Another Look Podcast
Another Look Podcast is a podcast where we discuss our splinters and planks of wood in the American church. The purpose of this podcast is to have frank and honest dialogue about the role of the church and the role of the believer in America today. Our goal is to take "another look" at who we are and realign our spirits properly. It will hurt initially but the end result will always be a beautiful masterpiece in the Potter's hands.
Another Look Podcast
A Pathway to Spiritual Maturity and Rest (Ep. 3) - Finding Rest in Physical Challenges
Have you ever wondered how to find true strength and rest amid life's relentless challenges, especially when faced with physical suffering? Join us as we explore the profound relationship between faith, grace, and personal adversity, drawing wisdom from 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 and 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. Through heartfelt sharing of personal experiences, we shed light on how God's grace becomes our anchor during times of illness and difficulty, transforming what seem like insurmountable challenges into opportunities to witness His power at work.
Our conversation takes a spiritual journey, emphasizing the importance of focusing on God's promises rather than our afflictions. We warmly invite you to embrace the gift of salvation, not as something earned by deeds, but as a grace-filled invitation from God. A guided prayer offers a path to open your heart to Jesus Christ, encouraging you to take this transformative step. Connect with us through social media or email as we offer support and resources to nurture your faith journey, welcoming you with open arms into this loving community where resilience and hope shine through Christ's ultimate deliverance.
Please feel free to leave us your prayer request, comments, and feedback at our website at https://anotherlookpodcast.buzzsprout.com or https://podpage.com/another-look-podcast/.
You are precious and loved beloved. Keep pressing forward towards Jesus.
Welcome to Another Look Podcast. At Another Look Podcast, we go beyond the norm and literally take another look at our life in Christ. We keep an open heart and mind so we can reach, teach and love all of God's creation. Whether you are a novice or veteran in this walk, this podcast is for you. You ready for something new, something that will challenge your thinking and heart? Are you willing and ready to unlearn in order to learn, willing to tear down so God can rebuild? Good, let's get up and go. People are waiting for us. Let's go fishing.
Speaker 2:Tranquility Base. Here the Eagle has landed. Hey, this is Brother Ken with another podcast. I'm hoping you've had a great week, a great day, just blessed and highly favored, and just really sitting back and enjoying the presence of God in my life. I'm getting a lot of responses back on this episode and I don't even know what to say. I mean, this is hitting home for a lot of us, myself included especially, and I'm praying that you guys really are getting what you need, what you're feeding off of this word. I want to say this and I want myself to be crystal clear I don't do this podcast based on.
Speaker 2:Most of the things that I get from God in my experiences are not based on my past experiences. They're usually based on my present struggles or present situations or, in some instances, yes, it is based off of my past. Like I always talk about the years we went through great ordeals. Now, that's not the only time we've been through things. I mean, if you walk with christ, you go through things. But you know, those eight years were pinnacle because it was a breakthrough point where we experienced so much hardship, but also we found it was a proving ground that God put us in for what we experience now. Um, now, does that mean that that's how God always does things? No, but he allows things to happen into our lives so that we can, um number one, develop and strengthen our faith, but also we can prove our faith through the testing and trials of life.
Speaker 2:And why am I saying all this? Because in this episode again, we're talking about taking rest in God's grace here on earth and, as I said in the previous episodes, we're breaking this down into smaller, digestible episodes, where our focus for these first three episodes or four episodes now we're going to be on how to take rest in God's grace while we are here on earth. When we're in heaven, we don't need God's grace. We're in his presence and that's the grace we will talk about. Or the rest we'll talk about when we enter into heavenly rest. But we can't talk about that now because we're not in heaven, we're on earth. But there is a rest that God has for us while here on the earth and we're delving into that. Last episode, we talked about how we can take rest in God's grace when we have lack in our lives. This episode, we're going to talk about how we can take rest in God's grace when it comes to physical challenges and physical illness.
