
with a lot of religious
00:06:11.46\00:06:14.32
upbringing or background,
but as you came to the
00:06:14.35\00:06:18.13
word, the Bible, you
really, you heard it first,
00:06:18.16\00:06:22.27
faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the
00:06:22.30\00:06:24.15
word of Christ, but
you got into the Bible
00:06:24.18\00:06:27.09
and you really not
only saw God in this,
00:06:27.12\00:06:31.60
the love of God in the
Bible, but you embraced
00:06:31.63\00:06:35.83
this and
received the love of God.
00:06:35.86\00:06:38.53
Do you believe that
we can earn God's favor?
00:06:38.56\00:06:42.02
No, there is
absolutely nothing, and this
00:06:42.05\00:06:47.08
knowledge is not
something that the fact
00:06:47.11\00:06:49.63
that we can do
nothing to earn his favor
00:06:49.66\00:06:52.03
is not something
we understand as soon
00:06:52.06\00:06:55.16
as we become
Christians, its something
00:06:55.19\00:06:57.41
we grow into. We
can have a intellectual
00:06:57.44\00:07:02.20
understanding that
there is nothing we can do,
00:07:02.23\00:07:04.72
but it's our own
experience that makes
00:07:04.75\00:07:08.77
us grow in the
understanding that
00:07:08.80\00:07:11.90
God loves us just
as we are, no matter
00:07:11.93\00:07:15.84
what brilliant
things we've done, no matter
00:07:15.87\00:07:18.78
what horrendous
things we've done,
00:07:18.81\00:07:21.16
he still loves us, and
nothing will change that,
00:07:21.19\00:07:25.05
because his love for
us is based on who he is.
00:07:25.08\00:07:28.91
Amen, so what I hear
you saying is then that
00:07:28.94\00:07:32.27
anyone can come to
Jesus, just as they are,
00:07:32.30\00:07:37.26
yes. They can come
there now, but even
00:07:37.29\00:07:40.32
though they
can't earn his favor,
00:07:40.35\00:07:42.05
because the Bible
tells us in Ephesians 2:8-10
00:07:42.08\00:07:46.01
that we're saved by
grace through faith;
00:07:46.04\00:07:48.92
not by works that
any man should boast.
00:07:48.95\00:07:51.24
Even though we come
to Jesus just as we are,
00:07:51.27\00:07:54.98
and he loves us.
He doesn't really just
00:07:55.01\00:07:57.90
you know I hear
people say he accepts us
00:07:57.93\00:08:00.27
as we are. He
receives us but would you agree
00:08:00.30\00:08:04.23
that he loves us too
much to leave us in the mess
00:08:04.26\00:08:07.02
that we come to him.
Oh definitely, definitely,
00:08:07.05\00:08:10.36
but the thing, to
emphasize is its God's
00:08:10.39\00:08:14.54
work to clean us up, amen.
00:08:14.57\00:08:17.30
The change in
behavior has to be a response
00:08:17.33\00:08:22.03
to his love for
us, amen, because it's
00:08:22.06\00:08:25.63
so much easier
to change your life,
00:08:25.66\00:08:29.24
to change
unproductive ways of thinking,
00:08:29.27\00:08:32.60
unhealthy lifestyle
habits. If we realize
00:08:32.63\00:08:36.29
that in Christ we are
already winners, amen.
00:08:36.32\00:08:40.58
We are already accepted.
Amen, and its something
00:08:40.61\00:08:45.38
that Romans 5:17
says that those who have
00:08:45.41\00:08:48.98
received an
abundance of grace and the gift
00:08:49.01\00:08:51.72
and righteousness
will reign in life through
00:08:51.75\00:08:53.93
Christ Jesus. It all
comes from him working in us
00:08:53.96\00:08:57.38
to interact
yes, doesn't it, yes.
00:08:57.41\00:08:59.65
But now you and I
both belong to the
00:08:59.68\00:09:02.06
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:09:02.09\00:09:04.03
and we believe that
God's Ten Commandments
00:09:04.06\00:09:08.12
are something
that we should keep and
00:09:08.15\00:09:10.87
sometimes
because we profess this.
00:09:10.90\00:09:14.37
There are people
who will say now Linda
00:09:14.40\00:09:17.72
you are trying to
earn your favor with God.
