We all go through times when we’re looking ahead, and our future looks uncertain. We want clarity, but instead, God gives us the courage to move forward in faith. It’s in these moments we learn not to be driven by what’s easy but to be pulled forward by purpose. Sermon Highlights  It’s important to always have something to look forward to.  You need a better because. Sometimes, God won’t give you the conclusion, He’ll just give you courage. It’s ok not to know. You don’t need clarity to trust God. Your future is not certain, and your hope is Christ.  When you are torn between what’s easy and what’s needed, let your purpose pull you forward. It’s dangerous to not look forward. It’s just as dangerous to look too far forward – Look forward, not far. The presence of God is good enough to keep me out of these chains today.  Sometimes, God gives you a taste of what tomorrow could taste like. You are closer than you think. Scriptures Philippians 1:18-26 – Paul is torn. Numbers 13:27-28 –  The Israelites are torn. Sermon Discussion Conversation Starter  What is one thing you’re looking forward to this week? Discussion Questions “It’s dangerous to not look forward. It’s just as dangerous to look too far forward – Look forward, not far.”  Where in your life have you been looking too far ahead? What’s one step right in front of you that you can take this week to keep heading in that direction?  “When you are torn between what’s easy and what’s needed, let your purpose pull you forward.”  Where in your life are you tempted to take the easy route instead of what’s necessary for God’s purpose, and what is something you can look forward to so that you can stay focused? Additional Questions “Sometimes God won’t give you the conclusion; He will just give you courage.”  Share a time you had to trust God with something without knowing what the outcome would be. How did that experience shape your faith?  “You don’t need clarity to trust God. Your future is not certain, and your hope is Christ.”  Where are you facing uncertainty right now, but will continue to trust God will see you through? Prayer Prompt Ask this question to your eGroup and include it as part of your closing prayer: Ask your eGroup, “What is one area of your life where you need to trust God, even though you may not have clarity?” Pray that your eGroup members develop a deeper trust in God’s plan and purposes, even in the midst of uncertainty, for the courage to make necessary decisions, even when they are difficult, and for a renewed focus on the present moment and the opportunities God has provided. Pray that each person would have unwavering hope in Christ and a joyful anticipation of the future He has planned and to be “pulled by purpose” and to make a difference in the world around them.

HOME FOR cHRISTMAS sHELTER AND REFUGE IN JESUS Psalm 121 R3-1803 What does it do to your heart to realize that Mary didn’t make it home for Christmas? (Repeat) If anybody needed to be home for Christmas, it was Mary. ●Slide #: Luke 2:1-7: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. ●Slide #: 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ●Slide #: 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. “No room for them in the inn!” How many of us feel like that—or have felt like that. We just need to go home…find a shelter…a refuge from some of the troubles that beset us. So Mary and Joseph are on their way to Bethlehem to pay those taxes, and so all of that to say this – this isn’t a joyous trip, it is like a trip to the IRS, or like going to the DMV to renew your license, that’s not a joyous experience, so going to the dentist for a root canal or going to the doctor because your bowels are impacted. Most pregnant women are told not to travel in their last trimester of pregnancy. Not Mary. She made the arduous trip in her ninth month on the back of a bouncing donkey. Sitting on the back of a donkey for Mary felt like she was dribbling a basketball in her abdomen. They both probably wondered if she’d go into labor on the road. There were no Triple T truck stops to potty and buy a Snickers. Can you imagine how many pit stops poor Mary had to make? Happy meals and Dairy Queen Blizzards could not be found along the way. The couple probably survived on stale bread, moldy cheese and a few dried figs. And besides all of that her sandal straps were cutting blisters into her swollen ankles. Any lone traveler crossing from Galilee into Samaria would be at risk of attack and would certainly not receive lodgings or any other type of assistance on the journey. Thank God we all don’t have to walk to Washington D.C. every year! What a pain! You have to put yourself in their sandals and realize that they are going into an awkward situation. Like many of us, when we go home, family is going to be there. And they are going back to the place of their ancestry, which means there will be a little bit of a family reunion. Certainly there is extended family that is going to be there and Mary is pregnant, but they are not married, they are engaged, and this is going to raise some eyebrows and raise some questions. I wonder if a lot of this ride was them strategizing about how they were going to reflect the questions. Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about because you are strategizing right now. Right? Because everybody has some crazy relative with some weird fascination with your dating life, or you know, there is some situation that you don’t want to talk about, like you’re going to get one hundred questions about the job you lost in the last month, or family issues are going to come up and you naturally strategize how you’re going to deflect the questions or change the subject or make sure I’m not alone with this particular relative. She needed a home, a place of refuge, to shelter her from the struggles of life. Many of us need a shelter—a refuge—a home to shield us from the struggles we all face. Mary spent about two years in Bethlehem before they had to move and find another shelter. ●Slide #: Matthew 2:1-3: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him…. ●Slide #: Matthew 2:11: On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. ●Slide #: Matthew 2:13: When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” … ●Slide #: Matthew 2:19-20: After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” ●Slide #: Matthew 2:21-23: So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. The childhood years of Jesus were spent looking for shelter, a place to call home. Finally found it in Nazareth. And for the next 25 years, Mary and Jesus finally found shelter—a refuge—from the dangers of life. Where do we find shelter? Sometimes events occur and we feel like a dry barren wind off a lonely desert. And something inside us begins to melt. At other times difficulties feel like a chilling mist. Seeping through our pores, it numbs the spirit and fogs the path before us. What is it about pain and trouble and discouragement that strips our lives of joy and leaves us feeling vulnerable and exposed! I don’t know all of the reasons, but I know one of the reasons: We don’t have a refuge. Shelters are hard to find these days…you know, people who care enough to listen; who are good at keeping secrets. We all need harbors to pull into when we feel weather-worn and beaten down by the storm. Galatians 6:2: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Love is the law of Christ) LESSONS FROM A TAVERN By Charles Swindoll An old Marine Corps buddy of mine, to my pleasant surprise, came to know Christ after he was discharged. I say surprise because he cursed loudly, fought hard, chased women, drank heavily, loved war and weapons, and hated chapel services A number of months ago, I ran into this fellow, and after we’d talked awhile, he put his hand on my shoulder and said, “You know, Chuck, the only thing I still miss is that old fellowship I used to have with all the guys down at the tavern. I remember how we used to sit around and laugh and drink a pitcher of beer and tell stories and let our hair down. I can’t find anything like that for Christians. I no longer have a place to admit my faults and talk about my battles – where somebody won’t preach at me and frown and quite me a verse.” It wasn’t one month later that in my reading I came across this profound paragraph: “The neighborhood bar is probably the best counterfeit that there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It’s an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality – but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic. You can tell people secrets, and they usually don’t tell others or even want to. The var flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers With all my heart,” this writer concludes, “I believe that Christ wants his people to be unshockable, a fellowship where people can come in and say, ‘I’m sunk, I’m beat, I’ve had it.’ Alcoholics Anonymous has this quality – our churches too often miss it.” Now before you take up arms to shoot some wag that would compare your church to the corner bar, stop and ask yourself some tough questions, like I had to do. Let me be painfully specific. Where do you turn when the bottom drops out of your life? Or when you face an embarrassing issue, maybe even scandalous? A woman discovers her husband is a practicing homosexual. Where in the church can she find help where she’s secure with her secret? Your spouse talks about separation or divorce. To whom in the church do you tell it? Your daughter is pregnant, and she’s run away – for the third time. She’s no longer listening to you. Who do you tell that to? Financially you were unwise, and you’re in deep trouble. Or your wife is having an affair. Or a your husband is an alcoholic. Or something as horrible as getting back the biopsy from the surgeon, and it reveals cancer, and the prognosis isn’t good. Or you had an emotional breakdown. To whom do you tell it? What do you need when circumstances of your life and threaten to engulf you with pain and confusion? You need a shelter, a listener. Someone who understands. Travelers along the journey with us. They can understand and help. But they face the same fears we do. And, what about times when they are not to be found? So with friends like these, who needs divine help? Uh…that would be every last one of us. Human help is wonderful, but, it is always human But, to whom do you turn when there is no one to tell your troubles to? Where do you find shelter? Like to call our attention to a man who found his refuge and shelter in the Living Lord. His name? David. Cornered, bruised by adversity, and struggling with low self-esteem, he wrote Psalm 31. ●Slide #: Psalm 31:1-2: In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; … Turn your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Failing in strength, wounded in spirit, David cries out for a “refuge.” The Hebrew term speaks of safety, security, secrecy. He tells Jehovah God that He was looking to Him for refuge. Psalm 121: A song of ascents. Psalm’s of Ascents: 120-134: journey up to the high places of the Temple. Songs written for Pilgrims returning to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity. 15 steps leading up to temple. All begin with a distress call—not a bad place to begin a journey. Sometimes the best motivation we’ll ever have for going someplace else is distress in someplace old. Life can change in the blink of an eye. All well, go to office, job deleted, doctor visit more serious than imagined. Thought you and your spouse were fine, learned through a third party that you are not. My journals? Switch from first person pronouns to second person pronouns between verses 2 and 3. Not unusual. Pilgrim speaks in the first tow verses and a worship leader responds in the remaining verses. Psalm 120 unfolds with the pilgrim still far from home. He looks to the hills in the distance and wonders and probably fears what might be on the other side. He anticipates the long, arduous journey ahead and wishes he could be home in the blink of an eye. ●Slide #: Psalm 121:1-2: I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. “Maker of Heaven and Earth” reminds us that all is God’s turf. We are on His territory. Creator: Some powerful God to help him on his journey. Slit illustration: time runs backwards 0000000000000000000000000000000000000 ●Slide #: Psalm 121:3 He will not let your foot slip — An ancient traveler made his journey primarily by foot. Terrain could be treacherous. A twisted ankle or a broken foot could leave him stranded far from water. It could have been his ticket to the grave. Here is what Christ can do for us on our journey. Jude 24-25: “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Name a way that He does that? Dodging cars on freeway ●Slide #: Psalm 121:3b-4: he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. I am reminded that He never dozes off. God never slumbers Ancient pagan peoples commonly held the notion that god’s slept, or hibernated, or even died during the winter months. The protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. Journeys long enough that they necessitated sleeping somewhere along the way. Perhaps the wind whistled eerily around them. Perhaps a wild dog howled in the distance. Scarier still, perhaps a bandit lurking nearby waited for them finally to sleep before creeping into camp to rob and decimate them. When they were too exhausted to go on, they reassured themselves that Yahweh wouldn’t blink an eye. Why? Because some one had best stay awake. Slumbers: Airport: Dry mouth: “I was snoring, wasn’t I? If I do it again, some one poke me in the ribs.” Never sleeps: Fore arm shiver dream. He never wakes up suddenly with a start when the earth rumbles beneath our feet and be confused about what is going on. ●Slide #: Psalm 121:5 The LORD watches over you — “The Lord watches over (protects) you is the overarching message of this Psalm. The phrase rises off the page like a ladder going up and then down the page. 58 syllables before and 58 syllables after it. Center stage is not enough for David. Repeated the word numerous times. English uses several different words used to make reading easier and less repetitious—as keep, watch over, guard, to keep But David uses the same word every time. For example, ●Slide #: Psalm 121:7: The LORD will keep (protects) you from all harm — he will watch over (protects) your life; 8 the LORD will watch over (protects) your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalmist was not concerned with the variety of words such as keep, watch over, guard, to keep the singer engaged, he repeated the point over and over again until they got it. God is the caretaker of you and me. He tends to us. Watches over us. He never entrusted the job to anyone else. At no time does God abdicate our guardianship to an angel, regardless of how mighty. We are pilgrims on the journey. The path twists and turns, with hills that obscure our view and incite us to fear what may lie on the other side. The earth is a minefield. Unseen enemies lurk in unexpected places. Simply put, it is scary here. Don’t you think so? Simply, He is our refuge. ●Slide #: Psalm 121:5b-6: the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. Anyone who lives in a miserably hot climate knows the threat posed by heat stroke to those travelling in the semi-desert in the blazing sun. Need shade Ricky and man about to die of heat stroke on the golf course. Circumstances are really getting hot! He is our shade: our shelter from the scorching sun of life. Reference to being moon struck is much less common and much more intriguing. In the ancient world, the notion that the moon beamed harmful influences was whispered throughout the Far East. Matthew 17:15: “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.” Common belief that seizures were the result of long or intense exposure to the haunting effects of the moon. Moonstruck is the literal rendering of the Greek word. 17:15: “He is a lunatic…” is proper translation. Praise God, he protects us even when our superstitions mislead us. Won’t die until finish book 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. But, what if our feet have slipped? What if we have been hurt on our journey? He does protect us from threats—many of which we don’t even know about. He protects us in the world what spiritual war is raging unabated. Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” What is it that gets you to the shelter? Friends and family Promises Journals Must be willing Jesus in Matthew 23:37: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Cast cares and fears on him and receive his banner over me is love Have to be deliberate: Consciously walk away from the things that I can’t control and walk into a place of safety. Find and utilize places of peace. Whatsoever is pure and holy, think on those things We are still standing. Alaska and dad story LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed,he remembers that we are dust.” Phil Littleford took his son and two other men on an Alaskan fishing trip. In their quest to find running salmon they flew their seaplane to a secluded bay where the fishing was everything they imagined it would be. When they finished for the day they saw that the fluctuating tide left their plane 23 feet from the water; so, they cooked some of their fish for dinner and slept in the plane. Early the next morning they cranked the engine and took off. Unfortunately, unknown to them, one of the pontoons was punctured and filling with water. The extra weight caused the seaplane to crash within moments. Everyone survived; but they had no safety equipment on board. They used their waders as floats but the frigid water was a deadly threat. The current was too strong for Littleford’s twelve-year-old son to swim against. The other two men fought their way against the tide and barely made it to shore. The two survivors looked back to see Phil Littleford and his son Mark being swept out to sea, arm in arm. The Coast Guard reported that they probably lasted no more than an hour in the freezing waters. Hypothermia relentlessly chilled their body functions. Mark, with a smaller body mass, most likely died first in his father’s arms. Dr. Littleford could have made it to shore, but refused to abandon his son.

