1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:05,960 S1: Broadcasting from Chicago, across North America and beyond its cast 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,680 S1: and crew. Come as you are an experienced guide. Overcome 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:15,440 S1: what seems impossible and live. As you never imagined. Start 4 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:16,880 S1: your morning with a laugh. 5 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:22,119 S2: Practical from the Bible. Tips and tricks to kill. Not tricks, 6 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:23,600 S2: but tips and tricks. 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,400 S3: Tips and tricks to kill. Tips and tricks. 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:30,400 S1: Delivering the truth daily. 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,280 S4: All of my attempts to, you know, prop myself up 10 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,760 S4: with achievement in good works. Well, God wasn't impressed by that. 11 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,239 S4: Even if other people were. 12 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,080 S2: The gospel changes everything. 13 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,519 S5: Freedom in Christ. Man, it's like that backpack of cement 14 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,440 S5: just falling to the ground. 15 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:50,920 S1: Now, from the call of Hope Studios, this is Carl 16 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,720 S1: and crew. It is Ask the Experts week, and we're 17 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,200 S1: coming out hot this hour. 18 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,690 S4: This has been such a full week. I don't know 19 00:01:00,690 --> 00:01:02,610 S4: that we've ever talked to this many guests. 20 00:01:02,650 --> 00:01:03,090 S3: No. 21 00:01:03,130 --> 00:01:04,050 S4: In one week? 22 00:01:04,370 --> 00:01:05,250 S2: No, I don't think so. 23 00:01:05,370 --> 00:01:07,490 S6: Producer. No. Ask our producer. Yeah. 24 00:01:07,890 --> 00:01:10,569 S4: Like we've had so many conversations this week. 25 00:01:10,730 --> 00:01:12,490 S2: A lot. A lot of good stuff. 26 00:01:12,530 --> 00:01:13,810 S6: A lot of booking. Oh, yeah. Great. 27 00:01:14,010 --> 00:01:14,850 S2: A lot of booking. 28 00:01:14,890 --> 00:01:18,770 S6: A lot of booking that too. But good stuff. 29 00:01:18,890 --> 00:01:23,210 S7: Yeah. Phenomenal. So speaking of phenomenal look up phenomenal in 30 00:01:23,209 --> 00:01:27,210 S7: the dictionary. And Susie Larson's picture is right there somewhere. 31 00:01:28,090 --> 00:01:28,810 S7: Right there. 32 00:01:29,010 --> 00:01:31,570 S2: Right there right up next to the word phenomenal. 33 00:01:31,569 --> 00:01:33,730 S4: Susie Larson. That feels appropriate. 34 00:01:33,770 --> 00:01:36,610 S7: Yeah. You know, when we think about Susie and some 35 00:01:36,610 --> 00:01:39,170 S7: of the expertise that she has, what would you say 36 00:01:39,290 --> 00:01:40,810 S7: about her ministry? 37 00:01:41,450 --> 00:01:45,370 S4: You know, she has always been open about, um, overcoming 38 00:01:45,410 --> 00:01:50,650 S4: trauma in her life, but also living with chronic illness 39 00:01:50,650 --> 00:01:54,050 S4: and the hardship that come with, you know, kind of living. 40 00:01:54,090 --> 00:01:55,570 S4: You know, people want to think that it's like, sort 41 00:01:55,570 --> 00:01:57,850 S4: of this happily ever after where you have the before. 42 00:01:57,850 --> 00:02:01,410 S4: And then. Then everything gets easy and you live happily 43 00:02:01,410 --> 00:02:04,770 S4: ever after. But she's very honest about the ongoing battle 44 00:02:05,290 --> 00:02:08,250 S4: of feeling like you get a victory for her and 45 00:02:08,250 --> 00:02:11,530 S4: her health. And then there's a setback and and fighting 46 00:02:11,530 --> 00:02:13,329 S4: for faith through that. 47 00:02:13,850 --> 00:02:18,169 S7: Yeah, it's it's so good, I think for Susie, for 48 00:02:18,169 --> 00:02:20,570 S7: me as a woman that has such a good handle 49 00:02:20,570 --> 00:02:23,850 S7: on the word as it relates to those things that 50 00:02:23,850 --> 00:02:26,769 S7: you put that combo together and you got something lethal. 51 00:02:27,210 --> 00:02:31,290 S7: Buckle up and do grab that swig of water. We're 52 00:02:31,290 --> 00:02:34,410 S7: coming in hot here with a phenomenal woman of God, 53 00:02:34,410 --> 00:02:36,410 S7: Susie Larson, coming up. 54 00:02:37,130 --> 00:02:41,330 S1: Standing on the rock each and every day. You're listening 55 00:02:41,370 --> 00:02:42,570 S1: to Carl and Cru. 56 00:02:42,970 --> 00:02:48,610 S7: Consider it pure joy, my brothers. Whenever you face trials 57 00:02:48,610 --> 00:02:51,770 S7: of many kinds, because you know that the testing of 58 00:02:51,770 --> 00:02:55,250 S7: your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work 59 00:02:55,250 --> 00:02:58,540 S7: so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. 60 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:02,019 S7: And then, if you lack wisdom for that trial, by 61 00:03:02,020 --> 00:03:04,299 S7: the way, let him ask of God. But don't be 62 00:03:04,340 --> 00:03:07,740 S7: double sold or double minded. Why in the world do 63 00:03:07,740 --> 00:03:10,620 S7: I have that passage of Scripture so locked into my heart? 64 00:03:10,620 --> 00:03:13,220 S7: I don't even have a Bible open. Susie. Why is 65 00:03:13,220 --> 00:03:17,260 S7: it that we can memorize passages like that? Why is it. 66 00:03:17,860 --> 00:03:20,899 S8: Because our souls need it and we're wired for truth. 67 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:23,460 S8: We're wired to walk in intimacy with God and His 68 00:03:23,460 --> 00:03:25,700 S8: laws written on our hearts. And I feel like when 69 00:03:25,700 --> 00:03:28,740 S8: you walk through a storm, God increases your capacity to 70 00:03:28,780 --> 00:03:30,380 S8: receive and believe His word. 71 00:03:30,419 --> 00:03:30,899 S7: Wow. 72 00:03:31,060 --> 00:03:33,380 S4: Susie Larson, our guest this morning, well known radio talk 73 00:03:33,419 --> 00:03:37,980 S4: show host Susie Larson, live podcaster with over 16 million downloads, 74 00:03:38,020 --> 00:03:41,060 S4: national speaker, and a bestselling author. You know when you 75 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:44,100 S4: hear that verse that count it all joy. Some people, 76 00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:47,420 S4: if they've heard it before and they've gone through real hardship, 77 00:03:47,420 --> 00:03:50,580 S4: it can feel not like a comfort. It can feel 78 00:03:50,580 --> 00:03:54,940 S4: like a cliché a little bit. Have you ever felt that? 79 00:03:54,940 --> 00:03:57,620 S8: Very much when? I don't really know what the joy 80 00:03:57,620 --> 00:04:00,260 S8: actually means. But I've been in enough fires and enough 81 00:04:00,260 --> 00:04:02,220 S8: battles now to know that joy of the Lord is 82 00:04:02,220 --> 00:04:06,740 S8: our strength. It literally is a supernatural sense of God's presence, 83 00:04:06,740 --> 00:04:10,140 S8: the infusion of his strength. And then when you realize 84 00:04:10,340 --> 00:04:13,860 S8: God can accomplish and enter you what he wants to 85 00:04:13,900 --> 00:04:15,900 S8: in no other way. In fact, Chip Ingram was on 86 00:04:15,900 --> 00:04:18,100 S8: my show. I don't know about like 6 or 7 87 00:04:18,100 --> 00:04:19,820 S8: months ago. And he said the best thing. He said, Susie, 88 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:22,620 S8: whatever you're walking through, you've got to know God is 89 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:24,940 S8: so kind and so good. If he could accomplish his 90 00:04:24,940 --> 00:04:28,219 S8: purposes through you in any other way, he would. This 91 00:04:28,220 --> 00:04:31,580 S8: is his kindest, gentlest path forward for you. And it 92 00:04:31,580 --> 00:04:34,140 S8: doesn't always feel like that. It feels brutal. But when 93 00:04:34,140 --> 00:04:36,260 S8: you start to get to know what God is like 94 00:04:36,260 --> 00:04:38,739 S8: and who he is, you're not just taking your cues 95 00:04:38,740 --> 00:04:42,060 S8: and your theology from your experience, then you can know 96 00:04:42,180 --> 00:04:45,380 S8: without a doubt, I know him. If I'm walking through it, 97 00:04:45,380 --> 00:04:47,779 S8: he's going to see me through it. If he allows it, 98 00:04:47,820 --> 00:04:50,060 S8: he's going to redeem it. And so I can get 99 00:04:50,060 --> 00:04:52,550 S8: to that place of joy going, you know what? Have 100 00:04:52,550 --> 00:04:55,110 S8: your way. Because I do know for every time I 101 00:04:55,150 --> 00:04:58,270 S8: trust you in these battles, the enemy loses real estate, 102 00:04:58,270 --> 00:05:01,990 S8: I gain real estate, and many lives are impacted. It 103 00:05:01,990 --> 00:05:04,029 S8: just helps you to get a bigger picture. And there 104 00:05:04,029 --> 00:05:08,830 S8: is supernatural strength in that joy. When you say, Lord, 105 00:05:08,950 --> 00:05:10,630 S8: you know what? I know you're going to see me 106 00:05:10,670 --> 00:05:12,350 S8: through this. I know you're going to work it for 107 00:05:12,350 --> 00:05:14,229 S8: the good. And when you start to kind of zoom 108 00:05:14,270 --> 00:05:16,710 S8: out and get that bigger picture, you will be able 109 00:05:16,710 --> 00:05:19,349 S8: to have peace and joy. That's not circumstantial. 