Reflections on the Problem of Suffering; Reflections on the Prosperity Gospel

It is 911 we reflect this day on the problem of suffering in God's answer and then a wrong teaching that is lead people in the wrong direction. Stage for the line of fire with your host activist and author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience and president of fire school of ministry get into the line of fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH here again is Dr. Michael Brown, so it is the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is a lot to reflect on always. My wife Nancy. We talk about it and as much as it's not her. Her mind when 9/11 comes.

She's had a fresh and of course she and her sister Robin lost her brother Douglas and Douglas, his wife and two children lost husband and father lost that sure they feel acutely to this day. There were so many other thousands of victims and then with their families. Tens of thousands, just as you think of the damage. The pain and what will look at some stats in a moment in terms of ongoing pain damage of suicides and sicknesses and things like that but is, as we reflect on his friends want reflect on something larger. Namely, the problem of suffering. The problem of suffering and then is this in the second half of the broadcast want to talk about the serious error of prosperity theology of a carnal gospel as if the measure of your spirituality is everything is going right in your life with financial success, etc. so we'll talk about that and I want to win a bit more in terms of any his recent statements and where I come in in terms of what I'd written to him some years ago. So what will start that is the bottom of the arbiter ties in directly with the question of suffering, 86634 if you feel the Lord's give you an insight that is helped you deal with tragedy is enabled, you to minister to those who have gone through tragedy, then by all means give us a call 866-34-TRUTH 784 if you're struggling with your own faith or if you feel perhaps like you can't believe in a God that would allow these kinds of things to happen, then please give us a call when I can mark your questions or be critical of how could you believe that or not believe the please give us a call 866-34-TRUTH 784, at the very very least it can be a call for prayer, the very very least, people will pray for you and ask God to help you in the nuts and calling with prayer requests a minute. We can't do that on the air… It's all the redo on radio.

We yes you send us your purpose. Of course we have folks praying over them regularly, but if if your struggle and you feel you can talk about it. Give us a call so I am about to record a show for another radio station and the host of the show solicited questions from her audience and one of the questions was from someone who's close relative lost family members in a freak accident and realistically just one second or two seconds.

Maybe delayed in either way and in the people wouldn't die and it's one of those Y questions you say won't God doesn't stop everything we do. People make choices. Someone goes out gets drunk that he jumped a stop sign the ram into a car you want God to stop you from getting drunk. You want God's it to interview notes on the nobody would ever suffer. There'd be no consequences of anything your house. How far does it go.

This is he playing baseball in the picture slips and in the balls and hit somebody in the head so God this directs the anatomy how fortis go I mean people could ask a question that mean that your your your son is outside playing doesn't fall in skin, his knee, and you say what death is different.

I greets different but so we could make these arguments and raise all kinds of philosophical questions about how much God is going to intervene, but does that really help that person pain right that this really answer them. II have a new article off Esther to Brown.org stream.org which says there are no easy answers to the problem of suffering no easy answers to the problem suffering and I believe in giving answers as best as we can. I believe in defense of the faith apologetics. I debated Prof. Bart Herman back in 2010 Ohio State University on that subject is the Bible offer an adequate answer to the problem of suffering. I believe it does. But the idea that my philosophical or theoretical answer is going to ease the pain of a suffer is highly unlikely unless that person is so philosophically and intellectually oriented and theologically oriented that that's what they need but but many need a hug. More than that and and many need something far, far more than any human hug can do. They ultimately need an encounter with God, saying that in terms of you have to do something. I'm saying that often. That's the only thing that will satisfy because often in this world there are no simple answers and I know that pretty well. Not because I've lived a rough life.

You might my mom and dad passed away. My dad suddenly in 1977 at the age of 63. My mom at the ripe old age of 94. My wife Nancy lost her brother in the World Trade Center tragedy 9/11. Her sister Robin also lost her husband's cancer and then they both lost their dad Alzheimer's related things all in a fairly short period of time. We've had sickness and pain, and other things to deal with lost people close to us that we prayed for, but overall, my life has is not been a terribly difficult pain filled life iodine of many many many many many many many people who suffered much much more.

