1
00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:05,800
S1: Broadcasting from Chicago, across North America and beyond. Come as

2
00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:11,399
S1: you are an experienced guide, overcome what seems impossible and

3
00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,400
S1: live as you never imagined. Start your morning with a laugh.

4
00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:20,599
S2: Practical from the Bible. Tips and tricks to kill. Not tricks,

5
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:26,239
S2: but tips and tricks. Tips and tricks to kill. Tips

6
00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:26,880
S2: and tricks.

7
00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,880
S1: Delivering the truth daily.

8
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,720
S3: All of my attempts to, you know, prop myself up

9
00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,280
S3: with achievement and good works. Well, God wasn't impressed by that.

10
00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:36,720
S3: Even if other people were.

11
00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,519
S2: The gospel changes everything.

12
00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:42,760
S4: Freedom in Christ. Man, it's like that backpack of cement

13
00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:44,680
S4: just falling to the ground.

14
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:49,160
S1: Now, from the call of Hope Studios, this is Carl

15
00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:49,800
S1: and crew.

16
00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,159
S3: You know, when you're a kid and it's like the

17
00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:56,640
S3: night before Christmas and you can't sleep because you're just

18
00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,010
S3: kind of, like, itching for to be the next morning.

19
00:01:00,050 --> 00:01:03,850
S2: Oh, yeah. I mean, for me too, because I made

20
00:01:03,850 --> 00:01:08,089
S2: Christmas really difficult on myself. I would I would go

21
00:01:08,130 --> 00:01:11,250
S2: down and play detective with my brother with all the presents,

22
00:01:11,250 --> 00:01:13,490
S2: and I would I'd hold them up to the light

23
00:01:13,530 --> 00:01:15,690
S2: to see if I could see through the stuff. And

24
00:01:15,690 --> 00:01:18,610
S2: so I sometimes I knew very well what I was getting,

25
00:01:18,610 --> 00:01:20,530
S2: and I was very excited for it. But I knew

26
00:01:20,569 --> 00:01:23,130
S2: like three weeks out what was under the tree. And

27
00:01:23,130 --> 00:01:25,490
S2: so now I'm sitting there waiting to open it. And

28
00:01:25,490 --> 00:01:27,890
S2: that was the worst. So yes, I get the hard

29
00:01:27,890 --> 00:01:28,290
S2: to sleep.

30
00:01:28,330 --> 00:01:31,690
S3: Sort of excitement. You know, I did not sleep very

31
00:01:31,690 --> 00:01:34,130
S3: much last night. And I think part of it is

32
00:01:34,130 --> 00:01:37,449
S3: I was really I'm really excited for our guests that's

33
00:01:37,450 --> 00:01:38,530
S3: coming in this morning.

34
00:01:38,930 --> 00:01:39,970
S2: Oh very.

35
00:01:39,970 --> 00:01:44,330
S3: Cool. I mean, he is a long time professor at

36
00:01:44,330 --> 00:01:48,730
S3: Moody who's retired recently and now has a podcast, but

37
00:01:48,730 --> 00:01:51,410
S3: he's just I was watching a little bit of his

38
00:01:51,410 --> 00:01:55,970
S3: podcast last night. Yeah, just kind of familiarizing myself with like,

39
00:01:55,970 --> 00:02:00,730
S3: his style and I am so excited to chat with him.

40
00:02:00,930 --> 00:02:03,130
S2: It's been a long time since we've had him on

41
00:02:03,130 --> 00:02:06,570
S2: our show. He is a fantastic man.

42
00:02:06,610 --> 00:02:08,970
S3: Doctor Ron Sauer For those of you who maybe are

43
00:02:08,970 --> 00:02:11,730
S3: familiar with Moody, maybe that name rings a bell. Jonathan,

44
00:02:11,730 --> 00:02:13,410
S3: you did not have him as a professor, but you

45
00:02:13,450 --> 00:02:16,850
S3: certainly were aware what was his reputation when he was

46
00:02:16,850 --> 00:02:17,770
S3: on campus?

47
00:02:17,889 --> 00:02:20,130
S2: Uh, yeah. First off, even if you didn't have him,

48
00:02:20,130 --> 00:02:22,650
S2: it's hard not to be aware of him. Doctor Ronald

49
00:02:22,650 --> 00:02:26,650
S2: Sauer is a presence, uh, by his reputation on campus

50
00:02:26,650 --> 00:02:30,490
S2: was being this kind, gentle man who was willing to

51
00:02:30,530 --> 00:02:35,049
S2: invest into the lives of students and, uh, and more specifically, uh,

52
00:02:35,210 --> 00:02:39,489
S2: I remember hearing stories of him and his wife ministering

53
00:02:39,530 --> 00:02:43,170
S2: to young couples on campus. Uh, and, and he really

54
00:02:43,169 --> 00:02:44,530
S2: is such a fantastic guy.

55
00:02:44,889 --> 00:02:46,970
S3: So we're going to have him in studio this morning.

56
00:02:47,010 --> 00:02:49,930
S3: I asked you earlier this week, hey, text me in

57
00:02:49,930 --> 00:02:54,530
S3: some questions, general questions about seeking God's will, about making

58
00:02:54,530 --> 00:02:58,179
S3: decisions in a godly way. I've compiled the questions that

59
00:02:58,180 --> 00:03:00,380
S3: came in not too late. If you want to send

60
00:03:00,380 --> 00:03:03,060
S3: us a question, as he is who I had in

61
00:03:03,060 --> 00:03:05,460
S3: mind when I first thought about this week, I thought,

62
00:03:05,460 --> 00:03:08,060
S3: who can we get in? Who really is just a

63
00:03:08,060 --> 00:03:11,060
S3: wealth of knowledge, just in general when it comes to

64
00:03:11,100 --> 00:03:15,100
S3: giving life advice. He has 40 years of practical ministry

65
00:03:15,100 --> 00:03:18,660
S3: experience as a Bible college professor, a local pastor, a

66
00:03:18,660 --> 00:03:24,100
S3: marine Corps combat veteran. You're going to love him. You're

67
00:03:24,100 --> 00:03:26,820
S3: really going to love him. Text me your questions. Make

68
00:03:26,820 --> 00:03:29,900
S3: them general enough that they would apply to more than

69
00:03:29,900 --> 00:03:32,100
S3: just you. I. We're not going to be able to

70
00:03:32,139 --> 00:03:35,380
S3: give him like the details specific of like this is

71
00:03:35,420 --> 00:03:37,660
S3: the x, y and z of what's. But if you've

72
00:03:37,660 --> 00:03:40,980
S3: got general questions about hey, how do I make a relationship?

73
00:03:41,020 --> 00:03:43,540
S3: How do I decide if a relationship is for me

74
00:03:43,540 --> 00:03:45,100
S3: or not? Or how do I know if I should

75
00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:48,060
S3: stay or leave a job? Send me your questions and

76
00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:49,700
S3: I will try to get as many in as we can.

77
00:03:49,740 --> 00:03:52,980
S3: This morning with Doctor Sauer who's coming in studio, I'm pumped.

78
00:03:53,020 --> 00:03:57,510
S3: 800 805, 55, 78, 98. Text us your questions and

79
00:03:57,510 --> 00:04:02,350
S3: get ready for a great morning. 805 55 7898.

80
00:04:03,430 --> 00:04:07,950
S1: Breaking chains and running free. You're listening to Carl and crew.

81
00:04:08,390 --> 00:04:11,070
S3: As promised, I am so excited to have in studio

82
00:04:11,110 --> 00:04:14,950
S3: this morning, Doctor Ronald Sauer. He's a retired professor here

83
00:04:14,950 --> 00:04:17,989
S3: at the Moody Bible Institute. 40 years, more than 40

84
00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:21,909
S3: years of practical ministry experience as a Bible college professor,

85
00:04:21,910 --> 00:04:26,029
S3: as a pastor, as a marine Corps combat veteran. You

86
00:04:26,029 --> 00:04:28,790
S3: have been discipling people for many years. So I'm going

87
00:04:28,830 --> 00:04:31,230
S3: to pick your brain a little bit this morning. But

88
00:04:31,230 --> 00:04:33,109
S3: I first want to let our listeners get to know

89
00:04:33,110 --> 00:04:35,830
S3: you a little bit. Now, as we've been talking this

90
00:04:35,830 --> 00:04:39,750
S3: week about discerning God's will for your life, you initially

91
00:04:39,750 --> 00:04:43,190
S3: did not come to Moody Bible Institute. You chose a

92
00:04:43,190 --> 00:04:45,190
S3: different path. Tell me that story.

93
00:04:45,750 --> 00:04:52,799
S5: I finished my education in 1981 and I went first. Uh,

94
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:57,600
S5: I came from England, where I finished up, went to Lynchburg, Virginia,

95
00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,919
S5: and interviewed at Liberty University, and they offered me a job.

96
00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,440
S5: And my wife and I sensed that God did not

97
00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:08,520
S5: want us at liberty. So we went from Lynchburg to

98
00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,360
S5: Chicago and interviewed at Moody Bible Institute. And Moody offered

99
00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:16,320
S5: me a job also. And my wife and I sensed

100
00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,680
S5: God wanted us at Moody, and we decided not to

101
00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:27,200
S5: come to Moody but go to Liberty University. And the

102
00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,440
S5: reason we did that was even though we knew God

103
00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,680
S5: wanted us at Moody, we went to Liberty to please

104
00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,600
S5: my wife's parents. They live close to Liberty. That's where

105
00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,920
S5: they wanted us. And, uh, I remember very well what

106
00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,880
S5: Paul said in Galatians. I seek to please God, not man. Well,

107
00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,920
S5: my wife and I sought to please man her parents.

108
00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,760
S5: Jonah was told by God to go east. He went

109
00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,200
S5: west and got swallowed by a whale. And my wife

110
00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:57,960
S5: and I got swallowed by a whale in Lynchburg. Our

111
00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,680
S5: whale was marriage problems. And the Lord used that to

112
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,400
S5: really rebuke us for being in the wrong place. And

113
00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,560
S5: so when Jonah was spit up on that beach out

114
00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,599
S5: of the whale's belly, the first question he had is,

115
00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,520
S5: which way is Nineveh? And, uh, Moody called me up,

116
00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,160
S5: surprisingly and said, six years ago we offered you a job.

117
00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,240
S5: You turned us down. Would you reconsider? Yes, indeed. I

118
00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,320
S5: want to know which way is Chicago.

119
00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,800
S3: Doctor Sauer, I you know, you hit on a couple things,

120
00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:30,640
S3: and I want to make this as practical as we

121
00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,760
S3: can for people this morning. When you say you sensed

122
00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:38,440
S3: that God wanted you to go a certain direction, that

123
00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,320
S3: a lot of times is how people feel led by

124
00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,239
S3: the Lord, I sensed this. How how can we discern

125
00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,330
S3: what where God is leading versus our own desires because

126
00:06:49,330 --> 00:06:51,210
S3: that can be very confusing for people.

127
00:06:51,250 --> 00:06:54,570
S5: It can be. But the thing is this, uh, you

128
00:06:54,570 --> 00:06:59,450
S5: have the ability to speak to people and make them understand.

129
00:06:59,690 --> 00:07:03,610
S5: You're the talker, and you can help them understand what

130
00:07:03,610 --> 00:07:06,890
S5: you're saying to them. God must have at least the

131
00:07:06,890 --> 00:07:09,650
S5: ability that you have. That's why the Book of Psalms says,

132
00:07:09,650 --> 00:07:13,010
S5: he who made the eye, does he not see he

133
00:07:13,050 --> 00:07:16,450
S5: who made the tongue? Can he not speak? So it

134
00:07:16,450 --> 00:07:20,210
S5: is subjective. It is largely subjective, but that doesn't make

135
00:07:20,210 --> 00:07:23,410
S5: it any less true. The Holy Spirit gives a person

136
00:07:23,410 --> 00:07:27,090
S5: who is seeking God's will a conviction. I want you

137
00:07:27,090 --> 00:07:31,130
S5: to go this way, not that way. Then to confirm

138
00:07:31,130 --> 00:07:35,010
S5: that God will open and shut doors, he'll shut the

139
00:07:35,010 --> 00:07:37,330
S5: wrong door that we're about to go into. And I

140
00:07:37,330 --> 00:07:40,090
S5: believe that a shut door is just as much a

141
00:07:40,090 --> 00:07:43,170
S5: part of divine guidance as is an open door. And

142
00:07:43,170 --> 00:07:46,050
S5: then there's counsel that we can seek from others. Proverbs

143
00:07:46,140 --> 00:07:48,900
S5: urges us time and again to seek counsel. One verse

144
00:07:48,900 --> 00:07:54,060
S5: in Proverbs says, uh, plans take shape and are matured

145
00:07:54,060 --> 00:07:58,540
S5: by good advice. So after I interviewed at Liberty, after

146
00:07:58,540 --> 00:08:04,940
S5: I interviewed at Moody, I gathered six godly men who

147
00:08:04,940 --> 00:08:08,420
S5: are all pastors in one room. Sue and I met

148
00:08:08,420 --> 00:08:12,100
S5: with them, and we laid before them the decision. I've

149
00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:14,780
S5: been offered a job at Liberty University, one at Moody.

150
00:08:14,820 --> 00:08:17,020
S5: Which do you think? So we discussed it, and at

151
00:08:17,020 --> 00:08:19,980
S5: the end of the hour, all six men said, do

152
00:08:19,980 --> 00:08:22,420
S5: not go to Liberty, go to Moody. Well, that was

153
00:08:22,420 --> 00:08:25,739
S5: the conviction God gave us. It was verified by these

154
00:08:25,740 --> 00:08:28,780
S5: wise men. And in spite of the conviction, in spite

155
00:08:28,780 --> 00:08:32,860
S5: of what those godly men said, we disobeyed. Just like Jonah.

156
00:08:32,980 --> 00:08:35,860
S3: Yeah. You know, I want to hear a little bit

157
00:08:35,860 --> 00:08:38,420
S3: about your time here at Moody. You spent 40 years

158
00:08:38,420 --> 00:08:41,340
S3: here and a big part of your or 35 years,

159
00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:41,860
S3: is that right?

160
00:08:41,900 --> 00:08:44,179
S5: Yeah. Six years at Liberty University, 35.

161
00:08:44,390 --> 00:08:47,430
S3: 35 here at Moody. So you a big part of

162
00:08:47,429 --> 00:08:50,550
S3: your role in addition to teaching classes, but you really

163
00:08:50,550 --> 00:08:56,670
S3: made yourself available to students for personal counsel, for mentoring.

