Welcome to Anchors Of Truth live
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
00:00:12.98\00:00:17.69
Well we welcome you and we're
so happy that you can join us.
00:00:21.71\00:00:25.64
And there are some
of you that are watching
00:00:25.94\00:00:28.35
from different parts
of the world right now.
00:00:28.38\00:00:32.65
And I just was talking a
few minutes ago to someone
00:00:32.98\00:00:36.44
from Florida who is tuning in.
00:00:36.47\00:00:38.63
And we know that there are
a lot of people from Florida
00:00:38.83\00:00:41.58
watching tonight,
because their pastor,
00:00:41.61\00:00:44.20
those that live in
Avon Park, their pastor,
00:00:44.40\00:00:47.46
Pastor Frank Gonzalez, is
presenting the Anchors Of Truth.
00:00:47.49\00:00:52.52
And we really have
enjoyed and been blessed
00:00:52.85\00:00:56.79
by these meetings so far.
00:00:57.23\00:00:59.21
The title of the series
is, The Seven Words of Hope.
00:00:59.74\00:01:03.70
Last night we heard, Forgiven.
00:01:04.36\00:01:06.93
And what a message that was.
00:01:07.59\00:01:09.87
We have an afterglow
here that's not taped,
00:01:10.27\00:01:13.75
but we just talk,
those that are here,
00:01:13.78\00:01:17.13
with the speaker.
00:01:17.16\00:01:18.48
There were so many
questions about forgiving
00:01:18.94\00:01:22.66
and being forgiven.
00:01:22.69\00:01:24.50
And it was really one of
the most effective afterglows
00:01:24.97\00:01:28.08
that we've had
for participation.
00:01:28.11\00:01:31.02
And I felt like that
as Pastor Frank Gonzalez
00:01:31.25\00:01:35.12
shared from his
heart, that each individual
00:01:35.32\00:01:39.43
was able to get some
answers to their questions
00:01:39.63\00:01:43.15
that they had last night.
00:01:43.18\00:01:45.45
As you know, Pastor Frank
was the speaker for 17 years
00:01:45.82\00:01:51.76
for La Voz, which is the
Latino Voice of Prophecy.
00:01:51.79\00:01:57.12
For 5 of those 17
years, I had the privilege of
00:01:57.74\00:02:01.32
serving as chairman
of the board of La Voz.
00:02:01.35\00:02:05.69
I want to tell you that
I've chaired a few boards.
00:02:05.79\00:02:07.93
In fact, at one time I
was either chairman or on
00:02:07.96\00:02:13.08
over 65 different
boards at one time.
00:02:13.11\00:02:17.73
So I was on a lot of boards.
00:02:17.76\00:02:19.13
And some of those met
more than once a year.
00:02:19.16\00:02:21.34
And I was chair of so many.
00:02:21.74\00:02:25.00
But there was not any
board that I looked forward
00:02:25.40\00:02:29.67
to the meetings as much
as I did the La Voz board.
00:02:29.87\00:02:34.88
One reason, of course,
is because of the leader.
00:02:35.43\00:02:38.11
Frank Gonzalez had wonderful
ideas, he had exciting plans.
00:02:38.78\00:02:44.66
And the enthusiasm of
the leader of the pack...
00:02:44.69\00:02:49.07
You see, there's a saying
that the leader of the pack
00:02:49.53\00:02:52.95
determines the
rate of the group.
00:02:52.98\00:02:56.49
And so this was a
man who was always ready
00:02:57.01\00:03:01.14
to reach out and do
something special for the Lord.
00:03:01.44\00:03:05.37
There were some
other very interesting
00:03:05.66\00:03:07.68
people on that board.
00:03:07.71\00:03:09.53
One of which was our
good friend, Jamie Jorge.
00:03:09.56\00:03:13.80
And Jamie always sat
at one particular place
00:03:14.02\00:03:17.79
in those board meetings.
00:03:18.09\00:03:19.65
And Jamie was my
friend before those days,
00:03:19.89\00:03:24.26
but we became even
closer during the time when
00:03:24.29\00:03:27.88
he was serving on
the board of La Voz.
00:03:27.98\00:03:32.08
And I appreciate the
ministry of Jamie Jorge.
00:03:32.39\00:03:37.26
Tonight, a second word will
be taught and will be examined.
00:03:37.53\00:03:45.87
And that word is, Remembered.
00:03:46.37\00:03:49.36
Remembered.
00:03:49.99\00:03:51.38
And this will be the
title of the subject by
00:03:51.99\00:03:55.61
Pastor Frank Gonzalez.
00:03:55.64\00:03:57.28
Pastor Frank is now pastor
of one of the largest churches
00:03:57.57\00:04:02.09
in Florida, the Avon Park
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:04:02.12\00:04:06.41
It's a wonderful church.
00:04:06.72\00:04:10.15
We feel that way because
they are so supportive of 3ABN.
00:04:10.18\00:04:15.37
And we often hear
from the folks down there.
00:04:15.47\00:04:18.59
It's been our
privilege to be there many times
00:04:18.62\00:04:22.05
and to minister in that church.
00:04:22.08\00:04:25.66
And we look forward
to coming back again.
00:04:25.69\00:04:29.55
Before Pastor Frank
speaks tonight, our pastor here
00:04:29.80\00:04:34.35
of the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:04:34.38\00:04:36.97
Pastor John
Lomacang, is going to come
00:04:37.52\00:04:41.20
and he's going to sing,
Your Grace Still Amazes Me.
00:04:41.50\00:04:47.22
My faithful Father,
00:05:30.12\00:05:35.08
enduring Friend,
00:05:37.86\00:05:42.37
Your tender mercy's
like a river with no end;
00:05:42.86\00:05:52.78
it overwhelms me,
00:05:53.06\00:05:58.20
covers my sin.
00:06:00.51\00:06:04.82
Each time I come
into Your presence
00:06:05.15\00:06:11.93
I stand in wonder once again.
00:06:12.13\00:06:20.29
Your grace still amazes me;
00:06:20.55\00:06:27.90
Your love is still a mystery.
00:06:28.10\00:06:35.43
Each day I fall on my knees;
00:06:35.80\00:06:45.06
Your grace still amazes me.
00:06:45.09\00:06:52.10
Your grace still amazes me.
00:06:52.82\00:07:02.40
Oh, patient Savior,
00:07:13.94\00:07:18.90
You make me whole.
00:07:21.84\00:07:26.19
You are the Author
and the Healer of my soul.
00:07:26.55\00:07:36.54
What can I give You?
00:07:36.80\00:07:41.93
Lord, what can I say?
00:07:43.68\00:07:48.55
I know there's
no way to repay You;
00:07:48.85\00:07:55.86
only to offer You my praise.
00:07:56.06\00:08:04.38
Your grace still amazes me;
00:08:04.41\00:08:11.58
Your love is still a mystery.
00:08:11.96\00:08:19.02
Each day I fall on my knees;
00:08:19.34\00:08:28.15
Your grace still amazes me.
00:08:28.43\00:08:35.39
Your grace still amazes me.
00:08:35.93\00:08:41.79
It's deeper, it's wider,
00:08:41.82\00:08:48.48
it's stronger, it's higher.
00:08:49.08\00:08:55.89
It's deeper, it's wider,
00:08:56.52\00:09:03.54
it's stronger, and it's higher
00:09:03.57\00:09:09.82
than anything my eyes can see.
00:09:09.85\00:09:16.96
Your grace still amazes me;
00:09:16.99\00:09:23.87
Your love is still a mystery.
00:09:24.04\00:09:31.07
Each day I fall on my knees;
00:09:31.30\00:09:40.06
Your grace still amazes me.
00:09:40.44\00:09:47.33
Your grace still amazes me.
00:09:47.87\00:09:57.85
Good evening.
00:10:26.02\00:10:27.07
I'm so glad you're here.
00:10:27.68\00:10:29.17
I'm glad you tuned in.
