American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio
>> Bert Harper: The Bible.
>> Alex McFarland: It's the word of God. Sharper than any two edged sword. This sacred book is living and active
>> Bert Harper: and contains all that's needed for life and godliness. Stay with American Family Radio for the next hour as we study God's word
>> Alex McFarland: and take your Bible questions.
Exploring the Word comes from the Museum of the Bible in Washington
>> Bert Harper: Welcome to Exploring the word. Numbers, chapter 14, verse 18. Moses shares that with the Lord that he has known and found out. The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiven iniquity and transgression, but he by no means clears the guilty. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers, to the children, to the third and fourth generation. Now that third and fourth generation back then, that's how they lived. They lived together. They wasn't going out and starting all over again. They usually stayed close. Well, Alex, they. This is great day for you. I know. And here on Exploring the Word, we want you to give us a firsthand account of what's going on in Washington dc.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, Bird, it's great to be with you. Guess what I was doing at about quarter of five this morning.
>> Bert Harper: What were you doing?
>> Alex McFarland: Driving. Washington D.C. driving.
>> Bert Harper: okay, okay. I had to get my, I had to get my idea. That was early, man. Okay, go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: That was early evening. But we are coming to you live from the Museum of the Bible. And that's just wonderful enough. You know, Bert, several years ago you and I were here and we broadcast from the Museum of the Bible. And what's going on this week, as I'm sure most people know is America, reads the Bible. And since the weekend they've been reading the Bible. And I sat in, Bert, as, first and Second Kings was read today. And let me just tell you, there is a holy hush over the auditorium as different people of all walks of life, elected officials, educators, actors, ministers, different ones. Now Tonight, this is April 21st and approximately 6:00pm Eastern Time, our president will be reading from Second Chronicles, Chapter 7. Very historic. And we just had moments, ago, David Barton, who is a longtime friend and colleague. David Barton was on with us and Bunni Pounds, the organizer of this. And at, you can either go to pure flicks.com pure flicks or americareads the bible.com and you can watch this going on live. And you can watch tonight and later on in the week, great people like Franklin Graham and Erica Kirk, they're going to be reading the Bible. I'm looking at, some of the promotional material. Among the partners, the American Family Association, AFA and Bert. I've got the Great honor. Tomorrow morning, roughly 10:00am Eastern Time, I'll be reading from the Book of Nehemiah, but yes, in its entirety, cover to cover, from Washington, D.C. the word of God is being read.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. And I know you were visiting with John Stonestreet and, and his wife, Sarah. And I got to talk to Sarah, when she was in high school, she and our youngest son were in school together. John is just a great, great man. And I understood they got to read the scriptures and they were excited about that. And so praise God for what God is doing. I know it's difficult times, but it reminds me. It does. And I know it's been that way a long time. It's the worst of times and the best of times. And, while difficulty is going on, guess what the is still shining, isn't it, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it is, it is. And I've got something to tell you, Bert, that you're going to really smile. But you mentioned John Stonestreet. he and I have been friends for well over two decades. He is with the Colson Center. Chuck Colson was a dear mentor in my life and spoke for us, four times at our conferences. And I got to know John Stonestreet and he people like Sean McDowell and, Jeff Myers of Summit and Lee Strobel and others. We've toured together and spoken together. And I didn't know that you knew John. He's a fantastic young thinker and communicator.
The Museum of the Bible has a major exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls
But one thing about being here at the Bible museum in Washington, D.C. bert, they have got a major exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls. And folks, this is rare. I cannot overstate how important it is. I was going through some of the exhibits this morning, Bert, and seeing, you know, everything from William Tyndale translating the Bible into the NewSong Testament into English for the first time. But my heart was pounding as I walked into this major display of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest copy of the Ten Commandments in the world, a, copy of Isaiah, 1,100 years older than any of our previous copies. But, Burr, you're not going to believe it. When I walked in, guess the very first scripture that greets you from the Dead Sea Scrolls. And this found in the 1940s in a place called Qumran. And I was just thinking, I wish Bert was here. I walked in, and there before me, the Book of Numbers. Can you believe it? Because, folks, we're in the Book of Numbers, Bert, isn't that just a little blessing from God?
