Special Q&A with Greg Laurie: 2

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org everybody on gray glory, welcome to Q&A with some of the pastors here at harvest. We have Pastor Jeff listening Pastor Jonathan Lori Pastor Jason fell and we have Kristin Hill. She's not a pastor but she attends our church and she's going to help out with a question. So welcome Kristin and so were just taking questions that you guys have sent that are related to this whole pandemic were dealing with related to your Christian life related to just questions you have about the Bible so we hope this is helpful for you.

We have a little chat room set up as you can see if you're watching us on a computer on the tablet or phone you can jump into the chat room and join us if you're watching on TV you might pick up a laptop or a phone. Enjoy this and get the chat thing because this is a great way for us to interact right so let's dive right in the end Jason know what kind of questions you have or what questions do you have yeah I just want to even just point out you.

We appreciate all the questions being asked on.

We invite more to be asked in the chat room as we continue to do this more often think about one of the questions that continues to come up over and over again is about stress and anxiety that you know with everything happening.

They just feel like it's coming down upon them, and so this person called Jackson said what if you have serious anxiety and you get worried all the time you well it's it's hard you know that I don't think there's a magic formula to overcome worry forever to get something to do every time it gets into me and everyone worries so don't feel badly because you have worries or concerns. I think what we want to do is take and anxiety take a concern and turn it into a prayer as I've often said turn your worries in the worship turn your panic in the prayer and so is Philippians reminds us, don't worry about anything, pray about everything in God's peace will guard your heart and mind so committed to the Lord who was it was a Martin Luther that said pray and let God worry something like that.

And of course God doesn't worry but you can committed to the Lord because obsessing over it. Having anxiety over to just can eat you up inside and it's not helpful at all.

So just keep turning it over to the Lord and in the thing I would add is still your mind with the word of God because a lot of times it's refuting a worry with biblical teaching. So the word comes in the mind. Let mind like what if this happens or what event happens and I reassure myself with what the Bible tells me Jeff would what comes to your mind when you think about potential worry in a potential Scripture that can help to alleviate that worry yeah well I do obviously with the coded 19 and all that's going on. A lot of people are worried but I think you want to go to Scripture, she sort of alluded to is Philippians 460 worry about nothing, pray about everything and I so agree with you and you been teaching this for years. From the pulpit.

You know we can't stop temptation coming. We can't stop worry from coming, but it's how we respond to and how we deal with it and going to the word allowing the word to fill our minds spending time in prayer and even Justin worship worshiping the Lord and so that's how we respond to worry we can't stop it, but we can definitely respond to it and kinda stopped in its tracks.

Yeah, you know, in also Philippians of pulses, whatsoever things are true and lovely and of good report income these things so I think if you're constantly watching the news that's like pouring gas on the fire and we need to know what's going on in the world but if you're just sitting around watching the news or reading newsfeeds on your phone all day, you're probably going to worry more than if you get out in nature. Take a nice walk. Fill your mind with the word of God have worship songs. These are all helpful things.

So Kristin, what questions do you have so what is the best advice for a Christian couple to be doing before our wedding on October 10. Let's see now how long of you been married to Jake almost 3 years in July.

We're the closest thing to an that thing you're the closest person to be in a newlywed up in the states. I want you tell us what you think about that honest advice. The best thing that my husband and I did it was prepared and I don't mean prepare for just the wedding day to prepare for marriage. It's very easy to get caught up in the Pinterest boards and who's in a being your wedding, but the core thing is that David and and and your managers cannot last forever, and that's our help right so prepare work on communication unit get some counseling within your church work on, you know, I've actually I recommend love and respect that was probably the best book taken I ever read a text. Now I need love as a woman and how it has been users act and wrap it all up during this crazy time. I can see the preparation that Jake and I did. I can see the fruits of that labor now and that's been really blessed like a true blessing. During this time, when he's home more often have excellent answer. You know that you brought up a good point of the Bible specifically says to husband's husbands, love your wives, and it specifically says the wise wise respect your husbands. That's not to say that a wife should not love her husband is not to see husband to not respect his wife, but it is to say the Bible says this so let's make sure we're doing this and as you said, a woman needs love a woman and men due to of course, but to tell her you love her to affirm her and men need respect and you know a lot of times in Christian homes, men are getting respect. Although the song by Aretha Franklin Re: SPECT respect right and we think of it as a female say and I want a little respect but originally when that song was written. It was from a man's point of view and a menacing I need some respect.

