But listen , isn't that what Christianity is all about ? We have a past right . God doesn't wanna blot out our past . He wants to blot out our sin . That right , our Redeemer , is bigger than our past and we've talked about that right . God may forgive you of your past , but he doesn't wanna waste it . He's not done with you and the reason why we know that God isn't done with you is because you're still alive and you'll know when God is done with you and the works that he's prepared for you are done , because you pass from time on into eternity and it's over Right . So I had for many years and we've talked about this , I've prayed for amnesia that I would forget about some things that I've done or some lives that I've wrecked in the wake , that I am traveling and traversing inside this life . But God doesn't want to erase our memory , because he erased our record and that's really the joy of it . And somebody boy . I've read this quote before , but it's worth reading again . I often talk to Christians who have a difficulty moving forward in their haunted by their past and condemnation is so overwhelming that they can't sleep at night , they can't function during the day . And to the person who says I've asked God to forgive me , but I still feel condemned . What should I do ? And Sproul responded with this . He said listen , if you still feel condemned , well then pray to God again , but this time don't ask him to forgive you for the sin that is haunting you . Rather , ask him to forgive you for insulting his integrity by refusing to accept his forgiveness . You see , when God promises to forgive his people when they repent , he's not playing games . If he says he's gonna forgive you , he will forgive you . If God forgives you , you are forgiven , because he who the Son has said free , is free indeed .
Speaker 3God's Will . Welcome to the Living Wonders podcast . Name that city from that iconic landmark game where we name that city from that iconic landmark . Okay , guys .
Speaker 4Are people into this Are ?
Speaker 3people into this . Oh , so much so . I don't think so , ethans . Here are some of the most iconic landmarks in the world . Name that , listen , not country , would you ?
Speaker 2just do it .
Speaker 3I'm city , All right ready . Leaning Tower of Pisa .
Speaker 2Italy .
Speaker 4Oh , pisaville .
Speaker 2You want the city ? Yeah , pisaville , pisaville , good .
Speaker 3Oscar . Really , yeah , ready , these are hard . Sydney Opera House .
Speaker 2Sydney , australia , wow .
Speaker 3Good job , ray Rock of Gibraltar , gibraltar , british territory of Gibraltar , wow .
Speaker 1I can do this all day .
Speaker 3Pyramids of Giza , giza Wrong Cairo . See how you pull them along Stonehenge Hengeville , salesbury , wilchire , england . Taj Mahal , ooh .
Speaker 2Delhi .
Speaker 3Agra , india . You guys gotta get this one Mount Rushmore , I know it's in North .
Speaker 1I know that one , rushville North .
Speaker 3Unpatriotic Keystone , south Dakota , you got the state , the Acropolis . Come on , greek Greece .
Speaker 4Greek Athens , to be exact , athens . Good , I've been there .
Speaker 3The Coliseum , rome , been there . Eiffel Tower , eiffelville , that gives you an Eiffel .
Speaker 2Does that take you back to filming the Eiffel Tower ?
Speaker 3When you used to what happened with that , mark Well .
Speaker 1I wanted to get some footage , what Ray asked me to get some B-roll footage , when I don't know how many years ago this was , I think Carter was in office , but I kept zooming in and out from a sign of Eiffel , eiffel , yeah , the creator , the architect of the Eiffel Tower there in Paris , eiffel , and I don't know what it is . I think I had like 60 minutes Zooming in , zooming out , zooming in .
Speaker 2You just wanted to get a good zoom and zoom out .
Speaker 1And I saw the footage .
Speaker 2So what is going on here ? But it's actually just perfectionist , that's all .
Speaker 1Yeah , we never used it .
Speaker 3Yeah , isn't it amazing , though , how , like an object like that , it just , I mean becomes so world renowned . You see little things sold everywhere of this thing
. And what is the Eiffel Tower ?
Speaker 2What's the point of it ? It's a town , and at the points of the top .
Speaker 3There is nothing to it , it's just all this metal stuff .
Speaker 4I thought it was like a Verizon Tower .
Speaker 2It's , but you think about it . It's just been a huge attraction for tourists yeah , millions of tourists .
Speaker 1So expensive , was it ? Did you want to buy ?
Speaker 3one Wait . Didn't you and Ray climb the extra bar ? I didn't want to buy an Eiffel Tower .
Speaker 1We did climb up . We got about halfway up here . A lot to go At the time . You can't do it anymore Now you have to pay . But you can climb halfway up and so we were climbing halfway up . Ray was handing out tracks and there was another group there that were handing out tracks . Ray , there were our rental crowd for opening or preaching underneath the Eiffel Tower , which you can't go there anymore .
Speaker 2I think they were handing out our tracks , so they had our tracks .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , that's what it was .
Speaker 3They were very excited . They had our tracks .
