Distractions Keep Us From Our Testimonies? | A Sadie Robertson Huff Message Review

Pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do.

And that is who your spirit is Here's the problem. She believes that these things can be accomplished through her words and message

I on the other hand believe these why are we talking about what might happen in John's life instead of talking about what just Happened in your own life with what

Jesus is doing in your heart So John mentions this in his writings to clarify a rumor

Sadie seems to imply That Peter spread because he focused on what Jesus is doing in John's life instead of looking at what

Jesus is doing in his own Life, what is that turn that you're getting so distracted by that you're missing

Wow God you have me in this space You're speaking something to my heart. You're redeeming all that was lost

You're covering everything from the past you're building my testimony What are we missing in that moment?

So the spiritual problem she wants to warn us is to not turn and focus on what

God is doing in others but instead to focus on what God is doing in our lives and Understand that God is building our testimony by turning we may miss out.

What might we miss out on? Yes, we want to follow God because he said to yes because he has a plan and yes

Because we should want to do as well But we also follow for the same reasons the disciples stayed with him when all the others left

Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life and we have believed and have come to know that you are

The Holy One of God who else has a solution to our sin problem who else gives righteousness and eternal life who else?

Reconciles us to God Welcome to the thirdly equipped podcast where we compare the teachings from popular women's ministry books conferences

Bible studies Etc to scripture our focus is 2nd Timothy 3 16 to 17 that all

Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and training in righteousness

So the man or woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work

I'm your host Melba toast. May this episode bless you and bring glory to God Ladies and welcome to another episode of thoroughly equipped

I'm so happy you've decided to listen in and if you are new well welcome If this is the first time you're listening to this podcast

We have been looking at the very popular woman's conference the if gathering More specifically we have been going over the sessions at the 2020 conference to look at the way the speakers handle scripture

Jenny Allen the founder and vision caster of the if a woman's ministry set up that year's conference to be centered on Romans chapter 8 with the intent of giving the audience more of Jesus And we're gonna start this thing off with one of my favorite chapters in this book called the

Bible And whether you've known Jesus for a long time Or you're just checking him out

We're not gonna water him down here We're going to Romans 8. I don't know that there's a deeper

Theological piece of work in the Bible. So we're going here and what you will leave with I believe

Is more of Jesus Jenny Allen rightly proclaimed that Romans 8 is an extremely theological passage

And when it's handled correctly is a beautiful chapter to dive into not only to find

Christ but learn about the absolute sovereignty over and keeping of God's people in salvation and the help and power of the

Holy Spirit in our sanctification Today's session is the last message given by Sadie Robertson huff on verse

Romans 8 39 the very last verse of the chapter and not even a full sentence, but half of the sentence

Whether that's intentional, but we'll of course find out but before we get into miss

Robertson huff's message Let's take a quick look at miss huff's ministry Sadie Robertson huff is an

American businesswoman who rose to fame from her appearance on the A &E Reality program known as Duck Dynasty.

She also is known for being runner -up on season 19 of ABC's Dancing with the

Stars She's hosted the podcast. Well, that's a good podcast as well as New York Times best -selling author of the book live original from which came a devotional of the same title as well as a sequel

Titled live fearless in 2020 she released live remain alive

Be alive at a specific time have an exciting or fulfilling life in 2021 she released live on purpose 100 devotionals for letting go of fear and letting

God in 2022 she presented a book titled

Who are you following pursuing Jesus in a social media obsessed world? Quote, my passion is to speak to write to encourage

Robinson proclaimed in her website How does she accomplish this passion passion?

Through not only her books but her social media presence as she has like over 5 million followers as well as through her live original tour, which reached 16 cities and her

YouTube channel, which has now 675 ,000 subscribers

I thought you know if I could say things that hold that much power that would change people's life and I know the only thing

I could say is the gospel and use my platform to preach and it would make everything make sense that God's done up until this point in my life her

YouTube channel describes her as preaching giving messages and sermons to various churches and Conferences, she speaks regularly at the passion conference founded by Louie and Shelly Giglio The passion conference has hosted speakers that have commonly twisted scripture out of context and gives very self -centered

Semi -Pelagian purpose -driven sermons to young adults for the

FYI Pelagius was a man who taught that man

Was good in nature and had the ability to come to God by his own will Semi -Pelagian doctrine presupposes that people are born good and are actually searching for God this is contrary to scriptural doctrine found in Romans and Colossians and We merely need to choose

Christ through our own. Well, and Christ will do the rest Along with preaching and giving sermons to various churches revealing her unwillingness to submit to scripture

Miss Huff has had Psychiatrists on her show to give practical steps we can take to live happier lives

Promoting the idea that being happy can lead us to a better relationship with God This type of teaching emphasizes feelings as determining a right relationship with God instead of Christ fulfilling all we need to be made right with God regardless of how we feel for more on how

I believe psychiatry actually Undermines the sufficiency of Christ and his word as given to us in scripture to train the man or woman of God in righteousness

Check out season 1 the episode titled to opposing doctrines man's wisdom of positive psychology versus God's wisdom at minimum

Incorporating Psychotherapeutic techniques reveals a lack of trust in God's Word and being all we need for life godliness and right living 2nd

Peter 1 3 2nd Timothy 3 16 of 17 psalm 19 psalm 119 and many other verses

With that said the purpose of this episode is to take a look at the way Sadie Robertson Huff handles scripture

We have looked at her ministry to see if she's willingly Submitting to Christ's authority to not preach and teach over men in the local church and in this episode

