1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:09,639 S1: Welcome to our first live broadcast of 2026 here on 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,160 S1: Chris Fabry live program. From the heart to the heart 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,920 S1: for the heart. We decided in December this first week 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,680 S1: of live broadcast would be Bible related. So each day 5 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,560 S1: we're going to have a different focus. Today, doctor Ray 6 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,560 S1: Pritchard will answer some basic questions. How do you make it? 7 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,880 S1: Less obligation, more relationship? Do you read it all the 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,680 S1: way through? How do you choose a translation? That's what 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,159 S1: I asked him to talk about here today. But between 10 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:40,599 S1: the idea and this moment in time, things happened to 11 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,919 S1: change at least the beginning of our conversation. I'll tell 12 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,080 S1: you what happened as we get started today. First with 13 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,200 S1: a thank you to our team, Ryan McConaughey doing all 14 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,879 S1: things technical. Trish is our producer. Lisa is in the 15 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,560 S1: chair today. Josh will be answering your calls and an 16 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,680 S1: update about December. I was so encouraged by the giving 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,660 S1: at the end of the year, and especially grateful for 18 00:01:01,660 --> 00:01:05,940 S1: the encouraging notes that people left about this daily conversation. 19 00:01:05,940 --> 00:01:08,899 S1: Every month we have a people goal and a financial goal, 20 00:01:09,180 --> 00:01:13,059 S1: and we both went over 100% for December. So this 21 00:01:13,060 --> 00:01:16,580 S1: is my first opportunity to say thank you and report 22 00:01:16,580 --> 00:01:19,740 S1: those numbers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In January, 23 00:01:19,740 --> 00:01:22,060 S1: if you haven't heard, our thank you. This month is 24 00:01:22,060 --> 00:01:25,819 S1: also a biblical help and it's answering one question how 25 00:01:25,819 --> 00:01:29,180 S1: should Christians think about Israel? It's a little book with 26 00:01:29,180 --> 00:01:33,220 S1: good answers about God's covenants, biblical prophecy, and the Jewish 27 00:01:33,220 --> 00:01:36,340 S1: people by our very own doctor, Michael Rudnick. If you 28 00:01:36,340 --> 00:01:38,380 S1: give a gift of any size this month, we will 29 00:01:38,380 --> 00:01:41,540 S1: send you this easy to read and understand book. It's 30 00:01:41,540 --> 00:01:46,100 S1: only about 100 pages long. Call 86695 Fabry. Give a 31 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:48,740 S1: gift of any size. Maybe you missed out in December 32 00:01:48,740 --> 00:01:54,580 S1: and you want to join us here. (866) 953-2279. Or you 33 00:01:54,580 --> 00:01:56,420 S1: can go to the website. Scroll down and you can 34 00:01:56,420 --> 00:02:02,430 S1: see how to support us right there Chris Fabry live. Fabry. 35 00:02:02,470 --> 00:02:08,310 S1: Chris Fabry live. Something happened between. The idea for this 36 00:02:08,310 --> 00:02:12,070 S1: Bible Week and today's conversation. And the first was an 37 00:02:12,070 --> 00:02:15,510 S1: urgent prayer request that was sent out by Nancy DeMoss, Wolgemuth. 38 00:02:15,950 --> 00:02:18,190 S1: She was going to join us this coming Wednesday to 39 00:02:18,230 --> 00:02:21,829 S1: talk about this, this subject, reading the Bible through a year. 40 00:02:22,230 --> 00:02:26,230 S1: She's got a great program for that. But on Christmas 41 00:02:26,230 --> 00:02:29,549 S1: Eve morning, her husband, Robert was taken to the emergency room. 42 00:02:29,990 --> 00:02:31,950 S1: And if you go to our Facebook page and scroll 43 00:02:31,950 --> 00:02:35,950 S1: down for the Caringbridge link where Nancy gives updates, you'll 44 00:02:35,950 --> 00:02:40,030 S1: see the struggle that Robert has been through. You'll see 45 00:02:40,310 --> 00:02:44,230 S1: his recovery. There's some encouraging news, but it seems like 46 00:02:44,230 --> 00:02:48,070 S1: there's still a long health journey ahead for him. And 47 00:02:48,070 --> 00:02:51,190 S1: so that was that was a really jarring news. A 48 00:02:51,190 --> 00:02:54,350 S1: serious illness for somebody you care about deeply always puts 49 00:02:54,350 --> 00:02:57,850 S1: things in perspective. And on the heels of that, I 50 00:02:57,850 --> 00:03:00,410 S1: heard about the death of a pastor who was instrumental 51 00:03:00,410 --> 00:03:03,089 S1: in my own spiritual life. He was the one he 52 00:03:03,090 --> 00:03:08,210 S1: married Andrea, my wife and me back in 1982, and 53 00:03:08,210 --> 00:03:11,370 S1: he encouraged us after we were married. He said, I 54 00:03:11,370 --> 00:03:14,330 S1: think you ought to consider biblical education. And one of 55 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:17,370 S1: the places he said was Moody Bible Institute, and that's 56 00:03:17,610 --> 00:03:20,930 S1: where we went. So Doctor Charles Bright passed away last 57 00:03:20,930 --> 00:03:24,290 S1: week in West Virginia. So I've been doing a lot 58 00:03:24,290 --> 00:03:26,650 S1: of thinking about the brevity of life, about why you 59 00:03:26,650 --> 00:03:29,530 S1: and I are here, what to do with whatever time 60 00:03:29,530 --> 00:03:32,130 S1: we have left, and how to make the most of 61 00:03:32,130 --> 00:03:35,730 S1: the opportunities we have. And then I saw over the 62 00:03:35,730 --> 00:03:40,130 S1: weekend that Ray Pritchard was just in Chicago and preached 63 00:03:40,130 --> 00:03:43,610 S1: at a funeral of a great friend and mentor to him. 64 00:03:44,170 --> 00:03:46,290 S1: So that's where I want to begin today. It's better 65 00:03:46,290 --> 00:03:48,010 S1: to go to a house of mourning than a house 66 00:03:48,010 --> 00:03:51,130 S1: of feasting. Teach us to number our days aright. Put 67 00:03:51,130 --> 00:03:54,010 S1: that over the top of this program. I put this 68 00:03:54,010 --> 00:03:58,340 S1: question on Facebook. The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing. 69 00:03:58,740 --> 00:04:02,700 S1: Who are you remembering today? So listen to this conversation 70 00:04:02,700 --> 00:04:07,060 S1: through the prism of those scriptures. For Ray, it was 71 00:04:07,060 --> 00:04:11,500 S1: a man named Dave Hoy. Doctor Pritchard is president of 72 00:04:11,540 --> 00:04:15,860 S1: Keep Believing Ministry Ministries. He pastored churches in LA, Dallas, 73 00:04:15,860 --> 00:04:19,779 S1: Chicago for nearly 30 years. He's ministered overseas, written a 74 00:04:19,779 --> 00:04:23,099 S1: lot of books, featured Resource and Anchor for the soul, 75 00:04:23,100 --> 00:04:25,220 S1: which is a book that we've given to supporters of 76 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:28,500 S1: this program. Ray, welcome back. How are you doing today? 77 00:04:28,940 --> 00:04:33,260 S2: Hey, Chris, great to be back with you. Happy New Years. And, uh, 78 00:04:33,540 --> 00:04:37,060 S2: here we go into 2026. What a year. What a beginning. 79 00:04:37,300 --> 00:04:40,420 S1: You are my first live guest. So you are. You 80 00:04:40,460 --> 00:04:43,020 S1: ought to feel very privileged. And. And I wanted to 81 00:04:43,060 --> 00:04:45,820 S1: have you. I wanted to have you here because not 82 00:04:45,820 --> 00:04:47,980 S1: only do we have a, you know, a long relationship. 83 00:04:47,980 --> 00:04:50,020 S1: I know we've got chemistry that we can go to. 84 00:04:50,060 --> 00:04:52,860 S1: But I know how much you love the word of God. 85 00:04:53,260 --> 00:04:55,799 S1: And so that's why I thought on that first Monday 86 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,520 S1: Doctor Pritchard. But then this all of these things that 87 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,960 S1: I just mentioned happened. Tell me about Dave Hoy. 88 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:07,440 S2: For 17 years I was pastor of Calvary Memorial Church 89 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:12,479 S2: in Oak Park. That's suburban Chicago. And the last ten 90 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,560 S2: years of my pastorate there, Dave Hoy was the chairman 91 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,960 S2: of our elder board. And no, no pastor ever had 92 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,960 S2: a better friend than Dave Hoy. He was the kind 93 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,200 S2: of guy that you could, uh, you could go to. 94 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,560 S2: He's the kind of friend who would stand up for you, uh, 95 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,720 S2: if you had to get into a foxhole. He's the 96 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,599 S2: kind of man you wanted by your side. So for 97 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,800 S2: ten years, he and I served together. Then when the 98 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,600 S2: time came and I was moving on to a new ministry, 99 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,680 S2: we started Keep Believing ministries in. Well, 20 years ago, 100 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,760 S2: in May of 2006, and we had our first meeting 101 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,580 S2: in Dave Roy's law office in Oak Park, and for 102 00:05:53,740 --> 00:05:58,299 S2: 20 years he served as the chairman of the board 103 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:02,779 S2: of the ministry that I lead. So in a strange little, 104 00:06:03,220 --> 00:06:07,179 S2: I guess, quirk of why not fate, providence of God? 105 00:06:07,180 --> 00:06:11,180 S2: Let's say it that way, Chris. Uh, I'm this coming Saturday. 