00:10:29.20\00:10:31.57
We are looking at
the seven words of hope.
00:10:32.14\00:10:39.24
They are the seven short
sermons that Jesus preached
00:10:39.72\00:10:46.47
while He was on the cross.
00:10:46.67\00:10:48.32
And tonight we're
looking at the second one.
00:10:48.35\00:10:51.60
Before I pray and begin
with the second message,
00:10:51.94\00:10:55.67
I want to touch on a couple
of things, if you don't mind.
00:10:55.70\00:10:58.82
I want to give a holler and
a shout and a word of thanks
00:10:59.61\00:11:03.90
to my congregation
at the Avon Park SDA
00:11:04.27\00:11:08.46
for their forbearance, for
their generosity of spirit,
00:11:08.49\00:11:12.57
for sharing me.
00:11:12.60\00:11:15.21
And I want to tell you that
I love you and I'll get back
00:11:15.24\00:11:19.42
with you as soon as I can.
00:11:19.45\00:11:20.91
And I want to tell you
that if you are thinking of
00:11:21.28\00:11:24.35
moving to Florida, it gets
a little cold where you're at,
00:11:24.38\00:11:28.68
and you start thinking of maybe
Florida would be a good place,
00:11:29.87\00:11:35.09
if that's in your heart and
your mind at all, check us out.
00:11:35.12\00:11:39.88
Because Avon Park is
really one of the nicest places.
00:11:40.07\00:11:45.12
And not just because I'm
there, but there are reasons
00:11:45.15\00:11:47.67
I could give you.
00:11:47.70\00:11:48.77
It's in the heartland.
00:11:49.42\00:11:50.86
It's called the heartland
of Florida for a reason.
00:11:50.89\00:11:55.62
It's very central.
00:11:56.11\00:11:58.39
We are an hour and a
half to two hours from
00:11:59.09\00:12:01.18
everywhere in Florida.
00:12:01.21\00:12:02.99
And it's also called,
the highlands; the county.
00:12:03.60\00:12:08.51
So it's nice and elevated.
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.64
No flooding.
00:12:12.84\00:12:14.10
No issues of that kind.
00:12:14.93\00:12:17.33
We're not in the
coast, so hurricanes are not
00:12:17.71\00:12:23.02
usually an issue.
00:12:23.05\00:12:24.52
Florida, you have to watch that.
00:12:25.51\00:12:27.54
And in terms of our
community, we've got a
00:12:27.87\00:12:31.01
Florida hospital close by.
00:12:31.04\00:12:33.59
We have an academy
with about 250 students.
00:12:33.62\00:12:38.52
And our church is about 960
members, we have three pastors.
00:12:38.84\00:12:44.08
But the main thing is
we've got lovely wonderful
00:12:45.10\00:12:49.75
warm friendly people that
will be delighted to have you.
00:12:50.05\00:12:57.30
So if you are thinking
about this, or if you want go
00:12:57.33\00:13:04.03
get in touch with me about
anything that I have or will
00:13:04.06\00:13:08.52
talk about in my presentations,
there is a website
00:13:08.55\00:13:12.98
that you can visit us.
00:13:13.01\00:13:15.67
It's called, discoverjesus.org.
00:13:15.70\00:13:20.34
Now you can remember that.
00:13:20.37\00:13:21.80
discoverjesus.org
00:13:21.83\00:13:26.66
I don't know how we got that,
but it's wonderful, isn't it.
00:13:26.69\00:13:30.40
discoverjesus.org
00:13:30.43\00:13:33.80
We have every message of
mine, Sabbath, is web streamed.
00:13:33.83\00:13:37.58
You can get it live there.
00:13:37.61\00:13:39.95
We have some of the old
messages that are there.
00:13:39.98\00:13:43.54
And I'll tell you, I'm putting
together, by the grace of God,
00:13:44.19\00:13:48.99
my first book in English.
00:13:49.79\00:13:52.07
I've been able by the grace of
God; God have given me 11 books.
00:13:54.69\00:14:01.09
The Pacific Press has published,
I think, six or seven of them.
00:14:01.39\00:14:05.12
But this is my first attempt
in the language of Shakespeare.
00:14:05.68\00:14:12.46
Which I sometimes butcher.
00:14:12.90\00:14:15.24
So this book will be ready
soon, maybe in a month or so.
00:14:15.44\00:14:21.47
But if you want to get in touch
with me about anything at all,
00:14:21.79\00:14:25.02
it's got all the information,
my personal information there,
00:14:25.05\00:14:28.50
how you can reach me and so
forth; my email and the like.
00:14:28.53\00:14:32.02
So what is it?
00:14:32.05\00:14:33.91
discoverjesus.org
00:14:34.39\00:14:38.89
And before I pray, I also
want to touch on something
00:14:39.24\00:14:42.76
related to last night.
00:14:42.79\00:14:43.98
We talked about forgiveness.
00:14:44.01\00:14:46.05
And in the afterglow we
had a very good question.
00:14:47.00\00:14:50.98
Someone asked, "What is the
best way to forgive somebody?"
00:14:51.01\00:14:55.93
The short answer to that is,
the best way to forgive someone
00:14:57.45\00:15:03.12
is to ask for
forgiveness yourself.
00:15:03.62\00:15:08.29
Now, there's something that
sometimes doesn't sound right
00:15:09.57\00:15:16.08
about that, but on a practical
matter it is the easiest way
00:15:16.11\00:15:20.86
to do it because of the
other approach of saying,
00:15:20.89\00:15:26.44
"You know, you're
wrong, You hurt me.
00:15:26.74\00:15:31.64
But I'm going to be
magnanimous of spirit,
00:15:31.92\00:15:35.75
and I'm going to forgive you."
00:15:35.78\00:15:37.29
Well try it, see how it goes.
00:15:38.00\00:15:41.10
But I don't think that
works as well as if you say,
00:15:41.13\00:15:46.55
"You know, I didn't mean
to wrong you, but it's clear
00:15:46.58\00:15:51.94
that I did, and I want to
beg for your forgiveness."
00:15:51.97\00:15:56.39
That's the best approach.
00:15:56.42\00:15:58.71
And if you say,
"Well, but I'm clearly
00:16:00.35\00:16:04.58
the innocent party here."
00:16:04.61\00:16:06.28
You know, I can tell you
as someone who's engaged in
00:16:10.76\00:16:13.62
counseling a little bit,
sometimes guilt is in the
00:16:13.65\00:16:17.19
eyes of the beholder.
00:16:17.22\00:16:18.27
And there are degrees of guilt.
00:16:18.30\00:16:20.23
But at any rate, who was
the most innocent of all people
00:16:20.27\00:16:30.20
that have ever walked on
the face of the planet earth?
00:16:30.32\00:16:34.76
Who was he?
00:16:35.02\00:16:36.05
His name was Jesus.
00:16:36.38\00:16:38.24
And what did He do?
00:16:38.53\00:16:40.27
He took the guilt. Right?
00:16:40.56\00:16:44.04
He assumed the
guilt, the condemnation.
00:16:44.07\00:16:47.46
He owned it.
00:16:47.49\00:16:48.79
He owned up to it
even though it wasn't His.
00:16:49.61\00:16:52.30
"He who knew no
sin became sin for us
00:16:53.59\00:16:58.72
that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him,"
00:16:58.75\00:17:02.13
2 Corinthians 5:20.
00:17:02.16\00:17:03.87
So when you
enter into the spirit,
00:17:04.07\00:17:09.77
the spirit of Christ and the
spirit of the cross of Christ,
00:17:13.63\00:17:19.06
you are able to
extend forgiveness to people.
00:17:20.44\00:17:23.62
Even if you know for a fact that
you are the innocent person.
00:17:23.65\00:17:27.30
I said in most cases because I
think there are some exceptions.
00:17:27.79\00:17:32.82
I believe that if you are
the victim of rape, or incest,
00:17:34.80\00:17:39.83
or maybe child molestation,
something like that,
00:17:40.55\00:17:43.62
I don't believe it
is appropriate to say,
00:17:43.65\00:17:46.39
"You know, I was wrong.
