1 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:09,200 S1: Are you content today with everything going on in your life, 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,600 S1: the good and the bad? Are you content or settled? 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:18,080 S1: Are you at peace in your heart, or are you 4 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,960 S1: stirred up by the frustrations that you're facing? The disappointments, 5 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:26,560 S1: the losses? Today on Chris Fabry Live the antidote to 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,200 S1: a discontented life. Stu Epperson is going to help us 7 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:35,279 S1: see the power of embracing gratitude right here, right now, 8 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,920 S1: with whatever you're facing today that has you questioning whether 9 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,120 S1: God is for you or not. Let's get started with 10 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:43,960 S1: the program. From the heart to the heart for the 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,920 S1: heart online. Chris fabry.org. I am thankful today for Ryan 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,080 S1: McConaughey doing all things technical. Lisa's going to take over 13 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,640 S1: in a little bit. Trish is our producer. Josh is 14 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,320 S1: helping out. Steven Johnson is going to make a cameo 15 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,050 S1: appearance today and Carmen is helping out at the Truth 16 00:01:02,050 --> 00:01:05,730 S1: Network for all these people working behind the scenes, I 17 00:01:05,770 --> 00:01:09,010 S1: am thankful, as well as the friends and partners of 18 00:01:09,010 --> 00:01:12,450 S1: this program, who support what we do here every day. 19 00:01:12,450 --> 00:01:15,290 S1: Thank you. Back fence partners. Hey, if you, uh, if 20 00:01:15,290 --> 00:01:17,690 S1: you're a back fence partner, make sure you open up 21 00:01:17,730 --> 00:01:20,289 S1: the email that the video that we sent out today, 22 00:01:20,330 --> 00:01:24,130 S1: don't miss my Butterfly story video. Ryan worked really hard 23 00:01:24,130 --> 00:01:27,809 S1: on that. And if you have not given in October, 24 00:01:27,850 --> 00:01:30,850 S1: we have a great thank you. It's Christmas in October 25 00:01:31,330 --> 00:01:33,410 S1: because we want to send you a copy of Nancy 26 00:01:33,450 --> 00:01:39,850 S1: DeMoss Wolgemuth beautiful. It's a gorgeous green 31 day advent devotional. 27 00:01:40,090 --> 00:01:44,090 S1: It's titled Consider Jesus. If you go to Chris Fabry 28 00:01:44,090 --> 00:01:47,250 S1: live.org and scroll down, you'll see it right there. Give 29 00:01:47,250 --> 00:01:50,250 S1: a gift of any size today, and we will get 30 00:01:50,250 --> 00:01:52,250 S1: it to you as quickly as we can with the 31 00:01:52,250 --> 00:01:55,290 S1: help of the USPS. I think that's how he said it. 32 00:01:55,370 --> 00:02:01,540 S1: Go to Chris Fabry live.org, FABRY. Chris Fabry live.org. And 33 00:02:01,540 --> 00:02:03,700 S1: scroll down or call us if you want to talk 34 00:02:03,700 --> 00:02:08,100 S1: with a real live person. Eight. Six. Six. Nine. Five. Fabry. Yeah, 35 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:14,940 S1: they have those still. (866) 953-2279. And thank you for your 36 00:02:14,940 --> 00:02:19,739 S1: support of the Radio Backyard fence. Stu Epperson Jr is 37 00:02:19,740 --> 00:02:23,540 S1: founder and president of the Truth Network with radio stations 38 00:02:23,540 --> 00:02:27,820 S1: across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Salt Lake City 39 00:02:28,260 --> 00:02:32,820 S1: Truth Network also develops and syndicates podcasts and programs on 40 00:02:32,820 --> 00:02:38,579 S1: more than 400 affiliates. Stu hosts Truth Talk and is 41 00:02:38,580 --> 00:02:42,060 S1: the author of two books. Well, now three that we're 42 00:02:42,060 --> 00:02:46,020 S1: going to talk about today. He lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 43 00:02:46,020 --> 00:02:49,940 S1: with his wife, Julie. They have four children, two grandchildren. 44 00:02:50,460 --> 00:02:52,900 S1: Stu welcomed the program. How are you doing today? 45 00:02:53,540 --> 00:02:55,820 S2: I'm doing great. Hey, I'm doing great. I'm honored to 46 00:02:55,820 --> 00:02:57,900 S2: be with you, brother. This is some rare air to 47 00:02:57,940 --> 00:03:00,740 S2: be on with my man Chris. You and I have, uh, 48 00:03:00,780 --> 00:03:03,500 S2: we've we've been hanging out in this space for a 49 00:03:03,540 --> 00:03:05,820 S2: long time, and it's just honored to be with you 50 00:03:05,820 --> 00:03:07,060 S2: and your wonderful audience. 51 00:03:07,460 --> 00:03:11,660 S1: I was talking with Gary Chapman yesterday, and we were 52 00:03:11,660 --> 00:03:15,540 S1: talking about this, the book that we're talking about today. Thanks, living. 53 00:03:15,980 --> 00:03:18,380 S1: And he said, yeah, I was there the other day 54 00:03:18,380 --> 00:03:21,100 S1: when they, you know, he wrote the foreword to the book. 55 00:03:21,380 --> 00:03:24,540 S1: He's he is all in with what you're doing here, 56 00:03:24,540 --> 00:03:25,060 S1: isn't he? 57 00:03:25,780 --> 00:03:27,500 S2: He's been so gracious. And, you know, he came to 58 00:03:27,540 --> 00:03:30,540 S2: this little we just this little book launch at, you know, 59 00:03:30,580 --> 00:03:32,980 S2: you know, Thanksgiving, you think about the the Mayflower, right 60 00:03:32,980 --> 00:03:35,220 S2: in the, you know, the Plymouth Rock and all that stuff. 61 00:03:35,220 --> 00:03:38,020 S2: So there's a cool seafood joint in North Carolina called 62 00:03:38,020 --> 00:03:40,380 S2: the Mayflower, believe it or not. And they're wonderful friends 63 00:03:40,380 --> 00:03:43,460 S2: of Christian radio. So we had a little book launch there, uh, 64 00:03:43,460 --> 00:03:46,340 S2: you know, for Thanksgiving. And, and so I had to 65 00:03:46,340 --> 00:03:48,460 S2: introduce and recognize Doctor Chapman. So I set it up 66 00:03:48,460 --> 00:03:50,380 S2: like this. You'll enjoy this. I said, you know, when I, 67 00:03:50,420 --> 00:03:52,020 S2: when I, when I, you know, when I gave him 68 00:03:52,020 --> 00:03:54,380 S2: the idea of the five love languages, you know, decades ago, 69 00:03:54,380 --> 00:03:56,390 S2: I had no idea it would be this big and 70 00:03:56,390 --> 00:03:58,990 S2: have his own show and all that. Of course, everyone 71 00:03:58,990 --> 00:04:01,790 S2: laughed because they knew that he is the goat. And 72 00:04:01,790 --> 00:04:03,590 S2: what a blessing, what a humble man. But what a. 73 00:04:03,630 --> 00:04:05,630 S2: What a gracious man of God, I tell you. Yeah. 74 00:04:06,470 --> 00:04:09,470 S1: The book is thanks living. And there's a dash in 75 00:04:09,510 --> 00:04:13,230 S1: there between thanks and living, embracing the power of gratitude 76 00:04:13,230 --> 00:04:16,789 S1: every day. And I ask the question on our Facebook 77 00:04:16,790 --> 00:04:21,990 S1: page in everything give thanks. What's your everything? Making gratitude difficult. 78 00:04:21,990 --> 00:04:25,110 S1: And there were some really good responses to that. And 79 00:04:25,110 --> 00:04:27,670 S1: we're going to get to those. But why do you 80 00:04:27,670 --> 00:04:32,109 S1: think this idea of, of not just being thankful, being 81 00:04:32,110 --> 00:04:35,790 S1: grateful because we have to, but living it out, why 82 00:04:35,790 --> 00:04:37,070 S1: is that so important? 83 00:04:37,790 --> 00:04:41,110 S2: Well, you know, it goes back to God said it. 84 00:04:41,270 --> 00:04:45,469 S2: So he he's laid it out for us. It's all 85 00:04:45,470 --> 00:04:49,310 S2: over Scripture, this idea of gratitude and being thankful. And 86 00:04:49,310 --> 00:04:54,070 S2: this verse for me. Chris, I started studying this verse. Goodness, 87 00:04:54,070 --> 00:04:55,880 S2: I've known it all my whole life. Mama taught it 88 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,840 S2: to me when I was little, and we. We've quoted 89 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,160 S2: it almost every year at Thanksgiving. But then I started 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,160 S2: studying it a few years back and it started really 91 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:08,640 S2: studying me and I. I discovered things in one verse. 92 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:13,280 S2: I called a one verse wonder. So many rich. Just 93 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:17,480 S2: vitamins and nutrients power packed in this thing and I 94 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,200 S2: just the Lord just kind of put it on me. 95 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,560 S2: You gotta make, you know, you gotta make this a 96 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,360 S2: book and just to share it with everybody. So that's 97 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,359 S2: really how this was birthed in me. And then how this, 98 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,560 S2: this became a book. I'm a little more comfortable sitting 99 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,040 S2: where you're sitting and interviewing other authors and you've written 100 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,400 S2: some books and, you know, so I'm, I'm a little 101 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,040 S2: that's kind of more my thing. But the Lord, when, 102 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:39,920 S2: you know, when something gets Ahold of you, right. And 103 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,560 S2: you just gotta just, you know, obey the Lord and 104 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,680 S2: just share it with other people. And I really hope 105 