{"id":304212,"date":"2016-10-17T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-17T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/keeping-your-focus\/"},"modified":"2016-10-17T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-17T15:00:00","slug":"keeping-your-focus","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/keeping-your-focus\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Your Focus"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dennis and Barbara Rainey remind the church that no matter what happens, Jesus is our security and our stability.<\/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\/fl2016-10-17.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"23.46M","filesize_raw":"24596518","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2822,2821],"tags":[4905,4482,6090,6091],"podcast_series":[8169],"cwp_profile":[3051],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-304212","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growing-in-your-faith","category-reaching-out","tag-culture","tag-god-is-in-control","tag-moral-shift","tag-stability-of-our-times","podcast_series-unshaken-he-is-the-stability-of-our-times","cwp_profile-dennis-and-barbara-rainey","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\/304212\/keeping-your-focus","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/304212\/keeping-your-focus","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=\"kZ7SE1cYkv\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/keeping-your-focus\/\">Keeping Your Focus<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/keeping-your-focus\/embed\/#?secret=kZ7SE1cYkv\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Keeping Your Focus&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"kZ7SE1cYkv\" 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 e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Dennis and Barbara Rainey remind the church that no matter what happens, Jesus is our security and our stability.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2016-10-17.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Do you ever find yourself being anxious or troubled by the events that are taking place in our culture?\u00a0 You\u2019re not alone. Barbara Rainey has the same feelings. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>I mean, there are plenty of times that I\u2019ve listened to the news, or read an article, or listened to someone and I\u2019ve\u2014my response has been fear. I have felt fearful in my heart, and that\u2019s not what God wants me to do. He doesn\u2019t want me to respond in fear \/ He wants me to respond in faith. So, my responsibility is to create a balance between the messages that I\u2019m allowing to speak to my heart; and I want to grow the messages that are going to grow my faith. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Monday, October 17<sup>th<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. How do we foster faith in our own heart, and how do we help our children feel secure in times of instability?\u00a0 We\u2019ll talk about that today. Stay with us. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us on the Monday edition. You grew up in the Ozarks in southeast Missouri; right?\u2014southwest Missouri. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Right. <br>\u00a0\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>At that time, when you were growing up, was there a Silver Dollar City?\u00a0 Did it exist?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>No; there was a cave. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>I\u2019ve been to the cave. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>There was a cave, and there were two shows in Branson. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes; but Silver Dollar City came along years later. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>The Presley Brothers and\u2014what was the other one?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>The Baldknobbers. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Baldknobbers\u2014that was it. [Laughter] Branson, Missouri, was not the hotspot that it is today; but there was no Silver Dollar City. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Your wife, who is joining us today\u2014you obviously know the history of Branson a little bit. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Well, I just remember Dennis\u2019s mother talking about that. I think they went a few times\u2014did you?\u2014when you were growing up? I remember her talking about the Baldknobbers; because it\u2019s such an odd, strange\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>No. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>\u2014weird term. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>We never. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>You didn\u2019t go?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>We never. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Well, maybe, <em>she<\/em> used to go\u2014I don\u2019t know! [Laughter]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I don\u2019t know that my mother ever went. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Okay; well, she knew about them. [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>It was great, great cultural music; but maybe, a cut above where we were. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>I remember\u2014because I grew up in Missouri as well\u2014and I remember vacationing in Branson, as a child, and going to Silver Dollar City. Here is my distinct memory\u2014there was an attraction in the middle of Silver Dollar City called Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin. Do you remember Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin?\u00a0 Does this ring a bell to you?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>No. We took our kids there, too; but I don\u2019t remember it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>It must have been a real high point. [Laughter]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>This was a cabin you\u2019d go into where the walls all leaned one way and the floor tilted way up. In fact, I remember\u2014in one room, you\u2019d go in and water ran uphill because of how they had it all arranged. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Oh, yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And I loved going to Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin and just walking through it. You came out feeling disoriented. In fact, years later, when I took Mary Ann there, we walked through it\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014she said, \u201cI don\u2019t want to go to Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>\u201cI don\u2019t like this.