S1: He wants us to know that whatever is bigger than us,
S1: he's bigger than it. I'm so glad I've got a
S1: God who's bigger than what's bigger than I am.
S2: Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford,
S2: junior senior pastor of Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm
S2: Steve Heller. Glad you're with us as we continue a message.
S2: Have no fear. God is here. And pastor, sometimes life
S2: throws something at us that does seem absolutely overwhelming. I mean,
S2: we feel like we're absolutely crushed. Destroyed? No way out
S2: of this. But when we cling to the fact that
S2: we have a God who is bigger than everything, it
S2: makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it?
S3: Amen. You know, Steve, here's here's how I assess my
S3: problems and situations. I assess them in the light of
S3: what God has to say about them. I think that's
S3: very important.
S2: What do you mean by that?
S3: Well, I go to the word, for example. Do you
S3: know there are 365 fear nots in the Bible? Now,
S3: I didn't count them, but I think it was David
S3: Jeremiah that counted them. And that's one for every day
S3: of the year. So whenever fear comes on me, then
S3: I have to see what God says about fear. And
S3: whenever I'm hit with worry or anxiety or any of
S3: the tumultuous emotions of life. Now, I'm not saying that
S3: every time, no. But most of the time, the Word
S3: of God acts as a balm and calms. My heart
S3: begins to get me to focus on what God has promised.
S3: As opposed to the pain I'm going through. Yeah. Now,
S3: that doesn't minimize the pain. It doesn't mean I like
S3: what's going on. It doesn't mean that I'm accepting what's
S3: going on. I could be fighting against it with every
S3: part of my being. But there's something about the Word
S3: of God. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing by the Word
S3: of God. Now, that's not just the word Lagos there
S3: in Romans ten. That's the word rhema. And so a
S3: rhema is a specific word for a specific purpose or problem.
S3: So it literally means the word that fits. And so
S3: that's what I do. I try to find a word
S3: that fits. And then I begin to soak that word in.
S3: And most of the time it changes my outlook my
S3: perspective changes. But then my perception changes because my perspective,
S3: how I see it now, begins to color my perception,
S3: how I understand it, and it changes the whole thing around.
S3: And I ask myself the question, you know, not God.
S3: Why me but God? Why not me and not why now?
S3: Why not now? And God is able to do whatever
S3: he's trying to do in your life. We just have
S3: to yield and let him do it.
S2: It's a powerful reminder as we begin today's broadcast, and
S2: we're going to continue to look at this topic from
S2: Isaiah chapter 43. So join us there as Pastor Ford
S2: continues the message. Have no fear. God is here.
S3: Forest fires are devastating, uh, in any nation. As a
S3: matter of fact, across the world, forest fires devastate and
S3: destroy everything that's in their path. As a matter of fact,
S3: if we took one state, just the state of California, uh,
S3: last year, uh, they had approximately 5000 wildfires, which led
S3: to the destruction of 164,000 Acres of land. Thousands of
S3: homes were destroyed and burned. Tens of thousands of God's
S3: creatures were burnt up and left without shelter. Uh, tons
S3: and tons of forests were burnt up. 32 people last
S3: year lost their lives in these wildfires. Yet there is
S3: one thing that was not adversely affected by the wildfire,
S3: but actually flourished and thrived. Not in spite of it,
S3: but because of it. It's called a lodgepole pine cone.
S3: Come on, say it with me. Lodgepole pine cone. This
S3: pine cone has within it seeds of life potential that
S3: has been put.
S1: In it by God.
S3: But there's, there's there's something that he also did. Because
S3: while everything is green and plush and lush in the forest.
S3: Those cones will remain the same, and the potential of
S3: the seed that's in it will never be released. You
S3: want to know why? Come on, ask me why. Because
S3: it's only released. They will only open up when they
S3: have gone through intense heat. So then what that means
S3: is that while everything is beautiful and peaceful, their potential
S3: stays locked up within them. But as soon as there
S3: there's a forest fire, they fall from the tree. They
S3: open up because the heat opens them up, releases the
S3: seed on the inside. And get this, you won't believe this.
S3: That the ashes that are left from the devastation are
S3: actually utilized by the seed to grow quicker Than it
S3: would in normal soil. So that Google told me that
S3: within 1 to 4 days it opens up and you
S3: see the blossom. Wow. Wait. Look at somebody and say,
S3: lodgepole pine cone. Yeah, because you gotta understand that God
S3: has invested in you great potential. You have Christ in you,
S3: the Holy Ghost in you. You have the gift of
S3: God in you. You have unlimited potential that is untapped.
