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September 29, 2021 8:47 am
Mike is joined by his good friend, missionary Jeff Hoover, as well as Truth Network president Stu Epperson, to discuss stories of preaching the Gospel overseas.
Hey this is Jim Graham from the masculine dirty podcast where we explore relationship instead a religion every week your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it.
Sure, but most of all, thank you for listening you for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network welcome to If Not for God stories of hopelessness that turn to hope. Your host Mike swing if not for God with Mike Zwick do we have a show for you today. We've got brother Jeff Hoover. Jeff Hoover was a missionary, he did mission work over in Israel Palestine preach to the Palestinians was over in Europe. He saw some great miracles over there and now he's actually the high school soccer coach over it with the school nonplussed Piedmont classical we got Stu Epperson the owner of the Truth Network in Stu Epperson has his own show with the name of your shows that truth talking I featured the testimony, the story of Michael Zwick on that show nationwide recently as a great story. We got first Corinthians chapter 1 started for verse 18 right here it says for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise words describe where's the disputer of this age has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world. For since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom, did not know God it please God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe for Jews request to sign in Greek seek seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than men in the weakness of God is stronger than men it. Whenever I think of this verse.
One of the things that I think of is how many times over the years have we heard different things about eggs. Eggs are really good for you know actually bad for you it will actually egg whites are good for even a few years later, no actually are supposed to eat the whole way in. These are the wisest of RAG's are the people who know what all and then a few years later, and then they come up with something else to Jesus. He's wiser than us is wiser and he this passage is brilliant because you have the word fool or foolish over 20 times in chapters 1 to 1st Corinthians, and you have this whole theme of God's wisdom versus worldly wisdom in verses 1 to 3.
I mean look at just something very light. That's not controversy at all coded. Look at how many brilliant experts to come out on the vaccination anti-vaccination goes and gets his vaccination walks out which of these really studies anger this much more times likelier this and that in in in a course I'm not pushing any viewpoint there and there, but it's it, but it's interesting to see all the experts right that of come out and the experts that are the you suddenly opining and how it changes it changes it go going back from eggs decoded to have out this about the existence of man.
We could hear about the origins of man of creation and that even the word creation really gets people mad at the intellectual level because like know this is all just one big whammo Big Bang that were hereby about where genders come from about what is the what is my purpose now that I'm here why do we exist. There is nihilistic views. There's more views that are yet unicorn at the other Stoics, you have the Epicureans you have over 50 philosophical schools there and that's just scratch the surface, probably more than that which you have the great Socrates and Plato and Aristotle.
These great thinkers is a Paul comes into Corinth, preaches the gospel.
People get saved. He leaves these days or longer.
By the way, than anywhere else except for Ephesus, where he stayed for three years in court for your nap 18 months he leaves a church that is growing and vibrant in gifted and that it come to Christ personally pastored by the apostle Paul chronicled at him as your founding pastor and an ending around nearly 2 years. Then he gets his letter from close household chapter 1 verse 11 chapter 7 verse one that there's some stuff going on this really not good like that. The church is worst in the world in terms of how they're compromising. There's all kinds of bad stuff going on like moral compromise guy shacking up with his stepmom got a guy you got all kinds of things like a guy with people getting drunk at the Lord's supper. You get all this infighting. People say none of part of the policy will speed up the can factions begin their different denominations as it were, like a you number this guy with this guy will see the summer Jesus so there's a spry. This infighting is abusing the gifts like tongs and all these things. There's a whole litany of problems. So Paul Basey for global diversity is addressing the problems that Paul hears about, and right out of the gate. He establishes the most important axiom of where it is true wisdom and knowledge come from epistemology is a kind of a heavy word for those out there including Mia Basco, clearly usually works like that is a lot more time to examine that in the classroom, but epistemology the origin of knowledge word we get this knowledge word. We did this wisdom and he starts right out the gate say look, there is a foolishness that the whole thing. The soul cross idea of God becoming a man coming to us and God dying on the cross this to the world is actually ludicrous foolish is a Greek word for there is Marranos which were regular word moron Millie St. Paul knowing more on the stuff that you guys are are feeding us as a bunch moron stuff is crazy. It's nuts. It's gets cuckoo and Paul establishes in these in these key verses that the message of the cross. The gospel, the death, burial, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, which you really drills down on in chapter 15 because her people attacking resurrection and his church. He says that the foundation of who Jesus is why he came what he did is to the world.
