He Doesn't Waste Pain

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Today we really are. If not for God situation because while my you are reading in Mark chapter 6 and seven men and God gave you a really phenomenal inside. If you could share that with our listeners absolutely and it's Robbie. It's good to have you back man good to have you back. It's you know I interview a lot of different people. We talked a lot of different people, but man I enjoyed talking with you at least just as much as anybody else if not more so. We have some good guess but man you're your great talkshow host and if if the listeners if you guys listening to this than definitely check out rot. Robbie has several shows that he's on himself. The Christian car got and well that that that the deal is that which is really fun when somebody's really hungry and thirsty for God. You get to have a discussion on the right and when they really understand Job 38, which were to talk about later you have the people it don't think they have it all figured out are more fun to talk with a nursing yet and yet we at least call on Wynnewood when I was teaching somebody had to sell insurance or training somebody in you come in, you meet somebody and they knew absolutely nothing, but they thought that he knew every why couldn't trade because they were teachable to teach somebody who thinks they know it all and and won't accept advice so but you know you talk about Jim 37 and 38. Job is complaining about everything. Why is this happening why is that happening. Why is this the other and whatever and then in Job 38 says then the Lord answered Job out of the world when and said who is this who darkens counsel now prepare yourself like a man. I will question you and you shall answer me.

Where were you when I when I laid the foundations of the earth.

Tell me if you have understanding who determined its measurements. Surely you know who stretched the line upon it to what words foundations fastened her who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy or who shut who shut in the sea with doors when it burst forth and issued from the womb. When I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band. When I fixed my limit for it, and set bars and doors.

When I said this this far, you may come, but no farther in here your proud waves must stop God goes on and on and on. And then he's asking Job the questions now you know it all, Job tell me about all of this and then I guess Job has an aha moment. Later on, where he says, I've spoken words but I've spoken no more just and I don't have an answer for you God and and and one of the things that I've seen is that many times when when rough times are happening in our lives. Reasons are not always given. We don't always know whether by the relative dies. We don't always know why you know are were having a tough time in and nobody seems to like us, or nobody seems to agree with us or everybody seems to be coming against us. Matter fact, everybody's coming against you when you're in good company because not everybody like Jesus right Robbie. Now all that's thin and therein lies the actual place you went in Mark chapter 6 and seven, but that passage in Job is just precious to me because II always when I hear it. I go back to the young.

You know, honestly, Scientologist that was reading that chapter in the Bible and in and I thought I had all the answers he nonconsent studied Scientologist and I'd also been told to read the Bible, so I had gotten from Genesis all the way to this particular chapter in Job and through the Bible and got madder and madder God and I was really mad about the whole book of Job, like you mean really this book is post be about patients in need, you kill the guy's kids seminary allow Satan to kill the guy's kids and you and and and you know all you allow all the stuff to happen to this poor guy boils and the whole bit.

It and and then we got a listen to these people talk at him for Degen 2930 whatever chapters you know 34 five and I am furious at God. By the time I get to chapter 38 it really know this is this young Scientologist has all the answers and I'm looking for answers yes always numbering the Bible is on looking for answers and I'm like okay, let's have some answers. Instead, God turns the table and says right Robbie, since you have this all figured out you know going little further on in Job had Robbie make it snow. It gets better for my the one that really set me in the wonderland was put a hook in about home with you know, and let's see what happens then. You know, and I had no idea what a bomb it was.

I went by the commentary Matthew Henry commentary in order to figure out when the home was and I found out from mentor and perspective. It was hippopotamus, but I don't. I think it was actually a dinosaur Mallett studies a bit further but nonetheless it I don't think you want to take on hippopotamus or dinosaur unit is just not anything that I could I could reasonably do so I was left with this difficult situation of number one I don't have the answer to making it snow right and number two okay there is a God, and if there is one. He obviously has a very high standard because I saw what happened.

A lot of people that didn't do what was right throughout the Old Testament and you really have a problem and that is that you need. Jesus desperately.

Yes, you need an answer to the situation that you don't measure up you you you you can't make it based on what the standard is and so how do you how do you get yourself to that position which made me even more thirsty to understand so I got to the New Testament.