>> Bert Harper: You know, not that we need it, but every so often God's affirmation really blesses you, and blesses a person to see that the Book of Numbers. Has it got anything to say? You better believe it. Yes, it's got some things in it say, okay, how does all these names fit in? But praise the Lord? Alex, let me say the Dead Sea. Yeah, go ahead, go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, when you go in the Dead Sea Scrolls portion of the museum, the first scripture there in front of you is from the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Numbers, which is exactly what you and I are doing right now.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Let's give a promotion for the Museum of the Bible. If you go to Washington, D.C. i know there's a lot of things to see. I've been there, taken some of my grandchildren, my sons, and we've toured. But I want to just tell you, the Museum of the Bible, it. Don't miss it. Don't miss it. Alex was talking about how it does. It makes you understand the greatness of having the Word of God in your own language. Alex, you know, there's believers that don't have copies of the Word of God. They don't have the copies in their own language. For us to have this, what a blessing. And to have the Museum of the Bible telling us that story, what a blessing it is.
>> Alex McFarland: Well, it is. And, you know, there's a big exhibit on the role of the Bible in the life of America and in the colonial days and in the, first Great Awakening. And so many artifacts. And these are not facsimiles. These are the artifacts. But, Bert, I just. I'd never seen it. They have the first draft of the Mayflower Compact.
>> Bert Harper: I did not know that.
>> Alex McFarland: Now, I was looking at the pilgrims that before they disembarked, they wrote, you know, having transported here for the glory of God, for the advancement of the Christian faith. And really, our first, document of civil government was the Mayflower Compact. Overtly Christian, overtly biblical.
>> Bert Harper: well, missional, even. Missional.
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, indeed, indeed. Well, the first draft that they wrote, and then they kind of rewrote it and polished it up but here and so much. And I just think it's very inspiring. Very, very inspiring. So it's a great joy to be here, and it's a great joy to broadcast, as we have done in times past. We are coming to you live from the Museum of the Bible.
Moses says to God, Pardon the iniquity of this people
Well, we are in. Yesterday we were in numbers 13 and getting into 14, and we, were talking about the lessons about trust. And at Kadesh Barnea, they could have had what I would call courageous obedience. But they didn't, did they?
>> Bert Harper: They did not. And they said, no, we're not going into the land. And there was a price to pay. There is always, the book of Galatians makes it, true, you know. If you sow to the flesh, you of the flesh reap corruption. Now, what does that mean? If you sow to the flesh, you're sowing for selfishness, greed, fear not, faith in God. So here in verse 11, the Lord said to Moses, how long will these people reject me? And how long will they not believe me? With all the signs which I have performed among them, I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them. And, Moses, I will make you a nation greater and mightier than they. What a statement. So Moses says, what, Alex? Does he say, oh, boy, I've been waiting on this? Or does he, as God said, a great man of humility would say, no, God, no. That's not the way it needs to be. this demonstrates Moses, I think, character as much as anything in the Scriptures. Alex.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. Verse 13. And Moses really, he's reasoning and he's thinking, and he's really concerned about the witness and the testimony about the name of the Lord. Verse 13. Moses said to the Lord, then the Egyptians will hear it. For by your might, you brought these people up from among them, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, the Lord, are. Are among these people, and that you, the Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands above them, and you go before them in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night. Verse 15. Moses talking to God. Really, this is intercessory prayer. Moses says, now, if you kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of your fame will speak, saying, because the Lord was not able to bring this people out of the land he swore to give them, therefore he killed them in the will wilderness. And now I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as you have spoken, saying, the Lord is long suffering, abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he by no means clears the guilty. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation, Moses is really, I could say praying. Maybe I'll say pleading to God on behalf of the people.
>> Bert Harper: He is. And this phrase is not the first time it occurs. this is not the first time Israel will have this, said of them. And we'll get to this in a moment. But, verse 19 makes it plain. Pardon the iniquity of this people. He's not saying they're not guilty. A pardon does not dismiss someone because they're innocent. It's a pardon because of the graciousness of the one who. Who has given it. Now, there may be purposes by it in our life, as a governor might pardon, a president might pardon. But here he says, pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of what? Your mercy? Mercy, Alex. God's holiness. Without his mercy, where would we be?
>> Alex McFarland: Oh, my goodness. Well, you know, in a way, it's been said that, when we get wrapped in the righteousness of Christ, it's almost like our fireproof suit or holy proof suit. Because the holiness of God, his eternality, his power, his omnipotence. Yes, his holiness. It's wonderful. But because we're sinners and we're fallen and we're guilty, we have known the right and done the wrong. If it weren't for his grace and mercy and pardon and salvation, Bert, we would. I'm not trying to be flippant. We would get snuffed out, wouldn't we?