It's foolishness to those who are perishing, it's folly, it's Dom it's it's it's nonsense, but to those who are being saved it is. It's the power of God, yes. And so this and then so he is this whole diatribe on the what what how the God's wisdom and God's wisdom he puts to shame the wisdom of the world what they sent what is the was in the world is a great question has not God said, you will not surely die as the was the world go and neither thing and you become like God was the wisdom of the world. God helps those who help themselves and do nice things for people and you get to heaven was the wisdom of the world. All these do you think about all these little clich�s that we throw out peace. So many people listing even right now they think will be him to go to Church of England are forever in philanthropic. I give back when they pass a playground and put something in there and when I see someone homeless. I give a bottle water him some money under to go to heaven I not killed anyone. I've been faithful to the same woman for 50 years that my friend does not get you to heaven. The world's wisdom says yes. Do good good to heaven. You're born good.
The wisdom of God says that no one is good, no not one. Romans chapter 3 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all of our righteousness is as filthy rags were gonna work ourselves right into hell yeah the world's wisdom says do and don't get to heaven. God's wisdom says done. Yes, John 1930 Jesus Christ said those three powerful words one word in the Greek to tell us die three words in English. It is finished and that is the message of the cross.
And that's where Paul starts in this beautiful book in first Corinthians.
The older and older I get, the more and more that I see the world is matter fact will look at some right here. We got Matthew chapter 5 verse 38 it says you have heard that it was said, and I for an eye and a tooth for tooth, but I tell you not to resist an evil person, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him. Also, if anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also and whoever comes compels you to go to go 1 mile, go with him to give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you. Do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven and he makes his sun rise on the evil on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you and do not even the tax collectors do the same if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others do not even the tax collectors do so therefore you shall be perfect just as your father in heaven is meant. And that's good, that's a good word and you know that you realize that was contrary to everything that was going on at that time. Even everything that was going on today but it's funny because I look at something and the Mayo Clinic and the Mayo Clinic came out with something it says forgiveness, letting go of grudges and bitterness when someone you care about hurt you.
You can hold on to anger, resentment, and thoughts of revenge or embrace forgiveness and move forward in this is what they say about it, were the benefits of forgiving someone letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for improved health and peace of mind while forgiveness can lead to healthier relationships, improve mental health, less anxiety, stress and hostility, lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, a stronger immune system improve heart health, and improved self-esteem. When Jesus was saying the stuff this is not what people wanted to do in the natural but it's funny that the word of God. We follow what he said. Not only does it help us supernaturally were doing what God told us to do were obedient to him, and we feel better and we get to heaven I believe will receive a reward as well in the natural so many times as well that were blessed because we followed the wound was in the rules of God is matter fact when I'm talking about this. Jeff Jeff Hoover over here.
One of the things I was think about as you are in a you are doing the mission trip. One time Japanese that somebody punched you in the face when I was in Bethlehem and I was driving one time guy pulled out in front of me and we hit just a little fender bender kind of thing. I started to get out of the car.
It was hot so I have my window down and he jumped out of his car and ran and punched me in the face then some other people. Other from the stores around came out and settle things that stuff like this and all I really glad you didn't get out of the car because guys like six 180 pounds of muscle and gentle giant. That's pretty tough. He can't come right out here you are trying to share the good news of Christ and the guy sucker punch the guys pulled us apart. Stuff like this and told Mia that he was a doctor and and everything in. He was very had a lot of influence in the society and things like this and all we wanted to try to get together and we just just forgave him and we ended up shaking hands and stuff like this and all in the thing is that the God allows us to be able to do that, you know it's not us. I mean if it was me, I would've wanted like Stu said, you know that I'm not that small so the thing is that I would want to hit back right, but it's God who gets hold of your spirit and lets you know and even some of the neighbors told me you know he's not like that. I know that the tension because of the situation going on there in a curfews back-and-forth and other things like this and stuff and armies coming in closures and things like this because of all these things going on. There's a lot of pressure on these people that doesn't give them a excuse but what it does is when we forgive. Then they see that we are different that God has really done something in our hearts, and it doesn't matter if there from Christian background or from Muslim background, we can be a real witness for the Lord at that particular time. They see a difference. So that's what we want to show in a great testimony. That's awesome and that's awesome. And when I think about this. It's like not only in the natural.
It sounds like you wanted to punch him back because he got you and wanted to get it at the end of the day when it was all said and done, you ended up shaking hands. I don't know if this guy was a Christian or not, was a Christian background. I don't know is a Christian.hit it. So he may, you know, he may not of been little but when he saw you not hit him back, and when he saw you love him in a way that was abnormal because most people would've been furious that I am sure that he saw the Christ in you have you have you ever had an experience like that. Stu word and maybe maybe we did it the wrong wire to stay with my brother here. Jeff and both of us pitifully bashful overseas coach and he's coached more than overseas and I played and I did have experience with a very well-known coach in the states now who was our head coach levees in action. The refs was in Greece plane approaching and I was I had had a really good game. The game for so they targeted me first half of the game.
