1 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,039 S1: It's the Tuesday before Christmas, and all through the house 2 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,360 S1: all the creatures were stirring. Because we only have two 3 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,840 S1: days before Christmas. Can you believe it, friend? I know 4 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,599 S1: that doesn't rhyme, but it's how I'm going to start 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,960 S1: today's program. From the heart to the heart for the heart. 6 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,440 S1: Welcome to Chris Fabry. Live at my radio. Backyard fence. 7 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,799 S1: How you doing today? Oh, I hope you're having a 8 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,320 S1: good day. I have something for you from the archives 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:33,199 S1: of the program. So if you hear dated information or 10 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,519 S1: if you hear a phone number, disregard that. This program 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,479 S1: you're about to hear happened more than ten years ago. 12 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,840 S1: My voice is more than ten years younger on this recording. 13 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,680 S1: I'm going to revel in that. And the topic we 14 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,320 S1: covered that day was a couple of weeks before Christmas. 15 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,760 S1: We dealt with the office Christmas party. And when I 16 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,320 S1: looked at that title, I thought it being more than 17 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,320 S1: ten years ago. What in the world did we do 18 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,430 S1: about the office Christmas party, and I dipped into it 19 00:01:02,430 --> 00:01:04,310 S1: and I was going to move on. I was really 20 00:01:04,310 --> 00:01:07,990 S1: impressed by those who called that day, and who answered 21 00:01:07,990 --> 00:01:10,990 S1: a question that was posed by one of our listeners. 22 00:01:11,230 --> 00:01:13,429 S1: We used to do this kind of program more often 23 00:01:13,430 --> 00:01:16,390 S1: than we do now. I would take someone's email, a 24 00:01:16,470 --> 00:01:20,990 S1: question that was posed to me, a struggle that somebody 25 00:01:20,990 --> 00:01:24,310 S1: was going through, that they wrote to me, or they 26 00:01:24,350 --> 00:01:26,990 S1: sent a voicemail, and then I would just toss it 27 00:01:26,990 --> 00:01:29,390 S1: out to you, and we would grapple with this and 28 00:01:29,390 --> 00:01:31,830 S1: chew on it and ruminate on it and ask good 29 00:01:31,830 --> 00:01:37,030 S1: questions and give our opinions. So today it's the question 30 00:01:37,069 --> 00:01:41,830 S1: of the office Christmas party. But there's always more. It's 31 00:01:41,830 --> 00:01:44,550 S1: more than that which you'll hear about straight ahead on 32 00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:47,510 S1: Chris Fabry live. We still call it that, even though 33 00:01:47,510 --> 00:01:50,550 S1: we're recorded today. Let me thank Ryan McConaughey doing all 34 00:01:50,550 --> 00:01:54,390 S1: things technical. Trish is our producer. Lisa. Thank you. Josh 35 00:01:54,430 --> 00:01:57,830 S1: thank you. Even though they're not here. And let me 36 00:01:57,830 --> 00:02:00,550 S1: thank those of you who have given a year end 37 00:02:00,550 --> 00:02:02,910 S1: gift this month. We are coming down to the wire 38 00:02:02,910 --> 00:02:06,910 S1: for December and I see not only people giving a gift, 39 00:02:06,910 --> 00:02:10,910 S1: I see words of affirmation like Jean in Massillon, Ohio. 40 00:02:11,150 --> 00:02:14,709 S1: I enjoy the variety of guests on this program and 41 00:02:14,710 --> 00:02:17,430 S1: listen often. It's always a treat to hear the two 42 00:02:17,470 --> 00:02:23,470 S1: Michaels and Rosalie. Same here. Love, doctor de rosette. Thank you, Chris, 43 00:02:23,470 --> 00:02:26,990 S1: she says. And then Raymond said this he has. Chris 44 00:02:26,990 --> 00:02:30,549 S1: has a wonderful way of bringing out our life experiences 45 00:02:30,550 --> 00:02:34,070 S1: and showing us how God is working. I find great 46 00:02:34,070 --> 00:02:38,190 S1: joy in hearing his program. Raymond, I'm I'm glad we 47 00:02:38,190 --> 00:02:40,269 S1: can spark a little joy for you. I hope that 48 00:02:40,270 --> 00:02:45,190 S1: happens today. And then Elsa Lynn from Tennessee. I enjoyed 49 00:02:45,190 --> 00:02:49,630 S1: hearing the stories of Christmas carols. As a music educator, 50 00:02:49,630 --> 00:02:53,270 S1: I want to use it with my church and children's choirs. 51 00:02:53,550 --> 00:02:56,869 S1: Elsa Lynn is talking about our thank you this month 52 00:02:56,980 --> 00:02:59,420 S1: that we're sending to anyone who supports us for the 53 00:02:59,419 --> 00:03:03,100 S1: next week or so. David and Barbara Lehman's Hosanna in 54 00:03:03,139 --> 00:03:08,660 S1: Excelsis Hymns and Devotions for the Christmas Season. It has 55 00:03:08,660 --> 00:03:14,220 S1: 43 of these hymns and carols, the stories behind them, 56 00:03:14,220 --> 00:03:18,100 S1: the stories behind the people who wrote the text, as 57 00:03:18,100 --> 00:03:22,020 S1: well as the music. It has the music of each 58 00:03:22,020 --> 00:03:26,060 S1: of the hymns or carols. It's a gorgeous book. I 59 00:03:26,060 --> 00:03:30,220 S1: can't get it to you before Christmas, obviously, but this 60 00:03:30,220 --> 00:03:33,420 S1: is a legacy book. This will come to you and 61 00:03:33,419 --> 00:03:37,660 S1: you'll use it year after year after year. Give a 62 00:03:37,700 --> 00:03:40,460 S1: gift today. Best way to do that is go to 63 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:47,620 S1: the website. Chris. Chris. Scroll down and you'll see how 64 00:03:47,620 --> 00:03:50,860 S1: you can give a gift and support the radio backyard 65 00:03:50,860 --> 00:03:56,730 S1: fence Chris Fabry lives. The topic today is Christmas parties, 66 00:03:57,170 --> 00:04:01,490 S1: work Christmas parties. But I don't think it's really about 67 00:04:01,490 --> 00:04:05,930 S1: the Christmas party. I think it's deeper. All of life 68 00:04:05,930 --> 00:04:08,450 S1: is deeper than the issue that is staring you in 69 00:04:08,450 --> 00:04:11,650 S1: the face today. I don't care what it is. Relational, financial. 70 00:04:11,650 --> 00:04:17,730 S1: Emotional health. The issue is always deeper. But if we 71 00:04:17,730 --> 00:04:20,210 S1: talk about this and dissect it a little bit together, 72 00:04:20,210 --> 00:04:22,130 S1: I think we'll we'll come out to a good place. 73 00:04:22,130 --> 00:04:24,730 S1: That's my prayer for us today. The first question I 74 00:04:24,730 --> 00:04:27,969 S1: have for you today is this what are the elements 75 00:04:27,970 --> 00:04:32,169 S1: of the choice that this listener is going through? Why 76 00:04:32,170 --> 00:04:35,170 S1: is this a why did this listener write me in 77 00:04:35,170 --> 00:04:40,370 S1: the first place? What is the struggle here? What things 78 00:04:40,370 --> 00:04:44,690 S1: are in this question that make it a struggle? Because 79 00:04:44,690 --> 00:04:48,770 S1: my radio friend wouldn't have written if it wasn't a struggle, 80 00:04:48,770 --> 00:04:51,969 S1: she asked. Don't identify me. So I'm not going to 81 00:04:51,970 --> 00:04:57,090 S1: give her name. I'm. I'm naming her Mary. I'll call her. 82 00:04:57,130 --> 00:05:00,730 S1: Merry Christmas, dear Chris. I listen to your program on 83 00:05:00,730 --> 00:05:04,170 S1: Moody Radio throughout the week. I'm looking for some feedback 84 00:05:04,170 --> 00:05:07,690 S1: on this year's company Christmas party. This might sound like 85 00:05:07,690 --> 00:05:11,370 S1: a bad joke, but it's not. My boss and she 86 00:05:11,370 --> 00:05:16,370 S1: gives his denominational affiliation, has decided to have an event 87 00:05:16,370 --> 00:05:21,169 S1: at a restaurant owned and managed by homosexuals, and it's 88 00:05:21,170 --> 00:05:26,450 S1: in a masonic building or that used to be owned 89 00:05:26,850 --> 00:05:29,849 S1: by Masons, I guess. Granted, if I didn't have any 90 00:05:29,850 --> 00:05:32,210 S1: of that information, I wouldn't give it a second thought. 91 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:36,330 S1: Ignorance is bliss. But now that I know the set 92 00:05:36,330 --> 00:05:38,810 S1: of circumstances, it seems like a strange way to begin 93 00:05:38,810 --> 00:05:43,330 S1: the season of celebrating Christ's birth. The worldly part of 94 00:05:43,330 --> 00:05:46,370 S1: me says so what? Don't make a big deal of it. 95 00:05:47,370 --> 00:05:50,610 S1: The Christian part of me says, don't be so judgmental. 96 00:05:51,770 --> 00:05:56,160 S1: Knowing I still have struggles of my own, but instead 97 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,120 S1: extend the love of Christ to everyone. But that little 98 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:06,520 S1: small voice inside simply says, no, don't go. I have 99 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,159 S1: my own office at work. It's in an area where 100 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,560 S1: people pass through, so they hear me listening to Christian 101 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,440 S1: programs throughout the day while I work. And yes, I've 102 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,120 S1: received the looks, the eyes rolling, the smirks, and the 103 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:22,640 S1: occasional comment. Nothing too bad. Most people are nice. See, 104 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,800 S1: that's the catch. To attend would be so easy. Good 105 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:31,320 S1: food and good times shared with coworkers. To not attend 106 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:36,600 S1: would mean having to explain why when asked. I know 107 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,880 S1: there will be ridicule. She's so weird. Not to mention 108 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,240 S1: being the joke of the office at the party itself. 