Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Released Saturday, 23rd March 2024
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Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Alone and Confused, But Not Forgotten

Saturday, 23rd March 2024
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0:04

Welcome , dear listeners , to Lucidity

0:06

for Life , a beacon of light in a

0:08

world veiled in chaos . I'm

0:11

your host , dewayne Pressin , and I'm

0:13

honored to embark on this transformative

0:15

journey with you . In

0:17

each episode of Lucidity for Life , we

0:19

invite you to join us as we explore

0:21

the intersection of biblical insight and

0:23

the timeless wisdom of Jesus . Together

0:26

, we'll navigate the complexities of

0:28

life , drawing from sacred texts

0:30

and teachings to illuminate our moral and

0:32

spiritual pathways . By sharing

0:34

the testimonies , life examples and

0:36

teachings of Jesus and his disciples

0:39

and applying them to our life's

0:41

journey , we aim to empower you

0:43

to navigate life's twists and turns

0:45

with grace , integrity and unwavering

0:47

faith . So I hope you will

0:49

come and join us as we embark on

0:51

this sacred journey together , drawing

0:54

inspiration from the internal wisdom of Jesus

0:56

to cultivate moral clarity , spiritual

0:59

focus and a life of purposeful

1:01

Lucidity in an ever-changing

1:03

world . So , without further

1:06

ado , let us dive into today's lesson

1:08

, alone and confused

1:11

, but not forgotten , and

1:13

let's uncover the profound truths that

1:15

await us today . Welcome

1:17

to Lucidity for Life . How

1:25

could this be happening ? How could

1:27

he have found himself in this tumultuous

1:29

position , his life seemingly

1:32

at odds with the very prophecies that once

1:34

heralded his coming greatness ? The

1:36

promise is so sure and divine

1:38

echoed in his mind . Yet reality

1:41

was trying to twist them away from hopes

1:43

and brace His family

1:45

. Those custodians of heavenly

1:48

truths had woven tales of grandeur

1:50

around him since his birth , proclaiming

1:53

his destiny to be irrevocably

1:55

intertwined with the glory of God and

1:57

the ultimate salvation of mankind . But

2:00

now , as he languished in solitude

2:03

in prison , estranged

2:05

from all that he held dear , he

2:07

couldn't help but question the path he

2:09

had walked these many years , the faith

2:12

he had held so close to his heart . This

2:15

was not the script he anticipated , it

2:17

was not the narrative he envisioned as he

2:19

walked the righteous path of service to God

2:22

. To find himself isolated

2:24

, shunned by those he loved and

2:26

served was a bitter irony

2:28

. And in this desolation

2:31

, as he yearned to stand by the side

2:33

of the anointed one , the longed-for

2:35

Messiah , who was the very embodiment

2:38

of his preaching , he found himself

2:40

cast adrift , his purpose

2:42

obscured by the shadows of doubt . The

2:45

fulfillment of his ministry , the

2:47

very reason of his existence , lay

2:49

tantalizingly close , yet

2:52

agonizingly out of reach , unless

2:54

the hand of God intervened on his behalf

2:57

. How could the calling

2:59

that he had so fervently embraced

3:01

lead him to this lonely precipice , where

3:04

his devotion to the Divine will of God

3:06

now seemingly spelled

3:08

out a fate of persecution and martyrdom

3:11

. He pondered , reflecting

3:14

on the twist of fate that brought him here

3:16

, wondering at the purpose of

3:18

God in orchestrating this intricate

3:20

dance of suffering and redemption

3:22

. He hadn't sought the

3:24

mantle prophecy , nor

3:26

had he begged for the weight of a divine mandate

3:29

to bear upon his shoulders . Yet

3:32

in his obedience he

