Psychology TOPIC RATIONALE ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

· Read Bennett (2002): Ch. 2

· Read Moreland & Craig (2003): Ch. 2

· Read Sire (2009): Chs. 3-4

· Read: A Man and His Ultimate Priority

· Video: Dr. Ian Jones - Finding a Biblical Foundation: Starting from the Beginning

· Video: 90-Second Video Commentaries from Dr. Dobson: Doing What’s Right

· Video: 90-Second Video Commentaries from Dr. Dobson: The Adversity Principle

· Listen: Family Talk radio broadcast: Rev. Tommy Nelson - America: A Great Idea

· Listen: Family Talk radio broadcast: Ryan Dobson - Why Intolerance Can Be a Virtue

Finding a Biblical Foundation: Starting from the Beginning

In this session I would like to look

at finding a biblical foundation in Christian counseling. I'd like to stop by attempting

to examine the human condition. ERA lation ship to God and

the effects of the full In addition I'd like to look at a basic

Biblical model of counseling and the unique perspective that

a biblical worldview brings to human history and in the process

develop a godly orientation and added shoed in particular as it relates to

location and relationship in counseling. What are we who are we. Basically good or evil. We saint or sinner the modern

view of ban could be summed up in a poem by Alexander Pope

an essay on man no then myself and not God to scan the proper

study of mankind is man. The Delphic oracle had the phrase

nose I self as the basic question. The focus should be on man this

is the modern world view but that process is a truly possible to

know ourselves without knowing god. The modern will view of course is

based on naturalism naturalism I gues that the world is a closed

system the supernatural doesn't exist all things can be explained

within a material wolden So the knowledge is limited to sensory

observation and testing and analysis what we can see and hear and touch humans highly evolved animals possibly capable of change whether through

behavior or cognitive processes or even biochemical changes

three conditions of cause and effect history in this will view and life indeed has no ultimate purpose or

meaning there is no afterlife. And all religious experiences such as

they are explained in terms of either irrational beliefs or feelings with

natural causes and explanations morality and ethics is based on individual

all social preferences or standards. And were motivated to help others by

old truism or personal gratification that is the financial benefits or

the paycheck or survival of the species so

it I ask you what is your motivation to be a council of almost

specifically a Christian counselor. In contrast the biblical will view. Tells us that only full understanding

comes through knowing God. That we can only know who we

are by knowing our Creator were created in His image

we reflect his image. We have extreme value in the eyes of

God Psalm one hundred thirty nine versus thirteen three fourteen tells us

that if you created my inmost being unit me together in my mother's

womb I praise you because I am fearfully and

wonderfully made the Hebrew for knit has the idea of

being was given together an intentional creation the would

also imply providing protection. The role of God in creating us and protecting us in this world

view life has meaning and it has purpose knowing God affects

our understanding of who we are. And how we relate to others in

all aspects of our lives but of course we have a problem sin. That is the fall and it affects and

permeates all that we think and say and do so where do we begin if you

are a biblically based Christian council what's the biblical bedrock upon which you

going to build your counseling theory your approach to counseling many

of suggested ways to go about doing Christian counseling often beginning

in the New Testament in pop because poll in his writings is very

didactic often prescriptive as he tells us teaches us in the what

we should think and say and do. And yet let me suggest that there may

be another place that we could stop that may give us a richer understanding

of our role as a Christian counseling. And that place is bearish

barren yellow he. In the beginning God

created the heavens and the earth the foundation

of who we are is found in Genesis chapter one and

also two and three. What Genesis chapter one tells us is

that we need God He does not need us God created us in His image. And he created us for

relationship with him. But what does that mean

that he does not need us well the oath of Doc's doctrine of the

Trinity as Francis Schaeffer has pointed out is essential to understanding

the importance of relationship. Because the trinity

itself God is Father and son in the whole of the Holy Spirit

models ideal relationship. And it's within the Trinity

that we understand that God is a God of relationship but it also

tells us too that when God created us he didn't need to do that in order to

have someone to have a conversation with. He models the essential

nature of relationship and he created us for relationship

with Him He does not need us but we need him for

a full understanding of who we are and for indeed salvation when made in his in image

there is a uniqueness to our creation a uniqueness to our identity totally

unlike any of the naturalistic models of counseling God formed

us Genesis chapter two verse nineteen tells us he formed man from the

dust of the ground and then he separately formed every beast of the field there

is a uniqueness to our creation. And so Genesis tells us that we

are created by God that we need God but he does not need us the Trinity models

this idea relationship of perfect communication and we made in His

image were unlike any other creature any other His creation we

are both material and immaterial. As James two twenty six says

the body without the spirit is dead. We have body we also have souls

spirits and way designed for relationship with the physical level and also at the spiritual level relationship

to God and relationship to other US. But the Bible also tells us in

those first three chapters of Genesis that we are full and. And Sin has its effects sin evil on

the curse permeates the pollutes it corrupts our lives and

that is at a physical and spiritual and cognitive and emotional and relational and

behavioral level all we all we do is damaged by sin as Romans Chapter

three verses ten through eighteen tells us even our will is could just

Genesis three seventeen says and Sinhalese to suffering it can lead to

suffering even directly through our active wrongdoing or indirectly as

people have victimized by this. Sins of Ottis. But there is also the promise of rejection

that we find of God's grace not of what's as a fee Jand Chapter two eight nine

says for it's by grace you've been saved through faith this is not from yourselves

it's the gift of God not by Woo so no one can boast and so

counseling I would argue must address both of these areas Achree

ation in the image of God and the full in sin and

the effects of evil and the curse and you'll notice that in a secular

counseling model can do this fraud for example has a pretty good understanding

of depravity in fact in one letter he wrote he described Minnes

basically trash very extreme view and sense of worth and yet

he has no concept of goodness in the image of God the robes

Jerry and models tends to emphasize an innate goodness in humans but

has no concept of sin in the full. And so as Christians we balance that

understanding that each person has value and worth. As they are created in God's image but they are old affected by the fall and

so how then should we go about doing our counseling

in a way that addresses those areas. Where we get a bit of a clue when we

look at the first crisis counseling intervention in human history as

it's recorded in scripture and comes about with the forest would spoken

by God after the fall Adam had sinned it was now a separation from God How is

God going to address this situation you'll notice that God takes the initiative

in Genesis three he comes looking. And how does he begin his

conversation with Adam and he does he begin with a lecture. Or is.

Punishments Well we know subsequently there is is there rejection not wanting

to have anything to do with Adam and the or is this simply some observation

about what has happened or a criticism accompli if you did that or

is this something else well as I'm sure you're aware God doesn't

come with any of those approaches he comes with a question in fact it's not

just one question it's three questions. And as I read them I began to

understand here is a basis for how we should engage people particularly

in a counseling process because the question that God has

Adam is where are you. Where are you it's all the Asli

a location question but we know that God is not engaged

in a game of celestial hide and seek he knows certainly

physically where they are so it obviously has to address

another aspect another area. And so we begin to understand that

this question is asked not for God's benefit but for

Adam's benefit where are you in relationship to me the relationship

has changed something has broken. Sin has entered the picture there is

a dislocation in a relationship and God is asking where are you and off is Adam an opportunity to

confess essentially the fess up. To his sin where I use he asks and then he

follows that up with a second question. Even as he's asking a location

he asks Who told you. In Genesis chapter three verse eleven

Who told you that you were naked. This is a question of authority where

are you getting your information. You're not getting it from me you have

listened to some other source of so called knowledge. And it was false truth as we soon. They had listened to a different

authority who told you. And then the third question that relates

to the first two what have you done. Your actions and

he addresses this particularly do we but what has been the effect of you

listening to another authority of you shifting your location and

those three questions form the basis for evangelism for

discipleship for counseling. And they are questions that

resonate throughout the scripture. Where are your a lation shipped to God and who told you your authority what are you

appealing to and your actions what have you done they focus on the foundations

of a solid relationship with God and the sin that we try to hide and

cover up from God but as mocked for. Twenty two tells us so nothing is

hidden except to be revealed nor is anything being secret that it

would not come to light God is by the way notice God's response to

the murder in Genesis Chapter four we have Cain killing a ABLE TO How does God

approach Cain what's the first thing he says it's a question weighs

your brother a location question. By the way Cain gets the wrong

answer am I my brother's keeper he asks well in God's world yes you are. He had moved he had fallen into sin and

