¤ ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ I want to spend
my life removing pain ¤
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¤ Lord let my words
heal a heart that hurts ¤
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¤ I want to spend my
life mending broken people ¤
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¤ ¤
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Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
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I'm J.D. Quinn.
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And we are so glad that you are
joining us today for 3ABN Today
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and I'm just going to start
off reading something before we
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introduce our guest. Is your
journey through life blocked by
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unresolved pain, abuse, or scars
from the past, that won't heal.
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Perhaps you long to be free and
you're urgently asking God to
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heal your brokenness. Well if
that's you or if you know anyone
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to whom that would apply give
them a call now because we've
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got our good friend here with
us today and we're excited that
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he's back at 3ABN and he's
written a beautiful book, a book
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of healing called Forever Free.
Let me introduce our special
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guest. Pastor Steve Nelson from
the Rocky Mountain Conference
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Hallelujah.
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It's amazing to be back.
You know it just seems like time
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just went from years to we're
here now It's like we never left
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You worked here at
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3ABN for a number of years.
How long have you been gone?
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So we were here about four years
maybe a little more. Then we
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started a ministry here in
Illinois and we've been gone
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almost 14 years now.
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God is just so wonderful that
when you're good friends and I
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saw Samantha, your precious wife
and you and it's like there's
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been no time elapsed. It's so
interesting. But we do stay in
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touch so...We're
glad to have you back.
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Steve and I used to have some
great great conversations. Some
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of the better times in my life
you know. We'd sit and we'd talk
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and go to deep places you know.
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I miss those days too J.D.
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I certainly do.
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So now in the Rocky Mountain
Conference you have how many
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churches?
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Three or four churches. We're in
the northern part of Wyoming. So
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we're near the Montana border
actually. That's where Samantha
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and I live. We live at the foot
of the Rockies there. We have
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two dogs and a horse and pasture
land and we're living as close
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to paradise as you're going to
get if you love the mountains.
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Well we're just glad that you're
with us today and we just want
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to welcome every one of you
at home that are watching. We're
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going to get into the story
of this book. It's a Bible story
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and we will find out where is
God when bad things happen, why
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me and find out how you can be
cut free from the bonds of the
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past. But first we're
going to have some music.
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We're going to have some music
and this group really blesses I
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think all of us. This is
the Message of Mercy, is their
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name, Message of Mercy and
they're going to be singing
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Total Praise.
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¤ Lord I will lift
mine eyes to the hills ¤
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¤ Knowing my help
is coming from You ¤
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¤ Your peace you give
me in time of the storm ¤
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¤ You are the
source of my strength ¤
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¤ You are the
strength of my life ¤
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¤ I lift my hands in
total praise to you ¤
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¤ Amen, Amen, Amen,
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen ¤
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All right such beautiful harmony
We love to hear them. And I like
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A capella singing. It's just
beautiful. We thank Message of
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Mercy and I think most of those
gals are from Tennessee. But
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Thank you so much joining us
today. Today we are looking at
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how God transforms lives. How
He heals broken people and sets
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them forever free. And if you
have your Bible you may want to
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get it and open to John chapter
8 because our special guest
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today is Pastor Steve
Nelson from the Rocky Mountain
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Conference and Steve, from his
own brokeness and experience of
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some problems he and his wife
went through has written a book
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titled Forever Free. And this
is based on John chapter 8 the
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woman caught in adultery. So let
me just start with the obvious
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question. What
prompted you to write the book?
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That's a really good question.
This kind of a topic doesn't get
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preached about a lot. We have
a lot of good sermons we can
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preach on Jesus' life and
prophecy, but getting down into
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the reason why people get abused
or you know the traumas we face
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in life doesn't really
get talked about as much as it
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should. So Samantha and I went
through our own path of...well
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the devil tried to hurt us in
many ways, and we'll talk about
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that in a moment but out of
that came sermons that I started
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preaching. And we hear people
say I really needed to hear that
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because they questioned where
is God? Why wasn't He there? Why
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didn't He stop this? Those
kind of questions. I asked those
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questions. And so it came out
of that experience and wanting
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other people to know, this
is what God did for us, this is
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what He did for me. And I think
He can help you through this as
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He has helped us. So this
story is a perfect example of
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someone caught in abuse, can't
get out of it and then what does
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God do through that whole
process. What does Jesus do?
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And if you can see Him there
in this story, through His eyes
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these experiences it
gives you hope, gives you faith.
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Yes, Yeah. So I know that...and
we will get into it. Don't mean
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to just be teasing your here but
you and your wife Samantha, I
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want to call her Sam because
that's what I call her, you went
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through a very difficult time.
She was groomed, she was abused
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it was certainly an upset
in your relationship. But let's
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speak to, because there are
people out there right now that
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I know you're going through
things and sometimes when people
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are going through when
someone else has...You've been
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vulnerable to an attack from
someone, you wonder where is
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God? Why didn't God intervene?
Can you just touch on that
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Steve? So you look at that first
verse in John chapter 8. (Okay)
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It says everyone went home
but Jesus went to the Mount of
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Olives. See this is the segue
into a story that's going to be
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very dramatic. And the question
that came out of this as I was
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reading this passage and
studying is like wait a minute.
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This woman is going to be in
serious trouble and Jesus seems
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to be off in the other corner of
the city. He's not even in the
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city actually. He's away and
that's how God seems to people
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when they are going through
crisis, like He is a million
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miles away across the universe
and He doesn't care. Is that
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really what's going on? Of
course we know if you follow
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through the story, the book
will start to go into that, that
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experience...Jesus is being
persecuted Himself through most
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of His ministry. He understands
the heart of someone who's being
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persecuted. He understands abuse
because He was abused. We know
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that. And so He goes to
the Mount of Olives. What is he
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doing in the Mount of Olives?
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Praying I'm sure.
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He's praying. We know He spent
many nights in prayer. And so
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being God and know that God
knows what's going to happen
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tomorrow I would put it to you
that I believe He is going to
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pray for not only what He needs
to do but for this woman that's
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going to be brought before Him.
He knows what He's going to have
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to deal with. Praying for wisdom
from His Father because as our
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example and substitute He
depended on His Father. He's
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placed Himself in that place.
And so that's what He's going
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through. Preparing for the trial
that you're going to face. So it
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doesn't take Him by surprise. It
may seem to in the story but He
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is aware of what's going to
happen. So we're beginning to
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recognize that God knows
what you're going through. God
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understands the experiences
you're facing and God is getting
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ready to help you through
whatever you're going through.
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You know to me I think about
this because I've been through
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a number of things in my life
as well but God created us with
00:11:07.46\00:11:12.87
free will. And He created us
with free will because He knew
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that love cannot be forced, that
He wanted us to choose Him, but
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He put a protective boundary.
