American Family Radio takes your Bible questions next hour

>> Bert Harper: The Bible.

>> Alex McFarland: It's the word of God, sharper than.

>> Bert Harper: Any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the.

>> Alex McFarland: Next hour as we study God's word and take your Bible questions.

What is your incentive for following Christ even when times are hard

>> Bert Harper: Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: What is your incentive for following Christ, you know, even when times are hard? Let's let me read Hebrews 12:2 and we're going to talk about the reason to stay with the Lord. Your motivation, your incentive for faithfulness to Christ even in life's hard times. Hebrews 12:2 says, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Well, we'll come back to that and a few more verses, but I, welcome you to this edition of Exploring the Word. This is Alex McFarland, along with Bert Harper, Brent Austin at the control board and Bert, this is a, special edition of Exploring the Word. You and I are traveling. This, is not live, so we can't take calls, but I really wanted to delve in and talk about what I think is one of the secrets, one of the great realities that can, perhaps transform somebody's outlook when it comes to staying with the Lord in the hard times. That's what we'll talk about. Our incentive to run the race and run it faithfully, even when things aren't always easy. But this is important to talk about, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really is, Alex. And you was reading that verse, looking unto Jesus, you can glance or gaze. I want to tell you this is gazing upon him. Keep your eyes on him, just continually looking unto Jesus. And is that an incentive? It really is. Look who he is. Look what he's done. Look where he is. Look what he's going to do. I, I just want to tell you, the incentives to follow Christ, no matter what you're going through, they're real. And, so I think it says this in Hebrews 12, because the word that is repeated, you know, I'm going to look for those, Alex, in these first few verses is enduring, endure, endure, enduring. And so some things, they're just not enjoyable. They are difficult and hard. And during those times, we endure. And so, Alex, you know, those that have it easy all the time, if they're little children, and I know I've said this on the radio before, but, you know, we called them Back where I came from, if they got their way all the time, we called them spoiled brats. And I just want to tell you, God doesn't need any of his children being spoiled brats. We need to be strong in the Lord. And, so from Joshua all the way to Paul to whoever, be strong and of good courage and endure the things that come to us in life.

>> Alex McFarland: Alex, do you mean even good, godly churchgoing Christians have problems sometimes? Even churchgoing families sometimes go through hard times.

>> Bert Harper: Let me just tell you, after pastoring full time 40 years and now, 14 years, as someone who's interim and still working with people, the answer is declarative. All calps. Yes. And, in this world, you will have tribulation, difficulties, hardships, it comes with a fallen world. Let me make this real quickly and again, sometimes I repeat myself. I believe believers have it more difficult down here, far as events and circumstances than lost people. The reason I say that, we live in a fallen world. Believers live in a fallen world. And we reap the consequences of natural disasters as well as everyone else. We also, we reap what we sow. And if we sow, you know, some harshness and everything, we're going to reap that, so does the lost person. But as believers, we're also disciplined. You know, Alex, if Hebrews makes it plain, if you're not disciplined by the Lord, you're, none of his. And so then he prunes us, you know, he wants us to bear much fruit. And according to what it says in John and other places concerning bearing fruit, we're on the vine, it has to be pruned. So that which is unnecessary will, will be taken away. And guess what? That's usually painful. So, yes, the answer is, in this world, you're going to have it difficult as a follower of Christ.

