Today on Real Life Radio. Your testimony is amazing. Your testimony, if you tonight, can say, gosh, you know what? The Lord pretty much kept me out of a lot of trouble, and I've been a Christian, and here I am. You are an amazing testimony which is pretty rare, and that is the Testimony of the keeping power of God in your life.
Uh This is real life. Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David Jay, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's Word, the Bible. Do you think that your kid has a solid understanding of where America came from and why we're so blessed? Happy Birthday America, 250 Years of God's Blessings, is a production that we've put out that you're going to want to get your hands on for your kids and your grandkids because it's all about God's good hand upon America.
Get a copy for yourself and you'll enjoy it immensely. The Happy Birthday America booklet. helping the next generation discover the founding truths of our nation. Get your copy today for free, just pay shipping, at jackhibbs.com. On today's edition of Real Life Radio, Pastor Jack continues his series called Disciplines of Life and a message titled Discipline of Disability.
As humans, we all have some kind of limitation. But hard situations can serve a purpose. You see, having a disability doesn't just mean a physical condition, it can be anything that makes life difficult. We often feel like our struggles, well, makes us unique, but all of us have something that we're dealing with.
So today, Pastor Jack teaches us that when we experience difficult things, it can create in us a resilience that we didn't have before. We can't control everything in life, that's for sure, but as Christ's followers, the Lord can change how we see life and how we handle our disabilities can affect others in our lives in a very positive way.
Now with his message called Discipline of Disability. Here's Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs. Grab your Bibles tonight and Turn to Two places as usual, Matthew chapter 28. And Philippians chapter 1.
Well, listen, Matthew chapter 28, beginning of verse 18 tonight. It's those amazing words that Jesus said, and they are the foundation of this series of the disciplines of life series, and tonight, the discipline of life. of disability. And we're not necessarily talking about a physical disability, though we may touch on that for a moment. But Matthew chapter 28, verse 18, Jesus came and he spoke to his disciples.
And he said to them, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father. Of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, verse 20, teaching them to observe all things that is Bible teaching. What is it? that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.
Now quickly, turn to the right to Philippians chapter 1. Verses 12 to 14 tonight. Philippians 1 verses 12 to 14. Paul said to the church at Philippi, But I want you to know, brethren. that the things which happened to me have actually Turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.
So that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and all the rest. That my chains, Paul was in jail. Are in Christ. And most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. We're talking about the discipline of disability tonight.
Now, when we see that word, we often think that it's a limp. Or it's a An ailment that we're going through. It is a deformity, it's something external. And it may very well be. In Paul's case, it was much more than that.
Yes, he was chained to a Roman guard, but The man was absolutely free on the inside. But we know from church history that Paul battled a lot of severe health issues. We know that Church history makes mention. And extra biblical writings that came later that Paul was a man that was. Had been stricken with malaria.
He was a man that didn't appear to be very physically fit. And that kind of goes with the territory. He was a Pharisee. That is that he would have been a full-time student most of his life. He spent a lot of time by candlelight and books.
He was a nerd, we would say today. And for him to come and preach and teach when he showed up, people didn't easily recognize him. He was not some big prominent figure. He easily blended into a crowd. But Paul was also a man that was keenly aware of the demonic activity that he fought against.
He was a man that loved God and Loved God's people. We know that he was very passionate about what he believed. We know that in the book of Acts, for example, chapter 9, before he was a Christian, he was one who presided over Christians being arrested and killed for their faith. Paul would be today kind of like, I don't know. And it was Salman bin Laden getting converted, something like that, something so profound.
Because you know from the Bible that when Paul did get converted to Christianity, none of the Christians wanted to talk to him. They wouldn't let him in their churches. Remember that? He actually wound up, you read the book of Galatians and the book of Acts, he wound up actually staying or having been barred from churches for what appears to be years. And in the book of Galatians, chapter 1, it tells us that Paul was in the wilderness of Arabia being instructed in the Spirit by God Himself.
No wonder why he's a apostle of such profound teaching. But tonight we'll be looking at Disabilities. And how they Come to us, how we deal with them. There's obvious forms. There's not so obvious forms some of them Maybe four.
Pride's sake, we would hide them. We would seek to do anything and everything possible. To make sure nobody knows what our problem is in life, what our disability is in life. And some of them are just flat out there and they're In your face, we would say.