109 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,400 S1: So do I throw fuel on the fire or not? 110 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:53,270 S1: My husband says it's my call. I think the small 111 00:06:53,270 --> 00:06:56,950 S1: voice inside has already made that call. I pray that 112 00:06:56,990 --> 00:07:00,910 S1: whatever comes out of my mouth when asked why, will 113 00:07:00,950 --> 00:07:07,550 S1: be kind and gently said. Any thoughts? Thanks. Merry Christmas. 114 00:07:08,150 --> 00:07:13,230 S1: Thank you Mary. Thank you Mary. That's my very best 115 00:07:13,230 --> 00:07:17,150 S1: Jimmy Stewart right there. Okay, so what are the elements 116 00:07:17,150 --> 00:07:19,750 S1: of Mary's struggle? I want you to think about that. 117 00:07:19,910 --> 00:07:24,430 S1: What are her problems that she's expressing in this email? 118 00:07:24,950 --> 00:07:26,990 S1: We're going to take a break on this best of 119 00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:30,030 S1: two days before Christmas edition of Chris Fabry Live. And 120 00:07:30,030 --> 00:07:31,830 S1: I want you to see if you agree with the 121 00:07:31,830 --> 00:07:36,070 S1: people who populated our phone lines back in 2014. Yeah, 122 00:07:36,070 --> 00:07:39,190 S1: it was 11 years ago. Now, I doubt you have 123 00:07:39,190 --> 00:07:41,910 S1: any office Christmas parties in the next two days. So 124 00:07:41,910 --> 00:07:45,590 S1: this program is not going to inform the next two days, 125 00:07:45,870 --> 00:07:49,030 S1: but maybe something will spark in your heart as you 126 00:07:49,030 --> 00:07:52,980 S1: listen for another struggle that's in your life or something 127 00:07:52,980 --> 00:07:56,220 S1: that's coming up. This is Chris Fabry live online. Chris 128 00:07:56,260 --> 00:08:09,740 S1: Fabry live more straight ahead on Moody Radio. This is 129 00:08:09,740 --> 00:08:12,140 S1: Chris Fabry live on Moody Radio. Thanks a lot for 130 00:08:12,140 --> 00:08:16,060 S1: joining us here. A couple of days before Christmas and 131 00:08:16,060 --> 00:08:18,540 S1: a scintillating program. You know, a lot of times we'll 132 00:08:18,540 --> 00:08:22,180 S1: play Christmas music or guests, artists who come by the 133 00:08:22,180 --> 00:08:25,739 S1: studio and who play music. And we may still do that, 134 00:08:26,020 --> 00:08:30,060 S1: but I wanted to have this issue kind of program 135 00:08:30,300 --> 00:08:33,300 S1: because this really, as I listen back to it, it 136 00:08:33,340 --> 00:08:37,740 S1: kind of stimulated me inside Mary's problem, the struggle, the 137 00:08:37,740 --> 00:08:41,980 S1: conundrum that Mary was in at her workplace that she 138 00:08:41,980 --> 00:08:47,500 S1: is going through. When you see her problem, you see 139 00:08:47,500 --> 00:08:50,980 S1: your own. It's almost like looking at Scripture and seeing 140 00:08:51,020 --> 00:08:54,699 S1: seeing what Paul or Peter or one of the patriarchs 141 00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:57,940 S1: went through. And it's like, ah, this informs my own life. 142 00:08:58,100 --> 00:08:59,820 S1: So that's what we do here at the back fence. 143 00:08:59,820 --> 00:09:02,380 S1: We kind of open up the phone lines, and they 144 00:09:02,420 --> 00:09:06,700 S1: were lit up 11 years ago with this topic. Don't 145 00:09:06,700 --> 00:09:09,540 S1: call us today if you hear a phone number given, 146 00:09:09,940 --> 00:09:14,660 S1: but sit back and and engage in Mary's struggle as 147 00:09:14,660 --> 00:09:19,420 S1: we continue. Let's start out with Rachel in Lakeland, Florida. Rachel, 148 00:09:19,420 --> 00:09:21,260 S1: what do you think her struggles are? 149 00:09:22,740 --> 00:09:27,339 S2: Um, I think that the struggle definitely is. By going, 150 00:09:27,740 --> 00:09:30,300 S2: she would want she would then seem that she was 151 00:09:30,300 --> 00:09:35,340 S2: supporting something that biblically, you wouldn't want to support. But 152 00:09:36,020 --> 00:09:37,660 S2: as soon as you read that, it really jumped out 153 00:09:37,660 --> 00:09:41,100 S2: in my mind that would Jesus go? And I think 154 00:09:41,100 --> 00:09:44,579 S2: that where Jesus found himself was in the home of sinners, 155 00:09:44,820 --> 00:09:47,660 S2: where the Pharisees didn't think that he would go. And 156 00:09:47,730 --> 00:09:50,730 S2: so if you're not going to go, then there is 157 00:09:50,730 --> 00:09:53,850 S2: no light to be shown in that place and that 158 00:09:53,850 --> 00:09:57,209 S2: it really comes down to what would Jesus do? You know, 159 00:09:57,250 --> 00:09:59,810 S2: the time, old age, what would Jesus do? But I 160 00:09:59,809 --> 00:10:01,090 S2: understand very much. 161 00:10:01,330 --> 00:10:04,130 S1: She's working there, though, you know, here's here's the other 162 00:10:04,130 --> 00:10:06,650 S1: part of that. She's working in the environment. She just says, 163 00:10:06,650 --> 00:10:08,770 S1: you know what? I know what's going to happen there. 164 00:10:08,770 --> 00:10:11,010 S1: I just I just don't feel. And the and the 165 00:10:11,050 --> 00:10:14,410 S1: here's the other thing. The still small voice, she's hearing 166 00:10:14,410 --> 00:10:17,650 S1: this voice that says, don't go. And so if you 167 00:10:17,690 --> 00:10:20,770 S1: hear that, if you hear the voice, don't go, whose 168 00:10:20,770 --> 00:10:22,930 S1: voice is that? I think that's one of the main 169 00:10:22,929 --> 00:10:26,210 S1: struggles that she's having with is the voice, don't you? 170 00:10:26,450 --> 00:10:29,250 S2: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And the Holy Spirit, you know, 171 00:10:29,970 --> 00:10:32,730 S2: he you you gotta listen. And I think that's something 172 00:10:32,730 --> 00:10:36,570 S2: my mom always taught me that if you if you 173 00:10:36,570 --> 00:10:38,530 S2: feel like you hear it and you're unsure, put it 174 00:10:38,530 --> 00:10:40,770 S2: on the back burner. And if it's true, God will 175 00:10:40,770 --> 00:10:43,330 S2: put it back on the front burner. And so if 176 00:10:43,370 --> 00:10:46,679 S2: you know, just it's it sounds cliche, but you have 177 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:50,319 S2: to just pray it out. But I feel like, you know, 178 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,040 S2: and I'm an outgoing person and I, I know how 179 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:58,160 S2: to I've been blessed with the gift of handling, you know, 180 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:02,240 S2: being able to take criticism. So in my personality, that's 181 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:04,640 S2: okay for me. You know, I don't mind because I'm 182 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:07,000 S2: going to try my best to show love. But then 183 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,640 S2: there's also, you know, how how you would handle it if, 184 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,200 S2: if you think you could be helpful. But again, if 185 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,240 S2: the Holy Spirit leads you don't go. I mean, that's. 186 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:17,839 S3: Just there you go. 187 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:21,080 S1: That is that is the main thing here. If God 188 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,000 S1: really is telling you to do something or not do something, 189 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,920 S1: you follow him. Don't listen to us. You know you 190 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,600 S1: have to follow. If your conscience is telling you something, 191 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,200 S1: don't go against your conscience. And if you really believe 192 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,839 S1: that God is telling you something. But I sense that 193 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,880 S1: she was asking this, um, you know sincerely that she's 194 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,160 S1: open to other opinions here and other ways of looking 195 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,120 S1: at it. Rachel. Thank you. Jennifer is in Mississippi. Hey, Jennifer. 196 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:47,800 S1: Go right ahead. 197 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:52,840 S4: Hi, Chris. I think that that Mary is struggling because 198 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:57,480 S4: this is a a dual problem. She's wanting to be 199 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:01,079 S4: a good representation of Christ, and yet she doesn't want 200 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:07,319 S4: to come across as self-righteous or judgmental. Um, it's an 201 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,680 S4: opportunity to share the gospel. Uh, if her life is 202 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,640 S4: already sharing, showing God's love, then it would be a 203 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,000 S4: follow through. Uh, there's not necessarily going to be a 204 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:23,480 S4: bunch of why questions, but I, I hear in her 205 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,360 S4: question that she's concerned about what people are going to 206 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,880 S4: say and what people are saying or thinking about her 207 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,040 S4: is really not a good motivator. 