So let your husband know you respect them guys.

Let your wives know you love them, a Jonathan work on the questions of come your way. Yeah here's it is a good one. Another one on marriage.

I can a marriage be saved after one has committed adultery with her heart's net, but the answer is yes, because adultery is not only grounds for divorce. It's also grounds for forgiveness and there is a release clause we have to be honest that is given in Scripture that if you violate your oneness by being unfaithful to your spouse, you can technically break the marriage up and I've seen marriage is destroyed by adultery. Don't ever go there.

Don't even think about it, don't start with the porn and the flirting and the texting with women that you're not married to her.

The 16 or whatever else you're doing. Stay away from all that stuff. It just leads to misery. But having said that, if one spouse is in people to another. They can overcome it. Taken work through it and that person who is offended can be forgiven that I've seen that happen many times and I've seen marriages survive it. So at all costs. Trying to save a marriage, especially when there's children involved.

You know, so it's a hard one, but I've seen the Lord work and bring marriages together any of the thoughts and that you guys yeah we we've seen that happen countless times you know people come in for counseling. There's been infidelity and its devastating it. It really hurts the marriage, but we've also seen and when a couple chooses to reconcile. It can be such a beautiful picture of forgiveness and grace and how that couple is able to reconcile and then really we've seen amazing things happen when a couple decides to stay together and not to divorce over that issue and God can really blessed if you choose to honor him really true about one of the questions you have. Kristin C. Do you think our loved ones can CS from heaven. Good question.

I think the answer is maybe-ish is that even a proper answer. There's a lot of interesting passages on this and and one view is no they can't, and in sort of the way it's presented is will be so busy up and have been praising the Lord we wouldn't care about what's going on in earth so people wouldn't care and they wouldn't be watching. Well I don't know that that's completely true because I know this we know more and Kevin that we know on earth, not less. So sometimes people ask the question what we recognize one another in Evan my answer is, of course, you think you be more stupid and have in the New World on earth. So I believe will recognize one another because the Bible says will know is we are known, the book of Revelation is a story there's a story of the tribulation martyrs who have been put to death for their faith in Christ. And while in heaven there saying to God how long the Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth.

So what I see from that is number one.

There were aware of time. They say how long, old Lord unnumbered to their aware of their life on earth until you avenge our blood on those who did this to us, so there is a sense of wanting justice in heaven, and there is a memory of this life on earth to sometimes people say you won't remember anything about your life on earth will if that's true when I'm receiving rewards at the bema seat or the judgment seat of Christ, how what I be oblivious to what I did under the firm receiving a reward for my faithfulness to the Lord so that argument breaks apart but then some will send the other side of our loved ones up there in heaven. You know, sitting in lawn chairs rooting for us. Probably not launchers, but that's based on you know Hebrews that says were surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let's run the race of this up before is so the idea that there there the cloud of witnesses, maybe they are. Or maybe it's just alluding to Hebrews 11 that says in the fact he heard the examples of others went before you end and that cloud of witnesses, you know what before you.

So I I think maybe they are aware is one of the thought that Jesus said there is joy in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance and does so there is joy in heaven. So what that could be saying this every time someone believes in Jesus.

They have a shot of joy in heaven. Is it possible that if I'm in heaven let's say my son or my father or someone. I was connected to came to Christ as a result of my testimony and there was a victory shot in heaven that I might be aware that that was something I played a role in these are questions we don't know the answers to. That's why I said maybe-ish anything you would add to that, Jeff. No, I think maybe issues a great answer.

The things that this is oversee a topic that you know we've thought about extensively because Christopher's been in heaven now for 11 years and he would've been 45 this last April 1 and we've thought about you know okay so we know for sure that there in heaven there with the Lord, and there is a question that asks, we know that someday, when Christ returns. There's the rapture of the church.

There will be that bodily physical resurrection generally look forward to.

As Christians, what about in the meantime right now. Today you know April 2021 are people doing in heaven right now. Well there.

The worshiping the Lord in heaven there serving him. The Bible says they serve him. What kind of bodies that they come because there is a bodily resurrection jumps into my flesh I will see God.

We know the Bible says that when that our bodies will be like his will see him as he is and we will be like him.

The Bible says of Christ had a physical body that he was in after his resurrection, it was still Jesus as he said to his disciples it is I am not another soul wasn't another Jesus, it was him.