By the time I got to the chapters that you're referring to Mark. I was all about trust.

Find this guy that that could possibly get me straight.

And that's the beauty of the way that our say the bamboo Bible canonized you may have heard that exhibits of theological word of some kind, but I was thinking this cannonball is headed for my and exterior like this flattened yet that the like, oh, I don't have those answers. I don't have the answers and in and in it, it's interesting when you were talking Robbie. I didn't see this before the show, but I actually see a connection between Job were talking about in Mark chapter 6 in Mark seven and Joe Job is asking why is this all happening. He's complaining against God. He saying things that woe is me, things are bad. He's basically saying God you don't know things good enough. You're not good enough.

God and what I was looking at.

And in Mark chapter 6 and all start off in verse 37 it says but he answered you give them something to eat. They said to him that would that would take more than 1/2 a year's wages are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat, how many lives you have.

He asked go and see when they found out they said they had five loaves and two fish. Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit in groups on the great on the green grass so they sat down in groups of hundreds and 50 taking the lives of the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied and the disciple picked up disciples picked up 12 basketballs broken pieces of bread and fish number of men who had eaten was 5000 out of just a few fish and if you love so and then after that Jesus walks on water. Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him that stated just dismissing the crowd after leaving anyone up to pray. Later on that night the boat was in the middle of the lake and he had gone a lien he saw the disciple straining at the oars because the wind was against him shortly before dawn. He went out to them walking on the lake walking on the lake take courage because there were to what's going to take courage.

It is I don't be afraid. Then in Mark chapter 7, right after Jesus did all these things, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and saw some of the disciples eating food with hands that were to file that is unwashed Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing and Jesus replied Isaiah was was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain. Their teachings were merely human rules you have let go of the commands of God and are holding onto human traditions.

You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions and Jesus goes on and said it doesn't matter here is in verse 14. Listen to be everyone understand this. Nothing outside of a person can do file can defile them by going into the rather it is what comes out of a person that defiles them to Jesus and his disciples were eating the and they didn't wash their hands. The Pharisees don't look at the fact Jesus just walked on water took a few loaves and a few fishes anything 5000 men aside from women and children.

As it says in another and they're saying will you know what Jesus you're eating and you didn't wash your hands at the politically name it.

It's a phenomenal issue you have layers and there is an essential layer of trust that that is like okay… But in the meantime, this is really uncomfortable and then there's this other layer of God has this and you know where is my place in this. And then there's even another layer that's above that that is like okay God is really doing something cool here because he doesn't turn up the volume like this that's right right and less heat. He doesn't waste pain. I just doesn't right and that when you start to see a whole lot of it dawn on some really cool must be happening, as was the case in Joe because Joe got to see some I've never seen a mean you see the world and talk to FF FF FF setup of the email he got an understanding at that clearly you know and has been teaching people for centuries and centuries and centuries. Think how many people have found solace after they lost a child. After they lost her business after the loss or marriage or whatever and they find themselves in Job's shoes. Okay. And then they find themselves in Job chapter 38 right well and in one of the things that I was thinking Robbie and and I I've heard people say this before but I think it was earlier this week I had a recent birthday in. I think I realize God has a sense of humor of the relevant looking in Luke chapter 19 verse 37 and it says when he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles that they had seen Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord peace in heaven and glory in the highest. Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, teacher, rebuke your disciples.

Jesus said, I tell you, he replied, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out something happened to me recently and and and and it was it was it was it was kind of you know, the funny story, but it reminded me of that passage right there were Jesus said the stones will cry out because for years and years my dad not a Christian and I been telling them about Jesus telling them about Jesus hey dad, you need need to give your life to Jesus this and that it and finally it was about two or three years ago. He said Mike he said look, he says you have your beliefs. I have mine. He says, but I don't hear any more about this Jesus is like you left them alone still sometimes essays but I but I kinda left alone and so he actually took us out to eat for for my birthday I was earlier this week and nice birthday. We had a good time and so you know I remember because what we say anything and never two things distinctly that my dad into one of the things my dad came from Jewish background and he did not like the fact that I named my youngest child Christian that was what about number two. I know it has anything to do with Jesus.