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>\u201cIt just gives me a headache.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere is something about the amusements\u2014like those mirrors in the old amusement parks, where you looked everywhere\u2014that can be fun for a day; but if the world you\u2019re living in starts to feel like Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin, all of a sudden, it goes from being a fun attraction to being something that\u2019s very disorienting. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>You know, what you are describing, Bob, is what we want to talk about. Barbara has a passion\u2014and I do too\u2014for equipping families to know how to live in a culture that seems to be more disorienting today than it ever has been. I mean, think about what\u2019s taking place politically, what\u2019s taking place from a societal standpoint \/ the redefinitions that now have become the new norm, what\u2019s taking place morally in our country, and then, how Christians feel \/ those who are followers of Christ\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014how they feel\u2014because they\u2019re no longer welcome, in many regards, in our own country. We\u2019re now getting <em>blamed<\/em> for things that are being brought to our country by outsiders. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes; we had a guest earlier this year who talked about\u2014he used the metaphor\u2014he said, \u201cWe\u2019re no longer the home team.\u201d\u00a0 There was a day, when we were growing up\u2014to be a Christian and to live out Christian values in this culture\u2014people generally supported that and thought that was good thing. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I no longer sit down in an airplane, when I\u2019m travelling to speak at a conference\u2014I no longer think about explaining what I do with quiet the boldness that I used to. I mean, we\u2019re about building marriages and families\u2014strong families\u2014that are based upon the Scripture and marriages that are based upon God\u2019s design. Well, that view is no longer the majority view in our country today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes. Barbara, how has this unsettledness that we\u2019re all experiencing\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014how have you felt it?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Barbara: <\/strong>I remember the first time being aware of this during September 11, because that really shook our country to its core. People didn\u2019t know what to do \/ we didn\u2019t know what to think\u2014nothing like this had ever happened in any of our lifetimes. Then, again, I remember in 2008, when there was that big economic downturn. People were losing jobs, and people weren\u2019t sure what was going to happen tomorrow. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I remember being in Bible study that year. We were\u2014I don\u2019t even remember what we were studying\u2014but we were flipping through some verses and some different references. There was this verse that I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d probably ever read before\u2014it is Isaiah 33:6\u2014and it says, \u201cAnd He shall be the stability of your times.\u201d\u00a0 That just jumped out at me; because it was in the fall of 2008, when life was feeling very uncertain for almost everybody in our country. It was just such an anchor point to me. I remember thinking: \u201cThis is it. This is the verse that I want to hang onto whenever life feels like it\u2019s being turned upside down or when we\u2019re walking through Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin\u201d; right? [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes. So, that was eight years ago. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>That verse kind of reemerged in your thinking this year. In fact, as you\u2019ve been working on the Ever Thine Home<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> collection\u2014the work that you do\u2014that verse came into focus. You said, \u201cThis needs to be hanging in homes.\u201d\u00a0 <br>\u00a0\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Well, because I think it\u2019s, not just the environment in our country, but it\u2019s the things that we face as families. So, whether it\u2019s the loss of a job, or your children are being bullied at school, or there are just difficulties\u2014there are hard things in life. It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s cultural-wide instability or if it\u2019s just some instability you\u2019re experiencing in your own family or in your own town\u2014Jesus is our security \/ He is our stability. I just know that that\u2019s true for all women \/ it\u2019s true for all men too\u2014that we need to remember that, no matter what\u2019s happening around us \/ no matter what kind of change is happening in our culture, in our city, in our town, in our lives\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014Jesus is the stability of our times. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Barbara and I were talking about this as we drove down to see her mom last Sunday. She lives about two hours south of here. We were just talking about the need for families to kind of go back to Deuteronomy, Chapter 6, where God was establishing the nation of Israel. He did it by commanding them to \u201cLove the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to train your children to do the same.\u201d And He said: \u201cThese words which I am commanding you today shall be on your doorposts. They shall be on your gates.\u201d\u00a0 You need to <em>remind<\/em> yourself of where your stability really is. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you go back to the Bible and just start reading through the Psalms\u2014I\u2019ve been spending some times in the Psalms recently\u2014there are a lot of \u201cfear nots.\u201d\u00a0 There are a lot of passages that challenge us to make God our refuge. People ask me all the time: \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cWhat do you think about what\u2019s happened today?\u201d\u2014and, I mean, it\u2019s a different happening every day\u2014it seems. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>You\u2019re right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And I just said yesterday\u2014I said: \u201cWell, I know who wins!\u00a0 I know who wins in the end. I\u2019ve read the Book.\u201d\u00a0 The Bible tells me that God, through Jesus Christ, did the battle that had to occur on behalf of our forgiveness and our eternal destiny by defeating death; and He has been seated at the right hand of God the Father. And you know what?