1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: You're listening to kfi AM six forty on demand. 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 2: The art of calling and hearing and listening and being 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 2: intentive to the word of God and the calling of God. 4 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 2: And I want to share some of that with you 5 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 2: this morning, and the story of Jonah, of course, in 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 2: the Book of Jonah, chapter one, and we'll get to 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: that in a moment. But I often get asked people say, well, 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 2: how do I know it's the voice of God? How 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,159 Speaker 2: do I know that it's you Lord calling me and 10 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 2: not someone else, Or it's not just my wants and desires. Well, 11 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: often these things are at battle. But trust me, you 12 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 2: know you know the sound of your phone, you know 13 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 2: the sound of your children, you know the sound of 14 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: a loved one, you know the sound of your God. 15 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: You know when God calls upon you. It's not in 16 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 2: the nutty sense that some people say, well, I'm talking 17 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: to God directly and I hear him. Can that take place? Absolutely? 18 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: I talk to people on a daily basis. But this 19 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 2: is about knowing your heart and being so in tune 20 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 2: with who you are and who you are in conjunction 21 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 2: with me and our relationship that everything is so in 22 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 2: tune and so in balance that there's no guess work. 23 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 2: It's very easy to run about and to say, well, 24 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: I'm not sure if God's calling me to this. Well, 25 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 2: there's certain basic rules that you can know right off 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: the bat. You know that I won't call you to 27 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 2: do anything that's contradictory to my very word. It's contradictory 28 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 2: to the very nature of who I am. I'm not 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 2: going to call you to go out and harm yourself. 30 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: I'm not going to call you to destruction. Will I 31 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 2: call you to war at times, yes, Will I test 32 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: who you are at times? Absolutely, But I don't do 33 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: these things just because it's a big cosmic chess game. 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: It's not just a way for me to manipulate you 35 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 2: or to poke at you. It's a way to strengthen you. 36 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: It's a way not only for you to enact certain 37 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 2: parts of who you are are, to feel your strengths. 38 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: It's not so much so that I will know because 39 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 2: I know your heart. It's so that you will know 40 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 2: that you can see yourself in situations where you need 41 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: to be tested, and you'll see yourself stand strong, and 42 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: it will encourage you and give you continual strength. Do 43 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 2: you know the voice of your God? Absolutely? Is there 44 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 2: ways to get to know God better? Absolutely, to get 45 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 2: into scripture, to open scripture, to see these words that 46 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: took so long to put down this amazing volume. From beginning, 47 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: middle and end, you've got over sixty five books written 48 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 2: over span of fourteen hundred years, by forty plus authors, 49 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: three different languages, three different continents, times of peace, times 50 00:02:54,680 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: of war, written by kings and peasants. And it all 51 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 2: points to one truth that God so loved the world 52 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 2: in him shall be saved. It all points to that. 54 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 2: It points to the relationship between you and me and 55 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: how important that is. So here's Jonah and he is called. 56 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 2: But you'll find that not everybody reacts the way you'd 57 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 2: think they would, even if they are people of God. 58 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 2: That even people of God have a tendency to react 59 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 2: poorly when called by me. And you'll find, and this 60 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: is something that I say often on the program, and 61 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: I want you to remember it. It's not what you're 62 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: say and it's not how you act, it's how you react. 63 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 2: It's very simple to stand and to say one thing 64 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: or even act a certain way when it's comfortable to 65 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: do so. But when things take place and there's situations 66 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: in your life that demand an immediate response, watch how 67 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 2: you respond. That's truly, in essence who you are, that 68 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: is at the core of your being very wonderful preacher 69 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 2: by the name of Chuck Swindall. So that life is 70 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: ten percent what happens to you, in ninety percent how 71 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: you react to it. Do you ever watch a movie 72 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: where you know everything because you're sitting outside of the 73 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 2: screen watching everything taking place, But the character in the 74 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: movie only knows certain limited knowledge and they're reacting. Maybe 75 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: they think that they're girlfriend's cheating on them, whatever it 76 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 2: may be, and they're reacting poorly. Now they're causing more 77 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 2: problems than they're Well, I'm gonna cheat on her then, 78 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 2: and you're going, no, don't do it, don't do it, 79 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 2: don't do it because you don't have all of the facts. 