Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn.
00:00:26.19\00:00:27.56
And welcome to the Worship Hour.
00:00:27.59\00:00:30.53
Let me ask you a question.
00:00:30.56\00:00:32.33
Do you find yourself
in God's waiting room?
00:00:32.36\00:00:36.46
Maybe you're in
emotional pain or physical pain,
00:00:36.50\00:00:40.90
have anxiety ridden thoughts,
00:00:40.94\00:00:43.24
or just going through
mental anguish right now.
00:00:43.27\00:00:47.61
Today, we're going to do
00:00:47.64\00:00:48.98
something a
little bit different.
00:00:49.01\00:00:50.45
I want to share with you
my testimony of eight months
00:00:50.48\00:00:54.82
that I spent suffering,
00:00:54.85\00:00:57.25
but in God's waiting
room, and let me tell you,
00:00:57.29\00:00:59.99
time is never wasted
in God's waiting room.
00:01:00.02\00:01:04.06
He will teach you much.
00:01:04.09\00:01:07.93
And today's lesson is called
00:01:07.96\00:01:11.40
"Lessons Learned in
God's Waiting Room."
00:01:11.43\00:01:14.84
Let's pray.
00:01:14.87\00:01:16.27
Heavenly Father,
00:01:16.30\00:01:17.64
we come before You
in the name of Jesus.
00:01:17.67\00:01:20.88
And, Lord,
thank You for everyone
00:01:20.91\00:01:22.68
who is hearing my voice.
00:01:22.71\00:01:24.95
Now I pray they will.
00:01:24.98\00:01:26.95
Stay tuned, join in.
00:01:26.98\00:01:29.68
And, Lord, learn the lessons
00:01:29.72\00:01:33.09
that You have taught
me in Your waiting room.
00:01:33.12\00:01:36.22
I ask in the name of Jesus,
00:01:36.26\00:01:37.63
You'll send the Holy
Spirit to be our teacher.
00:01:37.66\00:01:42.50
Get me out of the way,
Father, in Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:42.53\00:01:46.87
I want to lay a foundation
00:01:46.90\00:01:49.30
before we get into
00:01:49.34\00:01:51.24
some of the
more personal things,
00:01:51.27\00:01:53.41
but this would be
lesson number one.
00:01:53.44\00:01:56.04
It is not a lack of faith
00:01:56.08\00:01:58.88
to admit crushing burdens
00:01:58.91\00:02:01.98
are beyond your ability to bear.
00:02:02.02\00:02:04.59
Let me repeat that.
00:02:04.62\00:02:05.95
It is not a lack of faith,
00:02:05.99\00:02:08.92
to admit that crushing burdens
00:02:08.96\00:02:11.06
are beyond your ability to bear.
00:02:11.09\00:02:15.30
In the middle of
COVID-19, in March,
00:02:15.33\00:02:21.17
I had two unrelated
friends who called me.
00:02:21.20\00:02:24.04
Both had just lost
a loved one to cancer.
00:02:24.07\00:02:28.74
One, it was a mother,
the other it was a daughter.
00:02:28.78\00:02:32.01
And as they were
sharing their grief with me,
00:02:32.05\00:02:34.28
all of a sudden,
00:02:34.32\00:02:35.65
they both ended
with this statement.
00:02:35.68\00:02:37.95
"Well, God won't put on
us more than we can bear."
00:02:37.99\00:02:43.12
Have you ever
heard someone say that?
00:02:43.16\00:02:45.19
Someone who,
whose spirit is crushed
00:02:45.23\00:02:48.36
and they're going through
the worst time of their life,
00:02:48.40\00:02:51.90
but to keep a stiff upper lip,
00:02:51.93\00:02:53.84
they bravely put
forward this idea,
00:02:53.87\00:02:56.14
God won't put on us
more than we can bear.
00:02:56.17\00:02:58.97
Let me tell you
something, that is not biblical.
00:02:59.01\00:03:03.04
It is not a biblical truth
00:03:03.08\00:03:05.55
and I want to prove that to you.
00:03:05.58\00:03:07.78
Listen to the Apostle Paul's
own admission of his despair.
00:03:07.82\00:03:13.56
2 Corinthians 1:8.
00:03:13.59\00:03:17.09
2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul writes,
00:03:17.13\00:03:20.80
"We were
burdened beyond measure,
00:03:20.83\00:03:25.23
above strength,
00:03:25.27\00:03:26.84
so that we even
despaired of life."
00:03:26.87\00:03:31.67
So it's an error to say that
00:03:31.71\00:03:35.81
God won't allow more
on us than we can bear.
00:03:35.84\00:03:39.38
And in fact, in my mind,
00:03:39.41\00:03:41.88
it makes God out to be
a monster to think that
00:03:41.92\00:03:44.89
He would allow these things
00:03:44.92\00:03:46.89
because He thought
we could bear them.
00:03:46.92\00:03:49.56
Where did that idea originate?
00:03:49.59\00:03:53.13
It is a twisted application
of 1 Corinthians 10:13.
00:03:53.16\00:03:59.73
1 Corinthians 10:13 says this,
00:03:59.77\00:04:03.10
"No temptation has
overtaken you except
00:04:03.14\00:04:07.28
such as is common to man,
00:04:07.31\00:04:09.64
but God is faithful,
who will not allow you
00:04:09.68\00:04:12.68
to be tempted beyond
00:04:12.71\00:04:15.62
what you are able,
00:04:15.65\00:04:16.99
but with the temptation
00:04:17.02\00:04:18.55
will also make
the way of escape,
00:04:18.59\00:04:20.29
that you may be
able to bear it."
00:04:20.32\00:04:23.76
You see, Paul was
encouraging the Corinthians.
00:04:23.79\00:04:27.13
He was encouraging us,
00:04:27.16\00:04:29.16
that God will always
empower us to resist temptation.
00:04:29.20\00:04:34.70
He will always
give us an escape route
00:04:34.74\00:04:37.94
from temptation.
00:04:37.97\00:04:39.34
All we have to do is
pray and ask for His help
00:04:39.37\00:04:42.04
and we can count on it
00:04:42.08\00:04:43.41
because Matthew 1:21 says that
00:04:43.45\00:04:45.51
Jesus came to
save us from our sins,
00:04:45.55\00:04:51.05
but it is wrong to say
that God doesn't allow us
00:04:51.09\00:04:54.89
to be overwhelmed
with earthly burdens
00:04:54.92\00:04:57.73
or that it's a lack
of faith to admit it.
00:04:57.76\00:05:00.96
Let's return to
2 Corinthians 1:8.
00:05:01.00\00:05:05.47
2 Corinthians 1:8.
00:05:05.50\00:05:08.27
And we'll also look at verse 9.
00:05:08.30\00:05:10.51
He says, again,
00:05:10.54\00:05:12.11
"For we do not want you
to be ignorant, brethren,
00:05:12.14\00:05:15.81
of our trouble
which came to us in Asia,
00:05:15.84\00:05:18.35
that we were burdened
beyond measure, above strength,
00:05:18.38\00:05:22.35
so that we
despaired even of life.
00:05:22.38\00:05:24.79
Yes, we had the sentence
00:05:24.82\00:05:27.66
of death in ourselves, that,"
00:05:27.69\00:05:31.33
and anytime you see that,
00:05:31.36\00:05:32.69
it's a purpose
statement that so that,
00:05:32.73\00:05:35.06
we had the sentence of life
in ourselves for this purpose,
00:05:35.10\00:05:39.23
"that we should
not trust in ourselves
00:05:39.27\00:05:43.30
but in God who raises the dead."
00:05:43.34\00:05:48.11
Burden beyond measure,
this is Paul's admission.
00:05:48.14\00:05:53.25
He was saying that he had more
00:05:53.28\00:05:56.15
than he could humanly bear.
00:05:56.18\00:05:58.15
Why would God allow
more than Paul could bear?
00:05:58.19\00:06:03.09
Why would He not save him
00:06:03.12\00:06:06.96
when Paul had no
physical or intellectual
00:06:07.00\00:06:10.43
or emotional resources to bear?
00:06:10.47\00:06:12.87
Why would God not
spare him that trouble?
00:06:12.90\00:06:17.14
Well, he says right here.
00:06:17.17\00:06:19.51
God allows it to
happen for this purpose
00:06:19.54\00:06:22.71
that we should
not trust in ourselves
00:06:22.74\00:06:26.92
but in God who raises the dead.
00:06:26.95\00:06:29.52
Paul was God's great
ambassador for grace.
00:06:29.55\00:06:33.15
And he needed to learn that
00:06:33.19\00:06:36.26
God's grace is sufficient that
00:06:36.29\00:06:39.16
he had to trust in
God's power to save him.
00:06:39.19\00:06:43.87
And, you know,
that's the same lesson
00:06:43.90\00:06:45.30
we need to learn today.
00:06:45.33\00:06:46.94
When we are
crushed in our spirit,
00:06:46.97\00:06:50.41
when our burdens
become unbearable,
00:06:50.44\00:06:53.34
it's not a lack
of faith to admit it,
00:06:53.38\00:06:55.91
Paul did, but we
go to God in prayer.