Speaker 4That's cool , that's wonderful . That's crazy . The last time I was in London , I went to this incredible , incredible Indian restaurant . The non was so good . What country I was in London , oh , London .
Speaker 2I mean great Indian food . Ray , do a British accent I was going to say that's an oxymoron . Do a British accent I was in London .
Speaker 3That's an oxymoron .
Speaker 2Good Indian food , yeah , awesome .
Speaker 4Brad was a game changer . I asked the server if he can find me the recipe and he said he couldn't . And I was like why he said they all had to sign a non-disclosure permit Sounds like Kentucky Fried Chicken , colonel Sanders .
Speaker 2Oh , that's so good . Oscar , that sauce , that was funny . Oh , that was a joke .
Speaker 4Non-disclosure . I got it .
Speaker 3Non-brand , non-disclosure yeah , all right , two more . Christ the Redeemer .
Speaker 4Do you know what that is ? It's in Brazil .
Speaker 2Yes , Is that a big idol , outstretched over ?
Speaker 3the city .
Speaker 2Yeah , what city . Brazil , rio de . Janeiro .
Speaker 3Yeah , ray Kupfer , his face of confidence . Ray's not going to be able to be humble for the rest of the day . All right , last one Mount Everest , london . No , this is a real name .
Speaker 1Camboos Pasova , I don't know . Close .
Speaker 3Mark Cumbu Pasanglouhamu .
Speaker 2Mark's been Googling these as you say them .
Speaker 3Rural beneficiary Solucohambump . He's been Googling them easy . That's why he's been getting them . Mark , you're an evil man . Yes , how quickly you can do that .
Speaker 4That's how I got through school .
Speaker 1How if ?
Speaker 3Google was around , man , oh boy , you ever your doctorates . No , no but guys . Iconic but guys , but guys guys , guys .
Speaker 2No , you've been told what we're trying to do , but guys .
Speaker 3But guys , y'all , y'all , oh yeah , hey , y'all , y'all .
What's your favorite iconic landmark ? Have you guys been Machu Picchu , machu Picchu and Peru , that's right . Have you been to Peru ?
Speaker 1No , I just wanted to throw something out .
Speaker 4We almost went we almost went .
Speaker 3Remember what do you ?
Speaker 1mean almost I'm going .
Speaker 3I know that's right . We almost did . We almost did , yeah , and .
Speaker 1I only heard of it and learned of it from Oscar Wow . Oh it's legend .
Speaker 3I was glad to hear that you got to go to Machu Picchu . Machu Picchu Got to hike it . Is it the Parthenon Parthenion , parthenon Parthenion ? Oh , it's like been standing forever and it's amazing . Go Siklu .
Speaker 2Is that that thing without , and that's the stinks the one without the nose , without the nose , the nose , yeah , or the Colosseum .
Speaker 3I'd love to see the Colosseum . Yeah , it's pretty amazing .
Speaker 4I love seeing things that are still standing and you know they're thousand two thousand years old you know , what's interesting for me is that I , every time I go somewhere and I'm like I gotta see this thing , like the last time I , when I was in Singapore , for example , you know you want to go see the big building with , like the surfboard on top of it , and it is amazing . I went and I saw it and I was , but then , like five minutes later , I'm like , okay , I'm good , but for me , the theme that I love more than anything else when I go to different countries is like getting the local experience going to a local restaurant , walking around markets and food vendors . I can spend days doing stuff like that . It only takes me like five minutes to move on With that said , I would love to see the pyramids , oh yeah .
Speaker 3That's yeah , that's top of my head , and Nintaj Mahal .
Speaker 2I think those two are amazing . Well so Niagara Falls is a beautiful place to visit .
Speaker 4Niagara Falls Slowly have you ever seen the bagel of bellflower . That is one of the seven wonders of the world .
Speaker 3That's great I would say we'd watch that thing . It's just so dirty ?
Speaker 2Yeah , it's just at the top . It's just at the top . Yeah , this opposite our ministry . There's this mess of bagel on a fast food place . Yeah , all right friends .
Speaker 3In fact , this is the first thing put in this comment , which , by the way , comes from podcastlivingwaterscom , so make sure to email us there . All right friends , they said in quotation marks . I just wanted to thank you for your humor and for voicing your heart truth convictions for us to hear . I've always loved Ray Comfort , but just found out about this podcast . I listen intently to each episode , working my way backwards and learn something each time .
Speaker 2One that just sit in the frontwoods most .
Speaker 3I feel like I finally found my kindred spirits when it comes to the truths about Jesus and the goings on of this world . The episode you did on the LGBTQ issue was splendid . I appreciate how you talk about compassion but never mince tears on the truth that it is a sin , and being solid in this truth . The tips you gave through hypothetical scenarios were very helpful as well . I've shared your podcast with several people . Thank you so much for all you do . Well , that's wonderful . Faithfully , Sonia Funk from . Oklahoma City . Sonia , that was very encouraging . Thank you for listening backwards and forwards . There are people that listen to certain episodes again and again .