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,680 S2: it will encourage people because per your comment and your Facebook, 106 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,279 S2: which is a great that is a great caption, a 107 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,930 S2: great question. Life is messy. I mean, this is a 108 00:05:55,970 --> 00:05:58,810 S2: you know, we're in this, you know. What does gratitude 109 00:05:58,850 --> 00:06:02,450 S2: have to do with all the just horrible stuff that 110 00:06:02,450 --> 00:06:05,210 S2: happens and over? You know, you look at it, just 111 00:06:05,210 --> 00:06:07,570 S2: read the headlines, you look around and even in your 112 00:06:07,570 --> 00:06:11,130 S2: own life, when stuff falls apart, but you discover that 113 00:06:11,130 --> 00:06:15,330 S2: it has everything to do with it as we connect 114 00:06:15,330 --> 00:06:19,810 S2: with the one who's really in control. So there's a 115 00:06:19,810 --> 00:06:24,890 S2: grounding to this that anchors in the Rock of ages, 116 00:06:25,250 --> 00:06:28,369 S2: even though we feel like our world is constantly being 117 00:06:28,370 --> 00:06:31,089 S2: rocked by all the stuff going on around us. 118 00:06:31,250 --> 00:06:34,690 S1: And I believe as I've gone through this and I've 119 00:06:34,730 --> 00:06:37,450 S1: looked at my own life, I believe that this is 120 00:06:37,450 --> 00:06:40,450 S1: something that has to this is a heart matter. It's 121 00:06:40,450 --> 00:06:45,250 S1: not a discipline matter, although there is a certain amount of. 122 00:06:45,290 --> 00:06:48,210 S1: You know, of that gratitude can. If you have a 123 00:06:48,210 --> 00:06:50,170 S1: journal and you do it every day, you start to 124 00:06:50,210 --> 00:06:53,540 S1: see this, you know, on the page. But there is 125 00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:56,340 S1: a certain sense. Well, it happened with your mom when 126 00:06:56,339 --> 00:07:00,380 S1: your dad, Big Stu, died. You write in the book, 127 00:07:00,380 --> 00:07:02,700 S1: one of the things that she first things that she 128 00:07:02,700 --> 00:07:05,660 S1: said about this relate that to our listeners. 129 00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:07,860 S2: Oh my soul. Yeah. This was a this was a 130 00:07:07,860 --> 00:07:09,740 S2: sad day in her family's life. I mean, I, I 131 00:07:09,780 --> 00:07:11,700 S2: remember it like it was yesterday. It was a hot 132 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:15,540 S2: summer day. And we, we kind of found out. Dad, 133 00:07:15,540 --> 00:07:19,380 S2: dad went to heaven somewhere around 4 a.m.. And so 134 00:07:19,380 --> 00:07:21,500 S2: we had been on the scene and we had been 135 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:25,059 S2: dealing with medical personnel. We had our pastors calling us. 136 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:28,140 S2: We had wonderful friends coming by and. But by the 137 00:07:28,140 --> 00:07:31,820 S2: time an 11 a.m. rolled around or later that morning, 138 00:07:31,860 --> 00:07:34,860 S2: kind of closer to lunch time, you know, it started 139 00:07:34,860 --> 00:07:37,900 S2: to settle in kind of the finality of it. And 140 00:07:37,900 --> 00:07:39,620 S2: then other people started showing up and they were just 141 00:07:39,620 --> 00:07:43,340 S2: finding out and they're crying and, and just trying to process. 142 00:07:43,340 --> 00:07:46,580 S2: I got nieces and nephews and grandkids running around in 143 00:07:46,580 --> 00:07:48,740 S2: the yard. Their mom's in the pool quoting and floating. 144 00:07:48,740 --> 00:07:52,230 S2: She loves to quote, memorize scripture. And she was in 145 00:07:52,270 --> 00:07:54,270 S2: that pool and she was working on her scripture of 146 00:07:54,270 --> 00:07:58,430 S2: all things at all times. And that alone was pretty remarkable. 147 00:07:58,430 --> 00:08:01,190 S2: Then pastor Will gets there, our pastor walks up and 148 00:08:02,190 --> 00:08:05,190 S2: and he gives me a hug and just encouraging me. 149 00:08:05,190 --> 00:08:07,670 S2: And he says, I'd love to see your mom and 150 00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:09,710 S2: just maybe encourage her a little bit and just be 151 00:08:09,710 --> 00:08:11,750 S2: here for your family. Took him back to the pool, 152 00:08:11,910 --> 00:08:14,550 S2: walked all the way back, walked up, lifted the little 153 00:08:14,790 --> 00:08:16,830 S2: there's a little big umbrella, and we just kind of 154 00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:18,910 S2: tilted it up so he could duck his head under. 155 00:08:18,910 --> 00:08:21,150 S2: And he looked at her and said, Nancy, how are 156 00:08:21,150 --> 00:08:26,350 S2: you doing? And Mama looked at him and without hesitation 157 00:08:26,390 --> 00:08:29,590 S2: and a big smile on her face, she said, pastor Will, 158 00:08:29,590 --> 00:08:34,429 S2: I am grateful. I'm so thankful that God gave me 159 00:08:34,870 --> 00:08:38,470 S2: 60 years married to Stu. And she went on about 160 00:08:38,470 --> 00:08:40,750 S2: the cool things that happened in those years. And now 161 00:08:40,750 --> 00:08:43,150 S2: I'm standing there listening to all this, taking it in. 162 00:08:43,670 --> 00:08:46,910 S2: And Chris, I'd been working on this book for goodness, 163 00:08:46,910 --> 00:08:49,790 S2: maybe 5 or 6 years. Honestly, I had the whole outline, 164 00:08:49,790 --> 00:08:51,910 S2: had the five A's of 518, and I was ready 165 00:08:51,910 --> 00:08:54,150 S2: to go and something to go, and something just had 166 00:08:54,150 --> 00:08:56,429 S2: been holding it up. You know, I didn't know what 167 00:08:56,429 --> 00:09:00,350 S2: it was, you know, and that moment that she said 168 00:09:00,350 --> 00:09:05,670 S2: those words to my pastor in that traumatic season, the 169 00:09:05,670 --> 00:09:09,030 S2: dam broke in my soul. And literally the book was 170 00:09:09,030 --> 00:09:12,429 S2: finished in like 20s right there, like just in, in 171 00:09:12,630 --> 00:09:17,630 S2: just because it's like, that's it. That's the tone. That's 172 00:09:17,630 --> 00:09:19,070 S2: the theme. This is the. 173 00:09:19,150 --> 00:09:22,190 S1: Spirit of it. Yes. Bubbled up from her. This is 174 00:09:22,190 --> 00:09:25,270 S1: not something that she had to write down and memorize 175 00:09:25,510 --> 00:09:27,310 S1: in order to get, you know, get it out of 176 00:09:27,309 --> 00:09:29,950 S1: her heart. It's like, this is it. It's that she 177 00:09:29,950 --> 00:09:34,470 S1: was at a place where she was brokenhearted. I'm sure 178 00:09:34,470 --> 00:09:37,910 S1: the loss was great. I'm sure she was grateful for that. 179 00:09:37,910 --> 00:09:41,670 S1: His suffering was was over. You know, there's that in there. 180 00:09:41,910 --> 00:09:47,309 S1: But overarching, all of that was this thankful heart for 181 00:09:47,309 --> 00:09:49,600 S1: the time that they had together, the love that they 182 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,280 S1: had shared, the children that they, you know, had had 183 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,760 S1: birthed all the things that they had experienced together. That's 184 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:58,280 S1: what I want. Stu. And I know that's what you 185 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,280 S1: want to come out of this book. And so we're 186 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:07,000 S1: going to take your calls today at (877) 548-3675. How would 187 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,040 S1: you answer that question and everything. Give thanks. What is 188 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:15,239 S1: your everything that is making gratitude difficult for you today 189 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:21,680 S1: or has made it difficult? (877) 548-3675. If you go to 190 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:27,600 S1: the website a or a Thanksgiving coming up, it's. Thanks. Living. 191 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,280 S1: Embracing the power of gratitude every day. Go to Chris 192 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:37,000 S1: Fabry live.org and you'll find it right there. Chris Fabry live.org. 193 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:41,000 S1: More with Stu Epperson Jr. Straight ahead on Moody Radio. 194 00:10:49,170 --> 00:10:50,850 S1: I love it when we get to have a fellow 195 00:10:50,850 --> 00:10:54,969 S1: broadcaster on Stu Epperson Jr. Is that. Find out more 196 00:10:54,970 --> 00:11:00,290 S1: about him at Chris Fabry live.org. But we're talking about gratitude, 197 00:11:00,290 --> 00:11:04,530 S1: the power of gratitude. Thanks. Living is a book that 198 00:11:04,530 --> 00:11:07,530 S1: kind of poured out of Stu, as you've just heard. 