00:17:46.52\00:17:48.03
Forgive me." You know.
00:17:49.58\00:17:51.31
In those cases, I
think it would be appropriate
00:17:51.94\00:17:56.97
to say something like this...
00:17:57.00\00:17:58.53
And I would put it in writing
and send it to the person.
00:17:58.56\00:18:01.75
I would say, "You
know, what you did cost me
00:18:02.86\00:18:06.79
a lot of harm;
physical, emotional,
00:18:08.07\00:18:13.79
spiritual, and mental.
00:18:13.82\00:18:16.97
But Jesus has healed me.
00:18:18.00\00:18:21.27
And in the name of Christ,
and in the spirit of Christ,
00:18:22.56\00:18:26.58
I can forgive you."
00:18:27.19\00:18:28.65
And leave it at that
and send that letter.
00:18:29.35\00:18:32.38
And see if a weight equivalent
to a ton of bricks is not lifted
00:18:32.71\00:18:40.05
from your
shoulders and your heart.
00:18:40.47\00:18:43.66
And you'll have peace.
00:18:43.69\00:18:46.60
And that person will no
longer have any power over you,
00:18:47.37\00:18:50.31
any control over you, because
you will no longer be linked
00:18:50.34\00:18:54.35
emotionally to that person.
00:18:54.55\00:18:56.30
You have released that
toxin out of your system.
00:18:56.33\00:19:00.40
So I wanted to touch that
before we get started here.
00:19:00.60\00:19:05.59
But I'm ready for
the message tonight.
00:19:05.62\00:19:08.54
The title is, Remembered.
00:19:09.28\00:19:11.57
And I need the help of God.
00:19:12.87\00:19:15.75
If you don't
mind, I'm going to pray.
00:19:15.78\00:19:18.45
Heavenly Father, may the
meditation of Your servant's
00:19:18.48\00:19:23.52
heart and the words of
his mouth be acceptable
00:19:23.55\00:19:27.88
unto You and of
help to somebody.
00:19:28.29\00:19:32.21
And we'll give You the honor
and the glory and the praise.
00:19:32.61\00:19:37.19
And we'll do it in
Jesus' name, amen and amen.
00:19:37.50\00:19:43.33
Some time ago, I read a
fascinating article about
00:19:44.61\00:19:48.60
Japan's kodokushi.
00:19:48.63\00:19:51.11
And I know I'm
not saying that right.
00:19:51.14\00:19:53.28
But kodokushi.
00:19:53.65\00:19:55.60
It's the name that
they give to people who,
00:19:56.49\00:19:59.52
having lived their
lives in perfect anonymity,
00:19:59.55\00:20:03.27
also died alone.
00:20:03.30\00:20:05.95
No one to
celebrate their presence
00:20:07.24\00:20:10.07
or lament their absence.
00:20:10.10\00:20:12.72
No record of them anywhere.
00:20:12.75\00:20:15.46
They came and they
went without a trace.
00:20:16.11\00:20:20.18
Vanished, sayonara.
00:20:20.70\00:20:23.58
Estimates put Japan's
kodokushi at over 1000.
00:20:24.57\00:20:30.23
I suspect that Japan is not
the only country with kodokushi;
00:20:32.58\00:20:38.81
people who have
fallen through the cracks
00:20:39.85\00:20:42.32
of societies care grid.
00:20:42.35\00:20:45.57
The list of the
forsaken and forgotten is larger
00:20:47.24\00:20:51.60
and closer to home
than we care to admit.
00:20:51.63\00:20:55.27
It is as sad as
it is unnecessary.
00:20:55.30\00:20:59.58
Let me ask you this.
00:21:01.21\00:21:02.50
Does God have kodokushi?
00:21:03.71\00:21:07.09
The man dying on
the cross next to Christ
00:21:08.74\00:21:11.33
thought he was one
of them, to be sure.
00:21:11.36\00:21:14.01
He even had
biblical proof to support it.
00:21:14.74\00:21:18.12
Didn't the Bible say
that anyone dying on a cross
00:21:19.41\00:21:22.46
was "accursed of God?"
00:21:22.49\00:21:25.89
Or another translation
says, "the cursed of God."
00:21:26.09\00:21:29.78
That meant,
forsaken, forgotten forever
00:21:30.57\00:21:34.05
by men and by God Himself.
00:21:34.08\00:21:36.99
When Jesus was
crucified on His cross, He was
00:21:39.03\00:21:43.58
put between two thieves.
00:21:43.61\00:21:46.27
One ridiculed Him and
rejected Him to the bitter end.
00:21:47.17\00:21:53.68
He could have been forgiven.
00:21:54.36\00:21:55.95
He was so close, and yet so far.
00:21:57.05\00:22:00.98
Don't do that today, my friend.
00:22:01.57\00:22:03.85
You're close.
00:22:03.88\00:22:05.18
The kingdom of heaven is here.
00:22:05.21\00:22:07.17
Jesus is right at
the hand. And He's here.
00:22:07.20\00:22:11.06
And you're
watching for a reason.
00:22:11.09\00:22:13.69
Don't do like this man.
00:22:14.13\00:22:16.03
He decided to
ridicule and engage in jest
00:22:16.37\00:22:24.06
to the bitter end.
00:22:24.09\00:22:25.61
He died in a hopeless state.
00:22:26.13\00:22:29.19
The other thief
at first joined in
00:22:30.39\00:22:34.07
the ridicule and the
reviling so that they took turns
00:22:34.60\00:22:39.52
at making Jesus feel bad.
00:22:39.55\00:22:42.01
But he began
watching and listening.
00:22:44.01\00:22:47.83
You say, "Well, I'm
too emotionally drained.
00:22:49.11\00:22:51.61
There's nothing I
can do, Pastor Frank.
00:22:51.64\00:22:53.32
What can I do?"
00:22:53.35\00:22:54.66
Just watch.
00:22:54.69\00:22:56.07
Just listen.
00:22:56.67\00:22:57.98
That's why 3ABN and things
like this are so powerful.
00:22:58.51\00:23:03.16
Because all people have
to do is watch and listen
00:23:03.19\00:23:07.43
and behold the Lamb
of God that takes away
00:23:07.69\00:23:11.82
the sin of the world.
00:23:11.85\00:23:13.56
That prayer of Jesus
that we considered last night
00:23:15.57\00:23:19.94
had touched this man's heart.
00:23:21.16\00:23:24.06
He was amazed to hear Jesus
pray for those who murdered Him.
00:23:25.20\00:23:29.71
Who can do that?
00:23:30.07\00:23:31.73
He had never imagined that
anyone could do such a thing.
00:23:32.70\00:23:37.44
So he was
astonished to hear the words,
00:23:38.17\00:23:41.34
"Father, forgive them.
00:23:41.37\00:23:43.50
For they know not what they do."
00:23:43.90\00:23:47.26
That motivated this
thief to begin thinking.
00:23:48.50\00:23:51.58
And new ideas
came to him, like this;
00:23:52.44\00:23:56.18
"This man being crucified with
us is somebody really special.
00:23:56.78\00:24:02.81
The kind of love He shows
is totally out of this world.
00:24:04.17\00:24:09.23
He is different than any
man I have ever heard of.
00:24:10.10\00:24:14.00
Could it be that the stories
I've heard about Him are true?
00:24:14.03\00:24:20.79
Could He be the
long awaited Messiah?"
00:24:21.72\00:24:24.89
The crucified thief heard
the priests and the rabbis
00:24:26.60\00:24:31.95
laughing at Jesus when they
said, "If You're the Son of God,
00:24:31.98\00:24:36.42
come down from the cross.
00:24:36.45\00:24:38.26
He saved others,
Himself He cannot save.
00:24:38.99\00:24:44.39
He trusted in God.
00:24:44.89\00:24:46.29
He said that He
was the Son of God.