I want to go deeper and discern if she actually teaches the text Does she teach us and expound upon what

Paul wants to teach us in this passage? We can also discern for at least this message whether she not only believes scripture is sufficient

To equip us for good works, but also if she believes it's powerful enough to convince us and motivate us

To believe in it and live by it if she believes this she will teach from it if she does it

She will speak more on her own life lessons moving stories or worldly philosophy, etc

And etc to make disciples after herself rather than disciples deep in the word

In fact, we're gonna dive into this topic quite a bit during her message

Now let's dive into the passage or in her case the verse that she's supposed to teach on if you have been following the series from the start you would pretty much have a very good idea of what

Paul is trying to teach the early church in Romans chapter 8 and That's because we have looked at this chapter in each and every episode

Covering the if 2020 conference so we know that Paul in the previous seven chapters was presenting his argument for Why the gospel was the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes

Romans 1 16 By first laying out the problem that every human being born of Adam is born with the nature to sin and That those with this sin nature are destined for wrath for God will judge all men

Romans 1 28 to 2 11 Paul clearly argues that neither Jew nor Greek circumcised nor Uncircumcised will be exempt from this judgment

Even men who are not given the law as the Israelites were given yet Do what the law requires show that the work of the law is written on their hearts

Romans 2 12 to 16 All men will be judged by this law and even more so those who are given the law

Paul spends chapters 3 to 5 arguing for the truth that no man is righteous

All men are under sin Romans 3 9 to 20 that only by faith in Jesus Christ Are we counted righteous?

Romans 3 21 to 26 Faith was always the way sinners were justified all of Romans 4 that by this faith we have peace and Reconciliation with God and have grace and life in Christ Jesus through his active obedience

Romans 5 in chapters 6 and 7 Paul then appeals to the

Romans to understand that because of their faith in the work of Christ They are dead to sin and alive to God to walk in newness of life slaves to righteousness and Because they are set free from sin and have become slaves to God the fruit they receive leads to sanctification and eternal life

Christ who has fulfilled the law perfectly for us has now become our husband The law being our old husband who was put to death

So that we may now serve him in the new way of the spirit and not in the old way of the written code

All informs the readers that the law was not sin, but exposed our sinful nature

The means by which God reveals how we are not righteous how we will be judged

Exposing how there is no good dwelling in our flesh By the law we see how we do not love

God and neighbor and in this knowledge we are brought to a desperate cry for God to show mercy and Then Paul writes the beautiful truths that are in Romans 8

That there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because he did what the flesh could not do and Condemn sin in his flesh

So the righteous requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh

But according to the Spirit Romans 8 1 to 4 by the way that verse

I think is probably one of my most favorite. It was a verse that Really actually drew me out of the purpose -driven theology

Which I could go into it and I want to but it's a whole nother Episode Anyway, so it's my favorite verse as you could tell

I think I have Quoted that verse verbatim in almost every single episode in the series

Continuing he urges and encourages those of us who are in the spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh because we are

God's children and though we suffer and are subjected to this sinful world

We long in the spirit to be set free from it in our flesh and God who is faithful Will one day set us free from corruption bring us to himself as adopted sons and daughters

Until then the spirit Intercedes for us knowing the mind of God and works all things together for the good of those who are called according to his purposes

We are secure in this hope because it is all God's doing all his work all for his glory

He predestined us in eternity past to be conformed to the image of a son and those whom he

Predestined he calls and those whom he calls he justifies and those whom he justifies he glorifies

Now this is where we will read the text starting at verse 31 What then shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all How will he not also with him graciously give us all things who shall bring any charge against God's elect?

It is God who justifies who is to condemn Christ Jesus is the one who died more than that who was raised who is at the right hand of God who indeed is

Interceding for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or?

Nakedness or danger or sword as it is written for your sake. We're being killed all the day long

We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered now in all these things We are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I'm sure that neither death nor life

Nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers. Now.

This is Sadie's verse Nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our

Lord Paul is presenting to the church the undeniable Set in stone

Argument for our hope and that is God himself The God who did not even spare his own son to save the people that he foreknew

Will not spare or allow anything to ever separate us from his love. I mean

Just think about this ladies. I have a son a son. I love very very much

Would I sacrifice him to save someone else's child and not only just Anyone's child, but my enemy's child or even for my enemy

Would you We're talking about a love here that we struggle in our sinful nature to understand and grasp and yet The love is not the only point of Paul's argument though.

It is the strongest Within this argument is the nature and power of God himself that while God in his great love

Sacrificed his son for us There's also God's power that same power that creates and sustains all things

Proverbs 16 4 acts 17 28 Colossians 1 17

Hebrews 1 3 This power was at work in Predestining you to hear and receive the gospel to be given faith to believe

To work in you to sanctify you and make you holy and the same power that raised

Jesus from the dead Will raise you to glory in new bodies without decay and corruption

That is how Paul can say that we are more than conquerors and that Nothing can separate us from the perfect right true powerful love of God through Jesus Christ These verses the end of chapter 8 are meant to bring us to an understanding of God's work in the salvation of his people and the keeping of them for all of this life and into eternity

There are no more comforting empowering truths than these for the

Church of God and so it should trouble us greatly if Someone mishandles this text and then want to make it about something else

Why should it trouble us if one doesn't teach this from this passage? Because one we are sinners we can our flesh and faith

We continually need to be reminded that our salvation was God's work We need to be reminded so that we give

God the glory that he so rightly deserves To we need to understand this because with the salvation given to us by faith in the gospel comes a hope the hope of being with Christ set free from our flesh and Reigning with him in an incorruptible new heavens and new earth

This hope reminds us that we are not alone in our temptations and trials Jesus too was tempted and yet is without sin

We who are tempted and have fallen into sin have a high priest who understands yet intercedes for us

Hebrews 4 15 and 3 we need to understand this because this hope is in what we cannot see yet But is made assured by the work that God already has done the gospel

This hope always reminds us of who our faith is in Christ So is this where Sadie Robertson Huff will go in her message?