164
00:08:56,790 --> 00:08:58,870
S3: Why was that so important to you?

165
00:08:59,150 --> 00:09:02,469
S5: Well, a couple reasons. Uh, when I was in college,

166
00:09:02,670 --> 00:09:09,150
S5: I went to one professor's office. One time when I

167
00:09:09,150 --> 00:09:14,630
S5: was in seminary, I went to two professors office one

168
00:09:14,670 --> 00:09:18,270
S5: time each. So that's an eight years. Wow. I ended

169
00:09:18,270 --> 00:09:22,429
S5: up three times in a professor's office. I don't mean

170
00:09:22,429 --> 00:09:26,350
S5: this in a bad way, but I never sensed that

171
00:09:26,350 --> 00:09:32,470
S5: the professor's invited the students into their office. And so.

172
00:09:32,910 --> 00:09:35,430
S5: And then you have personal struggles that can't be answered

173
00:09:35,429 --> 00:09:37,990
S5: in a class lecture. Yeah. And so my wife and

174
00:09:37,990 --> 00:09:39,309
S5: I wanted to be different.

175
00:09:39,830 --> 00:09:43,150
S3: Doctor Ron Sauer this morning. Uh, our guest, He is

176
00:09:43,150 --> 00:09:46,510
S3: a retired professor here at Moody Bible Institute. He graduated

177
00:09:46,510 --> 00:09:49,790
S3: from Dallas Theological Seminary, earned a doctorate at the University

178
00:09:49,790 --> 00:09:52,990
S3: of Manchester in England. He has a podcast out. I

179
00:09:52,990 --> 00:09:54,910
S3: was listening to some of it last night. I want

180
00:09:54,950 --> 00:09:57,390
S3: to give you a key word, but I also want

181
00:09:57,390 --> 00:09:59,630
S3: you to text in your questions. Have you got some

182
00:09:59,630 --> 00:10:02,230
S3: coming in? And again, keep these pretty general to where

183
00:10:02,230 --> 00:10:04,390
S3: they would apply to more than just you. That will

184
00:10:04,390 --> 00:10:06,030
S3: allow us to get in as many as we can.

185
00:10:06,030 --> 00:10:08,069
S3: But if you have a question for Doctor Sower, just

186
00:10:08,070 --> 00:10:13,790
S3: text us (800) 555-7898 one that came in the other day.

187
00:10:13,830 --> 00:10:19,070
S3: Doctor sower, does walking in God's will remove obstacles?

188
00:10:19,350 --> 00:10:20,390
S5: Absolutely not.

189
00:10:21,830 --> 00:10:22,829
S3: Go ahead on that one.

190
00:10:22,870 --> 00:10:25,109
S5: That would be that would be, in a sense, good.

191
00:10:25,230 --> 00:10:28,270
S5: That would be idealistic to know there's going to be

192
00:10:28,270 --> 00:10:33,710
S5: difficulty all along the path. Uh, human opposition, Satanic opposition,

193
00:10:33,710 --> 00:10:39,790
S5: our own bad decisions and mistakes that we make. Uh,

194
00:10:39,790 --> 00:10:43,560
S5: so God will use all that opposition for our benefit.

195
00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:48,439
S5: God is sovereign and wise and he can bring incredible

196
00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:53,360
S5: good out of incredible bad. Each trial obstacle we face

197
00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,880
S5: is an opportunity to experience the kindness of God.

198
00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:01,040
S3: We had someone text in earlier this week who was

199
00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,480
S3: trying to figure out, what do I focus on when

200
00:11:03,480 --> 00:11:06,880
S3: it comes to using my gifts, using things that God's

201
00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,640
S3: given me? I feel like I could go this direction.

202
00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,000
S3: I've got talent in this area. I feel like I

203
00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,880
S3: could go this direction. I've got some ability here. How

204
00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,160
S3: do I discern? Where do I focus my time, my talent,

205
00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:19,520
S3: and my effort?

206
00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:21,959
S5: I'd begin by saying this If God were to give

207
00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,080
S5: you a blank check and say, write on that. Check

208
00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:26,760
S5: what you want to do the most in life, and

209
00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,439
S5: I'll make that happen. Okay. Pay attention to that desire,

210
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:35,559
S5: that passion, that ability that you that God has given you. Secondly,

211
00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:41,690
S5: consult with godly people who are older, wiser, further down

212
00:11:41,690 --> 00:11:44,090
S5: the path of life than you and get their advice. Again,

213
00:11:44,090 --> 00:11:48,970
S5: proverbs see there is safety and the counsel of many.

214
00:11:49,210 --> 00:11:53,370
S5: Now check the circumstances. What doors is it that God

215
00:11:53,370 --> 00:11:58,650
S5: is opening? What doors is he shutting? Ask, seek. Knock.

216
00:11:58,850 --> 00:12:02,809
S5: And so. And I like Mark 135 Jesus is standing

217
00:12:02,809 --> 00:12:05,730
S5: at a crossroads. He gets up. It says he rose

218
00:12:05,730 --> 00:12:07,330
S5: early in the morning while it was still dark, went

219
00:12:07,330 --> 00:12:10,610
S5: out to a lonely place, and there he began to pray.

220
00:12:10,650 --> 00:12:12,890
S5: What was he praying about? He had a big decision

221
00:12:12,890 --> 00:12:15,370
S5: to make about his ministry. Do I go this way?

222
00:12:15,410 --> 00:12:17,650
S5: Do I go that way? And after the prayer, he

223
00:12:17,650 --> 00:12:21,490
S5: speaks to his disciples and there is confidence. He knows

224
00:12:21,490 --> 00:12:23,809
S5: what God wants him to do. And I think that

225
00:12:23,809 --> 00:12:26,329
S5: when it comes to the will of God, it's that

226
00:12:26,330 --> 00:12:28,570
S5: battle is going to be won or lost in Gethsemane,

227
00:12:28,570 --> 00:12:31,490
S5: in prayer. One person said, if a Christian will spend

228
00:12:31,490 --> 00:12:33,929
S5: just five minutes a day praying about God's will for

229
00:12:33,929 --> 00:12:36,810
S5: his life, he would have no difficulty in knowing what

230
00:12:36,850 --> 00:12:38,500
S5: God's plan for his life is.

231
00:12:38,740 --> 00:12:41,179
S3: So do you think often that we we say that

232
00:12:41,179 --> 00:12:44,260
S3: we want to know God's will, but we don't invest

233
00:12:44,260 --> 00:12:46,740
S3: the time with him to know his will?

234
00:12:46,780 --> 00:12:50,140
S5: I think that's true. Uh, one of the key, one

235
00:12:50,140 --> 00:12:53,860
S5: of the keys in seeking God's will is to cultivate

236
00:12:53,860 --> 00:12:57,579
S5: your relationship with the Lord. Seek first the kingdom of God.

237
00:12:57,580 --> 00:13:00,059
S5: Make as your top priority to be more and more

238
00:13:00,059 --> 00:13:05,140
S5: submissive to God. And then whatever you need, like divine guidance,

239
00:13:05,140 --> 00:13:07,180
S5: will be given to you.

240
00:13:07,540 --> 00:13:10,380
S3: Doctor Ronald Sauer, our guest this morning. Uh, hope you're

241
00:13:10,380 --> 00:13:13,500
S3: enjoying this. It got many, many good questions coming in.

242
00:13:13,540 --> 00:13:15,420
S3: Coming up, we're going to tackle one that came from

243
00:13:15,420 --> 00:13:18,380
S3: someone who's in a dating relationship, I'm sure. Doctor Sauer,

244
00:13:18,460 --> 00:13:21,620
S3: counseling college students. You got these a lot. Um, but

245
00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:25,540
S3: this person says I am dating a young man. He's

246
00:13:25,540 --> 00:13:28,339
S3: on a spiritual journey. But in her words, he's not

247
00:13:28,340 --> 00:13:31,100
S3: quite saved. I don't want to give up on him,

248
00:13:31,100 --> 00:13:34,300
S3: but I also don't want to be unequally yoked. We'll

249
00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:36,100
S3: tackle that one. And more coming up.

250
00:13:36,500 --> 00:13:40,300
S1: He was running from God, but God's love brought him home.

251
00:13:40,500 --> 00:13:44,380
S1: Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on

252
00:13:44,380 --> 00:13:45,459
S1: Moody Radio.

253
00:13:45,700 --> 00:13:49,700
S3: After spending more than 40 years as a Bible college professor,

254
00:13:50,059 --> 00:13:52,620
S3: I doubt this is the first time that Doctor Ron Sauer,

255
00:13:52,620 --> 00:13:54,660
S3: our guest this morning, has heard a question like this,

256
00:13:54,700 --> 00:13:56,940
S3: came in from a young woman who is in a

257
00:13:56,940 --> 00:14:00,140
S3: dating relationship who says her boyfriend is on a spiritual journey,

258
00:14:00,420 --> 00:14:03,020
S3: not quite saved. She doesn't want to give up on him,

259
00:14:03,380 --> 00:14:07,260
S3: but also is has concerned about being unequally yoked. How

260
00:14:07,260 --> 00:14:09,900
S3: do you counsel young people in a situation like this?

261
00:14:09,940 --> 00:14:15,979
S5: I would say do not ever get into a romantic relationship, dating, engagement,

262
00:14:16,020 --> 00:14:19,900
S5: and certainly not marriage with a non-Christian. Now let's take

263
00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:22,859
S5: that lady. She goes to the airport to catch a plane,

264
00:14:23,100 --> 00:14:25,740
S5: and while she's waiting on her flight, she meets a stranger.

265
00:14:25,780 --> 00:14:29,300
S5: The two of them strike up a delightful conversation, and

266
00:14:29,300 --> 00:14:32,540
S5: eventually the stranger asked her, where are you flying? She said,

267
00:14:32,540 --> 00:14:35,230
S5: I'm going to New York. What a coincidence, he says.

268
00:14:35,230 --> 00:14:37,510
S5: I'm flying to Los Angeles, and then he says, yes.

269
00:14:37,550 --> 00:14:40,670
S5: Why don't the two of us travel together? They can't.

270
00:14:40,910 --> 00:14:45,030
S5: She's going east, he's going west. And and it's even

271
00:14:45,030 --> 00:14:49,350
S5: more the case with a with a Marian, a non-Christian.

272
00:14:49,390 --> 00:14:52,350
S5: You're going to heaven. The non-Christian is going in the

273
00:14:52,350 --> 00:14:56,750
S5: opposite direction. And not only that, the the non-Christian has

274
00:14:56,750 --> 00:15:03,110
S5: different goals, values, friends than does the Christian. The Christian

275
00:15:03,110 --> 00:15:08,830
S5: and the non-Christian cannot function well together romantically. I would

276
00:15:08,830 --> 00:15:10,550
S5: advise her don't do it.

277
00:15:10,590 --> 00:15:13,670
S3: Yeah, I know that's tough to hear, but I mean,

278
00:15:14,190 --> 00:15:15,910
S3: we look to the word of God, right? I mean,

279
00:15:15,910 --> 00:15:18,470
S3: because otherwise we're just basing on feelings.

280
00:15:18,510 --> 00:15:21,630
S5: There was a lady named Julie from Wisconsin, and she

281
00:15:21,630 --> 00:15:25,030
S5: said to me, there's a wonderful fellow here who was

282
00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:28,030
S5: pursuing me, and I'm very interested in him. And she

283
00:15:28,030 --> 00:15:30,590
S5: gave me his wonderful qualities. And then she said, but

284
00:15:30,590 --> 00:15:34,760
S5: he's not a Christian. And I said, Julie, second Corinthians

285
00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,200
S5: six four says, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

286
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,280
S5: And she said, if that's what God's Word says, you

287
00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:44,720
S5: need not say another word to me. She invited him

288
00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:46,880
S5: out for lunch and said, I know you're interested in me.

289
00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,920
S5: I'm interested in you. I would really like to get

290
00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,560
S5: in relationship with you, but it won't happen. God forbids it.

291
00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,840
S5: And if you're really interested in the Lord, I'll be

292
00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,520
S5: glad to put you in touch with some fine men

293
00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:00,320
S5: in church who can help you. So that's what this

294
00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:05,080
S5: young lady needs to do. Let men deal with him.

295
00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:09,200
S3: This question came in in various forms around later years.

296
00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,320
S3: It's when you get when you're not necessarily working a

297
00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,880
S3: job anymore and you're in your retirement years, what do

298
00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,800
S3: you focus on? How do you continue to invest and

299
00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,840
S3: feel productive when you are in your retirement years?

300
00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,880
S5: I like to retire in my strength. What is my strength?

301
00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:30,810
S5: Studying God's word, making it known to people. My wife

302
00:16:30,810 --> 00:16:32,530
S5: and I are both. My wife and I are both

303
00:16:32,530 --> 00:16:37,250
S5: retired now, but we are almost as busy in retirement

304
00:16:37,250 --> 00:16:39,730
S5: as we were in our working years. And we spend

305
00:16:39,730 --> 00:16:45,050
S5: that time, uh, faithful in church meeting and counseling with people,

306
00:16:45,250 --> 00:16:48,770
S5: usually in our home, but also here on the Moody campus.

307
00:16:48,970 --> 00:16:50,290
S5: So we're very busy.

308
00:16:50,890 --> 00:16:53,170
S3: Probably busier now than you were then.

309
00:16:53,210 --> 00:16:56,290
S5: And soon, I believe we're both 79 years old. We

310
00:16:56,290 --> 00:16:58,170
S5: believe that we're both at the top of our game.

311
00:16:58,170 --> 00:17:00,730
S5: We've got more to offer people now than any time

312
00:17:00,730 --> 00:17:03,690
S5: in our life. I'm older, more experienced, more knowledgeable, a

313
00:17:03,690 --> 00:17:06,490
S5: little further down the path. So why quit? I don't

314
00:17:06,490 --> 00:17:09,290
S5: see retirement in the Bible. We're retired when we get

315
00:17:09,290 --> 00:17:09,770
S5: to heaven.

316
00:17:10,010 --> 00:17:12,370
S3: Doctor Ronald Sauer, our guest this morning I want to

317
00:17:12,369 --> 00:17:16,330
S3: mention his podcast. If you are enjoying these conversations. He's

318
00:17:16,330 --> 00:17:18,850
S3: got a podcast where he does very similar to this,

319
00:17:18,850 --> 00:17:23,090
S3: talking about discipleship, navigating life issues. Just text quiet if

320
00:17:23,090 --> 00:17:29,170
S3: you want the details on that text. Quiet to Five, 7898.