He kind of, well not kind of, He
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limited Himself when He said
I'm not going to not going to
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cross over this boundary of free
will. And so some of this free
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will comes into this when we end
up in situations. But what...Did
00:11:40.93\00:11:49.04
you ever ask Why me? Did
Samantha ask why me? That's what
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I hear so many people say is not
only where is God but why me God
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That's another good question,
Shelley. It's another chapter in
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the book. They kind of
meld together in some respects
00:12:05.89\00:12:10.06
because when you wonder why God
doesn't stop something bad from
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happening to you you're also
wondering why you were picked
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for something bad to happen
to you. If you walk through the
00:12:17.70\00:12:20.74
story of the woman caught
in adultery we know that they
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caught her. We know that that
whole experience we could take
00:12:23.61\00:12:29.41
a lot of time unraveling that
how they knew where she was, how
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they figured out what they
wanted to do, how they knew to
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bring her to Christ and all that
whole experience. She's a victim
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It was well
orchestrated, well planned.
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It was set up.
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Total meticulously figured out
how do we get this person, how
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do we bring her to Jesus.
You know. So there was a lot of
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barriers crossed in that.
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It was not just a setup for her
I mean they were using her as a
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pawn to set Him up weren't they?
Do we want to read a scripture
00:12:58.87\00:13:02.71
So if you go to the next chapter
we can begin and you look at
00:13:02.74\00:13:06.58
John chapter 8 verse 2. It talks
about it's early in the morning,
00:13:06.61\00:13:10.59
Jesus goes to the temple. The
people are gathered around. He
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begins to teach them. And that
talks about where Christ is when
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He is going to face this trial.
And then we see in chapter 3...
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Verse 3.
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Verse 3 chapter 3 says
the teachers of the law...
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Oh you're talking about
the book chapter 3. We're in
00:13:26.94\00:13:29.00
John chapter 8.
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That's correct. So the chapters
pretty well parallel the...(OK)
00:13:30.44\00:13:34.81
The teachers of the law and the
Pharisees they bring this woman
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they brought this woman who had
been caught committing adultery
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and they made her stand before
them all. You see that the whole
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scene is a setup. He's in the
temple. She's in a place where
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she shouldn't be. Why
she's there that question is not
00:13:51.89\00:13:59.13
answered but a lot of
people were caught in similar
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circumstances. (Yeah) And He's
not...How Jesus deals with her
00:14:01.37\00:14:05.87
is something that we as
Christians need to grapple with
00:14:05.91\00:14:10.51
when we see people who are
not faithful to God. How do we
00:14:10.55\00:14:15.22
relate to people who come from
extreme circumstances? This is a
00:14:15.25\00:14:18.65
very delicate subject for
the church then and it still is
00:14:18.69\00:14:21.42
today. You know adultery is not
something you are proud of, well
00:14:21.46\00:14:25.89
at least not in the church
and we should not be really, but
00:14:25.93\00:14:29.36
it's reality, it's what happens
to people, it's what's going on
00:14:29.40\00:14:32.40
in our world. Our world
propagates that in many respects
00:14:32.43\00:14:35.74
And so here she is. She's caught
and what's going to take place
00:14:35.77\00:14:39.94
to her? If you wanted to read
some of the book the chapter
00:14:39.97\00:14:46.18
begins talking about that
experience when she's brought
00:14:46.21\00:14:48.65
into, in chapter 3, into the
temple. And it begins there if
00:14:48.68\00:14:54.82
you look at chapter 3, it's on
page 25 and it begins by talking
00:14:54.86\00:14:59.26
about her experience
and Jesus' experience.
00:14:59.29\00:15:03.93
You want to read a little?
00:15:03.97\00:15:05.30
So suddenly the solemnity of the
reverent temple atmosphere is
00:15:05.33\00:15:09.60
interrupted. Picture that. Jesus
is speaking and it's all going
00:15:09.64\00:15:14.64
to change instantly. Loud voices
break through the peaceful and
00:15:14.68\00:15:18.21
stillness. A riotous commotion
is heard as a boisterous and
00:15:18.25\00:15:23.45
abusive or abrasive men, leaders
in the church move quickly
00:15:23.49\00:15:27.69
toward Jesus parading their
helpless victim. Heartlessly
00:15:27.72\00:15:30.73
they bring the terror stricken
woman into the sacred presence
00:15:30.76\00:15:33.76
of God. With undeniable disgust,
contempt and disdain clearly
00:15:33.80\00:15:39.60
seen in their eyes they
march boldly before Him.
00:15:39.63\00:15:43.24
Hit the pause button for just
a second because we want to set
00:15:43.27\00:15:47.01
this up. This woman when they
said caught in adultery, this
00:15:47.04\00:15:51.28
was a setup. When they went
in and yanked her out of bed
00:15:51.31\00:15:56.22
and they probably didn't let her
have more than a robe to throw
00:15:56.25\00:16:00.29
around her or something, but she
could...The penalty for adultery
00:16:00.32\00:16:07.06
was to be stoned to death.
So this woman must have been
00:16:07.10\00:16:16.20
frightened beyond belief
and suddenly to be brought
00:16:16.24\00:16:22.41
disheveled just with you know
whatever she threw on to cover
00:16:22.44\00:16:27.28
herself. To be brought into
the temple, wow! I mean to be
00:16:27.32\00:16:34.56
brought out in the courtyard
of the temple that's something.
00:16:34.59\00:16:38.06
They wanted to shame her and
they wanted to manipulate Jesus
00:16:38.09\00:16:41.76
in a way that they think that
they can basically take him out
00:16:41.80\00:16:45.63
of ministry. We have heard
experiences over the years in
00:16:45.67\00:16:50.51
ministry where similar type
situations have happened sadly
00:16:50.54\00:16:54.74
in some churches someone
has committed adultery and the
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.95
church says stand up in front
of the church and tell everyone
00:16:57.98\00:17:01.88
your sin and you're sorry. Those
things still happen today. As
00:17:01.92\00:17:06.32
I'm speaking I know that there
have been victims who've had
00:17:06.35\00:17:08.19
that experience. And the
devil doesn't change his mode or
00:17:08.22\00:17:12.99
operation if he can get away
with it. The reality is though
00:17:13.03\00:17:15.86
this terror-stricken woman her
experience is something that she
00:17:15.90\00:17:22.20
really doesn't have an answer
for. The victims who stand up in
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.57
the church they don't really
have an answer for it. (Of
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.84
course not) But God has a way
to deal with that and this book
00:17:27.88\00:17:32.38
helps us navigate through that
situation because what Jesus
00:17:32.41\00:17:37.59
does is a model for us and how
she is going to go through it
00:17:37.62\00:17:41.46
how other victims
have gone through abuse.
00:17:41.49\00:17:43.66
So how do you answer
when somebody says why me?
00:17:43.69\00:17:50.13
Well if you follow the narrative
what you find out is that there
00:17:50.17\00:17:57.27
are things that are happening
in her life that parallel many
00:17:57.31\00:18:01.58
victims of abuse. So if we went
into our own personal story you
00:18:01.61\00:18:06.28
know...My wife as a young
girl was abused emotionally,
00:18:06.31\00:18:12.15
physically, sexually and
you know coming out of a non
00:18:12.19\00:18:15.99
Christian home, having those
experiences there's really no
00:18:16.02\00:18:22.06
simple easy way to navigate and
say well it's just because x,y,z
00:18:22.10\00:18:26.13
We live in a sinful world.
