WEBVTT - Ruth’s Reminder 0:00:08.030 --> 0:00:11.540 When Ruth's husband died, she was tempted to feel alone 0:00:11.539 --> 0:00:14.750 when she moved to another country. She was tempted to 0:00:14.750 --> 0:00:18.020 feel alone. But the biblical story of Ruth is a 0:00:18.020 --> 0:00:22.370 striking reminder that with God, we are never alone. Today 0:00:22.370 --> 0:00:25.009 we're going to meet this famous Bible character in a fresh, 0:00:25.010 --> 0:00:28.070 new way. Welcome to the land and the book. If 0:00:28.070 --> 0:00:30.730 you're new to the program, a special welcome to you. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:34.150 Our host is Doctor Charlie Dyer, a noted Old Testament scholar, 0:00:34.150 --> 0:00:37.510 frequent Israel traveler. I'm John Gager kind of along for 0:00:37.510 --> 0:00:40.870 the ride. And Charlie, help a new listener understand how 0:00:40.870 --> 0:00:43.270 we divide up this one hour broadcast. 0:00:43.270 --> 0:00:45.489 Oh, yeah. John, this is actually a one hour trip 0:00:45.490 --> 0:00:47.980 to Israel. Uh, we start with current events. You know 0:00:47.979 --> 0:00:50.170 what's been happening there. And certainly there's a lot in 0:00:50.170 --> 0:00:53.080 the news taking place in Israel today. Uh, then we 0:00:53.140 --> 0:00:55.420 have an interview. And as you just mentioned, uh, somebody 0:00:55.420 --> 0:00:57.940 wants to learn more about Ruth today. Uh, but every 0:00:57.940 --> 0:01:00.640 week you have a just a fascinating person there. Uh, 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:03.370 the third segment is question and answer. Once you read 0:01:03.370 --> 0:01:05.680 the Bible, you have questions. Well, you can write your 0:01:05.680 --> 0:01:08.050 questions to us, send them to us, and we'll answer 0:01:08.050 --> 0:01:10.330 them on air. And then the final segment is where 0:01:10.330 --> 0:01:13.480 we marry together, the land and the book. That is, 0:01:13.480 --> 0:01:15.280 we take you to a spot in the land, open 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:17.580 up the Word of God and help you understand what 0:01:17.610 --> 0:01:20.069 God meant there. Today we're going to visit with Solomon 0:01:20.069 --> 0:01:23.039 and talk about the lazy days of summer. All right. 0:01:23.040 --> 0:01:26.190 So lots of variety, never stuffy or boring. I think 0:01:26.220 --> 0:01:29.040 you'll appreciate what you hear. Let's dig into our current events. 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:33.060 Topics for the week. Israel's war with Hamas continues, though 0:01:33.060 --> 0:01:35.700 this past week saw a surge of optimism that a 0:01:35.700 --> 0:01:39.150 hostage deal and possible end to the conflict might be 0:01:39.150 --> 0:01:42.140 just over the horizon. What's been happening and how quickly 0:01:42.140 --> 0:01:45.110 could the conflict end if a deal is reached? 0:01:45.140 --> 0:01:48.290 Yeah, well, in spite of the optimistic predictions, it's likely 0:01:48.290 --> 0:01:51.350 that a deal, if it finally happens, is several weeks 0:01:51.350 --> 0:01:54.800 or more away. The main point that got everyone excited 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.800 is that Hamas has dropped its upfront demand for a 0:01:57.800 --> 0:02:02.059 permanent ceasefire prior to the first phase of a hostage deal, 0:02:02.060 --> 0:02:06.130 but several major obstacles remain. Hamas will still likely push 0:02:06.130 --> 0:02:08.950 for a permanent cease fire as part of the deal. 0:02:08.950 --> 0:02:12.250 Before the release of all the hostages, Prime Minister Netanyahu 0:02:12.250 --> 0:02:15.040 tried to temper the optimism. He issued a list of 0:02:15.040 --> 0:02:18.820 non-negotiable demands from Israel's side, and one is a guarantee 0:02:18.820 --> 0:02:22.420 that Israel could still resume fighting should their demands not 0:02:22.419 --> 0:02:26.950 be met. War weary Israelis, including those who oppose Netanyahu 0:02:26.980 --> 0:02:29.400 even before the start of the war? Well, they accused 0:02:29.400 --> 0:02:33.929 him of attempting to sabotage the negotiations. Netanyahu is actually 0:02:33.930 --> 0:02:36.900 fighting a two front war. One is the actual fight 0:02:36.900 --> 0:02:41.010 against Hamas, which Israel has been winning. One reason Hamas 0:02:41.010 --> 0:02:43.920 was willing to change its initial bargaining position were the 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:47.820 losses they've sustained in Gaza. But the second front Netanyahu 0:02:47.820 --> 0:02:51.269 has to face is an internal battle with dissension and 0:02:51.270 --> 0:02:55.710 distrust in Israel itself. and it extends even into his coalition. 0:02:55.740 --> 0:02:59.400 Recent polls suggest the majority of Israelis are willing to 0:02:59.400 --> 0:03:02.700 end the war, even leaving Hamas in control of Gaza 0:03:02.700 --> 0:03:05.880 if that would secure the return of the hostages. And 0:03:05.880 --> 0:03:10.440 the ruling coalition is displaying deep fractures between the ultra-Orthodox 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:13.710 and the far right parties, their sparring is threatening to 0:03:13.710 --> 0:03:17.160 bring down the government. Now, even if Israel and Hamas 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:19.730 can reach agreement on the main points of the deal, 0:03:19.730 --> 0:03:22.940 it doesn't mean the conflict is over. It'll take several 0:03:22.940 --> 0:03:26.000 weeks to hammer out all the details of an agreement. 0:03:26.030 --> 0:03:29.600 In the past, Hamas has suddenly demanded last minute changes, 0:03:29.600 --> 0:03:32.090 and the closer the two sides get to reaching a 0:03:32.090 --> 0:03:35.600 final agreement, the greater the pressure will be on Israel 0:03:35.630 --> 0:03:38.810 to cave in in those key points. All that to say, 0:03:38.810 --> 0:03:41.300 a deal might be reached, but it could take longer 0:03:41.300 --> 0:03:44.230 than most expect, and the final outcome for Israel could 0:03:44.230 --> 0:03:47.470 be less than what they wanted when the fighting first began, 0:03:47.470 --> 0:03:51.400 and it could result in new elections sooner rather than later. 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:54.730 Related to the war in Gaza is the ongoing tension 0:03:54.730 --> 0:03:58.480 between Israel and Hezbollah. Are these two enemies heading toward 0:03:58.480 --> 0:04:02.050 peace or war? Reports coming out of northern Israel and 0:04:02.050 --> 0:04:05.260 Lebanon are definitely mixed. So what might the future hold 0:04:05.260 --> 0:04:06.310 on this front? 0:04:06.340 --> 0:04:10.240 Yeah, the situation is still extremely unsettled, though I think 0:04:10.240 --> 0:04:13.330 there were positive hints over the past week. Hezbollah has 0:04:13.330 --> 0:04:16.060 said it will stop fighting if a ceasefire between Israel 0:04:16.060 --> 0:04:20.140 and Hamas takes effect. This places additional pressure on Israel 0:04:20.170 --> 0:04:23.589 to reach that agreement. Both Israel and Hezbollah have avoided 0:04:23.620 --> 0:04:27.190 taking any actions that would force the other to launch 0:04:27.190 --> 0:04:30.060 an all out war, but at the same time, each 0:04:30.089 --> 0:04:32.700 has been trying to put pressure on the other side. 0:04:32.820 --> 0:04:37.050 Israel has attacked Hezbollah's rocket launch sites, their outposts, their camps, 0:04:37.050 --> 0:04:41.460 their weapons sites and control centers. They've killed over 350 0:04:41.460 --> 0:04:45.210 Hezbollah fighters and several senior commanders, along with more than 0:04:45.210 --> 0:04:50.610 150 terrorists from other allied organizations in Lebanon. For its part, 0:04:50.610 --> 0:04:55.460 Hezbollah has launched over 5500 rockets and missiles at Israeli 0:04:55.460 --> 0:04:59.420 towns and military bases along the border since October 8th, 0:04:59.420 --> 0:05:04.160 killing about 20 Israeli soldiers and ten civilians. Hezbollah's rockets 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:07.159 and missiles have also sparked fires in the same area. 0:05:07.160 --> 0:05:11.330 Around 22,000 acres have been burned in northern Israel, and 0:05:11.330 --> 0:05:15.290 they released video footage from drones. They've flown over Israeli bases, 0:05:15.290 --> 0:05:19.240 suggesting they have the ability to attack those sites. So 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:22.390 what's next? Well, if a cease fire takes effect between 0:05:22.390 --> 0:05:26.200 Hamas and Israel, Hezbollah could very well stop its attacks, 0:05:26.200 --> 0:05:29.800 bringing a tense truce to the north. Otherwise, Israel has 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:32.710 threatened to launch an attack against Hezbollah to push the 0:05:32.710 --> 0:05:35.020 group off the border. And we just need to hope 0:05:35.020 --> 0:05:37.839 that there can be some peaceful solution to that problem. 