Well, let's dive in and find out Miss Robertson Huff starts her message with what she calls a church moment

By this she means a sharing of what God is doing within the church She tells a story of how she had visited some colleges and was very encouraged by how the young College students would literally jumping up on their feet in front of other students saying yes

I'm gonna follow Jesus. I don't care what it's gonna look like tomorrow. I don't care what my passes look like I'm saying yes to Jesus because he changes everything y 'all literally young people on their feet can't even contain themselves worshiping

Her purpose in stating this is to encourage people to know that God is moving within the colleges and in the younger generation

I just wanted to share that with y 'all just for encouragement that God's doing something She then prays before getting into her message

Asking God to use her message to inspire the woman there to take revival back with them to the places that these women are going now

Normally, I wouldn't play clips of prayers within a message But her prayer here will reveal something she believes about scripture about the

Word of God itself And I think it's an underlying belief that a lot of popular Christian speakers have in fact

I think it's what a lot of typical Evangelical Christians believe about revival and conferences in general.

So I want to play the clip and then explain With breath in our lungs because you gave us life

God I thank you so much for every woman that got to if this weekend and is watching online and Lord I pray that this would not this would not just fall away

God that it would land on good soil every word that was spoken That they would take this and I would begin to revive their hearts and bring revival back with them to the places

They are going God I pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them

It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do. And that is who your spirit is

So God, I pray over this word. Would you anoint me to be able to speak this word to your beautiful daughters

God? God give me words. Give me wisdom and so your name we pray. Amen So when we pray we're coming to God asking him for certain specific things and in this case

Sadie is asking that God use her message that this message and The other messages from the if gathering 2020 conference would land on good soil every word that was spoken

That they would take this and I would begin to revive their hearts and bring revival back with them to the places

They are going that our message would be something that would change these women from the inside out

Bringing new life because that is what God does and it is who his spirit is

God I pray that this would be something that changes them from the inside out that it would rejuvenate them

It would bring a fresh life new life because that is what you do. And that is who your spirit is

Here's the problem. She believes that these things can be accomplished through her words and message

I on the other hand believe these things are accomplished through the words of God and The gospel message of Jesus Christ those all being found in scripture and scripture alone

What you believe about the means that God uses to bring revival is how you determine the method of encouraging

Revival or new life if one believes that it is God's words that affect change

Then when delivering a message one will want to use God's words Expound upon upon God's Word and teach

God's Word to bring about change This is what is called the efficacy of scripture that the scriptures not only have authority

They're not only without error that they are not only sufficient But that it has also the power to change the heart

But if you believe God uses your words and influence to encourage and change women from the inside out

Then those are the words you will use in your message you will use your personal ideas your philosophies your

Experiences your life lessons you have learned etc and etc to bring what you believe will be life to your hearers

And I truly believe that most of the popular female speakers within the evangelical women's ministry of today

Actually believes that God uses these things to bring revival This comes from the belief that our stories carry weight

Our patent are powerful to change people's lives and to bring revival

Lisa Harper in an interview with Levi and Jenny Lesko on their podcast sheds light

Into this belief as well When I listen sometimes to younger communicators, they're so excited to share all their verses and their things and their rhyming outline

I think sometimes they tend to forget the power of the richness of just a simple story I do think when it comes to the gospel, we forget they're real stories and that's what our heart connects with I think that's why he says then the enemy is defeated by the blood of the lamb and our

Because if I told you Jenny I was just studying the Hebrew term for you'd be like well cool

I mean, that's good for context But when you say Lisa, here's how

I put one foot in front the other after we lost Lenya Here's how I saw God when I wasn't sure I could pick my heart off off the pavement.

I go Tell me more because the authenticity in that actually lends credibility to the compassion of God in your life

You can exegete and your heart can be totally removed from that and I'm not knocking next to Jesus I love studying the

Word of God and having context but I can give you you know, a

Greek verb tense and Not give you any of my heart And and it's because I'm trying to be self -protective or at some core

They're still unbelief in me. But if I go, let me tell you where I was dying and God pulled me out of a pit

I dug myself and rescued me. Let me tell you about the God who set my clumsy Mistake prone feet on solid ground and it's been so then you go

Is that that dog will hunt that that carries carries weight Just a quick note here

Telling people what God has done through our stories is not the testimony that is meant by the scripture verse.

She references Revelation 12 11 is apocalyptic literature describing persecution of the

Saints and in this context the casting down of Satan and the

Overcoming of him by the Saints because of the blood of the Lamb They're holding fast to Jesus who shed that blood and cleanse them from all their sin.

That's their testimony So much so that they even gave up their lives because of this testimony because of the gospel

So what this verse means by testimony is the story of what Christ?

physically and spiritually did to wash them of their sins the Testimony that what

Christ did overcame sin death and the devil the thing is they would be right if true

Revival came as a result of seeing how others gave their lives to Christ if the good news was that Jesus can make your life have purpose and The testimony of Christ was about how we changed your life good stories like that can cause people to change

But change in what way do our stories?