3:34

never faltered , he never turned

3:36

away from the burden thrust upon him by

3:38

God's divine decree . In

3:41

his mind's memory , he traced the

3:43

journey back to its inception , to

3:45

that faithful encounter with the celestial

3:47

messenger at the temple where his

3:50

father , zachariah , stood bathed

3:52

in awe and fear , as

3:54

the angel Gabriel delivered the news of

3:56

John's impending birth , as described

3:58

in Luke , chapter 11 . And

4:01

there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing

4:03

on the right side of the altar of incense

4:05

. And Zachariah was troubled

4:07

when he saw him and fear fell

4:09

upon him . But the angel said

4:11

to him Do not be afraid , zachariah

4:14

, for your prayer has been heard and

4:16

your wife Elizabeth will bear you a

4:18

son , and you shall call his

4:20

name John , and you will have joy

4:23

and gladness , and many

4:25

will rejoice at his birth , for

4:27

he will be great before the Lord . Yet

4:31

the joy of that moment now seemed a

4:33

distant memory , it's warmth

4:35

drained by the cold harshness

4:37

of his present reality . The

4:40

promise of God , once

4:42

intertwined with the fabric of his life's

4:44

purpose , now felt frayed

4:47

and worn tested by

4:49

the relentless trials of life . In

4:52

the desolate confines of his prison

4:54

cell , john the Baptist wrestled

4:56

with doubt , his once

4:58

unshakable faith now teetering

5:01

on the edge of uncertainty . In

5:04

the dim flicker of torchlight he sought

5:06

solace , a sliver of assurance

5:08

that his arduous journey had

5:11

not been in vain , that his divine

5:13

calling remained steadfast amidst

5:15

the encroaching shadows of life . Summoning

5:19

his disciples with urgency , john

5:21

dispatched them to the one beacon of hope

5:23

amidst the engulfing darkness Jesus

5:26

of Nazareth . With trembling

5:28

hearts , they posed the question

5:31

that weighed heavily upon their master's

5:33

soul Are you the one

5:35

who is to come or shall we

5:37

look for another ? As

5:39

the disciples lingered expectantly , a

5:42

hushed anticipation filled the air

5:44

. And as they waited intently even

5:46

more , jesus did not offer

5:48

lengthy explanations

5:50

or placating reassurances . Instead

5:54

, with unwavering clarity , he pointed

5:56

to the tangible evidence of God's

5:58

divine presence and his unfolding

6:01

plan and life-changing power

6:03

. He simply declared the

6:06

blind sea , the lame walk

6:08

, the leopards are cleansed , the deaf hear

6:10

, the dead are raised and

6:13

the poor receive the good news . His

6:16

voice resonated with authority and

6:18

truth for anyone who would listen

6:20

to his words . John's

6:23

disciples returned to John with an urgency

6:25

in their steps that the times demanded

6:27

, and upon their arrival , they shared

6:29

from their hearts the words given by Jesus

6:31

. In that moment

6:34

, john's doubts were dispelled

6:36

like shadows flinging from the dawn

6:38

. A flicker of joy

6:40

illuminated his weary brow . A

6:43

glimpse of a smile began to form

6:45

on his lips as he embraced a profound

6:48

realization that God's plan

6:50

had truly unfolded according to

6:52

his divine will , transcending

6:55

the confines of his earthly trials

6:57

and tribulations . With

6:59

just a few simple words from Jesus , john

7:03

found renewed strength and purpose

7:05

, his faith rekindled

7:07

amidst the tumult of his final

7:09

hours , though imprisoned

7:11

and facing imminent death , john

7:14

clung to the unwavering promise of God's

7:16

divine fulfillment , his

7:18

gaze fixed on the eternal glory

7:21

that awaited him beyond the veil

7:23

of his earthly mortality . In

7:26

those fleeting moments , jesus'

