Participants: Jim Gilley (Host), Danny Shelton (Host)
Series Code: 13SCM
Program Code: 13SCM000001
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00:30 We're just so happy to see each one of you tonight
00:34 and Camp Meeting has officially started. Amen! 00:38 Praise the Lord! That's good. And we are so excited. 00:41 We've been waiting for this, right? Oh absolutely! 00:44 Plan it, plan it... That's right. 00:46 It's one of the greatest times of the year. 00:48 Thank you for all the folk who have come. 00:49 We know Wednesday night it's tough to get people out - 00:52 especially folks traveling - because of work and all of that. 00:55 But so many folks from a number of different states 00:57 and I heard even Canada here while ago. Yes! 00:59 I know we have people here from Russia tonight. 01:02 We do. I know we saw her today. Julia Outkina, right? 01:05 We did! We saw her! There are some others here of course, too. 01:08 And people from Australia - right - here. Right. 01:11 So it's going to be a great Camp Meeting. 01:13 Thank you all for those of you here. 01:14 For those of you joining us at home: 01:16 we've got some great speakers. We've got Dwight Nelson, 01:19 Stephen Bohr. And this first hour in a little bit 01:22 we'll introduce Aaron Wilburn, an incredible person 01:25 we've known for a long time. Very funny guy. 01:27 Loves the Lord, and he's the same onstage as off the stage. 01:31 Amen. But we're going to have a good time tonight 01:34 in the Lord. Y'all want to have a good time in the Lord? 01:36 Amen! We can be sad somewhere else, right? 01:38 But let's get together and join like we're going to do 01:41 in heaven. We're going to have a good time in heaven. 01:43 We're going to have a lot of fun. So it's great. 01:45 I'm glad to have all of these folk here behind us 01:48 that's going to be helping us sing the theme song 01:49 in a little bit. And Jim... Yes, 01:53 3ABN... we had a board meeting today. How'd that go? 01:56 Oh, very good board meeting. The Lord has been blessing 01:58 this ministry and our board was excited 02:02 and we were all excited. 02:03 We... we ran over a little bit 02:05 because we were praising the Lord about so many good things 02:08 happening. The Lord is so good! 02:10 He has led this ministry from day 1. 02:14 And you know, one of the things that you've heard me talk about: 02:18 losing sleep. I have quit losing sleep. 02:22 Praise the Lord! I want you to know that. 02:24 It's the truth. Camille will tell you. 02:26 I'm sleeping all night because... 02:29 Keep you awake did he, Camille? 02:31 This... The last year and a half or so 02:36 I just turned it over to the Lord 02:38 and I said: "Lord, I've got to do what Danny's been doing 02:42 for thirty years and that is: it's Your ministry 02:46 and we're just here to hold on. " 02:49 And so that's exactly what we've been doing 02:53 is just holding on and watching the Lord bless. 02:56 Absolutely. We have an incredible board 03:00 and we have some incredible supporters... all of you. 03:02 Thank you for your love and your prayers 03:04 and those of you at home financial support. 03:06 We added three new board members today. 03:09 We did. One of them's right behind us here. 03:11 Yvonne, step up. We added... 03:13 Dr. Yvonne Lewis is now a board member of 3ABN. 03:15 That's right. And we also added 03:19 Jim Stevens who is the president of Texico Conference. 03:23 He hasn't been informed yet. 03:25 But Jim, if you're watching you're now officially a member 03:30 of our board. Whether you like it or not. 03:32 And then Brian Hamilton, our treasurer. 03:37 Brian is very, very valuable. 03:40 The Lord brought him. You know, Danny, I'm just amazed 03:43 at the team that the Lord has brought together - absolutely - 03:46 because we've got so many people that are here. 03:50 Just start and look at all... Bruce Fjarli is a board member. 03:53 That's right. C.A. Murray is a board member. 03:55 Right. Owen Troy and Carmelita, I saw them out here while ago. 03:59 Owen was... Stand up a second, Owen, for the folks 04:01 here, at least at home. 04:03 And Owen was one of our first board members. 04:06 And we met him... Stay standing, Owen. 04:08 I want to see if they can get a camera on you. 04:10 OK. Stand up if you don't mind. Carmelita, stand up with him. 04:13 There you are. She's a member of the board. 04:16 There they are... one of the first. 04:19 Yeah, for many years and still a great asset. 04:22 But then his daughter Carmelita said: "Well he can't come all 04:25 the time but I'll come. " 04:27 Bruce Fjarli. We had of course his folks on: 04:29 Bro. Fjarli and now we have another Bro. Fjarli. 04:32 So it's just the father to son. 04:34 We don't have to learn new names this way. 04:37 Yeah, that's right. Just call him Bro. Fjarli. 04:39 Then Dr. Thompson. Dr. Walt's here - yes - and his son Greg. 04:43 I said: "Greg, you're going to have to do like 04:44 the other folks did when the son... " That's right. 04:46 Avon is here. OK. Dr. Walt and Avon, Greg: 04:49 raise your hand up over here. 04:51 All right. OK. All right. 