Have the power to take out the heart of stone and replace it with the heart of flesh

Do they bring salvation does believing in the work God has done for others bring another?

Justification will they bring sanctification and cause them to desire to battle their sins

Do these teachers testimonies cause us to hope in this life or in the life to come?

Christ's return our glorification and the new heavens and the new earth

Don't get me wrong. These things are not bad, but they are not the message that changes hearts

They are fruits of a changed heart we behave as though these fruits are the message that people need to hear the

God has changed my life and given me purpose and he can do it for you to type of Evangelism but the message that people need to hear that is the power of God unto salvation is the life words and death of someone else

True revival does not come from acknowledging the blessings and fruits that come from a changed life or from finding purpose true revival comes from the

Acknowledgement of our sin the crying out for a Savior and the pure dependence on and faith in Christ and his word.

I Recently read a wonderful book by Jonathan Edwards titled the distinguishing marks of the work of the

Spirit of God in it Mr. Edwards lays out for us how to differentiate between real revival and false revival

I hope to do an episode to talk about this in the future because it seems to me that this kind of talk of revival is common and even growing within the evangelical sphere and We actually see examples of this type of talk within the if gathering but what

I'm trying to explain here is how this belief that God will use our stories and Experiences to change hearts and bring new life is really the material they use to build up their audience

But if it's not the Word of God, then it will not stand up to the fiery trial

Paul in first Corinthians 3 10 to 15 expounds upon this According to the grace of God given to Paul like a skilled master builder

He laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it Let each one take care how he builds upon it for no one can lay a foundation other than that Which is laid which is

Jesus Christ now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold silver precious stones wood hay straw

Each one's work will become manifest for the day will disclose it Because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test what sort of work each one is done

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives He will receive a reward if anyone's work is burned up He will suffer a loss though.

He himself will be saved but only as through fire The church is

God's field God's building Sadie by being a teacher is participating in watering that field or building on a foundation and either she is building the audience up with the firm materials of God's Word or she's building with weak materials such as her own words her own knowledge and experience the same goes for all the speakers at this conference and that is the perfect thing to keep in the back of our minds as We go through her message as we listen.

Let's determine what she's using to build us up now She presents the starting point of her message on a story in John 21 of the conversation between Jesus and Peter She talks a bit about how close

Peter and Jesus were How wherever Jesus went Peter wanted to be with him how

Peter and Jesus were best friends Peter was just there for him. He's like don't worry. You are my boy

They were best friends and how bold Peter was in regards to Jesus Yet when

Jesus was arrested Peter turned away from Christ in fear She then goes in the setting of the

John 21 passage and the breakfast with Jesus that happened around a charcoal fire

Give it to Jesus to redeem a moment. Jesus, you know goes on to die on the cross and then he's resurrected

From the grave and where does Jesus go Jesus goes back to the Sea of Galilee and has breakfast with Peter And I just think that's so cool.

First of all that Jesus like wanted to have breakfast I think that's awesome. And he was like, hey guys, like let's have breakfast

That's just I used rose from the grave like that's amazing And so they're about to cook some fish and it's really crazy what happens they're about to have breakfast around a charcoal fire

Now that's really important because Peter denied Jesus three times at a charcoal fire

And now they're sitting here after the resurrection about to have breakfast and it's a charcoal fire and I always make that point really strongly because I think that happens a lot of times you get in the presence of Jesus and all

You can really think about is your past You're like, oh wait, I'm here. I'm with Jesus. I'm at this conference

Church but I can't stop thinking about what I just did what I just walked through what I'm coming from Hold on a second.

So from the historical fact that there was a Fire in one of the times that Peter denied

Christ and then there was a fire when Jesus was cooking fish She gets that we so often think of our past when we are in the presence of Jesus In the recording of the

Gospels of Peter's denials There's only one gospel that makes a point to mention that it was a charcoal fire

She makes it a point to say that Peter denies Christ all three times near the charcoal fire

Peter denied Jesus three times at a charcoal fire While there was a time that Peter denies

Christ while warming himself near a fire There are still two other instances of this denial that don't talk of Peter being near the same

Charcoal fire. In fact in two of the Gospels were told that Paul walked away from the fire after his first denial of Jesus also in the telling of the breakfast and conversation between Jesus and Peter in John 21

We have no clue what Peter is thinking. So we don't know if he was thinking about his past or of his denials

Why is she emphasizing these things because she wants to draw out from them some kind of problem

We have in this case that we supposedly like Peter did Get distracted by our past when we should be focusing on what

God wants to do for us now And Jesus is ready to have a new conversation with Peter at this charcoal fire

And this conversation isn't a denial. It is a redeeming moment This is a perfect example of Narcissus putting something into the text to make some kind of special point about ourselves

This is not handling scripture rightly Doesn't really matter what he was thinking

It was important to the writers of the Gospels or they would have included it

What was important and what is important is what Christ says and does in this passage?

