Standing Against Misunderstandings — David Rubio

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Let us rise for an opening word of prayer, please. Oh dear Lord, we come before you with that plea, Lord, that you would use our lives as kindling to light that fire, Lord. That fire of life in Jesus Christ, that fire that is filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost, Lord, lighting upon us.

That we would individually here and corporately bring glory to your name. That we would live faithfully, Lord. That we would live truly and obediently for your glory. Pour into us, Holy Spirit. Pour into us this morning.

Open our ears. Open our hearts. And may we see Jesus this morning. May we see him high and lifted up. May we see him as the King of Kings that he is. And the Lord of Lords that he is. Prepare our hearts, Lord.

Do not pass us by, oh precious Savior. Do not pass us by. But smile upon us, Lord, and be gracious unto us. That is my prayer this morning, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. You may be seated. I too bring greetings to you this morning in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

I'm so thankful of what God has already done this morning. The singing here. The opening. Pointing us to salvation and what salvation means for each one of us here in this room. And again, I do marvel that as I've contemplated what the Lord would share with us this morning.

Some thoughts came to my mind. And those thoughts related to what's already taken place this morning. You see, oftentimes in our enthusiasm to meet with the Lord, we bypass some basic fundamentals of what it means to be a Christian.

And that's why I appreciated Dave's reminder to us today. And you know, in the midst of us forgetting some of those basics of the Christian life, we tend to drift a little bit from the truth and reality of what it means to live.

As a Christian. And to be a Christian. And this morning I would like to share with you a message that I've entitled, Standing Against Misunderstanding. Standing Against Misunderstanding. And I titled the message that way because, you know, sometimes we believe some things about the Christian life that are not true.

They're misunderstandings. So I would like to share at the beginning of the message here some basic misunderstandings that we have about Scripture and about the Christian life that many of us know about already.

But it's so easy for us to forget those things and we drift into believing these falsehoods as truth. So that's what I'd like to start out with this morning. Let me start out with the first one. The first falsehood.

Christians Are Not Promised a Problem-Free Life

And I'm not saying it's a deliberate falsehood, one that someone on purpose tries to convince you of. Maybe I could call it a misconception. Maybe I could call it something that's maybe fiction, not true.

Or maybe in some cases, maybe it is just a lie that the devil puts out there in front of us and perpetuates among us. But one of the first ones is this. Because you are a Christian, all of your problems are solved.

That's a lie. Christians, and all of us who are Christians know that this is not true, but it's so easy for us to forget, especially in the light of Brother Leonard going to be with the Lord here and leaving a wife and children here and family and fathers and mothers and cousins and uncles and church members that are wondering and in grief and wondering, Lord, why Leonard?

He's such a godly man. But you know, God does not promise Christians a problem-free life. And we oftentimes forget that. Eternally, yes. Eternally, absolutely, in glory, in our glorified state, absolutely we will have no problems in heaven.

There are no problems there. But while we are here on earth, we will face problems. And it's heresy. It is heresy. It is false teaching to tell anyone that if they come to Christ, all of their problems will be solved.

All of their marriage problems will be solved. All of their financial problems will be solved. All of their emotional problems will be solved. All of their relationship problems will be solved. And the list could go on and on and on, but we know that's not true.

It's not that way in the Christian life. In fact, as some of us know, when you become a Christian, when you become born again, oftentimes our problems in this world actually increase. And they become more intensified.

The fire gets hotter in life. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul addressed this beautifully in some simple verses. 2 Corinthians 4, verses 8 and 9. He describes not only his life, but he describes the life of any true Christian in this room this morning.

And this is what he has to say. 2 Corinthians 4, verses 8 and 9. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed.

And you know what we often do when we look at this verse? We look at the, if I can use it, the positive words. We look at things, we're not distressed as Christians. We are not in despair as Christians.

We are not forsaken as Christians. We are not destroyed as Christians. And praise God, those things are true. But if you look at what Paul is also saying here, there is another side to what he's saying.

