Dudley Rutherford - The Greek Word THLIPSIS

July 10, 2026 | 27:29

Pastor Dudley Rutherford seeks to "lift up the name of Jesus across the country and the world through uncompromising biblical teaching."

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| Dudley Rutherford - The Greek Word THLIPSIS | July 10, 2026

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Pastor dudley rutherford: even in the midst
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Of a terrorist attack, even in the midst
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Of a financial calamity, even in the midst of you
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Feeling alone or afraid, let the peace of christ
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Rule in your heart, no matter what you're
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Going through here today.
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♪♪♪
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Pastor dudley: thank you so much for joining me
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Here today on "lift up jesus."
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I'm pastor dudley rutherford, and i'm so glad
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That you've chosen to tune in to our television broadcast.
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Let me ask you this question: do you ever visit
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Southern california?
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If you do, consider this a personal invitation
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To visit us here at shepherd church.
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You'll meet some amazing people, and it would be an honor
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To have you drop by.
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Visit our website at liftupjesus.com
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To get service times and locations.
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And now, let's get right to today's message,
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Because i believe it's a word that you need to hear.
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So grab your bible, your notes, and a pen,
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And let's begin.
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Pastor dudley: we have a theme verse
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This year, psalm 92, verse 12.
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"the righteous, the righteous will flourish
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Like a palm tree, and they will grow
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Like a cedar tree of lebanon."
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That's our theme for the year.
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But when we think of flourishing
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Like a palm tree, a palm tree grows in the desert.
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A palm tree was designed by god to bend,
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But not to break.
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A palm tree teaches us not just to survive adversity,
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But to thrive in the midst of adversity.
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A palm tree grows in a lot of places
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Where other things just simply can't grow,
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And it's good for us to remember that here today,
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Because all of us, there are no exceptions,
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All of us experience seasons in the desert,
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Times when we find ourselves in the midst of a storm.
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Emotional storms, relational storms,
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Financial storms, stressful storms.
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Some of you, if stress burned calories,
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Some of you would be olympic athletes.
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It's during those moments of adversity,
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Those seasons of storms, that is not the time to give up.
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That is not the time or the reason to quit.
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That's not an excuse for you to turn back.
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No, in the midst of the storm, that's when you wanna
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Turn to god and you want to lock in to the things of god.
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Today i wanna speak to you about a greek word,
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A greek word by the name of "thlipsis."
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I want you to say "thlipsis".
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One more time, "thlipsis".
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Inside your bulletin, there's some sermon notes.
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I hope you'll grab that.
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A greek word, thlipsis.
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The bible that i'm holding, and you can turn
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To john 16, we'll be there in just a few moments.
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The bible that i'm holding here
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Is a new testament.
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I preach out of what's called the new international version,
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But it's in english.
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Everybody--how many speak english here today?
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Okay, so you can read this, because it's in english.
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About five hundred years ago, this guy right here
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Named william tyndale,
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He was the first person to ever publish a bible
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In english.
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For 1,500 years after the time of christ,
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There was no bible in english.
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This guy, look at him.
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You should be clapping for that guy.
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[congregation applauding]
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Pastor dudley: after he translated the bible
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Into english about ten years later,
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They strangled him
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And they tied him to a stake and they burned his body,
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Because at the time, no one thought the bible
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Should be translated into any other language.
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But think about how blessed we are
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That we can sit here today with an english translation
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Of the scriptures.
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Now, before the bible was in english, it was in latin.
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It was in latin for about a thousand years plus,
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But originally--everybody say the word "originally."
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Originally, the bible originally was written in greek.
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Now, i know this is confusing for some of you,
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But jesus did not speak english,
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He did not speak latin, and jesus did not speak greek.
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Jesus spoke aramaic.
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He was from the middle east.
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He spoke aramaic.
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But when the writers in the 1st century
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Wrote down what jesus said in aramaic,
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They originally wrote it in greek,
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And the reason for that is that the romans were in charge
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Of the world at that time, and greek was
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The language of what we would call
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The eastern mediterranean world at that time.
