What does it mean to preach the word?

Talk live with current events and theology come together cutting edge topics is long for inefficient be known as the government controlling our healthcare system truth for the now generation relevant real radio federal by five-year-old my hero. Well, there is talk live now from the truth, who your host Stu Epperson how could ministry day. How important is the word of God is this just a little sidebar, and all other fun entertaining things in church or something.

There were missing and by the way, what is tragic about that day will answer questions Amanda God. He was one of the senior leaders at the shepherds and theological seminary. You may know the name Pastor Stephen Davies a lot of Truth Network stations preaching the word of God lazily breaches of the church called Colonial Baptist Church and Karen were clients of fast-growing church, God working there, but Al Potter opening question is quite sobering what's going on with pulpits. What's gonna word why do we need another seminary like ship. I think it's important to contextualize this with the second Timothy chapter 3, the apostle Paul says this know also, that in the last days there will be perilous times in those last days of the days we are living always identifying the very days, Timothy was going to be preaching in and keep in mind that secondment three is the last didactic section that was given to us by the apostle Paul, as he was martyred about a month after the writing of second Timothy to Timothy what the time was ministering to the church of Ephesus, the first five verses a second Timothy chapter 3, Paul says our days will be difficult, perilous, not because of climate conditions or things of that order. These is the be perilous because of the sinfulness of mankind. He starts a series of what some 13 to 16 adjectives like men shall be lovers of their own selves, both proud disobedient. All these realities of sinfulness and he lays those out as being that which is creating the difficulties for this period of history, which he says is the last time were learning Greek. That means last.

A critical change and he says what is the solution to all that would follow. The context second Timothy 31 and in second Timothy 45 and inside that context. Here's his advice he gives the Timothy in light of the sinful world.

What's the best thing we can give to that world.

Second Timothy chapter 4 verse two. It's imperative he says preach the word back that verse alone has five imperative all those are imperatives that verse when he says be instant in season and out of season.

You know, reboot, reprove, encourage. I forget the exact English translations, and then he goes on to say that there were to do with all long-suffering and with doctrine, but isn't it interesting that he establishes that the only solution for a sinful world. A polluted society is the preaching of the word, and that's pretty essential for us to understand preaching of the word simple but it's not easy for Pastor to open the book grab his tools did in the original languages and spend hours laboring to prepare for a meeting sermon, a sermon is going to exalt Jesus and go deep in the word and feed the flock. The flock is starving and yet is Peter Timothy falls risk to menacing passages.

There's people that have itching ears need to be tickled and that's what our culture this idea.

Have you got your breakthrough you get your love yourself you get your dream your destiny.

All this all this, do Leduc that we barred from psychology is not in the word. The word lips of Jesus. He is our destiny is the end of all things. So how we got there, Alan. How can we get home and we get back, brother Logan have to bring the Scriptures not only back into our pulpits and that they are taught in the way that they ought to be taught. That is, we should be executing Scripture just like Jesus said he was the exegesis of God. That is, his manifestation was the very exegesis of God and so we need to come back to the word of God as being central to our ministry and we talk about the word of God being sent to our ministry by preaching about the Bible talk about preaching the Bible. That is the Bible is been set up organized and structured by the sovereign God of the universe, therefore were not here to add new material to what God is revealed where here to help people understand that which is already been revealed. That's what means this is preach the word by doing the same context of reality first and second Timothy.

Timothy was challenged to do what this study the word that is the literally study the word of God. I could not tell you how many times we have been constantly reminded all through the New Testament as well as the Old Testament, by the way, that is absolutely essential that we never minimize the importance of the word of God but instead we give ample time back the keyword in the end I like the Old Testament says that I will meditate my word hundred 19 Psalm what is the word meditate is the word we use in farming called cultivate site running a cultivator except you're running it over your heart and the cultivator those little disking on the farm that break up hard soil the cultivator in the Scriptures is the Bible and when we meditate. It's not talking about some that you know sitting in some corner coming up with Amanda going into some deep form of expectancy similar talking about is the reality of taking the word of God and constantly running it over our hearts. Why will Paul warned us that even the Christian heart is subject to callous and when it gets callous. It's insensitive to the things of God.

The way you keep the callous broke up is that the word of God run back and forth of your heart and that's what we need our pulpits we need in our personal lives. We need to come back to a clear, comprehensive understanding of the word of God, not just an understanding understanding is says I will seek to a baby that which I learn. And really, the word not on some academic failover disconnect be so textual it worse were smarter, not I know more about or see you you're talking about the Holy Spirit. God wrote this and always there to God quickens his wordiness, exactly, and its worship God in spirit and truth at all.

