GOT REGRETS You Want to Change? God Disagrees! | Dr. Gene Kim

Summary

In a compelling sermon, Dr. Gene Kim delves into the intersection of regret, sin, and the divine plan, using Romans 8:28 as a foundation. He proposes that regrets and mishaps aren't necessarily for changing, as God uses these to mold and refine individuals into their best selves. Rather than seeking a life free of errors, believers are encouraged to see their struggles and sins as integral parts of their spiritual journey, capable of being transformed for greater glory and purpose.

Highlights

• Romans 8:28 emphasizes how all things, including mistakes, work for good for those who love God. 📖
• Even given a chance to restart life, human nature would probably find a way to mess up again. 🙃
• Jesus' sacrifice on the cross wipes your slate clean, covering your sins and mistakes. ✝️
• Suffering through temptations and struggles is a process for attaining spiritual strength. 🔥
• God allows human flaws to help us grow through them, not by erasing them. 🌀

Key Takeaways

• Regrets aren't useless—God uses them to mold you into a better version of yourself. 🌿
• Even if you had a chance, would changing your past really lead to a better outcome? 🤔
• God equips us with spiritual tools to combat our flawed human nature. 🛠️
• Adversity and mistakes are stepping stones to spiritual growth and betterment. 🌱
• Your past mistakes could become your strongest assets in helping others. 🤝

Overview

In his sermon, Dr. Gene Kim encourages believers to embrace their past mistakes as elements of growth rather than signs of failure. Highlighting Romans 8:28, he reassures listeners that everything, even sins and regrets, can work together for good in a believer's life. Instead of lamenting past mistakes, the focus should be on learning and growing from them.

Dr. Kim uses biblical references such as Romans 7 and 1 Peter 1 to illustrate how God uses life's inherent challenges and our fleshy nature to lead us toward spiritual maturity. He reminds listeners that while God's forgiveness cleans the slate, the journey to holiness involves grappling with human flaws.

