Hope for Getting Through the Tough Times

With all that's happening in the world you may be looking for ways to both entertain and encourage your family. We like to help you do just that by giving you a four week free trial of the adventures in Odyssey club you can find our catalog of nearly 900 adventures in Odyssey programs. These exciting episodes are a great way to keep your family connected to God's truth as you navigate through significant and unexpected changes to your normal day-to-day life. So go to a I/O club.org and get started on your free trial of the adventures in Odyssey club waiting on the Lord is your open water trust. I know that something good is I know you're still so waiting on waiting on you to act. Waiting on you to respond trust so that that's Pastor Max Lou Kato and he's our guest today on Focus on the Family your hostess focus Pres. and Dr. Jim Daly I'm John Fuller and today Max is going to help us understand better some of the feelings we have and some of God's perspective on this pandemic. I hope you'll stay with us John Max locator has for decades been offering encouraging words as simple messages God loves you, so let them and what a wonderful thought and I know that as he shares with us today.

You're going to hear the pastor's heart in his voice and were all carrying burdens in this crisis and he's going to touch on a few today and the main thing is we don't want you to feel in any kind of despair or fear or anxiety.

And this is exactly what were going to talk about. And next, the Cato is a nationally known speaker and best-selling author. He's been a pastor of the teaching pastor of Oak Hill church in San Antonio Texas for many many years.

His book they were offering today that is can be so helpful for you was called. You'll get through this hope and help for your turbulent times. We do have copies of that here check the episode notes for more Max, welcome to Focus on the Family, well thank you my friend Joy really a treat at a few moments with you. I'm surprised you been posting videos during the pandemic and something like 10 million people have viewed your videos that's pretty that's big time man well is more surprised that I think the number 1/11 wound on the call, I think people are just in need of some encouragement there needing to have their spirits lifted. People are battling a lot of uncertainty. We never seen anything like this before is coming at us from all angles all over the world and so I think people or send somebody help me navigate these waters where it is it so such a unique time and I'm sure when you're writing the manuscript. You know the title being you'll get through this hope and help for your turbulent times.

I'm sure he didn't have a pandemic in my digit never know the stories in the Bible, and neither everything everything is covered in Scripture and you'll get through this story is based on a global calamity wasn't a virus and and it was the story of Joseph in the Old Testament and how God had him positioned perfectly perfectly to guide the nation of Egypt plus the surrounding nations of the world global crisis but since we believe in a good way believe that God can use.

Even these clients even expressed… Something that's a story of Joseph. What was intended for evil God used for good. That's a story of the cross.

What was intended as evil probably became Easter Sunday celebration and listen to God.

This pandemic well and when Jesus Christ has chosen that it has served its purpose. He will rock the boat just like he did on the sea of Galilee in the middle of the store will speak and there will be a scientist who discovers a vaccine that will be a miraculous conclusion will be healed on this planet in his presence. I don't know but I'm absolutely convinced that he uses because of his character that he uses these things to accomplish is not so different sermon, but here pastor will accept it and it such. It is such an intriguing thing to think about, you know it it's similar to the winding up of this age that there is going to be this last person on this earth that confesses Christ and boom, that's it.

That's that last person he was waiting for and it's I think it's hard for us to grasp that God is accomplishing his purposes in this environment and there's going to be that last circumstance that you're suggesting that the Lord's gonna want to accomplish in somebody on this planet and it is and then it's done and then humanity moves on. I think it's hard for us to completely understand that we gotta have a big picture big picture. We don't we don't see the whole story compared when I was a high school senior. I got a job on an assembly line building back and cleaners. I built the Sibley line had two or 300 people 300 stations and I was one tiny little call in that assembly. So you just you know chosen to freeze-frame my in that little step action on my part is that there's no purpose, it is very unpleasant, but had he backed away why this lens is 200 people each one has a different job in the end result is a very nice curving back and click well then you can say okay I look Cato's party. That was not too pleasant, but the end result was pretty extraordinary. That's what God is always calling on this. The apostle Paul said these brief involuntary struggles brief and momentary. But these brief involuntary struggles are attaining for us a glory that is beyond comprehension at Elizabeth. This is life is great and momentary is one tiny spot on the assembly line and it's a great backdrop for us to talk about Joseph, let's let's unpack his story little bit, especially for those it might be new believers listening or maybe they've they just never read the story of Joseph describe what's going on there. This is right out of the Old Testament. Here is a condensed version of Joseph.

