This morning I have
with me three students
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from Weimar
College in California
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and they're going to
tell us about an exciting
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out of classroom
learning experience
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that they had recently.
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Why don't you
tell us who you are?
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My name is Nick Knecht
and I'm from Tennessee.
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I'm Ariel Hempel
and I'm from Arkansas.
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I'm Madeline Cardona,
and I'm from New Portland.
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So I understand that you
recently went on a mission trip.
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Is this something that's part
of the curriculum at Weimar?
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You know, what actually is,
Weimar just recently implemented
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what they call "PAC Times."
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And it stands for a Practical,
Application and Component
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and I think it's a phenomenal
step in the right direction
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because I believe in general
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our education system
is very heavily mental.
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You know our body
just serves the place
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to get our
heads you know around.
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Well, Weimar, its "PAC Times"
helps to balance that equation
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out of the a little bit
and give us hands on experience
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in the field with what've
been learning in the classroom.
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So recently went to Zimbabwe.
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Do you want to tell us a little
bit about that experience?
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Actually, we were
Zimbabwe for about two weeks.
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And while we were there we
held a number of health expos,
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explained to the
people there the importance
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of a new start lifestyle
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going through the
different principles with them.
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We also held the week of
prayer an evangelistic series
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in one of the local churches
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and we had the big blessing
and privilege of working
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with a number of orphan
ministries there as well.
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And I understand you
brought a video to show
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to share a little bit
about your experience there.
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Yes, one of the highlights
of our trip was a health expo
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we did in a rural village.
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And today you'll
have a opportunity
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to see a glimpse
of that experience.
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We drove about
two-and-half hours
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out into the middle of nowhere
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to do a health
expo for villagers.
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So we end up in a riverbed
in deep sand with a bus.
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It didn't get start so we drive
in a process like riverbed roads
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to finally get to this place.
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To arrive and to see so
many people that we got enough
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really, really early
and had traveled hours
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to be able to be there.
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There's mother's
feeding their babies,
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old people, young men.
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Very eager to see us.
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And they're so grateful
and so thankful and accepting.
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And the thing that
struck me when I stood there
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is what are
these amongst so many.
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We have got a group of students
and they're as like 200 people
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all looking at us
waiting expectedly.
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And then we sang to
them. We just won their hearts.
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Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!
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Amen. Amen.
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We had about a
150 to 200 villagers
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that we had to move through
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within an
hour-and-half period of time.
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And we were
flying absolutely flying.
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They were about three or
four of us giving massages.
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Here I'm marine biologist
in a hand locked country
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and I started doing massages.
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I mean way
outside my comfort zone.
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But hey, it had to be done.
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You just can't stand around
with everybody else doing it.
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Yeah, I don't thing anybody
is really had massages before.
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We got the--chief was
giving a bit of explanation--
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before we got going here.
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And he was saying yeah,
it's a--it's not any witchcraft
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so don't worry.
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Oh, man but yeah,
this is interesting.
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The guys were doing
the blood pressures,
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as fast as they could.
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The girls were doing glucose.
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We were working
faster than I think
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I'd ever seen them work before.
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Sugars levels are really low.
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It's like I can tell
most of them have been eating
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since the morning
basically and it's already 2:30.
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And some of them ate at 8:00,
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some at 9:00 so their
sugar levels are 48-50.
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It's really low.
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There was one thing that I
noticed in particular that,
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you know usually when
you're asking somebody
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they've about really
high or really low glucose
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you ask them you know.
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When is the last
time you've eaten
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and normally people
will respond like "breakfast"
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or you know "I just had lunch"
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or "I just had
some tea and a snack."
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And some of the people
would respond oh I'm in today.
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So it was really interesting
that their perspective
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was different not
by meals but by days.
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The goal to
take-- all glucose done
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so then the three of
us can get on message.
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Four of us.
Seventy six. Seventy six.
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Seventy six, thank
you. It was intense.
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When we are done we
were all very tired.
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But it was really
cool because we knew
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that we've done something good.
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And that's why we did it.
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Now most people
they go on a mission trip
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they go there with
the idea of impacting
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other people's
lives but they find out
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that they themselves are
the ones who were changed.
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Share with us an experience
that changed your life.
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We had so many experiences
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but if I could put
the whole experience
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into one word it would be trust.
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We learned to trust
God in every situation.
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When we lost our luggage--
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we weren't sure we were
going to get to the airport
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because the bus
had some problems.
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Learning to trust
Him in every situation
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and seeing His power
working was really powerful.
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Seeing young people
giving their lives to Lord,
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deciding for baptism it
was such a powerful experience.
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I think something that impacted
me the most was realizing.
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How much medical
evangelism and music ministry
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go hand in hand to take
the message to the world.
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I would like to
add that singing here
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was actually
found glory in Zimbabwe.
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And through
singing with the people
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we were able to
open their hearts
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and then share with them
the truths about the health
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and then as they
their hearts open to us,
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they then were able
to get a greater glimpse
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of the Savior that we
truly loved to so much.
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And time doesn't time
permit to really share
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what and how it really
made an impact on our lives
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but the thing that
impacted me the most
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was the sacrifice
of friends and family,
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ASI members who helped to
fund the project for myself
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and my friend to go
and make this video.
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I was part of the media crew.
So it really is a sacrifice.
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It is a blessing to us
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and it is a blessing
to more and more people.
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So when we share with others
then we ourselves are blessed.
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Amen. Thank you very much.
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I have the
privilege this morning
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of having with me David Cruz.
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And he is a
missionary in Mexico.
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And tell me David, where
is it exactly that you work
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and what is your mission?
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They are working in a
state of Chihuahua in Mexico
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and that's in Northern Mexico.
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And then go ahead. And
what is your mission there?
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They're there they use to,
to preach to Tarahumara Indians
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and to spread the
gospel in that area of Mexico.
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And David what did you do
before you took up that mission?
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And before they were--
he was working in the Pemex,
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which is a largest
petroleum company in Mexico.
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And where did you get
your training to do this?
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Are you a pastor? Are
you trained as a pastor?
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I'm lay worker too and one
time one day the Lord called me
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and gave me the
opportunity of going to
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Eden Valley Institute
to be trained to do this.
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Now, I assume
you're not receiving
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a salary from the conference.
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Is that correct?
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We're not receiving a
salary from the conference.
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So what is it you do David,
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to make a living
there as you're preaching?
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They have a
stipend from Eden Valley
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and also they
have a bakery there
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that they have to produce
goods to sell to the people.
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And I'm not sure they
have-- we have a couple slides
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that can be put up at this time.
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Just showing generally
what the place is like.
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What the people are like there
and the area where he works.
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And so last year
you received some help
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from ASI for some projects
tell us what were the projects.
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Thanks to God and to you folks
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we received finances from
ASI to construct two churches.
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One is completed and
the other one is underway
00:10:18.65\00:10:22.30
and under the completion.
00:10:22.33\00:10:24.00
Here are some pictures
of the construction project
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we are just
flashed on the screen.
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And there was one other
project I believe you told me
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that this was to pay
for also a lay worker.
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And so they're
paying for a Bible worker
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to work in a church it's about
an-hour from they live in Creel.
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And so that is helping
them to further the work there.
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And how long have you
worked there among the Indians.
00:11:01.22\00:11:05.15
Okay, we were there 19 years.
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When we got there we did not--
00:11:14.94\00:11:16.16
there were not any
members that all of our church.
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How many church members
do we have now there, David?
00:11:18.57\00:11:20.73
Thanks to God, we
have more than 500 members
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who have accepted
the gospel of Christ.
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How many baptisms in the
last 12 months more or less?
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Thirty five
members have joined--
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precious souls have been
joined to the church this year
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and they work
there among the Indians.
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And I hope we have
time for one little story.
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You were telling me about
one of the baptized members
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who use to work for the cartels.
