Welcome to another
offering and action segment.
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We are thrilled to be able
to bring to you each program,
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a project that your offerings
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have supported, or will support.
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With me is Gary Bartholomew.
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He is the Director for
"Water for Life Ministry."
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And, Gary, I'd like
for you to first tell us,
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what will the
offerings that you will receive,
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because I know God is
going to bless us this year,
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how will that
help "Water for Life"?
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By providing funding
for Bible workers, Debbie,
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to do evangelism, outreach.
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Okay, now, Gary,
I'm a little confused.
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You're talking
about Bible workers.
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I clearly see that this is
not a Bible worker uniform.
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No.
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And I thought
that your ministry name
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was "Water for Life."
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So what do Bible workers have
to do with "Water for Life"?
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Debbie, we drill water wells
in remote villages of Guatemala
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and that lays a foundation then,
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to do evangelism.
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We build a
relationship in those villages
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that we never lose,
by providing safe water.
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So you're doing exactly
what ASI says and promotes,
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that we don't look at ministry
and business as separate,
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but one and the same?
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Exactly, exactly.
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I see. I see.
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So give us some
examples of what,
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"Water for Life" is doing.
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I think you have some pictures
that you want to walk through.
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Yeah, we'll visit
a little bit about
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"Water for Life."
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How many of you are
thankful for safe water?
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Amen.
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1.2 billion people
do not have safe water.
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There's 10,000 a day,
in the world, that die,
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because of lack of safe water.
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Most of those are
children under five,
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because they are
the most vulnerable.
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And three full-time clinics,
another way of saying it,
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three full-time
clinics in a village
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cannot do the same
work as safe water.
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So that's what we are up to,
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and it is
verifiable that where we drill,
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mortality drops, Debbie.
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Well, that's wonderful.
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So you're saving lives
not just so they don't die,
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but so that they have a promise
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for eternal life in the kingdom.
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That's right.
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We also provide dental
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and medical help in the villages
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when we are
drilling water wells.
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Wonderful.
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Now I know that they have gone--
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They were scrolling
through the pictures.
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You had some descriptions
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to go along with those pictures.
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So we're gonna ask if we
can maybe start those over.
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And you were talking about,
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on the first
picture, "Slower is Better."
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We're not used to that
in North America, are we?
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No. Slower is better.
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You can see that's
not a new rotary drill,
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that's the old cable tool drill.
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We spend a week
or two in a village
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and that's
building a relationship.
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Our well drillers
there, by the way,
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are non-Adventists.
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"Water for Life" is
an all volunteer project.
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And we had one Adventist fellow
come from New York this year.
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He had a
wonderful time, but we do--
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We build relationships
with our drillers too.
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They have a heart to help
or they would not be there.
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Tell us about
that second picture
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that's gonna come up?
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Can you stick out your tongue?
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ASI, can you
stick out your tongue?
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Okay, some of you can.
This little fellow could not.
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Our dental team came across him,
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he was tongue-tied,
he couldn't eat well,
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he couldn't speak well,
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and they were able
to clip that tissue.
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This was the first time
he stuck his tongue out.
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You know, I'm
gonna-- I'm not a prophet,
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but I'm gonna predict,
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he may be
preaching for God someday,
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because he lives
just across the trail
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from one of the
churches that we built.
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Oh, isn't that wonderful? Yeah.
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And, you know, we're about
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building
relationships and trust.
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The next photo
shows little Marlene.
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I didn't show the
picture before her surgery.
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She had a huge, grotesque tumor,
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right between her eyes.
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It was large as an orange.
It affected her eyesight.
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They could not
operate, you know, in Guatemala
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because they figured it
was too close to her brain.
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We were able to find a
Loma Linda trained physician,
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sent her to the States,
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they trusted that she
would have the proper surgery
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and now she's
back in her village,
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as that picture shows.
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She runs like a race horse
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with all the rest
of the little kids.
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The next
picture, as ASI members,
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we build up and support
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the Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and this is one of
the little churches
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that we've built.
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It's actually fold-of-the-brim
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we've added on to the back
of it now, for the children.
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There are so many
children that come.
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So you've not
only drilled wells,
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but you're building churches,
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and I think you even
have evangelistic series
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you're doing that?
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Yes, the next shows that.
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Brenda, on the
left, is 17 years old
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and Adrianne, on
the right, is 12.
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She said, "I want to go
do an evangelistic meeting.
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And you know why?
Because my brother did.
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He went down when he was 12."
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Well, they did a
series of meetings
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and they had 13
baptisms, praise the Lord.
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Amen.
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The total in the
country of Guatemala,
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at this point, is
nearing 3,000 souls
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that have given
their lives to the Lord.
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So you have quite a
number of water wells
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that have been drilled.
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Yes.
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And you have more
that need to be drilled.
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But you're kind of,
had us at a wait-point
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and that's why ASI's
offering is gonna help
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because we need to--
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Tell us.
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Yeah, the Lord--
Help me figure this out.
00:10:03.18\00:10:04.72
The Lord blessed with
so many wells last year.
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Usually we drill six, or
eight, or ten and last winter,
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we drilled seventeen and so now,
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we need help to catch up--
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With all the possibilities
of evangelism out there.
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And I do have a little
story to tell about a orphanage.
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Tell us that story.
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A request came to us and said,
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"Could you drill
for the orphanage?"
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I said, "Oh, we're probably
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more then full
already, we can't."
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Well, our drillers
found out about the orphanage
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and they said,
"Gary, we'll drill at night
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if we need to."
00:10:39.56\00:10:40.78
Bear in mind,
these are volunteers.
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They are there because of
the passion in their hearts.
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I'll never forget my first visit
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to that orphanage.
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A little 11-year-old
girl, nursing her newborn.
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And we see things like that,
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all the orphans
have a horrible story,
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but we can bring hope.
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We brought water
to that orphanage,
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that's no longer
a stress to them.
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And we can bring the
hope of the Water of Life.
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Yes, absolutely.
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Gary, thank you
so much for sharing
00:11:13.86\00:11:15.82
and for "Water for Life"
00:11:15.85\00:11:16.94
does for the
spreading of the gospel.
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Thank you. Thank you.
00:11:20.29\00:11:21.54
Good evening, ASI.
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It's my pleasure and privilege
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to introduce our speaker
this evening, Dr. Eric Walsh.
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He's a graduate
of Oakwood University
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and the University of
Miami, Miller School of Medicine
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as well as Loma
Linda University School
00:11:36.60\00:11:38.52
of Public Health.
00:11:38.55\00:11:40.23
And he has had the distinction
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of serving on several
Presidential Advisory Councils
00:11:41.92\00:11:45.66
on HIV/AIDS for
several US presidents.
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He has also been on
committees at the CDC,
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as well as committees
for a former Surgeon General.
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He most
recently was the Director
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and Health Officer for the City
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of Pasadena's Health
Department in California.
00:12:00.09\00:12:03.13
And Dr. Walsh is also
a much sort after speaker
00:12:03.16\00:12:06.23
on many contemporary
public health issues.
00:12:06.26\00:12:10.77
But for many of us,
00:12:10.80\00:12:12.10
we know Dr. Walsh
in a different capacity
00:12:12.13\00:12:14.45
and that's in his
ministry capacity.
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Although he stays very busy
00:12:17.18\00:12:18.50
in his professional
career and public service,
00:12:18.53\00:12:20.61
he travels the world and,
as I like to think of him,
00:12:20.64\00:12:24.35
he's a fearless preacher.
00:12:24.38\00:12:27.37
He is also associate pastor
00:12:27.40\00:12:29.38
of the Altadena SDA
Church in California.
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And I'm sure you've seen
him in various youth conferences
00:12:32.40\00:12:35.45
such as GYC and in many
places around the world.
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Now from my knowledge
00:12:39.66\00:12:41.16
and acquaintance with Dr. Walsh,
00:12:41.19\00:12:42.84
one thing is for sure,
00:12:42.87\00:12:45.35
that is that he's not
afraid to lift Jesus up
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in all areas of his life,
00:12:48.51\00:12:52.11
and sometimes even at
great cost to himself.
00:12:52.14\00:12:55.25
While exemplifying
Christian excellence
00:12:55.28\00:12:57.09
in all his capacities,
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he is a man who would
rather go to the lion's den,
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than to close his window
because of popular pressure.
00:13:02.30\00:13:06.78
And as a frequent
speaker on AudioVerse,
00:13:06.81\00:13:09.57
I've seen first-hand the
impact that his preaching
00:13:09.60\00:13:13.16
as well as his recent testimony
00:13:13.19\00:13:14.74
has had on countless
lives around the world.
00:13:14.77\00:13:18.22
And so tonight, as he
presents God's word to us,
00:13:18.25\00:13:22.38
I pray that we
may each be encouraged
00:13:22.41\00:13:24.50
to stand for the right,
though the heavens fall.
00:13:24.53\00:13:27.85
Good evening ASI.
00:13:33.12\00:13:36.91
And happy Sabbath.
00:13:36.94\00:13:40.10
It's a privilege and an
honor to be here tonight
00:13:40.13\00:13:42.96
and to share, for few minutes,
00:13:42.99\00:13:45.59
God's word with
you as we wrap up
00:13:45.62\00:13:49.60
what was a very productive
00:13:49.63\00:13:51.49
and spiritual and
powerful conference.
00:13:51.52\00:13:56.47
I want to ask if
you have your Bible.
00:13:56.50\00:13:58.66
If you turn
with me in your Bible
00:13:58.69\00:14:00.20
to the Book of Jeremiah.
00:14:00.23\00:14:02.86
Jeremiah, the 19 Chapter.
00:14:02.89\00:14:05.58
Jeremiah Chapter 19.
00:14:05.61\00:14:08.76
And I want to ask you to
read with me verses 7 and 8.