00:06:55.94\00:06:59.38
Cast your burdens
on Him, if you will...
00:06:59.41\00:07:03.82
Remember that He loves
you with an everlasting love.
00:07:03.85\00:07:08.66
And He says to us in the Bible,
"Seek me with all of your heart
00:07:08.69\00:07:12.09
because I have a
plan for your life,
00:07:12.13\00:07:14.56
a plan to prosper you."
00:07:14.60\00:07:16.33
He will carry you, He
says, in His everlasting arms.
00:07:16.36\00:07:21.20
Yes, God loves
us beyond measure.
00:07:21.24\00:07:26.51
His grace is beyond measure.
00:07:26.54\00:07:29.91
And I ask today,
00:07:29.94\00:07:32.58
if you're feeling
crushed in spirit,
00:07:32.61\00:07:35.28
allow God to lift you up,
00:07:35.32\00:07:37.92
allow Him to fill your
heart to overflowing with hope.
00:07:37.95\00:07:43.63
And that brings us to
our second lesson, Hope.
00:07:43.66\00:07:47.43
In the Greek, hope
means eager expectation.
00:07:47.46\00:07:52.33
So you can say that
hope implies patient waiting,
00:07:52.37\00:07:59.01
that's lesson number two.
00:07:59.04\00:08:00.94
Let's look at Psalm 27:13-14.
00:08:00.98\00:08:07.05
And David writes, "I
would have lost heart,
00:08:07.08\00:08:09.78
unless I had believed
that I would see the goodness
00:08:09.82\00:08:13.02
of the Lord in
the land of living."
00:08:13.05\00:08:16.06
In other words,
while I was still alive.
00:08:16.09\00:08:18.56
"Wait on the Lord,
Be of good courage,
00:08:18.59\00:08:22.33
and He shall
strengthen your heart,
00:08:22.36\00:08:25.07
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
00:08:25.10\00:08:28.07
Waiting on the Lord
is eager expectation
00:08:28.10\00:08:31.71
of what He's going
to do in your life,
00:08:31.74\00:08:35.34
but who likes waiting?
00:08:35.38\00:08:37.18
You know, I'm a fast person.
00:08:37.21\00:08:39.08
I walk fast. I eat fast.
00:08:39.11\00:08:41.22
I learn fast.
00:08:41.25\00:08:42.58
I work twice as
fast as most people.
00:08:42.62\00:08:44.75
My husband calls
me his racehorse.
00:08:44.79\00:08:47.52
And, boy, I'll tell
you, we're on an elevator,
00:08:47.56\00:08:49.72
the door's open
and I'm out the gate
00:08:49.76\00:08:53.03
even if it's the wrong floor.
00:08:53.06\00:08:55.30
I am not fond of
slowing down to wait, are you?
00:08:55.33\00:09:01.47
Time is generally thought
00:09:01.50\00:09:06.07
of in terms of
linear advancement,
00:09:06.11\00:09:11.58
but I have found myself
00:09:11.61\00:09:13.15
for eight months
in God's waiting room.
00:09:13.18\00:09:16.69
I expected after my eye
00:09:16.72\00:09:18.75
was recovering
from two surgeries,
00:09:18.79\00:09:20.42
by the way, two major
back-to-back surgeries
00:09:20.46\00:09:23.16
three months apart.
00:09:23.19\00:09:24.89
And what I found was,
my expectation was that
00:09:24.93\00:09:29.36
after the first surgery,
00:09:29.40\00:09:30.73
I would return to
work within six weeks,
00:09:30.77\00:09:33.34
but I found
myself in this time warp.
00:09:33.37\00:09:37.17
It was an
inescapable cycle of circling
00:09:37.21\00:09:41.44
just going round and round,
waiting for a landing place.
00:09:41.48\00:09:45.51
It was almost
00:09:45.55\00:09:46.88
as if I was
waiting for life to reboot.
00:09:46.92\00:09:50.82
The problem with waiting
00:09:50.85\00:09:52.55
is that waiting can
cause anxiety ridden thoughts.
00:09:52.59\00:09:56.79
And anxiety ridden
thoughts can breed impatience.
00:09:56.83\00:10:02.56
And you know what happens
when we become impatient.
00:10:02.60\00:10:06.00
It can cause
self-defeating actions.
00:10:06.03\00:10:09.00
Just look at Abraham and Sarah.
00:10:09.04\00:10:11.37
And what I found in
my own recovery is that
00:10:11.41\00:10:15.64
I was guilty of
trying to rush my recovery
00:10:15.68\00:10:18.48
and all my
zealous efforts backfired
00:10:18.51\00:10:21.45
and just slowed everything down.
00:10:21.48\00:10:24.15
Facing my physical
limitations to me was,
00:10:24.19\00:10:27.86
at first, extremely devastating,
00:10:27.89\00:10:31.53
but God brought me to a place
00:10:31.56\00:10:33.76
that can only be described
00:10:33.80\00:10:35.56
as settled
acceptance, settled acceptance.
00:10:35.60\00:10:41.27
It was when I finally realized
this is beyond my control,
00:10:41.30\00:10:44.64
there's nothing that I can do,
00:10:44.67\00:10:46.81
but God still has
a plan for my life.
00:10:46.84\00:10:49.31
And I realized that if I
would just give it to Him,
00:10:49.34\00:10:55.08
surrender to Him,
00:10:55.12\00:10:57.45
He would take the
anxiety out of my heart
00:10:57.49\00:10:59.79
and I would
accept His timetable.
00:10:59.82\00:11:03.66
I told my husband,
think about an oyster shell.
00:11:03.69\00:11:09.00
When you have an oyster shell
and it gets an irritant in it,
00:11:09.03\00:11:13.13
what happens?
00:11:13.17\00:11:14.50
Over time it produces a pearl.
00:11:14.54\00:11:17.37
Well, I was learning to
00:11:17.41\00:11:21.44
have the patience of an oyster,
00:11:21.48\00:11:23.88
and God was producing a
new treasure inside of me.
00:11:23.91\00:11:28.38
What I also learned is that
00:11:28.42\00:11:30.22
I focused on
God's hidden blessings.
00:11:30.25\00:11:35.26
What I mean by that
00:11:35.29\00:11:37.03
is I didn't focus on my lack
00:11:37.06\00:11:39.56
or my inability,
00:11:39.59\00:11:41.43
but rather I began to focus on
00:11:41.46\00:11:44.03
what goodness God had
00:11:44.07\00:11:45.40
still given to me
and what I could do.
00:11:45.43\00:11:48.60
And I found that
prayers of thanksgiving
00:11:48.64\00:11:52.27
helped to strengthen my heart,
00:11:52.31\00:11:55.91
banish discouragement,
00:11:55.94\00:11:58.28
and restore some joy.
00:11:58.31\00:11:59.75
Now I don't want to
make light of anyone
00:11:59.78\00:12:02.92
that suffering depression
00:12:02.95\00:12:04.79
because
thanksgiving is not a panacea
00:12:04.82\00:12:10.26
for depression, but it helps.
00:12:10.29\00:12:13.06
And by the way, it is
not a sin to be depressed.
00:12:13.09\00:12:16.73
Jesus was in the
Garden of Gethsemane.
00:12:16.77\00:12:20.90
Are you in God's waiting room?
00:12:20.94\00:12:24.01
Don't lose heart,
keep hope in your heart,
00:12:24.04\00:12:28.14
and remember, hope
implies patient waiting,
00:12:28.18\00:12:31.65
eager anticipation
of what God will do.
00:12:31.68\00:12:35.32
He will strengthen your heart.
00:12:35.35\00:12:37.42
He will save you.
00:12:37.45\00:12:39.15
And He will
increase your courage
00:12:39.19\00:12:41.29
as you're going through this.
00:12:41.32\00:12:42.66
And, you know,
00:12:42.69\00:12:44.03
one of the beautiful
blessings of the time
00:12:44.06\00:12:46.86
in the waiting
room is as time passes,
00:12:46.90\00:12:50.73
the painfully
sharp edges of our memory
00:12:50.77\00:12:54.30
begin to get worn
down and it brings relief.
00:12:54.34\00:12:59.81
Lesson number three,
00:12:59.84\00:13:02.28
rebellion rips
our lives to shreds.
00:13:02.31\00:13:06.55
Rebellion rips
our lives to shreds.
00:13:06.58\00:13:11.05
Let's look at Hosea 11:4.
00:13:11.09\00:13:14.42
Hosea 11:4 God says,
00:13:14.46\00:13:18.66
"I drew them with gentle cords,
00:13:18.69\00:13:22.26
with bands of love,
00:13:22.30\00:13:24.43
and I was to them as
those who take the yoke
00:13:24.47\00:13:28.60
from their neck.
00:13:28.64\00:13:30.21
I stooped and I fed them."
00:13:30.24\00:13:33.68
Isn't this an endearing
picture of our loving God?
00:13:33.71\00:13:37.88
He draws us with gentle cords
00:13:37.91\00:13:40.48
to guide us to His path of life.