So, number one in our study tonight, look at this, jot it down if you would, and by all means, make this. Applicable to your own heart, is that disabilities are anything but common to us. And let me explain what I mean by that. Disabilities are anything but common to us. He said, why do you say that?
Because you and I, all of us, have disabilities and we think for a moment that what is going on In our lives, is something that is so uniquely us. And it and with that there's a A stigma. But disabilities are anything but common in the sense That When it's your issue. It is paramount. You can look at someone else and you can see, oh, isn't that sad?
Or, oh, you know, look at that. I wonder how they get by. But in reality, is not your Situation very, very painful itself, very keen. And honestly, I've lived a little bit long enough to realize that I don't think there's anyone that's exempt from having some form. Of disability, be it physical and/or emotional.
or mental or maybe spiritual. I was talking to a friend last night and When I came to know Jesus Christ, It was so wonderful for me. The first year of being a Christian was awesome. And then I started reading some really legalistic books. I got into some really heavy.
Legalistic books. I'm not gonna say legalistic. Pastor Romain at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa years ago, he said, listen, Jack, you need to put those books down and pick them up again in about 20 years. when you're rooted and grounded in the grace of God, because these books are not normal. These books are for For different kinds of people.
Well, these kinds of books that I was reading were from great theologians, but they said things like this: if you are not praying four hours a day, you are probably not a Christian.
So I spent three years getting up at 4 o'clock in the morning and praying to 7 to 8 o'clock in the morning. coerced a couple of friends to do that with me for a manner of years and It's bizarre, all three of them now are pastors pastoring churches, but I tell you what, we were the four horsemen of the apocalypse back in those days of legalism. And we looked like super saints on the outside, but let me tell you, on the inside, we were withering away. We knew Jesus, we were saved, but we didn't know his peace. And there's a big difference.
Whatever the situation is in your life, mark this down: experience. We learn this in verse 12. There's something to be said. And that's regarding the experience. Of a disability and walking with God.
Paul says to the church, but I want you to know, brethren. He's talking to fellow Christians. And this is a mandate. The word know, right here, is the Greek word gonosko, it means this. I have this announcement.
Or we've heard the old English term resolved. Patrick Henry was big on that. Resolved, we make these declarations. Resolved, it means I'm making a statement and it's a big one. That's exactly the word that Paul used here: resolved, know this, I'm making an announcement.
It means to make someone completely aware of what you're about to say. This is a Tremendous thought. He says, I want you to absolutely not miss, my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, that I've got something to say. He's talking about an experience. He says, I'm going to share with you.
From prison. An experience That will affect you for the rest of your life. And so everybody would have perked up, they would have listened carefully to this. That's a testimony, my friend. That's a witness.
And your witness as a Christian tonight is a very powerful thing. A testimony. We don't hear so much about testimonies.
Now I know that some churches They might get away from teaching the Bible and everybody's got a testimony and then Maybe like Our church, we wind up having trying to cram so much Bible into such a short period of time, we don't get there any testimonies. But if you have a friend or a friendship with people or in a small group setting, you ought to share your testimony. You say, Jack, what are you talking about? Your testimony is your story as to how you met Jesus Christ. And if you don't have a testimony, I want to ask you why not?
All of our testimonies are different. My wife grew up in a Christian home. She cannot tell you the day that she accepted Christ. I mean, she knows that there's a day that she prayed to accept the Lord, but she's always believed in him, so she can't nail that day down. Maybe some of you are like that.
You just don't know the day that you came to believe. You've always believed. My wife has that testimony. She says, I've never lived not knowing Jesus.
Well, I lived not knowing Jesus, and between the two of us, we have two different testimonies. But both are valid. Both are equal.
Now I know the culture we live in. In fact, this is wrong. Oh man, have you heard that guy's testimony? It's awesome.
Well, why? Oh man, he was a murderer and he bit cats and halves and he outran cars and he jumped over. What? And then, when you know, people hear stuff like that, and probably who knows, most of those kinds of testimonies may not even be true. I don't know.
How are you going to prove that? And then you see someone or you someone sitting in the church and they're going, Man, I'm a loser. I don't have some wicked, horrible story. You on time out? You know, if that's you tonight and you're saying, well, my life wasn't, you know, I mean, I came to Jesus, but it wasn't all that, you know, humongously wicked.