00:14:08.79\00:14:12.91
Sorry, Jeremiah 20:7-8.
00:14:12.94\00:14:16.74
Jeremiah 20: 7-8.
00:14:16.77\00:14:21.38
Jeremiah 20: 7-8,
now read in your hearing.
00:14:21.41\00:14:27.34
"O Lord, thou hast deceived me,
00:14:27.37\00:14:32.24
and I was deceived,
thou art stronger than I,
00:14:32.27\00:14:36.81
and hast prevailed,
I am in derision daily,
00:14:36.84\00:14:41.71
everyone mocks me.
00:14:41.74\00:14:45.51
For since I spake, I cried out,
00:14:45.54\00:14:48.45
I cried violence and spoil,
00:14:48.48\00:14:51.75
because the word of the Lord
was made a reproach unto me,
00:14:51.78\00:14:56.15
and a derision, daily."
00:14:56.18\00:14:59.46
A message this Sabbath evening
00:14:59.49\00:15:03.24
is entailed "Fire to Refine."
00:15:03.27\00:15:08.27
"Fire to Refine."
00:15:08.30\00:15:10.40
Let us pray.
00:15:10.43\00:15:12.22
Father God, we thank you, Lord,
00:15:12.25\00:15:13.72
for this
opportunity to study your word
00:15:13.75\00:15:18.64
and Lord, to close out your
holy Sabbath day in worship.
00:15:18.67\00:15:24.22
I ask now that You, Lord,
00:15:24.25\00:15:27.34
make me a clean
vessel, an empty vessel, Lord.
00:15:27.37\00:15:34.13
And fill this
vessel, Lord, with Your word
00:15:34.16\00:15:35.89
and with Your
truth and with Your love.
00:15:35.92\00:15:38.97
Father God, let no one
pay attention to the vessel.
00:15:39.00\00:15:42.13
Instead tonight,
let us hear a word
00:15:42.16\00:15:43.64
from the throne room of grace,
00:15:43.67\00:15:46.03
as our prayer in Jesus
is precious in holy name.
00:15:46.06\00:15:49.02
Amen.
00:15:49.05\00:15:51.65
If you go back to
Jeremiah Chapter 19,
00:15:51.68\00:15:53.61
we're gonna look
at Jeremiah's life,
00:15:53.64\00:15:57.21
a piece of his life
and some of his story.
00:15:57.24\00:16:00.69
And we're gonna look
at some of those verses
00:16:00.72\00:16:02.49
and how they are
applicable to our lives today
00:16:02.52\00:16:05.57
and my life in particular,
00:16:05.60\00:16:06.90
with some of the things
I've recently been through.
00:16:06.93\00:16:09.67
In Jeremiah Chapter
19, starting at verse 14,
00:16:09.70\00:16:12.18
The Bible says, "Then
came Jeremiah from Tophet,
00:16:12.21\00:16:16.00
whither the Lord had
sent him to prophesy,
00:16:16.03\00:16:18.54
and he stood in the
court of the Lord's house,
00:16:18.57\00:16:21.59
and said to all the people,
00:16:21.62\00:16:24.01
Thus saith the Lord of
hosts, the God of Israel,
00:16:24.04\00:16:26.92
Behold, I will
bring upon this city
00:16:26.95\00:16:29.40
and upon all her
towns all the evil
00:16:29.43\00:16:32.03
that I have
pronounced against it,
00:16:32.06\00:16:34.15
because they have
hardened their necks,
00:16:34.18\00:16:35.95
that they might
not hear my words."
00:16:35.98\00:16:39.52
Jeremiah goes in, he stands
in the outside of the temple,
00:16:39.55\00:16:43.77
he stands in a prominent place
00:16:43.80\00:16:45.19
and he had just
come back from Tophet,
00:16:45.22\00:16:47.24
where he had pronounced
very serious penalties
00:16:47.27\00:16:52.09
against the people
there because of their sins.
00:16:52.12\00:16:55.53
He takes that same prophecy.
00:16:55.56\00:16:57.01
He brings it to the
temple, brings to Jerusalem
00:16:57.04\00:16:59.12
and he begins to
prophesy again, boldly.
00:16:59.15\00:17:01.71
Jeremiah is prophesying
00:17:01.74\00:17:03.17
and he is speaking
what God asked him to speak,
00:17:03.20\00:17:06.08
warning the people of Jerusalem,
00:17:06.11\00:17:08.81
warning the nation of
Judah, that time is running out,
00:17:08.84\00:17:13.46
that if they are not careful,
00:17:13.49\00:17:15.20
God is going to
allow great destruction
00:17:15.23\00:17:17.61
to come upon them
and they have an out,
00:17:17.64\00:17:20.18
they can always
of course, repent,
00:17:20.21\00:17:22.05
they can come back to God
00:17:22.08\00:17:23.49
and he gives even other
options that are interesting.
00:17:23.52\00:17:26.27
Jeremiah also says that,
00:17:26.30\00:17:28.15
it might be better to just
go along with the Babylonians
00:17:28.18\00:17:31.39
than to fight the
Babylonians on this.
00:17:31.42\00:17:35.16
But Jeremiah gets in trouble
00:17:35.19\00:17:36.59
because there are
false prophets also working
00:17:36.62\00:17:38.90
and they are
saying the opposite.
00:17:38.93\00:17:40.76
They are saying that God
will not allow the Babylonians
00:17:40.79\00:17:43.46
to harm the nation of Judah.
00:17:43.49\00:17:45.27
Israel, of course, by now
had already been taken in.
00:17:45.30\00:17:48.31
Their argument is
that as long as they do
00:17:48.34\00:17:51.80
what they've been doing,
God is going to protect them.
00:17:51.83\00:17:56.63
You turn to
Chapter 20 in verse 1.
00:17:56.66\00:17:59.97
Enters in an interesting
character name Pashur
00:18:00.00\00:18:02.73
the son of Immer, the priest,
00:18:02.76\00:18:05.57
who's also the chief governor
in the house of the Lord.
00:18:05.60\00:18:08.11
He had heard that Jeremiah
prophesied these things.
00:18:08.14\00:18:10.22
Now he was upset,
00:18:10.25\00:18:11.34
because he's one of these
false prophets prophesying
00:18:11.37\00:18:14.76
against what
Jeremiah has been saying.
00:18:14.79\00:18:17.82
Then Pashur smote Jeremiah.
00:18:17.85\00:18:19.41
The Bible says
that he beats Jeremiah
00:18:19.44\00:18:22.38
and put him in stocks that
were in a high gate of Benjamin,
00:18:22.41\00:18:25.29
which was by the
house of the Lord.
00:18:25.32\00:18:27.02
Jeremiah's reward
for preaching the gospel
00:18:27.05\00:18:29.56
is that he's beaten and
he's placed in the stocks.
00:18:29.59\00:18:32.31
And the stocks, his
arms and his feet are put in,
00:18:32.34\00:18:35.01
his head is put in,
00:18:35.04\00:18:36.08
he's in a very
uncomfortable position
00:18:36.11\00:18:37.99
and he's left there
overnight to suffer.
00:18:38.02\00:18:42.39
The next day, in
verse 3 of Chapter 20,
00:18:45.38\00:18:49.24
the Bible says, "And it
came to pass on the morrow,
00:18:49.27\00:18:52.24
that Pashur brought forth
Jeremiah out of the stocks.
00:18:52.27\00:18:55.86
Then Jeremiah said unto him,
00:18:55.89\00:18:58.06
The Lord hath not
called your name Pashur,
00:18:58.09\00:19:00.25
but Magor-missabib."
00:19:00.28\00:19:03.34
Which means,
terror on every side.
00:19:03.37\00:19:07.28
In fact the next
verse was forced as,
00:19:07.31\00:19:08.68
"For thus saith the Lord,
00:19:08.71\00:19:10.01
behold, I will make
you a terror to yourself,
00:19:10.04\00:19:12.96
and to all your friends
00:19:12.99\00:19:14.21
and they shall fall by
the sword of their enemies,
00:19:14.24\00:19:16.79
and thine eyes shall behold it:
00:19:16.82\00:19:19.18
and you Pashur and
that dwell in that house
00:19:19.21\00:19:21.92
shall go into captivity
00:19:21.95\00:19:23.54
and you shall come to
Babylon and there you will die."
00:19:23.57\00:19:28.48
And you will be buried
there, you and all your friends.
00:19:28.51\00:19:31.40
Which friends
does the Bible say?
00:19:31.43\00:19:33.43
The friends to whom
you prophesied lies.
00:19:33.46\00:19:39.30
Jeremiah is a bold preacher,
00:19:39.33\00:19:41.73
after being punished,
beaten, put in the stocks,
00:19:41.76\00:19:44.86
as soon as he is
released from his punishment,
00:19:44.89\00:19:47.96
Jeremiah gets
right back on the word
00:19:47.99\00:19:50.15
and actually condemns
the man who punished him.
00:19:50.18\00:19:54.00
He is bold. He's fearless.
00:19:54.03\00:19:56.80
And if you stop
the chapter there
00:19:56.83\00:19:58.68
and move on in
the story of Jeremiah,
00:19:58.71\00:20:00.84
you will miss really,
the crux of what's happening
00:20:00.87\00:20:03.49
because all of this
is important as it is,
00:20:03.52\00:20:05.59
historically and
in what's gonna happen
00:20:05.62\00:20:07.59
to Judah is secondary,
00:20:07.62\00:20:09.57
in my opinion, especially since
what I've just been through,
00:20:09.60\00:20:12.34
to what actually happens
00:20:12.37\00:20:13.92
to Jeremiah in
his spiritual life.
00:20:13.95\00:20:17.52
And the Bible
begins to reveal to you,
00:20:17.55\00:20:19.67
what happens when
you're persecuted.
00:20:19.70\00:20:21.43
What happens when
you are the one speaking
00:20:21.46\00:20:24.55
an unpopular truth.
