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May 9, 2020 9:00 am
Mike and Robby talk about how faith can help us face the doubts and depression many of us are facing in this troubling time.
If not stories of hopelessness turned to his mouth hard for me to say this one will be read but in a way it will be because it I think you can relate to what our stories today on if not for God, my were talking a little bit about. I think short-term depression might be a good word like all of a sudden and all these things are to overwhelm us and and I can happen to even strike that absolutely the you know it. I've seen a lot of stuff on the news lately and I'm sure you have two Robbie but what they've said is that there's an article right here it says the US is in a medically induced coma.
That doesn't mean were heading into a depression just yet, but a lot of people are depressed and a lot of people are upset they may call a cabin fever, and I feel you and IIII sold insurance for going on 16 years and I've met a lot of people who have said Mike.
I always wanted to retire. I always was looking forward to retiring. I hated my job and then once I retired I said oh my God this. This isn't what I thought it would be and they miss working and so they actually go back to work on and I think for a while now. People have not been able to do the work every day in and live their lives out is normal and there sitting around the house.
A lot of people have had some depression but I mean you know the good news is is that there are answers for depression in the Bible is matter fact I pulled up some verses right here Robbie Philippians 4 verse eight it says. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things are Deuteronomy 31. Eight the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid. Do not do not be discouraged or thought. Psalm 3416 the righteous cry out in the Lord hears them.
He delivers them from all all all of their troubles and Robbie what what would you encourage people to do right now, he may feel depressed. Well, I think Satan's normal strategy is to think you're the only one that you think I was the Robbie laugh all the time on the radio. We must always know I'm in. I struggle with it a lot and even in times that normally I would go home and my best time in the world is in the morning with the Lord will during this time. During this season it's been during some of those times that I literally become the most discouraged. The motion depressed and all of a sudden those scriptures that you just mentioned become life-giving work. I don't know that I what I just read them. You know that that significant necessarily feels that but when it hits home is really where all the sudden I need God at a level that I hadn't. They hated him and then you know that and it could be the bigger salvation that that's bringing to light a need that I wasn't aware that I have yet in in one of the things that we were talking about a little bit before is is that you note. First Corinthians 1533 and this is the NIV, it says do not be misled.
Bad company corrupts good character and so a lot of people if there depressed and because of social distancing, and because of these other things it may be tougher to get around other people, but one of the things that you would said Robbie was that I think you would mention Greg Laurie right that he had, you know over the last five weeks. If you read Greg Lori's blog and such mind-boggling heat. He is church services online prior to the covert crisis worsened around 8000 people that were you know, watching his online service. You know the first week you know that jumped up to you know over 10,000. The second week you know over 50,000, and then the third week you know over 100,000 and guess what he's now like 1.8 million people and decisions for Christ like they've never seen in their ministry like this is a time where you know not only is our world being shaken but a lot of people are finding themselves in a place where you know their circumference, searching for answers where they've never looked before absolute in Romans 828 it says and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are called according to his purpose.
Sometimes when were in the midst of things that sometimes when things are tough. We may not be saying I will. God is doing this for the good or whatever, but we had a conversation before the show Robbie and you said that God may be using this in weaving this into a way where yes things on the surface may look tough and and when when you turn on the news it's pretty much all bad, but maybe he's using this for his own purpose. I would not maybe. However, you know, we need to in my opinion really be able to hold up our shield of faith when you know people that we normally considered to be, you know, strong in the faith and realize that they really need somebody like Moses to hold up their arms right now so you know if we think about praying for Greg Gloria and other leaders, but even in your own case.
Mike you know I got a text from you know that said, your struggle yeah I mean II you know, and I am the kind of person I am constantly go go go go go and I told my wife and family and it's it's it's nice to be up to spend time with kids is nice be of the do stuff together and I said, but at some point I almost felt like I didn't have the same purpose that I had before where I was going out and accomplishing things every day and doing stuff in and so yes it was. It was a time to think it was a time to praying it was a time to kind of ask questions and say, God, what is the purpose for all of this, but sometimes it's tough to. I mean, you know it's it's when you're used to doing so many things in a certain way and then all of a sudden it's all a a lot of it is just taken away from you, and you don't have the same freedoms that you've always had. Yet God can use it for his good but it doesn't mean that sometimes it will be tough on you.