In this role, many more acute losses we been blessed that I feel my life is overwhelmingly amazingly blessed. That being said, I spent years working on a commentary on Job spent years digging into the Texas spent years trying to understand and let my heart be penetrated by the words of Job and the challenge of Joe so when I say there are no easy answers to the problem suffering, it's not because I struggle with it so much I don't I don't struggle with how could a good God with these things happen. I don't struggle with why is there so much pain in the world.

I grieve over it. I try to do I can to ease that pain. But I honestly don't struggle with my faith, but many others do deep ways.

Some of you do an agonizing was in you beat yourself up over what's wrong with me was the matter with me when I have more faith, why can I trust you more than everything God doesn't want you to do because he he he knows that these are difficult things and he put us in this world. It's one thing to be a rank mocking unbeliever. It's wanting to be a hardhearted skeptic. It's nothing to be a hurting child of God. Struggle with your faith, condemning you for for doubt God for bid so when you go through the book of Job in my commentary is is going to be released. God willing it.

So the Evangelical seminary apologetics conference. It's all set for that in in early October.

Sick leave October.

Then the general release for the public up with next month. But Job is is right there in your face telling you, no easy answers. One of the great answers of Job is God is what I mean.

I mean God the creator God who is full of justice, God, who is a God of order God who is worthy of worship God who is perfectly good, perfectly merciful, perfectly holy God is and when you encounter him. There were no questions. The email usually answers most of the time. No, so why not. One reason is that the things we can understand if you told us.

Lotta things are our brains couldn't get wrapped around if we tried other things, the information wouldn't help us it would be more than we can handle.

And it's not blind faith is not all brown sludge ranch. You stick your head in the sand believe there's a God no-no. We encounter God.

He helps us we encounter God and he changes us will read a few quotes to you there in my article, no easy answer to the problem suffering there from some of them from my debate with Prof. Herman but let me many read this to you 14 years after losing her six youngest children in a freak accident one ultimately caused by another drivers criminal existence six youngest children, Janet Willis said today I have a far greater under census 14 years after losing her six youngest children in a freak accident. The accident happened because the truck driver from did not have a license to be driving had a steel rod.properly load on his truck fell out of his truck under their van set the thing on fire zero the highway. She said today I'm a far greater understanding of the goodness of God that I did before the accident.

I turned to God for strength is had no strength. I learned about him. He made sense when nothing else made sense.

If it were for the Lord.

I would have lost my sanity in my debate. I noted that God is a great Redeemer with society circumstances Satan for evil God can cause to turn out for greater good. So Alexander social needs speak about his harsh imprisonment. He said I nourished my soul. There I say without hesitation blessed you, prison been in my life. Late NFL player Darrell Stingley was crippled by vicious head in the preseason game, but later from his wheelchair said I think as a result of got more out of life, particularly on an emotional level and as a result, a few of my life is much more filth, listen friends I'm not minimizing the pain you're in struggle, Sherin the depression you're fighting can't relate to them. Not in your shoes, not sins were slightly but although some people lose their faith because of suffering, probably many many more turn to God in the midst of their suffering and that's how they get through and that's how they find hope and that's how they find life instead of bitterness, darkness, anger, spare suicide, destroyed marriages, broken families, instead they find life fulfillment, grace, help the recognition that nothing is good be completely set right in this world, but in the world to come. God will set everything right a lot more to come today to listen 86634.

We will file the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the line of fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH dear again is Dr. Michael Brown, Jimmy hey man birthday a few days ago. You must be feeling great right 86634. Truth is, as we talk about no easy answers to the problem of suffering before I go to Sam in Florida.