00:11:57.87\00:12:00.81
And I saw a
picture where unfortunately
00:12:00.84\00:12:02.18
we don't have it
with us this morning
00:12:02.21\00:12:03.79
but it was-- his
baptismal picture.
00:12:03.82\00:12:06.24
Tell me little bit
about what happened there.
00:12:06.27\00:12:07.98
This gentlemen
whose name was Victor,
00:12:20.49\00:12:22.22
he worked in the
mornings for the police
00:12:22.25\00:12:25.61
and then in the afternoons
he worked for the drug cartel.
00:12:25.64\00:12:29.14
And so one day
they killed his boss--
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that was working for the cartel
00:12:44.11\00:12:45.53
and so he had to
flee for his life
00:12:45.56\00:12:47.99
and he ended up near
where David is working.
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He was there for a year
and he had a sufficient funds
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laid asides so he didn't
have to work the beginning
00:13:01.33\00:13:03.70
but after about 12 months
he was running out of funds
00:13:03.73\00:13:05.92
and he has to
start looking for work.
00:13:05.95\00:13:07.81
He came to the point
that he was not going,
00:13:17.25\00:13:19.34
it was going terribly for
him and so he prayed to God
00:13:19.37\00:13:22.13
and asked for helped
and find him better work.
00:13:22.16\00:13:23.90
And God didn't answer
the way that he'd expected
00:13:30.00\00:13:31.95
and so he said well then
I ask the devil to help me.
00:13:31.98\00:13:35.11
So I'm preparing altar in
his home to worship the devil.
00:13:42.09\00:13:45.78
The last thing he needed before
his little worship service
00:13:45.81\00:13:48.02
he'd to get some flowers.
00:13:48.05\00:13:49.14
So he went to this
flower shop to get some flowers.
00:13:49.17\00:13:51.48
And so when he went
to purchase the flowers
00:13:57.90\00:13:59.73
he met somebody
there at the shop
00:13:59.76\00:14:01.13
they start to talk him to
him about the love of God.
00:14:01.16\00:14:04.30
And this person invited
him to the go the church
00:14:08.83\00:14:11.34
and so he began
to attend church.
00:14:11.37\00:14:12.97
Amen. Thanks a lot and God
bless you in your work, David.
00:14:16.22\00:14:21.91
Next I have a
privilege of interviewing Abel.
00:14:21.94\00:14:26.27
And I'm going to let
him tell you his last name
00:14:26.30\00:14:28.24
because my grungier
tongue won't wrap around it.
00:14:28.27\00:14:30.25
So he is from Rwanda.
00:14:30.28\00:14:31.69
He is a treasure of
the Rwanda Union Mission.
00:14:31.72\00:14:36.10
I'm called Habiyambere Abel.
00:14:36.13\00:14:38.85
And I'm coming from
Rwanda as he has just told you.
00:14:38.88\00:14:42.29
Welcome to United
States and welcome to ASI.
00:14:42.32\00:14:44.92
Thank you very
much for welcoming me.
00:14:44.95\00:14:46.88
Now tell me what was
that happening in your country
00:14:46.91\00:14:49.06
about the mid 90s?
00:14:49.09\00:14:50.94
In mid 90s after it was
1994 that's when we had genocide
00:14:50.97\00:14:57.97
and we lost one
million people Rwandese.
00:14:58.00\00:15:02.74
That was of the
population of the country
00:15:02.77\00:15:05.40
you lost about a million people.
00:15:05.43\00:15:06.64
So is that right? Yeah, yeah.
00:15:06.67\00:15:07.70
Okay and what was
the impact on the church?
00:15:07.73\00:15:09.63
What happened to the church?
00:15:09.66\00:15:11.16
The church lost
also 150,000 members.
00:15:11.19\00:15:15.56
Some of them were killed
00:15:15.59\00:15:17.13
and others had to be
dispersed in other countries.
00:15:17.16\00:15:21.33
And so you lost
about a 150,000 members.
00:15:21.36\00:15:24.09
How many people
did you have before?
00:15:24.12\00:15:26.06
Before we had
350,000 and we lost these
00:15:26.09\00:15:30.57
and we are remaining
with 200,000 members.
00:15:30.60\00:15:35.75
Okay and so after the genocide
00:15:35.78\00:15:42.70
how many members
did you have left?
00:15:42.73\00:15:45.18
We had the only
200,000 members remaining
00:15:45.21\00:15:49.26
under of them we are fearful.
00:15:49.29\00:15:51.51
And they could not even
sometime come to the church
00:15:51.54\00:15:54.64
but as a time went up by
00:15:54.67\00:15:56.73
the people were able to
come back to the church.
00:15:56.76\00:15:59.90
And so now how
many church members
00:15:59.93\00:16:02.78
has as our church counted?
00:16:02.81\00:16:04.22
How many as a church
say we have there now?
00:16:04.25\00:16:06.35
Now we have 543,000 members
00:16:06.38\00:16:11.76
and we hope that by the
end of this year continuum
00:16:11.79\00:16:14.97
we shall be
having 600,000 members.
00:16:15.00\00:16:18.33
Amen, do you hear that growth--
00:16:18.36\00:16:19.48
that's real
church growth isn't it.
00:16:19.51\00:16:21.14
But I believe
there's another statistic
00:16:21.17\00:16:22.78
the government
disagrees with you.
00:16:22.81\00:16:24.34
How many Seventh-day Adventist
00:16:24.37\00:16:26.24
does the
government say you have?
00:16:26.27\00:16:27.70
Actually the government
says that we have a about 13%
00:16:27.73\00:16:34.11
of the whole population as
Seventh-day Adventist members.
00:16:34.14\00:16:38.63
And I believe you told me that
would be about over a million.
00:16:38.66\00:16:42.96
Yeah, they are over one million.
00:16:42.99\00:16:45.07
According to the government
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.17
there is over a
million Adventist.
00:16:46.20\00:16:47.82
According to the church
count there is about 534, 000
00:16:47.85\00:16:51.74
something like
that church members.
00:16:51.77\00:16:54.46
And this tremendous
change loosing a lot of members,
00:16:54.49\00:16:58.34
loosing leadership and
then a tremendous influx
00:16:58.37\00:17:01.18
into the church how has
that impacted the church?
00:17:01.21\00:17:03.53
Maybe in order to explain
this I would like to invite
00:17:03.56\00:17:07.27
the technician to
put on some pictures
00:17:07.30\00:17:09.64
so that they may show you
how we are doing baptisms.
00:17:09.67\00:17:14.17
Recently we were baptizing,
we baptized 543--493 members
00:17:14.20\00:17:22.17
who were added to our church.
00:17:25.30\00:17:26.92
You can see a lady with a child.
00:17:26.95\00:17:29.76
That child brought
her mother to the church
00:17:29.79\00:17:36.15
and she was a Pentecostal.
00:17:36.18\00:17:40.22
And this child they
had to attend our school
00:17:40.25\00:17:43.60
and in nursery school
but then she went away
00:17:43.63\00:17:46.20
due to the problem
over not having enough money
00:17:46.23\00:17:48.95
but at the end then
she came to our meetings
00:17:48.98\00:17:52.56
where we had these meetings.
00:17:52.59\00:17:54.17
And then she brought her mother
00:17:54.20\00:17:56.73
and said I'll never go
back to Pentecostal church.
00:17:56.76\00:17:59.66
So we have to go together
00:17:59.69\00:18:01.55
to this church of
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:18:01.58\00:18:03.26
I want to keep the Sabbath.
00:18:03.29\00:18:05.71
And I think there was another
picture of another couple.
00:18:05.74\00:18:08.99
This one. Okay.
00:18:09.02\00:18:11.09
This one bought a
book of Great Controversy.
00:18:11.12\00:18:16.61
And then after that
after he had led by himself
00:18:16.64\00:18:21.39
he had to go on
distributing these books.
