God's Humor After Hours

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This is the Truth Network coming to you in French and American in the heart. Masculine journey after hours time to go to be more transparent on the topic of setback in this invention, masculine journey starts here now welcome to mask injury after hours and you're talking about a very funny.that is really well.

It should be fewer raised on the old movies, God is not funny, serious, all of us. I think in this room of experience got humored here about it while things a bit. It was sort of a funny thing that happened today is Carolyn said that just showed me a a clip that showed God laughing hysterically because some parent had prayed, God, I cannot get my children the listen to me and he just laughs and that's gotta what were talking about God laughing it is children living with us, you know, and sometimes it seems more at Norge were given transparent on this one going deeper so we we do amuse God is plenty to laugh and there's indeed I've made a good mother and aunts I can set up for the rest of the show will go get in the chair that vibrates but yet you guys don't know about that, but we got a chair we fight over mad Beasley. But what one of the interesting times I had with God was sort of embarrassing is when I was in Divinity school.

I have a semester off and I was planning on just going back and so work that way.

We have to have a group talk to you about whether or not you should be coming back about and long story start. Long story short, he starts out like this about words but everyone went through that process and after the interview was over with three was faculty members.

One of them had said that we want to make sure that you're not an embarrassment to the calls of Jesus Christ and that bothered me a lot and I drove it was an hour drive to and from seminary.

I was contemplating that I basically said to God embarrass you take me out. Now I will be here no answer. About a month later same place in the road. I'm thinking of that and I is one of the few times I'd know that it's God's voice, because it sure went in my head. It was a gym. You embarrass me every day but I love you and that's my one of my funny story, but I just laughed hysterically instead of being the depressed mope that I was the first time I got has a way of with humor getting to the heart of the point. It's not harsh when he said that the entry is harsher. I know it was funny that it was like your story and the other Joe. If you have a list of what was wrong with the use of already concerning the back and listen to, but the other funny Jim is going to tell us the story now because I was given the ability to pick and snacks such member's share got humored to pick one month things of our life is never tell God never that he will come back to bite you better get out. As I listen to God brought back memories of me when I was going through my divorce.

I remember being incredibly angry in my wife and you know I was going to hop on that religious bandwagon house and sit down and read my Bible and I was going to make everything better and I wasn't be that righteous one.

And so I could tell you where was at today but I distinctly remember thinking thinking of God's word was an old testament. I can't tell you where was that, but reading about how the king was upset with his wife because she was being disrespectful and he took her head off but it was enough to make me laugh that okay got. I know you really don't want me do this but this is actually pretty funny guy would share that with me in, but it got me out of the mood I was in and II think that you know sometimes you have to realize that God will share things with us at certain points in time because he knows what we he knows that we need to laugh.

He knows and the egg I find myself in those serious times that that's what God usually pulls the trigger and says okay you your your your getting too serious about this. Let let let let me talk a little humor into your life and that the irony is usually so bad that you like okay I get it. God go and try not to take myself so seriously, you're talking, I seems like a weird thing to talk about in humor, but I remember when my father passed away the night before his funeral. My brothers and I went out and spent some time together but the largest part of that evening was as full of laughter, telling stories about my dad's life in on it. We laughed so hard we were outside the house and we laughed so hard what my mom up and remembered her coming out and just incredibly angry with us so you know it's like two in the morning. At this point but are still outside telling stories and laughing but there's something about that laughter that heals. I know we talked earlier before the show, but I find myself drawn when I'm I'm really feeling a little depressed into comedy a comedy movie or show I know to make me laugh because it invariably will pull me out of that right and I think that that's got new what life was going to do to us here a new man.

We better have a sense of humor writing a a and you see that you know I've seen at all for my life. You die I can give several other stories of no situations that shipment serious.

You know it sometimes is the expense of others and i.e. day I was at work on time and some guy tried to get me fired and I just try to give him as much grace as I could write an in the meantime, there was a bunch of non-Christians in the room who was watching me, watching my behavior and ask, don't you get upset I says all you must see me. It's not pretty.

I can take it bottled up long enough take to the throne of God and give it to him, then I'm good.

And of course one of the guys that so you Tom you have divine help. Like that's exactly what well is Earl Watson, a small part of this project, the guy who ended up trying to get me fired.

King displaced in the day. He's handing in all his equipment happened to fall on his own fall on my birthday. And so everybody's wishing you happy birthday. He's hating this equipment.

It was just like this. The irony did not escape him. Now it's a sad story, but it was one of the situations where God is telling me I'm in control. Put your faith in me and I will get you through this, the got also say happy birthday Todd always tells me happy birthday is displaced just another nice word for being let go. Yeah okay I got laid off yeah I doubt things don't come back at that event the same thing yeah okay Andy, you have a story to share with us, but first before you do that you have the clip reasonable to play this clip as we don't often think about Jesus's time with the disciples, she got a group of 12 or so guys, 13 that walk around, you know, if there's much you guys gather their grandma laugh at some point and so in this clip from TV show the chosen yeah that tells a little on the chosen.

