Good morning - good morning
- and happy Preparation Day.
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You almost want to say
"Happy Sabbath" when you see
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an audience of well-dressed
good looking people.
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But it's Preparation
Day: it is Friday morning
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and we trust that
you had a good night.
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I must admit something to
you: I had planned on doing this
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presentation on roller skates.
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No... I'm serious.
I've done it before.
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Those of you who have been
here several years have seen me
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on roller skates.
And I'm... I'm not bad.
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But when I got up this morning
I was sort of arguing with
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the Lord whether I should
do it on roller skates or not.
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I said: "Yeah, but I
have a similar presentation
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where the roller skates
are very, very important. "
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On this presentation
they're not AS important
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but I just wanted
to be on roller skates.
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But I chose... Well, I was
sort of arguing with the Lord.
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You know, some times you
get in these little discussions
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with the Lord and
you've got to determine whether
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it's yourself, it's you or
if it's something the Lord is
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calling you to do. And
then I put them by the door,
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stepped over them and
walked out without them.
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So they are home, so
that says to me the Lord just
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didn't want me on
roller skates today.
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But I left them home. And
I was going to call my wife
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and say: "Bring the skates.
" But I said: "No, we're not
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going to go through all
of that. " So we'll do this
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on the ground. This
is not a sermon per say.
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It's a presentation of some
things that I want to sort of
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sense you into that the Lord
and I have been sort of working
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on the last little bit.
So welcome and good morning
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to our in-house audience
and to those of you who are
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watching from around the world.
I apologize: no roller skates.
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I told Danny the other day:
"I've got my skates ready. "
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And he gave me that look
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like: "Old men
shouldn't be on roller skates. "
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But if you're going to
do a sermon on roller skates
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you either have to
be very good or crazy!
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And I am not crazy.
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But the Lord is
good and maybe next year
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if we get permission from
the Lord we'll get back up
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on our roller skates.
Let's have a word of prayer
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and then we'll launch
out. Father God, we just
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praise you and
thank you so very much
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for Your Word which
is a lamp unto our feet
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and a light that
shines on the path before us.
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Father God, we ask You to
be the teacher this morning
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because there is much
that we know that You have
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for us. And we ask for
receptive hearts and ears
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and hands that we may do
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because we need to
hear a word from the Lord.
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And we thank you, dear
Father, in Jesus' name, Amen.
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I want to do a
song very quickly.
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When I was diagnosed
with cancer some years ago
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I think the Lord gave me a
project to sort of keep my mind
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off of it. And one
of the songs that...
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actually one of the first
ones that I had the chance to
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actually arrange was an
arrangement of I'll Tell The
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World That I'm A Christian.
And it tends to be a favorite of
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mine because it walked me
through a pretty dark time
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in my life. And by
the way, we're cancer free
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so everything is well. Amen!
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But the Lord's had me
sort of concentrate on this
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and I sing it kind of a lot.
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When my wife knows I'm going to
she says: "You gonna sing that
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song again? " I said:
"Yeah, I'm singing it again"
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because it's just
something that sort of calms me
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and, well, God is good.
So we'll do that and then
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we'll launch out
into our message.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian;
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I'm not ashamed
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His name to bear.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian.
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I'll take Him with me
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everywhere.
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I'll tell the world
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how Jesus saved me
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and how He gave me
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a life brand new.
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And I know
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that if you trust Him
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that all He gave me
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He'll give to you.
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I'll tell the world
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that He's my Savior.
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No other one
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could love me so.
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My life, my all
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is His forever
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and where He leads me
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I will go.
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I'll tell the world
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Jesus is coming
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and it may be near
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or far, far away.
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But we've got to live
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as if that coming
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could be tomorrow
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or today.
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For when He comes
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and life is over
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for those who love Him
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there's more to be.
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Eyes have never seen
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the wonders that He's preparing
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for you and me.
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Go tell the world
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that you're a Christian.
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Don't be ashamed
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His name to bear.
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Just tell the world
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that you are a Christian
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and take Him with you
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everywhere.
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I'll tell the world
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how Jesus saved me
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and how He gave me
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a life brand new.
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And I know
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that if you trust Him
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that all He gave to me
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He'll give to you.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian
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and I'm not ashamed
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His name to bear.
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I'll tell the world
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that I'm a Christian.
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I'll take Him with me
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anywhere...
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I'll take Him with me
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anywhere.
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Amen!
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We've entitled our little talk
this morning, our discussion
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Come, Let Us
Go. If you have pen,
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paper, and Bible in hand,
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we trust that
you employ them all
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because there is much
we want to talk about.
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This is not a sermon... which
is why I considered doing it
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on roller skates. One does
not do sermons on roller skates
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but one CAN DO a
workshop on roller skates.
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We want to go to a
reading in Acts of the Apostles.
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It should appear on
the screen before you.
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Acts of the Apostles page 515.
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This is Ellen White's digest of
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an interlude
between Christ and Peter.
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And Acts of the Apostles
page 515 Ellen White says
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in that book:
00:10:00.53\00:10:01.90
Now when she talks about
ministers there she's not just
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talking about pastors.
Anyone who is called to
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minister for the Lord
the first prerequisite
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before you go out to minister
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you need to assess for yourself
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do I love Jesus supremely?
00:11:00.86\00:11:05.76
How strong is
my love for Christ?
00:11:06.26\00:11:08.33
Because your love
for Christ will be tested
00:11:08.63\00:11:13.94
when you go to serve Christ.
How many know that is true?
00:11:14.24\00:11:16.77
Yeah. Whenever
you step out for Jesus
00:11:17.47\00:11:19.57
you pick up at least one enemy.
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Amen? And he is
a relentless foe.
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Now we know that
the Lord never sleeps
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and never slumbers. Amen?
00:11:28.88\00:11:30.65
Now who else never
sleeps and never slumbers?
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Um-hmm... Satan.
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Never sleeps... never slumbers.
00:11:36.19\00:11:38.36
So the first
thing you need to assess
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is how much I love Jesus
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because you're
going to meet some people
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who don't love Jesus.
00:11:45.73\00:11:47.07
Yeah. And you're going
to meet some people may not
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particularly love you. Yeah.
00:11:50.74\00:11:54.11
Some of 'em may be
sitting next to you right now.
00:11:54.38\00:11:56.68
So you've got to determine:
how much do I love the Lord?
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Do I love the Lord enough to
love those who don't love me?
00:12:01.82\00:12:05.82
And do I love the
Lord enough to love those
00:12:06.96\00:12:09.09
who don't love Him? All right!
00:12:09.29\00:12:11.23
Because sometimes when
you go to share the Lord
00:12:12.29\00:12:15.90
the people that you
think need the Lord the most
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love Him the least
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and don't love you at all.
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So you've got to ask yourself:
00:12:27.04\00:12:28.38
"How much do I love the Lord? "
00:12:28.41\00:12:30.61
You may be an eloquent
speaker; you may be intelligent;
00:12:30.81\00:12:33.48
you may be articulate...
you may have all of those gifts
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which are necessary for the
upbuilding of the kingdom of God
00:12:36.69\00:12:39.59
but if you don't
love Jesus supremely
00:12:39.89\00:12:43.39
you've failed
before you have even begun.
00:12:44.86\00:12:47.36
Now this is a book
that I found last night.
00:12:47.56\00:12:49.70
And we don't have a
graphic for this because I just
00:12:49.93\00:12:51.50
picked this up last night.
It's out of print. It's called
00:12:51.70\00:12:53.37
Living God's Love.
When I used to pastor
00:12:53.47\00:12:55.34
we did this. In
prayer meeting we read this.
00:12:55.54\00:12:56.94
I want to read something to
you. Written by Douglas Cooper:
00:12:57.14\00:12:59.44
you can perhaps find one.
This is old and dog-eared.
00:12:59.64\00:13:02.34
I bought this in
1991. I date my books.
00:13:03.35\00:13:06.61
I date everything. I
date my suits when I buy them.
00:13:07.12\00:13:10.62
I date... I put
dates on everything.
00:13:10.92\00:13:12.82
Every suit I have
there's a date right here.
00:13:13.02\00:13:15.39
I just date things, and
I date every book from the
00:13:15.69\00:13:17.86
time I get it
and start reading it.
