An Understanding Heart Part 2

One race is looking to Jesus thunder Jesus knew that the disciples would be tested in ways they could not imagine after he went to the cross.

That's why he spent his final night with them explaining what would happen today some fearful disciples gain understanding from their master, the Moody Church in Chicago this morning to win with Dr. Sir clear teaching helps us get across the finish line. Master loser. Fear can paralyze people how to do the words of Jesus, help us overcome the fear. Many of us feel gave everyone listening can identify with what I'm going to say now, there is always a battle in our hearts between faith and fear and sometimes fear wins. But when faith wins the fear begins to dissipate.

And that's the point of Jesus Christ, to some extent, the question is how much faith do we put in the words in the promises of Jesus I feel very deeply about a book I've written entitled prepare your heart for an uncertain future and I wrote the book based upon the words of Jesus in the upper room.

This is the last day that we are making this resource available, so be sure to write this down. You can go to RTW offer.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 ask for. Prepare your heart for an uncertain future and thanks in advance for your gifts that help us in the ministry of running to win once again go to RTW offer.com or 1-888-218-9337 years, Lazarus.

This poor guy to be distinguished by the way, from the other Lazarus and Jesus raised from the data in this format would come and he would eat with the dogs and then in eternity. Everything got reversed. The rich man was in torment in Hades and he cried up and said, send the Lazarus that he may get some water on my tongue member because he was able to communicate with Abraham, who is next door, though there was a great gulf between the two is not interesting and Lazarus was there with Abraham in paradise.

In bliss the great reversal and the people who think that they have done away with.

Jesus will discover that they have not done it because he will come back in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord in the glory of his power. You John can do away with him.

Even when you think you have their key is about the disciples. Jesus said their sorrow is going to be turned into joy were back here in the 16th chapter of John where he gives this remarkable illustration in verse 21. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come.

But when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.

Let me give you a personal observed illustration of Christ's words in verse 21 when our daughter who is now 26 years old, was born. My wife was actually in the same room predelivery with another woman, a young woman, bless her heart from Appalachia and this young woman didn't quite know what was going on, so she cried out continuously told me to me. Somebody just take a hammer told me to me all that well so our daughter was born. I walked down the hall. She was born about 1 o'clock.

If I remember correctly I walked down the hall. Later that afternoon and I kept hearing this woman through the door only just tell me the next day we were able to meet with her and to rejoice that indeed a child had been born into the world and she was glad that no one had KO'd her. Don't take people up on some of the things that they request that you do not don't want you to miss Christ's point and this is what it is. Jesus is not just simply saying that joy is going to come after the sorrow. What he's saying is that the very thing that caused the sorrow, namely the birth of this child is the very thing that brings the joy, the very death that caused that the disciples to be grieved is the very death from which blessings would flow only God can do that when I was a teacher at Moody Bible Institute. Many, many, many years ago I used to sometimes ask the students in the classroom. How many of you think back all ask it to you today, you can raise your hand at this point how many of you think that the crucifixion of Christ was evil but I see your hands please.

How many of you are willing to say that the crucifixion of Christ was evil. All my goodness about what to 340, while I goodness my seeing correctly. Bible says in the book of acts evil wicked man nailed him to the cross.

How many of you think the crucifixion of Christ was good few more timid people by what are we going to do it.

These folks there my friend.

You should have gladly enthusiastically and instantly raised your hand in answer to both of those questions.

It was evil, but it is also good in the cross of Christ I glory to God for that I should glory except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified on to me and I onto the world. We we delight in the cross today, but it is only God who can take something that is evil and take that very same thing and turn it into a good that that from the blessing might flow so that's what we have here Jesus is saying that your sorrow will be turned into joy. Remember the story of Joseph. Joseph maligned by his brothers. Some of you come from dysfunctional families. Now there's a dysfunctional family for different brothers from four different mothers was at two different mothers. At any rate, a very motley crew thrown together trying to work together trying to herd their sheep together and they take this one boy whom they really hated Joseph and they want to sell them and they think Betty's dad and then they lie to their father about his whereabouts. And yet, when it all comes together. Joseph says this he said you sold me. He says to his brothers when he is reconciled to them. But God sent me the selling was evil ascending by God to get them to Egypt was good you meant it for evil absolutely and as a result of that, you will be judged for that evil but God meant it for good. That's the way God always works. The sorrow can be turned into joy. Think of your sorrow. Some of the purest joys you will ever have our sorrows that have been transformed by God into joys many years ago in Los Angeles there was a woman who was raped teenage girl raped a child was born.

