Welcome to Anchors Of Truth live
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Thriving Faith In Difficult
Times, with Jim Gilley.
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We come now to the
last sitting in our series
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as we have looked at
the practical aspects
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of being a
Christian in a modern world,
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which is not always
conducive to Christianity
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and to Christian growth.
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We have looked at fear,
and how to deal with that.
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We looked at worry,
and how to deal with that.
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We've also looked at the aspect
of resting and abiding in Christ
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in times that
are really troublous.
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We've looked at our world,
and our speaker, Jim Gilley,
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has given us answers
to some of the questions
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that we ask from time to
time as we face the problems
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that the world throws at us
each and every day of our lives.
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It is good to know that we
are not alone in this world.
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It is good to know that God
has promised never to leave us
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nor forsake us, and that on
the other end of our prayers,
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there is a God who
hears and knows how to answer.
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But more than that, is
ready, willing, and more than
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able to answer.
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And so today, I like this title,
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Applying God's
Antidote for Anxiety.
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You know, it's good
to apply Jesus, they say,
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"at the point of attack."
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You always put Jesus up
front and let Him, as they say,
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"catch the bullets," because
Christ is more than able to
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protect us and to shield us.
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My name is C.A. Murray and
it is my privilege and pleasure
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once again to welcome
you to this last sitting.
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And time goes by
so very, very fast.
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Just several nights ago,
we began our walk together.
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And here today, we end it with
this most crucial assertment,
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sort of the, dare I way,
the cherry on the sundae;
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applying Christ at
the point of attack
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in this world that
attacks us so very, very much.
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I like this, Applying
God's Antidote for Anxiety.
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We thank God for our speaker.
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Jim Gilley is the president of
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Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
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He comes to us with much
experience, having served as
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pastor, evangelist,
conference president,
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and also North American
Division Vice President,
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Having had a
background in media management,
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he comes to this
pulpit with great experience.
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But more than that, with
the anointing of the Lord.
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And so I ask from you
for him, your prayerful
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and undivided attention.
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Before he speaks, our Pastor,
our friend, John Lomacang
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will be singing a
song that is most fitting,
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Sometimes It Takes A Storm.
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And as he is making his
way out, I ask you now to bow
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your heads with me in prayer.
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Gracious Father, we come to
You now again, beseeching Your
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presence and Your power.
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We are thankful, Lord, that
You are the honored guest here.
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We are thankful that You
have met with this speaker,
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that You have
given him words for us.
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And now we ask
that through Your power,
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he may be emboldened,
enabled, and anointed
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to deliver that word with power.
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But more than that, we
ask for open and receptive
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hearts and minds
for those in this house
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and for those who sit and
listen and hear around the world
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who expect to hear
a word from the Lord.
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May they indeed
hear that word this day.
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And we thank You for
Your presence and Your power,
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and for what we know You
are going to do in answer
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to the prayer of faith.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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When your waters are so troubled
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you don't think
you count at all.
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The waves may
seem like mountains
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and your boat seems oh so small.
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But somewhere past the clouds
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waits a new day to begin.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to calm the storm within.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to know you need a shelter.
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When the anchors in your life
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disappear without a trace.
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Sometimes the winds will rage
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before you sail calm waters.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to find your hiding place.
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They were
drifting in the darkness
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and the sea was all around.
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They cried out to the Master
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"Please save us or we'll drown."
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Jesus heard their cries
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and with mercy stilled the wind.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to see the Son again.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to know you need a shelter.
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When the anchors in your life
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disappear without a trace.
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Sometimes the winds will rage
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before you sail
calm waters again.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to find your hiding place.
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Sometimes the winds will rage
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before you sail calm waters.
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Sometimes it takes a storm
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to find your hiding place.
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Lord, thank You for the storms
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for You are my hiding place.
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You are my hiding place.
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Thank you, John.
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He is our
hiding place, isn't He.
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He certainly is.
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Praise the Lord
for that assurance.
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Because without it, we
wouldn't have a whole lot
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to hold on to, would we.
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We certainly would not.
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Shall we bow our heads for just
a short added word of prayer.
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Father in heaven, we pray
for Your leading, Your guidance,
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Your direction as
we study Your word.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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I'd like for you to take your
Bibles and turn with me, please,
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to 1 Timothy the 6th
chapter and verse 11.
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1 Timothy the 6th
chapter and verse 11.
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"But you, O man of
God, flee these things..."
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And it's talking
about these things up ahead
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that are mentioned before,
which is the pursuit of money
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and things of that nature.
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"...and pursue righteousness..."
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See, God wants us to
be pursuing righteousness.
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"...godliness, faith,
love, patience, gentleness."
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These are things that God
says we should be pursuing,
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and not the
things of this world.
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You know, sometimes we get the
idea that we ought to have...
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You don't want a house any
more with a two car garage.
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You know, you want three.
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You just got to have
a little bigger place.
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Oh, four.
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Not long ago, Camille
and I went to see some folks
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and they had ten,
was it, ten garages.
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Wow, I hope they had cars in all
of them because a lot of garages
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you go to, it's everything
but a car in the garage.
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But ten garages.
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You see, we are
sometimes looking to add things.
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But God says don't
pursue those things.
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He says, add to your character,
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add to the change.
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That's something that
you can take with you.
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And then it says in verse
12, and this is what we're
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looking for here,
"Fight the good fight of faith,
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lay hold on eternal life,
to which you were also called
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and have confessed the
good confession in the presence
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of many witnesses."
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"Fight the good fight of faith."
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You know, that word
"fight" is the word "agon".
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And so when it
says, "fight the fight,"
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we get our word
"agony" from this,
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you might could say,
"agonize the agony of faith."
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If you think that faith is easy,
you haven't tried having faith.
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If you think that trust
is just a second nature,
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then you have really
never entered into trust.
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Because it's not, it's something
that is far more difficult
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for us to have in our lives
than people would ever think.
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"Fight the good fight of faith."
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I remember, it was the
summer between my freshman
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and sophomore years in college.
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In my freshman year,
I had fallen in love.
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I actually fell in
love at the end of my senior
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year in high school.
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I probably wouldn't
have even gone to college
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if that girl hadn't been there.
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And I loved that girl.
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I fell for her.
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In fact, somebody
the other day said to me,
00:13:05.34\00:13:08.55
"You've really
only loved one woman
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in your life, haven't you."
00:13:10.95\00:13:12.32
And I said, "That's right."
00:13:12.64\00:13:14.15
One.
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And it was the girl I
had fallen in love with.
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She's sitting on the front
row intimidating me right now.
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But that girl and I
had broken up in the spring
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of my freshman year in college.
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I finished out that school year.
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And then that summer, I
was working as a salesman.
00:13:39.36\00:13:44.72
And I was
selling sewing machines.
00:13:45.31\00:13:48.89
I had done all
kinds of sales work.
00:13:49.61\00:13:51.86
I'd worked as a
literature evangelist,
00:13:51.89\00:13:56.61
and I had sold pots
and pans once for a while.
00:13:56.64\00:14:00.97
And I had found that I
could make more money selling
00:14:01.00\00:14:05.06
than I could
working by the hour.
00:14:05.09\00:14:07.09
I worked for my dad by the hour
and he didn't pay all that much.
00:14:07.53\00:14:11.80
And finally, one day I said
to him; he was complaining about
00:14:11.83\00:14:16.20
paying me minimum wage.
00:14:16.23\00:14:18.16
Minimum wage was not that
much even then, believe me.
00:14:18.19\00:14:21.76
It was really minimum then.
00:14:21.79\00:14:23.65
And he was
paying me minimum wage.
00:14:24.61\00:14:26.61
And I complained.
00:14:26.62\00:14:28.30
And he said, "Do you want me
to pay you what you're worth?"
00:14:29.46\00:14:32.92
I said, "Yes, pay
me what I'm worth.
00:14:33.94\00:14:36.07
I deserve to be
paid what I'm worth."