But but that's the foundation point. This is our basis. It is written, God's word is he like everything in the culture is flying against that and it seemed like sadly many forces in the church are adding to it or saying a you know we we really need this extra experience. We need this extra breakthrough, but don't we need to go back to the basics. Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so is all part of what you doing shepherds would you challenge got there a maybe they can get to shepherd the Odyssey. We we would encourage them to go to a place like that was chosen like going to a seminary that that holds to the Dave Aras city and that the truth of all Scripture closures what you challenge other listeners and what you're doing there my chest. First of all you what you do need is a good solid local church where the Bible is preach its taught in words and lived because it is a matter practice the word of God is not just an academic instrument.

It is a means by which we learn how to live and we learn how to die and we learn how to face eternity.

That is the word of God that's white at Psalm 119 says I word if I hit that great Hebrew word hide their is the word usually translated treasured in English but it's usage means something I've done in the past. So when the future becomes the present.

It's available to benefit me. So the past. I take the word of God and I treasure it in my heart. Why, because I don't know what tomorrow's dinner bring, but the word of God in my life is available now because I treasured it there so that when tomorrow becomes the day it's available to benefit me, it's like having a gun with bullets in the gun is little value in the bullets challenge the listeners right now in terms of looking for a good diet of the word. What you tell a quick is a good church.

What it looked for what you you want a church where the word of God is handled expositional. He is were not adding to the word of God were not talking about it or think of the word of God and were working through it is made up of sentences. It's made up of nouns and verbs and adverbs and adjectives and those are all set up by God himself. He developed it. If we follow those patterns in their paragraph uncle thoughts we know exactly what God is saying, and we know exactly what he expects of us is letting him speak through the word.

It's a church that ultimately channels the word know what he is. You challenge pastors out there to do it to be more be men of the book what you challenge the pastors in terms of their study and their preaching from the pulpit that we would that's what we have a seminary were not a church were seminary that were there to benefit the church were training the shepherds and shepherds have only one job to care for.

She pulled God gives him his sheepfold and he gives him a community that he is that they are to reach for Christ to bring into that sheepfold. We believe our shepherds need to know wherewith they stand and what they speak and be able to have that authority to use the word of God. Therefore, we demand of all of our our graduates that master divinity program that they be able to master Greek and Hebrew, because that was the text by which God chose to give us the wording on the first place and we demanded them that they are able to communicate that truth so that they can lead as an under shepherd to bring people to the ultimate shepherd who is the Lord Jesus Christ himself and also so we we want shepherds and were training young men to serve the Lord Jesus Christ will time we don't care where they go.

We just want them to serve him and serve him in a way that when the service is done, the individuals receive that service, honor Christ, not the man, Hal Potter, shepherd, cilantro seminary don't go there, go to a place like that did equip to build go part-time go online to get built carry North Carolina shepherds theological seminary maybe shepherd seminary.org is at the website yes… You crave is manna for their ministry, and his wife have crave your family. Think of your faithfulness pricing for her. What a legacy she had supporting you all these years of preaching and serving Christ. Amen. Hello, I'm Ted bear, publisher God.org. If there is a movie that reminds us of how important mothers are the classic movie sound of music via Maria is a delightful young woman who discovers that she's not cut out to be a nun so she said to be a governess of her seven children who belong to Capt. Von Trapp is a strict father that she cares for the children.

Maria teaches them one of life's simple joys singing, even though the captain at first disapproves. He sees that Maria is motherly attention to his children, his brief life back into his house. The captain begins to fall in love with Maria Capt. Von Trapp and Maria get married making Maria officially, the children's new mother sound of music reminds us of the joy and the encouragement the mothers give us so that we can climb every mountain there is a Bible verse that says envy rots the bones for Peter in the movie Peter rabbit, which is now available on DVD. This definitely applies. Peter was a rabbit. Of course loves his life with his sisters and brothers who all live underneath a beautiful tree. One of their neighbors is the kindhearted be a human Peter securely likes when Mr. McGregor, the mean old man who killed Peter's parents passes away his nephew Thomas moves into the farmhouse. Peter sees Thomas is just as cruel to the animals as his uncle was becomes concerned when Thomas begins to woo be romantically becomes an all-out war between Peter and Thomas, but what they're fighting for.