They decided that this little child. This little baby girl would be called Ethel, well, you probably know the rest of the story she was to grow up and to become a soloist and bless the hearts of tens of thousands and millions of people. She was Ethel Waters who used to sing at the Billy Graham meetings his eye is on the sparrow was the rate evil. You better believe it was evil, indescribably evil, can God take that which is evil, and from it bring blessing. Yes, he does it all the time. Do not ever underestimate God's ability to take as sorrow and to turn it into the joy he does do that even today for you and for me it's nail this down to some bottom lines. First of all, the sorrows of today or let me put it this way. Temporary grief leads to permanent joy is not that what Jesus said I am looking at the last part of verse 22. So with you. Now is the time of your great but I will see you again and you will rejoice and now notice and you're enjoying no one will take from you temporary sorrow, permanent joy.

I need to tell you today. Those of you who sorrow that this too will pass. God in his grace may bring. From what you are going through something beautiful. Hang in there.

The joy becomes permanent.

Many years ago, one of the greatest theologians and pastors in all of America.

Probably I think America's best theologian Jonathan Edwards was voted out of his church, Northampton, Massachusetts. The controversy was because he believed that the only those who should participate in communion were believers as grandfather Solomon Stoddard had said that it's okay to have unbelievers, and so this created controversy within the church. I was at that church in Northampton just a couple of weeks ago couldn't get in. Unfortunately, but walked around it thought about what happened there.

So the congregation had a vote as shirttail relative decided that he would use it to get Jonathan Edwards out and created all kinds of friction and so the boat if I remember correctly, was 230 opposed to him and 32 were in favor of him.

So Jonathan Edwards left the church, the great revivalist good priest with such power and such glory in the first great awakening. How would you handle that if you ever been in a place where because of slander because of misconceptions that people are so willing to believe you have personally suffered your reputation who you are, your position old because of the evil of others. If you been there.

His biographers said of Edwards and here's the phrase now that is happiness in God was beyond the reach of his enemies. There is such a thing as being happy in God but your enemies cannot take away your joy is sin.

Jesus no man takes from you, they can't get at it and also it's a complete joy because Jesus says in the next verse in verse 24. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.

Ask and you will receive in your joy will be complete, permanent and complete second, I want to say that the greater the sorrow, the greater the joy, the greater the sorrow, the greater the joy today. As you walk through that valley that seems so dark and you do not see the end of it. This is what the apostle Paul would say to you for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

If I interpret this correctly what he saying is, the more sorrow the more glory. So hang in there because the day is coming when you will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you. Perhaps there's a final lesson and that is that everyone has to confront Christ at some point in their existence.

The world thought that they had gotten rid of him because he was he was on the cross. There was proof he's finished. No, he rises again, there is again the world today. Things that they done away with Christ buddy is there again and he's coming again and then for those of you who don't know him as Savior.

It's going to be a terrifying experience in less you believe on him because this Christ is one with whom you have to deal you cannot get around it.