00:14:36.10\00:14:38.54
And when I went and
looked at the time clock,
00:14:39.38\00:14:41.32
it said 50 cents an hour.
00:14:41.35\00:14:43.10
Minimum wage was a dollar
and a quarter, I mean, you know.
00:14:44.36\00:14:48.28
I said, "What in
the.. What are you saying?"
00:14:48.31\00:14:51.12
He said, "Son,
you've got food paid for,
00:14:51.15\00:14:54.90
you've got lodging paid for.
00:14:54.91\00:14:56.63
You drive my car
and you burn my gas."
00:14:56.64\00:14:59.58
"I pay for all that," he said.
00:15:01.41\00:15:03.37
He said, "I wish I could
net 50 cents an hour myself."
00:15:04.08\00:15:07.77
And he owned the business.
00:15:07.80\00:15:09.59
I said, "Are you
kidding? It's that bad?"
00:15:09.62\00:15:11.87
He said, "It's pretty bad."
00:15:12.39\00:15:13.41
So I found that I
could sell sewing machines or
00:15:13.44\00:15:16.82
anything else, and
make more money than I could
00:15:16.85\00:15:18.60
working for my dad.
00:15:18.63\00:15:19.82
That was for sure.
00:15:19.85\00:15:21.12
And that summer, I was
having a pretty good summer
00:15:21.80\00:15:24.04
selling sewing machines.
00:15:24.07\00:15:25.79
And the gentleman
that was in charge of it,
00:15:26.38\00:15:30.10
there were 26 sales people.
00:15:30.13\00:15:32.02
And I did not
work on the Sabbath.
00:15:32.05\00:15:35.63
That was the
biggest day for sales.
00:15:35.67\00:15:38.46
But in spite of that,
out of 26 sales people,
00:15:39.07\00:15:42.92
I was number two and I
was very close to number one.
00:15:42.95\00:15:48.39
Number one told me, he said,
"I don't know how in the world
00:15:48.42\00:15:50.93
you do it not
working on the Sabbath."
00:15:50.96\00:15:52.88
I said, "Well,
the Lord helps me."
00:15:52.91\00:15:54.85
By the way, if you're
fighting with that decision,
00:15:54.88\00:15:57.58
the Lord will help you.
00:15:57.61\00:15:59.40
I have never seen any of
God's people begging for bread.
00:15:59.43\00:16:03.70
And I mean it from
the bottom of my heart.
00:16:03.73\00:16:06.87
The Lord takes care of them.
00:16:06.90\00:16:08.31
You think there's a whole lot
of problems financially here?
00:16:08.34\00:16:12.05
You go out and look
in this parking lot.
00:16:12.08\00:16:13.99
If it is, something is
going on because there are some
00:16:14.00\00:16:18.15
awful nice vehicles out
there in the parking lot.
00:16:18.16\00:16:21.53
God takes care of His children.
00:16:21.56\00:16:24.08
Well anyway, that
summer I was at camp meeting.
00:16:24.59\00:16:28.71
And I was really, it was Friday
night and I was waiting for
00:16:29.95\00:16:34.23
some of my friends to come.
00:16:34.26\00:16:35.74
And I was sitting out on the
campus there at Southwestern,
00:16:35.75\00:16:39.71
and I was thinking
about all these things.
00:16:39.74\00:16:42.12
And I was thinking about the
fact that my girlfriend and I
00:16:42.15\00:16:45.72
were not together any more.
00:16:45.73\00:16:47.29
And I really didn't
have much hope that we would
00:16:47.91\00:16:50.17
ever be back together.
00:16:50.20\00:16:51.44
It was about a year
before we did get back together.
00:16:51.47\00:16:54.09
And I was
thinking about my life.
00:16:54.92\00:16:57.70
What am I going
to do with my life?
00:16:58.10\00:17:00.07
What am I going
to be involved with?
00:17:00.10\00:17:02.50
I had loved baseball.
00:17:02.53\00:17:04.06
And right out of high school,
I'd signed a contract with
00:17:04.07\00:17:06.45
the Giants to play baseball.
00:17:06.48\00:17:09.16
Not on the major league level,
on the minor league level.
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.65
That's where you start out.
00:17:11.68\00:17:12.78
I don't know if I would
have ever made it or not.
00:17:12.79\00:17:15.28
My dad was always telling
me, "Son, you'll make it.
00:17:15.31\00:17:18.04
You're the luckiest human being
I've ever seen in my life."
00:17:18.07\00:17:21.76
And he said, "Every
team you've ever played on
00:17:22.52\00:17:24.87
has been a winner.
00:17:24.88\00:17:26.14
And every time, you've
always led the team in hitting
00:17:26.15\00:17:28.95
and everything else."
00:17:28.98\00:17:30.08
And he said,
"You're just lucky."
00:17:30.11\00:17:31.98
He said, "You could
fall in a bucket of mud..."
00:17:32.01\00:17:35.07
Now he didn't call it
that, but something else.
00:17:35.47\00:17:37.46
But he said, "You
could fall in a bucket of mud
00:17:37.49\00:17:40.89
and come out
smelling like perfume."
00:17:40.90\00:17:43.11
Now that was what he said.
00:17:44.07\00:17:45.69
He said, "You will make
it to the major leagues."
00:17:46.11\00:17:48.66
But the year before, I had
decided that there was no way
00:17:49.49\00:17:52.81
I could be a Sabbath keeper
00:17:52.84\00:17:54.47
and play major or
minor league baseball.
00:17:54.77\00:17:58.04
There was no way,
particularly in those days.
00:17:58.07\00:18:00.70
There have been one or
two people that have done it,
00:18:00.73\00:18:03.53
but it was a strain for them.
00:18:03.54\00:18:05.72
They didn't do it
until many, many years later.
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.36
But there was a player
with the Minnesota Twins.
00:18:08.87\00:18:12.68
They called him The Sundown Kid.
00:18:12.71\00:18:14.38
He would play until 15 minutes
before the sundown on Friday
00:18:14.89\00:18:19.71
and he would check
out of the game no matter
00:18:20.21\00:18:22.32
when or where he was.
00:18:22.35\00:18:23.64
And then he would come
back in at 15 minutes after
00:18:24.25\00:18:26.99
sundown on Sabbath.
00:18:27.02\00:18:29.40
And his nickname
was The Sundown Kid.
00:18:29.87\00:18:32.63
I thought, appropriate.
00:18:32.64\00:18:34.61
So I was thinking
about all these things.
00:18:34.64\00:18:38.44
Where am I going to
go? What am I going to do?
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.34
What am I going to be?
00:18:40.35\00:18:41.45
And the thought came to me...
00:18:42.35\00:18:44.77
Because I had read
Matthew 5, I knew what sin was.
00:18:45.70\00:18:51.03
I knew that I wasn't stealing,
killing, committing adultery,
00:18:51.43\00:18:54.53
but that sin is
something in the mind as well.
00:18:54.56\00:18:59.03
You may not
actively be doing things,
00:18:59.06\00:19:01.78
but you are still a sinner.
00:19:01.79\00:19:04.12
And I knew that I would
never be good enough for heaven.
00:19:04.15\00:19:07.71
Never.
00:19:08.88\00:19:09.88
And suddenly it hit me.
00:19:10.49\00:19:12.10
You know what's going to happen?
00:19:12.13\00:19:13.69
You're going to miss out on
the good things of this world,
00:19:14.10\00:19:17.92
and you're going to
miss out on heaven as well.
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.24
You're going to miss it all.
00:19:20.27\00:19:21.89
You need to take
one way or the other.
00:19:23.25\00:19:25.62
There's no need of
missing out on both.
00:19:26.02\00:19:29.26
Now that was a
moment of truth in my life.
00:19:30.64\00:19:33.75
I was 18 years old.
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.96
And I remember that
moment of truth very well.
00:19:38.05\00:19:43.23
I was sitting there
thinking, there's no way that
00:19:43.93\00:19:46.34
I can be perfect.