Conclusively, he says that life's trials function like refining fire, crucial for developing the strongest character virtues. The struggles you're avoiding might be exactly what you need to become your best self. With poignant examples, he highlights that what feels like a disadvantage can actually equip you to minister to others more effectively, turning individual weaknesses into collective strengths.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Romans 8:28 The chapter focuses on the biblical verse Romans 8:28, which promises that all things work together for good. However, it points out that many people do not fully embrace or claim this promise in their lives. The chapter encourages readers to reflect deeply on this verse and its implications.
• 00:30 - 02:00: Hypothetical Scenario with God The chapter explores a hypothetical scenario where God is present in the room, offering unlimited chances, options, and wishes to change one's life. It suggests that both the narrator and the audience would choose to correct past mistakes and decisions, particularly those that have hurt others, or were unwise. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their actions and consider the idea of redeeming themselves from their committed sins. Overall, the chapter provokes introspection on life choices and the desire for redemption.
• 02:00 - 03:30: Human Nature and Sin Struggle The chapter discusses the nature of humans in the context of sin and God's forgiveness. It questions why God doesn't simply eliminate sin to give humans a clean slate. Instead, God continually restores mankind despite their innate rebelliousness. The persistent nature of human rebellion is highlighted as a core theme.
• 03:30 - 05:00: Jesus' Sacrifice and Clean Slate In this chapter, the focus is on the inherent human flaws and the continuous tendency to sin despite God's chances. Drawing from Romans Chapter 7, it highlights the idea that humans are innately wicked and struggle to adhere to spiritual laws. The concept of spiritual versus fleshly nature is emphasized, illustrating the perpetual conflict between human desires and spiritual obedience.
• 05:00 - 06:30: Spirit vs. Flesh Struggle This chapter explores the inner conflict between the spirit and the flesh. The speaker acknowledges the struggle they face, admitting that they often fail to do what they want and end up doing what they hate. They recognize that this struggle is part of their human condition, influenced by sin that resides within them. The struggle is not about the absence of will, but about the challenge of translating good intentions into virtuous actions. This chapter reflects on the inherent battle between wanting to do good and actually doing it, emphasizing that while the speaker agrees that the law is good, they find themselves unable to fulfill its demands due to the sinful nature of the flesh.
• 06:30 - 08:00: God's Best Plan The chapter "God's Best Plan" delves into the internal conflict between good and evil within humans, illustrating this through Apostle Paul's struggles. It highlights the innate wickedness within human flesh contrasted with a desire to pursue goodness, creating an ongoing battle. The narrative suggests this internal conflict is why God does not choose to restart or abandon humanity, as it underscores the complexity and significance of divine plans and human nature.
• 08:00 - 09:30: Suffering and Faith Trials The chapter explores the theme of suffering and faith trials, using the example of mistakes and forgiveness. It discusses how despite one's failures, God's capacity to forgive is infinite. The focus is on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His sinless life, and His crucifixion for humanity's sins out of love. This act of love and sacrifice is presented as a means of absolution from all conceivable mistakes.
• 09:30 - 11:00: Suffering as Growth The chapter titled 'Suffering as Growth' discusses the concept of personal growth through acknowledging and rectifying one's sins and character faults. It highlights the importance of improving bad habits and learning from failures. The overarching message is infused with a religious perspective where the Lord Jesus Christ offers a 'clean slate,' symbolizing redemption and forgiveness, allowing individuals to move forward from past mistakes fully.] }
• 11:00 - 12:30: Sin Struggles and God's Plan The chapter discusses the concept of sins being covered under the blood, a metaphor that signifies God no longer seeing one's sins. It addresses the struggle individuals face in applying this notion to their daily lives, aiming for a state where they no longer commit sins.
• 12:30 - 14:00: Using Past Mistakes for Good The chapter "Using Past Mistakes for Good" delves into an introspective journey, acknowledging personal faults and sins. It challenges the reluctance to confront one's own errors, addressing the notion that while our physical being remembers these wrongdoings, divine spirituality chooses to forgive and cover them. The chapter stresses that despite being encased in fallible flesh, a spirit resides within, guiding individuals towards positive transformation. This spiritual component provides hope and a means for personal growth, suggesting that past mistakes can be leveraged for a greater good and spiritual development.
• 14:00 - 15:30: Challenges and Personal Testimony In the chapter titled 'Challenges and Personal Testimony,' the speaker discusses the struggle individuals face in moving away from worldly music to embrace spiritually uplifting Christian music. This transition is seen as a way to overcome innate fleshly desires. Spiritual music serves as a divine tool to clear away earthly inclinations. The speaker reflects on why certain struggles are persistent and concludes that as long as one is alive, these challenges remain a permanent part of human existence.
• 15:30 - 17:00: Perseverance and Self-worth The chapter "Perseverance and Self-worth" explores themes of faith, redemption, and the understanding of God's intentions. It reflects on the biblical verse Romans 8:28, contemplating the human desire for a perfect life and God's omniscient perspective. The discussion emphasizes the spiritual journey of overcoming inherent wickedness through divine grace and continuous opportunities for spiritual growth, provided by God, while recognizing the persistent nature of evil.
• 17:00 - 18:30: Conclusion and Prayer The chapter discusses the notion that God can find good even in wicked things. It emphasizes the beauty found in life and references a passage from First Peter, chapter 1, verse 7, to underline the message.

