JOE: Welcome to FJM TV. I'm Joe Jordan. I'm here with my wife,
Kris Jordan. Gina Thompson. Good to have you guys here today, and
great to be able to be back in your home or on your iPad, your
iPhone, your tablet, your computer sitting in the car,
wherever you are today, we just want to welcome you to Fred
Jordan Missions. You know, It's been an honor and a privilege to
be a part of Fred Jordan Missions for many years now, but
I don't know if you know this, Fred Jordan Missions is
celebrating its 80th year. Isn't that amazing? 80 years of
full-Time ministry this year, but you know, it's all because
of God. It's all because of His calling, His love for people.
It's all about a God who lives in heaven who created us, and He
saw that we were going to be a mess, and then He had a plan for
that to fix it, and then He did. He fixed it when He sent Jesus.
We're going to be talking about that today, but I'm again just
so honored to be a part and we're just so blessed to be able
to come into your home or wherever you are today and share
a little bit of hope with you and let you know there is a God
in heaven that loves you and His son Jesus died and suffered the
worst death ever so that you could have life, forgiveness of
your sins. And so that's amazing. We're going to be
talking about surviving suffering, but not just
surviving, but how you can actually grow and thrive through
suffering. Say, wait a minute, you can grow, thrive through
suffering. Yeah, we'll talk about it from God's Word today.
It doesn't mean suffering is easy and fun and we all want to
go through it, but when you have God on your side, it makes it
all worth it. But another thing, Fred Jordan Mission, you know,
in 80 years has never really taken local and state and
federal funds. We don't take government funds. It's all
provided because of caring friends like you and partners
like you that help us serve over half a million meals a year in
Jesus' name. Help us to share the gospel, that life-changing
message of the gospel with friends, not only on Skid Row,
but you too at home, and it's just amazing. How can people,
Gina, how can people get involved if they want to come
volunteer or they want to give and be a part of getting the
Word of God out through our FJM TV program or if they want to
help us on Skid Row serve the least of these.
GINA: Yes, just go to FJM.org and see how you can get plugged
in. I mean, yes, we need the volunteers. We've always got
wonderful events, but every day the need is great. Every day
people on Skid Row are hurting, and so we're so grateful for
your faithfulness to pray for the Mission, pray for those in
need, but we really need your financial support. So just go to
FJM.org, see how you can get plugged in and pray about if
it's on your heart, how you can give no amount is too great or
too small, so go check it out.
JOE: Yeah, absolutely. And I just wanted to share that with
you today because Fred Jordan Mission relies and counts first
on God who called us, who sustains us and keeps us, but He
brings friends and partners like you and we couldn't do it
without our partners. We just couldn't. And the needs continue
to grow and grow and grow every day. There are so many, so many,
tens of thousands of Americans who live on the streets of Los
Angeles who have broken homes, broken hearts, broken dreams,
broken goals, broken lives, and that's why we're there to share
hope, to declare and to demonstrate the love of Jesus.
And again, without you, we wouldn't be there. But because
of you together we're doing extraordinary things, being used
by God GINA: For 80 years
JOE: 80 years. It's so amazing. Let's get into it. Surviving
suffering. Let's talk first from 1 Peter 3:18 and look at God's
Word here. It says, for Christ also suffered once for sin, the
righteous for the unrighteous to bring to you God and to bring a
relationship with God to us. He was put to death in the body,
but made alive in the spirit. It's amazing that Jesus came to
this earth and He suffered and died the righteous, the perfect
savior. Jesus gave His life for the unrighteous, and it's just
amazing that He did that because He loves us and it was all for
one reason. It says it's right here to bring to you God, to
have that relationship with God. He was put to death in the body,
but made alive by this Spirit. Again, we go to that time of
Easter and we see on Good Friday that Jesus, He died on the
cross, died, suffered the worst death ever punished, battered,
broken, bruised. And yet three days later after that tomb,
after that burial, He is risen. And what's so amazing about it
is God's Holy Spirit raised Him. That resurrection power that
raised Jesus from the dead is there for us every day also if
we just believe and receive Jesus. But that's the key,
knowing Jesus, having that right relationship with God, and
that's why Jesus came. And again, Jesus suffered the worst
horrendous death ever. So when you think about suffering in
your life, and again, I'm not here to compare or say you're
not suffering in life because everybody suffers and on so many
different levels with so much hurt and so much pain, there's
abuse, there's so much in this world that can come against us.