321
00:17:29,450 --> 00:17:32,170
S3: Great question from a listener who says, how do I

322
00:17:32,170 --> 00:17:35,250
S3: find a mentor in midlife? That's a good one, because

323
00:17:35,290 --> 00:17:37,690
S3: that sometimes can feel easier to do when you're a

324
00:17:37,690 --> 00:17:40,570
S3: young person. What about when you're in your 30s 40s

325
00:17:40,570 --> 00:17:43,250
S3: on up, but you still want someone speaking into your life?

326
00:17:43,290 --> 00:17:46,610
S5: Well, a 34 year old man just this past week

327
00:17:46,650 --> 00:17:48,810
S5: asked me if I would meet with him and mentor him.

328
00:17:48,810 --> 00:17:51,570
S5: So how do you find one? First of all, I

329
00:17:51,609 --> 00:17:55,290
S5: commend that person in the midst of life who wants

330
00:17:55,330 --> 00:17:58,810
S5: a mentor. But you begin praying about it. Lord, I

331
00:17:58,810 --> 00:18:01,409
S5: could use some help from an older man. Or if

332
00:18:01,410 --> 00:18:04,090
S5: it's a woman, an older woman, would you please give

333
00:18:04,090 --> 00:18:06,850
S5: me one? Then you go out and look for one.

334
00:18:06,890 --> 00:18:09,369
S5: Go ask the pastor of your church. Can you recommend

335
00:18:09,369 --> 00:18:13,810
S5: three godly men that you know have a wholesome relationship

336
00:18:13,810 --> 00:18:16,690
S5: with Christ? Then go to each one and let them

337
00:18:16,690 --> 00:18:19,530
S5: know I could. Really. I'm struggling the Christian life. I

338
00:18:19,530 --> 00:18:22,330
S5: could use some help of an older, wiser person. Would

339
00:18:22,330 --> 00:18:25,250
S5: you be available to meet with me a minimum of

340
00:18:25,250 --> 00:18:28,020
S5: once a month, maybe twice a month if you've got

341
00:18:28,020 --> 00:18:31,260
S5: the time. If he says no, go to another person. Uh,

342
00:18:31,260 --> 00:18:33,900
S5: they're out there. There will be men. There will be

343
00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:37,580
S5: women available for you. My wife, I mentor men. My

344
00:18:37,580 --> 00:18:41,859
S5: wife mentors women. And so we enjoy doing that.

345
00:18:42,380 --> 00:18:46,060
S3: Someone texted in, how do I teach Sunday school to adults?

346
00:18:46,060 --> 00:18:49,060
S3: I just started last Sunday. I would appreciate your guidance.

347
00:18:49,060 --> 00:18:51,659
S3: I've never done it before. The first week went well,

348
00:18:51,660 --> 00:18:53,620
S3: but I just want to make sure that the Bible

349
00:18:53,619 --> 00:18:56,939
S3: is taught. So they were given a position, maybe not

350
00:18:56,940 --> 00:18:59,300
S3: feeling as equipped as they'd like to be. How do

351
00:18:59,300 --> 00:19:00,420
S3: I how do I do this?

352
00:19:00,460 --> 00:19:04,459
S5: Is this is this inquirer not an adult?

353
00:19:04,460 --> 00:19:06,820
S3: I don't know that, but I would assume they are

354
00:19:06,859 --> 00:19:09,340
S3: an adult. But I think when people think Sunday school,

355
00:19:09,340 --> 00:19:12,300
S3: they think teaching kids, okay, this this person is teaching adults.

356
00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:14,820
S3: So maybe feeling a little intimidated by that responsibility.

357
00:19:14,859 --> 00:19:17,060
S5: Okay, good. I'll tell you a couple of things. First

358
00:19:17,060 --> 00:19:23,860
S5: of all, you feel intimidated. Let that wholesome fear concern

359
00:19:23,859 --> 00:19:27,510
S5: work for you. That's God's way of saying you can't

360
00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:30,550
S5: do anything without me. Lean on me. So count on

361
00:19:30,550 --> 00:19:33,470
S5: the fact that God is your partner. You're not doing

362
00:19:33,470 --> 00:19:36,790
S5: that by yourself. Also, remember what Paul said. Let no

363
00:19:36,790 --> 00:19:40,150
S5: one deny your youth. I can't remember exactly how he

364
00:19:40,150 --> 00:19:43,710
S5: puts it. Uh, in other words, don't let anybody.

365
00:19:43,790 --> 00:19:46,030
S3: Look down on you. Yes, because of your youth.

366
00:19:46,070 --> 00:19:49,190
S5: Yeah. Don't let anybody. Don't let anybody despise your youth.

367
00:19:49,230 --> 00:19:51,790
S5: Don't let anybody reject what you're saying because of your

368
00:19:51,790 --> 00:19:57,350
S5: young years. You're speaking God's word. The authority is in

369
00:19:57,350 --> 00:20:00,350
S5: the word. So go ahead and make as clear as

370
00:20:00,350 --> 00:20:03,990
S5: possible the word that you've studied. Count on God to

371
00:20:03,990 --> 00:20:07,230
S5: be your coworker and bless your efforts, and speak through

372
00:20:07,270 --> 00:20:10,389
S5: your lips through His Word to that Sunday School class.

373
00:20:10,430 --> 00:20:12,230
S3: Want to go back to something you shared earlier? Because

374
00:20:12,230 --> 00:20:14,550
S3: it relates to a question that just came in from

375
00:20:14,550 --> 00:20:17,709
S3: a texter. This person said, I'm 72. I made a

376
00:20:17,710 --> 00:20:20,150
S3: pretty bad decision. I'm about to lose my home. And

377
00:20:20,150 --> 00:20:21,990
S3: then they referenced what you said earlier how do I

378
00:20:21,990 --> 00:20:24,560
S3: get out of the whale, so to speak? In general,

379
00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,520
S3: when you feel like you've made a wrong decision, you

380
00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,040
S3: went left when God clearly told you to go to

381
00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,600
S3: go right? How do you undo a decision that you've

382
00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,600
S3: already made and now are maybe reaping some consequences? What's

383
00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:38,639
S3: the path out?

384
00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,240
S5: The first thing is to own up to the mistake

385
00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:44,960
S5: and apologize to God for it, and apologize to anybody

386
00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:49,520
S5: else who's been detrimentally influenced by your decision. Then bring

387
00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,600
S5: it to God. This bad decision may be too big

388
00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,800
S5: for you, but it's not too big for God. Bring

389
00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:59,760
S5: it to the Lord. I messed up, God. Please take

390
00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,320
S5: the mess that I've made and sort it out. Help me.

391
00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,920
S5: You've got the authority to straighten this out and I'm

392
00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,120
S5: asking you to do that.

393
00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,200
S3: Doctor Ron, our guest this morning, we're going to pause,

394
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,880
S3: but more coming up with our guest, Doctor Ron Sauer.

395
00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,400
S1: Get to know the team behind the scenes. Follow Carl

396
00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,600
S1: and crew on Facebook and Instagram.

397
00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,400
S3: We're talking this morning. Special guest in studio, doctor Ronald Sauer.

398
00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,600
S3: He's retired professor from Moody Bible Institute. He and his

399
00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:31,520
S3: wife have just built an incredible ministry of counseling others,

400
00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,800
S3: younger people speaking into lives. He did this in his

401
00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,639
S3: professional capacity, but in his personal life as well. You

402
00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,399
S3: give out a lot of life advice, don't you, Doctor Sauer,

403
00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,679
S3: which is incredible. We're enjoying having you in studio now.

404
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:47,520
S3: Someone has asked about and this has come in in

405
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,600
S3: a couple of different forms. How about seeking God's will?

406
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:54,520
S3: And what about looking for signs? Uh, sometimes we want

407
00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,280
S3: a we want something of a burning bush, a flashing light,

408
00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,320
S3: something that says 100%. This is the word of the

409
00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,159
S3: Lord for you. Do we look for signs? Do we

410
00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,080
S3: ask God for signs? Is that a good thing to

411
00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:07,800
S3: be doing when we're trying to make a decision?

412
00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,720
S5: Yes. I think it's perfectly okay with the Lord. Lord,

413
00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,520
S5: I believe this is the way you want me to go,

414
00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,720
S5: but it might be helpful to me if I could

415
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,409
S5: just have some confirmation here and there along the way.

416
00:22:20,690 --> 00:22:23,850
S5: So after Dallas Seminary, the Lord, I thought I was

417
00:22:23,850 --> 00:22:26,810
S5: finished with education. I didn't want any more education. And

418
00:22:26,810 --> 00:22:28,609
S5: then the Lord laid it on my heart to go

419
00:22:28,609 --> 00:22:32,369
S5: to England, to study, to prepare, to teach. We didn't

420
00:22:32,369 --> 00:22:34,690
S5: have the money so soon, and I just got jobs

421
00:22:35,090 --> 00:22:37,050
S5: working to make money. I don't know how long it

422
00:22:37,050 --> 00:22:39,450
S5: would have taken, how many years to have enough money

423
00:22:39,450 --> 00:22:41,129
S5: to go to England. But as we were doing that,

424
00:22:41,130 --> 00:22:43,929
S5: some friends said, we've heard you're thinking about going to England.

425
00:22:43,930 --> 00:22:46,410
S5: Here's what we suggest. Quit your jobs and go. We

426
00:22:46,410 --> 00:22:51,570
S5: will pay 100% of all your expenses. And they did so.

427
00:22:51,930 --> 00:22:55,649
S5: So there was a there was a real solid sign. Yes.

428
00:22:55,650 --> 00:22:58,170
S5: You're on the right path. I'm going to help you out.

429
00:22:58,210 --> 00:23:00,450
S5: Quit your jobs. Go. And I'll see to it that

430
00:23:00,450 --> 00:23:03,609
S5: friends pay for your expenses over there. So we didn't.

431
00:23:03,730 --> 00:23:05,050
S5: It didn't cost us a penny.

432
00:23:05,410 --> 00:23:07,890
S3: Doctor sour, I know one thing that you are known

433
00:23:07,890 --> 00:23:10,210
S3: for is that you. You have a very disciplined life.

434
00:23:10,210 --> 00:23:13,250
S3: Getting up at a set time each morning, investing a

435
00:23:13,250 --> 00:23:15,969
S3: set number of of hours in your Bible study. When

436
00:23:15,970 --> 00:23:18,419
S3: you were a professor, you got here very early, prayed

437
00:23:18,420 --> 00:23:21,459
S3: over your classroom. How do you begin to cultivate a

438
00:23:21,460 --> 00:23:26,940
S3: disciplined lifestyle with today's so many distractions, these little devices,

439
00:23:26,940 --> 00:23:31,180
S3: these smartphones? Discipline is something that most people want more

440
00:23:31,180 --> 00:23:33,820
S3: of but seem to struggle with. How do you cultivate

441
00:23:33,859 --> 00:23:35,020
S3: a disciplined life?

442
00:23:35,060 --> 00:23:39,780
S5: Okay, it begins with make a decision. What is it

443
00:23:39,780 --> 00:23:44,060
S5: that you want? If you want to be more disciplined,

444
00:23:44,140 --> 00:23:48,340
S5: make that decision and put it in dried concrete. Why?

445
00:23:48,540 --> 00:23:53,500
S5: The goal will determine your conduct. When I was a

446
00:23:53,500 --> 00:23:56,139
S5: college student, I decided I'm going to learn New Testament Greek.

447
00:23:56,140 --> 00:23:57,740
S5: I don't care how hard it is, how much time

448
00:23:57,780 --> 00:24:00,540
S5: is required. I put that goal in concrete. That goal

449
00:24:00,540 --> 00:24:03,139
S5: determine how I acted as a student. I went to

450
00:24:03,140 --> 00:24:04,820
S5: class when I didn't want to. I did my homework

451
00:24:04,820 --> 00:24:07,780
S5: when I didn't feel like it. I reviewed, reviewed, reviewed, prepared, prepared,

452
00:24:07,780 --> 00:24:10,619
S5: prepared when I'd rather be out playing ball with my friends.

453
00:24:10,619 --> 00:24:14,100
S5: So it begins with make a decision if you have

454
00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:17,909
S5: had enough of being undisciplined and your life is just

455
00:24:18,190 --> 00:24:23,070
S5: coming apart, unraveling and coming apart. And you're not prioritizing things.

456
00:24:23,070 --> 00:24:27,389
S5: You should make that decision that I want to be disciplined.

457
00:24:27,590 --> 00:24:30,189
S5: Discipline is doing what needs to be done, when it

458
00:24:30,190 --> 00:24:31,750
S5: should be done and the man it should be done.

459
00:24:31,750 --> 00:24:33,590
S5: It doesn't matter how we feel about it. When duty

460
00:24:33,590 --> 00:24:35,950
S5: is in front of us, we do our duty.

461
00:24:36,510 --> 00:24:38,590
S3: How do we cultivate that in terms of our spiritual

462
00:24:38,590 --> 00:24:43,110
S3: life without it becoming legalistic or kind of rote and

463
00:24:43,150 --> 00:24:45,149
S3: absent of of heart meaning?

464
00:24:45,190 --> 00:24:47,470
S5: Okay. Uh, you know, the godly man who wrote Psalm

465
00:24:47,470 --> 00:24:50,030
S5: 119 says, I get up early in the morning and

466
00:24:50,030 --> 00:24:55,150
S5: I not read study your word. And so the our

467
00:24:55,150 --> 00:24:57,510
S5: time alone with the Lord is what I call our

468
00:24:57,510 --> 00:25:00,590
S5: quiet time. Why quite get away from the noisy, busy

469
00:25:00,630 --> 00:25:05,430
S5: world of noisy, busy people and activities just for some

470
00:25:05,430 --> 00:25:07,950
S5: time alone with you and the Lord for prayer. Pour

471
00:25:07,950 --> 00:25:11,070
S5: out your heart to him and read and nourish your

472
00:25:11,070 --> 00:25:15,310
S5: soul on His Word. That is the single most important

473
00:25:15,310 --> 00:25:16,790
S5: part of my day. The most important thing I do

474
00:25:16,790 --> 00:25:19,350
S5: every day is not prepare lectures, teach my students, spend

475
00:25:19,350 --> 00:25:22,430
S5: time with students in my office, spend time with my wife.