00:09:17.75\00:09:20.69
How do you answer
then when they say that?
00:09:20.72\00:09:22.97
Any church that
preaches a standard
00:09:23.00\00:09:26.58
of righteousness is
going to attract a certain
00:09:26.61\00:09:29.27
amount of people who
want to play by the rules,
00:09:29.30\00:09:33.13
who want to get
into heaven, because they
00:09:33.16\00:09:36.75
paid their dues by
keeping the standards
00:09:36.78\00:09:40.68
of the church. Its human nature,
00:09:40.71\00:09:44.43
it is not wrong
to preach a standard
00:09:44.46\00:09:47.77
but it is human nature
to want to keep the rules.
00:09:47.80\00:09:52.07
So now wait a minute
because I want to make
00:09:52.10\00:09:53.58
sure I am understanding
it, what you're saying
00:09:53.61\00:09:55.70
then is in our church
I know that we teach that
00:09:55.73\00:10:01.01
we don't keep the
Commandments to be safe
00:10:01.04\00:10:03.55
but we keep the Commandments
00:10:03.58\00:10:05.67
because we are saved, amen.
00:10:05.70\00:10:07.68
Just like Jesus didn't
keep God's Commandments
00:10:07.71\00:10:10.36
to become the son
of God, he kept the
00:10:10.39\00:10:13.21
Commandments because
he was the son of God.
00:10:13.24\00:10:15.68
But what you are
saying is that if
00:10:15.71\00:10:17.87
I understood you
just now is that even
00:10:17.90\00:10:20.41
in our church even
though we don't preach
00:10:20.44\00:10:22.56
that you're saved
by the Ten Commandments
00:10:22.59\00:10:24.18
there is that group
of people who think that
00:10:24.21\00:10:28.86
they can just keep
the Commandments and
00:10:28.89\00:10:30.33
not worry about a
relationship with Jesus
00:10:30.36\00:10:32.25
and they think they
got a right to salvation,
00:10:32.28\00:10:34.06
is that what you
were saying? Yes,
00:10:34.09\00:10:35.58
there is a lot of
comfort in our finiteness
00:10:35.61\00:10:38.74
when life is out of
control, there's a lot
00:10:38.77\00:10:41.56
of comfort in having
this measure of control that
00:10:41.59\00:10:44.54
I didn't do the
dishes on Sabbath this week.
00:10:44.57\00:10:47.74
I didn't turn on
secular TV. I was a good girl.
00:10:47.77\00:10:52.67
Yes, I went to church
even though I hated every
00:10:52.70\00:10:56.01
minute of it.
We've mentioned that
00:10:56.04\00:10:59.50
I had a nervous breakdown,
00:10:59.53\00:11:01.35
the biggest factor
in it was that I stopped
00:11:01.38\00:11:04.41
talking to God, but I
didn't want my brothers
00:11:04.44\00:11:08.16
and sisters on my
back, so I came to church.
00:11:08.19\00:11:12.67
I sang the hymns, I
said the proper words,
00:11:12.70\00:11:16.01
and I felt so hollow
and empty on the inside.
00:11:16.04\00:11:20.55
So you came to
church in your camouflage,
00:11:20.58\00:11:24.90
the verbal
camouflage of happy Sabbath,
00:11:24.93\00:11:27.32
how are you, yes.
Oh I am wonderful,
00:11:27.35\00:11:29.10
thank you, well
dressed. You were fearful to,
00:11:29.13\00:11:32.77
why were you
fearful to let people know
00:11:32.80\00:11:35.45
what was going on inside of you.
00:11:35.48\00:11:37.07
Because sometimes we
can be really hard on
00:11:37.10\00:11:39.80
our brothers and
sisters, I firmly believe that
00:11:39.83\00:11:43.36
my church did the best
thing they help for me,
00:11:43.39\00:11:46.03
but the fact is when I
had the nervous breakdown,
00:11:46.06\00:11:49.89
they assumed it
was a lack of faith,
00:11:49.92\00:11:52.87
and at that point in
time, I didn't have it together
00:11:52.90\00:11:57.15
enough to explain that
no, it was a biochemical
00:11:57.18\00:12:00.80
imbalance keeping my
brain from functioning right,
00:12:00.83\00:12:03.79
and that skewed all my
perceptions of the world.