For those of us have forgotten Joseph was one of 12 sons of Jacob, and he had two drains on the involved moons and stars and she's weight in these dreams all said the same thing this Sunday. Joseph was going to rule over the wise to keep those drinks for himself, boasted about those drinks to his brothers. His brothers were understandably envious and they were good at killing but the side of the money off of it. So they sold him into slavery going down, down, down to Egypt where he ended up as a servant in the household of someone named Potter worked his way up the food chain until he was accused of sexual and propriety by the wife filed for falsely accused by white ended up in prison worked his way up that food chain until I found somebody who could put a good word and for him with the same and that person promised to do so, but forgot all about linguistic prison for at least two is 11742 steps back. And finally, he is promoted from one day to the presence of the palace and bear because he understood these dreams of Pharaoh. Pharaoh said I'm going to put you in charge of overseeing the world and the crowning verse of the story of Joseph really crap a crowning personal theme of sovereignty in the Bible is Genesis 50 in verse 20 he told you intended evil against God intended it for good.

I think I such a sense of promise that God takes intended evil and release it for ultimate good guys, the promise of the book and right now it's just a world of chaos that God is behind the scenes and he's really waving all of this into something so true.

I'm actually done a great job in your book, you'll get through this and I can't imagine a better title for people who are suffering right now because of this pandemic and all the circumstances there in we want to make sure people know John how to get a copy of this book it.

We've got it in stock will be happy to send it out to you. We are open we got folks working all over the place here Focus on the Family safely. Of course, but in many at home but give us a call numbers 800 K in the word family 800-232-6459 or look in the episode notes for the link and Max is your talking and thinking we can read through Joseph story in one sitting. And right now it's such a surreal circumstance with time suspended and who knows what day it is and I met we really have to check all the stuff for some people who are suffering and and really fearful. These are long days. This is a long. Address how time plays into God's sovereignty and and how waiting is part of his purpose. That is a great question because he can read through the story of Joseph in an hour and think, okay, this is pretty painless and so Joseph. He spent a decade and 1/2 at least I wondered what in the world was going on. That's a long time.

That's a long time so learning to wait on the Lord is really I remember somebody pointing out to me how powerful it is. The Isaiah promise those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

Waiting on the Lord, biblically speaking, is not just sitting and waiting room, twiddling your thumbs flipping through a magazine like you're waiting on the doctor waiting on the Lord is putting your open sick, but I trust you. I know that something good is going.

I know you're still on the throne, some waiting on waiting on you to act. Waiting on you to respond in a better trust you until that happens. Hey Max, if it does come down to this application into our current life in her current situation, the John's alluding to a with all of the support systems are most of the support systems that have been blown up because we can't get out were wired for relationship.

We know that is being created in God's image.

That's why he created us for relationship and yet were not functioning in the way we were created.

How do we cope with that.

How do we in this situation. How do we find the support systems. How do we supplement them.

I think territoriality is really helpful. Number one, you got to be kind to yourself. You gotta be kind to yourself. You have never been here before and all those places we've gone first string of all those ways we used to coat many of those are God. Many people would go go to a movie or go walk to the shopping mall just to get a change of pace and here we are stuck under one roof. So be kind to yourself, don't beat yourself up acknowledged that you're having to retool right now. Part of being kind to yourself is allowing yourself a good melt is okay you know there's a book in the Bible: Lamentations because Jeremiah had the laments so much the condition in which he found the society that he was called to serve and sometimes I just gotta save more to stop Lord of the heart and said so allow yourself. Good melt in some people need a meltdown or two a day that you might realize it or picking up. I think that this feels a lot like great were going through. Great were grieving the life that we used to have were grieving the opportunities that we feel we've lost is a great is unmet expectation. We expected etc. getting the and so it's it's hard on us and so acknowledge that this is the Sadducees then lastly I'll say it's so important and that is defined despair just defiant and you know anxiety and fear are intended to be a wake-up call, but they're not intended to be a state of life, so let anxiety serve its purpose.

