And welcome back.
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Dr. Shepherd, before
you answer that question
00:00:02.80\00:00:04.33
of rejoicing while suffering,
00:00:04.36\00:00:06.22
tell us a little more
of these three outcomes,
00:00:06.25\00:00:09.21
living hope,
inheritance and salvation.
00:00:09.24\00:00:11.41
All right. So we had--
00:00:11.44\00:00:12.81
we discovered that Peter talks
about the new birth experience.
00:00:12.84\00:00:15.57
That's why we are praising God
00:00:15.60\00:00:17.15
because of this
new birth experience.
00:00:17.18\00:00:19.24
And he says, there
are these three outcomes
00:00:19.27\00:00:21.80
that experience has, a
living hope, and inheritance
00:00:21.83\00:00:25.99
that doesn't fade
away, and salvation.
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Now, if you notice,
it's there in verse 5.
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It's where he says,
"For a salvation ready
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to be revealed
in the last time."
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So here's the question,
is salvation present now
00:00:38.44\00:00:41.48
or is it
something in the future?
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Well, it says here,
"Revealed in the last time."
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Yeah. It seems to be future.
00:00:47.96\00:00:50.13
Now is it--that kind
of concerns some people.
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They're still
like, "Oh, wait a minute,
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don't we have security nominee,
00:00:54.08\00:00:55.45
don't we have assurance
of salvation in Christ now?"
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Well, remember,
Peter has just said
00:00:58.31\00:01:01.03
that you have
been born again, right?
00:01:01.06\00:01:03.20
So, he's talking
about-- he has talked
00:01:03.23\00:01:05.12
in those first few verses
about this covenant with God,
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you're His covenant
people, you're in His household,
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of course, you have
assurance of salvation.
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So why in the world does he talk
about salvation being so future?
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So, whenever he
talks almost without feel,
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whenever he
talks about salvation,
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it's the future
salvation, all right.
00:01:21.35\00:01:24.69
One of the reasons that He does
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this is because of
their current situation.
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Their situation of suffering
that they are going through.
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And when you say
the salvation is coming,
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that's the rescue.
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The word
"salvation" means to heal,
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it also means rescue.
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And so the rescue is on
its way, the rescue is coming.
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And God is preserving
this for you in the future.
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Because your present now
is, you know, all shaken up.
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And so they need this
kind of future orientation
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to their life, hope,
inheritance and salvation.
00:02:01.18\00:02:04.69
It's really
amazing, I mean, like I said,
00:02:04.72\00:02:07.36
when I started to
study in this book,
00:02:07.39\00:02:09.53
it just really blows your way
how he interlinks these ideas.
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And the first way I
thought this book was--
00:02:14.74\00:02:18.24
these books was by
following theological themes.
00:02:18.27\00:02:22.68
And I would
follow the theme of God,
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all the way through the book.
00:02:24.20\00:02:25.57
And I'd follow
the theme of Jesus,
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all the way through the book.
00:02:27.00\00:02:28.37
And I'd follow the
theme of salvation,
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all the way through the book.
00:02:29.80\00:02:31.17
I put it in charts,
I'm a big chart maker guy.
00:02:31.20\00:02:32.57
And I would put in
charts and everything
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and I was just like,
wow, this is so amazing.
00:02:34.26\00:02:37.29
And all of this,
you know, theology
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that is brought to
bear upon the problems
00:02:38.74\00:02:41.43
these people
have in everyday life.
00:02:41.46\00:02:43.25
I'm afraid that too
often in our daily life,
00:02:43.28\00:02:46.18
we separate our
life from theology.
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We separate it from what
the scriptures talk about.
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We--we kind of do theology
on the weekend, you know.
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Let's go to church.
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We will see Jesus
there, you know, we'll pray.
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And then the rest of our life
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we're working very hard,
you know, doing everything else.
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No, it's supposed to be,
everyday all linked together.
00:03:03.74\00:03:07.45
All right, so we
better, we better press on here.
00:03:07.48\00:03:11.74
Verse 6, he says,
"In this you rejoice,
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" now this-- in this is probably
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all the stuff he's
been taking about already.
00:03:20.34\00:03:22.57
All of these
words, all of these ideas,
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of the covenant,
of the inheritance,
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of the new
birth, of the salvation.
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In this-- in that realm, okay.
00:03:29.98\00:03:33.93
"In this you rejoice
though now for a little while,
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if necessary, you have
been grieved by various trials."
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Now, other than the inkling
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that you had in the first
verse that you were a stranger.
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I remember there are some
people that wanted to say,
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"I used to phony--you
know, not really a metaphor."
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Other than that you don't have
00:03:57.82\00:04:00.06
a sense up to
this point in the book
00:04:00.09\00:04:03.20
that there is
any kind of problem.