So we went out they were sitting there in my three-year-old and my two-year-old are sitting there in my three-year-old looks at my dad and points to my younger son Christianity goes his name is Christian and my dad just got a sense that looks out of any good therefore that it looks at my dad again. He goes his name is Christ nobody told you this, he said anything about this incident a few minutes later were sitting there as well.

Like is that my dad doesn't like Christianity and I were sitting there and he wants but Michael my three-year-old looks my dad goes I miss going to church. My dad heard of, or whatever, but couple that later because look at my daddy because I miss church but you know it is interesting that's how we telling me that God has a sense of humor, but yeah, I mean if we don't say anything about Jesus as the rocks of Christ, so he's good at somebody's getting me the microphone, somebody's gonna be out there telling these people about Jesus in you know the funny thing is I think Stu and I were talking about the other day Robbie, where there many times were the most.

There is the most persecution against Christians. Christianity just seems to blossom on you know about China, about how they suppress Christian anger doing it right now in the underground church is just blown up right and same thing in the Arab countries innovative pulled out a lot of stops on preventing him your real Christianity.

Real faith comes from testing right yet and and and so to some extent, you know, the disciples were when they're out on the lake in the roan against the storm.

I mean this is a test and in that one that they've not phased before you know that they seem to get out on that like in storms.

It seems to be happening more than on one occasion and in fishing expeditions as well when they don't catch anything right and then all of a sudden they do Something in it and and and all these things are leading them to a point of well the solution is decent yeah I mean it says in Sunday school answer right, but it's so much more than my hat and inside. I can't help but note, you know, or ask because you know I peacefully call your dad to Report right.

I think that's really really cool yeah and and so what was his demeanor to all that he literally just sat there and didn't say anything and it was but it was that part. I think it was just like God having a sense of humor saying Mike you you try to tell your dad I keep praying for them and here is another something else that happen. He had a cleaning lady got a new cleaning lady came to his house and he gets this. I think through the VA or whatever and he told me this is probably about a year ago.

He said she's nice. He does a good job but she's always trying to convert me to Christianity.

So it's it's it's it's on another level. Robbie, is that when we told people about Jesus. And when we we got our apartment. Like you said we tell stories wheat wheat we become a witness. We do everything we could do and then at some point. It even says Jesus even said that she said if somebody doesn't receive what you're saying. He says dust off the dust off your shoes and move on and maybe we can all learn something from that. But we can we can continue to pray for people, even after they say no and our prayers work our prayers work and you have a pretty extensive prayer life that you can you pray every morning.

It it's amazing to me the people that I've had a chance to years later somebody that I prayed for witness, for all that stuff and then all of a sudden you know a friend of combined Sega Tony Reames today wanted you to know that he came to Jesus and I saw another day and he said when you see Robbie be sure and tell them that we not accepted Christ and I've had this happen in on a number of occasions where just it's it's it's God's way of letting the rocks cry out to some extent to let you know that. Yes, those prayers can be answered right Nino can't save anybody dislike I can't make it snow and and realize it's one that can is him yeah and and ask him and I have many times Lord is what is it that I can say what is it that you want me to do, but sometimes he wants you to shut up.

Yeah yeah you want to push them into a corner where I gotta fight their way out of it right right right and JD Greer, the president of Southern Baptist Southern Baptist convention actually had a good story about that. He said he said there was a woodpecker that was just packing away, pecking away at a telephone pole and he really wasn't doing anything and he says one night there was a terrible thunderstorm and lightning split the middle of this pole and it just devoured it was no and he says then the little woodpecker came back and he looked at it.

He brought his friends back and he said he said look what I didn't lightning but and that's what we that's what I think maybe sometimes we do we say I lead somebody to Christ.