00:20:24.58\00:20:27.09
If you go down,
the King James Version
00:20:29.57\00:20:33.19
and many of
verses actually switch
00:20:33.22\00:20:34.57
from prose to a
poetry form here,
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.12
where Jeremiah begins to pray.
00:20:37.15\00:20:38.92
He begins to speak
to God, face to face,
00:20:38.95\00:20:42.20
almost as it were in
terms of how open he is,
00:20:42.23\00:20:44.98
and how he allows himself
to be transparent with God
00:20:45.01\00:20:48.33
and in verse 7 of
Chapter 20, Jeremiah says,
00:20:48.36\00:20:52.31
"O Lord, You have deceived me
00:20:52.34\00:20:57.78
and I was deceived."
00:20:57.81\00:21:00.40
Now why does Jeremiah say that,
00:21:00.43\00:21:01.66
there's a lot of
reasons people give for that,
00:21:01.69\00:21:03.18
but if you just
go all the way back
00:21:03.21\00:21:05.10
to the beginning of
the Book of Jeremiah,
00:21:05.13\00:21:07.55
you find that he has promised
00:21:07.58\00:21:09.44
early on in the Book of Jeremiah
00:21:09.47\00:21:11.94
that he should gird up
his loins and that he--
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.52
And in verse 18 of
Chapter 1, the Bible says,
00:21:14.55\00:21:17.08
"For, behold, I
have made you this day
00:21:17.11\00:21:19.03
a fenced city, Jeremiah.
00:21:19.06\00:21:20.99
You are an iron
pillar, of brazen walls
00:21:21.02\00:21:23.12
against the whole land,
00:21:23.15\00:21:24.40
against the Kings of Judah,
against the princes thereof,
00:21:24.43\00:21:27.96
against the priests thereof,
00:21:27.99\00:21:30.39
against the people of the land."
00:21:30.42\00:21:32.97
He says, "And they
shall fight against you,
00:21:33.00\00:21:35.29
but they will not
prevail against you,
00:21:35.32\00:21:38.01
for I am with you, says
the Lord, to deliver you."
00:21:38.04\00:21:43.47
Now Jeremiah then
goes to God and says,
00:21:43.50\00:21:45.91
look, I feel as
if I was tricked.
00:21:45.94\00:21:49.43
I was promised that
I would be protected.
00:21:49.46\00:21:51.80
I was promised
I'd be a fenced city.
00:21:51.83\00:21:54.04
I was gonna be
like an iron pillar.
00:21:54.07\00:21:55.67
All of these great promises
when I began my ministry,
00:21:55.70\00:21:58.53
all of this was promised to
me, but look what's happening.
00:21:58.56\00:22:01.27
I'm mocked all day
long. I'm isolated.
00:22:01.30\00:22:04.05
I have been beaten.
I've been put in the stocks.
00:22:04.08\00:22:06.47
God, it seems as if I
have been duped, Jeremiah says.
00:22:06.50\00:22:11.21
There's often a
misunderstanding we,
00:22:15.06\00:22:19.50
as Christians, have about
what it means to serve God
00:22:19.53\00:22:25.22
and to
sometimes, have to suffer.
00:22:25.25\00:22:28.72
And I could tell you
that I've just through that.
00:22:28.75\00:22:30.59
Many of you heard or
seen on the internet,
00:22:30.62\00:22:32.71
some of my story and...
00:22:32.74\00:22:35.22
I was there in Pasadena,
00:22:35.25\00:22:36.30
working in a
public health department
00:22:36.33\00:22:37.78
in a local government
role, a job I really enjoyed.
00:22:37.81\00:22:40.85
Really loved the job,
I loved what I was doing,
00:22:40.88\00:22:42.68
I love that I was
trained in our institution,
00:22:42.71\00:22:45.53
Loma Linda, with a
Masters in Public Health
00:22:45.56\00:22:47.68
and a Doctorate in Public Health
00:22:47.71\00:22:49.28
and I was able
to take those skills
00:22:49.31\00:22:50.54
and the skills I
learned in medical school
00:22:50.57\00:22:52.01
and applied them to populations
00:22:52.04\00:22:53.92
and try and
improve people's health.
00:22:53.95\00:22:56.34
In fact, a week before all
the negative stories broke,
00:22:56.37\00:22:59.52
there was a very positive story
00:22:59.55\00:23:00.85
that we'd opened
up a dental clinic
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.00
for HIV positive individuals
00:23:03.03\00:23:05.13
and we were able
to fund this clinic
00:23:05.16\00:23:07.41
and allow those
individuals to get care
00:23:07.44\00:23:09.37
and I took great
pride in the idea
00:23:09.40\00:23:11.58
that those individuals,
00:23:11.61\00:23:13.20
often very poor and
alienated in our society,
00:23:13.23\00:23:15.94
would be allowed the opportunity
00:23:15.97\00:23:17.91
to get first class,
00:23:17.94\00:23:19.42
first rate dental
care and services,
00:23:19.45\00:23:22.03
to go along
with the medical care
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.71
and the mental health care
00:23:23.74\00:23:25.18
and all of the
other things that we did.
00:23:25.21\00:23:28.45
A week later, the story broke
00:23:28.48\00:23:30.26
and lots of
negativity came against me,
00:23:30.29\00:23:33.42
most of it for Protestant
Christian stands and values.
00:23:33.45\00:23:38.32
It happened because
in the initial spea--
00:23:38.35\00:23:41.05
I was asked to
speak for commencement
00:23:41.08\00:23:43.33
for the Pasadena City College
00:23:43.36\00:23:45.45
and I didn't know that
there was any back-story,
00:23:45.48\00:23:47.61
so I accepted the invitation
to speak for commencement
00:23:47.64\00:23:49.72
and didn't think much of it,
00:23:49.75\00:23:51.34
but found out later on
that there was a back-story.
00:23:51.37\00:23:53.28
There was another
person who was asked to speak
00:23:53.31\00:23:55.73
and then that person was later,
00:23:55.76\00:23:59.47
had their invitation rescinded
and taken back from them.
00:23:59.50\00:24:02.83
And that person was quite upset
00:24:02.86\00:24:04.16
and it was
because of some things
00:24:04.19\00:24:06.11
that were found on the internet
00:24:06.14\00:24:07.22
that weren't
flattering for that individual.
00:24:07.25\00:24:10.01
And so the President
said, "Hey, don't invite him,"
00:24:10.04\00:24:13.36
and he looked around
for who he could invite,
00:24:13.39\00:24:15.13
it was last minute
and I saw the list,
00:24:15.16\00:24:17.06
I saw some pretty
popular celebrity names
00:24:17.09\00:24:19.33
on the list and, I
guess everybody else said no,
00:24:19.36\00:24:21.83
so finally they called me.
00:24:21.86\00:24:24.36
And you know, just
wanting to serve in a community
00:24:24.39\00:24:28.66
and encourage
students, I said yes to that.
00:24:28.69\00:24:32.22
What I didn't know was that
basically sparked a witch hunt.
00:24:32.25\00:24:35.87
There were
students who decided that,
00:24:35.90\00:24:38.03
it wasn't fair what was
done to the original speaker
00:24:38.06\00:24:40.11
and so they were
gonna come after,
00:24:40.14\00:24:42.03
I think, whoever
was chosen to speak
00:24:42.06\00:24:45.83
and that was me.
00:24:45.86\00:24:47.76
And when they went
online to find things
00:24:47.79\00:24:50.00
to damage my reputation
or to cause the school to,
00:24:50.03\00:24:52.98
maybe not, chose me,
00:24:53.01\00:24:54.66
what they found
wasn't any scandal,
00:24:54.69\00:24:56.83
there was no embezzlement,
there was nothing like that,
00:24:56.86\00:24:59.84
it was just a lot of sermons.
00:24:59.87\00:25:03.96
And based on how the
whole thing played out,
00:25:03.99\00:25:07.90
they had to have listened to
a lot of hours of the sermons
00:25:07.93\00:25:10.97
because they just took
little snippets and of course,
00:25:11.00\00:25:14.46
by taking them out of context
and framing a new context,
00:25:14.49\00:25:18.29
they really
were able to frame me
00:25:18.32\00:25:19.53
as a very terrible person.
00:25:19.56\00:25:22.79
I was called in
the papers a bigot.
00:25:22.82\00:25:24.62
I was called a homophobe.
00:25:24.65\00:25:26.55
I was called all kinds of
names that simply weren't true.
00:25:26.58\00:25:31.12
And what was shocking as
we'll talk about is that,
00:25:31.15\00:25:33.45
many of the simple
fundamental Christian things
00:25:33.48\00:25:35.48
that Christians of
all denominations believe,
00:25:35.51\00:25:38.91
became fodder to burn
and to fire against me.
00:25:38.94\00:25:45.99
And I was caught up
in a media windstorm.
00:25:46.02\00:25:51.14
Wasn't prepared for it,
00:25:51.17\00:25:52.22
never thought
I'd be caught in it,
00:25:52.25\00:25:53.41
never prepared for
it, had no PR person.
00:25:53.44\00:25:56.80
I didn't have a fixer, as they--
00:25:56.83\00:25:58.69
Some of these
people on TV talk about.
00:25:58.72\00:26:00.47
I didn't have any of that stuff.
00:26:00.50\00:26:02.55
And I was beat up so bad.
00:26:02.58\00:26:04.49
The first couple of days,
00:26:04.52\00:26:05.95
I was where
Jeremiah is in this text.
00:26:05.98\00:26:09.01
Lord, what did I
do to deserve this?
00:26:09.04\00:26:12.34
At this point, it
began to become clear
00:26:12.37\00:26:14.20
that my
livelihood would be taken.