Note in the past week or so I actually took my keys and every day I throw them over and I throw a little basket or whatever and and and what I did was I ended up throwing them over towards the basket and the keys fell behind the refrigerator.
It was almost impossible to get the keys out from behind refrigerator and I said to myself I said why why why and I cut a look at my wife and she was about to say something if they don't answer that because I do. There is an answer for it and I knew there was a reason why haven't I know why it happened.
I should've done it but I feel like sometimes maybe that OL edited only with thing, and why did your keys go, but I was careless you know I thought it was fun. I simply go throw them toss them over there but the basket was close to the back of the refrigerator and I should've known better not to take it not to not to take the keys and just awesome. I knew I should've put them in there, but would it kind of reminded me of was in Scripture in Romans one starting with verse 19 going to 21.
It says because that which may have been known which may be known of God is managed manifest in them.
For God has shown it to them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened and so would it tells me is that yeah I mean God is not just doing all of the stuffer allowing all of the stuff just because he enjoys people suffering and stuff like that but we've talked about it many times is that sin does have consequences. And when we decide that we want to do things our way. God is not to step in and say no knocking allow you to do. He lets us do things our way. So he let the keys he let the keys there, but there are consequences. It was a pain in the neck how to get those keys out from the back of refrigerator as well as just go back to the text first. He allowed Mike switch himself right. And for those of us who know salesman arrived and I love salespeople. Then around them. All my life, and one and and you know we can't go make a call if we don't first salt sold to arson the first most important sale you make is the one you make yourself, which is that I do need to go talk to this person about this. I do have an opportunity to help people whatever so when when the salesman gets down its it's call for gigantic concern. I suppose it's a call for anybody but so anyway I get this text. Mike says that you're struggling. What I find beautiful is that in admitting that right your cup you're asking for help in your online writer same hey somebody got some forming in and actually I was in the middle of recording a radio show. I got the deck so I was like what I do� Really want to help my home and I'm in the middle recording but God had some 40 he did on the eye. I spoke to you when you spoke to me the next day and I had texted a lady in the net know well, she's out of writer Burlington and what she texted me was she said to listen to praise and worship music and and praise the Lord and so I started to do that and I felt better week. I've got involved with a group that meets on Tuesday nights and it's just other Christians and were able to talk about things and some of the people do it through resume and that's one of the great things about technology now is that even if we can't meet face-to-face, like you were talking about Greg Laurie is that we can be around other people in some capacity. As you know Robbie it says in Hebrews 1025 do not forsake the gathering of yourselves as some of them of dominant and I think you know, even from just a human perspective, being not for people not to be around other people and go go out to restaurants and stuff like that are at the interact is depressing for a lot of people so you had a chance to do some praise right at end and you told me you did feel better as a result, but also you have the group that you talk about and I route I couldn't help but note that you know our God sent me in my struggles was to Genesis right and when right at the end of Genesis where it says what actually is the beginning of Genesis 2 races is not good for man to be alone right now. If you follow that little storyline right there. I think were all very familiar with it, but that word alone in Hebrew. When you really break it down. It's interesting that it's got a bet which means home and then it's got a valid which means a servant. So here's his home which is nothing but a servant in okay so this is servant Dennis Dennis serve when he finds out serve God. Well hopefully but losing millions or himself right you and so when you think about if man is alone.
If he doesn't serve God, and know who else can we serve is to serve himself and boy were good at that and so serving yourself, does this not get you anywhere. So it's interesting that God's gonna make Adam a helper suitable form right but if you read that story in Genesis.
He does, doesn't make it the right then.
After he says is not good for man be on your way does it take that amount to the animals and he parades the animals to see if any of said business got economical.
The pictures you and Adam going there is a draft Islamic is not the one about a mosquito now. Now when I go with her.
I was you know elephant now knows is too big when I don't even know the whole picture of that is very comical. Denny makes it okay. And after he makes Eve, he says that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. Now if you look at that word cleave in Hebrew is actually alone backwards at the beginning so you gotta. We said we had a bet and that a doll it if you look at alone, which is actually pronounced bad in Hebrew, socially say that's bad that's alone yeah yeah yeah yeah answer.