He restores Peter now miss Robertson Huff goes into this talks about how

Jesus asked Peter three times If he loved him, but I'm curious at this point what this has to do with Romans 8 39

She goes on to talk about how she had recently given this message. I just Recently shared this message about Peter and Jesus at passion conference

In which she relayed how in the text after being restored and told about his mission and his death

The next thing we see Peter doing is miraculous works by the power of the

Holy Spirit But it turns out that she was wrong. There was one other instance right after his restoration that we see him mentioned

The next time we see something that happens with Peter is actually the next verse. I Don't know how

I miss that Because this verse just didn't really catch me in the moment when

I was reading it for Passion, but it really caught me when I was reading it again Isn't that funny how that can happen you can read the same story a hundred times and it's 101 that you're like, wow

So after this amazing redeeming moment between Jesus and Peter Do you love me?

Yes, you love me. Yes, here's your purpose Then he kind of talks about the death he's gonna have to die

But he's like hey just keep following me verse 20 right after that moment.

It says Peter turned Peter turned around simple. It's not a big deal.

He just turned he just turned he had breakfast and he turned But it is a big deal

Because he turned and he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them Now the disciple whom

Jesus loved is John But it's kind of funny because John wrote the book of John and just referred to himself as a disciple whom

Jesus loves So he's that guy It's okay, and then he goes on to just make another point about himself

Oh also the one who leaned up against him at supper like John John's also really close to Jesus John also made a point to make sure we knew that he beat

Peter to the grave. So they have a little brotherly competition I'm sure and Peter in this amazing epic moment with Jesus right after that as they're on the way back to the other brothers

Peter turns around and he looks at John And he says to Jesus.

He said hey Lord, what about this man? And Jesus said to him if it is my will that he remain until I come

What is that to you? You follow me

Okay, this is interesting Yes Why would Peter ask about John?

I'm sure the answer is an interesting one. But what does it have to do with Romans 8?

We'll keep going and That got me the other day Because here he is

Jesus is doing a work in him. He's moving through him. He's redeeming things in his life He's talking to him about personal things and right in this moment after this epic moment

He turns around and gets so distracted by what Jesus might be doing in John's life that he actually

Misses it He misses what Jesus is doing in his life. Now. How do

I know that? I don't know what happened Look at the next verse. It says then the saying spread among the brothers

Now this is what made me laugh Literally a rumor spread in the Bible just like rumors spread today and listen to what happened

They had to clear up a rumor. It says the disciple He it spread among the brothers that this disciple was not gonna die yet Jesus did not say to him that he wasn't gonna die

But if it is my will that he remain until I come what is that to you? It's like I didn't say that he didn't say that you missed it

You missed it and besides why is why is that what we're talking about? Why are we talking about what might happen in John's life instead of talking about what just Happened in your own life with what

Jesus is doing in your heart So John mentions this in his writings to clarify a rumor

Sadie seems to imply that Peter spread because he focused on what Jesus is doing in John's life instead of looking at what

Jesus is doing in his own life This is the point and issue. She wants to address in her message

What are we missing? That God is wanting to do right now because we're turning and looking at what he's doing and everybody else's life

Ladies, she has one been inserting into the text things that are not there

Drawing conclusions out based on these insertions Nowhere does it describe

Peter as missing what God is doing in his life because he turned to focus on the

Apostle John Peter is literally turning his body to point to John.

There's no spiritual meaning in the word turn here and Peter's literal turning of his body did not cause

Peter to miss out on Anything I mean come on the whole point of Romans 8 to 31 to 39 which includes her very verse is about how we will be conformed to the image of Christ verse 20 29 and Nothing will keep that from happening because God's power and Christ's love will accomplish it

Not even our turning to focus on what God is doing in someone else's life

Again, just this idea that God is so dependent on us to do his will too, she will now take a

Historical context and try to draw out a Spiritual problem from them from what she will give us her solution or advice to fix said problem.

Listen in Now that turn might look different for everybody that's her might literally be looking at another person and Comparing what their outcome has been versus yours, but their life has been versus yours.

Maybe it's turning to Instagram. Maybe it's Turning in the wrong direction. Maybe it's turning to the past What is that turn that you're getting so distracted by that you're missing

Wow God you have me in this space You're speaking something to my heart.

You're redeeming all that was lost You're covering everything from the past You're building my testimony

What are we missing in that moment So the spiritual problem she wants to warn us is to not turn and focus on what

God is doing in others but instead to focus on what God is doing in our lives and understand that God is building our

Testimony by turning we may miss out. What might we miss out on?

Giving our testimony to others because in our testimony there is power

Because the words is there's power in our testimony Those words those words the testimony what

Jesus does in us that's going to bring the dead to life That's gonna bring the lost to found it says even in the

Bible that sometimes Jesus would leave a town and more people would get to know him because of the stories and the testimonies that the people would tell and So I say that to say when we're going back from if when we're going back from different places

We've been to and we're going back from a moment with Jesus Are we so distracted by what we turn to in the meantime to share what

God did in that moment? I Don't want to miss that Moment. God.

Okay. Do you see the connection between what she is claiming here and what I mentioned about her prayer?

She truly believes that her experiences are what bring new life to people that our

Testimony converts people and she believes that our testimonies would do the same

So let's set the record straight here Let's ask if her claim is true does scripture claim that our testimonies have this type of power what she clearly means by testimony is in direct relation to her story of the

Conversation between Peter and Jesus so remember in this passage Jesus is restoring

Peter calling him to the apostleship feed my sheep tend my sheep and Prophesying to Peter what kind of death he was to glorify

God in verses 19 verse 19 of John chapter 21, so By testimony here.