110 00:05:19,589 --> 00:05:21,870 S7: See, we get into this thing just a couple of minutes, 111 00:05:21,870 --> 00:05:24,270 S7: and I know people are saying, how do I get 112 00:05:24,270 --> 00:05:27,310 S7: more of that? Where's her content at? Text the word 113 00:05:27,310 --> 00:05:30,110 S7: goodness right now. We're going to get it going early 114 00:05:30,110 --> 00:05:37,430 S7: this morning. Text goodness to 800 555 7898. Text goodness 115 00:05:37,430 --> 00:05:42,750 S7: to 800 555 7898. You know, we don't often talk 116 00:05:42,750 --> 00:05:45,070 S7: about this, but I want to go to that passage 117 00:05:45,070 --> 00:05:47,990 S7: in James and go to the later portion where he says, 118 00:05:47,990 --> 00:05:50,150 S7: if you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who 119 00:05:50,150 --> 00:05:53,880 S7: gives generously, by the way, without any kind of judgment 120 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,440 S7: or fault finding. But let him ask in faith. Not 121 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,560 S7: a double souled is what the original text says there. 122 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,200 S7: It means that you got one soul in this camp 123 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:07,320 S7: and one soul in that camp. That's a huge caveat. 124 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:11,080 S7: What does that mean to the average person listening today? 125 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,960 S7: It's not God's not baiting and switching us here. He's 126 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,840 S7: just saying wisdom for trials comes to a person that 127 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,880 S7: is singularly in him. What does that look like, Suzy? 128 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,800 S8: Well, the opposite of that is plan A, B, and C. God, 129 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,479 S8: you're one of the options. And if you don't come 130 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,880 S8: through for me, I've got my other idols in my tent. 131 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,760 S8: And it's very similar to when Elijah called God's people 132 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,360 S8: together at Mount Carmel and said, okay, is God the 133 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,760 S8: Lord or not? If he is, follow him and bow 134 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,359 S8: down to him, because they were creating and bowing down 135 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,560 S8: to idols. And you know, I had a one of 136 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,359 S8: my guests on my show every day. I ask, you know, 137 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,360 S8: what's the Lord been speaking to you about? And one 138 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,400 S8: of my guests during Covid, he said, Susie, I was 139 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,480 S8: thinking of that story when Paul was unjustly accused and 140 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,280 S8: went before Agrippa and he said, here he has this 141 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,280 S8: unjust experience, but he's one of the greatest evangelists of 142 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,719 S8: all time. So he uses the unjust opportunity to preach 143 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,440 S8: the good news to further the gospel. And in so 144 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,599 S8: many words Agrippa said, you almost persuaded me to become 145 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,800 S8: a Christian. And he said, you know what I've been 146 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,000 S8: thinking about is because during that time when he and 147 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,680 S8: I were talking, it was Covid. Everything was shaking. And 148 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:17,600 S8: he said, I'm wondering, are there things I once was 149 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,320 S8: sure about that I'm only almost persuaded about? Like because 150 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,000 S8: of the shaking we're going through? Am I wavering back 151 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,440 S8: and forth in unbelief? So circling back to James, when 152 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,120 S8: you're wavering back and forth, you don't see goodness when 153 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,600 S8: it comes because often his answer is the still small voice. 154 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,360 S8: It's the little sprout in the ground. It's that little 155 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:40,480 S8: crook that's coming through the desert that's so contrary to nature. 156 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,200 S8: And if we're living by sensation, making a theology on 157 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,489 S8: our battles without the Word of God, we will miss him. 158 00:07:47,690 --> 00:07:49,970 S4: Susie Larson, our guest this morning. Coming up, we're going 159 00:07:50,010 --> 00:07:52,210 S4: to get a little bit of Susie's own story. As 160 00:07:52,210 --> 00:07:56,330 S4: you might imagine, this hard fought wisdom, hard earned wisdom 161 00:07:56,330 --> 00:07:59,369 S4: does not come from a place of not having been 162 00:07:59,370 --> 00:08:03,330 S4: through some difficulty. Let's ask her how God has sustained her. 163 00:08:03,370 --> 00:08:03,970 S4: Coming up. 164 00:08:04,530 --> 00:08:07,650 S1: Get your info from a source you can trust. It's 165 00:08:07,690 --> 00:08:10,170 S1: Ask the Experts week with Carl and crew. 166 00:08:10,290 --> 00:08:14,010 S4: Or Ask the Expert. Series continues today. Susie Larson so 167 00:08:14,010 --> 00:08:16,410 S4: gracious to join us. Susie, give us a little bit 168 00:08:16,410 --> 00:08:18,770 S4: of your own story. And I know we've asked it 169 00:08:18,850 --> 00:08:21,290 S4: of you before, but I think it so helps for 170 00:08:21,290 --> 00:08:23,610 S4: our listeners to hear that you come from a place 171 00:08:23,610 --> 00:08:27,130 S4: of knowing, when you talk about considering it joy through 172 00:08:27,170 --> 00:08:28,650 S4: trials of many kinds. 173 00:08:29,210 --> 00:08:31,810 S8: Yeah, again, so honored to be with you. And I 174 00:08:31,810 --> 00:08:34,290 S8: appreciate what you guys do so much, because you're real 175 00:08:34,290 --> 00:08:36,410 S8: and you're raw and you're not pretending. You're not playing 176 00:08:36,410 --> 00:08:39,890 S8: around and you're not presenting a facade of perfect Christianity 177 00:08:39,890 --> 00:08:42,490 S8: because there's no such thing. So I love being in 178 00:08:42,490 --> 00:08:44,850 S8: the trenches with you guys because that's how I have 179 00:08:44,850 --> 00:08:47,579 S8: to walk it out, you know? And I don't want 180 00:08:47,620 --> 00:08:49,340 S8: to give anybody whiplash, but I'm going to give you 181 00:08:49,340 --> 00:08:51,420 S8: a little synopsis, so maybe you can buckle up and 182 00:08:51,420 --> 00:08:52,780 S8: put a little pillow behind your neck. 183 00:08:54,460 --> 00:08:55,220 S6: Just prepare. 184 00:08:55,220 --> 00:08:55,940 S7: For landing. 