00:13:40.52\00:13:42.82
With bands of love,
He keeps us close to Him,
00:13:42.85\00:13:47.22
and He removes
Satan's yoke of sin,
00:13:47.26\00:13:50.33
and then He gets down
00:13:50.36\00:13:52.49
on such an
intimate level to stoop
00:13:52.53\00:13:55.90
and feed our souls.
00:13:55.93\00:13:57.87
I find that amazing.
00:13:57.90\00:14:00.67
You know, in December of 2019,
00:14:00.70\00:14:04.14
I had extensive spinal surgery,
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.31
and then this
was spinal surgery,
00:14:07.34\00:14:10.55
when I say extensive
00:14:10.58\00:14:11.91
there were four
lumbar discs L2 through L5
00:14:11.95\00:14:15.42
and one
lumbosacral joint L5 and S1.
00:14:15.45\00:14:20.12
And what happened is
they gave me a spinal tap,
00:14:20.16\00:14:24.39
and they gave me a
level of anesthesia
00:14:24.43\00:14:27.06
to keep me paralyzed
00:14:27.10\00:14:28.83
during the surgery
00:14:28.86\00:14:30.20
because it was critical that
00:14:30.23\00:14:32.00
I didn't move while the surgeon
00:14:32.03\00:14:34.24
was wielding his
knife to release my nerves.
00:14:34.27\00:14:38.14
After the infusion pump, pump me
00:14:38.17\00:14:41.04
filled with this anesthetic.
00:14:41.08\00:14:43.48
The surgical team strapped
me to a table very tightly,
00:14:43.51\00:14:49.25
and my arms were strapped
00:14:49.28\00:14:52.92
completely above my head.
00:14:52.95\00:14:56.06
Well, what happened?
00:14:56.09\00:14:57.99
Five hours got swallowed
00:14:58.03\00:15:00.66
in the black hole of
erased consciousness.
00:15:00.70\00:15:04.87
And, you know, I
knew when I awoke
00:15:04.90\00:15:08.20
I was gonna be in pain
00:15:08.24\00:15:09.57
because I had my
first spinal fusions
00:15:09.60\00:15:11.14
when I was only 19.
00:15:11.17\00:15:12.74
I knew there
would be severe pain,
00:15:12.77\00:15:14.91
but what surprised me
besides my back is that
00:15:14.94\00:15:18.01
I had this constant firing
00:15:18.05\00:15:20.18
of lightning like
pain in my shoulder.
00:15:20.22\00:15:23.75
It caught me off guard,
00:15:23.79\00:15:25.15
it caught the
medical team off guard,
00:15:25.19\00:15:27.22
and I had to do some serious
00:15:27.26\00:15:28.82
whining for six days
00:15:28.86\00:15:30.23
before they ordered an MRI.
00:15:30.26\00:15:32.26
And the results of
the MRI showed that
00:15:32.29\00:15:36.10
I had a totally
torn rotator cuff
00:15:36.13\00:15:40.10
and a shredded bicep.
00:15:40.14\00:15:42.50
How did that happen?
00:15:42.54\00:15:44.64
Even though I was
seemingly unconscious
00:15:44.67\00:15:49.58
during my surgery,
my mind was very aware
00:15:49.61\00:15:54.45
of the discomfort of being bound
00:15:54.48\00:15:57.19
in a certain
position and subconsciously,
00:15:57.22\00:16:00.66
I couldn't recognize that
00:16:00.69\00:16:03.96
what was going on is that
00:16:03.99\00:16:06.16
I was banded to this
table for my own protection.
00:16:06.19\00:16:11.03
So what did I do?
00:16:11.07\00:16:12.47
My body resisted.
00:16:12.50\00:16:14.34
I strained
against the restraints,
00:16:14.37\00:16:17.47
and I strained so hard
that it tore the shoulder,
00:16:17.51\00:16:22.44
the rotator cuff,
it tore the bicep,
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.25
I had to have a
shoulder replacement for this,
00:16:25.28\00:16:27.62
it was irreparable,
00:16:27.65\00:16:29.55
but there is a similar scenario
00:16:29.58\00:16:34.92
that exists in
the spiritual realm.
00:16:34.96\00:16:38.59
Please listen to
what I'm about to say.
00:16:38.63\00:16:41.96
Rules without relationship
00:16:42.00\00:16:45.97
result in rebellion.
00:16:46.00\00:16:49.60
Rules without relationship
result in rebellion.
00:16:49.64\00:16:54.74
Humans tend to
rebel against anything,
00:16:54.78\00:16:58.38
any rule that they perceive
as restricting their freedom
00:16:58.41\00:17:02.58
if they think it's
just an arbitrary rule.
00:17:02.62\00:17:05.42
When you think about this,
00:17:05.45\00:17:07.32
how many
religious rules are resented
00:17:07.36\00:17:10.56
because they are not...
00:17:10.59\00:17:12.49
It isn't recognized
the foundation of love
00:17:12.53\00:17:15.66
upon which they are built.
00:17:15.70\00:17:18.53
How many
overprotective, well meaning,
00:17:18.57\00:17:23.44
but over
restrictive parents have mourned
00:17:23.47\00:17:27.48
as they watch their
children walk away from church
00:17:27.51\00:17:30.35
and into the black hole
of erased consciousness?
00:17:30.38\00:17:34.55
I wanna tell you something.
00:17:34.58\00:17:36.72
You cannot beat
somebody over the head
00:17:36.75\00:17:39.62
with the fiddle to convince them
00:17:39.65\00:17:40.99
how beautiful the music is.
00:17:41.02\00:17:43.12
We can't do that
with God's Word either.
00:17:43.16\00:17:46.63
If we don't have,
if we don't recognize
00:17:46.66\00:17:51.63
and are conscious
of God's love for us,
00:17:51.67\00:17:56.17
if we have an incomplete
00:17:56.20\00:17:58.04
or incorrect understanding
of God's character,
00:17:58.07\00:18:01.91
it causes us to perceive
His commandments as restricted.
00:18:01.94\00:18:06.85
And all too
often we will restrain
00:18:06.88\00:18:10.92
or strain against His guidance,
00:18:10.95\00:18:14.59
and then our rebellion
rips our lives to shreds.
00:18:14.62\00:18:19.43
God does have
clearly defined boundaries
00:18:19.46\00:18:23.30
for His path of life,
00:18:23.33\00:18:25.33
and His Ten
Commandments serve as guardrails
00:18:25.37\00:18:28.94
to keep us on that path,
00:18:28.97\00:18:31.61
that we can
experience abundant life
00:18:31.64\00:18:34.78
that we can be saved
00:18:34.81\00:18:39.18
and avoid the enemy of our souls
00:18:39.21\00:18:43.22
that we can avoid sin,
but let me tell you something.
00:18:43.25\00:18:48.12
God created us as
creatures of free will.
00:18:48.16\00:18:51.83
We can either accept His
love, or we can reject Him.
00:18:51.86\00:18:56.10
God does not intend,
00:18:56.13\00:18:57.77
He never
intended His bands of love
00:18:57.80\00:19:02.84
to restrain us against our will.
00:19:02.87\00:19:07.11
That wouldn't be love.
00:19:07.14\00:19:09.61
So what I encourage all of us
00:19:09.64\00:19:12.61
is to understand
how much God loves you.
00:19:12.65\00:19:15.68
And to realize
obedience isn't legalism.
00:19:15.72\00:19:20.62
Obedience is love.
00:19:20.66\00:19:22.29
It's an expression of
love and loyalty for God.
00:19:22.32\00:19:26.83
Obedience is His
pathway to blessing.
00:19:26.86\00:19:29.60
Obedience is our
highest expression of worship.
00:19:29.63\00:19:35.27
Lesson number four.
00:19:35.30\00:19:38.67
This one really
caught me off guard.
00:19:38.71\00:19:42.04
Refusing help
from others robs them
00:19:42.08\00:19:46.11
of an opportunity
to grow in Christ.
00:19:46.15\00:19:51.09
Let's look at 2 Peter 3:18.
00:19:51.12\00:19:54.82
2 Peter 3:18 Peter writes,
00:19:54.86\00:19:58.33
"Grow in the grace and knowledge
00:19:58.36\00:20:00.60
of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
00:20:00.63\00:20:02.80
To Him be the glory
both now and forever.
00:20:02.83\00:20:08.50
Amen." You know what?
00:20:08.54\00:20:12.17
I learned at a very early
age to be fiercely independent,
00:20:12.21\00:20:16.48
it was a matter of necessity.
00:20:16.51\00:20:19.41
And people often
praised me for this trait that,
00:20:19.45\00:20:23.69
you know, "Oh, Shelley,
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.42
you're so good
at handling things."
00:20:25.45\00:20:28.02
But what I
didn't recognize is that
00:20:28.06\00:20:30.73
it was in direct competition
00:20:30.76\00:20:33.16
with God's plan of
salvation by grace.
00:20:33.19\00:20:36.87
In fact, it took an epiphany,
00:20:36.90\00:20:39.73
a Holy Spirit light-bulb moment
00:20:39.77\00:20:43.57
for me to understand
00:20:43.61\00:20:46.88
that this was not God's plan.