Is it really the young woman. It's their pride. Peter eventually sees the toll is envy is taken on his siblings Kenny make things right again. Read more about Peter rabbit movie God.org. This is just a thought with Ravi Zacharias you want to launch a talkshow program on which they were discussing some volatile moral reviewing to see an educator, lawyer, medical doctor petition not just a philosopher and a minister who do you think is most prejudiced and possibly the least educated of the visitation has become so helpful in the moment to interview some moral idea is any connection just you use a known religious idea into this kind of assessing. There is no foreign theism, and a moral issue is to some of the religious thinkers believe in the believer thing permission go to our CIM.Stu Epperson second studio is a coffee shop coffee shops all around America look to go and get something to drink, but my favorite part of that is who I meet with them today. I'm sitting with a man of God who just blew away 500 men last weekend in a men's group this conference. Bishop Tish Otto canceled our Lord's name folks at Kaiser rising star is passionate about Jesus.

How would you summarize your passion ship financial well like you said, I am passionate about Jesus and part of that passion is also helping to connect people to Jesus and ultimately to connect them to their preference. My passion is to connect people to their apartments to awaken the gifting that's inside of them to awaken the passionate side of them because I believe that purpose happens at the intersection passion and our ability to produce only connect those things of those things collide. Purpose happens widely where we so quick to forget about the greatness that God is put – I know this is something you really waxed eloquent on last week and he fired the minimum extent started going crazy when you talk about is right here and here God putting in us and we look forward everywhere else exactly that. I think that's one of the greatest tricks of the enemy is that he gets us to try to look everywhere else defined the greatness of God is already put inside. First of all we have to have God inside of us and connected to him. That's the ultimate door to unlock that that greatness.

The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 320 that now and to him was able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is at work in us that God is already put greatness inside of how do we know the greatness is inside of us, because God is inside of us in the Scripture tells the greater is he that in us than he that is in the world so we don't have to look to our jobs to define us. We have to look to our education, socioeconomic status, bank account. Those things are not defined as those things don't make us great but it's the God who created us that makes us great.

Yet we so often get derailed by mediocrity and heir to talk live and try challenge listeners to wake up early Christ get serious.

He's coming back. Life short but I wish that we have in house is how is this the enemy he knows a lot of our listeners are going to go over the no go crazy and go drop acid and in the no blowup ability or something but he's not try to tempt them to do that.

He's trying to take us to mediocrity.

Tell us about that. The venom is dangerous. Death of the mediocrity of mediocrity. As I believe one of the greatest weapons that the enemy has in his arsenal. He unleashes what I call an assassin named average that we settle for average the enemy's job is to defeat us. But the reality is that we read the Scriptures carefully. The devil cannot defeat us. We've already been given the victory thanks beyond the God who gives us the victory God, who always causes us to triumph that we already have the victory to fight is been fixed.

The only way that Satan can defeat God's people is if he can convince us to give up on ourselves is the only way he can win is if we drop out of the ranks.

What he does as he tries to get us to settle for less than God's promises less than God's best, less than what God has placed inside of us and if he can hide that greatness from get us to settle for mediocrity.

When God created us to be great. Scripture tells us that we have the head and not the tail above and not make the lender are not involved but if we settle for being beneath instead of above it. We settle for being the tail instead of the head. We give Satan his amps and his plan victory in our lives. We give it away.

He can take it from us talk about that and I love what you're saying there and there's really a fine line because you have this whole prosperity gospel after meeting I want to be rich in now, but you have people to in the name of God that may have the nicest cars nice houses nice is everything that they're empty on the inside because there make me forget that it's that spiritual richness of Jesus and he's all you borrowed flippy as we were to start a flipping 16, he wrote that in prison you have a lot of material but he was wealthy at any casino because he had realized.

I got my God shall supply my needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. But talk about that how the wealth of being a kings kid doesn't mean were over worldly or materialistic it just means that we recognize that it's God who split the Senate submitted all come from him through us into back to him exactly the 42nd Psalm I think really highlights this, the sons of course, in Psalm 42 and one and as the deer pants for the water brooks, my soul longs after God set along for the living God.