>> Alex McFarland: You know, Bert, I sat for about two hours just a couple of days ago, and I was counseling with a very, very godly man. And he was injured. And, he. It was just a freak accident, but a tree limb hit him in the head and, and a stick part of this tree limb, put out one of his eyes. And he lost his vision in one eye. And it's very sad, you know, our eyes and our vision is so precious. And I think we should thank God every day for our sight and our hearing. But anyway, this man, incredibly, one of the most godly people I've gotten to know, this gentleman and just a faithful, faithful believer, a witness. He's been responsible for bringing many, many of his family members to faith in Christ. But as I said, he got hit with a tree limb and very tragically lost his vision in one eye. So they prayed for him and he went to church and they laid hands and prayed on him. And, a doctor tried a surgical procedure. And the bottom line, after about three or four years of medicine, surgery, much, much prayer, anointing with oil, just all kind of things, he still is blind in one eye. And so we were talking and he said he kind of dreaded going to church sometimes because his, particular church background, they believe that it is always God's will to heal. Now, I want to be clear. I believe in miraculous healings. I've seen God do amazing things. And I believe, yes, everybody ultimately gets healed. And Isaiah 53, verse 6, speaking of Jesus, says, by his stripes we are healed. But the fact is, not all healing happens this side of eternity. Some people get healed only once they go through the gate in heaven. Now, we all get. If you're a born again believer, everybody gets a glorified body. And yes, ultimately, no more sickness, no more sin, no more death, no more dying. But, this man, he was very concerned when he came to me, Burt, because some of his fellow believers, they were saying, why haven't you manifested your healing yet in your eye? Do you have unconfessed sin? maybe you didn't pray hard enough. Maybe you've got a lack of faith. And he was very distraught. And I told him, and again, Bert, I believe in a God of miracles. I absolutely do. But I told this man, I said, look, there's no fault with you. There's no fault with God, certainly. But, maybe it's 2 Corinthians 13 that, that you are leaning on the God of all comfort. And someday you'll comfort someone who is in a similar situation with the same comfort where with you were comforted by God. I said to this dear brother, I said, I'm sorry you lost your vision in one eye, but God allowed it. God didn't cause it. But, not everybody gets healed this side of heaven. And it doesn't mean that you're in the wrong. It just means we're in a fallen world where sometimes bad things happen, sometimes tree limbs fall, and, you're going to grow in the Lord.

Alex: When you talk about healing, you got to look deeper than physical

There's a lot more I want to say. But, Bert, my question to you. Jesus is Lord, but not everybody gets healed, do they?