80 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 2: You don't know what's going on, and now you're making 81 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 2: this jump, this leap of faith in the opposite direction 82 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,679 Speaker 2: based on bad information. Well, often the people of God, 83 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 2: even you do that is that you react poorly based 84 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: on limited information. But when God calls you to something, 85 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: when I reach into your heart and I request something 86 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 2: of you. 87 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: You. 88 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 2: There should be no confusion. We've learned here many times. 89 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 2: God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. 90 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 2: There's no such thing as confusion. Normally, what you call 91 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 2: confusion is just having what you should do and what 92 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: you want to do be in conflict. So Jonah is 93 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 2: called in chapter one, verse one, it says, the word 94 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: of the Lord came to Jonah, go to the great 95 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 2: city of Nineveh and preach against it. Now, Nineveh was 96 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 2: horribly corrupt. There was all kinds of garbage going on 97 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 2: in Ninevah at the time. In addition to the violence, 98 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: what the scriptures referred to as evil ways, there was 99 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: a lot of garbage going on, including cruelty, plundering, war, 100 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 2: speaking against the Lord, prostitution, witchcraft, commercial exploitation. There was 101 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: all kinds of yuckiness taking place in Ninevah. My simple 102 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 2: request was for Jonah, as a man of God, to 103 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: stand up and to go to Nineveh and to preach 104 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: my word. A very simple calling. But here's the deal. 105 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 2: Jonah got cold feet, very cold feet, and instead of 106 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 2: doing what I asked of him, he took off. He 107 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 2: tried to dodge me. Not terribly smart, mind you, but 108 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,239 Speaker 2: he tried to dodge me, took off, went to the docks, 109 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 2: found a boat, paid to get on that boat, went 110 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: off into the waters with all these smelly, sweaty sailors, 111 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 2: And once he was in the waters, I tried to 112 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: get his attention. I motivated the waters to thrash about. 113 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: The boat started to make noises that made the sailors 114 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 2: very uncomfortable, and they started all calling out to their 115 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 2: separate gods, screaming for forgiveness, screaming for peace. And they 116 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 2: note that Jonah was slowly tiptoeing away, not having anything 117 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 2: to do with it. So they finally figure that, you 118 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: know what, Jonah's the one who's probably got the problems 119 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 2: that cast lots. They decide that they've got to rid 120 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 2: themselves of Jonah. Jonah is the problem. Jonah is the 121 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: one that's causing all the concern. They assume that God 122 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 2: must be really ticked off at Jonah because of the 123 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: way the water is reacting, the way the boat is 124 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 2: being tossed about, So they decide they come to the conclusion, well, 125 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: we're gonna have to toss them overboard. The strange thing 126 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 2: is that even Jonah agrees that's a good idea. At 127 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 2: this point, Jonah finds it's easier to run from my 128 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: word and my calling. He finds that it's easier to 129 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 2: get on a boat filled with sweaty men. And now 130 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: he feels that it's even better to die, to be 131 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: thrown overboard, to drowned, to be swallowed by the ocean, 132 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: than it is to obey me. Look at the different 133 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 2: hoops you jump through in your life, Look the things 134 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 2: that you do, the intensity that you will take in 135 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: doing everything. But what I call you to that you 136 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 2: would rather go through all this pain, all this turmoil, 137 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 2: and all these different trials than just listening in the 138 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 2: first place. How often do you do that? What kind 139 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: of things do you put in your life? What kind 140 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 2: of things do you complicate your life with rather than 141 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 2: just listening to my word? And then you come back 142 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 2: and you thrust your fist in the air, and you 143 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 2: get mad at me because your life's not going the 144 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 2: way that you feel it should, when all I've asked 145 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 2: is that you listen and obey George, Welcome to Jesus Christ. 146 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 2: Show the hither George? How can I help you? 147 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: I was wondering what you thought of megachurches. 