God comes on asking. Where is your brother. Adam by the way got the wrong answer. Even as God was asking for

accountability and confession Adam's response

is the woman you gave me. Rather than taking responsibility for

himself he is blaming God and he is blaming his spouse

the three dimensions of relationship relationship to God

relationship to other or neighbor and relationship to self These are the three

dimensions within a Christian counseling model and approach that are essential

in understanding biblical counseling How important is relationship Well it's

interesting in the recent studies of be done on that in counseling as to

just how important it is in terms of effective counseling for example how will

Dunkel nil or in their book The Heart and Soul of change what what's in therapy

they have I use they're actually for common fact is that explain

effective counseling. Variance Anat come shows that there

are these four common fact is. That can be identified for

effective counseling. And one of the reasons they've shifted

to an understanding fact is as they began to do the studies over the years in

his research has been done they found that actually a number of therapeutic

model seem to be working in people getting better and so maybe it's

not just the model that's important and so are the common factors model I

gues that relationships accounts for about thirty percent of

variance in outcome for effective counseling the importance

of the counseling relationship is more important than the theory

how you relate to the person. The Where are you in the connection with

the person by the way forty percent. Of variance in outcome X. is explained by what is called

Extra therapeutic fact is and what is that that's what's

the individual the council lead at side of the counseling session in

other words individual responsibility. And changes that they do beyond the scope

of counseling areas that the council has no control over or engagement in and

the remaining to fifteen percent one of them is the factor of bringing

hope or expectancy the placebo effect as they call it the importance of hope and

we as Christians have a lock on that. We of all people can bring

hope to counseling and then the remaining fifteen

percent that's your theory. We tend to have of when we

read textbooks find that most of them focus on the theory. Or a particular model. And yet

counseling we're finding is actually more effective in terms

of our relationship and if we had read Genesis one two and three

we would have already had that answer. Fact Barry Duncan and Scott Miller of

pointed out the importance of relationship in a subsequent edition of

the book saying that therapeutic affaire efficacy or efficacy or fission C. or affective miss in he is or is basic to intrinsic to primarily

in the patient's experience. And in the use of a remark. Realizing resourcing Hansing and

motivating relationship with a therapist who is supportive and

challenging it's the relationship. The relationship is what counts. And by the way the therapist

who is supportive and challenging in proportion A Times

that suits the patient's needs and abilities the where I you of the patients. The therapists procedures

are important but become more effective largely by

contributing to the formation and development of this relationship in

the patient's experience where are you and by the way they go on to say this view

provides a benefit with the cumulative findings of psychotherapy research

than does the pharmacological paradigm what they had basically saying is drugs. Don't cure people in therapy as

much as a good relationship does. There's a tendency to defer to medicine

and while there is a set need for that it doesn't make

necessarily good therapy or counseling so if this is true

then what happens when we add God to the relationship the one who

creates us knows that in most being. And so a basically biblical model

of counseling might look like this beginning where I. As you engage in counseling with

someone you want to get them located located from the perspective all of

the client into how they see themselves where do they say they located

what do they say is the problem. But then also from the perspective of the

council or or some other it may be smal So family or friend what are they saying

is the problem that you have and then also more importantly what is God

saying in terms of the location where I and here the role of the counselor is one

of joining the relationship connecting and identifying those dimensions in

the ideal situation of course is if you find agreement the person

coming in with a problem saying here is what I see as the problem and now

there's a saying he's got that right and you read the scripture in the scriptures

saying and God is saying yeah that's where the problem is but the reality is as you

know if you've been in counseling long you're going to find

disagreement over the location. Of a person. But what we're doing here is setting goals as we move from the location

we now need to find out with. Do you want to be weighed you need to

be and so now we also get the three dimensions as the person says OK this

is where I see the problem now here is what I want to do this is my goal and

countless others may look at it and agree or identify other issues and

other goals but then we must ask what is God saying

in terms of way you need to be and here as I indicated we've moved into goal

setting for treatment planning is this a biblical model of treatment of

engagement of goal setting and again the ideal relationship is when

we have agreement in all three of those dimensions and then of course the third

area is how you going to get there. The location where you need to be

how are you going to get there and once again we're looking at it from these

three dimensions from the perspective of the clients and the perspective of

others including the counsellor and what God is saying in the primary

role here of the therapist is one of the end of ancien of treatment

the applying of the plan and the model. And so those three dimensions reflect

a very basic understanding of what counseling is all about the where are you. Where do you need to be the goal and

how do you get there the innovation or the treatment requires

having a Godly attitude orientation as we go about doing

counseling it requires asking us where is God working in this situation where

are you God a location question. No wisdom no understanding no counsel can

avail against the law it says Proverbs twenty one thirty listen to counsel and receive instruction says Proverbs Chapter

nineteen verse twenty and twenty one that you may be wise many

plans are in the hearts of the people but it's the counsel of

the Lord that will stand. The recognition that we may make all sorts

of plans but ultimately it is God who is going to decide and so it's very important

that we ask ourselves where is God working in the situation here what is he asking

of us in the counseling can encounter as counsel is what is he asking this

person the we're trying to help and what is God's will in this situation the

council is that it shoot is one of speak and is listening a listening

approach in a council and situation as First Samuel three ten has

it as Samuel responds to God's voice. And so requires is communicating with

God continuously in conversation God where are you working in this situation I

Spiritual of the sermon through assessment of the location a critical evaluation

of the location of people in relationship to themselves and to others

and to God an examination of the truth claims Who told you their authority where

are they getting their knowledge and it's amazing where we find counsel

Lee's getting their authoritative knowledge whether it be from books

well from what someone else told them. All what they have made up in their

own imaginations but somewhere. They are making a claim of authority that

speaking to them we know where Adam and Eve got their information from the serpent

Nakash the serpent who comes Has God said. And he lies to them you shall not

eat from all the trees sed no God did not say that it was just one tree. And then what have you done the

application the subsequent behavior and now where you going where is

the goals the treatment plan and how you going to get the the in

of ancien with that in mind for the Christian in the Christian

council of there is the spirit. Chal equipping of the listening prayer

to God the spiritual gifts the spiritual resources those rich resources

that are available to us even as we find the location

of the individual and then locate others family

members neighbors and so on. In this biblical model history is

not arbitrary life's not all to mentally meaningless when we are talking

back goals whether being counseling or in life in general it's on the Stood that

we are talking about these goals within a Biblical framework in

which God who created time and created the heavens and

the earth also has a plan a direction a goal we are headed somewhere and God has written the last chapter

in the books of the human species history life is not

ultimately meaningless or has no purpose what's

your view of history. Is when the folks on the past

the present or the future. To look just at the facts of the events

from the past to the person you're trying to help simply look at how they've

been affected by their past or is the circular view. In which there are seasons in life the

history is sort of like a story of birth growth development death the materialistic view history only has no meaning beyond

the story of an evolutionary development. Or the post-modern phenomenological views

where it's simply what happens to me and how I interpret it my story. In Scripture history exists

between the question and the Cole. History exists between the first

question asked by God where are you a location question and in the Revelation

in twenty two seventeen we hear the last words of God and what are they

saying the spirit of the Bride say Come. The one who here is come and

let the one who is thirsty come the one who wishes to take

the water of life with that costs. The coal to come to God And so even with the fold there is the coal for

adoption in Christ and history this in the biblical

will between that question and the call upon all of our lives to come and

take the water of life. Isaiah forty one four says who has

determined the course of history from the beginning I the Lord was there first

and I'll be there to the end I am the one. God determines the course of history and