>> Bert Harper: Now, when you talk about healing, I think you got to look deeper Than physical. There's emotional healing. Some of the people that I have dealt with, their emotional state is horrible. and, you know, their physical state, they're fine. But that emotional situation, they need healing. There's also spiritual healing, and that's being saved and knowing Christ. But the physical healing, yes, he does that, and no, he doesn't do it all the time. He. Paul prayed three times, and he had that thorn in the flesh, and it was in the flesh. So we do believe it's physical. And so I do believe if you've been born again, you have been born and delivered and healed spiritually. Secondly, it sets you up. You should be healed emotionally as you let God have his way in every area of your life, no matter what it is in the relationships and all those. The physical healing, God does, but God also permits it to continue on. Joni eareckson Dada, listen, because of her, accident, she has touched more lives than she would have if she had have been healed and walking. She has said that. And she said, I would rather know Christ the way I know Christ by living my life as a paralygic than to have been healed. Now, I want to just tell you, when you come to Christ, you. You've been bought with a price, okay? Therefore, it is him that decides. It is He. Now, again, I do believe trusting God has part of that in with it, but also I trust him enough not to heal me. I trust him enough to say, God, I had rather know you and the difficulties of life. As Joni said, I know what it is like. Jesus was on the cross, and if his nose was itching, he could not. And I know this is minor compared, but this is what it is. He could not rub it. It would just itch. She says, I know what it is not to be able to even take care of my nose when it's itching. So, Alex, listen. God, we can trust him. That is the bottom line. We can trust him with our lives here and in the hereafter.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, I was thinking about the Apostle Paul who had a physical infirmity. And, you know, three times I, besought the Lord, Paul says, and God said, my grace is sufficient for you. You know, two, the people who have been told, well, have more faith, or maybe you didn't pray hard enough. Listen, if the Apostle Paul, was told to bear up under a physical illness, heaven help the rest of us. I think Paul is the greatest Christian that ever lived. And, there are times and I realize, look, yes, Jesus paid it all. And Jesus is the one who said, behold, I make all things new. And yes, God can heal sometimes this side of heaven, God does heal. And ultimately, in his presence, all healing will be thoroughly complete. But like you mentioned with, Joni Eareckson, and she spoke for us in our conferences and oh, my goodness, she and her husband are the actual textbook definition of godliness. And yet God allowed this diving accident many years ago. That's given her a platform to share Jesus with the world. And so to everybody listening on this first segment, we're asking the question, what is your incentive to stay strong for Jesus? Bold in your witness, strong in your faith? And we've got something that I think is pretty powerful from God's word. But your faithful, consistent walk with the Lord, I believe is probably a greater witness than you even realize. You know, Bert, I've done enough funerals to hear hundreds of people talk about just the person quietly living their Christian life. It touches many, many people watching, doesn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It really does. And we're going to be back with more right after the break. Continue listening to Exploring the Word. I want you to picture this. Her name is Kayla. She is 17, alone, terrified and pregnant, sitting in a clinic, tears blurring, thinking abortion is her only option until she was offered a free ultrasound, paid for by a hero just like you. The moment Kayla heard her baby's heartbeat, the decision was made. And today, her little baby boy, Gabriel is thriving because her preborn walked with Kayla every step of the way. Now multiply that by 38,000. That's how many babies preborn has helped save just this year. How many mothers preborn has come alongside with practical and spiritual resources to make motherhood possible. But here's the most important thing you will hear today. Their goal is to save 70,000 by the end of the year. And they can't do it without us. Every $28 provides the ultrasound. The moment everything changes, will you be the reason the next Kayla chooses life? The reason Gabriel fulfills his destiny? To donate, dial £250 and say the key word baby. That's £250, baby. Or donate [email protected] afr that's preborn.com afr welcome back to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio.

>> Alex McFarland: As we go, let us make disciples. As we go, let us tell the world of Christ.

Bert and Alex discuss difficulties in the Christian's life

>> Bert Harper: Welcome back to Experience the Word. Bert and Alex here. And again, this is a pre recorded program. As Alex says, we're traveling or we're on the road somewhere and so we're not taking phone Calls. And, let me just share. We're talking about enduring. We're talking about difficulties in the Christian's life. Can we demand God to do something? Well, Alex, with that in mind, I want to read two verses of scripture that Paul wrote to the Philippians. And I want you to listen and then come. I'm just going to read it, and then you comment. And if you don't go the direction I thought we'd go, I'll just bring it up at the end. But listen, It's Philippians, chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be known. Now listen. What he does with that and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.

>> Alex McFarland: Wow.

>> Bert Harper: Alex. Demands, you know. No, but requests. Go ahead.

>> Alex McFarland: Well, and does verse seven say. And I'm looking at it here. And, by the way, Philippians. I love Philippians.

>> Bert Harper: When I was pregnant. It's possibly my favorite one. I'll just love Philippians. Yeah.

>> Alex McFarland: Folks, you ought to read Philippians. It's four chapters. It's really a very brief little book. and, when I was a brand new Christian, Bert, one of the first books that I began to read over and over and over. And, you know, it's very simple and straightforward and I guess, you know, I could understand it, but I read Philippians over and over, and I love it. And, hey, there's all about joy, trusting the Lord. And where was the apostle Paul when he wrote Philippians birth?

>> Bert Harper: He was one of those prison epistles, as they say. Yes, he was in prison.

>> Alex McFarland: So it says, be careful for nothing. let your requests be made known unto God. Bert, does verse seven say, and if you get what you want, the peace of God will guard your heart and mind? It doesn't say that, does it?