00:24:46.32\00:24:49.74
Let God deliver Him
now if that's true."
00:24:49.77\00:24:53.62
Even the robbers who
were crucified with Him
00:24:54.04\00:24:57.39
reviled Him with the same thing.
00:24:57.42\00:25:00.23
You find this in
Matthew 27 verses 40 through 44.
00:25:00.26\00:25:05.75
You know,
there's a French writer.
00:25:08.16\00:25:11.29
I forget the name now.
00:25:11.32\00:25:12.59
But he said that the
worse thing you can do to a man
00:25:13.23\00:25:18.69
is ridicule him.
00:25:18.72\00:25:20.11
Yeah.
00:25:21.19\00:25:22.33
A man that falls out
of respect of people,
00:25:23.75\00:25:29.85
when you become
the object of derision
00:25:29.88\00:25:34.90
and of jest, it is
the worst thing that can
00:25:34.93\00:25:41.84
ever be done to a person.
00:25:41.94\00:25:44.35
People can
withstand everything but that.
00:25:45.25\00:25:48.44
The thief of our story listened
intently to this ridicule.
00:25:50.40\00:25:56.65
He watched how Jesus
took it all in stride,
00:25:57.11\00:26:00.36
in silence, in perfect peace,
with the nobility of a king.
00:26:00.83\00:26:06.76
There was
something inexpressibly noble
00:26:08.16\00:26:12.28
about it all.
00:26:12.31\00:26:13.66
Jesus, in this hour of
His deepest humiliation...
00:26:14.14\00:26:17.59
Satan had hoped, you see, that
by disgracing Him so terribly
00:26:17.62\00:26:21.90
on a cross that no one forever
after could believe in Him.
00:26:21.93\00:26:27.84
How could you trust a
Messiah who ended up in such a
00:26:28.49\00:26:32.91
hopelessly condemned situation?
00:26:32.94\00:26:36.66
But do you know what
the believing thief did?
00:26:38.38\00:26:41.13
He walked right in by faith
past all of Satan's road blocks
00:26:41.51\00:26:46.76
to keep him out.
00:26:46.79\00:26:48.27
It's what you need to do.
00:26:48.65\00:26:50.10
There is a power in the cross.
00:26:50.72\00:26:53.20
There's a power in
Jesus dying for you.
00:26:53.23\00:26:56.09
We need to meditate,
we need to behold it,
00:26:56.12\00:26:58.43
we need to see it.
00:26:58.46\00:26:59.70
And if you do, your heart will
be pulled, it will be tugged.
00:26:59.80\00:27:05.16
You don't have to do anything.
00:27:05.19\00:27:07.07
It will draw you.
00:27:07.53\00:27:09.43
It will draw you all the
way in to the kingdom of God.
00:27:09.75\00:27:14.63
Finally, bursting with
joy, crucified though he was,
00:27:16.56\00:27:22.06
he decided, "This
man is the Messiah.
00:27:22.09\00:27:26.08
He is what the
Samaritans said of Him.
00:27:27.42\00:27:30.74
He is the Savior of the world.
00:27:30.77\00:27:33.49
While even His enemies
are confessing the truth,
00:27:34.78\00:27:37.86
though they don't believe
it, He is the Son of God."
00:27:37.89\00:27:42.92
From his lips, the
dying man sends up the prayer
00:27:44.12\00:27:49.01
of his believing heart.
00:27:49.04\00:27:51.10
It's found in Luke
chapter 23 verse 42.
00:27:52.13\00:27:57.50
He says, "Lord,
remember me when You come
00:27:58.38\00:28:04.97
into Your kingdom."
00:28:05.65\00:28:07.54
There is no one...
00:28:10.37\00:28:12.30
Hear me now, dear
one, you're watching.
00:28:12.33\00:28:15.41
There is no one
who prays that prayer
00:28:15.84\00:28:20.83
that Jesus will not hear him,
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.69
that Jesus will not
turn His full attention to.
00:28:24.21\00:28:28.80
And the dying man gets this
better than the jackpot answer
00:28:31.31\00:28:36.98
from the lips of Jesus Himself.
00:28:37.30\00:28:39.72
It's found in the
next verse, verse 43.
00:28:39.75\00:28:42.58
"Assuredly I say to you
today, you will be with Me
00:28:43.24\00:28:49.77
in paradise."
00:28:50.51\00:28:52.22
Wow.
00:28:52.91\00:28:54.28
This is the second of
the seven words of hope
00:28:55.59\00:28:58.13
that Jesus
uttered in His last hour.
00:28:58.64\00:29:01.70
We're studying them this week.
00:29:01.73\00:29:03.38
Can you imagine the
load that rose from this
00:29:05.04\00:29:10.39
dying man's heart?
00:29:10.42\00:29:12.57
It's as if Jesus
signed a check then and there
00:29:13.36\00:29:16.39
giving him a place in
the first resurrection
00:29:16.42\00:29:19.18
and eternal life in His kingdom.
00:29:19.21\00:29:22.70
One word from Jesus
can heal your heart.
00:29:23.55\00:29:27.94
Whatever problem ails
you, whatever situation
00:29:28.57\00:29:31.97
you find yourself in, all
you need is a word from Jesus.
00:29:32.00\00:29:38.12
And it's always
an encouraging word.
00:29:38.47\00:29:41.67
It's always a word
of spirit and of life.
00:29:42.53\00:29:50.21
This man didn't
get just a little life,
00:29:50.67\00:29:53.90
he got eternal life.
00:29:53.93\00:29:56.49
Right then and there.
00:29:56.81\00:29:59.01
Right where you are,
if you listen to this,
00:29:59.04\00:30:02.09
He's saying it to you too.
00:30:02.12\00:30:03.89
If you say it with a conviction
and with a believing heart,
00:30:05.81\00:30:11.46
you will hear the same response.
00:30:12.81\00:30:15.25
And I'll tell you what.
00:30:17.04\00:30:18.30
When you and I get to
that place, the peace that
00:30:19.68\00:30:24.09
the thief had will be
worth more than all the gold
00:30:24.12\00:30:28.60
you could gain in
an entire lifetime.
00:30:29.36\00:30:32.62
Nothing will be more precious
to you than that assurance.
00:30:33.20\00:30:39.08
"Assuredly I say to
you, thou shall be with Me
00:30:39.11\00:30:45.62
in paradise."
00:30:45.65\00:30:47.54
Do you say amen to that?
00:30:47.57\00:30:49.29
Oh my.
00:30:49.82\00:30:51.86
Now the believing thief
can spend his last hours
00:30:52.82\00:30:56.56
in an experience that
the Bible calls, repentance.
00:30:56.59\00:31:01.87
The Bible says Christ came
to give repentance to Israel.
00:31:02.73\00:31:07.43
Paul says that the agape
of God leads us to repentance.
00:31:07.96\00:31:13.03
This man repented.
00:31:13.36\00:31:15.14
Don't think that he didn't.
00:31:15.17\00:31:16.67
He repented.
00:31:17.16\00:31:19.02
And he started thinking, and
he started remembering his life.
00:31:19.53\00:31:25.30
And to his surprise, he learns
that God has always loved Him
00:31:26.88\00:31:31.69
ever since he was a baby.
00:31:31.72\00:31:33.43
Really before that.
00:31:34.24\00:31:35.56
Now he's actually praising
God for the terrific honor
00:31:36.42\00:31:40.44
of sharing
crucifixion with the Son of God.
00:31:40.47\00:31:44.62
He could say before
Paul could, "I am crucified
00:31:46.14\00:31:49.80
together with Christ.
00:31:49.83\00:31:52.02
And I liveth no longer,
but Christ liveth in me."
00:31:52.05\00:31:57.36
You can say that too, you know.
00:31:58.64\00:32:00.35
We'll see how in a minute.
00:32:00.94\00:32:02.43
Not only does the Father
treat him as though he had
00:32:03.39\00:32:05.67
never sinned, but he sees
that all through his past life
00:32:05.70\00:32:10.03
God has always been treating
him with that same grace
00:32:10.06\00:32:14.37
in spite of his sins.