185 00:08:55,980 --> 00:08:58,020 S8: Come on. Yeah. Just soften the blow a little bit 186 00:08:58,020 --> 00:09:00,140 S8: because I'm going to whip through it. But you need 187 00:09:00,140 --> 00:09:03,579 S8: to know that I'm still standing, and God is faithful. Uh, 188 00:09:03,580 --> 00:09:05,780 S8: just quickly. I grew up in a large family where 189 00:09:05,780 --> 00:09:08,260 S8: I knew God was real. I felt his presence as 190 00:09:08,260 --> 00:09:12,540 S8: a child, but it wasn't a mainstream evangelical denomination, so 191 00:09:12,540 --> 00:09:14,780 S8: the gospel was not preached. But I'm telling you, as 192 00:09:14,780 --> 00:09:17,740 S8: a child, I sensed God's presence. And then I suffered 193 00:09:17,740 --> 00:09:20,140 S8: two traumas at the hands of teenage boys. One at 194 00:09:20,140 --> 00:09:22,579 S8: age nine. It was a sexual trauma. I was pinned down. 195 00:09:22,860 --> 00:09:25,780 S8: Number two trauma. I was age ten, and I literally 196 00:09:25,780 --> 00:09:27,660 S8: was like four feet tall. It was this small little 197 00:09:27,660 --> 00:09:31,420 S8: thing walking home from school, and a handful of large 198 00:09:31,420 --> 00:09:34,580 S8: teenage boys jumped me and knocked me to the ground 199 00:09:34,580 --> 00:09:37,300 S8: and pummeled me and beat me. And I still remember 200 00:09:37,300 --> 00:09:39,220 S8: the crazed look in their eyes, so I'm quite sure 201 00:09:39,220 --> 00:09:41,459 S8: they were high on something, but they were kicking me, 202 00:09:41,500 --> 00:09:44,260 S8: pulling fistfuls of hair, punching my face. I was curled 203 00:09:44,260 --> 00:09:46,260 S8: in a ball and and I've said this to you 204 00:09:46,260 --> 00:09:48,939 S8: guys before, and I've done a lot of work around healing. 205 00:09:48,940 --> 00:09:51,179 S8: But to this day, if I see a real of 206 00:09:51,179 --> 00:09:54,420 S8: someone getting pummeled or even getting beat up, it sends 207 00:09:54,420 --> 00:09:56,780 S8: a neurological surge through my body that I feel for 208 00:09:56,780 --> 00:09:59,220 S8: about 2 or 3 days because it's so demonic. It's 209 00:09:59,220 --> 00:10:01,740 S8: just so demonic to do that to a person, especially 210 00:10:01,740 --> 00:10:04,179 S8: a little girl. And I get up and they are 211 00:10:04,179 --> 00:10:06,339 S8: laughing as they're walking away going, can you believe we 212 00:10:06,340 --> 00:10:09,460 S8: did that to her? And laughing. And I heard in 213 00:10:09,460 --> 00:10:12,260 S8: my ear, I can get you any time, anywhere and 214 00:10:12,260 --> 00:10:15,580 S8: God will never stop me. And that is the moment 215 00:10:15,580 --> 00:10:18,020 S8: I knew the devil was real too. And a spirit 216 00:10:18,020 --> 00:10:20,340 S8: of fear got in me so big that I had 217 00:10:20,340 --> 00:10:22,860 S8: a core belief as a child, I'm going to have 218 00:10:22,860 --> 00:10:25,459 S8: to endure everything I fear. I came to Christ as 219 00:10:25,460 --> 00:10:29,860 S8: a young teenager and then in my young 20s, got married, 220 00:10:29,860 --> 00:10:32,820 S8: and we had some high risk pregnancies. During one of 221 00:10:32,820 --> 00:10:35,140 S8: those pregnancies, I was on bed rest for six months 222 00:10:35,140 --> 00:10:36,580 S8: with a one and a three year old, and that 223 00:10:36,580 --> 00:10:39,380 S8: had its own crisis because I, you know, when I 224 00:10:39,420 --> 00:10:41,990 S8: came into Christianity and then as a young adult, I'm 225 00:10:41,990 --> 00:10:44,910 S8: serving in five capacities in church, partly because I was 226 00:10:44,910 --> 00:10:47,790 S8: passionate about Jesus, but partly I was still earning my way. 227 00:10:47,830 --> 00:10:49,510 S8: You know, I knew I was saved, I did not 228 00:10:49,510 --> 00:10:51,670 S8: know I was loved. And when you put to bed 229 00:10:51,670 --> 00:10:54,630 S8: rest and you can't, you know, you've got people bringing in, 230 00:10:54,670 --> 00:10:56,709 S8: you know, meals and watching your kids and you're watching 231 00:10:56,710 --> 00:11:00,110 S8: them get exhausted on your behalf. It confronted all of 232 00:11:00,110 --> 00:11:03,590 S8: the trauma, all the insecurity, all the core identity issues 233 00:11:03,590 --> 00:11:06,870 S8: I had. And again, long story short, one day of 234 00:11:06,870 --> 00:11:08,750 S8: the six months of bed rest, the docs let me 235 00:11:08,750 --> 00:11:11,110 S8: get up to just see if I could handle being 236 00:11:11,110 --> 00:11:13,830 S8: up without going into labor. I met my old college 237 00:11:13,830 --> 00:11:16,390 S8: roommates for lunch and for a short walk on a 238 00:11:16,390 --> 00:11:19,950 S8: fall day in the Midwest. And unknowingly was bit by 239 00:11:19,950 --> 00:11:22,469 S8: the deer tick. Within two weeks of that outing, my 240 00:11:22,470 --> 00:11:25,309 S8: face went numb. My arms went numb, the vision blurred. 241 00:11:25,429 --> 00:11:28,830 S8: My memory started to go. And, um, late 20s at 242 00:11:28,830 --> 00:11:32,110 S8: this point. Anyway, uh, a year later found out I 243 00:11:32,150 --> 00:11:35,750 S8: had was contracted Lyme disease. The deer tick latched on, 244 00:11:35,790 --> 00:11:39,150 S8: deposited its bacteria and dropped off. And I heard the 245 00:11:39,150 --> 00:11:41,990 S8: lie again. I can get you any time, anywhere. God 246 00:11:41,990 --> 00:11:44,790 S8: will never stop me. And that began about a seven 247 00:11:44,790 --> 00:11:48,670 S8: year hellish battle with Lyme. And. And then for 20 years, 248 00:11:48,670 --> 00:11:51,390 S8: it was cyclical. But I'm a fighter, I came back. 249 00:11:51,750 --> 00:11:53,950 S8: I taught aerobics, I did everything I could. I was 250 00:11:53,950 --> 00:11:55,590 S8: probably on a scale of 1 to 10, living at 251 00:11:55,590 --> 00:11:58,110 S8: a five, sometimes a six. But four times a year 252 00:11:58,110 --> 00:12:00,550 S8: for sure, I would have massive relapse. Go to bed, 253 00:12:00,750 --> 00:12:03,470 S8: face numb, arms numb, couldn't get out of bed and 254 00:12:03,470 --> 00:12:05,230 S8: would feel crummy for a few weeks. And so for 255 00:12:05,230 --> 00:12:08,550 S8: 20 years I had a cyclical battle and never felt great. 256 00:12:08,550 --> 00:12:10,630 S8: But at least I could do life. And then ten 257 00:12:10,630 --> 00:12:14,590 S8: years ago, I had a massive, horrifying relapse. And apparently 258 00:12:14,590 --> 00:12:17,830 S8: people with chronic Lyme can't process mold, and I've been 259 00:12:17,830 --> 00:12:21,150 S8: unknowingly exposed to black mold and it caused brain damage. 260 00:12:21,150 --> 00:12:24,110 S8: So I'd be on the air interviewing guests and I. 261 00:12:24,150 --> 00:12:25,750 S8: You guys know what that's like. You have a lot 262 00:12:25,750 --> 00:12:28,150 S8: of moving pieces. A lot. You're watching behind the scenes, 263 00:12:28,190 --> 00:12:30,870 S8: watching my clock, listening to my producer looking at my notes, 264 00:12:30,910 --> 00:12:33,949 S8: and my tongue went numb. My chin went numb. I 265 00:12:33,990 --> 00:12:36,710 S8: suddenly couldn't remember what I was saying. I was writing 266 00:12:36,710 --> 00:12:39,240 S8: a book. My umpteenth book couldn't remember how to spell 267 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,160 S8: basic words, and my brain and cognitive function spiralled and 268 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,840 S8: I had brain damage from mold toxicity. And so seven 269 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,560 S8: years and you guys were with me through that. I 270 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,520 S8: came on the show many times, bleeding under my armor, 271 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,920 S8: literally army crawling through that time. And I'm still battling, 272 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,000 S8: but nothing like I was. I'm functioning and I've come 273 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,240 S8: a long way, but there's not probably been a day 274 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,760 S8: in 36 years that I haven't battled symptoms, and I 275 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:09,040 S8: have to fight really hard to feel well. And so 276 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:11,200 S8: that's when you read my books or hear me talk. 277 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,320 S8: You may hear this language of contending for the promise. 