Speaker 2Yeah , but they can't listen on double-speak because you can't hear a word yourself .
Speaker 3All right friends , this podcast is brought to you by Little Self-Serving Today . Remember when Gospel track Do you remember who wrote that ? Emile Swain . Yeah , this is a track I wrote many years ago . In fact it was kind of inspired by what I would say at the courthouse that you , mark , and I would go to daily , just about all these different iconic figures who we thought were immortal and invincible , and they ended up going in the way all the other dying and springboards from that into the gospel . It's got good large print . It works for everybody , but especially maybe for elderly people that can't see very well , but it's got great graphics inside it . Real nice , they remember when tracked . Don't forget the living waters Mugger . Yeah , backwards , that's a gum , by the way and the evidence study Bible at livingwaterscom . Man , oscar , you need an Oscar for that , thank you , was that an Emmy ?
Speaker 4Whatever , by the way , the evidence I'm sorry , not the evidence the Living Waters Podcast Mug is available for you and , as a reminder , we are offering up a bit of a social media competition . If you have the mug , take a picture of it , do something silly or fun , recognizable , memorable .
Speaker 2Not dangerous ?
Speaker 4Not dangerous ?
Speaker 3Oscar resumes all responsibility for that .
Speaker 4Post a picture of it using the hashtag livingwatersmug , and we will pick a winner and send you some goodies .
Speaker 3Mark , you remind me of Bruce Cook with that Fumanchuma stash . Oscar drew on you on the mug .
Speaker 2Someone's going to send a picture of the dog drinking out of the moving waters .
Speaker 3No desecration . All right , friends . Today we are dealing with how to deal with Regrets , past regrets . Wait , wait , wait . Wasn't there a tattoo like that ? Somebody posted a tattoo that they On their forearm right .
Speaker 4They got no regrets , but they spelled it wrong and it says no regret .
Speaker 3Oh , the irony .
Speaker 2There's also a track that we had that said plan ahead , but there wasn't enough room for the head , the A-H-E-A oh , that's fun and it would go up at the end because there's not enough room to get the actual graphic . Wait , we had one of those , I had one . Well , we had a million printed in New Zealand . We didn't bring them over here . A million .
Speaker 3A million .
Speaker 4Well , we had . There's only like five people over there , yeah , but there was 10 titles .
Speaker 2we printed a million . How did they do ? How they do what they went well . It's the funny how you meet someone and say how do you do Do what they're at ? What are you talking about ? What ?
Speaker 3What Does your brain ever like ? Take a break on finding puns and things .
Speaker 2What are you talking about ?
Speaker 3Because it's like nothing slips by you . Seriously , it's so weird talking to my own father-in-law that I seriously at times have to pre-plan what I'm going to say so that I avoid the interruptions of like what do you mean by that ? See , Look , no , but like you know what'd you speak on ? Yeah , on a platform . How'd you sleep last night when ? You dropped to the ground like this and then I turned out of a light mess and we hit . So I have to phrase it intentionally how was your sleep last night ? What was your message about ? See how you've ruined my life . Rick Hubbard , no regrets , and loving it , yeah , and loving it All . Right , let me just so guys , so guys , so and reap guys . I have to . I want to jump in on this from the outset and just say you should just hop on in , jump on in . If there's anything I have to fight as one of the biggest fights in my life as a believer , it's to not allow myself to be haunted by my past Like what . Well , I was a wretched sinner before I got saved , and so I have a rap sheet , you know , of things that I had done , people that I had hurt , things I had engaged in . You guys had a past too , but I feel like I was so extreme because of the lifestyle I lived , just getting wrapped up in the gang .
Speaker 2Isn't it great to think God doesn't know anything about that .
Speaker 3Yeah , and that's the thing I have to try to remind myself of , because it's the one thing that's so easy to forget . You know , it's those things , especially people that I've hurt and things that I've said , and it just it comes back and haunts me sometimes . You guys ever deal with that or things pop . But doesn't it bring you back to the mercy of God , right , you know , yeah that's what I want it to do , but there are times when it just you know in my frailty If you want to go back to those people you punched in the face and say I'm so sorry , that sort of thing .
Speaker 4They were like I didn't feel it . It was a fly land I didn't feel it .
Speaker 3You don't need to apologize . What punch ? What are you talking about ?
