{"id":301725,"date":"2008-12-05T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-12-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries\/"},"modified":"2024-10-07T22:48:44","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T02:48:44","slug":"finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Rest in God\u2019s Boundaries"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jesus promised to give us rest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2008-12-05.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"12.16M","filesize_raw":"12746914","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[10361,2853],"tags":[4007,5010],"podcast_series":[7619],"cwp_profile":[3058],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-301725","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-busyness-and-stress","category-frazzled-family","tag-busyness","tag-travel","podcast_series-little-house-on-the-freeway","cwp_profile-tim-kimmel","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/301725\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/301725\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"bC8n06xGq9\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries\/\">Finding Rest in God\u2019s Boundaries<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/finding-rest-in-gods-boundaries\/embed\/#?secret=bC8n06xGq9\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Finding Rest in God\u2019s Boundaries&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"bC8n06xGq9\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var 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drained by the pace of life.\u00a0 Author Tim Kimmel says there are other things that will drain a person like holding onto an offense and refusing to forgive another person.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> We've all fished, you know, when you get a big fish on, like up in Alaska or deep sea \u2013 it's a lot of work to keep that fish on there.\u00a0 Well, it's the same thing with staying angry and bitter toward somebody.\u00a0 When you forgive somebody, it doesn't mean that person is off the hook for what they did, they're just off of your hook, that's all.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> This is FamilyLife Today for Friday, December 5th.\u00a0 Our host is the president of FamilyLife, Dennis Rainey, and I'm Bob Lepine.\u00a0 Do you feel like the pace of life is draining you?\u00a0 It may be that something different is draining you.\u00a0 We'll talk about it today.\u00a0 Stay tuned.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to FamilyLife Today, thanks for joining us.\u00a0 You know, there are times in life when we have to recalibrate, right?\u00a0 When we've just got to pull back and reset the dials a little bit, but it seems to me that recalibration is something that you don't just do once, and it's done, but as soon as you've recalibrated, the gears start spinning a little more, and \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> [laughing] And you get uncalibrated.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> You've got to have the recalibration ceremony happen at every 3,000 miles.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You really do.\u00a0 It's why there has to be maintenance and a time of pulling out of the battle and out of the pace of life and pulling off to the side and \u2013 well, Bob, as you were talking, I was thinking about some words of a very famous man who, as far as I know, he is the only one who made this offer.\u00a0 Now, this is an astounding offer for a person to make to another person, and I don't think anything else comes close to it.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe offer was this \u2013 \"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.\u00a0 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou don't have to be a Bible scholar to know who made that promise.\u00a0 It was Jesus, and Jesus basically said, \"You can find rest in the midst of busy-ness by coming to a person \u2013 not just any person, but the King of kings and Lord of lords.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So you hear something like that, and you think, \"All right, I need rest, so I should come to Jesus\" \u2013 I've already come to Jesus.\u00a0 We need some help fleshing that out.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Oh, sure, absolutely.\u00a0 And we've got a friend in the studio, besides Jesus, He's here, too \u2013 we've got a friend in the studio who is going to help us understand a study that he did of how Jesus brought rest to people.\u00a0 Tim Kimmel joins us again.\u00a0 Tim, welcome back.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Glad to be with you, thanks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Tim is the author of \"Little House on the Freeway,\" and we've been talking with him about how busy couples, busy families, need to pull off to the side and experience some calm and some rest and peace and tranquility and not just be driven.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And let me just say, this book, which you wrote more than two decades ago, is a classic.\u00a0 More than 300,000 copies of it sold, and I know Billy Graham gave away about a quarter million of them to folks.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou have just recently revised and expanded and updated the book.\u00a0 So in any era, in any time, under any circumstances, Jesus says, \"You're weary, you're looking for rest,\" is this simply an offer of the Gospel bringing rest for your soul, or does it go beyond that, do you think?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Well, when He introduced the Sabbath concept in the Creation \u2013 He worked six days, and He rested.\u00a0 He was not disconnected from Himself during those six days.\u00a0 This wasn't about, \"Oh, we stop, and we reconnect with God.\"\u00a0 Now, you stay connected with Him the whole time.\u00a0 He's saying the Sabbath wasn't made for God, it was made for man.\u00a0 We are not designed to burn the candle at both ends and torch the middle.