00:19:46.37\00:19:47.39
There's no way
that I can save myself.
00:19:47.42\00:19:49.34
There's no way
that I will be saved.
00:19:49.37\00:19:53.07
Across the campus, a man by
the name of Leon Strickland,
00:19:55.24\00:19:59.98
who was the Associate
Pastor of the college church
00:20:00.01\00:20:05.68
at Southwestern, was
walking across the campus
00:20:05.69\00:20:09.51
headed for the auditorium.
00:20:09.54\00:20:11.11
And he saw me.
00:20:12.27\00:20:13.51
And he said, "Jim,
what are you doing?"
00:20:14.41\00:20:18.18
I said, "I'm just
thinking about things."
00:20:18.58\00:20:20.64
We talked about a few things.
00:20:21.82\00:20:23.86
He even said to me,
he said, "You know..."
00:20:25.11\00:20:27.31
I did a little
singing in those days.
00:20:28.49\00:20:30.68
He said, "You've
had your heart broken
00:20:31.77\00:20:34.18
and you're different.
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.51
Your music has got a depth to
it that it didn't have before,
00:20:37.67\00:20:41.52
because your
heart has been broken."
00:20:42.25\00:20:44.02
I said, "Well, I'm
thinking about eternal life."
00:20:45.65\00:20:50.42
And I shared with him
my thoughts that I would
00:20:52.69\00:20:55.37
miss out on both.
00:20:55.38\00:20:56.99
And he said, "There's no reason
for you to miss out on both."
00:20:57.97\00:21:00.62
I said, "Elder
Strickland, I cannot be perfect.
00:21:00.65\00:21:06.08
I know what sin really is.
00:21:06.11\00:21:10.50
I know what it is.
00:21:11.62\00:21:13.49
And I know that sometime
in the heat of the battle,
00:21:14.36\00:21:18.51
I will have an angry thought.
00:21:19.48\00:21:22.22
And the Lord says, 'If you
are angry with your brother.'"
00:21:22.25\00:21:26.25
I had brothers that I
got angry at all the time.
00:21:27.19\00:21:29.69
I mean, you know.
00:21:29.72\00:21:30.79
I loved them, but we
would certainly have a little
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.93
anger from time to time.
00:21:33.96\00:21:35.09
And that doesn't just
mean your flesh and blood.
00:21:35.12\00:21:37.62
I said, "Lord, I
know I can't be saved."
00:21:38.62\00:21:43.30
And then Leon Strickland
began to share with me
00:21:44.61\00:21:48.24
righteousness by faith.
00:21:48.27\00:21:50.65
Now I'm going to
tell you something.
00:21:51.97\00:21:53.58
You know, I believe so much.
00:21:54.18\00:21:56.26
And I believe in the
three angels messages.
00:21:56.29\00:22:01.14
And we may end up
there this afternoon.
00:22:02.00\00:22:04.62
Who knows, because I
never know exactly where I'm
00:22:04.65\00:22:07.24
going when I get started.
00:22:07.27\00:22:08.40
My wife looks at me
like, "Where is he going?"
00:22:08.41\00:22:11.66
You know, and I can see that.
00:22:11.69\00:22:13.75
Let me read you this.
00:22:14.16\00:22:15.40
Ellen white, in speaking
about the three angels messages,
00:22:16.76\00:22:21.26
she says, "Several have
written to me, inquiring
00:22:21.29\00:22:25.05
if the message of
justification by faith is
00:22:25.57\00:22:30.11
the third angel's
message, and I have answered,
00:22:30.14\00:22:35.01
'It is the third
angel's message, in verity.'"
00:22:35.04\00:22:40.16
It is the third angels message.
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.54
The Review and
Herald, April 1, 1890
00:22:43.57\00:22:46.03
and Evangelism, page 190.
00:22:46.83\00:22:49.99
I tell you, it is.
00:22:50.79\00:22:52.97
If you read the
third angels message,
00:22:53.00\00:22:55.53
"the hour of His
judgment has come."
00:22:55.56\00:22:57.75
Remember the
commandments, it tells us.
00:22:57.78\00:23:00.89
It leads us to Jesus.
00:23:00.92\00:23:02.89
That's the message.
00:23:04.23\00:23:05.75
My friend, as Leon Strickland
began to share with me
00:23:07.28\00:23:13.32
these thoughts, I said, "Oh,
I wish I could believe that.
00:23:13.35\00:23:18.29
I wish I could believe that."
00:23:18.75\00:23:21.37
And he said, "It's true."
00:23:22.16\00:23:23.47
I said, "Our church
doesn't teach that."
00:23:23.50\00:23:25.77
And I want to
tell you something.
00:23:26.37\00:23:27.52
That in those particular days,
those of you that were around
00:23:27.55\00:23:32.76
in those days know that
the emphasis was on works first
00:23:32.79\00:23:38.04
and faith last instead
of the other way around.
00:23:38.07\00:23:42.71
And I said to him,
"Where did you get this?"
00:23:43.79\00:23:46.65
He said, "I got it
from a book called,
00:23:47.18\00:23:49.89
Christ Our Righteousness.
00:23:49.92\00:23:51.99
It's a compilation
by A.G. Daniells of the
00:23:52.59\00:23:56.18
writings of Ellen White."
00:23:56.21\00:23:57.68
And I said, "I've read the
writings of Ellen White and
00:23:58.89\00:24:01.51
I just got more
discouraged when I read them
00:24:01.52\00:24:04.73
because they uphold
such a high standard.
00:24:05.29\00:24:08.53
And I know what a human I am.
00:24:08.54\00:24:10.85
And there's just no way."
00:24:11.52\00:24:13.77
And he said,
"You read that book."
00:24:14.87\00:24:18.09
Well let me tell you, I
went home that next week.
00:24:18.97\00:24:23.11
And when I went home,
I realized that I needed
00:24:24.06\00:24:32.19
to read that book.
00:24:32.22\00:24:33.85
Now that book was not
real popular at that time.
00:24:34.90\00:24:40.37
And so I asked my
mother the next Friday night...
00:24:41.03\00:24:43.60
I was thinking about going out
because hanging around our house
00:24:44.30\00:24:47.69
was not necessarily
the thing you wanted
00:24:47.72\00:24:49.09
to do on Friday night.
00:24:49.12\00:24:50.22
The television was on.
00:24:50.52\00:24:51.86
Most of the members of
our family were not believers.
00:24:52.26\00:24:56.24
And it was not
necessarily the place to be.
00:24:56.72\00:24:59.12
Mother would be in the
back room with her Bible.
00:24:59.15\00:25:01.11
And what am I going to do?
00:25:02.02\00:25:03.82
So usually I'd go get a
friend or two and we would
00:25:04.20\00:25:07.13
just drive around.
00:25:07.14\00:25:08.15
We didn't do anything
good, we didn't do anything bad.
00:25:08.18\00:25:10.30
We just went.
00:25:11.22\00:25:12.89
And I remember that
particular night, I said to mom,
00:25:14.07\00:25:18.26
"Do we have the book,
Christ Our Righteousness?"
00:25:18.29\00:25:21.28
And she said, "No,
I've never heard of it."
00:25:22.14\00:25:25.27
Now we had one bookcase.
00:25:26.03\00:25:28.36
There were mostly
spirit of prophesy books in it.
00:25:28.76\00:25:31.87
There were a few
other books that were in it.
00:25:31.90\00:25:35.78
But that bookcase was
right in the living room.
00:25:35.81\00:25:40.59
And I sat down in the
chair next to that bookcase
00:25:41.45\00:25:45.69
and I started looking
for something to read.
00:25:45.72\00:25:49.55
"Mom, we don't have it?"
00:25:50.86\00:25:52.13
"No, we don't have
it. Never heard of it."