208 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:33,920 S3: Ah. 209 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:39,280 S1: Okay. All right. So if you if you make this 210 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,030 S1: about yourself and how what how you're you going to? 211 00:12:44,350 --> 00:12:47,630 S1: You're scared about how you will respond the next week 212 00:12:47,630 --> 00:12:50,350 S1: when someone asks you how come you weren't at the party? 213 00:12:50,910 --> 00:12:53,990 S1: If you make that the basis of your decision, then 214 00:12:54,030 --> 00:12:56,750 S1: you're going. You're not going to, uh, you're not going 215 00:12:56,750 --> 00:12:58,590 S1: to be open to following what God really wants you 216 00:12:58,590 --> 00:12:59,750 S1: to do in a sense. 217 00:13:00,150 --> 00:13:03,590 S4: Correct. I mean, too many of us as Christians are 218 00:13:03,590 --> 00:13:07,030 S4: focused on what people think. You know, it's hard not 219 00:13:07,030 --> 00:13:11,190 S4: to do the wrong thing in this, this world today. However, 220 00:13:11,190 --> 00:13:15,150 S4: Jesus didn't. He was not concerned about what people thought. 221 00:13:15,190 --> 00:13:18,829 S4: He followed the father. So the real question, I think, 222 00:13:18,830 --> 00:13:22,750 S4: for her to answer for herself is, would Jesus be 223 00:13:22,790 --> 00:13:25,510 S4: at this party if he would? Then I need to 224 00:13:25,510 --> 00:13:28,750 S4: follow him there. If he would not, then I won't go. 225 00:13:29,150 --> 00:13:29,590 S3: Yeah. 226 00:13:30,030 --> 00:13:32,510 S1: I like that, I like that, and yet it. And 227 00:13:32,510 --> 00:13:35,270 S1: it makes it easy. You know, if if Jesus would 228 00:13:35,270 --> 00:13:38,110 S1: go there, then go. If he wouldn't go there. But 229 00:13:38,110 --> 00:13:40,390 S1: how do you do that? How do you, you know, 230 00:13:40,429 --> 00:13:43,380 S1: do you go and look for him? Uh, and I'm 231 00:13:43,380 --> 00:13:48,580 S1: saying that facetiously, of course, but it's it's a harder 232 00:13:48,580 --> 00:13:52,500 S1: thing to walk through when, you know, when you know 233 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:55,700 S1: what you know and when you don't know what you 234 00:13:55,700 --> 00:14:00,220 S1: don't know. Uh. Thank you. Jennifer Ralph is in Florida. Hey, Ralph, 235 00:14:00,220 --> 00:14:01,179 S1: what do you say today? 236 00:14:02,580 --> 00:14:05,580 S5: Um, first of all, um, thank you so much for 237 00:14:05,620 --> 00:14:08,180 S5: taking my call. First time ever spoke to you and 238 00:14:08,179 --> 00:14:09,260 S5: listen to you every day. 239 00:14:09,740 --> 00:14:10,740 S3: I've been waiting, Ralph. 240 00:14:10,740 --> 00:14:12,420 S1: I've been waiting for you to call. I knew this 241 00:14:12,420 --> 00:14:12,900 S1: was the day. 242 00:14:12,940 --> 00:14:17,540 S5: Oh, man. Listen, you know what, man? I just I 243 00:14:17,580 --> 00:14:21,260 S5: just I kind of understand her a little bit, you know, about, 244 00:14:21,300 --> 00:14:23,940 S5: you know what? Standing up for what is right. And 245 00:14:24,620 --> 00:14:26,900 S5: I don't think Christ will be involved. And, you know, 246 00:14:26,940 --> 00:14:30,300 S5: so I understand the struggle that she's having with that. And, man, 247 00:14:30,420 --> 00:14:32,180 S5: you know what I think, Chris? I think the problem 248 00:14:32,180 --> 00:14:36,220 S5: is that with Christians, with myself, you know, myself also 249 00:14:36,220 --> 00:14:40,100 S5: is that, you know, we don't stand up enough. You 250 00:14:40,100 --> 00:14:42,300 S5: know what I'm saying? When we see something is wrong 251 00:14:42,340 --> 00:14:44,820 S5: or we feel in our heart this is not right, 252 00:14:44,820 --> 00:14:46,740 S5: or you know what I'm saying? We don't stand up 253 00:14:46,740 --> 00:14:48,660 S5: and say, no, I'm not going to support that. You 254 00:14:48,660 --> 00:14:51,300 S5: know what we do because we're afraid of what they're 255 00:14:51,300 --> 00:14:52,980 S5: going to talk about us. We're afraid what they're going 256 00:14:52,980 --> 00:14:55,820 S5: to think. You know, we support it. You know, I mean, 257 00:14:55,820 --> 00:14:58,300 S5: you think about, um, with the chick fil A guy, 258 00:14:58,340 --> 00:15:00,740 S5: you know what he stood up for? What he believed. 259 00:15:00,780 --> 00:15:03,820 S5: I mean, look how much commotion they made. You know 260 00:15:03,820 --> 00:15:05,660 S5: what I'm saying? They won back from chick fil A. 261 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:08,540 S5: You know, why doesn't Christian do things like that? If 262 00:15:08,540 --> 00:15:12,140 S5: we know something or or or or some. A business 263 00:15:12,140 --> 00:15:15,860 S5: is not, you know what I'm saying? Doing or totally 264 00:15:15,860 --> 00:15:19,420 S5: against what we believe in. I mean, why not say, 265 00:15:19,420 --> 00:15:22,940 S5: you know what? I'm not going to support that. I mean, 266 00:15:22,980 --> 00:15:25,620 S5: what's wrong with what's wrong with us saying that? So 267 00:15:25,660 --> 00:15:28,140 S5: I think that's what she's struggling with, you know? I mean. 268 00:15:28,460 --> 00:15:31,300 S1: We're kind of Lily. So you think it's more about 269 00:15:31,300 --> 00:15:34,060 S1: the the venue than it is about the people that 270 00:15:34,060 --> 00:15:35,180 S1: she works with? 271 00:15:35,540 --> 00:15:36,900 S5: Yeah, I think it's what it is. I don't think 272 00:15:36,900 --> 00:15:39,020 S5: it's the people that she works with. I think it's 273 00:15:39,020 --> 00:15:41,770 S5: the venue. because the first thing you said about, I 274 00:15:41,770 --> 00:15:45,090 S5: believe you said the restaurant is owned by the homosexual people. 275 00:15:45,130 --> 00:15:46,530 S5: You know what I'm saying? With all the things that's 276 00:15:46,530 --> 00:15:49,730 S5: going on right now, you know how it how the 277 00:15:49,730 --> 00:15:52,850 S5: lifestyle is. That lifestyle is being forced down our throat. 278 00:15:52,890 --> 00:15:55,610 S5: You know, I think it's just about time that Christians 279 00:15:55,610 --> 00:15:58,370 S5: stand up and says, you know what? I'm not cool 280 00:15:58,370 --> 00:16:00,890 S5: with this. I'm not, you know, so I'm not going 281 00:16:00,930 --> 00:16:02,730 S5: to go I'm not going to. Hey, I love you guys. 282 00:16:02,770 --> 00:16:05,610 S5: See you guys Monday. Um, but, you know, I'll be 283 00:16:05,610 --> 00:16:06,570 S5: doing something else. 284 00:16:07,410 --> 00:16:09,530 S3: Yeah. Ralph, I'm glad you got through. 285 00:16:09,570 --> 00:16:10,610 S5: There's nothing wrong with that. 286 00:16:10,890 --> 00:16:13,690 S1: I'm glad that you got through today. And, uh, that 287 00:16:13,810 --> 00:16:15,770 S1: we finally got you to call. I figured out a 288 00:16:15,770 --> 00:16:18,690 S1: topic to get Ralph in Naples to call. That's our. 289 00:16:18,730 --> 00:16:21,250 S1: I will put that in my hat right there. All right. 290 00:16:21,250 --> 00:16:23,690 S1: What do you think of. Is that really the issue? 291 00:16:24,250 --> 00:16:27,090 S1: Is it the. Now, here's the other thing. The the 292 00:16:27,130 --> 00:16:32,410 S1: building is in a masonic, uh, owned by the Masons. 293 00:16:32,410 --> 00:16:35,090 S1: At some point for some people, they would say, well, 294 00:16:35,090 --> 00:16:36,850 S1: I wouldn't go in a place like that because do 295 00:16:36,850 --> 00:16:40,880 S1: you know what they do in the secret things. Uh, parenthetically, 296 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,080 S1: there was, I believe I was told I don't know 297 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,320 S1: if this is demonstrably true, but I was told that 298 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,840 S1: there was a building that was given given to Moody 299 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:53,160 S1: Bible Institute at one point that had been owned by, uh, 300 00:16:54,000 --> 00:17:00,080 S1: Masons who used it for Masonic things. And they actually 301 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,280 S1: had one of the professors, one of my professors at 302 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:06,360 S1: Moody had gone through. Afterwards, after this gift had been 303 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,520 S1: given and, uh, had prayed in every room, had gone, 304 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,199 S1: you know, done the whole thing. I don't know, is 305 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:19,440 S1: it the building, is it the, the restaurant owners, or 306 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:25,840 S1: is the issue the coworkers, or is the issue Mary herself. 307 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,520 S1: Joe's in Indianapolis. Joe, what say you? 308 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,840 S6: Uh, well, I think a building is just a building. 309 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,480 S6: It doesn't have a soul. And as for the owners, um, 310 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,400 S6: if you're going to go to a party anywhere that's 311 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,159 S6: owned and operated by people, then you're going to a 312 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:46,800 S6: party in a place that's owned and operated by sinners. 