Sir from a Biblical view point history is directional eschatological

purposeful it has a meaning and it that then applies in each counselling

encounter as you are working with people. Their life story has a meaning

a purpose a direction is it headed in the right direction. Towards the call of God

on their own hands. And so we stress in Christian counseling

the question in the coal where are you and where are you going. And by the way that question echoes

throughout the scripture the where I read the Ten Commandments in

some ways ten variations on that question where are you in

relationship to God in these ten areas. Terms of attitude towards killing and coveting and so

on where are you in relationship to God. Summarized in the greatest commandments

to love the Lord your God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Where are you in relationship

to those commandments. History. In the Biblical framework is a history

of location and calling Where are you in relationship to God and relationship

to others the basic questions of life the questions that echo the idea

of the question of who are you. Who am I What is my purpose why am I here. And by the way you'll note that science

for example is ill equipped to answer these questions science

cannot tell us who we. Or act purpose in life and in fact in

the naturalistic will view the concept of purpose or intentionality and

direction is meaningless. In the biblical world view our life

story is part of a big a story with an author a creator a beginning and

an end that gives life meaning and purpose means that we're

driven in a certain way. If you look at the secular theories of

personality and indeed counseling you'll find that there are attempts to

identify our most basic drive. I'm sure you're all aware that Freud I get

that our most basic drive was a sexual drive paddle it came along in

reaction said no actually it is a will to Sapir E.R.D.

to power and that is a most basic drive. I thought of that when I read

Victor Frankel's book Man's Search for Meaning a book that I would

certainly commend to you Franco was Jewish he was

a medical doctor a psychiatrist. Who was arrested by the Nats Nazis and thrown into three concentration camps

treason Stott and doco and I'll switch. And out of that came a fuller

understanding of a therapy that he called Logo therapy a meaning therapy and

he wrote a book Man's Search for Meaning. Which actually started out with the title

from death camps to excess stain chal ism. And in this book key weaves in his

own story of the effects of that concentration camp upon his life. Where he lost not only his wife and children but other family members to

the death camps in the gas chambers. And the title says it all Man's Search for Meaning how do you find meaning

in a concentration camp. And that was one of the things that

he asked as he was dealing with a situation of out of hopelessness

what was intriguing however is some comments he made that while he didn't

make the connection I certainly did. Because there were two topics of

conversation in the concentration camp that Frankel mentions And as you

begin to look at those question begin to realize they deal with basic needs and

basic drives and no by the way one of the things that Franco mentions is that

than the midst of all that deprivation. Sex wasn't an issue and in fact he makes

note that sex basically disappears within these concentration camps why because when

you have everything taken away from you when you are stopping sex is not only

not an issue it's not an interest. And so the sex drive is not

the most basic drive and since you're powerless power issues

are not an issue at all and Obeidi the way when you're talking one of the things that

you might think might be a good subject that is food is definitely not something

you want to talk about you don't want to arouse an organ in your body that

you're not able to satisfy your stomach. But there were two other topics

of conversation that were. Throughout the concentration camps as

Frankl while Mom was the talk about religion and the other was about politics. Religion and politics and he said in Alice which with the newcomers

coming in there was surprised at the intensity of the conversation on

religion in particular and on politics and I looked at those two politics and

realized I realized those two. Talking points that they reflected

needs religion relationship to God and politics relationship to uni but

the basic drive is found within the greatest commandment of connecting

to God and connecting to our neighbor. Loving God and loving him neighbor

it's what drives this connection. The greatest commandments

summarize the drs Winona's And so what would you say to a person who

contemplates suicide in a concentration camp well Frankel had two

occasions to deal with that. One occasion a man. Was intent on committing suicide it was

very easy to do you walked out the door walked towards the fence and if

the rifles didn't get you in the bullets then the fence which was

electrified certainly would. And he noted these people because they

would have that thousand mile stare and weave away any meager

belongings they might have. This one person as he talked with him. He attempted to find some meaning

in this person's life and found that of all this man's

family who had gone to the concentration camps there was a son

who had escaped to Switzerland and he told this man you have a meaning

you have a purpose in life and that is to survive in order to take care

of you a son when they will this is over. For another he had written the text book. But it had not been published in fact it

was hidden in an attic in a house and he told this man. There is a meaning there is a purpose you

need to survive in order to have that book published and of course neither of these

related to sexuality go power or anything like that but they did have to do with

the relationships to self and awe the. And finding meaning and purpose to court

frankly he said we had to learn as selves and we had to teach the despairing

man that it did not really matter what we expected from life but

rather what life expected from us. We go around he says

constantly questioning why. But he says that's not the question we

need to be asking What is life asking of us now there's one would that we need to

change to begin to get into the biblical world view Frankel is so

this got to us got us to the station but he hasn't got us the train in

the power to get out of there. And I'm sure you're all aware of

that would the needs to be changed. It's not really matter in what we

expect from God It's what God. From us and yet

how often do we go around expecting things from God wanting things from

God telling God what he needs to do. When our attitude should be one of speak

wall it is listening to God What are you asking of me in this situation

apply that in the counseling context what is God asking of me

as a counselor in this situation. We need to reframe these statements

within a biblical worldview. And so finding meaning for

the Christian is different. From those who do not know God and for Christians Jesus is

the life John fourteen six. He's the way he provides

us with meaning and purpose and

Francis we study in the beginning and so the guiding principle of basic drive for

the biblical Christian counseling model is this greatest commandment of relationship

to God and self and others but we also need to adjust our intervention

is to individual location a need let me give you an example from Jesus there

are two people it least who came to Jesus asking a question the same question

What must I do to inherit eternal life if you look at it in the Greek it's

exactly the same warding one is by a rich young ruler and the others are asked by

a scribe of the Pharisees or a lawyer. And so you would expect if you have

the same question that you going to get the identical answer from Jesus but

that's not the case. When the nobleman comes to Jesus and asks the question Jesus immediately goes

to the commandments as indeed he does. With the scribe but

he approaches it differently. With the rich young ruler

ruler he approaches by beginning with the second table of. Teen Commandments these are the

commandments that relate to other this that shalt not kill shall

not steal commit adultery. And the young man responds all these

things I've done from my youth and Jesus looks upon him and

loves him the mock version tells us. What's Jesus' doing he's obviously not

a good Christian counsel you supposed to start with god but Jesus doesn't do

that he starts with the second table and you begin to realize

that Jesus is joining. With this young man at a point

of agreement he is locating him. And the man's response all these things

I've done I've done indicates there is an agreement there and then Jesus

gets to the crux of the matter he is going to now shifted the table this is

the man's real issue his real problem and Jesus says to him the Just One Thing You

lay you need to sell all. And come and follow me and

the man went away saying and because he was very wealthy this man had

no problem with the relationship to other. His problem was idolatry. He was not willing to exchange

the riches on earth for the wealth of heaven to

put God in his life and Jesus had shown him it counseled

him in the most loving way possible towards what his problem was and what he

needed to do in the case of the scribe. Jesus does something interesting instead

of answering the scribe immediately he defers to him and says What do you think

what you have here is very interesting and important joining approach he defers

to this man by essential saying you considered the authority he has so

let me hear your answer and of course the man answers well to love the

Lord the God with all our hearts soul and strength and to love your neighbor as

yourself and Jesus says your writings. But the man persists because this is

he knows this something more there and he says will use my neighbor. And he begin to gets the focus that