00:20:46.91\00:20:52.55
It is something that,
here's how I'll put it.
00:20:52.58\00:20:56.02
Self-reliance is
nothing more than pride.
00:20:56.05\00:21:00.69
God took me in 2002.
00:21:00.72\00:21:03.12
He took me on a
journey through Scripture
00:21:03.16\00:21:05.79
as I tried to
understand His plan of grace.
00:21:05.83\00:21:10.57
Let me tell you
what the bottom line is.
00:21:10.60\00:21:12.67
The bottom line
of salvation by grace
00:21:12.70\00:21:15.40
is total dependence from God.
00:21:15.44\00:21:18.31
That's it.
00:21:18.34\00:21:20.44
Grace eliminates all
rights to self-glorification.
00:21:20.48\00:21:26.25
It's about being
totally dependent upon Him.
00:21:26.28\00:21:29.32
You know, He taught me that
00:21:29.35\00:21:30.99
His three
greatest gifts of grace
00:21:31.02\00:21:34.09
are Jesus Christ,
00:21:34.12\00:21:35.66
the Holy Spirit, and the Word.
00:21:35.69\00:21:37.99
Now you think about
those three great gifts,
00:21:38.03\00:21:40.83
and you understand
the effects of grace.
00:21:40.86\00:21:43.70
Here's the
definition God gave me.
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.84
Divine grace is the unearned,
undeserved gifts bestowed
00:21:46.87\00:21:53.27
by a God of infinite
love, which provide these gifts,
00:21:53.31\00:21:58.71
provide His divine assistance
00:21:58.75\00:22:02.12
and supernatural
power unto salvation.
00:22:02.15\00:22:05.29
Well, if you've
watched 3ABN much, you know,
00:22:05.32\00:22:08.62
I wrote a book
called The Grace Pipeline.
00:22:08.66\00:22:10.66
I even had a program about this.
00:22:10.69\00:22:12.56
Hey, I thought I
understood God's grace.
00:22:12.59\00:22:14.80
I spent a lot of
time studying it,
00:22:14.83\00:22:17.30
but while I was in
God's waiting room,
00:22:17.33\00:22:19.27
He gave me a
lesson, I will never forget.
00:22:19.30\00:22:22.54
I was lying in my hospital
bed after the five-hour surgery.
00:22:22.57\00:22:26.41
And Nurse Brooke
walked into my room.
00:22:26.44\00:22:29.34
And she said, "Shelley,
00:22:29.38\00:22:30.71
is there anything I
can do to help you?"
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.35
She came to my bedside.
00:22:34.38\00:22:36.12
And even though I
was in excruciating pain,
00:22:36.15\00:22:39.19
in my usual manner,
I tried to help her.
00:22:39.22\00:22:42.02
It's hard for me to
accept help from someone else.
00:22:42.06\00:22:44.99
I feel guilty.
00:22:45.03\00:22:46.63
And she looked
at me and she said,
00:22:46.66\00:22:50.07
"Why do you do this?
00:22:50.10\00:22:51.93
Why do you
always try to help us?
00:22:51.97\00:22:54.54
Please don't rob me of
the joy of serving you.
00:22:54.57\00:22:58.81
That's why I'm here."
00:22:58.84\00:23:01.84
But the most amazing
thing is when she said that
00:23:01.88\00:23:06.01
the Holy Spirit impress
00:23:06.05\00:23:09.12
something upon my
mind, I will never forget.
00:23:09.15\00:23:12.39
What He said to
me is you are doing
00:23:12.42\00:23:15.32
more than
robbing her of her joy.
00:23:15.36\00:23:19.33
You are robbing
her of the opportunity
00:23:19.36\00:23:22.93
to express God's love.
00:23:22.96\00:23:25.47
Therefore, you are
robbing her of the opportunity
00:23:25.50\00:23:30.61
to become a
little more like Christ.
00:23:30.64\00:23:32.94
What?
00:23:32.97\00:23:34.41
Have you ever
thought about that,
00:23:34.44\00:23:35.78
that refusing someone's help you
00:23:35.81\00:23:38.65
are actually robbing them
00:23:38.68\00:23:41.08
of an opportunity
to become like God?
00:23:41.12\00:23:44.49
It's amazing.
00:23:44.52\00:23:46.09
That day, I realized
00:23:46.12\00:23:48.92
I was guilty of interrupting
God's plan in developing
00:23:48.96\00:23:53.83
self-sacrificing love in others.
00:23:53.86\00:23:57.20
I was speechless actually,
00:23:57.23\00:24:00.70
but what I've come
to understand is this.
00:24:00.74\00:24:03.91
I knew vertical grace.
00:24:03.94\00:24:06.98
I understood the grace
that came from God to man,
00:24:07.01\00:24:12.05
but I didn't
understand horizontal grace,
00:24:12.08\00:24:15.32
the grace that comes
from God through others to us.
00:24:15.35\00:24:21.62
And God's grace, the
fabric of grace is woven
00:24:21.66\00:24:27.13
with both vertical
gifts straight from His hand
00:24:27.16\00:24:30.73
and horizontal
gifts coming from others.
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.70
Are you allowing Him
00:24:34.74\00:24:36.94
to weave that blanket of love
00:24:36.97\00:24:40.71
in your life?
00:24:40.74\00:24:43.61
Lesson number five.
00:24:43.65\00:24:45.61
This one was amazing.
00:24:45.65\00:24:49.28
It's time to get real.
00:24:49.32\00:24:51.85
It is time to rip off the mask
00:24:51.89\00:24:57.39
of verbal camouflage.
00:24:57.43\00:25:00.96
Let's look at Psalm 34:13.
00:25:01.00\00:25:04.40
Psalm 34:13 says this,
00:25:04.43\00:25:08.20
"Keep your tongue from evil,
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.37
and your lips
from speaking deceit."
00:25:11.41\00:25:16.44
When I was in the hospital
for a week out five days
00:25:16.48\00:25:21.22
and had to go
back in a second time
00:25:21.25\00:25:24.02
because I woke up
and couldn't walk,
00:25:24.05\00:25:25.65
couldn't move my legs at all.
00:25:25.69\00:25:28.26
So the therapist who had worked
with me before the first week,
00:25:28.29\00:25:31.69
I was in the
hospital came to see me
00:25:31.73\00:25:34.83
the second day after
I had been readmitted.
00:25:34.86\00:25:38.30
He tried to get
me up out of my bed,
00:25:38.33\00:25:41.14
and I strained to even
move my leg an inch or two.
00:25:41.17\00:25:45.61
I had had some complications
with nerve damage in my groins.
00:25:45.64\00:25:50.91
So I slumped
back down to my bed.
00:25:50.95\00:25:54.02
And just as I did a
charge nurse popped her head
00:25:54.05\00:25:57.09
into my room and she said,
00:25:57.12\00:26:00.02
"Just checking on
how you're doing."
00:26:00.06\00:26:02.06
And I said, "Great!
00:26:02.09\00:26:03.53
How was your
son's game last night?"
00:26:03.56\00:26:06.80
Well, after we
had a brief exchange,
00:26:06.83\00:26:09.53
I turned back to the therapist.
00:26:09.56\00:26:12.57
And he was sitting
there on the ledge,
00:26:12.60\00:26:14.90
a window ledge,
just shaking his head.
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.91
And he said, "Shelley,
you are your own worst enemy."
00:26:17.94\00:26:21.61
And I said, "What do you mean?"
00:26:21.64\00:26:23.48
And he said, "I know you
well enough now to know that
00:26:23.51\00:26:26.08
when your pain
is really intense."
00:26:26.11\00:26:28.28
He said, "You just breathe
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.22
in short gasps
like a woman in labor."
00:26:30.25\00:26:32.92
And he said, "Perspiration beads
00:26:32.95\00:26:35.09
will pop-out on your forehead."
00:26:35.12\00:26:37.26
And he said, "Yet,
when you're like this,
00:26:37.29\00:26:40.66
you still try to gloss
it over with a cheery word."
00:26:40.70\00:26:44.57
And he said, "Let me
tell you something, Sis."
00:26:44.60\00:26:47.30
He said, "Medical personnel
00:26:47.34\00:26:49.64
are not trained to
read between the lines.
00:26:49.67\00:26:54.44
We're trying to go by
people's facial expressions."
00:26:54.48\00:26:58.48
Well, he was right.
00:26:58.51\00:27:01.52
I was in excruciating pain.
00:27:01.55\00:27:04.69
And I'm just a grin
and bear it kind of gal.
00:27:04.72\00:27:08.56
I don't wanna be
perceived as a whiner.
00:27:08.59\00:27:11.53
I want to have people
00:27:11.56\00:27:16.30
to see me as a happy Christian.
00:27:16.33\00:27:18.03
So sometimes I'm asked the truth
00:27:18.07\00:27:20.44
with a smile.
00:27:20.47\00:27:22.27
And I use verbal camouflage
to hide my brokenness.