The problem in society is not met with thirsty problems that were often thirsty for the wrong things and it's important that we have to have the thirst God because were all born with this innate versus innate desires and a drive for more there. None of us are complete in and of ourselves, that's why I we have people who try to find and quench their thirst with drugs, alcohol or illicit relationships or three success or toys and things are houses and cars and accumulation of those things cannot fill us up. I went when the Psalmist says that as the deer pants for the water saw solons from God talking about a specific kind of water, English standard version said the deer pants for the flowing stream. We have to drink from one of the stream, not the water from the sea because seawater will make you more thirsty make you more dehydrated and it can ultimately kill you.

And when we try to find our hope, greatness, fulfillment in all of these other things. It's like drinking seawater, ice making this more thirsty is dehydrating us and ultimately can kill is the only thing that can quench that thirst is that we have defined it in the Savior. Jesus said those of you who thirst come onto me and drink and I'll give you that living will find that event as the voice of five Bishop pasture to shadow and choice the pastor of Mount Calvary holy church based in Winston-Salem which are part of a denomination. I guess it spans the whole country right in other places. Even the homeless right moms and around the world with that place in the Caribbean and that the UK in Africa and North America would it's a growing network of churches that were pleased to be part of our island hopper. My origins right. Your action gives you way a beautiful ask a bigger flavor. Those that beautiful clear sands in the ocean water, son of the sun, sand in Seattle, son of the bomb as I love it. Love the fact that I grew up in the bomb us and always enjoy going on for this, especially when it is right what you want. You shall honor your mom and that you love your Facebook post that you got a Catholic social quake in Rome sometime this segment to talk live experience. You got a book power prayers and you get a bunch of books in production but also quick about power players in Canada thrust that busters is producing assisted knowledge of applicable chocolate power prayers as where devotional is a 30 day devotional from France. It came as birth out of my own desire to be more consistent and disciplined in my prayer life and so out of that wrote this book that's really on print devotional.

It's infused with the word of God I believe is important to pray the Scriptures, and to make daily declarations the declarations over every day. For instance, how they something it says that you know this is more than one day I'm declaring that I'm not have more not less than this is make a daily declaration over your data space in the book to write down your prayer request your thoughts right on your answer prayers. Get your victory power prayers didn't get that book in all of the resources that we have@mywebsitetoshadowhenschel.com TE JA DO HANCHELL.com look us up.

And I believe that mess up your life go to that site and I do little tweet here to fight you.

There may social media and extreme devilish man.

Thank you for your encouraging your final challenge to be left there about walking the high road with Jesus this year in avoiding the mediocrity. Just remember, we don't serve a mediocre God nothing about God our father and our Savior Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has anything to do it mediocrity.

Everything is about living beyond everything is about exceeding everything is about abundance.

That's not materially that's first and foremost begins on the inside of us that he came to give us life and that more abundantly abundant life on the floor to every area of our lives.

Hello, I'm Ted Bayer, publisher, God.org and the fun family friendly movie monster trucks trip is a high school senior who works in the junkyard and is trying to build a monster truck and amphibious creature living in an underground river above an oil deposit eludes the oil drilling company trying to catch it high. The body of trips truck powered the vehicle and transforming it into an actual bona fide monster truck trip befriends the creature and decides to help it return to its family, but can they escape nefarious henchmen even in the lighthearted movie like monster trucks our families are reminded choosing kindness of agreed is and always the easiest choice and many times require sacrifice, but the reward for doing so is always worth it in trips case choosing to help rather than destroy region closer to some unlikely people read more about monster trucks. If movie guide that a crucial aspect of being a believer in Jesus Christ isn't just preaching grace but showing it as well in the new faith-based combating the resurrection of Gavin Stone cabinets of washed a factor as party lifestyle lands him in trouble and is forced to dig 200 hours of community service at a church when Gavin starts noticing the pastor's daughter Kelly is producing the church's passion play Gavin pretends to be a Christian, so that he can be in the play closer to Kelly as a problem. However, Gavin is cast as Jesus and quickly his former life begins to catch up with him in the resurrection of Gavin Stone were reminded that showing the grace and the love of Jesus to the lost has immense power and even proud individuals can find new resurrected life. Read more about the resurrection of Gavin Stone movie God.org. Do you believe God wants to engage you in a personal relationship is just wishful thinking, not according to James McDonald to be the president of a company and not in any way really be great to be a politician in high office.

You can be a professor at a prestigious college can be a prominent for a successful entertainer and not in any way be great like they are great people might applaud you and Mike lined up to shake your hand or get your autograph or some other silly horizontal thing that we all get ultimately internally God's eyes you can have position and not be great. Greatness is not found in position is the production of popular ministry passion and the people of God through the proclamation of truth for Bible study resources and more teams have you ever met someone who got saved from a gospel track of all things.