106 00:06:11,180 --> 00:06:13,980 S2: I'll be back in Chicago for our first Keep Believing 107 00:06:13,980 --> 00:06:17,940 S2: board meeting, and I was ruminating in light of Dave's 108 00:06:17,940 --> 00:06:22,820 S2: funeral on Saturday that this coming this coming Saturday, we 109 00:06:22,820 --> 00:06:25,380 S2: have our Keep Believing board meeting be the first time 110 00:06:25,380 --> 00:06:28,700 S2: in 30 years I've attended a board meeting. The Dave 111 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:31,219 S2: Hoy was not the chairman of. He was just that 112 00:06:31,220 --> 00:06:35,380 S2: kind of friend. And, uh, on Friday, Marlene and I 113 00:06:35,380 --> 00:06:39,659 S2: flew up from Tampa, Florida to Chicago for the viewing 114 00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:44,980 S2: on Friday night. And then, uh, the the funeral service at, uh, 115 00:06:45,180 --> 00:06:49,580 S2: Western Springs, uh, Baptist Church there in Chicago and had 116 00:06:49,580 --> 00:06:53,550 S2: a wonderful time. and got to see a lot of 117 00:06:53,550 --> 00:06:56,950 S2: friends from the church and ministry related friends that we 118 00:06:56,950 --> 00:07:00,669 S2: hadn't seen in a long, long time and was struck again. 119 00:07:00,710 --> 00:07:03,470 S2: And I think I commented on this in my in 120 00:07:03,510 --> 00:07:06,790 S2: my funeral message on Saturday. You know, we all write 121 00:07:07,029 --> 00:07:11,790 S2: our own funeral message, by the way we live, by 122 00:07:11,790 --> 00:07:14,030 S2: what we say, by the lives we touch and by 123 00:07:14,030 --> 00:07:18,150 S2: the legacy we leave behind. And so Dave Hoy did that. 124 00:07:18,190 --> 00:07:24,390 S2: He left behind a great legacy. And, uh, sad though 125 00:07:24,430 --> 00:07:27,790 S2: the day may have been, uh, I am grateful to 126 00:07:27,830 --> 00:07:30,110 S2: have known him. And it was not hard to preach 127 00:07:30,550 --> 00:07:34,710 S2: a message honoring to the Lord and respecting the legacy 128 00:07:34,750 --> 00:07:35,910 S2: that he left behind. 129 00:07:36,550 --> 00:07:39,110 S1: Because both of those things are true. There is there's 130 00:07:39,110 --> 00:07:42,350 S1: real grief at the separation, but there's also real joy 131 00:07:42,390 --> 00:07:45,670 S1: that you have and hope that you have. Uh, and 132 00:07:45,670 --> 00:07:50,330 S1: I felt some of that same jar when I realized 133 00:07:50,330 --> 00:07:56,330 S1: that for 43 years, every December I get a letter 134 00:07:56,330 --> 00:08:00,090 S1: in a card in the mail. Happy anniversary. And it's 135 00:08:00,090 --> 00:08:03,610 S1: from Charles and Fran. You know, who were there at 136 00:08:03,610 --> 00:08:06,650 S1: the very beginning of our marriage. And then I realized 137 00:08:06,690 --> 00:08:09,570 S1: last week, wait a minute, I didn't get that card. 138 00:08:09,570 --> 00:08:12,850 S1: We didn't get that card on the 18th. And then 139 00:08:12,850 --> 00:08:15,130 S1: it clicked with me. Well, of course we didn't, because 140 00:08:15,130 --> 00:08:18,570 S1: he was. His health was down. He was 90 years old. 141 00:08:18,570 --> 00:08:20,850 S1: But we're not going to get that card. You know, 142 00:08:20,890 --> 00:08:23,610 S1: we will not get that card in the mail again. 143 00:08:23,650 --> 00:08:27,090 S1: You won't have Dave at the board meeting anymore. You 144 00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:29,050 S1: can't pick up the phone and call him and talk 145 00:08:29,050 --> 00:08:31,210 S1: with him. And that's jarring, isn't it? 146 00:08:32,690 --> 00:08:36,209 S2: The Bible says, what is your life? It's a vapor, 147 00:08:36,250 --> 00:08:41,090 S2: a mist. It's, uh. Well, you know, in Chicago, when 148 00:08:41,090 --> 00:08:44,170 S2: it gets really cold in the winter, you can blow 149 00:08:44,210 --> 00:08:46,250 S2: your breath, you know, and you can see it on 150 00:08:46,290 --> 00:08:49,309 S2: the inside of the The window pane. When I was 151 00:08:49,350 --> 00:08:51,710 S2: a kid, Chris, we used to, you know, try to 152 00:08:51,750 --> 00:08:55,110 S2: write your name in that little mist, that little vapor 153 00:08:55,110 --> 00:08:58,510 S2: on the window, the condensation there before it disappeared. And 154 00:08:58,510 --> 00:09:00,910 S2: I could always get Ray out. Ray, I could never 155 00:09:00,910 --> 00:09:03,750 S2: get my my last name out because too many letters 156 00:09:03,750 --> 00:09:06,670 S2: and it would all disappear. That's what life is for 157 00:09:06,670 --> 00:09:10,950 S2: all of us. We're here for just a moment. Uh, 158 00:09:10,950 --> 00:09:15,270 S2: one woman wrote her own obituary. She died of pancreatic cancer, 159 00:09:15,309 --> 00:09:18,190 S2: age of 69. But she wrote it. And after she died, 160 00:09:18,190 --> 00:09:20,670 S2: it was published. And it was was a woman down 161 00:09:20,670 --> 00:09:24,550 S2: here in Florida. And I read it, and it was 162 00:09:24,550 --> 00:09:27,230 S2: part of it was poignant, part of it was humorous. 163 00:09:27,230 --> 00:09:31,430 S2: But she she summarized her own life this way. Uh, boy, 164 00:09:31,429 --> 00:09:36,270 S2: it just hit me. I was born. I blinked and 165 00:09:36,270 --> 00:09:40,030 S2: it was over. Chris, it's true for all of us born. 166 00:09:40,030 --> 00:09:41,710 S2: Blink and it's over. 167 00:09:42,470 --> 00:09:45,390 S1: Billy Graham said the same thing. What has surprised you 168 00:09:45,390 --> 00:09:49,439 S1: the most? The brevity of life. You know, the brevity 169 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,840 S1: of life. And I've been reading this book, uh, and 170 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,520 S1: it's and it's about, you know, what do you do 171 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,640 S1: with the second half of your life? And the author 172 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:03,240 S1: talks about how people who are are surveyed. He they 173 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,240 S1: are asked, what is old age? When does old age 174 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:10,480 S1: begin and old age begins? For most people, the average is, 175 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,600 S1: they say, at 85. When I get 85, then I 176 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:18,600 S1: will be in old age. And he says, statistically, most 177 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:24,840 S1: people die at 79. So people don't are six years 178 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,360 S1: before old age when they, you know, so we have 179 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:34,160 S1: this skewed vision of life, how brief it is and 180 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,280 S1: what we're going to do with it. But I wanted 181 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,679 S1: to start here because I think, you know, maybe you'd 182 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,760 S1: think it'd be a morbid thing to start the new 183 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,480 S1: year this way. I don't think it is. I think 184 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:46,860 S1: it's kind of a wake up call to us for 185 00:10:46,860 --> 00:10:50,459 S1: someone like Robert, who has a serious illness right now 186 00:10:50,460 --> 00:10:55,260 S1: in the hospital for Ray and me, who've lost two 187 00:10:55,300 --> 00:10:59,420 S1: men in our lives, that had a great meaning to us. 188 00:10:59,540 --> 00:11:02,740 S1: I want to open the phone lines. Is there anybody? Uh, 189 00:11:02,740 --> 00:11:05,620 S1: the remembrance of the righteous is a blessing. Is there 190 00:11:05,620 --> 00:11:08,740 S1: anybody feeling the same way that we're feeling here today 191 00:11:08,740 --> 00:11:12,340 S1: about the loss, about the brevity of life? Have you 192 00:11:12,380 --> 00:11:20,260 S1: seen that in your own life? Here's the number 8775483675I 193 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:27,660 