We are racing towards the
global crisis at the close.
00:00:04.07\00:00:09.34
God is going to set
up His kingdom on earth.
00:00:09.37\00:00:13.61
Preparation for the
tribulation and the translation
00:00:13.64\00:00:17.91
is to develop a
character like Jesus Christ
00:00:17.95\00:00:21.02
to reach every hamlet,
00:00:21.05\00:00:22.68
every village, every man, every
child, every person in India,
00:00:22.72\00:00:27.19
every person in South America
00:00:27.22\00:00:28.69
must hear these
three angles' messages.
00:00:28.72\00:00:34.46
These are stories that
illustrate the kind of fabric
00:00:34.50\00:00:37.77
of character and perseverance
that we need to go through
00:00:37.80\00:00:41.17
the tribulation just
as certainly as they did.
00:00:41.20\00:00:44.01
The Bible makes it very clear
00:00:44.04\00:00:45.67
we are living
in an unusual hour.
00:00:45.71\00:00:47.91
The last grains
of sand are trickling
00:00:47.94\00:00:50.15
through the hourglass of time
00:00:50.18\00:00:51.98
and the door probation
is about the swing shut.
00:00:52.01\00:00:55.18
And so the Bible makes it very
clear you can have a comeback.
00:01:00.42\00:01:03.49
Take your Bible and turn
with me to the Book of Hosea.
00:01:03.53\00:01:07.20
The Book of Hosea that's
after the Book of Daniel.
00:01:07.23\00:01:10.07
God's precious promises
is how we overcome, amen.
00:01:10.10\00:01:15.54
How many know we have
to overcome the three S's,
00:01:15.57\00:01:18.51
sin, self and Satan.
00:01:18.54\00:01:22.21
How? By the scriptures.
00:01:22.24\00:01:24.08
How many agree the power
of the Word of God? Amen.
00:01:24.11\00:01:27.12
And so Hosea 14:4,
can we read this together?
00:01:27.15\00:01:31.29
Are you ready? Here we go.
00:01:31.32\00:01:32.99
"I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
00:01:33.02\00:01:38.76
for My anger has
turned away from him."
00:01:38.79\00:01:42.56
You can have a comeback.
00:01:42.60\00:01:44.07
I don't care how
far you have backslid,
00:01:44.10\00:01:46.84
you can be healed
of your backsliding.
00:01:46.87\00:01:49.60
I say this there is
healing in this house today.
00:01:49.64\00:01:53.58
And so the Bible says that
00:01:53.61\00:01:55.14
you can even get
something else back.
00:01:55.18\00:01:57.35
How many agree along
the way we get so busy,
00:01:57.38\00:02:00.05
along the way
we cover sometimes,
00:02:00.08\00:02:02.98
we lie down defeated sometimes
00:02:03.02\00:02:06.05
but we can have a comeback.
00:02:06.09\00:02:07.96
And maybe you
lost something else
00:02:07.99\00:02:09.99
and the Bible says
you can get it back.
00:02:10.03\00:02:11.73
What else could that be?
00:02:11.76\00:02:13.26
And we look here at
00:02:13.29\00:02:14.63
the Book of
Revelation Chapter 2.
00:02:14.66\00:02:16.77
The words are in
red so who is speaking?
00:02:16.80\00:02:19.80
Jesus is speaking.
00:02:19.83\00:02:22.40
"Nevertheless I
have this against you,
00:02:22.44\00:02:24.74
that you have left
your" what kind of love?
00:02:24.77\00:02:29.54
First love.
00:02:29.58\00:02:31.01
How many love the Lord today?
00:02:31.05\00:02:33.85
My question is do you
still have your first love.
00:02:33.88\00:02:37.12
The Bible makes
it very clear that
00:02:37.15\00:02:39.19
if we ever love the
Lord more than we do today
00:02:39.22\00:02:43.99
the Bible says we
must do something about it
00:02:44.03\00:02:47.30
to get it back.
00:02:47.33\00:02:48.80
And I'm here to tell
you that Jesus knows,
00:02:48.83\00:02:52.23
if we have left that
honeymoon experience with Him.
00:02:52.27\00:02:55.67
If we lost that
fervor, if we have ceased
00:02:55.70\00:02:58.64
praying with
fervency in our prayer
00:02:58.67\00:03:00.94
and with importunity and a faith
00:03:00.98\00:03:03.35
that will not be denied
00:03:03.38\00:03:05.41
if we are reaching out
00:03:05.45\00:03:06.88
to touch Jesus with
that peculiar touch,
00:03:06.92\00:03:09.68
if we are getting that
live call from off the altar,
00:03:09.72\00:03:12.85
if we are on fire
for Jesus, Jesus knows.
00:03:12.89\00:03:16.76
And the good news is,
you want some good news,
00:03:16.79\00:03:19.79
you can get
your first love back.
00:03:19.83\00:03:23.10
How many would
like to be in love?
00:03:23.13\00:03:25.40
You know, at the job place
00:03:25.43\00:03:27.17
when somebody falls in love
00:03:27.20\00:03:29.54
I don't care what
their mood was prior,
00:03:29.57\00:03:31.74
I don't care if they are
on a rollercoaster of moods,
00:03:31.77\00:03:33.78
you don't know what
mood Joe is gonna be in,
00:03:33.81\00:03:36.24
you don't know what a
mood that Saul is gonna be in
00:03:36.28\00:03:39.68
but, boy, when they
fall in love all of a sudden
00:03:39.71\00:03:42.08
how many agree
everything is lit up.
00:03:42.12\00:03:45.02
When we fall in love with Jesus
00:03:45.05\00:03:47.06
people take knowledge
we have been with Jesus.
00:03:47.09\00:03:49.76
Amen.
00:03:49.79\00:03:51.13
And so look here
at Revelation 2:4, 5,
00:03:51.16\00:03:53.83
"Nevertheless I
have this against you,
00:03:53.86\00:03:55.50
that you have
left your first love."
00:03:55.53\00:03:57.17
And that Jesus tells us.
00:03:57.20\00:03:58.67
He gives us practical
instruction what to do,
00:03:58.70\00:04:02.17
how to get it back.
00:04:02.20\00:04:04.91
"Remember therefore
from where you have fallen,"
00:04:04.94\00:04:10.98
you got to go back.
00:04:11.01\00:04:12.58
How did you lose
it? What happened?
00:04:12.61\00:04:15.38
What did you do differently?
00:04:15.42\00:04:16.95
Oh, it might have
been a sudden drop?
00:04:16.99\00:04:18.92
It might have been a gradual,
00:04:18.95\00:04:20.86
a gradual backsliding condition.
00:04:20.89\00:04:24.69
"Remember therefore from
where you have fallen, repent"
00:04:24.73\00:04:29.00
repent of what that
you lost your honeymoon.
00:04:29.03\00:04:32.70
Repent that you lost
that fervency, that glow,
00:04:32.73\00:04:36.00
repent that you've
lost that first love.
00:04:36.04\00:04:39.24
You mean to tell me
that I need to repent
00:04:39.27\00:04:43.85
of being in love with the Lord
00:04:43.88\00:04:45.95
but not fervently
in love with the Lord.
00:04:45.98\00:04:50.15
And so the Bible
makes it very clear--
00:04:50.19\00:04:51.82
by the way as I
crisscross North America
00:04:51.85\00:04:53.69
I meet thousands
of wonderful people
00:04:53.72\00:04:57.03
but I'm here to
tell you, you know what,
00:04:57.06\00:04:58.76
I meet good people but the
question is are we on fire?
00:04:58.79\00:05:02.26
Because good
people don't go to heaven,
00:05:02.30\00:05:03.90
only those who are
on fire of the Jesus.
00:05:03.93\00:05:07.37
You read the Laodicean message,
00:05:07.40\00:05:09.04
it's a message of,
if you don't get on fire
00:05:09.07\00:05:12.67
and repent of your
lukewarmness your just as lost
00:05:12.71\00:05:15.94
as the prostitutes and harlots
and tax collectors and so forth
00:05:15.98\00:05:19.61
according to the Word of God.
00:05:19.65\00:05:21.18
Nicodemus was in the
church and Jesus said
00:05:21.22\00:05:23.52
you need to born again
00:05:23.55\00:05:24.99
or you will not make it
to the kingdom of heaven.
00:05:25.02\00:05:27.59
How many agree, it's time
to fall in love with Jesus
00:05:27.62\00:05:32.26
so that we don't care
about what anybody thinks
00:05:32.29\00:05:34.50
except we know that
our heart is in tune
00:05:34.53\00:05:37.20
throbbing with Jesus heart.
00:05:37.23\00:05:38.80
Amen. Does that make sense?
00:05:38.83\00:05:40.34
And so I want you
to notice here beloved
00:05:40.37\00:05:42.30
the Bible says here, Jesus says,
00:05:42.34\00:05:44.51
"repent and do the first works,"
00:05:44.54\00:05:46.78
do what you used to do.
00:05:46.81\00:05:49.38
Take time in prayer.
Take time in Bible study.
00:05:49.41\00:05:52.78
And notice here "or else
I will come to you quickly
00:05:52.81\00:05:56.58
and remove your lampstand from
its place unless you repent."
00:05:56.62\00:06:00.26
So I would say this
before I get into my testimony
00:06:00.29\00:06:04.03
I'm here to tell you,
you can have a testimony.
00:06:04.06\00:06:07.03
You might not have
gone out go into the world.
00:06:07.06\00:06:09.83
You might have
been lost in church.
00:06:09.86\00:06:11.77
You might like the Lord
and know a lot about the Lord
00:06:11.80\00:06:15.40
but I'm here to tell you let's
get that first love back, amen.
00:06:15.44\00:06:19.51
Let's get that first love back
and that can be our testimony.
00:06:19.54\00:06:22.58
Amen, that can be our testimony.
00:06:22.61\00:06:25.18
Revelation 12:11.
00:06:25.21\00:06:27.08
How many agree if you've lost
00:06:27.12\00:06:28.48
your first love
and you get it back,
00:06:28.52\00:06:29.88
how many agree that
is a powerful testimony.
00:06:29.92\00:06:32.15
Revelation 12:11,
00:06:32.19\00:06:36.02
"And they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb"
00:06:36.06\00:06:39.86
the merits of Christ,
the worthiness of Christ,
00:06:39.89\00:06:44.53
the righteousness of Christ.
00:06:44.57\00:06:46.20
That's how we overcome.
00:06:46.23\00:06:47.70
We overcome by
claiming His blood.
00:06:47.74\00:06:50.81
Listen, "They overcame
him by the blood of the Lamb
00:06:50.84\00:06:54.24
and by the word" that blood
became their testimony, amen.
00:06:54.28\00:06:58.65
How many agree you
ought to shout for joy
00:06:58.68\00:07:00.68
when you think
about the blood of Jesus
00:07:00.72\00:07:02.75
that saved the
wretch like you and I?
00:07:02.78\00:07:04.95
And so notice here the
Bible makes it very clear
00:07:04.99\00:07:07.59
"by the blood of the
Lamb and by the word."
00:07:07.62\00:07:09.72
This is the word.