00:12:03.82\00:12:07.72
So you have I know a
very loving church you
00:12:07.75\00:12:10.08
told me about your
wonderful church members,
00:12:10.11\00:12:12.18
you have a close
relationship, I know that
00:12:12.21\00:12:15.25
you told us in
previous programs how supportive
00:12:15.28\00:12:19.05
they were during the
time of your husbands' death,
00:12:19.08\00:12:22.81
but at that time
they weren't understanding
00:12:22.84\00:12:25.86
what was going on in
your life and you did,
00:12:25.89\00:12:28.02
you were afraid you
were going to be judged
00:12:28.05\00:12:29.71
if you told them
so the two of you,
00:12:29.74\00:12:32.34
it's almost like a
standoff, wasn't that.
00:12:32.37\00:12:34.40
Yeah and they
were scared to death.
00:12:34.43\00:12:36.28
I had been a
brilliant Christian,
00:12:36.31\00:12:40.70
strong in the
faith, not only saying the
00:12:40.73\00:12:44.76
right things, but
usually they could see the fire
00:12:44.79\00:12:47.01
in my eyes. They knew
that these things were
00:12:47.04\00:12:49.18
in my heart, and
when I started faking it,
00:12:49.21\00:12:54.28
I went downhill,
and I frightened them.
00:12:54.31\00:12:57.27
Do you think
that maybe the reason
00:12:57.30\00:13:00.11
people were afraid
is because to watch a
00:13:00.14\00:13:04.13
shooting star or a
bright shining star
00:13:04.16\00:13:06.61
of the Lord suddenly
fizzle its kind of like,
00:13:06.64\00:13:10.39
if this can happen to
Linda, it can happen to me.
00:13:10.42\00:13:12.81
Yes, yes very
much. Well now let me get
00:13:12.84\00:13:16.88
back to my train
of thought was that,
00:13:16.91\00:13:20.31
what part if God is
love and God loves all of us
00:13:20.34\00:13:25.62
equally, I mean he shows
no favoritism towards man.
00:13:25.65\00:13:29.99
What part does the
law of God play in this
00:13:30.02\00:13:34.78
scenario of love?
It plays two parts,
00:13:34.81\00:13:38.08
first it is God's
character, the law is who he is,
00:13:38.11\00:13:45.19
and we should, we
should reflect that law,
00:13:45.22\00:13:51.69
so that when people look at us,
00:13:51.72\00:13:54.03
whenever we claim
the name of Christ,
00:13:54.06\00:13:57.61
people look at us
and they see who God is.
00:13:57.64\00:14:01.23
Our duty is to try to
make that accurate reflection
00:14:01.26\00:14:06.89
of who God is, and
then its to protect us,
00:14:06.92\00:14:11.54
if we're not busy cleaning
up messes created by sin,
00:14:11.57\00:14:18.37
by our own
personal sins, then we are
00:14:18.40\00:14:23.16
better able to hear
his voice, better able
00:14:23.19\00:14:26.85
to enjoy his
presence and better able to
00:14:26.88\00:14:31.78
accurately reflect God's
character to those around
00:14:31.81\00:14:34.60
us. Amen, and you
know the Bible does say,
00:14:34.63\00:14:37.32
Jesus said in John
14:15, if you love me,
00:14:37.35\00:14:40.50
obey my Commandments,
keep my Commandments,
00:14:40.53\00:14:43.17
and he also says or
John said by the inspiration
00:14:43.20\00:14:47.39
of the Holy Spirit I
believe First John 5:3
00:14:47.42\00:14:49.52
that this is love
and that is to obey
00:14:49.55\00:14:52.98
his Commandments, and
they are not burdensome
00:14:53.01\00:14:55.53
to us. But his law,
this Ten Commandments
00:14:55.56\00:14:59.49
are really, it's a law
of love, ten promises of
00:14:59.52\00:15:03.94
what God will empower us to do.
00:15:03.97\00:15:06.48
The first four
being teaching us how to
00:15:06.51\00:15:09.31
love the Lord our God
with all of our heart,
00:15:09.34\00:15:11.81
soul, mind and strength,
and the others six being
00:15:11.84\00:15:15.22
how to love one and
another as we love ourselves.