04:52 Greg: when you're ready we'll be ready. 04:54 All right? All right. Absolutely! 04:56 Incredible guy for sure. 04:59 And 3ABN: we're all about people who love the Lord 05:02 and who have a vision to get the ministry into all the world. 05:06 And I praise God for a wonderful board that we have. 05:09 And many of these folks have been on for 20+ years 05:12 and we just thank all of them and we thank all of you. 05:17 Now the time when Owen Troy came on the board - early on, 05:21 right? - um-hmm, so he came down from the No. American Division - 05:27 yes - to find out what was going on here. 05:29 Right? That's right. Yeah, I met him in St. Louis. 05:31 He and Bob Nixon I think was General Conference Communication 05:36 Director. Right, all right. And so after the visit 05:39 what happened? Well, they came down... 05:42 They had heard about this brother starting a TV ministry. 05:46 They said: "Well if it's Adventist we need to know 05:48 who they are and what they're doing. " 05:50 So we met them in St. Louis. 05:52 Talked to them about them. Owen immediately, you know, 05:54 he said: "We don't know how they'll respond. " 05:56 You know the church... and we're carpenters and don't know 05:59 what we're doing. And Owen immediately caught the vision. 06:01 And he said: "Man, we need this in the church. 06:03 I'm going to do everything I can do. " He and Shirley Burton 06:06 up there at the GC started telling people: 06:09 "3ABN's a reality... we need this programming. " 06:12 And he did a tremendous amount of work and support. 06:17 Today Australia. That's right. We have the ten year anniversary 06:20 Australia. Owen Troy's the one who initiated that 06:23 with John and Rosemary Malkiewycz that's here 06:25 from Australia. They brought it up today that Owen did. 06:28 So he has a vision to reach the world 06:30 and so I praise... Thank you, Owen, for so many years 06:34 of dedication. Amen! We just appreciate you so much. 06:37 We want you to know that. We love Ann, too. 06:40 That's right. Oh yes, tell Ann we're going back to Israel 06:43 and I want her to go back with us 06:44 because she really... She was with us 2 years ago. 06:48 Let's bring out... We're going to do something 06:49 a little different. Bring our Aaron Wilburn tonight. 06:51 Y'all can make him welcome. 06:53 Bring out Aaron... come on out, Aaron. 06:55 Before you go to the guitar come over here first. 06:58 How many of you have ever heard or seen Aaron Wilburn? 07:00 All right, a lot. You're among friends here. 07:02 And Jim and I were talking to you back stage 07:06 a little bit. Now is this the first time you guys have met? 07:09 Ah, yes... I believe it is. Yes. 07:12 When they came in today I told him "just come to my house 07:15 to get ready" but instead you went to? 07:17 Well I went to Pastor Jim's house 07:21 because he lives where you used to live. 07:23 Right. And you didn't tell me you had moved. 07:26 That's the way my mom and dad used to do when I was a kid. 07:31 And so I just... 07:35 Danny said: "Why don't you come by the house 07:37 come on in - and change clothes? " 07:40 Yeah. And so I just had my clothes in my hand 07:44 and my suitcase and I just walked right on in 07:46 to the carport. I just grabbed the door handle 07:51 and opened it. And your wife - thankfully - met me at the door. 07:59 What'd she say? 08:01 She said: "I know who you are. " 08:03 And I thought: Thank the Lord she knows who I am. " 08:08 And at that point I said: 08:12 "So is this the Shelton residence 08:17 still? " She said: "No... 08:20 Danny lives across the road. " 08:23 And in spite of all that you did I still found you! 08:31 We were talking a little bit in the beginning before 08:35 back stage there, Jim, and you were asking him about 08:37 some of the titles of songs. Yeah. 08:39 I've heard a lot of different titles. I heard one: 08:45 I was inching along like a 4" worm when the Lord found me. 08:49 Is that in your repertoire? I don't know that one 08:52 but I may learn it. OK! 08:55 What are some of the ones you've heard? 08:57 Well, songwriters in Nashville write songs like 08:59 How can I miss you when you won't go away? 09:02 Yeah, right. 09:04 If the phone doesn't ring you'll know it's me. 09:08 You'll know it's me, uh-huh. 09:09 If you won't leave me alone I'll find someone who will. 09:16 I... There was one of them about "If I'd of shot you 09:19 when I wanted to... I'd be out by now. 09:22 I'd be out by now. 09:24 That's a real song! 09:25 I'm so miserable without you it's like having you here. 09:28 There's a lot of them. 09:30 Now are these actual songs? 09:32 These are actual songs. In fact, I just wrote one 09:34 called "Darling, I'll never get over you 09:37 so you'll have to roll over and answer the phone. " 09:46 It may grow on you... it may not. 09:52 When I first met Aaron it was like 1979 or something. 09:57 And he came up and I think it was Church of God Campground 10:00 or somewhere over here in Benton. 