We know that. We know that bad
00:18:26.17\00:18:29.77
people are going to always
do evil things. And we know that
00:18:29.80\00:18:33.17
even though all this is
taking place around us, I mean,
00:18:33.21\00:18:36.78
human trafficking is a
horrendous crime today that
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.98
seems to be taking place in
front of everyone's eyes. The
00:18:40.02\00:18:42.95
victims are in the hundreds of
thousands in the United States
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.75
alone every year and
people there are asking
00:18:45.79\00:18:48.39
the same question, why me? Well
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.39
if we could put an answer to
why evil happens then we could
00:18:50.43\00:18:54.13
eliminate the problem of evil,
right? But evil happens because
00:18:54.16\00:18:58.27
the author of evil continues to
do evil. So the simple answer is
00:18:58.30\00:19:02.30
God is allowing something to
take place but is that His will
00:19:02.34\00:19:05.97
for you? (Yeah) We know that's
not true. This story will unfold
00:19:06.01\00:19:11.71
that His will is different than
that. But every victim has to
00:19:11.75\00:19:15.65
come to the realization that is
I live in a planet that's evil,
00:19:15.68\00:19:21.69
run by evil people in many
respects and being on this place
00:19:21.72\00:19:26.59
things can happen. If I stay
focused on that only I'll never
00:19:26.63\00:19:31.33
get healing, I'll never
get beyond the experiences.
00:19:31.37\00:19:34.64
And so the next step is to
realize this is why it happened
00:19:34.67\00:19:38.81
because of evil but what's going
to happen to me or what do I get
00:19:38.84\00:19:42.54
to do because of the
choices that I'm going to make.
00:19:42.58\00:19:46.92
Amen. Now we are walking through
the story of John chapter 8
00:19:46.95\00:19:51.45
which is the woman caught
in adultery as we discuss Steve
00:19:51.49\00:19:57.79
Nelson's book. Pastor Nelson has
written this titled Forever Free
00:19:57.83\00:20:03.40
And it is all about the story of
the woman caught in adultery and
00:20:03.43\00:20:10.44
it has...You know you've had a
ministry for a long time to help
00:20:10.47\00:20:14.34
people who've been abused who've
been groomed even to end up in
00:20:14.38\00:20:23.18
an adulterous situation. But I
just praise God that you've put
00:20:23.22\00:20:30.16
this down in a book that comes
highly recommended for this. So
00:20:30.19\00:20:34.80
let's just kind of continue.
You've hit on the first couple
00:20:34.83\00:20:40.90
of chapters but let's look at
John chapter 8 and verse 4 says:
00:20:40.94\00:20:47.48
After these scribes and
Pharisees who've set this up
00:20:47.51\00:20:52.31
and they bring the woman and
throw her down at His feet, then
00:20:52.35\00:20:58.49
verse 4 says Teacher, this
is what they're saying to Jesus
00:20:58.52\00:21:01.96
This woman was caught in
adultery, in the very act.
00:21:01.99\00:21:11.50
Chapter 4 of your book is called
Right Place, Wrong Time. Tell us
00:21:11.53\00:21:17.01
about that title.
00:21:17.04\00:21:19.17
So about 24 years ago Samantha
and I had been out of the church
00:21:19.21\00:21:26.45
for a period of several years.
There had been a pastor that
00:21:26.48\00:21:31.72
we had um been very fond of. He
had rebaptized me. He had moved
00:21:31.75\00:21:38.99
because he was actually a fallen
minister. And at the time we
00:21:39.03\00:21:45.70
didn't understand the whole
circumstances. He told us he
00:21:45.73\00:21:47.90
didn't so what they had accused
him of. So we were worshiping at
00:21:47.94\00:21:54.71
another location with him. Then
he moved across country and so
00:21:54.74\00:21:57.01
we were without a shepherd as
it were. So we just kind of went
00:21:57.05\00:22:02.32
through the motions Sabbath. We
would go to the beach and things
00:22:02.35\00:22:06.02
like that. And so we came
back to church and in that whole
00:22:06.05\00:22:09.52
process we started to realize
some things that we didn't know
00:22:09.56\00:22:17.07
before. Samantha had an
experience where her stepfather
00:22:17.10\00:22:20.04
had a birthday party. He had
touched her inappropriately and
00:22:20.07\00:22:24.11
it triggered something from the
past and so she's like what do I
00:22:24.14\00:22:27.91
do with this. And we talked
about it and said well I need to
00:22:27.94\00:22:31.31
get some counseling to kind
of try to navigate through this.
00:22:31.35\00:22:33.92
What does the Bible say? So
we went to our Pastor for that
00:22:33.95\00:22:38.32
spiritual counsel. We didn't
know that this was actually a
00:22:38.35\00:22:41.46
wolf in sheep's clothing.
00:22:41.49\00:22:44.09
The pastor was a
wolf in sheep's clothing?
00:22:44.13\00:22:46.09
Yeah. Another wolf I should
say. So that was a process, a
00:22:46.13\00:22:51.77
grooming process that took place
the counseling that (He grooms
00:22:51.80\00:22:56.94
her) He groomed her. It was
prior to this, we started going
00:22:56.97\00:23:00.91
to church and we started
having Bible studies with him at
00:23:00.94\00:23:02.84
his house and
friendship develops.
00:23:02.88\00:23:05.21
You know he was about
a father's distance in
00:23:05.25\00:23:09.95
age from her, 27 years older,
so they were...that relationship
00:23:09.98\00:23:15.32
was developing for her and for
me as well. And so through that
00:23:15.36\00:23:19.89
whole grooming process once this
experience happened with her
00:23:19.93\00:23:23.23
stepfather, he was the one that
we naturally went to and didn't
00:23:23.26\00:23:27.97
know that...what we found out
later because he told her from
00:23:28.00\00:23:33.71
the very first day that we
stepped in the church he said I
00:23:33.74\00:23:35.34
set my sights on you. So
he had this planned, used her
00:23:35.38\00:23:41.68
vulnerability used all of that
emotional pain from the past
00:23:41.72\00:23:45.75
drew that all out of her and at
the most vulnerable moment when
00:23:45.79\00:23:50.49
you're dealing with that does
something that's horrendous. It
00:23:50.53\00:23:55.36
fits well with the woman in the
experience of the woman in the
00:23:55.40\00:23:57.33
story. She doesn't get into that
situation without them knowing
00:23:57.37\00:24:02.07
that she's there. Probably very
likely if she's been serially
00:24:02.10\00:24:06.17
abused which the story seems to
allude that they know a lot of
00:24:06.21\00:24:10.25
information. If you look at that
community how close they are
00:24:10.28\00:24:13.45
and how things operate in the
Jewish community back then, the
00:24:13.48\00:24:17.25
Jewish church she very likely
has had other abusers. And so
00:24:17.29\00:24:24.43
she understands this, Jesus
understands this. Our situation
00:24:24.46\00:24:29.90
started to open our eyes to see
what was going on, how someone
00:24:29.93\00:24:34.80
could use their sacred calling
in a way to take advantage of
00:24:34.84\00:24:38.41
someone's trust. That's how
she's here. That's why they're
00:24:38.44\00:24:43.51
bringing her to Jesus. The book
goes into stories in the Old
00:24:43.55\00:24:48.68
Testament, one is Tamar and
Tamar's experience is another
00:24:48.72\00:24:53.15
victim. Her brother Amnon has
lustful thoughts toward her and
00:24:53.19\00:24:57.43
he sets up a situation,
manipulates her. She's
00:24:57.46\00:25:00.76
trusting. She believes he's a
brother that cares for her. In
00:25:00.80\00:25:05.43
fact David kind of orchestrates
the whole thing, her father and
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.50
he doesn't have a clue what's
going on. She comes into his
00:25:08.54\00:25:11.97
house, makes the cake for him,
he kicks everybody out and he
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.78
abuses her and her life is
destroyed and she's asking that
00:25:14.81\00:25:19.11
why me question and yet how does
God orchestrate through that?
