BOB: YOU ARE SURROUNDED WITH NOISE AND THEN YOU WONDER
WHY YOU CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD.
IF YOU DON'T QUIET YOUR HEART,
HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT WANTS TO
SAY TO THE CHURCH IN THIS HOUR?
HE WANTS TO TALK TO US.
HE DID NOT COME TO THIS PLANET AS AN ENTREPRENEUR
TO START UP A NEW VENTURE ON A PROMISING PLANET.
HE CAME AS A LOVESICK BRIDEGROOM
WHO IS LONGING FOR THE AFFECTIONS OF A BRIDE,
WHO IS BEING PERFECTED, AND ONE DAY
THERE'S GOING TO BE A WEDDING.
REBECCA: HEY, GUYS, WELCOME TO THE PODCAST.
I AM VERY HONORED TO HAVE WITH US TODAY BOB SORGE,
THE SPEAKER WHO CAN'T TALK.
[ LAUGHTER ]
REBECCA: BOB, FOR THOSE WHO ARE PROBABLY HEARING FROM YOU
FOR THE FIRST TIME,
EXPLAIN WHY YOUR VOICE
IS THE WAY IT IS
AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU.
BOB: YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT
OF AN OXYMORON THAT THE LORD --
IT'S LIKE I LOST MY VOICE
SO THAT I COULD FIND IT.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN INTERESTING STORY.
WHEN I WAS 35 YEARS OLD,
I WAS PLUMMETED INTO THE CRISIS OF MY LIFE.
I WENT INTO SURGERY FOR AN ISSUE IN MY VOICE
AND THE SURGERY BOTCHED SOMETHING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG.
AND SINCE THAT TIME,
I HAVE A VERY SMALL VOICE.
I'M REALLY APPRECIATING THIS EQUIPMENT THAT HAS
THE MICROPHONE RIGHT ON MY LIPS.
IT'S REALLY HELPING ME A LOT, REBECCA.
AND SO I HAVE A VERY SMALL VOICE.
AND IT'S BEEN PAINFUL TO SPEAK FOR 32 YEARS.
AND SO IT'S BEEN QUITE AN INTENSE TRIAL.
AND ONE OF, YOU KNOW, THE INJURY LAUNCHED ME INTO
ALL KINDS OF CRISIS.
IT PUT ME INTO A PROFESSIONAL CRISIS.
I LOST MY PASTORATE AND I LOST,
YOU KNOW, MY CAREER.
IT PUT ME INTO A RELATIONAL CRISIS.
I LOST MY FRIENDSHIPS AND PUT ME INTO A THEOLOGICAL CRISIS.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEOLOGICALLY HOW THIS
COULD HAPPEN WHEN I'M LOVING JESUS, GIVING HIM
EVERYTHING THAT I'VE GOT, AND TAKE A HIT THAT TAKES
ME OUT ON EVERYTHING.
I JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH THEOLOGY FOR THAT.
I'M IN THE -- IN AN EMOTIONAL DARKNESS.
EVERYTHING IS DARK AND NUMB AND BLACK
AND ACTUALLY ENDURED A 15-YEAR DEPRESSION.
SO THE LOSSES HAVE BEEN VERY STRONG.
AND IN THE COURSE OF THAT JOURNEY,
THE ONLY THING I KNEW TO DO WAS TO CHASE AFTER JESUS.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE TO DO.
BUT GOD, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU AND I HAVE
GOT TO FIND YOU.
I HAVE GOT TO TOUCH YOU BECAUSE ALL I -- ALL I
NEED IS JUST ONE TOUCH OF THE HEM OF YOUR GARMENT.
THAT'S ALL I NEED.
JUST TO TOUCH YOU AND YOU'RE THE
ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU'RE MY HEALER.
YOU'RE MY REDEEMER.
YOU'RE MY RESTORER.
YOU'RE EVERYTHING.
AND SO I'VE BEEN PURSUING GOD LIKE A DYING, DROWNING
MAN FOR 32 YEARS.
COMING AFTER HIM TO TOUCH
THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT AND, YEAH,
THAT'S MY STORY IN A NUTSHELL.
I'M A DESPERATE MAN WHO'S REACHING FOR ALL OF GOD.
REBECCA: THE BEST PEOPLE
I THINK TO LISTEN TO ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE
THROUGH TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS AND WHO HAVE
WITHSTOOD TESTING AND HAVE COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE
THAT CAN SHARE THE WISDOM.
BOB: OH, WELL, HERE'S THE THING.
ALL OF US GET WOUNDED IN LIFE IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER.
AND IF THAT WOUND REMAINS OPEN AND FESTERING,
YOU'RE USEFUL FOR NOTHING.
BUT IF THAT WOUND WILL HEAL AND FORM A SCAR,
NOW THE SCAR BECOMES YOUR AUTHORITY.
AND IT'S THOSE IN THE BRIDE,
IN THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT HAVE SCARS FROM THEIR WOUNDS.
OUR SCARS GIVE US OUR AUTHORITY.
AND IF YOU HAVE A SCAR,
NOW EVERYBODY WANTS YOU BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A JOURNEY.
THERE'S AUTHORITY BEHIND WHAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU DO.
AND YOU KNOW, ON THE LAST DAY,
JESUS IS NOT THE ONLY ONE
THAT'S GOING TO HAVE SCARS.
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST IS
ALSO GOING TO HAVE SCARS.