It's highly encourage anybody that watches it says how good it is. But it's more in. We had our different miniseries on Jesus life before. I think they really it's put a lot of time and effort into really going into more of what life would've looked like in the way the disciples. Jesus interacted with other people at all and it's just really good so anyway. In this clip. If the disciples there on the way. I think it's where you actually on their way to through Samaria where they normally wouldn't go and out you'll hear reference of the length of the trip or whatever and how short it is compared to what normally would be. Anyway, it gets to talk about Peter and his concern with leaving his wife. He was only one in and in and out as the punch line is is really what were talking about in Jesus's humor, but you can see here. I can see Jesus say this I can see the dialogue like this because she made more principal stuff along the way with 60s looking see the run of the way to Jerusalem. Simon mentions anything if I would enjoy every way easy, easy boy, my fighting days are over Simon using client this morning and I'm journeying. I'll explain later Simon with nothing just excited for the chip condemning the truth if Danny don't already know it's in my head that's a conversation for another time. Now I'm the only one among us is so you think I should've only one single and I'm glad that even will be at only 30 scared that things could get worse with thing. That's what I mean. You already know anyone Simon everyone here knows what you're thinking. Most of the time and does not think God's wisdom just read the Bible you that you can really see that the interaction with Peter and Jesus because you filling a you is that you heard every thought that Peter had almost Bible yeah and you get to see humor in any have to think that again this get any group of guys together and at some point you're going to hear some laughter right you know when I talked to my oldest son in his no longer playing football anything that he misses the most is really not competing on the field.

It's the friends in the locker room and the camaraderie right because there's lots of life that's there in the humor in the stories and the things it they go through and that's that's really what's next most the time.

Yeah that's that's what I get from the group man we got a bunch of clowns in here this coming together and speak for but we we all enjoy each other. We enjoy laughing with one another. Given each other hard and it's you know I personally experience. I believe the presence of God.

When that happens I think that's way intensive course you know to really enjoy each other. It talks about how good is it when brother room, you know, remain in harm and in unity and harmony so I was actually hoping that Sam would introduce you with your new nickname is that several like I was offered to make sure were covered well with clip yeah you know this and brotherly fashion you pick on one another to be enjoying it as much right now getting me there until something so this isn't exactly. I got some stories about word God is sheer humor with me, but I just thought this was cool you know you you don't know if you've heard the joke where the dance talking this and you like that I know what God's name is now in followers alike. Really, I didn't. You know it's like Yahweh did not know you know it's our father, which how which art in heaven, Howard be thy name and was like oh yeah, always thought that was cool.

So I got to thinking about that and I was like you know if you got last night and got a first name and you my name is Art Howard.

Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. So that's what I get search of God. They gave me clipping I gave you a more Howard had went through member that well. I was reminded of a story back in 2010. My wife had a coworker that was to be married and she was going to help her with the wedding and she says will house the wedding planning going she says well she's it. We can't find a minister wants is really says next week my husband will be ordained. Let me ask what this was the first and last wedding that diddled two weeks notice because growing up in a Southern Baptist Church in you being legalistic still in a lot of ways, but you'll do it you do it right so I have a sitdown with a couple for one time but didn't get a whole lot information, green rookie if the stakes are and ask all the right questions so we show up at this community center storming outside and I'm in the suit and the groom is in blue jeans rebel flag hat got knives all the way around loose like a ninja covenant in his snakeskin boots. The bride comes into not the wedding march but guns and roses going okay.

I'm pretty sure this is gonna go over well this one. Welcome to the jungle. Was it really is just almost appalled it was going to have to go and do the deal and just as I said, I now pronounce you man and wife.

Lightning struck out and almost busted out laughing. It was God's way of saying is okay lose it up a little bit, but that was the last wedding I diddled two weeks notice, but for now you is have never doing that again.

But after you may end up with to do that again in two weeks so Harold what he had to share with us today. Well if you think God doesn't have a sense of humor. You need to look up a picture of the duckbill platypus strewn and I guess my thoughts about God. Since the humor relative to me is that after having worked so many years as a systems analyst, computer programmer took a little bit of pride in my problem-solving abilities and I have gotten myself into trouble, cerebral times at home, solving problems that my wife did not define this as a problem and I can just picture God up there laughing and I think he also lashed when he takes people that are enough sedans of the spectrum. On most issues and they're going to get married and God sits there and says now work it out so I think he definitely has a sense of humor.