00:07:09.76\00:07:11.09
How many agree the Word
of God becomes our testimony?
00:07:11.13\00:07:13.90
You don't have to
invent a testimony.
00:07:13.93\00:07:16.13
Your testimony is based on
00:07:16.16\00:07:17.50
what God is doing
in your life, amen.
00:07:17.53\00:07:19.73
And as it's expressed in
the Word of God notice here,
00:07:19.77\00:07:21.84
"And they did not love
their lives to the death."
00:07:21.87\00:07:26.37
Psalms 103, notice
Psalms 103, Psalms 103,
00:07:26.41\00:07:31.51
we were at Psalms 102 but now
we are going to Psalms 103:10.
00:07:31.55\00:07:35.52
This encapsulates how I
feel about what God has done
00:07:36.38\00:07:42.66
to an unworthy sinner like me.
00:07:42.69\00:07:46.70
"He has not dealt with
us according to our sins,"
00:07:46.73\00:07:51.70
He has not dealt with
us according to our sins,
00:07:51.73\00:07:55.47
"nor punished us
according to our iniquities."
00:07:55.50\00:07:58.44
One word that sums
that up grace, grace.
00:07:58.47\00:08:03.38
He does not treat
us the way we deserve.
00:08:03.41\00:08:06.68
Last week I shared with you
00:08:06.72\00:08:08.62
how I was raised
in a pastor's home.
00:08:08.65\00:08:10.89
My father is a retired
pastor in Portland, Oregon.
00:08:10.92\00:08:14.16
I grew up one of four boys
00:08:14.19\00:08:17.56
and during my
turbulent teenage years
00:08:17.59\00:08:20.73
I decided I was not
interested in church,
00:08:20.76\00:08:24.53
I was not interested in God,
00:08:24.57\00:08:26.94
I didn't want
to follow the Lord,
00:08:26.97\00:08:29.00
I wanted to do my own think.
00:08:29.04\00:08:30.77
Like Frank Sinatra
sang, I did it my way.
00:08:30.81\00:08:34.24
And so I was
very, very restless.
00:08:35.48\00:08:38.91
I was very, very empty
00:08:38.95\00:08:41.45
but you wouldn't always know it
00:08:41.48\00:08:43.28
because I was always laughing
and always hanging around mine
00:08:43.32\00:08:46.96
here's keywords I will throw
00:08:46.99\00:08:48.32
a keywords during my testimony.
00:08:48.36\00:08:50.49
I was always around
my circle of friends.
00:08:50.53\00:08:53.36
I hated to be, here's
that dreadful word, alone.
00:08:53.40\00:08:59.63
I didn't like being
alone especially as a teenager
00:08:59.67\00:09:03.91
I had always be on the phone.
00:09:03.94\00:09:05.77
This is just sound
for me and mom and dad,
00:09:05.81\00:09:07.48
always had to be on with phone.
00:09:07.51\00:09:08.84
This was long time
before cell phones.
00:09:08.88\00:09:10.75
And so I would always be
hanging out with my friends
00:09:10.78\00:09:14.12
much of them
should grin and dismay
00:09:14.15\00:09:16.35
and
disappointment of my parents.
00:09:16.38\00:09:18.69
And so I shared with
you how the Lord saved me
00:09:18.72\00:09:22.72
from that near fatal
motorcycle accident in 1975.
00:09:22.76\00:09:26.86
I was
17-years-old coming from a bar
00:09:26.90\00:09:29.26
on our way to another bar.
00:09:29.30\00:09:30.67
My buddy Bob's
Harley-Davidson Sportster
00:09:30.70\00:09:32.87
I was on the
back seat, you know,
00:09:32.90\00:09:34.77
a VW pulled out in front of us
00:09:34.80\00:09:36.84
and slammed into it.
00:09:36.87\00:09:38.51
I ended up in the
hospital ten days.
00:09:38.54\00:09:41.04
I shared that with you last week
00:09:41.08\00:09:42.48
but the Lord saved my life
00:09:42.51\00:09:44.88
because I know that if I
died then I would have gone down
00:09:44.91\00:09:48.32
to a Christ-less grave.
00:09:48.35\00:09:50.22
How many are glad
to be alive today?
00:09:50.25\00:09:51.85
You got a chance today.
You got a shot at heaven.
00:09:51.89\00:09:54.32
Can you say, amen?
00:09:54.36\00:09:56.59
The second episode
that I highlighted last week
00:09:56.62\00:09:59.69
is how the Lord delivered me
00:09:59.73\00:10:01.70
from basically a near
fatal overdose of LSD.
00:10:01.73\00:10:07.50
The devil tried to take my mind
00:10:07.54\00:10:10.97
from those mind
altering potent drugs.
00:10:11.01\00:10:16.01
Many people who
take these drugs--
00:10:16.04\00:10:18.11
well, let's
just put it this way,
00:10:18.15\00:10:19.91
they are never the same.
00:10:19.95\00:10:21.68
God delivered me and
answered to my parent's prayers.
00:10:21.72\00:10:25.79
Thank God for parents
that still believe in prayer.
00:10:25.82\00:10:29.76
And so the third episode
00:10:29.79\00:10:31.49
not only did the
Lord deliver my life
00:10:31.53\00:10:33.66
from that near
fatal motorcycle accident,
00:10:33.70\00:10:35.70
not only did the Lord deliver me
00:10:35.73\00:10:37.17
from that near
fatal overdose of LSD
00:10:37.20\00:10:41.80
but the Lord also delivered
me from almost going to jail
00:10:41.84\00:10:45.11
as I shared with you last week
00:10:45.14\00:10:46.57
for three to five years
00:10:46.61\00:10:48.21
because of getting in
trouble with my friends.
00:10:48.24\00:10:53.55
God delivered me
and gave me my freedom.
00:10:53.58\00:10:56.79
How many are
thankful for freedom?
00:10:56.82\00:10:59.85
And so I will tell you this,
00:10:59.89\00:11:03.43
the forth
episode was I met Shirley
00:11:03.46\00:11:09.23
and if your name is Shirley
forgive me for saying this
00:11:09.26\00:11:11.60
but it was surely a mistake.
00:11:11.63\00:11:15.30
Shirley and I as
you know met each other
00:11:15.34\00:11:17.47
in a discotheque dance
floor, moved in together,
00:11:17.51\00:11:20.08
talked about grandiose
ideas about getting married.
00:11:20.11\00:11:23.38
During while I was there living
together she cheated on me,
00:11:23.41\00:11:26.25
went away for the weekend.
00:11:26.28\00:11:27.88
I had just quit
smoking and drinking and drugs
00:11:27.92\00:11:31.29
for the relationship
00:11:31.32\00:11:32.65
she didn't ask me
to do it I did it.
00:11:32.69\00:11:34.12
Anyway I thought it
would help our relationship.
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.69
I decided that my
good looks and my charm
00:11:36.73\00:11:39.19
and my words couldn't try
to keep her faithful to me
00:11:39.23\00:11:42.46
and so I thought well,
maybe quitting drinking
00:11:42.50\00:11:44.93
and drugs I will do everything
00:11:44.97\00:11:46.37
although she
continued to smoke and drink
00:11:46.40\00:11:48.40
and then you know
when she cheated on me
00:11:48.44\00:11:51.34
I ate humble pie
and my heart was broken
00:11:51.37\00:11:55.34
and I went out and
got drunk and so forth.
00:11:55.38\00:11:58.35
By the way I am giving
the abbreviated version.
00:11:58.38\00:12:00.78
I shared with you last week
00:12:00.82\00:12:02.15
that Jesus gave
enough brief details
00:12:02.18\00:12:05.02
about the prodigal's life
going away from the father
00:12:05.05\00:12:08.89
so you could appreciate
the homecoming, in Luke 15.
00:12:08.92\00:12:11.36
And so at any rate all I know
is that I went out and partied
00:12:11.39\00:12:16.06
and I came back
practically passed out
00:12:16.10\00:12:18.40
and that was one week
after I had quit everything.
00:12:18.43\00:12:22.07
The devil knew, oh,
no, he starting to make
00:12:22.10\00:12:24.34
a little progress although
I didn't do it for the Lord.
00:12:24.37\00:12:27.14
I didn't give my
heart to the Lord,
00:12:27.18\00:12:28.68
I was doing it
for this relationship.
00:12:28.71\00:12:30.55
And how many agree
the Lord still working,
00:12:30.58\00:12:32.91
working on every single person
00:12:32.95\00:12:35.65
"not willing
that any should perish
00:12:35.68\00:12:37.62
but that all should come
to repentance" 2 Peter 3:9.
00:12:37.65\00:12:40.42
And so I was, I was devastated
and out of that desperation
00:12:40.46\00:12:45.73
when she came home and my
mind and as head were spinning
00:12:45.76\00:12:49.76
and I was trying to
drown it out by the rock music
00:12:49.80\00:12:52.17
but just before she came
home I share with you last week,
00:12:52.20\00:12:55.90
I said to myself
basically essentially
00:12:55.94\00:12:58.57
I'm sick and tired
about being sick and tired.
00:12:58.61\00:13:02.04
And so right
then and there was a,
00:13:02.08\00:13:05.31
was a time in my life
00:13:05.35\00:13:07.52
where I see smoking
and drinking and drugs
00:13:07.55\00:13:10.52
I have never touched ever since.
00:13:10.55\00:13:13.05
And that was before I
gave my heart to the Lord.
00:13:13.09\00:13:15.02
So nobody can tell me
you can't quit cold turkey.
00:13:15.06\00:13:18.06
No, I know you can.
00:13:18.09\00:13:20.63
And so she came back,
tried to patch things up
00:13:20.66\00:13:24.90
but in the back of
mind I was very restless.
00:13:24.93\00:13:29.57
I wanted to marry her
00:13:29.60\00:13:31.51
but "God's ways are
higher than our ways,"
00:13:31.54\00:13:35.18
Isaiah 55:8, 9 and there.
00:13:35.21\00:13:38.21
How many agree, God's
plans do not always coincide
00:13:38.25\00:13:41.92
with your grandiose plans.
00:13:41.95\00:13:44.09
God says, I know.
00:13:44.12\00:13:45.99
Sometimes we don't have a clue.
00:13:46.02\00:13:47.92
I know the plans I have for you.
00:13:47.96\00:13:50.63
Plans to give a future and hope
00:13:50.66\00:13:52.66
if you would just let Me
play in for you, Jeremiah 29:11.
00:13:52.69\00:13:56.43
And so around this time
I decided to move back home
00:13:56.46\00:14:02.14
and I decided that we need
to have God in our relationship
00:14:02.17\00:14:05.44
because my
parents and my father's
00:14:05.47\00:14:08.31
associated Pastor Dave
Holden were bugging me saying,
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.45
Mark, you're living in sin.
00:14:11.48\00:14:12.81
Mark, you're living in sin.
00:14:12.85\00:14:14.18
If you want to have
this relationship last,
00:14:14.22\00:14:17.45
you want durability
you got to move back home
00:14:17.49\00:14:20.19
and I thought
well, you know what,
00:14:20.22\00:14:21.59
I'm not able to keep her
fable so maybe that will work.
