Call-In Classic Christianity Radio – Bob George P592 (12-10-20)
Synopsis
We all have many questions as we are growing in the knowledge and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we are continuing to grow until the day we die. So we will go through trials and tribulations in this fallen world we live in. People will cause us harm or emotional pain by the choices they make, and at times, we will slip up and do that to others. So how do we deal with such things, as we get into different situations in life?
Are we supposed to claim verses as promises of God for us, like the “name it and claim it” people do, or just say whatever God’s will is, and be okay with that? Do we attribute something as God’s will when it is really the will of some other man walking in the flesh? Some of our questions are not even about trials and tribulations, but we hear something from someone that kind of throws us off. We kind of get shaken up a little bit, or start having doubts about what the word of God means, or if I can trust this or that translation of the bible? Many times it is our common enemy, Satan, who puts thoughts in our head, and we fail to recognize that. But in all things and at all times, we are just being stretched to trust Jesus in all things.
Listen as Bob talks with Aaron about how to process truth correctly, in its context, and not listen to those who teach godliness as a means to financial gain. We can only claim what God says is true, and not claim health, wealth or prosperity, which God has never promised to us in this fallen world. And if something bad happened, as in someone wronged you and you suffered loss, you have to let it go, learn from it, and press on to the high calling in Christ Jesus.
Listen as Bob instructs a man who became a believer and his wife is not a believer. He instructs him for what the apostle Paul instructed the believers in Corinth in regard to a man unequally yoked, in whom the wife does not want to remain with him, a believer. God wants you to live in peace. So you are not bound in such a situation. Let her go and go on with your life.
Listen as Bob helps a lady struggling with depression. Depression, anger, worry, and indeed any sin, is so common to the human experience. None of that is an unusual experience for us. But God does not want us to live there. He wants us to set us free. The truth will set you free.
When you are concentrating on all the bad things that happened or what might happen in the future, then your mind is thinking depressing thoughts. God wants us to take one day at a time, trusting Him for today, for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own. You are designed in such a way that your emotions predictably respond to what you are thinking. So to overcome depression, you have to replace error with truth, think upon things that are true, and do what God says, to give thanks in all things. Start by thanking Him for the food you have, the roof over your head and the air you breathe. So listen as Bob further explains and encourages this dear lady to walk in freedom, by the renewing of her mind and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Then Bob closes by explaining why certain scriptures are missing in the bibles we hold in our hands today, which are really translations. The footnote often tells you that it was not in the original manuscripts. Yes, sometimes I wish a translation kept that verse in there, because being in there clearly gives further clarification of what the meaning is. Sometimes you wonder why it was taken out. Was it the bias of the translator?
Nevertheless, any translation is subject to error. There are many good translations, but the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts that we have copies of today, are the closest to the original, and they are within a very close period of time from the date of the original, and there are many copies. Those are what you absolutely trust, but not many people know Greek or Hebrew. But we trust the translations because those who wrote them were Greek and Hebrew scholars, and the many translations we have today were originally written during a time of great persecution, by men who loved the Lord, and wanted people to know the word of the Lord.
Yes, the translations we have, there are many good translations, but you still have to rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you and let scripture interpret scripture. There are so many cross references, that even when one verse is not so clear to you in regard to its meaning, there are numerous other passages, along with context, that more clearly reveal what the meaning is. So do not let anyone cast doubt or concern in you that you cannot trust your bible and have to learn Greek or Hebrew. You just have to grow in discernment as you read, relying on the Holy Spirit to teach you.
Transcript
Aaron from Colorado Springs, CO
Aaron: What is your perspective on expectations? I have just been through a long legal trial, my wife and I, six years and almost a million dollars, between the two sides. My wife and I are true believers. The house I sold it to are not believers. It seems the evidence was overwhelming. The court system had got it thrown out and one of the jurors called me and the only thing left to decide was how many millions to give us. I am probably bankrupt now. I do not have a problem with it. I was relying on some verses.