GOT REGRETS You Want to Change? God Disagrees! | Dr. Gene Kim Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 [Music] as weary Romans 8:28 it's literally that promise that all things work together for good but a lot of people they don't really take that verse to heart and claim it a question that I would like to ask to you to really think about is that
• 00:30 - 01:00 if God was right here in this room and then he gave you as many chances and many options and wishes on things that you could change in your life I'm sure you and I would pick up every mistake that we've done everything that we've done that hurt other people everything that we've done was a dumb decision and we want to change the decision and we could have had a better life most importantly I'm sure a lot of us would pick out the sins we committed so that
• 01:00 - 01:30 we could change them now the question is this is that why wouldn't God ever do that God just lets life continue as it is when he prefer a life wouldn't God prefer a person who had a clean slate a life without sin well the thing is this is that God he keeps restoring mankind over and over again but one thing you got to keep in mind is mankind no matter how many chances they get from god they're still innately rebellious that's
• 01:30 - 02:00 a fleshy thing fleshly thing look at the book of Romans chapter 7 Romans chapter 7 this is something innate within us and no matter how many times God gives us chances we still mess up why because we are very very wicked notice right here that in Romans chapter 7 and verse 14 before we know that the law is spiritual
• 02:00 - 02:30 but I am carnal sold under sin for that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do i if then I do that which I would not I consent unto the law that it is good now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good not for the good that I would I do not
• 02:30 - 03:00 but the evil which I would not that I do so knows right here no matter how much Paul tries to live a clean light a spiritual life the problem is is that innately within his flesh it's wicked over here however there's something that is good that wants it but there's this conflict that goes between good and evil all the time so that's the reason why God doesn't start all over again because he
• 03:00 - 03:30 knows how many chances that he can give that you would still mess up now think about this what did God do what did God do is that he had his beloved son who committed no sin at all to die on the cross of Calvary and because the Lord Jesus Christ loved you enough to shed his precious blood on the cross of Calvary what it did with all the things that you can think about mistakes right
• 03:30 - 04:00 the sins you committed the faults in your character that you need to improve the bad habits and our failures that we wish that we could have done better what the Lord Jesus Christ did with all these things is that he gave us a clean slate so it's covered under the blood because
• 04:00 - 04:30 it's covered under the blood god no longer sees it now because it's covered under the blood and God no longer sees it sometimes we wonder this is that you know I wish that I wish that this can apply with my everyday life right now where I don't have to commit sin anymore that's the idea not just that my sins are covered under the blood and God doesn't see my sin but
• 04:30 - 05:00 me myself I don't want to look at my own sins I don't want to look at my faults I mean our flesh remembers the things that we've done so why wouldn't God do it that way right sometimes we wonder about that well it's because even though he covered under the blood you're still born and locked up in this flesh that's the thing so what he provided was the spirit within you where it can seek for good so that's great at least I got something spiritual in my life where it
• 05:00 - 05:30 can combat the fleshy desire so a lot of people have trouble giving up the worldly music but then getting into something spiritual like good godly Christian music has helped clear away that innate fleshy thing so God provided us that one too but hey I wish it was just this you know why is this here you know why because it's permanently edged as long as you live in this this cannot be undone now think about this
• 05:30 - 06:00 the Lord says the best right at Romans 8:28 best best I wish you was best that this did not exist at all you know that's what we think as our best but God knows this is that even if he covers under the blood provides you a spiritual nature gives you a chance over and over again what this thing will always be wicked at best so this is wicked at best
• 06:00 - 06:30 so God has to think something of best that can use this wicked thing at best one of the most beautiful things in life is this let's look at first Peter chapter 1 first Peter chapter 1 let's look at chapter 1 and then verse 7 chapter 1
• 06:30 - 07:00 verse 7 and then I want your other hand not only to go to first Peter chapter 1 verse 7 but Romans 5 Romans 5 there is something the Lord provided that helps you a lot with this in a fleshy fleshly thing no one is proud of the wicked things they did in life whether it be selling drugs whether it be sexual sins and etc but there is
• 07:00 - 07:30 something that we really don't understand something that we don't understand is that sometimes these in a sinful things the Lord can turn them into something that would be best in your life now let's look at first Peter chapter 1 verse 6 where any
• 07:30 - 08:00 greatly rejoice though now for a season if need be ER and heaviness through what manifold temptations I mean this is hard man sometimes no matter how hard you pray about Lord curing me of this drug addiction it just don't go away like that it's not like the blood of Jesus magically or the spiritual nature magically just entirely eliminates it if someone teaching you that like these dumb Calvinists and they're just full of the devil themselves to get to that