00:32:14.40\00:32:16.59
Do you know what
his only regret is?
00:32:16.86\00:32:19.16
He wishes that he had known
this good news decades before.
00:32:20.09\00:32:26.82
Now the words of Jesus
have lifted from his soul
00:32:28.64\00:32:33.09
that awful sense
of being cursed by God
00:32:33.12\00:32:36.67
for hanging on a cross.
00:32:36.70\00:32:38.62
You see, backward from
what the world believes,
00:32:38.65\00:32:42.05
the best place for any person
is to be crucified together
00:32:42.08\00:32:45.62
with the Son of God.
00:32:45.65\00:32:47.51
Let us note that when
Jesus makes this all important
00:32:49.16\00:32:51.74
promise to this
sinner, He emphasizes to him
00:32:51.77\00:32:56.66
that it is today, Jesus says,
"Today, I'm saving your soul.
00:32:56.69\00:33:02.09
Today when I seem
to be an utter failure,
00:33:02.41\00:33:05.54
today when the
world despises Me,
00:33:05.57\00:33:09.05
today when even My Father
appears to have forsaken Me,
00:33:09.08\00:33:13.74
today when My hands and your
hands are nailed to wooden beams
00:33:13.94\00:33:19.66
and we can't shake
hands on the promise,
00:33:19.69\00:33:22.87
today I give you the
assurance of eternal salvation
00:33:23.08\00:33:27.29
with Me in paradise."
00:33:27.32\00:33:29.51
Now we need to
understand something here
00:33:31.13\00:33:34.39
a little bit more clearly.
00:33:34.82\00:33:36.42
The dying thief had no way
to enter paradise that day.
00:33:37.31\00:33:41.35
Because we know that
Jesus Himself did not enter
00:33:41.99\00:33:47.48
paradise that day, that Friday.
00:33:47.51\00:33:51.46
You know how we know that?
00:33:51.92\00:33:53.26
Because when He
rose from the dead
00:33:53.66\00:33:55.86
on the first day of the
week, Sunday, He told Mary...
00:33:55.89\00:34:00.63
Mary was the
first one to see Him.
00:34:01.25\00:34:03.17
He said to her, this
is in John 20 verse 17,
00:34:03.76\00:34:08.04
"Do not cling to Me, Mary.
00:34:08.67\00:34:10.34
For I have not yet
ascended to My Father."
00:34:10.73\00:34:15.42
That's clear, right?
00:34:15.45\00:34:16.60
That's clear as water.
00:34:17.30\00:34:18.80
Friday Jesus didn't go up.
00:34:19.25\00:34:21.28
He went up, well, Sunday.
00:34:22.38\00:34:25.50
Sunday He today Mary,
"I haven't gone up yet.
00:34:26.54\00:34:29.35
I haven't ascended yet."
00:34:30.21\00:34:31.70
He had rested in the
tomb all of that time.
00:34:32.05\00:34:36.44
So here's a question, if neither
the repentant thief nor Jesus
00:34:36.47\00:34:41.72
ascended to paradise on Friday,
how then are we to understand
00:34:41.75\00:34:46.05
the words in our English Bible,
and really Spanish Bible too,
00:34:46.08\00:34:49.51
that says, "I say to you,"
comma "today you will be with Me
00:34:49.88\00:34:55.89
in paradise."
00:34:56.17\00:34:58.15
You know, the answer to
that question is more simple
00:34:59.85\00:35:02.88
than you imagine.
00:35:02.91\00:35:04.13
Punctuation is an
invention, a modern invention,
00:35:06.35\00:35:11.17
that was not around in the days
of the New Testament writers.
00:35:11.20\00:35:16.01
They didn't put
a comma anywhere.
00:35:16.04\00:35:18.52
And so the original Greek,
all the words run all together.
00:35:19.67\00:35:25.36
You see?
00:35:25.84\00:35:26.87
So it is up to us to put the
comma where it's suppose to go.
00:35:27.50\00:35:34.27
And we need to put
it where it makes sense,
00:35:36.43\00:35:38.83
it makes sense
with the narrative.
00:35:39.27\00:35:41.29
So we find that if we instead of
putting the comma after, "you,"
00:35:42.17\00:35:52.16
"I say to you," comma "today you
will be with me in paradise,"
00:35:52.31\00:35:55.98
if we put the
comma after, "today,"
00:35:56.52\00:35:59.70
"I say to you today," comma "you
will be with me in paradise,"
00:36:00.40\00:36:06.03
it makes perfect sense.
00:36:06.06\00:36:07.45
Not only does it make
perfect sense with the narrative
00:36:07.91\00:36:10.52
and what happened there,
but it makes perfect sense
00:36:10.55\00:36:13.49
also with everything
that the Bible has to say
00:36:13.52\00:36:17.49
about death, dying,
resurrection, and so forth.
00:36:17.52\00:36:20.37
The Bible truth
about what happens when
00:36:22.51\00:36:24.42
people die is comforting.
00:36:24.45\00:36:26.27
It's encouraging.
00:36:27.69\00:36:29.21
When Jesus' friend Lazarus
died, He told His disciples,
00:36:29.86\00:36:33.75
"Our friend Lazarus sleeps.
00:36:34.06\00:36:35.96
But I go that I
may wake Him up."
00:36:35.99\00:36:38.54
The disciples assumed that
his fever had gotten better.
00:36:39.26\00:36:43.14
You know, he was
just taking a nap.
00:36:43.17\00:36:45.74
A siesta, like we say.
00:36:46.15\00:36:48.01
And Jesus said, "No,
no, no. Lazarus is dead."
00:36:48.67\00:36:53.50
You know Paul tells us
in that wonderful chapter in
00:36:54.61\00:36:57.83
Thessalonians chapter 4...
00:36:57.86\00:36:59.38
I'm not going to read it
all, but you can look it up.
00:36:59.41\00:37:01.58
He says that God's
people sleep until Jesus returns
00:37:01.91\00:37:05.89
when He will
resurrect them, never to die.
00:37:05.92\00:37:08.67
And Paul adds at the end,
he says that this blessed truth
00:37:08.99\00:37:12.83
is a comfort to
know and to believe.
00:37:12.86\00:37:15.91
The prophet Daniel,
in chapter 12 of the book
00:37:16.17\00:37:20.01
that bears his
name, verses 2 and 3,
00:37:20.04\00:37:23.74
he says, "Many of
them that sleep in the dust
00:37:24.61\00:37:27.18
of the earth shall awake...
00:37:27.21\00:37:29.42
And they that be wise
shall shine in the brightness
00:37:29.79\00:37:34.02
of the firmament."
00:37:34.22\00:37:36.27
So according to the
truth of the Bible, the dead
00:37:36.30\00:37:39.19
are not suffering now in
either hell or purgatory.
00:37:39.22\00:37:43.02
They are asleep.
00:37:43.05\00:37:45.35
They do not go to
heaven when they die, you know.
00:37:46.00\00:37:50.67
And thank God for that, because
they would be watching all the
00:37:52.13\00:37:55.69
mess down here.
00:37:55.72\00:37:57.57
Oh, you can't have
heaven if you're watching this
00:37:58.11\00:38:01.44
in your heaven channel
and you're seeing all of the
00:38:02.26\00:38:07.94
bad things happening here.
00:38:08.04\00:38:09.95
How could heaven be heaven?
00:38:09.98\00:38:11.95
No, the Savior tells
us what's going to happen.
00:38:13.47\00:38:16.08
Jesus Himself said in John
chapter 5 verses 29 and 30...
00:38:16.43\00:38:21.62
It's clear, people.
00:38:21.75\00:38:23.00
He said, "The hour is coming.."
00:38:23.03\00:38:24.75
The hour is coming.
00:38:24.90\00:38:26.55
It isn't here yet.
The hours is coming.