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So jesus spoke in aramaic, but it was written
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In what's called not classical greek,
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But common greek.
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And so, what i'm reading here today in english
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Is a translation from the original greek text.
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Does that make sense to everybody?
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I don't know if you knew all that,
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But i thought i would just take a minute
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To explain it to you.
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The word "thlipsis," the word that i
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Want to share with you today in greek, is found 43 times
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In the new testament.
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If you could speak greek and you had
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A greek new testament, and they sell
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Greek new testaments, if you spoke greek.
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In fact, a lot of people when they go
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To bible college, they just study greek
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So they can really understand the meaning
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Of all those words.
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But if you had a greek new testament
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And you read through that greek new testament,
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And you were going to circle every time
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You saw this greek word thlipsis,
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You would find 43 different times
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Where that word was found.
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Now, turn to your neighbor and say, "we're gonna talk
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About thlipsis today."
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Just say, "we're gonna talk about thlipsis."
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And then turn to your neighbor and say,
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"i have no idea what that is."
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You sound like you have a southern accent there.
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Okay, okay, don't say that, don't say that,
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Don't say that, don't say that.
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So thlipsis, i want you to write this down.
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The primary definition of that word
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Is pressure, pressure.
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It was a word that they were very familiar with.
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It's a word that meant when you took like a grape
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And you crush the grape to make wine.
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It was a wine press.
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You took a grape and you pressed it down.
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You crushed it.
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That's the word.
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Everybody do this, thlipsis, thlipsis, 43 times.
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Now, when the bible was written in english,
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They used english words.
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And every time you see the greek word
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Thlipsis, they would use different--
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They just chose to use different english words.
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I've got a list of ten of them,
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And you can see them.
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Sometimes it's translated into the word trouble,
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Suffering, distress, anguish, persecution,
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Hardship, affliction, trials,
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Hard-pressed, tribulation.
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Those are ten different english words,
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But it's all the same greek word, thlipsis,
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The word that means pressure.
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Now, if you look at that list,
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Are there any what we would call
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Religious-sounding words on that list?
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Anything that kind of has like some religious
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Connotation to it?
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Well, i think it's that word "tribulation."
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You see the word "tribulation"?
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Did you know the word "tribulation" is
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Only found one time in the entire new testament?
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It's only one time.
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Revelation chapter 7:14, it says, "one day
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There will be a great tribulation."
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That's in the english.
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And we really don't even know what
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The tribulation is.
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I know some of you think you know.
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You know, it's like, it's scary.
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Hopefully we're raptured before it happens,
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And maybe we're going to live through
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The great tribulation.
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But in the greek, i just want you to know,
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It's one of the 43 times, and the word is pressure,
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Is what it means.
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And yes, there will come a season
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Where there's going to be a great pressure,
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According to revelation chapter 7:14.
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So what i want to do today is i want to go back,
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I want to talk to you about this greek word thlipsis.
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We're going to look at two or three different
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Passages of scripture.
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Stay with me.
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And as we read it, as we read
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The english translation, whatever of the words
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That chooses, we're gonna put the word "pressure" in there
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Because i think it will help us understand the verse better.
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So stay with me on this.
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If you have notes, write this down.
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Number one, i want you to know that pressure
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Is unavoidable.
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It's unavoidable.
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It's going to happen. it's going to happen.
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John chapter 16, the last verse,
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In john chapter 16, jesus said these words.
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He said, "i have told you these things,
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So that in me you might have peace."
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And then jesus said, "in this world,
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In this world, you will have thlipsis."
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Now, the english word here is "trouble."
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"but take heart!"
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Jesus said, "because i have overcome the world."
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Jesus is wanting all of his followers
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To know that in this world, you will experience
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Times of pressure.
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It's normal, it's a part of life.
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It's not unusual, it's usual.
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It's not avoidable, it's unavoidable.
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Now, i like to literally take this verse
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And just take the word "trouble" out,
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And i like to put the word "pressure" in there.