But meanwhile, those who know him can hang in because we've read the last page. We don't have to win the battles we know that the war has been won and we try to win the battles and we encourage people to win the battle but were not disappointed because of what happens around us or what happens within our own souls are in our immediate circumstances because we know that there is another day coming as Tony can follow says it's Friday but Sunday's coming. It's on its way. Visualize a concentration camp here you have men who have been starved. People who are walking around almost like skeletons. Some within their camp are dying every single day and then suddenly a song begins to break out some of the prisoners. There were some whispers and then they began to sing together and a smile came to their faces. Now what sense does that make why would anyone rejoice in those circumstances that are so depressing demoralizing painful and almost impossible hours that come from where does the singing come from well someone in that concentration camp had a little radio and he had been listening to the news and discovered that the war was over Germany had surrendered unconditionally and help was on the way. What Jesus is saying is look in the world. You shall have tribulation. Becky ends this section saying that is is in the world. You shall have tribulation verse 33 of this chapter, I told you these things so that in me you may have peace in this world you will have trouble. Take heart of overcome the world. The war has been one. You and I can read the last page help is on the way. Let's pray together. Our father, we do want to thank you for this assurance from the lips of Jesus, we thank you today that it is he who can take the deepest of sorrows, and bring hope to that situation. We thank you today that nothing has escaped his attention that the greatness of our God extends to all the knowledge that we might have and we thank you that he has perfect knowledge and we ask today that you shall pour grace into the lives and hearts of those who grieve. We ask today that those who have never trusted Christ might know that they cannot eternally and continuously live without him, for they too shall meet him and we pray all father until we see him face-to-face. Grant us the ability to believe and to trust in Jesus name we ask a man my friend me. I have a personal word with you. Life is difficult is that we living in a time of political upheaval so many different angry voices on social media issues regarding COBIT, we could make a long list, but at the same time, help is on the way Jesus has given us words of assurance and I want you to have those words hidden in your heart.

I've written a book entitled prepare your heart for an uncertain future is not based on what I believe but rather what Jesus Christ taught his disciples as he prepared them for their uncertain future.

It gave them hope it gave them rebuke it gave them courage and that's exactly what we need. Well today's the last day, we are making this resource available to you.

We make these resources available to help you run all the way to the finish line for a gift of any amount.

The book can be yours. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or you can call us at 1-888-218-9337 now I'm going to be giving you that contact info again. And remember, as I just mentioned. This is the last day, we are making this resource available to you.

The title of the book. Prepare your heart for an uncertain future, based on the words of Jesus, whose words we can trust go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 call right now.

Thanks for helping us because were making a difference.

It's time again for you to ask pastor looks or a question you may have about the Bible or the Christian life are there sins that we can commit that permanently prevents us from having a public ministry. That's the question troubling Joshua who asks, calling the Lord has for a person be rescinded if they become ensnared in a sin like sexual immorality. I've carried the guilt of my sexual impurity for a long time and I wonder if I can ever minister again will you know this is an excellent question, and of course it's being asked by many pastors and Christian leaders because if they commit immorality, they are wondering can I go back into the ministry again and I might say that the evangelical community is divided as to how we should answer that question. On the one hand there are those who say absolutely not. You get one chance at this end. If your credibility is ruined. Your credibility is ruined and you can no longer administer other say well let's be more redemptive than that. But considering your question again as I look at it more carefully. You are asking whether or not your call is rescinded well.

Your call is something that God gave you your call to the ministry you are gifted you were probably trained. The ministry was really the gift that God gave you and now you've committed immorality, or at least at some point in your life you have. Since your call was exercised and I would say that to the calling may still be there, but that doesn't mean that you can exercise it there. Plenty of men and women who have been called by God into ministry.

The call was strong that was persistent. It was proven by their abilities. But now they've disqualified themselves, and may well be that you were among them, so called her no call. The fact is that immorality disqualifies us to go back into the ministry and now I want to add a different part of my answer, of course, it is possible that God may bring you back into ministry. I think that a person who commits immorality should be out of the ministry for probably years to come.

There has to be a real approving of their character but with the end time if they are under accountability. It may well be that they can minister again.

Probably not the way in which they did before, but to it's possible that God may bring you back into the ministry, but here's my word from my heart to yours don't push it. Don't be anxious to get back you let God do this as you humbly and patiently wait before him because credibility is the heart of Christian ministry when we've lost it. It is very, very, very difficult to get it back, but that doesn't mean it's the end of the world for you. God is something for you to do. It might not be ministry but God keeps working in us using us and blessing us even after serious sin. Thank you Dr. would serve for those words of counsel for Joshua if you'd like to hear your question answered. You can go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask pastor looks or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us have run into when 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614, before there was a Bible before even in the Old Testament God called the man out of the counties and promised to make of him a great nation seeing that promise fulfilled required great faith. Next time I'm running to win. We begin a long journey on which will learn significant lessons of faith ourselves.

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