00:25:52.16\00:25:54.69
And then I saw on the bottom
shelf, a book that was wrapped
00:25:55.42\00:26:00.94
in brown paper wrapping
like they did in those days,
00:26:00.97\00:26:05.29
with the title that
was stamped on the end.
00:26:05.32\00:26:09.95
I knew before I even
reached for that book
00:26:09.98\00:26:13.39
that is was,
Christ Our Righteousness.
00:26:13.42\00:26:15.77
I knew it.
00:26:16.31\00:26:17.73
When I picked it up and I
saw it written across the end,
00:26:18.73\00:26:22.71
I was not a bit surprised.
00:26:22.74\00:26:24.98
And I asked mother,
"Where did you get this book?"
00:26:25.66\00:26:28.18
She said, "I've never
seen that book in my life."
00:26:28.21\00:26:30.89
Now I know that my
mom must have bought it
00:26:30.92\00:26:33.59
at one of those book
sales at camp meeting.
00:26:33.62\00:26:35.92
And they were probably
selling it for 50 cents
00:26:35.95\00:26:38.34
or something like that.
00:26:38.37\00:26:39.37
And she just bought
it, brought it home,
00:26:39.38\00:26:41.26
put it on the stack, and
never knew where she got it,
00:26:41.29\00:26:44.41
didn't even know what she had.
00:26:44.44\00:26:45.95
But God had it there for me.
00:26:46.40\00:26:48.51
That very book that
Strickland had told me about
00:26:49.46\00:26:53.18
the Friday night before.
00:26:53.21\00:26:55.84
And I opened it and
I started reading it.
00:26:56.62\00:27:00.13
And I want to
tell you something.
00:27:00.67\00:27:02.40
I read that book
through eight times
00:27:02.80\00:27:07.48
before I picked up another book.
00:27:07.88\00:27:10.00
It has a message of
righteousness by faith.
00:27:10.95\00:27:13.57
Now today when I
read it, I say to myself,
00:27:13.60\00:27:15.95
"I don't know why
this impacted me so much."
00:27:15.98\00:27:18.10
Because we've broadened so much,
we've become so well versed
00:27:18.13\00:27:23.21
upon righteousness by faith.
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.18
But see, this was before
the years of Heppenstall and
00:27:25.21\00:27:29.54
before the years of Venden,
and before the years of Blazen,
00:27:29.57\00:27:33.08
and before the years of
those who have championed
00:27:33.11\00:27:35.66
this message.
00:27:36.26\00:27:38.34
And it had been lost
back at the time after
00:27:39.15\00:27:45.97
Ellen White passed away.
00:27:45.98\00:27:47.66
She was preaching it.
00:27:47.96\00:27:49.38
She preached it all along.
00:27:49.41\00:27:51.00
In fact, she preached
it so hard, they sent her
00:27:51.03\00:27:53.90
to Australia because she was
preaching the message so hard.
00:27:53.93\00:27:59.05
But she preached it.
00:28:00.50\00:28:01.89
And she believed it.
00:28:02.19\00:28:03.50
And it's right there.
00:28:04.18\00:28:05.65
Somebody said, "Well,
what did you find there?"
00:28:05.68\00:28:07.94
Let me tell you.
00:28:07.97\00:28:08.97
There's one text that I
found, one statement I'm going
00:28:08.99\00:28:11.48
to read to you and that's all.
00:28:11.49\00:28:12.49
If you want to read the book,
you need to read it yourself.
00:28:12.52\00:28:15.61
It said that righteousness by
faith, "Christ our righteousness
00:28:15.86\00:28:23.98
is the one sublime message
set forth in sacred scriptures."
00:28:24.01\00:28:31.21
That's it.
00:28:31.61\00:28:32.83
"Christ our righteousness
is the one sublime message."
00:28:33.69\00:28:39.67
From Genesis to Revelation, this
is what it's trying to tell us.
00:28:39.70\00:28:44.14
"However varied the forms
and phrases in which the message
00:28:44.55\00:28:49.13
may be unfolded..."
00:28:49.16\00:28:50.81
They'll be varied.
00:28:50.84\00:28:52.76
However they'll be
unfolded and presented.
00:28:53.80\00:28:56.14
"...yet always from
every point of the circle,
00:28:56.17\00:29:00.86
the central commanding theme
is Christ our righteousness."
00:29:00.89\00:29:07.73
How will we
survive in the future?
00:29:08.50\00:29:11.71
Through Jesus Christ.
00:29:12.47\00:29:14.29
And through Him alone.
00:29:15.01\00:29:16.73
There is no other
way except through Him.
00:29:17.40\00:29:24.44
You see, there are a lot of good
things about self discipline.
00:29:24.96\00:29:27.85
And yet there are some dangerous
things about self discipline,
00:29:28.78\00:29:31.92
because sometimes we
feel like that we are so good
00:29:31.93\00:29:36.86
and so discipline.
00:29:36.89\00:29:38.14
And if you don't watch
it, we will actually sometimes
00:29:38.17\00:29:41.85
start to try to save ourselves,
00:29:41.88\00:29:43.87
or feel
comfortable in ourselves,
00:29:45.18\00:29:48.07
by looking at ourselves
and saying, "Well I may not
00:29:48.10\00:29:50.58
be perfect, but I'm sure a
whole lot better than so and so.
00:29:50.61\00:29:55.33
At least I don't
have his problems."
00:29:55.98\00:29:57.87
And so and so may be closer
to the kingdom than we are
00:29:59.26\00:30:04.48
because of his total
dependence upon the Lord
00:30:05.19\00:30:09.26
and his total
feelings of unworthiness.
00:30:09.29\00:30:14.16
Some of you may have
heard of the marshmallow test.
00:30:14.57\00:30:19.08
The marshmallow test was
developed by Dr. Walter Mischel
00:30:19.93\00:30:26.23
at Stanford University.
00:30:26.26\00:30:28.65
It has been given
for years to kids that,
00:30:28.68\00:30:31.12
I think, are around
3 years old usually.
00:30:31.15\00:30:33.84
And what they do is, they say
that if a child is able to delay
00:30:34.44\00:30:40.71
gratification, that he has a
great chance for a good future.
00:30:40.74\00:30:47.75
The longer he can delay
gratification, the more likely
00:30:47.78\00:30:51.16
he is not to get into
drugs, the more likely his is
00:30:51.19\00:30:56.37
not to get into
certain habits that can come,
00:30:56.40\00:31:00.13
the more likely he
is to finish school,
00:31:00.14\00:31:03.34
if he does well on
the marshmallow test.
00:31:04.46\00:31:08.21
And they give
the marshmallow test.
00:31:08.99\00:31:11.57
Now this test wouldn't
have worked with me because
00:31:12.25\00:31:14.42
I never did care
for marshmallows.
00:31:14.45\00:31:15.83
But if they'd had
a Snicker bar there,
00:31:15.86\00:31:19.51
it might have been different.
00:31:19.54\00:31:20.67
Or a Little Debbie.
00:31:22.50\00:31:24.45
I haven't had
either one in years.
00:31:26.17\00:31:27.83
I just want to let
you know that, alright.
00:31:27.86\00:31:29.49
If I did, you'd see
twice what you see now
00:31:30.57\00:31:34.08
if I ate like that.
00:31:34.09\00:31:35.44
But I was interested in
the results of this test.
00:31:36.70\00:31:41.77
And they said that
some of these children
00:31:41.78\00:31:44.09
would sit on their
hands rather than to
00:31:44.12\00:31:46.20
reach out and
eat that marshmallow.
00:31:46.23\00:31:48.28
Because they would
put a marshmallow down.
00:31:48.31\00:31:50.48
I think it was two
marshmallows, actually.
00:31:50.51\00:31:52.19
No, it was one and they said
if you don't eat the marshmallow
00:31:52.22\00:31:57.75
until I get back, I'll
give you two more marshmallows.
00:31:57.78\00:32:01.76
That made three.
00:32:01.79\00:32:02.84
I'll give you two if
you don't eat the one.