00:25:19.15\00:25:22.78
The chapter ends with a very
interesting side note to that
00:25:22.82\00:25:28.42
In the book of Chronicles
God is listing all of David's
00:25:28.46\00:25:33.23
children and right at the end he
throws Tamar into the equation
00:25:33.26\00:25:36.36
telling this because He notices,
He knows, He cares. So that's
00:25:36.40\00:25:40.24
how it all opens up for what's
going on here. Jesus is dealing
00:25:40.27\00:25:45.44
with this. She's in the right
place at the church, but at the
00:25:45.47\00:25:48.14
wrong time because of what's
happening to her. And they're
00:25:48.18\00:25:52.58
destroying her whole
church experience really.
00:25:52.61\00:25:55.78
Really, absolutely. Let's look
at verse 5 of chapter 8. Now
00:25:55.82\00:26:03.53
these are the scribes and the
Pharisees who are still speaking
00:26:03.56\00:26:06.39
to Jesus and I really, you know,
they've set her up to try to
00:26:06.43\00:26:12.47
trap, entrap, Jesus. So what
they say is...Okay she's been
00:26:12.50\00:26:16.84
caught in the act. In verse 5,
Now Moses in the law commanded
00:26:16.87\00:26:22.04
us that such should be stoned.
What do you say? So they're
00:26:22.08\00:26:31.22
going to pit him. They know how
compassionate and loving Jesus
00:26:31.25\00:26:34.86
is and they're trying to prove
that He's not going to keep...
00:26:34.89\00:26:40.43
I don't think they expected
Him to do anything. But they're
00:26:40.46\00:26:43.67
trying to set up evidence
against Him. So here we've got
00:26:43.70\00:26:47.94
they are your chapter 5 of the
book Forever Free. I love this
00:26:47.97\00:26:54.24
title for the chapter. Judge,
Jury and Executioner. So they've
00:26:54.28\00:27:01.48
made that judgment, they've
pronounced her guilty and
00:27:01.52\00:27:05.55
they're ready for Jesus
to call on her to be stoned.
00:27:05.59\00:27:09.16
So how does this all
fit with this chapter?
00:27:09.19\00:27:12.36
If we left a little bit out the
chapter before this talks about
00:27:12.39\00:27:18.83
David's experience. Because
you know what he did. He was the
00:27:18.87\00:27:22.30
ultimate abuser himself. He
takes a man's wife and he abuses
00:27:22.34\00:27:27.18
her. A lot of people have called
it romance but the scripture
00:27:27.21\00:27:30.48
here with the experience
that we're going to see doesn't
00:27:30.51\00:27:32.51
reveal that. So Nathan comes to
David right here in this chapter
00:27:32.55\00:27:36.28
So we're talking about judge,
jury, executioner. He tells
00:27:36.32\00:27:40.02
David you know God knows what
you did and he's displeased with
00:27:40.06\00:27:43.43
what you did. Of course...
00:27:43.46\00:27:44.79
Abuse of power. This is the
king Called the woman to his...
00:27:44.83\00:27:49.80
Yeah, okay.
00:27:49.83\00:27:51.17
Exactly. And so he uses the
beautiful story of the man who
00:27:51.20\00:27:55.30
has everything and his
neighbor's got nothing. He takes
00:27:55.34\00:27:58.21
the lamb from the guy and kills
it and eats it and of course
00:27:58.24\00:28:01.81
David the shepherd his heart
is awakened to this whole poor
00:28:01.84\00:28:04.51
victim lamb. And of course
then Nathan turns to David,
00:28:04.55\00:28:08.98
That's you. And his heart's
broken. It tells us that you
00:28:09.02\00:28:14.16
know you did this evil thing and
God was displeased with what you
00:28:14.19\00:28:18.39
did. And David all of a sudden
realizes I'm guilty of what I've
00:28:18.43\00:28:25.53
done, God saw it, God knew
it, God is telling me what I did
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.74
that was wrong and he
has instantly a conversion
00:28:28.77\00:28:32.14
experience or the beginning of
the conversion experience that
00:28:32.17\00:28:34.81
puts David in the place of
serious repentance. Now J.D.
00:28:34.84\00:28:40.82
you've had many conversations.
You and I talked over the years
00:28:40.85\00:28:43.65
of people going through that
and you get that. It's something
00:28:43.69\00:28:46.79
that has to be
experienced at a heart level.
00:28:46.82\00:28:51.96
And sometimes you know all you
can do is listen because the way
00:28:51.99\00:28:57.63
that the Lord loves us, it's the
enemy's beating us up but the
00:28:57.67\00:29:03.00
Lord is always right there you
know to counteract that and the
00:29:03.04\00:29:07.21
way we're programmed it seems
like the guilt itself can beat
00:29:07.24\00:29:11.31
you up. And so it's a tough
situation and sometimes the best
00:29:11.35\00:29:18.35
thing you can do is just to
listen with your compassion and
00:29:18.39\00:29:23.76
don't be pointing
fingers at them yourself.
00:29:23.79\00:29:26.70
Yeah, very true. So the chapter
kind of ties in Bathsheba's
00:29:26.73\00:29:32.03
experience with the woman caught
in the temple. She was a victim
00:29:32.07\00:29:36.04
too. You know people said why
didn't she say no? All of those
00:29:36.07\00:29:40.78
questions come into play but
that's easy to say when you're
00:29:40.81\00:29:43.51
not in that position,
when you're not the victim.
00:29:43.55\00:29:46.48
You know I was talking with
someone just the other day and
00:29:46.51\00:29:50.65
they said...It was a situation
where a pastor of another
00:29:50.69\00:29:55.69
denomination had an affair with
the woman and they said well she
00:29:55.72\00:30:00.53
was equally responsible.