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:40.270 You know, Charlie, I think of myself being, let's say, 0:05:40.270 --> 0:05:43.060 a resident up there in the North and let's say 0:05:43.060 --> 0:05:46.330 an agreement is finally reached with Hezbollah. I just am 0:05:46.330 --> 0:05:48.850 not sure how anxious I would be to move back home. 0:05:48.850 --> 0:05:51.460 I would like to, but can you trust what do 0:05:51.460 --> 0:05:52.479 you think about all that? 0:05:52.660 --> 0:05:54.310 That's why the key, I think, is going to be 0:05:54.310 --> 0:05:56.620 Hezbollah has to move off the border. In fact, they're 0:05:56.620 --> 0:05:59.110 saying that they have to move north of the Litani River, 0:05:59.110 --> 0:06:02.859 about 6 to 8 miles away from Israel's border, and 0:06:02.860 --> 0:06:04.359 pull all of their forces out, pull all of the 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:07.169 equipment and all their weapons out of that area. That's 0:06:07.170 --> 0:06:09.720 what it will take for Israelis to feel safe going 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:10.620 back to the border. 0:06:10.620 --> 0:06:14.219 That's doctor Charlie Dyer, Israel expert. I'm John Gieger. This 0:06:14.220 --> 0:06:16.440 is the land in the book. And as we know, 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.440 the Bible is jam packed with end times prophecies about 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.440 epic world events, the regathering of the Jewish people to 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.220 their ancient homeland, and Jesus soon returned. It is crucial 0:06:26.220 --> 0:06:28.980 for us as believers, Charlie, to have a proper understanding 0:06:28.980 --> 0:06:32.210 of Bible prophecy. So our view of the future is 0:06:32.210 --> 0:06:35.000 shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. Right? 0:06:35.029 --> 0:06:37.039 That's right John. And that's why, with this in mind, 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:39.410 our friends at Life and Messiah have published a book 0:06:39.410 --> 0:06:43.429 titled God, Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it 0:06:43.430 --> 0:06:45.080 to listeners of the land and the book for a 0:06:45.080 --> 0:06:48.500 limited time. Now, this informative book is focused on providing 0:06:48.500 --> 0:06:52.640 readers with a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of what 0:06:52.670 --> 0:06:56.050 God has in store for Israel and the nations by 0:06:56.050 --> 0:06:59.350 digging into what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, 0:06:59.350 --> 0:07:01.750 if you're interested in learning more about what God has 0:07:01.750 --> 0:07:06.160 in store, visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on 0:07:06.160 --> 0:07:08.560 the Moody Radio button there to find out how you 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:13.090 can reserve your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. 0:07:13.090 --> 0:07:16.030 That's life in messiah.org. 0:07:16.240 --> 0:07:18.720 As we continue our look at current events from the week, 0:07:18.720 --> 0:07:22.350 Egypt has been largely absent from our news. Apart from 0:07:22.350 --> 0:07:25.290 its role in trying to broker an agreement between Hamas 0:07:25.290 --> 0:07:29.100 and Israel. But they've been facing their own internal struggles. 0:07:29.100 --> 0:07:32.760 So what's been happening in Egypt that isn't being widely reported? 0:07:32.790 --> 0:07:37.500 Yeah, Egypt is facing rising discontent from several economic challenges 0:07:37.500 --> 0:07:41.430 brought on by years of economic mismanagement. And this mismanagement 0:07:41.430 --> 0:07:45.880 was compounded first by the pandemic, which devastated the tourism industry, 0:07:45.880 --> 0:07:48.910 and then by the war between Russia and Ukraine, which 0:07:48.910 --> 0:07:52.030 raised the price of grain. Egypt is the world's largest 0:07:52.030 --> 0:07:55.150 importer of grain, and both countries were two of its 0:07:55.150 --> 0:07:59.290 major suppliers. The central Bank of Egypt devalued the Egyptian pound, 0:07:59.290 --> 0:08:02.980 which helped boost Egyptian exports, but also increased the price 0:08:02.980 --> 0:08:05.860 of essential goods like food and fuel. Now all that 0:08:05.860 --> 0:08:10.130 is combined to force nearly 30% of Egyptians into poverty. 0:08:10.130 --> 0:08:13.340 And to add insult to injury. Extreme heat this summer 0:08:13.340 --> 0:08:16.430 has plagued the country, just as the government was forced 0:08:16.430 --> 0:08:20.210 to implement rolling electrical blackouts because of a shortage of 0:08:20.210 --> 0:08:23.240 fuel needed to power the turbines. In the face of 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:27.290 mounting public discontent, Egypt recently swore in a new cabinet. 0:08:27.290 --> 0:08:30.500 The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources promised to stop 0:08:30.500 --> 0:08:34.969 the power cuts during the summer, but only beginning July 21st. 0:08:34.970 --> 0:08:38.450 That's when sufficient shipments of natural gas and diesel will 0:08:38.450 --> 0:08:42.949 arrive to help keep those generators operating at higher capacity. Now, 0:08:42.950 --> 0:08:46.940 electricity is obviously important during the hot summer, but another 0:08:46.940 --> 0:08:50.929 problem is water. Egypt depends on the Nile River for 97% 0:08:50.929 --> 0:08:54.390 of its water, and Ethiopia continues to divert water from 0:08:54.390 --> 0:08:58.199 the Nile to fill the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which 0:08:58.200 --> 0:09:01.260 is going to be Africa's largest dam. Egypt views this 0:09:01.260 --> 0:09:04.770 project as a threat to its very existence. Egypt's government 0:09:04.770 --> 0:09:07.530 is now under pressure to act quickly to preserve the 0:09:07.530 --> 0:09:11.580 country's water rights before it's too late. So water, power, 0:09:11.580 --> 0:09:15.270 food three essentials that the government is rushing to address 0:09:15.270 --> 0:09:21.120 before they create even greater unrest among Egypt's 114 million inhabitants. 0:09:21.150 --> 0:09:24.660 Well, could detecting cancer be as easy as taking a 0:09:24.660 --> 0:09:29.310 saliva test? A partnership between cell Agnostics and Sheba medical 0:09:29.309 --> 0:09:32.280 center are working on just such a test for oral 0:09:32.280 --> 0:09:36.210 cavity cancer. Tell us about this innovation from Amazing Israel. 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:38.370 Yeah, this is a work in progress. But it's not 0:09:38.370 --> 0:09:42.030 simply wishful thinking. It's a collaborative effort between the Innovation 0:09:42.050 --> 0:09:46.189 Center at Israel's largest hospital and agnostics. This Jerusalem based 0:09:46.190 --> 0:09:50.120 startup that's already developed several saliva based tests, including the 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:53.990 world's first saliva based pregnancy test. Now, because saliva comes 0:09:53.990 --> 0:09:57.380 into contact with infected oral tissue. They're working on the 0:09:57.380 --> 0:10:01.070 assumption that saliva very likely carries disease markers, and a 0:10:01.070 --> 0:10:05.059 simple saliva test increases the chances of detecting oral cavity 0:10:05.059 --> 0:10:08.380 cancer at an earlier stage. In addition to testing for 0:10:08.380 --> 0:10:11.170 oral cavity cancer, they also plan to develop saliva based 0:10:11.170 --> 0:10:14.319 tests for the early detection of head and neck cancer. 0:10:14.350 --> 0:10:17.110 On the company's website, they highlight some of the research 0:10:17.110 --> 0:10:19.870 where a saliva test can be useful, including a report 0:10:19.870 --> 0:10:23.949 on possible biomarkers for the detection of pancreatic cancer. Now 0:10:23.950 --> 0:10:27.970 imagine John someday undergoing early cancer detection through the use 0:10:27.970 --> 0:10:31.660 of a simple saliva test. That's another innovation being developed 0:10:31.660 --> 0:10:34.660 today by researchers in amazing Israel. 0:10:34.660 --> 0:10:36.910 And that's a look at current events. Thank you Charlie. 0:10:36.910 --> 0:10:40.030 Looking forward to our program. Up next, a conversation about 0:10:40.030 --> 0:10:42.130 the life of Ruth, what you and I can learn 0:10:42.130 --> 0:10:45.850 from her, her journey, her experience, plus Bible questions and 0:10:45.850 --> 0:10:49.300 answers and Charlie's devotional to finish things out. Lots to 0:10:49.300 --> 0:10:51.160 listen to and I hope you'll be here for all 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:54.220 of it. On the land and the book from Moody Radio. 0:11:08.540 --> 0:11:14.090 Faraway lands, hostile roads. Not enough water. Way too many robbers. 