Speaker 1Did a fly land on me . What just happened ? But listen , isn't that what Christianity is all about ? We have a past , right ? God doesn't want to blot out our past . He wants to blot out our sin . Right . Our redeemer is bigger than our past and we've talked about that right . God may forgive you of your past , but he doesn't want to waste it . He's not done with you , and the reason why we know that God isn't done with you is because you're still alive and you'll know when God is done with you and the works that he's prepared for you are done , because you pass from time on into eternity and it's over , right . So I had for many years and we've talked about this , I've prayed for amnesia that I would forget about some things that I've done or some lives that I've wrecked in the wake , that I am traveling and traversing inside this life . But God doesn't want to erase our memory , because he erased our record and that's really the joy of it . And somebody boy . I've read this quote before , but it's worth reading again . I often talk to Christians who have a difficulty moving forward in their haunted by their past and condemnation is so overwhelming that they can't sleep at night , they can't function during the day . And to the person who says I've asked God to forgive me , but I still feel condemned , what should I do ? And Sproul responded with this . He said listen , if you still feel condemned , well then pray to God again , but this time don't ask Him to forgive you for the sin that is haunting you . Rather , ask Him to forgive you for insulting His integrity by refusing to accept His forgiveness . You see , when God promises to forgive His people when they repent , he's not playing games . If he says he's going to forgive you , he will forgive you . If God forgives you , you are forgiven because he , who the Son has said , is free , indeed Wow .
Speaker 3That's so good . And you know the person that I oftentimes think about when it comes to the issue of regret , because I mean , first of all , he had to be reminded of it in that culture because there were a lot of them around . But every time I roaster A roaster A roaster . Like a chicken roaster . I've got coffee on my mind Every time a rooster crowed . Peter was reminded .
Speaker 1Or even like his friends .
Speaker 2Oh , I feel like you're going to say an angel got its wings .
Speaker 1Every time a rooster crows , just the friends looking over at Peter and just rolling their eyes . Oh , man .
Speaker 3But seriously , like the Lord told Peter he was going to do this . I mean , if there's any commentary on the frailty of the human nature , the feebleness of man's mind , it's that , Peter , here's what you're going to do , here's when you're going to do it . Not so , Lord .
Speaker 1How much time had lapsed before that had taken place . It wasn't much .
Speaker 4You know what I would have done if I was Peter's friend . I'd have bought him a rooster for his birthday .
Speaker 2Oh , that's nice , oh man .
Speaker 3Yeah , and you know you Too soon .
Speaker 2You know Jesus , you know why it wasn't in his will . But I often thought about the fact that Peter had probably seen men crucified . What a horror to see a human being I mean Jesus gave his hands willingly to the cross . But you can guarantee those that were nailed to that cross with every instinct they had pulled their hands away from those Roman guards that were holding them down . They were going to nail them , then hold them up by their own weight and they're going to suffocate up there and they break their legs . What a horror beyond words . And I think you probably heard strong , manly men wail like an animal as they were nailed to the cross . And he thought that could be me if I say I know this man .
Speaker 1Until , finally , he embraced the cross . Yeah , you know , church history would tell us , and he was crucified upside down and he had a new heart , new desires .
Speaker 2That was . It got crucified in New Zealand .
Speaker 3That's all it meant . Yeah , and you know . And Peter , it says , had Christ , look at him , says and write when the rooster croaked the world was going on with you , mr Rutz . The rooster croaked the rooster , the rooster crowed That'd be a great name for a Christian coffee shop though that's right , rooster croaked .
Speaker 2Yeah , at least you got Peter's name right , try again .
Speaker 3But no , I mean when that happened , when Retip Jesus looked at him oh man , and it says he went out and he wept bitterly . Can you imagine that ? You know , but what an example , though . And for those of you listening today I know that there are a lot who deal with this where your , your past , is constantly thrown in your face . Some of you have done some some radically heinous things . Maybe some of you are listening and you don't know the Lord . You're the ones that I really feel deep pain for , because you don't have the true answer to escape from that terror . You know what it is , but you haven't . You haven't realized that answer because you haven't repented and come to know the Savior who can wash your sins away and wipe your slate clean . But for those of you that know the Lord and you're struggling with those past things , remember , if any man is in Christ , he's a new creation . Saint Corinthians five says all things have passed away , the old things are all gone , all things have become new . You're a new creation in him right and in the context there , it was that life of living for self , it was that life of living for your own pleasure rather than to please him in all things and that's all gone . Your sins are wiped away . But let Peter be an example to you . He was used by God . When Christ came back , when he rose from the dead , he called for him by name . This is the same Paul that stood up on the day of Pentecost . Peter that stood up on the day of Pentecost and proclaimed that powerful gospel where , you know , a couple thousand people got saved .
Speaker 1Yeah , I love the fact that there's no condemnation of those who are in Christ Jesus , like you had mentioned , because the only one who can condemn you is the only one who reached into the dark cavern of your heart and did the one thing for you that you couldn't do for yourself , and that is to justify you in his sight . Amen , I saw that hand , three thousand .