199 00:11:07,570 --> 00:11:09,689 S1: You've been working on it for a number of years, 200 00:11:09,690 --> 00:11:12,370 S1: and that's it is an interesting. We had a guest 201 00:11:12,370 --> 00:11:15,090 S1: yesterday who was talking about clothing in the Bible, and 202 00:11:15,090 --> 00:11:18,250 S1: she'd been working on this, looking at, you know, covering 203 00:11:18,250 --> 00:11:21,730 S1: what God did for us, the righteousness of Christ, as 204 00:11:21,730 --> 00:11:24,330 S1: well as Adam and Eve in the garden. And she'd 205 00:11:24,370 --> 00:11:26,410 S1: been thinking about this for ten years before it ever 206 00:11:26,410 --> 00:11:29,890 S1: came to the page. And I can tell from the 207 00:11:29,929 --> 00:11:35,650 S1: reading the book, Stu, that this has stood STEWED in 208 00:11:35,650 --> 00:11:39,450 S1: your life and has kind of baked and bubbled and 209 00:11:39,450 --> 00:11:42,770 S1: has bubbled up from you. So let's take me to 210 00:11:42,809 --> 00:11:48,780 S1: first Thessalonians 518. You knew that from 30,000ft, but now 211 00:11:48,780 --> 00:11:51,380 S1: you know it a lot closer, more closely, don't you? 212 00:11:52,059 --> 00:11:58,020 S2: That simply says in everything, give thanks. This is the 213 00:11:58,020 --> 00:12:04,260 S2: will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. And out 214 00:12:04,260 --> 00:12:06,460 S2: of that simple verse, the Lord just kind of gave 215 00:12:06,460 --> 00:12:09,700 S2: me five A's. You know, love, alliteration. Like our dear 216 00:12:09,700 --> 00:12:12,860 S2: friend in heaven, Doctor Adrian Rogers. He was the king 217 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:14,939 S2: of this. He was the master of this. You know 218 00:12:14,940 --> 00:12:17,980 S2: that guy? Yes he was. And the five A's of 219 00:12:17,980 --> 00:12:20,980 S2: 518 that go through each part of that. And really 220 00:12:20,980 --> 00:12:24,140 S2: each one is a sermon. Each one is just jam 221 00:12:24,140 --> 00:12:28,540 S2: packed with all kinds of good stuff that, that that 222 00:12:28,580 --> 00:12:33,860 S2: traces and tracks all throughout Scripture, all throughout, you know, 223 00:12:33,900 --> 00:12:39,420 S2: redemptive narrative as to how we got here. And, and Paul, 224 00:12:39,460 --> 00:12:42,660 S2: he's giving these punchy and imperatives at the end of, 225 00:12:42,700 --> 00:12:45,110 S2: you know, he's really hitting the return of Christ. First 226 00:12:45,110 --> 00:12:48,710 S2: Thessalonians is such a powerful eschatological book because he's talking 227 00:12:48,710 --> 00:12:50,950 S2: about the greatest. The next great event that happened in 228 00:12:50,950 --> 00:12:53,230 S2: history is The Return of the King. Aren't you excited 229 00:12:53,230 --> 00:12:56,030 S2: about that? We're looking forward to that. And Paul is 230 00:12:56,030 --> 00:12:57,990 S2: telling them now Christ is coming back, and suddenly he 231 00:12:57,990 --> 00:13:02,390 S2: starts giving them these great encouragements, these little pop pop 232 00:13:02,390 --> 00:13:06,950 S2: poppers like Pray Without Ceasing. You know that one rejoice evermore. 233 00:13:06,950 --> 00:13:09,950 S2: And he jumps right into this one. In everything give thanks. 234 00:13:09,950 --> 00:13:13,710 S2: And so this 518 is right in the middle of that. 235 00:13:13,710 --> 00:13:16,990 S2: And these are things that are really worth noting because 236 00:13:16,990 --> 00:13:18,990 S2: just like, you know, we're always to be praying. I 237 00:13:18,990 --> 00:13:20,870 S2: don't mean walking around with our eyes shut. You know, 238 00:13:20,910 --> 00:13:23,829 S2: giving out, you know, these, uh, you know, prayers and 239 00:13:23,830 --> 00:13:26,150 S2: running into people and wrecking in traffic. But there's a 240 00:13:26,150 --> 00:13:28,070 S2: sense of being in a spirit of prayer. There's a 241 00:13:28,070 --> 00:13:31,150 S2: sense of watching and praying like Jesus talked about. And 242 00:13:31,150 --> 00:13:33,750 S2: so you go and rejoice evermore. Well, what about joy? 243 00:13:33,790 --> 00:13:34,790 S2: You know, how do you how do you have joy 244 00:13:34,790 --> 00:13:37,070 S2: at a funeral? You know, when there's someone you love 245 00:13:37,070 --> 00:13:39,270 S2: just died? Well, there's a lot of times there's joy 246 00:13:39,270 --> 00:13:42,230 S2: when there's tears running down your face and gratitude just 247 00:13:42,270 --> 00:13:45,630 S2: kind of flows right in with those things. And it's 248 00:13:45,630 --> 00:13:49,790 S2: inextricably connected with the fruit of the spirit. It's it's 249 00:13:49,790 --> 00:13:54,670 S2: connected with prayer, it's connected with rejoicing. And it's something 250 00:13:54,670 --> 00:14:00,510 S2: that really is a fruit or an outgrowth of grace. 251 00:14:00,990 --> 00:14:05,550 S2: And so you have grace all over these 16 words 252 00:14:05,550 --> 00:14:10,870 S2: in the English, this verse from first Thessalonians 518. And 253 00:14:10,870 --> 00:14:14,910 S2: that's kind of what leads to the gratitude. That's, uh, 254 00:14:14,910 --> 00:14:19,350 S2: that Paul calls us all to all the time. So 255 00:14:19,350 --> 00:14:23,110 S2: it's not something that we just set aside and we 256 00:14:23,110 --> 00:14:27,070 S2: pull out all of our gratitude decorations for that final 257 00:14:27,070 --> 00:14:30,070 S2: Thursday of the month of November, right? Which, you know, we, 258 00:14:30,110 --> 00:14:32,150 S2: you know, we do that with Christmas too, right? We say, well, 259 00:14:32,190 --> 00:14:34,350 S2: Jesus is the reason for the season and the whole 260 00:14:34,350 --> 00:14:37,470 S2: year round. And we say that. But do we really 261 00:14:37,470 --> 00:14:40,150 S2: believe that? Do we really live as though Christ has 262 00:14:40,150 --> 00:14:44,160 S2: been born in me. Wow. Is that. Is he a. 263 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,840 S2: Is he as much alive in me? AM I as 264 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:53,040 S2: much giving and generous with giving and receiving gifts in 265 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,000 S2: July as I am in. You know, in December I 266 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,400 S2: loved how you said, you know, October, Christmas in October. 267 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,400 S2: I think it's Christmas all the time, you know. So 268 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,000 S2: and that's true of. That's why we call it Thanksgiving because, 269 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,000 S2: you know, maybe to some that might sound corny, but honestly, 270 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,040 S2: it is what he's called us to this this ongoing 271 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:16,640 S2: heart of gratitude. And it's all packed in, in these, uh, this, 272 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,040 S2: these words in verses 518. 273 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,880 S1: And it goes back, it harkens back to me to 274 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:27,160 S1: what Jesus said in John 1010. I've come that they 275 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:30,320 S1: might have life and have it abundantly. So we're. Thanks. 276 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:35,680 S1: Living is the abundant life in this segment of, of 277 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:39,570 S1: your life and your spirit and, and you cannot, I 278 00:15:39,610 --> 00:15:41,730 S1: don't I don't think that you can do this on 279 00:15:41,730 --> 00:15:45,690 S1: your own. I think this is something that God gives 280 00:15:45,690 --> 00:15:48,210 S1: to you in the middle of whatever it is that's 281 00:15:48,210 --> 00:15:52,010 S1: going on in your life. So it's, it's grace that 282 00:15:52,010 --> 00:15:56,210 S1: comes to us. And then it's our response that we 283 00:15:56,210 --> 00:15:58,890 S1: live it out. So this is kind of like working 284 00:15:58,890 --> 00:16:02,810 S1: out your salvation. It's working out your gratitude in the 285 00:16:02,810 --> 00:16:06,650 S1: middle of, but I don't feel thankful for what's in 286 00:16:06,650 --> 00:16:08,610 S1: front of me. Does that make sense to you? 287 00:16:09,250 --> 00:16:11,730 S2: Oh, it makes a lot of sense. It's this goes 288 00:16:11,770 --> 00:16:15,690 S2: against the the tide. This goes against, you know, the world. 289 00:16:15,690 --> 00:16:19,570 S2: We tend to have a we tend to be grateful 290 00:16:20,210 --> 00:16:22,770 S2: when things are just rolling right along. And it's really 291 00:16:22,770 --> 00:16:27,530 S2: interesting that you mentioned that because without the Lord, without grace, 292 00:16:28,170 --> 00:16:34,130 S2: there really isn't lasting genuine gratitude. I mean, there's look, 293 00:16:34,730 --> 00:16:38,940 S2: the all the professional, all the, A. The folks that 294 00:16:38,940 --> 00:16:43,580 S2: coach at the corporate level, the will tell you write 295 00:16:43,580 --> 00:16:47,300 S2: thank you notes. Say the words thank you a lot. 296 00:16:47,660 --> 00:16:51,420 S2: Use that. Be grateful in all that Ted talkers are 297 00:16:51,420 --> 00:16:54,740 S2: taking this thing by storm. They're making big money giving 298 00:16:54,740 --> 00:16:58,900 S2: these speeches and they're saying, have a gratitude journal. I 299 00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:00,780 S2: just got to tell me yesterday, quoting a guy that's 300 00:17:00,780 --> 00:17:03,340 S2: not even a believer who's making a ton of money, 301 00:17:03,340 --> 00:17:06,060 S2: telling people, have a gratitude journal. You should write down 302 00:17:06,060 --> 00:17:08,620 S2: things you're thankful for. Go on a gratitude walk. Now, look, 303 00:17:08,619 --> 00:17:13,140 S2: I'm not criticizing that. That is absolutely wonderful. It's but 304 00:17:13,540 --> 00:17:16,980 S2: this but I'm taking people back to the source. And 305 00:17:16,980 --> 00:17:21,420 S2: the source of gratitude is the grace of our Lord 306 00:17:21,420 --> 00:17:25,220 S2: Jesus Christ. It goes back to an old rugged cross 307 00:17:25,460 --> 00:17:30,340 S2: because without that grace, ultimately I have nothing to be 308 00:17:30,340 --> 00:17:33,460 S2: thankful for. And I don't have a real eternal reason 309 00:17:34,380 --> 00:17:36,340 S2: to be thankful for. So, you know, what does it profit? 310 00:17:36,340 --> 00:17:39,470 S2: A man gains the whole world but loses his own soul. 311 00:17:39,470 --> 00:17:43,350 S2: So at the soul level, if you're not experiencing if 312 00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:46,950 S2: you haven't experienced God's grace, if God's grace hasn't flowed 313 00:17:46,950 --> 00:17:52,790 S2: into your life. Gratitude, genuine truth, the true gratitude of 314 00:17:52,790 --> 00:17:56,750 S2: change and transformation isn't isn't going to flow out without 315 00:17:56,750 --> 00:18:00,190 S2: the grace, you know, flooding in. Having said that, I'm 316 00:18:00,310 --> 00:18:03,230 S2: I'm grateful for everyone that talks about gratitude. It's just 317 00:18:03,230 --> 00:18:06,429 S2: nice to see when we give credit back to the 318 00:18:06,430 --> 00:18:09,190 S2: good Lord and to the good book. Yeah. 319 00:18:09,590 --> 00:18:13,350 S1: The, the book we're talking about, Stu Epperson is with us. Thanks. Living, 320 00:18:13,550 --> 00:18:17,470 S1: embracing the power of gratitude every day. Have you seen 321 00:18:17,470 --> 00:18:19,510 S1: this at work in your own life? The question I 322 00:18:19,550 --> 00:18:22,910 S1: put up on Facebook is in everything. Give thanks. What's 323 00:18:22,910 --> 00:18:27,990 S1: your everything? Making gratitude difficult. And Vicki said, I heard 324 00:18:27,990 --> 00:18:30,110 S1: this early this morning. And I said, God, you have 325 00:18:30,109 --> 00:18:32,790 S1: no idea how bad it is. Then I saw the 326 00:18:32,830 --> 00:18:35,510 S1: look he gave me in the spirit. Of course, she 327 00:18:35,510 --> 00:18:38,070 S1: wasn't really looking in God's face. She said I had 328 00:18:38,070 --> 00:18:40,950 S1: a good long laugh at myself. And then I started 329 00:18:40,950 --> 00:18:44,310 S1: praising him all the way to work. He sees me. 330 00:18:44,550 --> 00:18:48,710 S1: So you don't have any idea? It's almost like the Psalms. 