God chose a humble animal—a donkey foal—to play a big part in Bible prophecy and a key role in our Savior’s story. The donkey who carried the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem for Passover was more than just transportation—that journey fulfilled prophecy and identified Jesus as the Messiah. In this Christmas Eve message, Pastor Skip Heitzig examines God’s attention to detail, His perfect timing, and His use of humble things, and he encourages us to live in Service to the King. Matthew 21:1-9

TOUGH CHOICES MATTHEW 1:16, 18-25 1519 VIDEO FROM MATTHEW 1:18-25 Vertical Limit Illustration: Father, Son and Daughter climbing in Monument Valley. Daughter has laid in three anchors. Suddenly, two amateur climbers above them fall. Ropes entangled. Two amateurs swinging and wiggling. Dad calls for them to settle down, going to pull out anchors. Wiggling in panic. First anchor pulls free. Dad pleads for son to cut the rope holding dad and the two amateurs. Only way to save son and daughter. Dad pleads with son to cut the rope. Daughter pleads with brother not to cut dad loose. Second anchor blows out of the rock. Tough choice for son. Agony in his heart and face. Saws the rope with his knife until dad and two amateurs fall to their deaths. Peaceful scene of valley floor. All over. Suddenly, dad’s body thumps to ground: dead. ·SLIDE #10: Tough choices, at defining moments, reveal who we and determine who we will become. ·SLIDE #1: You are a first time parent, sitting in obstetrician’s office when you first learn that your unborn child has irreparable physical problems, the Doctor asks, “What to do about it?” ·SLIDE #2: Your boss asks you to cover up extra company income to reduce company income taxes—you know it is wrong; but after all, it is your boss. ·SLIDE #3: On a date with the person you are supposed to marry, you are asked to violate your moral convictions—but if you don’t you are scared you might lose him. ·SLIDE 4#: A coworker of the opposite sex asks you to lunch. You have to work with them, but you know they are interested in more than lunch—and you are married. ·SLIDE #5: Your husband has had a series of strokes, now on life support, you’ve been funding hospital bills for the last several months, draining your life savings. Turn it off or not? In Matthew 1 two teenagers, faced with defining moments, and two tough choices change the course of the world forever. READ Matthew 1:18: This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Look. No sex. A virgin. She is pregnant. A cloud of suspicion and a cloud of scandal hung ominously over Mary. In all of history when people see an unwed mother there was only one conclusion. Except in this case. Another explanation is that the Holy Spirit is creating again. ·SLIDE #6: 1. Here we have A DIVINE/VIRGIN CONCEPTION (Matthew 1:18). There was no human father. The Bible tells us that Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit. You say, how does that work? Don’t ask me that! It is like when I teach on Revelation. Come to that verse which says, “The Lord is going to give you a name which no man knows!” Invariably someone will come up and say “What is that name?” ·SLIDE #7: I do know that modern science speaks of “Parthenogenesis.” In Greek means “virgin beginning” or “virgin born.” In the world of honey bees, unfertilized eggs develop into drones or males. In 1939 and 1940 rabbits were produced through chemical and temperature influences on rabbit ova. All were sterile and all were female. Nothing like this comes close to parthenogenesis in the human race. Christianity’s essential tenant that Jesus Christ is God stands or falls on the fact of the virgin birth. ·SLIDE #8: In Matthew 22:42 Jesus asked the Pharisees a question which has been raised in every generation since then. Jesus said, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” That’s a question which needs to be asked in every age and by every person. ·SLIDE #9: I wish we about knew more about Mary. Poor family. Probably 14 to 16 years old at marriage. Life expectancy only 35 years. Probably multiple brothers and sisters, Bible names another sister also named, Mary. She is committed into John’s care by the dying Christ. The last New Testament glimpse of her is seen as she joined the Apostles in waiting for the outpouring of His Spirit on Pentecost. Early church history reveals that John took her to Ephesus where she ultimately died. I know, I have been to Ephesus and seen her house on the backside of the mountain. The best character study of her is seen in Luke 1. READ and summarize LUKE 1:26-37. Here is Mary affirming her virginity. 1:35: What an incredible announcement! Tough choice: 14 years old. All alone. Pregnant—lose Joseph, ostracized by family at very least. Face stoning at very worst. Who is going to believe her? Mary had absolutely no way under the sun to protect her reputation. I mean, what’s she going to say, “Listen folks, um, this baby is conceived by God…” and they’re going to say, “Sure, Mary, that’s a new one. We’ve heard them all now.” There is no way she can protect her reputation. So the blessed Holy Spirit protected it for her right here in the Word of God. She apparently had a choice. She had a chance to refuse but didn’t. Significant what she did not say: Young 14 to 16 year olds thinking, I don’t have to worry about making the right choices right now. Plenty of time for that later: “My body, my choice.” This is what is called a “defining moment.” Most defining moments revolve around tough choices. Breakfast with Julie this week: What women want is more kisses. “Best thing I ever did was marry you. Best day of my life.” “Defining moment of my life was when I came back to Baylor.” ·SLIDE #10: Tough choices, at defining moments, reveal who we and determine who we will become. READ Luke 1:38. She bore the scandal for as long as she lived. Read John 8: “We know who our Father is. You don’t.” Jesus knew what his mother went through. That is one reason he had such a tender heart for people—like the woman caught in the act of adultery which introduces John 8. ·SLIDE #11: What about poor Joseph? What happened here is a shock to Joseph. He couldn’t believe it. Dreaming about wonderful marriage and learns she’s pregnant because she’s been intimate with someone else. We see here a A STRUGGLING CONFRONTATION (1:18-19). READ Matthew 1:18-19: This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. I wish we knew more about the background of Joseph. He was a carpenter? Craftsman? Joseph must have been a great father. Can you imagine God depositing His only Son in the home of a dysfunctional father? His parents raised him well. Can you further imagine what it must have been like to raise a perfect Son? “…No, no, Dad. Do it this way…” Joseph probably died while Jesus was a teenager. Not around when Jesus begins his ministry at 30. Jesus became the “Man of the House” and knew what it was like to provide for a family. What does “pledged to be married” mean? Does that mean that they were engaged? Does it mean that they were going steady? Mary wore Joseph’s ring on a chain around her neck? Or, he gave her his letter jacket? There were three steps in a Jewish marriage. ·BUILD SLIDE #12A: First, the two families arranged the union. ·BUILD SLIDE #12B: Second, a public announcement was made. At this point, the couple was “pledged”. They were considered legally married even though there was no physical union for a period of approximately 12 months. This was a period of protection to assure the fidelity for both husband and wife. During the engagement period, the relationship could be broken only through death or divorce. ·BUILD SLIDE #12C: Third, at the end of the pledge period the actual wedding took place. The couple was married and began living together. No one knew the wedding day or when the marriage would take place. Surprise! This wedding custom was the background for Jesus’ teaching about His return and the parable of the talents—be ready. Keep yourself “pure” until I come. Mary’s pregnant during the pledge period. No doubt to Joseph, “Some one else is the father.” Basically, he had two options. ·SLIDE #13A: 1. Charge her of adultery in public court. She would be shamed and ruined in terms of reputation. She might be put to death. ·SLIDE #13B: 2. Divorce her privately. No fanfare. Didn’t even have to write the reason or cause in the paper. She could go away without anyone ever really knowing what happened. He made his decision to put her away privately and spare her the shame and scorn. But God had a third option – marry her. God often shows us that there are more options available than we think. ·SLIDE #14: 3. THE DIVINE CLARIFICATION (Matthew 1:20-21) READ MATTHEW 1:20-21: But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” “You don’t have to be afraid. It is the baby of God Himself.” “But a virgin birth! That’s hard to believe.” Don’t be shocked! We should have expected it all along. ·BUILD SLIDE #15A: READ GENESIS 3:15 Notice that it’s a woman’s seed. Her seed. Only one time in all of history did a woman ever have a seed. The seed always comes from the man – but not this time. ·BUILD SLIDE #15B: READ GALATIANS 4:4: “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman…” ·BUILD SLIDE #15C: READ JEREMIAH 31:22: Fantastic prophecy! A woman “on her own” shall develop (“will surround”) a man! If there is anything that the Bible is clear to teach, it is that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. ·BUILD SLIDE #15D: READ MATTHEW 1:20 – “Conceived of the Holy Spirit…” ·BUILD SLIDE #15E: READ MATTHEW 1:16 – “husband of Mary, of whom (feminine) was born Jesus.” ·BUILD SLIDE #15F: READ LUKE 3:23 – “…being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph.” The Virgin Birth is one of the central tenants of the Christian faith. There are not many. ·BUILD SLIDE #16A: 1. The Virgin birth established that Jesus Christ is God. ·BUILD SLIDE #16B: 2. He died on the cross as a substitute to pay for the sins of the world. ·BUILD SLIDE #16C: 3. The resurrection validates His claims and proves we can live forever. ·BUILD SLIDE #16D: 4. Everyone must personally repent of sin and receive Jesus through faith. If you get those things straight, you will be right with God and in Heaven when you die. The supernatural birth of Jesus is the only way to account for the supernatural life that He led. ·BUILD SLIDE #18A: Someone once asked a Christian, “Would you believe me if I told you that over in that hospital was born today a child with no human father? Would you believe me?” ·BUILD SLIDE #18B: “Yes. If he lived like Jesus lived.” That’s the crux of the entire issue. We expect Jesus to live a life like nobody else ever lived because He had a birth like nobody else ever had. ·SLIDE #17: The power behind this life is what is called the “Hypostatic Union” God-Man Inscrutable ·BUILD SLIDE #19A: Why is the virgin birth important to the Christian faith? ·BUILD SLIDE #19B: 1. Because He is God, he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2:13-15). Protected from sin nature of man because he had no human father. ·BUILD SLIDE #19C: 2. Because He is a man, we know that he fully understands our experiences and struggled (Hebrews 4:15,16). We can tell Jesus all our thoughts, feelings, and needs. He has been where we are now, and He has the ability to help. I was sitting in the stands of an outdoor stadium when I was in high school listening to Buckner Fanning, pastor in San Antonio—crusade like Luis Palau. Told of a man who was struggling with becoming a Christian. “I want to be saved but I just don’t believe in the miracles and especially in the Virgin Birth.” How would you respond to him? “Let’s don’t worry about that right now. Let’s talk about your need for Jesus.” Showed the need for Christ because of sin, etc/He got on knees, confessed sins and trusted Christ. He moved away. Lost contact. Returned about two years later. came by. “Life in Christ is great. You know, I don’t have any trouble with the miracles anymore.” “How about the Virgin Birth?” “No problem at all. I can see how it all fits together.” Do you have to believe in the Virgin Birth to be saved?” The thief on the cross never heard of the Virgin Birth and he went to Heaven. I became a Christian when I was 7 years old and I didn’t have the slightest idea what a virgin was. Nevertheless, I don’t see how anyone who really understood the issues involved could ever refuse to believe in the Virgin Birth and still claim to be a Christian! ·BUILD SLIDE #20A: 4. SOME EXPANDED SOTEROLOGICAL THINKING (Matthew 1:22-23) READ MATTHEW 1:22-23: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”– which means, “God with us.” In Matthew 1 two names of Christ are enunciated which embody the significance of Christianity. ·BUILD SLIDE #20B: “Jesus” = “God saves” Old legend tells how Jesus became our Savior. God the Father calls all the hosts of Heaven before Him – He describes man’s lost condition. Someone had to go to Earth t save lost humanity – offer self to redeem mankind. Abraham – friend of God, father of faithful. “I’ll go. I’ll give myself for them.” No, you had sin when you lived on earth. Moses – greatest man of Old Testament – Leader during Exodus. “I’ll go and shed my blood for the sin of the world.” No, Moses, I brought you to Heaven, but your sin at Meribah kept you our of the promised land. You can’t go. David – Sweet singer of Israel – man after God’s own heart – “I’ll go.” No, David, you sinned with Bathsheba. You can’t go. Jesus came before the throne. “Father, I love them. I’ll go and shed my blood on behalf of their sin.” The legend says, “All heaven burst out with protest and opposition, ‘No, you can’t go!’” Jesus: “Yes, I must go. I am the only one perfect and worthy to die for the sins of all the world.” That’s why He was called “Jesus.” – He came to save His people from their sins. But another name is enunciated here. ·BUILD SLIDE #20C: “Emmanuel” = “God with us.” What took place when you got saved? Most of us grew up with this mindset: Calvary is primarily about God’s provision for our sin. Most of us put a period right there. This is only ½ the story. If we stop here we stop at the point of irrelevance. How many people run around today saying, “I’ve got to find some answer to my sin!” No one!” The rest of the truth: At Calvary, God made provision for our sin in order that we might be alone. We have to keep going, otherwise we conclude that God killed His own Son because He is mad at sin, because He is self-absorbed with holiness. Truth is, Calvary is to deal with sin for the purpose of not being alone in our relationship with God. Sin is what keeps us alone—from God and from others. “If we regard sin in our hearts God will not hear us.” God’s purpose in creation (Calvary also) so that God would not be alone. Not that God needs us but that He desires us. “For thy good pleasure we have been created.” He won’t fall out of Heaven if it doesn’t happen, but he will miss something He desires. ·SLIDE #21: 5. AN ADMIRABLE CONSUMMATION (Matthew 1:24-25) READ MATTHEW 1:24: When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. That was the best nap Joseph ever had. “I’m not just marrying Mary, I’m getting the Son of God thrown in on the deal!” And thus began their married life together. READ MATTHEW 1:25: But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. ·SLIDE #22: Tough choices, at defining moments, reveal who we and determine who we will become. Things to keep in mind when making a tough choice. His action revealed four admirable qualities: ·BUILD SLIDE #23A: 1. Righteousness (1:19) ·BUILD SLIDE #23B: 2. Discretion and sensitivity (1:19) ·BUILD SLIDE #23C: 3. Responsiveness to God (1:24) ·BUILD SLIDE #23D: 4. Self-discipline (1:25) ·SLIDE #24: I will close by once again directing our attention to the cross of Christ. Invitation to come to Christ.

NATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH April 11, 2021 The Doubters Club: The Uncertainty Principle Dr. Mark Batterson In 1932, a theoretical physicist named Werner Heisenberg won the Nobel Prize for a groundbreaking discovery in the field of quantum mechanics for hundreds of years, physicists believed in a clockwork universe that was predictable and measurable and quantifiable. And then along comes Heisenberg and his uncertainty principle. And it turns the world upside down and inside out. Here it is, in a nutshell, the imprecise measurement of initial conditions precludes the precise prediction of future outcomes. We cannot know the precise position and momentum of a quantum particle at the same time and here's why. Sometimes matter behaves like a particle it seems to be in one place at one time. And sometimes it appears to behave like a wave it's in several places at the same time, it is the duality of nature. Simply put, there will always be an element of uncertainty. Or as my Gramma Johnson used to say, "You can't never always sometimes tell." Think about that. Here's the bottom line life is infinitely uncertain. Am I in the right room? Now let me flip the coin and I want you to juxtapose that with this. Benoit Mandelbrot is the father of fractal geometry the study of complex shapes. Some shapes, like clouds in the sky, or coastlines are infinitely complex. Any detail can be magnified to reveal even more detail ad infinitum. I think theology is a little like fractal geometry. Any study of God can be magnified to reveal more detail more dimensionality of who God is. Now it's true of God's Word according to rabbinic tradition, every word of Scripture has 70 faces and 600,000 meanings, and it's true of God's character. And there are fancy theological phrases for this. It is the transcendence of God, the infinitude of God, the immensity of God, the irreducibility of God, the incomprehensibility of God, take your pick. Simply put, God doesn't fit within the four space-time dimensions that he created, let alone the logical constraints of our left brain. God cannot be reduced to a mathematical formula, or the 26 letters of the English alphabet, A Greek Orthodox theologian whose name I have forgotten, said it this way' "It is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers for every question but to make us progressively aware of mystery. God is not so much the object of knowledge as he is the cause of our wonder." Long story short, life is infinitely uncertain God is infinitely complex. Good luck, God bless. We'll see you next week. I'm kidding. We'll keep going. Whether you are in the house, or you're at our online campus, YouTube channel, NCC app. Welcome to National Community Church, we are in a series called 'The Doubters Club. If you have a Bible, I want you to meet me in John's Gospel chapter 20 and we'll get there in a minute. 1 Okay, Faith is not the absence of doubt any more than courage is the absence of fear. In fact, doubt is a key catalyst, a key component of faith. Why? Because it forces us to ask the hard questions. It forces us to micro pile the foundation of our faith and reinforce the footers. It forces us to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith. Doubt is the irritant in the oyster that eventually produces the pearl of great price. When you go to the gym, or hop on your peloton, or do your Cross Fit workout, you are building muscles by breaking them down. Faith is a muscle and like every other muscle, you had to break it down to build it up doubt is what does that. Now if you deal with doubt the right way, it actually stretches your faith. In a sense, faith is doubting our doubt. And that'll make even more sense in about 20 minutes. And one or two things is going to happen over time. Either your theology will conform to your reality because you doubt your faith. Or your reality will conform to your theology because you doubt your doubt. If you're taking notes, jot this down. Doubt is putting your circumstances between you and God. Faith is putting God between you and your circumstances. At some point in your spiritual journey, you run into something called reality usually at about 70 miles an hour. Everybody has a bout with doubt. Something happens it doesn't make sense, doesn't add up and it causes this internal angst Now the psychological term is cognitive dissonance. It's psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs. Let me give you an example and it's a hard one to share. But I don't think you sweep things like this under the carpet, as much as you wish they weren't true. When you dance with doubt, you will step on a few toes so here it goes. A few months ago, I felt tremendous cognitive dissonance when I heard some shocking news about Ravi Zacharias. Ravi ranks as one of the great apologists of our time. Now, I didn't know him personally, we did share one meal and it didn't take until desert to realize that he was brilliant. I have no idea how many people put their faith in Christ because of Ravi, but it's a lot. Now, after his death, an investigation into his life revealed a pattern of sexual misconduct that is saddening and sickening and sinful. When someone you respect does something that is not in keeping with the character of Christ it's disappointing, it's disillusioning, and it casts a shadow of doubt. I will say this, I respect the board of that ministry for letting that private investigation go public, it was the right thing to do. And part of why I share that is to share this we don't put our faith in people. I love Dick Foth. I would love him no matter what. Dick Foth is a spiritual father to me. But guess what? I've never once surrendered my life to Dick Foth. I've never put my faith in Dick Foth. I have put my faith; I've fixed my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. And our faith is built on nothing less than Jesus blood, and righteousness. Now with that as the backdrop we jump into John's Gospel, John 20:24. We're a few days removed from the resurrection. Jesus has already appeared to the disciples but one of them, Thomas is MIA, now, no idea where he was but that's where we pick up the story. "One of the disciples, Thomas, was nicknamed the Twin, was not with the others when Jesus came. The other 2 disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe." Thomas is a card carrying member of the doubters club. And it's hard to blame him there's no precedent for what just happened. There's no category for what just happened. I mean, we have a tendency to reject anything that doesn't resonate with prior experience. It's called the confirmation bias. And all of us are guilty to one degree or another. Verse 26; "Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," he said to them.” Then he says to Thomas, verse 27, "How could you doubt?" No, that's not what it says. He could have said that, right? I mean, Thomas had heard all the sermons, had seen all the miracles, but Jesus doesn't shame him or blame him. "Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop doubting and believe." Doesn't send them to the principal's office. Does a little show and tell. God is not intimidated by your doubt. He's not surprised. He's not disappointed. He's not patronizing. You know, I think right here Jesus gives us a glimpse of the heavenly Father's heart. He's so caring, so accommodating, so loving, so patient, so gracious. Can I remind us that we have a God who suffers with us. We have a God who shows us his wounds. Verse 28, "Thomas said to him, "My Lord, and my God." We call him Doubting Thomas. But this may be the most definitive profession of faith anywhere in the Gospels. Yes, he doubted but that doubt was a catalyst for this incredible confession of faith. I don't set a lot of commentaries in my messages but sometimes you can't say it any better than it's already been said. So here goes. It was reserved for the most depressed and skeptical mind of them all, the HONEST DOUBTER, the man who needed immediate and irresistible evidence, infallible proofs, invincible demonstrations-it was reserved for Thomas to say to him, "My Lord, and My God!" These words are the climax of the entire gospel. Every narrative points to this unchallenged utterance. From the wedding at Cana to the raising of Lazarus, every prayer, every discourse, every miracle, points to this superlative conclusion, wrung from the broken heart of the man who said, "Unless I see the print of the nails, I will not believe." This was the hour of the great confession; this was the birth-cry of Christendom; this was the epic-making scene, which guided the pen of John from the prologue to the close of the Gospel. Thus, Thomas doubted that the Church might believe. --The Pulpit Commentary, John's Gospel. Verse 29, listening to what Jesus says, "Because you have seen me, you believed: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Now sometimes seeing is believing that's certainly the case with Thomas. He had to touch the nail prints but let me flip the coin. You're taking notes jot this down, sometimes believing is seeing. We don't see the world as it is. We see 3 the world as we are. So much of what we see is a projection of our personality, our pain, our past, even our prejudice. This is why hurt people hurt people. This is why forgiven people forgive people. What we see is a projection of who we are. Now, Abraham Maslow called it the law of the hammer. If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail, right? Many years ago, read a fascinating book with a fun title, Mozart's brain and the fighter pilot. The author Richard Restak says, "What the eye sees is determined by what the brain has learned." Then he shares this maxim that has become a mantra for me, "Learn more, see more." Learn more, see more, learn more, see more, learn more, see more. When astronomers look into the night sky, they connect these dots called constellations. They see more because