• 08:00 - 08:30 spiritual level takes a long process of time it's not something that happens automatically like that no matter how deep or sincere your repentance is so you got to understand this is that why would wouldn't God do that like just automatically kind of switch like that because we fail to understand we are in the flesh and God knows that with this flesh that it is sinful at best so he has to do it this way with this manifold temptations it can be done for your
• 08:30 - 09:00 betterment that the trial your faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes though it be tried with fire see that it needs to go through suffering might be found unto what praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ you see what God does what he does with your sinful life is now listen up you on liners are desperate I know that you want to be free from the addictions people in here too you're struggling with something
• 09:00 - 09:30 spiritually in your life but you've got to understand which your pastor mentioned several times but it's like we don't really get it is that that's why this sufferer is necessary what does that mean that means struggling back and forth that means overcoming mistake after mistake after mistake that means making failure
• 09:30 - 10:00 after tons of failures and learning from failures it's this suffering that starts to clean off from what was black to what is red and suffering and then eventually to something blue which is spiritual and that's God's best in your life alright so your pastor showing right here that what was sinful at first it goes through
• 10:00 - 10:30 the suffering process which is what you guys are avoiding because of what because of these other sins that you're not paying attention to guilt shame and to be quite honest it is pride at best so because of this these specific sins discouragement how many of you are
• 10:30 - 11:00 discouraged with your struggles how many of you are depressed with failing God again how many of you are hurt that you've hurt other people with this now this is something you need to get through your head is that these are the specific sins Satan is using more than these that you're struggling with Satan is using more of this because you're at
• 11:00 - 11:30 this face not this face so you know what your problem is so let me explain it more see you think that when you're struggling with your sin issues and trying to improve things for the Lord you think that your problem is right here at this face no that's not what's going on if you have that spiritual nature it's at a conflict stage you're not stuck at this day you're at this transition conflict stage with spirit and flesh this transition conflict stage is right here suffering
• 11:30 - 12:00 you know I'm right you know I'm right about this any person I I daresay every single person who is a se believer knows this conflict exists of yeah you don't want to mess up and sin but yeah wants to fall in sin and then that conflict is what creates these it is during this conflict Satan puts that within the conflict here guilt shame depression
• 12:00 - 12:30 discouragement so when Satan puts these things in your mind that's when what happens you go back to here when you're in here this is not where you mess up I failed again pastor I know you fell back here but you just need to go through here again I made a mistake again pastor I know that I wish
• 12:30 - 13:00 God can get rid of it so that I can live perfectly I know that but guess what this as long as you're in here this is innate so what's the best for you the best for you this is something you could that you can't think about but this is something even lost people will say even lost people who struggle with addictions who go through AAA programs or therapy etc a lot of them will say this those who commit who are felons criminals and etc will say to the people all the
• 13:00 - 13:30 things that I did in my life I would not change even one of them why because they say this because they're right here I would not be able to help out thousands or to develop the talents or minister other people had it not been those what mistakes that I committed in my life those sins that I committed in my life
• 13:30 - 14:00 you know that you know what people a hurting world needs a hurting world broken people need broken people like you not a full person you know what Jesus says they that are whole need not a physician but they they are sick I cannot you know who Jesus did not call Jesus did not call people who already here I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and
• 14:00 - 14:30 he will take broken people like you through this so that you can come out the best you got to realize this where you are today with your skills and talents could be because of the defects that you found in your character at the beginning the engine or the human therapy or a Trent vocational transition works where they help criminals and people who are felons in prison etc
• 14:30 - 15:00 juvenile detention centers they try to find a skill that they're good at and you know what they think about the skills that they were back in these days and what can we do to change these unhealthy skills to something healthy the things that you thought that were sinful in your life what were they that can be used this now you used to be a rock singer right can't you not transform that voice to sing for the Lord Jesus Christ at church you used to
• 15:00 - 15:30 be a liberal activist very good at very good at boldly holding signs and passing your materials transform that into being a street preacher for the Lord a lot of people don't understand I was a homosexual and I struggle with homosexuality I was in these dark sins what can that be used for the good for the good of the Lord use that to other people to thousands and I'm talking about thousands out there who are struggling with it and no matter how