AND OUR SCARS BECOME OUR --
THE TOKENS OF THE AFFECTION OF OUR INTIMACY
WITH JESUS AND THEY BECOME THE EMBLEMS OF OUR
AUTHORITY AND OUR JOURNEY IN GOD.
SO ACTUALLY WHO WOULD WANT TO SHOW UP AT THE
MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB WITH NO SCARS?
WHEN JESUS TOOK IT TO THE CROSS AND DID IT FOR US
AND HAS NOW INVITED US INTO A SIMILAR JOURNEY WITH HIM.
SO I WANT TO DO IT WITH JESUS.
I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T WANT TO GET MARRIED TO AN
IMMATURE BRAT THAT CAN'T RELATE TO HIS JOURNEY.
HE WANTS TO GET MARRIED TO A CO-EQUAL PARTNER THAT
WHEN HE SAYS THE FATHER GAVE ME THIS BITTER CUP
TO DRINK SHE GOES,
WELL, HE GAVE ME A BITTER CUP TO DRINK, TOO.
AND WHEN JESUS GOES,
YOU KNOW, I LOST EVERYTHING AND SHE'LL GO,
WELL, I LOST EVERYTHING, TOO.
AND HE'LL GO,
BUT I'VE GOT SCARS HERE TO SHOW YOU WHAT I WENT
THROUGH AND SHE'S GONNA SHOW HER SCARS AND THE
SCARS BECOME THE TOKENS OF OUR INTIMACY WITH JESUS.
I'M GRATEFUL TO THE LORD FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF
SHARING IN A BATTLE.
IF JESUS COULDN'T TAKE DOWN
SATAN WITHOUT INCURRING SCARS,
WHAT MAKES ME THINK I CAN OVERCOME WITHOUT SCARS.
REBECCA: THAT'S PROFOUND.
BOB: SO YEAH, IT'S PART OF OUR JOURNEY.
REBECCA: YOU KNOW, THE THING, TOO, IS IT SAYS IN PHILIPPIANS
PAUL SAYS, I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST.
HE SAYS THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION,
BUT BEFORE THAT HE SAYS THE FELLOWSHIP
OF HIS SUFFERINGS.
BOB: YES.
REBECCA: AND SO FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED
INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM AND SAID, JESUS,
I WANT TO FOLLOW YOU,
THAT'S PART OF THE RELATIONSHIP.
AND WE CAN'T INCUR SCARS WITHOUT GOING THROUGH SUFFERING.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT CAN'T JUST BE A WOUND.
YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE HEALING AND THAT SCAR IS
A STORY OF HOW GOD BROUGHT YOU THROUGH PAIN.
AND EVEN PAUL TALKED ABOUT IN SCRIPTURE THE SCARS THAT
HE INCURRED THROUGH PERSECUTION OF SPREADING
THE GOSPEL IN AREAS WHERE IT WAS NOT,
YOU KNOW, PERMITTED.
AND HE TOOK THE SCARS.
HE SAYS ON MY BODY I BEAR THE SCARS OF SHARING CHRIST.
AND SO YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I WANTED TO TAP ON AS WELL TO GIVE
CONTEXT BECAUSE YOU HIT ON THAT WITH YOUR STORY
IS THAT YOU HAD BEEN PASTORING,
YOU'D BEEN A WORSHIP LEADER.
SO YOUR VOICE WAS PIVOTAL.
BOB: EVERYTHING.
REBECCA: IT WAS EVERYTHING AND WHAT YOU
WERE WALKING IN, IN YOUR CALL
AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU WERE DOING.
AND THEN SEEMINGLY, IT WAS TAKEN FROM YOU LIKE THAT.
AND THAT CAUSED A MAJOR CRISIS IN YOUR LIFE,
AND YOU HAD TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW GOD TO SHIFT YOUR
IDENTITY OUT OF BEING A WORSHIP LEADER,
BEING A PASTOR THAT'S -- AND GIVING UP YOUR CHURCH,
BUT YOU ALLOWED HIM TO SHIFT THE IDENTITY FOR YOU
TO DO A NEW THING AND A NEW SEASON.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
BOB: JOB SAYS THE LORD HAS GIVEN AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.
AND WE LOVE THE GOD WHO GIVES.
ALL OF US
LOVE THE GOD WHO GIVES.
BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A GOD WHO TAKES AWAY?
AND SOMETIMES HE ACTUALLY TAKES IT AWAY FROM US.
HE TOOK IT AWAY FROM JOB.
AND IF YOU FOLLOWED HIS STORY,
YOU KNOW THAT JOB CAME INTO A RICH FATHERHOOD
AND ACTUALLY WHAT GOD HAD IN HIS HEART FOR JOB
WAS SO MUCH MORE.
AND SOMETIMES I THINK THAT'S WHAT, WHAT'S
IN THE HEART OF GOD.
HE'S LIKE, IF YOU'LL WALK WITH ME IN THIS,
IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE A LOSS ON THE FRONT END.
BUT IF YOU WILL WALK WITH ME IN IT,
AND I'M GONNA SO ENRICH YOUR LIFE,
THAT BY THE TIME IT'S OVER,
I WILL, I WILL GIVE TO YOU FAR MORE THAN IF THE TRIAL
HAD NEVER HAPPENED.
THAT'S WHAT REDEMPTION STORIES ARE ALL
ABOUT IN THE SCRIPTURES.