00:26:14.23\00:26:16.60
It began to be clear,
after a few more days,
00:26:16.63\00:26:18.54
that not only would I lose my--
00:26:18.57\00:26:20.11
Probably I have to walk
away from this job that I love,
00:26:20.14\00:26:22.74
but I would
probably, at some point,
00:26:22.77\00:26:24.81
lose even the ability to stay
in this field that I was in.
00:26:24.84\00:26:30.71
That my name was
being so maligned,
00:26:30.74\00:26:32.49
that it would
be difficult for me
00:26:32.52\00:26:33.66
to get a job
anywhere after this.
00:26:33.69\00:26:36.55
And I began to ask God, why?
00:26:36.58\00:26:39.99
I felt like I was
tricked, I was deceived.
00:26:40.02\00:26:42.25
I thought if I did
what I was supposed to do
00:26:42.28\00:26:43.92
and was a good
Adventist and preach the gospel
00:26:43.95\00:26:46.92
and the three angels'
messages and all of these things
00:26:46.95\00:26:49.96
that I've heard
since I was a child
00:26:49.99\00:26:51.69
that I would be protected
and that was a fence to city,
00:26:51.72\00:26:55.05
as Jeremiah puts it.
00:26:55.08\00:26:58.40
But instead the
storm never stopped.
00:26:58.43\00:27:02.65
And it wasn't long before I
was looking at the challenge
00:27:02.68\00:27:06.06
of leaving my job
and the other thing
00:27:06.09\00:27:07.98
that happened was of
course, I was offered a job.
00:27:08.01\00:27:11.32
At a third interview,
00:27:11.35\00:27:12.67
I thought it was
this divine providence
00:27:12.70\00:27:14.98
and I guess it still
is divine providence,
00:27:15.01\00:27:17.04
all things work
together for good.
00:27:17.07\00:27:20.25
And on that Monday,
00:27:20.28\00:27:21.62
after the fire-storm hit
that Tuesday and Wednesday,
00:27:21.65\00:27:24.39
I flew to Atlanta
and interviewed for a job
00:27:24.42\00:27:27.67
with the State of Georgia
and two or three days later,
00:27:27.70\00:27:31.10
I was offered that job.
00:27:31.13\00:27:33.33
And I thought look at
it, God has worked it out.
00:27:33.36\00:27:35.06
I will be able to just
transition from this job,
00:27:35.09\00:27:37.21
where I'm getting
beat up in the press,
00:27:37.24\00:27:38.94
I move down south where it's,
00:27:38.97\00:27:41.05
maybe safer for me
and I'll move down south
00:27:41.08\00:27:43.88
and I'll take that
job and in the newspaper,
00:27:43.91\00:27:47.02
one of the activists
there in Southern California
00:27:47.05\00:27:49.27
made the statement
in the newspaper that,
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.50
they were gonna
follow me anywhere I went.
00:27:51.53\00:27:54.64
And they would go
after any job I would get,
00:27:54.67\00:27:56.72
and they would make sure
that that job was taken from me.
00:27:56.75\00:27:59.56
And it wasn't long
before the job in the south...
00:27:59.59\00:28:04.17
rescinded the offer as well,
00:28:04.20\00:28:06.86
and I was found to be
without a primary job source.
00:28:06.89\00:28:13.61
That I was devastated,
00:28:13.64\00:28:15.04
at that point
because I thought again,
00:28:15.07\00:28:17.54
well, God is gonna
work this thing out
00:28:17.57\00:28:19.11
and He's gonna move quickly.
00:28:19.14\00:28:21.47
Because you see, I
wanted to medicine,
00:28:21.50\00:28:22.94
I was in the second grade
when I decided to be a doctor
00:28:22.97\00:28:25.50
and I just understood it.
00:28:25.53\00:28:26.99
One of the good advantages,
00:28:27.02\00:28:28.05
one of the nice
things about medicine is,
00:28:28.08\00:28:29.99
you always know
what you're gonna do.
00:28:30.02\00:28:31.69
Employment is
never really an issue.
00:28:31.72\00:28:33.54
If you can get
into medical school,
00:28:33.57\00:28:35.00
you'll get into a residency.
00:28:35.03\00:28:36.38
If you can get into a residency,
00:28:36.41\00:28:37.48
there are plenty of places
that will hire you to work
00:28:37.51\00:28:39.33
and so I didn't ever
have to worry about a job.
00:28:39.36\00:28:41.72
And for first time
in many, many years,
00:28:41.75\00:28:44.96
I was looking at,
"What am I going to do now?"
00:28:44.99\00:28:49.79
Lord, I feel as
if You tricked me.
00:28:49.82\00:28:54.72
But here I am now, with
uncertainty as my plight,
00:28:54.75\00:28:59.02
a family to
support, reputation in ruins
00:28:59.05\00:29:04.38
and feeling more all-alone
00:29:04.41\00:29:06.02
that I'd ever
felt in my entire life.
00:29:06.05\00:29:08.46
And I began to
read the scripture.
00:29:08.49\00:29:10.85
And let me tell you,
when you're persecuted
00:29:10.88\00:29:12.38
and we all better
begin to get ready
00:29:12.41\00:29:15.72
because the time of persecution
is coming for all of us.
00:29:15.75\00:29:19.58
The microcosm of
what I just went through,
00:29:19.61\00:29:22.57
will one day be the macrocosm
00:29:22.60\00:29:24.21
for all those Bible believing
Christians in the world.
00:29:24.24\00:29:28.84
But persecution
does some things to you.
00:29:28.87\00:29:31.00
You begin to feel alienated
and isolated and I get,
00:29:31.03\00:29:33.88
the Bible comes alive.
00:29:33.91\00:29:35.18
Psalms 35, Psalms
Chapter 8, Psalm 23,
00:29:35.21\00:29:38.30
the Bible begins to come alive.
00:29:38.33\00:29:40.45
The Psalms, the
spirit of prophecy tells us,
00:29:40.48\00:29:44.42
is the book that
we're supposed to read
00:29:44.45\00:29:46.62
as we go through persecution.
00:29:46.65\00:29:47.90
And I was deep into the Psalms,
00:29:47.93\00:29:49.62
but God led me some other places
00:29:49.65\00:29:51.36
and one of them
was here, to Jeremiah,
00:29:51.39\00:29:53.38
and as I'm laying on my face,
00:29:53.41\00:29:55.69
praying and
asking God for mercy,
00:29:55.72\00:29:57.71
praying and asking
him for deliverance.
00:29:57.74\00:30:01.71
See where Jeremiah
says, Lord, You deceived me.
00:30:01.74\00:30:07.36
And I was deceived.
00:30:07.39\00:30:08.42
You're stronger than I
and that has prevailed.
00:30:08.45\00:30:10.27
I am in derision daily.
00:30:10.30\00:30:11.76
Everyone mocks
me, Jeremiah said.
00:30:11.79\00:30:16.29
And I began to understand
what it means to be persecuted
00:30:16.32\00:30:19.06
because when you're
persecuted you will be mocked,
00:30:19.09\00:30:22.52
we will be made to look
as if we're completely crazy
00:30:22.55\00:30:25.38
to believe what we believe.
00:30:25.41\00:30:26.45
The Los Angeles Times had an--
00:30:26.48\00:30:28.14
Up an entire piece that
was run on that Tuesday night
00:30:28.17\00:30:31.93
and at Wednesday,
00:30:31.96\00:30:33.02
that's when this all
began and the writer wrote,
00:30:33.05\00:30:36.16
and beat me up about two things.
00:30:36.19\00:30:40.62
One of them was
that I was a creationist.
00:30:40.65\00:30:43.83
And what they said is that,
00:30:43.86\00:30:44.91
if this person is a creationist,
00:30:44.94\00:30:48.24
by default they
are unfit to hold
00:30:48.27\00:30:51.17
any scientific
office of government
00:30:51.20\00:30:53.19
in the United States of America.
00:30:53.22\00:30:57.03
And they quoted from my sermon,
00:30:57.06\00:30:58.49
where I talk about and I
said in one of my sermons,
00:30:58.52\00:31:00.80
I said, listen,
00:31:00.83\00:31:02.19
show me all of the
evolving species in the world
00:31:02.22\00:31:05.48
that are in between stages.
00:31:05.51\00:31:08.09
I'd like to see that
evolutionary evidence
00:31:08.12\00:31:10.26
of all of these missing
links 'cause I don't see them
00:31:10.29\00:31:12.34
and I said in one of my sermons.
00:31:12.37\00:31:13.71
It's quoted and they bring it
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.18
an evolution
specialist in evolution.
00:31:15.21\00:31:17.98
And a specialist
in the LA Times says,
00:31:18.01\00:31:22.49
evolution, the
theory of evolution
00:31:22.52\00:31:24.05
is like the theory of gravity.
00:31:24.08\00:31:25.90
You can choose to
believe in either one.
00:31:25.93\00:31:29.99
Now I've an MD degree and
Doctorate in Public Health.
00:31:30.02\00:31:33.38
I've done a little
bit of science in my life,
00:31:33.41\00:31:37.00
and the challenge
with that is that,
00:31:37.03\00:31:39.04
gravity is not a theory.
00:31:39.07\00:31:41.83
Gravity is a law.
00:31:41.86\00:31:43.74
And it's a law
because if I take this iPad
00:31:43.77\00:31:45.76
and I throw it up in the air,
00:31:45.79\00:31:46.84
it falls back to the ground
00:31:46.87\00:31:48.28
at 9.8 meters per second square.
00:31:48.31\00:31:51.15
And it does that here,
it does it in Australia,
00:31:51.18\00:31:53.55
it does it in the Caribbean.
00:31:53.58\00:31:56.89
It is a reproducible
truth that gravity exists.
00:31:56.92\00:32:02.37
So I don't bungee jump,
sky jump, none of that skydive,
00:32:02.40\00:32:05.55
none of that stuff,
00:32:05.58\00:32:07.65
because gravity
works everywhere.