00:04:03.23\00:04:05.32
It's all good news.
00:04:05.35\00:04:06.72
It all sounds really, wow,
00:04:06.75\00:04:08.15
and this sounds
really good, you know.
00:04:08.18\00:04:10.23
But then he comes and he
brings this issue of suffering.
00:04:10.26\00:04:17.39
He says, "In this you rejoice,
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though now for a
little while, if necessary,
00:04:19.58\00:04:21.43
you have been
grieved by various trials."
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Here's two opposites
in the Christian life,
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rejoicing and trials.
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Another oxymoron, two things
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that don't seem to fit together.
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I remember very well,
00:04:33.43\00:04:35.52
years ago, we were
missionaries in Brazil.
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And we've been in
Brazil for about a month
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I think it was.
00:04:42.27\00:04:43.97
And it was time
for me to go get a car.
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So I went to a town, ironically
called named Americano.
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And indeed it had been founded
00:04:52.60\00:04:54.73
by people from
the United States.
00:04:54.76\00:04:56.78
And my friends,
my Brazilian friends
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took me to look at a
car and we went to this guy,
00:04:58.75\00:05:00.92
he was a used car dealer,
you know, near the station.
00:05:00.95\00:05:03.46
Finally got in there,
00:05:03.49\00:05:04.86
we were driving
around Americano, you know.
00:05:04.89\00:05:07.31
I decided--nah, this
isn't the car I wanted,
00:05:07.34\00:05:10.69
you know, I don't
think I'll take this car.
00:05:10.72\00:05:12.30
So they said,
"Okay, turn around."
00:05:12.33\00:05:13.70
So it was a four
lane road, you know,
00:05:13.73\00:05:16.89
two lanes going down a
hill, two lanes going up.
00:05:16.92\00:05:19.42
So I pulled into
the center divider
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and I looked to my
right just like you know,
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they drive on
the right hand side,
00:05:23.64\00:05:25.01
just like as we do in the U.S.
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I looked to my right and
there were cars coming up,
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so I waited for the cars
to come up and go pass me.
00:05:27.84\00:05:29.95
And I pulled out
into one of the lanes.
00:05:29.98\00:05:33.89
And when I pulled out here
was this horn blaring at me
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and I looked to
my left up the hill
00:05:38.35\00:05:41.03
and here's a car
coming down the hill
00:05:41.06\00:05:43.87
the wrong way on the
lane right towards me,
00:05:43.90\00:05:48.07
smashed into the car.
00:05:48.10\00:05:50.40
I mean it's like I
can close my eyes today
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and I can see the
window in front of me
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was there one second and then
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it just was a thousand
pieces and just fell down.
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The car was
pushed-- Just head on?
00:06:01.97\00:06:04.85
Smashed right
into the driver's door.
00:06:04.88\00:06:06.98
Hurt my leg, I ended
up with seven stitches
00:06:07.01\00:06:09.67
on the top of my head.
00:06:09.70\00:06:12.01
Ah, it was so terrible.
00:06:12.04\00:06:13.81
I remember saying-- I was just--
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I remember what I said,
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"Oh, why did
this have to happen?"
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Thus began five
months of trouble.
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Aah, the problems
of whose fault it was
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and insurance and who was--
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the car had no
insurance on it then.
00:06:29.57\00:06:31.84
So, I ended up
having to buy the car
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which I never drove again.
00:06:33.97\00:06:35.34
You know, it was totaled
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and then on and
on and on and on.
00:06:36.77\00:06:38.27
So you purchased
the totaled vehicle?
00:06:38.30\00:06:40.39
Yes, I purchased
the totaled vehicle.
00:06:40.42\00:06:42.29
And then after that you had--
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That I drove for
about 20 minutes, you know.
00:06:43.72\00:06:46.02
And I remember going into--
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talk to the
treasurer of the college.
00:06:48.66\00:06:52.69
And he tried to console
me, they would loan me money
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and, you know, and everything
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I could pay back over time.
00:06:57.77\00:06:59.48
He said, "Don't
worry, it will be all right.
00:06:59.51\00:07:01.25
Don't worry, it
will be all right."
00:07:01.28\00:07:03.28
I remember walking
out of his office saying,
00:07:03.31\00:07:06.47
my brethren
English is hard to beat.
00:07:06.50\00:07:08.62
It's hard to be thankful
when you have this trouble.
00:07:08.65\00:07:12.15
So I'm afraid I wasn't
following Peter very well.
00:07:12.18\00:07:15.99
It's like this
trouble came on me
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but I now look
back on that experience.
00:07:18.47\00:07:22.33
And what happened was
because of this experience
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I had to rely on the Brazilians
00:07:25.78\00:07:27.87
completely to help me,
solve all this kinds of problems
00:07:27.90\00:07:32.39
and it bonded
me to those people.