278 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,000 S8: It's the only way I'm standing. You know, none of 279 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,400 S8: the abundant life came wrapped up in a nice bow 280 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,240 S8: on my doorstep. Because we have a thief. And his 281 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,160 S8: aim is to steal, kill and destroy. But when you 282 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:26,800 S8: get to know what God has promised and what Jesus won, 283 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,000 S8: you got to rise up and say, well, that's mine 284 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,560 S8: and you don't get to have that. And that's the 285 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,480 S8: only way I've known to navigate this faith journey is 286 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,200 S8: to stand in faith and to believe those promises have 287 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:37,410 S8: my name on them. 288 00:13:37,450 --> 00:13:41,850 S7: Contending for the promise. Love that term. Some people could 289 00:13:41,850 --> 00:13:44,290 S7: take that as I need to suck it up. You 290 00:13:44,290 --> 00:13:47,130 S7: have a different angle on that. Why don't you share that? 291 00:13:47,610 --> 00:13:50,130 S8: Well, definitely. There's no sucking it up because you have. 292 00:13:50,170 --> 00:13:52,770 S8: You're no match for the enemy of your soul. But 293 00:13:52,770 --> 00:13:55,650 S8: Jesus said in Luke 1019, I have given you authority 294 00:13:55,650 --> 00:13:57,730 S8: over all the power of the enemy. You can walk 295 00:13:57,770 --> 00:14:00,329 S8: among snakes and scorpions and crush them, and nothing will 296 00:14:00,330 --> 00:14:03,569 S8: by any means injure you. And remember, as a young mom, 297 00:14:03,570 --> 00:14:05,770 S8: the Lord is like, did you become a believer just 298 00:14:05,770 --> 00:14:09,130 S8: to secure your eternity? Or because you actually believe this stuff? Like, 299 00:14:09,130 --> 00:14:10,530 S8: when are you going to shift your weight onto the 300 00:14:10,530 --> 00:14:12,770 S8: promises to see if they hold? Because every time you're 301 00:14:12,770 --> 00:14:15,930 S8: beholding all this fear, because the symptoms are terrifying. Every 302 00:14:15,929 --> 00:14:18,329 S8: time you're beholding all this fear, you're turning your back 303 00:14:18,330 --> 00:14:21,250 S8: on faith. But when you behold faith, you can put 304 00:14:21,250 --> 00:14:23,650 S8: that fear under your feet. And I got to just 305 00:14:23,650 --> 00:14:26,450 S8: tell you one more verse. James four seven says, Submit 306 00:14:26,450 --> 00:14:29,450 S8: to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 307 00:14:29,450 --> 00:14:32,250 S8: Submit to God is actually a military term. And what 308 00:14:32,250 --> 00:14:35,170 S8: it means is get back in rank And you are 309 00:14:35,170 --> 00:14:37,690 S8: out of rank in any way. You've got no authority. 310 00:14:37,890 --> 00:14:40,850 S8: Watchman nee said you can't have authority unless you're under authority. 311 00:14:40,890 --> 00:14:42,410 S8: How do you get out of rank? Well, let's see 312 00:14:42,410 --> 00:14:45,690 S8: you harbor a grudge. Unforgiveness. You accuse God of things 313 00:14:45,690 --> 00:14:48,690 S8: the devil's guilty of. You live a duplicitous life. You're 314 00:14:48,690 --> 00:14:51,570 S8: dabbling in sin and pretending that you're not. The enemy's 315 00:14:51,610 --> 00:14:53,810 S8: a legalist. So if you're out of rank, he has 316 00:14:53,810 --> 00:14:56,530 S8: legal right to attack you. And what he loves is 317 00:14:56,530 --> 00:14:59,050 S8: then we blame God for all of our hardship. So 318 00:14:59,050 --> 00:15:01,210 S8: I'm not saying all your troubles are always your fault, 319 00:15:01,210 --> 00:15:03,770 S8: but my first course of action when I'm under fire 320 00:15:03,770 --> 00:15:06,810 S8: is search me, O God. You know, test me, know me, 321 00:15:06,850 --> 00:15:09,850 S8: show me anything in me. And if I don't find anything, 322 00:15:09,850 --> 00:15:11,610 S8: I just know I'm in a battle and I armor 323 00:15:11,610 --> 00:15:13,650 S8: up and I fight back. But if the Lord shows 324 00:15:13,650 --> 00:15:16,130 S8: me first, I go to repentance, I submit to God. 325 00:15:16,130 --> 00:15:18,330 S8: So that's your first step in that, in that process 326 00:15:18,330 --> 00:15:21,090 S8: of James four seven and then it says, resist the 327 00:15:21,090 --> 00:15:24,210 S8: devil and he will flee. He has to flee. So 328 00:15:24,210 --> 00:15:25,850 S8: I often say, if you were to peel back the 329 00:15:25,850 --> 00:15:28,530 S8: sky and see the cosmic battle, you would see some 330 00:15:28,530 --> 00:15:32,090 S8: Christians running for their lives, because the enemy prowls like 331 00:15:32,130 --> 00:15:34,940 S8: a lion, like a lion, and they don't know their authority. 332 00:15:34,940 --> 00:15:37,980 S8: So he's roaring, they're running. And then the other camps, 333 00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:40,780 S8: you see Christians putting a flag in the ground, stomping 334 00:15:40,780 --> 00:15:43,540 S8: their feet, going, get out and stay out in the 335 00:15:43,540 --> 00:15:46,540 S8: name of Jesus. You can't have my family, so you're 336 00:15:46,540 --> 00:15:48,820 S8: not standing in your strength. You're standing in the authority 337 00:15:48,860 --> 00:15:51,660 S8: of Almighty God. There's a big difference. And on your 338 00:15:51,660 --> 00:15:54,220 S8: weakest day, I've done that on my sick bed. I 339 00:15:54,260 --> 00:15:56,780 S8: have sent missiles into enemy camp. And last thing I 340 00:15:56,780 --> 00:15:58,540 S8: want to say about this is you don't have to 341 00:15:58,580 --> 00:16:00,940 S8: feel well to be powerful in prayer. 342 00:16:01,060 --> 00:16:06,500 S7: Amen. Susie Larson, our guest. And Susie, this leads to 343 00:16:06,540 --> 00:16:09,940 S7: something that is becoming just this grow. I've had it 344 00:16:09,940 --> 00:16:14,220 S7: growing here for 11 years, and it keeps building and 345 00:16:14,220 --> 00:16:17,500 S7: building and building. And the only analogy I can have 346 00:16:17,500 --> 00:16:23,500 S7: is the classic iceberg. We often focus on the spiritual disciplines, 347 00:16:23,540 --> 00:16:28,140 S7: not all bad, but the spiritual disciplines of getting to church, worship, 348 00:16:28,140 --> 00:16:31,060 S7: corporate worship, giving to each other as they have need. 349 00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:34,310 S7: I need. I mean, that's beautiful discipline, getting to small group, 350 00:16:34,310 --> 00:16:38,230 S7: getting into study. I have a growing conviction and I 351 00:16:38,230 --> 00:16:40,430 S7: know you live this, so I want you to respond 352 00:16:40,430 --> 00:16:44,590 S7: to this question. Is it time for the church in 353 00:16:44,590 --> 00:16:47,950 S7: the West to come back to the unseen disciplines? I 354 00:16:47,950 --> 00:16:50,950 S7: think Foster and Willard called them the private disciplines or 355 00:16:50,950 --> 00:16:57,790 S7: something like that. But it's confession, it's introspection. It's saying, 356 00:16:57,830 --> 00:17:01,830 S7: as David did, oh, God, I don't know myself. Search me, 357 00:17:01,990 --> 00:17:04,990 S7: know me, try me, lead me in the way everlasting. 358 00:17:05,510 --> 00:17:08,670 S8: I can't agree with you any more than I do. 359 00:17:08,710 --> 00:17:11,470 S8: I feel an urgency for the church to wake up 360 00:17:11,670 --> 00:17:13,950 S8: and to tuck themselves under the wing of the Most 361 00:17:13,950 --> 00:17:17,030 S8: High God, to find intimacy. You know, the Lord has 362 00:17:17,030 --> 00:17:19,950 S8: had me pray Psalm 27 so much. This isn't full memory, 363 00:17:19,950 --> 00:17:22,310 S8: because when I memorize, I try to do word for word. 364 00:17:22,310 --> 00:17:24,150 S8: But just let me say this because it's been my 365 00:17:24,150 --> 00:17:27,310 S8: prayer for the last year and you just gotta. There's 366 00:17:27,310 --> 00:17:29,710 S8: so much power in it. But the Lord is my 367 00:17:29,710 --> 00:17:32,590 S8: light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord 368 00:17:32,590 --> 00:17:34,830 S8: is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I 369 00:17:34,910 --> 00:17:37,990 S8: be afraid? When evil men attack me, they will stumble 370 00:17:37,990 --> 00:17:40,390 S8: and fall. If an army breaks out against me, my 371 00:17:40,390 --> 00:17:43,350 S8: heart will not fear. Even if war surrounds me, I 372 00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:46,550 S8: will remain confident. Why? One thing I ask, and that 373 00:17:46,550 --> 00:17:48,710 S8: I may seek. That I may dwell in the house 374 00:17:48,710 --> 00:17:50,870 S8: of the Lord all the days of my life, that 375 00:17:50,869 --> 00:17:53,949 S8: I would behold his beauty, that I would meditate on 376 00:17:53,950 --> 00:17:57,510 S8: his perfections, that he would conceal me in his sanctuary, 377 00:17:57,510 --> 00:18:00,310 S8: lifting me high above my enemy, placing me on a 378 00:18:00,310 --> 00:18:02,750 S8: rock where my head is above my enemy. And from 379 00:18:02,750 --> 00:18:05,830 S8: there I will offer shouts of joy and sacrifices of praise. 