00:27:22.30\00:27:26.71
Have you ever used this
technique of deflection?
00:27:26.74\00:27:31.51
Let me ask you.
00:27:31.55\00:27:32.88
Have you ever arrived at church?
00:27:32.91\00:27:35.48
And your heart is broken,
you get out of the car walk in,
00:27:35.52\00:27:39.79
and someone says, "How are you?"
00:27:39.82\00:27:41.16
And you say, "Oh, I'm great.
00:27:41.19\00:27:42.92
Happy Sabbath."
00:27:42.96\00:27:44.86
And then, at the
end of the sermon,
00:27:44.89\00:27:47.86
you walk out just as devastated
00:27:47.90\00:27:51.20
as when you walked
in, and nobody knew.
00:27:51.23\00:27:54.74
Nobody had the
opportunity to pray for you
00:27:54.77\00:27:58.71
or perhaps maybe somebody
00:27:58.74\00:28:03.75
has cut you off
00:28:03.78\00:28:06.58
with a bad remark
making a joke at your expense
00:28:06.61\00:28:10.22
and you laughed it off,
00:28:10.25\00:28:12.29
but you never confronted
the abuser in private,
00:28:12.32\00:28:16.76
or maybe one of your loved ones.
00:28:16.79\00:28:19.39
A husband, a
wife, a child has said,
00:28:19.43\00:28:24.20
"Is everything okay?"
00:28:24.23\00:28:25.60
And you, in your frustration,
just say, "Yes, I'm fine."
00:28:25.63\00:28:30.51
Let me tell you something.
00:28:30.54\00:28:32.11
People are not mind readers.
00:28:32.14\00:28:35.11
Our words define us.
00:28:35.14\00:28:39.11
If we hide ourselves
00:28:39.15\00:28:43.75
behind a mask,
00:28:43.79\00:28:46.86
this verbal
camouflage, we become invisible.
00:28:46.89\00:28:50.99
Our feelings are invisible,
00:28:51.03\00:28:52.99
but if we express
ourselves openly and honestly,
00:28:53.03\00:28:56.70
then suddenly
people know we are visible,
00:28:56.73\00:29:00.74
and then things
can actually change.
00:29:00.77\00:29:06.24
Sadly, some people
00:29:06.27\00:29:07.61
put a wall up around their pain.
00:29:07.64\00:29:10.51
And when they do, nobody knows
00:29:10.55\00:29:13.72
what's going on behind the wall,
00:29:13.75\00:29:15.75
but these poor people
think nobody really cares.
00:29:15.78\00:29:19.79
Verbal camouflage is deceitful.
00:29:19.82\00:29:24.36
Now I get it.
00:29:24.39\00:29:25.86
We don't want to just wear
our feelings on our sleeves.
00:29:25.89\00:29:29.76
We don't want to when somebody
00:29:29.80\00:29:32.13
makes the casual
comment, how are you today?
00:29:32.17\00:29:35.74
Oh, we don't
wanna spill the beans.
00:29:35.77\00:29:38.07
And I'm not asking you to,
00:29:38.11\00:29:39.97
but what I am asking you
to do is not to be deceitful.
00:29:40.01\00:29:44.01
If you're not doing well
00:29:44.05\00:29:45.65
and somebody
says, "How are you?"
00:29:45.68\00:29:47.92
Just say, "I'll get better.
00:29:47.95\00:29:50.39
Or, well, I'm
blessed no matter what.
00:29:50.42\00:29:53.39
Or I am looking forward
00:29:53.42\00:29:56.09
to something that
God is going to do."
00:29:56.12\00:29:58.73
Now if somebody
is unknown to you,
00:29:58.76\00:30:04.50
if there a stranger
on a bus, that's enough.
00:30:04.53\00:30:09.24
You say, "I'm
trusting the Lord."
00:30:09.27\00:30:10.91
Maybe that's enough.
00:30:10.94\00:30:12.64
Or if it's someone at church,
00:30:12.67\00:30:14.84
who's just too busy to
stop and end for discovery,
00:30:14.88\00:30:19.11
they met, they'll go on.
00:30:19.15\00:30:20.82
You don't have to go
into all the details,
00:30:20.85\00:30:23.55
but when you answer in
an honest way, if you say,
00:30:23.59\00:30:28.12
"I'll get better."
00:30:28.16\00:30:29.72
And someone looks at you
and says, "Tell me about it."
00:30:29.76\00:30:32.86
Then you'll know that God
00:30:32.89\00:30:34.46
just gave you a
define appointment.
00:30:34.50\00:30:36.87
God has given someone to you,
00:30:36.90\00:30:40.50
to help you beyond
00:30:40.54\00:30:44.61
where you are
and to comfort you.
00:30:44.64\00:30:46.98
So let's rip off
the mask and get real.
00:30:47.01\00:30:51.61
All right, lesson number six.
00:30:51.65\00:30:54.78
Grieving differs from self-pity.
00:30:54.82\00:31:00.66
Grieving differs from self-pity.
00:31:00.69\00:31:05.53
Grieving, a grieving heart
00:31:05.56\00:31:10.10
actually looks for
00:31:10.13\00:31:12.80
and craves compassion.
00:31:12.83\00:31:16.40
Psalm 34:18.
00:31:16.44\00:31:20.34
Oh, I love this Psalm.
00:31:20.38\00:31:22.21
I love this verse.
00:31:22.24\00:31:23.95
Psalm 34:18 says,
00:31:23.98\00:31:28.38
"The Lord is near to those
00:31:28.42\00:31:30.99
who have a broken heart,
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.05
and He saves such as have
00:31:33.09\00:31:36.96
a contrite spirit."
00:31:36.99\00:31:39.79
Oh, when your heart
is hurting, go to God.
00:31:39.83\00:31:45.53
Go to God and
humbly ask for His help.
00:31:45.57\00:31:49.00
He is will be your
source of strength,
00:31:49.04\00:31:52.71
and courage, and
comfort, and hope.
00:31:52.74\00:31:56.61
You can go to God knowing that
00:31:56.64\00:31:59.28
He is especially close to
those who are brokenhearted.
00:31:59.31\00:32:03.89
And that word contrite
where it says, the contrite,
00:32:03.92\00:32:07.82
he saves such as
have a contrite spirit.
00:32:07.86\00:32:12.53
In the Hebrew, you
know what that word means?
00:32:12.56\00:32:16.46
It means crushed to a powder.
00:32:16.50\00:32:21.00
When we have a contrite spirit,
00:32:21.04\00:32:23.84
it's when we are
absolutely crushed to dust.
00:32:23.87\00:32:29.04
And you know what?
00:32:29.08\00:32:30.65
God is close to you.
00:32:30.68\00:32:33.72
When you feel like that,
00:32:33.75\00:32:35.38
some of His greatest
miracles have been with dust.
00:32:35.42\00:32:39.85
Let me tell you about my mama
00:32:39.89\00:32:41.89
because then you'll understand
00:32:41.92\00:32:44.09
how I came to learn that
00:32:44.13\00:32:45.46
grieving is
different than self-pity.
00:32:45.49\00:32:48.70
When I was growing up,
00:32:48.73\00:32:50.37
my mama didn't tolerate whining.
00:32:50.40\00:32:52.80
Let me tell you.
00:32:52.83\00:32:54.87
If I woke up cranky as
little girl, she'd say,
00:32:54.90\00:32:59.04
"You got up on the
wrong side of the bed.
00:32:59.07\00:33:01.14
Go back to bed."
00:33:01.18\00:33:02.51
And she'd make me
go get back in bed
00:33:02.54\00:33:04.61
and spring up
from the other side.
00:33:04.65\00:33:07.55
Now it's interesting
how the psychology of that
00:33:07.58\00:33:12.39
it was never a futile exercise
00:33:12.42\00:33:14.86
'cause I would
always emerge from my room
00:33:14.89\00:33:18.16
and I'd be in an upbeat mood.
00:33:18.19\00:33:21.66
So she planted seeds
00:33:21.70\00:33:24.83
of cheerfulness in my heart.
00:33:24.87\00:33:28.57
Becoming a Christian
harvested that attitude
00:33:28.60\00:33:32.61
because I really believe
00:33:32.64\00:33:34.58
when we
recognize the love of God
00:33:34.61\00:33:37.15
and all that He's done for us,
00:33:37.18\00:33:39.85
that we can't
help, but be cheerful.
00:33:39.88\00:33:43.02
Christians should
have a cheerful face.
00:33:43.05\00:33:46.99
Well, what happened
00:33:47.02\00:33:50.49
was that during my experience,
00:33:50.53\00:33:55.70
I just have to tell you that
00:33:55.73\00:33:59.83
I didn't always
feel that cheery.
00:33:59.87\00:34:02.47
You know, I heard JD say
after 33 years of marriage,
00:34:02.50\00:34:06.61
he was talking to
a friend and he said,
00:34:06.64\00:34:09.41
"Oh, the best thing
about being married to Shelley,
00:34:09.44\00:34:11.91
she goes to bed
happy every night.
00:34:11.95\00:34:14.28
And she wakes up
happy every morning."