Speaker 2No , I was just thinking this morning and it's like one of your silly games that you play .
I'm going to mention a name and you think what comes to your mind , what gets triggered in your mind when you hear this name ? When it comes to the regret they may have had . Adam what was his transgression ? Yeah , you think of the consequences of his transgression . His transgression was disobedience . The consequences was death on all humanity . Solomon what gets triggered ? Yeah , love of foreign women . What can we learn from that ? Stay away from foreign women and local women . David what gets triggered ? What would his regret be ? Lusting , lust bringing forth sin . Saul , or even Judas , the transgression of Judas . What can we learn from that ? Because the Scripture says 1 Corinthians , 10 , 11 , now , all these things that happened to them as examples . They were written for our admonition , upon whom the ends of the age have come . So each of those names should cause us to sit up and say boy , I don't want to fall into the same trap he fell into .
Speaker 3Oh , that's so good , ray . Yeah , the lessons of the past . Oscar , what's your take on this ?
Speaker 4You know when I think about the things that I've done in the past .
Speaker 2What sort of things ?
Speaker 4Like what All of the things Tell us . I was a pretty worldly guy in my 20s . If I think about it in that kind of a way , I often don't share details about the things that I did in my 20s and the way that I pursued relationships and money and blah , blah , blah , blah blah . But not because I am ashamed of it . But let me explain why . Because when I think about what I was doing , then I'm thinking about a totally different person . God has made me a totally different person . So when those memories come to mind , I feel like I'm almost like watching someone else's story though I know it was mine . You know what I mean . I'm thankful it brings me to a place of gratitude that I'm not like that anymore , that I value women differently than I did then , that I look at finances differently than I do now , the way I used to be a very angry person Like . I'm so thankful the Lord is kind of I can't imagine that .
Speaker 3No sin . Thank you Praise God for that .
Speaker 4I said , there are times where I think that God gives us an opportunity to make amends , to reconcile , and I don't know if I've shared the story . Maybe I have , but there's that story about when I was an atheist , I was dating a young lady whose dad was a pastor . By the time we were done dating , she had a huge Marxist tattoo on her side . She had left her Christian college , she had renounced her faith , and when I got saved a few years later , she came to mind and I knew what I needed to do . I think I've said it here before , but I'm on three for three .
Speaker 3Three episodes in a row , three for three .
Speaker 4Unbelievable . I do not understand .
Speaker 2My mouth has stopped . I have no justification . You know what ?
Speaker 3I call that iPad abuse . That's what it is . Yeah , I'm calling it iPad protective services . Grave it again . Thank you , mark . Yeah , yeah , it's just going to happen again , mark .
Speaker 4It's pointless . Yeah , just leave it on the ground it's totally pointless . Anyway , I'm going to go to Kirk once .
Speaker 2This is a quote from Kirk Cameron about me . I knocked something over once when he was recording . I was in another room and he said out loud it's like traveling with a four year old .
Speaker 3Don't forget my quote Little boy in a little boy's body .
Speaker 4Go ahead , oscar
. So you know , when I first became a Christian I was really I came to the realization of the kind of influence that I had on this person . More than that , I realized the kind of things that I put that person's parents through , because they knew I was an atheist and her dad was , like this retired pastor . So I drove to the parents house . I didn't have her number anymore . I drove to her parents house and , like , cold , knocked on their door , they open it and I walk in there and I share my testimony with them . The dad , like the mom , was shocked . The dad didn't say a word . I am not exaggerating . He did not say a word when I was done giving my testimony and apologizing to them and telling them look at , I just want to reach out to her and apologize to her and tell her I was wrong , your parents were right . The mom gets up and walks into the room and I was like , is she going to go get the gun ? What is happening here ? You know , she walks back out , walks me to the front door , hands me a piece of paper and , like , says goodbye to me . I open it up and it's her , her phone number , and so I gave her a call , met her , met her for pizza at Mark's favorite restaurant . I shared my testimony in the gospel with her and the first thing she said , the first thing that came out of her mouth I'll never forget , it was you , your Christian . You and you know , we debated back and forth for a little bit at the , at the dinner table , and then I was she an Atheist . She was an atheist , atheist , she was an Atheist . I walked her to her car and when we got there she started crying and she said she knew it was all true . I pray for her and the reason why I bring that up is because there are times where the Lord might remind you of something , not because he wants you to live in shame and guilt , but because he wants you to to pursue reconciliation for something you've done . That's a great point .
Speaker 3Oscar , hey , yeah , and I think , right , that is the extreme flip side of , you know , self condemnation . It's getting to a place where we don't allow ourselves to be impacted by the past sins of our lives , to the point where we realize we hurt people and there are things that need to be made right and Mark God can bring , like radical freedom and healing to other people's lives through the confession of our sin , of how we've hurt them .