7:28

words dispelled the confusion

7:30

and chaos thrust upon him by the

7:33

world , allowing him to

7:35

see clearly once more what he already

7:37

knew in his heart that he

7:39

was in God's perfect will and

7:41

serving a heavenly purpose . Even

7:44

in the midst of an intolerably imperfect

7:47

world , spinning out of control and filled

7:49

with confusion , john found

7:52

comfort in his own heart . It

7:54

wasn't because everything had changed

7:56

around him , but because

7:59

, despite what his senses told him

8:01

, what his surroundings declared

8:03

to him or what he saw

8:05

at that moment , he knew

8:07

that God was in control . Like

8:10

John , our lives were not

8:12

heralded by a messenger of God laying

8:15

out the blueprint of Heaven's design

8:17

for our existence with perfect

8:19

symmetry and unwavering certainty

8:22

of our path . Yet , just

8:24

like John , the culmination

8:26

of our life's journey may lead us to

8:28

uncertain destinations , to

8:31

our own unexpected dungeons , with

8:34

the clamor of captors surrounding us

8:36

declaring our demise , crying

8:39

with all its might to extinguish

8:41

our hope . But , akin to

8:43

John , we too possess

8:45

a choice we determine

8:47

where our faith will guide us , where

8:49

hope will anchor and where we seek

8:52

solace in moments of despair , crying

8:54

out in times of confusion and hopelessness

8:57

. John's life cries

8:59

out to us today , urging

9:01

us to rise up and cry out

9:03

to God , even when we don't understand

9:06

what's transpiring in our lives right now

9:08

. He challenges us to

9:10

refuse silence , to resist slipping

9:12

quietly into the darkness of forgetfulness

9:14

, where our voices are forever silenced

9:17

. Instead , he beckons us to

9:19

take one last question to the throne of God

9:21

Is this the end of the story

9:24

, god , are you in control

9:26

, or should we look for another ? John

9:29

didn't seek answers to life's problems by

9:31

turning to earthly governments or faithless

9:34

leaders , and neither should we . He

9:36

didn't ask for clemency , nor did he plead

9:38

with Herod , offering apologies for

9:41

proclaiming the word and trusting to him by God

9:43

, a word that demanded the king's

9:45

genuine repentance . By

9:48

that very God-given declaration

9:50

, john set aside forever his

9:52

own safety and comfort and

9:54

once again entrusted his care into

9:56

the mighty hands of God . Just

9:58

like John , we find ourselves

10:01

amidst a chaotic world , engulfed

10:04

in confusion , with no clear path

10:06

to victory or serenity . It's

10:09

a world manipulated by the media , spreading

10:11

fear and chaos to serve its own agendas

10:14

and fill its pockets Through

10:16

tainted stories and insinuation

10:18

. It sows seeds of fear and doubt

10:21

, driving nations against nations

10:23

, citizens against citizens and

10:25

neighbor against neighbor , until trust

10:28

becomes a distant memory and

10:30

discerning friend from foe becomes

10:32

an impossible task . Ultimately

10:35

, if we continue to listen to its steady

10:37

downward drumbeat , it causes

10:39

us to retreat to our own corners , isolated

10:42

and alone in our own fears and questions

10:45

, bracing for the enemy's next

10:47

onslaught . But it's time

10:49

we heard for the first time perhaps , or

10:51

remember again one more time

10:53

, the words of the sons of Korah that are

10:56

found in Psalm 46 , a

10:58

reminder of whom we can call on in

11:00

times of trouble , in moments of

11:02

fear , and who remains in

11:04

ever-present aid in our trials

11:06

. God is our refuge

11:09

and strength , a very present

11:11

help and trouble , they said . Therefore

11:14

, we will not fear though the earth gives

11:16

way , though the mountains be moved into the

11:18

heart of the sea , though its waters roar

11:20

and foam , though the mountains tremble at its

11:22

swelling . Be still

11:25

and know that I am God . I

11:27

will be exalted among the nations . I

11:30

will be exalted in the earth . The

11:33

Lord of hosts is with us . The God of Jacob

11:35

is our fortress . Psalm

11:38

46 , verse 1 through 3 , and

11:40

verses 10 and 11 . In

11:43

our world , leaders are consumed by

11:46

their own egos , making decisions

11:48

driven by societal status

11:50

, wealth and the futile

11:52

pursuit of approval from everyone on

11:54

this earth , without a second thought of seeking

11:57

approval from the one who created

11:59

the earth and the whole universe that surrounds

12:01

it . The more you listen to

12:03

these leaders , governments and media

12:05

publications you begin to realize

12:07

, the less you can trust their words . Yet

12:11

amidst this confusion , jesus Christ

12:13

beckons us to remember that

12:15

he is for us , ready

12:17

to aid us if we would but call

12:20

upon his name once more . He

12:22

invites us to trust him

12:24

for our families , our nation

12:26

and our future , whether we've known

12:28

him all our lives , like John , or

12:31

if we've never even heard his name until today

12:33

. He stands near , eager

12:36

to hear the cry of our hearts

12:38

. Jesus beckons

12:40