But think about this, A perfect God and Savior came down from
heaven, from the throne to this earth to grow up and suffer and
die for us. How amazing is that? He gave his life. He gave
everything to suffer for you and me that we might have life. You
know, If we look here, we are reminded by Peter that he's
writing here to the people who were born again, they were
living their lives with the hope knowing that Jesus was going to
take them to heaven after it was all over, but there was so much
persecution that they were scattered all over the land back
then. They were persecuted because they believed in Jesus.
And we see that today. How many people do we see when you say,
I'm a Christian, or Hey, I'm an American and I'm a Christian.
Somehow, it's not a good word anymore. For whatever reason,
you know, it seems like you can be anything here in America.
You can be any religion, and it's like great, you say you're
a Christian, but if you think about it, it's all because, you
know, there is good and evil. There is God and the devil. And
Jesus is the savior of the world and just like His own people put
Him to death and didn't believe in Him then, there are still
people that don't believe in Jesus now. And so, you know, if
Jesus was persecuted and we're persecuted, hey, you know, can't
be persecuted for a better guy than your savior, you know. So
he wanted to just encourage those in that time to remember
the hope that they have in Jesus, to remember that Christ
suffered for them and to never forget His Word because that'll
take you through everything. Everyone needs hope. And every
Christian has hope. We all have hope because of Jesus. Our hope
lies in Jesus and what He did on the cross. And it amazes me that
no matter what we go through, we know that our hope rest in
Jesus. It teaches us how to become more like Jesus. His Word
does and not only how to become more like Jesus, but it teaches
us how to be a better wife, husband, father, a better
friend. It teaches us how to be a better ministry leader. God's
Word teaches us everything. How to raise a child and how to care
for the poor and the needy and the widows and the orphans and
the children. And, you know, If we would just keep God's Word in
our hearts and focused on that, it doesn't matter what we suffer
through, we can actually grow and thrive. So question for you
guys, Gina, you know, have there been a time or times, cause I
know it's probably not one, times in your life where you
went through a situation that just seemed hopeless and you
were suffering and there just didn't seem to be an answer.
There didn't seem to be a way out, and how did you get there?
GINA: Been there, but I think in the broader picture too, we
suffer when we hold it within ourselves, when we try to do it
ourselves, when we try to go through that situation without
the Lord. We can suffer the minute we go to Him with
whatever it is and cast those burdens onto Him for He cares
for us. All of a sudden there's that hope that starts bubbling
deep inside. And even in the Bible said, we can have a joyful
hope. But I go back to a time where again, where I was in the
NIC, NIC unit at the hospital, I was there for 56 days because my
little one, my first baby was born and they said, he's so
critical. We don't think he will make it through the night. And
so that was a suffering so deep within my soul and heart that it
was just that night was the longest night of my life. But
let me tell you, when you're in an intensive care unit for 56
days, you go into that waiting room and you see people sitting
there that are suffering like no other when it's your children
or, you know, children are sick and they might not live through
the night. Well, I went into the intensive care unit and I saw a
woman sitting over in the dark kind of by a staircase. Before I
know it, I went right over to her because I recognized the
look in her eyes because I had felt that when I first arrived
there at that hospital. And I got down on my knees in front of
her and I said, she didn't even have shoes on, and she was just
disheveled. And I said, how can I help you? Because She was all
alone. And I said, she says, I just- my son was hit by a car
last night and I just- I don't know if he's going to make it.