0:11:14.090 --> 0:11:17.750 Think of all the obstacles that Ruth and Naomi faced 0:11:17.750 --> 0:11:21.050 in their trek to Bethlehem. When you give it further thought, 0:11:21.050 --> 0:11:24.920 the biblical story of Ruth paves the way for our story. Hey, 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:28.220 welcome to segment two. Here on the land and the book, 0:11:28.220 --> 0:11:30.530 I'm John Gager, and we're about to connect with one 0:11:30.530 --> 0:11:34.190 of my favorite Bible characters. But what about the characters 0:11:34.190 --> 0:11:37.220 in your neighborhood specifically? How can you and I be 0:11:37.220 --> 0:11:40.130 more intentional in sharing the love of Jesus with our 0:11:40.130 --> 0:11:44.589 Jewish friends? Here's an idea worth considering. Finding Yeshua in 0:11:44.590 --> 0:11:47.439 the Old Testament. Wouldn't you want your Jewish friend to 0:11:47.440 --> 0:11:50.350 find him there? But that's my heart. And we're talking 0:11:50.350 --> 0:11:52.810 with Michael Redlich, who has the editor of the Moody 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:56.290 Handbook of Messianic Prophecy. Some wisdom from you, Michael. What 0:11:56.290 --> 0:11:56.830 would you say? 0:11:56.860 --> 0:11:59.140 Well, it's not enough to point out that the Psalms 0:11:59.140 --> 0:12:04.030 say that Jesus died for us by crucifixion. Psalm 2216 0:12:04.030 --> 0:12:07.260 but also that he was raised. It is crucial to 0:12:07.260 --> 0:12:10.500 see that the prophets foretold, and particularly the Book of Psalms, 0:12:10.559 --> 0:12:12.959 foretold the Messiah would be raised from the dead in 0:12:12.960 --> 0:12:16.200 Psalm 1610. This is not talking about David. It says, 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:18.839 for you will not abandon me to she'll. She'll is 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:21.720 the place of the dead. That's all it really means 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:24.780 in the Hebrew Bible. You will not allow your faithful 0:12:24.780 --> 0:12:27.300 one one of the most common terms for the Messiah 0:12:27.300 --> 0:12:32.520 to undergo decay. Not only will he not stay dead 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:37.620 in Sheol, but he will be raised before he actually 0:12:37.620 --> 0:12:41.100 undergoes any kind of decay, sees any kind of corruption, 0:12:41.100 --> 0:12:44.430 no bodily decay. And so it's saying just very rapidly, 0:12:44.429 --> 0:12:47.490 there will be a resurrection that will happen. And so 0:12:47.490 --> 0:12:49.830 right there, that was one of the key points. Peter 0:12:49.830 --> 0:12:53.730 mentions it in acts two and Paul mentions it in 0:12:53.730 --> 0:12:56.210 acts 13. I think this is one of the crucial 0:12:56.210 --> 0:12:58.760 psalms that was pointed out that the Messiah not only 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.160 would die for us, but that he would be raised 0:13:01.160 --> 0:13:02.030 from the dead. 0:13:02.030 --> 0:13:04.640 Finding Yeshua in the Old Testament. A great tool to 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:07.820 share with your friend as well. That's Doctor Michael Redlich, 0:13:07.820 --> 0:13:10.640 professor of Jewish studies at Moody Bible Institute on the 0:13:10.640 --> 0:13:15.890 land and the book. Jessica Manfrey is a licensed master 0:13:15.890 --> 0:13:20.660 social worker, author, and co-founder of a nonprofit called Inspire Up. 0:13:20.690 --> 0:13:23.000 She spent her childhood years on the west coast of 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:26.900 Florida and comes from a big Italian family. Jessica is 0:13:26.900 --> 0:13:30.080 a proud United States Coast Guard spouse of 15 years 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:33.170 and mom of two beautiful children. She's also written the 0:13:33.170 --> 0:13:36.800 Moody Publishers book Never Alone. Hey, welcome to the land 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:38.240 and the book, Jessica. 0:13:38.390 --> 0:13:40.429 Thank you so much for having me. 0:13:40.460 --> 0:13:43.230 So you've made an unusual connection, I think, between the 0:13:43.230 --> 0:13:47.790 biblical character of Ruth and the lives of modern military spouses. 0:13:47.790 --> 0:13:49.410 What led you to this insight? 0:13:49.920 --> 0:13:52.590 Well, I knew that I was going to write this book. 0:13:52.590 --> 0:13:55.860 I really wanted to target loneliness and bring it to 0:13:55.860 --> 0:13:59.430 the forefront and have an open discussion about it. And really, 0:13:59.429 --> 0:14:02.880 Ruth has always been my favorite book of the Bible. 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:05.910 It's probably because it's very rich in narration. I love 0:14:05.910 --> 0:14:09.200 a good story more than that, I guess. You know, honestly, 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:11.450 I was I was reading it over coffee and I 0:14:11.450 --> 0:14:14.120 just it was an aha moment, you know, that we 0:14:14.150 --> 0:14:17.750 sometimes hear. And I just found that connection like, you know, 0:14:17.750 --> 0:14:20.690 the way, the way we follow our service members, the 0:14:20.690 --> 0:14:23.690 way we, you know, cleave to our friendships again, faraway 0:14:23.690 --> 0:14:26.180 lands and don't know where you're going. I mean, so 0:14:26.180 --> 0:14:28.130 much of it was parallel to our lives. 0:14:28.130 --> 0:14:30.770 I think too often when we read the story of Ruth, 0:14:30.770 --> 0:14:33.470 some of us want to jump to the happily ever 0:14:33.470 --> 0:14:36.980 after moment where she and Boaz get married. You know, 0:14:36.980 --> 0:14:40.730 all the land is, you know, appropriated. But that's a mistake. 0:14:40.730 --> 0:14:44.660 It seems to me. It minimizes the long season of anxiety, 0:14:44.660 --> 0:14:48.050 unfulfillment and uncertainty that that she lived through. What are 0:14:48.050 --> 0:14:48.920 your thoughts? 0:14:48.950 --> 0:14:51.830 No, I completely agree. And you know, when I wrote this, 0:14:51.830 --> 0:14:54.140 you know, the introduction clearly states you don't need to 0:14:54.140 --> 0:14:56.200 be a military spouse to read this, that I'm talking 0:14:56.200 --> 0:15:01.390 to everyone because we've all gone through it, you know, loneliness, despair, 0:15:01.390 --> 0:15:04.600 you know, bitterness really in our situation. I mean, there's 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:07.210 such honesty in it, you know, and I've heard people say, 0:15:07.210 --> 0:15:09.460 oh my gosh, like, how could she have these moments? 0:15:09.460 --> 0:15:12.610 But you know what? We're all human and we've been there. 0:15:12.610 --> 0:15:15.310 And then to have someone come in like Ruth, you know, 0:15:15.310 --> 0:15:18.700 so unexpected, right? A pagan woman to be the one 0:15:18.700 --> 0:15:21.450 to bring her back to faith. It's really a beautiful story, 0:15:21.450 --> 0:15:24.690 you know, a friendship, redemption and just the goodness that's there, 0:15:24.690 --> 0:15:26.040 even when we can't see it. 0:15:26.040 --> 0:15:27.870 What does that say of us, though, as a as 0:15:27.870 --> 0:15:30.360 a culture that we do want to rush to the 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:33.090 happily ever after? I mean, it was a long trek, 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:35.520 a long desert, a hot desert, and and there were 0:15:35.520 --> 0:15:38.370 a whole lot of unanswered questions for Ruth and Naomi. 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.610 Well, I mean, I can laugh with you and talk 0:15:41.610 --> 0:15:44.870 about just the changes in technology, but the reality is 0:15:44.870 --> 0:15:48.620 we've become this instant gratification society. I don't even know 0:15:48.620 --> 0:15:51.320 if my children could handle dial up internet, let alone 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:55.220 a desert trek, you know? But we really are like, 0:15:55.220 --> 0:15:57.979 if it doesn't happen instantly, you know, we're frustrated. Think 0:15:57.980 --> 0:16:00.830 about being in the car and traffic is bad. I mean, 0:16:00.830 --> 0:16:04.160 it really, really puts a lens on. Are we putting 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:08.060 those expectations of instant for God to, you know, in 0:16:08.060 --> 0:16:08.900 our lives? 0:16:09.140 --> 0:16:13.220 Jessica Manfrey has written the Moody Publishers book Never Alone. 0:16:13.250 --> 0:16:15.980 Her husband is with the United States Coast Guard for 0:16:15.980 --> 0:16:19.130 more than 15 years. She's got two beautiful kids, and 0:16:19.130 --> 0:16:22.100 she joins us again on the land and the book. Hey, 0:16:22.100 --> 0:16:26.600 let me ask you what you personally most admire about Ruth. 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:29.570 What character quality of hers do you wish you had 0:16:29.570 --> 0:16:30.320 more of? 0:16:30.860 --> 0:16:33.850 Oh my gosh. Um, she strikes me as just such 0:16:33.850 --> 0:16:38.050 a courageous woman without fear, you know? Um, she's lost 0:16:38.050 --> 0:16:41.830 her husband. Everything is going wrong. And suddenly, you know, 0:16:41.830 --> 0:16:45.220 her mother in law is essentially asking her to, you know, 0:16:45.220 --> 0:16:48.250 abandon her. And despite the fact that she probably had 0:16:48.250 --> 0:16:51.790 family to go back to, you know, she made the decision. No, like, 0:16:51.790 --> 0:16:53.740 this is the right way. This is the right path. 0:16:53.740 --> 0:16:57.060 I'm going to go essentially completely alone, you know, with 0:16:57.060 --> 0:16:59.100 no ties to where they were going. So I would 0:16:59.100 --> 0:17:03.030 say the courage, just undeniable courage. I wish I had 0:17:03.030 --> 0:17:05.369 more than that because I definitely hesitate a lot. I mean, 0:17:05.369 --> 0:17:07.260 you know, I'm a mom, so I'm like, fear, what's 0:17:07.260 --> 0:17:09.359 going to get broken? You know, what's going to happen. 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:12.840 You know, I overanalyze. So her courage is just beautiful. 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:13.409 Yeah. 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:15.540 Where do you think she got that courage? I mean, 0:17:15.540 --> 0:17:19.740 as part of that natural born personality or is it 0:17:19.740 --> 0:17:22.710 a God given gift that was uniquely hers, or is 0:17:22.710 --> 0:17:26.310 it a combination or byproduct of of lessons learned? 