Jesus is directing this man towards. Because this man has no problem. With idolatry. God is for us and he recognizes that. But now we shift to the second table

who is my neighbor This is relationship to other things and Jesus as you know

tells the story of the Good Samaritan. And the Good Samaritan is

the one who comes along. And seeks to help the person

who was beaten and lays on the side of the road and

meanwhile the priests and scribes the religious leaders

who would not touch a person less they become unclean or

be contaminated by the blood possum by. The scribes religious heroes

the ones he can sit in a POS on by but it's the lowly Samaritan. That the scribe would not

consider a neighbor who stops and helps this man and carries them and

provides for his needs and his housing and gives for the money for

his protection and safety and Jesus of course I asks the scribe

who then was a neighbor and the answer is interesting because

the scribe cannot bring himself to say the wood he says the one who rend

is a he cannot even say the wood Samaritan his problem is with the second

table relationship to other things. What it means is that you may have two or

three people families come to you for counseling and

they may specify a particular problem. That may be said in

almost identical woods. And that temptation is to

bring outs out packaged Ansa. Or a particular scripture because

it worked in this situation it's going to work in this

current problem area. The one size fits all the cotton paste and Jesus won't let us do that why

location location location the scribe was in a different location

from the nobleman even as they both at the same question in the same situation

you may even get different responses. And so with a fire someone may

look at it and see a camp fire for someone else it may simply be a bright

lights that they don't know the source and for another they may see

it as a forest fire. People respond differently they see Ripon

differently when they confronted with the same situation I've seen

this in dealing with cry. I seasoned tragedies the different

responses in fact it was the shootings at the Wedgwood Baptist

Church in one thousand nine hundred ninety nine on September the fifteenth where

a gunman walked into the sanctuary and shot and killed seven people

the drew my attention to this as we sought to minister

in that situation and for the years after continue to minister

the dreamy to the scriptures and to the cross what's fascinating when you

look at the responses to the crucifixion is the multiple ways that people

engaged in responded to that event there was some who were confused the

disciples certainly were not sure what was going on one of them responded

with fear and denial Peeta denying Christ three times there is

a suicide around this event Judas. There are those who are in anguish and

mourning a mother and some friends who are mourning there

are those who mock and condemn. Whether it be soldiers or Pharisees and

then there is the anger and the confrontation is one thief say it's. Say versus say in Chile. You saved novice and he's angry and

confronting Jesus but there's another thief who says remember

me when you come into paradise and Jesus says you'll be there a repentance

The There are those who remain at the scene but they're afraid and they stay

at a distance and then there are those who engage in intense discussion of events

there is a couple walking off on the road to M A S and they are trying to understand

theologically what's going on and then there are those who go

into hiding and uncertainty and then there are the practical

responses a body needs burying So we have judged the firearm at the and

it could be months preparing for the burial of a body and then there is

the additional secondary trauma Mary. Comes to the tomb and

a body is missing and she experiences this secondary trauma are crucifixion and now

the body is gone and she's overwhelmed. With this then there are those who want

proof we have Thomas who doubts and he struggles with his face and then there

are those who have no concern at all these are the soldiers just doing the draw and

then there are those who have this morbid satisfaction said You season

Pharisees with this event and then there are those who escape attempt

to return to the familiar they go fishing it's interesting is in the post

resurrection encounter as with Jesus how he adjusts the location. With a number of these the two men

walking on the road to M A S Actually it may have been a couple we know

one by the name of Cleopatra's. They couldn't understand what happened in

relation to what the Scripture says and so Jesus comes along and

say what's going on and they explain what has happened haven't you

Hood they said and so in response Jesus takes them through the Scriptures from the

beginning and shows all the reference to the Messiah that showed that this must

happen he met them where they were and took them to where they needed to

be was Mary overcome from a time. All she wants to know is

where is the body show me. And of course Jesus says Mary. And she sees the body of a reason

Lord He shows her where the body is and for Thomas when he appears to him and

the other disciples. Jesus first eats by

the way a ghost can't eat. And then he insists that Thomas touch

him put his hand in the sign and so on Thomas at first immersion

says no and in Jesus insists. Once again dealing with

that Downs with location in order to do this we need to develop

a Godly attitude a godly orientation so that even the midst of tragedies and

problems we begin to look at situations through the eyes of God Jeremiah came

to understand this in Jeremiah Chapter fifteen we find the prophet again in

a lamb in Taishan bit of a depression he's been taking the word of God to

the people and they're not listening. And he says to God I'm sitting here eating

your woods while they are across the other side of the hill basically

partying having a good time and he tells God I would

feel a whole lot better. If you would do this if you just common

Zappa just take them out that's a straight in standard version but that's essentially

what he says and then I'll feel better. God comes to him in verse nineteen and

says to Jeremiah UN no longer my prophet. Now if you look at the context and read

the commentaries they all tend to agree that Jeremiah is being faithful in

delivering the word of God So what does God mean you no longer my prophet in the

New American Standard Version of the Bible there is an interesting turn of phrase

that captures the essence of what God is saying he says you no longer my prophet

and to you learn to extract the precious from the with lists extract

the precious from the worthless to meddle logical turn of the idea

of taking the gold of the SUV and then heating it up to

where the dross the wood. Is on the top or

the surface of the gold new skim it off. And you get to the pure gold and

in every situation. And God is telling Jeremiah you need to

look for meet you need to look for my focus you need to look through my eyes and

Jeremiah taken these eyes off of God and he's not looking at the situation through

the eyes of God and in every counseling situation there is the precious of God and

we need to be looking for it and extracting it from the worthless

as a church in the book said in his book The responsible self God is

acting in all actions upon you sir respond all actions upon us to respond to his

action let me on package that a little God is acting in all actions upon you

in every situation God's presence so how should you respond to all

of these actions these events. You should respond then as

to respond to God's action. When I have couples who are fighting and

they claim to be Christian. I ask them is God present in the situation

well next time you have a spouse or indeed a boss someone in your

face even yelling at you when you're spawned perhaps look

a little above the shoulders but see Jesus standing behind them looking at

you God is present in this situation now he's listening intently he wants to

know what you are going to say to him. To God. In this situation how are you going to

speak in a way that you also speaking to God You're going to put a smile on

God's face with the would you say. Or is there going to be

a look of sadness and disappointment God is

acting in all actions so you when you speak to someone or recognize

that you oral to being overheard by God. It By the way can reform and

do incredible changes to a marriage when papa has come to realize this so we learn

to extract the precious from the will. The difference between a live journal

I sure as found in this Alija or infers King. Eighteen is on top of the mountain

literally he has burned up the offerings while the pagans in their attempt to

get their gods to burn up the offerings of failed miserably and yet the next

chapter and verse nine hundred fleeing for his life just a bellows after him and

he quakes in fear. He is not able to extract

the precious from the worthless and lice are in contrast in second king six

is surrounded by an army and doesn't and he seven runs in and says we're surrounded

well lost in a life that says go look again and the servant goes out and

sees between the tents and the Assyrian Ami the Chariots

of the fire of the hosts the heavenly host of God and in man's

wold A Life sure has a problem but in God's world that Ami is in serious

trouble Martin Luther understood this challenge your thinking

say this is not Christ and then replace it with a focus on God

extracting the precious from the warth listen so Alijah is the target

of an evil plot as his ally. But allied to hides in the cave a lie

should doesn't a lodger is fearful but a lie she is not afraid I lied you can see

the hand of God a lie has seized the hand of God he looks for the presence of God he

extracts the precious from the with lists So who to sum up all of this let me

challenge you to adjust your intervention to individual location and need to

address the questions raised by those who seek to help and begin with their

understanding of the problem look for ways to connect or join them with God and Dota shewn that people who ask the same

question have the same problem. Certainly begin by joining at least

at possible points of agreement when you work with people but then

direct them to the truce that used to. Nix that eliminate the biblical principles

make that as clear as possible for them and allow each person in counseling

to take individual responsibility for their lives and certainly we hope apply

the Biblical truths to their lives but not all clients are going

to make the right decision people are not always going

to decide appropriately. But you're going to look for the location. Of that clients and what others say and what God is saying about their location

and you going to address the goal and destination a solution in terms of where

they want to be a way God says they need to be aware others say they need to be and

you going to make a plan for change. That set goals that reflect an

understanding of what God is expecting and try and join with your counsel

e in achieving that goal. And so we find the importance then

of location in relationship to God identification of authority and old the ultimate consequence or

effects in terms of action and the importance of reconnecting with

that creator in all of that counseling may God bless you in that

in a prize Thank you.