00:32:07.68\00:32:12.30
But what I want you
to get, as Christians,
00:32:12.33\00:32:15.90
as God's remnant
people in the last days,
00:32:15.93\00:32:19.44
is that although the
science on their side
00:32:19.47\00:32:22.67
didn't add up in that article,
00:32:22.70\00:32:24.75
the comments
underneath crucified me
00:32:24.78\00:32:28.38
for believing that God created
the world in six literal days.
00:32:28.41\00:32:34.97
I want you to get this.
00:32:35.00\00:32:36.66
I'm beat up over it.
00:32:36.69\00:32:37.72
Now I've been a
doctor a long time.
00:32:37.75\00:32:39.95
I've run an
apartment for 3 ½ years
00:32:39.98\00:32:42.11
and I had run it flawlessly,
00:32:42.14\00:32:43.37
in fact, if one of the
things you will not find
00:32:43.40\00:32:45.50
in any of these articles,
00:32:45.53\00:32:46.67
is anything that
says, that any time,
00:32:46.70\00:32:49.64
I didn't do
less then an A+++ job
00:32:49.67\00:32:53.75
and they were
never any complaints
00:32:53.78\00:32:55.70
of bigotry or
favoritism against me, ever.
00:32:55.73\00:33:00.16
But because I believe
God created the world,
00:33:00.19\00:33:03.64
I am unfit for my job.
00:33:03.67\00:33:06.70
I remember when Sarah Palin
00:33:06.73\00:33:08.03
was being
considered for vice-president,
00:33:08.06\00:33:10.16
and on one of
the television show,
00:33:10.19\00:33:12.86
they were beating her up
00:33:12.89\00:33:13.95
and one of the things
that one of them said is,
00:33:13.98\00:33:15.15
she can't be vice-president
of the United States,
00:33:15.18\00:33:17.42
she's a creationist.
00:33:17.45\00:33:19.63
We don't want a creationist
00:33:19.66\00:33:20.93
as the vice-president
of the United States.
00:33:20.96\00:33:22.39
Let me tell you
why this is dangerous.
00:33:22.42\00:33:23.66
And why, we as a church,
00:33:23.69\00:33:24.88
have to be wise on this because,
00:33:24.91\00:33:26.58
you see, if God
isn't telling us the truth
00:33:26.61\00:33:29.23
in Genesis Chapter 1
and Genesis Chapter 2.
00:33:29.26\00:33:32.45
If we can't believe God
00:33:32.48\00:33:34.09
in the beginning of the
Bible, at its foundation.
00:33:34.12\00:33:37.26
If God is lying
to us in Genesis 1:2,
00:33:37.29\00:33:40.34
how do we believe God
in John Chapter 3:16-17?
00:33:40.37\00:33:47.39
That paddle that we just
had on righteousness by faith,
00:33:47.42\00:33:50.12
how do we believe
Paul in the Book of Romans
00:33:50.15\00:33:52.49
if we can't believe
God in Genesis 1 and 2?
00:33:52.52\00:33:56.81
The whole Bible
begins to come apart
00:33:56.84\00:33:59.06
if we can't believe
00:33:59.09\00:34:00.13
that God is the
creator of this universe.
00:34:00.16\00:34:03.45
But something else, as Americans
00:34:03.48\00:34:04.99
we ought to be a little worried,
00:34:05.02\00:34:06.93
because you see, I believe that
00:34:06.96\00:34:08.71
there is a divine
influence on the Constitution,
00:34:08.74\00:34:12.08
the Bill of Rights
00:34:12.11\00:34:13.14
and the
Declaration of Independence.
00:34:13.17\00:34:14.46
I love this great nation.
00:34:14.49\00:34:15.55
I was born in the
constitution state Connecticut
00:34:15.58\00:34:18.27
and I love the
documents that undergird
00:34:18.30\00:34:20.56
and support our nation
00:34:20.59\00:34:23.26
and in those documents
it is written and it says,
00:34:23.29\00:34:27.07
that we hold these
truths to be self-evident.
00:34:27.10\00:34:31.82
That all men are created equal.
00:34:31.85\00:34:36.06
Here's the challenge.
00:34:36.09\00:34:38.57
If you replace
the word "created"
00:34:38.60\00:34:40.13
with the word
"evolve" it reads like this.
00:34:40.16\00:34:42.46
We hold these
truths to be self-evident
00:34:42.49\00:34:44.79
that all men evolved equally.
00:34:44.82\00:34:50.46
And I would submit to you that
stops making sense right away.
00:34:50.49\00:34:53.87
And if that's the case,
00:34:53.90\00:34:54.97
you can do away with
all social welfare programs.
00:34:55.00\00:34:57.59
You could do away with
any-- all public school.
00:34:57.62\00:35:00.09
You can do away with
anything that tries to give,
00:35:00.12\00:35:02.43
anyone of a lesser
advantage a leg up.
00:35:02.46\00:35:04.42
Because if evolution is the law,
00:35:04.45\00:35:07.21
why invest in
anyone who can't keep up,
00:35:07.24\00:35:09.62
at the end of the day
00:35:09.65\00:35:10.72
what you want is for
the most fit to survive?
00:35:10.75\00:35:14.49
But I was mocked.
00:35:17.84\00:35:20.01
I was mocked because
I have a line where--
00:35:20.04\00:35:21.72
In one of my
sermons where I said,
00:35:21.75\00:35:24.83
"Disney teaches that
when you wish upon a star,
00:35:24.86\00:35:27.46
it makes no
difference who you are,
00:35:27.49\00:35:28.80
for when you wish upon a
star, your dreams come true."
00:35:28.83\00:35:32.31
And I simply said in a sermon,
00:35:32.34\00:35:33.46
I don't want my
children to wish upon a star.
00:35:33.49\00:35:35.51
I want my children to
pray to the living God.
00:35:35.54\00:35:38.35
And I was mocked for that.
00:35:41.24\00:35:43.99
And I understand what Jeremiah
00:35:44.02\00:35:45.92
is going
through because it says,
00:35:45.95\00:35:47.72
if once you begin to mocked,
00:35:47.75\00:35:49.24
than once this big
light starts to shine on you,
00:35:49.27\00:35:52.47
all of sudden it's as if
many people begin to fade away.
00:35:52.50\00:35:56.18
Many of my friends,
00:35:56.21\00:35:57.25
many of those who are
worked within the city,
00:35:57.28\00:35:59.05
began to disappear and
you begin to feel lonely.
00:35:59.08\00:36:01.36
Jeremiah 20:8
says, "For since I spoke,
00:36:01.39\00:36:04.36
I cried out, I
cried violence and spoil,
00:36:04.39\00:36:07.30
because the word of the Lord
was made a reproach unto me,
00:36:07.33\00:36:11.58
and a derision, daily."
00:36:11.61\00:36:14.33
And all of a
sudden you start thinking,
00:36:14.36\00:36:15.87
"What did I do wrong?"
00:36:15.90\00:36:17.18
when you're persecuted.
00:36:17.21\00:36:18.24
You just start to
think, "Where did I mess up?
00:36:18.27\00:36:21.23
How could I've
done this so wrong?
00:36:21.26\00:36:23.37
And what did I do, God,
00:36:23.40\00:36:24.86
that You separate
Yourself from me?"
00:36:24.89\00:36:26.39
But I appreciate all of
you who come to me and tell me,
00:36:26.42\00:36:29.38
you're praying for
me and those of you
00:36:29.41\00:36:31.44
who were
emailing me or sending me
00:36:31.47\00:36:34.34
a Bible verses to look at.
00:36:34.37\00:36:35.89
And one of the Bible
versus that was sent to me was,
00:36:35.92\00:36:38.10
is found in the Book of John.
00:36:38.13\00:36:40.32
The gospel
according to John 15:18-19.
00:36:40.35\00:36:45.45
And in John 15:18-19,
00:36:45.48\00:36:47.54
the Bible says this and it
was very encouraging to me.
00:36:47.57\00:36:50.94
It says, "If
the world hates you,
00:36:50.97\00:36:53.28
you know that it hated
me before it hated you."
00:36:53.31\00:36:56.29
And verse 19 said,
"If you were of the world,
00:36:56.32\00:36:59.40
the world would love his own:
00:36:59.43\00:37:01.56
but because you
are not of the world,
00:37:01.59\00:37:03.79
but I have chosen
you out of the world,
00:37:03.82\00:37:06.14
therefore the world hates you."
00:37:06.17\00:37:10.78
And I remember thinking,
00:37:14.07\00:37:15.14
"God, you chose
the wrong person."
00:37:15.17\00:37:17.36
I didn't sign up for this.
00:37:17.39\00:37:20.62
I'm no super-courageous person.
00:37:20.65\00:37:22.07
I'm, you know--
00:37:22.10\00:37:23.70
If I'm Clark Kent,
there is no Superman.
00:37:23.73\00:37:27.42
Just a regular guy.
00:37:27.45\00:37:28.48
Just trying to do his job,
00:37:28.51\00:37:29.92
but I believe what
our church teaches,
00:37:29.95\00:37:32.23
I believe our doctrines
and so if I stand and preach,
00:37:32.26\00:37:34.70
I'll preach what we believe.
00:37:34.73\00:37:37.44
Didn't sign up for it
00:37:37.47\00:37:38.95
and I didn't know I
would lose the career
00:37:38.98\00:37:41.31
and I didn't know all of these
different things would happen
00:37:41.34\00:37:43.56
and I didn't
understand even the full weight
00:37:43.59\00:37:47.12
of what all of it meant.
00:37:47.15\00:37:49.87
How it would affect the family?
00:37:49.90\00:37:51.49
How it affect my children?
00:37:51.52\00:37:55.37
I said this when I spoke
about this, at Island Hope.
00:37:55.40\00:37:58.59
And my daughter was
very much affected by this.