00:18:21.42\00:18:24.24
Before even being baptized
00:18:24.27\00:18:26.15
but it was this
time we baptized him.
00:18:26.18\00:18:29.23
So he was a good
literature evangelist
00:18:29.26\00:18:32.17
before he was
baptized, right? Yeah.
00:18:32.20\00:18:35.76
I believe there is
one more picture, yes.
00:18:35.79\00:18:38.36
This one is the lady
who brought 73 members
00:18:38.39\00:18:42.14
new converts to this meetings
and they all of them baptized.
00:18:42.17\00:18:46.78
Amen. And this the
pastor who is with him--
00:18:46.81\00:18:49.98
the one who is responsible
00:18:50.01\00:18:51.07
of the evangelism in
Rwanda Union Mission.
00:18:51.10\00:18:53.61
Okay, now you're
telling me about a real change
00:18:53.64\00:18:55.72
in the fields and in
also the number of schools
00:18:55.75\00:18:59.05
we have that are to prepare.
00:18:59.08\00:19:01.35
Before I go to that increase
of the schools and fields
00:19:01.38\00:19:06.13
I would like to invite
the technician to put again
00:19:06.16\00:19:09.50
the people we baptized that day
00:19:09.53\00:19:13.93
of about 493 members who
were added to the church. Amen.
00:19:13.96\00:19:20.87
And there is a church which
is being constructed by laymen.
00:19:20.90\00:19:25.42
I remind this evangelism
would have been done by laymen.
00:19:25.45\00:19:29.90
And these were baptized
and now they're building
00:19:29.93\00:19:32.55
a new church construction
for these new members
00:19:32.58\00:19:36.83
and the members who
were there in this church.
00:19:36.86\00:19:39.11
Coming back to the increase
of fields due to the increase--
00:19:39.14\00:19:45.32
tremendous
increase of membership
00:19:45.35\00:19:47.62
we have opened
the new two fields.
00:19:47.65\00:19:50.30
Before the old we had
we had only five fields
00:19:50.33\00:19:55.72
but now we have seven fields.
00:19:55.75\00:19:58.59
So you have
seven different fields
00:19:58.62\00:19:59.78
and what about schools for
training, preparing new pastors?
00:19:59.81\00:20:02.43
The schools we have secondary--
00:20:02.46\00:20:04.79
we have opened the
new five secondary schools
00:20:04.82\00:20:08.02
but we need more church pastors.
00:20:08.05\00:20:12.32
We have to get
to train new pastors
00:20:12.35\00:20:16.41
and we have to have
new church constructions
00:20:16.44\00:20:19.52
because we lost many pastors.
00:20:19.55\00:20:23.05
During the genocide
many pastors were killed
00:20:23.08\00:20:25.76
and other pastors had
to runaway for their lives.
00:20:25.79\00:20:30.48
So we need more
church constructions
00:20:30.51\00:20:33.12
and we need more
pastors to be trained.
00:20:33.15\00:20:36.29
Now you told me something,
you said that if the conditions
00:20:36.32\00:20:39.11
were right most of
the people of Rwanda
00:20:39.14\00:20:41.98
would be Seventh-day Adventist.
00:20:42.01\00:20:43.48
What are those
conditions that we need?
00:20:43.51\00:20:45.79
The condition is that we
need more churches actually.
00:20:45.82\00:20:49.91
Because when you have the church
somewhere and do a campaign,
00:20:49.94\00:20:55.59
public
campaigning for evangelizing
00:20:55.62\00:20:58.18
you can see more people coming.
00:20:58.21\00:21:00.04
And these people are
coming from all over.
00:21:00.07\00:21:03.24
They are coming from
I mean Catholic Church
00:21:03.27\00:21:06.02
and protestant
churches, coming to our church.
00:21:06.05\00:21:09.86
So we need more
churches for this increase,
00:21:09.89\00:21:13.61
tremendous increase of the
membership in this country.
00:21:13.64\00:21:16.39
And I bet you need more pastors
too is that right? Exactly.
00:21:16.42\00:21:19.22
Okay, well, thank you so
much for visiting United States
00:21:19.25\00:21:21.83
and visiting ASI and
telling us about the work
00:21:21.86\00:21:25.15
as it's going
on in your country.
00:21:25.18\00:21:26.68
Thank you, amen. God bless you.
00:21:26.71\00:21:27.78
Twelve years ago
we came before you
00:21:36.96\00:21:39.21
and told you about this
new technology called a DVD.
00:21:39.24\00:21:43.92
Some of you remembered that day?
00:21:43.95\00:21:46.81
And we talked about
how that we could develop
00:21:46.84\00:21:48.77
an evangelistic tool
that anyone could preach
00:21:48.80\00:21:51.93
and that people
could hear the message
00:21:51.96\00:21:54.44
for just under a quarter.
00:21:54.47\00:21:58.49
But I want to tell you today
00:21:58.52\00:22:00.47
brothers and
sisters, that I was wrong.
00:22:00.50\00:22:03.25
Yes, Denzil, you were
wrong. It was not a quarter.
00:22:03.28\00:22:07.28
It was not even a
little bit under a quarter.
00:22:07.31\00:22:09.17
We did a lot for
under a quarter--
00:22:09.20\00:22:12.08
because of how
the Lord is blessed
00:22:12.11\00:22:13.92
with this project
that started 12 years ago.
00:22:13.95\00:22:16.57
You know, there is been
over-- we don't know the number
00:22:16.60\00:22:19.59
but it's 100,000
plus-- 110-120,000 trainers
00:22:19.62\00:22:25.26
that doesn't count the millions.
00:22:25.29\00:22:28.31
One, two, three million people
that have heard the gospel
00:22:28.34\00:22:32.58
through the New
Beginnings DVDs project
00:22:32.61\00:22:36.17
and its been
exciting of what we can do.
00:22:36.20\00:22:40.25
But that we know the Lord
has bigger plans for this.
00:22:40.28\00:22:44.20
Chester, tell us about
00:22:44.23\00:22:45.83
how there's been
changes to the New Beginning?
00:22:45.86\00:22:49.60
Oh, I believe the
New Beginnings Project
00:22:49.63\00:22:51.28
is been some of the best
money ASI has ever spent.
00:22:51.31\00:22:54.44
I have been thrilled to
see how it's being used.
00:22:54.47\00:22:57.64
Still 12 years
later so many countries
00:22:57.67\00:23:00.79
so many different languages
00:23:00.82\00:23:02.91
but we decide
you know its 12 years
00:23:02.94\00:23:04.59
and its time to
do some updating.
00:23:04.62\00:23:06.85
And so ASI has been in
the process of refreshing
00:23:06.88\00:23:10.30
the New Beginning
series with some new graphics,
00:23:10.33\00:23:13.17
with the tightened
script, with improved appeals,
00:23:13.20\00:23:17.70
shortening the sermons
and giving more opportunity
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.73
for appeals, and
working with pastor Finley
00:23:19.76\00:23:22.06
we've strengthened those appeals
00:23:22.09\00:23:23.53
so that laypeople are
preaching these sermons
00:23:23.56\00:23:26.55
have even and even better tool
00:23:26.58\00:23:28.84
to be able to help
people make decisions for Jesus.
00:23:28.87\00:23:31.54
We have included different types
of appeals not just altar calls
00:23:31.57\00:23:35.30
or hand raised
calls, kneeling calls
00:23:35.33\00:23:38.14
but even card calls as
well and combination calls.
00:23:38.17\00:23:41.44
So that a layperson
has all the tools there
00:23:41.47\00:23:44.08
on the disk as well
as the presentations
00:23:44.11\00:23:47.29
or the templates for the
card so they can print out
00:23:47.32\00:23:50.39
right there the
cards for decision cards.
00:23:50.42\00:23:53.28
And this is going to
really I believe help laypeople.