>> Bert Harper: It does not. And listen, this is it. This is. And this is what we're talking about. The healing. The. The spiritual healing is real. The emotional and. And in this you see more of the spiritual and emotional healing. The peace of God brings this into your life. through. Through anxiety. No, the peace of God overrides this, and he really does make a difference. So, Alex? Yes. In difficult times, where do we turn to? I go back to John, chapter six. when they walked away and Jesus looked to Peter and said, are, you guys also going to. And I'm putting it in my vernacular, he didn't say you guys. He said, are you also going to go away. And Peter says, to whom would we go? You have the words of life. I, when I preach on that, I say, are you going to go to science? That changes every other day. You know, I use the ninth planet as an example. Pluto. Is it there? Is it real? Is it non real? It comes back in and goes out. They don't know what to do with Pluto to make it a planet or not a planet. You know, that's science. And, so what are you going to do? Trust government? You tell me something, anything that you can just trust. You remember when they'd say, take it to the bank? Guess what? Bank failure is a reality possibility, you know? So to whom else would we go? Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: I know. And, let me say, folks, no matter who you are, no matter how faithful you are in church and to the Lord. And that's good, we should be faithful to the Lord. But you are one phone call away from your apple cart being turned upside down. I mean, any of us, and God is so good to us, and God is faithful. Here, are some of those non negotiables. If you've put your trust in Christ, and I believe you have assurance of your salvation. We are secure in Christ. he will never leave us or forsake us. We are secure in the promises of his word. Jesus said heaven and earth would pass away. His word would never pass away. But really, any of the outside props by which we define ourselves, our health could fail, our job could go away, even our family and spouse or loved ones, God forbid. But, relationships, aren't forever.

Bert says he loves the United States of America

Unless it's your relationship with Jesus. Hey, Bert. I love the United States of America. Oh, my goodness. I consider myself passionately patriotic. Listen, you know what? The first five minutes of the baseball game, and I love to go to baseball games. It's me, wiping away tears when I hear the national anthem. it moves me. But we have no guarantee that America is going to, you know, last forever. But the one thing that is the perpetual guarantee, that is all that you have and all that you are in Christ Jesus.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: M. Right, Amen. I mean, that's the non negotiable and really the only one.

Bertrand Russell: Hebrews chapter 12 is about looking unto Jesus

Now, I want to, But let's unpack Hebrews 12 just a little bit. I love this passage. And of course, you and I, on a number of occasions, you and I have taught in depth through Hebrews 11. And there's of course, 24 names of great, faithful people. Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Barak, Jephthah, Samuel, so many people. And it's been called the Faith hall of Fame, and rightly so. But we get to Hebrews chapter 12. And in other words, in light of this, seeing that we're compassed about by this great cloud of witnesses, let us, you and I, also lay aside every weight and lay aside the sin which does so easily entangle us or ensnare us. Let us run with patience the race set before us. Okay, fair enough. How do we do that? Verse 2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Now, before we go too far, Bert, in so many things, we've got to keep it all about Jesus. you and I have lived long enough that there have been some, you know, pretty well known Christians that had moral failures, different things like that. That's always unfortunate. But I've counseled with a few people over the decades. And I mean, when some beloved Christian hero falls, I mean, it rocks their world. And yeah, our heart is heavy when a high profile Christian does something ungodly. It's wrong. Shouldn't be that way. But I want to tell you, Jesus is the one that is our Savior. And every Christian in the world could turn out to be a rascal. but Jesus is still risen. And there's so much that we can say about looking unto Jesus. Folks don't look unto a man. As much as I respect leaders, and I do, and we benefit from the leaders that, we are the beneficiaries of their life. And you and I are always quoting our spiritual heroes, but when it comes down to my hope, my security, the one in whom I trust and all I trust, is looking unto Jesus, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: It is. It is in Christ and Christ alone. That's it.

