Transcript

American Family Radio takes your Bible questions live on American Family Radio

>> Bert Harper: The Bible.

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

>> Bert Harper: Sharper than any two edged sword.

>> Alex McFarland: 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 and take your Bible questions.

Alex McFarland: Sometimes we think God has abandoned us

Welcome to Exploring the Word.

>> Alex McFarland: Have you ever felt alone? Have you ever worried that you've just been abandoned or you're lost and nobody's there to help you? None of us like that feeling, but it is a very common feeling to, our human hearts. And we welcome you to this edition of Exploring the word. Alex McFarland here with Bert Harper. I want to read a scripture and then we're going to unpack it and we're going to talk about reasons that we don't need to worry or be afraid because nothing can put us beyond the protective hand of the Savior. Romans 8, 38 and 39 says this. Paul wrote, for I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Well Bert, that's an encouraging word there, isn't it? That nothing can put us beyond the careful protective hand of the Lord.

>> Bert Harper: It seems like Paul was writing to the Romans and think about where the Romans were. a lot of times there's two things you need to understand. You need to put the scripture in context of when it was being written, in the context of when you are reading it. And in both of those cases they were concerned the Roman government, legal, illegal, you know, where there's a persecution coming. And Paul was writing, and this was early on, persecution had not started real bad, but it was, it was still going on. And he said, nothing will separate us from the love of God, Alex. That was at a strategic time, not only in the time frame, but I would say also in the book of Romans. it's right in the middle and he's about to start on some doctrinal issues and he's had some practical things to say. And he is saying, this is the most practical thing that I can tell you. Nothing shall separate. You'll never be alone. I am with you. Sounds similar to the Great Commission, which when he said, and I am with you always, even to the end of the age, always. Those are beautiful words, aren't they?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, they are, they are very encouraging words because, you know, we often tell ourselves that, you know, everybody's abandoned me. Everybody's let me down. I'm alone in the world, and we worry. And so, in the context of this message, ah, we want to say that God's got it, and God's not abandoned you. Bert. It reminds me of, a little child that we saw. We were out shopping and we saw a little child, and the child was looking around. And you've seen this, I'm sure, where a child for a second can't see her mom and dad, and she feels like she's been abandoned. And we watched this little child all in a matter of seconds. Panic became, the expression on her face, and she began to cry. And suddenly she thought she was abandoned and had a little meltdown. And right there, her parents were nearby, and they swept her up and the crying stopped. And she realized, after all, she was not abandoned. Now, sometimes we think God has abandoned us, or maybe there are things in our life that are just so entangled and so problematic that we just think even the Lord can't fix it. But if you look clearly, Jesus message was salvation. He had come to pay for our sins on the cross. But I'm touched, Bert, by how often Christ reassured the disciples that he said, I would not leave you comfortless. In Jon chapter 14, literally, I will not leave you orphaned. And over and over, I think Jesus wanted to reassure the church and all believers that, hey, he is not going to abandon us.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. Alex Isolation is one of the greatest difficulties to overcome. do you remember the man in Gadara who had the demons? he lived alone. And, you remember what it said about Adam? It is not good for man to be alone. And so to be alone and abandoned, we find that true. In the Vietnam War, when those prisoners were taken, they had them not in groups but in isolation. Each one of them had their own little cubicle, but they figured out a way to communicate. Now, many of them were believers, and they were communicating with God. And then, matter of fact, the scriptures that they had memorized, they had learned a code, and they would tap it out and let others hear that. And during this period of time of complete abandonment of man and isolation by man, God was there, and God intervened.

>> Alex McFarland: And.

>> Bert Harper: And, that is severe. That is about as severe as it gets, you know, But God is there. if you feel an abandoned because of your age and, now your spouse has died and you're all alone, and your family may live away from you and you feel alone, God is there. And that's what this program is about, about God Caring for you. And nothing will separate us from that. Love, Alex. Again, I got to say, that's good news, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Oh, that is wonderful news.