Got an email this morning from Liberty Counsel about the ongoing effects of the World Trade Center terror attack must similar. Jimmy served as a fireman EMT so he knows a lot of what happens in law enforcement people that the how they put their lives at risk in firemen and things like that so we we often think of those directly affected in terms of people were killed in a terrorist attack but remember how many of those killed in World Trade Center work were firemen and policemen that were going into the building when the thing collapsed right so there's the trauma of that you lose so many of your friends and colleagues, which then led to many suicides, which 11 fires a particular loss of any of their people and then numbers of suicides. After that just don't recover that quickly and easily, and then those that breathing in the fumes that cancer risk and things like that so it lists this since September 11, 2001, 123 New York Police Department officers died in the collapse of the World Trade Center that 11 remains the single biggest killer of officers in the nation's largest police force in fact, 241 members of the NYPD officers have now died of 9/11 related illnesses due to exposure from the dust and rubble. Mr. Long, 50 officers died of cancer and other illnesses contracted during their service on or immediately after September 11, 2001 of 22 new studies scrolling down, published in the medical journey. Journal JAMA network opened by Albert Einstein College of medicine at yeshiva University of fire Department of New York firefighters who were first on the scene when the airborne dust was thickest of a 44% increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease than firefighters who arrived the next day. Long-term effects of 9/11 terror attacks have been just as devastating for New York City firefighters to date 202 FDNY members have died of illnesses related to the service of September 11 or the immediate aftermath 22 of those since last year in the attack itself 343 firefighters die. All because of the madness of terrorists. All because of the sinful acts of sinful man began. It may be no comfort to families with a civil one can't stop it.

God has given us choices. We all make choices in this world. Many of the choices we make are disastrous, not just for ourselves and for others. God will bring good out of it.

God does bring good out of.

Let's not minimize the depth of human evil is not minimize how much destruction can be wrought when people are willing to die for.

The only way his terrorist attacks were so effective was that there were suicide bombers on those planes. There were people willing to turn the planes into bombs, vehicles of destruction at the cost of their own laws. How much more than can we bring healing and life and liberty and freedom and we civil here's my life whatever the cost. Whatever the consequence using to bring healing using to bring hope. Using the bring deliverance and in a God's grace be with the families of these victims with those suffering right now in the midst of despair, rather than cursing God made the turn to God, find hope and find relief find healing and restoration even wall longing for long. Once levels of the myths in this world that that will remains open. May God fill the voyage as they turned to him and made their lives for him until this is so many have that have suffered so much and they met the lower the been helped by God, was taken through it and that they help so so many others. 866-34-TRUTH Sam in Florida what your thoughts are I will Dr. Brown of Silverdale really resonate with you when you started speaking on the brink. All their we do have personal testimonies or thoughts to share on the personal level of about years ago. I fully going through some thing personal life that really really exciting reading showed my life and I offered a lot and I get talking words, God and that that was written by Mike that they didn't like where is God I pray God before detergent. I was a child. The character Christian should very well be serve the Lord all their lives and obscure suffering and is not that we served at the current claim to the called relationship with you that with founder. Honestly, I became really up that really a three. I would put pressure and I will call as he was walking with the fate I will. I was like, i.e. I put I believe that the intervention and prevention of the Lord. There's nothing stopping me from the faith of basically what happened though.

It's really where I thought I either told me aboard on the vault below half echo by photocopiers leader now, the bill for the third thing big issues. I like I speak now I challenge you for my prayer life. If you think things are applicable to everyone with respect, but I do believe that in my situation, the Lord will bring me out, even if it doesn't I believe that going or if the department because I believe the Scripture what that all things work together for the good of those who love God and will call the quantity you all. Good thing all good things will get it at all. Good, bad, ugly. All work was all made up the creek tapestry of the universe, but I personally think that by stiffly by paying one of the that other data that I've been able to reach that I want people to look out that I've become bookable about the think that outgoing touchup likes change because of the people and honestly… I got there. The purpose of I can before outsiders and I will but I will look in either but one of the believers called according to his purpose.

I believe that their department God is usually our pain of it.

Why God allowed my thought short. Sam first thank you for calling, ensuring that and it is it speaks to many, I'm sure even even now what you've gone through and where you are is is helping others, then yes we can run from God and everything gets worse. We can run to God and first thing is we we meet with him. We encounter him.

We are were changed by him, so he gives us greater compassion and love for others and yes the several he passed through.

Look at what Paul writes in Romans five so we rejoice, rejoice in hope of the glory of God within us is in verse three and not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions because we know that affliction produces endurance. Endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope the soap will not disappoint us, because God's love is been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who is been given to us and you know someone could say may be a cynic. Well, what is Sam have to suffer and then his sufferings. He helps other people suffering wanted to stop the suffering will were in a fallen world when a broken world, and whatever we go through if we do love the Lord, it will turn out for something better.

It will pain the difficulty the circumstance with Satan or the world or sin being for evil gobble turn for good semi-just want to pray with you and for you. Can we do that friends.

Lord I thank you for Sam, thank you for his determination by your grace to run towards you. Away from you and I pray first that you would meet him that he would know you in a way he has never known you before me that the soul father and and then that he become conform more and more to the character of Jesus, thereby able to bless many others, and then your mercy is you've delivered your people time and time again bring them deliverance, freedom and strength, and then in the place of liberty and freedom. Use them to help many many others.

Thank you father for your faithfulness in Jesus name. God bless you my brother.

He's faithful, and he is with you. What's so remarkable friends in the book of Job is that here's a man considered the most righteous man on the earth. The most righteous man on the earth singled out by God is unique on the whole planet and all hell breaks loose against one day loses all 10 children can imagine. Imagine not to set before that loses all his possessions. He's is super wealthy richest man around loses everything and then not long after that loses health agonizing debilitating fish and with that loses all reputation will have a Job, and the biggest thing of all. The greatest pain is.what wears what how could this be because he knew his righteous man that reward of righteousness was that was blessed in this world and that now he was suffer the way the wicked suffer. The whole thing was turned upside down and made no sense. And he does rail against God. He does get upset with God after first explicitly does get upset this accursed comedy it's absent the rails and challenges and yet he knows there must be ordering God's universe and that somehow God will accomplish his purpose and course. In the end, Job's life is more blessed than at the beginning. How could that be, but God don't get in this world will write back work transitioning to a related subject to false gospel, I hear on the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown that asperity has gone a little crazy and I am correcting my own theology and unit all know it hard. That was the voice of Benny Hinn want to talk about that quote in a moment. First, looking to the line of fire.

This is Michael Brown 866-34-TRUTH 878841 weigh in on the prosperity issue in the recent quotes from Benny Hinn 866-34-TRUTH 87884 the first half-hour of today's broadcast. We were talking about the problem of suffering we were talking about the book of Job, and you could easily develop an idea that for the righteous.

Everything goes well and for the wicked. Everything goes poorly.

That's one reason the book of Job is there.

The hyper version of that today is the carnal prosperity message so that's why were tying that in with today's 9/11 broadcast that we talk about the problem of suffering. All right, Benny Hinn has recently renounced carnal prosperity teaching, and in particular, carnal, manipulative, fund raising efforts, things that he taught things that he participated in things that he often led the way in. In years past, saying he was wrong, saying he recognized he was wrong earlier on that he didn't want to offend his friends.

Now I have a little history that ties in and I want to share this and my heart is always to hope for the best. To believe for the best.

So as Benny Hinn is said these things about your summer clips on cheering him on.

I'm saying let it be, let it be, let it be on the questioning motivation I'm saying. Let it be so let it be that this real renouncing of error that it be that this real repudiation of other things that of extension God's nostrils, let it be before you be my back history with your more of what Benny can had to say. Clip number two because when I read the Bible.

Now, I don't see the Bible in the same eyes I saw the Bible 20 years ago. I think it's an offense. The Lord instant offense to say give $1000 I think it's offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the gospel, done with it. I will never again ask you to give a thousand or whatever the amount because I thing the Holy Ghost is just fed up with all right rather than throwing stones at him.

You should say I'm glad Sir that you saying this in doing this and saying that he was wrong about five years ago, I appeared on his television show. The four shows about messianic prophecy and tidy with my book, the real kosher Jesus. The main reason I accepted the invitation to go on was I wanted to get the message of hyper grace out to his TV audience. You say we shouldn't but all in all it made you look bad. Understand the criticism and I'm open to the criticism of it was the right decision to go along or not, but what happened was that hyper gray show never ever be recorded for whole shows on messianic prophecy real kosher Jesus and then the fifth show of hyper grace never air it never and not because he didn't agree with what I was saying, but because this was going to go out to many people on network and maybe he could deal with it other ways and speak to people face-to-face. Whatever the reason was God those exact reason semi show being on that Friday, the last day of the broadcast. It was a carnal fundraising manipulative show that was on. Subsequently, some months later sister one only time I had conversation contact with many had before that show none after having seen and spoken with him since some months later, a well-known critic of Benny and Justin peters wrote to me, pleading with me to watch a clip where an alleged profit appeared on Benny his TV show urging everyone to give $500 and revenue gave $500.