313 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:52,160 S6: So I think that, uh, one sin over another, you know, 314 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,800 S6: I mean, it doesn't mean that you're embracing that lifestyle, 315 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,119 S6: I think to go to a party as a Christian, 316 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,119 S6: you have the right to say, I'm not going to 317 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:04,760 S6: support something as a consumer if it goes against my beliefs. But, um, 318 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,119 S6: I don't think that that means you can't attend a party. 319 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:10,600 S6: I do think that, uh, we're supposed to be the 320 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,880 S6: light and to be the light among unbelievers. You're going 321 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:15,959 S6: to have to go to some places that you may 322 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,920 S6: not be comfortable being in. Jesus ate with the sinners, 323 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,560 S6: and I think, uh, it's appropriate. It's appropriate sometimes for 324 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,040 S6: us to do the same. But I do think that 325 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,680 S6: she should pray about it and listen to what she 326 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:28,160 S6: feels God is leading her to do. 327 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,239 S1: How do you tell Joe? How do you how do 328 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,960 S1: you know if God is the one whispering to you, 329 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:35,910 S1: or if it's your own voice. 330 00:18:38,150 --> 00:18:40,070 S6: Well, I wish I knew the answer to that. I mean, 331 00:18:40,109 --> 00:18:42,830 S6: sometimes I think it's hard to. Hard to really know, 332 00:18:42,830 --> 00:18:46,310 S6: but I think that, uh, the first thing to do 333 00:18:46,310 --> 00:18:50,350 S6: is to pray about it, and then ultimately just to, um. 334 00:18:52,470 --> 00:18:55,830 S6: Just to go, you know, go forward and see what happens. 335 00:18:55,869 --> 00:18:59,070 S6: Doesn't mean you won't make the wrong decision, but, uh, 336 00:18:59,070 --> 00:19:02,790 S6: I don't think that it's, um, you know, I mean, 337 00:19:02,830 --> 00:19:06,350 S6: if any restaurant you eat at, there are liars and 338 00:19:06,350 --> 00:19:09,190 S6: people that cheat on their taxes and probably gay people. 339 00:19:09,190 --> 00:19:12,270 S6: And one sin is a sin. I mean, I don't 340 00:19:12,270 --> 00:19:15,110 S6: think you can avoid being in a place owned and 341 00:19:15,150 --> 00:19:17,709 S6: operated by sinful people because we all sin. 342 00:19:18,430 --> 00:19:21,469 S1: Well, aren't you glad that God himself didn't make that rule? 343 00:19:21,470 --> 00:19:24,590 S1: That I'm not going any place that has sinners? Because 344 00:19:24,590 --> 00:19:27,230 S1: if he had, if he'd have said that man, we 345 00:19:27,230 --> 00:19:31,990 S1: would all we would all be, uh, without hope. Because 346 00:19:31,990 --> 00:19:35,780 S1: he did. He decided to do that. That was the 347 00:19:35,780 --> 00:19:40,460 S1: mission of his son to live among us. Joe. Thank you. 348 00:19:41,020 --> 00:19:44,179 S1: Really good points that he makes. There's a lot of 349 00:19:44,180 --> 00:19:48,820 S1: sinful people out there. Pray about it. Uh, ask God 350 00:19:48,859 --> 00:19:51,900 S1: to show you and then move out in faith. Whatever 351 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:54,340 S1: you do, whatever decision you're going to make, you're going 352 00:19:54,380 --> 00:19:57,580 S1: to say, God, I. You know, I'm still torn about this, 353 00:19:57,580 --> 00:20:01,179 S1: but in faith, I'm going to decide to go ahead 354 00:20:01,180 --> 00:20:05,419 S1: and go and see what you bring in to, or 355 00:20:05,460 --> 00:20:09,219 S1: I'm going to stay away and pray that that would 356 00:20:09,460 --> 00:20:13,060 S1: give someone and give me an opportunity to talk about 357 00:20:13,060 --> 00:20:19,340 S1: you at a later date. What do you think? (877) 548-3675. 358 00:20:19,340 --> 00:20:23,300 S1: Let's go to Florida. Zephyrhills. Stephanie's on the line. Hi, Stephanie. 359 00:20:24,220 --> 00:20:25,300 S7: Hi. How are you doing? 360 00:20:25,500 --> 00:20:26,060 S1: I'm doing well. 361 00:20:26,060 --> 00:20:26,580 S3: Thank you. 362 00:20:27,540 --> 00:20:30,540 S7: Um, go to go with your gut. 363 00:20:30,900 --> 00:20:33,859 S3: Um, go with your gut. What does go with your gut? 364 00:20:34,180 --> 00:20:38,700 S7: With the with the small voice that's within her? Because, 365 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:40,859 S7: I mean, you can say you don't really know when 366 00:20:40,900 --> 00:20:43,100 S7: God is speaking to you, but we know when God 367 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:45,619 S7: is really speaking to us. We know that it's him 368 00:20:45,619 --> 00:20:46,419 S7: in this place. 369 00:20:46,940 --> 00:20:49,300 S1: Okay, I'm having a hard time hearing you, Stephanie. Get 370 00:20:49,300 --> 00:20:51,980 S1: real close to that telephone because I want to hear 371 00:20:51,980 --> 00:20:53,780 S1: everything you're you're saying. 372 00:20:54,180 --> 00:20:55,100 S3: Nate tells me that. 373 00:20:55,100 --> 00:20:57,220 S1: You wanted to. Yeah, I can hear you now. Nate 374 00:20:57,220 --> 00:20:59,780 S1: says that you wanted to go to the prom, but 375 00:20:59,780 --> 00:21:01,860 S1: decided against that. Is that right? 376 00:21:02,580 --> 00:21:05,939 S7: Yes. My parents told me not to go, and I 377 00:21:05,980 --> 00:21:08,340 S7: bought my ticket, and I had a dress, and I 378 00:21:08,340 --> 00:21:10,980 S7: got my hair done, and I was going to go, 379 00:21:10,980 --> 00:21:15,459 S7: and I had a date and everything, and, um, something 380 00:21:15,460 --> 00:21:20,060 S7: deep in my heart told me, don't do it, don't 381 00:21:20,060 --> 00:21:22,900 S7: do it. And it was over the weekend. We had 382 00:21:22,900 --> 00:21:24,739 S7: church service, but I was going to skip out on 383 00:21:24,740 --> 00:21:28,580 S7: church service and just go. And last minute I decided 384 00:21:28,580 --> 00:21:31,260 S7: to go with that voice. And I did not go 385 00:21:31,260 --> 00:21:35,130 S7: to prom, and I don't regret it one bit. And 386 00:21:35,130 --> 00:21:36,810 S7: I feel like I did the right thing. And I 387 00:21:36,810 --> 00:21:40,490 S7: know that, um, it wasn't my choice, but it was 388 00:21:40,490 --> 00:21:42,290 S7: God's voice speaking to me. 389 00:21:42,770 --> 00:21:44,129 S3: What did your date say? 390 00:21:44,130 --> 00:21:45,570 S1: How did you explain that? 391 00:21:46,650 --> 00:21:51,330 S7: Um, well, I let him know the truth that, you know, um, 392 00:21:51,369 --> 00:21:56,250 S7: it's a church service for me. And that, um, I've 393 00:21:56,290 --> 00:22:00,609 S7: been struggling with my parents about it and that I decided, 394 00:22:00,650 --> 00:22:02,850 S7: you know what? I'm just going to go with my conscience, 395 00:22:02,850 --> 00:22:05,689 S7: and I'm not going to go anymore. And, yeah, he 396 00:22:05,690 --> 00:22:08,490 S7: was kind of upset about it. But you know what? Um, 397 00:22:08,609 --> 00:22:10,770 S7: I still feel to this day that I did the 398 00:22:10,770 --> 00:22:13,530 S7: right thing. Yeah. And, um, when you know God is 399 00:22:13,530 --> 00:22:17,490 S7: speaking to you, uh, you just know. Yes. And I 400 00:22:17,530 --> 00:22:20,850 S7: just want to say also that it may not be about, 401 00:22:20,890 --> 00:22:23,609 S7: you know, not hanging out with sinners. It may be that, 402 00:22:23,650 --> 00:22:26,290 S7: you know, something went on in that building, you know, 403 00:22:26,330 --> 00:22:29,130 S7: with the previous owners that, you know, God doesn't want 404 00:22:29,210 --> 00:22:32,480 S7: her to be around, Or it may be something that 405 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,800 S7: he would maybe want her to avoid from not going. 406 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,239 S7: But there's always a reason. Even if we don't understand it, 407 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:42,680 S7: there's always a reason. We always have to go with that, 408 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:44,840 S7: with that voice in ourselves. 409 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:45,720 S3: All right. 410 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,520 S1: Stephanie, I appreciate your call. And thanks for holding that 411 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,640 S1: microphone up there, too. I heard you loud and clearly 412 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:55,160 S1: right there. All right. So that was her experience. And 413 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,000 S1: she went with her gut. And she's even to this 414 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,120 S1: day she says I made the right decision even though 415 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,000 S1: I let down this guy. I had to do this 416 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,960 S1: because this. And I would totally agree with her that 417 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,280 S1: if this is where God is and you know, this 418 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:13,440 S1: is what God's telling you to do, um, this is 419 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,840 S1: what you need to do. And by faith that God is, 420 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:21,280 S1: you know, involved here, you really believe that. But again, 421 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,000 S1: I sense that Mary, even though she's hearing the still 422 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:29,389 S1: small voice, there's something else that's going on. Uh, Alex. 423 00:23:29,390 --> 00:23:30,190 S1: What do you say? 424 00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:34,230 S8: Hey, am I on? 425 00:23:34,510 --> 00:23:35,750 S1: You are? Go right ahead. 