00:14:21.62\00:14:24.43
So I decided to go back
home and I said, Shirley,
00:14:24.46\00:14:28.20
we've got to have
God in our relationship
00:14:28.23\00:14:30.27
and I'm sure she
thought he has lost it.
00:14:30.30\00:14:35.30
And I said, we are
going back to church.
00:14:35.34\00:14:38.01
So we started going to
church and around this time
00:14:38.04\00:14:42.04
we got a brochure in the mail.
00:14:42.08\00:14:43.78
My dad got a
brochure in the mail
00:14:43.81\00:14:45.65
from his colleague Mark Finley.
00:14:45.68\00:14:49.18
Now you got to
understand that in 1975
00:14:49.22\00:14:52.79
my father's pastoring
there in Hartford, Connecticut,
00:14:52.82\00:14:55.42
Mark Finley was an evangelist
00:14:55.46\00:14:57.33
for the Southern
New England Conference
00:14:57.36\00:14:59.09
of Seventh-day Adventist.
00:14:59.13\00:15:00.86
And so in 1975 they
did a campaign together,
00:15:00.90\00:15:05.07
a crusade together
00:15:05.10\00:15:06.63
and my parents
would confide in him
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.37
because in 1975
I was at my worst.
00:15:08.40\00:15:11.71
I was a borderline alcoholic,
00:15:11.74\00:15:14.18
chain smoker practically
smoking two packs a day.
00:15:14.21\00:15:17.11
Would you agree there is
not much time for the intervals?
00:15:17.15\00:15:21.82
On drugs, almost going to jail,
00:15:21.85\00:15:24.89
hanging around the
wrong group of friends
00:15:24.92\00:15:27.99
and they would
confide to Mark Finley
00:15:28.02\00:15:29.76
in his Radiant
Living evangelistic team.
00:15:29.79\00:15:33.50
Mark, pray, pray,
pray, for our son.
00:15:33.53\00:15:36.73
Teenie Finley, pray for our
son and all evangelistic team,
00:15:36.77\00:15:40.47
pray for our wayward son.
00:15:40.50\00:15:42.00
Have you ever asked people
to pray for your children?
00:15:42.04\00:15:44.11
Guess what, it works.
00:15:44.14\00:15:47.74
If you are going through a
personal crisis in your life,
00:15:47.78\00:15:50.71
if you are facing
financial challenges,
00:15:50.75\00:15:53.08
if you are
suffering from health problem,
00:15:53.11\00:15:55.28
if your marriage
is needing a miracle,
00:15:55.32\00:15:57.69
if you have a special
concern for your children,
00:15:57.72\00:16:00.32
whatever you need
maybe give us a call
00:16:00.36\00:16:02.39
and we will pray with you.
00:16:02.42\00:16:03.79
For your prayer requests
call us at 1-855-336-FREE.
00:16:03.83\00:16:09.60
"If the Son sets you free,
00:16:09.63\00:16:11.33
you are free indeed," John 8:36.
00:16:11.37\00:16:14.70
It works, get people
praying for your loved ones
00:16:19.87\00:16:24.51
and throw me in
the mix, would you.
00:16:24.55\00:16:27.78
And so honest time,
got this brochure in 1975,
00:16:27.82\00:16:35.19
just fast forward
1975 and so I tell Shirley
00:16:35.22\00:16:39.33
we are gonna go to
this series of meetings.
00:16:39.36\00:16:41.66
And so we would make,
we would drive in our Pinto
00:16:41.70\00:16:44.13
and we would make that trip,
00:16:44.17\00:16:45.97
45 minute a trip from Hartford
to Springfield, Massachusetts.
00:16:46.00\00:16:53.24
And so we would make
this trip night after night.
00:16:53.27\00:16:56.41
The Lord was
tugging my heart strings
00:16:56.44\00:16:58.65
and there was that altar call
00:16:58.68\00:17:00.05
and I wanted to go
forward in the altar call.
00:17:00.08\00:17:02.08
Shirley, let's go forward.
00:17:02.12\00:17:03.49
No, I'm not going
forward, well, I'm not going.
00:17:03.52\00:17:05.72
She said, you go forward.
00:17:05.75\00:17:07.16
I'm not going forward if
you are not going forward
00:17:07.19\00:17:09.09
been there done that.
00:17:09.12\00:17:12.59
Mark Finley said to
me at the door one night,
00:17:12.63\00:17:15.83
I would like to talk to you.
00:17:15.86\00:17:17.27
And I said, sure.
00:17:17.30\00:17:18.63
Well, the evangelist
has time for little old me.
00:17:18.67\00:17:21.17
I was a high school
drop out after ninth grade.
00:17:21.20\00:17:23.34
I caught the tail end
of the hippie movement
00:17:23.37\00:17:25.57
and so I was going nowhere fast
00:17:25.61\00:17:27.11
but a evangelist
wants to talk to me.
00:17:27.14\00:17:29.38
Well, sure, great.
00:17:29.41\00:17:30.95
So after the
people left he said,
00:17:30.98\00:17:33.75
Mark, I have a promise I
want to share with you from
00:17:33.78\00:17:36.22
a little tiny Book of Joel 2:25,
00:17:36.25\00:17:39.39
"I will restore
to you all the years
00:17:39.42\00:17:42.12
which the
swarming locust has eaten."
00:17:42.16\00:17:44.73
Locust eaten?
00:17:44.76\00:17:46.19
He said, Mark let
me explain it this way.
00:17:46.23\00:17:48.16
If you give your heart to Jesus
those years that you have given
00:17:48.20\00:17:52.20
in the drugs and drinking and
smoking and all of those things
00:17:52.23\00:17:56.10
and the trouble
you have been in,
00:17:56.14\00:17:57.64
if you give your heart to
Jesus He will restore you.
00:17:57.67\00:18:03.45
I can tell you here today
there is healing in this house.
00:18:03.48\00:18:07.25
There is healing in this house.
00:18:07.28\00:18:09.32
How many believe
Jesus is here right now?
00:18:09.35\00:18:12.22
He wants to do something
in your life right now.
00:18:12.25\00:18:16.39
This is your
time. This is your time.
00:18:16.42\00:18:19.29
This is your moment.
This is your day of a miracle.
00:18:19.33\00:18:23.06
You need a miracle in your life,
00:18:23.10\00:18:25.37
ask Him for that
miracle right now as we speak.
00:18:25.40\00:18:29.67
And so I'll tell you
00:18:29.70\00:18:32.84
a little after
that I went to my dad.
00:18:32.87\00:18:36.91
Now you got to understand
00:18:36.95\00:18:38.88
that my dad and I
had not been close.
00:18:38.91\00:18:42.92
During this
turbulent teenage years
00:18:42.95\00:18:44.99
at times I even told
my parents, I hate you.
00:18:45.02\00:18:49.22
But your kids
can come back home.
00:18:52.33\00:18:53.93
Can you say, amen?
00:18:53.96\00:18:56.83
Now we are very close.
00:18:56.87\00:18:58.23
I don't feel, I don't feel good
00:18:58.27\00:19:00.84
unless I talk to
my parent's every day.
00:19:00.87\00:19:04.31
And so I went to my
dad because I could see,
00:19:04.34\00:19:08.31
there was not a
future with Shirley.
00:19:08.34\00:19:10.35
So I'm like, I don't
want to go back to drinking,
00:19:10.38\00:19:13.05
don't want to go back to drugs.
00:19:13.08\00:19:14.42
What am I gonna do with my life?
00:19:14.45\00:19:15.85
I was a shipper and receiver
in a printing envelope company.
00:19:15.88\00:19:19.69
Wasn't getting paid much
00:19:19.72\00:19:21.06
but I did have a
1966 Satellite Convertible
00:19:21.09\00:19:23.86
that was jacked
up, does that count?
00:19:23.89\00:19:27.16
About the only thing I had
to show for my meager paycheck
00:19:27.20\00:19:29.30
because I squandered it
00:19:29.33\00:19:30.67
like the prodigal
son on righteous living.
00:19:30.70\00:19:32.23
And so I went to my dad,
00:19:32.27\00:19:33.67
you can understand that there
in East Hartford, Connecticut
00:19:33.70\00:19:35.80
they are at the
pastor's parsonage.
00:19:35.84\00:19:37.61
There was the
family room downstairs
00:19:37.64\00:19:39.57
and adjoining the
family room was a bar.
00:19:39.61\00:19:43.14
Well, it was intended to
be a bar a little cubbyhole
00:19:43.18\00:19:45.48
with a bar counter
and then underneath
00:19:45.51\00:19:47.58
was a bar shelf for
all the booze and so forth
00:19:47.62\00:19:50.19
and instead my dad cleaned
that out made it a pastor study
00:19:50.22\00:19:53.42
and he would be in
that little cubbyhole
00:19:53.46\00:19:54.92
and I would lean over
to get some counsel from
00:19:54.96\00:19:57.63
and I was
leaning over and I say,
00:19:57.66\00:19:58.99
hey, dad, you
think there is anything
00:19:59.03\00:20:01.56
I can do in the Lord's work?
00:20:01.60\00:20:05.50
Well, my dad, my dad
confided in me years later.
00:20:05.53\00:20:11.07
He said, Mark, you
added to shovel book,
00:20:11.11\00:20:14.91
you are-- just came out
of that hippie movement.
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.08
I mean, Mark, you are
a high school dropout,
00:20:17.11\00:20:19.71
you had been on
drugs and everything,
00:20:19.75\00:20:21.48
you were involved there
with Shirley and everything.
00:20:21.52\00:20:24.49
Mark, I must admit that my heart
00:20:24.52\00:20:26.65
was list glass that shattered.
00:20:26.69\00:20:28.66
I didn't know what to
tell you my faith faltered.
00:20:28.69\00:20:31.63
You ask me is there anything
you could do in Lord's work,
00:20:31.66\00:20:34.33
I didn't know what a
muster up would tell you.
00:20:34.36\00:20:38.73
My dad said, my
faith was challenged.
00:20:38.77\00:20:42.87
Never underestimate
what my Jesus can do
00:20:42.90\00:20:47.38
not what man can
do, what Jesus can do.
00:20:47.41\00:20:52.08
And so my parents
were praying though
00:20:52.11\00:20:54.58
but I'm gonna agree you
got to mingle some more faith,
00:20:54.62\00:20:56.79
more faith with the
prayers they were believing.
00:20:56.82\00:21:00.22
And so around that
time my brother Dena,
00:21:00.26\00:21:05.29
I'm one of four
boys, I'm number two
00:21:05.33\00:21:07.06
and his number
three, my brother Dena,
00:21:07.10\00:21:09.26
had what I would consider
00:21:09.30\00:21:10.90
to be a dramatic
conversion experience.
00:21:10.93\00:21:15.40
My brother Dena
became a colporteur
00:21:15.44\00:21:20.34
even before he finished academy.