Isaiah 54:16-17
16 “See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; 17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
Aaron: No weapons against you shall prevail
Psalm 37:6
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Aaron: Justice shall shine like the new day sun.
Aaron: I am just wondering now. I heard you say one time, “Do not get into results. Our job is function, and you let the Lord handle the results.” But should I ever, Bob, in the future, with anything, should I say, “I would really like this to happen. I am going to pray about it, and claim some verses there.” Or do you just stay out of that stuff, saying ”Father, not my will, but yours be done.”
Luke 22:42
42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Bob: Well, I certainly am not going to go back to the Psalms and pick some verses to live by, that is for sure. The issue Aaron is this. In this world, you are going to have tribulation.
John 16:33 (NASB)
33 These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Bob: That is all the world. In this world, as a Christian, you are going to have tribulation. Why? You are in the world, but not of the world, but you are dealing with people who are of the world, so you will have tribulation.
John 15:18-20
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they followed My word, they will follow yours also.
Bob: You are going to make mistakes somewhere along the line. At some point, you may not have been listening to God. You may have been ignoring Him, not listening to His voice, and suffer the consequences from it.
Bob: So when you are in a situation, you have to get back. You went to a legal system, spending that money on legal deals. That is ridiculous. Maybe it could have been solved another way. We tried. Once again, when you are mixing with people that do not feel about things as you do. I will be the first to admit, attorneys can stir stuff up. That is why they make money.
Aaron: If I had known what would happen, then I would have been able to proceed and say that is in God’s plan. The sticky point is, I really thought those verses were for me.
Aaron: No weapons against you shall prevail. Paul had a trial and he lost.
Bob: How can you interpret that along with business. That is a bad interpretation. If that was the case, then any person who is a Christian, then nobody is going to come against me. That is the very opposite of what takes place.
Isaiah 53:5
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Aaron: “By his stripes, I am healed.” I thought about that one. If that is the case, then no one should ever die.
Bob: That is not what it means.
Aaron: I know. I agree with you.
Aaron: Maybe I need to just stop listening to those “name it and claim it” type of garbage. No more.
Bob: That will mess you up.
Aaaron: It is just not consistent.
Bob: It will mess you up because it is not true and promoted by a bunch of charlatans.
1 Timothy 6:3-5
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
Bob: Anyone who thinks godliness is a means to financial gain is a man of perverted mind. God says he is a man of perverted mind. If that is what I am listening to, then I am listening to men of perverted mind, posing themselves as Christian, teaching doctrine that the only people who get rich from us are them.
Aaron: I am listening to your series on God’s discipline. I understand it is very good for what I have read so far. Come to Lord with what you feel like He has told you in prayer and revealed to you. I am not saying the verses were that, but I really did feel strongly that justice will prevail. Enough about the complaining and stuff. My main thing is should you stay completely out of it. If I get sick tomorrow, should you try to find verses on that, or just say, “the Lord’s will be done”? I had a friend who had cancer. His attitude was, “If the Lord is going to heal, He will heal me. If not, then not.” He was totally at peace with that. He seemed to have a healthy attitude on that.
Bob: There is not anything you can claim. Everything is of God’s will. I can claim that God has given me everything I need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). That is true. I can claim He has taken away my sins from the eyes of God never to see them again (1 John 2:2). That is true.
2 Peter 1:3 (NASB)
3 His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
1 John 2:2 (KJV)
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Bob: But can I claim I am going to be wealthy? No. None of the apostles were wealthy. Jesus was certainly not wealthy. Paul asked for a cloak nearing his time of death. He did not even have a cloak on his back. You live by faith in the will of God being done. God knows what I want but it is not my will but His will you want. That is the attitude of resting in Christ. You are still in the desert.
Aaron: I thought of Christ, His example to us. He did make his wishes known, if this cup be taken from me, nevertheless not my will be done. Maybe make your wishes known, but what trumps everything is this, if this is what I need to do in my life at this time?
