Let's pray as we
open this evening.
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Father in heaven, this weekend
has come to a whirling end,
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and, Lord, we are inspired.
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But we also recognize
the reality that as we return
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to our places of work,
our schools, our communities
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everything will grab our
attention as it has before.
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So, Lord, unless You make
the difference in our hearts
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and fill us with such
love for the unreached
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we will go back
to life as normal.
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Please let it not be so.
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Please change us more
deeply so that when we return
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we will be
determined to seek for Your love
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for our neighbors every morning
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and to ask You to put on
our hearts Your priorities.
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Lord, as this last evening's
meeting is about to begin
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please bless Elder Dan Jackson
as he preaches, as he pours
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out his heart. May each of us
hear that which You are wanting
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to say and may we walk
away with a solid commitment
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of what You want us to do
because Your Spirit has spoken
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to us and we have responded.
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Thank you, Father.
Finish Your work in us
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and finish it in the world.
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We thank you in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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Good evening. I trust that
you have been blessed today.
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It's always a
blessing to come to ASI
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and hear the wonderful
things that God is doing
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all over the world.
Kyle and I are happy
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to be here to share some
exciting things with you.
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And I'd like to start by sharing
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that you'll be able to
take the blessing home with you
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that you got at ASI
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because over the next few days
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all of the
meetings that have been...
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that have taken place
here including the seminars
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as well as the main sessions
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will all be up on our
website at asiministries.org
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So we invite you to invite
your friends to watch that.
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Maybe there was a seminar
that you really wanted to attend
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and weren't able to because you
need to go to another seminar
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or another place. And so
all of those which aired will be
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available to you. I
also wanted to share
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something that is the
first time that we've done.
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I'm kind of an
open-source person.
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I don't know... some of you
might not understand what that
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means, but I believe in
all of us working together.
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I don't understand what
that means. You're a tricky guy.
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OK. Well, basically what it
means is that as a community
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we can accomplish a
lot more than any one of us
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can by ourselves. Amen! Right?
Isn't that the ASI spirit?
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Yes it is, yes. And
so this year we want to
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give you an invitation.
I saw a lot of people
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taking pictures, a lot
of people taking video...
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and we want to invite
you to share that with us.
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We, of course, had our own
official photographer as well
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but we know that we can
have a lot more pictures
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by inviting all of you
to share yours with us.
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So the best way to do that
is to contact me on the website.
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asiministries.org
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And if you go to the
contact page and send
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a message to the
communications department
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I will get that. And so if you
have video, if you have pictures
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we'd love to be
able to collaborate.
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We will give you credit
for that. We're happy for
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the opportunity to be
able to work together in that.
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And Kyle, I think you
have some things to tell us
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about membership. Well
but first I have a question.
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One more question
for you, Wayne. Sure! OK.
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Because we talked a
lot about social media.
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I don't know... how many
of you remember Jamie came up
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on the first night and
she talked about posting
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and hashtags and all
those kinds of things.
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We want you to use our hashtag
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and I'm not talking about...
You know what I'm talking about,
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right? Those of you
that are... OK: pound sign.
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OK. asiministries,
Wayne. That's right.
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We want people to use that
not only here at convention
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but all throughout the year
because we want people to know
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what ASI members
are up to. That's right.
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And in fact, what
I'm really excited about
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is that this year we
kind of started social media
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fairly close to convention,
but we're already thinking about
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what we want to do
throughout the whole year
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to prepare for
next year's convention.
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So please do use the
hashtag asiministries
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whenever you post
anything about this event
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so that we can
all share it together.
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Wayne, I was looking for my
phone but I think I dropped it
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back there. But if
you have your phone
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I'd encourage you to take it
out and like our Facebook page.
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Like the ASI
Facebook page. That's right.
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That way you can get
updates as we post them
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and you can stay in touch
with us throughout the year.
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And you can follow us on
Twitter if you'd like as well.
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All right... that's great.
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So:
asiministries.org Sound good?
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Amen. OK. I would even encourage
you tonight when you go
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to the exhibit hall
take some selfies and say
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"I'm here at the
exhibit hall at ASI. "
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Actually you and I
did one last year. We did!
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I can't remember
when that was. Anyway...
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Encourage you to go and take...
Here's what: take a picture
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by your favorite
booth. How's that sound?
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OK. So tonight,
before it's all done,
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go and take a
picture. Post it up and say
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"I'm at ASI. I hope you
can be here next year. "
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Now at the end of tonight Steve
and I are going to talk about
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next year but first I want
to just make an invitation.
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I know we mentioned
this, Wayne, briefly
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this morning at the
beginning of church.
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ASI is a family.
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ASI is a family of
supporting ministries,
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of businesses, of
professionals who long to see
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the soon return of Jesus.
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And we want you to know that
we believe there are many of you
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out here today that would
qualify to be members of ASI.
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And we want you to be members!
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And so if you have been...
your heart has been touched
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as you've been here this week
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and you'd like to find out
more about becoming a member
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of ASI, we want to invite you -
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that graphic
will go up right now -
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we want to invite you
to send a text message
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to that number that we
showed earlier today at church.
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There we go... there it is.
They finally got it up there.
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OK! It's 301-844-6035
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Wayne, why is it important
to become a member of ASI?
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Well, being a member of
ASI just allows us to be able
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to share in the ASI family
and allows us to be able to
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exchange ideas with each other.
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It allows us to be able
to really offer even services
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between ministries. That's one
thing that I've been so blessed
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by is just to see how excited
ministries are when we can
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offer something to them and
they can offer something to us
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in return. And being
part of the ASI family
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is a wonderful way to do that.
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And you know what?
People often ask me:
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"What do I get out
of being a member? "
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Well there's a lot of things
you get out of being a member
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and we could list them in terms
of being networked with a family
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of like-minded believers
that long to see Jesus come.
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About coming to convention...
all the things that are part
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of ASI. But the best thing...
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Honestly, the best thing
about being a member of ASI
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is that the spirit of ASI -
for all of us that are a part
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of this ministry -
is that we want to give.
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We want to give all that we have
to see the work of God finished
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in our generation. If
that's you, if that resonates
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in your heart, I encourage you
to think about becoming a member
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of ASI. And you know what?
Whether or not you're a member
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if you are a Seventh-day
Adventist we are all part
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of the family and
we are all on a mission
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to take this message to
the world in our generation.
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And so all of you: consider
yourselves part of the family!
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Right, Wayne? That's
right. And we encourage you
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to check out ASI membership.
00:07:01.42\00:07:04.65
And we would encourage you
to send us that text message
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if you can. God bless you,
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and may the Lord continue
to bless us here tonight.
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The more and
more I work with teams
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the more I realize
that truly together
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everyone does achieve more.
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I've thought about this a lot.
I thought about the question
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Why a team? Why doing
something bigger than myself?
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Something that I
couldn't do on my own.
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And the more I thought
about it the more I realized
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that as I join things
that are bigger than myself
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I start realizing
that I can't do it myself
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and I have to
depend on people around me
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to get larger jobs done...
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which really ends up
feeding the humility in me
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and killing the selfishness
and killing the pride
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which is what Jesus'
mission is all about:
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to get rid of me and
to fill me up with Him.
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So I think it's
awesome to work on a team
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'cause I truly believe
that when we work together
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we achieve more and our
hearts are made more like Jesus.
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Good evening.
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This evening it's my
privilege to introduce
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and also to pay
tribute to a very special lady.
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Some of you may
not know Helen Eagar.
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But Helen was the co-founder
of the ministry Asian Aid.
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And about 47
years ago in Australia
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Helen started
shipping clothing to Asia.
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Helen then gave momentum
to the growth of an amazing
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ministry that in
that period of time
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has grown significantly
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in placing children in
need in Adventist schools,
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giving them an education
and introducing them to Jesus.