476
00:25:22,430 --> 00:25:24,950
S5: Preach on Sunday. As important as all of that is,

477
00:25:24,990 --> 00:25:28,590
S5: the single most important thing is my time with the Lord.

478
00:25:28,630 --> 00:25:32,910
S5: After that, everything is downhill in significance, and it's no

479
00:25:32,910 --> 00:25:35,590
S5: different with any other Christian.

480
00:25:35,869 --> 00:25:39,030
S3: When it comes to seeking God's will for my life.

481
00:25:39,030 --> 00:25:41,790
S3: Sensing how God is leading in a specific area. How

482
00:25:41,790 --> 00:25:46,470
S3: do I discern between my own desires and God's voice? God,

483
00:25:46,470 --> 00:25:48,750
S3: is that you speaking to me or is that just

484
00:25:48,750 --> 00:25:51,469
S3: something that I want? And therefore I'm looking for the

485
00:25:51,510 --> 00:25:53,070
S3: rubber stamp to move forward?

486
00:25:53,270 --> 00:25:55,030
S5: Well, I think we have to be real careful there.

487
00:25:55,670 --> 00:26:00,990
S5: Often what God wants, he's laid on our heart and

488
00:26:00,990 --> 00:26:04,910
S5: we end up wanting it as well. Remember Psalm 37 says,

489
00:26:04,910 --> 00:26:07,270
S5: delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you

490
00:26:07,270 --> 00:26:10,790
S5: the desires of your heart. Now there will be occasionally

491
00:26:10,790 --> 00:26:13,240
S5: times when God lays something on our heart like he

492
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,400
S5: told Jonah, Go to Nineveh. And he did not want

493
00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,080
S5: to go to Nineveh. And he made the attempt not to.

494
00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,920
S5: And God turned him around and sent him anyway. And so, again,

495
00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,119
S5: it's going to be largely a conviction that the Spirit

496
00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,120
S5: of God places on your heart and begins to grow it,

497
00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:33,720
S5: deepen it, mature that that conviction and then advice from

498
00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:36,840
S5: other people. We need to go to other people and

499
00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,159
S5: lay the issues before them. And then what? Look at

500
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,080
S5: look for those signposts that God gives us. I think God,

501
00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:48,520
S5: you lead me. Psalm 23 in the right paths for

502
00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,960
S5: your name's sake. We have a great shepherd. We need

503
00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,760
S5: to be confident that he's very involved in our life.

504
00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,639
S5: He wants us to go in the right direction. He'll

505
00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,480
S5: make that possible if we will be submissive to him

506
00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:00,919
S5: and trust him to do that.

507
00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:02,719
S3: You know, I think that's such a good thing to

508
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,560
S3: point out that God wants us to go in the

509
00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,360
S3: right direction. Sometimes we can feel like almost like he's

510
00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,969
S3: playing hide and seek and that that he doesn't want

511
00:27:10,970 --> 00:27:13,930
S3: us to know what he wants from us. But he does.

512
00:27:13,970 --> 00:27:16,730
S5: He does. It's like parents. We want the best for

513
00:27:16,730 --> 00:27:19,330
S5: our children. We want them to make good decisions. We

514
00:27:19,330 --> 00:27:21,770
S5: want them to go the right way in life. Why

515
00:27:21,810 --> 00:27:23,970
S5: are we like that? We're made in the image of God.

516
00:27:23,970 --> 00:27:27,369
S5: We're like that because God's that way. He's our heavenly father.

517
00:27:27,369 --> 00:27:29,730
S5: He wants us to do the right thing, go in

518
00:27:29,730 --> 00:27:32,770
S5: the right path. He wants us to know his plan

519
00:27:32,770 --> 00:27:34,290
S5: for our life and to do it.

520
00:27:34,530 --> 00:27:37,410
S3: Doctor Ron, our guest this morning. He has been married

521
00:27:37,410 --> 00:27:39,970
S3: to his wife, Sue, for more than 50 years. Coming up,

522
00:27:39,970 --> 00:27:43,330
S3: I'm going to ask him to come up with I

523
00:27:43,369 --> 00:27:46,370
S3: won't put a number, but let's say maybe 2 or

524
00:27:46,369 --> 00:27:50,810
S3: 3 top principles that have really helped him stay happily

525
00:27:50,810 --> 00:27:53,330
S3: married for so many years. That's coming up here on

526
00:27:53,330 --> 00:27:54,090
S3: Carl and crew.

527
00:27:54,410 --> 00:27:59,130
S1: She's a choreographer extraordinaire and everything is Greek to her.

528
00:27:59,410 --> 00:28:03,169
S1: Super di is in the crew. It's Carl and crew

529
00:28:03,210 --> 00:28:04,450
S1: on Moody Radio.

530
00:28:04,770 --> 00:28:08,300
S3: Our special guest this morning, Doctor Ronald Sauer, retired professor

531
00:28:08,300 --> 00:28:11,300
S3: here at Moody Bible Institute, has spent many years just

532
00:28:11,300 --> 00:28:15,939
S3: in practical ministry, both teaching but also pastoring, counseling, mentoring,

533
00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:18,659
S3: you name it. He has a real joy and passion.

534
00:28:18,660 --> 00:28:22,140
S3: Him and his wife Sue for really helping the next generation,

535
00:28:22,180 --> 00:28:24,980
S3: training up and mentoring. If you want more, he's got

536
00:28:24,980 --> 00:28:28,580
S3: a podcast, also a website as well. Just text quiet

537
00:28:28,580 --> 00:28:33,780
S3: to 800 555 7898. The podcast is called Quiet Time

538
00:28:33,780 --> 00:28:35,859
S3: with Doctor Ron Sauer. You're going to love it just

539
00:28:35,859 --> 00:28:42,100
S3: came out from Moody. Just text quiet to (800) 555-7898 after

540
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:45,380
S3: 50 plus years of marriage, I'm putting you on the spot.

541
00:28:45,420 --> 00:28:49,500
S3: What are some general principles? Let's go. Five five principles

542
00:28:49,500 --> 00:28:52,900
S3: that have really helped you cultivate a strong, godly marriage.

543
00:28:52,940 --> 00:28:57,180
S5: Okay, first of all, Ephesians 525 says, husbands, love your wives. Now,

544
00:28:57,180 --> 00:28:59,780
S5: that's not advice. That's not a suggestion. The Greek is

545
00:28:59,780 --> 00:29:03,220
S5: an imperative. I'm commanded to love my wife. I have

546
00:29:03,220 --> 00:29:05,820
S5: no choice about that. God orders that. Listen to first

547
00:29:05,940 --> 00:29:09,620
S5: Peter three seven you husbands must give honor to your wives.

548
00:29:09,660 --> 00:29:12,580
S5: Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She

549
00:29:12,580 --> 00:29:14,740
S5: may be weaker than you are, but she's your equal

550
00:29:14,740 --> 00:29:17,620
S5: partner in God's new gift of new life. Treat her

551
00:29:17,620 --> 00:29:21,860
S5: as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. Now,

552
00:29:21,860 --> 00:29:24,219
S5: when a husband mistreats his wife, not only does it

553
00:29:24,260 --> 00:29:29,260
S5: hinder his prayers, it hinders his relationship with Christ. The

554
00:29:29,260 --> 00:29:32,020
S5: single most important priority in my life is my relationship

555
00:29:32,020 --> 00:29:35,300
S5: with Jesus. Now if I mistreat my wife, I am

556
00:29:35,300 --> 00:29:38,420
S5: injuring my relationship with the Lord. The third thing I

557
00:29:38,420 --> 00:29:43,020
S5: want to say is, uh, my marriage. My relationship with

558
00:29:43,020 --> 00:29:46,380
S5: Sue affects God. He's either pleased with it or he's

559
00:29:46,380 --> 00:29:49,980
S5: displeased with it. I don't think there's any third option. Uh,

560
00:29:49,980 --> 00:29:53,420
S5: when there's a romantic relationship, I don't think God ever says, well, now,

561
00:29:53,460 --> 00:29:56,340
S5: about this. This married couple here, I'm not pleased with it.

562
00:29:56,340 --> 00:29:58,700
S5: I'm not displeased. It's just sort of a wash. No.

563
00:29:58,700 --> 00:30:02,820
S5: God is affected by our relationship. Uh, I want you

564
00:30:02,820 --> 00:30:05,910
S5: to know that I've made mistakes in marriage, you know.

565
00:30:05,950 --> 00:30:08,030
S5: I said we went to Virginia contrary to the will

566
00:30:08,070 --> 00:30:10,190
S5: of God, and we got swallowed by a whale. And

567
00:30:10,190 --> 00:30:13,350
S5: our whale was marriage problems. And so I've been on

568
00:30:13,350 --> 00:30:16,350
S5: the other side of a bad marriage. It's terrible. I've

569
00:30:16,350 --> 00:30:20,630
S5: learned through those wounds and sorrows in a bad marriage.

570
00:30:20,670 --> 00:30:22,430
S5: I don't want any more of that. So let me.

571
00:30:22,470 --> 00:30:24,630
S5: Let me turn the corner on the other side. It

572
00:30:24,630 --> 00:30:29,950
S5: is wonderful to be married to a happy wife. If

573
00:30:29,950 --> 00:30:34,630
S5: a husband will love his wife, usually and eventually, everything

574
00:30:34,630 --> 00:30:36,910
S5: in the marriage will be okay. And let me put

575
00:30:36,910 --> 00:30:40,390
S5: it this way. The advantages and benefits that a husband

576
00:30:40,390 --> 00:30:43,710
S5: reaps from loving his wife. Those advantages and benefits are

577
00:30:43,710 --> 00:30:47,550
S5: out of all proportion to the time and effort he

578
00:30:47,550 --> 00:30:51,470
S5: takes to love his wife. There'll be times I'm studying

579
00:30:51,830 --> 00:30:54,870
S5: at home, in my office, and my wife sneaks in

580
00:30:54,870 --> 00:30:57,110
S5: behind me and throws her arms around me. At first

581
00:30:57,110 --> 00:30:59,190
S5: I think, oh, a thief's broken in and she'll kiss

582
00:30:59,230 --> 00:31:02,800
S5: me on the cheek and walk away. Uh, like I said,

583
00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,760
S5: it's wonderful being married to a happy wife. And then

584
00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,560
S5: we want to have a good influence on our children.

585
00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:11,960
S5: We don't want a toxic atmosphere in the home where

586
00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:14,880
S5: they get a bad taste in their mouth from marriage.

587
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,479
S5: And then if we want to be effective in the

588
00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,960
S5: lives of other people, especially if they're having marriage problems,

589
00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:23,920
S5: we can't help them unless we have a good marriage ourselves.

590
00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,880
S3: You mentioned children. Let's let's move there. Next, had a

591
00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,520
S3: question come in from someone who was said, I was

592
00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,880
S3: just talking with my high school, soon to be high

593
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,160
S3: school graduate, about seeking God's will. We're trying to help.

594
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:37,800
S3: I don't remember if it was a son or a daughter,

595
00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,760
S3: but we're trying to help them figure out what's next.

596
00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:45,320
S3: How can parents help guide their children, whether it's a

597
00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:48,240
S3: soon to be high school graduate or adult child? You

598
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,120
S3: see your child trying to figure it out. How as

599
00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,240
S3: a parent, can you shepherd that process?

600
00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,480
S5: I think the best thing parents can do is pray

601
00:31:56,480 --> 00:32:02,250
S5: for those their children and offer advice. I'm available to you.

602
00:32:02,250 --> 00:32:03,970
S5: I want to know when you're struggling. I want to

603
00:32:03,970 --> 00:32:07,210
S5: know what questions you have about seeking God's will. As

604
00:32:07,210 --> 00:32:09,570
S5: a dad, I told my children I've sought God's will

605
00:32:09,570 --> 00:32:12,690
S5: for my life. I believe God led me to do

606
00:32:12,730 --> 00:32:14,890
S5: and marry the right person to do the right thing

607
00:32:14,890 --> 00:32:18,010
S5: with my life. And so it's possible that you can

608
00:32:18,010 --> 00:32:20,130
S5: do the same thing. I'm here to help guide you

609
00:32:20,330 --> 00:32:23,450
S5: and in giving advice. Now, when we're giving advice to

610
00:32:23,490 --> 00:32:27,450
S5: a an adult child, one of our children who has

611
00:32:27,450 --> 00:32:30,810
S5: now reached adulthood, we need to remember it's their decision

612
00:32:30,810 --> 00:32:32,930
S5: to make. And there have been a couple of times

613
00:32:32,930 --> 00:32:37,210
S5: when I offered our son Joseph advice and he said, dad,

614
00:32:37,250 --> 00:32:40,370
S5: I've sincerely considered what you've thought, and I'm not trying

615
00:32:40,370 --> 00:32:42,930
S5: to hurt you, but I'm not going. I'm going, contrary

616
00:32:42,930 --> 00:32:46,610
S5: to what you suggested. Now, enough time has passed that

617
00:32:46,850 --> 00:32:50,730
S5: it's clear that he made the right decision. I gave

618
00:32:50,730 --> 00:32:53,810
S5: him advice. That wasn't the best I thought it was.

619
00:32:54,090 --> 00:32:56,690
S5: I told him, this is your decision. I'll pray for you.

620
00:32:56,970 --> 00:33:01,210
S5: And so if my child can say, dad, mom, uh,

621
00:33:01,370 --> 00:33:04,730
S5: I'm going contrary to what you suggested, but I can.

622
00:33:04,770 --> 00:33:08,010
S5: I sincerely believe this is what God has laid on

623
00:33:08,010 --> 00:33:11,330
S5: my heart. I can't ask anything better for my child.

624
00:33:11,450 --> 00:33:14,330
S5: As parents, our job now is to stand on the

625
00:33:14,330 --> 00:33:17,890
S5: sideline and no longer make decisions for our children, but

626
00:33:17,930 --> 00:33:21,170
S5: advise them, offer advice and cover them in prayer.

627
00:33:21,290 --> 00:33:25,050
S3: Oh so good. Doctor Ronald Sauer. I mentioned the podcast,

628
00:33:25,090 --> 00:33:26,570
S3: the website. I want to keep giving you the key

629
00:33:26,610 --> 00:33:28,970
S3: word because I know you're going, how can I contact him?

630
00:33:28,970 --> 00:33:30,930
S3: How can I get in touch or get more content?