Doing What’s Right

Do you ever get the feeling that honesty

and integrity are things of the past for family talk Dr James Dobson recently

though a story came across my desk that once again renewed my faith in people it

happened several years ago in Georgia when the Bulldogs Rockdale County High School

pulled off a come from behind win in the playoffs at the State basketball

championship coach Cleveland Stroud couldn't have been more proud of his team

but then a few days later while watching the game films of the playoffs he noticed

an ineligible player on the court for forty five seconds during

one of the games he called the Georgia High School Association and

reported the violation costing the school the title and the trophy when asked

about it at a press conference coach Stroud said some people have said that

we should have kept quiet about it that it was just forty five seconds and that

the player was really an impact player but you got to do what's honest and right I

told my team that people forget the scores of basketball games they never forget what

you made out of well you can bet that team will never forget what Coach Stroud

is made of a letter to the editor of the local newspaper summed it up well we

have scandals in Washington in cheating on Wall Street thank goodness we live

in Rockdale County where honor and integrity are alive and

being practiced thank goodness indeed you can find more family talk with

Dr James Dobson at my Family Talk dot com.

The Adversity Principle

To change stops and for family talk there

is in the world of nature a phenomenon known as the adversity principle which

means that difficulties and hard times can actually be more beneficial to plants

and animals than continually see living as strange as it seems a bit to a well

being can be disadvantageous to a species think about the big male lion lying in a

cage at the soup all his needs are met and his hunting skills are useless his muscles

become fat and flabby is his way through the day meanwhile a lion roaming free

on the plains of Africa stalking and competing for his next meal remains fit

and strong about the challenges and dangers he faces this principle

is seen throughout nature where the necessity to adapt and

struggle if it doesn't result in death and extinction tends to produce a tougher

species with a better hold on. Could it also be that adversity is

beneficial to human beings as well within limits that seems to be the case

Saulo we complain in squirm when it comes our way our first response to

trouble is to say why me is so some great injustice for us could it be

that we Americans will need to disappoint inconvenience the stresses and the

discomfort in our lives I believe we do that character in street are often the by

products not of pleasure but of pain. To change stocks for family talk.

America: A Great Idea

Hello everyone and welcome to

another edition of Dr James Dobson spam the talk I'm running Dobson

with our host psychologist and bestselling author Dr James Dobson and

today we're going to hear a presentation from Pastor Tommy Nelson he's been

the pastor of didn't Bible Church since one nine hundred seventy seven he

his wife Teresa been married for over thirty years and he is a great

speaker he's written a bunch of books and they were going to talk about America

today so without any further ado here is Pastor Tommy Nelson I'd like to

share with you about America. Just the idea of

America America was an idea. It was a dream. And it is and I thought long and hard as

to whether I would say this and I'll say it I think that America was the greatest

idea that has ever been concocted. Now you say yes and the Bible no

the Bible and Christianity isn't an idea it's a revelation of God to

us as far as the light and salt effects of Christianity I think

that America was the greatest idea. That anyone ever conceived and explain

that from the late fifteen hundreds to the sixteen hundreds countries

determined their religions and it caused a great deal of strife among

English reformers those who had the idea of the sovereignty of God and

salvation in the authority of his word and many of them wanted

a Protestant government. And some English reformers stayed there we all know this story it's precious

to us they stayed there and soft appear a five the system from

within and they were called Puritans. And others left and we know who they

were we call them the pilgrims. And they boarded the boat and

they came over here. They came for a freedom from

the hindrances of government and the establishment of the ancient

medieval idea of Augustine of the City of God to have not

a church state separation but a state that was the church and to have a

Christian country that was their idea and it was noble by the late sixteen hundreds

to make a long story short it had failed. And the reason it failed and I'm not being facetious right

here they had teenagers OK. And the faith of the parents

didn't show up in the teenagers I know you're amazed that

that could happen but it can. It has been said that America was

the last vestige of the medieval dream of Augustine to have a city of God and it didn't work and

it won't work only Christ can do that we hope to approximate it but

are blessed with hope it's not. A man are blessed with hope is not that

we're going to set up this Kingdom is that Jesus Christ will

return the Son of Man and subdue all things but that was their hope. Erroneous but honest it was their hope. But they did leave us with something. They left us with a Christian Biblical

perspective of God as outside of government to whom government is

subservient and the biblical Adia of man. As having mannish this the glory of God

and man is as distinct from nature and having what they would call rights

that were taken from nature's God of life and liberty and

the pursuit of happiness and so we had a government that was

legislative judicial and executive that checked and checking the

others nobody was sovereign all checked by the constitution that was a reflection

of right as coming from God. That is why I think that

it is a right statement that America was a unique country. A country that had problems and our

problems did not come from the inherent flaws of our system our problems came

because of a national lack of courage. To live out our Constitution

the idea of races and the Jim Crow laws were constitution

they existed not because of our belief system but because of our lack

of national courage to get rid of. In other words our problems were

that we just weren't American enough we are the one country that has had

great problems with immigration. Everybody wanted to come to America and we would greet them in the harbor with

a lady of light bestowed upon us as a present by France a country that

attempted fraternity and brotherhood and liberty but you could not find that and

Voltaire is humanism. You find it in the infinite personal

God and they bestowed upon us a gift. That lady of light and

glory of that awaits you in the harbor you know what is written on her

how many of you know the words. On the Statue of Liberty. Give me your tired your poor

your huddled masses yearning to be free the rest should

refuse of your teeming sure sin these the homeless

tempest tossed to me I lift my lamp beside the golden

door I've always been amazed that the woman who wrote

that was named Emma Lazarus. Whose name comes from the Hebrew

derivation of the name Las or that means God is my help. And that's why the fellow in our New

Testament that knew the grace of God as no other was the man that had been dead for

four days name Lazarus. And so here this woman whose name is

the very idea of life from the did greets the masses come to us. We're a country whose chief export and commodity has been freedom you

can be an Aspire and Dramamine. Hypothetically or anything that you

would like to be and all that you have to struggle with or the flaws of

our system and its inconsistency stood. But that system is beautiful and

you can dream. Anything that you want to be when I

traveled overseas a while back I. Met some folks that had some

questions about our country and I simply looked at this kid and said Would you like to be a surgeon

you want to make a million dollars. And he knew that he could. Come to America. And you might be able to if

you've got the stuff to do IT system that saved Europe twice

Kuwait once Israel once. Why did we do it. Economic. Wouldn't right what was happening

was right we stepped up still will our country from the outset had

a Biblical framework of nature. And our view of nature is that

man was to subdue nature and that gave rise to study because

we saw it coming as from the very creativity of God that there

were logical answers to physics and chemistry science and

we had a sense of progress and we became the most

advanced educated healthy. Technologically advanced people. By the late eighteenth hundreds

that it ever ever lived. And it all came as in Dimmick and

instinctive to the Judeo Christian roots. Well you're thinking to

yourself what happened. One fellow in the news recently said and rightly he did he said