00:21:20.38\00:21:22.34
He left academy
after his junior year,
00:21:22.38\00:21:25.31
Adventist academy
and he decided he wanted
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.62
to colporteur for a
while and even preached once
00:21:27.65\00:21:30.85
and he would give
Bible studies, share Christ
00:21:30.89\00:21:34.56
and sell Christian
literature and so forth.
00:21:34.59\00:21:36.66
And we shared a
bedroom two twin beds
00:21:36.69\00:21:40.26
and I noticed as he
would get up in the morning,
00:21:40.30\00:21:43.13
he would get up early
in the morning something
00:21:43.16\00:21:45.30
that I did not want to do
with my kind of lifestyle.
00:21:45.33\00:21:48.90
And so I noticed when he
would get up in the morning
00:21:48.94\00:21:52.17
he would drop down on
his knees and he would pray
00:21:52.21\00:21:55.58
and then he
would go out for hours
00:21:55.61\00:21:58.78
in a corn field
and pray and read.
00:21:58.81\00:22:02.18
He'd usually
have a stack of books
00:22:02.22\00:22:04.19
he was bringing with
him like "Desire of Ages"
00:22:04.22\00:22:06.69
and by Ellen G. White
and the Bible and so forth.
00:22:06.72\00:22:10.36
He would go out there for
hours and he would come back
00:22:10.39\00:22:14.73
with peace and
glow in his countenance.
00:22:14.76\00:22:19.67
I just watch
that, I observe that,
00:22:19.70\00:22:24.01
I observe that
00:22:24.04\00:22:27.71
and I thought I'm stressed,
00:22:27.74\00:22:31.18
I'm restless,
my heart is broken,
00:22:31.21\00:22:35.85
I don't know
what the future holds
00:22:35.88\00:22:38.15
but I was just watching.
00:22:38.19\00:22:40.59
How many agree
people are watching you?
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.02
They are trying to see
if they want what you have.
00:22:43.06\00:22:45.49
Trying to see, they are sizing
you up, they are assessing.
00:22:45.53\00:22:49.56
How many agree we're
all on candid camera?
00:22:49.60\00:22:55.20
And so I'll tell
you what happened
00:22:55.24\00:22:58.94
I wanted what he had.
00:22:58.97\00:23:01.31
I noticed, I made a
connection in my mind.
00:23:01.34\00:23:05.41
I saw Mark Finley
working for Jesus happy.
00:23:05.45\00:23:10.55
I saw Teenie Finley
working for Jesus, happy.
00:23:10.59\00:23:14.82
I saw my brother Dena
00:23:14.86\00:23:16.89
and Radiant
Living evangelistic team,
00:23:16.93\00:23:19.86
I saw them
working for Jesus, happy.
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.83
I made a simple
equation but profound.
00:23:22.86\00:23:26.30
If you want to be happy
just don't go to church,
00:23:26.33\00:23:29.64
work for the Lord
00:23:29.67\00:23:32.61
because I noticed in church
that not everybody was happy
00:23:32.64\00:23:37.48
and I didn't want what they had.
00:23:37.51\00:23:40.35
But I watched people who
work for Jesus and I said,
00:23:40.38\00:23:43.12
you know, I got
to get some of that.
00:23:43.15\00:23:46.49
And so I went to my
bedroom as I could see I repeat,
00:23:46.52\00:23:51.66
no future with Shirley there.
00:23:51.69\00:23:53.86
Oh, but I didn't let go yet
even though my parent's said,
00:23:53.90\00:23:56.97
Mark, give her up.
00:23:57.00\00:24:00.07
So I knelt down in my bedroom
00:24:00.10\00:24:04.24
one sunny spilled day sun
shining through the window
00:24:04.27\00:24:09.61
and I remember just looking up.
00:24:09.64\00:24:10.98
Now you got to understand
I didn't have a prayer life.
00:24:11.01\00:24:12.68
I didn't have a study life.
00:24:12.71\00:24:14.05
I was too
preoccupied then trying
00:24:14.08\00:24:16.12
to get God to
straight and surely out
00:24:16.15\00:24:18.15
so we get married and
live happily ever after.
00:24:18.19\00:24:22.09
Just being honest with you.
00:24:22.12\00:24:24.59
And so I knelt down
00:24:24.63\00:24:26.83
and I said a
sincere, short, simple prayer.
00:24:26.86\00:24:33.64
Dear, God, is there
anything I can do in your work.
00:24:33.67\00:24:39.97
And I must admit it was
like the devil piped up.
00:24:40.01\00:24:42.44
Give me a break.
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.28
You are high school drop
out I don't think God needs you.
00:24:44.31\00:24:51.49
So I just left it there
00:24:51.52\00:24:54.52
three days later
out of the clear blue
00:24:54.56\00:25:00.43
my uncle Jerry Fox on my
dad's side of the family,
00:25:00.46\00:25:04.73
younger brother of his
called out of the clear blue
00:25:04.77\00:25:07.80
we hadn't heard from
him in over ten years
00:25:07.84\00:25:12.67
but three days after I prayed
00:25:12.71\00:25:15.81
I'm sure the Lord thought
we better move in quickly
00:25:15.84\00:25:18.41
because this Mark
is little too valid.
00:25:18.45\00:25:21.18
We better answer this one fast.
00:25:21.22\00:25:24.42
And so out of the
clear blue, hey, Bruce.
00:25:24.45\00:25:28.66
My dad's name.
00:25:28.69\00:25:30.03
Do you think that Mark can
come out here to California--
00:25:30.06\00:25:34.76
Connecticut,
California many miles apart.
00:25:34.80\00:25:38.60
Could you think he can come out
here and help us get started?
00:25:38.63\00:25:42.40
It's kind of a
Christian enterprise
00:25:42.44\00:25:44.37
where we are doing some
health ministry for Jesus.
00:25:44.41\00:25:47.94
Well, it's
associated with the church.
00:25:47.98\00:25:49.81
We are trying to get
started a vegetarian restaurant
00:25:49.84\00:25:55.42
and a combined
with a fine art gallery
00:25:55.45\00:25:59.29
in Monterey, California.
00:25:59.32\00:26:02.56
And we live in Carmel Valley
00:26:02.59\00:26:04.36
and he can come and live with us
00:26:04.39\00:26:06.13
and he can come work with us
00:26:06.16\00:26:07.96
and we will take
good care of him.
00:26:08.00\00:26:11.13
And my dad is like, wow.
00:26:11.17\00:26:15.64
My dad knew, my dad knew
where this call came from.
00:26:15.67\00:26:22.64
And so my
parents shared the call.
00:26:22.68\00:26:26.35
I'm like uncle Jerry also said
00:26:26.38\00:26:28.82
if Dena wants to come
too that's fine as well.
00:26:28.85\00:26:33.09
And so I'm calculating
after my parents told me this.
00:26:33.12\00:26:38.23
My dad said, Mark,
this is the call from God.
00:26:38.26\00:26:46.10
And so I thought okay,
what am I gonna do with Shirley.
00:26:46.13\00:26:50.11
Now stay here.
00:26:50.14\00:26:51.71
So I'm calculating
and I'm thinking well,
00:26:51.74\00:26:55.24
so I worked on it.
00:26:55.28\00:26:56.61
I'm gonna try to abbreviate.
00:26:56.64\00:26:58.01
I tried to say, you
know, make plans, you know,
00:26:58.05\00:27:00.68
tying to get her to come out
00:27:00.72\00:27:02.05
with of fly out to
get married or whatever
00:27:02.08\00:27:04.52
I didn't know all
across the boards.
00:27:04.55\00:27:06.39
So...
00:27:06.42\00:27:07.86
Finally they had a
farewell for me at my workplace
00:27:07.89\00:27:11.73
and with a lot tearful goodbyes,
00:27:11.76\00:27:15.30
say goodbye to
Shirley but around this time
00:27:15.33\00:27:17.87
I had been working
now with my brother Dena.
00:27:17.90\00:27:20.84
I said, Dena
let's go work for God
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.27
together in California
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.77
because I didn't want
to be alone, alone, alone.
00:27:25.81\00:27:30.31
And so at any rate I said,
00:27:30.35\00:27:32.38
Dena, you know,
let's work for God.
00:27:32.41\00:27:35.05
He said, Mark, I
will pray about it.
00:27:35.08\00:27:36.42
I said, all right.
00:27:36.45\00:27:38.05
So here he would
comeback to me and say,
00:27:38.09\00:27:39.62
Mark I'm still praying bout it.
00:27:39.65\00:27:41.02
I said, come now
let go work for God.
00:27:41.06\00:27:42.96
I said, you have
blessed me so immensely,
00:27:42.99\00:27:46.16
you have been an
inspiration to me,
00:27:46.19\00:27:47.73
I look up to you, let's
go work for God together.
00:27:47.76\00:27:51.03
He said, I think I may go.
00:27:51.07\00:27:53.30
I said, great, great.
00:27:53.34\00:27:54.84
And then the next day,
Mark, I'm not sure I want to.
00:27:54.87\00:27:57.31
Then the next
day, maybe I will go
00:27:57.34\00:27:59.17
and I'm like come on
now, let's go work together.
00:27:59.21\00:28:03.31
Finally, on the eve of
our departure my brother and I
00:28:03.35\00:28:08.18
put some of our
belongings there in our car,
00:28:08.22\00:28:11.09
it was packed to the gills
00:28:11.12\00:28:12.45
and so on the
eve of our departure
00:28:12.49\00:28:15.16
with my brother barely agreeing
00:28:15.19\00:28:17.39
to go kind of could
go one way or the other.
00:28:17.43\00:28:19.56
I'm saying this for good reason.
00:28:19.59\00:28:20.93
I know where I'm going.
00:28:20.96\00:28:24.77
My dad said, Mark,
let's walk around the block.
00:28:24.80\00:28:27.64
My dad is a walker
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.94
and so he lived
to be 130 but anyway
00:28:29.97\00:28:32.84
so he said, Mark,
let's go for walk.
00:28:32.87\00:28:35.74
I said, okay, dad.
00:28:35.78\00:28:37.11
So we walked around the
block, quarter mile block there
00:28:37.15\00:28:40.62
at night
underneath the starlit skies
00:28:40.65\00:28:42.72
and we had one of those
unforgettable father son chats.
00:28:42.75\00:28:47.92
And he said, Mark,
00:28:47.96\00:28:49.76
you are gonna look back at this
00:28:49.79\00:28:52.49
as being the turning point
00:28:52.53\00:28:55.86
in your life.
00:28:55.90\00:28:58.13
My dad was right
as he usually is.
00:28:58.17\00:29:02.77
Next morning it
came time to leave.
00:29:02.80\00:29:06.07
My brother Dena
was having misgivings.
00:29:06.11\00:29:08.34
I tried to drown it out
00:29:08.38\00:29:10.41
and so finally he agreed
to get in the car, snap, snap,
00:29:10.45\00:29:13.95
they snap some pictures
I just saw them recently.
00:29:13.98\00:29:16.28
I didn't even know
they had picture snapping
00:29:16.32\00:29:17.95
and pictures of us
getting into the car
00:29:17.99\00:29:19.59
and us taken off to California.