Speaker 2:In this episode, we're going to talk about how, when we're dealing with physical challenges and illnesses in our body, how the grace of God causes us to enter into his rest and I can speak for myself because I am in the midst of one of the most challenging, most crucial physical illnesses I've ever had to experience or I've ever experienced. So this word from God is timely and I'm walking it out right now. But I'm not telling you all this to give you tea, or I'm not telling you all this to get sympathy. I'm telling you all this because this is where I'm basing my this is where I'm not telling you all this to give you tea, or I'm not telling you all this to get sympathy. I'm telling you all this because this is where I'm anchoring myself on the Word of God. I'm anchoring myself not on the outcome. In other words, I'm not really focused on whether God will deliver me from this or not. I'm focused on the journey I'm in while I'm in this right now. So I'm sharing this with you, as when walking it out with you, if this applies to you.
Speaker 2:So let's dive into this word, shall we? Let's start with the basis of scripture for this is 2 Corinthians 12, 8 through 10, which says the following and again I'm in the Amplified Bible. So again I'm in 2 Corinthians 12, 8 through 10. And it says this concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, my love and kindness and my mercy are more than enough, always available regardless of the situation, for my power is being perfected and is completed and shows itself most effectively in your weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may completely enfold me and may dwell in me. So I'm well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak in human strength, then I am strong, truly able, truly powerful, truly drawn from God's strength.
Speaker 2:And let me give you some context, so you know when Paul's talking about he asked God three times for it to leave me, he's referring to a thorn that was placed in his flesh. Now, god didn't place the thorn, but he allowed that thorn to be placed in his flesh because in the first through the sixth verse, god showed great revelation in heaven to Paul. And so here you see the apostle Paul, who just saw this great revelation in heaven, in verses 1 through 6. And then, all of a sudden, god allows a physical abnormality, ie a thorn, to be placed on Paul's body to keep him humble and not get puffed up, as you see in verse 7. But Paul repeatedly asked God to remove the thorn, which caused him great pain and discomfort. So did God grant his wish? Not at all. So why am I saying all that?
Speaker 2:Let's reflect on this point here. See, in the faith community, we have created this narrative that if we petition God for healing or deliverance, god will always grant our petition. This scripture, as well as others, clearly shows that that's not always the case. It's not that God is trying to punish us beloved. Please understand that. What we need to understand, though, is that God is a sovereign God, and his decisions are so much greater than our individual petitions.
Speaker 2:So what do you mean? So what if God? So think about this. What if God is allowing the thorn in your body to continue to exist, to bring you to a place in him where you grow so much in your life in him that you no longer are cognizant of the thorn on or in your body, but you're more cognizant of the author and finisher of your faith. Maybe it's more. Maybe it's more about the journey and not the outcome, because we get so wrapped up in basing our faith on answered prayer and outcomes and miss out on the big picture. So what is the big picture? Brother Ken, you're saying all that, but what does that mean?
Speaker 2:Well, beloved, are you noticing how the muscles of your faith are growing while you're lifting the weights of resistance? In other words, are you noticing how your faith is growing while you're in a storm, when you're in a challenge? Beloved, are you noticing how your sight has increased and improved as you are focusing on the Lord while you're walking on the raging waters and roaring thunder and lightning? Beloved, are you paying attention to the fact that, while the furnace you are in is seven times hotter and higher than normal, but you aren't burned? And, by the way, even though your entire family's in France with you, none of you are burning and there is another person standing in the midst of you who looks like the son of God? See, pay attention to what's happening in the storm. Pay attention to what's happening on the journey, because you're being developed and shaped into someone you never saw before, to the glory of God.
Speaker 2:And look, I know you're hurting. I know the cancer is causing you great pain. I know the diabetes or the heart disease, the physical abnormalities which you have are causing you pain in your back or your legs or your feet, et cetera. I don't intend to ignore what you're going through, but you have to look at it from God's perspective. If you would train your focus on his grace, you will find there are things in his grace that will be more than enough to get you through what you're going through.
Speaker 2:Let's take a look, remember and let's go back to that scripture in 2 Corinthians 12. First thing, god says my grace is sufficient for you. My loving kindness, my mercy are more than enough. So one of the things you'll find in his grace is his loving kindness, and you'll also find his mercy in abundance. The loving kindness of god is his unconditional love, his mercy and grace for his own. It's his faithful love based on his covenant with you with to remain consistent and constant in loving us, regardless of whether we love him or not.