>> Bert Harper: We would. There would be no hope. And he finishes that. Just as you have forgiven this people, we could add the word even before, from Egypt, even unto now. And, so here is Moses, and he's declared God's long suffering, his abundant mercy, his forgiven iniquity and transgressions. But that doesn't mean he is just letting it go by, because he reminds us that in the verse before, he does not mean clear of the guilty, but he can and he did pardon them. I pray that you have come to Jesus Christ and your sins. Those of you who are listening, your sins have been forgiven, and you're in the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. We're going to be back. And there's even more. You don't want to miss it because it's got even more to say. The AFR app is a powerful tool, but it does have limitations.
>> Alex McFarland: You can't use it to change the
>> Bert Harper: oil in your vehicle or get rid of carpet stains. It. It won't walk the dog, won't pick up the dry cleaning or take the kids to practice. But while you're doing those things, you can listen to your favorite AFR content through the app on your phone, smart device, or Roku. Just go to your app store or visit afr.net Listen to AFR. wherever you go with the AFR.
>> Caroline: App.
>> Alex McFarland: See, everything I need. Everything I need. My father has a. My father hasn't.
>> Caroline: And every single time, the Lord will provide.
>> Alex McFarland: That's right. My father hasn't.
>> Caroline: It's my father as it is.
On Tuesdays, we take prayer requests and answer Bible questions
>> Alex McFarland: Welcome back to explore the Word we are in Numbers, chapter 14, and in verse 19 and following, Moses is calling out to God and says, pardon the iniquity of these. This people I pray according to. To the greatness of your mercy, just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even to now. And what wonderful words of verse 20. Then the Lord said, I have pardoned according to your word. In other words, Moses, I'll do it. I've done it like you ask. Verse 21. But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. We'll come back to that, but I want to give the number later on. On Tuesdays, we do something special, folks, in addition to Bible questions, which we always do every day of the week. But on Tuesdays, we make it a day of prayer, and we take prayer requests. And yes, people across America will agree and join with us, and we'll pray. And Bert, when we get to the prayer request time, I've got a couple of my own I want to share, but that number is 8885-8989-8408-8589-8840. with your prayer requests and questions.
Bert: God responds to humility, doesn't he
But, Bert, if we could go back to verse 21. it kind of reminds me of like Habakkuk says, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. God says to Moses, okay, I'm going to pardon the sin of this people, but the glory of the Lord will fill the earth. Bert, isn't that just one of the amazing things about God? That his justice is upheld, his grace and mercy is demonstrated, and yet his sovereign plans aren't diminished at all, are they?
>> Bert Harper: They are not. His ways are beyond our ways. How he works in our, world, how he works in our own lives to demonstrate his glory. And it's always for our good. Remember those two G's? Our good. God's glory. Now, when we say our good, Alex, according to what he says in Romans 8, 28, and 29, our good is that we're conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. it may not be easy, it may be difficult. It might even lead to suffering. That is hard. And. But it's our good if we're conformed to the image of Christ. I'm thinking of Your friend. And I've met her as well. Joni Eareckson. Tada. And how that because of that diving accident and the paralysis that she's gone through and her praying, God, heal me. But God not doing it has resulted in what? God's glory. And she'll say herself, I'd rather be this way and knowing God the way I know him, God, than I would have if I'd have been healed, not knowing him as I do. So, Alex, it is always for that. One more thing in verse 20. This got me, and I underlined it. I have pardoned according to your word. That's intercession. We, don't know whose prayer God might hear and intercede. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. We know that. I believe that's one of the reasons in the book of James when he says, is any a sick among you? Gather the elders, plural, okay, and confess your sins and pray over this one. Now here it is. God may be hearing the collective prayers of the whole group, or it may be one individual that God hears make that prayer. And he just pours out his mercy upon the. The prayer that he's made. And it's, it's. He responds, responds to it in a, In a way that that prayer is answered for. Yes, they're healed. Yes, the finances are there. But when it's in a group like that, Alex, nobody goes out and says, oh, God heard my prayer. No, God here heard our prayer and collective. And submit it takes away that issue of pride and it puts in humility what was Moses greatest characteristic according to what the Lord said? His humility. And do you. Am I making too much out of that? God responds to humility, doesn't he?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, he really does. He. Well, I'm going to tell you a couple of things God responds to. Humility is one, and gratitude is one. Because one of the things that is really. Ah, a critique of this people, verse 22. God says to Moses, because all these men who have seen my glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness have put me to the Test now these 10 times and have not heeded my voice, they certainly shall not see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor any of those who rejected me see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him. That's true. And he follows me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.