631
00:33:30,930 --> 00:33:33,090
S3: Just text quiet. If you want more on the Quiet

632
00:33:33,130 --> 00:33:38,530
S3: Time podcast, text quiet to 800 555 7898. Just a

633
00:33:38,530 --> 00:33:41,410
S3: few more questions before we'll be out of time. This

634
00:33:41,410 --> 00:33:44,650
S3: person says I'm the only follower of Jesus Christ in

635
00:33:44,650 --> 00:33:47,610
S3: my family for more than 30 years. It often leaves

636
00:33:47,610 --> 00:33:51,770
S3: me feeling lonely and discouraged, having unrealistic expectations of their

637
00:33:51,770 --> 00:33:54,170
S3: behavior toward me. How do I get strength to live

638
00:33:54,170 --> 00:33:57,540
S3: life in victory and peace under these circumstances.

639
00:33:57,700 --> 00:34:02,460
S5: Okay. I would say your mission field is your family.

640
00:34:02,820 --> 00:34:06,660
S5: If I understood correctly, you're the only Christian in that family. Okay.

641
00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:10,500
S5: So realize you didn't choose your family. God did. And

642
00:34:10,500 --> 00:34:12,259
S5: if he had it all over again, he'd give you

643
00:34:12,260 --> 00:34:14,859
S5: the same family. You're put there by God to be

644
00:34:14,860 --> 00:34:18,739
S5: a light in darkness. Secondly, latch on to some a

645
00:34:18,739 --> 00:34:22,940
S5: handful of Christians outside your family for the Christian fellowship

646
00:34:22,940 --> 00:34:25,620
S5: you need, and get them involved in praying for you

647
00:34:25,620 --> 00:34:28,339
S5: and the conversion of your family. Don't. You don't have

648
00:34:28,340 --> 00:34:29,620
S5: to do this by yourself.

649
00:34:30,100 --> 00:34:32,780
S3: You know, I want to end it here. Doctor Sauer,

650
00:34:32,820 --> 00:34:35,819
S3: as you have counseled and mentored and prayed for so

651
00:34:35,820 --> 00:34:39,180
S3: many people over the years. What is the most important

652
00:34:39,180 --> 00:34:42,300
S3: thing that we need to get as followers of Christ?

653
00:34:42,540 --> 00:34:45,620
S3: If we want to walk in victory? Make godly decisions.

654
00:34:45,620 --> 00:34:48,500
S3: If you could boil it down to it, what is it?

655
00:34:48,540 --> 00:34:49,900
S3: What do we need to get.

656
00:34:50,420 --> 00:34:55,589
S5: To be submissive to the Lord God? Let me know

657
00:34:55,590 --> 00:34:59,750
S5: what your will is in all areas of my life,

658
00:34:59,750 --> 00:35:04,270
S5: and then give me the grace. Empower me to turn

659
00:35:04,270 --> 00:35:09,710
S5: from my own desires and follow yours. To be submissive.

660
00:35:09,910 --> 00:35:13,589
S5: Matthew 633. Seek first the kingdom of God. Let me

661
00:35:13,590 --> 00:35:15,670
S5: just stop right there. I'll be quick. The Kingdom of

662
00:35:15,670 --> 00:35:18,069
S5: God to me is vague in English. In Greek it's

663
00:35:18,070 --> 00:35:21,390
S5: very clear. It means being submissive to God. So let

664
00:35:21,390 --> 00:35:24,469
S5: me paraphrase it. Seek is your top priority to be

665
00:35:24,469 --> 00:35:28,590
S5: more and more submissive to God, and seek to cultivate

666
00:35:28,590 --> 00:35:33,069
S5: and exhibit the righteous life he requires. And everything you

667
00:35:33,110 --> 00:35:36,910
S5: need in life will be given to you proper time

668
00:35:36,910 --> 00:35:42,390
S5: and proper place. Let's let's grow in being submissive to heaven.

669
00:35:42,750 --> 00:35:44,509
S3: I want to thank you so much, Doctor Sauer, for

670
00:35:44,510 --> 00:35:46,910
S3: your time this morning and to his lovely wife Sue,

671
00:35:46,950 --> 00:35:49,910
S3: who is in the studio with us as well. Thank

672
00:35:49,910 --> 00:35:51,790
S3: you for spending time with our listeners.

673
00:35:52,070 --> 00:35:53,109
S5: Thanks for the invitation.

674
00:35:53,190 --> 00:35:57,950
S3: Text quiet to 800 555 7898. His name is Doctor

675
00:35:57,950 --> 00:36:01,470
S3: Ronald Sauer. The podcast Quiet Time with Doctor Ron Sauer.

676
00:36:01,469 --> 00:36:05,030
S3: Quiet to 800 555 7898.

677
00:36:05,630 --> 00:36:09,870
S1: Standing on the rock each and every day. You're listening

678
00:36:09,910 --> 00:36:11,150
S1: to Carl and crew.

679
00:36:11,390 --> 00:36:17,510
S3: Would you consider yourself as someone who likes change? No. Resists. Change.

680
00:36:17,510 --> 00:36:20,230
S3: Somewhere in the middle. Jonathan, I didn't even get the

681
00:36:20,230 --> 00:36:22,190
S3: full question out before you knew your answer.

682
00:36:22,230 --> 00:36:23,270
S2: Yeah. Resist change.

683
00:36:23,310 --> 00:36:24,830
S3: You're a resist change guy.

684
00:36:24,870 --> 00:36:28,350
S2: Yeah, I don't I don't like it. Uh, you know,

685
00:36:28,390 --> 00:36:31,029
S2: it just usually I think about all the stuff that

686
00:36:31,030 --> 00:36:33,270
S2: I'm gonna have to do in order to get change

687
00:36:33,270 --> 00:36:37,469
S2: to happen. Okay. When I was a freshman here at Moody, uh,

688
00:36:37,469 --> 00:36:41,750
S2: my first roommate was very much so. A I need

689
00:36:41,790 --> 00:36:44,910
S2: things in the room to change in order for me to, like,

690
00:36:44,950 --> 00:36:49,150
S2: stay interested. Okay. And so I'd come back from class,

691
00:36:49,150 --> 00:36:53,160
S2: and he's like, I need your help moving this gigantic dresser.

692
00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:54,719
S2: And I was like, why do I have to move?

693
00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:55,799
S2: I just want to take a nap.

694
00:36:55,840 --> 00:36:57,280
S3: It's an interesting roommate pairing.

695
00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,320
S2: Yes. I was like, I don't want to. I don't

696
00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:01,960
S2: want to move the things. Please don't make me move

697
00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:03,840
S2: the things. And he's like, come on, please help me.

698
00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,120
S2: And so I do it. And and then like two

699
00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:08,160
S2: weeks later, I'd be like, hey, I'd like to move this.

700
00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:10,040
S3: So he just liked to rearrange the room.

701
00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:12,760
S2: He liked to rearrange the room. And I was not

702
00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,800
S2: a big fan because change was just like, okay, here's

703
00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:17,120
S2: all the things I'm going to have to do in

704
00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:18,640
S2: order to see change happen.

705
00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,280
S3: I mean, some people get itchy if they're in a

706
00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:23,720
S3: job too long, if they're I mean.

707
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:24,680
S2: Sure, yeah.

708
00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:27,720
S3: And this can go crazy. I mean, because some people

709
00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:30,800
S3: jump from thing to thing to thing, you know, someone

710
00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:35,240
S3: who always picks up a new hobby. And so we'll

711
00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:38,040
S3: be really into something for like six months and go

712
00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:41,839
S3: all in on buying the, the equipment and whatever supplies

713
00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:45,080
S3: are needed. And then it's like on to the next thing.

714
00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,239
S3: And then some people would prefer to stay in one

715
00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:51,130
S3: job from start to the end of their working life

716
00:37:51,610 --> 00:37:56,570
S3: and have no like no new responsibilities added. Don't change

717
00:37:56,570 --> 00:37:57,690
S3: my workspace.

718
00:37:57,730 --> 00:38:00,130
S2: Me? I'm the you know I don't. I don't remember

719
00:38:00,130 --> 00:38:03,410
S2: the last time I ordered something different from chick fil A.

720
00:38:03,690 --> 00:38:06,370
S2: Like I because people are like, well, if you try it,

721
00:38:06,370 --> 00:38:08,210
S2: you may like something else. And I go, no, but

722
00:38:08,210 --> 00:38:10,410
S2: I know I like this thing. Why would I try

723
00:38:10,410 --> 00:38:11,290
S2: something different?

724
00:38:11,330 --> 00:38:14,570
S3: That's hilarious. Super di, are you do you embrace change

725
00:38:14,570 --> 00:38:16,450
S3: or are you resistant somewhere in the middle?

726
00:38:16,489 --> 00:38:19,210
S4: I am somewhere in the middle. I don't necessarily embrace it,

727
00:38:19,210 --> 00:38:22,050
S4: but in some situations I'm like, yeah, let's do this.

728
00:38:22,330 --> 00:38:23,569
S4: Let's do. How about yourself?

729
00:38:23,610 --> 00:38:25,689
S3: Uh, I think I'm somewhere in the middle too, but

730
00:38:25,690 --> 00:38:28,890
S3: probably tending a little bit more towards not liking change,

731
00:38:29,210 --> 00:38:31,410
S3: you know? And I spent a good chunk of my

732
00:38:31,410 --> 00:38:34,290
S3: life when my husband, when my husband and I first

733
00:38:34,290 --> 00:38:40,290
S3: got married, we immediately moved overseas because he was working overseas.

734
00:38:40,290 --> 00:38:43,370
S3: He was playing professional basketball. And so our first year

735
00:38:43,370 --> 00:38:48,060
S3: of marriage, we were in Greece, which was wonderful, But then.

736
00:38:48,100 --> 00:38:48,540
S4: Beautiful.

737
00:38:48,580 --> 00:38:51,259
S3: Yeah. Then the next year it was a different country.

738
00:38:51,420 --> 00:38:54,700
S3: And so that for someone like with my personality, took

739
00:38:54,700 --> 00:38:57,620
S3: some real getting used to because every single summer would

740
00:38:57,620 --> 00:38:59,219
S3: come around and I would be like, so when are

741
00:38:59,219 --> 00:39:01,459
S3: we going to know where we're going to live? And

742
00:39:01,460 --> 00:39:05,339
S3: by like year two, three, four of marriage, I was like, okay, well,

743
00:39:05,340 --> 00:39:07,540
S3: I'm not going to know probably until August. And then

744
00:39:07,540 --> 00:39:10,660
S3: I'm going to pack everything in two suitcases and ship

745
00:39:10,660 --> 00:39:12,620
S3: out for eight months. And I just got to deal

746
00:39:12,620 --> 00:39:15,620
S3: with that because that's what we're doing. And so I

747
00:39:15,940 --> 00:39:18,500
S3: started out super resistant to it and I think landed

748
00:39:18,500 --> 00:39:21,060
S3: in a, in a happy medium of, okay, this is

749
00:39:21,100 --> 00:39:23,779
S3: this is life. Let me try to at least enjoy

750
00:39:23,820 --> 00:39:24,859
S3: the the adventure.

751
00:39:24,900 --> 00:39:28,740
S2: I think that's a big part of being okay with change,

752
00:39:28,739 --> 00:39:32,339
S2: is that life can get comfortable sometimes, but then we

753
00:39:32,340 --> 00:39:34,900
S2: expect it to stay that way all the time. Yeah.

754
00:39:34,940 --> 00:39:38,859
S2: And if we can just admit and concede to the

755
00:39:38,860 --> 00:39:41,739
S2: fact that life is going to change and we have

756
00:39:41,739 --> 00:39:44,380
S2: to change with it, then we'll be more okay.

757
00:39:44,420 --> 00:39:46,820
S3: Coming up, we're going to talk with an author who's

758
00:39:46,820 --> 00:39:50,820
S3: written a book about the five different leaps and why, living,

759
00:39:50,860 --> 00:39:54,580
S3: as she calls it, a leaping lifestyle. Taking risks, being

760
00:39:54,580 --> 00:39:59,180
S3: open to change as God leads is really, really a

761
00:39:59,180 --> 00:40:02,660
S3: good thing. And in fact, you're missing out if you

762
00:40:02,700 --> 00:40:04,500
S3: don't live that way. Coming up.

763
00:40:04,900 --> 00:40:07,940
S1: He's a sports fanatic with a stat for anything you

764
00:40:07,940 --> 00:40:12,180
S1: can think of. Young Thunder is in the crew. It's

765
00:40:12,180 --> 00:40:14,379
S1: curling crew on Moody Radio.

766
00:40:14,780 --> 00:40:16,980
S3: Well, I asked the team in your mind, what do

767
00:40:16,980 --> 00:40:20,380
S3: you picture when you think of a leap of faith?

768
00:40:20,420 --> 00:40:22,740
S3: What does that look like visually? I want to ask

769
00:40:22,739 --> 00:40:26,140
S3: our guest the same question. Rachel G. Scott joining us,

770
00:40:26,140 --> 00:40:29,060
S3: Bible teacher, author, blogger. She's written a book, Taking the

771
00:40:29,060 --> 00:40:32,980
S3: Five Leaps Experiencing God's Faithfulness as you respond to his

772
00:40:32,980 --> 00:40:36,820
S3: call in your mind. What does it look like as

773
00:40:36,820 --> 00:40:40,100
S3: a picture? A snapshot of taking a leap of faith?

774
00:40:40,500 --> 00:40:42,700
S6: I would say if I had to think of an

775
00:40:42,700 --> 00:40:45,910
S6: actual picture, is that idea of a person leaping from

776
00:40:45,950 --> 00:40:49,710
S6: one mountain to the next mountain and hoping that nothing happens,

777
00:40:49,710 --> 00:40:52,270
S6: and they don't fall in between there and everything, that

778
00:40:52,270 --> 00:40:54,310
S6: they're able to effectively make that leap.

779
00:40:55,110 --> 00:40:58,549
S3: That's pretty, pretty spot on with what we were visualizing

780
00:40:58,590 --> 00:41:01,030
S3: as well. And I think the snapshot of the person

781
00:41:01,030 --> 00:41:04,190
S3: being in the middle, in the air, where there's that

782
00:41:04,190 --> 00:41:06,750
S3: mystery of do they land? Do they not, I think

783
00:41:06,790 --> 00:41:08,549
S3: is pretty accurate as well. Right.