He stillborn his hands and his side. The marks of the crucifixion, but yet he did things and that a resurrection body. He had not done previously like appear in a room without using a door ascending to heaven which to me is another form of flying. I hope we get the fly in heaven I and my dreams. I've been in heaven flying so hoping those dreams will come true. So I think that it seems that there may be an intermediate body. Jeff that were in Wimmer in heaven. We don't really know. We know that will have our body resurrected again will be the perfected state of ourselves, but to other maybe an intermediate body that were written while were in heaven what are your thoughts and that's a great question that often gets asters are basically minor setting three schools of thought that were spirit that's going to be with the Lord that there's perhaps a temporary body before we get our ultimate glorified body will begin our glorified bodies immediately.

I think you can make a little bit of a case for and against all of these, but we just don't know for sure, but as you well said Pastor Greg we are going to get a glorified body. The Bible is very clear about that. It talks in first Corinthians, you know, her body was you dice and corruption. It's raising incorruption and working to have a glorified body with which to worship the Lord exactly how it is now. We don't know Jonathan you alluded to the rapture. We do know at the rapture that the dead in Christ will be wised up their bodies will be raised up and then transformed in the glorified bodies and will join their spirits as well so will see the timing of all that when were there. I think an interesting perspective to was the apostle Paul.

Of course when when he went to heaven he said I went to the third heaven weather was in the body or out of the body. I don't know for sure. So what is he saying true, it didn't really matter that much of an intermediate state. It didn't really matter. I was in the glory I was in the presence of God in his presence, or's forms of joy. That is what the point he was making is it weather was in the body or out of body. Nobody knows for sure intermediate body. We don't know but we do know were to be with the Lord and that's going to be a beautiful beautiful time is right. As the Bible says it's all good man exited the Bible doesn't say that but but in this case he it's true, it's all good man. It'll be great to love it and then heaven will come to work because that that Scripture Jesus taught us to pray the Lord's prayer. Thy kingdom come, thy kingdom that will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So when we pray that or say that were praying for the kingdom to come to earth and so were going to go to heaven be with the Lord is going to return to the earth in the second coming and then he's going to rule and reign on the planet and so we will come back and live on this earth and it will be in a perfected state so what else you got there. Yeah got a really good one here and so it says how do I know when God is speaking to me always. Your people say it, but how do you know the question Kristin how do you know and go to speaking to you.

For me personally, I start to get kinda nervous as I know God is calling me out of my comfort zone nugget kinda hot and nervous and okay learning sure you want me to say this or are you really telling me this so personally.

That's how on. I feel he speaks to me but also putting whatever is coming through my mind next to Scripture, knowing that it is of no sound. It's it's what the Lord is saying in his word first so I'm not confused by anything else around me that you personally I'm like okay Lord, you tell me something to get together for me. It's sort of like it's on an audible voice pattern of the never heard the audible voice of God. They get very strong impression and I know it when it's there.

Sometimes it's a sense of I need to talk to this person that maybe it's incentive. I need to do a certain thing and when it's there. I know it. I member hearing Pastor Chuck Smith tell a story. He said his little grandson said to his mom one night mom. God never speaks to me and she said no honey, the Lord speaks all the time to you and he said no he doesn't speak to me and she said you know when you do something bad in your conscience remind you that it was wrong that can be God speaking to you than a model or by the said mom God speaks to me all the time so so check out is of the Lord speak to you definitely through his word is the revealed word of God it's inspired it's God breathed and is Kristin well said. We want to measure and weigh everything against the template of God's word and enough up somebody say I believe that God showed me this and it contradicts Scripture.

I can guarantee you God didn't say that's right might be another voice like the enemy or whatever. So when everything by Scripture as pastor Greg is taught for many years, you know, the primary way we communicate with God to him is in prayer and the primary way that God communicates with us is through his holy word. You know it's interesting when the apostle Paul was preaching, we read that those in Berea search the Scriptures to see if these things were so. So that's the idea is you listen to someone speak and that means anyone me sending when you hear any preacher don't just take a preacher's word for you hold every pastor every preacher, every evangelist note to the word of God, and it should be backed up by Scripture. If we cannot say, thus saith the Lord, we shouldn't say it is Peter set on the day of Pentecost. This is that which was spoken up of the prophet Joel get a biblical backing for the phenomena of the day of Pentecost. He pointed to what Joel said and we should always be able to say this is that which is been spoken of by fill in Scripture share you have any other questions or Kristin yes from Michelle Williamson.