Bert says the most important Christian relationship is one with Jesus

you know, Bert, I was, interviewing an atheist for one of my books. And even an atheist admitted to me that one of the best things about the local church. Now, this guy, he rejected God. He was not a believer. But he said to me, I will admit one of the greatest things about the church is that you create community. And you know, the local church, I mean, even when people are sick or, disabled or elderly, and from the vantage point of the world, people, when they cease to be useful in some way, the world casts people aside. But one of the beautiful things about the church is from the cradle to the walker and the wheelchair, you're valuable because you're made in the image of God. And you mentioned the Genesis passage where God said, it is not good for man to be alone. We were made for relationships, and God is a relational God. And because we're made in God's image, all people are made for relationships. There's, of course, the relationship with the Savior, and there's the relationship with family and neighbors and friends and siblings and co workers. And I hope you've got the wonderful relationship of those that you go to church with. But, Bert, let me just say this. I want you to comment. We're going to come back to Romans 8 in just a minute. one of the most fearful things about lostness, about hell, there's the fire and the punishment and all of the things the Bible warns about. But I think one of the things that would be the most severe, fearful horror of dying without Jesus would be to be eternally alone.

>> Bert Harper: I agree. I agree. Alex.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah. To anyone listening, listening, if you've not trusted Christ and if you don't know if you're a believer, I mean, we could give you a thousand reasons you ought to turn to Jesus. But, you know, I think about the absolute, torture of eternal aloneness. And God doesn't want you to go there. We've been made for a relationship. And fundamentally, the most important one of all is a relationship with the Savior.

>> Bert Harper: And that's what you hear on Exploring the Word from Alex and myself all the time. When we talk about this, we're not talking about religion. We're talking about a relationship. And that relationship is real. It is not false. It is real. He says, I'll stay with you. I'm closer than a brother. I'm the one that will never leave you. I'll never, forsake you. The promises of God not abandoning us is so real. And, so we're asking you to come unto him all you who are weak and heavy laden. He'll give you rest, and, he will give you guidance, and he will help you.

Alex Burke: Romans 8 is a powerful chapter about God's love for us

And so let's talk about that again. That scripture is very powerful, Alex. It's Romans 8:38,39. Is it okay if I read it once again, as we start to unpack this and look at this very, carefully.

>> Alex McFarland: Even, read some of the other verses around it if you want to.

>> Bert Harper: Okay, Well, I will do that. Romans 8 is a powerful chapter. If you're looking for a chapter that will help you understand the love of God and how much he cares for you, I, think you would be blessed. Listen to starting with even verse 31. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for all, how shall he not, with him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies, who is he who condemns. It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, as it is written, for your sake, we are killed all day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Now those two verses. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is Christ Jesus our lord. Alex, verses 38 and 39 are, the climax of this whole chapter. And I've read parts of it. But because of that, in other words, because of who he is, where he is, what he's done, he was convinced, I'm persuaded, that nothing shall separate us. In other words, his persuasion was not just him thinking. It was because of what God had done, isn't it?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, it really is. And I know you'll remember back in Psalm 139, where it says, if I descend down into the grave, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, if I ascend up to the heavens, you are there. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere. And I know emotionally we might feel Alone sometimes. Or we might think that we are in too bad of a problem. Even God couldn't solve it. But remember, Jesus is never going to abandon us. And I love that. Romans 8. And you mentioned, in Vietnam, how some of the men that were in solitary, you know, to, avoid really, you know, losing their mind and losing all hope, they would talk to God, but they would tap out codes with each other. And it was my privilege, BURKE, probably about 20 years ago, that I heard a speech by a decorated Vietnam vet who had survived in one of the Vietnam prison camps by, sharing the Christian fellowship the soldiers had with each other. And In Jon chapter 14, Jesus told the disciples, he said, I will not leave you comfortless. I am coming to you. In a little while, the world will no longer see me, but you will see me because I live. You also will live. I think the Lord is very loving and compassionate to reassure us that we will not ever be abandoned. Hebrews 13. he will never leave us or forsake us, and Jesus will never, betray us. Now, it's interesting, and we're going to get to some points here about unnecessary sources of worry from Romans 8. But that very same night of the Last Supper, when Jesus took such great care to assure the disciples that that very same night he would be betrayed by Judas and, Jesus himself would be abandoned in the Garden of gethsemane. Matthew 26:56, it says, all the disciples deserted him and fled. And on the cross, Jesus quoted Psalm 22. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He felt abandonment. He wasn't abandoned. But, Hebrews 4:15 says, Jesus was tempted in all points, like we, yet without sin. Now, here's one of the great comforts. Not only the presence of God, which is very real, but the fact that no matter what we're going through, Jesus really, really does understand, doesn't he?