\u00a0 It just doesn't work.\u00a0 It's not if you're going to implode, it's just when.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And so Jesus says \"Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden,\" and this is a culture that is really tired \u2013 just exhausted.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Dennis, people wake up tired after eight hours' sleep in our culture.\u00a0 The reason they are is their brain is doing a little inventory of what lies ahead.\u00a0 You say, \"Okay, I just put eight hours of rest on my body.\u00a0 Here's what's lying ahead.\u00a0 Based on what I just put on board and my schedule, I'm going to be out of gas by 9:30 this morning.\u00a0 I've got that much on my plate.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe average mom is accomplishing, before 8:00 in the morning, what her grandmother did in a day.\u00a0 Well, there's only so much we can take, and so we want to stay on game, but we don't have to go and wipe ourselves out in the process.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So when you looked at the life of Jesus and saw how He kept His pace but maintained His own margin, what did you find?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> They're not going to like the first one, so let's skip that one.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> No, don't skip it, because I think it was interesting that you started here, because a lot of our listeners are going to say, \"What does that have to do\" \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> \u2026 with pace of life?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> With pace of life and with rest?\u00a0 But it's very, very applicable, isn't it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Yes.\u00a0 The first necessity for maintaining calm and rest is maintaining a forgiving spirit towards everybody around you \u2013 living your heart reconciled with the people up close to you, and that spirit of forgiveness, that attitude of forgiveness is something that steals a lot of joy because people just say, \"No, I've got this chip on my shoulder.\u00a0 It was put there by somebody else.\u00a0 They don't deserve to be let off the hook for this; I didn't get the childhood I needed.\u00a0 My parents, you know, their marriage broke up.\u00a0 I'm mad.\u00a0 My ex took off and took everything but the blame, and I'm mad about this.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, then, I'm sorry, peace, calm, rest, will not be yours.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> You're saying if you're carrying around a root of bitterness, if you're holding onto a grudge or to an unreconciled relationship, that will drain life and energy out of your soul, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Well, actually, I wrote down what Tim wrote in his book, because in re-reading the book, I was again fascinated that you started here.\u00a0 Here is the statement you made that was kind of a \"Yeah, he's really right.\"\u00a0 Here is your quote \u2013 \"A person who is unable and unwilling to forgive can never be truly at rest in their soul.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> That's right.\u00a0 Then He says, \"Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,\" and He's talking about rest for the soul in that thing \u2013 deep down in the heart.\u00a0 Well, how in the world can I have rest if \u2013 it take energy for me to stay angry at somebody \u2013 for me to keep all the wounds open and current.\u00a0 And, listen, there are some people that have done this wrong, that, yeah, you loan them your car, they wrecked it.\u00a0 They didn't take any responsibility for it.\u00a0 Now they're running around in a new car, and you're having to take the bus.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOr this guy got your daughter pregnant, and he threw her a couple of 20s and said, \"Why don't you go get an abortion,\" and then he took off and left her behind, and she had that baby, and now he's got his next victim on his arm, you see him downtown \u2013 that hurts because part of the forgiving spirit is forgiving people who have not repented and are still in your life.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut here is Jesus on the cross \u2013 what does He say to these soldiers, what does He say about those religious leaders that put Him there on it?\u00a0 \"Father, forgive them.\u00a0 They haven't a clue what they just did.\"\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Tell our listeners about the Korean church and their example here.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Billy Kim told this story years ago, and a lot of people don't understand that in the 20th century history, Japan really moved a reign of terror over China, Korea, and even \u2013 and the bitterness goes to this day.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd one of the things they did, is they ejected all foreign missionaries, and they forbade people to worship in a public way.\u00a0 And I don't know why tyrants think that if you forbid Christianity, you'll make it go away.\u00a0 It doesn't work that way.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, this one pastor begged them, the Japanese police officer there, the captain, for one chance for them to get together.\u00a0 And he finally said, \"Okay.\"\u00a0 Well, people came from miles around to this little church to have church.\u00a0 And they were so excited to be finally together, and they were singing praises to God and so forth, but they didn't realize, while they were in there, that the soldiers on the outside were dousing the outside of the church with kerosene.\u00a0 And they didn't realize that they were doomed until the smoke started coming through the holes \u2013 the cracks in the floor, and so some of the people started to go to the doors.\u00a0 They were blockaded.\u00a0 A couple tried out the window, and snipers were out there to shoot anyone that tries to get out.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd the pastor figured out, \"Okay, this is it.