331 00:18:48,990 --> 00:18:51,070 S1: We would have not not have half the Psalms if 332 00:18:51,070 --> 00:18:54,710 S1: we didn't have, you know, this discombobulated feeling. But at 333 00:18:54,710 --> 00:18:56,830 S1: some point in most of those songs, they get to 334 00:18:56,830 --> 00:19:01,310 S1: a place where. But I trust you, I you see me, 335 00:19:01,310 --> 00:19:06,310 S1: you are for me. Ivy says I'm grateful for mental 336 00:19:06,310 --> 00:19:10,629 S1: health challenges. It makes me relatable. Now, how can you 337 00:19:10,670 --> 00:19:14,149 S1: be thankful for stuff that's going on in your in 338 00:19:14,190 --> 00:19:16,430 S1: your head that you don't want to be going on 339 00:19:16,430 --> 00:19:19,310 S1: up there? Well, that's one of the ways that she 340 00:19:19,310 --> 00:19:22,150 S1: has framed this is like, I can relate to people 341 00:19:22,150 --> 00:19:25,429 S1: who are going through this same thing, and I'm grateful 342 00:19:25,430 --> 00:19:27,710 S1: to be able to have that connection with others. So 343 00:19:27,750 --> 00:19:33,830 S1: what about you? (877) 548-3675. Mark is the first one who 344 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:35,800 S1: called in today. Hey, Mark, go right ahead. 345 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:42,159 S3: Well, I went totally blind about six years ago, and 346 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,840 S3: the Lord has been giving me an unexpected peace that 347 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:51,480 S3: passes all understanding. I thought I would go into severe depression, 348 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:56,680 S3: maybe suicidal ideations. And oh, there were there were a 349 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,160 S3: couple very brief bouts of that, but that was because 350 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,000 S3: I went off the rails and I, I'll tell you, 351 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,240 S3: I'll tell you a couple stories that illustrate that contentment 352 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,560 S3: and where it comes from. I, they both happened in 353 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,200 S3: conjunction with, uh, a colonoscopy that I had recently. And 354 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,199 S3: without going into detail, I'll just say that part of 355 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,120 S3: it is that you have to fast for at least 356 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:22,280 S3: a day. And the Holy Spirit must have prompted me 357 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,639 S3: to notice the tastes and textures of the food. After 358 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,160 S3: I came back to it, I, I had, I had 359 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,530 S3: a chicken pastry, for example, that had vegetables and chicken 360 00:20:34,530 --> 00:20:39,370 S3: inside the dough, and I was just so savoring the 361 00:20:39,369 --> 00:20:46,729 S3: textures and the, the flavors and I, I now that 362 00:20:46,730 --> 00:20:48,489 S3: I look back at it, I can see that the 363 00:20:48,490 --> 00:20:51,050 S3: Holy Spirit prompted me to do that. And that's part 364 00:20:51,050 --> 00:20:55,090 S3: of what's been keeping me contented. And my, my retired 365 00:20:55,090 --> 00:20:59,250 S3: priest friend who's almost 95, told me that he's an 366 00:20:59,250 --> 00:21:03,810 S3: Episcopal priest, not Roman Catholic, but he told me, he said, 367 00:21:03,850 --> 00:21:06,810 S3: he said, Mark, I admire you. And I thought, wait 368 00:21:06,810 --> 00:21:09,970 S3: a minute, I've always admired you. What are you talking about? 369 00:21:10,010 --> 00:21:13,210 S3: And he said, well, he said, I've never heard an 370 00:21:13,210 --> 00:21:17,010 S3: angry word out of your mouth about your disability. And 371 00:21:17,010 --> 00:21:19,850 S3: I thought about that and I thought, well, what would 372 00:21:19,850 --> 00:21:23,970 S3: be the point? Um, I mean, why, why, why, why 373 00:21:24,170 --> 00:21:29,250 S3: be jaundiced about life? Uh, jaundiced. Uh, pardon me for 374 00:21:29,250 --> 00:21:32,940 S3: the graphic. Being jaundiced means seeing the world through urine 375 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:34,820 S3: colored glasses. You don't want to go there? 376 00:21:35,180 --> 00:21:35,580 S2: Yeah. 377 00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:37,740 S1: I want to go back to what you were talking 378 00:21:37,740 --> 00:21:40,820 S1: about with the food though, Mark, because that there was 379 00:21:40,859 --> 00:21:44,580 S1: was delight even in your voice when you talked about that, 380 00:21:44,580 --> 00:21:47,580 S1: the texture of the food, the taste of the food. 381 00:21:48,140 --> 00:21:51,700 S1: And when you couldn't eat it, it, it made it 382 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:55,460 S1: even more enhanced. So stew, you know what he's talking about. 383 00:21:56,260 --> 00:21:59,179 S2: I do, absolutely. Yes, sir. You get you get in 384 00:21:59,220 --> 00:22:01,379 S2: there and you, you really appreciate it. And there's so 385 00:22:01,380 --> 00:22:06,100 S2: many little things that Mark you brought up. You just 386 00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:09,100 S2: think about like you're talking about some serious health things here, Mark. 387 00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:11,260 S2: And I'm just grateful for your testimony. Wow. That you 388 00:22:11,260 --> 00:22:15,020 S2: can you have a lot more you not having sight. 389 00:22:15,020 --> 00:22:16,820 S2: You have a lot more vision than a lot of 390 00:22:16,820 --> 00:22:21,820 S2: believers do. You know, we we don't see what the 391 00:22:21,820 --> 00:22:26,500 S2: Lord's doing. Oftentimes when we're complaining, we're grumbling when we're 392 00:22:26,500 --> 00:22:32,190 S2: upset and we don't see these missed appointments or you're late, 393 00:22:32,190 --> 00:22:36,150 S2: or even a little traffic mess up or something that 394 00:22:36,150 --> 00:22:41,350 S2: happens in your life. But God's working things together for 395 00:22:41,350 --> 00:22:44,510 S2: the good in us and through us. And it's it's a, 396 00:22:44,910 --> 00:22:49,230 S2: you know, that Romans 828 verse. And in the end, 397 00:22:49,270 --> 00:22:53,990 S2: everything of first Thessalonians 518, it's almost like you're, you're, 398 00:22:53,990 --> 00:22:56,350 S2: you're baking a cake. It just takes all those ingredients 399 00:22:56,350 --> 00:22:59,389 S2: and no one knows those ingredients better, better than our God, 400 00:22:59,430 --> 00:23:03,149 S2: than he who began a good work in us, who 401 00:23:03,150 --> 00:23:06,190 S2: is faithful and will be faithful to complete that work 402 00:23:06,590 --> 00:23:10,630 S2: through us, in us until Christ comes back. Philippians one six. 403 00:23:10,990 --> 00:23:18,030 S2: So that process process is painful. The process is it's 404 00:23:18,030 --> 00:23:21,429 S2: a struggle, you know, but when you start to. But 405 00:23:21,430 --> 00:23:23,070 S2: when you stop and say, wait a second, who's in 406 00:23:23,070 --> 00:23:26,670 S2: charge here? Who's the boss here, Lord? For some reason 407 00:23:26,670 --> 00:23:29,240 S2: this has come to me. But it didn't come to me. 408 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:33,280 S2: First it passed through your son first. MM. Lord, what 409 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,200 S2: are you doing? And I'm grateful that you're in control, 410 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,280 S2: just like Mark. You're sharing. That's just such a good testimony. 411 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,880 S1: God bless you, Mark. Thanks for calling today. Stu Epperson 412 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:44,399 S1: is with us. I'm going to give you a chance 413 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,960 S1: as well. But there was one there's one pushback, Stu, 414 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,160 S1: that I want to give you. And then we'll we'll 415 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,800 S1: take a break. And the pushback is this. I think 416 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,960 S1: often in the church, we try to rush people to 417 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,959 S1: forgiveness through something. And he said, well, you have to 418 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,560 S1: forgive him. You got to forgive him. And it's something 419 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,480 S1: bad has just happened. You know, they've had this offense 420 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,199 S1: or something that has been done to them. We try 421 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:15,200 S1: to rush them. I think Thanksgiving or gratitude can also 422 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:18,840 S1: be the same thing that we feel like when something 423 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,600 S1: bad has happened in somebody else's life, or even in 424 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:25,720 S1: my life, there can be a guilt and shame that 425 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,679 S1: I'm not. I'm not thankful. Why am I? Why am 426 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,919 S1: I not thankful in this? And one of the respondents 427 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,080 S1: to the to the question today was. I discovered a 428 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:40,119 S1: long time ago that it says in everything, not for everything. 