I mean, he's annoying will track you. Finally, bathrooms and finally churches people pass them out, and you're like oh my – is not things around here.

It's annoying will that really happen to the guy who's with me right now, but here's a second follow-up question that if you ever met anyone who came to Christ through the gospel track who went on to be a part of an international ministry displaying churches around the world who's about to challenge the socks off you guys right now he's met her not good to talk live. But they stay very very excited to be here with you and be able to share a little bit about what God said in my life and what God is doing around the world was just so cool and I want to get to the church planning wages told happen in the Philippines Ave. in Ethiopia just unbelievable stuff before we go there tell us who is not heard. How did you come to Christ toaster story. You are there you were struggling 12 year old boy did growing up a Christian only nest of give it to us. So basically I grew up in a wonderful home with my great family and was taught to grow up, get a good education, getting a job in the field. The American dream and then shortly after graduating college, getting married and having my daughter, we began to start visiting churches as my wife who grew up in church she wanted to raise our daughter in the church and I thought well that's what good people do, but in the process of visiting churches and visiting folks that come to visit our home to welcome us to the church in one of the welcome packets was a gospel tract and my wife and I were sitting in bed one night, reviewing and learning about different churches and in that gospel track. A simple simple message of of what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, something I never had explained to me before and God just open my heart to my lostness and my need for a Savior, and prayed to receive Christ at night while what what a neat thing you think about maybe that sweet lady who just faithfully packs those new members gets and she's probably one or man is doing in relation things and now it's just, you know, monotony all the time but that here this this due to God's been chasing you down for years, right up in others it planted some seeds and maybe you just were finding it in organized religion you know just just going church in your this relation with Christ. Talk about how that was just such a pertinent thing. I think the biggest thing for me was anytime that I look at what Christianity was always looked at the church and always looked at people that identified themselves as Christian and one of the greatest things I found, which is the hypocrisy of the lifestyle and the life choices but it wasn't until I looked at Jesus. That was what really changed my life and change my walk because it we can get distracted by looking at other people in the in our flesh and in our brokenness and we can fail to see the true beauty of who Jesus was, but one that track just spoke to my heart, and the Holy Spirit came in and really revealed to me how beautiful Jesus really was. That's what changed me and it overcame the obstacles of what the jaded view that I had of church and that track actually was along those lines of how to have a personal relationship with Christ. Yes it it talked about our sin. A base of the Roman road right you know you go through unit aromas chapter 3 and talk about artery gravity AND we have a problem just 23 wages of sin is death within the good news. On the flipside, the gift of God is eternal life. For those who confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead to be saved and have to do anything. I didn't have to read a certain number of passages and memorize all mud and have to say some crazy incantation or magical prayer. It was truly just surrendering the heart and see that's the good news the gospel, God came to us. God came to us to do what we couldn't do Jesus Christ. He lived that perfect life born a virgin born of a virgin perfect book birth. He didn't have the seed of man in him the contaminated bloodline of man. He was born of God for the Virgin Mary live the perfect life always about his father's business, so that life that righteous life is applied to those who receive that gift.

The cross culminates that were he pays he paid the price for Matt's help, he took God's wrath for you.

He died in your place. He died in place of Stu and hope those of you listening out there that don't know Christ will take serious serious heed to what were saying here that you do matter how messed up you are matter how dysfunctional around that are bruised and beaten up or how self-righteous you are, you might just be full of yourself.

God can radically change your life.

He can come in. He's inviting you through the through this obnoxious talkshow host Stu Epperson in my special guest is far less obnoxious and far more particulate matter earned to receive him and it just so happened that that gospel track that many of you laugh at her just throw in a throw away. There's nothing more discouragement. I've given are tracked related up the trash cans and I go pick him up, dust them off and give someone else know but you know that Hudson Taylor were talking about your ministry here to second Matt Hudson Taylor got saved from a gospel track, awesome man that shine on fire forgot a man is your reason for the underground church that you are ministering to you. We haven't we have folks and we talk to people in China last three years ago when I was in country several missionaries and several church planters in the area they would reference their heritage back to him. As with their grandparents and others who came back to with the church that he started and how, through his faithful work at the indigenous church has been raised up and is on fire for the Lord Garrison interviewed Ray comfort he told me that Ray cover passes allocable instruction, nursing going dark. I got one of my little hundred dollar bill for a hearing, a million-dollar tract is out of the million dollar bill right I probably gave you in first million dollars or put your laid hands on what you think about. There's clever when some ways, and someone, somewhere, somehow overcame that fear of home in the sky.