Speaker 1Yeah , people say why do I feel so guilty ? And the answer is because you're guilty , right , you are guilty . That that's it , right ? Um , I ? I read a quote a while ago . I wrote it down . I don't know who actually said it , but he said uh , was she or she ? Jesus hides our unrighteousness with his righteousness , he covers our disobedience with his obedience and he shadows our death with his death , so that the wrath of God cannot find us . He finds no spot on you . There's no decay in you and therefore no punishment awaits you . I know that there's people that are listening to this podcast that just feel beside themselves with despair and they feel hopeless and helpless and they're sick and they're tired . Where do you go from here ? You know Matthew 2412 , I think it is . It says because lawlessness will increase , the love of many will grow cold . See , the problem is , sin cuts the throat of praise , and if you don't find yourself praising and worshiping and lifting up holy hands to God and speaking to one another and spiritual songs and hymns and making melody in your heart , it could very well be that you just kind of wandered a little too far from the throne and you've lost sight of the , the point and the purpose of why Christ came , which is more than just give us fire insurance . But we've been called into the beloved , to have fellowship with him , who created us , who knows all about us and isn't leaving us , you know . Anyways , the promise still remains that if , if you draw near to God , he will draw near to you , and that is as simple as a prayer . It's as simple as opening up God's word with pen and hand and journal before you and starting what you believe to be back at square one . But it's not , because God doesn't waste anything . He specializes in giving beauty for ashes . He only does wondrous works . Job says he only does miraculous things . The Solomon said so if we were to just kind of pause for a moment where we're at and realize that Christ will never leave us nor forsake us , and that he is here with us , I think it'll go a long way . It's like Vance Havner . He said Christ did not come to rub it in , he came to rub it out . Right , and sometimes God puts us on our backs so that we look up , and maybe we just need to have that honest confession . Lord , I feel like I'm on my back because if I stand up , I just believe I'm leaning in the wrong direction . I'm heading in the wrong direction . I've made nothing but wrong directional decisions . I need you . And that prayer is the prayer similar to what Peter had when he began to sink inside the water , where he didn't know which way was up , and he didn't give this long pontificated prayer of explaining his situation and circumstance . Before the Lord , it was just Lord , help . And so many times I've been beside myself where not even the English words come out , it's just a groaning from within , where I'm just beside myself and it's like , lord , you know , and a thought comes in my head and I go yeah , I got nothing to say about that . I don't know what to say about that , lord , you know . You know , lord , help , help , mercy . I'm asking for mercy . Hosea says that you delight in being merciful . God , you delight in holding back that which I deserve . God Be merciful . Amen . And there's the Lord to be merciful .
Speaker 3Mark , you know I have that painting in my office that sits behind my desk . I see it every time I walk in and it's that painting of Jesus walking on the water and Peter Peter , you know trying to walk him in . Peter is sinking and he has his hand held out and it captures that moment where Peter says those three words Lord , Save me and that that painting is so Unreligious looking . Oh , I love it . That's why I loved it . It's a lighting on it . No one's wearing a plate on the head or anything and and but , mark , I love , I love the way you said it . He didn't pontificate , he didn't , it was just Lord same and that's , I believe , one of the prayers of the Lord delights and most and friends , if you're listening to this and you're drowning in regret over past sin , over ways You've hurt people , over a life that was maybe , in your estimation , wasted , just Lord save me save me from this , help me and then remember what he did . I have a question for you Don't you think that regret is one of the best teachers , from the standpoint of when you've tasted it ? It should be a warning sign for what you choose to do going forward , because you're only gonna get more of it .
Speaker 2Right regrets I have a few , but then again too few to mention .
Speaker 3I did it Way .
Speaker 2Yeah , each of us should strive not to do anything today that will be regretted tomorrow . And One Bible verse that helps me and has helped me so much , and something I drilled into my kids Was whosoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles . If you see something that's wrong when you start fire because of it , you can't think about it , it's just , it's uncontainable , it just spreads , and so it's really good to use the Weapons that are each side of your tongue . Hmm , if it's gonna say anything that's not right , not in the fear of God , bite it .
Speaker 4Yeah , really hard . Better to have blood in your mouth and blood on the floor . Oh , Just make that up then no , it's a poem I read a long time ago , but I can't remember didn't rhyme it's good .
Speaker 2I don't like unriaming poetry .
Speaker 4First Corinthians , 7 , verse 10 , I think really helps us navigate the difference between godly regret and worldly regret . First Corinthians , chapter 7 , verse 10 , says for godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret , whereas worldly grief produces death . Godly regret will bring you to a place of repentance , and and repentance will always end in rejoicing in the work of God . Worldly regret creates shame and bitterness . We are ashamed of ourselves , we're ashamed of our sin . We grow bitter towards other people . Often . Sometimes , you know , oftentimes , when we have a lot of regret , it's often a sign that not only are we not understanding God's forgiveness for us , but we have difficulty forgiving others , and so it leads to shame and bitterness . And so I think the distinction here , what we're saying is regret is going to happen . The difference is do you , does regret bring you to a place of repentance that ends with rejoicing , or does it leave you stuck and shame and bitterness ? If it's leaving you stuck and shame and bitterness , there is an aspect of the gospel that you have not yet come to understand and apply to your own heart .