Right now I don't know if he's going to make it. I said, can I
pray for you? She said, no. She said, look what God has done to
me. My son's in the hospital. My life's a mess. Look what God has
done. She said, no, you can't pray for me. And I said, okay. I
said, if you need anything, I'm here. But before I go, let me
tell you, you are blaming the wrong person. The devil has come
to steal, kill, and destroy. And God, Jesus has come to give us
life and give it more abundantly. And I said, I just
want you to remember that. So as I got up and I had a big sweater
on, all of a sudden I felt the back of my sweater just be
pulled. And I turned around and she big tears in her eyes. She
said, okay, please pray for me. And We prayed in that moment,
and I'm telling you, the desperation, the suffering was
turned right around. The Holy Spirit, met both of us right
where we are, met her right where she was, and we begin to
pray and give it over to the Lord. And that's just how God
works, you know, in any situation that we're in. And you
mentioned it, sometimes we're in suffering and we think we don't
want to say it because maybe your suffering is worse than
mine or this, that or the other thing. And no, there is no
comparison. If you're hurting, you're hurting. Go to Jesus.
JOE: Yeah, cause He knows how to care for us. He does. His Word
says that and love. What does it mean to have God's word and
promises, and how does that give you hope when things seem
hopeless in your life?
KRIS: Well, yeah. So just kind of piggybacking off of your
story, I feel like I was that woman in the hospital who was so
desperate when I was going through really probably one of
the most difficult, challenging, painful times in my life. I lost
all hope. I mean, I was a believer. I never wavered in my
faith in Jesus. I knew I was born again. I knew I was going
to heaven, but I just felt completely hopeless and like God
hadn't shown up for me. And I kept praying and praying and
praying, and I kept getting no answers. I'm like, what is
happening? And I got in my car one Sunday afternoon and I
hadn't had my cell phone on all day. Cause I just didn't want to
talk to anybody, didn't want to hear anything. But I turned my
cell phone on and I got a text alert, and it was from someone I
had not heard from, a friend of mine, but I had not heard from
her in a couple of years. So she had no idea what I had been
going through for the past three years. I get this text alert and
I read it, and she sent me a scripture from Exodus that
literally, I mean you talk about God's Word giving us hope. This
breathed life into my situation. It was Exodus 14, verses 13
through 14. I just want to read it really quick. And it was
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you
today". That was so key. And then it goes on to say in verse
14, "The Lord will fight for you. You shall hold your peace".
GINA: Oh, that's beautiful.
KRIS: And when I read that and the text came through, what was
so amazing too is that the text came through at 4:32 AM that
morning, and this was in the afternoon when I had seen it,
and I thought, wow, God, you care so much about me that you
woke somebody up at four in the morning to send that text to me,
just to give me hope, to let me know that you're on my side,
you're fighting for me. I don't need to do the work. I don't
need to fix it. You will. And literally, I'm telling you, it's
not an exaggeration. Anyway, that day was the day that
situation turned around.
GINA: God's so good.
KRIS: And it was His Word. He used His word to literally
breathe hope into me and into my situation. And God was faithful.
And so GINA: that's beautiful.
JOE:That's amazing. KRIS: Yeah.
JOE: If you're suffering today or you've just gone through
something or you're in the middle of it or you're just
starting it, or maybe you've already gone through it, just
know this God is with you. He is faithful. Stay tuned. We'll be
right back.
ANNOUNCER: It's that time of year as school bells ring across
the nation with kids of all ages, ready to go back to
school. Wearing brand new clothes, tennis shoes,
backpacks, a fresh haircut and smiles from ear to ear. However,
consider the contrast with the kids in those communities
affected by poverty that have no other options, no choices, but
to wear the hand-me-downs, the torn clothes, the shoes that are
too small or too big and dirty, or cradling, a paper bag used to
carry their school supplies. Fred Jordan Missions looks to
change that for kids headed back to school once again this year
at the annual Back to School Extravaganza. It's truly a party
on Skid Row, and we need your help to throw it. As FJM gives
hundreds of brand new shoes from the Foot Locker, fresh, clean,
new clothes, new backpacks, and new school supplies, and yes,
even haircuts to the kids of Skid Row and the surrounding
areas. We love the huge smiles and big hugs and even the tears
of joy as precious kids pick out new shiny shoes, stock up on
needed school supplies and even select a brand new backpack. We
invite you to be a part of this party and support this event
with the financial gift. Great or small, your best gift will
make a difference in the life of a child heading back to school.
To give safe and secure online, go to FJM.org or send a check to
FJM Box 12345, Covina, California 91722. Do it now
while it's on your heart. All gifts, no matter what the size
are so needed and greatly appreciated.