He is saying we are troubled as Christians. There's trouble all around us. We are perplexed as Christians. It says right here in this verse. Perplexed means sometimes we get a little confused. Sometimes we lose our way a little bit.

And sometimes we wonder, where is God? Why is this happening? We're perplexed. And look at verse 9. We're also persecuted as Christians. And we are also cast down. Not only cast down physically, but emotionally and spiritually at times.

So the Christian life, while it has its victories, you know, we're not distressed, we're not in despair, we're not forsaken, we're not destroyed, it does have its troubled side. And I think it's good for us to remind ourselves of that so that we can know that we need to lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus every day.

That we can't take this life alone. And I think one of the songs that was sung here this morning talked about how often we get so busy with life, we just keep moving on and charging through, and we think we can do it on our own.

But there's trouble all around. There's trouble all around. Perplexed. So it's wrong, brethren, to promote that now that we have become Christians, we will no longer have problems. 2 Timothy 3 .12 says this, Yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer.

Biblical Principles, Not Specific Answers to Every Modern Problem

Shall suffer persecution. Well, another misconception about the Christian life that I think we need to understand this morning is this. All problems that you will have are specifically addressed in the Bible.

That's not true. All the problems that you will ever have are specifically addressed in the Bible. Well, any of us who read our Bible know that that is not true. Television is not addressed in the Bible, specifically.

The internet is not specifically addressed in the Bible. Specific drug abuse, except for alcoholism, is not really addressed in the Bible. What happens to an aborted baby after it's aborted, that's not specifically addressed in the Bible.

Mental illness versus demon possession, those things are not specifically addressed in the Bible. Specifically. And if we go through the Bible, if we let somebody, lead somebody on, and not meaning to, but tell them all the answers to life, every little thing, every little detail in your life, all the answers are in the Bible, you're going to be really misleading them because not all of the answers to every specific thing here in the 21st century in America are answered in the Bible.

You know, that perplexes us, doesn't it? Because you might be thinking, well, I thought that we were taught that the Bible is true and the Bible holds the answers to all of life's problems. You know, we hear verses read, like the one that we all read and know, like in 2 Timothy 3 .16 that says, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly formed, furnished unto all good works.

And we think, and we tend to forget, that the Bible does give us all the answers. 2 Peter 1 .3 says this. It says, 2 Peter 1 .3 says this, According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

See, God has given us everything that we need. And everything that we need, yes, it is in this Bible. But the specifics are not there. All the specifics. But you know what God does give us? And any of you in here know where I'm going with this.

God gives us the principles to live by. He gives us the principles by which we must then trust Him and trust those among us being accountable to one another, discipling one another, how to apply these principles that God gives us in His Word, how to apply those specifically in every area of our life.

And that's why we sit here in the morning and we hear preaching. That's why you study your Word, the Bible every day. These are not just exercises in futility. They're not a waste of time. They're to help guide us into those principles that God will use in our lives that we then can apply to specific areas.

For example, in Ephesians, we're told to be not drunk with wine. And there's other warnings about drunkenness and about the drunkard in the Bible. Those same verses regarding drunkenness, they also are a principle regarding drug abuse, whether it's heroin abuse, cocaine abuse, prescription drug abuse.

That principle applies there. When you talk about television, when you're talking about entertainment or different kinds of Internet uses, the Bible speaks and has a principle there. And it's those principles that we need to really look at every day.

And that's where we look here. Let's take Philippians 4a. That's one of those verses that we all know. But it's the principle here that God wants us to learn so that we can apply it in every area of our life.

Because, you know, if God just talked about the television here, if God got really specific in the Bible, we would have nothing but law. And everyone would be trying to find a way to get around something, renaming the television some different name so that we could get around the specifics of the Bible.

And see, God knows the hearts of men and women, and He knows that that tends to be a tendency of the fallen heart. So God leaves the general principles there and then allows the Spirit of God to convict us and lead us in these areas.

For example, regarding television, regarding entertainment, regarding Internet use, regarding what your eyes should look upon. Look at Philippians 4a. Finally, brethren. Brethren means you, us Christians.