I mean, I didn't like it. you know rob any banks or anything and And you start to feel like you're some sort of a sub-Christian.
Well, Jesus kinda saved me because I wasn't all that bad like that guy. Listen, your testimony is amazing. Your testimony, if you tonight can say, gosh, you know what? The Lord pretty much kept me out of a lot of trouble, and I've been a Christian, and here I am. You are an amazing testimony, which is pretty rare, and that is the Testimony of the keeping power of God in your life.
That's a big deal. You're listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. To learn more about this ministry or to catch up on some previous episodes, go to jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. And now, let's get back to today's message.
Once again, here's Pastor Jack. You are an amazing testimony which is pretty rare, and that is the Testimony of the keeping power of God in your life. That's a big deal. Anybody can say What God has delivered them from. It's pretty common actually.
But the truth of the matter is If tonight you can say, well, you know what? The Lord has just done this thing in my life, and this is my experience. Paul is saying to the church at Philippi, this is my experience, it's your life's experience. That you would say tonight, you know what, it is and has been a disability, Jack, my life. That's not what God says.
It's anything but common. And this is very important because in your experience you have The literal calling from God to take your life's story. And some of you are young in here tonight. And your story is being built right now. And God will use you.
You say, well, what would I do? Go look for trouble so I can have some big. No, trouble will come and find you. But be strong. Have that testimony.
In Luke chapter 21, verse 12, Jesus said, But before all these things, They will lay their hands on you and persecute you and deliver you from synagogue and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony, to give a witness for Jesus, your life's experience. the hardships, the difficulties, the joys. There is nothing common in your life. As a Christian, absolutely.
As a non-Christian, Absolutely. God is at work in your life. Secondly, under this point, there's something to be learned, and that is the situation. Look at verse 12. He says, that the things which happened to me.
This is a tremendous statement. He's talking about challenges and urgencies that have come upon his life. This is the Apostle Paul, and he's in jail. The guy is in a place where nobody wants to be. And he's in the first century jail.
It's not like, you know. Jails today are jails in California. This is horrible stuff. And he's in jail. And you know what he's in jail for?
He's been found guilty of being a Christian. Convicted. of being a witness for Jesus Christ. How cool is that? Man, what are you in here for?
Can you imagine? He's ball. He's Just this little nerd of a guy student. All these big burly Roman Empire Strikes back, gladiator Jedis. What are you in here for?
Uh preaching the gospel. Preaching the what? Can you imagine? He says, these things, they've happened to me. And it almost like, oh, Paul, golly, somebody send us some chocolates.
It's horrible. Look what happened to him. Can you believe it? No, Paul is saying, wait a minute. Wait, you guys need to know something.
These things that have happened to me, he's talking about his situation. Every one of us have got a situation right now. Do we not? Man, if you don't have a situation, what are you doing? Or what are you not doing to not have a situation?
And whatever your situation is, the Lord wants to be right in the middle of it. And if you just say, Lord, yes, I want you in the middle of it. Oh, he loves that stuff. He comes in, starts moving things around, he starts doing things, and Paul announces that his thing had not just happened to him. He said, Oh, Pastor, life's been so difficult to me, and it's been such a hard thing.
And I just feel so defeated. I feel so down. I feel so alone. Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What book are you reading?
He's with you. He's working and Paul's he's chained. To These Incredible. Centurion guards And we know that From the book of Ephesians, he begins to state. The armament of what it takes to be a believer because he saw what it took.
And what the Roman Empire wanted out of a soldier. And Paul is saying, you know what? In your situation, Here's the deal. And he can say it with power. He's coming up to us right now, and he's speaking to us from the Word of God.
The Holy Spirit is using His words, and He's saying, I'm in jail. I know what it's like, and here's the deal. This just didn't happen to me. This has been a plan of God. God's at work in my life.
You can't stop somebody like this. In Philippians 4:11, the Bible says, For I have learned in whatever state. That I am in to be content. You can insert California right there. For whatever I've learned.
He says, I've learned this: that I can be content in whatever situation, whatever condition, whatever is going on in my life. And what is happening in your life? What's going on right now? Is it pressure from within? Is it pressure from without?
Is it evil? Is it danger? Is it threats? Are you being... misrepresented Is it a financial thing?