they know more. When a musician listens to a song they hear the harmonies, they hear more, because they see more, they know more. Endless examples but here's the bottom line, the more you know, the more you see. Let me push that envelope, the more you know, the more you worship. We tend to think that knowledge and worship is mutually exclusive, but there are two sides of the same coin. You can't worship what you don't know. And I would flip that and say, you can't really know what you don't worship. Stick with me. In John's Gospel, Jesus has this encounter with a woman at the well. He says, "You Samaritans worship, what you do not know." It's lip service at best. It's false worship at worst. They are worshipping out of ignorance, which makes it meaningless. Now, when Lora and I get into an argument, hypothetically speaking, I've been known to say sorry, without knowing what I'm sorry about. Because I just want the hypothetical argument to end. Now, let's be honest, that's a little lazy and it's a lot disingenuous. Why? If you don't know what you're sorry about, it's an empty apology, and in my experience, empty apology, start more hypothetical arguments. If you don't know what you're sorry about it's an empty apology. If you don't know who you're worshipping or why it's empty worship. Jesus says the Father is seeking worshipers who worship Him in spirit and in truth. In spirit is worshipping who you know. In truth is knowing who you worship. One way or the other the only feeling on our worship of God is our knowledge of God. And so the more you know, the more you see, the more you know, the more you worship. Let me add another one to the mix. The more you know, the more you know how much you don't know. Now, Oliver Wendell Holmes, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said, "There are two kinds of simplicity, there's simplicity on the near side of complexity, simplicity on the far side of complexity. I would not give a fig for simplicity on this side of complexity", said Holmes, "but I would give my life for simplicity on the other side." There are a lot of Christians who settle for simplicity on the near side of complexity. And I might add faith on the near side of doubt, joy on the near side of sorrow and peace on the near side of problems. They live by platitudes, and they clutch their clichés and we've got to do better than that. Listen, if you are growing spiritually, you will outgrow some old wine skins the same way you outgrew the clothes you wore as a kid. 4 At some point some of the things you believe shouldn't fit anymore. Why 'cause you know more, and you worship more and the more, you know, the more you know how much you don't know. Now the Apostle Paul said it this way, "When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” That word childish means simple minded, its simplicity on the near side of complexity. Here's what I'm getting at, as you grow spiritually, you outgrow the faith you had a year or two or 10 years ago. In the philosophy of science, there’s a concept called critical realism, it’s the recognition that we don't know everything there is to know. We can never expect at any stage to be absolutely certain that our scientific theories are correct, and will never need further amendment. Now this week, on Wednesday, New York Times ran a story about a groundbreaking discovery at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Did you see this? Evidence is mounting that a tiny subatomic particle seems to be disobeying the law of physics. I don't know why, I just kind of love it. In other words, there is a form of matter, a form of energy that is not currently known to science. And if it's true, it will fundamentally change every theory that we have. That's what critical realism allows for. Can I suggest that we need to know what we know, what we know. We also need a degree of critical realism when it comes to our theology. Listen, our faith is always being deconstructed and reconstructed. We're always learning and unlearning and relearning. And I found that almost every spiritual truth has a fascinating corollary in the physical realm and so it's not unlike your body. You are not who you were 10 days, 10 months or 10 years ago. I mean, you look like the same person, but you're a totally different person. The 10 trillion cells in your body are in a constant state of regeneration. And you know this, but you don't see it when you stand in the mirror. It's like, oh, wow, look at that, you know, you don't, it doesn't happen like in real time, right? So the average adult has 10,000 taste buds, those taste buds are replaced about every two weeks. The surface of our skin covers about 20 square feet and those skin cells are replaced every 27 days. The cells that line your stomach regenerate every two days because of digestive acid. But the internal intestinal cells take 16 years to renew. And no matter how old you are, chronologically, your bones are about 10 years old. Long story short, oh, would you hear this right here. Your body is going through a process of death and resurrection all day, every day. In much the same way our faith is being constantly renewed. This is what the Apostle Paul said. II Corinthians 4:16, “Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Faith is a lot like the apps on your phone, right? If you don't update them, eventually they aren't going to work. Why? Because they don't think with the operating system. And so faith and doubt are this dance that we continue to grow and evolve and learn and worship. And then the more we know, the more we know how much we don't know. Well, one final thought and then a few applications. The more you know, the bigger God gets. I love the moment in Prince Caspian’s second book in The Chronicles of Narnia, where Lucy and 5 Aslan are reunited. Lucy says, “Aslan your bigger.” Aslan says, “That's because you're older, little one.” Lucy is a little confused. She says, “Not because you are?” Aslan says, “I am not but every year you grow, you will find me bigger.” And so it is in our relationship with God, the more you know the bigger God gets. “How much happier you would be” said G. K. Chesterton, “How much more of you there would be if the hammer of a higher God would smash your small cosmos.” A. W. Tozer said, “A low view of God is the cause of 100 lesser evils. A high view of God is the solution to 10,000 temporal problems”. Do you know, everybody ought to have a few quotes that they quote all the time. You can just close your eyes and throw them out. “Let God be as original with others as he was with you.” - Oswald Chambers. “Never lose a holy curiosity.” - Albert Einstein. “Sometimes the greatest opposition of what God wants to do next comes from those who were on the cutting edge of what God did last.” - RT Kendall. I go back to these quotes all the time but let me let me just throw a question at you. How big is your God? Is he bigger than your biggest problem? Is he bigger than the biggest mistake you've made? Is he bigger than the biggest challenge you face? Let me close with a couple applications. You guys are doing so good. A lot of science this weekend, right? There's not gonna be a quiz at the end of this message but five application when in doubt, five things you can do. We're going to go fast. 1. Seek wise counsel, Proverbs 24:6 there is wisdom in the multitude of counselors. You need people in your life who have been there and done that, who can empathize with your weakness, who can call out your potential who can challenge your thinking, who can speak into your blind spots. Sometimes it's a mentor. Sometimes it's a spiritual father. Sometimes it's a literal counselor. Okay, I've been to two counselors in the last two years. And I make no apologies because I need all the help I can get. When in doubt, seek wise counsel. Don't isolate, don't isolate, invite people you trust into that process 2. Keep asking questions. I Corinthians 8:2 - listen, just as you ought to have a few quotes that you quote all the time, there ought to be a few verses that you quote all the time. I Corinthians 8:2 is one of mine. “He who thinks he knows, does not yet know, as he ought to know.” Now, the more you know, the more you know how much you don't know. The world doesn't need any more know at alls. We need to say, I don't know a lot more. We need to quit acting like we have all the answers and start asking better questions. Jesus asked 383 questions in the gospels. He often answered a question with a question. And so if we follow the Jesus way, we're gonna ask a lot of questions. Now, according to the research of Ralph Smith, kids ask on average, 125 probing questions per day. And I have some parents and young kids, you're laughing right now you're saying, “That actually sounds a little low”. Right? Adults ask six. So somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose 119 questions per day. We got to get those back. Jesus said, “Ask and 6 you will receive, seek and you will find, knock in the door will be open” Those are present imperative verbs in the Greek language. In other words, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. When in doubt, keep asking questions. By the way, Alpha course coming up here in a couple of weeks. A great place to ask honest hard questions ncc.re/alpha . 3. Create a Deuteronomy 29:29 file. Deuteronomy 29:29 says that the revealed things belong to us but the secret things belong to God. Life infinitely uncertain, God infinitely complex. What that means is there isn't an answer to every question. There's not a solution to every problem. There is not a resolution to every injustice on this side of eternity. Now, I know that sounds a little depressing but we don't believe in happily ever after. I said it last week, we believe in happily for ever after. And so there are some secrets that are only going to be revealed on the far side of the space-time continuum. When my father in law passed at 55 years of age, prime of life prime of ministry, it's the moment that I created this Deuteronomy 29:29 file. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to do with the questions. I didn't know what to do with the anger, what to do with the doubt so I just I created this file. And listen, it's gotten thicker over the years. And this is not a platitude when you can't see God's hand somehow you have to learn to trust his heart and you got to put them in that file. And so when in doubt, create a Deuteronomy 29:29 file. 4. Take a two foot field trip. Now you've heard me say this 1000 times - a little formula. Change of pace plus change of place equals change of perspective. Now I love this moment in Genesis 15, God takes Abraham on a two foot field trip. What are you talking about? Well, Abraham is inside his tent and God says come on outside. Okay. And he is there. Now, why would God do that? Well, as long as he was in the tent, Abraham was staring at an eight foot ceiling. The second he goes outside the sky is the limit. Doubt is an eight foot ceiling. Sometimes you have to get outside and I mean that literally and figuratively. Go take a hike. Get out in nature, or just go stargaze one night. Do you know that there are 9096 stars visible to the naked eye in the Milky Way galaxy? But that's a fraction of the stars, you know this. The latest estimate I've heard is about 300 billion stars in the Milky Way and so let me try to put that into perspective. 31,560,000 seconds in a year so 100 years, 3.1 5 billion seconds. So if Abraham tried to count every star just in the Milky Way galaxy, one star per second, it would take 10,000 years. And that's one galaxy. I mean, astrophysicist now suggest maybe 2 trillion galaxy, like just look up. And all God is saying, “Would you trust me for one?” Would you trust me for one? When in doubt, take a two foot field trip and remind yourself of God's promises. 5. When all else fails, eat a watermelon. You were wondering, weren't you? What is this delicious looking watermelon doing up here? I'm about to tell you. I'm not gonna drop it. I wouldn't drop it. In 1925, William Jennings Bryan played the role of prosecutor, do you remember this, in the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial. He was a former congressman, Secretary of State, ran for president three times. But later in life, he taught a Bible study 7 and he wrote religious books and one of those books he wrote about a watermelon. And this is what he said, "I have observed the power of the watermelon seed. It has the power of drawing from the ground and through itself 200,000 times its weight. When you can tell me how it takes this material and out of it colors the outside surface beyond the imitation of art, and then forms inside of it a white rind and within that again a red heart, thickly inlaid with black seeds, each one of which in turn is capable of drawing through itself 200,000 times its weight ~~ when you can explain to me the mystery of the watermelon, you can ask me to explain the mystery of God.” Anyone can count the number of seeds in a watermelon. Only God can count the number of watermelons in a seed. I think one measure of spiritual maturity is feeling more comfortable with mystery than certainty. Am I making you nervous? Just a little bit. I feel like I should… All too often we resort to therapy instead of mystery. Kathleen Norris said, “Modern believers tend to trust more in therapy than mystery.” Do you remember what that Greek Orthodox theologian said? “God isn't the object of knowledge he is the cause of wonder.” Carl Jung said it this way, “A religion becomes impoverished when it cuts down on its paradoxes.” Why? “Only the paradox comes anywhere near to comprehending the fullness of life non ambiguity and non contradiction are one sided, and thus unsuited to explain the in comprehensible.” At the epicenter, we're almost done, I promise you. At the epicenter of our theology is the Trinity. Okay, we believe in one God, three persons. Well, which is it? One or three? It's not either or. It's both/and/and - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The concept of the Trinity is passed our pay grade, and I would expect nothing less. If we could comprehend the Trinity, it could be a human construct. Once again, his thoughts are higher than our thoughts, his ways than our ways. And so I say when in doubt, eat a watermelon. Let me invite our worship team to come. Let me double back to Doubting Thomas. Here's the rest of the story; founding member of the doubters, club patron saint of doubters but that didn't keep God from using him in a profound way. Now he walks off the pages of Scripture, but fortunately we have a wonderful church historian. His name is Eusebius, a wonderful book to read, his record of these early church, fathers and mothers. And so, Thomas it is believed traveled beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. He was martyred on July 3, 72 AD, but not before sailing to India, where he established seven churches. Thomas is widely regarded as the patron saint of India. Simply put his life impacted in entire subcontinent. Why? And how? Well I think it traces back to this loving gesture that Jesus makes. Jesus wasn't afraid of letting Thomas touch his wounds. This is such an intimate, such a beautiful moment. He's not afraid of that. And Thomas touches those wounds and then he says, “My Lord, and my God.” 8 Romans 10:9 and 10, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved.” Have you ever made a profession of faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ? You can do that right here, right now. If you're at our online campus there's a place to raise a hand. If you're maybe at our YouTube channel, somewhere else or right here in person was at ncc/re/followJesus. We want to help you take those next steps in your spiritual journey. And so let me just say this “Welcome to the family.” Doubt is both a common and shared experience for many of us in the Beloved community. Although doubt can be a disorientating and a confusing experience, Christ walked through a wall to sit with Thomas in his doubt and he would do the same for you. As Thomas Merton once said, “though I may seem to be lost… I will not fear, for You are ever with me.” www.nationalcommunitychurch.cc

- I'll be real, real honest with you and tell you that I never expected to be one that would break down. I always thought it was other people. I've had years of mostly consistent ministry. My highs aren't real high. My lows aren't real low. I just, year after year, decade after decade, have been blessed by God to just be consistent. I never thought that I would be one to break down. Others, maybe, but not me. And on the outside, most people didn't even know 'cause I still showed up and did what I know how to do. And I preached and I looked healthy and am healthy And my marriage with Amy has been good and was good, and on the outside, everything looked exactly the same. But on the inside, it was nothing but sheer panic. And I didn't see it coming. All I know is that it was a little by little, year over year, there was a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more, and then I thought, "Maybe it's too much." And then there was a little more and then I thought, "I can't continue like this." And there was a little more and then I thought, "This is going to get me." And then there was a little more and then I thought, "This will probably kill me." Like it's gonna kill me. So is that too real? Do we have to play like church halo thing and I get I'm super pastor and I don't have real problems? - Come on. - Can we go there? I thought it was gonna kill me. And so, here I am almost three decades into ministry and I need help and I was embarrassed. Like I'm the pastor, you know, not just a Christian, but I'm the pastor. And sadly, there are some of you that can relate right now. There's a lot of people that can relate. Where outwardly, you're still showing up and you're still smiling and you're still trying to do your job. But inwardly, you're battling real depression. Or ongoing kind of chronic anxiety. Or you just feel just stressed. There's just too much. Like you just can't handle it all. Like you might just snap. You might just burn out. If you find yourself struggling mentally, you're not alone, and we're gonna talk about it. Over the next several weeks, we're gonna talk about mental health in a message series that I'm calling Peace of Mind. And the title for our first and foundational message, and it will be very foundational, you're gonna say, "Where's the rest of it?" The rest of it's coming. It's very foundational. But the title to build a foundation today is The Most Dangerous Myths of Mental Health. And what I wanna do is I wanna pray and open-eyed prayer, so you don't have to close your eyes. Jesus did say watch Him pray. And so, if you're driving and praying, you want to watch Him pray. And so, this is our open-eyed prayer. And this is my prayer for you. May God Himself, may our Heavenly Father, the one who loves you, who is called according to 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The God of peace. May the God of peace sanctify you, cleanse you, change you, through and through, through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and scripture promises and He will do it. May the God of peace bring healing. Would you look at the person sitting next to you and just tell them right now, tell 'em God is my peace. Tell 'em God is my peace. Look at your second choice. The other one say, He's your peace too. Go ahead and tell 'em that right now. He's your peace too. You can type that in the chat if you're watching today. God is my peace. God is my peace. It's interesting. I'm glad things are improving in the church world. For years, people said that the church shouldn't talk about mental health. It was kind of something like it was somebody else's problem and it's not something we're gonna talk about in the church. And sometimes the implication would be that you shouldn't struggle mentally because if you're someone that comes to Jesus, then Jesus fixes everything. The moment you come to Jesus, you know, He's gonna... I'll try to do my country preacher voice. I only 1 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript have one. I always go, but He's gonna save ya! You know? He's gonna redeem your soul! He's gonna fill you with Holy Ghost power and He's gonna work... And maybe that's my voice, I don't even know. But He's gonna... He's gonna work in... He's gonna work in all things to bring about good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And everything that I told you is true. He saves you. He forgives you. He redeems you. He fills you with His power. He'll never leave you. And everything does work together for good. All that's true, but it's incomplete. And what I'm about to say is gonna freak some people out and you can go join the blogs that say he's a heretic, you know, whatever. And this may freak you out, but it's true. Just because Jesus saves you, doesn't mean He fixes every air of your life instantly. Just because your sins are forgiven. I've never heard anyone say like, you know, I was reading the Bible and I called on Jesus and He saved me. And all of a sudden, I had abs. I've never, like... You know, praise the Lord. Here's my spiritual six-pack. I've never seen that happen before. You know, I came to the altar, I was crying, I gave my life to Jesus and my credit score improved. My hair got thicker. My thighs got thinner. #Blessed. I've never heard that. In other words, just because you come to Jesus, it doesn't mean that your boss is now nice to you or your bank account just instantly went up. Or when you came to Jesus, it doesn't mean that you instantly became mentally healthy. When we talk about mental health, you maybe say, what are we talking about? And I wanna try to kind of unpack this a little bit, because first of all, I wanna just acknowledge that I am a pastor. I'm not a Christian psychologist, not a doctor. And so, I'm not an expert, but I have read over a dozen books and have consulted in detail with two Christian counselors who are helping guide me through kind of a biblical narrative to present this in a way that would be helpful. But I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm not an expert at all. And so, I'm gonna focus more on the spiritual. But what I wanna do is acknowledge what mental health actually is. And mental health would include at least three things: your emotional, your psychological, and your social wellbeing. It's very, very important because our mental health, it's not actually static. Meaning you can be really healthy for a little while and then something happens or you have a change in your body, or you go through trauma, and you may be really healthy one moment and then you may be in a very bad place afterwards. And your mental health, it actually impacts how you think, which then impacts how you feel and then impacts how you act. Your mental health determines how you handle stress around you or how you relate to people or how you make choices or how you bounce back from a difficult situation or how you don't bounce back. Your mental health might determine how you cope if you go to the wrong sources for comfort, or if you make the right choices. It might determine even how you choose your friends or the quality or the not so quality of your marriage. And there are so many misunderstandings when it comes to mental health. I wanted to build a foundation today, and then we're gonna build on top of it. And I'm gonna show you the two mental health myths that I've noticed most in the church today. The first one, if you're taking notes, is this, a lot of Christians believe that Christians shouldn't struggle with mental health. That if you're a Christian, because you're filled with the Holy Spirit, because you've been saved, you shouldn't battle with anxiety or you really shouldn't be depressed or you shouldn't be burned out. And if you do struggle with one of these things, then it's probably your fault. In other words, you don't have enough faith or you're not praying enough. Or if you are praying a lot, you're not praying right. Or there's some kind of a sin in your life that you need to confess and get out of your life. And if you get that sin out of your life, then you're not gonna be anxious or you're not gonna be overwhelmed or you're not gonna be burned out or you're not gonna be struggling. What I wanna do is show you that you can love Jesus and still fight depression. You can be in the word. You can have the longest Bible streak in the 2 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript YouVersion Bible app of anybody in your life group and still battle with anxiety. You can attend church faithfully and sit on the front row and lift your hands for worship and tithe and serve in the two-year-old room. And still struggle to overcome trauma partially because it's traumatic to serve in the two-year-old room. When you look in scripture, some of the people that we preach about as heroes, the ones we look up to, the ones that are the heroes and the fathers and the mothers of the faith. With all their faith, they still had bouts with mental challenges. There was Elijah. I mean, think about this guy. This guy, he's cocky, man. I mean, he stands down 800 false prophets of Baal and he calls down fire from heaven one day. And shortly after, he's all alone, depressed, and he wants to die. David, a man after God's own heart who stands down the giant says, "Who are you to come against the armies of the living God?" And he battles with deep despair, wondering if God has abandoned him. Jeremiah. I don't wanna be Jeremiah 'cause he's called the weeping prophet. I wanna be the bold prophet, the confident, strong prophet and the prophet of God who declared God's truth. Battled with loneliness, insecurity, and he cursed the day that he was born. And so, if you find yourself like so many people today, you're struggling in your mental health and you don't know what to do. The message sometimes in the church is you just need more of God. You just need more of God. You just need more of God. You just need more of God. And I came to tell you that you do need more of God and you might need more sleep. Is that unspiritual? God designed us to... You might need better friends. You're not in a life group. And you wonder why you feel alone and disconnected and don't have people standing by you and praying for you. How in the world do you think you're gonna stand strong against the forces of darkness when you don't have friends of life standing nearby? We wanna take a holistic approach, and I don't necessarily mean like holistic medicine. I'm talking about our whole body's connected. Like you might need a better diet. You might need to go to a doctor and you might be having some hormonal changes. You might need to do some deep therapy or whatever the case would be. If you're struggling, and so many people are, I don't know if I can make it. I feel anxious. I feel depressed and I don't know why. And I'm praying and I'm trying and I'm going to church and I'm seeking God and I'm trying to do better, and I still just can't seem to make it. If you're struggling, it doesn't mean you're not a good Christian. It means you're human. It means you're human. And there's a myth. And it's a lot of time, you'll see it around the church that as Christians, shouldn't struggle with mental health. And there's another myth if you're taking notes and that is a lot of people say, well, God doesn't care about your mental health. He doesn't really care about that. He's too busy. He's got bigger problems. Have you seen what's going on in the world today? You think God has the time to deal with you trying to handle your freaky in-laws or whatever? He ain't have time for that. But when you look at scripture, especially the Psalms. Does anybody love the Psalms? Anybody love the Psalms? When you look at the Psalms, you're gonna see just how much God cares about every area of your life. I love the Psalm. I'll share just a few of them with you. Just to quote them. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit. God is our refuge and our strength. He's our ever present help in a time of trouble. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He restores my soul. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me, your rod and your staff. They comfort me. You will prepare for me a table in the presence of my enemies, and your mercy and goodness will follow me all the days. The Lord cares about you. He cares about you. Go to the Psalms to see how much He cares about you and go to the Psalms to see some people breaking down mentally. There's a lot of Psalms you want on your coffee mug, and I'm gonna show you one you don't. I'm gonna show you one you don't. Psalm 88 3 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript was written by a guy named Heman. Now, for those of you that might be about my age, when I was a kid, there was a cartoon character named He-Man who had a girlfriend named She-Ra, and they were both very muscular and immodest. And that was He-Man. This is a different Heman. I'm just saying, I don't know. I don't even know why I thought of that, but our Heman, okay. In the Bible, Heman is the guy that you wanted in your life. He was well respected. He was the one that everybody looked up to. And I wanna show you just some of the qualities we know about Heman from scripture. He had great wisdom. Very, very wise wisdom from the Lord. He was a talented musician. He was one of the worshipers and had incredible musical ability. He had a lot of kids and the implication is that he was a committed parent, very committed in his parenting. And he was very, very faithful in his service to the king. This was a man of God. This would've been the deacon at the church. This would've been the guy at work that you go to for advice. This is the guy you want for your father-in-law or your dad. This is a man of God. And I wanna show you what he said in Psalm 88, and I'll give you a little spoiler alert. This is one of only two Psalms in all the Psalms that don't have a positive ending. A lot of times, people whine and cry and complain. And then they say, but the Lord is faithful. And this man of God says this. And I wonder how many of you might be able to relate. He says, "I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I'm counted among those who've gone down to the pit. I'm like one without any strength left. I'm set apart with the dead like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. God, You've forgotten me. I feel like I'm cut off from Your care." And then we're gonna see something that he gets right. And what I wanna tell you is what he gets right, is the very same thing that you get right. Because in the middle of his darkness, in the middle of his despair, he continues to turn from God just like you might be doing today. The very thought that you may be hurting and feel desperate and you've shown up for church, or you've watched online, tells you that somewhere buried in there in the middle of the darkness, you're still turning toward the light. And he did the very same thing right that you're doing at this moment. He says, "But I cry to you for help, Lord. In the morning, my prayer comes before you." You're the first place I turn. And even though he's crying out to God, he's not finding the peace that he wants. And he says, "Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?" And the last verse of Psalm 88 is haunting. He says, "You've taken from me my friend and neighbor, darkness is my closest friend." Darkness is my closest friend. This guy loved God. He's a man of God. And this is in the Bible. This is in the Psalms. And I love that it's there with no positive ending because it shows that God is not afraid of our honesty, that he cares that you may love him and you may question him, and you may worship him and you may hurt. And when you hurt, he cares. Darkness is my closest friend. And that's about where I was when I was breaking down. Still preaching, still showing up, and panicking. Fine on the outside, dying on the inside. So I got over my pride and I called a counselor. You're like, you're a pastor, and you call a counselor? Yes. And I just wanna remind you that getting help isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of wisdom. I wanna say it again. I want you to hear it. Getting help, it's not like you're weak, you're dumb, you're bad. It's wise. And so, I started meeting with my counselor and I said, "I'm in bad shape. Like I'm in really bad shape. I'm in bad shape." And so, he put me through a very expensive, ongoing battery of different tests. And he came back and he said, "I got good news for you." I said, Good, I need something." He says, "You're not in bad shape." I'm like going, "You're the wrong guy. I'm in bad shape." He goes, "No, no, no." And he said, "You're not." He said, "Physically, you're in as good a shape as I've seen in a man your age." Like he had to throw that in there. Like, why not just say you're in good shape? You know, man your age. He said, he says, "Spiritually, you're like seeking God and you're in God’s Word and you're praying and you have faith and you're not sinning in any gross and 4 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript ongoing ways." He said, "Your marriage is like something that everybody would aspire to have." He said, "You're visibly healthy. You're spiritually healthy. You're relationally healthy." And he said, "You're just mentally exhausted. You're just mentally exhausted." And so we started going through some exercises and we did all this kind of basic insulting stuff. Like Pastor Craig, what is the greatest command? Like, huh? Here we go. What is it? Well, Jesus said this. He said, "Love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your," what? With all your- - Mind. - With all your mind. And he said, "Are you loving God with all your heart?" I said, "Yes." Are you loving God with all your soul? Yes. He goes, "Are you loving God with all your mind?" Interesting. How do you love God with your mind? And so, he reviewed some stuff that I taught in the series Winning the War in Your Mind. That your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts. And we started to talk about the brain and what I wanna do is I wanna... Let's just talk about the brain. That's pretty cool. Let's talk about the brain for a moment. The brain is actually built over time and it starts at birth and then it starts to evolve. And what happens is the brain, it makes all of these connections, connections, connections, connections. Simple connections that are called neural pathways. And for the first few years of your life, how many neural pathways is your brain making? About one million or so connections every second. Every second, your brain's making a connection, a connection, a connection. And then after a while, the brain starts to learn and the connections are simplified through a process called pruning. What happens? Your brain gets more efficient and it starts to think in patterns. In other words, once you think a thought, it's easier to think that thought again. It's like a mental rut or a pathway that's easier to continue to think those thoughts. And that's good news if your thoughts are healthy. That's bad news when your thoughts aren't. So if your body's not healthy, what do you do? You go to a doctor. You might change your diet. You might exercise. You might get treatment for where your body is unhealthy. So if your mind is unhealthy, what do you do? You might go to a doctor like I did. You might go to the great physician who helps to renew your mind. And my mind just couldn't shut down. So my counselor gave me assignment, come up with 30 things you've never done before. I came up with six. Like I couldn't think to seven. Like I got stupid. That's too many. He said, "I want you to try, start trying them up." So I tried two and I started two new hobbies, which seemed like really odd counseling for as much money as I was paying an hour. But what I didn't realize is he was trying to disconnect my mind so it could reconnect to God. I did disconnect at first. My mom was stuck in this church, church, church, church, church. And that sounded like all spiritual. That's church, that's not God. There's a difference. It's church. He's like work, work, work, work, work, work, work. I had to disconnect my mind and then connect it to God. And there's one verse I wanna share you that can start to help you disconnect your mind from the wrong thing and connect it to the right thing. If you want peace of mind, here's the foundation. We'll start here today. Isaiah 26:3. Scripture says this, watch this. You'll be kept in perfect peace all who trust in you, all who's what? Watch this. All whose thoughts God are fixed on you. I love this. You'll be kept in perfect peace. Perfect peace. Perfect peace. Not just occasional peace when everything's going the way you want it. Not just momentary peace when you feel good in the moment. Not just circumstantial peace. But you'll be kept in perfect peace. What is perfect peace? I love in the Hebrew language, perfect peace is actually a translation from Shalom. Two times, Shalom is peace. But the author doesn't say Shalom, but he says Shalom, Shalom. Any time you see a word repeated in the Hebrew, it's for incredible emphasis. It's like Shalom 5 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript exponential. It's like what you do if your kids are acting up, you repeat it. Like you're driving along. Don't make me come back. Don't make me come back there. And then once you get wisdom, you don't even speak, you just swat. How many know what I'm talking about? So you repeat something for in... And the author says you will experience Shalom, Shalom. Who will experience it? Those whose thoughts are fixed on CNN News! Oh, wrong party. On Fox News! And those who are just sitting there scrolling through social media all day long. Are those whose minds are fixed on church for the word? No, no, no, no. You'll keep in perfect peace all whose thoughts are fixed on you. That the Hebrew word translated fixed as the word samak. And this word, it actually means to prop. It means to rest your full weight on an object. It is to rest your full weight. If you're like so many people right now, and you're just not doing great, there's tension, there's heaviness. You're worried about kind of stuff. You don't know where to turn. You don't like your job. You're not really liking people around you. You're just not okay. One of the things we need to do is disconnect our minds from what is unhelpful. And we don't just fix our thoughts on what's helpful, we fix our thoughts on God, on God, on God, on God. And we start to create new neural pathways, that's science. Scripture says we renew our mind, do not be conformed to what everybody else is doing. The craziness, the toxicity, the hatefulness, the bitterness, the negativity. Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed, how, by the renewing of your mind. And so, I disconnected my mind and I started to connect it to one spiritual truth, and this was mine. The verse, 2 Peter 1:3. This was my verse that talks about God's power. It's His divine power. It's God's power. It's not my power. It's His power. It's not my power. It's His power has given us everything, not just part of it, but everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him. It's His power. And again and again, I fixed my mind on His word. And again and again. And so, instead of saying like, I can't, and this is too much, and this is gonna kill me, and I'm never gonna get it all done, and nobody understands, and nobody cares. Instead what I said is that God is my source and my strength. I have everything I need to do everything He called me to do. God is my source. God is my strength. It's Him. It's His power. It's not mine. It's God, it's God, it's God's. According to scripture, He's given me everything, everything I need, the people I need, the resources I need, the friends I need, the counselor I need, the strength I need. His word, the energy, the power, the mental health. He's given me everything I need over and over and over and over and over again. And you'll be kept in perfect peace those who thoughts are fixed on you. And so, I started changing my thought patterns and I was healed instantly. I wish. It wasn't instant. It was like, I would say, Amy might say about an 18-month journey. And about 18 months ago, she said, "I think you're doing good." And I said, "Can we say that? Have I been good long enough?" I said, "I think I'm doing good too." And then I didn't really go public with it with many people because they're close to me 'cause I wanna see it for three months. I wanna see it for six months. About 18 months on the other side of it saying like by the grace of God, He's given me... He's given me everything I need to do everything He's called me to do. It's a peace. It's a peace. It's a peace. And so, I was meeting with 100 or so of our staff members. These were the campus pastors, 42 of them in the top leaders from Central. So these were the people that oversee the church. And we had a long working session and we prayed for you at the end. We prayed for you, our church family. And at the end of the prayer, it's funny I'm telling you, 'cause I like didn't even want them to know. But at the end of the prayer, I couldn't physically stand because of the emotion was so great. The burden that I feel as your pastor, we're praying, their eyes are closed and I just crumbled. And I thought, I can't let 'em see this. I couldn't stand, I was just shaking. So I put the mic down and tried to walk around the room. I didn't want them to know, and now I'm telling all of you. What I want you to know is that it's like... God, I think I'm not happy 6 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript about this. I think he allowed me to experience something so I could relate to what's going on and dive into His word and come out with truth that might just change some lives. - [Man] Say that. - Our spiritual enemy is attacking everywhere. Christians are pointing the fingers at each other, like the wrong, not believing the best motives, criticizing on, on, on, on, on. And people just aren't doing well right now. And you can be kept in perfect peace if your thoughts are fixed on Him. Here's what we're gonna talk about. Next week, we're gonna talk about anxiety. The week after that, we're gonna talk about depression. The week after that, we're gonna talk about worry. The week after that, if I haven't got you yet, I'm coming for you. We're talking about chronic negativity. Seeing the world through a negative lens. We're gonna talk about trauma and deep pain and deep healing. And then we're gonna talk about mine, which is burnout, and where do we go? And we're gonna live out the promises of Jesus. When He said this, He said, "Peace, I leave with you." And watch this, He said, "My peace. My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives." I love this. He said, "My peace." Not a piece, but my peace. And when did Jesus say He gives His peace? It's interesting. In John 14, He said He gives His peace the night before His suffering, the night before He faced the worst physical agony possible to show us perhaps that real peace, perfect peace, isn't found in the absence of problems. But real peace is found in the presence of God. It's Shalom, Shalom. It's peace even when you hear bad news. It's peace even when you lose your job. It's peace when your marriage is struggling. It's peace when your kids are making decisions that are wrecking you in your heart. It's peace when you're hurt by those that you love the most. It's peace when money is tight. It's Shalom, Shalom. It is a peace from God. The world can't give it and the world can't take it away. And God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. May the God of peace sanctify your soul through and through. He cares. He is here. He's faithful. He will do it. So, Father, we pray by the power of Your spirit, that You would do a healing work. As you're reflecting wherever you're watching today, those of you who would say, I wanna learn to love God with my mind. I need some help in my mind. Would you lift your hands right now? Lift em up, lift em up. Let's just go there. Let's just go there. God, thank You for honesty today. Thank You for Your presence. Help us, God, to fix our thoughts on You. Train our brains to be renewed with Your truth. God bring healing to those who are hurting, either instantly in the moment or in a journey as You guide us. You are the source of all that we need, and we look to You. As you keep praying today, some of you, spiritually, you don't know where you stand right now. And we're seeing so many people baptized. There are many that felt guilty and ashamed of things they've done. And they found a peace that goes beyond anything this world knows. His name is Jesus. He is the Son of God. He was perfect. He shed His blood that we could live. He died in our place. And when you call on Him, He hears your prayers. He forgives your sins and you become brand new today. Wherever you're watching from, those of you, you feel a heaviness. You feel a weight. You may feel ashamed. Step away from your sin. Call on Jesus when you do. He forgives all of your sins. He makes you brand new. The weight is gone. There is a peace from heaven. It is not a peace of this world. It's a peace this world cannot take away. Wherever you're watching from those today to say, I need that. I need His grace. I need His forgiveness. We're stepping away from the old life. We're stepping towards Jesus. We're giving Him all. He hears your prayers. He makes you new. That's your prayer, Jesus, I need You. Would you lift your hands higher? Right now all over the place. Lift them up and to say, yes, that's my prayer. All of you guys right here and up in there. 7 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript Praise God for you. Right back over there, my gosh. Others today saying, yes, Jesus. Oh, I surrender to you. Online, you can just type that in the chat. I'm giving my life to Jesus. Just type that in the chat and we're gonna pray together and then we're gonna worship together. Just pray aloud. Heavenly Father, forgive my sins. Jesus saved me. Forgive me. Make me new. Fill me with Your spirit so I can walk with You and I can know You and I can show Your love. Change my life and use me to change others. Thank You for new life. I give You all of mine. In Jesus' name, I pray. Would you praise God right now? Welcome those born into His family. Worship God. 8 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript - I'll be real, real honest with you and tell you that I never expected to be one that would break down. I always thought it was other people. I've had years of mostly consistent ministry. My highs aren't real high. My lows aren't real low. I just, year after year, decade after decade, have been blessed by God to just be consistent. I never thought that I would be one to break down. Others, maybe, but not me. And on the outside, most people didn't even know 'cause I still showed up and did what I know how to do. And I preached and I looked healthy and am healthy And my marriage with Amy has been good and was good, and on the outside, everything looked exactly the same. But on the inside, it was nothing but sheer panic. And I didn't see it coming. All I know is that it was a little by little, year over year, there was a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more and then a little more, and then I thought, "Maybe it's too much." And then there was a little more and then I thought, "I can't continue like this." And there was a little more and then I thought, "This is going to get me." And then there was a little more and then I thought, "This will probably kill me." Like it's gonna kill me. So is that too real? Do we have to play like church halo thing and I get I'm super pastor and I don't have real problems? - Come on. - Can we go there? I thought it was gonna kill me. And so, here I am almost three decades into ministry and I need help and I was embarrassed. Like I'm the pastor, you know, not just a Christian, but I'm the pastor. And sadly, there are some of you that can relate right now. There's a lot of people that can relate. Where outwardly, you're still showing up and you're still smiling and you're still trying to do your job. But inwardly, you're battling real depression. Or ongoing kind of chronic anxiety. Or you just feel just stressed. There's just too much. Like you just can't handle it all. Like you might just snap. You might just burn out. If you find yourself struggling mentally, you're not alone, and we're gonna talk about it. Over the next several weeks, we're gonna talk about mental health in a message series that I'm calling Peace of Mind. And the title for our first and foundational message, and it will be very foundational, you're gonna say, "Where's the rest of it?" The rest of it's coming. It's very foundational. But the title to build a foundation today is The Most Dangerous Myths of Mental Health. And what I wanna do is I wanna pray and open-eyed prayer, so you don't have to close your eyes. Jesus did say watch Him pray. And so, if you're driving and praying, you want to watch Him pray. And so, this is our open-eyed prayer. And this is my prayer for you. May God Himself, may our Heavenly Father, the one who loves you, who is called according to 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The God of peace. May the God of peace sanctify you, cleanse you, change you, through and through, through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and scripture promises and He will do it. May the God of peace bring healing. Would you look at the person sitting next to you and just tell them right now, tell 'em God is my peace. Tell 'em God is my peace. Look at your second choice. The other one say, He's your peace too. Go ahead and tell 'em that right now. He's your peace too. You can type that in the chat if you're watching today. God is my peace. God is my peace. It's interesting. I'm glad things are improving in the church world. For years, people said that the church shouldn't talk about mental health. It was kind of something like it was somebody else's problem and it's not something we're gonna talk about in the church. And sometimes the implication would be that you shouldn't struggle mentally because if you're someone that comes to Jesus, then Jesus fixes everything. The moment you come to Jesus, you know, He's gonna... I'll try to do my country preacher voice. I only 1 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript have one. I always go, but He's gonna save ya! You know? He's gonna redeem your soul! He's gonna fill you with Holy Ghost power and He's gonna work... And maybe that's my voice, I don't even know. But He's gonna... He's gonna work in... He's gonna work in all things to bring about good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And everything that I told you is true. He saves you. He forgives you. He redeems you. He fills you with His power. He'll never leave you. And everything does work together for good. All that's true, but it's incomplete. And what I'm about to say is gonna freak some people out and you can go join the blogs that say he's a heretic, you know, whatever. And this may freak you out, but it's true. Just because Jesus saves you, doesn't mean He fixes every air of your life instantly. Just