00:07:32.42\00:07:35.22
It bonded me in a
way to those people
00:07:35.25\00:07:37.63
that I would not
have done quickly
00:07:37.66\00:07:41.17
or in the same way if I
had not had that accident.
00:07:41.20\00:07:43.81
Now, the accident wasn't
good but God was able to take
00:07:43.84\00:07:48.30
a terrible thing
and work out of it,
00:07:48.33\00:07:50.77
something that
was good for my life.
00:07:50.80\00:07:52.39
So Peter says,
in this--remember,
00:07:52.42\00:07:54.70
it's this experience
of new birth and new life.
00:07:54.73\00:07:57.36
"In this you achieve to rejoice,
00:07:57.39\00:07:59.45
though now for a little while,
00:07:59.48\00:08:00.85
if necessary,
you have been grieved
00:08:00.88\00:08:03.50
by various
trials and experiences."
00:08:03.53\00:08:07.74
You know, thinking
about your story here,
00:08:07.77\00:08:10.70
it seems that the
Bible is true where it says,
00:08:10.73\00:08:12.59
"That all things were together
for good to them that love God."
00:08:12.62\00:08:16.66
Yes.
00:08:16.69\00:08:18.06
And God had a purpose for
that accident in your life
00:08:18.09\00:08:21.52
and just as Jesus
was talking to His heart,
00:08:21.55\00:08:24.45
God was talking to
your heart, says well,
00:08:24.48\00:08:25.89
let me tell you
what you need to think.
00:08:25.92\00:08:28.59
I'll have to say
that it took some time.
00:08:28.62\00:08:31.81
When you go through trouble
in experiences like this,
00:08:31.84\00:08:35.23
typically, there's quite a fog.
00:08:35.26\00:08:37.35
There's quite a--
it's hard to recognize.
00:08:37.38\00:08:40.29
And if people come to
you at that time and say,
00:08:40.32\00:08:42.22
"It will be
okay. It will be okay."
00:08:42.25\00:08:44.74
You feel like punching them
in the nose maybe, you know.
00:08:44.77\00:08:47.83
That's probably not
what people need to hear
00:08:47.86\00:08:49.82
at the time when
they are suffering,
00:08:49.85\00:08:51.36
they need to hear--sometimes
you just need to be hugged,
00:08:51.39\00:08:55.04
then you be prayed with,
prayed for and people to--
00:08:55.07\00:09:00.72
to lift them up
and care for them.
00:09:00.75\00:09:03.42
But the question
that some people have is,
00:09:03.45\00:09:08.16
you know, is there really
any limit to the suffering
00:09:08.19\00:09:12.75
that I won't go through?
00:09:12.78\00:09:14.37
Does God limit it in some way?
00:09:14.40\00:09:17.41
It's interesting
in our passage here,
00:09:17.44\00:09:18.81
there are three
limits to suffering
00:09:18.84\00:09:21.30
that Peter mentioned.
00:09:21.33\00:09:22.96
Three limits and
they're found here in verse,
00:09:22.99\00:09:28.81
starting in verse 6.
00:09:28.84\00:09:30.21
"In this you rejoice,
though now for a little while,
00:09:30.24\00:09:33.00
" that's the first limit.
00:09:33.03\00:09:34.83
"If necessary, "
that's the second limit.
00:09:34.86\00:09:37.65
"You have been
grieved by various trials,
00:09:37.68\00:09:40.10
so that the tested
genuineness of your faith,
00:09:40.13\00:09:42.55
more precious
than gold that perishes
00:09:42.58\00:09:44.69
though it is tested by fire,
may be found to result in praise
00:09:44.72\00:09:47.72
and glory and
honor at the revelation
00:09:47.75\00:09:49.28
of Jesus Christ" and
that's the third limit,
00:09:49.31\00:09:51.61
there is that the outcome.
00:09:51.64\00:09:53.05
Okay.
00:09:53.08\00:09:54.45
So let's think about
those for a little bit.
00:09:54.48\00:09:56.66
Peter says, "It's
for a little while."
00:09:56.69\00:10:02.81
How long is a little while?
00:10:02.84\00:10:04.95
Now, that's a good question
and when it comes to suffering,
00:10:04.98\00:10:07.44
a little while
is a very long time.
00:10:07.47\00:10:09.44
Yes, it does. It
seems like a very long time.
00:10:09.47\00:10:12.44
And I think what can
help us to get a handle
00:10:12.47\00:10:15.66
on this idea of suffering
being for a little while.
00:10:15.69\00:10:18.86
It's like
children in-- you know,
00:10:18.89\00:10:21.79
when you're
traveling in the car.
00:10:21.82\00:10:23.73
And you get in the
car and your children say,
00:10:23.76\00:10:27.06
"Are we there yet? When
are we gonna get there?"