If you reverse that and you put the doll at first, okay, so here you got man serving the house okay one house and that be the kingdom right man serving and then it has this cuff, which is holy, which is something that's actually kinda hidden in there that's holy, so the idea of cleaving is when we actually do serve God or our wife or other people. So interestingly, if we go back to your story from my perspective of you admit, which is huge to your group.
The people are close to you.
Look, I'm struggling right right. And now you've given them an opportunity to serve you. Yeah, and you won't be alone. I'll never ever forget when I am was crushed behind the GPM people for that story and I was in a wheelchair for your guy Sunday school class cannot build a wheelchair ramp on my house which is actually quite humiliating okay and they're out there they're all working on sit in this wheelchair and I'm like my grandma since you died just never done anything like this for anybody in here. You guys are making this wheelchair ramp on my house is currently doing it is my camel to Pam Sunday school class to assist me Robbie, you have no idea how many people we would help if they would just tell us that there struggling but when they don't tell us that they're struggling they're robbing us of the joy of the joy of serving that's her and her and so as we cleave writer. If you want to find a way out of you know serving yourself, is it you begin to look for ways and that beautiful yeah two and I'll never ever forget the story came out of ransom part but Craig McCollum was dying of cancer. A bit actually did die shortly after this incident, but he was undergoing all this unbelievable chemotherapy you need to have this really really high fever and he was an immense pain is of the most pain you'd ever been in. And while his training had a wonderful conversational intimacy with Jesus and he gets Jesus that I got to help me go to help me and help you gotta help me like this is hurt so bad it hurt so bad.
And Jesus is okay. You need to start praying for other people allies like what you and you've never been in a better position to pray other people while and like I've never forgot that story like oh my goodness that what happened there was what we just discussed that he went from self-serving to write to actually give an opportunity to serve others.
From that point of pain will it's interesting that you say that Robbie because what I've heard in the past is that there are people who have I believe have the gift of healing, and they they specifically though. Pray for other people and then the people are healed. It's amazing but some of the stories that I've actually heard is that the times when they were the most effective when their prayers when they prayed for somebody like cancer and that cancer was it. It got better. Whatever the times they were the most effective praying for the people was when they were very sick themselves will on the surface, somebody might look at that and say that doesn't make any sense will couldn't they just heal themselves, but there is something about when when we are going through tough times ourselves that were able to empathize with people or sympathize with people. I was actually looking in second Timothy chapter 3 talking about depression and being unselfish and how it can alleviate depression, but second Timothy 31 it says this know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. From then shall be lovers of their own selves, that interestingly you know it is there so many different keeps on going on, but there's so many different things that happen and it's like we are told constantly by psychologist or pop psychologist or people on TV. You just have to love yourself more.
That's not really what Scripture says.
It says to love your neighbor as yourself. And I got a backup of the big concerns that there is a net, take issue with that. Just for sick because my mother attempted to side when I was 11 and she really really stuck struggled with his self-image and all that stuff and it was actually a doctor.
What brought her out of that she was in hospital for over two years as result of this horrific suicide attempt or and what she her doctor told her as he backed her through what's happened is you don't care about yourself. You really can't care about others.
That's what Jesus said. He said love your neighbor as yourself. And so he/she don't love yourself and how you love your neighbor right and so there is there is this thing but lovers of ourselves all over because again it's a fascinating thing. You gotta love yourself up to a level and an it really is interesting balance but it is a balance it's not like I'm supposed to hate myself. It it it is God gave me all the stuff so that I could be able to help others through self-care and self soul care and all those other things that that enter into the equation. But you're right. You're absolutely right. That's what the Scripture says that lovers of themselves, to the point, to the exclusion of others. Right right and so and you know, I am sure you heard the story about when you know in the past when there've been plagues in big sicknesses and stuff like that.
It said that most other people, people who were non-Christians they would just look out for themselves or somebody was sick. They throw them out or say get outta here. Whatever. But Christians in many of these plagues had actually gone out of their way to help other people not only to help other Christians but digit just to help other people as well. And the funny thing was, was that the survival rate of Christians was actually higher than the non-Christians so sometimes God is able to do something take something that may not seem to make a whole lot of sense, but if you listen to his word and you follow his teaching.
He's able to work it out for your good.