00:23:53.31\00:23:56.06
And anyone who uses it
00:23:56.09\00:23:57.28
makes the New Beginning
series much more effective.
00:23:57.31\00:24:00.35
So what we've
done is improved it.
00:24:00.38\00:24:04.01
We have made it
easier for those of you
00:24:04.04\00:24:06.61
who have not done a DVD training
00:24:06.64\00:24:10.10
we made it easier for
you so you now you don't have
00:24:10.13\00:24:12.38
any excuses to go
out and do this training.
00:24:12.41\00:24:17.03
But it gets even
better than that.
00:24:17.06\00:24:19.00
Jesse, tell us about
what's new in the technology?
00:24:19.03\00:24:22.23
Well, a lot has
changed in the last 12 years.
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.91
And many of you are
carrying around these iPads
00:24:24.94\00:24:26.79
they're incredibly
popular through out the world.
00:24:26.82\00:24:31.53
Now with the New
Beginnings you can actually go
00:24:31.56\00:24:35.82
and present your
series right from your iPads.
00:24:35.85\00:24:39.83
You'll be able to see the
slides that you're showing
00:24:39.86\00:24:42.53
to you're audience as
well as the sermon notes.
00:24:42.56\00:24:44.98
No more big
manuals to flip through
00:24:45.01\00:24:46.59
as you're doing
your presentations.
00:24:46.62\00:24:49.08
So in other words
Jesse, what you can do
00:24:49.11\00:24:50.99
instead of carrying this around
plus trying to find the TV set
00:24:51.02\00:24:54.91
to show we're going
to be able to do it in--
00:24:54.94\00:24:57.96
In this small iPad device.
00:24:57.99\00:24:59.57
Wow, isn't that exciting. Amen.
00:24:59.60\00:25:02.91
And if you're on the road-- Yes.
00:25:02.94\00:25:04.77
Want to present to a small group
00:25:04.80\00:25:06.48
you carry along small
set of devices like this.
00:25:06.51\00:25:09.56
A little projector
and a small apple TV. Yes.
00:25:09.59\00:25:12.54
You can present to groups.
00:25:12.57\00:25:14.37
So now instead of
carrying all this big technology
00:25:14.40\00:25:17.12
you can put it
all in your pocket.
00:25:17.15\00:25:19.76
But I will tell you it
even gets better than that.
00:25:19.79\00:25:21.92
It does, devices if--
00:25:21.95\00:25:25.60
And what we're doing
with that is that we've also
00:25:25.63\00:25:27.97
because Pastor Finley
held evangelistic series
00:25:28.00\00:25:31.51
down in Florida with
connect to Florida hospital
00:25:31.54\00:25:35.14
where he merged health message
and our gospel message together.
00:25:35.17\00:25:39.15
And then in Dan Houghton's
church in Fallbrook, California,
00:25:39.18\00:25:44.05
Dr. Tim Riesenberger--and that
church did evangelistic series
00:25:44.08\00:25:48.40
merging the health message
and a gospel together. Amen.
00:25:48.43\00:25:52.67
And as a result of
that we saw huge success.
00:25:52.70\00:25:57.13
And so ASI is teaming up with
amen and several evangelists
00:25:57.16\00:26:01.86
and we're all
working together to get--
00:26:01.89\00:26:04.48
I mean to make a
new evangelistic tool
00:26:04.51\00:26:07.86
that anyone could preach
00:26:07.89\00:26:09.20
using our health
message and the gospel together.
00:26:09.23\00:26:13.00
And I'll tell you
I'm really, really
00:26:13.03\00:26:15.24
excited about this project.
00:26:15.27\00:26:16.90
I think it is something
that could really be helpful
00:26:16.93\00:26:19.49
for everyone here
throughout all North America.
00:26:19.52\00:26:22.45
Yes, this health
evangelism series
00:26:22.48\00:26:24.73
they've got some of the
slides for they're gorgeous.
00:26:24.76\00:26:27.61
Gorgeous beautiful
imagery, nicely done overlays.
00:26:27.64\00:26:31.88
They really pop.
00:26:31.91\00:26:32.94
I think its going to
be an exciting series.
00:26:32.97\00:26:35.23
So then we'll be able
to do in North America.
00:26:35.26\00:26:38.66
Very quickly we'll
be able to take our iPad
00:26:38.69\00:26:40.72
or an iPad device
and we'll be able to
00:26:40.75\00:26:44.38
give a complete health message,
00:26:44.41\00:26:46.21
a complete evangelistic
series all on one device.
00:26:46.24\00:26:49.45
But it gets even better
than that doesn't it, Jesse?
00:26:49.48\00:26:51.48
It does, it does.
00:26:51.51\00:26:54.08
These devices are now getting
very small and very affordable.
00:26:54.11\00:26:57.82
Ah, so these-- this
is little android device
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.62
that we're writing app for
00:27:00.65\00:27:02.39
to allow it to do the
same presentation functionality
00:27:02.42\00:27:05.03
that we just saw on the iPad.
00:27:05.06\00:27:06.79
Be able to have your sermon
notes on a device like this
00:27:06.82\00:27:09.32
and have the actual slides
00:27:09.35\00:27:11.34
presentation out
for your audience.
00:27:11.37\00:27:13.38
So a little device
like this for about $70.
00:27:13.41\00:27:18.78
Now instead of
now think about this
00:27:18.81\00:27:20.77
when you go overseas
you go into you give it this
00:27:20.80\00:27:23.08
to a layperson
instead any crowd carrying
00:27:23.11\00:27:25.36
around all these device
we can put this on here.
00:27:25.39\00:27:28.18
But it even gets
better than that--
00:27:28.21\00:27:29.45
because what else
can we put on this.
00:27:29.48\00:27:32.42
You can put all of
Ellen White's writings.
00:27:32.45\00:27:34.86
We can put Ellen
White-- we can also the Bible.
00:27:34.89\00:27:36.83
In their local language.
We can also put Bible studies.
00:27:36.86\00:27:40.22
Bible studies, notes, graphics,
00:27:40.25\00:27:42.99
presentations and we can update.
00:27:43.02\00:27:45.51
We can update very easily.
00:27:45.54\00:27:47.60
So if they have access
to internet access out there
00:27:47.63\00:27:50.10
they can go find the internet
00:27:50.13\00:27:51.92
and download
the latest releases.
00:27:51.95\00:27:54.26
So we can add things
and change things later on.
00:27:54.29\00:27:56.58
This is a real exciting tool
00:27:56.61\00:27:58.23
that we're going
to be able to equip
00:27:58.26\00:27:59.64
laypeople to do evangelism.
00:27:59.67\00:28:01.56
You know, I
have done DVDs series
00:28:01.59\00:28:02.96
all around the world training
00:28:02.99\00:28:04.61
and I will tell you
there is nothing more than
00:28:04.64\00:28:07.01
carrying the
device to a layperson
00:28:07.04\00:28:09.03
and teaching them
how to do evangelism.
00:28:09.06\00:28:11.10
There eyes wide opened and say
00:28:11.13\00:28:12.58
"wow I could do more and
tell us about Jesus." Amen.
00:28:12.61\00:28:15.52
And the
exciting part about it is
00:28:15.55\00:28:17.39
as we help people with this--
00:28:17.42\00:28:19.92
there we're
equipping people for eternity
00:28:19.95\00:28:22.42
because they're
going to reach other people
00:28:22.45\00:28:24.01
in their local language.
00:28:24.04\00:28:25.21
Since this is an ASI convention
00:28:30.26\00:28:33.66
and now we should open
our Sabbath school lesson
00:28:33.69\00:28:37.87
with a question about ASI
00:28:37.90\00:28:40.10
and it's really a bit
of a review for the lesson.
00:28:40.13\00:28:43.34
But thinking back
on Bible characters
00:28:43.37\00:28:46.79
what Bible character would
be the spiritual father of ASI?