JOE: Well, welcome back. We've been talking about surviving
suffering, but not just surviving because when you have
God on your side, it's not just I'm going to survive through it,
but God has so much more that He wants to teach us. And sometimes
we rush with that. Like how can we grow through suffering? But
you can. God's Word talks about it, but I just want you to know
that we're not here to say that you become a Christian and
there's no more suffering. That's not true, and that's not
worth saying. We're not saying you're exempt from suffering if
you know Jesus. The truth is, is that many times knowing Jesus
brings more suffering, Jesus suffered the most. But you look
at other people's lives like Moses, Elijah, Job, Paul, the
disciples and Jesus, they suffered greatly. Look at job,
job's, life. If you want go to the Book of Job, we don't have
time because it's a big story. But Job, he lost everything. He
lost his family. He lost all of his animals, his herds. He lost
pretty much his health and everything else. And yet in the
end, God blessed him and he grew through that. You know, Jesus
said this in John 16:33, in this world, you will have
tribulation. And what that means there in that word is a cause or
a state of great trouble or suffering. Job 14:1 says this,
Man who is born a woman is of a few days and full of trouble.
It's very clear from God's Word we're all going to have trouble
and everyone's going to struggle with some kind of suffering. And
many of us run from suffering. Many of us hate suffering. We
all probably hate suffering. But it's scary, you know, to have to
go through things, but listen to this because suffering doesn't
have to be wasted because the Word of God says that suffering
produces endurance, endurance character and character hope.
Romans 5:3 says, Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings
knowing that our suffering produces endurance. Endurance
produces character and character hope. So if we just go through
these situations trusting in God, looking into God and asking
Him to teach us and grow us through it, we endure. We never
give up. God will shape our character and make us more like
Jesus because that's our heart and goal. Paul said it to know
Him, to love Him, to be more like Him. So in our suffering,
let's not waste it, but let's ask God to help us to grow
through it, to be more like Him, to endure and not give up, which
will give us so much hope. So girls, here's a question for
you, Gina. As you look back, a time in your life suffering
trouble, tribulation, how did it affect your character, your
faith, and your dependence on Jesus?
GINA: Well, I always go back to my thoughts, you know. If I am
dwelling on that situation before me and I'm just looking
at everything that's happening, all the bad, all the bad, all
the bad. And it's not like I'm not seeing the reality, but
again, once again, depending on myself, but the minute I go to
God's promises, I mean what is a promise? A promise is a word I
make to you. I keep my word and I see it through. This will
happen. And God gives us promises in the Bible, you know.
And so to know those promises, to cling to them is what just
changes the mindset in a situation to where that hope
then becomes where that situation that you're looking at
or that you're in, you're feeling hopeless. You find that
hope, but it's God's Word, like you were saying earlier, going
to God's Word, knowing God's Word, that you can cling to it,
speak it out loud. Share your situation with someone who, you
know, loves the Lord, strong in the faith that then can
encourage you be an encouragement to one another.
You know, so yes, when I feel like maybe I'm getting depressed
and down and everything and always thought what I'm dwelling
on, you know, and always going to God's Word changes the
situation like that. So I guess that would be my word of
encouragement today. Go to the Bible, go look up God's promises
to you, claim 'em, stand on 'em and speak 'em
over your situation
JOE: For sure, because God's promises are real. They never
fail. He never fails us. He never will fail us.
GINA: He brings us hope. JOE: He does.
GINA: And I love that the hope that He gives us, it's even in
the Bible it says, a joyful hope. So let the joy of the Lord
be your strength, and it's just- you know, you don't understand
the peace that passes all understanding with God, but His
ways are higher than our ways.
JOE: Absolutely. How's it affected your character and
faith or dependence on Him?
KRIS: So you were talking earlier about how God uses our
suffering, you know, and going back even to one of my favorite
scriptures, Romans 8:28, all things work together for good,
and you know, that suffering produces perseverance and
character and hope and all that. And I think back to a time in my
life where, you know, I was really, really going through it
and had lost all hope. I mean, I just- I was in a bad place, but
what I learned through that situation was God was showing me
because I had gotten to a place, and it's sad to say, it's sad to
admit this, but I gotten to a place where I really didn't
believe that God could even do anything to fix the situation.