429 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,040 S1: It makes it a little easier. That's what Diane says. 430 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,360 S1: But I want to see if, if you understand what 431 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:51,120 S1: I'm saying about this rush to gratitude as if it 432 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:53,520 S1: were okay, here are the things that I have to 433 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,560 S1: do in order to be thankful that I lost my 434 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:58,720 S1: job today. I've just gotten my pink slip, so I 435 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,440 S1: got to figure out something to be thankful to. And 436 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:05,280 S1: what we do is we we push away the pain 437 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,080 S1: of that so that we don't have to go through that. 438 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,679 S1: So I can spiritualize it in a way. I'm getting 439 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:13,520 S1: in deep weeds here. So let me take a break. 440 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,560 S1: We'll come back. Stu Epperson is with us today. Our 441 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:21,680 S1: featured resource. Great book. Thanks, living Embracing the Power of 442 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,320 S1: Gratitude every day. I know it's going to be a 443 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,770 S1: help to you. And if you have a story about 444 00:25:26,770 --> 00:25:30,609 S1: something that is difficult for you to be thankful in, 445 00:25:30,650 --> 00:25:43,730 S1: not for 87754836758775483675. Would love to hear your story today 446 00:25:43,730 --> 00:25:46,970 S1: at the radio backyard fence. More with Stu coming up 447 00:25:46,970 --> 00:26:05,050 S1: straight ahead on Moody Radio. In Stu Epperson's book there 448 00:26:05,090 --> 00:26:08,169 S1: are so many great quotes. This one is from Jerry bridges. 449 00:26:08,170 --> 00:26:13,290 S1: He says gratitude is a handmaiden of contentment. An ever 450 00:26:13,330 --> 00:26:17,369 S1: growing attitude of gratitude will certainly make us more content, 451 00:26:17,530 --> 00:26:20,169 S1: since we'll be focusing more on what we do have, 452 00:26:20,210 --> 00:26:23,810 S1: both spiritually and materially, than on what we don't. But 453 00:26:23,810 --> 00:26:27,500 S1: contentment is more than focusing on what we have. It 454 00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:30,940 S1: is focusing on the fact that all we do have, 455 00:26:30,980 --> 00:26:33,900 S1: we have by the grace of God. We do not 456 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:38,540 S1: deserve anything we have materially or spiritually. It is all 457 00:26:38,540 --> 00:26:42,859 S1: by his grace. So the quotes are worth it. In. Thanks. Living. 458 00:26:42,859 --> 00:26:50,020 S1: Embracing the power of gratitude every day. Featured resource@kris.org. But 459 00:26:50,020 --> 00:26:52,980 S1: my point just before the breaks to was I think 460 00:26:53,020 --> 00:26:55,500 S1: a lot of people. I felt this to. I'm a 461 00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:59,860 S1: failure if I don't. If I'm not thankful immediately about 462 00:26:59,859 --> 00:27:02,699 S1: the storm. You know something good happens or something I 463 00:27:03,020 --> 00:27:06,540 S1: seems like it's good. It's easy to get to Thanksgiving 464 00:27:06,780 --> 00:27:08,900 S1: if I'm going through a storm. If I'm going through 465 00:27:08,900 --> 00:27:12,540 S1: a hard time, I'm struggling. It's hard and, and I 466 00:27:12,540 --> 00:27:17,460 S1: want to give people and myself the room to get 467 00:27:17,460 --> 00:27:20,300 S1: to Thanksgiving. So talk about that. 468 00:27:21,020 --> 00:27:23,060 S2: Well, it's kind of like grieving. You know, some someone 469 00:27:23,109 --> 00:27:25,470 S2: just might just need a little arm around them. And 470 00:27:25,470 --> 00:27:28,390 S2: you might not need to say anything. You just be 471 00:27:28,390 --> 00:27:31,149 S2: there for them and allow God to work in and 472 00:27:31,150 --> 00:27:35,590 S2: through them to get them to gratitude. Sometimes gratitude helps 473 00:27:35,590 --> 00:27:38,670 S2: me get there. You know, sometimes I'm going to brush 474 00:27:38,670 --> 00:27:41,630 S2: my teeth every morning whether I feel like it or not, 475 00:27:41,670 --> 00:27:44,070 S2: you know? You know, there's, there's, there's, there's disciplines. I'm 476 00:27:44,070 --> 00:27:45,750 S2: going to read my Bible today. I don't feel like, 477 00:27:45,790 --> 00:27:48,390 S2: you know, you remember the bill bright thing he had 478 00:27:48,630 --> 00:27:50,469 S2: that was so cool. You know, I saw it in 479 00:27:50,470 --> 00:27:55,229 S2: college first, you know, faith, fact and feeling, you know, 480 00:27:55,270 --> 00:27:57,389 S2: and he says that this is the train, the the 481 00:27:57,430 --> 00:28:00,590 S2: main locomotive is fact. What Jesus Christ has done, who 482 00:28:00,590 --> 00:28:02,949 S2: he is. And then the next car is faith. We 483 00:28:02,950 --> 00:28:05,350 S2: have faith in what he has done. And the final 484 00:28:05,350 --> 00:28:07,430 S2: one is feeling. But don't let feeling lead the train 485 00:28:07,430 --> 00:28:10,390 S2: or you're in trouble, right? So, so often it's don't 486 00:28:10,390 --> 00:28:14,070 S2: let your life in your actions and your reactions be 487 00:28:14,070 --> 00:28:18,230 S2: dictated by your circumstances or what people say about you 488 00:28:18,270 --> 00:28:21,510 S2: or what people think about you. You know, am I, 489 00:28:21,550 --> 00:28:27,080 S2: am I living anchored to him? And gratitude often reminds 490 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:33,000 S2: us of where we came from and who he saved 491 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,359 S2: me and what he saved me from. If I just 492 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:39,680 S2: stop and say, okay, now, where was I? Because Matthew Henry, 493 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:41,959 S2: great quote from Matthew Henry and this is in the 494 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:44,840 S2: book too, where he said he was robbed. I mean, 495 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:46,959 S2: here's a guy serving God preaching the gospel, you know, 496 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:50,440 S2: the great Matthew Henry commentary, which I love. And this 497 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:52,760 S2: is a direct quote from Matthew Henry after he was 498 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,880 S2: mugged and banged up and beat up on the streets. 499 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,760 S2: He said this. He said, I am thankful that this 500 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,400 S2: was the first time I was ever robbed. Hadn't been 501 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,200 S2: robbed before. And then he said, he said, I'm thankful 502 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,280 S2: that though they took my purse, they didn't take my life. 503 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:12,680 S2: They spared my life. He said, I'm a. He said, 504 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:16,320 S2: I'm thankful that though they took everything I had with me, 505 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,200 S2: they didn't take all of. All of it that I had. 506 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,840 S2: And then he said, finally, I am thankful that it 507 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:28,040 S2: was I who was robbed and not I who robbed him. 508 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:33,040 S2: So just look at that gratitude in that moment from 509 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:38,600 S2: a godly man going into that, you know, and it 510 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,320 S2: just starts to change. And you also think about the 511 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,560 S2: difficult people. That's another thing. You asked me kind of 512 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,720 S2: how this stuff has hit me. Well, we all have 513 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:49,640 S2: difficult people in our life and or, or how about this, Chris? 514 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,560 S2: We all might be the difficult people in other people's lives. 515 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:55,840 S2: Maybe there's two talk show hosts. Hey, maybe there's a 516 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:57,479 S2: couple talk show hosts talking about the two of us 517 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,400 S2: right now somewhere. You know, another like those guys, they're 518 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:02,480 S2: just what in the world? You know those, you know. 519 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:06,680 S2: But but you think about you going to gratitude. Maybe 520 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:09,720 S2: just say, Lord, this person gets on my last nerve. 