Bob: Again too, Aaron, think of this. It is not necessarily God’s will that somebody jipped you out of a million dollars or out of a deal or cheated you in a deal. That is not God’s will at all, but it was their will to do that. God is not going to impinge on the will of people.
Bob: I think the only thing I can say to you on this type of thing is what has happened, it happened. There is nothing you can do to change what has happened in the past. The only thing you have is your present, not being preoccupied by being what is going to happen in the future, to experience the peace of God that surpasses understanding living one day at a time, thanking Him for what you do have, not about what you do not have or what you lost. But thank Him for what you do have, a relationship with God, with a promise that He will give you everything you need for life and godliness.
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Bob: You are still relatively young. If you built a business before, you can do it again. Maybe a new business, that you have not even seemed humanly possible. He does not cause bad to be good but He can cause bad things to work together for your good.
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Bob: That is what I would grab a hold of in your situation. “I thank you for what has taken place. If I had made a mistake, I pray I would be more sensitive to your voice in the future. Nevertheless what has happened has happened and I will trust you to cause all things to happen for good.”
. For one, you can thank Him that you have been drawn near to Christ Jesus and learned how to trust Him.
Aaron: I honor Him more at times. You honor Him more at times like that than probably any other time. Death of a loved one. I trust you hear. It is easy to trust Him when everything is going your way. The bottom line, your ministry happened, you end up unfortunately in a legal battle, and if you lost, then that is what God had in mind and I am going on.
Bob: No, I am not saying that is what God had in mind. That is what law people had in mind. What God had in mind is, in the circumstance you find yourself in, you trust Him and He will cause it to work for good. I do not think God had in mind for you to go bankrupt. God had in mind is that whatever you go through and whatever the result is, trust Me and I will guide you into My paths of righteousness.
Aaron: Okay. I appreciate that a lot. Thanks.
Bob: Alright, my friend. God bless you, my friend. Sorry you had to go through that.
Don from Eugene, OR
Don: Jesus said, “Verily, verily unless a man be born again, he will not enter the kingdom of God.”
Bob: I think what you are asking, “What does it mean to be born of water and spirit?”
Don: Yes, sir.
John 3:3-8
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[from above]”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Bob: Just keep reading. “That which is flesh is flesh. That which is spirit is Spirit.” Born of water is being born fleshly, born in mom’s womb. You are born in a sac of water. Born of the Spirit is born from above. You first of all have to be born physically before you could ever be born again spiritually. It is merely God’s way of saying that unless a man is born of water, natural birth, and the Spirit, that is spiritual birth, you will never see the kingdom of God. “That which is flesh is flesh and that which is spirit is Spirit.”
Don: Oh, okay.
Don: Another question. I turned my life to Christ. My wife walked away from me because she did not want to go with me. She says I was changed. I am trying to get over that. I wonder why the Lord does not bring someone else into my life. Someone said that I have to turn lose of her before God will bring anybody else in your life. Is there any scripture to back that up?
Bob: Is this your wife you are talking about?
Don: My ex-wife. I have been divorced nine years. I cannot get along with my life. I said, “Okay, Lord. It is over.”
Bob: Is she remarried, Don?
Don: No.
Bob: Do you still stay in contact with each other?
Don: Very little. She does not really want to talk to me because I am against her person. I have to agree with that. I have changed.
Bob: What you have to realize is where it talks about not being unequally yoked with one another. It also talks about if you have been with a person and you have come to Christ, and they do not want to remain with you, then let her go.
2 Corinthians 6:14-15
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
1 Corinthians 7:15-16
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Bob: It is not even about you wanting to get back with her. As long as you are saved and she is lost, you are unequally yoked. She already expressed she wants nothing to do with you because you are a new creature in Christ. The apostle Paul gave that advice. “God wants you to live in peace, so let her go.” That does not just mean to let her go physically but also to let her go emotionally. Again, you will not be able to get along with your life. I am not saying go on with your life to get another woman. God may want you to remain single. Just go be yourself and see where God leads you. But you gotta let go of her. She already expressed that she does not want to live with a Jesus person. That is her prerogative. Scriptures just let says to let her go.