00:13:17.96\00:13:19.29
So this I bought in 1991.
00:13:19.33\00:13:21.30
And this is the second one I
bought. The first one I bought
00:13:23.16\00:13:24.77
in the 80's. "According...
" Let's see... yeah...
00:13:24.87\00:13:28.27
"According to the Master Himself
00:13:28.47\00:13:30.67
God's way - the
heart of Christianity -
00:13:30.97\00:13:34.41
is loving the
Father and loving people
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with all our
heart, soul, and body. "
00:13:38.31\00:13:40.78
So it's loving the
Father and loving... people!
00:13:40.92\00:13:44.62
"It can only follow that
the opposite of Christianity
00:13:46.55\00:13:50.59
and therefore the essence of sin
00:13:50.79\00:13:52.93
is failing to love.
00:13:53.23\00:13:55.23
In plainest terms...
in plainest human terms
00:13:57.50\00:14:00.14
sin is failing to love by
being primarily interested
00:14:00.34\00:14:04.11
in meeting one's own needs
00:14:04.31\00:14:06.41
while ignoring the
needs of other human beings. "
00:14:06.61\00:14:09.54
Pretty strong stuff!
00:14:09.94\00:14:11.31
"This is turning to our own way.
00:14:12.38\00:14:14.82
This is precisely what the
clergyman did when he refused
00:14:15.02\00:14:18.05
to go to the hospital. "
He tells the story about a
00:14:18.15\00:14:19.49
clergyman who was
tired, he had a long day,
00:14:19.55\00:14:22.52
but he had a member
who wanted him to come
00:14:22.62\00:14:24.06
and pray with her in
the hospital. And he said:
00:14:24.16\00:14:25.49
"I'm just too tired. I
can't come right now. "
00:14:25.53\00:14:27.10
"The world and the
church are full... "
00:14:28.50\00:14:31.47
The world and
the? The world and the?
00:14:31.57\00:14:35.00
Um-hmm.
00:14:35.27\00:14:36.81
"are full of those who are
failing God and people this way.
00:14:37.94\00:14:43.35
Most do not even realize
their utter sinfulness...
00:14:43.65\00:14:47.22
the utter sinfulness of
their self-centered lifestyle.
00:14:47.42\00:14:51.42
A vast majority of even
professedly Christian people
00:14:52.52\00:14:56.69
today are so fervently bound
up, so passionately conditioned
00:14:56.79\00:15:02.10
to meet their own needs only,
00:15:02.30\00:15:04.90
so totally enveloped
in the confining cocoon
00:15:05.20\00:15:08.44
of their own selfishness
00:15:08.64\00:15:10.41
that no one else's
needs really matter.
00:15:10.61\00:15:14.08
THIS is the essence
of the sin problem. "
00:15:14.34\00:15:17.98
So before you
begin to serve the Lord
00:15:19.38\00:15:21.68
the question you have to
ask the Lord and ask yourself
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.39
in the light of the
presence of the Holy Spirit
00:15:25.49\00:15:27.66
is: "How much do I love Jesus? "
00:15:27.86\00:15:31.23
"Do I love Jesus
more than I love myself? "
00:15:31.73\00:15:36.36
It's a very important question
00:15:37.37\00:15:38.77
because heaven
is all from in out
00:15:39.27\00:15:42.50
and we are all from out
in. You gotta ask Christ
00:15:42.80\00:15:45.87
"Do I love You
supremely? Do I love you more
00:15:46.07\00:15:49.24
than I love me? " Amen? Amen!
00:15:49.44\00:15:52.98
And for some of us that is a
difficult question to answer.
00:15:53.28\00:15:56.65
That's Living
God's Love page 15.
00:15:56.85\00:15:59.49
Great little book.
If you can find it,
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.16
it is really something to read.
00:16:01.56\00:16:02.89
Now I want you to go with
me in your Bibles to II Kings
00:16:02.96\00:16:05.09
chapter 7 verses 3 through 9.
00:16:05.29\00:16:07.13
II Kings 7:3-9.
00:16:09.76\00:16:14.97
I went out at the ASI meeting
just a little ago and I bought
00:16:20.38\00:16:23.21
a nice big-print Bible.
00:16:23.35\00:16:25.15
This is a super giant
print New King James Bible.
00:16:25.65\00:16:31.55
Really, really big
and really, really heavy.
00:16:31.85\00:16:34.26
I'm in II Kings
chapter 7 beginning at verse 3.
00:16:36.22\00:16:38.86
The Bible says:
00:16:39.26\00:16:40.60
This is part of
a series of stories
00:17:20.04\00:17:23.81
of a siege of the
Syrians against God's people.
00:17:24.01\00:17:27.08
And there are some
wonderful miracle stories
00:17:27.38\00:17:29.78
in I and II Kings that
are really, really powerful.
00:17:29.98\00:17:32.68
So the get there and no
one was there. Then verse 6:
00:17:32.98\00:17:34.65
So God caused them to
hear a noise of an army
00:17:57.17\00:18:00.51
that was not there.
00:18:00.61\00:18:02.18
Now it occurs to me that
if you're trying to get away
00:18:09.58\00:18:12.42
as fast as you can
you'd get on your horse.
00:18:12.52\00:18:15.09
Wouldn't you?
Doesn't that make sense?
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.26
But the Bible says
they left their horses,
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.59
left their
donkeys, left their food,
00:18:19.89\00:18:22.43
left their tents
intact and simply ran on foot
00:18:22.63\00:18:26.37
for their lives. That shows
you this is a "God thing. "
00:18:26.57\00:18:29.60
You've got a very
interesting situation.
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.13
We'll just go
through it quickly.
00:19:29.23\00:19:30.57
You've got...
you've got four lepers.
00:19:30.60\00:19:32.97
Now the fact that they
were leper meant in those days
00:19:33.27\00:19:36.27
that they were going to die.
00:19:36.47\00:19:37.81
If they did
nothing and just sat there,
00:19:37.84\00:19:39.51
the default setting on
doing nothing was? Death.
00:19:39.91\00:19:43.35
They were going to die.
00:19:43.45\00:19:44.78
If they went back into the city,
there was a famine in the city.
00:19:45.15\00:19:48.42
The city was being starved.
00:19:50.29\00:19:52.12
So there was nothing to
eat there, so if they went back
00:19:52.62\00:19:55.99
to the city they
were going to die.
00:19:56.19\00:19:58.29
So if you do
nothing you're going to die;
00:19:59.39\00:20:01.16
if you go back
you're going to die;
00:20:01.46\00:20:03.33
you've really kind
of gotta go forward.
00:20:03.63\00:20:05.50
And I've told people that.
00:20:05.80\00:20:07.30
I told a first day minister
- we talked the other day -
00:20:07.40\00:20:10.97
and this was back in New
York so several years ago -
00:20:11.17\00:20:13.68
"Have you ever thought about
that if you sit and do nothing
00:20:14.18\00:20:16.41
you're going to die? "
00:20:16.51\00:20:17.85
"If you do nothing...
you're going to die. "
00:20:18.05\00:20:20.58
"If you go back,
you're going to die. "
00:20:20.95\00:20:23.35
"You gotta go
forward with Jesus. "
00:20:23.75\00:20:25.85
So they're saying: "If
we go to the Syrian army
00:20:26.15\00:20:28.76
they might kill us.
That's a chance we take.
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.66
But we are going to die anyway
00:20:32.86\00:20:35.96
so let's trust God
and take the only option
00:20:36.36\00:20:40.77
that is open to us. "
00:20:41.07\00:20:42.97
Now here's what's interesting:
had they not exercised
00:20:43.27\00:20:47.11
faith and trusted God
they would have not known
00:20:47.21\00:20:51.81
that God had already worked.
00:20:52.11\00:20:54.95
You follow me?
00:20:55.25\00:20:57.02
Sometimes we're sitting
waiting for God to do something
00:20:57.32\00:20:59.39
and God is saying:
"I'm waiting on you! "
00:20:59.59\00:21:02.22
"I can't show you My goodness
until you exercise enough faith
00:21:03.43\00:21:07.73
to get on your
feet and get moving. "
00:21:08.00\00:21:10.27
"I've got some "stuff" for
you that I want to do with you,
00:21:10.77\00:21:14.67
to you, and through you
00:21:14.87\00:21:16.77
but you've got to
exercise enough faith
00:21:16.97\00:21:19.71
to get moving. " Amen?