00:34:14.32\00:34:18.65
Well, the pressure was on.
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.72
I had a reputation
that now I had to protect,
00:34:20.76\00:34:25.19
but when I was in
the hospital in December,
00:34:25.23\00:34:30.53
I was in the
hospital 14 out of 19 days.
00:34:30.57\00:34:34.07
And I can say
that I went through it
00:34:34.10\00:34:38.07
with a sunny disposition,
00:34:38.11\00:34:40.78
but inside my
heart, I was screaming.
00:34:40.81\00:34:44.41
It was horrific, truly.
00:34:44.45\00:34:47.15
So what happened is
00:34:47.18\00:34:48.55
after I got out of the hospital,
00:34:48.58\00:34:51.52
we were in our room and
one of my therapists came
00:34:51.55\00:34:56.56
and when she came
for physical therapy,
00:34:56.59\00:34:59.23
JD, my husband decided that
00:34:59.26\00:35:01.73
he was gonna make a pharmacy run
00:35:01.76\00:35:03.43
while she was there.
00:35:03.47\00:35:05.40
Well, I felt really relieved
when he left 'cause I thought,
00:35:05.43\00:35:10.41
"Ah, thank goodness,
00:35:10.44\00:35:11.77
I don't have to try to protect
my reputation of cheerfulness."
00:35:11.81\00:35:15.94
So I looked at
her and I just said,
00:35:15.98\00:35:17.68
"Hey, I got to warn you, Becky."
00:35:17.71\00:35:20.35
And I confess, I was
smiling in little force
00:35:20.38\00:35:23.39
note of cheerfulness.
00:35:23.42\00:35:25.15
I said, "I got to warn you.
00:35:25.19\00:35:27.39
I know that
self-pity is straight
00:35:27.42\00:35:29.82
from the pits of hell,
00:35:29.86\00:35:31.19
but today, I'm feeling a
little sorry for myself."
00:35:31.23\00:35:36.40
With the voice of an
angel in a gentle tone,
00:35:36.43\00:35:40.50
she said, "No,
you're not, Shelley,
00:35:40.54\00:35:43.87
you're grieving.
00:35:43.91\00:35:45.47
You are grieving the
loss of your independence,
00:35:45.51\00:35:49.04
the loss of your dignity,
00:35:49.08\00:35:51.71
and the loss of
your identity for now."
00:35:51.75\00:35:57.22
Wow. Here I was.
00:35:57.25\00:35:59.29
I couldn't get in
and out of bed by myself,
00:35:59.32\00:36:01.76
couldn't dress myself.
00:36:01.79\00:36:03.59
I couldn't use my dominant
arm, my right arm was useless.
00:36:03.63\00:36:09.86
I couldn't open a
bottle of water by myself.
00:36:09.90\00:36:13.03
And I felt so helpless.
00:36:13.07\00:36:14.64
And she was right.
00:36:14.67\00:36:16.00
I was engulfed in grief.
00:36:16.04\00:36:18.91
And it was okay to admit that.
00:36:18.94\00:36:22.48
It's so amazing to me
00:36:22.51\00:36:24.25
when we think that
00:36:24.28\00:36:26.82
grieving differs from self-pity.
00:36:26.85\00:36:31.45
You know, I
don't like to be pity,
00:36:31.49\00:36:33.46
but I found myself
just craving understanding.
00:36:33.49\00:36:37.26
I craved the compassion
that some people offered me.
00:36:37.29\00:36:41.33
And I just want to
encourage you right now,
00:36:41.36\00:36:44.60
if you are
grieving, if internally,
00:36:44.63\00:36:49.90
your spirit is crushed,
00:36:49.94\00:36:52.24
know that God
understands your struggles.
00:36:52.27\00:36:56.51
He is near to those
who are brokenhearted.
00:36:56.54\00:36:59.68
He will save those
who are crushed in spirit.
00:36:59.71\00:37:03.39
Come to Him with a humble heart
00:37:03.42\00:37:06.22
and He will fill
your heart with hope.
00:37:06.25\00:37:08.69
He will send the
compassionate comforter,
00:37:08.72\00:37:12.26
the Holy Spirit, like
a father pities a child.
00:37:12.29\00:37:16.53
So the Lord will pity
you, and He will save you.
00:37:16.56\00:37:21.20
All right. Lesson seven.
00:37:21.24\00:37:25.57
Lesson seven is this.
00:37:25.61\00:37:29.04
When our prayer life
is pinned to the mat,
00:37:29.08\00:37:34.65
we need stretcher-bearers.
00:37:34.68\00:37:38.52
Luke 5:18-19 says this.
00:37:38.55\00:37:42.09
Luke 5:18-19.
00:37:42.12\00:37:46.90
"Some men came to Jesus
00:37:46.93\00:37:50.37
carrying a paralyzed
man on a sleeping mat.
00:37:50.40\00:37:55.64
They tried to take
him inside to Jesus,
00:37:55.67\00:37:57.94
but they couldn't
reach him because the crowd."
00:37:57.97\00:38:01.38
So what did they do?
"They went up to the roof.
00:38:01.41\00:38:04.35
They took off some tiles.
00:38:04.38\00:38:06.92
Then they lowered the sick man
on his mat down into the crowd,
00:38:06.95\00:38:12.92
right in front of Jesus."
00:38:12.95\00:38:18.29
Wow.
00:38:18.33\00:38:20.10
I just love this story
00:38:20.13\00:38:22.76
because what
we're seeing is four men
00:38:22.80\00:38:27.64
who were the stretcher-bearers
for his friend,
00:38:27.67\00:38:30.64
and they had to make
00:38:30.67\00:38:32.01
a great effort
to get him to Jesus.
00:38:32.04\00:38:36.78
You know, in certain circles,
00:38:36.81\00:38:38.55
I'm considered a prayer warrior,
00:38:38.58\00:38:41.18
somebody who knows how to press
00:38:41.22\00:38:44.92
into God's
presence to usher others
00:38:44.95\00:38:47.99
before His throne of grace.
00:38:48.02\00:38:50.73
And I can honestly say,
00:38:50.76\00:38:53.29
God has taught me
00:38:53.33\00:38:54.66
so much about
returning His Word to Him.
00:38:54.70\00:38:58.47
The promises from
the Bible knowing that
00:38:58.50\00:39:01.00
His word will not return void,
00:39:01.04\00:39:03.54
and it's a precious
thing to pray with others
00:39:03.57\00:39:06.11
or to pray for others.
00:39:06.14\00:39:07.88
And I know in my 18
years here at 3ABN...
00:39:07.91\00:39:11.58
God has given me the opportunity
00:39:11.61\00:39:13.38
to pray for and
with so many people,
00:39:13.42\00:39:16.58
I've lost count,
00:39:16.62\00:39:18.89
but I have to tell you honestly,
00:39:18.92\00:39:21.86
what happened to me.
00:39:21.89\00:39:24.09
When we came in today,
00:39:24.13\00:39:26.33
one of the cameraman asked me,
00:39:26.36\00:39:29.03
he said,
"Shelley, I just got to know
00:39:29.06\00:39:33.47
during this time
00:39:33.50\00:39:35.77
that your prayer
life really increase?"
00:39:35.80\00:39:39.14
And I said, "Well,
I'm gonna talk about it.
00:39:39.17\00:39:40.88
So you'll hear."
00:39:40.91\00:39:44.08
During this recent predicament,
00:39:44.11\00:39:48.85
when I was in
such mind numbing pain,
00:39:48.88\00:39:53.46
and it was so constant,
00:39:53.49\00:39:56.62
I could
strangely pray for others,
00:39:56.66\00:39:58.56
but not for myself.
00:39:58.59\00:40:00.86
Really, it was just,
00:40:00.90\00:40:03.67
there was like a
brain fog over me.
00:40:03.70\00:40:06.63
And I thought,
"What's wrong with me?
00:40:06.67\00:40:09.97
Lord, why can't I
keep my mind focused on you
00:40:10.01\00:40:15.51
for more than a
minute at a time?"
00:40:15.54\00:40:18.08
I had the attention
span of a hummingbird.
00:40:18.11\00:40:21.85
And I thought,
00:40:21.88\00:40:23.65
"Why aren't my eyes of
faith focusing on myself?"
00:40:23.69\00:40:30.26
I kept a running
chatter with Him all day long.
00:40:30.29\00:40:34.60
I mean, I would talk to
God often on all day long.
00:40:34.63\00:40:38.13
But I thought was
this chatter really prayer.
00:40:38.17\00:40:41.94
I recited a lot of my blessings,
00:40:41.97\00:40:44.07
things that I was thankful
00:40:44.11\00:40:45.44
for particularly that
00:40:45.47\00:40:46.81
He was carrying me
in His everlasting arms,
00:40:46.84\00:40:49.64
but I just couldn't
get focused in on the Lord.
00:40:49.68\00:40:52.61
I couldn't press
into His presence,
00:40:52.65\00:40:56.55
like, normal.