• 15:30 - 16:00 hard the pastor preaches a sermon it does not meet their specific problems more than a person who went through that same sinful struggle so you know what's the blessing in your life is this is that if God were to give you something where you can change things in your life obviously you and I would want to get rid of all the sins that we had in our life none of us want to live in sin or displease our Lord but to be quite honest that was not God's plan in your life his plan was broken
• 16:00 - 16:30 sinful things that you messed up in and let's transform that how you can use it for my glory so for those of you are struggling out there yeah I know you messed up in sin yeah I know that you failed again but it's not right it's not it's not from learning the failures it's not from overcoming the mistakes it's not from struggling that you're a loser it's a loser when you stay right here
• 16:30 - 17:00 what do you do you're going through a natural natural natural human process that everyone is going through and don't let see you're looking at the wrong sins it's not these it's these that Satan's using on you during this time and don't look at don't look at only here see that's the problem with you you're all looking at only here the best being oh I
• 17:00 - 17:30 want to be like Pastor Jean Kim teaching the Bible oh I want to be like him where he's able to preach hard against sin oh I want to be like him where he's full with knowledge of the scripture or I want to be see you're only looking at the best you know what Jean Kim went through he went through a lot right here and these things came from right here Jean cam all he is is just like you he sinners saved by grace and because of
• 17:30 - 18:00 that the Lord put me through here which put me right here I always a little disclosure of myself that can help people online there were some sins that I struggled with and there were character defects that I had and because of these things your pastor always felt incompatible isn't that amazing your pastor felt incompatible he felt unworthy and he also felt like that there's he can't even function in normal society isn't
• 18:00 - 18:30 hard to believe your pastor strongly believed that he's not even able to function in a normal working place normal kind of life I was incredibly slow I was dumb I know that's hard to believe yeah I'm dumb okay that's how I thought of myself as I made too many mistakes even while pastoring I made mistakes that hurt some people so your pastor what did he do during that whole time not only that there were other people and even preachers who thought I was not
• 18:30 - 19:00 qualified to preach and I knew that the whole world was watching me and especially since I'm online they're watching me even more now and now I'm stuck in a one of the worst liberal areas in the world and imagine the immensity of pressure that's on me god I don't know how to pay the bills I don't know how to take care of these people you know what a lot of Christians would do at this point they would walk away
• 19:00 - 19:30 they would quit the ministry they would think that they're definitely not qualified is that you is there a new challenge you're going through in your job with your family maybe the church needs you to do something and it raised you to the next spiritual level you feel unworthy incompatible if you stay down here in unworthiness incompatibility
• 19:30 - 20:00 guess what you will stay down here and you are sinful it's not wrong to be in here and guess what this is how you become the best how gene Kim became the best was all the way back here his failures his mistakes his sins his bad habits and his faults and the Lord found certain character defects where he used that slow mindedness to become more deeper into the Bible where his
• 20:00 - 20:30 character defects of not being able to communicate well with people he tricked because he was thinking five different interpretations and didn't know common sense the Lord's formed it to counsel difficult people and you see how the Lord can do the Lord uses defects even sins for a reason for a reason it's to make you the best now see Calvinists they got it wrong they think that God deliberately planned out Adams fall make
• 20:30 - 21:00 force that to happen so that it can make Redemption better that is totally wicked and false because man has free choice in there but there is something there's something true about that if you put freewill in there if you put freewill in there where God knows that man because he's going to mess up with Adam I have a great plan I'm gonna make Redemption even greater and better that for thousands of years people will die for not my name because they know how much I
• 21:00 - 21:30 loved and died for them where there's going to come a day where people will run around the aisles and stop tears of joy when they sing I'm just a sinner say bye grace so this is the beauty of God don't hate yourself please know that this is the Pearl that God gave up everything just like that parable of the rich man where he gave up everything because he thinks
• 21:30 - 22:00 that you are that special and precious to him if you don't guess what if you're not gonna even give up everything just to see yourself that valuable as a pearl God already did even if you don't it's now your choice to believe it by faith and make that pearl valuable to the eyes of God if I didn't think that way how could I have ministered to you Heavenly
• 22:00 - 22:30 Father I pray that tonight's teachings were a blessing to the hearers helped us so many are discouraged and hurt by sin struggles give us victory Lord encourage us help us to realize hey these faults and these these dropouts that I went through can be used even more to magnify the glory of God not to weaken my faith and I pray Heavenly Father that we'll just stand strong and draw even closer to you in Jesus name we pray amen
• 22:30 - 23:00 you