Speaker 2:We see this in Romans 5.8. It says but God clearly shows and proves his own love for us by the fact that, while we were still sinners, christ died for us. 1 John 4, 9 and 10. 9 and 10. By this the love of God was displayed in us and that God has sent his one and only begotten son, the one who's truly unique, the only one of his kind, into the world so that we might live through him In. This is love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation. That is the atoning sacrifice and the satisfying offering for our sins, fulfilling God's requirement for justice against sin and placating his wrath. That is God's love and kindness towards us. So what about God's mercy? God's mercy is kindness towards us. So what about God's mercy? God's mercy is his leniency. It's when God withholds punishment from those who deserve to be punished, like you, like me. Come on, let's be honest.
Speaker 2:Some physical illnesses or challenges we have right now are because of the poor choices we made in our past and sometimes the poor choices we currently make, and we know it too. So to ease our pain, we kind of self-punish ourselves and say things like well, I ate this too much or I did this too much, so I deserve to be in this pain. But that isn't God's mentality, that's not how God thinks. While he may allow the pain to exist because, as I previously said, he's going to use that pain to bring you to a higher place in him, or even greater than that. He may be using it to bring others your family, your friends, your coworkers to him. By watching your attitude and faith at work while you are enduring the pain, the illness, the challenge, they may be drawn to God through you if you allow God to use you, because guess what? People are watching you without your permission. I wonder how Ken's going to get through that.
Speaker 2:I'm going to watch Sarah as she goes through that and maybe, by seeing how much faith you place in God, they may say you know, I got to get to know this God because I don't know this God that you know she's. This is not the God I knew. The God I'm used to is the one that punishes, but she's putting her faith in God while she's going through all this chaos. Hmm, think about that. The greatest thing we need to realize is also in verse 8. God tells us his power is there in his grace. His power is being perfected, completed and showing itself effectively if you continue to rest in his grace. In other words, while you may be looking weak to others or outwardly, I'm sorry. In other words, while you may be looking weak to others outwardly, inwardly you are being strengthened. While you are decreasing outwardly, the God in you is increasing inwardly.
Speaker 2:I want you to think about this. This is found in 2 Corinthians, 4, 7 through 18. Think about these things, think on these things, but we have this precious gift or this precious treasure. 7 through 18. Think about these things, think on these things, but we have this precious gift or this precious treasure the good news about salvation in unworthy earthen vessels of human frailty, so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be shown to be from God, his sufficiency, and not from ourselves. We are pressured in every way, hedged in, but we're not crushed, perplexed, unsure of finding a way out but not driven to despair, hunted down and persecuted but not deserted to stand alone, struck down but never destroyed, always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the resurrection life of Jesus also may be shown in our body. For we who live are constantly experiencing the threat of being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the resurrection life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body, experiencing the threat of being handed over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the resurrection life of Jesus also may be evidenced in our mortal body, which is subject to death. So physical death is actively at work in us, but spiritual life is actively at work in you.
Speaker 2:Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had, who wrote in Scripture I believed, therefore I spoke. We also believe. Therefore we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and will present us along with you in his presence, for all these things are for your sake, so that as God's remarkable, undeserved grace reaches to more and more people, it may increase thanksgiving to the glory of our great God. Therefore, we do not become discouraged, spiritless, disappointed or afraid, though our outward self is progressively wasting away, yet our inner self is being progressively renewed, day by day. For our momentary light distress, this passing trouble is producing for us an eternal weight of glory, a fullness beyond all measure, surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness. So we look not at the things which I don't even know where to begin with. That I'm not going to really dive into that. I want you to marinate on that scripture and the things that were just said in this episode. Beloved, listen, I'm no fool.