Alex: Turn to Hebrews chapter 11 and look at that. Now, I want to go back to chapter 11

Now, I want to go back to chapter 11. You named all these great heroes about, how they were delivered, but you cannot help but see the ones at the end of Hebrews. Now, a lot of times a writer will save the climax for more of those at the end. You know, just like a crescendo in a, in a musical. Listen to this, Alex. After they get through talking about those that were delivered and those that saw the dead raised to life, in verse 35, it says, and others were tortured. They were, they were mocked, scourging. They were in chains, imprisoned, stoned, sewn into, tempted, slain. Listen, it was the same faith. The same faith that delivered those up from the dead is the same faith that was with them that went through the torture and even death. So listen, if those People say, oh, you didn't have enough faith. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11 and look at that. And then you come to, as you said, chapter 12, looking unto Jesus. Regardless of where you are in your life, whether or not you are in the highest place you've ever been or the lowest elb you've been as a follower of Christ, guess what we do, Alex? We look unto Jesus. He's the one. There's no one else. And is that the great hymn says, in Christ and in Christ alone. to whom else would we go? You have the words of life. That's, that's the whole. That. I don't mean to come to the bottom line before we get to the end of the program, but that is the bottom line. Who else are we going to turn to, brother?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, amen. Amen.

In Hebrews 12:2, Jesus says he despises the shame

And, you know, I want to pick, out a little more from this. I've got the King James, and, here in verse two, it says, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. By the way, in the Reformation, there was a number of the cries of the great Reformation, like sola scriptura scripture alone and sola fide faith alone. But one of the great things that during the Reformation that they would talk about, Christus auctor, meaning, Christ the author. The gospel, like it says, the gospel I preached, is not after man. In other words, the author and originator of our faith is not man, but God, and the one who paid our debt is Jesus. Now, so Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. The alpha, the omega, the beginning, the end. Now look at what, he did in terms of his incarnational ministry. Christ left heaven, came to earth, took on a human body, lived a perfect, righteous life. Matthew 5:17, fulfilled the law, and he ultimately, as we know, he went to the cross. And Jesus was nailed to the cross. And the wrath of God for human sin that we all deserved was put on Jesus. He suffered, bled, and died, and rose again for us. Okay, back to Hebrews 12:2, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Okay, Bert, in my King James, it says despising the shame. what does your translation say?

>> Bert Harper: It does say the same thing in this one. Despising the shame. That's what it says in the new King James, Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Okay, so I looked that up because I thought, well, maybe it mean, like, oh, the cross. I despise that. That's going to be very painful. Maybe the Lord was thinking, you know, I dread it. I despise it. Actually, it means something different than that. Some translations say scorning its shame. So I looked up that word. And not to get into a Greek lesson here, but, okay, first of all, the word there that is translated despising is kata freneo, K A T a P H R O N E o, kata, freneo. And you say, okay, what does that mean? All right. K a T a kata is a prefix that means down. Now, freneo, fascinating word. P H R E N E eo, is a word. It means to think down on something or to think upon something, looking down on it. Now, there was a, pseudo science in the 1800s called phrenology that said, you know, different parts of the brain have different things. And that's partially true. You know, they talk about the hemispheres of the brain. So how we think is attached to this Greek word, phrenao. Okay. Jesus, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, looked down on its shame. Now, what does that mean? It means Jesus didn't think about the pain, although it was certainly there. But he realized, basically, I believe Hebrews 12:2 is saying Christ must have thought in his mind. Look, if this means millions of people will go to heaven, not hell, I'll do it. It's worth it. If this means I'm going to fulfill the will of the Father, I will manifest God's grace and mercy. Millions and millions and millions will be saved, not lost. Broken lives will be healed. Broken hearts will be restored. This is not going to be fun. It's going to be agonizingly painful. But because I, love the world and I want souls saved, it's worth it.