00:28:46.82\00:28:53.92
I'd like to suggest Paul.
00:28:53.95\00:28:57.51
Paul, the author
of the two epistles
00:28:57.54\00:28:59.29
that we're
studying this quarter.
00:28:59.32\00:29:01.82
Paul earned his living
00:29:01.85\00:29:03.19
and shared Christ
in the marketplace.
00:29:03.22\00:29:05.86
His job was
manufacturing mobile homes.
00:29:05.89\00:29:11.39
And I understand
that he manufactured
00:29:11.42\00:29:13.93
high end mobile homes.
00:29:13.96\00:29:16.82
When God wanted to
evangelize the Roman world,
00:29:16.85\00:29:22.10
He used somebody who qualified
as a member of ASI to do it.
00:29:22.13\00:29:30.04
If you look at most
of a heroes of the Bible
00:29:30.07\00:29:32.81
they qualified
for ASI membership.
00:29:32.84\00:29:36.98
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
they were cattle breeders.
00:29:37.01\00:29:41.58
Joseph was a
government employee.
00:29:41.61\00:29:44.95
Uniformly they shared
Christ in their marketplace.
00:29:44.98\00:29:52.43
In last weeks lessons we
read in 1 Thessalonians 2
00:29:52.46\00:29:55.65
and if you have your
Bible turn to 1 Thessalonians
00:29:55.68\00:29:58.33
we will be looking
at some verses there.
00:29:58.36\00:30:01.13
But in 1
Thessalonians 2:9 Paul said
00:30:01.16\00:30:06.12
"For you remember, brethren,
00:30:06.15\00:30:08.16
our labor and toil,
we worked night and day,
00:30:08.19\00:30:15.51
that we might not be
a burden to any of you."
00:30:15.54\00:30:17.84
There he was talking
about his employment.
00:30:17.87\00:30:21.02
"While we proclaimed
to you the gospel of God."
00:30:21.05\00:30:25.23
Paul worked and Paul preached.
00:30:25.26\00:30:29.83
Paul didn't work his
evangelism around his work,
00:30:29.86\00:30:34.25
he worked his work
around his evangelism.
00:30:34.28\00:30:38.42
His work didn't
compete with his evangelism.
00:30:38.45\00:30:41.61
His work
enhanced his evangelism.
00:30:41.64\00:30:45.09
It was part of his evangelism.
00:30:45.12\00:30:47.08
A couple of weeks ago we
looked at 2 Thessalonians 3:7
00:30:47.11\00:30:52.15
and if you have your Bibles
00:30:52.18\00:30:53.71
you can see it 2
Thessalonians 3:7-9.
00:30:53.74\00:30:58.43
"For you yourselves know
how you ought to imitate us,
00:30:58.46\00:31:01.89
because we were not
idle when we were with you,
00:31:01.92\00:31:06.49
nor did we eat anyone's
bread without paying for it,
00:31:06.52\00:31:10.34
but with toil and labor
we worked night and day,
00:31:10.37\00:31:12.96
that we might not be
a burden to any of you.
00:31:12.99\00:31:15.58
It was not because we
do not have that right,
00:31:15.61\00:31:18.50
but to give you in ourselves
an example to imitate."
00:31:18.53\00:31:23.54
So there we see
that ASI membership
00:31:23.57\00:31:28.61
is an example to imitate.
00:31:28.64\00:31:33.34
The father of modern
missions William Carey,
00:31:33.37\00:31:38.26
had a--the same all
consuming passion for souls
00:31:38.29\00:31:42.77
for presenting
Christ in his marketplace.
00:31:42.80\00:31:44.88
And you are well
familiar with that response
00:31:44.91\00:31:48.70
that he gave to his neighbor
00:31:48.73\00:31:50.08
who was suggesting
that perhaps he should get
00:31:50.11\00:31:53.16
a little bit more
attention of his business
00:31:53.19\00:31:55.77
of fixing shoes
than to his preaching.
00:31:55.80\00:32:00.64
But he replied, my real business
00:32:00.67\00:32:02.86
is to preach the
gospel and win lost souls.
00:32:02.89\00:32:05.97
I cobble shoes to pay expenses.
00:32:06.00\00:32:12.06
We don't have to
guess what would happen
00:32:12.09\00:32:14.45
if we all took seriously
00:32:14.48\00:32:21.56
our ASI model of presenting
Christ to the marketplace,
00:32:21.59\00:32:25.40
volume 6 page 280.
00:32:25.43\00:32:28.20
"Thousands might
today be rejoicing
00:32:28.23\00:32:30.35
in the message of
those who claim to love God
00:32:30.38\00:32:32.72
and keep His commandments
with work as Christ worked."
00:32:32.75\00:32:36.35
You think of it
William Miller, James White,
00:32:36.38\00:32:41.56
Joseph Bates,
Loughborough, Andrews
00:32:41.59\00:32:45.30
all had
occupations that supported
00:32:45.33\00:32:48.19
their ministry at one time.
00:32:48.22\00:32:51.73
And I believe that in the
future ASI members like Elisha
00:32:51.76\00:32:56.55
will be called from the
plough to preach the gospel
00:32:56.58\00:33:02.62
even more and
more of their times.
00:33:02.65\00:33:08.28
Well for our lesson we have
covered in the past two weeks,
00:33:08.31\00:33:14.07
we've covered
chapter 1 of Thessalonians
00:33:14.10\00:33:17.00
the first half of chapter 2.
00:33:17.03\00:33:20.59
This week we've covered
the second half of chapter 2
00:33:20.62\00:33:24.44
and all of chapter
3 of 1 Thessalonians.
00:33:24.47\00:33:27.74
But the very first
verse of 1 Thessalonians 1,
00:33:27.77\00:33:33.54
tells us insight
on how to win souls.
00:33:33.57\00:33:37.07
Paul's given name
was not Paul but what?
00:33:37.10\00:33:40.49
Saul.
00:33:40.52\00:33:43.24
Silas' given name was Silas.
00:33:43.27\00:33:46.91
But when they were in Greece
00:33:46.94\00:33:51.44
they were known as
Paul, Silvanus, Timothius.
00:33:51.47\00:33:58.23
We see that he
adapted his approach
00:33:58.26\00:34:05.07
to disturb the Greek
customs as little as possible.
00:34:05.10\00:34:12.27
Throughout the first
chapter and just quick review
00:34:12.30\00:34:15.75
we see other
approaches that help us
00:34:15.78\00:34:18.63
in presenting
Christ in our marketplace.
00:34:18.66\00:34:22.01
That was courtesy,
love, prayer for souls.
00:34:22.04\00:34:28.77
Paul was to these converts,
their spiritual father.
00:34:28.80\00:34:34.17
They were his
spiritual children.
00:34:34.20\00:34:37.27
Who do you look
like? Who do we look like?
00:34:37.30\00:34:41.87
Our parents.
00:34:41.90\00:34:43.99
And spiritual children
look like spiritual parents.
00:34:44.02\00:34:51.30
In chapters 1 and 2
00:34:51.33\00:34:52.65
we see that Paul's
children bore his likeliness.
00:34:52.68\00:34:55.77
Like him they received the
word and they spread the world
00:34:55.80\00:35:00.50
and that brings
us to the first verse
00:35:00.53\00:35:02.19
of our lesson this morning.
00:35:02.22\00:35:03.41
1 Thessalonians 2:13.
00:35:03.44\00:35:05.82
I'm reading it from the
King James--the New King James.
00:35:05.85\00:35:10.60
You all read from
whatever translation you have.
00:35:10.63\00:35:13.42
"For this reason we also
thank God without ceasing,
00:35:13.45\00:35:17.31
because when you
received the word of God
00:35:17.34\00:35:19.11
which you heard from us,
00:35:19.14\00:35:20.59
you welcomed it
not as the word of men,
00:35:20.62\00:35:23.91
but as it is in
truth, the word of God,
00:35:23.94\00:35:25.91
which also effectively
works in you who believe."