Gary Chapman: God is very merciful, but there is a price for disobedience
Now, the Amalekites and the Canaanites, Dwelt in the valley. Tomorrow, turn and move out onto the wilderness by way of the Red Sea. You know, God is merciful, but these people had an amazing degree of revelation, didn't they? I mean, they had seen God's work, His promises fulfilled, his sound deliverance over the Egyptians and Pharaoh's army. And yet they would not believe. And so God showed them mercy. But they wouldn't just get the promised Land without a heart for it or in a state of disobedience. Spiritually, they're being spared, but they still are not going to get into the promised land.
>> Bert Harper: Alex, verse 22. The 10 times intrigued me, and, so I started some research. And you can count three times, ten times before this. I'm going to give you some. That they doubted God at the Red sea in Exodus 14. You remember the bitter water at Marah. Exodus 15, the complaints at the food. Then, them taking the manna, or that one, you know, gathering more manna than they should, the golden calf, all of these things. But now at this place, at, Kadesh Barnea, it's kind of the. What I would call the capstone of their doubting and their murmuring where they're turned back. This is not the first time. That's ten times. But notice verse 25, because this sets up, if we can get to it today. It says, now this is what you're to do. The Amalekites, the Canaanites, they dwell in the valley. So tomorrow you turn and move out. It's time to leave here. You've been here long enough. It's time to turn away. But I'm just sharing with you. I'm letting everybody know. There's a group of them that decide. Okay, we're gonna. We're gonna, you know, we're gonna go back and we're gonna. We're gonna win this now. We're gonna beat these people. But no, God's instruction now is. I don't know if you'd call it plan B or what, Alex. The plan was for them at Kadesh Barnea to go on into the land. But now they say, no, tomorrow you turn and move out a different way. here's what I'm trying to get at, Alex, and I want you to respond. Listen, when God stops you and he speaks to you, you better check in to see the direction God wants you to go. And don't just assume the sin of assuming will hurt if you're just assuming on old directions. His new directions is in there. In verse 25 tomorrow, turn and move out into the wilderness. By the way of the Red Sea. I found that. I'll just say I found that intriguing. You know, you can't. You can't do it the same way. No, I've got somewhere else for you to go to. Do you, Do you think that meaningful?
>> Alex McFarland: You know, God is very merciful. He continues to work, he continues to lead, he even continues to bless. But I've seen churches that, had splits and got very out of the will of God, I believe. And yet they still had blessings and God still used them. But there is a price to pay for disobedience, really. And, it's been said that, C.S. lewis said this, and I'm going to make a. Make a statement about individuals and churches. C.S. lewis once said, the laziest boy in class works hardest in the end. And, I mean, think about that, God is going to do his will. Somebody asked CS Lewis one time about, you know, God doing his best for us. And Lewis said, I don't doubt that God has my best interest in mind. The question is, how painful will that best be? And honestly, the Bible says, despise not the chastening of the Lord because he chastens in love and redemption. Even when God is correcting us, he's doing it redemptively to m. Bless us. I mean, you know, let me say this, I'll throw it back to you, but it's Gary Chapman, who wrote the Five Love languages, was just a real friend and mentor, and my goodness, what a brilliant man. He said the opposite of love isn't really just hate, but indifference. And the beautiful thing is God is not indifferent to you. He loves you so much that he's willing to, well, as they say, love you severely. And Israel disobeyed. They're embarking on 40 years of wandering. But even in verse 25, when they turn, they move out by way of the Red Sea to the wilderness. God still loves them because he's still working with them. Bert, did you ever see that old bumper sticker? It says, be patient with me. God isn't finished with me.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Amen. And I can sing that at my age, even now, as I could sing it when I was earlier. At least say it, not sing it. Brent looked at me when I said sing it. But yes, I can, Lord. He's still working on me. And he'll keep on doing it until we arrive in his presence.