Hudson can name is that you know Hudson Taylor HD boys and a laugh at me if I don't normally give McDermott give attractive cousin versus and it can God use that to quicken his heart.

God used that little truck he got the new members to to open your heart to Christ and then from there while you had no idea the adventure yet no idea what he signed afforded your brother to tell our listeners what happened here on to talk live with Stu Epperson here Matt Hearns. Our guest came to Christ through all kinds of circumstances and God save you radically and then all of a sudden here you are in the national director of an international ministry patella scan of the generator. So basically after coming in, and faith in Christ. God began to do an incredible work in my life and my wife's life, which was a really neat blessing for us to grow together in the Lord and her and her patients and in helping even initially discipling me if she had more biblical knowledge and but being patient and allowing me to to continue to pursue the Lord to grow, to then become the spiritual leader of my home. But God took my broken path. My broken teenage years to put a passion my heart to want to minister to young people, and that passion turned into a calling, which turned into seminary and which turned into becoming a youth pastor and then associate pastor and now the director of an international missions organization and that's called empower ministry tells what empowered as was the heart and soul ministry. Empower ministry is what we cut we start to do his work with the indigenous church to empower them and equip them with the tools and the resources that they need to do what God's already anointed them and gifted them to do which is to get we get Bibles to them to where they can distribute the word of God because we believe in the power of the word of God. I though the gentleman that I met in Burma one time and grew up in a Buddhist background and was actually an astrologer he would get paid $15 to read people's palms and that's how he made a living, but somebody gave the Bible and he began to read the Bible from the beginning and obviously we know that in the beginning God created while that began a challenge in his life about will.

If God created the earth and everything in it that which came first outer creation because Abu as a Buddhist, he believes it. Everything is been created is eternal and then in Genesis chapter 6 it talks about how God allotted man 120 years on astrology hundred and 20 years is a significant time period by which they can determine blessings and curses and so that begin a journey within which came first, God or astrology, and it took him on a journey in just those simple passages of Scripture in the first part of Genesis on creation and just God's allotting man's years and how intentional 120 years was and how it spoke to that man at that moment in time and how that led him to faith in Christ and he's now planing churches and in leading people to the Lord, which is why we get Bibles out right is so cool and that's what you're aggressively doing getting your trade is chemical what you're doing. It so so much lesson resources, money and everything to get some of his A/V early speech language is already in India is already in China, Burma, Philippines Cambodia so you're trying to get indigenous person. We work with the indigenous people because it's financially more effective to be able to work with them in those areas where God's already equip them and empower them with language relationships and we just give them the resources that they need Weatherby pastor support short-term to help them provide for their families.

They go in evangelizing witness and plant churches and we also provide with a lot of training God's saving thousands upon thousands every single day around the world and in it for us. It is making sure we have the disciple makers ready and trained and equipped to multiply themselves and to help train and teach those that God is bringing into his fold.

That is so awesome.

Praise God. What a great story. The ministries empower ministries. You've heard the testimony of the national director who is Matt Hearns was today untrue. Talk live. His website is empower ministries is EM INT empower ministers international EM INT L.Margie Margie look them up to come out and wanted to go there with you for my Instagram several and if you follow me on Instagram or equitable video there for you time to wake up and share the good news of Jesus who came to save sinners like the necessary establishment so Thomas Madison was a New England writer of humor in the early 20th century.

He is credited with this observation.

Think of what would happen to us in America if there were no humanist life would be like one long, I agree with Mr. Madison lifetime of listening to Congress. The vein is not a happy thought in our church lately. We have enjoyed some funny phones and make us laugh heartily mostly at ourselves therapy that I highly recommend. I hope you have an opportunity today to enjoy a healthy this is David Jeremiah encouraging you to get on the why God created driving the word whole returning home today and a relatively unknown Muslim militant group has intensified attacks against the followers of Christ in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, raising fears of the emergence of a new jihadist organization in central Africa. Years now, one of the various rebel Islamic groups operating there has been trying to uproot Christians from the Northeast area of the DRC threat tax rate kidnap and murder on an almost weekly basis, at least 36 people recently killed in attack in the village near Fanny, which is a major town in the region. We do not understand why this is happening to us one pastors all laments rebels just take people in the bush and kill them and kidnap them for more go to BOM Canada.com John MacArthur joining today's portraits of grace you believe you can judge a man's character by his enemies. Well, it's true, especially in the spiritual realm.