the body of Christ , his true

12:42

disciples , to lift their eyes

12:45

heavenward to behold the King of kings

12:47

and Lord of lords , the Savior of

12:49

the world , radiating wisdom

12:51

, grace and mercy . He wields

12:53

unrivaled power , shielding

12:56

his faithful against the ceaseless onslaughts

12:59

of the enemy . Those

13:02

who faithfully follow him have known

13:04

his faithfulness and unyielding support

13:06

. Yet life's trials

13:08

and tribulations may have tested that knowledge

13:10

, much like John , shrouding

13:12

it in the darkness of their own personal

13:15

dungeons , failed relationships

13:17

, financial uncertainties and

13:20

years of unanswered prayers , breeding

13:23

a heart heavy with doubt , questions

13:25

and even cynicism . In

13:28

the midst of overwhelming challenges , a

13:30

heart burdened with ache dares

13:32

to ask are you truly the answer

13:35

we seek , jesus , or should

13:37

we look elsewhere ? Jesus

13:40

responds with tranquil assurance to his

13:42

disciples . Then and now

13:44

, his words brimming with faith

13:46

come and witness the works of God

13:48

, inviting each soul to

13:51

seek and find the answer first

13:53

hand with their own personal experience

13:55

with God . Though

13:58

the arrows of the enemy may have nicked the armor

14:00

of faith in our lives , jesus

14:02

beckons us once more , declaring whosoever

14:05

will let him come

14:07

. Rather than seeking

14:10

answers from directionless earthly

14:12

governments , let us fix our

14:14

hearts , minds and souls on the things of God

14:16

. Let us once again call

14:18

upon Jesus and witness his miraculous

14:21

intervention in the most unexpected

14:23

places , bringing aid and comfort

14:26

beyond measure , like

14:28

John , when life blinds , sides

14:30

us , overwhelming us in its fury

14:32

, let us once again lift our voices

14:35

in prayer to the One who loves us beyond

14:37

measure , who fights on our behalf

14:40

when we can no longer stand , who

14:42

lifts us up when we've stumbled

14:44

and helps us find firm footing

14:47

to continue the journey along

14:49

life's pathway . Once again , even

14:52

when darkness shrouds our sight

14:54

, he illuminates us with the hope

14:56

and peace that his message brings , that

14:59

One whose name is Jesus . He

15:02

came to declare a message of deliverance

15:04

coupled with power to set mankind

15:06

free from lies , vices and struggles

15:09

, to heal broken hearts burden with

15:11

the cares of this life . Through

15:14

the lives and words of John and Jesus , may

15:17

you be reminded today that no pit is

15:19

too deep for God to reach you if

15:21

you are willing to call on his name . There

15:23

is no enemy so formidable that

15:26

God's promises cannot thwart their

15:28

vices of discouragement and

15:30

despair . Yes

15:32

, the world we inhabit can be bewildering

15:35

, full of chaos , where

15:38

we're besieged by an abundance of voices

15:40

peddling shallow solutions to

15:42

life's many dilemmas and daily

15:44

struggles . These voices we

15:47

hear so many times are fickle , their

15:49

counsel ever changing , rooted

15:51

only in human reasoning and

15:53

the frail fabric of man-made philosophy

15:56

. Situationally inept

15:58

at best , destructive at

16:00

worst , their responses

16:02

lack moral clarity , built upon

16:05

the crumbling foundation of flawed human

16:07

wisdom . Is that

16:09

truly where we wish to anchor our hopes and

16:11

seek peace in this turbulent world

16:13

? I reckon we

16:15

already know the answer and

16:17

I'm grateful to affirm without hesitation

16:20

that Jesus and the legacy

16:22

of the life he left us still

16:24

holds the key to the questions

16:26

that stir within our hearts . And

16:28

let us not forget , when life closes

16:31

in around us , attempting

16:33

to ensnare us in isolation , that

16:36

though we may feel solitary and bewildered

16:38

, we are not forsaken . Recall

16:40

the words of Jesus recorded in John 16

16:43

. I have said these things to you

16:45

that in me you may have peace in

16:47

the world . You will have tribulation , but take

16:49

heart , I have overcome the world

16:51

. I issue a challenge

16:54

to you today when you find yourself

16:56

adrift , when the way forward

16:58

seems shrouded in uncertainty , call

17:01

upon the name of Jesus in prayer and

17:04

discover that he is an ever-present help in

17:06

time of need . As

17:08

we conclude our time together today , I pray

17:10

that the words you've encountered

17:13

will serve as a guiding light on your journey

17:15

through life . May they offer

17:17

solace and wisdom as you wrestle with

17:19

the questions that stir within your heart , echoing

17:22

the faith and hope akin to that of

17:24

John the Baptist . May

17:26

you find in Jesus' words , in John's

17:29

example , the peace , comfort

17:31

and strength needed to navigate

17:33

life's twists and turns . I

17:37

pray that the words shared today have ignited

17:39

a flame of reassurance within your soul , reminding

17:43

you that , with God , all things

17:45

are possible , if only we

17:47

believe .

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