Turning Our Crisis into an Opportunity - Part 2

Welcome to the intense podcast with Charles Stanley Friday, November 12. The Old Testament story of Justin is a classic that it's much more than an interesting historical narrative. Today's program bridges the century helping you connect the events of Joseph's life. Your life today. We all are going to have crisis in our life.

In fact, you have ever experienced a crisis in your life, well, how did you respond this around and do very well. Or maybe you said you know I responded right maybe for the first time all on the fact that I'm learning when crisis, no life will the message, they should be very, very encouraging because there is a proper way to respond. In fact, the truth is every crisis is an opportunity and often times we miss what God is up to the light because we don't think about crisis, which may be painful law, suffering, loss of difficult and hardship in it can be crisis of your finances in your relationships and your health and your vocation. It can be all kinds of things that bring crisis in their life. The issue is how we respond and was the basis of the right response will in this passage of Scripture the life of Joseph is a perfect example of the right kind of responses in time of crisis, and the fact instead of focusing on the crisis itself. The issue is what is my opportunity in the middle of this crisis in the later probably more people facing a crisis in our country than ever before in many many years. So how do we face it, how we respond to it. We could be angry and bitter and hostile we could blame God or blame someone else. Is there a better way. Yes. Is there way to profit in the midst of a painful crisis. Yes, there is so with all that in mind I have 15 suggestions, I will tell you this.

I know they work.

I've been through enough crisis in my life to know they absolutely work so if you going through a crisis. No matter what it is. I can tell you this to work. If you are wise enough to write these down put into the test.

Try them you will find yourself in any crisis, no matter what it might be God bringing you through it with confidence and assurance. You may not start out with that confidence and assurance that it will be there so I want to begin with one the basic one is simply this, see these crises.

Whatever it might be, see them first of all, the way God would have me look at it.

That's this he's working everything in my life for my good.

Romans 828 yes all I been here that all my life will but what you done about it, even practicing that there was. If you believe that Romans 820.

It is true that God causes all things to work for our good, that is, to those those who his children.

That is the first step when a crisis comes the question is not God, what did you do this, but I have to look and ask myself the question, there are really and truly believe that he's working everything for my good. Then I will take an opportunity in this crisis to discover what God wants to do in my life. The second very very important truth is in Psalm 103 verse 19 and I simply list that God is in control of everything. If you're in a crisis and you don't believe that God is in control of all things and you you have a reason to be wringing your hands a ring in your heart he's in charge of everything. He's in control of everything. Therefore when it comes to Romans 828 that he's causing all things to work together for my good.

I may not understand this because all things work together for my good and can only be true if he's in control of all things. The third thing you feel think about it for a moment when you're going to those kind of things you have to accept the truth of what is in Isaiah 55 and that you probably know this by heart. But remember what he says.

He says my ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. That is, is what God is saying you won't always understand what I do, you will always understand the way I go about things you will always understand why I allow you to suffer in certain generations and circumstances so that don't lose heart, because you know understand why that is the big question when crisis comes if my first question is God. Why don't I miss it. It's not why I know that if he allows it, he says, my good. He has a reason. So if I can get that in my thinking and his ways. Not my ways his thoughts about my thoughts. That is because he's omniscient.

Watch this because he's omniscient.

He knows that what's painful for you today will be profitable for you tomorrow that what you just want to run away from the day you want to run to the mother. He knows that and so when a crisis comes. I have an opportunity to discover something about God that I've never discovered before and that is that he is intimately involved in what it's your pain, whatever it might be he's there 1/4 thing this over important notes. This don't make quick judgments when a crisis comes don't make quick judgments. First of all we have revolving emotions number one and when a crisis comes. Most of the time we don't have any details or don't have the proper details insert listen to your friends you will know where you are and so the truth is you have to ask yourself the question what maybe God will will I don't quite understand this an attribute asked that question, but a quick judgment is always a wrong attitude but God, what are you up to in my life.

You can ask God, and you can tell them alone. I don't like this. I don't understand that you let us have them alive.