I have an autistic child.

How does the Lord reach those with limited communication and understanding of who the Lord is suggestions of what I should be praying over my child rots really interesting and challenging issue. She's facing Jason what your thoughts on that. I think two things.

One, I am reminded that you know Jesus's love for the little children, you know, he said he noted suffer not the children to come to me like let let the little ones come to me there's a special way in which God loves these little ones and and I think handicaps fall under that category to those with special needs you not to long ago I actually did a e-service memorial service for a young lady, her name was Adele Gomez and she was 26 years old and she passed away, but she had that the mental capacities of a little one of little child and the only thing that she would say of she did know her parents names you know anything is.

She was a Jesus loves me.

I was literally the only thing that she would say and sing on a regular basis. You know, and she would get up laconically acted out you, Jesus loves me.

Jesus loves me, and as a per sided over the memorial service. It was a great joy that I got to say Jesus does love her and she is in the presence of Jesus Christ right now completely whole, with that new body with you know I able to speak and leap and jump in and I just want to say I I am confident of the fact that there there is a great love for those little ones as well as those that have the special needs and reminded of a Bible verse in Deuteronomy chapter 1 it talks about the generation I did not inherit the promised land.

If you remember I as you do your pastor Greg so you know there is a you know, the Israelites disobeyed and God said hey you know you didn't listen to me when the spies went into this whole generation is gonna pass away, but he says there Deuteronomy chapter 1.

As for your little ones, the ones that know not. The difference between right and wrong. They will go into the land they will inherit it I will give it to them and so I'm thinking of Deuteronomy chapter 1 where the little ones inherit Canaan.

When the parents disobey, and I can't help but think those little ones inheriting heaven.

They don't know the difference between right and wrong, and so I would say teaching that Jesus loves you like Adele Gomez and and teach them the simple things about about who he is and what he's done, regardless of their capacity to understand. I think Adele's life speaks wonders, Jesus loves me this I answer fantastic front of them of the questions you have. Was say something.

Yeah, and I think this is such a wonderful example of why we in the church are pro life because so many would say oh that child might have down syndrome. That child might have.

You know, a physical inability something wrong with them and so all we want to give them a chance at life where you terminate the pregnancy. Listen, that child has a right to life that little baby mad that they grew up, and yet they may not have the full capacity that healthy human might have a healthy person might have their special needs. You know what if you asked him they'd say I'm glad I'm alive. There's a number special needs people that are part of our ministry here and they serve and they love the Lord and they know the Scripture amount summerlike profits the way they know scripturally proclaim truth and II think it's powerful. It is so important that we are pro life and this is not debatable his Christians, we believe that these little children even though they may have special needs. They are made in the image of God in a rage know that they look forward to heaven as well. That's right.

So here's is a good question. What is your opinion about the United States not being in the Bible. Well it's interesting this nut. I mean at the moment where the reigning superpower in the world. Everything's a little bit upside down right now.

China's emerging is a major superpower and has been for some time militarily and now economically, of course, but tell you it is fascinating to note that the nation this nation is not really found in Scripture and in let me explain.

I think you can make a pretty good case for Russia been mentioned in Scripture, especially as you look at Magog and in Ezekiel 3738. Many believe many scholars believe that's modern-day Russia and I would tend to lean that direction.

You can certainly make a case for Iran being in the Bible because Persia is mentioned specifically in Ezekiel and I think I ran Heather name change from person somewhere around 1935 or so.

My date might be off slightly but tie and then Israel certainly is mentioned in Scripture. And worse, America will we don't know and that's concerning. So here's my the most positive theory I can offer and that is we believe in the rapture of the church. What is that that is a moment when the Lord will return for his people for his bride and will be caught up to meet the Lord in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and thought, and I believe that event can happen at any time. So America we have what is the population of American like 350 million are zealots where 25 million. I got okay so let's just play this out.

Let's say sometimes we hear half of all Americans are Christians. Okay, so that's what 165 million. Let's cut that diligence cut it down to really really conservative. Let's take 25 million.