WHERE GOD USES A PROFOUND TRIAL
TO IN THE END GIVE MUCH MORE THAN IF
THE TRIAL HAD NEVER HAPPENED.
THAT'S -- JOSEPH'S STORY IS A REDEMPTION STORY.
JOB'S STORY IS A REDEMPTION STORY.
THERE'S NOT VERY MANY OF THEM IN THE BIBLE,
BUT THERE ARE SOME REDEMPTION STORIES
AND THEY'RE MY FAVORITES
BECAUSE IT'S HOW GOD WILL
TAKE WHAT SEEMS TO BE A SETBACK AND A LOSS IN THE
MOMENT AND REDEEM IT BECAUSE OF OUR COOPERATION
WITH HIS GRACE.
REDEEM IT TO BECOME A REDEMPTION STORY.
AND THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT ACTUALLY
BROADCAST THE GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE MOST GLORIOUS
WAY IN THE BIBLE.
THE REDEMPTION STORIES OF THE
BIBLE ARE ACTUALLY OUR FAVORITE STORIES.
BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE A REDEMPTION STORY,
THERE HAS TO BE A PROFOUND REAL LOSS.
JOSEPH'S LOST, HE IS IN PRISON.
HE'S LOST EVERYTHING.
THE GUT-WRENCHING LOSSES THAT
ARE REAL, THAT ARE IMPACTING, LIFE-ALTERING.
IN EVERY REDEMPTION STORY IN THE BIBLE,
THE LOSSES ARE SO STRONG AND SO REAL AND THAT'S
WHAT MAKES IT A GOOD STORY.
BECAUSE IF THE LOSSES WERE REAL,
IT WOULD BE SURFACE AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE
THE SUBSTANCE AND THE STRENGTH TO IT,
BUT GOD IS A FANTASTIC STORY WRITER.
AND HE WILL CRAFT A REDEMPTION STORY THROUGH OUR LOSSES.
SO I'M, I'M ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW,
I FEEL A LITTLE BIT SPECIAL LIKE HE JUST LOVES
ME ENOUGH THAT HE JUST DIDN'T LEAVE ME TO MYSELF.
HE LOVED ME ENOUGH THAT HE DIDN'T LET ME CHOOSE MY OWN WAY.
BECAUSE IF I HAD CHOSEN MY OWN WAY,
REBECCA, IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED NOTHING LIKE THIS.
I WAS HEADED IN THIS DIRECTION.
AND IT'S LIKE HE SAID, I'M GONNA TAKE YOU IN THIS DIRECTION.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE GOD WHO
INTERRUPTED MY LIFE AND HAS TAKEN ME ON A JOURNEY.
IT'S NOT OVER YET.
AND I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO.
REBECCA: I WANT YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT.
I WANT YOU TO SPEAK TO WHEN EVERYTHING SHIFTED
WHAT HAS GOD DONE THROUGH THIS THING THAT SEEMED TO
BE MEANT FOR EVIL AND GOD HAS TURNED IT FOR GOOD.
BOB: WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN POINT TO
AND IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A,
IMMEASURABLE THING IS THAT FROM THIS JOURNEY,
THERE HAVE COME 31 BOOKS TO DATE.
AND I'M NOT EVEN AN AUTHOR.
I DON'T EVEN LIKE TO WRITE,
BUT THE LORD, JUST THE JOURNEY THAT GOD HAS LED
ME ON BECAUSE THE VOICE SHUT DOWN,
THE WRITING OPENED UP,
AND NOW THE LORD HAS TAKEN MY BOOKS
LITERALLY AROUND THE WORLD.
AND I HAVE, I MEAN,
JUST AN EXAMPLE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BRAZIL
BEFORE THIS, BEFORE THIS SET STARTED AND I'VE GOT
LIKE 20 OF MY BOOKS IN BRAZIL.
MY BOOKS ARE ALL OVER BRAZIL,
THEY'RE ALL OVER KOREA.
THEY'RE ALL OVER RUSSIA.
IT'S JUST, JUST AMAZING TO ME
HOW GOD HAS TAKEN THE MESSAGE OF WHAT
HE'S PUT IN MY HEART,
WHAT HE -- BASICALLY, REBECCA, MY BOOKS ARE MY STORY
PUT ON PAPER.
IT'S THE GUT-WRENCHING WRESTLING WITH GOD
AND THE RHEMAS, THE LIVING WORDS OF GOD THAT
HAVE SUSTAINED ME IN MY JOURNEY.
AND I'VE DISCOVERED THAT WHEN GOD FEEDS ME WITH SOMETHING
THAT IT ACTUALLY FEEDS OTHERS AS WELL.
SO I'M JUST LIKE A BEGGER, SHARING THE LOVE THAT
JESUS GAVE ME HERE,
HAVE A, HAVE A PIECE OF THIS ONE.
THIS ONE KEPT ME ALIVE.
AND SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I JUST GO AROUND SHARING THE THINGS THAT HAVE KEPT
ME ALIVE IN MY JOURNEY.
REBECCA: WHEN YOU EXPERIENCED THE LOSS IN YOUR VOICE,
HOW DID YOU KNOW TO GO TO THE SECRET PLACE?
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING AND THEY DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THE SECRET PLACE,
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THOSE PEOPLE?
BOB: THE SECRET PLACE HAS BEEN MY SURVIVAL.
I CALL MYSELF A SECRET PLACE SURVIVOR.