00:38:27.56\00:38:29.54
"...in which all who are in
the graves will hear his voice,
00:38:30.27\00:38:36.89
and come forth.
00:38:36.92\00:38:37.95
Those who have done good,
to the resurrection of life.
00:38:38.84\00:38:41.63
And those who have done evil,
00:38:41.66\00:38:43.14
to the
resurrection of condemnation."
00:38:43.60\00:38:46.89
And my friend, today,
today, today, right now,
00:38:49.41\00:38:54.86
you can choose in which
resurrection you want to be in.
00:38:54.89\00:39:02.46
Let me suggest the first one.
00:39:02.91\00:39:05.94
That's the good one.
00:39:07.36\00:39:08.85
You have to do what
the repentant thief did.
00:39:09.88\00:39:17.18
Behold your Savior.
00:39:17.77\00:39:20.37
Look at Him.
00:39:20.47\00:39:21.71
He will melt
your heart if you do.
00:39:21.74\00:39:24.37
He will draw you.
00:39:24.40\00:39:25.85
He will forgive you.
00:39:26.23\00:39:27.63
He will change you.
00:39:28.06\00:39:29.68
And one day He'll
take you to heaven.
00:39:30.03\00:39:31.96
You need to listen to that.
00:39:36.69\00:39:38.61
Listen to the words.
00:39:39.40\00:39:41.66
You need to hear these words.
00:39:42.54\00:39:44.47
These words are
not just for that man.
00:39:44.88\00:39:46.88
They are for every man.
00:39:46.98\00:39:49.15
Because Jesus is
the Savior of the world.
00:39:49.18\00:39:52.03
"He is the light
which enlighteneth every man
00:39:52.06\00:39:56.31
that cometh into
the world," John 1:9.
00:39:56.34\00:39:59.23
God was in Christ
reconciling the world,
00:39:59.26\00:40:02.56
not imputing onto
men their trespasses.
00:40:03.53\00:40:07.44
2 Corinthians 5:19
00:40:07.47\00:40:09.48
This is for you, buddy.
00:40:09.51\00:40:11.04
This is for you.
00:40:11.23\00:40:12.59
If you're in the world,
if you're part of this here,
00:40:12.62\00:40:15.83
this is for you.
00:40:16.20\00:40:17.58
And these words are
words that Jesus is saying
00:40:17.61\00:40:21.43
to you right now.
00:40:21.46\00:40:23.66
"You shall be
with Me in paradise."
00:40:23.96\00:40:29.14
Oh, isn't that good news?
00:40:29.98\00:40:32.80
Do you know that Jesus always
comes through with His promises?
00:40:34.31\00:40:38.01
His promises are always true.
00:40:38.86\00:40:41.38
Do you know that He
can do what He says?
00:40:41.76\00:40:44.06
If He says He can
take you to heaven,
00:40:44.34\00:40:46.48
He can take you to heaven.
00:40:46.51\00:40:48.13
You need to trust Him.
00:40:48.16\00:40:49.75
You need to let Him do it.
00:40:50.13\00:40:51.75
Let Him do it.
00:40:52.07\00:40:53.36
You know, I decided tonight,
the Lord put in my heart
00:40:58.32\00:41:02.87
to tell you my
personal testimony.
00:41:02.90\00:41:06.10
Is that okay?
00:41:06.31\00:41:07.43
I don't know that I
have ever in all my years
00:41:08.54\00:41:14.18
told it in
English on television.
00:41:14.54\00:41:19.46
So this is a first, Jim.
00:41:20.23\00:41:22.16
You know, I
wondered as a young man
00:41:24.76\00:41:30.28
if I was one of those kodokushi.
00:41:31.69\00:41:33.72
Now I didn't know the word
and I didn't know anything about
00:41:33.75\00:41:37.09
Japan at that time.
00:41:37.12\00:41:38.64
But does God really care for me?
00:41:39.79\00:41:42.63
Does he remember me?
00:41:42.66\00:41:44.99
And frankly, I had come to
the point, and I'll explain it
00:41:45.69\00:41:48.80
to you, where I almost knew
for a certainty that He didn't.
00:41:48.83\00:41:57.37
That's the way I felt.
00:41:57.88\00:41:59.26
It wasn't true, but
that's the way I felt.
00:42:00.79\00:42:03.26
The reason was, I had
prayed to God for the release
00:42:04.89\00:42:10.13
of my father from political
prison in Cuba for 13 years
00:42:10.16\00:42:17.77
from the time I was
four when it happened.
00:42:18.41\00:42:21.19
And I prayed every night.
00:42:21.49\00:42:23.50
Can you imagine a little
boy getting down on his knees
00:42:23.53\00:42:26.90
and begging the Lord and crying,
sometimes hours into the night,
00:42:26.93\00:42:32.13
for 13 years.
00:42:32.16\00:42:36.94
Ah, there was a
moment I stopped praying.
00:42:39.30\00:42:41.80
There was a time when I
said, "No, He doesn't care
00:42:43.24\00:42:46.07
for Frank Gonzalez."
00:42:46.10\00:42:47.75
And I started
drifting away from God.
00:42:49.29\00:42:52.01
And it wasn't just a drift.
00:42:53.50\00:42:56.67
It was more than
that, unfortunately.
00:42:56.70\00:43:00.98
I began to harbor
bitterness against God.
00:43:01.27\00:43:05.13
Oh, it pains me to say it now.
00:43:06.35\00:43:09.64
Ah, but I have to
be honest with you.
00:43:09.67\00:43:12.80
I began to have
hatred in my heart for God.
00:43:12.83\00:43:17.98
I can hardly say it now.
00:43:18.57\00:43:20.37
Oh God, thank
You for forgiving me.
00:43:20.96\00:43:23.76
But that was the
feeling that was in my heart.
00:43:23.79\00:43:27.02
Maybe there's somebody today
that has gone through something,
00:43:27.05\00:43:30.28
and maybe that's
what you are feeling.
00:43:30.66\00:43:33.78
And because you have that
feeling and that sensation,
00:43:33.81\00:43:37.27
there is a sense in
you that says, you know,
00:43:37.61\00:43:39.99
"God cannot possibly
want anything to do with me.
00:43:40.02\00:43:43.19
Because in the
depth of my heart..."
00:43:43.39\00:43:46.55
You know, Martin Luther
felt that way at some point.
00:43:46.58\00:43:49.21
"...in the depth of my
heart I really, really hate God.
00:43:49.24\00:43:53.26
How can He love
me if I hate Him?"
00:43:53.29\00:43:59.17
The situation came to a
crisis when I found myself
00:44:01.41\00:44:06.56
in a street of
Orlando, Florida surrounded
00:44:07.11\00:44:11.72
by a bunch of young
men, misguided young men.
00:44:12.76\00:44:17.89
Young men that were filled
with the attitude of the times.
00:44:18.99\00:44:24.39
They weren't bad men, you know.
00:44:25.29\00:44:30.11
They weren't especially
wicked, or anything like that.
00:44:30.14\00:44:33.65
In fact, after I tell you
the story, I became friends with
00:44:33.68\00:44:37.35
most of them afterwards.
00:44:37.38\00:44:39.24
But in that moment
they weren't my friends.
00:44:40.59\00:44:43.22
And they had sticks in
their hands, and chains.
00:44:44.18\00:44:48.07
And there were so many of them.
00:44:48.10\00:44:50.49
I didn't stop to
count, to put it that way.
00:44:50.52\00:44:53.99
But there were cars and
motorcycles and bicycles.
00:44:54.02\00:44:59.27
And there I was
surrounded by them.
00:44:59.74\00:45:03.64
They did a
circle, they encircled me.
00:45:03.67\00:45:07.72
But they were not
holding hands and singing,
00:45:08.36\00:45:11.02
"We shall overcome."
00:45:11.05\00:45:12.08
You know, they
weren't doing that.
00:45:12.11\00:45:14.42
They had something else in mind.
00:45:15.61\00:45:16.98
They had
something different in mind.