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And it reads as follows: "i've told you these things,
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So that in me you might have peace.
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In this world, you will have pressure.
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But take heart!
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I have overcome the world."
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"trouble" to me sounds like a specific
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Event in time, to me.
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But pressure sounds more like any event.
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Like, it could be a little bit of pressure,
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It could be a medium amount of pressure,
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Or it could be a lot of pressure.
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And jesus wants us to know that feeling
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Or facing pressure in life is going to happen.
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You might as well resign yourself to that fact.
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Now, earlier, earlier in the same chapter,
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We're in john chapter 16, verse 33,
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But go a few verses before that to verse 21,
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Jesus uses the word again.
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"a woman giving birth to a child has pain
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Because her time has come; but when her baby
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Finally gets here she forgets about the,"
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English word here is "anguish,"
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But it's another time where it's the greek word thlipsis.
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"she forgets about the anguish because of the joy,
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When she holds that baby that has come into this world."
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You see, before a child is born, mama knows.
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Turn to your neighbor and say, "mama knows."
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Hey, hey, say this.
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Say this: "mama always knows."
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Mama knows, when she's pregnant
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And it's showing there in her tummy, she knows,
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Because mama always knows, that in a matter of a few weeks
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Or a few months, that she's going to experience
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A thing called labor pains,
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And every woman who has ever given birth
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To a child, going all the way back to eve,
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Has experienced labor pains.
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It's not like a pregnant woman, she's pregnant
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And she's getting larger and it's getting close,
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And she says she's expecting a child,
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And one day she starts to experience these pains
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And she goes, "oh, what is that?
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I don't know what that is.
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Something's happening to me.
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I'm having a pain.
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I wonder what that is."
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It doesn't work that way.
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She may not like it, but she doesn't get
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All out of joint over it, because she's been living
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For nine months knowing that this day
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Would one day come.
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So in a strange way, when you know ahead of time
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That the pressure's going to be there, it's like,
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Okay, okay, okay, it's just par for the course.
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I told you a few weeks ago, my youngest daughter
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Gave birth to her first child, and it was a boy,
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Our sixth grandson, the sixth king.
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And you don't know this, because you wouldn't know this,
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But she had a very rough delivery.
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It was difficult.
00:14:09.734 --> 00:14:12.871
But if you were to go to her today
00:14:12.871 --> 00:14:15.874
As she's holding that child and you were to ask her,
00:14:15.874 --> 00:14:18.877
"was it worth it?"
00:14:18.877 --> 00:14:21.246
Oh, she would look at you and say, "yes, it was worth it."
00:14:21.246 --> 00:14:25.750
Because if you understand the pain
00:14:25.750 --> 00:14:27.252
Is part of the deal, it's easier to accept.
00:14:27.252 --> 00:14:30.421
Now go back to john chapter 16 verse 33.
00:14:30.421 --> 00:14:32.790
This verse is very what i call prophetic,
00:14:32.790 --> 00:14:36.661
Because he's announcing that trials and suffering
00:14:36.661 --> 00:14:41.532
And pressure and trouble is a part of your life.
00:14:41.532 --> 00:14:45.937
It is?
00:14:45.937 --> 00:14:47.305
It is.
00:14:47.305 --> 00:14:48.640
Well, okay, okay.
00:14:48.640 --> 00:14:50.008
But not only is this verse prophetic,
00:14:50.008 --> 00:14:52.210
This verse is also very peaceful,
00:14:52.210 --> 00:14:55.013
Because he said in that text, "i, jesus,
00:14:55.013 --> 00:14:57.982
I've told you these things.
00:14:57.982 --> 00:14:59.350
The reason i'm telling you this is so that in me
00:14:59.350 --> 00:15:03.421
You may have peace, because in this world
00:15:03.421 --> 00:15:06.658
You're gonna have all kinds of pressure.
00:15:06.658 --> 00:15:08.293
But take heart, i have overcome the world."
00:15:08.293 --> 00:15:11.596
I want you to write this down.