00:37:58.62\00:38:03.92
And I'd just been
praying a week or two earlier,
00:38:03.95\00:38:08.25
just crying,
asking God to make sure
00:38:08.28\00:38:11.37
that I don't mess up
and lose my children.
00:38:11.40\00:38:14.77
Praying and agonizing with God
00:38:14.80\00:38:16.11
because the world is
such a terrible place,
00:38:16.14\00:38:17.55
such a hard place
to raise children now
00:38:17.58\00:38:20.52
Especially living
in a city like LA,
00:38:20.55\00:38:22.59
right down kind of
in the heart of it all,
00:38:22.62\00:38:24.53
praying and asking God for help.
00:38:24.56\00:38:27.57
When I went to pick my
daughter up from academy...
00:38:27.60\00:38:32.39
while I was on a
leave of absence--
00:38:32.42\00:38:34.84
The paid leave during this time
00:38:34.87\00:38:36.41
where all this
was being worked out.
00:38:36.44\00:38:39.26
My daughter,
when I picked her up,
00:38:39.29\00:38:40.32
she slapped me on the shoulder,
00:38:40.35\00:38:41.40
she said, "Daddy,
I want to thank you."
00:38:41.43\00:38:43.93
I said, "Jazz, what
are you thanking me for?"
00:38:43.96\00:38:45.36
She said, "You know Daddy,
00:38:45.39\00:38:46.63
I'm not sure I was a Christian
00:38:46.66\00:38:47.82
before all of
this came upon us."
00:38:47.85\00:38:49.84
All alone, my son and daughter,
00:38:52.66\00:38:54.74
all by themselves will begin
fall on their knees and pray.
00:38:54.77\00:38:58.23
You see, persecution has
its downside, don't miss this.
00:38:58.26\00:39:01.84
Persecution has the downside,
00:39:01.87\00:39:02.96
it hurts, it's
ugly, it's painful,
00:39:02.99\00:39:05.49
it can be
lonely and frightening,
00:39:05.52\00:39:07.69
but I can tell you
that if you allow God
00:39:07.72\00:39:10.52
to place you in the
crucible and in the fire,
00:39:10.55\00:39:13.89
by default you will be refined.
00:39:13.92\00:39:17.01
I will read from Ellen White.
Ellen White says it like this.
00:39:23.75\00:39:25.70
She says, "To live such a life,
to exert such an influence,
00:39:25.73\00:39:30.33
costs at every step, effort,
self-sacrifice and discipline.
00:39:30.36\00:39:36.59
It is because they
do not understand this,
00:39:36.62\00:39:38.78
that many are so
easily discouraged
00:39:38.81\00:39:40.72
in the Christian life.
00:39:40.75\00:39:42.22
Many, who sincerely consecrated
their lives to God's service,
00:39:42.25\00:39:45.00
are surprised and disappointed
00:39:45.03\00:39:47.26
to find
themselves as never before,
00:39:47.29\00:39:49.30
confronted by obstacles
00:39:49.33\00:39:50.92
and beset by
trials and perplexities.
00:39:50.95\00:39:53.24
They pray for
Christ's likeness of character
00:39:53.27\00:39:55.92
for a fitness
for the Lord's work
00:39:55.95\00:39:57.80
and they are
placed in circumstances
00:39:57.83\00:39:59.98
that seem to call forth
all the evil of their nature.
00:40:00.01\00:40:05.17
False are revealed
00:40:05.20\00:40:06.34
of which they did not
even suspect the existence.
00:40:06.37\00:40:10.10
Like Israel of
old day questioned,
00:40:10.13\00:40:12.09
if God is leading us,
00:40:12.12\00:40:14.00
why do all these
things come upon us?"
00:40:14.03\00:40:19.14
Now let me get
transparent myself,
00:40:19.17\00:40:21.28
now for a second.
00:40:21.31\00:40:22.59
You see, I had this
meteoric rise in my career.
00:40:22.62\00:40:27.80
Things were going
so well in the city,
00:40:27.83\00:40:29.38
they called me rock star.
00:40:29.41\00:40:31.04
You know they said,
00:40:31.07\00:40:32.10
"Man, you walk on
water, you can do no wrong."
00:40:32.13\00:40:33.95
My department went from--
00:40:33.98\00:40:35.96
almost doubled in the
number of employees in a budget.
00:40:35.99\00:40:38.52
Doubled, and all the programs
and services we were doing.
00:40:38.55\00:40:41.50
There were those who came to me
and wanted me to be considered
00:40:41.53\00:40:43.54
for Sergeant
General of the United States
00:40:43.57\00:40:45.25
and they wanted
to be, to get a job,
00:40:45.28\00:40:47.52
a county in a higher position.
00:40:47.55\00:40:50.89
And I can tell you that
it began to be a distraction.
00:40:50.92\00:40:53.14
I'm just gonna
be honest with you.
00:40:53.17\00:40:55.35
And your career, this being ASI,
00:40:55.38\00:41:00.43
and this being Adventist,
00:41:00.46\00:41:01.50
an idea of lifting up
Christ in the workplace,
00:41:01.53\00:41:04.29
your career can become the idol.
00:41:04.32\00:41:08.16
Our desire to do more
and be bigger and do better,
00:41:08.19\00:41:11.24
innocent in many ways,
but if we're not careful,
00:41:11.27\00:41:15.07
we can get caught up in
how much our business makes
00:41:15.10\00:41:17.84
and how many clients we serve
00:41:17.87\00:41:20.08
and we can get caught
up in titles and in degrees
00:41:20.11\00:41:24.63
and all of these
different things.
00:41:24.66\00:41:26.24
And if you're not careful,
it can just distract you.
00:41:26.27\00:41:28.91
Just a small bit,
00:41:28.94\00:41:31.62
but that little
tiny bit of distraction,
00:41:31.65\00:41:33.91
if you follow the
path all the way out,
00:41:33.94\00:41:35.67
if you're supposed
to be going this way
00:41:35.70\00:41:37.04
and the distraction
is just a little bit off,
00:41:37.07\00:41:39.14
you go far enough out
00:41:39.17\00:41:40.52
and you'll become a
great distance from God.
00:41:40.55\00:41:42.99
And I can tell you
that God had begun to work,
00:41:45.89\00:41:47.79
I mean, these
versus, these words here,
00:41:47.82\00:41:50.23
from the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:41:50.26\00:41:51.59
began to really
resonate with me.
00:41:51.62\00:41:52.95
She goes on, she says,
00:41:52.98\00:41:54.07
"It is because
God is leading them
00:41:54.10\00:41:56.07
that these
things come upon them.
00:41:56.10\00:41:58.55
Trials and
obstacles are the Lord's
00:41:58.58\00:42:00.60
chosen methods of discipline
00:42:00.63\00:42:02.84
and His appointed
conditions of success.
00:42:02.87\00:42:05.81
He who reads the hearts
of men knows their characters
00:42:05.84\00:42:08.65
better than they
themselves know them.
00:42:08.68\00:42:10.62
He sees that some have powers
00:42:10.65\00:42:12.59
and susceptibilities
which, rightly directed,
00:42:12.62\00:42:15.28
might be used in the
advancement of His work.
00:42:15.31\00:42:18.44
In His providence
He brings these persons
00:42:18.47\00:42:21.66
into different positions
and varied circumstances
00:42:21.69\00:42:24.67
that they may discover in
their character the defects
00:42:24.70\00:42:28.44
which have been concealed
from their own knowledge."
00:42:28.47\00:42:32.28
Now let me tell
you something church.
00:42:32.31\00:42:34.10
The only thing we
get to take with us,
00:42:34.13\00:42:36.01
to heaven is our character.
00:42:36.04\00:42:39.68
So God will sometimes
allow fire to come upon us
00:42:39.71\00:42:42.66
because He wants to
purify that character.
00:42:42.69\00:42:46.34
"He gives them opportunity,"
00:42:46.37\00:42:48.09
she goes on, "to
correct these defects
00:42:48.12\00:42:50.03
and to fit
themselves for His service.
00:42:50.06\00:42:52.21
Often He permits the fires
of affliction to assail them
00:42:52.24\00:42:55.72
that they may be purified."
00:42:55.75\00:43:00.03
I like this.
00:43:00.06\00:43:01.11
She says, "The fact that
we are called to endure trial
00:43:01.14\00:43:04.58
because some of us in this room
00:43:04.61\00:43:06.24
are gonna
continue to go into trial.
00:43:06.27\00:43:08.54
"The fact that we are
called upon to endure trial
00:43:08.57\00:43:10.94
shows that the Lord Jesus
sees in us something precious
00:43:10.97\00:43:15.79
which He desires to develop.
00:43:15.82\00:43:18.22
If He saw in us nothing whereby
He might glorify His name,
00:43:18.25\00:43:22.21
He would not spend
time in refining us."
00:43:22.24\00:43:25.62
Watch this.
00:43:25.65\00:43:26.73
She says, "He does
not cast worthless stones
00:43:26.76\00:43:31.05
into His furnace."
00:43:31.08\00:43:34.24
He does not
cast worthless stones
00:43:34.27\00:43:37.78
into His furnace.
00:43:37.81\00:43:38.91
And this is why
the Bible is clear,
00:43:38.94\00:43:40.59
tells us that we
should count it all joy.
00:43:40.62\00:43:44.80
It's not easy.
00:43:47.54\00:43:49.42
But the truth is that it is
a privilege for God to try us.
00:43:49.45\00:43:54.55
It's not
pleasant, but the truth is,
00:43:54.58\00:43:57.75
as we move towards
these last days and you,
00:43:57.78\00:43:59.77
and I'm sure all through
this conference you heard
00:43:59.80\00:44:02.05
more and more but references
to the science of the times
00:44:02.08\00:44:05.52
and the things that
are coming upon this world,
00:44:05.55\00:44:07.38
that we're moving
towards, rapidly towards
00:44:07.41\00:44:10.15
the Second Coming of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
00:44:10.18\00:44:13.72
And I submit to you
that we ought to rejoice
00:44:13.75\00:44:16.24
when we are tried.