784
00:41:08,590 --> 00:41:11,189
S6: Absolutely. I think that's how many of us feel with

785
00:41:11,190 --> 00:41:13,270
S6: the leap. Is this going to actually happen? Am I

786
00:41:13,310 --> 00:41:15,470
S6: going to make it the way that I intend to?

787
00:41:15,870 --> 00:41:19,350
S3: So you call yourself a leaper. Give us just kind

788
00:41:19,350 --> 00:41:22,270
S3: of a basic framework for what you mean by living

789
00:41:22,270 --> 00:41:23,750
S3: a life of leaps.

790
00:41:24,390 --> 00:41:26,790
S6: So I believe that we are all called to live

791
00:41:26,830 --> 00:41:30,750
S6: a leaping lifestyle. Meaning the last thing that the Lord

792
00:41:30,750 --> 00:41:33,509
S6: led you to do that was uncomfortable, that felt like

793
00:41:33,550 --> 00:41:35,750
S6: a risk, is not the last time he will ask

794
00:41:35,750 --> 00:41:38,270
S6: you to do something like that. And when we embrace

795
00:41:38,270 --> 00:41:40,990
S6: that in our hearts and in our minds, it helps

796
00:41:40,989 --> 00:41:44,200
S6: the process to be a little bit easier each time

797
00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:47,440
S6: he's inviting us into another leap. So that's really what

798
00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:49,359
S6: it means to live a leaping lifestyle.

799
00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:51,719
S3: Tell me about some of the leaps that God has

800
00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:53,520
S3: called you to take in your lifetime.

801
00:41:53,800 --> 00:41:58,239
S6: I can say all of them. So there's there's a

802
00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:02,080
S6: total of five. There's a fisherman, tentmaker, builder, shepherd and trailblazer.

803
00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:05,439
S6: I'm actually sitting in one right now as I'm getting

804
00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:09,239
S6: ready to make a leap to move to a different city.

805
00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:11,560
S6: And so that would be considered the Shepherd's Leap. Not

806
00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,839
S6: one that I had anticipated, but in different seasons of

807
00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:17,360
S6: my life. He's called me to each one of these

808
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:21,279
S6: and to lead others in them as well. They have

809
00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:25,400
S6: not always gone perfectly, but there's some that have gone amazing,

810
00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:29,000
S6: and I've been able to learn through each one how

811
00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:30,920
S6: to respond to God's call.

812
00:42:31,320 --> 00:42:33,480
S3: Okay. So let's let's start to break these down a

813
00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:35,920
S3: little bit because you mentioned a couple of them. Let's

814
00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:39,439
S3: start with the Shepherd's leap. Talk about what you mean

815
00:42:39,440 --> 00:42:41,370
S3: by that. And then the biblical example.

816
00:42:41,810 --> 00:42:44,810
S6: So the shepherd leap is when God is calling you

817
00:42:44,810 --> 00:42:47,969
S6: to relocate. And so he's giving you new territory. I

818
00:42:47,969 --> 00:42:50,569
S6: like to say that like even for me, moving from

819
00:42:50,570 --> 00:42:52,689
S6: one city to another is a new territory that he's

820
00:42:52,690 --> 00:42:56,370
S6: calling me to pray over, to have an influence over.

821
00:42:56,410 --> 00:42:58,649
S6: And so that's based off of Abraham in the book

822
00:42:58,650 --> 00:43:01,370
S6: of Genesis, where he is taken from one place to

823
00:43:01,410 --> 00:43:05,529
S6: another place, and he is given new territory during that time.

824
00:43:05,730 --> 00:43:08,570
S3: Okay. What about the Fisherman's leap? Go ahead.

825
00:43:08,850 --> 00:43:10,730
S6: Yeah. So this one is the one I think so

826
00:43:10,730 --> 00:43:13,290
S6: many of us relate to, and often the one that

827
00:43:13,290 --> 00:43:16,050
S6: we might get a little nervous about, which is based

828
00:43:16,050 --> 00:43:18,890
S6: off of Peter, and it's completely leaving your career to

829
00:43:18,930 --> 00:43:21,210
S6: step into your calling. And I think that a lot

830
00:43:21,210 --> 00:43:23,969
S6: of people believe this is the only way to take

831
00:43:23,969 --> 00:43:26,410
S6: a leap. And really where the premise of this book or,

832
00:43:26,650 --> 00:43:28,330
S6: or kind of the argument of this book came from

833
00:43:28,330 --> 00:43:30,690
S6: is that's not always the only way, but it is

834
00:43:30,850 --> 00:43:33,210
S6: often a way that God will invite us into a

835
00:43:33,210 --> 00:43:37,170
S6: new season is to completely leave one place a career

836
00:43:37,170 --> 00:43:40,450
S6: and go into something that may be completely different, but

837
00:43:40,690 --> 00:43:43,690
S6: is more connected to our calling when we're not necessarily

838
00:43:43,690 --> 00:43:45,170
S6: doing the dual calling.

839
00:43:45,210 --> 00:43:47,090
S3: Yeah. What's the biblical example there?

840
00:43:47,290 --> 00:43:49,290
S6: And that would be Peter. So Peter is a biblical

841
00:43:49,290 --> 00:43:51,170
S6: example of that fisherman's leap.

842
00:43:51,210 --> 00:43:55,010
S3: Yeah. So, you know, when people think about calling, there's

843
00:43:55,010 --> 00:43:57,689
S3: a lot of things that will come to mind. Everybody

844
00:43:57,969 --> 00:44:00,489
S3: has a the call of God on their life as

845
00:44:00,489 --> 00:44:03,730
S3: a believer. What's the way that we should view calling

846
00:44:03,730 --> 00:44:06,529
S3: and how it relates to these leaps?

847
00:44:06,890 --> 00:44:10,010
S6: I would say that calling answers a question of what

848
00:44:10,010 --> 00:44:13,049
S6: is God telling me and what is he saying I

849
00:44:13,090 --> 00:44:16,370
S6: need to do? So it's a little different from, say,

850
00:44:16,370 --> 00:44:19,650
S6: a vision where we're looking at what is God showing me?

851
00:44:19,690 --> 00:44:22,250
S6: It's actually answering, what is he actually telling me to do?

852
00:44:22,290 --> 00:44:24,969
S6: Where is this stirring coming from? And it's where your

853
00:44:24,969 --> 00:44:28,009
S6: ears are really open to hear what he's saying through.

854
00:44:28,290 --> 00:44:30,650
S6: It might be during the time of prayer. It might

855
00:44:30,650 --> 00:44:33,930
S6: be as you're having conversations with someone and stirring begins

856
00:44:33,930 --> 00:44:37,100
S6: to rise in you. That's usually an indication that he's

857
00:44:37,100 --> 00:44:38,940
S6: getting ready to call you into something.

858
00:44:39,219 --> 00:44:42,660
S3: Rachel G. Scott, author of Taking the Five Leaps Experiencing

859
00:44:42,660 --> 00:44:45,580
S3: God's Faithfulness as You Respond to His Call. Coming up,

860
00:44:45,580 --> 00:44:49,540
S3: let's cover these last three, these leaps that we may

861
00:44:49,580 --> 00:44:53,020
S3: be called to take in our lifetime as believers. More

862
00:44:53,020 --> 00:44:54,460
S3: coming up here on Carl and crew.

863
00:44:55,580 --> 00:44:59,339
S1: Start your day moving closer to Jesus. You're listening to

864
00:44:59,380 --> 00:45:00,460
S1: Carl and crew.

865
00:45:00,860 --> 00:45:03,419
S3: Well, maybe you were on the verge of a shepherd's leap,

866
00:45:03,420 --> 00:45:07,859
S3: which requires a physical relocation in your life. Maybe it's

867
00:45:07,860 --> 00:45:11,100
S3: a fisherman's leap where you're trusting God to leave your

868
00:45:11,100 --> 00:45:15,299
S3: job or career to pursue a different direction. Maybe in ministry.

869
00:45:15,340 --> 00:45:17,779
S3: We've got Rachel G. Scott with us right now. She

870
00:45:17,780 --> 00:45:21,339
S3: is the author of Taking the Five Leaps Experiencing God's

871
00:45:21,340 --> 00:45:24,500
S3: Faithfulness as you respond to his call. Tell us what

872
00:45:24,500 --> 00:45:26,500
S3: you mean by the builder's leap.

873
00:45:26,780 --> 00:45:30,299
S6: Well, the Builder's Leap is based off of Nehemiah, who's

874
00:45:30,300 --> 00:45:32,980
S6: one of my favorite biblical characters. And it's when God

875
00:45:32,980 --> 00:45:37,110
S6: is calling you to temporarily leave a career into a calling,

876
00:45:37,110 --> 00:45:39,509
S6: but you end up going back, and this seems to

877
00:45:39,510 --> 00:45:42,390
S6: be one that's very interesting and encouraging for a lot

878
00:45:42,390 --> 00:45:44,670
S6: of people, because sometimes God will call you to leave

879
00:45:44,950 --> 00:45:47,310
S6: that place. And in your mind you think, I'm never

880
00:45:47,310 --> 00:45:50,230
S6: going back to that industry or that career field, but

881
00:45:50,230 --> 00:45:52,549
S6: then he invites you back. And so that can be

882
00:45:52,550 --> 00:45:56,270
S6: a surprise to some people, because that stirring begins to

883
00:45:56,310 --> 00:45:59,029
S6: develop again, to go back to that place. And so

884
00:45:59,030 --> 00:46:02,069
S6: we see that with Nehemiah, where he temporarily left his

885
00:46:02,070 --> 00:46:04,910
S6: role as a cupbearer to go and rebuild the wall,

886
00:46:04,910 --> 00:46:07,470
S6: and then he went back. So that's where this comes from.

887
00:46:07,590 --> 00:46:09,070
S3: What about the tent makers?

888
00:46:09,110 --> 00:46:12,790
S6: Leap the tent makers leap is based on Paul, and

889
00:46:12,790 --> 00:46:15,910
S6: it is when career and calling occupy space in the

890
00:46:15,910 --> 00:46:18,190
S6: same season. So it's for someone who's who may be

891
00:46:18,190 --> 00:46:21,190
S6: working full time or part time, and they're also doing

892
00:46:21,190 --> 00:46:24,069
S6: things that are ministry related, and they're beginning to work

893
00:46:24,070 --> 00:46:26,110
S6: in that calling at the same time.

894
00:46:26,430 --> 00:46:30,550
S3: Now last of the five. The trailblazers leap.

895
00:46:30,989 --> 00:46:35,040
S6: So the trailblazers leap would be my absolute favorite because

896
00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:38,399
S6: it is based off of Jesus, and the reality is

897
00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:42,080
S6: that he has done every single leap before us in

898
00:46:42,080 --> 00:46:44,480
S6: all four he's done. And so we get to see

899
00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:46,880
S6: how we can do them well, because we can watch

900
00:46:46,880 --> 00:46:51,040
S6: how he did the builders, the shepherds, the tentmakers, the fishermen.

901
00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:54,000
S6: And it becomes our model as to how we are

902
00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:55,560
S6: to live a leaping lifestyle.

903
00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:59,799
S3: Now often with change comes disruption, comes a little bit

904
00:46:59,800 --> 00:47:03,680
S3: of maybe anxiety or stress. Whether it's a any one

905
00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:07,080
S3: of these leaps can at first seem disruptive. How do

906
00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:10,879
S3: we prepare ourselves for the leaps that God may be

907
00:47:10,880 --> 00:47:12,000
S3: calling us to take?

908
00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:16,040
S6: I would say, first of all, prayer not to run off,

909
00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:18,759
S6: because sometimes we will see that God is calling us

910
00:47:18,760 --> 00:47:21,000
S6: to take these leaps, and then we start to develop

911
00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:23,600
S6: our own way of how it should be done. But

912
00:47:23,600 --> 00:47:25,640
S6: what we want to pause and we want to pray,

913
00:47:25,640 --> 00:47:28,000
S6: and we want to get his set of instructions for it.

914
00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:31,200
S6: And then we get to go back and recognize how

915
00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:36,200
S6: God has been preparing us for this moment already, asking

916
00:47:36,200 --> 00:47:39,040
S6: him and seeing how he's already laid out a plan

917
00:47:39,040 --> 00:47:41,239
S6: for us. But often times we'll look back and say,

918
00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:43,480
S6: you know what? He's already shown me how to do this,

919
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:45,840
S6: or he's already connected me with this person or connected

920
00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:48,879
S6: the dots, and that brings everything together.

921
00:47:49,320 --> 00:47:51,439
S3: How has it been helpful for you personally to have

922
00:47:51,440 --> 00:47:56,520
S3: these different categories, for understanding different moves that God has

923
00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:58,600
S3: called you to make in your lifetime?

924
00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:02,919
S6: What a timely question. Because when my husband and I

925
00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:06,600
S6: felt led to get ready to move, he was very hesitant.

926
00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:09,080
S6: I was very hesitant. And then I thought to myself, well, Rachel,

927
00:48:09,080 --> 00:48:11,040
S6: you wrote a book about this. Why not go back

928
00:48:11,040 --> 00:48:14,320
S6: and read the book you wrote and the words that I,

929
00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:17,400
S6: that I talked about in there in The Shepherd's Leap

930
00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:20,320
S6: were a blessing to me to be reminded that this

931
00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:23,239
S6: is what we've been called to do. We are called

932
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:28,200
S6: to live a leaping lifestyle and to respond to his call.

933
00:48:28,200 --> 00:48:30,370
S6: But we get to see his faithfulness along the way.

934
00:48:30,410 --> 00:48:32,529
S6: So it's helped me so much in the transition that

935
00:48:32,530 --> 00:48:33,930
S6: I'm currently in right now.

936
00:48:33,969 --> 00:48:37,489
S3: You know, that's encouraging because a lot of times we

937
00:48:37,489 --> 00:48:41,089
S3: can feel like it's easier to kind of minimize risk,

938
00:48:41,250 --> 00:48:43,690
S3: you know, to, to live like some of us are

939
00:48:43,690 --> 00:48:46,930
S3: risk averse. Like, I don't like roller coasters. I do

940
00:48:46,930 --> 00:48:49,810
S3: not watch scary movies. I'm like, I don't need to

941
00:48:49,850 --> 00:48:53,649
S3: feel the emotion of fear and anxiety. That comes a

942
00:48:53,690 --> 00:48:56,890
S3: lot of times with risk. What are we missing when

943
00:48:56,890 --> 00:49:00,450
S3: we try to avoid the call of God when it

944
00:49:00,450 --> 00:49:01,930
S3: comes in the form of a leap?