00:29:19.62\00:29:22.06
And so I'm
thinking you know what,
00:29:22.09\00:29:23.83
if I have to say
goodbye to my friends
00:29:23.86\00:29:26.56
long time before I
say goodbye to my friends
00:29:26.59\00:29:28.83
because I quit
smoking and drinking
00:29:28.86\00:29:30.37
and I have to say
goodbye to my workplace
00:29:30.40\00:29:32.33
and I have to say goodbye
to mom and dad and my family.
00:29:34.80\00:29:37.87
I'm not saying goodbye
to my brother Dena because
00:29:37.91\00:29:40.68
I need him because he has a
clear connection with heaven.
00:29:40.71\00:29:44.01
He has a pipeline
to God I need him.
00:29:44.05\00:29:47.18
I can't go alone, alone, alone.
00:29:48.65\00:29:53.09
And so rambling down the highway
00:29:53.12\00:29:55.49
and then again, man, I
never driven that far out.
00:29:55.52\00:29:59.33
We are going to California,
couple thousand miles away
00:29:59.36\00:30:01.96
so we are
rambling down the highway.
00:30:02.00\00:30:03.33
I'm kind of excited
and as we were going along
00:30:03.37\00:30:06.87
I noticed he seemed
to be wrapped in prayer.
00:30:06.90\00:30:09.34
So we are driving along
and then he blurts out, Mark,
00:30:09.37\00:30:12.57
pull over to the
side of the road.
00:30:12.61\00:30:14.68
I said, why, what's the problem?
00:30:14.71\00:30:16.95
I think we need to pray.
00:30:16.98\00:30:18.51
Oh, boy,
00:30:18.55\00:30:21.55
and I said okay.
00:30:21.58\00:30:22.92
So we pulled over.
00:30:22.95\00:30:24.29
He said, Mark, I think
we need to pray for a sign.
00:30:24.32\00:30:28.02
If God wants me to go
forward with you to California
00:30:28.06\00:30:32.49
or you to take me back
home, back home, alone.
00:30:32.53\00:30:38.70
I said, okay, we prayed
00:30:38.73\00:30:41.84
and after he prayed for sign
00:30:41.87\00:30:44.07
I was ready to
interpret any sign
00:30:44.11\00:30:46.68
in my favor only a
matter of interpretation.
00:30:46.71\00:30:50.58
So after we prayed we
rambled down the highway.
00:30:50.61\00:30:54.72
I'm happy as lark
and he is prayerful.
00:30:54.75\00:30:57.59
I said, come on,
man, we are gonna have
00:30:57.62\00:30:59.12
a great time in California.
00:30:59.15\00:31:00.89
Come on, Dena, we
are gonna work for God.
00:31:00.92\00:31:02.69
Get a vegetarian restaurant
00:31:02.72\00:31:04.19
fine art gallery
start come on, man.
00:31:04.23\00:31:06.53
And so we are
driving along Mark,
00:31:06.56\00:31:08.16
pull over to side a little.
00:31:08.20\00:31:09.53
Oh, man, can't we do
this prayer in California?
00:31:09.56\00:31:12.97
So we pulled over
to side of the road,
00:31:13.00\00:31:15.47
said the same old
prayer like Jesus,
00:31:15.50\00:31:17.17
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:31:17.21\00:31:20.94
And so he prayed for sign, gulp.
00:31:20.98\00:31:24.68
After he prayed
for sign there again
00:31:24.71\00:31:26.35
I was poised ready to go.
00:31:26.38\00:31:28.98
The interpret sign of my
favor I didn't want even think
00:31:29.02\00:31:33.36
about the prospect of having
00:31:33.39\00:31:34.76
to take my
brother home and go on.
00:31:34.79\00:31:37.79
So we stop, we made
it to York, Pennsylvania
00:31:37.83\00:31:41.70
where my father used to pastor
00:31:41.73\00:31:44.33
and there was
some friends there,
00:31:44.37\00:31:45.97
a family there the
Mummert's that agreed
00:31:46.00\00:31:48.60
to have us come and stay
00:31:48.64\00:31:50.44
from Friday
night over the Sabbath
00:31:50.47\00:31:53.01
and then we would resume
00:31:53.04\00:31:54.38
our trip to
California on Sunday morning.
00:31:54.41\00:31:56.61
So they agreed.
00:31:56.64\00:31:57.98
So we stayed there and almost
00:31:58.01\00:31:59.35
the entire time my brother
Dena was intensely seeking God.
00:31:59.38\00:32:05.99
Dangerous saw in my opinion
00:32:06.02\00:32:10.33
and so Sunday morning came
00:32:10.36\00:32:12.49
and I tried to cheer him up,
come one we are gonna go work
00:32:12.53\00:32:14.90
for God but my brother's
conscience was smiting him.
00:32:14.93\00:32:20.04
He felt that God was calling him
00:32:20.07\00:32:22.80
to go back and
for me to go alone.
00:32:22.84\00:32:27.24
So on Sunday came my
brother Dena said, Mark,
00:32:27.28\00:32:31.31
I would like to drive.
00:32:31.35\00:32:34.12
You know, I
usually had a monopoly
00:32:34.15\00:32:35.48
at the wheel because well,
00:32:35.52\00:32:36.85
that was my pride and
joy but I thought okay,
00:32:36.89\00:32:38.85
if this will pacify him sure.
00:32:38.89\00:32:40.29
Okay, Dena, no problem.
00:32:40.32\00:32:41.66
So I let him the keys
and said, goodbye Mummert's.
00:32:41.69\00:32:43.73
And so he put on
shades and started up the car.
00:32:43.76\00:32:46.96
We started rambling
down the highway so okay,
00:32:47.00\00:32:48.76
this is cool.
00:32:48.80\00:32:50.13
As long as he is gonna
go to California with me,
00:32:50.17\00:32:52.07
that's the only
thing that counts in this.
00:32:52.10\00:32:54.04
And so you see I had
my plans, had my plans.
00:32:54.07\00:32:58.71
You know the Bible
says "A man plans his way,
00:32:58.74\00:33:00.91
but the Lord directs
his steps," Proverbs 16:9.
00:33:00.94\00:33:04.38
And so as we were
rambling down the road
00:33:04.41\00:33:07.82
I noticed that we
are approaching the exit
00:33:07.85\00:33:10.85
that we need to take
00:33:10.89\00:33:12.22
to continue in our
pursuit California.
00:33:12.25\00:33:15.02
And so I said, Dena
you are not slowing down.
00:33:15.06\00:33:17.63
He wasn't slowing down.
00:33:17.66\00:33:19.26
I registered in my
mind in a split second
00:33:19.29\00:33:21.86
he is gonna drive me back
home so that he can get out.
00:33:21.90\00:33:25.17
All right, I said no way.
I said, Dena, catch the exit.
00:33:25.20\00:33:27.84
He pulled one of
those maneuvers, you know,
00:33:27.87\00:33:29.20
you pass the exit
but you get it anyway.
00:33:29.24\00:33:31.17
And so I said, you
are not driving anymore,
00:33:31.21\00:33:33.38
pull over to the
side of the road.
00:33:33.41\00:33:34.74
So he pulls over
to side of the road.
00:33:34.78\00:33:36.11
I'm shaking, he is shaking,
big brother, little brother.
00:33:36.14\00:33:38.25
And so, you know, he
is shaking and I said,
00:33:38.28\00:33:41.38
you are not driving anymore.
00:33:41.42\00:33:42.75
Man, and so we switch places
and he had turned the car off.
00:33:42.78\00:33:47.79
Every detail counts.
00:33:47.82\00:33:50.39
God is in the details.
00:33:50.43\00:33:52.76
When you pray He
is in the details.
00:33:52.79\00:33:56.36
And so he was
shaking, I was shaking
00:33:56.40\00:33:58.97
and we switch
side although huffy,
00:33:59.00\00:34:01.47
going to serve the Lord
00:34:01.50\00:34:04.84
my way.
00:34:04.87\00:34:06.44
And so we switch
places and I was trembling,
00:34:06.47\00:34:08.34
he trembling and one of his
I think it was pretty much him
00:34:08.38\00:34:11.98
suggest let's pray again.
00:34:12.01\00:34:14.05
Said the same old prayer
00:34:14.08\00:34:16.35
like Jesus
saying the same prayer
00:34:16.38\00:34:17.99
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:34:18.02\00:34:19.85
It was a struggle to surrender,
00:34:19.89\00:34:25.69
so intense.
00:34:25.73\00:34:29.03
And so after we
prayed the same old prayer
00:34:29.06\00:34:33.44
my brother praying, Lord,
intervene, give us a sign.
00:34:33.47\00:34:37.41
In Jesus name, amen.
00:34:37.44\00:34:40.18
I said, Dena, don't
worry we can fly-- you know,
00:34:40.21\00:34:42.21
when we out to California
00:34:42.24\00:34:43.75
you want to fly
back I understand.
00:34:43.78\00:34:46.41
Hopefully he
would change his mind.
00:34:46.45\00:34:50.02
Okay, click, click, click,
click, click, click, click,
00:34:50.05\00:34:54.96
I looked over and he smiling.
00:34:54.99\00:34:57.46
My car was not starting.
00:34:57.49\00:35:02.10
And so I got out of
my car, popped the hood
00:35:02.13\00:35:05.37
and I'm looking at the car.
00:35:05.40\00:35:07.44
I'm not a mechanic
00:35:07.47\00:35:08.80
but I used to toy
around with it little bit
00:35:08.84\00:35:10.74
and I knew
00:35:10.77\00:35:12.34
there is a problem
here and I couldn't out.
00:35:12.37\00:35:14.44
My brother comes
around he is comforting me.
00:35:14.48\00:35:16.38
You know, Mark,
people in the Bible,
00:35:16.41\00:35:18.38
Jacob, Abraham, and
what I can't remember
00:35:18.41\00:35:20.38
but he would say, you
know, they went to trial.
00:35:20.42\00:35:21.82
I didn't want to hear all that.
00:35:21.85\00:35:25.45
And so I flag down a
car, they gave me a jump.
00:35:25.49\00:35:29.59
We drove it to a
nearby gas station
00:35:29.62\00:35:32.13
diagnoses your battery
has a dead cell, it's gone.
00:35:32.16\00:35:39.07
I said, wait a
minute, that battery is new.
00:35:39.10\00:35:43.61
And he answered to my brother's
prayer God killed my battery.
00:35:43.64\00:35:46.94
You know, God can
do that if He wants.
00:35:46.98\00:35:48.71
And so we slapped in
a new battery in there,
00:35:52.38\00:35:56.18
close the hood,
00:35:56.22\00:35:57.55
pulled up my
parent's credit card
00:35:57.59\00:35:59.32
so I can, you know,
get a little help from them
00:35:59.35\00:36:01.66
and rambled down
the highway again.
00:36:01.69\00:36:04.83
Oh, the car
started up right away
00:36:04.86\00:36:06.63
and so we are
rambling down the highway
00:36:06.66\00:36:08.76
and I'm happy and now
my brother is prayerful.
00:36:08.80\00:36:13.00
We are driving along,
driving along, driving along.