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She's a very modest
lady and may I also say
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a stubborn and humble lady.
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Right now there are
about 10,000 children
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in Adventist schools in India,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
00:09:13.52\00:09:17.45
and Myanmar. We
also fund four orphanages
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with a church and a
school for the blind and deaf.
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Today I did some calculations
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and it is my estimate that in
the 50 years from the momentum
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that Helen gave over
50 to 60 thousand children
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have been given an
education in Adventist schools,
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which is a huge figure.
00:09:42.54\00:09:44.31
And today if you
travel in those divisions
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those children are playing
key roles in the schools,
00:09:47.35\00:09:50.52
in the church, and in business.
00:09:50.72\00:09:53.22
I also estimate that somewhere
between 60 and 90 million
00:09:53.72\00:09:57.93
dollars have been given
to church mission schools.
00:09:58.13\00:10:01.33
Helen also has been
very active in Nepal.
00:10:01.73\00:10:04.73
And early in her
day she took a huge care
00:10:04.93\00:10:09.00
and concern for the women of
Nepal with prolapse operations.
00:10:09.20\00:10:13.68
And right now we know
that over 11,000 women
00:10:14.08\00:10:19.31
have had a prolapse
operation because of the vision
00:10:19.51\00:10:23.15
and the need that Helen saw.
00:10:23.35\00:10:25.65
Helen is a special lady.
If you've traveled with her,
00:10:27.02\00:10:29.99
she travels on
motorcycles, bullock carts,
00:10:30.19\00:10:34.00
fourth-class on
the trains in India.
00:10:34.20\00:10:36.87
And if you travel
around Indian schools,
00:10:37.07\00:10:39.63
it's not: "How are you? "
It's "Where is Mama Eagar? "
00:10:39.83\00:10:43.71
So in the six years that
I've been CEO of Asian Aid USA
00:10:44.11\00:10:47.91
I have seen it.
And so tonight Helen
00:10:48.11\00:10:51.11
on behalf of Asian Aid
USA I just want to pay tribute
00:10:51.31\00:10:54.92
to the momentum that you
gave in being a part of starting
00:10:55.12\00:10:59.29
this special organization.
It's a real privilege for me...
00:10:59.49\00:11:03.83
It's a real privilege
for me to be associated
00:11:10.40\00:11:12.87
with Asian Aid.
As I used to travel
00:11:13.07\00:11:16.74
in Bangladesh, India, Nepal
00:11:16.94\00:11:19.17
every place I'd go
it's Mama Eagar, Mama Eagar.
00:11:19.37\00:11:23.21
And Helen, it's just a privilege
to give you this service
00:11:23.41\00:11:26.48
recognition award.
And you know, in heaven
00:11:26.68\00:11:29.82
you're going to have a big
reunion with all those children
00:11:30.02\00:11:33.82
that are now in the kingdom
as a result of your ministries.
00:11:34.02\00:11:38.09
And we thank you very much.
00:11:38.29\00:11:40.40
Thank you. It's been
a privilege to serve.
00:11:40.80\00:11:43.80
And those of you that have
supported Asian Aid in any way
00:11:44.00\00:11:47.47
I just want to
thank you sincerely.
00:11:47.67\00:11:49.60
And if you've been sponsoring
a child, I just wish that
00:11:50.01\00:11:52.44
you could see as I
have the difference it makes
00:11:52.64\00:11:54.78
in their lives. So
God bless you for caring.
00:11:54.98\00:11:57.95
Thank you.
00:11:58.35\00:12:00.02
Good evening! Happy week!
00:12:07.86\00:12:11.09
Or as they used to say at
home when I was growing up
00:12:12.59\00:12:16.23
after vespers: Feliz Amanha!
00:12:16.43\00:12:18.53
All right. I bring
you greetings this evening
00:12:19.70\00:12:23.07
from the president
of the Pacific Union
00:12:23.27\00:12:24.81
Elder Ricardo Graham.
00:12:25.01\00:12:26.41
And on behalf of Elder
Graham and my fellow officers
00:12:26.61\00:12:29.11
we hope that you
have thoroughly enjoyed
00:12:29.31\00:12:31.91
visiting
beautiful Phoenix, Arizona.
00:12:32.11\00:12:35.05
We even had showers of
blessings for you this week.
00:12:35.75\00:12:38.82
I have the privilege tonight
of introducing the speaker
00:12:39.92\00:12:42.56
for the final session of the
2016 ASI Internat'l Convention.
00:12:42.76\00:12:47.23
He is Elder Daniel R. Jackson,
the president of the North
00:12:47.53\00:12:51.07
American Division of
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:12:51.27\00:12:53.54
Having been elected to that
position in Atlanta, Georgia,
00:12:53.97\00:12:57.51
in 2010 during a
General Conference session
00:12:57.71\00:12:59.87
and re-elected last
year in San Antonio, Texas.
00:13:00.08\00:13:03.55
Originally from Canada
00:13:03.95\00:13:05.71
Elder Jackson has served
the Seventh-day Adventist church
00:13:05.91\00:13:08.52
as a pastor, educator,
author, and administrator.
00:13:08.72\00:13:13.25
He and his lovely wife
Donna have three children
00:13:13.66\00:13:16.06
and two grandchildren.
00:13:16.26\00:13:17.86
Now in just a moment
Elder Jackson will tell you
00:13:18.26\00:13:20.76
that he is a
sinner saved by grace.
00:13:21.16\00:13:23.97
So he has a passion to preach
the message of a crucified,
00:13:24.93\00:13:28.54
risen, and soon-coming
Savior every time he speaks.
00:13:28.74\00:13:31.91
And he does so with great
enthusiasm and conviction.
00:13:32.37\00:13:36.14
You know, as a former youth
director and lifetime Pathfinder
00:13:37.35\00:13:41.28
I learned the law and
pledge a long time ago
00:13:41.48\00:13:44.12
and I have repeated
it hundreds of times.
00:13:44.42\00:13:46.79
The final two statements
of the Pathfinder law say
00:13:47.19\00:13:50.99
"Keep a song in my
heart; go on God's errands. "
00:13:51.39\00:13:55.10
If you know anything about
Elder Jackson, you know that he
00:13:55.63\00:13:58.20
always has a song in his heart.
00:13:58.40\00:14:01.04
In fact, it's not uncommon
while he's chairing committees,
00:14:01.44\00:14:04.34
boards, and meetings for
him to start singing a hymn
00:14:04.54\00:14:07.48
to call us to order.
00:14:07.68\00:14:09.01
Eventually we all join him
00:14:09.34\00:14:11.08
and the loud chatter
becomes a beautiful choir
00:14:11.28\00:14:13.75
as we get ready for the meeting.
00:14:13.95\00:14:15.55
And he has made it his
mission to go on God's errands
00:14:15.98\00:14:20.09
as he boldly leads this
great North American Division
00:14:20.29\00:14:23.36
in these last days
of earth's history.
00:14:23.56\00:14:26.19
So please pray that tonight
as Elder Jackson speaks to us
00:14:26.70\00:14:29.86
the Lord will
empower him in a mighty way
00:14:30.27\00:14:32.83
as He has done so
many times before.
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.64
That glorious day is coming;
00:15:28.32\00:15:32.73
the hour is hastening on.
00:15:33.13\00:15:37.03
It's radiant light is nearing,
00:15:37.23\00:15:41.14
far brighter than the sun!
00:15:41.34\00:15:47.24
In yonder clouds of heaven
00:15:47.64\00:15:51.91
the Savior will appear
00:15:52.11\00:15:55.98
and gather all His chosen
00:15:56.18\00:16:00.26
to meet Him in the air.
00:16:00.46\00:16:06.39
The saints, then all victorious
00:16:13.57\00:16:17.81
will go to meet their Lord.