What is it? He is there. He's with you. Is it a relationship thing? Not knowing who likes you, who loves you.
Does anybody? He's there. He's in the moment. Our situation transcends this world. A lot of bad stuff happening, a lot of bad stuff.
Listen. It could be worse. And what what if it gets worse?
So what it gets worse? We're gonna retire someday. And Wall Street won't have a thing. to do with it. It'd be Golden Street with God, retirement with Jesus.
This world's not our home. And it's a good thing. There's something to be learned in the situation that you're living through right now. The Lord loves you. Maybe somebody's telling you they love you.
If you love me, you'll do this. If you love me, that or the other. Jesus says this: I love you. And the whole thing is, the Bible says it's the goodness of God that leads a man. to repentance.
Isn't that amazing? You might be sitting here tonight saying, I don't need God. My life's been so good. I'm doing great without God. You funny guy.
The Bible says it's the goodness of God that's leading you to repentance. You look around at your empire and you go, wow. God's been good to me. You say, well, what if somebody doesn't come to Christ? By goodness.
Well, he has other means. He's got a lot of tools in his toolbox. Many a time seems like it's happening more and more. A woman will say, Pastor, will you pray for me because my husband has left the home? Yeah.
I always Feel a deep sense of satisfaction coming from them when I pray for them because this is how I pray. Yeah. So I'll say, Where where's your husband? I don't know, he left with some lady and he's I don't know.
So I said, well, let's pray. What's his name? Billy Bob.
Okay, let's pray for Billy Bob. If your name is Billy Bopp, you're in trouble. Here you go. And I'll pray with her and I'll say, Lord, wherever Billy Bopp is right now. In his waywardness from you and his waywardness from his family.
I'm asking you, Father, right now in Jesus' name that you would do whatever severe mercy. is needed. You say, what is that severe mercy? That means, Lord, I'm asking you, Father, to use whatever leverage you would like. You need to.
to get that guy to bow his knee.
So what does that mean? I have no idea. I don't need to know. Why are you asking God like to break his leg? Could be.
It could be. It could be a. You know? Broken nose. Could be a thought.
I'm going home. I'm going back home. I just lord. Get him. And then we've heard, well, you know, he ran off with his secretary.
Then we pray, Lord. The next time they even try to get together. And I'm not joking, I'm telling you right now, Lord, just cause him to throw up violently. Just get sicker than a dog. I'm dead serious about that.
I said, Jack, you don't mean it. I do. And that's biblical prayer, by the way. David prayed prayers like that. David said, Lord, save my enemies.
If you're not going to save them, break their teeth off in their mouth. David, pray prayer like that. Yeah. Okay, next. Purpose.
Disabilities are anything but common, you guys, in our lives, because God is so in them. They're not something routine. They happen a lot, but you know what? We start thinking, well, man, this happens to everybody. This is life.
But you're just not anybody. God is God and He's working in your life. Which leads us to this was a purpose. There's something to be known in the purpose of what God is doing in our lives. God has a timetable.
And this timetable drives me crazy. I'll prove it to you. 2 Peter 3:8 says, Beloved, Do not forget this one thing: that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. What does that mean? It means he lives in eternity.
That's all it means. Does that mean you count and then you can figure out how many days in the thousand years and then it's going to be one no? It means he is eternal. He's not, look, God's not going like this. Man.
Should hurry up down there. There's no time where he lives. How freaky is that? Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs, here on Real Life Radio, and his message called Discipline of Disability. Thanks for spending time with us today.
You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called The Disciplines of Life. It's a series that highlights the disciplines of a Christ follower and the high cost of sharing our faith with others. And we'll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio. Are you watching what's happening, but wondering what it means? Every day brings new headlines, but not always real answers.
In Happening Now, Pastor Jack Hibbs breaks it all down through the lens of scripture. clear, direct, grounded in truth. From global events to cultural shifts, you'll see what the others miss. and why it matters. Watch the latest episode now at jackhibbs.com.
Hey, thank you again so much for listening. And if you'd like to hear or see more of what we do here, you can always go to jackhibbs.com for all the latest on what's going on with this ministry. And please, if you're ever in the Southern California area, come see us at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills. We'd love to see you there in person. It has been so good to be with you today, and I pray you find yourself in the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
See you on the next episode. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com. Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in His Word.
We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.