00:35:25.94\00:35:29.98
For a moment let's
look at that phrase
00:35:30.01\00:35:32.81
which also effectively
works in you who believe.
00:35:32.84\00:35:39.41
It is the word
that effectively works
00:35:39.44\00:35:44.57
and it changes people.
00:35:44.60\00:35:47.15
Now my medical
specialty is dermatology.
00:35:47.18\00:35:51.29
I tell my friends
that I'm an extornist.
00:35:51.32\00:35:56.20
When Walter came to my
office it was actually,
00:35:56.23\00:36:01.83
it was the 31st of
August, one year ago.
00:36:01.86\00:36:07.31
And I saw some suspicious places
00:36:07.34\00:36:11.60
and after biopsying
00:36:11.63\00:36:15.85
that I do have
permission to tell this story
00:36:15.88\00:36:17.92
so I'm violating here but--
00:36:17.95\00:36:19.89
I found several
suspicious places
00:36:23.45\00:36:25.69
and the biopsy's
came back positive
00:36:25.72\00:36:29.65
and we knew we
needed to do some surgeries
00:36:29.68\00:36:32.90
to remove these cancers.
00:36:32.93\00:36:37.57
Walter was not a
particularly religious man
00:36:37.60\00:36:41.80
but when I asked if
he would like us to pray.
00:36:41.83\00:36:45.51
He nodded he would
00:36:45.54\00:36:48.74
and somehow prayer
touched that man's heart.
00:36:48.77\00:36:56.01
Now, most skin cancers
done under a local anesthesia
00:36:56.04\00:37:00.20
and so as I was
doing the surgery
00:37:00.23\00:37:02.03
to take their mind
off of what I'm doing
00:37:02.06\00:37:06.52
we might chat about things
00:37:06.55\00:37:08.24
and I really don't know exactly
what we chatted about it.
00:37:08.27\00:37:10.86
Expect that it must have been
00:37:10.89\00:37:15.30
something about current events
00:37:15.33\00:37:19.20
and Bible prophecy.
00:37:19.23\00:37:24.29
Two weeks later he
came back for suture removal
00:37:24.32\00:37:26.57
and asked the nurses as
she took the stitches out
00:37:26.60\00:37:29.68
if he could talk to me
00:37:29.71\00:37:30.80
and usually when
they want me to see them
00:37:30.83\00:37:33.76
it's because they want
me to look at their wound
00:37:33.79\00:37:36.57
and make sure it's healing fine.
00:37:36.60\00:37:38.61
And so I quickly pop my head in
00:37:38.64\00:37:41.57
looked at the
wound and looked great.
00:37:41.60\00:37:43.69
Healing nice perfect
and so I reassured him
00:37:43.72\00:37:49.68
and I went to leave the room
00:37:49.71\00:37:53.69
and he said well that's not
really what I wanted to come in.
00:37:53.72\00:37:56.58
He says, I have a question,
can I ask you a question?
00:37:56.61\00:37:59.07
So he said,
00:37:59.10\00:38:03.10
can you tell me the
chapter in the Bible
00:38:03.13\00:38:07.72
that talks about the prophecies?
00:38:07.75\00:38:11.73
So he said, I went
home after the surgery
00:38:11.76\00:38:14.15
and he says, I
was raised to catholic
00:38:14.18\00:38:16.28
I don't' know
anything about the Bible.
00:38:16.31\00:38:18.34
But he says, my wife she
studies the Bible all the time
00:38:18.37\00:38:22.65
and I knew she would know
00:38:22.68\00:38:23.84
because I wanted
to read that chapter.
00:38:23.87\00:38:27.00
But she didn't know
what chapter in the Bible
00:38:27.03\00:38:28.95
that talks about prophecy.
00:38:28.98\00:38:31.59
So I took out my prescription
pad and I wrote down.
00:38:31.62\00:38:35.08
Daniel 2, Daniel
7, Daniel 8, Daniel 9,
00:38:35.11\00:38:40.29
I spared him Daniel 11 and 12.
00:38:40.32\00:38:43.43
Mathew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21
00:38:43.46\00:38:48.76
and all of the
Book of Revelation.
00:38:48.79\00:38:51.60
And I smiled and I
said you study those.
00:38:51.63\00:38:55.80
And the next week he came
back without an appointment
00:38:55.83\00:38:59.83
and he had four pages of notes.
00:38:59.86\00:39:04.92
And he said--he said
I don't understand this,
00:39:04.95\00:39:08.86
my wife doesn't understand this
can you explain these to me?
00:39:08.89\00:39:14.72
And we set up a time to
get together the next evening.
00:39:14.75\00:39:18.82
And that man
begins to study the Bible
00:39:22.41\00:39:30.27
for the first time in his life
00:39:30.30\00:39:31.63
within three
weeks of our studies
00:39:31.66\00:39:34.25
his wife bought him a Bible.
00:39:34.28\00:39:37.82
And he began to
carry it to work.
00:39:37.85\00:39:39.60
He studied it two hours a day.
00:39:39.63\00:39:42.38
He was like a
child in a candy store.
00:39:42.41\00:39:45.42
He couldn't get enough of it.
00:39:45.45\00:39:46.58
He wondered that he had not been
interested in the Bible before
00:39:46.61\00:39:51.89
and Jesus became
the focus of his life.
00:39:51.92\00:39:59.89
Although he and his
wife loved the studies
00:39:59.92\00:40:02.86
they took pains to
assure my wife and I
00:40:02.89\00:40:05.32
that they were never
going to join our church.
00:40:05.35\00:40:09.21
And we assured them
00:40:09.24\00:40:13.10
that our goal was for them
to meet Jesus Christ. Amen.
00:40:13.13\00:40:20.05
But we know where
Jesus leads people.
00:40:20.08\00:40:22.09
We studied baptism
00:40:26.61\00:40:30.21
and they told us--
00:40:30.24\00:40:35.26
Walter told me.
00:40:35.29\00:40:36.32
He says "You know--"
00:40:36.35\00:40:37.56
he says, "I can see
the Bible teaches baptism."
00:40:37.59\00:40:40.85
And I really would like to
be baptized at your church.
00:40:40.88\00:40:44.53
But I don't want to be
a member of your church."
00:40:44.56\00:40:48.15
And I agreed it
would be wonderful for him
00:40:48.18\00:40:50.75
to be baptized at our church.
00:40:50.78\00:40:54.65
One day and I don't know
00:40:54.68\00:40:55.82
how he found us out
as we didn't tell him.
00:40:55.85\00:40:59.00
He found out that
we have the advantages
00:40:59.03\00:41:02.42
of my wife and I of
eating a plant based diet
00:41:02.45\00:41:05.60
and all those health advantages
that go along with it.
00:41:05.63\00:41:09.71
But he asked me if that was true
00:41:09.74\00:41:12.41
and I assured him that it was
00:41:12.44\00:41:17.30
and I was guilty as charged.
00:41:17.33\00:41:22.13
And he said
"Well, I want you know
00:41:22.16\00:41:23.69
I'm never going
to eat like that."
00:41:23.72\00:41:28.55
We hadn't studied with
him about the body of temple
00:41:28.58\00:41:31.11
but I know that the
Bible changes lives. Amen.
00:41:31.14\00:41:35.32
It effectively changes.
00:41:35.35\00:41:36.77
So we just kept
studying the Bible
00:41:36.80\00:41:38.91
and it kept
effectively working in his life.
00:41:38.94\00:41:42.57
And we've also
been studying with
00:41:42.60\00:41:44.09
a colleague of mine an
oncologist in the area.
00:41:44.12\00:41:47.55
And she and her husband
rented the playhouse theatre
00:41:47.58\00:41:53.54
of our city to
show Forks over Knives.