S1: can remember the number. Look at that. (877) 548-3675. More straight 194 00:11:27,660 --> 00:11:40,180 S1: ahead on Moody Radio. We're talking about the Bible all 195 00:11:40,179 --> 00:11:43,100 S1: this week on Chris Fabry Live. And today at Ask 196 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:46,069 S1: Doctor Ray Pritchard to join us and talk about Scripture 197 00:11:46,070 --> 00:11:48,590 S1: and how do we start? How do we start? Well, 198 00:11:48,590 --> 00:11:51,150 S1: and keep going? Because I hear a lot of people say, yeah, 199 00:11:51,150 --> 00:11:54,390 S1: that's my resolution. I'm going to get more into God's Word. 200 00:11:54,390 --> 00:11:57,590 S1: And then it it kind of falls away. So tomorrow 201 00:11:57,590 --> 00:12:00,709 S1: we're going to talk about specific verses, the verses that 202 00:12:00,710 --> 00:12:03,150 S1: every Christian ought to know. And Wednesday we're going to 203 00:12:03,150 --> 00:12:06,870 S1: talk about reading through the whole scriptures. Uh, Joanna Weaver's 204 00:12:06,870 --> 00:12:10,790 S1: going to be with us, talking about chronological reading chronologically 205 00:12:10,790 --> 00:12:14,350 S1: and what that can do. And and she'll also talk 206 00:12:14,350 --> 00:12:18,390 S1: about her frustration of reading the Bible and trying to 207 00:12:18,429 --> 00:12:20,949 S1: read all the way through. And it it becoming kind 208 00:12:20,950 --> 00:12:26,030 S1: of this millstone around her neck. Um, and then on Thursday, 209 00:12:26,030 --> 00:12:30,069 S1: we're going to talk about Bible memorization. And then on Friday, 210 00:12:30,350 --> 00:12:33,150 S1: not to get too far ahead of us, but John Gager, 211 00:12:33,190 --> 00:12:35,830 S1: our colleague here at Moody Radio, has a fantastic new 212 00:12:35,830 --> 00:12:39,790 S1: book called Powerful Self-talk from the Psalms. So we're going 213 00:12:39,830 --> 00:12:43,569 S1: to the Psalms to look at this negative stuff that 214 00:12:43,570 --> 00:12:46,530 S1: I find myself talking to myself. If you go to 215 00:12:46,570 --> 00:12:50,050 S1: the Psalms, you will see an antidote to that. So 216 00:12:50,050 --> 00:12:53,089 S1: that's that's the plan here today. And I'm still going 217 00:12:53,090 --> 00:12:55,130 S1: to get to those some of those questions to you, Ray, 218 00:12:55,130 --> 00:12:58,290 S1: but I want you to to narrow down on this 219 00:12:58,290 --> 00:13:00,770 S1: feeling that I have been having as I've been looking 220 00:13:00,770 --> 00:13:03,370 S1: at social media, looking at my own life and the 221 00:13:03,650 --> 00:13:07,050 S1: losses and the people who have died, or having some 222 00:13:07,050 --> 00:13:12,170 S1: serious health crises to give us a focus on this 223 00:13:12,170 --> 00:13:14,890 S1: as we begin this year. And I remember we've had 224 00:13:14,890 --> 00:13:19,290 S1: you on here talking about your own health struggles, the 225 00:13:19,330 --> 00:13:22,929 S1: broken ankle that you had, and some more serious things. 226 00:13:23,290 --> 00:13:26,970 S2: Yeah. You know, it seems like we do programs every 227 00:13:27,010 --> 00:13:30,690 S2: time I get in trouble health wise, you know, mess 228 00:13:30,690 --> 00:13:33,090 S2: up my ankle because of that bike wreck. And then 229 00:13:33,090 --> 00:13:35,929 S2: I got prostate cancer a couple of years ago. And 230 00:13:36,330 --> 00:13:38,770 S2: and we had a program about that. And when we 231 00:13:38,770 --> 00:13:41,590 S2: did that program, I was kind of in the middle 232 00:13:41,590 --> 00:13:44,550 S2: of it and struggling my way through it, honestly. And 233 00:13:44,550 --> 00:13:48,030 S2: then it seems like about a year later you had 234 00:13:48,030 --> 00:13:49,990 S2: me back on and we did a little checkup, sort 235 00:13:49,990 --> 00:13:52,990 S2: of at the end of it and how everything is going. Uh, 236 00:13:52,990 --> 00:13:56,950 S2: and just as a side note, here we are. You know, I'm, 237 00:13:56,950 --> 00:13:59,069 S2: I'm a year and a half out of treatment now. 238 00:13:59,510 --> 00:14:03,230 S2: Doing better. As far as the doctors know, the cancer 239 00:14:03,230 --> 00:14:06,550 S2: is gone. They don't use the word cure. But, you know, 240 00:14:06,590 --> 00:14:08,910 S2: if they can't find it, then I'm not going to 241 00:14:08,910 --> 00:14:12,150 S2: worry about it. Right. And if something look kind of 242 00:14:12,190 --> 00:14:15,070 S2: cancer I had prostate cancer. Sometimes it comes back, which 243 00:14:15,070 --> 00:14:17,150 S2: is true of a lot of kinds of cancer. So 244 00:14:17,510 --> 00:14:20,990 S2: you you're you're good. And it's always sort of in 245 00:14:20,990 --> 00:14:24,830 S2: the back of your mind. And in my own life, 246 00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:27,390 S2: I mean, Chris, I was thinking about this now, you 247 00:14:27,390 --> 00:14:31,550 S2: said 85 and then you said 79. You said, okay, 248 00:14:31,590 --> 00:14:38,270 S2: I did the math. That's six years. I'm 73, Chris. And. Right. 249 00:14:38,310 --> 00:14:43,680 S2: That's that's six years to, uh, you know, uh, in 250 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:47,720 S2: a hundred years, in a hundred years on the little twig. Now, 251 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,000 S2: I just have to emphasize this on the little twig 252 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,800 S2: of the Pritchard family tree that I am on between 253 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,960 S2: me and my three brothers and my dad, who passed 254 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,040 S2: away over a half century ago, and my grandfather, Papa Pritchard, 255 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:04,560 S2: who I vaguely remember. He died when I was maybe 256 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,400 S2: three years old or something like that in a in 257 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:11,600 S2: a hundred years. Again on my little twig. No Pritchard 258 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,040 S2: man has ever lived to be 75 years old. Well, 259 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,680 S2: we just. Yeah. It's truth. I mean, we just dive 260 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,560 S2: different things. It's not like one particular thing, but it 261 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:27,280 S2: just nobody does. That string was broken about a month 262 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:29,680 S2: ago or two months ago now, when my older brother 263 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:37,080 S2: Andy finally celebrated his 75th birthday, having himself survived a 264 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:41,700 S2: cancer battle. and and, you know, going back to the 265 00:15:41,700 --> 00:15:44,260 S2: doctor for all the checkups. But he made 75. And 266 00:15:44,260 --> 00:15:46,500 S2: so I'm, I was cheering for my older brother and 267 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:48,980 S2: looking in the mirror the other day, you know, at 268 00:15:48,980 --> 00:15:52,780 S2: a point, at a point you got to realize what 269 00:15:52,820 --> 00:15:57,780 S2: Isaac Watts, the great hymn writer, and we sing the 270 00:15:57,780 --> 00:16:01,340 S2: song O God, our help in ages past. Well, there's 271 00:16:01,380 --> 00:16:04,660 S2: a which is, by the way, based on Psalm 91 272 00:16:04,660 --> 00:16:07,860 S2: of the greatest of all the Psalms. There's a verse 273 00:16:07,860 --> 00:16:10,580 S2: in there in, O God, our help in ages past. 274 00:16:10,620 --> 00:16:15,220 S2: Goes like this time, like an ever rolling stream. Bears 275 00:16:15,220 --> 00:16:20,620 S2: all its sons. Away they fly. Forgotten as a dream. 276 00:16:20,980 --> 00:16:24,540 S2: Dies at the opening day. And that may sound like 277 00:16:24,540 --> 00:16:26,820 S2: a real downer, but just read the Bible because the 278 00:16:26,820 --> 00:16:30,260 S2: Bible is it's wonderful book in so many ways, in 279 00:16:30,260 --> 00:16:33,180 S2: every way, really. But what I mean is it's wonderful, Chris, 280 00:16:33,180 --> 00:16:38,080 S2: because it tells us the truth, the unvarnished truth. Ashes 281 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:41,600 S2: to ashes and dust to dust. We. We come from 282 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,920 S2: that come from the dust, so to speak. And back 283 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,320 S2: to the dust we go. And if anybody thinks anything else, 284 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,280 S2: you're just kidding yourself. The Bible says it is appointed 285 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,960 S2: unto man once to die. And so, for the first 286 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,200 S2: time ever, Chris, you and I are doing we've done 287 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,440 S2: broadcasts from the different places I've been, uh, over the 288 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,600 S2: last 17 years, 20 years, really, since we moved away 289 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,080 