\u00a0 We're done for.\"\u00a0 And so he started leading them in a song that he thought would be a perfect serenade and farewell to earth and a beautiful salutation to heaven \u2013 \"Alas, and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die; Would he devote His sacred head for such a worm as I \u2013 At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away\" \u2013 we know that old song.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> And the thing came crashing, and everybody died.\u00a0 The people on the outside that were related or friends \u2013 this took the wound down so deeply with them, they were so enraged at what these Japanese soldiers did, so finally after the war is over, they didn't want to forgive.\u00a0 And many, many decades later, some Japanese pastors were in Korea, just tours, tourists, and they saw the little sign that said what had happened, and they learned about it, and they felt so bad.\u00a0 They went back, raised some money, and they decided we're going to rebuild a church for these people.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, they're trying to be cordial, the Koreans, and so they invited these guys, these pastors and their wives, to come to the dedication, but you could cut the tension with a knife, because these people who were there to dedicate it, they had lost somebody.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, the worship leader decided to \u2013 you know, to do the same songs.\u00a0 And it was during that time that those Japanese pastors turned to these people and just begged them, \"Please forgive us.\"\u00a0 Now, it was interesting.\u00a0 These pastors had nothing to do with what had happened, but they realized their country was guilty, and \"Please forgive us,\" and finally, finally, the tears started to flow, and God bathed that floor that was once the scene of a nightmare with tears of forgiveness, and He lifted off them that burden that had gone so \u2013 you know, for, like, 40 years.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere's stuff like that in all kinds of people's lives.\u00a0 We've got to do something about it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And the practical picture that you just painted there, Tim, is one of what forgiveness really means, which is when you forgive someone, you give up the right to punish them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You open your hand, and you release them from trying to hurt them, from trying to bring justice, make it right, and you release it to God to let Him take care of how He settles the score, and you stop trying to do it, and in the process of forgiving them, you realize the person who ultimately was in prison was yourself.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Exactly.\u00a0 You know, you referred to actually Romans 12 there, and he says, \"Do not return evil for evil but leave room for the wrath of God.\u00a0 Judgment is job, justice is my job, I'll repay.\"\u00a0 And I like to put it this way \u2013 the reason a lot of people don't want to forgive, they say, \"I don't want them off the hook for what they did.\" \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd, listen, out of this radio show we're having, if the only thing our listeners get is this one point, I think they're going to be light years ahead, and that is when you forgive somebody, it doesn't mean that person is off the hook for what they did, they're just off your hook, that's all.\u00a0 They're still on God's.\u00a0 And if they don't repent, He'll deal with them, but He says, \"This is too much for you.\"\u00a0 And we've all fished, you know, and you get a big fish on like you have in Alaska or deep sea \u2013 it's a lot of work to keep that fish on there, and you can't do this forever.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWell, the same thing with staying angry and bitter toward somebody.\u00a0 Bitterness is like emotional cancer, and it is never satisfied, but it always wants to eat more.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And it's interesting that here is Jesus who says \"Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.\"\u00a0 What did Jesus give us?\u00a0 Forgiveness.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Forgiveness, yeah.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So where you're really starting is where He started with us.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So forgiveness is a part of the key.\u00a0 What else did you see Jesus do as you looked at His life that gave Him rest and kept the pace where it ought to be in His own life?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Well, you live within the limits of God's Word or God's truth that Jesus was filled with grace and truth.\u00a0 It's like a compass, a moral compass \u2013 some people jettison the compass, but most of our listeners, they haven't jettisoned the compass, but they say, \"I'm just off a few degrees.\"\u00a0 Well, if you were leaving, let's say, San Diego in a boat, and you're going to go to Hawaii, and someone says, \"Right here on the compass, that's Hawaii,\" and you're only off a couple of degrees.\u00a0 How far are you going to \u2013 you won't even see the islands when you pass them in the distance.\u00a0 You'll hit the Aleutians, and that's what happens when we don't live in the limits of God's Word.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen I was in grad school I had a guy that was in Vietnam, a friend, and he was \u2013 he had an injury on his leg.\u00a0 When the Vietnam War broke out, he decided to sign up for artillery, he got drafted, and he thought, \"Well, if I have to go, at least I'll be way behind the lines and lobbing them in from a safe distance.\"\u00a0 When he got there, he got orders to go out to the edge \u2013 almost near Cambodia, to a Green Beret camp, and they would provide artillery for these guys going out.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd so he's surrounded by a minefield and a couple of fences and then the jungle.