00:15:15.25\00:15:19.64
And I firmly believe
that we were made to keep
00:15:19.67\00:15:24.07
those Commandments,
that we are happiest
00:15:24.10\00:15:26.67
to the extend that we
keep those Commandments
00:15:26.70\00:15:29.88
by his grace
because Genesis says we are
00:15:29.91\00:15:33.27
made in the image
of God. Amen, amen,
00:15:33.30\00:15:36.29
by his grace is
right, so is it anything that
00:15:36.32\00:15:40.17
in your opinion that
we can do to make God
00:15:40.20\00:15:44.31
quit loving us?
No, explain that.
00:15:44.34\00:15:48.57
You can take the
blackest, you know
00:15:48.60\00:15:53.47
most sinful
person, the worst deeds,
00:15:53.50\00:15:57.21
my father often
puzzled over how Hitler
00:15:57.24\00:16:02.13
was allowed to kill
so many people, yes.
00:16:02.16\00:16:05.04
God loved Hitler,
God loved him like
00:16:05.07\00:16:10.74
we can't imagine and he
weeps over the loss of him.
00:16:10.77\00:16:17.72
God loved the child
Hitler, Adolf Hitler,
00:16:17.75\00:16:23.38
but he hated the sin,
yes. And he hated the fact
00:16:23.41\00:16:27.07
that Hitler will be
lost if he did not confess
00:16:27.10\00:16:30.37
his sin and repent to
the Lord, he will be lost
00:16:30.40\00:16:33.06
forever. But he was
very grieved over the acts
00:16:33.09\00:16:36.97
that Hitler committed
because they were heinous,
00:16:37.00\00:16:39.59
yes. And it is you know
there is something about
00:16:39.62\00:16:43.33
the power of
choices in there, yes.
00:16:43.36\00:16:45.75
Its amazing that
God loves us enough,
00:16:45.78\00:16:48.48
you spoke of that in your book.
00:16:48.51\00:16:50.26
Explain what you
were talking about?
00:16:50.29\00:16:52.38
For hope reason why
there is sin on this planet
00:16:52.41\00:16:56.13
is because God refuses
to force us to obey him,
00:16:56.16\00:17:00.93
right. Sin started
in heaven, and God could
00:17:00.96\00:17:05.59
have put an end to it
like that, but all of his
00:17:05.62\00:17:11.10
creation will
serve in fear, and that's
00:17:11.13\00:17:15.26
counter-productive,
you know just as
00:17:15.29\00:17:17.85
we can't serve
to earn his favor,
00:17:17.88\00:17:20.39
we can't serve him
well, we can't obey him well,
00:17:20.42\00:17:24.80
if we are scared to
death or getting zapped,
00:17:24.83\00:17:27.88
amen, because oh
my, we had one contrary
00:17:27.91\00:17:32.33
thought, amen. You
know when you said sin
00:17:32.36\00:17:35.83
started in heaven, lets
look at what Isaiah 14:13
00:17:35.86\00:17:39.63
says because that sin
that started in heaven
00:17:39.66\00:17:42.09
was pride, and we've
got this angel Lucifer
00:17:42.12\00:17:48.46
who was the most
beautiful, most intelligent
00:17:48.49\00:17:52.96
of God's created
beings, and he stood up in
00:17:52.99\00:17:56.78
heaven and this
was his thoughts.
00:17:56.81\00:17:59.50
He says in his heart,
I will ascend to heaven,
00:17:59.53\00:18:03.61
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God:
00:18:03.64\00:18:07.28
I will sit upon the
mount of the assembly,
00:18:07.31\00:18:09.72
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds,
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.47
I will make myself
like the Most High.
00:18:12.50\00:18:14.96
So Lucifer who stumbled
and fell because of pride
00:18:14.99\00:18:20.46
and rebellion,
led this rebellion.
00:18:20.49\00:18:22.46
He was the father of
lies, and he was the murderer
00:18:22.49\00:18:25.86
from the beginning.
He got this in his heart,
00:18:25.89\00:18:29.05
I mean God did not
create a devil, yes.
00:18:29.08\00:18:31.33
He created a beautiful angel,
00:18:31.36\00:18:32.65
but pride created the devil.
00:18:32.68\00:18:34.64
So there are
things that we can do
00:18:34.67\00:18:38.06
and attitudes we can
adopt, that can make us
00:18:38.09\00:18:41.85
actually be eternally
lost if we do not repent,
00:18:41.88\00:18:45.54
correct. But that
doesn't mean you know
00:18:45.57\00:18:47.52
boggles my mind is
that God still loves Lucifer
00:18:47.55\00:18:51.01
and his heart
grieves over his loss, yes,
00:18:51.04\00:18:53.70
he really does. But
now there is a very popular
00:18:53.73\00:18:57.28
teaching in some
Christian circles that
00:18:57.31\00:19:01.98
since God is love
and we are his children
00:19:02.01\00:19:07.52
that he will give us
anything that we desire
00:19:07.55\00:19:10.28
and that the evidence
of God's love is health
00:19:10.31\00:19:14.90
and prosperity, what
would you say to that,
00:19:14.93\00:19:19.14
are only the people
who prosper loved by God
00:19:19.17\00:19:23.22
and are the rest of them
are second rate Christians,
00:19:23.25\00:19:25.93
if they're poor, if
they're not healthy.
00:19:25.96\00:19:28.10
I hope not, because I
am poor, and I struggle
00:19:28.13\00:19:32.07
with depression, and
those could be strong
00:19:32.10\00:19:34.52
arguments that God
does not love me or that my
00:19:34.55\00:19:37.92
Christian faith is not
valid, but the bottom-line
00:19:37.95\00:19:41.57
in what God
allows to happen to us is
00:19:42.74\00:19:46.88
what will save us, what
will keep us by his side,
00:19:46.91\00:19:52.49
what will strengthen us,
so that we can help others
00:19:52.52\00:19:56.39
understand who God is.
Absolutely and we can't
00:19:56.42\00:20:00.56
you know the
scripture when he says delight
00:20:00.59\00:20:02.95
yourself in the Lord
and God will give you
00:20:02.98\00:20:04.94
the desires of
your heart. I guarantee
00:20:04.97\00:20:07.55
if you are
delighting yourself in the Lord,
00:20:07.58\00:20:09.29
the desire of your
heart is not going to be a
00:20:09.32\00:20:11.48
new Mercedes Benz, right.
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.56
When we delight
our self in the Lord,
00:20:13.59\00:20:15.26
his desires become our
desires, isn't that right,
00:20:15.29\00:20:18.33
yes. And so we know
that Jesus said that
00:20:18.36\00:20:22.85
son of man didn't have
a place to lay his head.
00:20:22.88\00:20:25.94
If he was willing
and we remember that
00:20:25.97\00:20:29.68
Peter said to the
beggar, silver and gold have
00:20:29.71\00:20:33.49
I none, but what I
have I will give to you.
00:20:33.52\00:20:36.31
So wealth, is prosperity
message has really been,
00:20:36.34\00:20:41.17
would you agree that
they have twisted the
00:20:41.20\00:20:43.47
scripture and taken
that out of context, yes.
00:20:43.50\00:20:46.92
So that isn't what
the signs are then.
00:20:46.95\00:20:49.83
No the signs are
sensing his presence and
00:20:49.86\00:20:57.83
sometimes we can
think its God's presence
00:20:57.86\00:21:01.45
and it misleads us,
and that is where the word
00:21:01.48\00:21:04.18
comes in, amen. The
word is our guide, amen.
00:21:04.21\00:21:08.03
And the Bible does
not promise that when we
00:21:08.06\00:21:11.13
come to Christ all of
our problems are going to
00:21:11.16\00:21:13.90
be gone. In that Jesus
even said in this world
00:21:13.93\00:21:17.72
you will suffer
many tribulations,
00:21:17.75\00:21:20.70
but now has your
poorness, financial poorness
00:21:20.73\00:21:27.35
or your depression has
that made your life bad,
00:21:27.38\00:21:34.21
or has it enriched your life.