And when you get moving
00:21:19.91\00:21:23.65
many times you find
that God has already worked.
00:21:23.85\00:21:27.82
So when they got to the
Syrian camp, lo and behold
00:21:28.12\00:21:31.12
no one was there
00:21:31.32\00:21:33.76
because God had caused that
army - that besieging army -
00:21:34.06\00:21:37.86
to hear the
noise of a larger army
00:21:38.06\00:21:40.30
and they fled for their lives
and left everything intact.
00:21:40.56\00:21:44.70
Tents, money, clothes, cars...
00:21:45.53\00:21:49.57
everything, intact.
00:21:49.87\00:21:52.61
Now you know that's a
God thing when people get so
00:21:52.91\00:21:55.04
out of their minds that
they leave their cash around
00:21:55.14\00:21:57.51
and their car... keys
still in the ignition...
00:22:01.72\00:22:03.92
and their food
and their clothes.
00:22:04.42\00:22:07.06
So these lepers come in
and what do they do? They do
00:22:08.39\00:22:11.36
pretty much the same thing
many of us would have done:
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.40
they went and they
began to grab stuff.
00:22:16.23\00:22:18.73
"Praise the Lord! "
00:22:20.40\00:22:22.84
They began to
grab stuff and hide it.
00:22:25.37\00:22:27.64
Couple of new suits.
00:22:28.98\00:22:30.51
$100,000... vegetarian meat.
00:22:30.91\00:22:35.52
And it was there for the taking.
00:22:39.79\00:22:41.36
God had had them
to leave it there.
00:22:42.16\00:22:44.09
The problem was they hid it.
00:22:44.36\00:22:45.83
Then they went
back and got some more
00:22:46.96\00:22:50.50
and did the same thing: hid it.
00:22:50.90\00:22:55.70
And then the Holy
Spirit came into the room
00:22:57.54\00:22:59.34
and somebody said: "You
know, this is not right.
00:23:00.78\00:23:02.61
You've got a whole city back
there of people that are dying
00:23:04.15\00:23:08.38
and starving
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.92
and if we just keep this way
00:23:11.89\00:23:15.96
something bad is going to happen
00:23:16.16\00:23:17.53
'cause this is not a God
thing. We've got good news
00:23:17.63\00:23:23.26
and why are we
keeping it to ourselves?
00:23:24.57\00:23:27.10
Come, let us go
00:23:28.24\00:23:31.57
and tell somebody. "
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.04
How many know that
Jesus is coming soon?
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.41
Is that good news or bad news?
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.38
Good news! Good
news or bad news?
00:23:42.48\00:23:45.55
Good news. Very good news!
00:23:45.75\00:23:47.56
What are you doin' with it?
00:23:48.49\00:23:50.19
A lot of us are hiding it.
00:23:53.66\00:23:55.53
Yeah... we're hiding it.
00:23:57.33\00:23:59.40
And if you hide it, something
bad is going to happen.
00:23:59.90\00:24:03.71
Amen. Yeah.
00:24:04.01\00:24:06.44
You know why Christians
end up fighting Christians?
00:24:07.91\00:24:11.91
'Cause they've got good
news that they're sitting on.
00:24:13.42\00:24:17.32
Come... let us go.
00:24:19.85\00:24:22.86
We have to go and tell.
00:24:23.36\00:24:24.86
It's a Christian mandate.
00:24:25.16\00:24:27.40
There's no way in the world
that you can call yourself a
00:24:28.30\00:24:32.60
Christian and be
ashamed - Hallelujah! -
00:24:32.70\00:24:37.57
of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. Amen!
00:24:37.84\00:24:41.64
It occurs to me:
everybody is out of a closet.
00:24:41.88\00:24:45.75
Is anybody hiding
anything any more?
00:24:49.15\00:24:51.15
Nobody. Nobody is
ashamed of anything any more.
00:24:51.55\00:24:55.49
Amen! You know,
they have this website
00:24:55.69\00:24:58.16
where husbands or wives
can go and have secret affairs
00:24:58.36\00:25:01.80
with other people. And
just what? About a month ago
00:25:02.20\00:25:07.97
somebody decided to just
hack that website and put
00:25:08.17\00:25:10.51
everybody's name... every-
body's name out in the public.
00:25:10.71\00:25:15.88
Well praise the Lord.
00:25:16.38\00:25:18.21
And do you know that
a number of ministers
00:25:20.55\00:25:25.65
had to leave their pulpits?
00:25:28.29\00:25:30.03
I didn't hear about
any Adventist ministers,
00:25:30.33\00:25:32.29
praise the Lord. Amen!
00:25:32.49\00:25:34.56
But a large number of ministers
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.13
were on that... their
names were on that website.
00:25:37.33\00:25:39.60
Nobody's ashamed
of anything any more.
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.17
So what do you
have to be ashamed of?
00:25:45.51\00:25:47.78
Everybody's out of the closet.
00:25:51.45\00:25:53.68
So it's time for Adventists
00:25:55.38\00:25:58.65
to come out of the closet.
00:26:00.39\00:26:01.72
Amen! Now... our
closets are nice.
00:26:02.02\00:26:05.03
It ain't a bad closet.
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.60
But it's time for us
to get out of the closet -
00:26:09.53\00:26:12.10
Amen? Amen! - and
let the world know.
00:26:12.40\00:26:14.37
And if you hold on, something
bad is going to happen.
00:26:14.57\00:26:17.11
That's why even the Adventist
church is going through all of
00:26:20.68\00:26:23.14
these little exercises and
folks gettin' on each other's
00:26:23.24\00:26:25.81
case and things are popping up:
because we're spending too much
00:26:26.01\00:26:28.92
time in the closet. Amen!
00:26:29.02\00:26:32.15
Get out of the closet
00:26:32.35\00:26:33.69
and get in the street and
let people know the good news
00:26:34.69\00:26:37.99
that Christ is coming.
00:26:38.19\00:26:39.53
And when you go
out there you will find
00:26:40.00\00:26:42.43
that God is already working.
There are people out there
00:26:42.63\00:26:44.73
who need Jesus -
Amen! - who want Jesus,
00:26:44.93\00:26:48.17
who are
literally dying for Jesus.
00:26:48.47\00:26:54.41
So the lepers did that.
00:26:57.91\00:27:00.45
And they went and told
and they found out that God
00:27:00.65\00:27:05.09
had already worked.
00:27:05.19\00:27:07.19
You know one of the
most humbling things
00:27:07.39\00:27:08.72
for me? Not in my
notes but I'll say this.
00:27:09.12\00:27:12.59
I baptized a woman in the
baptismal tank just sitting
00:27:12.79\00:27:17.47
right here just
a couple years ago
00:27:17.57\00:27:18.90
who actually heard me laugh
00:27:19.20\00:27:22.77
on... on the radio.
00:27:23.81\00:27:26.34
I never thought of my
laugh as evangelistic.
00:27:26.98\00:27:29.11
But a little lady
was in a nursing home
00:27:32.55\00:27:34.42
flipping stations
00:27:34.82\00:27:36.69
and she heard
this preacher laugh.
00:27:36.99\00:27:39.92
And she said:
"Anybody laughs like that
00:27:40.36\00:27:42.29
has gotta love the Lord.
00:27:42.69\00:27:44.46
I've got to find out
what that's all about. "
00:27:44.56\00:27:45.89
I never... I don't
particularly like my laugh.
00:27:46.06\00:27:48.60
But she heard
the Lord in my laugh.
00:27:49.10\00:27:51.90
And so she called here
and spoke with somebody
00:27:52.30\00:27:56.54
and they got to me.
And my wife Irma and I went
00:27:56.77\00:27:59.37
and visited her. And
she said: "Laugh for me. "
00:27:59.47\00:28:02.54
So we stayed there
about an hour and we laughed.
00:28:05.41\00:28:09.15
And then, oh, about two Sabbaths
later I went and got her
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.45
and I brought
her to church. Amen!
00:28:12.55\00:28:14.22
And I brought her to church
every Sabbath until I had to go
00:28:14.42\00:28:16.76
away and some other
people picked her up for me.