00:15:11.596 --> 00:15:12.931
Peace is not the absence of stress.
00:15:12.931 --> 00:15:15.066
Peace is the presence of god in the midst of your stress.
00:15:15.066 --> 00:15:20.738
It's not the absence of stress.
00:15:20.738 --> 00:15:23.908
Peace is having the presence of god
00:15:23.908 --> 00:15:26.577
In the midst of your stress.
00:15:26.577 --> 00:15:29.180
That's why it's important that you come to church,
00:15:29.180 --> 00:15:30.982
That we worship every week, 'cause it's pressure
00:15:30.982 --> 00:15:34.118
Out there in the world.
00:15:34.118 --> 00:15:35.620
But you come in here, we're coming here
00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:37.188
Into the, what i call the presence of god.
00:15:37.188 --> 00:15:39.857
I've felt the presence of god here today.
00:15:39.857 --> 00:15:42.560
It's why we want every single person
00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:44.228
To have a personal relationship with god,
00:15:44.228 --> 00:15:47.498
Because he'll come and live within you.
00:15:47.498 --> 00:15:49.200
It's why we want you to study the word and to pray,
00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:53.338
Because we know that our victory,
00:15:53.338 --> 00:15:55.139
That our blessing, that our flourishing,
00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:57.842
That our success, that our peace,
00:15:57.842 --> 00:16:00.345
Our peace is found in jesus christ.
00:16:00.345 --> 00:16:05.249
It's the exact same peace that caused stephen's face
00:16:09.354 --> 00:16:13.558
To shine like an angel in acts chapter 7 verse 60,
00:16:13.558 --> 00:16:17.862
Even as he was being stoned to death.
00:16:17.862 --> 00:16:21.599
It's the same peace that enabled peter
00:16:21.599 --> 00:16:24.869
To sleep soundly like a baby on the night
00:16:24.869 --> 00:16:28.373
Before he was supposed to have his head chopped off,
00:16:28.373 --> 00:16:30.641
In acts chapter 12.
00:16:30.641 --> 00:16:33.144
It's the same peace that inspired paul
00:16:33.144 --> 00:16:35.713
And silas to sing songs at midnight
00:16:35.713 --> 00:16:38.816
In the depths of a dungeon in acts chapter 16.
00:16:38.816 --> 00:16:42.186
That same peace is available to you today.
00:16:42.186 --> 00:16:46.157
Even in the midst of a scary diagnosis,
00:16:46.157 --> 00:16:50.094
Even in the midst of a terrorist attack,
00:16:50.094 --> 00:16:52.797
Even in the midst of a financial calamity,
00:16:52.797 --> 00:16:56.000
Even in the midst of you feeling alone or afraid,
00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:59.303
Let the peace of christ rule in your heart,
00:16:59.303 --> 00:17:02.707
No matter what you're going through here today.
00:17:02.707 --> 00:17:07.745
And secondly, you write this down,
00:17:07.745 --> 00:17:09.781
Pressure is unsettling.
00:17:09.781 --> 00:17:11.149
It unsettles us.
00:17:11.149 --> 00:17:14.419
It can shift us.
00:17:14.419 --> 00:17:16.687
It moves us, sometimes, and it shakes
00:17:16.687 --> 00:17:21.192
And tests--it tests, that's the word,
00:17:21.192 --> 00:17:23.361
It tests our foundation.
00:17:23.361 --> 00:17:25.930
It tests what our life is built upon.
00:17:25.930 --> 00:17:28.966
It doesn't destroy your faith,
00:17:28.966 --> 00:17:30.735
But i will tell you, it will expose
00:17:30.735 --> 00:17:34.405
Your shallow faith.
00:17:34.405 --> 00:17:36.541
I want you to take your bibles and quickly go
00:17:36.541 --> 00:17:38.142
Over to matthew chapter 13.
00:17:38.142 --> 00:17:39.944
We want to see another moment
00:17:39.944 --> 00:17:41.312
Where this word thlipsis is found in the greek,
00:17:41.312 --> 00:17:44.415
Matthew chapter 13.