There would be protection from like a coming disaster. I believe the disastrous can come September of that year that you give $500 you, your family, kids, grandkids will all be protected as well as one of the worst most grievous manipulative offerings of scene.

I'm sure there been many, many worse. I just haven't seen but I merely protected from disaster.

Come on, if you give a certain amount which will give happens only half your failure protected or they do they get it half protectively. Come on when the people I can't give they don't get protected. What of giving five dollars for them is like 5 million for someone else that that's it for Greg at 500. Come on at and by the way, the big disaster never happened that month.

Any withholding was bogus.

False. So, because I got in the flak for being on the show because I'd written for years against this manipulative garbage member 1989. My book came out the end of the American gospel enterprise, 1990 how Sagar with a whole chapter against the prosperity gospel and another whole chapter against carnal fundraising saw that on record as these things for years and years and years. So I wrote to him I I know that the letter was delivered to them. I don't know if you ever read it and never got a response to it, but I urged him respectfully, not yelling at him, not screaming at him, he shall be great respect when I was with them was very honoring towards me so I reached out to him with respect.

I urged him please renounce this garbage.

Please put a stop to it.

It is extension God's nostrils. It it is ugly for the body. Please put a stop to it. Your leader come on, let's work together and snuff this stuff out and set an example of integrity.

So what if finances suffer. Ultimately, I believe God will meet the needs of those who walk integrity but so what. Finances suffer, you go on and you do the right thing. So I for one, I'm glad to see him doing this, was I in influencing Angel. If you read the letter.

I don't know, God knows. Is it true that back in 1993 he renounced the carnal prosperity message. Yes, it is yes it is. You see what happened since I don't know but he said some striking things that he didn't say more or do more because of his friends one offend his friends that no please hear me on that same is to condemn Benny Hinn. God knows Astro my letter to him was at and can I just tell you something about wanting to do this 100, you have no idea what I do behind the scenes you have no idea who I speak to behind the scenes you have. You have no idea what goes on.

If I feel burdened that I feel to address something things that we deal with publicly things we have to deal with publicly remaking to teachable moments and open letters are often written when there is no access to the personal where they refused to interact. We would reach out we ask in any with an open letter I'm still gonna try to be gracious and and helpful and make everything a teachable moment and model the right way to do things the measured please critics on the hear from something, but God knows the people I've spoken to privately and reached out to privately and address privately for many many years and I would rather in the cases where the door has been open for dialogue and interaction. I'd rather keep that going over period of time rather than jump on them every every time they make a public statement respond with my keep reaching out to them privately to try to get a change of heart, mind, so that in the end you get a really good result. Alright, so pray for me France because were going after a lot of stuff that I role-playing with holy fire came out last year we blast a lot of this garbage again but I want to make this a teachable moment for everybody. Super. So please hear me, please hear me all right if Benny Hinn could know what was right and not Jewett feeling pressure from his friends. He's this big famous leader.

What about everybody else what what about how many of you finally times have I done this.

How many of us have not done what we knew it was right because peer pressure or is really one offensive in Columbia, big holy one and and and on the big righteous one and I and I'm a righteous new are so I can do it that way in and because we don't want to seem like this holier than thou type we compromise or condition. We just want to be like or want to keep certain ministry doors open. How many of us have done carnal things. I know the clip from Betty and Cook number three. The part that will stop is the mentioning of amounts connected to some blessing that should come back this because you gave me a magic number.

It just got out of hand and no give up files until give whatever get a hundredfold return, which I myself said and my heart will send different policy. Know what I can do that. I just cannot because I'm thinking of that wonderful Christian sitting there. One of the hundred fold never came back. What does it to to the faith. While one does it do to his few children of exactly. Aside from the fact it's a misreading of Scripture. This is automatic thing you put this in and you get that amount. Yes overall they were sowing and reaping principles. This overall God's generous with generous people and stingy with stingy people over all their oldest biblical principles business a mathematical formula, God blesses us and helps us in many other ways, and you made give sacrificially financially and never see the financial reward, but you be blessed in other ways and able to help others. In other ways but but the bottom line is you come up with these cheap gimmicks is manipulative.