Moses warns Israel that their younger generations will suffer because of infidelity
Now again, verses 27, all the way through 29, you find murmuring, murmuring, murmuring and verse 29, the carcasses of you will have murmured against me shall fall into the wilderness. All of you who were numbered according to your entire number from 20 years old and above that generation. Nobody's going in except for Caleb and Joshua. And, they will enter the land. But verse 31. But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I'll bring in. And they shall know the land which you have despised. But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and your sons shall be shepherds or wanderers in the wilderness 40 years and bear the brunt of your infidelity until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. One thing, and we can come back to this real quickly, I think. Get through with most of this chapter. Alex. Notice what it says here. It says, because of your infidelity, the younger generation is suffering because of the decisions of the older generations. Listen, I praise God. We're celebrating 250 years. Our founding fathers in place of them, having more thoughts concerning them for their generation because many of them lost their lives, they lost their health, they lost their wealth to bring us freedom. And they did it for what the next generations here. Selfishness caused these to make this decision on selfishness. And the next generation, in place of them getting it immediately, they had to suffer. We, need to be careful with our decisions, don't we?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, that's true. Because as the Bible says you no man lives unto himself, meaning that for good or for ill, our decisions, our life, our walk with the Lord or our rebellion against him, there are repercussions, you know. And he goes on in the remainder of chapter 14, he says, you know, your sons shall be shepherds in wilderness. 40 years bear the brunt of your infidelity, according to the number of days in which you spied out the land, 40 days. For each day you shall bear your guilt. One year, namely 40 years. And you shall know my rejection. Now, it wasn't a rejection of the Jewish people or the Abrahamic covenant, but, their rejection of their, their fickle heart. I mean, you know, on two occasions, lapsing, into idolatry and Eryn made a golden calf and sin and immorality and then overt, just resolute disobedience. And so they thought, you know, they were calling the shots and charting their own destiny. But in rejecting and disobeying God, they were planning their own very, very, very hard future. And like we said yesterday, and I'll say again today, there's just such powerful lessons in this for all of us, isn't there?
>> Bert Harper: There really is. And again, they're going to be consumed, and that generation is going to die. But the men who brought back the evil report in verses 36 through 38, they were hit by a plague and died immediately. That's in 36 and 37. the responsibility of leaders when you're a leader. Oh, I want to be a leader. Well, are you ready to take the responsibility that comes with that? To whom much is given, much is required. And they were slain, Moses warns Israel. But there was a group of them that got up early in the morning, verse 40, went up to the top of the mountain, saying, here we are. We will go up to the place which the Lord's promised, for we have sinned. We're ready to go now. And Moses says, do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. What happens to them, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: Well, there's a futile attempt to invade the land. And so, the Amalekites attacked them and drove them back. but I got to say something about verse 37, about this plague, remember? What, what prevented them from going in? They were afraid of the giants in the land. These giants that they could see. But what would really kill them would be a plague or an illness that they couldn't really see. Isn't that something that, they disobeyed out of visual, external fear, but they would be brought down by an internal, invisible plague. And let me just say why. I think that is because their sin began, on the inside, didn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It really did.
>> Alex McFarland: If your heart, if your sin begins on the inside, your defeat will begin on the inside, too.
Preborn Network aims to have 11,000 gospel conversations in Preborn clinics
>> Bert Harper: Well, we're going to take your prayer request and that number. 888, 589, 8840. We would love to hear from you today. And we'd love to. To pray for you. Right now. The voices in our culture are loud, but truth is often silent. And today, preborn needs you to help speak that truth. Women facing unplanned pregnancies are often pressured to act quickly before they have time to pause, breathe, or hear the truth about life, dignity, and hope. But I refuse to be silent, and I'm asking you to join me. At preborn network clinics, a woman is welcomed with compassion and given a free ultrasound. She sees the life growing inside her, often for the first time. And in that sacred moment, fear gives way to clarity. And she's offered something the abortion industry will Never provide the hope of Jesus Christ. This April, our goal is to have 11,000 gospel conversations in PreBorn Network clinics, trusting God to bring the increase as we remain faithful to speak. You can help make that possible by sponsoring ultrasounds. Just $28 provides one ultrasound. $140 sponsors five ultrasounds for mothers in crisis. Every dollar helps save babies and share the good news of Jesus Christ. To donate, dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. That's pound 250, baby. Or visit preborn.comhost that's preborn.com host.