00:17:44.415 --> 00:17:47.351
This is the day, in verse 1, matthew 13 verse 1,
00:17:47.351 --> 00:17:51.255
That the day that "jesus went
00:17:51.255 --> 00:17:53.091
Out of his house and he sat down by a lake.
00:17:53.091 --> 00:17:57.261
And such a large crowd gathered around him
00:17:57.261 --> 00:17:59.997
That he actually got up into a boat
00:17:59.997 --> 00:18:02.133
And he sat in it, while all the people
00:18:02.133 --> 00:18:04.936
Stood there on the shore."
00:18:04.936 --> 00:18:07.105
And then verse 3, "he told them many things
00:18:07.105 --> 00:18:09.107
In parables."
00:18:09.107 --> 00:18:10.441
When jesus taught, he would tell stories,
00:18:10.441 --> 00:18:11.876
He would tell parables.
00:18:11.876 --> 00:18:13.411
He would make analogies so that people
00:18:13.411 --> 00:18:15.480
Could understand what he was talking about.
00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:18.249
So he tells this parable in matthew 13 about a farmer
00:18:18.249 --> 00:18:22.086
Who went out to sow his seed.
00:18:22.086 --> 00:18:25.256
"and as he was scattering the seed,
00:18:25.256 --> 00:18:27.458
Some of the seed fell on the path."
00:18:27.458 --> 00:18:31.295
And the bible says that the birds of the air
00:18:31.295 --> 00:18:35.500
Ate that seed up.
00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:37.869
Verse 5 says, "some of the seed fell
00:18:37.869 --> 00:18:41.739
On what's called rocky places."
00:18:41.739 --> 00:18:47.178
It had some soil, but it didn't have much soil.
00:18:47.178 --> 00:18:50.314
And so that seed, the bible says, jesus,
00:18:50.314 --> 00:18:52.984
In the story, "it sprung up quickly
00:18:52.984 --> 00:18:55.453
Because the soil was shallow."
00:18:55.453 --> 00:18:58.890
But something happens in verse 6.
00:18:58.890 --> 00:19:00.525
"when the sun came up, those plants were scorched,
00:19:00.525 --> 00:19:03.661
And they withered because they had no root."
00:19:03.661 --> 00:19:07.698
Verse 7, "other seed fell among the thorns,
00:19:07.698 --> 00:19:11.002
Which grew up and choked the plants,
00:19:11.002 --> 00:19:13.571
And still other seed fell on good soil,
00:19:13.571 --> 00:19:16.674
Where it produced a crop a hundred, sixty,
00:19:16.674 --> 00:19:19.310
Or thirty times what was sown.
00:19:19.310 --> 00:19:21.512
He who has ears, let him hear."
00:19:21.512 --> 00:19:24.715
Later on in the same chapter, go over to verse 18,
00:19:24.715 --> 00:19:27.385
Jesus explains this parable so his disciples
00:19:27.385 --> 00:19:30.321
And his followers can understand
00:19:30.321 --> 00:19:31.756
The meaning of that story.
00:19:31.756 --> 00:19:34.458
We won't read all of this, but we'll read
00:19:34.458 --> 00:19:36.093
Four verses of it.
00:19:36.093 --> 00:19:37.461
Verse 18, "listen then to what the parable of the sower means,"
00:19:37.461 --> 00:19:40.998
Verse 19, "when anyone hears the message,"
00:19:40.998 --> 00:19:44.535
You just hear it, you hear the message
00:19:44.535 --> 00:19:47.738
About the kingdom, but if you don't understand it,
00:19:47.738 --> 00:19:50.975
If it just goes in one ear and out the other,
00:19:50.975 --> 00:19:53.477
If you don't grab a hold of it,
00:19:53.477 --> 00:19:55.780
Well then, "the evil one comes
00:19:55.780 --> 00:19:57.148
And just snatches away what was sown in his heart.
00:19:57.148 --> 00:20:00.418
That's the seed that was sown along the path."