0:17:26.310 --> 0:17:29.970 Young you know, we can speculate so much. And this 0:17:29.970 --> 0:17:31.830 is one of those stories that I'm like, man, I 0:17:31.830 --> 0:17:33.389 wish we had more meat to it. You know what 0:17:33.390 --> 0:17:36.180 I mean? To really understand because we can just imagine, 0:17:36.180 --> 0:17:38.760 I would I mean, we know she lost her husband. 0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:42.300 We know that she immediately was like, no, where you go, 0:17:42.330 --> 0:17:44.659 I go. So you have to wonder. I think it 0:17:44.660 --> 0:17:47.360 was a character thing. I definitely think, you know, there 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:50.210 were some God moments there of encouraging her, because why 0:17:50.210 --> 0:17:52.580 else would this woman with with no God say no? 0:17:52.580 --> 0:17:56.090 Your God is my God without any hesitation or need 0:17:56.090 --> 0:17:59.149 a moment, you know, to to think about it. So yeah, 0:17:59.150 --> 0:18:01.520 I would say combination of those two things character and 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:02.929 definitely got involved. 0:18:02.930 --> 0:18:06.530 You've titled the book Never Alone. Elaborate on what you 0:18:06.530 --> 0:18:09.100 or or maybe Ruth even are trying to say here 0:18:09.100 --> 0:18:10.000 in that title. 0:18:10.570 --> 0:18:14.320 You know, this story can correlate to so much, you know, 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:16.510 when I was writing it and then when I released it, 0:18:16.510 --> 0:18:19.719 the Surgeon General of the United States labeled loneliness as 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:22.780 an epidemic. You know, the world with the pandemic and, 0:18:22.780 --> 0:18:25.449 you know, just the restrictions that were placed and, you know, 0:18:25.450 --> 0:18:28.359 the isolation that was felt. But I think it started 0:18:28.359 --> 0:18:31.180 long before that. You know, we've stopped connecting, you know, 0:18:31.180 --> 0:18:33.690 with one another. We've stopped having faith in our fellow 0:18:33.690 --> 0:18:36.780 human being or knowing our neighbors. And so I would 0:18:36.780 --> 0:18:39.000 hope that this will be a reminder that no matter 0:18:39.000 --> 0:18:42.630 how desperate your circumstances are or how alone you feel, 0:18:42.660 --> 0:18:46.109 God is right there with you, you know, waiting, you know, 0:18:46.109 --> 0:18:48.150 to guide you. If you just listen. 0:18:48.540 --> 0:18:51.330 Today on the Land and the book, it's a conversation 0:18:51.330 --> 0:18:54.300 with Jessica Manfrey, who has written the Moody Publishers book 0:18:54.300 --> 0:18:58.850 Never Alone. Hey, let's envision a conversation unfolding now between 0:18:58.850 --> 0:19:03.110 Ruth and a concerned wife, perhaps a military spouse. What 0:19:03.109 --> 0:19:05.840 kind of counsel might she offer to that person? And 0:19:05.840 --> 0:19:08.330 the point really is loneliness. I mean, I you know, 0:19:08.330 --> 0:19:10.220 she says, I, I thought I was geared for this, 0:19:10.220 --> 0:19:12.080 ready for this, but I'm not. What would you say 0:19:12.080 --> 0:19:13.850 to me, Ruth? What would Ruth say? 0:19:14.180 --> 0:19:16.399 Oh my gosh. Um, I think number one would be 0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:20.020 hold fast to your faith. You know, that is something 0:19:20.020 --> 0:19:22.150 that if we can just, you know, treat it like 0:19:22.150 --> 0:19:24.609 an anchor, that's something that's always going to be present 0:19:24.609 --> 0:19:27.820 for us and know I'm not going to be light 0:19:27.820 --> 0:19:29.949 hearted and say, you know, nothing else matters because we 0:19:29.950 --> 0:19:32.890 know it does. We know that being a military spouse 0:19:32.890 --> 0:19:35.830 carries a sacrifice and a weight, especially when you are 0:19:35.830 --> 0:19:38.560 far from family and supports. But if we hold fast 0:19:38.560 --> 0:19:41.320 to faith, and I imagine Ruth would be encouraging them, 0:19:41.320 --> 0:19:44.350 you know, look how far you've come. Look at the 0:19:44.350 --> 0:19:46.300 journey that's ahead of you. You don't have to do 0:19:46.300 --> 0:19:49.480 it alone. He's right here. There's so much richness, you know, 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.300 in this word to help guide you. That's what I 0:19:52.300 --> 0:19:53.590 would hope she would say. 0:19:54.280 --> 0:19:56.980 What do you think is an aspect of Ruth's life 0:19:56.980 --> 0:19:59.890 that we don't really focus on, but maybe should? What 0:19:59.890 --> 0:20:01.120 are we what are we missing? 0:20:01.990 --> 0:20:02.350 Um. 0:20:02.740 --> 0:20:05.050 I mean, there's a lot there. I wish we had 0:20:05.050 --> 0:20:08.310 more of her early years to understand. I also think 0:20:08.310 --> 0:20:11.640 sometimes when we go through this story, we don't focus 0:20:11.640 --> 0:20:14.490 on their arrival. Right. And what that must have been 0:20:14.490 --> 0:20:18.179 like her, her being a stranger, not knowing anyone, but 0:20:18.180 --> 0:20:20.100 immediately saying, I'm going to work. I'm going to figure 0:20:20.100 --> 0:20:23.310 this out. I'm going to I'm going to care for you. 0:20:23.310 --> 0:20:25.560 You know, we are not alone. We're going to make 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:28.169 it through. And she wasn't just, you know, pursuing a 0:20:28.170 --> 0:20:30.449 life for herself, but she was taking care of another 0:20:30.450 --> 0:20:33.410 human being. And so when you just think of what 0:20:33.410 --> 0:20:36.440 can we be doing? You know, for others are we 0:20:36.440 --> 0:20:39.230 like Ruth in that way? It just begs that question. 0:20:39.380 --> 0:20:42.619 You know, I think of that iconic statement of Ruth's, 0:20:42.619 --> 0:20:44.930 you know, where you go, I'm going to go and 0:20:44.930 --> 0:20:48.140 your God will be my God. You have to ask yourself, 0:20:48.140 --> 0:20:51.889 is that declaration of faith in God something that that 0:20:51.890 --> 0:20:54.410 she reached at that moment? Was it something she had 0:20:54.410 --> 0:20:57.850 already possessed, or was it? I'm launching into this here 0:20:57.850 --> 0:20:59.889 and now. You know, we don't know, as you say, 0:20:59.890 --> 0:21:02.770 all the details, but it does make you wonder, doesn't it? 0:21:03.250 --> 0:21:06.010 It really does. And I've thought about that often. I'm like, 0:21:06.010 --> 0:21:07.840 was this something that was a slow build for her? 0:21:07.840 --> 0:21:10.480 And we just didn't know because we don't have that context? 0:21:10.480 --> 0:21:12.370 Or was it in that moment, you know, she was 0:21:12.369 --> 0:21:15.400 just filled with the Holy Spirit and just knew with, 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:18.340 you know, wavering conviction. This is it. You know, your 0:21:18.340 --> 0:21:20.890 God is my God. It's such a beautiful thing to ponder. 0:21:20.890 --> 0:21:23.950 I like to envision that maybe it was a slow build, 0:21:23.950 --> 0:21:26.169 maybe being, you know, around the family and coming to 0:21:26.170 --> 0:21:28.870 these conclusions. And, you know, what a beautiful thing. But 0:21:28.869 --> 0:21:31.810 just given how fast it happened in the story, the 0:21:31.810 --> 0:21:34.600 other thing is certainly possible and how remarkable, right, that 0:21:34.600 --> 0:21:36.040 God would use her that way. 0:21:36.250 --> 0:21:38.710 Thanks for being a part of the land and the book. 0:21:38.710 --> 0:21:42.370 I'm John Gager with our guest, Jessica Manfrey, a military 0:21:42.369 --> 0:21:46.200 spouse who has written the Moody Publishers book Never Alone. 0:21:46.200 --> 0:21:50.010 You know, Ruth is nothing if not a story of redemption. 0:21:50.010 --> 0:21:53.820 We cheer for her, but talk to the spouse who 0:21:53.820 --> 0:21:57.330 isn't feeling much of that redemption right now. Maybe there 0:21:57.330 --> 0:22:00.690 is no happily ever after. Maybe separation from her military 0:22:00.690 --> 0:22:03.900 spouse is leading to, you know, a separation in marriage 0:22:03.900 --> 0:22:06.690 or worse, encourage them. What would you say to them? 0:22:06.930 --> 0:22:09.920 Well, I would say that this chapter is not your 0:22:09.920 --> 0:22:12.739 whole story, you know, and one of the things that 0:22:12.740 --> 0:22:15.650 I try to do, you know, really intentionally with, with 0:22:15.650 --> 0:22:19.400 this book is that I infused my own backstory, you know, 0:22:19.400 --> 0:22:22.490 traumas that I had endured, things that went on. And 0:22:22.490 --> 0:22:25.940 I really try, even in my practice as a therapist, 0:22:25.940 --> 0:22:29.930 to get, you know, my patients to come to the reconciliation, 0:22:29.930 --> 0:22:32.530 not your worst day is not your only day. The 0:22:32.530 --> 0:22:35.800 worst mistake you've ever made, you know, doesn't define you. 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:38.530 And so whatever that spouse is walking through, or even 0:22:38.530 --> 0:22:41.080 someone who's not a military spouse, just know that you 0:22:41.080 --> 0:22:43.510 are more you are so much more. And God has 0:22:43.510 --> 0:22:46.720 called us to be more. And so yes, you know, seek, 0:22:46.720 --> 0:22:51.040 you know, redemption and, you know, work towards, you know, good. Absolutely. 