10:02 They had... And they said: "You know Aaron Wilburn 10:04 and so why don't you come and introduce him? " 10:06 So without playing or anything... So I'm introducing 10:09 Aaron to this big crowd of people and I say: 10:12 "I really like... " I said: "I really enjoy introducing Aaron" 10:16 And he looked at me and I said: " 'Cause I feel so tall. " 10:20 And he said - which I should have known better than that, 10:24 I opened a can of worms - and he said: 10:26 I said: "I really enjoy standing beside you 10:29 because I feel so good looking! " 10:35 You don't want to have a word game with him 10:37 'cause you'll probably lose. 10:40 I know I've lost a few. 10:42 I've been known to hold my own at word games 10:45 but him I just say: "Yes sir. " 10:48 All right. Well we appreciate you; we love you. 10:51 Thank you for what you do. Thank you for your friendship - 10:53 you and Roberta - over the years. 10:56 Aaron has written some great gospel songs 10:58 and literally songs that have impacted people 11:02 around the world. I know the Gaithers, you do quite a bit 11:04 with them and I've heard the Gaither Vocal Band doing a song 11:07 I wish you'd do tonight that you wrote: 11:10 It Sounds Like Home to Me. It's just an incredible song 11:13 and when you get to thinking about heaven you get homesick. 11:15 And so we want you to do that. 11:17 Right now we're going to sing our theme song, right? 11:21 It's hard to say. Easy for you to say, but yeah, right. 11:24 Jill's going to play so y'all sing with us. 11:25 We're just going to do the first verse: 11:27 There Shall Be Showers of Blessing. 12:10 All right. Pastor Gilley, would you come up and have our prayer 12:13 for us? Amen. Mercy drops 'round us are falling, 12:17 but for the showers we plead. Heavenly Father, 12:21 we just thank You tonight that we can come to You 12:24 in Jesus' name. Father, we just thank you 12:29 that You have given to us a Savior: 12:33 Christ the Lord. 12:35 That He went to the cross to die on the cross for us 12:40 and that if we accept that we can have the promise 12:44 of life eternal. 12:46 Father, cover us tonight with the blood of Jesus. 12:51 Fill us and anoint us with Your Holy Spirit we pray 12:56 and bless us tonight. In Jesus' name, Amen. 13:02 Amen! 13:04 All right. Bro. Aaron, if you want to get your guitar together 13:06 here, we're... I've asked Aaron... 13:10 I've gone out on a limb 'cause a lot of Christians think 13:13 that we've got to be sober and sad all the time. 13:17 But there's a lot of sadness and sickness all around the world 13:20 and sometimes it's good just to be able to laugh together 13:23 and especially in a Camp Meeting atmosphere. 13:25 So I've asked Aaron. I said: "Well, he travels around 13:28 the world making people laugh and he's very serious... 13:32 Has a very serious side. Loves the Lord... he and his wife 13:34 and family. But I said: "Aaron, maybe you could give us 13:37 a couple little funny songs to begin with 13:40 and then we'll get serious and sing: "Sounds Like Home to Me" 13:45 or "It's Beginning to Rain" or something. 13:46 Buy you did a song for Jim and I back there 13:49 and I said: "I don't know how some of the folk will take this 13:52 but it's one that's absolutely funny. " 13:54 So we're just going to ask you to do that tonight. 13:56 It may be a little different from what we've done up here 14:00 but I said: "You know, let's laugh and be happy tonight. " 14:02 Well you know, Danny, I was telling you in the room 14:07 back here and I wasn't planning on doing this tonight 14:11 and we just... and it just led up to this. 14:14 Because, you know, the world... 14:17 it seems we have a lot of things we don't need 14:22 in the world today 14:25 but one thing we do need is some joy and laughter 14:28 and I don't think there's nearly enough of it. 14:31 And I watch families walk into restaurants 14:35 and sit at a table 14:38 and there's a dad and a mom and 2 or 3 children 14:42 and they all have their phones. 14:45 And they're playing games and they're checking their Facebook 14:49 and they don't talk. 14:52 They don't smile... they don't laugh together. 14:56 And so we just need some laughter. 15:01 And every once in a while I'll have somebody say: 15:06 "Well I just don't think that 15:10 the Lord wants that kind of foolishness. " 15:14 And I think the Lord intends for us to laugh, 15:18 and the reason I think that is every once in a while 15:20 I'll get up in the morning and I'll look in the mirror... 15:27 and I'll think "I don't feel that bad. " 15:32 And I wonder who did my hair while I was asleep. 15:36 Do you realize that a 30-minute nap will mess your hair up 15:40 to the point that you've got to get in the shower and wash it 15:44 just to fix it! 15:46 That has nothing to do with this song except for the fact 15:49 that my friend who sang with the Cathedrals, George Younce, 15:55 did this song... He performed this song 15:58 at the very last Gaither Homecoming event 16:03 that he did. George only had a few more days to live 16:09 and he realized that. 16:12 And so I thought it was interesting that that night 16:15 instead of an inspirational song in this time slot 16:18 or a song about heaven 16:23 he sang a song that made the people laugh. 