S2: from Chicago. But the first time we've ever done one 290 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:14,120 S2: from Florida because, uh, Marlene and I are snowbirds now, about, uh, 291 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,800 S2: 7 or 8 months ago, we purchased a park model 292 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,080 S2: at Word of Life Palm Grove, which is, you know, 293 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:21,960 S2: word of life, the great youth ministry. And they've got 294 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,960 S2: a huge conference center here in Florida and an RV 295 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,880 S2: park attached to it. And that's where we are now. 296 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,600 S2: And if you had said to me, I've spoken down 297 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:33,240 S2: here for 33 years in a row, I guess, and 298 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,610 S2: if you had said to me, Boy boy. Chris, this 299 00:17:36,609 --> 00:17:40,650 S2: is a rambling answer. By the way. I apologize to 300 00:17:40,650 --> 00:17:43,090 S2: our listeners. If you're if you're trying to follow the 301 00:17:43,090 --> 00:17:46,290 S2: stream of consciousness answer, but I'm almost to the end 302 00:17:46,290 --> 00:17:48,330 S2: of it here that if you'd said to me ten 303 00:17:48,330 --> 00:17:50,409 S2: years ago, well, Ray, you and Marlene are going to 304 00:17:50,410 --> 00:17:52,290 S2: be living in an RV park, I'd say no, that's 305 00:17:52,290 --> 00:17:55,370 S2: for old people. That's not for us. We're young, but, 306 00:17:55,369 --> 00:17:58,770 S2: you know, you go through the cancer thing and you 307 00:17:58,810 --> 00:18:01,730 S2: can't kid yourself anymore. You're not going to live forever. 308 00:18:02,290 --> 00:18:04,650 S2: And I have told friends, we've we still have our 309 00:18:04,650 --> 00:18:07,970 S2: home in Kansas City, but this is our first winter 310 00:18:07,970 --> 00:18:11,170 S2: down in Florida. And I've told people that moving down 311 00:18:11,170 --> 00:18:13,609 S2: here for the winter, it's more than just the warm 312 00:18:13,609 --> 00:18:17,490 S2: weather in the deepest sense of the word. We are 313 00:18:17,490 --> 00:18:21,770 S2: turning for home in the deepest, profoundest, most biblical sense. 314 00:18:21,770 --> 00:18:24,449 S2: We're turning for home. And you know, Chris, if you 315 00:18:24,450 --> 00:18:27,770 S2: live long enough, you got to turn for home. And 316 00:18:27,770 --> 00:18:30,850 S2: I'm happy to I'm happy to say I'm not going 317 00:18:30,890 --> 00:18:34,230 S2: to live for on this earth. I'm going to live 318 00:18:34,230 --> 00:18:37,869 S2: forever with Jesus. But in this life, not forever on earth. 319 00:18:38,270 --> 00:18:42,950 S2: And as time rolls on, I'm happy that Jesus is 320 00:18:42,950 --> 00:18:45,910 S2: real and that heaven is real. And I thought about 321 00:18:45,910 --> 00:18:48,630 S2: it over the weekend when we had the funeral service 322 00:18:48,630 --> 00:18:51,869 S2: for Dave Hoy. I know where he is because I 323 00:18:51,869 --> 00:18:55,230 S2: know the promises of God are true. And one day 324 00:18:55,550 --> 00:18:59,630 S2: I'm going to follow along, uh, with all the believers 325 00:18:59,630 --> 00:19:02,109 S2: who've gone before me to go to be with the Lord. 326 00:19:02,109 --> 00:19:04,750 S2: And whether that's today or tomorrow or ten years from now, 327 00:19:05,030 --> 00:19:08,469 S2: I am turning for home. Heaven is more precious to 328 00:19:08,510 --> 00:19:12,109 S2: me now than it has ever been, and I'm not 329 00:19:12,150 --> 00:19:15,710 S2: worried about anything. I'm really I'm really not worried about 330 00:19:15,710 --> 00:19:19,350 S2: anything because God's promises are good and can be trusted. 331 00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:22,629 S2: And with that, sir, I finish my long rambling answer. 332 00:19:22,670 --> 00:19:25,670 S1: Well, now, since you ramble or you went down that 333 00:19:25,670 --> 00:19:27,710 S1: rabbit trail, I'm going to go down one on my own. 334 00:19:27,750 --> 00:19:31,189 S1: So I mentioned this. This pastor who made a big 335 00:19:31,230 --> 00:19:35,720 S1: had a big impact on me and and my spiritual life. 336 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,240 S1: And I couldn't find anybody to, you know, I wanted 337 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,719 S1: to tell somebody, you know, this. He passed away and 338 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:45,720 S1: I couldn't find anybody that remembered him other than my wife, Andrea. 339 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,320 S1: And then I remembered a relative, and I called her 340 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,320 S1: up and had been a while since I talked with her. 341 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:56,199 S1: She was one of the people who took my mother 342 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:00,480 S1: to the funeral home about 15 years before she passed 343 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:04,000 S1: away to get ready. She she took her clothes. She. 344 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,080 S1: You know, this is what I want. ET cetera. ET cetera. 345 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,040 S1: And she she took her down there and she asked. 346 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,240 S1: My mother actually outlived the funeral home because they went 347 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,879 S1: out of business. There weren't enough people dying there in 348 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,800 S1: that little town. But, um, so I called and she said, oh, yeah, 349 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,359 S1: I remember Charles and she talked about, you know, his 350 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:27,680 S1: presence in, in her life. And then she, she told 351 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,560 S1: me the name of her daughter. And because we had 352 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,020 S1: we'd started talking about my mother and, you know, taking 353 00:20:33,020 --> 00:20:36,940 S1: her because she was, uh, instrumental in getting my mom, 354 00:20:36,980 --> 00:20:40,780 S1: you know, her last wishes, uh, to the funeral home. 355 00:20:41,100 --> 00:20:43,220 S1: And she said, my daughter doesn't like to talk about 356 00:20:43,220 --> 00:20:46,100 S1: this stuff. She doesn't. You know, I'll get on this 357 00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:49,619 S1: this rabbit trail of, you know, what is my funeral 358 00:20:49,619 --> 00:20:52,140 S1: going to be like? And she doesn't like she's not 359 00:20:52,140 --> 00:20:55,699 S1: comfortable with that. And I totally understand that. I totally 360 00:20:55,700 --> 00:20:58,820 S1: get it. But at some point, we have to get 361 00:20:58,820 --> 00:21:01,580 S1: more comfortable than we are with it because it's going 362 00:21:01,619 --> 00:21:03,740 S1: to happen. It's reality, isn't it? 363 00:21:05,060 --> 00:21:09,740 S2: I think it was, uh, John Wesley who? The father 364 00:21:09,740 --> 00:21:15,460 S2: of the early Methodist movement, someone asked John Wesley what 365 00:21:15,460 --> 00:21:19,580 S2: was the secret of that great Methodist early Methodist movement. 366 00:21:19,619 --> 00:21:28,020 S2: He gave a surprising answer. He said, our people die well. Oh, man. Chris, 367 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:30,480 S2: if you're going to make a list of 100 ways 368 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:35,200 S2: to answer a question today in 2026. We wouldn't say 369 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,320 S2: our people die well, but that's what John Wesley said. And, 370 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,640 S2: you know, if you read The Old Puritans, they wrote 371 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:46,160 S2: a lot about dying. Well, as a Christian, what does 372 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,400 S2: it mean to come to the end of your life 373 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,199 S2: full of faith and hope and joy, even in the 374 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:56,840 S2: midst of, let's face it, soon as pain, cancer, suffering, 375 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,920 S2: great tribulation? Hebrews. The last part of Hebrews 11 is 376 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:04,520 S2: still true, that that some believers are going to suffer 377 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,080 S2: greatly the end of life. What does it mean to 378 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,280 S2: to die? Well, there is an art and a gift 379 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,320 S2: to being able to die. Well, and, uh, it would 380 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,080 S2: I think it would behoove us here in modern Christianity, 381 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,720 S2: we who think we're so far advanced above people of 382 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:25,480 S2: earlier generations. If we spent more time talking about death 383 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:29,690 S2: and dying and dying. Well, although. look, I look, I 384 00:22:30,130 --> 00:22:34,570 S2: know if if you send an invitation and said, come 385 00:22:34,570 --> 00:22:36,969 S2: over to the house Friday night, we're going to have 386 00:22:36,970 --> 00:22:41,930 S2: pizza and coke and talk about death, you know. Yeah. 387 00:22:41,970 --> 00:22:44,610 S2: You you may not have too many takers, but we 388 00:22:44,609 --> 00:22:47,130 S2: still should send out that invitation, I think. 