Okay, let's say there's 25 million Christians in America and I'm sure there are maybe more now but talk because so many of been coming to the Lord. Since this coronavirus thing started happening but of 25 million people disappeared from the face of the earth in a moment, would that affect our nation. These are people that would be in the White House and the military people in so many key positions in our nation. You can see our nation would effectively collapse overnight, so that's what we call a hopeful scenario unless hopeful scenario is that the United States would fall in line with Hein becoming world leader. The Bible calls the antichrist and this man is can have a coalition of nations behind him and is it possible that United they are United States would be one of those nations effectively depleted in power as he emerges with the new economy, a new military a new control of everything that's possible to that's a less hopeful scenario. The most hopeful scenario is that we would be caught up to meet the Lord in the air in the rapture the other thoughts and that anybody know, I think you said it well and understood almost 200 countries in the world and most of them are not named in the Bible and I think you know as Americans we can be a little bit prideful.

Why is the US shot in the Bible and were relatively new country turn 50 years or whatever and I think we have to remember you mentioned Jerusalem and Israel.

Israel is God's chosen people in the focus. Everything is around Israel, God's holy city is Jerusalem were not the center of the world. Jerusalem and Israel is our thing revolves around that. But as far as our nation. In the end times. Yeah there's some good scenarios. I hope you know without we Bible, which I think were seeing now and just an outpouring of God's spirit is just not that not only through our ministry, which is phenomenal. The numbers, but other ministries that were hearing about and I think the Lord's really calling a great number of people to himself in these last days and our country could lose a lot of people on the rapture and that be a great explanation. That's right person you have any other questions. Yes, more along the lines of how, probably most of us are feeling these days but I've been trying to follow God and stay positive but I feel discouraged most of the time.

Any advice yeah Jason, what would you say to someone that's trying to follow God there feeling discouraged.

Well II would say welcome to the club, you know, I'm confident there are so many that are just like you and even when you go to Scripture you can see, you're not alone there either. You know you look at the Psalms as an example in the soma seems to be on her emotional roller coaster.

Most of the time. You know he's rejoicing and praising God. And then he's like whoa is me.

He's weeping on his couch and he's is all over the page and honestly, you know, our emotions change and we go through seasons of great joy. It's almost like springtime. And then we go through seasons that are a lot like fall or winter of the soul and in in the midst of all of it. It's important that we we just continue to focus on the Lord was a God in this dry and weirdly weary land where there is no water. You know I I'm I'm thirsting for you. I need you God and and I would say just continue to trust in the Lord continued to cling onto him and he will get you through. You know he will sustain you. He will not let you go and really if I make more specific cling onto the promises of God.

You know memorize some of the promises of God that is working out all things you know in your life for good that he's finishing the good work that he started in you, you know you're the some amazing promises that there's no thoughts of good and not of evil, you know toward us and so cling onto the promises of God and I just just continue to trust him in the eye doctor I would start. I'm sure you out a little bit more. Well, will you say so please go ahead just personally want to share how you have been trying to stay positive. During this time that one way is to recall recall in my life how God has just done great things has always provided how he's always been in control and how he's never forgotten how he always shows up and then another thing is just remembering my posture.

I think at least for me. I can maybe find myself like this right if I'm down and out armed and feeling just fearful that if I just look at and remember where my help comes from and if all that fails to be real and I can't take this thoughts captive. I found a worship song I put on a worship song and I get that posture and I literally force myself to just be like this. In surrender, because I can't do it now. The Lord has to do it and I need to realize my rightful place in his rightful place so some steps that have been help me you know the Bible says to think some of the Lord for he is good and his mercy endures forever. It doesn't say give thanks to the Lord. When you feel good. Frankly, we don't always feel good and I don't think we should attach a lot to our fleeting emotions, but we we build our faith and our hope on the promises of God and you know these things pass emotions pass their people in the Bible.

Jephthah got discouraged and Jonathan you know Elijah grew despondent, sitting in that cave and in the Lord came to him and he spoke to him and basically said what are you doing here like Woody you know what you doing man you know when Elijah was seven know you know one person pity party and any other get perspective in David Groopman leave the Psalms had his moments of despair and in other people in the Bible that is welded yeah Moses, Jeremiah, so many of them as you well setting and piggybacking off of what Jason said it, you know, don't beat yourself up because you get to Scripture, but he gets discouraged, but we also read and Nehemiah that the joy of the Lord is our strength and so focus on what Christ is done for you.

What you have in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. And during this coalbed crisis that were going through. There's a lot of people that are hurting and have needs. If you start helping other people with their problems in ministry to other people. You can worry a lot less about your young to think about your discouragement. You can have a joy that comes from helping other people in the blessing that comes from that point something you I love that Jeff you know that you said if you want to eat depression. You want to be anxiety. You have a 10 step solution deal step number one is do something for somebody else has a greater need. You do a step number two through nine is followed step number 19 more times basically and that is so true.