521 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:11,520 S2: They just sent me a nasty text. How can I 522 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,600 S2: be thankful for them? Well, thank you, Lord, that. Hey, 523 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:17,160 S2: they're texting me. How about this? Hey, thank you Lord, 524 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,969 S2: that I'm praying for them right now. I wasn't praying. 525 00:30:20,330 --> 00:30:22,250 S2: I wasn't praying before I got that mean phone call 526 00:30:22,250 --> 00:30:24,969 S2: or that nasty email. Now I'm praying. Now I'm in 527 00:30:24,970 --> 00:30:28,290 S2: God's presence. How about this? Thank you, Lord, that I 528 00:30:28,290 --> 00:30:31,450 S2: have a chance to pray for them. Maybe to pray 529 00:30:31,450 --> 00:30:34,490 S2: for healing in their life because hurt people hurt people. 530 00:30:34,490 --> 00:30:37,770 S2: Maybe I'm part because they reached out and hurt me. 531 00:30:38,010 --> 00:30:40,730 S2: Maybe you're using me as a catalyst, as a part 532 00:30:40,730 --> 00:30:44,530 S2: of the path to their healing. See, so as I'm 533 00:30:44,530 --> 00:30:47,330 S2: thanking God, as I'm just saying, Lord, show me something 534 00:30:47,330 --> 00:30:48,850 S2: to be thankful for. Of course, mom and I were 535 00:30:48,850 --> 00:30:52,050 S2: laughing about someone who really attacked our family, just in 536 00:30:52,050 --> 00:30:55,650 S2: a horrible way some years ago. And I said, mom, hey, 537 00:30:55,810 --> 00:30:59,250 S2: we were just talking and thanking God for how we've 538 00:30:59,290 --> 00:31:02,330 S2: trusted him through that tough season. And I said, hey, mom, hey, 539 00:31:02,450 --> 00:31:05,250 S2: we're thankful he he's not a serial killer. You know, 540 00:31:05,290 --> 00:31:08,170 S2: I mean, that sounds trivial and goofy, but, you know, 541 00:31:08,210 --> 00:31:10,530 S2: there's there's always something to be thankful for. My mom 542 00:31:10,530 --> 00:31:13,930 S2: is she's an eternal optimist. But this goes deeper than 543 00:31:13,930 --> 00:31:20,620 S2: just the surface glib. This goes Into. Lord, I was 544 00:31:21,060 --> 00:31:26,980 S2: that robber. Yea, I was among that mob that said, 545 00:31:26,980 --> 00:31:32,020 S2: crucify him. It was my sin. Now this gets real personal, Chris. 546 00:31:32,020 --> 00:31:35,460 S2: This real deep. This gets real painful. But this gets real. 547 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:37,980 S2: Look in the mirror kind of stuff. It was my 548 00:31:37,980 --> 00:31:44,820 S2: sin that your son bled and died for naked on 549 00:31:44,860 --> 00:31:47,700 S2: that tree of death. So I could eat from the 550 00:31:47,700 --> 00:31:50,620 S2: tree of life. And when you start to go there, 551 00:31:50,620 --> 00:31:52,860 S2: you start to realize, wow, the ground is level at 552 00:31:52,860 --> 00:31:56,140 S2: the foot of the cross. If not, by the grace 553 00:31:56,140 --> 00:32:00,900 S2: of God, there go I. Well, hey, I'm saying, hey, 554 00:32:00,900 --> 00:32:05,700 S2: I'm thankful that, Lord, that was me. And now you 555 00:32:05,740 --> 00:32:08,820 S2: came on a rescue mission for me. Now, maybe this 556 00:32:08,820 --> 00:32:12,660 S2: whole bad thing happened. So now I could be join 557 00:32:12,660 --> 00:32:16,300 S2: with you on this rescue mission to bring others, even 558 00:32:16,390 --> 00:32:19,030 S2: those who have hurt me and harmed me to you 559 00:32:19,030 --> 00:32:21,590 S2: and into your presence at the very least through prayer. 560 00:32:22,190 --> 00:32:26,630 S1: So it sounds like what you're saying is, in a sense, 561 00:32:26,910 --> 00:32:32,430 S1: gratitude is surrender. It's rather than closing your fist tight 562 00:32:32,430 --> 00:32:36,150 S1: and God get em, you know, somebody did something wrong, 563 00:32:36,150 --> 00:32:39,350 S1: or I can't believe the injustice of this or that 564 00:32:39,350 --> 00:32:42,910 S1: this has happened in my life. Instead, you open your 565 00:32:42,910 --> 00:32:46,430 S1: hands and you release what it is that is the 566 00:32:46,470 --> 00:32:49,270 S1: negative thing that's happened. And you release that to him 567 00:32:49,830 --> 00:32:53,590 S1: to do what he wants. That's a part of the process, right? 568 00:32:54,310 --> 00:32:57,910 S2: Absolutely. You know, my buddy was on a ladder doing 569 00:32:57,910 --> 00:33:02,030 S2: his job, you know, trying to feed his family and 570 00:33:02,030 --> 00:33:04,510 S2: he falls off. You know, he works in that kind 571 00:33:04,510 --> 00:33:06,150 S2: of industry, you know, where he's working with his hands 572 00:33:06,150 --> 00:33:08,510 S2: and all that stuff. He falls off the ladder and 573 00:33:08,870 --> 00:33:12,030 S2: bangs himself up pretty bad. Goes to the doctor. He 574 00:33:12,030 --> 00:33:15,030 S2: could he was not happy because he had all these appointments. 575 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:18,400 S2: You lock in these jobs, you got your contractors, everyone's 576 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:23,040 S2: lined up. Doctor finds through that injury to his body. 577 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:30,320 S2: Doctor finds a malignant tumor in his body. And they 578 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,240 S2: were able to surgically remove the whole thing and get 579 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:38,240 S2: this guy cancer free pretty quickly. And he and his 580 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,920 S2: wife are alive today. Serving God and heaven is not 581 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:42,959 S2: a bad place. And that that may be part of 582 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,360 S2: the ultimate healing for some, but they would not have 583 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,200 S2: found that had he not had that construction accident that 584 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,560 S2: he was not expecting. And I imagine people listening are 585 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,840 S2: thinking about that's why that happened or that's why that happened, 586 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,680 S2: or that's why my buddy Fred loves the Lord. He's 587 00:33:57,680 --> 00:33:59,520 S2: a soul winner. He's praying all the time for a 588 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:01,800 S2: chance to win souls. But he was sweating and angry 589 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:04,320 S2: because he has this trailer that has a rare kind 590 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:07,000 S2: of tire, and he couldn't get it fixed. And it 591 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,640 S2: just so happened these guys stopped to help him. Three 592 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,680 S2: guys who knew how to fix that kind of tire. 593 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,600 S2: And by golly, Fred led two of those guys to Christ. 594 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,000 S2: And after he got out of his kind of his 595 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,440 S2: muck and his funk and his his upset in this 596 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:23,839 S2: because he couldn't get all his stuff done and he's 597 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:26,040 S2: stuck on, you know, with his trailer that won't go. 598 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:28,120 S2: He leads two of those guys to Christ. And he said, Stu, 599 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,040 S2: I'm still working on this third guy. I've got his number. 600 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,520 S2: And I text him from time to time and I'm 601 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:35,320 S2: praying God will save him. And he said, I was 602 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,160 S2: I was upset and angry. And, you know, I was 603 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:40,239 S2: kicking the tire because I was so mad that this 604 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,200 S2: thing broke down and the people God brought. Now I 605 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,280 S2: know why this all happened. You know what God's doing, 606 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:48,840 S2: even though in the moment he didn't feel it. But 607 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,120 S2: he saw this as a divine appointment in every appointment, 608 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:54,319 S2: you know that is a divine appointment. God's not the 609 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,560 S2: God of chance. He's the God of second chances. 610 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,920 S1: Mhm. And and right there is exactly what I was 611 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:03,640 S1: talking about. You, you you gave he gave himself the 612 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:07,400 S1: space to get to the gratitude, to get to the gospel. 613 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,719 S1: Of course, this happened to you. There was a situation 614 00:35:10,719 --> 00:35:15,090 S1: with one of the stations that had, uh, something happened 615 00:35:15,090 --> 00:35:16,489 S1: to it. Tell us that story. 