389 00:22:48,010 --> 00:22:51,050 S1: I do too. And I wonder if that's not something 390 00:22:51,050 --> 00:22:52,890 S1: that is kind of knocking on the door of my 391 00:22:52,890 --> 00:22:56,010 S1: heart here at the very beginning of the year. And 392 00:22:56,010 --> 00:23:00,050 S1: if you're a longtime listener of the program, um, we 393 00:23:00,050 --> 00:23:03,850 S1: go through these ebb and flows. There's a wisdom, uh, 394 00:23:03,850 --> 00:23:06,370 S1: voices of wisdom that we've been doing when I've been 395 00:23:06,369 --> 00:23:08,689 S1: having people who are a little bit further down the 396 00:23:08,690 --> 00:23:11,810 S1: trail than me. And you fall in that category, though, 397 00:23:11,810 --> 00:23:14,570 S1: you just hop, skip and a jump there, Ray. Um, 398 00:23:14,690 --> 00:23:18,290 S1: to to share their wisdom, to share their life experience 399 00:23:18,290 --> 00:23:20,690 S1: with us. And so that's how I wanted to start 400 00:23:20,690 --> 00:23:24,050 S1: the program here today, especially if there is somebody in 401 00:23:24,050 --> 00:23:27,870 S1: your life. The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing. 402 00:23:28,030 --> 00:23:33,709 S1: I want to hear from you. (877) 548-3675. My pal Kathleen 403 00:23:33,710 --> 00:23:36,830 S1: is on the line. Kathleen, you've had a loss in 404 00:23:36,830 --> 00:23:38,189 S1: your own life, haven't you? 405 00:23:38,990 --> 00:23:45,070 S3: Yes, we have. My brother Kenneth just died at age 63, 406 00:23:45,109 --> 00:23:51,030 S3: December 4th of this year, and my brother had cancer 407 00:23:51,070 --> 00:23:56,430 S3: for several years. However, uh, then the cancer spread throughout 408 00:23:56,430 --> 00:24:00,710 S3: his body and metastasized into his lungs. And he kept 409 00:24:00,750 --> 00:24:04,109 S3: telling us at the family and at the hospital and 410 00:24:04,270 --> 00:24:07,190 S3: to pray for God's will to be done. And he 411 00:24:07,190 --> 00:24:10,189 S3: kept saying, whatever happened, it was it was going to 412 00:24:10,190 --> 00:24:11,989 S3: be okay with him because he was going to be 413 00:24:11,990 --> 00:24:16,790 S3: with Jesus. And whatever happens, he wins. And when, uh, 414 00:24:16,790 --> 00:24:19,990 S3: Ray was talking about John Wesley and dying, well, I 415 00:24:19,990 --> 00:24:24,629 S3: think my brother Kenneth died. Well, and he said, whatever happens, 416 00:24:24,790 --> 00:24:29,690 S3: I will win. So, um, I told the lady. She said, 417 00:24:29,690 --> 00:24:31,889 S3: how are you doing? And I told her, I've been 418 00:24:32,210 --> 00:24:35,770 S3: rereading and rereading all of these sympathy cards, which people 419 00:24:35,770 --> 00:24:39,970 S3: sent us because I'm, I'm I'm quite young. Anyway, I 420 00:24:40,010 --> 00:24:43,450 S3: said I'm 70. I mean, I'm not 90 or something, but, uh, 421 00:24:44,570 --> 00:24:46,970 S3: you guys know what I'm talking about. 422 00:24:47,010 --> 00:24:51,409 S1: I do. Kathleen, I love your heart. I love your heart. 423 00:24:51,410 --> 00:24:54,930 S1: And I love that you got those those encouraging notes 424 00:24:54,930 --> 00:24:57,890 S1: from the people. And you can reread them. You can 425 00:24:57,890 --> 00:25:01,090 S1: go back and look at them. That hope that she's 426 00:25:01,090 --> 00:25:04,650 S1: talking about Ray, that hope of the future that her 427 00:25:04,650 --> 00:25:07,290 S1: brother had. That's real, isn't it? 428 00:25:08,570 --> 00:25:13,810 S2: You know, the great legacy that Kathleen has to remember 429 00:25:14,050 --> 00:25:18,010 S2: that when her brother was dying. And cancer is tough, 430 00:25:18,530 --> 00:25:21,570 S2: metastasized cancer is tough. I don't want to do anything 431 00:25:21,609 --> 00:25:26,020 S2: to diminish the look, my friend Dave. It was tough 432 00:25:26,020 --> 00:25:29,740 S2: the last few months. Tough cancer. Cancer can do a 433 00:25:29,740 --> 00:25:32,820 S2: number on any of us. But what a wonderful thing 434 00:25:32,859 --> 00:25:36,419 S2: to have her brother who said, I am not afraid 435 00:25:36,420 --> 00:25:40,020 S2: to die. If I live, I win. But if I die, 436 00:25:40,220 --> 00:25:43,060 S2: I win. I go to be with Jesus. That's what 437 00:25:43,060 --> 00:25:45,460 S2: it means to die well. Yes. 438 00:25:45,740 --> 00:25:47,820 S1: And we need to hear that. We need to talk 439 00:25:47,820 --> 00:25:50,859 S1: about that. And we will. Straight ahead on Moody Radio. 440 00:26:02,380 --> 00:26:08,060 S1: Time like an ever rolling stream. Bears all its sons away. 441 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:16,260 S1: They fly forgotten as a dream. Dies at the opening day. That's. 442 00:26:16,300 --> 00:26:20,940 S1: That's hard. But it's good to remember that hymn that 443 00:26:20,940 --> 00:26:25,960 S1: Ray Pritchard Just talked about a little other earlier. There's 444 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,280 S1: another poem I was reading this this morning by Anne Steele, 445 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:35,040 S1: father of mercies and thy word. What endless glory shines forever. 446 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,480 S1: Be thy name adored. For these celestial lines here may 447 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:43,360 S1: the blind and hungry come. And light and food receive. 448 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,840 S1: Here shall the lowliest guest have room and taste and see, 449 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:52,840 S1: and live here Springs of consolation. Rise to cheer the 450 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:59,520 S1: fainting mind and thirsting souls. Receive supplies and sweet refreshment. 451 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:04,360 S1: Find here the Redeemer's welcome voice spreads heavenly peace around. 452 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:09,080 S1: And life and everlasting joys attend the blissful sound. O 453 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:13,560 S1: may these hallowed pages be my ever dear delight. And 454 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:19,440 S1: still new beauties may I see. And still increasing light. 455 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:24,490 S1: Divine instructor, Gracious Lord, be thou forever near. Teach me 456 00:27:24,490 --> 00:27:29,050 S1: to love thy sacred word and view my Savior here. 457 00:27:29,410 --> 00:27:32,970 S1: So those words from Ann Steele, who lived in the 1800s, 458 00:27:33,010 --> 00:27:37,970 S1: I think, um, echo the cry of of our hearts 459 00:27:37,970 --> 00:27:44,090 S1: here in this first full week of 2026. And that's 460 00:27:44,090 --> 00:27:48,730 S1: the question that I had for you, Ray. This melancholy feeling, 461 00:27:48,730 --> 00:27:53,409 S1: this feeling of bereavement, of grief, of losing someone, even, 462 00:27:53,450 --> 00:27:55,650 S1: you know, my friend at 90 years old, he had 463 00:27:55,650 --> 00:27:58,530 S1: a very long life and and a productive life and 464 00:27:58,530 --> 00:28:02,850 S1: was very, you know, involved with his grandkids lives up 465 00:28:02,890 --> 00:28:07,130 S1: until the end. But there is this melancholy feeling that 466 00:28:07,130 --> 00:28:11,010 S1: I get, and I can either stay in that, you know, 467 00:28:11,050 --> 00:28:14,370 S1: thinking about the past or looking at the future of 468 00:28:14,369 --> 00:28:16,570 S1: my own life and saying, oh, what's going to happen 469 00:28:16,570 --> 00:28:20,950 S1: to me? And I think there's something better for us here. 470 00:28:20,950 --> 00:28:22,830 S1: So what do I do with that feeling? 471 00:28:23,750 --> 00:28:29,310 S2: Number one, embrace it. Enter into it. Chris, it doesn't 472 00:28:29,630 --> 00:28:32,990 S2: do us any good. We can't make any progress if 473 00:28:32,990 --> 00:28:36,750 S2: we deny. If we deny grief. Grief has to do 474 00:28:36,790 --> 00:28:39,870 S2: its work in us. There's a lot of lot of 475 00:28:39,870 --> 00:28:44,310 S2: people writing helpfully about grief work in the stages of 476 00:28:44,310 --> 00:28:47,630 S2: grief and all of that. And I just say, you 477 00:28:47,630 --> 00:28:50,310 S2: got to give yourself time. It's not going to be 478 00:28:50,310 --> 00:28:54,510 S2: the same way six weeks from now as it is today. 479 00:28:54,510 --> 00:28:56,710 S2: It's not going to be the same in six months. 