00:21:34.24\00:21:35.68
It has definitely
enriched my life, one thing
00:21:35.71\00:21:38.99
I have learned over the
years in terms of finances
00:21:39.02\00:21:41.88
is I recognize that
everything I have comes
00:21:41.91\00:21:48.78
from God, the way
one does that is what the
00:21:48.81\00:21:52.75
Bible calls
tithing, returning to God,
00:21:52.78\00:21:56.19
ten percent of your
increase. I have done
00:21:56.22\00:22:00.32
that ever since I
became a Seventh-day Adventist
00:22:00.35\00:22:03.52
and God has seen to
it that even in the most
00:22:03.55\00:22:07.18
frightening times I
have had enough and some
00:22:07.21\00:22:11.25
to share. Isn't that
amazing, well it's been our
00:22:11.28\00:22:13.86
experience too, you
know we went through,
00:22:13.89\00:22:16.81
when we first
married, my husband and I had,
00:22:16.84\00:22:19.53
we owned our own business,
we had a business partner
00:22:19.56\00:22:22.35
who took for a
large amount of money,
00:22:22.38\00:22:24.20
left us with huge
debts, and even though
00:22:24.23\00:22:26.67
we were making a lot of
money in a new business,
00:22:26.70\00:22:29.21
it was, all of it
was required to pay back
00:22:29.24\00:22:32.27
to all this, yes, and
I would eek out a $100 a
00:22:32.30\00:22:35.71
month for. We lived in
Dallas, we lived on the
00:22:35.74\00:22:38.38
$100 a month to for all
of our grocery and supplies,
00:22:38.41\00:22:42.84
and you know what
Linda, there came the time
00:22:42.87\00:22:45.12
when we weren't
tithing because there was
00:22:45.15\00:22:47.06
no increase, I mean
our business is dead,
00:22:47.09\00:22:49.01
got you, I mean
there was no increase and
00:22:49.04\00:22:51.56
I told my husband
we need to start giving
00:22:51.59\00:22:53.24
an offering, and
he said how much, and
00:22:53.27\00:22:55.37
I was impressed to
say $100, so we gave the
00:22:55.40\00:22:58.34
only thing we had to live
on, yeah, and I don't know
00:22:58.37\00:23:00.49
how but God
stretched our budget,
00:23:00.52\00:23:03.40
he stretched that
money, and he really
00:23:03.43\00:23:06.02
is Jehovah Jireh,
the Lord who meets all of
00:23:06.05\00:23:08.17
our needs, yes, isn't
he? What would you say to
00:23:08.20\00:23:10.77
someone if you could
look into the camera,
00:23:10.80\00:23:13.09
what would you say
to someone right now,
00:23:13.12\00:23:15.65
who is questioning
because of circumstances
00:23:15.68\00:23:18.94
in their life, if God
loves them, how could you
00:23:18.97\00:23:21.94
respond to that
question? He does love you,
00:23:21.97\00:23:27.26
no matter what,
sometimes because we are human,
00:23:27.29\00:23:33.09
because we are finite,
we can't see what's going
00:23:33.12\00:23:37.73
on behind the scenes.
God uses trials, sometimes
00:23:37.76\00:23:44.55
to bless us,
sometimes to bless others,
00:23:44.58\00:23:47.34
and sometimes we just
have to walk by faith,
00:23:47.37\00:23:50.81
and accept it as the
cold hard fact that God
00:23:50.84\00:23:55.39
loves us. You know
you're speaking from experience
00:23:55.42\00:23:59.95
here and something
you said just reminded me
00:23:59.98\00:24:02.23
of a scripture in
James because I just wanted
00:24:02.26\00:24:06.53
to share this, I
think this is great.
00:24:06.56\00:24:08.86
What James is
writing in James chapter 1
00:24:08.89\00:24:11.43
and verse 2, he says and
I will be reading from the
00:24:11.46\00:24:13.61
Amplified Bible. Consider
it pure joy my brethren,
00:24:13.64\00:24:17.87
whenever you are
enveloped in a trial,
00:24:17.90\00:24:21.08
when you're
encountering trials of any sort
00:24:21.11\00:24:23.52
or fall into various temptation.
00:24:23.55\00:24:25.80
He says be assured and
understand that the trial
00:24:25.83\00:24:29.09
and proving of your
faith bring out endurance
00:24:29.12\00:24:32.31
and stead vastness
and patience, and led that
00:24:32.34\00:24:36.39
endurance and
patience have full play and do
00:24:36.42\00:24:39.54
a thorough work so
that you maybe perfected
00:24:39.57\00:24:42.86
and fully
developed. And the way I look
00:24:42.89\00:24:45.54
at this is that if
you're going through a trail
00:24:45.57\00:24:49.57
and God has trusted
the trial to you like
00:24:49.60\00:24:51.68
he did with you
Linda. He has trusted that
00:24:51.71\00:24:55.76
trial to you because
he sees a potential in you
00:24:55.79\00:24:58.59
and he is polishing
that potential and that's why
00:24:58.62\00:25:01.86
we can count it pure
joy, is because we can
00:25:01.89\00:25:04.31
say Lord, thank you I
know that you're working
00:25:04.34\00:25:07.13
something in me to
perfect me for eternity.