00:10:27.09\00:10:30.91
And the tried and true response
00:10:30.94\00:10:32.53
of all parents is,
"in a little while."
00:10:32.56\00:10:37.38
You can't say to
the child 3-years-old,
00:10:37.41\00:10:39.73
"Ah, it'll be 45 minutes."
00:10:39.76\00:10:42.51
They don't know
what 45 minutes is,
00:10:42.54\00:10:44.41
you know, so what do you say?
00:10:44.44\00:10:46.05
In a little while,
just little while."
00:10:46.08\00:10:48.82
Now, the real
comfort for the child
00:10:48.85\00:10:52.58
is that their
parents have said this.
00:10:52.61\00:10:54.67
Their parent is in charge
and knows what things you want-
00:10:54.70\00:10:56.66
And they trusted
their parents? Yeah.
00:10:56.69\00:10:58.56
They trust the
parent, "Oh, it just been
00:10:58.59\00:11:00.42
whether they can play
their game again, you know.
00:11:00.45\00:11:02.81
That's just a
little while, you know.
00:11:02.84\00:11:04.78
So our heavenly
parent has said to us,
00:11:04.81\00:11:07.63
"It's just a little while."
00:11:07.66\00:11:09.56
And just like we
trusted our parents
00:11:09.59\00:11:11.76
when we were little
tiny, now we need to trust God.
00:11:11.79\00:11:14.84
The suffering will be
for just a little while.
00:11:14.87\00:11:17.60
Then it also
says, "If it must be--
00:11:17.63\00:11:20.01
" we don't have time to
unpack this a great deal.
00:11:20.04\00:11:23.20
But, God says
things are going to happen,
00:11:23.23\00:11:28.29
if it's necessary, these
things are going to happen.
00:11:28.32\00:11:30.59
He's like forewarned us.
00:11:30.62\00:11:32.11
It's not all the bed of roses
that you're going to go through.
00:11:32.14\00:11:34.83
There're some experiences
00:11:34.86\00:11:36.23
that are gonna come
along, if necessary.
00:11:36.26\00:11:39.83
But the outcome
he says is a tried
00:11:39.86\00:11:42.85
and true character development.
00:11:42.88\00:11:46.00
It's tested by fire
00:11:46.03\00:11:47.59
but it comes out
like gold, you know.
00:11:47.62\00:11:50.16
Gets rid of all the draws
00:11:50.19\00:11:51.66
and leads you in
a wonderful place.
00:11:51.69\00:11:53.83
So there's a
temporal limitation,
00:11:53.86\00:11:57.25
just a little while.
00:11:57.28\00:11:58.88
There's a theological limitation
that which is necessary.
00:11:58.91\00:12:03.22
There's experiential limitation,
that's character development.
00:12:03.25\00:12:07.73
So God is limiting the suffering
00:12:07.76\00:12:09.95
and He says when
all of this takes place,
00:12:09.98\00:12:14.51
He's going to bring
about this wonderful salvation
00:12:14.54\00:12:17.57
of your soul, okay, that's
going to help you in the end.
00:12:17.60\00:12:21.68
Now, I wonder
if there are people
00:12:21.71\00:12:23.92
in our listening
audience that are going--
00:12:23.95\00:12:26.19
I'm sure there are
people who have gone through
00:12:26.22\00:12:28.26
terrible
suffering in their life.
00:12:28.29\00:12:29.77
And may be right now,
you're experiencing something
00:12:29.80\00:12:32.41
in your life that is crushing.
00:12:32.44\00:12:36.10
Recognize,
recognize that God is with you
00:12:36.13\00:12:39.59
through this experience.
00:12:39.62\00:12:41.28
He is not going
to leave you alone.
00:12:41.31\00:12:43.28
He says it's for a little while.
00:12:43.31\00:12:45.79
And He is going
to bring you through
00:12:45.82\00:12:48.40
to a better
experience, something better.
00:12:48.43\00:12:51.05
I know it's a fog
now, but the future,
00:12:51.08\00:12:54.44
the future is much brighter.
00:12:54.47\00:12:55.84
You see, our past is
settled, our future is sure,
00:12:55.87\00:13:00.32
so we can face the
sufferings of the present.
00:13:00.35\00:13:04.61
And Dr. Shepherd, I want to
thank you for your thoughts.
00:13:04.64\00:13:07.80
And also I want to
thank our listening audience
00:13:07.83\00:13:10.55
for joining us in this
very fascinating interesting
00:13:10.58\00:13:13.39
Bible study of
the Books of Peter.
00:13:13.42\00:13:15.54
And I look forward also
00:13:15.57\00:13:16.94
to the incorruptible
treasure that God has for me.
00:13:16.97\00:13:20.10