00:44:16.27\00:44:17.39
Why?
00:44:17.42\00:44:18.99
Because they are those that
are watching us on our jobs,
00:44:19.02\00:44:22.15
customers of your
business that are watching you
00:44:22.18\00:44:24.33
and how you respond to trial
00:44:24.36\00:44:28.67
will be a great statement
about the God that you serve.
00:44:28.70\00:44:33.52
And you never
know, that in your trial,
00:44:33.55\00:44:36.32
someone might be
one to Jesus Christ,
00:44:36.35\00:44:40.09
who you couldn't convince
with a doctrinal debate.
00:44:40.12\00:44:45.20
But when they see
that in the darkest hour,
00:44:45.23\00:44:47.76
you never speak an ill word.
00:44:47.79\00:44:48.87
There were people
who came to me and said,
00:44:48.90\00:44:50.27
in fact there were those who--
00:44:50.30\00:44:51.73
Both-- Two sides of people.
00:44:51.76\00:44:53.60
One who said,
"Look, fight it, go on.
00:44:53.63\00:44:55.41
So have a press conference
00:44:55.44\00:44:57.31
and fight tooth and
nail and go after them."
00:44:57.34\00:45:01.25
And you know what
came to me every time,
00:45:01.28\00:45:02.83
why the word of
God is important?
00:45:02.86\00:45:04.24
Every time someone
said it and I considered it,
00:45:04.27\00:45:06.36
a verse of scripture came to me,
00:45:06.39\00:45:08.59
out of the Book of Isaiah,
00:45:08.62\00:45:11.14
like a lamb led to
the slaughter is dumb,
00:45:11.17\00:45:15.84
so said he not a word.
00:45:15.87\00:45:17.92
And God was telling me,
00:45:17.95\00:45:18.99
"You be quiet, let me
fight your battles for you."
00:45:19.02\00:45:22.87
And then there
were others who came
00:45:22.90\00:45:24.66
and sent me emails and
messages and were saying,
00:45:24.69\00:45:27.25
"Listen, we want to hold a forum
00:45:27.28\00:45:28.87
and we want to give
you an opportunity,"
00:45:28.90\00:45:30.75
and what they were really
trying to get around to is,
00:45:30.78\00:45:33.09
"We're gonna give you
an opportunity to recant.
00:45:33.12\00:45:36.10
We'll give you an
opportunity to apologize."
00:45:36.13\00:45:38.07
But I didn't do anything wrong.
00:45:38.10\00:45:40.14
"You can get your job back
00:45:42.86\00:45:44.07
if we work out this
thing the right way."
00:45:44.10\00:45:47.09
But let me submit to you that
00:45:49.50\00:45:52.91
if you'll not be
able to buy and sell
00:45:52.94\00:45:54.42
unless you have
the mark of the beast,
00:45:54.45\00:45:56.87
you're gonna have
to begin the practice
00:45:56.90\00:45:58.35
not being dependant on whatever
00:45:58.38\00:46:02.12
sources of support
you get in this world
00:46:02.15\00:46:06.94
and that's a difficult thing.
00:46:06.97\00:46:09.09
But it means that you have
to step out in complete faith,
00:46:09.12\00:46:12.27
in being
persecuted, in being tried
00:46:12.30\00:46:14.40
and you've got to
remember that David says,
00:46:14.43\00:46:16.36
"I have never seen
the righteous forsaken
00:46:16.39\00:46:18.72
or his seed begging bread."
00:46:18.75\00:46:20.96
And you've got to understand
00:46:20.99\00:46:22.32
that God does not own a
thousand cattle on a hill.
00:46:22.35\00:46:26.29
He owns the cattle
on a thousand hills.
00:46:26.32\00:46:30.39
And that He says more
than you could ever imagine.
00:46:30.42\00:46:33.47
In fact, when I got the call--
00:46:33.50\00:46:34.99
The one time I wept
in this whole process
00:46:35.02\00:46:38.53
was when I got the job
taken from me in Georgia.
00:46:38.56\00:46:42.00
Because at that
point I just thought,
00:46:42.03\00:46:43.12
"Lord, this is
getting to be too much.
00:46:43.15\00:46:45.52
This is overwhelming."
00:46:45.55\00:46:47.36
And I listened to the voice
00:46:47.39\00:46:48.44
where I knew that
that was gonna happen
00:46:48.47\00:46:49.97
and I kept listening to my voice
00:46:50.00\00:46:51.12
as I was getting off the plane,
00:46:51.15\00:46:52.39
and when I got to the third
or fourth voicemail below that,
00:46:52.42\00:46:55.59
it was from a clinic
that had been moonlighting at,
00:46:55.62\00:46:57.59
and the medical director
said, "Listen, we know what--
00:46:57.62\00:47:00.14
We know what they
are saying about you,
00:47:00.17\00:47:01.20
but we know you, we love you.
00:47:01.23\00:47:02.68
In fact, one of the
doctors is going out
00:47:02.71\00:47:04.55
on a paternity leave and listen,
00:47:04.58\00:47:06.89
we could use you,
00:47:06.92\00:47:07.95
so, if they don't
want you come on over
00:47:07.98\00:47:09.92
and help us out in the clinic."
00:47:09.95\00:47:12.22
And although I was weeping
00:47:12.25\00:47:13.59
because I said,
"Lord, You've left forsaken."
00:47:13.62\00:47:17.00
God was like, "Man, been quiet.
00:47:17.03\00:47:20.62
I got you.
00:47:20.65\00:47:22.73
Just keep
listening to the voicemail.
00:47:22.76\00:47:26.80
You stop too soon, you panic."
00:47:26.83\00:47:30.61
And sure enough,
God worked it out.
00:47:30.64\00:47:33.31
Jeremiah 20:9,
00:47:38.19\00:47:40.72
"Then I said, I will
not make mention of him,
00:47:40.75\00:47:43.73
nor speak any more in his name."
00:47:43.76\00:47:45.42
When you get to be persecuted,
00:47:45.45\00:47:46.82
one of the things
that devil does is
00:47:46.85\00:47:48.01
he pushes you up in a
corner and you get to--
00:47:48.04\00:47:49.73
You start saying,
00:47:49.76\00:47:50.85
"Listen, I'm not
gonna be a witness anymore.
00:47:50.88\00:47:53.04
I'mma shut up.
I'mma put out that candle.
00:47:53.07\00:47:55.57
I'mma stick it up
underneath the bushel.
00:47:55.60\00:47:58.46
I'm not gonna let
anybody see my light anymore
00:47:58.49\00:48:00.28
because showing my light got me
00:48:00.31\00:48:01.72
into this mess
in the first place.
00:48:01.75\00:48:02.94
Jeremiah said, "Listen, I'm
not gonna mention Him anymore,"
00:48:02.97\00:48:05.50
and that thought has
come to my mind many times,
00:48:05.53\00:48:07.49
even getting this
invitation to speak.
00:48:07.52\00:48:09.39
You start saying,
maybe this is too much.
00:48:09.42\00:48:11.23
Maybe I ought to
leave all the stuff alone.
00:48:11.26\00:48:13.13
You got all these
other great preachers,
00:48:13.16\00:48:14.63
let them preach the word.
00:48:14.66\00:48:16.41
He said, "I will
not make mention of Him
00:48:19.97\00:48:21.79
or nor speak anymore His name."
00:48:21.82\00:48:23.19
But look at verse 9,
00:48:23.22\00:48:25.79
look in the
middle of that verse.
00:48:25.82\00:48:26.92
It says, "But His
word was in my heart
00:48:26.95\00:48:31.97
as a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
00:48:32.00\00:48:36.35
and I was weary with forbearing,
00:48:36.38\00:48:38.67
and I could not stay."
00:48:38.70\00:48:39.94
Jeremiah says,
00:48:39.97\00:48:41.00
it felt like fire
shut up in my bones
00:48:41.03\00:48:44.77
and it wouldn't leave me alone.
00:48:44.80\00:48:48.06
When this gospel
gets in you right,
00:48:48.09\00:48:49.76
when it gets in you good,
00:48:49.79\00:48:50.93
you can't help but tell somebody
00:48:50.96\00:48:52.69
how much and how good Jesus is.
00:48:52.72\00:48:56.79
You can't help but introduce
to the savior of the world.
00:48:56.82\00:49:00.34
You can't help
but introduce them
00:49:00.37\00:49:01.98
to the Redeemer of the planet.
00:49:02.01\00:49:03.91
You can't help
but introduce them
00:49:03.94\00:49:05.78
to their creator and the one,
00:49:05.81\00:49:07.61
who'll one day,
recreate this world.
00:49:07.64\00:49:10.25
Amen.
00:49:10.28\00:49:12.45
It gets to be like
fire shut up in your bones
00:49:12.48\00:49:17.86
and you want to tell
the world about this Jesus,
00:49:17.89\00:49:22.11
about His love, about the
fact that whatever I suffer,
00:49:22.14\00:49:25.34
it pales in comparison
to what my Jesus suffered.
00:49:25.37\00:49:28.99
My Jesus left
His throne and glory
00:49:29.02\00:49:32.09
where angels 10,000 times,
10,000 angels worshiped him
00:49:32.12\00:49:36.13
and he was born in a
manger, a filthy manger
00:49:36.16\00:49:42.33
and died an ignoble death
00:49:42.36\00:49:46.04
so that each one of us would
have a chance at eternal life.
00:49:46.07\00:49:50.01
I don't know how you
can be quiet about that.
00:49:50.04\00:49:53.59
I don't know how you can shut up
00:49:53.62\00:49:54.74
when you got a Jesus
like that that you serve.