I MEAN, I WOULD NOT BE IN THIS STUDIO WITH YOU RIGHT NOW,
REBECCA, IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE SECRET PLACE OF
SITTING AT HIS FEET, HEARING HIS WORD,
AND THE WORD OF GOD BEING,
HIS WORD IS OUR LIFE.
AND WHEN HE SPEAKS IT,
HIS WORD IMPARTS LIFE TO US.
THIS IS HOW WE LIVE.
THIS IS HOW I LIVE.
MY -- HE IS MY OXYGEN.
HE'S MY SANITY.
WHEN MY -- I FELT LIKE THERE WERE TIMES,
I'M GONNA LOSE MY MIND.
I DIDN'T KNOW,
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO HOW TO PROCESS
THE INTENSITY OF WHAT I WAS LIVING THROUGH.
AND HIS WORD HAS
KEPT ME ALIVE.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SECRET PLACE,
FOR SITTING AT HIS FEET AND HEARING HIS WORD.
AND HE SAID THAT THE FATHER IS IN THE SECRET PLACE.
AND WHEN YOU SHUT YOUR DOOR,
YOU'RE IN THE PRESENCE OF YOUR FATHER.
HE'S BEEN WAITING THERE FOR YOU.
JUST SHUT YOUR DOOR,
IS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO
AND YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY IN THE PRESENCE
OF YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER
AND NOW THE CONVERSATION BEGINS.
AND NOW I'M LIKE
I WANT TO OPEN MY EARS AND OPEN MY HEART
AND RECEIVE WHAT HE WANTS TO SAY.
AND I JUST WANT TO,
I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS RIGHT NOW
TO OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE,
REBECCA, JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT TO SAY THIS.
THERE'S TOO MUCH NOISE IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU HAVE TOO MANY VOICES.
YOU HAVE TOO MANY DEVICES.
YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH MEDIA.
THERE'S TOO MUCH CACOPHONY.
THERE'S TOO MUCH STUFF COMING AT YOU AND YOU ARE
SURROUNDED WITH NOISE.
AND THEN YOU WONDER WHY YOU CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD.
WE HAVE TO COME ASIDE.
WE HAVE TO SHUT OUT THE VOICES.
WE HAVE TO COME ASIDE INTO THE SECRET PLACE LIKE JESUS DID,
LIKE HE MODELED FOR US.
HE SHOWED US HOW TO DO IT.
HE PRACTICED IT HIMSELF.
COME ASIDE,
SHUT YOUR DOOR,
AND QUIET YOUR HEART.
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.
WE'VE GOT TO GET STILL AGAIN.
IF YOU DON'T QUIET YOUR HEART,
HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT WANTS TO
SAY TO THE CHURCH IN THIS HOUR?
HE WANTS TO TALK TO US.
BUT WE HAVE TO --
WE'VE GOT TO SHUT THE DOOR ON ALL THE NOISE.
JESUS SAID, BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK.
HE WANTS IN.
HE'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF OUR HEARTS.
SO I'VE GOT A SIMPLE WORD FOR SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW
LISTENING TO THIS.
CLOSE YOUR DOOR
AND THEN OPEN YOUR DOOR.
THERE IT IS AND I'M TALKING ABOUT CLOSE
THE DOOR OF YOUR ROOM
AND THEN OPEN THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART.
BECAUSE HE WANTS TO HAVE THIS LIVING, BREATHING RELATIONSHIP.
JESUS IS THE MOST RELATIONAL PERSON
IN THE UNIVERSE.
HE WANTS TO TALK.
HE WANTS TO RELATE.
HE WANTS IT TO BE PERSONAL.
HE DID NOT COME TO THIS PLANET AS AN ENTREPRENEUR
TO START UP A NEW VENTURE ON A PROMISING PLANET.
HE CAME AS A LOVESICK BRIDEGROOM
WHO IS LONGING FOR THE AFFECTIONS OF A BRIDE
WHO IS BEING PERFECTED.
AND ONE DAY,
THERE'S GONNA BE A WEDDING AND WE'RE GONNA BE JOINED
TOGETHER WITH JESUS FOREVER.
THE WHOLE THING IS SO INTIMATE.
IT'S SO ROMANTIC.
IT'S SO PERSONAL.
IT'S SO VISCERAL.
IT'S REAL AND THE SECRET PLACE IS WHERE WE ENTER
THE DOOR TO FIND THAT KIND OF PASSIONATE INTIMATE
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.
REBECCA: WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS
TO GET INTO THE SECRET PLACE,
BUT DOESN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO DO THAT?
BOB: YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS ME A LOT,
AND THIS IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY PRACTICAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPS ME A LOT IS TO ESTABLISH
A BIBLE READING GOAL FOR MY LIFE EACH YEAR.
AND SO IN MY CASE,
I LIKE TO READ THROUGH THE BIBLE ONCE A YEAR.
AND MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT HAVE A GOAL OF MAYBE READ
THROUGH THE BIBLE EVERY 2 YEARS OR WHATEVER IT IS.
BUT WHEN I ESTABLISH A READING GOAL,
THEN WHAT I DO AND THIS IS JUST THE WAY
I DO IT PERSONALLY, REBECCA.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT, THAT, THAT
PEOPLE WILL DO THIS.
BUT I WILL FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PAGES IN MY IPAD,
BECAUSE I READ AN E-BOOK ON MY IPAD AND I JUST DO
MY BIBLE READING ON MY IPAD.