You know, we used to go to skid row every month and administered people out there they were hurting. Really, it rock-bottom and I was always amazed that when I'll go out there was a cowboy okay here we go. You know you be really porn out you know in administering the people I always came back filled out because I was so blessed that the ministry opportunities that were happening.

The perspective I had Haggadah been so good to me and how God was meeting the needs of those people out there and here harvest Roxie doing this right now.

We instituted a harvest helps program here at our local campuses Riverside and Orange county where people in the community if they have needs.

We started collecting food in different essential items to distribute the people that are in need and so if you would like to help be a part of that you could bring a nonperishable item right here to harvest orange county or to our campus harbors, Riverside and will collect those items. I will distribute them. If you are a person in the go to harvest.org/help and I felt this little foreman will were willing to go to the pharmacy for people were willing to go pick up different items for them and deliver them if necessary.

For those people that are vulnerable to can't leave our homes and that this is been a wonderful opportunity for church people are living doing this and so encourage you to do that or treatments of folks are watching us from literally around the world so if you're not Southern California I'm sure you have great churches in your community that are doing something very similar, but just to come up with a little ball and that you know the Bible says, given that shall be given unto you press down, shaken together and running over with the same measure you give it will be given to use so you know what I have found often as I can start sometimes when getting ready to preach. Maybe I'm tired of exhausted, whatever, I'm discouraged I can start an empty and I can end on full. It's an interesting thing is I give out what God has given me. It sort of replenishes my supplies so that some helpful advice for you Jason. Any other questions, maybe how we got a good one here anymore. How is God's love evident in the midst of a pandemic where many lives are lost wanted to answer that Mr. know it all not know it.

All kidding man but how is God's love made evident. I think it's all about Jesus. You know when I think about this pandemic I think about a worse pandemic than the coronavirus. I think about sin and we're all SIN positive, but there's amazing news is that there is a cure. There is a vaccine so to speak, to sin, and it's the blood of Jesus Christ. And so the greatest way that I see God's love in the midst of this pandemic is I think about what he's done for me that even while I was still yet a sinner.

Christ died for me and that that's a love incarnate. You know Jesus Christ in human flesh. God so loved the world that he sent his son, and so II see Jesus. I look at him. I think about his great love for me and and honestly what we been doing at the church we know as you mentioned, you know, we've seen thousands upon thousands like 30+ thousand people except Christ were not even keep this to ourselves were letting the world know. Listen, you can know the love of God in this time you normally just personally, but you can even share the love of God in this time and so I think you can know it but you could also share it for such time as this.

That's right, Jeff. What are your thoughts on that.

Yeah.

Well said Jason. And yet the sin issue is our real need and you know you could live your whole life and never experience the coalbed virus never get it.

You could never experience a tornado or hurricane never have cancer and have a really really blessed life. But if you're a sinner and you don't come to Jesus Christ, you cannot perish eternally and so this is our bigger need. And often times these events drive us to Christ and drive us to the cross and were seeing this evident in our own ministry. Thousands and thousands of people there so much good that is coming out of this. It's reminding us that this world is not going to offer us what we need and what we hope for that. Our hope and our trust in our faith and our eternity is found in Jesus Christ.

I love that the Lord is allowing this to drive many people to himself and were just seeing a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit through this summer said before I was afflicted I went astray.

But now I have kept your word. So God can use affliction and hardship to bring us to himself and were seeing a lot of people committing their lives and recommitting their lives to the Lord. So that's one of the good things that is happening. Despite this pandemic, Jonathan do you have any thoughts on that or other questions.

Sure this would be a good one close with Lola Montes's house this how do I pray I need to learn how to understand the Bible.

I read from the King James version and sometimes I get lost in prayer. How can I pray to God. Well, Jesus answered that question did me in what we call the Lord's prayer. You know the funny thing is, the Bible never calls at the Lord's prayer but we do so I'll just call it that because it's a point of reference, but the disciples came to Jesus and said, Lord, teach us to pray and he gave them what we call the Lord's prayer. You know our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done earlier on earth as it is in heaven, and so forth. But notice he said after this manner therefore pray.

So the Lord's prayer is great to pray, verbatim, and I've seen Christians pray it verbatim.