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.46
And that was... I
think that was in May
00:28:18.86\00:28:22.33
and in November of
that year we baptized her.
00:28:22.63\00:28:25.30
Amen! And then
one year ago she died.
00:28:25.60\00:28:29.90
She spent her
last year and a half
00:28:30.04\00:28:34.18
in the Adventist church. Amen!
00:28:35.48\00:28:38.31
And she came because of a laugh.
00:28:39.75\00:28:41.72
See, God will use anybody
any time anywhere any place.
00:28:43.02\00:28:46.96
Sometimes you'll get
used and you don't even know
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.96
you're getting used.
00:28:50.16\00:28:51.89
Amen? Amen!
00:28:52.19\00:28:53.90
Tell you a quick
story: I had an elder
00:28:54.20\00:28:55.50
who saw a woman
- Adventist lady -
00:28:55.56\00:28:58.30
with two bags of groceries.
00:28:58.50\00:29:00.67
And he hooked a quick U-turn
00:29:00.87\00:29:03.67
against a bunch of
cars 'cause it was raining
00:29:03.97\00:29:06.57
and took her home one time.
00:29:06.81\00:29:08.78
He gave her a ride one time.
00:29:09.08\00:29:10.58
You know, when she
died she put him in her will
00:29:11.78\00:29:13.75
and left him $19,000.
00:29:13.95\00:29:15.88
Now I said: "That was
an expensive cab ride. "
00:29:17.72\00:29:20.09
$19,000 for one ride.
00:29:22.39\00:29:24.26
Now you don't do good 'cause
you're hoping to get $19,000.
00:29:24.46\00:29:28.16
You do good because doing
good is what good people do.
00:29:28.93\00:29:31.77
That's right. Amen? Amen!
00:29:31.97\00:29:33.84
You do it because
you're called to serve the Lord
00:29:33.94\00:29:36.60
and you use every
opportunity to serve the Lord.
00:29:37.01\00:29:39.41
And every now and again
God gives you a little hug.
00:29:39.81\00:29:43.04
Amen? Amen! Or 19,000 hugs.
00:29:43.35\00:29:46.28
So nobody's ashamed of anything
00:29:48.88\00:29:50.62
and God's people ought not
to be ashamed because praise God
00:29:50.82\00:29:53.56
we have nothing
to be ashamed of.
00:29:53.76\00:29:56.42
I... Years ago when I
went into the conference -
00:30:00.80\00:30:04.07
the northeastern conference
and... Let me change this.
00:30:04.27\00:30:07.14
Let me give you a
story. Let's do a little test.
00:30:07.24\00:30:09.74
I've got a lot of stuff here.
I'm trying to decide what to
00:30:10.07\00:30:11.71
leave out and which not to.
I see my time is getting away.
00:30:11.81\00:30:13.64
Do a little test. I was
pastoring a very large church
00:30:13.84\00:30:17.11
and a fellow by the name
of Michael Jazz came to talk
00:30:17.51\00:30:22.72
with me as the
pastor of the church.
00:30:22.82\00:30:24.15
He was the
production coordinator
00:30:24.49\00:30:28.86
for a director by
the name of Spike Lee.
00:30:29.06\00:30:31.46
He said: "Spike Lee wants
to meet you and he'll be here
00:30:31.96\00:30:35.46
tomorrow at a certain time.
" So we made this arrangement.
00:30:35.66\00:30:37.40
He came to the church and
he said: "I like this church.
00:30:37.77\00:30:41.10
I'm getting ready to shoot
a movie called Malcolm X. "
00:30:41.30\00:30:44.14
He said: "We would
like to use this church
00:30:44.51\00:30:47.64
as commissary for our actors.
We'll have Denzel Washington
00:30:47.94\00:30:52.11
and all of these actors
and we'd like to have them
00:30:52.31\00:30:55.58
have their lunch and everything
in this church building because
00:30:55.78\00:30:58.19
it's right in the
middle of where we want to do
00:30:58.39\00:31:00.09
our shooting. " Now,
lights went off in my mind.
00:31:00.19\00:31:03.93
He said: "I've studied
Adventist doctrine. I know
00:31:04.23\00:31:07.13
you guys don't eat pork.
We wouldn't bring in pork.
00:31:07.30\00:31:09.96
We wouldn't bring in coffee.
00:31:10.07\00:31:11.40
But we'd like to give
you a budget of $10,000
00:31:13.30\00:31:18.31
and all the money you need
for food and everything else. "
00:31:18.91\00:31:22.38
And so lights went off in my
mind and I began to sketch up
00:31:22.58\00:31:24.65
and I said: "You know what?
These actors we would never
00:31:24.85\00:31:27.58
have in our church. They would
never just walk into our church.
00:31:27.65\00:31:30.05
So we can get them for 6 weeks.
We can do cooking classes,
00:31:30.45\00:31:34.42
we can do health things,
we can do... " See, my mind
00:31:34.62\00:31:36.59
is working. "We can
leave literature around.
00:31:36.79\00:31:38.76
We can do massages.
We can do a whole thing.
00:31:38.86\00:31:41.16
We can minister
to a group of people
00:31:41.36\00:31:43.73
that ordinarily we wouldn't
get in an Adventist church. "
00:31:44.23\00:31:48.30
So I took it to my board.
00:31:49.87\00:31:52.01
'Cause I said: "This is
it! This is a God thing.
00:31:52.31\00:31:55.98
This is wonderful! "
00:31:56.28\00:31:57.61
I took it to my board.
00:31:57.88\00:31:59.21
Now before I take it to my
board as I presented it to you
00:31:59.55\00:32:03.59
if you're a church board
member would you go for that
00:32:03.79\00:32:06.35
or not? Just raise your hand.
00:32:06.55\00:32:07.89
This is a progressive group.
00:32:09.62\00:32:11.13
I took it to my board
and my board said: "No! "
00:32:12.69\00:32:17.13
Well, I
shouldn't put it that way.
00:32:17.57\00:32:18.90
The board
said... half said "yes"
00:32:18.97\00:32:21.87
half said "no. " And I said:
00:32:22.17\00:32:24.74
"We may be missing
an opportunity here
00:32:25.04\00:32:27.34
to minister to a group
of people that will never
00:32:28.74\00:32:31.91
set foot, I don't think, in
an Adventist church en masse
00:32:32.11\00:32:34.52
like this. Think of the
kinds of things we could do. "
00:32:34.55\00:32:38.02
So everybody 35 and under
00:32:38.22\00:32:42.16
said" Yes! Let's do it! "
00:32:42.36\00:32:44.19
And everybody 40 and over said:
00:32:44.69\00:32:47.76
"Nah, we're not
going to do that. "
00:32:47.96\00:32:50.00
So I didn't think it
was important enough to tear
00:32:51.17\00:32:54.34
the church apart over.
Some things you plant your feet
00:32:54.44\00:32:57.04
and draw a line...
other things you don't.
00:32:57.14\00:32:58.67
And I wasn't going
to draw a line for that.
00:32:58.97\00:33:00.88
I said: "I think
we're missing an opportunity
00:33:01.24\00:33:03.24
but if the church
does not wish to do it
00:33:03.45\00:33:05.31
then we won't do it. "
00:33:05.71\00:33:07.42
So we took a vote. The
church was split down the
00:33:08.78\00:33:11.02
middle and I said: "OK,
we're not going to do it. "
00:33:11.12\00:33:13.89
So I went back
and I told Spike Lee
00:33:14.39\00:33:15.72
"I don't think we
can do it at this time. "
00:33:15.89\00:33:18.33
He said: "Well, can
you find me a church? "
00:33:18.63\00:33:21.10
So I went right across the
street to the Methodist church.
00:33:21.50\00:33:23.26
I knew the
pastor; we were friends.
00:33:23.47\00:33:25.30
And before I could
finish the presentation he said:
00:33:25.60\00:33:27.20
"Bring 'em! " So
they got the $10,000
00:33:27.24\00:33:31.01
and they got the money.
But then I found out that
00:33:31.31\00:33:33.98
in getting that church
there was a finder's fee.
00:33:34.38\00:33:36.81
So Spike Lee gave me $750 just
for walking across the street.
00:33:37.31\00:33:42.08
But Ellen White is
saying that in these last days
00:33:46.82\00:33:49.82
sometimes we're going to
have to do different things
00:33:50.13\00:33:52.59
to spread the gospel.
00:33:52.89\00:33:54.23
Now that's where the
roller skates came in.
00:33:54.46\00:33:55.80
Because when I became a con-
ference communication director
00:33:55.83\00:33:57.93
I was working with
a local radio station.
00:33:58.13\00:34:00.54
And the local radio station
had a Christian skate night.
00:34:01.04\00:34:03.84
And I had a program on there
called "This Moment in Time. "
00:34:04.34\00:34:05.97
That's where the C.A.
comes from. My name is Clement
00:34:06.07\00:34:08.21
Augustus King Murray.
00:34:08.31\00:34:09.84
That's why it's C.A.
00:34:10.15\00:34:11.48
So we had a call-in radio
show, and my producer said
00:34:11.88\00:34:17.09
"Clement Murray... Clement is
just... American's don't like...
00:34:17.29\00:34:20.59
It's complicated;
it's hard to pronounce. "
00:34:20.69\00:34:22.26
I would say: "This
is Clement Murray. "
00:34:22.46\00:34:23.93
He said: "We've got to find
something else. Clement's not
00:34:24.13\00:34:25.46
going to fly. " So he said:
"What's your middle name? "
00:34:25.49\00:34:27.10
I said: "Augustus. " He said:
"No, that's not going to work. "
00:34:27.30\00:34:31.77
So I said: "King. "
00:34:32.27\00:34:34.40
He said: "Clement Augustus
King? A little pretentious. "
00:34:34.70\00:34:36.77
So, the default setting was C.A.
00:34:37.07\00:34:38.94
So it's been
C.A. ever since then.
00:34:39.24\00:34:40.68
But they were doing
Christian skate night
00:34:40.98\00:34:43.51
and they wanted
someone to DJ Christian music
00:34:43.71\00:34:48.32
and teach roller skating.
00:34:48.62\00:34:50.39
So I said: "I will do it
00:34:51.22\00:34:52.89
on one condition: that if
you allow us for 30 minutes
00:34:53.09\00:34:57.86
to turn off the music
and have a little Bible study
00:34:58.06\00:35:01.06
in the roller skating
night. " And they said:
00:35:01.26\00:35:04.63
"That sounds pretty good. "
00:35:04.83\00:35:06.37
I said: "Yes! "
00:35:06.57\00:35:08.00
So right in the middle of roller
skating we had a Bible study.
00:35:08.87\00:35:12.17
You know, I led
more people to the Lord
00:35:12.41\00:35:14.74
and to the Adventist church
in the roller skating rink
00:35:14.94\00:35:17.15
than I did in my pulpit. Amen!
00:35:17.35\00:35:19.88
Yeah. See, God is going to
use different methodologies
00:35:21.22\00:35:25.35
in these last days
to win people to Christ.
00:35:25.75\00:35:28.76
And as long as you
carry Christ with you
00:35:28.86\00:35:31.76
that's what
evangelism is all about:
00:35:32.06\00:35:33.80
taking Christ to different
places and using those kinds of
00:35:34.30\00:35:37.17
methodologies that God gives
us to evangelize the world.
00:35:37.27\00:35:42.07
Now here's some
quotes from Ellen White
00:35:42.30\00:35:43.67
that I want to go to. Let's
put up that Christless Graves,
00:35:43.71\00:35:46.14
guys. Do that
for me if you will.
00:35:46.24\00:35:47.58
Ellen White uses
this term quite a lot.
00:35:47.71\00:35:49.74
She says: "Thousands go
down to Christless graves... "
00:35:50.05\00:35:53.92
I'm going to paraphrase...
00:35:54.12\00:35:55.45
while Adventists sit
in the church and sing
00:35:55.52\00:35:57.25
"Oh, How I Love Jesus. "
00:35:57.35\00:35:58.82
Something wrong with that.
00:35:59.42\00:36:00.99
Amen? Yeah. If
you just come and sit
00:36:01.29\00:36:04.63
and sing and pray and go home
00:36:04.83\00:36:06.59
you are doing yourself and your
God an egregious disservice.
00:36:06.83\00:36:10.40
There's much more
to serving the Lord.
00:36:11.73\00:36:14.14
And so people are going
down to Christless graves
00:36:14.37\00:36:16.37
while we do it. OK, The
Blessing Is on the "GO! "
00:36:16.57\00:36:17.97
Here we go.
00:36:18.67\00:36:21.11
Let me pop this up: "The
Blessing Is on the "GO! "
00:36:21.41\00:36:23.08
All right, let's
go to We Need Workers.
00:36:23.48\00:36:25.21
That's why we started this whole
"Blessing's on the "GO!" thing.
00:36:42.90\00:36:45.90
It's not brand new.
00:36:46.30\00:36:48.47
It's God's
movement for the end time.
00:36:48.67\00:36:53.84
All right... let's
go to our next one.
00:36:54.31\00:36:56.95
Sometimes God gives
a person a new idea.
00:37:11.46\00:37:14.36
You need to test
it by the brethren
00:37:14.63\00:37:17.40
and the Word of God
because if it's a good thing
00:37:17.60\00:37:20.84
then others will
realize that it's a good thing.
00:37:21.24\00:37:23.81
If you think it's a good thing
and you're the only one in the
00:37:24.21\00:37:26.71
world that
thinks it's a good thing
00:37:26.81\00:37:28.18
then it may not be a good thing.
00:37:28.38\00:37:29.88
Amen? When Danny brought to
us The Blessing Is on the "GO! "
00:37:30.18\00:37:34.02
he didn't have to
do a heavy sales job.
00:37:34.32\00:37:37.19
We saw it right away.
00:37:37.72\00:37:39.85
He didn't have to push it;
he didn't have to arm twist.
00:37:40.29\00:37:42.46
He just laid it out
there and we caught the vision.
00:37:42.76\00:37:44.96
That's the way it is
with the Spirit of God.
00:37:44.99\00:37:46.53
If something is of
God, many people will see it
00:37:46.83\00:37:52.03
and understand it. Amen?
00:37:52.23\00:37:54.34
Rarely does God
give one person something
00:37:54.64\00:37:57.94
nobody else can see it,
nobody else can understand it...
00:37:58.24\00:38:01.48
you're the only one
in the world that has it.
00:38:01.78\00:38:03.48
If it's of God,
when you share it
00:38:03.68\00:38:07.08
others will know
that it's from God.
00:38:07.28\00:38:10.32
Amen? And if
they're not picking up on it
00:38:10.62\00:38:13.69
maybe you ought to question
where is this coming from.
00:38:13.89\00:38:16.56
Because if it's
of the Spirit of God
00:38:17.49\00:38:19.69
then those who also
love the Lord will know
00:38:19.89\00:38:22.06
that it's of the
Spirit of God. That's why
00:38:22.26\00:38:23.70
God puts us in a church
community so that we can have
00:38:23.90\00:38:26.53
checks and balances on each
other so that every little idea
00:38:26.74\00:38:29.57
that pops up and
bubbles to the surface
00:38:29.67\00:38:31.47
doesn't become
the church policy.
00:38:31.57\00:38:33.11
But a lot of people... Have
to be confirmed in the mouth
00:38:33.41\00:38:35.71
and the mind of many people.
00:38:35.81\00:38:37.15
But if everybody's picking
up on it, then you ought to look
00:38:37.45\00:38:39.21
at it very closely and see that
it's from the Spirit of God.
00:38:39.31\00:38:41.52
Our next one here:
"There are some minds... "
00:38:42.02\00:38:44.75
Just because we've
never done it that way before
00:39:06.01\00:39:08.94
doesn't mean we
shouldn't do it now.
00:39:09.34\00:39:12.01
Amen. And just
because it's your idea
00:39:12.85\00:39:17.22
doesn't necessarily
mean that it's God's idea.
00:39:17.62\00:39:21.42
I'm trying to give you
some balance here because
00:39:21.92\00:39:24.69
sometimes people come up
with things that are just nuts.
00:39:24.89\00:39:29.36
OR God may give you
something that is just for you
00:39:31.97\00:39:37.84
and not necessarily
for me. That's right.