00:32:04.27\00:32:06.70
And those kids, some of them...
00:32:07.43\00:32:09.70
Now others, before
they even left the room had
00:32:09.73\00:32:11.86
already eaten it, you know.
00:32:11.89\00:32:13.09
And they judged a
lot by the marshmallow
00:32:15.07\00:32:18.23
about the childs future.
00:32:18.26\00:32:19.95
And they've had enough
years to study that study
00:32:19.98\00:32:23.35
to see that there are
some real facts here about
00:32:23.38\00:32:28.00
delayed gratification and a
child seemingly almost being
00:32:28.03\00:32:32.45
born with the ability to
delay some of these things.
00:32:32.48\00:32:37.15
Hmmm, that's right.
00:32:38.37\00:32:39.73
Remember my little
grandson that was here during
00:32:39.76\00:32:42.52
camp meeting, little Levi?
00:32:42.55\00:32:44.13
His mom, Amy, she was probably
the one that told me originally
00:32:45.69\00:32:49.58
about the marshmallow test.
00:32:49.61\00:32:50.94
She recently gave
Levi the marshmallow test.
00:32:51.95\00:32:56.06
Not with marshmallows because
he doesn't eat marshmallows.
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.34
But at the health food
store, there's a little
00:32:59.37\00:33:02.34
peanut butter cup
that he really likes.
00:33:02.37\00:33:04.96
Totally healthy, and
you can get them like at
00:33:04.99\00:33:08.34
Whole Foods or wherever.
00:33:08.37\00:33:09.87
And he likes those, and
he gets those on occasion
00:33:10.68\00:33:13.38
as a little treat.
00:33:13.41\00:33:15.18
And so she put him in the
room and she put one down.
00:33:15.21\00:33:18.18
And she said, "Now
Levi, I'll be back."
00:33:18.21\00:33:21.49
And she left for 15 minutes.
00:33:21.79\00:33:23.74
She was secretly watching him.
00:33:23.77\00:33:25.95
And she said, "If you
don't eat that, when I get back
00:33:26.56\00:33:30.43
I'll give you two more."
00:33:30.46\00:33:31.96
Well, she said he
really kind of looked at it and
00:33:33.39\00:33:36.43
really kind of studied it.
00:33:36.46\00:33:38.69
But when she came
back 15 minutes later,
00:33:39.10\00:33:42.61
he had not eaten it.
00:33:42.64\00:33:44.80
Now you know what he said then?
00:33:46.16\00:33:48.09
When she laid the other
two down, he said, "Mother,
00:33:48.12\00:33:51.82
if I go 15 more minutes,
will you give me three more?"
00:33:51.85\00:33:55.58
I suspect he'll be
a PhD. I don't know.
00:34:01.14\00:34:04.10
But I tell you, we did get
a real good laugh out of that
00:34:05.98\00:34:11.08
because he was negotiating
with her for a little bit more
00:34:11.11\00:34:15.68
to get out of that.
00:34:15.71\00:34:16.76
You see, the marshmallow
test, if we all had ability
00:34:16.79\00:34:20.08
to be victorious on our
own, it wouldn't be fair
00:34:20.95\00:34:26.32
to all, would it.
00:34:26.35\00:34:27.88
Don Schneider is my
good friend and I love him.
00:34:29.07\00:34:33.11
Don is German
through and through.
00:34:34.13\00:34:36.67
If you ever want to have a
real experience, go with Don
00:34:36.77\00:34:40.25
on the Martin
Luther trip to Germany.
00:34:40.28\00:34:44.19
And you will enjoy that.
00:34:44.60\00:34:47.18
By the way, if you want to
have another good experience,
00:34:47.21\00:34:48.99
go with me to Israel.
00:34:49.02\00:34:50.17
And I'm going again in November.
00:34:50.20\00:34:53.32
But Don, I tease him a lot.
00:34:54.19\00:34:58.84
I say, "You know, Don,
if it was by discipline,
00:34:58.87\00:35:03.81
only German's
would be in the kingdom."
00:35:03.84\00:35:06.18
They're the disciplined people.
00:35:07.19\00:35:09.07
The Irish and
Scottish and English,
00:35:10.09\00:35:12.70
not necessarily so disciplined.
00:35:12.73\00:35:15.65
And neither are the Italians.
00:35:16.15\00:35:18.08
Neither are so
many of the others.
00:35:18.11\00:35:20.78
You see, it's not
by our blood line.
00:35:21.18\00:35:26.57
It's by the blood of Jesus.
00:35:27.17\00:35:29.24
That is the difference.
00:35:29.88\00:35:32.43
So how do we have
victory in our life?
00:35:32.83\00:35:35.59
How does this take place?
00:35:35.60\00:35:37.20
I want you to go back with me
to Deuteronomy the 20th chapter.
00:35:37.23\00:35:40.63
Deuteronomy the 20th chapter,
and we find a technique here
00:35:41.48\00:35:46.29
that the Lord is talking
about that I believe He wants
00:35:46.32\00:35:49.20
us to put into effect.
00:35:49.23\00:35:50.77
Because we are
coming into difficult times.
00:35:50.80\00:35:53.75
Some people are telling
me saying, "We are already
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.12
in difficult times."
00:35:56.15\00:35:57.49
And always, there are
challenges that all of us face.
00:35:57.79\00:36:01.85
Every single one of
us face these challenges.
00:36:01.88\00:36:05.32
And it's like we said in
our meeting this morning;
00:36:06.20\00:36:09.18
the Bible says if you
can't run with the footmen,
00:36:09.19\00:36:11.76
how do you expect to
keep up with the horses?
00:36:11.79\00:36:14.18
Now that's a paraphrase.
00:36:14.21\00:36:15.87
But in other words,
there are going to be
00:36:15.90\00:36:18.64
difficult times ahead.
00:36:18.67\00:36:20.24
We've got to run now
with our Lord, totally.
00:36:20.27\00:36:24.22
This is Deuteronomy the 20th
chapter beginning with verse 1,
00:36:24.58\00:36:27.70
and I'm going to read it.
00:36:27.71\00:36:28.70
It says, "When you go to
battle against your enemies
00:36:28.73\00:36:31.55
and see horses and chariots and
people more numerous than you,
00:36:31.58\00:36:35.64
do not be afraid of them; for
the Lord your God is with you."
00:36:35.67\00:36:41.40
Now this was God talking
to the children of Israel
00:36:41.43\00:36:44.10
before they went into war.
00:36:44.13\00:36:45.54
Every time they went into war,
when He said He was with them,
00:36:45.57\00:36:49.91
they were victorious.
00:36:49.94\00:36:51.39
Every time they went into
war by themselves, the lost.
00:36:51.42\00:36:54.67
Every time you and I
go into war by ourselves,
00:36:54.87\00:36:57.70
we will be defeated.
00:36:57.73\00:37:00.20
When we go into a
spiritual battle with the Lord,
00:37:00.87\00:37:04.01
we will be victorious because
He is the one who is victorious.
00:37:04.04\00:37:09.11
"Do not be afraid of them; for
the Lord your God is with you,
00:37:09.41\00:37:12.06
who brought you up
from the land of Egypt.
00:37:12.09\00:37:14.13
So it shall be, when you
are on the verge of battle,
00:37:14.16\00:37:17.56
that the priest
shall approach..."
00:37:17.59\00:37:19.51
It doesn't say get a
General or the President
00:37:19.54\00:37:21.91
or the leader of the
country or anything like that.
00:37:21.94\00:37:24.01
It says bring the
spiritual leader there.
00:37:24.04\00:37:26.83
"...the priest shall approach
and speak to the people.
00:37:26.86\00:37:30.41
And he shall say to
them, 'Hear, O Israel:
00:37:30.44\00:37:32.84
Today you are on the verge
of battle with your enemies.
00:37:32.87\00:37:36.13
Do not let your heart
faint, do not be afraid.'"
00:37:36.16\00:37:40.96
Why?