\u00a0 God\u2019s going to win. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Now, in the meantime, will there be difficult days?\u00a0 Yes. Are these days where we need to be training our children to know how to think about themselves \/ how to think about circumstances?\u00a0 There is always going to be bad news. So, the question is: \u201cWhat\u2019s your grid?\u00a0 How are you going to make God the stability of your days?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Barbara, you have been on a boat, when the waves come; and all of a sudden, the floor doesn\u2019t feel as stable as it did. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou\u2019ve been on airplanes, when things get a little turbulent. In fact, you\u2019ve slept through or been in an earthquake?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>We didn\u2019t sleep through the earthquake. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>It woke you up; huh?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Yes; it woke us up. I remember, a number of years ago, Dennis and I had all six of our kids. We were staying with friends who live in Southern California. We were staying in a condo that they had borrowed\u2014so it was fairly small. All the kids were sleeping on the floor in the living room. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>Like cordwood, I mean\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>And there were only two bedrooms. Dennis and I had one; and our friends, Ron and Mary, had the other bedroom. I remember we woke up at two in the morning. My first impression was that a Mack<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> truck had plowed into the building. Now, why I thought that\u2014I don\u2019t know, because we weren\u2019t next to the freeway\u2014but that was the feeling that I got, because the walls were shaking like something had just pounded into them; but it didn\u2019t subside. Then, I realized the chandelier in the ceiling was going back and forth. Then, I realized it wasn\u2019t just the one wall in our bedroom\u2014\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014but everything was moving. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And then, she woke me up. I heard the fireplace\u2014the fireplace was rattling; okay?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob: <\/strong>So, you slept through the first part of this earthquake\u2014[Laughter]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>\u2014until she woke me up. And I started realizing: \u201cSomething is happening here. Something is going on.\u201d\u00a0 <br>\u00a0\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And I mean, it was worse than Slantin\u2019 Sam\u2019s Cabin, Bob. [Laughter]\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Yes; we jumped up, and the other couple did too \/ our friends did too. We all ran into the living room to check on our kids. And you know, I remember the chandelier in that room was swinging back and forth. I don\u2019t know that the kids woke up; but we stood there thinking, \u201cWhat do we do?\u201d because we didn\u2019t know how long it was going to last. We didn\u2019t know if this was just a tremor, and then, it was going to be a really bad earthquake. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>We went on the radio and listened, and there was no news. We heard some sirens, but you didn\u2019t know where the earthquake had occurred. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And you know, that picture is an apt metaphor for the kinds of emotional earthquakes\u2014whether it\u2019s a cultural shift like we\u2019ve experienced over the last several years \/ an economic shift, like you\u2019ve described, when you don\u2019t know what tomorrow\u2019s going to look like\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014there can be anxiety and fear that come along with that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Yes; because what you trusted in is not stable anymore. So, the floors that we were used to walking on and weren\u2019t moving\u2014you don\u2019t know quite how to walk on floors that are moving. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThe same thing is true, relationally. If there is a loss in your personal life or if just the culture that we\u2019re living in has changed so that we don\u2019t really know how we\u2019re supposed to act anymore \/ we don\u2019t really know what we\u2019re supposed to say\u2014it creates this insecurity \/ it creates this instability\u2014because what we had once assumed was true is now no longer true. We have to rethink: \u201cHow do I live in this kind of situation?\u00a0 How do I think in this country that feels like it\u2019s going through an earthquake?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>So, if somebody today looks at where we are living\u2014and they feel anxious about the future \/ they\u2019re concerned about bringing up their kids\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014I\u2019ve had people say, \u201cWould Belize be a place to move to?\u201d\u00a0 I mean, people are starting to think, \u201cWhere can I find something that will be a little more supportive of what I believe and what\u2019s important to me?\u201d How do you respond to the reality of uncertainty and the fact that you don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen tomorrow, or next week, or on Election Day?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Well, I think for some people that may be a viable question to ask: \u201cDo we need to continue to live here?\u201d\u00a0 We\u2019ve had people say the same thing to us too: \u201cShould we move to another country?\u201d\u00a0 But that\u2019s not for everybody \/ that\u2019s not even for the majority of people. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think the <em>only<\/em> answer is to go back to what we know is true of God. One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 13:8, where it says, \u201cJesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.\u201d\u00a0 He is the same today as He was back when the ground wasn\u2019t shaking; and He will be the same next year, when we don\u2019t know what next year is going to bring. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFor me, personally, the solution is to listen less to all the fear speech and to all the\u2014even weather reports are designed to scare you half to death\u2014to listen to and to tone down all the stuff that\u2019s generating fear and turn up the volume on what\u2019s not changing, which is God and my relationship with Him. It gives me the opportunity to choose to grow my roots deeper into Him as opposed to assuming that everything is going to be the way it\u2019s always been. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Okay; so, I\u2019ve got to just jump in here\u2014because somebody says, \u201cIt sounds to me like what you\u2019re saying is: \u2018If the news is frightening, turn off the news. Just put your head in the sand\/bury it; or put your fingers in your ears, and recite Scripture verses.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s not what you\u2019re saying. <br><br><strong>Barbara: <\/strong>No, that\u2019s not what I\u2019m saying; because I don\u2019t think we need to be ignorant. I think we need to know what\u2019s going on, and we need to pray; but I think it\u2019s the balance of who we are listening to:\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cAm I listening more to what is happening in the culture?\u00a0 Am I listening more to those who are talking in terms that make me afraid?\u201d I mean, there are <em>plenty<\/em> of times that I\u2019ve listened to the news, or read an article, or listened to someone; and my response has been fear. I have felt fearful in my heart, and that\u2019s not what God wants me to do. He doesn\u2019t want me to respond in fear \/ He wants me to respond in faith. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tMy responsibility is to create a balance between the messages that I\u2019m allowing to speak to my heart. I want to grow the messages that are going to grow my faith. I want to increase listening to God in His Word and focusing on what I know to be true\u2014that is unchangeable \/ that is the Rock. Jesus is often called our Rock, and I want to focus on the Rock and not on the shifting sand that\u2019s all around me. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>So, I\u2019d apply it this way\u2014if you are spending more time with\u2014you can pick your choice \/ Fox News or MSNBC, depending upon your political persuasion\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014if you spend more time listening to either of those outlets than you did listening to God\u2019s Word yesterday, then, probably, you\u2019re more consumed with fear than with faith; wouldn\u2019t you think?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Barbara: <\/strong>I would say so; yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>And think about what\u2019s about to happen in our country\u2014I mean, there\u2019s going to be an election. Now, there\u2019s going to be a winner\u2014a bunch of winners\u2014and there is going to be a bunch of losers. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>Yes; change is coming, and we have no idea where that change is going to take us. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>That\u2019s right. And there are people of all kinds of political persuasions, who listen to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. You know what?\u00a0 We welcome people of different beliefs\u2014we\u2019re glad you\u2019re listening\u2014because we\u2019re just going to talk about what we see the Bible saying, and applying it to our lives today, and how to deal with it. So, the question is: \u201cHow are you going to deal with loss?\u00a0 How are you going to deal with things not going your way?\u00a0 What are you going to say to your kids the day after the election?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think Christians today, more than ever, have to know the truth\u2014first of all, about God; second, about themselves\u2014and thirdly, about: \u201cWhy are we here?\u00a0 What\u2019s our assignment in the meantime?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I just go back to these truths:\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNumber one, God exists. Faith has to have an object, and the object of our faith is God; because He does exist. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSecondly, He has won the battle. As a result, He is ruling\u2014He is the sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords. If He is not the sovereign King, that means man is in control. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThird, if we know Christ \/ if we\u2019ve been forgiven by Him, then, that means we have eternal life. We\u2019ve got a purpose \/ a plan. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFourth, we\u2019ve been rescued from hell\u2014redeemed. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFifth, He\u2019s given us good works for us to do. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt says in Ephesians, Chapter 2, verse 10: \u201cYou are created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand, that you should walk in them.\u201d\u00a0 He\u2019s got an assignment for you in the midst of this chaos. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Then, finally, sixth: \u201cAll things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, my assignment is to be obedient to what God called me to do, to train my kids to do the same, and to not believe the lies of the culture and the lies of the news that want to create fear and want to cause confusion and to spike ratings. I\u2019m in the process of living life, and I want to challenge Christians\u2014in fact, this is really the purpose of these broadcasts\u2014we want to anchor you in the stability of God; but secondly, we want you to seize the day. These are days\u2014these ought to be among the finest hours for followers of Christ to represent Him as never before and to be on mission. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou can\u2019t do that if you\u2019ve forgotten who you are \/ you can\u2019t do that if you\u2019ve forgotten what your assignment is\u2014we need to be on that task today as never before. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>When I look at the plaque that you\u2019ve created\u2014that quotes Isaiah 33:6: \u201cAnd He shall be the stability of your times,\u201d\u2014I think of Matthew 7 \/ the passage that you quote routinely, Dennis, about what you\u2019re going to build your house on\u2014sand or rock?\u00a0 Is it going to be on something that\u2019s shaky and shifty or on something that is stable?\u00a0 That\u2019s really Jesus telling us to go back to the foundation of: \u201cWhat do we believe about who God is and about His love for us?\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>I think this is really a great opportunity for us as believers to shine. God wants us to let His light shine; and if we have built our house on the Rock and if we are sinking our roots down into Him, then\u2014no matter what happens after the election \/ no matter what happens tomorrow or six months from now\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014we will remain unshaken. And that, in and of itself, is a witness to the watching world that there is something different about Christians. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tChristians throughout the ages have been known for that. Back in Roman times, when they were killing Christians, they didn\u2019t walk away from their faith just because they were being arrested and tied to the stake. They continued to hang onto what they knew was true no matter how hard the circumstances of their lives. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>And really, our day is\u2014we\u2019re still in a lot better shape than the first Christians\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Barbara: <\/strong>Oh my goodness; yes. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>\u2014living under Roman rule in the first century; right?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis: <\/strong>I mean, it\u2019s not costing us our lives, <em>yet<\/em>. I do think of a quote by a pastor down in Florida\u2014I think he was in Melbourne, Florida. His name was Jamie Buckingham. He said, \u201cThe problem with Christians today is that no one wants to kill them.\u201d\u00a0 [Laughter] Now, I always kind of smirk about that; but it\u2019s interesting\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014they so changed the world. Their message was so radical that there was an opposing force that wanted to take them out. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to go back to what Barbara was talking about, just a moment ago, and just read the words of Christ. Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 14\u2014this would make a great verse just to read this out loud as a couple or as a family every day in the morning or every evening at the dinner table. Jesus said this: \u201cYou are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere\u2019s our assignment\u2014\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014be on mission. Don\u2019t be neutral. Don\u2019t be hiding in a corner, cowering at the giants that dwell in the land; instead, train your kids to know how to pick up five smooth stones and go slay a giant or two today at school or in the market place. I\u2019m not talking about violence, by the way\u2014I\u2019m talking about with the love of Jesus Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob: <\/strong>I\u2019m thinking there may be a lot of our listeners who would love to have, hanging in their home, Isaiah 33:6: \u201cHe shall be the stability of your times.\u201d\u00a0 You could print that out on a piece of computer paper if you wanted to; or I\u2019d encourage listeners\u2014go to our website and see the Isaiah 33:6 plaque\u2014you can order from us online if you\u2019d like. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com. You can also call to order if you\u2019d like\u20141-800-358-6329. That\u2019s 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then the word, \u201cTODAY.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLet me also mention\u2014our team has put together a series of devotions for couples or families to go through\u2014at the dinner table, or at bedtime, or in the morning when you\u2019re having breakfast together\u2014ten devotions where you can talk about how we can rest in Christ and how we can be full of faith, even in times of anxiety. These devotions are available on FamilyLife\u2019s app. If you\u2019ve not downloaded that yet, it\u2019s available from your app store. Just click the link that says, \u201cHelp and hope,\u201d when you download the app; or you can go to FamilyLifeToday.com to download the devotions as well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Now, today, we want to say a special \u201cHappy anniversary!\u201d to Dave and Jane Rossiter, who have recently joined staff, here at FamilyLife. The Rossiters are celebrating 29 years of marriage together. They listen to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> on WCRF, out of Cleveland, Ohio. We\u2019re glad to have the Rossiters joining our team. We just want to say: \u201cHappy anniversary! Twenty-nine years together\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u2014that\u2019s a pretty good accomplishment.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, we think all anniversaries are pretty exciting and ought to be celebrated. At FamilyLife, our mission is to effectively develop godly marriages and families so that there are more anniversaries celebrated for more years. We want to see couples and families change the world one home at a time. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd I want to say, \u201cThank you,\u201d to those of you who share that mission with us and who make it possible for the content we\u2019re creating to be distributed all around the world to millions of people who are connecting to the ministry of FamilyLife. Thank you for all you\u2019re doing to help develop godly marriages and families. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf you can help with a donation today, we\u2019d love to say, \u201cThank you,\u201d by sending a banner that Barbara Rainey has created that talks about your home being an embassy of the kingdom of heaven. It\u2019s our thank-you gift when you go online to donate at FamilyLifeToday.com or when you call 1-800-FL-TODAY to make a donation; or you can mail your donation to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> at PO Box 7111, Little Rock, AR; our zip code is 72223.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, tomorrow, we want to talk more about how we can raise up children who are not full of fear but who are full of faith and who are able to stand courageously for Christ in times of instability. We\u2019ll talk more about that tomorrow. I hope you can be here with us. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, along with our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We will see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve 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?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2016 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\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\/304212","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=304212"}],"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=304212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=304212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=304212"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=304212"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=304212"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=304212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}