0:22:51.040 --> 0:22:52.090 I know you're going to have to sit in a 0:22:52.090 --> 0:22:55.119 bad space, but you've got to help guide you. 0:22:55.300 --> 0:22:59.050 You also write extensively about the wounds of despair, as 0:22:59.050 --> 0:23:02.560 you put it. Address that in a military context, and 0:23:02.560 --> 0:23:05.740 maybe also for civilian spouses, those who definitely feel the 0:23:05.740 --> 0:23:07.450 wounds of despair. 0:23:08.200 --> 0:23:10.570 Despair is such a oh my gosh, that's such a 0:23:10.570 --> 0:23:13.149 heavy emotion, right? I mean, you can feel it in 0:23:13.150 --> 0:23:15.250 the loss, you know, of a family member of a 0:23:15.250 --> 0:23:17.889 child in the separation. You know, if you are a 0:23:17.890 --> 0:23:22.350 military spouse who's undergoing a deployment and everything is going wrong, 0:23:22.350 --> 0:23:24.300 it's really, really hard to see the light in that 0:23:24.300 --> 0:23:28.260 kind of darkness. Right? And those wounds can can leave scars, right. 0:23:28.260 --> 0:23:30.960 You feel like they're healed, but maybe they're not really. 0:23:30.960 --> 0:23:34.380 They're still present. They're still there. They're pulling. Right. And 0:23:34.380 --> 0:23:37.680 so it's just kind of up to us to be really, 0:23:37.680 --> 0:23:40.740 really honest with ourselves and recognize those things that are 0:23:40.770 --> 0:23:44.090 that are maybe building and address them accordingly, whether that's 0:23:44.090 --> 0:23:47.540 with your pastor, you know, a good friend. I'm always 0:23:47.540 --> 0:23:50.360 an encourager of therapy because, you know, therapist is going 0:23:50.359 --> 0:23:52.550 to be that third party. They're unbiased. They're going to 0:23:52.550 --> 0:23:54.770 help you unpack things and do it in a way 0:23:54.770 --> 0:23:57.380 that allows you to do some really, really deep work. 0:23:57.770 --> 0:24:00.110 I noticed in the book, you also kind of introduce 0:24:00.109 --> 0:24:03.800 us to a conversation about preparing for loss. What does 0:24:03.800 --> 0:24:06.710 this look like for military spouses and and how can 0:24:06.740 --> 0:24:08.949 the rest of us prepare for loss? Obviously, in the 0:24:08.950 --> 0:24:11.560 military world, you know, we we jump immediately to people 0:24:11.560 --> 0:24:14.050 who are in harm's way. But give us your own 0:24:14.050 --> 0:24:15.370 particular spin on that. 0:24:15.609 --> 0:24:16.359 Yeah. 0:24:16.359 --> 0:24:19.150 So for us, you know, as a military spouse, I moved, 0:24:19.150 --> 0:24:21.820 you know, nine, ten times. I've kind of lost count. And, 0:24:21.820 --> 0:24:24.670 you know, that means saying goodbye to people and that hurts. 0:24:24.670 --> 0:24:27.310 Oh my gosh. You know, when you when you've turned 0:24:27.310 --> 0:24:30.699 a place that you've never been to suddenly to home 0:24:30.700 --> 0:24:32.680 and it's filled with people that you love Walking away 0:24:32.680 --> 0:24:36.340 from that is incredibly difficult, as is leaving your family 0:24:36.340 --> 0:24:39.310 and friends from, you know, your place of origin and 0:24:39.310 --> 0:24:42.159 missing out on so much. And so you kind of 0:24:42.160 --> 0:24:44.139 have to prepare yourself. And I say this for a 0:24:44.140 --> 0:24:47.740 lot of reasons. Grief can really be the anchor that 0:24:47.740 --> 0:24:50.680 we don't want, so we can find ourselves almost going 0:24:50.680 --> 0:24:54.040 down a rabbit hole and letting it determine our entire life. 0:24:54.040 --> 0:24:57.389 And so preparing your heart for loss really just, you know, 0:24:57.390 --> 0:25:00.840 essentially is building a backpack with really, really healthy coping. 0:25:00.840 --> 0:25:04.109 And it develops us into really gritty people who, yes, 0:25:04.109 --> 0:25:06.240 something bad and horrific has happened. And we're going to 0:25:06.240 --> 0:25:08.700 acknowledge that. But now what are we going to do? 0:25:08.730 --> 0:25:12.150 You know, we're in charge of how we proceed, you know, 0:25:12.150 --> 0:25:15.810 do we proceed, you know, with looking, you know, beyond 0:25:15.810 --> 0:25:18.090 that and knowing that goodness is going to come, that 0:25:18.090 --> 0:25:20.930 this grief and, you know, these feelings are going to subside, 0:25:20.930 --> 0:25:24.140 they'll always be that missing piece. But we still have 0:25:24.140 --> 0:25:26.330 the rest of our lives that we have to contend 0:25:26.330 --> 0:25:30.410 with and hopefully, you know, love and and live through well. 0:25:30.710 --> 0:25:32.930 Well, this sounds like a conversation that a whole lot 0:25:32.930 --> 0:25:35.210 of listeners are going to want to be a part of. 0:25:35.210 --> 0:25:37.340 And we invite you to visit our web site, The 0:25:37.340 --> 0:25:40.490 Land and the Book org, where we'll link you to 0:25:40.490 --> 0:25:43.670 Jessica's book and to her website as well, the land 0:25:43.670 --> 0:25:46.840 and the book. Org thanks for your time, Jessica. 0:25:46.869 --> 0:25:49.780 Thank you for having me. This was such a wonderful conversation. 0:25:49.780 --> 0:25:51.010 I surely appreciate it. 0:25:51.010 --> 0:25:53.350 And we're looking forward to a visit from Charlie Dyer 0:25:53.380 --> 0:26:08.050 next on the Land and the book. It's that time again. 0:26:08.050 --> 0:26:09.850 Time to take a look at questions that have come 0:26:09.850 --> 0:26:13.360 into our email inbox from listeners just like you. Kind 0:26:13.359 --> 0:26:15.310 of fun to get an answer to a question that 0:26:15.310 --> 0:26:18.190 you've been puzzling over. And that's your experience every time 0:26:18.190 --> 0:26:23.470 you email us at The Land and the book@moody.edu. Our host, 0:26:23.470 --> 0:26:26.740 Doctor Charlie Dyer, has his Bible open. And Charlie, you know, 0:26:26.740 --> 0:26:28.689 Israel has been in the news a lot over the 0:26:28.690 --> 0:26:31.330 past year. And as we know, the Bible is jam 0:26:31.330 --> 0:26:35.429 packed with end times prophecies about epic world events, the 0:26:35.430 --> 0:26:38.310 regathering of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. And 0:26:38.310 --> 0:26:42.090 then Jesus soon returned. It is crucial for us as believers, though, 0:26:42.090 --> 0:26:45.690 to have a proper understanding of Bible prophecy. So our 0:26:45.690 --> 0:26:49.709 view of the future is shaped by Scripture, not today's headlines. Right? 0:26:49.740 --> 0:26:52.050 That's exactly right. And with this in mind, our friends 0:26:52.050 --> 0:26:55.470 at Life and Messiah have published a book titled God, 0:26:55.470 --> 0:26:59.010 Israel and Bible Prophecy, and they're offering it to listeners 0:26:59.010 --> 0:27:01.109 of the land in the book for a limited time. 0:27:01.109 --> 0:27:04.560 This informative book is focused on providing readers with a 0:27:04.560 --> 0:27:08.129 deeper understanding and a greater appreciation of what God has 0:27:08.130 --> 0:27:11.220 in store for Israel and the nations by digging into 0:27:11.220 --> 0:27:14.100 what the scriptures say about these issues. Now, if you're 0:27:14.100 --> 0:27:16.800 interested in learning more about what God has in store, 0:27:16.800 --> 0:27:20.070 visit Life in Messiah. Org and click on the Moody 0:27:20.070 --> 0:27:22.750 Radio button there to find out how you can receive 0:27:22.750 --> 0:27:27.460 your copy of God, Israel and Bible Prophecy. That's life 0:27:27.460 --> 0:27:29.530 in messiah.org. 0:27:29.590 --> 0:27:32.950 Well, as always, we've got a wide range of questions today. 0:27:32.950 --> 0:27:35.260 They're all over the map. Fasten your seat belts will 0:27:35.260 --> 0:27:38.230 dig in. Here we go. Question one does the Holy 0:27:38.230 --> 0:27:43.240 Spirit still give the gifts of apostles, prophets and tongues today? 0:27:43.450 --> 0:27:45.520 Yeah, well, I believe the answer is no. And I 0:27:45.520 --> 0:27:49.060 say that for two reasons. First, Paul specifically said some 0:27:49.060 --> 0:27:51.729 of the gifts of the Holy Spirit were temporary. In 0:27:51.730 --> 0:27:55.810 first Corinthians 13 eight he specifically mentions prophecy and tongues. 0:27:55.840 --> 0:27:58.660 He says love never fails, but if there are gifts 0:27:58.660 --> 0:28:01.570 of prophecy, they'll be done away. If there are tongues, 0:28:01.570 --> 0:28:04.840 they will cease. If there's knowledge, it'll be done away. 0:28:05.140 --> 0:28:06.820 And the second reason I say this is the gift 0:28:06.820 --> 0:28:10.690 of apostleship seems specifically to have been related to actually 0:28:10.690 --> 0:28:15.190 having seen the risen Lord Jesus Christ. In first Corinthians 911, 0:28:15.190 --> 0:28:18.040 Paul wrote, am I not an apostle? Have I not 0:28:18.040 --> 0:28:20.890 seen Jesus our Lord? Now, I don't want to minimize, 0:28:20.890 --> 0:28:23.080 you know, people who claim to have these gifts. But 0:28:23.080 --> 0:28:25.030 as I read the Bible, it looks to me like 0:28:25.030 --> 0:28:28.300 these were temporary gifts related to the foundation of the 0:28:28.300 --> 0:28:31.720 early church. Once the church was established and the Bible 0:28:31.720 --> 0:28:34.400 was completed, then there was no need any longer for 0:28:34.400 --> 0:28:37.160 these temporary gifts. Can a person. 