He understands that, but you have to go that fast because you said Romans 828 I believe. I believe that he's in control of all things. I know his ways and that my ways, his ways are higher than my ways, that there are higher that means that wiser than my ways and much more profitable force.

And then of course focus on God instead of the crisis. The words all of us have faced crisis in life and if you find yourself focused on that crisis and the pain of and so forth. What happens is you get off track and you lose the awareness of the comfort in the knowledge you know that God has a view in his unconditional love for you and so you say, but it's painful sure it's painful, you can still focus on him and this is why somebody says so how can I focus on God when I'm hurt yes are you folk open the word of God, start reading, you can read in the Psalms.

Usually the pistols or whatever it might be.

But what happens is when you get into the word God becomes your focus and he's going to encourage you, challenge you all bring something to into your mind that needs to go in your life. It shouldn't be there, and so he's going to show you what that is and you begin to understand will now got. I begin to see what you're doing but if you focus on the crisis you lose something and then of course avoid focusing on the pain you don't focus on photos in the crisis back to the word of God. I may still be hurt and I can member times amount life when I felt that same thing that hurt that pain will not get in the word of God and start reading. It's like God just he would just calm my spirit and Clyde my spirit is like putting sat on the cut and things begin the change in my thinking. And then of course recall the past crisis and the opportunities that followed them.

All of us said well you know we've had crisis now what I ask you how did you respond when you say well with this pick out the worst one had you respond if you responded correctly, you can probably look back and say well thank God it was a very difficult time in my life but now I see what you were doing. You are preparing me for something else and if you think about this is the will of God. He says that he's predestined you and me to be conformed to his image. That means he is continually working in our life that shape us into the character of Jesus Christ and he is going to allow he's going to send into our life whatever is necessary to shape us in character, like his son.

So therefore when I look at that and I think about the opportunities I look in my own life and think about things that have hurt me deeply are real crisis in my life. I can look back and see exactly what we got was doing after you asked me over here in the middle of it. What's he doing same thing you'd say I live now. There was doing, but on the other side. That's why, if we respond properly then what should happen. We can make progress even in the midst of that situation, circumstance, and then little by little we can begin to understand what in the world was God doing in the process. So I think about dealing with anger immediately concerning their would you sell. I thought you said you shouldn't be angry. I didn't say you would be angry at first there was the Bible says don't let the sun go down. You don't take in the bed with so the truth is when certain things happen to us natural, normal response may be anger, but you can't let it stay there yet is okay, got them angry about this. I don't appreciate this at all like this on the treat me this way but I miss you to forgive me for my anger and I'm moving on God what what what are you doing I want to take advantage of this opportunity of being able to be hurt without being angry, but a few moments, because I know there's I going to get me nowhere. We all gonna face crisis.

And when you respond immediately. As we said, and that when you let anger just live there. It's going to cause you some problems that you could possibly miss God's whole purpose and and there are people and I've met people who have lived and are still living in anger over something that happened years ago. Then of course submit yourself to the will of God in the situation. Whatever it is that that's not always easy to see all this boils down to what I believe him or not. He says he's working it for my good. Do I believe that he says he's an absolute control. He says he understands why we don't understand.

He says he loves us unconditionally.

If I believe those things, then I'm going to be able to look at them and ask what's my opportunity in this given situation. Opportunity grow spiritually, opportunity, God may send some of the weight that all this is just getting us ready for everything that happened the Josie until the day he met Pharaoh face-to-face. All of that was preparation for what God was on the he was always drawing, always being submissive to the situation which he found himself because he believed God. God had given him a dream. Is there will have never had a dream like that you got some the dream you have the written word of God… How many of you can interpret your dreams you have at night then useless. There's just a mixture of something, anything, when were that come from. You can't trust the dream listen you and I have the word of God we can trust his word, we are far ahead of where Joseph was when he comes the truth and understanding what God is doing in LA then of course you have to demonstrate. I believe this is an important part of demonstrate a sense of gratitude is that I wait a minute you mean to tell me when I'm hurt I feel rejected.

I mean the whole world is falling apart and on to express gratitude yes only can you do that on the basis if you believe the first one of our principles and that is that he is working something good in your life and that he is in control and that he understands why you don't understand the words if I really and truly believe the truth of the word of God which you and I read and we pray over and we talked to got a better if we believe it will be able to say Lord I don't like it. It hurts.

I wouldn't do it this way. I think your good some other way, but I know that you know better than I do send out thank you. In spite of gratitude always works because what you say in essence I don't understand it but you must love me enough knowing that I don't understand it that you let me hurt because you know something good is going to come out of this.

Then of course determining your life to view the crisis as an opportunity determine the viewed as an opportunity is a choice we made use of, I don't feel like there's nothing to do with feelings. It has to do with in this given situation. I am going to determine, in my heart that God is giving me an opportunity and understanding. Today I may not like it today or tomorrow, but here is an opportunity for Gardy to teach me something or put me in a position that I would never have believed that he put me is he watch this what you and I don't see we don't see all of the background we don't see all the things that God is doing in our lives that nobody sees.

We don't see it.

Nobody else sees it. He's working things in her attitude in her life the way we view things when we treat people you respond to people he's working in all of these things to do, what they get us where he wants us to be and then watch this one refused to listen to unscriptural interpretations by other people what's happening here is a very important you can afford to listen to other people's interpretations of what God is doing in your life that sometimes there be somebody wise who give you some good advice, but for the most part they'll say what if I were you. Here's what I do remind them of their not you.

And secondly they don't know what they did. They were in your particular position because you are where you are because God is allowed you to be there for God's purpose and listen. God isn't going around telling everybody else your business.

He's not telling somebody else will.

Here's what I'm there with him in her no, I have to trust and I can't trust other people to tell me how I'm to respond in a given situation unless I seek real wisdom from somebody whom I trust. Who knows and loves God walks in his ways before you start getting advice from anybody.

His first thing you do watch the way they live in they are living a godly life. Don't listen to living a godly life and that's a possibility, or listen then of course remain in constant prayer listening to God's instructions you say will. God is never spoken. The man, as always answer the question. Yes he has. Do you think God can't isolate one of his children; snail I Michael speak him. Yes he does. If I don't believe he speaks to me on the go here and it may be that God may knock on your door over and over and over and over again until finally you listen, but he speaking thing he wants to give you direction he wants you to take opportunities he want to take advantage of the situations and circumstances in life that make it possible for us to grow to be conformed to his likeness. That's what he's up to in our life. But if somehow I don't think he's going to listen in more than life are not going to pray and then of course, refused to give way to your changing emotions and this is what happens. You praying. Things don't change on you that you watch this I don't feel like God is listening.

I don't feel like God loves me. I don't feel like circumstances feelings oftentimes are the enemy of obedience to God because I may not feel something, but God does not play don't feelings that he does. One is operating on feeling so think about all of these now just have one more is the bottom line obey God and leave all the consequences to him. You see, if I believe the first one I gave you I can do that.

He is working all things for my guilt. I leave all the consequences and probably reason control and leave all the consequences him, obey him, leave all the consequences to no matter what crisis you face in life.

These 15 suggestions. That's what they are and I know they work. They will help you through them.

No matter what that crisis is what you have to decide is this. Do I believe that God is who he says he is. Do I believe that God loves me enough to personally involve himself in my life. Do I believe when I don't understand. He understands me.

Do I believe with all my heart that God has a plan and the will of my life.

Yes.

Do I believe with all my heart that in every circumstance, there is an opportunity for me to grow in my Christian life or to prosper in other ways. It all goes down to the fact do I believe what is true is really true because that's the way we can respond that no matter what crisis you face if you follow those 15 suggestions God's number you through the islands. They would bring it through with tears and no tears and said the easy, but I know he will bring you through it. No matter what and father how grateful we are that you have planned for each one of us in such a fashion that you have the best for us and I pray the Holy Spirit will speak to every single listener and enable them to understand that it all begins with trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior and then following him and practicing these things. We've spoken about today and we pray this in Jesus name, amen. Thank you for listening to pack teal Avenue turning a crisis into an opportunity. Any like to know more about outstanding or intense ministries that might enhance data lighting.

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