Get gimmicks why the pay-TV bill or were still put money in your own pocket and in the in the what comes out of it. People don't believe in God anymore, because the thing didn't work or they had suffering when they were expecting just blessing, blessing, blessing, blessing this I believe God is the healer.

Yes, I believe God works miracles we have trouble paying difficulty hardship. In this role and God by his grace will get us through it, and make us better people through it and often work miracles along the way one last clip from Benny Hinn number four I want to make sure that the next 15 or 20 is on my life that my messages. The cross the region: my life. The message is salvation pointing people to the Lord. I love Jesus is his name to talk about the Holy Spirit in his power that we must have and I want to be known for that.

I don't want to be known.

You know, the prospect of future not only noticed prosperity is one thing in the Bible's whole lot more about the word of God. The prospect but it's become a major issue now because of the of the gimmickry involved in it and the false theology that a proof of spirituality is financial success. God help Benny Hinn to bear fruits worthy of repentance. May he lead many others. Out of this error by his example and by his word and friends don't compromise your convictions for the sake of your hand will be right back. It's the line of fire with your host activist, author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown and voice of more cultural and spiritual revolution get into the line of fire now by calling 866.

Here again, Dr. Michael Brown. Looking back, friends, just unpack one more thing in the boat go to phone two 663-3784. Again, I I know critics are saying will Benny Hinn said this in the past, maybe not as blatantly strongly but now social media and everything sis. I go back on this and will hug with us until now. He was wrong before.

What do listen to anybody beyond listening to the word search everything out the Scripture what I say when your pastor says with honor and respect for their the leadership would search out everything search everything, study, and praying and look and some doesn't line up then question it all right. You need to do that so others are saying will look he's gotten wealthy by this needs to give money back again, that's between him and God I don't know details and was nephews written strongly against them in this lifestyle and and things in, but that's for him and got to work out and always given away or not, or what multi's accumulator not how he's gotten it through book royalties is through the sacrificial giving of pit people.

It is taken advantage of God.

Those but unclear who the person is if some hyper critic came to me and said that I misjudged you on this or that or or think I'm open to some of things in spirit. I would take every body at their word and less of concrete evidence to to the contrary, God himself tells me not to undertake the people at the word and believe the best belief for the best and root for them.

Look other networks have been cleaning things up.

My dear friend Lord Simpson was a former student vine. Now the CEO of God TV he's done a lot to get rid of the Carl fundraising that used to take place amid everything about the network in the past was bad through scholar fundraising piece of I can do that.

Look out one brother came to me with a major ministry and said we tried everything we gave stuff away. We get Bibles away and nothing worked and we brought some of these fundraisers and in the bill started getting paid sick better. The glider ministry than to bring in some of these guys and in one of them who was very controversial terms of the way he raised funds and is now in jail. So let's be careful friends list apartment.

Let's let's root for those who say we really need to make changes, get behind them and say thank you and and you say yeah but he still believes in prosperity. It first. One step at a time. He is rejecting carnal prosperity in the idea that this is automatically supposed to get these returns and things like that are that some of financial wealth is the sign of godliness, writer, or that godliness is the means to financial gain or if I just get Gabi a get rich in the pursuit of riches in the name of God yikes first of the six blasts that mentality but please hear me. There is a truth about provision of truth about generosity. The truth about reciprocity that's taught many ways in Scripture.

All right now in India, the believers. There they they fall they really believe in prosperity and in other words, they have a shirt instead of water on naked and they get sandals now instead of being barefoot and the tribal pastor who supported full-time for $60 a month. Now is a bike to get to other places with his one set close to share the gospel. He knows that God provides is is not is got a Mercedes-Benz now, or Rolls-Royce Rolex watch okay. It's a consummate his needs and that we can go serve others. God doesn't need us and many of us are wonderfully blessed in this world I Bob I've been blessed and blessed in so many ways.

Many of especially living America been blessed with that. That's not the sign of spirituality as a result of the gospel. Jesus didn't die on the cross to make us financially rich. So yes there principles of giving and receiving. Absolutely yes I believe in tithing and beyond and and yes I've seen blessing, as I've obey the Lord and give enemies met needs enable us to meet the needs of others.