Our country is sick. What sickened us. Something happened to us in this century. We became educated

beyond our intelligence. We rid ourselves of God then

we rid ourselves of law. And to where law and right and

morality became semantically mystic terms with no logical basis and

we have imploded. To how it happened. The Achilles heel of

atheism was always creation evolution offered a hypothesis

that we embrace as a fact and now atheism had credo. It had credibility so it was thought you

also had the phenomena of philosophy. Up until the early one nine hundred

four last if it was an optimistic science where by taking reason. That you sought to find a rationalistic

system that gave a basis for existence man right dignity and all of

those things that ended in a listen. Nihilism means nil nothing. And the conclusions of what began with

rationalism by the end of the eighteen hundreds was man was merely

a part of nature and as such his mind was acted upon by natural

forces therefore you could not trust is mind to stand outside of data and

come up with an absolute truth because his mind was merely part

of data thus he didn't even know that he existed you didn't know whether they would

say in philosophy that you were there or that you were the daydream in

the mind of and want to know. That was nihilism. And it brought such despair it brought

such harder to the thinking man that out of it came the idea that no

we are the animal that can choose thus there is no absolute but I. I as a intelligent ape I can

come up with decisions and I exist and thus existence and

should listen came that I determine truth. Subjectively upon what I think I want to

do that I am the master of my fate and that became the pop psychology

that runs totally Kellner purpose. To the idea of man in the image of God

with reason standing outside of nature drawing rational conclusions and

moral critiques. Where was the church

Here's what the church did in the one thousand nine hundred. We put our finger to the wind

science feels higher criticism feels therefore we'll change our

belief system to fit and we made the golden calf of Christianity. It was a secular. Social Gospel at best. The sixty's he did. And in the sixty's a generation arose and

they saw problems. And don't be too quick to need jerk on the

sixty's the sixty's solve problems they just didn't have solutions the sixty's was

a renaissance with no theological base. And into that vacuum we saw immorality we saw drugs we saw despair and hypocrisy and the spiritual needs of a generation

we looked to the east. And Eastern mysticism reincarnation

transcendental meditation astral projection even some of the residual

stuff of that yoga and the martial arts. Even by.

Came commonplace what we ended up with was the despair that came in the seventy's

the breakdown continually of society the institutions the church the home government military police teachers had

no theological and logical base and they broke down we've gotten this

raping of our theological sewing. Well. Here's where we've arrived to our country got philosophically

hijacked in this century. And it happened so slow so smooth so slick that main we took of the fruit and ate and gave to the husband and he ate and

we saw that we were naked and we he had. When I was in Russia I heard a great

commentary on the United States from a Russian Christian he said we are a

country in the darkness and we are looking for light you are a country in the light

and you are searching for the dark. Well I know what you're

thinking Boy Thanks Tom for the encouragement this morning. Is there hope. I know this if there is hope Sure you

where it's going to come from and you don't have to be this brilliant to

figure out I think the reason we were good because we had a sense by

which to judge reality right truth man morality and history and

that was a God who had revealed and so what we're going to have

to do is to really form to have Renie the V.A. to really turn and once again in sorrow and

that is called Re penitent repent. It's going to start in the church

historically Trust me this always happens. That Times gets so

bad that Christians have to resort to go. And like Mary and Joseph they turn to

each other and say Is Jesus with you is now in May is a way the air is not with

me as a weather relatives Let's go back where we left and secondly there's got to

be return to the Gospel the Gospel and our country is merely the means by

which you are successful there is lots of pagans that are more successful

than Christians and a lot of ideas. The gospel is not the means to

success it is the main point sinners are forgiven and

declared righteous by a holy God. Thirdly there's got to be a return to the

living out of it and true righteousness that particularly fathers

quit being rogue males. And the males of our country

submit themselves as. Adam to the one who made them then they

know how to respond to creation to their job and to AIDS and

Eve recognizes the sovereignty of God and that husband and there becomes order

in the hollow and children then become relatively somewhat to

a degree normal say. There has to be a return to righteousness

and forcefully there has to be a return to the purpose of the church is to herald

the knowledge of this that men and women might be delivered from darkness

into the kingdom of God Spirit what's going to happen if we don't Romans

one it's going to happen where you have the recognition of God and Nature the

rejection of it reasoning within yourself and the replacement of God by

a false system the reprobation of God that He gives us over to our own

sands and the ruination of society. And I think it is possible for God as in

the Old Testament to raise up a horn. To get our attention. I don't think that we can't

be just a breath away from Armageddon that's

where our world teeters. And if it comes to that spot

I'll tell you what will happen that there will be another group

of Christians that find so much. Contradiction and this society and so

many hindrances that another group with their bibles on another day

on another Mayflower will leave. It's not that they will leave America

it's America will have left them. And they will find

another shore someplace. If we drop the ball somebody on

this planet has to be America. Because America is bigger than a people or a locale it is an idea it

is a great great idea. And when they do they may have another

name they may have another flag but I will assure you if God is the one that

is exalted long will that flag wave. Over a land of the free. Home of the brave. Somewhere. Pray with. Father in heaven. As we leave this morning take us. To a day of prayer. For our sick country. Whereby the people of God

might be raised to pray and to repent where pastors and teachers

might once again lift up the air and sea of the Bible the Christians

would have the courage and the integrity to stand firm on it and

to weather the winds of its day. That once again the ship might be righted. And Father will pray this

in Jesus' name and for his. Iran Dobson thank you all for listening

God bless and we'll see you next time for another edition of

Dr James Dobson's family talk.

Why Intolerance Can Be a Virtue

Well, Ryan, since you're the featured guest on

today's broadcast, I'm gonna take your

usual responsibility of helping Luann to open the program by welcoming our listeners

and introducing two, they stop and you're doing a good job, doctor, I have usurped that your response that can I can I switch

chairs with you? Is that OK? I look forward to whatever you've gotten started day. It's good to be here. And Lou and you jump in

here as we go along, I will, but I'm looking forward to what

you have to say. Well, I want to go back

to 2003 when Ryan, you and I met at the Hampton Inn

in Palm Desert, California and we went

there to talk on tape. It was an interview about your then brand new book, be in power here. Remember that day? I do. I remember him very well. That was before you

were married to Laura? Yeah. The matter yet, it seems like it was

yesterday and, uh, seven years goes by so quickly and yet so much has happened and so do

50 years ago, hurry. Obviously, that was before the birth of my

grandson, Lake. And And you were living in Southern

California at that time before moving the

Colorado like you have and where

you are today. And what we're gonna do

here today is to let our listeners hear

the recording of the interchange between you and me back in 2003, cause so much has

happened since then. What will jump out of our listeners is

what might be called a time of divine

ordination for you. When you were given

a message and a mission and it

was laid on you. And I think we're

going to hear that in your reaction still what I was saying is that an accurate

interpretation? It is. It's even more surprising

to look back over the past seven years and think that I

was just starting. I felt like I was in the thick of it that

I had gotten a call and I heard

an ordination, and I was in the

middle of it. And really it was

just the beginning of a ministry that I hope will last for the

rest of my life. Well, at 1 in

that interview, you became so overcome

with emotion and that you are unable to speak for a

couple of minutes. And there was what's

called dead air. There was silence. We could hear you crying

in the background, but God was

working on you and working in your life at that time wasn't

me. It's true. On some level.