>> Alex McFarland: for the wages of sin is
>> Bert Harper: death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23.
>> Alex McFarland: Don't stop praying don't stop calling on Jesus name Keep on pounding on heaven's door Let your knees wear out the floor don't stop believing.
>> Bert Harper: Yes, that prayer means it is the day of prayer on exploring the Word. And we thank God for the opportunity that Alex and I have and Brent and I'd say Richard and Marty. on, on the day of prayer, we kind of all get involved in it and say we. We've got people that call in from all over the United States and we join others in praying for these requests. And Alex, we've got, phone lines that are open 888-589-8840. If you got a Bible question, we'll get to that as well. But we do make a, priority on prayer requests on Tuesdays.
Bert says he needs prayer for two beloved family friends with cancer
And I understand you have two prayer requests, brother. Go right ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: I do. I would really be grateful if people would pray, for two just, beloved family friends. One is a lady named Peggy Rice. R I C E Peggy Rice. She, might be listening right now. And she is a dear lady, quite accomplished. She is a devout Christian. She was a chemist for many years. She helped create, some products like Pantene shampoo. But she's in her 90s and she fell down and broke a couple of vertebrae in her neck. And she's got a neck brace on for about six weeks now. She's got to wear it about seven more weeks. But she has been quite a mentor in my life, an amazing woman of God. Please pray for Peggy Rice and then also please continue to pray for Eileen Habermas, the wife of Gary Habermas. Eileen Habermas has pancreatic cancer. Gary Habermas and I, if you get the Billy Graham magazine, Decision magazine, he and I are in that magazine this month with articles about the resurrection and we are scheduled to be at the COVID in. In July. But anyway, his wife is literally fighting for her life. Eileen Habermas. If you all would pray for her, I would be deeply grateful.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, we're going to get our first call, and then we'll go to prayer for Peggy and Eileen. And before that, we go to Nancy in Arkansas. Nancy, go right ahead.
>> Caroline: I would like to say that I enjoy Yalls programs so much. It is so uplifting. And I think that that's what I need now is I need someone to please lift my son and my daughter up, in prayer. They don't know the Lord. I try my best to explain that he is the way, the truth, and the light. My son is in transition between jobs, and my daughter's out of the country. So if you could just say a prayer for them, that God will watch over them, which I do every night, every day, all throughout the day, that they will all be safe, and that God will lead my son to the place where he needs to be.
>> Bert Harper: Okay. Nancy, is it hard if I pray for Peggy, Eileen, and then Nancy's two children? Alex, please.
>> Alex McFarland: Please.
>> Bert Harper: Father, I thank you for Nancy. I know the pain that parents have, and it seems even greater. Many times the prayers of a mom just continually. And she's praying for her son to come to know you. But he's looking for a job. And, God, I pray you would lead him to a job that would be sufficient for him, but also a place where witnessing and seeing the deeds of, a believer would let him see in the words that would be saying to him, help him as you would draw him to yourself so he could be saved. And, Father, I pray for her daughter that's out of the country right now. But, Father, just because she's out of the country does not mean your Holy Spirit does not come and convict her of sin right now. It does not keep from her hearing or remembering a witness to her that she would come to you. So, Father, we believe this. We trust this. Father, we also are praying for Peggy, Father, great lady from Maud, Alex. I remember him talking about her and all that she had done as a chemist. And, Father, with that, vertebrae in her neck, I'm praying, God, that you would just heal, give her some more days. And, Father, it probably be better for her to go on to the Lord, just like it was for Paul. But for those that know her, like Alex and others that's been a mentor to them, it would be so much better for her to stay and strengthen and bless Them. Father, we also pray for Eileen. We've been praying for her that just we continue to do, and for Gary and others that help her. And we're praying for healing. God, you do it any way you want to use the. Whatever the treatment she's getting or you just touch her body. All healing is from you. Honestly, we have nothing. And, Father, I thank you that you're going to do a, work in these lives. In Jesus name, Amen. Amen.
>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Amen. Thank you, Bert.