AND SO I FIGURE OUT
HOW MANY PAGES DO I NEED TO READ A DAY
IF I'M GONNA GET THROUGH IN A YEAR.
AND BY THE WAY,
I HAVE MY BIBLE READING PLAN ON THIS SITE.
IF YOU WANT TO READ
ABOUT MY BIBLE READING PLAN,
IT'S FOUND AT PRAYERRESET.COM.
AND YOU CAN FIND MY BIBLE
READING PLAN THERE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
I LIKE TO READ EVERY DAY IN FOUR PLACES
IN THE BIBLE.
I'M ALWAYS READING IN PSALMS.
I HAVE A PSALM READING EVERY DAY.
AND I TRY TO WORK THROUGH THE BOOK OF PSALMS
ONCE A YEAR.
I JUST LOVE THE BOOK OF PSALMS.
THEN I HAVE AN OLD TESTAMENT READING WHERE
I'M READING THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT.
SO I WILL, I'LL START WITH A PSALM,
THEN I'LL DO MY READING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
MAYBE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, 20.
I'VE GOT TO READ 20 PAGES A DAY TO GET THROUGH THE
WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS,
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF YOUR KINDLE
OR YOUR READER,
WHATEVER, OR YOUR PAPER BIBLE.
AND THEN I HAVE
A GOSPEL READING.
I READ MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN AND I HAVE
A READING IN THE GOSPELS.
SO THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR,
I'M READING THE ENTIRE GOSPELS,
AND THEN I HAVE AN EPISTLE READING WHERE I'M READING
ACTS THROUGH REVELATION AND I'M READING
THROUGH THAT ONCE HERE.
SO I'M IN FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES EVERY DAY.
AND THE BEAUTY OF THIS,
I JUST WISH THAT I COULD SELL THE WHOLE WORLD
ON SIMULTANEOUS READING.
THAT'S WHAT I CALL IT.
THE SECRET OF SIMULTANEOUS READING.
IT'S ONE OF THE CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK,
SECRETS OF THE SECRET PLACE.
IT'S THE SECRET OF SIMULTANEOUS READING,
READING IN FOUR DIFFERENT PLACES OF SCRIPTURE EVERY DAY.
AND IT PROVIDES FOR INTEREST.
I JUST FIND MYSELF INTERESTED IN.
OH, IT'S, THERE'S VARIETY.
AND SECONDLY, AND I DON'T
KNOW IF THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU,
REBECCA, BUT I WILL FIND THAT WHEN I READ AN OLD
TESTAMENT READING AND A NEW AND A GOSPEL'S READING,
SOMETIMES THEY WILL INTERSECT ON A CERTAIN IDEA,
AND I'M LIKE I JUST READ ABOUT THAT IN DEUTERONOMY.
AND NOW I MEAN, THAT'S SETS ME ON FIRE.
THAT'S WHAT PUTS, THAT'S WHAT PUTS FIRE IN MY HEART.
IS WHEN THE WORD BEGINS TO INFORM THE WORD AND IT
STARTS TO INTERCONNECT.
AND I'M LIKE, WOW,
THIS REALLY IS AND IT JUST LIGHTS MY FIRE.
REBECCA: YEAH, THAT'S SO GOOD.
UM, THE OTHER THING
I WAS GONNA ASK IS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE
GONE THROUGH, GOD HAS REALLY GIVEN YOU
PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THERE'S A PURPOSE IN TRIALS AND HE
DOES NOT SEND TRIALS BECAUSE HE'S CRUEL.
HE SENDS TRIALS BECAUSE HE LOVES US.
HE PRUNES THOSE WHO ARE PRODUCING FRUIT
TO PRODUCE MORE FRUIT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
BOB: WOW.
HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE HERE TODAY?
I SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THE CLOCK.
OH, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT I CAN SAY HERE.
I'M, I'M JUST, LORD, HELP ME TO FOLLOW YOUR FOCUS.
OKAY, LET ME START WITH THIS.
THERE IS A PLACE IN A TOWN CALLED ORACLE,
ARIZONA, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT OF ARIZONA.
IT'S CALLED THE BIOSPHERE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE.
I'VE ONLY GOOGLED IT.
THE BIOSPHERE, WHAT THEY DID IS
THEY BUILT THESE DOMED BUILDINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE WILDERNESS DESERT AND THE IDEA WAS THIS,
LET'S TRY TO ISOLATE.
AN ISOLATED PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE
INSIDE OF THIS BUBBLE, AND EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO
SURVIVE WILL BE INSIDE THE BUBBLE.
THEY WILL NEED NOTHING FROM THE EXTERNAL WORLD IN
ORDER TO SURVIVE.
SO EVERYTHING THEY NEED IS SELF-PRODUCED INSIDE OF
THIS SELF-CONTAINED BUBBLE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ARIZONA DESERT.
AND THE IDEA WAS IF WE CAN SUPPORT
HUMAN LIFE INSIDE THIS BUBBLE IN THE ARIZONA DESERT,
MAYBE WE CAN COPY/PASTE IT, PUT IT ON MARS AND SUSTAIN
HUMAN LIFE ON MARS.
SO IT WAS THIS
EXPERIMENTAL SCIENTIFIC, YOU KNOW,
I THINK SOMEBODY HAD TOO MUCH MONEY.
IT WAS THIS EXPERIMENT TO SEE IF THEY COULD SUPPORT,
YOU KNOW, SUPPORT HUMAN LIFE INSIDE THIS BUBBLE.