And we're not trying to point
00:30:00.56\00:30:06.37
fingers and be judge, jury
and executioner here. Here's the
00:30:06.40\00:30:09.37
point that people sometimes
don't realize. When you go to
00:30:09.40\00:30:14.28
counseling. If I'm a woman
and I come to J.D. Quinn for
00:30:14.31\00:30:19.31
counseling and I'm saying oh my
husband never listens to me, he
00:30:19.35\00:30:21.95
pays no attention to me, I've
got these issues from my past
00:30:21.98\00:30:25.59
dah, dah, dah and you've got
someone who's sitting there and
00:30:25.62\00:30:28.86
their being very attentive and
they know what buttons to push
00:30:28.89\00:30:34.00
and if someone has an evil
intent and they're grooming
00:30:34.03\00:30:40.64
someone who is vulnerable and
going through counseling it's
00:30:40.67\00:30:46.61
like you're being set up and
I don't see it as equal. To me
00:30:46.64\00:30:53.31
there's nothing worse than
a pastor having an affair with
00:30:53.35\00:30:57.79
someone he's counseling.
00:30:57.82\00:31:00.42
No, I agree. Equality doesn't
exist on those levels. In fact,
00:31:00.46\00:31:03.93
in the story the Bible tells
us the thing that David did
00:31:03.96\00:31:08.70
displeased the Lord. So it
didn't say the thing that David
00:31:08.73\00:31:12.13
and Bathsheba did. It said
the thing that David did. So God
00:31:12.17\00:31:15.50
understood the power
imbalance. God understood the
00:31:15.54\00:31:18.94
responsibility was in David's
court. God understood that
00:31:18.97\00:31:21.94
Bathsheba was a victim of what
David did. And so we have to
00:31:21.98\00:31:26.92
keep that in mind for victims of
abuse especially. They need to
00:31:26.95\00:31:30.45
hold onto the reality that
you know yes we do have choices
00:31:30.49\00:31:36.16
going forward but what's
happened to us we didn't always
00:31:36.19\00:31:39.26
have a choice. And so the
woman in the temple had that
00:31:39.29\00:31:43.00
experience she was dragged
before Jesus. Bathsheba had that
00:31:43.03\00:31:45.83
experience. She was manipulated
into committing adultery in
00:31:45.87\00:31:50.14
whatever way we don't know.
David was...He had many wives so
00:31:50.17\00:31:53.68
he knows how to finesse women,
he knows how to seduce. He's a
00:31:53.71\00:31:57.58
king, he knows how to execute
power and he knows how to put
00:31:57.61\00:32:00.62
pressure so he's got all of
those skills that she doesn't
00:32:00.65\00:32:03.32
have and this is what brought
her to that victimhood. This is
00:32:03.35\00:32:07.89
what's happened to a lot of
people who have been abused,
00:32:07.92\00:32:09.62
same experience.
00:32:09.66\00:32:10.99
And we see how it made God
feel there. Let's look at how it
00:32:11.03\00:32:14.86
makes God feel. In John chapter
8 and we're going to your
00:32:14.90\00:32:18.90
chapter 6 of Forever Free, the
title of your book. Chapter 6 is
00:32:18.93\00:32:25.61
How Does God Feel, So I'm
going to read verses 6 and 7. So
00:32:25.64\00:32:31.91
here they've thrown the woman
down in front of Him and said
00:32:31.95\00:32:34.38
hey Moses said she should
be stoned, what do you say? And
00:32:34.42\00:32:38.89
then this is what Jesus said:
This they said testing Him that
00:32:38.92\00:32:44.63
they might have something with
which to accuse Him. But Jesus
00:32:44.66\00:32:51.03
stooped down and He takes
his finger and He writes on the
00:32:51.07\00:32:58.11
ground as though He did not hear
So when they continued asking
00:32:58.14\00:33:03.85
Him He raised Himself up and
said to them. He who is without
00:33:03.88\00:33:09.75
sin among you let him cast
the first stone. So tell us what
00:33:09.78\00:33:14.89
He's doing when he hears...
They're throwing this at him.
00:33:14.92\00:33:19.69
They're trying to catch Him.
Here's this terrified woman at
00:33:19.73\00:33:22.23
His feet. What's He doing
when He writes in the dust?
00:33:22.26\00:33:27.24
So this is a beautiful picture
of Jesus. We know this from the
00:33:27.27\00:33:33.01
Biblical narrative. There's only
a few times that God actually
00:33:33.04\00:33:35.88
writes. The 10 commandments we
know is one time. Up there high
00:33:35.91\00:33:39.98
in that mountain, powerful
creator of heaven and earth is
00:33:40.02\00:33:43.15
portraying His justice system
and His will for humanity. And
00:33:43.18\00:33:48.62
then here we see that a woman is
brought accused of breaking that
00:33:48.66\00:33:52.33
law that He wrote in stone. And
somehow now He's writing again.
00:33:52.36\00:33:56.97
You know, in the ground here.
This story give us an insight
00:33:57.00\00:34:02.20
into how God deals with us when
we fall short of His perfect
00:34:02.24\00:34:06.74
plan. It tells us He's a
God of mercy. He's given an
00:34:06.78\00:34:12.98
opportunity for those who are
accusing her to start to think
00:34:13.01\00:34:15.88
about what they're doing here.
We don't know what He wrote in
00:34:15.92\00:34:19.82
that ground so. He didn't write
I don't think you know 2 p.m.,
00:34:19.85\00:34:24.13
Motel 6, room 3, you know. He
wrote something that they knew
00:34:24.16\00:34:27.53
that that was them by the story
narrative anyway. And so...
00:34:27.56\00:34:31.53
Well I thought maybe He was
writing down some list of sins
00:34:31.57\00:34:35.24
and they're looking and going
oops I'm guilty of that, oops
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.24
I'm guilty of that one.
00:34:38.27\00:34:40.24
The oldest leave, then the
younger go so they probably had
00:34:40.28\00:34:43.55
more things that He could write
about for one and He put the
00:34:43.58\00:34:46.25
responsibility on those
who probably orchestrated this
00:34:46.28\00:34:50.85
entire event.
00:34:50.89\00:34:52.22
So He says to them...This is
such a great sentence in verse 7
00:34:52.25\00:34:56.83
He who is without sin among
you let him throw a stone at her
00:34:56.86\00:35:03.26
first and then He stoops down
and writes on the ground. So
00:35:03.30\00:35:10.01
through His eyes, He doesn't see
one sin worse than others. He's
00:35:10.04\00:35:18.51
looking at all of them and knows
they all need compassion and
00:35:18.55\00:35:22.08
mercy and forgiveness doesn't He
00:35:22.12\00:35:24.79
Yeah. This chapter for me
brought back an experience that
00:35:24.82\00:35:31.13
I went through. Because you
asked the question how does God
00:35:31.16\00:35:33.43
feel about all this stuff that's
going on. How does He feel about
00:35:33.46\00:35:36.53
the pain that I'm suffering
because if God doesn't identify
00:35:36.56\00:35:39.67
with your pain J.D. you know
it's kind of hard to identify
00:35:39.70\00:35:42.30
with Him. You kind of see Him
off as the one who's watching
00:35:42.34\00:35:46.04
right, but you don't see Him
as being personally connected to
00:35:46.07\00:35:50.05
you. And we went through this
experience that unfolds in this
00:35:50.08\00:35:54.12
chapter of course that as we
were coming out of the abusive
00:35:54.15\00:35:58.79
situation and our marriage is on
the rocks it doesn't seem like
00:35:58.82\00:36:01.42
it's never going to end.