Speaker 2:Pain hurts, pain is painful. Physical illnesses and abnormalities, physical things in our body that cause us uncomfortable situations and pain are nothing to be treated as nothing. They're serious, but they cannot be more. You cannot magnify them more than the God you serve. It's the grace of God that he has given us that allows us to embrace his love and kindness and mercy, to endure and to overcome, because his power gives the ability to overcome it all. We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us, because the power of God rests in us, and that power either will do one of two things Either it will deliver us from it or will give us the power to live not only just live with it, but to live so much in the grace of God that what we're dealing with will be minimal compared to the power of God that works in us, and I'm saying this because I'm living through it now.
Speaker 2:There are days where I have pain. I'm dealing with more than one thing, and some of it's because of my poor choices, but some of it I had nothing to do with. There are days I have pain, but I've learned to take my focus and keep my eyes on Him, and it has eased my pain. Some days I forget I have these things in my body, in my body. Excuse me that for most people, I've seen in my family some of the things I'm dealing with. I've had one particular illness that has been for more than 10 years. In my family. Most people haven't lived beyond 10 years with this illness I'm dealing with. I've had one particular illness that has been for more than 10 years. In my family. Most people haven't lived beyond 10 years with this illness. I'm dealing with that's in my body, another one which is new, which I won't get into giving you a description, but it is an illness that is considered terminal. But I'm focusing on not the illness, I'm focusing on the God who made this body, who is the author and healer. And you know, like Paul said and this is going, that's why I'm with, not Paul, but in 2 Corinthians yeah, paul, what I look at is this If God delivers me in this life, great, but if he doesn't deliver me in this life, he's going to deliver me in the next one.
Speaker 2:My uncle Ed said something very powerful to me. I didn't get it then, but I get it now. He was struggling with kidney disease and diabetes and you know, when he had to go on dialysis, he said to me, when I talked about it, I said, uncle Ed, do you have diabetes? He says no, I don't have diabetes anymore. What he was saying was my kidneys took a point where now I'm on dialysis and to him he doesn't have to deal with diabetes because his kidney no longer functions the way it should. So he didn't see himself as being a person who's diabetic and you know, some people may differ with that, but I get what he's saying now, what I see myself as this whatever my illness may be, though, the illness is in my body.
Speaker 2:I'm not in the illness. I separate my faith from the illness that's in my body. The illness in my body is there. If it's there, it's because God is allowing it to be there and he's using it to strengthen me. Like I said, I'm noticing, as I'm going through this journey, how stronger I've become in my faith. I'm noticing God. I see God in the storm now more than I see the storm itself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I went through this most recent thing that was brought to my attention, that that is in my body. Yeah, I had a day, a week where I cried man. Yeah, I had a day a week where I cried, man. I cried. I didn't question God, but I cried because I was like no, no, no, no. But I'm to the point now where I'm like okay, god, we're on this journey. What, what do you want me to learn? What do you want me to do? What? What do you want me to do? What is it you want me to?
Speaker 2:And now I live my life understanding that, yes, my days are numbered. Now I have. Just so if I don't trip it. I haven't been given like this crazy diagnosis like, oh, you got weeks to live, nothing like that. No, but I live my life, understanding that and I put it this way and I might have said on a pierce episode.
Speaker 2:But you know, someone said when I was younger, I lived life like in a car. Everyone lives their life in a car. And he said when I was younger, I lived my life looking out the front window, looking what's down the road, he said. But when I got older, I lived my life through the rearview mirror, looking at what, what I've, how far I've come from and the things that I've left behind. And that's how I see life now.
Speaker 2:I look forward to life, but I look at life more as if I have more years behind me than in front of me, and I'm okay with that, because I don't live my life for this life. I live my life for the next life and, though I have family and friends and loved ones that I don't want to say goodbye to, if that's what God wills for me to do, I'm okay with it Because, when I look at my life in totality, god has been good to me, god has blessed me and I didn't always have this mindset. But when I look at my life now, if God does nothing else for me, I'm so grateful for the life he's given me and the things he's done for me and the things he's withheld from me, the things that he's carried me through, the things that he's prevented from happening to me that I didn't even know about. I'm so grateful for having a beautiful, lovely wife who's beautiful from the inside to the out, who has walked with me for 30 plus years of life and has not dogged me out when she could have dogged me out. She could have walked away when I was able to provide, but she walked with me. You know they say don't answer the phone for people who weren't with you when you were in a struggle. Now that you're better, my wife was with me through all of that. So she, even the more, deserves all the benefits of the blessings we have now, all the increase we walk in now, all the harvest we have reaped now, because when nobody else was in my corner, she was in my corner.