480 00:28:57,670 --> 00:29:02,190 S2: Give it time. And number two, go back to the 481 00:29:02,190 --> 00:29:06,470 S2: Word of God. Because I was just just in the break. 482 00:29:06,750 --> 00:29:12,510 S2: I was reading Hebrews chapter two. Wonderful. Since the children 483 00:29:12,510 --> 00:29:15,790 S2: have flesh and blood, the writer says he shared in 484 00:29:15,790 --> 00:29:19,890 S2: their humanity. Talking about Jesus so that by his death, 485 00:29:20,210 --> 00:29:22,970 S2: by his death, by the death of Jesus, he may 486 00:29:23,010 --> 00:29:26,170 S2: break the power of him who holds the power of death, 487 00:29:26,170 --> 00:29:28,770 S2: that is the devil. But listen to this, Chris, and 488 00:29:28,770 --> 00:29:33,130 S2: free those who all their lives were held in slavery 489 00:29:33,410 --> 00:29:38,370 S2: by their fear of death. That's inside all of us. 490 00:29:38,370 --> 00:29:43,850 S2: It's part of the human condition. It's humbling to realize 491 00:29:44,690 --> 00:29:48,890 S2: this train only goes in one direction that, you know, 492 00:29:48,930 --> 00:29:51,250 S2: you said you're a few years behind me, but I'm 493 00:29:51,250 --> 00:29:54,770 S2: not coming toward you. You're coming toward me, right? The train. 494 00:29:54,770 --> 00:29:58,930 S2: Only the train only goes in one direction. It's the 495 00:29:58,930 --> 00:30:02,050 S2: Word of God and the truth of the gospel that 496 00:30:02,050 --> 00:30:07,810 S2: frees those who are enslaved because of the fear of death. Uh, 497 00:30:07,810 --> 00:30:11,250 S2: I will say this, and I ponder this over the weekend, 498 00:30:11,610 --> 00:30:14,770 S2: and I think about the pastor who married you and Andrea, 499 00:30:14,770 --> 00:30:17,740 S2: and to live to be 90 years old up there. 500 00:30:17,780 --> 00:30:24,220 S2: That's this fantastic thing. And yet, recently, Marlene and I 501 00:30:24,220 --> 00:30:26,900 S2: are doing some Bible listening. And I probably want to 502 00:30:26,900 --> 00:30:28,700 S2: talk about that here in just a second. But we've 503 00:30:28,700 --> 00:30:32,100 S2: been ever since the pandemic. We've been reading the Bible 504 00:30:32,140 --> 00:30:35,460 S2: by listening to it every day. And it just happens 505 00:30:35,460 --> 00:30:39,140 S2: in the providence of God that over the weekend and today, 506 00:30:39,540 --> 00:30:43,060 S2: we're in the book of Ecclesiastes, and some people look 507 00:30:43,100 --> 00:30:47,140 S2: at Ecclesiastes. Oh, that's a real downer book. Vanity of vanities. 508 00:30:47,140 --> 00:30:49,620 S2: All is vanity. Well, first of all, I challenge you 509 00:30:49,620 --> 00:30:53,940 S2: to prove that that's not true. Because apart from God, 510 00:30:54,140 --> 00:30:58,060 S2: it is all vanity of vanities and vexation and chasing 511 00:30:58,340 --> 00:31:01,540 S2: of the wind. One of the points that the writer 512 00:31:01,540 --> 00:31:04,740 S2: of Ecclesiastes, I take it to be Solomon. Solomon is 513 00:31:04,740 --> 00:31:07,140 S2: saying is. And here's a guy that, you know, big 514 00:31:07,180 --> 00:31:11,540 S2: temple and the palaces, and he had everything. And what 515 00:31:11,540 --> 00:31:14,100 S2: did it? What was the end of it in itself? 516 00:31:14,140 --> 00:31:17,240 S2: He said, I hated life because I couldn't find meaning there. 517 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:22,240 S2: If you are looking for ultimate validation in this life, 518 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,680 S2: Ecclesiastes kind of rips off the band aid and says, 519 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:29,760 S2: we're all going to be forgotten. We're all going. We live, 520 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,560 S2: we die. We're going to be forgotten. We're buried. You know, 521 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,200 S2: it's a sobering thing. I'm sorry, Chris. It's one of these, uh, 522 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,880 S2: stream of consciousness answers here. But I've been thinking about 523 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,240 S2: this a lot the last couple of days. You know, 524 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,760 S2: you go up into New England and and visit these 525 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:48,920 S2: colonial cemeteries, go back 2 or 300 years. And who 526 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:56,040 S2: are these people? Literally. Truly. Only God knows. Only. Only 527 00:31:56,080 --> 00:32:01,040 S2: God knows. If you are searching for significance in this life. 528 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:05,400 S2: Ultimate significance, that is, you are bound to be disappointed. 529 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:09,000 S2: The only real significance for any of us is found 530 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:13,240 S2: in the eternal truths of God, and in the life 531 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,140 S2: to come. Then God is going to set everything right. 532 00:32:16,180 --> 00:32:18,780 S2: Then we're going to understand things that are mysterious to 533 00:32:18,820 --> 00:32:22,700 S2: us now. We're going to discover that the abundant life 534 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:26,460 S2: that Jesus promised, it really is true. And it goes 535 00:32:26,460 --> 00:32:30,460 S2: on forever. And we know this because the Bible tells 536 00:32:30,460 --> 00:32:31,140 S2: us so. 537 00:32:31,820 --> 00:32:36,740 S1: And that's why it's so important to dig into God's Word. 538 00:32:36,740 --> 00:32:39,780 S1: And that's what we're talking about all this week. Richard 539 00:32:39,780 --> 00:32:43,580 S1: lost his dad. His dad was a help to many people, 540 00:32:43,620 --> 00:32:47,100 S1: a missionary in Haiti for many years, and he passed 541 00:32:47,100 --> 00:32:52,380 S1: away on January 1st. So it's very fresh for Richard. Richard. 542 00:32:52,420 --> 00:32:54,540 S1: Thanks for sharing a little bit of your dad's story 543 00:32:54,540 --> 00:32:57,660 S1: with us today. Eva is in Indiana. Hi, Eva. Go 544 00:32:57,660 --> 00:32:58,300 S1: right ahead. 545 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:02,860 S4: Hi. I was just thinking at Christmas time, we were 546 00:33:02,860 --> 00:33:06,660 S4: reminiscing about what a great grandfather, um, my father in 547 00:33:06,660 --> 00:33:10,580 S4: law was to my children. And my son and my 548 00:33:10,580 --> 00:33:13,750 S4: son's girlfriend are starting to dream about starting their own 549 00:33:13,750 --> 00:33:18,590 S4: family someday, and we're just really enjoying those memories. And 550 00:33:18,590 --> 00:33:20,990 S4: what a great example he set for us. 551 00:33:22,230 --> 00:33:24,830 S1: And to ruminate on that and to think about that 552 00:33:24,830 --> 00:33:29,110 S1: and to and to learn from what he his input 553 00:33:29,110 --> 00:33:32,630 S1: into your life and your kids lives. Right? Eva. 554 00:33:33,510 --> 00:33:37,230 S4: Right. They were just such sweet memories. He treated my 555 00:33:37,230 --> 00:33:38,510 S4: children so well. 556 00:33:38,870 --> 00:33:42,030 S1: Yeah. And that's the same thing you're doing about Dave. 557 00:33:42,070 --> 00:33:45,110 S1: I bet this weekend you've been thinking more, Ray, about 558 00:33:45,470 --> 00:33:48,750 S1: those things that Dave spoke into your life, or when 559 00:33:48,750 --> 00:33:50,870 S1: he was there, when you had a hard time going 560 00:33:50,870 --> 00:33:52,230 S1: through a valley. 561 00:33:53,550 --> 00:33:57,910 S2: It is a great blessing. The memory, the memory of 562 00:33:57,910 --> 00:34:02,030 S2: the just is a blessing. The memory of a godly 563 00:34:02,230 --> 00:34:05,510 S2: mom or dad is a blessing. And you know, Chris, 564 00:34:05,710 --> 00:34:08,350 S2: we ought not to run over that point. It is 565 00:34:08,350 --> 00:34:12,610 S2: a wonderful thing, even through your tears and it's okay. 566 00:34:13,010 --> 00:34:16,170 S2: It's okay when you have lost someone who meant so 567 00:34:16,170 --> 00:34:19,089 S2: much to you. It's okay to shed the tears. And 568 00:34:19,090 --> 00:34:22,650 S2: you should. And it's also through your tears to smile 569 00:34:22,810 --> 00:34:27,490 S2: and thank God for their influence. Uh. To let their 570 00:34:27,489 --> 00:34:33,250 S2: memory give you courage to face the challenges that are 571 00:34:33,250 --> 00:34:34,410 S2: right before you. 572 00:34:36,050 --> 00:34:39,330 S1: Um. I wrote something over the weekend, and this, uh, 573 00:34:39,610 --> 00:34:42,930 S1: this fits in with what we're talking about with with 574 00:34:42,930 --> 00:34:47,370 S1: studying God's word. And that is reading the Bible just 575 00:34:47,370 --> 00:34:49,370 S1: to read it, to check it off the list. That's 576 00:34:49,370 --> 00:34:52,129 S1: one way that you can do this. Or you can 577 00:34:52,130 --> 00:34:57,370 S1: go toward the relationship, you know, with God. And and 578 00:34:57,370 --> 00:34:59,530 S1: I want you to talk about that in our last segment. 