AND SO SOMEBODY HAD AN IDEA,
THEY'RE LIKE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PLANTED FRUIT TREES
INSIDE THIS BUBBLE?
WE COULD GIVE THEM PERFECT LIGHT,
PERFECT TEMPERATURES, PERFECT WATER,
PERFECT FERTILIZER.
WE COULD GROW FRUIT TREES IN PERFECT CONDITIONS.
AND THEY SAID, LET'S GO FOR IT.
SO THEY PLANTED FRUIT TREES IN THIS BIOSPHERE.
AND SURE ENOUGH,
THEY PRODUCED A REMARKABLE HARVEST
WITH JUST ONE PROBLEM.
THE TREE, THE BRANCHES OF THE TREES KEPT SNAPPING
UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE FRUIT.
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WIND
IN THIS ARTIFICIAL ENVIRONMENT.
DID YOU KNOW THAT TREES NEED WIND?
TREES NEED WIND TO KEEP THEIR BRANCHES FLEXIBLE.
SO THAT WHEN THE FRUIT COMES ON THE BRANCHES,
THE BRANCHES WILL FLEX WITH THE FRUIT AND THE FRUIT
WILL BE PRESERVED.
BUT IN THE ABSENCE OF WIND,
THE BRANCHES OF THE TREES BECAME RIGID
AND INFLEXIBLE AND BRITTLE.
AND THEN WHEN THE FRUIT CAME
ON THE BRANCHES,
THE BRANCHES SNAPPED AND BROKE UNDER
THE WEIGHT OF THE FRUIT.
AND HERE'S MY TAKEAWAY, SOMETIMES WE
ACTUALLY NEED WINDS IN OUR LIVES.
THERE'S NOT A PERSON LISTENING TO THIS PODCAST
RIGHT NOW, REBECCA, THAT ENJOYS STORMS.
WE DON'T WANT STORMS IN OUR LIVES.
WE DON'T ENJOY HURRICANES.
WE DON'T ENJOY TORNADOES.
WE DON'T WANT STORMS IN OUR LIVES.
BUT SOMETIMES IT'S ACTUALLY THE KINDNESS OF
GOD TO BRING STORMY WINDS INTO OUR LIVES
TO GET US FLEXIBLE AGAIN.
SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THE FRUIT OF OUR NEXT SEASON IN GOD.
AND ACTUALLY, THE STORM IS NECESSARY.
WHEN I SAY THIS IN A CHURCH IN FLORIDA,
THEY THROW ROTTEN TOMATOES AT ME.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT HURRICANES ARE
NECESSARY IN FLORIDA.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS OUR PLANET NEEDS STORMS.
I KNOW THAT WE TEND TO LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTIVE
SIDE OF STORMS.
BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS IN STORMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY
NECESSARY FOR OUR PLANET.
THEY EQUALIZE THE TEMPERATURES OF OUR PLANET.
THEY FLUSH OUR PLANET CLEAN.
STORMS ARE THE TOILET SYSTEM,
THE FLUSHING SYSTEM OF OUR PLANET.
AND JUST AS OUR PLANET NEEDS STORMS,
SO WE ALSO SOMETIMES NEED STORMS IN OUR LIVES.
I'M REMINDED OF THE FAMOUS PRAYER OF THE WELSH
REVIVAL BACK OF 1906, IN WALES 1905.
THE FAMOUS TWO-WORD PRAYER OF THE WELSH REVIVAL.
BEND ME.
BEND ME, LORD, THAT I MIGHT BE
FLEXIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT YOU ARE WANTING TO DO
IN THIS HOUR.
AND SOMETIMES WE ACTUALLY NEED STORMS IN
OUR LIVES TO MAKE US FLEXIBLE.
SO THAT WE CAN CARRY THE FRUIT OF OUR SEASON
FORWARD INTO WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES.
SOMETIMES STORMS ARE NECESSARY.
JESUS SAID THIS ABOUT HIS CROSS.
YOU KNOW, AFTER THE CROSS HE GOES,
THE CROSS WAS NECESSARY.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING
HE SAID ABOUT THE CROSS AFTER HE WAS RESURRECTED.
HE SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, IT HAD TO HAPPEN.
THE CROSS WAS NECESSARY FOR JESUS.
PETER PICKS UP ON IT IN 1 PETER CHAPTER 1,
AND HE GOES, ACTUALLY, OUR TRIALS ARE SOMETIMES
NECESSARY FOR US AS WELL.
1 PETER 1 VERSES 6 AND 7.
AND SO IF IT WAS NECESSARY FOR JESUS, PETER GOES,
SOMETIMES THOSE TRIALS ARE NECESSARY IN OUR LIVES AS WELL,
BECAUSE THEY CERTIFY THE AUTHENTICITY OF OUR
FAITH AND THEY MAKE US FLEXIBLE TO
COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PURPOSES.
CAN I TELL YOU ANOTHER STORY?
REBECCA: YEAH.
BOB: OKAY.
I'M, I'M ON AN AIRPLANE.
AND I'M COMING ACROSS THE OCEAN.
AND WHEN YOU'RE ON
ONE OF THOSE LONG INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS,
YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT SCREEN LIKE IS THERE
ANYTHING ON THIS SCREEN THAT IS WORTHWHILE
WATCHING AND MOSTLY THE ANSWER IS NO.
BUT I HAPPENED TO FIND A DOCUMENTARY ON WINEMAKING.