380 00:18:05,869 --> 00:18:08,150 S8: I want to just zoom out here, okay? We tend 381 00:18:08,150 --> 00:18:09,670 S8: to need all of our ducks in a row for 382 00:18:09,670 --> 00:18:12,470 S8: us to be joyful. To us to think God is good. 383 00:18:12,470 --> 00:18:16,189 S8: And he's like, you know what? If evil people attack me? Whatever. 384 00:18:16,230 --> 00:18:19,670 S8: You know, if a war surrounds me, whatever. What I 385 00:18:19,670 --> 00:18:23,670 S8: need is intimacy with God in the sanctuary to be 386 00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:26,830 S8: hidden with him and to behold. Because what you behold, 387 00:18:26,830 --> 00:18:30,040 S8: you become. So I'm beholding his perfections, because from that 388 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,640 S8: place I see everything is going to work out. I 389 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,359 S8: see that he works all things together for the good. 390 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:38,280 S8: But if you neglect that place and you live in 391 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:41,560 S8: the shallows. I'm telling you, friend, and I rarely talk 392 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,440 S8: like this. But I do believe this is a word 393 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,320 S8: of the Lord. We are coming into a day where 394 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:48,160 S8: your old disciplines will not serve you. You can't just 395 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,240 S8: phone it in, you can't dabble. You've got to immerse 396 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,560 S8: yourself in the word, immerse yourself in his presence. Make 397 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:57,560 S8: a case for the goodness of God. So when evil 398 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,439 S8: men attack you, when it seems like you're surrounded by trouble, 399 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,360 S8: you're like, whatever. That may be true, but truer still is. 400 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:06,400 S8: The presence of God is my good. And it's where 401 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:10,320 S8: I get perspective, even on my enemies that's thundering in 402 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,000 S8: my spirit. It's always amazing how you and I track, 403 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,399 S8: but I do believe this is an urgent word of 404 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,040 S8: the Lord not to put us in fear, but to 405 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,760 S8: put us in a place of faith that those. When 406 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,200 S8: you think about when my enemy attacks me, he will 407 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:23,960 S8: stumble and fall. What it reminds me of is when 408 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,800 S8: our boys were little, they're grown now. My husband's six three. 409 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,920 S8: He's an oak of righteousness. And those little guys would 410 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,280 S8: run into him altogether at the same time to try 411 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,439 S8: to take him out. And they would bounce off of 412 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,520 S8: him and fall on their bum. And I feel like 413 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,440 S8: when you're in the Lord and the enemy comes against you, 414 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,240 S8: he will stumble and fall. So real quick, let me 415 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,959 S8: take you back to that cosmic picture. When you're standing 416 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,439 S8: in your authority. You don't have to physically feel strong, 417 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,119 S8: but you got to know who God is. Know who 418 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,680 S8: you are. Get in rank. So that means walk in 419 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,080 S8: the fear of God and deal with your sin. Then 420 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,240 S8: rise up and resist that devil. He's running for his life, 421 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,040 S8: and if he's not running for his life in your life, 422 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,080 S8: it's because he's camping on the hope that you don't 423 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,199 S8: know who you are and what you have because of 424 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:06,120 S8: what Jesus did. 425 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,560 S7: Susie, I couldn't agree more. And we are on the 426 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:12,400 S7: same page. I want to because one thing that has 427 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,280 S7: been so lost in our knowledge brokering Western church is 428 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,600 S7: that if I know more, I'm going to do better. 429 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,800 S7: It's ironic that Jesus said it's not about knowledge, it's 430 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,970 S7: about application of that knowledge, and even deeper still, it's 431 00:20:26,970 --> 00:20:30,689 S7: about intimacy with God. I want you in just a 432 00:20:30,690 --> 00:20:34,810 S7: moment to tackle this topic of approaching the Word of 433 00:20:34,810 --> 00:20:38,409 S7: God from a standpoint of communion with God, rather than 434 00:20:38,410 --> 00:20:42,970 S7: obeying God as a rule. More with Susie Larson coming up. 435 00:20:43,930 --> 00:20:48,169 S1: You've got questions. They've got answers. It's Ask the Experts 436 00:20:48,210 --> 00:20:49,690 S1: week with Carl and crew. 437 00:20:50,010 --> 00:20:52,410 S4: We've got Susie Larson with us and our Ask the 438 00:20:52,410 --> 00:20:55,730 S4: Expert series, well known radio talk show host. We've covered 439 00:20:55,730 --> 00:20:58,690 S4: a lot of ground already. Text goodness. If you want 440 00:20:58,690 --> 00:21:02,490 S4: more of her resources, she has daily devotionals, many books. 441 00:21:02,650 --> 00:21:09,450 S4: Just text goodness to 800 555 7898. Goodness 800 555 442 00:21:09,490 --> 00:21:11,770 S4: 7898 Susie. 443 00:21:11,930 --> 00:21:14,810 S7: Let's get let's get after this. Uh, the word of God. 444 00:21:14,850 --> 00:21:18,810 S7: We know that we've struggled in the West with knowledge brokering. Basically, 445 00:21:18,810 --> 00:21:21,810 S7: church became I know this. What do you know without 446 00:21:21,810 --> 00:21:25,540 S7: even saying that necessarily. And some people feel insecure because 447 00:21:25,540 --> 00:21:28,300 S7: they don't know a lot of the word. The challenge 448 00:21:28,300 --> 00:21:30,820 S7: there is that it's the application of the word that 449 00:21:30,820 --> 00:21:34,060 S7: makes us survive storms, not the not mere knowledge of it. 450 00:21:34,060 --> 00:21:36,340 S7: Jesus said that in the sermon on the Mount, but 451 00:21:36,380 --> 00:21:39,219 S7: even getting into the pages of Scripture were really. And 452 00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:41,580 S7: I know this sounds crazy for a big old Iditarod 453 00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:43,739 S7: runner Alaska dude here, but I'm going to do it. 454 00:21:43,740 --> 00:21:46,379 S7: I'm going to say it. We're getting into the into 455 00:21:46,380 --> 00:21:50,140 S7: the arms of God. And that's not nothing, is it, Susie? 456 00:21:50,180 --> 00:21:54,300 S8: Oh, that's everything Scripture says. Knowledge puffs up, but love 457 00:21:54,340 --> 00:21:57,140 S8: builds up. Scripture also says the kingdom of God is 458 00:21:57,140 --> 00:22:00,220 S8: not a matter of talk, but of power. And when 459 00:22:00,220 --> 00:22:02,500 S8: we get in our heads too much and it's just 460 00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:06,820 S8: theological banter and discussion and you think you're superior because 461 00:22:06,820 --> 00:22:10,020 S8: of your knowledge, well, you've already distanced yourself from God 462 00:22:10,020 --> 00:22:12,900 S8: because he distances himself from the proud. He draws near 463 00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:14,860 S8: and gives grace to the humble. It's interesting. I don't 464 00:22:14,859 --> 00:22:17,940 S8: know if you've read anything of Artie Kendall. Yes, I 465 00:22:17,940 --> 00:22:21,020 S8: love his work. I just he's got such depth and humility. 