Alex Burton calls to pray for a man facing yet another spinal surgery
>> Bert Harper: Yes, let's go to Scott in Kansas. Scott, go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Yes, thank you for taking my call. I was born with severe scoliosis, severe club foot. And I've had 37 surgeries in my life. I've had nine spinal surgeries. Now I'm looking at a tenth, a very major one, to fuse the lower cervical of my neck, but also to do a complete revision of the original fusion. I go to see a neurosurgeon, a second neurosurgeon, tomorrow in Oklahoma City. Just like, prayer about that.
>> Bert Harper: Okay, Scott, Wow. Alex, I want you to pray for Scott. But, you know, some lives are lives of difficulty and suffering. And I can hear, Scott, that it's been difficult, but I still hear his trust in the Lord. Alex, I want you to know, Scott, I'm saying you, have blessed me by calling in, and I'm going to be praying. I know, Alex, go ahead.
>> Alex McFarland: Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, thank you for Scott. Lord, I believe he is a very powerful witness for you, as throughout the duration of his life, he's had these issues with his spine and with scoliosis, enduring, like, 37 surgeries. My goodness. And yet he trusts you and he walks with you, I believe. So bless this man. And, Lord, I pray for a supernatural measure of strength as he faces yet another surgery. And, Lord, I pray that as they work on these lower cervical, vertebrae and they have to redo some stuff, maybe that was done even years ago. Lord, in the name of Jesus, I pray for success. Lord, I pray you'll preserve his, spinal cord and his, vertebrae. And, Lord, use this to strengthen and raise him up. I pray. The discomfort would be minimal, the recovery would be rapid. But, Lord, I know Scott will represent you to the medical people and all around him. So lift him up, carry him in your hands, and, Lord, you are. You are Dr. Jesus, and you do all things well. We commit Scott to you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Amen. Scott, thank you again. For calling. Let's go to Texas and talk to Clinton. Clinton, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Yes, Burton.
Zard asks for prayer for Clinton and his wife over marital difficulties
Alex, I have a prayer request and a praise, doing with the same situation. My wife and I have, probably in the last, you know, six, eight weeks, just kind of undergone some. Some hardships just between each other, whether it's just not being on the same page or just, you know, disagreeing and just, you know, just being at each other's throats, so to speak. But, you know, lately, I'd say In the last 10 days, we've. We've been good to each other. We've. We've. We've been praying together. And I, would just like to maybe ask for some prayer and then also just give the praise that. That we've. We've kind of worked through some.
>> Bert Harper: A lot of.
>> Caroline: A lot of these things that has been keeping us at odds, and to give hope to other people that, you know, if they're in the same thing. And I know it's only been a few weeks for us, but even if it's been years for some people, that. That if you just stay together and just pray together, that you can come through it. Come through the thick on.
>> Bert Harper: Amen. Amen. Clinton, thank you. I want to thank you and praise the Lord for you having tenacity, your wife having tenacity, a lot of times. And I'm just going to say this. Janet and I have said this in marriage conference, the Fishbowl retreat, to pastors and their wives and ministers to the wives. If we would work as hard at staying together as some people work as hard as they can to stay apart, that marriage would succeed. And that's what we're praying for you, Clinton, that you. And we praise God for these last few days where there's been some kind, you know, help there. So, Zard. Alex, if I pray for Clinton.
>> Alex McFarland: Yes, lead us.
>> Bert Harper: Father, I thank you for Clinton for calling for his wife. Father, I want to start out first with praise. Thank you for them saying, yes, we're going to work on this marriage. We're not just going to walk away, but we're going to strive to do that. And, Father, I pray for each one of them that they would look unto you. I can't help but visualize the triangle, that here's these two guys, people at the base and God at the peak of that triangle. And if they get closer to God, they get closer to one another. So, Father, I'm praying you would help them spiritually. I pray that you would help them emotionally. And there's usually in situations like this, some forgiveness that needs to take place. And Father, I pray that they would do that and not grow bitter. And Father, that they would see that this bitterness would drive them even further apart. So I pray, God, that you would strengthen them, help them. May they look unto you. You're the author and finisher of our faith, but you are the author and creator of marriage as well. So Father, I pray that you would help them. Give them the victory. And we trust this in Jesus name. Amen again. Thank you, Clinton.
Alex: Trudy, I have a prayer request for you
Well, let's stay in Texas and go to Trudy. Trudy, thank you for calling. Go right ahead.
>> Caroline: Hi. Thank you for taking my call and thank you for your services. Your leadership and your teachings is just a blessing to, me and so many others.
>> Bert Harper: Thank you.