I believe in all that the carnal prosperity message is basically saying that when you register blessed, blessed physically materially in this world will one about that. Your sister who whose withering away of cancer she not godly. What about that baby that's for the deformity is lifelong in wheelchairs, that person can't be God the parents not godly. What about these believers we work with an Indian tribal regions that are dirt poor for our stands in America are they not godly them and that's is carnal with what are we thinking what are we thinking yikes Jesus preach the good news to the poor, yes he didn't preacher gave financially rich good news is that God's love and come to them and they were not rejected, now cast and they were of high esteem in God's sight. You can go to Esther to Brown.org Gus if you can find it actual link where I take my chapter from how saved are we on the carnal prosperity message, and we put it online that I have a whole chapter and playing with holy fire on the pep talk gospel and the prosperity message along with chapters that deal with carnal fundraising. So if you haven't looked red playing with holy fire occurred you get hold of it because we address love these things head on quite fourth rightly. One reason I did not name names playing with holy fire and Paul sometimes name Saint Peter sometimes doesn't or apostasy does John sometimes those others they don't is Peter because Peter doesn't.

But if someone had repented of something maybe was a practice 10 years ago and I was unaware that stopped in here they here I am criticizing up with her.

They did 10 years ago that or or maybe they've repented in recent months and now they're being nailed like that was like there is a book. The rotor's of them actually quoting but practices and stuffer people change so in the name names, but I address the issues and if the shoe fits is very easy to where 866-34-TRUTH went.

Let's grab one more call go to Maryland Andrew Art and was gone. Sorry couldn't hold serve a particular sorry because the subject line said he currently has a problem with suffering, may I encourage you to go to our website or YouTube channel S dark brown and was set Esther to Brown.org YouTube channel*around a skid your brown and typing. Urman E HR MA and E HR MAM on YouTube you can watch the entire debate with Prof. Berman I believe will help you not because of the brilliant debater Berman's strong debater son who's a better debater, but I believe there is some insight some quotes and some nuggets will help you in the midst of suffering and others like Tim Keller said look when I look at the cross. I still don't get an answer to the problem suffering. But I know I can't blame God because he loves us that much to come into this world and suffer in our behalf.

John Stott great English leader of the last generation said that he could not believe in God, have faith without the cross because it it's it's like this I can give you this analogy it's it's just partial is just partial right but let's say there's a terrible earthquake in your in your city.

People are buried under the rubble and use it were Scott hers God and then you look in this Jesus on his hands, his nieces, his hands bleeding is is is is lifting rubble of people carry little children out. It doesn't answer the problem of where was God when the earthquake happened, but it makes you understand Gus the just sitting there distantly. He's entering into her pain to fix. So there other reasons.

There are other things going on in talking to Nancy today. Again, a day of grieving as she thinks about her brother Douglas was killed. The World Trade Center and thinks of the many other victims that the fact. The fact is this friends and as Nancy said when you just get hold of eternity.

Everything changes, everything changes and she said this just so much about God. We don't understand the we understand wrongly that we think is like this.

This no magic man and he just okay Dragon Serbians click this button do this do this Discover thought your way through life. That's not the way he works and for good and for good reason. It's not the way he works so you might be hurting so badly. My words are going in one ear and out the other or the 90 getting in. You might be hurting so badly that you're listening to me, but you can hear me. I want to encourage to throw yourself completely on God just throw yourself completely on God and and and to just say I can't make it. I don't have it in me. I don't know what to do.

You gotta help me if you will throw yourself on him. He will catch. He will No I don't mean do something crazy, suicide attempt, no, no, no, I don't mean that. I mean emotional I mean spiritual nephew at that place. We feel like I undertake malefic call somebody call a friend close suicide hotline. Reach out. There are people that will take you by the hand right now and help you get out of this deep deep deep darkness and help you see that there really is light and there really is hope and there really is a reason to live. So I don't do this often friends but just join me now in prayer to close my eyes with you father for viewing in deep pain now suffering the ongoing victims of 9/11, but just the victims of tragedy and pain and difficulty. And even though suffering for terrible choices they made. But they don't know the way out.

Now I ask you to make real to them your love.

I ask you to make real to them. The power of the cross.

I ask you got to lift them and help them and meet them and restore them and bless them that the days ahead.

I pray God will be the greatest they've ever known that the darkness will pass my wish on your life letter the cross to let your love