00:36:13.03\00:36:15.67
Hey, Mark? Yeah.
00:36:15.70\00:36:17.41
Can you, can you stop
here at Howard Johnson's?
00:36:17.44\00:36:21.88
I'm wondering what is
he up as religious slave.
00:36:21.91\00:36:25.08
So I said, yeah.
00:36:25.11\00:36:26.45
He said, Mark,
let's get a bite to eat.
00:36:26.48\00:36:28.82
I said, all right, all
right, so I took the exit,
00:36:28.85\00:36:33.05
pulled in front of
00:36:33.09\00:36:34.42
Howard Johnson's
restaurant and hotel.
00:36:34.46\00:36:37.63
And he said,
Mark, you go ahead in
00:36:37.66\00:36:40.10
and order some
grilled cheese and tomato
00:36:40.13\00:36:42.10
and some French fries, you know,
00:36:42.13\00:36:43.47
good healthy vegetarian dies.
00:36:43.50\00:36:45.80
And he said, he said, Mark,
00:36:45.83\00:36:48.30
I'll be in about
ten minutes or so.
00:36:48.34\00:36:53.24
All right, so I
went in, ordered the food
00:36:53.27\00:36:58.78
and my brother--
once the food arrived
00:36:58.81\00:37:00.88
my brother surfaces and declares
00:37:00.92\00:37:06.15
sheepishly, Mark,
00:37:06.19\00:37:08.99
mom and dad want us
to call in ten minutes.
00:37:09.02\00:37:11.23
Sudden changes are about to
catch the world by surprise.
00:37:13.23\00:37:16.93
Amazing Bible
Prophecies are fast fulfilling.
00:37:16.97\00:37:20.57
Do ancient prophecies predict
the sudden economic collapse?
00:37:20.60\00:37:24.17
Will the Middle East
crisis erupt into World War III?
00:37:24.21\00:37:27.38
Are we living on
the eve of Armageddon?
00:37:27.41\00:37:30.25
How will the final moves
of the antichrist affect you?
00:37:30.28\00:37:33.62
What is the future of
the United States of America?
00:37:33.65\00:37:36.55
How will natural disasters
usher in the mark of the beast?
00:37:36.58\00:37:40.76
Now you can watch the
entire Amazing Prophecy series
00:37:40.79\00:37:45.03
of 32 hopeful messages on DVD.
00:37:45.06\00:37:48.40
Don't guess about the
future, know the future.
00:37:48.43\00:37:51.97
The complete set of DVDs
00:37:52.00\00:37:53.90
is available for a
gift of $60 or more.
00:37:53.94\00:37:56.87
Call us at 1-855-336-FREE
00:37:56.91\00:38:01.28
or you can send a
check or money order
00:38:01.31\00:38:03.18
to Forever Free Ministries,
00:38:03.21\00:38:04.91
2001 Munro Park,
Corinth, Texas, 76208.
00:38:04.95\00:38:10.05
You can also visit us online
at foreverfreeministries.org.
00:38:10.09\00:38:14.02
Oh, man, why did you
have to get them involved?
00:38:16.52\00:38:19.46
Sure enough to call my parents.
00:38:19.49\00:38:22.00
Mark, if he wants to come home
00:38:22.03\00:38:24.30
you're gonna turn
around and bring him on home.
00:38:24.33\00:38:27.14
I said, he has lost his mind.
00:38:27.17\00:38:29.20
I don't know what
the problem is with him.
00:38:29.24\00:38:32.34
He said, Mark, you need
to calm down and listen.
00:38:32.37\00:38:35.61
Why don't you just stay there,
why don't you just stay there,
00:38:35.64\00:38:39.51
check into the
hotel and then tomorrow
00:38:39.55\00:38:41.78
when we all come we can
make a decision together?
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.29
I said, look, I'm
not turning around
00:38:44.32\00:38:47.46
and then I noticed my
brother seeing that mom and dad
00:38:47.49\00:38:50.99
would make any
headway my brother took off.
00:38:51.03\00:38:55.00
I said, mom and
dad, I got to go.
00:38:55.03\00:38:56.36
I left them partly hanging.
00:38:56.40\00:38:57.73
I ran up the door
and I saw my brother
00:38:57.77\00:38:59.13
is running away from me
00:38:59.17\00:39:02.24
and I thought just so
I'm just scoping the area
00:39:02.27\00:39:04.34
and I ran around
the side of the hotel
00:39:04.37\00:39:06.64
there is my brother
doing something like this
00:39:06.68\00:39:10.51
and he is praying.
00:39:10.55\00:39:12.01
And I come up
all huffy, you know,
00:39:12.05\00:39:13.72
scared me to death and
so I come up all huffy,
00:39:13.75\00:39:16.35
he looks at me
00:39:16.38\00:39:18.59
with a look of love.
00:39:18.62\00:39:19.95
I'm gonna agree, you know,
00:39:19.99\00:39:21.32
you the looks to
your family members.
00:39:21.36\00:39:24.26
He looked at me
with a look of love
00:39:24.29\00:39:27.83
and he said, Mark,
00:39:27.86\00:39:30.13
I love you.
00:39:30.17\00:39:32.27
I don't want to do
anything to hurt you.
00:39:32.30\00:39:34.90
I just want to do God's will.
00:39:34.94\00:39:38.21
"A soft answer turns
away wrath" Proverbs 15:1.
00:39:38.24\00:39:42.94
It did for a moment
till the devil popped up
00:39:42.98\00:39:45.08
alone, alone, alone, alone.
00:39:45.11\00:39:48.25
California alone, alone.
00:39:48.28\00:39:50.19
No way, hey, come on,
Dena, let's get going.
00:39:50.22\00:39:52.72
I got in the car and it
was muscled against muscle.
00:39:53.89\00:39:57.49
I had a few more muscles
there, I was something boxing
00:39:57.53\00:39:59.76
all the time and so I muscled.
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.16
My brother want to
get out of the car,
00:40:01.20\00:40:02.83
I wasn't gonna let
in, out of the car.
00:40:02.86\00:40:05.17
It was muscled against muscled.
00:40:05.20\00:40:06.53
I'm holding the door,
he is trying to get out.
00:40:06.57\00:40:11.11
I don't who suggested it
00:40:11.14\00:40:13.81
but we decide we
better pray again.
00:40:13.84\00:40:18.01
and after we
prayed the same old prayer
00:40:18.05\00:40:22.05
like Jacob,
wrestling with the Lord.
00:40:22.08\00:40:25.19
After we pray, Dean,
I'll take you back home.
00:40:25.22\00:40:30.13
Did I said that.
00:40:30.16\00:40:32.76
I really felt shocked
that that came out of my mouth
00:40:32.79\00:40:38.33
but I started to feel something
00:40:38.37\00:40:41.60
that I had
never felt in my life.
00:40:41.64\00:40:45.47
It came from in here
00:40:45.51\00:40:50.35
I said, Dena,
00:40:50.38\00:40:52.78
I'll take you back home.
00:40:52.81\00:40:55.85
I started stronger.
00:40:55.88\00:40:59.22
I started up the car my brother
is still up against the car
00:40:59.25\00:41:05.03
and the car started right
away and I started heading back.
00:41:05.06\00:41:09.66
And he said,
Mark, wait a minute,
00:41:09.70\00:41:12.00
I don't think you have to
take me all the back home.
00:41:12.03\00:41:14.77
And he started rummaging through
00:41:14.80\00:41:16.30
the maps that he had brought,
00:41:16.34\00:41:17.67
he was my
navigator more than one way.
00:41:17.71\00:41:20.68
Not only my spiritual navigator
but he loved geography,
00:41:20.71\00:41:23.31
lobed maps and
so he is rummaging
00:41:23.35\00:41:25.08
through the maps
and he says, Mark,
00:41:25.11\00:41:28.02
okay, go down here
and take this next exit.
00:41:28.05\00:41:30.35
So we took the next exit,
00:41:30.39\00:41:31.89
all right, take a
right, all right, take a left.
00:41:31.92\00:41:34.52
He took me to an apparently
00:41:34.56\00:41:36.42
rundown train station in
Martinsburg, West Virginia
00:41:36.46\00:41:40.86
little dot on the map
in Northern West Virginia
00:41:40.90\00:41:44.53
and he said, Mark, let's pray.
00:41:44.57\00:41:47.40
And by the way as I
started heading back
00:41:47.44\00:41:50.01
my brother eased down
on the chair and I said,
00:41:50.04\00:41:51.97
Dena, I'm sorry.
00:41:52.01\00:41:55.41
And my brother
said, Mark, I forgive you.
00:41:55.44\00:42:01.58
And so we went to
that train station.
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.35
He said, Mark, we
need to really pray.
00:42:04.39\00:42:06.35
We need to pray that this train
station is still in service
00:42:06.39\00:42:09.62
and that we can get a
ticket and that there is a train
00:42:09.66\00:42:12.43
going back to Connecticut
00:42:12.46\00:42:14.63
so you don't
have to drive me back
00:42:14.66\00:42:16.33
and that we have
enough time to do that.
00:42:16.36\00:42:19.50
That day we were broken down
00:42:19.53\00:42:23.94
for two hours.
00:42:23.97\00:42:26.94
We called or rather we
went to check the train schedule
00:42:26.98\00:42:31.85
and the train that we needed
00:42:31.88\00:42:34.22
for him to go
back to Connecticut
00:42:34.25\00:42:35.95
was coming in two hours.
00:42:35.98\00:42:39.45
God's timing is
always perfect, right on.
00:42:39.49\00:42:46.29
And so we called my parents
00:42:46.33\00:42:48.86
after my brother
purchased the tickets.
00:42:48.90\00:42:51.83
Started to get some of
his belongings together.
00:42:51.87\00:42:55.30
Mom, dad, my brother called,
00:42:55.34\00:42:58.74
Dena is gonna come back home
00:42:58.77\00:43:00.28
or my brother
called and he said,
00:43:00.31\00:43:01.71
I'm coming back home by a train.
00:43:01.74\00:43:04.25
My parents
breathe a sigh of relief.
00:43:04.28\00:43:08.32
And then the
close rose two hours,
00:43:08.35\00:43:12.69
the train arrived
00:43:12.72\00:43:15.09
and before my
brother boarded the train
00:43:15.12\00:43:18.96
I could feel
something building up,
00:43:18.99\00:43:22.86
building up inside of me
00:43:22.90\00:43:25.40
and I said, Dena, I love you.
00:43:25.43\00:43:29.04
I'm really gonna miss you.
00:43:29.07\00:43:31.24
I'm really gonna miss you.
00:43:31.27\00:43:33.38
Mark, you will be okay,
the Lord will be with you.
00:43:33.41\00:43:37.21
I didn't fully
understand what that meant.
00:43:37.25\00:43:39.78
And I said, Dena, I
look up to you so much.
00:43:39.81\00:43:42.52
Mark, you are
gonna be all right,
00:43:42.55\00:43:44.09
you're gonna be all right.
00:43:44.12\00:43:46.62
Bye, Dena, bye Mark.