00:40:56.58\00:40:58.95
I was suffering a
kind of prayer paralysis,
00:40:58.99\00:41:04.76
and I learned to
identify with a paralytic
00:41:04.79\00:41:08.16
who needed people.
00:41:08.20\00:41:10.27
He needed his
friends to carry him
00:41:10.30\00:41:14.14
to the feet of Jesus.
00:41:14.17\00:41:16.37
I needed stretcher-bearers.
00:41:16.40\00:41:19.87
I needed people
who would pray for me
00:41:19.91\00:41:22.64
and I thank God and
I want to thank you.
00:41:22.68\00:41:25.65
I've had so many emails,
00:41:25.68\00:41:28.08
and cards, and
phone calls, and letters.
00:41:28.12\00:41:32.65
Thank you.
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.06
If you were one of
those who were praying for me,
00:41:34.09\00:41:36.76
I know we didn't make
a public announcement.
00:41:36.79\00:41:38.76
I didn't want to
make a big deal of this,
00:41:38.79\00:41:42.30
but I'm so glad for those
00:41:42.33\00:41:45.43
who interceded for me in prayer,
00:41:45.47\00:41:48.50
who acted as my
stretcher-bearers
00:41:48.54\00:41:51.17
to get me to the
feet of the Lord.
00:41:51.21\00:41:56.14
I will say this.
00:41:56.18\00:41:58.38
We human beings
are an interesting lot.
00:41:58.41\00:42:02.72
You know, we
think our experience
00:42:02.75\00:42:04.92
is so unique to us.
00:42:04.95\00:42:06.52
We don't always want
to share what's going on,
00:42:06.55\00:42:09.99
especially if it's what we
feel is a spiritual shortcoming.
00:42:10.03\00:42:14.50
We're afraid
somebody is gonna judge us
00:42:14.53\00:42:16.36
or think less of us.
00:42:16.40\00:42:18.20
And it took me a little while.
00:42:18.23\00:42:20.10
I didn't even talk to JD
about my prayer paralysis,
00:42:20.14\00:42:24.74
but I was
talking with two friends
00:42:24.77\00:42:27.74
who had also been
through major surgery.
00:42:27.78\00:42:30.95
And I told them, "Hey, I
just can't pray for myself."
00:42:30.98\00:42:35.02
And they both
said, "Yeah, me either."
00:42:35.05\00:42:38.85
And they were
both strong Christians.
00:42:38.89\00:42:40.96
And I said, "Really?"
00:42:40.99\00:42:43.32
And so it's something
00:42:43.36\00:42:45.69
and I was just
talking with someone yesterday
00:42:45.73\00:42:48.30
who's in the
hospital with cancer
00:42:48.33\00:42:51.33
and a terrible diagnosis
00:42:51.37\00:42:52.93
and I was sharing
some of these thoughts
00:42:52.97\00:42:55.20
with her, and
she's a missionary.
00:42:55.24\00:42:57.71
She's a strong
Christian and she said,
00:42:57.74\00:42:59.67
"Oh, Shelley, I'm the same way."
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.71
You know, our need is great,
00:43:02.74\00:43:05.58
but we've got great difficulty
taking it before the Lord,
00:43:05.61\00:43:11.65
but even so I still felt
a little bit hypocritical,
00:43:11.69\00:43:16.93
a little bit
guilty 'cause here am I,
00:43:16.96\00:43:21.66
somebody who's
written a book "on prayer,"
00:43:21.70\00:43:24.10
and I'm having
00:43:24.13\00:43:25.47
such difficulty
praying for myself,
00:43:25.50\00:43:28.07
but then God in
His infinite kindness
00:43:28.10\00:43:31.91
and compassion,
had someone at work,
00:43:31.94\00:43:35.84
send me this quote.
00:43:35.88\00:43:37.91
I want to read it to you
00:43:37.95\00:43:39.55
because this quote
00:43:39.58\00:43:42.85
brought my heart so much relief.
00:43:42.88\00:43:46.92
Let's look at it.
00:43:46.96\00:43:48.29
It comes, it's an Ellen G. White
00:43:48.32\00:43:50.06
quote from Ministry of Healing,
00:43:50.09\00:43:52.13
page 251,
paragraph 5, and she says,
00:43:52.16\00:43:57.50
"Often your mind may be clouded
00:43:57.53\00:44:02.04
because of pain.
00:44:02.07\00:44:04.31
Then do not try to think.
00:44:04.34\00:44:06.71
You know that Jesus loves you.
00:44:06.74\00:44:09.61
He understands your weakness.
00:44:09.64\00:44:12.85
You may do His will
00:44:12.88\00:44:16.12
by simply resting in His arms."
00:44:16.15\00:44:21.56
Oh, I cannot tell you
00:44:21.59\00:44:23.63
what comfort
those words brought.
00:44:23.66\00:44:28.03
Jesus understood my weakness.
00:44:28.06\00:44:30.87
He understood that the attitude
00:44:30.90\00:44:34.40
of my heart when I was sighing,
00:44:34.44\00:44:38.51
and moaning, and groaning,
00:44:38.54\00:44:40.94
He understood that this
was an attitude of prayer,
00:44:40.98\00:44:45.48
even though I couldn't express
my thoughts and words to Him.
00:44:45.51\00:44:51.99
So what did I do?
00:44:52.02\00:44:54.96
I took her advice.
00:44:54.99\00:44:56.83
I rested.
00:44:56.86\00:44:58.66
Oh, that is such
a beautiful thing.
00:44:58.69\00:45:01.50
To remember how
much God loves us
00:45:01.53\00:45:04.33
and to rest just
to rest in His arm,
00:45:04.37\00:45:07.84
not to get into
this pro-form of religion
00:45:07.87\00:45:11.81
where I've got to be
praying, I've got to be reading.
00:45:11.84\00:45:15.98
Let me tell you something,
back-to-back surgeries,
00:45:16.01\00:45:18.45
back-to-back anesthesia.
00:45:18.48\00:45:20.95
Wow, your brain is in a fog,
00:45:20.98\00:45:23.92
but I know that my
pain's no worse than
00:45:23.95\00:45:26.35
so many out here
00:45:26.39\00:45:27.86
who've lost a loved one to COVID
00:45:27.89\00:45:30.39
or have lost their
finances and sometimes
00:45:30.43\00:45:34.06
your brain is in such a fog.
00:45:34.10\00:45:36.46
You're in so much emotional pain
00:45:36.50\00:45:39.00
that you can't pray.
00:45:39.03\00:45:41.04
Just remember
how much He loves you
00:45:41.07\00:45:43.10
and He demonstrated that love
by coming down out of heaven.
00:45:43.14\00:45:48.28
Our God became a
man and He died for us.
00:45:48.31\00:45:53.31
What love?
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.15
So what I recommend
that you do if like me,
00:45:55.18\00:46:00.72
you find yourself
in this place is rest.
00:46:00.76\00:46:05.99
Rest and thank God
for stretcher-bearers.
00:46:06.03\00:46:10.97
Thank God for those
who are praying for you
00:46:11.00\00:46:14.34
because you've told
them, you need prayer.
00:46:14.37\00:46:17.34
They can't pray for
you if you don't know.
00:46:17.37\00:46:19.97
So tell them, I
need your prayer.
00:46:20.01\00:46:25.05
Don't be ashamed to talk about
your own spiritual weakness.
00:46:25.08\00:46:31.59
Let me tell you something.
00:46:31.62\00:46:33.05
I don't care who it is.
00:46:33.09\00:46:35.06
I don't care if it is
a pastor, an evangelist
00:46:35.09\00:46:39.29
that you've seen
on TV for 30 years.
00:46:39.33\00:46:42.66
Everybody goes
through the same thing.
00:46:42.70\00:46:45.40
Every one of us is human.
00:46:45.43\00:46:47.80
We all have our mountaintop
experiences with God.
00:46:47.84\00:46:53.41
And we all have
00:46:53.44\00:46:54.81
our valley experiences with God.
00:46:54.84\00:46:59.15
Psalm 27:14
00:46:59.18\00:47:04.69
says this.
00:47:04.72\00:47:06.05
Psalm 27:14,
00:47:06.09\00:47:09.26
"Wait on the Lord,
00:47:09.29\00:47:12.19
Be of good courage,
00:47:12.23\00:47:15.20
and He shall
strengthen your heart.
00:47:15.23\00:47:17.93
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"
00:47:17.97\00:47:23.51
When we are waiting on the Lord,
00:47:23.54\00:47:26.91
it is with hope in our heart.
00:47:26.94\00:47:29.58
And what is hope?
00:47:29.61\00:47:31.15
Eager expectation.
00:47:31.18\00:47:33.62
You can count on God.
00:47:33.65\00:47:36.62
When He has given us
a promise in the Bible,
00:47:36.65\00:47:40.16
you can count on
God bringing that about.
00:47:40.19\00:47:43.79
We've got to have
faith that He will.
00:47:43.83\00:47:47.43
Without faith, we
cannot please Him.