148 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 2: Well, Bigger is not always better, that's for sure. I 149 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 2: know my producer Neil has his own thoughts on this, 150 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 2: and we often talk about that as well. He has 151 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 2: jokingly referred to some of the bigger ones as spiritual polygamists, 152 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:24,959 Speaker 2: because you can't take care of five wives and all 153 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 2: those kids any better than you can take care of 154 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 2: a huge church as a pastor. So I certainly will 155 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: not be as harsh, but I will say this, there 156 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 2: are good mega churches and bad megachurches. You're not going 157 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 2: to find anywhere in scripture where it says the size 158 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 2: of a church, but you will see examples that I 159 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 2: didn't stay in one place. I never stayed in one 160 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 2: place and had a huge mass come to me. I 161 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 2: moved around the churches. The early churches broke off and 162 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: grew in different areas. It was a different time, but 163 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: I think there's lessons to be learned. There's also, you know, 164 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 2: there's no biblical word for associate pastor either. Now there 165 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: is for you know, deacons and the like, but really 166 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 2: it's about what you can manage, and that's going to 167 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 2: be different. So to put a size on it I 168 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 2: think is inappropriate as well. But I think it's like obscenity. 169 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 2: Everybody knows it when they see it, but defining it 170 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 2: maybe a problem at times. So you can't say, well, 171 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 2: a thousand or two thousand is too much, But you 172 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 2: can say when you see these churches where the pastor 173 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 2: really is not a pastor, he's a preacher. He's preaching, 174 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: and he's teaching, and then he's gone, and he's got 175 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: five bodyguards and he's in and out, and he doesn't 176 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 2: shake the hands, and he doesn't know his church. And 177 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 2: I will tell you from experience answering questions for a 178 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 2: long long time, both publicly and on this program, that 179 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 2: the most confused theology I hear from people are from 180 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 2: people that sit in the back seats of megachurches because 181 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 2: they're not connected with anyone, and so they think, oh, 182 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 2: I heard the pastor say this, and they don't go 183 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 2: and I'll know, and I'll go know that I know 184 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 2: that pastor does not believe that that's heresy, and I 185 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 2: know that that pastor does not teach that. But there, 186 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 2: and you'll get that everywhere, but in the megachurches, you 187 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: tend to get it more in the back seats or 188 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 2: the nosebleed seats because they're not connected to any anybody, 189 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 2: and I think that can be a huge problem. So 190 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,199 Speaker 2: if you can solve the connectivity problem and make sure 191 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 2: that everybody is getting you know, pastored, then then size 192 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 2: is just size, but the whole kind of for the 193 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: sake of having a megachurch. I think that that is 194 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: mostly egotistical nonsense, and that I think that it can 195 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: be more problem problematic for the men of God than 196 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 2: go to lead these churches sometimes because of the massive 197 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,719 Speaker 2: responsibility and kind of rock stardom that comes with it. 198 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: Uh. 199 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 2: And so I think that there's there's problems to look 200 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: out for and guidelines you should look at, but you 201 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 2: can't really say that they're they're a bad thing or 202 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: that they're a good thing. It's really about is the 203 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 2: gospel being heard? Are people being pastored? Are they being 204 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 2: fed and taught properly? Are they being guided? Can they 205 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: can they get in contact with a leadership quickly or 206 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 2: does it take months at a time, these types of things. 207 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 2: If you can get over those things, then a church 208 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 2: is a church as a church. 209 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: Okay, great. 210 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 2: I appreciate the question, very important question. Often people ask 211 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 2: me about, well, how do I know wh I'm being 212 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: called to do something, and how should I react when 213 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: I am called? Well, Scripture shows that many people are called, 214 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 2: and almost every single one of them continue to do 215 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 2: the same thing. They and will go through some others 216 00:13:03,679 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 2: as well. But even people of God, even those that 217 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 2: are that you consider to be strong people of God 218 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 2: that Scripture talks about, these folks make mistakes. These folks 219 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 2: will run from me as we're finding Jonah did uh. 220 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 2: These folks will make excuses, These folks will go, huh 221 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: what huh? I can't hear you? Well, huh what huh 222 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 2: are you? Are you? Uh? Huh what? Just as you 223 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: do now, Jonah felt it was better to go on 224 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 2: to a boat with a bunch of sweaty sailors. He 225 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 2: felt it was better to go on a boat that 226 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: was probably going to splinter apart because of the thrashing 227 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 2: of the waves that I created to get his attention. 