00:37:41.25\00:37:42.25
Because when we are
afraid, we activate Satan.
00:37:42.45\00:37:46.92
When we have faith, God
is able to work in our lives.
00:37:47.38\00:37:51.61
Because we're trusting in Him.
00:37:51.64\00:37:53.99
"And he shall
say, 'Hear, O Israel:
00:37:54.54\00:37:56.15
Today you are on
the verge of battle.
00:37:56.18\00:37:57.53
Do not let your heart
faint, do not be afraid,
00:37:57.56\00:38:01.00
do not tremble or be
terrified because of them.'"
00:38:01.03\00:38:04.52
And here it comes, verse 4.
00:38:04.55\00:38:06.78
"For the Lord your God is He who
goes with you to fight for you
00:38:06.81\00:38:13.43
against your
enemies, to save you."
00:38:13.46\00:38:17.92
He says, "I will be
there, the Lord your God."
00:38:18.60\00:38:22.25
He will go with you.
00:38:23.18\00:38:24.78
It has to always be a
linking with us and with God.
00:38:25.33\00:38:30.21
No other way. No
other relationship.
00:38:30.92\00:38:35.55
We have got to
let the Lord be in us,
00:38:35.58\00:38:41.40
that He will take control of us.
00:38:42.88\00:38:44.87
This text says, don't be afraid.
00:38:45.53\00:38:47.79
It says that God fights for
us and that the battle is His.
00:38:48.68\00:38:55.26
Now this is the way that
God told Israel to go to battle.
00:38:55.29\00:38:59.24
I believe it's the way we
should go to battle today.
00:38:59.66\00:39:02.11
Anytime you're going,
and every day is a battle.
00:39:02.14\00:39:05.65
So write these texts down.
00:39:05.68\00:39:07.70
Deuteronomy the 20th
chapter beginning with verse 1.
00:39:07.73\00:39:10.94
And I believe that
every spiritual battle,
00:39:10.97\00:39:14.06
we should go with that.
00:39:14.09\00:39:16.29
Then we turn to 1
Samuel the 17th chapter.
00:39:16.32\00:39:21.04
And you will recognize
this immediately as the story
00:39:21.89\00:39:26.52
of David and Goliath.
00:39:26.55\00:39:28.87
David is about 12
years old, probably.
00:39:30.60\00:39:34.40
There is no way on earth
that he is a match for Goliath.
00:39:35.09\00:39:38.71
There is no way on
earth that you and I are a
00:39:38.74\00:39:41.55
match for the devil.
00:39:41.58\00:39:42.85
He has too many tricks.
He's been around too long.
00:39:43.57\00:39:46.46
Without Jesus, he can
wipe us out so easily.
00:39:47.43\00:39:51.65
And he will without Jesus.
00:39:52.13\00:39:55.19
Now David, you
remember that he came to,
00:39:55.81\00:39:58.83
he didn't even come to fight.
00:39:58.84\00:40:00.21
He came to be with his
brothers to bring them some food
00:40:00.24\00:40:03.61
and some nourishment.
00:40:03.64\00:40:05.33
And then he comes
and he sees Goliath.
00:40:05.36\00:40:09.06
And he's wondering why
somebody doesn't do something.
00:40:09.88\00:40:12.91
You see, if Saul had
known Deuteronomy 20,
00:40:12.94\00:40:16.88
Saul himself should
have gone to meet the giant,
00:40:16.91\00:40:20.44
knowing that it
wouldn't be Saul and the giant,
00:40:20.81\00:40:23.26
it would be Saul with
the Lord against the giant.
00:40:23.29\00:40:28.26
But Saul, if he ever
did know Deuteronomy 20,
00:40:29.30\00:40:32.01
had forgotten it.
00:40:32.04\00:40:33.54
He was focusing on his
own powers, which he knew he
00:40:34.10\00:40:38.24
wasn't a match for Goliath.
00:40:38.27\00:40:39.85
But he did not realize
that God would go with him.
00:40:40.92\00:40:44.14
But David did.
00:40:44.17\00:40:45.29
David, you'll see, that
he understood Deuteronomy 20.
00:40:46.06\00:40:50.86
Wherever he had been,
he wasn't out there with
00:40:51.49\00:40:54.04
the sheep all the time.
00:40:54.05\00:40:55.28
He was somewhere
studying the word of God,
00:40:55.31\00:40:57.73
because he knew Deuteronomy 20.
00:40:57.74\00:41:00.81
He knew God would be with him.
00:41:00.87\00:41:03.13
And he had practiced
that in little things.
00:41:03.16\00:41:05.95
You see, that's what
we're coming down to now.
00:41:05.98\00:41:08.50
Is that in this life now,
we're looking at surviving
00:41:08.53\00:41:12.18
the great controversy.
00:41:12.21\00:41:13.29
We're looking at
surviving the end time
00:41:13.32\00:41:15.79
problems that are coming.
00:41:15.80\00:41:17.02
They are going to come.
00:41:17.05\00:41:18.99
How do you survive them?
00:41:19.02\00:41:20.37
The same way you
survive these problems today.
00:41:20.40\00:41:23.45
And David talks
about a bear that came.
00:41:24.13\00:41:28.33
And he talks
about a lion that came.
00:41:28.61\00:41:31.13
And he didn't just
kill them from a distance.
00:41:31.71\00:41:34.02
He actually went to them.
00:41:34.85\00:41:36.76
It says, "I went out..."
00:41:36.79\00:41:39.24
They had, the lion, each of
them had a lamb in their mouth.
00:41:39.25\00:41:45.05
"I went out after it and struck
it, and delivered the lamb
00:41:45.08\00:41:48.19
from its mouth."
00:41:48.22\00:41:49.55
I mean, he was right in there
fighting with these two animals.
00:41:50.06\00:41:55.56
"And when it
arose against me..."
00:41:55.59\00:41:58.06
You take a meal away
from a lion, it's going to
00:41:58.30\00:42:02.39
arise against you.
00:42:02.40\00:42:03.95
I had to take something
away from a pit bull one time;
00:42:04.33\00:42:09.08
the neighbor's.
00:42:09.11\00:42:10.50
And boy, he arose against me.
00:42:11.24\00:42:13.14
But he had one of our
little puppies and was
00:42:13.92\00:42:18.05
about ready to devour it.
00:42:18.08\00:42:20.10
Now I just thank
the Lord I had on gloves
00:42:21.09\00:42:23.46
because that dog and
I went to fifth city.
00:42:23.49\00:42:28.45
And he ended up back
home and I ended up alright.
00:42:28.75\00:42:32.20
But David had
something more than a dog.
00:42:32.51\00:42:38.37
He had a lion.
00:42:39.22\00:42:40.63
And then he had a bear.
00:42:41.77\00:42:43.12
But then he says, "Your servant
has killed both lion and bear;
00:42:44.35\00:42:49.85
and this uncircumcised
Philistine will be like
00:42:50.25\00:42:53.38
one of them, seeing
that he has defied the armies
00:42:53.41\00:42:56.68
of the living God."
00:42:56.71\00:42:57.73
And they say if you can
read all this in the Hebrew,
00:42:57.98\00:43:00.62
that he was using all kinds
of profanities against God,
00:43:00.65\00:43:05.08
and saying all manner
of things against God.
00:43:05.09\00:43:08.48
"And David said, 'The Lord
who delivered me from the paw
00:43:08.78\00:43:12.22
of the lion and from the paw
of the bear, He will deliver me
00:43:12.25\00:43:15.70
from the hand of
this Philistine.'"
00:43:15.73\00:43:17.24
David wasn't
saying, "Hey, look at me.
00:43:17.33\00:43:19.33
I can really do
this. Boy, I'm tough."
00:43:19.36\00:43:21.82
That's not what he was saying.
00:43:22.52\00:43:23.95
He said, "The Lord
gave me that victory.
00:43:24.71\00:43:27.97
And the Lord will deliver
me from this Philistine."