S3: And as long as everything is going smoothly and everything
S3: is blossoming and beautiful, you will not release the seeds
S3: of possibility and potential that God has in you. But oh,
S3: he lets the fire come because the fire causes you
S3: to open up. It causes you to release the seeds
S3: of the possibilities that God has given to you, and
S3: you grow and bloom in the ashes of the devastation
S3: of your hurt, of the hate that was on you,
S3: of the things that tested you and tried you. Don't
S3: you understand that sometimes God allows you and I to
S3: go through the fire, because it's the only way that
S3: that potential is going to be released. And many of
S3: us don't understand God's taking us through the fire so
S3: that we can blossom. I can't tell somebody there's something
S3: inside of you that will never come out of you
S3: until you go through the fire. Oh, I know what
S3: I'm talking about. There's greatness in you. But it's going
S3: to take the fire to bring it out. There's a
S3: book inside of you, a bestseller, but it's not going
S3: to come out until you go through the fire. There's
S3: a degree inside of you, but it's going to take
S3: the fire to bring it out. There's a political career
S3: inside of you, but it's going to take the fire
S3: to bring it out. There's an invention inside of you,
S3: but it's going to take the fire to bring it
S3: out of you. There's faithfulness inside of you, but it's
S3: going to take the fire to bring it out. I'm
S3: preaching better than you. Amen. There's a powerful ministry inside
S3: of you. But it's going to take the fire to
S3: bring it out. There's integrity inside of you, but it's
S3: going to take the fire to bring it out. And
S3: I might as well tell the truth to some of
S3: y'all in here. There's demons in you, but it's going
S3: to take the fire. Come on. Let's have some who
S3: really believe God say, bring the fire. Mm. Yeah. You
S3: know what's wrong? You're not living up to who God
S3: made you. You're living beneath your privileges. Don't you know
S3: who you are? You're a king's kid. You're the head
S3: and not the tail. You are somebody. Stop living like
S3: you're a welfare person spiritually. You're a king's kid. God
S3: says I gotta bring it out of you. So I
S3: gotta let you go through the fire. Oh, not everybody,
S3: but some of you right now. Thing you're going through
S3: right now. God told me to come and encourage somebody. Yeah,
S3: it'll be over. Yeah, but not until he brings it out. Yeah,
S3: he gotta bring it out. Yeah, the fire is going
S3: to bring it out. We say. Yeah. You're not living
S3: up to who God made you. You got a GED. Focus.
S3: But you got PhD possibilities. Yeah, you got a hooptie actions,
S3: but you got Mercedes Benz. Faith. Yeah, you display low expectations,
S3: but God said he's giving you high hopes. I came
S3: to talk to a few folk today who are in
S3: a forest fire. And I want to tell you that
S3: God got something he's trying to bring out of you.
S2: Maybe you identify with that today. You're listening to a
S2: message called have no fear. God is here. It's from
S2: Pastor James Ford Jr, and we're glad you've tuned in
S2: to treasure truth. If you want to find out more
S2: about Pastor Ford or this program, I hope you'll come
S2: to our website. It's Treasure Truth radio.org. There you can
S2: not only find out more about Pastor Ford, but you
S2: can see all the books that he's written by clicking
S2: on the books by Pastor Ford link. You can see
S2: all the titles that are available as a paperback or
S2: an e-book format, and if you ever miss a broadcast,
S2: you can always listen to each and every program online.
S2: Just come to Treasure Truth radio.org. There you can download MP3's,
S2: you can stream the program for free, or you can
S2: even order copies of this broadcast on CD. Again, our
S2: website is Treasure Truth radio.com. Well, if you joined us
S2: a little late, we're in Isaiah chapter 43. So join
S2: us there as we continue the message.
S3: Now, you know, uh, that they are in this fire
S3: because they struck the match and dropped it. And there
S3: was a conflagration. The children of Israel in Isaiah 43, uh,
S3: they're talking about the Babylonian captivity, and they're saying, oh, God,
S3: why us? And God saying, no, you did this. And
S3: there's some people in here, you're in a fire. You
S3: didn't start it, but there's some in here. Don't look
S3: around now, who the fire you're in is because you
S3: started it. Mhm. Yeah. You're the one who couldn't wait
S3: for Mr. right and settle for Mr.. Right now. Uh, yeah.
S3: You're the one who said, oh, I know she's Miss Right,
S3: but you didn't know her first name was always. Yeah.
S3: You're the your it was your hand that held the
S3: crack pipe. It was your hand that held the joint.
S3: It was your hand that had the 40. The blunt,
S3: the cavalier, the crystal. It was your hand, not God's. Yeah.