>> Bert Harper: He does. And let me just share this with you. God is faithful, you know. He, You know, sometimes if we're not careful, we'll make promises that we don't have the power to keep. When Jesus makes these promises, Alex, he has the power and the desire to keep them. And he will, won't he?

>> Alex McFarland: He's able, and he is willing. You're listening to Exploring the Word. We're in Romans, Chapter 8. Bert Harper, Alex McFarland on the American Family Radio Network. Stay tuned. Exploring the Word is back after.

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Alex and Burt discuss Romans chapter eight with American Family Radio

this is exploring the Word on American Family Radio. Everybody here looking for revival in our own hearts and across man. Anybody looking for a revival? Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Alex and Bert with you. And we're in the second segment. If you're just now joining. We're looking at Romans, chapter eight, especially verses 38 and 39. And, that whole chapter builds up to this phrase where he is persuaded that nothing will separate him from the love of God. Now that persuasion, Alex, comes from what he has learned about Christ and what God has taught him, what he knows and what has been revealed. And so can we have that kind of persuasion in our lives that God is not going to abandon us?

>> Alex McFarland: Absolutely. Isn't that great? You know, it seems like, in even the most promised, guaranteed things of this world, there's always some fine print. You know, have you ever had a coupon and you go to the store and you think you're going to, you know, get 10% off? Are you going to buy one, get one free? It seems like there's always a catch.

>> Bert Harper: Yeah, I'm usually a day late and a dollar short.

>> Alex McFarland: Exactly. Or, you know, I remember I was in an airport and I had a thing where if you got a slice of pizza, you could get a free soda. and I was so excited because I didn't have enough money to get a drink, too. And I had my coupon and I went in this particular chain restaurant and they said, you know, read it. It says, except at airports. But I want to tell you, the promises of God are yea and amen, even in airports.

>> Bert Harper: Amen.

>> Alex McFarland: Aren't you glad when it comes to the promises of God, the comfort, the care, the provision, the guidance, if we're willing to let Jesus Christ be our Lord and our Savior, he is the friend who sticketh closer than a brother. And I'm glad God is not going to hand the coupon back to you and say, well, there's a gotcha. There's some fine print. God is faithful. Now, we will.

From Romans, 8, 38, 39, talk about five unnecessary sources of worry

Before the show is over, I'm going to talk about something that is, just a note to self that you need to be mindful of but right now, I want to. From the Romans, 8, 38, 39, I want to talk about five unnecessary sources of worry. You don't need to get a stomach, ulcer about these because they cannot sep you because they cannot separate you from Christ's care.

>> Bert Harper: Well, let me ask you this before you start that one more thing. What good does the worry do?

>> Alex McFarland: Nothing.

>> Bert Harper: Okay. I just wanted to set that up.

>> Alex McFarland: Now, I know you've probably heard people. I've heard, Charles Stanley talk about worry is like a rocking chair. You can be in motion, but you're not getting anywhere.

>> Bert Harper: Ah.

>> Alex McFarland: so I think about this, too, and I've heard people ask this question. But of all the things that we worry about and we obsess over, I mean, how many of them really did happen? And have you ever had anybody ask you, Bert, you know, quick, what, one year ago today, 365 days ago, what were you worried about? Man, I don't know.

>> Bert Harper: I can't remember.

>> Alex McFarland: Yeah, but, I think one of the antidotes for worry is to praise God. And, you know, Bing Crosby, I think, had it right. When I'm worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep. And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

>> Bert Harper: If you haven't ever heard that song, I think it can probably be Googled and you can find out on YouTube about that.

>> Alex McFarland: It's a sweet song.

>> Bert Harper: Ah, it is a good song. It is. As a matter of fact, I think it was on the show movie, White Christmas, if I remember that correctly. I think, hey, you and I are old, old movie. We don't know much about the new ones, but we're old movie aficionados. I think that's true.

>> Alex McFarland: And you know what? I know we'll get some correspondence and some emails when we mention things. By the way, speaking of which, we do love to hear from you. And you can reach us at Word W o r d wordfr.net and if you've got a Bible question, send us your Bible questions or your. Just whatever. maybe you need some spiritual help with something. We would love to encourage you, but your questions very, very often do become the material for future programs. And so wordfr.net but let me give you a point here. A couple of things. Human mortality cannot remove you from Christ's care. Romans 8:38. Neither death nor life. And we worry. We worry. But isn't it something that the care of Jesus and the faithful hand of the Lord is not obstructed? By any human mortality, neither physical infirmity in this life, nor terminal illness, death, life or death. I mean, none of that can separate us from the protection and the care and the provision of our Lord.

>> Bert Harper: And Alex, when you said that, I could not help but think of your friend and, and I've met her as well, Joni Eareckson Tada when, she made the statement, I'd rather know Christ the way I know him and of his care with my m. Paralysis being, paralyzed than the way I, was in not knowing him when I was not here in this condition. That is the strength of knowing the love of God and knowing that he does not abandon us, he does not forsake us. He is there. And I could not help but think of that. When you think about all that could happen, he is there. and there was this song that was written years and years ago. He was there all the time. And that song takes through many issues that happened to this individual, but he was there all the time. M. When Jesus comes in, he says, I'm here. I'll not abandon you. I will stay with you. And so human mortality cannot remove us from Christ's care. Alex, what a great, great promise.

>> Alex McFarland: do you know the evangelist Tim Lee? Does that name.

>> Bert Harper: Yes, I do. I had him in our church here in Tupelo when I was pastoring.

>> Alex McFarland: Powerful, powerful man of God. And he lost both legs in the service of our country. I forget if he stepped on a grenade or a landmine or something, but lost both legs. And I've heard him preach a number of times. He praises God for it. And you might think that would be a life ending tragedy, but it brought him to Jesus. And so, listen, that thing that we so desire, to avoid or be out from under it may be the very thing God uses to not only bring us to where we want to be, but bring us to himself. And so I'm so glad that our human mortality, our physical situation, can't remove us from Christ's care. secondly, spiritual forces, evil or good, could not separate us from Christ's care. Romans, 8:38, says neither angels nor demons.

Bertrand: Demons are real. I know in this 21st century world, a lot

Now let's talk about that because there is spiritual reality. I know in this 21st century world, a lot of people don't believe that. But, I want to say unequivocally, folks, the word of God is clear that there are demons in this world. And, you know, I hesitate to bring this up, Bert. We don't talk about it a lot because I don't Want people to be, you know, morbidly, obsessed, or think about them, or certainly be afraid of them. Satan is real. Demons are real. They're not to be trifled with. However, the believer is shielded and protected from their influence. And I would say this, and I want you to comment, we, don't want to let sin have a foothold in our life and unwittingly, open a door to dark influence. But, demons are real, aren't they?

>> Bert Harper: They are demon controlled. No demon, attacked believers, yes, but yet we have this promise. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world or that which is in the world. And I want to share with you, I've heard some people in demonic warfare, spiritual warfare, don't concentrate on his tactics, don't be ignorant of them. know the wiles of the enemy, but the main thing is know the real thing. this is an old illustration, but it's still one of the best ones I've ever heard. In the Treasury Department when they are studying and how to study to be ready for counterfeit money, they don't look at all the counterfeits. They concentrate on the real deal, and they get the real deal down so well that when a, counterfeit comes along, they can recognize it. If you're teaching on spiritual warfare, if you're teaching on demonic activity, just be careful. Don't concentrate on it. Concentrate on Jesus and his power over it. Alex, I found that out the hard way. I knew people needed to know about Satan's tactics and his wiles. The Bible says that. And so I was doing a whole series on it. And you talking about falling under attack, under oppression. I did. And I had a friend, matter of fact, I'll call his name. He's one of the greatest guys in my life, Tommy Vinson. And Tommy was pastoring close by, and he said, bert, you're concentrating too much on the demon activity and not enough on Jesus overcoming power. And so when you do that, stay with Jesus. Make I don't care what you're doing. Salvation, spiritual warfare, stewardship, all of those are S's. No matter what you do, concentrate on Jesus Christ. He needs to be the centerpiece of every sermon, of every message. I don't care if it's liberty, I don't care what it might be. Jesus is the centerpiece by him. When we lift him up, he's the one that draws people unto himself.

>> Alex McFarland: Alex, you know, I think we often think about, Satan and demons in terms of temptation to sin or physical harm or something like that. But you know what else, the demons do? They're teachers. You know, Satan sometimes is a public speaker, and I'm going to prove it. First Timothy 4:1 says, the Spirit says, clearly, in the latter times, some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, literally, things taught by demons. Now, 2nd Corinthians 4:4 says that the God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ. Second Corinthians 2 talks about Satan trying to outwit us. Now, the reason I say that is because of this. If you are in Christ and you're abiding in Christ, we just finished, first Jon, where in the gospel of Jon. And in first, second, third Jon 53 times, Jon the apostle writes about abiding in Christ. First Jon 2:27. The spirit, abides in you and remains and will teach you all things. Here's the thing. We don't want to be deceived by demons or the devil. And false doctrine, false, teaching. Things that twist up the Bible and deceive people and hold them in physical and spiritual bondage. if you're abiding in Christ, you don't have to worry about that, because spiritual forces, if you're in Jesus and you don't let sin have control of your life, and you're trying to daily, maybe even multiple times a day, do an evaluation of your heart and turn to Christ. If we're doing what we're supposed to do as a believer, Bertrand, as I understand it, spiritual forces and the schemes of the devil cannot separate us from Christ's care.

>> Bert Harper: Amen. I grow with that. While you're talking about this, false teachers, they're not just in churches. They can be in education. Because what's happened. Education, government, politics. They have entered into the area of biblical content concerning life, concerning marriage, concerning liberty, and all the freedom that Christ gives in him. And so those false teachers, we say, oh, they're only in churches somewhere. No, you'll find them. And they are. Let me share this. They are demonically fed. Now, hear that word? that idea is demonic. evolution is demonic. The whole idea of transgenderism is demonic in its source. It's demonic in its source, Alex. And we need to cry that out. And those of us that are believers, we need to come to the Bible and say, Jesus taught this, that a marriage is between A man and a woman. Jesus taught that. they say, oh, that's in the Old Testament. No, Jesus taught that himself. And so we need to underline that, don't we?

Ellen Page and Chris Pratt criticized for attending anti-LGBT church

>> Alex McFarland: you might have seen in the news just recently, two celebrities, Ellen Page and Krish Pratt. And, Ellen Page was berating, this other person, Krish Pratt, for attending, quote, an infamously anti LGBTQ church. Well, let me just say any church that is faithfully preaching and believing the word of God, the Bible scripture. And Remember, in Jon 10:35, Jesus said, the scripture cannot be broken. any church that's actually teaching God's word, of course, is going to be against the false demonic, gay agenda. This thing of mainstreaming and trying to normalize something that really dehumanizes people. And so, Bert, you're right on the money. And, I would say this, that in our lifetime, really, in the last 10 years, the attempt to say that gender is fluid and males or females can change merely by thinking it is a way that people are trying to be their own God. Because think about this, to really shake your fist at your creator and say, God, you can't tell me what to do. God, you can't even define what I am. I will define what I am, whether it's heterosexual, homosexual, male, female, trans. You know, gender fluidity. It is demonic. And you know what, Burp. The devil doesn't care. The devil doesn't care if you go to hell as a drug dealer, a terrorist, a, ah, fine, upright moral citizen from an outward viewpoint, if you're in the gutter or in the boardroom, if you're down and out or up and out. All Satan cares about is that you live, die, and leave this world without a relationship to Jesus.

>> Bert Harper: And that scripture we're talking about is Romans 8, 38, 39, if you've joined us since we announced that. And it does say that angels or demons cannot separate us from the love of God. We're talking about the abandonment, and then there's the feeling of abandonment. we know if you're in Christ, there is no abandonment. But there can be a feeling of abandonment. But he was there all the time. But let me share with this, Alex. We'll not go into the next segment. the last three, into the last segment. We're pre recording this and we're not going to take phone calls in the last one. But the feelings, that's the reason you can't trust those feelings that we've been talking about. Sometimes you stay with the word of God. So if the battle is going on in your life, Alex, between, is God with me or not? Go to his word. Look at his word. Make sure you come to Christ in a real relationship with him. Not a fake one, not one that's a counterfeit, but one where you've given your life to him as you surrendered, as you repented of your sin and turned away from sin, and you ask him to come into your life. Listen, the word of God says, I'm with you always. That's good news.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. You're listening to Exploring the Word. Stay tuned. We're back right after this.

Preborn has rescued over 200,000 babies from abortion

>> Bert Harper: We'd like to thank PreBorn. PreBorn has rescued over 200,000 babies from abortion. And every day their network clinics rescue 200 babies. Will you join PreBorn in loving and supporting young moms in crisis? Save a life today. Go to preborn.com exploring the word on American Family Radio. Connect with Alex and Bert on, the Exploring the word Facebook page. Facebook.com exploring the word. Your words give us life that's never ending. Your words bring us love that never fails. Everything else will fade away, but what will remain?

>> Alex McFarland: All your will. What a joy it is to know that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Bird: Bert and I both preach the gospel around America

Welcome back to Exploring the Word. Bird and I are going to resume our look at Romans chapter 8. I do want to remind you that Bert and I both, I have ample opportunity to preach the gospel around America. And, for what we've got going on in our little, corner of the kingdom is, I think, all truth for a new generation. We've got several things around the country, and it's, it's apologetics and it's equipping. We have a camp in July that we do every year, a youth apologetics camp. And so if you want to keep up with, things the Lord is doing on my side of the table, the website is Truth for a new generation. That's truth. F o r truthforanewgeneration.com and then Bert Harper, my dear colleague and friend. God uses he and Jan in such mighty ways. And, the fishbowl retreats and so many other things. Bert, how can people keep up with you and find out what you're doing?

>> Bert Harper: Oh, they can go to repairingthefoundations.net and they can find out about the fishbowl retreat and they can contact me through wordfr.net and they can do that, mine and Jan's. As far as how much we do, we don't do near as many as Alex does. He is a full time evangelist. I pastor, interim pastor on Sundays, and I do that. I'm at Hillcrest Baptist Church in NewSong Albany, Mississippi, right now, every Sunday, and enjoying that. So Janet and I will be on the road doing those things. And so we. March is going to be a busy month for all of us. And so we're prerecording some programs. So when you're hearing this, we're out doing those things that God's called us to do, along with exploring the Word. But I would say exploring the Word is just a highlight for us, and

>> Alex McFarland: so it's such a joy.

We want to let people know that God will not abandon them

>> Bert Harper: Well, let's. We better hurry if we're going to get the last three to let people know that God will not abandon them. Alex, he is there. You may feel abandoned, but we're trying to let you know that when those feelings come and you're in Christ, you've been born again. He is there with you. He'll never leave you or forsake you. That is good news. And I've said that several times, and I haven't gotten over it because his Word said he would not leave us as orphans. I, praise God for that, brother.

Physical mortality cannot separate you from Christ's care, Bert says

>> Alex McFarland: All right, number one, physical mortality cannot separate you from Christ's care. Spiritual forces cannot separate you from Christ's care. And number three, time cannot remove you from God's care. And let me say this time and what takes place within time. Verse, 38 says, neither the present nor the future. Now, the reason I bring this up, I was sharing the gospel with a man, about 10 days ago, and he had sort of made a decision as a young person. Never really lived it out. Wasn't sure if he was saved or not. And he said, you know, I've been away from God so many years, it's probably too late for me. What would you have said to that, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It's never too late. God's always in the present. You remember when he was. I would bring this to him when he was talking to Moses. Moses said, who will I say has sent me to the Egyptians to do the work that you've called me to do? And God said, tell them that I am. That I am has sent you. I heard one preacher say, he didn't say I was, and I was, or I will be. That I will be, but I am. That I am. God is in the present. And that's the good news with Him. yesterday and tomorrow. It's in the present. Praise God for his power.

>> Alex McFarland: God is in the eternal now. And listen, you know, the Bible does say seek the Lord early. You know, remember thy creator in the days of your youth. But maybe if you haven't, maybe, as a young person you didn't turn to Christ. Maybe years have gone by and maybe you think you've been embroiled in sin and lostness for a long time and the years have allowed you to weave a pretty tangled web of circumstances. But praise God, the creator who created time is above time and beyond time. And the God that conquered the grave, he can resurrect your life. He can resurrect your hopes and dreams. So nothing going on in this temporal world can separate you from Christ's care. The fourth thing I want to point out is the physical universe itself and all the circumstances therein cannot separate you. It says in verse 39, neither height nor depth. And that's kind of a euphemism for, scribe the compass any direction you choose. 360 degrees. Look in any direction. God is there. God can help you. Up, down, east, west. Bert, aren't you glad that you could never go far enough in this universe to be beyond the reach of a loving savior?

>> Bert Harper: Hallelujah. Jonah found that out. But I'm reminded of a story. And Alex, you're so good on details about history and Bible. You may can help fill out the rest of the. But I know this, that a Russian cosmonaut was shot up into space. And you know, and he came back famously said I didn't see God. But do you remember, I don't know if it was Gemini or Apollo and they were circling the earth during Christmas and they read the creation story and the Christmas story, from space and it was so real that you could see and hear the majesty and the glory of God. What a perspective. That's the perspectives that you're dealt with today. God is there and he is to be seen. And he is seen through eyes that can behold his glory, that can behold his creation. And so it the height nor depth. When I saw that, I couldn't help but think about the height of how they were up in space. And yet reading that scripture about creation, Alex, I could not help but think about Jonah in the depths of the sea with that big fish that had swallowed him. And he came out ready to do the will of God. God is in the present, isn't he?

>> Alex McFarland: Well, he is. He is. Praise God. And you know, I remember, Uri, I'm trying to think of his last name, the Russian cosmonaut in 61, who circled the Earth. I, remember reading about that. And I'm not going to get us off track, but he had said, I've been out in space, and I did not see God. And he died in the late 60s. What a lot of people don't realize is the story is that he did become a devout Christian.

>> Bert Harper: Is that right? I had not heard that, brother.

>> Alex McFarland: Amen. Yeah. And those who knew him said that before he died, he did find salvation. But, the good news is, see, here's the thing. You don't have to fly in a spaceship to outer space to seek after God. You don't have to go to, a swami or a guru or do any of those things. We often say this, and it could be our motto. Jesus is as close by as a prayer. And you don't have to travel any distance at all, but you do have to open your heart. And the final thing that we want to say is, nothing in this universe can remove you from Christ's care. as if to sort of COVID every, idea the fearful heart might conjure up, Paul says this in verse 39 of Romans 8. Neither any powers nor anything else in all creation. You say, well, I got fired from my job. What's going to happen? God will help you. I've got a bad diagnosis. How in the world can I get through this? My family, my kids are prodigals. Whatever. Listen, we would beg of you, commit your soul and your sin, to Jesus and receive his forgiveness. Commit your family and your marriage, commit your daily needs to Jesus. He made you. He will save you. He cares for you, and we love this. Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Alex: The Book of Acts demonstrates the power of the gospel over all barriers

But, Bert, I want to say something not to contradict the Apostle Paul, but in a way. Now, listen carefully, folks. Actually, there kind of is something that could put you outside the realm of God's love and care, isn't it?

>> Bert Harper: Bert, let me just share this with you real quickly. The power of the gospel is what you're talking about, isn't it, Alex, that once we respond to that, we're in his care. We have got him. The Book of Acts demonstrates the power of the gospel over all barriers. And one of the main persons that's talked about in the Book of Acts is the Apostle Paul, who would write and pen these words that we've been talking about, but there is actually the part of an unwilling spirit, an unwilling heart. our heart. You know, it says, believe in Your heart, that's your mind, your will and emotions, that's the spiritual heart. And in your mind, you're rejecting that. If you are rejecting that because of your mental thoughts, you've been feeding on the wrong thing. If you're rejecting that because of your will. I don't want to change. I want to do my thing. You're playing a dangerous game. I want to just tell you, you need to come to Christ. And Alex, like you just said, there is that part that can separate us, but it's not what God has done. It's what we do with God. Isn't.