579 00:34:59,530 --> 00:35:02,050 S1: But here's what I wrote. My problem with the Bible 580 00:35:02,050 --> 00:35:04,290 S1: is that I see so much that needs to change 581 00:35:04,290 --> 00:35:07,850 S1: in others. I'm like a man looking in a mirror 582 00:35:08,250 --> 00:35:11,420 S1: only to find those who are behind me doing life wrong. 583 00:35:11,580 --> 00:35:14,060 S1: I can read a thousand verses and see a thousand 584 00:35:14,060 --> 00:35:17,460 S1: different people who need to change. I see captives who 585 00:35:17,460 --> 00:35:21,060 S1: need to be free, but I cannot see the prisoner 586 00:35:21,100 --> 00:35:25,220 S1: of me. If you read the Bible that way, looking 587 00:35:25,219 --> 00:35:28,020 S1: at other people, I mean, you could do that. But 588 00:35:28,020 --> 00:35:31,580 S1: there's something about asking God. Okay, what do you want 589 00:35:31,580 --> 00:35:33,979 S1: for me? What do you want to teach me through 590 00:35:34,020 --> 00:35:36,220 S1: your word here today? We're going to talk about that 591 00:35:36,219 --> 00:35:39,540 S1: straight ahead to Ray. Prichard's with us at the radio 592 00:35:39,580 --> 00:35:53,900 S1: backyard fence. This is Chris Fabry live on Moody Radio. 593 00:35:53,940 --> 00:35:57,500 S1: I hope the last 40 minutes of this reminiscing that 594 00:35:57,500 --> 00:36:01,899 S1: we have been doing this melancholy, the the feeling that 595 00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:04,859 S1: life is so short, it's but a vapor. I hope 596 00:36:04,860 --> 00:36:08,180 S1: that has been encouraging, especially if you've lost someone dear 597 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,520 S1: to you in the last few weeks. But if you 598 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:14,960 S1: tuned in to get some practical help on Bible study 599 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:17,520 S1: and Bible reading and what to do in the new year. 600 00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:22,239 S1: Now here we go. I'm interested in the Bible listening 601 00:36:22,239 --> 00:36:24,200 S1: that you talked about, because there are a lot of 602 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:26,160 S1: people who say, well, you can't. If you listen to 603 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,360 S1: a book, you're not really reading it. And I disagree. 604 00:36:29,400 --> 00:36:33,120 S1: When I read fiction, nonfiction, when I read these, it's 605 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,319 S1: almost like there's a different part of my brain that's 606 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,760 S1: engaged when I hear it, rather than when I'm looking 607 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,960 S1: at with my eyes. And what about reading God's Word 608 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:43,240 S1: that way? Go ahead. 609 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:48,319 S2: Well, Chris, five years ago, run the clock back to March, 610 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:53,040 S2: maybe almost six years ago now, March 2020, when the 611 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:58,799 S2: pandemic hit and we were all locked in, shut down 612 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:03,239 S2: at home. And, uh, that was in Kansas for us. And, 613 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:06,879 S2: you know, we were there for quite a few weeks. 614 00:37:06,980 --> 00:37:10,700 S2: you barely went outside your house at all. So it's 615 00:37:10,980 --> 00:37:14,140 S2: all our kids are long gone. So just me and Marlene, 616 00:37:14,140 --> 00:37:17,980 S2: and she had been listening through the Bible on her 617 00:37:17,980 --> 00:37:22,140 S2: own for several years to great prophet, and one day 618 00:37:22,140 --> 00:37:26,020 S2: I was just watching her, watching her listen to the Bible, 619 00:37:26,020 --> 00:37:29,259 S2: I suppose you'd say. And I said, honey, do you 620 00:37:29,260 --> 00:37:33,219 S2: mind if I join you? And she smiled and she said, no, 621 00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:35,980 S2: but you got to join me right where we are 622 00:37:35,980 --> 00:37:38,460 S2: right now. I said, fine, where are we? She said, 623 00:37:38,460 --> 00:37:42,140 S2: I'm listening in the book of job. And I said, great. 624 00:37:42,140 --> 00:37:48,260 S2: So I just joined with her. And for six years now, I, 625 00:37:48,260 --> 00:37:51,779 S2: starting with the Book of Job, taking about three chapters 626 00:37:51,780 --> 00:37:54,500 S2: a day, she and I have listened our way through 627 00:37:54,500 --> 00:37:56,500 S2: the Bible, and in the break I was trying to 628 00:37:56,540 --> 00:38:01,380 S2: count up. We did it. Uh, and I should say, actually, 629 00:38:01,420 --> 00:38:05,339 S2: we're living in amazing days of technology now where you 630 00:38:05,340 --> 00:38:07,069 S2: could can go to YouVersion or you can go to 631 00:38:07,110 --> 00:38:09,830 S2: Bible Gateway or Bible Dot is. Or I guess there's 632 00:38:09,830 --> 00:38:11,950 S2: many other apps you go to as well where you 633 00:38:11,950 --> 00:38:15,990 S2: can get all these. Different translations you can. They're free. 634 00:38:16,030 --> 00:38:19,070 S2: You can listen to the audio version for free. So 635 00:38:19,510 --> 00:38:23,230 S2: we've listened to the Bible on the NIV. We've listened 636 00:38:23,230 --> 00:38:25,710 S2: to it in the ESV, we've listened to it in 637 00:38:25,710 --> 00:38:29,989 S2: the NLT and the CSB, the Christian Standard Bible. Now 638 00:38:29,989 --> 00:38:33,150 S2: we're on our second time around with ESV. One of them, 639 00:38:33,150 --> 00:38:35,950 S2: we listened. Maybe it was the King James or the NIV. 640 00:38:36,030 --> 00:38:41,150 S2: I forget which one with Max McLean. Fantastic. Fantastic voice there. Um, 641 00:38:42,070 --> 00:38:45,069 S2: all I can say, Chris, is that now on our 642 00:38:45,070 --> 00:38:48,029 S2: fourth or fifth time, it has not gotten boring to 643 00:38:48,070 --> 00:38:50,350 S2: me at all. In fact, there are a number of 644 00:38:50,350 --> 00:38:55,670 S2: days where I hear things I've never heard before. And 645 00:38:55,670 --> 00:38:59,830 S2: this is I go. They've added something to that book 646 00:38:59,830 --> 00:39:02,350 S2: since the last time we listened to it. It's almost 647 00:39:02,350 --> 00:39:05,570 S2: the way you feel, but the Word of God is 648 00:39:05,570 --> 00:39:08,250 S2: like that. And there is something. It's good, I think, 649 00:39:08,250 --> 00:39:11,650 S2: to know I will have my Bible open. So I'm 650 00:39:11,690 --> 00:39:14,969 S2: watching the text, but Marlene plays it over the over 651 00:39:15,010 --> 00:39:18,770 S2: her iPhone. So I am reading the text with my eyes. 652 00:39:18,770 --> 00:39:22,250 S2: I'm listening with my ears, and I know Marlene would 653 00:39:22,250 --> 00:39:24,970 S2: say what I would say. It has been the profoundest 654 00:39:24,969 --> 00:39:31,730 S2: spiritual experience of our 51 years of marriage. And just 655 00:39:31,730 --> 00:39:35,370 S2: this morning we're in the book of Ecclesiastes, three chapters 656 00:39:35,530 --> 00:39:38,330 S2: we read it takes about listen to it, that is, 657 00:39:38,330 --> 00:39:41,489 S2: takes about 10 or 12 minutes to do the three chapters. 658 00:39:41,730 --> 00:39:45,009 S2: Then we talk about it and we pray together nothing. 659 00:39:45,010 --> 00:39:48,609 S2: And I emphasize nothing in a half century of our 660 00:39:48,610 --> 00:39:52,370 S2: married life together has been as great a personal spiritual 661 00:39:52,410 --> 00:39:55,410 S2: blessing to Marlene and me as this Bible listening. And 662 00:39:55,410 --> 00:39:58,130 S2: if you've never done it, friends, give it a try. 663 00:39:58,250 --> 00:40:01,450 S1: Yes, well, and that comes back to my question I 664 00:40:01,450 --> 00:40:04,870 S1: brought up a little earlier, the obligations, like I should 665 00:40:04,870 --> 00:40:07,069 S1: have my devotions and I should. I should read the 666 00:40:07,070 --> 00:40:09,270 S1: scriptures and I want to read it all the way through, 667 00:40:09,270 --> 00:40:12,950 S1: and it becomes this obligation or a check mark, and 668 00:40:12,950 --> 00:40:15,989 S1: you finish reading, whether you're listening or reading it with 669 00:40:15,989 --> 00:40:18,910 S1: your eyes. Right. And it becomes this, wait, what did 670 00:40:18,910 --> 00:40:22,390 S1: I just read? How do you make less obligation and 671 00:40:22,390 --> 00:40:23,710 S1: more relationship? 