00:39:38.91\00:39:41.34
Amen? Amen. So you need to pray
00:39:41.48\00:39:43.98
and ask God "Where
is this coming from
00:39:44.18\00:39:47.05
and what do You want
me to do with this? "
00:39:47.25\00:39:50.99
Now I think my next one
is Do Not Depend on Miracles.
00:39:51.65\00:39:54.36
This is
important. Let's put that up.
00:39:54.59\00:39:56.96
So you're sitting
praying that your neighbor
00:40:18.31\00:40:22.02
finds Christ. Well, if
you're praying and not going
00:40:23.08\00:40:27.56
you're only
doing half of the work.
00:40:29.69\00:40:31.26
God's not going
to work a miracle.
00:40:31.76\00:40:33.96
He's not going
to do that for you.
00:40:34.30\00:40:37.53
He wants to do it through you.
00:40:37.93\00:40:40.87
Amen? Amen. God wants to use you
00:40:41.14\00:40:45.37
to save someone. Amen.
00:40:45.77\00:40:48.01
And God will use any method.
00:40:48.31\00:40:50.38
You know something? I've
got to tell you a quick story.
00:40:51.68\00:40:53.35
Forgive me...
lookin' at my time.
00:40:53.55\00:40:55.22
When I got to the
Freeport SDA church
00:40:55.72\00:40:57.75
in Freeport, Long
Island, Sr. Roberta Carter
00:40:57.85\00:40:59.79
was the head
deaconess of the church.
00:41:00.06\00:41:01.46
Which is rather unusual
because everybody knew that
00:41:01.86\00:41:03.73
Sr. Roberta Carter
hated Seventh-day Adventists.
00:41:03.93\00:41:06.49
So how does a famous
Seventh-day Adventist hater
00:41:07.20\00:41:09.20
become a Seventh-day Adventist?
00:41:09.40\00:41:10.87
The treasurer, a little
lady from Panama by the name of
00:41:12.07\00:41:14.27
Josephina Ashers.
Sr. Roberta Carter's
00:41:14.47\00:41:17.77
husband was a deacon in
the church, and she never
00:41:17.97\00:41:19.84
attended church but he
was there every Sabbath.
00:41:20.04\00:41:21.41
He got quick with
cancer and died very quickly.
00:41:21.61\00:41:24.21
And, you know, our
attention span is so short.
00:41:25.41\00:41:28.88
For the first week or so there
were a lot of people around
00:41:29.08\00:41:31.65
comforting her, but Sr.
Josephina Ashers realized
00:41:31.95\00:41:35.99
that Roberta Carter
needed some long-term support.
00:41:36.19\00:41:38.73
So every Friday evening
she made and brought to her
00:41:39.03\00:41:43.03
escovitch fish. Now if
you're from the West Indies
00:41:43.33\00:41:46.40
or the Caribbean you
know what escovitch fish is.
00:41:46.50\00:41:48.40
It's kind of long to explain.
It's fish in this kind of sauce
00:41:48.70\00:41:50.57
and it's... it ain't bad.
00:41:50.67\00:41:52.51
In any event, not only did
she bring fish. She brought
00:41:53.41\00:41:55.68
rice and she brought
vegetables and she brought salad
00:41:55.71\00:41:58.05
and she brought cups
and she brought plates
00:41:58.25\00:41:59.95
and she brought forks
and she brought everything
00:42:00.22\00:42:01.95
every Friday and
made for Roberta Carter
00:42:02.15\00:42:05.15
a fish dinner. No
Spirit of Prophecy.
00:42:05.39\00:42:08.89
No 2,300 days.
00:42:09.19\00:42:11.76
No 144,000.
00:42:12.06\00:42:13.73
Just fish!
00:42:14.73\00:42:16.87
Every Friday.
00:42:18.23\00:42:20.00
Now you may say: "Well
Adventists don't eat fish. "
00:42:20.30\00:42:22.67
And that doesn't matter.
00:42:26.27\00:42:27.78
Roberta Carter
at that point did.
00:42:28.18\00:42:30.51
So she used a bait
that... You follow me?
00:42:32.81\00:42:37.15
OK. Now Roberta
Carter had two big sons.
00:42:37.45\00:42:40.42
Big strapping boys.
The little one was 6'3"
00:42:40.72\00:42:43.89
about 200 pounds.
The big one was 6'6"
00:42:44.13\00:42:46.13
about 240 pounds. Big boys.
00:42:46.33\00:42:48.16
Eat like locusts.
00:42:48.46\00:42:50.13
So she made this food.
Six weeks just made the food,
00:42:51.10\00:42:55.04
prayed, and left.
00:42:55.24\00:42:56.57
On the 7th Friday, Roberta
Carter said to Josephina Ashers
00:42:57.57\00:43:03.11
"Hey, tomorrow when
you're going to church
00:43:03.45\00:43:05.71
pick me up.
00:43:06.72\00:43:08.42
Pick me up. "
00:43:10.69\00:43:12.02
So when I get there
a year and a half later
00:43:12.82\00:43:14.42
she's the head
deaconess in the church.
00:43:14.72\00:43:16.36
Because deeds of kindness
tear down walls of separation
00:43:18.33\00:43:21.26
and build bridges to salvation.
00:43:21.46\00:43:22.80
Amen!
00:43:23.06\00:43:24.53
So you've got to
use the methodology that
00:43:24.93\00:43:27.87
Christ puts before you.
00:43:28.07\00:43:29.44
You may go with the
Bible or you may go with fish!
00:43:29.97\00:43:33.04
Or salad... or vegetarian meat.
00:43:35.51\00:43:39.55
Amen; amen. But
whatever God puts before you
00:43:41.08\00:43:44.89
you've got to use
that to the glory of God.
00:43:45.12\00:43:48.19
And the thing is
ladies and gentlemen:
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.33
success is guaranteed.
00:43:50.43\00:43:51.83
You're not fishing
in uncharted waters.
00:43:51.93\00:43:53.66
Christ has said:
"If I be lifted up
00:43:53.96\00:43:56.23
I will draw all men
unto... " "Unto Me. "
00:43:56.53\00:44:00.44
Ellen White said we
would win 100 where now
00:44:00.74\00:44:05.24
we only win 1 if
we would show love
00:44:05.27\00:44:08.58
and compassion and caring.
00:44:08.78\00:44:11.25
See, folk don't come to
the church just because you
00:44:12.05\00:44:15.15
say: "We are the remnant. "
00:44:15.25\00:44:16.99
First of all, they don't
know what that word means.
00:44:17.92\00:44:19.85
That's "Advent speak. "
00:44:20.69\00:44:22.02
Folk want to know
this about your church...
00:44:22.09\00:44:23.43
here's what they want to know:
00:44:24.09\00:44:25.46
Do you love each other?
00:44:25.49\00:44:26.83
Do you have the truth?
00:44:26.90\00:44:28.76
Do you practice what you preach?
00:44:29.26\00:44:31.70
Amen. And: If I make a mistake,
00:44:32.00\00:44:35.87
do you practice healing ministry
00:44:36.07\00:44:39.14
or do you shoot your wounded?
00:44:39.34\00:44:40.98
That's what they want to know.
00:44:43.11\00:44:44.45
That's what brings
people to the gospel.
00:44:44.85\00:44:47.08
First of all, you've
gotta have the truth.
00:44:47.38\00:44:48.92
The whole truth...
nothing but the truth.
00:44:49.22\00:44:50.89
Then you've got to
practice what you preach.
00:44:51.29\00:44:53.25
Then you've got to do it in love
00:44:53.66\00:44:55.86
and then when
people make mistakes
00:44:56.06\00:44:58.63
do you put your arms around them
00:44:59.73\00:45:01.63
or do you kick
them out the door?
00:45:02.03\00:45:04.30
That's why
people join the church.
00:45:04.80\00:45:06.50
And if you don't have
all four of those facets
00:45:06.84\00:45:09.04
you may get some but
you're going to lose as many
00:45:09.44\00:45:11.57
as you get. And
even those who stay
00:45:11.67\00:45:14.18
are gonna be miserable!
00:45:14.34\00:45:15.71
So let's show them
love and they will come.
00:45:18.28\00:45:21.02
Evangelism page 17.