The world loves its own since Christ chose you out of the world each night shouldn't surprise you. After all, the world hated Jesus so much kill him and you too can expect that kind of hostility Jesus as the world hate you.

You know, hated the world so hostile because your righteous life is a rebuke to sin and a reminder of coming judgment and experience the world hostility opposition prejudice and even persecution because of the love of Christ. That is evidence that you belong to me a portrait of grace as you can rejoice in the midst experience with network founder and president Stu Epperson Junior for the next several months taking us through the book of James in a series entitled authentic thing to learn more about the program and network.com now with today's message is to serve the fiery trials are around struggling your battle George challenged.

It seems like it can't get any worse then you get that phone call, then you lose a very close friend or relative to death or to cancer. How do you handle it. Life comes at you fast while James the author the book of James comes at us with authentic faith what that looks like and how God wants to do so many awesome things your life. I'm Stu Epperson so glad to be with you and so glad to have them back for the third week in a row. My wise, godly father-in-law, Pastor Marvin's life or the pastor of Mountain Bible church.

If you ever attach the California debt. Can the can. The friends here the Truth Network listeners come out to see and hear the word taught if they visit, they will for sure is the word of God taught what your service times out there right now were 10 o'clock on Sunday mornings and then we have several small groups throughout the weekend. We have three of them that go on after church facilities on Wednesdays, 6 o'clock so I got I grabbed him and dragged him into the studio here because I'm teaching through the book of James. Every week on experienced trees were in James right now probably will be here for little bit. God's were so powerfully want to take our time and I'm really enjoying study. Hope you guys are out there listening TruthNetwork.com reports of links on there. She can hear previous programs podcast and whatnot but Marvin were drilling down hard on the first few verses of James.

We talked about who James is, who is writing to the 12 tribes scattered abroad.

No doubt under all kinds of fiery trials, separation struggles, maybe imprisonment in James writing them a letter he's telling them how you engage these trials in a in a loving way since brethren, which is conical around the gate. My brother and he says that all throughout the book counted all joy when you fall into various trials and temptations which really is the same word in wheat we get working to go there deeper in a few weeks we get this idea, let no man say when he is tempted, so that we will be weak talk dealt with at the past, really, how God sends trials to us to perfect us refiners so that what here that we can count them all joy. We can know that the trying.

Our faith is working patient so we can know that patience have her perfect work, that we may perfect, complete, lacking nothing. God allows his trousers not to drink bring us into sin, but to refine our faith to get us closer to him to mold us into conformity. The image of Jesus Christ. So the word transformed by his word and less conformed to this world. Romans 12.2 and Romans 828 all things work together for the good to them that love got to that are called according to his purpose. But these things are done so. So God can mold us and make us and so that this good.

The beautiful treasure in these vessels of clay setting previous chapter 3 shine out the glory of God's strength is perfection shines out so we've been dealing with this text in here we are at this moment we talk about patients waiting on the Lord, how inpatient a people we are. James deal with these people at your one Lord, one people to be judge these rich people who are pressing you older times common pie fact the people the rich people in James. They were so consumed are well is so success when it seemed like, how could they be blessed with their set of such evil hearts and their pressing and aborting and doing these evil things, and by the way, those people are dead now gave us of this was you know you know nearly 2 millennia ago. This book was in a written of those people.

But today there is those people after you see how can it help these people who hate God, you are evil, who live destructive bent on abortion celebrating no one political theories. He said God bless Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood was founded by a racist hated black people. You could look at Margaret Sanger's quotes horrible. Yes, and this person said God bless them how to do this is blasphemous you Searcy.

How could God allow that person to even be alive noted to even do this in but God's got his point in the judgment that God has in the end, in his timetable. So we go to God and we let patience have her perfect work, that you may perfect and entire, lacking nothing. So this idea of maturity. Refine fire. The fire makes the goal appear Marvin verse five. One of my favorite verses of all time. If any of you lack wisdom.