I wish we would cut that part out of it. But that's the call I

I felt it's the one I answered and he has

not led me astray. This is my home

now in Colorado. I'm freezing, right

this moment I'm in a wool jacket

in the studio. I'm cold all the

time and winter. But he has been very, very faithful and it is, it's just a surprise

every day to look back and think how far

we've come in. It seems like the

blink of an eye. Well, lou analysts,

let's hear the energy. Let's do I love this because it really

captures your heart. What we're about to hear is the interchange between Dr. James stops and and Ryan Dobson from 2003. Ryan, welcome. You. Remind me of another guy that I used

to know named Dobson, who in his early days experienced some pretty

exciting things. What, what do you

attribute this to? Its great to be here? What do I

attribute this to? Just the Lord's blessing. I don't know

why he uses me, but I'm not complaining. I feel called to this.

I love what I do. I'm passionate about

it, I believe in it, and I will do it as long as a lord allows

me to do this. What is the source

of that passion? How do you describe

that fire? In the belly? It's

a, it's hard. It's, it's, it's, it's, it really does come

from a love of people, from caring about people. And yet at times I

get carried away, the fire gets to be too hot. And that's

what it comes from. I see ascribe the

younger generation for those who

don't know Ryan, what are they experiencing? What do they believe? Talk about the

confusion that's there. Talk about those

lies, dead. This is a tough

time for kids. I mean, every

generation thinks that there's as

worse than before, but it is clearly a

tough generation now, STDs are just out of control younger

and younger. I was speaking up

in upstate New York and I was talking

with a doctor and he said they had just had a breakout of sexually

transmitted diseases. And the fastest

growing age group was 13-year-olds, junior highers with sexually transmitted

diseases. I mean, if you just turn the TV on, it's all sex. It's the glorification

of drug use, alcohol abuse, godless ness of the

belief and nothing. I mean, every where they turn affecting them

in NGO profanity, using God's name in vain. I just get so frustrated when I hear God's name right through the gutter. Second Peter to 78 says, Lot was vexed

with the felt, the conversation

of the wicked. It vexed his

righteous soul from day to day with their

unlawful deeds. You know, that's

the way I feel about our culture when I turn on the television, when I see this all around, it's the effect

it has on me is that is not the way you feel about it. I do. I do. I feel it just

makes me so sad eyed. I get overwhelmed by it to see kids hurting in

the way that they do. It's killing me to see what they're going

throught there. They are receptive though, to further most VD, NIH, some kids, some people don't like

what I have to say. There are people that

made us makes them uncomfortable that

say be intolerant, is just about the worst thing you can

say out there, but that kids that get it. They understand

what I'm saying. There changed. I

get e-mails from their parents

saying What did you tell my son? What did you say to

my data there change. They're different because

they understand that there is that absolute

truth out there. Alright, let's, let's go to the title of your book. You referred to it and

I've referred to it. Title is be intolerant because some things

are just stupid. Now, you know, of all the words

that do represent the political

correctness today that almost everybody

seems to believe. And the universities based motion of their

teaching on i is, is being contradicted

by this be intolerant yet you're saying I'm

not only intolerant, but I feel it is right to be

intolerant Glenn, cause some things

are stupid. Explain it's true because you can't believe

in anything. You can't believe

in everything. You've gotta

pick and choose. You can't believe

that, you know, putting sugar in

your gas tank is going to make it run it. No one would believe that. But some people say why I can believe what

I want to believe. You can believe something, I believe something

different. We can both be right

there that stupid. You can't believe

that there is a school system

here in California. Or if you ask a

child what two plus two is and

he says five. As a teacher, you can't say, I'm sorry,

you're incorrect. You have to say, well, that could be an answer. No, it can't it

can't be an answer. That answer is wrong,

it is incorrect. And to tell a child

that it could be an answer is to set them up for

future failure. It's not right. It is unfair to teach kids they can

believe in anything. Now, the implications of being intolerant means

that you're going to be disrespectful to people and you're going to run over their rise and you gotta try to hurt, reject them and

make fun of them. That's now watches da, nah, it's, and that's, you know, we talk about this. People gotta, gotta stop being so thin skinned. You know, I'm not

trying to disrespect people or to put them

down or to be mean. I mean, I wasn't in

college that long ago. I'm not that old. We debated if I

believe something usually something

different we would discuss and talk about. It's like working

out your muscles are sore if they work because you've

worked them out, they get built

because of that. I did this with a kid five nights ago.

I did this. I have a kid that

I met and he just moved his girlfriend with him. He they got engaged. They are going to get

married in two years. They lived together

for two years. And I said, Chris, man, what do you do

when you're in? It's What am I said you're living out

of God's will. God's not happy with that. What do you, I live

in and said, whoa, whoa, what do you mean I see 11 and said, man, you can do they

can see with a girlfriend who we're talking about,

Isaac, Chris, I just want you to have

a successful marriage and science says, you're hurting

your chances. Those that lived

together have a higher divorce rate than the average

population. And average population's

already of 52%. He goes, why

think I'm helping my chances of a

successful marriage? When he based that

on I don't know. Nothing. He got nothing. I have scientific evidence and he says I don't know. And furthermore is in

contradiction with scripted creator

of fan laws. Of course, of course, I'm not trying to

put people down. I just want to help. That's why I'm doing

this. If I listen, if I didn't care

about people, I wouldn't write the book. Go to store your

life. I don't care. It doesn't bite. It wouldn't bother

me, but I care. That's why I'm

doing this and that's what I'm

telling Christians. If you say you love Christ, Christ calls us to

love other people. If you love other people, you must to be intolerant, but be intolerant and love. Not in, not in. Oh, I've got all the truth.

I'm so great. I'm so cool, not

prideful way, but in a way that

says I care. I don't want you to go and how I want you to change. I want you to know peace. I want you to know

the love of Christ. You really do feel that this message was given to you by the Lord

for this generation. You know that you are on a mission that there is a divine ordination

in this calling. I do high, you know? And honestly I've talked

to you about this. This is not easy. I don't like making

people uncomfortable. I'm a nice guy. I'm

a happy person. I like to have a good time. I don't want people

to be mad at me. But I, I've told the Lord these are my

heart's desires. This is what I

want for my life, but not what my will, but your will not my well, whatever you want

me to do, I'll do. And God said, Ryan, I want you to do

this message. I'm telling you over two years ago I started to write a speech on this and I battled with the Lord because I wanted to ease into it and I don't

want to say no, I don't want to hurt

anybody's feelings in a and I wanted

to kind of dance around these issues and

then kinda get into it and alerts that I want you to be

hard-hitting. I want you to be upfront. I want you to be abrasive. I want you to be truthful. I want you to be bold. And I said I

want to do this. And he said you

will either do this or you will sin. I sat out. That's no fair, I

don't want to sin. He said you will do it my way or you will send. Yeah, I heard that as an audible voice

in my head. I heard that I wrote that talk and

in ten minutes, I just wrote that

thing straight out and it's hard to give. It's not easy, I promise. Yeah. What do you say to the people that tell

you you need to be eternally positive that

people won't listen to a message that

disturbs them. Some won't. You're right, some will not. And

you know what? This is where it comes in. Ezekiel 333 says this. It says The Watchmen sees the enemy coming in, sounds the alarm, and I'm sounding

that alarm. And some people that

says Furthermore, if they hear the alarm

and don't take heed, they are responsible for their own death if they

diets their fault. And some people will hear what I have to say

is that you need to be more positive

and we don't like what you have to say. You're responsible

for your own death. But if the watchmen sees

the enemy coming in, does not sound the alarm, then he is responsible for the people's death. The Lord has

opened my eyes. He has let me

see the future. I thank God for

that passion, Ryan. It's just hard. I've seen the coming of the lord says

I'm responsible. I am responsible for

the people if they die because they didn't

sound the alarm. I am personally

responsible. Ryan, In your

book, you gave an incredible

illustration about a barge that had to do was sounding the alarm. Yeah. There's a bards that pushed over of

support for a bridge. Part of the freeway

collapsed and he was over the Missouri River and cars to started heading

off into the abyss. Whole families died. And there are these

fishermen and both seen. This may have seen the calamity and they

are sending cells. What do we do? Well,

when we do EQ, there's nothing we can do. They're just going to die. And one fisherman said, I gotta do something and he jumped out of his bow. He ran up the embankment and he pulled

out a flare gun. And he starts firing

his flares at a semi. In these flares go bouncing off

the windshield, this semi hits us, breaks and comes to

a screeching halt and Jackknife

says semi would the front wheels

hanging over the edge of an abyss. And I tell kids, I'm

sure when that guy was getting hit by the flares, he was furious. Who shoot ME?