Speaker 2:I thank God for my children, all of them productive, amazing young adults and, just like their father, they have issues, but they are so amazing. We laugh together, we even cry together. We enjoy each other's presence, not just on special occasions but on weekends and on the phone. Whatever time we have, we enjoy each other. I thank God for my friends. I have some amazing friends that I've been friends with for over 50 years. Some for 40, some for 30, some for two, some for five years. But they've been great. And don't get me wrong, my circle has shrunk since I've gotten older and wiser. You know, I used to have a crew called Thick as Thieves. We used to be 10 deep. They were all at my wedding party. Now that 10 is about 2. Not that they're dead, it's just as life goes. Circles change and I'm sure they're doing great things. But you know, my 2 to three or two are really, really I can't put it in words they're really amazing friends. You know I'm grateful Amazing sisters and a brother that have been with me through thick and thin.
Speaker 2:We don't always see eye to eye and we haven't always been as close. But you know, I know that through what I'm going through now, god is using it to draw us closer to each other. And let's be clear, I haven't always been the best brother either. I can definitely say that, but I've learned to be a better brother. I've learned to be a better brother. I've learned to be a better son Even when my parents aren't living on the earth. I've become a better son through losing them. I've become a more appreciative son through losing them, and I've become a better father and brother through losing them, by reflecting on what I have before me, and I'm grateful. So I'm saying all that to say this to you Number one, don't focus on what you're physically experiencing right now.
Speaker 2:Focus on God and focus on his promises to you, but also focus on his beauty, of his holiness, and also look at all the blessings you have around you. You have so much around you right now that you're being distracted by what's going inside of you. That illness, that pain you're dealing with, though, be it real is distracting you from what's before your eyes. Look at all the beauty you have around you, all the friends and loved ones you have around you, all the co-workers you have, all the people you have in your corner. Don't miss out on all of that while you're going through all this, because your life is a beautiful life and God has great things intended for you, regardless of the outcome. While you're in a storm or fire, focus on where God is in it, with you. Lord, I pray that my brother, my sister, as they're going through these things, that they shift their perspective from the pain and the illness. Shift it to you so they can see you in the midst of all of that. Help them to see you while they're walking on that raging water and see. Help them to see you while they're in that fire. Help them to see you and what you're doing in and through them and to them while they're going through and on the journey. Give them strength for the journey. Lord, this we pray in Jesus' name. Amen, amen and amen. Love you and be blessed. Hey, thank you for listening to another Look podcast.
Speaker 2:For now we're going to offer the call of salvation and I'm going to offer you two scriptures. The first one is Romans 10, 9. For now we're going to offer the call of salvation and I'm going to offer you two scriptures. The first one is Romans 10, 9. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The other one Ephesians 2, 8, 9.
Speaker 2:For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing. It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. So now I'm going to ask you to pray this with me in faith, and I want you to believe that everything you pray is true and God will answer. So pray this after me, lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want your forgiveness. I accept your death as the penalty for my sin. I recognize that your mercy and grace is a gift you offer to me because of your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me your child by faith. I receive you into my heart as the son of God and a savior and lord of my life. From now on, help me live for you, with you in control. In Jesus precious name. Amen. In Jesus precious name, amen.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the family. Feel free to give us a shout out on our Facebook page or our Instagram page, or you can email us at alptrinity1 at gmailcom or however you know. However you choose to reach out to us, but we want to know if you received Christ. We want to make information and materials available to you, if you have for your next steps and if you need help finding a faith-based Bible, teaching Bible, believing church home, we have resources available to you. So we look forward to hearing from you. We are excited for you. Welcome to the family. We love you and God bless you.
Speaker 1:Welcome home, columbia, beautiful, beautiful.