00:20:00.418 --> 00:20:02.553
Now look at these next two verses.
00:20:02.553 --> 00:20:05.356
"the one who received the seed," everybody say
00:20:05.356 --> 00:20:08.326
The word "received," but the one who
00:20:08.326 --> 00:20:10.494
Doesn't just hear it, he actually receives the seed
00:20:10.494 --> 00:20:13.998
That fell on those rocky places.
00:20:13.998 --> 00:20:16.901
Why, that's the man who heard the word.
00:20:16.901 --> 00:20:22.406
He receives it, and once he receives it,
00:20:22.406 --> 00:20:25.810
"he receives it with joy."
00:20:25.810 --> 00:20:27.511
Oh, this is good stuff.
00:20:27.511 --> 00:20:32.016
But verse 21, "but since he has no root,
00:20:32.016 --> 00:20:36.187
He lasts only a short time because when,"
00:20:36.187 --> 00:20:44.562
Thlipsis, "when trouble," what's that next word?
00:20:44.562 --> 00:20:52.803
Now, we're gonna read this, leave it up there.
00:20:52.803 --> 00:20:55.873
Trouble to me is just nebulous.
00:20:55.873 --> 00:20:59.143
It could be anything, right?
00:20:59.143 --> 00:21:01.779
Persecution, that's like a 1st-century word.
00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:08.853
But pressure, that is a 21st-century problem.
00:21:08.853 --> 00:21:16.027
So verse 21 says, "but since he has no root,
00:21:16.027 --> 00:21:19.463
He lasts only a short time, because when pressure,
00:21:19.463 --> 00:21:22.600
When trouble, persecution comes, that fella,
00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:26.971
Because of the word, he quickly--he falls away."
00:21:26.971 --> 00:21:32.143
He's what we would call a fair weather believer.
00:21:32.143 --> 00:21:37.848
Pastor dudley: oh, aren't you so glad
00:21:41.686 --> 00:21:43.020
That god is faithful in all that he does,
00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:46.257
That he's full of unfailing love,
00:21:46.257 --> 00:21:49.060
And that he alone saves?
00:21:49.060 --> 00:21:51.529
I'm so thankful we serve a god like that, amen?
00:21:51.529 --> 00:21:55.399
Amen.
00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:56.801
Every week here at "lift up jesus," we study
00:21:56.801 --> 00:21:59.403
God's word and we get to know him better,
00:21:59.403 --> 00:22:01.906
And we want to take the truth of god's word
00:22:01.906 --> 00:22:04.809
To the four corners of the world through radio, television,
00:22:04.809 --> 00:22:08.713
And the internet.
00:22:08.713 --> 00:22:10.381
If you'd like to partner with our ministry
00:22:10.381 --> 00:22:12.350
Through prayer or financial giving,
00:22:12.350 --> 00:22:15.186
Please call the number on the screen below
00:22:15.186 --> 00:22:17.822
Or visit our website at liftupjesus.com.
00:22:17.822 --> 00:22:21.592
It's our goal to reach as many people as possible
00:22:21.592 --> 00:22:25.062
With the gospel, which has the power
00:22:25.062 --> 00:22:27.732
To heal hearts, restore lives,
00:22:27.732 --> 00:22:30.368
And to save souls.
00:22:30.368 --> 00:22:32.269
We'd be honored if you'd join us
00:22:32.269 --> 00:22:34.171
In this mission.
00:22:34.171 --> 00:22:35.773
Thank you for spending this time with me today,
00:22:35.773 --> 00:22:38.042
And please tune in again next week,
00:22:38.042 --> 00:22:40.344
Same time, same place.
00:22:40.344 --> 00:22:42.179
And remember, whatever you're doing
00:22:42.179 --> 00:22:43.848
And wherever you're going, don't forget to always
00:22:43.848 --> 00:22:47.518
Lift up jesus.
00:22:47.518 --> 00:22:49.487
Ilene luteren: my name is ilene, and i live in the netherlands.