Letting let fear serve its purpose. Later wake us up. Okay gotta get my finances in order. Okay, I need to start preparing a resume. Okay I got it figure out Plan B so you later wake us up. But don't allow yourself to be sucked down into the despair you know your the pit of despair when you're paralyzed when you're sitting on the couch and you're not moving when your treatment of the struggle is nothing more than a television show or worse, pornography or some kind of being so if you find yourself binging to treat this is not going to help you to sober up and is going to be works so you got a call out to God's and got a and and began putting up plants again to get yourself back on that is so good then and that's one of the reasons Max we are here Focus on the Family and we have has John mentioned that the breakpoint is we have here Christian counselors who can help. We've got folks that are here to step in and put an arm around you. That's the whole purpose of the ministry here in that context.

When you go to. Perhaps the worst case scenarios right now people. The 25 million or so that have lost their jobs, etc. it's wonderful that we have a country that recognizes this in the way of unemployment as a short-term assistance to get people back on their feet.

A lot of countries don't have that and that's a good thing.

Yet the fear is still there. For these folks, you know, some of them are still going to struggle to make that mortgage payment door and ensure that the family has groceries, etc. especially if both mom and dad are out of work right now is speak to that community where the fear can be gripping such great questions and if I can a man what you said about focus on you not only have a great ministry team. There you have had one there for decades regulation that is very kind and you have ministered to me and millions of us around the globe.

So I'm encouraging your listeners if you need to tap into the value season source Focus on the Family instructor okay so to answer your question though about about dealing with the same side I take people all the time to Philippians chapter 4 which is the go to passage frames. I be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving let your requests be made to God.

This is a powerful text in preceding that, and following that text you could all you put those four verses together and you got number one you rejoice in the Lord rejoice in the Lord always again I say rituals.

So whenever you find yourself getting really anxious. Rejoice in the Lord. In other words lift up your eyes and look up into the heavens and set your mind on the apostle Peter could walk on the water as long as he kept his eyes on Christ, but whatever. It's all related in the ways to begin to see so as long as were rejoicing in the Lord. We have a chance of walking on water, and the number two asked the Lord for help. Just asking Ruth be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition letter requesting so prayer is a broad word for talking to God.

Petitioner those specific requests, so let your prayer time be marked by worship by declarations of God's goodness is a Lord specifically specifically on the and then number three. Be grateful. Be grateful. Apostle Paul said do this with Thanksgiving. I'm convinced that the anxious heart and the grateful heart cannot cohabitate one will push the other out in gratitude always pushes and so you lost a lot this year. You have lost so much, I'm so sorry but remember what you do, make a list of what you do and then lastly meditate on good things. Think about what you think. Don't don't allow your mind to be caught up in all the negative I put myself on ration of news I found myself less now news all day long and I was getting more and more tense and so only allow myself, about 10 or 15 minutes of news the day. I know some people a lot more than that, but I can't take more than without getting anxious is figure out what works for you, but make sure you meditate. Yeah, that is really good and I agree with the the dieting on the news is that just creates fear and anxiety. So often you know I'm thinking again about Joseph as were winding up here and how do we practically apply what Joseph obviously understood as a is a God follower even in the Old Testament.

How do we apply living well for God. You know that Genesis 5020 is such a powerful principle. He told his brothers you intended evil for me, but God but God use it for good. In order to bring about this present result. The saving as many people and so if we can understand that God is still active work and he can take these partings.

These heartaches that we add in turn enchantment into something nice extraordinaire Jim when I was 12 years old I went on a camping trip with a man and took four of us good friends. We had become good friends with this man. He was affiliated with an organization's and he sexually abused all five of us, my. It was horrible was a nightmare week we got there and he had the tents and sleeping bags and several bottles of whiskey and it was a nightmare week I came back home on that subject that week in our church that day. I was 12 years in our church that they had had a communion service and I get to our house until about 530 and I felt so there I felt so violated I didn't know what to do with us will tell my parents are 12 years old. My mind wasn't even fully so my parents never tell them I went in and I cleaned up and I showered I watch TV with they went to bed and then the most amazing thing. I went into the kitchen and I staged my own little communion serve. I guy got some juice out of the fridge. I got some bread.