945
00:49:02,570 --> 00:49:05,850
S6: The experience that he wants us to have with him.

946
00:49:06,210 --> 00:49:08,569
S6: There's so much that he wants to reveal to us.

947
00:49:08,570 --> 00:49:10,850
S6: But you know, one thing that has become more clear

948
00:49:10,850 --> 00:49:15,370
S6: to me is the impact on the generations that are

949
00:49:15,410 --> 00:49:18,410
S6: decision to leap and say yes to God will have.

950
00:49:18,450 --> 00:49:20,370
S6: It's not just for us, it's for so many other

951
00:49:20,370 --> 00:49:23,089
S6: people that are watching. There's so many other people that

952
00:49:23,090 --> 00:49:25,529
S6: are learning, and there are so many other people that

953
00:49:25,530 --> 00:49:28,660
S6: will be impacted when we say yes to God in

954
00:49:28,700 --> 00:49:29,180
S6: that league.

955
00:49:29,420 --> 00:49:33,339
S3: It's a beautiful picture, Rachel G. Scott. You know, lastly,

956
00:49:33,340 --> 00:49:36,260
S3: what's been the kind of the biggest thing that you've

957
00:49:36,260 --> 00:49:39,700
S3: learned about God as you've taken these different leaps.

958
00:49:40,180 --> 00:49:43,700
S6: That he is faithful. He is faithful in the middle,

959
00:49:44,060 --> 00:49:46,700
S6: in the end. At the beginning, he is constant and

960
00:49:46,700 --> 00:49:49,660
S6: he is faithful, and he's not going to leave me hanging.

961
00:49:49,700 --> 00:49:52,819
S3: Yeah. Even when you're when the snapshot of your life

962
00:49:52,820 --> 00:49:57,339
S3: right now is you somewhere in the middle between the one,

963
00:49:57,380 --> 00:50:00,100
S3: the both sides of the mountain. Right. And you're in

964
00:50:00,100 --> 00:50:03,020
S3: the middle of the leap. He's faithful even then. Rachel Scott,

965
00:50:03,020 --> 00:50:05,500
S3: our guest. If you want more on on her book

966
00:50:05,500 --> 00:50:11,940
S3: on her ministry, just text leap to (800) 555-7898. Just text leap.

967
00:50:12,219 --> 00:50:16,580
S3: Leap to (800) 555-7898.

968
00:50:16,780 --> 00:50:19,540
S1: She was trying to earn her way to God. But

969
00:50:19,540 --> 00:50:22,980
S1: God showed her she didn't have to. Ali is in

970
00:50:22,980 --> 00:50:26,430
S1: the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio.

971
00:50:26,910 --> 00:50:30,589
S3: Josiah Queen can't steal my joy. Well, I'm going to

972
00:50:30,630 --> 00:50:35,310
S3: share some notes with you of a presentation. I don't

973
00:50:35,310 --> 00:50:37,229
S3: know what you'd call it. It was a, I guess,

974
00:50:37,270 --> 00:50:39,750
S3: a devotional I shared with a group of college students

975
00:50:39,750 --> 00:50:43,190
S3: at a college ministry called Chi Alpha here in Chicago,

976
00:50:43,510 --> 00:50:46,350
S3: and the topic that I was given was, hey, what

977
00:50:46,350 --> 00:50:49,109
S3: does it look like to make a godly decision? Like

978
00:50:49,110 --> 00:50:52,030
S3: what are some practical steps? And so as I thought

979
00:50:52,030 --> 00:50:55,790
S3: and prayed over this, I came up with five questions

980
00:50:55,790 --> 00:50:59,070
S3: that I think you need to ask before you act.

981
00:50:59,469 --> 00:51:02,870
S3: I'll just walk you through them. So question number one is,

982
00:51:02,870 --> 00:51:05,910
S3: am I open to God's will for me even if

983
00:51:05,910 --> 00:51:08,709
S3: my heart desires something different?

984
00:51:10,150 --> 00:51:11,390
S2: It's a big first question.

985
00:51:11,390 --> 00:51:13,270
S7: Really big because it's important.

986
00:51:13,270 --> 00:51:16,590
S2: Sometimes we know the will of God, but it really

987
00:51:16,590 --> 00:51:19,670
S2: runs up against what the will of Jonathan is.

988
00:51:19,670 --> 00:51:20,150
S7: Yeah.

989
00:51:20,190 --> 00:51:22,989
S3: And so the verse that I used for this when

990
00:51:22,989 --> 00:51:25,430
S3: Romans 12 two do not conform to the pattern of

991
00:51:25,430 --> 00:51:28,509
S3: this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

992
00:51:28,550 --> 00:51:30,469
S3: then you will be able to test and approve what

993
00:51:30,510 --> 00:51:34,670
S3: God's will is his good, pleasing, and perfect will. And

994
00:51:34,710 --> 00:51:38,149
S3: there is something, a surrender that has to happen when

995
00:51:38,150 --> 00:51:40,830
S3: you're making a decision is, am I open to what

996
00:51:40,830 --> 00:51:44,110
S3: you want? And I remember this was big for me

997
00:51:44,110 --> 00:51:47,350
S3: when I was dating my husband. My husband and I

998
00:51:47,350 --> 00:51:51,910
S3: dated for a lot longer than I would recommend. Like,

999
00:51:52,390 --> 00:51:54,629
S3: it took us longer than what I would recommend to

1000
00:51:54,670 --> 00:51:56,989
S3: figure it out. But God is gracious. And so I

1001
00:51:56,989 --> 00:52:00,509
S3: remember that I was holding on so tightly to this relationship.

1002
00:52:00,510 --> 00:52:02,870
S3: I wanted us to get married after like two years.

1003
00:52:03,030 --> 00:52:06,270
S3: My husband was not ready yet. And so there was

1004
00:52:06,270 --> 00:52:08,830
S3: a lot, you know, there was some conflict there. There

1005
00:52:08,830 --> 00:52:12,630
S3: was some stress adding to it. I was in the US.

1006
00:52:12,630 --> 00:52:17,509
S3: He had already moved abroad to start his professional basketball career.

1007
00:52:17,630 --> 00:52:21,270
S3: So most of our relationship was long distance at that point, which.

1008
00:52:21,270 --> 00:52:21,989
S4: Is already.

1009
00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,520
S3: Already added some stress. And so I remember the for

1010
00:52:25,520 --> 00:52:29,640
S3: the first we had been dating for at least four years,

1011
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:32,080
S3: and this was the first time that I prayed this prayer,

1012
00:52:32,120 --> 00:52:36,319
S3: kind of in desperation. Like God, if this is your

1013
00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:41,440
S3: will for me, like show me. But if it's not like,

1014
00:52:41,719 --> 00:52:44,479
S3: let me know that too. And it it really felt

1015
00:52:44,480 --> 00:52:47,480
S3: like a physical opening of my hands for the very

1016
00:52:47,480 --> 00:52:50,000
S3: first time, because I had been so concerned about what

1017
00:52:50,000 --> 00:52:52,080
S3: I wanted. I like this was going to work, I

1018
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:53,640
S3: was going to make it work. And that was the

1019
00:52:53,640 --> 00:52:56,560
S3: first time I ever prayed a prayer of release where

1020
00:52:56,560 --> 00:53:00,520
S3: I surrendered my will and really just ask the Lord

1021
00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:02,640
S3: for his will. And maybe that seems like a statement

1022
00:53:02,640 --> 00:53:04,920
S3: of the obvious. Like I probably should have done that.

1023
00:53:04,920 --> 00:53:07,360
S3: I don't know, year one, day one.

1024
00:53:08,520 --> 00:53:09,600
S2: No, but it's real.

1025
00:53:09,640 --> 00:53:10,360
S7: And sometimes.

1026
00:53:10,920 --> 00:53:15,320
S2: Sometimes we can we can hold on to stuff way

1027
00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:15,960
S2: too long.

1028
00:53:16,440 --> 00:53:19,719
S3: And and I'm so grateful. Now we're almost 20 years

1029
00:53:19,719 --> 00:53:23,489
S3: into marriage after five and a half years of it.

1030
00:53:23,530 --> 00:53:28,290
S3: So we've been together for 25, 26 years almost. And

1031
00:53:28,290 --> 00:53:31,730
S3: so I'm so grateful that the Lord answered with, yes,

1032
00:53:31,730 --> 00:53:36,090
S3: in a pretty definitive way. And but for I was

1033
00:53:36,090 --> 00:53:39,250
S3: open to the possibility that God might have another plan

1034
00:53:39,250 --> 00:53:41,810
S3: for me. And I think that that's so important when

1035
00:53:41,810 --> 00:53:46,690
S3: you're making decisions that you actually honestly and sincerely say, God,

1036
00:53:47,170 --> 00:53:50,130
S3: not my will. I want yours.

1037
00:53:50,170 --> 00:53:53,649
S2: You know, I, I remember this, that I heard this

1038
00:53:53,650 --> 00:53:56,170
S2: from when I was a student here, uh, in a

1039
00:53:56,170 --> 00:54:00,649
S2: chapel session, a really great conversation about, uh, Leah, the

1040
00:54:00,650 --> 00:54:04,330
S2: the first husband of Jacob in the Old Testament in Genesis. Yeah. Sorry.

1041
00:54:04,370 --> 00:54:08,569
S2: First wife, uh, Jacob in the Old Testament. And the

1042
00:54:08,570 --> 00:54:11,609
S2: big thing was her and her sister Rachel were both

1043
00:54:11,610 --> 00:54:15,410
S2: married to Jacob. And Jacob loved Rachel and didn't love Leah,

1044
00:54:15,730 --> 00:54:18,330
S2: but was married to Leah and and so she was like,

1045
00:54:18,420 --> 00:54:21,260
S2: I'm gonna win his love with children. That was her

1046
00:54:21,420 --> 00:54:24,339
S2: her will. What she wanted out of it. And she

1047
00:54:24,340 --> 00:54:28,020
S2: bore children. But Jacob didn't love her anymore. And it

1048
00:54:28,020 --> 00:54:32,580
S2: wasn't until she gets to, uh, her son Judah, which

1049
00:54:32,620 --> 00:54:35,779
S2: is she comes to the realization that I need to

1050
00:54:35,820 --> 00:54:39,820
S2: stop chasing after Jacob and just chase towards the Lord.

1051
00:54:39,820 --> 00:54:44,060
S2: And she named her son Judah as a meaning of

1052
00:54:44,060 --> 00:54:47,339
S2: celebration and gratitude and praise towards the Lord, taking the

1053
00:54:47,340 --> 00:54:51,779
S2: focus off of herself. And Jesus came from Judah. It

1054
00:54:51,780 --> 00:54:55,740
S2: wasn't until she gave up her her desire to stop

1055
00:54:55,739 --> 00:54:58,219
S2: winning the love of her husband and give it all

1056
00:54:58,260 --> 00:55:02,500
S2: to the Lord, fully surrendered that the the ancestor of

1057
00:55:02,500 --> 00:55:04,100
S2: Jesus came into the picture.

1058
00:55:04,340 --> 00:55:04,940
S3: Beautiful.

1059
00:55:04,980 --> 00:55:05,380
S7: Yeah.

1060
00:55:05,700 --> 00:55:08,540
S3: Yeah. There's something powerful that happens when we surrender our

1061
00:55:08,540 --> 00:55:11,700
S3: will and say, even if I even if this really

1062
00:55:11,700 --> 00:55:15,620
S3: is painful. Ultimately I trust that God, your will is better.

1063
00:55:15,980 --> 00:55:18,219
S3: So first question am I open to God's will for

1064
00:55:18,260 --> 00:55:21,820
S3: me even if my heart desires something different? Second question

1065
00:55:21,820 --> 00:55:24,899
S3: does this decision point me toward God's glory, my God

1066
00:55:24,900 --> 00:55:29,020
S3: given mission, and the love of others? Philippians two three

1067
00:55:29,060 --> 00:55:31,819
S3: through four do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but

1068
00:55:31,820 --> 00:55:35,819
S3: in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each

1069
00:55:35,820 --> 00:55:37,779
S3: of you look not only to his own interests, but

1070
00:55:37,780 --> 00:55:40,580
S3: also to the interests of others. When we're making decisions,

1071
00:55:40,580 --> 00:55:44,140
S3: there's like the macro picture. Those are the big Bible,

1072
00:55:44,380 --> 00:55:48,700
S3: the big picture. Great commission. Loving, God loving people service

1073
00:55:48,700 --> 00:55:52,500
S3: toward others. Every decision we make should fall under the

1074
00:55:52,500 --> 00:55:57,060
S3: umbrella of what God calls us to do collectively. But

1075
00:55:57,060 --> 00:56:01,220
S3: then there's also looking at my spiritual gifts, my personal mission,

1076
00:56:01,219 --> 00:56:03,379
S3: how I feel like God is wired me what he's

1077
00:56:03,380 --> 00:56:07,100
S3: called me to. So we look macro and we look micro.

1078
00:56:07,100 --> 00:56:09,060
S3: And I believe that that's where the Holy Spirit can

1079
00:56:09,060 --> 00:56:12,100
S3: illuminate certain verses. If you had like a verse, jump

1080
00:56:12,140 --> 00:56:13,380
S3: off the page at you.

1081
00:56:13,860 --> 00:56:16,029
S7: Oh, yeah. And you're like, sometimes it just smacks you

1082
00:56:16,030 --> 00:56:16,390
S7: in the face.

1083
00:56:16,670 --> 00:56:17,030
S4: Right.

1084
00:56:17,110 --> 00:56:19,790
S3: And and then that's how God uses his word to

1085
00:56:19,790 --> 00:56:22,589
S3: help you make a specific decision that's just for you

1086
00:56:22,590 --> 00:56:24,750
S3: at that time. Yes. So we look to his word

1087
00:56:24,750 --> 00:56:27,710
S3: and we ask, does this decision point me toward God's glory?

1088
00:56:27,750 --> 00:56:31,310
S3: My God given mission and the love of others? Those

1089
00:56:31,310 --> 00:56:32,870
S3: are the first two coming up. I'm going to share

1090
00:56:32,870 --> 00:56:36,390
S3: the next three, and I'm even going to make this available.

1091
00:56:36,390 --> 00:56:38,629
S3: If you want my notes, I'm happy to share those

1092
00:56:38,630 --> 00:56:40,149
S3: with you. I'll give you a key word to get

1093
00:56:40,150 --> 00:56:40,870
S3: them coming up.