And it's beautiful and wonderful but it's also a model for prayer is like after this manner therefore pray.

So if we were to write the Lord's prayer it would probably look like this father who art in heaven give me this day my daily bread. Let the just get to the petitions you know I'm here know but actually the Lord's prayer or the template for all prayer is my father wanted heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So before I say anything about my needs. I'm acknowledging the greatness of God and how I really want just well above my own anything III think that is amazing and at the same time there's a sense in which God understands what when you can't pray you know he understands tears yes you know us is any holes or tears in a bottle and I think about this you know when I was getting ready to propose to my wife. I was worried like when I get out of my knee. What am I gonna say I was like trying to stress through and I'm writing out all these thoughts. How can I tell her that I love her and ended in that moment when I got down on my need asked my wife to marry me. I don't remember anything that I had written down but always I just started to communicate for my heart in a teller but I love her and am thankful for.

And as for the rest of my life with you and it just seemed to flow out you and Psalm 86 it says all people, pour out your heart before the Lord our God is a refuge for us and I think just a sense in which you can just pour out your heart before the Lord as well and not worry about, you know the function or the format of the prayer what it's gonna look like or sound like just just put your heart the forum you know that you love them, your thankful foreman. I love that I is an acrostic is what it's called that you made up. It's called acts. I did make it up but you have repeated it many times I get what I'm you reported it i.e. CTS acts kind of a template for prayer a for adoration. See for confession T for Thanksgiving. As for supplication, so those are, you know you look at if you if you thought of it tree that's 30 feet high, helpful, do right, but if you have the luxury of time you start with adoration.

Just giving praise and glory to God.

See for confession and confess your sins of the Lord T give thanks and supplication, praying for others, but the I was just thinking about when you talk about how your proposed your wife.

I really did not do a very good job of that myself. I thought Kathy says do you remember how you propose to me is that I don't remember. She said were sitting having a meal and you turn to me and said well I guess were getting married. Ha ha I thought. Why was a rural Medicaid I get for getting married hi and she says that was the first moment I realize you actually to marry me that if such a failure like writing speeches and I just kinda mentioned it in passing, but like you said, the thing that God looks for the prayer he is just the movement of a heart toward God and he's going to hear their prayer. The Bible tells a story that one man that said to Jesus, Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief. That's so legit because it's like okay with this much faith as I have, I believe, but they help me with my unbelief because Jeff sometimes people say you have to pray and believe it will be true and confess it and if you don't that's a lack of faith in you point out your own prayer, sometimes we just week and we don't have as much faith as we should have, but we just pray and the Lord hears our prayers. Yeah the Lord looks at the heart like the story that Jesus told of the Pharisee went up to pray in the public and I think you mentioned this in our last Q&A and the one guy obviously fill with religious pride and you know he was just talking to the air where the other man was just humble and spoke from his heart and confess to send and receive it. And God was gracious unto him but I love that you mentioned the model of the Lord's prayer and that you mention Jason the model of acts you know whether your reading the Bible or whether you want to have a fulfilling, fruitful Tyler prayer you kinda have a plan and so with prayer. You know I love the acts model you know the adoration. Confess your sins we all sin.

Each and every day spent time in Thanksgiving and supplication, which means your request and the needs that you have and then intercession praying for others. Keep a prayer list of people that you can be praying for them by time you get to be at the end of the day thinking I went time to pray because I have so many things going. Same thing with reading through the word of God you know started in one of the Gospels, like John and read through the New Testament.

But if you don't have a plan you're not can be very successful at it.

So I like to have these sort of plans of my spiritual life that can help keep me on track. Something the thing you got to that.

I don't think there's much more that sunny okay go ahead another layer to not think it keen in your prayer life to to remember that this is a relationship not a religion. You know, so if you think about relationships between one another and they're going to be unique. My relationship with the Lord is getting me different from Jason's and so on and so forth.

So really focusing that it's that relationship and what we also do in relationships we communicate. So sometimes you know if these amazing models and with no the Lord's prayer but also if you just talk to your father in heaven now and understand, he wants to hear from you and that you can just come as you are and just just talk and he's there, he's always been to be listening to you yeah you know in the Bible says he's able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which you can ask or think God loves to bless you. God loves to hear your prayers.

God loves to answer your prayers. So remember to keep praying about all that you're facing. Looking back to what was said earlier, don't worry about anything, pray about everything.

Thanks for watching this little Q&A time and may God bless all of you