228 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: The sailors throw him off into the water, certain death, 229 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 2: and he still thinks that's better than listening to me 230 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 2: in the first place. All I ask, all I request 231 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 2: was for him to go to Nineveh, a very horrible 232 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:09,959 Speaker 2: part of town, and spread the word of God. Now 233 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 2: he's thrown over a boat. So I send a fish, 234 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 2: a big fish, a whale which consumes him. Now, what 235 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 2: do you think happens when he gets inside this whale 236 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 2: for three days and three nights. Well, he finds it's 237 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,479 Speaker 2: a wonderful time to pray. Jonah looks around at the 238 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 2: gullet of this fish and thinks, you know what, now 239 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 2: would be a perfect time for me to get on 240 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 2: my knees and to pray. And he does, And listen 241 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: to this the first words out of his mouth in 242 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 2: chapter two, verse one, In my distress, I called to 243 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 2: the Lord? How many times do you simply, in distress 244 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 2: call out? Now, I'm not judging that I like that 245 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 2: you talk to me at all. I like that we 246 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: have communion of any kind. But the minute it gets ugly, 247 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: the minute it gets tough, the minute it gets rough 248 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 2: and you find yourself in the belly of the beast, 249 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 2: you call. But if you noticed, it didn't even have 250 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 2: to get to that point. Jonah and I didn't have 251 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: to get to the point where I had to shake 252 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: him to hear me. That was Jonah's choice. Jonah goes 253 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: on to pray. He asked for me to hear his cry, 254 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 2: and then he starts to praise me. He starts to 255 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: praise me because of all of the things that I 256 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 2: did for him, saving him, holding him, loving him, listening 257 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: to him, being there for him in times of pain, 258 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 2: in times of peace. But listen, as we get to 259 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 2: verse eight in his prayer, those who cling to worthless 260 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 2: idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. Forfeit. There 261 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 2: is so much that I want to give to you. 262 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 2: There is so much that I have for you, that 263 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: I want for you and your life. But it can 264 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 2: be forfeit because you have a choice. We have a relationship. 265 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 2: I enter into your life at your bidding, not as 266 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: a cosmic bellhop, but because you and I have an understanding. 267 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 2: One that I created you with free will, that I 268 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 2: love you so much I want you to make your 269 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 2: own decisions, but two that I will interact in your 270 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 2: life as much as you let me. And when I 271 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 2: call upon you, it's because you have called upon me. 272 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: I make these requests of you because I feel that 273 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 2: this is the direction that you need to go. But 274 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: you can forfeit this grace. You can forfeit this treasure, 275 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 2: this wonderful life that I have for you by just 276 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: ignoring me by just going about your business and doing 277 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 2: what you want to do when you want to do it. Jonah, 278 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,199 Speaker 2: all he had to do was listen to me the 279 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,480 Speaker 2: first time, and he ran away. He went through great 280 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 2: trials and great pain and almost death before he came 281 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 2: back and called on me. So I took care of him. 282 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 2: I had him pooped up by the fish. Now he's 283 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 2: alive and he's refocused. So guess what you come to 284 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 2: chapter three, Jonah's much more amiable about listening. He's ready 285 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 2: to listen. And it starts almost the same as chapter one. 286 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,160 Speaker 2: Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah yet 287 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: a sucking time, and now this time Jonah much more 288 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 2: ready to receive. Go to this great city of Nineveh 289 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 2: and proclaim to it the message I give you. And 290 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 2: guess what, hallelujah. Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord 291 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 2: and went to Ninavah. Now, through all this running away, 292 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 2: through all this excitement, Jonah finally takes the word of 293 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 2: the Lord, takes it to heart, and does it. Jonah 294 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 2: hops on and he goes to Nineveh. But then I 295 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 2: give grace to Ninavah, which ticks off Jonah. And now 296 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: he gets upset because he's going, WHOA see, Now, why'd 297 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: you go and send me? If you're just going to 298 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 2: be a good, loving God and you're going to forgive 299 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 2: them for what they've done. Jonah starts to wrestle with this, 300 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 2: and then he starts thinking, well, you know what, that's 301 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 2: why I didn't go. That's why I ran away because 302 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 2: I knew you're a good God. I know you're a 303 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 2: loving God. I knew all this was going to happen 304 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 2: the way it was going to happen, that I was 305 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: going to get up out of bed. I was going 306 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 2: to go down there and I was going to take 307 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 2: care of this myself. But the minute I got there, 308 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 