\u00a0 And they were told, \"Don't you go out there, because if you go out there, it's dangerous.\"\u00a0 Well, the Green Berets had worked their way through this minefield, and so the guys memorized what the route was out through the minefield, watching these guys, and there were some, like, kiwis in the jungle, these fresh fruit, and this one guy said, \"Boy, those things look good.\"\u00a0 They kept talking about it and finally he says, \"I'm going to go out there,\" and he took the same route out that the Green Berets take.\u00a0 When he got to the edge is when he first saw that NVA soldier, and, I mean, that guy cut him in half.\u00a0 He hit the ground dead, and then they came, and it was just like \u2013 and they came in through the same path they saw him coming out.\u00a0 They memorized it so they could come in.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd he said it was this ferocious, horrible firefight, and it was all because we stepped outside the boundaries of protection that they had told us to stay inside of.\u00a0 He says, \"And the reason I go by God's Word is I saw what happens when you step outside the boundaries of protection, and I don't ever want that again in my life.\"\u00a0 But we do this all the time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And that creates exhaustion \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Oh, exhaustion \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You tell another story about a father who was a pro-life father \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Big time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And I happen to believe this story has been replicated in far too many churches across our nation among those who profess to be pro-life.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Yeah, he was \u2013 in fact, he was outspoken and a leader in the pro-life movement and all, and then we were out camping and hunting, and it was evening, and we got \u2013 and he got quiet, and you could tell something was on his \u2013 and he explained it.\u00a0 His daughter had gotten pregnant, and I didn't know that, obviously, and so \u2013 and I said, \"Well, when is the baby due?\"\u00a0 And then he gets real quiet, and he says, \"Well\" \u2013 and he had taken her in personally and gotten her an abortion.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd, you know, he \u2013 what happened to your pro-life stand here?\u00a0 And when he weighed the personal emotional stress to him and to his daughter, he took this easy way out.\u00a0 Now he was riven with guilt and so was she just because his principles didn't rise to the surface under great stress and, by the way, guys, that's where our principles have to show up is under great stress.\u00a0 And no one is questioning that this is a stressful situation and all, but do you believe this or not?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd just name the principle we believe in from the Bible and, under \u2013 you know, like Mary \u2013 we've lost that loving feeling, so we're just going to split the sheets and go our different directions.\u00a0 Well, I guarantee you lose that loving feeling if you're married.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> You step outside the boundaries, often because you either perceive that there is going to be some kind of satisfaction or pleasure or joy if you do, or because there is going to be some quick release of stress and pain and trouble if you do. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo you say, \"I either want the pleasure or I want to escape the pain,\" but what you don't realize is if you go after the pleasure, there is a bitter aftertaste that stays with you for a long time, and if you're just trying a short-term release of the pain, what you find is that the memories of that choice can haunt you for a lifetime, and the ache stays with you forever.\u00a0 There is not \u2013 there may be a short-term rest, but there is a long-term stress that you've added to your life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And, Bob, to that very point, you just wonder today in this culture, because we have lost our spiritual roots, for the most part, as a nation \u2013 you just have to wonder if this isn't the source \u2013 these first two things we've talked about here that Jesus Christ offers, and He modeled for us.\u00a0 If we don't have a nation that's exhausted because in their soul they are weighted down by either their bitterness or their wrong choices.\u00a0 And, ultimately, for both is forgiveness.\u00a0 It's coming to Christ and crying out to Him as many a sinner has cried out to Him \u2013 \"Lord, be merciful to me, a lawbreaker, a sinner, one who has gone against Your way.\"\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd that's where you begin to find rest for your soul.\u00a0 You're not going to find it in religion, you're going to find it by coming to Jesus Christ and taking Him at His Word.\u00a0 Do you know what He offers you?\u00a0 He offers you absolute forgiveness.\u00a0 There is no man on the planet, except the God Man who could make an offer like that \u2013 to say, \"I have the power to forgive you,\" and ended up being the one not only who forgave but paid the price for our sins and rose again from the dead.\u00a0 So He's still making that offer today.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yeah, ultimately, the things you're talking about here \u2013 the need for us to be forgiving people and to live inside boundaries \u2013 these are not techniques that anyone can employ \u2013 these are patterns of life that can only be followed consistently by someone whose life has first been transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ, right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> These are our lived-out values that are based on our beliefs, clear beliefs, that we have in Christ.\u00a0 And if you don't have those clear beliefs, or you're wishy-washy on them under stress, you will not be a rested heart.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And if you don't have them, today is the day to \u2026\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> Oh, this is a great day.