What's going on? Why would someone

she hit me? What do you do when Stop. And he's upset, he's angry. And office as he comes

to a screeching halt to try to stop getting hit. Any realizes he was

heading over a cliff, a literal cliff

he would've died. In him jack knife that semi saved hundreds of people from going over the edge. And he's thank

that fishermen for saving his life. And I tell kids, your friends will

be upset with you when you tell

them that they're living out of God's world, they're going to

destroy their lives. If they behave that way. Some of those people

will turn their backs on you and they will never

be your friend again. But the ones that understand what

you're saying and change their lives realize the calamity that they were literally

going to ****. They were going

to die, be out of God's will forever.

They will. Thank you for that. You see yourself as the

man with the flare? Yeah. Try and I'm not saying I'm not trying to say that I'm perfect. I am I am a center, I am an idiot like

everybody else. I'm just trying

to serve the war. That's trying to sort

of the long run. We were on the telephone

four days ago. And you were telling

me that the kids around you are nearly

all having sex, vote at it is

just an epidemic that it they don't even see anything wrong with it. I don't I don't understand how you

can read the Bible, understand God's word, and then just do

your own thing. This is where it's just infiltrated

Christian dumb. It's the girls that

had been hurt Dad. It's the girls that

are beat her manner predominantly

carriers, you know, women getting cancer and dying from Miss didn't even know it because

they've been lied to. I mean, you know, it's not just that

it's impurity, it's breaking your heart. I mean, girls are having their hearts broken in. I'm dealing with

a kid right now. He's 23 years old. He had sex for the first time this year with a girl, and they've

recently broken up and she has devastated. And rightfully so. And it's different for a girl to loser of rigidity than it

is for a boy. It's different, not

morally, No, not morally, but tract, but practically, practically and psychologically

it's different. And he has now come

to the realization. He took her virginity. It's different for her. He sees her reaction. They're not going

to get married. They're not meant

to be married. They took something

that didn't belong to him and moved on and it belonged

to someone else. Now she's not

blameless either. She gave away something that belonged to someone else that belonged to

her future spouse. And she's devastated for she understands that. And sometimes it takes that to wake somebody up. This young man that

I'm working with is now he's turnover New Leaf. I come to the house.

He isn't the word. He's remorseful.

He's talking to his younger siblings

and saying, hey, don't make the

mistake I made, don't feel the way I feel. I wish I could explain

to you how I feel. This is an awful feeling. I regret this. If I could take it back, I would. I'm so sorry. Let's, let's focus on absolute truth in little

more specificity. At this point, the, you talk in your book about the three elements of absolute truth that

are absolutely necessary to understand

and believe what are. The first one is

that the Bible is the true AND inspired

word of God. The second one is that Christ is exactly as the Bible describes

him to be. In. The third is

that Jesus Christ is the only way to get into heaven. And

that's important. I mean, out here,

what I get from kids is it doesn't

matter what you believe, as long as you're sincere. It doesn't matter

what God you believe in as long as

you believe in a God, and that's not the case. You can only

believe in one god. Bible says, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one gets to the

Father but through me, not through anybody else. Me and me alone. Rhyme way will be

praying for you and ISA are listeners to be

praying for you too, because it's a voice crying in the wilderness. And I think you've

got a unique message. It's not really unique. It ought to be

preached everywhere. And many young

people will not hear it from

somebody my age. If I walk in there with a suit and tie on, hey, who would not hear

me booed off this. But they might listen to you and in

fact, they do. I thank you Ryan for having the courage to lay

it down straight, and our prayers will

continue to be with you. And I trust the Lord

will use this book be intolerant because somethings are just stupid. Ryan Dobson, Thank

you so much. I it was great to be here. It's a pleasure to have you on the program again, and I'd like to

have an update from you as you go

along, will do. Should I give you

one now? A couple of very familiar voices here and his family

talk broadcasts. It is amazing what has happened in

the meantime, Who would have believed that you would be part of a regular program here on family talk

along with Luann. And that you

would even have your own broadcast Gong grounded on internet radio that's heard

around the world. So you're doing ten

programs per week, five-year, and five

on your own program. Both of them

with family doc. So your program has been incorporated into the Ministry of

Family Talk, Who would have

believed all AM because we just sat down to do an interview on what God was doing with you. I don't even know

what to say. You know, I look back

and all the things that have taken place

since then, you know, writing more books

and starting a podcast and then

getting married and then feeling

the call to move to Colorado and having no idea why of all places would the Lord Have we moved

to Colorado was not anywhere close

to my plans, but he was getting me

ready for this to be on radio with you and to be able to do my

own radio program. Doctor, I just think

it's an example of how the Lord wants to use us when we're faithful, right? Where we're at and there's

someone listening. The Lord's just

calling them to be faithful,

where they're at. They don't know what's

going to happen 567 years later. Well, as I interpret

what we just listen to, Ryan was highly emotional because God was

working with Amy, was talking to him

and he was leading him in a direction a really didn't want to go. We explained that in those six marks from California all the

way to my door. Right. And yet, you were faithful and look

what he's doing now. I'm just so proud

of you and thankful for your commitment to Christ that we heard there. Now let's go back to the theme of what we were talking about there, which is evangelism more

than anything else. That's what the Lord

laid on your heart, is winning people to Christ who

would've thought, grew up to be

an evangelist. Really that and had

never crossed my mind. I remember the first time, Jerry Houston at

Biola University, he walked up and said, would you go speak to junior high youth camp

and remember thinking, no, no, I won't do that at, had never crossed my mind. And yet I've grown up to be an evangelist of sorts. It started off

in high school, it still continues. One of the best times i have all year long is in the summertime when I

get to go to some of ministries and talk to high school and

college kids. Or when I get to

do a fundraiser for Christian

school because I believe in what

they're doing with kids and they allow me

to go and do a chapel. And then the rest of

my years filled with other events and

my radio program is primarily to adults. I do get some

younger listeners, but it's not a

high-school program, it's for an older audience. But the evangelism and the message of truth is stronger today than even it was when we recorded

this seven years ago. I see your ministry not as subtract

the but add at the Board continues to put fields in front of you that are white

and the harvest, and you will harvest

them wherever you can. Many people

don't know Ryan, that you're an ordained

minister and you were ordained at First

Family Church in Kansas City, Missouri. That's her I was there on that day and it was a

great thrill for me. What is really interesting, Ryan is our family history goes back all the way

to my great-grandfather and nearly every person

along the way has either been a minister or has been married to one. My father was an evangelist

and I didn't core shoe to do this or to go in this way the Lord

lead you. It's true. I'm not a minister, but a sound, a

whole lot like one. So if you're more of a minister than

a lot of people, you may have a PhD in child development by

you preach, goodness. Yeah. We're on the same

team, Ryan in Lewin. You've been grafted

in the vine as well to see what

fun we've had. And thank you all

for listening and joining us

today and we'll see you next time for

another edition of Dr. James Dobson

Family Talk.