00:43:46.65\00:43:50.59
And he went up the
steps into the train
00:43:50.63\00:43:54.46
and the door
shut and I'm looking
00:43:54.50\00:43:57.77
and the train began
to move down the tracks.
00:43:57.80\00:44:00.40
I'm looking to see if I
can see him one more time
00:44:00.44\00:44:03.24
and the train passes
off, you know, the distance
00:44:03.27\00:44:05.61
and the snow flakes
are falling heavily.
00:44:05.64\00:44:09.74
And after the train
passes into the horizon
00:44:09.78\00:44:14.12
I look at my
car and I'm feeling,
00:44:14.15\00:44:18.19
I'm feeling something
I had never felt before.
00:44:18.22\00:44:21.32
I got in my car
00:44:21.36\00:44:24.69
and I bowed my head
00:44:24.73\00:44:27.36
and I cried the
tears of a lifetime
00:44:27.40\00:44:30.47
and I just broke down.
00:44:30.50\00:44:31.83
The Bible says,
00:44:31.87\00:44:33.20
"Fall on the rock and be broken"
00:44:33.23\00:44:34.57
Matthew 21:44.
00:44:34.60\00:44:36.07
And I just fell
on broken on the Lord
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.94
and I said a prayer like this.
00:44:38.97\00:44:40.54
I said, O, dear Lord,
O my Father in heaven,
00:44:40.58\00:44:44.61
please be with me.
00:44:44.65\00:44:46.55
I need Your presence,
I need your companionship
00:44:46.58\00:44:51.32
and it was as if the
Lord I just felt His presence
00:44:51.35\00:44:55.52
and I felt a "peace
that passeth understanding"
00:44:55.56\00:44:59.16
Philippians 4:7.
00:44:59.19\00:45:01.40
Beyond the words
I couldn't believe
00:45:01.43\00:45:03.26
what I was feeling for the
first time in my life peace
00:45:03.30\00:45:07.47
and it was as if the
Lord sat down next to me.
00:45:07.50\00:45:12.04
He's been my
companion ever since.
00:45:12.07\00:45:14.98
It was as if the Lord said to me
00:45:15.01\00:45:18.61
"I'm the friend that
sticks closer than a brother,"
00:45:18.65\00:45:24.49
Proverbs 18:24.
00:45:24.52\00:45:27.02
And so as I
started driving down--
00:45:27.06\00:45:29.86
actually the roads were
treacherous as I recall it.
00:45:29.89\00:45:33.23
Gone through Virginia,
I remember automatically
00:45:33.26\00:45:38.27
talking to my Father in heaven,
00:45:38.30\00:45:40.77
talking to Jesus, talking.
00:45:40.80\00:45:42.30
Nobody said it's time to pray.
00:45:42.34\00:45:44.21
I just talked to Him because
00:45:44.24\00:45:46.21
I felt and sensed His
nearness, His presence.
00:45:46.24\00:45:50.65
"I have set the
Lord always before me,
00:45:50.68\00:45:53.82
because He is at my right
hand I shall not be moved,"
00:45:53.85\00:45:56.35
Psalms 16:8.
00:45:56.38\00:45:58.05
There is joy in the
presence of the Lord
00:45:58.09\00:46:01.49
pleasures
forevermore, Psalms 16:11.
00:46:01.52\00:46:05.16
And so I checked into a hotel
last thoughts at night, Jesus.
00:46:05.19\00:46:11.07
Woke up in the morning in the
hotel room, thoughts of Jesus.
00:46:11.10\00:46:16.50
And then as I'm driving
along I had some cassette tapes
00:46:16.54\00:46:20.78
of an evangelist by the
name of E. E. Cleveland.
00:46:20.81\00:46:24.41
I'm sure Steve and Hiram
probably recognize the name.
00:46:24.45\00:46:28.25
E. E. Cleveland and his
subject that he was preaching on
00:46:28.28\00:46:31.72
was Christ our
righteousness and about
00:46:31.75\00:46:36.42
how you can depend on Jesus
and He will take you places,
00:46:36.46\00:46:41.93
He will change your life.
00:46:41.96\00:46:43.30
Trust in His righteousness.
It touched my heart.
00:46:43.33\00:46:45.80
I would listen
to Christian music.
00:46:45.83\00:46:47.87
I would listen to some
Christian music, choir music,
00:46:47.90\00:46:50.91
I would listen to just
beautiful moving music.
00:46:50.94\00:46:55.28
By the time I
arrived in California
00:46:55.31\00:46:57.91
after being three
days alone with God.
00:46:57.95\00:47:03.52
I wanted to shout
from the housetops,
00:47:03.55\00:47:06.62
Jesus is my best friend.
00:47:06.65\00:47:09.49
Jesus is all I need.
00:47:09.52\00:47:11.69
Have you found that
to be true in your life?
00:47:11.73\00:47:15.00
Have you discovered it's
okay at times to be alone,
00:47:15.03\00:47:18.73
it's okay to just you
and God to be in solitary?
00:47:18.77\00:47:23.87
Is it-- have you discovered
that as you take time with Him?
00:47:23.91\00:47:29.14
He wraps His arms around
you and whispers in your heart,
00:47:29.18\00:47:32.41
I love you.
00:47:32.45\00:47:33.78
"I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
00:47:33.82\00:47:37.35
and therefore
with loving kindness
00:47:37.39\00:47:39.05
I have drawn
you," Jeremiah 31:3.
00:47:39.09\00:47:42.62
Oh, beloved,
00:47:42.66\00:47:44.23
"The Father Himself loves you,"
00:47:44.26\00:47:49.30
John 16:27.
00:47:49.33\00:47:52.03
Beloved, I've got a
message for you today,
00:47:52.07\00:47:55.54
God is in love with you.
00:47:55.57\00:47:58.87
"I am poor and needy,
yet the Lord thinks upon me,"
00:47:58.91\00:48:02.54
Psalms 40:17.
00:48:02.58\00:48:04.61
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
00:48:04.65\00:48:07.28
for their is the
kingdom of heaven,"
00:48:07.32\00:48:09.55
Matthew 5:3.
00:48:09.58\00:48:10.92
Do you feel poor in spirit?
00:48:10.95\00:48:12.82
Do you mourn over
your spiritual declension?
00:48:12.85\00:48:16.26
Do you mourn over your mistakes
then you shall be comforted,
00:48:16.29\00:48:20.26
Matthew 5:4.
00:48:20.30\00:48:22.63
O beloved, I need to close.
00:48:22.66\00:48:25.17
You might ask, Mark,
what happened to Shirley?
00:48:25.20\00:48:30.77
I understand that she
never did stay with the remnant,
00:48:30.81\00:48:34.44
never did and I
don't know what happened
00:48:34.48\00:48:36.34
but I pray that God is
with her wherever she is.
00:48:36.38\00:48:39.48
But God had a better plan.
00:48:39.51\00:48:42.68
God had a better way.
00:48:42.72\00:48:44.89
"God now unto
him who is able to do
00:48:44.92\00:48:47.62
exceedingly abundantly
00:48:47.66\00:48:48.99
above all that we ask or
even think," Ephesians 3:20.
00:48:49.02\00:48:54.90
I was there in
California for about ten months
00:48:54.93\00:48:57.73
in my experience with Jesus,
that first love experience.
00:48:57.77\00:49:02.90
And while I was
leaving, I was a camp counselor
00:49:02.94\00:49:05.37
also at camp Tawonga
Yosemite National Park.
00:49:05.41\00:49:09.34
And then my parents
were calling me, Mark,
00:49:09.38\00:49:12.35
why don't you come
home dad has a new call
00:49:12.38\00:49:16.02
to pastor in the
outskirts of Chicago
00:49:16.05\00:49:18.79
at the Oak Park
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:49:18.82\00:49:20.89
and, Mark, why don't
you come and help us move
00:49:20.92\00:49:24.83
and you can work on your GED.
00:49:24.86\00:49:28.13
I said, I'll pray about it.
00:49:28.16\00:49:32.53
I learned, you
don't do anything,
00:49:32.57\00:49:37.04
you don't do anything
unless you talk to Jesus
00:49:37.07\00:49:40.88
because now He is that driving.
00:49:40.91\00:49:43.68
He is there at the wheel.
00:49:43.71\00:49:46.61
And so I kept telling
that for weeks and weeks.
00:49:46.65\00:49:51.19
Mark, come on we got to know,
00:49:51.22\00:49:52.65
the Lord hadn't
reveal it to me yet.
00:49:52.69\00:49:54.92
But then I said, I'm
gonna take a whole day with God
00:49:54.96\00:49:57.96
and after taking
that whole day with God
00:49:57.99\00:49:59.66
the Lord showed me
I want you to go back.
00:49:59.69\00:50:01.66
I said, okay, Lord.
00:50:01.70\00:50:03.03
Now that You spoken I
want to hear Your voice.
00:50:03.06\00:50:05.33
" My sheep hear my voice,
and they follow me" John 10:27.
00:50:05.37\00:50:08.80
Hear His voice today.
00:50:08.84\00:50:10.67
There is healing in this house.
00:50:10.71\00:50:13.11
There is
restoration in this house.
00:50:13.14\00:50:15.98
There is intimacy with God
00:50:16.01\00:50:17.88
more than ever
before in this house.
00:50:17.91\00:50:20.35
Now listen to me,
00:50:20.38\00:50:22.92
I was leaving
California, I told mom and dad,
00:50:22.95\00:50:24.95
I'm go to go back home.
00:50:24.99\00:50:26.62
I'm gonna come there
00:50:26.65\00:50:28.92
and so as I was
leaving California
00:50:28.96\00:50:31.03
at the border
between California and Nevada
00:50:31.06\00:50:34.40
I was driving
along and I was crying
00:50:34.43\00:50:37.07
because I was leaving California
00:50:37.10\00:50:40.74
where I found
this new experience.
00:50:40.77\00:50:43.37
I found them
along that trip along
00:50:43.41\00:50:45.04
but that new
experience with Jesus.
00:50:45.07\00:50:47.51
And I was wondering
what is the future hold.
00:50:47.54\00:50:50.08
And I have my Bible
00:50:50.11\00:50:51.45
I don't know who
has recommend this
00:50:51.48\00:50:52.81
but I have my Bible in
my passenger seat because
00:50:52.85\00:50:55.15
the Bible has
become my companion.
00:50:55.18\00:50:57.89
And I took the Bible
and please don't do this.
00:50:57.92\00:51:02.49
But anyway I'm driving
along and I just looked down
00:51:02.52\00:51:06.13
I randomly just open-- you know,
00:51:06.16\00:51:07.80
God can do that sometime.
00:51:07.83\00:51:09.56
You know, you got to
be careful about this
00:51:09.60\00:51:10.93
but I just open the
Bible, God knew my heart.
00:51:10.97\00:51:13.67
I was just longing, I
wanted to hear from Him
00:51:13.70\00:51:16.14
and I just opened the Bible.
00:51:16.17\00:51:18.41
"If you speak what is precious
and not what is worthless
00:51:18.44\00:51:24.41
you shall be as my mouth."
00:51:24.45\00:51:27.58
I thought, Lord,
00:51:27.62\00:51:29.88
you are calling me to preach.