The pastor's just continually...
00:36:01.46\00:36:06.80
He's stalking Samantha and all
kinds of crazy things he's doing
00:36:06.83\00:36:10.07
and she's confused with...
00:36:10.10\00:36:13.37
You got betrayed on two levels
too. You felt betrayed by him.
00:36:13.40\00:36:17.37
You probably didn't understand
even with Samantha as well as
00:36:17.41\00:36:20.88
you understand this now, right?
00:36:20.91\00:36:22.24
Yeah, I mean, we've all grown in
our experiences since then and
00:36:22.28\00:36:25.51
years later you can look
back and it's very clear going
00:36:25.55\00:36:29.12
through it, the emotional trauma
and pain. Imagine you going to
00:36:29.15\00:36:32.95
church and you sit there and you
look at the pastor who's abusing
00:36:32.99\00:36:35.12
your wife. You know it's just
a dynamic she's got to listen to
00:36:35.16\00:36:39.03
the guy who's manipulating her
from the pulpit. But we came to
00:36:39.06\00:36:42.56
a breaking point and the story
starts to go allude to that
00:36:42.60\00:36:46.87
experience of us. I thought
it was over. It was a very heart
00:36:46.90\00:36:52.54
wrenching experience. Pleading
with God Stop This you know.
00:36:52.57\00:36:57.28
And He doesn't seem to be
stopping it. Years later God
00:36:57.31\00:37:02.25
me a better insight into this
experience. We were now here at
00:37:02.28\00:37:06.62
3ABN. In fact, a little while
ago I went back to my old office
00:37:06.65\00:37:11.53
there and I went to the bathroom
there where I used to go and
00:37:11.56\00:37:16.00
pray personally with God. Kind
of my prayer closet up there in
00:37:16.03\00:37:19.07
the corner. And our dog we had
for many years we brought with
00:37:19.10\00:37:23.41
us. Well she had a stroke when
we were out here. She's 13 years
00:37:23.44\00:37:26.98
old and she was like our baby.
You guys understand that with
00:37:27.01\00:37:29.31
your two babies. And she was our
child. We didn't have children
00:37:29.34\00:37:35.38
ourselves. She was getting very
sick and I remember going up
00:37:35.42\00:37:38.72
there and saying God do I have
more time? Is this it? And He
00:37:38.75\00:37:42.72
impressed upon my mind you still
have some more time. So the
00:37:42.76\00:37:46.26
chapter walks through her final
experience with us. How we had
00:37:46.29\00:37:49.83
to take her and at 16 years old
she had multiple strokes. She
00:37:49.86\00:37:55.30
was dying, and take her and
put her to her final rest. And
00:37:55.34\00:37:59.34
looking at her on that table and
realizing you know this is...
00:37:59.37\00:38:04.35
we're going to lose everything
and I'm sitting there at that
00:38:04.38\00:38:07.25
time thinking God you know...
people may look at this and go
00:38:07.28\00:38:10.02
this is crazy but for a pet
lover you get it. God if I could
00:38:10.05\00:38:13.36
take her place I'll do it. You
know because the doctor's going
00:38:13.39\00:38:18.13
to put that final injection
in her. Now I can hear him still
00:38:18.16\00:38:21.30
saying you know I'm going to
count to three and it's all over
00:38:21.33\00:38:24.17
And he says those words, one,
two, three, and she's gone. The
00:38:24.20\00:38:30.31
next day I was driving back to
work here, over the weekend so
00:38:30.34\00:38:34.74
it's Monday, that was a Friday.
And God spoke to me very clearly
00:38:34.78\00:38:38.18
to my heart. He says, Steve you
remember that experience that
00:38:38.21\00:38:41.65
you were going through back then
Because what I had done is I'd
00:38:41.68\00:38:45.32
asked God to give me a greater
insight into His character, His
00:38:45.35\00:38:48.32
love for me. I think was all
need that. It's a good question
00:38:48.36\00:38:51.73
to ask but it's a dangerous one
to ask. And He says how do you
00:38:51.76\00:38:54.86
think I felt when my Son was
on that cross? And then all of a
00:38:54.90\00:38:59.77
sudden it came clear. You know
it'd been easier for me to be on
00:38:59.80\00:39:02.14
that cross than for Him to be on
that cross. God watches you, His
00:39:02.17\00:39:06.31
child going through the most
painful, horrific experiences in
00:39:06.34\00:39:09.44
your life and He says it would
be easier for me to go through
00:39:09.48\00:39:13.01
it but I'm with you through the
trial. I'll never let you go,
00:39:13.05\00:39:17.05
never will leave you, I'll never
forsake you. And that's the God
00:39:17.09\00:39:19.52
we know, the God we love.
00:39:19.55\00:39:23.93
Ooo okay. Forgiving the Guilty,
Chapter 8 and with this is John
00:39:23.96\00:39:30.10
8 and verse 9. So once Jesus
said to them whoever is not
00:39:30.13\00:39:36.77
guilty of sin throw the first
stone. When they heard this they
00:39:36.81\00:39:40.54
all left one by one, the older
one's first. This is John 8
00:39:40.58\00:39:45.91
verse 9. Jesus was left alone
with the woman still standing
00:39:45.95\00:39:55.29
there. So here now she has a
private audience, she's feeling
00:39:55.32\00:40:01.36
guilty, she has no idea
how God is going to heal her.
00:40:01.40\00:40:06.33
Talk about that.
00:40:06.37\00:40:08.20
So she's got to get to the place
of that healing for her but in
00:40:08.24\00:40:13.54
order to get there the chapter
doesn't give us the insight but
00:40:13.58\00:40:18.31
here's the experience that
victims go through. Because
00:40:18.35\00:40:22.18
there's that perpetrator out
there that's hurt you. There's
00:40:22.22\00:40:25.55
that person that you may run
into in the grocery store or it
00:40:25.59\00:40:28.56
could be an uncle or a family
member or neighbor whatever
00:40:28.59\00:40:31.79
that's abused you. How do you
deal with that? I mean there's a
00:40:31.83\00:40:36.20
process we know they're going
to go through when they have to
00:40:36.23\00:40:38.63
address the anger and have to
address the pain but ultimately
00:40:38.67\00:40:42.40
there's a place of somewhere
that forgiveness has to come
00:40:42.44\00:40:45.87
into the equation. Now
forgiveness does not mean that
00:40:45.91\00:40:49.44
you're friends again. Let's just
get that off the table right
00:40:49.48\00:40:52.01
now. It doesn't mean that you
guys hang out and all goes back
00:40:52.05\00:40:55.38
to the way it was when
supposedly it was better.
00:40:55.42\00:40:58.05
It definitely doesn't
excuse their behavior.