16:29 And I wondered - and I still wonder to this day - 16:34 did he think they needed to laugh 16:37 or did George need to laugh that night? 16:41 Or maybe he realized that they all needed to laugh. 16:47 Maybe you don't need to, 16:49 and maybe some of you are watching and you're thinking 16:53 "Well, I don't really need to laugh. " 16:57 But in this gathering, there's probably somebody sitting close 17:02 to you that they may have had one of the toughest weeks 17:06 they've had in a long time. 17:09 They may have been experiencing some of the toughest months 17:13 they've ever had. Maybe they're a caregiver. 17:16 Maybe the husband or a wife 17:19 who has just said goodbye to someone they love very much. 17:23 I don't know. I do know that God created 17:27 something called laughter that does wonderful things 17:33 physically in the body when we use it. 17:37 And here's a little song 17:40 that I hope you will use some of that laughter on. 17:50 We got married last Friday. 17:55 My true love stood beside me. 18:00 Our friends were all gone 18:03 and left us alone, 18:06 side by side. 18:14 We got ready for bed, then 18:19 I almost dropped over dead when 18:24 her teeth and her hair 18:27 she placed in the chair... 18:30 side by side. 18:38 One glass eye so tiny, 18:43 one hearing aid so small, 18:49 then she took one leg off 18:53 and placed it in the chair by the wall. 18:59 I sat there so brokenhearted. 19:05 Most of my girl had departed. 19:11 So I slept in the chair... 19:14 there was more of her there! 19:18 Side by side. 19:24 Thank you, Aaron. 19:30 Thank you. 19:33 Now don't hold that against me. 19:35 Danny and Bro. Jim asked me to do it... blame it on them. 19:42 You know, we have two grandsons 19:46 and a third one on the way in September. 19:51 Oh I love my grandsons. 19:54 Gabe is 10... he's quiet. 19:58 Tell him to sit down... he'll sit down. 20:01 Ask him to be quiet... he'll be quiet. 20:04 He could stay with you a week and you wouldn't care 20:07 if he stayed another week. 20:10 Zachary is four. 20:16 He's a blender with no top. 20:22 Oh, I love him and he follows me everywhere. 20:26 "Papa A, Papa A, can I go with you? " 20:29 When I get home and I talk to him tomorrow 20:33 he'll ask: "Where were you at last night? " 20:36 And I'll tell him: 'I was in Illinois. " 20:39 And he'll ask: "Did you do a "concerite"? " 20:45 And he'll be upset that he was not in the "concerite" with me 20:51 'cause he loves to sing 20:53 and he loves to be on stage with me. 20:56 Well, the reason I'm telling you this 20:59 is to let you know Zack is busy. 21:03 He's not bad... he's just busy all the time. 21:07 And my son called us about... this was two years ago. 21:12 Called and asked: "Dad, what are you doing 21:14 this particular week? " 21:17 And I said: "I'm going to be home. " 21:19 He said: "Well, Laura and I are going on a cruise. " 21:23 And I thought: "They are going to take us on a cruise! " 21:29 Never too told to be stupid, are you? 21:35 And then he asked: 21:37 "Would you keep the boys until Thursday night? " 21:40 And then the other grandparents would come over, pick them up 21:44 and keep them until my son and my daughter-in-law 21:48 got back from their trip. 21:51 Well let me just jump ahead and tell you 21:54 they were supposed to pick those boys up at 5:30 pm 21:57 on Thursday night. 21:59 They didn't get there till almost 5:36 pm. 22:09 The next morning my wife and I were standing in the kitchen. 22:15 Were just standing there 22:17 and then I looked at her and I said: "Listen. " 22:20 She asked: "What do you hear? " 22:22 I said: "Thank the Lord... not a thing. " 22:28 I went immediately into the living room 22:35 and less than 10 minutes later I walked back into the kitchen 22:39 and I said: "I have written The Grandparent National Anthem. " 22:49 You may not agree... 22:52 but this is the closest I've come to it. 22:56 And it goes like this: 23:02 Oh blessed headlights 23:06 that bring them to me. 23:10 I never realized 23:14 how sweet life could be. 23:18 But then hours later - 23:22 it's been a long day - 23:27 oh blessed tail lights 23:31 that take them away. 23:35 Feed 'em some junk food, 23:40 candy to eat. 23:44 Something with caffeine, 23:48 revenge is so sweet! 23:52 A few sips of Red Bull 23:56 when the Twinkies are gone. 24:00 "Here's your mama and daddy... 24:04 it's time to go home. " 24:09 Oh blessed headlights 24:12 that bring them to me. 24:16 I never realized 24:21 how sweet life could be. 24:25 But then hours later - 24:29 it's been a long day - 24:33 Oh blessed tail lights 24:37 that take them away. 24:42 The greatest joy I've ever known 24:46 is loving 'em, spoiling 'em... 24:54 I'm still gonna finish it... 24:58 and sending 'em home. 25:02 Oh blessed tail lights! 25:13 Thank you so much. It is such an honor to be here. 25:18 And as Danny was saying, we met many years ago... 25:24 about 34 years ago the best I can figure. 25:28 I was about 4 years old. 25:32 And my grandfather and Danny used to run around together 25:37 when they were kids... No, I'm kidding. 25:41 Just remember one thing: he would do this to me 25:44 if he were up here. 25:46 One of my best friends over the years in the world 25:50 and I'm so thankful to be here sharing this night 25:55 of ministry and celebration and Camp Meeting. 25:59 And I was raised in Alabama 26:03 out in the country: a little community called Bobo. 26:07 Bobo... makes you want to go on a vacation, doesn't it? 26:14 And one thing I found out that I didn't realize 26:20 when I was young, as I grew older 26:22 I realized we have our own culture in the South. 26:25 We don't mean to... we just do. 26:28 And it's not like we wake up one morning and say: "Huh, 26:31 I think I'll have some culture. " 26:35 We've just got it. It's in the names of the places we live 26:38 like Bobo and Lickskillet. 26:43 Come on up to Kentucky. There's Monkey's Eyebrow, KY. 26:48 Between Nashville and Memphis there's Bucksnort, TN. 26:54 Not far from Bucksnort there's Sweet Lips. 27:01 I'll leave that one alone. 27:05 But then we give also unusual names 27:10 to our children, and there's some in the Wilburn family... 27:14 but I have to live with us so I don't talk about us. 27:19 I talk about other people 'cause I'm Baptist. 27:25 You know, there's a lot of Baptists that are mad 27:27 at Judge Judy 27:30 'cause she is a judge and she gets paid for it. 27:39 There's a lot of Christians that'll do that for free. 27:45 Oooh... just thought I'd throw that in there. 27:50 But we have our own culture in the names. 27:54 And... but I'm going to give you just a few examples in the news 27:58 that you've heard. Nothing wrong with these names, 28:01 they're just unusual. 28:02 In the Gingrich family there's Newt. 28:06 That's an unusual name. 28:08 For years the governor of Alabama was Fob James. 28:13 Wonderful family; wonderful Christian man... 28:18 but an unusual kind of name. 28:22 But the most unusual name I've ever heard: 28:25 a couple back home named their son Odd. 28:30 Odd. 28:33 Kids at school laughed at him. In high school and college 28:35 they made fun of him. 28:37 He graduated from college. Fell in love; got married. 28:41 They had a family. 28:43 One day he told his wife: "Honey, I've lived with a name 28:46 I hate. People have made fun of me all my life 28:50 because of my name. 28:51 When I die, please don't put it on my headstone. 28:54 Just put the date of my birth, date of my death, 28:57 and leave the rest of it blank. " 29:00 Well, the years passed and he passed away. 29:03 And she called the children in. She said: 29:05 "I promised your dad I wouldn't put his name on his headstone. " 29:08 Sure enough! They put the date of his birth, 29:11 date of his death, 29:13 and just left the rest of it blank. 29:17 And to this day, people walk through that cemetery... 29:28 I'm still going to finish it. 29:34 They look at that headstone and ask: "Isn't that odd? " 29:42 You know, sometimes I feel like 29:46 that I now live in a world that I don't understand 29:50 and it does not understand me. 29:55 And I'm just a conservative kind of guy from Alabama 30:02 that loves the Lord, but I don't understand everything 30:06 that I see. 30:09 But even in everyday life there are things that make me wonder 30:12 why... to the point that I did a DVD and titled it 30:18 Why? 30:19 Things like when someone walks into a room 30:23 and there's a little dog and they go through this: 30:31 "Hey. " 30:34 "What's your name? " 30:39 And I'm thinking: "She just asked that dog its name. 30:44 I'm going to stand here and watch. 30:48 I bet it won't tell her. " 30:53 And then other things that make me wonder why. 30:56 I have two sons. 30:59 And I'll be honest with you: I didn't agree with it... 31:06 Any of you know that you don't agree with everything 31:09 your children do? 31:11 That may be a surprise to some of you. 31:16 Nothing wrong. I'm not saying they robbed a bank or anything. 31:21 But both of them came home at different times 31:23 with a little tattoo. 31:27 I said: "Uh-uh... not me 31:29 'cause I'm scared of needles in the first place. " 31:32 Not long ago I was at the doctors. The nurse walked in 31:35 with a needle and I said: "Oh, phooey... 31:38 another shot? " She said: "I'm afraid so. " 31:40 I said: "Does it matter which side you put it in? " 31:42 And she said: "Not really. " 31:43 I said: "Put it in yours. " 31:52 But I don't understand... 31:55 Saying to somebody: "I've got a great idea: 31:57 take that needle and put a motor on it. " 32:01 So I would not have a tattoo. 32:04 Another thing I wouldn't have: I wouldn't have a nose ring. 32:07 And I ask people that have them: "Did that hurt? " 32:09 They said: "No. " 32:14 How do you poke a hole in your nose and it not hurt? 32:18 But that's their deal. 32:21 And then they put rings in their eyebrows 32:23 and line them up in their ears. 32:27 In their... all over! 32:32 And I don't care and I'm sure the Lord doesn't care. 32:35 But I'm just wondering: "Why do you want to walk around 32:37 looking like you fell in a tackle box? " 32:46 And you know, it kind of hurts my feelings 32:48 but God loves them just like He loves me. 32:53 Doesn't really hurt my feelings 32:55 because I'm so glad that He loves you where you are! 33:02 And He'll take you where you are and He'll touch your life 33:07 and He'll bless you. 33:09 So if you're sitting there with a nose ring: God loves you. 33:14 If you're sitting there with a tattoo: God loves you. 33:17 And... but there are other things that make me wonder why. 33:22 Like I see it everywhere I go... 33:23 in malls, in shopping centers: these young men walking around 33:27 with the seat of their pants between their knees. 33:32 And they're even... and I'm thinking: 33:34 I know what he's thinking. He's thinking "I look cool. " 33:37 And I'm thinking: "I hope you like them like that 33:40 'cause you're going to be wearing them like that again 33:41 in about 65 years. " 33:48 'Cause after we men turn 50 and gain 30 or 40 pounds 33:52 we can still wear the same clothes. 33:55 We just move the waistline down to keep walking. 34:04 And I'm going to tell one more story 34:08 and then I'm going to kind of change what I'm doing here. 34:12 I was watching TV one afternoon. 34:15 I wasn't really watching TV. 34:17 A man does not want to know what's on television. 34:19 We want to know what else is on. 34:24 And so I'm sitting there in the afternoon 34:27 and I'm just thinking: "What's on in the afternoon? " 34:30 I can tell you... nothing! 34:35 And so I'm watching TV 34:39 and it's one of these talk shows that is nothing on. 34:45 And it says: Teen girls in rebellion. 34:48 I thought: "Well this will teach me 34:50 something about culture. " 34:51 I like to kind of keep up with what's going on. 34:55 'Cause I can't keep up. I've had an iPhone 34:59 for about 3... 4 months. The reason I got it 35:03 is because my 4-year-old grandson said: "Papa A, 35:06 if you'll get an iPhone we can Facetime. " 35:10 And we're going to... as soon as I learn how. 35:15 He knows how. 35:17 And the thing about it, though, with this thing 35:19 I have called old friends that I have not talked to 35:22 in 3 and 4 years. 35:25 I didn't mean to. 35:31 You can turn this thing on and then finish talking 35:35 and if you don't push the right button, lay it down 35:38 it'll just call whoever it wants to. 35:42 So I'm not used to all the cultural changes 35:45 and technology and all of that. 35:47 I feel like a dinosaur left in an Internet world sometimes. 35:53 But anyway, I was watching that show and it said: 35:56 "Teen girls in rebellion. " 35:59 So I settled back to watch for just a minute 36:02 and it was these moms trying to talk some sense 36:09 into daughters who were out of control. 36:12 One mom was talking to her daughter 36:14 and the girl did this. 36:18 About that time my daughter walked in the house. 36:22 And I asked: "Emily, what does that mean? " 36:26 She said: "That means talk to the hand 36:29 'cause the ears aren't listening. " 36:32 When she told me that I thought: "Oh, 36:35 I wish there was such a thing as time travel 36:40 and I could invite her to be my sister 36:44 and go back to Bobo, Alabama, 36:49 in the 1970's 36:53 and then have my mom give her some advice 37:00 and then watch as she did this. " 37:03 See, if you're over 50 you can't do this because 37:07 it not only takes the hand... 37:08 you've got to do something with your head. It's like... 37:13 And we can't do that if we're over 50. 37:15 We do that 3 or 4 times 37:17 and you'll wake up the next morning walking like this. 37:22 So we can't have the attitude. 37:28 And I thought: "If that young lady had been in our family. " 37:31 You've got to understand: we just said goodbye 37:34 to our mom about a month and a half ago. 37:37 A few minutes before she passed away 37:40 I laid my head on her head 37:43 and I sang: "Oh Come Angel Band. " 37:47 And mama is now ready for the resurrection. 37:53 Amen! 37:56 "And the dead in Christ shall rise, and we which are 37:59 alive and remain shall be caught up together. " 38:02 And my mama's going to be in that bunch, I can tell you. 38:06 So with that said, I'm going to tell you also 38:11 that my mom did not abuse us but she disciplined us. 38:15 Some people call that child abuse now if you just 38:18 discipline. To me, child abuse is when you don't tell a child 38:25 there is a place prepared for you after this life is over. 38:29 There is a Lord that loves you 38:32 and a God who gave His Son to save you. 38:36 And then that child grows up with that knowledge 38:40 and they go out and they end up in drugs 38:44 and drive-by shootings. THAT is child abuse. 38:50 My mom did not abuse us with that strap 38:53 but she got our attention. 38:56 And I found out early on that my mom had a ministry 39:01 of... and she had an anointing to open ears 39:07 that did not want to hear. 39:11 She had a leather strap 39:13 that hung on the wall beside a little motto that said 39:16 "I need Thee every hour. " 39:22 And I thought: "If one of my sisters had done this, 39:30 my mom would have used that leather strap. 39:34 And by the time my mom had walked in her anointing 39:41 that young lady's hand would no longer be up here. 39:46 She would have received her hearing 39:49 and her hand would be holding what mama had ministered to. 39:56 Now speaking of my mom - 40:02 a lady who at times did not remember any of her children 40:08 over the last few months, 40:13 didn't remember the grandchildren - 40:15 did remember some things. 40:19 I could ask her: "Mom, would you like to pray? " 40:25 and she would pray the most beautiful prayer. 40:31 I'd take my guitar in there and I'd sit beside her bed 40:34 and I'd sing Amazing Grace and In The Garden 40:40 and she sang every word. 40:44 She lost her sense of tempo 40:47 and so she doubled the time... 40:50 but that was good because then she gave me the words 40:55 that I couldn't remember. 40:59 A few weeks... about three weeks before she passed away 41:03 she just lifted her hands one day and said: 41:06 "I'm ready to go home. " 41:09 And I knew it wasn't Bobo that she wanted to go back to. 41:24 And at that point I reached back into my song catalog 41:30 of songs that I've written through the years 41:35 and this song again 41:38 became very, very special to me. 41:42 In fact, more so than it had ever been. 41:53 Somewhere just across 41:57 the Jordan river 42:02 there's a place 42:05 of everlasting joy 42:09 and peace. 42:13 Where the Stream of Life 42:15 is flowing there 42:18 forever 42:22 and a crown of life 42:25 is waiting there for me. 42:31 That sounds like home to me. 42:37 Like where I want to be. 42:41 There'll be no tears 42:45 to fill our eyes again. 42:51 The hills will echo 42:54 with the story 42:56 as we sing of His grace and glory. 43:02 Where the saints of God will be: 43:07 that sounds like home to me. 43:15 I've read there are mansions there 43:19 inside that city. 43:24 Crystal river flowing by 43:29 the Trees of Life. 43:34 No more pain, 43:37 no disappointment 43:39 there to hurt us. 43:46 Jesus Christ Himself 43:50 will be the light. 43:54 That sounds like home to me. 43:59 Like where I want to be. 44:04 There'll be no tears 44:07 to fill our eyes again. 44:14 The hills will echo 44:17 with the story 44:20 as we sing of His grace and glory. 44:24 Where the saints of God will be: 44:30 that sounds like home to me. 44:37 Where the saints of God will be: 44:42 that sounds like home 44:46 to me. 44:50 That's home to me. 45:08 A few years ago I wrote a song with 45:12 Bill and Gloria Gaither and 45:16 I sang this at the last Camp Meeting that I attended here. 45:21 And we got so many calls 45:24 and e-mails from the viewers 45:28 of the network. 45:32 And so especially because so many people said 45:38 "I love that song and it ministered to me" 45:42 I'd like to sing at least a verse and chorus of it tonight. 45:47 And who knows... I may sing it all by the time it's over. 45:51 But I... My favorite tree 45:57 is the silver maple. 45:59 And a true silver maple 46:03 has leaves that are formed like this. 46:06 One side is green; 46:10 one side is silver. 46:12 Right before the rain 46:15 the tree does a beautiful, wonderful thing. 46:18 It turns and it changes from a beautiful green tree 46:23 to a beautiful silver tree. 46:26 Walk under a silver maple after the rain 46:29 and you can shake it and absolutely be drenched 46:34 because those little leaves are holding water. 46:39 And with that in mind, I wanted to tell you that story 46:43 so you'll understand why 46:47 we wrote some of the words that we wrote in this song. 46:56 The turtledove is singing 47:00 its sweet song of morning. 47:07 The leaves of the trees 47:10 turn their silver cups to the sky. 47:18 The silent clouds above 47:22 are beginning to gather. 47:29 The barren land 47:32 is thirsty... and so am I. 47:39 But it's beginning to rain. 47:44 Hear the voice of our Father. 47:50 He's saying: "Whosoever will 47:55 come drink of this water. 48:00 I promised to pour My Spirit out 48:06 on your sons and your daughters. " 48:12 If you're thirsty and dry, 48:14 look up to the sky... 48:17 it's beginning to rain. 48:25 At the first sound of rain that you hear 48:28 throw open the window. 48:35 Go call all the children together 48:39 and swing wide the door. 48:46 When the rain of the Spirit is falling 48:51 we should fill every vessel. 48:57 For we who drink our fill 49:03 will thirst no more. 49:07 And it's beginning to rain. 49:13 Hear the voice of our Father. 49:19 He's saying: "Whosoever will 49:23 come drink of this water. 49:29 I promised to pour My Spirit out 49:34 on your sons and your daughters. " 49:40 If you're thirsty and dry, 49:42 look up to the sky... 49:45 it's beginning to rain. 49:50 Would you join me in that chorus? 49:52 Let's just sing it together. 49:56 It's beginning to rain, rain, rain. 50:02 Hear the voice of our Father. 50:05 He's saying: "Whosoever will... 50:08 He's saying: "Whosoever will 50:13 come drink of this water. 50:17 I promised to pour... 50:19 I promised to pour My Spirit out 50:25 on your sons and your daughters. " 50:30 If you're thirsty and dry, 50:33 look up to the sky... 50:36 it's beginning to rain. 50:39 One more time: 50:41 It's beginning to rain, rain, rain. 50:46 Hear the voice of our Father. 