WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:03.359 Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of Crash Course. 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:07.040 I'm here with the one, the only Scott Case. 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.880 Hey, good to be here. 00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:12.160 It's been a little while since you've been on a podcast. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:12.800 Yes. 00:00:13.039 --> 00:00:13.919 I'm glad to be back. 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:14.800 Thanks for having me back. 00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:15.519 You're welcome. 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.160 But the thing is, no one has to listen to these in any specific order. 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.120 So for all I know, they might not know that I've been gone. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:22.239 They may not know you've been gone. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:24.160 They may not even know that you've ever been here. 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:29.519 I mean, Scott, if you've been listening to Crash Course since the beginning, you know, Scott was uh on the very first episode. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:34.880 So uh that means you're like a co-host and every other person is a guest host. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:35.359 Oh. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:36.719 Because you're on the first one. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:37.039 Oh. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:38.320 So you and I like that. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:39.439 You and I co-host. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:40.240 I like that. 00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:41.439 Everyone else is a guest. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:41.759 Yeah. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:42.960 That's how it works. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:43.759 I like that. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:44.560 There you go. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:46.880 So uh, you know, Crash Course is really simple. 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:56.240 Uh sometimes we are new to our faith, or maybe we've been following Jesus for a long time, but there's just concepts in our faith that we struggle with, you know, that we have a difficult time with. 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:09.680 Scott and I were just talking a minute ago about a conversation that I had with someone who just said, hey, you know, this this one issue is kind of a big, it's a big holdup for me, and I can't quite grasp it and figure it out, and it creates a crisis of faith. 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:10.959 And the truth is we all have those. 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:14.719 And so what we need in those situations is kind of a crash course. 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:22.159 We need some someone who who maybe has thought through this or studied or knows the word, whatever it might be, to just get us caught up to speed. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:27.599 Um it we it we cannot go exhaustively into everything we talk about because these episodes are pretty short. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:33.200 We're not trying to sum up all of the the things that it would be long course instead of crash course. 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:34.159 Yeah, but what would it be? 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:34.879 It's not a crash course. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:40.079 Really long course, it would be like uh yeah, it'd be like multiple courses. 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:44.319 Yeah, it'd be, you know, this yeah, so it's just it's just designed to be a quick catch-up. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:50.159 And today we're gonna talk about uh something that actually I I you talk about things being a holdup. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:54.400 You know, Scott, we were talking, this is something I think that a lot of people get stuck on. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:02:00.719 And and and depending on how they understand this concept, it'll determine how they process a lot of what happens to them in life. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:01.280 I agree. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:03.840 And a lot of how they see what's happening in the world. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:05.280 And it's God's will. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:07.599 So we're talking about the will of God. 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:09.360 Scott, what is God's will? 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:14.800 Well, um, I'm first of all, I'm praying to see if it's God's will for me to be the one to answer that question. 00:02:15.039 --> 00:02:26.960 Oh my gosh, so like one of the things, if you've been following Jesus for long, like when people pray, there's sort of this like it's like you gotta throw out this uh, you know, I don't know, it's like a disclaimer, you know, like I will. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:30.080 If it's your God, if it's your will, uh, I would like this to happen. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:31.840 And and uh, you know, only if it's your will, God. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.800 And of course, if it is your will, I'd like if it's your will. 00:02:34.879 --> 00:02:35.120 Yeah. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:35.599 Right. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:36.400 Yeah, exactly. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.680 That's kind of our defense, that's how we self-protect from disappointment, right? 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:41.360 We say it may not be God's will. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:41.840 Yeah. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.800 You know, obviously God's will is what God wants. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.120 And I think there's so many issues that come out of that. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:49.759 First of all, it's God's will always done. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:56.400 A lot of times something will happen, and people will go, well, must have been God's will, you know, even if it was something really bad. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.960 Well, it must have been God's will because it happened. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:02:59.360 Right. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.400 Well, first of all, God's will isn't always done. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:13.680 People need to know that A, God gives us a lot of say so in things, and we do have the right to rebel, we do have the right to disobey, we have the right to not be diligent in following God. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:23.520 People have to understand that there is also a devil out there, and obviously we have the ability to give place to the devil, or the Bible wouldn't tell us to resist the devil. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:27.599 I mean, let's face it, if God's will was always done, then why resist the devil? 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:38.240 Okay, so you know, God's will is what God wants to happen, and there are some people who would say that if you're if you're to say that God's will does not always happen, that that somehow weakens God. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:46.400 That if if if his will doesn't always happen, then that must mean that he's not as powerful as you know, he's not all power. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:55.039 I mean, there are Christians who would say that no, God's will always happens, and because they can't process the idea of God not getting what God wants. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:00.639 And you know, one of the things that we have a conviction about, and this is one of the reasons that I love talking with Scott, is is you know, God's word. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:04.159 If you're listening to this podcast for the first time, God's word is an authority to us. 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:13.759 Um, I believe when God's word, when the Bible is is rightly interpreted, um it is the an absolute authority. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:17.759 Uh and I believe it's it's held up for so long for that reason. 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.800 And so, you know, we're gonna base some of these statements that we're making on the word. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:32.000 And so when you say God's will doesn't always happen, you know, I would say to you that while there might be people who go, hold on, that does that mean God's not powerful, I would just say, well, that's that's biblical. 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:33.439 God's will doesn't have to be a problem. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:34.800 Well, and I'll give you an example. 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:38.160 The Bible is very clear it's not the will of God that any should perish. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:38.639 Okay. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.959 And yet, people die and go to hell. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:52.879 It's not the will of God, but it happens because God gives people free will, people have choices, and God loves people so much, He will not override their free will and make that choice for them. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:54.480 Yeah, and that's a good reminder. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.600 We will be doing an episode on hell uh somewhat soon. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:02.560 Uh, because when we say that, there might be people listening, they're like, Hell, I, oh, that's a whole just just hold off. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:04.079 We will do that, we will get there. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:06.800 Not what we're gonna go to hell uh in this podcast. 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:07.759 We're gonna go there. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:10.079 Um, we'll talk about that another time. 00:05:10.240 --> 00:05:15.920 But but yeah, no, the Bible says that God wills, God wishes, God wants every person to follow him. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.680 Not every person follows him. 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:18.079 Right. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:18.480 Right? 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:22.720 There's specific stories in the Bible where you know God, God shares. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:25.519 I mean, like a great example would be the nation of Israel, right? 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:29.839 So when God makes Israel a nation in the Old Testament, he he gives them like promises. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.360 And they're sort of twofold. 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:39.920 He says, if you will obey my commandments and do as I ask, I will establish you, I will set you up for the long haul. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:42.959 He says this specifically to kings, he says it to King Saul. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.399 He says the same thing to King David. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:45.600 He gives both of those guys this. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:52.079 If you will do what I ask you to do, I will I will set up your kingdoms for like as long as time. 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:55.680 Your sons will always reign on my th on the throne. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:03.600 But if you don't obey me, then you know those promises won't come true and and others will take your place. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.720 God obviously wanted them to succeed. 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:12.000 Like God He He chose them, He put them in the place and He said, I want you to do this. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:13.120 I want you. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:20.639 But there's this little thing called personal choice that He gives us that actually gives us the ability to reject the will of God, right? 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:22.079 Yeah, absolutely. 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:25.279 And you know, when we were talking earlier, you give a great example. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.120 There are some things that are the will of God. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:30.399 It was a great example, and we're gonna ask you to give it again here in just a second. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:35.360 But um, you know, there are some things that are just the will of God, and you can't do anything about it. 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:38.240 God said that Israel would become a nation. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:46.319 Before the return of Jesus, there has to be a nation of Israel, and there was nothing anybody could do to keep Israel from becoming a nation again. 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:48.399 Arabs fought against Israel. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.720 There were nations that tried to keep it from happening, but it was the will of God. 00:06:53.199 --> 00:06:59.360 But then on the other hand, in our personal lives, God gives us an awful lot of say-so, he gives us that ability to choose. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:09.439 And it's, you know, and again, I want you to talk about this more in just a second, uh, Justin, but God's will uh is not necessarily just one specific thing. 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:11.759 And I'll give you a big example here. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:19.759 Um a lot of times you hear people talk about, well, God has one person chosen for you to be married to. 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:20.720 Soulmate. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:21.680 You know something? 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:22.959 That's a great concept. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:25.120 I don't see that in the Bible. 00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:29.759 And you know, what if somebody was born under circumstances that weren't God? 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:31.920 Is that person never supposed to get married? 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:32.319 Right. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:33.519 Because you know, no. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:34.000 Right. 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:44.399 Or what if, oh no, what if I'm what if I accidentally made a mistake and I missed my soulmate when I was twenty two years old and I just I missed it, now I'm forever destined to what if my soulmate screwed up and she married somebody else? 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:46.240 So now I can never get married. 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:50.000 You're just God would be like, I'm sorry, man, you you missed it. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.319 You missed you know, now you're just doomed. 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:54.160 And so there's a lot of areas, bro. 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:57.279 I think there is a lot of leeway as to what the will of God is. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:01.519 So let's let's let's attack it this way, because you know, when we say God's will, there's a lot of concepts here. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:11.279 So, first of all, you know, you hear this a lot in Christianity, and it's just something that I don't think is is biblical, and I think your the soulmate example is a perfect example. 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:18.959 Um, you know, but and by the way, the idea of a soulmate is much more of a cultural idea that makes for really good romantic comedies, right? 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:22.240 You know, uh than it is really biblical. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:22.639 Yeah. 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:26.639 Um, Adam and Eve were, I think, meant to be together. 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.160 They didn't have any other options. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.360 You know, that it was really quick and that's it. 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:33.840 Past that, there were options. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:42.080 So we tend to view God's will, and I heard a pastor say this by the way, that we tend to view God's will like a like a like a tightrope. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:42.879 You know what I mean? 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:48.000 And so it's just like, man, it is a thin, you know, and you better like not veer off it. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:51.039 And and that actually does come from some biblical uh you know concepts. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.919 Jesus talked about the road to heaven being a narrow road. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:57.200 Um in fact, there there's this one phrase, the straight and narrow. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:03.360 That's from scripture, but it's actually the straight and narrow does not mean a really narrow path. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:08.399 A straight and narrow is actually a nautical term, like the Strait of Gibraltar. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:12.879 It's a body of water that's narrow that leads into a very wide open place. 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:13.279 Okay? 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:14.639 Yeah. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:23.039 So when you go through a straight and narrow, that you're entering a large body of water with a lot of freedom, but your only way is that. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:28.720 And so in that example, when the Bible's talking about when Jesus was talking about that, when you see it, he's the gate. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:32.399 Jesus says that I'm the gate that you enter into God's will through. 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:34.559 So Jesus is the straight and narrow path. 00:09:34.639 --> 00:09:36.240 Like He's the way. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:41.840 But once you have Jesus, the will of God is much more open, I believe, than we often think. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:44.000 And the great example of that is the Garden of Eden. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:50.080 You know, the early story of the Bible, you know, if you haven't read it, very first chapters of the Bible, the the world is is pretty perfect. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:53.519 Uh you know, we haven't sinned yet, so there's not death. 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:56.000 It's kind of a picture of how God wanted it to be. 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:59.440 So we could say that the Garden of Eden was very in line with God's will. 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:10.799 And and in the Garden of Eden, there's all this fruit that they can eat from all these trees, but it's not like there's one good tree that God says you can eat from this tree, and there's a thousand bad trees that you have to avoid. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.000 Everything else you're missing. 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:22.399 And that's how we often think of God's will, as this one good option, like the one person I can, you know, the soulmate, the one job, the one career, the one, the one everything. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.240 And that one thing is what God wants. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:28.799 And man, I better not mess up because then I'm gonna miss God's will, and everything else is not God's will. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:32.480 But that's kind of the opposite of how God's will was in the garden. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:36.559 God's will was, hey, there's this one bad tree, don't eat that, it'll kill you. 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:38.159 Everything else is awesome. 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:43.919 So, you know, God has given us, He's given us guardrails in his word. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:48.960 He's told us in his word pretty definitively what is what is in his will and what is not. 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:58.720 And as long as we live within those guardrails, there's a ton of freedom, there's a ton of choice, and there's not nearly as much pressure as we we put on ourselves to go, uh, oh no, is this God's will? 00:10:58.799 --> 00:10:59.200 Is it not? 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:00.000 Is it, you know. 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:10.480 And I'll tell you this, Justin, I think the desire on a lot of people to find that one perfect thing can actually keep them from finding the will of God. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:14.080 And I, you know, here's here's kind of my philosophy. 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:15.759 This is really spiritual. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:22.080 I do what I want to do, and I tr because I love God, and God knows I don't want to do something bad. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:22.639 Right. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:27.919 And I do what I want to do, and if God says no, then I go, okay, I won't do that. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:36.960 And obviously you you're doing, just to clarify, you do what you want to do, but you do what you want to do already knowing what God has told you to do and not do. 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:39.360 That that's already submitted to the Absolutely. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:39.759 Right. 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:44.159 So you're not like, oh, I you know, No, but there is a freedom that God gives us. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:45.120 Let me tell you this. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:53.200 So many years ago, I heard a preacher say, if you want to know what the will of God is, think about what you want to do, and the will of God is probably just the opposite. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:53.440 Right. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:58.720 And I remember thinking to myself, yeah, if you're really carnal, okay, maybe so. 00:11:58.879 --> 00:11:59.039 Right. 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:05.679 But if you're in love with Jesus and your desire is to please Jesus, there is so much freedom there. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:16.320 And you know, for instance, I look at Paul when he was on one of his missionary trips, and he says, you know, we pressed to go into Asia, and the Holy Spirit said no. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:17.519 So they didn't go. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:22.639 And he said, and then we went over to this direction, and the Holy Spirit said no. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:27.840 And he went in another direction, I think, three times, and he says, The Holy Spirit prevented us. 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:35.200 Okay, so God was showing him what not to do, but Paul wasn't like, okay, do you want me to move forward with my left foot? 00:12:35.360 --> 00:12:36.879 Okay, now what about my right foot? 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:37.360 You know, right. 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:42.320 Paul was just moving in the will of God, trusting God to guide him as he went. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:45.679 He was sensitive, he was listening, and God guided him. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:54.799 Yeah, so so we would say God's will is is freedom within the boundaries that God has has set with us. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:00.879 And so, you know, the good news about that is if you are a follower of Jesus, and let's say, let's say you got two job offers. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:07.440 I'm gonna use that as an example, and they're both good companies, and they they're they're both, they have the different strengths, different weaknesses. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:13.360 Uh you know, there's certain things that are good about one, about the other, and you're you're just fretting though, because you're like, oh wow, what uh which one is God's will? 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.799 Well, they might both be God's will. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:15.039 Yeah. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:19.919 They might both be options, and God might actually give you, you know, a choice and say, hey, you know. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.639 Um now, you you might use it. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:23.600 Here's another example. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:25.840 Okay, there's there's uh there's two women. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.759 Um I'm talking about women because I'm a man. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.240 There's two women that you can be in a relationship with. 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:35.519 Uh one is your the one you're married to, and the other is a different woman that you're not married to. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:42.960 Well, God's will in that situation is really clear, you know, because God has spoken to us and said, you know, to be faithful in marriage. 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:46.480 And so there are things that God makes clear are his will. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:48.720 There are things that he makes clear are not his will. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:55.360 He does that not because his will is restricted, because he gives us those those safe boundaries, and within those boundaries, we have so much freedom. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:56.240 We have so much choice. 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:59.120 So there's a personal thing with with God's will. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:08.799 I I would say also God's will, you kind of mentioned it a minute ago, is we can kind of divide God's will into a couple categories. 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:13.519 There's his ultimate will or his declared will, there's things God has said will happen in this world. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:14.080 Yes. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:17.519 And those things will happen because God keeps his word. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:29.519 And so in the Old Testament, for example, when God told the nation of Israel that your friends and allies will be my allies and your enemies will be my enemies, well, he said that. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:34.320 And the nations that made themselves the enemies of Israel, things did not go well for them. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:37.360 Um, you know, and we've even seen that in modern times, to be honest with you. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:44.639 Like, you know, when we have we have, because God's will is he declared his will, and his will happens. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:46.320 That's his like ultimate will for the world. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:51.039 Oftentimes that has to do with like larger than one person type type scenarios. 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:55.679 Um that will, there's like you could do nothing to stop it. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:57.679 It's going to happen, right? 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:58.320 Right. 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:03.279 Um But that is different than God's personal preferred will for your life. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:10.480 So there's his declared will, and then there's his preferred will, the things that he he wishes to happen, but he gives us choice. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:11.120 Right. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:14.000 You gave a great example when we were talking earlier about the cruise ship. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:14.559 Oh, yeah. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:17.840 So yeah, way harder to explain one time, and I wish I could take credit for it, but I can't. 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:19.360 But it's like a cruise ship, okay? 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.600 A cruise ship is going to a destination. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:22.799 That is its will, right? 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.240 That is its determined course. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:29.360 And if you're on a cruise ship as a passenger, you you don't really affect where the cruise ship goes. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.720 You don't have any say. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:32.240 You're just on the cruise ship. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:40.159 While on the cruise ship, you got a lot, you have a lot of personal, you know, you have a lot of personal like uh freedom to do what you want on the ship. 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:43.840 You know, you can eat all the time, you can go swimming, you can go work out in the gym. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.919 If you chose, you could jump off. 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.799 If you jumped off, you're not gonna get to the destination. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.879 But it's not because the cruise ship let you down. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:16:00.480 You chose to remove yourself from the will of the cruise ship, which was to go where you're going. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:06.879 And so someone you know basically said that that's kind of how God's will works, is he has this ultimate will that is going somewhere, and then you can't stop it. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.639 That is it's gonna happen. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:15.279 But in the meantime, you have so much freedom, so much freedom, you know, personally, and he gives us that freedom. 00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:28.960 I think it's one of the biggest challenges people have with understanding God is it's like they can't wrap their heads around the idea that God is both in control ultimately and and and good and making and he will make good happen in this world. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.840 And at the same time, why do bad things happen? 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:36.639 Well, the vast majority of bad things that happen in the world are the result of some choice that someone makes. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:38.159 And God gives us the freedom to choose. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.080 He gives us the freedom to reject his will if we want to. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.600 And you know, to show you how God good is in how God good is. 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:45.759 How God good is, how God good is how good God is. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:48.240 Yeah, that's easy to say. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:54.799 And uh Romans, you know, so uh it says this uh that God causes all things. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:55.919 All things, thank you. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:59.360 God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him who are God. 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:02.000 I love that verse, and I know where you're I think I know where you're going with this, and I love it. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:05.359 Yeah, it doesn't say that God causes all things, right? 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.880 And it doesn't say that all things that happen are God. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:17.039 But God will take all things, even bad things, if we will trust him and work them out for our good. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.640 And it doesn't mean those bad things ever should have happened, right? 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:25.519 But sometimes they do, but God will even take those things and work them out to our good. 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:32.960 I love so so I it really hits on a on a really big part of God's will, and I'm looking at the clock, so I know we gotta wrap this up because we want to keep these somewhat short. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:38.000 But you know, Scott, Scott and I were talking earlier, not everything that happens is God's will. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:46.720 It's really important that we know that because otherwise we get in this weird place where someone, some tragedy might happen in our lives, and we just have to go, I guess God wanted that to happen. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.119 Well, no, not necessarily at all. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.279 Um God doesn't cause bad things to happen to teach us important lessons. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:18:00.079 Sometimes people will have you talked about a friend of yours that had an experience like that, some tragedy happened in their life, like, well, guess God really wanted me to learn this. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.640 It's like, no, like I'm a good dad. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:03.920 I'd like to think so anyway. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:05.839 I'm not as good of a dad as God. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.440 I would not break my son's leg so I could teach him how to be tough. 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:10.319 You know what I mean? 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:12.400 Lamb thinks you're a good dad, by the way. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:17.039 But but some people have that idea of God where it's like, well, if it if it happens, it must have been God's will. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:18.640 Well, the Bible doesn't actually teach that. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:18.960 Right. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:30.799 Now, what you just said is what the Bible teaches: that God can take all things that happen, whether they were his preferred will or not, and turn them into his will. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.200 Yes. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:38.720 And so the the best way I like to think of that is back in the day, uh Megan, my wife used to watch a lot of the show called Top Chef. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:39.759 Have you ever seen Top Chef? 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:40.079 Yes. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:52.000 It's like yeah, it's like a lot of those competition shows where you take these experts and you put them in really and there's almost always like one of the first challenges is basically, hey, here's some garbage, make a meal out of it. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:52.319 Right. 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:57.599 And I mean, they'll give them horrible ingredients, you know, like ingredients that you look at and go, like, oh, I wouldn't eat any of that. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:08.079 But somehow, these master chefs take this pretty terrible group of ingredients and create a meal out of it that you're like, oh my gosh, I would actually eat that. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:09.039 Like, that looks amazing. 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:09.519 Yeah. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:10.799 They're able now. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:13.039 If you gave me the best ingredients in the world, I'm not a good cook. 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:19.119 If you gave me like the top-tier steak and vegetables and the best spices and all that, I'm gonna ruin it. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:23.279 Like I'm I'm gonna turn filet mignon into like hamburger helper. 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:25.279 That's basically what I'm gonna do. 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:31.839 Uh but but but a master chef could take very poor ingredients and turn it into something really good. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:34.400 Well, God is is is over all things, right? 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:41.359 And he's you you can mess up, and this is important if you're listening to this, you may have made decisions in your life that were not God's will for your life. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:41.759 Right. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.799 You missed it. 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:44.240 You you really missed it. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:44.960 Yeah. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.400 And and I've missed it in a lot of ways, but you may have made decisions. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:48.799 Yeah. 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:54.480 And because of those decisions, you missed some things, some good things God had planned for you. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:20:01.519 And maybe there's been a lot of struggle in your life, and sometimes it's easy for us to blame God for that, and and that's okay, he's okay with that. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:02.720 He can he can handle that. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:10.160 But here's the beautiful thing is yeah, okay, so so you've made some mistakes, and and some really tough situations have happened because of it. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:15.599 If you will give that to God and you will say, God, I take it. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:21.680 He causes all things to work together for the good of those who love him. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:26.960 He can take our mistakes and actually turn them into his will. 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.599 And and meaning that he uses, he'll use it. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:35.839 He didn't create it, he didn't cause it, but he'll take it and he'll rework it into something beautiful for life. 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.279 You know, because he's good. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.079 Absolutely. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:38.720 That's great. 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:39.200 Yeah. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.880 So God God's will is it is what it is. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.240 It's what God wants to happen. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:49.039 What God wants to happen does not always happen because God gives us this thing called choice. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:57.359 But that doesn't mean that he can't take the sum total of our bad choices and and still turn it into something good if we let him. 00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:01.839 Yeah, I heard one pastor say, You miss plan A, God's got plan B. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.319 You miss that, he's got plan C. 00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:12.160 And if you're sincere in finding the will of God, He's got more ways to get back to Him than you have to missing. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.480 Let's end there. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:16.960 That's gonna wrap it up for this episode of Crash Course. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:17.519 I like that. 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:18.960 Think on that for a little bit. 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:20.559 We'll talk to you guys very, very soon. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:21.440 Thanks for listening.