00:16:18.31\00:16:22.24
And earth both
bright and glorious
00:16:22.44\00:16:26.41
will then be their reward;
00:16:26.82\00:16:30.92
And God Himself there reigning,
00:16:31.12\00:16:35.09
will wipe all tears away;
00:16:35.29\00:16:39.26
Nor clouds nor night remaining,
00:16:39.56\00:16:43.43
but one eternal day!
00:16:43.73\00:16:49.64
Oh Christian,
keep from sleeping,
00:17:08.96\00:17:13.40
and let your love abound.
00:17:13.70\00:17:17.87
Be watchful, prayerful, faithful
00:17:18.27\00:17:22.07
the trumpet soon will sound.
00:17:22.47\00:17:28.44
O sinner, hear the warning!
00:17:28.91\00:17:33.08
To Jesus quickly fly!
00:17:33.28\00:17:37.65
Then you, in that blest morning,
00:17:37.85\00:17:42.02
May meet Him in the sky!
00:17:42.22\00:17:48.20
Then you, in that blest morning,
00:17:48.76\00:17:52.93
May meet Him in
00:17:53.13\00:17:57.24
the sky!
00:17:57.64\00:18:03.65
Amen!
00:18:08.32\00:18:10.35
Was it something I said?
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.46
Is it not true?
00:18:27.80\00:18:29.84
"With such an army as our
youth rightly trained... "
00:18:31.11\00:18:36.41
And praise God
for the young people!
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.78
Amen! I was
watching on the monitor
00:18:39.98\00:18:42.68
and I actually
started to laugh. I said:
00:18:43.08\00:18:46.19
"That young lady shouldn't
have all that talent! "
00:18:47.39\00:18:50.06
God has given special
gifts to our young people!
00:18:51.79\00:18:56.20
And praise God! We
must do all that we can
00:18:56.40\00:19:00.94
to help them
dream, to let them dream
00:19:01.34\00:19:06.41
and then to empower them
00:19:06.91\00:19:09.58
and then get out of the way.
00:19:09.78\00:19:12.45
I tell people I am never
concerned about the church
00:19:14.92\00:19:19.89
when I am around groups of
our dedicated young people.
00:19:20.39\00:19:24.09
I am never concerned
about the future of the church.
00:19:24.29\00:19:26.59
Praise God for that.
00:19:26.80\00:19:28.80
I never start a message any more
00:19:29.00\00:19:32.97
without doing two things,
00:19:33.37\00:19:35.27
but I'm adding
one thing tonight.
00:19:35.47\00:19:37.94
I always do a confession
00:19:38.14\00:19:41.08
and then a profession
00:19:41.88\00:19:44.15
and tonight an affirmation.
00:19:44.55\00:19:46.78
The confession is
simple: my name is Dan Jackson.
00:19:47.52\00:19:52.39
I am a broken human being.
00:19:53.05\00:19:55.32
I am not saying this to
you to demonstrate any kind of
00:19:55.72\00:19:59.19
humility. I am
telling you what is the truth.
00:19:59.39\00:20:03.93
I am a broken human being.
00:20:04.13\00:20:07.04
Without the
grace of a gracious God
00:20:07.24\00:20:10.97
I would be on a never-ending
spiral downward spiritually.
00:20:11.17\00:20:16.75
But because of
His grace I have hope.
00:20:17.65\00:20:21.42
But I am a broken human being
00:20:21.62\00:20:23.32
and guess what, folks?
He's not finished with me yet.
00:20:23.52\00:20:26.99
And just in case
you hadn't noticed
00:20:27.86\00:20:30.43
you're just like me.
00:20:31.33\00:20:33.13
The profession. In the
Seventh-day Adventist church
00:20:37.00\00:20:42.54
there is only one true north
00:20:42.74\00:20:46.44
and His name is Jesus. Amen!
00:20:46.64\00:20:49.98
Let Jesus be the
center of all that we preach,
00:20:50.18\00:20:56.08
of all that we teach.
If we teach the Sabbath
00:20:56.28\00:20:59.85
and Jesus is not in
the center of the Sabbath,
00:21:00.06\00:21:03.83
we ought to quit
preaching the Sabbath
00:21:04.03\00:21:07.03
until we can put
Jesus in the center. Amen!
00:21:07.23\00:21:10.90
If we are preaching
the three angels' messages,
00:21:11.30\00:21:15.30
we must put Jesus in the center.
00:21:16.10\00:21:19.27
If we can't see that Jesus...
00:21:19.47\00:21:23.98
"These things I have
written to you... " He said...
00:21:24.38\00:21:27.02
It was Jesus... IS Jesus...
who is the center of the book.
00:21:28.35\00:21:33.79
If you can't preach
the three angels' messages
00:21:33.99\00:21:36.32
without Jesus being in the
center, quit preaching the three
00:21:36.52\00:21:40.56
angels' messages until
Jesus can be put in the center.
00:21:40.76\00:21:44.83
If you are teaching the
health message, then please...
00:21:45.23\00:21:50.47
You know, He is
the Water of Life.
00:21:51.84\00:21:55.38
He is the Bread of Life.
00:21:55.58\00:21:57.58
He is the center and
the substance of our hope.
00:21:58.08\00:22:01.18
That's the confession.
Thirdly, the affirmation.
00:22:01.38\00:22:04.99
I want to praise
God for our lay people.
00:22:05.49\00:22:08.32
And I thank ASI for what
they have done this week.
00:22:09.52\00:22:14.93
I have great
appreciation for Steve Dickman
00:22:15.13\00:22:18.83
and of course for Kyle
who works around our office.
00:22:19.03\00:22:23.24
And he came to me and said
00:22:23.81\00:22:27.58
"I hope you don't mind that
I called you my boss today. "
00:22:27.78\00:22:30.68
And Elder Bryant was
standing with us. He said:
00:22:31.18\00:22:33.98
"What's wrong
with that? He is! "
00:22:34.18\00:22:35.75
Kyle is an Israelite
in whom there is no guile.
00:22:38.45\00:22:41.46
And praise God that
we have young people
00:22:43.32\00:22:47.56
who can assume responsibility.
00:22:47.96\00:22:50.57
I want to go back to a sentence
that I quoted this afternoon
00:22:50.97\00:22:56.50
but that Elder
Bradshaw quoted this morning.
00:22:56.71\00:22:59.01
Because I believe for Christians
00:22:59.41\00:23:02.41
living in the last gasp of time
00:23:02.61\00:23:05.78
that it is
important that you and I
00:23:06.51\00:23:09.48
glean a fundamental under-
standing from the Bible and the
00:23:09.68\00:23:13.36
Spirit of Prophecy as
to how we ought to be.
00:23:13.56\00:23:17.69
How we ought to witness.
00:23:18.36\00:23:20.33
How we ought to have
every member involved.
00:23:20.73\00:23:24.63
You see, if every
member is involved
00:23:25.03\00:23:27.70
and we don't have the ingredient
that I want to share with you
00:23:27.90\00:23:31.27
tonight, we could have every
member involved for the next
00:23:31.47\00:23:34.71
300 years.
00:23:34.91\00:23:36.48
"The church is
the repository... "
00:23:40.22\00:23:44.59
and I'm going to
botch this up a little bit.
00:23:46.32\00:23:47.99
I've got it written down
but I'll just do it by...
00:23:48.19\00:23:50.16
"The church is the repository
of the riches of the grace
00:23:50.36\00:23:54.93
of Christ. And
through the church
00:23:55.13\00:23:59.97
will eventually be made
manifest even to principalities
00:24:01.10\00:24:06.47
and powers in
the heavenly places
00:24:06.68\00:24:09.74
the final and the full display
00:24:11.01\00:24:15.68
of the love of God. "
00:24:16.58\00:24:18.05
I want to tell you, friends,
00:24:19.25\00:24:21.19
if you want to talk
standards THIS is the standard.