00:22:52.223 --> 00:22:54.959
♪♪♪
00:22:54.959 --> 00:23:01.432
Ilene: i was born and raised there.
00:23:01.432 --> 00:23:03.534
I was raised in a catholic church,
00:23:03.534 --> 00:23:05.770
And we always went there as a family.
00:23:05.770 --> 00:23:08.038
I was baptized in catholic church
00:23:08.038 --> 00:23:10.107
When i was three months old.
00:23:10.107 --> 00:23:12.510
I went on youtube and found shepherd.
00:23:12.510 --> 00:23:15.780
So, i started watching, and it was different
00:23:15.780 --> 00:23:17.715
Than i was used to, because catholic church
00:23:17.715 --> 00:23:19.850
Is a little different than shepherd is.
00:23:19.850 --> 00:23:22.286
I got used to it pretty quickly and started talking
00:23:22.286 --> 00:23:24.688
With a pastor, and we emailed back and forth
00:23:24.688 --> 00:23:28.058
For a couple of months.
00:23:28.058 --> 00:23:29.994
I decided to read the bible in a year,
00:23:29.994 --> 00:23:32.930
Because pastor dudley was quoting scripture too,
00:23:32.930 --> 00:23:35.533
And i didn't always know what he was talking about,
00:23:35.533 --> 00:23:38.202
Because they didn't read those parts in our church.
00:23:38.202 --> 00:23:41.505
Pastor dudley: and the moment, the moment you surrender to god,
00:23:41.505 --> 00:23:45.342
You get down on your knees, and you surrender to god,
00:23:45.342 --> 00:23:48.546
Jeremiah 31 says that those that come
00:23:48.546 --> 00:23:51.515
To the lord, the lord says, "i will forgive
00:23:51.515 --> 00:23:53.984
Their wickedness,
00:23:53.984 --> 00:23:55.553
And i will remember their sins no more."
00:23:55.553 --> 00:23:57.555
God can't even remember your sins.
00:23:57.555 --> 00:24:01.859
Ilene: so, i read the whole bible,
00:24:05.596 --> 00:24:07.431
And during that year in 2020, they also did a lot
00:24:07.431 --> 00:24:11.168
Of online meetings, like, after the message,
00:24:11.168 --> 00:24:13.737
Conversations with the pastor,
00:24:13.737 --> 00:24:15.906
And renew mental health ministry,
00:24:15.906 --> 00:24:18.275
And bloom, and anchor support groups.
00:24:18.275 --> 00:24:20.578
And i joined a lot of those,
00:24:20.578 --> 00:24:23.547
Because i felt like i wanted to know more.
00:24:23.547 --> 00:24:25.883
So, at one point a friend of mine told me
00:24:25.883 --> 00:24:28.419
That i should join a life group,
00:24:28.419 --> 00:24:30.120
But i first didn't know if that would work,
00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:32.389
Because i live so far away.
00:24:32.389 --> 00:24:35.192
But since they had a lot of online meetings,
00:24:35.192 --> 00:24:37.394
I thought i might as well give it a try.
00:24:37.394 --> 00:24:39.730
So i did.
00:24:39.730 --> 00:24:41.465
Female: and it reminds me of what both you,
00:24:41.465 --> 00:24:43.033
Jeff and derek, were saying, of being literally
00:24:43.033 --> 00:24:45.836
Where you are planted for a reason.
00:24:45.836 --> 00:24:48.772
Your specific calling, whatever that may be,
00:24:48.772 --> 00:24:51.442
Is here, and to bring more people
00:24:51.442 --> 00:24:53.477
Into the kingdom of god.
00:24:53.477 --> 00:24:55.446
Ilene: people shared personal stories,
00:24:55.446 --> 00:24:57.014
And felt good to be in that meeting.
00:24:57.014 --> 00:24:59.884
So, i joined again, and january 21,
00:24:59.884 --> 00:25:04.088
I started my own life group.
00:25:04.088 --> 00:25:06.223
Met a lot of people in there too.