Alex: Bert says staying strong when times get tough is crucial

And I'll do it now before there's a little more I want to say. But here's my thing, folks. And, Bert, I'm going to throw it to you. But look, to forgive that person who hurt my feelings, that's not always easy to keep on keeping on when I'm weary, to stay strong when I'm tempted to get some joy from the Holy Spirit, when I was discouraged, I realize it takes a little bit of strength and intentionality to stay godly when you're tempted to bail out. But like Jesus, when you realize the outcome, I'll see Jesus unashamed. People are watching. I want my kids to be able to see that mom and dad are true to Jesus. My church, is worth fighting for and standing with and for the witness of the one who gave his life for me. I'm on board with my Savior, Jesus, Bert. I think that's how we've got to think about things rather than just throw in the towel when times get tough.

>> Bert Harper: Amen, Alex. Well said, brother. Let me remind you of a passage he was talking about, the joy, the reason he was able to do that. I believe there's two distinct reasons. You've talked about the millions that would come to the Lord doing the Father's will. I want to remind us of a passage of scripture over in Isaiah 50, 3, verse 10. It pleased the Father to bruise him. When Jesus goes to the cross, enduring the shame, going through all that he did, he was pleasing the Father. That is beyond anything. When we injure, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, it pleases the Father. We'll be back right after this break. Don't go away. More of Exploring the Word continues. Preborn's whole mission is to rescue babies from abortion and lead their families to Christ. Last year, Preborn's network of clinics saw 8,900 mothers come to Christ. Please join us in this life saving mission. To donate, go to preborn.com afr now back to the Bible study.

Alex and Bert welcome back to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio

You're listening to Exploring the Word on American Family Radio.

>> Alex McFarland: It's about the cross. It's about my sin. It's about how Jesus came to be born once so that we could be born again. It's about the stone. Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Alex and Bert here, so honored that you're listening. You know, this is a pre record. We can't take calls because we're, traveling. And Bert, as this show airs, I'm getting ready to welcome a couple of thousand people, to hear Charlie Kirk as part of our speaker series that we're doing. And I know, you and I, we have a lot going on. You've got the fishbowl retreats and then I've got the biblical worldview conferences and camps and things that we do. But even though we're not live today, we're grateful for all the listeners tuning in as we talk about going the distance. The incentive to stand strong even in hard times.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

Alex Martin: One of the greatest things a believer can do is finish

You want to finish? Well, one of the greatest things that I believe a believer can do, and you talked about it earlier in the first segment, some great leaders and even those that we may not even have a lot of recognition for, they faded. we don't know all the reasons why. I leave that up to God. That's him, but the recognition of them not finishing well. And that's one reason I love to quote Vance Havner so much, because he finished well. But his. One of his. I make hallmark sermons, far as I was concerned, was home before dark. And, it was the idea of, listen, I. I want to stay faithful to the end. So discouragement. I believe it'll come along the way. I believe heartache will be a part of our lives. It's just we live in a fallen world. But what do you do? You look unto Jesus. He's the author. He's the one, the initiator. He's. He's the one that did this, and he's the finisher. So we look into Him, Alex. And again, let me ask you this. have. Do you drive ever so often and Angie ride with you?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, all the time.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, well, Jan and I sometimes will do that. And I love landscape. And, she'll remind me, Bert, you gaze at the road, and I'll look and describe the landscape for you. And if you look, just glance. So what you want to do, you want to gaze upon the Lord Jesus Christ and glance at the difficulties. listen, we want to see through them, looking unto Jesus, looking unto him through those difficult times, looking unto him through the heartaches. We look unto him because he is what, the finisher of our faith. And so, Alex, that's. That's the whole idea of what we're talking about. Remaining faithful. And, he's going to be faithful. And so we want to endure the difficulties because look what he endured for us.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. You know, in John 17, verse 4, you know, Christ is on his way to the cross. And we have. This is another passage that I think you and I have loved to teach through many times. But Jesus said, the hour has come. And he says, I have finished the work which Thou gave us me to do. Okay, now, hours later, he would be dying on the cross, but in Hebrews 12, Jesus, who for the joy set before him. In other words, he knew that he would appear before the Father. Just, Bert, I believe John 19:30, when Christ said, it is finished. Jesus said that in his final breath on the cross. But I think that proclamation was probably heard in the halls of heaven. And just a little bit later in the spiritual realm, Christ would appear before the Father. The atonement was complete, the blood was shed, the sin debt was paid. Henceforth, for all of history, whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Isn't that something? He went through it. Now, thank the Lord we'll never have to go through something like that. And we couldn't. I don't know what your, Calvary is. You know, the Bible does say we are to take up our cross. Maybe you are living with a spouse that is not grateful and is not very good to you, and yet your assignment in life is loving them to Jesus. You know, maybe, that dream never did come to pass and the well laid plans for your life haven't exactly played out that way. I mean, that's so many of our stories and histories from, you know, It's a Wonderful Life kind of that. Great film. I love it. The Frank Capra film. It basically asks the question, is it right to do right even when our dreams don't come true?

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: But here, just like Jesus, he knew in a few hours, as rigorous, as painful. The sky became dark, the rocks rent. I mean, it's the greatest amount of pain ever endured in all of history. And yet he thought, in the not too distant future, in a few hours, I will appear before the Father, having paid the price for the salvation of the world. Now, folks, you've got it in your mind. Realize that whatever God has you doing, painful as it might be, it's worth it. And Bert, you know, you and I are preachers and we've had colleagues that fail. And, you know, we all want to be accountable. But look, folks, that lure that Satan is dangling in front of you, it's not worth it. You're fatigued and you're tired, and that's okay. We get weary. But let me say this. To bail out on Jesus, to forget his promises, to disappoint those that are watching us. It's not worth it. Looking unto Jesus we can. And Bert, we must stay true to.

>> Bert Harper: Our Savior and look where he is now. At the right hand of the Father, of the throne of God. The right hand.

Let us come boldly to the throne of grace for help in time of need

Now let me share a passage in Hebrews that comes before this. Chapter 12. It's in chapter four. And, listen to this. Verse 14. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace when to help in time of need. Now, again, at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. And guess what, Alex? We are still looking unto Jesus at the right hand of the Father, knowing that he is there. He can sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in all points without sin. Therefore, what are we to do? We're to come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace in help in time of need. So what you're going through today, regardless of what it is need, it can be healing physically, that's a need. It can be emotional stability, that's a need. It can be some spiritual depth to grow your roots deeper. Listen, in those times of need, we look unto Jesus, we pray unto him. And he, in his mercy and in his grace, he just didn't stop that when we were saved. He continues mercy and grace in our lives today. Alex. That is the great news of Jesus Christ. He who began a good work in us will complete it. That, don't you love that completed on the day of Christ Jesus. And so what is that? It's part of those valleys. It's part of those crooks. It's part of those rocks in the road. And. And yet God is there. So we look unto him, we pray and seek his face and follow him all the way. So he's seated at the right hand of the. Of the Father. It means that he finished the work, he started a work, and that's intercession. And he's waiting on to complete that work. And that's when he comes back when the Father says, go get your children. So when you seated at the right hand of the Father, Alex, that's. That's pretty good teaching. He completed a work. He could sit down. Then he started or commenced the work, as someone has said, that's intercession. And he is waiting to complete the work when he comes back to receive us. that's all of it, isn't it? That's what he has done, is doing, and he's going to do. Right.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. You know, I've shared this a number of times, but, when we were in Virginia and I was going to Liberty, Angie was working for a medical doctor who on a couple of occasions had run in and completed the Boston Marathon, you know, very famous race. And he had a picture. It was an aerial photo, and there's this mass of humanity starting, but then at the finish line, it's just one here, one there. And, Dr. David Cannon, he had major respect for this man. He had run and completed the Boston Marathon a number of times. But one time I said, wow, look at the two photos. that huge crowd at the starting line. But then at the finish line, Just one here and one there. He said, yeah, one by one, people just drop out of the race. That's how it is often in Christianity. but folks, do not drop out of the race. Purpose in your mind, the journey I'm on, the assignment I've been given for God. And with his help, I'll finish it. You know, in two, Timothy four, six, eight, Paul said, for I'm already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I've kept the faith. Now, here is what he looked unto. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day. And not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. And, of course, First John 2:28. That one day, folks, and purpose in your mind. And right now say, God, help me to do this, to meet Jesus unashamed before him at his appearing.