00:45:17.01\00:45:18.70
You see, my uncle...
00:45:19.36\00:45:20.88
We told him not to do it.
00:45:23.10\00:45:24.31
My uncle, the pediatrician, he
moved into sort of a little more
00:45:24.53\00:45:29.35
upper middle class neighborhood,
and they had never seen
00:45:29.38\00:45:32.20
people like us, you know.
00:45:33.59\00:45:35.60
And it seemed like we
were almost like from another
00:45:35.63\00:45:39.53
planet the way they reacted.
00:45:39.56\00:45:41.66
But it was the times, you know.
00:45:41.69\00:45:43.59
Aren't you happy that's
kind of behind us, in a way?
00:45:43.89\00:45:48.48
You know, at
least for the most part.
00:45:48.51\00:45:50.81
That we have changed so much.
00:45:50.84\00:45:53.51
Aren't you happy for that?
00:45:53.54\00:45:54.92
I mean, I am.
00:45:55.20\00:45:56.39
But there I was
surrounded by these people.
00:45:56.83\00:46:01.57
Now I've got to tell you,
00:46:01.78\00:46:02.98
as a boy in Cuba I
had taken boxing and judo.
00:46:06.34\00:46:11.85
How that came to be was
because my uncles were always
00:46:14.67\00:46:19.38
concerned about me
because my mother, you know,
00:46:19.41\00:46:21.69
she was very refined, and
she loved classical music,
00:46:21.72\00:46:25.81
and she loved opera,
and she loved the ballet.
00:46:25.84\00:46:29.89
Oh I hate to say it, but I
took ballet classes as a boy.
00:46:30.63\00:46:34.25
But thankfully, Jim, my uncle
would rescue me from ballet
00:46:37.48\00:46:42.32
and take me from
ballet to boxing and to judo.
00:46:42.52\00:46:46.62
And my mother would
say, "What in the world?"
00:46:46.65\00:46:50.71
Because I'd come back with
a black eye, and she'd say,
00:46:50.74\00:46:53.74
"How did you get a
black eye in ballet?"
00:46:53.77\00:46:57.79
I had to come up with some
cockamamie story, you know.
00:46:58.91\00:47:02.12
"Well, you know, a
kick. Somebody kicked me.
00:47:02.15\00:47:04.34
It was an
accident mom, you know.
00:47:05.21\00:47:06.79
Somebody kicked me in the eye."
00:47:06.82\00:47:08.49
But my uncles were, you know,
they were worried about me.
00:47:12.41\00:47:16.02
They were worried
about this mama's boy.
00:47:16.05\00:47:18.30
So anyway, I knew
how to defend myself.
00:47:19.87\00:47:24.48
But when you know
how to defend yourself,
00:47:25.22\00:47:26.84
you also know when
you are over matched.
00:47:26.87\00:47:29.69
And I was over matched.
00:47:30.07\00:47:32.97
And there was a
problem, because I knew
00:47:36.53\00:47:41.32
that only One could help me.
00:47:42.70\00:47:45.87
"One," with a capital "O." God.
00:47:46.32\00:47:51.10
But He and I were
not on speaking terms.
00:47:51.61\00:47:54.94
It had been a long time.
00:47:55.29\00:47:57.06
I talked to Him for a long time,
but He didn't seem to talk back.
00:47:57.68\00:48:01.48
And so I stopped talking.
00:48:01.77\00:48:03.78
And now, what was I going to do?
00:48:05.84\00:48:09.65
You know, there was a
first elder of the Adventist
00:48:10.59\00:48:15.35
Spanish church in Orlando that
would come to give Bible studies
00:48:15.38\00:48:18.90
to my uncle, the
pediatrician, and his children.
00:48:18.93\00:48:23.07
And I was there to greet
him every Sabbath afternoon
00:48:24.51\00:48:29.98
to take delight,
sadistic delight,
00:48:30.98\00:48:34.82
in telling the man, "No."
00:48:34.85\00:48:36.72
"Oh, you represent
God? Oh yeah, you do?
00:48:38.40\00:48:41.13
Okay, well, you know.
00:48:41.33\00:48:43.75
No.
00:48:44.05\00:48:45.51
No."
00:48:46.05\00:48:47.37
And I was there
punctually to receive that man
00:48:47.57\00:48:52.75
and to have the
pleasure of telling him no.
00:48:52.78\00:48:58.53
But you know what?
00:48:59.27\00:49:00.30
He always invited
me with the same smile
00:49:00.33\00:49:03.97
and the same kindness.
00:49:04.15\00:49:06.24
Never gave up,
Never ever gave up.
00:49:06.27\00:49:09.16
Now they say
curiosity killed the cat.
00:49:09.90\00:49:12.55
Have you heard that?
00:49:13.10\00:49:14.13
I don't know what
that means, but you know,
00:49:14.79\00:49:16.62
it's a nice expression.
00:49:16.65\00:49:18.21
And so, I didn't go in
to the room where they were
00:49:18.88\00:49:25.10
having the Bible study, but
I would sit in the sofa chair
00:49:25.69\00:49:29.06
that was right next to it.
00:49:29.09\00:49:31.37
Because I wanted to hear.
00:49:31.94\00:49:33.36
I wanted hear what this
man was telling my uncle
00:49:33.39\00:49:36.17
and my cousins.
00:49:36.20\00:49:40.41
And so I would listen.
00:49:40.80\00:49:42.50
I was really
taking the Bible studies.
00:49:42.98\00:49:45.18
I was. I was
just not in the room.
00:49:45.54\00:49:47.03
But I was
listening to everything.
00:49:47.06\00:49:49.84
And judging by what
happened at the end,
00:49:50.31\00:49:52.08
I probably was
listening more intently
00:49:52.11\00:49:54.59
than some of my cousins.
00:49:54.62\00:49:56.69
And I remember the
day before this incident.
00:49:57.71\00:50:02.61
This happened, this circle of,
situation, this scary situation
00:50:03.71\00:50:10.45
happened on a Sunday.
00:50:10.48\00:50:11.98
So the last thing I had
heard from this gentleman...
00:50:12.01\00:50:17.65
And I want to give
him credit, by the way.
00:50:17.68\00:50:19.60
I had the pleasure
of really dedicating my
00:50:19.89\00:50:26.44
whole ministry
to him, in a sense.
00:50:26.47\00:50:28.75
You know, they use to
tell him, "Why don't you
00:50:30.40\00:50:32.05
move to another family?"
00:50:32.08\00:50:33.11
Because we were
hard, we were difficult.
00:50:33.14\00:50:35.03
We didn't respond right away.
00:50:35.48\00:50:38.83
And he would come
and it took years.
00:50:38.86\00:50:42.42
And he was a busy man.
00:50:42.62\00:50:44.39
He would go to the
bakery, he worked in a bakery.
00:50:44.42\00:50:47.67
And then after the
bakery, he went to a laundry.
00:50:47.70\00:50:49.88
And he worked hours and
hours to put his three daughters
00:50:49.91\00:50:55.73
through Adventist education.
00:50:55.76\00:50:58.02
You know how hard that is.
00:50:58.05\00:50:59.59
And they would tell him,
"Why don't you just move on?
00:50:59.62\00:51:03.53
Move on.
00:51:04.26\00:51:05.57
Those people are
too... They're not..."
00:51:05.60\00:51:08.11
So...
00:51:09.08\00:51:10.27
But he didn't.
00:51:11.44\00:51:12.71
He didn't.
00:51:13.33\00:51:14.54
And every time that I made a
call and somebody came forward,
00:51:14.74\00:51:20.19
all these thousands
and thousands and thousands
00:51:20.77\00:51:23.88
and thousands of people that the
Lord used me to bring to Him,
00:51:23.91\00:51:29.07
every time, Jim, one
of those people came up,
00:51:29.10\00:51:33.25
I remembered this man.
00:51:33.28\00:51:35.53
And thank God for him.