And that's pretty bad place to be. You know talk about losing
all hope when the God of the universe, you think, you know
what? God, this is too big for you to even intervene and fix.
And so one day I was just going through my Bible, just trying to
find something that could speak life and encouragement to me.
And I stumbled upon Mark chapter 9, where the father of the demon
possessed boy is like desperate because this demon is trying to
kill his son. And eventually the father runs into Jesus. And he's
like- he was so desperate. He's like, Lord, if there's anything
you can do, you know, help us. And so Jesus says to him, if you
can believe all things are possible for him, who believes
and he's like, Lord, I believe but help my unbelief. And I read
that and I immediately, I just started bawling like a baby
because God was showing me, you know what? I had lost complete
faith. I wasn't believing I needed to trust God and I really
needed to surrender the situation to Him. And so anyway,
kind of getting back to what I started out with is God used
that situation to just reveal my weaknesses and show me where I
needed to put my trust and my faith in Him instead of trying
to fix it on my own or get to a place of desperation and say,
God, even you can't fix it. And so His Word, it just breathes
life into us, especially when we're in those really dark times
or desperate times,
GINA: Just calling out to Him. Sometimes He just wants us to
call out to Him you know, and just acknowledge, and I love
that. Help me in my unbelief. We've all been there at some
point you know, but that's encouraging.
JOE: Yeah And if you're there today and you just don't
believe, maybe you're a believer, you love Jesus, you've
given Him your life, maybe you don't even know Jesus. All you
have to do is believe and receive Jesus. All you have to
do is acknowledge you're a sinner and you need a savior.
The Bible says you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,
and you believe in your heart that God raised them from the
dead. You can be saved. Just say, Jesus, forgive me. Come
into my heart. Come into my life and be my Lord and Savior, and
He will. And if you know Him already, just say, God, I need
you. Help me in my unbelief. Remember, He's the author, the
perfecter and the finisher of your faith. Trust in Him to go
through every inch of suffering in your life and become more
like Jesus. He will do that. His promises are sure and certain.
ANNOUNCER: If you ever visit the streets of Skid Row in Los
Angeles, you will see ragged tents compromised EZ ups, which
is someone's home. If you walk down the streets of Skid Row,
you'll pass dirty blankets or old newspapers lying on top of
broken wooden pallets, which is someone's bed. If you come to
the corner of 5th and Towne, you will see people lined up to
join team Jesus for a hot meal in our dining room or a time of
song and worship in our chapel. What you also see at Fred Jordan
Mission is smiles and hugs and hear wonderful stories of love
and care. Serving those on Skid Row for 80 years, feeding
millions of meals, caring for the saint and the sinner by
declaring the goodness of God through love and action. Please
continue to give right now while it's fresh on your heart, pick
up your phone or your tablet, go to your computer and type
FJM.org. It is there you can give a generous gift to help us
continue what we have been doing for 80 years.
JOE: Just remember that we do what we do because of friends
like you. It's so true. We need you and more today than ever.
This world is kind of falling apart right in front of us, but
with Jesus and sharing His hope and His love, all of those who
suffer on Skid Row and beyond. And you at home can continue
hearing God's Word and being encouraged by God's Word, by
standing with Fred Jordan Missions, stand with us today.
Send your best gift, be a part, pray for us, and we will
continue to declare and demonstrate the love of Jesus.
ANNOUNCER: FJM Mission has been giving hope to those on Skid Row
for over 80 years, and we need your help to continue declaring
and demonstrating the love of God. Donate right now online at
FJM.org. Or if a stamp and snail mail is more your style, then
please send your check to FJM 12345, Covina, California 91722.
Thank you.
FEMALE: (Singing) Reach for hope.
ANNOUNCER: Please will you join us in feeding hungry children
and their families by phoning today, 844-FJM-FOOD or donating
online FJM.org. That's FJM.org or mail your check to Fred
Jordan Mission, PO Box 12345, Covina, California 91722. Please
will you help?
FEMALE: (singing) Reach for hope.
ANNOUNCER: The proceeding program was sponsored by
generous friends and partners of Fred Jordan Missions.