50:51 He's saying: "Whosoever will 50:57 come drink of this water. 51:01 I promised to pour My Spirit out 51:07 on your sons and your daughters. " 51:11 If you're thirsty and dry, 51:15 look up to the sky... 51:17 it's beginning to rain. 51:21 If you're thirsty and dry, 51:25 look up to the sky... 51:27 it's beginning to rain! 51:41 Amen! 51:43 Thank you very much. God bless you! 51:53 I stopped just short of my time that I told Danny 51:59 I would fill up. 52:01 And so I'm just going to stand here 52:10 And it's not like this is being televised or anything like that. 52:18 But it's going to be cool when my wife sees this 52:21 because she'll say: "I've never seen him speechless before. " 52:26 And speaking of that I would just like to leave 52:31 this little... I know that this has gotten serious 52:34 and worshipful, but I want to just drop this little line 52:38 with you men. I have learned this through the years: 52:42 that women are like phones. 52:45 They love to be talked to 52:49 and held 52:52 but if you push the wrong button 52:56 you will be disconnected. 52:59 God bless you; thank you. 53:07 Wow! That's all I can say is Wow! 53:12 I was so busy... we were sitting out here... that 53:15 I didn't know you were going to cut it short 53:17 and I had to come out here real quick. So when I heard you say 53:20 "thank you" I started running from the back. 53:23 I was in the back room there. But I knew that Aaron 53:26 time is... he could talk for hours 53:29 'cause he's got some great stories. 53:31 And while we have a good time, Aaron, everything's not been 53:33 a bed of roses for this guy, and that's what I know. 53:36 He went through a kidney transplant some time ago. 53:39 Tell us a little bit about that and how you're doing. 53:41 That was three years ago. I'm doing great. 53:44 But it's like God has this thing in my life 53:48 where He says: "Hey, let's make something funny out of this. " 53:52 And I'm thinking: "How we gonna make 53:55 something funny out of this? " 53:57 My donor is my wife's twin sister. 54:02 Wow! So now I get to eat birthday cake with them. 54:10 And any time I'm in a group of people 54:14 and a few of the ladies get up and walk out 54:18 I hear a little voice saying: "Let's go with them. " 54:22 And I'm thinking: "I would... but I can't find my purse! " 54:27 But life is going to give you some bumps in the road. 54:34 You know what I found out about the bumps in the road? 54:38 God is - this is not correct English probably - 54:42 but God is as there 54:46 as He is when the road is smooth. 54:50 Amen. 54:51 And in your worst time God is at His best. 54:56 Amen! 54:57 And in your weakest moment He can show His strength. 55:02 And I found out one thing about God: 55:06 regardless of what I'm going through 55:09 it doesn't take Him by surprise and He is there. 55:13 And whatever you're facing, whatever you're going through, 55:16 just know He hasn't forgotten you. 55:20 And you know the Bible talks about one time 55:27 where one of the writers said he felt like God was deaf. 55:33 God is not deaf. Amen. 55:36 And I've heard people over and over say 55:38 "Well, I'm just waiting for when God's ready. " 55:43 Ha-ha-ha-ha. 55:44 Like God ain't ready? 55:47 Excuse my English. 55:49 God is ready - all right - for anything at any time. 55:53 Usually when we're waiting for Him to get ready 55:56 He's waiting for us to get ready for what He's going to do. 56:00 And I say more than I need to every time probably, but 56:04 I just wanted to say God is good. 56:07 My life is blessed 56:09 and I have a wonderful, wonderful wife. 56:14 We've been married long enough that we finish each other's 56:17 sentences now. 56:19 And in fact, I don't even have to say anything. 56:23 I can just clear my throat 56:25 and she tells me what I would have said 56:27 if I'd of said anything. 56:29 And then sometimes I say something 56:32 and she'll say: "That's not what you meant. " 56:37 And then I'll ask her: "What did I mean? " 56:39 and she'll tell me! 56:41 And most of the time 56:42 I didn't even mean what I thought I meant! 56:45 It's a miracle. I'm getting confused. 56:48 I'm going to have to turn around... 56:49 I'm getting confused on that one. 56:51 He said something funny on the way up - we've got 30 seconds. 56:54 What'd you say? You stopped at a yard sale and they had a 56:56 CD that said what? Something about Sabbath School? 56:59 Oh yeah, Sabbath School. Yeah. 57:01 It said Sabbath School Songs or something? Yeah. 57:03 He said: "I may not be able to sell any of my CDs up there. 57:06 I think I'll buy these. If it says Sabbath School, 57:08 they'll buy 'em. 57:10 I'll pick these up at the yard sale and come up and sell 'em. " 57:13 He was just joking, of course. 57:15 But we've appreciated you, Aaron, so much and 57:17 thank you for what you do. Thank you. 57:19 And it's been a great blessing as always. 57:22 If I'm ever at all discouraged or need a good time, 57:26 I can call Aaron and in the Lord we just have 57:27 a great time together. All right. |
Revised 2014-12-17