00:51:35.99\00:51:40.26
If you're working with somebody
that is being difficult,
00:51:42.46\00:51:45.14
keep at it, keep at it.
00:51:45.17\00:51:47.92
Don't give up.
00:51:47.95\00:51:49.21
Don't give up
with your children.
00:51:49.24\00:51:51.13
Don't give up with
your grandchildren.
00:51:51.16\00:51:53.32
Now probably the best
thing, frankly, that you can do
00:51:53.74\00:51:59.02
for some family member is
to pray for them, to love them.
00:51:59.05\00:52:02.76
Just love them.
00:52:02.79\00:52:04.78
Love them.
00:52:04.81\00:52:06.48
Because sometimes
the more you try to...
00:52:06.51\00:52:08.60
...they're not, they just...
00:52:10.23\00:52:11.82
It's just noise to them.
00:52:11.85\00:52:13.49
It irritates them.
00:52:14.23\00:52:15.74
But be nice to them.
00:52:16.31\00:52:17.88
This man was always nice to me.
00:52:18.09\00:52:20.34
He was always friendly.
00:52:20.37\00:52:22.45
Well anyway, there I was.
00:52:23.14\00:52:25.18
My mother...
00:52:26.28\00:52:27.36
If you remember
the Sound of Music,
00:52:29.17\00:52:31.25
that woman, Maria; my mother,
it reminded me of my mother.
00:52:33.03\00:52:40.10
Just like her.
00:52:40.13\00:52:41.56
My mother studied in a convent.
00:52:41.59\00:52:43.96
My mother had the same story.
00:52:44.35\00:52:46.44
If it hadn't been for my father,
she would have been a nun.
00:52:46.79\00:52:49.49
And it was an interesting
thing because, you know,
00:52:54.03\00:52:57.62
my mother's side of the
family, Jim, my grandfather
00:52:57.65\00:53:01.30
was like one of these
cattle barons, you know.
00:53:01.33\00:53:04.36
Bu my father was a city boy.
00:53:04.39\00:53:07.96
You know, business man.
00:53:07.99\00:53:09.09
But didn't want anything to do
with cows, horses, or anything.
00:53:09.12\00:53:13.66
You couldn't get him on a ranch.
00:53:13.69\00:53:15.27
So it was striking; and
my father was an agnostic,
00:53:16.42\00:53:20.17
and my mother was
pious, devout, and meek.
00:53:20.20\00:53:24.49
You know, she had God
oozing from every pore.
00:53:24.96\00:53:28.78
And so the difference.
00:53:28.81\00:53:30.85
The priest did not want to
marry my mother to my father.
00:53:32.09\00:53:37.34
Trust me.
00:53:37.96\00:53:39.15
It took a
significant donation of money
00:53:39.18\00:53:42.07
to make that happen.
00:53:43.19\00:53:45.01
Oh, you could see
it in the cathedral.
00:53:45.04\00:53:46.63
The cathedral, the
renovations in the cathedral,
00:53:46.66\00:53:49.69
because my father
had to do something.
00:53:49.72\00:53:53.11
Anyway, there I was in
the middle of that street.
00:53:53.14\00:53:57.72
And this man had talked
about, the day before, angels.
00:53:58.56\00:54:04.76
He said, "You know,
angels are ministering servants
00:54:05.03\00:54:09.24
of the Most High.
00:54:09.27\00:54:10.84
God sends them to
defend us and protect us."
00:54:10.87\00:54:15.17
I was thinking
of that, "I wonder."
00:54:15.71\00:54:17.86
He said, "You know, it's
likely that each of us has
00:54:18.18\00:54:21.43
a guardian angel
looking out for us."
00:54:21.46\00:54:24.37
I said, "Whoa, I wonder
if all of that was true."
00:54:24.86\00:54:29.19
It had all of a
sudden become a matter of
00:54:29.22\00:54:31.12
life and death for me.
00:54:31.15\00:54:32.58
And my mother had said to
me, "You know, Frankus..."
00:54:33.06\00:54:37.49
She was concerned.
00:54:37.52\00:54:39.11
And in her little knowledge
of the Bible that she had...
00:54:39.14\00:54:42.26
So she had other ideas.
00:54:42.46\00:54:44.40
...she said, "You know,
it's like when we go to the
00:54:44.43\00:54:45.79
barber shop, Frankus.
00:54:45.82\00:54:47.19
That's why God
hasn't answered your prayer.
00:54:48.74\00:54:51.91
Because it takes a while.
00:54:51.94\00:54:53.56
You know, you take
your number and you wait.
00:54:53.96\00:54:56.22
Well, imagine all the
people making petitions to God.
00:54:56.62\00:55:01.07
You've got to take your number.
00:55:01.10\00:55:02.13
You've got to wait,
dear. Just wait, be patient."
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.54
Well I had no time
now, I had no time.
00:55:04.89\00:55:07.04
I had seconds here.
00:55:07.07\00:55:08.31
You know, I was there.
00:55:08.52\00:55:10.04
And I had a prayer.
00:55:10.07\00:55:11.95
It was the most
irreverent prayer ever prayed.
00:55:12.80\00:55:16.14
I said to God, "I don't
know where my number is,
00:55:17.50\00:55:22.96
but if You have and ever
are going to do something
00:55:24.18\00:55:27.78
with Frank Gonzalez,
let me suggest to You
00:55:27.81\00:55:31.58
that this is a
good time to show it.
00:55:32.25\00:55:36.23
Because You may
not get another chance.
00:55:36.77\00:55:39.36
But do whatever You please."
00:55:40.60\00:55:43.52
That was my prayer.
00:55:43.73\00:55:45.51
If God only
answered good prayers,
00:55:49.70\00:55:52.10
that prayer would
not have been answered.
00:55:52.13\00:55:54.07
And so I got ready, I got ready.
00:55:56.88\00:55:59.57
And I threw a few punches.
00:56:00.69\00:56:02.20
And I hit a few of them.
00:56:02.93\00:56:04.14
But I started noticing that
even those that I did not hit
00:56:04.84\00:56:09.33
were being thrown back.
00:56:09.68\00:56:12.45
They were being repelled.
00:56:13.22\00:56:14.77
They launched at me, and it
was as if there was a shield.
00:56:14.80\00:56:17.35
They were bouncing from
this thing and going back.
00:56:17.93\00:56:21.03
It wouldn't hurt them.
00:56:21.06\00:56:22.34
They would shake the
dust and come right back and,
00:56:22.37\00:56:24.50
boom, they were out.
00:56:24.53\00:56:25.57
Shot like a canon.
00:56:25.60\00:56:27.16
And pretty soon, they got on
their cars and they got on their
00:56:27.90\00:56:31.82
bicycles and they got on their
motorcycles and left me there
00:56:32.19\00:56:36.75
thinking to myself, "What
in the world happened here?
00:56:38.87\00:56:42.25
What in the
heavens happened here?"
00:56:43.19\00:56:45.72
And when the man came the
next Sabbath, and he said,
00:56:46.45\00:56:50.10
"Do you want to join us?"
00:56:50.30\00:56:51.37
I said, "I'm going
to have to join you.
00:56:51.40\00:56:52.86
Because you have to
explain something to me."
00:56:53.34\00:56:56.67
And he said, "Frank, God
has a plan for your life."
00:56:56.70\00:56:59.81
You see, God has a plan
for your life, my friend.
00:56:59.84\00:57:02.46
He cares for you.
00:57:02.81\00:57:04.35
He didn't care for
me because I'm special.
00:57:04.80\00:57:07.45
He cared for me
because He is special.
00:57:07.65\00:57:11.34
His love is special.
00:57:11.37\00:57:14.05
And if you open your
heart today, I don't know what
00:57:14.08\00:57:16.81
your condition is
and where your heart is,
00:57:16.84\00:57:20.42
turn to God and
you will hear Him say,
00:57:20.45\00:57:24.21
"You shall be
with Me in paradise."
00:57:25.04\00:57:29.26
God bless you.
00:57:29.29\00:57:30.46