Speaker 3Yeah , and , and that is , you know , the answer . Ultimately it's it's looking back to , to what Christ did , it's looking back to the cross , you know
. You think of some of the instances in scripture where we see Areas where there was a lot of harm done , where there could have been ongoing detriment Because of the lingering effects of regret . When you think of King David as an example , you know , and what had happened with Bathsheba , god's judgment and the child died and David was inconsolable , you know , he was on his face , weeping . He would not eat . His servants were pleading with him . And then it says in 2nd Samuel , 12 , 19 to 22 . It says , when David saw that his servants were whispering , david perceived that the child was dead . This is when the judgment had come . The child was sick , says . Therefore , david said his servants is a child dead and they said he's dead . So David arose from the ground , washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes and he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped . Then he went to his own house and he requested they set food before him and he ate . Then his servant said to him what is this that you have done ? You washed , you fasted and wept for the child while he was alive . And when the child died , you arose and ate food and he said while the child was alive , I fasted and wept , for I said who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me that the child may live ? And then , you know , it goes on from there .
Speaker 2I'm even pace the rest of the first anyway , but it was beautiful the rest of the verse , yeah that's good , but you know what you bring .
Speaker 4I love that you bring up David and Bishi , but because David says something very unique in Psalm 51 that really gives us an indication on how to move from God , from worldly regret , to Godly regret . He says in Psalm 51 restore to me the joy of your salvation . And we often cling to restore and joy and salvation , but the key word in there is your Salvation . And the reason why I'm bringing that up is because often regret I think the lie that that is instilled within us is that I did something wrong and I need to fix it , or I Can't fix it and I am stuck because of what I can or cannot do . But notice that David says restore to me the joy of your salvation . What understanding that aspect of the gospel that we're not Understanding is that we need to move away from the things that we have done and the things that we can or cannot do and start focusing on what God has done For us . When we do that , we move from that worldly regret To the godly regret . That produces repentance , that leads to joy .
Speaker 3Yeah , my man yeah , here's the rest of that says but now he is dead , why should I fast ? Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him , but he shall not return to me . And then I love verse 24 . First part of it says then David comforted Bathsheba , his wife . And there's that element you know of when we get to that place where we recognize Okay , this is all because of my sin , this is what I've done . Obviously , david was was repenting , he was pouring his heart out before God , you know . And then God manifested . This was the consequence . You know , david could have laid there and say , man , my child died because of my sin . I mean , this was reprehensible , what he did . David did some terrible stuff , but he got up . He got up and he made that determination Okay , I'm gonna move forward . Now I still have a God to serve . And then I have a wife who I led into that sin , who just lost her child , that I have to comfort . And God can do that . Like Ray , even through our sin and failure and some of us , with these testimonies that we have , god can still use us to speak hope to people . Paul said he was , he was a pattern for those that would believe absolutely .
Speaker 2The question got to ask ourselves is did the roaster crew ? Yeah , that that the roaster , the rooster crowing is really a type of the conscience and we need to listen to that voice . But , yes , the way to the way to bring your problem is into proportion , as think of the fate of the ungodly . You know we would , no matter what our problems are , that nothing Compared to your neighbor or your friend or the person that's walking past you if they don't know the law , what they have to , what they've got coming . So that's one way to get that weight off yourself is to think of the weight that's on others .
Speaker 3You mark repentance is a . It's a beautiful word , isn't it the hope that that word conveys ?
Speaker 1Yeah , it means that God sees you the way you are , but he cares too much to keep you that way . Somebody once said that repentance is the most beautiful word in the English language . I love it .
Speaker 4I remember saying that I was quoting some of you else .