00:24:21.39\00:24:25.79
Jesus said: "By
this will all men know
00:24:26.59\00:24:29.93
that you are My
disciples in that you have love
00:24:30.13\00:24:33.17
one for the other. "
00:24:33.37\00:24:34.84
The final and the full display
00:24:36.24\00:24:39.54
of the love of God.
What IS the Loud Cry?
00:24:39.74\00:24:43.38
It is a demonstration not just
in the words but in the lives.
00:24:46.31\00:24:50.49
Now I want to ask you a question
00:24:52.45\00:24:55.16
and I want you to respond.
00:24:57.29\00:24:59.93
For those of you that
understand the question.
00:25:00.70\00:25:02.86
You know, I want to do this
for you just before you fall
00:25:03.06\00:25:06.57
asleep. Would all the ministers
00:25:06.77\00:25:10.97
in this room please stand up.
00:25:12.04\00:25:15.18
All the ministers in
this room please stand up.
00:25:25.22\00:25:30.33
I didn't say all the pastors.
00:25:30.53\00:25:31.96
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.70
You may be seated.
00:25:36.90\00:25:38.33
And for those of you who
have accepted Jesus Christ
00:25:41.00\00:25:43.51
as your personal
Savior and you didn't stand up
00:25:43.71\00:25:47.61
you need to go back and
read the Bible I Peter 2:4-9
00:25:47.81\00:25:52.21
and recognize the reality
that the superficial distinction
00:25:52.61\00:25:57.69
that has been
imposed on the scripture
00:25:57.89\00:26:00.26
that is identifying clergy
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.12
and laity does not
exist in the Bible.
00:26:02.32\00:26:05.43
Pastors have a specific role.
00:26:07.60\00:26:09.60
I'm not demeaning pastors.
00:26:09.80\00:26:11.23
I was a pastor for 25 years
00:26:11.63\00:26:13.60
before I apostasized
and became an administrator.
00:26:15.04\00:26:18.34
The role of the
pastor... Remind me, folks, from
00:26:22.44\00:26:26.45
Paul's letter to the Ephesians,
the role of the pastor
00:26:26.65\00:26:29.85
is to train who? The saints.
00:26:30.05\00:26:33.39
For the work of what? Ministry!
00:26:33.59\00:26:37.26
When you accept Jesus
as your personal Savior
00:26:38.03\00:26:41.53
you just signed on to be a
minister of the Most High God.
00:26:42.10\00:26:45.83
Paul says: "Don't you
know that you yourselves
00:26:46.03\00:26:49.77
are living stones being built
together into a spiritual house
00:26:49.97\00:26:55.08
to offer sacrifices
acceptable unto God. "
00:26:55.28\00:26:58.55
There is no such
thing as a Christian
00:26:59.08\00:27:03.82
who does not serve.
00:27:04.02\00:27:05.72
I did something
unique one time as a pastor.
00:27:09.36\00:27:14.66
I was having a baptism.
00:27:15.83\00:27:19.07
And I went to my head deacon
00:27:19.47\00:27:21.77
and he had two beautiful
wing chairs in his living room.
00:27:21.97\00:27:25.91
And I said to him: "Hey!
00:27:26.31\00:27:28.64
Would you bring your wing chairs
to church on Sabbath with you? "
00:27:28.84\00:27:31.95
And he looked at me
and said: "Why? " I said:
00:27:33.38\00:27:35.95
"Because I want to interview
the candidates for baptism.
00:27:36.15\00:27:39.99
And I want to sit in one
chair and I want them to sit in
00:27:40.96\00:27:44.36
the other chair. And I want to
ask them in front of the church
00:27:44.56\00:27:47.00
'Why are you going
to be baptized today?
00:27:48.13\00:27:50.50
"What made you make a life
commitment to the church? ' "
00:27:51.53\00:27:55.34
I will never
forget one young woman.
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.71
She... I asked her the question:
"Why in the world are you
00:28:00.94\00:28:04.48
becoming a
Seventh-day Adventist? "
00:28:04.68\00:28:06.25
And she told this
story. She had some background
00:28:06.92\00:28:09.95
but she told
this story. She said:
00:28:10.15\00:28:12.62
"At first I would just bring
my children to Sabbath School
00:28:12.82\00:28:17.06
then I'd get lost. And then
at the end of Sabbath School
00:28:17.26\00:28:20.76
I would come pick
them up and take them home.
00:28:20.96\00:28:22.63
But every single Sabbath
00:28:23.70\00:28:27.00
there was a man at the
door who greeted me so warmly.
00:28:27.40\00:28:32.67
Who was so kind
and gracious to me
00:28:34.44\00:28:37.41
that I decided that
I needed what he had
00:28:39.61\00:28:43.02
and I joined the church.
" Now let me tell you this:
00:28:44.02\00:28:46.62
this brother never
ever spoke publicly.
00:28:47.52\00:28:52.53
Didn't give Bible studies.
00:28:53.33\00:28:54.93
Didn't preach.
00:28:55.63\00:28:57.33
But he had an
attitude of gratitude
00:28:58.27\00:29:02.67
that just emanated from him.
00:29:02.87\00:29:05.04
He was the kind of deacon that
would clean under the carpet
00:29:05.24\00:29:09.94
because there must not
be dirt in the Lord's house.
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.98
You see, I believe
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:29:14.42\00:29:18.05
So do you.
00:29:18.45\00:29:19.79
He's coming...
I want to go home!
00:29:20.32\00:29:24.19
The time has come for
us - for you and for me...
00:29:26.33\00:29:29.33
all Seventh-day Adventists
- to intensify our beliefs
00:29:30.13\00:29:34.27
so that we can serve
God and bring glory to Him
00:29:34.47\00:29:38.64
and to His name
in all that we do.
00:29:38.84\00:29:41.38
Whether it is a
family relationship,
00:29:41.58\00:29:43.55
a school matter, a hospital,
00:29:43.95\00:29:46.41
wherever we are in the workplace
00:29:46.61\00:29:48.88
we must consistently
be bringing glory to God.
00:29:49.08\00:29:53.76
That has become your role.
00:29:53.96\00:29:57.73
I want to look at this
with you, and I want to
00:29:57.93\00:29:59.79
reference a
Bible passage tonight.
00:30:00.00\00:30:02.16
Philippians
chapter 4 verses 6 and 7.
00:30:03.00\00:30:05.73
You might say: "Well this
is a rather odd passage. "
00:30:05.93\00:30:08.04
But it reads like
this: "Be anxious for nothing
00:30:08.24\00:30:11.57
but in everything by
your prayer and supplication
00:30:12.87\00:30:16.11
with thanksgiving let
your request be made known
00:30:16.31\00:30:20.18
to God, and the peace of God
00:30:20.38\00:30:22.42
which surpasses
all understanding
00:30:22.62\00:30:24.95
will guard your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus. "
00:30:25.15\00:30:28.29
What do people see in you and me
00:30:29.32\00:30:32.89
as they watch us?
00:30:33.73\00:30:36.16
That's a telling
question, friends.
00:30:36.36\00:30:38.53
What do they see in us?
00:30:38.93\00:30:40.70
Is our silent life
testimony so powerful
00:30:40.90\00:30:45.47
and compelling
that those watching us
00:30:45.67\00:30:48.24
would make a
lifetime commitment to Jesus
00:30:48.44\00:30:51.11
because of what they saw?
00:30:51.31\00:30:52.65
You see, we are preoccupied
in the North American Division
00:30:53.65\00:30:56.79
with the dream of
reaching every community
00:30:56.99\00:31:00.62
in this land. Our
homes, our schools,
00:31:00.82\00:31:04.19
our business places, our
churches. Everything we have
00:31:04.39\00:31:09.50
must be dedicated to the
furtherance of God's cause
00:31:09.70\00:31:13.60
on this planet. We have a dream
00:31:13.80\00:31:16.40
that every single member
of the church in North America
00:31:16.60\00:31:20.41
will read the scriptures, will
be impressed by the Holy Spirit,
00:31:20.61\00:31:24.15
and will become involved
in God's great evangelistic
00:31:24.31\00:31:29.08
thrust on this
earth before Jesus comes.