0:28:37.160 --> 0:28:40.430 Lose his or her salvation is question two. 0:28:40.460 --> 0:28:43.040 Yeah, well, the short answer is someone who's been truly 0:28:43.040 --> 0:28:46.250 born again cannot lose their salvation. And I say that 0:28:46.250 --> 0:28:49.970 because of two key passages of Scripture in John ten 0:28:49.970 --> 0:28:53.840 verses 27 to 30. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice. 0:28:53.840 --> 0:28:56.360 I know them, and they follow me, and I give 0:28:56.380 --> 0:28:59.050 eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, and 0:28:59.050 --> 0:29:02.410 no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My father, 0:29:02.410 --> 0:29:04.330 who has given them to me is greater than all, 0:29:04.330 --> 0:29:05.980 and no one is able to snatch them out of 0:29:05.980 --> 0:29:09.550 my father's hand. I and the father are one. Jesus 0:29:09.550 --> 0:29:11.920 says that He and God the Father have teamed up 0:29:11.920 --> 0:29:15.100 together to keep his sheep safe forever, and that's a 0:29:15.100 --> 0:29:20.530 powerful combination. The second passage is first John 511 to 13. 0:29:20.760 --> 0:29:23.070 There John wrote, the witness is this that God has 0:29:23.070 --> 0:29:25.860 given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 0:29:25.890 --> 0:29:28.680 He who has the son has life. He who does 0:29:28.680 --> 0:29:31.350 not have the Son of God does not have the life. 0:29:31.380 --> 0:29:33.300 These things I've written to you, who believe in the 0:29:33.300 --> 0:29:35.310 name of the Son of God, in order that you 0:29:35.310 --> 0:29:38.370 may know that you have eternal life. If we can 0:29:38.370 --> 0:29:41.400 lose it, then it's not eternal. Now I need to 0:29:41.400 --> 0:29:43.740 add one other word of caution, though. It's possible for 0:29:43.740 --> 0:29:46.350 someone to make a false profession of faith in Christ. 0:29:46.350 --> 0:29:48.900 They say the right words, but they don't truly turn 0:29:48.900 --> 0:29:51.570 from their sins to accept him as their Savior and Lord. Right? 0:29:51.570 --> 0:29:54.240 And Jesus made that clear in Matthew seven. He said, 0:29:54.240 --> 0:29:56.880 A time will come when people will say, uh, Lord, Lord. 0:29:56.880 --> 0:29:59.820 And he says, depart from me. I never knew you. 0:30:00.180 --> 0:30:02.610 Those people didn't lose their salvation. They just never had 0:30:02.610 --> 0:30:03.600 it to begin with. 0:30:03.630 --> 0:30:07.620 Here's an interesting question what kind of food did Jesus 0:30:07.620 --> 0:30:10.320 and the disciples eat? Did they have pita bread, Charlie? 0:30:10.350 --> 0:30:13.980 Well, pita bread? Yes. Big Macs? No. Uh, yeah. But 0:30:13.980 --> 0:30:16.110 on a serious note, we do have a relatively good 0:30:16.110 --> 0:30:18.390 idea of what they ate. You know, the seven species 0:30:18.390 --> 0:30:20.940 of the land, as they're called in Deuteronomy eight, uh, 0:30:20.940 --> 0:30:24.060 were the main foods a wheat, barley, vines, which means 0:30:24.060 --> 0:30:27.960 grapes and wine and figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and date 0:30:27.960 --> 0:30:30.360 palm honey. So they ate a lot of what we'd 0:30:30.360 --> 0:30:32.790 say are whole grains and fruit. Now, they also kept 0:30:32.790 --> 0:30:36.370 sheep and goats, but they ate relatively little meat. Remember, 0:30:36.370 --> 0:30:38.920 the fatted calf wasn't killed until a feast was held 0:30:38.920 --> 0:30:41.590 when the prodigal son returned. They used the milk, though, 0:30:41.590 --> 0:30:44.860 from those animals. For milk and for cheese and for yogurt. Now, 0:30:44.860 --> 0:30:47.530 in Ezekiel eight, we're also given a list of other 0:30:47.530 --> 0:30:50.320 grains they would have eaten in picturing a time of famine. 0:30:50.350 --> 0:30:53.380 Ezekiel was told to mix together these grains, which normally 0:30:53.380 --> 0:30:55.600 would have been eaten separately, and he mentions wheat and 0:30:55.600 --> 0:30:59.250 barley and beans and lentils and millet and spelt. So 0:30:59.250 --> 0:31:01.800 the bottom line in all this the primary diet was 0:31:01.800 --> 0:31:05.820 whole grains, fresh vegetables with olive oil, some dairy products 0:31:05.820 --> 0:31:08.760 and very little meat or sweets. They combine all that 0:31:08.760 --> 0:31:11.190 with a great deal of physical exercise, and they were 0:31:11.190 --> 0:31:12.690 generally in pretty good health. 0:31:12.810 --> 0:31:16.050 This listener wants to know is Psalm 22 a prophecy 0:31:16.050 --> 0:31:18.900 of Jesus praying to God on the cross? 0:31:18.960 --> 0:31:21.780 Yeah, I believe you're heading in the right direction. Jesus 0:31:21.780 --> 0:31:24.480 quoted the very words of Psalm 22, verse one, when 0:31:24.480 --> 0:31:27.090 he was on the cross, My God, my God, why 0:31:27.090 --> 0:31:30.000 have you forsaken me? The psalm was written by David 0:31:30.000 --> 0:31:33.060 to describe his experience, but I believe it was also 0:31:33.060 --> 0:31:36.330 intended to give us a prophetic glimpse into the suffering 0:31:36.330 --> 0:31:38.790 of Jesus. And I say that because of all the parallels, 0:31:38.790 --> 0:31:41.850 they're just too dramatic to ignore. You know, David mentions 0:31:41.850 --> 0:31:44.670 the mocking of those who were watching. He mentions the 0:31:44.670 --> 0:31:47.660 enemies piercing my hands and my feet. He mentions them 0:31:47.660 --> 0:31:50.750 casting lots for my clothing. You know, a thousand years 0:31:50.750 --> 0:31:54.200 before the events of Calvary, I believe David described perfectly 0:31:54.200 --> 0:31:56.630 what Jesus experienced on the cross. 0:31:56.690 --> 0:31:58.970 This listener wants to know why do we bow our 0:31:58.970 --> 0:32:02.540 heads and close our eyes when we pray? When Jesus 0:32:02.540 --> 0:32:04.430 looked up to heaven when he prayed. 0:32:04.760 --> 0:32:06.979 Yeah, it's actually a great question. The first thing that 0:32:06.980 --> 0:32:09.580 comes to mind I do believe it's related more to 0:32:09.580 --> 0:32:12.610 tradition than anything else. I think bowing our heads was 0:32:12.610 --> 0:32:15.910 intended to show reverence and respect and humility, and closing 0:32:15.910 --> 0:32:18.610 our eyes was to help blot out distractions. But in 0:32:18.610 --> 0:32:21.760 the Bible, you find people prostrating themselves on the ground 0:32:21.760 --> 0:32:24.970 and standing upright. You find them raising their hands and 0:32:24.970 --> 0:32:27.850 beating their breasts. At least in the case of Jesus 0:32:27.850 --> 0:32:30.640 illustration of the public and praying to God in the temple, 0:32:30.730 --> 0:32:34.080 no one position is demanded, though the most common probably 0:32:34.080 --> 0:32:37.380 is lifting our hands toward heaven. I believe Jesus's words 0:32:37.380 --> 0:32:39.690 in the sermon on the Mount are most helpful here. 0:32:39.690 --> 0:32:43.290 It's not so much where we pray or how we pray, 0:32:43.290 --> 0:32:45.960 as it is what we pray and our heart attitude 0:32:45.960 --> 0:32:46.800 when we're doing it. 0:32:46.800 --> 0:32:49.770 From Moody Radio, This is the Land and the book, 0:32:49.770 --> 0:32:52.410 a fast paced set of questions today that we're looking 0:32:52.410 --> 0:32:55.440 at yours. Welcome. Any time when you email us at 0:32:55.440 --> 0:32:59.190 The Land and the Book at book@moody.edu. Maybe it's a 0:32:59.190 --> 0:33:02.010 Bible study. You're in a sermon. You heard a passage 0:33:02.010 --> 0:33:05.100 you just read. That question is welcome at the land 0:33:05.100 --> 0:33:10.680 and the book@moody.edu. First, Samuel 17 has the story of 0:33:10.680 --> 0:33:13.350 David and Goliath, and this listener wants to know, did 0:33:13.350 --> 0:33:17.610 David pick up five smooth stones, as we're told, because 0:33:17.640 --> 0:33:19.950 Goliath had four other brothers. 0:33:20.250 --> 0:33:23.300 You know, second Samuel 21, does appear to say that 0:33:23.300 --> 0:33:26.270 Goliath had four brothers. But that passage does have a 0:33:26.270 --> 0:33:29.660 few problems, depending on the translation of verse 19. It 0:33:29.660 --> 0:33:32.270 either says the the person killed was Goliath or the 0:33:32.270 --> 0:33:35.120 brother of Goliath. But I think there's a better answer, though, 0:33:35.120 --> 0:33:38.120 as to why David chose five smooth stones as he 0:33:38.120 --> 0:33:40.880 prepared to fight Goliath, and it has to do with 0:33:40.880 --> 0:33:44.630 biblical wisdom. Although David was certain God was on his side, 0:33:44.630 --> 0:33:47.090 he had no guarantee that God would give him victory 0:33:47.090 --> 0:33:50.690 on his very first attempt. I suspect that David's past 0:33:50.690 --> 0:33:53.900 experience had taught him to fill his pouch with stones, 0:33:53.900 --> 0:33:56.959 so that he would have a backup ready, just in case. Now, 0:33:56.960 --> 0:33:59.600 that's not a lack of faith on David's part, as 0:33:59.600 --> 0:34:01.580 much as it is a realization of trying to hit 0:34:01.610 --> 0:34:04.880 a target in battle, conditions can be hard. He had 0:34:04.880 --> 0:34:07.310 plenty of faith in God, but he was allowing for 0:34:07.310 --> 0:34:10.740 his own human frailty in planning for the possibility of 0:34:10.739 --> 0:34:12.210 missing on his first attempt. 0:34:12.239 --> 0:34:15.689 All right. Our next question. Why do eastern cultures seem 0:34:15.690 --> 0:34:19.620 to be more in tune with spirituality than Western cultures? 