2: you were going to be loving and grace filled, and 309 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 2: so I knew that it was unnecessary. It's not about 310 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 2: the ends. When I call you to do something, it's 311 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:09,720 Speaker 2: to do it. It's not just about the outcome. Do 312 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 2: you serve a pragmatic God? Yes, you serve a very 313 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 2: practical God. But there's much to be learned and it's 314 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 2: not always going to be what you think. So Jonah 315 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 2: gets upset and he's thrusting his fist. He finally comes 316 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 2: back to rest to have comfort, and he lays by 317 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: a vine, by this tree that covers him, keeps him 318 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 2: from the sun, and the scorching sun sun continues to 319 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: beat down on him as I send a word to 320 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 2: wither this particular vine, and now the sun beats on him, 321 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 2: and he gets all ticked off again, and he starts 322 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 2: getting upset, and he starts thrusting his fist, and I 323 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: lean down to speak to him, and I tell him, 324 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 2: You've been concerned about this vine here so much, and 325 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 2: about it protecting you, about it guarding you, though you 326 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 2: didn't tend to it make it grow. It sprang up 327 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 2: overnight and it died overnight. What about your gifts? What 328 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 2: about your abilities? Do they spring up overnight and then 329 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 2: die overnight? Are you tending to your gifts and abilities? 330 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,719 Speaker 2: Are you tending to those things that will make your 331 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 2: life productive? Are you tending to those things that focus 332 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:25,119 Speaker 2: you on the path that I have for you? Or 333 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 2: are you letting them? With her Ozzie, Welcome to the 334 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. 335 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 1: Show, Hidim. 336 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 2: I'm well, what's going on on us? 337 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: I'm actually calling just you know, wondering about like with 338 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,080 Speaker 1: temptation and like how can like just going to God 339 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 1: and like how I could actually have him help me, 340 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: you know, overcome this kind of stuff, like, you know, 341 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 1: just stuff that every guy goes through, you know, just 342 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: tended to do things. 343 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 2: Uh. Is there a specific concern you have? 344 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: Uh, kind of like, well, it's just like by pouring 345 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 1: and stuff like that, and one thing. 346 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,919 Speaker 2: Leads sure, and masturbation and porn can be a huge 347 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 2: problem and even a larger problem now because of it's 348 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 2: it's easy to get, you know, with the internet. There 349 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,719 Speaker 2: used to be the shame factor and going you know, 350 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 2: into a store or something to have to buy it 351 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 2: kept a lot of people away. Now because it's much easier, 352 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 2: it actually is more prominent and a bigger problem, mostly 353 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:35,320 Speaker 2: for men, but not only for men. But when it 354 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 2: comes to any temptation of any kind, whether it's food 355 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:44,639 Speaker 2: or abusing alcohol or abusing food or abusing whatever it 356 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:50,919 Speaker 2: might be, that it's really about setting up parameters in 357 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 2: your life and boundaries in your life to not put 358 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 2: yourself in the middle of temptation. When it talks about 359 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 2: the Lord's people, hear that over and over says, lead 360 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: me not into temptation. The actual wording there confuses people 361 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 2: sometimes because it sounds like, well, is God leading you 362 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 2: into temptation. You're asking him not to. No, it really 363 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 2: means lead me away from temptation. And the way to 364 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 2: do that is to find certain areas or times. If 365 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,239 Speaker 2: you find that there's certain times where you're you know, 366 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 2: more aroused or more amorous, or you think I'm going 367 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 2: to this would be a bad time for me to 368 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 2: be sitting at home or to be alone. Don't put 369 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 2: yourself in situations where it's going to be easy to 370 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:39,719 Speaker 2: practice those things. Clear the house of any materials that 371 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 2: would bring you that temptation, and don't have those things around. 372 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 2: Don't make it easy for you to partake. And any 373 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:53,199 Speaker 2: time that you get an urge or something comes up 374 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 2: to do something that you know is not going to 375 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 2: glorify God, then take some time in prayer and remove 376 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 2: yourself from this situation, remove the thing that is causing 377 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,520 Speaker 2: the temptation. That's the best thing to do when you 378 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 2: yield to it. Often, Ozzie, it's just going to you're 379 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 2: just going to feel like, oh well, and you start. 380 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 2: You know, an orgasm is created by God. It really 381 00:23:16,840 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 2: is a magnificent, magnificent part of being a human being. 