00:51:29.92\00:51:33.82
All His biddings are
enabling, so I'm thinking I--
00:51:33.86\00:51:36.73
I'm a high school dropout.
00:51:36.76\00:51:38.46
You say, Lord, okay.
00:51:38.49\00:51:41.00
I took a plane
from Chicago because
00:51:41.03\00:51:43.57
I took my car there
Chicago to Connecticut,
00:51:43.60\00:51:46.00
was re-baptized, re-baptized,
00:51:46.03\00:51:49.17
everybody is crying
in the church, like,
00:51:49.20\00:51:50.84
the pastor's prodigal son.
00:51:50.87\00:51:54.21
And then we relocated to Chicago
00:51:54.24\00:51:57.15
and the first day I was there
00:51:57.18\00:52:00.55
Ed Lindsay, the manager
of the Adventist Book Center
00:52:00.58\00:52:03.08
said, "Mark,
would you please work
00:52:03.12\00:52:05.15
at the Adventist Book
Center as a sales clerk?"
00:52:05.19\00:52:07.56
You will be up in the front.
00:52:07.59\00:52:08.92
You will be the main person
00:52:08.96\00:52:10.29
everybody talks to and so forth.
00:52:10.33\00:52:12.53
I'll pray about it
00:52:12.56\00:52:15.20
and the Lord impressed me,
take the job, this is of Me.
00:52:15.23\00:52:19.60
So I became a sales
clerk and people would come in
00:52:19.63\00:52:22.50
and pastors would come in
00:52:22.54\00:52:24.71
and I shared my
testimony with them.
00:52:24.74\00:52:26.41
Mark, would you
come preach at our church
00:52:26.44\00:52:28.11
and share your testimony?
00:52:28.14\00:52:29.58
I'll pray about it.
00:52:29.61\00:52:31.15
And so I would
go, so my calendar
00:52:31.18\00:52:32.98
was being filled up.
00:52:33.01\00:52:34.35
I said to the
Lord, I said, Lord,
00:52:34.38\00:52:36.08
if You want me to preach
00:52:36.12\00:52:37.45
I'm not going
around asking to preach.
00:52:37.49\00:52:39.19
If You want me to preach
00:52:39.22\00:52:40.56
You're gonna have to
have them come to me.
00:52:40.59\00:52:42.49
And that's what happened.
00:52:42.52\00:52:44.16
I humbly say that my
calendar was being filled
00:52:44.19\00:52:47.06
with appointments
that God has ordained.
00:52:47.10\00:52:49.63
And then they had
asked me do week of prayers
00:52:49.66\00:52:52.00
and that was really ironic
00:52:52.03\00:52:53.67
that I who had only
a ninth grade education
00:52:53.70\00:52:56.81
would be given a week
of prayer at academies.
00:52:56.84\00:53:01.24
And them Mark Finley comes
into the Adventist Book Center
00:53:01.28\00:53:05.68
and I'm like, Mark,
it's good to see you
00:53:05.71\00:53:09.12
and he looks at
me, Mark, double take.
00:53:09.15\00:53:11.62
He said, Mark,
it's good to see you.
00:53:11.65\00:53:13.15
Mark, we are getting started
00:53:13.19\00:53:15.22
the Lake Union Soul
Winning Institute in Hinsdale
00:53:15.26\00:53:19.49
and why don't you come
00:53:19.53\00:53:21.20
and we'll train you
to be a Bible worker.
00:53:21.23\00:53:23.90
Wow, that sounds great.
00:53:23.93\00:53:25.93
I'll pray about it.
00:53:25.97\00:53:28.14
I prayed about it and
the Lord impressed me.
00:53:28.17\00:53:30.54
You go in there.
00:53:30.57\00:53:31.91
Adventist Book Center
helped to even fund me to go
00:53:31.94\00:53:34.11
and I was among
the first graduates
00:53:34.14\00:53:37.55
with a Bible
structure certificate.
00:53:37.58\00:53:41.28
Ninth grade education.
00:53:41.32\00:53:43.69
I became a Bible
worker for three years
00:53:43.72\00:53:46.45
and I ended up
doing my first crusades
00:53:46.49\00:53:48.16
with a ninth grade education.
00:53:48.19\00:53:49.52
What's your excuse?
00:53:49.56\00:53:51.13
Let me tell you something,
00:53:56.87\00:53:58.87
God does not ask
are you qualified.
00:53:58.90\00:54:02.04
He asks, are you available.
00:54:02.07\00:54:04.37
Are you available because
00:54:04.41\00:54:05.74
I can infuse you
with my Holy Spirit?
00:54:05.77\00:54:08.24
And so I'll tell
you what happened.
00:54:08.28\00:54:09.61
I'm getting to my wife,
hold on, here's what happened.
00:54:09.64\00:54:14.58
I was a Bible
worker for three years
00:54:14.62\00:54:16.65
and then my
president Everett Combo
00:54:16.69\00:54:19.75
said Mark, I would like
you to come in the office.
00:54:19.79\00:54:21.79
I would like to meet with you.
00:54:21.82\00:54:23.16
Oh, no, what did I do wrong.
00:54:23.19\00:54:24.96
And he said, Mark, have a seat.
00:54:24.99\00:54:27.16
He said, Mark, I think you ought
00:54:27.20\00:54:28.53
to go up to Andrews University
00:54:28.56\00:54:30.87
and I think in three
years you should finish
00:54:30.90\00:54:33.07
your Bachelor
of Arts in Theology
00:54:33.10\00:54:34.94
and then come back here
00:54:34.97\00:54:36.34
and we will give you some
churches for you to pastor.
00:54:36.37\00:54:39.17
Okay.
00:54:39.21\00:54:41.51
So I left the office thinking
00:54:41.54\00:54:44.11
does he know I only
have a ninth grade education.
00:54:44.15\00:54:47.02
I didn't want to
offer that to him.
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.68
Secondly, I'm kind of reframing
in my mind what you just said.
00:54:49.72\00:54:54.32
I'm rehearsing it.
00:54:54.36\00:54:55.72
So what he is saying is, Mark,
00:54:55.76\00:54:57.09
you don't have a job
unless you get an education.
00:54:57.13\00:55:00.30
But you know what,
00:55:00.33\00:55:02.53
setbacks are
setup for transition,
00:55:02.56\00:55:08.00
to a higher level the
god hasn't store for you
00:55:08.04\00:55:10.24
When I say higher level
00:55:10.27\00:55:11.61
that just means a
different phase in your life,
00:55:11.64\00:55:13.58
a different
chapter in your life.
00:55:13.61\00:55:15.08
How many agree, you
are waiting on the Lord?
00:55:15.11\00:55:17.18
No, it's preparation
for what He is about to do.
00:55:17.21\00:55:19.91
And so I'll tell you
00:55:21.18\00:55:23.25
what was going on,
00:55:23.28\00:55:25.49
I had been
studying sample GD tests
00:55:25.52\00:55:30.46
and I was bombing, big time
00:55:30.49\00:55:34.30
and I'm like panic attack
00:55:34.33\00:55:36.56
I got to go up to
Andrews University
00:55:36.60\00:55:38.60
and I can't even
pass this lousy GED tests.
00:55:38.63\00:55:42.87
How am I gonna do this?
00:55:42.90\00:55:44.44
And I came out of the
YMCA after working out one time
00:55:44.47\00:55:47.31
with a buddy and I get in my car
00:55:47.34\00:55:49.24
and I got this big
Andrews University bulletin
00:55:49.28\00:55:52.08
with all the
requirements and everything.
00:55:52.11\00:55:53.82
It's like and I'm
like, Lord, and I'm crying.
00:55:53.85\00:55:58.05
I'm saying,
Lord, how can this be
00:55:58.09\00:55:59.95
I'm gonna go to
Andrews University
00:55:59.99\00:56:01.32
I'll have a job I got
to get this education.
00:56:01.36\00:56:04.16
How can this be?
00:56:04.19\00:56:05.76
I'm sorry but I did it again.
00:56:05.79\00:56:07.63
I open up my Bible and
Mary was saying how can this be,
00:56:07.66\00:56:12.33
the Holy Ghost
will come upon you.
00:56:12.37\00:56:14.64
I say, okay, Lord.
00:56:14.67\00:56:16.27
I went up to Andrews University
00:56:16.30\00:56:17.71
in five years with
the Holy Spirits help
00:56:17.74\00:56:19.94
I went from the
ninth grade education
00:56:19.97\00:56:21.81
to a Masters of Divinity.
00:56:21.84\00:56:23.58
Now that's Jesus, that's Jesus.
00:56:23.61\00:56:26.92
Now I must admit I
didn't deserve to pass Hebrew
00:56:26.95\00:56:29.65
but I passed anyway.
00:56:29.68\00:56:33.46
But I met my wife at
the administration building.
00:56:33.49\00:56:36.83
She had just come up from
00:56:36.86\00:56:38.19
Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic
00:56:38.23\00:56:42.30
and I asked her out tea
00:56:42.33\00:56:44.47
at the university cafeteria
00:56:44.50\00:56:50.54
and a couple years later
00:56:50.57\00:56:52.74
we got married, March 22, 1987.
00:56:52.77\00:56:56.85
God had so much in store for me.
00:56:56.88\00:57:02.25
My dream come true
00:57:02.28\00:57:04.75
was when my friend Mark Finley
00:57:04.79\00:57:07.56
called me and said, Mark,
00:57:07.59\00:57:09.52
come work with me
at "It Is Written"
00:57:09.56\00:57:12.66
because it was my dream
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.46
that the one who had helped
me when I was disheveled hippie.
00:57:14.50\00:57:19.93
Oh, my friends, God
has a call in your life.
00:57:19.97\00:57:25.91
Do you love Him today?
00:57:25.94\00:57:28.54
Please don't turn away.
00:57:28.58\00:57:31.38
What a friend, what a
friend you have in Jesus.
00:57:31.41\00:57:37.85
Although sudden
and alarming changes
00:57:39.52\00:57:41.69
are sweeping across the globe
00:57:41.72\00:57:43.73
you and your
family can be prepared
00:57:43.76\00:57:45.59
to face the
future with confidence.
00:57:45.63\00:57:48.33
The complete set
of Amazing Prophecies
00:57:48.36\00:57:50.73
on DVD are available
for a gift of $60 or more.
00:57:50.77\00:57:54.94
Call us at 1-855-336-FREE
00:57:54.97\00:57:59.74
or send your
check or money order
00:57:59.77\00:58:01.34
to Forever Free Ministries,
00:58:01.38\00:58:03.51
2001 Munro Park,
00:58:03.55\00:58:06.38
Corinth, Texas, 76208.
00:58:06.41\00:58:11.52
If you would
like to have Mark Fox
00:58:11.55\00:58:12.89
hold an Amazing Prophecy seminar
00:58:12.92\00:58:14.26
or a marriage seminar weekend
00:58:14.29\00:58:15.66
in your church contact us today,
00:58:15.69\00:58:18.16
markfox
@foreverfreeministries.org
00:58:18.19\00:58:22.03