00:47:47.46\00:47:50.20
We've got to remember that
00:47:50.23\00:47:52.40
1 John 5:10-12 says that
00:47:52.43\00:47:55.54
if we don't
believe in God's promises,
00:47:55.57\00:47:59.24
we're regarding Him as a liar,
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.64
but when you're
waiting on the Lord,
00:48:01.68\00:48:05.41
it's not just sitting
back and doing nothing.
00:48:05.45\00:48:08.92
You can spend time in the Word
00:48:08.95\00:48:10.95
reading His promises.
00:48:10.99\00:48:12.55
We're just saying,
"Lord, move on my behalf."
00:48:12.59\00:48:17.03
I love Isaiah 40:31.
00:48:17.06\00:48:20.93
Isaiah 40:31 says this.
00:48:20.96\00:48:25.07
"Those who wait on the
Lord will renew their strength,
00:48:25.10\00:48:28.74
they will mount up
on wings like eagles,
00:48:28.77\00:48:32.91
they shall run and not be weary,
00:48:32.94\00:48:35.84
they shall walk and not faint."
00:48:35.88\00:48:39.85
Are you in God's waiting room?
00:48:39.88\00:48:43.95
I want to encourage you
00:48:43.99\00:48:45.92
to yield to His
sovereign timing.
00:48:45.95\00:48:49.59
I want to encourage you
00:48:49.62\00:48:51.53
to cast all of
your burdens on Him
00:48:51.56\00:48:54.70
for He cares for you.
00:48:54.73\00:48:56.56
He loves you.
00:48:56.60\00:48:58.33
If you will keep
your mind focused on Him,
00:48:58.37\00:49:02.97
trusting in Him, He promises.
00:49:03.00\00:49:05.54
Isaiah 26:3,
00:49:05.57\00:49:08.44
that He will give
you perfect peace.
00:49:08.48\00:49:11.11
He will bless you with strength
in the midst of your trials.
00:49:11.15\00:49:16.75
Truly, He will.
00:49:16.79\00:49:19.12
If you trust in the Lord,
00:49:19.15\00:49:21.89
leaning not on
your own understanding,
00:49:21.92\00:49:24.39
but leaning on
what His Word says.
00:49:24.43\00:49:27.50
Hope will build up in your heart
00:49:27.53\00:49:30.60
and the God of hope
will cause your heart
00:49:30.63\00:49:34.14
to bubble over with joy.
00:49:34.17\00:49:36.74
Those who trust in the Lord
00:49:36.77\00:49:39.87
have unlimited strength
00:49:39.91\00:49:44.08
or an unlimited
source of strength.
00:49:44.11\00:49:47.55
And He will give you
grace to meet the day.
00:49:47.58\00:49:52.55
I encourage you
today, wait on the Lord.
00:49:52.59\00:49:57.39
Be of good courage.
00:49:57.43\00:49:59.76
Now we're going to hear
from my dear Pastor Ryan Day.
00:49:59.79\00:50:04.70
And Tim Parton will be
accompanying him on the piano
00:50:04.73\00:50:08.64
with this beautiful song.
00:50:08.67\00:50:10.64
When peace
00:50:18.18\00:50:20.82
Like a river
00:50:20.85\00:50:25.65
Attendeth
00:50:25.69\00:50:29.32
My way
00:50:29.36\00:50:33.60
When sorrows
00:50:33.63\00:50:37.57
Like sea
00:50:37.60\00:50:40.80
Billows roll
00:50:40.84\00:50:46.74
Whatever my lot
00:50:46.78\00:50:52.85
Thou hast taught me
00:50:52.88\00:50:58.52
To say
00:50:58.55\00:51:01.19
It is well
00:51:01.22\00:51:05.86
It is well
00:51:05.89\00:51:09.90
With my soul
00:51:09.93\00:51:13.40
It is well
00:51:17.94\00:51:20.48
With my soul
00:51:25.31\00:51:28.42
It is well
00:51:33.15\00:51:37.03
It is well
00:51:37.06\00:51:41.43
With my soul
00:51:41.46\00:51:44.73
And Lord, haste the day
00:51:50.87\00:51:57.71
When my faith shall be sight
00:51:57.75\00:52:04.39
The clouds be rolled back
00:52:04.42\00:52:10.26
As a scroll
00:52:10.29\00:52:12.96
The trumpet shall resound
00:52:18.07\00:52:24.44
And the Lord shall descend
00:52:24.47\00:52:31.11
Where even so
00:52:31.15\00:52:35.32
It is well
00:52:35.35\00:52:38.49
With my soul
00:52:38.52\00:52:42.22
It is well
00:52:46.59\00:52:49.66
With my soul
00:52:54.04\00:52:57.07
It is well
00:53:02.04\00:53:05.88
It is well
00:53:05.91\00:53:08.75
With my soul
00:53:13.05\00:53:18.69
Hallelujah.
00:53:26.00\00:53:27.90
Hallelujah, amen.
00:53:27.94\00:53:30.14
Oh, I'm so glad that
you were with us today.
00:53:30.17\00:53:35.14
And I just wanna take a minute
00:53:35.18\00:53:36.91
since we have a
couple of minutes
00:53:36.95\00:53:39.31
to read something
in and just briefly
00:53:39.35\00:53:43.05
recap what we talked about.
00:53:43.08\00:53:45.55
Lamentations 3:24-26 says,
00:53:45.59\00:53:51.19
"'The Lord is my portion,'
00:53:51.23\00:53:53.06
says my soul,
'Therefore I will help Him!'
00:53:53.09\00:53:57.50
The Lord is good to
those who wait for Him,
00:53:57.53\00:54:01.97
to the soul who seeks Him.
00:54:02.00\00:54:04.87
It is good that one should hope
00:54:04.91\00:54:09.14
and wait quietly
00:54:09.18\00:54:12.38
for the salvation of the Lord.'"
00:54:12.41\00:54:15.92
If you're in God's
waiting room today,
00:54:15.95\00:54:17.85
I'm sorry, my heart is
filled with compassion for you,
00:54:23.09\00:54:29.43
but know that there's
gonna be an end to this trial.
00:54:29.46\00:54:34.60
God will bring you
through this fiery trial.
00:54:34.64\00:54:37.94
He'll carry you
through and bring you out
00:54:37.97\00:54:39.64
on the other side
not smelling like smoke.
00:54:39.67\00:54:43.75
Remember that it's
not a lack of faith
00:54:43.78\00:54:47.25
to admit that your
partner is crushing you.
00:54:47.28\00:54:50.99
Paul did, some
are just unbearable.
00:54:51.02\00:54:56.32
And remember to
hope in the Lord.
00:54:56.36\00:55:01.26
You could have
eager expectation,
00:55:01.30\00:55:04.73
God will fulfill
00:55:04.77\00:55:06.40
all of His promises in His Word.
00:55:06.43\00:55:10.51
Remember, don't strain
00:55:10.54\00:55:15.04
against the
restraints the bands of love,
00:55:15.08\00:55:18.81
that God has put
there for your well-being.
00:55:18.85\00:55:23.55
Remember that He is wooing you,
00:55:23.59\00:55:29.52
even now, can
you sense His wooing?
00:55:29.56\00:55:35.56
With cords of loving
kindness our God is calling you.
00:55:35.60\00:55:41.54
Please learn to accept
00:55:41.57\00:55:46.47
God's gifts from others.
00:55:46.51\00:55:49.24
Don't rob them of
an opportunity to grow
00:55:49.28\00:55:54.58
in self-sacrificing love.
00:55:54.62\00:56:00.16
Rip the mask of
verbal camouflage off.
00:56:00.19\00:56:04.79
Come before the
Lord He already knows,
00:56:04.83\00:56:08.23
but share with someone
00:56:08.26\00:56:10.73
who will be your
stretcher-bearer.
00:56:10.77\00:56:16.44
And please remember,
00:56:16.47\00:56:18.74
grieving is
different than self-pity.
00:56:18.77\00:56:23.14
Grieving requires,
it craves compassion.
00:56:23.18\00:56:29.18
God will be there for you,
but I want to encourage you.
00:56:29.22\00:56:33.36
If you know someone
in God's waiting room,
00:56:33.39\00:56:37.03
if you know
someone who's going through
00:56:37.06\00:56:40.33
a difficult time, you be the one
00:56:40.36\00:56:45.53
who is going to
offer God's grace to them.
00:56:45.57\00:56:51.31
Thank you so much
for joining us today.
00:56:51.34\00:56:54.68
You know, we love you. We do.
00:56:54.71\00:56:57.75
We pray for you all the time.
00:56:57.78\00:56:59.91
You're are our family,
but always remember this.
00:56:59.95\00:57:04.19
Nobody, nobody can
love you more than God.
00:57:04.22\00:57:08.92
Oh, please accept His love,
00:57:08.96\00:57:13.29
allow Him to love you.
00:57:13.33\00:57:15.73
Don't reject your Creator
00:57:15.76\00:57:19.40
and the one who
has an inheritance
00:57:19.43\00:57:22.54
saved for you in heaven.
00:57:22.57\00:57:25.77
God bless you now and always.
00:57:25.81\00:57:29.44
Bye-bye.
00:57:29.48\00:57:30.81