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.72
It is a splendid vision.
00:31:31.92\00:31:34.02
However, let me say
that if we do not personally
00:31:34.22\00:31:38.39
demonstrate our
connection with Jesus
00:31:38.59\00:31:41.43
then all other systems fail.
00:31:41.96\00:31:43.77
Allow me to share a
very powerful statement
00:31:45.57\00:31:48.10
with you. As a matter of fact,
for those of you who want to
00:31:48.30\00:31:51.77
engage in
soul-winning activities
00:31:51.97\00:31:55.38
I have a key for you tonight.
00:31:55.78\00:31:58.18
A very powerful key,
and it comes from the book
00:31:58.38\00:32:01.08
Christ Object
Lessons pages 299 and 300.
00:32:01.28\00:32:05.35
And this is what it
says: "We are to show the world
00:32:05.55\00:32:09.26
and all the
heavenly intelligences
00:32:09.66\00:32:12.13
that we appreciate
the wonderful love of God
00:32:12.33\00:32:15.20
for fallen humanity
00:32:15.40\00:32:17.07
and that we are
expecting larger and yet larger
00:32:17.90\00:32:21.60
blessings from His
infinite fullness... "
00:32:21.80\00:32:24.04
Then she goes on:
"far more than we do
00:32:24.24\00:32:27.31
we need to speak of the precious
chapters of our experience.
00:32:28.01\00:32:31.65
These exercises do
three things... " she says.
00:32:31.85\00:32:35.18
Number one: "Drive
back the power of Satan. "
00:32:35.38\00:32:38.59
Number two: "They
expel the spirit of murmuring
00:32:38.99\00:32:43.83
and complaint and the
Tempter loses ground. "
00:32:44.03\00:32:47.33
And number three: "They
cultivate those attributes
00:32:47.93\00:32:51.97
of character which will
fit the dwellers on earth
00:32:52.17\00:32:55.90
for the heavenly mansions. "
00:32:56.10\00:32:57.81
Whoa!
00:32:58.67\00:33:00.44
That's quite a statement.
00:33:00.84\00:33:02.18
She says that
rehearsing in our own mind
00:33:02.84\00:33:08.55
the goodness
and the grace of God
00:33:09.48\00:33:11.72
as it relates not only
to the world but to me.
00:33:11.92\00:33:15.32
Listen to how she
ends the statement.
00:33:15.82\00:33:18.13
She says: "Such a testimony will
have an influence upon others.
00:33:18.53\00:33:23.13
No more effective
means can be employed
00:33:24.73\00:33:30.31
for the winning
of souls to Christ. "
00:33:30.51\00:33:33.24
"No more effective means
00:33:34.41\00:33:37.91
can be employed for
winning souls to Christ. "
00:33:38.11\00:33:42.02
So here's a question tonight:
00:33:42.48\00:33:44.29
how do I become like that?
00:33:44.49\00:33:46.15
What Paul tells us in
his powerful statement in
00:33:48.19\00:33:50.56
Philippians chapter
4 is that lasting peace
00:33:50.76\00:33:53.63
and happiness come to those
who put their trust and faith
00:33:53.83\00:33:58.90
in God. That is,
they allow their lives
00:33:59.10\00:34:02.37
to be preoccupied with God
00:34:02.57\00:34:05.47
and then things begin to happen.
00:34:06.71\00:34:08.74
Paul is attempting
to tell the Philippians
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.91
that they needed to be
ever concerned with this.
00:34:13.31\00:34:16.95
But what we're
talking about here
00:34:17.45\00:34:19.99
is successful transcendent
daily spiritual living.
00:34:20.19\00:34:26.09
That's where we
need to be, friends.
00:34:26.93\00:34:28.70
The next time I am
tempted to be angry
00:34:29.60\00:34:34.57
and... You know, I
do have to tell you,
00:34:35.20\00:34:39.41
I've already told you
I was broken, but I do
00:34:39.61\00:34:41.54
have to tell you I was a sinner.
00:34:41.74\00:34:43.24
I am a sinner.
00:34:43.45\00:34:44.78
I said this once at a Camp
Meeting, and a lady came up
00:34:45.05\00:34:47.68
to me and said:
"You are a president!
00:34:47.88\00:34:51.32
You must never tell
people that you are a sinner. "
00:34:51.52\00:34:54.89
And I said to her:
"Thank you so much.
00:34:55.42\00:34:57.89
From now on I'll just lie. "
00:34:58.09\00:34:59.89
The next time
we're tempted to be angry
00:35:04.07\00:35:07.54
we need to think
about the goodness of God.
00:35:07.74\00:35:11.44
I want to suggest
there are three things
00:35:11.84\00:35:14.71
that can turn us into
dynamos for Jesus Christ.
00:35:14.91\00:35:19.48
Three ideas the
emerge out of the scripture.
00:35:20.32\00:35:22.98
Number one: the
recognition that the love of God
00:35:23.18\00:35:27.36
desires only good for us.
00:35:27.56\00:35:30.03
We've got to
settle that in our mind.
00:35:32.23\00:35:34.20
He is not some kind of eternal
ogre looking to pounce on us.
00:35:35.10\00:35:39.53
The love of God
desires only good for us.
00:35:39.93\00:35:44.84
I walked into his office -
and if you've heard me tell this
00:35:45.84\00:35:50.05
story before I'm
tellin' it again.
00:35:50.25\00:35:52.75
I walked into his office.
00:35:54.02\00:35:56.45
This man: the
president of the Rwandan Union.
00:35:57.25\00:36:02.29
He had left his
home in the early 90's
00:36:03.56\00:36:07.26
to go out and do a
weekend of preaching.
00:36:07.66\00:36:10.70
And when he
returned home 120 days later
00:36:11.60\00:36:15.10
he discovered that
his wife, three children,
00:36:16.71\00:36:19.97
and 9 grandchildren had been
slaughtered in the genocide.
00:36:20.18\00:36:25.15
I walked into his
office and I said to him:
00:36:27.22\00:36:29.78
"Brother Amon, I know
00:36:29.98\00:36:34.92
that a person's pain
is something very personal
00:36:35.12\00:36:38.49
to them, and for somebody
to come walking into your
00:36:38.69\00:36:41.76
life and say 'tell me about it'
00:36:41.96\00:36:43.50
can not only be rude by
it's just inappropriate.
00:36:43.70\00:36:47.54
I know that is like holy
ground but I want to ask you
00:36:47.74\00:36:52.17
'how did you survive that? ' "
00:36:52.47\00:36:54.54
This was his answer.
00:36:55.41\00:36:57.15
He said: "I want you to know
00:36:58.38\00:37:00.52
that God has been good to
me from the very beginning. "
00:37:01.42\00:37:05.55
He went on to say:
"I know the people who
00:37:07.86\00:37:10.63
killed my family. They
live not too far from here.
00:37:10.83\00:37:16.20
I see them from time to time
00:37:16.93\00:37:19.43
but I pray for them every day. "
00:37:20.37\00:37:23.00
Let me tell you
something, friends:
00:37:23.51\00:37:25.14
that is not natural!
00:37:25.54\00:37:28.71
That is supernatural!
00:37:29.68\00:37:32.21
That is a gift from
God through Jesus Christ.
00:37:32.61\00:37:36.02
His life went on
because he knew in his heart
00:37:36.92\00:37:40.39
that God was
good... eternally good...
00:37:40.59\00:37:44.79
and that the love of God
only desires that which is
00:37:44.99\00:37:48.13
best for us.