616 00:35:16,810 --> 00:35:19,290 S2: Oh, my. Yeah, it was it was not a Monday 617 00:35:19,610 --> 00:35:22,730 S2: morning call I wanted to get. We had someone go 618 00:35:22,730 --> 00:35:28,129 S2: in and just come in and they, they, they, they 619 00:35:28,130 --> 00:35:30,890 S2: broke in and they tore up our, our heating air 620 00:35:30,890 --> 00:35:34,129 S2: system is a heating well, our air conditioning system. And he, 621 00:35:34,170 --> 00:35:37,169 S2: it was a very hot day. And the temperature, I think, 622 00:35:37,210 --> 00:35:41,370 S2: got to like 97 inside the, uh, the transmitter room. 623 00:35:41,370 --> 00:35:45,049 S2: And these are important radio stations. And Chris, a fellow 624 00:35:45,050 --> 00:35:48,850 S2: broadcaster who, you know, called me because he and I 625 00:35:48,850 --> 00:35:52,850 S2: are connected in this facility. We each have stations there 626 00:35:52,850 --> 00:35:57,250 S2: and it's our facility. And we're like, what would possess 627 00:35:57,250 --> 00:35:58,969 S2: someone to do this? And how could someone do this? 628 00:35:58,969 --> 00:36:02,250 S2: And who in the world would would go in, in, in, 629 00:36:02,290 --> 00:36:04,850 S2: you know, destroy a, you know, and cut the coils. 630 00:36:04,850 --> 00:36:06,730 S2: It takes a rare kind of cutter, you know, like 631 00:36:06,730 --> 00:36:10,570 S2: a strong cutter to cut those thick coils to completely 632 00:36:10,570 --> 00:36:13,220 S2: cut off our airflow in that, you know, that building 633 00:36:13,219 --> 00:36:14,819 S2: and what in the world. And we, you know, we're 634 00:36:14,820 --> 00:36:18,420 S2: talking and all of a sudden we're thinking, wait a 635 00:36:18,420 --> 00:36:23,660 S2: second here. God has put us in a situation where 636 00:36:23,660 --> 00:36:27,460 S2: we are reaching thousands of people like this show that 637 00:36:27,460 --> 00:36:29,420 S2: I'm on right now with the good news of the 638 00:36:29,460 --> 00:36:32,100 S2: Gospel of Jesus Christ. Can you believe that we even 639 00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:34,259 S2: have these problems to talk about? Thank you Lord. And 640 00:36:34,260 --> 00:36:36,299 S2: we started thanking God for the privilege of being in 641 00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:39,580 S2: Christian broadcasting and putting the gospel out. And shows like 642 00:36:39,580 --> 00:36:42,180 S2: Chris Fabry Live that are going out all over the country, 643 00:36:42,180 --> 00:36:44,580 S2: all over the world, and people are listening online, on stream, 644 00:36:44,580 --> 00:36:47,780 S2: on their phones. People are, you know, partnering and souls 645 00:36:47,780 --> 00:36:49,980 S2: are being saved and say, hey, you know what? This 646 00:36:49,980 --> 00:36:53,580 S2: this is why we're being attacked. Well, thank you, Lord, that, 647 00:36:53,620 --> 00:36:56,100 S2: you know, we, we could just be sitting on, you know, 648 00:36:56,140 --> 00:36:58,940 S2: on our blessed assurance, doing nothing for the Lord in, in, 649 00:36:58,940 --> 00:37:00,819 S2: in not having let me tell you, if you're not 650 00:37:00,820 --> 00:37:03,779 S2: engaged in the gospel, you're not going to be attacked. 651 00:37:03,780 --> 00:37:06,299 S2: The devil's not going to, hey, the storm isn't going 652 00:37:06,300 --> 00:37:09,750 S2: to attack a docked boat. Right. But when you start 653 00:37:09,750 --> 00:37:11,710 S2: to step in. So so that's kind of how it ended. 654 00:37:11,710 --> 00:37:13,350 S2: And we ended up praying and we prayed for those 655 00:37:13,350 --> 00:37:15,430 S2: guys that did that, that they would find Christ and 656 00:37:15,430 --> 00:37:18,270 S2: they would be redeemed. And of course, that for law enforcement, 657 00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:20,629 S2: they would find these guys and maybe finding these guys 658 00:37:20,630 --> 00:37:22,830 S2: and put them in the can would help them find Christ. Right. 659 00:37:22,830 --> 00:37:25,109 S2: But we just prayed and in our, in our, our, 660 00:37:25,550 --> 00:37:28,950 S2: our hearts, you know, went from kind of being angry, 661 00:37:28,989 --> 00:37:32,790 S2: you know, almost bitter to being grateful for the privilege 662 00:37:32,790 --> 00:37:35,189 S2: of serving Christ and for being counted worthy to suffer 663 00:37:35,190 --> 00:37:37,109 S2: in this way. And this isn't really suffering. Chris, you 664 00:37:37,110 --> 00:37:38,750 S2: and I know, and we talk about people that are 665 00:37:38,750 --> 00:37:40,630 S2: in prison right now that are being they're going to 666 00:37:40,630 --> 00:37:43,710 S2: be killed today. Christians will be killed in Nigeria for 667 00:37:43,710 --> 00:37:47,030 S2: their faith in Jesus Christ. What am I complaining about? 668 00:37:47,030 --> 00:37:48,989 S2: How about I drop to my knees and say, thank you, Lord, 669 00:37:48,989 --> 00:37:52,350 S2: for those dear saints and their boldness for the gospel, Lord, 670 00:37:52,350 --> 00:37:54,630 S2: and thank you that I have the freedom to speak 671 00:37:54,630 --> 00:37:57,310 S2: the gospel here without getting shot here or here in America. 672 00:37:57,310 --> 00:38:00,190 S2: It's free and that we can generously give to ministries 673 00:38:00,190 --> 00:38:03,390 S2: like yours, Chris. And like you know this your awesome 674 00:38:03,430 --> 00:38:06,590 S2: ministry and broadcast to support gospel outreach all over the 675 00:38:06,590 --> 00:38:09,080 S2: world to help our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. 676 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:12,400 S2: So when you take that higher road, which we did, 677 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:14,879 S2: you know, it's easy to go dark really quick. You know, 678 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:16,680 S2: in your soul. And the enemy's just got that voice. 679 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:18,000 S2: He's always hitting you there, isn't he? 680 00:38:18,360 --> 00:38:22,400 S1: Yeah. And that's what the culture is. It wants to foment. 681 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:26,680 S1: It wants to stir up strife and go down. But God, 682 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,080 S1: it sounds like in your life and in so many 683 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,560 S1: different illustrations that use a Corrie ten boom. You know, 684 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,480 S1: when she was in the concentration camp and her sister 685 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,800 S1: was praying, being thankful for the fleas, you know, that's 686 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,279 S1: that's the kind of thing that God can turn your 687 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,399 S1: heart around. But again, that grace and that mercy kind 688 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:50,479 S1: of bubbling to the surface and seeing what's really going on, 689 00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:54,160 S1: you have to have different eyes of your heart, I think. 690 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:57,200 S1: And so Stu Ibbotson's with us today, we'll take our 691 00:38:57,200 --> 00:38:59,680 S1: final break and come back. If you go to Chris 692 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:04,440 S1: Fabry live.org, you'll see that book. Thanks. Living, embracing the 693 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:10,290 S1: power of gratitude every day. Just go to Chris dot ORG. 694 00:39:10,410 --> 00:39:13,050 S1: Scroll down. We have a link to it right there. 695 00:39:13,090 --> 00:39:26,250 S1: Chris Faber live.org. More straight ahead on Moody Radio. We 696 00:39:26,290 --> 00:39:27,930 S1: are so thankful that you're with us here at the 697 00:39:27,930 --> 00:39:31,650 S1: Radio Backyard Fence. This is Chris Fabry live. Stu Epperson 698 00:39:31,650 --> 00:39:35,169 S1: Jr is joining us. And our featured resource today is 699 00:39:35,170 --> 00:39:39,770 S1: thanks living embracing the power of gratitude every day. If 700 00:39:39,810 --> 00:39:43,850 S1: you capture this and you start to see this bubbling 701 00:39:43,850 --> 00:39:46,290 S1: up in your life and you're living it out, it'll 702 00:39:46,290 --> 00:39:49,089 S1: spread over to other people, your family members and people 703 00:39:49,090 --> 00:39:51,770 S1: in your community. They'll see that you're different. But there's 704 00:39:51,770 --> 00:39:57,730 S1: also this idea that this has effects physically, mentally, this 705 00:39:57,730 --> 00:40:01,810 S1: can change us on the inside, can't it, Stu? 706 00:40:02,650 --> 00:40:06,049 S2: Absolutely. You know, it it's and that's the whole that's 707 00:40:06,050 --> 00:40:08,530 S2: the whole point of it. And it could be that 708 00:40:08,530 --> 00:40:12,610 S2: your gratitude, even in tough stuff, could be the cause 709 00:40:12,610 --> 00:40:15,370 S2: of someone else hearing about the grace of God for 710 00:40:15,370 --> 00:40:17,290 S2: the first time. And I think of Johnny Erickson taught us, 711 00:40:17,290 --> 00:40:21,410 S2: I mean, she's been she's been preaching from that rolling pulpit, right, 712 00:40:21,450 --> 00:40:24,730 S2: for like six decades. Amazing woman of God. She wrote 713 00:40:24,730 --> 00:40:28,690 S2: a very kind endorsement for this book, Thanksgiving. And, you know, 714 00:40:28,730 --> 00:40:32,089 S2: somewhere in the world today, Chris, some little kid who 715 00:40:32,090 --> 00:40:36,089 S2: has been dragging herself by her elbows and hands through 716 00:40:36,450 --> 00:40:41,850 S2: a rough, dirty street is getting a beautiful wheelchair, and 717 00:40:41,850 --> 00:40:44,049 S2: she's going to get the wheelchair, she's going to get 718 00:40:44,050 --> 00:40:46,489 S2: the gospel. Her whole family is going to get the gospel. 719 00:40:46,530 --> 00:40:48,530 S2: The whole village is going to get the gospel because 720 00:40:48,530 --> 00:40:52,370 S2: of Johnny and Friends, because our friend Johnny Erickson Tada 721 00:40:52,489 --> 00:40:56,530 S2: has been grateful that even though God didn't heal her 722 00:40:56,570 --> 00:41:00,290 S2: years ago, it hasn't healed her of her quadriplegia. God 723 00:41:00,290 --> 00:41:02,170 S2: has done such a work of grace in her life. 724 00:41:02,170 --> 00:41:04,089 S2: Like I see her on Facebook and I see and 725 00:41:04,090 --> 00:41:07,500 S2: I hear her broadcast. I just like, wow, what a 726 00:41:07,540 --> 00:41:11,300 S2: what a reflection. But God's grace is so transformed her. 727 00:41:11,340 --> 00:41:13,939 S2: You see gratitude bubbling over in her life, and you 728 00:41:13,940 --> 00:41:18,580 S2: see it expressed in more grace so that people she's 729 00:41:18,580 --> 00:41:22,180 S2: led thousands, maybe millions to Christ that she hey, she 730 00:41:22,180 --> 00:41:25,100 S2: can't even get on her knees to pray. Yet thousands 731 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:28,340 S2: have come to their knees because of this godly woman's 732 00:41:28,340 --> 00:41:31,460 S2: gratitude and because of her, you know, you know, being 733 00:41:31,460 --> 00:41:33,540 S2: on mission with Christ, sharing the gospel. 