Now, that statement alone is James trying to interject a sense of humor here because who doesn't like wisdom is what's going on. Well you actually gave a very operative word a minute ago because these are people that are in the fire that they're not may be going to go through it. They're not looking at someone else's going. They are in the fire so their attention is full force and I think of the words of Christ, wherein Mark 11 he starts in verse 24 therefore I tell you what ever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. Now that verse is taken out of context and actually applied by people who applied by people who make it sound like will you know if I want a pink Cadillac. Just ask God, believe that I have read and I will get it, but is not what is talking about the it's like Psalm 37. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. The issue you gotta start where he started. Delight yourself in the Lord.

First of all, so if you pull these verses out what you keep that they don't interrupt, so you will please verse it out again text asking you is you shall receive seeking self. I knock it is reopened.

You whatever you ask God will give you this but we we short-circuit.

Yes, the process wheat. We forget about who were asking yes in the motive of the heart. So I love your point about that barbecue go that when when that I ask for wisdom, I actually have to believe that God is going to give me wisdom and that wisdom is in the plan and purpose of God for his children and especially as I go through trial since the context wife if I want to understand more about this trial and how God can or will use this.

Just hang on because he will always show you where it's been a long time. As idea of wisdom.

It's everywhere in the book of James, often touted by scholars as the wisdom book of the New Testament the proper New Testament. You have references in here that are clearly really entrenched and in Hebrew thought, you know from the Old Testament appended to the wisdom literature, which is I believe, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, song of Solomon is that it was literature that you help me here now. Yes, Job is usually played out.

Also so the wisdom so he said James when he says he's taking us through what's going on is telling us that we are to count it all joy that we are to know what's going on here with her mind and that we are to allow our will let patience have her perfect work, but then he says if anyone and if any of you lack wisdom, which really is all of us is just so if if that's not you, then yeah I don't know what but you better get on the right train track your with what James is saying because we all lack wisdom.

It's almost like a little sense of humor. Yeah, I was like when Jesus said pray he's got you know is and so is in John four and Jesus pulled quantities. I believe and disciple still probably didn't get it after he said he I have food that you don't know of the disciples left to go get food Jesus is there with this woman of the night in broad daylight. So he's a Jew talking to a Gentile unclean halfbreed.

Samaritan was breaking every racial every ethnic every religious you know law in history and every every etiquette law by talking to her and they come back and they say will he says I have to you don't know other like what are you talking wanted some. What did you call dominoes while you're gone or something. Jesus is like my will, my food is to do God's will, there's a there's a deeper thing going on here and then this woman goes back and brings the whole town out to hear Jesus to meet Jesus and Jesus says the harvest is planning. You know, here's the heirs you know that that that that there's a harvest right there, until you yes and disciples are probably looking around for no attractor or combine something to to get all the collection of who we but it never Jesus says and I'm not sure it's it it's in that exact passage, but I know that at some point in his energies and pray that the Lord of the harvest yes would send out harvesters course he's he's trying to kick the z-axis a little bit the Penn State go out there and in and reap this awesome artist and bring people to me, you know, in and so really the answer to the prayer is me and you and those here in my voice you are if you know Christ you are in the battle.

You're the one to so piece the James chapter 3 verse 18 says you want to go after that person it's falling away from God that the very last verse of James chapter 5 says you are the one to ask for wisdom you lack wisdom, yes, but sometimes it takes God just as gotta do things that knock me over the head. Marvin took to so I recognize that I lack wisdom well and even before he gets out of the chapter. If you have true religion. The wisdom is take care of the windows, the orphans, they didn't have Social Security that so the care of a widow or an orphan.

They were relegated to lower rank and even those who are imprisoned. Pay attention to visit them EE say Lord show me how I can serve in someone who needs some love given to a family in prison will guide to show she brought a horse in your path or someone you feed or someone you take care of tangible needs. So this is a very practical book and this idea I want to build deeper on wisdom a little bit more next time.

And if you can hang around with us for another. A recording because he says that if you lack wisdom, he tells the source of it let him who lacks wisdom, which is really all of us. Yes, even, especially those in trials in life. Ask of God, yes. So there is one source clear source and now there is an earthly demonic sensual wisdom that comes from below that were to look at in James three later on.

Yes, that there is a divine, supernatural heavenly wisdom that is ready to be poured down into you. Yes, if you ask James even tells how to ask but were in a given that next week on experienced truth Stu Epperson my awesome father-in-law has been a guest contributor who at he's been putting Leo for a long time and a lot of the wisdom that I have in my life. I go to God brings godly wisdom.

I say Lord, give me wisdom. He brought this godly man in my life who who is who gave me his daughter in marriage 24 years ago, dad. So God bless you and thank you for being with us today. Thank