00:40:58.09\00:40:59.72
No not at all. So I went through
this experience because as we
00:40:59.75\00:41:04.39
were going through the abuse um
I was so angry at that preacher.
00:41:04.43\00:41:09.80
I just wanted to pound him. You
know. And there was a time I was
00:41:09.83\00:41:15.20
driving one day and I was
thinking about what he was doing
00:41:15.24\00:41:19.17
J.D. and you can get this
because I was so angry and the
00:41:19.21\00:41:22.38
man inside of you wants justice.
You want to stop it. You want to
00:41:22.41\00:41:26.55
end it now, you know. And so
I remember driving and I was so
00:41:26.58\00:41:30.29
angry I hit my hand on my fist
and I hit it so hard my hand
00:41:30.32\00:41:34.99
ached for about a half hour.
I'm like Steve you're not under
00:41:35.02\00:41:38.06
control of situation you know.
What would you do if you could
00:41:38.09\00:41:42.03
actually do that and it shows
your own heart I mean. While you
00:41:42.06\00:41:45.97
may think it's a righteous
indignation and it may be to
00:41:46.00\00:41:49.84
some degree, the truth of the
matter is I'm not letting God
00:41:49.87\00:41:53.11
handle this situation. I want to
forcefully stop it. God spoke to
00:41:53.14\00:42:01.58
me through that circumstance.
Because I realized that in my
00:42:01.62\00:42:05.92
own unforgiveness I was becoming
bitter. And you and I, I know we
00:42:05.95\00:42:08.96
talked about this many times.
People have been bitter. People
00:42:08.99\00:42:13.36
who are hanging onto your
resentment and anger and pain
00:42:13.40\00:42:16.26
and they're becoming like what
they hate what's happened to
00:42:16.30\00:42:19.77
them. So that's what happened
to me. And one day I was praying
00:42:19.80\00:42:23.74
about this and God said you need
to forgive him. Like, No! You
00:42:23.77\00:42:29.74
know. I'm not going to do this.
You know. He's a pastor, come on
00:42:29.78\00:42:33.65
really. God, you can't ask me to
do this you know. He's supposed
00:42:33.68\00:42:36.45
to be the one who does right.
How can you ask me to forgive
00:42:36.48\00:42:40.62
him when he hasn't even asked
for forgiveness, is where I went
00:42:40.66\00:42:44.13
first. Why should I do that? And
so I struggled with this Shelley
00:42:44.16\00:42:49.03
for a long time and then finally
I came to the place okay you're
00:42:49.06\00:42:52.07
asking me to do this, I got to
do it. And I don't remember the
00:42:52.10\00:42:56.37
prayer but you know I said you
know, Father please forgive him.
00:42:56.40\00:42:58.81
And you know God took it another
step. You know you need to pray
00:42:58.84\00:43:05.25
for him. Again I wanted to pray
like David, smite my enemy you
00:43:05.28\00:43:07.78
know. That's where you want to
go with it. Let's be honest. And
00:43:07.82\00:43:12.95
finally, I came to the place
where okay God you know he's a
00:43:12.99\00:43:15.52
lost man without you and I don't
remember the entire prayer but
00:43:15.56\00:43:18.89
he's in your hands. Please
help me to forgive and what that
00:43:18.93\00:43:22.23
prayer did was released me.
00:43:22.26\00:43:24.17
Ah I went through the exact same
experience and God kept telling
00:43:24.20\00:43:29.10
me I needed to pray for me
because I just didn't think I
00:43:29.14\00:43:32.61
could forgive. They'd been
threatening my life and all and
00:43:32.64\00:43:35.34
finally, I told the Lord,
Okay Lord, I'll pray for their
00:43:35.38\00:43:42.02
forgiveness but you know I don't
mean it. I mean, God knows what
00:43:42.05\00:43:44.79
your heart is. But He kept
telling me pray. So I would pray
00:43:44.82\00:43:48.82
for his forgiveness and somehow
over a period of a week or two
00:43:48.86\00:43:53.93
weeks every night I was praying
for this guy's forgiveness and
00:43:53.96\00:43:58.43
you know what happened? God
helped me to see him as the lost
00:43:58.47\00:44:03.37
and suffering person that he was
and God poured forgiveness into
00:44:03.41\00:44:09.18
my heart. But did it matter to
this man that I'd forgiven him?
00:44:09.21\00:44:13.58
Not in the least bit. Who it
mattered to was me because it
00:44:13.62\00:44:19.45
frees you when you forgive. You
get free of any bitterness or
00:44:19.49\00:44:24.39
resentment. It frees you doesn't
it? So we've only got about
00:44:24.43\00:44:31.33
seven more minutes and I want to
get to the punch line here. When
00:44:31.37\00:44:37.47
Jesus...all of these men now
have walked away, all of this
00:44:37.51\00:44:43.58
woman's accusers. The ones who
have tried to trick Jesus. They
00:44:43.61\00:44:51.39
were testing Him trying to get
something against Him. She was
00:44:51.42\00:44:55.99
just a pawn. Probably some of
these men themselves had laid in
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.99
her arms before. And she
probably trusted them until such
00:44:59.03\00:45:04.00
a time. But after they leave
Jesus straightens up and He says
00:45:04.03\00:45:09.94
to her, Woman where are your
accusers? Is there no one left
00:45:09.97\00:45:15.84
to condemn you. Now we
get to a love that heals.
00:45:15.88\00:45:22.95
So she gets to the place
where she realizes you know the
00:45:22.98\00:45:27.66
accusers are gone and now it's
her and God alone. She's got to
00:45:27.69\00:45:32.76
go to that place with Him. Um
it's a beautiful picture because
00:45:32.79\00:45:37.63
what we see in Jesus is He is
letting her understand who He is
00:45:37.67\00:45:43.51
He's giving her an insight. Your
accusers aren't here. It's just
00:45:43.54\00:45:47.88
me. Who's accusing you? And she
begins to see a God whose love
00:45:47.91\00:45:53.01
she probably has never really
known. All her picture's been
00:45:53.05\00:45:57.75
through these abusive spiritual
leaders and now she has God
00:45:57.79\00:46:02.49
Himself speaking to her and
saying where is your accusers?
00:46:02.52\00:46:05.33
Her whole world's going to take
a paradigm shift at this moment
00:46:05.36\00:46:09.23
because she's going to now
be able to walk in that freedom
00:46:09.26\00:46:12.33
that He's just about going
to proclaim to her in a moment.
00:46:12.37\00:46:16.37
It's a freedom that she's
never known until this moment I
00:46:16.40\00:46:20.18
believe and it's going to change
her life forever because she's
00:46:20.21\00:46:25.91
going to now realize it doesn't
matter what happened to you in
00:46:25.95\00:46:30.69
that respect. This is what
I would say to victims who are
00:46:30.72\00:46:33.66
holding on to the past. Because
as long as you continue to hold
00:46:33.69\00:46:36.83
on you're still a captive. Every
time you think about what that
00:46:36.86\00:46:39.86
abuser did to you and it makes
you angry you're a captive.