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Today is the day to come to Christ.\u00a0 He says to you, \"Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I'll give you rest.\"\u00a0 You know what?\u00a0 The rest that He offers is the ultimate, because it's not just peace in your soul today knowing you're forgiven, but it's rest for eternity, it's knowing that you're going to have a relationship with Christ today, but that relationship will transcend the grave and that you've got a hope and a purpose and a peace for the rest of your life.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I'd just encourage that person right now who is unsure of their eternal destiny, cry out to Him \u2013 it's very simple.\u00a0 It's an act of faith \u2013 it's done through prayer, it's not a matter of works, it's a matter of trusting His finished work on your behalf and take Him at His Word and say, \"Lord Jesus, be merciful to me, a sinner.\" \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I'd just encourage our listeners, regardless of where they are \u2013 traveling down the road, in your office or at home, take a moment right now and take Christ at His Word and establish that relationship.\u00a0 Then after you do, call our 800 number.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yeah, there's a book we'd love to send to you.\u00a0 It's a book we've sent to a lot of folks over the years.\u00a0 It's called \"Pursuing God,\" and it's a book designed to help you understand what it means to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and it helps settle a lot of these spiritual issues that maybe folks have wrestled with or are just now starting to wrestle with.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAgain, call 1-800-FLTODAY and say, \"I am interested in becoming a Christian and I'd like a copy of that book, \"Pursuing God,\" and we're happy to send it to you at no cost to you.\u00a0 Again, the toll-free number, 1-800-FLTODAY.\u00a0 You can also call that number if you're interested in getting a copy of Tim Kimmels' book, \"Little House on the Freeway.\"\u00a0 We have that in our FamilyLife Resource Center, and you can call to request a copy or go to our website, FamilyLife.com.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen you get to our home page, on the right side of the screen, you'll see a box that says \"Today's Broadcast.\"\u00a0 If you click that box, it will take you to an area of the site where there is more information about Tim's book, and you can order a copy of the book from us online, if you'd like.\u00a0 There is also a link there if you'd like to get information about an eight-part DVD series that Tim has put together for small group use or for churches to use in a Sunday night setting or however you'd like to use it.\u00a0 The information about \"The Hurried Family\" DVD series is just a click away when you get to our website at FamilyLife.com or, again, for more information, call 1-800-F-as-in-family, L-as-in-life, and then the word TODAY.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd let me say a quick thank you to those of you who already this week have contacted us to make a generous year-end contribution for the ministry of FamilyLife Today.\u00a0 We had some folks who approached us recently and said that they wanted to match every donation that we receive during the month of December on a dollar-for-dollar basis up to a total of $425,000.\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThey realized that this year has been a tough year for a lot of families, for a lot of businessmen.\u00a0 It's been a tough year for a lot of ministries like ours, and they are hoping that here, at year-end, those of you who have benefited from this daily radio program or from maybe attending a Weekend to Remember or utilizing some of our resources, going to our website, they are hoping that you might consider making a generous year-end donation and seeing that donation be matched dollar-for-dollar, again, up to a total of $425,000.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo if you can help us with a donation, go to our website at FamilyLife.com or call us at 1-800-FLTODAY, 1-800-358-6329, make your donation over the phone and, again, we appreciate your financial support of this ministry.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Well, Bob, you know it's always fun to have an old friend back in the studio.\u00a0 Tim Kimmel has joined us today talking about his classic book, \"Little House on the Freeway,\" and, Tim, we love you and appreciate you and Darcy.\u00a0 Thanks for being champions for marriages and families and raising the next generation, and thanks for speaking at our Weekend to Remember Marriage Conferences.\u00a0 You're a good friend, and I hope you'll come back and join us again soon.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Tim:<\/strong> It's an honor, thanks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> FamilyLife Today is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas \u2013 help for today; hope for tomorrow.\u00a0\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t________________________________________________________________\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts for you. However, there is a cost to transcribe, create, and produce them for our website. If you've benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright \u00a9 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>www.FamilyLife.com<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/301725","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=301725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=301725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=301725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=301725"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=301725"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=301725"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=301725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}