1094
00:56:41,190 --> 00:56:43,910
S1: Your shot of hope to help you through the day.

1095
00:56:44,230 --> 00:56:47,310
S1: This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio.

1096
00:56:47,670 --> 00:56:50,629
S3: When you're facing big decisions, you want to know what

1097
00:56:50,630 --> 00:56:52,710
S3: does God want me to do here? What is the

1098
00:56:52,710 --> 00:56:59,230
S3: move here? And whether it's relationships, whether it's finances, family stuff,

1099
00:56:59,790 --> 00:57:03,150
S3: it can be tough to figure out what's God calling

1100
00:57:03,150 --> 00:57:05,910
S3: me to. And so I've been walking you through these

1101
00:57:05,910 --> 00:57:09,230
S3: five questions that I came up with just out of

1102
00:57:09,230 --> 00:57:12,390
S3: my own life, walking with the Lord that I shared

1103
00:57:12,390 --> 00:57:15,920
S3: with some college students. The first two questions to ask

1104
00:57:15,920 --> 00:57:17,800
S3: am I open to God's will for me, even if

1105
00:57:17,800 --> 00:57:21,840
S3: my heart desires something different? Second, does this decision point

1106
00:57:21,840 --> 00:57:24,400
S3: me toward God's glory? My God given mission and the

1107
00:57:24,400 --> 00:57:27,000
S3: love of others? The third we've covered a little bit

1108
00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:29,360
S3: this week in Doctor Sauer touched on it as well.

1109
00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:32,360
S3: Do the godly people in my life affirm this decision

1110
00:57:32,360 --> 00:57:36,000
S3: as right and good? You don't want to be making

1111
00:57:36,000 --> 00:57:39,800
S3: big decisions in a vacuum, in isolation, where you've got

1112
00:57:39,800 --> 00:57:43,440
S3: nobody speaking into it. Like even if you feel like

1113
00:57:43,440 --> 00:57:46,400
S3: you've heard from the Lord. Run it by a couple

1114
00:57:46,440 --> 00:57:49,920
S3: of godly people that you trust. And I've said it

1115
00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:51,640
S3: before because I heard it from a pastor. If you

1116
00:57:51,640 --> 00:57:54,000
S3: can't convince the godly people in your life that what

1117
00:57:54,000 --> 00:57:57,600
S3: you're doing is the right move, it probably isn't. So

1118
00:57:57,600 --> 00:58:01,880
S3: I believe that God gives us, uh, advisors, people around

1119
00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:03,720
S3: us for our protection.

1120
00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:04,560
S7: Yes.

1121
00:58:04,720 --> 00:58:07,440
S2: And it's not that because even Doctor Sauer said that,

1122
00:58:07,480 --> 00:58:12,050
S2: you know, he he gave incorrect advice to his son once,

1123
00:58:12,050 --> 00:58:15,090
S2: and his son carefully considered it and decided to go

1124
00:58:15,090 --> 00:58:18,130
S2: a different way. Yeah, but let's think about it this way.

1125
00:58:18,130 --> 00:58:20,370
S2: If you talk to multiple godly people and none of

1126
00:58:20,370 --> 00:58:23,530
S2: them are in agreement, then there's probably a good indication

1127
00:58:23,530 --> 00:58:25,930
S2: that that it's not what God's asking you.

1128
00:58:25,970 --> 00:58:26,290
S7: Yeah.

1129
00:58:26,490 --> 00:58:30,010
S3: Third question or fourth round. Number four, is God putting

1130
00:58:30,010 --> 00:58:33,330
S3: the practical pieces in place for this plan to move forward?

1131
00:58:34,010 --> 00:58:37,810
S3: This is where you kind of start looking for open doors. Sure.

1132
00:58:37,850 --> 00:58:40,490
S3: And you know, when I think about the when I

1133
00:58:40,490 --> 00:58:43,250
S3: applied for the position here at Moody. Oh, boy, eight

1134
00:58:43,250 --> 00:58:45,729
S3: and a half years ago, believe it or not, there

1135
00:58:45,730 --> 00:58:50,250
S3: were some real challenges that I knew had to be

1136
00:58:50,250 --> 00:58:52,970
S3: cleared out of the way for this to even be possible.

1137
00:58:52,970 --> 00:58:55,650
S3: So one of the things that I prayed and asked

1138
00:58:55,650 --> 00:58:58,890
S3: the Lord for was like, I, Lord, I have two children.

1139
00:58:58,930 --> 00:59:01,530
S3: The children at the time they were eight and five,

1140
00:59:02,170 --> 00:59:05,370
S3: and getting up early in the morning to come here

1141
00:59:05,370 --> 00:59:08,730
S3: to campus to co-host the morning show. My husband had

1142
00:59:08,730 --> 00:59:11,810
S3: a very demanding work schedule to where he was still

1143
00:59:11,810 --> 00:59:14,730
S3: traveling quite a bit. I said, I need somebody godly

1144
00:59:14,730 --> 00:59:16,730
S3: who's going to help me with my kids in the morning.

1145
00:59:16,930 --> 00:59:20,410
S3: And if that doesn't come into place, then I know

1146
00:59:20,410 --> 00:59:22,490
S3: that this job is not your will for me right now,

1147
00:59:22,530 --> 00:59:25,730
S3: because my first stewardship is to my home and to

1148
00:59:25,770 --> 00:59:30,890
S3: my family. And so, sure enough, as the Lord does,

1149
00:59:31,290 --> 00:59:33,010
S3: I was like, Lord, you got to provide the right person.

1150
00:59:33,010 --> 00:59:34,689
S3: They've got to be godly. They've got to be okay

1151
00:59:34,690 --> 00:59:37,170
S3: with this crazy schedule, because I'm going to be leaving

1152
00:59:37,170 --> 00:59:41,410
S3: early in the morning. And the Lord provided a godly

1153
00:59:41,410 --> 00:59:44,330
S3: young woman who was a moody student who just happened

1154
00:59:44,330 --> 00:59:46,970
S3: to be finishing, I think, some sort of a semester abroad.

1155
00:59:47,010 --> 00:59:47,890
S4: I remember that.

1156
00:59:47,890 --> 00:59:50,170
S3: She ended up moving into our guest room because she

1157
00:59:50,170 --> 00:59:52,650
S3: needed a place to to to live for a little

1158
00:59:52,650 --> 00:59:55,330
S3: while for like, short term. We need somebody who could

1159
00:59:55,330 --> 00:59:58,610
S3: be available early in the morning. And so and each time.

1160
00:59:58,610 --> 01:00:00,170
S3: And she was with us for a couple of years.

1161
01:00:00,170 --> 01:00:04,730
S3: And each time there was a need, I would say, okay, God,

1162
01:00:04,890 --> 01:00:06,970
S3: are you gonna or do you have me continuing on

1163
01:00:06,970 --> 01:00:09,020
S3: at Moody? Are Moody. Are you going to provide somebody else?

1164
01:00:09,020 --> 01:00:11,340
S3: Because if not, then I know I can't move forward.

1165
01:00:11,620 --> 01:00:14,460
S3: And each time he put the practical pieces in place

1166
01:00:14,460 --> 01:00:17,180
S3: for me to keep walking in what I believe is

1167
01:00:17,180 --> 01:00:19,700
S3: his will for my life. And so I'm not saying

1168
01:00:19,700 --> 01:00:23,300
S3: that there won't be obstacles when you when somethings from

1169
01:00:23,300 --> 01:00:26,420
S3: the Lord. But if you feel like there's something that

1170
01:00:26,420 --> 01:00:29,180
S3: God wants you to do and there is absolutely no

1171
01:00:29,180 --> 01:00:34,020
S3: movement of any kind that would make that possible, pause.

1172
01:00:34,980 --> 01:00:39,100
S3: Because God's a God of order. Is he putting the

1173
01:00:39,100 --> 01:00:41,980
S3: practical pieces in place for the plan to move forward

1174
01:00:42,020 --> 01:00:44,620
S3: that comes out of Psalm 3723. The steps of a

1175
01:00:44,620 --> 01:00:47,260
S3: man are established by the Lord when he delights in

1176
01:00:47,260 --> 01:00:51,660
S3: his way. Last question. This is one of my favorites,

1177
01:00:51,660 --> 01:00:53,500
S3: because I'm going to give you a phrase that I,

1178
01:00:53,980 --> 01:00:56,740
S3: I borrowed from someone else, and you can use to.

1179
01:00:56,780 --> 01:00:59,580
S3: Does this decision seem good to me and the Holy Spirit?

1180
01:01:00,220 --> 01:01:03,180
S3: Here's the phrase that my husband and I use often

1181
01:01:04,780 --> 01:01:07,670
S3: by the best light we have. This is what we

1182
01:01:07,670 --> 01:01:10,390
S3: feel like is the move. The best light you have.

1183
01:01:10,750 --> 01:01:15,430
S3: You don't always get 100% certainty, 100% clarity. We talked

1184
01:01:15,430 --> 01:01:19,870
S3: about taking leaps of faith. Sometimes many times a decision

1185
01:01:19,870 --> 01:01:22,030
S3: has to be made. You've sought the Lord. You've sought

1186
01:01:22,070 --> 01:01:25,669
S3: wise counsel. You've looked to the word and you're still

1187
01:01:25,670 --> 01:01:30,630
S3: not 100% certain. Use the best light you have, make

1188
01:01:30,630 --> 01:01:35,990
S3: the decision, and go and trust that if God wants

1189
01:01:36,510 --> 01:01:39,590
S3: you to be somewhere else, he'll redirect you. So if

1190
01:01:39,630 --> 01:01:42,670
S3: you have done the wise things that we've talked about

1191
01:01:42,670 --> 01:01:46,790
S3: up to this point, you can make the decision and

1192
01:01:46,790 --> 01:01:49,430
S3: trust that God is going to be with you. And

1193
01:01:49,430 --> 01:01:52,470
S3: if you're wrong, he will lovingly redirect you.

1194
01:01:52,470 --> 01:01:55,230
S2: That's I think that's the biggest thing, is sometimes we

1195
01:01:55,230 --> 01:01:58,230
S2: get so frozen up because we're afraid to be wrong. I,

1196
01:01:58,470 --> 01:02:01,230
S2: I think of this analogy that I heard, uh, that's

1197
01:02:01,230 --> 01:02:05,880
S2: really important. It's there's two kids, both at different houses.

1198
01:02:05,880 --> 01:02:08,840
S2: They're both playing outside. They both think they hear their

1199
01:02:08,840 --> 01:02:11,600
S2: dad call for them. So they start running into the house,

1200
01:02:11,680 --> 01:02:14,440
S2: their own houses. One son runs in. He's looking all

1201
01:02:14,440 --> 01:02:16,080
S2: over the house for his dad. He sees his dad

1202
01:02:16,080 --> 01:02:18,600
S2: up in the room, sitting in his chair and says, dad, dad,

1203
01:02:18,600 --> 01:02:20,960
S2: you called for me. And he. And he picks him

1204
01:02:20,960 --> 01:02:23,520
S2: up and he looks at him, the dad. And he

1205
01:02:23,520 --> 01:02:25,720
S2: smacks the kid and he says, don't you ever come

1206
01:02:25,760 --> 01:02:28,320
S2: unless I actually call you? I didn't call you here.

1207
01:02:28,600 --> 01:02:29,920
S2: And then the other son.

1208
01:02:29,960 --> 01:02:30,320
S3: Right?

1209
01:02:30,520 --> 01:02:33,920
S2: No way. And then the other son runs into the house.

1210
01:02:33,920 --> 01:02:35,880
S2: He's looking for his dad. He finds his dad sitting

1211
01:02:35,880 --> 01:02:37,960
S2: up in the chair and he says, dad, dad, I

1212
01:02:37,960 --> 01:02:40,640
S2: heard you call for me. So I came and his

1213
01:02:40,640 --> 01:02:42,400
S2: dad picks him up, puts him on his lap and

1214
01:02:42,400 --> 01:02:45,680
S2: looks at him and says, I didn't call you, but

1215
01:02:45,680 --> 01:02:48,800
S2: I'm so glad you came when you thought I did. Yeah,

1216
01:02:48,920 --> 01:02:50,080
S2: that's our father.

1217
01:02:50,120 --> 01:02:50,520
S7: Yes.

1218
01:02:50,520 --> 01:02:53,720
S2: He's not mad at us for walking into an area

1219
01:02:53,720 --> 01:02:56,360
S2: where we thought he was calling us. He can redeem

1220
01:02:56,360 --> 01:02:58,640
S2: it even if it's wrong. And he's gonna love you

1221
01:02:58,680 --> 01:02:59,160
S2: through it.

1222
01:02:59,680 --> 01:03:02,320
S3: I love that because you're right. That is the picture

1223
01:03:02,760 --> 01:03:07,240
S3: you you may not have 100% certainty. Every time you're

1224
01:03:07,240 --> 01:03:10,840
S3: facing a decision, use the best light you have. We

1225
01:03:10,840 --> 01:03:14,120
S3: say it all the time when it's parenting decisions. Do

1226
01:03:14,120 --> 01:03:17,000
S3: we do we make this change here? Do we do

1227
01:03:17,000 --> 01:03:20,400
S3: this for our child? Do we make this move in marriage?

1228
01:03:20,440 --> 01:03:24,320
S3: Do we look at this other career opportunity that's best

1229
01:03:24,320 --> 01:03:27,240
S3: light you have? Walk through all the steps and then

1230
01:03:27,240 --> 01:03:29,560
S3: by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Does it seem

1231
01:03:29,560 --> 01:03:31,720
S3: good to you and the Holy Spirit as it says

1232
01:03:31,720 --> 01:03:35,919
S3: in acts 1528? Use the best light you have. I've

1233
01:03:35,920 --> 01:03:39,360
S3: put together these notes, and it is not fancy at all.

1234
01:03:39,520 --> 01:03:43,400
S3: It's not formatted in a very aesthetic way. But if

1235
01:03:43,400 --> 01:03:46,959
S3: you want these five questions that I've put together with

1236
01:03:47,000 --> 01:03:50,640
S3: the accompanying scripture verses, I'd be happy to share them

1237
01:03:50,640 --> 01:03:56,480
S3: with you. Just text decision to 800 555 7898. Text

1238
01:03:56,480 --> 01:04:00,960
S3: decision to 800 555 7898.