She means what God is doing in the life of an individual What he's called them to and how

God is glorified in their life experiences or providential appointments as seen in Peter's death

So to answer this question, I looked up all the passages that talk about Testimonies testifying and even declaring elsewhere describing

God declaring or prophets declaring for God, but I wanted to find testimony or Testifying of God's work in an individual life being used to bring salvation specifically,

I wanted to see if scripture claimed what she claims that Testifying of God's work in our lives has the power to bring the dead to life first I'm going to make it very clear that what scripture means by bringing the dead to life is

Spiritual death to spiritual life being dead in our trespasses and sins and raised to new life is our salvation second we need to see what it is that brings about this salvation and finally from that we can determine if testifying to others of what

God is doing and Has done in our lives is how salvation is brought about I'm going to look at two passages that talk about being dead spiritually and raised to new life in Christ Let's look at Colossians 2 8 of 14 first See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition

According to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Having been buried with him in baptism in which you are also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead and you who are dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh

God made alive together with him having forgiven us all our

Trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands this he set aside nailing it to the cross

From this passage we can Clean that it is through faith in the powerful working of God that God uses to make us alive with Christ by this faith

God forgives us of all our trespasses by Canceling out the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demand.

He set these aside Nailing it to the cross. So two things to note here that by faith

We are saved and that this faith is in direct connection to Christ the cross his burial and his resurrection

Keep this in mind second passage we're going to look at is Ephesians 2 1 to 8 and You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world

Following the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience

Among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh

Carrying out the desires of the body and the mind and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind

But God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us

Even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved and Raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages

He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness towards us in Christ Jesus For by grace you have been saved through faith

Three things to note in this passage one that it is by grace that we are saved as it clearly says in verse five two the grace of this salvation is through our faith and three that Again we are made alive with Christ in reference to Christ's resurrection as Paul mentions in his prayer right before this passage in verse 19 to 20 which he prays that the ephesians know

What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the work of his great might?

That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places

So now we know that the raising of the dead to newness of life Is our salvation and that it is a gift of grace by God through our faith

We are saved by grace through faith But faith in what?

Faith in the testimony of God's work in an individual's life Well, we can see from these two passages that the faith is connected to Christ The cross his burial and his resurrection

And notice that Paul called these works of Christ a powerful working of God Yep Paul is describing the gospel in these passages and he solidifies this by claiming in romans 1 16 that it

Is the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation not our testimonies

But the testimony or declaration of Christ dying on the cross for our sins and being raised for our justification

Now she'll go on to use historical accounts found in the gospels as examples of quote people getting close to Jesus Because of others declaring to them the healing and miraculous work he did for them

But the problem here is while the scriptures describe these people as becoming disciples

They are not described as being saved You have to understand

Jesus hadn't gone to the cross yet We see that though many followed

Jesus after seeing the miracles or hearing about the miracles he did for others Once he started proclaiming that he would die and especially when he started

Claiming that the bread he would give to the world would be his flesh and that one must feed on his flesh and drink his blood to receive eternal life

We see in john 6 66 after stating this hard truth that many of his disciples

Turned back and no longer walked with him So jesus said to the 12 Do you want to go away as well?

So while people came close to him by hearing the testimony of christ's followers and seeing the miracles he did

Most of the disciples departed from him because of the words he said The teachings he taught and the gospel he proclaimed to them

It's the same today we can talk about all the good things god is doing in our lives how he brought us out of a slavery to sin or healed us in some way or gave us some purpose and Like actually saw helped us accomplish it

And these are good to talk about scriptures often talk about declaring to others the wonderful works of the lord psalm 22 2235 28 and daniel 4 2 among many others

But there's only one testimony that brings salvation And that is the testimony that the helper the holy spirit testifies of who testifies on christ's behalf john 15 26 to 27

The testimony given by the apostles same testimony laid out for us in first john 1 1 to 10

That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes Which we have looked upon and have touched with our hands

Concerning the word of life the life was made manifest and we have seen it and testified to it

And proclaimed to you the eternal life which was with the father and was made manifest to us

That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you so that you too may have fellowship with us

And indeed our fellowship is with the father and with his son jesus christ And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

This is the message That we heard from him and have proclaimed to you that god is light and in him is no darkness at all

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light We have fellowship with one another and the blood of jesus's son cleanses us from all sin

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and then cleanse us from all unrighteousness

If we say we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us The testimony that has power the testimony that saves is the proclamation that the blood of jesus cleanses us from all sin

Okay, I know that was a lot there, but that was necessary. So let's move on Miss robertson huff goes on to say that both peter and john got it

They didn't focus on what god was doing in other people's lives But what he was doing in theirs and then went on to write the epistles and it was because They both took their eyes off each other and started following christ

But what is it to us that their life looks like that she asks And they both did it because they both individually

Took their eyes off each other and started following jesus What is it to you?

What is it to you that they got that? That their life looks like that That this is happening for them

God i'm gonna follow you because you said follow you I'm gonna follow you because I know you have a plan for my life.

I'm gonna follow you because I trust you I'm gonna follow you because I want your will to be done over my own

It doesn't matter what it looks like in anybody else's life I don't want to miss it

No, i'm not sure if that last part was her implying that that should be why we're following jesus

Or if it's actually her talking to jesus saying that is why she follows him Though I imagine it's a bit of both regardless.