They called 3000 on me and was a close game and I was it in threes and I was in I was on fire and I was at the other end of the court and are trailing in the file was committed on this in the courts 200 feet away. Filing teammates and they called my number is felt my coach went nuts Moses ago to holdback these over here. Well three fouls you watch that's under the bench fourth-quarter within like two minutes of the four of the third fourth quarter. Second half they called another fella get another ridiculous foul only because I was like I was the foul line and on the baseline are big man felt their big man the cold on me and I got four files I think they found me out within you know with with only like a few minutes left in the game. The other team. They came back they whined and so literally are coach he was ready to rip the head off the referee and we were holding back, but after the game at his actions was to share the gospel records to his credit, he restrained from doing that.
But the Lord put a strong sense on me and I was mad that they had found me on it. It was really was definitely wrong. There was surely dishonest, unethical it was.
He what he expects that right. This is Greece as their hometown team and I love every study is recent zone down team hear the Americans come in and there want to be. This is her to be there the rest your life working affects America honor no Pan Am flight be done and the Lord for my heart to go share Christ with that rough and think much of that. Like I forgot about disaster Christ everybody and I said hey listen is good news of Christ in the Greek interpreter and we got we got everyone a circle. We sure that we would surely one guy was sure the gospel through interpreting the guy about, but 60 to 92nd testimony two minutes. The next I would share the four laws are that you how to me.
How do you now you come to know Christ. So we did that and then we prayed with everyone to pray to receive Christ and I member one after that. Rough in sharing the good news of Christ with him and the other coach and so the players know that it was a few years after that that my coach we are reconciled, we are reunited in southern it he got introduced me and he shared about that instance that II could he remember that that it happened so that is has had an impact on my coach who's also an intensive you know Division I. You know the thing with the pressure there of thing of the forgiveness needed.
There, but it also. Who knows maybe that other guy got saved and saw because he knew he had done us all wrong right and really through the game force, but in that instance the power of forgiveness and by the way, it never comes easy and it never it's never know what is Jesus saying that Matthew five phase. If you forgive those who get along with you. Love those who you your compatible with its easy we all have our friend groups or clicks, going to forgiven someone the did you wrong about going to like it. I got my book last words of Jesus in chapter 1 about going over to Rwanda where there's a civil war there literally murdering each other's families and then this this awesome of ministry, went over, and they wrote all documentary just clueless as we forgive is called as we forgive and they went over and they got all the churches and all the Christian leaders and they when they pray for revival repentance the got an easy fast. They prayed for months in the Lord started doing a work in the same tribal feuding individuals that were murdering each other that shed blood. You saw the Rolando you look at the footage is Google it. The same people that were killing children were now worshiping together in forgiving each other while they did not have by the way, they do not have enough room in the jails and prisons to put all the murders that was that Letty, a genocide in Rwanda, but when Christ came in and Christians got serious. You have you have this amazing work of grace and that's what he's done and all I think about it we were enemies. Paul says in Ephesians 2, Colossians 1 we were enemies of his of the cross.
But Christ, but God rich in mercy buys grade level with the loved us. He poured out his grace on us. We were running away. We were we were fighting God. We are still we were looking for God as much as a bank robber looking for a cop in here. Jesus Christ came in all his glory, leaving the waters of heaven to come in and die so we could be saved less than 99 to got to the one and now he sends us into that same hatemongering evil, politically charged, anti-God world to share the wisdom of God with a world that needs Jesus and and that is 100% true and I believe that when the world sees everybody else's freaking out and losing their minds and that when we have a piece about us. People are going to look at us and say what you have number one and number two I want that one of the things I think about it reminded him of Pastor Charles Stanley. He said one time he says are in or things tough for your whatever he says was last time you were crucified, and it was last time you were crucified it and am reminded when I feel like maybe I don't want to forgive somebody I remember that Jesus he was on the cross and they were crucifying him. They were killing him for something he didn't do anything all night and he says father forgive them for they know not what they do and summaries that will last. Jesus will okay will hit without Stephen Stephen was the first martyr he was telling the truth and telling everything about Jesus the holy's all the stuff people didn't want to hear it and all of a sudden caught a town in a stone him aces when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed at him with their teeth but heating for the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said look I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, and they cried out with a loud voice, stop their ears, and ran at him with one accord in the cast out of the city, and stoned and the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of young may name Saul and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying the Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he kneeled down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin and when he had said this, he fell asleep.