I II did this really the greatest I've never heard that particular one, but it's completely the case because you know I look in my own life, you know, there were always things that led up. There were people all their all kinds of people that pointed me in whatever directions are that put me in the you know the thinking about what some questions essentially you're right that the only way that telephone pole get split it up for you now know as the lightning ran and and you know that's the beauty of the thing and in the beauty of prayer and the beauty of you know, allowing God to do this but so often you know as a salesman and when you eat your talking earlier about training salesman. If you know how many times have you seen a rookie salesman talk themselves right out of the sale right all the time and I actually when I was when I was selling books door-to-door.

I'm glad I had a lady tell me she said this is what I was just starting out. She said I was interested in. I wanted to buy the books.

She says but then you kept talking and I decided I didn't want the I never forgot that having you know it in an in-kind like we were talking about in the book of Job.

I was telling you before the show. I've got a friend of mine named Scott Briggs. We have a Bible study that we have together in the Lamb's Chapel in Burlington and he gave me a $25 gift card for Starbucks and I was so glad to have it in whatever and so I woke up one morning and I could not find the gift card anywhere and I looked all over the place and what I ended up doing was I ended up cleaning out my car and I finally found the gift card and when I was done cleaning out the car when I was done finding the gift card I go oh not only did I find the gift card which I wanted to begin with, but I clean, I got my correctly and another friend of mine, Chuck Wright, who we actually had on the show and he was good to come down one day this week as he was traveling through to go to New Jersey and I was can have him ask you to say hey you can spend the night and so what my wife and I did was we end up cleaning the bathroom downstairs. We put sheets on the bed week that the whole downstairs of the house cleaned and then around 9 o'clock I called my said hey what time you to be here because Mike you're gonna kill me. He's like unlucky to be there till 12 o'clock midnight, so I may not be able to come and I said no that's no big deal in my wife was kind of upset because she was like well here we get all this cleaning. I said Amanda we needed to clean the downstairs anyways.

Brian now we got downstairs clean and it was like soup.

This kind of stuff happens all the time and maybe what the book of Job is telling us is that maybe God hides our little Starbucks gift card. Or maybe God get somebody to say hater coming to spend the night when they're not.

And we end up cleaning up the whole house and maybe God says hey look, maybe sometimes I can create a little bit of a mess in your life and you start cleaning up stuff that you are, you never thought you were to clean up and it's really God cleaning it up.

But God cleans up stuff in our life that if we would've been in our comfortable little place were we were never would happen, which gets back to his God. In this and in the is nothing like what if not for God, yeah, exactly. That's the exact word if not for not because we begin to frater. I do like me and I'll just talk about myself a lot of stuff that's going on these days you numbing them to worry about the economy begin to worry about my family and and again find myself in those old layers versus woe no. He's turning up the heat and what, when, when the sheets getting turned into the silver gets refined and I used to make turquoise jewelry when I lived in Albuquerque and I would have to solder the silicones that made squash blossom necklaces which were big in the day and and you know that you gotta get the silver just hot enough to where it melts before it will solder the two pieces together and you've heard it say that when the when the silver is ready you can see your face and write on what you're actually saying is the face of the of the of the Potter, so to speak that when God can look at the silver and begin to see his own images as it heated up to the point of the draw since gone and are you then you start to get a mirror and that mirror that's reflecting us is that image of God and so in a sweep come to this point Michelle and we often find ourselves working on conference on if you really ever if you're sitting there wondering why what would it really mean to trust God with my life. Not much is trusting that that everything is gonna work out but trust him with my life with my salvation to be actually found in Christ and what would that look like what what I need to do in order to do that, you know were plan right now. I know Mike, that that God will split this telephone so little telephone bill and income into your heart right. Would you pray with us right now. Jesus, we know were telephone poles yesterday and a lot of people been woodpecker anonymous that we we ask that you would split us wide open that her heart would be open for you to come in and show us the real way.

The way that Job found to actually have perfect peace and actually come to know you serve you with your life. We admit that we have fallen very short. We thought we know a lot of stuff we did not know, and so Lord, we pray that you would save us now and that you would bring us in your can help us to trust you in the fall. You will be more hungry and more thirsty, and we ask this in Jesus name. Thank you for listening to God mightily shows Brian on iTunes.

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