S3: You ran the credit cards up to the limit. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
S3: I tell you all the time, God's name is not
S3: on one of those credit card slips that was signed. Yeah,
S3: you got baby mama drama, baby daddy drama. Because you're
S3: the one who did what you did. But yet God
S3: sent me to tell somebody today. If you had a
S3: setback and you took a step back, don't you dare
S3: turn back because God wants to give you a glorious comeback. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah,
S3: I said something. I got to say that again. Uh,
S3: that was good, Pastor Ford. Yeah. I said if you
S3: had a setback, don't take a step back. Don't you
S3: turn back because God's about to give you a glorious comeback.
S3: The fire is going to bring out your potential. Now
S3: here's what he said. Here's what he said. Now, while
S3: you're going through this and the fire's raging, you're going
S3: to fall from the tree. You're going to open up
S3: because you can't do nothing else when the heat comes.
S3: But the seed is going to come out. And in
S3: the ashes of the destruction that lays all around you,
S3: you're going to see something green start to grow up
S3: and blossom and become something that you never were before
S3: and never could be until the fire came. Amen. Amen.
S3: So God told him. God told him. God told him.
S3: He said, listen, here's all I want you to do.
S3: Have no fear because I'm here. That's it. That's all
S3: he promises. He didn't say he's going to be over.
S3: He didn't say when. He didn't say how. He just said,
S3: hold on to God's unchanging hand. And I promise you,
S3: you're going to look totally different. The fire is not
S3: to burn you. It's to build you. Amen. Yeah. And
S3: so then we've already seen verse one tells us, God says, listen,
S3: here it is. Number one, you don't have to have
S3: any fear because you're the property of God. Verse one
S3: he says, you're my property. You're my property. I'm not
S3: going to go too far back. But I remember growing
S3: up in a small family of ten, nine boys, one tomboy,
S3: and I was the oldest. Now, let me tell you
S3: what that meant for me. That meant it was before Pampers.
S3: Which means there were cloth diapers. And so, since I
S3: was the oldest, my mama would say, get that diaper
S3: off of him and clean him. And mama used to
S3: have me doing all that kind of stuff, and I
S3: used to. I used to say to her, well, I
S3: gotta cook, why I gotta clean, why I gotta learn
S3: how to sew. I'm a man and she say you're
S3: a boy. But let me tell you something, boy. You
S3: don't know who you're going to marry. So you better
S3: know how to do everything for yourself. So when you
S3: leave this house, I'm going to teach you how to
S3: do everything. Because you don't know what kind of woman
S3: you going to get. Now, I got a good woman
S3: who does all that. But my woman got sick for
S3: 23 years, and for 23 years. I said, thank God.
S3: Mama taught me how to cook. Thank God mama taught
S3: me how to sew. Thank God mama taught me how
S3: to take care of the house. Thank God mama taught
S3: me how to clean, how to do all thank God.
S3: But because I had to do that all the time,
S3: I used to feel like I was adopted. And I
S3: would say, I say to her, am I adopted? She said,
S3: who in their right mind would adopt somebody like you?
S3: And my nickname was she calls me is sunny and
S3: she would say this I don't call you sunny because
S3: you shine. I call you sunny because you're mine. Man,
S3: I love that. And whenever I would feel like I
S3: was adopted because of all the work I was doing
S3: as the oldest, I say, say that to me, mama.
S3: Say that to she. Say I don't call you sunny
S3: because you shine. I call you sunny because you're mine.
S3: You know what I learned? I learned that he's telling
S3: them in verse one I don't call you saint because
S3: you shine. I call you saint because you're mine. That
S3: there are some things that God is telling us that
S3: he wants us to know. I don't care how far
S3: you think you can go. You can never get away
S3: from me. Because the farther you go, every time you
S3: look down, you know what you're going to find. Underneath
S3: are the everlasting arms. Oh, I thought more than 3
S3: or 4 people would shout about that. I thought somebody
S3: would stand to their feet and say, thank you, Jesus.
S3: I thought somebody would holler up and say, I love you, Lord.
S3: I thought somebody would say, yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Okay,
S3: now I feel like I'm in a real church. Yeah.
S3: And so then he said, uh, you're my property. Then notice, secondly,
S3: not only because we're his property, but he said in
S3: verse two, he said, because of my protection of you,
S3: that that I look at verse two, when you pass
S3: through the fire, I will be there. When you when
S3: you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
S3: Notice what he says. You're going to go through it.
S3: Say when, not if. And notice what I said earlier.
S3: He don't promise you're going to get out. He don't
S3: promise it's going to be easy. He don't promise you're
S3: going to like it. He don't promise that it ain't
S3: going to be painful. He just promised one thing. You'll
S3: go into the water and you going to get wet,
S3: but you ain't going to drown. And you go into
S3: the fire and you will not be burned. Maybe you're
S3: going through the fire because God is trying to burn
S3: the earthly empire off of you, so that you'll focus
S3: on the heavenly empire. Maybe it's because you got the
S3: wrong power. Maybe you got the power on TV 32
S3: instead of the power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe it's
S3: because he's trying to keep you from a scandal. Come on, man.