AND I'M LIKE, I'VE GOT THE TIME.
REBECCA: YEAH.
BOB: SO I DECIDED TO WATCH THIS
DOCUMENTARY ON WINEMAKING.
AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING IN THE
DOCUMENTARY WAS THEY WERE EXPLAINING
WHAT PRODUCES A VINTAGE WINE.
NOW A VINTAGE WINE IN
MY UNDERSTANDING AND IF I'VE GOT WRONG, STRAIGHTEN
ME OUT, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT,
A VINTAGE WINE IS A WINE FROM A PARTICULAR SEASON THAT
BECAUSE OF THE GROWING CONDITIONS OF THAT SEASON,
IT PRODUCED AN UNCOMMONLY DELIGHTFUL WINE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE VINTAGE YEARS THAT
PRODUCES A VINTAGE WINE,
THEY'LL TALK ABOUT IT FOR YEARS.
2012, OH, IF YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF A BOTTLE FROM 2012.
IT WAS A VINTAGE YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO FIND BECAUSE THERE'S NOT
VERY MANY OF THEM OUT THERE.
BUT IF YOU AND YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
BUT IF YOU CAN FIND A BOTTLE FROM 2012,
IT WAS A VINTAGE YEAR.
SO IN THE DOCUMENTARY,
THEY ARE EXPLAINING
WHAT PRODUCES A VINTAGE WINE.
AND I'M A NOVICE
AND I'M WATCHING THIS DOCUMENTARY AND I'M
THINKING TO MYSELF,
I KNOW WHAT PRODUCES A VINTAGE WINE.
LOTS OF SUN,
LOTS OF RAIN, LOTS OF WARM TEMPERATURES, VOILA.
VINTAGE WINE.
AND IN THE DOCUMENTARY THEY GO,
IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
THEY SAID TO GET A VINTAGE WINE,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN
ADVERSARIAL GROWING SEASON.
TOO MUCH SUN.
NOT ENOUGH SUN.
TOO MUCH RAIN.
NOT ENOUGH RAIN.
TOO COLD OF TEMPERATURES.
ADVERSARIAL CONDITIONS THAT STRESS
THE VINES AND FORCE THEM TO WORK HARDER.
AND THEY SAID WHEN A VINE HAS TO WORK HARDER
TO PRODUCE ITS CROP,
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET A VINTAGE WINE.
AND THEY SAID IT LIKE THIS.
I JUST LOVED THE WISDOM OF THIS.
THEY SAID, YOU WILL NEVER GET A VINTAGE WINE
FROM AN UNSTRESSED VINE.
AND THEN THEY GO LIKE THIS, THEY GO
A FARMER WILL NEVER IRRIGATE HIS VINEYARD
IN A DROUGHT.
AND I'M A NOVICE LISTENING TO THIS.
AND I'M THINKING TO MYSELF, BRO,
THIS IS EXACTLY THE TIME THAT YOU NEED
TO IRRIGATE YOUR VINEYARD.
HELLO?
THERE'S NO RAIN.
YOUR VINEYARD IS DYING.
IF YOU LOVE YOUR VINEYARD, SIR,
YOU WILL KEEP IT ALIVE.
IRRIGATE YOUR VINEYARD.
AND THE FARMER GOES, NO, IF I IRRIGATE
MY VINEYARD IN THIS DROUGHT,
THE ROOTS OF THE VINES
WILL RETURN TO THE SURFACE TO CAPTURE
THE SURFACE MOISTURE.
BUT THE FARMER GOES,
IF I INTENTIONALLY STRESS THE VINES
BY INTENTIONALLY WITHHOLDING IRRIGATION,
THOSE VINES HAVE ONLY ONE DIRECTION TO GO.
UNDER THE DURESS OF DROUGHT,
THE VINES BECOME DESPERATE FOR WATER.
REBECCA: THAT'S TRUE.
BOB: LET ME TALK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT
ABOUT HOLY DESPERATION.
WHEN GOD SENDS A DROUGHT INTO YOUR LIFE
AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT,
ALL YOU HAVE ARE QUESTIONS.
ALL YOU FEEL IS PAIN.
ALL YOU CAN SEE IS DARKNESS AND GOD'S NOT
TALKING TO YOU.
AND HE'S NOT ANSWERING YOUR PRAYERS
AND YOU'RE IN A SPIRITUAL DROUGHT,
YOU BECOME DESPERATE TO SURVIVE.
AND THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO
WHEN YOU ARE DESPERATE FOR GOD IS TO COME AFTER HIM
LIKE A DESPERATE DROWNING PERSON.
AND YOU START TO SINK
YOUR ROOTS INTO GOD LIKE YOU NEVER HAVE
IN ALL YOUR LIFE.
YOU'VE NEVER FASTED LIKE THIS IN ALL YOUR LIFE.
YOU HAVE NEVER DEVOURED THE WORD OF GOD
LIKE THIS IN ALL YOUR LIFE.
YOU ARE DESPERATE FOR GOD.
IF GOD WOULD ONLY BE SO KIND TO YOU AS TO
INTERRUPT YOUR SOFT, MIDDLE, AMERICAN, MEDIOCRE,
LUKEWARM CHRISTIANITY AND LAUNCH YOU
INTO A DESPERATE PURSUIT OF THE HEART OF GOD.