734 00:41:34,060 --> 00:41:38,259 S1: First Thessalonians 518 in everything give thanks, for this is 735 00:41:38,260 --> 00:41:40,940 S1: God's will for you in Christ Jesus. So here in 736 00:41:40,940 --> 00:41:44,299 S1: the last couple of minutes, there are five A's. When 737 00:41:44,300 --> 00:41:47,060 S1: you got your magnifying glass out to look at this, 738 00:41:47,340 --> 00:41:48,860 S1: give me walk me through those. 739 00:41:49,300 --> 00:41:51,979 S2: Well, first of all, I tell you, pastor preacher, you 740 00:41:51,980 --> 00:41:54,460 S2: can preach a whole sermon on one verse I just wrote. 741 00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:56,420 S2: I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, okay? But 742 00:41:56,420 --> 00:41:58,979 S2: I just wrote a whole book on one verse. Okay. 743 00:41:59,020 --> 00:42:02,780 S2: First Thessalonians 518. So you have the amount, the first 744 00:42:02,870 --> 00:42:06,870 S2: A in everything and you just think about what? What 745 00:42:06,870 --> 00:42:10,350 S2: is God doing? What is God up to? Is God 746 00:42:10,350 --> 00:42:14,270 S2: really care about every detail of my life from my 747 00:42:14,270 --> 00:42:17,070 S2: relative who has got this horrible disease to the parking 748 00:42:17,070 --> 00:42:19,590 S2: space I'm going to park at next time I go out? 749 00:42:19,630 --> 00:42:22,629 S2: Is God really involved? And so this is the. And 750 00:42:22,630 --> 00:42:26,110 S2: not necessarily for everything. No one, no one loves that 751 00:42:26,110 --> 00:42:29,670 S2: that sharp, you know, surgical device that's that's cutting you open. 752 00:42:29,989 --> 00:42:32,710 S2: But hey, everyone loves the fact that that you're going to, 753 00:42:32,750 --> 00:42:35,590 S2: you know, that there's a doctor there and that God's 754 00:42:35,590 --> 00:42:37,830 S2: using this to, to get you closer to him. And 755 00:42:37,830 --> 00:42:41,350 S2: so that's that first a in everything, the amount, then 756 00:42:41,350 --> 00:42:47,110 S2: you have the action give thanks. God is a giving God. 757 00:42:47,150 --> 00:42:50,109 S2: You know, we, you know, our, the great family, uh, 758 00:42:50,110 --> 00:42:53,630 S2: speakers and therapists always say, here's how you spell love 759 00:42:53,750 --> 00:42:55,670 S2: T I'm e I'm going to take, I'm going to 760 00:42:55,670 --> 00:42:57,430 S2: take issue with them. I'm going to agree with them 761 00:42:57,430 --> 00:42:59,670 S2: that that is t I'm e time is a great 762 00:42:59,670 --> 00:43:01,719 S2: part of that. But before you can have t I'm e. 763 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:06,920 S2: You got to have GIVE or GAVE. For God so 764 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:11,719 S2: loved the world he gave. And so this whole chapter 765 00:43:11,719 --> 00:43:16,280 S2: is just on this generous giving God. He gave everything. 766 00:43:16,280 --> 00:43:18,160 S2: What do we do? Do we add to that cross? 767 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:20,840 S2: Can I die for people's sins? Can I atone anybody? 768 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:24,720 S2: Can I forgive anybody? Really? No, but I can give 769 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:28,319 S2: him thanks. And in giving him thanks, I'm recognizing that 770 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:32,040 S2: it all comes from him to me, and then through 771 00:43:32,080 --> 00:43:35,240 S2: me to others. So that's that powerful giving. That's the action. 772 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:36,879 S2: And then you have the aim, the will of God. 773 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:39,000 S2: Is there anything greater? Is there any place on this 774 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:42,200 S2: planet to be greater than being in the center of 775 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:44,520 S2: God's will? And in contrast to that, there's no more 776 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,680 S2: dangerous place than to be outside of God's will. So 777 00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:50,000 S2: the essence of that chapter, with all kinds of cool 778 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:54,080 S2: stories and examples in my own conviction, in my own life, is, hey, 779 00:43:54,120 --> 00:43:58,040 S2: quit looking for God's will. Look for God in his will, 780 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:00,649 S2: will find you. And so that's the aim. And right 781 00:44:00,650 --> 00:44:03,330 S2: in the center of this gratitude, he finds someone who's grateful. 782 00:44:03,330 --> 00:44:05,250 S2: By the way, there's someone who's in God's will. I 783 00:44:05,250 --> 00:44:08,049 S2: can guarantee you, there they are connected. And then you 784 00:44:08,050 --> 00:44:12,090 S2: have the access, arguably the most important part of the 785 00:44:12,090 --> 00:44:15,250 S2: whole verse, those two little words in Christ Jesus, or 786 00:44:15,250 --> 00:44:18,890 S2: three little words because Jesus Christ made a way when 787 00:44:18,890 --> 00:44:20,690 S2: there was no way, he made a way. When I 788 00:44:20,690 --> 00:44:24,209 S2: was running the opposite way, and he came into my 789 00:44:24,210 --> 00:44:27,850 S2: mess to turn my mess into a message of his grace. 790 00:44:27,850 --> 00:44:31,089 S2: And so I talk all about Christ, and even that 791 00:44:31,090 --> 00:44:33,569 S2: Thanksgiving feast that we get together at our churches and 792 00:44:33,570 --> 00:44:36,210 S2: do every so often called the Eucharist, which literally that 793 00:44:36,210 --> 00:44:39,690 S2: word means thanksgiving. It's a big thank you Jesus moment 794 00:44:39,690 --> 00:44:42,370 S2: when we're celebrating what he did for us. Just like 795 00:44:42,370 --> 00:44:44,489 S2: that Passover feast was in the Old Testament. So I 796 00:44:44,489 --> 00:44:48,490 S2: get into feast there. In that chapter, the access comes 797 00:44:48,489 --> 00:44:50,810 S2: through Jesus Christ, who paid the greatest price. And finally 798 00:44:50,810 --> 00:44:53,330 S2: the application. Chris, that's you and me, buddy. We are 799 00:44:53,330 --> 00:44:58,290 S2: the beneficiaries of this amazing grace. And what do we do? 800 00:44:58,330 --> 00:45:01,810 S2: We say thank you? Thank you Jesus. And we are 801 00:45:01,850 --> 00:45:04,210 S2: we are the application. And that's the final. As you 802 00:45:04,210 --> 00:45:07,930 S2: have the you have the amount, you have the action, 803 00:45:07,930 --> 00:45:10,730 S2: you have the aim, you have the access, and then 804 00:45:10,730 --> 00:45:14,570 S2: you have the application. So we're living that out every day. 805 00:45:14,890 --> 00:45:16,690 S1: Adrian would be proud of you, friend. 806 00:45:17,330 --> 00:45:19,529 S2: Buddy. He inspired me. By the way. I'm thankful for you. 807 00:45:19,530 --> 00:45:21,689 S2: I just became a back fence partner. I just did 808 00:45:21,730 --> 00:45:23,489 S2: my chubby little fingers during the break. So I'm on 809 00:45:23,489 --> 00:45:25,330 S2: board with you guys, man. I love what you're doing. 810 00:45:26,410 --> 00:45:29,650 S1: Uh, Stu, I love your heart and I love anybody 811 00:45:29,650 --> 00:45:34,930 S1: who pushes us, nudges us, leads us to this idea 812 00:45:34,930 --> 00:45:38,370 S1: of giving thanks and living that out because that is 813 00:45:38,370 --> 00:45:42,049 S1: the application. Live this out. Don't just do this. Put 814 00:45:42,050 --> 00:45:43,450 S1: it on your list. And I got to do this 815 00:45:43,450 --> 00:45:46,529 S1: and this and this today. No, let it bubble up 816 00:45:46,530 --> 00:45:49,810 S1: from the inside as a response to the love and 817 00:45:49,810 --> 00:45:52,370 S1: the mercy and the grace of God. What a great 818 00:45:52,370 --> 00:45:56,810 S1: message for today. Stu Epperson, thanks for being here at 819 00:45:56,810 --> 00:45:58,860 S1: the back fence today. Appreciate you friend. 820 00:45:59,500 --> 00:46:01,500 S2: Hey. Thank you. Honored to be on. If someone write 821 00:46:01,540 --> 00:46:03,620 S2: a thank you note to someone who's brought them closer 822 00:46:03,620 --> 00:46:06,700 S2: to Christ today, do something with this and watch what 823 00:46:06,739 --> 00:46:08,980 S2: God does in your heart and in their life. 824 00:46:09,100 --> 00:46:12,220 S1: There you go. Right there. There's an application for you, 825 00:46:12,260 --> 00:46:15,060 S1: a text or. But I like what you say that 826 00:46:15,100 --> 00:46:18,259 S1: actually writing it out and sending it or handing it 827 00:46:18,260 --> 00:46:20,939 S1: to that person. There's something about that. Uh, we talked, 828 00:46:20,980 --> 00:46:24,100 S1: we had a program by handwritten letters in the power 829 00:46:24,100 --> 00:46:27,540 S1: of Them. But today's book by Stu Epperson is thanks 830 00:46:27,580 --> 00:46:32,860 S1: living Embracing the Power of gratitude every day. Featured resource 831 00:46:32,900 --> 00:46:36,339 S1: at the website Chris Fabry live.org. And we've got a 832 00:46:36,340 --> 00:46:38,700 S1: new back fence partner. His name is Stu Epperson. You 833 00:46:38,700 --> 00:46:41,739 S1: can do that too, right there at the website. Hey, 834 00:46:41,780 --> 00:46:44,020 S1: Mike Faberes is going to be here at the back 835 00:46:44,060 --> 00:46:47,420 S1: fence tomorrow on Chris Fabry live production of Moody Radio, 836 00:46:47,620 --> 00:46:50,140 S1: a Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.