because your sins are forgiven. I've never heard anyone say like, you know, I was reading the Bible and I called on Jesus and He saved me. And all of a sudden, I had abs. I've never, like... You know, praise the Lord. Here's my spiritual six-pack. I've never seen that happen before. You know, I came to the altar, I was crying, I gave my life to Jesus and my credit score improved. My hair got thicker. My thighs got thinner. #Blessed. I've never heard that. In other words, just because you come to Jesus, it doesn't mean that your boss is now nice to you or your bank account just instantly went up. Or when you came to Jesus, it doesn't mean that you instantly became mentally healthy. When we talk about mental health, you maybe say, what are we talking about? And I wanna try to kind of unpack this a little bit, because first of all, I wanna just acknowledge that I am a pastor. I'm not a Christian psychologist, not a doctor. And so, I'm not an expert, but I have read over a dozen books and have consulted in detail with two Christian counselors who are helping guide me through kind of a biblical narrative to present this in a way that would be helpful. But I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm not an expert at all. And so, I'm gonna focus more on the spiritual. But what I wanna do is acknowledge what mental health actually is. And mental health would include at least three things: your emotional, your psychological, and your social wellbeing. It's very, very important because our mental health, it's not actually static. Meaning you can be really healthy for a little while and then something happens or you have a change in your body, or you go through trauma, and you may be really healthy one moment and then you may be in a very bad place afterwards. And your mental health, it actually impacts how you think, which then impacts how you feel and then impacts how you act. Your mental health determines how you handle stress around you or how you relate to people or how you make choices or how you bounce back from a difficult situation or how you don't bounce back. Your mental health might determine how you cope if you go to the wrong sources for comfort, or if you make the right choices. It might determine even how you choose your friends or the quality or the not so quality of your marriage. And there are so many misunderstandings when it comes to mental health. I wanted to build a foundation today, and then we're gonna build on top of it. And I'm gonna show you the two mental health myths that I've noticed most in the church today. The first one, if you're taking notes, is this, a lot of Christians believe that Christians shouldn't struggle with mental health. That if you're a Christian, because you're filled with the Holy Spirit, because you've been saved, you shouldn't battle with anxiety or you really shouldn't be depressed or you shouldn't be burned out. And if you do struggle with one of these things, then it's probably your fault. In other words, you don't have enough faith or you're not praying enough. Or if you are praying a lot, you're not praying right. Or there's some kind of a sin in your life that you need to confess and get out of your life. And if you get that sin out of your life, then you're not gonna be anxious or you're not gonna be overwhelmed or you're not gonna be burned out or you're not gonna be struggling. What I wanna do is show you that you can love Jesus and still fight depression. You can be in the word. You can have the longest Bible streak in the 2 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript YouVersion Bible app of anybody in your life group and still battle with anxiety. You can attend church faithfully and sit on the front row and lift your hands for worship and tithe and serve in the two-year-old room. And still struggle to overcome trauma partially because it's traumatic to serve in the two-year-old room. When you look in scripture, some of the people that we preach about as heroes, the ones we look up to, the ones that are the heroes and the fathers and the mothers of the faith. With all their faith, they still had bouts with mental challenges. There was Elijah. I mean, think about this guy. This guy, he's cocky, man. I mean, he stands down 800 false prophets of Baal and he calls down fire from heaven one day. And shortly after, he's all alone, depressed, and he wants to die. David, a man after God's own heart who stands down the giant says, "Who are you to come against the armies of the living God?" And he battles with deep despair, wondering if God has abandoned him. Jeremiah. I don't wanna be Jeremiah 'cause he's called the weeping prophet. I wanna be the bold prophet, the confident, strong prophet and the prophet of God who declared God's truth. Battled with loneliness, insecurity, and he cursed the day that he was born. And so, if you find yourself like so many people today, you're struggling in your mental health and you don't know what to do. The message sometimes in the church is you just need more of God. You just need more of God. You just need more of God. You just need more of God. And I came to tell you that you do need more of God and you might need more sleep. Is that unspiritual? God designed us to... You might need better friends. You're not in a life group. And you wonder why you feel alone and disconnected and don't have people standing by you and praying for you. How in the world do you think you're gonna stand strong against the forces of darkness when you don't have friends of life standing nearby? We wanna take a holistic approach, and I don't necessarily mean like holistic medicine. I'm talking about our whole body's connected. Like you might need a better diet. You might need to go to a doctor and you might be having some hormonal changes. You might need to do some deep therapy or whatever the case would be. If you're struggling, and so many people are, I don't know if I can make it. I feel anxious. I feel depressed and I don't know why. And I'm praying and I'm trying and I'm going to church and I'm seeking God and I'm trying to do better, and I still just can't seem to make it. If you're struggling, it doesn't mean you're not a good Christian. It means you're human. It means you're human. And there's a myth. And it's a lot of time, you'll see it around the church that as Christians, shouldn't struggle with mental health. And there's another myth if you're taking notes and that is a lot of people say, well, God doesn't care about your mental health. He doesn't really care about that. He's too busy. He's got bigger problems. Have you seen what's going on in the world today? You think God has the time to deal with you trying to handle your freaky in-laws or whatever? He ain't have time for that. But when you look at scripture, especially the Psalms. Does anybody love the Psalms? Anybody love the Psalms? When you look at the Psalms, you're gonna see just how much God cares about every area of your life. I love the Psalm. I'll share just a few of them with you. Just to quote them. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is close to the broken-hearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit. God is our refuge and our strength. He's our ever present help in a time of trouble. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He restores my soul. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me, your rod and your staff. They comfort me. You will prepare for me a table in the presence of my enemies, and your mercy and goodness will follow me all the days. The Lord cares about you. He cares about you. Go to the Psalms to see how much He cares about you and go to the Psalms to see some people breaking down mentally. There's a lot of Psalms you want on your coffee mug, and I'm gonna show you one you don't. I'm gonna show you one you don't. Psalm 88 3 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript was written by a guy named Heman. Now, for those of you that might be about my age, when I was a kid, there was a cartoon character named He-Man who had a girlfriend named She-Ra, and they were both very muscular and immodest. And that was He-Man. This is a different Heman. I'm just saying, I don't know. I don't even know why I thought of that, but our Heman, okay. In the Bible, Heman is the guy that you wanted in your life. He was well respected. He was the one that everybody looked up to. And I wanna show you just some of the qualities we know about Heman from scripture. He had great wisdom. Very, very wise wisdom from the Lord. He was a talented musician. He was one of the worshipers and had incredible musical ability. He had a lot of kids and the implication is that he was a committed parent, very committed in his parenting. And he was very, very faithful in his service to the king. This was a man of God. This would've been the deacon at the church. This would've been the guy at work that you go to for advice. This is the guy you want for your father-in-law or your dad. This is a man of God. And I wanna show you what he said in Psalm 88, and I'll give you a little spoiler alert. This is one of only two Psalms in all the Psalms that don't have a positive ending. A lot of times, people whine and cry and complain. And then they say, but the Lord is faithful. And this man of God says this. And I wonder how many of you might be able to relate. He says, "I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I'm counted among those who've gone down to the pit. I'm like one without any strength left. I'm set apart with the dead like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. God, You've forgotten me. I feel like I'm cut off from Your care." And then we're gonna see something that he gets right. And what I wanna tell you is what he gets right, is the very same thing that you get right. Because in the middle of his darkness, in the middle of his despair, he continues to turn from God just like you might be doing today. The very thought that you may be hurting and feel desperate and you've shown up for church, or you've watched online, tells you that somewhere buried in there in the middle of the darkness, you're still turning toward the light. And he did the very same thing right that you're doing at this moment. He says, "But I cry to you for help, Lord. In the morning, my prayer comes before you." You're the first place I turn. And even though he's crying out to God, he's not finding the peace that he wants. And he says, "Why, Lord, do you reject me and hide your face from me?" And the last verse of Psalm 88 is haunting. He says, "You've taken from me my friend and neighbor, darkness is my closest friend." Darkness is my closest friend. This guy loved God. He's a man of God. And this is in the Bible. This is in the Psalms. And I love that it's there with no positive ending because it shows that God is not afraid of our honesty, that he cares that you may love him and you may question him, and you may worship him and you may hurt. And when you hurt, he cares. Darkness is my closest friend. And that's about where I was when I was breaking down. Still preaching, still showing up, and panicking. Fine on the outside, dying on the inside. So I got over my pride and I called a counselor. You're like, you're a pastor, and you call a counselor? Yes. And I just wanna remind you that getting help isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of wisdom. I wanna say it again. I want you to hear it. Getting help, it's not like you're weak, you're dumb, you're bad. It's wise. And so, I started meeting with my counselor and I said, "I'm in bad shape. Like I'm in really bad shape. I'm in bad shape." And so, he put me through a very expensive, ongoing battery of different tests. And he came back and he said, "I got good news for you." I said, Good, I need something." He says, "You're not in bad shape." I'm like going, "You're the wrong guy. I'm in bad shape." He goes, "No, no, no." And he said, "You're not." He said, "Physically, you're in as good a shape as I've seen in a man your age." Like he had to throw that in there. Like, why not just say you're in good shape? You know, man your age. He said, he says, "Spiritually, you're like seeking God and you're in God’s Word and you're praying and you have faith and you're not sinning in any gross and 4 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript ongoing ways." He said, "Your marriage is like something that everybody would aspire to have." He said, "You're visibly healthy. You're spiritually healthy. You're relationally healthy." And he said, "You're just mentally exhausted. You're just mentally exhausted." And so we started going through some exercises and we did all this kind of basic insulting stuff. Like Pastor Craig, what is the greatest command? Like, huh? Here we go. What is it? Well, Jesus said this. He said, "Love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your," what? With all your- - Mind. - With all your mind. And he said, "Are you loving God with all your heart?" I said, "Yes." Are you loving God with all your soul? Yes. He goes, "Are you loving God with all your mind?" Interesting. How do you love God with your mind? And so, he reviewed some stuff that I taught in the series Winning the War in Your Mind. That your life is always moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts. And we started to talk about the brain and what I wanna do is I wanna... Let's just talk about the brain. That's pretty cool. Let's talk about the brain for a moment. The brain is actually built over time and it starts at birth and then it starts to evolve. And what happens is the brain, it makes all of these connections, connections, connections, connections. Simple connections that are called neural pathways. And for the first few years of your life, how many neural pathways is your brain making? About one million or so connections every second. Every second, your brain's making a connection, a connection, a connection. And then after a while, the brain starts to learn and the connections are simplified through a process called pruning. What happens? Your brain gets more efficient and it starts to think in patterns. In other words, once you think a thought, it's easier to think that thought again. It's like a mental rut or a pathway that's easier to continue to think those thoughts. And that's good news if your thoughts are healthy. That's bad news when your thoughts aren't. So if your body's not healthy, what do you do? You go to a doctor. You might change your diet. You might exercise. You might get treatment for where your body is unhealthy. So if your mind is unhealthy, what do you do? You might go to a doctor like I did. You might go to the great physician who helps to renew your mind. And my mind just couldn't shut down. So my counselor gave me assignment, come up with 30 things you've never done before. I came up with six. Like I couldn't think to seven. Like I got stupid. That's too many. He said, "I want you to try, start trying them up." So I tried two and I started two new hobbies, which seemed like really odd counseling for as much money as I was paying an hour. But what I didn't realize is he was trying to disconnect my mind so it could reconnect to God. I did disconnect at first. My mom was stuck in this church, church, church, church, church. And that sounded like all spiritual. That's church, that's not God. There's a difference. It's church. He's like work, work, work, work, work, work, work. I had to disconnect my mind and then connect it to God. And there's one verse I wanna share you that can start to help you disconnect your mind from the wrong thing and connect it to the right thing. If you want peace of mind, here's the foundation. We'll start here today. Isaiah 26:3. Scripture says this, watch this. You'll be kept in perfect peace all who trust in you, all who's what? Watch this. All whose thoughts God are fixed on you. I love this. You'll be kept in perfect peace. Perfect peace. Perfect peace. Not just occasional peace when everything's going the way you want it. Not just momentary peace when you feel good in the moment. Not just circumstantial peace. But you'll be kept in perfect peace. What is perfect peace? I love in the Hebrew language, perfect peace is actually a translation from Shalom. Two times, Shalom is peace. But the author doesn't say Shalom, but he says Shalom, Shalom. Any time you see a word repeated in the Hebrew, it's for incredible emphasis. It's like Shalom 5 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript exponential. It's like what you do if your kids are acting up, you repeat it. Like you're driving along. Don't make me come back. Don't make me come back there. And then once you get wisdom, you don't even speak, you just swat. How many know what I'm talking about? So you repeat something for in... And the author says you will experience Shalom, Shalom. Who will experience it? Those whose thoughts are fixed on CNN News! Oh, wrong party. On Fox News! And those who are just sitting there scrolling through social media all day long. Are those whose minds are fixed on church for the word? No, no, no, no. You'll keep in perfect peace all whose thoughts are fixed on you. That the Hebrew word translated fixed as the word samak. And this word, it actually means to prop. It means to rest your full weight on an object. It is to rest your full weight. If you're like so many people right now, and you're just not doing great, there's tension, there's heaviness. You're worried about kind of stuff. You don't know where to turn. You don't like your job. You're not really liking people around you. You're just not okay. One of the things we need to do is disconnect our minds from what is unhelpful. And we don't just fix our thoughts on what's helpful, we fix our thoughts on God, on God, on God, on God. And we start to create new neural pathways, that's science. Scripture says we renew our mind, do not be conformed to what everybody else is doing. The craziness, the toxicity, the hatefulness, the bitterness, the negativity. Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed, how, by the renewing of your mind. And so, I disconnected my mind and I started to connect it to one spiritual truth, and this was mine. The verse, 2 Peter 1:3. This was my verse that talks about God's power. It's His divine power. It's God's power. It's not my power. It's His power. It's not my power. It's His power has given us everything, not just part of it, but everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him. It's His power. And again and again, I fixed my mind on His word. And again and again. And so, instead of saying like, I can't, and this is too much, and this is gonna kill me, and I'm never gonna get it all done, and nobody understands, and nobody cares. Instead what I said is that God is my source and my strength. I have everything I need to do everything He called me to do. God is my source. God is my strength. It's Him. It's His power. It's not mine. It's God, it's God, it's God's. According to scripture, He's given me everything, everything I need, the people I need, the resources I need, the friends I need, the counselor I need, the strength I need. His word, the energy, the power, the mental health. He's given me everything I need over and over and over and over and over again. And you'll be kept in perfect peace those who thoughts are fixed on you. And so, I started changing my thought patterns and I was healed instantly. I wish. It wasn't instant. It was like, I would say, Amy might say about an 18-month journey. And about 18 months ago, she said, "I think you're doing good." And I said, "Can we say that? Have I been good long enough?" I said, "I think I'm doing good too." And then I didn't really go public with it with many people because they're close to me 'cause I wanna see it for three months. I wanna see it for six months. About 18 months on the other side of it saying like by the grace of God, He's given me... He's given me everything I need to do everything He's called me to do. It's a peace. It's a peace. It's a peace. And so, I was meeting with 100 or so of our staff members. These were the campus pastors, 42 of them in the top leaders from Central. So these were the people that oversee the church. And we had a long working session and we prayed for you at the end. We prayed for you, our church family. And at the end of the prayer, it's funny I'm telling you, 'cause I like didn't even want them to know. But at the end of the prayer, I couldn't physically stand because of the emotion was so great. The burden that I feel as your pastor, we're praying, their eyes are closed and I just crumbled. And I thought, I can't let 'em see this. I couldn't stand, I was just shaking. So I put the mic down and tried to walk around the room. I didn't want them to know, and now I'm telling all of you. What I want you to know is that it's like... God, I think I'm not happy 6 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript about this. I think he allowed me to experience something so I could relate to what's going on and dive into His word and come out with truth that might just change some lives. - [Man] Say that. - Our spiritual enemy is attacking everywhere. Christians are pointing the fingers at each other, like the wrong, not believing the best motives, criticizing on, on, on, on, on. And people just aren't doing well right now. And you can be kept in perfect peace if your thoughts are fixed on Him. Here's what we're gonna talk about. Next week, we're gonna talk about anxiety. The week after that, we're gonna talk about depression. The week after that, we're gonna talk about worry. The week after that, if I haven't got you yet, I'm coming for you. We're talking about chronic negativity. Seeing the world through a negative lens. We're gonna talk about trauma and deep pain and deep healing. And then we're gonna talk about mine, which is burnout, and where do we go? And we're gonna live out the promises of Jesus. When He said this, He said, "Peace, I leave with you." And watch this, He said, "My peace. My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives." I love this. He said, "My peace." Not a piece, but my peace. And when did Jesus say He gives His peace? It's interesting. In John 14, He said He gives His peace the night before His suffering, the night before He faced the worst physical agony possible to show us perhaps that real peace, perfect peace, isn't found in the absence of problems. But real peace is found in the presence of God. It's Shalom, Shalom. It's peace even when you hear bad news. It's peace even when you lose your job. It's peace when your marriage is struggling. It's peace when your kids are making decisions that are wrecking you in your heart. It's peace when you're hurt by those that you love the most. It's peace when money is tight. It's Shalom, Shalom. It is a peace from God. The world can't give it and the world can't take it away. And God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. May the God of peace sanctify your soul through and through. He cares. He is here. He's faithful. He will do it. So, Father, we pray by the power of Your spirit, that You would do a healing work. As you're reflecting wherever you're watching today, those of you who would say, I wanna learn to love God with my mind. I need some help in my mind. Would you lift your hands right now? Lift em up, lift em up. Let's just go there. Let's just go there. God, thank You for honesty today. Thank You for Your presence. Help us, God, to fix our thoughts on You. Train our brains to be renewed with Your truth. God bring healing to those who are hurting, either instantly in the moment or in a journey as You guide us. You are the source of all that we need, and we look to You. As you keep praying today, some of you, spiritually, you don't know where you stand right now. And we're seeing so many people baptized. There are many that felt guilty and ashamed of things they've done. And they found a peace that goes beyond anything this world knows. His name is Jesus. He is the Son of God. He was perfect. He shed His blood that we could live. He died in our place. And when you call on Him, He hears your prayers. He forgives your sins and you become brand new today. Wherever you're watching from, those of you, you feel a heaviness. You feel a weight. You may feel ashamed. Step away from your sin. Call on Jesus when you do. He forgives all of your sins. He makes you brand new. The weight is gone. There is a peace from heaven. It is not a peace of this world. It's a peace this world cannot take away. Wherever you're watching from those today to say, I need that. I need His grace. I need His forgiveness. We're stepping away from the old life. We're stepping towards Jesus. We're giving Him all. He hears your prayers. He makes you new. That's your prayer, Jesus, I need You. Would you lift your hands higher? Right now all over the place. Lift them up and to say, yes, that's my prayer. All of you guys right here and up in there. 7 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript Praise God for you. Right back over there, my gosh. Others today saying, yes, Jesus. Oh, I surrender to you. Online, you can just type that in the chat. I'm giving my life to Jesus. Just type that in the chat and we're gonna pray together and then we're gonna worship together. Just pray aloud. Heavenly Father, forgive my sins. Jesus saved me. Forgive me. Make me new. Fill me with Your spirit so I can walk with You and I can know You and I can show Your love. Change my life and use me to change others. Thank You for new life. I give You all of mine. In Jesus' name, I pray. Would you praise God right now? Welcome those born into His family. Worship God. 8 PeaceofMind_1_Transcript www.lifechurch.tv/open .