00:25:06.223 --> 00:25:08.626
At once, i had people from toronto in there,
00:25:08.626 --> 00:25:10.594
Nigeria, india, california, virginia, the netherlands.
00:25:10.594 --> 00:25:15.900
I got to know more and more people
00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:17.535
Because people introduce you to more people,
00:25:17.535 --> 00:25:19.937
And i made great friends over time.
00:25:19.937 --> 00:25:23.440
And at one point i decided that i wanted
00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:25.776
To be at shepherd in person.
00:25:25.776 --> 00:25:29.580
So, for this summer i decided to come over here,
00:25:31.115 --> 00:25:33.817
And it's been amazing so far.
00:25:33.817 --> 00:25:36.186
I met everyone that i already met online,
00:25:36.186 --> 00:25:38.822
Even got the opportunity to be on a worship team,
00:25:38.822 --> 00:25:41.292
Which was amazing.
00:25:41.292 --> 00:25:44.795
♪ and i believe, i believe, i'll see you do it again ♪♪
00:25:44.795 --> 00:25:50.534
Ilene: i got baptized last sunday,
00:25:50.534 --> 00:25:52.670
And it's been amazing.
00:25:52.670 --> 00:25:54.572
Like, it started in october 2019
00:25:54.572 --> 00:25:56.574
And met so many wonderful people.
00:25:56.574 --> 00:25:58.742
I met a lot of new friends, and i felt god's presence
00:25:58.742 --> 00:26:02.980
In a way i never did before.
00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:04.448
That kind of started in april 21.
00:26:04.448 --> 00:26:06.417
I woke up one day and somehow
00:26:06.417 --> 00:26:08.285
Everything felt different.
00:26:08.285 --> 00:26:09.720
It's been really amazing,
00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:11.055
And i'm really grateful to be here,
00:26:11.055 --> 00:26:12.389
And i feel really blessed.
00:26:12.389 --> 00:26:13.924
♪♪♪
00:26:13.924 --> 00:26:25.002
Michael north: research proves that it's the regular hearing
00:26:21.932 --> 00:26:27.571
And teaching of the word of god
00:26:27.571 --> 00:26:29.173
That takes our christian life to a new level.
00:26:29.173 --> 00:26:32.042
That's why we invite you to meet dudley rutherford
00:26:32.042 --> 00:26:34.445
Every week on this station
00:26:34.445 --> 00:26:36.080
For another powerful message straight from the bible.
00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:39.283
You can also visit liftupjesus.com
00:26:39.283 --> 00:26:41.752
To sign up for our monthly email devotional,
00:26:41.752 --> 00:26:44.455
Discover pastor dudley's books
00:26:44.455 --> 00:26:46.390
And other resources, and see our national tv
00:26:46.390 --> 00:26:49.393
And radio schedule.
00:26:49.393 --> 00:26:51.061
And don't hesitate to reach out on the phone or online.
00:26:51.061 --> 00:26:54.832
Pastor dudley has a passion and vision
00:26:54.832 --> 00:26:57.167
To reach more people with the message of hope,
00:26:57.167 --> 00:27:00.204
And if you'd like to partner with us
00:27:00.204 --> 00:27:01.739
To touch the world, we'd love to hear from you.
00:27:01.739 --> 00:27:04.508
Your financial gift will do so much to help us
00:27:04.508 --> 00:27:07.378
Impact the nations for christ.
00:27:07.378 --> 00:27:09.713
And if you're ever in the southern california area,
00:27:09.713 --> 00:27:12.116
We invite you to visit us
00:27:12.116 --> 00:27:13.484
At shepherd church here in los angeles.
00:27:13.484 --> 00:27:15.686
It's an amazing experience you'll never forget.
00:27:15.686 --> 00:27:18.756
Until next time, remember to always lift up jesus.
00:27:18.756 --> 00:27:23.360
...
00:27:26.196 --> 00:27:26.196

Dudley Rutherford - The Greek Word THLIPSIS

July 10, 2026 | 27:29

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