00:43:28.58\00:43:32.72
And he knew that
would be the result.
00:43:33.02\00:43:37.99
I tell you, you'll want to
take this home and read it.
00:43:38.02\00:43:40.47
And those of you that are
home watching by television or
00:43:40.50\00:43:44.62
listening by radio, you'll
want to read this whole chapter.
00:43:44.65\00:43:48.05
It is a remarkable chapter.
00:43:48.08\00:43:50.14
David, you remember
all about the stones
00:43:50.44\00:43:53.50
and things of this nature.
00:43:53.53\00:43:55.32
And you remember that the
giant looked at him and he said,
00:43:55.35\00:44:00.33
"'Am I a dog, that you
come to me with sticks?'
00:44:00.34\00:44:03.52
And he cursed David by his gods.
00:44:03.55\00:44:06.88
And the Philistine
said to David, 'Come to me,
00:44:06.91\00:44:09.34
and I will give your
flesh to the birds of the air
00:44:09.37\00:44:12.52
and the beasts of the field.'"
00:44:12.55\00:44:14.42
And then David answered back.
00:44:14.45\00:44:16.27
I love the answer. I love it.
00:44:16.30\00:44:19.40
"You come to me with
a sword and with a spear
00:44:19.43\00:44:22.68
and with a javelin.
00:44:22.71\00:44:24.59
But I come to you in the
name of the Lord of hosts,
00:44:24.60\00:44:27.95
the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied."
00:44:27.98\00:44:31.70
When you're up against
temptation, don't go in
00:44:31.73\00:44:34.33
your own strength.
00:44:34.36\00:44:35.34
Go in the name of the Lord.
00:44:35.37\00:44:38.28
Go in His name.
00:44:38.88\00:44:41.27
"This day," he said, "the Lord
will deliver you into my hand."
00:44:41.30\00:44:46.05
He didn't say, "You know, I
think I've got a pretty good
00:44:46.08\00:44:48.39
chance with you."
00:44:48.42\00:44:49.48
No, that's not what he said.
00:44:49.51\00:44:50.86
He said, "The Lord is going
to deliver you into my hand,
00:44:50.89\00:44:56.75
and I will strike you
and take your head from you."
00:44:57.51\00:45:00.97
"I'm going to take
your head right off.
00:45:01.48\00:45:03.19
That ugly old head of
yours is going to be severed
00:45:03.22\00:45:06.96
from that
gigantic body of yours.
00:45:06.99\00:45:09.66
And I'm going to do it because
God is going to be with me."
00:45:10.19\00:45:14.13
And then in verse 47, "Then
all the assembly shall know
00:45:15.05\00:45:21.15
that the Lord does not
save with sword and spear;
00:45:21.18\00:45:24.98
for the battle is the
Lord's, and He will give you
00:45:25.01\00:45:29.93
into our hands."
00:45:29.96\00:45:32.30
And then you know what happened.
00:45:32.50\00:45:34.10
You know the amazing
things is, a lot of times
00:45:34.13\00:45:36.33
we don't realize it,
but there were two things
00:45:36.36\00:45:39.30
that David kept
from that experience.
00:45:39.33\00:45:44.12
One is, the skull of Goliath.
00:45:44.91\00:45:50.39
He grabbed it, I know
he grabbed it by the hair.
00:45:50.59\00:45:52.84
How else would you
carry a skull around
00:45:52.87\00:45:55.09
that you had just
severed from the body?
00:45:55.55\00:45:57.38
He carried it to Jerusalem.
00:45:57.85\00:45:59.70
And the victory was the Lord's.
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.26
He gave the Lord
the credit all the way.
00:46:03.29\00:46:06.95
People always try
to give him credit.
00:46:06.98\00:46:08.67
No, he gave the Lord the credit.
00:46:08.70\00:46:10.45
Then he took his sword, and
it says he put it in his tent.
00:46:11.13\00:46:15.44
And you know something?
00:46:17.19\00:46:18.35
Now you know what eventually...
00:46:18.94\00:46:20.47
By the way, that skull
shows up later on in the Bible.
00:46:20.50\00:46:23.82
You look it up and
you'll see where it shows up.
00:46:23.85\00:46:26.46
But I believe that David
took that skull, once it was
00:46:27.38\00:46:34.38
just a skull and nothing else
on it, put it in his duffle bag
00:46:34.41\00:46:39.92
along with that sword.
00:46:40.78\00:46:43.84
And sometimes when
things were going tough,
00:46:44.69\00:46:47.57
I think he brought
it out and looked at it.
00:46:48.55\00:46:50.63
"See that big old
crack up here on the skull?
00:46:50.99\00:46:53.84
The Lord was with
me in this battle.
00:46:55.08\00:46:57.48
He was there."
00:46:57.99\00:46:59.31
You know something?
00:47:00.14\00:47:01.38
You've got some things in
your tent where God has won
00:47:01.67\00:47:06.50
victories for you before.
00:47:06.53\00:47:08.30
Bring them out
every once in a while.
00:47:08.33\00:47:10.30
Take a look at them.
00:47:10.53\00:47:11.80
Remind yourself of how
God brought you through this,
00:47:11.83\00:47:15.99
how He brought you through that.
00:47:16.02\00:47:17.69
How this illness looked
like it would be the thing that
00:47:17.72\00:47:21.26
would do you in, but
God brought you through.
00:47:21.27\00:47:24.84
Look at it.
00:47:24.87\00:47:26.09
Look at it.
00:47:26.63\00:47:28.05
And I believe that you
will be just like David,
00:47:28.33\00:47:33.36
encouraged by it.
00:47:33.39\00:47:34.37
How many times, as I have looked
at scripture, that I wished
00:47:35.33\00:47:39.65
that David had gone to
that duffle bag one more time.
00:47:40.16\00:47:43.58
You see, there was
another giant that got him,
00:47:44.68\00:47:47.27
bathing on top of a roof.
00:47:50.54\00:47:52.85
If he had just at that
time called on the Lord,
00:47:54.14\00:47:57.68
it would have saved
Israel so much pain.
00:47:58.23\00:48:01.88
It would have.
00:48:02.76\00:48:04.05
It would have saved his family.
00:48:04.98\00:48:07.63
If you really look at it, you'll
find out that all the problems
00:48:08.43\00:48:12.26
with Absalom and with his
family really surrounded this.
00:48:12.29\00:48:17.50
I don't think he would
ever had a problem with Absalom.
00:48:18.43\00:48:20.96
Absalom was right
in what he was saying,
00:48:20.99\00:48:25.13
he was wrong in lifting his
hand against God's anointed.
00:48:25.16\00:48:28.59
Even though God's
anointed was wrong,
00:48:28.60\00:48:30.39
God had not told
Absalom to be the one.
00:48:30.42\00:48:33.18
He told the prophet to go
to him, but he didn't tell
00:48:33.58\00:48:36.15
his son to go to him.
00:48:36.18\00:48:37.69
And He did not
honor Absalom for that.
00:48:38.21\00:48:40.75
But you see, my friend,
God always has a plan "B".
00:48:41.84\00:48:47.89
He could have scuttled
David and said, "That's it."
00:48:48.24\00:48:51.44
But He didn't.
00:48:51.47\00:48:52.74
He used plan "B" and
saved that whole situation.
00:48:52.77\00:48:58.40
And a child of that
marriage, that union
00:48:59.24\00:49:02.55
that started off so
wrong, became the one
00:49:03.05\00:49:07.97
God put on the throne
and used to help write
00:49:08.48\00:49:13.33
a lot of the Bible.
00:49:13.36\00:49:15.19
You see, God can
turn things around.
00:49:15.53\00:49:18.36
He can turn them
around in your life.
00:49:18.37\00:49:19.85
Let's look at one
more instance real quick.
00:49:19.88\00:49:21.73
And we'll go
over to 2 Chronicles.
00:49:21.94\00:49:25.49
And here, we're at
the 20th chapter as well.