God alone is the author and definer of human sexuality and the context in which sexual intimacy is to occur. Sex, sexual identity, and sexuality were created for His purpose and to advance His Kingdom. Introduction [WHO OWNS YOUR HOUSE?] “Who Owns Your Sexuality?” 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 God alone is the author and definer of human sexuality and the context in which sexual intimacy is to occur. Sex, sexual identity, and sexuality were created for His purpose and to advance His Kingdom. Just like highways have guardrails to ensure that we safely reach our destination as planned, God has placed the guardrail of marriage around sex. Sex inside of marriage is a part of His planned program for sexual expression in history, for reproduction and pleasure that occurs between husband and wife. We can see God’s intent for sex from the beginning. God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply so that the earth would be filled with men and women who could reflect His image, character, love, and glory. In opposition to God, Satan, from the beginning, has sought to create confusion around sexual identity and sexual expression through deception. The enemy took God’s definition and purpose for human sexuality, distorted it, and gave the world a counterfeit copy of the divinely perfect plan for sex. Unfortunately, our culture has accepted Satan’s false version of sexuality as true, redefined the purpose of sexual intimacy, and completely removed God from His original design for sex. Why? Because the enemy knows that sexual intimacy outside of marriage is sin, and sin separates us from God. We must understand and keep God’s standard for human sexuality within the guardrails of marriage. The world encourages everyone to define truth for themselves; however, as followers of Jesus Christ, we define truth by God’s Word. Marriage is a divinely created institution, and it should be promoted as the only pathway to sexual intimacy. When our culture disagrees with God’s definition and context for sexuality, we must align ourselves with His divine standard and bring God’s truth to the matter with gentle, kind, and forgiving hearts. We should encourage one another, in love, to pursue sexuality God’s way. Getting Started 1. The world continually offers its own definition of sexual identity and expression. Share examples of where you see the enemy at work in the culture through media, music, and culture. 2. If you could talk to the younger and less mature version of yourself, what would you say? Let’s Get Personal 1. How do your current beliefs about sexual expression align with our culture’s definition of sexuality? How do your beliefs align with God’s truth? 2. In what ways do your beliefs need to change so that you can consistently operate in sync with God’s Word? 3. How has operating outside of God’s view and standard for sexuality impacted your life? Take the Next Step 1. What area(s) of your life need more evaluation regarding God’s definition of sexual identity, sexual expression, and sexual intimacy? Who holds you accountable to honor God’s standard for sexuality? 2. How can you encourage those who struggle with sexuality to walk in alignment with God’s Word? What does bringing God’s truth in love with gentle, kind, and forgiving hearts look like from day to day? Give an example of what you can do or say to encourage someone today. 3. Are you praying about this area of your life? Are you praying for others you know struggling in this area? Take time to pray individually or with your small group. 4. Want to go deeper? Take time to look at the following passages: Genesis 6:1-8; Genesis 19:1-29; Genesis 39:1-23; Leviticus 18:1-30; Job 31:1; Song of Soloman 4:1-16; Matthew 5:27-28; Matthew 15:19; John 8:1-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Romans 1:18-27; 2 Peter 2:14; Revelations 2:18-29. Renew Your Mind “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God…” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 www.ocbfchurch.org

Today we wrap up this series called hurts, habits, and hangups where we have tried to acknowledge that we can be moving along through our lives and suddenly find ourselves stuck somewhere. And oftentimes it’s because there’s hurt that’s still holding us back, there’s a habit that keeps looping us into an old pattern, or there’s something that we get hung up on that we just can’t seem to get past. And today, I have the privilege of taking some time to talk about hangups. Instead of talking about hangups in general, I wanted to focus in on one particular thing that so many of us get hung up on… and that, friends, is the issue of trust. A classic study, conducted by the university of Virginia, found that the average person lies about once per day. This ranges from what you consider to be a moment of deceit or outright lie to the moment where a waiter swings by your table and you don’t really like the food, but when they ask how everything tastes you say, everything is just fine thanks. It may not be fine but you don’t want to talk about it so you lie. More recent research was conducted by Michigan State University where they asked 1000 people how often they lied and what they lied about. Of the thousand surveyed, 59.9% of people claimed to have not lied in the last 24 hours. So even when we self-report about 40% of us admit to having lied in the last day, meaning we are conscious about. We are aware. They were also able to identify 1.646 different lies were told by the various participants and 800 of those lies came from just 5.3% of the people, which means some people lie a lot. The reason I reference all of this is because if I were to ask you all to raise your hand if someone had ever lied to you before, every hand in the room would be in the air. Everyone of us has been lied to before. If I were to go a step further and say, how many of you have been lied to by someone you were very close with, most of the hands in this room would still be up. After all, while the research shows that we are more likely to lie to strangers it also shows that when it comes to the most serious lies, that 53% of those lies were told to the people that were closest to them. Because we don’t want to disappoint or hurt the people we really care about, even when there is hurt or disappointment to be had. I share all this, but my goal today isn’t to focus on lying it’s to talk about trust. But, in light of all I shared is it any wonder that so many of us end up with “trust” being one of our biggest hangups. Sometimes we get hung up on struggling to trust other people. Today, as we talk about this, I want to look at a person found in the very first book of the bible named Joseph. Last week, Glenn talked about a guy named Jacob and Joseph is actually his son. And Joseph, as we will see, has all the reasons in the world to be hung up on trusting others. Go ahead and turn to Genesis 37 . Joseph’s story begins where we are told that he is the youngest of his many brothers. One night he has a dream where he sees his dad and his brothers bowing down in front of him. Joseph wakes up and decides that it would be a good idea to share this dream with dad and with his brothers and needless to say, this doesn’t go very well. His brothers already resented him for being his dad’s favorite and now Joseph is telling them that he is dreaming about them all bowing in front of him. So, one day, while his brothers are out watching the animals his dad sends Joseph to go and check up on them. Genesis 37:18-24 They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.  19  They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.  20  Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”  21  But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”  22  And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.  23  So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.  24  And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. At the beginning of Joseph’s story is a moment where he is betrayed by the people he is the closest to. He doesn’t see it coming. He didn’t know better. And suddenly he goes from having a family where he is his dad’s favorite, to being betrayed by his family and stuck in a pit. Would any of us blame Joseph if from this point forward he ends up getting hung up when it comes to trusting others. No… we’d look at Joseph and say, “You have a lot of good reasons to struggle with trust. After all, you’ve been through a lot.” And friends, this is how this often happens with us too. The betrayal or lies we experience in our past often leave us with a sense of distrust in our future. You see if you are someone here today who gets hung up on trusting others, it’s probably because you have good reasons to struggle with trust given moments you have walked through in the past. Some of you know what it is to feel betrayed by your own family. Growing up, your family was supposed to be the people who showed up for you or who you felt the safest around, but some of us know what it’s like to feel like our family wasn’t there when we needed them or like the house we grew up in wasn’t a safe place, or maybe you were lied to by the people you wanted to trust the most and now you’re hung up on trust. Some of us know what it’s like to feel lied to or betrayed by a friend or coworker. And you used to engage that relationship or your work place so differently, but now you feel uneasy and guarded because you find yourself hung up on trust. Some of us have been in romantic relationships where there was deceit or betrayal. And you came into that with an open heart and so much trust and that’s why it hurt so much when the deceit happened. And because of that hurt and how real that pain is, you find yourself holding back or defensive when it comes to relationships. So now you find yourself in relationships where you never really feel seen or known because you are too guarded to let yourself be seen or known because you’ve gotten hung up on trust. And some of us know what it is to be blamed for what we didn’t do. Some of us know what it’s like to have someone else’s lie become our reality that we have to live And the hurt and the anger and the fear take root in our heart and we start closing ourselves off to others because we just don’t trust it. I want to share a story with you about someone and I want you to know I have their permission to share it. A while back I had the privilege of sitting down with a gentleman who wanted to tell me his story. He described his childhood as pretty amazing. He had a good family and a good life. He was happy and excelled at school and sports and had lots of friends. And then one day, he came from school, and it was like he walked into a completely different house because it was filled with anger and pain. One of his parents had an affair and their marriage was absolutely devastated overnight. To make matters worse, his family knew the other person really well and so this shook him to his core. Amidst all the pain and confusion, his parents shared things with him that, as a kid, he didn’t need to know and he realized that things had been not ok for a while.  He described this moment to me the following way: He said, “I went to bed one night with an amazing life, an amazing family, and a world of opportunity and it’s like I woke up the next day and realized it was all just a dream” He felt hurt, and he felt embarrassed, and he felt stupid, like he had been lied to and just ignorantly trusted everyone and everything. And amidst all the hurt and confusion he said,  “I decided that I never wanted to be blindly ignorant again.” And I looked back at him and said, “I don’t blame you. It’d be hard to trust anyone or anything after your world falls apart that way.” This is why so many of us get hung up on trust in a way that keeps us stuck. He said that after that he began to be less close to many of his friends, as though he was protecting himself from getting hurt by them. When he dated someone, the moment they expressed that things felt like they were getting more serious he would end the relationship because he didn’t trust it. He had good reasons to be hung up on trust, it just wasn’t serving well in his life. He felt stuck. Maybe some of us know what that’s like. Joseph’s story doesn’t end in that pit his brothers left him in. His brothers decide that rather than leave him for dead, that they could sell him to slave traders and so they do. The slave traders took him to Egypt where he was sold to a man named Potiphar, the captain of the Egyptian guard. Genesis 39:2-4 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.  3  His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.  4  So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. I read this and I find myself thinking, good for Joseph! He takes a terrible situation and he decides to do what he can with it and, even as a slave, he starts to build his life back up. His master, Potiphar, sees that Joseph is capable and trustworthy and he entrusts his entire household to Joseph. It feels like Joseph has moved on. It’s like he has left the betrayal of his family in his past so he can create a better future and he’s working hard at it. This is a comeback story if I’ve ever heard one. But as Joseph grows in esteem and influence, Potiphar’s wife takes a liking to him and she tries to seduce him again and again but he refuses because he doesn’t want to betray his master or become someone different then who God has made him to be. Genesis 39:11-15 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,  12  she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.  13  And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,  14  she called to the men of her household and said to them, “See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.  15  And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.”  16  Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,  17  and she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.  18  But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.” Friends, if I’m Joseph, you know what I’m thinking … “I can’t believe this is happening again…” First it was my family and the people I was closest to, now it’s the person I work for and all the people I work with. People keep betraying me and lying to me and I’m the one who keeps getting stuck with my life getting turned upside down because of it. If I was Joseph, I might have thought, “wait, I’ve never been anything but honest and true to Potiphar. When he gets home, he’ll believe me because he knows I would never betray him. He knows this isn’t who I am. But Potiphar comes home and his wife tells him the same lie she told everyone else. And now Potiphar feels angry and betrayed and Joseph is thrown into an Egyptian prison where he is left to spend the rest of his life. Sometimes the hardest part with trust isn’t the first time our trust is broken. It’s when we opened ourselves back up only to be hurt again. Back to the story I was telling you, it was several years after that gentleman’s discovered his parent’s marriage had imploded and he found himself saying, “I never want to be blindly ignorant again” he felt the need to change something. During this time he met someone. She had been hurt like he had been hurt. She had struggled with trust just like he had been struggling with trust. And the two of them bonded together seeking to build a romantic relationship that was different then the lies and betrayals they had felt in their past. And so they did. And it was good. Describing this time in his life he said to me, “I felt hope and I started to open back up again and it felt so good because of where I had been.” It was a year and a half into the relationship that he finally looked at her and said, “I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you” and her eyes went wide and she stepped back and she said, “I think we should break up.” He said, “Why?” and she said, “there’s someone else.” And suddenly all of those feelings came rushing back because he felt blindsided and ignorant to what was going on and like his life was coming apart again. As he described this he said, “the hardest part about it was that this time I felt like I should have known better so it was shame on me.” You see, sometimes our hangups with trust come not from the first time we were hurt but the second time when we judge ourselves and believe that we should have known better. And in those moments it’s so easy to shut down, to become the cynic, to close ourselves off to others because we want to protect ourselves. We don’t want to feel stupid. We don’t want to feel betrayed. We don’t want to be hurt by people we care about and people we let in. But the gentleman was right when he said that choosing to distrust people was hurting his life more than it was protecting his life. Because when you are hung up on trust, you can end up pushing away the people you need in your life the most. Because when you are hung up on trust you experience being in a world where you feel like nobody really truly knows you and that loneliness is hard to carry. When you are hung up on trust you will end up judging and defining the people in your present by the hurtful behaviors of others in your past and those people will struggle to trust you too. So what do we do with this? It can seem like quite the conundrum can’t it? Do I trust people who might hurt me, only to get hurt again or do I close myself off from people who might hurt me in a way that makes me lonely and actually hurts them? It’s hard isn’t it. This is why so many of us get hung up on trust in a way that keeps us stuck. Let me summarize part of Joseph’s story here because there’s a moment at the end that I want to look at. Joseph ends up spending his time in prison and the Pharoah of Egypt ends up having this crazy dream that he knows means something but nobody can tell him what it means. He ends up hearing that Joseph is pretty good at interpreting dreams and so Joseph hears the dream and tells the Pharoah that his dream means that the rain is going to dry up and that famine is going to be widespread across the land and so they better prepare for it now so they can survive it later. And Pharoah is so impressed with  Joseph and believes he’s a messenger from God so he puts Joseph in charge of the plan. And so Joseph goes from being forgotten about in prison to becoming the most influential leader in Egypt apart from the Pharoah himself. And sure enough famine hits, but because of Joseph, Egypt has storehouses of grain and a plan to endure it and they do. And people from the surrounding areas who are starving begin coming to Egypt for assistance, including Joseph’s own family. And after all these years he finds himself standing before the brothers who took his clothing and sold him into slavery, except this time Joseph has all the power. It’s a big moment, and Joseph could take all of his hurt and betrayal and enact vengeance if he wanted to. He could deny them assistance and leave them to starve just like they had more or less left him. He could close his heart and feel justified in doing so because he has so many reasons to never trust them again. But he doesn’t and it’s remarkable. He does something differently that I think offers wisdom to us who are hung up on distrust here today. Genesis 42:18-20 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:  19  if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,  20  and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. You get to decide the reasonable level of trust to give away When it comes to trusting others it is not an all or nothing moment. Joseph doesn’t just look at his brothers, who absolutely betrayed him and hurt him,  and say it’s fine, I’m fine, everything is fine and then trusts them completely. That wouldn’t be wise and in some ways that doesn’t feel reasonable does it? Instead Joseph keeps his identity hidden, and for several chapters he tests them, little by little to determine if they are people that are reasonable to trust. Each step of the way, joseph is determining the amount of trust he is willing to give away. Friends, instead of seeing trust in your life like an on or off switch, you actually get to decide what level of trust is reasonable. If someone lies to you all the time, you get to say, “it’s not reasonable to fully trust this and that’s ok.” If someone has hurt you over and over again you get to decide what’s right and reasonable and figure out how to proceed forward. This message is not designed to tell anyone here that if someone is hurting them over and over that they should just trust. That would be uncaring, unkind and unwise. If someone is hurting you or abusing you or lying to you, you are not morally obligated to trust them for fear of being bad. If someone gives you really good reasons not to trust them then it becomes reasonable to scale your level of trust way back. You get to feel the honesty of what you really feel Genesis 42:21-24 Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”  22  And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”  23  They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.  24  Then he turned away from them and wept. All these years later, Joseph is still hurt. And to hear his brothers acknowledge what they did brought up all those things that he had walked through. And the author of Genesis didn’t have to include that part in the text but he did, because he wants us to know how Joseph really felt and how Joseph expressed it. Stacie talked about hurt in the first week of this series and encouraged us in our hurts by reminding us that at the core of Christianity is a God who hurts with us and walks thorugh struggle and pain with us. If you have been hurt through betrayal or deceit, that hurt exists in you and it’s ok to feel what you feel. In fact if you are able to be honest to what you are feeling and allow yourself to feel it in a way that allows you to release it, you’ll find it’s not just honest, but that it can be healing. When his brothers return and they bring his youngest brother Benjamin and Joseph sees him for the first time, we read in chapter 43 that his compassion for his youngest brother became so overwhelming that he had to leave the room and find a place to weep. And he comes back in and serves his brothers a large meal and gives the youngest five time the portion. He even ends up revealing who he really is and getting the chance to see his father once again. You get to decide who you want to be When the story of Joseph concludes, he ends up getting to see his father Jacob one last time and then his father dies and goes to bury him And his brothers worry that the reason Joseph hadn’t retaliated against them was because he was honoring his father and they become suddenly aware that once their dad is no longer alive that Joseph will have no reason not to wield justice and retribution for all that they had done. So they come to him and the fall down before him and say we are your servants… they are at his mercy. Genesis 50:19-21 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?  20  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people [ b ]  should be kept alive, as they are today.  21  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. This is a such a powerful moment and I love that we get to read it thousands of years later… Joseph essentially looks at his brothers and says, the betrayal and deceit you chose isn’t the whole story. In fact, it’s just a sentence in the beautiful chapter that God is currently writing because this all His story. It’s as though Joseph looks at his brothers and says, the story of broken trust you chose to tell with your life doesn’t get to become the story I now tell with my life. Does it mean I just walk around blindly trusting everyone… No.. I get to decide the reasonable level of trust to give away Does it mean that it didn’t hurt and everything is fine?… No…It hurt and it had impact and it still hits now and then But there is a larger story that I want to partner with God to tell in my life and though the betrayal happened and the deceit happened, it doesn’t get to be the whole story because I get to choose. As I sat listening to that gentleman who had gone through not one but two really big moments of disruption and distrust in his life, I found myself full of questions. I looked at him and said, “You are married now, to a woman you love right?” He nodded. And I said, “and you have children that you seem to adore.” He smiled and said, “I do.” And so I said, how did the guy who never wanted to be blindly ignorant again find himself opening up to trust and to love to vulnerability and intimacy all those words that mess with us when we are hung up on distrust. And he said, “After I told my girlfriend that I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her she dumped me and I became a pretty cynical person.” He said, “I thought marriage was a sham and that people were all liars and that this world really is just dog eat dog.” He said he lived like that for about 10 years. And I said “so what changed?” And he said he was lonely and jaded and miserable and finally reached out for help. And in talking with someone else he began to process his pain and heal a little. And my favorite thing he said, was “at some point I decided that the difficult moments in my past weren’t the story I wanted to keep telling in my futur e. I can’t trust everybody but I don’t have to be a distrusting person.” Friends, Most of us have good reasons to have trust issues. The real question is: Do you want to keep them. You may have had a moment where someone broke your trust, but you get to decide if that is going to make you an untrusting person . It’s your trust to give away based on what’s reasonable. You get to choose to move toward healing and releasing some of the pain and distrust you might carry. And we all get to choose the next chapter that we write in this story called our life. An the good news is, what others may have intended for evil, God works together for good. He never leaves us, nor forsakes us. He is with us. So in whatever hurts, habits or hang ups have you feeling stuck, May you know that you are not alone.