426 00:23:35,950 --> 00:23:38,710 S8: Hey. Okay. Hey. Sorry about that, Chris. Well, uh, I 427 00:23:38,710 --> 00:23:41,070 S8: work for a company that delivers a whole lot of 428 00:23:41,070 --> 00:23:45,350 S8: cardboard boxes, especially this time of year. And, uh, there's 429 00:23:45,350 --> 00:23:49,910 S8: a restaurant on my route, uh, where they serve wings, 430 00:23:49,910 --> 00:23:53,510 S8: and the waitresses don't particularly wear a whole lot of clothing. 431 00:23:54,030 --> 00:23:56,670 S8: And I felt I was like, I can't deliver there, 432 00:23:56,710 --> 00:23:58,470 S8: you know? But then I was like, well, I mean, 433 00:23:58,750 --> 00:24:03,670 S8: I'm not, you know, I'm not talking to anybody. I'm not, 434 00:24:03,710 --> 00:24:05,389 S8: you know, I don't see anybody. I'm just going the 435 00:24:05,390 --> 00:24:07,830 S8: back door making the delivery. But then I was like, no, 436 00:24:07,869 --> 00:24:09,950 S8: you know, there's still a small voice inside that was saying, 437 00:24:09,990 --> 00:24:13,149 S8: you know, you gotta, gotta do something about this. So, 438 00:24:13,470 --> 00:24:15,950 S8: you know, I went to my bosses and just told them, hey, 439 00:24:15,990 --> 00:24:19,510 S8: you know, I, I don't feel comfortable delivering there, you know? 440 00:24:19,550 --> 00:24:21,590 S8: And I'm thinking, like, you know, my wife would kill 441 00:24:21,630 --> 00:24:24,030 S8: me if she knew I was delivering there. And I 442 00:24:24,070 --> 00:24:26,430 S8: knew the right thing to do. And the still, small 443 00:24:26,430 --> 00:24:28,190 S8: voice inside of me was saying, you you know, get 444 00:24:28,190 --> 00:24:30,710 S8: that stop moved off your route. And that's what I did. 445 00:24:30,750 --> 00:24:33,430 S8: And as soon as I did that, I just felt 446 00:24:33,430 --> 00:24:34,950 S8: a whole lot of peace. I didn't have to worry 447 00:24:34,950 --> 00:24:37,750 S8: about what would my wife think? And even though I 448 00:24:37,790 --> 00:24:41,230 S8: got heckled by the guys, you know, I felt better 449 00:24:41,670 --> 00:24:45,070 S8: doing what I knew was the right thing than, I guess, 450 00:24:45,070 --> 00:24:50,270 S8: settling for. You know, I guess it's usually. 451 00:24:51,070 --> 00:24:53,510 S1: Has anybody come to you and said, other than the 452 00:24:53,510 --> 00:24:55,590 S1: ones that heckle you? And I'm sure they're having a 453 00:24:55,590 --> 00:24:58,350 S1: lot of fun with that, but, uh, has anybody come 454 00:24:58,350 --> 00:25:02,830 S1: to you and said, I understand, I respect you for that. 455 00:25:02,869 --> 00:25:05,189 S1: You know what you did? Anybody said that at all? 456 00:25:06,109 --> 00:25:08,510 S8: They have a couple guys who, you know, I'm a 457 00:25:08,510 --> 00:25:11,350 S8: little closer with. They said, you know, I really respect you. 458 00:25:11,390 --> 00:25:13,590 S8: You know, you're doing that out of respect for your 459 00:25:13,590 --> 00:25:17,149 S8: wife and for, you know, for your faith. And so 460 00:25:17,150 --> 00:25:18,550 S8: that was definitely encouraging. 461 00:25:19,270 --> 00:25:22,109 S1: I'm glad you got through, Alex. And I know, uh, 462 00:25:22,310 --> 00:25:25,910 S1: I see those trucks and they they visit our home even. 463 00:25:26,980 --> 00:25:29,820 S1: God bless you in this very busy season. Isn't it 464 00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:32,300 S1: nice to have, you know, a job where you you're 465 00:25:32,300 --> 00:25:35,980 S1: busy all year round, especially around Christmas time? Now in 466 00:25:35,980 --> 00:25:40,020 S1: our next segment, I want to read you what I wrote, Mary, 467 00:25:40,060 --> 00:25:44,540 S1: how I responded to her without the benefit of your 468 00:25:44,540 --> 00:25:46,820 S1: response here today. We'll get to that and a whole 469 00:25:46,820 --> 00:25:50,140 S1: lot more. This is Chris Fabry live on Moody Radio, 470 00:25:50,180 --> 00:25:53,460 S1: a best of broadcast. Don't call us today. Our program 471 00:25:53,460 --> 00:26:07,420 S1: is recorded. At Chris. Org. You'll find out more about 472 00:26:07,420 --> 00:26:09,900 S1: the program. You can hear past programs from up to 473 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:13,300 S1: a year ago. Download the podcast, listen again, or suggest 474 00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:17,340 S1: it to a friend. Go to Chris. Org. If you're 475 00:26:17,340 --> 00:26:20,660 S1: just joining us Mary wrote. Merry Christmas wrote. She's having 476 00:26:20,660 --> 00:26:24,300 S1: this office party. She's a part of the business. Didn't 477 00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:28,730 S1: make any of these decisions. The Christian owner chose kind 478 00:26:28,730 --> 00:26:31,570 S1: of a curious venue for the party that she's not 479 00:26:31,570 --> 00:26:33,369 S1: real comfortable with. But she said, if I didn't know 480 00:26:33,369 --> 00:26:36,450 S1: any of this, I probably wouldn't be a big deal. 481 00:26:37,490 --> 00:26:41,090 S1: So she's struggling with kind of what will happen at 482 00:26:41,090 --> 00:26:43,689 S1: the party. She doesn't say what will happen. I assume 483 00:26:43,690 --> 00:26:46,689 S1: there's probably drinking going to go on and jokes and fun. 484 00:26:46,690 --> 00:26:48,810 S1: And of course, Christians should never have any of that. 485 00:26:50,210 --> 00:26:54,450 S1: I say that facetiously. And then there's the people, the co-workers, 486 00:26:54,609 --> 00:26:58,010 S1: some who have made fun of her, her faith, people 487 00:26:58,010 --> 00:27:00,929 S1: who walk by the office and hear the Christian radio station. 488 00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:04,810 S1: I wonder if Mary ever sings in her office. So 489 00:27:04,810 --> 00:27:08,850 S1: there is this tension in Mary's heart, the tension leading 490 00:27:08,850 --> 00:27:12,609 S1: up to the event. If I go, I'm supporting the 491 00:27:12,609 --> 00:27:15,770 S1: sinful thing that might go on. Is that true? Am 492 00:27:15,770 --> 00:27:18,969 S1: I supporting and the still small voice? I think the 493 00:27:18,970 --> 00:27:22,570 S1: real problem is, as been articulated by you, she wants 494 00:27:22,570 --> 00:27:26,850 S1: to follow Jesus desperately, but she wants to keep herself 495 00:27:26,850 --> 00:27:31,290 S1: from being tainted by the world and the influences she 496 00:27:31,290 --> 00:27:34,130 S1: wants to reach her co-workers with the good news? Absolutely. 497 00:27:34,130 --> 00:27:37,530 S1: But at a party like that, come on, there's going 498 00:27:37,530 --> 00:27:41,530 S1: to be music and drinking. And would she ever have 499 00:27:41,530 --> 00:27:46,490 S1: an opportunity to to talk with anybody? Really, it'd just 500 00:27:46,490 --> 00:27:50,970 S1: be easier to stay home. Not easy. But she won't 501 00:27:50,970 --> 00:27:54,730 S1: have to make so many choices if she stays. If 502 00:27:54,730 --> 00:27:56,889 S1: she goes to the party, she's going to have to 503 00:27:56,930 --> 00:28:02,890 S1: make so many choices. And then the truth is, she 504 00:28:02,890 --> 00:28:05,609 S1: will have to speak to them the next week. Hey, Mary. 505 00:28:05,650 --> 00:28:11,330 S1: Where were you? Great party. Grace is what she wants. 506 00:28:11,369 --> 00:28:15,689 S1: Grace in coming up with the explanation. So how how 507 00:28:15,690 --> 00:28:20,490 S1: should Mary then live? What should Mary do? Here's what 508 00:28:20,490 --> 00:28:23,199 S1: I wrote. And in this segment, I want you to 509 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,399 S1: respond to what I said to Mary. Agree. Disagree. Violently. 510 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,600 S1: Say you'll never listen to me again. You can, you can. 511 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,960 S1: Happened before. Mary, this is a great question. We should 512 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:39,360 S1: do a program on it. Ding! Here's my take. If 513 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:43,200 S1: you want to be a good Christian, quote unquote. And 514 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:48,080 S1: stay safe, don't go. Go to church that night. Get 515 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,280 S1: in a holy huddle. I put a smiley face. Nothing 516 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:54,440 S1: wrong with church and praying for people, of course. But 517 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,640 S1: my thought is the question comes from a your question 518 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:03,800 S1: comes from fear. You're worried. You're afraid. But what is 519 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,120 S1: she afraid of? Is she afraid that God won't like 520 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:09,960 S1: her if she goes to a party like this? If 521 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:11,920 S1: Jesus came back in the middle of that party at 522 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,680 S1: the Masonic building with the homosexuals who own the restaurant, 523 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:20,720 S1: what would happen? Would he frown at her? I wrote, 524 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:24,030 S1: put the question on its head. How can I have 525 00:29:24,030 --> 00:29:27,470 S1: the most impact for Christ at my workplace in regards 526 00:29:27,470 --> 00:29:30,510 S1: to the Christmas party? Take it away from. Should I go? 527 00:29:30,510 --> 00:29:32,910 S1: Should I not go? Ask this how can I have 528 00:29:32,910 --> 00:29:37,270 S1: the most impact at my workplace with the people around 529 00:29:37,270 --> 00:29:41,990 S1: me at this at. Because of this venue, it seems 530 00:29:41,990 --> 00:29:45,430 S1: to me you could crank up the radio really loud 531 00:29:45,870 --> 00:29:49,870 S1: and call it a witness. But there's no better or 532 00:29:49,870 --> 00:29:52,950 S1: bigger witness than a believer in the middle of unbelievers 533 00:29:53,270 --> 00:29:57,630 S1: living out life and loving the way Jesus loves. I 534 00:29:57,630 --> 00:30:02,510 S1: say go to the party and treat people kindly, and 535 00:30:02,510 --> 00:30:05,550 S1: laugh at the things that tickle you and have good 536 00:30:05,550 --> 00:30:10,110 S1: conversations and offer to drive somebody who drinks too much home. 537 00:30:11,550 --> 00:30:14,229 S1: I don't know, it sounds like the whole company is 538 00:30:14,270 --> 00:30:18,030 S1: kind of a secular, quote unquote secular place. So you 539 00:30:18,030 --> 00:30:21,790 S1: would expect a party to be something like this. Who knows? 