Whatsoever things are true. So if there's anything false that you're looking at, you shouldn't be dealing with those things. Whatsoever things are honest. Whatsoever things are just. Whatsoever things are pure.

Whatsoever things are lovely. Whatsoever things are of good report. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. That's a broad general principle, but you know it applies to so many specific areas of our life.

But let's not mislead ourselves or others into believing that the Bible addresses all these areas. It's up for us to trust God and to seek Him faithfully, to understand His principles. And then as a church, as individuals, as fathers in homes, as mothers with your children, we need to then apply those in the specific areas of our lives.

And we must do that with much prayer, seeking God's direction, and will in a reasonable understanding and application, in all wisdom and prudence, in the fear of the Lord in these areas. So don't be misled.

Don't be perplexed. Don't be confused to not holding to God's Word. You can say, well, it doesn't hold specifics there, so it must not apply to me. No, the principles are all there. And remember Psalm 119 .89 says, Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.

God's Word is not going to change. Those principles will not change. Cultures might change. Societies might change. Technology might change. Forms of entertainment might change, but the Word of God will never change.

And those principles are the ones that we need to be instructing each other in. Romans 3 .4 says, and it's a harsh statement by the Apostle Paul, and it's stuck in the middle of a verse, but it's a powerful one, but it's so true.

It says, Let God be true, but every man a liar. The principles are here, brethren. Even though you might not find the specifics, the principles are here. Let us live by those, and God will hold us accountable to those principles as we apply them in the specific areas of our lives.

Problems Do Not Automatically Prove Spiritual Failure

Well, there's another falsehood that we can drift into that gets misunderstood, and that's this. If you are having problems, you are unspiritual. If you are having problems, you are unspiritual. Now, let me clarify that statement.

Now, if you are not a Christian, you're unspiritual, you're going to have problems. If you are a Christian, a carnal Christian, a backslidden Christian, a Christian living in deliberate willful sin, then it will be true that, yes, you will have problems because you are unspiritual.

But I'm applying this thought here to those of us who really in our heart sense that we are clear with God, that we're trying to do what's right, and there's no specific sin that we know about. This is the person that I'm talking to.

If you are having problems, you are unspiritual. That's not necessarily true. But yet so often we look at people and we say, oh, they're having marriage problems, oh, they're having financial problems, oh, they're having trouble raising their children.

They must be unspiritual. Well, I've just told you there are problems all around us all the time. The Apostle Paul just addressed them in that second Corinthians passage we read just a few minutes ago.

So, it's wrong for us to make a blanket, overall, general statement that if someone's having problems, they are unspiritual. Yes, if they're in sin, if they're not Christians, yes, they will have problems and we could probably then put them in that category, but we cannot make just a general blanket statement without knowing the specifics of that person's life.

Less we hurt people, less we discourage people and say they're having problems, they're unspiritual. And sadly, we do promote that among ourselves at times, don't we? We fall and we drift from the reality that the life here on earth is very complicated and complex and sometimes we figure we can just make it black and white.

Well, it's not always black and white. So, we need to be careful when we make that statement. Another way of stating this is that if he or she was really spiritual, they would not be going through their problem situation if they were really spiritual.

But, you know, we look in the Bible and it's not always that way, is it? Look at Job. Job, in the Old Testament. I mean, I was reading last night about how God... I've heard commentaries say, well, you know, Job had his problems because there was sin in his life and this and that.

He was a proud man and his family must have been out of order. That's why they all got destroyed. I've heard all those little commentaries, but let's see what God says about Job. In Job 1 .9, the Lord God responds to Satan and says this, Has thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil?

I mean, I've got to tell you, when I hear God's words directly, you know, my spiritual ears perk up and I listen. And see, God is saying, Job was a perfect, upright man in God's eyes. And when God says he's a perfect and upright man, I'm not going to question God.

And here we are, Job suffered. Job had big problems. Would we dare call him unspiritual after what God has called him? The truth is that all mankind is living in this fallen world. And in this fallen world, we will have problems.

Whether you're a Christian, whether you're not a Christian, whether you're a mature Christian, or whether you're a baby brand-new Christian, there are problems around us. And we need to be careful that we just not quickly judge somebody because they're having problems as being unspiritual.

They might be because of these other areas I just talked about. But look at some of the instances in the Bible of men who had major problems, but they were very godly men. Job being one. How about the Apostle Paul?

Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 11. See a little bit about what Paul has to say here. It's just good for us to be reminded of these things lest we drift and believe something about the Christian life that it's not.

2 Corinthians 11, verses 24 -31. Now this is Paul. This is the Apostle Paul. Powerful man of God. And look at what his life was involved in. Verse 24. Of the Jews, five times received I, that's Paul, forty stripes save one.

Thrice, that means three times, was I beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Thrice I suffered shipwreck. A night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils, perils means danger there, of course, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness and watchings, often in hunger and thirst, in fastings, often in cold and nakedness.

Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak? And I am not weak. Who was offended? And I burn not. If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern my infirmity.

The Apostle Paul had problems. Would we call him an unspiritual man? Because he had problems. No. No. He goes on to say, if you turn the page to chapter 12, verse 7 and 8, he says this, unless I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, three times that it might depart from me. See, Paul suffered. He had problems. He not only had outside problems. He had to carry the burden of the church. He was persecuted for being a Christian.

He was chased down. He had the responsibilities of the church, as I mentioned. Also, he had physical ailments. So, I mean, how many of us have heard somewhere in our past, crossed paths with some people that say, well, they're sick because they have sin in their life?

Many of us have. Well, there are some sins that do cause illness, don't they? I'm not saying that. But for us to just make that blanket statement about, well, they're sick because they have sin in their life, that's not a proper approach.

Okay, so let's be real careful here. Let's understand. Let's stand against misunderstanding here. The reality of what the Christian life is like. And look at what Paul's response was regarding his infirmities.

And this is really a call for us. Verse 9, And he said unto me, Now listen, read that verse carefully. So often we read that verse and we forget there's two conversations going on there. He is God. And God said unto me, unto Paul, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

And then Paul says, Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. See, for those of us who are walking in the Lord, walking in true faith, when we have problems, when we have infirmities fall upon us, and we know that there's no sin in our life, we've searched our heart and know we're clear with the Lord.

Let's glorify in those. Because it causes us to lean on the Lord more and we become more strengthened and we're refined and we grow stronger in the Lord. That's what we should be doing as we suffer these things.

And we will suffer. 1 Peter, in 1 Peter 4 .12 says this to us. In 4 .12 he says, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you.

In other words, you're going to have problems. Don't think it strange that you're having problems. Don't think it strange that there's death and disease and sorrow, anxiety, stress. Don't think it strange that those things come into your life to try you, to test you, to strengthen you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.

But what should be our response? Verse 13, But rejoice, Brother Dave spoke about that this morning, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

It's not strange. It's not unusual for the Christian to have problems, to have challenges, to feel defeated at times. It is the way things are in this fallen world. And even when you feel you are in your most spiritual condition, even when you feel that you're invincible spiritually, you're on top of the game, you've got Bible verses memorized, you've got hymns memorized, you've been fasting and praying, and you think you're in your top form as a Christian, beware, you also are vulnerable, maybe even more so, because of maybe some unspoken pride.

You're vulnerable to problems, and to being challenged. Think it not strange, brethren. Why is this happening to me? I've been reading my Bible, I've been serving in the church, I've been on the mission field, I've done this, I've done that.

Think it not strange, concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. It's nothing strange. It's nothing unusual. It happened to Job. It happened to Paul.

It happened to all the apostles. It's happened to centuries and centuries of godly saints. Not just you. Think it not strange when it happens. But when it does happen, we should be doing these things, shouldn't we?

We all know this. Seek the Lord in prayer and say, Lord, why is this happening to me? Search your heart, and then open your heart up to God's Holy Spirit, and let Him shine His light into your life. And if there is sin there, confess and repent of that sin.

Because these sins are very likely the source of your problem. Maybe you didn't realize they were there, but that trial has brought you to that point when you open your life up to God, and He points His finger right at you and just touches that spot of sin.

If so, repent. But after you've prayed, after you've opened up your life up to the Lord, and you sense that everything is clear before the Lord, then do as Paul did here in verse 13. Rejoice. Rejoice.

And consider it a privilege to share in the suffering of Christ for sharing and preaching the Gospel, for living a godly, biblically obedient life, and living godly in Christ Jesus. Well, look at those things that way.

Sound Teaching Does Not Automatically Transform Believers

Well, there's a fourth lie that I want to talk about, a misunderstanding that we have. And this is one that we tend to want to drift into believing this falsehood. And I know Brother Moses and Sister Rhoda have seen this a lot more.

Maybe even Dave Asch has probably seen it a lot more than I have, even here in this, in Lancaster County here. But it's this. Being exposed to sound, solid, biblical teaching automatically solves your problems.

And read that again. This is a falsehood. It's not true. Being exposed to sound, solid, biblical teaching automatically solves your problems. Just think about how silly that is, really. Just think about how silly thinking that way is.

It's like, man, it would be like hanging around a really good welder or a really good carpenter and just standing there and talking and just rubbing shoulders with them, you know, and thinking that that's automatically going to make you a really good welder or a really good carpenter.

It's silly. Or ladies, it's kind of like you wanting to become a real good seamstress, wanting to be able to sew a dress, cut out a pattern, and sew a dress real quick. So you hang around some of the ladies in the church that are really good seamstresses and sew real well and you talk and you visit with them and you spend a lot of time with them, thinking that automatically that's going to make you a good seamstress or a great cook if you're around great cooks.

That automatically that's going to make you that kind of person. And of course you're going to say, well, that's silly. But so often that's what creeps into our lives that we figure if we're a sound, biblically sound teaching church, biblically sound church, that we're automatically, our problems will be solved.

I brought a map today. It's a map of the United States. And Pennsylvania is kind of over here somewhere and Dallas, Texas is down here. Across the United States, way from here to here. Now, you know, I could take this map and I could tape it up to the wall here and I could study all the highways.

And if I had a real specific map, I could find where the bridges were. I could find where the toll roads were at. I could study this map. I could find where all the truck stops were at for fuel or for bathroom breaks.

I could find where any hotel or motel where we need to stay on the trip. I mean, I could put this up here and I could study this and I could stay close to this day and night for many, many, many days.

But you know what? Just studying this map is not going to get me to Dallas, Texas. Just being close to this map and being around this map, maybe even putting it over my shoulder and taping it to my clothes and me thinking about being in Dallas, Texas is not going to put me in Dallas, Texas.

And so often, as silly as that thought is, we think of the Christian life that way. We think, well, if we just hang around godly people, if we just put our young people around godly youth, if I put my husband around some godly men who are godly husbands, they're automatically going to be real godly.

Well, that's not true. The Christian life doesn't come automatically, brethren. The Christian life is a battle. It is a race. You must train. You must run. You must exert yourself spiritually, in faith and in obedience.

It's not automatically going to happen. How many of us have known people that have moved here to these churches because their marriage is amiss? Or they've got rebellious children. And they fear just by being here and having a preacher get up once a week, that automatically their family is going to be, if I can use the word, magically fixed.

Well, God doesn't work in magic. God works in reality. Biblical reality. And no, your problems are not going to be automatically fixed just by hanging around people. You know why? I think Brother Dave kind of touched on it a little bit.

You know, we also have an individual responsibility. It's not that we want to have an individualistic spirit. I think that's what Dave was trying to say. We do not want to have an individualistic spirit because that's a proud spirit.

But individually, we are going to be accountable to God. And He holds us accountable for the things that are preached here. He holds us accountable for the things that you learn. Those are the things that are going to help you in life's way and help you through some of the problems and around and through some of the problems that you have in your life.

But they're not going to happen automatically. You're responsible for those. You're the one that's going to stand alone before the Lord someday. These things don't happen automatically. So don't fall into that falsehood.