John and Stacy Eldridge. It had read a book on marriage and I talked about the Divine conspiracy. You know where there is the little things that rub you and different ways it is like especially married couple you know the can read about them, but it's just rounding off the rough edges you know you look at it God's perspective that those times it is he talked about coming home and solving problems.

It were really a problem to you came home. That's what the problem was he gay all right it that's got just up there laughing saying okay working around off a few more edges even though at that point you been married for 40 some years at the point and that was my question. How I remember now 56 1/2 years and you've got it figured out now. Well I know what to expect under certain Sir Howard, probably the closest I got to trust me, I've been called a lot of things were somehow on our Howard played a little replay couple clips of this but I will tell you think it probably makes God laugh the most is in this clip that's on a plate. It's from Evan Almighty, but I think this is where God finds most humor in his children were to be all of us. So you're really doing multiple diamond on the philosophic right I believe you just I don't understand why you chose me you want to change the world will mark.

I mean, that's like territory again to say whatever I I love you, well then you understand that this whole building thing here is that when my house I need to make a good impression at work that you talking you know where I would begin now I give a lot to change the world don't know how to begin processing one act of random kindness and time they hang out with some of you did Goodson change the world.

Now let's see spending time with family, making them very happy right now. One act of random kindness's are plans there's couplings in the clip that I like about a bit really only times to be good all caught up in our plans, not the guy doesn't want us to make plans that you hear and in Evan's heart. This almost an inflexible, I'm not to be flexible with my plans got even though your plans are better for my heart. Ryan said he even hasn't gotten build this ark which happened to be an acronym for end of acts of random kindness rights. It fits in the ark motif and so he did change the world but the world that he changes his family adopting a dog and the people come in contact with and and I think that that's another thing that brings got humor as I think a lot of times we think that we need to have this great big grand gesture this great big mission is great big ministry and he's like oh no that it starts at home. It starts with a kindness with the people around it starts there.

If you really wanted change world for generations change your household. I love the clip to I did have one problem with it which I mentioned and then I realized if there went my way. It would be eight and that just sound right. I like the acts of kindness need to be intentional rather than rent, but it's amazing how happy I could make it as it is. I'm just thinking myself how many detours invite and onto my life that's you know where I'm going. All right God I don't know why you're doing it this way but I want to trust you and that usually ends up uniting you guys for me before talk about the house where we hadn't moved in middle coven.

I had no clue why.

Like, you know, other than it was a house we like and we added 900 square-foot for you know a couple let's plan on downsizing. It's not what I call down the turns out, God had other plans for that. Another 900 square-foot now my stepson and granddaughter ended up moving in with us because they had a death in their family and you I could sit here all night long talk about the detours. God has taken me on some of those detours I went kicking and screaming like no I don't want to go down this road and but many yellow pleasant along the way and think this part of God's humor is what we see is a distraction. What we see, not even as an enticement at the time is God saying like I know more what your heart needs and what you know right now might help you find it if you just let me know Jim, I wanted to share something got got it can be given an indicator when he gave you party your new name. Yes yes right it and you guys remember I said no do this and went to the same as referring to is last boot camp I was looking up at summer God had shared with me your new name is host like no no no no no no I don't think I'm a very private person. I like my alone time I like. You know it a house with just me and my wife and I don't want to host anybody but God has other plans for us. You know it is I is like being part of this ministry, you know I had never planned on getting involved in this ministry until one day at a camp and I'm watching these guys struggle was something I knew I could help him out with and I a you know I like okay I can't sit back anymore and I'm glad I didn't because I found a great band of brothers. You know in this group that I meeting with.

Now every week.

In this regard since humor comes in and is elitist in these places. If we follow him and sometimes even when we don't want to follow any leads. Is there any way right that Keith will find help us find that life that are her really needs in on look back in and looking back at you kinda have to laugh at the new name now Jim right and we honestly don't have to go yes yes it seems like I've been hosting a lot of things from kids to pets to random cats that have shown up at my front doorstep.

So yeah it's been interesting. The other question is how much joy as of right it's right your pricing tremendously because you know it. I've seen relationships improved with my wife and her son. I've seen you know our relationship grow and blossom between our granddaughter said probably we want to have had if they had not been within our house in so Gaza setback laughing when you thought you knew that you needed that is brings to mind the one thing that clip is we make plans and God laughs but if we are willing to give up our plans to laugh a whole lot more following God absolutely think Jim and what a great topic and what I'd ask you to do is pray this we can see God remind me of the times you help me see things through humor and open your eyes that you may not choose to deal with you in that way, the same weight is between us. I promise you when you asking who come back and remind you of the times said, remember this when you thought you needed this and I give you this.

You know those types of things and finally humor that you're looking for and draw you closer to him talk to you next week.

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