466 00:22:21,180 --> 00:22:23,340 S8: And I think he has more than one doctorate. I'm 467 00:22:23,340 --> 00:22:25,980 S8: not sure about that, but one. He was interviewed recently 468 00:22:25,980 --> 00:22:28,500 S8: and they asked him for advice and he said, you know, 469 00:22:28,540 --> 00:22:30,100 S8: he said, if I could go back, if I could 470 00:22:30,100 --> 00:22:32,500 S8: give advice to my younger self or anybody else who's 471 00:22:32,500 --> 00:22:36,060 S8: younger than me, he said, I wouldn't necessarily tell them 472 00:22:36,060 --> 00:22:38,340 S8: to go to seminary, he said. And I'm not dissing seminary. 473 00:22:38,420 --> 00:22:41,020 S8: He wasn't either. But he's saying the most important two 474 00:22:41,020 --> 00:22:44,020 S8: things that you can do is read your Bible and pray. 475 00:22:44,060 --> 00:22:46,219 S8: Like immerse yourself in the Word of God. And when 476 00:22:46,220 --> 00:22:48,700 S8: you were talking about knowledge, I started to think, what 477 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:52,420 S8: are the places where the word no shows up in Scripture? 478 00:22:52,460 --> 00:22:56,380 S8: It's often yadah. It's that word of intimate knowing and 479 00:22:56,380 --> 00:22:59,540 S8: in the physical realm, it's like a knowing between a 480 00:22:59,540 --> 00:23:02,260 S8: husband and a wife. And in the spiritual realm, it's 481 00:23:02,260 --> 00:23:07,020 S8: experientially encountering God in the very places where you're restless 482 00:23:07,020 --> 00:23:11,060 S8: or you're tempted to struggle. Like Psalm 4610, be still 483 00:23:11,060 --> 00:23:13,820 S8: and know that I am God. I will be exalted 484 00:23:13,820 --> 00:23:16,100 S8: in the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. 485 00:23:16,140 --> 00:23:19,390 S8: Be still or cease. Striving means these things. Let go, 486 00:23:19,390 --> 00:23:22,989 S8: sink down, relax, and in some cases be quiet. Now, 487 00:23:22,990 --> 00:23:26,030 S8: if you're hyper responsible, that feels irresponsible in the very 488 00:23:26,030 --> 00:23:29,950 S8: areas of your restlessness. Maybe it's finances or your prodigal. 489 00:23:29,950 --> 00:23:32,710 S8: It's your marriage, your body image. What if in those 490 00:23:32,710 --> 00:23:35,710 S8: places God says, stop striving, stop trying to do this 491 00:23:35,750 --> 00:23:38,390 S8: on your own. Stop scrolling and trying to get all 492 00:23:38,390 --> 00:23:42,230 S8: the knowledge you can on Instagram. Stop it. Let go. 493 00:23:42,470 --> 00:23:44,949 S8: Sink down. Which means put your roots down into the 494 00:23:44,950 --> 00:23:48,510 S8: father's love, even relax. Which means just rest in his presence. 495 00:23:48,510 --> 00:23:50,790 S8: And then in some cases, be quiet. It means if 496 00:23:50,790 --> 00:23:55,510 S8: your words are bearing witness against God's promises, just stop talking. 497 00:23:55,510 --> 00:23:57,909 S8: And then it says, and know that he is God. 498 00:23:57,910 --> 00:24:01,750 S8: That word, again, is an intimate, experiential encounter. And so 499 00:24:01,750 --> 00:24:04,909 S8: this is the invitation from the Lord that in the 500 00:24:04,910 --> 00:24:08,469 S8: places of striving, in the places of pride, in the 501 00:24:08,470 --> 00:24:11,629 S8: places where you're doing the bootstrap theology thing, he's like, stop, 502 00:24:11,630 --> 00:24:13,469 S8: don't do it. You're not doing me any favors or 503 00:24:13,470 --> 00:24:18,040 S8: you're doing yourself any favors. No, me here encounter me here. 504 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,320 S8: I set a table for you in the presence of 505 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,760 S8: your enemy. Experience me here. And then finally, in Ephesians, 506 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,200 S8: it says to know this love is to be filled 507 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,400 S8: with the fullness of God. 508 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,560 S4: Susie Larson, our guest this morning. You know, Susie, when 509 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,280 S4: when you talk about, like, putting those roots down deep 510 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,200 S4: and preparing, you know, you can start to live waiting 511 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,120 S4: for the other shoe to drop, particularly if you've been 512 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,840 S4: through difficulty before. And you can be both preparing. But 513 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,240 S4: I know you've talked about sort of having locked elbows, 514 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,760 S4: kind of where you're bracing yourself. How do you do both, 515 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,280 S4: where you know that there could be difficult days ahead? 516 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,920 S4: There will be difficult days ahead, but I don't want 517 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,680 S4: to live with my elbows locked. 518 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,800 S8: Boy, thank you for asking that, Allie, because that's huge 519 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,359 S8: on my heart. Because I lived bracing for impact, because 520 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,400 S8: of the unpredictable nature of the disease that I've battled. And. 521 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,520 S8: And if it's okay if I say this, my book 522 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,480 S8: waking Up to the Goodness of God literally is a 523 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:15,240 S8: 40 day heart brain reset to move out of bracing 524 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,400 S8: for impact to retrain your heart and mind to anticipate 525 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,080 S8: the goodness of God. And the only reason I say 526 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,360 S8: that is because you can't do both at the same time. 527 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:25,600 S8: You can't brace for impact, live with elbows locked, and 528 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,640 S8: then turn your hands up and humbly live with expectancy 529 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,800 S8: that God is up to something good. You cannot do 530 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,560 S8: those both at the same time, because self-preservation is the 531 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,920 S8: antithesis of the kingdom of God. So what the Lord 532 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,879 S8: showed me is that when you're in that posture, you're 533 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,960 S8: in a spirit of fear. And there's no fear in love. 534 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,119 S8: Perfect love casts out fear, and perfect love doesn't mean 535 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:49,960 S8: you have to love him perfectly. It means perfected love. 536 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,800 S8: It means matured love. Like, the more that you grow 537 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:54,920 S8: in the knowledge of God's love for you, that it 538 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:58,520 S8: undergirds everything that you are, the less real estate fear 539 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:01,480 S8: will have in your life and how you move from 540 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,640 S8: bracing for impact. Because yes, the culture is swirling all 541 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,080 S8: around us, but there's so much in Scripture to say, 542 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,080 S8: you know what? Culture was swirling around them too. But 543 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,160 S8: be still. Like, look at Psalm 46. People put that 544 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,370 S8: Psalm 46 be still and know that I am God 545 00:26:15,369 --> 00:26:18,050 S8: in soft songs and on pretty pictures. But if you 546 00:26:18,050 --> 00:26:21,930 S8: look in context, the nation's thunder and rumble, there's storms 547 00:26:21,930 --> 00:26:25,450 S8: going on and God's voice thunders over the chaos. My 548 00:26:25,450 --> 00:26:28,530 S8: voice is superior still to everything you're hearing in culture. 