00:45:23.02\00:45:25.19
Evangelism page 17.
00:45:26.32\00:45:28.22
Let's put that up.
00:45:29.22\00:45:30.56
Evangelism page 17.
00:45:30.73\00:45:32.93
Let's see... yeah...
here's the one I want.
00:45:38.80\00:45:41.47
So in these last days we're not
to do less of the work of God.
00:45:56.42\00:46:00.59
We've gotta do more.
00:46:00.79\00:46:02.12
You've gotta do
more. And if you go
00:46:02.32\00:46:06.33
and you ask them if
they want a Bible study
00:46:06.53\00:46:08.10
and they don't want a
Bible study, find some other way
00:46:08.40\00:46:11.43
to minister to
them. Find another way.
00:46:11.63\00:46:14.30
And they will show you
how they want you to minister.
00:46:14.60\00:46:18.07
Find another way
because there IS another way.
00:46:18.27\00:46:21.21
You can't always lead
directly with the Bible.
00:46:21.51\00:46:23.65
You can get there, but some-
times you can't start there.
00:46:23.95\00:46:26.31
But find a way to minister
and they will love you for it.
00:46:26.55\00:46:31.09
Now I'm in Evangelism page 30.
00:46:31.39\00:46:33.15
Page 30 of the same book.
00:46:33.46\00:46:35.56
Evangelism page 30.
00:46:35.86\00:46:37.96
Here's what Ellen White says:
"We have no time to lose. "
00:46:39.06\00:46:41.23
We have what? No time to lose.
00:46:41.43\00:46:43.26
It's getting tougher!
00:47:11.96\00:47:14.36
It's getting tougher
to spread the gospel.
00:47:14.66\00:47:17.27
There are some people
who will attack you for
00:47:17.67\00:47:20.14
spreading the gospel. There
are some places where even 3ABN
00:47:20.24\00:47:23.64
is we've got to be very careful
with the kinds of things you say
00:47:23.74\00:47:27.18
because if you
mention a certain group
00:47:27.38\00:47:29.91
you can get in trouble
and get your license pulled.
00:47:30.15\00:47:33.45
We were talking with
some people just the other day
00:47:33.65\00:47:35.95
from another continent
and they were saying that
00:47:36.18\00:47:39.05
the Adventist pastors there
have to be very, very careful
00:47:39.25\00:47:42.82
and almost speak in the
kind of cryptic parables
00:47:43.02\00:47:45.69
that Christ used because
they are afraid of bringing
00:47:45.89\00:47:49.50
the wrath of the
government down upon them.
00:47:49.70\00:47:52.40
The truth is
it's getting tougher
00:47:52.60\00:47:54.77
to spread the
gospel. But God has called us
00:47:55.70\00:48:00.51
to spread the gospel. And when
God calls you to do something
00:48:00.71\00:48:04.58
He gives you the
ability to do that
00:48:04.88\00:48:07.18
and the guarantee that
you will have success. Amen?
00:48:07.38\00:48:10.32
You can't get away from it.
00:48:10.72\00:48:12.12
So we can do it. Now,
I'm in Evangelism page 34.
00:48:12.42\00:48:15.66
And this one I wanted
to get to really quickly
00:48:15.96\00:48:18.23
before our time gets
away. Evangelism page 34.
00:48:18.33\00:48:20.76
That's what Ellen White says.
00:48:31.77\00:48:33.24
We need to make plans
to support those. Even when
00:48:33.27\00:48:36.14
you can't go, you ought to
support those who are going.
00:48:36.34\00:48:39.21
And if you can't
go where they go,
00:48:39.25\00:48:40.92
you can go next
door or go to your family
00:48:41.05\00:48:43.25
or go to your friends and
lift up the name of Jesus.
00:48:43.49\00:48:47.36
God is saying:
"When you see a plan
00:49:04.41\00:49:07.04
that is designed to
lift up the name of Jesus
00:49:07.34\00:49:09.64
you need to assist those
who are doing just that. "
00:49:10.18\00:49:12.35
Go where you
can; do what you can;
00:49:13.05\00:49:15.25
but when you see
others going and doing
00:49:15.45\00:49:17.52
you have to assist
them in going and doing.
00:49:17.69\00:49:19.89
Amen? Because that's
what God wants us particularly
00:49:20.19\00:49:23.76
to go and to do
00:49:23.96\00:49:25.99
because Christ, as I said,
is coming so very, very soon.
00:49:26.29\00:49:30.37
And He's coming again. I want
to read just a couple things
00:49:31.40\00:49:36.54
and then we'll be done.
00:49:36.94\00:49:40.08
Ellen White tells us... This
is a sheet on public presence.
00:49:41.24\00:49:43.75
I just pulled
this out last night.
00:49:43.95\00:49:45.28
She says: "Anywhere large
groups of people are gathering
00:49:46.38\00:49:51.75
Adventists ought to be there. "
00:49:52.05\00:49:54.09
State fairs, large gatherings...
00:49:55.79\00:49:59.03
anywhere they
are we ought to be.
00:49:59.33\00:50:02.00
In fact, she names specifically:
00:50:02.50\00:50:04.27
"At large gatherings
like the St. Louis Fair... "
00:50:04.57\00:50:07.60
That's the one I
think was in 1888 or so...
00:50:07.77\00:50:10.21
"I was given instruction
that as we approach the end
00:50:10.41\00:50:13.44
there will be large
gatherings in our cities
00:50:13.54\00:50:15.68
as there recently
has been in St. Louis
00:50:15.98\00:50:18.85
and that preparation must
be made to present the truth
00:50:19.15\00:50:22.62
at these gatherings.
When Christ was upon the earth
00:50:22.85\00:50:25.79
He took advantage
of such opportunities.
00:50:26.09\00:50:28.39
Whenever a large
number of people were gathered
00:50:28.89\00:50:31.63
for any purpose
His voice was heard
00:50:31.83\00:50:34.60
clear and distinct
giving His message.
00:50:35.00\00:50:38.80
As a result, after His
crucifixion and ascension
00:50:39.20\00:50:42.37
thousands were
converted in a day.
00:50:42.70\00:50:45.04
The seed sown by
Christ sank deep into hearts
00:50:45.34\00:50:49.81
and germinated, and when the
disciples received the gift of
00:50:50.01\00:50:53.45
the Holy Spirit the
harvest was gathered in. "
00:50:53.65\00:50:56.48
That's again from
the book Evangelism.
00:50:56.82\00:50:58.95
"We should improve every such
opportunity as that presented
00:50:59.89\00:51:03.93
by the St. Louis Fair
and at all such gatherings
00:51:04.16\00:51:07.20
there should be
present men whom God can use. "
00:51:10.93\00:51:13.60
That's men and women.
"Leaflets containing the light
00:51:13.80\00:51:15.94
of present truth should
be scattered among the people
00:51:16.04\00:51:18.07
like the leaves of autumn.
00:51:18.27\00:51:19.61
To many who attend these
gatherings these leaflets
00:51:22.31\00:51:25.51
would be as the
leaves of the Tree of Life
00:51:25.71\00:51:28.08
for the healing
of the nations. "
00:51:28.28\00:51:29.85
So she's saying again
our job as Christians is
00:51:30.15\00:51:32.69
to get out and go
where the people are
00:51:32.89\00:51:34.66
and lift up the mighty
and matchless name of Jesus.
00:51:35.16\00:51:37.09
And I want to say this is
something that I had to learn.
00:51:37.39\00:51:39.79
It is not your job or
mine to convert people.
00:51:40.66\00:51:44.20
Amen.
00:51:44.40\00:51:45.80
When I was young in the
ministry I thought I had to
00:51:46.10\00:51:48.24
fry, fillet, and fricassee them.
00:51:48.44\00:51:50.94
You know, wash
them, clean them up,
00:51:51.14\00:51:53.51
baptize them, and
put them in the kingdom.
00:51:53.61\00:51:55.21
That's not your job.
00:51:55.31\00:51:56.68
Our job is to lift
up the name of Jesus...
00:51:57.48\00:52:00.32
period... and the
Holy Spirit does the rest.
00:52:00.62\00:52:04.22
So if you don't get
an immediate conversion
00:52:04.72\00:52:09.36
or an immediate
"Yes, I'll follow You"
00:52:09.66\00:52:11.86
don't get discouraged
because that's God's job.