672 00:40:25,070 --> 00:40:28,710 S2: There's a prayer that that I have prayed on many, 673 00:40:28,710 --> 00:40:32,430 S2: many days and many times just looking at the Bible 674 00:40:32,469 --> 00:40:37,790 S2: on my own. Open, open my eyes, Lord, that I 675 00:40:37,790 --> 00:40:43,629 S2: may behold wonderful things from your law. That's Psalm 119, 676 00:40:43,670 --> 00:40:47,390 S2: verse 18. That simple prayer, not the words, but it's the. 677 00:40:47,750 --> 00:40:51,910 S2: It's the attitude of the heart. Lord, open my eyes, 678 00:40:51,910 --> 00:40:55,069 S2: because I know there's good stuff here. This is your word, Lord. 679 00:40:55,070 --> 00:40:58,950 S2: It's all true. Open my eyes so that I will 680 00:40:58,950 --> 00:41:02,160 S2: see it. Not just see the words, but I'll see 681 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:05,360 S2: the meaning and the message will touch my heart and 682 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,320 S2: change me. I think so much of Bible reading just 683 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:13,480 S2: comes down to the openness of the heart. Lord, it's 684 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,319 S2: I got a busy day. I'm not equal to the 685 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:19,560 S2: task of this day. I'm coming to your word and 686 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:23,760 S2: I am crying out. I am begging, Lord, show me 687 00:41:23,880 --> 00:41:26,759 S2: what I need to see. Show me what I need 688 00:41:26,760 --> 00:41:30,520 S2: to hear. Show me Lord, show me something about yourself 689 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:33,400 S2: that I didn't know or reinforce. Lord, what I already 690 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:36,279 S2: do know. So that from your word I get the 691 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:39,520 S2: strength that I need. And I cling to that verse. 692 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:44,359 S2: The entrance of thy word giveth light. That's the old 693 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:48,160 S2: King James Version. The entrance of thy word giveth light. 694 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:52,040 S2: It's a dark world, Chris. It's a real dark world. 695 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:54,600 S2: If we're going to make it, we need the light 696 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:59,980 S2: of God's truth to come and illuminate us on the 697 00:41:59,980 --> 00:42:02,620 S2: inside to give us the light and the strength we need. 698 00:42:02,620 --> 00:42:05,940 S2: So all I can say is, if you if you 699 00:42:05,980 --> 00:42:08,979 S2: will come to God with an open heart. He's never 700 00:42:08,980 --> 00:42:12,500 S2: let me down. He has never once let me down. 701 00:42:12,500 --> 00:42:17,219 S2: I've always found something that strengthens me, causes me to 702 00:42:17,260 --> 00:42:19,700 S2: break out in worship, or maybe drives me to my 703 00:42:19,700 --> 00:42:23,980 S2: knees in confession and repentance, or fills my heart with joy. 704 00:42:24,180 --> 00:42:27,100 S2: Whatever I need I find in God's Word. If I 705 00:42:27,140 --> 00:42:28,540 S2: come with an open heart. 706 00:42:28,980 --> 00:42:32,020 S1: You just used that word. And I've been thinking open 707 00:42:32,219 --> 00:42:35,859 S1: to with open handed. You know, God, whatever you want 708 00:42:35,900 --> 00:42:39,500 S1: to show me about me. Not somebody else, though. That's okay. 709 00:42:39,500 --> 00:42:41,580 S1: You can you can hear about other people, too. What 710 00:42:41,580 --> 00:42:44,859 S1: do you want me to hear from you today? Or 711 00:42:44,900 --> 00:42:47,779 S1: change my mind about what I think about you or 712 00:42:47,780 --> 00:42:51,340 S1: myself or my relationships. How to deal with the enemies 713 00:42:51,340 --> 00:42:54,100 S1: that I have in my life. All of that. I'm 714 00:42:54,100 --> 00:42:56,379 S1: open to what you want to do. That's what will 715 00:42:56,380 --> 00:42:59,149 S1: happen if you dig into God's Word. We'll be talking 716 00:42:59,150 --> 00:43:01,630 S1: about that all this week. Phil is on the line. Phil, 717 00:43:01,630 --> 00:43:02,830 S1: why did you call today? 718 00:43:04,710 --> 00:43:08,590 S5: Hello? Um, well, I called because I'm glad you're talking 719 00:43:08,590 --> 00:43:13,190 S5: about this. I appreciate it very much. Um, my mother 720 00:43:13,190 --> 00:43:18,550 S5: went to heaven on November 4th, and I have really 721 00:43:18,550 --> 00:43:23,270 S5: struggled with her loss. A lot of grief, a lot 722 00:43:23,270 --> 00:43:27,230 S5: of sadness. Even though I know she's in heaven, I 723 00:43:27,230 --> 00:43:29,350 S5: just miss her so much. I was very close to 724 00:43:29,350 --> 00:43:33,390 S5: my mom, and I'm just so glad you're talking about 725 00:43:33,390 --> 00:43:34,150 S5: this today. 726 00:43:34,989 --> 00:43:37,430 S1: What is the thing that you miss most? Is it 727 00:43:37,430 --> 00:43:41,310 S1: just having a conversation with her or. Or what is it, Phil? 728 00:43:42,510 --> 00:43:46,190 S5: Yes, I talked to her most days. I'm a truck driver, 729 00:43:46,190 --> 00:43:50,910 S5: so I would call her very often. Um, just. Yeah, 730 00:43:50,950 --> 00:43:55,989 S5: just her presence, her voice, her just the way she 731 00:43:55,989 --> 00:44:00,569 S5: just loved people and cared about. I can't put it 732 00:44:00,570 --> 00:44:04,650 S5: into words. She was just a real gem. Uh. 733 00:44:04,930 --> 00:44:08,770 S1: She sounds like. She sounds like she was encouragement to you, 734 00:44:08,770 --> 00:44:12,009 S1: that she always could lift you up. You know, you 735 00:44:12,010 --> 00:44:13,930 S1: could call her at any point, right? 736 00:44:14,530 --> 00:44:18,050 S5: Yes, exactly. You hit it right on the head there. Yeah. 737 00:44:18,730 --> 00:44:20,330 S1: Here's what I want to do. We've got, like, two 738 00:44:20,330 --> 00:44:23,609 S1: minutes left. Ray, would you pray for Phil and the 739 00:44:23,610 --> 00:44:24,970 S1: grief that he's going through? 740 00:44:26,210 --> 00:44:29,370 S2: Father in heaven, we come in Jesus name, lifting up 741 00:44:29,370 --> 00:44:33,250 S2: our friend Phil. Here's a brother in Christ who has 742 00:44:33,250 --> 00:44:37,610 S2: lost his mom and misses her so much, misses her smile, 743 00:44:37,610 --> 00:44:40,690 S2: misses her encouragement, misses her joy and her hope in 744 00:44:40,690 --> 00:44:43,690 S2: the wisdom that she shared. Father, we thank you for 745 00:44:43,690 --> 00:44:46,370 S2: the gift of grief. How good it is to remember 746 00:44:46,370 --> 00:44:49,810 S2: with joy those who have touched us and have helped us. 747 00:44:50,090 --> 00:44:54,330 S2: We pray, father, that in the midst of grief, Phil 748 00:44:54,330 --> 00:44:57,230 S2: would rest on two things. He knows where his mother 749 00:44:57,230 --> 00:44:59,870 S2: is because she is gone to heaven through the grace 750 00:44:59,870 --> 00:45:05,270 S2: of Almighty God. We pray, father, now that you will grow, 751 00:45:05,510 --> 00:45:11,790 S2: fills faith, grow, fills faith to be strong, to walk 752 00:45:11,790 --> 00:45:15,870 S2: in the path that is mom showed him. Lord, we 753 00:45:15,870 --> 00:45:19,549 S2: pray you promise to turn our mourning into joy. We 754 00:45:19,550 --> 00:45:23,549 S2: pray that even in this fill will experience the joy 755 00:45:23,870 --> 00:45:26,870 S2: of the Lord. Thank you for all your promises that 756 00:45:26,870 --> 00:45:29,670 S2: are true and Amen. In Christ Jesus we pray in 757 00:45:29,670 --> 00:45:30,989 S2: his name. Amen. 758 00:45:32,190 --> 00:45:35,710 S1: His powerful name fill. I think if your mom could 759 00:45:35,710 --> 00:45:39,790 S1: say anything here today, I think she'd say, Phil, I'm 760 00:45:39,790 --> 00:45:43,149 S1: so glad that you called you not just to talk 761 00:45:43,150 --> 00:45:47,109 S1: about her, but to your grief. And your struggle has 762 00:45:47,110 --> 00:45:50,630 S1: helped somebody else today who's going through the same thing. 763 00:45:50,630 --> 00:45:53,149 S1: I think she'd be proud of you. Thank you for 764 00:45:53,150 --> 00:45:54,600 S1: doing that today, friend. 765 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:57,920 S5: Thank you. Brothers. Thank you very much. 766 00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:01,439 S1: God bless you and anybody else who's going through that 767 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:05,320 S1: deep valley of grief. I was reading Psalm 23 this morning. 768 00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:09,160 S1: There's a great place to go. This this Lord, who 769 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:14,760 S1: is your shepherd? He'll give. He provides all that you need, 770 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:18,680 S1: all of your wants that. Are there a lot of 771 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:21,319 S1: wants that I have that I don't really need? But 772 00:46:21,320 --> 00:46:24,799 S1: he gives me everything that I need and his presence 773 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:28,160 S1: is the main one. Ray, this has been a special hour. 774 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:30,720 S1: It always is. You come back and see us soon, okay? 775 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:32,239 S2: We'll do. Thank you. Chris. 776 00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:35,000 S1: Doctor Ray Pritchard, you can find out more about him. 777 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:38,400 S1: Our featured resource and anchor for the soul, Chris Fabry live. 778 00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:42,520 S1: Our program is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry 779 00:46:42,520 --> 00:46:45,400 S1: of Moody Bible Institute. Thanks for listening.