00:41:53.57\00:41:58.29
And they advertised it
and you should have seen
00:41:58.32\00:42:02.27
when 200 people packed in
that little theatre playhouse
00:42:02.30\00:42:07.62
to see Forks over Knives.
00:42:07.65\00:42:09.84
And Walter at the stands up
interviewed by the oncologist
00:42:09.87\00:42:16.88
to share that the last month
00:42:16.91\00:42:20.08
since he had
adapted a careful diet
00:42:20.11\00:42:23.45
he had lost 30 some pounds.
00:42:23.48\00:42:26.92
His aches and
pains had gone away
00:42:26.95\00:42:29.48
and he was having
now new skin cancers.
00:42:29.51\00:42:32.32
Two months before he
said, "I will never like that."
00:42:36.65\00:42:40.72
Two months later he is urging
others for the advantages.
00:42:40.75\00:42:46.16
That's what the
Bible effectively does.
00:42:46.19\00:42:50.24
In May he told me that
for the first time in his life
00:42:56.05\00:43:03.08
his entire life he
was almost late to work.
00:43:03.11\00:43:09.92
He only got there
five minutes early
00:43:09.95\00:43:13.22
because he had gotten so
absorbed in studying the Bible
00:43:13.25\00:43:18.88
that he had lost
track of the time.
00:43:18.91\00:43:21.57
And the next day
he went to his boss--
00:43:21.60\00:43:23.95
he's in his late 60s,
he'd been retired twice.
00:43:23.98\00:43:28.13
And went to his boss
00:43:28.16\00:43:29.21
and he said "Do you
know I'm not going to"--
00:43:29.24\00:43:30.70
he was manager.
00:43:30.73\00:43:32.74
He says "I'm
giving you my notice
00:43:32.77\00:43:35.51
I need more time
to study the Bible."
00:43:35.54\00:43:39.56
And he stopped his job.
00:43:39.59\00:43:40.91
Now he went to his class
reunion telling everybody
00:43:46.97\00:43:50.34
about the Bible
they couldn't believe it.
00:43:50.37\00:43:52.54
This was the class atheist--
00:43:52.57\00:43:58.18
changed by the work.
00:43:58.21\00:44:01.36
When our Sabbath school lessons
started the Thessalonians,
00:44:01.39\00:44:07.58
I told him that we
were going to be studying
00:44:07.61\00:44:09.95
through the Thessalonians
and he might join in his wife.
00:44:09.98\00:44:13.98
And so he came to our church
00:44:14.01\00:44:17.02
just for the Sabbath
school lesson not for church.
00:44:17.05\00:44:21.51
And every week he was
there studying through the class
00:44:21.54\00:44:27.82
in fact for some he
was a better student
00:44:27.85\00:44:31.44
than some of the members.
00:44:31.47\00:44:36.39
But a week ago they told us
00:44:43.40\00:44:48.08
you know, we've been sort
of getting like in the water
00:44:48.11\00:44:52.62
when you're going swimming
just one foot at a time.
00:44:52.65\00:44:56.26
Last Sabbath after
we left Sabbath school,
00:44:56.29\00:45:00.31
Walter said to me "You know,
why don't we stay for church?"
00:45:00.34\00:45:05.10
And she said "Well I
was thinking the same thing
00:45:05.13\00:45:08.51
why didn't you
say something sooner."
00:45:08.54\00:45:11.34
And the next Sabbath
which was last Sabbath
00:45:11.37\00:45:13.85
for the very first time
00:45:13.88\00:45:17.83
these dear couple
00:45:17.86\00:45:24.37
where sitting
with me in our church
00:45:24.40\00:45:28.16
in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Amen.
00:45:28.19\00:45:33.58
The scripture that we read says
00:45:33.61\00:45:35.56
"The Bible which effectively
changes their lives."
00:45:35.59\00:45:42.03
That's the result
of the word of God.
00:45:49.23\00:45:51.55
Verse 14 explains they
begin to suffer for true sake.
00:45:51.58\00:45:57.56
They had been changed
and they begin to suffer.
00:45:57.59\00:46:00.35
They could identify
with the other Christians.
00:46:00.38\00:46:04.07
In Israel--they went through the
same experience as Christians.
00:46:04.10\00:46:08.26
They're in Judea rejected
by their fellow friends,
00:46:08.29\00:46:12.45
driven for their home, rejected
by their friends and neighbors.
00:46:12.48\00:46:18.01
I suppose all of us
have at one time or another
00:46:18.04\00:46:23.36
heard a computer voice.
00:46:23.39\00:46:27.65
Before we had
Remnant Publishing's
00:46:27.68\00:46:29.48
excellent testimonies readings--
00:46:29.51\00:46:35.31
my son would try
to put the testimonies
00:46:35.34\00:46:38.67
on using a computer voice
00:46:38.70\00:46:42.17
so he could listen to it
and we tried to listen to it.
00:46:42.20\00:46:46.10
But it was pretty painful.
00:46:46.13\00:46:49.73
You may not have noticed
it but in the last few months
00:46:49.76\00:46:52.72
at least on the max side
00:46:52.75\00:46:54.49
the voice has
improved dramatically
00:46:54.52\00:46:56.58
but I don't think even
the best computer voice
00:46:56.61\00:46:59.92
could properly read verse 16.
00:46:59.95\00:47:07.09
I'm not even going to try.
00:47:07.12\00:47:09.33
"With tears Paul sorrowfully"
00:47:09.36\00:47:11.46
15 and 16 "Speaks of
the strange act of God
00:47:11.49\00:47:14.71
and his wrath
against his covenant people."
00:47:14.74\00:47:16.81
We don't have time to
talk about the wrath of God.
00:47:16.84\00:47:19.77
It's not politically correct
to talk about the wrath of God.
00:47:19.80\00:47:23.99
But I like to make
just two quick points
00:47:24.02\00:47:26.25
because it's in
the Sabbath school
00:47:26.28\00:47:28.75
the text in the
Sabbath school lesson.
00:47:28.78\00:47:31.98
Number one, the Bible does
use the phrase the wrath of God.
00:47:32.01\00:47:36.18
And then shy away from
the wrath of the God is real.
00:47:36.21\00:47:38.93
So point number one is God uses
the expression the wrath of God.
00:47:38.96\00:47:44.51
But point number two is
00:47:44.54\00:47:46.60
Satan misuses the
expression wrath of God.
00:47:46.63\00:47:50.09
It was Satan who used
the expression wrath of God
00:47:50.12\00:47:54.05
when he was talking
and trying to drive Saul,
00:47:54.08\00:47:57.24
King Saul to despair.
00:47:57.27\00:48:00.46
And he said "He didn't."
00:48:00.49\00:48:01.76
King Saul's great
sin was he wasn't--
00:48:01.79\00:48:04.44
didn't quite reveal
the wrath of God enough.
00:48:04.47\00:48:08.77
So these two points
00:48:08.80\00:48:13.72
God uses it, Satan misuses it.
00:48:13.75\00:48:18.52
The Bible tells
that the wrath of God
00:48:18.55\00:48:19.58
to give hope to the oppressed.
00:48:19.61\00:48:20.82
Satan uses the wrath of God
00:48:20.85\00:48:23.05
to bring despair
to the discouraged.
00:48:23.08\00:48:26.25
But we move pass
Sunday's lesson to Monday
00:48:26.28\00:48:28.56
and there are two things that
separate us from our loved ones.
00:48:28.59\00:48:32.13
Paul deals with
both of these separations
00:48:32.16\00:48:34.27
in 1 Thessalonians,
distance and death.
00:48:34.30\00:48:38.47
Distance separates
us from loved ones.
00:48:38.50\00:48:40.83
Death separates
us from loved ones.
00:48:40.86\00:48:44.86
In Monday's
passage Paul discusses
00:48:44.89\00:48:47.07
the separation of distance.
00:48:47.10\00:48:48.54
My wife grew up
in the mission field.
00:48:48.57\00:48:52.08
And this is back
before face time and texting.
00:48:52.11\00:48:59.74
And they looked
forward to a weekly letter
00:48:59.77\00:49:03.38
that they could exchange between
parents and their children.
00:49:03.41\00:49:07.87
But Paul didn't
even have weekly letters
00:49:11.46\00:49:16.98
from his spiritual children.
00:49:17.01\00:49:19.55
And so Tuesdays
lessons takes us to his--
00:49:19.58\00:49:22.80
well, Monday's like any parent
00:49:22.83\00:49:26.89
his greatest joy
was to be with them.
00:49:26.92\00:49:29.23
Twice he made arrangements
to travel back to Thessaloniki
00:49:29.26\00:49:34.27
each time hindered by Satan.
00:49:34.30\00:49:38.49
But in Monday's passage
we see this in 4 separations
00:49:38.52\00:49:41.84
increasing his
desire for the second coming
00:49:41.87\00:49:44.54
where there is no separation
either by distance or by death.
00:49:44.57\00:49:48.38
And then Tuesdays
lesson takes us to his work
00:49:48.41\00:49:50.60
around to the separation.
00:49:50.63\00:49:51.90
I suppose we could call it
00:49:51.93\00:49:53.60
first century
facebooking-- face timing.
00:49:53.63\00:49:58.22
1 First Thessalonians 3:1,
00:49:58.25\00:50:00.46
if you have your
bibles look at it with me.
00:50:00.49\00:50:03.37
"Therefore, when we
could no longer endure it,
00:50:03.40\00:50:07.24
we thought it good to
be left in Athens alone
00:50:07.27\00:50:10.65
and sent Timothy, our
brother and minister of God,
00:50:10.68\00:50:13.69
and our fellow laborer
in the gospel of Christ,
00:50:13.72\00:50:16.31
to establish you and encourage
you concerning your faith."
00:50:16.34\00:50:20.56
Paul you see as a type of
Christ he wanted again and again
00:50:20.59\00:50:25.63
to return to this people.
00:50:25.66\00:50:28.04
But he couldn't
Satan hindered him.
00:50:28.07\00:50:30.85
And so he sent representatives.
00:50:30.88\00:50:38.53
And Christ has to sent
us ministers in His stead
00:50:38.56\00:50:43.12
to establish us and
encourage us in our faith.
00:50:43.15\00:50:46.34
I thank God for our
minister, a real blessing.
00:50:46.37\00:50:53.04
Verse 5, "For this reason when
I could not longer endure it,
00:50:53.07\00:51:00.42
I set to know your faith,
00:51:00.45\00:51:05.34
lest by some means
00:51:05.37\00:51:10.20
the tempter had tempted you,
00:51:10.23\00:51:14.41
and our labor might be in vain."
00:51:14.44\00:51:20.90
Those words in vain haunt me.
00:51:20.93\00:51:25.63
Paul you see had left the
comfort of his Judean home.
00:51:29.13\00:51:34.72
In Judea he was
popular, he was wealthy,
00:51:34.75\00:51:38.49
he was respected,
00:51:38.52\00:51:40.74
he was at the highest level
00:51:40.77\00:51:44.61
that you could
possibly get in Jewish society.
00:51:44.64\00:51:51.51
But he gave it all up.
00:51:51.54\00:51:54.37
And with the few
Christians he went
00:51:54.40\00:51:57.91
and traveled the
world to share the gospel
00:51:57.94\00:52:01.75
like ASI
members on his own dime.
00:52:01.78\00:52:05.63
He was rejected by most
00:52:10.07\00:52:13.20
but those who
accepted his message
00:52:13.23\00:52:15.56
were more dear to
him than his own life.
00:52:15.59\00:52:21.07
That he knew how many of those
00:52:21.10\00:52:22.70
who accepted today might
yet reject Jesus tomorrow
00:52:22.73\00:52:28.40
and his labor even
for them would be in vain.
00:52:28.43\00:52:35.82
How many will surrender growing
weary of the constant battle.
00:52:35.85\00:52:42.75
Labor in vain.
00:52:42.78\00:52:44.71
Paul was just a poor
00:52:44.74\00:52:47.01
and incomplete
representation of Jesus Christ.
00:52:47.04\00:52:52.76
Pictured Christ in heaven
00:52:52.79\00:52:54.33
surrounded by
his adoring angels.
00:52:54.36\00:52:59.02
He has already come
00:52:59.05\00:53:03.03
but he has left his
beloved in their earth home.
00:53:03.06\00:53:10.20
He would like to come back
00:53:10.23\00:53:14.06
but again and yet
again Satan has hindered it.
00:53:14.09\00:53:20.60
He abides the angels,
00:53:27.84\00:53:30.95
leave the comfort
and joy of his presence
00:53:30.98\00:53:35.60
and bring a
message to his people.
00:53:35.63\00:53:37.86
Then bring him
backward of how we are doing.
00:53:37.89\00:53:41.00
Imagine that
eagerness of the angels
00:53:41.03\00:53:44.73
to go on this mission.
00:53:44.76\00:53:48.09
Imagine the
eagerness of the waiting angels
00:53:48.12\00:53:50.23
to hear the
message of their report.
00:53:50.26\00:53:52.71
Christ's Object Lessons, 318.
00:53:52.74\00:53:56.43
"In heaven it is said
by the ministering angels."
00:53:56.46\00:53:59.32
These are the ones
that ministered us.
00:53:59.35\00:54:01.68
"The ministry which we have been
00:54:01.71\00:54:03.35
commissioned to
perform we've done.
00:54:03.38\00:54:06.45
We press back the
army of evil angels.
00:54:06.48\00:54:09.12
We sent brightness and
light into the souls of men,
00:54:09.15\00:54:11.90
quickening their memory of the
love of God expressed in Jesus.
00:54:11.93\00:54:16.81
We attracted their
eyes to the cross of Christ.
00:54:16.84\00:54:21.56
Their hearts were deeply
moved by a sense of the sin
00:54:21.59\00:54:24.74
that crucified the Son of God."
00:54:24.77\00:54:26.98
They were convicted the
angels are active in all this.
00:54:27.01\00:54:31.05
You can just see them
giving their testimony,
00:54:31.08\00:54:33.35
sharing what has happened.
00:54:33.38\00:54:35.05
They are excited
to tell their stories
00:54:35.08\00:54:37.14
as I'm excited to share mine and
you're excited to share yours.
00:54:37.17\00:54:43.84
They continue, "They saw the
steps to be taken in conversion,
00:54:43.87\00:54:47.14
they felt the
power of the gospel,
00:54:47.17\00:54:49.53
their hearts were made tender
00:54:49.56\00:54:51.53
as they beheld the
sweetness in love of God.
00:54:51.56\00:54:54.60
They beheld the beauty
of the character of Christ."
00:54:54.63\00:54:59.00
Tears may kindle in the
eyes of the listening angels.
00:54:59.03\00:55:02.02
But the angel continues
00:55:02.05\00:55:03.44
but with the many
it was all in vain.
00:55:03.47\00:55:05.92
"They would not surrender
their own habits and character.
00:55:05.95\00:55:09.16
They would not put
off the garments of earth
00:55:09.19\00:55:10.99
in order to be clothed
with the robe of heaven.
00:55:11.02\00:55:13.38
Their hearts were
given to covetousness.
00:55:13.41\00:55:15.78
They loved the
associations of the world
00:55:15.81\00:55:17.79
more than they loved their God."
00:55:17.82\00:55:20.40
What testimony are
the angels bringing back
00:55:20.43\00:55:23.32
about their visit with us today?
00:55:23.35\00:55:25.87
Thank you, very much.
00:55:25.90\00:55:26.95