They just don't mean to do anything. He's just a man like us, you should demand better fact, he actually did a job that I think the apostles didn't even want to do, so he wasn't like the best in the price, but because he said yes because when his opportunity came around and he said yes to Jesus and he did what was right. Now we all know him as the first martyr Woody that Jeff undersigned yeah I mean all this to me goes back to John chapter 20 and John chapter 20 where verse 23 versus whoever sends that you remit or they are remitted or they are forgiven, and whoever sends you retain or hold onto.
They are retained or held held onto others listen to a message one time friend of mine who is preaching and they were telling a bit. This, in the Greek is a a picture of like molasses or something sticky okay very sticky or maybe even like a stick bomb kind of thing that they throw when it hit somebody state coming hit its tank or something and sticks to it. The thing is that it sticks and it not just sticks to that person because many times we don't want that person to be forgiven, but he also sticks to us and it holds us away from the relationship. The perfect relationship we want with our father.
If that's not enough. That should be enough to be able to forgive people to at least start the process you started by speaking and that you you may not mean it at that particular tyrant that's right but you started that and you keep it going. That every time the devil wants to hit you with this. Yes, you forgive us and it allows God to work in your heart yes to help your health. Like you said to help you and your relationship with him and then also, maybe you don't want it but the thing is, it also opens that other person. It frees them for God to work in their life for them to come to know the Lord yes because that sin is not going to block their eyes anymore that CN is not going to be held against them anymore is almost like offense and defense right. It's like there's a defensive. What reason I forgive, to protect myself from bitterness because I'm committed to energy by you as got right, but there's an offense to the offenses hourly them to Christ.
But if I hate them. I made for them and I swing back and go after them and I salt them. How am I gonna bring them they are so lost in the only reason they're acting out against us is because they're under the snare of the devil second 70 chapter 2, they are trapped in that they're not acting on their own are acting out of their flesh directing out of the devil's bondage and so goddess set us as agents of forgiveness ministers literally second is chapter 5 verses 17, 18 and 19. He says after is never even agreed to anyone is in Christ is a new creation. 517. They says in all this is from God, who is made you a minister reconciliation to every relationship you have where there's a fracture and there's a bitterness and there's a there's an anger or resentment one way or another, God put you in a relationship to bring the forgiveness and the grace of Christ and in you know it doesn't mean you forget it does me someone in a you robbed you. You don't just leave your door unlocked but not but you can forgive in terms of saying God I hope I don't hold this against them doesn't mean they have to receive your forgiveness right but you your part is, inasmuch as it relies on me. Romans 12 be at peace with all men and you're doing that your blessed peacemaker to bring yourself at peace with them, but to bring them to peace with God as they are sold found they don't know Christ to hell during their life to demonstrate the forgiveness but to get them right with God briefly of any problems with horizontally with man reasons anyone has any problems horizontally is because they have a vertical problem is not right with God's world is a solution. Our whole country you that you silicates right with God changes air everything that's the changes how we relate to you as it is because I go to him, he changes me and then that changes all of my horizontal relationship so it starts with loving God. Knowing God's see God being healed and forgiven by God, and then that flows out to a forgiveness that goes the channels out to everyone that I come in contact with.
And that's why I can't forget the look is likely I've been forgiven yet. I haven't gotten the other unforgiving there in Jesus even said it right as you yet you are in our forgiving others not forgiven by God. They have experienced at peace that healing that freedom of forgiveness. So therefore they can't give away or they can't forgive what they haven't received and that is the power and that's why Jesus came and asked the cold air went out there listening you've never been forgiven. Have a doggone hard time forgiving people you're gonna get over this and is really something else is going to be constant strife and strength in constant problem. Your life until you go to the cross and be forgiven by Christ and then receive his forgiveness and then out of that you will become a perpetual forgiven and then once you once you once you receive that forgiveness for yourself and what you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Once you realize how much you been forgiven of. I believe it makes it a little bit easier yourself and Jeff Hoover were glad to have you coach at Piedmont classical Piedmont classical men's soccer team and Stu Epperson, author of first words of Jesus and author of last offer of last words of Jesus. Thank you guys for coming on. We really enjoyed it. If not for God has reminded us how fragile and unpredictable, like out about your landline in their financial security and plan for the teacher what are 1873 the Polish Roman Catholic in America has been protecting its members and their families financially doing our life today. The portable life insurance community right to know member even lower your income are like transferring 3.1 year hundred dollar man in our work how your life are everything for our life protecting my this is the Truth Network