Dear Jeff and Roger, There are so many things in the Bible that I don’t understand. I’m ok with that—I feel like it’s part of the fact that my mind is finite and I’m trying to understand the infinite. But I really don’t understand why God chose to explain some things and not others. Will you help me? Sincerely, Annabeth Dear Annabeth, This is Jeff. You are not alone when it comes to wrestling with the questions of “why?” when reading the Bible. Maybe you come to a story that feels unfinished, a decision God made that puzzles you, or a truth that feels beyond comprehension. I’ve been there. We long for clarity and understanding, but instead, we encounter what seems to be a mystery. This can be unsettling, can’t it? After all, if God wants us to know Him, why doesn’t He just tell us everything plainly? Over all my years in ministry, I’ve discovered that God reveals enough about Himself to draw us closer, but He also leaves room for mystery so we can grow in trust and faith. The Bible itself acknowledges this tension, as seen in Deuteronomy 29:29 (NLT): “The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.” God, in His wisdom, gives us what we need, while the rest invites us into deeper dependence and trust. Leaning Into the Mystery Maybe you’re someone who loves answers, clarity, and a detailed plan—that’s understandable! It feels unsettling not to know all the details, especially when you’re trying to live faithfully. When we read a passage that leaves us perplexed, we may feel like we’re missing some vital piece to the puzzle. For example, have you ever wondered why Job never got an explanation from God for his suffering? That nagging question can leave us feeling like we don’t have enough to truly understand. Perhaps you’ve faced moments in life where the mystery of the Bible collides with real situations—watching someone faithful seem to suffer with no explanation or struggling to understand God’s justice when the world feels so broken. This tension can make us question whether God really does care enough to guide us. Our culture often demands instant answers and proof, which can make us feel out of sync when we’re called to walk by faith, not sight (see 2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT). When we recognize that the mysteries in the Bible are not obstacles but invitations, it transforms how we approach God. Instead of demanding answers, we learn to lean into the truth that God’s ways are higher than ours (see Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT). We stop trying to dissect the unexplainable and start trusting that what He reveals is sufficient for both our understanding and our obedience. This shift moves us from frustration to a peaceful dependence on Him. Beyond Answers: Cultivating a Heart of Faith If we allow biblical mysteries to frustrate or alienate us, we miss the chance to deepen our relationship with God. We risk falling into doubt or apathy. On the other hand, if we choose to trust God’s purpose in keeping certain things hidden, we gain a stronger trust in His character and plan. We realize that faith isn’t about having all the details—it’s about trusting the One who does. Here are a few simple things I do when I run into a biblical mystery: Ask God for Wisdom and Peace When the Answers Don’t Come. I’ve had many seasons when I’ve prayed fervently about a major life decision. I wanted a clear, neon sign from God, but answer just weren’t that clear. Those times can feel frustrating. Instead of spiraling, I’ve learned to pray differently. James 1:5 (NLT) is my lifeline: “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” This simple prayer shifts my heart from demanding answers to trusting Him. Focus on What Has Been Revealed. When I find myself wrestling with biblical mysteries, I intentionally turn my focus back to what God has made clear in His Word. I’ll spend time meditating on foundational truths, like His promise to never leave me or forsake me (see Deuteronomy 31:6) or that His love is steadfast and unending (see Lamentations 3:22-23). These truths are our anchor in the storm of the unknown. They remind us of His character and His heart for us, which helps build a solid foundation of faith that can withstand any mystery. Seek Community. We were never meant to walk this journey of faith alone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been wrestling with a doubt or a difficult question, only to bring it up to a trusted friend or in my small group. Often their perspective helps shed a whole new light on it that I had never considered. God often uses the people He’s placed in our lives—friends, family, pastors, mentors—to help us see His plan more clearly. Be Patient. I’ll be the first to admit it: patience is not my greatest strength. I like efficiency and clear outcomes. But my journey with God has been one long, beautiful lesson in learning to wait on His timing. Looking back now, I can see how God was working in that waiting period. Whether the mysteries become clearer on this side of eternity or not, I’ve learned that He always uses the time I spend seeking Him to draw me closer to His heart. When we accept that some things will remain mysteries, a beautiful transformation occurs—we experience freedom. We’re no longer burdened by trying to understand it all. Instead, we can rest, knowing that God is unchanging, faithful, and in control. Imagine facing life with a steady confidence because you trust the One who is infinitely wise. When you encounter the unanswered, instead of spiraling into confusion or doubt, turn it into prayer and lean into Scripture. Your relationship with God deepens as faith takes precedence over the need for clarity. Hi Annabeth, this is Brie Barrier Wetherbee. Roger Barrier is my dad, and we often discussed biblical mysteries. He was deeply convinced that God intentionally left much for us unexplained in His Word, so that we would be forced to take a leap of faith … “Faith shows the reality of things we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1 NLT). Dad encouraged me to chase after the mysteries of Scripture—not with fear, but with curiosity and joy. They don’t undermine what I believe; they draw me to seek to understand my Father and grow my faith. I sought my Masters degree in Theology—and I’m currently studying for my doctorate—out of a deep desire to chase biblical mystery. So let me encourage you with this too. Dad always said that “God never reveals the things of deep things of the Spirit to the person who drops by for a little chat.” Chasing and understanding biblical mysteries is never easy. It’s not supposed to be. However, you will be transformed when you put in the time and effort to know His Word more deeply. The Waiting Is Never Wasted The mysteries of the Bible aren’t there to confuse us but to draw us closer. They remind us that God is infinite and we are finite, and we’re invited to trust Him beyond our finite understanding. The next time you encounter one of those “why?” moments, take it as an opportunity to lean in, asking God to grow your faith and reveal more of Himself to you in the process. After all, some of the most beautiful relationships deepen not by having all the answers, but by learning to trust completely. Jesus Himself embraced the reality of living with mystery during His time on earth. One profound example of this is when He spoke of His return, saying, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” (Matthew 24:36 NLT). Even in His divinity, Jesus demonstrated humility and trust in the Father’s plan. This serves as a powerful reminder for us to rest in faith, knowing that it’s okay not to have all the answers. Like Jesus, we’re invited to walk in surrender, trusting that God’s timing and purposes are always perfect. Well Annabeth, I really hope this helps you learn how to deal with biblical mysteries … allowing them to help you grow closer to our heavenly Father. In Christ, Jeff and Brie

When my children were growing up one of their favorite meals was steak. I would buy steaks when they went on sale and then freeze them until we needed them for a special occasion. When they were real small I had to cut up their steaks for them to eat, but as they aged I learned I could trust them with a steak knife to cut their own steak without hurting themselves, or their neighbor. Finally, after they were much older they wanted me to teach them what was in my overnight marinade and how to cook the steaks on the grill. My children acquired a taste for steak long before they learned how to cook it. Like spiritual children we can often appreciate a gourmet spiritual feast long before we can cook one ourselves. When we search the gospels we notice that the name the “The Son of Man” was one of Jesus’ favorite titles for himself. Why? Look at Matthew 11:18-19a. 18) For John came neither eating nor drinking and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19) The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say, “Look a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” CSB In these verses Jesus is referencing his humanity and his humility. Now look at a prophetic passage that the disciples would have been very familiar with from Daniel 7:13-14. 13) I continued watching in the night visions, and suddenly one like a son of man was coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him. 14) He was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. CSB Not only did the title “The Son of Man,” emphasize Jesus’ humanity, Jesus also chose this title because it asserted his divinity by connecting himself to the prophetic figure in Daniel. After Daniel’s prophecy was written there was a debate in Judaism. Rabbi’s wondered and argued over whether the Messiah would be divine or just an earthly leader. We learn from this favorite name and title that Jesus was claiming to be fully man and fully God. For a season, Jesus gave up some of his heavenly power to become a man. Now look at Matthew 16:13-20. 13) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14) They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15) “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” 16) Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17) Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18) And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.” 20) Then he gave the disciples orders to tell no one that he was the Messiah. CSB Jesus took his disciples out of a Jewish region and they have gone up to Caesarea Philippi, a Roman city in a region above the Galilee and at the base of Mt. Hermon. This area was known for the multitude of pagan deities that were worshipped there. This is the place where Jesus asked the question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples’ responses show that the crowds were not in agreement about who Jesus was. Some thought he was John the Baptist, some thought he was a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah, but this was just Jesus’ introductory question. What Jesus really wanted to know was who his disciples thought he was? Remember, Jesus has been modeling what life with God looks like. Over and over we see Jesus is looking for two things from people. First, he is looking for faith (Luke 8:18) and second, he is looking for those who will show his love to the rest of the world (John 13:35). So, how Jesus’ followers see him matters. In answering his question, Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah and more, he is the Son of the living God. This statement about Jesus being the Son of the living God was made in direct contrast to the lifeless pagan gods worshipped in the region of Caesarea Philippi. Then Jesus says, “Flesh and blood could not have revealed this to you Peter.” This is a divine revelation straight from the Father. What comes next? Reread Matthew 16:18-19. Now it is clear in these verses that Jesus is specifically talking to Peter. Peter will be the first leader of the church and he will be given power to bind things on earth and in heaven, and he can loosen things on earth and in heaven. But did you know that this is not the only place Jesus uses these words? Or, the only person he made these promises too? Look at Matthew 18:18-20. 18) Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. 19) Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” CSB For a season, Jesus gave his followers his heavenly power in prayer. His mighty name would be entrusted to them to do his heavenly work-a work that would reflect his divinity-not just his humanity. Matthew 18:18b reads word for word the same as Matthew 16:19b. Jesus has entrusted to all of his followers, not just Peter, heavenly power to bind and loosen on earth, so it will be done in heaven. How is this binding and loosening done? It is done through prayers. In the natural world what kinds of things do we want to bind or lock up? Usually, we want to lock up bad guys, things we consider valuable and dangerous stuff, like a gun collection. So, who are the spiritual bad guys we want to lock up on earth? Well, we know from Ephesians 6:12 that they are the demonic forces active behind the scenes in our world. In prayer we ask Go to lock up the forces of darkness that are seeking to work in our lives, in the lives of those we love, and in this world. This can be done in prayer with little fanfare or adrenaline. What is a precious, eternal thing we might want to lock up on earth for heaven? I was thinking of my God assignments and how when I execute them I don’t want to rob God of the glory that is due him. This doesn’t mean I am unappreciative when someone compliments me, but I want my heart intention to be that God is glorified while someone is thanking me. Recognizing God’s activity on earth is a precious encouragement we give each other, so we should thank people when God uses them. But, when someone compliments us, in humility we can gift God all the glory. What kind of stuff do we want to unlock on earth? We want God to unlock the forces of good. We want God to teach us his children how to pray united for the will of God. We also want to release the angelic forces, so they are free to work in our world. Remember, Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” So, in prayer and in agreement with other believers we want to lock up the forces of evil, while at the same time we want to release the forces of good. For a season, Jesus gave up some of his heavenly power to become a man, and for a season, Jesus gave his followers his heavenly power in prayer. Jesus gave the responsibility of praying for God’s kingdom to come on earth to his followers (Matthew 6:10). Our heavenly powers are not equal to Jesus’ heavenly powers, but I think they are greater than we know or may have experienced. What might change if we started praying these prayers of binding and loosening?