00:49:54.77\00:49:57.60
I don't know how the world could
00:49:57.63\00:49:58.83
corner you so much
that you're not willing
00:49:58.86\00:50:00.67
to stand on top of
whatever you need to stand on
00:50:00.70\00:50:03.22
and tell them that Jesus is real
00:50:03.25\00:50:06.68
and that He saves
00:50:06.71\00:50:08.75
and that His blood still washes,
00:50:08.78\00:50:11.14
His blood still cleanses.
00:50:11.17\00:50:15.82
And I like the way
Jeremiah ends this,
00:50:15.85\00:50:17.59
if you look at verse 10, says,
00:50:17.62\00:50:19.88
"For I heard the
defaming of many,
00:50:19.91\00:50:22.07
fear on every side.
00:50:22.10\00:50:24.40
Report, say they,
and we will report it.
00:50:24.43\00:50:27.21
All my familiars
watched for my halting, saying,
00:50:27.24\00:50:30.51
Peradventure he will be enticed,
00:50:30.54\00:50:32.98
and we shall
prevail against him,
00:50:33.01\00:50:35.02
and we shall take
our revenge on him."
00:50:35.05\00:50:37.96
Jeremiah says,
"But the Lord is with me
00:50:37.99\00:50:40.75
as a mighty terrible one,
00:50:40.78\00:50:43.58
therefore my
persecutors shall stumble,
00:50:43.61\00:50:46.69
and they shall not prevail:
00:50:46.72\00:50:48.44
but they shall
be greatly ashamed,
00:50:48.47\00:50:50.13
for they shall not prosper:
00:50:50.16\00:50:52.62
their everlasting confusion
shall never be forgotten."
00:50:52.65\00:50:57.49
He says in verse 12,
00:50:57.52\00:50:58.55
" But, O Lord of hosts,
that triest the righteous,
00:50:58.58\00:51:03.81
and seest the
reins and the heart,
00:51:03.84\00:51:06.08
let me see thy
vengeance on them:
00:51:06.11\00:51:07.61
for unto thee have
I opened my cause."
00:51:07.64\00:51:10.16
Let me tell you something.
00:51:10.19\00:51:11.28
When you go into trials
00:51:11.31\00:51:12.40
and it may not in the magnitude
of what I went through,
00:51:12.43\00:51:15.19
open your cause
to the living God.
00:51:15.22\00:51:17.56
Amen.
00:51:17.59\00:51:18.70
Don't be afraid
to take your trials.
00:51:18.73\00:51:20.09
You know what?
00:51:20.12\00:51:21.23
The devil wants to do when
we go through these things?
00:51:21.26\00:51:22.82
He wants us to take our
trial and our persecution
00:51:22.85\00:51:25.37
and run away from God,
00:51:25.40\00:51:27.29
that's what he
wants to have happen.
00:51:27.32\00:51:28.83
I challenge you, the next time,
00:51:28.86\00:51:30.37
you're discouraged,
that you have doubt,
00:51:30.40\00:51:32.17
that you're downtrodden.
00:51:32.20\00:51:33.49
I challenge you
to pick up your doubt
00:51:33.52\00:51:35.36
and run to Jesus with it.
00:51:35.39\00:51:38.73
Because verse 13,
00:51:38.76\00:51:40.25
is how you get
through persecution.
00:51:40.28\00:51:42.68
Verse 13 is the key.
00:51:42.71\00:51:44.80
You see, "Sing unto the Lord,
00:51:44.83\00:51:46.84
you praise the
Lord for he hath to live
00:51:46.87\00:51:49.46
with the soul of the poor
from the hand of evildoers."
00:51:49.49\00:51:51.76
You do two things that will
deliver you from persecution.
00:51:51.79\00:51:54.19
The first thing is,
00:51:54.22\00:51:55.25
you praise God in
the middle of the storm.
00:51:55.28\00:51:59.22
You praise Him when it seems
as if the ship is going down.
00:51:59.25\00:52:02.44
You open up to him
and you begin to sing
00:52:02.47\00:52:04.66
what a friend we have in Jesus.
00:52:04.69\00:52:08.00
You start, you open up
00:52:08.03\00:52:09.13
and you start singing all
of those black classic hymns.
00:52:09.16\00:52:12.34
You sing "Amazing Grace."
00:52:12.37\00:52:15.05
You sing "When we
All Get to Heaven."
00:52:15.08\00:52:17.95
Because the
second part of it is,
00:52:17.98\00:52:19.54
when you start
going through trial
00:52:19.57\00:52:21.23
like I just went through,
00:52:21.26\00:52:22.44
you've got to have the last part
00:52:22.47\00:52:23.62
that verse down pat,
00:52:23.65\00:52:24.77
you've got to
believe in his deliverance
00:52:24.80\00:52:26.90
before you see it.
00:52:26.93\00:52:28.48
Yes, yes.
00:52:28.51\00:52:31.39
You got to know, you
serve a God who delivers.
00:52:31.42\00:52:37.15
Well, I'll close with this.
00:52:37.18\00:52:40.00
I think what frightened
me the most was the idea
00:52:40.03\00:52:44.65
that I'd have nowhere to go.
00:52:44.68\00:52:46.26
The idea that I will
be left in this limbo,
00:52:49.66\00:52:51.42
for months and
months and months.
00:52:51.45\00:52:55.82
I was staying at my good friend,
00:52:55.85\00:52:57.10
one of my best friend's house,
00:52:57.13\00:52:59.29
out near Loma Linda
and he was asking me,
00:52:59.32\00:53:02.24
"So what are you gonna do?"
00:53:02.27\00:53:05.10
I said, "You know, I have
no idea what I'm gonna do.
00:53:05.13\00:53:07.00
I'm gonna have to wait and
see what God wants me to do
00:53:07.03\00:53:08.68
because I have no
leads and I'm actually,
00:53:08.71\00:53:11.11
literally afraid to
even put an application out.
00:53:11.14\00:53:14.12
Because if
anybody gets wind of it,
00:53:14.15\00:53:16.25
I think they'll try and
do what was done before."
00:53:16.28\00:53:19.58
He said, "Man,
what are you gonna do?
00:53:19.61\00:53:20.90
You know, you're working here,
00:53:20.93\00:53:22.11
but I don't think
you're gonna wanna stay
00:53:22.14\00:53:23.21
in Pasadena too long."
00:53:23.24\00:53:24.27
I said, "I don't."
00:53:24.30\00:53:27.05
And I said, "You
know, I've always
00:53:27.08\00:53:28.30
wanted to be a missionary.
00:53:28.33\00:53:31.31
And I always
thought I'd love to do,
00:53:31.34\00:53:34.14
sometime, serve
the Lord in Guam.
00:53:34.17\00:53:37.26
I talked to someone
who'd been to Guam many times.
00:53:37.29\00:53:39.60
I thought that
maybe God would lead me
00:53:39.63\00:53:41.68
to a place like that to serve."
00:53:41.71\00:53:44.09
And he said, "Well,
maybe that'd be good."
00:53:44.12\00:53:45.85
And my
16-year-old daughter says,
00:53:45.88\00:53:47.25
"Guam? Guam?"
00:53:47.28\00:53:49.09
I say, "You be quiet.
00:53:49.12\00:53:50.15
You don't even
know where Guam is."
00:53:50.18\00:53:51.78
And within 30 minutes,
00:53:56.23\00:53:59.26
an email came from
the Guam Adventist Clinic.
00:53:59.29\00:54:02.72
"Dr. Walsh, would
you be interesting
00:54:02.75\00:54:04.97
in serving in Guam?"
00:54:05.00\00:54:07.38
Let me tell you something.
00:54:09.50\00:54:12.52
You don't serve a
God that isn't real.
00:54:12.55\00:54:16.90
You don't serve a God
that doesn't suffer with you.
00:54:16.93\00:54:20.15
You don't serve a God
who doesn't know your pain.
00:54:20.18\00:54:22.63
In fact, the scripture tells us
00:54:22.66\00:54:24.13
that He collects
our tears in His hands.
00:54:24.16\00:54:28.45
As we suffer, He
suffers, He moves with us,
00:54:28.48\00:54:30.98
He walks with
us, He feels with us,
00:54:31.01\00:54:33.20
but God knows,
sometimes, what's best for us
00:54:33.23\00:54:35.46
and He allows us to go
through what we go through
00:54:35.49\00:54:38.06
because it's what
we need at that time.
00:54:38.09\00:54:42.80
And if we can just
step back and not panic
00:54:42.83\00:54:45.66
and not get nervous
and not lose our faith,
00:54:45.69\00:54:48.76
if we can hold on to
God's unchanging head,
00:54:48.79\00:54:51.91
if we can let go of this
world and hold on to God,
00:54:51.94\00:54:57.50
every single challenge
will become a testimony.
00:54:57.53\00:55:03.20
Every time we feel trapped,
we will experience deliverance.
00:55:03.23\00:55:08.32
And every piece of
doubt that we have to endure,
00:55:08.35\00:55:13.43
will eventually grow our faith.
00:55:13.46\00:55:17.76
And most
importantly, like Jeremiah,
00:55:17.79\00:55:20.92
prepare us to
hold up our candles.
00:55:20.95\00:55:24.88
Prepare us to tell the
world about the love of Jesus.
00:55:24.91\00:55:31.62
God send you into the
fire, He sends me into the fire,
00:55:31.65\00:55:34.65
He will send us
collectively into the fire
00:55:34.68\00:55:37.64
so that we can be refined.
00:55:37.67\00:55:40.70
Well, like the
Spirit of Prophecy says,
00:55:40.73\00:55:43.38
"He doesn't
throw worthless stones
00:55:43.41\00:55:45.54
into the fire."
00:55:45.57\00:55:47.14
Amen.
00:55:47.17\00:55:48.52