Don: Okay. I am just having a hard time emotionally letting her go. I do not want her back the way she is. I do not want that.
Bob: Do not pray to get back. Pray she would come to Christ.
Don: Yes, that is what I have been doing. I will do that. I will just keep following Christ and let Him worry about her. If He leads me to someone else, fine. If not, He may just use me as a single person to help someone else.
Bob: Absolutely, Don. God bless you, my friend.
Don: You too. Thanks a bunch.
Sonja
Sonja: I called earlier about quitting my job. I was anxious about it. When I quit it, I thought I would stop feeling anxious. But I still feel like I am still depressed. I cannot look for a job without anxiety. I have a lack of desire to eat.
Bob: All those are characteristics of depression, Tonja. To continue in that is ridiculous. The reason you are feeling that way is because you are thinking that way. You are designed by God in such a way whereby your emotions are going to predictably respond to whatever you are thinking. Have you ever felt the emotion of jealousy?
Sonja: Yes.
Bob: What were you thinking? Jealous thoughts. That is why you were feeling the emotion of jealousy. Have you ever felt the emotion of anger?
Sonja: Yes.
Bob: What were you thinking? Angry thoughts. That is why you were feeling angry. Have you ever felt the emotion of depression? Yes. What were you thinking? Depressing thoughts. That is why you are feeling depressed.
Bob: So what is the solution to that? The solution to it is to get your thinking straight. There is only one place you can go to find truth that will set you free from the error of your thinking, and that is the word of God, isn’t it? So you cannot keep sitting there thinking depressing thoughts, saying “I am going to get rid of my depressing thoughts”. You are continuing to think about depressing and anxious thoughts. Instead, what good will it do you?. That is the same thing Jesus said.
Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Bob: Can worry add one single hour to your life? No. So Tonja, the whole deal is based on the fact that you are not trusting the Lord. You are not trusting the Lord to do what He said He would do, to take care of you, to give you the words to say when you need it, to be with you and bring peace to your heart. But you cannot do it when you are continuing to listen to the voice of the world, thereby living in depression because you are persisting in listening to depressing thoughts. It is not complicated. Anxiety is not complicated. Neither is depression. It is part of the human experience. That is why God says do not do it. There is no need to be depressed.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Bob: Depression is made up of ingredients. Anger. Does the bible talk about anger? Sure. Self pity? Sure. Does it talk about unrealistic expectations? Yes. Does it talk about misplaced dependency? Yes. All of those things are spoken about in scripture as a counteractant to living in depression. But it is not unusual because it is not unusual for us to continue to think dumb thoughts. But God does not want us to live there. He wants us to get our mind renewed on truth and set you free.
Romans 12:2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
John 8:32
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Philippians 4:8
8 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.
Bob: As we said the other day, Tonja, you have a roof over your head? Yes. Do you have money to buy food? Yes. Do you have air to breathe? Yes. It seems to me that if you start thinking about those things, you would feel pretty good. What you are doing is concentrating not on what you do have, but concentrating on what you do not have. It does not make any sense does it, Tonja?
Tonja: No, it doesn’t.
Bob: Yes, it does not make any sense. So, do not do it. If lifting your arm causes your arm to hurt, then quit lifting your arm. Get your mind on truth that sets you free.
Bob: Who are you dependent upon, totally dependent upon, for your eternal life?
Tonja: Jesus.
Bob: If you can depend upon Him for something as big as that, then shouldn’t you be able to depend on Him for your day to day problems? You are depending upon Him for the biggest thing that will ever happen to you, and that is where you will live eternally when you close your eyes and go to live with Jesus. If you can depend upon Him for that, then can you depend upon Him to guide your life?
Tonja: Yes.
Bob: Do you see what I mean, Tonja?
Tonja: Yes.