David wrote it this way.
00:37:48.33\00:37:50.70
He said: "Shout to
the Lord all the earth;
00:37:50.90\00:37:53.27
serve the Lord with joy;
come before Him with singing.
00:37:53.47\00:37:56.60
Know that the Lord is God.
00:37:56.81\00:37:58.97
He made us and we belong to Him.
00:37:59.17\00:38:01.41
We are the people,
the sheep He tends.
00:38:01.61\00:38:03.24
Come into His city
with songs of thanksgiving
00:38:03.45\00:38:05.95
and into His
courtyard with songs of praise.
00:38:06.15\00:38:08.95
Thank Him and praise His name. "
00:38:09.15\00:38:11.05
And why does David say all this?
00:38:11.45\00:38:13.49
He winds up in
verse 5 of Psalm 100
00:38:13.69\00:38:16.89
by saying: "The Lord is good!
00:38:17.09\00:38:19.46
His love is forever
00:38:19.66\00:38:21.53
and His loyalty
goes on and on! "
00:38:21.73\00:38:26.00
I walked into her hospital room
00:38:27.30\00:38:29.70
in a very awkward situation
for a man with a woman.
00:38:32.71\00:38:37.75
This dear sister had
had a radical mastectomy.
00:38:39.08\00:38:44.29
I do want to say just
exactly how much does a man
00:38:46.99\00:38:49.72
have to say to a
woman at that point.
00:38:49.92\00:38:51.76
If it's your
wife, that's one thing
00:38:52.16\00:38:54.16
but in any other circumstance...
00:38:55.10\00:38:56.60
But you know, I had a
philosophy as a pastor
00:38:56.80\00:38:58.73
and that is unless there
was some very serious problem
00:38:58.93\00:39:03.07
when I went into a hospital
room and they're sleeping
00:39:03.27\00:39:05.77
I'm going to put my
hand on your shoulder.
00:39:05.97\00:39:07.91
And so I did. I
gently touched her shoulder
00:39:08.11\00:39:10.71
with my hand, and this
dear sister opened up her eyes
00:39:10.91\00:39:14.98
and looked into my
face beaming and said:
00:39:15.18\00:39:18.65
"Pastor, God has
been so good to me. "
00:39:19.05\00:39:22.62
The next part
wasn't quite that good.
00:39:24.76\00:39:28.26
She said: "Do you want to
see what they did to me? "
00:39:28.46\00:39:30.67
And she started to
pull the sheets down.
00:39:30.87\00:39:32.20
I was halfway down the hall...
00:39:32.33\00:39:34.00
Christianity is demonstrated
in the crucible of life.
00:39:38.44\00:39:43.28
If I want to be a part
of the last-day movement,
00:39:45.01\00:39:50.29
then I must become a part of
00:39:50.69\00:39:55.02
the final and the full
display of the love of God.
00:39:55.72\00:39:59.39
Need to recognize... need
to recognize that God is good
00:40:00.23\00:40:05.00
and that His will
for me is always good.
00:40:05.40\00:40:09.70
Point number two:
00:40:09.90\00:40:11.51
the wisdom of God
always knows best.
00:40:13.88\00:40:18.35
Jeremiah wrote,
quoting God: "For I know the
00:40:20.55\00:40:25.05
plans I have for
you declares the Lord:
00:40:25.25\00:40:27.46
plans to prosper
you and not to harm you;
00:40:28.16\00:40:31.06
plans to give you a
hope and a future. "
00:40:31.26\00:40:33.90
You know, we so
often question God.
00:40:34.90\00:40:38.83
I remember seeing a
church member one time
00:40:40.14\00:40:43.30
I was sitting on
the dock of the ocean
00:40:44.37\00:40:48.04
and he came into
the dock with his boat
00:40:48.24\00:40:52.18
and he was angry at God because
he hadn't caught any fish.
00:40:52.38\00:40:55.72
Sometimes we don't understand
how things can happen.
00:40:57.85\00:41:01.92
But we do know that if we place
our hand, or rather our life
00:41:03.16\00:41:06.96
in the hand of God, the
wisdom of God always knows best
00:41:07.16\00:41:10.97
even when things look
like they are ridiculous to us.
00:41:11.17\00:41:14.94
In 1980 I received a
phone call late one night.
00:41:16.87\00:41:20.34
It says I have 5
minutes and 29 seconds left.
00:41:20.54\00:41:23.01
Good luck.
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.48
Every technician has
said: "Well good for you, buddy.
00:41:28.72\00:41:32.39
We're just turning you off
in 5 minutes and 16 seconds. "
00:41:32.59\00:41:35.42
Go for it.
00:41:35.82\00:41:37.16
Got a call from
the General Conference.
00:41:40.40\00:41:42.70
They said: "We would
like you and your family
00:41:43.10\00:41:44.80
to relocate to Sri Lanka. "
00:41:45.20\00:41:48.50
First question: "Where
in the world is Sri Lanka? "
00:41:49.00\00:41:52.37
When I was a kit it was Ceylon.
00:41:53.34\00:41:55.54
The pearl of the Indian Ocean.
00:41:55.94\00:41:57.55
I didn't know. I said:
"We'll pray about it. "
00:41:57.95\00:42:00.98
Had to do something
in town. Went to town.
00:42:02.32\00:42:06.02
Came back; typed
out a letter, you know.
00:42:06.42\00:42:09.56
Anybody under 45
know what a typewriter is?
00:42:09.96\00:42:12.56
Anyway... typed out a letter.
00:42:12.86\00:42:15.26
It said: "Dear brethren,
00:42:16.16\00:42:19.30
thank you so much
for considering my name
00:42:19.50\00:42:21.90
but I will not be
able to go to Sri Lanka. "
00:42:22.77\00:42:25.67
And I began to list
a number of reasons.
00:42:25.87\00:42:29.18
Then I again was
interrupted. I had to go.
00:42:29.38\00:42:32.58
When I came back my dear wife
00:42:32.78\00:42:35.28
wrote a letter for
me. It read like this:
00:42:35.48\00:42:38.65
"Dear brethren, I'm so
sorry I can't go to Sri Lanka
00:42:38.85\00:42:42.82
because they don't
have motels over there
00:42:43.22\00:42:46.06
or big green Glad garbage bags
00:42:46.26\00:42:48.83
etc., etc., etc. " And
I went to her and I said:
00:42:49.23\00:42:52.07
"Are you mocking the
servant of the Lord? "
00:42:52.27\00:42:54.30
I did not want to go.
00:42:57.41\00:42:59.14
I did NOT want
to go to Sri Lanka.
00:43:00.48\00:43:02.44
I was happy in Canada.
00:43:03.14\00:43:05.21
But I made the
mistake of praying.
00:43:05.41\00:43:08.58
It wasn't a
mistake... but I began to pray.
00:43:08.98\00:43:12.65
And the more I prayed the
more God worked in my mind
00:43:13.15\00:43:16.93
and He told me two things.
00:43:17.13\00:43:18.53
"You cannot draw a
geographical circle
00:43:19.63\00:43:22.83
around where you
will serve God. "
00:43:23.03\00:43:25.03
Secondly: "You
cannot or ought not to draw
00:43:25.83\00:43:29.70
a circle of convenience around
where you will serve God. "
00:43:29.90\00:43:33.48
I wrestled with
that for two weeks
00:43:34.74\00:43:37.41
and finally in conclusion
I phoned the brethren.
00:43:37.61\00:43:41.35
Now the voice who
had called me initially
00:43:41.75\00:43:44.82
had been happy and cheery.
But when I phoned them this time
00:43:45.02\00:43:47.56
I said: "Hi, this
is Dan Jackson calling.
00:43:47.72\00:43:50.59
My family and I
have prayed about this
00:43:50.99\00:43:53.66
and we've decided to
accept the invitation. "
00:43:53.86\00:43:56.87
And the voice on the other
end wasn't nearly so cheery.
00:43:57.27\00:44:00.34
The voice on the other
end said: "We're sorry.
00:44:00.74\00:44:03.24
We've already
filled that call. "
00:44:03.64\00:44:05.44
Now one would
think one would be sad
00:44:06.14\00:44:08.51
but on my end of the
phone I was doing this.
00:44:08.71\00:44:11.18
"Yes! Yes! Yes! "
00:44:11.38\00:44:13.98
And I went and found my wife.
00:44:14.18\00:44:16.32
I drove to the school
that she was teaching at.
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.85
I found her, and when I saw
her I said to her these words:
00:44:20.06\00:44:23.86
"It was a test...
it was only a test
00:44:24.06\00:44:26.49
and we passed the test! "
00:44:26.80\00:44:28.96
Then I said these words
that were almost fatal words.
00:44:29.36\00:44:32.83
I said to her: "Now I
can finish the basement! "
00:44:33.03\00:44:35.80
Of course every pastor...
that's the role, right?
00:44:37.81\00:44:40.18
Finishing the basement.
00:44:40.38\00:44:41.74
We had something to do that
day. I actually had a funeral
00:44:45.08\00:44:47.12
to conduct. Went out
and conducted the funeral.
00:44:47.32\00:44:49.05
Came home. Eating
supper... the phone rang.
00:44:49.25\00:44:51.82
It was that crazy woman
from the General Conference
00:44:53.52\00:44:55.79
and she had her
cheery voice on again.
00:44:56.66\00:44:58.76
She said: "Are you still
willing to go to Sri Lanka? "
00:45:00.20\00:45:04.60
And I said: "The conditions
that led me to say yes
00:45:07.70\00:45:11.81
the first time are still there.
00:45:12.21\00:45:15.34
We will go to Sri Lanka. "
00:45:15.54\00:45:17.08
Let me tell you
something, friends,
00:45:17.48\00:45:19.31
I did not want
to go to Sri Lanka.
00:45:19.88\00:45:22.72
But what I have
told people since
00:45:23.49\00:45:25.69
is that it was
not always pleasurable
00:45:26.52\00:45:28.86
but it was always beneficial. "
00:45:29.26\00:45:31.49
The wisdom of God knows best.
00:45:31.89\00:45:36.10
If we put our
lives into His hands,
00:45:36.50\00:45:40.20
He will bring us off
more than conquerors.
00:45:40.60\00:45:44.67
Finally, the third point,
and I'm skipping through this
00:45:45.21\00:45:48.91
quickly as I can,
00:45:49.11\00:45:51.01
the third element that
can make your witness and mine
00:45:51.41\00:45:55.65
more effective for Jesus
00:45:55.85\00:45:57.85
is the power of
God... the power of God
00:45:58.25\00:46:03.36
that can bring
about our requests.
00:46:03.66\00:46:06.86
I... before I went overseas
00:46:07.70\00:46:11.07
I sold a house. We
had just bought a house
00:46:12.17\00:46:15.34
and I had sold a house.
00:46:15.54\00:46:17.51
You know, this
will sound like a dream
00:46:17.91\00:46:20.28
but the house
was a brand-new home.
00:46:20.48\00:46:21.94
It was about 1,100 square feet.
00:46:22.14\00:46:24.18
Bought it for $50,000
00:46:24.38\00:46:27.75
and eleven months
later I sold it for $80.000.
00:46:28.15\00:46:31.05
We paid our tithe,
00:46:31.45\00:46:33.12
we did a number of other things.
00:46:33.52\00:46:35.52
We had $20,000 and
my wife and I agreed:
00:46:35.72\00:46:39.06
we'll take that money
and we'll put it aside
00:46:39.26\00:46:42.26
for our children's education
00:46:42.46\00:46:44.03
because by the way,
kids cost a lot of money.
00:46:44.23\00:46:47.67
And we went to Sri Lanka.
I actually bought a 5-acre
00:46:52.67\00:46:55.44
piece of land. We took
off, went to Sri Lanka.
00:46:55.64\00:46:58.08
From there we went to India.
00:46:58.28\00:46:59.61
About five years later,
you know, we were not exactly
00:46:59.68\00:47:02.65
the long-term missionaries...
we were more like tourists.
00:47:02.85\00:47:05.15
But had a wonderful time...
it was a blessing from God.
00:47:05.55\00:47:09.52
When we came we
couldn't sell the land.
00:47:11.33\00:47:13.60
Couldn't sell the land.
00:47:14.70\00:47:16.03
We prayed about it;
we tried to sell it.
00:47:16.90\00:47:18.77
I'd put that little investment
of $20,000- which then was a
00:47:18.97\00:47:21.94
pretty good chunk.
00:47:22.34\00:47:24.17
Couldn't sell the
land... not at all.
00:47:24.37\00:47:26.71
But you know what happened?
00:47:27.41\00:47:29.24
Clock went to zero.
00:47:30.25\00:47:32.01
What happened was this: after
the last one of our children
00:47:33.85\00:47:39.82
had finished we
got a phone call.
00:47:40.22\00:47:44.73
"Someone wants to buy your land.
00:47:46.43\00:47:48.23
They've offered $7,000. "
00:47:48.90\00:47:50.77
I said: "Send the
check immediately! "
00:47:50.97\00:47:52.83
We took it and we
used it, but you see
00:47:54.14\00:47:58.24
all along God
didn't need my money.
00:47:58.44\00:48:01.74
He didn't need my plan.
00:48:02.91\00:48:04.75
My children were provided for.
00:48:05.55\00:48:07.55
They got their education
because of the power of God.
00:48:07.95\00:48:11.79
Listen friends,
I'm going to close,
00:48:12.55\00:48:14.29
but I'm going to
close by reading a statement
00:48:15.16\00:48:18.43
that is a wonderful statement
from Desire of Ages page 331.
00:48:19.26\00:48:23.97
Reads like this:
00:48:24.17\00:48:25.57
"Those who take
Christ at His word
00:48:25.97\00:48:28.37
and surrender their
souls to His keeping,
00:48:28.77\00:48:32.21
their lives to His ordering,
00:48:32.61\00:48:35.01
will find peace and quietude.
In perfect acquiescence
00:48:35.21\00:48:39.21
there is perfect rest.
00:48:39.41\00:48:41.18
Our lives may
seem to be a tangle
00:48:41.38\00:48:44.75
but as we commit ourselves
to the wise Master Builder
00:48:45.65\00:48:48.96
He will bring out the
pattern of life and character
00:48:49.16\00:48:52.19
that will be to His own glory. "
00:48:52.39\00:48:56.23
The love of God,
the wisdom of God,
00:48:59.07\00:49:02.00
the power of God.
Friends, we need to rehearse
00:49:02.40\00:49:06.78
those moments in
time where those elements
00:49:06.98\00:49:10.35
have been
experienced in our lives.
00:49:10.55\00:49:12.35
And then we'll
become master soul winners
00:49:12.75\00:49:16.85
for Jesus.
00:49:18.09\00:49:19.42
We are living in the
final gasp of earth's history.
00:49:20.52\00:49:24.59
We are! You know, you
used to be able to say
00:49:25.46\00:49:29.53
"Well, yeah, but there's...
" You can't say that "Yeah,
00:49:29.73\00:49:33.00
well" anymore, can you?
00:49:33.20\00:49:34.54
The events
transpiring in our world
00:49:35.24\00:49:38.71
are so tragic
and so breathtaking
00:49:38.91\00:49:41.61
that one says: "Oh dear
Lord, not another one. "
00:49:42.01\00:49:45.38
"Not another shooting. "
00:49:46.28\00:49:48.75
"Not another terrorist attack. "
00:49:48.95\00:49:50.72
"Not another phoney-baloney
politician... whatever. "
00:49:52.62\00:49:55.99
By the way, I'm not a Republican
and I'm not a Democrat.