549 00:26:28,570 --> 00:26:32,250 S8: Be still. We've got to somehow learn to turn down 550 00:26:32,250 --> 00:26:35,210 S8: the noise and the way that I moved from bracing 551 00:26:35,210 --> 00:26:38,050 S8: for impact to really building a case for the goodness 552 00:26:38,050 --> 00:26:40,649 S8: of God and going, you know what? In this mess, 553 00:26:40,650 --> 00:26:42,890 S8: he's got something up his sovereign sleeve. The way I 554 00:26:42,890 --> 00:26:46,290 S8: did it was I started to realize that his goodness 555 00:26:46,290 --> 00:26:48,889 S8: was all around me. But you can't look at that 556 00:26:48,890 --> 00:26:50,610 S8: and look at your fears at the same time. You 557 00:26:50,609 --> 00:26:53,370 S8: can't even brain science says you can't at once be 558 00:26:53,369 --> 00:26:57,690 S8: grateful and anxious or be grateful and fearful. So to 559 00:26:57,730 --> 00:27:01,450 S8: move into that place where I looked at every good 560 00:27:01,450 --> 00:27:04,010 S8: thing in my life today that I would so miss 561 00:27:04,050 --> 00:27:05,890 S8: if it were gone tomorrow. And I saw it with 562 00:27:05,890 --> 00:27:09,130 S8: a gift tag to Susie, from God to Susie from God. 563 00:27:09,369 --> 00:27:12,450 S8: And everywhere I looked I saw the goodness of God. 564 00:27:12,450 --> 00:27:14,290 S8: And let me just say one last thing about this. 565 00:27:14,690 --> 00:27:17,170 S8: I submit to you that you can count your blessings 566 00:27:17,170 --> 00:27:19,209 S8: in a way that does not move the heart of 567 00:27:19,210 --> 00:27:22,530 S8: God and does not change you. But you have the 568 00:27:22,530 --> 00:27:26,570 S8: emotion of gratitude where you literally your senses feel it, 569 00:27:26,570 --> 00:27:31,169 S8: that creates neuropathways, that awakens faith. And that's the offering 570 00:27:31,170 --> 00:27:33,330 S8: that pleases God. Where you sit with your blessing for 571 00:27:33,330 --> 00:27:35,729 S8: a minute, like look at your spouse and go, man, 572 00:27:35,730 --> 00:27:38,330 S8: I love them. Listen to your children and go, wow, 573 00:27:38,369 --> 00:27:40,530 S8: God has given me something. Look at the food on 574 00:27:40,530 --> 00:27:43,130 S8: your table and go. Every good gift comes from his 575 00:27:43,130 --> 00:27:46,450 S8: hand and sit in it. Because we sit on social media, 576 00:27:46,450 --> 00:27:48,570 S8: we put our faces in front of that news and 577 00:27:48,570 --> 00:27:51,570 S8: we're beholding all that stuff. How about you start to 578 00:27:51,609 --> 00:27:54,210 S8: behold the goodness of God, and you're going to suddenly 579 00:27:54,210 --> 00:27:57,850 S8: realize I'm still standing? I have a history with God, 580 00:27:57,850 --> 00:28:00,090 S8: which means I have a future with him, too. Yeah, 581 00:28:00,090 --> 00:28:02,010 S8: but you're not going to default to those places. You 582 00:28:02,010 --> 00:28:03,570 S8: have to apply yourself to them. 583 00:28:04,170 --> 00:28:06,889 S7: Susie Larson, our guest right now, and some of you 584 00:28:06,890 --> 00:28:10,580 S7: are like, oh, excuse me, is there a key word 585 00:28:10,580 --> 00:28:13,580 S7: in this segment somewhere? Here we have it for you. 586 00:28:13,619 --> 00:28:21,300 S4: Text goodness to 800 555 7898. Goodness to 800 555 7898. 587 00:28:21,340 --> 00:28:23,740 S7: Coming up, I got in a car and drove about 588 00:28:23,740 --> 00:28:26,820 S7: 70 miles down the road to go to a farm 589 00:28:27,100 --> 00:28:30,340 S7: and grab from a guy that he had on marketplace, 590 00:28:30,859 --> 00:28:34,420 S7: a yoke, and it was because of a new discovery 591 00:28:34,420 --> 00:28:37,940 S7: I had found. And I want Susie to interact with 592 00:28:37,940 --> 00:28:39,020 S7: that straight ahead. 593 00:28:39,860 --> 00:28:43,420 S1: When you don't know who's better to ask than an expert, 594 00:28:43,660 --> 00:28:45,500 S1: you're listening to Carl and crew. 595 00:28:45,900 --> 00:28:49,860 S7: It's Ask the Experts week. Susie Larson with us. Susie, 596 00:28:50,020 --> 00:28:54,500 S7: I was on Facebook Marketplace. Kind of a scary thing, 597 00:28:54,500 --> 00:28:57,900 S7: I thought, but I needed to find something quick and 598 00:28:57,900 --> 00:29:01,860 S7: it flowed out of this great invitation. Come to me, 599 00:29:01,860 --> 00:29:04,380 S7: all who are weary and heavy laden. I'll give you rest. 600 00:29:04,460 --> 00:29:06,540 S7: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for 601 00:29:06,540 --> 00:29:08,260 S7: I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will 602 00:29:08,390 --> 00:29:10,950 S7: find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy 603 00:29:10,950 --> 00:29:14,630 S7: and my burden is light. So I found a yoke 604 00:29:14,630 --> 00:29:18,210 S7: for oxen. That was an old one. It's over a 605 00:29:18,210 --> 00:29:20,150 S7: hundred years old, and I thought, I gotta go get it. 606 00:29:20,190 --> 00:29:22,390 S7: He wanted 200 bucks. I thought that was a steal. 607 00:29:22,430 --> 00:29:25,230 S7: It's probably worth two grand. In my mind's eye. So 608 00:29:25,230 --> 00:29:27,630 S7: I went and got it and did some more deep 609 00:29:27,630 --> 00:29:30,910 S7: diving before I took it as a illustration to our 610 00:29:30,910 --> 00:29:37,110 S7: church campuses here. Oh, Susie, we have misunderstood this. This 611 00:29:37,110 --> 00:29:40,790 S7: is when we talk about relationship with Jesus. It's not 612 00:29:40,790 --> 00:29:43,790 S7: like he's distant. He's right there with us. He says, 613 00:29:43,790 --> 00:29:46,870 S7: come get yoked with me. I'm going to teach you. 614 00:29:46,870 --> 00:29:51,030 S7: I'm going to guide you. That personal relationship with Jesus 615 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:54,590 S7: is beautiful. How does that work in your life right now? 616 00:29:55,230 --> 00:29:58,230 S8: I love that you did that. I wonder if that's 617 00:29:58,230 --> 00:30:01,070 S8: your next book. I mean, that's not what you're asking 618 00:30:01,070 --> 00:30:02,870 S8: me about, but I just you got to let that 619 00:30:02,870 --> 00:30:06,870 S8: in because that is so powerful. I would say to 620 00:30:06,870 --> 00:30:11,190 S8: you that the recipe for flourishing to me is twofold, 621 00:30:11,190 --> 00:30:14,630 S8: and Jesus modeled it all over the place. It's deep 622 00:30:14,670 --> 00:30:18,230 S8: rest and purposeful faith. When you sign up for things 623 00:30:18,230 --> 00:30:20,750 S8: God never asked of you, you don't realize it. But 624 00:30:20,790 --> 00:30:22,990 S8: it not only wears you out, but it makes you 625 00:30:23,030 --> 00:30:26,709 S8: spiritually vulnerable. Because when you're committing to all good things, 626 00:30:26,710 --> 00:30:29,670 S8: that and they may be really good for the kingdom, 627 00:30:29,670 --> 00:30:32,110 S8: but they're not God things for you. We have a 628 00:30:32,110 --> 00:30:35,630 S8: propensity to do that. We get exhausted, and when you 629 00:30:35,630 --> 00:30:38,710 S8: get exhausted, you literally squander more time than you redeem. 630 00:30:38,870 --> 00:30:42,190 S8: And then you take shortcuts that you never intended. I 631 00:30:42,190 --> 00:30:44,270 S8: once did a show years ago when I was writing 632 00:30:44,270 --> 00:30:46,910 S8: another book on this topic, and I asked people to 633 00:30:46,950 --> 00:30:48,870 S8: call in anonymously. I said, if you are kind of 634 00:30:48,910 --> 00:30:50,990 S8: a high level leader at church, and you just kept 635 00:30:50,990 --> 00:30:53,270 S8: taking on more and more because there was nobody else, 636 00:30:53,270 --> 00:30:55,190 S8: there was a need, I can do it. You're one 637 00:30:55,190 --> 00:30:58,430 S8: of the 20% doing everything, and you got exhausted and 638 00:30:58,430 --> 00:31:00,830 S8: you kind of tried to, you know, grind it out. 639 00:31:00,990 --> 00:31:04,830 S8: And in one moment you made a decision that collapsed 640 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,480 S8: your reputation or your life. Call in. You would not 641 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,320 S8: believe the whole show. I got calls and people saying, 642 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:12,840 S8: you know, I was an elder, I was a leader, 643 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:15,520 S8: I was a pastor. But I got so tired I 644 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:17,840 S8: wasn't in my right mind. And what happens is you 645 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:20,440 S8: want to you want to feel relief. You know, you 646 00:31:20,680 --> 00:31:22,760 S8: do the dopamine hit which, you know, you could teach 647 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,520 S8: on that all day long, Karl. And but it is 648 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,760 S8: so unbelievable that when we get exhausted, it's not only unsustainable, 649 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:34,280 S8: it makes us spiritually vulnerable. So the recipe for vitality 650 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,040 S8: is to, I would say, put all your stuff on 651 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,240 S8: the table going, Lord, are you still blessing this? Is 652 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,000 S8: there anything that needs to come off my table? Because 653 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,280 S8: your yoke is easy, your burden is light, so purposeful. 