Bob: Again, if you say, “I am still anxious”, it is because you are still thinking anxious thoughts. You are not renewing your mind on truth that will set you free. He says to not be anxious about anything. Why? Anxiety is always connected with what is going to happen in the future. Do you know one thing that will happen to you in the future?
Tonja: No.
Bob: So He says to get out of there. That is God’s country. That is not your country up there. It is God’s country. You do not belong in the future. So He says, “do not be thinking about tomorrow. Live a day at a time. Tomorrow has problems of its own. You live one day at a time.” So when your mind starts wandering about the failures of the past and the bad things going to happen tomorrow, then put it away. That is not God putting that on your heart. Then decide to start praising Him for what you have today and do that.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Tonja: Okay. Thank you.
Bob: Are we okay, Tonja?
Tonja: Yes.
Bob: Do you get what the Lord is trying to say to you there?
Tonja: Yes. I have been listening to Victory over Depression. It is just some times, you have that moment when you want to run to the pews, you know.
Bob: It is not unusual, Tonja. Satan is wanting to do anything he can to get you from trusting the Lord. Recognize that. Those voices that sound like Tonja’s but it is Satan putting those thoughts in your mind. Recognize who is doing it. So cast it away and replace that with the truth of God. The only reason you are feeling something is because you are thinking something. That is why it says, “do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by what?” Feelings? No, but by the renewing of your mind.
Tonja: Okay. Thank you so much for your help.
Bob: Alright, Tonja and do not hesitate to call back.
Tonja: Okay. Thank you.
Bob: Okay. God bless.
Sam from Corpus Christie, TX
Sam: I went to the doctor today. While I was waiting there, they were drawing some blood. They had two bibles on a table. I started looking into it. It says NIV, which I had for 20 years. He claims that it is counterfeit scripture by the devil. I told him, “Hey, I have been reading that for 20 years. He claimed that only Martin Luther, a German bible, the Findale’s bible and the Geneva bible are the true word of God.
Bob: Again, Sam, that is just. He is a doctor. That is very foolish. What you have to do on that type of thing is take that with a grain of salt. If that is the case, he does not speak German. If the German bible was the only one, and that is the first I heard that, but if that is the case, you would have to learn German. What they have is a German translation. There is no translation that is inerrant. The English translation is not inerrant.
Bob: The only inerrant scripture is the original Greek manuscript and copies of those manuscripts. Everything else is translation. You have manuscripts, as an example. In some parts, as an example, in the book of Mark. The last verse in there, it says that in the original manuscripts the older and most reliable manuscripts, those verses were not there. They were added later by some priest who added to the scripture. But they were not there in the original, older manuscripts. The closer a manuscript is to the original writing has to be most accurate. It is not how many. That is not what determines how accurate, but which one is closest to the original at the time of its writing.
Bob: And so you will have a translation that is worth their salt will state that. There are some places where verses are not there, but again, verses are not in the Greek manuscripts. There are no chapter and verse markings in the Greek manuscripts. There are no periods and commas. All that has to come in by man.
Bob: So for him to be making a statement like that, and that is not unusual, but to me, it is just insanity to make those kinds of statements. It is coming out of someone who ought to stick to his medicine instead of trying to be a theologian. What he says verifies that he does not know what he is talking about. Same thing with King James only people saying it is the only true translation. The original manuscripts are the only ones in Greek that are inerrant. Everything else is a translation and they are good translations. The King James is a good translation. I am sure the German bible translated into German is a good translation. But there is the possibility of error in translation and interpretation. What you do with that is just fan it off and find another doctor.
Sam: He laid out the bible, actually three different bibles on desk. He said, “Look, why are these not there?”
Bob: Tell him. These are not bibles. These are translations of a bible. The bible was the original manuscript. These are not bibles. They are translations of bibles.
Sam: Oh, alright. Thanks. He kind of through me off when he put the three of them side by side, saying “See mine has it, but yours does not.”
Bob: If he had the Greek script there, you would have seen that what he showed you what he had was not in Greek. That is why it was not in your translation.