S3: I thought I'd throw a little TV in there, get
S3: somebody mad at me. He talk about Empire scam? I
S3: don't know, he talking about. That's my show. Let's move on,
S3: he said. Because you're the property of God. Because you're
S3: the preservation of God. Number three, verse three. Listen to
S3: what it says. He says, for I am the Lord
S3: thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior. Stop!
S3: He says, the third reason that you don't have to
S3: have any fear is because of the person of God.
S3: He identifies himself. Why? He wants us to know that
S3: whatever is bigger than us, he's bigger than it. I'm
S3: so glad I've got a God who's bigger than what's
S3: bigger than I am. And so what does he do? Hey,
S3: look at this, look at this, look at this, look
S3: at this. Verse one. God is able. Verse two God
S3: is available. Verse three God is awesome. You know what
S3: he's telling us? Verse one he's powerful. Verse two, he's present.
S3: Verse three, he's perfect. I told you this before, but
S3: Imma repeat it because I do use Google a lot.
S3: And and a couple days ago my Google went out
S3: and I was I was calling everybody I can't get
S3: my Google back on. I can't get my Google on
S3: because I get a lot of information from Google. I
S3: just call them my phone. They say, what about Google it?
S3: And so my administrative assistant said, okay, we're going to
S3: teach you how to do this computer thing and get
S3: it together. You got to start doing your own stuff.
S3: So I started doing my own stuff. I wish I
S3: was like Brother Garland. He does all his own stuff
S3: on the computer, puts his PowerPoint together, everything. I can't
S3: do none of that yet, doc. And so I'm trying it.
S3: So I wanted to do a series called God Is Able,
S3: and I knew there was about 8 or 9 of them,
S3: but I said, there's gotta be more than what I know.
S3: And so I put punched in God is able and
S3: it said no reference is found. I said, that's what
S3: I'm talking about. I called up my administrator. I said,
S3: this thing is stupid. I said, I know at least
S3: 4 or 5 of them. You know, God is able,
S3: you know, uh, but God is able to do exceedingly,
S3: abundantly above all, you know, and it didn't even pull
S3: up anything she said to me without missing a beat.
S3: Did you capitalize the G? I looked and it was
S3: a small G, and lo and behold, the stupid computer
S3: became a smart one, and the smart pastor became stupid
S3: because the computer was saying to me, I do not
S3: recognize a God who is able with a small G.
S3: What you gotta do is capitalize God. And once you
S3: capitalize God, then all the references came through. There were
S3: 30 something references, but God. And I said, oh, I wonder,
S3: is the assembly like me walking around with a small G.
S3: And you need to change from a lowercase g to
S3: a uppercase G so that you can get some references,
S3: because God won't answer when you make him too small.
S3: I'm in Bible territory, and now unto him who is
S3: able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you could
S3: ask or think, according to the mighty working power in us.
S2: A difficult place to pause in today's message from Pastor Ford.
S2: He's really given us a lot to think about. Are
S2: we honoring God and trusting his power, or have we
S2: given in to fear? You're listening to Treasure Truth, and
S2: for a copy of today's program, you can look for
S2: the title Have No Fear. God is Here. Just come
S2: to our website treasure truth Radio.com. You know, pastor, there
S2: are all sorts of voices in culture that are bombarding
S2: us with messages that are so contrary to God's Word
S2: and to what Scripture says. And I think one of
S2: the reasons that listeners may want to consider giving a
S2: gift to support is that Moody Radio and Treasure Truth
S2: can help us stand firm.
S3: Amen. Because Moody Network will give us the gospel straight,
S3: no chaser. And we don't want to mix anything with
S3: the Word of God, because if you dilute it, you
S3: pollute it. And you know, Steve, I went on an
S3: all fruit diet and I gained weight and I couldn't
S3: understand what happened. I mean, you know, all I had
S3: was apple pie, peach cobbler. You know, you see where
S3: you're going here.
S2: You get where I'm going.
S3: Yeah. That everything I added to it polluted it and
S3: took away its nutritional value. That's what's happening with the
S3: word of God today. Hey, Moody encourages all of us
S3: not to be politically correct, but to be biblically correct.
S2: Well, you can help us do that to to share
S2: the truth of God's Word with those who will come
S2: across this program and across Moody Radio by giving a gift.
S2: Come to Treasure Truth Radio and click on the donate button.
S2: Thanks for doing that and for listening today. Thanks to
S2: our producers, Amy Rios and Ryan McConaughey. For Pastor Ford,
S2: I'm Steve Hiller. Treasure truth is a production of Moody Radio,
S2: a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.