654 00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:47,080 S8: Rest is not scrolling, it's not binge watching. And I'm 655 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:48,840 S8: not being a legalist. Do that if you want to 656 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,800 S8: have fun. But if you're exhausted, that will not fill you. 657 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,320 S8: I'm saying put on a worship playlist. You know, songs 658 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,040 S8: that just sing over you or the scriptures. Just listen. 659 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:03,370 S8: Have communion. Do something that is purposeful rest that brings replenishment. 660 00:32:03,370 --> 00:32:06,250 S8: And the way that, you know, it's working is creativity 661 00:32:06,290 --> 00:32:09,490 S8: will start to rise up, life will spring up, inspiration 662 00:32:09,490 --> 00:32:12,570 S8: will come back. And the thing is, when you're exhausted, 663 00:32:12,570 --> 00:32:15,209 S8: it leads to passive faith. You loosen the grip on 664 00:32:15,210 --> 00:32:17,970 S8: the promises of God and you lose your way. So 665 00:32:17,970 --> 00:32:20,850 S8: once you get that deep rest, look at the promises 666 00:32:20,850 --> 00:32:23,770 S8: God has made. Look at the battles you're facing and say, Lord, 667 00:32:23,770 --> 00:32:25,690 S8: I want to reset. I want to take a firm 668 00:32:25,690 --> 00:32:28,170 S8: grip with my tired hands. I'm going to strengthen my 669 00:32:28,170 --> 00:32:30,290 S8: weak knees. I'm going to mark out a straight path 670 00:32:30,290 --> 00:32:32,770 S8: for my feet. Why? So that the lame who are 671 00:32:32,770 --> 00:32:35,330 S8: watching me will not fall out of the race and 672 00:32:35,330 --> 00:32:37,410 S8: give up, because a lot of people are watching you. 673 00:32:37,610 --> 00:32:41,250 S8: Deep rest, purposeful faith is being yoked with Jesus. He 674 00:32:41,250 --> 00:32:44,130 S8: never wasted a minute. And so when he was resting, 675 00:32:44,130 --> 00:32:46,410 S8: there was purpose in it. When he was working, there 676 00:32:46,410 --> 00:32:47,450 S8: was purpose in it. 677 00:32:47,690 --> 00:32:50,650 S4: Susie Larson, if you want more of this guests and 678 00:32:50,650 --> 00:32:53,210 S4: I know you do, this is really nourishing the soul 679 00:32:53,210 --> 00:32:56,090 S4: of many of you who have been through difficulty, who 680 00:32:56,130 --> 00:33:02,970 S4: are fighting for faith. Text goodness to 855 five 7898. Text. 681 00:33:03,010 --> 00:33:06,490 S4: Goodness to 800 555 7898. 682 00:33:07,250 --> 00:33:10,450 S1: Get in the know with life's biggest questions. It's Ask 683 00:33:10,490 --> 00:33:12,570 S1: the Experts week with Carl and crew. 684 00:33:12,810 --> 00:33:13,130 S6: Well, I hope. 685 00:33:13,170 --> 00:33:17,050 S4: You've been enjoying our Ask the Expert series. So many 686 00:33:17,050 --> 00:33:19,770 S4: great experts this week. If you missed anything. Text show 687 00:33:19,810 --> 00:33:25,850 S4: to (800) 555-7898. Just text the word show. Susie Larson has 688 00:33:25,850 --> 00:33:28,770 S4: been so gracious with her time this morning. You know 689 00:33:28,810 --> 00:33:31,930 S4: we are in share. We're moving into the bulk of it, 690 00:33:31,930 --> 00:33:34,729 S4: the meat of it next week. But, Susie, give us 691 00:33:34,730 --> 00:33:37,570 S4: your heart. I know you are our love. Radio. Because 692 00:33:37,570 --> 00:33:41,570 S4: you do radio as well. Why is investing in something 693 00:33:41,570 --> 00:33:44,410 S4: like Moody Radio a good investment? 694 00:33:44,810 --> 00:33:47,770 S8: Wow. Well, first of all, Moody Radio is my home 695 00:33:47,770 --> 00:33:51,210 S8: away from home. And just because someone calls himself a 696 00:33:51,210 --> 00:33:54,610 S8: Christian or an organization calls itself a Christian radio station 697 00:33:54,610 --> 00:33:56,290 S8: does not mean you're going to get the same thing 698 00:33:56,290 --> 00:33:59,860 S8: when you travel around and listen. There's different priorities. Moody 699 00:33:59,860 --> 00:34:04,660 S8: radio oozes biblical truth. Moody radio is like a plumb line. 700 00:34:04,700 --> 00:34:07,420 S8: I mean, any way you slice it, anytime you listen, 701 00:34:07,420 --> 00:34:09,779 S8: you're getting biblical truth. So let me just make that 702 00:34:09,780 --> 00:34:12,700 S8: case to begin with. We are called to disciple the nations. 703 00:34:12,700 --> 00:34:14,819 S8: We are called to change the world. And most of 704 00:34:14,820 --> 00:34:17,580 S8: us can't do that and reach hundreds of thousands, if 705 00:34:17,580 --> 00:34:20,580 S8: not millions on our own. But when you give through 706 00:34:21,020 --> 00:34:24,219 S8: Moody Radio, you're literally changing the world. And if I 707 00:34:24,219 --> 00:34:26,860 S8: could reduce it to a statement, give a gift, change 708 00:34:26,860 --> 00:34:29,819 S8: a life. And if you have an eternal perspective and 709 00:34:29,820 --> 00:34:31,700 S8: you give through Moody Radio going, Lord, I want to 710 00:34:31,700 --> 00:34:33,819 S8: change the world. And here's one way I can do it. 711 00:34:33,820 --> 00:34:38,140 S8: Because this this medium of communication of live radio and 712 00:34:38,180 --> 00:34:41,460 S8: audio and podcasts after the fact, is landing on hearts 713 00:34:41,460 --> 00:34:44,379 S8: that I can't even imagine. But in heaven, someday I 714 00:34:44,380 --> 00:34:46,420 S8: will see the fruit. I will have a line of 715 00:34:46,420 --> 00:34:48,140 S8: people saying, you know what? I was about to leave 716 00:34:48,140 --> 00:34:50,100 S8: my marriage. I heard the right word at the right time. 717 00:34:50,100 --> 00:34:53,380 S8: And I turned around and I repented and I reconnected 718 00:34:53,380 --> 00:34:55,660 S8: in my family. I was about to take my life, 719 00:34:55,660 --> 00:34:57,500 S8: but I heard the right song at the right time 720 00:34:57,900 --> 00:34:59,580 S8: and God showed me he had a plan for me. 721 00:34:59,860 --> 00:35:02,259 S8: Those are the testimonies. You may not see this side 722 00:35:02,260 --> 00:35:05,140 S8: of eternity, but friends, we are called to live with 723 00:35:05,140 --> 00:35:07,860 S8: eternity in mind, and we have to step out of 724 00:35:07,860 --> 00:35:11,060 S8: our small story into a story that's bigger than we are. 725 00:35:11,100 --> 00:35:13,060 S8: If we want to make the kind of kingdom difference 726 00:35:13,100 --> 00:35:15,379 S8: God has called us to again, you might not have 727 00:35:15,380 --> 00:35:18,339 S8: the the capacity to reach millions, but if you give 728 00:35:18,380 --> 00:35:21,700 S8: through Moody Radio, you totally are doing that and you're 729 00:35:21,700 --> 00:35:23,820 S8: being faithful to the great call on your life. 730 00:35:23,860 --> 00:35:24,460 S6: Beautiful. 731 00:35:24,660 --> 00:35:26,780 S7: It doesn't get any better than that. 732 00:35:26,820 --> 00:35:29,900 S4: Wow. Susie Larson has been our guest this morning. Text 733 00:35:29,940 --> 00:35:35,779 S4: goodness to 800 555 7898. Get connected to all of 734 00:35:35,780 --> 00:35:41,460 S4: her resources. Just text goodness to 800 555, 78, 98. 735 00:35:41,460 --> 00:35:44,700 S4: And again, if you've missed this conversation, part of it 736 00:35:44,700 --> 00:35:50,540 S4: or anything else from this week, just text show to (800) 555-7898. 737 00:35:50,580 --> 00:35:53,340 S4: We're breaking up the podcast this week for the guests. 738 00:35:53,380 --> 00:35:57,020 S4: Just text show to (800) 555-7898.