00:52:12.16\00:52:16.26
You know, I've had Bible studies
where you talk to somebody
00:52:16.77\00:52:19.50
and they say: "I
just don't see it. "
00:52:19.70\00:52:21.04
"What? Are you
blind? You don't see it?
00:52:21.24\00:52:23.30
Let's go over it again. "
00:52:23.71\00:52:25.04
"Well I just don't see it. "
00:52:25.24\00:52:26.74
That's not a slight against you.
00:52:28.18\00:52:32.01
That's a wrestling
with the Holy Spirit.
00:52:32.51\00:52:34.65
So you leave them in
the power and presence
00:52:35.15\00:52:38.69
of the Holy Spirit.
00:52:38.79\00:52:40.46
And you never know
but when the time comes
00:52:40.76\00:52:44.46
God will bring it back
and He'll ripen that seed.
00:52:44.66\00:52:47.60
I've seen it over and
over and over and over
00:52:47.83\00:52:51.43
and over again.
We had a neighbor...
00:52:51.63\00:52:54.07
We had a neighbor... Well,
let me tell this last story
00:52:54.27\00:52:56.74
and I'll be done. Pastor
William Scales... he was the
00:52:56.94\00:53:02.71
I think it was the Health
Ministries Director of the
00:53:03.35\00:53:05.31
North American Division.
He moved into a neighborhood
00:53:05.41\00:53:07.72
bless his heart. They were
the first... How can I say this
00:53:07.92\00:53:11.35
diplomatically? They
were the first family of
00:53:11.55\00:53:13.59
eurotrichus hair and
austillic complexion.
00:53:13.79\00:53:16.49
Um, first black
family in the neighborhood.
00:53:18.89\00:53:20.70
And the lady that lived next
door to them was so incensed
00:53:21.56\00:53:25.97
that this black family had moved
there that she actually tried to
00:53:26.27\00:53:28.70
run Elder Scales -
General Conference worker -
00:53:28.90\00:53:30.87
over with her car.
00:53:31.04\00:53:32.37
But instead of
returning evil for evil
00:53:32.71\00:53:35.78
they began to fast and pray
for that lady and that family.
00:53:36.08\00:53:39.01
Amen. And they looked
for an opportunity to serve.
00:53:39.21\00:53:41.98
True story.
00:53:42.35\00:53:43.75
And one day Sr. Scales
was sitting in her kitchen
00:53:43.99\00:53:48.36
and she saw the neighbor. They
had like adjoining driveways.
00:53:48.56\00:53:51.23
And she saw the lady get out of
her car with a bag of groceries.
00:53:51.43\00:53:54.20
She reached into the back
of the car and got a second bag
00:53:54.56\00:53:56.90
of groceries and tried to
close the door with her hip.
00:53:57.00\00:54:00.14
You know you kind of just
try to hit the car door closed.
00:54:00.44\00:54:02.17
Well when she did so,
the top of the car door just
00:54:02.57\00:54:04.94
unzipped this bag of groceries
00:54:05.24\00:54:07.11
and of course all
the groceries fell.
00:54:07.31\00:54:08.78
Now when you lose a bag
of groceries with this arm
00:54:09.08\00:54:10.55
what do you
instinctively try to do?
00:54:10.75\00:54:12.25
Yeah, you
instinctively try to grab it.
00:54:12.75\00:54:14.52
And then what
happens to this bag?
00:54:14.72\00:54:16.05
Yeah, you lose this bag too.
00:54:16.15\00:54:17.49
So both bags
tumbled to the ground
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.89
and out popped a large
jar of Maxwell House coffee.
00:54:20.09\00:54:24.53
Spilled it on the ground.
00:54:25.36\00:54:26.70
So Sr. Scales ran,
got a broom and dustpan
00:54:26.73\00:54:30.93
and came out and began to
sweep and help her clean up.
00:54:31.03\00:54:33.64
And she didn't
even let the lady talk.
00:54:33.74\00:54:35.07
She just began to serve her.
00:54:35.14\00:54:36.47
And she could feel the vibes.
You know, she knew that her
00:54:36.54\00:54:40.34
service wasn't
being that well received.
00:54:40.54\00:54:42.98
But she didn't let that bother
her because she was on a mission
00:54:43.18\00:54:44.91
for God. Amen. So
she grabbed the woman.
00:54:45.01\00:54:47.65
She said: "You know, this
coffee is not good for you. "
00:54:47.75\00:54:49.55
And she gave her a list of
things that... "This is not
00:54:49.75\00:54:51.72
good for you. I've got something
in my house that is better.
00:54:51.82\00:54:54.86
Tastes like this coffee
and it's better for you...
00:54:54.96\00:54:57.09
it's healthy. " And I
don't remember if it was Roma
00:54:57.29\00:54:59.03
or Breakfast Cup or Cafix.
We've got a bunch of them.
00:54:59.13\00:55:01.53
You know... Postum,
whatever. She grabbed the woman
00:55:01.73\00:55:03.77
and drug her into the kitchen.
00:55:03.97\00:55:05.60
She just drug
her into the kitchen.
00:55:06.00\00:55:08.44
And she said: "Try this.
" And she brought out some
00:55:08.74\00:55:11.37
cinnamon buns and they
spent almost the whole afternoon
00:55:11.47\00:55:14.01
together. So by the time
her husband, Elder Wm. Scales,
00:55:14.11\00:55:18.01
comes home from
the General Conference
00:55:18.21\00:55:20.52
this woman is in the kitchen
00:55:20.72\00:55:22.05
laughing and
talking with his wife.
00:55:22.18\00:55:24.09
Now shortly thereafter
00:55:26.49\00:55:28.59
Elder Scales died of cancer.
00:55:29.09\00:55:31.59
And within maybe 2 years or so
00:55:31.89\00:55:35.20
his wife also passed of cancer.
00:55:35.40\00:55:36.93
They did not live long enough
00:55:37.23\00:55:39.83
to know that that family is
Seventh-day Adventist today.
00:55:40.04\00:55:44.31
Amen! They'll meet
them in the kingdom.
00:55:44.61\00:55:46.94
What a grand and
glorious reunion that will be!
00:55:47.14\00:55:49.58
Because deeds of kindness
tear down walls of separation
00:55:51.05\00:55:55.18
and open up doors for salvation.
00:55:55.48\00:55:57.55
There is a way to
touch every heart.
00:55:57.75\00:56:00.99
And if you love Jesus enough
00:56:01.29\00:56:04.16
you will love those
for whom Christ died.
00:56:04.53\00:56:08.36
And it doesn't always mean
leading with the 2,300 days
00:56:08.66\00:56:12.93
or even the
Sabbath. That's right!
00:56:13.23\00:56:15.47
Sometimes it's just
a cup of water. Amen!
00:56:15.67\00:56:18.14
Sometimes it's just a kind word.
00:56:18.27\00:56:20.71
Just a smile... just a
tip for healthy living.
00:56:21.01\00:56:24.95
Just a "God bless you. "
00:56:25.35\00:56:27.12
Just a little
card at Christmas time.
00:56:27.42\00:56:29.55
Now you may not keep Christmas.
00:56:29.85\00:56:31.19
You may not even like
Christmas... but they do.
00:56:31.29\00:56:34.66
All right. So use something
that will attract them.
00:56:35.59\00:56:40.13
Amen? Amen.
00:56:40.43\00:56:43.03
Amen; amen. And let
Christ shine out through you.
00:56:43.33\00:56:48.77
Ellen White said:
"if you love Jesus,
00:56:49.27\00:56:53.78
then you will love
those for whom Christ died. "
00:56:54.08\00:56:58.05
And I say again:
the very first question
00:56:58.55\00:57:03.08
that each of us
must ask ourselves
00:57:03.52\00:57:05.99
and I dare say we need
to ask it every single day
00:57:06.19\00:57:09.26
is: "How much do I love Jesus? "
00:57:10.16\00:57:16.06
And if you love Him enough
00:57:16.46\00:57:18.17
then no sacrifice is too great
00:57:18.37\00:57:22.44
to lift up the mighty and
matchless name of the Lord.
00:57:22.64\00:57:26.31