Speaker 1It's departing from the sins that we once loved to the God that we hope to love . And we'll never be able to love God in a fashion for which he is deserving , you know . That's why the Psalmist said be exalted , o Lord , in your own strength . Right , I have no true ability and strength in end of myself to worship you to the capacity for which you are deserving of worship , amen . So what do I have ? All I have is what I can possibly give you , and oftentimes we're just limited by our English vernacular or we're limited by our limited actions to be able to do something . Somebody also once said that we're so quick to confess certain and specific sins and we fail to recognize that we're just a big blow-it . That's just kind of what . We are Right , and God just receives us as believers because into the beloved , because of what Christ did . So therefore , we have that boldness and that access to come into the Holy of Holies , to enjoy fellowship , to dine at the master's table , to enjoy the bread and wine and to not need to leave . You know , I also thought of it like this , right . So imagine if you would . You know you're away at work and your child is , you know , right around one years old and your child begins to walk and you're not there to be able to experience those steps . So your wife comes along and gives you a call and says hey , mark , you know , noah , he took three steps today . He's 21, . By the way , he's 21 . Yeah , and you're super stoked , you're super excited . Notice , she doesn't say Noah fell down three times today . Wow , that's so good . Right he took three steps . Today , there's never a focal point on that which was negative with God in the midst of that , unless it can be used for the betterment of fellowship with God . So God does not focus in on our sin because , as far as the east is from the west , he's removed our sin from us . And when there is a problem with our tongue and worship , what God's longing for is that fellowship , not even so much for his sake but for our sake , because we've wandered from that throne . Amen .
Speaker 3You know , oswald Chambers said something extremely powerful . He said our yesterdays present irreparable things to us . It is true that we have lost opportunities which will never return , but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future . Let the past sleep , but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ . Leave the irreparable past in his hands and step out into the irresistible future with him . So good , I love that , but let him rest on the bosom of Jesus . You can't take God out of the equation when you're talking about attempting to overcome regrets . It's all interrelated to the gospel . He's the reason why you can press forward on two fronts . One , if you know him , your sins are washed away as far as the east from the west , never to be brought up again , totally gone . That document that was brought out against you , colossians says , has been nailed to the cross . He's taken out of the way , and then he has a way of causing all things to work together for good Romans 8.28, . As what , he conforms you into the image of Christ and to follow up on that . I think this really connects with it . Well , john Piper said this . He said occasionally weep deeply over the life you hoped would be , grieve the losses , then wash your face , trust God and embrace the life you have and let that become an outflow into thanksgiving and recognizing . Lord , I should be in hell and I'm not , and it's not the way I wish it had been . This was my doing , but you've redeemed me , you've given me everlasting life , and I've shared the illustration with the invisible book before , how there are these different sections in it . When you meditate on failure and sin and regret , you produce more of the same , because time moves at a consistent pace . You either move with it , which means you proactively walk with God , or you quote , unquote , give up , but it moves you along and it still writes more of your history , and it's going to be more sin and failure , because if you're not practically pursuing the Lord , that's what will result , and that is , in and of itself , sin and failure . So open the past chapters one more time . Extract from those past chapters lessons learned . Put them in the appendix of your book . Then repent over everything that's left , that's sin . Take the brush , dip it in the blood of Christ as if though it were super glue . Dab it over every page , turn each page . Do the same thing . Dab it with the blood of Jesus , turn it over until there's nothing but a thick block and you get to the place where there are hundreds of blank pages ahead waiting to be filled and begin afresh and begin anew . That's good , and let the Lord restore you .
Speaker 1There's a practical exercise that I will do with on my laptop , and that is I will start laying out any possible sin , anything that's weighing heavy on my heart . I just type it all out and then I look at it . Is that why you're all your memories full and I look at it ? It's funny that you mentioned that , because I'm getting to that and I've read it all on my computer and I look at it and then I do command A and then I highlight all of it , let's delete , isn't ? it . No , it's just , it highlights all of it . Oh , okay , gotcha , and then I highlight it and I put it red , as if the blood of Christ washes over it , whoa . And then I hit delete . Wow , and I never saved it and neither did the Lord .
Speaker 3Oh , that's so good Mark . Praise the Lord .
Speaker 2You know , the key and you were talking about it is total commitment to the Lord . If you lay your head upon the bosom of Christ , you'll hear the heartbeat of God . Wow , I love that , yeah , amen .
Speaker 3And let me wrap us up here because we're running out of time . But for those of you within the church too , don't forget the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5 , 2 Corinthians 2 , 5 , 3 , after he wrote in the first epistle about the man who had been sleeping with his stepmother . Right , it appears he repented , and he says this , but if anyone has caused grief , he has not grieved me , but all of you to some extent . Not to be too severe , this punishment , which was inflicted by the majority , is sufficient for such a man . So then , on the contrary , you ought rather to forgive and comfort him . Let's perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow . Therefore , I urge you to reaffirm your love to him . I've talked about this before . The church needs to learn to embrace those who have repented with hearts abounding with love , with unconditional reception of them , yes , working with them , helping them to avoid those sins again in the future , but not treating them as a second class citizen in the family of God . We can't let them get swallowed up by too much sorrow by giving them a reminder of their past sin . God is forgiven it . We need to act like it's forgiven and love toward them . Well , there you have it , friends , the gospel , it's a center of it all . You , in him , you have redemption . Through his blood , the forgiveness of sins , run to your savior . Let him hold you and transform your life . There you have it
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Speaker 2Oh , there's the stupidity .