>> Alex McFarland: Is. You know, we often fear about some outside thing, you know, some external, situation that is going to really upset our apple cart. But, friends, I beg you, listen carefully. The only thing that would separate you from the love and the care and the intimacy of Jesus is this your unwillingness to allow God in your life or your own stubborn rejection of Jesus. Love. This is the sad thing. The thing that would keep you from God is you. If you want, turn to him. So right now, humble yourself. Believe. Take God at His word that he really, really loves you. He does. And, hey, you might think you're too bad of a sinner or this or that. Listen, when he paid for the sins of the whole wide world, that includes you and me, didn't it, Bert?

>> Bert Harper: It did. I remember a story by the great missionary Bertha Smith you and I talk about. I've been to her church, actually, and I'm in just a great. And there was this man that she was dealing with about his sin. So many. And she said, I tell you what you do. Get some paper and you list all the sins that you've ever committed that comes to your memory, that God brings to your memory and write over every one of those. Christ forgiveth. He does forgive. When we come to him and we ask him into our lives to be lord of our lives, we confess it. The word confess means to say the same thing as, or agree with. We agree with God. There's nothing in us that is good enough in order for us to have that forgiveness. But God's love was demonstrated to us through Jesus Christ that in him we can have forgiveness of sin. Alex, Jesus is the only way. He said it. I, am the way. The truth and the life. And you're not going to come to the Father any other way. Anybody else that tries to come any other way is a thief and a robber, and they have no part in the kingdom.

>> Alex McFarland: That's right.

>> Bert Harper: That's the truth of who Jesus is

>> Alex McFarland: heaven has a gate, but it doesn't have a side door. M and we've talked through the book of Revelation and you know, it's a beautiful city with walls, of Jasper and gates of pearl. But there's not going to be a side door, a back entrance, a trap door. You come through the door which is Jesus. You know, Bert, I did this book called the 21 Toughest Questions yous Kids Will Ask About God and Christianity. And we did an award winning video series with American Family Studios. I give God the Glory, but I came across an illustration and ah, Tyndale Publishers. Boy, they make you toe the line and they make you verify things. So we did. And the story is told in western North Carolina that the Cherokee Indians had a ritual. When a boy was to become a man. They would take, the child deep in the forest and blindfold him. and he had to stand on a stump all night long. And there might be noises and sounds and fearful things in the pitch black forest. Maybe even bear and mountain lions. But if they could go all night and not take off the blindfold and not run away scared, by dawn, sunrise, they'd be recognized as now they're truly a man. But here's the thing that they didn't realize that in the night, in the dark of the night, with all the predators and the dangerous things out there, standing only a few feet away was the loving father. And had there been any real danger to the child, the father of course would have intervened and the father would not have allowed a predator to harm or even kill his son. So, that rite of passage and the blindness might have contributed to the child's fear. But the child, the boy could rest easy because really in all actuality, the loving father was right there nearby. And I read that illustration and they allowed me to use it in my book because, that's like us, isn't it? And you know, we hear the noise of life and we in our mind tell ourselves so many things that, oh, this is not going to work out or how in the world, will this get, solved? The Father is right there. And I think that's what Paul is saying in Romans 8, that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. And what a comfort it is to know that always, everywhere, our Father is with us.

Bert Harper: Paul was writing to Christians in Rome about persecution

>> Bert Harper: Let's go back where we started concerning the Book of Romans. Paul was writing to the Christians in Rome. They were at the very center of civilization, the government, power. There was misuse and there was the idea of persecution. And part of that persecution was. Was difficulty. And Paul was writing to them. even in the darkest, difficult times of life, no matter what government you're under, no matter what kind of system you're in, no matter what family you're in, when you have this relationship with Jesus Christ, I will not abandon you. I will not separate myself from you. I'm going to be there with you. What a beautiful illustration of that young boy standing on that stump blindfolded, hearing all these sounds. But his father was keeping watch over him. Alex, we have that assurance. We have someone that's keeping watch over us, don't we?

>> Alex McFarland: Praise his name. And folks, we appreciate you listening to Exploring the Word. Bert Harper and I on the American Family Radio Network. Bert, we always say this. We say, please tell somebody about exploring the Word. But even more importantly than that, we

>> Bert Harper: tell everyone that we know about the Lord Jesus Christ. And we pray that you will. And, we pray that you would help Alex and myself spread the word. The good news. Jesus Christ saves. The views and opinions expressed in this

>> Alex McFarland: broadcast do not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.