There's something missing here. Yes. We want to follow god because he said to Yes, because he has a plan and yes, because we should want to do as well

But we also follow for the same reasons the disciples stayed with him when all the others left

Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life And we have believed and have come to know that you are the holy one of god

Who else has a solution to our sin problem who else gives righteousness and eternal life who else reconciles us to god

I'm curious Sadie says she doesn't want to miss it. And by that she means following jesus her purpose and god's way for her life

But what about these other things? She continues and mentions the message bianca presented in romans 8 31 to 39

Bianca so good such a good word reads the text to relay How just like for paul nothing could separate peter from the love of christ

And though nothing could separate peter from christ's love who might be distracting us from christ's love

Who shall separate us from the love of christ? because in this moment

Really nothing could separate peter from the love of christ Jesus Raised from the grave

He went to the sea of galilee. He cooked breakfast for peter He was talking to peter affirming the love affirming the love affirming the love but then peter said what about john?

Who who is it? Who is it that really can't separate you from god's love because god's gonna love you no matter what but who's gonna distract you from god's great love

That's sitting right in front of you That's chasing after you recklessly

Who what is going to distract you from that? Back to this problem.

She set up for us that we get distracted by other people specifically that we are

Distracted by the work of god in other people's lives. This really is just ridiculous

Nowhere, and I mean nowhere are we warned to not let the work that god is doing in other people's lives distract us from the love of christ

And this is most certainly not what paul is trying to warn us of in romans 8 31 to 39

I'm, sorry, but I don't think looking at the work. God is doing in other people's lives is a problem

In fact, I think it's actually encouraged We see all throughout the old and new testament god telling us to observe or meditate

On the works he did in abraham's life the works he did in moses's life David's life and nester's life, etc.

And etc For their stories were written down for this very reason Observing the works of god in anyone's life is not a distraction

But can be edification to our souls and gives us license to praise him for what he has done

Also, paul is not trying to point us to the reckless love of christ either chasing after you recklessly

I don't think paul would ever describe christ's love as reckless Reckless means without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action

In fact in romans, we see that the love and work of god through christ was very intentional planned from eternity past They were the intended act of love

And that everything we go through was predestined or you could say Planned with the express intention of conforming us to the image of christ

Christ's love and god's work in our salvation are the exact opposite of reckless

Christ's love is not reckless is almost the exact point paul is trying to express

Because it is so planned and intentional and not reckless Our salvation is secure but sadie continues

She begins to talk about how her husband pursued her before they were married When we started dating it was just so sweet and so good and honestly the way he was pursuing me

I just never seen somebody pursue me like that That it was just so beautiful intentional and godly

It was so beautiful. It was so kind. It was so intentional. It was so godly I found this very ironic to say the least how her husband's pursuit of her was intentional

Yet jesus's love is reckless, but I digress She talks about how when they were dating she would investigate his instagram and compare herself to other women

He would be pictured with and complained to him that she's just not good enough Obviously like this is a type of person who's so cute

They are just so beautiful blonde hair blue eyes in the sorority go in these date parties

They have so much fun and here I am and like I don't look like that. I don't feel like that I don't really think i'm good enough for this relationship anymore how sometime in her past someone had told her

How the boy she was dating was out of her league And how she had sabotaged other relationships with this type of thinking and just like she did this to her husband

She thinks we do that with god I just feel like i'm not good enough And so he's standing here willing to give me this love willing to give me this relationship pursuing me and i'm like, you know what?

I'm, not gonna be able to take that because I don't look like this other person And I think so many times we do that with god

He's sitting here having this conversation with us He's like, do you love me? Do you love me?

Do you love me? Because he loves you The question is not

Flipped Sometimes we wonder like does he love me? No, he's asking do you love him?

He's chasing after you he's pursuing with you. He's having breakfast with you He's always with you and he loves you willing to give everything for you.

He calls you his own He calls you his beloved and then we sit here and because we look around and we don't think we fit the mold

We don't think we're good enough. Our life is going well enough. We just say it's okay I just don't think i'm good enough for that love

And all the love is there We just can't receive it She set this up like we shouldn't believe when it comes to christ's love that we aren't good enough

But scripture says that this is true. We are not good enough That is the entire point that paul has been arguing for in romans 1 to 7

We aren't good enough. Our sinful nature prevents us from being good and the law exposes that about us

We may even have the desire to be good, but our flesh keeps us from it The solution is not to be convinced that we are good enough for god's love

But acknowledge we are not and trust in the love of god worked out through the life death and resurrection of christ

So that the holy spirit may work in us Helping us to put to death the deeds of the flesh putting to death our sin and walking in the spirit romans 8 1 to 28

There's something else I want to point out here because I have been here Women's ministry spends a lot of time focusing on trying to know god's love through feeling god's love

This is why language like pursuing you chasing after you wooing you having reckless wasteful

Love all this type of descriptive language. We have heard at this very conference

Why is this type of language being used so much? Because these teachers don't understand the ultimate act of love that was displayed by god and his son at the cross

Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15 13 The greatest display of love is not some romantic gesture of pursuit on god's part

It is the sacrifice of his life to make things right

And wanting more than this like we women often do Means we do not understand let alone cherish the work god has done

We must also be wooed and made to feel loved our way a total side point but I think women grasping this is extremely extremely important.

I can't tell you how Understanding how the acts of leading and teaching providing a righteousness

Making payment for our sin and conquering sin death and the devil how these acts of the father and the son

Express their love and what that does to understanding the way

Men love in similar form through their nature to lead teach provide deal with consequences and conquer

We want them to love us the way we love them, but that is not how god created men

I blame the five love languages and the bad bad doctrine found in that book for leading me and Millions of other women into this type of belief.

Anyway, that's a like a whole nother episode, but that was a side note Moving on she then goes on to list reasons why we don't believe we're good enough to be loved

Maybe it's because we're distracted. Maybe it's because we're comparing ourself. Maybe it's because we're comparing our story

Maybe it's because of a lie spoken over us years ago But to end this conference today,

I don't want us to run away from the love. He's running after us with I don't want us to turn around and look at another person or walk away and get distracted

From what he's doing in your heart right now with this reckless love

And so I want to pray over us I want to pray over us that we don't get distracted I want to pray over us that we're not turning to other things to satisfy our heart

I want to pray over us that the lives from the past aren't still meditating here in the In the present so that we're not able to receive the love that he's giving us

And in this moment, I just want us to go there for a minute Before we close that conference before this day is over so that when you walk away

You walk away and you follow Jesus and follow that pursuit and that love and just let it happen

And that's it for her message She goes on to pray and thank god that he is chasing them with reckless love making it the

Third time in this message that she identified god's love as reckless chasing after you recklessly

With this reckless love. Thank you god that you were chasing after us with reckless She prays that they rest in the knowledge that christ died on the cross for their sins quoting john 3 16 and This is the only reference to the expression of god's love through jesus christ

What did any of that have to do with romans 8 39 or really romans 8 in general?

Instead of even addressing the verse. She merely states that nothing will separate us from the love of christ focuses on drawing out a spiritual problem from a historical record of a conversation between peter and jesus

And has no biblical support for that spiritual problem nor any support for dealing with that problem

But we are just taught to not focus on the work of god and others. So we are not distracted

And just know we are enough to be loved and that nothing can separate us from the reckless love of god

Well, what did you think ladies? How well did sadie robertson huff handle the text?

Or even handle john 21 what do you think about this way of describing god's love as reckless and What do you think about our testimonies?

Do you believe they have the power to raise the dead to life? email me at albatos at ttew .org

Or feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think Before I end this program,

I just want to present my conclusion in the second part of the series on the if gathering We've spent eight episodes looking at the 2020 conference to assess the way these speakers

Handle scripture how they handled romans chapter 8 I hope i've clearly shown how they have twisted scripture at times

Changed meanings to words took historical took historical texts and tried to make it

Perspective I cannot say that word. Can I? Took historical texts and tried to make it prescriptive of spiritual issues

Twisted passages to imply that these passages are talking about what they want to talk about There was a lot of talk about problems

We should be addressing such as fighting off negative thoughts as jenny allen taught We should be treasuring the spirit that lives within us so that our lives look supernatural as beth moore taught

We are not to be controlled by fear that causes us to be Perfectionist controlling comparing ourselves with others producing unhealthy competition, etc.

And etc And to just accept our adoption and open our inheritance to accomplish our callings as joe saxton taught

We are not to count our resources when we question our callings But count on jesus and just be faithful where we are as ruth chow simmons taught

We are to be on guard by knowing that we possess a power within us and that we are more than conquerors through christ as bianca warras olthoff taught

We are not to turn inward but become wayfinders By turning and being found by the way maker as ann voskamp taught that was an interesting one

And as shown in this final episode of part two We are not to turn and get distracted by observing the work of god in others lives

That's quite a bit to work on Don't mention if any of these are sinful things to do

And I really hope i've shown that these issues are not talked about in romans 8 But in fact

I hope i've shown that romans 8 is all about god's work our putting to death the deeds of the flesh

Our weakness and the spirit's strength to help us do that God's selecting and keeping of us unto salvation and the conforming of his people to christ our sanctification

And in the end our glorification This chapter except for the instruction to put to death the deeds of the flesh, which is still done in the spirit

Isn't really instructing us but bringing to our knowledge the power of god in his keeping and working in us

All the way to the end through the love and work of christ so that our faith in god would grow

What a better message What better hope? Why wouldn't they want to encourage these women up into this message?

Jenny ellen stated how she didn't think there was a more theologically rich chapter in the bible

And that we would get a lot of jesus with her. Hope that we left the conference loving him more

Can she honestly say that these messages gave that very rich theology that we find in the chapter?

Could she really say that christ was really proclaimed? Did this conference deliver what she promised?

I don't think so Want to know what theology can be gleaned from this text?

Want to hear what a message that draws out christ from this text would actually sound like? Listen to the sermon series on this chapter given by martin lloyd jones

You will be edified greatly and in this series knowing god relying on the spirit and loving christ more

I will provide a link to the martin lloyd jones trust website Where you can simply type in romans 8 in the search box and listen to all his wonderful sermons so ladies until next time

I pray you have been blessed to Dive into romans 8 and have seen the difference between what it says and what these speakers claim.

It's about I pray that through these episodes you've been exposed to the way speakers can twist scripture or neglect it

Learning for yourself how to compare what one says to scripture I pray that you trust that in him

We have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will

So that we who were the first to hope in christ might be to the praise of his glory in him

You also when you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation and believed in him

We're sealed with the promised holy spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory

Ephesians 1 11 to 14 I pray you are in his word

Ladies, thanks for listening or watching this episode of thoroughly equipped if this episode blessed you

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It helps spread the word if you are interested to know more about thoroughly equipped Check out the blog or just find some other great christian resources.

You can go to my website at ttew .org You can connect with me on facebook and instagram links in the description below or email me at melbetoast at ttew .org

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I pray the god of all grace grants you more and more knowledge and understanding of jesus christ

As the holy spirit thoroughly equips you through his written word for every good work.