Brent: Some people go through greater suffering than others

Now we're talking about, what's our incentive? Well, like Jesus in Hebrews 12, 2, for the joy set before us, we endure the cross. We look down on. Hey, the pain, the proximate temporary strain and stress. It's real. But what's way off on the horizon? The crown, the heavenly realm. And facing our Savior one day. And knowing Erwin Lutzer said it, he wrote a great book called one minute after you die. Whatever we go through, whatever we endure, whatever we invest or sacrifice for Christ, Lutzer said, the minute you step into his presence, you will know it was worth it.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex, going back to chapter 12, notice what it does. And I'm, looking at the words repeated concerning. Let us run with endurance the race. Then it says before him, he endured the cross, verse 3. Consider him who endured such hostility from sinners. And then verse seven, if. If you endure chastening, that's. That's the chastening of the Lord. The chastening of the Lord. And as you said, just like the man that we started with who lost his eyesight and he was trusting God, but he was not healed. God did not cause that, but God permitted it. Some of God's chastening in our lives is permission of difficulty in this world. And what do we do? It says here in verse seven, if you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for which son there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, then you're illegitimate. And so, Alex, this suffering that you, I, Brent, everybody that's listening today that go through seasons. That's what Peter would say. We have these seasons, and some. Sometimes the seasons are longer than others. they're not real temporary. They're pretty, extensive. We endure those. Now, what's that scripture? It says our suffering in this present world does not compare to what we will receive in heaven. Alex, listen, I really do believe that there are some people, as Paul, it said to Paul when he, Ananias, Jesus said to him, I'm going to show him how much he must suffer. For my namesake, there seems to be some individuals, and again, I do not know. I'm just reporting observation. And for the word of God, there seems to be some individuals that go through greater suffering than others. And much of that suffering is not their own making, and it's in this life. It's part of it. And so Paul, I believe, was one of those. I'm going to show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. So, Alex, I want to ask you this. If there's this individual out there and he's suffering or she is suffering and it's hard, could it be that that's one of God's chosen vessels to demonstrate God's mercy and grace even in times of heartache?

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, amen. Amen. Two, Corinthians 4, 17 that you mentioned. For our temporary light affliction is producing for us, an everlasting weight of glory far beyond any comparison. In other words. And I don't minimize. Look, there's physical infirmity and there's cancer, and there's emotional and psychological and physical. And yet financial and spiritual strain that almost take us to the breaking point sometimes, but it is working within us a far more exceeding weight of glory. In other words, we're going to be rewarded. We're going to be, You know, I think there's probably going to be millions of people in heaven that at least to some degree, were, pointed to Jesus by the witness of others. And, you know, you and I have mentioned many names, and I could tell you, you know, so many people that have influenced me. And, folks, people are watching you. You've got an audience. And very often they might be adjudicating the value of the gospel based on how you're walking your, Christian journey. So let's keep our eyes on Jesus. Let's stay the course. Let's be faithful to the One who was faithful to us, even faithful all the way to Calvary's cross.

>> Bert Harper: And remember, he has ah started a good work in you. He's going to complete it. Stay with him. Don't walk away. Don't love this present world as Demas, but love the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him. Thank you for listening to Exploring the Word. Tell someone about this program and this network, but more importantly, tell them about Jesus.

The Best of Exploring the Word  | 08/21/25