0:34:19.980 --> 0:34:22.290 I think it probably has to do with the rise 0:34:22.290 --> 0:34:25.320 of rationalism in the West. During the late Middle Ages, 0:34:25.320 --> 0:34:30.359 we became more enamored with science, the scientific method, observation, experimentation, 0:34:30.360 --> 0:34:33.000 your logic. And in one sense, these are good things. 0:34:33.000 --> 0:34:36.390 They've brought about major advances in science and medicine. But 0:34:36.390 --> 0:34:38.820 the downside is that many in the West have neglected 0:34:38.820 --> 0:34:42.810 that part of life, which can't be subject to scientific analysis. 0:34:42.810 --> 0:34:46.650 But let me add, though, that spirituality alone isn't necessarily 0:34:46.650 --> 0:34:50.969 a good thing. A feeling and experience divorced from knowledge 0:34:50.969 --> 0:34:55.110 can lead to serious error. Second Timothy three. The apostle 0:34:55.110 --> 0:34:57.240 described the end times as a time when people would 0:34:57.239 --> 0:35:00.290 hold to a. He says a form of godliness, but 0:35:00.290 --> 0:35:03.500 deny its power. That is, they'll appear to be spiritual, 0:35:03.500 --> 0:35:08.060 but it'll be a delusional spirituality that's divorced from God's revelation. 0:35:08.180 --> 0:35:10.580 And in Second Peter two, Peter makes it clear that 0:35:10.580 --> 0:35:14.180 the apostles didn't follow cleverly devised tales, but he says 0:35:14.180 --> 0:35:17.360 they were eyewitnesses of the events. In short, he's saying 0:35:17.360 --> 0:35:20.509 that the spirituality of the Christian faith is a rational 0:35:20.510 --> 0:35:24.250 Christianity based on actual factual events. 0:35:24.250 --> 0:35:28.270 And here's an interesting question. When was the Sabbath changed 0:35:28.270 --> 0:35:29.680 to Sunday? Well, the. 0:35:29.680 --> 0:35:32.379 Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. And that's never changed. 0:35:32.380 --> 0:35:35.109 But the time when people gathered to worship did change 0:35:35.110 --> 0:35:38.110 from Saturday to Sunday in the early church. And I 0:35:38.110 --> 0:35:40.180 think it was related to the fact that Jesus rose 0:35:40.180 --> 0:35:41.920 from the dead on the first day of the week, 0:35:41.920 --> 0:35:45.460 which is Sunday. Matthew 28 one now after the Sabbath, 0:35:45.460 --> 0:35:47.940 as it began to dawn toward the first day of 0:35:47.940 --> 0:35:50.370 the week, that's when Mary Magdalene and the others came 0:35:50.370 --> 0:35:53.520 to the tomb. Acts 20. Verse seven. On the first 0:35:53.520 --> 0:35:55.350 day of the week, when we were gathered together to 0:35:55.350 --> 0:35:58.140 break bread, Paul begins talking to the people at the 0:35:58.140 --> 0:36:02.460 church in Troas. And first Corinthians 16 two Paul says, 0:36:02.460 --> 0:36:04.380 on the first day of every week, let each of 0:36:04.380 --> 0:36:06.930 you put aside and save as he may prosper, that 0:36:06.930 --> 0:36:09.660 no collections be made when I come. So he writes 0:36:09.660 --> 0:36:11.820 that to the church in Corinth. But it seems like 0:36:11.820 --> 0:36:14.549 the early church from very early on began worshiping on 0:36:14.550 --> 0:36:16.560 the first day of the week, because that was the 0:36:16.560 --> 0:36:18.330 day Jesus rose from the dead. 0:36:18.630 --> 0:36:23.399 Back to Genesis after he killed Abel, who did Cain marry? 0:36:23.430 --> 0:36:26.489 I think the Bible gives a fairly straightforward answer. Genesis 0:36:26.489 --> 0:36:29.190 five four says, Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. 0:36:29.190 --> 0:36:32.550 After the birth of Cain and Abel, Cain, after killing 0:36:32.550 --> 0:36:34.880 his brother, must have married one of his sisters. 0:36:34.910 --> 0:36:38.420 Okay, boy, we've covered the ground here today, wide and deep. 0:36:38.450 --> 0:36:43.400 Your question is always welcome at the land and the book@moody.edu. 0:36:43.430 --> 0:37:00.430 Charlie's devotional is next. Whether you're watching online or on television, 0:37:00.430 --> 0:37:03.160 it seems like the images almost encourage you to chill 0:37:03.160 --> 0:37:06.460 out and be lazy during the summer. But should we 0:37:06.460 --> 0:37:09.520 be lazy during the summer? What do you say, Charlie Dyer? 0:37:09.580 --> 0:37:11.980 My answer will be no, but you'll be surprised how 0:37:11.980 --> 0:37:12.700 I say it. 0:37:12.850 --> 0:37:15.879 You'll be surprised as you listen to his devotional, Avoiding 0:37:15.880 --> 0:37:18.279 the Lazy Days of Summer. That's what's next here on 0:37:18.280 --> 0:37:20.680 the land and the book in this fourth segment. Welcome back, 0:37:20.680 --> 0:37:23.010 by the way. And before we get to that devotional, 0:37:23.010 --> 0:37:25.560 let's get to this testimony from an Israel traveler. 0:37:29.670 --> 0:37:33.390 Hi, my name is Linda. And one of the things 0:37:33.390 --> 0:37:38.009 that when we were traveling right from the beginning on 0:37:38.010 --> 0:37:42.000 the Sea of Galilee was the realization that you get 0:37:42.000 --> 0:37:45.000 out there on that water and you think, you look 0:37:45.000 --> 0:37:47.900 this way and you look that way, and you look 0:37:47.900 --> 0:37:51.890 all around you, and you see how the things that 0:37:51.890 --> 0:37:57.319 Jesus did, Charlie presented things of the different things that 0:37:57.320 --> 0:38:00.050 took place just around the Sea of Galilee, and then, 0:38:00.050 --> 0:38:04.100 of course, on the sea with Peter walking and all 0:38:04.100 --> 0:38:07.340 of that type of thing. And what a wonderful thing 0:38:07.370 --> 0:38:10.910 to be able to see all of this, to be 0:38:10.910 --> 0:38:14.030 aware of where Jesus was and the things that he 0:38:14.030 --> 0:38:16.490 accomplished around that sea. 0:38:18.350 --> 0:38:21.379 All right, let's get on with Charlie Dyer's devotional, Avoiding 0:38:21.380 --> 0:38:24.230 the Lazy Days of Summer. We're headed for Proverbs 24 0:38:24.230 --> 0:38:27.229 and 26. And Charlie, it's all yours. Ah. 0:38:27.230 --> 0:38:31.130 Thank you. You know, John, way back in 1963, Nat 0:38:31.130 --> 0:38:35.020 King Cole released a song titled Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy 0:38:35.020 --> 0:38:38.170 Days of Summer. The song became a top ten single, 0:38:38.170 --> 0:38:41.500 and it ended 1963 at number 59 on the list 0:38:41.500 --> 0:38:45.069 of Billboard Hot 100 singles for the year. Even now, 0:38:45.070 --> 0:38:49.690 six decades later, it's still occasionally receives airtime, usually connected 0:38:49.690 --> 0:38:53.410 with comments about the warm summer weather. Well, today we're 0:38:53.410 --> 0:38:56.530 heading back to Israel to talk with Solomon about wisdom 0:38:56.530 --> 0:38:59.880 for life. And in many ways, today's conversation is the 0:38:59.880 --> 0:39:03.299 flipside of his wisdom from last week. That's where Solomon 0:39:03.300 --> 0:39:06.540 shared what is versus what should be in our response 0:39:06.540 --> 0:39:10.110 to those struggling in poverty. But this week, Solomon is 0:39:10.110 --> 0:39:13.500 focusing on how to avoid the lazy days of summer. 0:39:13.500 --> 0:39:15.899 But I'm getting ahead of myself. So let's head out 0:39:15.900 --> 0:39:19.739 to meet Solomon and hear his wise observations. We're outside 0:39:19.739 --> 0:39:23.520 Jerusalem on the road that leads south toward Bethlehem. On 0:39:23.520 --> 0:39:26.220 both sides of the dirt road are terraced fields covered 0:39:26.219 --> 0:39:30.239 with ripening barley and wheat, interspersed with vineyards. And coming 0:39:30.270 --> 0:39:34.290 toward us is Solomon, deep in thought. He stops and 0:39:34.290 --> 0:39:37.290 we ask where he's been. His answer is direct, but 0:39:37.290 --> 0:39:40.650 also rather cryptic. I went past the field of the sluggard, 0:39:40.650 --> 0:39:43.860 past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment. Thorns 0:39:43.860 --> 0:39:46.590 had come up everywhere. The ground was covered with weeds 0:39:46.590 --> 0:39:49.620 and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my 0:39:49.620 --> 0:39:51.990 heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from 0:39:51.989 --> 0:39:55.380 what I saw. A little sleep, a little slumber, a 0:39:55.380 --> 0:39:58.140 little folding of the hands to rest. And poverty will 0:39:58.140 --> 0:40:00.660 come on you like a bandit. And scarcity like an 0:40:00.660 --> 0:40:04.770 armed man. The combination of words he uses for sluggard 0:40:04.770 --> 0:40:09.750 can literally be translated lazy man, and lacking sense is 0:40:09.760 --> 0:40:13.450 literally lacking heart, with the heart representing here the seat 0:40:13.480 --> 0:40:17.830 of knowledge, thought, and reflection. Solomon characterized the person by 0:40:17.830 --> 0:40:21.640 observing the field that he owned. Nettles and thistles, a 0:40:21.640 --> 0:40:25.989 common agricultural problem in Israel, had totally overgrown the grain 0:40:25.989 --> 0:40:29.440 and vines, and the stone wall built to both mark 0:40:29.440 --> 0:40:32.470 the field's boundaries and to keep out wild animals, was 0:40:32.469 --> 0:40:36.719 completely broken down In agriculture, there is a great deal 0:40:36.719 --> 0:40:39.120 of work that must be done long before the crops 0:40:39.120 --> 0:40:42.270 can be harvested. And having worked on farms for a 0:40:42.270 --> 0:40:45.600 few summers while growing up, I can definitely say that 0:40:45.600 --> 0:40:48.600 it is hard work. And today we have tractors and 0:40:48.600 --> 0:40:52.590 other mechanized equipment. Standing here with Solomon, we see other 0:40:52.590 --> 0:40:55.290 farmers out in their fields chopping at the thorns and 0:40:55.290 --> 0:40:59.850 thistles that never seem to stop sprouting, and then taking 0:40:59.850 --> 0:41:03.060 a break from that repetitive work. They walk through the fields, 0:41:03.060 --> 0:41:05.520 gathering up the rocks that always seem to push their 0:41:05.520 --> 0:41:08.730 way through the soil, labouring under the load. They carry 0:41:08.730 --> 0:41:11.730 the rocks over to repair the stone walls that always 0:41:11.730 --> 0:41:15.720 seem to be toppling at the most inconvenient time. So 0:41:15.719 --> 0:41:19.140 where's the farmer with the overgrown field? He's home, taking 0:41:19.140 --> 0:41:22.670 a siesta. It's too hot under the intense summer sun. 0:41:22.670 --> 0:41:26.299 He's too tired to head out today. Perhaps tomorrow it 0:41:26.300 --> 0:41:29.090 will be cooler. Or perhaps there will be some clouds. 