THAT'S WHY I CALL IT A HOLY DESPERATION.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN GOD
DRIES UP THE FALSE FOUNTAINS THAT HAVE FED
OUR SOULS AND LAUNCHES US INTO A DESPERATE PURSUIT
OF HIS HEART AND HIS WORD.
AND SO NOW IN THE DROUGHT,
THE VINES ARE PUSHING THEIR ROOTS.
THEY'RE TAKING ALL THE STRENGTH
THAT REMAINS IN THAT VINE
AND PUTTING IT INTO THEIR ROOTS,
PUSHING THEIR ROOTS
INTO CREVICES AND CRANNIES AND PLACES IN THE EARTH
THEY'VE NEVER GONE BEFORE.
THEY ARE NOW, OKAY,
THIS IS FOR THE TREKKIE FANS IN THE AUDIENCE.
THOSE ROOTS ARE NOW GOING WHERE NO ROOT
HAS GONE BEFORE.
REBECCA: I LOVE IT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BOB: AND NOW, THE ROOTS OF THE VINES ARE TOUCHING PLACES
IN THE EARTH THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLETED
BEFORE BY A ROOT.
SOIL GETS TIRED.
SOIL GETS DEPLETED.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT FERTILIZER IN OUR GARDENS,
BECAUSE OUR GARDENS GET DEPLETED BY THE CROPS.
BUT NOW THE ROOTS OF THE VINES ARE GOING TO PLACES
IN THE EARTH
NEVER BEFORE DEPLETED BY A ROOT.
TOUCHING UNTAPPED MINERALS.
TOUCHING FRESH UNTOUCHED NUTRIENTS.
AND THEY SAID
THAT'S WHERE YOU GET A VINTAGE WINE.
REBECCA: WOW.
BOB: GOD WILL SOMETIMES BRING A DROUGHT INTO OUR LIVES
BECAUSE HE WANTS TO CRAFT A VINTAGE WINE
WITH OUR LOVE.
IT'S ACTUALLY HIS KINDNESS.
IT'S HIS AFFECTION.
HE'S INVESTED IN US.
AND HE WANTS TO EXTRACT FROM OUR LIVES
AND FROM OUR LOVE
A VINTAGE WINE.
SO IF SOMEBODY OUT THERE WANTS
TO TWEAK THIS,
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A REAL GOOD ONE-LINER.
HERE IT COMES.
STRESSED VINES PRODUCE VINTAGE WINES.
REBECCA: THAT'S GOOD.
BOB: I'VE JUST INTERPRETED SOMEBODY'S 2024.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BOB: AND THERE'S SOMEBODY OUT THERE GOING THAT'S WHAT
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ABOUT.
YEAH, HE LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO ALLOW THAT STORM.
HE LOVED YOU ENOUGH TO ALLOW THAT DROUGHT.
YOU'VE ACTUALLY NEEDED THIS DROUGHT.
YOU'VE NEEDED THIS STORM TO KEEP YOU FLEXIBLE.
YOU'VE NEEDED THIS DROUGHT SO THAT YOU WOULD PUSH
YOUR ROOTS DEEPER INTO GOD.
THIS IS A TIME, MY FRIENDS, TO BE ROOTED
IN THE WORD OF GOD.
THIS IS A TIME TO BE ROOTED
IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
THIS IS A TIME TO PUT OUR ROOTS SO DEEP INTO GOD
BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE TALKS ABOUT GOING ROOTS DOWN,
SO THAT THE FRUIT CAN COME UP.
REBECCA: WOW.
BOB: PUT YOUR ROOTS DOWN
AND THEN THE FRUIT WILL COME UP.
AND YOU WILL BE
A VINTAGE WINE FOR THE DELIGHT OF YOUR SAVIOR.
REBECCA: I LOVE THAT.
WELL, WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
THIS HAS BEEN GREAT.
YOU HAVE BEEN AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP
AND FOR POURING YOUR RHEMA THAT
GOD HAS SHARED TO YOU,
THE REVELATION INTO YOUR BOOKS.
WE TAPPED ON TWO OF THEM.
ONE OF THEM IS
SOMETIMES WE NEED TRIALS.
THE OTHER ONE IS SECRETS OF THE SECRET PLACE.
YOU'VE WRITTEN 31 BOOKS.
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO READ YOUR CONTENT,
WHO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP WITH,
HOW CAN THEY GET IN CONTACT
WITH YOUR MINISTRY, WITH YOUR BOOKS?
BOB: VERY EASY TO DO.
IF YOU PUNCH IN MY NAME INTO YOUR, INTO GOOGLE,
MY PRIMARY SITE,
I'VE GOT A SITE, BOBSORGE.COM.
BUT MY PRIMARY STORE IS OASISHOUSE.COM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT THE BOOKS AND THAT'S
WHERE YOU CAN CONTACT ME.
AND SO ON, SO THAT'S MY MAIN SITE.
AND I'M ON FACEBOOK AND X AND I'M NOT ON TIKTOK YET.
MAYBE, MAYBE WE'LL GET THERE.
REBECCA: YOU'LL BE ON TIKTOK THROUGH THIS.
SO, HELLO, TIKTOK.
BOB: HELLO, TIKTOK, ALL RIGHT.
REBECCA: I LOVE IT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
BOB: I'VE LOVED THIS CHANCE TO VISIT WITH YOU
AND TO GET TO KNOW YOU, REBECCA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
REBECCA: IT'S AN HONOR.
AND THANKS FOR LISTENING TO
THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST.