Humility and Trust in God's Inscrutable Ways
2026-11-09 · 3.975 MHz · 0600 PST
The Bible reading
Psalm 131
Today's Reading (KJV): Psalm 131
1LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. 3Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
The study focused on Psalm 131, a short psalm emphasizing the need for humility in the face of God's infinite wisdom and the inscrutability of His ways. The discussion highlighted that as finite creatures, humans cannot fully comprehend the infinite Creator, making it essential to trust God even when His actions or providences are not understood. The text was read by George, K1KOY, and the group explored the concept of lowering oneself before God rather than lifting oneself up in pride.
Participants discussed the metaphor of a weaned child, noting that just as a child must trust a parent when weaned from milk, believers must trust God when He withholds comforts or changes circumstances. This process is seen as a means to maturity and Christ-likeness. The study connected this to the example of David, who trusted God and refrained from killing Saul despite having the opportunity, demonstrating that God's promises are fulfilled in His timing, not ours.
The conversation extended to practical applications, such as focusing on actionable responsibilities within one's sphere of influence rather than worrying about global or national matters beyond personal control. The group also referenced the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to illustrate that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The session concluded with a reminder to take a long-range view of life, trusting that God's purposes are for eternal good rather than immediate comfort.
Insights
- The study emphasized that God's withholding of good things is not a sign of His absence but a tool for developing spiritual maturity and dependence on Him.
- Participants noted that comparing one's circumstances to others' is unwise, as God has unique plans for each individual that may not align with immediate appearances of blessing or curse.
- The concept of 'surrender' was highlighted as the prerequisite for 'hope'; one cannot truly hope in God's future while fighting against His present management of life.
- The discussion drew a parallel between the weaning process and the Christian life, where reliance on God Himself must supersede reliance on His gifts.
- The group observed that pride is often manifested in a desire to control or understand matters that are 'too high' for human grasp, whereas humility accepts the limits of human understanding.
Transcript
0:00And so individual boxes this time, not pallets.
0:04And so they went all over the world.
0:06So, yep, things are good.
0:08All right, real good.
0:10Glad to hear you shipped out 2,500 Bibles, individual cases all over the world.
0:14Yep, that's a lot more work than just slapping a label on a pallet
0:18and sending it out with a forklift for sure.
0:20So, anyway, real good, Jeff.
0:23We continue to pray constantly for those Bibles
0:26and for them to accomplish that where and to they sent.
0:30You know, the Bible says that God's Word does not return to a void,
0:34but it accomplishes that to which he sent it to achieve.
0:38So praise the Lord for that.
0:39Really glad to hear that, Jeff.
0:41All right, Annette would also like to acknowledge Gene, K7GWR.
0:45Good morning, Gene.
0:46See you there.
0:47And we got you checked in as well.
0:49All right, that's Gene, K7GWR.
0:52I think I'm caught up there on the Utah.
0:54Let me have a look at Halfloon Bay.
0:57Yep, everybody that's there, we got checked in already.
1:00Okay, we're back to voice check-ins.
1:03Please come now to the West Coast Bible Study.
1:05K7GWR.
1:06I better get in here.
1:07Whiskey, Whiskey, 7, Tango.
1:10Alpha, Alpha, Alpha, 5, Yankee.
1:12All right, you guys are piling up on me.
1:14This is like a quarterback, you know, that gets slaughtered.
1:20All right, let me see if I can work my way through this.
1:24First of all, Tom, Whiskey, Whiskey, 7, Tango.
1:26Good morning, Tom.
1:27How are you doing?
1:28Oh, I'm trying to hang in there like always, you know, just try to get through one day at a time to the Lord's help.
1:36That's the only way I know to do it.
1:37I don't know any other way because I can't do it any other way.
1:41Yeah, copy that.
1:42Well, we lean hard on the Lord, every one of us, to make it through.
1:45So, any news on Medicare taking care of your wheelchair or getting you that fancy wheelchair you need over?
1:53Nothing yet.
1:55I know they've totally got the paperwork and that, and I'm going to call Medicare today and see if they need any payments or anything.
2:02I've got to call my second insurance.
2:05Part B.
2:05So, we'll see how that all works out.
2:08Yeah, copy that.
2:09Yeah, you got that prescription a long time ago.
2:11It seems like they would get that thing to you a lot sooner since you're so disabled.
2:16Yeah, maybe you'll rattle some cages there and see what their delivery schedule is on that thing.
2:21Over.
2:22Roger, Roger.
2:23I talked to the company.
2:24He says the paperwork's pulled me in.
2:26They're just waiting on them to approve it.
2:29Okay, so the paperwork's in.
2:30They're waiting on them to approve it.
2:32All right, we'll continue to pray, Tom, as we have, that that will be delivered to you sooner rather than later.
2:39All right, so we also got Beck Alpha Alpha 5 Yankee and Sandy W7 SAB in there.
2:45Good morning, Beck.
2:46How are you guys doing?
2:48Good morning, Pastor Max and everybody.
2:50We're doing pretty good.
2:51I'm going to put in another hard day's work on the house.
2:54And I wanted to say on Chapter 131, Verse 3 has a totally different meaning today as I realize that I am part of Israel.
3:05Roger?
3:05Amen.
3:06Amen, brother.
3:07Yep, that's true.
3:08So it has personal application to you.
3:11Anytime you see anything applied to Israel there, you can apply it to yourself because you're part of the covenant community of the people of God.
3:18All right, Beck, real good.
3:19Okay, we also had Jerry KG6J in there.
3:22Good morning, Jerry.
3:23You got stomped on about four times.
3:27KG6J.
3:28Justin, my britch is off.
3:30I'm fine.
3:30Gosh, a great day.
3:33It's already starting out wonderful.
3:36I've been listening along since the beginning, but I just felt like I better get in now.
3:40Just a quick comment about Jeff and those Bibles.
3:45You know, some are called to plant seeds, and others come behind in water.
3:49And so just great report there.
3:52Back to you.
3:53No prayer requests.
3:54Yeah, amen.
3:56You know, I think about my salvation, and I'm sure all of you would probably say the same thing.
4:02There may have been a primary person, but think of all the things that happened in your life to prepare you for that and to bring you to seeing your need of that.
4:13And while I did have a single individual who was primarily responsible for leading me to Christ, there was a lot of things that happened before that that prepared my heart and made me ready to hear when this individual did finally share the gospel with me.
4:29And so I'm thankful for all those seeds that were planted as well.
4:34And, yeah, the best seed we can plant is the Bible, and that's what Jeff's doing.
4:38And he's been scattering seeds for decades, and I think over 2.5 million Bibles have gone out from his warehouse.
4:46So that's a lot of seed, and God willing, there will be a lot of fruit that arises out of that on the Day of Judgment.
4:54All right, real good, Jerry.
4:56Thank you for that passage and for that encouragement.
5:00Let's keep scattering the seed, and God will use it as he sees fit and to save his people.
5:06All right, any other check-ins this morning?
5:08Please come down.
5:09Thank you, sir.
5:09Thank you, sir.
5:11And good morning, Roger, WB7VZO.
5:14Good to have you with us.
5:15Any prayer requests?
5:16Go ahead.
5:17Well, we're going to be talking about weaning today, and I'm looking forward to that and continued prayers for the post-probation time
5:33and the weaning of Autumn into somewhat of a normal, mainstream life of responsibility.
5:43You know, if you don't work, you don't eat type of experience.
5:48Over.
5:49Yeah, copy that.
5:50That's right.
5:51She needs to go out and get a job and not live off of others for sure.
5:55All right, Roger.
5:56We'll pray you have wisdom in managing that for sure.
5:59All right.
6:00WB7MAX, looking for check-ins.
6:01All right, we had a double there, but I did pick out Joe, KI-6WXP.
6:08Good morning, Joe.
6:09How are you doing?
6:10Good morning.
6:11Thanks for asking.
6:11No prayer requests.
6:13Thank you.
6:13Copy that.
6:14Other station that was in there with Joe, please come now.
6:17KI-6WXP.
6:17Okay.
6:20I got Dave, KE-7WXP.
6:24Good morning, Dave.
6:24How are you doing?
6:25Doing really well.
6:28Just waking up and turning on the radio.
6:31No prayer requests.
6:32All right, Dave.
6:33Good to have you with us.
6:34There was another station in there.
6:35Other station.
6:36Please come now.
6:37Kilo 7, November Echo Bravo.
6:39Okay.
6:39There is Keith, KE-7NEB.
6:41Good morning, Keith.
6:42How are you doing?
6:43Doing fine.
6:43We're part of that big pileup.
6:45No new prayer requests.
6:46All right.
6:47Doing real good.
6:47Other stations come now.
6:55All right.
6:55I think we worked through our pileup.
6:57I'm just glancing over my SDRs for the moment.
7:03And I – oh, there's Carol, KK-7TPO.
7:06Carol, KK-7TPO.
7:07Key up and talk to us.
7:13Good morning, Pastor Max.
7:15All is well here, and no new prayer requests.
7:19Over.
7:20Okay, Carol.
7:21Good copy.
7:21All is well there.
7:22No new prayer requests.
7:23Carol, KK-7TPO.
7:25Appreciate you being there with us, and good to hear your voice.
7:28Good signal today, Carol.
7:30All right.
7:30Any other check-ins?
7:31Come now.
7:34KJ-7PVT.
7:36There's Mark.
7:37KJ-7PVT.
7:38Good morning, Mark.
7:38How are you doing?
7:41Good morning, Max.
7:42Doing well.
7:43I was off.
7:43Morning, Keith.
7:44Good morning, Keith.
7:48Amazing what happens when you get on frequency.
7:52Back to you.
7:52No new prayer requests.
7:56All right, Mark.
7:57Good copy on the Half Moon Bay SDR.
8:00Yep.
8:00Got to stay on frequency, brother.
8:04All right.
8:05That's Mark.
8:05KJ-7PVT.
8:07Any other check-ins?
8:09Please come now.
8:12KD-7ES.
8:13All right.
8:14There's our net logger, Eric.
8:16KD-7ES.
8:17How was Lincoln City with the wife?
8:19Go ahead.
8:21Yeah, it was great.
8:22Had a really fantastic time.
8:24Got some rest and relaxation.
8:26That relaxation.
8:28And, yeah, just had a pretty overall good time.
8:31It was stormy, pretty stormy on Saturday night.
8:33The power went out for a few minutes, but came back on.
8:37I think the generator or something came on.
8:39But, anyway, yeah, had a good time.
8:42Well, real good.
8:43I'm glad you did.
8:44And good to have you back with us, Eric.
8:46And thank you for doing the net logger for us.
8:47And I would like to acknowledge Peter, KJ-7BA.
8:50Good morning, Peter.
8:51See you there on the Utah SDR.
8:53And so I think, oh, did I get Gene checked in?
8:56Yeah, I got Gene checked in.
8:57Okay.
8:58We are about ready to get started.
9:00Any last-minute voice check-ins, please come now.
9:06All right.
9:07Peter says good morning to everyone.
9:08Good contact there, Peter.
9:10Appreciate you being there.
9:10Okay.
9:11We are going to get started.
9:12We are in Psalm 131.
9:14That's 131.
9:16Only three verses, but, man, are there some great concepts in those verses.
9:21So it's going to be a good study today.
9:24But before we get started with our study, we're going to open in prayer.
9:27And so, Will, can you like five foxtrot?
9:29If you could please open in prayer for us today.
9:31I'd appreciate that.
9:32Go ahead there, Will.
9:33Sure.
9:34That was quite a pileup.
9:36Let's bow our heads in prayer.
9:39Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for the many blessings that you've bestowed upon us
9:44for the propagation that we've got today, and we just ask for that to continue.
9:50We thank you for the West Coast Bible study, Lord, and just pray that each of us will put on our armor daily
9:55and constantly have prayer in our lives as we do with this time of study in prayer.
10:06We start it with prayer, and we end it with prayer.
10:08Let us do that throughout our day in times of trouble.
10:12We thank you for Max and all that he has done, and we just pray that you'll be able to get all the damage taken care of,
10:20and for the others that have been mentioned that have been damaged of various kinds, Lord.
10:26We pray for them, too.
10:28We thank you for being able to study your word.
10:32We just ask for those that have health issues and caregivers,
10:39and especially for Tom, that he'll get his wheelchair, Lord.
10:42We pray for this nation.
10:43And we just pray that many people would come to you as a result.
10:50We ask for your blessings and guidance.
10:52In Jesus' name we pray.
10:53Amen.
10:54Amen.
10:55Well, thank you so much for that prayer.
10:57May the Lord be pleased to answer every one of those requests.
11:00All right.
11:00We are in Psalm 131 today.
11:04This psalm is a very short psalm,
11:06but it expresses a very profound thought and one that we do well to take heed to.
11:14And what the psalm tells us is that there is a need for great humility on our part
11:20in the face of the inscrutability of the ways of God.
11:27God is infinitely above us, and his thoughts and his plans are infinitely deep,
11:32and his ways and workings involve infinite complexities,
11:36all of which are completely beyond our ability to grasp or to understand.
11:43And so God is infinite.
11:44We are finite, and therefore we should expect that most of what God does
11:50is far beyond our ability to understand.
11:54You know, the issue here is how could the creature ever hope to comprehend the creator?
12:02And how could a man with a fallen and darkened mind ever think to grasp the mind of God
12:07and follow his thinking and reasoning?
12:09And the answer is, of course, we can't.
12:11There are things God does that are too high for us to comprehend,
12:15and there are great matters which God embarks upon which are too complex for us to understand.
12:21And therefore, it behooves us to exercise great humility
12:26in the face of the unfolding providences of God that happen in our lives.
12:32And so what we have to do is simply trust God, even when we can't understand him.
12:38So that is the thrust of our passage today.
12:41That's the main idea.
12:43And so we are going to read this passage, and then we are going to discuss it together.
12:49And I've asked George, K1KOY, to read our passage for us today.
12:54George, please go ahead.
12:57Psalm 131 from the King James Version of the Bible.
13:00Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty.
13:05Neither do I exercise myself in great matters or in things too high for me.
13:11Surely I have behaved and quieted myself.
13:14As a child that is weaned of his mother, my soul is even as a weaned child.
13:20Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and forever.
13:24Psalm 131.
13:25All right, George, K1KOY, thank you so much for that reading.
13:30This is WB7MEX, Net Control, and we are going to discuss the passage today.
13:34Any comments on our passage, please come now with your call sign.
13:49Is that XM?
13:50Kevin, KB7, ZXM, please go ahead.
13:52Well, you know, I create some vivid imagery in my mind sometimes to remind me of humility.
14:05And I think, you know, we have all seen people that could probably strut sitting down.
14:12They're so full of pride.
14:13But, you know, as I said before, there are no spiritual teacocks in heaven.
14:22And what a wonderful reminder how we approach God with such humility, such a great God, our creator,
14:31yet is willing to not only love us but provide the ransom for us through the sacrifice of his son that we might have a relationship in him
14:49and not be eternally separated as justice would otherwise dictate, but being such a holy God.
14:59Yet, because of his grace, we can approach him.
15:03And this psalm is such a wonderful, vivid reminder that it is all Jesus.
15:13It is all him.
15:15He has made it all possible.
15:18He has made all provision.
15:20He's motivated by his great love that we might enter into his righteousness through him
15:27and, you know, that we might be drawn to him through his righteousness, KB7, ZXN.
15:37Yeah, Kevin, you know, you make a really important point about the whole issue of pride.
15:42When the Bible talks about pride and humility, it talks about it in vertical movement.
15:49Pride is lifting oneself up.
15:52Humility is lowering oneself down.
15:55And, you know, that's the thing about the peacock that you mentioned.
15:58You know, he's got his head all lifted up, and he's all proud of himself and arrogant.
16:03And then, you know, you have humility.
16:07And, you know, you think of a dog rolling over and showing you his belly and saying, you know,
16:13I'm beneath you, you know, you're superior to me.
16:17And, you know, those kind of illustrations in the animal kingdom help us to grasp, you know,
16:23the concepts of humility and pride.
16:27And so God is high above us, and humility is a lowering of ourselves and our own eyes before him
16:36and saying to him, you know, you are great, and I am small, and you are wise, and I am foolish,
16:43and you are good, and I am sinful, and you are powerful, and I am weak.
16:48And so as we understand this whole idea of lifting up and lowering down,
16:55I think we better understand the whole concept of pride.
17:00And to lift ourselves up against God is as foolish as for a mouse to lift himself up against an elephant.
17:08When you see the contrast there in size, I think it helps us see the ridiculousness of human pride
17:15and the lifting of ourselves up against God.
17:18Kevin, great comment.
17:19Thank you for that.
17:20All right.
17:21Any other comments?
17:21Please come down.
17:22K-7 NEB.
17:24K-7 NEB.
17:26Let's see.
17:26NEB.
17:27That's Keith.
17:27K-7 NEB.
17:28Keith, go ahead.
17:29K-7 NEB.
17:31I'm looking at the part that says, I think God concerns myself with great matters.
17:36And in the world, it seems that the social media with news answers to everything on the planet,
17:42we concern ourselves with everything and have an opinion on everything
17:46and have to carry the weight of all of that when, you know,
17:50we've got our own families and own communities to focus in on instead,
17:54but no, we take on the entire world.
17:56That world is up to God.
17:58Yeah, you're right.
18:03You know, there are things that are above us and beyond us,
18:05and we just have to let those things go into the hand of God
18:07and take care of the things that we can do something about.
18:11You know, I know people get really upset from time to time about how things are going in the world
18:17and how things are going on the national stage and who's doing what about this or that.
18:22And while certainly those are matters to pray about,
18:25you know, there's no action that I can take that's going to impact those things at all other than prayer.
18:33And so, you know, if I'm so preoccupied with those great matters
18:40that I'm not paying attention to the lesser matters that are in my control
18:46and that I can do something about, then I'm not exercising my priorities properly.
18:52And, Keith, I appreciate you pointing that out.
18:55Let's focus on things that are actionable that we can do something about.
18:59Let's focus on the things that are within the sphere of our responsibility
19:03and make sure that we're taking care of that and recognizing that some of these other matters,
19:11you know, we need to not try to exercise ourselves with reference to them
19:15because, really, it's kind of an exercise in futility.
19:18It's like trying to throw sand into the ocean.
19:20You're really not going to fill it up and empty it out.
19:23So focus on the kids playing on the beach and taking care of them and go from there.
19:29Thank you for that analogy and appreciate you pointing that out.
19:34That's Keith, K7NEB.
19:35All right, other comments.
19:36Please come down.
19:38AK6OK.
19:40Jeff, AK6OK.
19:41Go ahead.
19:43Yeah, Max, you remember old Bear, our dog.
19:48Bear, when he was a little tiny pup, would attack his food when we gave it to him.
19:53When he was, I don't know, when eight weeks old or whatever,
19:56and we started to have a real problem because he was inhaling his food and choking.
20:02And just wait, I'll get to the point.
20:06Anyway, so we decided to pull him aside and pray with him to calm him down.
20:12And it worked so well that he, of course, now refuses to eat without praying first.
20:19And now we have a new pup.
20:21And Bear is training our new pup to pray before he eats as well.
20:25So the point is that what was most important to him as a pup
20:30and what is most important to our new dog is the food.
20:36It's not us.
20:37It's the food.
20:38And, of course, nowadays Bear doesn't care quite as much about his food.
20:42He cares about those who take care of him.
20:44And a similar kind of a situation here in Psalm 131.
20:51He finally calmed himself down and said,
20:54Okay, I'm looking for my mom.
20:57I'm not looking for the milk over.
21:00Yeah, copy that.
21:02And verse 2 is such a great verse.
21:05Surely I have behaved and quieted myself.
21:09As a child that is weaned of his mother, my soul is even as a weaned child.
21:15And the idea there is that instead of focusing on the food, you focus on the mother.
21:23And so we've all, most of us, I think, on this net have had kids.
21:27Our wives have nursed those kids.
21:29The women on the net have probably nursed their own children.
21:33And we all understand that process.
21:36And the child's, you know, concern is for his food.
21:40And he forgets all about the person who's supplying the food.
21:45And, of course, eventually that orientation shifts, as it did with your puppies,
21:51where instead of focusing on the food, they're focusing on their master
21:54and, you know, what's best for them as he directs them.
21:59And, you know, that's something that we tend to do is focus on God's gifts
22:05instead of on God himself.
22:08And sometimes God takes things away from us that are really good for us.
22:14You know, there's nothing wrong with a mother's breast and the milk that comes from it
22:18and the blessing that is to the child.
22:21But then that gets taken away.
22:23And the child is going, look, I enjoy this.
22:26This is good for me.
22:27I derive comfort.
22:29I derive nourishment from this.
22:31Why are you taking it away?
22:33Now, as adults, we understand why that's taken away.
22:37You don't want to be nursing when you're 14 years old, okay?
22:41There has to come a point in time where you take away something that the child really wants
22:47and is really good for them because there's a larger thing in view here in terms of gaining maturity
22:54that he doesn't understand anything about.
22:58And, you know, God takes things away from us, things that are good,
23:02things that we derive comfort and blessing from.
23:06Sometimes he'll take away a child.
23:08Sometimes he'll take away a husband or a wife.
23:11Sometimes he'll take away our finances.
23:14Maybe our house burns to the ground or gets flooded or whatever, right?
23:19And we immediately cry out, God, you know, this was good.
23:24And you took this away.
23:25What are you doing?
23:27Well, you know, the child isn't going to understand.
23:30You can explain all day long to them, look, it's time to move off milk and start eating, you know,
23:35peas and potatoes and a little bit of meat.
23:37But they're not going to understand it.
23:39They can't comprehend it.
23:41It's too high for them.
23:43And so they just have to trust the one who is making those decisions even though they don't understand them.
23:50And, you know, it kind of goes right along with Proverbs 3, 5, and 6.
23:54Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
24:01In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.
24:05And so we have to trust when we can't understand.
24:09We have to focus on the giver and not on the gift and recognize that he's going to give gifts for a while.
24:17He's going to take them away.
24:18And he's going to give us other gifts for a while and then maybe take them away too.
24:23And in this process of giving and taking, he's bringing us to maturity.
24:27He's working out his purposes.
24:29He's working things together for good.
24:31And he's really blessing us with greater levels of maturity and usefulness and Christ-likeness.
24:40And we've got to trust him in that process just like a child has to trust their parents when they, you know, take away the milk and they give them mashed potatoes.
24:50A child doesn't understand that's an improvement, but it is.
24:53And we just have to trust.
24:54So, Jeff, thanks for bringing out that illustration and the importance of not focusing on the gift, but on the giver.
25:01And trusting that giver that he is doing well when he withholds things from us and when he gives us other things that maybe we didn't expect.
25:11All right.
25:12That's Jeff, AK6UK.
25:13Great comment, Jeff.
25:14Thank you for that.
25:15WB7MX here.
25:16Other comments?
25:17Please come now.
25:19ZXN.
25:20Kevin, KB7ZXN.
25:21Go ahead.
25:22Yeah, actually, all wonderful comments.
25:25And I think all touching on important aspects of this short text here, but like you pointed out in the beginning, Max, is quite profound.
25:34And here we see the reflections of a David that has come to humble himself before God, as he has often done,
25:45and rest in that comfort of maturity, of trusting in God.
25:54You know, and we see that throughout periods of David's life.
25:59Instead of seeking what might give him most recognition or most notoriety, he has honored God and that God lead the way.
26:11And I was thinking back when he had the opportunity to kill Saul, when Saul was in hot pursuit of him.
26:19On a couple of occasions, he could have taken out Saul, but he did not.
26:23And all in reverence to God, he humbled himself before God.
26:29And, of course, when he repented of some of his sin, which some of it was great sin, he still humbled himself before God,
26:39recognizing that God was always the answer and always the hope.
26:45But what wonderful reflections there is we see now the peace of the soul, I think, reflected in that trust that you're talking about here.
26:55How he has, you know, humbled himself to obedience.
27:02And that trust in the Lord is what gives that peace of mind, that peace of heart.
27:09KB7, is that a good one?
27:11Mark's out there.
27:12Thank you.
27:15You said Mark was in there.
27:16I'll check on Mark in a second.
27:18Okay, let me respond to Kevin's comment.
27:20Kevin, thank you for bringing out the issue of David and Saul.
27:25There is an example of where David had to trust God even when he didn't understand.
27:31You know, Samuel had anointed him and said, you are going to be king.
27:35And yet, where is he at, right?
27:37He's having to flee from the king who's trying to kill him.
27:41He's trying to hang out in caves.
27:44His life is hanging by a thread.
27:47He is in tremendous jeopardy.
27:51And a couple of times, he came within a hair's breadth of getting killed.
27:54And then, he had this tremendous temptation to violate God's truth and God's word and God's principles to relieve himself of his distress.
28:05As you said, he could have killed Saul on more than one occasion.
28:09He had him right in his hand.
28:10And yet, he didn't kill him.
28:13And so, David is a wonderful example of someone who had a promise from God.
28:19Just like we do, we've got tons of promises from God.
28:22It seems like that in God's providence, those promises are not being kept and they're not going to be kept.
28:30And then, we have a way to deliver ourselves from a situation by committing a sin.
28:37And there's the temptation.
28:39And what David did is he trusted God even when he couldn't understand God.
28:46He did the right thing even though it seemed contrary to his own best interests and the relieving of his distress.
28:55And he just waited on God.
28:57And we can see now in retrospect how it all worked out.
29:02But when you're going through it, it's really hard.
29:05It's really hard to trust God in the midst of a terrible circumstance that seems contrary to the will of God.
29:13And Satan comes along and says, hey, by committing this sin, you can get yourself out of this situation.
29:19And David said, nope, I'm not going to kill the Lord's anointed.
29:24That's not my place.
29:25That's not my calling.
29:26I don't have the liberty to do that.
29:30So, I'm just going to keep trusting God.
29:32So, Kevin, great comment.
29:34Thank you for that.
29:35All right, Mark.
29:35KJ7 PVT.
29:37You had a comment.
29:37Please go ahead.
29:38I just have two quick scriptures that kind of hold into these wonderful passages that we're going through this morning here.
29:54The first one is 1 Peter 5.5.
29:57And it says,
29:58And then the second one is James 4.10.
30:14And this one here, we sing as a round in our church.
30:18The first, like, the men will sing the first piece of it.
30:23And then the women will come in and sing exactly the same.
30:26And the way that the song is put together, it creates a round with harmony in it.
30:33And it's James 4.10.
30:36And it says,
30:38Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.
30:43Back to you, Max.
30:45KJ7 PVT.
30:48Mark, thank you for sharing those two passages with us.
30:52Mark brought a couple of passages to bear that are directly related to our Psalm 131.
30:58And one of those is James 4.10, where it says,
31:03Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
31:07Once again, you see that vertical movement where we're lowering ourselves and God is lifting us up.
31:13And they sing that as a song in their church.
31:17And so, humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift us up.
31:21And then the other passage he brought out was 1 Peter 5 and verse 5, where it says,
31:28Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves to the elder.
31:31Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility.
31:34For God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.
31:38So, the idea is that humility is not only between us and God, it's between us and our leaders.
31:47You know, it talks about the younger believers in the church and then the elders in the church who are the pastors of the churches.
31:54And the idea that we are not all on an equal plane in terms of maturity, in terms of giftedness, in terms of office.
32:03And so, when there are those who are above us in giftedness and maturity and office,
32:09we need to lower ourselves before them, learn from them, listen to them, respect their age, experience, knowledge, and wisdom.
32:17And, you know, not to puff ourselves up against them.
32:23You know, and then, of course, it closes with this wonderful statement, God resists the proud.
32:28And so, when people lift themselves up and think more highly of themselves than they ought to think,
32:34because it says in Romans, chapter 12, then God says,
32:39Okay, if you're going to lift yourself up, I'm going to push you down.
32:42And if you're going to lower yourself down, I'm going to lift you up.
32:47So, the point is, is that, remember what Jesus talked about, this parable of this feast,
32:53and people came in and they took the highest seats, and then this other guy came in and he took the lowest seat.
33:00And then the master of the feast went to the guy who took the lowest seat, and he says,
33:03Come and sit up higher.
33:05And so, the people who exalted themselves at the feast had to take the lower chairs,
33:10and the people who humbled themselves at the feast were brought up to the higher chairs,
33:14that is, closer to the master of the feast.
33:17And so, the principle is, is one in doubt to lower yourself before others, before God,
33:23and take that place of humility and of meekness.
33:27Not my will, but thine be done.
33:29Lord, even so it seemed good in thy sight.
33:33That passage in Matthew 11, right towards the end of the chapter,
33:37Jesus was saying, you know, you've, you've, you've, you've hidden these things from the wise,
33:43you revealed them to babes, even so, Lord, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
33:49And I, so many times, God does things in his providence that just completely puzzle me.
33:55And I just have to say, Lord, it was good in your sight that things went that way,
34:00and I'm going to trust you that you know what you're doing,
34:02and I'm going to accept this providence as part of your will for my life,
34:08and then I'm going to ask myself, what am I supposed to do in this situation?
34:13What does God's word tell me to do?
34:15And I'm not going to cry and scream and kick my feet like a weaned infant throwing a temper tantrum.
34:24I'm going to quiet myself before God, humble myself before God,
34:28and say, God, even so it seemed good in your sight, what do you want me to do now?
34:36And as we take that position and that attitude, God lifts us up,
34:42and he gives us wisdom and grace, and he brings us into places that we never thought we would ever be in.
34:50So praise the Lord for that.
34:51Mark, KJ7PVT, thank you for bringing out those two passages.
34:56All right, other comments?
34:57Please come down.
34:58Does that extend?
34:59Does that extend?
35:00Go ahead.
35:01Yeah, I just really appreciate all the thoughts and comments on this,
35:06and I think they're all spot on.
35:09One other point here, too, well, too quickly,
35:13is, one, just the comfort that he has that we can also enjoy.
35:21By humbling ourselves before God in the assurance and knowing that he is there,
35:27that his presence is always there for us.
35:33Would we humble ourselves and walk with him, renewed daily in him?
35:40We can also enjoy that surrender, that peace and assurance of his presence there.
35:48And then, finally, in the final, there, his communal call out for all of Israel,
35:55all to embrace God in the same fashion, to all enjoy that presence of God,
36:02that comfort, that assurance of knowing that when we surrender to him, he is there.
36:09You know, God wants to bless us, but we are sometimes our own worst enemies
36:16in that we just won't surrender ourselves and follow his lead.
36:20And that, as we see a mature David here, now that certainly has applied these principles
36:29throughout his life, that assurance, knowing the blessing he's enjoying
36:35and that peace he enjoys, as knowing God's presence is always there for him to have rest,
36:43he's calling out to all to reach out to him for that same blessing.
36:47Yeah, Kevin, really well said.
36:54I appreciate your use of that word, surrender, surrender yourself.
37:00A person who's surrendering is stop fighting.
37:03And they've said, I'm laying down my weapons, I'm laying down my arguments, my arms,
37:08and I'm going to give in.
37:10And that's what we have to do towards God.
37:13You know, to fight against God is a fool's errand.
37:16You know, I used this analogy earlier.
37:19It's like a mouse fighting against an elephant.
37:23And the time comes where you just have to say to God, all right, this is what you've chosen.
37:30Lord, I'm not going to fight with you about this.
37:34I'm going to accept what you allowed into my life, and I'm going to put my hope in you
37:42and in your promises that what you have allowed is going to be worked together for my good
37:49and for your glory, for greater opportunities for ministry, and for more Christ-likeness.
37:55And so, you know, Kevin, you pointed out really well this concept of surrender that's spoken of in verse 2.
38:05I'm going to behave and quiet myself like a weaned child.
38:09And then what flows out of that, verse 3, let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and forever.
38:15So you can't have hope if you don't have surrender.
38:20And if you have surrender, then you have hope because now, you know, you are yielding to God's management of the situation.
38:28And I'll tell you, God will manage your situation way better than you ever could.
38:33And, you know, I wouldn't run my life if I could because I'm not smart enough.
38:41I'm not wise enough.
38:42I can't foresee how stuff is going to work out.
38:46And so, therefore, I need to entrust myself and my life to someone who's way wiser than I am,
38:53who's way more good than I am, and who has higher purposes than I do.
39:00I mean, my purposes are generally kind of materialistic and the pursuit of pleasure and those kind of things.
39:07God's purposes are like things that will frame us for eternity, which are so much more important
39:14than whether I get what I want in the moment or have this pleasure or that pleasure.
39:18So, Kevin, thank you for connecting surrender and hope together
39:25and the importance of having to yield to God and then we find that peace
39:33and we find that optimism regarding the future.
39:36All right, other comments.
39:37Please come now.
39:38KJ-7 PVT.
39:40KJ-7 PVT.
39:41Mark, please go ahead.
39:42Yeah, another one came to my mind here.
39:45I had to look it up where it was.
39:48Remember the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector that Jesus tells.
39:56It's found in Luke 18, verses 9 through 14.
40:02The first part of the story, Jesus says, the Pharisee, he's a religious leader.
40:07He stands by himself and thanks God that he's better than other people.
40:11He lifts his good deeds, such as fasting twice a week and giving a tenth of his income.
40:19So he comes before God with pride and lifts all that he is doing.
40:27And that's how he approaches God in his temple.
40:33And then the tax collector is also coming to the temple.
40:37And Jesus paints a different picture of that man because he is viewed as an outcast and a sinner by the people.
40:49He approaches that with the knowledge that he's just not right.
40:57And he stands there.
41:01And I remember this story being told to me when I was just a young child.
41:06I still remember Sister Gossel telling you this story.
41:13He's sitting in a little table that has the little felt figures.
41:16You know, many of you saw those in your church.
41:20And they would put up the felt figures of these people.
41:25And this is how I heard it the very first time.
41:28It always stuck with me.
41:33The tax collector viewed as an outcast.
41:36A sinner who stands.
41:38He refuses to look up.
41:39He even beats his chest.
41:41I remember that piece of it.
41:42He bowed his eyes down.
41:47And just came before the Lord like that.
41:51And God gave him mercy.
41:53He says, God, give me.
41:54That's the sinner.
41:55And he's the one that went home justified where the other one didn't.
41:59Now back to you, Max.
42:00JJ7, BBD.
42:01Mark, thank you for bringing out for us that story of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18, verses 9 to 14.
42:12And, yes, Mark, I remember those flannel graphs as well.
42:16My wife used to use them to teach all the time.
42:19Mark was pointing out that the Pharisee was full of pride in lifting himself up before God
42:24and commending himself to God and saying, God, you know, I'm so wonderful.
42:28You know, I fast twice in the week.
42:33I give tithes of all I possess.
42:35I'm not like these filthy publicans, these tax collectors.
42:39And then the tax collector, right, humbled himself before God, and he said that he wasn't even worthy.
42:47He stood far off to approach God and said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
42:53And he's the one who got the mercy.
42:54So, once again, this issue of lifting up, lowering down, those who lift themselves up before God are resisted by God.
43:04Those who lower themselves down before God are forgiven by God, received by God, and blessed by God.
43:11So, humility befits us, not only as created beings, but as sinful created beings, as finite beings, and as beings who still have a lot of darkness in our mind.
43:25Who are we to think that we would ever comprehend the purposes of God?
43:30And, you know, you really see this in the book of Job, right, where here's Job, and things are going on behind the scenes between God and Satan that Job doesn't even comprehend.
43:39And yet, he experiences the outfall of that, and there is something going on that's way larger than Job comprehends.
43:49All he knows is that he's hurting financially and physically, as well as domestically.
43:56His own wife has turned against him, and he's lost his kids.
43:59What a nightmare.
44:00And yet, he said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him.
44:05And there is the attitude of Psalm 131.
44:09Even though God sees fit to allow me to be martyred, I'm still going to trust him.
44:14I'm never going to deny him.
44:16And I'm never going to question him.
44:18That he doesn't know what he's doing, or that he's mean, or that he doesn't care, or that he doesn't love me.
44:25I'm going to push all those thoughts away and refuse to go there.
44:28I know God is good.
44:31I know God is wise.
44:32I know God is loving.
44:33I know he's compassionate.
44:35I know he's merciful.
44:36I know he's just.
44:38And since I know his character, I can trust his decisions, even when I don't understand those decisions.
44:46And that's really the whole attitude of our psalm before us today.
44:50This is the expression of a humble, submissive heart who does not argue with the ways and the dealings of God,
45:00but just simply recognizes, okay, he knows what he's doing.
45:05I don't.
45:06I can trust him because I know he's good.
45:09All right.
45:10We are out of time for our Bible study today.
45:13Had some great comments.
45:15Thank you all for the perspectives that you supplied.
45:18And I hope that as a result of the study of our psalm today, we're going to trust God better.
45:24We're going to trust God more, even though we don't understand what God is doing.
45:29God can be trusted even when he can't be understood because he's good.
45:34And he thinks thoughts of good towards us and not of evil to bring us to that expected end of being in heaven,
45:42being like Christ, and being free from all of the effects of sin in our life and in our environment.
45:51And we can trust him for that.
45:53And the path he leads us on to get there, well, that's up to him.
45:56And we can trust him with that path.
45:58As you look back over your life and you see the path that you've gone on,
46:03you would have never chosen that.
46:05God chose it.
46:06And as you look back, he can say, thank God for the path he led me on,
46:11because here I am today where I would never be were it not for his kind and wise guidance
46:17that I didn't understand at the time, but I see now that he intended good for me.
46:24All right.
46:25WB7MAX here, Net Control for the West Coast Bible Study.
46:29We're going to go to prayer now.
46:30Are there any final prayer requests before we go to prayer?
46:33Please come now at your call line.
46:36Okay, I have a prayer request that was text messaged to me by Brian, K-A-7-Z-I-P.
46:45That's Brian, K-A-7-Z-I-P.
46:48He says that his wife, Toni, that's T-O-N-I, is headed to Lebanon for an MRI on her foot.
46:57So he says, pray that they can find a treatable reason for her foot pain.
47:03So that's Brian, K-A-7-Z-I-P, and his wife, Toni, has bad foot pain, and they need a diagnosis.
47:11So they're having an MRI on that right now.
47:15So, Jerry, A-A-7-E-R, were you able to copy that?
47:18Yes, ma'am.
47:19All right, Jerry, go ahead and close in prayer for us, please.
47:22Lord, we come to you grateful for now.
47:31This morning, grateful heart, for all that you do for us.
47:36As we begin today, Roger, WB-7-Z-I-L, brings a prayer for Terry, who's having a second oblation procedure.
47:45We pray for her success and for the reduction of her anxiety regarding this.
47:53Steve, W-6-Y-S-A, asks comfort for Ben's family, who passed away.
47:59Also, Jean, who is a layman filling in the pulpit, while Jean's own life story is also fighting cancer.
48:09We pray for healing of her legs.
48:11Joe, A-A-7-A-T, requests safe travel for his family to return from vacation.
48:20Eric, K-A-7-E-S, they've traveled to the Oregon coast this weekend for Eric and his wife.
48:28Keith, A-A-7-N-E-B, his son Grant and his wife Rachel are expecting a baby boy in May.
48:36Pray for safe delivery and a healthy baby.
48:38Dave, K-A-7-T-W-Z, daughter Brenda, battling breast cancer.
48:45She's receiving chemo treatment now.
48:48For realist Dave's team, her embossing disc can affect, and may the treatment be effective.
48:56Dave, W-6-Y-S-I, Leslie has a referral to a vascular surgeon for her leg pain.
49:03Pray for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
49:05Rob, K-A-7-C-L, and Mark, K-J-7-T-B-T, they have an unspoken for request.
49:17Lord, we know you know that request.
49:20We ask you to give that consideration.
49:23Mike, N-7-G-N-D, safety and success in elk hunting.
49:29Al, N-6-M-O-T, pray for health issues with Al and his wife.
49:35George, K-A-1-T-O-Y.
49:40He lost his wife's family to cancer in July.
49:43Lord, we pray for comfort for George and his family, and for all who are dealing with cancer.
49:50His granddaughter, Caitlin, is due to deliver his first great-grandson in mid-November.
49:56Lord, we ask for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
50:00And safe travel for George as he visits his family at Thanksgiving.
50:05Charles, N-7-V-E-N.
50:08His son, Trevor, passed from cancer October 11th.
50:12Lord, we ask for peace and comfort for the family.
50:15The A-V-I-7-Q-Q, praise for Noah.
50:20And young men in these prison ministries, now saved and attending church.
50:25We ask for Sanoah, continuing in your word and your faith.
50:31During K-G-6-J, his boss, Rochelle.
50:36And she goes to chemo and radiation treatment for neck cancer.
50:40For praying for the treatments will be effective.
50:42And prays he approved for the physical therapy session.
50:48Prayers, they will continue to improve his back pain and his balance.
50:55The K-A-5-Y prays for continued healing of his vision from his head injury.
51:02Their neighbor, Nancy, needs healing from cancer.
51:05She also needs salvation.
51:08Lord, touch Nancy's heart, bring her forth to you.
51:11Nancy is showing great improvement.
51:15Jen Brookhart, diabetic.
51:17And her foot, some of her foot removed and is home now improving.
51:22Her husband, Ken, is having heart arrhythmia issues.
51:26My K-I-7-R-S-P.
51:28Wife, Liz, fighting cancer.
51:30Praying for effecting chemo treatment.
51:33And, Lord, we ask you to be with Liz and give her a good outcome from her chemo.
51:42We'll campize that.
51:43Praying for you to continue the hormone treatments for the next year.
51:47Praying treatments will be effective in restraining, removing your prostate cancer.
51:52Praying, Leisha, has been postponed.
51:59Her liver transplant has been postponed.
52:02She is stable now.
52:04Prayers for the stress she has in her life.
52:07We pray for her salvation.
52:09Prayers for success.
52:11The new Bible study will be started attending.
52:16Yes, the K-6-O-K.
52:17We pray for the thousands of Bibles being shipped to our troops.
52:23Please use the Bible to save and sanctify the soldiers.
52:27We pray the need of three new chapels to be built on Camp Ham.
52:32That will be met.
52:35You guide to raise up those and manage them.
52:38We pray for Jeff as he prepares to travel November 11th
52:44to meet with his publisher and share his testimony.
52:50Tom, WW-70, Tom is recovering from major spine surgery.
52:56He's in a wheelchair.
52:58Pray that his physical therapy will provide a relation to pain.
53:02He gives him increased mobility.
53:06We pray he will be approved for an electric wheelchair
53:10and that need will be met.
53:14Tester, Jeff Black.
53:15Tester, Nero, through colitis.
53:17We're praying for healing through medical treatments and receiving.
53:22Cody.
53:24KI-7 carries healing for his Uncle Doug,
53:26a believer from severe head injury.
53:29Pressure is ongoing.
53:30Treatment and recovery.
53:32Pray.
53:32We pray that he is showing good improvement.
53:37Scott.
53:38K-7-YQT.
53:39His life spams to your lupus.
53:42Pray that it would go into remission.
53:44Pray for his daughter, Kendra.
53:46Ongoing multiple chronic health needs.
53:49Praying for Mike.
53:50K-7-N with stage four cancer.
53:53We pray that the chemo treatment that has started September 26th will be effective.
53:59And for daughter, Becca.
54:03As she works with troubled youth.
54:04K-7-YQT.
54:05K-7-YQT.
54:06I pray for healing of his son, John, from cancer.
54:14And now his neighbor, Lucas, who suddenly lost his parents.
54:18He needs a treatment plan.
54:21Rick Bowfinger.
54:22He needs to sell his business.
54:24Pray for a buyer to come and purchase it.
54:27Carol.
54:28K-7-T-P-O.
54:30Judy, a Christian.
54:31Has stage two lung cancer.
54:34We pray for healing.
54:37Timothy.
54:37W-7-A-S-Y.
54:39A mother-in-law with leg edema.
54:42We ask for improvement.
54:44K-7-Z-I-P.
54:45Wife, Tony.
54:46Having MRI for her foot pain.
54:49And we ask that they discover the problem and give her release.
54:53We thank the Lord for his goodness, mercy, and grace to each one of us.
54:58And for the gift of his son, Jesus Christ.
55:02Father God, be with us all throughout this day.
55:05Help us to live a life pleasing to you.
55:07Keep us all well and pleased.
55:09And we ask this in Jesus' name.
55:11Amen.
55:12This is AE-70R.
55:15Jerry, AE-70R, thank you so much for leading us in prayer.
55:18This is WB-70MX, Net Control for the West Coast Bible Study.
55:21I want to thank all the stations who checked in this morning, as well as those who stood by to give us a clear operating frequency.
55:28We meet here seven days a week at 6 a.m.
55:31In order to read the scriptures, to understand their meaning, message, and application.
55:35And then to pray for grace and mercy, to be able to live out what we have learned.
55:40And also for God to meet the needs of those that are in our circle of fellowship.
55:45I'll be returning this frequency now to regular amateur use.
55:48This is WB-7-MAX.
55:50I'll be clear in standing by.
55:54Alpha Alpha 5 Yankee with this morning's shout.
55:57Beck, go ahead.
55:58Alpha Alpha 5 Yankee.
56:00What has a bottom at the top?
56:03What has a bottom at the top?
56:07What has a bottom at the top?
56:11Wow.
56:11That's a great question.
56:13Anybody want to guess at the answer?
56:14Go ahead.
56:15Go ahead.
56:20Your legs.
56:31That's a great answer.
56:33I got it, Beck.
56:35You guys double.
56:37Go ahead, Beck.
56:39I don't know about you.
56:43Was that Roger?
56:47Kevin.
56:48Kevin.
56:48Kevin.
56:48Kevin.
56:48Kevin.
56:50I was just saying, I don't know about you sometimes, Beck, but that's funny.
56:56I'm glad you enjoyed it.
57:01Kevin.
57:01Last day.
57:02Alpha Alpha 5 Yankee, QRT.
57:04So the question was, what has a bottom at the top?
57:08And the answer is a leg.
57:11That's a good one.
57:12All right.
57:12Thank you, Beck.
57:13And 7-3 to you and Sandy.
57:15You guys have a great day.
57:16Understand your QRT.
57:17Appreciate that.
57:18Al, KJ7 QQH.
57:20Are you there?
57:24QQH.
57:24Go ahead.
57:25Yeah.
57:26So have you heard any more about Lucas, your neighbor, who lost his hearing?
57:29Did he ever get his cochlear ear implant or whatever became of him?
57:33Over.
57:33I believe right now he's just working through with some therapy, and we did see him on Halloween
57:48night, and he seems to be doing well.
57:52He said his hearing is still the same, just that they're working with him on therapy.
57:58Over.
57:59Okay.
57:59So they did not do any surgical intervention.
58:02They're just working with what he's got.
58:04Is that correct?
58:05Over.
58:07Roger.
58:08Roger.
58:08And we'll keep you close to that if there's any development.
58:11Over.
58:12All right.
58:12Copy that.
58:13Okay.
58:13Well, good.
58:14I'm glad to hear that he's in therapy and they're working on improving his hearing.
58:19All right.
58:19Real good, Al.
58:20Thanks for that.
58:20All right.
58:21WB7MAX here.
58:22Anybody want to chat?
58:23Throw out your call sign.
58:27KD7YQT?
58:30KD7YQT.
58:30Scott, go ahead.
58:32I was kind of in and out during the study, and I wanted to make a comment, but right into
58:37the time.
58:39So in regards to seeking the Lord's will in a difficult situation, and I'm not saying that
58:47because I'm special or because I have more problems than anybody else, but when you have
58:55an ill family member, especially multiple family members, I'll just share it this way, and I'll
59:06just share it here over the air.
59:07Years ago, when I first got hired at the job that I'm at now, I just hit my 23-year anniversary
59:15for the company I work for.
59:18Well, in about year three, there was a gentleman there who was a supervisor, and he seemed to
59:26be one of those guys who could just do anything.
59:28I could do carpentry well.
59:30He could do, you know, he did some auto mechanics.
59:33I mean, at least I could do that well.
59:34But I mean, anything.
59:35I mean, I'm terrible at the carpentry well, but I can do a few things.
59:38But anyway, he had a beautiful wife.
59:43My wife was ill.
59:46You know, I was struggling with some things, and I really became envious over him.
59:53Now, having said that, I wouldn't have taken anything from him.
59:57But in my spirit, I was really railing against the Lord, saying, hey, you know, I see a lot
60:03of people here that are healthy and doing what they want to do and following your will.
60:08And my wife was ill, and we hardly go anywhere.
60:12We hardly do anything, I mean, because of her illness.
60:15And it really started a bad way of thinking in me.
60:22And later, I found, you know, and this has taught me a couple things.
60:25Number one, I need to learn to be content, and I am still working on that, because when
60:31you have that kind of thing going on in your life, it affects all your plans.
60:36I mean, I'm not going to be able to retire when I wanted to, or I don't know if I'll
60:41ever be able to, but that's okay now.
60:43I've kind of come to peace with that.
60:48But this individual, I found out later, he left our company, and I don't wish any ill
60:55will on him, but some bad things happened to him.
60:59He ended up going to work for Boeing, and Boeing wanted him to relocate.
61:05Well, he went to his wife, and his wife said, hey, I'm not going.
61:11I want to stay here with my family.
61:13They ended up getting divorced, and he ended up two or three years later with cancer and
61:21died.
61:22I believe he was a Christian.
61:23I'm almost positive he was.
61:25But the Lord kind of said to me, look, you don't know what's going on in somebody else's
61:29life, so quit, you know, boo-hoo with your situation and just do the best you can to get
61:36through it, lean on me, and anyway, I just thought I'd share that.
61:42Back to you.
61:43I know I'm a little long-winded here.
61:46Yeah.
61:47Thank you for sharing that, Scott.
61:49And, you know, it's easy to look at someone else and look at ourselves and compare ourselves.
61:57And, you know, it says specifically in 2 Corinthians, they comparing themselves among themselves are
62:03not wise, you know, God has a different plan for other people than he has for us.
62:11And you remember that Peter asked Jesus regarding John, well, what about that guy?
62:18You know, what's your plan for him?
62:21He says, well, if he stays alive until I return, what's that to you?
62:25You know, you go feed my sheep.
62:27And, you know, the lessons I've learned for myself from those two passages is that I need
62:34to not think about, you know, what God is doing in other people's lives other than to
62:39rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
62:42But God has such a unique plan for each of our lives, for my life, for your life, that
62:50there's no way we could live other people's lives or have their experiences because that's
62:55completely outside of the sphere of what God's plans and purposes are for us.
63:01And so, you know, well said, Scott.
63:06You know, humility with relevance to our situation, not comparing ourselves with others and recognizing
63:14that, you know what, what seems to be a blessing to them can really be a curse.
63:19I heard somebody say one time that when God wants to curse a person, he gives them every
63:28material blessing and every physical comfort.
63:31You kind of see that in Psalm 73, right, where the psalmist is looking at the wicked and how
63:38they're prospering and, you know, they're not sick and they have all this material wealth
63:43and all this power and position.
63:46And he says, it was, and he says, I became envious.
63:48And he says, it wasn't until I went into the sanctuary of God that then I understood their
63:53end, that is, their ultimate outcome.
63:57And so, you know, we have to take this long-range view.
64:00And I appreciate you sharing that story with us because it reminds us once again that while
64:06our immediate current circumstance might be very unpleasant, we have to take a long-range
64:13view of what is the outcome going to be from this 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 100 years from now
64:21and realize that, yes, there's some present distress.
64:26I don't get to nurse mom anymore.
64:28Or I need to quiet myself and accept this and recognize that our God has good purposes for
64:39us.
64:40So, yes, God, taking the long-range view, you realize that he really didn't have it better
64:46than you by a long shot.
64:49And so.