540 00:30:22,030 --> 00:30:25,469 S1: They might ask you to pray before the meal because 541 00:30:25,470 --> 00:30:29,430 S1: you're the spirit. You're the religious one. Or they might 542 00:30:29,470 --> 00:30:31,270 S1: ask you to give some kind of talk before the 543 00:30:31,270 --> 00:30:35,670 S1: white elephant exchange. Don't take any of this as scolding. 544 00:30:35,670 --> 00:30:39,670 S1: It's not. It's our human condition trying to grapple with 545 00:30:39,670 --> 00:30:44,390 S1: living in a sinful world. I think God has you 546 00:30:44,390 --> 00:30:50,350 S1: right where he wants you. Now, I answered that way 547 00:30:51,150 --> 00:30:56,070 S1: because one of my own experience of having this kind 548 00:30:56,070 --> 00:31:03,910 S1: of situation and also having a reorientation of my life 549 00:31:04,030 --> 00:31:09,270 S1: in a lot of ways, where I'm no longer afraid 550 00:31:09,270 --> 00:31:14,550 S1: of what Christians think of me or non-Christians think of me. Well, 551 00:31:14,550 --> 00:31:16,830 S1: I am, you know, I have that in my mind, 552 00:31:16,830 --> 00:31:19,660 S1: but I'm less afraid of what Christians think or what 553 00:31:19,700 --> 00:31:23,860 S1: non-Christians think, and more concerned about God. What do you want? 554 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:27,980 S1: And I sense this in Mary's question that she really 555 00:31:27,980 --> 00:31:30,820 S1: does want to do that. But there are so many 556 00:31:30,820 --> 00:31:33,260 S1: of these other things that are clouding the way. If 557 00:31:33,260 --> 00:31:35,300 S1: she could just get all of that off, push all 558 00:31:35,300 --> 00:31:38,500 S1: that off the table and just say, okay, I just 559 00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:43,460 S1: want you to direct me here. And I think legitimately 560 00:31:43,460 --> 00:31:45,860 S1: you could make a case for either, I don't think 561 00:31:46,580 --> 00:31:48,940 S1: I don't think the struggle is whether she goes or not. 562 00:31:50,540 --> 00:31:55,340 S1: I think the struggle is why she decides to go 563 00:31:55,580 --> 00:32:00,900 S1: or not. Now, you respond to that, Debbie. I know 564 00:32:00,900 --> 00:32:03,220 S1: that you really believe she needs to pray a lot 565 00:32:03,220 --> 00:32:05,620 S1: about this, and she probably already is. How do you 566 00:32:05,620 --> 00:32:07,100 S1: respond to what I just said? 567 00:32:08,420 --> 00:32:11,420 S9: I think you covered most of what I would have said. 568 00:32:11,460 --> 00:32:14,380 S9: I think you brought it especially when you said, God, 569 00:32:14,380 --> 00:32:18,330 S9: what do you want? Because sometimes our decisions are so 570 00:32:18,330 --> 00:32:22,770 S9: much about us that we are just rehashing our own 571 00:32:22,810 --> 00:32:25,489 S9: thoughts and our own feelings and never getting to a 572 00:32:25,490 --> 00:32:27,410 S9: place of saying, okay, God, what do you want? And 573 00:32:27,410 --> 00:32:29,930 S9: I think about Proverbs three five and six, trust in 574 00:32:29,930 --> 00:32:32,450 S9: the Lord with all thine heart, and don't lean on 575 00:32:32,450 --> 00:32:34,850 S9: what you think you know, and all your ways acknowledge him, 576 00:32:34,850 --> 00:32:38,890 S9: and God will direct our paths. And, um, and all 577 00:32:38,890 --> 00:32:42,010 S9: of us who are calling in, even you receiving the 578 00:32:42,010 --> 00:32:44,730 S9: letter and responding to the letter. There's so many things 579 00:32:44,730 --> 00:32:49,690 S9: we don't know. Yes, but I believe that, um, this 580 00:32:49,690 --> 00:32:51,770 S9: might be a setup where God wants to use her. 581 00:32:52,170 --> 00:32:55,209 S9: It might be something where she's being stretched out of 582 00:32:55,210 --> 00:32:58,850 S9: her comfort zone. She might be self-righteous and judgmental, I 583 00:32:58,850 --> 00:33:01,850 S9: don't know. Because sometimes we are and we don't realize it. 584 00:33:02,290 --> 00:33:04,690 S9: But I don't think anything happens for no reason and 585 00:33:04,690 --> 00:33:08,970 S9: grappling with it and then going back into prayer and 586 00:33:08,970 --> 00:33:12,050 S9: supported and undergirded by the Word of God, that she 587 00:33:12,050 --> 00:33:15,010 S9: can go with peace either way. Like you were saying, 588 00:33:15,010 --> 00:33:18,490 S9: if you go or you not go. Why and how 589 00:33:18,490 --> 00:33:19,770 S9: did you come to that decision? 590 00:33:20,170 --> 00:33:22,090 S3: Yes, I like it. 591 00:33:22,130 --> 00:33:24,450 S1: Debbie, thank you for your call. And that's the that's 592 00:33:24,450 --> 00:33:28,209 S1: a really good, hard process to go through. And so 593 00:33:28,210 --> 00:33:31,209 S1: that's why I, you know, a lot of people would 594 00:33:31,250 --> 00:33:33,690 S1: have answered this question in in two minutes and moved 595 00:33:33,690 --> 00:33:37,490 S1: on to the next thing. I think it's more important 596 00:33:37,610 --> 00:33:41,050 S1: to come to it through, you know, the loops and 597 00:33:41,050 --> 00:33:43,650 S1: the hoops that we are having to jump through here 598 00:33:43,810 --> 00:33:47,170 S1: because this is not cut and dry, because you've got 599 00:33:47,170 --> 00:33:49,690 S1: a lot of different things, as Debbie said, that we 600 00:33:49,730 --> 00:33:52,930 S1: don't know. And the other the other struggle here is 601 00:33:52,930 --> 00:33:57,170 S1: that I don't hear an individual and I, you know, 602 00:33:57,170 --> 00:34:00,330 S1: it was just an email. If Mary had said to me, 603 00:34:01,690 --> 00:34:04,770 S1: I got this friend who works in the other department, 604 00:34:04,770 --> 00:34:06,530 S1: and I know that she's going to be there and 605 00:34:06,530 --> 00:34:10,570 S1: she's been struggling and she's this. And, you know, we 606 00:34:10,610 --> 00:34:13,729 S1: very rarely get to meet each other. And I, you know, I, 607 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:18,200 S1: I almost think that God is is saying go just 608 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:21,520 S1: to be with her, just just to sit down and 609 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:26,040 S1: to get a cup of coffee. And, you know, maybe 610 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:30,879 S1: there is a person in that venue that God is 611 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,560 S1: calling you to reach out to, and and you don't 612 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:37,200 S1: even get to talk about God. You don't even get 613 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:42,840 S1: to talk about substitutionary atonement or angels or eternity. You 614 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:46,279 S1: just sit and you laugh and and you're doing this 615 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:48,799 S1: because it's Christmas and they have the day off and 616 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:52,320 S1: you get a free dinner. And I wonder why we, 617 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:55,000 S1: you know, you bring around to Christmas and the reason 618 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,239 S1: for this whole thing. Larry, what do you, uh, what 619 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,200 S1: do you think there in Miami? Go right ahead. 620 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:04,160 S10: Well, Chris, thank you very much for taking my call. 621 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:07,560 S10: Long time listener. First time caller. Thank you. And, um, 622 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,959 S10: a lot of times we we we're I honestly believe 623 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:15,670 S10: that we're put in situations for a reason, and I 624 00:35:15,710 --> 00:35:19,669 S10: honestly believe that God did not allow situations to come 625 00:35:19,670 --> 00:35:22,469 S10: up on us that we are not prepared to handle. 626 00:35:22,710 --> 00:35:25,510 S10: I think she's dealing with a personal. Well, the first 627 00:35:25,510 --> 00:35:27,670 S10: question you asked was what was she dealing with? And 628 00:35:27,670 --> 00:35:31,390 S10: I think it's her personal, her personal conflict in her mind. 629 00:35:31,390 --> 00:35:33,549 S10: And she needs to get she needs to know her 630 00:35:33,550 --> 00:35:37,469 S10: comfort level, for one thing. Just because she goes does 631 00:35:37,469 --> 00:35:41,710 S10: not mean she's condoning what the establishment or the owners 632 00:35:41,710 --> 00:35:45,910 S10: believe in. She's there as a patron with her coworkers. 