You know it's interesting. One of the things that I was thinking about with with being selfish or being unselfish is is just growth unite my way.
I remember when my son Michael. He was around for the birth of my son Christian and somebody put his diaper on wrong in Michael.
He kinda laid on me and Kristi was just born and we think he was jealous or upset because he we had to share the attention he laid on me just as sweet as he could and he peed all over me.
Well, at the time I thought it was cute and I thought it was funny now if if if Michael is 17 years old and he lays on me any peas on me.
That's a whole other thing it in one of the one of the verses in Scripture where it says I gave you milk, not solid food because you are not ready for it. I think that at some point in our lives. I think we have to make a general progression is spent, especially as Christians to where we say okay there is a time where we may have been depressed. Are there still may be times were depressed but we don't stay there because if we stay in a room depression and how are we really to be able to help other people and I love that. But I would add, we can't you know were not our saviors. If if not for God that wow God help me out of this. I don't want to stay here because I know there's things that you got for me, and he may say like Greg McConnell okay start praying for Mike start praying for you know you're depressed okay sir, praying for the people you know that are depressed, turn it eat you know that's one of the fascinating things as I always want to save myself right and that's what makes me independent and also what robs other people of the joy of helping me get on I think of how often I rub my wife of the joy of helping me with things because no I don't want to trouble or I don't want to, you know, but it's it's been a fascinating thing.
Over 30 some years of marriage of understanding. There are certain ways that she really thrives in serving other people and to rob her of that is is really taking away God's reflection in her and it's a it's an interesting discipline to learn to be able to receive as much as it is to give and work all the slot unit. We love to give.
But how, how good are we at receiving it's it's harder yeah I was actually talking with the lady in Reidsville.
This was several years ago and we both agreed on. We said you know we love to help other people out, but we hate it when people have to help us. And so when I was when I was depressed about a week or two ago. Whatever it was night when I sent you that tax and I sent it out to my friend Annette i.e. you know the last thing that I wanted to do was to send that text but I knew the only thing worse was to not do anything on so I had to do something new in it.
It's so it's so refreshing that a lot of times that when you do ask people for help that people want to help people want to help and a lot of times you feel better even getting the help because it works. You know it you not and in thinking about this whole whether depression thing or whether it's the Corona whatever it is I feel like you know if nothing else, we had to learn a lot of patients and sometimes the feeling that it doesn't happen always in 30 seconds and always I was watching the story on YouTube about the great revivalist Evan Roberts from the revival in Wales in 1904 1905 and at the time when it started. He was 26 years old. But what I didn't get from it because I've heard about it before she prayed 13 years, he prayed for 13 years before the revival ever happened where he saw nothing at all. And then after 13 years. All of a sudden it happened and it's like maybe God is teaching us patients right now during this coronavirus during the time were not able to have everything that were used to having. But maybe he's teaching us patients really.
I think that that that this is a time for the friends of Jesus to get close to you know it may be a struggle or maybe are finding it easier. I hope you are but Jesus, what would you have me.
How can I serve you and I what how can I serve the house. What is the kingdom, what what what gifts have you given me in order to do that and you and you know it's a wonderful time to pray. It's a wonderful time to see you were seeing a spiritual harvest for sure and you know he may have some strange if you really listen like my friend Craig. He may say something to that much except seconds like you need to get on the radio. Robbie and be on the cryptographic right wouldn't tell me that it made no sense whatsoever. But in obedience brings blessing and is in and that obedience of like turning on the music yet, and beginning to worship in out there.
It is his ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not are not our thoughts just as his ways are higher, higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and a lot of times the way that the the road that we think that God wants us to take God takes it totally know he takes the off roads. He takes the dirt roads but at the end of the day he gets us to where we need to be together. No doubt my mind that he allows depression because he knows he's the answer right.
He knows that if not for God. I forgot and I yeah in unit actually said their head.
There was a guy that you said I think he was on the different tracking's, maybe studying Buddhism or something and then all of a sudden he got into a bad car wreck. I broke his back ended up in a wheelchair paraplegic but he he clearly said it that it was what turned his life around and like we talked about. If not for God, thank you for listening. Thank you so much. Thank you for listening to God my shows right on my if not for God. More information on life. To contact you. If not, God, life