00:25:07.16\00:25:10.33
One last question because
we're running out of time,
00:25:10.36\00:25:13.34
okay, so we gonna
have to make this quick.
00:25:13.37\00:25:15.04
If God loves us no
matter what, then why don't
00:25:15.07\00:25:19.83
we just do whatever we wanted?
00:25:19.86\00:25:21.77
Because we are his,
because he loves us,
00:25:24.43\00:25:28.28
this makes us
priceless, and you don't take
00:25:28.31\00:25:35.24
something priceless
and toss it in the corner
00:25:35.27\00:25:38.93
and trample on it. We
deserve the very best,
00:25:38.96\00:25:42.94
and God's law is the
best. And you know I am going
00:25:42.97\00:25:46.33
to add one thought
to that because the Lord
00:25:46.36\00:25:48.49
just reminded me of
scripture. It is true that
00:25:48.52\00:25:52.71
God loves us no
matter what, but God does not
00:25:52.74\00:25:56.88
forgive our sins
because he loves us.
00:25:56.91\00:25:59.66
He forgives our
sins because Jesus Christ
00:25:59.69\00:26:02.33
died for us, and he
is the propitiation,
00:26:02.36\00:26:05.89
the atonement for our
sin. And he tells us in
00:26:05.92\00:26:10.21
First John 1:9 that
if we confess our sin,
00:26:10.24\00:26:14.13
he is faithful and just
to cleanse us of our sin,
00:26:14.16\00:26:18.14
but here is that
scripture, is Hebrews 5:9,
00:26:18.17\00:26:21.53
that it says, that He
Jesus became the author
00:26:21.56\00:26:26.70
of eternal salvation
to all those who obey him.
00:26:26.73\00:26:31.46
So I guess the easy way
to say is that if Christ
00:26:31.49\00:26:35.08
is on the inside of
us, Colossians 1:27,
00:26:35.11\00:26:38.63
Christ in us, the
Hope of Glory, that he will
00:26:38.66\00:26:41.60
empower us to do
everything he has
00:26:41.63\00:26:44.05
called us to do, and
Christ is going to work
00:26:44.08\00:26:46.93
in us to will and to
act according to his good
00:26:46.96\00:26:49.69
pleasure, and he will
complete the good work
00:26:49.72\00:26:52.22
he's begun in us. So
grace is not a let me see
00:26:52.25\00:26:58.13
if you agree with
this. Grace is not a license
00:26:58.16\00:27:02.06
to sin, and if we
want that salvation,
00:27:02.09\00:27:07.06
that gift of
salvation that we received,
00:27:07.09\00:27:09.37
when we receive
that he's working in us
00:27:09.40\00:27:12.32
and we will walk in
obedience, and if we
00:27:12.35\00:27:15.62
are not walking in
obedience, I have to
00:27:15.65\00:27:18.39
question how much we
value that salvation is
00:27:18.42\00:27:20.97
that true, yes, absolutely.
Its gone too quickly,
00:27:21.00\00:27:24.82
we can talk for a long
time. Thank you so much
00:27:24.85\00:27:27.33
Linda for coming and joining us,
00:27:27.36\00:27:29.33
and I want to
once again remind you,
00:27:29.36\00:27:31.90
she has written a beautiful
book called "Keep Sweet"
00:27:31.93\00:27:34.51
and bottom-line on that
one is that she is saying
00:27:34.54\00:27:37.49
don't become bitter,
and you can get that at
00:27:37.52\00:27:40.15
keepsweetforever.com.
And until the next time
00:27:40.18\00:27:44.32
may the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:27:44.35\00:27:46.90
the love of the
Father, and the fellowship
00:27:46.93\00:27:49.61
of the Holy Spirit be
with you. Thank you Linda.
00:27:49.64\00:27:53.36