0:41:29.090 --> 0:41:32.660 Something not very likely, though possible. Or perhaps he will 0:41:32.660 --> 0:41:37.190 suddenly have a surge of ambition. Or perhaps. Or perhaps. 0:41:37.190 --> 0:41:40.640 But in the meantime, he's resting over there in the shade, 0:41:40.640 --> 0:41:44.240 hands folded together behind his head to make a nice pillow, 0:41:44.239 --> 0:41:47.200 and Solomon, in his wisdom, looked down the road of 0:41:47.200 --> 0:41:51.040 time and saw poverty and scarcity coming on this individual 0:41:51.040 --> 0:41:55.359 as unexpectedly as a bandit or an armed robber. We're 0:41:55.360 --> 0:41:58.629 taken aback by Solomon's observations, but he's not done yet. 0:41:58.660 --> 0:42:01.780 He then shares with us his other thoughts on laziness 0:42:01.780 --> 0:42:05.589 and its consequences, found just two chapters later in his book, 0:42:05.590 --> 0:42:08.980 The Sluggard says there's a lion in the road, a 0:42:08.980 --> 0:42:12.569 fierce lion roaming the streets as a door turns on 0:42:12.570 --> 0:42:15.839 its hinges. So a sluggard turns on his bed. The 0:42:15.840 --> 0:42:18.780 sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He's too lazy 0:42:18.780 --> 0:42:21.450 to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is 0:42:21.450 --> 0:42:24.420 wiser in his own eyes than seven men, who answered 0:42:24.420 --> 0:42:27.810 discreetly as we cock our heads to the side, trying 0:42:27.810 --> 0:42:32.250 to decipher Solomon's cryptic observations, he smiles and shares the 0:42:32.250 --> 0:42:35.759 point of each comparison. First, he says, the sluggard will 0:42:35.760 --> 0:42:39.180 make up the wildest excuses to keep from working. There 0:42:39.180 --> 0:42:42.120 are indeed lions in the land. Remember, my father David 0:42:42.120 --> 0:42:44.850 fought one when he was watching the sheep in the wilderness, 0:42:44.850 --> 0:42:48.390 but they are few and far between. It seems the 0:42:48.390 --> 0:42:52.740 sluggard will work harder inventing excuses than he will actually working. 0:42:53.130 --> 0:42:55.319 But how about your comparison to a door turning on 0:42:55.320 --> 0:42:59.239 its hinges? What do you mean? There? Well, smiling Solomon 0:42:59.239 --> 0:43:03.020 pantomimes turning from one side to another. About the only 0:43:03.020 --> 0:43:06.260 exercise the sluggard seems to get is rolling over in bed. 0:43:06.290 --> 0:43:09.380 I'm using an exaggeration, but I think you get the point. 0:43:09.380 --> 0:43:14.120 The sluggard does as little work as possible. Okay, but 0:43:14.120 --> 0:43:16.759 what do you mean when you said he buries his 0:43:16.760 --> 0:43:18.680 hand in the dish and is too weary to bring 0:43:18.680 --> 0:43:22.609 it to his mouth? Well, Solomon says you first need 0:43:22.610 --> 0:43:25.150 to remember that we don't have those fancy utensils you 0:43:25.150 --> 0:43:28.420 use for eating food. We use our fingers like forks, 0:43:28.420 --> 0:43:31.629 sometimes with a piece of pita to serve as a scoop. 0:43:31.630 --> 0:43:34.120 The common pan is placed before us, and we dip 0:43:34.120 --> 0:43:36.549 in to scoop out some rice, or perhaps a piece 0:43:36.550 --> 0:43:39.970 of meat or vegetable. Again, I'm using exaggeration to show 0:43:39.969 --> 0:43:43.120 that even the task of eating seems like it just 0:43:43.120 --> 0:43:46.299 takes too much effort to the sluggard, let alone growing 0:43:46.300 --> 0:43:49.770 the crops or preparing the meal. But then you ended 0:43:49.770 --> 0:43:51.900 by saying the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes 0:43:51.900 --> 0:43:55.500 than seven, who can give a discreet answer. Help us here, 0:43:55.500 --> 0:43:59.040 Solomon chuckles. Well, the one thing the sluggard possesses in 0:43:59.040 --> 0:44:04.080 abundance is conceit sevens, a number that represents completeness. Place 0:44:04.080 --> 0:44:07.770 the sluggard against seven individuals who can explain why diligence 0:44:07.770 --> 0:44:10.680 and hard work are important, and the sluggard will believe 0:44:10.680 --> 0:44:13.640 his approach to life. Rest. Take it easy. Have a 0:44:13.640 --> 0:44:16.730 good time is a far wiser way to live than 0:44:16.730 --> 0:44:19.310 to do all the toil and hard work, and it 0:44:19.310 --> 0:44:22.339 does seem to make life more enjoyable all the way 0:44:22.340 --> 0:44:26.090 up till harvest time and the famine that follows. But 0:44:26.090 --> 0:44:28.640 we say goodbye to Solomon as he turns for home. 0:44:28.640 --> 0:44:32.120 But what does all this have to do with us today? Sadly, 0:44:32.120 --> 0:44:35.030 a great deal. There is a philosophy today that says 0:44:35.030 --> 0:44:38.509 it's foolish to work long and hard. Books abound, telling 0:44:38.510 --> 0:44:42.140 people they can and should enjoy life without working hard. 0:44:42.140 --> 0:44:46.190 That personal fulfillment and happiness are the real goals, and 0:44:46.190 --> 0:44:48.770 that work should never be allowed to get in the way. 0:44:48.770 --> 0:44:51.350 And it seems very well until the money given to 0:44:51.350 --> 0:44:54.980 you by your parents, or by well-meaning and sympathetic friends, 0:44:54.980 --> 0:44:58.340 or from wherever you get it, runs out. And that's 0:44:58.340 --> 0:45:01.810 why the wisdom of Proverbs is so important. Work and 0:45:01.810 --> 0:45:05.109 material possessions are never to become our God. But at 0:45:05.110 --> 0:45:08.110 the same time, God designed us to do work. It's 0:45:08.110 --> 0:45:11.140 part of his original creation for humanity. In the Garden 0:45:11.170 --> 0:45:14.560 of Eden last week, we learned the importance of reaching 0:45:14.560 --> 0:45:16.870 out to help those who are poor through no fault 0:45:16.870 --> 0:45:19.719 of their own. This week we see the opposite side 0:45:19.719 --> 0:45:22.569 of the equation. We need to be very reluctant to 0:45:22.590 --> 0:45:27.120 encourage or support those who deliberately choose a lifestyle of laziness, 0:45:27.120 --> 0:45:31.620 expecting others to support them when they're unwilling to support themselves. 0:45:31.650 --> 0:45:34.469 In essence, they want to enjoy a good time while 0:45:34.469 --> 0:45:37.439 demanding that you pay for it. And that's another form 0:45:37.440 --> 0:45:41.040 of theft. Paul applied this very wisdom of Solomon when 0:45:41.040 --> 0:45:43.560 he wrote to the church at Ephesus. He balanced the 0:45:43.560 --> 0:45:46.560 importance of helping those in need with the importance of 0:45:46.560 --> 0:45:49.400 being a giver rather than a taker in our relationship 0:45:49.400 --> 0:45:52.640 to others. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, 0:45:52.640 --> 0:45:56.180 but must work doing something useful with his own hands 0:45:56.180 --> 0:45:58.970 that he may have something to share with those in need. 0:45:58.969 --> 0:46:01.550 As those who claim to love God, let's follow his 0:46:01.550 --> 0:46:05.270 wise advice for life. Avoid the lazy days of summer 0:46:05.270 --> 0:46:08.240 and be diligent in all you do, not necessarily to 0:46:08.239 --> 0:46:11.690 amass riches for yourself, but so you have sufficient to 0:46:11.690 --> 0:46:14.450 share with those who are in genuine need. That's a 0:46:14.450 --> 0:46:16.340 wise way to live life. 0:46:16.340 --> 0:46:19.969 And that's a wise, wise devotional. Thank you Charlie. You know, 0:46:19.969 --> 0:46:22.250 if you appreciate the land and the book, we've got 0:46:22.250 --> 0:46:24.620 two favors to ask of you. One, tell a friend 0:46:24.620 --> 0:46:27.020 about us. Maybe point them to our podcast at the 0:46:27.020 --> 0:46:30.170 Land and the book org. Second thing you could do 0:46:30.170 --> 0:46:32.359 is if you listen to this broadcast over the air, 0:46:32.390 --> 0:46:35.440 thank the management at the station for giving air time 0:46:35.440 --> 0:46:38.980 to our program. A quick email, a postcard or just 0:46:38.980 --> 0:46:41.830 a letter or just all really appreciated. Thank you for 0:46:41.830 --> 0:46:44.650 doing that. And on behalf of Charlie Dyer, our host, 0:46:44.650 --> 0:46:48.070 our producer, Dan Anderson, I'm John Geiger, inviting you back 0:46:48.070 --> 0:46:51.069 next week for another edition of The Land and the book, 0:46:51.100 --> 0:46:55.060 a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.