>> Caroline: I have, I have a prayer request. we. We kind of live between two cities. my husband, me, we. We travel back and forth. we have a family place in the central area, Luling and from Corpus. So we. We travel just about every weekend. And we attend a church in Luling, Texas at Central Baptist Church. We lost the pastor about a month ago. He moved on to another calling. And the church has kind of been struggling. And they have leadership has decided to bring in an interim pastor, which, I'm very thankful for. And he's preached a few times at the church. But I think, some of the, admin leaders that were helping us step in there's. I just feel like their toes have been in their ways. Like their toes have been stepped on and they're unhappy. And so this past week, and this week we're getting like five and six families that are resigning from the church that And they were in leadership roles like music, ministry, youth, leadership, admin helpers, all kinds of stuff. So it's going to be a struggle for the church. So I just was, If you have any good words or anything, just, for the church just to survive this, you know, it's, It'll, It'll be a struggle. unfortunately, I've been in other churches where, an unhappy person. You know, there's been a split in. You know, some churches survive and some churches don't. I do believe this. This is a strong, older community church and they'll be fine. There's a lot of, new families that were coming in, but we have a lot of older elder membership as well. So anyway, if you could Just pray for our church to.
>> Bert Harper: We'll do that, Trudy. Oh, m. Church splits. Church difficulties, Alex. It just hurts me deeply. And they're not the only church, Trudy. There's churches that I know of right now. Certain. It's horrible. And we're going to. We pray for that church, won't we, Alex?
>> Alex McFarland: We surely will. We surely will. And you know, folks, everybody, we need to pray for our churches, but just for the church, nationally, internationally, to be unified. the old phrase, divide and conquer. That's what Satan very often does, isn't it?
>> Bert Harper: It is. It is.
Let's go to RD in Kansas with his prayer request
Well, we're going to go and get another prayer quest. I got that written down. But we're going to. Time wise. We. We're going to pray. Let's go to RD in Kansas. Rd, what is your prayer request? Go ahead, brother.
>> Caroline: Yeah, my daughter was pregnant. Lost her yesterday.
>> Alex McFarland: I'm m. So sorry.
>> Bert Harper: We're gonna pray for. Could you give her, us her name? You don't have to, but it, sometimes it helps.
>> Caroline: Kimberly.
>> Bert Harper: Kimberly. Well, we're going to pray. We want everybody to pray and listen, miscarriages are painful, and a lot of times they do not get the care that they need. So we're going to be praying for Kimberly. yes, Alex, let me go to Carl in Illinois. So we got Kimberly and we're praying for that church split for Trudy. But let's go to Carl in Illinois and get your prayer request. Carl, got about a minute for your prayer request? Go right ahead, brother. Yes, thank you for your program. my marriage is in dire need also, so I know you pray for someone. She has all. and I'm asking the Lord to this marriage. Thank you, Carl. Man, Satan wants to kill, steal and destroy people, marriages, lives, churches. Alex, pray for the church there in Texas for Carl and his marriage. And RD's daughter, Kimberly, would you lead us in prayer?
>> Alex McFarland: Yes.
Brent says Central Baptist and Trudy need special prayers
Folks, let's agree together in prayer. Dear Jesus, in your name, we come before you for these requests. And Lord, we know you have all the power. Your Holy Spirit can go anywhere and everywhere into the hearts of people. And Lord, you created the universe and raised the dead. So Lord, we know you're able. First of all, I pray for Central Baptist and Trudy. Lord, unify this church. And Lord, just help the staff and all the people pull, together during a transitional time. I pray for Kimberly, who lost this baby and this, father, that you would comfort all of them and give them hope and joy. Finally, I pray for Carl in the name of Jesus, save this marriage. Lord, resurrect this relationship. May your holy spirit prevail in all of these situations. We lift it up to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
>> Bert Harper: Hey, Brent, do you have enough time to just say this prayer request? Listen to this. Kathleen has got one for Deputy Thomas Walker. Died in the line of duty. And I've got a good friend, Jackson. his childhood cancer has come back. He's in hospice. He needs your prayers desperately. Pray for Kathleen. Pray for Jackson. God, thank you for your abundant mercy. In Jesus name, amen.
>> Alex McFarland: The views and opinions expressed in this
>> Bert Harper: broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of
>> Alex McFarland: the American Family association or American Family Radio.