Just as the Minaret calls the Muslim to prayer, so too Allah is calling Muslims to consider the truth of His revelation found in the Injeel. Do you sometimes wonder if you will really enjoy eternal paradise? Do you know without a doubt that you will be in paradise? You can know without a doubt! What became of the Injeel? What relationship do other early writings about Isa have with the Quran? Where is the real Injeel? The path of Islam is revealed in the Quran as being the final revelation of Allah and the only means by which we can attain eternal life. When we read the Quran, we read strong claims of its own authority and our commanded obedience. Though the Quran contains strong claims, the Injeel makes even stronger claims, and neither seems to agree on the most important issues affecting us: What does Allah think of me? What is my destiny? How can I have eternal life? How can I be sure I am on the right path? Are you on the right path? Look at what the Quran says about these issues, then look at what the Bible says. Allah Loves Those Who Obey Him You are designed to obey Allah. Even if you try to obey Islam, there is no guarantee that you will achieve eternal life. You must be ever diligent to enter in. First, let’s look at the reliability of Allah’s revelation in the Injeel. Allah’s Revelation Obeying the path Allah has commanded is of primary importance for anyone who wants to attain eternal life. If there is even the smallest doubt, if you’ve ever wondered, “Am I on the right path?” then you can begin your journey here. Let’s begin with the assumption that Allah is perfect. Because Allah is perfect, what He chooses to reveal to us cannot be less than perfect. Can Allah make a mistake? Can Allah tell a lie? Will Allah be untruthful with us? Never. Therefore, everything that Allah says to us is perfect. What has Allah said to us in the Torah and the Injeel? Among the many principles and stories contained in the Injeel, there are four very important things Allah has told us: He does not change He will not change His mind He will not change His word He will not change His plan These are very important because by these unbreakable promises, Allah demonstrates that we can always depend upon His character. He is not going to suddenly change His mind about us and what He intends to do for us. According to His own revelation, we can have absolute certainty about His intentions and His love: He Does Not Change. “I am the Lord. I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). “Isa the Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He Will Not Change His Mind. “Allah is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man that His purpose may be changed” (Numbers 23:19). “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). He Will Not Change His Word. “I tell you the truth, till Heaven and Earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle from the law shall pass away until all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:18). “I the Lord have said the word and I will do it. I will not go back…my purpose will not be changed” (Ezekiel 24:14). He Will Not Change His Plan. “Allah, by whom you have been marked out in His purpose, is unchanging, and He will make it complete” (I Thessalonians 5:24). Allah is great and strong enough to accomplish His purposes regardless of man’s efforts to circumvent them. Can a man thwart Allah? Certainly not. Therefore, we can completely depend upon His intentions and character. This is one reason why Christians believe certain things about Allah and His plan for us: Allah has made unbreakable promises to us, about us, and Himself. Why Do Christians Believe What They Believe? “Let the people of the Injeel judge by that which Allah has revealed therein. Whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed; such are evil livers” (Quran, 5:47). “After them, we sent forth Isa, the Son of Mary, confirming the Torah already revealed, and gave Him the Injeel in which there is guidance and light. Therefore, let those who follow the Injeel judge according to what Allah has revealed therein” (Quran, 5:44-46). Based upon Allah’s revelation in the Injeel, Christians believe that Isa the Messiah is Allah’s Son for seven important reasons. By themselves, these reasons might be questioned. But taken cumulatively, they provide a strong case for His identity. Prophecy claimed He would be the Son of Allah Angels said He was the Son of Allah Isa claimed He was the Son of Allah Allah said Isa was His Son Isa’s followers said He was the Son of Allah Isa’s enemies understood His claim to be the Son of Allah Isa’s miracles, death, and resurrection provide evidence that He is the Son of Allah Several passages in the Bible can be used to show the validity of each position. Because of space, however, only one will be chosen for each. Prophecy claimed He would be the Son of Allah. Psalm 2:7 says, “I will proclaim the decree of the Lord. He said to me, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’” Angels said He was the Son of Allah. Luke 1:35, The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of Allah.” Isa claimed He was the Son of Allah. Matthew 26:63, 64, “The high priest said to him, ‘I charge you under oath by the living Allah: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of Allah.’ ‘Yes, it is as you say.’” Allah said Isa was His Son. Matthew 17:5, “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Isa’s followers said He was Allah’s Son. John 11:27, “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of Allah, who was to come into the world.” Isa’s enemies understood that He claimed to be the Son of Allah. At his trial, there was this exchange: “They all asked, ‘Are you then the Son of Allah?’ He replied, ‘You are right in saying I am.” (Luke 22:70). Isa’s miracles, death, and resurrection provide evidence that He is the Son of Allah. John 10:37,38, “Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, `I am Allah’s Son? Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” So far, we’ve seen direct claims from each of these sources about Isa being Allah’s Son. Yet we have not examined why Isa’s death and resurrection provide more evidence that He is Allah’s Son. If you are a Muslim, then you know what the Quran claims about Isa’s death. “They said, ‘We killed the Messiah Isa the Son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah,’ but they did not kill him, nor crucify him, but so it was made to appear to them” (Quran 4:157). Did Isa really die on the cross as Allah revealed in the Injeel? Or did Allah “make it appear to them” that He was crucified? This is an important issue that must be addressed if we are to know with full assurance if we are on the right path. Did Isa Really Die on the Cross? The death and resurrection of Isa the Messiah is one of several important points upon which the Injeel and the Quran differ. Which account about the end of Isa’s ministry is trustworthy? The whole trustworthiness of the Quran stands or falls upon the claim that Isa, the Messiah, did not die on the cross. Why? Because if Isa did die on the cross and rise from the dead, then there would be no need for a further revelation like the one Mohammad gave. First, it’s important to review the principles we have already discovered: Allah’s revelation is perfect and does not change Allah’s promises cannot be broken Man cannot thwart anything Allah does These are important principles because Allah tells us in the Injeel that He loves us with an unchanging love. He tells us that He planned for Isa to die and rise from the dead before He was ever born. And He makes certain promises based upon Isa’s death and resurrection. So, did Isa die on the cross? The Quran says in 4:157, “They said, ‘We killed the Messiah Isa the Son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah,’ but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them.” This is an important claim because in the Quran, only the enemies of Isa are said to have been fooled into thinking they crucified Him. Naturally, if Allah wanted to thwart Isa’s enemies into thinking this, and Isa’s disciples professed Islam, then His disciples would not have been led astray. Why, after all, would Allah want to deceive those who have professed to believe the truth and follow His Apostle? The Injeel, however, tells a different story. The Injeel states that Isa’s disciples saw Him die on the cross. John 19:26, 27 says, “When Isa saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved (John) standing nearby…” Women were among Isa’s followers, and they saw Him die on the cross. John 19:25 reveals, “Near the cross of Isa stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” These were people who all loved and followed Isa. Those who followed Isa were His disciples. It is hard to conceive that Allah, being a God of truth, would want to deceive those who believe the truth into thinking that Isa died when He did not. In fact, the Quran states plainly in 50:29: “I am not unjust to my servants.” Finally, remember the principles we have learned about Allah’s character. Allah does not change Allah’s plans do not change Allah’s word does not change This is important because 600 years before Isa died, Allah announced His plans for Isa to die for the sins of others. Notice what the Prophet Isaiah says about Isa: “He was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastising for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed…the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment, He was taken away…he was cut off from the land of the living…His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death. Because He has done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:5-9). How do we know this prophecy refers to Isa? Was there anyone in all of history to whom these words applied at one time? There is, in fact, only one person, Isa the Messiah. His body was pierced by a soldier He was scourged by the Romans before being crucified He was oppressed (during His trial, the only testimony from Him was that which would condemn Him) He never once protested His crucifixion His grave was assigned with the other men who were crucified with Him (two thieves) A rich man, Nicodemus (a secret follower of Isa), asked for Isa’s body and buried Him in a grave he had made for Himself The weight of evidence, from Isa’s followers and from His enemies, is that He did indeed die on the cross, to be followed by His resurrection from the dead three days later. Since Isa did in fact die on the cross. And since we have learned about Isa’s claim to deity, does this mean that God died on the cross? Certainly, serving a God who does not have the power to keep from dying does not sound like the right path, does it? But as you will see on this journey, Allah’s nature is not like ours. This is best demonstrated in His divine existence as a Triune God. Are there 3 Gods, or 1? First, it is important to establish what is common about what you believe as a Muslim and what Christians believe. Muslims believe that there is one God. Christians also believe that there is one God. What is not common between the two is the form in which Allah exists. Make no mistake, Allah is only One (that is what is common). The Quran says He is only one person, whereas the Injeel portrays Him as being One, but being three persons. The Quran teaches that Allah is “All-Powerful,” therefore, if He wanted, Allah could choose to exist as multiple people at the same time. If “nothing is too hard for Allah,” then this would not be a problem. The Injeel teaches us that Allah exists as multiple persons yet remains One because that is His nature. This is why Allah can become a man and die on a cross for our sins, and why we can say that when Isa died, God did not die in the sense of how we often think of death in human terms. Isa the Messiah became a man and died on the cross. His Father observed from Heaven. In the midst of this, Isa says of Himself and the Father in John 17 that they are “One.” Putting it all Together Let’s wrap all of the truths into a summation: Allah does not change Allah will not change His word Allah will not change His mind, or plan With this in view, we see that Allah intended, declared, and performed His desire to reveal His Son Isa the Messiah: Prophecy said He is Allah’s Son Angels announced that He was Allah’s Son Allah declared His own Son Isa declared His Sonship and revealed that He would die on the cross “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death; and will deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day, He will be raised up” (Matthew 20:18-19). Isa’s disciples saw Him die Isa’s mother saw Him die Isa’s friends saw Him die Not only did His disciples see Him die, but they also saw Him raised from the dead three days later. Isa even declared His resurrection in advance. What should we do with these truths? Should I Change my Religion? Did Isa ever refer to Himself as the Son of God? Did He ever make Himself equal with God? Look at Isa’s own words in the Injeel: In John 10:36, Isa speaking to the Pharisees: “Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’” Matthew 26:63 “Tell us whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God. Isa said to Him, ‘You have said it yourself.’” John 11:4, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” John 17:1, 4,5, “Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…I glorified you on the earth…now, glorify me together with you, Father, with the glory which I had before the world was.” In the Quran we are told: Allah is merciful toward those who obey him, You are designed to obey Allah, By obeying Islam, you may enter eternal life, and Even if you try to obey Islam, there is no guarantee that you will achieve eternal life Now, take careful notice of one example of a difference between Allah in the Quran and Allah in the Bible. “Allah does not love the treacherous or the sinful.” (Quran 4:107, there are dozens of similar passages.) Now, notice the difference in Allah’s feelings toward you in this passage from the Bible: “Allah demonstrates His own love toward us in this, while we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us” (Romans 5:8). What a remarkable difference! Allah loves Everyone “For Allah so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Though Allah loves everyone, not everyone gets to experience that love. This is a great tragedy, because Allah’s chief desire is to love you, and for you to know and love Him. You are designed to know Allah and be loved by Him “The man who loves Allah is known by Allah” (I Corinthians 8:3). Yet, our sin keeps us from Allah. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of Allah” (Romans 3:23). Though all have sinned, Allah still loves all and calls all to know Him and leave behind their sin. He did that by providing Isa the Messiah as the punishment for our sin. By believing in Isa the Messiah, your sin is forgiven, and you can know Allah personally and have eternal life. “For the Messiah died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to Allah” (I Peter 3:18). “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of Allah, in order that you may know that you have eternal life” (I John 5:13). Allah made an unbreakable promise that you will have eternal life if you believe in Isa. Because Allah will not change, or change His word, or plan, you can completely depend upon His promise to you, that if you receive Isa the Messiah, you too will have eternal life. “As many as received Him, he gave them the right to become children of Allah, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). “Allah did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for Allah to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:18-19). Would you like to know you are on the right path and gain full and complete assurance of Allah’s love for you? You can if you receive Isa the Messiah. In prayer, right now, you can ask Him to take control of your life. Use the prayer to the right to guide you. “Lord Isa, I believe that you are the Son of Allah revealed in the Injeel. I agree with you that I am a sinner and that my sin has kept me from knowing you. I know that you died on the cross to pay the price for my sin. I believe that you rose from the dead, never to die again. You live right now and can help me and forgive me. Lord Isa, please forgive me of my sin. I ask you to take control of my life. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me the power to live for you. Lord Isa, because I believe you are the true Son of Allah who never changes or breaks His word, I trust and thank you that you have forgiven me. Thank you that you have given me eternal life and that I have that eternal life right now. And thank you, thank you that you love me.” Do you agree with these things you prayed in your heart of hearts? If so, then you now have eternal life. No one can take it away from you. Allah promises this in His word: “Nothing can separate us from the love of Allah, which is in the Messiah Isa, our Lord” (Romans 8:39). You are beginning a new journey with Allah. There are certain things you must do to grow spiritually. Read Allah’s word, the Bible, every day Pray every day to express your thankfulness and love to Allah Attend a church or group with others who believe in Isa But what about my Quran, my Mosque, and my former faith? How did you receive eternal life? Was it through Mohammad, or through Isa’s death and resurrection for you? Which book told you the truth about Allah and how to have eternal life? The Quran or the Bible? Where will you learn more about the truth of Isa, at the Mosque, in a church, or in a group of Christians that also know Isa as you do? How you answer is very important. Don’t let anything stand in the way of getting to know Isa better. He gave up His own place in Heaven to know you, love you, and give you eternal life. He now waits for you there. Until then, He has placed His Holy Spirit inside of you to help you live for Him. May Allah bless you and fill you with the awesome wonder of His great love for you. Be sure to share your faith with others. www.guywithabible.com.

Do you ever find yourself replaying and reliving the details of the deep hurt in your life?  The horrific season. The conversation that stunned you. The shocking day of discovery. The divorce. The wrongful death so unfathomable you still can’t believe they are gone. The malpractice. The breakup. The day your friend walked away. The hateful conversation. The remark that seems to now be branded on your soul. The taking of something that should have been yours. The day everything changed. I understand this kind of defining devastation in such a personal way. And whether you’ve experienced pain through an event or a collection of hurt that built over time because someone wasn’t who they were supposed to be, didn’t do what they were supposed to do, or didn’t protect you like they should have protected you, your heartbreak deserves a safe place to be processed. Whoever “they” are in your story, their actions hurt you, took from you, and set off a chain of events still greatly affecting you. And that was wrong. But, friend, can I whisper something I’m learning?  Staying here, blaming them and forever defining your life by what they did will only increase the pain. Worse, it will keep projecting out onto others. The more our pain consumes us, the more it will control us. And sadly, it’s those who least deserve to be hurt whom our unresolved pain will hurt the most. That person or people — they’ve caused enough pain for you, for me and for those around us. There’s been enough damage done. They’ve taken enough. You don’t have to hand over what was precious and priceless to you and deem all the memories as hurtful. And you don’t have to be held hostage by the pain. You get to decide how you’ll move forward. That’s why I want to give you five healing perspectives and scriptures I’ve been hanging on to when I’m struggling with the realities of my own heartbreak:  1. FORGIVENESS IS MORE SATISFYING THAN REVENGE. I agree that the person who hurt you should have to pay for their offenses and crimes against you. But you shouldn’t have to pay for them. Revenge is you paying twice for a hurt that someone else did to you. You pay a price when they hurt you. You pay double when you carry that pain inside your heart and it causes you to say and do things you wouldn’t otherwise say and do. You may think getting them back will make you feel better in the short term, but in the long term, it will always cost you more emotionally and spiritually than you’d ever want to pay.  You don’t want to trade in your peace, your maturity, your spiritual progress, your integrity and all the other beauty you add to the world just to add a little suffering to your offender’s life or to try and teach them a lesson. The only thing your revenge will do is add your wrongdoing on top of theirs. Forgiveness releases to the Lord your need for them to be punished or corrected, giving it to the only One who can do this with right measures of justice and mercy. Forgiveness doesn’t let the other person off the hook. It actually places them in God’s hands. And then, as you walk through the forgiveness process, it softens your heart. Over time, I’ve discovered a softening inside of me that truly desires for no more hurt to occur at all . . . not for them, not for me, not for any of the others involved. I just want peace. The peace from forgiveness is more satisfying than revenge. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ’Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19–21 ESV) How does this perspective help you look at forgiveness in a different light for your situation?  2. OUR GOD IS NOT A DO - NOTHING GOD. I was recently participating in a Q&A where someone in the audience asked, “How can God just do nothing?” The pain in her question was deep. The ache in her faith was real. And, gracious, do I ever understand what that feels like. I remember feeling so disillusioned during my journey with my husband Art when he was unfaithful and our marriage was imploding. For years, all I could see from my vantage point was Art doing whatever he wanted with no apparent intervention by God at all. And when you are suffering so much that each next breath seems excruciating and the one causing the pain is seemingly thriving and prospering, it’s easy to start assuming God is doing nothing. But we don’t serve a do-nothing God. He is always working. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Joseph. He walked through years of rejection, false accusation, wrongful imprisonment, and seemingly was forgotten . . . but with God, there is always a meanwhile. God was bringing about something only He could do with the circumstances before Joseph. He was positioning Joseph and preparing him to be used to help save the lives of millions of people during a famine that would have otherwise destroyed multiple nations. God is always doing something.  Sometimes, unlike in the Joseph story, we don’t get to see on this side of eternity how God was working in our most painful experiences. But I can let the way God worked in Joseph’s story be a reminder of His faithfulness in my story. I’ve been able to have conversations with Art in our reconciliation now that allow me to go back and correct some of my assumptions that life was fun and incredible for him during the years he was living a lie. God was still at work in my husband even when I couldn’t see evidence of that. But even more than that, sin itself contains punishment built in. Art would tell you today he was miserable back then. He felt trapped inside of a lie that required him to put on a show, looking like he was having the time of his life. But that show required numbing substances that were killing him. It was a trap with vicious teeth dug so deeply down into his soul, he can’t talk about those years without begging others not to get caught in this same kind of nightmare. Sin always masquerades as fun and games. But pull back the curtain of the deceived human heart, and what you’ll f ind hiding there will drive you to your knees to pray for that person. And maybe that’s the very reason God instructs us to pray for our enemies. Job 15:20 reminds us, “The wicked man writhes in pain all his days” (ESV). And Psalm 44:15 says, “All day long my dishonor is before me And my humiliation has overwhelmed me” (NASB). Sin, as Augustine says, “becomes the punishment of sin.”[1] But never forget God is there in the midst of it all. No matter how good someone makes sinful choices seem, that isn’t the complete story. God knows the full truth. With Art, God wasn’t just trying to change his behavior. He was rescuing his soul. There was never one moment when God was doing nothing. “Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]” (1 Peter 5:7 amp). How does this perspective help you trust God and His plans more fully with this hurt? 3. YOUR OFFENDER IS ALSO SUFFERING FROM PAIN. It’s very hard to truly forgive someone without compassion. And it’s very hard to have compassion on someone who’s shown you no compassion at all. So, instead of starting at the place of trying to have compassion on someone who has hurt you, start with having compassion on the pain they had to experience in order to make the choices they made. The one who causes pain is in pain. I don’t have to know anything about their wounding to know that hurt exists. At some point, someone brutalized their innocence. Or made them feel terrified, tossed aside, beaten down, invisible, unseen, unwanted or shamed. Chances are, it was a combination of several of those feelings. I will often picture the one who hurt me as a small child, desperate for someone to have compassion on them. If I can have compassion for their pain, I can have compassion enough to help my forgiveness be genuine. While this is such a helpful thing to keep my heart tender for forgiveness, I’m not talking about feeling pangs of guilt that excuse behavior I shouldn’t in the name of compassion. But I can let compassion help me never to shame them or refuse to forgive them.   One of the people who hurt me most appeared to have had a perfect life. There was no apparent abuse, neglect or hardship of any kind. But what appeared to be perfect was filled with secret pain. And when I found out about it, I cried. For their pain. For my pain. For the fact that no human gets through life without being deeply, deeply hurt at some point.   Grief finds all of us.   “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NIV).   How does this perspective help you see your offender in a more compassionate way? List out some things you know about the person who hurt you or that could soften your heart toward them. 4. THE PURPOSE OF FORGIVENESS IS NOT ALWAYS RECONCILIATION. In some cases, keeping the relationship going is simply not an option. But that doesn’t mean forgiveness is not an option. And even when reconciliation is possible, there is a lot of relationship work that must be done in the process of coming back together. Forgiveness doesn’t mean that trust is immediately restored or that hard relational dynamics are instantly fixed. The point of forgiveness is to keep your heart swept clean, cooperating with God’s command to forgive and keeping yourself in a position to be able to receive God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn’t always fix relationships, but it does help mend the hurting heart. “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18, ESV). “ Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5, CSB) How does this perspective help you have a new understanding about forgiveness and reconciliation in your situation? 5. THE ENEMY IS THE REAL VILLIAN. Yes, people do have a choice to sin against us or not. And certainly, when we are hurt, the person hurting us willingly played into Satan’s plan. But it helps me to remember that this person isn’t my real enemy. The devil is real and on an all-out assault against all things good. He hates the word together. And he especially works with great intentionality against anything that brings honor and glory to God. But we are told in Scripture that we can take a stand against the schemes of the enemy. In Ephesians 6:11 that word can in the original Greek form is dynasthai, meaning “I am powerful—I have the power.”[2] We aren’t powerless when the enemy stirs up trouble among us. The secret is to be aware of this. The power is not in question. But our awareness of it often rises and falls on our willingness to do what God’s Word says to do in times of conflict. Excuse me while I seriously flinch. This steps on my toes so much. It’s often when I don’t want to live out God’s Word with another person that doing what God says is an epic defeat of the enemy. There is nothing more powerful than a person living what God’s Word teaches. Ephesians 6:11–12 encourages us to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (NIV). How does this perspective help you identify the schemes of the enemy in your relational tensions and heartbreaks?  Dear friend, the heartbreaks you carry are enormous. I know that. Mine are too. And if no one else in this world has been kind enough to say this, I will. I’m so, so sorry for all that’s happened to you. But I also want to encourage you — healing is possible. Progress is possible. But we must believe it, embrace it and live it. And I’ll be right here beside you for the journey Lysa Terkeurst shares five principles that help you to process pain. Forgiveness is more satisfying than revenge. Our God is not a do-nothing God. Your offender is also suffering. The purpose of forgiveness is not always reconciliation. The enemy is the real villain. www.lysaterkeurst.com.