Really we didn't have any bread so I got some potatoes I own little communion serve and Jim just here to tell you, Jesus came and appeared to me that he and he came in he ministered and all these years later I still sense his abiding presence. What was intended as other people against me. Turned out to be a moment in my life that here I'm 65 years old and I still talk about it and I get tears and I became completely convinced in that moment that Jesus Christ was with me yet. I'll go to my great believe that Jesus Christ is with me because that because of that it was a horrible experience but got but God use it for good. I don't think you there is nothing that makes me think that moment in my life was good but God turned it into something and that'll happen talking to your list. Just don't give up. Don't paving just pray we can attempt these evil things and he turns of medicine. Well, Maxima, Cato, I mean I'm listening to that and I so appreciate the vulnerability and the modeling of what we as Christians should be and that is an open book and what a great story.

I mean not only have you studied Joseph you blended man you were in that valley, and my heart goes out to you and that's a horrible situation for any child have to go through and that yet at the same time God has lifted you up to be a Joseph in this generation proclaim Christ that you're known as the nation's pastor think of that would was intended for evil but God.

He had his eye on you that little boy saying you're going to be mine and you are going to lift me up and were going to have fun together.

At that time you could never imagine that. But what I'm what a demonstration of faithfulness as a 12-year-old go in and have your own communion that gripped me. I mean, that is an awesome thing and Max with your experience proof sharing that now at the end here. Can I simply ask you to pray for the people who were in pain man. Now with that being raised. It goes well beyond the impact of a pandemic.

This may be something that happened to them years ago that they've never gotten over and it's a pandemic of their soul. It's robbed them of living life abundantly. Like Jesus said he will give us and may I just ask you to pray for those in pain right now, Lord Jesus will we know that these tragedies six calamities in the way of bruising, wounding our souls and I believe, dear Jesus, you are the healer and sometimes you use a physician or a counselor. Sometimes you just show up. We trust you to do what's right people of England it right now because of the standing they are in. Lord I know that these these calamities can create a trauma in our soul. Even our spirit. Lord, please, and protect take what is intended is evil and turn it into something we ask you Lord Jesus, to stand up in the boat and speak to the store because we know this pandemic will not last. One day, more or less than user so the sovereign over your father.

Until then, worrying about what even though this Rocky work were with you and we thank you for being with us in Jesus name Amen that is so well said and prayed. Thank you so much I'm explicated. We love you.

Thanks for your life and what you stand for and thank you for being with us. Well, it's my honor and I hope we can do it again as of the line seem like we went five minutes and went so fast that they did and that's a good sign that we were hitting the right thing. So thank you thank you (our very best and let me turn to you, the listener man with a beautiful prayer that the pastor explicated prayed right there and were here for you. We set up throughout this program, I can't think of a better title of the book that so many people need right now. Then you'll get through this and it fits with so much of what we're facing today with this pandemic.

So many people facing unemployment. So many people facing other destabilizing elements of their life, but God as Max said and what a wonderful tool to get back on track emotionally, spiritually, and really, if you can help us with the gift of any amount will send you a copy of pastor Maxima Cato's wonderful book to say thank you for helping us do ministry here and let me say this, and I say it often, but if you cannot afford it. We will trust that others will cover the cost of that we will get the book in your hand. So make the call and just ask for it even if you don't have the resources to partner with us in ministry right now. You reach out to us and let us know how we can help you regardless of your circumstances.

There is hope in Max's book courses. Jim said is a great starting point for getting a handle on all the difficulties of the days. It's called you'll get through this hope and help for your turbulent times. Call one 800 K inward family to donate and get your copy of that great book.

We also have it available online. Of course, and a number of other terrific resources to help you in your faith walk in your family relationships, regardless of where you're at. We've been here as Max said during the conversation over 40 years and so we got a lot of terrific help for you in the episode notes will have the link for the website on behalf of Jim Daly and the entire team here. Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back tomorrow as we once again help you and your family thrive in Christ