633 00:35:46,190 --> 00:35:48,549 S10: And again, you said you hit the nail on the head. 634 00:35:48,590 --> 00:35:51,750 S10: There may be someone in her path at that particular 635 00:35:51,750 --> 00:35:54,470 S10: function that she's supposed to witness to or she's supposed 636 00:35:54,469 --> 00:35:59,230 S10: to get close to. So we never know. Um, you know, 637 00:35:59,270 --> 00:36:02,030 S10: why we're going through or why we have these conflicts. 638 00:36:02,030 --> 00:36:04,709 S10: But usually when there's an inner struggle like that, there's 639 00:36:04,710 --> 00:36:06,469 S10: something that has to come out of that in a 640 00:36:06,469 --> 00:36:09,549 S10: positive note. We have to get ourselves to a point 641 00:36:09,550 --> 00:36:12,149 S10: where we're comfortable in our own skin and with our 642 00:36:12,150 --> 00:36:14,910 S10: faith to the point where we feel comfortable no matter 643 00:36:14,910 --> 00:36:17,029 S10: where we go. As a Christian, we should not have 644 00:36:17,030 --> 00:36:19,549 S10: to have second thoughts. I mean, if you I mean, 645 00:36:19,590 --> 00:36:21,630 S10: it's not like she's going to a strip club or something, 646 00:36:21,670 --> 00:36:24,310 S10: you know? It's more of a it, you know what 647 00:36:24,310 --> 00:36:27,150 S10: I'm saying? It's more of a, um. Yes, she, she 648 00:36:27,190 --> 00:36:29,310 S10: she's got to feel comfortable in her own skin where 649 00:36:29,310 --> 00:36:33,310 S10: she goes. Um, we're going to be dealt with temptation. Now, 650 00:36:33,350 --> 00:36:36,190 S10: if she's got some personal issues that she may feel 651 00:36:36,190 --> 00:36:38,350 S10: that she might be tempted to do some things that 652 00:36:38,350 --> 00:36:40,910 S10: are out of the realm of a Christian, then yes, 653 00:36:40,910 --> 00:36:41,710 S10: she needs to stay home. 654 00:36:41,750 --> 00:36:43,590 S3: Great point. Yes, if you. 655 00:36:43,630 --> 00:36:46,230 S1: Are dealing with alcoholism in your past and you're asked 656 00:36:46,230 --> 00:36:48,029 S1: to go to Christmas party and you know that it's 657 00:36:48,030 --> 00:36:51,910 S1: going to be flowing there, and you say, who wouldn't? 658 00:36:51,950 --> 00:36:54,670 S1: Who wouldn't understand? Saying, you know, I would have loved 659 00:36:54,670 --> 00:36:57,790 S1: to have come, but I got this struggle with alcohol 660 00:36:57,790 --> 00:37:00,630 S1: and you're just being honest. You're being open. And, you know, 661 00:37:00,750 --> 00:37:03,230 S1: God's given me a victory over it. But I'm I'm 662 00:37:03,230 --> 00:37:05,910 S1: not going to put myself in a position where I 663 00:37:05,910 --> 00:37:09,110 S1: could stumble that way. And it just was too tempting 664 00:37:09,150 --> 00:37:13,460 S1: to me. So I, you know, sorry. That would be perfect. Honest. And, 665 00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:16,500 S1: you know, a transparent way to talk about that. 666 00:37:17,780 --> 00:37:22,100 S10: Yeah, she's she's she's gonna make a decision eventually. And like, 667 00:37:22,260 --> 00:37:24,339 S10: she's not on the call. Like you said, you didn't 668 00:37:24,340 --> 00:37:26,859 S10: get the the you didn't hear her voice, and you 669 00:37:26,860 --> 00:37:29,780 S10: really didn't. A lot of times I tell my wife, 670 00:37:29,780 --> 00:37:33,180 S10: I don't need to. I can't text you. I can't 671 00:37:33,500 --> 00:37:35,219 S10: talk to you. I need to hear your voice. Because 672 00:37:35,219 --> 00:37:38,580 S10: sometimes you can hear things in a person's voice. That's 673 00:37:38,580 --> 00:37:41,140 S10: a point to an email or a text, and they 674 00:37:41,140 --> 00:37:43,140 S10: can tell me anything on an email or a text. 675 00:37:43,140 --> 00:37:45,940 S10: But when I hear your voice, you can hear the sincerity, 676 00:37:45,980 --> 00:37:48,460 S10: you can hear the fear, or you can hear the concern, 677 00:37:48,620 --> 00:37:51,580 S10: and then you can make a better decision on which 678 00:37:51,580 --> 00:37:54,299 S10: way to handle that problem. But but like I said, 679 00:37:54,300 --> 00:37:56,820 S10: I would I would say go, I have I mean 680 00:37:57,140 --> 00:38:00,060 S10: the building's not there's no taboo on any buildings. I mean, 681 00:38:00,100 --> 00:38:02,620 S10: her faith is bigger than any taboo out there. And 682 00:38:02,620 --> 00:38:04,620 S10: God is not the author of fear, you know? 683 00:38:05,100 --> 00:38:05,580 S3: Yes. 684 00:38:05,860 --> 00:38:09,569 S1: Jesus is bigger than that. Yeah. And and my question is, 685 00:38:09,610 --> 00:38:11,250 S1: you know, are the hors d'oeuvres going to be any 686 00:38:11,250 --> 00:38:16,930 S1: good or not? Um, what's the is it prepared? Well? Um, 687 00:38:17,530 --> 00:38:19,489 S1: there's an awful lot of sinful people who probably put 688 00:38:19,489 --> 00:38:23,290 S1: this microphone together that I'm talking through now. Christians don't 689 00:38:23,290 --> 00:38:26,009 S1: all just rap these chords that go together. I mean. 690 00:38:28,489 --> 00:38:31,370 S1: There are there are some very sinful people who make 691 00:38:31,370 --> 00:38:35,850 S1: good food. Uh, Larry. Thank you. Rose, though. Rose is 692 00:38:35,850 --> 00:38:37,410 S1: going to talk about peace. Let me go to her 693 00:38:37,410 --> 00:38:39,609 S1: call before we take a break. Hey, Rose. What do 694 00:38:39,610 --> 00:38:39,930 S1: you say? 695 00:38:39,969 --> 00:38:40,330 S3: Hey. 696 00:38:41,050 --> 00:38:43,770 S9: I think that she needs to definitely stay home in 697 00:38:44,130 --> 00:38:46,810 S9: the home. The Lord gave her because she had no 698 00:38:46,810 --> 00:38:50,530 S9: peace about it. And Jesus is for peace. And? And 699 00:38:50,570 --> 00:38:53,650 S9: I'm not. I'm not about the gay man cooking the 700 00:38:53,650 --> 00:38:56,650 S9: food and having the restaurant. Uh, I might walk in 701 00:38:56,690 --> 00:38:59,730 S9: the restaurant, eat, and not know who's cooking for me. 702 00:38:59,969 --> 00:39:04,009 S9: But the point is, she has no peace. And also, um. 703 00:39:04,730 --> 00:39:08,930 S1: But I think. Let me jump in here. Rose. Go ahead. Jesus. What? 704 00:39:08,969 --> 00:39:13,290 S9: Jesus. Jesus didn't hang around with sinners and and be 705 00:39:13,290 --> 00:39:15,650 S9: with them and love them and saw the real, the 706 00:39:15,690 --> 00:39:20,009 S9: real thing. But, um, he he was Jesus. And these people, 707 00:39:20,650 --> 00:39:22,609 S9: she sees them every single day. And so she has 708 00:39:22,610 --> 00:39:25,410 S9: that opportunity every single day to witness her life, which 709 00:39:25,450 --> 00:39:27,810 S9: I'm sure she does. I would not go to the 710 00:39:27,850 --> 00:39:31,370 S9: restaurant at all. I would just stay home and be 711 00:39:31,370 --> 00:39:31,850 S9: with my daughter. 712 00:39:31,890 --> 00:39:34,730 S1: I think, Rose, I think the the. I think you're right. 713 00:39:34,730 --> 00:39:37,169 S1: She doesn't have peace. But I think the reason she 714 00:39:37,170 --> 00:39:42,170 S1: doesn't have peace is because, um, because. And the reason 715 00:39:42,170 --> 00:39:45,530 S1: that she wrote me was because she thinks that there's 716 00:39:45,530 --> 00:39:48,050 S1: part of her thinks I ought to go to this. 717 00:39:48,370 --> 00:39:51,810 S1: And the reason that she wrote me was that she 718 00:39:51,810 --> 00:39:54,650 S1: wanted to have this, you know, I'm here in the 719 00:39:54,650 --> 00:39:57,850 S1: still small voice say, don't go. Is that okay? Does 720 00:39:57,850 --> 00:39:58,890 S1: that make sense to you? 721 00:39:59,489 --> 00:40:02,330 S9: I just think that she needs to go home and 722 00:40:02,330 --> 00:40:05,530 S9: stay home and not not go, because it's not necessary. 723 00:40:05,690 --> 00:40:08,719 S9: It's just. It's not The still small voice is telling 724 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:11,640 S9: her she should go, because to me, she's trying to 725 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:13,560 S9: make me think like, well, if I go, then they'll 726 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:16,560 S9: come to Christ. But I'm sure that she can already 727 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:19,359 S9: win them what she's been doing at work for. So do. 728 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:20,430 S11: It at do it 9 to. 729 00:40:20,430 --> 00:40:23,160 S1: 5. Don't go to the party. I got you, Rose. 730 00:40:23,160 --> 00:40:25,920 S1: Thank you for calling here today. It is. And and 731 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:30,239 S1: you're seeing in all of the different responses here individual 732 00:40:30,239 --> 00:40:33,319 S1: responses and what they would do in the same situation. 