00:46:39.89\00:46:43.40
God wants you to be able to walk
with that behind you. It doesn't
00:46:43.43\00:46:48.80
mean the devil won't throw
it back to once in a while. You
00:46:48.84\00:46:51.14
have to continually say God
give me grace to forgive. But He
00:46:51.17\00:46:54.74
doesn't want that to be your
focus. If that's your reality
00:46:54.78\00:46:58.21
and I say that to anyone who's
watching today, if that's your
00:46:58.25\00:47:01.08
reality the truth is God wants
that to be your past. (Amen)
00:47:01.12\00:47:06.39
Isaiah 43:19 and He says, Forget
the past, don't dwell on it. I'm
00:47:06.42\00:47:12.83
doing a new thing, will you
not recognize it. Now we get to
00:47:12.86\00:47:17.23
chapter 10 of this beautiful
book called Forever Free and it
00:47:17.27\00:47:21.84
shows...the book shows how
God transforms lives, heals the
00:47:21.87\00:47:27.94
broken-hearted and sets people
forever free. So that is the
00:47:27.98\00:47:32.05
title of chapter 10. And it's
just her response when she looks
00:47:32.08\00:47:39.12
around. He says where's your
accusers, is there anyone left
00:47:39.15\00:47:42.59
to condemn you and she says No
one, Sir. And Jesus says to her
00:47:42.62\00:47:48.06
Well then I do not condemn you
either. Go and sin no more. Do
00:47:48.10\00:47:57.67
not sin again. So tell us about,
we've got three minutes, tell us
00:47:57.71\00:48:03.91
how the idea of forgiving others
but receiving forgiveness from
00:48:03.95\00:48:12.72
God, how does that
set our hearts free?
00:48:12.75\00:48:16.83
So she's been given what some
people think is an impossibility
00:48:16.86\00:48:20.50
Don't sin, stop sinning. You
know you're free now don't get
00:48:20.53\00:48:23.83
caught in what just brought you
back into this whole situation.
00:48:23.87\00:48:28.47
I think God is first telling her
I want to protect you from these
00:48:28.50\00:48:33.24
people who have bad designs for
you, you know. You realize what
00:48:33.27\00:48:36.75
their intents were. You realize
what happened to you. Be careful
00:48:36.78\00:48:40.55
that you don't fall back into
the life and the trap and all
00:48:40.58\00:48:43.79
that. And victims seem to do
that because sometimes they fall
00:48:43.82\00:48:46.65
back into that. And He uses
the words sin no more. Of course
00:48:46.69\00:48:49.26
the chapter will go into that
in greater detail but we realize
00:48:49.29\00:48:54.00
you know we can't in our own
self-stop doing...the Ethiopian
00:48:54.03\00:48:58.37
can't change his spots. You
know the leopard...I mean the
00:48:58.40\00:49:01.70
Ethiopian can't change his skin
and the leopard his spots. So ah
00:49:01.74\00:49:05.47
I can't change the color of my
skin. I can't change myself only
00:49:05.51\00:49:08.98
God can. When we take the focus
off of ourselves and we put it
00:49:09.01\00:49:13.55
into Jesus, we realize a
relationship is how we get
00:49:13.58\00:49:17.45
beyond all this. As long as
I stay connected to Him there's
00:49:17.49\00:49:20.86
power in that. The moment I stop
that relationship, I focus in
00:49:21.59\00:49:24.73
another direction I'm going to
lose that power and everyone who
00:49:24.76\00:49:30.13
will leave this planet by God's
grace someday soon is going to
00:49:30.17\00:49:34.97
know the experience, especially
if you're alive when Jesus comes
00:49:35.00\00:49:37.11
You're going to realize you
didn't make yourself good enough
00:49:37.14\00:49:40.04
to get into eternity.
God forgave you, His grace
00:49:40.08\00:49:43.55
transformed you and it's because
He loves you and He lives in
00:49:43.58\00:49:47.42
your heart that anything you do
is good at all. So it takes the
00:49:47.45\00:49:51.75
pressure off having to try and
live a perfect life because you
00:49:51.79\00:49:55.72
just stay focused on
the one who's perfect.
00:49:55.76\00:49:57.99
You know I think for somehow, to
me anyway, when you know that it
00:49:58.03\00:50:03.67
doesn't matter what other people
think of you. When there's no
00:50:03.70\00:50:07.54
one there and Jesus can get rid
of your condemners but when you
00:50:07.57\00:50:11.91
come to the Lord and usually
we have heavy hearts, Satan's
00:50:11.94\00:50:16.51
favorite trick is condemnation.
But what does Romans 8:1 say?
00:50:16.54\00:50:23.08
There is therefore no
condemnation for those who are
00:50:23.12\00:50:26.65
in Christ Jesus. So as we
come to the Lord and realize He
00:50:26.69\00:50:32.66
doesn't condemn us. In
fact, He's the one that paid the
00:50:32.69\00:50:36.13
penalty for our sin. There
is something about being free of
00:50:36.16\00:50:41.07
that burden of sin and being
accepted and being loved that
00:50:41.10\00:50:47.28
helps you make that U-turn
by God's power, His grace, that
00:50:47.31\00:50:53.31
helps you to repent and start...
what He's saying is go start
00:50:53.35\00:50:58.45
life over.
00:50:58.49\00:50:59.82
Amen exactly what He's saying.
If you trust Me I will take you
00:50:59.85\00:51:04.09
through this. If you give
your heart to me every day I'll
00:51:04.13\00:51:07.00
cleanse it. That's as difficult
as it gets. You don't have to
00:51:07.03\00:51:10.80
try to make yourself perfect,
you just got to come to the one
00:51:10.83\00:51:12.77
who is perfect and let Him live
His life in you. Let Him love
00:51:12.80\00:51:15.20
you, let Him change you.
00:51:15.24\00:51:16.57
Amen let Him do the work and He
promises in Philippians 2:13: He
00:51:16.60\00:51:21.34
works in us to will and to do
His good pleasure. Well our time
00:51:21.38\00:51:25.75
is nearly up and what we want to
do is give you the opportunity
00:51:25.78\00:51:29.82
we're going to put up an address
roll and you can go to Steve
00:51:29.85\00:51:33.76
Nelson's website
choosewisely.site
00:51:33.79\00:51:41.10
Here is Steve's contact
information. He's a preacher,
00:51:41.13\00:51:44.80
he's a teacher, he comes and
visits other churches but here's
00:51:44.83\00:51:49.47
how you can get the book.
00:51:49.50\00:51:50.97
If you would like to contact or
know more ChooseWisely you can
00:51:51.01\00:51:56.08
do so in the following
ways. You can write to them at
00:51:56.11\00:51:58.85
74 Shining Mountain Rd. Clark,
WY 82435. You can visit their
00:51:58.88\00:52:04.95
website and ChooseWisely.site
You can also send them an email
00:52:04.99\00:52:12.99
at Info@ChooseWisely.site
00:52:13.03\00:52:21.00
¤ ¤
00:52:21.04\00:52:26.91