00:49:25.52\00:49:28.92
2 Chronicles 20.
00:49:28.95\00:49:30.36
And it says, "It happened after
this that the people of Moab
00:49:30.87\00:49:35.86
with the people of
Ammon, and others with them
00:49:35.89\00:49:39.49
besides the Ammonites, came
to battle against Jehoshaphat."
00:49:39.52\00:49:43.67
Now Jehoshaphat;
you remember the battle
00:49:43.86\00:49:46.51
that took place here.
00:49:46.54\00:49:48.53
Sometime, if you want to
really read a beautiful prayer,
00:49:48.54\00:49:53.56
I'm not going to take
time to read it today,
00:49:53.59\00:49:55.40
I want you to go and read
the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles
00:49:55.43\00:50:00.26
beginning with verse 6.
00:50:00.29\00:50:01.76
And this is a beautiful prayer.
00:50:01.79\00:50:03.49
In fact, if you're
going through a trial,
00:50:03.50\00:50:05.42
you get this prayer.
00:50:05.73\00:50:07.58
Take this prayer and
place your name and your trial
00:50:07.88\00:50:13.08
into that place
and pray this prayer.
00:50:13.11\00:50:17.50
Because I believe that
this is the word of God,
00:50:17.53\00:50:21.57
and it's so powerful.
00:50:21.60\00:50:23.48
And you know that these
people were all lined up.
00:50:23.51\00:50:26.46
They were ready.
00:50:26.70\00:50:27.72
Now they could have
taken maybe either one,
00:50:27.75\00:50:30.25
one of the three of
these countries, and probably
00:50:30.26\00:50:33.84
could have handled them.
00:50:33.85\00:50:34.85
But all of them coming
together, Jehoshaphat knew
00:50:34.88\00:50:38.26
there was no way
that he could do it.
00:50:38.29\00:50:41.19
And he was amazed because he
had been such a friend to them.
00:50:41.49\00:50:45.13
And now they had
turned against him.
00:50:45.45\00:50:47.96
And so he prays.
00:50:48.29\00:50:49.47
The last part of that
prayer was, "O our God,
00:50:49.50\00:50:52.84
will You not judge them?
00:50:52.87\00:50:54.98
For we have no power
against this great multitude
00:50:55.01\00:50:57.70
that is coming against
us; nor do we know what to do,
00:50:57.73\00:51:01.75
but our eyes are upon You."
00:51:01.78\00:51:04.82
How many times
have I prayed that.
00:51:05.37\00:51:08.41
Lord, I have no power.
00:51:08.44\00:51:11.14
I don't know what to do.
00:51:11.44\00:51:13.01
I don't know how
to solve this problem.
00:51:13.04\00:51:15.72
But You do, Lord.
00:51:16.94\00:51:18.50
And He will never
leave you nor forsake you.
00:51:19.66\00:51:23.28
He will bring the answer.
00:51:23.83\00:51:27.08
And then you'll remember that
this young prophet jumps up.
00:51:27.11\00:51:29.41
Jahaziel, he jumps up and he
says, "Listen, all of you Judah
00:51:29.44\00:51:34.00
and you
inhabitants of Jerusalem,
00:51:34.03\00:51:36.16
and you, King Jehoshaphat!
00:51:36.17\00:51:38.25
Thus says the Lord to
you, 'Do not be afraid,
00:51:38.28\00:51:43.31
do not be dismayed
because of this great multitude,
00:51:43.34\00:51:47.80
for the battle is
not yours, but God's.'"
00:51:47.83\00:51:52.42
And then he tells
them how to go into it.
00:51:53.75\00:51:57.04
"The battle is
not yours, but God's."
00:51:57.35\00:52:02.35
When you look at this
whole scene, it's so beautiful
00:52:02.38\00:52:04.95
how that they went out
and did everything they could
00:52:05.54\00:52:11.04
to praise God
rather than lifting up
00:52:12.18\00:52:15.71
to do battle themselves.
00:52:15.72\00:52:17.01
Now they dressed for
battle, don't misunderstand.
00:52:17.02\00:52:19.75
They didn't say, "You know, the
Lord is fighting this battle.
00:52:19.78\00:52:22.44
We're going to sleep in."
00:52:22.47\00:52:23.50
They didn't say that.
00:52:23.86\00:52:24.89
The Lord has never done
the battles without having
00:52:24.92\00:52:28.79
people be a part of that.
00:52:28.82\00:52:30.97
They got up,
they dressed for war.
00:52:31.35\00:52:33.84
I've heard preachers that
had the choir robes on them.
00:52:34.19\00:52:37.35
I'm sorry,
that's not what it says.
00:52:37.38\00:52:39.38
They were singing
and praising God, yes.
00:52:39.41\00:52:42.20
And we need to be praising
God because that is where our
00:52:42.96\00:52:46.69
victory comes from;
is through Jesus Christ.
00:52:46.72\00:52:49.48
And by saying these things
verbally, the promises He has,
00:52:49.51\00:52:56.22
we begin to see
that God opens the doors.
00:52:56.79\00:52:59.88
He opens the door.
00:53:00.42\00:53:02.09
And what a beautiful
and wonderful and fantastic
00:53:02.48\00:53:06.26
victory that He
brings and gives to each one.
00:53:06.29\00:53:11.75
But it has to be His
victory, not our victory.
00:53:11.76\00:53:17.65
Oh my friend, He loves you.
00:53:18.38\00:53:21.85
He cares for you.
00:53:22.43\00:53:24.08
He really does.
00:53:24.57\00:53:26.32
I heard C.F. Weigle one time.
00:53:26.42\00:53:28.45
And he was telling
about how he wrote that song,
00:53:28.48\00:53:32.38
and I'm going to ask John
to come right now and sing it.
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.67
We'll barely have
enough time to finish it.
00:53:34.70\00:53:37.36
No One Ever Cared
For Me Like Jesus.
00:53:37.91\00:53:43.46
I would love to tell
you what I think of Jesus,
00:54:02.00\00:54:07.68
since I found in Him a
friend so strong and true.
00:54:07.71\00:54:13.75
I would tell you how He
changed my life completely;
00:54:13.78\00:54:21.08
He did something that
no other friend could do.
00:54:21.11\00:54:29.09
No one ever cared for me
00:54:29.91\00:54:36.66
like Jesus.
00:54:36.69\00:54:41.73
There's no other friend so kind
00:54:41.76\00:54:48.39
as He.
00:54:48.42\00:54:53.41
No one else could take the sin
00:54:53.44\00:54:59.36
and darkness from me.
00:54:59.39\00:55:06.31
O how much He cares for me.
00:55:06.34\00:55:16.15
Every day He comes to me
00:55:23.23\00:55:28.96
with full assurance.
00:55:28.99\00:55:34.60
More and more I understand
00:55:34.63\00:55:40.73
His words of love.
00:55:40.76\00:55:47.47
But I'll never know just why
00:55:47.54\00:55:52.68
He came to save me,
00:55:52.71\00:55:58.89
till some day I see
His blessed face above.
00:55:58.93\00:56:08.83
For no one ever cared for me
00:56:09.62\00:56:16.22
quite like Jesus.
00:56:16.25\00:56:21.56
There's no other friend so kind
00:56:21.59\00:56:28.14
as He.
00:56:28.17\00:56:33.17
And no one else
could take the sin
00:56:33.20\00:56:39.30
and darkness from me.
00:56:39.31\00:56:46.11
O how much He cares for me.
00:56:46.38\00:56:56.35
O how much He cares for me.
00:56:59.56\00:57:09.37
He does care for you, my friend.
00:57:12.08\00:57:14.25
He loves you.
00:57:14.99\00:57:16.14
He gave His life for you.
00:57:17.20\00:57:19.96
Now He asks that you
trust Him, believe in Him;
00:57:20.90\00:57:25.18
for the battle is the Lord's.
00:57:25.21\00:57:28.38