382 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 2: God just doesn't want you to misuse it and make 383 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 2: it pedestrian. It's designed for a specific use, and when 384 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 2: it becomes when it becomes kind of a stress reliever 385 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 2: or something like that, it ends up one making it 386 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,640 Speaker 2: something much less than what it is. And two, it's 387 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 2: obviously trying to take away something your attention from something 388 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 2: else that you need. If there's stress relief for stress 389 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 2: in your life or things like that, you need to 390 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 2: be looking at those things too, rather than you know, 391 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 2: going somewhere in a dark room and taking care of 392 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 2: your own business. I mean, you start doing those things 393 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 2: and you start kind of covering up other things in 394 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 2: your life that need to be looked at. So, first 395 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 2: of all, go through the checklist of what's going on 396 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: in your life that it's not just boredom, you know, 397 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,800 Speaker 2: what's causing you to have the feel that you have 398 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 2: the need, And then too eliminate all of the possibility 399 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 2: of it. Try and keep those things. Block the computer, 400 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 2: and I know you have controls to unblock it, but 401 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 2: if you block it and unblock it, you're putting up 402 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 2: barriers between you and the ability to do these things. 403 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 2: You're going to be better off. So there's some guidelines 404 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 2: for you, all right, oz and silence I'm going to 405 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 2: assume is agreement and that's it. You know, build those 406 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 2: things up. I know that there's going to be temptations 407 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 2: in life everywhere, all kinds of things, but in cases 408 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 2: like this, you really have to remove and build it 409 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 2: as many barriers. As we've said on the program many times, 410 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 2: was a favorite saying of producer Neil's one of his professors, 411 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 2: and that is, if you're not supposed to go into 412 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 2: you know, Santa Monica, don't go into California and you'll 413 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 2: never get into Santa Monica. So if you think about 414 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 2: that in concept of the United States, if you're not 415 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:31,240 Speaker 2: supposed to go to Iowa, don't go to the United States. 416 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:36,240 Speaker 2: Build your boundaries so large that it would take so 417 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 2: many steps to get to that place where you'd be 418 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 2: sinning or not glorifying God or yielding to temptation. If 419 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 2: you build the boundaries larger, then you're better off protecting yourself. 420 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 2: Whereas I know that the human concern is we get 421 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 2: these questions too. You know, young people will call up 422 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 2: and say so, when you're making out and there's you know, 423 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 2: what they call it, heavy petting, At what point does 424 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 2: that become a sin. Well, here's the thing. Humans are 425 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,200 Speaker 2: always looking to see how close they can get to something, 426 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 2: you know, to the big pit and not fall in. 427 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 2: And really there's a level that you get so close 428 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 2: to the creek, you're going to slip in just by 429 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 2: the nature of being surrounded, you know, so close. So 430 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 2: it's not about see how close you can get to 431 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 2: something and not sin. It's really about padding it and 432 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 2: putting up these these huge boundaries in your life to 433 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:43,719 Speaker 2: the best of your ability to keep you from getting 434 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 2: so close to the temptation. Because people will yield to temptation. 435 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 2: You will yield to it if you get close enough. 436 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 2: It's strange how people work. If sometimes if the temptation 437 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: is so obvious and the enemy knows this. By the way, 438 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,880 Speaker 2: if it's so obvious, you could handle it. Like if 439 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 2: a nude woman jumped out in front of a man 440 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 2: and said take me now, you'd be surprised how a 441 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 2: man can filter that situation and go okay, no. But 442 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 2: if there's seduction that goes and there's a process of 443 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 2: a little bit here and a little bit there and 444 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 2: a little bit there, you start getting consumed by the 445 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 2: temptation and you yield to it. So if you build 446 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 2: those barriers you know, wide and high, you protect yourself better. 447 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 2: You eliminate as much of the temptation as you bring 448 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 2: into your life, all of the possibilities of it, and 449 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 2: it becomes less important. Sex is wonderful, Orgasms wonderful, but 450 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 2: in their proper context, you don't make them bad. I 451 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 2: don't want you to feel shame and ugliness and all 452 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:54,359 Speaker 2: that stuff. That's the devil trying to mess with you. 453 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 2: But what I do want you to understand is that 454 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 2: there's a proper application of this and that's where I 455 00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:01,840 Speaker 2: want it to be. That's where I want it to stay, 456 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:03,639 Speaker 2: because that's where it glorifies God. 457 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: Kf I am six forty on demand