00:49:56.69\00:49:59.13
Amen! Amen... that's
right, whoever said amen.
00:49:59.33\00:50:02.56
I'm a Canadian... I don't vote.
00:50:03.06\00:50:04.70
I do want to tell you
that Canada, not too long ago,
00:50:07.44\00:50:11.47
elected a 16-year-old prime
minister, but I'd better not
00:50:11.67\00:50:14.64
say that. For all you Canadians
00:50:14.84\00:50:18.41
you can take the word back.
00:50:18.61\00:50:20.12
Here's how I want to conclude.
00:50:20.32\00:50:22.75
Many years ago I built a house.
00:50:23.92\00:50:25.65
Actually had an
arrangement with the conference
00:50:27.26\00:50:29.32
as I was transferring
from one conference to another.
00:50:29.52\00:50:31.73
It was the only way I
could get into housing...
00:50:32.13\00:50:34.13
I'd build a house.
Smartest thing I did
00:50:34.33\00:50:38.30
was to hire a contractor
00:50:38.70\00:50:40.70
to put the
foundation in under that house.
00:50:40.90\00:50:43.34
By the time I arrived on the
site it was there, it was good.
00:50:46.37\00:50:49.88
It looked good. I put up
sub floors and all the rest
00:50:50.08\00:50:53.11
and put up the walls.
It wasn't that big a deal.
00:50:53.31\00:50:56.12
It was a pre-fab house.
00:50:56.32\00:50:57.82
The walls were sheeted and
the windows were in the walls.
00:50:58.12\00:51:01.09
But nonetheless I put it up.
00:51:01.92\00:51:03.83
One day I was framing
walls on the inside of the house
00:51:04.13\00:51:07.16
when the building
inspector showed up.
00:51:07.36\00:51:09.83
And you have to know, friends,
that when a building inspector
00:51:10.03\00:51:13.34
shows up at your building
site and he gets out of his car
00:51:13.54\00:51:16.54
and his arms are like this
00:51:16.74\00:51:18.47
he is either a Pentecostal
who just got ecstatic utterances
00:51:18.87\00:51:23.38
or something is really wrong.
00:51:23.58\00:51:25.61
And he did! He got out of his
car; threw his arms up like this
00:51:26.65\00:51:29.55
and said: "You have built
your house on the wrong lot! "
00:51:29.75\00:51:34.19
I knew it could happen because
the man who lived just across
00:51:37.66\00:51:41.56
the street put
himself in a swimming pool.
00:51:41.76\00:51:44.03
And when his new next-door
neighbor arrived from the
00:51:44.43\00:51:47.90
Northwest
Territories to occupy that lot
00:51:48.10\00:51:50.74
he went to the man who
built the swimming pool
00:51:50.94\00:51:53.27
and he said: "I have
never received such a gracious
00:51:53.48\00:51:56.11
welcoming gift as a
swimming pool before.
00:51:56.31\00:51:58.78
You built your
swimming pool right on my lot.
00:51:58.98\00:52:01.95
But I'm going to put a
double fence around it...
00:52:02.35\00:52:04.55
and I mean, I'm going to put
a fence around it and a double
00:52:04.75\00:52:07.56
gate on your side
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.09
so you can use my swimming
pool any time you want to. "
00:52:09.16\00:52:11.99
So I knew it was possible,
but I looked at that building
00:52:13.19\00:52:16.63
contractor... I
mean, that inspector
00:52:16.83\00:52:19.93
and I did this.
I said: "I have NOT
00:52:20.14\00:52:24.51
built my house on the wrong lot
00:52:24.71\00:52:27.81
because John Hanks
put the foundation in
00:52:28.01\00:52:31.51
under this
house. And if John Hanks
00:52:31.91\00:52:34.92
put it on this lot
it's on the right lot! "
00:52:35.12\00:52:38.79
And he looked at me and
he said: "Well if John Hanks
00:52:41.62\00:52:46.56
put the foundation
in under your house
00:52:46.76\00:52:49.00
it's on the right lot. "
00:52:49.40\00:52:51.03
And then he tucked his pro-
verbial tail between his legs,
00:52:51.33\00:52:54.94
got into his car and
drove off into the sunset.
00:52:55.24\00:52:58.04
And then it was my turn.
00:52:58.34\00:53:00.74
Praise the Lord!
00:53:02.31\00:53:04.05
Here's the point:
00:53:06.08\00:53:07.42
we know who the Builder is.
00:53:09.78\00:53:13.22
We know who the Foundation is.
00:53:14.39\00:53:16.69
His name is Jesus.
00:53:17.09\00:53:19.79
Friends, we must become engaged.
00:53:21.03\00:53:25.83
We cannot live our lives
believing that the pastor
00:53:26.23\00:53:31.14
or the star
literature ministries person
00:53:32.21\00:53:37.38
or the person who
does whatever they do
00:53:38.25\00:53:41.08
is going to finish the work.
00:53:41.28\00:53:42.98
God wants you and He wants me.
00:53:43.39\00:53:46.65
We build upon the
foundation of Jesus
00:53:47.72\00:53:51.09
and then He will
take care of the results.
00:53:51.29\00:53:55.96
And we will have not only joy
00:53:56.16\00:53:58.57
but we will have peace
as we serve Him in gladness.
00:53:58.77\00:54:03.34
Amen.
00:54:04.24\00:54:05.57
Abide with me...
00:54:22.26\00:54:27.33
fast falls
00:54:27.96\00:54:30.47
the even tide.
00:54:30.67\00:54:35.50
The darkness deepens...
00:54:36.67\00:54:42.58
Lord, with me abide.
00:54:43.24\00:54:49.22
When other
00:54:49.98\00:54:53.49
helpers
00:54:53.69\00:54:56.79
fail and comforts flee...
00:54:56.99\00:55:02.80
help of the helpless
00:55:03.37\00:55:08.14
O abide
00:55:08.44\00:55:12.87
with me!
00:55:13.07\00:55:17.78
Swift to its close
00:55:41.94\00:55:46.41
ebbs out
00:55:46.81\00:55:49.28
life's little day.
00:55:49.48\00:55:54.18
Earth's joys grow dim...
00:55:54.92\00:56:00.16
it's glories
00:56:00.36\00:56:03.36
pass away.
00:56:03.56\00:56:07.96
Change and decay
00:56:08.46\00:56:13.30
in all around
00:56:13.50\00:56:17.57
I see...
00:56:17.77\00:56:20.94
O, Thou who changest not
00:56:21.54\00:56:26.98
abide with me!
00:56:27.48\00:56:33.46
I need Thy presence
00:56:46.70\00:56:52.37
ev'ry passing hour...
00:56:52.57\00:56:57.81
what but Thy grace
00:56:58.51\00:57:02.88
can foil the Tempter's pow'r?
00:57:03.28\00:57:09.29
Who like Thyself
00:57:10.23\00:57:14.83
my guide and stay can be?
00:57:15.23\00:57:21.14
Thru cloud and sunshine,
00:57:22.27\00:57:26.61
O abide
00:57:26.81\00:57:29.88
with me!
00:57:30.08\00:57:35.38
I fear no foe
00:57:47.86\00:57:51.77
with Thee at hand to bless,
00:57:52.17\00:57:58.11
Ills have no weight
00:57:58.91\00:58:02.98
and tears no bitterness;
00:58:03.28\00:58:09.25
Where is death's sting?
00:58:10.12\00:58:14.16
Where grave thy victory?
00:58:14.56\00:58:20.46
I triumph still
00:58:21.36\00:58:25.17
if Thou abide
00:58:25.37\00:58:29.14
with me!
00:58:29.34\00:58:33.14