733 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:36,120 S1: And some of you have been in those situations. Now 734 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:38,200 S1: another question for you and we'll talk about it right 735 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:51,359 S1: after these messages on Moody Radio. All right. I've got 736 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:53,120 S1: a question for you to end with. But before we 737 00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:56,239 S1: do that, let's go to some more calls. Doug in Ohio, 738 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:58,480 S1: you've heard our conversation. What do you say? 739 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,120 S12: I think you're right on the money with what you're 740 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:04,719 S12: talking about. Um, I can tell you a couple little 741 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:07,069 S12: interesting things real quick. I know you probably pressed for time, 742 00:41:07,070 --> 00:41:11,390 S12: but I'm a Christian business owner and we like to 743 00:41:11,390 --> 00:41:14,509 S12: do our little Christmas party at a certain venue that 744 00:41:14,510 --> 00:41:17,270 S12: we've looked around at different places, but the place we 745 00:41:17,270 --> 00:41:19,550 S12: have found that we have used in the last probably 746 00:41:19,550 --> 00:41:25,190 S12: ten years is used in October as a haunted laboratory 747 00:41:25,190 --> 00:41:28,989 S12: or a haunted house, if you can believe that. Now 748 00:41:28,989 --> 00:41:33,669 S12: it's very it's very nice. It's catered, but we, you know, 749 00:41:33,710 --> 00:41:36,710 S12: everybody that works for us knows we're Christians, okay? And 750 00:41:36,710 --> 00:41:39,989 S12: they know that we're real. And when people come to 751 00:41:39,989 --> 00:41:42,149 S12: our party, we have a lot of single people that 752 00:41:42,150 --> 00:41:44,150 S12: come to work for us. We had a construction company. 753 00:41:44,430 --> 00:41:46,950 S12: We invite the wives, all kinds of guests, so we 754 00:41:46,950 --> 00:41:49,750 S12: never really know who is going to come. We get 755 00:41:49,790 --> 00:41:52,989 S12: maybe 80, 90 people or small business, but people there 756 00:41:52,989 --> 00:41:56,430 S12: know we're Christians, you know, we pray over the meal, um, 757 00:41:56,710 --> 00:41:59,029 S12: we bless everybody. We tell them that, you know what? 758 00:41:59,030 --> 00:42:02,029 S12: This is your day. If there's anything we can do 759 00:42:02,030 --> 00:42:04,299 S12: for you, you know, they pretty well know You work. 760 00:42:04,340 --> 00:42:06,580 S12: Work for us. What we will do. But we take 761 00:42:06,580 --> 00:42:09,580 S12: it from from the the perspective of that. Greater is 762 00:42:09,580 --> 00:42:11,940 S12: he that is in us than he that is in 763 00:42:11,940 --> 00:42:16,020 S12: the world. And that where we go, we chase evil away. Now, 764 00:42:16,020 --> 00:42:17,980 S12: I know there's people that are going to wig out about, 765 00:42:18,219 --> 00:42:20,980 S12: you know, haunted houses and spirits and all that. And, 766 00:42:21,020 --> 00:42:24,739 S12: you know, that's another probably sermon. But we believe that. 767 00:42:24,739 --> 00:42:27,700 S12: You know what? He who is in us, you know, 768 00:42:27,739 --> 00:42:30,180 S12: is stronger. And where we go, we want to share 769 00:42:30,180 --> 00:42:33,180 S12: our light. So we don't really worry about the places 770 00:42:33,180 --> 00:42:35,180 S12: that we would have a part in. I would encourage 771 00:42:35,180 --> 00:42:38,340 S12: that young lady that you know what Bible talks about. 772 00:42:38,380 --> 00:42:43,420 S12: Don't hide your light. You know, under a basket. We 773 00:42:43,420 --> 00:42:47,100 S12: are all still sinners. But you know what? Um, but 774 00:42:47,100 --> 00:42:50,020 S12: we're redeemed. So I would encourage you to go and 775 00:42:50,020 --> 00:42:53,860 S12: shine our light. But again, the last gentleman that spoke 776 00:42:53,900 --> 00:42:57,900 S12: spoke about weaknesses that we have alcohol, that type of stuff. 777 00:42:58,100 --> 00:43:00,620 S12: I would agree that if it's a weakness or has 778 00:43:00,620 --> 00:43:03,220 S12: been a weakness in your life, you should probably abstain 779 00:43:03,219 --> 00:43:06,380 S12: from it. But, uh, you know, we're called to go 780 00:43:06,380 --> 00:43:08,540 S12: into the world, man. The world is not a very 781 00:43:08,540 --> 00:43:11,180 S12: nice place, but, uh, the only. 782 00:43:11,180 --> 00:43:13,060 S11: Thing there's an awful lot of awful. 783 00:43:13,060 --> 00:43:15,259 S1: Lot of pain out there. And you know that if 784 00:43:15,300 --> 00:43:17,540 S1: you've got that many employees. Doug, I want to work 785 00:43:17,540 --> 00:43:19,300 S1: in Doug's company. I want to go. 786 00:43:20,260 --> 00:43:20,779 S11: Well, the. 787 00:43:20,780 --> 00:43:22,540 S12: Crazy thing we get people, I mean, because we do 788 00:43:22,540 --> 00:43:24,779 S12: some really unusual things. And with the gifts and things 789 00:43:24,780 --> 00:43:28,380 S12: we do, um, we want to show Christ very, very 790 00:43:28,380 --> 00:43:31,500 S12: specially that time when we try to do it 24 seven. 791 00:43:31,780 --> 00:43:35,780 S12: But it blows people away and we get a lot. 792 00:43:35,820 --> 00:43:37,540 S12: I mean, I get guys that call me that want 793 00:43:37,580 --> 00:43:41,219 S12: to talk about spiritual things because they know that I'm 794 00:43:41,260 --> 00:43:43,980 S12: going to play it to them straight. But I would 795 00:43:43,980 --> 00:43:45,899 S12: just encourage a lot of people out there, get out 796 00:43:45,900 --> 00:43:48,460 S12: of the Christian comfort zone. That's what I call it. 797 00:43:48,500 --> 00:43:51,820 S12: I mean, don't be stupid, but don't be afraid, because 798 00:43:51,820 --> 00:43:56,100 S12: you know what? He who is with you is mighty and, uh, 799 00:43:56,460 --> 00:43:57,700 S12: amazing things can happen. 800 00:43:58,100 --> 00:43:58,780 S11: That is. 801 00:43:58,780 --> 00:44:02,569 S1: Moving out in from a sense of Victory rather than defeat. 802 00:44:02,690 --> 00:44:06,729 S1: Not of fear, but of faith. But there are others 803 00:44:06,730 --> 00:44:10,210 S1: who disagree, and we don't have time to take more calls. But. 804 00:44:10,250 --> 00:44:13,450 S1: Jeremy and Alabama. Thank you. You said he says she 805 00:44:13,450 --> 00:44:16,370 S1: shouldn't go. It's an opportunity for her to identify with 806 00:44:16,370 --> 00:44:20,609 S1: Christ before her co-workers of not going. This is her example. 807 00:44:20,890 --> 00:44:23,730 S1: The next call says Jesus never went to parties to 808 00:44:23,770 --> 00:44:27,450 S1: ruin them. He made them more alive and even helped out. 809 00:44:28,050 --> 00:44:32,290 S1: Did a miracle with the wine. Um. You showed showed 810 00:44:32,290 --> 00:44:36,130 S1: the servants really what was going on? Uh, she should go, 811 00:44:36,170 --> 00:44:39,890 S1: says the caller in Chattanooga, while I was studying, struggling 812 00:44:39,890 --> 00:44:43,610 S1: with alcoholism, I had my greatest evangelism moments with people 813 00:44:43,610 --> 00:44:46,489 S1: I could only reach because of my struggle. And it 814 00:44:46,489 --> 00:44:49,569 S1: goes on and on and on. Uh, of people with 815 00:44:49,570 --> 00:44:53,370 S1: their their opinions about what Mary should do. Now, Mary, 816 00:44:53,410 --> 00:44:56,570 S1: you know who you are. And I know you're probably 817 00:44:56,650 --> 00:44:59,529 S1: I don't know that we've solved this for you or not, 818 00:44:59,960 --> 00:45:02,680 S1: But I want to end with this question. Here's the 819 00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:05,799 S1: final question. Not for Mary, but for you. Is there 820 00:45:05,800 --> 00:45:10,839 S1: any place you are avoiding where God is going and 821 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:15,280 S1: calling you to follow him? Is there any place you're 822 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:20,080 S1: avoiding where God is going and calling you to follow him? 823 00:45:20,280 --> 00:45:23,200 S1: Are there people? Are there any people you are avoiding? 824 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:28,800 S1: Neighborhood work wherever that God is calling you to follow 825 00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:34,200 S1: him in their lives? I heard that question from 11 826 00:45:34,200 --> 00:45:40,080 S1: years ago. I heard myself ask that question and felt 827 00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:44,880 S1: real conviction today. And it was one of the reasons 828 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:47,399 S1: why I wanted to air this program, that it was 829 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:49,920 S1: more of an issue program here just a couple of 830 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:52,840 S1: days before Christmas. And I like to warm the cockles 831 00:45:52,840 --> 00:45:55,680 S1: of your heart as much as I can and, uh, 832 00:45:55,880 --> 00:46:00,520 S1: you know, have the Yuletide feeling, but there's something about 833 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:05,080 S1: this time of year that allows us to to live 834 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:08,400 S1: in the tension. And maybe that's where you are today. 835 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:10,520 S1: There is a tension of, I want to do this, 836 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:14,040 S1: but I don't want to do this. And I think the, the, 837 00:46:14,040 --> 00:46:16,400 S1: the import of this program as I listened to it 838 00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:20,000 S1: 11 years later, is, is not to say you ought 839 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:21,640 S1: to do this and you got to do that or 840 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:25,280 S1: you can't do this, you can't do that. The the 841 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:29,399 S1: issue that this whole hour dealt with was if you 842 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:34,760 S1: are feeling struggle in your Christian life, good struggle. Well, 843 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:37,879 S1: because struggle is a sign of life, not a sign 844 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:41,759 S1: of failure. Hope that encourages you today. Chris Fabry lives 845 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:45,920 S1: for production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.