Don't fall into that falsehood that just by studying the Bible, just by hanging around spiritual people, studying the Bible like a school book, it will not automatically solve your problems. Remember, without Christ, you can do nothing.

Without the Holy Spirit, you can do nothing. Without a willing, obedient, broken heart before God, you can do nothing. In your own intellect, your own abilities, you can do nothing. You cannot solve all your problems.

That's why in the book of James, there's so much talk about faith and works, about being doers of the Word and not hearers only. Remember that verse? And what's it say? That you know what? Deceive yourself, right?

Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only. Deceiving your own selves. If you think you're just going to automatically become just a better welder by hanging around welders, a better seamstress by hanging around seamstresses, a better Christian by just kind of attending a Bible teaching and preaching church, you deceive yourself.

You must be a doer of the Word. You must live it and live it through. Well, these four misconceptions of the Christian life have challenged me. You know, we did four baptisms here last Sunday in the creek back behind the church here.

And it's just a good reminder to us, you know, what does it mean to disciple and instruct one another, especially young believers? And I think these are some of the areas that we need to really look at carefully.

Lest we ourselves drift into believing some of the things I just shared, these misconceptions. Or we allow a young believer or an immature believer to drift away into these things that are not true and end up in falsehood.

Well, the Lord further challenged me that we need to equip and be equipped realistically with the Christian life. And sometimes misunderstandings like these will get into our lives and hinder our growth in the Lord.

Suffering and Misunderstanding in the Christian Life

But what happens when misunderstandings come into our lives personally? That's another little thing I want to talk about this morning. Not only these big areas that we can get deceived in, but how about misunderstandings between one another?

A .W. Tozer once wrote this deep truth. It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until He has hurt him deeply. You see in Isaiah 53 .10, speaking of our Lord and Savior, it says this, It pleased the Lord to bruise His Son.

That sounds a little brutal to us. It sounds a little unfair to us. But sometimes God can use hard things in our lives to strengthen us. Because it's doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until He has hurt him deeply.

And the prime example is our Savior. It pleased the Lord to bruise His Son. Hebrews 5 .8 says, Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things that He suffered. And if Christ was allowed to suffer, God willingly allowing it of His only begotten Son, His beloved Son, so that He could learn obedience.

And in that be an example to us of how to be obedient. Then it seems only likewise that we too must learn obedience to our Heavenly Father through the sufferings of this life here on earth. Remember Christ did not suffer for His own sins.

He was sinless. He was the spotless Lamb of God. He suffered for our sins. He bore them on the cross for our sins, for you and for me. So we too, brethren, we too will suffer even when we are not involved in sin.

Now, if we are in sin, God has verses to deal with that, doesn't He? If we are in sin, God has verses for that. He has instruction for us there. For example, 1 Peter 2, 19 -21. This is what the Lord says here.

See, if you're saying, well, yeah, I'm going to suffer for Jesus, but you have sin in your life, you're proud, you're boastful, you're pushy, you're manipulative, you're rude, you're obnoxious, and you suffer and you develop problems because of that with people, don't say, well, it's for God's glory.

Because look what Peter says here. 2 Peter 2, 20 says this, For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently? If you're being buffeted, if you're receiving discipline, if you're getting pushback from people because of your own sin, there's no glory in that.

That's because of your sin. But if when ye do well, when you're walking with the Lord humbly, with a pure heart before the Lord, but if when you do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. So yes, we as Christians will suffer here. We will suffer here. We suffer from disease, we suffer from pain, we suffer from anguish, from grief, because we live in this fallen world in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation.

But you know, there is this specific area that they're being misunderstood. Even when you're doing the best, and we suffer there as Christians often, and I will say 100 of us in this room, at some point in time, many times most of us have been misunderstood.

Misunderstood. I looked it up in the dictionary. This is what it means. A misconception. A wrong interpretation or conclusion regarding a situation. Let me read that one again. A wrong interpretation or conclusion, judgment, regarding a situation or event.

To take a wrong sense over a situation or a statement or an event. That's what misunderstood or misunderstanding means. And I mean here by misunderstood in your words, misunderstood in your actions, misunderstood even when you are innocent.